means, without effect, to that blessed end; and, by the course of measures taken for some years past, it should seem that we are all agreed in the point.

This expedient will be of great advantage to both kingdoms, upon several accounts: For, as to England, they have a just claim to the balance of trade on their side with the whole world: and therefore our ancestors and we, who conquered this kingdom for them, ought, in duty and gratitude, to let them have the whole benefit of that conquest to themselves; especially, when the conquest was amicably made without bloodshed, by stipulation between the Irish princes and Henry II; by which they paid him, indeed, not equal homage with what the electors of Germany do the emperor, but very near the same that he did to the king of France, for his French dominions.

In consequence of this claim from England, that kingdom may very reasonably demand the benefit of all our commodities in their natural growth, to be manufactured by their people, and a sufficient quantity of them for our use to be returned hither fully manufactured.

This, on the other side, will be of great benefit to our inhabitants the graziers; when time and labour will be too much taken up in manuring their ground, feeding their cattle, sheering their sheep, and sending over their oxen fit for slaughter; to which employments they are turned by nature, as descended from the Scythians, whose diet they are still so fond of. So Virgil describes it:

Et lac concretum cum sanguine bibet equino.*

Which in English, is bonnyclabber,† mingled with the blood of horses, as they formerly did, until about the

"For drink and food,

They mix their curdled milk with horses' blood."

DRYDEN.

Thick, sour milk. F.

beginning of the last century; when luxury, under the form of politeness, began to creep in, they changed the blood of horses for that of their black cattle; and, by consequence, became less warlike than their ancestors.

Although I proposed that the army should be collectors of the public revenues, yet I did not thereby intend that those taxes should be paid in gold or silver; but in kind, as all other rent: For, the custom of tenants making their payments in money, is a new thing in the world, little known in former ages, nor generally practised in any nation at present, except this island and the southern parts of Britain. But, to my great satisfaction, I foresee better times; the ancient manner begins to be now practised in many parts of Connaught, as well as in the county of Corke; where the squires turn tenants to themselves, divide so many cattle to their slaves, who are to privide such a quantity of butter, hides, or tallow, still keeping up their number of cattle; and carry the goods to Corke, or other port towns, and then sell them to merchants. By which invention there is no such thing as a ruined farmer to be seen; but the people live with comfort on potatoes and bonnyclabber, neither of which are vendible commodities abroad.

THE

PRESBYTERIANS' PLEA OF MERIT

IN ORDER TO

TAKE OFF THE TEST,

Impartially Examined.*

1731.

WE have been told, in the common newspapers, that all attempts are to be made this session by the presbyterians, and their abettors, for taking off the test; as a kind of preparatory step to make it go down smoother in England. For, if once their light would so shine, the papists, delighted with the blaze, would all come in aud dance about it. This I take to be a prudent method; like that of a discreet physician, who first gives a new medicine to a dog, before he prescribes it to a human

creature.

The presbyterians have, ever since the Revolution, directed their learned casuists to employ their pens on

*The "Presbyterians' Plea of Merit," the "Plea for repealing the Test in Favour of the Roman Catholics," and the "Queries relating to the Sacramental Test," are looked upon to be the best tracts that were published upon the Test. If the poisonous bait for the Church (The Proposal to take off the Test) was first offered in Ireland, it ought to be remembered, that the antidote came thence likewise. W. B.

VOL. XIII.

this subject, by showing their merits and pretensions, upon which they claim this justice, as founded upon the services they did toward the restoration of King Charles the second, and at the Revolution under the Prince of Orange. Which pleas I take to be the most singular in their kind, that ever were offered in the face of the sun, against the most glaring lights of truth, and against a continuation of public facts, known to all Europe, for twenty years together. I shall therefore impartially examine the merits and conduct of the presbyterians, upon those two great events; and the pretensions to favour, which they challenge upon them.

Soon after the reformation in the church in England, under Edward the sixth, upon Queen Mary's succeeding to the crown (who restored popery) many protestants fled out of England, to escape the persecution raised against the church, as her brother had left it established. Some of these exiles went to Geneva; which city had received the doctrine of Calvin, and rejected the government of bishops; with many other refinements. These English exiles readily embraced the Geneva system; and having added farther improvements of their own, upon Queen Mary's death returned to England; where they preached up their own opinions, inveighing bitterly against episcopacy, and all rites and ceremonies, however innocent and ancient in the church: building upon this foundation, to run as far as possible from popery, even in the most minute and indifferent circumstances. This faction, under the name of puritan, became very* turbulent during the whole reign of Queen Elizabeth, and were always discouraged by that wise queen, as well, as by her two successors. However, their numbers, as well as their insolence and perverseness, so far increas- ́ ed, that soon after the death of King James the First, many instances of their petulancy and scurrility are to.

be seen in their pamphlets, written some years after (which was a trade they began in the days of Queen Elizabeth) particularly with great rancour against the bishops, the habits, and the ceremonies: such were those scurrilous libels under the title of Martin Mar-prelate, and several others. And although the Earl of Clare:don tells us, until the year 1610 (as I remember) the kingdom was in a state of perfect peace and happiness, without the least appearance of thought or design toward making any alterations in religion or government; yet I have found, by often rummaging for old books in Little Britain and Duck-lane, a great number of pamphlets printed from the year 1630 to 1640, full of as bold and impious railing expressions against the lawful power of the crown, and the order of bishops, as ever were uttered during the rebellion, or the whole subse- · quent tyranny of that fanatic anarchy. However, I find it manifest that puritanism did not erect itself into a new separate species of religion, till some time after the rebellion began. For, in the latter times of King James the First, and the former part of his son, there were several puritan bishops, and many puritan private clergymen ; while people went, as their inclinations led them, to hear preachers of each party in the parish churches; for the puritan clergy had received episcopal orders, as well as the rest. But soon after the rebellion broke out, the term puritan gradually dropped, and that of presbyterian succeeded; which sect was in two or three years established in all its forms, by what they called an ordinance of the lords and commons, without consulting the king, who was then at war against his rebels. And from this period, the church continued under persecution, until monarchy was restored in the year 1660.

In a year or two after we began to hear of a new party risen, and growing in the parliament as well as the