all the Lords unanimously took to defend King William and his Government against all the Attempts of his Enemies the Act of Association whereby all the Members oblige themselves to revenge his Death upon the Assassines in case he should come to a violent End the Bill by which the Parliament is to be continu'd tho' it should please God to afflict the Kingdom by the sudden Death of the King and the Clause inserted against suspected Persons by which it is made lawful for the King to apprehend all suspected Persons detain 'em in Prison and seize their Horses and Arms. All these things the Court of France looks upon with an evil eye These are new Degrees of Grandour Puissance and Authority which they never lookt for This encrease of Union and good Correspondence between his Majesty and his Parliament the earnest Applications and sincere Zeal of the English Nobility by which they all unanimously concurr to sacrifice their Estates and Lives for the Preservation of his Britannick Majesty All this I say extreamly perplexes the most Christian King and this is that which makes his Ministers give out That the Pretence of a Conspiracy has given the English an Opportunity to insert into a Publick Act a Part of an Oath which had been rejected c. To answer therefore in a word to all these Evasions I will say That the Experience of Things past has so well taught the Christian Princes to understand the Spirit and Cenius of the Council of France that all the Craft and Artifice of her Ministers will ne'er be able to disengage 'em out of the Labyrinth into which they have run themselves 'T is a Personal Stain that Sullies the Crown of the most Christian King and which will heap Infamy upon Him as long as He lives As for King James he is a Prince abandon'd to his Sanguinary Passions to Murders Violences and from his tender Years has breath'd nothing but Hatred and Fury against the Vnited Provinces and their Governours King William being then but Prince of Orange has had the cruel Experience of it to this very day And the Name of the Duke of York has always been so suspected to that Republick that She has always lookt upon Him as her greatest Enemy Witness the Pains he took in the Time of King Charles his Brother to exasperate Him to the Dutch Wars and to foment in Him an irreconcileable Hatred against this State by creating perpetual Quarrels between the English and Hollanders upon the account of Trade and by exciting King Charles to unite with France for the Destruction of this Republick and by using a thousand other Extremities which have render'd him odious and caus'd him to this day to be lookt upon as a Prince that never gave any other then base and mean Examples of a transported Bigot more Jesuite then Prince I cannot for bear reciting here one Passage in History which is in the Annals of the Republick of Holland by which the world may judge of the Inclinations of this Prince which always incens'd him to do all the Mischief that lay in his Power to the Republick of Holland At the beginning of the Year 1673 a detestable Enterprize was discover'd at Amsterdam the Design of which was to have burnt all the States Men of War The Person that was to have put this fatal Design in execution was one John Fraser a Scotchman The Duke of York who had been all along an irreconcileable Enemy of the Vnited Provinces had engag'd him by great Promises to go through with this treacherous Undertaking as the confess'd himself when he was apprenended without being put to the Rack This miserable Wretch was broken upon the Wheel and his Body expos'd upon the Wheel near Vootewyk But this is but only single a sketch of his Fury The whole Life of this Prince has been a continu'd Series of Attempts Treacheries Conspiracies and Murders with which the West of England rings to this day The sanguinary Passion which he learnt from the Jesuites who bred him form his Youth have exasperated him not only to do mischief to the Hollanders but all the Protestant Princes of Europe without sparing his Friends his Confederates and even his nearest Relations witness the precipitated End of Charles II. his Brother meerly out of a Desire of Reign For Princes who only consult their Prevailing Passion and ardent Thirst of Soveraignty will sacrifice all to attain their End Thus if we may believe a Great Archbishop of France Marie de Medicis Second Wife to Henry IV. concerted the Death of her Husband with the Jesuits and Ravillac out of impetuous Thirst after the Regency And when she was confirm'd she quickly shew'd what Princes or Princesses are capable of doing that are over-rul'd by that cursed Passion Catharine de Medicis was possess'd with that insatiable Passion all the whole course of her Life witness what we are going to recite though so much care was taken to conceal it She was as they well know that are vers'd in the History of France the Mother of Three Kings Francis II. Charles IX and Henry II. and might have been of a Fourth had the Duke of Alenson her youngest Son liv'd Francis II. being dead Catharine de Medicis obtain'd the Regency during the Minority of Charles IX her Son by means of those Artifices which she made use of Nevertheless the Civil Wars over whelm'd her with Business with Vexation and perpetual Disquiet and reduc'd her even to the point of seeing her self constrain'd to quit the Management of the Kingdom to the Prince of Conde gave her soon to apprehend that a Crown was a Burthen too heavy for a Woman In the midst of these Perplexities she retir'd to her Closet that she might wholly abandon her self to Solitude for some days giving order that no Person should come near her But at length she sent for M. de Mesme a Person of the Long Role for whom she had a particular Esteem as being one that had given her several signal Proofs of his extraordinary Zeal for her Service upon several Occasions To this Person the Queen deliver'd a Steel Box well lockt with a Key telling him at the same time that the Civil War affording her but ill Presages of her Destiny she thought it convenient to entrust in his keeping that Sacred Depositum which was the richest Treasure she had in the World with Orders never to open it or deliver it to any Person unless by her Command sign'd with her own Hand Now the Queen dying without ever sending for the Boy from M. de Mesme and he also deceasing not long after Catherine de Medicis the Heirs of de Mesme kept it a long time in their Family without opening it But at length Time which causes us to forget all things had bury'd the Queen's Commands in Oblivion insomuch that Curiosity would needs entice the Grand-children of de Mesme to open the Box in hopes to find some inestimable Treasure But
Majesties to go into Flanders and do the Business at the time that King WILLIAM quitted the Army But the most Christan King did not think that the best way because added he he had not been well satisfyed with Grandvall's Conduct whose Enterprize had miscarry'd for want of Management notwithstanding that the deceased Marquiss of Louvois had taken care to manage it with all the Circumspection imaginable K. James was of the same Opinion and that the Business might be done with less danger and more ease in England because the Prince of Orange had very slender Guards there about his Person especially when he went a Hunting whereas in Flanders he was always surrounded with his Army After several Conferences it was resolved That some of the Conspirators should cross the Sea before-hand in order to confer with several other JACOBITES from whom K. James had had particular Letters assuring him of their inviolable Devotion and Readiness to sacrifice their Blood for his Restoration All these measures being taken at the Court of France as may be collected from the Mouths of the Conspirators themselves in their Examinations they fell to work To which purpose the greatest part of the Conspirators that were in France dropt one after another into England in several Privateers who set 'em ashore upon the Coasts of England and repair'd to London Where they lay Skulking Incognito to strengthen their Party against the time of Execution which was to be accomplished about the end of February in this manner The 25th of February 169â— which was a Saturday the Conspirators to the number of Sixty had resolv'd to post themselves in such a Place through which the King was to pass in going to Richmond to divertize himself according to Custom and to attacque him either in his Coach or as he was a Hunting and after they had put the Guards to the Sword Ten or Twelve were to have made themselves Masters of the Kings Coach and to have dispatcht him either with a Dagger or a Blunderbuss as they saw occasion But failing that Day the Conspirators put off the Execution of their detestable Design till Saturday following That Day the King's Coach stood ready the Guards sate mounted and the Provision Wagons were gone before Which being discern'd by two of the Conspirators Spies who made no doubt but that his Majesty would follow his Guards they hasten'd with all speed to the Rendezvous to give the Traytors information But his Majesty thought fit to stay that Day at Kensington and to the end he might have some better Light into the Conspiracy he sent away some Trusty Persons to view the Countenances and Behaviour of such as they should see Loytering upon the Roads and to observe where they had posted themselves By this second Disappointment nothing could be done that day neither So that the Assassines resolved upon the Sunday following to attacque the King in his Passage between the two Gates of Hide-Park and St. James's as he went to White-Hall to Chappel Their Design was first to have kill'd the Coach-Horses and by that means to have stopt the Passage of the Guards that follow'd his Majesty But the King stirr'd not out that day The Night before or the same day the Treason was to have been put in Execution seventeen of the Conspirators were seiz'd and the next day several others were taken among whom were two Dominicans three Troopers of the E. of Oxford's Regiment a Trumpeter one Charnock who had been Vice-President of Magdalen Colledge in Oxford in King James's time and for which he turn'd Roman Catholick and several others All which and many more afterwards apprehended were to have embrued their Murtherous Hands in his Majesties Blood The Duke of Berwick Head of the Party had like to have been taken One of his Domestic Servants was seiz'd who had Orders if the Design succeeded to have kindl'd Fires upon the Sea-side near Dover which was to have been a Signal to K. James and M. Boufflers who lay expecting the Event of this great Enterprize To which purpose the Havens of Dunkirk Callis and Bolougne were full of Transport Ships which were to have wafted over a great number of Soldiers into Englâ—… to second the JACOBITES that were to have taken Arms. Mr. Schmettau Adjutant being sent away into England by the Duke of Wirtenberg put himself into a Fisher-boat which being attacqued by a Privateer M. Schmettau hid himself under the Netts so that the Privateer finding nothing that was Booty quitted him After which he went to London and inform'd the King of the Motions of the French on Dunkirk-side and his Report was confirm'd by M. Montez Lieutenant Coll. of the Regiment of Belcastle That which is remarkable is this That the Conspirators were engag'd for a certain Sum of Money to have accomplish'd their Design within the space of six Weeks and that before the end of February for fear of breaking the Measures which the most Christian King had taken for the succeeding Campagne whence it came to pass that the Enterprize failing upon Saturday it was put off till the Sunday following And if Providence had not so order'd it that a good part of the Conspirators had not been apprehended it was to be fear'd they would have sought all the ways in iâ—…inable to have accomplish'd their deâ—…able Treason We can never too highly applaud the Care which the Earl of Porland and the rest of the Lords about the King's Person took to prevent so terrible a Blow that would have prov'd no less fatal to all Christendom then to all his Majesties good Subjects Upon the 24th of February 1696. the King made a Speech to both Houses of Parliament wherein he gave 'em an Account of the Assassination intended upon his Royal Person and of the Enemies Preparations for a sudden Invasion of the Kingdom Upon this the House of Commons immediately drew up an Association wherein they protested testify'd and declared sincerely and solemnly that his Majesty King WILLIAM now Reigning is the true and lawful King of the Realms of Great Britain and Ireland and mutually promise engage to succour and Assist each other to the utmost of their Power to support and defend his Majesties Sacred Person and Government against K. James and all his Adherents And in case his Majesty should come to a violent and hasty Death which God avert they voluntarily and unanimously oblige themselves to unite and associate and to assist each other to revenge his Death upon his Enemies c. This was followed by an Address of both Houses wherein they congratulate his happy Preservation and gratefully acknowledge the particular Care of Divine Providence and at the same time declare their detestation and abhorrency of so Infamous and Barbarous a Design and humbly beseech his Majesty to take a more particular Care of his Sacred Person Upon which His Majesty issu'd out several Proclamations for apprehending a great number of the Conspirators of whom a great part were seiz'd
and committed to several Prisons All which Acts of State have been so sufficiently publish'd at large that they need not be repeated here After so many Authentic Testimonies which ought to cover with shame the Authors and Contrivers of so Black and Treacherous a Fact all Europe stands amaz'd The Ministers of the Christian Princes assembl'd in the Congress sit astonish'd All the World searches for the Causes that excited the wicked Inclinations of these two Princes But there will be no great difficulty in the discovery of 'em when we consider that the most Christian King has always been a true Jesuite For proof of which we need but read the History of his Reign The Politicks the Maxims the dangerous Opinions and lastly whatever that Order teaches not forgetting the Art of Assassinating Kings have been manifest quite throughout the whole Course of it As for K. James he left England a true Jesuite He has liv'd in France during his Exile one of the same Order and within these two Months he has thought sit to List himself also in the Order of the Dominicans Had the most Christian King taken upon him to read the Determination of the Faculty of Theology in Paris carry'd to the Parliament upon occasion of the re-settlement of the Jesuits in France I am perswaded we should not have seen him so true a Jesuit as now we do Wee shall repeat the substance of it in the same Terms as it is in the Original In the Year 1554. and upon the First Day of December the Venerable Faculty of Theology in Pars after the Mass of the Holy Ghost solemnly said in the Chappel of the Colledge of Sorbonne and Oath taken having four times assembl'd in the same Place to conclude upon the Two Bulls said to have been decreed by our Holy Lords and Popes Paul and Julius III. in favour of those that would be distinguish'd from Us under the Names of the Society of JESUS which Two Bulls the Court of Parliament sent Us by an Usher to be view'd and examin'd For which Reason after we had seriously examin'd and consider'd all the Particulars We are of Advice That this Society in matter of our Faith is of dangerous Consequence erected to trouble the Peace of the Church to subvert the State and Monastick Religion and in two words introduc'd rather for Desolation and Destruction then for Edification This was the Judgment which the Sorbonne made of the Jesuites Doctrine But without looking back so far as the Year 1554. the most Christian King need no more then consider what pass'd in the Year 1610. when Henry IV. was stabb'd by Ravillac certainly he would then abhor that Doctrine which he now upholds with all his Royal Power in the face of all Christendom It deserves to be recited because it makes for our purpose The same Day that the detestable Ravillac was executed in regard that in all the Answers which he gave the Archbishop of Aix and the Predicant Coeffeteau during his Imprisonment for the Parricide he had committed he made use of the Maxims of Mariana and other Jesuites who have written That 't was lawful to kill Kings and Tyrants the Court of Parliament before they condemn'd those infamous Books to be burnt by the hands of the Common Hung-man would have the Determination of the Faculty of Theology and enjoin'd the Dean of the Faculty to call a Convocation in order to give 'em their Opinion whether it were lawful for any one upon any Account or for any Cause whatever to attempt the sacred Persons of Kings and Sovereign Princes Upon which the Faculty assembl'd in the Colledge of the Sorbonne and made the following Censure The Censure of the Faculty of Theology at Paris assembled in the Colledge of the Sorbonne against Parricides of Kings IN the Year of our Lord 1610. upon the 14th of June the sacred Faculty being assembl'd and having debated the Question to them put by the Court of Parliament and considering withal that the University of Paris has been always the Mother and Nurse of a most excellent and sound Doctrine That the Publick Repose and Welfare proceeds from Order and that this Order depends next to God upon the Safety of Kings and Princes That it only belongs to the Prince or Politick Power to make use of the Sword That some Years since certain strange seditious and impious Opinions have in such a manner perverted the Minds of several People that they have not dreaded to stain King and Princes with the execrable Names of Tyrants and in pursuance of a Pretence so detestable as also under colour of assisting or advancing Piety Religion or the Publick Good to conspire against their sacred Persons and to embrue their Parricide-hands in Blood so dear and of so high a Value and consequently to open a Gap to all sorts of Wickedness Impieties Persidies Disloyalties Frauds Surprizes Treasons Murders mutual Slaughter of the People Ruin sacking and levelling of whole Towns Destruction of Provinces and flourishing Kingdoms and in a word to an infinite number of abominable Crimes occasion'd by Wars as well Foreign as Domestick Lastly knowing that such Pestilential and Diabolical Opinions at this time render those who are separated from the Catholick Apostolick and Roman Church obstinate in their Errours and cause 'em to avoid the Converse of Catholick Monks Doctors and Prelates altho' innocent as if they taught and authoriz'd such pernicious Doctrines For these and such-like Reasons after diligent Examination the said Faculty unanimously and with a fix'd Resolution detest and condemn such strange and seditious Docrines as impious and heretical pernicious to human Society the Publick Peace and Tranquillity and the Catholick Religion In testimony whereof the said Faculty have concluded and resolved to renew their ancient Decree put forth a hundred Years ago by the Advice of a hundred forty and one Divines for the Condemnation of the following execrable Opinion A Tyrant whoever he be may and ought lawfully and meritoriously to be kill'd by his Vassal or Subject whoever he be by any manner of ways chiefly by secret Embuscado's Treasons Flatteries and such-like Artifices notwithstanding any Oath or Allegiance which the Subject may have sworn to the Tyrant nor is it needful that he should wait for or expect the Sentence or Command of any Judge for the prosecution of his Design Mariana Upon which follows the Censure of the Faculty This Proposition taken thus generally and according to the signification of the word Tyrant is an Errour against the Catholick Faith against the Doctrine of good Manners and the Command of God Thou shalt not kill 'T is also against the Doctrine of our Saviour They that take up the Sword shall perish by the Sword Moreover it tends to the utter Subversion and Ruin of all States Kings and Princes in the World It opens a Door to all manner of Impieties Deceits Treasons Violations of Oaths and generally give Subjects a Licence to perpetrate all manner of