afraid such Bills as these will not do our business because they will not destroy that footing which they have at Court nor strengthen the Protestant Interest which must have its original from Union It is strange that none but those who are for the Duke's interest should be the only persons thought fit to be in places of trust It is so strange a way to preserve the Protestant Church and Religion that it raiseth with me a doubt whether any such thing be designed Such Persons may be proper to manage Affairs in favour of the Popish interest but it is to be admired that they and they only should be thought fit to be intrusted with the Protestant interest I think it as hard for them to do it as to serve two Masters It is not usual in other Countryes to retain their Enimies in the Government nor such as are Friends to their Enimies and it is strange that we of all other Nations should fall into this piece of Policy But Sir for these reasons you may conclude that unless what Laws you make be strong and well penned they will signifie nothing against so powerful a Party as you have to do with Sir W. J. Sir there hath been so much said already upon the Subject-matter of this Debate that I shall have little occasion to trouble you long The worthy Member that spoke a while since hath shewed you from whence our fears of Popery arise from the dependance they have of assistance from France Ireland and Scotland in case there should be a Popish King besides the Party they have here and the advantage they will have by the Government which is already secured for that Interest and of it self would be sufficient to contest with the Protestant interest who in such a case would have no King to head them no persons in any place of trust to execute any Laws in their behalf nor no legal power to defend themselves And therefore seeing there is a Negative past upon the Bill we had contrived to secure us from these great dangers I think Sir we may do well to try if we can get any thing else But I am perswaded if this Association-Bill be made as it should be that we shall have no better success with it than we had with the Exclusion-Bill For I am afraid that though we are permitted to brandish our Weapons yet that we should not be allowed to wound Popery but rather do believe that they which advised the throwing out of that Bill will also do the same by this or dissolve the House before it come to perfection For this Bill must be much stronger than that in Queen Elizabeths days that was for an Association only after her death but I cannot tell if such a Bill will secure us now the circumstances we are under being very different In Queen Etizabeths days the Privy Councellors were all for the Queens Interest and none for the Successors now most of the Privy Councellors are for the Successors and few for the King 's Then the Ministers unanimously agreed to keep our Popery now we have to much reason to fear there are many that are for bringing it in In those days they all agreed to keep the Popish Successor in Scotland now the Major part agreed to keep the Successor here all which must be considered in drawing out of the Bill After all these debates it was at length Resolved That it is the opinion of this Committe that the House be moved that a Bill be brought in for an Association of all his Majesties Protestant Subjects for the safety of his Majesties Person the defence of the Protestant Religion and the preservation of his Majesties Protestant Subjects against all invasions and Oppositions and for preventing the Duke of York or any other Papists from succeeding to the Crown December 17. 1680. THe House resolved into a Committee further to consider of ways and means to secure the Kingdom against Popery and Arbitrary Government and after several Debates how ineffectual all Laws would prove without having good Judges Justices and others in Commission that will execute them and how frequent Parliaments would conduce to have Laws put duely in execution Resolved That it is the Opinion of this House that the House be moved that a Bill be brought in for the more effectual securing of the Meetings and Sittings of frequent Parliaments Resolved That it is the Opinion of this Committee that the House be moved that a Bill be brought in that the Judges may hold their Places and Sallaries quam diu se bene gesserint Resolved That it is the Opinion of this Committee that one means to prevent Arbitrary Power is that the House be moved that a Bill be brought in against illegal exaction of Money upon the people to make it High Treason Reported to the House and agreed to His Majesties Speech made to both Houses Decemb. 15. was read J. H. Mr Speaker SIR The Veneration that is due to all His Majesties Speeches doth require that we should seriously Debate them before we give any Answer to them but the circumstances we are under at this time challenge a more than ordinary Consultation For by the tenor of the Speech I conclude that the Success of this Parliament depends upon our Answer to it and consequently the safety of the Protestant Religion both at home and abroad And therefore I think my self very unable to advise in this matter and should not have attempted it but that you have encouraged me by your leave to speak first So that if I offer any thing amiss those that come after will have opportunities to correct me I would begin with the latter end of the Speech first because that part of it is most likely to be get a fair understanding between his Majesty and this House But I cannot but observe what great care is here again taken of preserving the Succession in the Right Line as in all other his Majesties Speeches ever since the Plot break out I think more could not be done though it were in behalf of the Kings Son and a Protestant too That limitation and his Majesties offers of securing the Protestant Religion if by Succession in the Right Line may be meant the Duke upon many Debates in this House is found irreconcileable and therefore must be imputed to those that have advised his Majesty thereto To preserve the Right of Succession in the Duke is to preserve something or nothing The something must be no less then the Crown in case of his Majesties death and so consequently the interest of the Popish party who after one hundred years endeavours to have a Prince of their Religion the indefatigable industry of the Jesuits to obtain it and the loss of so much Blood spent therein will besides their principles and inclinations lay on them great obligations to make use of the opportunity to establish their Religion again in this Nation So that I must confess these reservations
the same that Your Majesty will likewise be graciously pleased to Assent to an Act whereby Your Majesties Protestant Subjects may be enabled to Associate themselves for the defence of Your Majesties Person the Protestant Religion and the Security of your Kingdoms These Requests we are constrained humbly to make to Your Majesty as of absolute Necessary for the safe and peaceable Enjoyment of our Religion Without these things the Alliances of England will not be valuable nor the People Encouraged to contribute to your Majesties Service As some farther means for the Preservation both of our Religion and Propriety We are humble Suiters to your Majesty that from hencâ—forth such persons only may be Judges within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales as are men of Ability Integrity and known affection to the Protestant Religion And that they may hold both their Offices and Salleries Quam diu se bene gesterint That several Deputy-Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace fitly qualified for those Imployments having been of late displaced and others put in their room who are men of Arbitrary principles and Countenancers of Papists and Popery such only may bear the Office of a Lord-Lieutenant as are persons of Integrity and known Affection to the Protestant Religion That Deputy-Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace may be also so qualified and may be moreover men of ability of Estates and Interest in their Country That none may be employed as Military Officers in Your Majesties Fleet but men of known Experience Courage and Affection to the Protestant Religion These our humble Requests being Obtained We shall on our part be ready to Assist Your Majesty for the Preservation of Tangier and for putting Your Majesties Fleet into such a condition as it may preserve Your Majesties Soveraignty of the Seas and be for the Defence of the Nation If your Majesty hath or shall make any necessary Alliances for the Defence of Protestant Religion and Interest and Security of this Kingdom this house will be ready to Assist and Stand by Your Majesty in the support of the same After this our Humble Answer to Your Majesties Gracious Speech we hope no evil Instruments whatsoever shall be able to lessen Your Majesties Esteem of that Fidelity and Affection we bear to Your Majesties Service but that Your Majesty will alwayes retain in Your Royal Breast that favourable Opinion of us Your Loyal Commons that those other good Bills which we have now under Consideration c nducing to the Great Ends we have before mentioned as also all Laws for the benefit and comfort of your People which shall from time to time be tendred for your Majesties Royal Assent shall find acceptance with your Majesty E. V. Mr. Speaker Sir I have hearkened with all the attention I could to this Address and do agree with the first part of it The Dangers and Inconveniences arising from a Popish Successor are very obvious and that there will be no Peace nor Tranquility in this Nation for the present as long as there is a Popish Successor and that our Religion will be lost if there should be a Popish King I am afraid is too true But yet I must crave leave to dissent from the opinion of those worthy Members that have drawn it as to the other parts thereof I think it is not convenient at this time to press so hard for the Exclusion Bill because we know we cannot have it without a Prorogative which for my part I fear at this time as much as I do a Popish Successour For I do believe if it should happen that you will sooner see the Duke at White-hall than this Assembly meet together again between these Walls And therefore am not willing to give the Popish party such an advantage to procure our Dissolution lest they should lay hold of it as I believe they would by which the Protestant Interest both abroad and at home will be ruin'd And As I cannot agree in this so neither in pressing the Association Bill For being it hath not yet been brought into the House we do not well known what will be the purport of it And it is not proper that we should ask of the King we know not what nor expect that he should grant us what he can know nothing of And truly Sir I think that these things about the Judges Deputy-Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace are minute things to be insisted on at this time compared with others which might be demanded Queen Elizabeths Councellors never thought her safe until the Popish Successor was inclosed in a Tower and I am afraid that you will never be safe until you take some such course that may bring things to an issue When you have done that and banished all the considerable Papists out of England I think we shall not be in so apparent danger as we now are And seeing this may probably be granted and the other Bills not I humbly move you to recommit the Address that it may be better considered I know not how this may agree with the sense of the House but I shall always crave leave to speak in this place according to my Conscience that so I may have peace within me but readily submit to better Judgments Sir W. J. Mr. Speaker Sir I am very glad that worthy member agrees in the apprehensions of the dangers arising from a Popish Successour and in the necessity of the Bill of Exclusion and am very sorry I cannot agree with him in the rest of his Discourse I cannot imagine without a high reflection upon his Majesty that if he should be perswaded to prorogue the House for two or three days in order to pass the Exclusion Bill that he should instead of permitting us to meet again dissolve the Parliament which is quite contrary to it I fear a Prorogation without being intended for this but if once we could prevail with his Majesty to do it for this end I shall not doubt the desired effect And in pressing the Association Bill we shall not press the King to grant us we know not what The word Association may very well be understood and the ends of it are declared to be for the security of his Majesties Person and the Protestant Religion And if when drawn it should be directed to other ends I suppose this House will take care to mend it if not the Kings promise can bind no farther than to pass a Bill for those ends But I do much admire to hear that the having of good Judges Justices and Commanders at Sea and Land is a trivial thing For I think that all other things you desire without it would signifie nothing As long as the Laws and Militia of the Nation is in the hands of persons not well-affected to the Protestant Interest I am afraid we shall have no security against Popery As to the new way that hath been proposed of bringing matters relating to the Popish Successour to such an issue as that
he may be secured as in Queen Elizabeth's time If he had been sensible that there are none in Office but what are for his Interest he would first have agreed to have endeavoured to have got such changed before he would have proposed that way And it would be necessary that we should also have such Privy-Councellors as Queen Elizabeth had and not Eleven to Seven for the Popish Successor And therefore seeing these Proposals have no more appearance of being for your service I see no reason you have to be diverted from the way you were going And therefore I humbly move to agree with your Committee The House Agreed December 21. 1680. A Bill was read for Vniting his Majesties Protestant Subjects P. Mr. Speaker SIr is it not to be doubted but that the happiness of this Nation and safety of our Religion doth depend very much upon preserving the well-constituted Government of the Church and that the Government in the State will not long stand if that be pull'd down to which I am afraid this Bill will contribute very much Sir it is well known how notwithstanding all the endeavours of his Majesty as well in Parliament as otherwise all the Acts that are in force against Dissenters all the endeavours of the Fathers of the Church there are a sort of men and great numbers too who will neither be advised nor overruled but under the pretence of Conscience break violently through all Laws whatsoever to the great disurbance both of Church and State And if you should give them more Liberty you will encourage them to go on with more boldness and therefore I think it will be more convenient to have a Law for forcing the Dissenters to yield to the Church and not to force the Church to yield to them And I think we are going quite the wrong way to do the Nation good And therfore I 〈◊〉 against this Bill D. Mr. Speaker Sir I would not open my mouth in favour of this Bill if I thought it would any ways prejudice the Church or Church-Government but I believe it may have a quite-contrary effect and tend more for the preservation and safety of the Church and Church-Government than any Bill whatsoever that could be contrived We have a Church-Government setled by Law to which the Major-part of the People like good Christians and Loyal Subjects give obedience but it is our misfortune that there are in the Nation a great many which will not submit to this Government which may be divided under three Heads 1. The Papists who differ from us in points of Faith and will not give any obeysance but to the Church of Rome 2. Independants Presbyterians and some others who agree in points of Faith and differ only in some points of Doctrine and Ceremonies 3. Quakers who disagree not only in points of Doctrine and Ceremonies but in points of Faith and are a head-strong sort of unreasonable people that will not Submit to any Laws made about Religion but do give obedience to the Civil Magistrate upon all other occasions The Church of England men are not only the greatest number but have the Government of their side What Laws to make that may tend most to the preserving of it is your business It is in danger from the Papists on the one hand and the rest of the Protestant-Dissenters on the other who in some measure agree in their enmity and disrespect to the Church and therefore the more care ought to be taken for its preservation Having thus Sir discovered the danger of the Church in general it will be necessary in order to find out a remedy to discourse a little of the Strength and Interest of each Party in particular Sir the Papists are not the greatest number but yet in my opinion upon several considerations are most to be feared because of their desperate Principles which make them bold and indefatigable and the assistance they may have from Rome France and Ireland but above all from the great share they have in the management of the Government by the means of a Popish Successour and the fear of their getting the Government into their hands hereafter by having a Popish King Which of it self hath been sufficient in former times to change the Religion of this Nation and may justly be feared may have the same effect again unless the Protestants be well united The Presbyterians Independants and all other Dissenters may be more in number than the Papists and may be willing enough to have the Church-Government altered if not destroyed yet being they cannot have any succour from abroad nor from the Government here at home I cannot see any great danger of them For it is not probable that they shall ever have a King of their opinion nor a Parliament by the discovery they made of their strength in the last Elections For according to the best calculation I can make they could not bring in above one in twenty And therefore because they have not such bloudy desperate Principles as the Papists and because we agree in points of Faith and so no such great danger from them as from the Papists I think we have reason to conclude that the Church is most in danger from the Papists and that therefore we ought to take care of them in the first place and we cannot do that by any way more likely to prove effectual than by some such Bill as this Because if it should have the effect designed of bringing in many of the Dissenters into the Church it would disappoint them of the great hopes they have grounded on our Divisions and make the Church stronger not only to oppose the Papists but such Fanaticks as may not come in And if we should be so unfortunate as that this Bill should not have this success I do not understand it will any way weaken the Church-Government And therefore I am for this Bill F. Mr. Speaker Sir this Bill is intended for the preservation of the Church and I am of opinion is the only Bill that can be made in order thereto our circumstances considered But I know not what effect it may have because you are to deal with a Stubborn sort of people who in many things prefer their humour before reason or their own safety or the publick good But Sir I think this is a very good time to try whether they will be won by the Cords of Love or no and the Bill will be very agreeable to that Christian Charity which our Church professes and I hope that in a time of so imminent danger as we are in of a common Enemy they will consider their own safety and the safety of the Protestant Religion and not longer keep afoot the unhappy Divisions that are amongst us on which the Papists ground their hopes But rather seeing the Church doth so far condescend as to dispence with the Surplice and those other things which they Scruple at that they will submit to the rest that
look to me like a perfect design to save the whole Party accompanied with a power and a pretence sufficient to enable them to accomplish their end For to this the saving the Dukes right doth amount and consequently the destruction of the Protestant Religion Which cannot be imagined to proceed from his Majesty In former times the interest of no one man could ever bare up against the interest of the Nation now it seems that the Religion Lives and Liberties of all the people of this Nation nay I may say all the Protestants of the Three Nations must all be lost rather then one man be dispossest of his right though by his own Act hath made himself incapable to enjoy it Certainly there must be more intended by this then the saving of one man it must be the saving of a Party And therefore Sir I am afrraid we are but where we were two years ago For it is plain to me that there is a certain fatal Scheme which hath been exactly pursued these twenty years in order to destroy the Protestant Interest and hath had a strange secret operation in the management of all our affairs And although now and then some accidents have hapned that have occasioned some alteration for a time as by his Majesties recalling the Toleration some Transactions of Parliaments the breaking out of the plot and his Majesties Toleration of his Council 1679. Yet I observe that after a little while there is no change in the main all returns to the old Scheme as if there were a certain infallible ballance that did preponderate We have had so much experience of his Majesties goodness and inclinations that we cannot but conclude that there is still some such thing as a wheel within a wheel whether Jesuits for 't is like them or who I cannot tell nor how the Government is influenced that the Protestants should not be able to obtain any thing for their security But we may guess and justly fear that it will never be other ways as long as there is a Popish Successor The truth is we have a hard task to serve our King and Country in such a time as this is We may expose our selves to the rage of a powerful party but I am afraid get little to secure our selves against their revenge We are under the same inequailty as fair gamesters that meet with those that use false Dice and are like to have the same ill luck at last unless his Majesty should be pleased to consider who stands up most for his Government and who plays fairest and accordingly change his Councils The first three Paragraphs of the Speech are about Alliances the fourth about Tangier the fifth about securing the Succession the sixth to know what we desire and what we will do Sir I take no delight in looking backward but without doing it at this time I am afraid we shall not mend as we go forward It is not to be doubted but that as well for the security of the Nation at home as of Flanders against the power of France and the Protestant Religion abroad we are under a necessity to make Alliances and that they cannot be made nor supported without Money But did we not give above Two Millions for the preservation of the Tripple-League and was it not by the power of the French and Popish Party imployed to break it Did we not a little while since give about a Million and half for an actual French War and was there not presently a general Peace made Do not all Forreign Nations complain that notwithstanding all our Treaties pretences and Declarations we have been only true to France And what reason have we now to imagine that if we should give Money for Leagues that it would be imployed otherwise then formerly Is not the same Scheme of Government pursued still Is not the French Ambassador and the French Women too as great at Court as ever And have not the Dukes Creatures the management of all our affairs and if the Dukes interest the French interest and the Popish interest be all one can you imagine that your Money shall be imployed to make any Alliances that shall be for the advantage of the Protestant Religion No Sir though his Majesty so intend it yet the wheel within a wheel which hath managed all other alliances hitherto will also manage these and have the Disposal of your Money too and pervert it to our Destruction And until things settle here at home on a true Protestant bottom it cannot be imagined that any Forraign Prince will depend on us or make Alliances with us And therefore as well for that as because our Money may not probably be disposed of for any good end it is in vain to Treat of either Alliances or Money For until the Interest be changed at Court that so there may be a better understanding between the King and his People it cannot produce any thing for our advantage As to Tangier and the Succession there hath been so much said already when those points were debated that I will not trouble you with more at this time But I beg leave to add something about the latter part of the Speech which doth a little comfort me because I hope we may graft such an Answer thereupon as may beget a right understanding with His Majesty I know this House is constituted of persons much different from that of the Long Parliament because of the many Pensioners that were in it and that we need not now be afraid to talk of Money I believe we all know that without giving Money this Session the Nation can never be happy nor His Majesties Government so formidable as it ought to be And therefore I would humbly move you to appoint a Committee to draw up an Address to assure His Majesty that when His Majesty shall be pleased to grant us such Laws as are necessary for the security of our Religion which may be particularized in the Address that we will be ready to give him what Money his occasions may require not only for the support of Tangier and Alliances but to enable him to have a good Fleet at Sea for the encouraging of Seamen and security of Trade and preservation of his Dominions that so we may shew we are ready to express our duty as well by our acts as words Ld R. Mr. Speaker Sir being it is so apparent that all our fears of Popery arise from and center in the Duke of York and that it is impossible the affairs of this Nation should ever settle on a good Protestant bottom as long as there is a Popish Successor which cannot be prevented but by the Succession Bill That there may be no ill construction made of our desires I would humbly move you to offer to supply the King with what money he may need for the support of Tangier and Alliances upon his granting of the Succession Bill only that so His Majesty may have no reason to
the House a great deal of time And for my part I am not for enumerating many Bills but should be content to give Money upon having the Exclusion Bill only which being so precisely necessary for the preservation of our Religion all the world will justifie us in the demanding it before we part with Money and therefore I desire the Committe may draw up the Address accordingly Resolved That a Committee be appointed to prepare an Humble Address to His Majesty upon the Debate of the House in answer to His Majesties Speech December 20. 1680. Mr. Hampden reports the Address which was read The Humble Address of the House of Commons presented to his Majesty in Answer to his Majesties Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament upon the 15th day of the same December May it please your most Excellent Majesty WE Your Majesties most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled have taken into our serious Consideration Your Majesties Gracious Speech to both Your Houses of Parliament on the 15th of this Instant December and do with all the grateful Sense of Faithful Subjects and sincere Protestants acknowledg Your Majesties great goodness to us in renewing the assurances You have been pleased to give us of your readiness to concur with us in any mâ—â—â— for the security of the Protestant Religion and Your Gracious Invitation of us to make our desires known to your Majesty But with grief of Heart we cannot but observe that to these Princely Offers your Majesty has been advised by what secret Enemies to Your Majesty and Your People we know not to annex a Reservation which if insisted on in the instance to which alone it is applicable will tender all Your Majesties other Gracious Inclinations of no effect or advantage to us Your Majesty is pleased thus to limit Your promise of Concurrence in the Remedies which shll be proposed that they may consist with preserving the Succession of the Crown in it's due and legal course of Descent And we dâ— humbly inform four Majesty that no Interruption of that Descent has been endeavoured by us except only the Descent upon the Person of the Duke of York who by the wicked Instruments of the Church of Rome has been manifestly perverted to their Religion And we do humbly represent to Your Majesty as the Issue of our most deliberate Thoughts and Consultations that for the Papists to have their hopes continued that a Prince of that Religion shall succeed in the Throne of these Kingdoms is utterly inconsistent with the Safety of your Majesties Person the preservation of the Protestant Religion and the Prosperity Peace and Welfare of your Protestant Subjects That your Majesties Life is in continual danger under the prospict of a Popish Successor is evident not only from the Principles of those devoted to the Church of Rome which allow that an Heritical Prince and such they term all Protestant Princes Excommunicated and Deposed by the Pope may be destroyed and murthered but also from the Testimonies given in the prosecution of the horrid Popish Plot against divers Traitors attainted for designing to put those accursed Principles into practice against Your Majesty From the expectation of this Succession has the number of Pupists in your Majesties Dominions so much increased within these few years and so many been prevailed with to desert the true Protestant Religion that they might be prepared for the Favours of a Popish Prince assoon as he shall come to the possession of the Crown And while the same Expectation lasts many more will be in the same danger of being perverted This it is that has hardned the Papists of the Kingdom animated and confederated by their Priests and Jesuits to make a Common Purse provide Arms make application to Forreign Princes and sollicite their Aid for imposing Popery upon us and all this even during Your Majesties Reign and while Your Majesties Government and the Laws were our protection It is Your Majesties Glory and true Interest to be the Head and Protector of all Protestants as well abroad as at home But if these hopes remain what Alliances can be made for the advantage of the Protestant Religion and Interest which shall give confidence to Your Majesties Allies to joyn so vigorously with your Majesty as the State of that Interest in the World now requires whilst they see this Protestant Kingdom in so much danger of a Popish Successor by whom at the present all their Councils and Actions may be eluded as hitherto they have been and by whom if he should succeed they are sure to be destroyed We have thus humbly laid before your Majesty some of those great Dangers and Mischiefs which evidently accompany the expectation of a Popish successor The certain and unspeakable Evils which will come upon your Your Majesties Protestant Subjects and their Posterity if such a Prince should inherit are more also than we can well enumerate Our Religion which is now so dangerously shaken will then be totally overthrown nothing will be left or can be found to protect or defend it The execution of old Laws must cease and it will be vain to expect new ones The most sacred Obligations of Contracts and Promises if any should be given that shall be judged to be against the Interest of the Romish Religion will be violated as is undeniable not only from Argument and Experience elsewhere but from the sad Experience this Nation once had on the like occasion In the Reign of such a Prince the Pope will be acknowledged Supream though the Subjects of this Kingdom have sworn the contrary and all Causes either as Spiritual or in order to Spiritual Things will be brought under his Jurisdiction The Lives Liberties and Estates of all such Protestants as value their Souls and their Religion more than their secular Concernments will be adjudged forfeited To all this we might add That it appears in the discovery of the Plot that Forreign Princes were invited to assist in securing the Crown to the Duke of York with Arguments from his great Zeal to establish Popery and to extirpate Protestants whom they call Hereticks out of his Dominions and such will expect performance accordingly We further humbly beseech Your Majesty in Your great Wisdom to consider Whether in case the Imperial Crown of this Protestant Kingdom should descend to the Duke of York the opposition which may possibly be made to his possessing it may not onely endanger the farther descent in the Royal Line but even Monarchy it self For these Reasons we are most humble Petitioners to Your most Sacred Majesty That in tender commiseration of Your poor Protestant People your Majesty will be graciously pleased to depart from the Reseruation in your said Speech and when a Bill shall be tendred to Your Majesty in a Parliamentary way to dissable the Duke of York from inheriting the Crown Your Majesty will give your Royal Assent thereto and as necessary to fortifie and defend
THE HISTORY OF THE ASSOCIATION Containing all the DEBATES In the Last House of Commons AT WESTMINSTER Concerning an Association for the Preservation of the Kings Person and the Security of the Protestant Religion The Proceedings about an Association in the Reign of Queen ELIZABETH and a true Copy of the Association produced at the Earl of SHAFTSBURY'S Tryal and said to be found in his Lordships Study With some Observations on the whole To which is added by way of Postcript Reflections on the Parallel between the late Association and the Solemn League and Covenant LONDON Printed for R. Janeway 1682. THE HISTORY OF THE ASSOCIATION c. AFter the Bill of Exclusion was rejected in the House of Lords the Commons seemed to be at a stand not knowing what to do But soon after his Majesty in his most Gracious Speech of the 15th December 1680. having promised them The fullest satisfaction their hearts could wish for the security of the Protestant Religion c. He concludes thus and being thus ready on my part to do all that can reasonably be expected from me I shall be glad to know from you as soon as may be how far I shall be assisted by you and what it is you desire from me upon which grounds the first time you heard of the Bill of Association being mentioned was in the Grand Committee to secure the Kingdom against Popery and Arbitrary Government wherein Mr. Powel had the chair At which time the Lord C. and several others speake to this effect as follows all already Printed in the Collection of the Debates of the House of Commons at Westminster 1680. Published by Richard Baldwin Ld. C. Sir when I consider the Immunities and Advantages we enjoy by the excellent composure of our Government both in Church and State how the King as Soveraign enjoys all the Prerogative that can be necessary to make him either great or happy and the People all the Liberty and Priviledge that can be pretended for their encouragement to be industrious and for securing to themselves and Posterities the enjoyment of what they get by their industry How the Doctrine of the Church is void of Idolatrous Superstitious Opinions and the Government of Tyranny or absolute Dominion I cannot but admire that there should be any body amongst our selves that should aim at any alteration and be the occasion of this days Debate But Sir it is too evident that such there are and that they have made a great advance to effect their design by many contrivances which they have persued for a long course of years according to the Results and Cousultations held by Jesuites for that purpose But above all by converting to their Religion James Duke of York the presumptive Heir of the Crown and by engaging him to espouse their interest with that zeal and fervency which usually attends new Converts especially when so great a glory is proposed as the rooting out of a pèstslent Heresy out of these three Nations and the saving of so many Souls as would depend thereon The sad effect of this Conversion we have felt for many years it having had the same operations in our Body Politick as some sorts of lingring Poyson hath in Bodies Natural made us sick and consumptive by infecting and corrupting all the food and Physick which hath been applied in order to reduce us to Popery and slavery worse than death it self From this fatal act the declination of the Grandieur of this Monarchy may be dated and to the consequences thereof its absolute ruine if not timely prevented will be hereafter attributed This being our case I could not but admire to see this House so long coming to consider this weighty point insomuch that I began to perswade my self that either our dangers were not so great as our discourses upon some other occasions had represented them or that we were not in good earnest to endeavour any redress It is true when we consider what ill fortune we have had with our Bid lately sent up to the house of Lords we may with some reason be discouraged But I hope Sir that seeing our Country hath thought us worthy to be their Representatives we shall not be so easily daunted in what so nearly concerns them but be as indefatigable in finding out wayes for our preservation as our Enemies are to find out means for our destruction hoping we shall not meet always so bad success in the House of Lords For though the too much kindness of some men who pretended to be for the Bill but underhand made a party against it did this time operate as fatally as Enmity disguised in Friendship useth to do yet I hope that in another occasion we may have better success not doubting but a great many Lords when they are perswaded that they shall not be able to find out any other way as I hear they begin to despair they shall to secure the Protestant Religion that they will joyn with us in the same or some other Bill to the same purpose Especially my good Lords the Bishops who cannot be presumed to have made peace with Rome but to be ready to die for the Protestant Religion and therefore doubtless will not long stick at joyning in a Bill to save it But seeing that according to the course of Parliaments we are not like to bring this to a tryal for a long time I am of Opinion we had best try something else and although I know not what other Act can be made to serve instead of that but will either prove to weak or two strong yet seeing we are put upon it we must try that so we may not be represented as stubborn And therefore I humbly move you that a Bill may be brought in for the Association of all his Majesty's Protestant Subjects R. M. Sir great things are expected from this dayes Debate and we could not well have entred into it sooner it now comes more seasonable than it would have done before because of the opportunities we have had to feel the pulse of affairs since the beginning of the Session and the time we have spent in asserting the right of Petitioning by which the essence of Parliaments and the foundation of the Peoples Liberties were struck at And the Tryal of my Lord Stafford and the Disinheriting-Bill could not possibly have been avoided And as our labour hath not been lost in all so I hope that at last we shall have some benefit of that spent about the Succession-Bill For as it was said at the passing of the Bill that there were a Loyal Party that will never acquiesce in it so I do believe there is a true Protestant party that will never acquiesce in any thing less than what may be sufficient for the security of their Religion which I am apt to believe will end in that Bill But in the mean time that we may shew that we are not humorists let us try what strength we can muster up to
Politicks generally from one Bishop or two in some great station Yet Sir when I remember how after some little time many of the Clergy fell off and would not follow such instructions and how the People soon excused themselves from following their advice in such Politicks and would not freely pay illegal Taxes notwithstanding all their endeavours I am apt to think Sir that as the People were not long then mislead so as to submit to lose their Property so they will not now to any thing that shall tend to the losing of their Religion and Property both They will soon discover what is their interest and how true interest will not lye I have often told you within these walls they will soon apprehend that Popery will bring in slavery and reduce them not only to an Idolatrous Superstitious Religion but to wear Wooden-shooes like the French and to eat Herbs like the Spaniard because they will soon know that they shall not be long Masters of any thing they have And however they may be perswaded for a while I am confident they will at last consult how to save their Bacon They will discern that the Clergy may be good Divines but not so good Politicians and that there may be some difference in point of Interest between them and the Clergy because Clergy-men may be in a possibility of being advanced by Popery if they submit but the Laity under a probability of losing all notwithstanding all submissions Sir I do not trouble you with this Discourse out of a fear that our Clergy will not shew themselves good Protestants for I have that veneration for them and opinion of them as to believe that many of the Bishops and Clergy too would assoon die for the Protestant Religion as any persons in the Nation But I am jealous that there is some over-awing Power got in amongst them something answerable to that of a Popish Successor in the State by whose means those Bills were so easily past in the late long Parliament under a pretence that they were for the preservation of the Protestant Religion which the Commons than found and any person that will now peruse them may find would infalibly have brought in Popery And how since the Plot the danger of Fanaticks is cryed up more than that of the Papists and how tender they are in the point of a Popish Successor or joyning in any thing against him But though these things make me jealous there is some body that misleads them now in matters relating to Popery as formerly in things relating to Property yet I am of opinion that they will ere long see that to stand up for the Interest of a Popish Successor to have a Popish King to weaken the Protestant Interest and to speak ill of Parliaments is not the right way to preserve the Protestant Religion but a plain contradiction and an invention of Jesuites And therefore Sir I am for going on with the Allociation-Bill for I will never doubt that the true Interest of the Nation in so great a concern as this will long be baffled by such projectors and therefore it is my desire that the House may be moved to appoint a Committee to draw up a Bill for that purpose Sir W. H. Sir I think you have been well moved as well for the Association-Bill as the Banishing-Bill By the one you will send your Enemies out of the Country by the other be in a good condition to keep them out which may go a great way to secure us Sir R. T. Sir you have been verywell moved for the bringing in of such Bills as may tend as much to the security of the Protestant Religion as any that can be offered That of Banishment will certainly go a great way to destroy not only their Power but their Interest and Principles too and be a great disheartning to their party abroad That Interest will not then have so many Engines to work with here as now they have And the Bill of Association will be necessary that we may have a Law to defend our selves The Association made in Queen Elizabeth's time will be a good President to draw it up by And seeing there is no opposition I move you to put the Question R. M. Sir By offering at the Exclusion Bill we may conclude we have offended the Duke of York by this Bill for Banishment all the rest of the considerable Papists in England As we have made many Enemies so it will be convenient that we should endeavour to get some Law to defend our selves against their implacable designes For which a Bill for an Association of all His Majesties Protestant Subjects may do well and therefore I pray that we may move the House to have it brought in Sir G. G. Sir I am of opinion the Popish Plot goeth on as much as ever and the Papists are so proud of it as they cannot forbear bragging of their hopes to see better days speedily I think Sir seeing we are not like for one while to have the Exclusion-Bill we shall appear neglectful of our duty if we do not try what security can be contrived by an Association-Bill And therefore I humbly pray that the House may be moved to appoint a Committee to draw up and bring in a Bill for Associating all his Majesties Protestant Subjects I find in Cooke's Reports that when the Nation was in apparent danger the People might go directly to the King with their Grievances and make their Complaints and Petitions known I think we may do well to consult this Text and see if we can find out any better way than what we have tryed already to convey our humble Supplications to his Royal Person In the mean time I think you had not best to go off from the Bill of Association for which we have a President in Queen Elizabeth's time first made by the Gentry and afterwards confirmed by Act of Parliament L. G. Sir I would not discourage you from going on with these Bills but I am afraid they will fall far short of the Power and strength that will be necessary to root out an Interest that hath been above an hundred years reivetting it self by all arts and wayes Imaginable and hath now fixt it self so near the Throne I must confess I am afraid we are at labour in vain and that this Interest hath so clenched it self as the Jesuites term it that it will break not only this Parliament but many more if not all Parliaments and the Protestant Religion too It is too weighty to be removed or perverted by such little Bills as these No Sir you will find that nothing less than a firm Vnion amongst all the Protestants in this Nation can be sufficient to give any check to this Interest As long as there are amongst us so many persons as know not rightly how to apply the dangers of the Church and State nor the miseries of Forty One but will be lead by Popish Projectors I am
be diffident of us not doubting but that if we can once but lay a foundation for a good Correspondence that His Majesty will take so much content in it beyond what he doth now enjoy that to preserve it he will afterwards grant us what more Bills may be further necessary for the security of the Protestant Religion And therefore I am not for clogging this Address with any request for anything more than that one Bill Sir W. J. Mr. Speaker Sir We have hitherto had so little success in our endeavours that we may justly suspect we are permitted to sit here rather to destroy our selves then to save our Country It is a matter of admiration to me that those who have so often advised His Majesty to put this and the former Parliaments upon finding out Expedients for securing the Protestant Religion without altering the Succession should all this while find out none themselves but still continue advising the King to put that upon us which after many Debates is found to be impossible And that the King should always have at his elbow persons ready to remember him constantly to make his limitation which in all appearance must tend to the final destruction of the Protestant Religion And that there should be no body there to mind him of proposing some Expedients to prevent it only in general words of which no use can be made According to the opinion of Three successive Parliaments the limitation in favour of the Popish Interest is plain intelligible and practicable I hope his Majesty against the next occasion will require them that have so advised him to make the Expedients and other ways to secure the Protestant Religion as plain and practicable that so we may see if the security of the Protestant Religion be designed in good earnest by such advisers which I cannot believe because what they propose is in my opinion a contradiction in it self Without the Exclusion-Bill there can be no Expedient but what will leave us in that miserable condition of having first or last a contest with our lawful King And there can be no such thing as setting up a power to oppose him but by putting a kind of Supream Authority in the Parliament with a power to oppose as well by making War as Laws which might prove the destruction of the Monarchial Government The said trust or power without the Exclusion Bill being not to be reposed in the next Heir or any single person least he should dye before he come to have the power in him or utterly refuse to act if he should live to have a right by vertue of such a settlement to administer the Government In such a case there would be no lawful power lodged any where else to oppose such a King and there must not be an inter Regnum By this short account you may see what difficulties all expedients will be liable too and may conclude that those that advise the King to make this Limitation do intend it as an Expedient to make the endeavours of Parliaments ineffectual and to bring in Popery And if you had offered at such Expedients as I have mentioned as the last House of Commons was Arraigned for Omnipotent and Arbitrary so would this with some worse Character as having attempted to destroy the Monarchical Government that if possible the King and People might be put out of love with Parliaments But Sir though it is plain that things are thus out of order yet let us not be wanting in our duty but give such an Answer to his Majesty as may if possible create in him a good opinion Of his House and satisfie him of the necessity of the Bill of Exclusion and that all other Acts of Grace will but serve to fatten us for the slaughter of our Enemies The last part of this Speech I believe is his Majesties own he seems willing to know what you expect from him and what you will do for him which I think is a fair proposition to come to an understanding And although it be not good manners to offer to make a bargain with his Majesty but as in bargains there is a quid and pro quo so in this And I think we need not fear talking of money in this House being all seem resolved to give it freely if we can be secured of our Religion but not otherways And therefore I humbly conceive you may accordingly express your selves plain in your Address W. G. Mr. Speaker Sir if you do not represent all your Grievances in this Address as the condition of your giving Money whatever you shall offer at afterwards will be looks as clamarous and out of order And therefore I would advise you not to omit any one Grievance you expect any â—e ready in And I am for enumerating all your Grievances in the Address which have been lately Debated And I do admire no body does take notice of the standing Army which if not reduced to such a number as may be convenient for Guards and so limited that they may not be increased unless in case of a Rebellion or an Invasion all your Laws may signifie nothing And I am not satisfied in the making of such general offers of Money For if you do you will hear in time that the Fleet needs one Million Allyances as much more and Tangier though I think not worth keeping little less A demand of Three Millions grounded on your general promise would perplex the House how to come off with that reputation which a House of Commons ought to preserve with the King I know not how such a promise may be turned upon you and therefore I am either for demanding more or promising less Sir E. H. Mr. Speaker Sir I am very unwilling to have this Parliament broken yet I cannot agree that to prevent it we should offer so much and demand so little as hath been mentioned Have we not sat two dayes in a Committee to examine the dangerous estate of the Kingdom and ordered several good Bills to be brought in thereupon for the securing us against Popery and Arbitrary power and shall we now the next day lay all those Bills aside and be content with the Exclusion-Bill onely which I think will be worth nothing unless you can get more And therefore though to obtain them you spoke plain English and mentioned what sum you intend to give I think you will be safer to offer Money in general words without declaring what or enumerating your Bills G. V. Mr. Speaker Sir I cannot agree with this worthy Member for it would take up some days Debates to agree what some is necessary to supply his Majesties occasions and what sum to express And it may be to no purpose as the case stands with us unless we were sure his Majesty would find out some way to bring the Exclusion Bill about again then indeed we might come to particulars In the mean time a promise in general words may be sufficient and save
apprehension that our Church-men of late have been out of the right way to preserve either our Religion or our Church Because the courses which they take must though I am far from suspecting they design it give a great assistance to Popery I remember that after the Plot broke out there was for a little while a kind of a reconciliation amongst Protestants and an united opposition made to the common Enemy and how then the Popish Interest gave way we may all remember but this was too much in favour of the Protestant Religion to hold long Within a few Moneths the fire broke out again and the Pulpits and the Press instead of being employed against the Common Enemy were reduced to their old way of carrying on the divisions amongst Protestants And how the Popish Interest have since gone on triumphant again all here I suppose may know Sir the Church hath two strong Enemies the Papists and Fanaticks We are already engaged in a sharp contest with the Papists and find they are strong enough for us Why must we now also enter into a fresh engagement with the Fanaticks especially when we may be sure thereby to strengthen our Enemies and weaken our selves Such advice cannot proceed from such as are friends to the Protestant Church If we should make new Laws against Dissenters as hath been moved and enforce the execution of the old ones as long as we have a Popish successor can any man imagine that the execution of them will be longer kept afoot than will consist with the Popish Interest Sir our Church and Religion will be lost if Union be not improved amongst Protestants and I think no Bill can promote it like this And therefore I am for the passing of this Bill Vpon these Debates it was Resolved That the said Bill be committed upon the Debate of the House Upon the 4th of January 1680 81. His Majesty was pleased to send a most Gracious Message to the Commons in these words CHARLES R. HIS Majesty received the Address of this House with all the disposition They could wish to comply with Their reasonable Desires but upon perusing it He is sorry to see Their Thoughts so wholly fixt upon the Bill of Exclusion as to determine that all other Remedies for the suppressing of Popery will be ineffectual His Majesty is confirmed in his opinion against that Bill by the Judgment of the House of Lords who rejected it He therefore thinks there remains nothing more for Him to say in answer to the Address of this House but to recommend to Them the Consideration of all other Means for the preservation of the Protestant Religion in which They have no reason to doubt of His concurrence whenever they shall be presented to Him in a parlimentary way And that They would Consider the present State of the Kingdom as well as the Condition of Christendom in such a manner as may enable Him to preserve Tangier and serve His Alliances abroad and the peace and Settlement at home All this while here was nothing but a means debated conformable to the incouragement which his Majesty himself had most graciously given them which next to the Bill of Exclusion might be most probable since the first was to be laid aside to secure his Majesties Person and his Government and consequently the whole Kingdom and the Protestant Religion And thus at length an Association was thought upon and found to be one of the best Expedients for those most noble an pious ends aforesaid as having been formerly practicable for preservation of our Prince and Country in the Raign of Queen Elizabeth At what time to prevent the wicked designes and seditious practises of the Pope the Spaniard and the Guises in France and to provide for the Queens safety upon which the welfare both of the Realm and Religion depended as now it does on the life of our sacred Sovereign many men of all degrees and conditions throughout England by Leicesters means and out of their own publick care and love while they stood not in fear of the Queen but were full of fear for her bound themselves in an Association by mutual Vows Subscriptions and Seals to prosecute to the death as far as lay in their power all those that should attempt any thing against the Queen This Association was afterwards confirmed in Parliament in the year 1658. with the approbation and consent of all at what time it was Enacted that twenty four or more of the Privy Council or Lords of Parliament to be de puted by the Queens Commission should make inquisition after all such as should invade the Kingdom raise Rebellion or attempt to hurt or destroy the Queens person for or by whomsoever employed that might lay claim to the Crown of England And that he for whom or by whom they should attempt the same should be utterly uncapable of the Crown of England deprived wholly of all Right and Title to it and prosecuted to death by all Faithful Subjects if he should be judged by those 24 men to be guilty of such Invasion Rebellion or Treasonable attempt and by publick Proclamation so declared The noise of such an Assotiation as this for it cannot be imagined that the Parliament of England ever intended any other rang such an astonishing peal in the ears of the Kings and Kingdoms Enemies that to render the very name of Association odious to the world they framed an Infamous piece of Treason which they called the Association intended and would needs to make the thing pass the more Current and Probable have it found in the Study of the Right Honourable Earl of Shaftsbury's which follows in these words as it was Exhibited to the Grand-Jury at the Old Baily Then this Paper was Read as followeth WE the Knights c. finding to the grief of our Hearts the Popish Priests and Jesuits with the Papists and their Adherents and Abettors have for several years last past persued a most pernicious and hellish Plot to root out the True Protestant Religion as a pestilent Heresie to take away the Life of our Gracious King to subvert our Laws and Liberties and to set up Arbitrary Power and Popery And it being notorious that they have been highly encouraged by the Countenance and Protection given and procured for them by J. D. of Y. and by their Expectations of his succeeding to the Crown and that through crafty Popish Councils his design hath so far prevailed that he hath created many and great Dependents vpon him by his bestowing Offices and Preferments both in Church and State It appearing also to us That by his Influence Mercenary Forces have been levied and kept on foot for his secret designes contrary to our Laws the Officers thereof having been named and appointed by him to the apparent hazard of his Majesties Person our Religion and Government if the danger had not been timely foreseen by several Parliaments and part of those Forces with great difficulty caused by them to