A Ierk for the Iacks: OR, All their HOPES are lost.

BEING An Account of the Vast and Prodigious Expectations, our Foreign Foes and Domestick Enemies, the French, the Papists, and the Jacobites, lately had of a New Revolution upon the Stop of COMMERCE, occasion'd by the Badness of, and Calling in our Silver Coin; and how basely they are balk'd.

Worthy the perusal of all that love and wish the Welfare of OLD ENGLAND.

Full of Curious Remarks and Matters of Fact.

LONDON, Printed Anno Dom. MDCXCVI.

The EPISTLE Dedicatory,
To the whole English Nation, I mean all that are Loyal and Honest, that are lovers of King VVilliam, the true Friend, and haters of King Lewis, that old Enemy of England.

My dear Country-men,

GEntle or Simple, for I make no distinction, I hate all ill Language, I detest the Name of Mob, and say, it ought not to be given to any of our People, but they rather call'd the Honest Jolly-Commons of England; 'tis they that venture their Lives (in the greatest Numbers) for the Honour and Safety of their Country, both by Sea and Land, and therefore deserve better Ʋsage at our hands: 'Tis they that have shew'd themselves wiser by much than they were thought to be, in their entire Deference to the Government, and peaceful Demeanour during the Stop of Trade and Damp of Business, occasion'd by the great quantity of bad Money among us, which when in Motion was the only current Coin, all the Broad and Mill'd, that was left unclip'd or unmelted, having in the Revolution of a few Moons disappear'd and (Spirit-like) vanish'd quite out of our sight, having been hoarded by many People, (and tho the small Sums of Money which usually lie in the Hands of hired Servants, (of both Sexes) seem inconsiderable in its Quan­tity, yet those many petty Sums added make one great One, and all of the best Coin laid by) which will now not only peep out, but come chearfully abroad in this Fair-weather of Incouragement, of five per Cent. by our Wise Senate, to the great Comfort of us all, more espe­cially at this Juncture.

Country-men, I here present you with some curious Remarks; 'tis for your sakes I have collected and digested them, by these you [Page iv] may see what Fools our Enemies (External and Internal) are, to flatter themselves, and their Admirers, with the false Hopes of our Ruin and Destruction being near at hand; henceforward they will learn to be wiser, and give over their silly and succesless Attempts, and court our Friendship, seeing that we have so happily got over, and surmounted those Difficulties and Dangers that seem'd to sur­round and threaten us with a Back-blow, baneful in its Effects: But Thanks to God, to our King, and to our vigilant and diligent Dyet, (the Great Council of the Kingdom) we have happily escap'd the Snare, and prevented the Evil.

The French abroad, the Papists and Jacks at home, are in League against us, therefore let us unite and strengthen the Hands of the Government, that the King may support this Glorious Alliance that is now on foot in Europe, to destroy the Gallique Monster, and bring down his Pride, by abating his Power, and binding his Hands; which 'twould be almost impossible to effect, (as his Majesty tells us) without the Concurrence of the Power and Valour of the English Na­tion, not so contemptible in the Eyes of the World, as in the Opinion of some Fools amongst us, who desire our Destruction, and rejoice at our Misfortunes, as if they shou'd fare better than the rest, or escape a general Calamity. These are the Fools that are continually railing against, and damning the Dutch, though I think they have more reason to bless 'em, that is, to speak well of 'em; for sure I am, except the English and they were hearty in the Cause, and faithful to each other in the prosecution of it, I mean, in carrying on this pre­sent War, by maintaining each the greatest Force that ever was heard of or seen in these parts of the World, or in the Mediterranean either, the common Enemy of Christendom (who with more justice may be call'd so than the Great Turk, tho now Brethren in Iniquity, being in strict League to subvert the Religion taught and establish'd by Jesus Christ) wou'd long since have prevail'd and overrun all Europe; even Italy, the Terrestrial Paradise, the Favorite of Na­ture, could not have escap'd filling into his Hands, those all devour­ing Claws of his would have clasp'd and grasp'd all; those Plains of Pleasure, as full of Sweets and Odoriferous Plants as they are, must [Page v] now have been yielding him some fine Nosegays; the Soveraign Pon­tiff himself must have truckled, and have been glad if he should have been permitted to exchange only the Great Title of Pope, for the Lesser of Patriarch.

Our unmannerly and unreasonable Murmurers at Home, are ever grumbling and repining; what foolish Lies and false Stories are they continually inventing, and spreading amongst the Weak and Ʋn­wary! the Innocent and the Ignorant are caught, and for a Time deceiv'd by, and impos'd upon, through the sly and base Insinuations of these Cacofuego's; but soon dispossess'd by having a true State of Af­fairs laid before them. Amongst other their ridiculous Falsities they have broach'd, there is one flew and run like a Train, viz. That the Dutch clipp'd our Money in their open Streets, at their very Doors, and then sent it over to us again ready cast, and with very coarse Allay; and this was greedily embraced and entertain'd by the silly and the soft: nay some are so thick-scull'd, that having once let it into their Heads, they cann't get it out, but believe it still; as if we had not Rogues enough amongst our selves to clip and de­base our Coin, without the Assistance of our Neighbours: I think eve­ry Session's-Paper from the Old-Baily, presents us with a pretty hand­some List of those Sparks that are taken, convicted, and hang'd at Ti­burn, besides those in other Counties, (that have for many Years past made a great Trade of it) of which we seldom hear one word.

Others again are such Bubbles to say, that the Dutch get and grow Rich by this War; and so they do over the left Shoulder: Whereas on t'other side, 'tis but little short of a Miracle that they have not been ruin'd before now; so small a State, and such a handful of Peo­ple to maintain so vast an Army, and so considerable a Fleet, (besides the Nourishment they give to some feeble Members of the Ʋnion, without which they could no longer subsist) for so many Years toge­ther, without flagging or giving way, rather continually encreasing, and bringing better and more numerous Troops into the Field, to beard the Bear, and support their poor Allie Don Pedro with his Whiskers, who had long since become a Prey to his treacherous Neigh­bour, (the French) if this new Common-Wealth (once a Bough of [Page vi] that same huge Tree) had not protected and preserv'd the Remain­der of those poor Provinces.

Besides, at this Juncture 'tis impolitick to rail against the Dutch, who are our Friends and Allies, in strict League with us: our All (on both Sides) is at Stake; therefore it behoves us to use them well as they do us; for if either should make a separate Peace, the other's undone. If the Dutch are too cunning in Commerce for us, 'tis our Misfortune, not their Fault; it may be they employ Heads fitter for Negotiations of that kind, and apply themselves more heartily to it, or may have some Advantages we have not: be it so, or otherwise, we ought to look after our own Interest in Trade, and improve and secure it as well as we can, against the Dutch and Scots too, who have (both) been undermining us, one formerly, t'other lately, and we must countermine them, and so prevent the doing us any Prejudice; but don't let us quarrel with Either at this unhappy Crisis, but go hand in hand to reduce Lewis, and strip him of his borrow'd (or rather stolen) Plumes; and when we shall be disengag'd from this War, let us endeavour calmly to accommodate that Matter.

These angry Gentlemen that are perpetually blowing up the Coals of Dissention, and would fain set us together by the Ears, pretend at the same time to be English-men, which I can never believe; for if they were so, they would espouse the true Interest of their Native Coun­try, in opposition to all others, and not cry up the French King and his Despotick Government, and find fault with every thing at Home, com­plaining of ill Conduct upon all Occasions, and shew themselves uneasy at the good Fortune and Success we have, and pleas'd with the Los­ses and Disadvantages we meet with, in a War attended with Casu­alties and Changes; I say, if these are English-men, God deliver us from them, I wish they'd all go to France, and try how pleasant it is to live in a Country where Popery and Arbitrary Government, Fop­pery and Slavery are in the Ascendent: a little taste of and trial in these, would make them have a truer Relish of their own Religion and Constitution, (both the best temper'd in the Ʋniverse) and be more and more in love with them, and so cease all their foolish and unrea­sonable Murmurings.

A Jerk for the Jacks, &c.

VAST and prodigious were the Expectations our Fo­reign Foes, and Domestick Enemies, the French, the Papists, and the Jacobites, lately had of a New Revo­lution (as they call'd it) upon the stop of Commerce, occasion'd by the Badness of, and calling in our Silver Coin; Joy was visible in their very Eyes, Smiles sat upon their Lips, and Mirth appear'd in all their Discourses; all their Clubs and Cabals rung of it: O how they hugg'd themselves with the pleasant Thoughts of our approaching Ruine! They swore we were near a Crisis; and that the Common, National and Constant Complaints of the People (especially the poorer and meaner sort) against the Non-currency of the bad, and Scarcity of the good Money, together with the Dearness of all Commodities (but more particularly Bread, the Staff and Support of Life) would at last have the wished Effect, put the Mob into a Tu­mult, which would rise to a general Revolt, shake and subvert the Government, produce a Civil War, and after various and bloody Conflicts, make way for the Return and Restoration of their Old Master, (as they still call the late King James.) All their Advices from France concurr'd, spoke big, impatiently waiting the Good Hour; the Gallick Court fed with Hopes, and flatter'd with false Joys of this Critical Minute: The Correspondencies were tight, frequent, and secret, imparted to none on this side but trusty Trouts, and on that side the French King knows his Men. The Christmass Holy-days (a time of Liberty to the Laborious) fell in as a happy Accident in so nice a Conjuncture; every thing seem'd to conspire, all Parties, all Factions full of Murmurings and Resentments, all uneasy; a universal Damp upon Trade; the [Page 8] Country as well as the City, nay the whole Kingdom in a Fer­ment, (in their Tongues only, thanks to our good Stars) not knowing what to do in, nor think of the matter. So weak were the People to make worse of it than it was; for soon after the first Proclamation was publish'd, (which was as plain and as intelligible as any thing in the World could be) not a bit of any Species of Silver Coin would stir, the very broadest, unclip'd, untouch'd Half-Crowns, tho all pure Sterling, were refused, and laid by, as lost and useless Money: So silly and stupid were the Folks (who have always the ill Fate attending them to puzzle their Affairs, and to make the Difficulties greater than they really are in themselves) ill Instruments mingled themselves with the Populace to encourage their Discontents, and improve the Evil: French Emissaries were sprinkled up and down to the same end, and all the Odium that Malice, or ill Nature (for Wit they had none) could invent, or add, was thrown upon the Govern­ment; (tho the best in the World, and not at all concern'd in this unhappy Accident) the Weight and Pressure of the Taxes, and present Impositions urg'd, with a great deal more of such Stuff, (silly enough God knows) but all in vain; for the com­mon People, as stupid as they are thought to be, knew very well that it was a common Calamity, and that the Government could not help it, that the Rogues that had debas'd and clipt the Coin, were hang'd as fast as they could be taken, and legally convicted; and that tho the Mischief was great, and the Mis­fortune the heavier, because of the present expensive and ha­zardous War, yet that last was so just, honourable and necessary, that (as one Man) they were all fully satisfied it ought to be carried on, and vigorously prosecuted, that being the only way to arrive at a happy and lasting Peace. All these Considerations be­ing revol'd and digested, kept the People in a due Temper, tho many whose Poverty was pinching, and close, found themselves uneasy, and the more, because the little Cash they had would not pass, no not for Necessaries. And tho this stop of Commerce in the Body Politick (occasion'd by the mentioned Methods) [Page 9] seem'd to indicate the Distempers of the Nation, and resembled the Stagnation of the Blood in the Body Natural, which bodes ill, having sometimes fatal Tendencies, as Apoplexies, &c. yet as soon as the Circulation is recover'd and re-establish'd, the Dan­ger is over: and thus it happen'd in this Kingdom; for tho the Disease was Universal and Epidemical, and even arose to that height that a Fever was fear'd, yet so healing and Balsamick was the Physick, and so skilful the Physician that applied it, that a Re­medy was in few days found, and pronounc'd, in the wise Re­solves of our indefatigable House of Commons, viz.

Resolved, That in order to the Remedying the ill State of the Coin of this Kingdom, the Recompence to be given for sup­plying the Deficiency of the Clipp'd Money, shall extend to all Clipp'd Money which is Silver, altho of a courser Allay than the Standard.

Resolved, That the Collectors and Receivers of his Majesty's Aids and Revenues, be enjoin'd to receive all such Monies.

These two unanimous and prudent Resolves (not to mention the other, which were very good and seasonable, incouraging the bringing in mill'd and broad unclipp'd Money at five per Cent. advance, to circulate till the new Coin should be ready, and 3 d. per Ounce for wrought Plate, that should be brought to the Mint to be coin'd) had their desir'd Effect, and in a moment were communicated to the whole Kingdom, and dissipated all our Fears, and (at the same time) our Enemies Hopes, restor'd the Circulation of the old till the coming out of the new Mo­ney; and thus in a trice put all things in statu quo, occasioning universal Joy and Satisfaction throughout the Realm; and thus were our Foes (Foreign and Domestick) frustrated; the French Tyrant balk'd, and the foolish English Jacobites disappointed, and that unhappy Accident, which they both thought would have prov'd to our Disadvantage, (if not utter Ruine and De­struction) and make way for the Progress of the French Arms against the Allies both by Sea and Land, as also for the Return of an Exile, that might have staid here when he was here, and [Page 10] would, if he had known when he was well, now apparently redound [...] [...]o our very great Advantage, in bringing into the Ex­chequer, not only the Arrears of the Taxes and Revenues, (which were very great) but also occasioning a quicker and speedier Payment of the Remainder now due, as also of what shall be given in this present Session of Parliament, even a whole Year's in a manner in a Month's time, by which means his Majesty will have prodigious Sums in his Coffers to carry on the War with more Life and Heat, which, by the way, must be some Mortification to our haughty Neighbour, Lewis XIV. and cause equal Joy to the Princes and States now in Union, and make our and their Business go on the brisker. And now let the French look to the Events of the approaching Campaign, which is like to be very early, and very bloody, and to produce fatal Consequences on our Enemies, as well provided and prepared as they and their Adherents fancy them to be; the Blows will be heavy, and fall upon Monsieur all at the same time, Front, Flank and Rear, Sea and Land; he has already business enough upon his Hands, and like to have more every Year the War continues, which he be­gun, and of which he now repents, tho I am of Opinion too late.

As contemptible as our common People are in the Eyes of some, and as rebellious as the English are said to be by others, (both equally out in their Opinions and Conjectures) even this unhappy Accident, and at a Juncture so nice, could not put our Nation into the least Disorder, so as to disturb the Govern­ment of this Kingdom, or the Domestick Peace and Felicity we enjoy; nay, tho the Evil was very heavy and pressing, yet no­thing could cause any Tumult or Riot, no not the least Commo­tion (which has confounded our very Enemies at Home and Abroad;) So patient were the People in their Adversity, and so constant in their Troubles, and so firm in their Resolution to assist the Government with their Blood and their Treasure, in Conjunction with their hearty Allies, to bring a perjur'd Prince and open Oppressor to hearken to Reason, and to do Justice, [Page 11] first to his Neighbours, and then to his own Subjects.

And now to shew you that the Conduct of the English Nation has been very extraordinary in this critical Time, I shall present you with something very curious and remarkable, and what will embelish the History of this Renown'd Island, and be an eternal Honour to the happy Inhabitants thereof.

The black Clouds that hung over our Heads were very por­tentous: A Revolt at home was fear'd, an imaginary Invasion from abroad was talk'd of, a world of vain and idle Stories (as is usual) crept into the Peoples Ears, and dwelt upon their Tongues; a buzzing and murmuring there was, vast (as I said before) were the Hopes of our Enemies, and (in some pro­portion) the Fears of our Friends; and what seem'd to carry in its very Aspect something very fatal, (Prodigy-like) was, all on a sudden the King's Receivers General of the Royal Revenues, and of the Parliamentary Aids, the Collectors of the Customs and Excise throughout the whole Kingdom of England and Do­minion of Wales, gave positive Orders to their Sub-Receivers and Deputies to stop their Hands, and to receive no manner of Money, Gold nor Silver, Sterling, or other of worse Allay: The publick and great Markets of Live Cattel were in a manner unfrequented, the Graziers driving back their Fatlings, and keeping them and the rest at home, rather than take uncurrent and disputable Money; the Farmers and Country-men either brought little or none, or caried away that Corn and Hay which they had brought to Market; the Bakers, Brewers, and But­chers, Cheesmongers and Tallow-Chandlers, more curious, and more troublesome than any, (except some few of those Pro­fessions, who, wiser than the rest, took all sorts of Money, Gold, Silver, broad or clipt, Sterling or of coarser Allay, and ex­chang'd with the People in the same Species, and sold at the usu­al Price, and by that means had all the Trade, and got a vast deal in the ready Money, as well as future Customers to their Shops and Stalls.) The Poor were in pain of starving, the Rich uneasy, because tho they had better and more Money, yet there [Page 12] were no Magazines in the great Cities to supply the present Ne­cessities; nay, and what added to our Afflictions, and aggravated our Misfortunes, the Seamen (our best Bulwark) were paid off (at their Return from long Voyages and sharp Service) in the worst and most unpassable Money, which would not pay Debts, nor buy Clothes or Bread, (those near Necessaries, inseparable to Human Life) nay and further, what carried with it a Face of Fear and Dread (worse than the fiery Beams of those blazing Meteors call'd Comets, Heaven's Beacons, Lights to warn the wicked World of their approaching Fate) our Shipwrights and Labourers in his Majesty's Yards and Docks, at Chatham, Ports­mouth, Woolwich and Deptford, were paid at that very time in the worst Money that could be pick'd out for them; and whereas they used to be paid but a quarter of a Year's Arrears at a time, now they had half, such shuffling off bad Money was there, one from another, sharping each other. No Guinea's paid but at thirty, a monstrous and unreasonable Price, and for those no Change but in this horrid Coin before mentioned; which Conduct of the Clerks and Paymasters had like to have (at one blow) ruin'd all our Naval Preparations for the next Summer: for the Work­men were in some small Confusion, seeing their Money would not buy Bread for themselves, Wives and Children, nor could they have any upon Credit; and as good be without Money, as have that which would not go, and as good play for nothing as work for nothing; which Doctrine being current among them, they resolv'd as one Man (at all the foresaid Yards and Docks) not to strike one stroke more on the King's Ships: but some wiser than the rest, and of some Credit (tho no Authority) among them, having work'd many Years with them, began to expostu­late, and (at Chatham) one made this handsome, honest and loyal Speech to them; (and let me see any French Flourishe [...] on t'other side the Water, or Jacobite Haranguer on this, speak or write so much Sense on any accasion, to support their Cause); And thus began our honest Ship-Carpenter of Chatham-Yard.

[Page 13]
Gentlemen,

For God's sake and our dear Country's sake, let us all return to our Work, and hasten the setting out of the Royal Navy, which 'twill be impossible to equip if we continue in this Humour: Our Yard, which is the biggest, having a thousand Men, will give Example to all the other Yards, who will also forbear: And you all know our Fleet is our best Bulwark, our Walls of Oak being far better than those of Stone: We are all lost, irrecoverably gone, if you hearken not to my Advice. The French will be out early with their Fleet, will burn and destroy our Ships, Towns and Trade, and triumph over, and insult upon us, and laugh at our Folly, and rejoice in our Ruin: And if you are for Wooden Shoes, by God I am not; I am an English Man, a free-born Subject, I love my King and Country, and know them both to be the best in the World. If you desire it, I'll go up to his Majesty, to the Lords of the Admiralty, nay to the very Parliament, and lay our Condition before them, I am sure we shall have Redress, and I doubt not for the future of some better Encouragement in the Advance of our Pay.

At which they all huzza'd, Long live King William the best of Princes: and God bless our Parlia­ment the best of Councils. And immediately every one of them return'd to their Work, and sent up this very brave Fellow to represent their Case, which he did, and receiv'd ample Satis­faction, and will have the first Mill'd Money paid them that shall be coin'd in Exchange of their cropp'd coarse Bromigham Half-Crowns, as also will the Seamen have the next, to the Joy of all the jolly Tarpaulins. And thus by this honest plain Man's happy Conduct, all things were kept in good Order and Deco­rum, and the Navy Royal in the greatest forwardness that ever was known; as also the Squadron to reinforce Sir George Rook at Cadiz, and another to block up that famous Dutch Renegade and Pirate John Dubart, with his Squadron in Dunkirk, as also the other Squadron to serve in the Ocean, to bomb more French Towns on their Coasts, which will teach them to provoke the [Page 14] English Nation, and will spoil their Equipping their Fleets at Toulon, Brest, Rochfort, or Dunkirk, to preserve their Coasts; instead of which, they must be content with their Militia, Ban and Arrear-Ban, mixt with some Regular Troops, which will keep their Armies from being so numerous in Flanders, on the Rhine, Catalonia, or Piedmont; which will vex and harass their Forces, and teeze poor Monsieur most horridly, and make him curse and swear Morbleu, and Mordieu, but all in vain, for he can't help it. We shall be at the old sport again of making Bon­fires of his Maritime Places, and ruining his Ports, and destroying his Commerce; and so even let him look to himself, for he may thank his own cursed damn'd Ambition for this, and all the other Plagues he has brought upon himself and upon his poor Slaves, who indeed are to be pitied and comforted, tho he is not.

And now let us all rejoice to see how our Enemies have been disappointed in all their Hopes, even in those the most promi­sing. Let us stand up briskly in Defence of our Religion and Liberties against Monsieur and his Myrmidons: Let us assist the King heartily and chearfully, and pay our Taxes willingly. His Majesty will bring us out of all our Troubles, and establish us (and all Europe besides) by a glorious Peace. The happy days we shall then see, will make us more than amends for all the Evil we have endur'd, and the Losses we have sustain'd in these pre­sent Wars, and the Taxes we have paid for the carrying them on, which will then soon have an end. It is our highest Happiness, and our chiefest Glory, to have at this very time (being our greatest Exigency) so gallant a Prince, so celebrated a Com­mander, so brave a Souldier to be the Generalissimo of our, and the Allies Armies. And be it spoke to his Majesty's immortal Honour, our King is the only Crown'd Head that makes a Campaign in Person in Europe. The Gallick Hector loves not Camps half so well as Courts, Alcoves rather than Pavilions, Tents and Tren­ches are terrible things to him; he stays at home to save one, he has cut out Work enough to last him all his Life-long; for the ill state of his Affairs, Declension of his Power, the Poverty of [Page 15] his People, the heavy Gabels they groan under, the want of Commerce, the starving Condition of his Slaves, the mouldring away of his Armies, the Destruction of his Capital Ships, the burning of his Sea-Towns, and the retaking of his Land-Towns, in all probability will hasten his Downfal, and shorten that hated Life of his, and give Rest to the Warring World, heal the Wounds, and close the Breaches made by these unnatural Dissen­sions, and restore all things to their Primitive Posture.

Great William! the Darling of his People, the Delight of the whole World, the Bulwark of Europe, the Buckler of Liberty, the Protector of Religion, the Sanctuary of the Oppressed, the Patron of the Persecuted, the Arbiter of Peace and War, the Life of the League, the Soul of the Union, is the Prince by Hea­ven destin'd to do greater Things than ever yet were heard of. Caesar and Pompey, Alexander and Hannibal must all resign their Fame to him, their Glory stands eclipsed by his brighter At­chivements: The Name of Nassaw sounds louder, and reaches farther than theirs, tho put altogether: Great Triumphs are al­ready due to his matchless Courage and mighty Success. The Trophies he won, and the Lawrels he wears, gain'd at the Re­nowned Siege of Namur, exceed all the Actions of the Antient Heroes, as far as their Annals are transmitted down to us: There was tough Work! there was pure Conduct! the Ground was won Inch by Inch with Sword in hand; no Tricks, or Treacheries us'd to steal, surprize, or purchase Places, (as France has done whole Provinces as well as Towns) every Foot of Earth, eve­ry Post got by downright Bravery. A noble Emulation ap­pear'd throughout each Rank, all contending for Glory, eager in the Pursuit of Honour, tho Death seem'd to face them where e're they march'd, yet they crown'd the Day, and conquered all before them.

And now who can grutch to open their Purses to reward such Services? nor does any true English Man, but frankly parts with his Coin. And what will our Neighbour Nations say? and how much will it redound to our Glory, that we are able to [Page 16] give the King eight Millions Sterling to carry on the War vigo­rously against France this present Year, and to supply the Defi­ciency and Badness of our Money at the same time! How will our Enemies be astonish'd at this News, at this mighty Change of Affairs, that lately look'd so melancholy, and now so brisk! Well may the whole World wonder, that England, a small Island, a little narrow spot of Earth, should be so vastly rich, to contribute between thirty and forty Millions already, and yet are now in as good heart as ever, being neither tir'd with the Taxes, nor weaken'd by the loss of Blood, or Prizes taken from us by the Enemy's Privateers: No, we shall be able to hold out the War longer than the French, our Pockets are better filled, besides we give our Money freely, and theirs is forced from them: We have no Dragoons to be quarter'd upon us, nor are we threatned to be sent to the Gallies; if we don't pay what we are not able; we have no Arbitrary Power in Practice here, but all things done in a Regular and Parliamentary Way, with our own Consent. And as a Parliament is really and truly the Pulse of the People, so is that Pulse now in very good order, and in true Motion, it beats harmoniously, and betokens great Health in the Body Poli­tick, as t'other does in the Natural. Thanks to our propitious Planets, we have a good and gracious King, a wise and honest Parliament, who go hand in hand; his Majesty gives Love and Liberty, the People Duty and Coin: These are sure Ties, these are the truest Bands and Ligaments; the King can never want Money, either to carry on the present or a future War, or to support his Royal Dignity, or for any other occasion whatso­ever, whilst there is this sweet Concord between his Majesty and his Loving Subjects, which in all likelihood will be perpe­tual. Not the meanest Man among us, but parts with his Pecunia frankly, knowing it is laid out for the Honour and Welfare of Old England; nay, our very Posterity will reap the Benefit of our Burdens; the prodigious Trade we shall have all over the World upon an Establishment of Peace, will make all Hearts chearful, and all Purses plentiful: nor is there any danger of any other [Page 17] Ruptures when the Leviathan is brought down, the Troubler of the Repose of Europe, the most Christian Idol. About an hun­dred Years ago, viz. in the last Century, the Castilian Monar­chy threatned us, and all Europe, with an utter Subversion Spain, I say, then set up for Mistress of this (the better) part of the World, and indeed bid pretty fair for it, yet tho the Banes were often ask'd, it never came to a Marriage; she grasp'd at a lawless, unbounded and universal Power, and so (Esop's Dog­like) lost the Substance by snatching at the Shadow: 'Twas then England stood in the Gap, 'twas this happy Island that stem'd the Tide, that turn'd the Flood, and stopp'd the course of Con­quest. And now again, when the Tables are turn'd, and France perks up her Head, and fain would Lord it over her Neigh­bours, Britain the Balance, casts the Chance, and sets the Mark, the Boundary; she's the Barrier, the Ne plus ultra; O fortunate Climate! O blessed People! bona si sua norint. And yet would one think this Palestine, this Holy Land should produce such poisonous Vipers, that are continually contriving and plotting her Ruine? The Arabian Deserts, or the Land of Africk bred no such uncouth Monsters; they prey upon another Species, but these upon their own: These (I say) are Vultures, and gnaw out the very Bowels of their Mother, their Native Country thus is treated by them. The Lies they forge and publish to amuse the Folks, are in themselves so ridiculous, that they are rarely credited; and like those during the last Campagn (when the King was at the fam'd Siege of Namur) of the Defeat of the Allies Army, and of his Majesty's being taken, or kill'd, or missing; such Impudence was never heard of, such Malice is without parallel, and such Ingratitude is above compare.

As for the Romanists whining after the late King, we need not wonder, because they had a large share of, and Interest in him; but for the Jacks to do it, I can't comprehend, and at the same time to pretend to be of the Church of England, and assert themselves to be passionate Lovers of their Country into the bargain; I say all this is mysterious, and not to be reconcil'd. [Page 18] The poor Papists may have some Reason on their side, their Re­ligion and His is the same; the Places of Profit, Trust and Ho­nour, in the Court, in the Army, in the Navy, and through­out the three Kingdoms which they should have had, and of which they have been balk'd, was enough to make them angry to the very height of Resentment. But what can the Protestant Jacks say for themselves? they were so far from being in Favour with that Prince, that he really and actually turn'd them out of their Employments to make way for those of his own Perswasion; and pray what Treatment could these Persons expect to have from the same Gentleman, if he should overcome again? (which I think is next to impossible, unless it be in a Coffin.) The Popeli [...]s would be preferr'd and esteem'd, but they neglected and starved. I am sorry these People are such bad Historians, and have such slippery Memories to have forgot already how that good King Charles the Second used them at his Restoration, and he was a Prince after their own Hearts, and (if he had any) of their Religion too, at least he professed to be of that in exclusion of all the rest. Were their Services and Sufferings for his and his Father's Sake and Cause so small and light, to be no more regarded at his Royal Return? And was the Ruine of their Families, in the loss of their Lives and Estates by their Fidelity and strict adhering to that Interest, so inconsiderable, and so unworthy Compassion, that they were suffer'd to starve, and moulder away to nothing; whereas their Enemies, whose Pockets were plump, and who had plunder'd them, and by that means were in good plight, were preferr'd at Court, and every where else (for Money always goes there, and purchases Friends pre­sently) when as Loyalty and past Services, with thin wither'd Cheeks, empty Fobs, and ragged Clothes find no Reception there; which by the way, methinks, should make Men very cautious of their Lives and Fortunes, and part with either very difficultly, seeing they are so little valued when the Job is done, and the Turn serv'd; and of all Men living, the Jacks will be the least lamented in their lowest Ebb of Fortune, who have [Page 19] really suffer'd too much already in the former Reigns, and yet are at the same trade in this; but it may be King James will be more grateful, at least they are so weak to think so.

The ill Success that has hitherto attended the Papists and Jacks, one would think should e're this have discouraged them, and spoil'd their Appetites. Alas! all their Plots prove abortive, and dwindle away to nothing; the Government is so well foun­ded, and fortified, that it will be in vain for them to attempt to pluck it down; it stood firm, and held up its head even in the most difficult Times, when our Affairs were in a declining Con­dition; when our Fleet and the Dutch were over matched, and baffled though not beaten, by the French: When our Allies went to wrack in Flanders, Germany, Savoy and Catalonia; and when our Hands and Purses were employ'd in Ireland, to reduce that Kingdom; and in Scotland, to suppress Dundee; and when our Losses at Sea came thicker and thicker upon us; and here lately when our Trade and Commerce was at a stop, which was a greater Misfortune to us than all the rest: yet nothing can de­stroy us, so powerful is the Genius of the Nation, and so watch­ful is our Tutelar Saint, and so grateful are the People to the King, who wakes both night and day, whose continual Care is for their Sake and Safety, and who bravely breaks through all Dangers, and hazards all that's dear and valuable to him for their Preservation.

And farther, to shew that our Condition is not so contempti­ble as our Foes fancy, nor our Poverty so great as some think; we are so far from reducing in Weight, or debasing in Goodness our Coin, that all our New-mill'd-Money must be of the same Fineness and Weight with the Old Mill'd; the beautifullest Coin in the Universe: We are not so hard put to it yet, to be con­strain'd to make our Money of a Coarser Allay, or lighter than formerly, as the French King has been forced to do since this War began, and frequently to call in, and recoin his Money, both Silver and Gold; which though it brought a present Sup­ply into his Coffers, and (as we call it) stopt a Gap, yet it [Page 20] ruin'd all manner of Commerce, and damp'd all their Negotia­tors, and embarass'd their Affairs, taking away even the poor Remainder of their Trade, (within the Land;) and for their foreign, they never had much, and now pretend to less; I mean in the Indies, East or West, or Africa; in the Levant they had, and yet have the most: But for their Wines, Brandies, Paper, Salt, and rich Manufactures of many kinds, which in times of Peace us'd to be fetch'd from thence by their Neighbours, in Shipping of their own; that Trade is in a manner lost; and what comes away privately, and in other Bottoms, is inconsiderable, and turns to small account.

France has been lately forced to debase her Silver Coin, and lessen the Weight, at Strasburgh particularly, and in other Places in her New Conquests; and sends out from her Mints abun­dance of Brass and Copper Monies, which is a certain Token, or rather a cogent Demonstration of her necessitous Condition, and of her People's Poverty, and of the most Christian King's Drooping; I mean of his Royal Revenues falling short, which must be made up out of the People's Purses, as empty as they are, it is all one for that: Alas! the vast Expence Monsieur is at in maintaining those prodigious Armies which he is oblig'd to keep on foot, and the continuing the Intelligences establish'd in the several Kingdoms and States; and the Correspondencies that Court holds with the others, besides the Equipping his Fleet, (which he now pretends to join and bring into the Ocean:) I say all this Weight, and Burden upon him, will eat him up; Se­eret Service goes deep, and few Men are so silly to betray their Countries for nothing; they run great Risks of their Lives, E­states; and of ruining their Families, therefore they must, nay they will be paid for these Hazards.

Besides, after all this Fluttring and Bouncing the French make, it's apparent to all the World, by drawing New Lines; that they intend to skulk behind them next as they did last Summer, and wholly act upon the Defensive, contenting themselves with being the Spectators of the Reduction of [Page 21] their Towns, which balks their Armies, and in short time will dispirit 'em: for what Cesar observ'd long since of the Antient Gauls, is true in the Modern French, who in the be­ginning of Action are so rapid; that they seem to be more than Men; but when once resisted, are soon repuls'd, and then be­come less than Women. This Dodging and Peeping from be­hind Redoubts and Works of Earth, won't do the Business; will never make Lewis Lord of the Fifth Monarchy, for which he has so strongly contended; and to gain which, it has cost him so many Millions of Treasures, and some Rivers of Slaves Blood; and his Neighbours almost as much of both to keep him from it, which they have happily done, and by their late Successes give reason to hope they may in few Years cramp him, and so pre­vent his very Pretensions for ever. He seems to truckle by some late unexpected Condescensions, and by some more moderate and reasonable Proposals of Peace, which have been communi­cated by his Instruments, and press'd on their side with much Heat and Zeal, and an extraordinary Desire of setting a Treaty on foot, which has been absolutely refus'd, and rejected by the Princes and States in League. These are sure Prognosticks of the ill State of France, as also of the stanch and good Condition of the Allies; which indeed appears more and more every day, for they after seven Years fierce War, augment their Troops, are brisk and gay, and seem to be in a better Posture than at the be­ginning of it.

But now to raise the Drooping Spirits, and support the Ree­ling Interest of a Poor Party, and a Cursed Cause, some little Emissaries have form'd and publish'd a Whim as groundless as the rest, viz. That the Equipment of the French Men of War at Dunkirk, with the Fire-Ships and Bomb▪Vessels, are to bombard and burn Flushing, and Middleburg in the Province of Zealand, which lies most contiguous to Flanders; and which will be a sweet Revenge, and divert the Dutch from joining their Squa­dron with ours: And at the same time the Squadron the French are getting ready at Brest, and other Ports in the Ocean, is to [Page 22] be a Convoy to King James, who is to make a Descent into Scot­land, and so put that Kingdom into a thorow Ferment, (which they now fancy is in some agitation) and so divert our Forces, and weaken the Army in Flanders. But this silly Stuff is of the same piece with all the rest; and, as I said before, these vain Jacks have Malice enough, but not one dram of Wit, else they would at least invent Probabilities. 'Tis a mere Maggot to fan­cy the Scots would ever come in to join with that Nimble Gen­tleman that flew so fast at the Boin, and rid Post when no body pursued: The Scots are too wise and too wary, and such hear­ty Lovers of their King and Country, and so grateful in their Natures; especially to a Prince that has so oblig'd them in all their Desires, (as King William has done) that they will never be brought to do such things. No, no, the ill Success, and bad En­tertainment the French had in Ireland, is still fresh in their Me­mories; and the Court of France knows very well, she has Busi­ness enough at home, and all round about her, to defend her self, and secure her Frontiers. She is so far from being in a Con­dition to invade her Neighbours, that she rather fears one from them, which indeed of the two is most probable, and would compleat her Ruin in a very short time. Alas! the Interest the French have, or King James either, in any or all of these Nations, is very inconsiderable, and at this time but of very small advan­tage to them. Indeed, I have heard many of our intestine Ene­mies vapour, and affirm, that they had abundance of Friends, who only wanted an Opportunity to declare themselves; adding, that their Party and Interest was greater than was imaginable: Yes, says a witty Gentleman that sat by once in mixt Company, It must be confess'd you Jacks are very numerous, there's at least two great Armies of you, (even in this Kingdom) viz. one of Whores, t'other of Beggars; and these are like to do the French, or the late King, signal Service: and of the last Army, there is a very considerable Body in White-Friars and the Mint, who both with their Purses and Persons are ready, but to rob rather than fight for ye.

Sure I am, Opportunities have not been wanting, if th [...]se Gen­tlemen durst have stir'd; but as silly as they have [...]e [...]n in com­mitting some Extravagancies, and causing some little Riots, they have not been so mad to appear in Arms; if they once should draw their Swords, they may throw away their Scabbards, be­cause they will have no more occasion for them. These poor Creatures flatter themselves, that the Mob (as they call the com­mon People) would be for them in an Insurrection; when 'tis so far from it, that if any such thing should happen, those very Gentlemen would be the first Sacrifices of their Fury, their Hou­ses would be plundered and levell'd; and therefore 'tis happy for them that there have been no Commotions, which would have infallibly destroy'd them. And before I leave this Paragraph about the Whisper'd Descent upon Scotland, I shall only put those Praters in mind of what hapned to K. Charles the Second; who, poor Gentleman, was perswaded to throw himself into Scotland, which he did, and was actually crown'd at Scone, (but upon shameful Terms) and assisted with a Body of an Army to invade England, which he thought to be a Means to restore him: But how far he was from gaining his Point, the Fatal Battel at Worcester, and the Narrow Escape in the Royal Oak, are convincing Testimonies; the Particulars of which I need not mention, because they are so well known.

The same (or a worse) Fate would attend King James if he should be put upon such a rash Undertaking; besides, the French are not in a Condition at this time to furnish Troops or Ships sufficient for such an Enterprize, nor do I believe they will pre­tend to it; but every Winter (which is a dull Melancholick Time) produces these idle Tales for want of better Business, which all vanish and expire upon the Approach of the Cam­paign; which this open favourable Season, hastens apace, then Action will drown all such insipid Discourses, and make way for Stratagems, and noble Feats of Arms: Mars will then be in the [Page 24] Ascendant, whereas now that lying Rascal Mercury is flying up and down with foolish Stories, to amuse and confound the Peo­ple; for there is nothing so insipid and sensless, but it gains some Admittance with the Easy and the Credulous, with which the World is most stor'd, there being always more Geese than Swans.

Every thing in Nature has its Antipathy: The very Celestial Bodies themselves (so regular, orderly, constant, and indefati­gable in their Motions) are not exempt; Saturn and Jupiter, Mars and Venus, are sworn Enemies, and directly contrary to each other in their Influences; and therefore no wonder the Terrestrial (govern'd by t'other) are so too. The Chineses and Japoneses, the Armenians and Nestorians, the Arabians and Abyssins, the French and Spaniards, the Italians and Greeks, the Germans and Polanders, the Danes and Swedes, Muscovites and Tartars, and several others, are avowed Enemies to each other: Yet among all these Dissenters, you shall meet with few or none (of the same Nation) that are such Enemies to one ano­ther, as our Jacks are to their honest Country-men that love and honour King William and his Government. 'Tis true, there are Factions and Parties in all Kingdoms and Common-wealths; but then 'tis in pursuit of a particular Interest, directed only to make Themselves, Families and Friends great, and to get the Conduct of Affairs into their own hands, (to which all Mankind have a strong Itch and Inclination;) and if there be Plots or Con­spiracies, 'tis to this or the like End: But it is rare to hear of one part of a People always contriving to destroy the t'other, and themselves too, for they'l be involv'd in the same Fate. Such restless Creatures are here in England, that are never satisfied with any Government, (except they have a share in it, and all can't) Monarchy, Aristocracy, or Democracy; violent for one for a time, and then as passionate for t'other, and some are for none at all. The Antient Israelites were not more wavering or lunatick than the English; that is, I mean, than a great many a­mong [Page 25] 'em. As for the Generality of the People, they are easy and quiet, and well satisfied with the Sweets of Liberty they enjoy; are hearty Lovers of the Person of King William, and zealous Supporters of the Present Government; they think themselves happy in the Tranquillity they enjoy, and account it their Honour and Felicity to have such a Politick Prince to rule over them: A Prince whose Conduct in Council is equal to his Courage in Camp; both at this time very formidable to his Ene­mies, of whom may be said as of Cesar, Marte Togâque Praecipuus; and of the two, in Triumphs the more modest, ever declining to receive the Honours, and wear the Laurels that are due to his glorious Arms.

And now to conclude; Let us all in our Hearts bear a sincere Loyalty to His Majesty, and make the King the best Returns we are able for His gracious and gentle Government, and for the Liberty that is indulg'd us, and for the domestick Peace and Plenty we enjoy, (when our Neighbours Countries are the Sta­ges of Blood, Fire and Rapine) and for His Majesty's Royal Condescensions to us upon all Occasions, particularly and lately for the fair Play we are to have for our Lives and Estates, when­ever we shall be accus'd of ill Practices against the Government; which I hope none will be in the least guilty of, after such Graces from the Throne. Sure such Love might win all Affections, e­ven the Ingrateful Jacks, those wretched Repiners might freely offer up their Thankfulness, and the rather because I believe they'l have most occasion (more than any body else) to reap the Benefits of that matchless Clemency.

Let us embelish the History of this Present Parliament, and convey down to Posterity their Noble Acts; how near we were to Ruin and Revolt, and how we were preserv'd alone by them: By their Sage Resolutions our Inland Trade was soon retriev'd, our Money was made to circulate; all Dangers and Disorders prevented, that seem'd to threaten the State. Such worthy Pa­triots [Page 26] merit our Praises, and shall always have our Votes: This is the Healing Senate, the Dispatching Parliament, that will give His Majesty Supplies sutable to his Exigencies, and wind up all their Bills to make way for an early and glorious Campaign, of which we need not in the least doubt.

Let us also thank Indulgent Heaven, that the Winter has prov­ed so favourable to our Naval Preparations, and so warm for our Poor, who otherwise could not have subsisted, Fuel being dearer than ever it was, occasion'd by the heavy Imposition: And let us all join in this good, though short Prayer, That God would bless King William in all his Ʋndertakings, and give him Victory over all his Enemies.

APPENDIX.

TO this may be added, by way of Supplement, some far­ther Remarks to demonstrate the ill State of our Grum­bletonians, and to advise them to be wise before it be too late.

The Press, the Pulpit, and the Parliament, have endeavour'd by all mild and gentle first, then rough and sharp Means, to re­claim these silly, obstinate, and malicious Jacks, but all in vain; for neither fair nor foul will do with them, Perswasives nor Pu­nishments: and yet methinks Arguments of Interest (which in­fluence all the World) should prevail upon them: Reason might convince them, which is so popular a Pretence, and by which every Body seems willing to be concluded.

It is natural for all People to love most, and prefer highest their own Native Country: And 'tis observable, that all Mer­chants, and Great Negotiators, that are oblig'd by their Business and for their Advantage, to live Abroad, hone after the Land where they drew their first Breath; nay, even though them­selves are of Foreign Extraction, and surrounded (where they reside) with Wealth, Plenty and Ease, yet nothing is like their Native, though it may be the Worst Air in the World, and they in much better: this won't avail; the mighty Desire and Pro­pensity to return, appears in their frequent Wishes, Letters and Discourses. Now all this is beyond Contradiction, and the Re­sult of all Travellers Observations, even those that are carried Abroad by Curiosity, and a fond Desire of seeing foreign Rari­ties, who notwithstanding that Diversion, are always best pleas'd when at Home.

It is also as certain, That all Mankind eagerly attend, and pas­sionately pray for the Welfare and Prosperity of their own [Page 28] Country; nay, though never so bad, or barren in it self, or even barbarous to themselves, in excluding them the Benefit of living there, forcing them into Banishment, passing thence through great Difficulties, and many Hardships of extream Poverty and lin­gring Deaths, by Arbitrary Power, Tyrannical Sway, and San­guinary Laws, as is at this very day most evident in the French Protestant Refugees; who though they have been stript of all by their cruel Country-men, narrowly escaping Prisons, Dra­goons, Gallies, Slit Noses, Slasht Cheeks, and other severe and inhumane Treatment, yet even in the Lands of Sanctuary, viz. England, Ireland, Holland, Germany, Swisserland, and other Pla­ces, into which they are kindly receiv'd, civilly us'd, and liberal­ly provided for; I say, even though they have their Bread and Subsistance amongst Foreigners, yet they cannot forbear expres­sing their Joy at the Successes of their Prince in the Field, or at Sea in his Victories, or in the Enlargement of his Conquests; as if they were immediately concern'd in the Encrease of his Glory, or they themselves made a whit the happier by it. At the Taking of Mons, Namur, and Charleroy from the Spaniards, they could not contain themselves from shewing their Joy in the praising and admiring their Monarch, extolling his Conduct, a­doring his Name, and (as it were) gazing on his Greatness, (though at a great distance from them.) The Misfortunes of their Friends were not regarded, though they themselves suffer'd thereby, and would more if they had been ruin'd: But the Gal­lick Gallantry was trumpeted aloud through all the Coffee-hou­ses in Amsterdam by these very Hugonots; for which they never receiv'd so much as a Check from their charitable Patrons the Dutch, who have been wondrous kind to them in all their Af­flictions, and during all their Troubles; and rather pardoned than punish'd, pitied than blam'd, all Men being sensible of, and agreed in this one Thing, That the Love of our Native Country is imprinted on our very Souls, and never to be effac'd.

Nay, and what seems yet to carry this Point further, 'tis frequent­ly observ'd, That the very Malefactors, Highway-Robbers, Foot-Pads, Murderers, House-Breakers, Clippers, Coiners, (of all Na­tions) nay and Traitors too, that all die for violating the Laws of their Country, and become a Sacrifice to their Severity, (or rather Justice) yet at the last moment of their Lives, in their Penitential Prayers, heartily implore the Blessings of Heaven up­on their lov'd Land, though they are going out of it, and shall never more return to it.

And now after all that has been or can be said (which is a great deal) upon this Head, which need not be inforc'd, will not all the World wonder at our Male-Contents? that are not only ever murmuring and repining at our Court-Conduct and State-Policy, (well directed and honestly intended) but even rejoi­cing and carouzing (so far as their Pockets or Credit will stretch, which indeed are very empty and low) (as I said before) at our Losses and Misfortunes, as if they were to share or come in for a Snack of the Booty. These People in some sense may be compar'd to the Troops in the Belly of the Trojan-Horse; that is, because they are our Intestine Enemies; but Thanks to our Guards they are not quite so dangerous: Our Government is surrounded with Friends, and not in the least fear of the Rude Republicans, or Ga­ping Jacks, though they were both united in their Interest, and link'd together. 'Tis in a great measure owing to them that our Affairs have had no better Success: they give Intelligence to our Enemies of our Preparations, discover our weak Sides, hang an Arse, (as we call it in blunt English) and draw back, and hinder our hearty Proceedings in the War against the French, and so make our Work go the heavier on, and this Plague last the lon­ger, which might have been at an end before this, if we had been unanimous:) And indeed when I reflect upon, and seri­ously consider the Opposition we have met with from Abroad, and the Difficulties we have struggled with at Home, I have ra­ther wondred that Things have gone so well as they have, rather [Page 30] than that they have gone no better. Pulling different ways, and setting up different Interests, has been the true and (I may say) only Cause of our Unhappiness: It is a peculiar Providence, and the Hand of Heaven, that has directed and assisted us all along, and brought us from a very low Ebb of Fortune, to be in a very good and prosperous Condition, (Circumstances consider'd) and from a Conjunction with the bravest Nations in the World reasonably to hope a happy Issue of our Affairs. 'Tis strange me­thinks we should have separate Interests here at home, (which seems to me a Paradox) when we are so firm and so well fix'd in our Interest abroad. And that which has caused Admiration to the whole World, and above all to our very Enemies themselves, is, that an Alliance of so many different Religions, and various Pretensions, should be so unanimous, durable, and well knit. It seem'd at first little less than a Miracle to bring 'em together, and a real and great one to keep 'em so long together in spight of all In­trigues and Endeavours of the French and their Emissaries, to divide and break 'em. 'Tis a glorious Conjunction, and like that of the superior Celestial Bodies, presages great Changes (but all for the better) in Europe. Tyranny and Slavery, those Names of Hate and Fear, will be entirely banished thence; and an Atonement made for all the Evils Steel or Fire has done in the hands of our brutal Foes, and France stript of all her borrow'd Plumes, those goodly Bits, those luscious Morsels, Towns, Cities, Counties, Dukedoms, and whole Provinces she (Ostrich like) devour'd: But as great a Cormorant as she is she must disgorge, and send 'em back again. Their antient lawful Lords still claim 'em, and by force of Arms they will regain 'em: The League's renewed for five Years longer, which has made Monsieur look sharp about him. The impending Clouds on France are heavy; they'l break, and pour down all their Weight at once: Philips­burg, Pignerol and Mons, are threatned by the Allies, to open the Campaign with; those Places will certainly be attack'd early in the Spring, and of this the French are sensible, and have by way [Page 31] of Anticipation, added to their former Proposals of Peace, (de­liver'd by the Northern Envoys at the Congress at the Hague to the Ministers of the Allies) those two important Places, Stras­burg and Philipsburg. But alas! all these Concessions (tho hum­ble, and such as are to be deem'd strong Arguments of the Decay of their Power) won't yet be accepted.

Now what will our Male-contents think of these Things, which are fact? and if Duty to King William, Love to their Country, and Care of their own mutual Good, won't prevail up­on them to be quiet, their own true Interest should, which I have shew'd it to be: they must even be abandon'd, and Hellabor prescrib'd, with Bleeding, a Bundle of clean Straw, a dark Room, and good Air; or else be sent to the Hospital, degli incurabili at Venice.

What I have writ was purely for the sake of those poor blind People, (for they are wilfully so, and therefore accounted the worst sort;) I hope it will open their Eyes, and put 'em upon considering how inglorious a thing it is to triumph in the Ruin of their Native Country, to which they contribute all in their Power) and what different Sentiments the antient brave Ro­mans had of this Matter, that even they not only thought it me­ritorious to die (I say to sacrifice their very Lives and Estates, and all that was dear to 'em) in defence of their Country and their Liberty, (nay and their Religion too, as bad as it was) but really did so in earnest.

Therefore for God-sake, let us now (though late) frankly and heartily join our Hands, Hearts, and Purses together, to car­ry on the War against France with Alacrity: And let us lay by all odious Names of Distinction; love, and bear one with ano­ther; oppose all Commonwealth (and other) Designs, and stand up stifly for Monarchy, (as it is now establish'd in England) the best of Governments; and for the Church of England, the best of Religions, being the nearest to the Primitive Practice, recom­mended (as such) to the World, and left as the best Legacy by [Page 32] the most holy Author thereof. No Whig or Tory, no Papis [...] or Trimmer, no Jacobite or Williamite, no Grumbletonians o [...] Male-contents; but all Friends, Brethren, and Countrymen Cordial Lovers and Honourers of the best King that ever sat upon the English Throne, that came generously to rescue us in tim [...] of need from Popery and Slavery, those two sworn Enemies o [...] our Name and Nation, who for many Years past (above a Century) have been in League against us, though God has bee [...] pleas'd to stand by us, and to bring us out of all our Troubles and to make good his sacred Promise to us, that the Gates of He [...] shall ne're prevail against us.

FINIS.

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