Right Trusty, Right Obeysant, and Right Couchant Champion, and Creature.

WHEN your most obsequious Letters kissed our most Po­tent hands at our High and Mighty Seraglio at Versailes, we were graciously pleased to condes­cend to peruse them, and to approve the Zeal, and Affection therein ex­pressed to Our puissant Person, and most Christian Cause: and We have vouchsafed to send you our Mighty Greetings, and most Sultan-like Thanks for the same.

We cannot but take it well that with such profound Submission you ac­knowledge Our Soveraign Councils, and Conduct, Our Armes, and Alliances; wherein, as We have scorned to take Precedent from any other Monarch; so doubtless we have exceeded all that Less-Cultivated Princes could, or can pretend to.

Hath not the Religion of our Wise Pagan Ancestours, Commanded them to Worship the Gods themselves had made? And if they were compelled to Deifie the Graven, or Molten Images the work of their own hands; Is it not much more rational and according to [Page 2]Ecclesiastick Rudiment, That Adora­tion, and Divine Rights be performed to Us who are a Living Deity, yea of their Own forming and setting up too? Were they not the late Kings of England that exalted Us to this Grandure, and doth not the World see with what Veneration, and Devo­tion the good King James always re­ceived Our Orders, with what Hu­mility he lies at the Feet of Our Shrine, and with what Reverence he pursues our Absolute Commands? And is it not due to Us upon Account of the Almightiness to which We are ex­alted?

Can We not Thunder like Jupiter, Fabricate Arms like Vulcan, contrive New Forms like Saturn, forge Sto­ries like Mercury, be taken in a Net like Mars, if not Out-do these and the whole Pantheon of Old-fashion'd Gods? And shall We be denied Our Priests, and Altars?

'Tis true, there are not wanting some of the Sacerdotal Function, that with great Piety have acknowledged Our Jus Divinum, and have not been wanting in their Pulpit Declamations, and Writings too, to convince the Ʋnbe­lieving Mob of that Antecedent, and In­herent Right of Sway, and Empire which Our Infallibility justly claims, and Our Vassals out of their Bounden Duty, so inculcated, acknowledged to be Li­neally descended with us, and that by Natural Prerogative. But after all this, I hope we are not to have Our Sove­raign Authority, and Jus Imperii to stand, or fall at the Will and Pleasure of an Orthodox Cassock, or Hood! Was it not the Bounty of Our Fathers and Predecessors, that endow'd their Cloy­sters, and Colledges? And shall these Coxcombs in Orders think to give Law to the Sultanian, and Imperial Power? What hath the Bishop of Rome to do in Secular Affairs? Must the Ambassadors of Our Mightinesis take his Time, and Manner of Entry from the Dire­ction of an Old Formal Pontificat? But now the Father thinks he hath secured his Chair by entring into a Confederacy with Lutherans, Hugenots, and Whiggs; and drawing off a Parcel of sullen De­votes from their Ʋnquestionable Allegi­ance to our Stupendious Majesty; but a­las! the Old Prelate will find himself vastly out in his Measures, when the Thunder of the most Potent Monarch of France, England, Holland, Spain, and Almain, shall have broken his Bulls, [...]m [...]nations, and Ecclesiastical A [...]ery to pieces.

Neither are We without the most Undeniable Assurances imaginable, that may encourage Our Illustrious Confidence, and buoy up the sinking Courage of Our drooping Troops with Undeniable Proofs of Our Rising Fortune. And that you may raise the Confidence of your For­ces, by imparting so great a Secret to them; the Grounds are these; which We have thought meet to acquaint you withall.

1. The de facto Party, as they are called, have made such a Schism in the Minds of the Subject, that, as long as we can keep alive that Scruple, it will encline vast Numbers of the sober; Churchmen to Our Side: For it is most certain, if they can be prevail'd with to believe that a de jure. Shim is not there; It must necessarily reside some where else; and their Allegiance must be due where that is to be found, Now We defie the Papers of Our Late Trusty Confident Nevil Paine to speak more [Page 3]to the Purposes than this amounts to.

2. The Cocks who were not in Condi­tion to fight this Summer, will doubtless have their Weapons grown out against the next; and then We need not doubt Our Right Trusty Catholick, and Ja­cobite Friends will Arm, stand [...], and give the Signal: It is almost Unac­countable to Imagine what became of their Courage when Animated by Our Ships of War, and Gallies on their Coast; but some think sending the lat­ter so near dispirited them, they be­ing a People that have a Natural A­version to the Oar, and Chain.

3. Those, who by too early open­ing the Design, have fallen under the Frowns of the Government, will, by that time, have drawn Breath, and be in Condition to Rally, and pursue their Purposes, unless they shall serve Us, as they did their Abdicating Ma­ster, that is to say, fly without a pur­suer, Secundum Ʋsum Sarum. 'Tis ve­ry true, We have no great reason too much to confide in their Bravery, since, if they deserted when they had the Sword in their hand, there is but small hope they should have the Cou­rage to attempt, when the Army, and Government are against them. But though much Confidence ought not to be laid on their Valour, We may a little rely on Verbum Sacerdotis.

4. Our Royal Armada will, by that Time, be Refitted, and in Con­dition to put to Sea again, if We can but have such good Fortune as the last Bout; only I cannot forbear to tell you as Our Right Trusty Coun­cellour, that We escaped not altoge­ther so well as Our Arches and Pil­lars boast, but, like Achilles We were galled in the heel: And though Our Gazettes made no mention thereof, yet the Docks belonging to Our Arse­nal will shew it, as well as the A­batement of Our Number.

5. For a Supply of the True Sinews of War, though Our Enemies stru [...], and Erect themselves upon the Melting down of Our Houshold, and Altar-Plate, yet hath Our Egregious Care of your Concerns took up so much of Our Thoughts, that We have per­mitted you to make a Coin of Horn, and Leather, as hath been the Usage in Times past: Neither would We have the Ignorant World imagine, that it is the Intrinsick Value of the Metal, that gives Reputation to Our Bullion, but it is the setting the Image, and Superscription of Our High and Mightiness thereon, that puts a real Estimate upon it; So that as We were graciously pleased to in­dulge your late Master to Coin up Kettles, and Shellets to half Crowns, and Shillings: We have given you full Power to make any thing pass that comes next to hand, setting, as was said, Our Victorious Figure there­on.

We heartily commend your Own, and Monsieur Lazun's Conduct in mak­ing good Limerick, and Galloway, for Places of retreat, and, if it be pos­sible for the Soul of a Monarch flusht with such Continual Successes to be Capable of the mean Impressions of Sorrow; it is' only for this, That Our great Ships so inconsiderately burnt the Fisher Boats at Tingmouth, which else might have served to Transvert you, and your Remaining Troops home to [...], when Occasion shall Offer.

What remains is this, That if that Active Prince King William can by no means be prevail'd with to re­mit of his Rigour, and put on a Temper of Calmness, and Remission; if nothing will work him to Com­passion; then that you make all pos­sible haste you can to Us with the Remainder of your Forces, which no doubt we may have need enough of the next Summer; for if he bring his Travelling Tent hither, My Victorious Self, and your Great Master, are re­solved to betake our selves to the Sanctuary of some Holy Roof, and there to end our Days in that Ʋndisturbed Peace, which we have always endea­voured to preserve in Europe: So We bid you heartily Farewel.