THE HISTORY OF THE Secret HISTORY OF THE White STAFF, &c.

AS nothing is more irkſom to a Senſible Man, than to have his Judgment impos'd upon, ſo nothing can be a greater Obligation to him than to be undeceiv'd. The Caſe now before us is National; it is not a ſingle Perſon that is deceiv'd here; but the whole Body of the People are Banter'd and made Fools of: And what better Work can a Man ſet his Hand to, for the Publick Service, than to [4] detect theſe Frauds, and undeceive the World.

There have not been Two little Pam⯑phlets, publiſh'd for a long Time paſt, which have made more Fooliſh Noiſe in the World, than the Firſt and Second Part of the Secret Hiſtory of the White Staff; and it is the more wonderful, becauſe, as ſhall ſoon be made appear, there has been no Subſtance, or Foundation in the Matters of Fact for them, or for any of the ſeveral Pamphlets which have follow'd them; but that the World has been very much amus'd and impos'd upon, both in the one and the other, and the whole has been a meer Deluſion, an Ignis Fatuus, prepar'd either on Purpoſe to get a Penny by the Books, or to Deceive the People, or both: This being premis'd, it ſeems Neceſſary the World ſhould know ſomething of the HISTORY of theſe Two Secret Hiſto⯑ries; becauſe, by having this Matter ſearch'd a little into, there will be brought to Light ſome Things very profitable to us in their being known, tho' moſt abſurd in themſelves; Things equally wonderful in the Effect, which they have had among the People, and equally ſtrange in the Kna⯑very of the Contrivers.

That we may arrive to a clear Notion of what is needful to be underſtood con⯑cerning thoſe Books, the Matter muſt be [5] firſt laid down in General: Briefly, That the Book call'd the Secret Hiſtory of the White Staff ſeems to be publiſh'd in Order to juſtifie the Conduct, and clear up the Reputation of a late Great Miniſter of State, known throughout the Book by the Title of the Staff, or as ſome of the An⯑ſwerers ſay, To raiſe a Duſt that he may be loſt in the Cloud.

In doing this, they run thro' many of the moſt Conſiderable Tranſactions of State during the Miniſtry of that Great Man, from his firſt appearing in a Publick Employment or Office, in Her Majeſty's Houſhold, to the Death of the Queen; and as ſome pretend to ſay, artfully labours to make the Staff appear really a White Staff, waſhing him clear from the Dirt caſt up⯑on him by the Parties who have oppos'd him, and (who it may be likely) have as artfully endeavour'd to Blacken and De⯑face him, clearing up ſundry Actions from the ſuppos'd Guilt, with which they are charg'd, and laying the Blame on ſuch as are really Blame-worthy upon other Heads.

How well they have perform'd is not the preſent Enquiry; it is eaſie for Writers this Way, or that Way, to form a ſpe⯑cious Tale to clear up the Characters which they would render Bright, or to blacken thoſe who they would Miſrepre⯑ſent: But what Weight is to be put upon [6] ſuch Aſſurances we ſhall ſee, when the Secret Hiſtory of theſe Books is a little far⯑ther laid down.

In the mean Time it is provoking to the laſt Degree, to ſee what Succeſs theſe Men have had in the Trick they have put upon the Town, and how univerſally all ſorts of Men have run into the Cheat, and been bubbled to accept theſe Romances for a true Narration, and have taken the Fable for a Hiſtory, without enquiring in⯑to the Things whether they were impos'd upon Yea, or No.

The few Friends of the Staff on one Hand, (albeit they were not the firſt who were deceiv'd, yet) were very ſoon drawn into the Snare, taking the Book to be done by a Friend, or perhaps by himſelf, in order to Vindicate him to the World, by ſetting his Actions in a true Light, and caſting the Blame of ſundry Things, which common Fame laid at his Door, upon the Conduct of divers other Perſons; perhaps the nearneſs of ſome Paſſages which they found in theſe Books, to what they knew ſomething of, in the Conduct of the Staff, or their willingneſs to have it be as it was there repreſented; and their Paſſion to have others think as favourably of the Staff, as they did themſelves, might con⯑cur to Deceive them; foraſmuch as di⯑vers Things taken Notice of in thoſe Books [7] might have ſome Connexion with other Paſſages which were really true, ſo that it would be eaſie for Men to be led aſide at their firſt View of Things. Alſo the Part theſe Men took with the Staff, in his Re⯑ſentment of the Conduct of thoſe who had diſpoſſeſs'd and ſupplanted him at Court, bore no ſmall Share in their Credulity, be⯑ing very willing that all imaginable Indig⯑nities ſhould be offer'd to thoſe who had been ſo ſucceſsful in their Oppoſition to the Staff, as to caſt him out of his Seat, and to diſpoſſeſs him of the Favour of his Prince, and to ſee them expos'd to all the World, who had expos'd him in ſuch a Manner, which, as they ſaid, was not to be forgiven.

The Enemies of the Staff, on the other Hand, ſeem'd to be mov'd ſo much at the Attempt made to clear up his Character, in Things which they ſeem to have unan⯑ſwerably laid to his Charge, as that they could not let ſlip ſo fair an Opportunity, which ſeem'd to them to offer itſelf in this Book, to load him with farther Infamy; and tho' at the firſt View they found them⯑ſelves capable to detect the Falſity and So⯑phiſtry of the Books themſelves, as it is expreſs'd in ſome of their Anſwers; yet they could not avoid the Snare of taking the Books for Genuine, and for a Deſign of [8] the Staff, to ſtart ſomething into the World in his own Vindication.

The Writers of the Books ſitting ſtill all this while, had their leiſure to Laugh at Mankind, and to pleaſe themſelves with thinking how either Side fell into their Snare, and bought up many Thouſands of the Books, which as ſhall preſently be ſhewn, was the Summa Totalis of the De⯑ſign, and to ſee with what eagerneſs the Party Writers on every Side carried on the Paper War which they had rais'd; and which confirms the Truth of what is here aſſerted beyond all Contradiction. It ſhall appear that the ſame People employing o⯑ther Hands, have been the Editors not only of the Books themſelves, but alſo of ſeveral of the Anſwers to theſe Books, cauſing the deceiv'd People to Dance in the Circles of their drawing, while theſe have enjoy'd the Sport of their own Witch⯑craft; and like the Hangers-on of the Camp, have taken the Spoil of the Field of Battle, as well of the Victors, as of the Vanquiſh'd.

It was but a few Days paſt, when com⯑ing caſually into a Publick Coffee-Houſe, and finding the whole Diſcourſe, as for ſome Time it was, carried on by oppoſite Parties upon the Subject of theſe Books, I joyn'd my ſelf to the Company, where it was warmly enquir'd into who ſhould be [9] the Author, or Authors of theſe Books. I found One Man who appear'd as a Qua⯑ker, and ſpoke as a Quaker, altho' as I af⯑terwards underſtood, he was not a thorough Quaker, maintaining a Point, which differ'd from all, that had ſpoken about it; and which put me upon further enquiring into the Matter, than I had done before.

‘'Verily, ſays the Quaker, I think, that ye err much about this Matter, and I plainly perceive, that ye do not Judge rightly of the Perſons, concerning whom ye are Diſcourſing;'’ Why, ſaid his Neigh⯑bour, who was his Oppoſer, Do'ſt not thou think, that the Earl of Oxford has written this Book?

Quaker. Nay, I do not believe it.

Neigh. You Quakers are ſo full of dou⯑ble Meanings, no Man can talk with you; do you not believe, that he has done it, or caus'd it to be done, that he has employ'd others to do it for him?

Quak. If thou canſt not talk with me, then ſhould'ſt thou hold thy Peace. I am a Friend to the Truth, and a Lover of thoſe, that ſpeak uprightly, neither have I any double Meaning in my Speech.

[10] Neigh. Anſwer me directly, Don't you believe, that he has done it, I ſay, or cauſed it to be done for him?

Quak. I do not.

Neigh. Don't you believe that he has furniſh'd Materials for this Book to Daniel De Foe, or ſome ſuch other Scribler, as for Money he might get, to do ſuch a Piece o [...] Drudgery for him?

Quak. I know not Lord Oxford, neither do I know Daniel De Foe; but this may ſerve thee for an Anſwer to thy Queſtion▪ that I do not believe either Lord Oxford or any one for him had any Concern in Writing, or Compoſing thoſe Books.

Neigh. Pray let us hear your Reaſon for it.

Quak. Nay, now thou ask'ſt of me a Que⯑ſtion, which I am not under any Obliga⯑tion to comply with thee in.

Neigh. That is true; but ſaying you do not believe a Thing without telling any Reaſon for it, is the ſtrongeſt Argument [11] you could bring to make us believe the contrary.

Quak. I will give thee ſome of my Rea⯑ſons; but I will aſſure thee alſo, they are not the chief Reaſons, which I might give, which perchance, it may not be conveni⯑ent to mention at this Time.

Neigh. Let us then have ſuch Reaſons, as you pleaſe to give.

Quak. One Reaſon is, That if it had been done by Lord Oxford, as thou ſay'ſt it was, and that it was for his own Vindica⯑tion, he would not have Written that, which is ſo unfit to perform what it is ſup⯑pos'd to do, and that he would have vin⯑dicated himſelf in a better Manner, or not have meddled with it in Publick.

Neigh. That is no Reaſon; his Cauſe is ſo bad, it admits no Vindication.

Quak. Nay, then my Reaſon is good, in that I ſaid he would therefore have let it alone; but ſeeing thou doſt not approve of my Reaſons, I have no need to trouble thee with more of them. And here the Quaker ſeem'd to make ſome Motion to riſe and go away.

[12] Neigh. That is juſt what I ſaid before, that you have no, Reaſon at all.

Quak. Thou thinkeſt to move me by thy Words, to enter into Diſputations with thee of theſe Things; but I ſhall not com⯑ply with thy Deſire; let it therefore ſuf⯑fice thee, that I know what I have ſaid to be Truth, the which is more than ſaying, I believe it; and herewith the Quaker roſe up and departed.

The Quaker's, laſt Words ſtir'd up my Curioſity, and I immediately follow'd him, and ask'd him if he would give me an Op⯑portunity to have a little Friendly Diſcourſe with him; that I had ſeen, how rudely they had treated him in the Coffee-Houſe; but that I ſhould let him ſee I had more Reſpect.

He yielded, and we went to a Publick Houſe, where being ſat down, I told him that had I read over the Books call'd The Se⯑cret Hiſtory of the Staff, &c. And that I had frequent Thoughts about them, That I ob⯑ſerv'd a great many Things, which in my Opinion look like Romances; that I often thought the whole was a continu'd Fiction; that ſome Things were put in, which if they [13] were true, no Body could know, but thoſe whoſe Intereſt it was not to make them Publick; That other Things were men⯑tion'd, which were not probable, ſundry Speeches fram'd, which I believ'd were ne⯑ver ſpoken, and that I had long wiſh'd, that I might one Time or other come to ſome Diſcovery of the Truth of the Caſe, and that hearing him, tho' a Stranger to me, jump ſo exactly with my Opinion, and that he ſeem'd to have more Know⯑ledge of particular Circumſtances than I had, I was very earneſt to Diſcourſe with him about it; and that I might not hinder his being as free with me, as he would be with any Friend of his Acquaintance, I told him my Name, Place of Abode, &c. and nam'd ſome Eminent Quakers to him, whom I ſuppos'd he might know, and who I knew, would anſwer for my Sincerity.

He heeded me very attentively, and when I had ended, he anſwer'd thus, or to this Purpoſe;

I was ſurpriz'd with this Account, as I might well be, altho' it was nothing, but what I always believ'd; yet it made me ſtill more Curious to enquire of him, in what Manner he came to the Know⯑ledge of this Thing, ſo as to be Satisfa⯑ctory; and that, while we believ'd the World was impos'd upon by the Books, we might not ſuffer our ſelves to be im⯑pos'd upon in our Enquiry after them: For, ſaid I, in a Thing of this Nature, I [15] would not take up with ſlight Evidence; he told me, ‘'He had been very Particular in his Enquiry, and Firſt, That he had obtain'd of a Friend to ſpeak of it to the Lord Oxford himſelf, and that the ſaid Lord expreſſing himſelf with the utmoſt Indignation at the Books them⯑ſelves, aſſur'd the Perſon who mention'd it to him, that he had no Knowledge of them till he ſaw them in Print; that he always was of Opinion, that printed Vin⯑dications were uſeleſs Things, and inju⯑rious to the Perſons, they would pretend to ſerve; that he knew nothing he had done that needed any Vindication; but if it were otherwiſe, he deſir'd he might be left to Vindicate himſelf, as he found Occaſion; that many, if not moſt of the Facts in theſe Books were Falſe, and that thoſe, which had Truth in them, were mingled with ſuch abundance of Ro⯑mance, as that they did not ſo much as appear to be dreſs'd up like the Truth; that he diſlik'd every Thing in thoſe Books, and alſo the Manner, in which it was there plac'd; and that no one could oblige him more, than by letting the World know, that he diſown'd what was there reflecting upon others, and deſpis'd what pretended to be in behalf of him⯑ſelf.'’

[16]Beſides this Account, which was very ſatisfying, he told me that he had been Curious to get Information among the Writers of Pamphlets, to find out, if he could, either who had a Hand in it, or who they ſuppos'd to have ſo; that he had found one Friend, who was acquainted with that Perſon, who common Fame had tax'd with it in Publick, and that he had obtain'd from his ſaid Friend to go to that Perſon. It ſeems, he found the poor Man in a very Dangerous Condition, having had a Fit of an Apoplexy, and being ve⯑ry Weak, inſomuch, that his Life was deſpair'd of; but, mentioning the ſaid Books to him, and that the Town charg'd him with being the Author of them, and that he had Written them by Direction of the ſaid Lord Oxford, the ſaid Perſon anſwer'd, That they did him a great deal of Wrong; neither did he believe, that the Lord Oxford was any Way concern'd, directly or indirectly in the ſaid Books, and that he believ'd his Lordſhip had ne⯑ver heard of them till they were publiſh'd. It was true, he ſaid, that he happen'd to ſee ſome of the Copy, while it was at the Preſs, and that being deſir'd to look upon it, he did Reviſe Two or Three Sheets of it, and mark'd ſome Things in them, [17] which he diſlik'd; but for the reſt he could ſafely Swear he never ſaw them, or knew what was in them, till after they were printed, nor did he know whether the Things which he had mark'd (as a⯑bove ſaid) were alter'd in the Print, Yea, or No.

The Perſon who went to him, then ask'd him if he did not believe, that they were written at the Deſire, and by the Dire⯑ctions of People, who traded in ſuch Books, and who did it meerly to get Money by them, without any other Deſign this Way or that Way reſpecting the Parties, or Di⯑viſions of the People: And he anſwer'd, He did verily believe it was ſo.

My Friend told me, he could not queſtion the Truth of what a Man, as it were ſtep⯑ping into the Grave, had ſo freely de⯑clar'd, and that he thought, Men could not anſwer charging Things Publickly upon others, without any Proof of them, ſaving what was ſuggeſted to them, by the Sur⯑miſes of their own Evil Thoughts, or of other Evil Perſons, and he did not know how Men could anſwer wronging others in ſuch a Manner.

[18]But that, which farther than all this con⯑firm'd this Quaker, as he ſaid, in his be⯑leiving that it was not either of the Per⯑ſons above-mention'd who had written theſe Books, was a farther Information, which he told me he had met with from Two ſeveral Perſons, who as he ſaid, were of the Tribe of Writers, who are by the World call'd Hackneys, as before, who gave him ſome Account how theſe Books were manag'd, and by whom.

There are, it ſeems, ſaid he, ſeveral Clubs, or Setts of theſe Men, who are kept in conſtant Employment by the Book⯑ſellers, or Publiſhers of Pamphlets, to Write on ſuch and ſuch Subjects, as the ſaid Bookſellers ſhall direct; and theſe ſaid Bookſellers, or Publiſhers joyn together their Stocks, when ſuch Books are written, to pay as well the Charge of Writing as of Printing the ſame, and then unite their Intereſt in their way of Trade, for the more effectual vending the ſaid Books. And I am aſſured, ſaid he farther, That theſe Perſons do not Conſult the Side, or Party on which, or in whoſe behalf the ſaid Books may be ſuppos'd to plead; but the great Thing, which they regard, is that the ſaid Books may Sell; and if they [19] find it ſells, ſo as to anſwer their Deſign, they go on, perhaps, to employ the ſame Perſons to write an Anſwer, or Anſwers thereto, and that he was ſatisfy'd by his Friend, that theſe Books of the White Staff were written by ſome of theſe Men call'd Hackneys, as aforeſaid, and by the Order of, and for the Wages given by ſome of the ſaid Bookſellers, Publiſhers, &c. And that no other Perſons, or Deſigns were to be found concern'd therein.

I told him, this was a very Infamous Practice, if it was true; but deſir'd to know if he had good Grounds to believe the ſame: He told me he thought he had ſufficient Ground to believe, that there were ſuch People, and that there were ſuch Setts of Men, who employ'd theſe Writers; and of this he had ſuch Evidence, that, as he ſaid, he was able to name ſeveral Men, who were ſo em⯑ploy'd, and alſo thoſe, who did employ them; he likewiſe told me, he was aſ⯑ſur'd of their doing this upon the ſingle View of gaining, by the vending or ſell⯑ing their Books without any other Deſign, not being concern'd what Cauſe, or what Principle theſe Men writ for or upon, ſee⯑ing, as he was inform'd, it was their fre⯑quent Practice to employ one Man, or Sett [20] of Men to write a Book upon this or that Subject; and if that Book ſucceeded, that is to ſay, if it Sold well, then to employ others, or perhaps the ſame Hands to write Anſwers to the ſame Book. And to confirm this, he told me he could aſ⯑ſure me, that the Book entitled the Purſe and the Mitre, which was written in Op⯑poſition to the former Book the Staff, were written by the Order, and at the Expence of the very ſame Men, who had before caus'd the ſaid Secret Hiſtory of the White Staff to be written; that the Writer, or Hackney, who was thus employ'd, was one Pittis, of whom more ſhall be ſpoken afterwards.

And that albeit they were publiſh'd by a different Hand, the Principals were the very ſame, and they were Publiſh'd and Sold on the Account of the ſame Sett of Bookſellers; and this, he ſaid, he was able to give ſuffi⯑cient Teſtimony to the Truth of, if there were any Occaſion.

I was more ſurpriz'd with this laſt Part of his Account, than I was with the other, and could not conceal the Aſtoniſhment I was in thereat, which made him take the Liberty to tell me, that he admir'd to ſee thoſe Things ſeem ſtrange to me, for that, [21] he ſaid, this had been the conſtant Pra⯑ctice of theſe People for ſome Years; and that moſt of the Libels, which had been publiſh'd for ſome Years paſt, had been written in this Manner, and that the great Miſtake, which he obſerv'd to be in it, was not that ſuch Men were ſuffer'd to Write, for that he did not ſee how any Laws could be made to reſtrain them; but that which was to be wonder'd at, was the Folly of the People, who ſuffer'd themſelves to be amus'd with every Jack with a Lanthorn, and who, by laying ſuch ſtreſs upon what they read, in eve⯑ry Pamphlet, gave a Weight to them, when they had not any in themſelves, and fancying, that this or that Great Per⯑ſon had ſet his Head, or Hand to work to write theſe Things; they made them thereby effectual to do that Evil, which they were Originally not deſign'd to do, and which, if they were let alone, they would not be able to do.

I joyn'd with him in his Opinion of all theſe Things, and farther, it caus'd divers Reflections in my Thoughts, upon the Fol⯑ly and Abſurdity of thoſe, who have pre⯑tended to write weighty and ſolid An⯑ſwers to theſe Books, entitled, The Hiſtory [22] of the Staff, &c. how ſome call it the Work of the late Lord Treaſurer, and take the Liberty from thence to anſwer that Book, as his Lordſhip Performance, caſting the Follies and Ignorance, the Malice and ill Manners, of a few three halfpenny Scrib⯑lers in the Face of his Lordſhip as his own▪ if there are falſe Grammars, they are call'd his Ignorance and want of Learning; falſe Facts, they are call'd his Lies; ſhuffling and quibling with the Arguments, which were neceſſary, becauſe they knew little of what they were ſpeaking, is call'd his Sophiſtry; not only abuſing the Perſon, on whom theſe Things are caſt, but like⯑wiſe abuſing very notoriouſly the Readers, by making them believe that theſe Things are of Moment, which are the Concepti⯑ons of ſilly Mercenaries, drawn from what they pick'd up in Fragments here and there▪ from the Coffee-Houſe Chat, and learned Ale-Bench Diſcourſe of this City, and then fram'd together in a Book, to deceive the credulous Heads and inquiſitive Tempers of the People, and pick their Purſes of a little Money.

But that no Man may queſtion the Truth of what is here affirm'd, the Write [...] of theſe Sheets avers, and is able on Occa⯑ſion to make Oath, That the ſaid Mr [23] Pittis own'd, and acknowledg'd to him, the ſaid Writer of theſe Sheets, that he was the Author of the ſaid Book, call'd the Mitre and Purſe, and ſhew'd me Part of the Copy in Manuſcript, before the ſame was printed; neither is this all, but the Writer of theſe Sheets avers, That he can prove, who employ'd the ſaid Mr. Pittis, and what Hire, or Price he receiv'd for the Work.

This is mention'd with the more Plain⯑neſs, becauſe of a like Caſe, which has juſt now happen'd, and is made Publick by Pittis himſelf, and is as followeth; Mr. Pittis has been taken up for writing a Pamphlet, call'd Reaſons for a War with France, which Book he has own'd, he was hir'd to Write by that Conſcientious Bookſeller, ſo celebrated for his Honeſty, Mr. Edmund Curl in Fleet-ſtreet, who was one of his Bail; upon which he gives out an Adver⯑tiſement in ſeveral of the News-papers, that a Book was preparing for the Preſs, entitled Reaſons againſt a War with France; by the Author of the Mitre and Purſe, which, as is ſaid above, appears to be the ſame Author, viz. Mr. Pittis. This ſo evi⯑dently proves the Practice above of Mr. Curl, and his Aſſociates, Writing for and [24] againſt, that no Men can be ſo wilfully Obſtinate, as not to be convinc'd.

Now to return from this Digreſſion, the Quaker told me many more Things, which I have not room to take Notice of here; but he was particularly warm when, he diſcours'd of the Uſe which we made of theſe Books: ‘'The People of this City, ſays he, are all true Believers, for they can believe every Thing, which pleaſes them, and call every Thing, which they do not approve of, falſe: If thou, continu'd he, ſhouldſt go among them, and tell them, that the Hiſtory of the White Staff was not written by Lord Oxford, or by ſome of his Emiſſaries, they would laugh thee to ſcorn; on the other Hand, ſhouldſt thou ſay unto them, that the Hiſtory of the Purſe and Mitre was not written by the Inſtigation of the Prieſt of R—r, or of the late high Man thou call'ſt Chan⯑cellor; but that this laſt was written by the Hire, and by the Directions of the ſame Perſons, who were in that reſpect the Authors of the other; they would be diſpleasd with thee in a grievous Man⯑ner, and theſe Things would ſeem unto them as idle Tales; yet in Truth thou may'ſt be aſſur'd, ſaid he, it is no other⯑wiſe, and Time will farther ſatisfie thee of theſe Things; nay, I am credibly in⯑form'd [25] ſaith he, That ſome of thy Peo⯑ple have been ſo wicked as to affirm, that theſe Books were written by other Per⯑ſons, and to Name thoſe Perſons; where⯑as it is certain, that they could not be a⯑ble to prove one Tittle thereof, which, ſaid he, is a worſe Offence than any of thoſe which they take Liberty to repre⯑hend; for this, ſaid he, is the greateſt Af⯑front offer'd to Truth, that Men are ca⯑pable to offer: And they ought in the firſt Place, to enter upon the Demonſtra⯑tion of the Fact which they aſſert, to wit, That Lord Oxford, or ſome one for him, or by his Direction, hath written and publiſh'd the ſaid Tracts, before they en⯑ter'd upon the Subject of the ſaid Book; foraſmuch, ſaid he, as if it be not a Ve⯑rity which they have firſt laid down, to wit, That the ſaid Books were written by him, or by his Knowledge and Directi⯑on; or if it be a Verity, as I am perſwa⯑ded thereof, that he had no Knowledge of the ſaid Books before they were writ⯑ten and publiſh'd, then it is Folly and Shame unto them who have engag'd themſelves to anſwer the ſame, as if writ⯑ten by him; wherefore alſo, all which they have ſaid upon thoſe Subjects after⯑wards, falleth to the Ground, by Reaſon that the ſame is built upon a wrong Foun⯑dation. [26] Likewiſe, ſaith he, if it appea⯑reth that they have been thus eaſily de⯑ceiv'd, it ſeemeth to me that they are al⯑ſo become wilful Deceivers of others, in that they adventure to affirm what they know not, and deſire others to build up⯑on the like ſandy Foundations, raiſing ſlanderous Accuſations upon Perſons, upon Suſpition of their having done what they have not in Truth been guilty of. For, ſaid he, they are falſe Teachers of others, who are not well aſſur'd of the Truth of what they teach; and albeit, ſaid he, this Lord Oxford were an evil Man; for Friend, ſaid he, I like not his Ways, nei⯑ther do I approve of his Doings, any more than thou may'ſt do; howbeit I muſt not charge him or any other unjuſtly, with Things whereof they are not guilty: And if theſe Perſons have affirmed, that this Man hath us'd ſuch Sophiſtry, and ſuch Diſhoneſty, for his own Vindication, as is found in the ſaid Books, and he hath not done ſo, neither is any Way directly or indirectly concern'd therein, as I have juſt Cauſe to believe he is not, then have they done wickedly, and deſerve Re⯑proof; therefore neither can I give Cre⯑dit to any of the Inferences which they draw therefrom, foraſmuch as right Con⯑ſequences are very ſeldom form'd from [27] wrong Premiſes: And this, my Friend, ſaid he, is my Opinion of this Matter'.’

Reflecting after this upon the Quaker's Diſcourſe; for we went not much farther at that time, it produc'd ſome wonder in me, at the ſtrange Uſage which Men give one another in this Age, and above all, it came very ſtrongly in my Mind; Good Lord! ſaid I, What a Temper of Slander and Reproach is gone forth in the World! Were we to hear ſome Men talk of the Books call'd the White Staff, one cou'd hardly think but they knew for certain, and were able to prove it in a Court of Ju⯑ſtice, that the Earl of Oxford was the Au⯑thor of them, or that they had ſeen him give the Inſtructions for the writing them, to the Perſons who he had employ'd. When the Books are read over, which are call'd the Anſwers and Conſiderations upon theſe Hiſtories of the White Staff, where the Per⯑ſons are call'd the moſt ſcandalous Names for writing them, which by this Quaker's Account have had no knowledge of them till they were publiſh'd; What Opinion muſt we entertain of the Writers of theſe Books? And how will they take off all the Weight which might otherwiſe be thought due to the Arguments us'd in theſe Books? Where I ſee the Perſon who is ſuppos'd [28] to be the Original, treated with ſuch Harſhneſs; the other who is charg'd with being his Tool, call'd ſo many Raſcals and ſuch like Names, and yet in the bottom of the Caſe, for ought I ſee, neither of theſe are in the leaſt concern'd in the original Part of the Books, What ſhall be in Ju⯑ſtice ſaid to ſuch a Practice? And what Principle muſt theſe Authors have, who dare thus impoſe upon the World, in that whereof they know nothing, and dare thus charge Men poſitively and publickly, in that of which they have no Evidence, but their own partial Conjectures.

Theſe Sheets have not the leaſt Affinity to a Vindication of the Earl of Oxford. The Undertaker hereof knows nothing of Da⯑niel de For, Mr. Pittis, or any other of the mercenary ſcribling Tribe. The Queſtion now in debate with me, is, Whether it be true which the Quaker-above mention'd has laid down, yea or nay; and in enqui⯑ring after this, I have ſincerely employ'd ſome Hours: Let the White Staff be as black as the Devil, let his Actions merit all the Reproach that good Men think their Due, or that bad Men can caſt upon them: in fine, let him be all that can be either juſtly or unjuſtly ſaid of him; yet it is certain nothing ought to be ſaid either of [29] him, or of any other Perſon which is not true, nay, nor which cannot be prov'd to be true.

But neither is this the true Deſign of this Book, for howbeit Men will take the Liberty to ſay of thoſe againſt whom they write Things not true, or perhaps Things which they have not ſufficient Evidence of; yet who ſhall go about in ſuch a Day as this is, to reprehend the Vice of our an⯑gry Party-Men, ſhall be ſure to get no⯑thing but ſome of the Dirt, which they were before throwing at one another, to be thrown at him by both Sides, and be like the Guides who brought the Dutch Troops into Reading, at the Time of the Revolu⯑tion, who running too buſie about to ſhow the Dutchmen their Enemy, and to mark out the Villains who were to cut their Throats, were ſhot in the Fray by their own Friends, for not ſtanding out of the Way.

But the Uſe that I would make of this is, to admoniſh thoſe who write, that how⯑ever they treat thoſe Men they write a⯑gainſt, they would have ſome regard for thoſe whom they write unto, that is to ſay, That albeit they may not regard loading thoſe they write againſt with Accuſations, [30] and blackning them with Crimes, whether they may be guilty or no; yet that they would take care of their Friends to whom they write, that they do not impoſe upon them to believe Lies, and Things which have no Foundation, but in the crazy prepoſſeſs'd Imaginations of a Party, putting Suſpicions and Conjectures upon them for Matters of Fact, and prepoſſeſſing their Minds to be⯑lieve a Lie.

I could not but reflect with particular Aſtoniſhment upon the Book call'd the Mitre and the Purſe, how I found a Raging, ſomething like a Frenzy in the very Fron⯑tiſpiece, the Man ſeeming to be in a poe⯑tick Fury at the Perſon call'd the White Staff; he talks in his Title of the Hypocriſy and Villany of the White Staff; he draws a Bill upon Virgil for that eminent Line, which as he takes it, will be very accepta⯑ble to all the Enemies of the White Staff, viz. ‘Quo teneam vultus mutantem protea nodo.’

Having alſo ſome Credit with the Eng⯑liſh Poets, he draws another Bill upon Dry⯑den, in his Abſalom and Achitophel, which he ſhoots like an envenom'd Arrow direct⯑ly at the White Staff.

When he enters upon his Subject, he remembers what would gratifie the Town, and falls upon the common Topick, thus, The Mercenary that has been hir'd to raiſe a Duſt, in order to blind People's Eyes from ſeeing clearly into the White Staff's true Character, having, &c. Hiſt. of Mitre and Purſe, Page 3.

A plain Man, unacquainted with ſuch Roguery, would believe that Mr. Pittis knew, and could prove beyond Contradi⯑ction, that the Writer of the White Staff was a Mercenary, hir'd by the Perſon call'd or underſtood, by the White Staff: On the other Hand, how would he have imagin'd that the ſame Perſons who hir'd ſome other Mercenary to write the White Staff, had hir'd him to write the Purſe and Mitre, and that the Stile of his firſt Lines which are quoted above, ought, if they had been written with Sincerity, to have run thus, The Mercenary who we hir'd to raiſe a Duſt, in order to blind Peo⯑ple's Eyes, and make them believe the White Staff as Genuine, and not a Romance, ha⯑ving, &c.

[32]The Reader may not expect I ſhould enter into a Detail of this Writer's Lan⯑guage; This is not an Anſwer to Books, but a detecting the Knavery of Books; and making the injur'd People of Britain ſenſible, how they have been impos'd upon by ſeveral of thoſe People call'd Bookſellers: On the one hand, they hire a Man, or Men, to write a Secret Hiſtory, pretending to Vindicate and Defend the Character of the Perſon of him whom they call the White Staff; and they bring him in making Eloquent Speeches, detract⯑ing from, and loading the Characters and Conduct of other Miniſters of State, of whom perhaps not one Word of what he is ſaid to have ſpoken, may be true; and which is yet more, not one Word of it was ever ſpoken by him. On the other hand, the ſame Men hire another Man, perhaps the ſame Man, to mimmick the oppoſite Party; to fall upon the White Staff with all the Opprobrious Terms, and all that Railery, which, a Perſon ſuppos'd to be injur'd by the ſaid White Staff, could be inſpir'd with, and as if he was em⯑ploy'd by the Mitre and Purſe to fight their Battle, taking on him the Defence of their Character, falls on with ſuch unmer⯑ciful Fury, as if the White Staff was a [33] Victim, given up to be Sacrific'd by his Tongue, to the Ghoſt of the High-Church Cauſe, lately dead and buried; and when all this is ſaid and done, and when the World has been amus'd with this Ambodexter Scuffle thus long, it appears, that neither the White⯑Staff abuſing, or the Mitre and Purſe abuſed, have the leaſt Knowledge of the Matter; the Perſon who is charged with writing for them is Sick in his Bed, and knows little or nothing of it; and the Secret Hiſtory of theſe Secret Hi⯑ſtories, is, that they were Coin'd in one Mint, all form'd by one and the ſame Sett of Men, and with the ſame truly mercenary Deſign, viz. To get a Penny: Not valuing who on the one hand they ſlander'd, whom they ſet to⯑gether by the Ears, what Characters they reproach'd unjuſtly, or whom they expos'd; and on the other Hand, not regarding whom they incens'd againſt the Perſons concern'd, whom they impos'd upon, deceiv'd and abus'd; making the poor innocent People of Britain to believe Lies, and Things of other Men, which perhaps never enter'd into their Heads or Hearts to do or ſay.

I need now go no further into the Book; it matters not what the Subject is, neither what the Perſon is who writes it: This is no Charge upon Mr. Pittis, who, as the Quaker aſſur'd me, wrote the Book call'd the Mitre and Purſe; the more he falls upon the White Staff, the better is it for thoſe who employ'd him; as the more the Writer of the White Staff falls upon the Mitre and Purſe, the better for thoſe who employ'd him; the Original of theſe Things being the ſame Perſons. This is the Secret Hiſtory of the Secret Hiſtory; neither is [34] this Tract bent againſt the Perſons, who em⯑ploy'd theſe Writers on one ſide or on the other. It ſeems it is their Trade; and I have been in⯑form'd, that one Mr. Edmund Curl has been furniſh'd with Topicks out of Lex Mercatoria, to juſtify and defend the Lawfulneſs of ſuch an Employment; which he has practis'd ſome Years before he intermeddled with the Books in Queſtion: Theſe Things therefore, I ſay, are not the Aim and Deſign of this Book, but rather to open the Eyes of the People to the main Thing, viz. That they may be made more ſenſible than they have yet been, how groſly they are impos'd on by the Writers of Pamphlets at this time; and how the great Affairs of State are canvaſs'd and ſettled, or rather indeed unſettled and expos'd by ſuch little Animals, as Curl and his Hacks, who write and Print whatſoever they find the Peo⯑ple fooliſh enough to buy; and who watch the Inclinations of the People to ſee, what will take with and pleaſe their Humour; not valuing whom they deceive, or whom they expoſe, ſo that they can make their Books ſell off which they print, and bring them to a ſecond or third Edition.

Paſſing then from this Part to thoſe which follow, viz. [...]he other Anſwerers of this Book; perhaps there may be ſome who have not the ſame Original, viz. in the Bookſellers Cabi⯑net-Council, but who take this Occaſion to exert their other Vice, viz. of Prejudice againſt the Perſons concern'd. Of theſe we may ob⯑ſerve, how juſtly to be ridiculed is all their ſerious Railing; their ſingling out Particulars in the Hiſtory of the Staff; their Violence, and enforcing their Arguments with ſo much [35] Heat of Zeal? I ſay, how juſtly to be ridicul'd and expos'd, are all their ſerious Efforts? When the Truth of the Thing is, that this whole Affair hath been only the Work of a few Bookſellers, who wanted to get a Penny: That the Perſons ſuppos'd to be concern'd therein, knew nothing of the Books; or had even any Hand in their Compoſition, and that they have made Fools of themſelves and of the World, by fighting with a Man of Straw, of other People's dreſſing up?

It muſt move ſome Laughter ſurely at them⯑ſelves, when, if they ſhall enquire further into the Thing, as I have done, they ſhould arrive to an Eclairciſment in this Matter; and to be ſa⯑tisfy'd, that this Jack-a-lent was a meer Book⯑ſeller's Romance, a meer Compoſition of Grub-ſtreet, ſet on Work by thoſe, who neither knew the Perſons they writ of, nor ow'd them either ill Will or good; but would have wrote the ſame Things for or againſt their own Fa⯑ther, for the ſame Price.

It is alſo very obſervable, that in all the Books, which have been publiſh'd, either in Anſwer to the ſaid Hiſtories of the Staff, or reflecting upon them, there is not one of theſe which I have yet met with, whoſe Author takes the leaſt Care to prove, that the Staff, or the Purſe, or the Mitre, or any one elſe for them, or by their Order or Direction, wrote, or caus'd to be written, any of thoſe Books: They have gotten a new Way to get over all theſe Things at once, viz. by charging it po⯑ſitively upon whomſoever they pleaſe to call the Authors; expecting that their Readers ſhould take it upon the Faith of the Anſwerers, that ſuch Men have written the Books they [36] Anſwer, whether they offer any Evidence of it, or not. This is a Token, either of great Im⯑pudence in the ſaid Writers, who dare impoſe upon the World in ſuch a Manner, upon their own Authority; or of great Levity and Cre⯑dulity in the Age. who take their Intelligence of Things upon Truſt, and ſit down with the Scandals and Slanders of Writers on any Side without Proof.

But to let alone the Writers, who are in themſelves all of a Rank too mean, and too Scandalous, to have any of theſe Lines ſpent about them, or that any one ſhould be con⯑cern'd at what is, or is not publiſh'd by them: Turn we to the People abus'd by them, and impos'd upon in their falſe Accounts of theſe Things; it muſt be a particular Satisfaction to thoſe, who are affronted in theſe Writings, whether Staff, Purſe, Mitre, or who elſe may be deſign'd under the pretended Characters of thoſe Authors, to be able, as I hear they do already, to aſſure their Friends, that they are not at all concern'd in theſe Books which are ſo poſitively laid to their Charge. Since the firſt Diſcourſe which I had with the Quaker aforeſaid, I have met with ſeveral Perſons of undoubted Reputation, who have aſſur'd me, that all thoſe Perſons who have been nam'd by thoſe Authors, to wit, the E. of O—d, late L—d Cha—, the L—d B. of R—, the L—d B—, and others alſo, do affirm upon all the ſacred Things, which bind Men of Honour and Chriſtianity to ſpeak Truth, that they have been no ways concern'd in theſe Books, either the Hiſtory of the Staff, or of the Purſe and Mitre.

[37]But to put this Matter out of all Queſtion, and to put to Silence the Writers, who have taken upon them to publiſh to the World, that this, that, and the other Perſon have written, or caus'd to be written theſe ſaid Books, En⯑tituled, The Secret Hiſtory of the Staff; The Se⯑cret Hiſtory of the Mitre and Purſe, &c. The Writer of theſe Sheets makes this brief, but poſitive Propoſal to them, which if they do not accept, they muſt be Self-condemn'd, and all Men muſt take their Silence for a Confeſſion of their Guilt; the Propoſal is as follows, viz. Let any of the Writers who have fix'd the Writing, or cauſing theſe ſaid Books to be written, upon the Perſon or Direction of the ſaid White Staff, Mitre and Purſe, bring any Evidence to prove, that it was ſo in Fact; and that the ſaid Perſons, known to be meant by the ſaid Names of the Staff, Mitre or Purſe, did write, or direct to be written, or know of, or conſent to the Writing of the ſaid Books, or any Part or Parcel thereof; or that even the ſaid Staff, Purſe or Mitre, or any of them did ever ſee the ſaid Books, or hear of them, or any Part of them, before they were printed and publiſh'd; I ſay, let them bring any Evi⯑dence other than bare Report, or their own Conjectures; and then the Writer of theſe Sheets will be confronted with and againſt them, and will ingage himſelf to prove, who were the Writers of the ſaid Books, or at leaſt, who were the Deſigners of, and Employ⯑ers of thoſe, who did write them; and will prove by irrefragable Teſtimony, that it was impoſſible any of the ſaid Perſons, ſo repre⯑ſented by the Names of the Staff, the Mitre and [38] Purſe, could be concern'd in writing the ſame, or have any Knowledge directly or indirectly thereof.

Theſe Propoſals are ſo equitable, and muſt be acknowledg'd ſo by every juſt Perſon, that we might even Appeal to the Authors them⯑ſelves, to be the Cenſurers of their own Wri⯑tings; and if any of them are incumber'd with thoſe Things call'd Reflections (as it is fear'd much that they are not) they muſt be brought acknowlege, that they have been too credulous, too forward to charge Men with Crimes, which they could not prove them to be Guilty of; and that they have been too willing to impoſe upon the Credulity of the Age, inſinuating to them, that ſuch and ſuch Perſons have been concern'd in ſuch and ſuch Things, when they themſelves cannot give any Evidence, that it is ſo in Truth, or Reaſon, why the other ſhould believe ſo.

What Satisfaction theſe Men would make, for ſlandering other Perſons in ſuch a Manner; That indeed is a Thing, which, it is to be doubted, ſuch Men lay little to Heart; the Men who can ſatisfy themſelves to ſlander their Enemies, and impoſe upon their Friends, can ill be ſuppos'd to concern themſelves in making Reparation for the Injury done to the Perſons ſlander'd, as was remark'd at the Be⯑ginning. I am not concern'd to defend them, let them Anſwer for themſelves; howbeit, for the innocent common People, who are made to believe a Lie by thoſe Men, for their Sakes, I ſay, it is but juſt, that ſuch Practices as theſe ſhould be expos'd, as they deſerve; that they may be better inform'd, and may be made to [39] ſee who they are, that delude and deceive them. Theſe Men, when they read the ſeveral Anſwers to the Books call'd the White Staff, the Mitre and Purſe, and therein find ſuch and ſuch Perſons of Quality charg'd directly with wri⯑ting, or hiring others to write thus and thus, have nothing to do but to Enquire, Firſt, How do we know that theſe Men did write theſe Things. Secondly, How doth it appear? where doth the Anſwerer, or Conſiderer prove the Charge? And if they find that this Charge is not prov'd, or the Proof not attempted in their Writings, why then all the reſt is nothing but the moſt impudent begging the Queſtion, that has ever been known.

The Writer of theſe Sheets is too well ac⯑quainted with the Spirit of the Men, who will be offended at this Thing; and that they will defend the Crime of which they are Guilty, by joining thereunto another Crime; that is to ſay, they will defend one falſe Thing with ſay⯑ing another. They have ſaid already, that theſe Books were written by ſuch and ſuch Per⯑ſons, and being able to bring no other, or fur⯑ther Teſtimony thereof, they will add ſtill, that they affirm it, that it is and muſt be ſo: But this is Popery in the moſt Jeſuitical Branch of it, covering a Fraud with a greater Fraud; Proteſtants are come to a Point in ſuch Things, viz. to believe nothing without ſome Proof. If it ſhall be alledg'd, that direct Proof cannot be obtain'd in ſuch Caſes; it is reply'd to this, that where poſitive Proof cannot be obtain'd, no Fact ſhou'd be poſitively charg'd: What cannot be prov'd, ſhould not be affirm'd; For, Affirmanti incumbat probatio. They ſhould with [40] Modeſty and Caution have Argu'd, if theſe Things are written by ſuch and ſuch Perſons, or by ſuch and ſuch mercenary Hirelings by their Direction, then ſo and ſo, prout in their Anſwers: But not a Man of theſe Anſwerers and Conſiderers, that I have met with, have given themſelves the Trouble to uſe any Mea⯑ſures for a Salvo to their own Reputations; but have ſhot their Bolts, like the Fool; affirm'd without Probation; Charg'd the Guilt with⯑out ſearching for the Evidence; and when the World cometh to be convinc'd of this Part, of what Force can all they have ſaid after it be, with any conſidering Perſon?

I ſhall leave it upon this Iſſue; Nothing can be more convincing to the Underſtanding of any Man, than this; Theſe Books have been written and publiſh'd by Men, unconcern'd in the Fact, who in the Way of their Trade, as Bookſellers, &c. have put Romances upon the World; a Sett of Writers, as bad as they, have taken hold of the Subject repreſented therein; and pretending to Anſwer the Books, have be⯑gun with a Falſhood, without taking the leaſt Pains to clear it up: As they went on, have charg'd the Writing upon Perſons no way con⯑cern'd therein, without taking one Step to prove, that what they had ſo charg'd was true. This Stumble being made at the Threſhold, all that they have ſaid therein, is moſt egre⯑giouſly wicked; and either falſe in Fact, or in Conſequence: The Perſons are injur'd, and their Country abus'd and impos'd upon, in a criminal and abominable Manner.