<A QFIELDING>
<T SERIOUS>
<E 1745>
((A SERIOUS
ADDRESS
TO THE
PEOPLE OF GREAT BRITAIN.
IN WHICH THE
CERTAIN CONSEQUENCES
OF THE
PRESENT REBELLION,
ARE FULLY DEMONSTRATED.
NECESSARY TO BE PERUSED BY EVERY LOVER
OF HIS COUNTRY, AT THIS JUNCTURE.
PER DEOS IMMORTALES, VOS EGO APPELLO, QUI SEMPER DOMOS,
VILLAS, SIGNA, TABULAS VESTRAS, PLURIS, QUAM REMPUBLICAM
FECISTIS: SI ISTA CUJUSCUMQUE MODI SINT, QUAE AMPLEXAMINI,
RETINERE; SI VOLUPTATIBUS VESTRIS OTIUM PRAEBERE, VULTIS:
EXPERGISCIMINI ALIQUANDO, ET CAPESSITE REMPUBLICAM. NON
NUNC AGITUR DE VECTIGALIBUS, NON DE SOCIORUM INJURIIS;
LIBERTAS ET ANIMA NOSTRA IN DUBIO EST.
SAL.  BEL.  CATALIN.
LONDON:
PRINTED FOR M. COOPER, AT THE GLOBE IN PATER-NOSTER- +
ROW. / MDCCXLV.
(PRICE ONE SHILLING.)))
<P 1>
((A SERIOUS
ADDRESS
TO THE
PEOPLE OF GREAT BRITAIN.))
<L 5>
GENTLEMEN,
THE REBELLION LATELY BEGUN IN
SCOTLAND, UNDER THE BANNER OF A
POPISH PRETENDER, ADVISED AND AS-+
SISTED / WITH THE COUNSELS AND ARMS
OF FRANCE AND SPAIN, IS NO LONGER AN OBJECT
OF YOUR DERISION. THE PROGRESS OF THESE
REBELS IS SUCH, AS SHOULD AWAKEN YOUR AP-+
PREHENSIONS / AT LEAST, AND NO LONGER SUFFER YOU
<P 2>
TO NEGLECT THE PROPER METHODS FOR YOUR DE-+
FENCE. / THE CAUSE, INDEED, IS OF SUCH A NA-+
TURE, / THAT THE LEAST DANGER IS SUFFICIENT TO
ALARM US; BUT THE HIGHEST (WAS IT POSSIBLE TO
ARRIVE AT SUCH AN HEIGHT) SHOULD NOT DIS-+
HEARTEN / OR TERRIFY US FROM ENGAGING IN IT.
IT IS A CAUSE, GENTLEMEN, IN WHICH OUR ALL
IS CONCERNED; OUR RELIGION, OUR LIBERTIES,
OUR PROPERTIES, EVERY BLESSING WHICH CAN
MAKE LIFE DEAR TO OURSELVES, OR OUR POSTE-+
RITY, / ARE AT STAKE. A CAUSE, IN WHICH IT
WOULD BE MORE ELIGIBLE FOR US AND OUR CHIL-+
DREN / TO FALL, THAN TO SURVIVE THE SUCCESS OF
OUR ENEMIES.
I AM UNWILLING TO THINK THERE IS A MAN IN
THIS KINGDOM, PAPISTS EXCEPTED, WEAK E-+
NOUGH / TO WISH WELL TO THIS REBELLION. I AM
AS UNWILLING TO BELIEVE THERE IS ONE, WHO
DESIRES TO PRESERVE OUR PRESENT CONSTITUTION,
BASE ENOUGH TO DECLINE THE HAZARD OF HIS
LIFE, AND OF HIS FORTUNE, IN ITS PRESERVATION.
IS ANY ENGLISHMAN SO IGNORANT, AS NOT TO
KNOW THE HAPPINESS OF OUR PRESENT CONSTI-+
TUTION? / SO INSENSIBLE, AS NOT TO PERCEIVE THE
TOTAL DESTRUCTION WITH WHICH IT IS THREATNED?
OR SO MEAN, SO INGLORIOUS A COWARD, AS PATI-+
ENTLY / TO SUBMIT TO THIS DESTRUCTION! NAY,
THE VERY ROMAN CATHOLICKS THEMSELVES MUST
BE BLINDED WITH BIGOTRY TO DESIRE THE CHANGE;
<P 3>
FOR THEY ARE TO PURCHASE THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT
OF THEIR RELIGION AT THE EXPENCE OF THEIR
LIBERTIES, AND WILL INTRODUCE SPANISH AND
FRENCH TYRANNY, TOGETHER WITH A SPA-+
NISH / INQUISITION.
TO WHAT OPINION, OR TO WHAT PRINCIPLE,
MUST ANY MAN SACRIFICE HIMSELF AND HIS
COUNTRY, WHO INCLINES TO THE PRETENDER'S
SIDE ON THIS OCCASION? THE OLD, OBSOLETE,
ABSURD DOCTRINE OF HEREDITARY RIGHT, IF AD-+
MITTED, / WOULD NOT JUSTIFY HIM: THE RIGHT
OF HIS PRESENT MAJESTY IS MUCH STRONGER AND
CLEARER, EVEN IN THIS LIGHT. THE SUSPICIOUS
BIRTH OF THE PRETENDER WAS ATTENDED WITH
SUCH GLARING EVIDENCE OF FRAUD AND IMPOS-+
TURE, / THAT NO JURY WOULD HAVE SUFFERED HIM
TO HAVE SUCCEEDED, EVEN TO A PRIVATE RIGHT
DESCENDED FROM JAMES THE SECOND, COULD
HIS PRETENSIONS HAVE BEEN FAIRLY AND IMPAR-+
TIALLY / TRIED BEFORE THEM. I SHALL NOT, HOW-+
EVER, / INSIST UPON THIS POINT. THE DOCTRINE
ITSELF OF SUCH AN INDEFEASIBLE RIGHT TO THE
CROWN HATH BEEN JUSTLY EXPLODED; THE LE-+
GISLATURE / OF THE KINGDOM HAVE UNANIMOUSLY
DECLARED AGAINST ANY SUCH PRINCIPLE: THE
REVERSE OF IT IS LAW, A LAW AS FIRMLY ESTA-+
BLISH'D / AS ANY OTHER IN THIS KINGDOM; NAY,
IT IS THE FOUNDATION, THE CORNER-STONE
OF ALL OUR LAWS, AND OF THIS CONSTITUTION
<P 4>
ITSELF; NOR IS THE DECLARATION AND CONFIRMA-+
TION / OF THIS GREAT RIGHT OF THE PEOPLE ONE
OF THE LEAST OF THOSE BLESSINGS, WHICH WE OWE
TO THE REVOLUTION. WHATEVER, THEREFORE,
TENDS TO THE SHAKING OF THIS FUNDAMENTAL
RIGHT, DOTH OF ITSELF INTRODUCE AN OPPOSITE
SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT, AND CHANGES NOT ONLY
THE KING, BUT THE CONSTITUTION.
ADMITTING, THEREFORE, THIS PRETENDER TO
BE THE SON OF JAMES THE SECOND, THE STRONGER
IS THE REASON FOR REJECTING HIM. SHALL WE
RETURN LIKE A DOG TO HIS VOMIT? SHALL WE
BRING BACK THAT FAMILY WHICH WE HAVE EX-+
PELLED, / TOGETHER WITH THE PRINCIPLES FOR WHICH
WE EXPELLED THEM; AND WHICH, WITH THE
RESTORATION OF THE SAME FAMILY, MUST BE
ALSO RESTOR'D? SHALL WE PRONOUNCE, AS THIS
INSOLENT MAN HATH DARED TO DO IN HIS DECLA-+
RATION, / THAT WE HAVE BEEN UNDER AN USURPA-+
TION / THESE FIFTY YEARS? THAT LORDS AND COM-+
MONS, / AND THE WHOLE ENGLISH NATION, HAVE
BEEN TRAITORS SO LONG? THAT THE BILL OF
RIGHTS, THE ACT OF SUCCESSION, AND THE ACT
OF UNION, WERE HIGH TREASON?
LET US LOOK BACK TO THE HISTORY OF THAT
PRINCE, FROM WHOM THIS PRETENDER CLAIMS.
IT WAS NOT ONLY THE DIFFERENCE OF HIS RELI-+
GION / FROM THAT OF THIS COUNTRY, WHICH
<P 5>
MADE HIM UNFIT TO BE KING OF IT; HE WAS
UNFIT TO GOVERN EVEN A CATHOLICK COUNTRY,
WHICH HAD LIBERTIES TO DEFEND, BECAUSE HIS
MIND WAS STRONGLY TAINTED WITH ALL THE NO-+
TIONS / OF ABSOLUTE POWER. PASSIVE OBEDIENCE,
AND NON-RESISTANCE ON THE PART OF THE SUB-+
JECT, / AND A DISPENSING POWER IN THE CROWN,
WITH AN INDEFEASIBLE HEREDITARY RIGHT, JURE
DIVINO, WERE AS MUCH ARTICLES OF HIS POLI-+
TICAL / CREED, AS THE SUPREMACY OF THE POPE,
OR TRANSUBSTANTIATION, WERE OF HIS RELIGIOUS
ONE: UPON THE FORMER HE ACTED THRO' HIS WHOLE
REIGN; NAY, IN THE REIGN OF HIS BROTHER;
WHOSE INDOLENCE GAVE HIM A GREAT SHARE OF
THE ROYAL AUTHORITY, AND THIS IT WAS WHICH
CHIEFLY OCCASIONED THE WEAKNESS AND FAULTS
OF THAT REIGN, AT HOME AND ABROAD. BY HIS
INSTIGATION, DID KING CHARLES THE SECOND
MAKE WAR WITH THE DUTCH, AGAINST THE IN-+
TEREST / OF ENGLAND, ONLY BECAUSE THEY WERE A
FREE STATE, AND LIKELY TO ASSIST THIS KINGDOM IN
MAINTAINING ITS LIBERTIES. BY HIS INSTIGA-+
TION, / DID HE NURSE UP THE POWER OF FRANCE,
THAT FRANCE MIGHT ASSIST THE TWO ROYAL BRO-+
THERS / IN ENSLAVING THE PEOPLE OF ENGLAND.
BY HIS INSTIGATION, DID THE SAME CHARLES THE
SECOND DISSOLVE THOSE PARLIAMENTS THAT PRESS'D
THE BILL OF EXCLUSION. BY HIS INSTIGATION,
DID HE TAKE AWAY, BY QUO WARRANTOS, THE
CHARTERS OF ALL CORPORATIONS THAT HAD OP-+
POS'D /
<P 6>
THE CROWN IN ELECTIONS. BY HIS IN-+
STIGATION, / DID HE SHED SOME OF THE BEST AND
NOBLEST BLOOD IN THIS KINGDOM, AGAINST LAW,
AND BY FORM OF LAW, WHICH IS THE WORST
OF ALL TYRANNY. IT WAS JAMES DUKE OF
YORK, WHO WHETTED THE AXE WHICH BEHEADED
ALGERNON SIDNEY, FOR WRITING A BOOK IN DE-+
FENCE / OF OUR LIBERTIES, AND THE GOOD LORD
RUSSEL, FOR PROMOTING THE BILL OF EXCLUSION,
AS A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT. WHEN IN SPITE
OF THAT BILL HE ASCENDED THE THRONE, HE FULLY
JUSTIFIED THE CAUTION OF PARLIAMENT, AND OF
THOSE WORTHY PATRIOTS, IN THEIR DESIGN OF EX-+
CLUDING / HIM, BOTH AS A BIGOT AND AS A TY-+
RANT; / AND THIS IN DIRECT CONTRADICTION TO THE
STRONGEST AND MOST SOLEMN PROMISES OF MAIN-+
TAINING / BOTH OUR RELIGION AND LIBERTIES;
PROMISES WHICH HE AGAIN REPEATED, WHEN HE
THOUGHT HIS CROWN WAS IN DANGER, AND A-+
GAIN / BROKE, WHEN HE THOUGHT HIMSELF IN THE
LEAST DELIVERED FROM THAT DANGER. BESIDES
HIS AVOWED DESIGN OF ESTABLISHING POPERY,
BESIDES ALL THOSE ACTS OF ARBITRARY POWER,
ENUMERATED IN THE DECLARATION OF RIGHTS,
WHICH STRUCK AT THE VERY ROOT OF LIBERTY,
AND THE FUNDAMENTALS OF OUR CONSTITUTION,
THERE ARE MANY INSTANCES OF WANTON CRU-+
ELTY / AND INVETERATE REVENGE, WHERE NEITHER
THE INTEREST OF THE PRIEST OR TYRANT WERE
CONCERN'D, (AND WHICH COULD PROCEED ONLY
<P 7>
FROM THAT CRUEL DISPOSITION, WHICH HE HAD
BEFORE DISCOVERED IN SCOTLAND, BY THE DELIGHT
HE TESTIFIED IN THE GROANS AND SKREAMS OF
WRETCHES UNDER TORTURE;) WITNESS THE INHU-+
MAN / AND UNPARALLEL'D BUTCHERY COMMITTED
IN COLD BLOOD, BY HIS IMMEDIATE ORDER, ON
MONMOUTH'S CONQUER'D PEOPLE IN THE WEST;
FOR WHICH HIS WICKED INSTRUMENT, JEFFREYS,
WAS AT HIS RETURN IMMEDIATELY REWARDED
WITH THE SEALS: THE UNMANLY, AS WELL AS
ILLEGAL MURDER OF A POOR OLD WOMAN, IN THE
CASE OF LADY LISLE; AND THAT EVER-MEMO-+
RABLE / REMOVABLE OF LORD CHIEF JUSTICE HER-+
BERT / FROM THE KING'S BENCH, IN ORDER TO HANG
A PRIVATE SOLDIER CONTRARY TO LAW. THESE
ARE FACTS, WHICH BESPEAK NOT ONLY A BAD
PRINCE, BUT A BAD MAN; NOT ONLY AN ARBI-+
TRARY / AND WICKED, BUT A BASE AND CONTEMP-+
TIBLE / MIND: FACTS WHICH WOULD HAVE GLAR'D
IN THE HISTORY OF A DIONYSIUS, OR OF ANY THE
MOST ABHORR'D TYRANTS OF ANTIQUITY.
BUT IT MAY BE SAID, THAT THOUGH THIS
PRETENDER DERIVES A RIGHT, HE OUGHT NOT TO
DERIVE ANY INFAMY FROM HIS SUPPOSED FA-+
THER, / SINCE HE MAY POSSIBLY PROTECT THAT
RELIGION AND LIBERTY, WHICH THE OTHER EN-+
DEAVOURED TO EXTIRPATE.
<P 8>
UPON WHAT THESE HOPES ARE FOUNDED, IS
NOT EASY TO CONCEIVE; ON THE CONTRARY, WITH-+
OUT / ALLOWING THE LEGITIMACY OF HIS BIRTH,
OF WHICH HOWEVER THE TEMPER HE HATH AL-+
WAYS / DISCLOSED, IS THE STRONGEST EVIDENCE, WE
MIGHT BE ALLOWED TO DRAW SOME APPREHEN-+
SIONS / FROM THE EDUCATION WHICH HE HAD IN
HIS INFANCY, UNDER THIS VERY PERSON, AND
WHICH WAS AFTERWARDS COMPLETED IN THE
COURTS OF FRANCE AND ROME.
THESE CIRCUMSTANCES ALONE WOULD JUSTIFY
OUR FEARS, HAD HIS OWN CONDUCT GIVEN US
NONE: BUT WHEN OF ALL THE PROFESSORS OF
THAT CRUEL RELIGION, HE IS KNOWN TO BE THE
MOST BIGOTTED; WHEN WITHOUT POWER,
WITHOUT DOMINIONS, HE HATH IN THE
LITTLE CIRCLE OF HIS MOCK COURT EXHI-+
BITED / THE STRONGEST PICTURE OF A TYRANT,
AFFECTING EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS HIS
RESOLUTION OF BEING ARBITRARY, WHAT FURTHER,
WHAT STRONGER ASSURANCES CAN WE WANT,
NAY, WHAT COULD WE POSSIBLY HAVE OF THE
MISERY, THE PERDITION, WHICH SUCH A CHOICE
MUST ENTAIL ON OURSELVES, AND OUR POSTE-+
RITY? /
<P 9>
HIS BIGOTRY IS SO WELL KNOWN TO THE
WHOLE WORLD, THAT IT REQUIRES NO INSTAN-+
CES. / HIS WHOLE LIFE IS ONE CONSTANT ACT
OF SUPERSTITION. A SINGLE EXAMPLE, HOW-+
EVER, / IS TOO GLARING TO BE PASS'D BY, AS IT
SHEWS AN ABHORRENCE TO OUR RELIGION
SCARCE TO BE PARALLEL'D. WHEN HE WAS IN
SCOTLAND IN THE YEAR ((1716)), HE ABSOLUTELY
REFUSED TO ADMIT DR((.)) LESLY, A PROTESTANT
DIVINE, TO SAY GRACE AT HIS TABLE; BUT OR-+
DERED / A ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST TO PERFORM
THAT CEREMONY. THIS DR((.)) LESLY WAS A NON-+
JUROR, / ONE WHO HAD EMBRACED HIS PARTY,
AND WAS BY HIM MADE A BISHOP. HE WAS
A SCOTCHMAN, REFUSED THIS LITTLE FAVOUR IN
THE FACE OF HIS COUNTRYMEN, WHO WERE TO
VENTURE THEIR LIVES AND FORTUNES IN ORDER
TO SET THIS POPISH BIGOT ON THE THRONE OF
GREAT BRITAIN: ALL THESE MEN HE VEN-+
TURED / DISOBLIGING, RATHER THAN HE WOULD
SHEW THE LEAST COUNTENANCE TO THAT RELI-+
GION, / WHICH SOME SIMPLE PROTESTANTS HAVE
BEEN WEAK ENOUGH TO FLATTER THEMSELVES
THAT HE WOULD BETTER DEFEND THAN A PRINCE OF
OUR OWN RELIGION.
NOR IS THE CIVIL TYRANT LESS APPARENT IN
THIS PRETENDED KING, THAN THE RELIGIOUS:
HIS LITTLE COURT AT AVIGNON WAS COMPARED
<P 10>
BY THE LATE LORD MAR, WHO WAS AT IT, TO
THAT OF LEWIS ((XIV.)) IN THE ABSOLUTE DEMEA-+
NOR / OF ITS SOVEREIGN; FOR INDEED IT COULD RE-+
SEMBLE / IT IN NO OTHER INSTANCE; WHERE THIS
MOCK KING STRUTTED ABOUT WITH A KIND OF
THEATRICAL POMP, AND, THOUGH CONQUER'D,
BANISH'D, DESERTED, WITHOUT A SINGLE SMILE
OF FORTUNE TO SWELL HIS AMBITION, HE RE-+
TAINED / ALL THOSE PRINCIPLES OF PRIDE AND AR-+
BITRARY POWER, WITH WHICH FLATTERY AND
SUCCESS INSPIRED THE MIND OF THE GRAND MO-+
NARCH. / THIS IS A FACT PUBLISH'D BY MANY,
WHO FROM DETESTATION OF HIS PRINCIPLES
ABANDONED THE CAUSE OF A MAN WHO THUS
TYRANNIZ'D OVER VOLUNTARY SLAVES, WHOM RE-+
BELLION / ALONE HAD SUBJECTED TO HIS AUTHO-+
RITY. /
<L 18>
AND SHALL WE BE CHEATED WITH SO GROSS AN
IMPOSITION, THAT IT IS NOT UNDER THE BANNER
OF THIS PRETENDER, BUT OF HIS SON, THAT THE
HIGHLANDERS HAVE NOW TAKEN UP ARMS! WHAT,
IS THE SON BUT THE TOOL OF THE FATHER? DOTH
HE NOT ACT BY COMMISSION FROM HIM? HATH
HE NOT TAKEN UPON HIMSELF THE TITLE OF RE-+
GENT / ONLY, DURING THE ABSENCE, AND IN THE
NAME OF HIS FATHER? IS NOT HIS FATHER
NOW ACTUALLY REMOVING FROM ROME, TO COME
AND TAKE POSSESSION OF HIS SON'S CONQUESTS,
<P 11>
WERE WE EITHER SO WEAK, OR SO MISERABLE AS
TO BE CONQUERED BY SUCH AN INVADER?
THIS IS THE PERSON WHO IS NOW TO BE OB-+
TRUDED / UPON US; THIS IS HE FOR WHOM WE
ARE TO EXCHANGE A PRINCE, WHO, DURING A
REIGN OF EIGHTEEN YEARS, HATH NOT STAINED
A SCAFFOLD WITH A SINGLE DROP OF ENGLISH
BLOOD; (AN INSTANCE NOT TO BE PARALLELL'D IN
ANY ONE REIGN SINCE THE CONQUEST.) NOR
CAN HIS ENEMIES SHEW ANY ONE EXAMPLE IN
HIS WHOLE REIGN, WHERE ANY, EVEN THE LOW-+
EST / SUBJECT, HATH BEEN OPPRESSED IN HIS PER-+
SON, / OR DEPRIVED OF HIS PROPERTY BY MEANS
UNAUTHORIZ'D BY THE KNOWN LAWS OF THIS
REALM.
BUT IF THE SINS OF THIS PRETENDER'S FORE-+
FATHERS, / THE RELIGION AND PRINCIPLES IN WHICH
HE HATH BEEN EDUCATED, THE POPISH BIGOTRY
AND CIVIL TYRANNY WHICH HE HATH ALWAYS
PROFESS'D AND PRACTISED, BE NOT SUFFICIENT TO
RAISE OUR TERROR AND DETESTATION OF HIS
NAME; THERE IS YET ANOTHER REASON BEHIND,
ONE MORE CONCLUSIVE, IF POSSIBLE, AGAINST HIS
CAUSE, THAN ANY I HAVE YET URGED. THIS
FIREBRAND IS NOT ONLY THE INSTRUMENT OF
ROME AND SPAIN, BUT OF FRANCE TOO: HE
BRINGS NOT ONLY PAPAL BULLS, AND SPANISH
<P 12>
INQUISITIONS, BUT FRENCH GALLIES AND BASTILES
ALONG WITH HIM.
IF POPERY AND ARBITRARY POWER, IF THE
DESTRUCTION OF OUR RELIGION AND CONSTITU-+
TION / CANNOT ALARM US, STILL THE APPREHEN-+
SIONS / OF FRENCH GOVERNMENT MUST BE SURELY
SUFFICIENT. WHATEVER THE HIGHEST DEGREES
OF WICKEDNESS OR FOLLY MIGHT PROMPT US
TO SUBMIT TO UNDER AN ABSOLUTE POPISH MO-+
NARCH / OF OUR OWN, THERE IS NOT, I HOPE, A
SINGLE PERSON SO BASE, AS PATIENTLY TO SEE HIS
COUNTRY BETRAYED TO BE A PROVINCE OF
FRANCE, THE CERTAIN THE INEVITABLE CONSE-+
QUENCE / OF THE PRETENDER'S SUCCESS. TRUE
IT IS, THAT NEITHER OF THESE POWERS HAVE
BEEN YET ABLE TO LAND ANY FORCES IN THIS
KINGDOM; A HAPPY CIRCUMSTANCE, FOR WHICH
WE ARE ONLY OBLIGED TO THE EXCELLENT DISPO-+
SITION / AND CARE OF OUR FLEETS: FOR ARE THEY
NOT KNOWN TO HAVE BOTH TRANSPORTS AND
MEN READY FOR THIS PURPOSE? NAY, WAS NOT
THAT FRENCH MAN OF WAR, WHICH WAS PRO-+
VIDENTIALLY / DEFEATED BY ONE OF OURS, FILLED
WITH BOTH MEN AND ARMS FOR HIS SERVICE?
IS ENGLISH LIBERTY, OR IS FRENCH SLA-+
VERY / SO LITTLE KNOWN, THAT IT IS NECESSARY
TO EXPATIATE A MOMENT ON EITHER? SHALL I
EVEN BE PERMITTED TO REMIND YOU OF THE SE-+
CURITY, /
<P 13>
WITH WHICH THE FREEDOM, THE LIFE,
THE PROPERTY OF ENGLISHMEN ARE GUARDED BY
THE LAW? CAN THE GREATEST MAN AMONG
US, EVEN THE KING HIMSELF, TAKE ONE OF THESE
FROM THE POOREST? CAN ANY MAN BE IMPRI-+
SONED / WRONGFULLY, WITHOUT PRESENT REDRESS,
AND FUTURE SATISFACTION? CAN HE BE PUNISH'D
WITHOUT A TRIAL, WITHOUT AN UNANIMOUS
CONVICTION, BY TWELVE MEN OF HIS EQUALS,
HAVING BEEN FIRST ACCUSED ON THE OATHS OF
A GRAND JURY OF THE LIKE NUMBER? IS HE
THEN LIABLE TO ANY OTHER SENTENCE, THAN THAT
TO WHICH THE EXPRESS LETTER OF THE LAW
ADJUDGES HIM, A SENTENCE WHICH THE KING
CAN NEITHER AGGRAVATE OR ALTER?
IS HIS PROPERTY LESS SAFE THAN HIS LIFE?
MAY HE NOT ENJOY IT HOW HE WILL, AND GIVE
IT TO WHOM HE PLEASES? CAN ANY MAN TAKE
FROM HIM AN ACRE, OR A SHILLING, BUT BY
A DUE COURSE OF LAW, IN WHICH HIS CAUSE
IS TO BE DETERMINED BY THE SAME JURY OF HIS
EQUALS?
PERHAPS THE SLAVERY OF FRANCE, THOUGH
TOO NEARLY OUR NEIGHBOUR, MAY BE LESS KNOWN,
AND HER LETTRES DE CACHET MAY BE A WORD
LESS UNDERSTOOD THAN THE HABEAS CORPUS ACT.
<P 14>
GIVE ME LEAVE, THEREFORE, TO INFORM
YOU, THAT THE PERSON OF A FRENCHMAN IS SO
FAR FROM BEING PROTECTED BY THEIR LAWS
FROM IMPRISONMENT, THAT THEY ARE EVERY
DAY LIABLE, WITHOUT ANY CRIME, NAY, WITH-+
OUT / ANY ACCUSATION, TO BE SEIZED BY THE
AUTHORITY OF A LETTRE DE CACHET, (A WAR-+
RANT / UNDER THE KING'S SIGNET, BACKED BY A
SECRETARY OF STATE) AND CONVEYED NOT ONLY
TO PRISONS, BUT DUNGEONS, WHERE THEIR
FRIENDS AND RELATIONS NEITHER KNOW THE
PLACES OF THEIR CONFINEMENT, NOR IF THEY
DID, WOULD THEY HAVE ANY METHOD OF OB-+
TAINING / THEIR DISCHARGE, (HOWEVER INNOCENT)
NOR EVEN OF PROCURING ACCESS TO THEM.
AND AS THEY MAY BE SENT TO THESE PRI-+
SONS / WITHOUT ANY ACCUSATION, SO MAY THEY
BE DETAINED THERE WITHOUT ANY TRIAL, OFTEN
FOR MANY YEARS, AND SOMETIMES TO THE END
OF THEIR LIVES, HOWEVER LONG NATURE MAY
BE ABLE TO STRUGGLE WITH ALL THE MISERIES,
WANTS, AND INCLEMENCIES OF A NOISOME
DUNGEON.
NOR IS THIS CRUELTY EXERTED RARELY, ON
HIGH EXIGENCIES OF STATE, OR AGAINST DAN-+
GEROUS / AND TRAITEROUS PERSONS ONLY; BUT ON
THE SLIGHTEST OCCASIONS, AND TO SATISFY THE
<P 15>
PRIVATE RESENTMENT OF ONE MAN AGAINST AN-+
OTHER. / LETTRES DE CACHET (SAYS A CELEBRAT-+
ED / FRENCH WRITER) SONT LES ARMES QUE CER-+
TAINES / GENS EMPLOIENT EN FRANCE CONTRE
LEURS ENEMIES. THESE LETTERS ARE THE ARMS
WHICH SEVERAL PERSONS IN FRANCE EMPLOY A-+
GAINST / THEIR ENEMIES. THE JEALOUSY OF AN
AMOROUS INTRIGUE HATH FREQUENTLY BROUGHT
ON THIS MISCHIEF: THIS AN ENGLISH GENTLE-+
MAN, / WELL KNOWN IN THE WORLD, EXPERIEN-+
CED; / WHO WAS CONFINED, OR RATHER HID, SE-+
VEN / YEARS IN THE BASTILE, BY ONE OF THESE
LETTERS, ON ACCOUNT OF AN AMOUR. NOR
NEED THIS BE THE JEALOUSY OF A MINISTER OF
STATE, A PRINCE OF THE BLOOD, OR OF ANY
GREAT MAN; THAT OF A VALET DE CHAMBRE TO
ANY OF THEM WILL BE SUFFICIENT; NAY, OR OF
ANY OTHER PERSON, WHO BY INTEREST OR MO-+
NEY / CAN PURCHASE ONE OF THESE LETTERS;
WHICH MAY BE HAD FROM THE LOWEST COURT-+
DEPENDANT: / SO COMMON ARE THEY, THAT IN
THE ADMINISTRATION OF CARDINAL FLEURY, THE
GENTLEST AND MILDEST PRIME MINISTER WHICH
FRANCE EVER KNEW, NO LESS THAN FORTY-+
EIGHT / THOUSAND OF THESE LETTERS WERE
GRANTED, WHICH WERE SOLD BY HIS OFFICERS
AND SERVANTS TO ANY WHO WOULD PAY FOR
<P 16>
THEM; SO THAT WELL MAY THE ABOVEMENTION-+
ED / WRITER SAY OF THEM, THAT THEY MAKE THE
ABBEES AND COURTIERS TREMBLE.
NOR ARE THE LIVES OF THESE MISERABLE
PEOPLE MORE SECURE THAN THEIR LIBERTIES. AS
TO ALL THE LOWER SORT, THEY HOLD THEIR LIVES
IN A MANNER AT THE WILL OF THEIR MASTERS;
WHO, IF THEY THINK PROPER TO KILL THEM, ARE
SELDOM IN MORE DANGER THAN OF A MODE-+
RATE / MULCT; IT BEING INCONSISTENT WITH FRENCH
POLITENESS TO HANG A GENTLEMAN FOR THE
DEATH OF A SLAVE OR A PEASANT.
AS TO THEIR LEGAL METHOD OF DESTROYING PER-+
SONS, / TAKE THE FOLLOWING INSTANCE. A GAS-+
COGNE, / IN THE YEAR ((1713)), KILLED AN OFFICER
OF THE FINANCES. IT APPEARED ON THE EVI-+
DENCE, / THAT IT WAS DONE IN THE DEFENCE OF
HIS WIFE, WHO WAS ASSAULTED AND VERY RUDE-+
LY / TREATED BY THE OFFICER; ON THIS HE WAS
ACQUITTED. UPON APPLICATION OF THE SUPE-+
RIOR / OFFICERS OF THE FINANCES, (THE CRAFT BE-+
ING / IN DANGER) THE CAUSE WAS TRY'D OVER
AGAIN BEFORE OTHER JUDGES, BY THE KING'S
SPECIAL MANDATE; AND THE POOR GASCOGNE,
NOTWITHSTANDING HE MADE THE SAME GOOD
DEFENCE, WAS CONVICTED AND EXECUTED.
<P 17>
INFERIOR PUNISHMENTS (THE GALLIES FOR IN-+
STANCE) / ARE INFLICTED OFTEN IN A SUMMARY MAN-+
NER, / WITHOUT ANY FORM OF TRIAL; AND MA-+
NY / ARE CONDEMNED TO THEM FOR LIFE BY
ORDER OF THE KING, OR OF THE SECRETARY OF
STATE.
NOR IS IT ONLY IN CIVIL MATTERS, FROM JEA-+
LOUSY / OF STATE, THAT THESE SEVERITIES ARE
EXERCISED; THEY CLERGY ARE ALLOWED THE USE OF
THEM AGAINST THE JANSENISTS; THAT IS, AGAINST
THOSE OF THEIR COUNTRYMEN WHO DARE
TO MAINTAIN THE LIBERTIES OF THE GALLICAN
CHURCH, IN OPPOSITION TO THE ILLEGAL CLAIMS
OF THE POPE. SUCH A WICKED LEAGUE WILL
THERE ALWAYS BE IN ROMAN CATHOLIC COUN-+
TRIES, / BETWEEN ECCLESIASTICAL AND CIVIL TY-+
RANNY. /
<L 18>
IF THEIR LIVES AND LIBERTIES ARE SO IN-+
SECURE, / WE OUGHT NOT TO SUPPOSE THEIR PRO-+
PERTIES / TO BE IN A BETTER SITUATION. AND
FIRST, NO MAN IN THE KINGDOM (OF WHAT
QUALITY SOEVER) DARES CUT HIS CORN, WHEN
RIPE, TILL THE KING'S OFFICERS HAVE CHOSEN
WHAT PART THEY WILL RECEIVE FOR HIS SERVICE,
AND THIS AT THEIR OWN PRICE: A RESTRAINT
OF THE UTMOST INCONVENIENCE TO THE POOR
<P 18>
FARMER, WHO IS OBLIGED TO BRIBE THESE
OFFICERS TO DO THEIR DUTY, WHICH, IN ORDER
TO EXACT MONEY OF THESE WRETCHES, THEY WILL
OFTEN NEGLECT IT TILL THE CORN BECOMES ROTTEN
ON THE GROUND.
AND HOW EASY IT IS TO DEPRIVE THEM
EVEN OF THIS PRECARIOUS PROPERTY, MAY BE
GATHERED FROM THE CONDUCT OF THEIR COURTS
OF JUDICATURE; WHICH, WHENEVER A CAUSE
IS TO BE TRIED BETWEEN A GREAT MAN AND HIS
INFERIOR, ARE ALWAYS FILLED WITH THE NOBI-+
LITY, / WHO NEVER FAIL BY THEIR PRESENCE (AS
THEIR INTENT VISIBLY IS) TO INFLUENCE AND AWE
THE JUDGES BY WHOSE VOICES THE CAUSE IS
DETERMINED.
INSTANCES OF THIS KIND HAPPEN ALMOST
EVERY DAY; INDEED THEY ARE AS COMMON
THERE IN DECISIONS OF PRIVATE PROPERTY, AS
EXAMPLES OF CORRUPTION IN ENGLAND AT
ELECTIONS IN THE MOST CORRUPT BURROUGH OF
THE KINGDOM.
LASTLY, AS TO THEIR TAXATIONS: THE ME-+
THOD / IS IN ALL THEIR PROVINCES, THAT WHERE-+
AS / A CERTAIN SUM IS ARBITRARILY DEMANDED BY
THE COURT OF THE PROVINCE, THE INTENDANT
(AND OFFICER APPOINTED BY THE COURT) HATH
<P 19>
POWER TO LEVY IT IN WHAT MANNER HE PLEASES;
A POWER WHICH IS ALWAYS EXERCISED WITH
THE GREATEST OPPRESSION AND PARTIALITY. SUCH
ARE THE CRUELTIES WITH WHICH THE LEVYING
THESE TAXES ARE ATTENDED IN THIS PRESENT
WAR, THAT THERE IS SCARCE A PEASANT IN FRANCE
WHO HATH A BED LEFT TO LIE UPON; AND TO
SUCH MISERIES ARE THEY REDUCED, AS I AM AS-+
SURED / BY A GENTLEMAN JUST COME OVER FROM
THENCE, THAT BY FILTH, FAMINE AND GRIEF,
THEY HAVE ALMOST LOST THE HUMAN COUN-+
TENANCE. /
<L 13>
AND THIS, GENTLEMEN, IS THE CONSTITUTION,
THIS IS THE GOVERNMENT NOW ENDEAVOURED TO
BE OBTRUDED UPON US, AND WHICH IS TO RAGE
HERE WITH ALL THE AGGRAVATION WITH WHICH
THE WORST GOVERNMENTS EXERCISE THEIR TY-+
RANNY / OVER A DEPENDANT PROVINCE.
THIS THEN BEING THE CIVIL EXCHANGE WE
ARE TO MAKE, LET US KNOW EXAMINE THE RELI-+
GIOUS. / AND HERE I SHALL OMIT THE ADVAN-+
TAGES / WHICH, IN A SPIRITUAL SENSE, OUR RE-+
LIGION / HAS OVER POPISH HEATHENISM AND IN-+
NOVATION; / THAT TASK HATH BEEN OFTEN EXE-+
CUTED / BY MUCH MORE ABLE PENS: IT IS SUF-+
FICIENT /
<P 20>
FOR MY PRESENT PURPOSE TO SET BEFORE
YOU THE HORRORS OF POPERY IN A TEMPORAL
LIGHT ONLY.
ON THIS HEAD, I MAY BE EXCUSED FROM AN
UNNECESSARY PANEGYRIC ON THAT FREEDOM
WITH WHICH ALL MEN IN THIS NATION AS SUF-+
FERED / TO ENJOY THEIR OWN CONSCIENCES, AND
TO SERVE THEIR GOD IN WHAT MANNER THEY
PLEASE.
HOW DIFFERENT FROM, INDEED HOW OPPO-+
SITE / TO THIS IS THE TEMPER OF POPERY, EVEN
IN FRANCE ITSELF, WHERE THE MALIGNITY AND
FURY OF THAT RELIGION RAGES WITH SOMEWHAT
LESS VIOLENCE THAN IN THOSE COUNTRIES FROM
WHENCE THE RELIGIOUS MODEL BROUGHT OVER
TO US BY THE PRETENDER MUST BE DERIVED.
HEAR A LEARNED AND INGENIOUS WRITER,
SPEAKING OF MARSEILLES IN THE YEAR ((1686)),
AT A TIME WHEN JAMES ((II.)) WAS ATTEMPTING
TO INTRODUCE THIS VERY RELIGION INTO ENG-+
LAND. /
<L 22>
*THE INSTANCES, SAYS HE, I SAW, ARE SO
MUCH BEYOND ALL THE COMMON MEASURES
OF BARBARITY AND CRUELTY, THAT I CONFESS THEY
OUGHT NOT TO BE BELIEVED, UNLESS I COULD
GIVE MORE POSITIVE PROOFS OF THEM THAN
<P 21>
ARE FITTING NOW TO BE BROUGHT FORTH; AND
THE PARTICULARS THAT I COULD TELL YOU ARE
SUCH, THAT IF I SHOULD RELATE THEM, WITH
THE NECESSARY CIRCUMSTANCES OF TIME,
PLACE, AND PERSONS, THESE MIGHT BE SO FA-+
TAL / TO MANY THAT ARE IN THE POWER OF THEIR
ENEMIES, THAT MY REGARD TO THEM RE-+
STRAINS / ME. IN SHORT, I DO NOT THINK THAT
IN ANY AGE THERE EVER WAS SUCH A VIOLA-+
TION / OF ALL THAT IS SACRED, EITHER WITH RELA-+
TION / TO GOD OR MAN: AND WHAT I SAW
AND KNEW THERE, FROM THE FIRST HAND,
HATH SO CONFIRMED ALL THE IDEAS THAT I HAD
TAKEN FROM BOOKS, OF THE CRUELTY OF THAT
RELIGION, THAT I HOPE THE IMPRESSION THAT
THIS HATH MADE UPON ME, SHALL NEVER END
BUT WITH MY LIFE. THE APPLAUSES THAT
THE WHOLE CLERGY GIVE TO THIS WAY OF
PROCEEDING, THE MANY PANEGYRICKS THAT
ARE ALREADY WRIT UPON IT, OF WHICH, BESIDES
THE MORE POMPOUS ONES THAT APPEAR AT
PARIS, THERE ARE NUMBERS WRIT BY SMALLER
AUTHORS IN EVERY TOWN OF ANY NOTE THERE;
AND THE SERMONS, THAT ARE ALL FLIGHTS OF
FLATTERY UPON THIS SUBJECT, ARE SUCH EVI-+
DENT / DEMONSTRATIONS OF THEIR SENSE OF THIS
MATTER, THAT WHAT IS NOW ON FOOT MAY
WELL BE TERMED, THE ACT OF THE WHOLE
CLERGY OF FRANCE; WHICH YET HATH BEEN
<P 22>
HITHERTO ESTEEMED THE MOST MODERATE PART
OF THE ROMAN COMMUNION. IF ANY ARE
MORE MODERATE THAN OTHERS, AND HAVE NOT
SO FAR LAID OFF THE HUMAN NATURE, AS TO
GO INTIRELY INTO THOSE BLOODY PRACTICES, YET
THEY DARE NOT OWN IT, BUT WHISPER IT IN
SECRET, AS IF IT WERE HALF TREASON; BUT
FOR THE GREATER PART, THEY DO NOT ONLY MAG-+
NIFY / ALL THAT IS DONE, BUT THEY ANIMATE
EVEN THE DRAGOONS TO HIGHER DEGREES OF
RAGE: AND THERE WAS SUCH A HEAT SPREAD
OVER ALL THE COUNTRY UPON THIS OCCASION,
THAT ONE COULD NOT GO INTO ANY ORDINARY,
OR MIX IN ANY PROMISCUOUS CONVERSATION,
WITHOUT FINDING SUCH EFFECTS OF IT, THAT IT
WAS NOT EASY FOR SUCH AS WERE TOUCHED
WITH THE LEAST DEGREE OF COMPASSION FOR
THE MISERIES THAT THE POOR PROTESTANTS SUF-+
FERED, / TO BE A WITNESS TO THE INSULTINGS
THAT THEY MUST MEET WITH IN ALL PLACES.*
AGAIN, A LITTLE AFTERWARD:
*I MUST TAKE THE LIBERTY TO ADD ONE
THING TO YOU, THAT I DO NOT SEE THAT THE
FRENCH KING IS TO BE SO MUCH BLAMED IN
THIS MATTER, AS HIS RELIGION, WHICH, WITH-+
OUT / QUESTION, OBLIGETH HIM TO EXTIRPATE
HERETICKS, AND NOT TO KEEP HIS FAITH WITH
<P 23>
THEM; SO THAT, INSTEAD OF CENSURING HIM,
I MUST ONLY LAMENT HIS BEING BRED UP IN
A RELIGION THAT DOTH CERTAINLY OBLIGE HIM
TO DIVEST HIMSELF OF HUMANITY, AND TO
VIOLATE HIS FAITH, WHENSOEVER THE CAUSE OF
HIS CHURCH AND OF HIS RELIGION REQUIRE
IT; OR IF THERE IS ANY THING IN THIS CON-+
DUCT, / THAT CANNOT BE ENTIRELY JUSTIFIED FROM
THE PRINCIPLES OF THAT RELIGION, IT IS THIS,
THAT HE DOTH NOT PUT THE HERETICKS TO
DEATH OUT OF HAND, BUT FORCETH THEM, BY
ALL THE EXTREMITIES POSSIBLE, TO SIGN AN AB-+
JURATION, / THAT ALL THE WORLD MUST NEEDS
SEE IS DONE AGAINST THEIR CONSCIENCES; AND
BEING THE ONLY END OF THEIR MISERIES,
THOSE THAT WOULD THINK ANY SORT OF DEATH
A HAPPY CONCLUSION OF THEIR SUFFERINGS,
SEEING NO PROSPECT OF SUCH A GLORIOUS ISSUE
OUT OF THEIR TROUBLE, ARE PREVAILED ON, BY
THE MANY LINGERING DEATHS, OF WHICH THEY
SEE NO END, TO MAKE SHIPWRECK OF THE
FAITH. THIS APPEARANCE OF MERCY, IN
NOT PUTTING MEN TO DEATH, DOTH TRULY
VERIFY THE CHARACTER THAT SOLOMON GIVETH
OF THE TENDER MERCIES OF THE WICKED, THAT
THEY ARE CRUEL.*
<P 24>
BUT WHAT IS THE STATE OF POPERY IN ITALY
AND SPAIN, WHERE THE INQUISITION FLOURISHES,
THAT INQUISITION WHICH WE ARE TO EXPECT HERE,
COULD THIS ITALIAN PRETENDER, BY THE JOINT
ASSISTANCE OF SPAIN, SUCCEED IN HIS AT-+
TEMPTS: / FOR IT IS THE ONLY INTEREST (AS WE
SHALL PROVE BY AND BY) THAT SPAIN CAN PRO-+
POSE / FROM THE ENTERPRIZE WHEREIN SHE IS
EMBARKED.
I WILL HERE PRESENT YOU WITH A VERY SHORT
SKETCH OF THIS INQUISITION, EVERY WORD OF
WHICH I HAVE EXTRACTED FROM THE FAMOUS
HISTORY OF PHILIP A LIMBORCH, AFTER HAVING
RECOMMENDED THE BOOK AT LARGE TO THE PE-+
RUSAL / OF SUCH AS ARE ABLE TO PROCURE IT.
THE JUDGE OF THIS HELLISH COURT, WHO IS
CALLED THE INQUISITOR, IS APPOINTED BY THE
POPE, AND IS ALWAYS A PERSON DULY QUALIFIED
FOR THE EXERCISE OF SUCH A POWER, WHICH IS
ALMOST TOTALLY ARBITRARY: FOR THOUGH (SAYS
LIMBORCH) HE IS BOUND TO CERTAIN GENERAL
LAWS, YET MANY THINGS ARE LEFT TO HIS PLEA-+
SURE. / BESIDES, THE VERY APPLICATION OF THE
LAWS TO PARTICULAR CASES WHICH COME BE-+
FORE / THE INQUISITION, AND ALSO THE METHOD
OF PROCEEDING AND DRAWING A CONFESSION
<P 25>
FROM THE PRISONERS, DEPENDS VERY MUCH ON
THEIR WILL.
IN ORDER TO BRING ANY PERSON BEFORE THIS
COURT, NO DIRECT CHARGE IS NECESSARY; IT IS
SUFFICIENT, THAT THE ACCUSER RELATES TO THE
INQUISITOR THAT THERE IS SUCH A REPORT, AND
THAT IT HATH FREQUENTLY COME TO THE EARS OF
THE INQUISITOR FROM GRAVE AND REPUTABLE PER-+
SONS, / THAT SUCH A ONE HATH DONE OR SAID
SOME THINGS AGAINST THE FAITH; AND BY THIS
MEANS (SAYS HE) THE PROCESS IS CARRIED ON.
NOW, AS TO THE WITNESSES AGAINST THESE CRI-+
MINALS, / IN FAVOUR OF THE FAITH, ALL PERSONS,
EVEN SUCH AS ARE NOT ALLOWED IN OTHER TRI-+
BUNALS, / ARE ADMITTED; NAY, EVEN PERJUR'D
PERSONS, WHO HAVING TAKEN AN OATH BEFORE
THE INQUISITION TO SPEAK THE TRUTH, HAVE
FORSWORN THEMSELVES BY CONCEALING IT, AND
WOULD AFTERWARDS CORRECT THEMSELVES, AND
SWEAR BACK AGAIN; NAY, ALL OTHER INFAMOUS
PERSONS WHATSOEVER.
THE METHOD OF EXAMINING THESE WIT-+
NESSES / IS AS INIQUITOUS AS THE ADMITTING THEM;
FOR AT THIS EXAMINATION NONE ARE PRESENT BUT
THE WITNESS HIMSELF AND THE JUDGE, THE
WRITER, AND TWO ASSISTANTS TO THE INQUISI-+
TOR; / NAY, SOMETIMES THESE TWO ARE OMITTED
<P 26>
AT THE WHOLE EXAMINATION, AND ARE ONLY
CALL'D IN TO ATTEST THE WITNESS'S SIGNING HIS
DEPOSITION. AND HOW DOTH THEIR PRESENCE
(SAYS MY AUTHOR) MAKE ANY THING TO THE
DEFENCE OF THE CRIMINAL? OR WHAT DOTH
IT AVAIL HIM, THAT HIS ACCUSERS ARE KNOWN
TO PERSONS, WHOM HE HIMSELF KNOWS NO-+
THING / OF, AND WHO ARE FORBIDDEN TO DISCOVER
ANY THING AFTER.
THE PRISONER HAVING BEEN KEPT IN DUN-+
GEONS / AND IN IRONS, AND HAVING BEEN ACCUSED
AS ABOVE, IS AT LENGTH BROUGHT BEFORE HIS
JUDGE, WHERE BEING UNDER ALL THE CIRCUM-+
STANCES / OF HORROR, HE IS PRIVATELY EXAMIN'D
BEFORE HIS JUDGE, AND A NOTARY ONLY: HERE
EVERY ART IS MADE USE OF TO ENTRAP AND EN-+
SNARE / HIM INTO A CONFESSION, BY WHICH, IF
THEY DO NOT PREVAIL, THEY HAVE USUALLY RE-+
COURSE / TO TORTURE, THE LAST AND GREATEST AR-+
GUMENT / ON THE SIDE OF POPERY. OF THE
MANNER OF THIS TORTURE, AS IT IS VERY SINGU-+
LAR, / I SHALL GIVE A SHORT ACCOUNT FROM THE
AFORESAID AUTHOR, AFTER HAVING PREMISED, THAT
THE SLIGHTEST PROOF IMAGINABLE RENDERS THE
CRIMINAL LIABLE TO UNDERGO IT.
<P 27>
THE PLACE OF TORTURE IN THE SPANISH IN-+
QUISITION / IS GENERALLY AN UNDER-GROUND AND
VERY DARK ROOM, TO WHICH ONE ENTERS THRO'
SEVERAL DOORS: THERE IS A TRIBUNAL ERECTED
IN IT, IN WHICH THE INQUISITOR, INSPECTOR AND
SECRETARY FIT; WHEN THE CANDLES ARE LIGHT-+
ED, / AND THE PERSON TO BE TORTURED, BROUGHT
IN, THE EXECUTIONER, WHO WAS WAITING FOR
THE OTHER, MAKES AN ASTONISHING AND DREAD-+
FUL / APPEARANCE; HE IS COVER'D ALL OVER WITH
A BLACK LINEN GARMENT DOWN TO HIS FEET,
AND TIED CLOSE TO HIS BODY; HIS HEAD AND
FACE ARE ALL HID WITH A LONG BLACK COWL,
ONLY TWO LITTLE HOLES BEING LEFT IN IT FOR HIM
TO SEE THROUGH. ALL THIS IS INTENDED TO
STRIKE THE MISERABLE WRETCH WITH GREATER
TERROR IN MIND AND BODY, WHEN HE SEES
HIMSELF GOING TO BE TORTURED BY THE HANDS
OF ONE, WHO, THUS, LOOKS LIKE THE VERY
DEVIL.
THE TORTURE BEING PREPAR'D, THE CRIMI-+
NAL, / HAVE BEEN EXHORTED, OR RATHER IN-+
SULTED / OVER BY THE PRIESTS, IS DELIVERED TO
THE TORTURER TO BE STRIPT.
<P 28>
THIS STRIPPING IS PERFORMED WITHOUT ANY
REGARD TO HUMANITY OR HONOUR, NOT ONLY
TO MEN, BUT TO WOMEN AND VIRGINS, THO'
THE MOST VIRTUOUS AND CHASTE, OF WHOM
THEY HAVE SOMETIMES MANY IN THEIR PRISONS;
FOR THEY CAUSE THEM TO BE STRIPP'D, EVEN TO
THEIR VERY SHIFTS, WHICH THEY AFTERWARDS
TAKE OFF, AND THEN PUT ON THEM STRAIGHT
LINEN DRAWERS, AND MAKE THEIR ARMS
NAKED QUITE UP TO THEIR SHOLDERS. AS TO
THE TORTURE (WHICH THEY CALL QUASSA-+
TION) / IT IS THUS PERFORMED: THE PRISONER
HATH HIS HANDS BOUND BEHIND HIS BACK,
AND WEIGHTS TIED TO HIS FEET, AND THEN HE
IS DRAWN UP ON HIGH, TILL HIS HEAD REACHES
THE VERY PULLY; HE IS KEPT HANGING IN THIS
MANNER FOR SOME TIME, THAT BY THE GREAT-+
NESS / OF THE WEIGHT HANGING AT HIS FEET, ALL
HIS JOINTS AND LIMBS MAY BE DREADFULLY
STRETCHED, AND ON A SUDDEN HE IS LET DOWN
WITH A JERK, BY THE SLACKENING THE ROPE,
BUT KEPT FROM COMING QUITE TO THE GROUND,
BY WHICH TERRIBLE SHAKE, HIS ARMS AND LEGS
ARE ALL DISJOINTED, WHEREBY HE IS PUT TO THE
MOST EXQUISITE PAIN; THE SHOCK WHICH HE
RECEIVES BY THE SUDDEN STOP OF HIS FALL, AND
THE WEIGHT AT HIS FEET STRETCHING HIS WHOLE
BODY MORE INTENSELY AND CRUELLY.
<P 29>
THERE ARE MANY OTHER KINDS OF TORTURE
TOO TEDIOUS TO BE TRANSCRIBED HERE: TWO,
HOWEVER, FOR THEIR SINGULAR CRUELTY SHOULD
NOT BE OMITTED.
THE FIRST IS THIS: THERE IS A WOODEN
BENCH, WHICH THEY CALL THE WOODEN HORSE,
MADE HOLLOW LIKE A TROUGH, SO AS TO CON-+
TAIN / A MAN LYING ON HIS BACK AT FULL LENGTH,
ABOUT THE MIDDLE OF WHICH THERE IS A ROUND
BAR LAID A-CROSS, UPON WHICH THE BACK OF
THE PERSON IS PLACED, SO THAT HE LIES ON THE
BAR, INSTEAD OF BEING LET INTO THE BOTTOM
OF THE TROUGH, WITH HIS FEET MUCH HIGHER
THAN HIS HEAD; AS HE IS LYING IN THIS POS-+
TURE, / HIS ARMS, THIGHS AND SHINS ARE TIED
ROUND WITH SMALL CORDS OR STRINGS, WHICH
BEING DRAWN WITH SCREWS AT PROPER DIS-+
STANCES / FROM EACH OTHER, CUT INTO THE VERY
BONES, SO AS NO LONGER TO BE DISCERNED. BE-+
SIDES / THIS, THE TORTURER THROWS OVER HIS
MOUTH AND NOSTRILS A THIN CLOTH, SO THAT
HE IS SCARCE ABLE TO BREATHE THROUGH THEM,
AND IN THE MEAN WHILE A SMALL STREAM OR
WATER LIKE A THREAD, NOT DROP BY DROP,
FALLS FROM ON HIGH UPON THE MOUTH OF THE
PERSON LYING IN THIS MISERABLE CONDITION, AND
SO EASILY SINKS DOWN THE THIN CLOTH TO THE
<P 30>
BOTTOM OF HIS THROAT; SO THAT THERE IS NO
POSSIBILITY OF BREATHING, HIS MOUTH BEING
STOPP'D WITH WATER, AND HIS NOSTRILS WITH
THE CLOTH; THUS THE POOR WRETCH IS IN
THE SAME AGONIES AS PERSONS READY TO DIE,
AND BREATHING OUT THEIR LAST. WHEN THIS
CLOTH IS DRAWN OUT OF HIS THROAT, AS IT OF-+
TEN / IS, THAT HE MAY ANSWER TO THE QUES-+
TIONS, / IT IS ALL WET WITH WATER AND BLOOD,
AND IS LIKE PULLING HIS BOWELS THROUGH HIS
MOUTH. THE OTHER TORTURE, WHICH MY
AUTHOR SAYS IS PECULIAR TO THIS TRIBUNAL, IS
CALLED THE FIRE; AND THIS IS, BY HOLDING A
LARGE CHAFING-DISH OF CHARCOAL CLOSE TO
THE TORTURED PERSON'S FEET, BEING FIRST GREAS'D
WITH LARD, THAT THE HEAT MAY MORE QUICKLY
PIERCE THRO' THEM.
I NOW PROCEED TO THEIR PUNISHMENTS, (FOR
WHAT YOU HAVE HITHERTO HEARD, IS ONLY THEIR
METHOD OF TRIAL) AND THESE ARE IN NUM-+
BER / SEVEN: FIRST, CONFISCATION OF GOODS;
AND THIS IS SO EXTREMLY SEVERE, NOT ONLY ON
THE CRIMINALS, BUT ON THEIR RELATIONS AND
HEIRS, THAT EVEN A DAUGHTER'S PORTION, THO'
PAID BEFORE, IS TO BE REVOKED AND CONFISCA-+
TED; / THE SECOND IS THE CORRUPTION OF BLOOD,
AND DISINHERITING THEIR HEIRS; THIRD, THEY
ARE RENDER'D INFAMOUS; FOURTH, THEY ARE DE-+
PRIVED /
<P 31>
OF ALL NATURAL RIGHT; FIFTH, THEY ARE
IMPRISONED; SIXTH, THEY ARE LAID UNDER THE
BANN, I((.))E((.)) PUT OUT OF THE PROTECTION OF
THE LAW, AND ANY ONE MAY KILL THEM WITH
IMPUNITY; SEVENTH, AND LAST PUNISHMENT,
IS DEATH, AND THAT BY BURNING, OR INDEED
SOMETIMES RATHER ROASTING THEM ALIVE; FOR
ALL THESE PUNISHMENTS ARE INFLICTED WITH THE
UTMOST SEVERITY. NAY, SOMETIMES (SAYS MY
AUTHOR) THIS PUNISHMENT OF BURNING IS
HEIGHTENED BY ANOTHER KIND OF CRUELTY. IN
SPAIN AND THE NETHERLANDS, LEST THEY SHOULD
SPEAK TO THE SPECTATORS, WHEN BROUGHT TO
THE STAKE, AND PIOUSLY TESTIFY THEIR CON-+
STANCY, / THEY WERE GAGGED WITH AN IRON IN-+
STRUMENT; / SO THAT IN THE MIDST OF THEIR
TORMENTS THEY COULD UTTER ONLY AN INARTICU-+
LATE / SOUND. AND IF THEY COULD INVENT ANY
THING MORE TERRIBLE, THEY WOULD NOT FAIL TO
USE IT AGAINST HERETICKS. THIS CARENA TESTI-+
FIES, / AFFIRMING, THAT THE CUSTOM OF PUNISH-+
ING / HERETICKS WITH FIRE IS MOST REASONABLE,
BECAUSE BURNING IS THE MOST TERRIBLE DEATH,
AND THEREFORE THE MOST GRIEVOUS OF ALL CRIMES
OUGHT TO BE PUNISHED WITH IT; SO THAT IF ANY
PUNISHMENT MORE TERRIBLE THAN THIS COULD BE
FOUND OUT, IT OUGHT TO BE INFLICTED ON HERE-+
TICKS; / AND ALSO BECAUSE BY THIS MEANS THE HE-+
RETICK /
<P 32>
AND HIS CRIME IS MORE SPEEDILY BLOTTED
OUT FROM THE REMEMBRANCE OF MANKIND.
MY AUTHOR CONCLUDES HIS CHAPTER OF
THEIR PUNISHMENTS IN THE FOLLOWING WORDS.
*THUS WE SEE, THAT THERE IS NO KIND
OF PUNISHMENT THAT CAN POSSIBLY BE IN-+
VENTED, / BUT IS ENACTED AGAINST HERETICKS,
AND THAT GREATER GENTLENESS IS USED TO-+
WARDS / THIEVES, TRAITORS AND REBELS, THOSE
ENEMIES OF MANKIND, THAN TOWARDS MI-+
SERABLE / HERETICKS; WHO, ENDEAVOURING TO
WORSHIP GOD WITH A PURE CONSCIENCE, AND
REGULATE THEIR LIVES BY THE GOSPEL RULE,
YET OPPOSE SOME DOCTRINES OF THE CHURCH OF
ROME, WHICH THEY ARE PERSUADED ARE CON-+
TRARY / TO THE GOSPEL; AND THAT IT IS A MUCH
MORE GRIEVOUS OFFENCE IN THAT CHURCH,
TO OPPOSE CERTAIN OPINIONS BY THE CLEAR
LIGHT OF THE WORD OF GOD, AND TO RE-+
JECT / CERTAIN PHARISAICAL SUPERSTITIONS, THAN
OPENLY CONTEMN THE DIVINE COMMANDS
BY AN IMPIOUS AND PROFANE LIFE, AND
VILELY TO DISHONOUR THE MOST HOLY NAME
OF GOD.*
<P 33>
THIS IS THE TEMPER OF POPERY! OF THAT
RELGION IN WHICH THE PRETENDER WAS EDU-+
CATED, / WHICH HE HATH ALWAYS PROFESS'D, TO
WHICH HE IS THE MOST DEVOTED BIGOT! THIS
IS THE RELIGION NOW PRACTISED IN THOSE COUN-+
TRIES, / WHERE HE HATH BEEN BRED, BY WHOSE
ASSISTANCE HE NOW INVADES THESE KINGDOMS!
AND THIS IS THE RELIGION, WHICH BY THEIR
ASSISTANCE IS TO BE INTRODUCED HERE: A CON-+
SEQUENCE / WHICH WOULD SO CERTAINLY ATTEND
HIS SUCCESS, THAT IT IS ALMOST CAPABLE OF
DEMONSTRATION; FIRST, FROM THE NATURE AND
TEMPER OF THE RELIGION ITSELF, WHICH RE-+
GARDS / THE PROFESSORS OF ALL OTHER RELIGIONS TO
BE IN A STATE OF DAMNATION; THAT NO FAITH
IS TO BE HELD WITH THEM; THAT THEY ARE TO
BE EXTIRPATED WITH FIRE AND SWORD; ME-+
THODS / WHICH HAVE NOT ONLY BEEN PRESCRIBED,
BUT PRACTISED IN THE MOST BARBAROUS AND
VIOLENT MANNER; WITNESS THE TWO FAMOUS
MASSACRES AT PARIS AND IN IRELAND, WHERE SO
MANY THOUSANDS OF MISERABLE PROTESTANTS WERE
IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT SURPRIZ'D IN THEIR
SLEEP, AND MURDER'D WITHOUT MERCY OR EX-+
CEPTION, / FOR THE SAKE OF RELIGION ONLY. AND
THIS NOT BY THIEVES AND ROBBERS, BUT RE-+
LIGIOUS / CUT-THROATS, WHO THOUGHT THAT BY
SPILLING THE BLOOD OF HERETICKS THEY WASH'D
<P 34>
AWAY THEIR OWN SINS. SECONDLY, THE EX-+
TREME / BIGOTRY OF THIS PRETENDER, WHO MUST
CONSEQUENTLY HOLD ALL THESE TENETS IN THE
HIGHEST AND STRONGEST DEGREE. THIRDLY,
FROM THE PARTIES WHO ESPOUSE HIS CAUSE,
PARTICULARLY FROM THE CABALS OF THE COURT
OF ROME, WHERE THE RESTORATION OF THIS FA-+
MILY / HATH BEEN THE FAVOURITE SCHEME EVER
SINCE THEIR EXPULSION; NAY, WHY ELSE SHOULD
THE CATHOLICKS THEMSELVES, EVEN IN THIS
COUNTRY, HAVE EVER VENTUR'D THEIR LIVES AND
FORTUNES IN HIS CAUSE? WHY SHOULD THEY
EVEN WISH WELL TO IT, SINCE ALL, WHO HAVE
ANY UNDERSTANDING AMONG THEM, KNOW THEY
ARE SACRIFICING THEIR LIBERTIES. AS TO A BARE
TOLERATION OF THEIR RELIGION, THEY HAVE IT
ALREADY IN THE FULLEST MANNER BY CONNI-+
VANCE. / THE ABSOLUTE ESTABLISHMENT OF THEIR
RELIGION, AND EXTIRPATION OF HERESY, IS AND
MUST BE THEIR ONLY MOTIVE; AND WE MAY
TRUST TO THE ASSURANCES THEY HAVE OF EFFECT-+
ING / IT. LASTLY, FROM EXPERIENCE; FOR WHAT
GREATER SECURITY, WHAT PROMISES MORE SO-+
LEMN, / CAN THIS PRETENDER GIVE, THAN HIS FA-+
THER / DID BEFORE HIM? HOW HE KEPT THOSE
PROMISES, HATH BEEN MENTION'D ALREADY.
<P 35>
IF WE WANT MORE INSTANCES,
CAN THIS NATION HOPE FOR BETTER LEGAL SE-+
CURITIES / FOR THE TOLERATION OF ITS RELIGION
UNDER A CATHOLICK PRINCE, THAN THE FRENCH
PROTESTANTS HAD FOR THE TOLERATION OF THEIR
BY THE EDICT OF NANTZ? AND YET DID NOT
LEWIS ((XIV .)) REVOKE THAT EDICT, THOUGH IT
WAS THE ACT OF HIS GRANDFATHER, A PRINCE
WHOM HE ALWAYS AFFECTED TO MAKE HIS MO-+
DEL / AND EXAMPLE IN GOVERNMENT? CAN ANY
PRINCE BE LAID UNDER STRONGER RESTRAINTS BY
THE FREEST SUBJECTS, THAN THE EMPERORS OF
GERMANY HAVE BEEN BY THEIR CAPITULATIONS,
AND BY THE TREATY OF MUNSTER? AND YET
HOW ILL HAVE THESE CAPITULATIONS BEEN KEPT
WITH REGARD TO THE PROTESTANTS? THE GENIUS
OF POPERY WILL BREAK THROUGH ALL RESTRAINTS;
THE MOST WATCHFUL CARE CANNOT PREVENT IT;
AND YET, WERE THAT THE ONLY EVIL, WHAT A
TERRIBLE MISFORTUNE IS IT IN GOVERNMENT,
FOR A NATION TO BE ALWAYS DISTRUSTING ITS SO-+
VEREIGN? / BUT INSTANCES ARE NUMBERLESS, THAT
NO PRECAUTIONS CAN SAVE A PEOPLE UNDER THIS
CIRCUMSTANCE. IT IS BUT LATELY, THAT THE
PALATINATE, BY THE FAILURE OF THE PROTESTANT
LINE, HAS COME UNDER A POPISH PRINCE.
HAVE WE FORGOT HOW MANY PALATINES WERE
<P 36>
FORC'D TO TAKE REFUGE HERE AGAINST THE RAGE
OF POPISH PERSECUTION, NO LONGER AGO THAN
IN THE REIGN OF QUEEN ANNE? HOW CRUEL-+
LY, / HOW PERSIDIOUSLY, WERE THE BOHEMIAN
AND HUNGARIAN PROTESTANTS USED BY THEIR
SOVEREIGNS, ALMOST TO THE RUIN OF THE AU-+
STRIAN / FAMILY. AND I PRAY GOD, THAT THE
GREAT SERVICES THEY ARE NOW DOING THE PRE-+
SENT / QUEEN, MAY NOT BE FORGOT HEREAFTER,
AS THOSE OF THE VAUDOIS WERE BY THE DUKE
OF SAVOY, IF THE JESUITS EVER REGAIN THAT
ASCENDANT OVER HER COUNCILS, AS THEY HAD
OVER THOSE OF THAT PRINCE, THOUGH HE WAS
OTHERWISE A VERY WISE MAN! BUT HOW MUCH
MORE CERTAIN WILL BE THE INFRACTION OF ANY
LEGAL RESTRAINTS, UNDER A PRINCE COMING IN
BY FORCE OF ARMS, BY THE ASSISTANCE OF
POPISH POWERS, WHO WILL CONSIDER THIS NA-+
TION / AS A CONQUER'D COUNTRY, CONQUER'D NOT
ONLY FOR HIM, BUT FOR HIS LORD AND PRO-+
TECTOR / THE POPE. TO DREAM OF SECURITY
UNDER SUCH AN INVADER, IS LIKE SETTING OPEN
OUR DOORS TO A HIGHWAYMAN, AND TRUSTING
TO HIS HONOUR AND CONSCIENCE NOT TO ROB
US. NAY, IT IS MORE ABSURD; FOR A HIGHWAY-+
MAN / IS NOT BOUND IN HONOUR OR CONSCIENCE
TO ROB US, WHEREAS THE PRETENDER IS BOUND
BY BOTH, TO DESTROY OUR RELIGION AND LIBER-+
TIES: / HIS CONSCIENCE TELLS HIM HE MUST DO
<P 37>
THE ONE, HIS ENGAGEMENTS WITH FRANCE OBLIGE
HIM TO DO THE OTHER. FOR TILL WE ARE EN-+
SLAVED, / FRANCE VERY WELL KNOWS SHE CANNOT
BE MISTRESS OF EUROPE, AND THEREFORE SHE
USES THIS TOOL TO DO THAT WORK FOR HER,
WHICH ALL HER OWN POWER CANNOT PER-+
FORM. /
<L 8>
BUT SHOULD THIS GREAT WORK BE ONCE EF-+
FECTED, / LET US NEVER HOPE FOR ANOTHER DELI-+
VERANCE. / IF WE GIVE UP THESE GREAT PUR-+
CHASES / OF OUR ANCESTORS, OUR POSTERITY WILL
NEVER BE ABLE TO REGAIN THEM. IT WILL, IN-+
DEED, / PUT A FINAL END TO THE PROTESTANT
RELIGION, AS WELL AS TO LIBERTY, IN EU-+
ROPE. /
<L 16>
IN WHAT LIGHT, THEREFORE, CAN WE SEE THIS
MEASURE OF OUR ENEMIES TO INTRODUCE SUCH
A GOVERNMENT AND SUCH A RELIGION, BUT AS
THE HIGHEST INSULT ON OUR UNDERSTANDING, AS
AN OPEN DECLARATION THAT THEY SUPPOSE US TO
BE FOOLS, AS WELL AS INTEND TO MAKE US
SLAVES. THIS IS INDEED A PREGNANT EXAM-+
PLE / OF THAT CONTEMPT FOR ENGLISH WISDOM,
WHICH FRANCE HATH OF LATE PARTICULARLY AF-+
FECTED. /
<P 38>
COULD THE INSTABILITY OF HUMAN NATURE,
OR THAT SATIETY WHICH THE POSSESSION EVEN OF
HAPPINESS TOO OFTEN INDUCES; NAY, COULD
THE SENSE OF ANY GRIEVANCE INCLINE US TO A
DESIRE TO CHANGE, YET SURELY THE COLOURS
UNDER WHICH THIS INVADER COMES, ARE SUFFI-+
CIENT / TO MAKE THE MOST FICKLE, THE MOST
SIMPLE, OR THE MOST ANGRY MAN REJECT HIM.
WAS THE THRONE VACANT AND ELECTIVE, WOULD
IT BE POSSIBLE TO GIVE A STRONGER REASON A-+
GAINST / THE PRETENSIONS OF ANY CANDIDATE,
THAN THAT HE WAS RECOMMENDED BY THOSE
TWO CROWNS, UNDER WHOSE PROTECTION, AND
BY WHOSE ASSISTANCE, THIS PRETENDER NOW
DISTURBS THESE KINGDOMS! ONE OF THESE
CROWNS, DIVIDED FROM US BY INCOMPATIBLE
INTERESTS, THE NATURAL ENEMY AND RIVAL OF
OUR TRADE, AND WHICH HATH LONG REGARDED
US AS THE PRINCIPAL OBSTACLE TO THAT AMBI-+
TION, / WHOSE VIEWS EXTEND THEMSELVES ALL
OVER EUROPE, AND WHICH IN THIS LAST CAMPAIGN,
HATH BY MANY INSTANCES OF CRUELTY EXERTED
AN UNWONTED AND AN UNWARRANTED FURY TO-+
WARDS US. THE OTHER, NATURALLY LESS AN
ENEMY PERHAPS TO OUR POWER, BUT MORE TO
OUR RELIGION, AND BOTH AT PRESENT MAKING
WAR ON OUR TRADE WITH THE MOST VIOLENT
AND IMPLACABLE RAGE.
<P 39>
WERE THEREFORE THE VIEWS OF OUR ENE-+
MIES / LESS APPARENT ON THIS OCCASION, WERE
THE ADVANTAGES WHICH THEY PROPOSE IN THIS
MEASURE TO ACQUIRE TO THEMSELVES, OR THE
DESTRUCTION WHICH THEY WILL NECESSARILY
BRING UPON US, LESS MANIFEST; YET, SURELY, IF
THAT KNOWN LINE,
((HOC ITHACUS VELIT ET MAGNO MERCENTUR A-+
STRIDAE, /))
<L 10>
MAY EVER BE QUOTED WITH ANY FORCE OF
ARGUMENT, IT IS ON THIS OCCASION. IF
FRANCE, IF SPAIN WOULD CHUSE THIS MAN TO
REIGN OVER US, COMMON SENSE CRIES ALOUD
TO US, REJECT HIM. IF IT BE THEIR INTEREST TO
SUPPORT, IT IS THAT OF BRITAIN TO OPPOSE HIM.
IF HE WILL STRENGTHEN THEM, HE MUST RUIN
US. NOR ARE THE PARTICULAR VIEWS OF EACH
CROWN LESS OBVIOUS. WHAT CAN BE PLAINER
THAN THE ADVANTAGE WHICH FRANCE MUST
GAIN IN HER TWO GRAND VIEWS OF EXTEND-+
ING / HER DOMINIONS AND HER TRADE, THAN
BY PLACING A LIEUTENANT (FOR HE WOULD BE
ABSOLUTELY AND REALLY NO MORE) TO REIGN OVER
THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE THE MOST CAPABLE OF
OBSTRUCTING HER IN BOTH; AND WHO, IN ALL
AGES, HAVE HAD THE GREATEST SHARE IN CLIP-+
PING /
<P 40>
THE WINGS OF HER AMBITION, AND IN
CHECKING THE GROWTH OF THAT COMMERCE
TO WHICH HER LATE MOST PRUDENT MINISTERS
HAVE SO VIGOROUSLY APPLIED THEMSELVES; WELL
KNOWING THAT IN THAT ALONE, AND NOT IN VAST
TRACTS OF LAND, CONSIST THE RICHES, AND
CONSEQUENTLY THE POWER OF A KINGDOM. IN
THIS BRANCH SHE HATH LATELY FELT THE FORCE
OF BRITISH OPPOSITION, AND IS AT PRESENT THO-+
ROUGHLY / SENSIBLE HOW DEALY SHE HATH BOUGHT
HER SUCCESS ON THE CONTINENT, BY A WAR
WHICH HATH ALMOST TOTALLY RUIN'D HER TRADE,
AND WHICH MUST HAVE EFFECTUALLY DESTROY'D
IT, HAD SHE NOT FOUND THIS WAY OF DISTRESS-+
ING / US AT HOME, AND OF CONFINING OUR NA-+
VAL / FORCE TO THE DEFENCE OF OUR OWN
COASTS.
AND WHAT CAN THE VIEWS OF SPAIN BE,
OTHER THAN TO SETTLE HERE THAT RELIGION
WHICH IS PROFESS'D AND PRACTIS'D IN HER OWN
REALM, WITH A CRUELTY AND PERSECUTION IN
WHICH SHE OUT-DOES EVEN ROME HERSELF. IN
A POLITICAL SENSE, IT CANNOT BE THE INTEREST OF
SPAIN TO SUBJECT THIS NATION TO A DEPEN-+
DANCE / ON THE COUNCILS OF FRANCE, WHICH
MUST BE THE NECESSARY EFFECT OF THE PRETEN-+
DER'S / BEING ESTABLISH'D HERE. SUCH A DE-+
SIGN / CAN BE ESPOUSED BY THAT COURT ON NO
<P 41>
OTHER MOTIVES THAN THE DESIRE OF PROPA-+
GATING / THEIR RELIGION, EVEN AT THE EXPENCE
OF THEIR CIVIL INTEREST; AND TO THAT BIGOT-+
TED / VIEW THEY HAVE AT ALL TIMES SACRIFICED
EVERY OTHER; WITNESS, AMONG MANY OTHER
INSTANCES, THEIR CONDUCT IN THE LOW COUN-+
TRIES, / IN THE REIGN OF PHILIP ((II)). THIS
THEREFORE MUST BE HER PURPOSE, IN ABETTING
THE ENTERPRIZE NOW CARRYING ON WITH
FRANCE AGAINST OUR ESTABLISH'D GOVERNMENT;
AND THE ZEAL WITH WHICH SHE HATH ENGAGED
IN THE CAUSE, SHOWS THE ASSURANCES SHE HATH
RECEIVED FROM THIS HER AGENT OF FULFILLING
HER DESIGN.
AS TO OUR LOSS BY THIS DETESTABLE EX-+
CHANGE, / WHAT WOULD IT BE LESS THAN OF EVERY
THING DEAR AND VALUABLE, OF OUR PURE AND
EXCELLENT RELIGION FOR POPERY AND ABJECT
SUPERSTITION? OF OUR INESTIMABLE LIBERTIES
FOR FRENCH SLAVERY; AND OF THE TRADE,
WEALTH AND COMMERCE, OF A POWERFUL, A
FREE AND A FLOURISHING PEOPLE, FOR THE MI-+
SERY / AND POVERTY OF A SUBJECTED DEPENDANT
PROVINCE?
<P 42>
AND WHAT ARE THE PRETENCES WITH WHICH
THIS INVASION IS COLOUR'D OVER? WHAT IS THE
CREED IMPOSED ON OUR MINDS, BY OUR MORE
IMPUDENT THAN POWERFUL ENEMIES, BUT THAT
A POPISH PRETENDER, EDUCATED IN ALL THE TE-+
NETS / OF BIGOTRY, WILL MAINTAIN A RELIGION
TO WHICH HE IS A PROFEST FOE; AND WHICH
HE CANNOT EVEN TOLERATE, ACCORDING TO THE
FAITH IN WHICH HE IS BRED, UNDER PAIN OF
DAMNATION? THAT ONE NURSED UP IN HERE-+
DITARY / PRINCIPLES (FOR I MAY JUSTLY SO TERM
THEM) OF ABSOLUTE POWER, WILL PROTECT OUR
LIBERTIES? AND THAT THE CREATURE, THE MERE
INSTRUMENT OF FRANCE, WILL SECURE US THE
POSSESSION OF THOSE BLESSINGS WHICH TO DE-+
PRIVE / US OF IS THE INTEREST, AND HATH BEEN
THE PRINCIPAL AIM OF THAT CROWN? GOD BE
PRAISED, AS THESE THINGS ARE GROSS AND VISIBLE,
SO THEY ARE SEEN AND FELT. IT IS NOT, THERE-+
FORE, / WITH A PURPOSE OF CORRECTING AN IGNO-+
RANT, / A SUPINE, OR A PREVERSE PEOPLE, THAT
THE FRIENDS OF OUR RELIGION AND LIBERTIES
HAVE TAKEN UP THEIR PEN; BUT WITH THE
MORE PLEASING INTENTION OF ENCOURAGING
AND ANIMATING MEN ALREADY RESOLV'D TO
CONTINUE TO THEMSELVES AND THEIR POSTERITY
THOSE BLESSINGS THEY ENJOY, AND CHEARFULLY
TO HAZARD THEIR FORTUNES AND LIVES, RATHER
<P 43>
THAN SUBMIT TO RENDER THOSE PRECARIOUS, OR
THESE WORTHLESS, UNDER POPISH AND ARBITRARY
POWER.
I WILL NOT ON THIS OCCASION DESCEND TO
CONSIDER PARTICULAR INTERESTS; I WILL NOT RE-+
MIND / ALL THOSE WHO ARE POSSESSED OF ABBY-+
LANDS / OR FORFEITED ESTATES, OR WHO ARE IN-+
TERESTED / IN THE FUNDS, HOW MUCH THEY
ARE CONCERNED TO OPPOSE A TORRENT WHICH
THREATENS TO OVERWHELM THEIR FORTUNES. THE
WHOLE IS AT STAKE. WE HAVE THE PRETEN-+
DER'S / OWN WORD FOR IT, IN HIS DECLARATION
NOW PUBLISH'D IN SCOTLAND, THAT HE IS ABOVE
OUR LAWS; THAT HE WILL REGARD NONE OF
THEM, NOT THE MOST ANTIENT, UPON WHICH
THE SECURITY OF EVERY MAN'S PROPERTY RESTS,
NAY, EVEN THE SECURITY OF THEIR LIVES, AND
OF THE BREAD, THE INHERITANCE OF THEIR CHIL-+
DREN. / FOR EVEN NEUTRALS ARE TO BE INCLUDED
IN HIS RESENTMENT, AND ALL THOSE WHO DO
NOT TAKE ARMS IN HIS CAUSE SUBJECTED TO THE
PENALTIES OF HIGH-TREASON. A MOST DE-+
TESTABLE / AND BLOODY DECLARATION! WHICH
MAY RAISE A DOUBT, WHETHER ITS INHUMANITY
FLIES MORE IN THE FACE OF NATURAL JUSTICE, OR
OF OUR LAW; BY WHICH, EVEN AS LONG AGO
AS THE REIGN OF HENRY ((VII .)) IT IS DECLARED
THAT ANY MAN MAY SUPPORT THE KING, DE
<P 44>
FACTO, WITHOUT INCURRING THOSE PENALTIES
WHICH THIS WICKED, INSOLENT, INCENSED TY-+
RANT / HATH DENOUNCED AGAINST THE WHOLE
PEOPLE OF ENGLAND, (SOME FEW REBELS ONLY
EXCEPTED.)
GOOD GOD! IS THIS A BAIT TO ALLURE US?
NAY, CAN SUCH A CURSE BE IMPOSED ON US BY
ANY FORCE, UNLESS WHAT IS CAPABLE OF CON-+
QUERING / THE WHOLE KINGDOM, AND EXTIRPAT-+
ING / ITS INHABITANTS. BUT WITH WHAT LESS
THAN SUCH AN EXTIRPATION ARE WE ACTUALLY
THREATNED, BY THIS INCURSION OF BARBARIANS?
SHALL WE OPEN OUR GATES TO A BANDITTI, A
RABBLE OF THIEVES AND OUTLAWS, WHO
HAVE ALREADY EXERCIS'D THE MOST BARBAROUS
METHODS ON THOSE WHO HAVE YIELDED TO THEIR
FORCE. WHAT ARE THEY INDEED BUT SAVAGES,
WHO, AS THEY INHABIT AS BARREN A COUNTRY,
HAVE THE BARBAROUS MANNERS OF HUNS AND
VANDALS; AND LIKE THEM, WOULD BY THEIR
SWORDS CUT THEIR WAY INTO THE WEALTH OF
RICHER CLIMATES. WHAT ARE WE TO EXPECT
BUT RAPINE AND MASSACRES, FROM A GANG OF
WRETCHES WHOM THE DESIRE OF PLUNDER AND
AN INNATE LOVE OF REBELLION AND CIVIL WAR
HAVE ANIMATED TO THIS UNDERTAKING.
<P 45>
LET US THEREFORE UNITE IN ASSOCIATIONS;
LET US CALL FORTH THE OLD ENGLISH SPIRIT IN THIS
TRULY ENGLISH CAUSE; LET NEITHER FEAR NOR
INDOLENCE PREVAIL ON ONE MAN TO REFUSE
DOING HIS DUTY IN THE DEFENCE OF HIS
COU5TRY, AGAINST AN INVADER BY WHOM HIS
PROPERTY, HIS FAMILY, HIS LIBERTY, HIS LIFE
AND HIS RELIGION ARE THREATNED WITH IMME-+
DIATE / DESTRUCTION.
////
$
****