C018/Y01702.json

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{"content": "The author, anticipating that our recent peace would not last, and out of concern for his country, had for some years been working, in the best way he could, to ensure that our differences, both in regards to religion and civil rights, would be resolved during the peace.\n\nRegarding religious matters, he was well aware of the weaknesses in our cause and was working towards bringing it to the attention of an appropriate judiciary, such as a national synod or a convocation of the clergy. He identified two major issues with it: first, the worse our cause, the better that of our adversaries against us; had our cause been rectified, however, it would render theirs utterly indefensible.\nand necessitate them to mend theirs too; this part of the difference would cease. We would also be freed from the other great misfortune, which has been the principal cause of all the confusions and scandals in both the Civil War and the late Revolution. Wicked, crafty men, with no religion or real virtue, under the pretense of concern for religion, abused the people with most wicked contrived lies and calumnies. Running into a desperate case, they plunged into such excesses that the subtle spirits of Achitophel and Balaam, or the devil himself, could not have devised greater shame and dishonor for this nation. However, matters of religion, belonging properly to the clergy and those in authority, are reserved to be communicated to them, and only a few others.\nAs to what is published here regarding Civil Rights, the author, at the time of the peace, had no suspicion of the secret practices that have since come to his knowledge. However, through divine providence and without any inquiry on his part, he became aware of them. From that point on, he notified those in authority, and eventually, as one of the Commons of England, he petitioned and demanded justice through a letter to his representative in the last House of Commons.\nI come now to the other part of our case, concerning civil right. I have already declared my thoughts on this matter as far as was proper for me to do. The paper titled, \"The Fidelity of a Loyal Subject,\" was sent to King William on June 10, before he went to Holland, and to various Lords of the Privy Council and Members of Parliament.\nAnd all that part of this Collection titled \"A Message of Peace\" was sent to those Lords, the Speaker of the House of Commons, and some others, just before King William's Fast. The section about the Prince of Wales' birth is part of that, and was also sold separately. In the third, titled \"A Petition and Demand of Right,\" after it had been sent to the designated Member, as well as to the Speaker and other Members, it was publicly sold at the Exchange and Westminster.\n\nThis and the rest contains sufficient factual information set out, which neither was, nor could be denied. If it had been questioned, I was ready to have appeared and declared on what grounds I wrote it.\n Taking that therefore for granted, I am to consider the Justice of our Cause, in respect of the Pre\u2223tended Prince of Wales, as he is stiled, not only in the Addresses of the Abused People, but in the Speech of King William to his last Parliament, wherein he abused not only Him, but them, and himself too; and even in the Declaration of War, since his Death. For I meddle not with the Common Cause of the Confederates; which whatever it be, I think not much advantaged by that Addition.\nThat King James the Second was Lawful Successor of King Charles the Second, and rightful King of these three Kingdoms and the Territories thereunto belonging, is out of all question with all Men of Sobriety and Conscience.\nAnd that there were those things done by his Authority, which were great Violations of the Rights of the Subjects, is like\u2223wise out of all question.\nBut 1st\nBy whose advice those things were done, which ought in the first place to have been inquired into - be it Popish counsels or Protestant treachery and conspiracy with fugitive rebels and traitors - was never made a question. This is a strong indication that truth was not their interest, as they could have done so if they had wished.\n\nFurthermore, according to the known laws of this land, the king is not to be questioned, but his evil counselors are, through complaint and remonstrance to him. This was the case during the late civil war, as long as anything of law was respected. However, the opposite occurred in this case. The king was driven and excluded from the throne, while the traitors were received and harbored.\nAnd thirdly, whether to take up arms against their king on any pretense whatever was doubtful for many, yet it was out of all doubt unlawful, due to the public declarations of the nobility, gentry, citizens, burgesses, civil officers, and loyal clergy, according to three separate acts of Parliament. However, to do so on the basis of treachery is not only unlawful but abhorrent to all men who possess any sense of conscience or religion, honor, justice, or common honesty. And yet this has been done in this case.\n\nFourthly, of the matters alleged against King James, there was one concerning the birth of the Prince of Wales, which, had it been true, would have justified all that was done against him. But it being false and not only false but a contrived calumny, is as great a demonstration of the wickedness of them.\nFifthly, The allegation made by the Prince of Orange in his Declaration, and referred to the examination of a Free Parliament, was essentially a question of who was the Impostor between King James and himself. His refusal to attend this examination, despite having the opportunity, was a clear injury to King James and damning evidence against himself.\n\nSixthly, All the injuries inflicted upon King James by treacherous counsel, abominable lies and calumnies, driving him out of his kingdom on false and wicked pretenses, and denial of justice in all these matters, all in violation of the Fidelity and Allegiance sworn to him and his lawful successors, led to what followed. This, which was read for the first lesson while I was writing this, is found in Hosea 8.\nWhere God complains, Israel has cast off the thing that is good; the Enemy shall pursue him. They have set up kings without my consent; they have made princes, and I was unaware: I refer to the Act of Settlement.\n\nSeventhly, this Act is not only an addition to all preceding injuries but a further proof and confirmation of their iniquity. For the Convention, aware that all other pretenses were as insufficient in law as deficient in truth, was forced to strain their wits and consciences to find out some other more plausible reason. This was a very weak one in substance, made more acceptable to the prejudiced people by new adopted terms of abdication and vacancy of the throne. Abdication is a voluntary act without the intent to reassume or return to what is forsaken.\nBut King James, due to his experience with his father's usage and attempts against him and himself by desperate factions, had just cause for fear. Additionally, he was persuaded by the prince under the guise of kindness to withdraw from the people's fury and actually returned as soon and as far as he could.\n\nEighthly, to all the injuries done to King James, there is a significant addition: those done to his son to exclude him, attaint him, and abjure him, for no other reason or pretense than his education in a religion different from this, which I have shown to be faulty before, and which produces such fruits as I am now considering; and which is so disregarded by those who make it their pretense as to be used by them for no other purpose. But this is a great addition to all these injuries, and all these are to be taken into account for the injuries done to the son as the basis.\nAnd now it is clear to all with justice and honesty that this is a monstrously unjust cause among men. It was not only King James and his son and family who were greatly injured by these things, but also the people of this nation and of all the three kingdoms, despite their free consent. Two things were greatly publicized, and the people were most incensed against the king because of them. One, that he and the queen had agreed to impose a false child upon the nation. The other, that the bishops were sent to the Tower to facilitate the management of the affair in their absence.\nThe first statement was not only false but a most devilishly contrived calumny, as I have sufficiently shown in my Papers, and could say more if necessary; and the second suggestion was not only improbable, but the depths of Satan and a treacherous practice were used to keep the king himself deceived, so that they would not be present at the labor and could not witness it. This allowed the belief in that lie and calumny to be confirmed. Thus, they were most wickedly abused and imposed upon by both means. The English, being a plain, down-right, and resolute people who abhor tricks and cheats, were especially susceptible to being deceived in this way. Therefore, they readily received him as their deliverer, who was in truth the principal instigator of the abuse and imposture inflicted upon them.\nTheir concurrence in fact, in what they were themselves abused, is not to be imputed to them as their reasonable and deliberate act. But the business was undoubtedly managed by conspiracy between some fugitives at the Hague, upon Monmouth's defeat. It is said that Monmouth was betrayed into that undertaking by those who made their advantage of it, and their treasonous correspondents in King James's court. Many others of like loose principles joined in later for preferment, and composed the desperate, wicked faction. Hardened by the success of such great wickedness, they cast off all regard for religion, morality, and common honesty, and have run things to such madness and extravagances. But their great support being now removed, it is to be hoped we may come at last to more sober counsels. And that all these injuries shall be righted as soon as possible. For, besides the indignities done to the royal family, those to the people are very considerable.\nFor they have been injured in honor and reputation, in their religion by scandals, in their estates by vast expenses and debts contracted, in their peace by an unjust and wicked war, and in their souls by manifold sins and wickedness, as if the spirits of Achitophel and Balam were among us. The nation, as well as the royal family, can perceive what interests have been promoted and what vipers we have harbored.\nBut since it has pleased God to give us an English heart once more on the Throne, and one so obliged by the laws of nature, of God, and of the land, and sensible of these great obligations, I hope to see the true English spirit revived in the people once more, with a just resentment of abuses and some reparation for the dishonor and injuries done to them. We may also learn by dear-bought experience to beware of such factions at home and of foreigners abroad. We should value those who are true to the principles they honestly own and beware of those who have none at all or such that are uncertain what they are or certainly very bad. Let truth and righteousness be restored among us after such experience of the unhappy consequences of wicked policies and the indirect practices of lies, calumnies, and all iniquity.\nAnd our hopes may be not a little encouraged if it is duly considered: For as the ways of falsehood, treachery, and iniquity are always unhappy in the end, indirect, rugged, and dangerous in the passage, so the ways of truth and righteousness are not only happy in the end but direct, plain, easy, and pleasant paths. We need nothing but true English spirits among the commons and true Christian spirits among the clergy, and a religious observance of the coronation oath upon the throne, and that it be indeed a throne of righteousness, not of iniquity.\n\nBut it must be remembered that the true English spirit is not only a spirit of honesty and generosity but a spirit of true and sincere religion at the bottom.\nStephen's Chapel, we shall not only have the honor of the nation restored by eminent demonstrations that it was only a prevalent faction, which brought all the dishonor and mischiefs upon us; but the honor of God in the first place restored in truth and sincerity in that sacred place, by proper demonstrations that it was not only a prevalent but an impious and hypocritical faction that did it. This is evident from the answers to the two formal fasts; the address of the short-lived Parliament, and the princely consideration and religious disposition of King William, if they are well considered.\n\nIt must be remembered also, that the true Christian spirit is a true English spirit, in the perfection of all its most excellent qualities. Therefore, unless the Cranmerian, tempering, treacherous spirit is cast out of the Jerusalem Chamber, or at least out of Henry VII.\nChapel, casting out the factious, impious, and hypocritical spirits from the Commons alone cannot bring our work to its due perfection. If we have both those true spirits in unity on the throne, we shall see those cursed roots of perjury and all wickedness planted in this Nation by Henry VIII and his daughter, utterly extirpated. The kindly plants of truth, righteousness, and true piety, revived and flourishing again amongst us: which is the only aim of all my labors, opposed with so much wickedness and madness, despite the plain, honest design, and sound, effective expedients proposed in them.\n[These things having been laid before the Lower House of Convocation and the House of Commons, it is fitting that they be considered by the clergy of the several dioceses and universities, and by the commons of the several counties, cities, and boroughs before those assemblies meet again, or as soon as possible. None but factions spirits can be against it.]", "creation_year": 1702, "creation_year_earliest": 1702, "creation_year_latest": 1702, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"},
{"content": "To an Excellent new tune, \"To Mondeer.\"\n\nI went to Mondeer,\nWith my barrel of beer,\nThere I met young Peggy,\nWhose beauty was clear;\n\nSing ratting a roo, ratting a roo-re-roo, re-roo-re-roo,\nRatting a roo-re-roo, re-roo-re-roo,\nFar ro rance, sing far-re-a-roo-rance,\nSing hay-bou bance, sing ratting a roo.\n\n\"If with me you'll go,\nA bottle of Clarret I'll bestow,\nI'll give you the fine rigging,\nAnd top-knots to wear,\nAnd a pair of new gloves,\nAt Nottingham Fair.\n\nSing ratting a roo, &c.\n\nI tipted her the wink,\nAnd backwards she fell,\nTwenty weeks after,\nHer belly did swell.\n\nSing ratting a roo, &c.\n\nTwenty weeks after,\nShe sat down and cried,\n\"Oh! this have I gotten,\nBy being thus tried.\"\n\nSing ratting a roo, &c.\n\n\"Stay, my dear Peggy,\nAnd be not unkind,\nFor we will be married,\nWhen the Devil is blind.\"\n\nRatting a roo, ratting a roo-re-roo, re-roo-re-roo,\nRatting a roo-re-roo, re-roo-re-roo,\nFar roo rance, sing far-re-a-roo-rance,\nSing hay-bou bance.\nsing ratting a roo.\nPrinted for B. Deacon, at the Angel in Guilt-spur-Street without New-Gate.", "creation_year": 1702, "creation_year_earliest": 1699, "creation_year_latest": 1704, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"},
{"content": "To an Excellent New Tune.\n\nAs Cupid roguishly one day\nHad all alone stole out to play,\nThe Muses caught the little knave,\nAnd captive Love to Beauty gave,\nThe Muses caught the little knave,\nAnd captive Love to Beauty gave:\n\nThe laughing dame soon missed her son,\nAnd here and there, and here and there,\ndistracted he ran,\nDistracted run, and here and there,\nand here & there, and here & there distracted run:\n\nAnd still his liberty to gain,\nAnd still his liberty to gain,\nhe offers his ransom:\nBut in vain, in vain, in vain,\nThe willing prisoner still hugs his chain,\nAnd vows he'll never be free,\nAnd vows he'll never be free,\nNo, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,\nNo, no, no, no, no, he'll never be free again.\nNo, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,\nNo, no, no, no, no, he'll never be free again.\n\nThough he in fetter lies confined,\nSo pleasant is it to his mind,\nThat ever while he waited, waited, waited still,\nHis Heart the Nymph's joys did fill,\nWhile he still waited, waited, waited,\nHis Heart the Nymph's joys did fill,\nSo that the pleasing pain he bore,\nAnd would not wish, would not wish,\nwish for Freedom more,\nFor Freedom more, would not wish,\nwish for Freedom more:\nBecause the charming Beauty bright,\nBecause the charming Beauty bright,\nhe must adore,\nFor she is fair, she is fair, she is fair,\nAnd never can he avoid her snare,\nBut must be still confined.\nBut must be still confined,\nNow, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now,\nNow, now, now, now, now, she is so charming fair,\nNow, now, now, now, now, now, now, now, now,\nNow, now, now, now, now, she's so charming fair.\n\nThe smiling Mother, finding her Son\nEncompassed round,\nWould help her little Boy,\nAnd all the Charms of Love destroy.\nWould help her little Boy,\nAnd all the Charms of Love destroy.\nIn vain she strove; for Beauty Bright was ever his heart's delight, his heart's delight was ever hers, ever hers, his heart's delight.\nTo the fair saint, on wings of love,\nTo the fair saint, on wings of love,\nHe oft takes flight,\nWhere his thrall is sweeter than the honey fall;\nThere will he still reside,\nThere will he still reside,\nFor love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love,\nLove, love, love, love, love, conquers all.\nFor love, love, love, love, love, love, love, love,\nLove, love, love, love, love, conquers all.", "creation_year": 1702, "creation_year_earliest": 1699, "creation_year_latest": 1704, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"},
{"content": "First, the 15% imposition on imported paper does not achieve its intended goals of raising revenue or encouraging manufacture, as the value assigned in the Book of Rates is too low, making the tax equivalent to only around eight percent. Writing and printing paper are valued at four shillings and six pence per ream.\n\nSecond, to match the paper makers in Germany, Genoa, Holland, and so on, a 30% impost would be a mediocre solution. The small wages abroad and the low rates of goods at the customs house are factors that make even a small impost an insignificant hindrance to the importation of paper. Instead, it provides merchants with the power to undermine a trade that could significantly benefit the nation.\nThirdly, whatever is pretended about the hardships and discouragements of printing; if considered, can have no weight, as a 30% impost cannot raise the price of a three shilling book above two pence, in addition to an impost on all books printed abroad and brought in, which would prevent valuable copies from being printed there and serve as a protection for property. Far from discouraging, it would encourage printing.\n\nFourthly, if encouragement were given to the making of paper here, no objections would be raised regarding the incapability of our paper makers to meet the common demands, as many of them are forced to convert their mills to making brown paper (to the ruin of that employment also) due to the insignificant profits caused by the cheapness of foreign paper.\n\nFifthly, it is pretended that the present duties bring in more than the additional tax; however, it is often forgotten how large quantities of paper we export.\nSixthly, it is insinuated that requesting more impositions on foreign paper is self-interest; this indeed may be justly laid at the door of those who oppose such a Bill, since nothing could persuade but what is very selfish and interested against a thing that must be of so great advantage to the Nation, as this and all manufactures at home are, since they ever turned the balance on our side. After all the advantages the Nation would receive by having this manufacture, it is peculiar that there remains one more of no less consequence, which is the employing so mighty a number of poor as this does and will do.\n\nReasons for laying duties on foreign paper.", "creation_year": 1702, "creation_year_earliest": 1702, "creation_year_latest": 1702, "source_dataset": "EEBO", "source_dataset_detailed": "EEBO_Phase2"}
]