THE LIFE OF BOETIUS, Recommended to the AUTHOR OF THE Life of julian,  Flebilis heu mestos cogor inire modos. Boet. Consol. Phil. lib. 1. 
LONDON: Printed, and are to be sold by W. Davis in Amen-Corner near Pater Noster-Row, MDCLXXXIII.   

TO THE READER.  
THo' Loyal Heraclitus (who understands wit as well as any, and has showed it also, to the cost of many a Seditious and wretched Fop) thought some months ago, with his Friend Mr. Earnest, that telling of stories is a dull sort of mirth; Yet I know he cannot but grant, that the alternate way is (to use Mr. Bays happy expression) extremely Obliging and Civil; and Civility, we see, is a Virtue has been highly esteemed, and with the nicest exactness practised by the Pacqueteers, Mercuries, and rest of the SOBER and Obedient Authors of the Times.  
Meeting therefore t'other day with IVLIAN's SQUIRE, who (to honour Christianity in general, and to show also in particular, His and his Parties Principles of Obedience) gave me the Recital of his Master's LIFE and Adventures: I could not (methought) without an unpardonable Rudeness and Ingratitude, omit longer the telling of my Story, which happened in a Town which this Godly Prince once governed, and about an Age or two after his Religious and pious End. The Squire's Account is, God be thanked, now public enough, and evinces still further the Infatuation and Folly of the Cabal, even as to the very thing they so earnestly design; for without a particular and Divine judgement, how can it be conceived, that they who seemed to idolise Oats and Bedloe, as men of Probity, and the true Saviour's of the Nation, should still strive, by odious Reflections, and their other vain Insinuations, to draw His Royal Highness within the Verge of the Plot, tho' contrary to the Oaths even of these two Witnesses? Must not this Procedure therefore bring afresh into men's minds the business of DON JOHN, and PRESTON the married Priest, with the other Contradictions which are laid to the Doctor's charge by the 
* Compend. Staff. Memoirs, etc.  Papists, out of every Printed Trial? Will not this too give them a new occasion to tell us, how Bedloe swore (at his Examination before the Secretaries of State) That he knew nothing of the Plot; as also, tha●, not having matter enough for a Charge against Whitebread and Fenwic in one Trial, he swears them both Guilty in the next, of the highest Treasons imaginable? Nor will these Popish Whipsters fail again to rub up our Memory, with the 2000 l. offered him for his mere help to carry away 
* Hill's T●y. p. 32.  ●ir E. Go●frey's Body, and then flop us in the mouth with their Remarks, and twit us, thate according to his own Testimony, there were (besides 
* ib. p. 31.  those who were said to do the ●hing) as many ot●er persons then in the Room, when the jesuits showed him the Corpse, as could have in a night conveyed it, and more Bodies than one, to the designed place or station. Thus do these phrantic Scribblers give fresh cause of discourse, and consequently, pull down what they would fain set up; and, in their own terms, blacken and defame the very justice of the Nation. But what wonder is there of it, when now, by woeful experience, we see, no Witness, jury, Court, judge, Parliament, Law, or Magistrate, can be so Sacred, that will not be presently blasphemed, if they suit not with their Gust and Humour? This is the Treatise, (I mean that of JULIAN) which is so particularly recommended to us by CARE; a wretch that has not only croaked, and disgorged the utmost 
* vid. Courant all along, & even lately Num. 34.  Venom which his feeble and macerated Maw could distil against so many of the best of the Gentry, and so many of the greatest of the Peers, but against the present Heir to the Crown, nay against the v●ry K in ship itself. This is also the Book which CURTIS so often advertizes us of, and 
* N. 159.  vindicates too; a Villain that durst (to the amazement even of the Anarchical & Factious) bid a POX on His Highness, in his public 
* N. 155.  Mercury, or Intelligence. Since then the Subversion of the Government is evidently meant by their endeavouring to brand, and lay aside this Illustrious Prince; for when once Kin●ship (as has been often happily hinted) becomes Elective, why may not the n●xt VOTE, upon any new Freak (besides a long Train of other Mischiefs) be for a new Line, or even downright for a Democracy and Commonwealth? I say, since this is the Intrigue, and the word P●p●●y th● Incantation to bewitch the Inconsiderate. I doubt not but all good men will now look upon this Morm●. or f●ightful Representation, with the same Contempt that the ●ov●rs of the Machine do thems●lv●s● For besides the Laws, which secure the Established Religion, there are not, we know, (as appears by the survey made some ●ew years sin●e) ●bove Twenty Th●usand Papists, or thereabouts, of all Sexes and rises in the Kingdom; So that, if those who are ●it to fight were even together, and in Arms, Fifteen hundred Disciplined Soldi●rs would cut them all to pieces. The●e impudent and Sedious Designs, upon pretence of Popery, brings therefore to the remembrance of many, the Loyalty of the Popish Party, during This and the late King's Misfortunes; which makes it to be often questioned, whether they are generally such Traitors, as some would have them thought? nor does it add a little to the doubt, when they find, in the present Pursuit, the deepest-mouthed Hounds to be the Re●icid●s ● and those that (without Pal●●ations and Goodmo●rows) strike at the Root and Life of the Monarchy. For my own part, I intent by no means the De●ence of the Popish Religion, and besee●h God to let the whole Crew see all the Errors of it; but if Retaliation and justice to our forementioned Historiographer, prove by chance serviceable to their Temporal Concerns, much good may do them; for no honest man (tho' never so scrupulous, will desist from prosecuting a Burglary, because the jews or Pagan ● who live among us may chance to sleep the quieter and safer for it; And who, but a new-pre●ending Patriot, will countenance Riots, and the breach of the Peace, that the Matrons and Virgins of Whetstones-Park may be the surer (forsooth to be disturbed in Easter and Whitsun-weeks. All that I have here further to acquaint the Reader with, is, That, had there not been already so many smart and excellent Reflections on this Prostigate and APOSTATE- Writer, yet I should never have troubled my ●●lf with any further d●●●e●●ion of his idle and malicious Lucubrations, than the thus giving h●m Story for Story, wi●h a Comment.   

THE LIFE OF Boetius.  
THE Calamities which Italy 
The Miseries of Italy.  (that Beautiful and Fertile part of the Universe) Suffered in the Fifth Century from the Incarnation, were so great and so many, that the Ancient Historians looked upon them as unparallelled; and certainly they had some Reason to think so, it having been the Theatre on which all (that even their Poets could fan●y Dismal by the Ravage and Inhumanity of several Barbarous People) was then really represented. The Murders men saw, the Says and Sequestrations they felt, and the Slavery they were reduced to, want still perchance a Pen, fu●ly to express them; for though they had not 
* 1. Ri●h. Cromwell, 2● R●mp. 3 Com. S●●e●y, 4. Long Par. 5 〈◊〉 P●r. ●●K. Changed 2d. From M●y 59 to May 60.  Six new Ma●ters in one Year, (as was the ●ate of a still Fortunate and Glorious Isle, if it truly knew its own Happiness) yet they enjoyed even in their own Memory (as appears by Prosper Aquita●us, Palmerius, and other Chronologists) the pleasure of as many inroads, each Conqueror differing in his Interests, though never in his Pretences and Fury. Alaric and his Goths; Attila the Hun; Genseric the Vandal; ●igorus, King of the Alani; and Odoacer with the Heruli (treading as it were upon the heels of each ot●er) acted here their Monstrous Parts: Nor did some of them fail, (as 
* De Reb●s Goth.  jornandes well notes) in the midst of their Depredations and Cruelties, to vaunt, That Heaven had put them on the Employment; that is to say, In the phrase of their younger Brethren; They came to do the Work of the Lord; and if so, They were, doubtless, very far from the Curse of Performing it negligently. In fine, Theodoric the Brave (and thus He is esteemed by 
* Chron. & lib● Var.  Cassiodorus, 
* Vit. Sym.  Ennodius, and many of the Writers of those times) came not only with his Ostrogoths, and a drawn Sword to Crop this kind of Rump or Fag End of these Wild Peripatetics and Wanderers, but with a Title also; for that Kingdom was formally given him, (as Paulus Diaconus, and 
* De Occid. Imp●rio lib 15.  Sigonius mention) by Zeno the Eastern Emperor; who, (being ●et a Living Member of that mighty Eagle, which once stretched her Victorious Wings over the best Part of the habitable Earth) thought He had still, at least, the Advouzon and presentation to the West. The Fortune of this Mar●ial Man answered expectation; nor can any body in few Words express fuller the Happiness of his Arrival, than Heylin does, when he tells us, 
* Geog. Ital lib. 1.  That He reduced Italy which before was the Thoroughfare of the Barbarous Nations, and so disordered by the frequent Inundations of Lust and Rapine, 
Theodori● restores happiness tously ●●ly  to su●h a peaceable and settled Government, that they quite lost the Memory of their former Miseries.  

His glorious Reception, and Entry into Rome.  The Entry also of this Monarch into Rome, was correspondent to the high Esteem the World had of him; for though that City ever surpassed all others in the glorious Reception of her great and Famous Commanders, ye● now (as the same Sigonius words it) 
* De Occid. Imp. lib. 16.  Her Citizens did even outdo themselves; so that in short, He was received with all the Acclamations and Applause that could possibly be expressed by Art as well as by the Passions of the Inhabitants.  
'Tis true, Theodoric was a Goth, 
Theodoric a Fri●nd to all Honest Christians  and therefore the Pope and He were not of a Communion; but happening to be a Generous Prince, and declaring himself a Friend and Patron to every Honest Christian, all Peace and Concord ensued. Nor did his Actions and Words differ, since in the very choice of his Officers and great Ministers of State, he considered not Parties, but the Merits of his Subjects; and so among others, sixth upon Boetius, notwithstanding his Education and known Zeal for the Roman Religion.  
Boetius was a Man (if we consider the Antiquity of his House) equal to Rome herself, 
Boetius' Quality & Family.  and descended also from Ancestors, not inferior to any of her greatest Heroe's; for being a Manlius, he was of a prime Consular Family, and which is more, Heir to the Illustrious Marcus, who, by preserving the Capitol, rescued not only the Standard or Imperial ●nsign, 
M M●nl●us s●ves the Standard, and Life of the Government.  but saved the very Life itself of the Government. He had also the same Blood warming his Charitable Breast, as ran in 〈◊〉 Veins of the Renowned Torquatus; 
Torquatus an Enemy to the People's Slav●●y.  who tearing from the neck of his Conquered Enemy, ●he ●hain, or Emblem (though of Gold) of the Servitude which his Country might have fallen under, made himself by that Bravery, Author, as it were, of a Magna Charta; showing also all along the Passion he had for their Liberties; for Worthy Men, are ever truly Solicitous of their Fellow Subjects Freedom, and still promoting (without By-Ends) all their Just Rights and Privileges Imaginable.  
'Twere endless to repeat the Benefit, which the whole World (being at last in a manner subject to this Triumphant City) must needs receive by the Example and Conduct of this thrice Noble Clan, 
Strict Paternal justice.  that did Justice even upon itself, by chastising a Child who preferred (as 
* Lib. 1. Dec. 8.  Livy shows) the Capricios of his own Humour before Authority. A Great and a Roman Action it was; notwithstanding our modern Romanists (in their Brags) pretend to it, 
Popish Brags.  as boasting they are all, not only Obedient (as far as God Commands) to their Spiritual Governors, but that their said Governors are as Circumspect and as Severe too, against the Fanatical Illuminati, or Pretenders to sham's and Miracles among themselves, as against those, they term Aliens, and out of the Household of Faith. This Manlian Impartiality (which is cried up by several Ancient Authors) pleases Florus so well, that he says, 
* Flor. lib. 1. cap. 14.  Quis Hostem mirabitur, etc. Who could wonder, that Rome's Enemies should yield, when she had such Generals? Nay, Livy in the 9 th'. of his 1 saint. Decade represents the said strict ●●ther, as a Captain, That would have given check to Alexand●r himself had his ●ourse been Westwards a Man able, it seems, to stop that Progress, which Novelty and sudden Accidents still bring upon an amazed and unthinking People.  

Boetius' Virtues.  Boetius being thus supereminent by the Antiquity, Fortitude, and Conduct of his Family; no body can deem it strange, his Personal Virtues were transcendent; for he was, as all Writers con●ess, Wise like an Oracle; Skilled (as another Moses) in all the Learning of the Egyptians; and of a Piety ●●●●m●●ng a sincere Professor of the Holy Gospel. His Rhetoric was also of a piece, with his other Sciences, so that the Senate chose him, of all her Eloquent Members, to Compliment the King in a set Oration at his Arrival; which (though it be lost) is excellent, we are sure, by being of his Composition, and especially since it brought him into his Sovereigns good Graces, who soon afterwards found out his many and Matchless Qualities.  
Theodoric (as I said) was a Christian Prince, 
Theodoric's Favours to the Church.  of a healing Temper; and knowing besides, that at the Long Run, the Government still loses by jars in Religion, steered on a contrary Rhumb to the malicious JULIAN; for instead of putting Altar against Altar, (as was the Custom of that Hater of the Christian Name) he composed even the Papal Schism of Symmachus and Laurentius, a● may be seen in 
* An. 498. vit. Sym.  Anastasius, Bib●iothecarius, and others; which plainly shows, That a gallant and well meaning ●rince, may (not only in Italy, and Scotland, but in England also) deserve the Thanks of the Reverend Bishops and Clergy for his Patronage, though he and they should chance to differ in some Points of Faith. Neither did he acquiesce in this one Act, but heartily carest all the good Prelates who made application to him: So that Epiphanius Bishop of Pavia, and St. Laurence of Milan, coming as Intercessors for some of their Flock (who had contrary to the Edicts, Sheltered several of the Heruli, or Inveterate Whigs of that Age) received particular Favour, and a very gracious Answer from him, as 
* 〈◊〉 ●4. 〈◊〉  Baronius show, at large out of Ennodius. And here we may further add, that he not only made this Epiphanius, with Victor Bishop of Turin, his Ambassadors to the Burgundian King; as the said 
* Ibid.  Authors have it, but constituted (as 
* Holy Court, Life of Boetius, Sect. 4.  rausin relates) St. Severin his Almoner, to distribute money among the Poor, that had much suffered by the Quartering of his Army. Nay 
* An. 523. Vir. Hormis.  Anastasius owns him as a Benefactor and Bestower of rich Gifts on the Vatican itself. Nor was Theodoric any Laodicean or Lukewarm Prince, but on the contrary the great Defender of the Gothic Faith, as plainly appears by his Eager Declarations, as soon as this Emperor discountenanced that Religion in the East. Thus than we still see, That the differences in Worship do not always alienate a Monarch's Heart from his dissenting Ecclesiastics, and consequently, that a Princely and Magnanimous Subject may retain a Tenderness for his Fellows, even when they ar● not of his Sentiments and Opinion in Spirituals.  
Boetius, (as I hinted) being now known, 
Boetius much Honoured by Theodoric.  was presently highly honoured, and all the Trust imposed in Him, that a Knowing King usually p●ts in a Wise and Faithful Minister. The business of State too prospering not a little (as seldom it miscarries in good hands) Theodoric increased even his Esteem of him, and therefore gave daily fresh marks of his Royal Munificense and Bounty, as may be amply seen in 
* Sect. 5.  Causinus. But what is durable in this fleeting World, where often Mistakes, but oftener Envy ruins? Envy is of the Bastard line, Emulation, that Spur to Virtue, being the Legitimate; nor goes she ever alone, as having Malice and Cruelty still about her, for her chief Companions and Councillors. These were the Furies that vowed the imcomparable Boetius' Overthrow, 
* Boetius' Enemies.  and therefore presently distilled their venom into the susceptible minds of Triguilla and Conigastus, two Eminent Goths, and the first of them in high Favour with the King; for he was Praepositus Regiae Domus, as the said 
* De Consol. lib. 1. Prosa. 4.  Boetius himself styles him, to wit, Superintendent of his Royal House and Expense.  
'Twas now according to 
* Lib. 16. The Storm begins in the Thirtieth of the King's Reign.  Sigonius, the year 525. which Baronius precisely calls the Thirtieth of Theodoric's (yet Quiet and Flourishing) Reign, when the black Cloud began to gather, and becoming at last a mighty Storm, it brought Ruin along with it, to the Innocent, and no little Trouble even to the King and Kingdom.  
'Twas in this year also when the Active and Potent justin (and Princes of that Calibre prove ever by the umbrages they give, uneasy to their Neighbours) made his Edicts (as 
* An. 523. 13.  Baronius writes) against the Manichaeans, Pagans and some other Dissenters in his Dominions; which doubtless soon alarmed the Italian Goths; for being ever solicitous for their Brethren there, 
The Goths apprehend a Persecution in the East.  (as may be seen in Theodoric's Negotiations with the Emperor) they could not but apprehend, that the Laws would in conclusion reach their said Brethren; and so de facto it happened the very following year.  

Boetius accused.  These accidents prepossessing not a few, and with them Theodoric also, Triguilla resolved to strike while the Iron was hot; for he was often piqued by Boetius, who severely (as his own 
* Prosa. 4. lib. ●.  Writings show) reprehended him for several ill practices; and particularly, according to Causinus for advising the forcing the Campanians, in a scarce and wanting year, to sell all their Corn at a low rate, for the maintenance of the Army: an Oppression which the very Senate (that ever wished its Disbanding) might perchance resent, and consequently punish to purpose. He went therefore, with Conigastus, to the King, and after many Preambles (to be sure) of the great vigilance and care of his Majesty's safety, they told him of a mighty PLOT against his Sacred Person and Religion; adding, that 
* Prosa. 4.  Boetius stifled the discovery; Nay, that he was also in truth, the grand Projector and Architect. Theododoric seemed greatly surprised at the Thing, but much more at the Author, who had in so many Hazards, and in so many Accidents, still shown the utmost Loyalty of a Subject. After some pauses, and that he was a little recovered, they assured him there was no room for doubting, since they had no● only intercepted his Traitorous Letters, but that some of his Partisans had already discovered the whole Scheme of the Design. Thereupon they acquainted him (as 
* Sect. 5.  Causinus mentions) that the Pope and the Emperor were in it also; and then, producing the forged, or false Letters, as 
* Lib. 16.  Sigonius truly terms them, they called in their Witnesses; who being examined by Theodoric, alienated him in the end so far from Boetius, that, summoning the Senate, and acquainting them with the Plot, they took forthwith cognizance of that unexpected and strange Affair.  
OPilio and BAsilius, 
The names of the Accusers.  (as 
* Prosa. 4. lib. 1.  Boetius himself records) were the Names of the chief Accusers; Names famous among the Ancients, for their Testimony against this Renowned Person; and worthy to be considered also, by those Learned cabalists of our Age, who Prying into the Arcana of the Alphabet, discover often (Men say) Strange Mysteries, even out of the first Letters of an Appellation.  
This dreadful News being once spread about the City, 
The King's Evidence● carest.  who can doubt but the King's Evidence were universally applauded and carest, especially the Accusation being, as Affairs than stood, like Manna, relishing in every Palate. For many through their innate Loyalty, could not but be exasperated to the utmost, at the mere Relation of Theodoric's Danger. Others were sincerely concerned about Religion, the late mentioned jealousies contributing also not a little to their Distemper. Some again had such Chimerical Idoeas of Forfeitures and Confiscations in their Heads, that no body is to wonder if they joined in the common ●ry, and Belief; Interest having often an Influence, we know, upon the best and justest Balance. There were also great Ministers of State we see, as Triguilla and his Associates, who satisfied thus not only their private Revenge, but hoped to start perchance a New Hare, to amuse and divert the Senate, from reflecting on their ill Conduct and Managery. But who can we in all reason imagine so transported at the King's famed Escape, as the pardoned and lately Indemnified Heruli, who forsooth in outward Profession, were of the Gothic Religion, as 
* 5 Secul. pag. 369.  Gualterus shows, and being always we may be sure, on the catch (having according to 
* An. 494. 32.  Baronius no small Party in the Kingdom) could not but Dote on his Royal Person, with a mode●●●● True Protestant Zeal and Passion.  
This Accident therefore put certainly that dutiful Party a-Gog; 
The joy of the Heruli  for what Prerogative, what Heir or faithful Subject to the Crown, could now, they thought, stand the shock, when the vey noise of the Danger of Liberty and Religion was able to ruin and defeat all Opposition. Nay supposing a Plot, it would seem (they well knew) an Injustice, not to run down every body of the Pope's Communion: So that at length no Loyal nor Envied Goths should escape their hands, since (besides the Power and Effect of downright Lies) any ordinary Alliance, any casual Conversation, or any Neighbourly courtesy, done to a Romanist, would be ground enough of Clamour; a Monster not to be resisted, when once the Multitude, are throughly heated and enraged.  

●oet●us found Guilty i● the Senate.  Thus then (according to ●ll-probable Conjecture by the Premises) stood the People generally affected, (every body speaking and none hearing) when Boetius' Affair was brought into the Senate; Nor could Magic now, or any unlawful Science be needful to find the success of it; for (as 
* Se●t. 5.  Causinus to this effect asserts) Part of the Members of that great Assembly, fearing to be deemed Accomplices: Others being mortal Enemies to the Prisoner, and the Rest following the Violence of the Stream and Torrent, all of them unanimously voted him Guilty, notwithstanding the Experience they had of his unparalled Integrity, and the insurmontable Objections against the Witnesses.  
For first as to Opilio (though I cannot positively say) that having Perjuriously accused others, 
What the Witness we●e.  He got out of Prison, and so to a foreign Convent or Religious House, yet 
* Prosa. 4. lib. 1.  Boetius assures us, That he fled (after many Misdeeds) to the very Horns of the Altar for Sanctuary, and so Stole from Ravenna to avoid a Brand or Rogues Mark in his Forehead, which otherwise he was to undergo. In the next place as for Basilius, the same unquestionable Author declares, 
* Ibid.  That he was hunted for his Villainies from Court, being also over-loadened with many Debts. Nay who can tell (if all Particulars had been examined and known) but he might have then been Starving in their Marshalsea, or Common Prison, even when the said Boetius and his Party, were pretended to be most Buisy, and consequently (besides the Fear of him) to have stood in the greatest need of his Help and Service.  

Boetius scent to Prison.  Boetius being (as I mentioned) found Guilty, was presently sent to a close Prison at Pavia, his Virtuous Lady (according to 
* Sect. 5.  Causin) getting only the Liberty of bidding him Adieu. But never did he in the whole Course of his Life (after he had once dried up the Tears caused by so unexpected an Accident;) enjoy himself more than in that Confinement; for here he made his near Approaches to his Creator; Here he Stormed Heaven, and took it by Violence; and here also, in imitation of Cicero (who wrote of the Immortality of the Soul, upon the loss of his beloved Tullia) did he compose, as 
* Vit. Boet.  Martianus observes in his Life, that famous Treatise, De Consolation Philosophiae; a Book which showed the Heathen with what Transcendency and Charms● Morality could appear, when it once had the Advantage of the Christian Dress, and which also discovers his own great Innocence and Candour; a grand cause of his Writing it, as the said Martianus 
* Ibid. His Complaints.  declare●●  
His Ca●se we see was Hard from the beginning, to the ●nd; but of all the Particulars none seemed harder to him, than these that follow; for speaking of the pretended Letters, and consequently of the other Accusations, He uses these Words 
* P●osa. 4. lib. 1.  Quarum Fraus aperta p●tnisset, si nobis ipsorum Confession. Delatorum (quod in omnibus Negotiis maximas vires habet) uti licuisset. The meaning of which is; That could he have gotten Copies of his Accusers first Narratives, Informations, Depositions, and such like Confessions, and Liberty to use them, he would (by that mos● Killing and convincing Evidences have made their Fraud and Perjury Manifest. Then in the close of this Section or Paragraph He cries out. 
* Ibid.  Videre autem videor nefarias Sceleratorum Officinas Gaudio, Laetitiaque fluitantes; Perditissimum quemque novis Delationum Fraudibus imminentem; jacere Bonos nostri Discriminis terrore prostratos; Flagitiosum quemque ad audendum Facinus Impunitate, ad efficiendum vero Praemiis incitari. That is to say (considering the Premises) He could as it were see from his very Prison (so many hundred of Miles from Rome) how the Nefarious and Profligate Triumphed, how every Miscreant, stood racking his Fancy; for some new Project or other to accuse, i. e. how to be a Principle, or at least some Collateral and By-Witness. Again, He saw how Good Men were confounded and dismayed at the terror of his hard chance; and lastly, how the flagitious were incited by Impunity to dare at Villainies, and then by Rewards to effect them. These are some of his Complaints.  
His Enemies having now (as they thought) gained the point, 
The Witnesses deemed Villains by the People.  gloried not a little in it; but presently they felt themselves at a stand, and uneasy; for time settling the passions of the giddy Mobile, the Artifices of Grandees, with the quality and contradictions of the Witnesses, began to be generally considered and talked of.  
Cyprianus, 
Cyprianus Forger of the Intercepted Letters.  a Fellow as villainous in his Pen, as Tongue, (but whether of ●he Clergy or Laity, History is silent) was now owned, as 
* Sect. 5.  Causin says, to be the Forger of the Letters: Nor do Authors mention how they came to be intercepted; therefore, in all probability, being directed to Boetius by the Conspirators, they privately gave notice that such things were upon ●he Ro●d, and so they were taken by Authority, in the hands of the common Post, or Messenger.  

The King moved to order Boetius' Execution.  These free and public discourses of the people, creating in ●ypriaanus and his Partisans much trouble, they by their Patrons attaqu'd the King; telling him no doubt, That his Evidence, or Witnesses, must, by this Clemency, be either vilified and disbelieved; or that he himself would be deemed unjust, or, at least, negligent of his own, and his Subjects Safety; For, if Boetius were Innocent, why should he be a Prisoner? If Guilty, why not Executed as a Traitor?  

His life offered, i● he would conf●s●.  Theodoric upon this presently dispatched an Officer, to examine Boetius further, and to assure him, (as 
* S●ct. 7.  Causin expressly says) That he should find favour, would he declare the particulars of the Fact alleged against him; If not, he was to prepare himself forthwith to die. But what thing in the world can we conceive able to elevate and transport the overjoyed Prisoner, like this Message! For no sooner was it brought him, but, standing as it were on Tiptoes, and exulting in his unexpected good fortune, he looked upon himself now in a much happier state, than in his former Prosperity; When, after three Consulships, and the singular Triumph of his two Sons, he was seated between them (as all Authors have it) in the open Theatre, to receive the applause and salutation of the people. He therefore desired the King's Officer to tell his Majesty, * T●at his Conscience and Age were above Threats and Allurements; That there never having been a Plot, he could not tell him the Particulars; That he did infinitely rejoice, that they now began to know his Accusers so well, as to need his Confirmation of their Testimony. Then, making a Recapitulation of their Lives and Practices, he declared he was ready for Death, as having long expected and desired that happy day. So that, being carried not long after to the place of Execution, and behaving himself there with the wont Gallantry of a Roman, and the real Piety of a Christian, he had his Head severed from his shoulders. 
He is beheaded.   
Thus fell Boetius, Glorious in Heaven, and Honoured here on Earth, by all that ever read his story, as appears by the Dystic and Epigraphie on his Tomb, which Martianus has (with other Verses) in his praise, recommended to Posterity. 
His Epitaph.  
Ecce Boethus adest in Caelo magnus, & omni  
Perspectus mundo, mirus habendus homo.  
Lo! here entombed does Great Boetius lie;  
Great, when on Earth; now Greater, in the Sky.  Nor did the Ancients style him otherwise than a Martyr, 
He is esteemed a Martyr, and why.  as being not only put to death Unjustly; that is to say, in the Scripture phrase, Propter justitiam, for Righteousness-sake; as also, in Odium Fidei upon the account of the hatred his Enemies bore to his Religion; but because he suffered (when they once offered him his life) for that grand Commandment, Thou shalt not bear False Witness against thy Neeghhour. Let us then now conclude with the Wise man's saying; 
* Eccl. 1. 9  The thing that hath been, is that which shall be; and that which is done, is that which shall be done; and THERE IS NO NEW THING UNDER THE SUN.   

THe story of Boetius being ended, we will now consider a little the silly malice of our Narrative-monger, or Dwarf in wit; Dwarves every body knows are still great Tale-tellers in the mo●t Classic and Authentic Records of Chivalry; I say, we will a little consider his silly malice, having acted here the part of some Witnesses (since the landing of Brute) who, to serve (as they thought) a present turn, swear not only what clashes and interferes with several branches of their former Evidence, but what plainly ruins their whole project and design.  
Thus does this happy Writer make, by his foolish Illation, a Rod for himself and friends; For, were His R. Highness a Papist, and therefore to be prosecuted for deserting the Religion of His late Ancestors now established by Law: How can this same Writer, I say, with his Apostate Brethren, avoid ruin and destruction also? unless by the vile and damnable practice they use, even that of the Simonians, Adamites, and other Old Troublers of Christian unity, who in former times complied, as the Spanish and Portugal jews still do, with all Laws entrenching on their Advantage, though never so opposite to their real Pro●ession, and Belief. Besides, this Doctri●e highly vindicates the Papists in the beginning of the Reformation, and even the worst of their Actions here in England, and what continually they are hitten in the teeth with; I mean Qu. Mary's Tragical and Bloody Scene. For, if every body that peacably and modestly differs from the Religion of a Nation out of conscience, must be presently deemed a julian, and one that deserves not to breathe: why should the Squire and his turbulent Tribe blame the proceedure of that unhappy Princess, who only according to Law, Punished those that had (in the Popish Dialect) Apostatised from the Religion of their Ancestors; and from a Religion too warranted and authorised (as the Queen verily thought) even by God and his Holy Word.  
But our Author is not contented with collaterally blanching and defending in this manner Popery; but quotes even the Preamble of an Act then made, which says; 
* J●lian's Life, p. 96.  That the Protestants, did out of their Malicious Stomaches Pray against the Queen's Majesty, That God would turn her Heart from Idolatry to the true Faith, or shorten her days, or take her quickly out of the Way. A Prayer (as the Act further urges) never heard of, or read to have been used by any good Christian, against any Prince, though a Pagan or an Infidel. Now what can Papists say more for themselves? Nay, does not their 
* V●d. Reply, p. 195  Apologist urge this very unruly proceedure of the protestants, as the Cause (among such other pieces of Zeal) that made the Queen so severe, and consequently recall that Toleration, which she had granted during the two first years of her Reign. Nor has our Religious ESQUIRE any other inference from this Villainous Citation, but to tell us to this effect; 
* Jul●a●'s Life, p. 98  That the Popish Parliament was blinded, and mistaken; The Primitive Christians not being for If's and Ands, but for IVLIAN's downright Destruction. So that first here is a Scandal and a Lie too cast upon Christianity in general; for no Man ●ver publicly Prayed for the Emperor's Death, but only repeated the Psalms against Idols and Idol-makers, desiring God to judge his own Cause, to remember his Vine, the Wild Boar, etc. as all sorts of jews and christians do, when they suffer Persecution and Trouble. And secondly, Here is a vindication of Bonner, and the Laws then in being; so that he wilfully Stab's FOX under the fifth Rib, and with one ●uff blows up his friend CARE and all his Works: For whereas a Papist (when pressed with that Bloodshed) used Commonly to say to his Antagonists; Pray Sirs break not my head with Stories of Co●ks and Bulls, I approve not the Transactions you mention, were all true that is Written; Now we shall have the very same Papist (after reading our wise SQUIR●) make this pert addition, to his former Harangue; But Gentlemen, If you will have me further speak, I refer myself to the Tale-Teller and the worst of his Gang, and let them tell you, whither any Magistrate in England would spare me, or any good Man pity my Sufferings, Should I Pray to God, To make the King a Papist, or else to take him presently out of the World.  
In the same manner has Old Hickeringili (that Babe of Grace, that Neophyte, or young Convert) in the very last Leaf of his Black Nonconformist (to have it the more in view and remembered) belshed out the ranckestand most dangerous Notion, that ever Popery vented against the Protestant Religion; just as if F. Parsons or some other Notable jesuit had had the guidance of his very Pen. His words are these: 
* Black Non-Conf. Postscript.  Well, this I'll say for the Pope, and a fig for him; (for we ought to give the Devil his due, much more the Archbishop of all Bishops, the Pope.) I say, give him his due, he builds the fabric of his Ecclesiastical policy rationally, if the foundation were true; But Protestants do not, that confess Themselves and their Churches fallible and f●●il, as does the Church of England in her 19 th'. Article.  
Now, what is the plain English of all this? Is not his intention first to make all our Prelates Pensioners to the Pope, and Birds of a feather? So that, by still adding to the Odium, (and the annual Procession of the Bishops with his Holyness' Pageant was designed for it) he hopes the True Protestants will be no longer contented with the bare wounding my Lord of Chichester's Coach-horses (as they have done) but burn the whole Hierarchy, when their Head, the ARCHBISHOP of all BISHOPS, as he maliciously styles him, is next condemned to a Bonfire at Temple-Bar, or in Smithfield.  
In the next place, how will a Papist chuckle and crow at the asse●●ion; it being what the Bellarmine's, the Baronius', the Ignatians, and the rest of their greatest Hect●rs have ever aimed at. F●● on ●he one side, the Church of England is rendered by him to be a pitiful, silly thing, and no more to be heeded or minded, than an old woman's chat, or tattle; and on the other side, the Pope, and his ●reatures, are applauded as excellent Architects, rational in their fabric, and in fine what not? only, out of fo●m sake, (for otherwise he would be hanged for a downright Papist) he doubts, forsooth, whether the foundation be so firm and solid as it should be. So that still (without the trouble of breaking ground, and entrenching.) he gives a subtle Priest the Counterscarp at a dash; I mean, he puts him (without more ado, upon the desirable and luscious Topic of the CHURCH, a Notion, which he continually dreams on, and is no sooner started, but he runs division without end; as the famous Whitaker hints to the jesuit Campian in these words: 
* Whit. cont. Duraeum, p. 246  Catholici vestri turbulentis aliarum disputationum procellis jactati, in isto Ecclesiae Portu libenter acquiescunt. This is the Recipe which every Papist makes so many brags of; which he offers to the Rich, and to the Poor; to the Scholar, and to the Fool. This is the Hook with which he catches your Bristows, your Bellassis, your Berkshires, and the rest of them; and this is the Bait which they lay for the great Duchess, as well as for the low and humble Chambermaid.  
Is not then this Conventicler (for I'll never own him a Minister of the Gospel) a rare Champion of the Reformed Religion, that shoots thus hand over head among them he calls Protestants, even without any caution, or pre-arming them? But what will not blind malice do? or what will not a madman venture, who dares not only (as may be seen all along in his Scandalum magnatum) equal himself (tho' a mean Parson) to a Bishop of London; but represents himself so, that any body (that knows nothing but what the Libel says) must take him for a far better man than the Earl of Northampton's Son; a Family not only Illustrious for the rank it has in the Catalogue of Peers, and of Note, as being a Compton: but to be honoured & esteemed for the signal Loyalty of a Father, for those faithful and eminent Sons; & spes crescentis juli, for the hopes of a Grandson, that may perchance outvie that Noble and Great Subject, his Great-grand-father.  
Enough then of Hickeringill, an honest man one may swear when, upon a Heady pique, he could presently herd himself with a Race of Animals, made blacker than ●iends in his own 
* vid. that Sermon.  Curse ye Meroz; Enough, I say, now of honest Hick, who has yet this excuse left for himself and Mr. julian, that several True Protestants, long before them, have, in their very Hues and cries against Popery, zealously taught their Flock the horridest Tenets which they brand any of the Red-lettered Gallants with; as may be seen at large in the late King's Scotch-Declaration. 
* vid. that large folio Declarat   
Having therefore done with JULIAN's Life, and being come now to the Section of passive Obedience: how can I with good manners pass by this Aphorism of that Primitive Saint, the True Protestant Mr. Goodman, in his very 
* Pag. 52  Treatise Of Obedience; For there he tells us in express terms, That altho' Popes, for sundry Enormities, have deposed Kings by unlawful Authority; the reason yet that moved them so to do, was Honest, Just, and meet to be received and executed by the body of every Commonwealth Is not this an excellent way of destroying Babylon? And are not Papists like to repent, and be ashamed of the Principles and Actions laid to their charge, if this Puritan Divinity be true? But Mr. julian has out gone all his bold Predecessors many a furlong; for he dares not only call St. Gregory's counsel of Prayers and Tears (in time of Persecution) 
* Julian's l●fe, page 95.  Treason: but spends several pages against this following position; 
* ibid. pag 85.  That the Gospel is a suffering Doctrine, and so far from being prejudicial to Caesar' s Authority, that it makes him the Minister of God; and commands all its Professors to give him, and all that are in Authority under him, their deuce; and rather to die, than resist him by force. To which he answers, That, at this rate, under a P●pish Successor, the Lives of all Protestants shall lie at the Mercy of any justice of Peace; And then he runs on in his old gibberish, to the very end of the Chapter.  
'Tis n●t my intention (as I mentioned in the beginning) to answer him in all particulars, for that has been amply and excellently done already; only now & then I mmst take leave to show you the Devil by his Claw, or clove● foot, and consequently to let you see what a TRUE PROTESTANT is; to wit, One that cares not what he grants or what he denies, so it conduces (in his poor judgement) to his private design; which is the destruction of the Monarchy. This shall make him therefore to paint JULIAN a Cherubin, or at least a Lamb, or very moderate Prince; on the other side to describe the Primitive Christians (especially the most famed for Learning and ●iet●) to be a Company or Legion of Thebean Coxcombs, or else more Factious and Rebellious than the Fallen Angels; This shall oblige him also to furnish the Papists (as has been showed) with Arms both Defencive and Offensive; ane this shall cause him, like a true Huntsman, to let the Hare (which with great eagerness and Cries he has long pursued) get home to her Form, that he may have (at a seasonable and Critical time) the advantage of another chase ● And truly seeing I am talking of JULIAN, and of a True Protestant, I must not pass by the Huguenot BLONDEL, who (to confute forsooth Purgatory, as his Adversary 
* V●● Cra●●se● against B●ondel.  Crasset shows) decry's the famous and long celebrated Prophecies of the SYBYLS as forged, making the most Ancient Christians the Forgers, though JULIAN himself, who sought all manner of means to disparage Christianity, never questioned the Books, nor taxed its professors with any Cheat.  
But now before I end with JULIAN, I must tell my Reader, that the● Popish Writers have had the start of this his SQUIRE; for as he draws inferences from his Master against them, with by-blows (home to purpose) against the Church of England; so they have their Remarks too upon this famous Man, not very advantageous I'll assure you to true Protestants. For whosoever consults Gualterus, a jesuit eminent for History, he shall find the four following, and only Observations upon that Apostate; And by the way I must add this, that his drift all along is to make the Calvinian Doctrine to agree ad amussim, even to a hair with some old condemned Heretic or Infidel.  
His first Note is, That 
* Tabula Chron. p. 300.  JULIAN was a Monk (for, you must know for his Security, and to avoid Suspicion he became one) and presently with his Coul, He left Christi●nity also. so that thus we may see, that SAINTS, who for their profit, and to serve a turn, can (contrary to their judgement) exteriorly comply with this or that Religion, will at the first advantageous opportunity, not barely leave their Coul, that is to say, their Profession, but shake hands as we see (if it be more convenient for them) with Christianity, and all Morality too. His Second observation is; 
2  That as after IVLIAN's Apostasy, He made himsely High Priest; so our Henry the VIII. after his abandoning Popery, would be deemed Head of the Church, a power his Successors (as he tells us) still assume. Here than we find our jesuit and a true Protestant (for all their noise and quarrel) to go hand in hand; the Presbyterians and other Sectaries being as eager forsooth against the Supremacy as a Papist; Nor has Mr. Calvin, nor Mr. Luther been less Satirical and Touchy in that Point, than the great Guy of Warwick, the mighty Bellarmin himself. 
3 and 4.  His third and fourth Observations are, upon JULIAN's Calvinistical proceedure in pulling down Crosses, and destroying our Saviours' effigies, even that miraculous Statue (mentioned by Eusebius) which the ●oman that had the Issue of Blood erected in his memory. Now how exactly the English julian's have imitated their Ancestors herein; We who have seen the late War, and felt the Plagues which accompanied it, can to their eternal Honour abundantly Witness.  
Nay, neither must, nor can we forget, how godly Sir W. Waller (a man Loyal in his Father, Loyal in Himself, and a great hater of Beads, (especially those that look like Pearl) publicly burnt the very Picture of Christ in the Palace yard, to the horror of all good Protestants, the real, and not pretended, Children of the Church of England. Nor are we to wonder, that those who approved or gave a helping hand to such an action, should afterwards cut and slash His Royal Highness' Picture, or make so many desperate offers even at the ●rown and Honour of the King Himself.  
Having done with this second Section (which shows us not only the Obedient Principles of Mr. julian and his Fellows, but how still they promote Popery, by thei● Arguments, Parallels, and In●erences) we will now hasten to the Third and last, tho' he cannot be but Victorious there, especially when I myself must already sing him an Io Poean.  
The Argument of the said Section is, a Comparison between Popery and Paganism; and so let it be; Yet in Justice I must inform my Reader, that we are not one whit beholding to the Pilfering Squire for the Simile, seeing the Nation has had it long ago from 
* Vid. His Survey of Popery.  Dr. Sutcliffe, and many a grave Retailer since. In the next place, had I the faculty of Squabbling; for I confess and declare— Timeo Danaos & dona ferentes; I fear light itself, when 'tis conveyed to me by a Par●y, who under the shelter of the deepest Execrations and Oaths, and by the Treacherous Style of HAIL SOVEREIGN, Your most Dutiful, your most Obedient, and most Loyal Subjects, can lay hold on their King's Sword or Milita, th●n Seize his Royal Person, and lastly Cut his Throat; I say had I a Squabbling faculty (and such Mountebanks afford sufficient matter) my Tongue and Hands are tied, professing still (as I did in the beginning) That I heartily pity all the Errors of the Papists, and will never descend them therein; Tho' for their Loyalty, I think them in general very Eminent, and especially those Gallant Men I knew, during the late Rebellion. Let then Paganism, 
* Calvino-T●rs●ismus proves a true Protestant a Turk.  TURCISM and all the ●alse Doctrines of Popery perish together; yet this must not hinder me from telling the SQUIRE to his Face, That 'tis better be a Papist than a true Protestant, for several reasons, besides the formentioned brand of Mahometism. Therefore seeing many of the Cabal have made mighty Complaints, and been extremely angry forsooth with the Church of England for this Assertion, I think it very fit to explain and set down what She and her Loyal Children mean by it.  
But before I come to particulars, I must premise this; That no body (I suppose thinks) unless we take Sectaries in a Lump, and together, but that the TRUE PROTESTANT, and a GOOD ONE, (I mean a Reformed Dissenter, and a Church of England Man) agree in more points of Faith, or differ openly in fewer, then do a good Protestant, and a Papist; from whence arises the fallacy and surprise; that seeing this is so, How a good Protestant can assert a thing which puts him at such a Distance with a Presbyterian, Independent, and the rest of the Godly juncto.  
I answer, that judaism and Gentilism differed in far more particulars from an Othodox Christian, than He from any of the first Hereties; Yet many of the Faithful Believers (in those times, and why not since) had rather been jews or Gentiles (as more excusable at the last day) than Ebionits', Cerinthians, or especially Nicolaitans, so detested by God in the 
* Rev. 2. 15  Apocalypses. And here be pleased to remember, that a Man has no more inclination to Popery, by making this declaration, than he has to be SHOT, because he had rather die so, than be HANGED. This is the Scandal which the true Saints asperse a rational Axiom with; and I am sure in the late Rebellion both Presbyterians and Independents did often use it against each other, whilst they were discovering their mutual Nakedness and Villainies. Besides ●ince every good Protestant, that stands in their way is Blackened by them with the odious name of Papist; what can be more pertinently urged (after he has given the Calumniators the lie by frequenting the Church and Sacraments) than by thus asserting, That 'tis yet better be a Papist, than a Sectary or true Protestant (a NICKNAME of their own giving) for these, and a thousand other Reasons.  
I. What Man had not rather (of the two) be of a Religion, which was once true according to the opinion of very good Protestants (which seems to be grounded on St. Paul's Congratulation, That the 
* Rom. 1.8.  Roman Faith was spoken of throughout the World) than of one that has been always false and troublesome. And if a Man must believe (to Sodder up the breaks and contradictions.) That all our opposite Sects (by uniting against the Government) have a saving Faith; He will I fear at his Deat● say, Sit Anima mea cum Philosophis; I wish my Sou● then, with Socrates, Plato, S●neca, and such like Philosophers.  
II. The Church of Rome (according to all good Protestants too) is a true Church, though corrupt and diseased; for as a King remains a true one, notwithstand his ill administration; and a Man is still a Man though Leprous, so this Church (they tell us) falls not by her errors from being a Church, or still having jurisdiction. This made King james to call the Pope 
* Vid. His work, pag. 305.  Patriarch of the West; and this is the reason why the Priesthood and Ordination of that See remains good here; and why the Church of England draws thence her Succession and Descent; a thing zealously insisted upon by her learned Members, and particularly by the smart and inquisitive Mr. Mason. Now the Presbyterian Assembly (and much more that of the other Dissenters) is no Church at all, having no Bishop, and therefore no Ordination or Sacraments: Nay the Church of England in her 
* Vid. Rogers, p. 86.  19th. Article defines the true Church to be, A Congregation of Faithful Men that have the Sacraments duly administered; So that the wilful losing this Blessing is a Curse of the first Magnitude, depriving them that incur it, of the very Candlestick, at least of the inestimable benefit of our Lord's Supper, which was instituted for our Refreshment and Strength, and for the remembrance of his Passion till he comes.  
III. What good Protestant would not sooner be of a Religion which converted us from Paganism, and left (as 
* Brit. p. 163.  Cambden says) Many Monuments of Piety and Devotion, to the Honour of God, and the propagation of the Christian Faith; (And among these may be named Churches, Bishoprics, Deaneries, Canonries, Colleges, etc.) I say what good Protestant would not prefer such a Religion to One which (instead of advancing the Christian Worship) has not only put us in constant broils, but profaned and pulled down the very Churches themselves; and which the fa●to gobbled up and swallowed (without the least stop or Kecking) the Lands of the Prelates, and the other Ecclesiastical Governors? Nor would the Universities have stood two years longer, had not God by a Miracle restored His Majesty.  
IV. To come even to down right Popery, and their most ●●ightful Opinions; What good protestant would not rather with a Lutheran and a Papist believe (if Will and Choice can make a Man believe) That Christ is corporally present after Consecration, than as Sectaries do, That the outward part or sign of the Sacrament is still mere Bread & Wine; a Tenet wholly opposite to our very first Rudiments in Religion; for the public Catechism in the Common Prayer, declares and tells us, * That the Body and Blood of Christ are verily and indeed taken and received by the faithful in the Lord's Supper.  
V. Who had not rather Communicate under one Kind, than not at all; for several of the true Protestants never do: Nay, in their very expressions they call the SACRAMENTS by the name of Beggarly Elements, and Formalities beneath the Sain●s and Regenerate.  
VI Who would not rather say AMEN to Prayers in the China or Coptic Languages, where he is sure that the Bishops and other pious and wise Governors of the Church framed them, than to the extemporary Vociferations of every Enthusiast; to whom (as long experience has showed us) Tautology and Nonsense are Essential; And more especially when Sedition (we know) is their Aim, and Blasphemy an usual Adjunct.  
VII. Who will not deem it a less and a more pardonable error, To desire the Prayers of a good fellow Creature, who (as it chances) hears not our Requests; and to wish also a happy Voyage, and the speedy getting home of a friend, who is already (it seems) at his journey's End (for thus in effect lies the Insignificancy of Invocating Saints, and of Suffrages for the Dead) than in the first place (omitting the many horrid Opinions of other Sects) to deny with 
* Vid. ●ez. Act. 〈…〉.  BEZA, and his Desciples the PRESBYTERIANS, Christ's descent into Hell, one of the Triumphant Victories of his Death; And secondly to affirm His not d●ing for all ● a Doctrine that (besides the Blackness of it) makes so many of their Hypocondriacal Followers (commonly the quietest and best meaning People of the Rout) to Hang themselves, and so ensure their Damnation out of mere fear of being Damn'd ●  
And here again I must desire my Reader to remember what I have now said, does by no means prove any Popish opinion true, but only that the Fanatical Doctrine is worse, and certainly what follows will yet more evidently make it appear.  
VIII. 'Tis better be under the lash of one spiritual Superior, than Ten thousand Popes; Presbytery making every pragmatical Minister worse in some respects than a Hildebrand, or any of his angry Successors; For, as to a private man (unless he be like Wickliff, Oldcastle, and the like, very eminent and remarkable) he will hardly or never be taken notice of by the Court of Rome, and its great Officers; whereas, under Calvin's Iron Rod, no youthful Man shall ●e merry; no body mus● so much as dance; no Abigal or Handmaid shall cramp Sir Roger with the Book of Martyrs, or play little tricks with his Reverend Cloak, or wilfully fail perchance in well starching his mystical band, but will be presently sent headlong to the Devil, or forced to a Penance harder (it may be) in their opinion, than going half way to him. Then, for great Monarches, and great Governors, let any man judge, whether it be not first more honourable for them to contend with a Foreign Bishop and Prince, than with an Assembly of their meanest Subjects, both in Quality and Estate. But in the next place, when we come to consider the peril of their sacred Persons, there is no manner of equality in the matter; for there are even Laws in every Popish Kingdom against the Pope's Bulls, Sentences, and the like: and the entrance of his Legates and Envoys may be legally hindered; Nay, the very Decrees of his Councils (as we see by those of Trent) are received and unreceived as Prince's order. Besides this, the stout ones have Imprisoned ruffling Popes; as did the Emperor Charles V. and Philip the Fair of France. Others have laughed at his Holiness' anger, and beaten him with his own Weapons; that is to say, have opposed him with the Bishops and Clergy. Thus dealt the Venetians with Paul V. and thus served this French King the late Alexander VII. and especially, the present Innocent XI. whom the Gallican Church has so notably baited. Our Will. Rufus, our Henry I● our Edw. I. and several other of our Kings, (and reckoned also good Sons of the Church) have disputed, and got the point of the Pope; and whosoever reads the story of Hen. II. and King john, will find, ●hat they had done the like, had they not been altogether inconstant and irresolute. Now, under the Presbyterian Yoke, what Prince ever contended with those Tyrants, without the utmost shame and loss; for these Egyptian Taskmasters being at home, and not only knowing their own strength, but (like skilful Knight arrant'st ● the defects of their Adversaries Armour, they never strike but the Blow proves deadly, their greatest mercy being to make their ●rince sit publicly in the Stool of Repentance; nor must their Synodical Ordinances be disputed or disobeyed by any Governor whatsoever. These and the like vexations made King james (who understood the Party fully) so often to repeat that true and witty Apothegm No Bishop no King; as also be so severe with them in his Basilicon Doron, as to incite even his hopeful Heir, the great Prince Henry against them.  
IX. Let us now come to the Deposing Doctrine; and whosoever reads but Knox, Bucanan, Goodman, Bishop Bancro●ts dangerous Positions, the Dissenters sayings &c. (all written within the four Seas) Must needs aver and say that no Imp of Hell has ever yet out done them on this Subject. Then for the Practice, DOCTOR HEYLIN's History of Presbyterians (without the pains of searching and turning over Volumes) plainly shows, That the proportion between the Roman and Calvinian Heros, in this dispute (and more especially if we consider the extent of jurisdiction, and the age of them) is like the Tiber to the Mediterranean; nor are the Sain●s ever contented with the bare deposing of a Governor, but like Turks pursue the whole Line, and which is more are never quiet till they have altered the very Government also. But what can a man think, when we add this aggrevation; that not only English Papists have it seems written several Treatises against the Power of Deposing Kings, but even in Popish Countries, the Santarelluses, the Mariana's, the Schopiuses, the Beauties, the Suarezes', the Becanuses, and other Books have been publicly Condemned or Burnt, as the 
* Vid. Compend. p 75.  Popelings themselves make appear; and which is yet much further, the very Priests and Supporters of the Triple Crown have this very year in France (as our News Books publish) damned the said Opinion to the pit of Hell; a thing never yet done by any one Presbyterian Author that I know of (though Justified by Thousands) and much further from having been openly censured in any of their Convocations or Assemblies. Nay our Goodmanites and Cargilites will bitterly Exclaim at the Doctrine as Antichristian in the Pope, and yet die with it in their Mouths, and own it with their last breath as an Article of Faith. Nay how have the party even in London laboured and sweated like so many Cyclopses in their Caves and secret Dens; and at last (thinking themselves strong and irresistible) how openly have they declared, with the impudence of Prostitutes, For the putting by the Heir of the Crown (the Prelude of degrading our present Sovereign) and this notwithstanding his often hazarding his Royal Person in defence of his King and Country.  
'Tis out of the hatred to Monarchy, and not out of the least fear or apprehension of Religion, that moves them to this fury; for (as most of our notedst Writers of the times remark) no true or pretended Authority since the Reformation winked more at Papists, than the loud Criers against Popery, as soon as they got into the Saddle, or would have sooner given them Toleration, had not the said Papists been such known and desperate Enemies to a Republic.  
But further, What Man in England of the least understanding or Moment, that did not as much know the Duke's Religion since the year 74, as since that of 78. Yet till Oates' Information or Discovery (for then the whole gang were Cock a Hoop) how did the considerablest of the harmless Lambs still run to that compassionate Prince for favours? Did not Dr. Owen and the chief of their respective Levites, and in fine all the eminent Men (as well Pastors as Sheep) that found themselves aggrieved, make applications to him, though the possibility of his Succession (against which none of them exclaimed, till they could stand on their own Legs) had then the same fatality and inconvenience attended it, as at present. Nay the PLOT should raise in any Man (that does not effectively deny it) a higher esteem and admiration of this Great Man than before; seeing Oats and Bedlo have both Sworn, That the Conspirators ever dreaded his knowledge of their Designs; notwithstanding it tended on the one hand to the Establishment of his now supposed Religion, and on the other, to the exalting him to the Crown itself.  
But the partiality of the Saints (when any thing crosses, as they think, their purpose) will not only damn BEDLG, but OATS too, and all his Family and Abettors; for thus they served DUGDALE, tho' not long before he had been so highly vouched 〈◊〉 Oath by their Martyr COLLEGE of famous memory.  
Thus too TURBER VIL was used, whom was so serviceable, that he even carried away the Bell from his elder Brethren, in the Trial of my L. Stafford. Thus it has also fared with SMITH, a Man once honoured with several Eulogiums; and among othe●s, with that of his great Learning, by reason of his Narrative, which (like Affricanus, Asi●ticus, etc.) gave even lustre and distinction to his NAME; but now this very famous piece (as an addition to his Misfortunes) is declared and confessed by a True 
* Vid. No. Protestant Plo● first part, p. 31.  Protestant to be written by a PHANATIC. But who knows, (to the honour of the Fanatical Tribe) but they have been the Writers and Inventors too of all the NARRATIVES? and certainly, that horrid imposition on the People of BEDLO's Narrative of the Fires, does abundantly confirm us; CARE being the Author, and three or four Tender-conscienced BOOKSELLERS the Promoters, as the All-discovering OBSERVATOR has most fully proved.  
But of all the scrupulous and conscientious Witnesses, I must needs confess none have been so stigmatised, and hardly used, as the IRISH; for the Godly have even made the Testimony of all the Natives of that Kingdom Proverbial; and yet, Who but They brought these poor Men upon the Stage? Who but They fed them with the fat things, and with the very Grapes of Canaan, till at last they put their Teeth on edge? and Who but They were the common Vouchers and Compurgators for their Manners, and the learned Heralds and Antiquaries ●o prove their great Descent and Quality? Yet now, how many mean Villains, Scoundrels, Beggars, Papists, Tories, Bog-trotters, not to be credited by any Christian, etc. were they called, after they once appeared against the Brethren? Nay, so illuminated were all the True Protestant's on a sudden, that, notwithstanding the Oaths of seven or eight of these Teigues, upon whose Testimony the Parliament voted an IRISH PLOT; and, notwithstanding half as many Englishmen, who had (with the general applause of the Saints) so illustrated and made evident the English Plot, that several were Hanged and Executed upon their Oaths; and, notwithstanding also a pretty Paper, declared Treason by the four INNS of COURT, and by the Loyal Addresses of most of the NATION: they brought in the Bill IGNORAMUS, though some of the jury were of such tender consciences, (a thing that cannot be too often remembered, and which our Chronicles will never forget) they could Indict, (and th● Bill was also found!) no meaner a Person than the Earl of Danby, upon the Account of one single man's Accusation, who was then actually at the Bar for Treason, and whose Evidence plainly tended to his own security and advantage.  
But who dares or can censure a Iury-man's Conscience, say they, and their Apologists? I answer, a MONSTER that has no Reason, no Principle, but Will; that can think any thing a Sin, which runs counter to his Aim; and yet, to promote it, shall (without scruple) do the same thing, and a thou●and times worse. For were not Sir G. WAKEMAN's JURY Middlesex ●Gentlemen, and Protestants of Account and Estates? And was it not proved to them in open Court, That CORKER was never Precedent of the Benedictins, contrary to Oa●es's positive Oath? with many o●her by particulars, as ma● be seen in the printed 
* vid. Si●●●. Wafer's Trial. p. 75  Trial. But besides this, did not Sir Philip Lloyd declare, That the said Oats, before the Councils (when Sir George was first accused by him,) called upon God, and with liftedup hands, (being pressed to a positive Accusation by the Board) cried, 
* ib. p. 55.  That he known n●thing more against him, than what he 〈◊〉 already accused him of; which was only about some 〈◊〉- says from the jesuits. Yet, for 〈…〉 and Sir Philip's being ● M●n of Quality; nay, a Man 〈…〉 
* 〈◊〉 Co●●●●.  Pap●s● rightly urges) 〈…〉 not for his head assert th' 〈…〉 ●hing ● well knowing, 〈…〉 council, and my LORD SHAFTSB. their then Precedent, would not countenance a Lie; I say, notwithstanding all these circumstances, that JURY was so calumniated by all True Protestants, that One of them (I remember) coming upon the CHANGE next day, was houted at, and shunned as if he had been infected, or the most infamous man alive. Nor are their Tongues and Pe●s yet quiet in that Affair; and ●s for Sir Philip, they have thirsted for his very Blood ever since.  
But to proceed a little further upon the same Key; what Attempts have the Tender Consciences made upon His Royal Highness' very Honour and Life! For first, tho' Oats and Bedlo (as I said before) freed that excellent Prince from any Conspiracy against the King or his Crown; yet no sooner did Dangerfield appear, with that most impossible story, That three of the Imprisoned Lords, when they had already smarted for their supposed Credulity, when they had several Popish younger Brothers at hand, and Partisans (to be sure) in any Plo● of Theirs; and when they well saw what Rewards and Encouragements all the Discoverers received, should yet take a common Rogue, a mere Stranger, out of Newgate, to Kill the King. I say, no sooner did this Fellow appear with his impossible story (and tho' afterwards he was proved (in the Trial where he was concerned) the greatest Recorded Villain that has been heard of, and false also in the main particulars of his Averments; and, which is more, a Forger of an 
* proved by Justice Foster in Council.  Affidavit even against His Highness;) but the whole Party toiled like Bulls to have him received for a good Witness; which would have certainly succeeded, had not the Peers utterly rejected it, as abominable. Nay, to show further how tender a thing a True Protestant Conscience is! they asserted in Print, 
* vid. that Pamphlet.  That Dangerfield ' s Testimony (tho' he were proved Perjured) was te be taken against a Papist; and all this passion and heat only to Murder the first Prince of the Blood; For the Reader must know, that Dangerfield had formerly been with the 
* vid. Dang Narrative  King, Duke, Lord Peterborough and Secretary Coventry, and had thereby sufficient room to expatiate in, as True Protestants and the Spirit should suggest. Now, seeing this hopeful Youth had been (as I said) with the King, Duke, etc. he and his infer, That his account must be True forsooth, since it shows (they say) he was mightily entrusted with secrets, by his having access to such Great Persons; and yet who knows not, but the common Hangman, if he says, he has a Treason to discover, (and Dangerfield pretended to know of a * Presbyterian-Plot) shall have admittance to His Majesty, and to his greatest Officers, at an easy rate.  
In the next place, when this project failed, Fitz-Harys afforded a new one; for tho' he were sent to Newgate by the King and Council, as being (besides other Crimes and Suspicions) taken with a Treasonable Libel in his Pocket, yet durst two or three City-Officers go and examine him, though a Prisoner of State, and committed by that Supreme Power; So that presently after, he that had several things to say against the True Protestants, (had the King or His Ministers encouraged such Accusers) had now God knows what to declare, not only concerning the Popish Plot, and many Great Persons not yet accused, but even against His Royal Highness; and how undeniable and plain an Evidence (as the times stood) would this have been, if the Lords had received the Impeachment, every body is fully sensible. Nay, the Peers were highly exclaimed at, because they waved their own jurisdiction, and left the Malefactor to the Common Law. Nor did the men of conscience fail to threaten the Kings-Bench, if they dared to meddle with him; and all this (we see) to gain a new Witness, who, by the help of their Cries, and other Artifices, would have certainly at last overthrown the very Government. Yet, after all this huge Clutter and Do, when the poor Creature came to the Gallows, he sufficiently showed how he had been tampered with, and that he knew nothing of any Plot, but what tended to the Eternal Shame, and not Rest, of Mr. Baxter's Saints, as may be seen in Dr. Hawkins' Narrative all along.  
Lastly, (for I'll run to no more particulars at present) let any sober man consider, what a fearful stir they would have made, and how many fatal disorders and confusions must have ensued their improvement if Mr. THYN's Murder had not been discovered as it was? The Horsemen of Israel (we see) were all booted and spurred, and unanimously ready (for the Quiet again of the Kingdom to throw the Fact on the Papists, who now have some reason (I confess) to boast of Miracles; for had not the Assassins' been miraculously taken (as it were) in the Act, which even hindered them from the impudence of denying it, they would have been so far from being searched after, that a man might have run in danger of the Pillory, (especially if some tender consciences were of his jury) for offering so much as to suspect them. Things therefore standing thus, how could the Popish Duke (as they call him) have escaped the new Witnesses (that were already consulting the Coffeehouses for their Lesson) when there was so much malice in the Party, and some small pretence for a Lie? Nor should any of the obnoxious Ministers o● State, nor any Courtier (Mr. Thine being reputed an Enemy to the Court) have missed of being hampered, no not the King Himself been free from Calumny; & truly, some have had the impudence already to suspect Him of knowing the whole Plot, and all its Appendices, unless that of Pickering's Silver Bullets; for as to Sir George W●keman's Pills and Design, Sir Philip Lloyd's being sent to his Trial by the Board, makes it plain, and (as they think) beyond dispute.  
Now, after all these cursed Defamations of His Majesty; these bloody Conspiracies against His faithful Brother and Heir; and the many Endeavours against His best Protestant Friends and Servants: I would ask the SQUIRE himself, whether we have not reason to believe infallibly, and hand over head, every PLOT, and every Story of their recommendation; and especially since we find they can at pleasure cry down, and in effect perjure any Witness; even those that have assured us, upon their Words and Oaths, (and what else has yet proved it?) of a Damnable and Hellish PLOT of the PAPISTS against the KING? But since I am comparing the Faith, Principles and Actions of the True Protestants and the Papists, whom the said SQUIRE makes worse than Pagans: I would fain know of him, whether the proceedure of the Papists, in the kind we are now speaking of, was not something fairer, even in the Reign of QUEEN MARY? For in all her Time, tho' she highly disliked her Sister ELIZABETH's Religion, and had also a pique against her Person, upon the account of their Mother's Quarrel; yet never was there one VOTE of Parliament, and much less a BILL for her EXCLUSION. And, what is yet more, when WYATT was taken, who was a Protestant, and General, or chief Commander in his Insurrection, He accused the said Princess ELIZABETH as a Complotter; yet for all that, neither the Queen nor the Council would believe him, notwithstanding the probability of the Accusation; so that, when he was brought to the place of Execution, and finding no benefit or encouragement by his Lie, like another Fits-Harys, He asked God and his Prince forgiveness for that horrid Crime, and so died.  
X. But Tenthly (to proceed with the Parallel,) they are the better ●hrictians, who assist their Prince and are friend's to his Friends, than they, who still speak ill of Dignities; who watch for every occasion to oppose & enslave their Sovereign; and who think it a sufficient cause to hate any man, and pursue him unto Death, if he offers to stand for the King's Honour and Prerogative. I shall not now speak what the Papists did during the late troubles of Charles I. and II. 
Metamorp. lib. 13.  Vidistis enim sua narret Ulysses, I mean let Mr. julian repeat his, and the True Protestant Loyalty, for we have been all eye Witnesses of the Popish actions. I say I intent not to speak what either Party did from 41 to the King's Restauration, but what they have done since. On the one hand then, if any Royalist or Faithful Subject stood Candidate at an Election, he had to be sure the Voices of all the Papists there. If there happened to be any of your Strictlands or your Swalls in the Lower-House: (to wit, new Converts as the busy Priests call them) their Votes fell ever (we see) on the Crown side. If again any thing for the King's Advantage and Honour came to be proposed to the Lords, let it be even the readmission of the Bishops, the Catholic Noblemen failed not (with a Nemine Contradicente) to be for it. Again if the King thinks a War for his Honour and In●erest to be best, the Papists at home will not only approve and abet it, but the Douglases and the other considerable Officers abroad leave (at the first Comm●nd) their respective great Employments and return. If Tangier be in distress, if Algiers troublesome, or any other public Misfortunes appear, these Gentlemen become all on a sudden changed into Presbyterians and fanatics, that is to say, they se●m Surly, Dogged and wholly ou● of humou●; but if any happy News arrive, whom do we find more gay than the●, and wh●se Bonfire makes a greater Flame? Now on the other side (not to speak of the actual insurrections of the True Protestants since the King's return) what Cavalier or known Servant to the Monarchy has been designed ●or any Elective Office, but had his whole life ripped up, with a thou●and additional l●es and Nicknames of Papist, Pensioner, etc. on purpose to put him by the S●ddle? What Stout Pe●r or Man of Honour crossed a Seditious Int●igue, but was presently pointed at as a Sta●●ordian, and as unfit for any Tr●st and Employment? In our late War what Artifices have been used to put His Majesty upon straits; or if that miscarried, how have they rai●'d at the King's Councillors and Advisers; so that Doleman and others of the Cabal might without censure M●n the Enemy's Ships up to Chatham; and the Fitz-Patrics and the rest Command Boilduke and the Adjacent Coast, tho' it were to hinder and oppose our Landing? As for T●ngier and Algiers the Mahometans are not ignorant of the ●rinkling and good wishes' of th●ir Brethren he●e; and that Coll. Sackvil and Admiral Herbert have had many a Prayer at least many a hearty ejaculation offered up for their Ruin and Con●usion; seeing the King by their Gallantry has fewer Irons in the fi●e than before. No wonder then ●hey abhor all public joy, and that instead of contributing to the Festivity, they'll put out their very candles, and even cover their Hearths, as if William the Conqueror's Coverfeu-Bell were still Ringing.  
One (Bonfire I must needs confess) they now Religiously observe, viz. That on the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth's Coronation; tho' they never intended by it to show any hearty hatred to the Pope or any sincere Reverence and affection to the memory of that great Princess, but only to vent their inveterate Malice against the whole Line of the STUARTS, for as the Old True Protestants were goads in the Sides, and prickles in the Eyes of Her Majesty during her whole Reign, so their Faithful and Legitimate Children continue the same rancour by railing at, and breaking those Laws of Hers, which, preserving the uniformity of the Ppotestant Religion, are the certain cause of our present Peace and Quiet. And if the mere disgrace of his good Holiness were the Design of ●he Solemnity, the 5 th'. of November would be much the fitter day; she having been a Papist, and He thereupon an open and declared Enemy, so that every thing he did against Her might in some manner be expected; whereas King james and He were not at any particular odds, which renders every Plot of His against His Majesty more reflecting and odious. But Saints care not for congruities, their aim being only to blacken the present Royal Family, add by crying up the Protestant, the Protestant Queen, to insinuate as if all the STUARTS were ever Papists. But this I must acknowledge is no new thought or invention of the Gang, but a small improvement of their Father's practice after the Murder of Charles I. for they then made Her our last Monarch, and therefore never (but by accident) destroyed and pulled down any Statue Arms or Ensigns of Regality during our Bondage under them, unless those that related to this Princely and Glorious House.  
Seeing then by their former and present Artifices the English World has undoubted assurance of their Loyalty and Affection to th● Government; 'tis no marvel if they should destroy the very ●redit and belief of the late PLOT. For who can we upon second thoughts hearty blame for want o● Faith, when on the one side the Infidel sees not only several Old Caviliers, several Z●●lous Church of England men● and several persons (whofe whole Livelihood depends on the King's welfare) question not a little (by reason of many strange stories in the Narratives, & man● evident d●sproof●s in Trials) whether His Majesty were really in all this so long talked of danger; and especially when the Lives, poverty, parts, and odd coming in of the Witnesses happened not ●o be over advantageous to their Testimony; to w●ich may be also added that all Protestant Ambassadors and Ministers smile at the Noise; nor has any Reformed Prince or State congratulated ●is Majesty's escape, as they and their Predecessors have always done when any of our King's were in real dan●er. I say who can heartily bla●e the Infidel, when on the one side he sees the ●ing's known ●riends to Hesitate, and on the other side finds all the remaining judges of Charles I. all that were at Retrieve for Charles II. after Worcester Fight; all th●● were in Garrison in Haberdashers and Goldsmiths-Hall; all Venner's Brigadeer, and in fine all mankind that are openly ●aters of the King and Monarchy, wonderfully Solicitous for His Majesty's Safety, support the Witnesses, demand with zeal justice on the Conspirators and their ABETTERS, and will not only go to fisticuffs with any man that doubts, or scratches his head at some hard particulars, but hang him without mercy, if ever he comes under any jury of Theirs.  
Certainly, one may with some reason doubt Miracles which jews (and jews that never agreed together before, so much as in the day of the month) promote and cr● up; assuring us all the while, that the defence of Christianity is their dri●t and aim. Nay, jews too that fly in the faces of these infallible Witnesses, and presently make them the greatest Monsters in Nature, if they chance to accuse a Brother of any Villainy, tho' never so probable or plain.  
To show yet further the real zeal a True Protestant bear● to His Majesty, what Magistrate or Magistracy asserts His Kingly Rights, whom they have not vilified and Lampooned, at the very time perchance when they are running down ●ome Servant of His Majesty, even upon pretence of his defaming the Justice of the Nation? 'Tis lawful in them to rail at a Surrey jury, if they censure Mr. Pilkington for discrediting a fellow Citizen. They may (forsooth) without any fault, libel some of the eminentest Gentlemen of Essex, as corrupt and perjured, if they find Billingsgate-Hickeringill to have a black and scandalous m●u●h Nor shall the Oxfordshire jurymen want judgements, if Pamphlets can creat● them, for condemning COLLEGE, a Traitor of as rank a smell (in a manner) as the late Regicides themselves. For he was publicly Seditious in his words, and he himself confessed, that he came with Horse and Arms to Oxford to guard the Parliament against the Papists; and what that means in the mouth of one that reckoned the Bishop's Tantivies, and the rest of the King's Friends at least Popishly inclined, may be easily imagined. 'Twas proved also against him, that, in a Quarrel about the Parliament, he said, he had lost blood in the Cause, and that more ere long would be lost. He said also openly, He might (for aught he knew) be a Colonel shortly. Again, 'twas proved, that, upon the old shame and pretence of Protestant Religion and Property, he was a promoter (even by distinctive Ribbons) of Ligues and Parties; That he was a disperser of Villainous Pictures and Ballads, to the King's Dishonour; That the first Draught of the Traitorous Libel the RARE SHOW was found in his House; That He had given it out to be Printed; and that he justified the horrid Proceedings of the Long Parliament, even the King's Murder, All which, and more was made out against him, by Witnesses of unspotted Reputation; besides the many positive and probable Treasons, sworn by Dugdale, Smith, Turbervil, and the rest of his intimate Companions; And yet for all this, the Miscreant is vindicated by the Party, honoured with a Picture, and under i● Verses that vilify the public justice in the highest degree.  
But, if we come to single Persons, who has in the Nation been so harassed, and bespattered with so many Calumnies and Lies, as Mr. L'ESTRANGE? One, if we consider his Quality, not only of a Family still in being, and Eminent among us, but as ancient as the Conquest; and, which is more, so Noble and Great then, that a Princely House (to wit, that of Derby) deem● the Title and Honour it receives thence, as the first ●lower in its Coronet.  
If we come to his Breeding, He is a Man of ●etters, and o● excellent Conversation too. Nor was there ever a greater Master of the English Tongue, whether we consider the clearness and variety of his Expression, or his stupendious celerity in writing.  
Then, for his Loyalty (which is his great fault, and has contracted him all his Enemies) He sided early with the l●●e King; was in Newgate for Treason also (as they called it) for Him; He was esteemed, in the worst of Times, by all the Cavaliers as one of their choice Members; and as soon as the King returned, by defending the Church He drew all the enraged Hornets about his Ears; which now shows us further his Fidelity, since, upon the discovery of any Treachery or falsehood in him, they might have legally excluded him from all Pardon and Indemnity.  
Lastly, for his Religion, and firmness to the Church of England, no man from first to last ever gave g●●a●er testimony of it than he; being still in the Cap, still in the Breach, as his disadvantageous Books to Popery show, as well as those against the Treachercus and Apostate Children of the Church, the most dangerous Enemies by many degrees, as the Affairs of the Nation have stood these several years. Mr. Prance therefore got as little Credit by accusing him for a Papist, as he did by his voluntary and open Confession to the King and Council, That what he said of Sir E. Godfrey' s Murder, was false from Top to Bottom. Nor could he have invented a more foolish and unlikely place than SUMMER SET-HOUSE, for Mr. L'Estrange (as a concealed Papist) ●o frequent; since protestants of all conditions are daily running thither (as they do to the jews Synagogue) to view their Fashions and Ceremonies.  
But what has this Gentleman done, to deserve their Barbarous and Republican Usage? Why, because like a faithful East-Angle, or Nor●olk-man, OBSERVING the Danish-Fleet on the Coast, their Hinguar and Hubba landed, King Edmond and his Family pursued: he fires the Beacons, alarms his Fellow-subjects, and thereby defends not only Christian Religion, but prevents also the spilling of more Royal Blood; and therefore, I dare affirm, if ever any body saved a Kingdom by a PEN; Mr. L'Estrange has really done it.  
Besides, we are not only beholden to Mr. L'Estrange and ingenious Heraclit●s, (who follows him close, and with long strides) for discovering the many abominable Lies and Contrivances against Church and State, but for preventing Ten thousand more; for these Loyal and Worthy men have (after much Fatigue and repeated Out-cries) taught the Seditious Scribblers, or rather their Grave Directors, a little Orthography; that is, to spell now and then true, a passage not false in every word; as also, some little caution in their ill-designed insinuations and Comments, since they dare not proceed in their former impudent and prodigious way of vindicating here, and defaming there, which must (had it continued) have insensibly inflamed the whole Nation; for they now find by woeful experrience, That Truth will out next day; and that all things are at length, nay presently, answered to their loss.  
And now I am mentioning these Excellent men, and how outrageously they have been used by the KETTS, or True Protestant Mechanics of the Age, because they zealously stood up (as I said) for His Majesty, and all His faithful Followers and Servants: I cannot pass by Mr. DRYDEN's Case, since it so particularly shows us (according to my Design) the Nature and Folly of the Herd; who, to make some little noise, or evasion, will run down their very darling Arguments, and most specious pretences, without the least care or regard; for this Gentleman ● (looking doubtless upon Neutrality or Idleness as a piece of Ingratitude, as well to that Mighty Giver of the Talents He enjoys, as to to the Great Monarch, who has still been so Indulgent and Kind) thought fit to describe the Kingdom's Miseries, and their Cause in 
* Absalon & Achitophel, The Medal, etc.  POEMS, that convinced the very Factious in Their judgement, and triumphed over every faculty of theirs, except that Diabolical Will, which (as we see) resists even GOD Himself. No sooner then had he published his happy Thoughts, which pleased many an honest man, but the Hornets were presently about him too; and, to give him (as they thought) his mortal wound, they printed his Elegy upon Cromwell, with great clamour and joy; But whether they have hurt Him or Themselves most by it, I desire the Reader to judge. For how hideously have they bawled against every royalist who twitted them (and that with great Reason and Necessity) with FORTY ONE, the KING's MURDER, etc. because it entrenched, forsooth, on the Act of Indemnity; when as that Amnesty or Pardon never intended (had man the power of knowing Thoughts and future Actions) the forgiving of any, but those that were sorry for their former Crimes, and consequently resolved to be afterwards True Subjects. What impudent ●ools therefore a●e They, who throw the said Elegy into the Author's Dish, who has not only the genuine and true Plea of Inconsideration for himself (as being, when he wrote it, a young Graduate, or Boy newly come to Town) but also (which is much more) his latter apparent Duty to his King, both in Words and Actio●s, ought most effectually to vindicate hi●; Whereas, no Transgressor's are charged with the late Rebellion, or any thing belonging to it, but Those who manifestly ●un now to Sanctuary with polluted hands, and with their former blackness of Intention. Nay, if we consider this Accusation as to Mr. Dryden, and interpret it verbatim, what can it mean but this? You wrote, Sir, once in praise of Cromwell; and therefore are a ●reat Villain for opposing any body that either writes or acts at present against your lawful King and Master; And truly, thus in effect (that is to say, as to the matter of Fact) stands their Justice to any one, whom they decry and calumniate.  
But to draw to a conclusion for the present, (tho' the Subject abounds with such Supersluit● of Matter as to render the sterilest fancy exuberant) I will, in imitation of the SQUIRE (having already given him Preface for Preface, Story for Story, and Section for Section) end my Treatiser ● also, with my end of writing it; which is (I must needs say) to remind the Reader of our late Miseries, and of our happiness by the King's Return; To let Him see the True Protestant DESIGN, viz. That of Subverting the Gevernment, and of bringing us again into our former Bondage under the threadbare pretences of the fear of Popery; to give Him also a short account of their Religion in speculation and practice; and then to show their disobedient Principles, and restlessness, who will have even JULIAN in their mouths, when they themselves are the most abandoned APOSTATES that ever were. And so transcendent and particular are they herein, that notwithstanding their publicly owning themselves Separatists, their constantly frequenting Conventicles, their openly writing and exclaiming against the Superstition of the Church of England, yet for the Office of a SHERIFF shall Mr. Bethel himself go to Church, Assist at the Common Prayer, and then not only receive the Communion at an Altar surrounded with Rails, and from a Priest in his Surpliss but with the horrible (as they sometimes cry) and unsufferable aggravation of Kneeling also, What Mercy therefore can the most compassionating Government ●hew to such a sort of People? Or what would tender Origen (were he alive) think could become of them at the Day of judgement? The Papists have perchance some thing to Mollify an ●asie Magistrate with, when he really see● both Great and Small among them, leave Employments, suffer Confiscations, endure ●mprisonments and the like, for what what they think and call Conscience. This also makes several good Men to commiserate not a little the Quakers, who believing their way of Worship conformable to God's command, will bear afflction and loss rather than forego it; so that 'tis evident no Dissenters from the Church of England have any Conscience except these two; and therefore none but they (could the Legislative Power with prudence Indulge) deserve any favour or connivance; all the others meeting merely out of Faction and Interest; to the great damage of the Government.  
These are the Motives (to wit Interest and Faction) that cause the SQUIRE, (instead of quieting the minds, of his Party, and endeavouting to bring them to ●heir due Obedience) to declare against Gregory's Tears and Prayers, and to instill Fear (if possible) into the Silly, and furnish at the same time the hardened and inveterate with his best pretences; these also moved him so earnestly to wish, not only the unnatural tearing a ●rother out of the King's Arms, who (humanly speaking) is His sole Bulwark and Defence; but to aim (by His Exclusion from the Crown,) at the subversion of our most Fundamental Laws, which must certainly have created unexpressible Troubles in our Age, and most dismal consequences here after, and lastly, these made him so malicious against a Prince of Valour; a Prince of His word; and a Prince of that virtue and conduct; that His Goodness has thawed the very Orcadeses and Thule, and His matchless Prudence (in spite of His late mighty disadvantages) rendered Scotland even quiet and united, notwithstanding its turbulent temper during the Reigns of Queen Mary, King james, Charles I. and Charles II. till now. Nay when every thing is fully considered, the Interest he has preserved in England, and the real Affection the Persons of Quality and Estate (both Noblemen and Gentlemen) bear him is as great a demonstration of his Wisdom as can possibly be imagined. Had the said SQUIRE thought of his Profession and followed the admirable example of the present Clergy, he would instead of his villainous JULIAN have spent his time in descanting on the Accidents of the late Rebellion, and then remembered the Factious, that the first promoters even of a prosperous Sedition are still left in the Lurch, whilst a new Brood (perchance 5 or 6 removes off) are they that get the Prize; for thus I am sure it happened formerly with all the first Sticklers among the Lords, the Commons, the Army, and the City also. I say had the SQURIE thought of his Profession and performed his Duty, he had saved his own Reputation, and my trouble: for being an ●nglish Subject and having seen with my own eyes the late glorious King at the Head of a Loyal, though unsuccessful Army, and afterwards March before Another, besmeer'd with the gore of His most faithful Servants, and conducting Him to the bloody Theatre on which He made Himself greater than the Caesars, I cannot (● con●ess) but have often ●ad thought●, especially when I see the same Methods and Physic prescribed again, and many of the same Mountebanks, the present Operators and Dispenser's.   

ADVERTISEMENT.  
There was intended at the end of this small Treatise an Account of the Blessings of a Commonwealth which the SQVIRE aims at, with some pretty STORIES relating to that Precious Government, but it being thought at present too long, 'tis deferred to another time,  
FINIS.