I Received yours, in Print by the Penny-Post and expected the Date from R. Abbey, and not from New-Market, but I understand your Lord­ship hath given your Agents in this Town the Lye, and not retired to your Country-house, up­on the Dukes coming; but have rather Posted down to New-Market, with the new Hosanna, of O Duke live for ever; which was some Years since, O King live for ever. [Page 2] I find your Lordship is no good Judg of Styles, for I can assure you the Letter was not the Earl of S—s, and therefore you do ill to take this occasion of railing at him, unless you are resolved to save charges, and do that in your own Person, which others are so unsuccessful­ly hir'd to. It is a notorious false Testimony to say that Earl was raised from a mean Fortune, when 'tis well known his father in 1630 long before the troubles had a revenue between 8 and 9000l. per annum: And I have heard him often say, he would yield himself to be the worst man alive, if he in the Kings service got his main­tainance, or did lay up above half his Paternal Revenue, and I think so able a man may be allowed at least, to be maintained in so great imployments; Neither do I un­derstand that malicious hint of merited severity, it was never applied to any man that had one of the chief hands in restoring a Prince to his Kingdom; as I know he had and without whose courage and dexterity, some men the most highly rewarded, had done otherwise then they did; therefore I have heard him say often, that the Act of Oblivion was an Act of the Kings honour and Ju­stice, as well as his Mercy? it being a Treaty, and A­greement, much more sacred then any Act of Parlia­ment can be, and I must tell your Lordship, and your Friends the Papists; that if you consider what Promises, Declarations, and Engagements the Dissenting Prote­stants had; both of his Majesty, his Lords, and his Bi­shops, at the time of his coming over; and how they have been since used, and with what submission and Loyalty they have carried themselves; you will not find a Parallel Instance.

But your Lordships business is, to keep your Hounds in full cry, against the pretended Association, for since you cannot find one really in being; a red-herring from your own Kitching, must be hunted and trail'd through the Kingdom, to make a noise.

[Page 3] The malice is more then the wit in the matter. You have broken down your Gates in the Chace, and made so many—Gaps in your own hedges, that your Cat­tle are broke out and come to the Pound; and what sort of Beast you trade in will be discovered. 'Tis an Im­pudence beyond the Jesuites, to say that nothing was more exactly prov'd, nothing more unquestionable and free from disputes, then that the Association was seiz'd in the Earls Closer; Gwyn himself neither does nor dare positively swear it, and 'tis Judged in that great case of Monsieur Fouquet, that a man is not answerable for Papers seiz'd when he is refus'd to deliver them upon Inventory. Fouquets enemies were not more bloudy and invetterate then the Earls, nor the concern of State against him higher: And yet the Law of Nature and Reason, can never subject a man to so unreasonable a danger. Be­sides was it ever heard that ever any man was question­ed for a loose Paper, without any hand to it, found in his Study, that cannot be proved to this day, nor ever will, that he ever saw, read, or conferred with any a­bout it; Neither is it to be proved notwithstanding all this Popish Clamour and Abhorrours that ever any one man did ever Sign, or Act upon it; or any thing like it. But your Lordship is very plain in the matter, and would have the Parliament men in the House of Commons who promoted the Association; have their heads advanced to the house top. I do not doubt but your Lordship and your friends the PAPISTS are of that mind; but 'tis for some other Votes they then made of de­claring Enemies to the King and Kingdom, for other­wise your Lordship and some of your friends, are as much guilty, as any of the house of Commons, of the Association. It being to be proved that the Association, and the banishing the Duke for ever, was your Lord­ships proposition in the Lords house in the last Westmin­ster Parliament. The first utterly disliked by the Earl of Shaftsbury as no expedient they could trust in, since [Page 4] your Lordship and others of your make, could not be kept from being in the head of it. But those eminent and Worthy Persons of the Earl of Shaftsbury's Jury must be rail'd at, at any Rate: Yet where your Lord­ship found that Two of the Jury should say; This is the same with that which we saw produced and promoted in the House of COMMONS, I cannot tell, I am sure there is no such Expressions in the Proceedings at the Old Baily, Publisht by Authority: But between the Veracity of a Condemned Jesuite in Newgate, and that of a States-man, mark'd out by a Vote of the House of Commons for an Enemy to the King and Kingdom, I see here is no great odds. Your Lordship hath great Reason to be angry, for I confess they spoil'd the best Design was ever laid, by a damn'd Popish Party: The Government which you call according to Law, with the Help of Irish Witnesses, and well chosen Juries, should have delivered you from all the honest, worthy and considerable Protestants of England, for 'tis plainly con­fest by your Lordship how far you meant to go; 'tis a Thousand pities that the City-Charter were not gone, and that your Lordship, might not have the Naming of She­riffs for London and Middlesex, and then 'tis plain what Ju­stice we should have for our Lives and Fortune: The Masters of the Companies would then be Hanged with the Journey-men. And Sheriff Pilkinton's Conscientious Surry-Jury would be found at every Assizes; Eight hun­dred pound Damages given to such a Fellow, that prov­ed not a Penny Damage received or possible to be re­ceived by it.

But since your Lordship hath had so great and good a Design spoiled, I cannot blame you to be angry; but I would very fain guess what you would next be at, or whether your Patience will hold out till the City-Char­ter be taken away, which I assure my self will be long before it be done, I fear you will resort to back the Pat­tern [Page 5] in the Mount: And follow the President of your Bloody Predecessors, before that CHARTER be taken away) the Gueses in FRANCE, Cut Our throats and condemn us after; since we will not quietly be con­demned first and hanged after; I am sure this is the next step can reasonably be expected from Men of your Conscience, and from the Principles and Interest you are carrying on: Neither let any one blame me for mind­ing you of it, for I believe it hath been long in your mind and often in your thoughts, and therefore I thought it more necessary to warn others of what you are most likely to do. And since you talk so much of Loyalty and Love to Your Prince, I pray God preserve the KING; and keep him out of your and all Papists bloody Hands.—

I beg to know to what purpose your Lordship recites, That my Lord Shaftsbury was Lord Chancellor, do you quarrel at any of His Decrees or Actions then, or where­in did he not execute that Office as a Great and Good Man should, and what doth your Lordship mean by the certain strict Test for the Discovery of Popery, opposed by that Lord in Parliament, the Test that was passed a­gainst Popery (which every Officer is obliged to take) is notoriously known was principally promoted by Him: If your Lordship mean the other Bill of the Test which He opposed, 'tis the same with what Somebody hath passed lately Somewhere, and is a Great Step to the De­struction of the Protestant Religion. The Truth is there are so many of these downright Popish Touches in your Paper, That I sometimes doubt, whether it be Your Lordships or no? since You are but a young Convert, and yet they say young Proselytes are the fiercest; But this Paper must come from a PAPIST or Voted Enemy to the King and Kingdom, since you tell us, that you would have the Days of DISSOLVING the Two last Parli­aments kept Festival Anniversarily, in Commemoration of your Deliverance from those Great and Apparent [Page 6] Dangers, wherewith you were encompassed, whilst they were in SESSION; None but such Fellows and their Faction being then in Danger.

But I find your Lordship extream angry at the Word FACTION; since you will please to have it, that your Worthy ABHORRERS and ADDRESSORS are not a FACTION, but the Total of the Kings Subjects, who Conscientiously respect their own Duty and the General Welfare; pray, my Lord, let us examine this Excellent Position of your Lordships setting aside your Heat and Railing. Does your Lordship think that the choice of SHERIFFS, the great care in returning select Men for Grand Juries; The Arts that were us'd to draw many of them into these Abhorrences, are not well known to All the Nation; We never doubt but you have choice of Gentlemen to make SHERIFFS fit for your TURN, and they, if they prove ill MEN, may find Rogues to make Under-Sheriffs in every County: Neither is it doubted that Seventeen or Eighteen Men may be found in most Counties, for your Turn; al­though in some (and those great Counties too) you could not find above Thirteen, and in several other Coun­ties you have failed absolutely, and yet all this will not speak your PARTY The Hundred Part of the Nation. Hath your Lordship found out another way to make a Distinction between the SENSE of the Nation, and that of a Dangerous PARTY, than that of the House of Commons? Will you tell Me, That a PARLIAMENT chosen against all the Opposition, Industry, Power and Money of the COURT, is not the SENSE of Greatest Part of the NATION? Will your Lordship affirm, That this is a FACTION, and your Lordship the PAPISTS, the D. of Y. and his Creatures, are the only Loyal Subjects to the King and Government. And what fort of People these make up may be guess'd by what you prosess your self for: A Government infi­nitely worse than that in Turkey; wherein the Law [Page 7] shall be of no other Use, (if it may be as your Lord­ship would have it,) but as a Mask to the Princes worst Actions and Tyranny. Our Religion, Estates, Lives and Liberties, your Lordship would have to be Sub­jected to the Will of the Prince, who being a Man is as capable and lyable to be extreamly Ill as any o­ther, tho blessed be God, for our Good King; besides what Law you allow to this King (who is an Excellent and the Best of PRINCES) as your King, must be allowed to the next, though He be the worst in Nature: And yet You will find out a Way, Your self to Name to the KING Judges, Sheriffs, and JURIES, and so then all things shall cer­tainly go as the Court and Great Men order; 'tis already so compleat in S—, where the Proverb is, Show me the Man and I will tell you the Cause. This is a Way that no Sober, or honest Men were ever for in any Country. The Zeal of your Lordship to preserve the Greatness of your Duke, his Zeal to get a Crown, and of the PAPISTS to introduce their Religion, hath out-gone by many Degrees, all that ever went before you.

I Acknowledg it the Kings Prerogative to CALL Parliaments, but Edward the III. tells us He was sworn by his Coronation-Oath to provide Remedy in Parli­ament upon Great Emergencies. And our Laws have been very careful to Fix the Frequency of them: And 'tis that only COURT that can keep all the rest use­ful to the King and People: They are brave Spirits indeed, and blest with a Torish Humility, or rather stupid Folly, if not wicked, Villanous Designs, that are unconcerned when a PARLIAMENT should be called, and leave it to the PRINCE, whether He please to have any or no without affording Him their Advice.

[Page 8] The LAW hath given us a Right (nay 'tis our chie­fest Birth-right, and without which we have nothing left us, but are meer slaves) to PARLIAMENTS within such a distance of Time: The Prince hath the Prerogative of appointing the Day; and Dissolving when the Business is done: But the Prince (some think) is obliged that we have Parliaments within our Time, and conti­nued so as may be of effect to provide Remedies for the Emergent Evils. His Prerogative of Appointing the Day, we hope, will not deprive us of our Right of having them in such a Time, Neither will His Power to DISSOLVE them, we hope, Render them USELESS to Us.

I am heartily sorry your Lordship is so ill instructed in the Protestant Religion, That you ask what it is? but you profess, That Your self and your Fellow-Addressors and Abhorrers are zealous for the Religion by LAW Esta­blished in the Church of ENGLAND, so then you do not know the Protestant Religion, but Religion by LAW Established you are very well acquainted with. What security will your Lordship give, That when your Ar­my is compleated, and your Militia Abhorrers and Ad­dressors Mustered, That you will not tell Us, The Religion Established by LAW in the Church of England is the Old Popish Religion setled by Magna Charta, which is not Repealable by any future Act. For this Good Old Cause, your Lordship and Friends hath nurst up the King of France to this height, He is now in Christen­dom, and all Europe is abundantly in your Debt for it.

[Page 9] I Own my self a Friend to the Dissenting Protestants, until your Lordship can find out an Infallible decider of points of FAITH.—I can give men leave to differ from me in opinion, whilst they live so­berly and honestly by me.—There are none I know so inconsistent with Government as the PA­PIST; who owns a Forreign Jurisdiction, and di­solves all Natural Religion to introduce his Own.—And though your Lordship is pleased to add the word Rebel to the Name PROTESTANT; yet it will agree much better with the Papists, whose Reli­gion is Rebellion; and 'tis impossible to find one true Subject of them in the World, (to any but the Pope) if they believe their own Religion.

I find your Lordship is very kin [...] to Court Converts, and will very freely pass over the Blackness of all their former Tiansactions; and you have great Reason, since you are so lately One your self: But be not de­luded, the Papists think not as you think; they never forgive Past Offences.—Argile cannot be forgiven the being his Fathers Son.—Nor the Duke of L— will not be forgiven the having brought the COVENANT into England.— Tw— will find hereafter that 'twill be remembred he sat in Olivers Parliaments. And I should tell your Lordship, that you may suffer hereafter by a string of some bodies pro­viding; but that my skill in Astrology hath told me, a Garter of your own useing &c.—The jea­lous Churchmen that Govern the Popish Interest never for­give, especially Men capable of thinking and judging other things, then they would have them.

[Page 10] Your Lordship is extreamly out, when you tell us that the Associations in Queen ELIZABETH'S time, were entred into with her Consent and Privi­ty; when the Queen her self, in her Speech to the PARLIAMENT, in the twe [...]ty eight year of her Reign: Did protest before God, that she never heard or thought of such matter, being wholly ignorant of it till a great number of Hands, with many Obligations were shown her at Hampton Court, signed and subscribed with the Hands and Seales of the greatest in this Land.—But you are pleased to call the several PARLIA­MENTS, that about that time, so extreamly op­posed the SUCCESSION of Mary, Queen of Scots a PURITAN GANG, and have found out a Clergy, Nobility, and Gentry, in the Clouds, that were of another opinion, no question there were some and great store of PAPISTS in those days, but I am sure the PARLIAMENT were violently a­gainst her Succession, as appears in the Rolls: nay▪ and against her life too; for it was then daily experi­enced, that the Queen was not safe, whilst the Head of so desperate and bloudy a Religion as the PA­PISTS was in being▪—

Pray, My Lord, let me ask you freely, is not this the very Case now? 'Twas the Opinion of our PARLIAMENTS, and the truth ap­pears every day more and more. Pray let us hear your Lordship make a difference between the Case of Queen ELIZABETH, and her POPISH SUCCESSOR, Mary Queen of Scots: (which your self have so wisely Instanced in and brought up­on the Stage) and our Case at this present jun­cture. Have the PAPISTS appeared less Bloudy in their designs since that time? Have they less Pas­sion for introducing their Religion? Did the Queen of Scots discover more Ambition for the Crown of [Page 11] England, than — [...] ▪ She was a Prisoner in the Queens hands and in custody, and had not the [...] of the opportunity — hath, whose French [...], possesse many of the Govern­ments▪ [...] To say no more; but Some bodies Loy­alty is not to be disputed▪ Though I remember the ti [...]e when—but hold! I must not run the Parallel too far, least by making too great a Resemblance, I provoke — I could else say much more, but leave it to your LORDSHIP to make it out.

But now let us have one Word about the D.

We are all Witnesses of the KINGS Marriage by the Advice (as was reported) of the Dukes Fa­ther in Law, to a LADY of great Birth, but such as (it is said) the Spanish Embassador then un­dertook to prove could have no CHILDREN: And immediately upon this Marriage, we are all Witnesses to our unspeakable sorrow, what fol­lowed, which I will not here Perticularize; His unparrallel'd love to his Prince, appears in all this, and in nothing more then the Civil Treatment the KING at this hour receives from him and his Par­ty, the throngs that tend the one, whilst the Other walks the streets with two or three Pages of his back­stayres: Our KING is the first instance that ever I read off, that hath by those about him, been perswa­ded to be so willing to settle indubitably the TITLE of his Presumptive Heir; But undoubtedly his MAJESTY hath better Reasons for it then we know of; Our King is not only an excellent well bred Gentleman, but a man of great Abilities and Courage, Three things One that looks High wants: When ever the King desires it He will not want Hundreds of Thousands to dye [Page 12] at his Feet: Multitudes do adore him that hate and fear the Religion and Temper of —▪ Pray God bless the King, and give him yet more and more the Spirit of discerning his Interest and Friends, and the Courage to deliver himself from the hands of all un­worthy base TRAYTORS, as would encom­pass Him, Shall ever be the hearty Prayers of.