True and Unshaken LOYALTY Asserted: That the Right of Election of all Persons to Places of Trust, in all His Majesty's Hospitals in the City of London, is Inherent in the King, Demonstrated; and Self-Interest plainly Detected. Humbly Presented to the Serious Consideration of all the Present Governors of His Majesties said Hospitals.  By a Lover of his King and Country. 
Gentlemen,  
IT is obvious to all Mankind, what amazing Circumstances have attended the Management of State-Affairs, in this our Horizon, for several years last passed; and it is apparent how restless the Endeavours of several Men have been to Subvert the Government both in Church and State; and notwithstanding the Loud Acclamations of Popery and Arbitrary Government, we still enjoy Peace and Tranquillity, and our Liberties and Privileges: Let all the Records extant of all the Reigns of our Kings be searched, and then it will appear very plain to all persons whatsoever, that our Sovereign hath been endowed with the Wisdom of a Solomon, and the Patience of a Job, and hath been Eminently Influenced by a Divine Hand, that hath Surrounded His Person and His Throne, and hath Preserved Him, and His most Illustrious Brother, from Imminent and Apparent Dangers, and His Subjects from Ruin. And that he hath such an Unparalleled Privy-Council for Wisdom and Steadfast Loyalty, that their Actions will not only be an Example, but a Wonder to Future Ages. It was a Saying of a late Great and Subtle Politician, that the King's Prerogative was Law, and the greatest part of the Law, and that it ought to bear Sway in the first place; from thence I infer, whoever he be that yields not ready Compliance to his Prince's Commands, because it seems to entrench upon his own Self-Interest, that very Action demonstrates him immediately no longer a Subject, but a Rebel. But I crave Pardon for this small Digression: And shall, without any farther Deviation from my intended purpose, acquaint you with the Reason why I dedicate these Lines to you, and to you Chief (Gentlemen.) I must confess I have not had that Inspection into the Customs of the City, as many others, whose Employs and Studies have addicted them more particularly thereto; but what I have read, I have endeavoured to digest, and as occasion hath offered in my Station, to bring into Practice; but this I do aver, and there are no Judicious Men but will concentre in my Opinion, that all the Hospitals are His Majesties by Descent from his Ancestors. This being taken pro confesso, then surely it is in his Power to Recommend whom he pleaseth to all places of Trust in these Hospitals, without Suspecting the Loyalty of any of the present Governors: That which is expected from them, is a Care of the Prudent Management of the Revenue for the Poor, that it be not misapplyed; and whatsoever Offices, belonging thereto, His Majesty leaves to them as Governors to Elect, is out of, a Confidence he reposeth in them, that none but fit Persons shall be Elected; but the Right of Election he reserves as Inherent in Himself, and at His Pleasure to Assert it. Neither certainly was it ever intended, nor (with Humble Submission to better Judgements) do I think it convenient that those that are Governors should have Places of Profit, (viz. the Benefit of three Brewer's places) because thereby they may be biased; so as it may in time be found to be very Prejudicial to the Hospitals, for several reasons, which Wise Men are not ignorant of, but do already foresee, and as occasion offers, will declare their Sentiments in due time, which may serve to caution some Persons concerned therein. But this I can assert, when I had a Concern (tho' not as a Governor) that a positive Order was made at a General Court, that no present Governors should have any places of Profit.  
A Regulation of some of the Affairs, in some of his Majesty's Hospitals, hath not been only intended, but put in Execution, viz. that Affair relating to Pharmacy, and a Letter of Recommendation of a Person, as Drugster, from His Majesty, was shown to the Committee, to whom the Management of that Affair was committed: One of the Committee, to show his ready Obedience, did consent to the immediate Employing of him; and as a farther Testimonial, did order some Drugs to be sent; so did the other Person likewise: The whole Committee consisting of three, two of them met, the third met not at all. Some Persons afterwards, being acquainted with what was done, seemed much concerned, purely out of self-Interest, as manifestly will appear; and were pleased to intimate to a Person of great Worth and Eminency, that it would be a Wrong to the Poor, and very Prejudicial to the Hospital; and that His Majesty was misinformed, that there was no intention of choosing a Druggist; and by this means endeavoured to have His Majesty acquainted, in order to the Revocation of his Letter: The falsity hereof I shall plainly make appear. The General Court had left the Management of that Affair to a Committee, and that they should have occasion to employ a Druggist, is most certain: But some Men were so wedded to their self-Interest, that Momus like, they carp at a small Errata in penning of the Letter. But the Gentleman having supplied them with as good Drugs, and as cheap as any Man, as is attested under the hands of the Physicians, and Surgeons, and Committee entrusted with that Affair, Ought not the King's Letter to have the Preferrence? As a Gentleman undauntedly asserted at the late public Committee, and put them to a Dilemma, as they did the Quondam Recorder. The Precedent of that Hospital declared his Concurrence to His Majesty's Letter of Recommendation, but (Anguis latet in Herbis;) which is the reason some oppose it vigorously and disingenuously; and they are Labouring hard to Stifle it (in Embryo) though it is believed they may miss of their Aim. But from all that hath been Iledged, I infer these following Particulars, which I propose to the Serious Consideration of all Loyal Men.  
First, It cannot be imagined that His Majesty, having granted his Letter of Recommendation, will be easily prevailed upon to recall it; and it is presupposed that those that Beg a Boon of the King, will not Implore His Royal Favour for a Knave, or a Fool, or for a Person that is not truly Loyal. The main Objections against his Majesty's Letter by two or three are these following. First, That there is no such Office as a Drugster. The Second Objection is, That His Majesty hath given the Power of Elections of Officers into the Governors' Hands, therefore they will insist on their Loyalty, looking on themselves as competent Judges of who are most fit. These are the most material Objections, and they may be as easily Answered; and I do positively aver that it is not the good of the Hospital that is aimed at, but Self-Interest, and this I will now make evidently appear. As to the First, That although there be no such Office yet as Drugster, they must make use of one, as they do at St. Bartholemews' Hospital, and why not then of the Person recommended by His Majesty? As to the Second Objection, viz. Their Loyalty, I shall acquaint you with one Famous Instance, very pertinent to the matter in Hand. There is a Company in the City of London, near a Kin to the Gentlemen of the Paracelsian Faculty, His Majesty was pleased to give His Royal Grant to an Honest Gentleman to be Clerk to the said Company; their former Clerk, who is yet in Possession, did prevail with several of the Court of Assistants to pass their Words that they would Petition the King on his behalf, and they did believe they should prevail with His Majesty to Revoke His Royal Grant; the Petition was accordingly drawn, and they meet at the time and place appointed: But one Gentleman being more Circumspect than the rest told them, That it was convenient they should first Address themselves to that Honourable and Renowned Person, to whom His Majesty had committed the whole Management of those Affairs: To this motion they all Unanimously consented, and accordingly went to him and delivered their Petition, Humbly imploring his Concurrence. He told them they knew His Majesty had given His Royal Grant for another Person, And did wonder with what Confidence they did presume to go with that Petition, but withal bid those who were present to Sign it: He that delivered it made a motion to Sign it, but one amongst them being more Considerate than the rest whispered in his Ear, and desired him to crave time to consider of it; which he did, and it was granted; but they have not judged it convenient to meddle in that Affair any farther. From thence I infer, that it is of dangerous Consequence for Self-Interest to interfere with the Royal Prerogative; but the Proverbial saying is truly verified in this Affair, Auri sacra fames, etc. I suppose some have not forgot what his Majesty was pleased to Declare, not many Years since, upon urgent Solicitations being made to Him, That he would not part with His Militia for half an hour. Neither will he with his Prerogative, which is one of the Principal Flowers Inherent in the Crown. And who are the fittest Objects for His Majesty to confer his Favours on, but the Court? They are the Sufferers with their Prince in all Emergencies, therefore ought not they to be first gratified? Suppose a Treasurer of any Hospital should have Petitioned His Majesty that a Friend of his might have served any of the Hospitals, as a Brewer, Baker, or Druggist; would not they have accounted it a great Favour to have had their Suit granted? And will not his Majesty highly resent it, that when he recomends any Person to any of those Places in any of his own Hospitals, that it should be accounted imposition? And I am of opinion that it is a signal Favour of His Majesty, that he only recommends where he might command: I shall only acquaint you (Gentlemen) with somewhat that occurs to my Memory and is not very foreign from the Matter in Hand. A Prince of Famous Memory had permitted his Subjects their Freedoms in the exercise of Religion, to try what Use they would make of so Royal a Favour, and likewise to experiment their Tempers and Inclinations. In a little Process of time they grew Factious, He then gave out his Command, that they should conform to the Government, according as by Law established. Upon this several of the Heads of the several Factions Petitioned that Prince for Liberty: Their Petitions were received, and when He, in His Princely Wisdom, though convenient, He commanded them to be read in Council; (the Petitioners daily attending,) and after it had been debated pro and con, and he had heard all their Opinions, he then spoke as followeth,  
My Lords, I shall not only declare my Opinion, but my positive Command, which I will have put in speedy Execution, which is as follows, I will and require that Order be immediately given to write upon all the Gates of my Imperial City in Capital Letters, One God, One King, and One Religion; One God to be Worshipped, One King to be Obeyed, and One Religion to be Practised.  
This being spoken by the Prince, the Petitioners were ordered to be called in, and this following Answer was given them, That the Princes Answer to their Petitions should speedily be Publicly known; This being said they were ordered immediately to withdraw: This Command of the Prince being put in Execution, they immediately conformed thereunto, and all Animosities were laid aside, and every Person minded their own business, and left the Government of State-Affairs to those to whom it belonged. From hence I infer it is Arrogant for any Person, be he whom he will, to entrench upon Prerogative, and it is better to be at the Prince's disposal than at any other Persons whatsoever. For I do positively aver, that for any Person, contrary to the express Command of his Superior, and without the knowledge of several other Persons concerned, shall reject the King's Letter, and shall pretend to show reason for so doing, without acquainting those who are equally concerned as well as his himself, is high Arrogance and Imprudence: It is of dangerous consequence for any Person to entrench upon Royal Prerogative upon the score of Supposition that some few former Loyal Actions may indemnife him; let all such Persons remember the Noble Peer was once Loyal, but afterwards proved a great Rebel. I have not in these Lines signalised any one particular Person, but if some, like the Auditors of St. Peter when he was Preaching, shall find themselves pricked in their Consciences, I shall hope these Lines may make a Reformation upon them; but on the other hand if any think themselves unjustly censured, let them signify so much in Print. I will attest what I have written with my own hand, in Conspectu Solis, but at the present I judge it not so convenient to do it, lest they should say of me, as some have done of the late Vicar of Cosmus Blene of Canterbury that he Writes for preferment. I thank God I am content in the Station that He hath placed me in, but desire no longer to Live than while I may be capacitated to show my True Loyalty and Allegiance to my Prince, and my utter Abhorrence and detestation of all indirect ways and methods, that are used to advance Self-Interest above Royal Prerogative: For if once a little part of a Hedge be broken down, it makes way for the ruin of the whole: I leave the Application thereof to those whom it concerns. I have nothing farther to subjoin but my hearty Prayer for the long Life of the King, and his Royal Brother, and the whole Family, which God grant. Vale.   

London, Printed in the Year. 1684.