Burnet and Bradbury, OR THE CONFEDERACY OF THE PRESS and the PULPIT, &c.

WERE there not always a diffe⯑rence between real Grievances and Party Quarrels; if a juſt Di⯑ſtinction were not to be made, be⯑tween the Complaints of a Nation, and the Clamours of a Prejudic'd Party, this Tract had not been publiſh'd.

[6] Again, if there were not an evident dif⯑ference between a Thirſt of Blood, and a Demand of Juſtice, between Party Venge⯑ance, and Legal Proſecutions, this Pen, which has never yet been drawn in any of theſe Publick Quarrels, had not now been Employ'd.

Yet again; If there were not Allowances needful to be made, for the Characters of the Perſons who Complain; and a diffe⯑rence between the juſt Complaints of Men, whoſe Principles, Morals, and Vertues gave them ſome Weight in the World, and the Rudeneſs of Profligates and Bullies: If there were not Diſtinctions to be made, between Conſcientious Pious Patriots, known to be Lovers of their Country, and Zealous for the Liberties and Priviledges of their Poſterity, and a vitious abandon'd Crew; Bloody in Principle, forſaken of all commendable Vertue, ſwallow'd up in Re⯑venge, and the Prejudices of their Parties; ſwelling in Envy, Hatred, Malice, and all Uncharitableneſs; Raging for the Blood of thoſe who they Hate, and like ſome of their Fathers, calling for Juſtice, Juſtice! that they might draw the People into the worſt ſort of Murder: If, I ſay, theſe Things had not been in the Caſe before me, I, who never engag'd in this manner before, would not have undertaken this Task.

[7] But if theſe Men paſs unreprov'd, then all manner of Villanies muſt be Tolerated among us, from the Authority of Bullies and Incendiaries; and whoever theſe Peo⯑ple pleaſe to preſcribe, (as in the Triumvi⯑rate at Rome,) ſhall come to be Sacrificed, under the Pretence of Juſtice. The Cry is for Juſtice; it is directed to the Govern⯑ment. The Government would do wiſely, if they thought fit to do Juſtice on theſe Men, who have the Face to tell them who muſt be put to Death by them; and that the People expect it, that is to ſay, a Party expect it, to pleaſe and gratifie their Re⯑venge: If Juſtice may not be obtained a⯑gainſt ſuch Inſolence, then each Hackney Writer ſhall lead the Miniſtry, nay, even the King himſelf, to Cruelty and Blood, to make good the Reſentment of an Enraged Faction, and to obey the Commands of a daring Diſſenting Preacher, and a deteſta⯑ble exaſperated B....: To begin with the firſt of theſe, viz. T. Br [...]y, the Diſſent⯑ing Preacher.

How great the Rage of this Man is, and how it tranſports him, even beyond the Bounds of Modeſty, Duty, and Juſtice, will be beſt illuſtrated, by Reflection upon the late Injunctions publiſhed by his Majeſty's ſpecial Command, Directing the Clergy to [8] Reſtrain themſelves within the Limits of their Duty, and not to intermeddle ni their Sermons with Affairs of State: It ſhould ſeem, this Man eſteemeth himſelf as no Miniſter, and ſo that he is not ſpoken to in theſe Injunctions; or that the King's Injunctions are of ſuch a private Interpretation, that they ſhould imply a Reſtraint to the Church Clergy only, and an Allowance to all others to preach Sedition; Or otherwiſe, this Man muſt let the King know, That the Diſſenting Preachers do not think themſelves under his Authority, or within the Power of any of his Reſtraints, ſo as to be liable to his Injunctions.

It will be to the Purpoſe many Ways, to conſider the Inſolence of this Man, in his late manner of Preaching, and what Views he muſt have in his behaving thus; as alſo the unhappy Condition of the Church of England, the State her Clergy are reduced to, and the Injuſtice of Suffering the Diſſent⯑ing Preachers thus to trample under their Feet, the Miniſters of that Church, by whom they are indulged in the Liberties they ſhew themſelves ſo unworthy to enjoy

The due Examination of theſe Particulars may, it is hoped, open the Eyes of thoſe who at preſent ſeem ſo willing to Reduc [...] the Church to Extremities; nay, it may perhaps, cauſe even the more Moderat [...] [9] among the Diſſenters, to awake, and to con⯑ſider whether ſuch Behaviour becomes their Miniſters or Preachers, whether it is their true Intereſt to act in this Manner, and whether a Time may not come (if the Church may ever recover from this Miſ⯑chievous Uſage) when She may do Her ſelf Juſtice.

It muſt be acknowledg'd, that the Church of England will be in Danger, if Her Clergy muſt have their Mouths ſeal'd up; and while they obey the Royal Injunctions, publiſh'd by his Majeſty's Command, not to intermeddle with State-Matters in their Sermons, the Diſſenting Preachers, as not Concern'd in that Command, (and as if by being not named in thoſe Injunctions, they had thereby an Indulgence for the Purpoſe,) take the Liberty to condemn to Death thoſe who they pleaſe to preſcribe, and to call the People together, to cry for Blood, Blood, under the old Cant of (41) Juſtice, Juſtice: What Height of unparallel'd Inſolence has been ſhewn in this Part by B [...]t and B [...]y, and ſome others by B [...]t, not to be parallel'd indeed but by one another, in Two Pam⯑phlets publiſh'd the laſt Week; the one, A Letter to my Lord H [...]x; and the other, A Sermon on the late Thanſgiving: Both call⯑ing on the Government for Blood; both leading the King and Miniſtry to Blood; [10] which in theſe Men is Murther, whateve [...] it muſt be in the other. The Circumſtance of both of theſe, render the Crime flagrant and the Criminals odious.

Preachers, one would think, ought no [...] to be Prompters of Blood and Revenge▪ more eſpeecially thoſe, who a few Year [...] paſt, ſpoke ſo much for Moderation, For⯑bearance, Charity, and what not; yet thi [...] young Gentleman has given the World [...] Taſte of the Juſtice which theſe Men do as well as of the Juſtice which they ſeek ▪ With what Front durſt this Incendiary en⯑ter upon the Subject, when he knew Hi [...] Majeſty had but even then ſtrictly forbid⯑den the Clergy to meddle in their Pulpit with ſuch Matters? Can he have the i [...] Manners to ſay, That His Majeſty deſign'd that the Mouths of the Clergy of th [...] Church of England ſhould be ſtopped, and the Mouths of Schiſmaticks and Diſſenter [...] ſhould be open'd? What Satyr would thi [...] have been on the Perſon and Conduct o [...] the King? And how would it have open'd the Mouths of the People againſt ſuch par⯑tial Uſage of the Church? Who ſhall ſay the Church is not in Danger, even in th [...] utmoſt Danger, if this be Her Caſe? I [...] on the other ſide, he will ſay, he does not un⯑derſtand the Injunctions to be a preſcribing the Clergy of the Church, and leaving [11] the other Preachers of all the Sects free, Then with what Front durſt this Man diſobey His Majeſty's Injunctions, and taking upon him to lead the King and his Miniſtry to what they ought, or ought not to do, to ſummon the People to call for Juſtice, which, as aforeſaid, is Blood, and inſinuate who are the Men they ſhould clamour againſt, which manifeſtly is practi⯑ſing Sedition and Murder?

I am unacquainted with the Sects of Diſſenters, yet I have often heard, that they have vindicated themſelves, or endeavour'd to do ſo frequently, againſt the Charge often brought upon them, of being regard⯑leſs of Kings and Governments, practiſing Sedition, and ſuch Things as theſe. Thoſe among them who are ſober and modeſt, muſt abhor this Man and his Preaching, ſeeing the King, from a Principle of Peace⯑ableneſs, as we would hope, and to keep the People Quiet, has forbid, by the Injunctions publiſh'd in the Publick Gazette, the Mini⯑ſters of the Church to meddle with theſe Things. This B [...]y ſurely ought to have eſteemed himſelf equally reſtrained by thoſe Injunctions, otherwiſe he muſt expoſe the Juſtice of the King in the higheſt Manner. If he has the Front to do this, let him bring in his Plea; let him ſay the King allow'd Diſſenting Preachers [12] to meddle with State-Affairs in their Pul⯑pits, while he denied the Church of Eng⯑land Miniſters the ſame Liberty; and ſay⯑ing and proving this, will ſtate the Condi⯑tion of the Church of England in a few Words, and put it out of Queſtion for th [...] future, whether She is in Danger, yea or no▪ This Incendiary is unable to deny, but tha [...] he is expreſly forbidden by the Injunction [...] to preach in this Manner, as much as th [...] Church Clergy; I have a better Opinion o [...] his Cunning, than to ſuppoſe otherwiſe o [...] him; nay, ſhould he flie to that weak and fooliſh Pretence (viz.) That the Injunction [...] are directed to the Church of England Clergy only, it would fail him, ſeeing the very Words of the Injunctions will convict him. The firſt Clauſe includes him, and all thoſe of his, or of any other Sect, thus▪ viz. That no Preacher whatſoever, in his Ser⯑mon or Lecture do preſume, &c. Vide, the In⯑junctions; wherein, eſpecially, two Thing [...] are directed, Art. III. That above all Thing [...] THEY (all Preachers whatſoever) abſtain from bitter Invectives and ſcurrilous Languag [...] againſt all Perſons whatſoever, Art IV. Tha [...] they do not preſume, &c. to intermeddle in an [...] Affairs of State, or Government, or the Con⯑ſtitution of the Realm. Where, in the nex [...] place, is then his Obedience to the Highe [...] Powers? And more effectually, Where hi [...] [13] Regard to King George? After all the ful⯑ſome Paraſitical Stuff he has been ſo long venting about the King, which is, to honeſt Men, odious, and to the King Himſelf con⯑temptible. Is this his obſerving the Legal Injunctions, (as one of his Claſs calls them) of the King upon the Clergy?

Now ſhould we call upon the Miniſtry to do Juſtice upon this Incendiary, and im⯑plore his Majeſty, in his Juſtice to the Clergy of the Church of England, and in Vindication of his own Injunctions, to let this Offender be brought to condign Puniſh⯑ment: This I perſwade my ſelf his Maje⯑ſty will not deny, or, that on the other hand, His Royal Juſtice will move him to take off thoſe Injunctions from the Clergy of the Church, which they now lye under; the Reſtraints whereof, they have, with Defe⯑rence to His Majeſty, ſtrictly conformed to. What juſt Complaints may the Clergy make of being hardly and unjuſtly dealt with, if ſuch a manifeſt Breach of His Majeſty's Commands ſhall not be reſented? Is it not expreſſed in the ſaid Injunctions, that the Breach thereof will incur his Royal Diſpleaſure, and that the King will give Charge to the Judges, and all their Civil Officers, to do their Duty towards prevent⯑ing and puniſhing ſuch as ſhall offend herein? And is it the Misfortune of the Church-Clergy [14] only, to be capable of incurring his Majeſty's Diſpleaſure; and the Diſſenting Preachers, who, notwithſtanding they are only admitted, or ſuffer'd to Preach, by a kind Exemption, from the Puniſhment due by the Law, to Schiſmaticks and Recuſants, may, without Offence, take that very Li⯑berty which the others are forbidden? What a deſolate, abandon'd Condition is the Church of England brought to, if this be her Fate? And where may we ſuppoſe this will end?

But I will not perſwade any true Church⯑man to entertain a Thought ſo prejudicial to the Honour of the King; neither will I preſume to ſuggeſt, that the King can hear ſuch Things (if ever His Majeſty ſhall have Opportunity to hear them,) without the utmoſt Reſentment.

Unhappy is the State of the Church of England, if ſuch Things can be practis'd in this Kingdom, and not one of Her Mem⯑bers be ſo faithful to Her Intereſt, as to give a true impartial Account of this Mat⯑ter, to Her Head and Sworn Defender: But there is no room to doubt but ſome will be found, who will lay theſe Things before the King, and will inform His Maje⯑ſty who they are, that inflame and deſpiſe His Subjects, by bitter Invectives in their Sermons, and by ſcurrilous Language in [15] their Pulpits, notwithſtanding His In⯑junction to the contrary; which, if done wiſely, and with Clearneſs, will ſoon con⯑vince His Majeſty who they are that are the Cauſe of the preſent Diſſatisfaction of his Subjects, and who they are that deſire he may be the Peaceable and Gracious So⯑vereign Lord over all his People. It can ſcarce be believ'd, that theſe Men ſhould make any Impreſſion on His Majeſty, by this way of Preaching and Printing; but ſurely a faithful Account given to him of this Behaviour, in Defiance of his Injunction, muſt make Impreſſion on his Mind, very much to their Prejudice, and no leſs to the Advantage of the publick Peace, both in Church and State. Mean time, thoſe who think that this Management of him⯑ſelf is becoming either the Perſon of this Bradbury, who calls himſelf a Miniſter, or his Friends, the Diſſenters, quatenus Diſſen⯑ter, and tolerated by the Church, may en⯑courage him to proceed as he has begun; but a Time may come, when they may ſee themſelves miſtaken, and may find they un⯑ſeaſonably diſcover'd the bloody Diſpoſition to be ſo much their own: There are many among the Diſſenters, who are ſenſible of it already, and are only wanting, in that they do not think fit to do themſelves the Juſtice to declare their Minds, which is [16] their Fear of the People, and leſt they ſhould be caſt out of the Synagogue, Loving the Praiſe of Men more, &c.

From this Preaching Incendiary, I pro⯑ceed to the Lay-Preacher B [...]t, who takes upon him, after a Series of Lewdneſs and Debauchery, in his former Life, to ſet up for an Inſtructor of Miniſtry, and im⯑pudently tells the Miniſters of State, the King's Majeſty, and all, that he expects the laſt Miniſtry ſhould be ſacrific'd to his Reſentments, and their Heads be given to him in a Charger, as that Lewd Dancer did to John the Baptiſt.

Were this Demand made by a leſs fla⯑grant Villain, one that had not been the Shame, as well as Grief of his Father; the Scandal of his Family, and the Contempt of Men of Honour; or had it been by one who had not ſent his Right Reverend Fa⯑ther to Her late Majeſty, to beg Mercy for him, and to entreat Her Majeſty that a Juſt Proſecution might be ſtop'd, which was iſſued againſt him, for inſulting Her Royal Perſon and Government, which Ap⯑plication, the very ſame Perſons, whoſe Bloods he now thirſts after, were earneſt Suiters to the Queen to accept, and promp⯑ted Her Native Clemency to Pardon a Man whom his own Father had nothing to ſay for, but meerly to ask it of her Grace and Good⯑neſs, [17] the ſame Grace and Goodneſs which led Her to ſpare many more, who now ſtamp upon Her Memory, with the great⯑eſt Ingratitude and Contempt. Was this Demand, I ſay, made by one who had not thus been in Debt to the Men he would deſtroy, ſome Room would have been left to believe, there might have been ſome⯑thing of a Publick Spirited Zeal in the Mo⯑tion, however extravagant in itſelf, and however it might be carried beyond the Bounds of Chriſtianity and Honour.

But, when a Man is put into a Rage by Envy, and in the height of a Party Diſtra⯑ction, calls out for Blood, and demands the Heads of ſuch as he and his Fellow Furies have thought fit to preſcribe, it is Time then to let the World know the Meaning of theſe Things, and what is to be ſaid, or done in the Caſe.

The Actions of every Engliſh Man are to be enquir'd into by Legal Proceſs; heard in due Form, and judg'd by the proper Perſons. It is Criminal for any One to tamper with the Juries, who are to paſs upon any Man in Caſes of Life and Death; to offer to Bribe, or Pre-poſſeſs them ei⯑ther to Acquit or Condemn; it is not there⯑fore allowed for any Man to enter upon his own Vindication in Publick, while his Caſe is depending in any Court of Juſtice, [18] becauſe it is anticipating his Tryal, and a pre-poſſeſſing the People out of whom his Jury is to be Choſen, and conſequently pre-poſſeſſing and tampering with the Ju⯑ry itſelf, in like manner, ought not to be allowed: That Men who are liable to be queſtion'd, in Publick, for any Actions which they may have done, which are ſup⯑poſed to be Illegal, ſhould be arraigned be⯑fore Hand in Publick, by every Lewd Scribler, who, in this reſpect, pre-poſſeſſes the World againſt them as much as in him lies; find him Guilty before he is Tryed, and Execute him as it were in Effigie: When ſuch Methods are made uſe of to make Men publickly Obnoxious, it is a plain over awing thoſe, who may come to paſs upon theſe Men for Life or Death, who are made afraid to do Juſtice, leaſt they are mark'd out for the ſame popular Hatred. What, but this, is the real De⯑ſign of theſe Men? They are for pre-poſ⯑ſeſſing the whole Nation with ſuch Noti⯑ons of the Guilt of the laſt Miniſtry, That whoſoever ſhall not find them Guilty when Impeach'd, or ſhall not be forward to Im⯑peach them, ſhall be in danger of having his Houſe pull'd down by the Rabble, and of being ſet upon, in the Streets, on every Tumultuous Occaſion.

[19] The Queſtion before theſe Men, is not [...]ow to do Juſtice, whatever the ſpecious watch Word is at this Time; They muſt have the Blood of the Men they have mark'd out; and if thoſe, who are to be Judges, ſhould not find every Man whom they Ac⯑cuſe Guilty, they will be equally unſatisfied as they are now; they tell the Miniſters of State now, that they expect the late Mini⯑ſtry ſhall be Impeach'd; when that is done, they will, with the ſame imperious Tone, tell the Houſe of Lords, they expect they ſhould be found Guilty; and to give a ſeeming Weight to their Inſolence, every Scribler now has learnt of St [...]l to ſpeak High, and ſay the Nation expects it; than which, nothing is more falſe, for the Kingdom expects a healing of our Breaches, not a widening them; a Juſt, Moderate and Clement Government; not uſing Pow⯑er to Oppreſſion; not gratifying Party Rage, and ſetting one half the People to devour the other.

The Ignorant young Man, now ſpeaking of, has but one Thing in the whole Pamph⯑let, which he has Publiſh'd, that has Weight in it; and this is, That he ſays, All the Executors of a Sovereign's Illegal Orders, from a Plenipotentiary, down to a Conſtable, are an⯑ſwerable for their Execution of them. This, I ſay, is all that has Weight in his Book, [20] and this is what every Old Woman in Po⯑liticks knows, and could have ſaid as well as he. The Men he Rails at, and in his rough Language Abuſes, join Iſſue with the whole Party upon this Foot, and then Challenge him, and all his Brotherhood, of the Blood-hound Pack, for they are no [...] better, to ſhew one illegal Order of Her Majeſties which they have executed.

After all that this ſcurrilous mad Crea⯑ture has ſaid, to provoke his Readers to the ſame height with himſelf, one would have thought he ſhould have given an Inſtance of, at leaſt, one Illegal Order iſſued by Her Majeſty, and executed by Her Miniſtry, upon which they are to expect their Heads; and I ſearch'd narrowly for it, but could not find the leaſt appearance thereof, which juſtifies fully the Liberty I take with theſe Two Scriblers, in ſaying, it is not Juſtice, but Blood which they hunt after; and leaſt they ſhould fail of obtaining the Heads of theſe Men, by the Courſe of a Juſt Proſe⯑cution, they are thus raiſing a Flame in the Minds of the People againſt them, That, if poſſible, they may Awe the World, not only into the Impeachment, but into the Verdict; and may ſignifie, that whoe⯑ver ſhall diſſent, ſhall be mark'd by the People to be ſacrific'd by them upon the firſt Occaſion. What is this but Blood, as [21] in my Title? And, how can the Govern⯑ment bear this, without ſhewing a juſt Re⯑ſentment, or making Men fear that they are in worſe Circumſtances, than, it is hoped, they ever will be.

I know that there is a Deſign in theſe Men, that looks another way; and ſome of them have had Weakneſs enough to be⯑wray the Folly, viz. They hope by this popular Rage to intimidate the Perſons they threaten, and filling them with ap⯑prehenſions of not obtaining a fair and juſt Tryal, oblige them to abſent themſelves, and reſerve their Defence for better Times. It is true, had the Perſons Concern'd no⯑thing to expect, but what theſe envenom'd Spirits would do; had they not a firm and fix'd Aſſurance that they can neither prove the Charge, nor influence the Houſe of Peers to condemn Men without Guilt, and without fair Hearing; were it not for this, it muſt be confeſs'd, it would be a Mad⯑neſs not to be accounted for, That any In⯑nocent Men ſhould put themſelves into their Hands; but hitherto they have not been able to obtain that Point. The Gen⯑tlemen ſtand fairly, and are ready to de⯑fend themſelves fairly; and if they are ac⯑cuſed, it may, with much more Juſtice and Modeſty be ſaid, That the People of Eng⯑land expect they ſhould be heard fairly, and [22] uſed fairly; and if Innocent, be acquitted fairly, and not be run down by Pamphlets and Preaching.

The Parliament of England, now of Great Britain, is an Awful Aſſembly; and it is hoped, they will not permit themſelves to be driven, any more than led into any Thing, which their own Wiſdom does not ſatisfie them, is for the good of their Coun⯑try. Their Buſineſs is well known to them; they will not fail to do their Coun⯑try Juſtice, but they will not be made the Butchers of a Party; No, not altho' they were more compos'd of their own Friends than they are.

We had, indeed, a Sett of Men who were called the Red-Coat Parliament; and they were indeed Tools of a Party, and did the Drudgery which was provided for them; whoever they liked not, they found Guil⯑ty; whoever their Supporters commanded them to Murther, they Murther'd; to Blaſt▪ they Blaſted; to Sacrifice, they Sacrificed▪ But, thoſe were not a free Parliament; they were nominated Arbitrarily, Sword in Hand▪ as may properly be ſaid by a Uſurper and Rebel; who was himſelf a Murtherer, and a Parricide, in the worſt and moſt odiou [...] Sence of that Word; for he was the ſlaye [...] of the Father of his Country.

[23] But, if we have a free Parliament, cho⯑ [...]en by the Free-Holders and Corporations [...]f Great Britain, according to Law, other Things will be found; Redreſſing Grievan⯑ [...]es, Eſtabliſhing the Liberties of their Coun⯑ [...]ry, and doing ſuch Juſtice as Neceſſity re⯑quires, will certainly be their Work, and with as little Blood as poſſible. The Par⯑ [...]aments of Great Britain content them⯑ [...]elves often with Redreſſing a Grievance, without entring into every private Reſent⯑ment; and at the worſt, they purſue none [...]ut by Law, and without private Views; [...]f they did not act thus, they would be ill [...]ualified to reſtore the Publick Tranquili⯑ [...]y. What theſe Mad Fellows would bring [...]arliaments to, I know very well; but it [...] hoped, the Gentlemen of Great Britain will let them know, in due Time, that it [...] not their Place, either from the Pulpit or [...]reſs, to dictate to the Parliament, who [...]hall be Impeach'd, whoſe Head ſhall be cut [...]ff, and whoſe not.

The Deſign of this Tract is not to enter [...]nto a Defence of the late Management of [...]ffairs under the Queen; or upon an En⯑ [...]uiry how far the Miniſtry acted according [...] their Duty: I am not to try the Cauſe in [...]rint, any more than theſe Men ought to [...]rraign them in the like manner; but as [...]very Free-born Subject of the Britiſh [24] Crown, has a Right to the Protection [...] the Laws, and to complain of Injuſtice, [...] in the Name of every Perſon aim'd at b [...] theſe Blood-thirſty Men, I muſt enter th [...] Caveat, by way of Proteſt, That to arraig [...] Men by Popular Tumult, is illegal: To ſtir up others by Popular Tumults, to ar⯑raign or impeach, is illegal; Accuſation [...] muſt be brought with a clear Hand, on th [...] Foot of publick Juſtice, and no other; nei⯑ther is publick Juſtice to be prompted or puſh'd on, much leſs awed or influenced by publick Clamour; every thing of that kind is illegal, and will be called a malici⯑ous Proſecution: The People of Englan [...] are willing to have Juſtice done, but the never deſire to have more than Juſtice; they deſire generous Juſtice; it is the Characte [...] of our Nation to act generouſly to thoſ [...] who ſubmit to Juſtice; nay, Juſtice wit [...] Clemency, is the diſtinguiſhing Characte [...] of all the Legal Proceedings in this Nation▪ it is known to be ſo, and it is the Honou [...] of the Nation that it is ſo; Foreigners wi [...] acknowledge the ſame to our great Repu⯑tation.

The Gentlemen puſh'd at by theſe Fu⯑ries, are Objects of this generous Juſtice▪ they freely caſt themſelves upon the Juſtic [...] of their Country; they fly to the Protect [...] ⯑on of the Laws, which are their Birth⯑Right: [25] It behoves the Government to take Care that they have no wrong done them; I ſay, it behoves the Government, for in ſuch Caſes, every Man, who gives himſelf up to the Law, is under the King's Protection in a more particular manner than an another Perſon is; for this Reaſon, Peo⯑ple who have been deſtroy'd in the Tower or in any other Priſons, it hath been eſteem⯑ed greatly to caſt Reproach upon the King himſelf; ſeeing a Man impriſon'd is taken out of his own Protection, depriv'd of Pow⯑er to defend himſelf, and therefore is in the eſpecial Protection of the Prince: This was alledg'd by the Lawyers as a great Ag⯑gravation of the Crime, in the Murther of Sir Tho. Overbury, at the Trial of the Mur⯑therers, and eſpecially at the Lord Somerſet's Trial it was urged, that he had exceeding⯑ly diſhonour'd the King, in whoſe particu⯑lar Protection Sir Thomas then was; and the King, as might be ſaid, was made re⯑ſponſible for his Life, becauſe, while in Pri⯑ſon, he was in the King's Cuſtody: Like⯑wiſe in the preſent Caſe of thoſe Perſons, whom the Mad-Men mention'd, exceſ⯑ſively rail at, and demand to the Block, as they flee to the Protection of the Laws which are their Birth-Right, ſo the Go⯑vernment is in Charge of them, and is obliged to protect them from every kind of [26] Injuſtice, and particularly from that Inju⯑ſtice which is founded on the Summum Jus of the Law, which by the received Max⯑ims of the Law is ſumma injuria.

If the People who Rail in this horrid manner, had nothing to deſire but Juſtice, they would not make ſo great a Buſtle on that account: For why ſhould they doubt of obtaining Juſtice? It is a great Affront to the King, and Miniſtry now in be⯑ing, that they ſhould make ſo great Cla⯑mours for obtaining Juſtice, as if they found themſelves in danger of failing thereof; and that Juſtice would not take place, unleſs in Terrorem, the Miniſtry were told publick⯑ly, that the People expect it; implying, that the People will Reſent it, if it is not done: I will not give any Credit to that ſcandalous Suppoſition, That the preſent Miniſtry have deſir'd theſe Men to make publick Clamours for Impeachments, that they may have it to alledge, that they were obliged to do it, by the general Demand of the People: It is a Scandalous Reflection on the Miniſters of State, and Merits to be expos'd: If there are Crimes ſufficient to warrant an Impeachment of any Men in the Kingdom, the Miniſtry have given no ground to any, to ſupect they are backward to do their Country Juſtice; and the di⯑recting [27] B [...]t's Libel to the Earl of H [...]x [...]lbeit it is evidently intended by the Youth, [...]s a Satyr upon the known Wiſdom and Moderation of that Great Perſon, yet the Effort is ſo weak, and ſo ill directed, that [...]ike a Mine ill charged, it plays back up⯑on the unskilful Engineer, and covers him [...]n the Rubbiſh and Dirt of his own Deſign. The Caſe ſpeaks itſelf: If the Miniſtry had Reaſon for falling upon the Perſons he aims at, why ſhould he doubt their doing it? [...]f no Reaſon, why bully them into it, with [...]elling them in a Threatning manner, that [...]he People EXPECT IT from them. If [...]heir Crimes are ſufficient to Condemn [...]hem juſtly, the Perſons are not ſo conſide⯑ [...]able as that the Government ſhould not at⯑ [...]empt it; if not, they are not ſo inconſidera⯑ble, as that the Government ſhould attempt [...]t: The uſing Miniſters of State in this manner, as B [...]t has uſed my Lord H [...]x- [...]s in ſo many Words telling them, they want both ſpurring and Whipping too, into doing Juſtice for their Country, and that [...]hey would not do it, unleſs they are frighted into it by the People's Reſent⯑ments, threatned openly in thoſe Words borrowed from a like Author, The People expect it.

[28] It ſufficiently expoſes the baſeneſs o [...] theſe Men, and ſhews that it is Blood they ſeek, and Revenge, not Juſtice, that they take upon them to call every Action they diſlike, a Crime againſt their Country; Things which are againſt no Law, they call Treaſon, and demand Men's Heads upon every frivolous Vexatious Pretence, and in a Villanous manner, (for nothing can be more Villanous) call Men Traitors be⯑fore they are Convicted of any Treaſona⯑ble Action.

I have ſaid before, that the Libeller B [...]t has aſſerted one Truth, viz. That every Officer is anſwerable for the Exe⯑cution of the Queen's illegal Orders. The Reverſe of this Aphoriſm it is hoped, hath the ſame Authority, viz. That what the Queen had a Legal Authority to Command, her Servants might legally Execute, and that no Man could be anſwerable for Exe⯑cuting the Queen's Legal Orders: Suppo⯑ſing this to be allow'd, it was natural to ſearch thoſe illegal Orders which the Queen had given, and which theſe Men had Exe⯑cuted; and not finding them, or any o [...] them, in that Libel, the Men ſeem not to be anſwerable at all, in the Opinion of thoſe who judge of this Man's Libel with Impar⯑tiality: But to deſcend to Particulars,

[29] The firſt Thing he would have them [...]aken up for is, becauſe there were Riots [...]n the Day of Rejoicing for the King's Ac⯑c [...]eſſion. No Man approves of Tumults; but [...]as not Juſtice been done? Was not the Go⯑ [...]ernment at a ſufficient Charge for a Com⯑miſſion of Oyer and Terminer, to try theſe Rio⯑ [...]ers at Briſtol? And, Was not Juſtice done [...]here to Fineing and Whipping? Yea, Juſtice was done, but there was no Blood: Without Blood theſe Men cannot be appeaſed, and [...]herefore the late Miniſters of State muſt be taken into Cuſtody, tho' it does not ap⯑pear any of them are concern'd in the ſaid Mobs. This is the Juſtice theſe Men are for.

The next Charge is, That Inſolent and Seditious Pamphlets have been diſpers'd Abroad, and therefore the Heads of the Faction, as he calls the late Queen's Ser⯑vants, muſt be ſeized. The Engliſh Li⯑berty is ſuch, Thanks be to God, That no Man can be ſeiz'd and impriſon'd without ſome Crime being Sworn againſt him; yet, [...]his lover of Juſtice would have theſe Men ſeized, becauſe other Men diſperſe Sediti⯑ous Pamphlets; Why not rather the Au⯑ [...]hors ofthoſe Pamphlets?

[30] But the next is the main Charge, and of moſt Weight, viz. The Peace; and this it ſeems is the Treaſon. It is an undiſputed Branch of the Royal Prerogative of the Crown of Great Britain, That the King, or Queen, for Time being, hath the ſole Right of making Peace and War; and Learned Lawyers ſay, That the King is not bound by any Opinions, Repreſentati⯑ons, Advice, Reſolutions, or any thing of that Nature from the People, in any Capa⯑city whatever. Neither have the Parlia⯑ment any Right to preſcribe the Time, the Manner, or the Condition: If this is not Law, then let the raging Authors ſhew where the Right is, and Prove it to be ſo: The other needeth no Evidence, it is ac⯑knowledged, even in Parliament, on di⯑vers Eminent Occaſions, which I am able to produce, there not being room for it here: It being Lawful then for the Queen to make Peace, it was Lawful for Her Majeſty to iſſue out Orders to her Servants, to do eve⯑ry Thing that was Neceſſary, or which Her Majeſty thought proper for that End▪ [...]or can they be made Anſwerable for exe⯑ [...]uting thoſe Orders, which it was Lawfu [...] for the Queen to give.

[31] Their treating by Her Majeſty's Orders, with any Prince, or without the Know⯑ledge of any Allies, or Confederate; whe⯑ther it was ſo, or not, or whether it was Contrary to Alliances, or not, is not to Pur⯑poſe. But it muſt be asked, Where is the Law they have broken in it? What Act of Parliament is it againſt? Suppoſing all was granted, which they alledge, if then, no Act of Parliament has made it Criminal, where is the Crime? No Law, No Tranſ⯑greſſion. Is there an Act of Parliament that the Queen ſhould not Treat with France, without acquainting the Dutch? Is there a Law the Queen ſhould not, if ſhe could get Dunkirk by the Bargain, make a Ceſſation of Arms with France? That if Prince Eu⯑ [...]ene would not come into it, her General [...]hould not draw off from them? Is there [...] Act of Parliament, That the Queen [...]hould go on with the War, tho' none of [...]l the Confederates anſwer'd their Quo⯑ [...]'s? &c. If Laws can be found for theſe [...]hings, then theſe Miniſters of State may, [...]erhaps, be found Guilty of High Trea⯑ [...]n; but if not, then it muſt be otherwiſe; [...]nd if such Laws are extant, why are they [...]ot quoted by this Lybeller? This is a full Anſwer to every other Charge they make; [32] for all that he Lybels them with, turn up⯑on the ſame Head.

Again, Was there any Law, That the Duke of Ma [...] ſhould be General? That the other Miniſtry ſhould never be turn'd out? That the Catalans ſhould be ſupport⯑ed at Great Britain's Charge, after their own Lord had withdrawn from them? Not one Act of Parliament is brought which they have acted againſt, and yet he calls them Traytors, and expects their Blood.

There remains but one Thing more in his Clamour, viz. Their being concern'd with the Pretender. Of this he offers no Facts, no Evidence, no, nor Circumſtances, to make good the Charge which he brings; yet the Blood of the Queen's Servants muſt ſatisfy his inexorable Party; and ſuch is the prepoſterous Rage of theſe Men, that it betrays them to groſs Abſurdity, eſpecially this, That they ſhould threaten the preſent Miniſtry, if they do not impeach, &c ▪ ſuggeſting ſtrongly, as before, that the Mi⯑niſtry incline not to do it, have not Evi⯑dence to ſupport it, and are too ſenſible▪ that if Juſtice be done, the Accus'd Per⯑ſons cannot be hurt; and, that therefore▪ they will preſs the preſent Miniſtry to fa [...] [33] on them, per fas aut Nefas, and to caſt them by Number of Voices, Whether they are guilty, or not guilty?

To conclude, there ſeems to be the Height of Malice and Party-Rage in all theſe Things, and nothing of Juſtice is concern'd in it; the Temper is helliſh; the Men ſcandalous; they are a Satyr upon themſelves, and all good Men abhor them: The doing Juſtice on Offenders none can oppoſe, neither is any thing in this Tract offer'd againſt it; but let not Juſtice be pretended, and the Pretence be made a Stalking-Horſe, to introduce the private Revenge of diſobliged Perſons, or Parties; let not Publick Juſtice be hackney'd out to Men of no Principles; this will bring inno⯑cent Blood upon the Nation, and who knows when the Thirſt will be quenched?

The King is a Prince of Wiſdom and Prudence, and it is hop'd he will ſhew that Moderation in the midſt of theſe vio⯑lent Extremes, as may preſerve the Peace of his People, and prevent that Cannibal Tem⯑per, which would ſet one half of his Peo⯑ple to devour the other; and it is eſpecially hoped, His Majeſty will take the Church of England, which he has ſworn to main⯑tain, [34] into his peculiar Conſideration, and inform himſelf exactly who they are, who may be ſaid to conſtitute that Church, Whether the few who ſide with theſe Men, or Ten Twelfths of the Clergy, who, as ſome think, is the leaſt of thoſe who are diſobliged by theſe Men.

The Affront offer'd by this filthy Li⯑beller to the Government, merits Contemp [...] ▪ and the Author is no otherwiſe wort [...] naming, than to let the World ſee th [...] Cauſe, by its being eſpouſed only by ſuch [...] deteſtable Perſon.