A PLAIN RELATION Of the Late Action at Sea Between the ENGLISH DUTCH and the FRENCH FLEETS From June 22. to July 5. last WITH Reflections THEREUPON And upon the Present State of the Nation TOGETHER WITH A Preparation for Death and a Perswasive to Criminals to do Right to their Countrey and a Specimen of a BILL for Reformation of Manners drawn for the Bishops and mentioned in the following Reflections LONDON Printed for Iohn Harris at the Harrow in the Poultrey MDCXC By whom also is Sold A Compleat Collection of the late Writings of the same Author as The true English Government c. Reflections upon the last Years Occurrences c. An Apology for Mr. Stafford c. and others for the Service of the Publick TO THE READER READER WHoever thou art if thou knowest it not already know that the Author of these Papers is a sincere Friend and hearty Well-wisher to King William and Queen Mary the present Settlement these Nations and the Common Cause of the Confederates as very Just and Honourable and no Enemy to the late King James the late Admiral Torrington or to the Persons of any of those whom he believes or suspects to have had an Influence in the Production of our Disappointments but to their Miâ—carriages only that they may be duely Corrected Reformed and the like Prevented for the future That he hath Written nothing maliciously or falsly to his own Knowledge but all with great Candour and Integrity for the Service of God the Good of his Countrey the Promotion of this Great and Righteous Common Cause against a Proud Insolent Nimrod and for thy own Good if thou understandest it aright Know therefore also if thou canst be offended with him who Wishes so well to thy Countrey and no ill to thy self thou art no good Man and so wishing thou mayâ—st be better and wiser he bids thee heartily Farewell Advertisement THere is newly Published The present State of Europe Or the Historical and Political Mercury Giving an Account of all the publick and private Occurrences that are most considerable in every Court for the Month of September 1690. with Reflections upon every State to be continued Monthly from the Original publish'd at the Hague by the Authority of the States of Holland and West-Friezland The Mercury for the Month of August last is likewise done they are both to be Sold by Iohn Harris at the Harrow in the Poultrey A Plain Relation Of the Late Action at Sea BETWEEN The English Dutch and the French FLEETS from June 22. to July 5. last ON Sunday June the 22. about Ten in the Morning the French Fleet which had been seen the Friday before off of Plimouth and the Saturday off of Portland were seen from the Isle of Wight off of Fresh-water-Bay of which our Fleet then riding in S. Helens road had no Notice 'till about Ten that Night from the shore So that had not the Wind which brought them with a very fresh Gale as far as Fresh-water-Bay where they Anchored then slack'd and turned Northerly they had been in with us and fir'd our Ships for want of Scouts out as some say to give Notice But that night upon that Notice we staved our Cabins made clear our Ships and about 12. unmoor'd The next morning Monday the 23d the Admiral halled home his Fore-top-sail-sheets and fired a Gun to Weigh and soon after all the Fleet were under sail and we stood out to Sea and about 3 in the afternoon came to an Anchor Dunnose S. W. by W. The next morning Tuesday the 24th betwen 5 and 6 we weighed and stood to the S. E. and that Afternoon the Lyon and several Dutch Men of War which made them a Squadron of about 17. Ships joined us S. E. of the Isle of Wight And at 9 at night we anchored Culver Cliff N. W. and by W. about 7 Leagues Wednesday the 25th at 6. in the morning we weighed the Wind N. N. E. and about 8. the Weather which was thick before clearing up we saw the French Fleet the Body of them bearing W. S. W. about 3 Leagues distant And we had a fair Opportunity to engage them the Wind S. S. E. and they under our Lee between us and the English shore in very much Disorder And in all probability had we then Engaged them we had beaten them down upon our English shore our Fleet being very well provided for it our Ships all in good Order and our Men full of Courage and very desirous of Action At 12. Culver Cliff N. W. half N. 4. Leagues off the Wind S. S. E. and between 7. and 8. we Anchor'd Dunnose N. W. and by N. 5. Leagues the French Fleet Leeward about 3. Leagues The next morning Thursday the 26th the Admiral made a Signal and call'd a Council of Flagg-Officers where it was agreed not to fight the French supposing them too strong for us but to plye to the East the Wind being E. as far as the Flats of the Foreland and there intangle them in the Sands rather than fight them but yet to keep sight of them least they should land which notwithstanding we did not but plyed out of sight so that they might have landed if they would From that time he kept turning to the E. every Tide from day to day which the French observing kept turning after 'till Sunday Evening the Wind continuing Easterly all that time insomuch that the Seamen being greatly discontented at it began to murmur and exclaime against him for it But then a Signal was made for a Council of the Flagg-Officers where it was resolved to Fight the French the next day but no Notice thereof was given to any of the Fleet besides The next Morning being Munday the 30th the Signal was given for a Line of Battle when most of our Ships having no Notice before were unprepared yet our Men threw up their Caps and shewed all demonstrations of Joy at the Notice and made ready as fast as they could and the French probably supposing we had still kept turning to the E. as we did before and therefore turning after both Fleets came near about Eight that Morning in two Lines cross the Channel our Fleet standing about 4 Leagues to the West of the Beachy-Head the Dutch squadron in the Van toward the English shore the Red in the Body the Blew in the Rear toward the French Coast and the Bloody Flag being hoisted before about 9. both Fleets came to Engage The Dutch leading the Van and part of the Blew in the Rear joining near them made them give way but the Red except two or three Ships not going so near as they should but standing aloof which brought our Fleet into the form of a Half moon the Body of the French Fleet having none to engage them made up with the Dutch and did them great Damage whereas at the same time the Rear of the French ran from those of the Blew who fought them
Temptation and mislead into it though I doubt the fault here in this will be as little understood as was that in the Order of the Parliament for the Thanksgiving by the Vindicator For when Mens Minds are much intended to the things of the World and bigg with the acquest of them they are usually thereby too much diverted and clouded to discern and be of quick Understanding in such matters be the importance thereof what it will But for the Error in Policy since we feel so much of it I think it greatly concerns the King and Kingdom that it be well underderstood and speedily redressed By that one Condescention which I mention'd before was much of that great Authority and true Majesty which the special Providence of God had conferr'd upon his Instrument and was really a Talent to be wisely used unhappily lost and subjected to a Party not entire for his Interest For thereby was the whole Party whereof many were doubtful before greatly confirmed and animated and raised above their Expectations and themselves Nor was this all for this made others who were not otherwise of the Party seeing the Stream run so strong that way presently fall in with them So that their numbers were thereby encreased by the concurrence of many who regarding only which side was most prevalent would as readily have joyned with those who being fully satisfied with the Justice of the Cause and of the Proceedings were cordial and entire Friends to it had they appeared as powerful in Favour at the Court. And this as it made them appear more considerable to others so that when they observ'd it made them still more confident to promote such Persons and Things as if throughly examined will be found to have been more for the Service of the late King James and the French King than of the present King and the Confederates Not only such as were heretofore Creatures of the late King but such as few thought well affected to this and are believed to have really done no little Service to the former and Disservice to this by unfaithful Management have been first recommended and afterward secured even from the effectual Proceedings of the Parliament it self And this again hath produced another mischievous Consequence that generally such as depend upon their Employments observing how all Miscarriages are covered and either wholly vindicated or greatly extenuated and the Agents protected and secured they dare not speak out what they know for fear of disobliging not only this powerful Party but even the Criminals themselves And as foul and gross a Miscarriage as this hath been of the late Admiral at Sea it is generally believed by such as converse much with Seamen that many are afraid to disoblige him if they should speak out In these Observations I might proceed one step further but I think fit to stop here this being sufficient to demonstrate to any man of sense in how dangerous a Condition the King and Queen are of being delivered up as an Expiatory Sacrifice to their Enemies and these Nations of being involved in Blood and Confusion and from whence all this Danger comes And though other Instances might be given of such Counsels and Proceedings as were of dangerous Consequence and mischievous to the King and his Interest yet I desire not to exasperate or aggravate things unnecessarily this which I have said being alone sufficient to evince the Error of that Policy from which all hath proceeded It makes me many times think of the Subtile Policies of King James the First who thought by his King-craft to have out-done all the World but was in most matters of moment over-reached himself Just such hath proved this daubing Policy of some conceited Politicians impatient of delay in some expected Preferments who unhappily mislead the King at his first coming into so dangerous and unsafe a Tract and being better skilled in the Theory of vulgar Policy than in the Practice of that which is solid and substantial by over-doing have undone all and built upon so false and sandy a Foundation as will bring all into Confusion unless it be speedily prevented by some very good and effectual Means For otherwise as we have been betrayed all along we are like still so to be till both King and Kingdom be surpriz'd and involv'd in some such Mischiefs as aforesaid This it is plain to all who have Wit enough to perceive it and Honesty enough to confess it was very near to have been our Case this Summer had not the special Providence of God interpos'd and prevented it by preserving both the Kings Person and our Fleet from the nearest approaches of Destruction that could be A Deliverance perhaps if well understood and considered in all its Circumstances not inferiour to those of the Spanish Invasion and Gun-Powder Treason And I wish we may be wise strengthen our selves indeed and mark and see what we do for at the Return of the Year those Syrians if they find still such Encouragement from home will certainly again come up against us But what are these Good and Effectual Means by which all this Mischief may be prevented Why that also I will endeavour by the Grace of God to declare plainly And the plain truth is it is meer Brutishness and Stupidity not to look further than all this and perceive a Precedent effectual Cause to which a proper application must be made before any Relief or Amendment can be had and which till that be done will rankle fester and produce still worse symptoms upon the use of whatever other Means we can think of For all this is of God who hath the Hearts of all Men in his Hand and hath done admirably in all these things hath corrected us but in mercy and given us fair warning He preserved our Fleet from surprize and sudden Destruction when at anchor in St. Hellens Bay the French were so near as Fresh-water Bay before they knew it And he preserved the King's Person when he yet suffered a Cannon Bullet to come so very near as to touch him He gave him a very Glorious Victory at Land and yet again so ordered it that he should suffer a great Diminution of all that Glory by a baffle of his Fleet at Sea and of his Army at Land against Lymerick whereas he could easily have prevented both if he had pleased I wish both King and People may lay these things to Heart and consider wisely what is fit to be done least the next Buliet may be permitted instead of the Skin to take the Heart and the next Engagement instead of Baffles bring Confusion upon the Nation It is dangerous dallying in this Case and dangerous trifling in Sacred Things I will not repeat what I have said before in my Reflections upon the Occurrences of the last Year indeed I need not for I have too much new Matter to mention Nor does it belong to me to enquire what hath been done in pursuance of the King 's Pious and
and not easily perswaded to act in a doubtful Case when without doubt they may lawfully abstain and therefore they who are easily perswaded to it upon a Prospect of Preferment may justly be suspected But they who in such Case thrust themselves forward may be concluded to be Men of little Conscience Honesty or Honour And therefore I am of Opinion that they who believe in their Conscience that the late King hath yet a right to Reign and that King William and Queen Mary are only King and Queen de Facto and therefore refuse and oppose a Recognition of them to be rightfull King and Queen cannot in Honour or Honesty act in Council or War in this Case And for the same reason I am also of Opinion that neither can any Prince who acts not as a private Man for his own Interest but as a publick Person for a whole Society of Men and as our present Case is for the common Concern of divers other Princes and People in Prudence or Honour commit any such Employment to any Person of that Opinion For it is plainly to tempt him first to be false to his own Conscience for the sake of the Employment and next to be false to him who employs him for the sake of his Conscience For no Man can long act vigorously and steddily reluctante Conscientia and the Consideration that Right that is what he takes to be so may one day take place will be a continual check upon him for ever doing any considerable Service against it and a continual Motive to hearken to any probable Overtures for it And this Consideration that the King cannot in Honour commit any such Employment to them as things stand at present ought to be another Motive to them to abstain even out of Respect to the King if they have any for him and if they have not he hath the less reason to employ them But otherwise I would not have them abridged of the least benefit of the Revolution that their Hearts can in reason desire These several sorts of Persons are most of them of the Nobility Gentry Clergy or Citizens of some particular Cities or Officers in our Fleet and Armies But of all our Nobility or however of our Gentry Clergy and Citizens of the several Cities of the Nation I hope the greatest part by much and our Yeomanry and the great Body of the People and the Sea-men are beyond all dispute generally all entire for the present Settlement and Right of the present King and Queen And all these are also firm for the Protestant Religion and for the Common Good of the Nation and for the Common Cause of the Confederates And therefore it is all the reason in the World that all these that is the King and Queen the Protestant Religion the Common Good of the Nation and the Common Cause of all the Confederates should have the common and United Assistance of them all Nor can I believe that any will oppose it but such as are in truth in the bottom more hearty for a Party than for the Christian Religion for a Faction than for the common Good of the Nation for King James than for King William or for the Corruptions and Abuses of Popery than for the Purity and Power of the true Religion and for the Usurpations Incroachments and Tyranny of the French Nimrod than for the just and noble Cause of the Confederates And if this be true that I say and I be not greatly mistaken it will hence follow that the King himself is oblig'd in Prudence in Justice and Honour to recommend the Removal of all Impediments by the Statutes of the two last Reigns to the Parliament with all Earnestness and that he being a Protestant Prince hath great reason to resent any Opposition that shall be made to so necessary a Proposition and to take Notice of the Persons and Places which send any of them as such as are still so levened with Faction that they do not discern that the great Heats and Animosities which have long disturbed this Nation were principally occasioned and heightened to serve the Interest of the Papists or a mischievous Faction And since this Parliament was chosen before the Act of Pardon was pass'd and the Elections and Returns in many Corporations where were many Criminals were made with great Heat and Faction by such as were concerned to save themselves and all the Interest they could make as appears in the many Petitions before the Committee of Elections if this Parliament will not agree upon what is necessary for the Common Good it may prove a good Expedient to dissolve them and call another speedily which probably may be chosen more fairly and indifferently And thus much I thought fit to add to what I had mention'd before on the same Subjects because they are matters of so great Concern And now as to the special Qualifications of the Persons to be employed this poor Nation hath been long in a very pitiful Condition in this respect while this which ought principally to be regarded hath apparently been least and last of all sought after King Charles heartily favouring very few who would not either comply with him in his voluptuous Courses and Luxury or serve him either in his Illegal Projects and Designs or in abusing the Nation out of their Money and King James as few who would not one way or other serve the Interest of Popery And while these Princes studyed only to serve themselves and their own Humours it is no wonder if they were served but by few who did not the like that is more regarded their own private Gain and Advancement than the common Good of their Countrey And though we have now a Prince of a quite different Temper who industriously and vigorously prosecutes the Publick Good not only of these Kingdoms but of his Neighbours and Confederates also yet is he plainly under some difficulties by reason of the Persons he found in Imployments and whose Qualifications he could not so well know 'till he had some tryal and experience of them And therefore both the People of this Nation and our Confederates have great reason to bear patiently our Disappointments hitherto in great hopes to see things in a better posture another Year But though this Experience may satisfie him of the Fidelity and good Qualifications of many and of the Unfitness of others to be employed or trusted yet will he stand in need of good Advice and Information concerning others to supply their Places and the more by reason of the great Corruption of the Manners of this People by the last two Reigns which hath tainted them to say nothing here of other Immoralities with Unfaithfulness Greediness of Gain and narrow-soul'd Selfishness under superficial Appearances and plausible Pretences contrary to the true English Genius which is plain honest and trusty and stout hardy and industrious for the good of their Countrey And it is I doubt too true that those who were
force of their whole Fleet but made them bear away Item Damnum emergens Loss actually sustain'd in several respects As It. Of Men. It. Of Ships It. Of Rigging c. It. Of Honour It. Of Time and Expences in refitting It. Of Trade while the French ride Masters at Sea It. Distraction of the Countrey from their Harvest to serve in the Militia upon Occasion of the French Fleet lying upon our Coast to the great Charge of the Countrey It. The Advantages gotten by our Enemies which may be computed as a Loss to us such as these 1. Of Honour 2. Of Courage they being animated by it 3. Of Leisure and Opportunity It. Disappointment for some time of the entire reducing of Ireland proceeding from the Enemies Apprehensions of our Disappointment at Sea which occasions the greater Charge and longer Diversion of our Forces from other Service besides the hazard of what may happen in the mean time or upon that occasion And Lastly Much of this Loss is a Loss not only to the King and to this Nation but to the Common Interest of the Confederates So that the King and this State are obliged not only in Honour and Prudence for themselves but also in Justice to the Confederates and especially to the Dutch who behaved themselves so bravely were so basely deserted and thereby suffered so much to enquire impartially into the Miscarriages and punish them as they deserve REFLECTIONS Upon the Precedent Relation IN the Occurrences of the last Year we had besides the Loss of our Expence only a kind of Lucrum cessans a Disappointment in the Opportunities and Advantages we had to have promoted our own Settlement and the common Cause to compute And therefore as it was the more easie for any one who thought fit to apply his mind to it to invent some plausible Pretences to cover the Miscarriages which were then committed in the Management of Affairs so such Pretences then would the more easily pass with such as were more concerned to keep fair with all Men for their own advantage than to promote the Publick Interest of their Countrey and the common Cause especially by any such Means as might possibly produce any Prejudice or Disadvantage to their own But besides all this in the late Action at Sea when the Heavens had favoured us first with a special Deliverance from a very dangerous Surprize and then with as favourable Advantage as our Hearts could wish and that continued for many dayes together not only to neglect the same to neglect it though provoked by the Courage and by the Danger also of our Allies and of some of our own Ships besides but moreover to desert such as were disabled and so desert as by turning against the Wind to invite and animate the Enemy who of themselves it seems had otherwise no mind to it but rather expected a more vigorous Engagement of our whole Fleet to follow and triumphantly seize or destroy them is such a Miscarriage and that aggravated with so great a Loss Damage and mischievous and dangerous Consequence as requires a Person of rare Invention of equal Impudence and void of all sense of Honour and Love to his Countrey to compose a Vindication of this Transaction or so much as with Confidence and hope of Success endeavour to cover it and People of no less stupidity and easiness to be imposed upon by such Pretences Indeed the Miscarriage was so gross and palpable as moved the Indignation even of some of the Vindicators of the last Years Transactions to reslect with some warmth upon it and extorted their Remarks upon the ill Consequences of such Miscarriages as were before palliated Such in short as none will offer to excuse who are not either Partners in the Crime or no good Friends to the Cause or admit of any Excuse who are not either such or such as are too apt and easie to be imposed upon by smooth Tongues and fallacious Pretences of others And as the Miscarriage is too gross to be covered so is the Loss Damage and evil Consequence thereof too great to be buryed in Oblivion In point of Honour it ought to be enquired into strictly to the bottom and punished severely for satisfaction to the World and in point of Justice no less for satisfaction to all our Confederates in the same common Cause which suffers much by the Disappointment but more especially the Dutch who beside have sustained so considerable a Loss peculiar to themselves And certainly no less ought to be done in point both of Justice and Interest for satisfaction at home both to the whole Nation in general not well pleased to see their Trade thus at a stand and their Money the while wasted upon a Company of debanched impious wicked Wretches for two Years together with so little effect and more particularly to the Sea-men who think it hard that they who are Free men and willing to serve their Countrey under Officers whom they like should be pressed and forced as if they were Gally slaves to serve under such as they think neither otherwise well-qualified nor very good Friends either to them or to the Cause they engage in To all which we must add another Point of Prudence to prevent the like for the future by Cashiering at least such as are found guilty or not well qualified for the Service however they came by their Places and by good Examples of necessary Discipline to deterr others from undertaking what they are not sit for or from deserting or neglecting what they have once undertaken And certainly that to which so many Obligations and considerable Motives concurr must needs be very necessary and it would therefore be a great sign of a very weak and languishing State to let so great and mischievous a Miscarriage be lightly passed over under the cover of such superficial Pretences as every Tarpaulin and common Sea-man can see through without some proportionable Animadversion upon the Delinquents and effectual Purgation and Reformation of the Fleet upon so notorious an occasion All this Mischief I know is commonly imputed to our Admiral Torrington Not only the Letter printed in the French Gazet from the E. of Nottingham to my Lord Dursley in Holland but a Relation printed in France as I am inform'd by that Kings Authority lays it chiefly upon him The Letter amongst other Passages concerning the Fight hath one to this effect The Holland Squadron behaved it self with so much Bravery that if my Lord Torrington had done his Duty we should in all probability have had a Compleat Victory but at present we retreat before the Enemy Which is in few words the summe of what the Relation of the honest Seaman hath more particularly informed us and no little Confirmation of it And indeed he being so notoriously faulty it cannot be expected that vulgar Spectators should look any farther into the matter but be well satisfied with the just Punishment of him alone For whoever else might be concerned
in it they at Land being out of the Action may be thought far enough out of Suspicion and they who at Sea were in the Action if it may be properly so said of them who stood still and acted not at all unless in retreating from the Enemy they have a fair pretence of his Authority to cover their own Miscarriages And yet possibly none of them may be so secure as they thought themselves For his Honour is now so broken by this Miscarriage and his case so desparate that I know not what should or can oblige or restrain him not to discharge himself of so much of the Odium as is properly due to those who by any means either induced him to or concurred with him in so base dishonourable and mischievous a Miscarriage or impose upon him either to suffer himself to be abused and Colemanized with vain hopes and expectations or tamely bear the burden of others no better than himself who by unfaithful concurrence at least were some occasion of his Unhappiness and 't is like when he is once gone will be as forward as any to cast dirt upon his Memory to clear themselves of all suspicion And if his Affliction as sometimes it doth should awaken in him any sense of Religion Repentance Justice or love to his Countrey all these do plainly oblige him to detect all He can certainly make no such step toward a reparation to his King and Countrey as by detecting those who have already been unfaithful or are unfit for such a trust that being difcharged and otherwise punished as they deserve they may be prevented from doing the like mischief for the future And for them it is in truth though this brutish sensual Generation are not sensible of it much better that they should be judged here accept of their Punishment and bear their Iniquity than be condemned hereafâ—er But to retorn that none should be culpable in this business but Lorrington doth not at all seem probable to me He was indeed the Principal in the Miscarriage because he had Authority sufficient to have prevented it or at least to haâ—e done so much as must have left some others inexcusable But it is not likely he would have behaved himself as he did if he had not had some Encouragement at least by a willing and easie compliance And it 's likely if the truth were known there were several Accessartes not only at Sea but at Land also Such was the Behaviour of others at Sea that the eamen generally blame the Officers very few excepted And when the Commissioners who were sent to examine the matter sat at Sheerness it was observed That several of the Officers had prepared an Account of the Action in writing under their hands calculated for the Interest of Torrington and were very high and upish in the morning and carried it toweringly and jarring with some of the Blew Squadron though when they came after to be examined upon their Oaths which it was guessed they did not expect and some of the Blew spake their Judgments freely their Carriage was observed to be much altered and they looked more calmly And upon the whole matter there were some Observations then made which are very proper to be here inserted viz. 1. That a great part of the Commanders of this Fleet are absolute Creatures of Torrington Otherwise if they had been Men of Freedom and Principles they would have been more forward to have made their Complaints against him And if it be found a Fault in him all those must be Fools or Knaves that either did not See it or endeavoured to Excuse it And to speak plain many of those Gentlemen are esteemed to understand better how to Dress and to Eat and Drink well c. than to perform a Charge which requires great Discretion and Resolution 2. That the Conduct of those Gentlemen may be reflected upon that have suffered one Person almost to fill the Fleet with his own Creatures and shewn no more regard to the Qualifications of Vertue and Merit than to preferr many Men meerly for Favour and Affection or according to the time they have served in the Fleet So that there are in some second and third Rates Men that have given little or no Proof of their Worth when others that have eminently distinguished themselves have either been wholly neglected or put into small Ships 3. That this sort of Commanders are grown to a kind of Faction and make it their Endeavour to introduce Men of their own Stamp into those Employments maintaining a kind of Animosity and Hatred against those Persons who are not of their Temper and are put into Men of War for the sake of their Experience or Merit Than which there can can be no readier way to introduce a Degeneracy from Virtue and Bravery in our Navy and to lose our Ancient Reputation for Maritine Performances when the Management shall come into the Hands of men of little Experience or Conduct Of which our late Disgrace is too fresh an Instance 4. That many of these Commanders are so hated by the Seamen that a Mutiny is rather to be apprehended from them than a going chearfully to adventure their Lives with them 5. That able Seamen are much wanting in the Fleet and the Ships will require longer fitting than is talked of so that I scarcely expect this Fleet can goe out this Month. 6. That if this Commission of Enquiry were continued with the addition of two or three more Persons as Assistants who were well skilled in Maritine Affairs and could not be imposed upon by fraudulent Answers or invented Pretences there might be matter enough found to charge divers Officers and shew that there is an absolute necessity of making a great Reform in the Fleet and no less in the Office of Admiralty 7. That untill we are so Reformed I dare presume to say without pretending to be a Prophet that we shall never regain our lâ—st Honour These are the Observations which were made at that time intire as they came to my hand By which it appears that the Geâ—â—leman who made them whoever he was was of the same Opinion that there were Accessaries at Land as well as at Sea to this Miscarriage And it is probable that there were more than he had then occasion to reflect upon and such as were really and properly Accessaries in that particular Miscarriage Such as it is very fit upon all the Considerations before mentioned that the State should inquire of But 't is likely there are some who are and have been Accessaries it may be more remotely and therefore not so easie to be charged yet no less effectual but rather Prime Causes in this and all the rest of our Disappointments both of this and the last Year and which is worse are like still so to be in more for the future unless the Occasions thereof be speedily taken into good Consideration and with great steadiness and Resolution as effectually reformed and prevented
as may be The Mischiefs thereby done to this Nation and to the Common Cause are greater already than most Men are well aware of We have promoted nothing are in no better a condition than we were in the Spring last was twelve month Our Condition has been much like that of a bewitched Cart we have whip'd and heav'd and made a great stir and yet are in effect but where we were if Ireland was now wholly reduced For it might certainly have been reduced at first with less difficulty than the taking of Limrick now at last Tyrconnel then wanted only some body to quit it to with some such Force and Power that he might do it honourably It is not to be doubted but there were some Hushat's then about the King who â—â—â—k the Occasion of his being a Stranger to impose upon him with specious dilatory Counsels Misieprosentations of things and ill Recommendations of Persons which was the more easie then to be done when most of our great Men were so intent upon improving the Opportunity for their own peculiar Advantage that they minded little else 'till they had secured what they could for themselves But this is not all besides the Loss of so much Time we have lost a great many Lives more without doing any thing than were necessary to have secured the whole Countrey at first We have lost much of our Trade not only at Sea but at Land also as much as depends upon our Trade at Sea and also lost vastly in what we had out before and was returning home or sent out since and besides lost it to our Enemies which makes it in effect a double loss to us And which by that means falls the heavyer upon the Nation have not done what we have done at last without so great Expence as will make our Supplies come so much the harder And all these are Losses actually sustain'd But in a true and just Estimate of the Mischief the Hazards and Dangers it hath brought us into ought also to be computed the common Hazard of War the great Trouble that a Disappointment at first in that Expedition might have occasioned and the Hazard of his Majesties Person to prevent it And one more which is of very great importance but such as few are so sensible of it as it deserves and that is the Confederacy lest a Dissolution or such Interruption therein as may retard their Proceedings should happen Which all things considered may very easily be and that makes the improvement of the Opportunity the more valuable and â—o much the more aggravates the Miscarriage of those who hinder it And though no such hath yet happened yet are we by this means still in more and more danger of it both by reason of the Charges of the War so long continued and of many unexpected Accidents which may occurr before the next Summer I say nothing here of the great Opportunity and Advantage of proceeding against France then under a great Consternation which was lost because it is not understood or considered nor perhaps will be believed And without that the other Mischiefs and Disappointments we have had and may still expect if the Occasions be not removed are sufficient to make all that have any sense and concern look about them The immediate Occasions of these Disappointments which have all proceeded from the Miscarriages of the Persons imployed were the imploying of such Persons as were not duely qualified And this leads us directly to the Persons who imployed them that is who either by Authority or by Recommendation were the immediate Causes or Occasions that they were imployed It is true they were all imployed by the King in some respect as by his Authority but all or most either immediately by others who were intrusted and Commissioned by him or at least by the Recommendations Perswasions or Advice of others And if any of these did act therein upon any sinister respects they were really and effectually Accessaries to the Disappointments which proceeded from the Miscarriages of the Persons so imployed Now what Sinister Respects might prevail in this matter and might therefore be the Original Occasions of the Employment of such Persons is not hard to be perceived by any Man who considers the present Disposition of a great part of this Nation and especially of those who souffle for Places or are very forward to catch at them There was not any Vice more propagated by the Evil Example of King Charles the Second than Greediness Vnfaithfulness and Knavery The Nation was cheated of their Money by corrupting their Trustees their Representatives in Parliament which was one of the greatest Knaveries that could be practised And this came at last to some of the grossest Shutting up the Exchequer seizing peoples Charity for the Redemption of Slaves and surprizing the Dutch Smyrna Fleet. And by such means were those about him taught to do the like and even to cheat himself which produced such a general Corruption in that respect that Cheating and Knavery came into Fashion and was affected so it could be done neatly as a recommendation of Wit and Parts and Honesty and Plain-dealing was despised as Ignorance of the World and Folly And so notorious were the Frauds and Cheats practised in his Reign as had never been known in this Nation before But this was not all it had this other pernicious Influence that many even of those who were not corrupted by it so far as to plain Knavery were yet plainly thereby infected with insatiable Avarice and Over-valuation of the things of the World and those generous and heroick Virtues of Piety and Charity and Faith which overcomes the World which make Men more active for the Service of God and their Countrey than for the Advancement of themselves or their Families in Estates or Honour among Men were either totally extinguished and suppressed or at least despised and reproach'd if they dared to appear with any confidence of their Innocence and Sincerity as Folly Madness Enthusiasm Fanaticism Precipitant Zeal Indiscretion Melancholly and whatever the selfish temporizing Genius of the times could imagine And the only Wisdom then in Fashion was Self-preservation and Self-seeking Pretences of Loyalty and Zeal for the Government and Self-Interest passed current as an excusable if not commendable End of all Mens Actions But the improvement of all Advantages and making the best of ones own was unquestionable And such in particular was the Selling of Places receiving of Gratifications for them or conferring them by way of Gratification or for Affection to Relations or Friends without much regard to the Service of the Publick This had so far prevailed then and excited such Emulation and Appetite in most Spectators and many who were then kept off at a distance that it is not credible that it should have ceased of it self since the late Revolution which brought many new Incentives with it but hath not yet produced any such Charms as were like to lay it This therefore
Reason and I confess do deserve to be well considered yet if we look no farther I am well satisfied will either never be effected or if they be will never of themselves produce the Effects expected from them The first is that the King who hath so far exposed his own Royal Person to danger for us and for the common Cause of the Confederates may not be longer deprived of the Service of such as are his sincere Friends and ready to do the like for him for it and for the whole Nation by a superfluous clause in the letter of the Law no way necessary to the declared scope of it I mean the Stat. 25. Car. 2. c. 2. which among other things enacts That all and every Person and Persons so to be admitted as aforesaid shall also receive the Sacrament of the Lords Supper according to the usage of the Church of England within three months after his or their Admittance in or receiving their said Authority and Employment in some publick Church upon some Lord's Day commonly called Sunday immediately after Divine Service and Sermon This Act was made for preventing Dangers which then might happen from Popish Recusants as appears by the Tiâ—â—e is declared in the very beginning of the Act and is emphatically expressed by the words Popish Recusants which restrain it to them alone of all Dissenters And though there be some words as according to the usage of the Church of England and in some Publick Church which restrain the admittance to Conformists only yet it is plain that that restraint neither was necessary nor was designed by the Act for that purpose or in order to that end and therefore considering the Practice of those Times it is not to be doubted but they were put in partly by the Papists to divide the Protestants in that as well as in matters of Religion that so they might have a party of Protestants in the same condition with themselves which was a very common Policy among them and partly by the Faction that they might ingross all And though at that time it might be thought fit to let it pass so rather than hazard the loss of the Bill yet now that we have a Prince whom we may safely trust and great Reason to unite our whole strength against the common Enemy not to remove that Obstacle by so easie an Expedient as instead of according to the usage of the Church of England in some Publick Church to make it in some solemn or Publick Assembly of Protestants and the Certificates to be by the Persons who administer and three or four credible Persons of the Assembly or something to the like effect may be thought in them who oppose it an argument of greater affection to the late King James than to the present King William and to the Papists or the Faction than to the true Protestant Interest since such an alteration doth not in the least impede the design of the Act so fully as before declared Another is That we do not intangle our selves in our own Policies by stooping to little Arts and pieces of vulgar Craft but proceeding steadily upon Principles of Justice Humanity and true Wisdom unnecessarily exasperate none give all fair and reasonable Terms Conditions and Benefits that can be desir'd to all but never expose a good Cause by so mean Compliance as to commit matters of great Trust and weight to such as are not entirely for it but whose declared Principles make such a Condescention as little honourable as safe To be plain the People of this Nation being divided in Opinion upon the late Revolution part holding that the Right of the late King James by his own Actions and the Declaration thereupon of the Lords and Commons by their Representatives fairly chosen is fully determined and that the Royal Authority is justly and effectually to all intents and purposes transferred to the present King and Queen but others being of opinion that King James is still King de Jure and King William only King de Facto These last are again divided among themselves into two or three parties one part being satisfied to live peaceably and quietly under the present Government but not to swear Allegiance to the present King nor act under him against the former another part being zealous for the restoring of King James And a third of such who though they declare their Opinion that King James is still King de Jure yet make no scruple to act under the present King not only in little matters but in such matters of State and War wherein they must either act directly against him whom they acknowledge to have the Right or else be false to him who entrusts ' em And this is the Party that I mean whom because I cannot see how in Conscience they can act as they do I cannot see how in prudence they can be trusted And therefore I should think it no hard or unreasonable matter to secure the Government against all the Dangers which may arise from Men of those Principles for if they may freely enjoy not only their own private Rights but also all such publick Employments and Preferments as are confirment with their Principles for them to execute which is as much as in Honesty and Conscience they can desire or in Honour and Prudence can be committed to them they have no reason to complain but rest satisfied therewith and thankful to God for his Deliverance from a worse condition and those who professing these Principles are yet not satisfied with all that may justly be suspected as Persons either of vain and ambitious minds or of turbulent and ill Designs and therefore not to be admitted to any publick Employment at all or to be discharged if already in any such For these are the Men whom I apprehend to have been the most effectual Remora's in our Proceedings and chief Occasions or Instruments in all our Disappointments And indeed I have all along from the beginning look'd upon a certain Condescention to a Compliance with some of this Party to be one of the first false Steps which have been made since the beginning of the Revolution and a Daubing into which we were Betrayed by the pedantick Policies of some who had special reason to have made better use of a good Caution against it a thing of so pernicious Consequence to his Majesty that I look upon the Miscarriage of Torrington to be but a Trifle in comparison to it and as inconsistent with true Divinity as with true Policy Poor Prince how did my Heart ake for him about that time though I knew not what was the matter But Princes are Men and subject to the like Infirmities with other Men and to such Oversights as bring many times much Trouble and Disturbance after them But what Error in Divinity was here committed I will leave to the Consideration of those whose Office it was to have discerned and given faithful Notice of it rather than prove a
it is hereby further Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Peer of the Realm Prelate or other person expressed in the Statute of 2 Ri. 2. entituled The Penalty for telling of slanderous Lyes of the great Men of the Realm or any Baron of the Exchequer upon committing any such Offence of Prophane Swearing or Cursing as aforesaid shall refuse to pay the Penalty thereby forfeited being demanded as aforesaid the Justice of the Peace before whom such Information shall be given shall cause a Copy of the said Information to be delivered to the said Offender his Lady or Steward and shall bind over the Witness and Witnesses to prosecute and give Evidence of the said Offence Demand and Refusal at the next Gaol-Delivery or Oyer and Terminer to be holden for the County or Division Where such Offendor having notice as aforesaid shall be obliged to appear and Travers his Endictment And in case he shall not appear or upon his Appearance and Travers shall be found Guilty he shall incurr the several Disabilities hereafter mentioned and forfeit the summ of twenty pounds one moity to the King and Queen and the other to the Prosecutor or Prosecutors And because it may be feared that Perjury is often committed in this Nation by the Neglect of Officers and persons sworn to the due performance of their Offices Places and Employments or Duties Be it therefore Enacted by the Authority aforesaid for the preventing the like for the future that every wilful neglect after the 24th day of June next of any Officer or other person duly sworn to the performance of any Office Place Employment or Duty in the due performance thereof shall be deemed and adjudged Perjury and be prosecuted and punished as other Perjury by the Law of this Land And for the more effectual Execution of the Statutes heretofore made for the Reformation of sundry Abuses and better Observation of the LORDS DAY commanly called Sunday 3 Car. 1 c. 2 29 Car. 2. c 7. be it likewise Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Constable Tythingman Headborough Church Warden and Overseer of the poor and other Officers in their respective Parishes may and are hereby authorized and required upon notice of any Offence contrary to the said Statutes or either of them immediately to repair to the place where any such Offence is said to be committed and upon their own view thereof without any Warrant from any Justice of Peace to seize all such Goods as they shall at any time find exposed to sale contrary to the said Statutes or either of them and to dispose thereof as by the said Statutes or either of them is directed and likewise to stop apprehend and secure all persons offending against the said Statutes or either of them and them to carry before some Justice of the Peace to be dealt with according to the Law unless the said Offendor and Offenders shall forthwith pay the penalty forfeited by the said Statutes to such Officer or Officers And for suppressing of the brutish Sins of ADULTERY and FORNICATION Be it also enacted by the Authority aforesaid That if any Man after the tenth day of June in this present year of our Lord 1690. shall have the carnal knowledge of the Body of any Woman other than his Wife except in the case of a Rape or shall be found in Bed or in any such posture of Nakedness with any other Woman than his Wife from which it may be reasonably presum'd that any such Act of carnal Copulation was committed by the said parties either of the said parties being at the same time in the State of lawful Matrimony with any other person not absent beyond the Seas or otherwise unknown to the said party to be living by the space of seven years the same shall be taken reputed and adjudged lawful and sufficient Evidence of ADULTERY and the said parties being thereof convicted by Verdict upon Indictment or presentment before any Judge or Justices of Gaol Delivery or Oyer and Terminer shall suffer Death as in case of Felony without benefit of Clergy But if neither of the said parties be at the same time in such State of Matrimony the same shall be taken reputed and adjudged lawful and sufficient Evidence of Fornication only for which being thereof convicted as aforesaid each of the said parties shall for every such Offence be committed to the common Gaol without Bail or Mainprize there to continue for the space of and further until he or she respectively shall give Security to be taken by one or more Justice or Justices of the Peace of the said County or place to be of the Good Behaviour for the space of Year then next ensuing if it be the first Offence but if the second for the space of Years and if the third during life Provided that no Attainder by vertue hereof shall extend to Corruption of Blood or forfeiture of the Estate real or Personal of the person so attainted And for the better preventing of the said Sins for the time to come be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid That the Constable or Tythingman and the Church-Wardens of every parish for the time being shall once every Month at least or oftener if they see cause make diligent enquiry throughout their respective Parishes to discover all persons who shall prostitute themselves as common Strumpets and shall certifie the Names or reputed Names and the places of abode of all such persons as they shall find either by Information of Neighbours or other probable circumstances to be suspicious in that respect unto some Justice of the Peace residing in or near their respective Parishes who upon receipt of such Certificate shall direct his Warrant to the Constable or Officer of the Parish where any such suspected person shall be found to bring before him all or any such suspected person or persons And shall examine her or them and such Witnesses as shall appear in their behalf concerning their way and course of livelihood And that all such persons so suspected and not being able to give a good account of themselves shall be punished as Vagabonds and sturdy Beggars are liable to be punished by vertue of the Statute made in the 39th year of the Reign of the late Queen Elizabeth in that behalf And be it further Enacted that all such Persons as shall keep Houses of Bawdry or wittingly and knowingly admit lewd Persons Men and Women into their Houses to Commit Vncleanness or shall receive or continue to entertain in their Houses as Lodgers or otherwise any common Strumpet knowing that she continueth such her lewd Course of Life or shall wittingly and knowingly procure Meetings between Men and Women in order to their committing Adultery or Fornication together shall forfeit for the first Offence the summe of 5 l. and for the second the summe of 10 l. together with Costs of Suit to be recovered by Action of Debt Bill plaint or Information at the