their own snares as this King was by his mistake in this person This King having by turning and changing got Judges and Counsellors to his purpose corrupting by Pensions c. a Majority in the Parliament carried all things as he pleased till at last he lost his Credit by the odiousness of the Popish Plot and his Compliance with France to the advancing that King to what he is now come to teaching him compared to what he knew before to build Ships man victual and sail them nay even to fight and sound our Coasts and Rivers which was done in the time of his unhappy Administration especially in the year 1672. in joyning with him against Holland when none of his Ships were suffered to fight but stand by and learn that one French Commander that did ingage being as it s said at his return clapped in the Bastile for it which we never heard was complained of by us nor excused by them Nay not to be wanting in any thing towards the advancement of the French King we gave him Canada that necessary place for our Newfound-land Fishery our chief Nursery for Seamen for an insignificant part compared to Canada of the Island of St. Christophers which had belonged to us under pretence that he had taken it from us in our former War with the Dutch when he sided with them against us and served them as he did us never appearing with them making use only of his Declaration of War for them to the end to set us together by the Ears that so he might have the better opportunity to set up himself and worm us as in a great measure he hath done out of our New-found Land Fishery and hath taken it to himself whereas formerly they used to pay us a kind of Tribute for Liberty of Fishing there but now through our favour and carelesness they are arrived to that height of Fishing that they are said to imploy so many Men in it as produceth them five thousand new Seamen yearly so that by the Conduct of our Counsellors this King is since 1662. when he had hardly 20 Men of War great and small come now to be Master of 150 at least But tho by his wise management of Affairs and our bad he hath rid this Summer in our Channel without controle I hope he will never do so more nor ever be encouraged to intitle himself to the Dominion of the Narrow Seas except God for our Sins gives us over to be again betrayed by our Counsellors as formerly for tho Kings themselves may be ill Men yet without the like Counsellors they cannot perpetrate their evil Designs This Government of ours hath been by our late Kings carried on by tricks which our Statists valued themselves upon as the effect of their great Wisdom whereas it is truly nothing more than the transendency of Immorality in which honester Men have not a latitude To enumerate their deceitful Artifices is hard they are so many This King at his Restauration in 1660 made a League with the States General in design to prepare for a War with them having then found his Naval Forces very low In 1664. he began to quarrel with them without the least cause and against their real endeavours for preventing it But Downing being Envoy Extraordinary at the Hague to remove their Jealousie of us which was great gave them according to the Policy of those Times all assurance of Friendship telling them that if their East-India Ships then expected were above London-Bridge they would be as safe as in their own Harbours yet their Merchants Ships to about the number as it is said of 120. were upon frivolous pretences first stopped as they came into our Channel till at last some Months after without Declaration of War or any causes shewn they were confiscated and at the same time their Smirna Fleet was fallen upon before Cadiz whereupon Downing thought fit to make a hasty Retreat by Mazeland-Sluce and this Action was as little to our honour as profit for tho we sunk one or two of their Ships to their great dammage we took none and for those seized at home our management was so commendable that upon the sale of them as I have heard the King was made Debtor And thus this War began which prospered in our hands according to the Justice of it The first year of this War the Dutch East-India Fleet coming home by the North of Scotland upon the King of Denmark's promise of Security or at least relying upon their League with him put into Bergen in Norway where they were presently blocked up by our Fleet under the Command of the Earl of Sandwich who sent in some Ships to seize them and had had them delivered had not the Currier with Orders from Copenhagen come too late to the Governour Sandwich's Ships being beaten off and retired with loss before the Orders came for our Agent in Denmark had agreed with that King concerning them but Sandwich not having notice of the Treaty the design was lost by falling too soon upon these Ships This War lasted near three years reckoning from our first seizing of Their Ships The third year the King had giveâ— him 1250000 l. for that Summers War but it was the Wisdom and Honesty of our Counsellors out of good Husbandry to save the Mony by not setting forth a Fleet which gave opportunity to our Enemies to burn our Ships in Harbour for which we made an horrid Outcry against them as treacherous in doing it in the time of our Treaty with them for Peace at Breda falsely adding That it was contrary to a Cessation agreed upon whereas when a Cessation was desired by us they positively denyed it which is sufficient to vindicate the Integrity of their Proceedings in answer to ignorant popular Clamour And indeed tho our Counsellors might be willing for their Defence to have the People understand this disgraceful Affront to proceed from Falseness in the Dutch I never heard that they at any time did publickly accuse them of breach of Faith in this matter or Action Being thus worsted it was pretended that want of Mony was the Cause tho upon examination of the Accounts by the Commissioners appointed by Act of Parliament to that end there was not much above half spent of what was given expresly for that War which evinces our Miscarriage to proceed from Corrupt Counsels want of Conduct and not Mony A Peace being concluded to be revenged on the Dutch for what was our own Fault we invited them and the Crown of Sweeden to a Triple League with us against France for restraining that King in his aspiring Designs wherein the Dutch were real when our Design was only to render them odious to the French King and enrage him against them that by our then joyning with him we might both together destroy them and in them the Protestant Chief Bulwark Accordingly in 1671. at the Interview at Dovâ—â— betwixt Charles II. and his Sister the
Dutchess of Orleance 〈…〉 agreed to break the Triple League to joyn with France against the Dutch and to satisfie the Swede for this Breach Mr. Henry Coventry was sent Ambassador to that Crown who procured from them the Dissolution of the League When this was done and we had recovered Breath after the Disgrace we received in the former War to have a Pretence for a second One of our Yachts was ordered in her coming from Holland to steer out of her Course and through the States Naval Fleet then riding at Sea that in case the whole Fleet did not strike to our Boat we might make that the ground of a Quarrel That great Commander de Ruyter then Admiral not thinking their Articles of Peace could be understood to reach such a little Circumstance did not answer our Demands or Expectation and for not doing it together with some Trivial Medals and Pictures which that People are much addicted to was made the Cause of a Quarrel-without Remedy and Dr. Stubbs as a fit Man for the Work was sent for out of the Country to maintain by Writing the Justice of our Cause which for 400 l. he performed the best he could by two large Pamphlets in the latter of which having been too free in his magnifying the wise and excellent Management of the War against the Dutch in that time called a Commonwealth when we first made known unto the World our Greatness at Sea in beating them when in their Zenith which cost with the Ships in that time Built 210000 l. this Pamphlet was for some time stopped till there being a necessity for it that it passed and when Stubbs was by a Friend of mine questioned how he could in Conscience write so falsly and injuriously against the Dutch He confessed He could write much more for them than he had done against them if he would After a Pretence for War was agreed on the next thing requisite was to find a Fund for the Charge which was very difficult for the Parliament having by woful Experience felt from ill Conduct the Burthen of the first War was unwilling to engage in a second but at last the new made Lord Clifford with the help of his Friends projected the stopping of all private Payments in the Exchequer for which as a Reward he had the Treasurers White Staff given him the Fund gained hereby being about 13 or 1400000 l. which was a loss to particular Creditors many of them 〈◊〉 ruined by it so that from the Immorality of the Project the Author of it deserved rather another Reward than that he received The War was commenced without any previous Declaration by falling upon their Smirna Fleet in the Chanel as we had done in the first War before Cadiz as they were upon their Voyage home wherein we miscarried as well to our Dishonour in being worsted as in beginning the War by Surprize In this War we should have had the Assistance of France and had a Squadron of that Kings Ships joyned us but in design only to teach them to fight sound our Coasts and not help us for as it is before mentioned that one Ship which from ignorance of the Intreague did fight the Captain of her at his return home was as is reported clapped up in the Bastile for hazarding his Masters Ship The Parliament perceiving the drift of the French to be the weakning of both Parties that at long run he might become Superior to either or both pressed the King to a Peace betwixt us and the Dutch which he tho unwillingly consented to for not knowing how to deny so just a request a Peace was concluded Now new measures were taken and a new Minister of State made choice of one intirely devoted to the Kings Will without reserve To gain the Kings ends a Majority of the Members of Parliament was corrupted by Pensions which were liberally bestowed upon such as were of depraved Principles fit for any mischief by which means every thing during some time brought barefaced into the House of Commons and afterwards by side-winds for the Kings particular Designs passed currently until the Court going too high for a standing Revenue the Pensioners suspecting that when that was gained their Pensions would cease they turned readily against the Court which caused them for gaining Mony from the Parliament to pretend a quarrel to France and in all haste to raise an Army to that end and to procure belief of their real Intentions a Book under the Title of Christianissimus Christianandus writ by Dr. Marchemond Needham was published rendring the French King so scandalous in all his Ways Actions and Designs as cannot be thought would have been writ without having first that King 's Leave for writing it The Parliament to take away from the King all Pretences of Complaint gave him a Supply by which he raised an Army but finding in the Issue that he was not real in his Pretensions for a War by refusing to declare War they pressed him to disband his new-rais'd Army and to effect the same gave him Money to do it with appointing Sir Gilbert Gerrard Sir Thomas Player Col. Whitley and Col. Birch to see it done who discharged the Trust reposed in them with all Fidelity and Honesty These Arts or Tricks used for the Service of the French King by which our Parliament was disobliged our King had no Cause to doubt but that that King would hold himself obliged to assist him and therefore he was applied to and probably he had gained from him a stipend of 300000 l. per Annum for some Years had not the Duke of Buckingham prevented it and upon what other Account than of being a Friend to his native Country is unknown However he did not only thereby irrecoverably lose the Favour of the Court but also drew so much the Hatred of it upon himself that he was prosecuted for a Crime which tho the Authors of the Prosecution made little Conscience of the thing themselves they hoped by it to have taken away his Life for being instrumental in preserving the Life of the Nation The Discovery of these and other pernicious Designs begot not without cause a great Jealousie in the Parliament of the Court and their Party which carried them on to the Addressing the King against some considerable Persons as evil Counsellors which was for some time avoided by Adjournments and Prorogations of Parliament till the horrid Popish Plot breaking out those Tricks could not longer hinder the impeaching several of them in Parliament for the highest of Crimes bringing one of them to the Block as had not Dissolution of Parliaments prevented it the rest in all likelihood had had the same Fate all of them having been arraigned at the Bar of the Lord's House where some pleaded Guilty in pleading the King's Pardon by which Time being got for arguing the Point till by the Dissolution of several Parliaments which was on purpose to prevent Justice they were unduly preserved for no
Town to Town to discourage those Magistrates that would not engage to send such Members to the Parliament he then intended as would repeal the Test and Penal Laws and cajole those that would His turning out the Mayor and best of the Aldermen of York and chusing Papists in their room had not the Commission been defective as to the filling those empty Places so that that City was without a Mayor till His present Majesty restored them to their Rights As also his Commissionating others under the Name of Regulators to reform as they called it other Corporations and all to the End of having the Test removed the only Obstacle that the Way might be open for an entire Popish Parliament who would have been sure in twelve Months time to have made new Laws against all Dissenters from Popery and have persecuted them for the same with Fire and Fagot As to the propounding an Equivalent or a new Magna Charta for establishing Liberty of Conscience which should be unalterable that was so vain and idle as could not expect Belief or Regard from any save Men of little Wit or Prospect for it ever will be as it ought to be in the power of succeeding Parliaments to repeal the Acts of former And therefore tho the King might promise he would not consent during his Time to any Alteration he could not promise so much for his Successors and farther as to himself his Steadiness to his Engagement herein after Breach of his Coronation-Oath and re-iterated Promises of Ruling according to Law might well be suspected Besides had he really intended to make good his Promise the Church of Rome which by his own Principles is his Superiour would have forbid it And he that is not ignorant of their murthering Doctrin and Practices in case of Disobedience durst not have disobeyed for fear of a Dose or a Fig. So that it is no less to be admired that the Papists should make such ridiculous Propositions to a knowing Protestant People as that there should be found any among them who would give heed to the least thing of this nature coming from their implacable Enemies There were in a few Days two Proclamations of Pardon published the latter excepting some that had been pardoned by the former when the Parties being beyond the Sea could not be guilty of new Transgressions not hearing of the one before the other the distance of Time being too little and as it is said one or both was not sealed designedly neglected by Jeoffreys that Engine of Cruelty and Monster of Impudence Nay it is said that the King upon hearing of the Prince of Orange's Expedition for England ordered the Restoration of the Fellows of Magdalen-College in Oxford and upon the News of his Disaster at Sea gave presently contrary Order All which is a clear Demonstration of his Principles and how little his Promises or Pardons are to be relied upon The Arts and Tricks his Predecessors had made use of for Oppression and Injustice as by Innuendo's c. to take away the Lives and Estates of honest Men were by his blood-thirsty Instruments illegally improved as the Deaths of Alderman Cornish and Mr. Charles Bateman and the barbarous and inhumane Proceedings against Dr. Oates do sufficiently evince he having been without President so cruelly and unmercifully used as may charitably be concluded was intended by that way to have murthered him because they could not have the least Colour of Law for doing it otherwise and that he out-lived the Barbarity of it he hath reason to acknowledge a Miracle of Mercy from God and for it walk thankfully before him all the Days of his Life But besides this this whole Reign was no less than Violence and Cruelty as appears by excepting about One hundred and eighty Persons by Name out of his Pardon upon the Duke of Monmouth's Invasion and by Qualifications scarce any that were not professed Papists or as bad were left unquestionable especially if ever they had crossed the Seas by that Exception of all Treasons beyond the Seas Some of those excepted were Girls at School from seven to ten Years of Age for giving Ribbonds to a few of the Duke's Soldiers and they with the rest were by Order from the King and Council prosecuted for Rebels by the King's Envoys Extraordinary with the States General upon pretence of their Articles of Peace To that End supposing them all to be fled into their Countries and the Faith of the Nation being engaged for the truth of it by the Envoys Averment thereof the States not thinking it decent to question the Validity of the Accusation gave Sentence of Banishment upon pain of Death against the whole Number save two or three that had bought their Pardons the Children being included that should come into their Territories Yet had all that was in any of the Countries under their Dominions been brought to a Trial it was but a few which had been with the Duke of Monmouth that could have been found guilty of Rebellion according to the Process however could they by this Means have got them all sent home they would there right or wrong have been murthered as was Sir Thomas Armstrong But the Injustice of this ought to reflect only upon the King 's evil Council for the Violation of the Faith of the Nation with a Foreign State which ought to be sacred and not upon the States for giving Credit to the Information which according to the Rules of Nations ought to have been authentick and being false it was highly injurious to the States of which had they known they might well have complained But the King for the Immorality of it c. hath received his Reward tho the rest escape in a just Abdication and we the Benefit by an happy Exchange for the better The Lord grant we may not sin away our Mercies After twenty eight Years industrious Endeavours to debauch the Nation by wicked profane and Atheistical Examples which prevail more with corrupt Nature than Precepts this King who by adding of Papists in all Employments having brought the Judges Garisons Sheriffs and Justices of the Peace throughout all the Nation to his devotion and got a standing Army of Six and thirty thousand Horse and Foot every way well accommodated wanting nothing in the Eye of Reason we were left without the least hopes of Recovery the help of Man seeming to be in vain but then when he said in his Heart All was his own and none should control him it pleased God in his Providence for the Good of his People to infatuate him in setting up a supposititious Prince of Wales to dis-inherit his own Children and the Heirs to the Crown which when nothing else in humane Prospect could have done it this opened the Eyes of all sober Protestants to the seeing his Design of leaving us and our Posterity under Popish Idolatry and Thraldom from whence arose an Agreement for forcing him to rule according to Law as he
my Lord Shaftsbury I told him this and declared in the Presence of God that if ever I should be tempted to swear more than this at any time it was for Reward and that I desired him to witness the Truth of this against me and that I would daily give him an Account of what passed for the future which I desired him every Day to put into Writing which I believe he hath done as also the constant Invitations abroad and the Visits they gave me here which were so frequent to me as nothing could be more Mr. Booth told me I must appear at Court and I should have an assurance of my Reward from some Persons of Honour I told him I would not trust any Courtier I knew for a Groat I am satisfied he was put upon this but by whom God knows I am assured not by his Majesty That on Wednesday Octob. the 12th 1681. I was invited by Mr. Booth to dine with him that day at Mr. Weaver's House which I refused although he sent a Waiter and promised him satisfaction for his Attendance After Dinner he sent again I went and found Mr. Baines with him both rising from Dinner I was most kindly received with Wine and good Words working upon me to come in a Witness against my Lord Shaftsbury's designing to change the Government declaring I had an opportunity to make my Family and Friends as they had exprest formerly I told them as I had done before until I was satisfied for by-past Services I would not be concerned any way at Court They told me I might be assured of what I would desire from my Lord Hallifax and my Lord Hide Mr. Booth required what would satisfie me I told him if they would give me two thousand Guineys towards the Injury I had received and my Friends upon my account I would discover what I knew Mr. Booth told me a greater thing was intended me for I was five Hundred Pound per Annum or ten Thousand Pounds in Mony But I still told them I knew nothing of any Design by my Lord Shaftsbury The more I declared I knew nothing the more Mr. Booth urged the Reward I told him when he was so earnest when I had that Mony and a General Pardon I would then do any Service I could but I would not trust the Promises of Courtiers Mr. Baines told me as to a Pardon I might have it in two or three days He desired to know my Christian Name which I conceived was an intention to get a Pardon a thing never in my thoughts but Mr. Baines formerly mentioned it to me and truly I did not know what I might stand in need of or what they would fix upon me in our discourse Mr. Baines told me he had the night before been with my Lord Hallifax and my Lord Hide now they thought they had prevailed with me and were mighty chearful Before I parted from them my Wife coming to me told me Mr. Booth had been mighty urgent with her to engage me to come in a Witness and then told her I should have five hundred Pounds per Annum setled upon me but what grounds he had for this I know not for all Persons that know her knew her to be a person of unquestionable Repute Nor did I question the performance for I thought what I could say would not deserve neither could I tell why they should think me such a Man as they would have me to be for I ever hated to be a Witness or a Jury-man all my time I conceieve Mr. Booth thought I might be wrought upon because I had great Misfortunes and that this was a ready way to repair me Octob. the 13. 1681. This day I had a Waiter sent me about eleven a Clock to desire me to go to Mr. Weaver's House which I did there was Mr. Booth and Mr. Baines who told me they sent for me to dine with them I had no desire to have any Table-talk with them I desired to be excused and also promised to see them after Dinner Mr. Baines told me Mr. Graham was not far off and would be there and that he was sent by some of the Council to discourse me Mr. Baines told me on Tuesday night he was at Court with my Lord Hallifax and Lord Hyde and the two Secretaries of State and that they enquired who knew me He replyed Mr. Graham who was sent for they askt him as to my Reputation they askt him if he knew me and how long he said about twenty years they enquired of him concerning me He told me Mr. Graham answered I had served his Majesty and his Father in England and beyond Sea faithfully and that I was very honest Man and also that I was a great Sufferer and that I had received great Disappointments and had been ill dealt with by some that belonged to the Court as in particular Mr. Edward Progers and that they engaged Mr. Graham to come over to the Kings-Bench and to assure me that I should be requited for my Sufferings Also to take me over with him to the King where I should have the Promise of His Majesty for the same and the opportunity to declare my former Grievances and receive His Royal Word and Promise for my Reward and Sufferings After this Discourse Mr. Graham came in who told me the same things as above and that I might be assured of those things from the King also that he had an Order to carry me to His Majesty I told him I could say nothing neither would I go to Whitehall for I had taken a Resolution against going to Whitehall I was hard pressed for my going thither I desired to be excused for if I could say any thing I must be guilty my self But he told me whether I was or not I might be recompensed for my Sufferings Upon which I took my leave and went away not well pleased that for my Requital I should be thought an ill Man or a Traytor That on October the 14 1681. Mr. Booth came to me about Eleven a Clock to the Kings-Bench we walked in the Garden about an Hour His Business was to know my Mind whether I would go voluntarily to the King or not He also told me That Mr. Wilson my Lord Shaftsbury's Secretary that was in the Gatehouse had sent to the Council to inform Them That if he might have his Pardon he would come in and declare his Knowledge and therefore he would have me to have the Honour to be the First Discover I told him I had no Business at Whitehall Then he told me it was intended that Mr. Graham should be at his Lodging this Afternoon to see if I would go to the King if not my Lord Chief Justice's Warrant would be sent to compel me to appear at his Chamber where there would be some of the Council to examine me and swear me He also told me That the Duke of York had a great Estate in Ireland and that he would
give me Five hundred Pounds per Ann. there besides all former Promises to be setled upon me and my Heirs if I would come in a Witness against my Lord Shaftsbury I told him they might meet with many Persons in this Age that would accept of such Offers I told him if I had any thing to say it was the most proper time in Court for me and Witnesses to speak their Knowledg I told him I did not know but the Presence of a King and his Promises might make a Man say more than what was true or than he could say fairly in a Court Mr. Booth ask'd me if I did not ride with my Sword and Pistols out of Town with my Lord Shaftsbury when he went to Oxford I told him I did I could not do less than wait upon him out of Town who had been so kind with the rest of the Lords Proprietors to do me the Honour to make me their Governour for the Country of Carolina He then told me I must needs be privy to this That if His Majesty would not pass Three Acts One for Excluding the Duke of York the next for making void the Act of Queen Elizabeth against Recusancy and the third for Uniting Protestant Subjects then by force of Arms he was to be compelled He told me all the Council was satisfied I knew this and as much as any Person in regard that both my Lord Shaftsbury and my self was disgusted at Court He said the Council knew I was a Soldier and was satisfied I was to act in that Concern I begun now to consider what a Fortune was now promis'd and what a good Addition this Five Hundred Pounds Additional from the Duke of York would make to the former Promises and after he was gone I acquainted my Wife and told her how great a Person she was like to be But this was no News to her for Mr. Booth had often been desiring her for her own good to engage me in this Honourable Service Thus these things in our Troubles served us to be merry with to consider how easily we were like to leap into an Estate But all this time we were out without fear and danger of enjoying it or any part of it much less of intailing it upon our Posterity October the Fifteenth 1681. This day about Eleven a Clock Mr. Booth came again to me to the Kings-Bench to know of me if I yet would go to Whitehall I demanded For what He told me To Evidence against the Earl of Shaftsbury I told him I had nothing to say against him He importuned me not to lose this great Opportunity I now had Before we parted Mr. Baines came to us I desired to know why they should be so urgent to have me a Witness He told me there were none but Irish Witnesses yet to come against my Lord Shaftsbury and they were not Persons of Credit but if I would come in although I had been unfortunate in my Private Concerns yet I was not blemish'd in my Credit Mr. Baines told me if I would not go to Whitehall the Marshal had an Habeas Corpus from my Lord Chief Justice Pemberton to carry me So we parted About Four a Clock in the Afternoon the Marshal came with Mr. Booth and Mr. Baines to require me to go along with him I demanded Whither He told me to Whitehall I demanded to see his Warrant He shewed it me Now I was forced to obey After my coming thither in a little time I was called into Mr. Secretary Jenkins's Office where he and my Lord Conway was who strictly but very fairly and honestly Examined me about my Lord Saftsbury and what I knew of any Design against His Majesty I told them as I did to the former Attackers I knew nothing Great Arguments were used but I could give no satisfactory Answer as was I conceived expected After this His Majesty came into the Office when He saw me He was pleased to do me the Honour to say He knew me well and that I had served His Father and His Majesty faitfully and He hoped I would not decline my Obedience To which I answered I never deserved to be suspected His Majesty was pleased to tell me He had not had the Opportunity to serve His Friends but hoped He might He was pleased to promise to consider me for my sufferings Then his Majesty began to Examine me If I had been exhorted by the best Divine in England he could not have said more than His Majesty in telling me what Kindness was intended me was not with a design to invite me to speak a Word but Truth it self and that if He knew I did or any other Person His Majesty would never endure them Then His Majesty demanded What I knew of a Design against His Person and Government I truly told His Majesty That I knew nothing of any Plot or Design against His Majesty or Government that I admired why I should be suspected that had served His Majesty and His Father in England and beyond-Sea and was as Instrumental as any Person in His Majesty's Restoration But some Persons had possessed His Majesty I was deep in some Design against the Government and knew much of my Lord Shaftsbury So His Majesty seemed not to be satisfied but still pressed hard upon me To all His Majesties Questions I could give no Answer that would satisfie Then His Majesty was pleased to tell me If I would say As I hope to be saved I knew nothing of any Design against His Person He would believe me which I did say in those very Words which His Majesty seemed to wonder at Then I was left to Mr. Secretary Jenkins who was pleased to use such Arguments as he thought fit I told him I knew my Duty to His Majesty I would not draw a Sword against Him but I could freely do it against some of the Court that were Enemies to His Majesty and His Friends and so I was dismissed out of the Office Then I was carried into another Room where His Majesty my Lord Chancellor Lord Hallifax Lord Hyde the two Secretaries of State were and the Lord Chief Justice Pemberton where I was Examined Mr. Graham Mr. Booth and Mr. Baines present My Lord Chancellor was sharp upon me with several Questions which I could give no Answer to Content thus I was to run the Gantlet from one place to another My Lord Chancellor would not believe but I must be guilty of knowing great things against my Lord Shaftsbury I told him If I could not be believed upon my Word there if they pleased to bring my Lord Shaftsbury upon his Trial I would declare it in open Court upon Oath what my Knowledge was without any hopes of Gain or Advancement My Lord Chancellor I thank him did me that Equity to tell me There were two sorts of Advancement I need not give my self that trouble for I was like to come to my Trial my self before my Lord Shaftsbury My Lord Chancellor