has intirely waved them all and has sat down contented with a plain English limited Monarchy without assuming the least Jewel of Conquest for adorning his Diadem 'T is true our Author bound himself to a more modest Circle in the notion of Conquest his position being confined to this narrow Compass viz. That King William Conquered King James but not the Nation and that therefore he acquired a Title to all the Rights of King James but not to any Rights of the Nation That King James had a Right to Govern this Natton but by being Conquered he lost that Right and in short King William won it The business therfore of this short Paper is to fadom and examine the depth of this Position being indeed the Grand Thesis of the whole Book Now to begin with the Incongruities in the very Foundation of his Discourse For to Conquer a King and all his Rights and those Rights being granted to entend to his Government of his Kingdom and yet to make that distinct and wholly separate from the Rights of the Nation is so near to a contradiction that nothing possibly can be nearer the Right of Governing over a People being at least their highest and dearest Concern and the Conquest of that Right and the Latitudes of Power annext to such a Conquest being undoubtedly their tenderest and nearest Consideration Well as great as it was King William conquer'd all this which in every vulgar Apprehension was conquering as much as King James had to lose a very fair Prize let me tell ye for by Birth-right and all the ties of Succession his Right extended to the Supreme Administration of three Realms as far as the Land-Marks of Law reach'd in the Rule and Sway of a limited Monarchy A goodly Conquest the Peoples unconquer'd Rights remaining being only Duty and Obedience to their Soveraign Conqueror accordingly which how far agreeing with the Circumstances of Their Majesties Accession to the Crown will soon be examined If King James his Desertion upon all the Premises suggested by this Author viz. That seeing the Peoples Universal Inclination for an Adherence to the Prince of Orange Theirs and his Armies total Defection and Revolt the Forces Strengths Garisons all things committed and yielded up to the Prince and consequently all the Regalia of Conquest invested in him and that thereupon looking upon himself as a vanquisht Prince he fled before the Conqueror left London retired to Feversham in order to make his escape from Subjection and being there taken Prisoner attempted and succeeded in his second escape at Rochester c. If all these Premises I say Intitule our present Soveraign to the Stile of Couquerour by the same parallel Reasons urged by this Author I will as strongly prove that there never was a Change from the Lancastrian to the York or from the York to the Lancastrian Line in all the Successions from the Conquest but every such Change equally might challenge the claim of Conquest For first we must take it for granted and therein our Author agrees with us that every possessing Yorkist or Lancastrian Prince was lawfully King more especially if his Right was confirm'd by several unbroken Successions in the same Descent and Family And if so undoubtedly whatever contesting Dispute lay between the red and white Rose the Non-possessing Family had all their Pretentions swallow'd and silenced in the Possessors prevaling Interest and Title Hereupon supposing the possessing Lancastrian-Prince dies as soon as the Breath is out of his Body the whole Regalia the Imperial Claims are all ipso momento in the nex Lancastrian Heir for in that Sense the King never dies and therefore such Heir as rightfully King upon the starting up of a York Branch into the Throne which cannot be done but as the Prince of Orange's Case with the total Bent and Byass of the Peoples Inclination or Concession at least for what Motives or Reasons perswaded it matters not Here 's the Lancastrian Right Heir and as Heir now rightful King of England dispossest And whether the Case exactly quadrate in all particulars with that of King James viz. That the thus Dispossest Abdicates flies the Kingdom or absconds in it at least he utterly runs before the prevaling Prince and Volens Nolens quits all Claim to the possessing Arm of Power perhaps more intirely in that point than King James has done Nay all this too to parallel Circumstances yet a little nearer possibly after tougher longer Disputes then the Two Battles urged by the Author for Preliminaries to the Prince's Victory viz. The Skirmish at Wincanton where Thirty of the Prince of Orange's Men defeated Seventy Horse and Fifty Dragoons under Sarsfield and the other at Reading where another Party of the Prince's kill'd Fifty of King James ' s Dragoons Now I say if such Circumstances as these are enough to make the Alienation of the Crown a Conquest how many Crown'd Heads since First William must write Conquerours Nay not in England only for the whole Chronicles of all Nations would be swell'd with Revolutions that with full as much Reason would fall under that Denomination For instence The present King of Portugal may with full as much Right justifie the Title of Conqerour his elder Brother his Predecessor being unfortunately Delirious and thereby guilty of Mis-government was by the People and the States of the Kingdom removed and expell'd from the Throne and the younger Brother planted in his Seat and not only made Possessour of his Brother's Kingdom but of his Brother's Wife the Queen too And what matters the distinction between King James and the Portugal King's Misgovernment one through a crazed and the other a Religious Frenzy let it suffice both of them were laid aside both their Subjects abandoned and deserted them both were equally forced to Abdicate and consequently both their Successors might claim an equal Title of Conquerours only with a little Advantage on the Portugal's side For had our Author been his Historian he must have added one little Jem more to his Diadem then he has done to King William's for as belike King William only conquered King James the King of England but not the People of England the Portugal Conquerour in the like Conquest out-shot him a whole Bows length for he conquered both King of Portugal and Queen too In short the extravagant Follies and ridiculous Absurdities from such an Hypothesis would be endless for granting King William was justly entituled Conquerour from that Hour he had King James in his Power under Restraint and Subjection as our Author terms it by the same parity of Power and Subjection there 's never a civil Broyl or most unnatural Rebellion to instance too many where Kings have been often in the prevailing Subjects Power but during that Mastery the Subjects by his way of Reasoning might stile themselves Royal Conquerours For though as our Author distinguishes in our present Soveraign's Case by the long recited Plea of Justice in his entring the
Kingdom with an Armed Power yet in the forementioned Rebellious Inurrections the Prevalence os the Sword whether in a right or wrong Cause may equally pretend to Conquest This I am certain the French King makes no such Distinction and his very Enemies are pleased to write him Conquerour even in the vilest of his Triumphs the very Towns and Acquisitions he has bought with his Levidores and Conquest at best how strong soever a Title is not the most sparkling Crown Jewel But to leave this remoter Discourse I shall come to one intire and utter Confutation of our Author 's whole Chain of Argument The Prince of Orange was not properly the Conquerour of King James even in his own Restriction and Limitation of Conquest viz. The Conquerour of King James but not of England For Example after King James had look't upon himself as a vanquisht and an abandoned Prince as he terms it and therefore whither out of shame of standing a too critical Enquiry into his Male Administration or detected Intreagues refus'd the proffer'd Retreat of Ham House or out of any other Fear or Motive deserted his Kingdom and fled and escaped into France yet even then was not the Prince of Orange in his highest Power any way King James's Conquerour for instead of his being Conquer'd it then lay in the Breast of the whole People and Community of England in Convention assembled to have recall'd him back again that is if so minded to have treated him still as King of England to have received and refixt him again on his Throne on such and such Terms and Articles of Security for better Administration and future Amendment if any such could have been hoped or expected and the Prince all the while though invited over by them as their Deliverer so far from claiming Conquest or being his own Chooser by Vertue of any such Pretension that on the contrary it lay wholely in the Peoples Breast how far their Gratitude would reward their Protector of their Religion and Liberties So that upon the up-shot If King James was Conquer'd 't was by his own fearful or wilful running away from his Kingdom whereby the People Seizing his quitted abandon'd and relinquisht Crown into their own then Rightfull Possession by such Disertion and Relinquishment made a generous and grateful Present of it to their most Honour'd Champion then fully and lawfully empour'd to accept so Glorious a Gift insomuch that if according to our Author's Notion there be any thing of Conquership in the Case to Humour our Author's Fancy it lies between King James and the Victorious Convention for King William and Queen Mary have the least or rather no part at all of any such Claim or Challenge And if there were any such thing as Conquest in the Case alas the Conquering blow was not given till the Convention was pleas'd to declare the Imperial Crown of England was for such such Causes devolved into theirs and their only Hands and as such they were pleas'd to dispose it where and to whom as their indisputable Will and Pleasure seem'd Meet and Reasonable So that to draw Matters towards a Conclusion our Author has involved himself in the most unaccountable Labyrinth and Confusion from his Chimerical distinction of Conquering King James but not the Kingdom of England which strictly examin'd is little more than just nothing For How did he Conquer King James Yes he frighted his Person out of his Kingdom that is if his own conscious terrifying Faults did not do it for him but as to his Crown Title Kingship Royalty those he conquer'd not all those were purely and wholly the Concession and Grant of the People and no ways his own Atchivement or Acquisition So that to sum up the whole in stiling our Gracious Sovereigns King William and Queen Mary Conquerours in our present Circumstances he has given them a Title of neither Honour nor Service for they hold both by a stronger and fairer Claim derived from the Original Fountain of Power the universal Donation of the People under the Possession and Devolution aforesaid c. And thus this unhappily started Notion of Conquest-Tenure must not only be an ungrateful Theme to the Nation as so notoriously derogating from the Glory of their own Act and Deed the aforesaid Donation of the Crown but likewise be a nauseous and irksome Apprehension to the English Peoples Constitution and Kidney who are not possibly overfond of such a Qualification of Imperial Majesty reigning over them and therefore our Author has very unfortunately managed so untowardly an Argument intended for the indearing and inducing a more Zealous Devotion and Obedience to their Majesties from so weak and so unattractive an Invitation as the Title of Conquerours This Gentleman take the whole Mass of his Discourse together I must do him that right has a very honest Meaning He has made it his Business to assert the Right of their present Majesties in as vigorous a Manner as the warmest Zeal and Affection could Inspire has throughly evinced from his Positions laid down That King James hath totally lost his Right to these Kingdoms and therfore if he comes again with an Army he is to be looked upon by the Subjects with no other Eyes than any other Invader but is to be resisted by them Our Fleets and Armies without any scruple of Conscience to weaken their Hands may and ought to fight as becomes Valiant Men in the defence of their present Soveraigns and their Countrey and that not only against the French King but likewise against the late King James if he should come along with a Fleet or head an Army against us But after all as there is no occasion or want of the Claim of Conquest either to strengthen their Majesties Interest or weaken the Pretence of his Enemies under what Name or Class whatever All this Duty to the one and Resistance against the other are equally if not more strongly enforced from that softer and gentler Royal Right invested and lodged in Their present Majesties from the fore-mention'd clearer Fountain of Power FINIS
AN ACCOUNT OF Mr. Blunts late Book ENTITULED King William AND Queen Mary CONQUERORS Now under the Censure OF THE PARLIAMENT London Printed in the Year 1693. An Account of Mr. BLUNT's late BOOK c. ROyal Prerogative is a subject of that nice and tender Quality that 't is undoubtedly an unpardonable Presumption for any common unhallow'd Pen to touch 'T is not the Pretensions of Zeal and Loyalty that takes up the Pen that can apologize for the Bold Hand that guides it any more than Zimri that held up the Ark. If an Examination of the Fountain and Boundaries of Supreme Power fall under any Cognizance 't is unquestionably in the Legislative Body The opening the Cabinet of such Records belongs to their Hands that keep the Key If therefore the forementioned Presumption even simply considered is an Offence of that high Nature certainly the Transports of that mad Scribble that outruns all the Bounds of Truth and Reason and Launches into those unaccountable Mistakes and Frenzies as utterly to destroy the very Fundamentals of the Constitution must deserve a double Lash A more notorious Instance whereof has not been matcht in the late Licentious Pamphlet that has made such a Noise in the Town of which not only the Author but Licenser have fallen under the just Displeasure of our worthy Patriots in Parliament assembled a Rebuke so proper from 'em in a Cause where Their own and the Nations Honour is so highly concerned and which deserved a Repremand from no Less a Hand than Theirs 'T is the Boldness of that hardened Piece that we presume in some few Remarks to examine a Piece which certainly nothing but Infatuation Infatuation the Pen-man's best Excuse could dictate For besides the egregious Unreasonableness of the whole Foundation of that Discourse 't is absolutely impossible the Author in his Right Wits should ever hope that such a subject on such a Basis should please any thing Living himself only excepted For instance Suppose it in the favourablest Sense a well-meaning Loyal Harangue with both these fair Aspects viz. First as intended a Court-service to Their Majesties by fixing the Crown upon their Heads by so formidable a Right and Tenure as That of Conquest And Secondly Settling the Peoples Obedience in a firm and duteous Resignation to the Sovereign Authority founded on that Claim and Possession Yet both ways has the Author instead of the least gaining his Point utterly lost his Aim For Example He is so far from caressing Their Majesties in it that 't is possibly the coursest and most disrelishing Compliment to give it no worse Name he could have pickt them out in writing them Conquerors That way of Acquiring a Crown being the remotest from their Thoughts from the first Step towards the Revolution and through the whole Course of their Accesses and Advances to the Throne The Prince's Declarations all utterly abjured any such Pretension nor indeed were the Forces he brought over a competent Strength for the least Shadow of such an Attempt And though 't is true several contributing Providences to our never to be forgotten Happiness all conspired to enable the Gratitude of England to reward their Champion and Deliverer with the Presentation of a Diadem yet I am certain in his proudest Tryumph pardon the Barbarity of that Epithet he would have taken it very disdainfully to have been saluted with the Address of the Thief to Alexander viz. to be Entituled that Greatest of Robbers however otherwise glorious Name a Conqueror No thanks to Heaven a softer and gentler Coronation Glory Oblation and Gift not Rapine and Violence incircled that Brow Non Rapit Imperium Vis tua sed Recipit And if after all this thls doughty Pen-man has endeavoured to lay so ungrateful a Load upon the Royal Shoulders he has made the most mistaken Piece of Work on 't that Folly and Ignorance could ever be guilty of at least if intended as a Favour Nor indeed is his intended popular Service herein a much more welcome Obligation For First Here 's the whole Glory of England totally eclips'd for ever when a poor handful of 14000 Men such wonderful Victors could make so intire a Subjection of the little-hearted Great Britain with so much Ease and so small Trouble T is possible if such a Feather wou'd stick in the Hoilanders Caps there wou'd not want that Vanity in some of our Hogan Neighbours that partly in Respect and Favour to their Royal State-Holder and a little in pride to themselves would perk up and plume with such a Title As Third William the Second Conqueror And yet as matters stand so much to the contrary and so far from such a Thought I fancy there 's not the poorest Dutchman even in his very Ale but has long since learnt better English though our Enthusiastick Englishman this sober Author has pleased so wilfully and so strangely to forget himself and his Mother Tongue This State-Casuist little considers what a Blow he has given to the whole English Army provided they are of that opinion as to joyn with him in Glorifying their Majesties with his Attribute of Conquerors For their Martial Memorials will furnish but a poor homely Record viz. That 25000 not one of them durst strick a stroke nay so many of them run off to the Prince of Orange for all this Submission and Desertion to a Conquer or is down-right Dread and Terror no Kindness and Inclination which are only due to Guests and Friends 'T is well for him that the Parliament by way of Civill Magistracy have taken him into Consideration for were he under Martial Judgment I would not run his Gantlet for twice the honor of being Author of his Pamphlet Nay the Parliament themselves are not much in his Debt I mean as to any over great kindness owing for Civilities received from him for he has made bold to put a damnable Slurre upon the whole Convention of England For at his rate of Faith or Front rather for we hope he believes better things they were all very impertinently busy in bestowing of Imperial Crowns upon the Prince of Orange when God knows they were his own before For if he claimed by Conquest having before that time the whole Power every Fort Town Stengh c. thro all England in his hands and consequently the Universal submission of the Nation in yeilding all to this to him the whole Royal Regalia of Conquest being then already his own the Conventionary Donation was but Triffle and Mimickry Nay Their Majesties themselves are a little overseen if like our Author I may make so bold with them in Commencing their Anniversary of their Reign from the 13th of February In short the Confusions arising from his Hypothesis are too numerous to recite All that we can think worth Commendation in it is that he has made His Majesty doubly a Conqueror For First belike he Conquered King James and then himself For notwithstanding all the peculiar claims and priviledges of Conquest he