tending to the honour of God and benefit of the King and State This Dialogue is call'd a seditious Libel Whereas it speaks for the Execution of the Law with as much Force as words can express Now where the Law is put in Execution there can be no Sedition but where the Laws and Constitutions of a Kingdom are invaded and perverted by the Arbitrary Power of Evil Ministers it is that which introduces Sedition and as Sedition is a dangerous Distemper in a Nation so the Impartial Execution of the Law is a Sovereign and Certain Cure And whereas it is call'd a scandalous Libel I answer that if 't is true 't is not scandalous and every Subject of England has an undoubted Priviledg to Complain of and discover Injuries done to the King and also lay open the Grievances of his People And if all the Subjects of England tho in never so high a Station are subject to the Law and answerable for their Actions which I hope is not in the least question'd then this Dialogue will not deserve these Characters nor the Author deserve to be Arraign'd as a Criminal for writing it while the real Criminals he writes of are protected For certainly the pure and undefiled Law of England does not provide any punishment for its Advocates 'T was a Noble saying of that Glorious Prince Edw. 3. of Famous Memory when he hang'd his Chief Justice Thorp of the Kings Bench for taking a Bribe of 100 l. That he being intrusted as the King's Deputy to administer Justice in that Court had as much as in him lay broken that solemn Oath that his Majesty made to his People at his Coronation If such strict Scrutinies shou'd be made in these Days which no doubt God Requires what a multitudewould there be found Guilty of this Chief Justice's Crime who continue to practice it without any regard to their Master's Safety Honour or Coronation-Oath or Safety of their Country nay so far are they from thinking it a Crime that a Learned Lawyer not long since as I was inform'd brought it as a mighty Objection to the Bill against buying and selling Offices That the Perquisites of his Employment came to about 3000 l. per an and pray'd a Clause in the Bill to secure it to him which shews how strong a desire he had still to be able to Expose the Rights and Liberties of the People to Sale to the highest Bidder So Religious a Regard had that Gentleman to his Master's Coronation-Oath Nevertheless such Corrupt Men as these who so openly oppose Justice do generally pretend to have a great Love for their Sovereign and how they 'll stand by him with their Lives and Fortunes and what not when alas their Love has no more reallity than the pretended Love of a Common Harlot For Certainly a Corrupt and Unfaithful Servant can no more Love his Master than an Adulterous Wife can Love her Husband It is not Improbable but this Dialogue may by a Tryal in the Kings Bench be made as 't is call'd A Seditious and Scandalous Libel against his Majesty and Government And so the Tables shall be turn'd and I shall be try'd as a Criminal for laying open the Nations Grievances to the Parliament and the Criminals acquited of the Crimes they are accus'd of without any Tryal at all It cannot be suppos'd that I shall have free Liberty in the Kings Bench Court to bring such Numbers of Witnesses as are necessary to prove the Matters of Fact contain'd in this Dialogue For the Court is ty'd to one single Ishue and therefore cannot Enquire into the bottom of Grievances in the State Besides it is rarely seen that any Man escapes the Censure of the Courts of Westminster who runs Counter to the Predominant Party at White-Hall let his Cause be ever so just Instances enough may be given of it in the late Reigns when the Courts of Justice have under pretence of Law been made perfect Slaughter-Houses to Punish Imprison Fine and take away the Lives of Divers Noble Patriots of their Countrey for doing that which we now call their Duty whose memories we Commemorate and the Judgments against them have been Revers'd in Parliament But Certainly it had been much more Honourable if it cou'd have been done to have sav'd their Lives by putting a stop to their Illegal Tryals than now to say we are sorry for their Deaths Therefore I most humbly appeal to this most August Assembly who in these Cases are ty'd to no single Isâ—ue but may throughly enquire and search into the Nations Grievances which my Designs has been only Loyally and Faithfully to lay open humbly Conceiving that if I produce Witnesses to prove the Matters of Fact Contain'd in this Dialogue That then it will not deserve the Title given it in the Warrant for my Commitment Viz. A Seditious and Scandalous Libel against His Majesty and Government Neither shall I deserve to be Arraign'd at the Kings Bench Bar as a Criminal the next Term where I am bound to appear by Recognizance of 500 l. after above three Months Imprisonment to the hazard of my Life And being thus ready and able to produce Witnesses to prove the said Matters of Fact Contain'd in this Dialogue to the great Advantage of the King and Government whenever your Honours shall please to Command I humbly Cast my self upon your Honours Justice and Protection that no such Prosecution may be made against me as is intended till I be first heard and have liberty to prove that what I have Written in this Dialogue is Truth and for the King and Kingdoms true Interest Peace and Safety and then I shall be willing to stand a Tryal at the Kings Bench Bar And submit to what Law my Adversaries can find to punish me for Writing this Dialogue I am With all Dutiful Respect Your Lordships and Honours Most Obedient Servant SAMVEL BASTON London the 16 th of March 169â— A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A Modern Courtier and an Honest English Gentleman Courtier DEAR Sir Your Humble Servant you are Welcome to Town Pray how long have you been arrived Gentleman Sir I came but last Night and thought my self oblig'd to pay my Respects to you in the first place I hope all your Noble Family is well C. I thank you Sir they are very well But pray how does your good Lady And how do Matters go in the Country G. Why we are all reasonable well in Health but out of Order every way else For the Taxes are so high Money so scarce Trade so dead c. That I Protest my Estate is so Cultivated 't will hardly maintain my Family C. Come Sir you are my Worthy Friend and therefore I would not have you find Fault with any thing for if you are willing I doubt not but you may soon have such an Employment that you will not feel the weight of the Taxes nay you may be a Great Gainer by the War and I would fain have you in the Government
VVhy not about Popery They only consist of Pure Downright Cheating the Publick And Sir to our Eternal Shame and Infamy I must tell you That multitudes of Poperies Zealous and Mortal Enemies are Dear and Intimate Friends to this Nay to speak in General there are few Men but what will much rather chuse to take Part in it than make Complaint against it for indeed the Nation is miserably Debauch'd by the horrid Nasty Fogs and Fumes of the Courts unsavoury Noysome Lusts But now after all this Mighty Hate to Popery and Love to Cheating the Consequence of both is much alike For if our Present Grievances viz. Cheating the Puhlick be well follow'd the People will soon be made Beggars and Bankrupts and then Poverty and Slavery will be found as True and Proper a Saying as Popery and Slavery And therefore to Speak in your own Stile I think there 's many that do well deserve the Character of Sleepy Senceless Sots and Fools But especially those Great Ones that have got Vast Estates by Fraud Treachery c. Sure they are Besotted with a WITNESS Fondly to Fancy that they shall hold their Ill-got-Goods by Vertue of those Wholesome Laws that they have Constantly broke to Get them This I say is a strange Paradox And now pray Who wou'd you have to omplain of Grievances and especially of these sort of Grievances that are so generally Belov'd by those that shou'd Redress them You see a very considerable part of the Nation are Silent for Reasons I spoke of just now and as for the Popularity or Middle sort viz. Traders Husbandmen c. who are the Main Body of the People they know their Grievances in General but can tell nothing in Particular where to fix the Fault and so cannot Complain but only Grumble Mutter and Murmur And now if a Self-interested Man won't Complain and if an Ignorant Man can't Complain and if a Wise and Honest Man that knows the Strength and Power of the Corrupt Party dare not Complain Pray Who wou'd you have to Complain at all Certainly 't is so far from being strange as you say that so few have Complain'd That 't is a great wonder to me how any have had so much GRACE or COVRAGE to open their Mouths against Corruption For who d'think shou'd Complain of a Vniversal and Gainful Grievance You see the Destruction of our Coyn went forward all this Reign and had even just destroy'd the Government before our Long-Headed-Statesmen did take the Pains to put King or Parliament in Mind to Redress it This cou'd not possibly be through Ignorance no there was too much Money got by the Evil and when the Trade cou'd be carried on no longer Then they all Cry'd out like Patriots of their Countrey to have it Redress'd So that for this Branch of the Nations Ruin we may also Thank the Court and Pray God we get well over it These are all Miserable and Destructive Evils that this Poor Nation at present Staggers under only for want of the Early Constant and Impartial Execution of Justice to Encourage Virtue and Suppress Vice But it seems this has been contrary to the deep Maxims of our Pollicy and so has hitherto been omitted And thus I think I have shew'd you why so few have Publickly Complain'd tho' the Nation is so Loaded with Grievances But I had almost forgot one Party and that is the Jacobites and I hope you wou d not have them Complain against these Grievances no they had much rather forward them For 't is upon these Shameful Corruptions they build their Hopes and for which they Contemn and Scoff at the Government in all Publick Places and Encrease their Party by many Proselytes For no Honest Man is capable to Contradict them being able to say nothing that is Good of the Court Whereas had Justice been duly Administred and Vice and Wickedness Punished and Suppress'd which we had and have Power enough to do there cou'd not have been at this day a Protestant Jacobite left in the Nation For the Justice and Equity of the Government must needs long before this have Brought them all over from Stubborn Folly and made them Proselytes to their own Interest and to Common Sence as well as Loving and Loyal Subjects to His Majesty And now Sir since you have Ask'd me several Questions I shall beg leave Calmly to Ask you one and that is Pray to what end were your Honours and Employments Conserr'd upon you Were they d'think only to get a Great Estate to leave to your Posterity Certainly the Duty 's Incumbent on such Offices cannot have so poor a Center but must aim at much Higher and Nobler Objects if a Man wou'd rightly consider them But I shall not detain you at present with an Account how Great and Extensive they are not doubting your Knowledge therein however in point of Friendship I cannot but put you in Mind That as a Privy-Councellor you have Power to Administer Justice but no Power to Obstruct it You have Power to put the Law in Execution but you have no Power to Pervert it or render it useless You have power to punish any Capital Publick Offender but you have no Power to Conceal his Crimes Protect him and let him Escaps Punishment For in doing it you betray the King and take from Him His Regal Power and Rob the People of their Laws and Liberties For you are to consider that in hearing the Crimes of a Publick Offender your Power only extends to Hear and Examine that Cause in Trust for your King and Country that Law and Justice may take place and a Lord Chief Justice may as lawfully presume to Pardon MURDER or Forgive one of my Debtors or a Justice of Peace to Compound that Fellony whereby I am Robb'd as you to Protect or Acquit any Publick Offender In short In all your publick Stations you 'r only a Trustee for your Prince and Country to promote the Interest of both and you are Answerable to both in this World as well as to God in the next how you Discharge these Trusts and I fear many MEN have most Dreadful Reckonings to make on this Account Therefore Sir I do Earnestly Advise you to take a Resolution to Save your Self from the Terrible Burden of this Guilt and Rouse a Noble English Genius and stand up for the Honour of God and the Good of your Prince and Country whose true Interests are Inseparable that Justice may be Administred Vertue Incourag'd and Vice and Wickedness Punish`d and Suppress`d For if you Sincerely Study True Pollicy God will surely Instruct and put you in the Right Way Otherwise you may still Continue to Wander as you have Hitherto done But after all do not Entertain any fond opinion that a Private Company of Men can possibly hold their Riches in the midst of a Ruin'd Nation No Certainly they must be Ruin'd also For if there 's any Law that will do their business if not They 'l only have the pleasure of being Plunder'd last by an Inrag'd and Furious Popularity For as 't is said in Job Fire shall Consume the Tabernacles of Bribery If God has said it We may affirm it and Pawn our Lives and Souls 't will be done if Attonement be not made FINIS Printed in the Year 1696.
A DIALOGUE BETWEEN A Modern Courtier AND AN Honest English Gentleman To which is added The AUTHOR's Dedication TO Both Houses of Parliament To whom he Appeals for Justice By SAMVEL BASTON Gent. LONDON Printed in the Year MDCXCVII TO THE Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons in Parliament Assembled AGainst the Opening the present Session of Parliament I thought it my Duty considering the Nation 's great Distress to point out to your Honours who were the principal Causers and Continuers of its Miseries which I did in the following Dialogue Containing 1 st Bare Matter of Fact already prov'd against the Lords of the Admiralty Commissioners of the Navy Commissioners of the Post-Office and Commissioners of the Sick and Wounded Seamen c. with the foul Practices of the Commissioners of the Publick Accounts for Concealing and Justifying the said Crimes 2 dly Natural Consequences and Arguments drawn from the said Matter of Fact in Reference to Religion Law Policy and the true Interest and Safety of the King and Kingdom The Book being out it was seiz'd by Messengers divers reporting it was High Treason and Mr. Crosfeild and a Poor Woman were Committed to the Poultrey Compter about it by a Justice of Peace at the bare Instance of a Messenger The said Justice of Peace often professing he was sorry the matter came before him for that by his own Losses he could speak deeply to the Truth and Honesty of the Book but was afraid of being chid by some of the Court if he neglected to do what the Messenger bid him with Divers other Expressions of like Nature which shews the great Force of Truth that it will be Confess'd tho from the mouths of its very Opposers I was also inform'd that the aforesaid Messenger had given direction to the said Justice of Peace to Commit me the first time he saw me for that there was a Warrant out against me for High Treason which Trouble they need not have given the Justice of Peace for they knew where to have found me themselves But I being very infirm and weak of body by reason of long sickness occasion'd by my ill usage was unwilling to be committed to Newgate in this smugling manner to destroy my Health which I knew was the Design against me and the said Justice of Peace thro' Ignorance and Timerousness wou'd certainly have done it had he seen me tho the book I had printed had been David's Psalms This Report was on Saturday and the Monday following I went to the Secretaries Office to surrender my self to this Warrant of High Treason but upon Enquiry found there was no Warrant against me for High Treason Sir William Trumball's Secretary making a Jest of it told me 't was only the Messenger's mistake but I could not get him to examine the Messenger about it and that what was against me in that Office was only upon Suspicion of being the Author of this Dialogue so the High Treason was fallen only to Suspicion of a Misdemeanour and that I must submit to be confin'd in a Messenger's Custody which was accordingly done After some days I got a sight of the Warrant for my Commitment which was not upon Suspicion of my being the Author of this Dialogue as I was told at the Office but for Publishing and Dispersing a Seditious and Scandalous Libel against His Majesty and Government without Naming what Libel or mentioning its Title in the Warrant The Warrant also shews that 't was drawn after I surrender'd my self for it begins thus These are in His Majesties Name to require you to keep in safe Custody c. Whereas another Warrant directed to a Messenger to apprehend any Person commands him to go and take a Constable to his assistance and seize or attach the Body of such a one and bring him and his Papers before the Secretary to be Examined c. By which it appears what Drudgery was design'd for this Timerous Justice of Peace to commit me to Newgate for High Treason to Ruin my Health without Warrant Law or Sence Thus I continued a Prisoner in a Messenger's Custody from the 26 th October 1696. to the 29 th January following being 3 months and 3 days to the great endangering of my Life by bad Diet and was then discharg'd giving a Recognizance of 500 l. to appear the first day of the next Term. So I that have serv'd the King and discover'd and detected many of the Utter Enemies of his Majesty and his People am now Cited to answer as a Criminal for pointing out the Destroyers of the Nation to the Parliament And those Notorious Criminals I write of in this Dialogue are brought to no Tryal but protected as if there was no Law to take Cognizance of them And further the matters of Fact related in this Dialogue the Post-Office excepted are no more than what are contain'd in a Petition and Articles Exhibited by Mr. Crosfeild and others in the House of Peers about two years since where it is now depending The late Commissioners of Accounts to whom it was Referr'd to Examine into it and make their Report having hitherto by Evasions and False Allegations in behalf of the Criminals delay'd and stopt the laying open these Grievances and have to this day disappointed your Honours of a true Knowledge of them whereby the said Grievances have been supported and increased for which the Nation has severely suffer'd But has reason now to give thanks to God that the said Commission is so happily Dissolv'd which was so great a Bulwork of Iniquity And I hope it is a good Omen or Presage of a General Overthrow of Fraud and Wickedness So now because the Facts contain'd in this Dialogue are not yet Examin'd in Parliament by means of the aforesaid Commissioners of Accounts the Printing them again to re-mind the Parliament of the present miseries that God may be honour'd by the Punishment and Suppression of Wickedness the King and Kingdoms Enemies remov'd and the Laws put in Execution for the publick safety for the future is it seems become A Seditious and Scandalous Libel against his Majesty and Government I m sure this Dialogue chiefly depends but upon three things First Truth in the matter of Fact related Secondly The Gospel in reference to Gods Judgments for Imorallity and Tollerated Wickedness And Thirdly The Laws of the Land in reference to their being Invaded and Perverted and not put in Execution And if this Dialogue will endure a Tryal by these three Touch-Stones and yet continue still to be a Seditious and Scandalous Libel c. Why then Truth must be Scandalous and the Scripture and Statutes of England Seditious Libels and he that Writes for the safety and preservation of the King and Kingdom is an Enemy to his Majesty and Government This shews how Exceedingly Wickedness abounds and what a Cabal of Men there are in Power ready to turn the King's Authority against himself and to subvert Gospel Law Loyalty Justice and all things