The Fidelity of a ●●●al Subject, of the Kingdom of England: OR, An honest Act of Fidelity to King James, King William, and the whole Kingdom.  
THE Oath of Fidelity, which is sworn by the Subjects of this Kingdom to the King, is sworn to him not as he is a Natural Person (and no more) but as a Political person and Principal Member, or Head of a Great Body Politic, the Kingdom; and comprehends Fidelity to the Whole Body, and to all the constituent Parts of it, to the Common Interest of the Lords, and to the Common Interest of the Commons: So that who ever sets up for a Separate Interest of any One, to the Prejudice of any of the other, is no Faithful Subject of this Kingdom, but a Traitor, and violates his Allegiance to the whole: Nay, tho' it be in Appearance or Pretence for the King, it doth in effect but betray his true Interest, so that he may justly be punished as a Traitor for it.  
One, and a considerable part of true Fidelity, is to assist, as much as may be, to the Discovery of all such things, as are of great Concern, either to the whole Body, or to any of the Great Parts of it, to be fully and plainly Understood. And therefore having with some Pains and Study made a plain Discovery, in my apprehension, that the Whole is in a very evil and Dangerous Case in respect of Religion; and that the State is likewise in a very Bad Case in some things, and in a very Doubtful Case in others of greatest Concern to the Whole; and Considering this Obligation aforesaid, I have thought it my Duty, in Discharge of my Fidelity, to impart my Discoveries in the most proper manner, and to the most proper Persons, I could: That is, What concerns matters of Religion to the Assembly of the Clergy; and what concerns matters of State, to such as are in Authority in the State; as Privy Counsellors, and Members of Parliament. And I have begun to do what I could, as occasion served in both.  
Upon a Review of the Reformation I observed that King James had been very hardly used, in my apprehension: and thereupon writ a Letter to an Honourable Person of the Privy Council, as followeth,  
My Lord,  
HAving lately had special Occasion to review the Proceed of the Reformation here in England, and consider that matter more particularly than heretofore I had done, I did observe not only a great deal of indirect, Illegal, Arbitrary and unjust Deal, and so much Corruptions brought in instead of what was pretended to be Reform, as made that which was a good Cause at first (For there was great need of a Reformation;) an ill one by ill Management; but moreover that the Principles of the Reformation, upon which it was acted (though false in themselves, yet being made Law) do plainly justify King James, as to a considerable part of the matters alleged against him; And the rest being neither Proved, nor so much as brought to a fair Examination; and his Abdication being not Voluntary, but only Fuga Metus causa, I, who have hitherto asserted King William's Right upon the Principles of the True English Government, not minding the Innovation made at the pretended Reformation, am now quite at a loss what to think, and what to do: Only, if the things alleged be true, though there be no Proof, God knows it, and I can be content to sit still under his Providence. But if they be not true, it will be in vain to presume upon the ●●●e Peace: For there remains an Apparent Cause for a Civil War: And the Righteous God, who Restored King Charles the 2 d. can as easily Restore King James the Second. And therefore I conceive it not only an Act of Justice to King James, but of Fidelity to King William, that he be imminded to consider in time What is fit to be done in this Case, as well as of Providence for Preservation of the Peace of the Nation, lest some Unexpected Occurrence should surprise him with a sudden Change of the Minds of the People. I would not have him be deceived by Trusting to his Possession, or his Forces, or the Prejudice of the People against Popery, but take Care that Right be done, and that the Peace of the Kingdom be preserved, at least that there be nothing wanting in him to either. This I thought my Duty to acquaint his Majesty, or some of his Council with, and none more fit than your Lordship, and my Lord Archbishop, to whom I have written more largely concerning other matters of the Reformation, and something of this in Conclusion. And now I think it is time for me to take leave of Church and State, and to retire.  
15 Jan. 97/8. Your Lordship's humble Servant.  
I had before, as is said in the Letter, written to the Archbishop to the like purpose, in the Conclusion of a long Letter concerning matters of Religion; but it came not to his Hands till long after. But upon 6 May last in a Booksellors' shop I unexpectedly met with the Brief History of the Times, by which I was Convinced, That the pretended Popish Plot was nothing but a very Wicked and abominable Contrivance of Dr. Tongue and Titus Oats: And by that, and farther Inquiry into the whole matter, that Sir Edmundbury Godfrey did undoubtedly fall and Cool in the Place and Posture he was found in; and was not Strangled by any other Hands, as with much ado in more than 2 days time was found by the Jury persuaded by the Coroner and two Surgeons, procured by his Brothers, who desired to Save his Estate. And therefore that the Nation is concerned to be Cleared of the Gild of much Perjury and Innocent Blood. Afterwards as unexpectedly came to my Hands the History of that Plot, for which the E. of Essex was committed, and the Lord Russel suffered, by which I was likewise convinced of the Reality of that Plot, but whether, or how far those Noble persons in particular were concerned in it, is not Necessary to be re-examined, or the Earls Death farther enquired into. And about the same time meeting with some of Mr. Lobbs acquaintance, I understood by them something of what he had Informed them concerning some Cabals of the English in Holland, and what part was acted here at the Court in England: And tho' I will not say I was convinced by Reports, which I had only at the second hand, yet that there was a very Notable Part acted here in the Court of King James, is so apparent, as makes me much Suspect, That it was not Popish Counsels, but most Abominable Protestant Treachery, by which he was induced to those things, which were designed to Ensnare him; and that the Success of that Wickedness has been a very Great Temptation to divers privy to it, to their Excesses even to Infidelity and Apostasy, and all manner of Impiety and Wickedness, which have appeared more monstrous and Impudent in this Reign than ever before.  
And this Suspicion is confirmed by this, that besides those Overt Acts, into which he was thus Trapan'd, if it was so, there is not any thing charged against him, which hath been made Good, or so much as brought to Public Examination. Even that which in the Declaration is alleged for One of the Principal Motives of the Expedition, and was referred to Inquiry by a Parliament, and was notoriously a Principal Means to move the Hearts of the People so unanimously in the Case, hath not all this while been brought to Examination, tho' King James himself, as 'tis said, in a a Letter to the Convention did conjure the Lords and Gentlemen than met to make a thorough Examination of it; I mean the Birth of the Prince of Wales, as we must take him to be, after so much Evidence upon Record, and nothing proved to the contrary; but such bold Offers of Proof by futer rejected.  
Nay, if things be, what there is such Cause to suspect they are, take it with all its Circumstances, Antecedent, Concomitant, and Consequent, and particularly amongst others, the Death of King Charles I. the desperate Plot against both his Sons, the Profane Flattery of King William at the first, and the Diminution of his Majesty by Indignities offered him in the last Parliament, designed, and introduced with the Old false Pretence of the Groth of Popery, probably not more against his Person, than against the True English Government itself, it is what may justly be feared will render the English and their Protestant Religion, very odious in the apprehension of all other Nations, upon a Moral Consideration: but if it be considered according to the Principles of true Religion and Conscience, it is so great a Sin against the Omniscience, as well as Justice, of Almighty God that there is little Hope of Salvation for any, who are knowingly concerned in it, without Giving Glory to God by Public Confession, and their utmost Lawful Endeavour for Complete Restitution, though with Hazard of their Lives; or for the Nation to escape some terrible Judgement of Divine Vengeance answerable to so Great Wickedness, unless due Care be taken to expiate it in time.  
Besides, if there was nothing in this, there is at present a very Considerable Opportunity to make both this Nation and our Neighbours Happy; the Neglect of which if it should be neglected, I can hardly think would escape without Considerable Evil Consequences. There are Two pernicious Factions, by which Multitudes of People are carried in different Streams, the Papal and the Protestant, between which True Christianity is Crucified as Christ himself was between the Thiefs. They are like two Mastif Dogs worrying one the other, and neither can get the Mastery because both alike are faulty: But would either amend their own Cause, the other would not be able to stand up against it. Here I am assured are many who see many Faults, which they wish were amended, and would see more, if some Temporal Respects and a Servile Fear of the Civil Power did not becloud them: And in France I have been informed by Intelligent Travellers, are divers Worthy Persons among their Clergy who have like Apprehensions of Faults amongst them: So that there seems a fair Opportunity and Advantage for the adjusting of Matters in Religion, which have no small influence upon our Civil Concerns, if proper Persons be inployed on both sides, and much for the Honour of that side, which gins. And for Settling Matters of State the Opportunity is so manifest, as needs not Words to declare it. Other matters I have to declare, but such as may be Communicated to all in due Season; but this, though in Print, is only for the Consideration of proper Persons, such as mentioned before.  
FINIS.