SUrely Mr. L'Estrange, you must either dote, or else your Parliament-scar'd Senses are not yet returned to their Lodging. For certain­ly you seem to have left them behind yee at the Hague, as if you had laid 'em in pawn for some odd score. Here's a Piece of Gallimawfrey in­deed; a silly Oglio of Fiddle-cum-faddle, and fee­ble threats, as void of Salt as a Witches Feast. Lord! Mr. L'Estrange, that you should be no better a Marksman than so. You have been aiming at five Affidavits, or rather Informations, this five Weeks, and yet have not come near the Mark by the full length of your Bow. For Hea­vens-sake, leave off your scribling; wash that same demangeson of yours in Spring Water, or Fasting Spittle every Morning, and kill that, which else will kill you. Otherwise you will certainly [Page 6] expire with a Goose Quill in your hand, and the last blasts of your Breath will be, L'Estrange No Pa—for e're you can say pist, you will dye with a twang of Conscience.

A man would wonder how such an Obsolete Quondam, as Mr. L'Estrange, should pretend to be a Judge of Sence and Grammar. Let any man of Sence and Grammar but look upon his last Right Worshipful Garden of Eloquence, his nonsensical defence of himself, and see where he can find those Tulips and Gillow-flowers of Sence and Grammar, which he believes himself so much the Master of. A man may perceive him indeed to be nettled to the Quick; which causes him to flounce and fling, and huff, and ding, and rant and swagger, evade and shift, and fence and falsifie, as if he were not onely a Papist, but a Jesuite; but for any Answer to the purpose, becoming a Person of Sence and Grammar, there is not the least appearance of it. 'Tis to be fear'd that Mr. L'Estrange hides his Candle under a Bushel, least others should be enlightened by his transcendent Gifts of Sence and Grammar.

But hold a little; what's this we have got here?

L'ESTRANGE NO PAPIST, In Answer to a LIBEL Entituled, L'ESTRANGE A PAPIST.

[Page 7]And why a Libel? Oh! the reason is plain; be­cause it is a Book that touches the Copyhold of the most male-content and right Worshipful Roger L'Estrange, Esq. Otherwise it seems very strange, that he who had been a Licenser for so many years, and a Justice of the Peace too for some short time, should be so ignorant what a Libel is. Had he read my Lord Cooke, his Lordship would have told his Wor­ship at the latter end of his fifth Book, that A Scan­dalous Libel in writing is, when an Epigram, Rime, or other writing is compos'd publickly to the defama­tion and contumelie of another, whereby his good Name and Reputation may be prejudicsd. Which Definition includes both falshood in the Matter, and Malice in the Person. As to the Matter of the Book which he calls a Libel, it is Matter sworn before some of the greatest persons in the Nation, a selected Com­mittee of the Nobility appointed to Examine that, and matters of the same Nature. To which his Plea of Dismission at the Council-Board is no Plea, as has been already said, and as is apparent by the fresh President of the Lord Chief Justice himself, a Person in a higher Station, then ever Mr. L'E­strange is like to be. And for the malice of the Persons, there is no reason to imagin it, when every one is bound to discharge his Conscience, when call'd to [Page 8] that end by a lawful Authority. If Mr. L'Estrange will give the world the first occasion, by villifying, traducing, and undermining the Evidence of so great Discoveries as have been lately made, to think him a Papist, he is no Libeller that calls him so, be­cause there is a shrowd probability, that the thing may be true; but more especially when it is con­firm'd by the Oaths of credible Testimonies, and the words of his own mouth. And therefore I must needs tell Mr. L'Estrange, that his Title is a misera­ble piece of pedantic ignorance. And why in a Letter to a Friend? He can as well be whipt as leave Dialoguing or Lettering it. As if his sorrows want­ed a Companion though in Nubibus. But it looks so like prating and gossiping, that 'tis no wonder he uses it so much.

He begins, Sir,

So far am I from being troubled at the Box of Libels you sent me, that you could hardly have made me a Present more to my honour and satisfaction. For what greater honour to a man, that has any Sense either of vertue or common Honesty than to be made the Mark of the Common Enemies of God, and of all good men; the Common Enemies of the King and of the Church; and in one word, the Enemies of Re­ligon, Truth, Good-Manners, Order and Government, [Page 9] the Vomit, in short, of all the Jayles about the Town, and the very Scandal of reasonable Nature. This is the Just Character and the Qualitie of these People, according to the very Letter.

But where's the satisfaction you'l say of seeing men turn'd into Beasts; the Spirit of Blasphemie enduing humane State, and managing the cause of Hell in the Name of the Almighty, and in the stile of the Gospel? Of seeing the Spirit of Contumacy, Violence, and Slan­der not onely flying in the face of Gods Anointed, and insul­ting over Apostolical Institutions, with scorn and triumph, but animated also to those outrages, by all the temp­tations and encouragement of Popular applause, Impu­nity and Reward?

The Squire is in one of his Lunatick Paroxysms, and I cannot fancy otherwise, but that when he wrote these two Paragraphs, he foam'd at the Mouth, like a mad Dog; and that he thought a Pinch of his Fangs at that time, would have prov'd as venomous, as the gripe of an unworm'd Cur. Here's such a Rhapsodie of Malice and imbitter­ment, as if he durst not encounter his Foes till he had fix'd the Bastions of his fury and indignation [Page 10] to protect him from their great shot. You may wonder perhaps what makes this vast distinction between this Altitonant Squire, and those Sons of Earth, those miserable Titans which he so despi­cably contemns. But the reason is plain. They never were acquainted with that Eminentissimo, Sig­nior Rolando di Pipino, alias, Rowland Pipin, the Truss­maker. Now 'tis a Maxim, that he who was so dearly and intimately acquainted with Rowland Pi­pin, as Roger L'Estrange Esquire, is above all the rest of Mankind. However to let him understand, that he ought not to think himself so high, nor manage his Informatum fulmen with that usurp'd authority as he does, I do positively aver, that there is more learning, and truth of History in what Mr. Care has writ, then in all the Quarto's of Mr. L'Estrange's Pamphlets; fitter for the Library of Pantagruel, and to be plac'd in his Study, next the Famous Author of Poltronismus Rerum Italica­rum; the Squire's works being no more then Poltronis­mi Rerum Anglicarum; besides that the disputes in Pantagruel, are carried on with equal heat, and are all of equal importance. However by this Fluster-Bluster, you may taste the savouriness of his wit, and the poinancie of his Expressions, tart, smart, sharp, quick, biting, froppish, peevish, waspish, an­gry, [Page 11] touchy, and in short, scelerata sinapis all over. Nevertheless he might have had more wit in his anger, or in his brains, or somewhere, then to have thrust Mr. Prance among his Blasphemers, and fly­ers in the face of Gods Anointed, against whom Ile hold him an even wager he is not able to find the least sillable for such a Nonsensical Accusation. For all false Accusations are but the nonsense of Envy, and generally turn to the shame of the Accuser. But 'tis no difficult matter to comment upon Mr. L'Estrange's Text. For by flying in the face of Gods Anointed, he means the Discoveries of the Plot, and the Assertours of the Protestant Re­ligion; and by Blasphemers, those that, contradict the Follies and Impertinencies of the Diana, and the Goliah of Sense and Grammar. His following Ex­cursions are nothing to our purpose, meer Per­sollae Nugae, trifles and riffraffe, and a congeries of characteristical Raptures in defiance of the Tow­zer-teazers; onely he is very much troubled, that Peo­ple should think he withdrew either out of fear or guilt. For what was it then? Why, he is so kind once as to tell ye, that being in a State of libertie, he thought it his safest way, Achilles like, to retire among the Batavian Spinsters, for fear of being shot in the heels. And that this is the [Page 12] sober-serious touch of the business the very rea­son which he urges against his fear and guilt, confirm. For his dismission at the Council, was no plenary bar for the Parliament not to call over his Charge again. And for his withdrawing, be­fore any thing was spoken against him in the House of Lords, it was an act of his prudence, rather to make use of Mercuries wings, than stay to run hazards. Then again, saies he, I declared at the latter end of my Appeal, that I would with­draw. But that most People constru'd in another sense, that he intended to withdraw out of this Im­pious and Trapanning World, upon the encourage­ment of Dr. Don's self-Homicide, and not into Hol­land; however the hopes of a better Secretary-ship then Mr. Prance's, made him alter his resolution. So unluckily did his aged Ambition spoil a good Design.

As for his Answer to Mr. Prance's Information 'tis hardly worth taking notice of. For the stress of Mr. Prance's Affidavit does not lye upon Mr. L'Estrange being at Mass, but as he himself has stated his own Case, whether he were at Mass in the Queens Chappel since the Kings Restoration. In the contrary averments of which two different Assertions, either Mr. Prance or Mr. L'Estrange [Page 13] must be forsworn. Now I am apt to think, that the greatest part of the Readers of this hot con­test, will take my part, and believe that Mr. Prance has as much reason to be credited as Mr. L'Estrange. For most certain it is, that his word has been taken already, more than once, for greatter Mat­ters than Mr. L'Estrange's being at the Queen's Chappel. In that he has answered nothing to the point. For where he says, that had he been at Mass, the Papists would be able to convict him. He knows well enough, and we know too, that 'tis no wonder they should conceal his denyals, that are so good at 'em themselves, that they will confess nothing by their good will.

And for his saying, that Mr. Prance's Secretary falls upon him most outragiously, 'tis a Don-Quixo­tisme of his own, for there is all along that Mo­deration and respect; which perhaps he calls Insi­pidness, observed toward him; which he ought to have acknowledged rather than ingratefully and disingenuously traduc'd: But when a thing pinches him, he, being old Dog at the trade, finds it his best way to nip it again with his Barnacles of Outragious and Insipid, and so to shift it off. But let me tell you, Mr. L'Estrange, this Plot of yours will take as little as young Mr. Tongues.

[Page 14]His answer to Mowbray's Affidavit, is nothing but a vain flourishing, upon the accident of his being saluted at the Queens Chappel by the name of Mr. L'Estrange, by an acquaintance of Mr. An­dersons, who was Servant to Mr. Allaby of Grays-Inn. Now because Mr. Mowbray, does not tell the Name of this Mr. Andersons acquaintance, nor where he dwelt, therefore Mr. L'Estrange will have this Person to be a Nullitie, or rather as I believe he meant, a non Entitie; which is such an odd way of annihilating a Man, that onely Mr. L'Estranges Omnipotency could have found out. However, for his satisfaction, it had been but his going with a little expence of Shoo-Leather to the Porter of Gray's-Inn, and he would have directed him to Mr. Allaby; Mr. Allaby would have directed him to his man Anderson, and Mr. Anderson would have directed him to his acquaintance. Which he would certainly have done, rather then suffer'd his friend to be thus unkindly annihilated. Truly Mr. L'Estrange would do well to practice this art of Annihilation: I dare be bold to say, he might get vastly by the wicked.

But Mr. Mowbray swears that he saw Mr. L'E­strange since that, at the Queens Chappel, and knew him again to be the same Person he had seen [Page 15] there before, that is the same Person that had been taken notice of by Mr. Anderson's Nullitie in the same place.

So that if Mr. L'Estrange have nothing else but Conclusions upon surmizes, (the five Jesuites way of Arguing themselves to the Gallows) and his own Hectoring and Swaggering to defend his cause, 'tis positive, that his swearing and protest­ing for himself is not to be believ'd against the Oath of two credible Witnesses swearing for the King. Never believe it, Sir, these Hocus pocus-tricks will not pass for the world is grown old and cunning, and is not now to be cajol'd with smooth Tales and Rhapsodies of hard words.

His Animadversions on the Depositions of Mrs. Jane Curtis, in the first place are such as make against himself; Secondly disingenuously and Scan­dalously untrue; and in the Third place, ridicu­lously evasive.

He confesses, he charg'd Mrs. Curtis and her Husband, for publishing Seditious Books, and that being pinch'd upon curcumstances she confess'd, The Appeal from the Country to the City. So then 'tis plain, he look'd upon the Appeal to be a Seditious Book. And yet the Imposition of the fine upon Mr. Harris for printing that very Book, was by [Page 16] the Commons of England, voted both Arbitrary and Illegal. And 'tis vehemently to be suspected that their Judgement would have been the same of Mr. L'Estrange's drawing dry-foot after it. And from hence the world may give a shrewd guess at the reason of his withdrawing, as he termes it, notwithstanding all his endeavours to palliate and sleek over the business. 'Tis to be fear'd they would have given Mr. L'Estrange Esq to under­stand that neither his Sence nor his Grammar, no nor his Judgement neither, were so superiour to Parliaments and Bishops Chaplains, as he presumed within himself.

His saying that Mrs. Curtis denyes her being concern'd in publishing Books upon her Oath, and yet that all the Town knows the contrary, is a conclusion from such a piece of Cretan truth, as a man shall hardly meet with, and would make a man suspect not so much Mr. L'Estrange's Sence and Grammar, as whether he can read or no. For 'tis as plain as the Sun, that the words which he means, were onely the denyal of a Woman scar'd with his Im­perious frowns and menaces, a Narrative leading onely to what she was to swear, and no part of the Oath. Nay Mr. L'Estrange, if ye once be­gin to put tricks upon the World, God-buy t' ye. [Page 17] But here's more of the same stamp; and so 'tis to be fear'd this is not the first time.

The business about Oates and his gang, is most ridiculously false.

You are infinitely mistaken: For 'tis seriously true. And they that have sworn it already will justifie it again; and say besides, you were strangely o­verseen to assert so confidently and publickly such an untruth. This is therefore positively Jesuitical, and you have no way to deny it, but by invoak­ing your Gentility to Witness.

But now your reason: Because it was not a like­ly thing that you should say to her, you know what some of them are come to already, at a time when they were in full prosperity. A miserable argument, when all men of Sence will understand that their pros­perity could never be so full, while your busie pomp, and vanity strutted in the World. They being then in no such prosperity neither, their exhibitions be­ing either retrench'd, or taken away by the indu­stery of their prevailing Enemies, almost to utter dis­couragement.

As to my refusal of Licensing some Books against Papists, which were Licens'd without scruple by the Bishops Chaplains, my answer is, That for or against Papists, 'twas all one, for my Deputation was qual­lifi'd [Page 18] with an Exception to all Theological Argu­ments

This is a meer pittiful shift: as if his deputa­tion had forbid him to Licence a jocose Sarcasme upon the Papists, occasioned by a Lay Proclama­tion for expelling them out of the City. He might as well have refus'd to Licence the rela­tion of the publick Executions, because they con­tain'd the repentant Speeches and Admonitions of dying Men, and for that a Divine was always order'd to attend them at the Gallows for their Souls health.

I would fain know of M. L. whether the Pacquet of Advice were not a Theological argument, or at least an Ecclesiastical History, and yet 'tis well known he Licensed that for five Months together, notwith­standing his Qualified Deputation.

But I am inform'd that Curtis her self disowns several parts of her Deposition, and says they are false printed, and impos'd upon her.

This is one of Quevedo's Dreams, a falshood, and meer Cony-catching Imposition upon the World. They that know Mrs. Curtis, well know, she is a Woman that considers better what she sayes, then to be perswaded out of her Reputation; besides the affront which Mr. L'Estrange puts upon [Page 19] the Clerk of so Honourable a Committee, as if he were one that gave out false Copies.

Mr. L'Estrange therefore was to blame, not to send a brisker Toper when he employ'd his Emissa­ry to pump Mrs. Curtise's Husband at the Three Tun Tavern upon Ludgate Hill. But the Fellow it seems got Drunk unseasonably, and instead of pumping others, wanted a Pump for himself; and so Mr. L'Estrange lost his design, and was chea­ted in his Intelligence to boot.

But Mrs. Curtis is so far from Disowning what she has sworn, that she is ready not onely to repeat the same again, but to add more, when ever Mr. L'Estrange shall have any occasion for such a kind­ness. She'll tell him a tale in his Ear, that he swore Oates and Bedlow, &c. were a company of Rogues, and that the Plot, was a Plot of their own making. But no more of this at present.

Now I Appeal to Mr. L'Estranges Wisdom, whe­ther it be prudence in him, who looks upon these Peo­ple, as such a sort of contemptible Insects and Hornets, to be thus continually disturbing their Nests, as if he had the curbing and Licensing their stings, either to hurt, or not to hurt as he pleas'd himself.

To Mr. Fletchers Deposition he answers, That as to his asserting the Pope to be the Head of the [Page 20] Church, himself a Member of that Church, or speaking of his hopes to see others return to that Church, or a­ny thing to that effect, by the everlasting God, it is as false, as if he had sworn, I had come down the Chimney upon a Broomstick. So there's my Oath a­gainst His.

Now Mr. L'Estrange thinks he has done a won­derful piece of business, in swearing by the Everlast­ing God. Truly such a formidable Oath might have serv'd to have scar'd a young Lady out of a suspicion of his playing a foul Card at Picquet: but here it does not signifie one straw; and is therefore perfectly taking the Name of God in Vain. For Mr. L'Estrange might have gain'd the Expe­rience, in that little time that he was a Justice of the Peace, how little a man's swearing at Ran­dom for himself, will avail against a Testimony sworn for the King upon the Evangelists. Could Mr. L'Estrange be so idle, as to believe, that if he should be accus'd for Robbing upon the Highway upon the Oaths of sufficient Witnesses legally ta­ken, that his swearing and Hectoring by the Ever­lasting God, would be a sufficient Argument for the Judges to acquit him? So that his Ostenta­tious Expression of, Here's my Oath against his, is a meer Bubble. For his swearing by the Ever­lasting [Page 21] God, upon this occasion, weighs no more in the Ballance of Judgement against Mr. Fletchers Oath before a Magistrate, then nothing against Pondero­sity. Mr. L'Estrange therefore, in such cases as these, would do better, to leave off his swearing by his Ma­ker, and the Everlasting God, and take Martial's advice,

For as he manages his affair of swearing, the same credit will be given to the one as the other. But for all his swearing and vapouring, and holding up his hands to Heaven, Mr. Fletcher is the same Person still, and avouches his Deposition to be true, and what he is bound in Conscience, and shall be always ready to justifie. And more then that, he admires at Mr. L'E­stranges Confidence to call the Everlasting God to Witness the attest of his publick Impositions upon the World. But the slight Comparison of his coming down the Chimney upon a Broomstick, shews the levity of his Invocation.

Now as to the probability of the Matter; First, saith he, I had no discourse with Fletcher, but in the hear­ing of the other two; and to those two I dare appeal, if he dares but say who they were.

[Page 22]As to the first Assertion, Mr. Fletcher affirms it to be false; for that the other two Gentlemen were at the one end of a long Table, and Mr. Fletcher and Mr. L'Estrange at the other, at a competent distance, and consequently divided into several places, and discoursing of distinct matter. As for his Appeal, because he is in such a daring humour, we will [...]ell him the Name of one of the Gentlemen who was there, and perhaps took more notice of his Auricu­lar Confessions, then he was aware of; his Name with his addition, is Doctor Frye. Now we must tell him where the Doctor lives too, or else Mr. L'E­strange will make him a Nullitie, as he has done Mr. Anderson's Acquaintance; he lives therefore in Black Fryers, very near the Water-Stairs, where he is very well known, and where Mr. L'Estrange may attend him for the Julip of his so unquestioned acquittal.

Secondly, I must be two great Fools in one, to speak a thing so imprudent, that had no relation either to the Company or the Occasion.

As for Mr. L'Estranges Folly, or whether he be one or two Fools, we shall not trouble our selves with it, nor whether he borrowed this Argument from Gawen the Jesuite at the Sessions-House. But con­sidering that it is the Custom of most people now a-days to preach over their Cups, and to slip out [Page 23] of all other Discourses into that of Religion, at the Tavern, there might be occasion given enough for the Discourse, and Discourse enough upon the Occasion, notwithstanding all Mr. L'Estranges Improbabilities.

Thirdly, In case I had said it in so harmless a fashion, &c.

So then at length, here's a Confession of the whole matter wire-drawn out of him. But what he means by confessing himself to be a Catholick of Rome in a harmless fashion, by confessing himself to be of that Church in a harmless fashion, and by hoping to see others return to that Church in a harm­less fashion; or how the saying of words in a harmless fashion, can make those words void, is somewhat of a Rid­dle. But now you see what sort of Engin it is which he makes use of, to shove off all Objections made against him, he swears and stares and hectors in a harmless fashion, and then you are ob­lig'd to believe what ever he says to be true in a harmless fashion.

But lastly, it is my comfort, that Mr. Fletcher of all the world is is the man to make me a Papist, of whom no man living could ever make any thing.

The Assertion is very general and very positive; and properly enough becoming Mr, L'Estranges impotent precipitan­cy; and shews how little heed there is to be given to a rash and inconsiderate Censurer. But suppose him to be onely a moral honest Man (and that Mr. L'Estrange dares not deny) 'tis enough to do his business. Nay, suppose him to be one of the midling sort, a man of no more then a strip'd Reputa­tion; yet the Oaths of such a one is sufficient to serve Mr. L'Estranges turn. Is this the Famous L'Estrange that ownes such Trifles as these?

At these the common Vulgar laugh, the very Boys Sneer up their Noses, and deride his Toys.

Mr. Prance 's Invention I find is quite jaded, so put to't to make a Twelve-penny Book on't, that he's fain to Thunder a matter of twelve folio Pages in Observations upon Philo-L'Estrange and Pragmaticus, and all the Edge of his Indig­nation is as still turn'd upon me, that Heav'n knows am innocent of the thing as I was born. How innocent he was born it matters not. He should have done well to have made the Earth as knowing as the Heavens in this particular: E­specially having so many good Friends, that for old acquain­tance sake, would have spar'd him room for such a short Advertisement in any of their Weekly Intelligences. But be it whose it will, it runs in his Stile, contains his own Principles, pursues his wild and rambling Conceits, and smells of the same Hemp with all the rest of his Pamphlets against the Plot and it's Discoverers. His Name is to it, the known Name of Roger L'Estrange Esq and it is said to be prin­ted for his Bookseller. And therefore since the Brat is laid to his Charge, he is bound to keep and maintain it.

For otherwise, by his own Rule, unless he can produce the Author, and tell us where he dwels, we must adjudge all other Authors Nullities, but himself. However he says, there is in it one Terrible Pinch against him.

[Page 25]Mr. L'Estrange says, in his Discovery upon Discovery Now, Doctor, I do positively averr that there was not one Church of England-Man in the Parliament Army. To which it is answered, that a Metropolitan of England served in the Parliament Army with a command of Horse, and thence inferr'd, now what becomes of L'Estranges positive averr? To which Mr. L'Estrange replies, that the Covenant was an Abjuration of the Church of England, and the opposing of Bishops, and the Common-Prayer was the Test of the Par­ty, and that an Episcopal man being once dipt, is no more a Church of England-Man, than a Renegade that hath renoun­ced the Christian-Faith, is a Christian.—

Truely Mr. L'Estrange had better have let this Argu­ment alone; for he only speaks out of the abundance of his Heart, but not out of the Abundance of his Lo­gick. In the first place, he does not make it out that ever the Arch-Bishop took the Covenant; neither does it appear by any thing from Mr. L'Estrange but that he might make use of the Liturgie of the Church of England at the same time. So that it may be said indeed, that he assist­ed the Long Parliament as a Rebel; but that did not make him cease to be a Church of England-Man. And thus the Bishop of Munster, when he assisted the French King, was a Rebel, 'tis true, to the Emperor, who was his lawful Prince; nevertheless, he was of the Church of Rome, and Bishop of Munster still. So in the Archbishop the effect must remain, because the cause was not taken away. The cause of his be­ing made Arch-Bishop, was the Kings Favour, but the King had not un-Arch-Bishop'd him; and therefore being still an Arch-Bishop, he was still a Church of England-Man.

In the second place, He mistakes in Fundamentals. For Episcopacy is not the Church of England, [...], de om­ni, but [...] per se, as being inseparable from its Genus; which is Protestantism. Protestantism then is the grand Genus, Episcopacy, Presbytery, and Independency are but the spe­ces; [Page 27] dissentanea diversa indeed, but not Opposita, as differing only in outward Ceremonies and in things of indifferencie, not in points of Faith. Neither can any of these three be called Shisms from one another, neither erring in Fundamentis, as the Arrians and Maronites, nor circa Fundamenta, like the Papists. The want of which Knowledge has run Mr. L'strange into two gross Absurdities; that an Episcopal Man Apostatized into Presbytery, or Independencie (for one of these two, I know his Ignorance means by the word Schism) which is an impossibility (Apostacie being a revolt from Truth) is no more a Church of England- Man then a Renagado, that has re­nounced his Faith is a Christian. Which is a Nonsensical con­clusion. For to be a Christian and an Infidel are Opposita contraria. 'Tis impossible for Christianity and Infidelity to be both in one Subject. But a Bishop may be a Presbyterian, and a Presbyterian a Bishop without any offence to God or Man. Nay if the Arch-Bishop had taken the Covenant, it makes him cease to be a Church of England-Man no more, then taking the Parliament Test, made a Papist cease to be a Papist. But no more of this, as having said enough to any Men of Sence and Grammer. And therefore Mr. L'strange must go to School again; For I do positively aver, that his Positive aver to Dr. Oates, was a Peg too high; the effect of his rashness or ignorance, or both together.

Having thus finished with Mr. Prance, he turns Jupiter Rampant, and falls a Thundering upon his contemptible Ene­mies, as if he intended to Foot-ball'em to the Devil imme­diately. To the end therefore that you may behold him in all his Glory,

Enter the Exasperated Numen surrounded withall his Fury.

This is the true Representation of Mr. L'Estranges ridiculous Passion, and his pusillanimous vainglorie, which has caus'd such a Guelf and Ghibelline contest in the City; a Crackfart Son of Rodomantado despising every one but R. L'strange, and triumphing over as good Men as himself. If they are such Pigmies, why does his Eagleship condescend to play the Crane? Such a Ger-Faulcon as he, should scorn to stoop to such pitiful Game as Sparrows and Titmouses. And yet as contemptible as they are, he can not but hug himself in most of his Pamphlets for the little Victories which he thinks he has got; and with which he flatters his own Fansie. Though for my part I see no such inequality in the Match; but they return him as good as he brings, even to his Vomits, and the Reversions of his Glysters. And therefore if he will vout­safe to contend with 'em, he must allow 'em more desert, and higher Titles, for his own honour. For all this while, as I said before, as insignificant as he makes his Adversaries, they do but render him the subject of their own mirth, and the sport of the Town. So that 'tis no wonder the Titan's should be two hard for Jupiter, that is, that the contemptible should worst the Contemner, when he himself by his own folly layes himself opon to their Lashes, and makes them the Arbitrators of their own Revenge.

[Page 34]But now it seems he intends, after such ill success in his Wars, to take another course with his Antagonists, and tell's 'em he intends to send his Attorney among them. But then they laugh till they spill their Liquor. One cries, Let him be a Norfolk one, I beseeeh your worship; for that's a famous Country for Law. Another asks whither he were not in the Crown-Office himself, when he vented that Rodemontado? Ano­ther asks, What he will take for the place, and make a firm Depu­tation? Another bids him have a care that he be not pick'd up for Hawks-meat, and presented to the Grand-Jury the next Sessi­ons. And then what would become of all the hopes of Mr. L'Estranges Attorny-General.

Hear from him by his Attorney! A very charitable Gentle­man to the Lawyers indeed: What fine sport we should have? Norfolcian-Jove Plaintiff, Briarian Care Defendant, in an Acti­on of Scandalum Magnatum. Heavens forbid, that the French King do not come in among us, and alter the Laws of the Land before Mr. L'Estrange commences his Suits. However Gentlemen, 'tis fair play, fore-Arm'd, fore-warn'd; think what ye have to do and what to say: for you will find no mercy after a Verdict.

And thus as for the defences of himself, they appear to be all frivilous and impertinent, meer Shams, Delusions, Evasions Shifts and Falshoods. So that he need not make it such a won­derful thing, that one Man should call him This, and another call him that, when he himself lays himself so open to such un­happy Advantages. 'Tis very true, that 'tis hard case that any Man should be wrongfully Arraigned, yet on the other side, we have no reason to believe, that Mr. L'Estranges Me­rits were ever so advantagious to Human kind, as to give him a general Pardon for all Offences and miscarriages that should be laid to his Charge in this World, or to oblige us to seal up our belief against all things that can be said against him, or to inforce us to such an obstinate hatred of all Charity for his sake, as to believe that any sober persons as to [Page 35] all other things blameless in the eye of the World, would be so madly precipitate as to damn themselves to injure Mr. L'Estrange. Besides that, such a thought would not a little prejudice Mr. L'Estrange himself; for what could we imagine, but highly to his disrepute, of such a behaviour, that should provoke so dismal and destructive a Revenge?

As for his Defence of the publick Government, 'Tis the Opinion of more Doctors then one, that he had better have let it all alone: as having done more harm then good. He has only exasperated, exagitated and boutfeud, by accusing al­most a third part of the Protestants of the Kingdom of Plots and Contrivances, vilifying and discountenancing the Kings Evidence and distracting the minds of People in general; and still the Burthen of his Song is, oh the Exorbitont Liberty of the Press; as if he only wrote for his Licensers Place, and the sweets of Domineering at Stationers-Hall. And indeed I must needs say, that I could never find by any of Mr. L'Estranges Writings, that he has either Learning or History enough, to interpose in any of the Contests now on Foot, which is a work for more sober and judicious Pens then his. For weak Defences, such as his are, give the Adversary advantage, and are worse then none at all.

All the severity of Tiberius could not prevent the Inundati­ons of Libels and invectives against his Person, in an Empire much more enslaved at that time and under the Government, by permission only, of the most obsequious and most flatter­ing Senate in the World. And what the Councils of Princes, nay the Pope himself under his very Nose, in Rome, with his Inquisition cannot obviate, does Mr. L'Estrange think to pre­vent with his Scribling? Let him leave that to the Govern-and Graver Writers, and whistle in his Whelps, his Citts and his Bumkins, his Zekiels and his Ephraims which I dare be bold to say, will never make him Immortal; fitter behalf to have the same Sentence pass'd upon them, that Dr. Mayern passed upon the Queens Cowcumbers, or which the Barber and [Page 36] the Curate gave upon Don Quixot's Library, which was to be thrown out at Window, to illuminate the World more in a Bonefire, then by their Literature.

Thus Mr. L'Estrange, I have done. I have only said this, to tell you, that your Answers to the Affidavits against you are fri­volous and impertinent, and that you must bring better proofs of your Innocency, or else you will never be believed among Rational Men, and so farewell, and Write till Dooms-day for me.