I Thought you had some remnants of Shame and Sence left with you, and that a Correction you met with some Years ago, had brought you a little into order; but, as was then observed, Nature is Nature still, and will return and have the bet­ter, where neither Religion, Vertue, nor good Manners, have force enough to restrain a petulant and insolent Temper.

You intend to support a Forgery, of which I have reason to suppose [Page 2] you the Parent, as well as you are now the Nurse to it, and therefore you are tender of your own Brat, but with what success I can even make you your self the Judg; and if you knew the opinion that I have of your sincerity, you would believe this was a great evidence of my being very well assured that I am in the right. But some Men have got a trick of facing all things down with Noise and Impudence▪ and imagine that blustering and foul Language will carry all before it.

In short, for no Man can take pleasure to take a Kennel long, you discharge a whole Sheet full of Slime and Choler at me, for asserting that I had omitted no part of that Ma­nuscript of Cranmer's▪ and that I had particularly printed that for [Page 3] the omission of which Mr. Lowth has accused me, whereas you tell me that I have only printed the Sub­scription of T. Cantuarien, to an As­sertion concerning Extream Unction, and that I have not added it to the Assertions concerning Church Power. Now how any Man that had his sense about him, and thought that I would call him to an account of it, could venture on so gross a piece of falshood and folly both, I cannot ea­sily imagine; so that really I am in­clined to think, the last New Moon, or the New Wine, have their shares in it.

In the beginning of those Papers, Pag. 201. line 6. where I set down their Title, I tell, That as they are taken from the Originals, under the Hands of those Bishops and Divines, [Page 4] so I add, That in copying them, I judged it might be more acceptable to the Rea­der to see every Man's Answer set down after every Question, and therefore they are published in that Method. Thus in­stead of setting every Paper entirely by it self, I set every Man's Answer under every Question; to which I was advised, as being the easier method to give a view of their Thoughts of every particular altogether. And Pag. 242. when I come to the last Question, I set this down on the Margent, over against Cranmer's Subscription; These are the Subscriptions which are at the end of e­very Man's Paper. After all this, no man but you, could have been so forsa­ken of common Sense and Honesty, as to pretend that the Subscription to which I refer, was only to the last Article concerning Extream Unction, and not [Page 5] to the whole Paper; and by this same art of Reasoning, you may pretend that your Subscription belongs only to the last line of your Letter.

I do assure you I do not admire your Understanding so much, as I perceive you do your self; yet I did not think it was so sunk, for this is such childish and gross Ignorance, that your Friends had best enter a Caveat, lest you be beg'd for it. But I am afraid your Morals are more in fault here than your Intellectuals. You thought somewhat must be said for supporting your Friend, and so took hold of any thing could furnish out a Letter.

And now for the Flourish and Gar­niture of your Letter, it is so like the Author, that none who have given them­selves the trouble to read any of his Books, can miss him. The Character is indelible, and sticks as close as if he [Page 6] were stigmatized with it. I will let it all go, for I am not practised to search among Excrements, only one remarka­ble Line in it deserves some Observation. You sprinkle a little Civility, p 2. l. 13. and call my History, the only good thing I ever wrote, that could recommend me to the kind Opinion of Honest Men, that know the difference between English and Scotch. This lewd Reflection on a whole Nation, as it shews the clownishness of your Temper, for all your pretence to Courtliness, so it shews your contempt of the King and the whole Royal Fa­mily, and of that blessed Martyr him­self, that was born in that Kingdom, notwithstanding all your Affectations, and writing of Addresses in the Name of the Primitive Church.

But thus it is, That because in the last disposal of Bishopricks, the Secre­tary [Page 7] to the Primitive Church was for­gotten, he who but a Year ago set his Majesty above Christ himself, and taxed the Expression of praying for the King as Supream under Christ, as crude, not to call it profane, is now so disgusted, that he says, Honest Men (and to be sure he ranks himself in that number, tho he is singular in that too) know the dif­ference between English and Scotch. And thus while you fall on me, you secretly discover what lies at your Heart ever since the last Disappointment. But now that you have so wisely taken a whole Nation to task, it seems you intend to have all the Characters of the Rehearsal Transprosed to you; and that you are not contented with being Bays, but you will be Draw-can-sir too. I wish you a better mind, and am,

I have now justified my sincerity in my History; and that being established, I will think my self little concerned in all the Billingsgate Language that you or any else can throw out upon me. I would not have said so much, if there were not some Occasions in which it is necessary to answer a Fool according to his Folly, as well as there are others in which it is as necessary not to answer him according to his Folly: And as I have brought my self, not without some un­easiness, to treat you as you deserve, so it will be much easier for me, to despise all you can say, and to be silent here­after.