Popery tho' they fought to set up a Popish Queen against a Protestant Queen who was in Possession and Reigning in London And they say that Theudas and Judas Act. 5. fought against the Jewish Religion tho' they fought to set it up and to pull down the Idolatry of Rome And all this because the Principles of a Religion are more to be Regarded are more the Religion than its Legal Establishment The next Question this Author asks these Jacobites is Page 25. Do they think themselves bound in Censcience to Fight for their Prince against the Laws and Liberties of their Country To this the Jacobites Answer That the Laws of the Country are expresly On their side against Resistance of their King or altering the Hereditary Monarchy upon any pretence whatsoever And they say That we do as good as Confess all this when we will not stick by the Rule of the Law in this Revolution but fly to Original Contract to over-Rule the Law He asks Have the rest of mankind no Rights but only Princes Is there no such thing as Justice due to our selves nor to our fellow Subjects They Answer The Greatest Right and Security of Subjects is to Preserve the Laws and chiefly the Prerogative which is the Greatest Barrier 'twixt Property and the Incroachments of their Fellow Subjects which in Civil-War are infinitely more Destructive to Property than any Tyranny in the Soveraign And therefore that the Greatest Justice we can do to our selves or to our fellow subjects is to beat down all these Popular pretences to Sedition and Rebellion He sayes A Nation which Fights against its own Laws and Liberties is Felo de se Witness Ireland say the Jacobites where in three years one half of the Nation have been Destroy'd upon this Popular Pretence Many more than a hundred Neroes successively would have put to Death What will be the Fate of England in this Revolution none yet can tell but the Jacobites fear the worst They say that England in this Quarrel Fights against its own Laws and therefore is Felo de se Can any English-man sayes this Author whatever Opinion he has of the late K. James's Right think himself bound in Conscience to maintain his Right The Jacobites think this a very strange Question But the Author Adds By giving up his Country to France to make him King and all his Subjects French Slaves First If the Thing be Right and according to God's Laws the Jacobites desire this Author to Answer it whether he would not do it whatever Nation in the World were concerned in it Secondly They say That Recalling K. James is the only probable way to prevent our being French Slaves The Victories of France run in a full Tide against us while they say our small Successes are brought to pass by great Chances even by Miracles and seem to no other purpose than to keep us in heart to give all the Money in the Nation to Forreigners and continue Obstinate till it be past Remedy We Play says the Jacobites like a Gamster who Stakes his whole Stock every cast of the Die one Unluckey throw breaks him and it is a Miracle if that throw do not come if the Play continue long On the other hand he that Plays against us Manages his Stock he lays up before-hand and has already in his Treasury the whole Expence for the Year 93. he Drains his People by Degrees We Squeze our Orange all at once He Manages by Rules and leaves nothing to Chance we leave all to Hazard see what will come on 't He lives upon his Interest we spend off the Principal from Hand to Mouth and our Money is spent before it comes in great part of which goes to pay the Extraordinary Interest upon which we Anticipate our Revenue So that if we trust not to the Dice we have certainly the worst of the Lay and nothing can save us but a sudden ending of the Game which we must lose if Management does Determin it while the Enemy has the greater Stock Now suppose France should Conquer us in this Quarrel for nothing is impossible whether say the Jacobites would we be in the blame who perswade to accept of the Peace which France presses upon us upon no other Conditions than to Receive our King again which they say we are bound in Conscience to do or will not all the Mischievous Consequences of such a Conquest ly at their Door who Reject this offered Peace rather than Return to their Duty or own that they have done amiss If we answer that we have not done amiss The Jacobites desire no better than to bring it to that Test to dispute the Justice of the Cause without Consideration of Politiques And even in Politiques they ask us whether they Judge wisely who are for continuing a War wherein we must trust to Miracles for our Success and that too when we Fight against what most of us do acknowledge to be King James's Right or else he could have no Right to seek for it again which he has by Dr. Sherlock's own Confession But says our Author p. 25 26. Can any Prince have more Right to be King of England than the Kingdom of England has to be England The Jacobites desire this may be further explained It is a fine round saying and no doubt must be true But they see not how we can apply it to the present Case They say that England is most England when its Government is Monarchical and Hereditary when its Monarch is Irresistable by Force even in Case of Male administration or upon any pretence whatsoever for then the Door is for ever shut against all popular pretences for Rebellion which our wise Legislators have found by experience to be infinitly of more dangerous Consequence to England as to all other Governments than the Arbitrariness of the Governours and therefore have made Non-Resistance an Act of Parliament It is our Law say they the Law of England it is our Constitution And therefore that England is least England when you break in upon her Constitution over-turn her Laws and being wiser than your Fore-Fathers open the Door to Eternal pretences for Rebellion and Restless Revolutions They say that we are trying the experiment over again of York and Lancaster of King Charles and Oliver and that England was then least England and so they say it is now and that we may see it plainly by its Tottering Uncertain Aguish Disposition in danger to be Swallowed by France if we will desperately stand that Test to be drained by the Confederates which they say is in a pretty good forwardness or to be divided at home and make England the seat of the War and share the Fate of Ireland which is most of all to be dreaded All this say these Jacobites is owning to our Revolution and cannot be Remedy'd but by Returning our Laws and Constitution to their old Channel But is it not an unaccountable tenderness and scrupulosity of Conscience
need of this Question in our Case And for particular Persons you know the Cavaliers Refus'd to Swear to Oliver or the Rump And yet tho Persecuted they were not Destroyed No Conqueror will think it his Interest to Imbroyl his new Acquisition by falling upon a Great part of the People to Drive them to Arms And if the Dissenters be but a small part of the People than your Objection Ceases it is not the Case of a Whole Nation nor the Major Part. The Jacobites do likewise Quarrel much at your Argument p. 14. That K. James would use the Non-swearers ill because the French King used the Hugonots ill They say there is no Consequence They say there is a vast Difference 'twixt K. James's Character and that which goes with some Men of the French King The one a Mild and Merciful Man in his own Nature the other as some would make you believe of a more Fierce and Cruel Temper But that which is a Greater Security is the Disproportion of the Hugonots of France to the Protestants of England The Protestants are Two Hundred to One Papist in England The Hugonots are not as some Compute One to a Hundred Papists in France Now tho' there might be Reasons for Destroying or Banishing Two Men for the Safety or Peace of Two Hundred yet say the Jacobites the Argument will not hold to Destroy Two Hundred for the sake of Two But lastly they say The Difference is Great 'twixt the Non-Swearers of England and the Hugonots of France as to the Principles of Loyalty For tho' the Hugonots stuck to this K. Lewis against the Prince of Conde Yet this was no Religious Quarrel Both these Princes were Roman Catholicks And so they had not the Byass of Religion on either side But it cannot be deny'd that they have often Rebell'd and made many Dangerous Commotions in France of Old And we know it was said how true I cannot tell that the French King had Discovered Plots and Combinations amongst them even in Favour of the P. of O. so long a go which was the Reason of that Persecution for which he is so much Blam'd Whether there be any Truth in this or not yet it is rendered the less Improbable because of our mighty Braggs that the Hugonots and Hugonot Converts are in League with us have Invited us over and are ready to Joyn us upon our Descent for whom we carry Armes and Depend upon them to Rise with us and Declare for King William as soon as he is Able to Protect them The Answer to Great Britains Just Complaint acknowledges Frankly p. 47. in these Words The French King knows that if he be Invaded by a Protestant Prince these Men will Endanger him by a Revolt How far this will Justify the French King in desiring to be Rid of these Men we need not Dispute But I could wish that you had not Mentioned that Matter at this time For there is none but must see that their Case is toto Colo different from that of our Non-Swearers who suffer Expressly for a Principle of Loyalty And they for the Contrary Your 15th Page moves the Jacobites Spleen very much You are there Bemoaning your self What would become of the Church of England if K. James should Return By which say they you only mean your selves the Swearing-Clergy Now they say that you cannot be Ignorant that the Non-Swearers do think themselves the True Church of England and the others though more Numerous to be the Deserters O but say you in the Name of the Swearing-Clergy they would it may be Hang us in that Day and possibly Exchange Smithfield for Tyburn This the Jacobites say is only a twinge of an akeing Conscience And they wish much rather that you should live to Repent like Peter who Denyed his Master out of Fear But that Grace was not given to Judas who Betray'd Him out of Covetousness And he was Delivered over to the most Terrible Executioner the Shame and Confusion of his own Guilt But why do they fear the Cruelty of the Non-Swearers They are Generally Mild and shew Signs of Good Nature enough They who are so much for Passive-Obedience and practise it are thereby in a Good Preparation of mind towards Christian Humility Resignation of themselves to God Forgiveness and even Loving of their Enemies And till they do something Contrary to this they think we ought in Charity to put the best Construction upon their Actions But you Discover what it is which Frightens the Swearing-Clergy and makes them so Apprehensive of Revenge from the Non-Swearers And that is the hard Words they Receive from some of them They call us no better say you p. 15. than Hereticks and Schismaticks and Perjur'd Apostates Alas Did they do it 'T is a very hard Case But say the Non-Swearers What would you have us Call you Either You or We are Schimaticks and Apostates from the Doctrine of Christ as formerly Professed in the Church of England And would you have us to take the Blame off You to lay it upon our Selves And if we believe you to be Perjur'd and would Reprove you for it in the Christian Method What shall we call Perjury but Perjury If you will tell us a more Gentile Word you shall be Gratify'd with it But you say in the same Page They the Non-Swearing Clergy seem to Comfort themselves under their present Sufferings more with the sweet hopes of Revenge than any great expectations of future Rewards This is not say the Jacobites so very Charitable a Censure in the Swearers By this you free them from Convetousness and making Interest the Guide of their Conscience only you think they cannot want a little Sweet Revenge Because their Provocations have been Great and you would think it very Pallatable if their Case were yours But say the Jacobites if they be afraid of an after Reckning they should be have with greater Moderation now And not Hunt us with Messengers and Proclamations if we Print a Word in our own Vindication at the same time that they are Provoking us to tell our Scruples openly and that they will Answer fairly and take no Advantage Among other Examples of Cruelty in this Sort they Instance in the Case of a Young Lad of 12 Years of Age Thom. Ross his Mother a Widdow and Lives upon Charity This Orphan was found with a Paper in Defence of Passive Obedience it was Doctor Tillotson's Letter to Lord Ruffel and the Trimming Court Divine And because he would not tell or may be could not where he had them he was without any Tryal at Law or Jury charg'd with him first set in the Pillory and then Fin'd a Hundred Mark which his Mother not being able to Pay he has Lain now Two Years in Nemgate and is there still and no Applications have Prevail'd tho' his Poor Mother offer'd Part of the Fine that is all she had in the World for his Release Excessive Fines was once a Complaint Of
Guess who are Meant by this and say that those who were Advocates for the Protestant Cause in the Late Reign and Preach'd down the Deposing Doctrine as a Mark of the Beast and shall come about in this Reign and own Publickly that they were Mistaken and both Preach and Practise now bare-Fac'd that same Popery they Damn'd before deserve not the Name of Protestants but Apostates But on the Contrary those who adhere constantly to their Principles which they profest before this Turne do preserve their Authority and Respect in the midst of the Reproaches of those who are Griev'd that they Live to be a Reproach to them And if they should not find Sutable Rewards for their Constancy in this World it is laid up for them in Heaven The Jacobites give us Instances where the Depriv'd do Force Witness and Attestation even from their Deprivers who somtimes forget themselves to Comdemn what themselves have done Which brought an Old Sier as the Jacobites do certainly Assure us to beg My Lord of Canterbury's Blessing and therein his Pardon the Third Day after he had lay'd his Hands upon the Intruder into his Throne But the Arch-Bishop stop'd his Lord-ship as he was Kneeling and ask'd him if he had forgot what he had been doing on Sunday In the following Pages 20. 21. you shew the Miseries of a Civil-War which you say must follow if the Jacobites should Assist K. James for that K. William will not Desert nor Abdicate And you are resolv'd to Assist him against K. James The Jacobites Laugh at this Argument It is like the Old Saying The second Blow makes the Quarrel I Turn you out of your House and desire you to make no Disturbance about it because I am Resolv'd not to part with it The Jacobites say That if we will not Assist K. William but let K. James Deal with him and his Forreign Troops we shall have very little Civil-War Now which of us is in the Right or the Wrong must depend upon the Justice of the Cause And that is the Issue to which the Jacobites alwaies Press to bring us But Indeed Sir you have given a very unlucky Instance p. 20. where Aggravating the Miseries of a Civil-War you bid us look into Ireland and see to what a Heap of Rubbish a Flourishing and Fruitful Country is Reduc'd by being the Scene of a three Years War Here the Jacobites desire us to take a Specimen of the Advantage of a Civil-War and Rebellion to Defend our Rights c. when that Country could not have Suffered so much in the Reign of Twenty Tyrants as by that Short Civil-War of Three Years They desire us then to think of the Consequences of Entailing many Years Civil-War for ought we know upon these Nations York and Lancaster lasted a Hundred Years and this War in all probability will not cease while K. James or the P. of Wales or any of their Issue stand nearer to the Crown than the present Possessors Which may be till England be Reduc'd to a Heap of Rubbish like Ireland Therefore they desire and request that we would Consider in time for the Preservation of England and the Peace of our Selves and our Posteritys before it be too late And not to Flatter our Selves into our own Ruin by the Notion of our Draining France in the Lengthing out of this War for we have try'd Three Campaigns and find it is not to be done suddenly by Force unless Lewis would lend us some of his Generals It being said Publickly in the House of Commons that England had not a Man fit to make a General of Horse I think we must have a little of his Mony too for he is not half Drain'd so Low as we are nor has this War made him such Miserable Subjects no not in Dauphiny so Poor so Harrass'd so Ruin'd as they are in Ireland almost says Lord Sidney in his Speech to the Parliament there 5. Octob. 92. to an utter Desolation of the Country And yet he tells them That the Necessity of his Masters Affairs Compels him to Ask a Supply from them at a time when the Kingdom is in so Low a Condition and hath Suffer'd so much in the War On the other Hand Grand-Lewis has as the very Dutch News tells us not only freed Dauphiny from all sort of Taxes for Ten Years to come but sent them Great Quantities of Corn and other Supplys that his Subjects may not feel the War which he has carry'd on to this Day without Imposing one Tax upon his People For he has sound a way to make War at his Enemys Cost and cause them to bear his Expence at least so much of it as to make the Rest very easie at Home He lets us Fortify Towns and then takes them from us without Trouble with all our Magazines Stores c. He Trades with our Ships which our Merchants send abroad and is at no more Charge than to Conduct them into his Ports There is hardly a Post but brings us News of the Increase of this Branch of his Revenue which by their own Losses the Merâ—hants have Computed to several Millions Sterl in Cargo besides the Loss of above Two Thousand of their Ships some of Great Force carrying some Forty sone Fifty Guns little Inferior to Men of War Nor have our Men of War escaped much better Last 13. Nov. 91. There came a List into Parliament of more than Thirty Men of War taken by the French and otherwise Lost by several Accidents and Eight Disabl'd since the Year 88. and the List is well Increas'd since that time To Ballance all this the French had one unlucky Accident at Sea last May 92. Whereby they lost the Hulks of Sixteen Ships the Guns and Rigging Sav'd but not one Sunk or Taken in Fight tho' we were twice their Number And I must tell you that the Jacobites think us Horrible Ridiculous even to Madness and that it must appear so to all Mankind to see us so Transported with this as to Equal it to the Miraculous Deliverance of Israel and Overthrow of Pharaoh c. in the Red Sea as you have heard from Dr. Sherlock But that his Predecessor in Paul's has learnt to Cant as far beyond him as he has got in Dignity before him In his Thanks-giving-Sermon 27. Octob. 92. p. 25. He says it was The Greatest and Cheapest Sea Victory that ever the Sun saw from his first Setting out to Run his Course This the Jacobites say they can Forgive in him for several Reasons And because he makes an Humble Apology for it in the same Sermon p. 8. in these Words viz. The Excess of Knowledge and Wisdom if attended with Pride is very Dangerous and does many times Border upon Distraction and Run into Madness For Example p. 33. He Flatters K. William to his Face even to Blasphemy giving as High a Character of him as could be said of CHRIST Himself with Relation to His Humane Nature viz. That he does
best actions in the world especially if Christianity have any Truth in it And therefore I do earnestly Advise in behalf of the Present Government that the Ingenious Author of this Letter to a Friend would study somthing to be said as to the Truth Honesty and Religion of the Revolution lest the Jacobites Triumph But I must not forget one thing which the Letter to a Friend pag. 5 6 does mainly Insist upon as the Chief Argument why if K. James should Return we were to expect no Mercy from him which is his Barbarous treatment of the Protestants in Ireland after he went over thither in the year 88 89. The Jacobites are Glad that they have got this hold against Us for they insist upon it That K. James shew'd not only Great Lenity and Compassion but Care and Concern for the Protestants in Ireland while he was there insomuch that they can hardly instance any Request ever they made to him which was deny'd He was so far from Disobliging them that he really Courted them to the no small Disturbance of the Irish who thought themselves not so much Regarded as their Merit in their own conceit above that of the Protestants did require The Jacobites Appeal in this to the Magistrates and Representatives of the Chief Towns in the North of Ireland which was the only part of the Kingdom where they stood out in Arms against K. James viz. Derry and Eneskâ—llen and among them Belfast was the Richest and most populous of any of the Cityes in the North And consequently which had most occasion to make application to the Government upon several Emergencies And the Jacobites do put it upon that Issue that the then Sovereign of Belfast who was and is still an unsuspected Protestant will not say that one of the many Addresses to K. J. was rejected or not fully and readily Answered which he made in behalf of that Town or of the Protestants in those parts of the Country And that the Orders which K. J. gave upon these addresses of the Protestants were not duely and punctually observ'd and where any Breaches were made upon them by the Irish who were very ill pleas'd with them which was but seldom they were not severely Punish'd for it as far as K. J ' s. power did extend But as it was he made these his Protections very effectual to the Protestants And this will be justified not only at Belfast but by the Rest of the Magistrates and other Men of Note in all the North and in the whole Kingdom of Ireland during K. J's being among them And this the Jacobites are positive in notwithstanding all that is endeavour'd in a late Book call'd The State of the Protestants of Ireland under the late K. James's Government c. which they pretend to Disprove in Matter of Fact and say They would expose it to the world if any who think the contrary wou'd for a Tryal obtain for them the Liberty of the Press That Generosity wou'd become the Author that he might Fight his Adversary upon Equal Terms But in the mean time till that can be done they do proclaim it and I am sorry to find that they have the suffrage of the Irish Protestants here and even of the English Army which went over thither That the Protestants of Ireland Suffered more and the Country was more Ruin'd by K. W.'s Army than by K. J.'s They tell us from the Mouths of Gentlemen coming over every day from thence That last Winter there was a great Famine in that Country the poor Irish being suffer'd to Starve in the High-ways eating dead Horses and Carrion This I had from several Gentlemen who have seen it The Jacobites infer from this That the Consequences of that War are not over as yet in that Kingdom no nor in this For who can tell the Issue of the present War with France when our Taxes will be at an end and whether it be not possible that England may be Drain'd as poor as Ireland They say we are ingag'd in a Contest like that of York and Lancaster which lasted above a hundred years and Rooted out many of the Noble Families of England with vast Consumption of Blood and Treasure They say That when all this is put into the Scales it will infinitely out weigh all the Frightful Apprehensions of K. J.'s Reign And consequently that his Return would be the Greatest Blessing to this Nation That nothing he can be fancy'd to do in the short Remainder of his Reign carryes any proportion to the Continuance of this War to our Posterities And they say That his Mild and Gentle Carriage towards the Protestants of Ireland when as many of them as could to a very small number were in actual Rebellion against him and they were the most bitter and implacable Enemies he had and are so still They say that his Tenderness and Preservation of these under all these provoking Circumstances is a great specimen of his Nature and what we might expect from him if he should Return again into England But chiefly for this Reason That if he came into England his Interest would be to preserve England and with all his objected Faults I think none ever doubted but that he alwayes endeavoured what he thought was for the Good of England But on the other hand it was certainly his Interest to have Destroy'd at least to have Disabled the Protestants in Ireland because he was morally assured they would Joyn with K. W. when he came over which they did as soon as they were able and were the men who had the chief hand in the Victories abtain'd against K. J. at the Boyn Athlone Agram c. and of whom the Irish were most afraid as Doctor Gorge Secretary to Schomberg in Ireland Witnesses under his hand And if K. J. had Destroy'd these Enemies of his the Irish Protestants when it was in his Power for a whole Summer together he had not in probability been Driven out of Ireland to this day at least you will Grant me that it had not been so easily done Now Consider say these Jacobites If K. J.'s Good Nature tho' Baited by all the violence of the Friars and Irish who would fain have Destroyed these Protestants to Secure themselves If All this and his own visible Security for who would not Destroy his Enemies could not prevail upon his natural Goodness and Clemency to Suffer or Connive at the Irish for it needed not have appeared to be His Act to Destroy these Protestants What Malice can Suggest that it was his Design to Destroy them The Jacobites speak not in this of all the Irish they say we cannot Deny that many of them have Approv'd themselves Loyal and Gallant Men not only in Foraign Countrys but now at Home where tho' Vn-Disciplin'd Vnarm'd bred many Ages in Servitude and Vnacquainted with War yet without Aid of any Foraign Troops except at the Boyne made such Defence as Oblig'd K. William in Person to Raise
the Siege of Limerick and Employ'd the whole Power of England Assisted with the best Troops of the Dutch Danes Brandenburgers and French Refugees for Three Years together But there is among the Irish as among our Selves a Violent and Bigotted Party And the Jacobites tell us that when some of these Propos'd to K. James that they would Rid him of the Fear of those Irish Protestants who were in Rebellion against him if he would only Connive at it and not interpose on their behalf his Majesty heard it with Horror and Indignation and said What! Gentlemen are you for another Forty One And that he Watch'd over the Protestants to Preserve them and did Preserve them even at that time when they who had been thus Protected by him and had Sworn Fidelity Anew to him Rose up as one Man against him when Schomberg Landed with an English Army August 89. And when upon Schomberg's Approach K. James's Army were Obliged to remove nearer Dublin even Then he gave strict Orders to Major General Maxwel to preserve Belfast Lisburn and other Protestant Towns which they left to the Enemy from being either Burned or Plundered by the Souldiers Which Towns if Schomberg had wanted for his Winter Quarters instead of Ten Thousand Men whom he Buried at Dundalk he might have left the greatest part of his Army there under Ground And the next Day after the Boyne when K. James left Dublin he gave positive Orders and his great Care was to Save that City from being Burned or the Protestants Plundered Which had it been done in all probability the Reduction of Ireland had been prevented at least for a much longer time than that which by the Convenience and Accommodation of these Towns which K. J. spar'd K. W. took to Effect it From all this these Jacobites do Urge That if K. J. took such pains to preserve his Enemies under the greatest provocations what Reasonable Man can think that he would seek to Destroy England if it were his own and he in quiet Possession of it And therefore the Jacobites do insist That it must needs be the Interest of England to call Home K. J. rather than run the hazard of his Forcing his Way while he desires nothing so much as to Return without Blood by the Invitation of his People and not by the Excessive Power of France with whom we are now at War upon no other Account than that of their asserting the Right of K. J. And the Issue of War who can tell Sure we do not think it impossible that France may Conquer us Dr. Sherlock in his Thanksgiving Sermon last 29. of May Thinks our Deliverance from the French this Summer so Miraculous that he could find nothing to Compare it to but the Deliverance of the Children of Israel out of the Red Sea And the Impartial Enquiry in t othe Causes of the present Fears and Dangers of the Government Page 2. says Had not the Good God prevented that Fleet 's the French Fleet coming by contrary Winds for Five Weeks together they had certainly compass'd their Design before any of the English or Dutch Fleets could have been at Sea or made the least Opposition And it is as certain that if the French Fleet had made their Full Advantage of the Victory they obtain'd over the English and Dutch Fleets in the Year 90. If they had but Burnt the Transport Ships which were then attending K. W. in Ireland and carrying the Provisions for his Army in which they could have met with no Opposition there is none now but sees that if they had done this they had Destroy'd us at that time it was persectly in their Power and they were Advertis'd of it Now some Jacobites would have us believe That the French King would not have lost that Advantage and suffer'd his Fleet to Ride Victorious a whole Month together upon the English Coast without attempting to Burn their Ships or do them the least Injury if it had not been for K. James's interposing on behalf of the English and to Save their Fleet From the same Principle which made him Discharge the Irish when he was in Ireland to set out any Privateers which they offered on their own Expence to Disturb the Trade of the English and he would not permit any of the English Ships which came to Ireland while he was there to be Seiz'd but suffered them to Load and Unload and pursue their Voyages of which there were several Instances And he shew'd so much Concern for the Loss and Disgrace of that part of the English Fleet at BANTRY where they were worsted by the French that the Irish took great Offence at it like that of Joab against David for Mourning at his Victory over Absalom The Irish said That the English had his Heart they had only his Presence among them He cannot be got off that Opinion That the English are to be Won by Good Nature tho' his FATHER Lost his Head and himself Three Crowns in trying the Experiment and if he perswaded K. L. to Try it once more we can impute it to nothing but his Goodness Thus say the Jacobites and their Story has so much pretence that it is hard for us to Assign any other Reason why the French Fleet lay perfectly Idle and made no use at all of their Victory in the Year 90. At least to Burn the Transport Ships in Ireland which would have Ruined us absolutely and kept K. W. a Prisoner there Which if true may be put among the Miracles have been shewn for our Preservation First A Miracle of good Nature in K. J. to be an Advocate for his Enemies and a no less Miraculous Complaisance in K. Lew. to Lose the Benefit of a Victory which might have put him out of danger of the Advantage our Fleet have had against him in 92. But instead of that the French Fleet lay as if they had been Courting our Shore landing at Hastings in a Friendly manner and spending their Money amongst us but hurting no body They shew'd us their Humanity after we had Try'd their Courage If this was not Natural to the French the Miracle is the greater and whence should it proceed but from K. J. say the Jacobites But suppose it to be as some of us do imagine That the French King being perfectly Master of his Business at home does on purpose delay Restoring K. J. till K. W. has by this War drain'd us of all our Money and it be then out of our Power to Force K. J. when Restor'd to Joyn in Confederacy against France Which is a Notion some have set up of late Suppose I say that these should be the French King's Measures then the Jacobites tell us that the more Money we give to K. William the more we are doing the French King's business for him And that unless we can Conquer him at Land of which we have but a very slender prospect it is certain he must Drain us if he can make
us continue on the War And therefore that he desires we should give seven or eight Millions more next Sessions If he did not there are some who tell us that it is in his power to hinder it even by Bribing the Parliament Men. We all know what a Noise the French Pensioners made in King Charles the II's Parliaments and we remember since the French Faction were the Major Number among the Burgers of Amsterdam Let no Man suppose it an impossible thing that men may be Brib'd to Destroy their own Country there are Examples of it in all Ages Jugurtha Brib'd the Senate of Rome to have sold their Country if he could have found a Merchant Vidit urbem quam venalem quandoque Perituram si habuisset Emptorem cecinerat L. Flor. Lib. 3. Cap. 1. and we believe the French Monarch to be as Powerful as Rich and as Cunning as Jugurtha King of Numidia in Africk and the Romans as Great and Brave as the English themselves and their Senate as Zealous of Liberty and Property as our Parliaments Now say the Jacobites all this is prevented and these Designs of the French King 's if these be his Designs are totally frustrated if we take Home our King Then we shall preserve our selves a considerable People and True Old England still whom nothing but a Miracle can Ruine while it continues upon its Old Foundations of Vnalienable Hereditary Monarchy But in this Hurricane and Earth-Quake of State which has set us upon Original Contract and the Election of any Prevailing Faction who call themselves The People who the Jure-Divino-men say never were and it is impracticable ever should be truly Represented they tell us our selves do confess that nothing but Miracle has Preserv'd us hitherto and they say by the same reason that Miracle must Preserve us if the War does continue The Dutch MOB tho' all our Money is spent among them are crying for Peace and will get Peace before us They think all those to be French Pensioners who are for continuing the War and now and then mind them of the Fate of the De-Witts Trade is the Circulation of their Blood and if a Sufficient Stock be not Preserv'd all other Receits are useless We must not Bleed our selves to weak if we stop not while we have Money in our hands it will be too late after And it will be a Miracle indeed if Jugurtha do not then find a Merchant for us And the Jacobites desire us to Reflect what a Condition we are in when we must trust to Miracles every Year to Save us out of the hands of the French Is this a Nation to be Despis'd Is there no hazard to be apprehended from them But if we can Secure our selves and have their Peace and Friendship upon no harder terms than to Receive our Rightful and Natural KING which the Jacobites say Is our Duty by the Laws of GOD and Man Then they Appeal to every True and Sensible English-man whether they do not seek the Good of England more than those who would continue such an expensive and dangerous War wherein they cannot hope to prosper if they Fight in opposition to the Reveal'd Will of God and whether they do or not in the present opposition to K. J. the Jacobites desire no more than that we should Dispute with them upon that Head Now whether our Lives and Religious Conversation be such as that we ought to expect that God should Work Miracles to Rescue us rather than send a Rod to Scourge us for our unexampled Loosness and Prophanity not to name what they eall Rebellion in the present Case the Jacobites say is a Consideration worth our most serious Thoughts Jamaica is now struck with an astonishing Perdition And except we Repent Luk. 13.3 The Jacobites wish this may not be a Fore-runner of Judgments to England The Relations of that Earth-Quake from Jamaica do speak of the mighty Loosness and Prophanity of that Country especially of Port-Royal where the Judgment fell most heavily and that there were several small motions of the Earth such as we had on the 8th of this Sept. 92. in London and other parts of England Some weeks before that dreadful Overthrow wherein the Earth opened her mouth and swallowed up Houses and Churches and Men descended like Korah Dathan and Abiram with their Wives Children and all that appertained to them alive into the Pit And the Jacobites desire us to Observe that this was for Rebellion in the State of Dathan and Abiram with Two Hundred and Fifty Princes of the Assembly Famous in the Congregation Men of Renown against Moses and for Schisme and Vsurpation in the Church of Korah and Two Hundred and Fifty Levites against Aaron their lawful Superiour and Metropolitan and they got the Generality of the People on their side For it is said That Korah gathered All the Congregation against them Moses and Aaron Numb 16.19 And as this Destruction of Korah c. did not Convert the Israelites for ver 41. On the morrow all the Congregation were gathered against Moses and Aaron So we are told from Jamaica That they were Robbing the Houses which were sinking and themselves with them And that the Boldness and Impudence of the Prostitutes there is nothing abated How far London does Equal or Exceed Fort-Royal in these Sins especially in a Hardness of Heart and Insensibility of God's Judgments and contempt of His Ordinances and that chiefly among the Gentry and better sort of more free and generous Education of which they think it a part to ridicule and despise all that is Sacred Or how far we ought to reckon the Punishment of Jamaica to be our own since they are part of us and learn'd their Sins from us I leave to the Meditation of the Reader Whom I would have likewise observe that tho' Earth-Quakes are less frequent in England than in those Hotter Climates yet God has often shewn us we are not Exempt from that Judgment of which we have frequent instances in our Histories even of the like dreadful Effects as that in Jamaica In the 13 Year of Q. Elizabeth the 17 of Feb. Sir Richard Baker tells of a prodigious Earth-Quake which happned in the East part of Herefordshire at a little Town call'd Kinnaston where a Hill with a Rock under it lifted it self up a great height and travel'd from Saturday in the Evening till Monday Noon with Trees Cattle and all things upon it leaving a Gaping distance Forty Foot broad and Eighty Ells long overturning Churches Houses removing Trees Hedges High-ways made Tilled ground Pasture and turned Pasture into Tillage That on the 24. May in the Sixth Year of Rich. the 11. there happened so great an Earth-Quake that it made Ships in the Havens to beat one against another That on Christmass-Day in the 24. year of Hen. the II. in the Territory of Derlington in the Bishoprick of Durham the Earth lifted up it self in manner of an High Tower and so
themselves mightily Pleas'd with the Performance of the Answerer to Great Britains Complaint who Vindicates K. William they say at such a Rate as Exposes him more than the Book he pretends to Answer They say he brings in by way of Apology the severest Objections which K. William's Greatest Enemys could Suggest and then says nothing in the World to Clear them That it is known to every English-Man in England that K. William had no Battle in England Therefore that it is most Ridiculous in this Author p. 65. to Bragg of King William's Victories in England and to Advance his Prowess for this above that of the French K. whom he calls a Coward Was this in his Zeal to make England a Conquest Which is the Notion of late much Advanc'd That it would appear full as Comical to the French to Boast of K. William's Victorys in Flanders as this Author does in the same Place Would they not desire you to Name them Or to remember what the Dutch Narrative above-quoted Names viz. The Battle of St. Nuef the Siege of Mastricht of Woerden Oudenard and of Charleroy And once at Mons they say he Attempted to Steal a Victory with the Articles of Peace in his Pocket They Ridicule him and say that none but the Irish have been Civil to him For none else will be Beaten by him and not that but when he is much Superior in Number as he was at the Boyn which was the first time the French say that ever he saw himself a Victor and is like to be the last For the Irish themselves Baffled him afterwards at Limerick and Forc'd him to Turn his Back But this Author says ibid. That K. William Dar'd the French Army and makes his Great Prowess consist in that Whereas this is the very Jest which the French put upon him viz. That he Stood at the Head of a Hundred Thousand Men to see the French King in Person take Namur amat Victoria Testes without Daring to Strike a Stroak in its Defence tho' he came thither on purpose for its Rescue And his Daring to see the English Butcher'd at Stein-Kirk before his Face without Daring to come in to their Relief tho' he had drawn them into that Snare by his Conduct And the Inference this Author Draws from K. William's thus Daring the French is in the next Words viz. That if the French have the Advantage yet K. William hath Entirely the Honour of the Campaign Which is as severe a Satyr as any of K. William's Enemys could have made upon him to set up a Hero for his Non-Resistance Valour in War Doubtless the Honour is as Great In being Beaten as to Beat Pamphlet p. 64. It is observed that K. James never Won a Battle in his Life Jacobite He has certainly Mistaken an J. for a W. There can be no Excuse for his Malice unless he Plead such a Gross Ignorance as never to have heard that K. James when D. of York did on the 3. of June 1665. in fair and open Fight with the Dutch Blow up their Admiral Opdham and as it was Express'd in the Lord Chancellor's Speech to the Parliament 10. Octo. 65. In that Great Action Sunk Burn'd and took Eighteen Good Ships of War whereof half were the Best they had with the loss of one Single Small Ship of Ours The Actions and the Blessing of that Day that Glorious Third of June hath been Celebrated in all the Churches in England and in the Hearty Devotions of all True English-Men c. And the Commons of England to Express their Great Sense of the Valour and Magnanimity of his Royal Highness did upon this Occasion Grant to his Majesty one Months Assessment amounting to 120902. 15. 8. as a Present to be Given to his Royal Highness The Act begins thus We your Majesties most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Commons Assembled in Parliament taking Notice of that Heroick Courage with which your Majesties Royal Brother Expo'd his own Person for the Defence of your Majesty and your People against the Dutch Fleet and of the Glorious Victory through the Blessing of Almighty GOD by him Obtained are Humble Suitors unto your Majesty That we may have leave to make some Expressions of our Humble Thanks to his Royal Highness for the same and that for this end your Majesty would Graciously Please to Accept from us your Loyal Subjects the Sum of Money herein after Mentioned and to Bestow the same upon your Majesties Royal Brother Now what a Witless and Malicious Scribler must this be Reputed who dare out-face the Sun and what is so Publickly known and upon Record in England Nor was his Royal Highness more Celebrated at Home than he was Glorious abroad During his Brother's and his own Exile he was General for France and Spain Alternativly where he Signaliz'd himself to that Degree that the Famous Mareshal Turenne who Instructed his Royal Highness in the Rudiments of War us'd to boast of him that he had Bred up one who did Exceed himself in the Military Capacity And his Fame was Trumpeted no where Louder than in England for about Twenty Years together till the Foundations lay'd for the Bill of Exclusion made it Necessary to have another Character Rais'd of him Pamphlet P. 65. Says of a certain Monsieur but Names no Body that he never got one Inch of Ground nor a Single Town by True Valour and Bravery Jacobite This is True of some Body but not of the French Monsieur Witness in the last Campaign Namur Steinkirk Dixmuyd Furnes c. But if you will say all this was by Treachery on the Confederates side it will follow That they know not among them all a Man they can trust A good Presage of a further Victory But why then was the Valour and Fidelity of the Governour of Namur so much commended You Contradict your selves on all hands In whom lay the Treachery at Steinkirk at Dixmuyd and Furnes Why are not those Traitors call'd to an Account The French King Fights when he pleases and Conquers when he Fights and Those whom be Beats call him a COWARD to make Themselves more Ridiculous and Contemptible Pamphlet p. 62. As for those who declare they ought to Fight against this Government so soon as an Enemy appears I hope the Government will with-draw its Protection from them and pair their Nails in time Jacobite This spoils all the mighty Braggs which this Pamphlet has p. 54. of Dr. King's Book concernign the Affairs of Ireland which he there calls a Convincing Tract and that every Page of it is a Demonstration For the Protestants then there do now declare That it was their Principle to Fight against that Government so soon as an Enemy appear'd and did accordingly And K. James was told of it and was Morally assur'd they would do so And therefore by this Rule he cou'd not have been blam'd if he had pared the Protestants Nails there much closer than even as Dr. King does
Represent it Pamphlat p. 59. He foothes the Roman-Catholick Princes of the Confederacy not to fear any Harm to their Religion from the Protestant Confederates for sayes he The Protestants never did Combine to Exterminate Popery in General Jacobite What does he mean by in General Are we not to be against All the Errors of Rome or only for some part of the Truth or are we to Compound and Abate of it in Favour of the Confederates And Swear to Re-Establish the Pope's Supremacy in France in Order to Secure the Protestant Religion in England The First Article of the Resolution of the Princes Allies and Confederates which was taken in the Assembly at the Hague Feb. 91. as it was done out of the French and Printed here was That they Solemnly Protest before GOD that they will never Break off their Union nor make any Peace with Lewis XIV Till he has made Reparation to the Holy See for whatsoever he has Acted against it and till he Annull and make Void all those Infamous Proceedings against the Holy Father Innocent XI This was but in Parsuance of what was before Concerted in the Particular League with Spain and the Emperor 31. Decem 1690. as it is in the Abstracts of the Foraign Leagues given into the Parliament this Session There Article Fourth It is agreed that no Peace be begun before all things in the Ecclesiasticks be Restor'd as in their Former State Pamphlet Page 52. He says the French King Dragoon'd the Hugonets against his Interest purely out of Vain Glory Jacobite So easily is it for Malice to betray our Reason and Expose us to Forget and Contradict your Selves It was but in p. 47. that he gave a Substantial Reason why it was the French King's Interest to be Rid of these Men The French King knows says he that if he be Invaded by a Protestant Prince these Men will Endanger him by a Revolt Pamphlet Page 37. He commend the Great Clemency of K. William's Order against the Laird of Glen-Coe and says a Milder Order was never given And that he has Express'd a High Displeasure at it viz. The Massacre of Glen-Coe Jacobite He was too soon Weary of this Subject For he should have told what was the High Displeasure was Express'd against these Mutherers of Glen-Coe particularly against those Bloody Brutes in Commission who sent Orders under their Hands two whereof are Inserted No. 19. Appendix of the Answer to Dr. King's Book and said it was by the Kings Express Command to put all to the Sword under 70. Yet these Infernal Furys are continued still in their Respective Posts and no Mark of Displeasure is to be seen upon them In the next Place K. William's most Mild Order should have been Inserted otherwise it will not be Believ'd that any Officers durst have Vouch'd his Express Command for an Action of this Nature and not have Forfeited their Necks at least their Commissions if they had not a Sufficient Warrant under his Hand to Produce And it is to be Explain'd how Glen-Coe and his Men could be in Arms and in open Rebellion as the Pamphlet Foolishly Alledges at the same time that Glen-Lyon and his Souldiers were Quartered in their Houses This Pamphlet confesses the Matter of Fact but Disproves no one Particular of it Pamphlet Page 30. He undertakes to Free K. William from the Objection of Imprisoning many Lords and others contrary to Law Which he does by Confessing the whole Charge against him and then giving an Excuse for it viz. That the Safety of the Nation Absolutly Requires it when Invasion is Threatned Jacobite But yet when this Method would have Absolutly Defeated the Present Revolution and K. James was Minded of it and Advis'd to Secure but a small Number of those who Betray'd him and were then in the Conspiracy against him and he was Morally assur'd of it he would not do it because not having Informations upon Oath against them it was Contrary to Law as a Noble Earl did very well Remark in the House of Peers this Session of Parliament And the Ministers concern'd in our Modern Imprisonments had an Act of Indemnity to Secure them last Year for this and are Endeavouring another now The House of Lords having this Session Declar'd such Commitments to be Illegal Upon which the Prisoners so Committed were Discharg'd and not from K. William's innate Clemency which forbade the Prosecution as this Pamphlet would have us believe for such Endeavours were us'd to continue them in Custody that Aaron Smith the Plot Journey-Man was forc'd to make Affidavit that he had Informations upon Oath against them tho' when it came to the Issue there was no such thing And the Prosecution of this Perjury was all which the Innate Clemency did forbid Thus Sir say the Jacobites Pamphlet Page 31. Accuses K. James for Prosecuting Lord Macklesfield Brandon Gerard and Lord Delamare upon Monmouth's Rebellion Jacobite Lord Delamare himself cannot but own that he had a Fair Tryal and K. James who was Present shew'd a Particular Satisfaction in his being Acquit Will this Author say that there was not Information upon Oath against him Lord Macklesfield Fled his Case is Sufficiently known Lord Brandon Convict and Pardon'd by K. James and Professed Great Loyalty and Gratitude If such Informations could have been had against those Committed in this Reign the Lords had not Voted their Commitments Illegal But this Pamphleteer avers that the Government could not want Informations against them Tho' it is Evident to all in Westminster-Hall that they did want Informations upon Oath against them and that this was the only Cause of their Acquittal But he had some Reason to think that the Government could not want Informations against whom they Pleased to Accuse considering the Fund of Evidence was Provided and their Qualifications Fuller Young Blackhead and Holland are Notoriously known besides these there are the standing Evidence at every Sessions Capel a Broken Shoomaker of Windsor Low a Fidler in Field-Lane Mrs. Scot a Common Prostitute and others of the like Characters who except the Fidler that keeps an Ale-House among the Butchers have no Habitation but are Absolute Beggars Supported by Aaron Smith But the Wit of such Cattle is not alwaies so ready as their Knavery which is the Reason they have done no more Mischief tho' they have done all they could Pamphlet Of many Hundreds Guilty of Treason Two only have Suffer'd for it During this Reign Jacobite The Author by this would make you believe that he was very Exact in the Account But we can Name Three off Hand In all whose Tryals Law and Honour were as much Strain'd as ever was known in England The Hardness of Mr. Ashton's Case has been more than once taken Notice of in both Houses of Parliament The Second a Poor Chair-Man was Hang'd for Attempting to Raise an Army and Inlisting Souldiers to Restore K. James The Third Cross an Inn-Keeper for his Curiosity in going a Board
here taken Leave again But the Delay of the Press has lengthned your Trouble and mine and Obliged me to Offer to your Consideration the Advantage the Jacobites have taken as to the Story told before of Grandval from a Pamphlet lately come out Called Reflections upon the Late HORRID CONSPIRACY Contrived by some of the French Court to Murther his Majesty in Flanders and for which Grandval one of the Assassinates was Executed Printed for RICHARD BALDWIN 1692. The Design of this Piece is to Lay the whole Odium upon King James and the French King making Them the Contrivers and Managers of this Conspiracy To which the Jacobites say That it was done so Foolishly and in such Faint Harangue as Confutes it self and makes it impossible for any Man of Sense to believe not only that either of these Kings or their Council But that Du-Mont himself who is said to be the Assassinat would or did Engage in such a Ridiculous Contrivance For p. 23. telling of the French Court's Management with Regard to Du-Mont viz. Their Fine Project of Rescuing Du-Mont with Fifteen Hundred or Three Thousand Horse he adds as if he were playing Booty these Words viz. This is all Stuff and in the Opinion of every body that Vnderstands any thing of War was next to an Impossibility And he Confesses in the next Line that Du-Mont could not see throw this which he Acknowledges was very strange because says he the Evenues of his Soul were all Intoxicated and Shut up with the Impression of Twenty Thousand Livers This is Stuff indeed And this is the Defence of the Grandvallian Plot Which I should believe some Malicious Jacobite had Wrote to Expose us still more But that I find two Remarkable Passages of the L. B. of S. which I suppose he would not Discover to any of them The First is p. 19. where he tells of a Proposition made to K. William by the Means of the B. of S. to Kill the French King But that he the said Bishop Started up Immediately and said be thought the King was too well known for any to Dare to come with such a Proposition he hoped he himself had been also so well known that none should have made it by him he was Sorry a Promise was given of Safety but he bid the Rogue be gone immediately And that K. William Order'd the Bishop to be sure to Seize upon him that had made the Proposal if ever he could set Eye on him again The Jacobites wonder if K. William or the Bishop had so Great a Mind to find out this Man how it came to be kept a Secret all this time That the Bishop sure must know something of the Man and some Marks of him with whom he had had such Familiar Conversation And never to make an Enquiry after him Tho' the Bishop tells that K. William was so Earnest in it and look'd on Propositions of this kind with so much Horror that he thought that which on all other Occasions was the most Sacred with him I mean his Word did not bind him in this And tho' he had given Promise of Safety to that Man yet he would even break his Word the Most Sacred thing to him in the World to have him Taken This is say the Jacobites to make us believe that no Man could make such a Proposition to K. William and hope to Live tho' it were against the French King himself And yet p. 2â— He tells of some that when he the P. of Orange came First into England Propos'd to him Proceeding against K. James's Person And how he Rejected the Advices given him at Windsor when he had K. James in his Hands but that he said whatever he might do in the way of War he could not bring himself to do any thing Personally against him Yet we heard of no Body Punished for such Proposals In the same p. 20 21. We have another Proposition made to K. William in Ireland and sent by the B. of S. which was to send a Ship to Dublin and Declare for K. James and then K. James himself was to come on Board and so they were to Run away with him to Spain or Italy When K. William heard all this says the Author he said it look'd Plausible and he verily believ'd it would take I bessech you Sir let some more Care be taken of those who are Employed to Write in Defence of the Government that they do not Expose our King at this Ridiculous Rate Nay more to Load him so Odiously as this Author does p. 22. with the Suspicion of having Order'd the Marquiss de Louvois the Great Minister of France and Father of the Marquiss Barbesieux to be Poisoned Which this Author there says the Marquiss of Barbesieux gave as a Reason to Grandval for his Engaging into that Plot of Assassinating K. William 'T is True this Author says it was but a Suspicion But that leaves it still a Suspicion And is no small Reflection upon K. William as likewise o have heard so many Proposals for Assassinating his Father and the French King without any Punishment Inflicted upon any of the Ruffians The Jacobites will make use of these Innuendoes much to his Disadvantage Nor will the Bishop of S. his Flagrant Harangues Satisfy without better Vindication as to Matter of Fact But as to his Lordships Great Tenderness and Starting at the Proposal of Killing the French King for which you have his own Word the Jacobites know a Passage nearer Home which is better Vouch'd and they say does set the Meekness of that Prelate in a Clearer Light and that is When K. James was Seized at Feversham by the Mobb Mr. Napleton who had been very Active in this Revolution and was one of those who under K. James's Window at Feversham Read the P. of Orange's Declaration and is one of the Excepted Persons in K. James's Declaration came up to London to give an Account to the P. of Orange of what they had Acted and Done at Feversham And at the Prince's Court Meeting Dr. B t who seem'd very Inquisitive to be Inform'd what had Pass'd and amongst other things Mr. Napleton telling him that the Mobb were so Barbarously Rude to his Majesty in the House to which the King was First brought that his Majesty Resolv'd to go to some other House in Town where he hop'd he might be better Secur'd from the Barbarity of the Mobb and called upon Sir Edward Hales to come along with him and Declar'd that he would not go without him and that as the King was going to the Door of the Room the Mobb very Outragiously lifted up their Clubbs Staves and what Weapons they had and Mr. Napleton told the Doctor that he verily believed had not he Stopt the King from going they would certainly have Knock'd out his Majesties Brains To whom the Doctor Replyed Why did you Stop him He Repeating the same Reason the Doctor several times Reiterated Why did you Stop him And that with