THE LATE K. James' Commission, TO HIS PRIVATEERS: To Ravage, Plunder, Burn, Sink, and Destroy all the Ships and Goods of the People of England, Scotland, and Ireland. With Remarks thereupon.  
James, by the Grace of God of England, Scotland, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, etc. To Our Trusty and , Captain Patrick Lambert.  
KNOW ye, That we Reposing Special Trust in your Approved Fidelity and Valour have Assigned, Constituted and Appointed you Commander of the Good Frigate called the Providence; and further, We give you full Power and Authority to enter into any Port or River of the Kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland, or any Territories thereunto belonging, and either there or at Sea, to take and apprehend, and in case of any Opposition or Resistance, to Sink, Burn, or otherwise Destroy all Ships and Vessels, together with their Goods, Lading, and Merchandizes belonging to the Inhabitants of England, Scotland and Ireland, or either of them, together with the Ships, Goods, and Merchandizes of the States of the United Provinces or Their Subjects, and to bring and send up all such Ships and Goods as they shall ta●e in●● some Port of France, and to procure the same to be adjudged lawful Prize in the next Court of Admiralty, established by our Dear Brother the Most Christian King. And the Tenths and other Deuce arising out of the said Prizes are to be paid to Thomas Stratford, or in his absence to Jean Nimport of Breast, or to such other Persons as shall have Authority from Us to receive the same.  
Given at Our Court at the Castle of St. Germains, etc. Signed Melfort.  
This is the Substance of the Commission.   

REMARKS, etc.  
THE Passions and Affections of some People are so unaccountable, that it puzzles Imagination to conceive how strong a Zeal can arise from so undeserving a Subject of their Veneration. For instance, not to Treat untenderly with on the Ruins of Majesty, nor take up Royal Miscarriages, to make Reflections on Greatness in Distress: The Publication of this following Commission, of the Late King James, is not so much intended, as an Invective on that unhappy Prince, as to express our Admiration at the unfathomable Extravagancies of some over-bigotted Zealots in his Favour.  
We are all sensible that 'tis the common Ambition of degraded Princes, how justly soever Dethroned, to endeavour their own Restauration. There is a Chance in a Crown, and 'tis an extraordinary Resignation, that can quit the Pretences to Titles so Great, though never so deservingly Forfeited. We do not therefore at all wonder at the Irish and French Army, prepared for his once intended Descent and Invasion of England; nor the early Naval Preparations of the French on that Occasion. Such an Expedition on so important an Attempt, carried some little Face of Glory in it. His very Enemies could not deny but such an Enterprise had been an Ambition we●● 〈◊〉; and had he succeeded, he might fairly have written himself James the Conqueror. But Gentlemen, as bold and gallant Achievements, in the Universal Standard of Honour, carry a great Name; and which true Greatness, possibly, has no occasion to be ashamed of. Nevertheless, there may be those poorer Designs, that instead of being either Great or Glorious, perhaps may carry the vilest and most abject Face, that a much less Character than King James ought to blush at. As for Example, the foregoing Commission.  
There you'll find instead of a more warrantable Ambition of recovering Three Kingdoms, he poorly descends to grant his Commissions to Privateers to R●fle and Spoil all the Subjects of England, Scotland and Ireland, indifferently to Burn, Sink and Fire their Vessels, etc. and all this without respect of Persons, Interests or Religion. The severest Romanist, or most violent Jacobite (without exception) is to he swept in the common Doom. So that instead of pretending all his former promised Impunity and Tenderness to the People of England, or instead of Bravely grappling at his Royal Rival in the Imperial Seat, he vilely sums little less than a common Pirate, Authorises the Depredations of the English Merchants even by the very hands of Englishmen. This last poor Spirited Meanness must either plainly tell us, that he has utterly renounced all hopes of recovery of his Kingdoms; and so under that Despair he resolves to play at a small Game rather than stand out, (which indeed is the best Title I can give it) and consequently (like the Famous Dionysius sumed Pedagogue) when he can Scourge Kingdoms no longer, he prepares his lesser Rods for a more humble Tyrannic Lash; or else that forgetting that he ever was a Monarch, and therefore blushing at nothing though never so Unprincely, he contents himself with being under Secretary to the French King, whilst the little James is but a Subscription to the Greater Lewis. The French King deputes him as his Emanuensis to Copy Commissions for hi●; and the Contented Receiver o● that high Favour is paid to officiate in the Trust. It was remarked of him, that at his first departure from England upon his Transport from Feversham, he uttered this Expression. That he had rather be a Captain of a Troop of Light Horse under the French King, than Reign King of England under the Lash and Control of Parliaments. A Captain of a Troop of Horse is no over-high Post. But truly of the two 'tis much the more Honourable than the granting of such Commissions. But indeed all these tend to the aggrandizing o●●he Freech King; the poorer the Subjects of England, the stronger the Grand Lewis; his inviolable Zeal and Fidelity, therefore to that most Christian (so titled) Nero, supersedes all other Considerations, and (fas aut nefas) right or wrong, honourable or infamous, nothing comes amiss that carries the least shadow of service to that darling Idol.  
One thing is very Remarkable in the Janus Faces of King James' Pretences. This very Commission found on Board one of the late Prizes, was dated at St. Germane, the 22d of February: which (pray observe) bearing date before his intended Invasion; impours this Privateer to enter into any Port or River of England, Scotland, or Ireland; and commit all those Hostilities of Firing, Sinking, Burning, etc. All Traders Vessels whatever; at the same time that his Declaration, prepared for his Reception in England, intimated all the Affection and Tenderness imaginable to the Interests Property, and what not, of his Subjects of England, viz. That he was coming only to recover his own Right, Establish and Restore their Laws and Liberties; and yet at the same time he gave out Commissions to Waste, Ruin, and Destroy the most innocent Traders of the Kingdom, possibly no ways interested in the Titles, and Disputes of Princes, in Parties or Causes; but on the contrary only endeavouring a peaceable Acquisition of their Dread, by their Honest Commerce and Industry.   

London, Printed for P. Smart, in the Poultry, 1692.