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 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 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 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.