A modest apology for the suspended bishops with a brief vindication of the address which was signed in their favour by the Grand-Jury of the county of Gloucester, at the last Lent assizes / by a gentleman of the said Grand-Jury.

To the Right Worshipful WILLIAM DENNIS, Esq; The High Sheriff of the County of GLOUCESTER.

Honored Sir,

I Here present you with a brief Vindication of Truth and Charity, from the Insolent Spight of a restless Faction: For there are certain busie Gentlemen in this Country, that pass a rough Complement on me and others, who by your Pre∣cept attended their Majesty's Service at Gloucester. Nor are they content to traduce and bespatter us; but they seem to joyn you in our Conspiracy. Their com∣mon Language (and how are they tickled with the Mu∣sic of the Expression!) rans in the Cadence, that our Master High Sheriff's, Under Sheriff's Popish Jury signed a Petition against Law. Certainly they will

storm more violently against this new Attempt; nor will the ensuing Discourse, which contains a modest Apology for the distressed Bishops be grateful to them, who laboured so industriously to stifle our last Paper.

It would raise a strange Agony of Mind in any mo∣derate Person, to consider the sordid Malice of our Ad∣versaries, and the impudent Calumnies with which they have vented their Spleen against us. For they are be∣come such topping Proficients in the Devils School, that they can adapt a Story (be it never so immodest) to the various Circumstances of Time and Place. By the Industry of this black Art, they drew a dark Veil up∣on our Persons and our Designs, and gave us a Cha∣racter which they knew would disappoint the Success of of our Hopes. For the Clergy of Norfolk having in most submissive Terms made their Application to the Court, in Favor of their Bishop, it was the Fortune of our Address to be preferred by us at the same juncture; and no sooner were Copies of it convey'd to London, but certain Zealots took the sudden Alarm, and gave out (according to their usual and profane Practice of downright Lying) that the conforming Ministers of Gloucester-shire had signed a seditious Petition de∣rogatory to the Proceedings of his Majesty, and of the two Honorable Houses of Parliament; and that this

was performed by the joynt Combination of the Clergy of the two Diocesses. The absurd Story gained such Cre∣dit and Vogue in the Town, that many honest Gentlemen were so far impos'd on, as to be drawn into the Belief of it. And a Reverend and good prelate (who was a famous Sufferer in the last Reign) being sensibly af∣flicted with the Surprize, dispatch'd a serious Letter to our Diocesan, in which he expostulated with him on this Occasion: The Affair also was so foully misrepresented at Court, that our Friends there thought it an unreasona∣ble Attempt to promote either of the two Addresses; by which Means they both remain buried in a Suspension with the Bishops.

I think my self obliged, in Answer to the unjust Aspersion, to affirm, that no Clergy-man had the View of our Address before it was published at the Assizes, much less could it be an Address of theirs. And I must also assure you, that in framing the ensuing Discourse, I received no Instructions or Assistance from them, but my own Meditations, which I acknowledge (without a∣ny Mans Opinion in the Case) are attended with great Poverty of Thought, suggested to me the innocent De∣sign and Management of the Trifle, and by its mean Composure, you will quickly perceive that I am no Pla∣giary.

Thus submitting the Justice of our present Cause to our good God, with whom there is no Respect of Per∣sons, and at whose Tribunal all intriguing Lyars will be sentensed to a dreadful Flame, that will eternally scorch their profane Lips; I advise our Leasing-Makers to a timely Repentance, and bid them adieu, till they provoke us with new Indignities. I am,

Honored Sir,

Your Humble Servant, and Faithful Neighbour.