State tracts, being a farther collection of several choice treaties relating to the government from the year 1660 to 1689 : now published in a body, to shew the necessity, and clear the legality of the late revolution, and our present happy settlement, under the auspicious reign of their majesties, King William and Queen Mary.

The Address to his Majesty from the Commons, Saturday, November 13. 1680.

May it please your most Excellent Majesty,

WE, Your Majesty's most Loyal and Obedient Subjects, the Commons in this Present Parliament assembled, having taken into our most serious Consideration Your Majesty's Gracious Message brought unto us the ninth day of this instant November, by Mr. Secretary Jenkins, do with all thankfulness ac∣knowledge Your Majesty's Care and Goodness in inviting us to expedite such Matters as are depending before us relating to Popery and the Plot. And we do, in all Humility, represent to Your Majesty, that we are fully convinced that it is highly incumbent upon us, in discharge both of our Duty to. Your Majesty, and of that great Trust reposed in us, by those whom we represent, to endea∣vour, by the most speedy and effectual ways, the Suppression of Popery within this Your Kingdom, and the bringing to publick Justice all such as shall be found Guilty of the Horrid and Damnable Popish Plot. And though the Time of our Sitting (abating what must necessarily be spent in the choosing and presenting a Speaker, appointing Grand Committees, and in taking the Oaths and Tests enjoyned by Act of Parliament) hath not much exceeded a Fortnight; yet we have in this Time not only made a considerable Progress in some things which to us seem, and (when presented to Your Majesty in a Parliamentary way) will, we trust, appear to Your Majesty, to be absolutely necessary for the Safety of Your Majesties Person, the effectual Suppression of Popery, and the Security of the Religion, Lives, and Estates of Your Majesties Protestant Subjects. But even in relation to the Tryals of the Five Lords impeached in Parliament for the Execrable Popish Plot, we have so far proceeded, as we doubt not but in a short time we shall be ready for the same. But we cannot (without being unfaithful to Your Majesty, and to our Country, by whom we are entrusted) omit, upon this occasion, humbly to inform Your Majesty, that our Difficulties, even as to these Tryals, are much encreased by the evil and destructive Councels of those Persons who advised Your Majesty, first, to the Proro∣gation, and then, to the Dissolution of the last Parliament; at a time when the Commons had taken great pains about, and were prepared for those Tryals. And by the like pernicious Councels of those who advised the many and long Prorogations of the present Parliament, before the same was permitted to sit; where∣by

some of the Evidence which was prepared in the last Parliament may possibly (during so long an Interval) be forgotten or lost, and some Persons, who might probably have come in as Witnesses, are either dead, have been taken off, or may have been discouraged from giving their Evidence. But of one mischievous Conse∣quence of those dangerous and unhappy Councels we are certainly and sadly sensi∣ble, namely, That the Testimony of a material Witness against every of those Five Lords (and who could probably have discovered and brought in much other Evi∣dence about the Plot in general, and those Lords in particular) cannot now be gi∣ven vivâ voce. Forasmuch as that Witness is unfortunately dead between the Calling and the Sitting of this Parliament: To prevent the like, or greater Inconveniences for the future, We make it our most humble Request to Your Excellent Majesty, that as You tender the Safety of Your Royal Person, the Security of Your Loyal Subjects, and the Preservation of the True Protestant Religion, You will not suffer your Self to be prevailed upon by the like Councels to do any thing which may occasion in consequence (though we are assured never with Your Majesties Intention) either the deferring of a full and perfect Discovery and Examination of this most wicked and detestable Plot, or the preventing the Conspirators therein from being brought to speedy and exemplary Justice and Punishment. And we humbly beseech your Ma∣jesty to rest assured (notwithstanding any Suggestions which may be made by per∣sons, who, for their own wicked purposes, contrive to create a distrust in your Ma∣jesty of Your People,) That nothing is more in the Desires, and shall be more the Endeavours of us, Your faithful and loyal Commons, than the promoting and ad∣vancing of your Majesties true Happiness and Greatness.