WHere liberty is, if great men be Magistrates they are hatefull to the people, being not sensible that they are banks reared, which though they hinder the sight, yet with­stand inundations; therefore to ruine a Kingdom by force, is a dangerous undertaking: Good resolutions are seldome taken altogether; in all things dangers do appear, and to secure our selves from e­vill, good is done by halfs; and the half of that good is not good, which consisting in the whole admits of no division. To reverse things now irrepairable, and which cannot be diverted, is a labour without profit; but there ought a remedy to be had, for the appear­ing danger. Injuries received, tend to the ruin of men, who with the zeal of honour do not accompany wis­dome; they run upon revenge for past-wrongs, and [Page 2] throw themselves head-long upon new miseries; they would amend one errour, and produce a thousand. Too much haste is as much before time, as too much delay is out of time: Errours of impatience, are worse then errours of delay; for it is better to shun precipi­ces then to run upon them: if they be not hindred, they are retarded. Justice is not believed to be there, where violence is observed to be; nor can it be ac­counted wisdom where there is no augmentation. Augmentation is not had in an instant, time is not measured by instants: Wisdom is the daughter of cold, violence of heat; things which have not been done in times past, may well be effected in times to come, but things already done, cannot be undone a­gain: occasions are never wanting to men, but men are wanting to occasions. And he who sighs, egged on by fury, begins his war for having lost; he satisfies his affection not his duty, and is sooner beaten by his own weakness then anothers valour. Our forbearance is to be served, not despised; the world is his who hath patience when it proceeds from sagacity, not ti­midity. Generous spirits addresse themselves to en­dure present injuries, out of hope of future revenge; they reprove their anger to vindicate offences, not to evaporate passion. Dissimulation is not to be blamed, when by the injury of time it is not transformed into oblivion; dissimulation is never worse then when it becoms forgetfulness; never better, then when it re­sembles it. All industry ought to be used, to have peace with a people, who can never have a worser war, then peace: fair pretences are not wanting to cloak our re­ceived injuries; and many great Statists have self-in­terest for the sphere of their actions. It was the saying [Page 3] of a great Roman, that a Princes death (though vio­lent) if his whole race cease in him, is no impediment to the good government of him that succeeds, if he be not a cause thereof himself, through his bad go­vernment: where there is none of the blood, there is no head; where there is no head, people do but mur­mur, they take no resolution; the greatest provoca­tions to revenge, are either necessity, or profit. And it was likewise the saying of one of the Patriarks, that he who hath won a kingdome by the sword, if he lay not down the sword, the sword will lay down him; and that, that Magistrate is not wise, that maketh use of the same means to govern a State, which he did to possesse himself thereof: and that power is not wor­thy to be obeyed, who useth not the means to be be­loved. But it is not now with England as it hath been formerly with other Nations, who after an intestine War, and differences composed, enjoyed future peace, by disbanding their Armies, and sheathing the sword, having no enemies abroad to disturb or molest them: But so numerous are the Enemies of the English Communalty, who act and conspire in several parts, now to make an inroad for the involving of her in new troubles, and taking revenge for by-past actions; that there is great reason a defensive power should be kept on foot, for the safety and preservation of its peace and liberty, from forreigners threats and fury.

But (Sir) fearing I have been too tedious in the fore-going circumstances, I shall now proceed to the subject of my intelligence, representing such occur­rences as have reference to my Native Country Eng­land. The Treaty here being ended, the declared King of Scots dispatched a letter to the Marquess of Ormond, wherein he declared;

[Page 4] That what he had done as to his Agreement with the Scots, he had done it out of meer ne­cessity, for preserving to his obedience the king­dom of Scotland; and that it had no ways dimi­nished his good affection to the Irish Catho­liques, and the rest of his party; and that as he had absolutely refused to give way to any thing that should tend to their prejudice, so he would still adhere to them, as relying altogether upon their true and faithfull affection (under the judi­tious conduct of him) incomparably more then upon any; either English, or Scottish. And to the end that the true sense of his condescensions might be imparted unto them, he conjur'd him to declare this his will and pleasure, to all his Roman Catholiques in that Kingdom; (viz.) That he will never diminish or recall any of his Grants [formerly] made unto them, but aug­ment them, in all things that may redound to their liberty and safety, &c.

The particulars of this Declaration, I received from a very good hand, who justified, that he was an eye­witness of the signing the said Letter; and withall, that express command was given, that a Copy of the said Letter should be forthwith sent to Doctour Tyrrell [the Irish Agent at Paris] authorizing him to print a hundred Copies, to disperse amongst those of [Page 5] his loyall subjects whom he could confide in, and that had an interest, for the carrying on of the work in Ireland. These passages are very ill resented, and in all probability (as many conjecture) the Scots will finde the sad event thereof when once he gets into the Sad­dle; which causeth this expression from many, that they never desire to see him set footing within those territories: And indeed it is the desire of many others (on the contrary part) likewise. Thus runs the cur­rent of severall sorts of people; but for my part, I desire nothing more, then to see the Land of my Na­tivity, flourish in peace and tranquility: Which is the humble supplication of him, who remains