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The Introduction.
'TIs the great unhappiness of extraordinary surprizing evils, that they disarm us at once of Counsel and Self-defence, and render our Reasons, Tongues and Hands most unserviceable, when we have most need of their service. As little griefs are querulous, and talkative, shallow brooks loquacious, when great sorrows, like deep rivers, slide away without noise: Such is the posture of our souls in reference to dangers; if they be ordinary, we know perhaps what to advise upon, what to say, what to do; but if extream, we are no longer Masters of Wisdom, we lose the freedom of the Tongues to plead our Cause, and the use of our Hands to make a just and vigorous opposition against those evils.
I know not how, but so it is, our implacable enemies the Papists, have got the Gorgons Head, or the great secret of the Torpedo, that we seem all to be Petrified and turned into sensless Statues, whilst they cut our throats, and practice at their own leisure our final Ruine.
Had the Protestants of France burnt the smallest Village; had they murdered the meanest Peasant; had they attempted the least disturbance of the Civil or Ecclesiastical Government, they must not have expected due forms of Law, nor the picking out of the guilty Individuals, to be sacrificed to Justice; but Popish fury had let it self loose in some universal Massacre, to the utter extirpation of the name of Hugonots; for they that have once done the same thing without the least provocation, may be presum'd ready to do it upon a very slighty occasion: But they must thank the goodness of our Natures, or rather the excellency of our Laws, and Religion, that we have proceeded with them in other methods, and have chosen to oppose Law to violence; Patience to fury; Moderation and Mercy, to malice and cruelty, rather than to stain our Religion with the least blot of precipitated Revenge.
But were I worthy to be their Counsellor, I would mildly warn them not to pro∣voke English men any further, nor awaken their just indignation with repeated im∣portunities, who knows what an exasperated people may do? there's none can be guarranty against the Rage of a Nation blown up to a flame by the bellows of con∣tinued, and renewed, and growing Insolencies.
It had been happy for us and them too, if the unanimous Resolve of the Late House of Commons, had reduced the restless Papists to more moderation in their Villanies: I will remind them fairly of it.
May 11. 1679.
Resolved, Nemine contradicente, That this House will stand by His Majesty with their lives and fortunes; and that if it shall happen that His Majesty shall be taken away by any untimely death (which God forbid) this House will avenge the same to the utmost upon the Papists.
The wisdom, justice and reasonableness of which Vote, is founded visibly upon that Act of Parliament 27 Eliz. 1. whereby the people are authoriz'd to prosecute with the utmost extremities the bloody Papists, who with unwearied endeavours were contriving the Death of that Queen of famous and blessed memory, in hopes to bet∣ter their condition by the succession of one who gave proof to the loss of her Head of her addictedness to the Romish Heresie and Idolatry.
I meet with nothing in story that can parallel the obstinacy of our Romish Con∣spirators, except perhaps that of the desperate Soldier, who laid hold on the Ene∣mies Galley, and when his right hand was cut off, yet he seized it with the left; and when that was also topt off, he fastened his teeth to the Vessel, resolving tooth and nail to hold his hold, till his head taken off too, put a period at once to his life and bruitish Courage: The Justice of the Nation had already cut off their right hand, the Jesuites, or at least some of the fingers of the right hand; It has not spared their laity, the left hand in their bold and bloody Conspiracies, and yet they proceed at