HAving those Obligations upon me, which will not permit me to neglect what (with­in my power I judge) may be acceptable to you, I could not forbear to give you some Account of this days Work, in the Choice of Citizens to serve in Parliament for this City of London.

You know Sir, it was about the beginning of September, that I left your very agreeable Com­ny, and came to London, where I read every day new Pamphlets, and heard Discourses, some commending the Choice of such men for the Ensuing Parliament as had shewed themselves Zealous for the Defence of the King's Person, the Protestant Religion, and Government of England, and were upon those Grounds, Voters for the Bills against Popery, and the D. for Justice upon Danby, and the Popish Plotting Lords, &c. whilst other Pamphlets and Discourses did bitterly inveigh against the late Commons in Parliament, as Factious and Ill-minded men, fo­mented with the Leven of 41, Fanatically inclined, dangerous to the Church and Monarchy, worse than Papists; and therefore the greater care should be to keep them, and such as they were out of the Parliament-House. The Graver sort of these men, would charge those late Members with great Imprudence, Want of Moderation, and rashness in their Resolves, espe­cially in the Bill against the D. which they would perswade was inconsistent with Allegiance and Religion too. And all this Outcry was made in the behalf of the Church of England, and under pertrxt of her true Sons. The Act of Oblivion made by this King seemed now to be for­got, and whilst some charged others with the Designs of 41, they themselves did with all their Might endeavour to revive the same Spirit and Rancour, which raised the Storms of those days. The Papists and Presbyterians were brought upon the Stage and parallel'd, but so, that the lat­ter ware still more dangerous than the former. In some of these Pamphlets, Published under the Vizar of the Church of England men one might easily discover the Lineaments of a Jesuite: for even the Murder of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey by the Papists was made doubtful; and they could not forbear to cite the Texts of Scripture in Latine, though that Cu­stome is obsolete among us Protestants. The Duke of Y's Presence at Court added Vigor and Spi­rit to these agents, which being perccived by many considering Citizens, gave occasion to the Ad­dress made by Sir Tho. Player in their Names, that the City-Guards might be increased; for the Argument was very plain, If there was need of any Guards when the Duke was Absent, then there was need of more in his Presence, when the Popish Party did manifestly take Courage and Activity from that Cause.

This also they did endeavour to improve to the Advantage of their Cause, by interpreting these Addresses to be Factious, and the Fore-runners of most mischievous Actions. And now the Kingly Government was underminded, because the Popish Successor was feared; and the Church of England was like to be Subverted, because some Citizens had the Courage to open their Mouths, in humbly Representing their Dangers from the Papists. And yet in the mean time Sir T. P. is a Devout Son of the Church of England, and inferiour to no man in the City, in Abilities for Publick Employments; and such he did appear in the last Parliament, where they would hear him with as much Readiness, and employ him in their greatest Trusts as soon as any; he was one of their Secret Committee; he was one of their Commissioners for Disband­ing the Army, &c. But all must now turn to his Prejudice; he was a Popular Man, and there­fore to be feared and hated. Would you not wonder, that the Experience of a man's Ability and Integrity in Trusts, and the Love and Esteem he reaps thence should be an Argument against his being employed. But this was the Handle our Yorkists took this man's Actions by, and now they labour to improve this against his being chosen by the City into the Ensuing Parlia­ment, and for his sake all the rest of their late Citizens in Parliament must be rejected, and men more firm to the Church (that is in truth more for the Dukes Interest) chosen; for all these Four (it seems) had Voted for the Bill of Exclusion.

Another Occasion of Clamouring in the Anti-Popish Citizens was, that some of them, hav­ing long observed the Great and Unnecessary Expence their Sheriffs are at in their Shrievalties; insomuch that no man can be capable of Holding that Office, except he have an overgrown Estate, and consequently the Magistrates must be chosen out of those few that are so rich, how­ever unqualified with Abilities befitting their Places, and others, better qualified, must be re­jected, because they are not so rich; considering also, that this year (in the Condition we stand with our Popish Enemies) is like to require men of best Parts and Knowledge in the Govern­ment of the City; and finding one Mr. Jenkins to be well qualified with Understanding, Cou­rage and Integrity (though not with a great Estate) they resolved to chuse him as a man fit for these difficult Times, and that would reduce the Charge to such a moderation as might make it supportable by one of an indifferent Estate, and to keep out a Man strongly addicted to the D. of Y's Party, whom they understand some aimed at; and therefore so many of the Com­mon Hall held up their Hands for Mr. Jenks, that it could not well be decided on whom the Choice fell without a Poll, but Mr. Lewis carried it. This was made such a Crime, as if all that Voted for Mr. Jenks, had presently a Design under his Conduct to raise a Rebellion, and turn the Government of the City and Nation upside down; and this is reflected on Sir T. P. because one of the Addresses to the Lord Mayor, was made the same Morning, and by many of the same Persons that were at Guild-hall, to chuse a Sheriff: as if indeed so many Citizens, many of them of good Estates, understanding Men, Lovers of Peace, should all of a suddain run mad, and in that Fit go to chuse one, that should infallibly lead them and their Families into Ruine; but this and nothing else could be the Design of this Choice, if you will believe our City-Yorkeists, and some others that they could impose upon. This I am told, is the first time in the Memory of Man, and perhaps ever since there were Sherriffs of London, that any man was endeavoured to be chosen into that Office for Love, and not for Envy and Ill-will.

In the Management of a Second Address, another Circumstance arose, which the Ad­versaries made Sport with. The Lord Mayor had answered the Citizens, that he would call a Lieutanancy on Thursday; and then if half a Dozen of them would come with Sir T. P. and offer their Reasons for their Proposal, they should be heard. This was interpre­ted a Promise in, Sir T. P. and his Not appearing when the Lieutenancy met, a breach of Promise; and a Declaration was made by the Lieutenancy, entred in their Books, and put in­to the Gazette accordingly, with divers other Reflections upon the Citizens that had appeared in that aforesaid Address.

Thus the poor Protestants that are afraid of Popery, and Arbitrary Power with it, were banded against; and now that the Lieutenancy was on the other side with them that usurped the Title of Church-men and Anti-Fanaticks, these men must be quite run down, nothing shall serve those mens Turns, but the Excluding them not only from Parliamentary Seats, but throwing them out of their other Offices, when tme should come for repeating Elections. And that they had found their Strength in the Election of Mr. Lewis Sheriff, they doubted not to carry every thing as they pleased. This ground gained, they press on by many Clubs and Meetings, where they make their Party as industriously as a newly Commissioned Captain la­bours to compleat such a number of Souldiers, as may enable them to pass Muster, and have right to Pay. Here they drink and talk themselves into a great Confidence of their [Page 3] Numbers: For the Designing Men, think that's the way to encrease them: for there are not a few, that love to be on the prevailing side, right or wrong. They fill the City with Boastings and Threats, their Party is so numerous now, they shall fulfill all their Pleasure; they triumph already, as having got a Victory; they brag, that all the Church-men are on their side, that the Day of Election shall discriminate between the Loyal Sons of the Church, and the Fanaticks; to that end they would have a Poll, so should see what Church-men durst be against them.

Then they offer Wagers upon the Choice, from one Guinny to an hundred against one or two or all the former Representers in Parliament. Here the Popish Party, the Plotters, the Jesuites are quite laid aside. It's no longer Papists and Protestants, but Fanaticks and Church-of-England-Men. The Popish plot of Seventy eight is asleep, or questioned. Ask one of these Sticklers, whether there was a Popish Plot against the Life of the King, the Protestant Religion and Government, he would answer minceingly, I do not make it an Article of my Creed. The King's Witnesses were exposed to all the Obloquy and Reproach imaginable.

By these Arts and Tricks, the moderate and hearty Church-men, as well as the Dissenters, were put upon Defence and Apology. They are charged as Revolters, Degenerate Sons of the Church, and of suspected Loyalty, so that these were amazed, they wondered at and bemoan­ed the Change that appeared in the Actings of some Citizens, Zealots indeed for our Church, but blown up by Popish Breath into a too vehement Flame, tending manifestly to the Destru­ction of themselves and others. Some of the more Judicious and Eminent Ministers of the Church of England, began to express their sad Resentments of these Transactions; and did what became them to stop the Popish Torrent. In the end, the Day of Election came, October the 7th. when there was a numerous and thronged H [...]ll; some without Doors, that durst not venture themselves in so great a Crowd, for all expected a Poll, and prepared themselves ac­cordingly. But all this great Noise and Roaring by these Boasters, proved the Groanings of the Mountains, which brought forth a Mouse.

It's generally reckon'd, there were in that Assembly of Livery-men, between Five and Six Thousand Men, and they were so unanimous in their Choice, that it's Judged by impartial and judicious Men, that he that had most Voices among these Yorkists (in opposition to the City's former Choice) had not above five hundred at most, and some say three hundred Voi­ces; upon which I crave your patience till I make some Remarques.

1. It's manifest that it was the Popish Interest and Agents, that made all this Bustle [...] and Clamour in the name of the Church of England: for really and in truth, the Church of Eng­land appeared against them, if ten to one in the whole can comprehend the Church of England: for the most favourable Account makes them but Hundreds for Thousands, or one for ten; and if you rekon half of these to have been Dissenters, there will still remain five to one of the true Church-men; if you reckon the Dissenters more than that number, you will make them too considerable; if less, then will the sober Church-men be so much the more considerable, and better bear the Denomination of the Church of England. And it cannot be imagined, that these few Church-men (whereof some are well minded) could make so hideous a Noise, and be so unmeasurably concerned in opposition to their Brethren, if they had not been agitated by Jesuitical Emissaries.

2. These Well-minded Men that were thus drawn in by these Plotters, should see how their unwary Zeal exposes them to be made a Property and Instrument for the worst of Purposes. They design only to divide us, to beget Hatred and Animosities between us, that in pursuit of one another, they may escape, till they can get an opportunity to destroy us all; which they will easily do, if they can keep Parliaments from making Fresh and necessary Provisions against them. If you were Papists, and in their Case, would you tread any other steps than those that these men walk in. You know they can take any Shapes, make any Pretence, use any Argument that will work. You know they have no other Argument to use at this time, but to pretend high for the Church of England, and against Forty one. So did these Members in the Pensionary Parliament, that were cast out thence for being Papists. Surely, Gentlemen, you have a high Opinion of your selves, to think that You are the only men concerned for the Church of England; but your Neighbours ten for one, know you are but abused Machins.

3. It appears how weak the Duke of Y's Interest is in this City; Ten to one is odds enough in a good Cause, and who will deny that to be a Good Cause, which is Defence of our Lives and Properties, the Concerns of us and our Posterities both for this World and the World to come, against most Superstitious Enemies, which of all Enemies are the most Cruel and Savage? But if the whole City could have met, and given their Voices in this Election▪ it may well be presumed there would have been forty for one for their old Patriots.

[Page 4]4. We may perceive that the Lieutenancy of the City was chosen, when the D. of Y. influ­enced the Court: for the most part of them appeared openly in his Cause; they made their Declaration in the Gazette on his behalf, and on purpose to slur the Old and New Elected Parliament-men; they used their Interest against them; but their Interest and the Dukes being one, could not make in reality a tenth part of the City, though in Noise and Outcries they made more than half. Oh unhappy City! whose Governours of the Militia are for the most part Servants to those that you most dreadfully fear.

5. We may hence take this Political Remarque, that we must not judge of the Temper of the People from loud Clamour. I conceive our States-man on both sides were mistaken, and thought the number of the Yorkists had been vastly greater, than upon Tryal it appeared. It was a great happiness to true Protestants, that there was the occasion of such a Decision; for otherwise the Mistake might have done the Papists as much Service, as if it had been really so.

Lastly, we find our Enemies Zeal and Diligence in their worst of Causes to be great, and it may provoke Protestants to Fervor and Activity in the best; otherwise we are like to be destroyed. I mean not that we should travel forbidden Paths, or go over Hedge and Ditch to come at our Journeys end; but in such Cases as this, the Choice of Citizens to serve in Parliament, and all other cases wherein we are justified by Law, neither Danger, nor Ease, nor Loss should prevail upon us to be luke-warm or negligent. The Plotters have for these thirteen or fourteen years, kept back the Dissenters from giving due Assistance and Encourage­ment to the true and seeing Country Royallists, by crying out Forty one against them. Now they practice to divide those Royal Lovers of their Country and Religion among themselves, by pretending Zeal for the Church of England, and Caution against Forty one. But if, when His Majesty and the Parliament have made long ago, an Act of Oblivion, and time and our enemies Plots and Practices have made the Royallists and Parliamenteers of one mind and Concern for Preservation of our King, our Religion, our Selves and Posterities; if we will not all joyn Hands in this work, as far as the Laws of God and our Countrey allow us, we shall deserve to perish, and be no more pittied, than dastardly Fools, that are afraid to defend our Religion and Lives, lest we be ill spoken of; a greater Folly than to die for fear of dying. Thus, Sir, having given you such an Account of this Notable Affair, as my Abilities and Haste would per­mit, I take Leave,