A Word to the Wise: OR, Considerations Humbly Offered to our Representatives who are to sit in the Ensuing Parliament.  
THAT it's the Privilege of Freeborn English Men to Choose their Representatives to sit in Parliament; and their Representatives Duty to act for them; and the People's Right to have free access unto them, to make their Grievances Known (as was worthily observed by Sir Bar. Showers, in his Speech to the People when he was cho● at Exon): But considering the Great Concerns that lie upon them in Parliament-time, ●●d how unfit it is then to trouble them, it's therefore absolutely necessary for them to ●●ert the People's Right (that, as in Ancient Times, so now they may have a Committee ●●ting in time of Parliament, to hear the People's Grievances, and, if sit, to report ●●em to the House. And that they should be chosen out of such Members as have not Pla●● in Public Offices; for it's not to be expected that the People's Complaints should be ●●ard and redressed by such as are complained against, or by those as may be Guilty of the same ●●imes in other Offices; it having been of late seen, that the Complainants have been by ●●se Witnesses, for promises of Reward, confronted, and thereby rejected. and some of ●●em starved, or ruined, and in danger of being murdered; and the Offenders thereby couraged.  
And to consider the great Distress the People of England many Years past, and still do ●●our under, by not having such a Committee, to whom the People may without charge ●●ply themselves: and that for want thereof many Abuses in the Government have not ●●en inspected, and the Offenders detected; and which would not only do the People Justice ●●giving them their Right herein, but it would also be a great Ease to the House of Commons, in the preventing of many frivolous Petitions, which the whole House is now so often doubled with, which causes so many Committees on purpose to hear particular Grievances, ●se the Subject of the charge of getting Committees together, and of Clerks Fees, which oftentimes too heavy for their Pockets, and infallibly prevent the mutinous appearing of many persons at the Parliament Door, which looks more like a Mob than petitioning. And considering how earnest and willing Gentlemen are to take the great trouble and care ●on them to be the People's Representatives, and what Promises they make when they are ●osen, and how the Eyes of the Nation is so much fixed on the ensuing Parliament at this uncture of time, in which the People's good is so much depending, surely it can no ways be doubted, but their Representatives will answer their Expectations herein, and with all Canon hear their Grievances, and promote such Bills as make for the People's good.  
Humbly putting you in mind of two Bills (which to the Everlasting Praise of the most Honourable House of Peers) was sent down by them to the House of Commons the last Session, and to the great grief of many good men, by them rejected.  
The one was for shortening Suits in Law and Equity, the length of 〈…〉 such a bur●●en to the people, that they cannot long endure.  
The other was entitled Solvent and Insolvent, by which the Solvent wh● lie in Prison, and ●●●re able to pay their Debts, or by their Estates able to make satisfaction to their Creditors, ●●ould be compelled thereunto, and the Insolvent, who are not able to pay their Debts, or ●●y their Estates could not make satisfaction to their Creditors, should not lie in Prison and ●erish, with such Cautions and Restrictions in the said Bill expressed, that the Creditor could ●ot be injured thereby.  
The Jews had Years of Jubilee, other Nations places of Relief; the English Nation hath neither.  
Doing Justice, hearing the People's Grievances, and Redressing them, punishing the Offenders, and Encouraging well-doing. In Divine Writ, and in all Ages hath been accounted the best Government, and the happiest People that do enjoy it; and such Governments as do deny it to the People, deemed to the greatest Judgements the Scripture any where do pronounce.  
Trajan, A Heathen Emperor, when he was dying, called his Subjects to witness for him, that his Ear was always open to hear the Complaints of his Subjects, his heart ready to redress their Grievances, and his hands open to punish Offenders.  
'twas by the fair pretence of doing Justice, and hearing the People's Grievances that Abs●lom raised a Rebellion, and endeavoured to dethrone his Father, and the best of Kings.  
'twas under pretence of King Charles' denying the People their Rights of Parliament, and not hearing the People's Complaints, and redressing Grievances, that Arms was 〈◊〉 up against him, and caused some of his Subjects to consent to his Murder, by which King Charles the Second was so long kept out of the Throne.  
'twas by Invading the People's Right, and not doing them Justice, King James the Second was Abdicated.  
'twas by Oliver Cromwell's pretending to hear the People's Grievances, and 〈◊〉 Justice to be Administered to all Men, he Usurped the Power of a Protector.  
'twas by his hearing the meanest Man's Complaint, though against the chiefest Ministers of State, and keeping them from imbezling the Nations Treasure; and when he 〈◊〉 out any for Evil Practices, he never suffered them to go unpublished, or took 〈…〉 their places, by which he wanted not Money to carry on his Design, which caused 〈…〉 Power to last to his Lives end.  
'twas by his preferring Men for their Merits, and not for Favour, Affection, or Money, that made his Officers true to him.  
'twas by hearing the Complaints of the meanest Soldier and Seamen against their Superior Officers (if Just) and paying them well, that made his Soldiers, and Seamen stand by him, that with a handful of Men he made the World dread him.  
'twas his not heaping up the Nation's Treasure, to exalt his own Family, that caused so many of the Nation to love and stand by him, and that which makes his Government so much talked of, now we are under the best of Kings, is occasioned by not punishing Offenders, who waste the Nations Substance, and defraud the King.  
'twas his subduing the Corruption of the Lawyers, and causing the Poor Man's Cause to be heard, as well as the Rich, and bringing our Laws as well as our Religion into our own Mother Tongue, by which the People could not be ruined by whole sale, that caused the meanest sort to love him.  
'twas Admiral Blakes doing Justice to the Seamen, and loving them, and not studying his own interest, that to England's Glory, with a small Fleet he Commanded the Seas, and to his praise be it spoken, when he died (though a Frugal Man) he left his Executor but 1300 l. besides his Paternal Estate.  
'twas by the Lord Chancellor Jeffreys shortening Causes in Law and Equity, and by Correcting the Evil Practices of Attorneys, Solicitors, and Bailiffs, that he has wiped off the stain of his Failings, for which the Mobb was like to Murder him, and is now so much applauded for what he did when he was Chancellor.  
So that some who were good Men, and acted good things for the Government, under a bad Government, and thereby esteemed for their good Actions, some of them, and some of their Children, since we have been under a good Government and the best of Kings, by acting bad things, have made themselves of no esteem.  
The mentioning of all which, is not to vindicate any Usurping Power but to excite such as are under a Lawful Government, and the best of Princes, in good Actions, and making good Laws, to outdo them that acted under an Usurping Power.  
To Conclude, By doing Justice to all Men, hearing the Complaints of the Oppressed, and redressing their Grievances, punishing Offenders, making Law-Suits short and easy, whereby the Poor may have Right done them as well as the Rich, is that which alone can make the Government lasting, and the People happy; and will certainly bring God's Blessing upon our Representatives, and People whom they do present; and make our Child's Children praise God that such a Parliament ever did Sit.  
God Bless KING WILLIAM, and Prosper the good Proceed of our Representatives. T. S.   

LONDON, Printed for A. Baldwin, at the Oxford-Arms-Inn in Warwick-Lane.