by an Enacted Law And no leâ—s frankly they Surrendred the Power of the Militia into his Hands of both which Acts being done in haste they had leisure enough afâ—erwards to repent But notwithstanding all the great Kindness of this Parliament and their more than extraordinary Liberality to the King of several Millioâ—s of the Peoples Money which was with the same Profusion wasted upon his Pleasures and the carrying on his Designs for the Introducing of Popery and French not a Penty hardly to the good of the Nation while â—hâ— Sâ—amen were sed with a Bit and a Knock and the Merchants that supplied the Stores of the Navy were Cheated of their Money and never paid to this day with what Scorn and Contempt he â—sed them and how far from that Esteem and Veneration he profesâ—ed to have for them while he was wheedling for his Restauration is apparent to all the Kingdom 'T is true the King continued them till all Men of impartial Knowledge and Judgment thought them Dissolved by Law and â—ill that they were Dissolv'd by himself the 25th of Ianuary 1678. not that they Sat so long but were discontinued and contemptuously spared from Meeting to Meeting many times by the inâ—imated Ordeâ—s and to promote the Designs of the French King and â—ever suffered them to Sir but when the King was in extreâ—m necessity of Money Among the rest oâ— those Prorogaâ—ions there was one at a time when the greatest urgency in Affairs the greaâ—est danger that threatned the Eâ—glish Nation required their Sittlng when they were diving into the Bottom of the Popish Plot and endeavâ—uring to bring to condign Punishment the chief Instruments which the King had made use oâ—â—o compâ—ss his Arbitrary and Popish Design Very remarkable is the Actions of the Preceding Night which was follow'd by the Morning Prorogations the relation of which is so gross that we think to draw a Curtain over it lest common Fame should lead us into an Error in any particular However this is certain that Prince Rupert the next Morning understanding what Resolutions were taken pressed the King with all the vehemency imaginable that Argument and Reason could enforce but at the same time the Duke of York stuck close to his Proâ—her telling him That his Cousin Rav'd c. so that the Duke that advised for the Ruine of the Nation was believed but the Priâ—ce that spoke his Mind freely for the Good of the Kingdom was dismisled for a Mad-man So well did the King Act his Part that when his well-meaning Counsellors lent their assisting hands to prevent the Consequences of French and Popish Dictates they were mistaken in the Man and gave their wholsome Advice to him that was not â—ound to take it During this Sessions of Parliament many foul things came to light for while the King had raised an Army and prâ—ssed the Parliament for Money to maintain them under pretence of making a War with France which was the earnest desire of all the Protestant pâ—rt of the Kingdom The Parliamenâ— were â—ully informed that while the King boasted of the Alliaâ—ces which he had made for the Preservation of Flanders and the Protestant Religion both at home and abroad he was secrâ—tly entred into Treatiâ—s and Alliâ—ncâ—s at the same time with the French King and Mr. Garroway of the House of Commons had gotten a Copy of the private Treâ—ty between the King of England and the French King at the same Instâ—nt that the Secretary and the others of the Court Parâ—y cried out a War iâ—somuch that several that were then in the House of Commons began to blush when they saw the Cheat so palpably discerned It was farther discovered That a great Favoueite of the Dukes had been sent over into France under a pretence oâ— Expostulating and requiring Satisfaction for the Injuries which the English had received from the French but in reality to carry the Project of Articles for the Peace and to the setâ—le and confirm all things fasâ— about the Money that was to come from France and to agree the Methods for Shamming the Conâ—ederates about their expected Alliances They found themselves cheated of all the Pole Bill Money which they had given so little a while before upon the Assurance of a War intended against France â— the greatest part of which they perceiv'd was immediately tho appropriated to the French War only converted to other Uses as the paying of old Debts so that very little was left for paying any Necessaries bought or to be bought towards the pretended War with France Nor were they ignorant of the real Design for which the King had raised his Army and what care the King and his Brother took that there should be no other Officers in that Army than what were fit for the Work in Hand which was to introduce Popery and French Government by main force The greater part being downright Papists or else such as resolved so to be upon the first Inâ—imation The Duke recommending all such as he knew â—it for the Turn and no less than an hundred Commissions were Signed to Irish Papists to raise Forces noâ—withstanding the Act by which means both the Land and Naval Forces were in safe Hands And to compleat the Work hardly a Judge Justice of the Peace or any Officer in England but what was of the Dukes promotion Nor were they ignorant of the private Negotiations of the Duke carried on by the Kings Connivance with the Pope and Cardinal Norfolk who had undertaken to raise Money from the Church sufficient to supply the King's Wants till the Work werd done in case the Parliament should smoke their Design and refuse to give any more Nor was the Parliament ignoranâ— what great Rejoicing there was in Rome it self to hear in what a posture His Majesty was and how well provided of an Army and Money to begin the Business The Parliament also understood while they were labouring the War with France and to resist â—he growth of Popery and Arbitrary Power That the King underthand assisted the French with Mâ—n and Ammunition of all sorts and soon after that a Câ—ssation was concluded both at Nimeguen and Paris That the King had got some Money from France for that Job by which the French King was now sure to hold all his Conquests â—broâ—d which had England been real to the Coâ—â—edâ—rates might have been easily wrested out of his Hands But it seems it was not so muâ—h Money as our King expected which made him Angry so that he began to threaten That if the Fâ—ench King did not perform his Promise of 300000 l. Annuity for Three Years he would undo all thaâ— he had done against the next Parliament But the French King derided those vain Threatâ— menacing in his turn That if the King of England would not be content with his Tâ—rms and do and say to the Parliament according to his Directions he would discover both him and hiâ— Correspondents in betrayiâ—g the Nâ—tion and discover all
Hereticks and that all good Christians were bound to Associate and Unite for their Extirpation Upon which Account it seems our King and the Duke thought fit to exchange the Appellation of of Gâ—od Protestants for that of Good Christians However from hence it was plain what sort of Good Christians they were since it was evident that their Uniting with France in that War was to desâ—roy the Pâ—otestant Dutch Hereticks These being the real Grounds and Motives that induced the King of England to begin that Impolitick War agâ—inst the Dutch in the year 1665. whatever was openly and publickly pretended How strangely was the Parliament deluded and blinded by the King's Oaths and Protestations of his Zeal for the Protestant Religion What Sums of the Subjects Money they gave this Monarch to defray the Expences of that nnnecessary and baneful War is too well known and yet after all saving one brisk Engagement ill manag'd tho' with some losâ— to the Dutch at length no Fleet was set out and the choicest of their Royal Navy either Burnt or taken in Harbour to save Charges And though the French at lengâ—h joyn'd themselves in assistance with the Dutch against us yet by the Credit he had with the Queen-Mother he so far imposed upon that upon assurance which no Mâ—n of Prudence and Foresight would have believed That the Dutch would have no Fleet at Sea that Year he forbore to make ready and so incurred that ignominious Disgrace at Chatham the like to which the English never suffered since they claim'd the Dominion of the Sea And now we come to the best Act that ever he did in his Life had he pursued it which shewed how happy a Prince he might have been had he been ever faithful to his own and the Interests of his People and that Religion which he outwardly profest For upon Conclusion of that Peace having leisure to look about him and to observe how the French had in the Year 1667. taken their opportunity and while we were embroyled and weakned by the late War had in Violation of all the most Sacred and Solemn Oaths and Treaties Invaded and Taken a great part of the Spanish Netherlands which had always been considered as the natural Frontier oâ— England the King then prompted more by his own Fears then out of any kindness he had for the Nation judg'd it necessary to interpose before the Flames that consumed next Neighbour should throw the Sparks over the Water Thereupon he sent Sir William Temple then his Resident at Brussels to propose a nearer Alliance with the Hollanders and to take joynt Measures against the French which Proposals of Sir William Temple's being entertained with all Compliance by the Dutch within Five days after Two several Treaties were concluded between the King and the States The one a Defensive and stricter Leagâ—e than before between the Two Nations and the other a joynt and reciprocal Engagement to oppose the Conquest of Flandâ—rs and â—o procure either by way of Meditation or by â—orce of Arms a speedy Peace between France and Spain upon the Tâ—rms therein mentioned And because Sweeden came into the same Treaty within a very little while after â—rom the Three Parties concern'd and engag'd it was called the Tripple League In pursuance of which the Treaty of â—ix la Chapelle was also forc'd upon the French and in some measure upon the Spaniards who were unwilling to part with so great a part of their Country by a Solemn Treaty The King of France thus stopped in his Career by the Tripple League and by the Peace of Aix la Chapelle soon after concluded tho' for a while he dissembled his dissatisfaction yet resolved to untye the Tripple League whatsoever it cost him and therefore set his Counsels to work to try all the ways he could possibly think on in order to compass his sad Design To which purpose and as it 's generally thought that which aâ—â—ected it the Dutchess of Orleance was sent over to Dover where if common Fame say true several Chamber Secrets were performed This Treaty was for a long time a work of Darkness and lay long concealed till the King of France to the end the King of England being truly set forth in his Colours out of a despair of ever being trusted or forgiven by his People hereafter might be push'd to go on bare faced and follow his steps in Government most Treacherously and Unking like cauâ—ed it to be printed at Paris though upon Complaint made at the French Court and the Author though he had his Instructions from Colbert to humour the King committed to the Bastile for a short time and then let out again However the Book being Printed some few Copies lit into safe Hands from whence take the Substance of the Mystery of Iniquity as followeth After that Monsieur de Croisy the French Embassador at London had laid before the Eyes of the King of England all the Grounds which his Majesty had of Complaint against Holland c. He told him That the time was come to revenge himself of a Nation that had so little Respect for Kings and that the occasion was never more favourable seeing many of the â—rinces of Germany were already entred into the League and that the King of France was powerful enough to be able to promise to his Allies in the Issue of that War for satisfaction both as to their Honour and Interests whereby he prevailed with that Prince to enter into Secret Alliance with France And for his greater Assurance and the more to confirm him Henrietta Dutchess of Orleance went for England and proposed to her Brother in the Name of the most Christian King that he would assure him an absâ—lute Authority over his Parliament and â—ull power to establish the Cathoâ—ick Religion in his Kingdoms oâ— England Scotland and Ireland But withal she told him that to compass this before all things else iâ— would bâ— necessary to abate the Pride and Power of the Dutch and to reduce them to the sole Province oâ— Holland and that by this means the King of England shâ—â—ld haâ—e Zealâ—nd â—or a Retreat in case of necessity and that the rest of the Law-Countries should remain to the King of France if he could render himself Master of it This is the Sum of that Famous Leage concluded at Dâ—vâ—r framed and entred into on purpose for the Subjugaâ—ion of these Three Nations to Popery and Slâ—very Soon â—fter this the Emperor oâ— Germany the Duke of Lâ—rrain and several other Gâ—rman Princes desired to be admitted into the Tripple League but it was absolutely refused them Nay So soon as the Two Consâ—derate Monarcâ—s haâ— thus made a shift to cut the Gordian Knot the now pitiful but formerly vaunted Trippâ—e Leaguâ— was trampled under foot turned into Ridiâ—niâ— and less valuâ—d than a Ballad Insomuch that to talk of admiâ—ting others into the Tripple League was apprâ—hended in Print as a kind of Fiâ—â—â— of Speech commâ—nly called a
Friends were privy to it After which perceiving that his Brother's Restauration was fully determined in England under pretence that it would be more for his own and the Honour and Interest of his Brother to Marry with some great Princess that would both enrich and strengthen them by the largeness of her Dowry and the graatness of her Relations he would have taken an Occasion from the privacy of the Nuptials to deny her being his Wife` and disavow all Contracts and Ceremonies of Marriage between them But the King detesting so much buseness as being himself a witness of the Marriage would not suffer the Lady to be so heinously abused but constrained him after great reluctancy to declare it publickly to all the World A happy Providence for England which by that ' Conjunction blest us with two Pâ—otestant Princâ—sses matchless in Virtue and Prety and all those other Graces that adorn their Sex to the eldest of which we are beholden â—or our Deliverance from an Inundation of Slavery and Popery under the Auspicious Conduâ—â— oâ— a Sovereign truly meriting the Noble and Ancient Titles of King of Men and Shepherd of the People and the yet more dignified Addition of Defender of the Faith And from the youngest of which we have already the earnest of a hopeful Issue to guard us from the like Invasions Such is the Provision of Providence that many times it happens the most venemous Creatures carry about them the particular Antidote against thier own Poysons Certain it is that the Duke of York would never have pulled off his Protestant Vizard nor have declared himself of the Roman Communion so soon had he not been thereto necessitated by a Stratagem of the King his Brother for the Papists having a long time waited for the Accomplishment of the King's Oathes and Promises for restoring their Religion and having annually contributed large Sums of Money towards the effecting of it at length grew impatiently sullen and would advance no more unless the King or the Duke would openly declare themselves for Popery Which the King thinking no way seasonable for him to do and not being able by all his Arguments and Importunities to prevail with his Brother to do it he at length bethought himself of this Project which was To get the Queen to write a Letter intimating her Intention to withdraw into a Monastery which Letter was to be left upon her Closet-Table that her Priests as it was concerted before-hand might there seize it and seeing the Contents of it carry it forthwith to the Duke Upon which the Duke being Jealous left the King upon the Queens relinquishing her Husband might be induced to marry again and thereby deprive him of the hopes of succeeding than which there was nothing which he thirsted after more upon obtaining a previous Assurance that in case he declared himself a Papist she would not withdraw immediately pulled oâ—f his Mask and renounced Communion with the Church of England Being thus quit of his fears from the King his next work was to did himself of all his Jealousies of the Duke of Monmouth To which purpose he lay day and night at the King to require him to turn Roman Catholick Which the King out of his Tenderness to the Romish Cause as well as to gratifie his Brother undertook to do and accordingly sent him into France with an express Command to reconcile himself to the Church oâ— Rome However the Duke of Monmouth out of an aversion to â—he Fopperies of that Religion failed in his Performance which so incenseâ— the Duke of York that from that time â—orward he studied all the ways imaginable to bring him to Destruction In the mean time having by his publickly declâ—ring himself a Papist engaged all those of the same Religion to his Person and Interest he resolved to drive on Iehu like and to promote the Catholick Cause with all the vigour and swiftness he was able and to make the utmost use of his Brothers good Intentions And such was his Bigottry to the Romish Church That according to the Principles of that Religion he stuck at nothing per fas nefaâ— to bring about his Popish Designs I shall not here dilaâ—e upon his secret Negotiâ—tions at Rome his Correspondencies with Foreign Priests and Jesuites or his private Intrigues with the French King which have been all sufficiently exposed already in Print as for thaâ— whatever has been already said of the King is also to be said of him in general while he was Duke in regard they both drew in the same Yoak for the Ruine of the Nation For this is as certain as the rest that he had a most eager desire to Rule and Rule dispotically which was the Reason he was frequently heard to say He had rather Reign one Month as the King of France than Twenty Years as his Brother the King of England did And besides it was as plain That he had a mortal Autipathy against the Protestant Religion and more particularly against the Professors of it in England but more especially the Dissenters upon the score of revenging his Fathers Death An imbittered hatred which he derived from his Mother who mortally malliced England upon the same Account and which he acknowledged in his Bed-Chamber at St. Iames's where he openly declared That he was resolved to be revenged upon the English Nation â—or his Fathers Death Which if those unthinking People who are so eager to have him agaiâ— would but consider they would not be so forward for his Return For it is in vain for the Church of England â— Men of what degree soever to think that their refusing to swear Allegiance to King VVilliam and Queen Mary would excuse them from that Universal Revenge which he would take upon the Nation were it ever again in his Power Only here was the Difference between the Two Brothers That the King thought to ruine his Enemy by main force and the fair hand of Victory but the Duke hoping to kill two Birds with one Stone made it his business at the same time to ruine the Enemy by force and his own Country by treachery Thus when he had engaged his Brother in the first Holy Dutch War of the Extirpaâ—ion of Hereticks he permits the English at â—irst to exercise all the Bravery of their Skill and Couâ—age to a great probability of Success but then falls asleep in the height of his Conduct to the end the Dutch for want of Orders might have â—n opportunity to wrest the Victory out of the hands of the English on purpose to keep the balâ—â—nce of Destruction on both sides even Thus he â—â—rmitted himself to be surpriz'd at Soul-Bay knowing there were enoâ—gh to maul the Enemy but not enough to preserve those that sought on our ride So that the Dutch may be said to be well â—hrashed and the Eâ—glish to be well sacrificed And as a farther Demonstration oâ— his perâ—idious Soul when he found the Contest would be too tedious between
to his old Shifts of Proroguing which was done by Proclamation to gain a little time for the acquitting of Sir Geâ—rge Wakeman So kind was his Protestant Majesty to help out his desponding Friends at a dead lift in order to the Shaâ— Plot which he was afterwards designing For now the Parliament being cut off He was at leisure to advise with his Popish Instruments who were no less sedulous to give their Advice to the utmost that their active Brainsâ— could reach By this sedulity it was That the Meal Tub Anti-Plot was contrived and hatched Only Tools were wanâ—ing to manage and carry on the Treachâ—rous Design Therefore not knowing where else to find Miscreaâ—ts fit for such Diabolical Enterprises all the Goals about the Town were raked for needy Profligates It will be needless to give Hâ—stery of that which has been so sufficiently discovered for an abominable Imposture The Miscarriage of this Blessed Design caused a second Prorogation of the Parliament upon hopes of 200000 l. from France which was dexterously prevented by the Duke of Buckingham which the King so ill resented That his Attorney General had Orders in Council to Indict him of Buggery with a design to have taken away his Life and repair the French Disapointment by the Confiscation of his Estate had the Project taken Never so much Villany in Contrivance never so much Money ill spent and never worse luck The like Success happened in that damned Sham Plot Intrigue between Fitz Harris Nell Wall with the French Dutchess c. Nor must it be omitted aâ— an Argument of His Maâ—esties great Zeal for the Protestâ—â—â— Reâ—igion That when one Sâ—rgeant a Priestâ— made a Discovery of the Popish Plot from Hâ—lland wâ—ich he caused to be transmitted to the Court with an Intention to have discovered sâ—veral othersâ— he was first bribed off and then sent fór into England slightly and slily examined had his Pardon given him and sent back with Five pound a Week to say no moreâ— Nor was it a thing less astonishing to the Nation to see the Parliament prorogued from time to time to less than seven timeâ— before permitted to Siâ— on purpose to get time for the Popish Duke to settle the Protestant Religion in Scotland and to the end the Conspirators might get heart and footing again and retrieve their Losses in England and in this Interval it was That Messâ—ngers were sent to their Friends at Rome and others their Associates for Money to strike while the Iron was hot in regard that Scotland by this time was secured and all things in such a forwardness that now or never was the time but the Pope had such an ill Opinion of our Sovereigns Fidelity that he slipt his Neck out of the Collarâ— and in imitation of him the rest excused themselves upon the Score of their poverty Thus missiâ—g Money from Rome and the rest of their Popish Associates and the King of France refusing to part with any more Cash there was no way but one at a forc'd put which was to let â—he Parliament Sit and to make them more willing to give Money to undo the Nation The King in a framed Speech told them of the wonderful advantagious Alliances for the Kingdoms good he had made with Foreign Princes and particularly with Holland and how necessary it was to preserve Tangâ—er which had already run him in Debt Upon which Considerations the Burthen of his Song wasâ— Mâ—re Money But the Parliament Incensed at the frequent prâ—râ—gations fell upon Considerations more profiâ—able for the Kingdom such as were the bringing to condign punishment the Obstructers of their Sitting The Impeachment of North for drawing the Proclamation against petitioning and Three of the Judges for dismissing the Grand Jury before whom the Duke was Indicted of Recusancy before they could make their presenâ—ments the prosecution of the Popish Plot and the Examination of the Meal Tub Sham all which they looked upon to be of greater Moment than the Kings Arguments for his Want For it was well known That by his perâ—idious Dealings abroad he had so impared his Credit with all the Foreign Princes to whom he sent that they slighted his Applications as one upon whose Word they could never Rely And as for the preservation of Tangier there was nothing less in his Thoughts A fine Credit for a Prince and an excellent Character to recommend him to poâ—terity That he had no other than his own sinister Ends upon the Grand Council of his Kingdom nor no other way to work them to those Ends unless by forging Untruths to make him accessary to the betraying of the people that had entrusted them The Parliament therefore bent all their Cares to secure the Kingdom from Popery concluding that the Dâ—kes Apostaâ—izing from his Religion was the sole Evil under which the Nations in a more particular manner groâ—medâ— and consequently that he was to be Disinherited But the King being resolved not to forsake his Brother whatever became of the Kingdom took such a high Resentment against these honest and just procâ—edings of the Houses that after he had Sacrificed the Lord Stafford to his hopes of obtaining Money upon the Dukes uâ—dertaking to furnish him he Dissolved this Parliament too with promise of another at Oxford to sweeten the bitter pill which he had made the Nation to swallow In the mean time all the Care imaginable waâ— taken to bring the Protestant Plot to perfection preparative to which Judges were selected with Dispositions Thoughts and Minds as Scarlet as their Gowns And the choice of Sheriffs was wrested by force from the people that they might pick out Juries without Conscience or Honesty A Plot contrived by perfidiousness and treachery beyoâ—d the parallel of History A Plot with Parisian Massacre in the Belly of it designing no less an Innundation of Innocent Protestant Blood under the colour and forms of Justice and yet who but he who in his last wheedling Speech to pick the Nations pocket had promised to consent to any Laws against Popery And the better to carry on this damned Design What a Crew of Devils in the Shape of Men a Regiment of Miscreâ—nts in whom all the Transgressions of the Law and Morality were mustered together I say what a Band of such Caâ—tiffs were Rendezvouzed and with that Money which Parliaments give to promote the Security of the Kingdom caressed and pampered even to Excess for the destruction of the Innocent And all this at the Expence of him that bore the Stile and Character of our Gracious Sovereign For full proofs of which there needs no more than to look into the Tryal of Fitz Harris himself therefore to recite the particulars of a Design already so well known and publickly exposed to all the World would be a repetition altogether needless This however was observable That we were come to the height of Tyberius's Reign when informers and false Accusers a sort of Men found out for the Ruine of the publick And
either â—he Peâ—sons whom he had reliev'd came to be accus'd or he to be prosecuted upon this account And by the same Justice it was that Mr. Robert Bailzie of Ierismond was Hanged and Quartered for a Crime of which he had been Impeached and Tryed befâ—re the Council and fined Six Thousand Pounds Sterling And all this his Highness did by over-ruling the Lawyers of Scotland by which means he had made the Judges and Jury as malicious against the Protestants and is Revengeful against the Asserters of the Liberâ—ies of Seotland as himself Such Exorbitancies of Injustice and Arbitrary Power that his Brother could never have eâ—dured in a Subject had they not been aâ—â—ed all along with his Knowledge and Consent Otherwise had not the King been strangely infatuated to beliâ—ve that whatever his Brother dâ—d was for the Advancemenâ— of that Cause to which he was so well effected himself he could never have been so un-apprehensive of the Danger he was in from a Brother so actually in a Conspiracy against his Life For which Reason he was by the E. of Shaftsbury said to be a Prince nâ—t to be paralell`d in Histâ—ry For certainly bâ—sides the early Tryal which the King had of his Ambition beyond Sea he hâ—d a fair warning of the hasty Advances which he made to his Throne in a sâ—ort time after his Marriage to the Queen For no sooner was it discovered the Queen was unlikely â—o have any Issue by the King but he and his Partâ— made Proclamâ—tion of it to the World and that he was the certain Heir He takes his Seat in Parliament as Prince of Wales with his Guards about him He assumes the Princes Lodgings at White-Hall his Guards upon the same place without any intermission between him and the King so that the King was in his Hands and Power every Night All Offices and Preferments are bestowed upon him and at his Disposition not a Bishop made without him After this he changes his Religion to make a Party and such a Party that his Brother must besure to die and be made away` to make room for him And for the undeniable Proof of all this aâ— length the Plot breaks out headed by the Duke his Interest vnd Design Plain it was that where-ever he came he endeavour'd to remove all Obstacles to his intended Designs out of the way And therefore some there are who attribute the Extremity of the Duke`s rigour towards the Earl of Argyle to the great Authority which the Earl had in some part of the High-Lands and the Awe which he had over the Papiâ—ts as being Lord Justiciary in those parts and his being able upon any occâ—sion to check and bridle the Marq. of Huntly now Duke of Gourdon fâ—â—m attempting the Distâ—rbance of the Publick Peace or the prejudice of the Protestants However this is observable That notwitstanding the height of severity which was extended to him there was as much favour shewn the Lord Macdonald whose invading the Shire of Argyle with an Armed Force meerly because he was required by the said Earl as being given him for what he did though when the Council sent a Herald to him to require him to diâ—band his Forces he caused his Coat to be torn from his Back and sent him back to Edinburgh with all the Marks both of Contempt of themselves and Disgrace to the Publick Officer But his Religion was sufficient to attone at that time for his Treason And now the Duke having a standing Army of Five Thousand Foot and Five Hundred Horse in Scotland at his Devotion as well as in England and the Parliament the main Object of his Hatred and his Fear being dissolved back he returns into England where under the shelter of his Brother`s Authority he began in a short time to exert his Tyrannous Disposition and play the same unjust and Arbitrary Pranks as he had done in Scotland and because it was not seasonable yet to make use of Armed Forces he set his Westminster-Hall Red-Coats like Pioneers before a Marching Army to level the way for Popery and Arbitrary Controul to march in over the ruined Estates and murder'd Bodies of their Opposers The Iudges were his Slaves the Iuries at his beâ—k nothing could withstand him the Law it self grows lawless and Iefferies ridden plâ—ys the Debaushee like himself Justice or something in her likeness Swaggers Hectors Whips Imprisons Fines Draws Hangs and Quâ—rtersâ— and Beheads all that come near her under the Duke's displeasure Alderman Pilkington the Late Honourable Lord Mayor for standing up for the Rights and Liberties of the City and for refusing to pack a Jury to take away the Earl of Shaftsbury's Life is Prosecuted upon a Scandaluâ— Magnatum at the Suiâ— of the Duke Convicted and Condemned in a Verdict of an Hundred Thousand Pounds And Sir Patience Waâ—d for offering to confront the â—uborn'd Witnesses is Indicted of Perjury for which he wâ—s forced to fly to Vtretcht to avoid the Infamy of the Pillory though in all his Dealings so well known to be a Person of that Justice and Integrity that for all the hopes of the Duke he would not have told an untruth Sir Samuel Bernardiston for two or three treacherously intercepted Letters to his Friends in the Countrey fin'd ten thousand pounds which he was not sufferâ—d to discharge by Quarterly Payments but the Estaâ—e seized by the Duke's Sollicitors to the end he might have an opportunity to be the more prodigal in the wake oâ— it But this hunting after the Lives as well as the Estates of others was more intollerable and that be the prostituted Testimony of subâ—rn'd Iâ—ish â— Rogues and Vagabonds and when that would not take the desired Effect by the â—orced Evidence of Persons ensnared and shackled under the Terrors of Death till the drudgery of Swearing was over Men so fond of Life that they bought the uncertain prolongation of a wicked Mortality at the unhollowed price of certain and immortal Infamy And therefore not knowing how to die when they knew not how to live accounted it a more gainful Happiness to quit the Pardon of Heaven's Tribunal for the Broad Seal of England By this means fell the Vertuous Lord Russell a Sacrifice to the Bill of â—xclusion and the Duke's Reveege and yet of that Integriâ—y to his Country and untainted course of Life of whom never any spoke evil but those that knew no evil in him only because he was one of those who sought to exclude the Duke from the hopes of Tyranny and Oppression the Duke was resolv'd to exclude him from the Earth But then comes the Murther of the Earl of Essex for that it was a most Barbarous and Inhumane Murther committed by Bravo`s and bloody Ruffians set on hired and encouraged by potent Malice and Cruelty the preguant Circumstances no less corroborated by Testimonies wanting only the confirmation of Legal Judicature has been already so clearly made out that there is no place left for a hesitating belief
who eat his last Meal with the Duke and wrote the same on his Death Bed as it seems to be confirmed by this Saying of Iefferies so it was by many concluded to be the occasion of hastning the King`s Death Concerning which the Opinions of the World are various and some severe and bearing hard enough upon his Successor But in regard it is a Mystery as the Embrio of Conjâ—cture which is only to be matur`d in the Womb of Time and to be Midwiv`d into the World by future Discovery we leave it to higher Scrutiny The Justice of Heaven perhaps not minding a present Revenge of his Death who had not only prevented the Prosecution of Noble and Innocent Essex`s Blood but so severely punished the Industrious Enquiry after it only this is further to be mark`d that the Irish Papists could for some time before fix upon the utmost Period of his Reign and the Duke was sent for in haste out of Scotland without any apparent Reason for it besides that the King's Permission was obtain'd with some difficulty However by the violent and tremendous Death of his â—rotâ—er he at length arrived at the long long wished â—â—r Heaven of his Ambitious Desires and beholds himself mounted upon the Pinicle of Roâ—alty only that his Fall might be more conspicuous He was no sooner Proclaimed but he declâ—red his Religion openly to his Privy Council however he began with a mild and caressing Declaration which he afterwards broke in every Line of it A meer Trap baited with Indulgence to Tender Consciences on purpose to catch the Dissenting Mice to deliver them when caught into the Paws of his ravenous Popish Cats but no sooner was he Crown`d but as if his Coronation-Oath and all his Promises so lately made had been no more â—han so many Pills of Opium and believing himself environed with Power sufficient to maintain his Tyranny and Oprâ—ssion he invades Property by Expulsion of the right Owners tramples upon the Laws by his pretended Prerogative of suspending Power and goes about to pull down the stately Structure of the Protestant Religion by the Suspension of one and imprisoning and Arraigning at his Criminal Bar no less than seven of the most Eminent Fathers of the English Church And by a strange alteration of the Face of Government Treason over-rules the Law and Traytors impeached are fetch'd out of Jayl to sit Triumphantly domineering at the Helm of State and Iefferies the Daniel that in some measure might be said to be taken out of the Lyons Dens for the Cruelty of his Nature is advanced in open Hostility to Justice to wage War with the Fundamental Constitutions of the Kingdom A mean Spirit insulting over his Inferiors but a Spaniel to his Superiors who though he knew himself no more than a Tool in the Hand of a Popish Artificer the Shadow of Grandieur lofty under Contempt and domineering only in Publick yet having pawn'd his Soul for the hopes of an Embroidered Purse rather than decoil to Goodness careers on in Mischief and as if his Robes had not been Scarlet enough dies them deep in Innocent Blood and becomes his Master's Vassal to enâ—lave the Nation Such Counsellors as these hurried on the new Crowned King with such a Rapidness to accomplish the great Work of introducing Tyranny and Popery to which his own Fears of leaving the Papists worse than he found them as furiously carried him that he threw his Brother into his Grave as if he had not had leisure to Bury him or as if he had deem'd him not worth a Funeral whom he thought not worth a longer Life Unless perhaps he thought the Hypocrisie of pompous Obsequies would have but provoked his Brother`s injur`d Manes with which as common Fame had spread it he was already too much pestred I will not here dispute the Truth of Apparitions nor insist upon the vulgar Censures about the Town upon the Priests for not detaining him in the half-way-Prison but singing him out of Purgatory to make his Brother melancholy by facing him several times and giving him an astonishing stâ—oke upon the back as he was going down a pair of Staiâ—s in White-Hall yet this may be asserted That Guilt accompanied with Terror forms thoâ—e Apparitions in the Mind which work the same effect and obtain the same belief when once divulg'd among the Credulous as if they were real However it were it shewed he thought himself but little beholding to him for living so long and consequently no way oblig'd to retaliate a Succession so late in the year with so much loss of time And now the first influences of his Tyranny and Fury against the Protestants flew into Scotland where whatever Indulgence he shewed in England he issued forth a dreadful Proclamation against the Dissenters under the Notion of Enemies to the King and Government and Destroyers of the British Monarchy sufficient to have given a more early Alarm to the Dissenters in England had they not been â—ulâ—ed asleep by the softness of a present Repose and the Charms of their decoy-Decoy-Duke Penn the effect rather of their Simplicity than their Policy But the first Act of his Revenge in England brake forth uâ—on Dr. Oates He could not forget the Doctor 's Detecâ—ion of his Conspiracies against the Kingdom And because he could not â—ind ouâ— a way to hang him his Chief-Justice Iefferies found out a punishment to gratifie his Royal Fury worse than Death it self and till then unknown among Châ—istians in Imâ—tation of the Roman â—â—stuarium by whiâ—h the Roman Soldiers were often drubb'd to death or if they escap'd sent into perpetual Banishment As the Doctor was first of all Scourged by the common Executioner beyond all Precedent and then Condemn'd to perpetual Imprisonment A Sentence of void of all Christian Compassion that only a Iefferies could have invented A goodly sight to see Protestant Judges condemning a Protestant and the Deâ—ector of a most horrid Popish Plot upon the Evidence of known Papists and some of them nearly related to the Executed Traytors and this for Perâ—ury too upon the Testimony of Witnesses already â—alsified As if Justice were a thing that never had been Naturaliz'd in Heaven but only depended upon the Will of the Prince a kind of Tool to â—e used by his Bene-placito Slaves at his or their Discretion or the grand Poppet of the World to be shewed in various Dresâ—es and Disguises as the force of Judicature requiredâ— But as for Dangerfield he had been once â—is Darling frequently admitted to kiss his Hand while he was in Conspiracy with him to suck the Blood of the Innocent But there was no Attonement for his Revolting and Revealing the hidden Mystery of Iniquity Therefore he must dance the same Dance that Oates had done only the King did the World this small piece of Justice to throw away an inconsiderable Roman Cathotlick to satisfie the general Discontent upon his being Murder'd In the next place he calls a Parliament and renews