a stalking Horse for the Faction to poach by The Arbitrary Proceedings of the House of Commons over the Liberties of their Fellow Subjects grew Intolerable unreasonable illegal and burdensom Immediately the Mischiefs hatched in 41 began to be reviv'd in the Mouths and Memories of a great many People who to this day felt the smart of them and dreaded the like Tyranny and Oppression again till every day the credit of the Popish began more and more to break away and the Workings of the Faction seen through it something plainly This too as they are a wary Generation they themselves perceived and therefore thought it high time to new vamp up the decaying Plot and the Meal Tub Stratagem which brought in Dangerfield having succeeded so well Since a new Evidence was wanting nothing so plausible as a design of the like Nature to introduce Mr. Fitz-Harris Thus then they lay their Heads together and this is agreed upon The King must be Libel'd right or wrong why because it is Ad Populum for the vilest Natures are always best taken with Slander and Scandal and apt to believe the worst things of those which are above them so the Foundation of the Bus'ness is laid viz. the Libel but now to build upon this Foundation that is to six this Libel upon the Loyal Party for by this time the Guelphs and the Gibelines began to be distinguished there lay the difficulty and a difficult Point indeed it prov'd for when it was brought to that that Mr. Fitz-Harris who was to be the Discoverer asked his Pardon His Majesty was better advis'd than to give it him except he would desire it by telling honest Truths which was not in the Gentleman's Instructions at that time so he went to Newgate and the Design was all intangled But when the hopes of the Godly Party was got into Limbo Bless us how they busled how was he visited by Sir R. C. and Sir G. T. to take his Examination as they call'd it but whether they came to inform themselves or him that 's yet a Question for Matters were carry'd very privately This worthy Gentleman or Captain being brought to Westminster towards his Tryal for you know all our Discoverers are or should be Doctors or Captains as Dr. Oates Dr. Tongue Dr. Lower Capt. Bedlow Capt. Dangerfield Capt. Wilkinson and so forth this Captain then as I said being brought to Westminster in order to his Tryal it was just like the roasting of a Cat alive for as upon that occasion all the Cats in the Neighborhood will come and squale bristle and scratch for the rescue of their Companion so all the Evidences were alarm'd here The Dr. of Salamancha like a great Boar Puss came in the Van and roar'd most hideously the rest ran about the place whether with their tails an end I know not sputtering wawing and spitting too abominably Then and by these his Brethren was put into his hand his Plea of standing Impeach'd by the House of Commons and ought not therefore to be try'd by any Inferior Jurisdiction which Impeachment by this appears in all Moral probability hastened as it was by the Leading Men to have been made much rather to obstruct the safety of the King in not permitting a Traitor to be brought to Justice than any thing else a Vote having pass'd the Lower House upon the Lords refusing to receive the said Impeachment That to try Mr. Fitz-Harris in any Inferior Court was a Violation of their Privilege and against the Constitution of Parliaments and this too was Prosecuting of the Popish Plot this was bringing Traytors to Justice upon which let us reason a little If Mr. Fitz-Harris were Guilty of the highest Treason in the World as certainly he was and by such apparent Proofs that it was impossible he could escape Justice in any Court in England what need was there at that time for his being Impeached in Parliament who had so much bus'ness already of a higher Nature before them as the farther Enquiry into the Popish Plot as to which the greatest part of the Kingdom are yet in the dark the bringing of those Lords Impeached already to their Tryals who had lay'd so long under a close and burdensom Imprisonment that it is a shame to the English Liberty we so much boast of all over the World What Necessity was there for the House of Commons to engage themselves in such a Tedious Bus'ness as a Parliamentary Process must be against so inconsiderable a Creature as Fitz-Harris who was already a Prisoner by Warrant from the Council and lookt for every day to be brought to Trial by the ordinary course of Justice There must be something in this bus'ness more than ordinary and what this something was easily appears by the many Tricks and Circumventions us'd at his Tryal to Impede the Proceedings as first his own Plea upon the Vote above-mentioned try'd and in Law over-ruled so as it is apparent from thence that Vote was Illegal and against Justice Secondly the endeavouring to save him by setting him up even at the time that he stood Arraigned for the basest Traitor for a new Evidence For this we may thank that worthy Grand-Jury who immediately upon his single Deposition in those shameful Circumstances thought fit at a venture to find a Bill of Murder against the Earl of Danby and yet upon the hearing of several unquestionable Witnesses one of the same stamp resum'd Ignoramus upon Colledge's Indictment From this I say it is apparent whatever the meaning of the bus'ness was that the Impeaching this Fellow in Parliament tended naturally rather to obstruct the Safety of the King in not permitting such a Traitor to be brought to the speediest Justice than any thing else and by what Hands what Party the Treason he Dy'd for was set on foot is sufficiently evident from his last dying Confession written by his own Hand and deliver'd to Dr. Hawkins the worthy Minister of the Tower and to the said Doctor 's farther Relation of it deliver'd to the World in Print I refer the Reader Next as to His Majestie 's Declaration after Dissolving of the Parliament which sticks so much in our Gentleman's Stomack Wherein he gave assurance that he would call frequent Parliaments c. by our Author 's good leave according to a late distinction of a Brother Block-head of his they are not the many but the few that long for the performance of the first promise The many and best part of the People rest well assured of the performance do not long nor are clamorous for it They are satisfy'd the King may keep his word of using frequent Parliaments without the calling a New one once a Quarter 't is convenient as matters go that the King so time his Affairs as to get a Parliament that will mind his and his Peoples Interest and not be carry'd away by the Factious Designs and Intrigues of Leading Men any more I am ashamed so Great and Honorable Assembly
done Oh but a Peace being Concluded at Nimeguen this Army that was got together by one Sessions of Parliament was hardly got dissolv'd by two And all things rightly examined was not that One Sessions too soon for presently after the Disbanding of that Army 't is very memorable and observable what Rebellion broke out in Scotland and how it was tim'd and as for the many Papists which he would insinuate were thrust into that Army it is a most notorious Lye for those Papists that were in it were only some few Officers that came home upon the King's Proclamation with the Duke of Monmouth's Regiment out of France and they too were cashier'd their Commands long before the Peace made or the Disbanding of the Army was thought of and how this Army as he suggests was probably to be made use of in carrying on of the Popish Plot may be gather'd if I mistake not from an Information Oates once gave in That the Officers of it were all to be Murdered in a Night by the Popish Party to render the Army useless for any Service against them Then besides this Open Force sayes he there was Listed under-hand a greater of which Oates 's Narrative acquaints us with the chief Officers So the Noble Dr. did with Commissions too but the Devil a one was ever yet produced for us to see nor as I have been told did the Dr. himself know one of these principal Officers he has made bold to mention viz. My Lord Arundel of Warder when he very lately did see him but that worthy Divine is something apt to be troubled with dimness of sight when over-strain'd with swearing as some Privy Councellors in being can bear him witness In the next place to his Malicious and Impudent Suggestion That the succeeding Parliament after the Long Parliament were by their sudden Dissolution prevented from bringing those to their Tryals which the Former had committed I answer and the whole Kingdom must testify with me It is most scandalously false For had they so intended they sate time enough to have brought six times the Number to their Tryal No the face of things began to look then another way The Popish Plott seem'd like a Card turn'd up Trumps only to be play'd upon a hard Push when any Trick they aim'd at was like to be lost As for Example When the King would not give up the E. of D. to be torn in pieces trump with the Popish Plot that will fetch it or nothing immediately New Dangers of Popery are Apprehended and there is a Young Plot in the Belly of the Old One But at last when that Lord had rendered up himself and desired a speedy Tryal difficulties and perplexities were started about Joyning Issue then immediately there arises a squobble about Priviledges An Endless confus'd Riddle which no body e're yet could tell the meaning of but not a grain of Justice weigh'd out all this while but the course of it stopt and the Nation kept in suspence terror and perplexity with almost every man's hand at his Neighbours Throat and all for a punctilio Justice I doubt was not what the prevailing Faction at that time Aim'd at For as I promised before I will speak Truth A prevailing and a dangerous Faction were in that Parliament and will be in every Parliament 't is to be feared so long as Schismaticks and Make-bates are tolerated in their Insolencies by Wilful blindness or scarfulness of Magistrates that should suppress them and enabled to carry so great a sway in Elections as to return frequently so many Old Rebels against the last King to sit in the House of Commons only to raile and bandy Factions for the Ruin of this No the Popish Lords in the Tower were to be well husbanded and that Parliament was Dissolv'd not that they should not bring those Lords to Tryal but because they would not Having shot this Bolt Now he runs on his Story to several Worthy Peers Petitioning for the Sitting of a Third Parliament whereof by the way let us take notice the E. of Hunt was One who having since discover'd the foulness of the main design at the bottom has avoided the Infection return'd home into the Favour and Service of his King and Safety of his Honour And as that Petition was followed by Others of a more tumultuous nature so the reflections our Author makes upon 'em are to deal plainly as Impertinent as they were for he sayes That his Majesty was possest by some about him that such Petitioning was tumultuous and that at the same time little Emissaries were ordered to discourage it amongst the rest Sir George Jeoffries here in the City Prithee Brother Pamphletteer why little Emissaries Sir George Jeoffries is a Gentleman and was at that time Recorder of London and as I conceive under that character not so very unproper to advise the City how far in Loyalty Obedience to the Law and good Manners they ought to preserve their Duty Respect and Deference to their Sovereign and his Commands and for all that quoted scrap of the Parliaments Address against him wherein they accuse him for Informing the City of London that such manner of Proceedings might hazard the Forfeiture of their Charter I suppose it had been never the Worse for that Wise City to have taken his Counsel and have sav'd perhaps the trouble which a small Instrument Entituled Quo Warranto lately got amongst them may put them to But it is the way of hireling Scriblers for that Party now-a-dayes to Quote Votes Resolves and Addresses of the House of Commons for Lawes forsooth as if we were no longer to respect the Statutes of the Realm for our Guide but buy a pennyworth of Votes every day and consult out of them how far we are to yield Obedience to Edicts of so great an Authority as a Kings who is over us in all Causes next under God the Supreme Head and Governour For he is at the same rate again as to the Anti-Petitions as he calls emor Abhorrencies that were by many of the Loyal part of the Kingdom presented to his Majesty in a just resentment and detestation of the former Undutiful and Irreverent Proceedings of their fellow Subjects which as it was at that time the most seasonable and honestest course that good Subjects could take to clear and signalize their Respect and Fidelity to a Prince nos'd and affronted by the Insolent and Vile behaviour of a dangerous and unruly Faction So I cannot but with Horrour remember the Tyrannical and Oppressive Authority which the House of Commons durst usurp afterwards over their fellow-Subjects how many of us were persecuted by their Ban-dogs and Pursuivants how many that knew not so well the Charter of their Liberty were forced to yield obedience to their Unwarrantable and Peremptory Votes Led in Captivity shamefully several Miles through their Native Countries up to London committed to Illegal and Chargeable Prisons harrass'd with Arbitrary Fines or Censures brought on
sayes the Page Ib. Gentleman farther if he does not persecute Hereticks with fire and sword he lyes at the Popes Mercy to have his Kingdom taken away from him Indeed Mr. Author and that 's a very weighty Consideration But do you think in your Conscience that he will part with it so Truly a deep foresight into politick Consequences is a great blessing to one that is to write much upon Supposes Though if a man might be so bold as to put in a word with you really it seems unto me Noble Sir Poll. that you do please to speak of more then need be done for if you dare to Engage this Popish Successor after you have established your Interest by your project from bringing in his Religion to let us poor Protestants live in Peace and Quietness as I believe you may I 'l Engage the Pope shall be very favourable to him and for a very small Quit-Rent let him keep the Copyhold of his Kingdom Bless us how things will be managed when the Reader of Covent Garden comes to be a primiere Minister and I Ambassadour Extraordinary to his Holiness but till that time comes I can foresee no fear of a Popish Persecution nor very great danger of the Popes disposing of these Three Kingdoms Well but what are we to think now if as our Author sayes into the Page Ib. bargain that besides the danger of being dethroned by the Pope if he does not persecute Protestants he runs also the hazard of being served as the Two Henry 's of France were Why truly nothing is Impossible but we hope it is not altogether so probable that a King should be stabb'd in a Protestant Country for not persecuting its Religion let him keep the Enemies of the Church from hurting the Protestants and certainly the Protestants will be able to keep their Enemies from hurting of him or the Pope from taking away his Kingdom either 100000 Protestants will be too hard for all the Pope's Bulls in Christendom This Policy I believe Any Successor let his private Perswasion be what it will may find very necessary in England and Twenty to One be wise enough to practise it too for Henry the Fourth of France it is very observable was not Kill'd by Ravillac till he left the Protestant Religion and encouraged Popery had he kept it under still and Establish'd the Reformed above it it is an even wager but he might have dy'd in his Bed and been gather'd to his Fathers in Peace Besides it is not absurd to imagine that it was not so much an Ecclesiastical as a Temporal Policy which sent the Villanous Dagger to that Brave Prince's Heart But our Author has indeed a most extraordinary Rule of Policy of his own and we may perceive it plainly enough by that which follows For says he Let things fall as they will though some persons may be so happy as to think he will not persecute yet every body must grant that he may persecute that the thing is Possible Now from this hour Thou most Confounded Author do I declare Immortal enmity with thee nor will ever be Ambassadour to the Pope nor shalt thou be ever a Minister of State It is possible in the Devil's name that a Popish Successor may persecute And is this the Mouse that thy Mountain of a Book has brought forth at last and ought a Bill of Exclusion to pass for this because Thou say'st it is possible that a Popish Successor may persecute hadst Thou stuck to thy first Argument That our Religion can never be in a condition of Persecution but by our own Treachery to it in parting with those good Laws which protect it and in agreeing to such as shall destroy it hadst Thou kept to that Foundation thou mightest indeed have raised some discourse of Reason but that the possibility that an evil may happen is sufficient for any reasonable men to raise their fears of it upon or a lawful cause to use unnatural and unequal means to prevent it is an opinion I would gladly see thee put in practice It is not impossible but that thou mayest come to be a Slave in the Turkish Galleys one day and compelled to live a wretched painful life for several miserable years together why dost thou not generously hang thy self for a remedy against it for such an accident may happen to thee the thing is possible Or if since it is possible that a Popish Successor may persecute that it would be therefore just and reasonable to exclude him why thou vile blunderer it is possible too if that be all that a Protestant Successor may persecute as well as a Popish one that a Protestant Successor may turn Papist it is possible that the best Prince may change his Nature and turn a Tyrant neither of these accidents but are possible in Nature so by thy Argument all Heirs to the Crown ought to be therefore Excluded and no more Kings reign over us because 't is possible they may one way or other prove persecutors I am very much afraid indeed that 's the vile false consequence thou wouldest dispute for But to come closer to thee in thy rule of possibility it is not impossible but that such a Parliament may come as to Vote a Bill for the rooting out of our Religion and Establishing Popery or a Worse in its place were it therefore reasonable to pass a Law that never any more Parliaments should Sit in England nay as thou hast stated it it really carries the more specious pretence of danger of the two for it being impossible that our Religion in its lawful Establishment can be peaceably altered if any way by any other means then an Act of Parliament the King too being but one man and the Parliament many it is more reasonable that the opinions of the many should sway the will or inclination of one then that the will of one should over-rule the opinions and inclinations of the many since therefore it is impossible that any Successor can lawfully violate the Protestant Religion but by the concurrence and consent of a Parliament All thy Argument amounts to is Take away Parliaments and our Religion in law is safe For ever the Nation is beholding to thee for thy parts and by the service thou art fit to do the State by thy Policy we may guess what the Church may hope from thy Divinity Well but after all sayes our Author Since it is possible that a Popish Successor may persecute it is even high time that we look about us and see what we have to trust to The Gospel doth not so much as allow any means when we cannot escape by Flight betwixt denying and dying for the Earth Well but by what Law must we dye By none sayes our Author that I know but Parasites Sycophants and Murderers may Now I dare venture to hold this Author of ours Fifty pound to a shilling that amongst all his Noble acquaintaince there is not
out of it and I hope Hang'd too and all I humbly conceive no breach of Privilege neither But our Noble Author to shew how fit an Advocate he is for his Party will needs be at it and Juggle in his very Preface which should be his Apology None shall be questioned out of Parliament for any thing spoken or transacted in it That is None shall be liable to the Law for what he says in Parliament provided he keep the bounds of Privilege which I humbly conceive is limited notwithstanding the late new started Doctrines That they are the only Judges of it themselves why else do they desire the Continuation of their Privileges every new Sessions by their Speaker The King is the Judge of those Provileges then for how can any Man grant what is fitting that is not suppos'd the Judge what is so Though therefore none be liable to the Law for what he says in Parliament provided he keep the bounds of Priviledge yet I hope any Corporation that sends up a Member to Serve for them in Parliament being sensible that that Member has abus'd or not discharg'd his Trust by proceeding unwarrantably in his Station running into a faction to do nothing the King desires of them to vex him with Bills for Dis-inheriting a dearest Brother with a thousand other Contrivances to perplex the good of the Kingdom and Embroil rather than Settle it I hope such a Corporation in an honest sence how they have been misrepresented by the Servant that they have sent to the King may have liberty to censure the Proceedings of such an unfaithful Servant and to Vindicate themselves too by any humble Address to His Majesty to assert their constant and loyal Adherence to his Government and if need be Abhorrence of any Transactions either of their own Servant or any else that would grow their Master tending to the Disturbance or Dissolution of it Oh But have a care says the Preface a little farther when His Majesty shall say to those dry Bones Live and they shall stand upon their feet they will be the fittest to declare their resentments c. Now do but mark this facetious Gentleman rather than lose his Jest what will he not do Just now he was Pleading the reverence and deference due to the Memory of the Parliament and here he scurrilously calls â—â—m a Company of dry Bones can there be any thing more Prophane than that the dry Bones of a dead Carcass commonly stink in the Nostrils of the living a very civil Metaphor and a great Complement to the Representatives of a Nation truly Oh but look to it they will be fittest to declare their resentments I hope it will never come to that that we of the Country who send up Members to Serve for us in the great Convocation of the Kingdom shall stand in awe of the Power we trust 'em withal I hope they are to sit there for our good and our peace not for our terror But more of this hereafter And now To the first part of his Pamphlet let us see how far he has proved the rise growth and discovery of a Popish Plot Have at it He sayes If the declaration of the common or publick Judgment be not a competent ground for us to settle our belief upon he knowes not what can be suppos'd to be for if ever the King be infallible he would the readiliest expect him to be so when he has the concurrent Advice and Consent of the whole Nation Nay he sayes there is infinitely greater cause for conforming our belief to the Opinion of the King Lords and Commons in a matter of fact throughly examin'd then to obey the Lawes they make To this I answer That King Lords and Commons are not nor can be infallible As they are Men they are liable to errors and may be deceived in matters of Opinion by the imperfections of their humane Nature in matters of fact by the false Informations of Perjur'd and profligate Villains who are to swear for bread and have no longer hopes to eat then their Evidence is useful For could any Government or Authority upon Earth be Infallible one might as well as another and Consequently our Author would make a good Argument for the Church of Rome and the Pope in Cathedrà may with as much reason pretend to be Infallible as any Prince in Christendom in his Senate I hope our Pamphleteer is a better Protestant then this Argument amounts to Granting then that King Lords and Commons are not Infallible he has not yet by his argument prov'd the rise growth and discovery of a Popish Plott But now he comes to supposing well let us see what he supposes Supposing sayes he that the aforesaid Resolves and Proclamations were not made nor issued without the maturest deliberation and fullest assurance of the truth of those Testimonies and Evidence that occasioned them it cannot be reputed too great credulity to believe that Popery was to be introduced by those Means and Methods that the Discoverers of the Plott attested very good Here he supposes that the aforesaid Resolves and Proclamations were not without the fullest assurance of the truth of the Evidence and yet not three lines farther he tells us that as to Scotland and Ireland in which the Design was laid as well as in England Affairs have been so managed that it is still as to us kept in a great manner secret Was then that Vote of the House of Commons that there was a Popish Plott in Ireland as well as here made upon the maturest deliberation and fullest assurance when affairs have been so managed that it is yet a Secret why was this Fellow trusted with Pen and Ink Well but now look too 't now let us look about us He has been but tuning his Instrument all this while now he 's resolv'd to tickle it away indeed as for Example Old sturdy England being as he sayes a Nation alwayes Jealous of their Rights and Liberties it was despaired that she would be wheedled to put on the Roman Yoke and therefore there was no hopes of bringing that about but by force The Author of this Book must be some Jesuited bewhiggify'd and privy to all their Councels he could never give so round an account what they thought else And now sayes he there wanted a plausible pretence to get up an Army Politick Worm and therefore that we may Epitomize his long-winded Impertinent story he tells us there was a Sham War propos'd with the French and the Parliament induc't to comply with the design he makes a very Worthy Parliament of it the mean while For if a Sham-War were to be impos'd upon the Nation he makes the Parliaments as guilty of the Imposture as any Minister of State he would pretend to blacken Then he goes on how An Army of 30000 men was appointed to be raised and a Tax levied for their Pay Well and they were pay'd as far as the Tax would go and what harm
is no better than perjur'd But now all the Question is says our Scribler whether such a particular man has so unalterable right to such a ones Heir that no crime Can forfeit that Right nor no Power annul it To which I answer as he himself hath taught me Force and Violence and the longest Sword may annul any thing but the Business he would bring in here is the forfeiting Crime which what it is in our present case we should better have known He says If the hasty Dissolution of so many Parliaments and a Noli Prosequi had not hindered and so he proceeds to make a Fiction of Case and indeed it is a Substantial Fiction by his old way of supposing Now let us once more see what he supposes for by this suppose he pretends to resolve the Query what the forfeiting Crime is in our present Case Very good Suppose says he him that expects to be Heir perverted from the Protestant to the Popish Religion Now out of this Suppose we are if we think fit to suppose agen that he means the Duke of York and then we are to let him know 't is but a malicious at best and no charitable Supposition and till there are better grounds than any the Publick have been inform'd of yet to six it upon I shall grant no such Supposition at all In the next place says he Suppose his Principal Servant and greatest Confident bragging of the apparent likelihood of rooting out this â—estilent Northern Heresie and of the Zeal of his Master in the Cause c. Now we are sure and need not suppose that by this Servant and Confident is signify'd Coleman and therefore I must tell he is pleased to suppose what I believe himself and almost every body else knows to be a false thing for Coleman was none of his Principal Servant or Confident but Cashier'd the Service of his Highness's Family many years since and I have been told the reason why he was discharged the Office of Secretary to the Dutchess was for that he stood suspected even then of being too busie with Matters of an ill kind though they were not particulariz'd or prov'd against him and if so good Mr. Pamphletteer what becomes of your Suppose But to proceed Supposing all this says he We can hardly imagine a Crime to be blacker Then what Then a suspition of designing the Subversion of the Established Religion and in it of the Government A very pretty point our Author has brought his Bus'ness to He has proved the Lawfulness of the Bill of Exclusion because he is pleased to suppose and suspect that the Duke may design the Subversion of the Religion and Government is any man to suffer by the Law of England for Suspition Surely no Then certainly the Excluding the Duke from his Inheritance upon bare Suspition is not altogether so legal as our Author would have the World think it is But the man is a little reasonable for all that for about four Lines afterwards says he Now let us consider introth and I think it is time of all Conscience well but what shall we consider Let us consider says he whether a Parliament have not Power to inflict such a Punishment on such Offences with all my heart It is says he from the Laws Enacted by Parliament that such an Act has such a Punishment awarded to it This as he has express'd it is Nonsense and as he means it is false for no Laws are Enacted by Parliament all Laws are Enacted by the King in Parliament and though he go on to tell us that Felonies are by the Law Punished by Death as well as Murder yet till he show us a Law that any man shall be Hanged for Suspition of Felony or Murder he seems to have considered to very little purpose and his Suppose is in as bad a condition as e'r it was 'T is very well worth any man's observation how the Champions for this Cause manage Matters they write incessantly but such crude and indigested stuff comes daily from as visibly discovers what an unhealthful condition it is in Now is our Author vomiting up a lump of confus'd Notions for the Mobile to lap at and that is forsooth what a Parliament can do and first indeed he is a little civil and will vouchsafe to joyn the King with them and pray let us see to what purpose They says he can Attaint any man or take off the Attainder as they see good I hope though good Mr. Author it must be for sufficient cause shown that they shall proceed to Attaint any Man or else by your leave they violate the Great Charter of England and whatsoever does so is Destructive of the Being of the Government Destructive of Publick Safety Destructive of the general Liberty either let the great Charter be the Rule and Standard our Parliaments are to govern their Votes Acts by or let us burn and cancel it for ever Our Law says It is unalterable and whoever Votes or Consents to any thing against the tenure and holding of that Charter I may presume to say is little better than a betrayer of the Publick Good and an Enemy to the Kingdom The People of England hold their Liberties and Properties by virtue of Magna Charta nothing can alter it and whatsoever does so call it an Act of Parliament or what you please may be impos'd upon our Obedience by Power but it is Void of it self Tyrannical and against the great and Sacred Right delivered us down through so many Ages by our Fathers from one Generation to another It would argue as much impertinence as he is guilty of himself to recount the many absurdities he has urged on this occasion as the instances of Legitimation and Illegitimation of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth both which were made in their turns Illegitimate and yet both were Legitimate when they came to succeed and would not any Body that reads this judge our Author deserved a blew Coat and a Muckinder for urging their Cases as Instances what the Parliament can do in such Cases when neither of the Acts pass'd against those Princesses stood good But what he says afterwards deserves Sugar Plumbs or nothing now we are beholden to him or never for he comes to the Point and says in a word That the two Houses have an absolute Dominion over the Lives Liberties and Estates of any Subject in the Kingdom why now we see what the Gentleman would be at here he speaks home The two Houses abstractedly have an Absolute Dominion c. Tush no matter for the King he is no body God knows when our Author would shew his Law We have had instances sayes he of Queens being Beheaded and who is nearlier related to the King than she that is one with him Oh brave Boys who nearer allied to the Privileges of the Crown than she that has had it set upon her head Why this is hearty now And if such a one says he
it self except the credit of the Popish Plot were in every of its parts supported this was the Case then and upon this Principle they proceeded No sooner was the 〈◊〉 Discovery of the Popish Plot made by an Instrument of their own a Renegado Deacon that since has usurpt the Title of Dr. the Offspring of a Notorious Anabaptist and himself at this present under most Vile Suspitions of wanting the Blessed Sacrament of Baptism a Fellow that has renounc'd the Church of England and has since been a Professor of Popery it self and almost all the Heresies in the World besides I say no sooner was this 〈◊〉 Discovery thus made but immediately renouncing all manner of Obedience to the Laws Ecclesiastical or Civil The Trumpets of Sedition were blown aloud in all Quarters of the Kingdom by Rascally Canting Whining Bawling Hypocrites that call themselves Preachers of the Word I warrant you Not an empty Cask could be set out for sweetning at a Tavern Door but whip it was spirited away to some adjacent Meeting-House or other to make a Pulpit of where it vented worse Sophisticated Doctrine than ever it had done Wine before Nothing was heard in those Assemblies but Tribulation Martyrdom Persecution and Popery Popery Immediately upon this and the Calling of a New Parliament the Zealous Sisters were tongu'd with Guinneys at Elections to keep their Cuckolds true to The Good Old Cause and its Interest not an old Rebel or Son of one hardly in any County but perk't up for a Member and Preach't in some Market-house or another to draw in Knaves and Fools to chuse him their Representative As many of this Gang as could be were thus foisted in and made Members of the House whereas it is too apparent they became to use our Author 's own terms Leading Men I cannot stifle the Truth for it will out Nor is it at all to be wondered that at the first starting of such a Discovery the thoughts of Murdering the best most merciful and justest of Kings the Destruction of the most Christian and best Disciplin'd Church in the World the Subversion of the equallest and best constituted Government that ever a happy People lived under it is not I say to be admir'd that such thoughts as these should have very deep Impressions upon the Souls of the honest loyal Subjects and true Englishmen as doubtless the best part of that Parliament were and therefore more easily to be led away as I doubt not but a great many of them have since found themselves to have been by the specious pretences how corrupt soever the ends were of those Leading Men For Immediately the Game was started and all the cry was presently Ill Ministers Arbitrary Council and fear of Arbitrary Power the Army then on foot must with all speed be Disbanded though there never appeared to be more need of one if all the Dangers that were Sworn and Voted had been true yet no sooner was this Army gone but instead of a Popish Insurrection in England we had a Whiggs Rebellion in Scotland and Swords were once more drawn for Presbytery and the Covenant That over and the Moors appearing with a formidable Army before Tangier when a Supply was Demanded for the Preservation of that Garrison the great Security of our Mediterranean Trade none could be granted till Grievances were Redressed forsooth and what was the Redressing of those Grievances but cutting off the Duke of York from the Succession turning out all Officers of Trust about the King and putting in such in their Places as the Parliament should approve of Reforming the Militia and as Sir W. C. was telling us plainly if his Mouth had not been stopt the Fleet too and putting both into such hands as a Committee I suppose to be appointed by the Leading Men at that time for that purpose should have thought fitting very fine and this was all called Prosecuting of the Popish Plot though not one except Coleman was ever brought to Justice all this while for the Conspiracy but a few tatter'd wandring Priests that were hunted catcht and Hang'd up to flesh the Rabble withal We were fed up and kept in heart indeed by strange Reports of mighty Discoveries made by the Committee of Secrecy who had Power given 'em to Examine Persons Papers and Records sat for two years and upwards brooding over the Bus'ness till it was boasted That if Oates and all his Brother Evidences were Dead and Rotten they had proof enough to Condemn all the Lords in the Tower and the rest of the Papists then in Custody for the Plot though when all came to all no Lord was brought to his Tryal but the Lord Stafford and he too had not Turbervil by what means I shall not here enquire been found out long after for a Witness for ought I perceive by the Printed Tryal might have had his Head upon his Shoulders to this day In short the Popish Plot was never heartily Prosecuted by the Parliament The Leading Men at that time seem'd to have other bus'ness The Evidences a pack of Profligate Fellows rak't out of Goals and Dungeons boasted some of them they had Plot enough yet to hold these Seven years The King instead of being secur'd from the Danger of his Enemies was only teized with Addresses to Pass an Act for the Dis-inheriting of his Dearest Brother was tugg'd and almost every day wrestled with for some Limb of his Prerogative or another and no Money was to be given him for Defraying the necessary Charges of the Government till he would consent to such unreasonable Demands as the Leading Men I mean the Faction thought fit at that Conjuncture to make him And all this was still call'd Prosecuting of the Popish Plot. Nay so very high ran this Presumptuous Tide that in an Address made by the Commons in Answer to the King's Message concerning Tangier it almost came to Threats for as I remember towards the latter end of that Address mention was made of Endangering the very Being of the Monarchy it self as who should say Sir Give us what we Ask or in plain terms we 'll Rebel This was still Prosecuting of the Popish Plot till at the last when all their hopes lay in the King 's and they were resolv'd but upon their own terms not to supply them out comes a Paper of Votes one whereof was That whosoever should offer to raise any Money by way of Loan upon the King's Revenues or otherwise should be deemed a Betrayer of the Publick Safety and I know not what other furious madness to this purpose as if the King were to be Voted into a worse condition than any Subject he has and not be able to borrow if any of his Loyal People think fit to lend it him This and some other Proceedings much of the same Nature awaken'd the sleepy Understandings of a great many who by the Publick Buz had been charm'd almost to a Lethargy the Popish Plot began to appear little better than
as an English House of Commons should not be so Wise too as not suffer any such Name as a Leading Man amongst 'em One would Imagine that in such a high Convention chosen out the whole Kingdom every one should have Wisdom and Reason enough of his own to guide his Opinion by and not run and Baa like a silly Sheep after the Low-Bell of another's Cant. And this arises most commonly from the choosing Men to be our Representatives in Parliament that are hardly of years of Discretion to take care of themselves sending Boyes that have not yet worn the School-brand out of their Buttocks to sit and consult upon the good of the Nation allow Things of 18 or 19 to make Speeches in a Senate-House before they know how to make a Theam what a Shame is this Methinks we ought to choose for the great Convocation of the Kingdom Men qualify'd with the best Brains as well as best Estates among us Men of the best Understanding and Experience and those too fortify'd with Principles of Honour and Virtue not giddy-headed Boyes unable yet to look after their own Estates and therefore very unfit Guardians of the Properties of their Neighbours who when they come into the House for want of Judgment to distinguish betwixt Good and Evil hunt with the loudest Cry add to the Noise and by Noise carry the Bus'ness I mean such Bus'ness as the Leading Men think fit to set on foot and that is commonly Faction Now by the Leading Men I understand either those grey Foxes who are well skill'd in the wayes and Methods that brought on our late Confusions and hope by the same means for their own private ends to Imbroyl us again or discontented Spirits who by the ill Example of others that have gain'd their Point by the same means hope by running against the King and broaching Popular Grievances to be bought off by Preferments These are for the most part Practising Lawyers which in Reason however Custom has prevail'd ought no more to be admitted into Parliaments than Butchers into Juries For Can it be reasonably supposed those should endeavour the making good Laws in the Parliament House that are to live by the breaches of 'em in Westminster-Hall No they will be sure not to work strong in one place for fear of spoiling their Trading in another I would indeed have good Lawyers that is Men who understand the Constitution of the Government sit in the House with all my heart but methinks they should be such as had left off the Practice of Law were to preserve the Estates they had already gotten by compiling sound Laws and not such as were to raise themselves Fortunes by by picking flawes in brittle ones For my part so long as I live I will never give my Voice for the Election of a Practising Lawyer for it is to the sway with such and their Accomplices who aim at Disorder have born in the late Parliaments that we owe for the most part our present Differences and Distempers upon the cursed hopes whereof was raised that never to be forgotten mischief which threatned us I mean a Treasonable Association the form of which was lately found in the E. of Sh. Closet and of which almost the whole Kingdom have Loyally profest their Detestation and Abhorrence As for the censure our silly Pamphletteer has pass'd upon those Abhorrers I think it not worth the wasting of Ink and Paper to remark upon it he having been only very dully Pert upon the occasion recited part of a great many honest Addresses and rail'd most foolishly upon the Tenure of them to as much purpose as if one should expose the beautifullest Picture in the World and ask the Company if they ever saw any thing so ugly would not that be a notable Jest Just such a merry Monster is our Author But as to his qualifying of this above-mentioned horrid Association by comparing it to that Pass't into an Act in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth it is so obvious so notorious a piece of Falshood that it would be a Jest to go about to confute it his being much troubled any one should prefer Ignatius's Doctrine before Calvin's I think indeed reasonable for they are so very much alike they ought never to be distinguish't But having overthrown the Bulk of his Pamphlet I think it not worth my while to rake in the Rubbish but beg leave to make one concluding Observation viz. To what end was there such striving and struggling to get the Bill of Exclusion Is there so very great a disproportion in the Age of the King and his Brother that His Majesty must necessarily dye first I think and I hope not Methinks there arises in Moraâ— Conjecture a very ill-natur'd Consequence upon this that is to say The eager pursuit of a Bill of Exclusion looks not so honestly as 〈◊〉 was pretended to be done For considering a Vote once Pass'd thâ— House That if His Majesty shall come by any Violent Death which Goâ— forbid they will revenge it to the utmost upon the Papist Methinks 〈◊〉 looks as if the Bill had been Pass'd His Majesty might easily haâ— been taken off and the whole Design turned upon the Unfortunaâ—â— Duke which the Multitude would easily have swallowed in Supposition of his being a Papist and he too that way have been made Sacrifice to the general fury in this broyl what Government what Usurpation might not have been broacht And this I observe one of the probable Effects that might have followed a Bill for his Exclusion Secondly That whereas we have heretofore been Alarum'd with mighty Noises of French Pensioners I think it would be very seasonable considering the late vast Returns of Money from France to enquire who those French Pensioners have been or are whether such as have fomented our Differences at home which is certainly the Interest of our Enemies abroad or those that have endeavoured to Preserve the Government and Kingdom in Peace and Tranquillity whether the Party who in all their Intelligences and Pamphlets are now courting the French King for a hopeful true Protestant one likeliest to adhere to him when ever he thinks fit to cast an Eye this way or those who would once have made War upon him and obstructed the Growth of his formidable greatness could Money have been granted for maintaining the Honour and Charges of such a War but this is a Point will most properly be enquired into when the Natural History of our present Divisions shall come to be Written and then too we may give perhaps a guess at what sort of Prince or Government this our Author and his Party desire to be Subjects under whether or no it be our Present Good Gracious Merciful Just Long-suffering King whom Heaven in its Mercy for ever Preserve from the Cursed Bloody Hands of Hypocrites his Enemies Amen FINIS