REMARKS upon a late PAPER ENTITULED A True Relation of the Cursed Designs and Intrigues which have been lately carry'd on both in England and France to Restore the late King JAMES c. Discovered by some Gentlemen lately Arriv'd from St. Germaines IT is agreed by most Men that there are several degrees and sorts of Liâ—s which as far as they concern this True Relation we shall divide into these Two One when a Man repeats that for Truth which he certainly knows to be false the other when he reports that for Truth which he doth not know to be true or in his Conscience believes to be false the latter is but a small Extenuation of the first But both of them if they may prejudice a third Person are malicious and damnable I will not determine how far the Author of the True Relation is guilty in either or any Case but shall leave the Censure of him â—o the Judgment of every Impartial Reader when the Matter of Fact shall be examined We shall divide the Relation into two Parts First We shall consider the Matter of Fact and then the Application and use made of it The Birth of this Wonderful Paper justly claims our first Remark not that we know any thing of its Noble Descent or of those Gentlemen of very good Note who it seems club'd in its Generation but it is of great Importance to acquaint the Reader That the Body of this Paper with the very Numerical Words contain'd in it first appear'd to the World in a certain Pamphlet which had in its Title A Shâ—rt and True Relation of Intrigues transacted both at Home and Abroad to Restore the late King James It was publickly dandled about the Streets with great Noise for one Day and then vanished not one to be had for Love or Money The Reasons might probably be these The first part of that Pamphlet is an Invective against King James particularly for his Ingratitude to his Friends and of those it makes special mention of the Irish Catholicks and Protestant Dissenters both which it says he hath made an Oblation to the Passive-Obedience-men meaning I suppose the Church of England-men who it further says are now the late King's Creatures and the only Persons that would Abdicate the Gospel rather than their Church-Livings And next it highly Censures K. James for his great Mercy to his Enemies and concludes that part of it with a Curse viz. Seeing now King James 's Favours are only reserved to promote his Enemies let his Enemies grow potent every where and numerous withal and let him be so lost that he may never be found here at Home I suppose it will be easily granted me that these were not proper Topicks to insist upon especially at that Juncture of Affairs for every young States-man would soon conclude that if this Learned Pamphlet together with K. James's late Declaration could convince his Enemies of their Security and His Favour towards them the Passive-Obedience-men as he calls them would easily concur with his Enemies notwithstanding King James's Ingratitude towards his Restoration which would make it unavoidable Now the Wiser Government seeing the ill Consequence of so foolish a Suggestion had very good reason to recal betimes this ill-digested and worse-concluding Pamphlet besides it insinuates strongly to the Church of England for whose Preservation King Charles the First suffered Martyrdom and for fear of whose falsly and maliciously-pretended Destruction his Son King James the Second is turn'd out of his three Kingdoms that K. James is so truly and sincerely their Friend that he scruples not to make an Oblation of the Roman Catholicks themselves to the Church of England 's Interest Now whatsoever the Government may intend hereafter it is certain that during this Session of Parliament it would have been a surprizing Indiscretion to have given or permitted so just an Occasion to be given to the Church of England established by Law and for whose pretended Preservation so many thousands of English Lives have been vainly cast away to adhere to the Interest of King James through the hasty Zeal and Phanatical Itch of this foolish Pamphleteer For the Church of England have found by Experience and at present without the additional help of this Pamphlet are sensible enough that whatsoever hath been or may be pretended for her Security she can never be so happy under any unjust Revolution or Usurpation as under a Lawful Rightful Prince who is not only bound by the Law but by Royal Promise to protect and defend her But notwithstanding these plain and broad Hints already given this Man is so fond of his Project that he anticipates the Privy Council and forces the Cabinet it self to give vent to his Folly he tells us then toâ—ards the Conclusion of his Pamphlet that he hath found a long Snake in the Grass which it seems is no other than some Church of England-men with whom the major part of our Councils and places of Trust are fill'd and ends that excellent Paragraph with News from the Court at St. Germains viz. That it dreads nothing more than such an alteration of the Leiutenancy and Justices of the Peace over all England as it hath pleased their Majesties of late to cause in London It must be acknowledged that about this Time a Discourse was spread about that the Leiutenancy and Government of all England as well as London would be settled in the Hands of the Presbyterians and some of the Dissenting Party in Exclusion of the Church of England-men whether the Government intended any such Alteration I know not But I think it sufficiently evident that it would have been a gross Beveiâ— and Over-sight to have suffered this Scribler so much to over-run their own Councils as publickly to insinuate a Change so ungrateful to a Parliament which was to grant a Supply for the Support of this Government and of which the most considerablest part is look'd upon to be firm to the Doctrine and Interest of the Church of England By this time I think it is visible enough that the Government had very good Reason to suppress betimes this foolish Contradictory Pamphlet which as it blows hot and cold with a Breath so it would probably have done much more harm than good to that very Cause which it pretends so affectionately to support But however though this Pamphlet was supprest for these sufficient Reasons before-mentioned yet there was not the same Cause to stifle the True Relation for since its chief Design is to set forth King James's Ingratitude and Inconstancy to his Friends without touching upon his Royal Mercy and Favour to his Enemies it was to be hoped that it might cool and moderate at least the Zeal and Affection of his Friends especially since the Truth will want no Confirmation and that further Enquiry into Foreign Affairs will remove all Doubts and leave no room for Contradiction without inflaming the good Will of his Enemies whom his Favours are only reserved
to promote It was agreed upon then that this Paper should receive a new Caesarian Birth and accordingly she was ript out of the Bowels and became the fatal Daughter of her unhappy Sister Pamphlet Abroad she appears the second time altered only in her outward Dress saving that a new Head or Title was given to her carrying a Cause in her Mouth and her Tail tyed up by Authority with a Licensed according to Order Being thus set forth and recommended to us we â—hall treat her with the respect due to her Chaâ—acter but at the same time we think it a piece â—f Justice due to the Nation and conducing much to her own Honour that the Matter of fact may be strictly but Impartially exâ—mined The Preamble informs us that the following â—elation was had from Gentlemen of very good â—ote who have seen most of the Transactions at St. Germains c. That some Notorious Genâ—lemen may possibly have contributed something â—owards the setting forth this True Relation I will â—ot deny But as for the Gentlemen of very good Note especially such as have seen most of the Transâ—ctions at St. Germains for about four Years last past â—here is not a Man of them of what Nation or Religion soever he be but is Personally known â—o us nor are we ignorant which and how many of them to a Man have during these â—our Years arrived in England And we do posiâ—ively affirm that no such Gentleman of very good Note either hath or ever will affirm any one material part of this True Relation to be really â—rue notwithstanding therefore that the Auâ—hor of this True Relation tells us That the Truth if it will want no Confirmation c. We must desire the Reader to suspend his belief till Matâ—er of Fact be more strictly examined into which we shall now make an Impartial Enquiry The Paper tells us in the first Paragraph That abont two Years since the late King fed himself with the Thoughts of being an Absolute Monarch from the great Incouragement at that Time received from the Pope and the French King but meeting with unexpected Disappointments he consulted some of his Protestant Council and told them he was resolved to â—reat with his late Subjects and to give them any Conditions and reconcile himself to them 'T is an îll Omen they say when a Man stumbles at the Threshold but this Fellow stumbles throughout he stumbles upon all Four And having already obtain'd a License he may in good time procure a Patent to stumble all the Days of his Life He tells us That about Two Years since the King had Thoughts of being an Absolute Monarch by the great Incouragement received at that Time from the French King and the Pope c. Now about two years since must fall in with the Spring 1692 and this Pope was chosen about the latter end of August immediately preceding that Spring and in that Interval of Time he was so little setled in his Geers that the Complemental Civilities had scarce past between Rome and Versailes in which Time this True Relation nevertheless fixes the Incouragement given by that Pope to King James And can any Man believe that a Neopolitan Pope so lately a Subject to the King of Spain would whip and spur to St. Germains on purpose to set up an Absolute Monarch against the Interest of his late Master and without the Desires and contrary to the Intentions and publick Declaration of that very pretended Absolute Monarch himself Certainly this Man imagins that we have lost our Memories and our Understandings as well as our Honour and Loyalty or he would never presume to impose such incredible Stuff upon Men who had any of their Senses left them A great many Considerations might be offered to shew also how improbable it is that the K. of France should engage in such a Design but above all what Intimation hath King James given by his first Declaration of the 20th of April 92 that he himself desired any thing more than the Fe-establishment of the Greatness of the English Monarchy upon its Old and True Foundation the united Interest and Affection of the People And what other Means doth he propose to do this by than by the Advice and Assistance of his Parliament which I suppose to Man believes would voluntarily present him with an Absolute Power He tells us further That K. James consulted his Protestant Council certainly these Gentlemen of very good Note were altogether asleep at St. Germaines during the Transactions there for four Years last past or they could never have dreamt of any such thing as a Protestant Council since it is notoriously known that for above two Years last past the King hath had no Council at all â—therwise than as extraordinary Occasions or Emergencies might happen he may have consulted some Persons of Quality about him And there is no doubt but these Gentlemen of very good Note could easily have informed us how many Protestants of that Rank were to be found at St. Germaines when he fixes the Date of this Protestant Council So that the Story which he makes the King tell to them or him or No-Body must be a Story which No-Body but this Relator could have told again And yet if the Story had been true viz. that the King resolved to treat with and reconcile himself to his late Protestant Subjects I see no reason this Man hath to blame him for it except he thought it might conduce to his Happy Return This true Relator proceeds and informs us That my Lord Middleton drew a Declaration meaning the King's last Declaration answerable to the Desires of the Church-men of England and Ireland brought it to France about the beginning of March 93. And after high Debates about it at which no doubt the Relator was present The King to remove all Scruples of Conscience consulted the College of Sorbon and the Irish College The Faculty of Sorbon declared against it and the Irish College for it Had we not seen many of such true Narratives in our Days it would be very surprizing especially under the dispensation of a Government that hath most signally secured the Church of England and the whole Nation from the Danger of Popery and Arbitrary Power to read a True Relation Licensed according to Order which nevertheless hath scarce one word of Truth in it We do affirm then and will leave no room for Contradiction that my Lord Middleton did not arrive at St. Germaines till after the Date of the King 's last Declaration Now though this might be a sufficient Answer and Confutation of a great part of this true Relation yet to give the Readers entire Satlsfaction and disabuse the Credulous who are apt to take Grub-street News for a London Gazette we shall follow this True Relation through all the Particulars and do further avert First That the College of Sorbon was never consulted in this Matter and by consequence did never give their Opinion concerning it
much the King promises for them but to explain this Matter more fully and to leave no room for Cavil we shall divide the Article-Men as they call them into three Ranks First Those who lost by the Repeal of the Act of Settlement Secondly Those who will lose by the Act of Re-establishment Thirdly Those who had no real Estates at all and by Consequence will neither gain nor lose by it Now to the first and second sort of those who followed the King into France after the Capitulation it is most certain that they amount not to the hundredth Man of those who followed him and as for those who stay'd behind they had the benefit of the Articles and were or ought to have been admitted to their Estates according to the Act after a Praevious Oath of Allegiance taken to K. William and Q. Mary These therefore I suppose neither are nor intended to be concerned in the King's Declaration neither can those who lost by the Repeal of the Act of Settlement he offended at the King's Resolution to re-establish it In short it affects those only who followed the King to the last and will be Losers if the said Act be re-established these also must be distinguished into two sorts those who followed the King purely out of Lovalty Zeal and Affection to his Person and Cause and those who for some Extravagancies and Misdemeanours during the War under K. James did not think it safe to stay behind for they had heard and were well informed that many vexatious Suits were carâ—â—dâ—on against some on this side the Shannon who had taken Protection under K. W. for Misdemeanours commited during the War even to the undoing many of them But howeve◠〈◊〉 either of those sorts of Persons had any Reason to be offended at any part of the King's Declaration relating to them For first had the King taken no Notice at all of them they could never have justly pretended to more than they themselves desired or agreed unto by their Capitulations Nor Secondly had they deserted K. James and gone over to K.W. they could never have had any other Conditions than to be admitted to their Estates according to the Act of Settlement But Thirdly The King for theiâ— Loyalty and good Services to Him promises to recompence such as may suffer by the Re-establâ—shment according to the degree of their Sufferings and what better and securer way could he have proposed to do this than by the Advice and Consent of his Parliament And what greater Promises could he have made the man relation to their Estates and in his present câ—rcumstances than he hath done especially as hath been already said since the very Repeal of that Act was in a great measure extorted from the King contrary to his own Opinion therein often declared and contrary to the Interest of very many considerable Catholick Irish. For it is well known that after the Act of Settlement many Conveyances and Purchases were made among themselves under that Title which by the Repeal are destâ—oyed And so univâ—rsally wâ—re the Catholick-Irish Merchants more especiall in Galloway and thereabouts concâ—rned in this Repeal that their Loyalty was â—o a little suspected upon that Account and many hard things said of them during the Siege not necâ—ssary now to be repeated What more then could these Men have desired of the King than to be restored to their Estate according to the Act of Seâ—â—lement and Promise to those who may suffer by the Re-establishment of it of a Recompence according to the degree of their Suffâ—rings which is much more than they had and Reason to hope for under this present Government By this Time I â—ope it is â—â—iden beyond Conâ—radiction First That in France â—e Irish Army did never mutiny about the King's Declaraâ—ion and Secondly That they had no Reâ—son so to do I suppose there is no need of â—aying any thing about a Second Declaration For First we have and do affirm That there was no Declaration at all â—enâ— by R. J Order to the 〈◊〉 Army And next by what hath been already said there cannot nor could be any Occasion for a Second Whatsoever relates therefore more to the â—â—ish is meer fictitious Stuff and the Man 's own Imagination We must now take Notice and thank the true Relator for it That he hath offered one piece of Truth to us viz That the King caused the Declaration to be put in the Paris Gazette From whence we may observe these two Things First That the King had well considered the Consents of his Declaration which most probably was communicated to and approved of by the Court at Versailes and that by the Publication of it he intended no less than the Christian Woâ—ld should be acquainted with his just and merciful Resolutions taken for the Satisfaction of his Subjects and that he always would and now actually doth stand by the same upon the Conditions therein offered The Second Remark is That had the Faculty of Sorbon declared against the said Declaration as this Man pretends especially when formally consulted and in a Case of Conscience 〈◊〉 it is most unlikely we should ever have found it in the Paris Gazette or that after it the King should be so extreamly much made of in the Court of France as this Man tell us he is though in the same Paragraph he hath the Folly to say also that he hath lost thereby the Affection of the French Nobility which comes very near a direct Contradiction 〈◊〉 except he can make a Court subsist without Nobility or extreamly much made of as he words it without Affectâ—on In his next Paragraph he tells us of Articles and twelve Heads God help his poor Head for we know 〈◊〉 where 〈…〉 any such Arâ—â—cles except in tha◠〈…〉 Then he proceeds to acquainâ— us â—ha notwithstanding 〈◊〉 King had lost the Interest and Affection of the French Nobility and Clergy and the high Diâ—contents and Disatisfaction of the Irish together with his own Ingratitude and Inconstancy yet now the court is elevated with Joy at the Hopes of his Return But as Ill-Luck will have it he tells 〈◊〉 in the lame Breath That the great Joy was oâ—â— sudden tain'd 〈◊〉 Sorrow and a total Dissolution of all hopes of a Second Restoration Immediately after this dismal Dissolution The King is nevertheless so certainly assured that he could not said of being receiv'd in England without any Opposition that he posts to Versailes to demand Succours But Oh! the Inconstancy of Fortune and Favour of Princes when all Things just before were ready Abroad as well as at Home and no doubt in the least but they would have answered Expectation the French King dasheâ— all with a Speech which King James taking in Sheet-Hand and these Gentlemen of very good Note taking it also in short Hand from the Mouth of King James the whole Court ever since hath been in a Fit of the Choslicâ—â— by which they are so disfigured and