"about the barns and the stables, and defired to look in"to the church, as who should fay, Thefe will shortly "be mine; and we all believed, he was then contriving "fome alterations against he got into poffeffion. And I fhall never forget that a Whig juftice offered me then -46 very high for my bishop's leafe. I must be fo bold to tell you, Sir, that you are too favourable: I am fure there was no living in quiet for us, while they were in the faddle. I was turned out of the commiffion, and called a Jacobite, although it coft me a thousand pounds in join"ing with the Prince of Orange at the revolution. "difcoveries I would have you make, are of fome facts, "for which they ought to be hanged; not that I value "their heads, but I would fee them expofed, which may "be done upon the owners shoulders as well as upon a pole," &c.

46

The

Thefe, Sir, are the fentiments of a whole party on one fide, and of confiderable numbers on the other: however, taking the medium between these extremes, I think to go on as I have hitherto done, although I am fenfible my paper would be more popular, if I did not lean too much to the favourable fide. For nothing delights the people more than to fee their oppreffors humbled, and all their actions painted with proper colours, fet out in open view: Exactos tyrannos denfum humeris bibit aure vulgus.

But as for the Whigs, I am in fome doubt, whether this mighty concern they fhew for the honour of the late miniftry, may not be affected; at least whether their masters I will thank them for their zeal in fuch a caufe. It is, I think, a known ftory of a gentleman who fought another for calling him fan of a whore, that the lady defired her fon to make no more quarrels upon that fubject, because it was true. For, pray, Sir, doth it not look like a jeít, that fuch a pernicious crew, after draining our wealth, and difcovering the moft deftructive defigns against our church and ftate, inftead of thanking fortune that they are got off fafe in their perfons and plunder, fhould hire thefe bullies of the pen to defend their reputations? I remember, I thought it the hardest case in the world, when a poor acquaintance of mine having fallen in among fharpers, where

he

he loft all his money, and then complaining he was cheated, got a good beating into the bargain for offering to af front gentlemen. I believe the only reafon why thefe purloiners of the public caufe fuch a clutter to be made about their reputations, is to prevent inquifitions that might tend towards making them refund: like thofe women they call hoplifters, who, when they are challenged for their thefts, appear to be mighty angry and affronted for fear of being fearched.

I will difmifs you, Sir, when I have taken notice of one particular. Perhaps you may have obferved, in the tolerated factious papers of the week, that the Earl of Rochester is frequently reflected on for having been Ecclefiaftical Commiffioner, and Lord Treafurer, in the reign of the late K. James. The fact is true; and it will not be denied, to his immortal honour, that because he could not comply with the measures then taking, he refigned both thofe employments; of which the latter was immediately fupplied by a commiffion, compofed of two Popish Lords, and the prefent Earl of Godolphin.

No 29. Thursday, February 22. 1710.

Laus fumma in fortune bonis, non extuliffe fe in poteftate, non fuiffe infolentem in pecunia, non fe prætuliffe aliis propter abundantiam fortune.

I

AM confcious to myself, that I write this paper with no other intention but that of doing good. I never received injury from the late miniftry; nor advantage from the prefent, farther than in common with every good subject. There were among the former one or two, who must be allowed to have poffeffed very valuable qualities; but proceeding by a fyftem of politics which our conftitution could not fuffer, and difcovering a contempt of all religion, efpecially of that which hath been fo happily established among us ever fince the reformation; they feem

to have been justly fufpected of no very good inclinations to either.

It is poffibie, that a man may speculatively prefer the constitution of another country, or an Utopia of his own, before that of the nation where he is born and lives; yet, from confidering the dangers of innovation, the corruptions of mankind, and the frequent impoffibility of reducing ideas to practice, he may join heartily in preferving the present order of things, and be a true friend to the government ulready fettled. So in religion, a man may perhaps have little or none of it at heart; yet if he conceals his opinions, if he endeavours to make no profelytes, advances no impious tenets in writing or difcourfe; if, according to the common atheistical notion, he believes religion to be only a contrivance of politicians for keeping the vulgar in awe; and that the prefent model is better adjusted than any other to fo useful an end; although the condition of such a man, as to his own future ftate, be very deplorable; yet Providence, which often works good out of evil, can make even fuch a man an inftrument for contributing towards the prefervation of the church.

On the other fide, I take a state to be truly in danger, both as to its religion and government, when a fet of ambitious politicians, bred up in a hatred to the conflitution, and a contempt for all religion, are forced upon exerting thefe qualities in order to keep or increase their power, by widening their bottom, and taking in, like Mahomet, fome principles from every party, that is in any way difcontented at the prefent faith and fettlement; which was manifeftly our cafe. Upon this occafion, I remember to have asked fome confiderable Whigs, whether it did not bring a difreputation upon their body, to have the whole herd of Prefbyterians, Independents, Atheists, Anabaptists, Deifts, Quakers, and Socinians, openly and univerfally lifted under their banners? They answered, that all this was absolutely neceffary in order to make a balance against the Tories; and all little enough: for, indeed, it was as much as they could poffibly do, although affifted with the abfolute power of difpofing every employment: while the bulk of the English gentry kept firm to their old principles in church and ftate.

VOL. II.

A a

But,

But, notwithstanding what I have hitherto faid, I am informed several among the Whigs continue still so refractory, that they will hardly allow the heads of their party to have entertained any defigns of ruining the conftitution; or that they would have endeavoured it, if they had continued in power. I beg their pardon, if I have discovered a fecret; but who could imagine they ever intended it fhould be one after thofe overt acts, with which they throught fit to conclude their farce? But perhaps they now find it convenient to deny vigorously; that the queftion may remain, Why was the old miniftry changed? which they urge on without ceafing, as if no occafion in the least had been given; but that all were owing to the infinuations of crafty men, practising upon the weakness of an easy prince : I fhall therefore offer among an hundred one reason for this change, which I think would justify any monarch who ever reigned, for the like proceeding.

It is notorious enough, how highly princes have been blamed in the hiftories of all countries, particularly of our own, upon the account of their minions, who have been ever justly odious to the people for their infolence and avarice, and ingroffing the favours of their mafters. Whoever hath been the least converfant in the English story, cannot but have heard of Gaveflon, the Spencers, and fome others, who, by the excefs and abuse of their power, coft the princes they ferved, or rather governed, their crowns and lives. However, in the cafe of minions, it muft at leaft be acknowledged, that the prince is pleafed and happy, although his fubjects be aggrieved; and he has the plea of friendship to excufe him, which is a difpofition of generous minds. Befides, a wife minion, although he be haughty to others, is humble and infinuating to his mafter, and cultivates his favour by obedience and respect. But our misfortune hath been a great deal worse; we have fuffered for fome years under the oppreffion, the avarice, and infolence of thofe for whom the Queen had neither efteem nor friendship; who rather feemed to fnatch their own dues, than receive the favour of their fovereign; and were fo far from returning respect, that they forgot common good manners. They impofed on their prince, by urging the neceflity of affairs of their own creating they

283 firft raised difficulties, and then offered them as arguments to keep themselves in power. They united themselves, against nature and principle, to a party they had always abhorred, and which was now content to come in upon any terms, leaving them and their creatures in full poffeffion of the court: then they urged the formidable strength of that party, and the dangers which must follow by disobliging it. So that it seems almost a miracle, how a princefs thus befieged on all fides could alone have courage and prudence enough to extricate herself.

And indeed there is a point of history relating to this matter, which well deferveth to be confidered. When her Majefty came to the crown, fhe took into favour and employment feveral perfons, who were esteemed the best: friends of the old conftitution; among whom none were reckoned farther gone in the high-church principles (as. they are ufually called) than two or three who had at that. time most credit; and ever fince, until within thefe few months, poffeffed all power at court. So that the first umbrage given to the Whigs, and the pretences for clamouring against France and the pretender, were derived from them. And I believe nothing apeared then more unlikely, than that fuch different opinions fhould ever incorporate; that party having upon former occafions treated those very perfons with enmity enough. But fome Lords then about court, and in the Queen's good graces, not able to endure thofe growing impofitions upon the prince and people, pre-. fumed to interpofe; and were confequently foon removed. and difgraced. However, when a most exorbitant grant was propofed, antecedent to any visible merit, it miscarri-ed in parliament for want of being feconded by those who had moft credit in the house; and who, having always oppofed the like exceffes in a former reign, thought it their duty to do fo ftill, to fhew the work, that the diflike was not against perfons but things. But this was to cross the oligarchy in the tendereft point; a point which outweighed all confiderations of duty and gratitude to their prince, or regard to the conflitution: and therefore, after having in feveral private meetings concerted measures with their old enemies, and granted as well as received conditions ; they began to change their style and their countenance, A a 2

and