[ I ]
A N S VV E
To the Author of the
LETTER
T O A
Member of the Convention.
I^vercndSir,
Your Name, your Quality, your Religion, and your Defign in Publilhing tlu's Letter are whol-
ly unknown to me, buttheconfident Airertion,/><3^. 3. §.i6. Thatyouarefmeitcanne-
■ver be Anftvered; founds fo like a Son, or rather a Father of the Infallible Church, that it
has provoked me, if not to anfwer, yet at leaft to refleB uix)n fome Paflages in this Ma-
gifterial Compofure.
§. 2. Whatever becomes of other Arguments, Interefl is moft likely to prevail. You, Sir, fuppofc
your Parliament Man, in thefe words, to be one who will regard no Argumeirtsffom Juftice, Reafon,
Religion, or the Laws of God or Man j Interefl is the only thing which is likely to prevail-, an excel-
lent Complement to a Parliament Man; but it goes higher yet, and takes in the Majority of the States,
for no one Man fhall ever determin thefe great things.
§. 3. You tell him, that All the threatning Dangers of Popery «?ere not a more formidable PrO'
JpeB to confiderirg Men, than the prejent Dijlraclions and Divifions. Now furely this is a very
bold and daring ftroke; but that I am certain thefe penii ve thoughtful Men are not either very nume-
rous, or very confiderable; otherwife, the few of the Church of England that are over-thoughtful in
dais Point, deferve much CompalTion, becaufe they difquiet themfclves and others out of pure tender-
nefsof Confcience, and m over-great Loyalty, but then there is no d.inger to be apprrtended from
them; and they will in time fatisfie their own Scruples, and in the interim, I doubt not, infinitely
more Men dread the Dangers of Popery, even to this day, than all the Common-wealth Men, Diffen-
ters, ambitious and revengeful Wretches, which you have lb artfully multered up to fright the Cour-
try Efquire with, can over-ballance. Strange it is in the mean time, that the Dangers of Popery, which
laft OBober appeared fo formidable, lliould in fo fhort a time vanifh, or rather dwindle into nothing:
But God, by the Miniftry of the Prince of Orange and his Friends, has brought tliis about. In the reft
of that Sedtion I agree with you, and appi;ove of it.
The two next Sedfions being only a reprefentation of the different Parties of Men now upon the
Stage, I leave as I find them.
§. 6. Tho the opinion of tisqfe who are for fendirg to the Ktng, and treating with him to return
to his Government, under fuch legal rejlraints, as Jhailgive Jccurity to the moji jealous Perfonsfor
A the
r 1
■ 5*9 L ^ J
tic f-rsferv/ttion of their Lntt'S, Liberties, and L^eiipon, is horribly Jecryed,S<c. yet the only a-
Jon a?ai>Ji it is, becaufe it is vain. Now Sir, that Reafon is fo very good, that it may perhaps juftifie
that dreadful Confequence yon roflirink at; for thol do not doubt but you are a wonderful Lerifla-
tor ; yet if Twenty wifer Men than you were joyned with you to frame tixfe new Laws, yet let but a
Popifh Prince have the Supreme Executive Power and the Legal Prerogatives, and he will break
through all your reftridiona with wonderful facility, as we have" feen by experience. But then if you
leave him the Name and take away the Power of a King, you let up a Commm wealth immediately;
which will not end with your Popilh Prince, but there will be ftickling to keep all things in the fame ,
State in the following Reign, of what Religion foever the Prince is, which was the Reafon why the
limitations offered by Charles W. 'm 1679. were rejeded.
Well, but we would have thought our felves very fecure if the King would have called a Free Par Ha-
went; YesSir,if he would havecall'd it Freely,(o thatithad been the produdionofhis Will without
Force; but. Sir, it is notorious, he was refolved the Parliament fliould either not be free or not meet,
and ifyourMemory will not ferve you to re-call the virulent RejieElton on the humble Petiti, n prefent-
ed by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal the i yth o/November lajl, in which the Author tells u:, That
t he fummonit.g a Parliament now, is fo far from being the only way {^to preferve his Majejly and the
Kingdom) that it will be one of the principal caufcs of much Mifery to the KJrgdtm, &c. and nothing
would do then, but driving the Prince of Orange out of the Kingdom with Force and Arms. Now
I fay Sir, if you cannot rernember this, you lhall neverbetruftedto/r^weL^/w, ifl can help it.
There is another and a better reafon to refufe a Treaty, than tbefearingthe Kjngjhouldcotnply. Sup-
pofe that he fhould grant all that you can ask, bating White-hall, thel{evenue, theTitle of KJng, and
the Right of calling Parliaments, and mal{ing Peace and War ; What fecurity have we that he will
acquielcein thislow reftrainedEftate; Oaths,'Laws, andPromifes, we had before, but what did they
Kgnifie, wholhallbe Garantee, whatlliall we do if he break outagain.> In Ihort qiiis cujlediet Cujio-
des ? So that the many who deiire a Treaty, are defired to read the Enquiry into tlx prejent State of
Affairs, that they may not come into the Discipline of the fevere Lady,who has taught the Proteftants
in France and Piedmont a Lellbn which England too muft have gone through witlo, if God and
H- W.P. O, had notfavedus.
But if the Convention fliould refufe to treat, md.DepoJc the Rjng, it tumid abl without a legal
Power, §. 8. Why Sir, here is no occalionto talk of a Defofition, the King is gone of his own accord
ffreely; and they are only to conlidcr whether we fliali perifli in a State of recall him, and
fufferover again all that ispaff, and all that was intended, but prevented ; or whether they fhall re-
cognize the next immediate Heir,and enquire who that is? Well,but the next Heir, it feems,fliall have
fmall joy of it, his whole Author,ity depending on a Conventim that has no Authority: In good time!
Will the Authority of this Prince, when acknowledged, depend on the Authority of the Convention ?
Did Qiieen Elit^abeth or King James I. owe all their .Authority to the Parliaments which recognized
their relpeffive Rights ? But no Man will rhinl^^himfeif bound in Confcience to obey this Heir; Have
you. Sir, the keeping of all Mens Confciences, or the knowledg of their Thought's ? I can affure you
mine is not in your cuffody.
§ 9. All thoje who thinks themfelves bound [ftill] by their Oath of Allegiance to defend the
Kjngs Perfen, his Crown, and Dignity, 8<c will be greasy difcontented. Why Sir, then they may
go over into France, and be admitted into his Guards, and perhaps the generous Allowance given
him by the French King, will maintain them, if their Herejie do not over-b^allance their Loyalty, and
turn it into a Crime, as it happened to the Hugonots. Well, but they tvill never own any other
whiljl their own Kjiig lives ; Affuredly this is a wonderful Man, if he could but as certainly infoiTn
us of the number, as he can of the Thoughts and future Adlions of thefe Loyalifts.
Well, but if they fliould happen to be Pe)-/e«a prar/ewee. Abilities, Integrity, Honefy,
the they were never (0 few and never Jo tame, it would give a terrible firoke to this'tottering Go-
vernment. Why, Sir, all or the greateft part of fuch Men in the Nation, were a dreadflil Body,
tlio they were and ever will be few; but Sir, there muft be a conliderable' Body of fuch Men firit fa-
tisfied in the Convention, a number without Doors are already fitisfied, and more will when theSt^tej
have palfed their Pe/o/ws; and the remainder of the .Men of this High CharaBer, who will ftill re-
main difcontented, if they arc any thing peaceable, though not over tame, will never be able to fliock
t!ie mott tottering Government in the World by their Examples, how well foever he thinks of them.
Yet, §. 10. He endeavours to flicw the numlier will not lie fm.ili, btc.mfe many who joy ncd with
the Pt; ce are ajkamed of what they have done, and ask^God pardon for it, and dre Peady to undo
it
[ ? ]
it as far as they can. Wei!, Sir, how many fuch do you know belides your felfA Lift of thcfe
Men were worth the having, and may perhaps be eafily taken, it one knew how to feparate the n
from the reft; hosvever, I fhould not fear greatly the renvi'/i'S/;oc,^of thefe wonderful Men, till I
had better information of their Numbers than you can poifibly give us. They were not willir^topart
ttnth the King, tho they were horribly afraid of Pogcry. Why, Sir, has the King changed his Reli-
gion in France, or are thefe Gentlemen fo fond of the King, that they would now be contented to fuf-
fer all that Pofery threatned fo lately P Or arc they become as weary of their Delivery as they were be-
fore of Popery ? Or will they faci itice their Laws, Religion, old Foundations, and Free Parliaments to
their Allegiance to their King ? If you fay yes, I have done; no, then you would have what was-
not to be had, and will not be contented with what may be had; and if the Number of thefe Men is
great, farewel to tlie Liberties, Laws, Religion, and Priviledges of and its Wealth and In-
habitants too, and what is left you maybe pleafed to divide amonglt your Men of Charafier.
Toallthishe alfuresus, §. lo. Tmre willbe aThoufand Occajions of difcontefit; aThouJdnd,
neither one more nor lefs; befides thbfe fpringing from the Senfe of Loyalty and Confcience : Strange,
that thefe T wo fliould be fo troublefom, as to equal, if not exceed the whole Thoufand that went before.
Hethath.ad been before fo liberal of his Information, now fetsusto guefsinthe §. lo. Howma-
ny will be dtfcontented in the new Court for want of Preferment ? Why, Sir, If you pleafe to inform
me how many daysin February fhall be clear, and how many (hall be cloudy, [ will tall a gue.fing how
many in the new Court fhall be pleafed, and how many (hall be diffatisfied; but when I have done, it
will not be worth the while, becaufe this ever happens, and Courtiers have an odd way of keeping thefe
Malecontents in hope, till they fall oft' op gain what they define; and fo if there fliould happen to be
a Thoufand of them, they will not be able to (hock the Government, if there is no other caufe of
Difcontent than that.
Well, but here Duty and Difcontent will mix, hecauje they are fenftble of their Mijlake when
it ts too late: For as they ought not to have fought fcr. Popery, nor agatnft the Laivs and Liber-
ties of their Country ; fo neither ought they to have deferted the defence of the Kings Perfon and
Crown, but have brought the Prince to Terms as well as the Kjttg : Why,Sir, Nemo tenetur ad impo ffi-
bilta. The King was never brought to Terms, nor perhaps never will: So that if they had fought
at all, it mull have been for Popery, and againft both our Laws and Liberties. Sir, (hew when and
where the King oftered us or the Prince any Terms, and I will p.ifs my word you (hall be employed
to frame Laws for the Convention, which is certainly a good Employ for one that is fo expert at it
as you pretend to be.
Well, §. 13. /(heavy Tax mufi be laid upon the Nation, to defray the Charge of this Expedi-
tion : Why, Sir, Are you of the Privy Council to the Prince ? Surely he will be able to find fome other
caufe, or not make the Tax fo very heavy. But Men will be very forry to loje their King, and
pay fo dear for it too ; Yesdoubtlefs, a gracious King is a great Lofs ; but if he will be gone, and
involve us in a War too. Taxes rmiji be paid, yea,T<?xesto fupporttheChai^e ofit, or Louh
will in a (hort time teach us what the Prince's Expedition was worth, whatever it coft.
But this is not all, we mult part with our Church too, the crasiy Title will repiire the giving the
Chun h to the Difjenters, §.14. The Dijfenters have of late adted very well, and perhaps if a wife
Man has the managing of them; and the Popifh Emtjfaries be carefully looked after, we may com-
pound the Quarref better cheap than the parting with our Church. Sir, I am well aifured a great deal lefs
will for the prefent content them, and the King is not immortal, and whenever he dies, the Cra^
Title will be fodered again, if no body be to be blame for giving it another terrible Sho.f
§. I 5. Should the King he depojed, or any other ajcend the Throne, it will be necbjfary to keep
ajlanding Army to queil fuch Difcontents. You may be a good Lap-framer for ought I know,
but I will fwear you are no States-Man ; this whole Sedtion is meer Whimfey borrowed from the
Dutch Defign Anatomised, who had the folly to talk ot Governing England hy aw kttPj of Dutch
and Germans, but why God knows, except it were becaule a few were brought over to deliver us,
and cannot prefently be returned back t > Holland. The Prince is both a wife and a good Prince;
and knows the Confequence of keeping thofe Forces long hwe, better than a Thoufand fuch L '■w-
framcrs. -j -n
Suppofethe return witn a Foreign Force to recover his Kingdom, bow ready will
t! e Men of Confcience be, and the Men of Difcontent, to joyn with tbern, nay, to invite Urn
home again. This locks fo like a Roman Cathohck^Tfal, th.it it l were not affured he is a Church
4' England"A4a«, I could not believe but it was a Dilciple of S. Omtrs; But will the confcientious
Men
s
[ 4 ]
M::i i!ivi?cKiii:^ iioiu; agjii;, with all his Apoftolick Vicars, J^:ruits, Ecclefiaftical Judges, Dif-
pfiiili-.g Fo .ver, and aroiind'Ai my of French Dragoons to teach us the French Faith after the French
Fc'fiiion? Arc thi fc the Men of Charaiier, Prudence, Ability, Integrity, or ofConfcience either ?
Would one of the Primitive Chriitians have talked thus, have flood for a Licintus againlt a Con-
Jl\inti)2ct Wqil, if the King cower in a Conqueror, wc Jhall trijk rue had treated: truly Ifiiall not;
J- !iad rather be forced than deceived, for then I know what I fliall have to truft to j and I would
not willingly lae acceflary to my own Ruine.
Well, fuppofe all this unanfwerable fluff is over-voted, §.17. We are to bring good proof the
Fi ince a/Wales is an Impo/lure,or elfe we had better let it alone. Very good; tlie Negative is to be
proved; we m ly guefs by this what kind of Laws you. Sir, would frame. Well, but if this be not
done, tlic dijcontented Men will have a plaufble pretence to quarrel: what the confdentious Men
will do we mull guefs, but in all probability, they will not be better qualited.
H-hat //the Princels of Orange be a Lady of that eminent Virtue that fhe fhould fcruple to fit
upon her Fathers Throne whilft he lives? Well, his Majelly has deferted his Throne and Kingdom
w hen he needed not, except he had pleafed and fome body, mull lit upon his Tlirone, though he is
yet alive: Now if it be her Right after his death, Why not now ? Our Author is at his Prayers, that
God wmddgive her Grace to refjl the Temptation-, and I at mine, that the Author may never
be one of her Chaplains till he is better infbrm'd. The reft of that Sedlion is not unanfwerable, but
not worth anfwering.
He has all along (uppofed the Prince of Orange Crown'd, yet in the 19th Sedlion he proves he
can have no Right to it, neither by Defcent nor Gift and truly I am of tire fame mind for many
Reafons, and efpecially for the fake of the Three alledged byJiim, §. 20, 2 f, 22. and for fome others
too of as great weight, which may be found in the Lord VirulamV Hiftory </Henry VII. And yet
our Cafe now before us has three Difficulties that had not, i. A King living, 2. A Prince of Wales,
true or falfe, 3. A Nation divided in Religion to which I might perhaps add the Excejfive Power
of France, and the Exceffive x^rd of this Generation to preferve the Defcent of the Crown in the
Right Line, and in the Legal Steps and Degrees. And this being done, I am perfuaded nothing can
divide the Englifh Nation, or lelfen their Zeal and Aft'ediion to the Prince of Orange, who has de-
ferved the Crown if it were ours to give him.
The Pottfcript, which is an Huy and Cry after the French League to cut our Throats, I leave to
the Convention; and if I durft be fo^bold as to ask a favour of them, it fliould be to enquire what
fhe Ep. Ca. meant by that Threat of theirs, fo frequently printed and fpoken by them. If pair means
would not obtain the Repeal of our Penal Laws Tells, foulJhould.
Now for a Conclufion, I would delire you. Sir, to propofe your method of reftoring the King
and ftcuring our Laws and Religion, and it lhall go hard but I will Ihew you it is impradlicable, or
impoifible; that it will never be granted, or if it be, never obferved: and if you pleafe to blefs the
World with a receipt of an Obligation tliat will bind the Confcience of any fo Ca. fo fail: that neither
Jefuit nor Pope can break or untie it, I affure you I will joyn with you in a Petition to the Conven-
lion, for a Treaty forthwith, without any other terms to be propofed than the giving us that Secu-
rity, whatever it is. And in the Intaim, I am,
S I i?,