Eikåon vasilikåe tritåe, or, The picture of the late King James further drawn to the life in which is made manifest by several articles that the whole course of his life hath been a continued conspiracy against the Protestant religion, laws, and liberties of the three kingdoms : in a letter to himself : part the third / by Titus Oates ...

Article XXVIII.

YOUR Brother and you oppressed the Kingdom of Scotland in order to ruin the Protestant Interest there. Be pleased, Sir, to call to mind that when in the Year 1660 it pleased God to restore your Brother to the Throne in that Antient Kingdom, the news of it was grateful to that People, hoping his Re∣storation would prove a great Blessing and Comfort to them; and he had been so, if you and your wicked Party had let him taken such Measures as would have settled that Kingdom in Peace and Quietness. There are several Particulars re∣lating to that Kingdom worthy your Consideration; and supposing you may by Mrs. Abigail's leave have now some time of thinking, I pray remember,

1. Upon your Brother's Restoration, notwithstanding the Troubles and hard Usage the Scots had met with from your Father, (which cost him his Life at long-run) and from Monk who for several Years had acted the part of a Tyrant in his Government of that Kingdom, yet they took no advantage of these Mis∣carriages, but with all chearfulness put their Necks under your Brother's Yoke of Absolute Prerogative, of chusing all Officers of State, Counsellors and Judges, in making War and Peace, and calling and dissolving Parliaments and Conven∣tions of State. It is well known how they had been provoked to renounce your Father's Government, and put themselves under the Protection of some other Prince, and might have defeated your Brother's Pretensions to that Kingdom, since he renounced the Covenant he swore to maintain: But they forgot all this, and gladly received him their King, and for Peace sake parted with many Immu∣nities which that Kingdom antiently had, hoping thereby to have engaged him to be a Nursing Father to their Church, as then constituted according to the Exam∣ples of the Reformers, and (as they judged) to the Word of God.

2. You cannot but remember that this was not the only Demonstration of the great Loyalty of that People: For tho it is well known that a limited Power in the Prince, and the support of it by the Peoples Purse, was the just Ballance of the Government of that and all other Kingdoms; yet forgetting all Differences in your Father's Reign, they testified an affectionate Zeal to your Brother, in making the Revenue above double what your Father or he possessed; and had they given themselves up to an intire Vassalage, he could scarce have desired such a Bounty; nay he thought it such a piece of exuberant Liberality, that he was pleased to declare it was enough, and that he would have no more: Yet the Commissioners that held the Parliaments, (notwithstanding the King was sensi∣ble of the greatness of their Benevolence) have drawn forth several Taxes, (pretending the King's great Necessities) even beyond the Ability of that People.

3. They also complied with the desire of your Brother (by your procurement) to submit to the Bondage and Slavery of a villanous standing Army, which they called in an Act that raised it, An humble Tender to his Sacred Majesty, of the Duty and Loyalty of his antient Kingdom of Scotland: And as a Testimony of the same, they did offer to the King 20000 Foot, and 2000 Horse sufficiently armed,

with 40 days Provision, to be ready upon the King's call; and in the same Act they declared, that if the King should have farther Use and Occasion for their Service, the Kingdom would be ready every Man between Sixty and Sixteen, and hazard their Lives and Fortunes, if called for by his Majesty, for the Safety and Preservation of his Person, Authority, and Government. Sure one would think you had given them some State Philtre, to create in them such a slavish Loyalty and Love to your Brother's Person and Government.

4. Nay they went a step farther to please your Brother and your self, being resolved not to fall short in expressing their Loyalty and Affection to him: there∣fore do but observe them in another Act of Parliament, wherein they most du∣tifully and humbly recognize his Majesty's Prerogative Royal, and declar'd in the said Act, That the ordering and disposal of Trade with Foreign Nations, and the laying Restraints and Impositions upon Foreign Imported Commodities, did belong to his Majesty and his Successors, as an undoubted Privilege and Prerogative of the Crown, and that therefore they might do therein as they should judg fit for the good of the Kingdom.

5. These People certainly were bewitch'd with the thing called Loyalty, and made it appear to the World that they placed the Security of all their Interests more in their Confidence of the King's Goodness, than the firmest Provision of the best Laws: for tho in the Parliament held by your Father in Person, in 1641, many Acts were signed by him for settling their Religion, Properties, and Li∣berties, which the deepest Consideration and Maturity of Judgment imaginable, grounded upon long and well-weighed Experience, many and well-managed Treaties, and the Mediation of England, could afford and furnish; yet because the Glory of those Laws appeared to these Blockheads to be stain'd by the re∣membrance of some previous Contentions, wherein they thought themselves ve∣ry infortunate, by having your Father differ from them, to please your Bro∣ther, at one blow they repealed the whole Proceeding of that Parliament, and all the Laws then and there made for the Preservation of Religion as aforesaid.

6. Those whom God will destroy he delivers up to Madness first, and s he did these People, in evidencing an unparallel'd Submission to the King, and a Re∣signation of all that was near and dear to them into his Hands: for tho that Na∣tion since its first Reformation from Popery, did continually oppose Prelacy, yet after they had destroyed it, and enjoyed their Church under a Constitution and Ministry according to their Hearts desire, in compliance with your Brother, they parted with the Presbyterian Government, and reestablished Episcopacy, to the Amazement of most Men; so acceptable was he to the Scots Parliament at that Time. And for the carrying on your cursed Designs, you know how your Brother made James Sharp, Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Farwell, and another whose Name occurs not at present, to renounce their Presbyterian Ordination, who were made Dea∣cons and Priests, and then consecrated Bishops by the Bishop of Winchester, and two others of that Gang: and four Scots Prelates thus made, the King fixed the Government of that Church by Arch-bishops and Bishops, as in his Father's time in 1637, who had the same Authority derived to them as they had in your Grand∣father's Reign: so by Proclamation bearing date Sept. 6. 1661. the Presbyterian Government ceased to be to all Intents and Purposes; and the Council suspend∣ed the Meeting of the Presbyteries till they had received Power, not from Hea∣ven,

but from the Arch-bishops and Bishops, who were in a short Time to enter upon their Government. To compleat this Work, the Parliament in the 2d Session reinstated the Bishops in the exercise of their Functions, and restored them to all their Privileges, Dignities, Possessions, &c. Now one would think this Compliance of the Nation should have obliged your Brother and you to have treated them in some measure sutable to their Loyalty and slavish Resigna∣tion of themselves.

Your great Instrument in carrying on this blessed Work of inslaving the King∣dom of Scotland in these particulars, in order to your farther Designs, was the Earl of Middleton, the first High Commissioner after your Brother's return, who was most violent in pursuing this Change: but by his impetuous Violence in this mighty Work, (on which he much valued himself) he rendered himself obnox∣ious; and despising Lauderdale, who took hold of some of his Miscarriages, in a short Time he was unhorsed by him; and Lauderdale procured the Commission of Lord High Commissioner for the Earl of Rothes, by whom Middleton's Parli∣ament was dissolved; upon which Madam Van Harlot, their new Church, ap∣peared in its proper Colours, and being made Triumphant, 'tis well known what Pranks the Whore played, what Tumults her Guides excited, and what Trage∣dies her Reverend Clergy acted in your Brother's Reign. Nay, old Hodg was not so much as advised withal in the Case; and every thing was carried on with that Fury, that had not Sir Robert Murray come in to the Relief of the People, who were on the very brink of Destruction, they must have inevitably pe∣rished. But, Sir, I will not dwell here any longer, only tell you that Lauderdale was the third Lord High Commissioner of Scotland, by whom a lamentable Scene of Rogueries were acted, and by whom you made your blessed Steps to ruin that poor Nation.

1. Your first Step to ruin Scotland, was the making Middleton and Lauderdale so excessively great. In truth, to give the Beasts their due, as the Scotish Nation was not able to bear their Greatness, so neither they to bear their own. You re∣member that before Lauderdale was Commissioner, by reason of his being sole Secretary of State for that Nation, and Court-minister, he had the absolute Rule and disposing of the Affairs and Concerns of that Kingdom, which gave great Offence to the Scots, who in the particulars abovesaid had shewed themselves so abominably Loyal as to quit their Religion, Laws, and Liberties, to please your Brother and you. As for Middleton, he was invested with such Powers, that Lau∣derdale was jealous of his Greatness, who seeing him exercise his Power to the utmost, imagined there would be nothing for him to do, and therefore (as I said) justled Middleton out; by whose Greatness Scotland, by Consent of Parliament, delivered up all, as if Hallifax himself had issued forth Quo Warranto's against their Franchises, both as to Liberty and Religion: and you having had enough of Middleton's prostituting himself to your Brother's Will and yours, exit Middleton, and enter Lauderdale, a case-hardened Rogue, a Villain fit for the Devil's Ser∣vice to all Intents and Purposes; who the more easily to compleat your wicked Designs, you may remember did basely debar his Countrey-men from speaking with the King otherwise than he pleased, for fear they might tell Tales of his exorbitant Power, by which he disobliged them in the highest; and by reason of

his being mostly here at Court, the Scots Noblemen and Gentlemen were subju∣gated to a base and vile dependance upon his Creatures and Favourites, nay often-times upon his Servants, with whom it's well known they transacted for ob∣taining and dispatching Gifts, and Sign-manuals, and that it was by the said Lauderdale's Servants that Protections to Debtors were so villanously obtained.

Give me leave, Sir, to put you in mind how hurtful he was to the Nation as High Commissioner of that Kingdom; in order to which we may note, that the Office of High Commissioner is altogether extraordinary, and for a particular Occasion, viz. The holding of a Parliament in the King's Absence, therefore scarce known in Scotland till James I. came to the Crown; and when the Session of Parliament was upon its determination, that Office also determined with it. Now when you had made Middleton so great, he brought in that Innovation of adjourning Parliaments for a long time, that he might tamper with them to be∣tray the Religion, Laws, and Liberties of the People; whereby he most illegal∣ly continued his Commission in the Interval of Parliament, so that he might fit and prepare that poor People for Destruction. Truly he had gone a pretty way in it; and that he might finish his Work, and serve your Purposes upon that Kingdom, he did (as I said) lengthen the Adjournment of that Parliament for about two Years or so, a thing never before known in Scotland; for which, Sir, your old Bandog Lauderdale accused him as a Criminal to the King and you, with the reproachful Title of a Subverter of the Government: But however, the Matter was hush'd up, for Middleton having done your Business so well there, in time he was rewarded with the Government of Tangier. But when Lauderdale got into the same Station, he far outwent Middleton in continuing his Commis∣sion, for he spun it out for four Years and a half; for which there was no manner of Necessity, if you consider but the State of Affairs then in that Kingdom: Nay, it was so far from being necessary, that it was a notorious Grievance, for by it he not only hindred the Proceedings of the Parliament, but endeavoured to frustrate all its Meetings; which as it was a known Violation of the Antient Constitution of that Government, so the unnecessary Continuance, and Arbitra∣ry long Adjourments of the Parliament, contributed exceedingly to the increase of the Peoples Burdens and Distresses.

Truly, Sir, it is plain that the villanous Deportment of that Lauderdale was such, in the Trust your Brother and you reposed in him, which in time appear'd to be his best Security: And why so? The Reason, Sir, is plain; for what he had proudly plotted and contrived through his matchless Ambition, (being con∣scious to himself that he might be reckoned withal for his devilish Proceedings in that Station) he was under some necessity of maintaining by his Power, in a most tenacious way, that he might perfect the Ruin of that People, making good the old Proverb, Over Shoes over Boots, it would be all one at the Gallows at last: So that the Relief of that poor and abandon'd People, from the Disorders which you and your wicked Party had made in that Kingdom by those two Men, remained only with Almighty God, there being no Hopes from your Brother.

Therefore, Sir, after the Adjournment of a Parliament, which was held (if I am not misinformed) in 1674. and adjourned in December that Year, Duke Ha∣milton, the Earl of Tweddale, and some Gentlemen (being sensible of the notorious

Villanies of old Lauderdale, and to prevent his Lies from taking place with the King) repair to the Court in England, with the Approbation of those to whom they communicated their Intentions, being confident they should be delivered from the Oppressions occasioned by Middleton and Lauderdale; and hoping the King would receive their faithful Representation of the Affairs of that Nation, both as to Religion and Government. But Lauderdale, who was an Enemy of all Righteousness and Truth, omitted no Obstruction he could lay in the way: For, 1. by a Proclamation he procured that no Scots-man should go out of the Kingdom without Licence from the Council, that so the King might not have the Truth of Affairs laid before him, whereby to see the State and Con∣dition that poor People were in, in order to give them some Legal Redress. A∣gain, 2. it is well known he imployed a pitiful Rascal at Berwick, as a Spy to intercept all free Correspondence; who being impowred by him, did seize and search Sir William Carnegie a Member of Parliament, and detain'd him (a Lord of his Name you well remember) in his Passage thrô that Town to London. 3. Lauderdale having by means of this Rogue got some Packets intercepted, he like a base Villain transmitted them to our Court, not considering the Violati∣on done to the common Intercourse and good Understanding of the two Nations, nor regarding that Tenderness which honest Men have for the Honour of their Country, and obtained of the King for this Fellow for such Rogueries (instead of a Pillory or Gallows) the Reward of 50 l. Sterling to be paid out of the Ex∣chequer in Scotland, to the great Satisfaction of the King, your Self, and wicked Party. 4. By the same Means, and in the same Place, he endeavoured to af∣front Duke Hamilton and his Company in their Passage, by questioning their Re∣tinue, and refusing them a Night's lodging; which was not known to the Go∣vernour of that Town, he being absent: But at the return of these Noble Per∣sons, both Governour and People of the Place testified their Respects to them. 5. This Lauderdale incensed the King and you against a Gentleman Duke Hamil∣ton sent before him, as one that had been a Sequestrator in the Time of Oliver, (sometime Lord-Protector of these three Nations) and a Person disaffected to the Government: But notwithstanding all these Obstacles, and many other Dis∣couragements, the same Persons arrived at Court, and did with all Submission and Sincerity, and in all Faithfulness and Truth, acquit themselves, giving a full Account of the State of Affairs both as to the King's and Countrey's Interest. What was the Event of all this? Truly they were dismissed with fair Words, and had positive Promises that the Parliament in Scotland should meet and sit an the Day appointed, that Grievances should be redressed, and that the Commis∣sion Lauderdale held as Commissioner should be revoked. Upon which they ha∣sten home, (the Duke with extraordinary Difficulty, both in respect of the ri∣gour of the Season, and his weakness of Body) that they might attend the Par∣liament in their respective Places on the 3d of March, to which Time the Parlia∣ment was adjourned, which was the very next Day after their arrival. But, Sir, instead of a Session so much expected by the People, you and this wicked Wretch procured of your Brother another Adjournment, tho the Member•• waited four Months, and were all got together in hopes the King's Word would have been kept; and so the Parliament was put off till October the 14th following.

Upon this I pray remember the Carriages of this notorious State-Villain, by which you might see the Nature of the Beast, that you your self at last hated.

1st. Call to mind, that to please you and your Villanous Party, he did in the most insolent manner undervalue Parliaments, which he discovered by that ras∣cally Expression to the King against the Earl of Middleton, lessening what he had done, as if he had not been serviceable enough to Baal; Sir, if you had sent down a Dog with your Commission about his Neck to your Scots Parliament, he would have done all the Earl of Middleton had done; who one would have thought had been Villain enough for doing what he did in the Innovations he brought into Scotland, both in Church and State: But it seems, Sir, you found Lauderdale to be a Rogue of a deeper Die, and therefore Middleton was laid a∣side, and Covenant-Lauderdale made use of to carry on Designs more wicked than ever Middleton was acquainted withal.

2ly. Call to mind how he treated some of the Scots Members of Parlia∣ment with most unsufferable Insolence; for truly had he done as much by me, I should, upon Consideration of his other Vertues, have done his Country and my own that Service that two Parliaments by the Means of your Power could not do. But, Sir, to return to our Scots Parliament-men, he sent one to Pri∣son, whose Name was Mr. William Moor, because he desired (after the Order of the English Parliament) their Acts might be at least thrice read before they were voted, or somewhat to that purpose; and using the word We for I, said Lauder∣dale to him, What, are there any more in your Arse? Which base speaking pro∣voked most of the Members as very indecent and unmannerly, and not to be used to Gentlemen. I will say that for the Earl of Middleton, that he understood how to use a Gentleman, tho bad enough; but this Rascal, when in Power, under∣stood no body.

3ly. I suppose, Sir, you have not forgot his-slighting Duke Hamilton in the most contemptible manner, and most of the Antient Nobility of the greatest Interest and Value in that Kingdom, whom he did not so much as allow to be named among the Commissioners chosen for the Treaty of Union betwixt the two Kingdoms, tho many were named that ought not to have been, unless in a dead Warrant, which was his desert for many a fair Year, and you your self thought so at last.

4ly. After your Brother and you had made him thus great, you may remember how inconstant this Villain was to those with whom he professed the greatest Friendship; for in the time of his Greatness he acted according to his Humour and Advantage, not according to the Measures and Rules an honest Man should use in Conversation with Mankind, witness his dealing with the late Duke of Ormond, Earl of Shaftsbury, Earl of Rothes, Tweddale, Sir Robert Murray, and others, whom (as it served his Turn) he carest with all open Flattery, or re∣jected, when you had given him direction to slight and contemn them.

5ly. To serve the wicked Designs of you and your Conspirators, you may re∣member how he neglected the Interest of his Country, and gratified a parcel or beggarly Rascals that depended on him for Bread, by procuring them Gifts upon the Forfeitures of the Penal Statutes then in Force: As to Sir John Moncreif a Gift of the Fines upon those who were convicted for Nonconformity in the

Shires of Fife and Perth; and to one Scot of Ardress, and Major Bothwick, a Gift upon the Maltmen and Brewers; and to the said Bothwick another vexati∣ous Gift commonly called of Peck and Bole. These were known Rogues and Spies for him, and were great Persecutors of the People of God in those Parts: and to one Carmichel he gave large Sums to accuse Sir Patrick Hume falsly, since a Peer of that Kingdom; this Carmichel since that died of a languishing Disease in the Kings-Bench Prison, where he confessed to me upon his Death-bed his ma∣ny Villanies against the People of God in that Kingdom.

6ly. Give me leave to put you in mind of his horrid Prophaneness; witness his Compliment to that First-born of all Villany and Falsness the Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews, that was executed for his many Villanies, by a number of in∣jured Men that could not have Justice done otherwise; to whom Lauderdale was pleased to say, Come in my Lord, sit down here at my right Hand, and I will make all your Enemies your Footstool. This was so prophane, that those who heard the Villain utter these words, trembled, and were so filled with Horror, that one of them was sick almost to death. Nay, Sir, you your self was pleased to say, that Lauderdale had an odd way of prophaning the Scriptures, which was not to be endured by a chaste Ear.

7ly. You have heard his rascally, insipid, and malicious way of jes••ing, at and against his old Practices and Acquaintance, when the Villain was a Professor of Religion: One Day at his Table he said, He could pray and cant as well as any Nonconformist in the Christian World; and to entertain his Company in contempt of the Most High, he began a Complaint to God, and in derision would confess his Covenant-breaking, and other Sins; at which many of his Compa∣nions left him (tho perhaps otherwise lewd enough) for fear the House should fall upon them, and they perish with him for his abominable Wickedness. You may remember how he used his old Acquaintance that kept their Integrity in Religion, how he insulted over them when they appeared before him in Council, by a reproachful remembrance of former Practices in religious Duties; so that some of 'em have used the old Proverb concerning him, No Turk like to a Renegado.

This, Sir, was a fit Tool for you to use for introducing your base Designs of Slavery into that Kingdom, in order to establish Popery. Alas, Middleton was but an Ass to this Fellow, for he had some Grains of a Gentleman; but this Vil∣lain was the Compound of all Unrighteousness, and an Enemy of God and Man∣kind: This was the Man you advanced by Middleton, and by him and your sweet self Scotland was bravely bridled and sadled to your Heart's content. Thus I conclude the first step you took to the Ruin of that Antient (and your Father's native) Kingdom. Concerning these two Men it may be said, that Middleton served Baal a little, but Lauderdale served him much.

2. A second Step you took to ruin that Kingdom, and your Brother's Go∣vernment, was the filling the Courts of Judicature there (especially their Session, which is the Supream Court of Justice) with ignorant and insufficient Men. This, Sir, was the Method you pursued, not only in England, but in Ireland; and therefore I should have much wondered if Scotland had escaped that Grace and Favour of yours, which was generally speaking pretty impartial: For why should the Administration of Justice be in better Hands there than it was here?

You were resolved that the doing of Justice in the three 〈…〉〈…〉 be of a Piece, and therefore play'd your Game there (tho with more 〈…〉〈…〉 as you did here. To prove this, you procured your Brother's Letters •••• Lauderdale to constitute one Sir Andrew Ramsey one of the Lords of the Sessions who never was bred up to the Law, but to Merchandizing: Which extrava••••ant Proceeding be∣ing complained of in Parliament, as of dangerous Consequence, Ramsey parted with his Place, resigning it up to Lauderdale, and was said to have more Know∣ledg than the other three: And by reason of the Insufficiency of the Lords of the Session thereupon, Partiality so manifestly crept into that, as well as other Courts of Justice, that the Foundations of Law and Justice were much shaken, as was once ready to be proved in full Parliament in that Kingdom in the Time of Lauderdale's Ministry. Now, Sir, you may see it was not a Fault in a Man to serve the late Protector, if he would but join with Lauderdale and you to sub∣vert the Government of that Kingdom, and enslave the People, in order to esta∣blish Popery: For this Ramsey had been Provost of Edinburgh in the Protector's Time, and complied with him to the height of being knighted, and after that got to be reknighted, and reentred Provost, by the Favour of Earl Middleton, to whom he was a villanous Tool in assisting him to defraud the People of their Religion, Laws and Liberties, all at once: But upon Middleton's Disgrace, this Fellow strikes in with Lauderdale, who had a greater Sacrifice to offer to Baal than Middleton had yet offered, with whom and the Tradesmen of Edinburgh, by his long-practised Arts of Flattery and Bribery, he so mightily prevailed, that continuing Provost for ten Years, in that time he so domineered over the poor Citizens, and so enriched himself by their Rents and Moneys at his Pleasure, that by Lauderdale's Assistance and yours he cheated the King of near 20000 l. Sterling, and had an Opportunity of obtaining to be constituted one of the Lords of the Session: And tho he with the other three (who, as I said before, were more unskilful in the Law) made such Havock, that Lauderdale himself could not keep him in that Station, so many notorious Corruptions and illegal Proceedings be∣ing proved against him and them, yet there was not a Change made in that Court without some difficulty. And after all their signal Villanies they were let fall by your self and Lauderdale as Men that had overdone your Business.

3. Another Step taken to ruin the People of Scotland, was the Gift of a Part of your Brother's Revenue, called the King's Casualties (which is the Wards and Marriages) to another of your Creatures there, procured by Lauderdale thrô your Interest with the King, tho contrary to all the Laws of that Kingdom in that Case; which was not only prejudicial to the Government, but extreamly vexatious to the People: For these Casualties were an Arbitrary Revenue, and paid or not as the King pleased: Therefore the giving it to any one Man to make his most of it, was both against Law and Reason, and the Interest of the Subject. This Creature of yours was the Earl of Kincaerden, who, the more to oppress the People in this Point, was by the King's Letters by you procured, joined in Commission with Lauderdale in the Treasury, and also with the extraor∣dinary Lords of the Session, by which they went on without controul to grieve the People. Sir, It is apparent to those that understand the Constitution of that Kingdom, that this Gift of the Casualties was never known in Scotland till at∣tempted

〈…〉〈…〉 Ministry, who not being so bad as to join with you in such a piece of ••••••••••quency, it proved one Cause of his Disgrace.

4. You know it was your Rogues Design here in England to diminish and de∣base the Coin and Plate of the Kingdom, the direful Effects whereof we feel at this Day, and for which this Nation is bound to curse the Names and Memory of you and your wicked Adherents. Thus you proceeded in Scotland, (tho your Father's own dear Country) where you corrupted the Mint and Coinage: For by the King's Letters the Lord Hatton (Brother to Lauderdale) was constituted chief in that Office. I think they call the Master of the Mint General; but if I am mistaken in the Names, I may be in some measure excused. But as to the thing I am sure I am in the right, for the Corruption of the Mint and Coinage was so great, that the Scots People grew very uneasy, and made a fearful Com∣plaint in Parliament, proving in that August Assembly, that for several Years they had found to their sorrow the intrinsick Value of the Silver Coin sensibly diminished both in Weight and Fineness, to the great Damage of that King∣dom: Nay, the thing rested not here, but to vex the People, care was taken by Hatton to over-charge the Country with a sort of base Coin, without considering the Weight and Value of that sort of Money, to the manifest hindering of the Trade of that Kingdom; and it was an Artifice your Conspirators used for en∣slaving that People, to impoverish them, so that you might the more easily bring them under the Yoke of an Arbitrary Power.

But, Sir, that you might help on this Lord of the Mint in depraving the Sil∣ver Coin, you may remember the Dutch Dollars, commonly called Leg-Dollars, (usually imported by their Merchants, and currant with them at 58 d. per Piece) were cried down by your Bandog Lauderdale to 56 d. for no other rea∣son, but because he procured your Favour to obtain a Command from the King for so doing, that the said Dollars might be brought as Bullion into the Mint, for the Advantage of the Lord Hatton his Brother, and your Favorite. And not∣withstanding the great Complaint of the People, there was nothing done: But upon the Adjournment of the Parliament, a Sham-Trial was obtained, and the Lord Hatton indemnified, tho it was proved that none of the Money coined in his Time was either Weight or Standard.

5. A fifth Step you took to overturn the Government of that Kingdom, and defraud that People of their Religion, Laws and Liberties, was a certain Mon∣ster your Brother and you set up, a Body of Villains called the Lords of the Arti∣cles. The most valuable and considering Men of that Nation (some of whom I have had the Honour to be acquainted with) have judged this Body of Men to be nothing else but a virtual Subversion of the Power and Liberties of Parliament, and highly prejudicial to the King and Kingdom. I pray, Sir, observe,

1. That this meeting of the Articles, when reestablished by you and your Conspirators, consisted of 8 Bishops chosen by the Lords, and 8 Lords chosen by the Bishops, 8 Commissioners of the Shires, and 8 Burgesses chosen by the 8 Lords and 8 Bishops: to which the Commissioner added the Officers of State.

2. That those who contended for this Body of Men, have asserted, that not only all Business must be by the Lords of the Articles, and them only, registred in Parliament, but also that if in the Debates upon their Reports any new thing

should be started, the Parliament ought to take no notice of it further than to return the whole Matter to the meeting of the Articles, to be there entertained or suppressed at their pleasure.

3. It is manifest from all the Records of that Antient Kingdom, that the Ori∣ginal Constitution of this Meeting, or Body of Men, was at first by the free ap∣pointment of their Parliaments, who thought fit to name certain of their Num∣ber for framing such Overtures as were offered for the Publick Good, into Ar∣ticles, in order to be turned into Laws, according to the Antient Form: And therefore it being at first devised by the Parliament as a simple Expedient for Or∣der and Dispatch, it was not always used, but the Number was changeable, as also its Method, according as the Parliament saw Cause.

4. You could not be so ignorant but that at one time or other, when you was in that Kingdom, you must be informed that as this Body of Men was in effect the Committee of Parliament to prepare and bring in Laws, so that there was a∣nother of more antient Date, called the Committee of Complaints, or the Lords of the Grievances, which was of use in all times, and never laid aside till the second Session of the Parliament called in 1661, in the time of Middleton's Ministry.

5. The Act of Parliament of K. James your Grandfather, appointing four of every State to meet 20 days before the Parliament, to receive all Articles and Petitions, and deliver them to the Clerk of the Register to be presented to the Parliament for their Consideration, that things reasonable might be formally made and presented to the Lords of the Articles in Parliament-time, and frivo∣lous Matters rejected, doth no ways countenance that exorbitant Power these Lords of the Articles did assume to themselves; it being manifest by the Order therein set down of preparing Matters by a Meeting before-hand, and their sub∣sequent forming and presenting by the Parliament to these Article-men, that the Parliament's Power of first receiving, and then committing Matters to that Bo∣dy of Men, was not then so much as the Subject of the Question: But the only thing intended was the orderly setting down of things in Parliament, as is ap∣parent in the words of that Act of your Grandfather, That no Article or Petition wanting a special Title, or unscribed by him that presented the same, shall be read or answered in that Convention or Parliament following the same: Which was, Sir, a Provision so clearly preparatory to the Meeting and Business of the Lords of the Articles, that 'tis very strange your Brother should be so imposed upon by you and your Conspirators to prove this pretended Meeting had a Prerogative above that of the Parliament; and it has been affirmed by several Persons of that King∣dom, that understood the Scotish Parliament and Constitution, that this villanous Authority was never intended by the King or Parliament to be in the Lords of the Articles; nor had they the Impudence to pretend to it till they were counte∣nanced in that Pretension by you and your Conspirators.

6. You cannot but remember that Lauderdale had a great Influence on that Parliament that was called in 1663, when a particular Act passed for settling the Constitution, and chusing Lords of the Articles for the time to come; in which it was expresly provided that the Lords of the Articles are to proceed in the dis∣charge of their Trust in preparing of Laws, Acts and Proposals, and ordering all things remitted to them by the Parliament; which words remitted them im∣ported

no more nor less than that the Power of proposing was in the Body of the Parliament, and that the Lords of the Articles were to act upon the things referred to them by Parliament, as a Committee of Parliament.

7. And lastly, These Lords of the Articles were but the Parliament's Dele∣gates and Servants; and therefore how could they determine the Points the Par∣liament was to debate, or not, as they should see fit? Therefore, Sir, if you con∣sider but a little of this Matter, you will find that your Fellow-Conspirator, by attributing so much to these Lords of the Articles of Power and Prehemince o∣ver the Parliament, design'd in time to destroy the Use of Parliaments: For what was the Liberty, Authority and Dignity of a Parliament, if thus trampled on by these Miscreants, who were by this Insolency become a great Grievance to the Kingdom?

Truly, Sir, I cannot but think that this Conspirator Lauderdale by his many Villanies, had put himself under some Necessity of those Men, and was prompted by some cogent Reasons to promote that exuberant Power in them. For, 1. I suppose he could not but be filled with the Terror of the Guilt he contracted thrô his wicked Proceedings, and therefore might rationally suppose these Men (thrô the base Compliance of the wicked Bishops) would be a Refuge to him, as they always were to Rogues and Traitors in that Kingdom: And truly had he not improv'd the Use of these Tools, his Actions might have been set in or∣der before him, in order to his severe Punishment by a faithful Parliament. And, 2. he knew that some warm Men (as he called them) had an itching to have him by the Collar, and only forbore him because of your Brother's Respect and Kind∣ness for him: These Reasons were sufficient for him to keep up the Power of those Lords; for the Parliament was so kind, that when there was a vacancy in the Committee of the Articles, he had the nominating of one to succeed. 3. Be∣cause, contrary to the Custom of the Parliament there, he caused all such Mem∣bers as were not named Lords of the Articles, to be excluded the Meetings of the Lords of the Articles, which you know was to no other End, than that the Par∣liament being less prepared, might the more implicitly go along with their Con∣clusions. Thus you may see what a Grievance these Lords of the Articles were.

Sir, by this time you cannot but see what havock you made of the Laws and Liberties of Scotland, by those two great Villains Middleton and Lauderdale. I might have enlarged upon this Subject, but 'twould fill a Volume to give account of every little Passage of yours there in order to enslave that People, and esta∣blish Popery in that Kingdom.