occasion After the Death of the Bishop of Winchester I next morning waiting on the King found a remarkable alteration in him His Majesty was sad uneasie and out of his usual good humour and temper I could not but observe it but at present took no farther notice of it the second morning I found him so as much or rather more than on the preceding day yet neither then did I take any notice of it to him but when I had a short time waited on him withdrew but the third morning having been fully inform'd that my Lord Chancellor had by himself and all the Interest he could make prest the King to bestow the Bishoprick of Winchester upon the Bishop of Worcester Dr. Morly I thus Addrest my self to his Majesty Sir with all humillity I beg your leave to speak to you and your Majesties Gracious Pardon for It. Sir I well know not only how well becoming but how much it is the duty of every good Subject to contribute to the ease and satisfaction of his Prince And I cannot but conceive that your Majesty is in some streight between the Honour of your word by which you graciously pleas'd to Promise I should Succeed my excellent Friend the late Bishop of Winchester And the importunity by which you are prest in the behalf of another I therefore with greatest willingness release you freely of that Promise Here said the Bishop the King stopt me Vouchsafed to embrace me in his Arms with these expressions My Lord I thank you and it may not be long ere I have opportunity to shew you how kindly I take it And in the mean time you shall have Worcester and to make it to you as good as I can all the Dignities of that Church I know not how it comes to pass being in my disposal I give you the disposing of them all during your time that you may prefer your Friends and have them near about you And now I appeal to the Judgment of every considerate reader whether this story which I had for the substance and to the best of my memory in the very words from Bishop Gaudens own mouth when the thing was fresh and recent carry the fairest and most likely characters of truth or the Algate Dr's story For which he brings no proof but his own meer say so as indeed it is impossible he should for this must be a true story or else a dream and vision of my own Imagination the latter of which it is both Naturally and Morally next to impossible it should be First Naturally for I never pretended to so pregnant an Invention as to devise a story so self consistent in all its parts for falshoods will not jamm or hang coherently together be they told with never so good a Grace and Magisterially cram'd down Mens belief with huffing menaces and hectoring Rhetorick To fright men to swallow them at their peril For fear of being counted contumacious Witness the flaws and incoherences of all the Algate Dr's Narratives of this matter catcht up from uncertain Rumours and pieced out with groundless phancies of his own addition inconsiderately Secondly Morally impossible for Nemo gratis nequam No man will lie without advantage much less to create prejudice to himself And I am sure there is not so much as the appearance of a temptation to induce Dr. Gauden to tell it me as I solemnly aver he did if it had not been the truth nor to me to feign it in cool blood and deliberately to appeal to the God of Truth and Righteousness as a Witness and Avenger which I neither would or durst do to gain the World This might abundantly suffice to answer the Algate Dr's Sham Story concerning the Bishoprick of Worcester in the second Paragraph of his P. sc yet tho' I be well aware that over-doing is for the most part undoing and adding probabilities after clear and full evidence doth more harm than good and like setting shores and props to a strong house creates suspition that 't is tottering or like to fall without them yet I will for once run that risk and hazard and add these three Arguments to confirm what is before affirmed 1. 'T is highly probable that Dr. Gauden had the promise of Winchester obtained by his most entire Friend Bishop Duppa who besides the Power he had with the King having been his Tutor could unriddle to him as questionless he did the whole Affair of Εἰκὼν Βασιλικὴ to which he had been not only privy but a party and plead that to obtain the favour of that promise for him because divers of his intimate Friends had knowledge of his expectation to succeed in that See and why should he abuse his Best Friends with a groundless Flam 2. Because the King was so uneasie and deferr'd some days to give it Dr. Morly notwithstanding all the Interest made for him and His Majesties own inclination to him as having been beyond Sea with him in his Banishment why not give it presently as soon as vacant but after some days demur and uneasiness till his promise was released by him to whom 't was made 3. I will venture to reveal a secret at this distance which was then industriously conceal'd to prevent being made matter of sport upon the disappointment The Great House built by Sir Dennis Gauden the Bishop's Brother upon Clapham Heath in which Sir Dennis after lived and I think now Mr. Ewers was built as I was assured by one who knew it well to be the Mansion-house of the Bishoprick of Winchester being in that Diocess for 't is well known that Winchester-house beyond the Bridge had been pulled down and turn'd into Rent and Tenements and another was to be built or bought in lieu of it by the Bishop and setled as a Mansion-house for that See as after Winchester-house in Chelsea was purchased by Bishop Morley and made part of the Bishoprick of Winchester tho' before in the Bishoprick of London these Diocesses being parted by the Thames I could add many more circumstances relating to this Affair but at present forbear as judging them needless I am at length arrived at the third and last Paragraph of the Algate Drs. P. sc which is to compensate and make amends for all the impertinences of the preceding for thus it begins Algate Drs. P. sc But to put all things out of doubt concerning this Book give me leave to tell this Story I was not many weeks ago in conversation with Sir John Brattle a worthy person and who hath long enjoy'd a considerable Office in the Royal Mint with whom discoursing about King Charles the First and particularly of the suspicions raised of the truth of the Book He frankly told me and assured me the truth of this Story that in the year 47. King Charles having drawn up the most considerable part of this Book and having writ it in some loose Papers at different times desired Bp. Juxton to get some friend of his whom he
produce such knowledge and the Reasons may induce such belief First Dr. Gauden some time before the whole was finished was pleased to acquaint me with his design and shewed me the Heads of divers Chapters and some of the Discourses written of them and after some time spent in perusal he vouchsaft to ask my Opinion concerning it and after some consideration according to the freedom he gave me to speak my thoughts I told him I supposed it would be much for the King's Reputation Honour and Safety But I expresly added I stuck at the lawfulness of it and modestly askt him how he satisfied himself so to impose upon the World To which he so readily replied that I concluded he had thought on it before look on the Title 't is the Pourtraicture c. and no man draws his own Picture which satisfied himself and tho' we might argue it a little did at present silence me my heart being so inclinable to what was the scope of the whole And I perfectly remember that in the second Chapter which is of the Death of the Earl of Strafford there being these words which now in the Printed Book of the first Edition are page 8. l. 18 19 20. He only hath been least vext by them who counselled me not to consent against the Vote of my own Conscience He told me whom he meant by that passage viz. the then Bishop of London Dr. Juxton which tho' most Readers understand now after it hath been so long spoken of yet many then did not of which number I was my Age rendring me less acquainted with the Characters of Great Men. Secondly some good time after what had passed as is related in the preceding Paragraph we being both in London and having dined together Dr. Gauden in the afternoon desired me to walk with him to a Friend when we were gone part of the way He told me he was going to the Bishop of Salisbury Dr. Duppa whom he had acquainted with his design to fetch what he had left with his Lordship to be perused Or to shew him what he had further written and as we drew near his house he desired me that after a little general conversation I would withdraw and leave them two alone which accordingly I did and when they had been some considerable time together He came forth and we return'd As soon as we were in the street he gave me this account of their conference My Lord of Salisbury told me there were two Subjects more He wisht I had thought on and propounded them to me viz. The Ordinance against the Common-prayer book And the denying his Majesty the attendance of his Chaplains Which are now the 16th and 24th Chapters in the Printed book and desired me to write two Chapters upon them which I promised I would But before we parted he recall'd that request and said I pray go you on to finish what remains and leave these two to me I will prepare two Chapters upon them which accordingly he did as Dr. Gauden own'd to me and others whom he had made privy to the whole and never pretended to have written these as he did to have done all the rest Thirdly Dr. Gauden some time after the King was murdered upon my asking him whether He the King had ever seen the Book gave me this answer I know it certainly no more than you but I us'd my best indeavours that he might for I delivered a copy of it to the Marquess of Hartford when he went to the Treaty at the Isle of Wight and intreated his Lordship if he could obtain any private opportunity he would deliver it to His Majesty and humbly desire to know his Majesties pleasure concerning it But the violence which threatned the King hastning so fast He ventured to print it and never knew what was the Issue of sending it For when the thing was done he judged it not prudent to make farther noise about it by enquiry Fourthly I once asking him for we seldom were in private but somewhat was discourst of this Book even to the last time I saw him after he was Lord Bishop of Worcester Elect whether that King Charles the Second knew that he wrote it He gave me this Answer I cannot positively and certainly say he doth because he was never pleased to take express notice of it to me But I take it for granted he doth for I am sure the Duke of York doth for he hath spoken of it to me and own'd it as a seasonable and acceptable service and he knowing it I question not but the King also doth Fifthly Mr. Gauden his Wife Mr. Gifford who transcrib'd a Copy of it if I be not much mistaken and which Copy I think was that sent to the Isle of Wight tho' in this I am not so positive and my self believ'd it as much as we could believe any thing and when we spake of it in his presence or in his absence did it without the least doubt of his having writ it being as much assur'd of it as 't was possible we could be of any matter of fact and 't is unaccountably strange that all we who had the best reason and fairest opportunities to know the truth should all be deceived or impos'd upon which we were to the highest degree imaginable if Dr. Gauden wrote it not Sixthly Dr. Gauden delivered to me with his own hand what was last sent up after part was Printed or at least in Mr. Roystons hand to be Printed and after he had shew'd it me and seal'd it up gave me strict Caution with what wariness to carry and deliver it and according to his Direction I delivered it Saturday Decem. 23. 48. in the Evening to one Peacock Brother to Dr. Gaudens Steward or Bayliff sometime before deceased who was instructed by what hands He should transmit it to Mr. Royston and in the same Method a few days after the Impression was finished I received six Books by the hand of Peacock as an acknowledgment of that little I had contributed to that Service one of which I have still by me SECT III. Containing such probable Arguments as confirm my self and may help to convince others that I am not deceived nor would deceive them by a false Story in what I have declared in this matter First DR Gauden in the beginning of the long Parliament which carried on the War against the King preach't before them on Zech. 8.19 last words Love the Truth and Peace which Sermon was Printed and the House of Commons presented him with a large Silver Tankard with this Inscription Donum Honorarium Populi Anglicani in Parliamento Congregati Johanni Gauden c. which constantly went about his House And He had been inclinable to the Parliaments Interest till He found they went beyond their first Pretensions and the expectations of Himself and other good Men. But when He discover'd that He endeavour'd to redeem his Errour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by bending to the contrary extream
it to all impartial men I could almost say to the most partial who will compare and weigh before they censure to judge between us where lies the stubbornness but however I refer my self to the Righteous Judge to determine betwixt us who best knows the ends and designs which put you upon writing so rashly on a Subject for which you appear so ill furnisht and me whom you have constrained to it in a necessary vindication of my self and the Truth And tho' you conclude with a modest disclaiming a pretence to Miracles let me at parting advise you to take courage for if you satisfie any wise man by such weak and inconsistent Arguings as that part of P sc consists on in which the Essex Dr. is concerned 't is that Drs. opinion your performance may vye miracles with any Miracle-Mongers celebrated in those Roman Legends which as one wittily saith were written with Leaden Heads and Brazen Fore-Heads SECTION IV. I Shall in the next place say somewhat to another Paper publish'd some months before of the same subject Intituled Restitution to the Royal Author c. which I confess I was then desired to answer but forbore not being personally concerned But Dr. Hollingsworth having forced me to what I have now done it seems necessary to add some few remarks upon this Paper lest my not taking notice of it should be misinterpreted to be a tacite acknowledgment of some difficulties in it not to be grapled with And I must do this Author the right to own him to be a Person of another figure than I have had to do with in the preceding Section One who writes not extempore Quicquid in buccam in calamum catches not up every groundless Report and flying Rumour and Ecchoes it back as an Oracle But seems to have weighed and considered what he writes endeavouring the best Information he could get and hath driven it as far as it would go and relates in some particulars what is true and puts some colour of Probability upon those in which he is mistaken or was ill informed and does all with modesty and candor and as becomes a man who hopes to obtain what he aims at by sober Reason and dint of Argument not by Hectoring and noisie Clamour and I shall treat him as a Person who deserves this Character which ex animo I give him and hope He will not count me an Enemy for telling him the Truth but esteem it rather kindness than rudeness to shew him where he is mistaken And first I shall set down as he himself hath done the Earl of Anglesey's Memorandum for furnishing me with which I give him my Thanks for though I have seen the Original in Mr. Millington's hand I had no Copy of it ready by me MEMORANDUM KING Charles the Second and the Duke of York did both in the last Sessions of Parliament 1675 when I shewed them in the Lords House the written Copy of this Book wherein are some Corrections and Alterations written with the late King Charles the First 's own Hand assure me that this was none of the said King 's Compiling but made by Dr. Gauden Bishop of Exeter which I here insert for the undeceiving others in this Point by attesting so much under my Hand ANGLESEY Now this Gentleman is pleased to raise three Objections against this Memorandum to enervate the Force and Credit of it notwithstanding which Objections I think this Memorandum very authentick and an unconquerable Evidence to prove the Truth of what I have so sincerely declared concerning this Book and in a just Vindication of it I will first answer all his Objections produced against it and farther subjoin a Remark which I hope may be of some use and therefore not unacceptable which could be given by no other Pen. First Objection It calls the Duke his then Royal Highness The Duke of York which was no Court-Language in 1675 there being neither Reason nor Custom for such a length of Distinction at that time Answ 1 st Loquendum cum vulgo and I appeal to Experience if he were not call'd the Duke of York ten times to once that he was call'd His Royal Highness and for the length the former is the shorter of the two But he proceeds in the same Objection Now it is somewhat unlikely that a Person of Honour and a Courtier especially one of my late Lord Anglesey's sense should be guilty of such an Impropriety Answ No Impropriety at all especially if we consider this was not spoken in Court but privately writ in a Leaf before the Book for in such like cases even Courtiers confine not themselves to the Punctillios they observe in speaking or in writing what is to be publish'd 2. I hope I may convince himself how weak and non-concluding this Argument is by a Passage with which he hath furnish'd me in the same Page line 36 37. viz. His pt Majesty King James the Second if that Abbreviation pt stand for present as I perceive 't is generally believed to do let us form two parallel Arguments His Argument against the Earl of Anglesey's being Author of the Memorandum runs thus A Courtier and a Person of such sense as the late E. of Anglesey could not write this Memorandum because 't is unlikely such an one should be guilty of such Impropriety of Language as to call his then Royal Highness Duke of York which was no Court-Language in 1675. Very good Now suppose it should in time be questioned Whether this Gentleman wrote the two Sheets call'd Restitution c. and one should argue against it with a parallel Argument A Man of such sense could not write them because 't is somewhat unlikely that he could be guilty of such Impropriety of Language as to call him His present Majesty King James the Second which is neither Court-Language nor Country-Language in 1691. Now what think you Sir would this Argument exclude you from being the Writer of these Sheets If not why should a less Impropriety of Language exclude the E. of Anglesey from being the Writer of this Memorandum especially if we consider that supposing but not yielding if he exprest himself not like a Courtier 't was a private Note in a Leaf of a Book which might be seen or never seen and you have made yours publick to the wide World 2. Second Objection We are informed by the Advertisement that in the written Copy of the Εἰκὼν Βασιλικὴ there are some Corrections and Alterations written with the late King Charles the First 's own Hand which is no contemptible Argument if we had no other that the King was the Author otherwise we should be at a loss for the Reason of his Majesty's correcting the Manuscript and suffering it to pass under the Title of his own Composure Answ What the Corrections by the King 's own Hand seem to you to be an Argument of seems to me quite contrary and I assuredly believe this corrected Copy was that sent by the Marquess of
And I am perswaded it was this which put him upon the designing and finishing of this Book Secondly The second probable Argument may be drawn from the 14th Chapter which is upon the Covenant And I beg pardon for relating this matter more minutely than may seem necessary that it may appear how and by whom I was furnished with it to render it more cogent After the Book was published being in Discourse with my worthy Tutor Dr. J. Barwick who died Dean of St. Pauls I being privy to the Truth of this affair out of curiosity ask'd him what He thought of this Book He so well knowing my Education and Principles wondered to hear me ask such a Question I beg'd his Pardon and told him the thing being doubtfully spoken of I made bold with him to ask his Judgment Well then said He I will prove it to you And thus attempted it it was writ by himself or by some other man but it could be writ by no other therefore by himself I desired him to prove his second Proposition which He did thus If by another it must be an enemy or a Friend but neither Enemy nor Friend could do it therefore it must be himself I once more desired him to prove his second Proposition which he attempted thus not by an Enemy for no Enemy of the King would represent him so much to his Advantage not by a Friend for no Friend of the Kings would write as He doth of the Covenant Now how easily could I have reply'd tho' at present I acquiesced that Dr. Gauden though now a most hearty Friend to the King had himself taken the Covenant which we may rationally conclude had induced him to write more favourably of it than any of the Kings Party or Friends or the King himself would ever have done 3. Third probable Argument may be drawn from Chap. 16. and 24. which as I shew'd before Res 2 d. Dr. Gauden told me were written by Bishop Duppa for the Ordinance against the Common-Prayer and denying His Majesty the Attendance of His Chaplains were Subjects which Dr. Gauden was less concerned to think on for 't is well known He had forborn the use of the Common-Prayer tho' 't was continued longer in his Church than in any thereabouts and had never been the Kings Chaplain but Bishop Duppa having been the Princes Tutor a long time Chaplain and a Bishop was as mindful of these particulars and as much concern'd to be so and with as great reason as any man living could be and therefore first desired Dr. Gauden to write on these Subjects but after recall'd that Motion and undertook to do it himself which he also performed as I shew'd before and his free declaring that he had neither thought of these Subjects nor wrote of them which it was so unlikely he should renders it very probable he spake Truth in declaring that he wrote the rest 4. I meet with expressions in the Devotional part very frequently us'd by Dr. Gauden in his Prayers for he used conceived Prayer both in his Family and in Publick which I never heard from any other Man and 't is very easie to observe that most Men even in ordinary Conversation and more especially in their Prayers tho' they vary in their method have peculiar Phrases and Modes of expressing themselves and where we find such occur 't is a probable evidence they proceed from him to whom they were peculiar 5. I am as sure as I can be of any thing that Dr. Gauden made the Extract out of this Book call'd I think Apophthegmata Coroliniana I am sorry I have not one by me to give a fuller account of it But the thing is most notorious that there was such a Book came out in a very short time after Printed by Mr. Dugard Now why should Dr. Gauden concern himself so much more than any other of the Kings Friends and dispatch it with such expedition had he had no more concern in it than other men and had not been inabled to finish it so speedily and could with such readiness take it in pieces and digest it into wise and weighty Sentences who had put it together and whose thoughts had dwelt so long and much upon it I cannot forbear to judge that to those who will consider it impartially it carries the fairest and highest probability to confirm what is before declared the reasonable belief of his being the Composer of it how much more when all the five are joyn'd together SECT III. Containing a full Answer to what Dr. Hollingsworth hath written in his P. sc concerning this Book ALthough the modest and faithful account I have given in the former Sections of what I know and believe of this Book and the Means of such my Knowledge and Reasons of such my Belief contains a sufficient Answer to whatever I meet with in this P script and might supersede my farther Labour yet that the Reverend Dr. may not think himself neglected or the Reader who it may be will not take the Pains to compare them may have no cause to suspect I wave a distinct reply because I find the task too difficult and lastly because this P sc gave the sole occasion and whole Provocation to my writing upon this Subject I will now distinctly consider every particular of the P sc which concerns this matter and either by referring to what is said before to prevent writing the same thing over and over or by subjoyning a farther clear Answer reply to the whole for the necessary vindication of the Truth and my injur'd self And that what the Dr. writes may have its full Strength and He have no pretence to complain any thing is omitted I will transcribe Verbatim all his Words and subjoin full Answers adapted to every Paragraph in that part of his P script which relates to the Question in debate The first Passage begins thus Pag. 37. Line 13. The last Objection against Him is his Divine and Holy Book It is not to be imagined with what Industry they have within this last Year endeavoured to perswade the World it was a Forgery and not of his compiling And there is a certain Essex Doctor of Divinity who hath assisted this Objection to the utmost of his Power with a false story which I will presently refute and set the whole in a true and proper Light The Essex Doctors Reply to the Algate Doctor who begins thus The last Objection against him c. He could scarce have exprest himself more improperly if he had studied to do it We may guess at his meaning by what follows but who ever made this Divine and Holy Book an Objection against him but rather accounted it his great honour and from a Man who writes for Crowned Heads to read more accuracy and caution might be expected and this stumble at the threeshold is no auspicious or lucky Omen but rather an earnest and tast of what we are to look for in the Sequel
suffer it and said he would revenge it were it not that he would not violate his Quarters Whereupon I thought the Place too hot for me to tarry longer in and therefore hasted back to London to my Lodgings in Carter-Lane Not long after that Troop came up to London and the same Lieutenant quartered at the Bell in the same Lane And yesterday about twelve as I was coming from Church to my Lodgings we met each other in Carter-Lane He knew me but said nothing to me but turned again when he had past me and dogg'd me to the House I lodg'd in As soon as I was in and had shut the Door he discharged his Pistol with a brace of Bullets to mark the Door and hasted away to the Bell. As soon as the Master of the House told me he was gone I got away and he presently returned with six Troopers and search'd the House for me and breaking open my Closet took away all my Papers and the printed proof Sheets which lay loose upon my Table but they seeing them blotted and thinking them to be but waste-Paper and not understanding the Title it being Greek or not having look'd into them threw them down in the Dirt which they of the House observing gathered up We then after consulting what to do concluded the best if not the only way we could take was to get a Note from Col. Rich to his Lieutenant to restore all he had so taken from Mr. Simmonds It hapned even beyond our Hopes and Expectations that the very same day Col. Rich came to dine at Warwick-House and between Prayers and Dinner I desired Mr. Charles Rich after Earl of Warwick to request a Favour for me of the Colonel who beckoned him to him cross the Room and desired him to do me a Kindness and referr'd him to me to know what it was the Colonel drew me aside and ask'd what it was I desired of him I then ask'd him if there were not one Lieutenant Arwaker in his Regiment he said there was I then told him he had upon a pique broke open a Minister's Closet and taken away all his Sermon-Notes and other Papers and to disguise the better jocularly added He hath undone a poor Parson in robbing him of all his Tools and pray'd him to write a Note to him to require him to restore them The Colonel was so kind and just upon my fetching Pen Ink and Paper to write a Note to him to re-deliver all which he did so punctually that Mr. Simmonds told me he missed not one Paper when his Landlord who carried the Note brought them for he durst not appear himself so good and speedy Success we had even beyond our Hopes and there was no time to examine the Papers all being dispatch'd the next day after they were seized Now whatever others may think I judg it a Sign that God would have them publish'd for some eminent Ends which as I before hinted I may touch hereafter tho I argue not from his Permissive to his approving Providence The second signal Providence which seems to me to signify that on the other side God would now have the Truth of this Affair brought to light is the Discovery of this Memorandum in so publick and unexpected a manner which is as generally known as the Memorandum it self to wit at the Sale of the Earl of Anglesey's Books by publick Auction 'T is like no Eye had seen it from the time of the Writing of it and if Mr. Millington had not casually opened the Book there being some time betwixt the putting it up and the Sale of it it might in likelihood have fallen into some Hand who would either have not regarded it or concealed it to which may be added Dr. Hollingsworth's unseasonable provoking me to declare what I now have done in my own necessary yea unavoidable Vindication of my self from his insulting and most false Accusations For what remains of the two Sheets tho I forbear the transcribing them 't is to avoid a tedious Work which is needless not to conceal any strength in them for I shall faithfully reply to all that hath any seeming weight in it In Sir William Dugdale's Account here quoted there are four Things asserted to all which I shall answer in order denying what I know to be Mistakes and granting what I know or believe to be true or probable and give the Reasons of such my Denying or Granting 1. The first and most material Passage is that concerning Major Huntington to which I say two things 1. That this Account of his Testimony is wholly different from what was used to be alledged as his and I have very often heard but never met with this before and 't is highly improbable that the Lord Fairfax would take any thing out of the Cabinet and send up the Cullings to the Parliament who publish'd his Majesty's Letters on which the 21 chap. of the Book is written nor had Gen. Fairfax that Respect or Tenderness for the King then though he was heartily against his Murder 2. I will in the Faith of a Christian declare what I had from Major Huntington's own Mouth without diminution or wresting of it I had so often heard Major Huntington's Testimony alledged that whilst he had attended his Majesty or had the guarding of him he saw the King frequently take these Papers out of his Cabinet and sometimes read them sometimes write more and that when he saw the Book he declared those Chapters in it were those very Papers he had so seen I having I say so often heard this alledged and knowing well it was impossible to be true had as earnest a desire to speak with him as I ever had to speak with any Man but could a good while meet with no Opportunity but after some time being at Tunbridg-Wells the Major coming thither with his Son-in-law Sir J. Friend a fair occasion offered for after some small Acquaintance and Converse upon the Walks the Major invited me to his Lodgings at Caverly-Plain which I most readily accepted and made him a Visit one Afternoon When I came he received me very kindly and all the Company besides himself being engaged in their Divertisements I had as free an opportunity as I could wish to discourse of this Affair after a while I told him I had a Favour to beg of him in granting which he would greatly oblige me He answered to this purpose he would not deny me any thing in his Power wherein he might serve me I then told him what I heard as I have above related and earnestly intreated him to tell me what he knew or had said of that Book He willingly condescended and began thus 'T is like you have heard how much Trouble this hath put me to I have been examined by one Committee after another and that time after time about it and many things alledged that I should say But I will tell you freely and fully all I know or ever said concerning it
which was this When that Book was published and so confidently reported to be the King 's then surely or I believe these are the Papers I see him so usually take out of his Cabinet But this was but my Conjecture and I never declared it to be otherwise for I assure you I never read one Line or Word of the Papers in the King's Hand I was not so rude and I cannot say there was one Passage in these Papers which is in this printed Book For how should I never having look'd into them Now whether I should believe Major Huntington whose Account as in the Sight of God I faithfully relate as to the Scope or Substance of it or an Account so utterly inconsistent with it and which is in it-self so highly improbable let any considering Man judg 2. I confess as Sir William saith it might be seen at the Isle of Wight by Mr. Herbert and Mr. Levet for the Marquess of Hertford carried it thither but if the Title was Suspiria Regalia it was one of the King's Corrections For when Dr. Gauden first shew'd it me it was as is printed for when I was bold to ask him how he could so impose upon the World he bid me look upon the Title 't is the Portracture c. and no Man draws his own Picture as I said before Sect. the first 3. I confess also Mr. Royston might be sent to to prepare to print it and 't is likely the King might have sent it as he had corrected and altered it had not the Violence offered him prevented his purpose or they who us'd his Name to write in might do the same for the Printing it 4. For its being brought to Mr. Royston Decemb. 23. from Bishop Duppa agrees well with my Account as to the Persons but I rather think it was some days before unless he meant it of what he last received for I am infallibly sure having a written Memorial to help me that I brought up what was sent by me Saturday December 23. and I think delivered it to Peacock the same Evening In the second Authority produced viz. Mr. William Levet's long Letter though there be many things very well said with a loyal Zeal and just Indignation against the barbarous Usage of that excellent Prince yet there are but two Passages which respect this Book the latter of which about Mr. Royston is fully answered already The other is That he could depose the Book was his own having oftentimes observed his Majesty writing his Royal Resentments of the bold and insolent Behaviour of his Souldiers His rebellious Subjects when they had him in their Custody and that he had the happiness oftentimes to read the same in Manuscript under his Majesty's own Hand he being pleased to leave the same in the Window in his own Bed-Chamber Answ 1. There is no such Chapter or Title in all Εἰκὼν Βασιλικὴ and therefore though I do not deny but Mr. Levet might see his Majesty writing such his Resentments that is no Proof he wrote this Book in which that Writing is not found 2. That he read it in the King's Bed-Chamber in the time of the Treaty at the Isle of Wight this I can easily grant him for then and thither the Marquess of Hertford brought it but that it was under the King 's own Hand I must beg his pardon to believe he is mistaken unless it be understood of the Corrections and Alterations which the Memorandum saith were written with the King 's own Hand or his Majesty had transcribed it And now Sir whether these Authorities or my Answers to them and your Remarks upon the Memorandum or my Replies in Vindication of it be more sufficient to clear the Point in hand and give the Reader full satisfaction must be left to his own Judgment and if he will be pleas'd to consider and weigh both 't is all the Courtesy I beg of him or Courtship I will use to him SECT V. I shall conclude this Labour not chosen by me but impos'd upon me by Dr. H. for my own Vindication and to wipe off his false Accusation of being guilty of a false Story by a free owning these Reasons for which I have occasionally and when I have been desired to do it declar'd the Substance of what he hath forc'd me now to write though not in any measure to that degree he hath taken liberty to represent it And first negatively not to rob that excellent King of any Honour which was properly due to him No Man of my Rank loving him better or honouring him more while he lived or more abhorring his Murder or bewailing his Death or in my Station giving more open Testimony against it or sustaining greater loss for so doing but I need not vindicate my self in a case wherein I never heard my self accused or suspected But positively The Reason why I have done what I own was because As we must not speak wickedly for God nor talk deceitfully for him Job 13.7 neither may we do so for any Man even not for those who are called Gods 'T is a well known and as well approved a Saying of St. Augustin An officious Lie ought not to be told to save the whole World And I cannot deny but there was more than an Appearance of some pious Fraud in this Affair which I should by my Silence have contributed to the maintaining of when I was required to speak my Knowledg of it And though God had many Holy Righteous Gracious Ends to serve his Providence by in the Publication of this Book as to render the Murder of so good a King more abhorred to awaken many to Repentance who had contributed to it as I have heard it did to dispose the Nation to recal and with Acclamations of Joy to receive the returning Royal Family and many more Yet as I find it exprest in this very Book Chap. the last pag. 262. of the First Edition God's wise Providence we know oft permits many Events which his revealed Word the only clear safe and fixed Rule of good Actions and good Consciences in no sort approves And I confess I have many cogent Reasons to perswade me that God was not well pleased with Dr. Gauden others or my self for what we contributed to it And though for the foresaid Ends and many others he suffered it to succeed yet I know not but he may have other Ends now to serve by suffering this Discovery to be wrung and wrested from me I had almost said by some-bodies impertinent Affectation to meddle with what he understands not However it would be hard measure and such as other Men would be loth to have meted to themselves not to suffer a Man to reveal that by concealing which he fears God is displeased and so to necessitate him to labour under a continued uneasiness and dissatisfaction of his own Mind And if for avoiding this any be offended I cannot help it I only calmly intreat them to judge whether it