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A60759
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Some animadversions on the paper delivered to the sheriffs, on Friday December the 7th 1683, by Algernon Sidney, Esq. before he was executed
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1683
(1683)
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Wing S4473; ESTC R13454
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3,550
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5
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SOME ANIMADVERSIONS ON THE PAPER Delivered to the SHERIFFS On Friday December the 7th 1683. BY Algernon Sidney Esq Before he was Executed THE old Sophisters of the Rebellion since the discovery of the Plot have been wonderfully industrious in spreading many inconsistent rumors that might if possible have stifled and discredited its Authority That stupendous piece of Villany contriv'd by Anti-monarchical Atheistical Re-publicans is represented to the unthinking Multitude as an airy fantom and illusion a trick of State and I know not what besides These tricks and shams our projective Conspirators imagin will undoubtedly have a great influence on the tempers of the People create doubts and jealousys and support the spirits of their Party amidst so many wonderful disappointments Their Design is yet deeper they would fain amuse the World and harangue upon their Innocency that they might more securely and more succesfully go on in their Resolv'd attempts against the Government Not only the language of the Living says but the Dead speak That the Plot is at an end that the Innocence of the late Sufferers is so very conspicuous that the World is strangely infatuated if they credit the least part of this Fanatik Conspiracy Egregious sophisms I am sorry to find that this furor Fanaticus this impetuous preposterous Zeal should hurry Men into these Acts of Imprudence and self-justification even in that minute which launches them into Eternity brings them before a Tribunal where there is no Corruption of Jury's on one hand Nor no hypocritical pretences and evasions on the other that can excuse or divert the deserved sentence I am concern'd likewise that the Faction are Resolv'd to defend themselves in all those manifest Acts of Rebellion as it has been apparent in my Lord Russel's Case and of this late unhappy Gentleman Mr. Sidney who directly follows his steps in point of Justification I have a great respect for Truth and Plain-Dealing I shall therefore modestly comport my self within the decent Rules of sobriety and calmness since I consider how I 'me to reflect on the behaviour of the Dead who I know are in no capacity to make a Vindication of their actions I shall not put the words of the Deceased Gentleman upon the Rack to make them confess more than they would But begin to Anatomize some particulars which may be most pernicious in the consequence if they are imbib'd for Truth and receiv'd as Gospel amongst the undigesting multitude Passing by his Apostolical Address Men Brethren c. and his excuse for not speaking freely because of the cold Weather and the Infirmity of Old Age and a close confinement I shall consider his opinion of the present Age which he says makes Truth pass for Treason He would have notably stigmatiz'd it but he was afraid the people wou'd not relish such Popular pieces of scandal Their ears wou'd be too tender to hear it This is a wonderful fit of squeamishness indeed since he must needs know that the Defenders of the OLD CAUSE would have made great improvement of it Fortiter calumniari aliquid haerebit West Rumsey and Keyling he says knew him not and others made use of his and of others Names to give Reputation to their designs the Lord Howard is an infamous Perjur'd Man who drudg'd and forswore himself in expectation of the promis'd Pardon 'T is no wonder to hear Witnesses branded with such opprobrious Characters since the persons concern'd propose to themselves that the dis-reputation of the Evidence is an argument of their Innocence and that by making them Reprobates they themselves should become Saints 'T is politickly done I confess but the cheat can't pass upon all people None but ill persons would engage in Conspiracy 't is true but the thing once detected how is it possible the Principal Actors should be punished unless their Brother Conspirators tho dipt in it themselves as my Lord Russel has it should give Evidence against them All Treasons must of necessity be unpunishable if such Witnesses are not allowed The stress of the matter he says lyes in the Papers taken in his Closet by the Kings Officers not prov'd to be his but by the similitude of an hand which is to be easily counterfeited By his leave the matters were not wholly reduc'd to the Papers tho those are bad enough by his own confession A small Bill or a compendious Letter may be counterfeited probably and a person hastily perusing it may be deceiv'd But a constant entercourse of Letters and diligent observing and comparing the Characters destroys such a Cheat. Mr. Sidney on his Tryal denies himself to be the Author of those dangerous wicked Principles as he calls Filmers contain'd in his Treatise yet here he frankly confesses the whole and tells the World without any haetsiation what his opinion and principles are To refute which it would take up a considerable time which a short reflection upon this very Speech will not allow However I shall touch slightly upon it He pretends his sheets were an Answer to Sir Robert Filmers Patriarcha and challenges a Liberty to express his thoughts in opposition to Kingly Government which Sir Robert pleads for His Anti-monarchical Principles are too too evident by all the actions of his Life his opinion or Article of his Creed is this I Believe that God hath left Nations unto the Liberty of setting up such Government as best pleased themselves Without doubt Mr. Algernon was for the people's doing again what seem'd right in their own Eyes and for having no King in Israel Our Pseudo-Protestant and Jesuitical Casuist again tells ye That the Laws give Power to the Magistrate Woful experience nforms us what sacred Blood was spilt upon Prosecuting this Rebellious Topique See the Tryal of King Charles the First and you 'l find Bradshaw speak the very Language of our Colonel The President tells his Majesty The Law is your Master the Law is your Superiour Debent ei ponere fraenum Rex est dum bene Regit and no longer if the Plenipotentiary's the people please I fancy that 't is equally possible to draw a parallel 'twixt the avowed principles of our discontented Statesman and those of the Sophistical canting President as 'twixt the Covenant and Association Mr. Sidney allows that the people make Choice of their Governors if so 't is certain they can depose them ad libitum For that which creates a power must of necessity be Superiour to that power it creates What a silly business then is a King which is or really should be Legibus solutus otherwise He cann't be Supreme I say What a triffle is a Crown if it can be given and taken according to the giddy humor of a freakish Multitude We may deny his suppositions likewise about his Election of Kings which must be either by a unanimous Consent of a whole Nation which is ridiculous For never was a publick General Meeting of a whole Kingdom known for Election of a Prince If there had been one Dissenter would have taken away the Unanimity If he talk't of the Major Part or Chusing by Proxy his Arguments will be found deficient likewise But 't is impossible to unravel all the particulars He may talk of the King of France's modesty and his boasting of the happy want of Power yet the whole World knows how little he confines himself to these thin Cobwebs the Laws which he breaks at pleasure Take then every Paragraph distinctly by its self and you 'l find abominable Principles couch't under it which once believ'd would be destructive of any Government whatsoever Take it altogether 't is a virulent Reflection and Libel against this His Jury is pick't who could not judg of the nature of such a Treasonable Pamphlet There were Persons of Understanding and Estates Return'd but his exceptions were against them thinking by his flashes of Rhetorick to win the others into an opinion of his Innocence Bur here comes the Epitome of scandal I was long since told I must Die or the Plot must Die This is fine impeaching the Justice of the Nation What! Does he make Abingdon Laws now in fashion Hang a Man right or wrong Sure no He had all the favour in the World shown him that a Person in his circumstances could expect or desire But here observe Malice and Rancour mixt with Scandal Lest the means of destroying the best Protestants should fail the Bench is fill'd with former blemishes of the Bar. Old Dogs never bite but when they bite sure Lord What horrible Days of Persecution are these the the best Protestants i. e. Rebellious Dissenters are condemn'd like Dogs by a parcel of Men who Sacrificed to the Idols of Mr. Williams ' s Chair Alas if he means so their Memories notwithstanding his detractions will smell sweet when the actions of a rash Tyrannical Club of Republicans will stink down to Posterity I shall not fall to the dissection of some other matters but tell you That without Innuendo's all these dangerous Justifications which are essential to our True-Protestants are purely Design'd to Poyson the People to animate them to a vigorous Prosecution of their beloved Plot which by our Colonels Death will not dwindle into Air but live and be a scandal for ever to the Party whom he espouses Now for the spirit of a Non. Con Forgive these Practisâ—s and avert the Evils c. Suffer not Idolatry to be Establish'd in the Land This is much the same with my Lord Russel's I do believe Popery is coming into the Land This Bugbear is known by all of them to be a successful business towards the Prosecution of their irreligious ends Lastly Be astonish't Reader at that sinful security wherein he prides himself Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum Was ever a Villany so Patroniz'd as this OLD CAUSE in Capitals See how he justifies the Rebellious actions of his Youth and makes Heaven to Vindicate 'em As if the permission of God Almighty were an approbation which is a very sinful inference In short I wish all People would consult their own Interest and not follow the footsteps of our late Resolute Rebels who make Treason Meritorious But if any have been withdrawn and seduced let them early Repent that they may divert the like Fatal Sentence that is infallibly due to all Factious Conspirators LONDON Printed by G. C. for John Cox at the Blew-Ball in Thames-street over-against Baynards-Castle 1683.