VVHen man by Fate, or his ill conduct, tum­bles from the Precipices of Honour, his Mole-hill Crimes streight turn to Moun­tains, and his former Splendours trampled in the dust, each man his fond Objection lays, and at his tottering Basis levels round about; Fate seldom strikes, but Ig­nominy waits him at the heels, and creeps into the ga­ping Wounds he makes; sinister Reports, like wan­dring Atoms, glide in the vast track of souls that In­novation seek, and makes them think their fond Opi­nion best; which may be emblem'd by the turning Spheres, whenas the glorious Lamp of day descends beneath this Earthly Ball, the lesser Fires disperse their seeds of light, and each takes place in a superiour Orb; even those that in prosperity could flatter most, and cringe beneath the Footstool of a Power to serve their Ends, and to promote their Interest nothing was too much, no Obligation e're was thought too great, nor nothing done in vain that could acceptance find; Pro­testations and dissembled Vows, Service, and Friend­ship, with a thousand antique motions did attend. Yet these are but like Swallows, who whilst warm'd with kindly rays, do chant unto each morning wake, but when the storms of State grow high, and blustring Au­tumn's lofty winds the mighty Cedars shake, each pluck [Page 2] a twig, and sire from thence unto a warmer Sun, or with its weight assists the Tempest, till it crush the mighty bole, nay and aggravating Crimes to that ex­tent, though only upon weak suspicion, that they seem more dreadful to the vulgar eye, even in their bare re­lation, than (if true) when acted at the first; and wounds from treacherous Friends we always know are far more grievous than from open Foes, for where a man confides, and rests the Axis of his Soul, from thence he ever expects no ill; or if he did, he would not (if himself) rush void of fear upon premeditated ruine; yet oft 'tis seen in Politicks of State, when Greatness is detracted and made vile (the which much like an Adamantine Rock environed with Metals, heretofore could draw admiring Eyes, and make it self a pleasing prospect) then loses all its virtue, and regardless [...], whilst its Adherents all withdraw, and, restless in th [...] motions, still run biass to the Mighty with this C [...] ­cter (when asked concerning their degraded Fr [...]) 'Tis true, I once was conversant with such a one, b [...]t [...]s past, and I now stand on surer ground, 'till the next [...] ­pest comes, against which my care is to provide.

Even so now fares it with a late considerable Mem­ber of our English Nation, the Earl of Danby, whose too aspiring thoughts, 'tis probably conjectured, have exposed him to these furious Gusts of State, which bend his Honour, and have laid him open to the slaunder of his private Foes; for when Ambition gets the Rains, and wilful Passion does o'reflow the bounds of Reason, it makes Prosperity a Curse, and is the only way to heap up Foes against that time when Purple Greatness shall withdraw, and adverse Fortune break the Barri­cades, and let them in like raging Torrents on every side, and then you may be sure they will wreck their Spleens.

For amongst the rest of the Crimes already laid against him) one more is here objected, and imposed on him, as he being accessary to the same; the which alone might blast bright fame, and render his memory detesta­bly [Page 3] odious for future ages to abhor; the which is that execrable Murther of the worthy Gentleman Sir Ed­mundbury-Godfrey, a large Narration of which has been published to the World; The which upon a serious view is thought to have been suggested by some of his hereto­fore publick Friends, but now private Foes, the weight of the whole matter depending upon Circumstances only; first, that because he having Correspondence with the said Sir Edmundoury Godfrey concerning divers Affairs, the which tended and related to the discovery of the late Plot, that he upon that account should contrive his Mur­der, is but a very weak inference, seeing that he could not well be greater than he was, and that if the Romish Faction had prevailed, his Honour (as it has been attest­ed by the Deponents that hath hitherto made any disco­very of the said Plot) was confiscated and disposed of to others; whereupon it more imported him, if it had lain in his power, to have made a froe discovery himself, or at least, if Sir Edmund, who having taken the Depo­sitions of Dr. Oates and Dr. Toung, as is objected, com­municated any thing to him, he should have closed with his Propositions, and have joyned with him in such a blessed discovery, had it been barely upon the account of securing himself in what he was; for he or any reasonable man must expect, if a Nation is subverted by Treason or the power of the Sword, the Conquerors will not admit any of the former Grandees to continue and execute their places of Authority, lest they, watching their op­portunities, should soar above them.

And farther, the Objection being made, that by reason Sir Edmund coming oft to the said Earl of Danby's house, it was more in his power than in any other to murder him; it follows not, that men which have opportunities are in­dued with such Diabolick minds as to take away caules­ly the lives of their Friends; but rather, if such vio­lence should be offered by any other, to resist the Assassi­nates, and defend the Assaulted to his power, for Murder is so execrable a Crime, that surely no Christian can think upon it without horror and amazement; and it is [Page 4] far beneath a generous and heroick Soul to dye his hands in innocent Blood, especially: when unprovoked: Far­ther it is objected. That the same Morning that Sir Ed­mund was conjectured to have been murdered, he was at the said Earl's house, and that the Earl of Danby's Gen­tleman that day went over the Water with Sir Edmund; the which the Attestators of the Murder confute, declar­ing that he being watched out of his house by those that assassinated him, and so directly to London-ward, about which places they traced, and with narrow observations followed his steps, staying for him at several places, till at last it growing dark, upon his return homeward, he went into a house near St. Clements-Church, and that whilest he stayed there they sent one of their Accomplices to give notice at Somerset-house, the other still watching him; who, after he came out of that house, went directly towards his own home in St. Martins in the fields, whereupon the Assassinates, when he came against the Watergate of Somer­set house, got him in by a Stratagem, and then strang led him; the which, had it been for the Earl of Danby's in­terest to effect, he could probably with more convenien­cy procured it, and not have trusted so dangerous a Secret in the Breasts of so many ill affected men, whom he might conjecture, if they had ventured it for gain or hire, might upon the like Sum and promise of a Pardon, declare who imployed them in such a pernicious design; but it plainly appeared, their Priest being concerned in the same, and by their obstinate denying to the last, that they were prompted on by blind Zeal to commit that horrid and execrable Crime for the propagating of the Romish Cause; and that it cannot reasonably be thought any otherways performed, what suspitions or probabilities soever may be offered; for no man ought, out of private revenge, to make that case worse than it is, the which at best may prove bad; but all men learn to pity those whom frowning Fortune tramples down, lest one day fate may wheel about, and they themselves vainly may the like implore.