THE E. of Shaftsbury's EXPEDIENT For Settling the NATION.  
Discoursed with His MAJESTY in the House of Peers, At OXFORD, Mar. 24th. 1680/1.  
LONDON: Printed, and are to be Sold by Langley Curtis, 1681.   

THE Earl of Shaftsbury's EXPEDIENT For Settling the NATION. Discoursed with His MAJESTY In the House of PEERS at Oxford, M●r. the 24th. 1680/1.  
THE 24th. of March, the great Patriot, and next under God and Dr. Oates, the supreme Saviour and Defender of the Nation, the Earl of Shaftsbury received, or pretended that he received a Letter written in an unknown Hand▪ containing▪ an Expedient for the settling and▪ composing the Differences between the King and Parliament. With this he made a great noise, and bustling about as fast as his legs, and man, and stick, could carry him. It was asked the Duke of Monmouth, by my Lord Chamberlain, (that supposed that his Grace might be privy to this grand Affair) what the great Concern was: His Grace▪ (with some show of modesty and self-denial) made answer, that it was somewhat concerning himself, wherein that Lord was (as in many other things relating to his Grace) much more forward than he desired he should be.  
The little Lord very busy, and desirous to speak with the King, was told by the Earl of Feversham, that he heard he had some business of great Importance to communicate to the King, and that therefore if he pleased, he would conduct him to His Majesty. The busy Earl told him, he was willing to be conducted by so honest a man as his Lordship, drolling and thinking himself guilty of a very shrewd Irony.  
Well, he is brought to the King, and there broached. The Letter of Expedients is produced; and what do you think was this grand Secret of securing our Peace and Religion, but a Proposal for the settling the Crown on the Duke of Monmouth? The K. surprised, told the Earl, that he wondered that after so many Declarations to the contrary, he should press him upon that Subject, that if either with Conscience, or Justice, or Nature, he could do such a thing, he would have done it before; it being reasonable, that if he had had ever a Child of his own Legitimate, he would much rather have him reign, than his Brother, or any of his Brother's Children: That his Majesty was none of those that grew more timorous with age, but that rather he grew the more resolute the nearer he was to his grave.  
At that word the Loyal Earl was mightily concerned, and cried out that it chilled his blood to hear of such an expression; Telling the King how earnest the whole Nation was for His Preservation: that in Him were Comprised all their Safeties, Lives, Liberties; and Religion, and their All.  
Yes, answered his Majesty, and yet, my Lord, I am the only Arbitrary man in the Kingdom: But assure yourselves I intent to take a greater care of my Own Preservation, and in that of my People's, than any of You all that pretend to so much concern for the Security of my Person▪ And yet as careful as I am of my Own Preservation: Yet I would much sooner lose this Life, of which you pretend to be so watchful Preservers, than ever part with any of my Prerogative, or betray this Place, the Laws, or the Religion, or alter the true Succession of the Crown, it being repugnant both to Conscience and Law.  
For that matter, replied the Earl, let us alone, we will make a Law for it.  
But the K. told him, my Lord, if this is your Conscience, it is far from being mine: For this cannot be done without overthrowing all Religion, and all Law.  
And in fine, assure yourselves, that as I love my Life so well, as to take all the care in the world to keep it with Honour, so I don't think it of so great Value neither, after Fifty, as to be preserved with the forfeiture of my Honour, Conscience, and the Laws of the Land.  
And much more to this purpose did his Majesty say upon this occasion; all so full of Reason, Equity and Justice, and with so much Resolution and Courage, as gave the greatest assurance and encouragement to all the Loyal Lords in the House, and all honest Subjects that could be; but to the Factious, the greatest Confusion imaginable.  
This was done yesterday in the House of Lords.   
FINIS.