be diffident of us not doubting but that if we can once but lay a foundation for a good Correspondence that His Majesty will take so much content in it beyond what he doth now enjoy that to preserve it he will afterwards grant us what more Bills may be further necessary for the security of the Protestant Religion And therefore I am not for clogging this Address with any request for anything more than that one Bill Sir W. J. Mr. Speaker Sir We have hitherto had so little success in our endeavours that we may justly suspect we are permitted to sit here rather to destroy our selves then to save our Country It is a matter of admiration to me that those who have so often advised His Majesty to put this and the former Parliaments upon finding out Expedients for securing the Protestant Religion without altering the Succession should all this while find out none themselves but still continue advising the King to put that upon us which after many Debates is found to be impossible And that the King should always have at his elbow persons ready to remember him constantly to make his limitation which in all appearance must tend to the final destruction of the Protestant Religion And that there should be no body there to mind him of proposing some Expedients to prevent it only in general words of which no use can be made According to the opinion of Three successive Parliaments the limitation in favour of the Popish Interest is plain intelligible and practicable I hope his Majesty against the next occasion will require them that have so advised him to make the Expedients and other ways to secure the Protestant Religion as plain and practicable that so we may see if the security of the Protestant Religion be designed in good earnest by such advisers which I cannot believe because what they propose is in my opinion a contradiction in it self Without the Exclusion-Bill there can be no Expedient but what will leave us in that miserable condition of having first or last a contest with our lawful King And there can be no such thing as setting up a power to oppose him but by putting a kind of Supream Authority in the Parliament with a power to oppose as well by making War as Laws which might prove the destruction of the Monarchial Government The said trust or power without the Exclusion Bill being not to be reposed in the next Heir or any single person least he should dye before he come to have the power in him or utterly refuse to act if he should live to have a right by vertue of such a settlement to administer the Government In such a case there would be no lawful power lodged any where else to oppose such a King and there must not be an inter Regnum By this short account you may see what difficulties all expedients will be liable too and may conclude that those that advise the King to make this Limitation do intend it as an Expedient to make the endeavours of Parliaments ineffectual and to bring in Popery And if you had offered at such Expedients as I have mentioned as the last House of Commons was Arraigned for Omnipotent and Arbitrary so would this with some worse Character as having attempted to destroy the Monarchical Government that if possible the King and People might be put out of love with Parliaments But Sir though it is plain that things are thus out of order yet let us not be wanting in our duty but give such an Answer to his Majesty as may if possible create in him a good opinion Of his House and satisfie him of the necessity of the Bill of Exclusion and that all other Acts of Grace will but serve to fatten us for the slaughter of our Enemies The last part of this Speech I believe is his Majesties own he seems willing to know what you expect from him and what you will do for him which I think is a fair proposition to come to an understanding And although it be not good manners to offer to make a bargain with his Majesty but as in bargains there is a quid and pro quo so in this And I think we need not fear talking of money in this House being all seem resolved to give it freely if we can be secured of our Religion but not otherways And therefore I humbly conceive you may accordingly express your selves plain in your Address W. G. Mr. Speaker Sir if you do not represent all your Grievances in this Address as the condition of your giving Money whatever you shall offer at afterwards will be looks as clamarous and out of order And therefore I would advise you not to omit any one Grievance you expect any â—e ready in And I am for enumerating all your Grievances in the Address which have been lately Debated And I do admire no body does take notice of the standing Army which if not reduced to such a number as may be convenient for Guards and so limited that they may not be increased unless in case of a Rebellion or an Invasion all your Laws may signifie nothing And I am not satisfied in the making of such general offers of Money For if you do you will hear in time that the Fleet needs one Million Allyances as much more and Tangier though I think not worth keeping little less A demand of Three Millions grounded on your general promise would perplex the House how to come off with that reputation which a House of Commons ought to preserve with the King I know not how such a promise may be turned upon you and therefore I am either for demanding more or promising less Sir E. H. Mr. Speaker Sir I am very unwilling to have this Parliament broken yet I cannot agree that to prevent it we should offer so much and demand so little as hath been mentioned Have we not sat two dayes in a Committee to examine the dangerous estate of the Kingdom and ordered several good Bills to be brought in thereupon for the securing us against Popery and Arbitrary power and shall we now the next day lay all those Bills aside and be content with the Exclusion-Bill onely which I think will be worth nothing unless you can get more And therefore though to obtain them you spoke plain English and mentioned what sum you intend to give I think you will be safer to offer Money in general words without declaring what or enumerating your Bills G. V. Mr. Speaker Sir I cannot agree with this worthy Member for it would take up some days Debates to agree what some is necessary to supply his Majesties occasions and what sum to express And it may be to no purpose as the case stands with us unless we were sure his Majesty would find out some way to bring the Exclusion Bill about again then indeed we might come to particulars In the mean time a promise in general words may be sufficient and save
oppose these great Enemies by some other Laws as when an House is on fire we make use of Buckets and Tubs for casting of water until the great Engines can be got But I would move you to be cautious what you do for I am afraid that the design of putting you upon finding out Expedients is not in order to have any thing done that is effectual against Popery but in order to have you offer at something that may purchase a disrepute on the House and give your Enemies an advantage to persue their designes of breaking us by alleadging that you aim at Laws that will overturn the Government For my part I am fully perswaded that this is the design of those that have put the King so often to declare against altering the Succession and to recommend other wayes and that offer at what you will if it be any thing that is like to prove strong enough to secure us against Popery that you will see the House put off before it come to any perfection and that in time it will be made use of to arraign the Proceeding of Parliament and to perswade the people that this House did attempt to alter the Government by such and such Bills and so by degrees possess the People that Parliaments are either dangerous or inconsistent with the Government that if possible they may be well content to be without them Sir I am afraid that the Popish party are more serious in this design than we are aware of and that next to the great endeavours they have used for many years to keep on our divisions in points of Religion the next great Artifice which they depend on is the infusing into the people the dislikes of Parliaments For they well know that Popery can never be established in this Nation as long as Parliaments are permitted to Sit and Act. Therefore though I know it is below a House of Commons to mind every little discourse yet I think if we conclude that this powerful Party amongst their many designes have this for one that we ought to countermine it as much as we can We cannot well comprehend what a Bill of Association will be before it be drawn up nor what difficulties may be found in the contriving of it and therefore I think no great debate will be necessary about it before such a Bill will be brought in And I believe it will be found more likely to be serviceable in case the Papists be banished and therefore I conceive a Bill for Banishment of all the considerable Bapists out of England may be very nacessary And if at the same time that we endeavour to secure our selves against Poperty we do not also do something to prevent Arbitrary Power it will be too little purpose for the one will be sure to give a hand to bring in the other and I think nothing can prevent that or rather both better than frequent Parliaments And therefore I humbly move you that a Bill for securing frequent Parliaments may be taken into your consideration Sir G. H. Sir I think you are well adviced that the way to secure our selves effectually against Popery is to secure our selves also against Arbitrary Government and that the having of frequent Parliaments is the best way to secure both and therefore Sir I think you do well to move the House that a Committee be appointed to inspect what old Laws there are for enforceing the sitting of frequent Parliaments that if they should be found deficient some new Laws may be made for that purpose I do agree that a Bill for Banishing out of England the most Considerable Papists may do well but I hope Sir that if you banish the Men you will banish some Women too For I do believe that some of that Sex have been great Instruments in bringing about our ruine and if in time you would consider how to prevent the Royal Families marrying Popish Women it would be of great security hereafter For I am of Opinion that the late Queen Mother's Zeal for her Religion was not only a great occasion amongst many others of the miseries that befel us in forty one but the great cause of all our Miseries now by perverting the Duke from his Religion as is reported and may reasonably be believed if we conclude that she had that Motherly care for the salvation of her Children as other Mothers usually have for according to her Opinion it was not to be obtained out of the pale of that Church And no man can doubt but that the Protestant Interest hath been much Prejudiced by his Majesties marrying a Princess of that Religion For we have plainly seen since the discovery of the Plot how some of the most material Jesuites and Popish Instruments have sheltered themselves under her Royal Protection and how they have helpt to carry on the Plot by being so impudent as to pretend they had her patronage and by abusing her Authority but more especially by the Dukes marrying the Princess of Modena because of her near Relation to the Pope and Cardinals All which was plainly foreseen by that Parliament which met a little before that Marriage in 1673. and therefore they made an Address to his Majesty representing the said ill consequences desiring him not to permit it because it would tend to the destrustion of the Protestant Religion But their endeavours were defeated by that Party as we may guess seeing we find so much use of her name in Colemans Letters for well might they who have over-ruled in so many affairs as have been instanced in this House have an influence also in this that so that Party might not want so useful an Instrument in so great a station and so the Parliaments Address miscarried but that they had either a good Judgment or Prophetick Spirit I hope will never miscarry but remain upon Record And unless you do believe that these Ladies are less compassionate than others usually are how can it be otherwise their Principles considered But Sir I will not trouble you farther about it but suppose it may be worth your consideration in due time In the interim I agree for the Bill of Banishment and Association too I. B. Sir I retain a good opinion of an Association-bill notwithstanding what hath been said as to the weakness it may receive from our unhappy Divisions in point of Religion and Interest too much promoted by some of our Clergy For Sir when I consider how the Laudean principles as to raising of Money without Parliaments in the late times infected most of our Clergy so as that they not onely preached up the Kings absolute Authority over mens Properties but branded with the title of Rebels and condemned to Hell those that offered to argue against it I do conclude that it is usual for one or two Bishops to give measures or directions to the rest of the Bishops and they to the Clergy of their several Diocesses And that therefore the Clergy derive the
Politicks generally from one Bishop or two in some great station Yet Sir when I remember how after some little time many of the Clergy fell off and would not follow such instructions and how the People soon excused themselves from following their advice in such Politicks and would not freely pay illegal Taxes notwithstanding all their endeavours I am apt to think Sir that as the People were not long then mislead so as to submit to lose their Property so they will not now to any thing that shall tend to the losing of their Religion and Property both They will soon discover what is their interest and how true interest will not lye I have often told you within these walls they will soon apprehend that Popery will bring in slavery and reduce them not only to an Idolatrous Superstitious Religion but to wear Wooden-shooes like the French and to eat Herbs like the Spaniard because they will soon know that they shall not be long Masters of any thing they have And however they may be perswaded for a while I am confident they will at last consult how to save their Bacon They will discern that the Clergy may be good Divines but not so good Politicians and that there may be some difference in point of Interest between them and the Clergy because Clergy-men may be in a possibility of being advanced by Popery if they submit but the Laity under a probability of losing all notwithstanding all submissions Sir I do not trouble you with this Discourse out of a fear that our Clergy will not shew themselves good Protestants for I have that veneration for them and opinion of them as to believe that many of the Bishops and Clergy too would assoon die for the Protestant Religion as any persons in the Nation But I am jealous that there is some over-awing Power got in amongst them something answerable to that of a Popish Successor in the State by whose means those Bills were so easily past in the late long Parliament under a pretence that they were for the preservation of the Protestant Religion which the Commons than found and any person that will now peruse them may find would infalibly have brought in Popery And how since the Plot the danger of Fanaticks is cryed up more than that of the Papists and how tender they are in the point of a Popish Successor or joyning in any thing against him But though these things make me jealous there is some body that misleads them now in matters relating to Popery as formerly in things relating to Property yet I am of opinion that they will ere long see that to stand up for the Interest of a Popish Successor to have a Popish King to weaken the Protestant Interest and to speak ill of Parliaments is not the right way to preserve the Protestant Religion but a plain contradiction and an invention of Jesuites And therefore Sir I am for going on with the Allociation-Bill for I will never doubt that the true Interest of the Nation in so great a concern as this will long be baffled by such projectors and therefore it is my desire that the House may be moved to appoint a Committee to draw up a Bill for that purpose Sir W. H. Sir I think you have been well moved as well for the Association-Bill as the Banishing-Bill By the one you will send your Enemies out of the Country by the other be in a good condition to keep them out which may go a great way to secure us Sir R. T. Sir you have been verywell moved for the bringing in of such Bills as may tend as much to the security of the Protestant Religion as any that can be offered That of Banishment will certainly go a great way to destroy not only their Power but their Interest and Principles too and be a great disheartning to their party abroad That Interest will not then have so many Engines to work with here as now they have And the Bill of Association will be necessary that we may have a Law to defend our selves The Association made in Queen Elizabeth's time will be a good President to draw it up by And seeing there is no opposition I move you to put the Question R. M. Sir By offering at the Exclusion Bill we may conclude we have offended the Duke of York by this Bill for Banishment all the rest of the considerable Papists in England As we have made many Enemies so it will be convenient that we should endeavour to get some Law to defend our selves against their implacable designes For which a Bill for an Association of all His Majesties Protestant Subjects may do well and therefore I pray that we may move the House to have it brought in Sir G. G. Sir I am of opinion the Popish Plot goeth on as much as ever and the Papists are so proud of it as they cannot forbear bragging of their hopes to see better days speedily I think Sir seeing we are not like for one while to have the Exclusion-Bill we shall appear neglectful of our duty if we do not try what security can be contrived by an Association-Bill And therefore I humbly pray that the House may be moved to appoint a Committee to draw up and bring in a Bill for Associating all his Majesties Protestant Subjects I find in Cooke's Reports that when the Nation was in apparent danger the People might go directly to the King with their Grievances and make their Complaints and Petitions known I think we may do well to consult this Text and see if we can find out any better way than what we have tryed already to convey our humble Supplications to his Royal Person In the mean time I think you had not best to go off from the Bill of Association for which we have a President in Queen Elizabeth's time first made by the Gentry and afterwards confirmed by Act of Parliament L. G. Sir I would not discourage you from going on with these Bills but I am afraid they will fall far short of the Power and strength that will be necessary to root out an Interest that hath been above an hundred years reivetting it self by all arts and wayes Imaginable and hath now fixt it self so near the Throne I must confess I am afraid we are at labour in vain and that this Interest hath so clenched it self as the Jesuites term it that it will break not only this Parliament but many more if not all Parliaments and the Protestant Religion too It is too weighty to be removed or perverted by such little Bills as these No Sir you will find that nothing less than a firm Vnion amongst all the Protestants in this Nation can be sufficient to give any check to this Interest As long as there are amongst us so many persons as know not rightly how to apply the dangers of the Church and State nor the miseries of Forty One but will be lead by Popish Projectors I am
he may be secured as in Queen Elizabeth's time If he had been sensible that there are none in Office but what are for his Interest he would first have agreed to have endeavoured to have got such changed before he would have proposed that way And it would be necessary that we should also have such Privy-Councellors as Queen Elizabeth had and not Eleven to Seven for the Popish Successor And therefore seeing these Proposals have no more appearance of being for your service I see no reason you have to be diverted from the way you were going And therefore I humbly move to agree with your Committee The House Agreed December 21. 1680. A Bill was read for Vniting his Majesties Protestant Subjects P. Mr. Speaker SIr is it not to be doubted but that the happiness of this Nation and safety of our Religion doth depend very much upon preserving the well-constituted Government of the Church and that the Government in the State will not long stand if that be pull'd down to which I am afraid this Bill will contribute very much Sir it is well known how notwithstanding all the endeavours of his Majesty as well in Parliament as otherwise all the Acts that are in force against Dissenters all the endeavours of the Fathers of the Church there are a sort of men and great numbers too who will neither be advised nor overruled but under the pretence of Conscience break violently through all Laws whatsoever to the great disurbance both of Church and State And if you should give them more Liberty you will encourage them to go on with more boldness and therefore I think it will be more convenient to have a Law for forcing the Dissenters to yield to the Church and not to force the Church to yield to them And I think we are going quite the wrong way to do the Nation good And therfore I 〈◊〉 against this Bill D. Mr. Speaker Sir I would not open my mouth in favour of this Bill if I thought it would any ways prejudice the Church or Church-Government but I believe it may have a quite-contrary effect and tend more for the preservation and safety of the Church and Church-Government than any Bill whatsoever that could be contrived We have a Church-Government setled by Law to which the Major-part of the People like good Christians and Loyal Subjects give obedience but it is our misfortune that there are in the Nation a great many which will not submit to this Government which may be divided under three Heads 1. The Papists who differ from us in points of Faith and will not give any obeysance but to the Church of Rome 2. Independants Presbyterians and some others who agree in points of Faith and differ only in some points of Doctrine and Ceremonies 3. Quakers who disagree not only in points of Doctrine and Ceremonies but in points of Faith and are a head-strong sort of unreasonable people that will not Submit to any Laws made about Religion but do give obedience to the Civil Magistrate upon all other occasions The Church of England men are not only the greatest number but have the Government of their side What Laws to make that may tend most to the preserving of it is your business It is in danger from the Papists on the one hand and the rest of the Protestant-Dissenters on the other who in some measure agree in their enmity and disrespect to the Church and therefore the more care ought to be taken for its preservation Having thus Sir discovered the danger of the Church in general it will be necessary in order to find out a remedy to discourse a little of the Strength and Interest of each Party in particular Sir the Papists are not the greatest number but yet in my opinion upon several considerations are most to be feared because of their desperate Principles which make them bold and indefatigable and the assistance they may have from Rome France and Ireland but above all from the great share they have in the management of the Government by the means of a Popish Successour and the fear of their getting the Government into their hands hereafter by having a Popish King Which of it self hath been sufficient in former times to change the Religion of this Nation and may justly be feared may have the same effect again unless the Protestants be well united The Presbyterians Independants and all other Dissenters may be more in number than the Papists and may be willing enough to have the Church-Government altered if not destroyed yet being they cannot have any succour from abroad nor from the Government here at home I cannot see any great danger of them For it is not probable that they shall ever have a King of their opinion nor a Parliament by the discovery they made of their strength in the last Elections For according to the best calculation I can make they could not bring in above one in twenty And therefore because they have not such bloudy desperate Principles as the Papists and because we agree in points of Faith and so no such great danger from them as from the Papists I think we have reason to conclude that the Church is most in danger from the Papists and that therefore we ought to take care of them in the first place and we cannot do that by any way more likely to prove effectual than by some such Bill as this Because if it should have the effect designed of bringing in many of the Dissenters into the Church it would disappoint them of the great hopes they have grounded on our Divisions and make the Church stronger not only to oppose the Papists but such Fanaticks as may not come in And if we should be so unfortunate as that this Bill should not have this success I do not understand it will any way weaken the Church-Government And therefore I am for this Bill F. Mr. Speaker Sir this Bill is intended for the preservation of the Church and I am of opinion is the only Bill that can be made in order thereto our circumstances considered But I know not what effect it may have because you are to deal with a Stubborn sort of people who in many things prefer their humour before reason or their own safety or the publick good But Sir I think this is a very good time to try whether they will be won by the Cords of Love or no and the Bill will be very agreeable to that Christian Charity which our Church professes and I hope that in a time of so imminent danger as we are in of a common Enemy they will consider their own safety and the safety of the Protestant Religion and not longer keep afoot the unhappy Divisions that are amongst us on which the Papists ground their hopes But rather seeing the Church doth so far condescend as to dispence with the Surplice and those other things which they Scruple at that they will submit to the rest that
be disbanded at the Kingdoms great Expence And it being evident that notwithstanding all the continual endeavours of the Parliament to deliver his Majecty from the Councils and out of the Power of the said D. yet His Interest in the Ministry of State and others have been so prevalent that Parliaments have been unreasonably Prorogued and Dissolved when they have been in hot pursuit of the Popish Conspiracies and ill Ministers of State their Assistants And that the said D. in order to reduce all into his own power hath procured the Garrisons the Army and Ammunition all the power of the Seas and Soldiery and Lands belonging to these three Kingdoms to be put into the hands of his Party and their Adherents even in opposition to the Advice and Order of the last Parliament And as we considering with heavy Hearts how greatly the Strength Reputation and Treasure of the Kingdom both at Sea and Land is Wasted and Consumed and lost by the intricate expensive management of these wicked destructive Designes and finding the same Councils after exemplary Justice upon some of the Conspirators to be still pursued with the utmest devilish Malice and desire of Revenge whereby his Majesty is in continual hazard of being Murdered to make way for the said D.'s Advancement to the Crown and the whole Kingdom in such case is destitute of all Security of their Religion Laws Estates and Liberty ad experience in the Case Queen Mary having proved the wisest Laws to be of little force to keep out Popery and Tyranny under a Popish Prince We have therefore endeavoured in a Parliamentary way by a Bill for the purpose to Bar and Exclude the said Duke from the Succession to the Crown and to Banish him for ever out of these Kingdoms of England and Ireland But the first means of the King and Kingdoms Safety being utterly rejected and we left almost in Despair of obtaining any real and effectual security and knowing our selves to be intrusted to Advise an Act for the preservation of His Majesty and the Kingdom and being perswaded in our Consciences that the dangers aforesaid are so eminent and pressing that there ought to be no delay of the best means that are in power to secure the Kingdom against them We have thought fit to propose to all true Protestants an Vnion amongst themselves by solemn and sacred promise of mutual Defence and Assistance in the preservation of the true protestant Religion His Majesties Person and Royal State and our Lawes Liberties and Properties and we hold it our bounden Duty to joyn our selves for the same intent in a Declaration of our Vnited Affections and Resolutions in the Form insuing I A. B. Do in the presence of God solemnly Promise Vow and Protest to maintain and defend to the utmost of my Power with my Person and Estate the true Protestant Religion again Popery and all Popish Superstition Idolatry or Innovation and all those who do or shall endeavour to spread or advance it within this Kingdom I will also as far as in me lies Maintain and defend his Majesties Royal Person and Estate as also the Power and Priviledg of Parliaments the lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subject against all incroachments and Vsurpation of Arbitrary power whatsoever and endeavour entirely to Disband all such Mercenary Forces as we have reason to believe were Raised to Advance it and are still kept up in and about the City of London to the great Amazement and Terror of all the good People of the Land Moreover J. D of Y. Having publickly professed and owned the Popish Religion and notoriously given Life and Birth to the Damnable and Hellish Plots of the Papists against his Majesties Person the Protestant Religion and the Government of this Kingdom I will never consent that the said J. D. of Y. or any other who is or hath been a Papist or any ways adher'd to the Papists in their wicked Designs be admitted to the Succession of the Crown of England But by all lawful means and by force of Arms if need so require according to my Abilities oppose him and endeavour to subdue Expel and Destroy him if he come into England or the Dominions thereof and seek by force to set up his pretended Title and all such as shall Adhere unto him or raise any war Tinnult or Sedition for him or by his Command as publick Enemies of our Laws Religion and Country To this end we and every one of us whose hands are here under written do most willingly bind our selves and every one of us unto the other joyntly and severally in the bond of one firm and Loyal Society or Association and do promise and vow before God That with our joynt and particular Forces we will oppose and pursue unto Destruction all such as upon any Title whatsoever shall oppose the Just and Righteous Ends of this Association and Maintain Protect and Defend all such as shall enter into it in the just performance of the true intent and meaning of it And lest this Just and Pious work should be any ways obstructed or hindred for want of Discipline and Conduct or any evil minded persons under pretence of raising Forces for the service of this Association should attempt or commit Disorders we will follow such Orders as we shall from time to time receive from this present Parliament whilst it shall be sitting or the Major part of the Members of both Houses subscribing this Association when it shall be Prorogued or Dissolved And obey such Officers as shall by them be set over us in the several Countries Cities and Burroughs until the next meeting of this or another Parliament and will then shew the same Obedience and Submission unto it and those who shall be of it Neither will we for any respect of Persons or Causes or for Fear or Reward separate our selves from this Association or fail in the Prosecution thereof during our Lives upon pain of being by the rest of us prosecuted and suppressed as Perjured Persons and Publick Enemies to God the King and our Native Country To which Pains and Punishment we do voluntarily submit our selves and every one of us without benefit of any Colour or Pretence to excuse us In Witness of all which Premises to be inviolably kept we do this present Writing put our Hands and Seals and shall be most ready to accept and admit any others hereafter into this Society and Association This contrived peice of scandalous Treason is that which was said or rather sworn to have been found in the Earl of Shaftsbury's Study Now whether the Paper were really in the Hair Trunk or put into the Velvet Bagg among other loose Papers is a dispute of another Nature However the Paper being found or pretendedly found in the Earls Study the business was prosecuted by the Attorny General before special Commissioners of Oyer and Terminer the 24th of November 1681 upon a Bill of Endictment for High Treason against Anthony