AN Humble Proposal TO PARLIAMENT, AGAINST Office-Jobbing.  
My Lords and Gentlemen,  
YOUR Fore-fathers( after they had shaken off the Pope's Supremacy) made a Law, entitled, An Act for recontinuing Liberties in the Crown: 
27 Hen. 8. Chap. 24.  And thereby restored to it divers of the most Ancient Prerogatives and Authorities of Justice which had been severed and taken from it, to the great deminishment and detriment of the Royal Estate, and to the great hindrance and delay of Justice.  
They also made the Laws against Buying and Selling Offices Penal, for having none but persons worthy and meet, advanced to Offices and Places of Trust and Profit; 
5& 6 Edw. 6. Chap. 16.  And were careful not to repeal the former Law made for that purpose in the 12th Year of King Richard the 2d . Chap. 2. whereby all Ministers, Judges and others who have the Ordaining, naming, or Making of any Officer under the King, shall be sworn, That they will not Ordain, Name, or Make any for Money, Broakage, Favour or Affection.  
In the Reign of King James the I. his Favourites so dispensed with the Laws, that they split Great Offices into many Lttle ones, to make them more vendible, and erected so many of them, that upon heavy Complaints made thereof to the King, he issued out his Royal Declarations to put a stop thereto.  
In Anno 13 of His said Majesties Reign, Sir Robert Vernon Knight, sold his Office of Cofferer, and did surrender it into the King's Hands, who granted the same Office to Sir A. J. to whom Sir Robert had sold it; 
Co. Just. 234.  and Sir A. was by the King's appointment admitted and sworn Cofferer, and afterward upon complaint thereof it was resolved by Sir Thomas Egerton, Lord Chancellor, the Chief-Justice, and others to whom the King referred the same, That the Office was voided, and that Sir A. was disabled to hold the same, and that no non obstante could dispense with the said Laws: Whereupon Sir Marmaduke Darrell was by the King's Command sworn Cofferer. And the said Lord Chief Justice Cook saith, 
Ibid.  That the Stat' 12 Rich. II. is a Law worthy to be written in Golden Letters; but more worthy to be put in due Execution; for certainly never shall Justice be duly administered, but when Officers and Ministers of Justice come to their Places in such manner as by Law is required.  
I pray Consider, Your King, Your Country, Your Religion, Liberty, and Property, cannot be secure while Offices, Civil and Military, may be bought or Sold; for the Jesuits being very rich, never let Persons fit for their Purposes, want Money to purchase. And such as buy Offices with their own Money in the Army, will( when any brisk Action by accident happens to be done) be apt to rob Souldiers of the Booty or Boon, and never fight but when they cannot well avoid it. And such as purchase Civil Offices, will be apt to do mean and base things, to reimburse themselves. And their undue practices will so discontent and ripen the People for Rebellion, that his Majesty, and his Loving Subjects, will be at continual Trouble and Charge to Discover and apprehended Plotters and Conspirators.  
New Oaths, Associations and Laws will avail as little as the Old have done to prevent Plots and Conspiracies, until all in Authority under the King be obliged to swear.  
That they will not directly or indirectly take any Sum or Sums of Money, or ought of Value by themselves or other of any Person whatsoever for any Office or employment; or for Recommending any Person to any Office, or employment: And that they will, according to the best of their Knowledge, Give, or Re-commend none to Offices but such as be well Experienced, or Qualified for the same: And duly encourage all true and faithful Discoveries.  
And the Persons admitted hereafter to any Office, or employment, may be obliged to Swear.  
That they have not given, or promised to give, any thing of Value, to any Person whatsoever, for the Office or employment they are admitted to, upon any Account whatsoever, relating to their Admition to, or Grant of the Office or employment or any Recommendation thereto.  
And all great Officers, and the Judges especially, whh are entrusted with the Exposition and Execution of the Laws, may have certain and sufficient salaries settled in lieu of all Contingent Fees, Profits, and Perquesits.  
And make breach of Oath very Penal, and the Reward liberal, to such as will make true and faithful Discoveries, of all undue Practices: And then Oaths, Assosiations, and Laws will have their wished Effects.  
A better Instance cannot be given of the Benefit will accrue to the Government, by good Rewards settled, for Discoveries, than the Rewards promised, and given to such as Discovered and Apprehended the late Conspirators.  
I do assure Your Lordships, and Your Honours, That I have taken the Oaths established, and subscribed the Assosiation: And without them I hold myself, bound in Gratitude, to do His Majesty the best Service I can, for exposing His Sacred Person so often, and freely, as His Majesty hath done, to many Eminent Dangers both by Sea and Land, to subdue all Enemies to Religion, Liberty, and Property: And do believe, such in Authority under His Ma; esty, That make a Trade of dispensing with Oaths, Assosiations, and Laws; and banter true and faithful Discoveries, are worse than cannibals.