Papists, to cover their own Bloody Defign till they have put it in execution.

It is a Plot of a large extent, and what the Reformed in France endure at prefent is an Effect of it; and the reason why they are not quite ceftroy'd, is, because the Work is not done here; but if they could ever carry their Bufineß here, not only the Proteftants in this King's Dominions, and thofe in France, but all the Proteftants in Chriftendome, muft undergo the utmoft Cruelties that Hell and Rome can invent.

And fince nothing will fuffice but our utter Deftruction, if they get the upper hand, it is high time to unite our felves, to oppofe fo dreadful an Ene→ my. And, for my part, I do believe that I fhould incur the Cenfure of a Mad man, if my, House were befet by People who had refolved, if they could get in, to fpoil my Goods, and cut the Throats of me and my Family, if fome of my Servants had offended me, I fhould chufe rather at that time to corre& them for their Offence, than to pass by their Fault, and encourage them to affift me against thofe who were attempting to break into my House. And, in my opinion, there is the fame reafon to be at this time a little tender (fo far as by Law we can) towards thofe who differ from us only in Circumftantials, till the Common Enemy is fubduel, and then we may with greater Safety and Security ule proper ways to make them more conformable.

I must confefs that I am not very inclinable, to perfecute People barely on the score of Religion, and I think Has Majesty has declared himself to the fame purpose; and till the difcovery, of the Plot, there was no man who found lefs fault with Gggg

the

the Papifts than I did; but by it I am convinc'd, that no Peace is to be had with them who without any provocation (for they were tenderly ufed) (hould frame and be ready to execute fo black a Defign, as not to leave one Proteftant alive.

Therefore if the danger to the King, our Laws and Religion does not arife from the Papists, I cannot imagine what else we need to fear, but every man may fit fafely under his Vine and Fig-tree.

I am very fenfible, that there are fome who watch my Words and Actions very narrowly, and from this prefent Difcourfe will take occafion to call me Fanatick or Presbyterian, or if they could think of any term of greater Reproach, would not ftick to lay it upon me: but fuch Revilings, don't difturb me, for the Mischief they defign to me by it will fall upon their own Pates, for their Accufations are false; they cannot charge me with the wilful breach of any Law, or in what Particular I don't conform to the Church; I am fure they cannot convict me of any enormous Crime; if any day be appointed by the Government, whe ther for Fafting or Thanksgiving, they cannot fay that I failed in my Duty; they cannot fay, that upon the 30th of January, or any other day of Humiliation, that at night, when I should have been in my Bed, or else in my Closet, to lament the Sins of the Nation, and to bewail my own. Offences, that either at my own House, or any adjacent Alehoufe, I fate drinking and tippling till three or four a clock in the morning, till I had made my self and the rest of the Company drunk.

If any man be guilty of such things, he highly deferves the Severest Punishment that can be inflicted upon him, for this is fuch grand Hypocrifie, and fo plain a bidding of defiance to God, that they are dangerous to any Civil Society: Such People as thefe, who faft only to prepare their Bodies for Penal

the Nights debauch, are the Informers umfelves,

Statutes, who, to gain fomething to themselves, put their Neighbours to a treble charge; these make no Confcience of an Oath, and are inclinable rather to fwear too much than too little ; yes, neglect their manifeft Duty to God, that they may be able to accuse their Neighbours of a smaller Offence. Men of fuch Principles and Practifes as thefe, are they who beget an ill understanding betwixt the King and his People, by Informations and Suggestions, which if they were but made publick, they would be ashamed to own; by thefe they endeavour to create in His Majefty a diflike of others who are better than themfelves in every refpe&; and hence it occafions, that our domeftick affairs are pry'd into: I will not take upon me to fay how legal these things are, or how far thefe Proceedings are warranted by Law, but I will leave it to every man to confider, whether he is not fafer any where than at his own House; whether his Table may not become a Snare to him, and his own Servants fhall be the means to cut his Throat.

But if Informers would acquaint themselves with the Laws concerning Informations and Suggeftions, they would not be fo hafty in accufing others, for the Law does not feem to favour them at all, but rather difcourages fuch Proceedings, for it gives the Party injur'd very good ReparaGggg 2

tion,

tion, and feverely punishes the Informer, if his Acenfation prove falfe as you will find by thefe Statutes. Lusag nos

1 36

5. Ed. III. 9. It is enacted, That no Man from henceforth fhall be attacked by any Accufation, nor fore-judged of Life or Limb, nor his Lands, Tenements, Goods, or Chattels Seized into the King's Hands, against the form of the great Charter, and the Lam of the Land.

37 Ed. III. 18. Though it be contained in the great Charter, That no Man be taken or imprisoned, not put out of his Freebold, without proces of Law, nevertheleß divers People make falfe Suggestions to the King himself, as well for Malice as otherwife, whereof the King is often grieved, and divers of the Realm put in damage, against the form of the same Charter: Wherefore it's ordained, That all they which make Suggestions shall be fent with the fame Suggestions before the Chancellor, Treafurer, and bis Grand Councel, and that they there find Surety ta prove their Suggestions, and incur the fame Pain that the other jhould have bad if he were attainted, in cafe that bis Suggestions be found evil : And that then proces of the Law be made against them, without being taken and imprisoned, against the form of the faid great Charter and other Statutes.

38 Ed. HI. 9. As to the Article made at the laft Parkament, of those that make grievous Complaints to the King himself, it is affented, That if be that maketh the Complaint cannot prove his Intent against the Defendant, by process limited in the fame Artule, he thall be commanded to Prifon, there to

abide

abide till be hath made good to the Party of bis Damages, and of the Slander that he hath suffer'd by fuch occafion, and after shall make Fine and Ran fome to the King. And the point contained in the Jame Article, That the Plaintiff fhall incur the fame pain which the other should have if he were attainted, fhall be out, in cafe that his Suggestion be found

untrue.

42 Ed. III. 3. At the Request of the Com mons, by their Petitions put forth in this Parliament, to eschew the Mischiefs and Damage done to divers of his Commons by falfe Accufers, which oftentimes have made their Accufations more for Revenge and fingular Benefit, than for the Profit of the King or his People; which ac cufed Perfons fome have been taken, and fometimes caused to come before the King's Council by Writ, and otherwife upon grievous Pain against the Law: It is affented and accorded, for the good governance of the Commons, that no man be put to anfwer without Prefentments before Juftices, or Matter of Record, or by due Proceß and Writ original, according to the old Law of the Land: And if any thing from henceforth be done to the contrary, it shall be void in the Law, and bolden for Error.

To the fame purpose are the Statutes of 17 Rich. II. 6. 15 Hen. VI. 4. which you may perufe at your leifure; and because I will not trouble you too long, I will fay no more of them, but leave every man to make his own Obfervations upon the whole matter, and fo I'll proceed to the Particulars of your Charge.