A SECOND DIALOGUE Between the POPE AND A FANATIC, Concerning AFFAIRS in ENGLAND.  
By the Author of the First, who is a Hearty Lover of his Prince and Country.  
LONDON: Printed for H. Jones, 1681.   

A SECOND DIALOGUE Between the POPE AND A FANATIC.  Pope. 
BRother, 
The Pope's Countryhouse.  You are welcome to the Belveder, we are now in a Committee of Secrecy, and may discourse our thoughts with Freedom, without suspicion of a surprise. How stand our Affairs in England?  Phan. 
Ah, Sir! Matters have not succeeded according to my Wishes and Expectations; I thought I had been secure of my Designs, and this made me act with Confidence; but ah!—  Pope. 
What? Are all our Plots and Intrigues shamed into a Sigh? Is your Tripos himself deceived? I thought he had been so unerringly skilled in the Arts of undermining, that no Government could have escaped his Trains.  Phan. 
You know his Ancient Predecessor at Delphos was sometimes mistaken, and if our Oracle be at present doubtful, 'tis according to former Precedent, and far from Wonder in Demonology. I had great hopes that my terrible Comet-Parliament (whose Rod did far outstretch the Regal Sceptre) would have mounted to a higher Elevation than Charles his Wain, and fixed upon our Horizon: but on a sudden the Comet, and the Parliament, and our hopes dissolved together.  Pope. 
In my opinion, your Blazing Commons appeared with too fiery a Tail, and acted with too much openness and Effrontery; there was more Capricio than Policy in their Proceedings. Affairs were not ripe enough for their daring Adventures; they drew up 19 Propositions, and such bold Remonstrances, as if the King had already been their Prisoner in the Isle of Wight. And what a mischief was it to the Liberty-Keepers of England, to send for Gentlemen into Custody, by no other Warrant, but from Will, Will? this was an unlucky Indication of the Plurality of Arbitrary Powers, and was as much as to say in our Language, Sic volumus, sic jubemus.  
Their Proceedings being illegal and unwarrantable was their Merit, and not their Crime; in my opinion, their only Gild was the imprudence of a too early Vexation, & their being Arbitrary somewhat too soon. For I am afraid these frequent Hurricanes should impress upon the Abhorrers of Petitions, an Abhorrence of Parliaments, and make the People vote, that the Commons are the greatest Enemies to their own sitting, and give them occasion to Resolve, that if they must be Slaves, they had better with St. Paul be bound with one of Caesar's Chains, than loaden with 500 Irons. Remember that you once governed the Nation by a Junto of Commons, without a King or House of Lords, and if by a too early violence you force the King into Extremity, you may give him occasion to Govern the Realm by a King and House of Peers, and, at least, to exclude your Members from the Commons; for your continued Affronts will furnish him with plausible Reasons to excuse the Model, and justify such a Proceeding. I grant you show much Gallantry, and met with good Success in the days of Charles the First, but I am your elder Brother, and have had longer experience in the Ruin of Empires than your Age can pretend to; therefore it is my Counsel, as your Friend and Brother, that if you be again allowed the Privilege to choose your Representatives, advise them to court the King with fair Pretensions and reserved Compliances, till you can, by great Compliments and a little money, caress him into an Act of Oblivion, and when he hath forgot both himself and you, than is the time to remember the Good old Cause.  Phan. 
Indeed I now wish that we had treated the King with more fineness, for I know by precedent, that he who is to do Execution upon a Monarch, should not appear barefaced, but in Masquerade: And I have a suspicion that our bolder Votes and Addresses have so awakened him, that we may have lost our Advantage: especially considering that he was immediate Successor to a murdered Father.  Pope. 
But how did you resent the Remove to Oxford?  Phan. 
Oh Sir, I had a very painful sense of that Removal, it was a kind of Dislocation in the Body Politic: for, methinks, the Commons out of London look like Members out of joint. This Disappointment deprived us of the blessed Advantages of Republican Cabals, and Metropolitan Tumults. But yet, to show that no change of Air could alter our Nature and Resolutions, we did pursue the same Votes at Oxford, that we had commenced at Westminster. My Dictator or Terrae Filius, was just preparing a Speech for the Theatre, but that proud Pile was founded by an Archbishop, and so surrounded with Caesar's, that we could never enter the Circus, but were dispersed with a sudden Thunderclap; and this gave occasion to some profane Tantivy-men to ridicule that Assembly, and style it the Anchovy Parliament, because it dissolved so soon upon the first Heat.  Pope. 
But I am told of a Declaration that followed that Dissolution, and that the King hath declared, He will govern by his Laws; and you and I have more reason to be afraid of that, than of his being Arbitrary.  Phan. 
'Tis true, and I believe that Declaration was one of the Evils presaged by that Malignant Comet; for, to speak plainly, I was never pleased with that Blazing-Rod, for, when it first appeared in its Western Position, the Extremity of his Radius seemed to be just Zenith to the House of Commons: and I am afraid, that Comet was some Tory among the Stars, that had no good meaning to the Lower House; for when that Parliament dissolved, it presently disappeared, as if it came on purpose to point at us, and affront us.  Pope. 
Some did fancy here at Rome, that that Star might be the Receptacle of the Souls of Stafford, and the rest of my last Martyrs in England; and that the large Emanation from the Comet, did remark the streaming Effusions of their Blood, and signify a Rod to revenge it.  Phan. 
I shall not dispute which Martyrs were the greater Saints your Regicides or mine; but I must tell you, that I was resolved for the Blood of Stafford, not so much upon the account of his Crimes, but in regard to his name; it sounded so like the Earl of Strafford, that I fancied his Blood might be happily ominous, and be royally and canonically attended according to our former Precedent. But I assure you of late we are become very tender of Catholic blood, and if the Popish Lords, and my Bosom-Friend Fitz-Harris were to remain untried, till we vote them to the Bar, they should be reserved till Doomsday.  Pope. 
But Brother, the Comet hath so amused you, that you have forgotten the Declaration.  Phan. 
I confess, it did a little divert me; but, I can as soon forget the Covenant as the Declaration. The King indeed did once pass an Act of Oblivion for us, but it is against our Method of Grace, to grant an Oblivion for the King, except it be to forget his Mercy.  
To declare against the Collective Wisdom of a Nation, to term the Actions of an Heroic House of Commons, Irregularities, Miscarriages, illegal and unwarrantable Proceeding, this is too high an Affront to be forgotten. For though we printed our Votes, and discovered our Secrets, on purpose to inflame the little Sisters, yet for the King to expose the Pudenda, or Nakedness of the People's Members, in Churches and Markets, to be observed and scoffed at by Crowds of Tories; this was uncivil and immodest, nay, about two years ago, I would have called it Impudence.  
But that which added to my Vexation was the Prelatical order for reading of it in the Pulpit; if it had been denounced below the Mount, in the despised Service-Desk, it would have had no Impression or Solemnity; but being published from the Sanctum Sanctorum of the Pulpit, that most Sacred Seat of Oracles, this made it pass for Jure Divino, and because the Voice came from the Pulpit, some silly People were apt to think that the Declaration was made in Heaven. This was a Metropolitan Stratagem, and shall be recorded for the first Article against William the Second.  Pope. 
But I am informed that there was an Use of Consolation in the conclusion of that Declaration, wherein the King promised the People the Favour of frequent Parliaments.  Phan. 
In my opinion, that is not so great a Favour, except we can sit again next door to Hell, where we may correspond with our old Familiars. But however, Frequent Parliaments suppose frequent Dissolutions, and one Good old fashioned Long Parliament were worth 500 frequent ones.  Pope. 
But I hope you do not despond, and give up the common Cause as desperate.  Phan. 
I will never despair as long as you have a Being in the World, for I yet find, there is an infallibility in your Name, the crying Pope and Popery is still the surest stratagem, and there could be no successful Plot without that infallible Noise.  
But that which most supports my hopes, is, the King's want of Money. The Fort Royal is defended by so many Cannons and Regular Fortifications, that there is no way to take it but starving; And to this end, we have, by a Solemn Vote, made it Treason against the Parliament for the King or his Friends to supply his need, without the consent of his Enemies. For if it be in the power of Zeal, Money, or Perjury, we will send him such Commons as shall never grant him a penny, except he stake his Crown, or some of the Jewels of it.  Pope. 
I would have you declare in all the High Courts of Shops and Coffeehouses, that a Parliament is as necessary to raise Money in England, as a Purgatory at Rome: But I am afraid your Church of England Tories have no more regard to Votes, than you have for Proclamations. And you have so alarmed them by your late Arbitrary Proceedings, that I am jealous that they should rather think it their Interest to make an honourable and timely Composition with the Crown, by some considerable Benevolence, than run the Adventure to be plundered by your Troops, and sequestered by your Committees. I do allow your indisputable Maxim, that the Poverty of the King is the interest of a Presbyterian House of Commons: And you have wisely ordained, that though the King should be reduced to the straitest Exigencies, yet he must not so much as ask an Alms, and if Necessity should teach him the common impudence to be a Beggar, yet you have politicly resolved, that it shall be a Crime to be charitable to the Crown, without the leave of the Commons, those High Almoners of England.  
But Brother, the Mischief is, that you did once contribute your Money and Plate to carry on the War against the King, without a Statute of Parliament: Now this may become an unlucky Precedent, and if ever the Cavaliers come to be considering Animals, they may chance to conclude, That they may as freely give their Gold to support the hands of Moses, as you did to make the Golden Calf of a Commonwealth: And that it were more Religion and Loyalty, in their Prince's Extremity, to contribute their money without a Parliament to preserve the King and Monarchy, than it was for you to destroy them both by an Arbitrary Contribution.  
Now this being the fatal Crisis of our Cause, be sure you maintain with all possible confidence, That for any one to cast in his Free-will-offerings into the Treasury or Corban of the Crown, is Will-worship and Popery, and as Antichristian a Superstition as Alms and Charity. I wonder you have so long allowed the King that Imperial Prerogative to be the sole Lord of the Mint, it would have been a mighty Policy and Advantage, if you could have shared in that Authority, and Enacted that the Coin of England should have had the Image of the King stamped on one side, and the Superscription of the Commonwealth on the other. This would have been a Demonstration that he could never have had any Money without you. There is an Apocryphal passage in the Gospel, that would make us believe that Christ and St. Peter should pay Tribute to Caesar without the consent of the Sanhedrim, and should tell the Jews they were obliged to do so too, because the Money had the Image and Superscription of Caesar, which did suppose their subjection to him, and his entire Authority over them. And I observe that Charles the Second, in his English Coin, is stamped more Romano, and his Image looks like the Ancient Figure of Caesar Augustus. I wish this be not ominous.  Phan. 
Peter's calling the King Supreme, and his Example, and Paul's Command of paying Tribute to Emperors because they are God's Ministers, and upon the account of their care in Government, does no way concern you or me; for you know there were no Popes nor Parliaments in those days of Primitive Christianity.  Pope. 
You have answered like an Oracle. But suppose the Cavaliers should be such Fools, as to shut their Purses till you cut them open, and keep their Money till they lose their Lands; though they should not present their Oblations, yet the unwilling Sacrifices of our Estates which will be drawn from us by the Cords of Penal Laws, will help to enrich the Crown; and, which is worst of all, will give the King the Advantage to answer our Clamours of Arbitrary Power, by destroying of us both according to Law.  Phan. 
I hope to prevent all these Mischiefs in the next Session of Parliament.  Pope. 
But I am afraid that your Elect Members have been so often Reprobated by Prorogations and Dissolutions, that they should be weary of appearing. And if ever the King, by any crafty Stratagem, procure a Cavaliering Parliament, who are Bigots for the Monarchy and Hierarchy of England, both you and I are ruined, and we are sure not to have one Friend in the three Estates. Such a pack of Tories would restore the Use of Convocations, and damn the Lay Committee for Religion; they would contrive such Persian Laws that should obviate your Elections to 〈◊〉, and cut off your Succession to the Chair. Nay, perhaps, they would Resolve to burn the Votes and Journals of the two last Houses, that your braver Affronts and oppositions to Princes, may be no Advantage or Precedent to Posterity.  Phan. 
Sir, I know the warm Temper of my own Members, and that they have such a prurient Lust after Madam Respublica, that they have a State Priapism, and will stand as long as the Lower House is open, and they shall never want the provocatives of Aurum Potabile, for I will contribute as freely to raise a Parliament against the King, as ever I did to levy Arms against him; for I cannot well do this without the other.  Pope. 
Truly Brother, I begin to fear that the King will out-wit us both, with all our Cabals and Cardinals. That the Duke of York is a Romish Bigot, is not so infallibly resolved at Rome, as it is in Westminster. What would you say, if after all our noise the D. of Y. should declare to be no Papist, and your D. of M. prove a decoy Protestant, and that the Popery of the one, and the Compliance of the other, was only an Intrigue to betray us both.— What's the matter?  Phan. 
A little Faint, Sir.  Pope. 
Ho' Staffiere! fetch me quickly some Elixir Libertatis & Proprietatis.— Come, what cheer now?  Phan. 
This will recover me. But truly, you conjured up such a Formidable Apparition, that though I knew it to be but an Vmbra, yet it had such a horrid Aspect, that it almost frighted me into a Deliquium.  Pope. 
I wish it may be only a Phantom, but what would you do if it should prove a Reality?  Phan. 
Why, such a Miracle of Policy might perchance work another Wonder as great as that, and convert me to Loyalty and Obedience; but if my nature render such a Change impossible, there were no living under so great a Shame, and therefore, when the Duke of York deserts you, and the Duke of Mon forsakes me, I will take the liberty to hang myself; and so I shall yet live and die in an Arbitrary way, and both in Life and Death affront the Government.  Pope. 
But what think you of sending the D. of Y. into Scotland?  Phan. 
I wish he were banished out of your Dominions and ours, and yet, I think you challenge a Jurisdiction over all the Kingdoms of the Earth, besides the Territories of Purgatory. I would you had him upon the Scala Santa at Rome, or we upon a Scaffold on Tower-hill, any where, so he were not upon the same Terra Firma. My Scottish Brethren say, that he is posted like the threatening Angel at the Gates of Eden, with a flaming Sword, that turns to North and South, and was planted there, on purpose to stop their Passage, and prevent their Return to Paradise.  Pope. 
But do you really design to enthrone your D. of M. and ever trust that Lord of the Sun Tavern with the Chariot and Ranies of Government?  Phan. 
No Truly. We know the natural Sons of Princes are begotten in an Arbitrary way, against the Proceedings of Law and Property, and therefore they are commonly born with an unhappy Inclination to unlimited Government; and it is not Empire, but Commonwealth that we are designing. But you and I must have lost our ancient Politic, if we cannot embroil one Monarchy by the divided names of two opposite Dukes.  Pope. 
What think you of the Condition of Tangier? In my Opinion, the King's securing that place without your Aid, and against your Will, was a mighty instance of his Power and Policy. His gallant Fleet in the Mediterranean, his victorious Arms at Tangier, have made his name glorious in the Levant; and I believe the Emperor of Morocco, though one of the Heads of the Dragon, yet dare not address to him with so much Rudeness as the Tail of a House of Commons.  Phan. 
The preserving Tangier from the Assault of the Moors, was one of the blackest Misfortunes that ever befell us; for our Confederates in Africa, entrenched before that Town in a very Critical Juncture; and if they had carried the place while my House of Comets were blazing, it would have given us a brave Advantage to have stormed the Throne; for, than we would have clamoured against the King, and charged him with the Ruin of our Levant Trade; we would have brought the Loss of that Town into the Popish Plot, and accused some Romish Officers for betraying the place to Infidels. This would have so much lessened the King's Reputation both at home and abroad, and so much served our Interest in the promoting of popular Complaints, that we could not have wished a happier Event: but to preserve the place and to triumph too, was so great a Disappointment, that I begin to fear, the old Prince of the Blacks will deceive us.  
Indeed there was a time, when we would have annexed that Place to the Crown, for fear it should have been removed into the Exchequer; but to speak San's Compliment, I had rather Tangier should have been annexed to the Crown Imperial of Morocco, than to the Crown Imperial of England.  Pope. 
Before we part, I thing myself obliged to give you my Thanks for some late eminent Services.  
First, For your vigorous Pursuit of the excluding Bill. There were some hundreds of years from the first Date of Anno Domini, which are commonly called the first four Centuries, when you and I had not a Being in the World. In those days, the Plain Christians kept themselves to the old fashioned Modes of Primitive Christianity, and observed the meaner Habits of Meekness, Humility, and Patience, with a tame Subjection to secular Powers; and though sometimes they had the Command of Forts, and Castles, and valiant Armies, yet they were so silly as to truckle to a Pagan Successor, and suffer him to ascend the Throne without any Affront or Disturbance. But you and I have learned braver Principles, and taught the World, that Dominion is founded in Grace, that is, in your Favour and Mine.  
Now, if, like these Primitive Fools, you had left the Throne to the Right and Descent of Law and Nature, and to the quiet disposure of Providence, than I am confident, if the Duke had survived the King, that he would never have rendered his short Reign uneasy, by removing the Boundaries of an established Religion and Government, but would have thought himself obliged, in Generosity, to have been Defender of that Faith, and of that People, who had never given him the least Disquiet.  
I am not yet assured that the Duke is a Zealot in my Religion, but you do well to report him to be so, and you have taken a Course to make him one, and I thank you for that.  
That which next merits my Thanks is your Bill for uniting Protestant's; for, you have so ingeniously contrived the Project, that it will equally serve your Interest and mine; for you only exclude the Roman Tongue, but in others allow a Confusion of Languages, and suffer every Division to enjoy their own Dialect: and yet by an Almighty Vote, resolve, that ninety and nine Divisions shall be but one single Unite, and the same Idiom.  
Brother, if ever you can effect this, I will grant you to be a greater Conjurer than I, and that you have outdone the mystery of Transubstantiation.  
This politic Stratagem would introduce so great a Confusion into the Church of England, that many wiser men would come over to Rome, and think it the better Babel of the two.  
In my opinion, your uniting Device does far exceed a Toleration, for that would leave the Church of England to enjoy its distinct Order and Establishment; but this cunning Contrivance and mystical Union, would confound the Glory and Discipline of that Church, which is the greatest Envy of Rome and Geneva.  
I have yet no hopes to repeal the 23. but I thank you for your endeavours of repealing the 35th. of Eliz. That Fundamental, establishing Law of rank Protestant Religion. I do dispense with your observing of Queen Elizabeth's day, and the pompous burning of my Effigies, so you will but damn the Statutes of Jesabel, for that was her ancient Title among yours and mine.  
I hope, next Parliament, though you meet in a new place you will pursue your old Votes and Resolutions.  Phan. 
We call it Popery to confess an Error, and scorn the Superstition of Repentance; we have already offended beyond the hopes of Oblivion, and have no other method to secure our Indemnity, but by proceeding to higher Crimes.  Pope. 
Well, dear Brother, I must leave you a while to divert your melancholy Thoughts with the pleasant Prospects of the Frescati. 
Villages where the Pope and Cardinals have their Country Houses.  I have appointed a Consult with my Cardinals, about the Liberties of the Gallican Church, and the Regalities of Franee, and I will leave it to your Care, to undermine the Prelacy and Prerogatives of the Church and Monarchy of England.  
FINIS.