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A54973 Plain dealing is a jewel and honesty the best policy both set forth in an answer to a letter received by a gentleman in London, from his friend in the countrey : wherein is planly demonstrated the grounds and reasons of our present distractions and methods proposed for preventing the same for the future / by a lover of truth and a hearty well-wisher to the prosperity of the King and his three kingdoms. Lover of truth and a hearty well-wisher to the prosperity of the king and his three kingdoms. 1682 (1682) Wing P2352; ESTC R8001 28,621 25

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Plain Dealing IS A JEWEL AND HONESTY THE BEST POLICY Both set forth In an Answer to a Letter received by a Gentleman in London from his Friend in the Countrey Wherein is plainly demonstrated the Grounds and Reasons of our present Distractions And Methods proposed for preventing the same for the Future By a Lover of Truth and a hearty well-wisher to the Prosperity of the King and his Three Kingdoms LONDON Printed for the Author 1682. Plain Dealing IS A JEWEL AND HONESTY the best POLICY SInce the Arguments I have used for obtaining your excuse have been so far from prevailing that on the contrary you are pleased by your last positively to Command my sentiments of the Present Conjuncture of Affairs and Thoughts concerning those scandalous reports industruously spread throughout the Kingdom of His Majesties having had for many years past a design carrying on and which is still kept on foot for the Introducing Arbitrary Power setting up Popery Invading Liberty and Property and extirpating if possible the Protestant Religion Establisht by Law I shall with sincerity account to you my oJudgment and offer such Reasons as I hope will convince all sober and unbyassed Readers to be of opinion that these reports are as false as malitious having nothing of truth in them 〈◊〉 occasioned as followeth There are a sort of Malecontents amongst us most of them men of mean Fortunes turbulent and restless Spirits who design Troubles and Commotions in the Kingdome in hopes thereby to gain advantage to themselves by the miseries and sufferings of others These make it their whole business to create in the minds of the Kings Subjects Fear and Jealousies of His Majesties designing to Govern Arbitrarily Introduce Popery Extirpate the Protestant Religion and Invade Property by setting up Abbyes and Monasteries and restoring to them their Anciant Lands and Revenues now disperst into the hands of most of the Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdom In process of time by these and such like evil Practices the Ignorant and unthinking mens minds whose Capacities will neither give them leave to examine whether these Reports be true or false reasonable or unreasonable to be believed possible or impossible to be accomplished are become greatly disturbed and such jealousies are risen in them concerning the King as hath abated the fervency of their former affection to his Royal Person and their Zeal for his Service and Government occasioned such Divisions Animosities and Contentions between Subject and Subject put their Spirits upon such firmentations divided and subdivided them into so many several Parties Factions and Interests each Diamatrical opposite to the other that unless Almighty God in his Infinite mercy goodness and wisdom please to direct a speedy way for the Uniting them in Love together I fear the consequence may in a short time prove pernicious if not fatal both to King and People which it is dreadful to consider should be the Effect and Consequence of some mens Credulity on the one hand and others Impudent falsity on the other Pardon me Sir I beseech you if I happen to differ from you in Opinion when I possitively affirm that by all my own observations and the Scrutiny I have made by inquiring of and conversing with others I never yet found the least ground to believe His Majesty had ever really any design as is falsly suggested to set up Arbitrary Power or Introduce Popery nor is there any shadow or coulor for the Fears and Jealousies of this Nature with which mens minds are so ●trangly possest If His Majesty had ever designed so to Govern sure it would have been show● at his first ●●turn into England to take Possession of his Royal Crown 〈◊〉 Government for having lived most part of the time of his horrid Sufferings under an Illegal and Unjust Banishment in those Countries where the Government was absolute or nearest to absolute their Laws being Enervated and deprest by their Princes it might have been reasonably expected he would then have brought over considering how barbarously his Royal Father had been murdered and himself and the whole Royal Family been dealt with in their Exile a Scheme of such Government with him the which if he had done no Prince in Christendome ever had such an opportunity to have accomplisht the same as our King then had Was he not upon his return to his Kingdoms absolute Lord and Master of all his Subjects Lives and Estates by the Law of the Land occasioned by their own forfeiture either by open Actings or silent acquiessing under the late Rebellion Services done for or Taxes paid to the late Userpors whereby they were all guilty of high Treason and stood in need of His Majesties Royal Pardon Might not His Majesty after his Restauration when all his Subjects either adored or feared him being brought in with the Hearts and most Zealous Affections of his People have had at that time any thing from his Parliament that he could have demanded If therefore he had then had a Design ever to Govern Arbitrarily there never was such an opportunity for accomplishing thereof as when he first came over when he could not have askt that Sum of Mony for his present supply or annual Revenue for the future Support of his Royal Prerogative and such his intended Government but it would have been granted by his Friends in hopes of Reward and durst not have been opposed by his Enemies tho never so unreasonoble for fear of being called to account for their Treasons no Act of Oblivion being then past of which the meanest Subject stood in need and could not have been long safe without So that if His Majesty had any Intention ever tho not at that time to set up for Arbitrary Government he lost it for want of asking for His Majesty well knew that the Interest he then had in his People was such that he need but to have demanded and it would certainly have been given to him Notwithstanding all which to show his Subjects that he valued Reigning in their Hearts and Affections much more than to be Master of their Lives and Fortunes forfeited to him as aforesaid he was graciously pleased himself to press his two first Parliaments to pass a general Act of Indemnity which they did with great regret and threw himself upon his Parliaments for such supplies as they then thought necessary for the present support of the Government without making any Bargain or entring into any Capitulation with them as he might have done for a constant and certain Revenue for the future Nor did His Majesty if he had any such design deny himself in his respect only but in many other that were in his power whereby he might have Inricht himself and brought Immence Sums of Mony into his Coffers to have been kept in readiness when ever he had been pleased to set up for such a Government wherewith to have defrayd the necessary Charges thereof as for Instance His Majesty might have taken all the