The English states-man, the Protestant oracle being the Earl of Shaftesbury's famous speech.

THE English States-man THE PROTESTANT ORACLE, BEING THE Earl of SHAFTESBURY's Famous Speech.

Mortuus loquitur Vivâ Voce.

ALL good Protestants, and true Eng∣lish-men are greatly obliged to that noble and generous Soul [whose famous Speech you have here re∣printed] for those Laws of the Tests, of the Habeas Corpus Bill, of the Statute against Quartering of Souldiers, and for abolishing the Writ de Haeretico comburendo, for detect∣ing of the horrid and hellish Popish Plot in the late King's time, who with undaunted Courage exposed himself unto extreamest Hazards whilst he alarm'd the Parliaments and Kingdoms of the imminent Danger of Popery and Slavery from the Contrivances of the then and still detested Ministers of State, and Pensioners of France, in conjunction with Jesuited bloody Papists, and in his en∣deavours to preserve the Protestant Religion, and the English Government, whereby the Liberties and Properties of the Subjects are most happily provided for and secured; had it not been for this Great Man, the Papists had found a much easier Task to have ef∣fected their Devilish Design, and our Total Ruine; therefore those who adore the Eter∣nal Majesty of Heaven, and highly honour the glorious Instruments he uses for Resto∣ring our Religion and Laws, cannot read this Speech without reflecting with delight up∣on the Memory of this Wise and Great Peer and Patriot of this Kingdom, and her little Sisters: Of this Noble States-man, the Non-such of his Age, it may truly be said, No man deserved better, and no man was ever worse requited by many of his Country∣men; but they have, or will change their Opinions and Characters of him, if they con∣sider this amongst other the Monuments of his true worth, of his own erecting, which time nor malice can never ruinate, whose Epitaph may properly be, Virtutem incolumem odimus, sublatam ex oculis quaerimus invidi: For those who whilst he lived (whose mi∣stakes time has rectified) were his severe Enemies, now he is dead, with Reason and Justice, are and will live and die his grateful Admirers.

The Right Honourable the Earl of Shaftesbury's Speech in the House of Lords, March 25, 1679.

YOu are appointing of the consideration of the State of England to be taken up in a Committee of the whole House, some day next week. I do not know how well what I have to say may be received, for I never stu∣dy either to make my Court well, or to be popular; I always speak what I am com∣manded by the dictates of the Spirit within me.

There are some other Considerations that concern England so nearly, that without them you will come far short of Safety and Quiet at home: We have a little Sister, and she hath no Breasts, what shall we do for our Sister in the day when she shall be spoken for? If she be a Wall, we will build on her a Palace of Silver; if she be a Door, we will inclose her with boards of Cedar. We have several little Sisters without Breasts, the French Protestant Churches, the two Kingdoms of Ireland and Scotland; the Fo∣reign Protestants are a Wall, the onely Wall and Defence to England; upon it you may build Palaces of Silver, glorious Palaces. The Protection of the Protestants abroad, is the greatest Power and Security the Crown of England can attain to, and which can onely help us to give check to the growing greatness of France. Scotland and Ireland are two Doors

either to let in Good or Mischief upon us; they are much weakned by the Artifice of our cunning Enemies, and we ought to inclose them with boards of Cedar.

Popery and Slavery, like two Sisters, go hand in hand, sometimes one goes first, some∣times the other, in a-doors, but the other is always following close at hand.

In England, Popery was to have brought in Slavery; in Scotland, Slavery went before, and Popery was to follow.

I do not think your Lordships or the Par∣liament have Jurisdiction there. It is a Noble and Ancient Kingdom; they have an Illustri∣ous Nobility, a Gallant Gentry, a Learned Clergy, and an understanding worthy people; but yet we cannot think of England as we ought, without reflecting on the Condition therein. They are under the same Prince, and the Influence of the same Favourites and Councils: when they are hardly dealt with, can we that are the Richer expect better u∣sage? for 'tis certain, that in all Absolute Governments, the poorest Countreys are al∣ways most favourably dealt with.

When the Ancient Nobility and Gentry there, cannot enjoy their Royalties, their Shrevaldoms, and their Stewardies, which they and their Ancestors have possessed for several hundreds of years, but that now they are enioyned by the Lords of the Council to make Deputations of their Authorities to such as are their known Enemies;

Can we expect to enjoy our Magna Charta long under the same Persons and Admini∣stration of Affairs? If the Council-Table there can Imprison any Noble man or Gen∣tleman for several years, without bringing him to Tryal, or giving the least reason for what they do; can we expect the same men will preserve the Liberty of the Subject here?

I will acknowledge, I am not well vers'd in the particular Laws of Scotland; but this I do know, that all the Northern Countries have by their Laws an undoubted and invio∣lable Right to their Liberties and Proper∣ties; yet Scotland hath out-done all the Eastern and Southern Countries, in having their Lives, Liberties and Estates subjected to the Arbitrary Will and Pleasure of those that Govern. They have lately plundered and harrassed the richest and wealthiest Countries of that Kingdom, and brought down the barbarous High-landers to devour them; and all this almost without a colour∣able pretence to do it: Nor can there be found a reason of State for what they have done; but that those wicked Ministers de∣signed to procure a Rebellion at any rate, which, as they managed, was onely prevent∣ed by the miraculous Hand of God, or o∣therwise all the Papists in England would have been Armed, and the fairest opportunity gi∣ven in the just time, for the Execution of that Wicked and Bloody design the Papists had: and it is not possible for any man that duly considers it, to think other, but that those Ministers that acted that, were as guilty of the Plot, as any of the Lords that are in que∣stion for it.

My Lords, I am forced to speak this 〈◊〉〈◊〉 plainer, because, till the pressure be fully and clearly taken off from Scotland, 'tis not possi∣ble for me, or any thinking man to believe that good is meant us here.

We must still be upon our guard, appre∣hending, that the Principle is not changed at Court, and that those men that are still in Place and Authority, have that Influence up∣on the mind of our Excellent Prince, that he is not, nor cannot be that to us, that his own Nature and Goodness would incline him to.

I know your Lordships can order nothing in this; but there are those that hear me, can put a perfect Cure to it: until that be done, the Scottish Weed is like Death in the Pot, Mors in Olla. But there is something too, now I consider, that most immediately concerns us, their Act of Twenty two thousand men to be ready to invade us upon all occasions. This, I hear, that the Lords of the Council there have treated as they do all other Laws, and expounded it into a standing Army of Six thousand men. I am sure we have reason and right to beseech the King, that that Act may be better considered in the next Parlia∣ment there. I shall say no more for Scotland at this time, I am afraid your Lordships will think I have said too much, having no con∣cern there; but if a French Noble-man should come to dwell in my House and Family, I should think it concerned me to ask what he did in France; for if he were there a Felon, a Rogue, a Plunderer, I should desire him to live elsewhere; and I hope your Lordships will do the same thing for the Nation, if you find the same cause.

My Lords, give me leave to speak two or three words concerning our Sister, Ireland: thither, I hear, is sent Douglas's Regiment, to secure us against the French. Besides, I am credibly informed, that the Papists have their Arms restored, and the Protestants are not many of them yet recovered from being the suspected Party; the Sea-Towns, as well as the In-land, are full of Papists: that King∣dom cannot long continue in the English hands, if some better care be not taken of it. This is in your power, and there is nothing there, but is under your Laws; therefore I beg that this Kingdom at least may be taken into con∣sideration, together with the state of Eng∣land; for I am sure there can be no safety here, if these Doors be not shut up and made sure.