so in Merit else they can hardly escape being undiscovered in their Adversity It 's almost as hard for a Prince to be concealed in a Disguise as for the Sun to be hid with a transparent Cloud I was not long ago at the Mercy of a Butler and must now be obliged to the Fidelity of an Inn-keeper and how dangerous is it to trust to those who must live by Gain when then they might have 1000 l. to discover my Person The tumbling of the Waves resembles the Instability of the Mob who cry Hosanna to day and crucify to morrow When the Sky is serene the Surface is smooth but when Storms arise they threaten both Heaven and Hell What Mountains of Water seem ready to invade the Skies and how do the bottomless Gulphs seem ready to disgorge upon Hell yet had I rather be here than amongst my rebellious Subjects who are swoln by the Winds of Error and Sedition But Thanks to my Guardian Angel I am within sight of Land and almost out of the Limits of my cursed Dominions Now am I arrived in a most Christian Country and under the Protection of the most Christian King This Place though it had not been called so before doth now deserve the Name of Havre du Grace as having indeed afforded a safe Haven to a Monarch who has been tossed by a Tempest of Rebellion Ave Regina Coelorum Ave Domina Angelorum Salve radix salve porta Ex qua mundo lux est orta Gaude Virgo gloriosa Super omnes speciosa Vale O valde decora Et pro nobis Christum exora CHAP. XVI On his Majesty's being conducted to Paris met by his Brother the Duke of York and entertained at the French Court. IT 's true I am now safe from the Fury of my rebellious Subjects but alas I am a King without a People and like a new married Husband deprived of his beloved Bride I had scarcely tasted the Sweets of the Throne when I was deprived of my Soveraignty per Force and instead of giving Laws to my own Subjects am now constrain'd to wander amongst Strangers I had not near obtain'd a plenary Possession when the Sword of an Usurper did serve me with an Ejection and instead of going to Paris in Triumph as did some of my Predecessors I am glad to go thither as a Supplicant and Fugitive And whereas my Ancestors did wear the Crown of France I must now be obliged to that Monarch to preserve me for the Crown of England and court his Endeavours for my Restitution Where my Fore-fathers us'd to command I must obey and am glad to be entertain'd as a Subject where I ought to be a Soveraign The Kings of France have been Prisoners in England and now the Monarch of Great Britain is a Fugitive in France So great is the Difference betwixt a King of England belov'd of his Subjects and one who is at Variance and War with his People for they who would have enabled me to come hither as a Conqueror have now constrain'd me to become a Petitioner But more than enough of this melancholy Theme I must strive to make the best of my present Condition in order to establish my future Repose Here I am safe from the Rage of Rebellion and injoy the Society of my Royal Relations Here I have a Palace instead of a Wood and the Society of Princes in lieu of Clowns I hold not my Life from the Courtesy of Peasants nor am I in hazard of Discovery by tatling Females Here I can despise the Proclamation of the Rebels and am neither in hazard by their Flattery nor Force It behoves me now to re-assume my Spirits and represent my Case to other crown'd Heads and solicite them vigorously to espouse my Cause lest the bad Example should reach themselves I must declaim warmly against all Commonwealths as mortal Enemies to the Name of Kings I must also alarm the Church of Rome and make the Pope understand the Danger of his Tiara and that my Republican Subjects have not only sworn the Destruction of all Crowns but will involve the Mitres in the same Fate CHAP. XVII On his Majesty's offering his Mediation betwixt the Prince of Conde's Faction and that of Cardinal Mazarin supported by the French King and the Odium which he thereby brought upon himself from both Parties MY Friends if divided can't give me that Assistance which I am sure they might do if they were united and therefore it 's my Interest to have that effected Circumstances do specify Actions of which this is a remarkable Instance If I were upon my Throne and in full Prosperity it would be my Advantage to pour Oil into the Flames that by their mutual Divisions I might triumph over both and make good my Title to the Crown of France but now that their Help is my only Refuge I must endeavour an Accommodation But of this I am resolved to take special Care that as much as I can I will side with the Crown which is the common Interest of all Monarchs On his Majesty's being suspected by both Parties The Office of Mediator I find very ungrateful and he that parts Quarrellers must have Blows for his Pains Of all Men alive I am the least obliged to my Stars for their malign Influence blasts all my Designs so that I can neither be in Peace at home nor abroad My direful Fate pursues me every where and not only involves my self but all my Relations in Ruine I thought that Monarchy had been sacred in France and the Persons of Princes not to be approached without Fear I thought that their Monarchs had been successful in making themselves to be look'd upon as Gods on Earth by keeping the greatest part of their Subjects in Ignorance that there was a God in Heaven but now I find that the Contagion of Rebellion hath spread every where and that my Mother though a Princess of the Blood is not secure in France and that that Deference is not paid to the Royal Family in her own Country which she would have extorted from the Subjects in mine O ye Saints if ye have Ears to hear or Hearts to consider have Compassion on a forlorn distressed Prince who can neither be safe at home nor abroad restore me to my Crown that I may restore your Worship or if I cannot restore it that I may at least connive at it If the Catholick Church have any of your Merits in her Treasure let them be made use of to my Advantage Ave Maria. CHAP. XVIII On Mrs. Lane's Arrival in France His Majesty's being disappointed of Mademoiselle d' Orleans and treating with the Duke of Lorrain for the recovering of Ireland HOW inveterate is the Malice of my natural Subjects that not only pursue my self but those who entertain'd me and vent their Rage against a poor Gentlewoman who befriended me I am not in a Capacity of giving her a Royal Reward but shall entertain her with Royal Honour and
of the Commons that Ireland was like to be over-run with Popery because of his Majesty's Proclamation allowing Papists to live in Corporations and giving them equal Liberties to the English Their Address concerning the Danger of the Protestant Interest there and that Mr. Richard Talbot should be remov'd from all Publick Imployment and denied Access to Court And their Address concerning English Grievances with Reflections on the Miscarriages of his Majesty's former Designs of being impower'd to raise Money without Parliament on extraordinary Occasions and having an Vniversal Excise settled on the Crown WHat mighty Clamours do continually sound in my Ears as to the Dangers which threaten the Protestant Religion and now that I have given them the most solemn Promises that can be for my Care and Endeavours to preserve the same in England they exhibite an Address of their Fears as to Ireland where they strike at once both against my Designs in Church and State and fall foul upon my Proclamation granting the Irish Papists the same Liberty with the English Protestants so that they are resolved to quarrel with my Prerogative in every Particular and will allow me to be Absolute in nothing but in quelling Dissenters so little Sense have they of that Religion which they profess by the Laws of which they are enjoin'd to love their Neighbours as themselves but I perceive that they are firmly resolv'd that none shall have the Privilege to buy nor sell but such as conform to the Church of England The imprudent Zeal of Mr. Richard Talbot who glories in being Agent to the Roman Catholicks in Ireland hath animated them not only to address against him but against imploying any Catholicks in Ireland either as Officers or Souldiers Nor do they stop there but desire that I should recal my Commission of Inquiry into Irish Affairs as tending to the Overthrow of the Act of Settlement and the like as to my Letter forbidding the Prosecution of the Irish for any Injuries they committed in the late Rebellion and urge me to banish their Titular Bishops and Archbishops and to suppress their Seminaries and publick Schools and yet at the same time pretend to be the Patrons and Disciples of the Doctrine of Passive Obedience while they prescribe Laws to their Monarchs I thought it the best Policy to begin to exert my Prerogative in Ireland by extending Favour to the Catholicks there who did so cordially espouse my Father's Quarrel against the Puritanical Rebels both in England and Scotland concluding as I thought with Reason that the Church-of England-men would have been willing that the Irish Catholicks who were their Fellow-Sufferers in Affliction should also be Fellow-Sharers with them in their Prosperity after my Restoration and that those who had no Scruple of Conscience to join with them in Arms against their common Enemies the Presbyterians even after they were accounted barbarous for massacring the Protestants should have had no Disquiet at seeing them Copartners with themselves in my Royal Bounty but I find that I am mistaken and that the Doctrine of Passive Obedience is only calculated to the Church of England's Interest but has no place when that is not the Monarch's chief Aim for they not only take upon them to quarrel with my Proclamations and Letters about the Affairs of Ireland but pretend to order who shall have Access to my Court and who not as if the King of Great Britain was to be confin'd to as narrow Limits as the Doge of Venice so ill founded are those Peoples Complaints against the Scots Presbyterians for imposing Conditions upon me before my Coronation that they themselves who admitted me almost without any are now for intrenching upon my Prerogative when I am in plenary Possession And yet because of this pretended Constraint upon me the Episcopal Party justify my Breach of Covenant with the Scots so that according to their own Doctrine I may as well break with themselves when I find an Opportunity because they now take the Advantage of my Circumstances and want of Money to bring me to their own Terms which is still more palpable from their other Address concerning their own Grievances viz. my imposing of 12 d. per Chaldron upon Coals for providing of Convoys the exempting of my Souldiers from ordinary Justice the quartering of them on private Houses the pressing of Men for Land-Service c. So that notwithstanding of the Divine Right of Succession my not being accountable to any but God and the Height to which their Divines have preach'd up my Prerogative they would still reduce me to a King of Clouts These things being so inconsistent with the Church of England's pretended Principles I must take care to possess the Clergy of the Danger they are in if such Incroachments upon the Crown be suffered to pass without Animadversion for as they value themselves upon the Maxim of No Bishop no King as if where Episcopacy is not the Government of the Church Monarchy can never be that of the State I am sure that the converted Proposition No King no Bishop will hold much truer And if once there be an Incroachment made upon the Crown the Privileges of the Mitre will never be lasting and therefore it 's their Interest to disown the Maintainers of such Principles for true Sons of the Church as I can never own them for good Subjects to the State and so we shall brand them with a Note of Ignominy But in the mean time I must put the Commons off with a smooth Answer both my Father and I having sufficiently smarted by provoking Parliaments though at the same time I shall be sure to prorogue them that so all their Designs of Ease to Dissenters and to oppose my Brother's Match may fall to the ground and this I esteem a much safer way of dealing than to withdraw from them and set up my Standard as my Father did who seems to have entail'd his Misfortune in War on all his Posterity for I find that the Minds of those who depend intirely upon me are mutable and therefore I have less Reason to put Confidence in the Body of the Nation who brag of their Privileges as a free People The Church-men notwithstanding of their former Flights of Zeal for the Prerogative do many of them join with those who are for encroaching upon it and my very Pensioners who liv'd by my Bounty withstood my Designs of having a Power to levy Money upon extraordinary Occasions and getting an universal Excise settled upon the Crown because they found that if these things were but once obtain'd there would be no need of Pensioners and consequently an End put to their Salaries and Subsistence Nor are even the highest of the Clergy who bind Passive Obedience upon the Consciences of their Hearers on pain of Damnation willing to have an Arbitrary Power put in exercise over themselves and the most obsequious of their Hearers though they applaud the French King and his Government are very unwilling
Their Address against Papists His Majesty's Proclamation on that Head The Prosecution of Protestant Dissenters Declaration of War against Denmark The Insurrection in Scotland in 1666. The burning of his Majesty's Ships at Chattam by the Dutch c. p. 119. XLII On the murmuring of the People at the Consumption of the Treasure His Majesty's granting leave to the Parliament's Commissioners to take the Publick Accounts His raising an Army of 30000 Men and disbanding them On the Parliament's being displeased with it The Sessions of Parliament in July October and February 1667. His Majesty's Speeches to them Proclamation against Papists Displacing of Chancellor Hide and League with the Dutch c. p. 124. XLIII On the Proclamation against Dissenters in 1669. Inviting the Dutch and Swedes into a League with us proposing a nearer Alliance with the Dutch and forcing the Treaty of Aix La Chappelle upon the Spaniards and the French p. 128. XLIV On the Interview betwixt his Majesty and his Sister the Dutchess of Orleans at Dover and her Advice to him to break the Triple League and concur with the French King to destroy the Dutch and the Protestant Religion and render himself absolute in England Her leaving one of her Maids of Honour created afterwards Dutchess of Portsmouth behind her and her own Death speedily after her Return into France p. 131. XLV On Colonel Blood ' s Attempt to steal the Crown A Proclamation against Papists to please the Parliament The second War with the Dutch The shutting up of the Exchequer The falling upon the Dutch Smyrna Fleet before War was declared and the Declaration of War thereupon p. 141. XLVI On the Dutch's surprizing our Fleet in Southwold-bay the Duke of York being Admiral His Majesty's Declaration to the Dutch The Progress of the French in the Vnited Provinces His Majesty's and the French King's Proposals to the Dutch and their rejecting them and making the Prince of Orange Stadtholder p. 148. XLVII On his Majesty's suffering the Parliament to meet Novemb. 1673. His Speech to them concerning the Indulgence and the Dispensing Power and the Necessity of raising more Forces for carrying on the Dutch War Several unsuccessful Fights with the Hollanders The Letter from the Dutch to influence the Parliament who addressed against the Match betwixt the Duke of York and Dutchess of Modena The Prorogation which ensued thereupon A Proclamation against Papists and the Consummation of the Marriage p. 154. XLVIII On his Majesty's Speech to the House of Lords upon the Address of the Commons against his Declaration of Indulgence The Answer of the Lords thereunto The Vote of the Commons for Ease to Protestant Dissenters and that part of their Address which desired that all in Places of Power and Trust should take the Sacrament according to the Church of England p. 163. XLIX Vpon the Complaints of the Commons that Ireland was like to be over-run with Popery because of his Majesty's Proclamation allowing Papists to live in Corporations and giving them equal Liberties to the English Their Address concerning the Danger of the Protestant Interest there and that Mr. Richard Talbot should be remov'd from all Publick Imployment and denied Access to Court And their Address concerning English Grievances with Reflections on the Miscarriages of his Majesty's former Designs of being impower'd to raise Money without Parliament on extraordinary Occasions and having an Vniversal Excise settled on the Crown p. 166. L. On his Majesty's making Application to the Parliament of Scotland upon his failing of Money from the Parliament of England the Scots insisting first upon the Redress of their Grievances and sending Duke Hamilton and others to London for that end p. 172. LI. On the Spanish Ambassador's Proposals for an Vnion betwixt England and Holland and declaring that they must break with England if the same were not accepted The Manifesto of the Dutch to the Parliament of England wherein they appeal to them for the Righteousness of their Cause The Parliament's Endeavours thereupon for a Peace and his Majesty's agreeing to it without including the French King p. 178. LII On his Majesty's proroguing the Parliament because of their impeaching his Ministers forming Bills against Popery and for the marrying of those of the Royal Family with Protestants and educating their Children in that Religion Clamours rais'd in the Nation that we were running back to 41. The Court's mediating a Peace betwixt France and Holland and sending 10000 of their own Subjects into the French King's Service p. 185. LIII On the meeting of the Parliament again April 1675. Their falling upon Bills for the Benefit of the Nation and being diverted by the sudden bringing in of a Test into the House of Lords to be imposed upon all in Places of Power or Trust Civil Military or Ecclesiastical obliging them to declare their Abhorrence of taking up Arms against the King or any commissionated by him and to swear that they would not at any time endeavour the Alteration of the Government either in Church or State p. 190. LIV. On the Debate betwixt the Lords and Commons about the Lords hearing of Appeals from any Court of Equity with the Behaviour of the Bishops in that Affair and the Opposition which they met with from the Earl of Shaftsbury c. p. 199. LV. On the meeting of the Parliament after the Prorogation His Majesty's Demand of Money to build Ships The Commons insisting upon the Bill for a Habeas Corpus Against sending Men Prisoners beyond Sea Raising Money without Consent of Parliament Against Papists sitting in either House For the speedier convicting of Papists and recalling his Majesty's Subjects from the French Service and the Duke of Buckingham ' s Speech for Indulgence to Dissenters p. 202. LVI On the Motion for an Address by the House of Lords for dissolving the Parliament The Address's being cast out by the Majority and the Protestation of the Country Lords thereupon p. 205. LVII On the filling of the Benches with durante beneplacito Judges The publishing of some Books in favour of the Papists and Prerogative The French King 's letting loose his Privateers amongst the English Merchants And the sending of Ammunition from his Majesty's Stores to the French King p. 211. LVIII On the meeting of the Parliament after the long Prorogation Febr. 1676. His Majesty's Demand of Money recommending a good Correspondence to the two Houses The Question whether the Parliament was not dissolv'd by that unprecedented Prorogation Sending some Lords to the Tower for insisting on it The granting of Money by the Commons p. 218. LIX On the Commons throwing out the Bill intituled An Act for securing the Protestant Religion and another for the more effectual Convicting and Prosecution of Popish Recusants p. 224. LX. On the Address of the Commons concerning the Danger from the Power of France and their Progress in the Netherlands His Majesty's Answer It s not being thought satisfactory by the Commons who presented a second to which his
popular Men and testify'd their Dissatisfaction at my Father's Murder Prosper my Designs O thou Almighty for the Advancement of the Catholick Church the Restitution of the pious Order of Episcopacy and the Holy Liturgy Thy true Worshippers those of the Roman Communion having found Healing under the Wings of the former and no small Security in times of Difficulty by being able to comply with the latter my Predecessor Edward VI. having own'd that it was the Mass-Book translated into English And my Father of blessed Memory having gain'd it the Approbation of the Spanish Clergy when he ordered it to be translated into Spanish Blessed Virgin who sittest as Queen in Heaven favour my Design command thy Son to assist me in it And O all ye Saints be propitious to my Endeavours interceed for me at the Throne of Heaven that I may recover those Thrones from which I am unjustly with-held and I make a Vow when I am restored that I shall re-establish Bishops and the Liturgy in order to the Introduction of the Catholick Religion CHAP. VII On his Majesty's Defeat at Worcester HOW changeable are all humane Affairs and how little is Grandeur and Strength to be relied on I who not long ago was crown'd with extraordinary Pomp am now in a worse Condition than the meanest Peasant The other Day I was at the Head of a gallant Army and now there 's not a Man dare be seen to follow me I was lately guarded by a Forest of Spears and now I am glad to sculk in a Forest of Trees O! how does this Disaster wound my Soul that I who was lately a King over Men am now exposed to wander among Beasts and in so much a worse Condition than they that I cannot so well provide for my self How do my Enemies now triumph and what a dreadful Slaughter have they made of my Friends I was proud of having an Army modelled to my mind and to be at the Head of so many Cavaliers How will the Scots Remonstrators to whose ill Conduct I ascrib'd my former Defeats reproach me now with the Conduct of my own so many of whom are killed in the and others will be butcher'd like Beasts in the Shambles Alas this Defeat is more fatal to me than those at Dumbar and Innerkeithing The Presbyterians whose Loss I did not regard will now say that Justice has found me out by cutting off those who were the Pillars of my Hope How often shall I be upbraided with it that I am disappointed by those whom I preferred to them Alas what can I answer That I had scarce so many hundreds of my Subjects of England as I had thousands of those from Scotland That they should have march'd so far into this Kingdom and be joined by such an inconsiderable Handful That so many thousands of Covenanters should follow me into this Nation where the Churchmen are strongest and yet so few of the Churchmen did join me so that I came to my own and they received me not In truth this Presbyterian Reflection has something in it that the Churchmen do follow their Kings for the Loaves and always worship the Rising Sun Poor Souls how many of the Covenanters have their Garments roll'd in Blood for espousing my Cause though their whole Party suspects me And how few of my English Episcopal Friends have either assisted me with Men or Money How do the Sectaries revile the Presbyterians as Friends to me because Haters of their Anarchy And yet how little do I hear of the Zeal of the Churchmen who formerly pretended to adore the Monarchy How true have I found it that their Loyalty to the Crown was measur'd by its Ability to protect the Mitre No wonder that they followed and stood by my Father who undertook the War in Defence of them but now that I must not declare for their Hierarchy I perceive a Declension in their Zeal for the Monarchy but if ever I happen to recover my Crown then I shall be sure to have their Friendship And of the ten thousand Ecclesiasticks that are said to be in England the far greater part will still keep their Churches as well as the Majority do now comply Deliver me O thou Almighty from my imminent Dangers Thou who art King of Kings defend me from those Blood-thirsty Men who have murdered one King and hunt after the Life of another Against thee thee only have I sinned then why should they call me to an account Deliver me from their Hands and vindicate thy own Prerogative from those who have usurped thine as well as mine When my pretended Friends forsake me yet do thou espouse my Cause And as thou hast covered my Head in the Day of Battel deliver me from those who thirst for my Blood ✚ Kyrie Eleyson Christe Eleyson Ave Maria Gratia plena CHAP. VIII On his Majesty's Escape to Whiteladies from thence to Spring Coppice and then to Boscobel-house where he was conceal'd some time by the Penderels after he left the Royal Oak HEavens be bless'd that I have hitherto escap'd from the Cruelty of those who seek after my Life that my first Sanctuary should have been a quondam Nunnery foretold what Party were to be the Instruments of my Preservation But alas at Whiteladies I parted with the choicest of my Friends and God knows whether ever we shall meet again The Noble Earl of Derby I hear is taken and will quickly be sacrific'd to the Fury of the Rebels but there is no Remedy against such Disasters he dies for his Loyalty which is his unquestionable Duty And though I be not now able to protect him yet Heaven is able to reward him How changeable is the Scene of humane Affairs since Crowns are also liable to the Cross The Court which did formerly set forth my Glory I was lately obliged to abandon with Terror lest they who at another time would have guarded my Person should now have been the Cause of a fatal Discovery I who was lately in Royal Apparel am glad to exchange it with the Garb of a Peasant my Countenance which did lately enlighten the Court is now eclipsed with a Vail of Soot and my Hands the Dispensers of Royal Bounty are instead of Jewels embellish'd with the Smoak of the Chimney In room of a Palace I am glad of a Coppice and my Lodging is common with the Beasts of the Field so that like Nebuchadnezzar I am driven from amongst Men and for ought I can see shall be forc'd to eat Grass like him till such time as I am made to know that the most High ruleth over the Kingdoms of the Earth and giveth them to whomsoever he will God will be known by the Judgments which he executes let my Tutor Hobbs pretend what he pleases Did not I the other day say to my self Is not this the Army which I have rais'd for the Defence of my Crown and the Glory of my Power And lo how they are all consum'd like Wax without
the Country seeing they have their Dependance wholly upon the Court and don't vote according to the Mind of those that chose them So that they are in the same Design with my self to swallow up the Peoples Liberties provided they may have some Court-Preferments The Lords do also insist upon the frequent Calling of new Parliaments which they alledg from the Records to have been their ancient Privilege and plead the Prescriptions of many hundreds of Years What pity that all those Monuments of Rebellion should not have perish'd in the great Conflagration that they might never have risen up in Judgment against me but seeing they are extant and so violently urg'd I 'll do the best I can to divert their Force I can insinuate to the Commons that these Proceedings of the Lords are not the Effect of any Zeal for the People but merely a Desire of Revenge upon the Lower House for their late controverting of their Privileges and an Aversion that any Commoner by his Service to the Crown should merit an Advancement to a Dignity equal with their own By these and such other Arguments as I can suggest I doubt not to have the present House of Commons on my side And suppose it true that they are not the real Representatives of the Nation as having forfeited that Title by going contrary to the Peoples Interest and Instructions yet the very Name of their Concurrence adds Credit to my Conduct and I doubt not but abundance of the Members who have found the Sweets of the Privilege of the House which protects them from their Creditors and many times confirms their Titles to Estates by Prescription because while they are Parliament-men they are secured in the Possession I say I have no reason to doubt but such Men will be against a Dissolution It was a wise and commendable Practice in my Predecessor Henry the VIIIth to make Parliaments long-liv'd for by that means he had the Opportunity of making them for his purpose and left a happy Precedent for his Successors Let the Murmurers grumble as much as they please and object the Custom of holding Parliaments thrice a Year before the Conquest and the Act of Edward III. that Parliaments should be holden once a Year or oftner I am not tied to those antiquated Rules If those Kings did not know the Extent of their own Prerogative I am not therefore obliged to allow any Intrenchments on mine But since Henry the VIIIth could protract the Duration of a Parliament beyond its former Length and the Customs of his Predecessors I may certainly be allowed to exceed the Examples of my Predecessors since his time especially having the Clergy on my side who have preach'd up the Prerogative higher than ever it was in former times and will defend my Practice by the Authority of their Gods But I am not to be so easily drawn from what 's my Interest by the Allegations or Addresses of some factious Lords for it 's my Wisdom to foment the Misunderstanding betwixt them and the Commons as much as I can and if I could but once bring them to have a mutual Distrust of one another and possess the Commons with an ill Opinion of the Arrogance of the Lords and their incroaching too much upon the Privilege of the Members who knows but it might procure such a Surrender to me as that which was lately made to the King of Denmark by his People who could not bear with the Contempt shewed to them by their Nobles and therefore did all of a sudden devolve the whole Power upon the King and render him Absolute Or if no such thing should happen yet by making the House for my purpose I can with the more Ease attain my Desires and if once the Commons were brought to comply the Popish Lords Court-Lords and Bishops will easily cast the Vote in the Upper House But let things go as they will I am sure of this one infallible Method I can possess the Clergy by means of the Bishops that if this Parliament be dissolv'd the Mitre and Crown are both in danger and then all those who are Enemies to my Designs shall be threatned with Hell and Damnation as opposing themselves to God's Ordinance to which they ought to be subject for Conscience-sake And on the other hand I am very sure that those Gentlemen of the House of Commons who have spent some hundreds and thousands of Pounds for the Advantages which they had a Prospect of enjoying by being Parliament-men will never submit willingly to a Dissolution nor be content to put themselves to the hazard of a new Choice And I am sure of my Pensioners for their Usefulness to themselves and me both ceases with their not being Parliament-men for as in that case they cannot do me any Service so neither can they tell where to have Subsistence I have had the good Fortune to put a Check upon those factious Lords and to throw out their Address by the Majority of Votes in which the Bishops were all on my side so happily are the Interests of the Church and Crown united Hence I find the Advantage of dissembling a Zeal for Religion though in my Heart I believe the whole to be a Cheat for my professing my self to be the grand Patron of the Church of England sets all the Clergy at work for me and they having the Conduct of the Peoples Consciences are useful Tools for any Soveraign The Country Lords have protested against the Votes for rejecting the Address and inserted their Reasons in the Journals of the House but it signifies nothing seeing they have lost their Cause however it shall remain as an Indictment against them and now that I have their Names as my Enemies on record I shall take care on occasion to treat them as such and make them odious to the Country by charging all the Miscarriages and Heats in Parliament and consequently the Obstruction of whatever might have been advantagious to the Publick upon them CHAP. LVII On the filling of the Benches with durante beneplacito Judges The publishing of some Books in favour of the Papists and Prerogative The French King 's letting loose his Privateers amongst the English Merchants And the sending of Ammunition from his Majesty's Stores to the French King HAving been hitherto unsuccessful in my Attempts of following French Counsels raising a Standing Army bribing Parliament-men and contriving Oaths to swear the People into Arbitrary Government I must try some new Methods and endeavour to carry on my Designs by Shadow of Law for which end it is necessary that I make a Reform amongst my Judges and instead of granting their Commission ad vitam aut ad culpam will make them hold them by a new Tenure of durante beneplacito by which they will be bound to their good Behaviour and not dare to disoblige me but give out my Will as the Oracles of the Law and then I can effect that by a Shadow of Justice which is not