Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A33198
|
A Civil correction of a sawcy impudent pamphlet lately published, entituled, A brief account of the designs which the papists have had against the Earl of Shaftsbury &c.
|
|
1681
(1681)
|
Wing C4364; ESTC R35638
|
7,905
|
4
|
being in a more Implicit Obedience to Them So I am glad I have got you here good Mr. Pamphleteero Who are the Ecclesiasticks and the posse of the Clergy as you are pleased to term it reasonably to be thought most obedient to but the Head of the Church So here the King is shuffled in amongst your They again Then you tell us the Pulpits instead of commending Jesus Christ to the Consciences of men were employ'd through all parts of the Nation in Blasting the E. of S. And if all be true it had not been much amiss if it had been so for it is requisite in Preaching after the Praises of God to arm mens Souls against the practices of the Devil Though it is evident that your Worshipful Dulness lies in this point most abominably and I dare be hang'd as you deserve could the matter be enquired into if ever since Hugh Peter's his time any one of the E. of S. Names has been so much as mentioned in a Pulpit by which and what went before it is easily to be perceived you are neither a Friend to the King nor the Church and what Party you belong to then I leave every Honest Impartial man to Judge according to his Conscience But now I think better of the matter What Spleenatick Fool but my self would take the pains to bestow an answer upon this Dunce this True Protestant as he calls himself If he be a Round-head a Rumper a Rebel of Old Jack Presbyter's Stamp why is he ashamed of his Title Why does he Cloak his Schism under the Name of True Protestant for we know no True Protestant here but such as are so according to the Church of England as it is Established by Law For if every one that Protests against Popery be a True Protestant for ought I perceive the Great Turk has as much pretence to that Title as any body That this Vermine then is not of the Church of England is easily to be conjectured by this treatment of its Clergy That he is not an over good Subject is apparent enough by the Company he has found out for the King yet this is he that dares defend the cause of a man under an Accusation of the most detestable Treason in the World exhibited against him by several Witnesses whose worth and Validity none once so zealous to defend and justifie as the Earl himself and his Party were though now they have the misfortune to fall under our Authours displeasure and to be treated with no better Titles Then Beggarly Fellows Indigent Mercenary and Perjur'd Rascals Beggarly Rascals such as have acknowledged that they are Hired to Swear what they have done c. Now to do the World Justice and to do the Laws Justice which 't is to be hop'd will do the E. of S. Justice let us enquire who these Beggarly Rascals are that were hired to Swear what they have done In the first place Heyns so much talk'd of of late as report tells us is one of those who has a large share in the Charge against this Noble E. Good Mr. Pamphleteero is he a Beggarly Perjur'd Rascal I believe my L. S. will not take it very well at your hands to treat his old Friend and Acquaintance so coursly for such he once was certainly else why did he and several Lords more Petition for a Blanck Pardon for him some few Weeks since under the Title of a man of Quality and unquestionable Reputation One that could give a farther account of the Popish Plot then any had been discovered yet Was he then a Beggar Was he then Perjur'd No I believe neither for suppose the party were so Charitable to keep him from Begging and the Kings Wisdom in not granting him a Pardon has kept him from being Perjur'd As for the other Witnesses against this Noble Peer I believe it will be for your Credit as soon as you can to retract your Reflections upon them too For if their Credit is not sufficient as you say to support such a Charge against such a Peer of England as the E. of S. is Committed for How came it about that some of 'em were once thought fitting even by that Earl himself to support as great a Charge against several other Peers of England some whereof are still Prisoners in the Tower equal in Honour and for ought I know Superiour in Honesty to your E. of S. But some of these Witnesses you are pleased to observe have acknowledged themselves Hired to Swear what they have done handle that point as you love your Cause with Caution I am afraid it will not be for your Earls advantage when it comes to be known who it was Hired them to Swear what they have done If this will not do what think you of a Dying Evidence Fitz-Harris His Solemn Declaration at his Death Signed and Attested by unquestionable Hands Certified by his own last Speech at the Gallowes in every particular Article to be true If he was ever before thought a sufficient Witness against the Queen the Duke of York the Earl of Danby c. Sure at his Death under the awe of a terrifi'd Conscience in the last Agonies of Contrition and Repentance he may be allow'd to speak Truth of a L. H. and E. of S. That he was thought a sufficient Witness before I appeal to that worthy Grand-Jury who upon his single Information only though then a Prisoner just coming upon his Tryal for the Treason which he has suffer'd for since thought fit to find a Bill of Murder against the Earl of Danby as concern'd in the Death of Justice Godfrey Nay he was thought so good so proper and so necessary a Witness that all the Arts of Corruption and all the Tricks of Wrested Law were made use of by the Faction to save him Juries were packt that by their proceeding seem'd to have as little Conscience as the Hamburgh Sheriff that returned them had Loyalty Insolent Advocates were found out for him to threaten the Judges in their Office and if it were possible to make the Sword of Justice tremble in the Honest hand that held it but it was kept steady to the Immortal Honour of that Glorious Judge who when the History of this Age shall be written cannot but be remember'd as one of the first Protectors and Supporters of Englands threatn'd Monarchy and Liberty These things then being granted as they must be that the Evidence of these men against this Earl or any body else ought to have as much weight and Credit as against any other Subject in the Kingdom and that they have been heard with Credit against divers other Subjects of the Kingdom is manifest How comes it to pass upon an Indictment preferr'd the last Sessions at the Old-Baily against one Stephen Colledge for High Treason there Swore positively against him by six several Witnesses that the Grand-Jury could fail to find the Bill When at the same Court not long age upon the bare Testimony of one man they found an Indictment of Recusancy against the Duke of York Shall the first Prince of the Blood be condemned upon the slender and doubtful Testimony of one Witness And shall not six be enough to make good a Charge against a Wretched Joyner a Profligate Factious Fellow that has been for these three years taken notice of as a Common Asperser of the Government and a sower of Sedition amongst the people I appeal to all the world if this be Common Justice The cause of this can be nothing less then the miserable decay of all fear of Heaven and Reverence of Vertue amongst us when we see men entrusted with Authority and Power administring the severest Cruelty with one hand and stopping the Justice of it with the other Nothing can redeem us from this but earnest and fervent Prayers to the Almighty Spirit of Truth to assist and defend us whilst we make an early and resolute appeal to our Gracious Soveraign to interpose with his Authority and restore us to the Security of our Liberties that the Laws may be turn'd again into their due Course and Channel that power may be no more entrusted in the hands of such men as practice the abuse of it to the overthrowing of all Justice the destruction of all Sanction and Vnity amonst us the encouragement of Treachery and Falshood the Stifling of Truth the Oppression of Innocence and the confusion of our general Safety God Save the King LONDON Printed for A. B. 1681.
is enough to breed a Dearth of Rags in the Nation and if once that should happen which way would'st thou contrive to hide thy Nakedness Would the E. of S. do himself Justice he ought to prosecute thee for a Libel upon him For is it less than a Libel to praise him for his unwearied Cares and Endeavours to obviate the formidable Growth of France Fie for shame do the Honourable Gentleman Justice and tell the World who it was counselled the breaking the Triple League and so by disuniting the common Interest of the Peace of Europe made way for all the War and Desolation that has since follow'd amongst our Neighbours If he as you say could not concur in Designs which he conceiv'd tended to the Ruin of these Kingdoms and the endangering the Monarchy as well as to the subversion of the Protestant Religion both here and elsewhere perswade him if thou canst to lay by the at least 30 Pardons which he has pass'd since his first Ministry and put himself upon his Trial from that to this present day of his Innocence If to this Wise and Noble Peer's Influence according to your observation His Majesty owes the successful administration of his Affairs for many years together tell us if thou canst what means the Riddle of so many Addresses from the last Parliaments remonstrating from a long date the defects and miscarriages of the Government and the Grievances that from thence have fallen upon the People tell us who it was that caused the first 〈◊〉 up of the Exchequer to the distress of so many poor Widows and Orphans whose All was lodged there If the Friends and Abettors of Arbitrariness and Popery at home are become his implacable and profess'd Enemies prithee tell us if possible how long it is a since they first fell out Was it before he would have brought all Elections for Parliament to have been decided in the Court of Chancery and so have robb'd the House of Commons of the greatest and most tutelar Priviledges they ever enjoyâ—d or was it since Rather was it the goodness of our Just and Gracious King that could not be prevailâ—d upon by him to make 〈◊〉 cruâ—l an intrâ—nchment upon the Rights and Safety of his People that caus'd this Noble Earl to withdraw himself from the Affairs of his Sovereign or not Oh Truth Truth how hast thou been muzzl'd But to proceed My Author's Worship is pleased in his remark of the Seals being taken from this Honourable Earl to observe That when They found that They could find neither Ambition nor Covetousness in him to impress and work upon so as to bring him to Their Lure that then They accosted him with such tenders of Greatness Honour and Wealth as few but him would have had the Humility Self-denial and Uprighâ—ness to refuse In the name of Nonsense what would this Laborious Bombastick Fool mean by his Impress his Lure and his Accost Here 's the taking the Seals from him on purpose to give him good words to bring him to their Lure 〈◊〉 very politick fetch What stuff is this to perswade any reasonable understanding withal Oh but I had almost forgot there is the word They to season the Carrion with viz. When They found c. And again They accosted him Now this Ænigmatical Ass would have us believe there is a great deal of meaning in that word They That is having mentioned the Popish Party with scandal before he would now joyn the King with 'em too For who else can take away the Seals from a Chancellor Or who else could accost him as â—e calls it with tenders of Greatness and Honour So that here is no less than the King implicitely reflected on as a Favâ—urer of Popery to affirm which is Treason by the known Laws of the Land and from thence I appeal to every true Subject of England if a Cause thus defended can or ought to be thought well of The rest of the page is fill'd with a long impertinent story of a Design to accuse this Earl of Treason that one Collonel Conquest was to have been his Accusen that all the Offices wherein he had been concern'd were searched and that They greatly reckon'd upon the House of Commons as admirably moulded for their business for the Fear many of 'em might have of losing their Pensions at the end of the Sessions Admirably well express'd upon my Life This Rogue would by his good will make that House of Commons a Cake of â—wey Dough Moulded for their business Very quaint truly But here is he at it again with his old They They greatly reckon'd upon the House of Commons as obliged by their Pensions Now who can be esteemed to expect any thing from a Pensioner for fear of losing his Pension but he that gives him his Pension So that here the Villain is throwing Dirt again in the King's Face as if that were the only way to get clear his filthy Patron Here would he knavishly insinuate a scandalous Interpretation of the King's Goodness which ought to be no more questioned than limited by the hands of a Subject here is his Noddle itching to make the world believe That those Pensioners as he calls them were meerly bought by the King for Indirect and underhand-services when upon a just and impartial scrutiny it will easily appear that those Gentlemen were either such whose Estates and Fortunes had been impair'd in the Service of His Majesty's Father that Royal Martyr of ever Blessed Memory and that way gave them pretence to His Majesty's Largess and Bounty or else others who from their formerr Delinquency had return'd with Penitence into the Mercy and Service of their Master and that way became Partakers of his Liberality that they might if possible be never more led away by their wants or ambition into these Courses that ruin'd the Kingdom before and enslav'd us under the heavy Yoak of an Vsurper But I am glad to find the Cause now it is shaken thus disâ—embogue it self and hope it will open the eyes of every honest English man to have his heart and his hands ready to defend the King his Honour and Authority from all the vile wicked Designs and undermining Mischiefs that have been contriving and hatching against him And how far the E. of S. may have been that way concern'd I think may in some measure be guess'd at from the stile and matter of the Defence which this miserable Scribler has the impudence to make for him Next to wind up the bottom of this foolish relation he is pleased to pass a Compliment upon the Kings Council for wanting at that time sufficient matter to Accuse him of and so proceeds forward to his They once more and tells us how They having miscarried in their Attempts upon the E's life change the Scheme of their Designs good Lord what fine words are here and lay a Plot to blast his Reputation And who says he so fit for this work as the Ecclesiasticks as