Service these were his own words to the King another was preferr'd to the Command of the Lord Plymouth's Regiment I cannot but commend this Noblemans Ingenuity in owning the true Cause and not pretending as others Conscience and publick good for his motives But I am sorry he should forget not only the obligations of gratitude which he is under for his Bread and for his Honor but also who says Appear not wise before the King and give not Counsel unask'd He has learning enough to understand the meaning of in consilium non vocatus ne accesseris 'T is to be hop'd he may repent and 〈…〉 wit may be turn'd into Wisdom As for the D. of M I believe him perfectly drawn in by designing Politicians for ends of their own who never intended him more than as an useful Tool afterwards to be laâ—d aside 'T is no wonder that one of his Youth and Spirit shou'd be tempted with the Baits and Allurements of a Crown the splendor and gaity of Power has blinded many Elder men's understandings But that they never had him in their thoughts for K. appears from the Author of Plato Redivivus and indeed if they had they went the wrong way to work They shou'd not have engag'd him so far as to deserve his being turn'd out of his Command as General a Post that wou'd have best enabl'd him to seize upon and make good any pretence to the Crown after the death of his Majesty I am apt to believe his Grace is sorry for what is past I am certain it were his Interest to throw himself at the Kings Feet and quit the Counsels of those men who intâ—iegâ—â—ng for themselves puff him up with false hopes and yet sufficiently discover that nothing is farther from their hearts than his Exaltation or what is so much in their mouths publick service to the King and Country 'T is much better for him to be content with the second place in the Kingdom than by pretending to the first against all manner of reason and the obligations oâ— gratitude forfeit all his Fame and Honor Life and Fortune The Petition being already answer'd I will only observe that His Majesty intending to turn them out sent Mr. Secretary to the E. of E. for a List of the Papists he mention'd in the Guards But the Noble Peer had none to give but may be suppos'd to have taken the story upon hear say from some that had the malice to invent it And now must the Nation suffer themselves to be rid by any Faction because designing particular advantages they guild all with the specious pretences of Religion and Loyalty particular respect for the Church of England by opening her Doors to all Diâ—senters and for the Monarchy by clipping the Kings power to prevent the Papists Contrivances against his Person Examine whether the zealous sticklers for the Protestant Religion have any at all or if they have whether it be not as far from that Establish'd by Law as Popery Whether if the King wou'd grant their desires receive them into Offices and Power they wou'd not stand up in justification of the Court as fiercely as now they do the contrary What has been before may well be expected again He that considers this and that malice never spoke well of any will give the Factious little credit especially when against reason and sense they wou'd impose upon us that the King himself is in the Plot or as one the Members in a printed Speech tells the House The Plot is not so much in the Tower as in White-Hall there 't is to be search'd for and thâ—â—e to be found And all 〈…〉 noâ— unking himself and put his Crown into their hands and against Law his Coronation-Oath and brotherly affection pass the Bill of Exclusion to the prejudice of himself and the whole Kingdom This is not a single or private man's opinion but the judgement of the Supreme Tribunal of England the House of Lords where upon the first reading it was thrown out with the odds of 63 agâ—inst 31 for which reason their Lordships are call'd Masquerading Protestants Tories Papists or their adherents as if the Lords must not be allow d the priviledge the Commons take with any of their Bills without censure and affront But why for their Act must His Majesty be loyally libell'd and dispers'd It had been time enough one wou'd have thought to have call'd him Papist c. had he rejected the Bill after it had pass'd both Houses Oh! then who cou'd have doubted but his doing more against the Papists than any of his Predecessors had been promoting their Interest that his pardoning no man condemn'd nor stopping the execution of any Law against Recusants was making it no Ploâ— and that passing the Test was letting in Popery by whole-sale He that can believe these things is prepar'd for any thing to say a Lobster is a Whale or a Whale a Lobster that the Moon is a Green-Cheese and the Sun a round Plate of red hot Iron and then I presume it may not be decided whether we are Fools or Madmen Let us not idly and unjustly bely our Consciences and publish to the Nation and all the World that nothing can secure us against Popery but the shaking and alteration of the Monarchy by the Bill of Exclusion an Act in it self unjust and impolitick both for the King and People No man is to be punish'd expost-facto by the Laws of this and all other Countries Besides why shou'd the Duke more than any Fanatick of England be outed his Birth-right The Scripture says You must not do â—vil that good may come of it And Prudence will tell us That this an evil that must be attended with greater For the minute that it passes the Duke is at liberty to recover his Right by secret or open Viâ—lence Foreign or Domestick He is declar'd an Enemy and a Traytor condemn'd without Trial or Conviction This piece of injustice must be defended by an Assotiation or an Army this Army must be entrusted in the hands of the King or a General either may make himself Absolute and Arbitrary and therefore if people are now afraid of slavery from the Government what may then be their apprehensions And if they are jealous of the King what General will they find to entrust Those meanly skill'd in story know that Commanders of Armies have at pleasure subverted Commonwealths and Kingdoms Agathocles from being General became Tyrant of Syracusa Pisistratus of Athens Sforza of Millain the Medici of Florence the Caesars of Rome and not to go so far off Cromwel of the three Kingdoms Most of the Roman Emperors were dethrown'd by their Generals and therefore this cannot but make the King as unwilling as the People to entrust this great Power in any person And yet without such a trust the Act of Exclusion is not woth a straw nor with it can we be secur'd against Slavery whether the Duke conquer or be overcome The Duke
will still find a party at least if he out-lives the King in the Three Kingdoms to fight his Quarrel and if he comes in by Force he may well use us like a conquer'd Nation break our old and give us what Laws and Religion he pleases Whereas if we attempt no such thing we shall not run the hazard of a CIVIL WAR the King being as likely to out-live as to be out-liv'd by His Brother If he shou'd chance to succeed peaceably he cannot be presum'd to offer any alteration in Religion so much against his Interest and who never forwarded any in his own Family suffers his Childâ—en to continue in the Church of England knowing that Christianity forbids compulsion for its propagation To say he wou'd be Priest-ridden is ridiculous why he more than the French King who openly opposes the Popes Usurpation and assumes to himself the cognizance even of Church-affairs This is but a pretence to impose upon the ignorant and the credulous if there be not Laws enough already new ones may be made to prevent any such intention When all Offices and Power are in the hands of Anti-papists I cannot see where can be our danger But this if granted wou'd not be all the Monarchy is hereby made elective and the possessor may as well be remov'd as the successor debarr'd In order to this is there not a History of the Succession publih'd shewing that the Monarchy is rather elective than hereditary Of which here I will only say that the Writer is a notorious Plagiary and steals all out of a seditious Book writ on the same Subject by Parsons the Jesuit under the name of Doleman in Queen Elizabeths time with design of distracting the people and making way for a Spanish Conquest and Inquisition the Presbyterian Transcriber proves himself of the same Jesuitical principles and with equal honestly pursues the same ends Usurpation and Slavery 'T is not to be doubted but that there has been frequent interruptions of the Succession of the Crown but no title but that of the Sword was ever put in ballance with proximity os bloud and he that will oppose Fact to Right is very unjust and argues not upon the principles of Morality nor the Laws of Nations Much such another good Christian is the Writer of The Appeal to the City who tells us if we set up a King with none or a crack'd title we shall have the better Laws and instances that Richard the 3 d. an Usurper a Murderer and a Tyrant made excellent Statues But he might had he been just have found the Laws of that King out done by those of our present Soveraign whose title none can question And yet it is not unreasonable to suspect a design on foot of subverting the Monarchy if it be consider'd that passing the Bill against the Duke will not alone satisfie his adversaries who further expect that all those now firm to the King be remov'd and their trust put into confiding hands and thus when they had him in their owâ— power it wou'd be no hard matter to act thâ—ir pleaâ—ure The Speech disown'd by the Protestant Lord and burnt by tâ—e Hâ—ngman a fate the Author does certainly deserve tells us in plain English We muâ—t havâ— a Châ—nge and a King we may trust and well affected Counsâ—llors with much more treasonable and seditious stuff These things and thâ— frequent mentioning the fates of Edw. 2. Rich 2. and Hen. 6. cannot but alarm His Majesty and restrain him from ever complying with such persons against his only Brother He has so often affirm'd the Bill shou'd never pass that he cannot now without diminution of his own honor as well as safety alter hâ—s well-grounded resolution taken upon the sense of conscience and duty the preâ—ent and future good of himself and people An act that wou'd be the highest violation of Magna Charta that ordains none shou'd be put by his birth-right and inherâ—tance but by the Law of the Land and legal process And therefore I hope what cannot be suppos'd will be granted will no longer be insisted on lest the consequences prove fatal One thing I cannot but admire that the Duke shou'd be absolutely excluded on supposition of being a Papist for otherwise he is allow'd by all a Prince of incomparable vertues and endowments leaving no room for enjoying his righâ— â—n case he become Protestant Do they suppose an alteration of opinion impossible that 's false and foolish There are instances of men that have changed often and to mention no more the Dukes Grandfather Hen 4. twice alter'd his opinion Besides it is uâ—just and contrary to their own practâ—ce for L. Br. was an imprison'd Plotter but assoon as he became a Convert without further process or tryal he was innocent and acquitted We do in this exceed the Papists in France and condemn our Protestant Ancestors and all others abroad who accus'd them as Antichristian and Rebellious for opposing their lawful King Hâ—n 4. on the score of Religion for the Parisians lov'd his person and stood upon no other condition than his turning Papist to receive him for their Sovereign as all the other R. C's of that Kingdom had done before And therefore I very much suspect we are grown weary of Monarchy and wâ—th than inconstancy natural to Islanders affect a Change though for the woâ—se To this I am induc'd by many Reasons and nor a little from a Proâ—estant Lords Speech the last Sessions That the People of Athens were so fond of good King Codrus that they râ—solv'd to have none after him But to attempt this piece of folly and wickedness will inevitably embroyl us in a Civil War And of that the event is so uncertain that we ought to dread the loss of all by striving to enlarge our present liberties This madness ordinary prudence will carefully avoid because in all probability the King must get the better his condition is not like his Father He has standing Troops which the other wanted to Guard his Person he has the Militia in his own hands he has no Scotch nor Irish Rebellion to divide or distract his Forces and above all he has the Parliamenâ— in his own power to let them Sit or not Sit at his pleasure and their good behaviour And 't is happy he has this power to secure himself from popular fury at this time especially when whatever the Papists have done we daily see others run into Clubs and Cabals distinguishing themâ—elves by Green Ribbans by general Committees and Subcommittees where all Transactions of Parliament are first design'd and hammer'd Collections made a Common Purse manag'd and Agents employ'd in every County to prepare and influence the people write and disperse false News Libels against the Government Addresses made and sent into every Shire and Borough and if the Members do not go down to their Elections they can Print for them such Speeches as serve their purpose Witness one my Lord Vaughan spoke at his Election
two or three Iesuits have privately assented the Opinion as problematical for which themselves and writings were censur'd and condemn'd as false and damnable But 't is justified both by Books and Practice of the whole Presbyterian party 't is so plain and fresh in our memories I need not instance in â—he Authors St. Peter's Chair is not more Infallible than that of an Assembly of Presbyters in a National Claâ—sis or Synod Men of these Antichristian Principles stirr'd up the Late Rebellion and being active and diligent drew in many unwary honest men beyond the power of retreating Did not the Faction here tamper in Scotland where the promoters of the Covenant that Godly Instrument apply'd to the Crown of France for protection as appears by the Letter found with the Lord Lowdin therefore sent to the Tower But what was the issue of thâ—s Contrivance but Confusion and Misery through the three Kingdoms the Presbyterian party overpowr'd by the Indâ—pendâ—nts and these again by the Army a Commonwealth set up and soon after turn'd into a perfect Tyranny under Oliver Cromwel after more money had been illegally squeez'd from the Subjects by Ordinances and Loans Sequestrations and Decimations Excise and other Impositions than was ever known before or since The people weary call home their Prince who by an excess of mercy and clemency sparing to root up men of these Principles gave way to their infecting others with the same humour of discontent 'T is to be observ'd that the year 1535. is remarkable for the Geneva Reformation and the spawning of the Iesuits Order and that our unlucky home-bred Divisions weâ—e fomented if not first set on foot under hand by directions from the Court of France as well as from Rome the Interest of tâ—at State as well as of the Church depending on our Distraction to which end Richlieu that great Minister imploy'd many Pensioners into Scoâ—land as did after his Successor Mazarine in England And therefore there is nothing more inconsiderate than to think we are not now acting and promoting French-Desâ—gâ—s 't is their business to divide us and yet so to manage the Ballance that they let neither the King nor Parliament have the â—etter or ever come to a right understanding They can no otherwise obtaâ—n the Western Empiâ—e and 't is directly against their Interest ever to suffer England to be either a perfect Monarchy or an absolute Commonwealth Those that roar most against French Councils and Measures uâ—der-hand-bargains and agreements between both the Kings know they bely their own Conscience and that the French have us in the last degree of conâ—empâ— Thâ—s the â—â—â—â—of Dâ—â—printed in his own vindication peâ—haps noâ— ignorant that some of their Ministers did in the year 1677 and 78. before the breaking forâ—h of the Plot deâ—â—are That Monsieur L. â—ad greater Intâ—rest and more friends in England than the D. of Y. That the K. had need be on 〈◊〉 Gâ—ard for he was in a great danger of running the same risque with his Father when it was likewise enquir'd What Interest among the people two great Peers had who have since the Plot been the great Pillars of the Protestant Religion tho' neither was ever reputed to have any were Ministers and Advisers in 1670. and 71. very good friends to France and Popery Enemies to the Triple Alliance and to Holland c. It was also said That 300000 l. a year bestow'd in Scotland and England among the Factious and Discontented wou'd better servâ— the Interest of France than any Bargain they cou'd drive with the Ministers 'T is too well known that the greatest of these two Noblemen made a secret journey into France some weeks before the Plot after some private Transactions here with others among whom were Sir E. L. fam'd for Religion for Morality Major W. and H. N. as notorious for the same perfections and their love of Monarchy and hatred of a Commonwealth nor did A. S. want his share in the Consultation a stout assertor of Prerogative witness'd by his and others living out of this Kingdom ever since the Kings Restauâ—ation untill they saw some likelyhood of a change the one returning about the time the D. of B. and the other Lords were in the Tower and the other a few months before the breaking forth of the Popish Conspiracy which no sooner came before the Parliament than some of the great Lords of the Committee for the Examination of the Plot kept their Consultations and manag'd much of that Affair at Wallinâ—ford-House Major W. their Secretary where they concluded to take hold of this opportunity for the carrying on some long-hatch'd Designs of their own Nor is it to be forgotten that in Iune before a Letter was writ by an eminent person of the Faction and can be now produced That vâ—ry shorâ—ly somâ—what wou'd be discover'd that wou'd prevent our much lâ—nger walking in the dark and that one of the greatest Lords sent to an Astrologer tâ— know whâ—thâ—r he was not in a short while to be in the head of 60000 men The methodâ— agreed upon in France and pursu'd here were to make a Court and Country-party to sow and disperse Iealousies between both and widen the gap with all possible Devices which resolutions some here were the â—ooner induc'd to embrace upon this consideration That they shou'd not lâ—ve to see the issue and were unconcern'd for what shou'd come after But yet I am too charitable to think if we have any French Agents at home they are impos'd upon by their own unwariness and the others cunning to act rather against than with their knowledge a part so much contrary to the Interest of England and the Duty of a Christian. But however it be I am morally assur'd we are doing their work and if we are not Knaves and Pensioners we are Blockheads or Fools that are blind and besotted like men prepar'd for Destruction Quos Jupiter perdere vult hos dementat If any one talks thus he is presently call'd a Papist and a Tory every true Son of the Church of Enâ—land and Loyal Subject is branded with Nick names and run down by Noise and Faction and he that opposes Popery if he defends not Presbytery is but a Protestant in Masquerade if he commends Monâ—rchy and our Legal Constitutions to the discredit of a Commonwâ—alth he is a Rascal a Villain and a dangerous Person not considering that we are made Tools and Instruments for French purposes betray'd by their Cunning and Address to forward and act with our own hands our Slavery and Ruine Shall we be still blind and deaf to reason and demonstration Can we not reflect upon the French double-dealing in oâ—r late Civil Distractions and remember what the Lord Keeper Puckering tells the Parliament in Q. Elizabeth's days That the Puritans even at the time of the Spanish preparations for Invasion were urging and pressing intestine Câ—mmotions where he largely sets forth their being as dangerous to the Crown and Mitre as
the others and therefore that both were to be equally suppress'd Papists and Puritans I cannot find that either have since alter'd their Principles and consequently cannot but wonder why the Papists shou'd be persecuted and the other countenanc'd even against Law and former Statutes 'T is surely very imprudent to expect your House will be warm by shutting a Window and seâ—ting open the Doors And therefore because in this I can freely agree with Plato Redivivus that the fear of Popery is not the cause of our present disturbances I shall without regard to Religion consider the Papists and Presbyterians as two Factions in the State like the Armâ—nians and Lovâ—stein party in Holland and as such pronounce that both are to be suppress'd or neither because by emptying only one of the Sâ—ales the Ballance is broken and the Court or Monarchical party is first weaken'd and destroy'd and after the whole form of Government alter'd into that of a Commonwealth and I am fully convinc'd if that had not been that Authors Designs as to an ordinary Reader is past doubt he wou'd have set down this as one of the Remedies of our present Evils But the contrary was his purpose and in order to it he câ—nningly to preserve the Monarchy wou'd set up a plain Democracy and for an English King obâ—â—ude upon us a Doâ—g of Venice for he tells you at large that the antient Power of the King is fallen into the hands of the Commons and therefore to keep up the former illustrious splendor of the Crown he wou'd have all its Jewels taken out and set about the Speakers Chaâ—r the King made a Cypher and divested of all Power but the Name to keep up the three several and distinct shares in the Government King Lords and Commons 'T is an ingenious way of arguing but we are not yet I hope such fools to have it pâ—ss to venture at play and not know how to distinguish false Diâ—e Oh! but says a Factious Pâ—titioner that takes the House of Commons sufficiently prov'd by the learned Answer to Petyt's Book to have had no share in the Legislative power to be the Parliament all their Votes how wild and unreasonable â—oever as we have lately as well as formerly seen in print to be the sence of the Nation and have the force of Laws and yet deny any Authority to the Kings Proclamation This Scribler says he is Popishly affected a French designer a meer Tory not considering that there is not less hazard in splitting upon a rock than upon a sand-bank that if I must be a slave and forfeit my liberty 't were at least as good to do so under a single person as more the tyranny of many is much more intolerable than that of one 'T is equally destructive of my liberty whether the King or the House of Commons takes away Magna Charta I am still against arbitrary Government ruling according to pleasure not the Laws and known Constitutions of the Land whether assum'd by King or Commons if there be any choice the odds are against the latter And to speak truth by what has pass'd since the Plot any one in his wits wou'd believe the King is invaded not an invader that his frequent Prorogations and Dissolutions have been his legal defensive weapons us'd as much for his Subjects security as his own honour that arbitrary power is a delicious thing and therefore aim'd at by our Demagogues and Tribunes of the people bad and to be decry'd only while in the Soveraign 'T is very convenient to cry Whore first Solomon tells us He that appeareth first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour cometh after and proveth him If the people in an Island are alarm'd that an Invasion is design'd and that only at one Port and they become so foolish as for the guard of that to neglect and expose all other they do but make the easier way for their enemies to land and overcome Those who are the Watchmen the Sentinels of our safety ought with Ianus to have two faces one behind and the other before and many eyes like Argus there being otherwise no security against surprize I remember in Thucydides that the Gretians besieging a strong City found no means but stratagem to become Masters which they thus contriv'd After they had puchas'd within some Pensioners they kept the besieged awake and put them into a great distress by continual false alarms and as design'd prepar'd to believe nothing more was intended than amusement and distraction The false Citizens within taking this advantage affirm'd they ought for the future to make it death to any Watchman to give the Alarm This decreed notice was given to the enemy and without the least resistance the besieg'd were taken and undone when and where they least suspected whereupon this Proverb was taken up Amyclas perdidit silentium I wish we may never run the same fate the application is too easie and natural to be dwelt upon And yet I cannot but take notice how the late House of Commons have assum'd to themselves a power extraordinary and by a Vote without proof or conviction made eminent men and known Protestants guilty of Popery and French designs made them Advisers and Counsellors according to their own 〈◊〉 imprison'd several DURING PLEASURE seiz'd Closets and Writings without Information and contrary to Magna Charta voted Acts of Parliament made for the preservation of the establish'd Religion usâ—less and their execution grievous to the Subject against the Protestant interest and an encouragement to Popery c. and among these which is most wonderful a Law made by the darling Queen Eliz. who cannot well be suppos'd to have been a friend to Popery If these be not odd and arbitrary proceedings I know not what are nor why that shou'd be tolerable or lawful for them which is not for any no not for our Sovereign Considering men are afraid the abettors of such practices are not friends to peace and quiet but rather factious and dangerous willing to enslave us to foreign Invasions or domestick Encroachments whatever may be said to the contrary these actings are but too good grounds for such apprehensions The cunningest Whores seem most devout and inveigh very bitterly against the lewdness they daily study commit Your rooking Gamesters abhor if you will believe their shams and oaths the use of false Dice and the un-Gentleman-like-trick of cheating However none but Cullies who want wit or years to make observation can be wheedl'd and drawn in by such pretences Before the discovery of the Plot our Ministers were reflected on as designing Popery and Arbitrary Government by many scandalous Pamphlets and one in particular call'd an Account of the â—rowth of â—opery c. as if the people were to be prepar'd to believe the whole Court were Popish that while they were alarm'd against that party they might be unprovided to defend themselves against the-other The Presbyterian true blue who like Aesop's