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A49356 The loyal Observator, or, Historical memoirs of the life and actions of Roger the Fidler, alias, the Observator 1683 (1683) Wing L3356; ESTC R5420 5,834 12

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in twenty of his Pamphlets how near he was to the Honour of the Gallows What was he to be Hang'd like Mum-Chance for doing nothing Nobbs No but for doing nothing to the purpose Did you never see a little Hocus by slight of hand popping a piece several times first out of one Pocket and then another perswade Folks he was damnable full of money when one poor Sice was all his Stock Just so the Iliads of our Observators Loyalty when Examin'd dwindle into one single sorry ill-manag'd Intrigue at Lynn Which was nakedly thus About Novemb. 44. The Town of Lynn being in the Rebels hands the Gentleman you wot on pretending abundance of Interest there when indeed he had none at all procured a Commission from His Majesty to Reduce it graciously promising him the government of the Town if he could effect it and payment of all Rewards he should promise not exceeding 5000 l. c. The Hair-brain'd Vndertaker could think of no other way to Reduce it but by sending for one Captain Leamon of Lynn one that had taken the Covenant and a known Zealot for the Rebels Cause to a Papists House two or three miles off and very discreetly blunders out the Business shews him his Commission promises him 1000 l. and other preferments if he would betray the Town adding That the King did value the surprizing that Town as half his Crown A very likely Tale Leamon perceiving what a weak Tool he had to deal with seems to comply but the same night acquaints the Governour Collonel Walton and according to promise meets our Skulking Town-taker next day but carried with him a Corporal in Seamans Habit To whom he also very frankly shewed his Commission In the mean time Lieutenant Stubbing and five Souldiers habited like Seamen came from Lynn to the house and then the disguis'd Corporal seizes our Gallant Vndertaker who tamely surrenders both his Person and Commission and so being brought to London it being proved at a Court Martial at Guild-Hall and by himself Confessed That he came into the Parliaments Quarters not in an hostile manner as a Souldier but without Drum Trumpet or Pass as a Spye and had tampered with their Officers to betray the Garison he was for the same Sentenced to be Hanged Decemb. 28.44 and passing from the Court through the Croud uttered these Heroick words I desire all people would take warning by me that there may be no more Blood shed in this kind However by Appealing to the Lords he shuffled off present Exeeution and having lain some time in Newgate obtaind his Liberty but upon what valluable Considerations must remain a Riddle unless his after Familiarity with Cromwel and the unaccountable Port that he afterwards lived in during those times help to explain it Ralph The Total of the Account then stands thus 1. That the Gentleman abused the good King with a false Story It seems he thought it as easy a matter to Surprize a Town as to over-run the Printers Wife but was shamefully defeated in both 2. He manag'd the Affair like a rash Coxcomb and was out-witted by a dull heavy Round-head 3. Had it succeeded though acknowledg'd Justisiable such practises being often used in Wars much more in the Case of Rebels where the seeming Treachery is but Duty yet there is little of Glory to be derived from such a pitiful Tampering Imploy only it seems he was not judg'd Capable of any more Brave and Honourable and therefore must make his most of this 4. When he was in Danger of the Nooze he Repented even of this his Loyal undertaking and Sneak'd most pitifully and at last got off Suspiciously So much for his Old Services Now let 's hear of his Exploits since the Restauration Nobbs No sooner was that Blissful Change but our Observator first endeavour'd to set the old Cavaliers at Variance and wrot against that faithful Servant to the Crown the Learned and Loyal Mr. James Howel and as far as he durst snarl'd at the Court and Chief Ministers for not preferring himself forsooth as well as others And to be taken notice of In Defiance to the Act of Indempnity and of his Majesties most excellent Declaration touching Ecclesiastick Affairs A Soveraign Balm that was like to heal all our Wounds and Mortify for ever the Designs of Rome he began to ripp up old Sores and blow the Coals of Division amongst Protestants under pretence of Exposing the Presbyterians yet still the Devil of Self-Interest Jogged his Elbow for the man is known who being newly come from Lambeth and having received onely Thanks and Benedictions instead of money swore Damme Let the B s henceforwards write for themselves After this dispairiug of higher place he aims at the supervisal of the Press for which his scribbling humour had somewhat adapted him then gives the Government perpetual false Alarms on that side but having once gain'd the Point soon learnt the faculty to wink as oft as his Spectacles were Inchanted with the dust of Peru. How that Affair was managed Let the Booksellers Guinies near Mercers-Chappel The Books seized afterwards privately sold from Cambray-house to be Publisht c. be Instances but especially the known Story of the Printers VVife before mentioned in Bartholomew-Close to whom he prostituted the Interest of Church and State offering to connive at her Husband 's Printing Treason Sedition Heresy Schism any thing if she would but gratify his bruitish Lust Ralph But still he was tight to the Church of England Nobs Of his Zeal therein there are these undeniable Testimonies 1. His having been forty times at Mass by his own Confession in Print 2. His not Receiving the Sacrament or so much as coming to his parish-Parish-Church 12 long years and upwards 3. His approving Books destructive to all Christianity As one Intituled Anima mundi burnt afterwards with his hand to it by order if I mistake not of the Reverend Bishop of London Another called A Treatise of Humane Reason that deserved the same Fate as making every mans private Fancy Judge of Religion the grand Scandal which Papists have these 100 years falsly cast on Protestantism 4 By Connivance at Popish Pamphlets all the time of his Dictatorship Not one having been during those many years honestly Prosecuted by him though 't is computed above 100 thousand of them were in that space dispersed to poison His Majesties Protestant Subjects Nay on the contrary as often as that Active Loyal Gentleman Mr. M. of the Company of Stationers or any other of the Masters or Wardens or Mr. Stephens Messenger of the Press had discovered any of the Papists Pamphlet-Magazines this Observator either by secret Intelligence prevented the Seizure or afterwards shuffled off both Book and Prosecution pretending the same appertain'd to his immediate care and so no more was heard on 't Ralph But all the Loyal-world commends his Observators as witty and highly serviccable to the Goverment Nobbs As to the Wit no great praise in a Blade of threescore and twelve 't is the Observation of Judicious Raleigh Nihil est Sapientiae Odiosus Acumine Nimio Nothing is more an Enemy to Wisdom than Drollery and Over-sharpness of Conceit Hot-headed Youths Unthinking shallow People are easily taken as Larks are by Low-Bells with a Gingle of words and perhaps some She-Politicians may admire him But the Graver and more Considerate Loyalists judge no Papers have really been more Prejudicial to his Majesties Interest His design therein is Evident The Act that formerly gave him Bread being Expired something must be done for a Lively-hood His Acquaintance his Interest lay on the Red-Letter'd Side who quickly Engage him to Ridicule that Plot which his Majesty and four several Parliaments after strictest Inquisition had declar'd Horrid and Damnable Hence started up the Brass Screws the Salamanca Certificate and twenty other Crotchets which neither Secretary Castlemain nor Sing nor any of their St. Omers Pupils had the luck to think of and yet altogether as empty Incoherent and Nonsensical as their Oaths and Allegations But his feeders still not thinking this enough have of late put him up●n another Jobb To expose not only Fanaticks ●nd Whiggs but all Sober Church-men and Moderate Loyal Protestant Subjects under the foolish but odious Name of Trimmers Ralph But still he avows he writes for the Government Nobbs Nothing more false he writes only for his Belly 'T is the Crust not the Cause he leaps at As long as he Scribbles with such Provocations t is impossible to stop the other Pamphleteers Nay he has done The Faction the greatest Service of any man living being the General Publisher of their Clandestine Pamphlets and sets People agog to inquire after and buy them That Lewd Impudent and Traiterous Libel The Second part of the Growth of Popery and Arbitrary Government scarce saw the Light before he proclaimed and repealed it And if Hunts sawcy Book have Sold 10000 He is beholden at least for putting off 8000 of them to the Observator Some affirm that for this Secret Service he has a Pension from the Whiggs equal to his Presents from the Tories but t is certain when any body Prints an obnoxious Pamphlet they first send it to him by the Penny-Post to save 10 s. Charge of putting it in the Gazet. Ralph I could not before guess at the Reason why he has of late express'd so much Malice against the honest Messenger of the Press that according to his Duty faithfully and Impartially discharg'd his Office towards suppressing all Pamphlets both Phanatical and Popish But if this Gentleman gets Friends by the one and money by the other t●… wonder if he have a spight at every body t●● would Damm up both his Mills at once But it grows late and I am to meet a Friend at Sam 's so Farewel till I see you next LONDON Printed for W. Hammond 1683.