The State-Prodigal his Return; Containing a true State of the Nation. In a Letter to a Friend.  
SIR,  
I Am not ashamed to own I am a Convert, when the Arguments are so plain and convincing to which I have submitted my Judgement: For I must tell you, freely, I see little or nothing performed of what was promised us, but worse things done than those that offended us; and I know not how to persuade myself, that a Gentleman, of your Sincerity and good Sense, can resist the Authorities I shall bring for my Conversion.  
I need not tell you what my hopes were of the good Effects of the coming of the Prince of Orange; what an Idea I had framed to myself of England's happiness upon it and what pains I took to quiet some, and engage others into the same Sentiments and Expectation with myself: I say, I need not tell you this, since it is what you every Day reproach me with, when you seem to wonder I am now of another Opinion. That which is the business of this Letter, is to satisfy you in the reason of my Change, and that I am in the Right, as they must always be, whose Judgements are governed more by Things than Men.  
First, Sir, It is plain the Prince of Orange has now made himself King; and it is as plain he never pretended to the Crown. Under this the Nation has laboured, still does, and is like to do, you see; for it brings heavy burdens upon our Backs, besides the strokes of our own Consciences. It is a pernicious and fatal hardship he puts upon us, and which had no necessary relation to the Security of the Protestant Religion; on the contrary, it has raised Objections upon us, that we are not able to Answer. You know how sullenly he refused to be Regent, or that his Wife should have Succeeded to the Crown; which was yet farther than any True Son of our Church ever intended by his coming hither, or he was promised, or had the Confidence to propose: For all we aimed at, Was to secure our Religion, settle good Alliances, and follow him to France, that we might be safe from Popery, and Europe from War: Not to thrust out our King, set by his Children, and be King in his room. So that to be free with you Sir, I take the very Foundation of this New Fabric to be Rotten; therefore look you well to your hits, for such a Building cannot stand long.  
2. But, Sir. As Monstrous and Unnatural as the thing itself looks to a just Eye, the Methods taken to accomplish it, have something Blacker in them. I will begin, if you please, with that which was the Beginning of the Business, that is, the Corrupting the King's Servants and Officers from their Truth and Duty to him, as their Master and King. I need not prove to you that Treachery has in all Times, and Places, been reputed the most infamous of Crimes; but of that also there is degrees, and this. if I fail not is of the foulest sort, whether we consider the Instruments, or those that set them to work. The first were such as he had created (for so Divines speak; When a thing is made out of nothing.) They owed the very Being of their Fortune to King Jam●s, yet carried away their Homage to a Stranger: They Revealed his Secrets, advised his Errors, and betrayed his Arms. Thus much, and much too little too, for those Instruments of this happy Change. Now, Sir, for the Employers, I could wish they came from a far Country, and a Barbarous People, such as have never read the Ten Commandment, nor been taught the Gospel, or, at least, that they had been some injured Strangers, who had owed no Duty to our Blood: But alas, Sir! It was a Nephew against his Uncle; Daughters against their Father; Sisters against their Brother; and at last, a Husband against his Wife. Are there nearer Relations? Are there stronger Ties? And have not these been publicly violated, and that with Solemnity? what trust, Sir, can there be in those to whom such Obligations are no longer Sacred? It lessens, though it can never excuse the Gild of the Accessaries, that they had such Principals, according to the Poet travested; 
If Tom such Curses have,  
What shall they that make the Knave?  In the mean time, the pretended Preservation of the Protestant Religion, has already lost us Two of the Commandments, whilst we have not only Coveted what was our Neighbours, But what was our Fathers too, and that in a manner the most Dishonourable: Surely this cannot be the way to live long in the Land that they have taken away from him, unless it be, because, It is not the Land the Lord their God has given them. So far for Corruption and Treachery.  
3. The next Artifice which was made use of, to bring this Business about, was, you may remember, several vile Things charged upon the King; such as the Murder of his Brother, and my Lord of Essex; A League with France, and a false Child; these were industriously spread to dissolve the Affections and Duty of the People, and prepare them for a New Master. But the Accusers have not only waved the Proof, but think it unreasonable in us to expect it at their hands, when themselves never believed it; and laugh at us that we did not understand them soever. As for the Murders they are neglected by the worst of his Enemies, not to say opposed: They think the pretended Evidence too gross for them to hope they can ever dress it into any sort of probability. The League, so much hated and spoken of, and which we were told the Prince of Orange had in his keeping, and had shown to Colonel Strangewayes of Dorsetshire, at Sherbourn-Castle, was doubtless left by the way; for we have heard nothing of it since. But this puts me in mind of what a Gentleman told us, since this Revolution upon this Subject, viz. That the King was not only not in a League with France, but refused to be so, when invited by that King, and rejected the Aids he offered him by Sea and Land in August last was a Year, against this very Design; not giving Credit to C. d' Avauxes advises to Mr. Barillon about the Preparations of the Prince of Orange, as thinking it too Barbarous a Thing for the Prince to be guilty of, and but a Trick of d' Avaux to draw him into his Master's Interest and Quarrel against the Empire. And this some challenge the present Objectors upon, and will prove it unto the Wo●●●●, if they may be allowed to do it, without injury to themselves. Which shows us he had a little more Charity for his Son-in-Law, than he has found from him; for it's evident he lost his Crown for want of that very League, which some Men pretend 〈◊〉 for a Reason to deprive him. Nor can he ev●●● now be said to be in the Interest of France, but France generously in his▪ and what understanding there is between them, we are to thank ourselves for: 〈…〉 drove h●m to it, and he could do no lessed But 〈…〉. have owed his return wholly to the Arms of France, it is not improbable but he might have been here long since; but that seems an Honour, chief, reserved by him to the Valour and Justice of his own Subjects. And as for the false Child, you know as well as I, it was the Town talk that the Prince had brought over the True Mother; but for what we yet see, she is run away with the League, the one being as invisible as the other. However, Sir let me say, that to pretend to come hither to Preserve the Succession of his Wife against a false Prince of Wales, and neither show us he is so, nor suffer his Princess to come in his Place, but thrust himself in the room of that very Prince of Wales, and take the Crown and so break that Succession, he pretended, he came to Preserve inviolable has something in it that raises Horror in the Minds of Men of Honour and Principles; having thereby done what he pretended to come on purpose to hinder. This Story were hardly credible of a Reformer, but by a just reflection upon former Actions and Morals, especially the Battle of St. Dennis, fought with the Articles of Peace signed in his Pocket; the Murder of the the Wits, with the Pardon and Rewards of those that Assassinated them; and the present State of the Liberties of Poor Holland. This, Sir, whatever you think, is said to be the true Character of your renowned Reformer. They that can bring themselves to swallow this, to palliate this, and set up with this, have passed the Rubicon, to whom there is nothing more to be said, Then God have Mercy upon their Souls.  
4. But as these Slanders were used to Blacken the King, and Dissolve our Affections first, and then our Allegiance to him, the same Gentlemen, out of their plentiful Mint, have sent forth many other Stories with as little Truth, and not much less Calumny, to render the Change Welcome, and the Authors of it as so many Saviour's to the Nation. Such was the Ship-load of New-fashioned Knives, opportunely taken by the Prince of Orange when he landed in the West, and brought out of the French Forge to cut our Throats; but by some accident or other were never seen since. Next, The Protestant Bridles, for such to wear as would not turn Papist. Then the Clerkenrvel Gridivons, to carbanado, or broyl Protestants, discovered by an especial providence, though at last they proved, to be nothing but Casements for Windows. The Irish Burning the Towns, and M●sstering the People was a Profitable Invention, for it worked Wonders. How industriously this Story was spread all over the Nation, and with what contrivance, every one remembers, since there was not a Town of any Note in the Kingdom that was not Alarmed by Shame Letters, with the same News, at almost one and the same time. The same Report was in Ireland, and put the Foolish English there upon Practices, that brought them under the stroke'of the Government, and consequently into all the Inconveniences that have attended them ever since. One would have thought that these Impostures had been a sufficient caution for the future: but Experience tells us, that Lies are Bails, we never re●use. Therefore to keep us from looking back, and prevent our returning to our King, he must be Dead, ay that he was, and a certain Captain was to say, He saw him laid in his Coffin too. After that he was Mad, and another gave a Guin●● to see him Rave, through a keyhole at St. Germains, all which it is plain, was to b●ssl the World about the belief of his being Landed in Ireland, lest his People's Hearts should melt, and they come back to their Duty and run to him.  
Shall I add Mackay's great Victory; the London derry Divers; the invincible Boom, and then no Boom; the Seventy odd thousand Irish men killed before , which were Three times more than ever were there; the Irish Protestants surprising Dublin, the Duels between the French and Irish; their killing the French Officers at the head of the Camp by Dublin, and Fourteen Thousand of them deserting the King thereupon: That Admiral Herbert had taken Kingsale; and the King was gone for Limrick, in order to abdicate and run away for France: And last of all, the repeated Wonders of the Inniskilling-men, beyond Bevis of Northampton, or the Stories of the Giants, or any thing else but Honest Doctor Walker's Legend of . It will not be very improper to mention here the Disingenuous Practices of the State News Writers, and that in divers respects. First, In diminishing of Things against them, as in the Case of the Viscount of Dundee, that he had but Twenty Men when he had Five hundred, that he had but a few Hundreds, and in vain endeavoured to raise the Highlanders, when the next day he was allowed to have Six thousand, because he had beaten Mackay, when in Truth he had not Two thousand Men, and Mackay had above Four thousand: And then that Mackay came to Sterling with Fifteen hundred Men in very good Order, who did not bring Six with him, nor himself in any good Order; a more complete Victory having never been obtained, the odds and number considered. You are as happy in concealing. We are to know nothing of the baffle we received from the French at Bantry-bay, where your great Herbert run away from the French Admiral, just as your great Mackay did from my Lord Dundee. You will not let us know of one Ship that is taken by the French, though the most pitiful Vessel we take from them is to have a place in the Gazene. Yet it is certain we have lost Four hundred Sail of Ships, which are worth a Million, and Four thousand Seamen, which cannot be valued, and that in spite of your Admiral Herbert with his Fleet, that has cost you a Million and a half to guard the Channel and and preserve the Trade of the Kingdom. Nor are we to have one Word of the Sickness of our Fleet, by which we have lost about Six thousand more, which is more than Two Dutch Wars used to cost us. Neither are we to have, On pain of Death, one tittle of Truth from Ireland, for upon no less terms are any of Schomberg's Camp to write News: But since the Birds of the Air have told us the illand perishing Condition of that Camp and that the Town began to believe it, more Inniskilling Victories were contrived, as was after the Scotch Battle, to drown Truth, and divert the People from reflecting on the miserable Condition they are brought into. But after all, those Heroes are, in good English, but a pack of Cow-stealers, whose Valour consisted in killing the Unarmed Owners, the Poor Country People: An Action that would have been called a Massacre in the Irish; to Steal first, and then Murder to keep the Prize. To speak freely, Sir, inventing of Stories, together with disguising and concealing Truth, seems to me to be the Master Talents of your New Government; and, no doubt, came from the same Climate that did your Deliverer. By these honest Methods it was you laid your lawful King aside, brought another in, and have supported him against your Allegiance and Religion.  
5. The next thing that has induced me to change my Opinion, (as you are pleased to call it) is th●● Train of Mischiefs that appears to follow this Revolotion. First we are like to lose our Government, not only by defacing the Beauty of our Ancient Fabric, but by breaking the very Constitution. Our Monarches were ever Sovereign and Imperial, but we plainly see by almost every Motion that is made by a prevailing Party, we are to Dance after the Pipe of a Commonwealth, and our Kings to dwindle into Dukes of Venice; the mere Puppets of the People, and of a giddy one too which may bring us to change Governments as fast as we do Fashions, or as we did after Cromwel's death.  
But, Sir, That I confess which sticks most with me is the Scandal and Change it brings to our Church. Of the Scandal I need only say, that too many of her pretended Sons have served their turn of her Credit to satisfy their unjust Ambition and which would make you blush; they are the Pillars of your Reformation that are the Monuments of Ingratitude. A Cause cannot be blessed in the hands of such Instruments. Look over the Sticklers in the Change, and you will find they have the largest part of it that were of our Church, and owed the King the greatest Obligations. In the Fleet, Herbert, Russel and Berkley. In the Army, Churchill, Douglas, Kirk, and Forty more; not to forget those civil French Huguenots that he so Charitably relieved here, and are now gone to requite him in Ireland, under the grateful Schomberg, who began and advanced his Fortunes in France by his Favour. In the Church, we have the Archbishop of York, the Bishops of Winckester and St. Asaph. the last of which was promoted by an Interest, now out of Credit, and so early acquainted with the Invasion and the present Revolution that so soon as he was out of the Tower, he foretold it, though, perhaps, his Pretensions to Proplietick Studies, or Enthusiasm rather, might give a Man of his Gravity another Prospect. Sir, these are Blots in our ●●●tclieons, Spots in our Feasts; our reproach with all Mankind. They cannot pretend Religion for such Immorality, nor Conscience, but for want of it. It is, in short, a Scandal that deserves the public censure, as well as the dislike of the Church. For my part because I am a Protestant, I hate to prostitute the Profession to a Faction, and make it a civil Tool for Rebellion.  
And for the Change that is like to happen amongst you, you hear I suppose of a Commission to several Bishops and other Clergymen to alter our Worship, and for aught I know, our Creed; and indeed it is but necessary, since the present practices of some are not reconcileable with what our Church has all along professed. A Comprehension is the least we must expect, and of those, who will not add much Sweetness to our Blood. Contrary humours in the same Body are dangerous, nor can our Church live long under a contradiction to her own Being. Sir, in this I am the more earnest with you, because of what has happened to the Church of Scotland, and had like to have befallen ours the last Session; and I am told is to be a good part of the business of this. We must be more Presbyterian, and our Sacramental Test must be abrogated, For all those Religious to enter into the Government, that will not enter into our Churches! Popery only excepted; A strange way to maintain the Church of England in all her Rights and Privileges. Poor King James could not be so happily understood. The Devil certainly owed these Men a spite, that turned out King James for doing that which they, honest Men, have already far out done. This for our Souls.  
Our Bodies are, for aught I see, like to be in as bad a Plight; for after all our excessive hopes of happy times, We are both drained of the Money we had, and denied the means of getting more, which must, in a little time, ruin us all, and which are the unavoidable consequences of the War you have drawn upon the Nation, to gratify your Lust after a New King. I say, Sir, we are drained of what we have, for there is already given him to begin the the World with, but Four Taxes; viz. The Poll Money, Land Tax, Twelve Pence in the Pound, and the Additional Excise, which amounts to 2000000 for this Year, besides the Ordinary Revenue, that is improved to about Two Millions more, in all 4000000 an extraordinary Sum for for the first Year. But which is yet more piercing, I hear, you are 1200000 l. in debt; nor is this all you desire, or the Parliament is called to give. You must have, if I am well informed, besides the Common Revenue, and this Debt, A Million more than you had the last Year, because of your increasing your Forces, and that your Customs, etc. will fall by the decay of Trade: which mounts the Charge of the following Year to Four Millions, besides the Common Revenue over and above what I have mentioned towards this, there is lately granted a new Tax of 2 s in the Pound, and since that an Addition of 1 s in the Pound and some other Funds they are finding out for the support of this unnatural quarrel for the next Year; and yet all this is not enough for our Debt and our next Years charge, by Two Millions; though we are not to be told so presently, lest the Kingdom fling off the Yoke at once; but to be dipped and engaged grandually, till it may be out of of our Power to save ourselves.  
In the second place, Sir, that we are hindered from getting more Money is not less evident; for whilst we lie under an Embargo at home, or which is as bad, our Men are pressed to Man our Fleet to fight the Dutch Quarred against our own King, at Double Charges. The Dutch have sent mighty Fleets, well Convoyed, to all Parts of the World, to engross the Trade of it; and they that understand Commerce do know, That when Trade is once diverted from its usual Channel, it is not easy for a Country to recover it. But that we should give them 600000 l. for the Perjury and Poverty we have brought upon ourselves for their sakes (as they have now the ingenuity to confess) is selling us a Dutch Bargain with a Vengeance. It is true, some say, 400000 l. of it belongs to the Prince of Orange, but that does not mend our Market, or Reputation, to pay him so dear for coming hither to be a King, he might have been had at Cheaper rates, as I have been told. But this puts me in mind of one reason, besides Ill Conduct, and Parliament Pensions, for want of Money; they say ●enting has sent his Masters 400000 l. with a Lump of his own for Holland, for fear of the worst. However it be, let us never after this ridicule the Irish Genius, or the French Liberty; but confess ourselves the most Foolish, Base and Inconstant, of all People. And yet believe me, Sir, we see but much the better side of our Misery neither; for before the next Summer is over, though King James and the French King should not visit us in England (which is more than I dare ensure at any rate) the Cries and Rage of the numerous Poor, of almost all Trades, will be too many for our New Politicians; and the Rabble will every where Reign over others when they have nothing of their own to quiet them. Work or Plunder is the best of their Case: No Work where there is no vent for it, and Starve they will not whilst others have it: The Consequence is obvious, and needs no comment. This is a way of Beating us without Fight; for this beats our Pockets, which should support our Arms to beat our Enemies: And this Year has given us such melancholy Proofs of their Skill and Power this way, that the increase of their Strength by the Conjunction of the Algireens? which they will bring into our Channel very speedily, together with the vast Naval Preparations now in France; the Bountiful Gift of both Seculars and Regulars in King James' Favour, without one negative, being near Four millions and a half of our Money; the inclinations of the present Pope; his Influences on the Confederacy; their known Poverty; the disposition of divers Princes and States ought to increase our fears to a despair of ever seeing a quiet State in England till the King (as the Song has it) Enjoys his Own again.  
But if we had reason to think better of our Case, we have seen enough to tell us we are like to be governed by a Strange Army, as well as a Strange King; for French, Dutch, Danes, or any Thing that is Foreign, has the Preference to Englishmen. They must not be employed, and when they are, we see how little they are trusted, or paid at home or abroad: So that it is plain, King William will not confide in the Men that have quitted their Allegiance to advance him: Is it that we have lost our Integrity, or that he sees we begin to have the Grace to repent? God grant it before it is too late! Shall I tell you here of the cries of the Country under the burden of your Dutch Soldiers, or Saviour's, if you please? They take what they will, and pay what they will, with Oaths and Blows into the bargain. The Army of King James, in his whole Reign, never committed so many Riots, Batteries and base Murders, and your Dutchmen in a Years time. Among the rest, think upon that Action of running their Swords through a poor Child in a Cradle, to be revenged of the Mother, for hindering them from Killing the Father.  
So the Danes lately in the North, in a drunken sit, murdered their Officer, taking him for their Landlord. Their other Ri●●s are so frequent and extravagant, that the nature of our Saviour's shows us what sort of Salvation we are to hope for, or what are the means and instruments, our Great Saviour makes use of for our deliverance.  
Sir, You will see that we have lost our Country with our King: For the Man that you have put in his Place, will very quickly put Foreigners into yours; they shall Rule over you.  
And to let you see I do not speak without Book. I am very well afford there are 20000 Foreigners more gone for, which will make up an 〈◊〉 40000 Strangers, there are also 24 Sail of D●nes and Swe●ds Men of War, hired into the Service of this Government, which with Sixty Sail of Dutch 〈◊〉 not War, are to be the Navy that must Guard the Rights and C●r●re●●● of the People of England next Year; for our E●●●●●, Seamen are Su●p●●●ed with this Prince, as the 〈…〉, and for that reason, are to be sent 〈◊〉 on Service of leser trust and moment; but the true meaning and consequence of this is we 〈…〉, for He shall call them in for your Service, as he will tell you, but he still keep them here for his own: And in 〈…〉 become a Conquest to him in a short time, if you receive not your King again.  
And here spare me a Word or two in point of Prudence. Is not King James at the Head of a great Army, such an one as your Schomberg dare not Fight, for all he was to be Master of all Ireland by Michaelmas, day? Has he not now a better Fleet than yours to wait upon him to distress Schomberg, and to bring him where he pleases to attack you here, leaving your Trade to the care of his Privateers and Algireens And is it not as evident that Scotland is his upon a small Succour the moment he sends it; and England to a great degree, by Taxes, loss of Trade, a ruinous War and your intestine Faction and Animosities? Can not the most valorous Army, and best Disciplined in Europe, commanded by Diligent, Cunning and Stout Men, as ever Usurped a Throne, keep out King Charles the Second, That had no Army, or Navy to help him, and can you imagine this Slow and unactive Creature will be able to do it, that wants Qualifications, as well as Title to quiet and settle the Kingdom, and secure his Abettors? Open your Eyes, I beseech you, and see what your Deliverer has done for you! even he who was to Conquer France by last Midsummer, has got no farther yet than Hampton-Court and Newmarket. And instead of beating the French, They, even they, the hated, the despised French, rid Almiral over us in our own Seas: Such a Revenge of your Scorns as makes you truly contemptible. That a Nation that hardly ever made a Balance between you and the Dutch in any War, which you never feared but under your own King, and slighted under this Enchanted Knight, should become your Match and Terror, and the Dutch of your sides too. Where are your Heads, or your Hearts? What Conduct, what Valour is this? A fine Summer's Expedition! An admirable Account for the Parliament, and to the Kingdom for their Money! Behold the Fruit of your Experiment, the Fortune of your Change, the Success of your New King, and your Gain by his Skill and Arms! I say your Interest lies, Two to One, on the side of your Duty, and you must be Mad, as well impious to continue your Disallegiance. To conclude, Sir, let it move you and your Friends a little, to consider how cruelly you have used your Poor King; what Difficulties you give him; And for what, and for whom you do it: and save him all further trouble; which may prevent Blood, obtain Grace, and perhaps give Peace to Europe, to be sure return Trade and Strength to England. This your Country your Children, your Consciences (if you will but hear them) call aloud for. Hear them therefore, better late than never; and pray, let it not be too late for the Public, nor for yourself.  
Thus, Sir, you see. I have been very free with you, as a Man of Conscience ought to be, when so good an Occasion is offered, as you were pleased to give me in our last Discourse; and I with withal my Heart, that these reasons may have the same effect upon you they have had with me, that while you can for believe me time grows very precious) you may return to the Duty you own your King, who after all the d●●mal Stories some men's Interest makes them tell us of his condition, will find a Fatted Calf, with which to Feast all his returning Prodigals.  
I am Sir, Y●●r●. &.  
FINIS.