A Modest ANSWER To a Printed Pamphlet, Entitled, A SPEECH Lately made by a NOBLE PEER OF THE REALM.  
JUst and Worthy (with all Commendations to be Recorded to Posterity) are the endeavours of the Honourable Houses of Parliament, and many other true Patriots, to deliver this, and succeeding Ages from that unsupportable Yoke of Slavery, which that State-policy, called Popery imposes on all its Devoto's,  
I do not at all question but this was the main Design of a Speech lately made by a Noble Peer of the Realm: Yet if I endeavour to show that the means which he adviseth are ineffectual to obtain this end, I hope I shall not be accounted a Papist in Masquerade, or guilty of Scandalum magnatum, since the Noble Peer hath been pleased to make this Challenge, " If any can answer" or oppose Reason to what I say, I beg they would do it: Wherefore, to gratify this Noble Peer's desire, I (in all humility) offer to some of his Propositions a few modest Answers.  
Truly I think the Noble Peer is very unfortunate in the Precedent of Hen. the 4th. (whom he is pleased to style a Wise and Magnanimous Prince;) and yet in this Reign it was that Fire and Faggot were first used against Dissenters in Religion: But however, the Chronicles we (of the meanest Rank) use, do not afford this Precedent. Baker indeed tells us, That he connived at the Impeachment of the Dukes of A●marle and Exeter: The one was accused for speaking against his Title to the Crown; the other for murdering his Father; And he adds the Reason, Because he had professed Enemies enough, and had no mind to make such of them, who (at the least) pretended to be his Friends.  
But to grant what the Noble Peer desireth:  
Was there ever any Prince since the Conquest, that hath oftener changed his Ministers of State, than our present Gracious King? and this some men knew to their sorrow, who when they were at the Helm, thought it very unreasonable that every Month should produce new Statesmen; For by this method before any one could understand the Areana Imperii, and able to give Counsel he shall be sent discontented into the Country; and the ill consequences of discontented Statesmen, who is ignorant of?  
After our Noble Peer hath passed a very witty and smart Reflection on the Ladies at Court, he passes to the next Paragraph, where we have these words, " We must neither have Popish Wife— nor any new Convert.  
What is meant by the first I cannot guests, unless with our New-State-Officers we are to have a new Model of Religion; If by new Converts be understood such, who abominating the Superstition of the Church of: Rome, are come over to our Church; I much wonder this Noble Peer, who is esteemed a great Patron of the Protestant Religion, should forget: what great Influence Reputation, Honour, and Rewards (in this Life) have upon the minds of men, and how hard a thing it is to persuade a man to forsake these, though it was to embrace a true Religion, where by one party he is disesteemed, disrespected by his Prince; by the other party, be loaded (though fally) with the Ignominies of an Apostate, Schismatic, and what not? Is this the way to gain Converts to the true. Protestant Catholic Religion? That is, the Religion of the Church of England, as at present it is Established by Law.  
As to the Example of the Duke of Savoy, forbidding Ambassadors staying but some few Weeks in his Country, it seems altogether impracticable by a Trading Nation, as ours is; For if it cannot be supposed but our Ambassadors shall be used as we use others, than I desire to know how we shall understand what Designs of foreign Princes are? and how they stand in relation to ourselves, which is the main end of maintaining Ministers abroad.  
And it's likewise worthy our Consideration, how prejudicial this advice is to the Merchants; For if any injustice be done to them by Officers in Foreign Ports, who shall represent their Case to the Prince or his Council? If they themselves; How much Time, how much Money must be spent, before they get any opportunity to be heard? And at last, 'tis more than probable, they shall be forced to sit down by the wrong; Whereas a public Minister has more Opportunities, more Friends, and can speak more boldly, and the Court shall be more fearful of offending him, than of doing Justice to any private single Person.  
How the Premises of the next paragraph but one infer the conclusion that is drawn from them, I do not understand, and therefore I shall pass on to the next, which I shall consider, together with the Five after it.  
In these two, the King is Accused of Neglect of his own Sacred Person, and of Carelessness or Slowness, (which you will,) of Searching to the bottom of the PLOT? What would this Noble Peer have His Majesty do? Would he have him be kept up in his Chamber? There he is not Safe, for his own Family will have access to him; and they we are told must be turned off; because not fit to be trusted? Must he be Armed Capapee? But who must be trusted to put them on? Really I cannot imagine what His Majesty can do more, either as to the one, or the other, than he hath already Graciously done.  
Hath he not issued out His Royal Proclamations, for the apprehending of all that were accused, as parties in the Horrid and Damnable Popish Plot? Has he not caused such as could be apprehended to be legally Tried? Has he Reprieved any one that was Condemned? Has he refused any thing for the extirpating of Popery, to which he is advised by his Parliament? Has he not taken into his Protection, Granted Pardons, for all manner of Misdemeanours; and given large Rewards to all those worthy Persons, who by their Discoveries, have (as much as in them lay,) delivered us from the Danger of Popish Cruelty; So that we may truly say, No Story affords a Parallel of him.  
Next we are told the Transactions between him and his Brother, are Incomprehensible, and so 'twill be but lost labour and folly, to search into them; quickly after we have a smart observation, viz All Preferments were bestowed by the Duke, Not a Bishop made without him.  
But sure they will allow two or three to be made without his consent; But these things I shall pass by, being wholly Ignorant of any one's promotion, as well as of the causes of Prorogations, Dissolutions, or Assembling of Parliaments.  
Now let us consider, whether or no the Disinabling the Duke of York from Inheriting the Crown of England and Ireland, be a sufficient Remedy to Unite these Distracted Nations.  
These Considerations move many to conclude in the Negative, viz. When our Parliament have used their best endeavours, and the King Signed the Bill; yet in all provability the Duke, if he outlives the King, will be Crowned King of Scotland; And if so, can we Imagine an Heroic and Wa●●●ke Prince, Strongly Fortified with Alliances abroad, And if we believe this Speech, one that has the Garrisons, the Arms, the ●mmunitions, the Seas, and Soldiers all in his Friends hands can we believe, I say, that such a Prince as this will be a quiet Neighbour, to that Nation which he is made to believe, have deprived of his Birthright.  
The Noble Peer having done with the Duke, takes the Money business into consideration; and here we are told, that make what Laws you will, they will be but blank Paper before Easter, if the Court have Money to set up for Popery and Arbitrary Government; So that in short 'tis the best way to give none.  
But is this the way to satisfy the King, that if he trusts the People, he shall have any thing; Yes if we are satisfied with the terms on which we part with our Money; How can this be? When you are assured by the Noble Peer, that make what terms you will, they will be void before Easber.  
There is a passage in the next Paragraph, which I dare not Transcribe, and therefore shall conclude by protesting, that I mean well; and that if it be not Reason, which I here offer to the Noble Peers Speech, I can at the worst be accounted but an Impertinent Fool.  
FINIS.