by the many Bills brought in and Acts past in the Reign of His present Majesty and he exposing his Royal Person in order to bring down that lofty Prince and shall we now by a few false friends and their sly insinuations be prevail'd upon to alter our minds and take those methods that most directly ruine us As for Example should I pretend to go for Exon or Berwick we know Ware is the Rode to one and Hounslow to the other and should be met at Gravesend Rochester c. and pursue that direct Rode by Land and Water any body that knows the Rode must conclude I design'd for France let my pretences be never so much to the contrary It 's grievous to think that when England is honoured with the greatest Priviledges of any Nation under Heaven and that it will be allowed its Laws as to the main of them exceeding other Nations but most backward as to execution that which is wanting is one general Law to put others in execution I am sorry I have the occasion to mention a particular case that past in my own sight the last Year viz. When some Overtures were made to settle a Trade betwixt us and the Duke of Savoy and Piedmont and discoursing with a great Gentleman concern'd in that Affair gave me the sight of the Agent who was then to go on this Affair being a Frenchman I asked him whether since the Trade to be promoted was for England it would not be more proper to send an Englishman To which he answered No for we were too sluggish to promote even our own real good had I not too much experience of the truth of his Answer I should have argued with him for I have generally observed the disposition of too too many guilty of this fault and more particularly noted by another Pen viz. We have been more careful to receive the Law from France in all their Modes both in Eating and Wearing than from the great Creator for our Conversation and so prevalent is the humour of that Country with us and so powerful the Ascendant it hath over us that we seem to be Frenchmen only we live in England so that they have sufficiently revenged themselves upon us by the loose Manners they have brought among us but I must needs say to their Credit they keep their Wits in their Debaucheries whilst we by over-doing them in the imitation of them lose both What is become of that Antient Education of the Kingdom our Integrity Gravity and Manhood which gave our Nation so great Reputation in the World is it not turned into Swearing and Drinking a Duel and a Wench their Prophaneness is their Wit and their base Crafts must be called Policy and as this we have learned from France as to our Men so let us consider as to our Women but where is that retired Breeding which made our Women so famous for Virtue as they were always for their Beauty Alas there hath been a sort of industry used to subdue their native Modesty as if it were an indecent thing to have it and Arts practised to make them hardy against their own blushes and master their shy and bashful disposition so peculiar to Chastity into an unconcerned Confidence as if it were their Perfection to be insensible of any ill and to be tam'd at all things Strange that sobriety should be turned into levity and lust call'd love and wantonness good humour this have been the effect of the French Modes given us And the same Author proceeds in the Description of a well-constitued Monarchy in ancient Times with the Mischiefs that befel them when they grew slotful and gave themselves to Pride Luxury c. which I crave leave to mention only for a Warning for us to consider of his words are these The first Empire had Nimrod's strength and the Wisdom of the Chaldeans to establish it and whilst prudence and sobriety lasted they prospered no sooner came Voluptuousness than the Empire decayed and was at last by the base Effeminacies of Sardanapalus in whom that Race ended transfer'd to another family It was the Policy of an Assyrian King to subdue the strength of Babylon then under good Discipline not to Invade it with Force but to Debauch it Wherefore he sent in Players Musitians Cooks Harlots c. and by those means introducing Corruption of Manners there was little more to do than to take it Nebuchadnezzar by his Virtue and Industry seen in the Siege of Tyre and of many great Enterprizes recovered and enlarged it to a mighty Empire and his Discipline was so excellent those times considered that it was praised in Scripture but when he grew Proud and Foolish for getting that Providence that had shewn it self so kind to him he became a Beast and grazed among the Beasts till God whom he had forgotten had restored him the heart of a Man and his Throne together I wish we may take up in time and observe how it was brought in amongst us for when the two late Kings to whom not only England but great part of Europe may attribute the present War that during their abode in France a foundation was laid for the ruine of England which was gradually put in execution as it would bear and it had certainly been effected had not the Revolution prevented It is very pertinent what is written by another hand on the observation of the 29th of May the Birth-day and Restoration of Ch. 2d viz. Now let us see how great cause we had to fall into so high and exceeding demonstration of joy let the event shew how great a Blessing this Restoration proved to the Nation We know sometimes God gives Kings in his Anger and takes them away in his Wrath. Plague War and Fire came in with King Charles but all little enough in comparison of that Floud of Vice and Corruption in the way of Prophaneness Impiety Debauchery c. which being encouraged by Example and Impunity followed him and like a mighty stream have so overflowed the Nation that in all likelihood it will require more Judgments and many years to come to purge the Land of it 't is overspread almost from the Child in the Cradle to the Old Man going to his Grave Whoredom and Wine take away the heart and our Understanding too which make us grow an Effeminate Nation contemptible to our Neighbours and made us cast away the Honour and Interest of the Country and become Tools of the Ambition and Greatness of those whose growing Power we ought to have opposed and which since made Europe groan and labour to be delivered from that Bondage or Danger we helped to bring it under We slighted the suits and offers of many Princes and States and Addresses of Parliament who offered their Lives and Fortunes to stop the growing Power of France which had her Emissaries of both Sexes in our Bosom by whose counsels Parliaments were Adjourned Prorogued and Dissolved whilst in less than 2 Years time
they went to Antwerp and so to Eyndhoven where Grandval was seized and Bois le dâ—c Loofdate upon Examination made out clearly all the circumstances of the Conspiracy and said Grandval told him That the King of Great Britain was looked upon as the only obstacle to the French King's Designs John d' Amours being Examined next Depos'd that Grandval told him at Brussels he had a great business to do which had miscarried the last year and they two falling into Discourse about His Majesty John d' Amours asked Grandval if he had any thing to say to the King Yes answered he To break his Neck Du Mont being Examined owned the fact in all its circumstances adding several other particulars viz. that Madam Maintenon the French King 's old Concubine was acquainted with the Design and that if he Grandval succeeded in the business he should have an ample Recompence even to be a Duke Grandval himself was Examined and perceiving that the matter was Discovered and that his own Letter could be produced to convict him he freely confessed all the circumstances of the Design without so much as naming the Rack to him either before or after Sentence Grandval declared that he acted in this Damned Design wholly in obedience to the Orders he had received from Monsieur Larbesieux and Monsieur Chanlais Ministers of State to the Vnchristian King Monsieur Barbesieux promised Grandval an Annual Revenue of 20000 Livres and to make him Knight of the Order of St. Lazarus in case the design took effect Grandval Loofdate and Colonel Parker went to St. Germain on the 16th of April 1692 to speak with the late King James about the said Design who had knowledge of it They all had Audience of the said King the late Queen being present King James told Grandval that Parker had given him an an account of the Business and sai That if he and the other Officers would do him that Service they should never want Grandval owned himself Guilty of the Design and said He deserved Death and that He had an Original Paper under Monsieur Barbesieux's own hand to justifie himself This Relation is so necessary at this time to be mentioned because it agrees with our late discovered Plot and Answers all the Objections produced by the French Advocates This Conspiracy was carried on at that time when the late King James was preparing to Invade England that very Summer 1692 And to this I shall crave leave to add an Abstract of what was not long since Published which was the Relation of a Gentleman of very good Note who had seen most of the Transactions at St. Germains from 90 to 94 who reported In the Year 92 the late King had great hopes to be restored with Triumph and fed himself with the thought of being an absolute Monarch having about that time received great encouragement as well from the Pope as from the French King which made him look above the reach of his late Subjects as he thought and to reject all the Lord Preston's Undertakings and the rest concerned in that Intrigue which was like to have cost the Lord Preston his Life and for which he had no Thanks but on the contrary was despised for meddling the late King protesting then That he had rather never see England and it 's hoped never shall then Come To or Capitulate with his Subjects again But he soon alter'd his Resolutions seeing Affairs abroad thwart his Designs and meeting with such unexpected Disappointments which abated much of the thoughts he retain'd but a little before so that of a sudden Motion he with great impatience consulted some of his Protestant Council telling them that he was resolved to Treat with his late Subjects and give them any Conditions rather than stand out any longer concluding that nothing would more conduce to his Restauration than to reconcile himself to his late Subjects In order thereto an Express was sent to England with Instructions to the Lord Midleton and some others to Treat with the People and to know their Inclinations by feeling how their Pulses beat and accordingly to proceed which the Lord Middleton did and drew a Declaration answerable to the desires of the Churchmen of England and Ireland and some other Heads of both the Kingdoms After some Debates the Lord Midleton went away for France and arrived at St. Germains the beginning of March 1692 towards the beginning of the year 93. produced the Declaration which admitted of high Debates and long Arguments Pro and Con as their several separate Interests moved the Ministers of St. Germains But the Lord Melford started several Cases of Conscience against the late King 's signing the said Declaration insomuch that to be satisfied therein and to remove all scruples of Conscience the late King consulted the Colledge of Sorbon and the Irish Colledge likewise The Faculty of Sorbon declared against the said Declaration and the Irish Colledge for it The Irish Colledge gave these Reasons That the King was in Exile banished his Kingdom by his own Children and Subjects for his Religion that as the Case stood with him there was no remedy for his Restauration left him but to comply with his Subjects and to sign any Instrument whatever for to prevail with them to accept of him home again and whatever he should sign while in Exile and under Tribulation abroad he should not in Conscience be obliged to perform after his Restoration as exacted from him per force in distress which renders all conditions and agreements of that kind neither obligatory nor binding any longer than a fair opportunity should offer to break them and wherein he would but imitate his Brother Charles the Second who took the Covenant in Scotland and after his Restoration burnt it at London by the hands of the Common Hangman The Faculty of Sorbon declared against this kind of Machiavilian Doctrine and against the Declaration too Yet notwithstanding the late King did sign the said Declaration on the consideration aforesaid But the Lord Melford and the Lord Middleton fell out and are to this day irreconcileable The said Declaration so signed by the late King was ordered to be sent into Flanders to be read there at the Head of the Irish Troops but was to them the most unwelcome and unacceptable Message that ever they met withal or that the late King could send them finding by the said Declaration that they lost themselves both at home and abroad by the late King which caused such a consternation in the Camp that the Soldiers who would be glad of any occasion to quit the Service and to return home openly mutined having started the Question That now being Deserted by King James why should they not go over to King William and accept of Conditions But the Question was carried in the Negative and an Express sent immediately to St. Germains to let the late King know the Discontent among the Soldiers and the Disorders in the Camp occasion'd by the said
above 100000 souls for Religion sake forsook the Kingdom insomuch that one person viz. Tilham carried 3000 unto the Prince Palatine of the Rhine upon the account of Religion and carried great part of our Trade and that which is remarkable is that we laid the foundation of the losing it at least a great part of it the same way we got it But this was what was all along design'd in both our late Reigns and without doubt agreed unto by the French King when those Princes were so long in France which is plainly proved and more enlarged by other Pens Were the consequences of these things well considered which is matter of fact and were we more as true Englishmen unanimous and abate those little peaks of no true value and not suffer our selves to be imposed upon we need not fear the most daring and potent Adversary whatsoever but on the contrary if we should be led away by Jealousie and Discontent and thereby give way to our Enemies what confusion may not be expected especially among the common Peogle who hath hitherto by almost a Miracle been restrained by the Lord who stilleth the noise or tumult of the People for they if let loose not walking by Law Rule or Reason but through Rashness and Madness run themselves and the Nation into great Confusion and Misery And as the case stands at present we cannot expect to enjoy the Liberty and Peace at home without great cost to keep the War at a distance I would therefore offer some Considerations in reference to those unavoidable Taxes that tho they may be great and hard to be born especially by some sort of persons yet if we consider it 's for the preservation of our future security and ease as well as of our lives and the comfortable use of what is left And if persons tho no present Distemper be upon them are voluntary undertaking a Course of Physick and are exposed to no little pain and trouble in its working yet they bear it patiently because they expect the effects thereof both for the preserving their present Health and preventing future distempers Give me leave to add that tho the War is very uneasie to many yet I may presume to say and that upon good grounds that had not the said War fell out as it did it 's more than probable that we should e'r this time have lost the greatest part of our Trade by France And I am happily prevented in dilating my thoughts further on this Subject by the remembrance of my old Acquaintance the ingenious and faithful Monitor Mr. Andrew Marvel who tho dead many years since yet as if he had beheld our present circumstances expressed himself in these words in the year 1677. A more evident and certain reason of our decay in Trade and the grand spring of this whole matter lies in France that King is a most vigilant and potent Prince for he hath made War with all Europe with his Sword against his Enemies but against his Friends by Traffick which is indeed as the more just so the more effectual way of destroying them but among all none hath on this latter account more suffered than England for besides the Wine which we purchase at most excessive rates and for the most part for ready money and besides these Trinkets of which we are so fond and to the making of which the French Genius was formerly adopted he hath for many years applied his People to the making solid Trades of Cloth and Stuffs made of our Wool and indeed of all things valuable embracing in effect or in projection the Universal Monarchy of Commerce Never did any Prince so addict himself wholly to the encouragement of Trade and Navigation to this he hath either wholly prohibited or which is tanto mount laid so excessive Impositions upon all our English Manufacture that they are in a manner totally excluded and we have no Commodity to exchange with but whatever we have of his must be bought with a Penny insomuch that I have a particular drawn up in Parliament wherein they have computed besides the lucrum cessorum that the Nation sustained a clear loss of eleven hundred thousand Pounds yearly by the French Trade He further saith The French who were not long since but the Milliners of Europe are now become or pretend to be the Cape Merchants and that King gives not only the Mode but Garment to all Christendome and the World puts it self into his Livery at their own expence Well may we therefore complain of the death rather than deadness of our Manufacture when from this cause it receives such an obstruction even to suffocation when we are not only deprived of that general and gainful vent that we had formerly in France it self but in all other places where we Traffick we meet the French at every Town and the Foreign Post brings News from all Parts that they come before us and have undersold us in the same Commodity and to this Disease which is so mortal and which is beyond any private man to remedy we do more particularly contribute by those vast quantities of Wool which are Transported to France so that Callice is still no less our Staple than when it was under the English Dominion And if it was thus so long ago we may by woful experience conclude the French had grown much more great in so many years after Give me leave a little to reflect upon what past in the 2 last Reigns both as to the Church of England and also Dissenters of which the Nation consists First As to the Protestant Dissenters when they were violently persecuted in the later end of the Reign of King Charles and beginning of King James what would that sort of People have done to have purchased the Liberty now enjoyed Secondly And those of the Church of England not only of the Clergy but also of the Laity both Nobility and Gentry as well as Tradesmen what would they have parted with to be secured of their Properties when envaded and the Bishops were Tryed Yea some of our English Catholicks themselves that were thinking Men some of which I could name when the Irish was for burning and as all knows what sort of People they are making no difference wherever they come even in France it self amongst those of their own pretended Religion if it may be called a Religion As to our present Taxes let us compare the state of Flanders and Germany where the French come and where the Seat of War is who are forced not only to pay Taxes to both Parties but at last all and their Lives to boot If we on the other hand consider the value of Freedom and Trade and particularly Holland who at all times both in time of Peace as well as War bear great Taxes yet their Freedom and Trade make them go through it as if none at all and we our selves at this day tho some particular persons may be great sufferers yet the