What say you Will you Advance a small Summ. G Sir I give you many Thanks for your kind Offers which at this time-a-day I can by no means accept and I am desirous to be plain with you in my Reasons for Refusal but you being a Privy-Councellor and Member of Parliament c. I know not whether 't will be Convenient to use Freedom of Speech for you may Interpret some things I may say as Reflections on your Self C. Sir I assure you what I Offer is design'd for your Interest but if you don't approve on 't you may use what Freedom of Speech you please for though I am Honour'd with those Offices you mention yet that shall not in the least be any barr to the freedom of our Discourse neither shall I take any thing Ill for I perceive you have a desire to Talk about Publick Affairs G. Sir I heartily Thank you for the Liberty you have given me And now I must tell you that I am of Opinion there is such a Caball of Corrupt Men in the Government that 't is impossible for an Honest Man to live and act amongst them unless he will renounce his Duty to God and his Country For as one well observes Good and Bad Men Joyn'd in a Government are like the Iron and Clay in the Toes of Nebuchadnezar's Image they may Cleave but they will never Incorporate C. Why truly what you Alledge is a good Reason for not taking an Employment provided there be any Just Grounds for your Opinion about the Corruption in the Government I Confess there is and has been a Great Noise and Clamour about Corruption and Mismanagement and I have always endeavoured as narrowly as I could to search out the Truth of Matters but couâ—d never yet find any thing so Material as to be worthy the Cogninance of either King or Parliament However Great Clamours have been made by some Private-Men who I suppose were Male Contents they have Promis'd Vast Discoveries of Treachery and Fraud but when it has come to Examination I never found that the Accusers could make out their Allegations but Mountains dwindled away into Mole-hills and as I said before nothing appear'd that was thought worthy of Cognizance G. I find by your Discourse you endeavour not only to Evade but Cover those Gross and Monstrous Evils that have been the Causes of the Length of the War and of our Present Distress Sir I know not what kind of Miscarriages you think are worthy of Cognisance but I fear upon Examination 't will be found that the Crimes already prov'd in the Faces of our Rulers will Amount to the Degree of ROBBERY and MVRDER and which makes them more Hainous they have not been done in a Hostile Manner in Open Defiance of the Law as the High-way-man takes away your Money on the Road But with the Audacious Face of Authority under the Sacrilegious Mask of Law Justice and State-Pollicy The Authors and Upholders of these Mischiefs in the mean time blowing the Trumpet of Fame in each others Praise as Long-headed Councellors c So that I do not wonder these matters should be Rejected and not thought worthy of Cognizance when I consider that Infallible Maxim That the Inferiours cannot be Knaves and be Protected by the Superintendants unless those Superintendants be as bad And thus it appears almost Impossible any Fault could be Punished but that all Criminals must be Protected and their Crimes hid from the King when Corrupt Men sat Judges of each others Actions Therefore 't was not likely they wou'd hurt one another For the very Scripture tells you That Satan cannot cast out Satan if he should his Kingdom would fall C. Sir you have Charg'd the Court with a 〈◊〉 yet 't is but a General and bare Assertion and let me tell you being something Concern'd there 's a great difference between Asserting and Proving and therefore I 'd fain have you if you can branch out your General Charge into some particular Instances as for what may seem to Reflect upon me as I told you before please to use your Freedome for I shall not Resent any thing that shall happen in Discourse at this time G. Why then Sir for your Satisfaction I shall give you some Instances that have accidentally fallen under my Observation which I fear in Reference to the Mighty Mass of Corruption in the Government will be found only as a small Pattern or Sample of a vast quantity of Goods that the Whole Parcel is of the same Sort otherwise there cou'd never be such an agreeable sweet harmony among all the Offices in Crying up the Parts and hiding the Crimes of each other from King and People But having more than one Office to speak of I think I shall begin first with that of the Navy The Commissioners of that Office have been accus'd of making most horrible Wast of the Publick Treasure by a long Practice of Fraudulent Contracts for Naval-Stores and driving Trades in Embezelling all sorts of Stores as well as Foul and Shameful Extravagance in Building and Repairing the King's Ships These things have been Fully Prov'd against them before the Lords of the Admiralty and before the Lords of the Council and afterwards openly set forth in Print to both Houses of Parliament and yet the Delinquents are still Continu'd in their Employments So that by this Open Villany the Necessary Charge of the Navy is more than doubled and the King Shamefully Betray'd and Cheated and His Subjects made Beggars by Heavy Taxes But there is one thing more that is a most Dangerous and Cursed Evil and that is the Usage of the Poor Saylors whose Number is about Forty Thousand Employed in the Service of their King and Countrey Their DEPLORABLE CASE has been often at Large set forth in Print and made known to the Parliament Council Admiralty c. And to Relate all their Grievances and the Cursed Arts us'd to Ruin and Destroy them and their Families would be Endless Therefore to avoid being Tedious I shall only give you a short Account of their MISERIES as I find it Inserted in a BOOK Entituled Justice Perverted c. Printed and Published last Year by Mr. Crosfeild and Dedicated to Both Houses of Parliament The BOOK contains besides this a Great Mass of Flat Down-right Knavery and the Commissioners of the Navy and others are Named therein to the particular Facts But I find it has all been pass'd over and Stifled However I shall Relate it as follows in his Own Words having by Good Luck the BOOK in my Pocket to Assist me The poor Saylors Says he that Venture their Lives and Limbs to Serve their King and Country and who are one of the greatest Bulworks of the Kingdom have been all along most Inhumanely and Barbarously Treated and they and their Families reduc'd to a Miserable and Deplorable State particularly by the wicked practices of putting QVERY's and RVNS upon their Pay For amongst those great Numbers that are
A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A Modern Courtier AND AN Honest English Gentleman To which is added The AUTHOR's Dedication TO Both Houses of Parliament To whom he Appeals for Justice By SAMVEL BASTON Gent. LONDON Printed in the Year MDCXCVII TO THE Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament Assembled AGainst the Opening the present Session of Parliament I thought it my Duty considering the Nation 's great Distress to point out to your Honours who were the principal Causers and Continuers of its Miseries which I did in the following Dialogue Containing 1 st Bare Matter of Fact already prov'd against the Lords of the Admiralty Commissioners of the Navy Commissioners of the Post-Office and Commissioners of the Sick and Wounded Seamen c. with the foul Practices of the Commissioners of the Publick Accounts for Concealing and Justifying the said Crimes 2 dly Natural Consequences and Arguments drawn from the said Matter of Fact in Reference to Religion Law Policy and the true Interest and Safety of the King and Kingdom The Book being out it was seiz'd by Messengers divers reporting it was High Treason and Mr. Crosfeild and a Poor Woman were Committed to the Poultrey Compter about it by a Justice of Peace at the bare Instance of a Messenger The said Justice of Peace often professing he was sorry the matter came before him for that by his own Losses he could speak deeply to the Truth and Honesty of the Book but was afraid of being chid by some of the Court if he neglected to do what the Messenger bid him with Divers other Expressions of like Nature which shews the great Force of Truth that it will be Confess'd tho from the mouths of its very Opposers I was also inform'd that the aforesaid Messenger had given direction to the said Justice of Peace to Commit me the first time he saw me for that there was a Warrant out against me for High Treason which Trouble they need not have given the Justice of Peace for they knew where to have found me themselves But I being very infirm and weak of body by reason of long sickness occasion'd by my ill usage was unwilling to be committed to Newgate in this smugling manner to destroy my Health which I knew was the Design against me and the said Justice of Peace thro' Ignorance and Timerousness wou'd certainly have done it had he seen me tho the book I had printed had been David's Psalms This Report was on Saturday and the Monday following I went to the Secretaries Office to surrender my self to this Warrant of High Treason but upon Enquiry found there was no Warrant against me for High Treason Sir William Trumball's Secretary making a Jest of it told me 't was only the Messenger's mistake but I could not get him to examine the Messenger about it and that what was against me in that Office was only upon Suspicion of being the Author of this Dialogue so the High Treason was fallen only to Suspicion of a Misdemeanour and that I must submit to be confin'd in a Messenger's Custody which was accordingly done After some days I got a sight of the Warrant for my Commitment which was not upon Suspicion of my being the Author of this Dialogue as I was told at the Office but for Publishing and Dispersing a Seditious and Scandalous Libel against His Majesty and Government without Naming what Libel or mentioning its Title in the Warrant The Warrant also shews that 't was drawn after I surrender'd my self for it begins thus These are in His Majesties Name to require you to keep in safe Custody c. Whereas another Warrant directed to a Messenger to apprehend any Person commands him to go and take a Constable to his assistance and seize or attach the Body of such a one and bring him and his Papers before the Secretary to be Examined c. By which it appears what Drudgery was design'd for this Timerous Justice of Peace to commit me to Newgate for High Treason to Ruin my Health without Warrant Law or Sence Thus I continued a Prisoner in a Messenger's Custody from the 26 th October 1696. to the 29 th January following being 3 months and 3 days to the great endangering of my Life by bad Diet and was then discharg'd giving a Recognizance of 500 l. to appear the first day of the next Term. So I that have serv'd the King and discover'd and detected many of the Utter Enemies of his Majesty and his People am now Cited to answer as a Criminal for pointing out the Destroyers of the Nation to the Parliament And those Notorious Criminals I write of in this Dialogue are brought to no Tryal but protected as if there was no Law to take Cognizance of them And further the matters of Fact related in this Dialogue the Post-Office excepted are no more than what are contain'd in a Petition and Articles Exhibited by Mr. Crosfeild and others in the House of Peers about two years since where it is now depending The late Commissioners of Accounts to whom it was Referr'd to Examine into it and make their Report having hitherto by Evasions and False Allegations in behalf of the Criminals delay'd and stopt the laying open these Grievances and have to this day disappointed your Honours of a true Knowledge of them whereby the said Grievances have been supported and increased for which the Nation has severely suffer'd But has reason now to give thanks to God that the said Commission is so happily Dissolv'd which was so great a Bulwork of Iniquity And I hope it is a good Omen or Presage of a General Overthrow of Fraud and Wickedness So now because the Facts contain'd in this Dialogue are not yet Examin'd in Parliament by means of the aforesaid Commissioners of Accounts the Printing them again to re-mind the Parliament of the present miseries that God may be honour'd by the Punishment and Suppression of Wickedness the King and Kingdoms Enemies remov'd and the Laws put in Execution for the publick safety for the future is it seems become A Seditious and Scandalous Libel against his Majesty and Government I m sure this Dialogue chiefly depends but upon three things First Truth in the matter of Fact related Secondly The Gospel in reference to Gods Judgments for Imorallity and Tollerated Wickedness And Thirdly The Laws of the Land in reference to their being Invaded and Perverted and not put in Execution And if this Dialogue will endure a Tryal by these three Touch-Stones and yet continue still to be a Seditious and Scandalous Libel c. Why then Truth must be Scandalous and the Scripture and Statutes of England Seditious Libels and he that Writes for the safety and preservation of the King and Kingdom is an Enemy to his Majesty and Government This shews how Exceedingly Wickedness abounds and what a Cabal of Men there are in Power ready to turn the King's Authority against himself and to subvert Gospel Law Loyalty Justice and all things
tending to the honour of God and benefit of the King and State This Dialogue is call'd a seditious Libel Whereas it speaks for the Execution of the Law with as much Force as words can express Now where the Law is put in Execution there can be no Sedition but where the Laws and Constitutions of a Kingdom are invaded and perverted by the Arbitrary Power of Evil Ministers it is that which introduces Sedition and as Sedition is a dangerous Distemper in a Nation so the Impartial Execution of the Law is a Sovereign and Certain Cure And whereas it is call'd a scandalous Libel I answer that if 't is true 't is not scandalous and every Subject of England has an undoubted Priviledg to Complain of and discover Injuries done to the King and also lay open the Grievances of his People And if all the Subjects of England tho in never so high a Station are subject to the Law and answerable for their Actions which I hope is not in the least question'd then this Dialogue will not deserve these Characters nor the Author deserve to be Arraign'd as a Criminal for writing it while the real Criminals he writes of are protected For certainly the pure and undefiled Law of England does not provide any punishment for its Advocates 'T was a Noble saying of that Glorious Prince Edw. 3. of Famous Memory when he hang'd his Chief Justice Thorp of the Kings Bench for taking a Bribe of 100 l. That he being intrusted as the King's Deputy to administer Justice in that Court had as much as in him lay broken that solemn Oath that his Majesty made to his People at his Coronation If such strict Scrutinies shou'd be made in these Days which no doubt God Requires what a multitudewould there be found Guilty of this Chief Justice's Crime who continue to practice it without any regard to their Master's Safety Honour or Coronation-Oath or Safety of their Country nay so far are they from thinking it a Crime that a Learned Lawyer not long since as I was inform'd brought it as a mighty Objection to the Bill against buying and selling Offices That the Perquisites of his Employment came to about 3000 l. per an and pray'd a Clause in the Bill to secure it to him which shews how strong a desire he had still to be able to Expose the Rights and Liberties of the People to Sale to the highest Bidder So Religious a Regard had that Gentleman to his Master's Coronation-Oath Nevertheless such Corrupt Men as these who so openly oppose Justice do generally pretend to have a great Love for their Sovereign and how they 'll stand by him with their Lives and Fortunes and what not when alas their Love has no more reallity than the pretended Love of a Common Harlot For Certainly a Corrupt and Unfaithful Servant can no more Love his Master than an Adulterous Wife can Love her Husband It is not Improbable but this Dialogue may by a Tryal in the Kings Bench be made as 't is call'd A Seditious and Scandalous Libel against his Majesty and Government And so the Tables shall be turn'd and I shall be try'd as a Criminal for laying open the Nations Grievances to the Parliament and the Criminals acquited of the Crimes they are accus'd of without any Tryal at all It cannot be suppos'd that I shall have free Liberty in the Kings Bench Court to bring such Numbers of Witnesses as are necessary to prove the Matters of Fact contain'd in this Dialogue For the Court is ty'd to one single Ishue and therefore cannot Enquire into the bottom of Grievances in the State Besides it is rarely seen that any Man escapes the Censure of the Courts of Westminster who runs Counter to the Predominant Party at White-Hall let his Cause be ever so just Instances enough may be given of it in the late Reigns when the Courts of Justice have under pretence of Law been made perfect Slaughter-Houses to Punish Imprison Fine and take away the Lives of Divers Noble Patriots of their Countrey for doing that which we now call their Duty whose memories we Commemorate and the Judgments against them have been Revers'd in Parliament But Certainly it had been much more Honourable if it cou'd have been done to have sav'd their Lives by putting a stop to their Illegal Tryals than now to say we are sorry for their Deaths Therefore I most humbly appeal to this most August Assembly who in these Cases are ty'd to no single Isâ—ue but may throughly enquire and search into the Nations Grievances which my Designs has been only Loyally and Faithfully to lay open humbly Conceiving that if I produce Witnesses to prove the Matters of Fact Contain'd in this Dialogue That then it will not deserve the Title given it in the Warrant for my Commitment Viz. A Seditious and Scandalous Libel against His Majesty and Government Neither shall I deserve to be Arraign'd at the Kings Bench Bar as a Criminal the next Term where I am bound to appear by Recognizance of 500 l. after above three Months Imprisonment to the hazard of my Life And being thus ready and able to produce Witnesses to prove the said Matters of Fact Contain'd in this Dialogue to the great Advantage of the King and Government whenever your Honours shall please to Command I humbly Cast my self upon your Honours Justice and Protection that no such Prosecution may be made against me as is intended till I be first heard and have liberty to prove that what I have Written in this Dialogue is Truth and for the King and Kingdoms true Interest Peace and Safety and then I shall be willing to stand a Tryal at the Kings Bench Bar And submit to what Law my Adversaries can find to punish me for Writing this Dialogue I am With all Dutiful Respect Your Lordships and Honours Most Obedient Servant SAMVEL BASTON London the 16 th of March 169â— A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A Modern Courtier and an Honest English Gentleman Courtier DEAR Sir Your Humble Servant you are Welcome to Town Pray how long have you been arrived Gentleman Sir I came but last Night and thought my self oblig'd to pay my Respects to you in the first place I hope all your Noble Family is well C. I thank you Sir they are very well But pray how does your good Lady And how do Matters go in the Country G. Why we are all reasonable well in Health but out of Order every way else For the Taxes are so high Money so scarce Trade so dead c. That I Protest my Estate is so Cultivated 't will hardly maintain my Family C. Come Sir you are my Worthy Friend and therefore I would not have you find Fault with any thing for if you are willing I doubt not but you may soon have such an Employment that you will not feel the weight of the Taxes nay you may be a Great Gainer by the War and I would fain have you in the Government