NOW Or NEVER. OR; The Last Cast for England.  
Humbly Addressed to Both Houses of LORDS and COMMONS.  
AS nothing is so Fatal and Destructive to the Nation, as a Corruption of their Representatives in Parliament; and as such wretched Betrayers of their Country deserve all the Ignominy and Resentment of those by whom they have been entrusted: So, on the other hand, those Worthy Patriots, who lay themselves out for the good of their Country, who watch and guard against every Danger that seems to threaten her Peace or Welfare, do truly merit all the Praise and Gratitude, that can be paid them from a Sensible, and a Thankful People.  
And it must, with Justice, be owned, That this Parliament has, in a Great measure, answered the Expectation of their Principals, by obtaining so many good Country Bills, which had been denied to their Predecessors. Particularly, that Excellent, and so long wished for Bill, For Regulating of Trials in Cases of Treason. And that for which You will be remembered to after Ages; Rectifying the gross Abuses in the Election of Members to Serve in Parliament, which was a Corruption of our very Fountain, an Error in the first Concoction, not afterwards to be amended; and now most Honourably reformed by those who were Principally concerned, this Bill having moved from the Commons. To whom the Thanks of the Nation is also justly Paid for the Pains they have taken in the Bill of Coinage, of which there was so great Need.  
They have done so many Good things, that I dare presume they will not be offended at the true English Freedom of any who shall, with Decency, offer to their Consideration, wherein they may happily Perfect what they have so Auspiciously begun.  
In order to which, I do, with all Humility, and due Regard to Your Honours; and in the deepest Sense, and Concern for my Country, offer;  
I. THAT all the Pains You have so Worthily taken for the Regulation of our Silver Coin will be lost, unless You take effectual Care to secure a Sufficient Quantity of it from being sent Abroad; such a Quantity as will be Sufficient to Circulate in the Nation, and carry on Trade. Otherwise what You Proposed as a Remedy will prove much worse than the Disease. For Your Honours cannot but be sensible that, by the new Regulation, all the Silver Coin of the Kingdom will soon come into one Hand: And that His present Occasions call for more than all the now Current Silver Cash in the Nation, of which, Your Honours have made an Estimate, and found it( to our Astonishment) not to exceed three Millions. But when it shall be new coined, it will hardly amount to one Million: Because what has been already Melted is found to Weigh from 7 to 15 Pound Weight, per Cent. none higher; whereas every 100 l. Sterling weighs 32 Pound Weight.  
Now besides the vast Arrears due to the Army and Navy( notwithstanding that all Demanded was every Year given for the War) and what must go to Supply the Deficiency of past Funds, there is more Demanded now by the Ministers of the several Foreign Princes( or Pensioners) of the Confederacy, than all the abovementioned Silver Cash will answer, when it comes to be New coined. One of these Ministers having been lately in the Tower, and at Westminster, where the Cash is melted down; and having enquired into the Quantity, that was to be coined, said, that it would not all be sufficient to answer the Demands of his Master alone. And a Yacht lies ready to carry to Holland, some of our new Melted Cash, to stop Gaps there, which they will Coin into their base Dutch Skillings, and make a double Advantage; for we must take those again in Exchange for our New coined Money, when we carry it over, next Campaign.  
And if Your Honours take not speedy Care, the New Melted money will be Tansported, as fast as it can be coined, or put into Ingots and bars, to Supply the Confederates; more of whom are Gaping for it than it can satisfy.  
And as for our Gold, the Loss in sending that beyond Sea bears Proportion to that of our clipped Silver: For our Guineas go in Holland, but for 22 s. while they are with us at 30 s. and Luid'ores go there for no more than 17 s. 6 d. And here they are 23 s. a Piece. Insomuch that the carrying of Guineas back and forward, to and from Holland is become, of itself, a Trade with the Dutch; and it is such a one, as in a few Returns, must double the Principal sum; and must eat us out, if a Stop be not immediately put to it: Which I cannot see how it can be done, if our Silver be Transported: We must then lye at the Mercy of the Dutch, to put what Value they please upon our Gold.  
II. AND now give me leave, before our last Stake is taken from Us, to cast one sad Look back upon all that Mass of money we have already given. We have not given less than Six Millions a Year, one Year with another, for these Seven Years past, which amounts to 42 Millions. Now to compute in a more familiar, and sensible way, Ten thousand Pounds is a wagon Load, so that a Million is 100 wagon Loads; and Forty two Millions are Four thousand Two hundred wagon Loads; which, allowing but five Horses to a wagon, would reach from London to Harwich: which is such a Sight of money as Mexico or Peru cannot show: And more than has been given by Parliament( the former Revolution of 41 only excepted) since William the Conqueror, put it all together.  
III. TO answer this Prodigious Flux of money, good Management would have been expected, and Great things done for the Good and Interest of the Nation.  
As for the Interest of England. 

1. In Providing sufficient Convoys( as the Dutch have done) to Secure the Actual Trade.  
2. In Defending our Factories abroad, in Guinea, and elsewhere, to secure our Trading for the Future.  
3. In having Cautionary Towns delivered to Us in Holland, and among our other Confederates, whom we pretend to Assist( as Q. Elizabeth, and K. Charles 2. of late, and other of our Natural Born Princes have done, on lesser Occasions) to Ensure Us, at their hands, for what we Expend in their Defence: At least for so much as shall exceed our Reasonable Quota in the War.  
4. In trusting the Interest of England to be managed by Dutch Ambassadors in Foreign Courts, who are Invested likewise with the Character of Ambassadors from England: Especially considering that Holland was, is, and must be the Great Rival to England for the Trade of the World:   And consequently, how can it consist with the Interest of England to have Dutchmen in our Parliaments and Councils? Especially, that they should be Commanders in Chief of our Armies, whether at Home or Abroad? Of this, Your Lordships were very sensible, and Proposed Remedies, as of other Grievances, in Your Address of the 18 of February, 1692, which I have hereunto Annexed, to save Repetition, and for the Weight which it ought to carry in the Nation, as well as for the Proper Vindication of Your Lordship's Honours; and your Just Concern for the Honour and Interest of Your Country. And because no Regard has been had to the said Address, Foreigners Commanding in Chief, to this Day, in England, as well as elsewhere, I would Humbly move, that the Honourable House of Commons should join with Your Lordships in Renewing the said Address, or other such like, as to Your Wisdoms shall seem Meet, including other Just Grievances, which have been Practised since that time, to the Dishonour, as well as Prejudice of England; wherein it is hoped Your Honours will not forget that Mark of Slavery, or Conquest, which the Dutch have imposed upon Us, in Pressing our Seamen out of our Merchantships, which go thither, or forcing the Masters to Redeem them at 25 Gilders a Man, or what sum they please to Dictate.  
Surely the Redress of these Abuses, and much more, might have been expected, for the Good and Interest of England, in Return for the many Millions beforementioned, so freely( not to say Lavishly) bestowed.  
IV. AND when the Ways and Means were so hard to be found, and grow harder and harder, to Raise such Incredible Sums, common Gratitude or Honesty, would have obliged to the best Management that could be; and not to Spur a Free Horse to Death. But, on the Contrary, greater Grants have been of late obtained from the Crown, of more Special Favour, and that by Foreigners, than ever were Given, even for the Rewards of Greatest Services, by the most Profuse of all our Kings. Insomuch that many of the Dutch have Purchased Great Estates, and enriched themselves beyond Seas, by the Pensions and Gifts, which they have received here. Nay not only money, without measure, has been Given to them; but the Lands and Inheritance of the Crown, has been alienated to them, as the Estate of Theobalds, and the Lands belonging to the Prince of Wales, Granted to Benting, Created Earl of Portland, and his Heirs. The Forfeited Estate of Sir Pat. Trant, of Three thousand Pounds per Annum, to Rovignie, Created Viscount gallovvay. And the Estates of the Earl of Limerick, and Lord of slain, worth above Five thousand Pounds per Annum, to Ginkle, Created Earl of Athlone. Let me add the Duke of York's Estate in Ireland, Granted to Mrs. Villars, for secret Service, and her Heirs, worth Fourteen thousand Pounds a Year. I have to add to these, what I have not yet found Notic'd, of a Grant in May, 1694. to Hen. de Nassaw, signior d' Overkerk, his Heirs and Assigns, of the Yearly Rent of Eight hundred Pounds, Payable Half Yearly, out of the Revenues of the Crown in South-Wales, and Two hundred Pounds per Annum, out of the Revenues of the Crown in North-Wales. The first Payment was the Michaelmas after the Date. There is another Grant to the same Overkerk in May, 1695. of an Annuity of Two thousand Pounds per Annum, out of the Revenue of the duchy of Cornwall, to hold to him and his Heirs for ever. This is Transcribed out of the Dockets.  
And by the Answer given to Your Address concerning the Lands of the Pr. of Wales, Granted to mien Heer Benting, now E. of Portland, that he must be Gratified another way, it would seem, that if all these Grants be Re-assumed by Act of Parliament, it must be by way of Purchase; for that these Grantees are to have the Value answered to them in money: And that must be spared out of the Taxes You Appropriate to the War; and the Arrears at the End of this Year, to be by You paid, will be so much the Greater,  
V. THERE is a Greater Danger yet approaching than all this Consumption of our money; And that is, the total Subjection or Conquest( as some have been pleased already to style it) of the Nation, by the Importation of Greater Numbers of Foreigners; and these under a Foreign General, who now Commands in England; I cannot say they will Subdue the Nation, and Govern by the Law of Arms; But it will be so far in their Power, that whoever Reflects how Oliver, by a Standing Army of about 20000 Men, kept under the many more Thousands of England, who were not only willing to Assert the King's Cause, but made several Attempts, in several Parts of the Kingdom, and their Insurrections were as often suppressed; and how a few Guards were sufficient to Cut off the King's Head, at his own Gate, when there were 100 times as many in the Nation, and even in London, who would have been Glad to have Sacrificed their Lives for His Rescue, if it could have been attempted with any Probability. But an Armed Power is an heavy thing; And it is very Difficult for Loose, Unarm'd, Undisciplin'd People to Plot, Combine, Assemble, Arm, and Marshal themselves without being Discovered and crushed by a small Standing Force, and a Face of Authority: I say, that whoever considers this, and many more Instances may be given of the like Nature, will think it an extreme Hazard if an Army of Foreigners be Permitted in this Kingdom; especially if our English Troops be sent Abroad to make room for them. And it is hard if out of 87440 Men, which is the Quota of England for this Year 1696. as delivered in to the House of Commons by the Earl of Ranelaugh, per Order from his Master; I say, it is hard if out of this Number 20000 may not be spared to remain in England, and to be Commanded by One of His Majesty's Subjects Born in this Kingdom, according to the annexed Address of Your Lordships.  
The Pretence for bringing more Foreigners into England, is the Rumour of a designed Invasion from France.  
But if that were true, and not only Calculated to squeeze more money, as it has been every Session of Parliament; it should rather be an Argument to keep the English Forces Here; and let the Foreigners we have already, go Defend their own Countries. But to increase the Foreigners, and sand away the English, carries a strange Aspect; and I will not presume to Inform Your Honours of the Plain and Fatal Consequences.  
But this we have an Account of, That flat-bottomed Boats are prepared, and more Preparing at Flushing, and other Places, whose Use is only for the Transportation of Men and Horse. And that application has been made for Foreign Troops to be sent hither. That the Dutch have excused themselves, because they cannot spare their Troops from their own Necessary Defence. That thereupon others are agreed for of all Nations, Bavarians, Lunenburgers, Hessians, &c. Our old Friends the Saxons and Danes too, and Swedes, if they can be procured: and there is no doubt but that there will be enough found, to come for good Hire from Barren and Northern climbs, to so Rich and Noble a Country as England, where never any Army was known to Starve.  
But instead of bringing over more Foreigners, it would become the Wisdom of an English Parliament, to know the Reason why those Foreign Troops, which the P. of Orange brought over with him, are not all this time, sent back, as he Promised in his Declarations. All the Reason which could be pretended for their Coming, was not to Conquer the Nation, for that he expressly disowns in his Declaration, but for the Security of his Person, in case Opposition had been made to him Here. But that being long since over, they must now be kept here for other Ends. The DUTCH Blue Regiment of Guards( to name one among others) has not taken its Turn into Flanders, since the beginning of the War. Only sometimes Batallions have been taken out of it: But it is left to Guard White-Hall, while the English are sent to Defend their Frontiers, and bore the Brunt at Stein-Kirk, Landen, Namure, &c.  
But besides these Foreigners in open Arms amongst us, your Country do's expect from Your Honours to take some Inspection in the Secret Militia of the French Resugees, who are privately armed, marshaled, and disciplined in the Out-Skirts, in and about London. This cannot be unknown to many of Your Honors. And they have been Recommended very affectionately to You; upon the 23 of Nov. last, which must be for Subsistance-Mony, or Half-Pay; for it cannot be merely upon the account of Charity; because, if that were the Case, there are much more Lamentable Spectacles of the English Nation( none of whom have been Recommended) and more deserving Your Honour's Consideration than any others whatsoever; These are the Many now Begging, and Starving Wives and Children of English Seamen and Soldiers, who have lost their Lives in this War, and whose Families are ruined for the want of that Pay, which they earned with their Blood.  
Besides these, there are Multitudes of others, whom the Consequences of the War, has ruined in their Trade, and are reduced to extreme Poverty; and not a Few who now Beg in our Streets, are brought to that Condition by being Supplanted in their Trades, and Under-sold by these French Refugees; not one of whom ever yet put Hand to Plow, or took to any Country Labour, for which we might be the better for them, but set up their Trades in their Garrets, and being used to greater Frugality, are able to Under-Sell the English, and find their Profit so much in it, that they think not of the more Laborious Farming and Improving the Country, in which Method, they might be made Useful, as they are now Hurtful, and a burden to the Country.  
By these Means there is not one of the French Refugees seen Begging in out Streets, except one, who, I am  told, was placed in Your Honour's way to Westminster, to move your Compassion. Nay, many of them have grown Rich, and built Fair Houses, and Tenant the best New-built Houses in the Strand, and elsewhere.  
None of them have lost any thing, but many of them have lived and improved by this War, which has Ruined so many of the English.  
But I envy nothing that they have Gained; nor would I obstruct any Act of Charity towards them, or any others.  
But Charity begins at Home. And our own Poor, who fill all the Streets, Lanes and Fields about the Town( several of whom, our Bills of Mortality of late, tell us, have been starved) ought to have the pference of these, who live, tho Poor, yet Sufficiently, in their own Houses and Lodgings.  
In the next place. Giving of them Arms cannot come under the Notion of Charity, and their Numbers are so Considerable, as to be extreme Dangerous, should they be ill inclined, or that any Use, contrary to the Interest of England, should ever be made of them.  
There are not fewer than 12, or 15 Thousand of them, in and about London and Westminster, which are, in a manner, besieged by them; for they People almost all the Suburbs.  
And their Principles and Temper are so well known; that, upon valuable Considerations, it is not doubted that they would scruple to Glen-Coe, Gaffney, or Dewit; I mean the Generality of them, and there are as few. Exceptions among 'em of Good Nature, or Generosity, since they came hither, as amongst any Sort of People that we know.  
And besides those in London, there are Great Numbers of them through most of the other Great Towns in England.  
Now if, beside all these, and all the Dutch Troops now in England, Your Honours shall Permit more Foreign Forces to be Imported, your Country will have Reason to think themselves betrayed by You, whom they have entrusted as their Watchmen and Guardians, to see that no Evil come to them, which is in the Power of Your Honours to Prevent.  
And as they Gratefully aclowledge Your Honour's Care and Zeal for their Preservation, in rejecting the Bill for naturalisation of all Foreigners, which has been pressed every Session of Parliament almost since the Revolution: And gives us more than an Apprehension of strange Designs, not fit to be mentioned.  
As Your Honour's true ENGLISH Courage and Wisdom, has herein rendered You very Dear, and esteemed by your Country, it will Double all these Ties, if You will free their Hearts from this most Dreadful of all their other Fears, the Coming of more Foreign Troops ●mongst Us, by a Bill, that no more Foreign Troops shall be imported into England, or Ireland, without Consent of Parliament; And likewise( unless some good Cause can be shown to the contrary) that all the Foreign Troops now in England, should be sent back. And let England be Defended by Englishmen.  
VI. BUT lastly( that I may trouble Your Honours no further) I humbly offer, Whether some Means may not be found out to End this so Expensive, and threatening a War, wherein we have( May I not say Unnecessarily) engaged ourselves, and causelessly continue, unless we have made a Demand, and that Reasonable Satisfaction has been Refused to Us, and to the rest of our Confederates.  
In order to which, May it not be proper for Your Honours to know what Propositions of Peace have been made by the French King to the Mediators for a Peace; the Kings of Denmark, Sweden, and Portugal; And that Your Honours should thereby Judge whether the Confederates, or any of them, have Rejected reasonable Terms, and upon what Considerations; that You may know in what Proportion you ought to Contribute to the War? And whether it be the War of England which the Confederates maintain( as they pretend) Or if England do but assist to Defend their Rights? For this will alter the Case exceedingly, and not lay a burden upon Us; so out of all purpose Disproportionable to what the other Confederates do Contribute; who, indeed do all live upon Us, and instead of Confederates or Allies, are Pensioners and Mercenaries, who declare, That they will fight no longer for Us, than we Pay them; For that they can have Peace when they please. And therefore, whether it be not High time for Us to make an End of this War, if we may have Terms, which are honourable, and for the Interest of the Nation? How otherwise do we Propose to End this War? Not till we Conquer, or Drain France? But what if we be drained first? How far are we from it? Is it the utmost that we Propose to ourselves, to Live one Year longer? And not to think of Peace while we have One Penny left to Carry on the War? And what sort of Peace; or No Peace shall we then obtain? Or will Peace Recover us, when we have Bled so far, as not to have money enough, which is our Blood, to circulate in our Veins? Surely a Remedy is to be thought on before that Dismal Day! And the Opportunity is now in Your Honours hands. You know not if ever you have another. And therefore bethink yourselves in time, what your sinking Country, your Honour; what Justice, what Gratitude, what Conscience, and Religion; what GOD requires from you, in this Critical Juncture.   

The Address of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in Parliament Assembled: Presented to His Majesty, the 23d of this instant February, 1692. With His Majesty's Answer.  

ORdered by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament Assembled, That the ADDRESS Presented to His MAJESTY yesterday by this House, and His Majesty's Answer thereunto, shall be Printed and Published.  
Matth. Johnson, clear ' Parliamentor '   

Die Sabbati 18. Februarii, 1692.  
WE the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament Assembled, Conceiving it to be Our Duty to Your Majesty, and the Kingdom, to Offer Our Opinion and Advice, upon Occasions of Importance relating to the public, and especially in this Conjuncture, Do Humbly lay before Your Majesty, for the present, these following Resolutions of the House, which We conceive are highly Necessary to the Safety and Honor of Your Majesty's Person and Government.  
That the Chief Commander of the English Forces under Your Majesty, shall be a Subject Born in Your Majesty's Dominions.  
That a Capitulation having been made in the Year 1678, by which it was Agreed, That the English Commander, and Officer in every Degree, is to Command any other Confederate Officer of the same Rank, except those of crowned Heads, without any Regard to the Date of their Respective Commissions, It is the Humble Advice of this House, That the same pference may be still Continued to Your Majesty's Officers, the contrary practise in this last War, being, as we Conceive, to the Diminution of the Honor that belongeth to the Crown of England, and to the general Dissatisfaction of Your Majesty's Subjects.  
That Twenty thousand English Soldiers should Remain in England, during the Year 1693, and be under the Command of One of Your Majesty's Subjects, born in this Kingdom.  
That no Foreigner shall be of the Board of Ordnance, or Keeper of the Stores in the Tower of London.  
That for encouragement of the English, there may not be so many Strangers employed in the Office of the Ordnance.  
There having been many Abuses of late, under pretence of Pressing Men for the Fleet, It is the Humble Advice of this House, That Your Majesty will be pleased to give effectual Order, That all those who have Committed any Offences of that kind, or shall Commit them for the future, may be immediately Cashiered, and Prosecuted with the utmost Rigor of the Law.   

Feb. 24. 1692. The Speaker Reported His Majesty's Answer to the Address yesterday, That His Majesty said, He would take it into Consideration.  
FINIS.