THE Sad Estate OF THE KINGDOM, Being an account of the first years charge of our Reformation.

It is an old Custom in England among Tradesmen, to Cast up their Books at Christmas: After their example I have thought fit to draw up the last years Account of the Kingdom, by way of Debtor and Creditor, so plainly, that he that runs may read it. They that love England I am sure cannot like it, but for that reason they should help to mend it. When they know the Disease, it will not be hard to find out the Cure. If our miserys do not mend our Hearts, I wish, at least, they may our Ʋnderstandings.

Kingdom Debtor, Kingdom Creditor,
I. TO the loss of three of the ten Com­mandments, Honour thy Father: Thou shalt not Steal: Nor covet any thing that is thy Negh­bours: And those of the Gospel, Do as you would be done by: Don't do evil that good may come of it, nor reward evil with evil, but love one another. I. TO the pretence of preserving us from Popery and Arbitrary Government, by reforming abuses in Elections of Parliament, set­ling Corporations, limiting the Prerogative, and Securing our Laws and Liberties against a stand­ing Army, specially of Foreigners and Papists.
II. To the loss of the Doctrine of Passive-Obe­dience, and Non-resistance, which first recom­mended the Primitive Christians to the mercy and Protection of Kings and Emperours, and has e­ver since the Reformation been the Characteristick of the Church of England. II. To the Doctrines of Might is Right, and the Jus Divinum of the MOBB.
III. To the loss of an English King in the right Line, by the new art of Abdication, who with all his faults, was Affable, Sober, Just and diligent; and Innocent of the main matters suggested a­gainst him. III. To a Dutch King, such an one as he is, with abundance of new Lords and Officers of both houses of Parliament, that are yet to deserve their honour, and learn their business.
IV. To the loss of Ireland, by that means, worth thirty Millions of pounds sterling, and the Con­veniencies of its Neighbourhood, Trade and Ports for our safety and benefit, unvalluable. IV. To a standing Army of Foreigners, brought in and upheld without advice of Parliament, that will Certainly do as King William pleases.
V. To five Millions expended this year to beat the French and recover Ireland. V. To Schomberg's success against the Irish and Harbert's against the French, such as it was.
VI.
  • To thirteen Thousand Souldiers dead in Schombourgs Army, without Sword or Gun, in an unusal and lamentable manner.
  • To three Thousand Men killed, taken and de­serted to King James.
  • To the loss of Dundalk, Carlingford James-Town and Slego, with four Counties in Ʋlster, which is the only Province of Ireland, where the English Forces have any footing.
  • To eleven Thousand Souls that perished in London-derry besides many English and Scotch Inha­bitants that dyed of the same deseases in the North
 VI. To fifteen Hundred men killed and taken, and a Thousand Shams and Stories to keep up the Spirits of the People, especially of mighty Vic­tories, Slaughters and REVOLTS, that time has detected with a Vengeance.
VII. To six Thousand Men that died in Flan­ders, out of the nine Thousand, forced into the Dutch and Spanish service last year against the French for helping King James. VII. To the Dutch-friendship, especially in Trade, and that of the Spaniard and confede­rates, though good for little else but to pick our pockets.
VIII. To seven Thousand Sea-men that died upon the Fleet, of strange distempers. VIII. To poysoned Victuals, or any thing else but the hand of God Almighty.
IX. To five Thousand Sea-men taken by the French, both upon men of War and Marchant men, notwithstanding our Fleet. IX. To five Hundred twenty nine French Prisoners taken by us.
X. To twenty Men of War taken and lost: the value, at least two hundred thousand pounds, which is more then has been lost in three Dutch Wars. X. To one small man of War, and two Priva­tiers taken by us; the first of which was reta­ken, and other two lately destroyed by the storm at Plymouth.
XI. To four Hundred, Sail of Marchant-men taken by the French, & twenty five lost by storms, of which nine were driven off of our own Coasts to France, whose Hulls and Cargo are valued at two Millions five Hundred Thousand pounds, many of the Ships being as big as our large fourth rate Frigats. XI. To twenty five French prizes taken by us, of small burden and mean loading,
XII. To thirty Thousand pounds for pulling down and building up one side of Hampton-Court, and altering the Gardings, and rebuilding what fell down. XII. To a more modish apartment with con­venient back-Staires, though the old one had served well enough eight crowned Heads in better times, besides Cromwell, that loved it of all places.
XIII. To twenty Thousand pounds for my Lord Nottingham and his house, and twenty thousand more to re-build it, with that which fell down of the new building; for it seems they have built with untempered Morter. XIII. To a Good Receipt for the Ptisick.
XIV. To the Navy, Army and Houshold for the most part three quarters Sallery unpayd. XIIII. To six Hundred Thousand pounds sent to Holland for fear of the worst, and as much more to fetch over foreign Ships and Troops, for the better perserving our Rights and Privileges, English men not being to be trusted in a business that so nearly concerns them.
XV. To the loss of a great part of Scotland, and the hazard of the Rest. XV. To the Maintaining of the Prerogative of the Crown against Scotch Republicans, in that OUR antient Kingdom.
XVI. To the loss of fifteen Hundred English, Horse and Foot, in that Kingdom; besides more Scotch. XVI. To the exploits of Mackay.
XVII. To a whole year lost in Trade and War, not to be computed. XVII. To our own folly and Gods Judgments.
XVIII. To two Millions that we are yet in Debt. XVIIII. To three shillings in the pound, and a new Parliament with more foreign Forces and home Levies, and forty Thousand Bagionets (in­stead of Dr Oates forty Thousand black Bills) now bespokon, and making; and saddles, bridles, and other furniture coming from Germany, by the Jews means; for all Nations must have a share of us.
The total of loss in Money I. Money To ballance this, we may perhaps have taken and destroyed, in all, three Thousand of our Enemies, got twenty five Sale of small Craft, worth twen­ty Thousand pound at the most, but remain a most sick Army in Ireland; the astonishment of all beholders and a mutinous, tattered and diseased Fleet still.
Ireland 30000000
Taxes 05000000
Merchants Ships 02500000
Men of War 00200000
Hampton-Court 00030000
Nottingham-house 00040000
  37770000
The total of men lost Men
By death, in Schomburgs Army 13000
Killed, taken and deserted 03000
Perished in Londondery 11000
Dead, deserted & killed in Flanders 06000
Dead in the Fleet 07000
Dead, taken and deserted in Scotland 03000
Men taken by the French 05000
  48000

Hear you see the first years account of our deliverance. Vast Taxes, mighty Losses, great Mortality, so that we have been delivered of more Men, Money and Ships, then our Civil and Dutch Wars formerly cost us, insomuch as they that see not the heavy hand of God upon us, are blind to provi­dence, our sufferings in Interest, as well as Reputation, having surpassed all remedy as well as exam­ple, unless we speedily repent of our impiety to God, our Injustice to our King and our malice against one another.

FINIS.

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