An Account of the Growth of Popery, and Arbitrary Government in England

"An Account of the Growth of Popery, and Arbitrary Government in England" is a prose satire written by Andrew Marvell. Published in 1677, it critiques the perceived increase of Roman Catholicism ("popery") and the expansion of monarchical power in England during the reign of Charles II. Marvell, a poet and political satirist, argued that these trends threatened English liberties. The work was published anonymously due to the sensitive political climate and the reward offered for the author's identity. The term "popery" is a disparaging term for Roman Catholicism.123