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 Humble Address of the House of Commons presented to His Ma∣jesty upon Tuesday the 21. Day of December, 1680. In An∣swer to His Majesty's Gracious Speech to both Houses of Parliament, upon the 15th Day of the same December.

May it please Your most Excellent Majesty.

WE your Majesty's most Dutiful and Loyal Subjects, the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled, have taken into our serious Con∣sideration your Majesty's Gracious Speech to both your Houses of Parliament, on the 15th of this instant December; and do with all the grateful Sense of Faithful Subjects, and sincere Protestants, acknowledge your Maje∣sty's great Goodness to us, in renewing the Assurances you have been pleased to give us of your readiness to concur with us in any means for the Securi∣ty of the Protestant Religion, and your Gracious Invitation of us to make our Desires known to your Majesty.

But with grief of Heart we cannot but observe, that to these Princely Offers your Majesty has been advised (by what Secret Enemies to Your Majesty and your Peo∣ple, we know not) to annex a Reservation, which if insisted on, in the instance to which alone it is applicable, will render all your Majesty's other Gracious Inclina∣tions of no effect or advantage to us. Your Majesty is pleased thus to limit your pro∣mise of concurrence in the Remedies which shall be proposed, that they may consist with preserving the Succession of the Crown in its due and legal course of Descent. And we do humbly inform your Majesty, that no Interruption of that Descent has been endeavoured by us, except only the Descent upon the Per∣son of the Duke of York, who by the wicked Instruments of the Church of Rome, has been manifestly perverted to their Religion. And we do humbly re∣present to your Majesty, as the Issue of our most deliberate Thoughts, and Con∣sultations, that for the Papists to have their hopes continued, that a Prince of that Religion shall succeed in the Throne of these Kingdoms, is utterly incon∣sistent with the Safety of your Majesty's Person, the Preservation of the Pro∣testant Religion, and the Prosperity, Peace and Welfare of your Protestant Sub∣jects.

That your Majesty's Sacred Life is in continual danger, under the prospect of a Popish Successor, is evident, not only from the Principles of those devo∣ted to the Church of Rome, which allow that an Heretical Prince (and such they term all Protestant Princes) Excommunicated and deposed by the Pope, may be destroyed and murther'd; but also from the Testimonies given in the prosecution of the Horrid Popish Plot, against divers Traitors Attainted for designing to put those accursed Principles into practice against your Ma∣jesty.

From the expectation of this Succession, has the number of Papists in your Majesty's Dominions so much encreased within these few years, and so many been prevailed with to desert the true Protestant Religion, that they might be pre∣pared for the Favours of a Popish Prince, assoon as he should come to the pos∣session of the Crown: and while the same Expectation lasts, many more will be in the same danger of being perverted.

This it is that has hardned the Papists of this Kingdom, animated and confede∣derated by their Priests and Jesuits, to make a common Purse, provide Arms, make application to Foreign Princes and sollicite their Aid for imposing Pope∣ry upon us; And all this even during your Majesty's Reign, and while your Majesty's Government, and the Laws were our protection.

It is your Majesty's Glory and true Interest, to be the Head and Protector of all Protestants, as well abroad as at home: But if these Hopes remain, what Al∣liances can be made for the advantage of the Protestant Religion and Interest, which shall give confidence to your Majesty's Allies, to joyn so vigorously with your Majesty, as the State of that Interest in the World now requires, while they see this Protestant Kingdom in so much danger of a Popish Successor; by whom at the present, all their Councils and Actions may be eluded, as hither∣to they have been, and by whom, if he should succeed) they are sure to be de∣stroyed?

We have thus humbly laid before your Majesty, some of those great Dangers and Mischiefs which evidently accompany the expectation of a Popish Successor. The certain and unspeakable Evils which will come upon your Majesty's Protestant Subjects and their posterity, if such a Prince should inherit, are more also than we can well enumerate.

Our Religion, which is now so dangerously shaken, will then be totally over∣thrown; Nothing will be left, or can be found to protect or defend it.

The execution of old Laws must cease, and it will be vain to expect new ones. The most sacred Obligations of Contracts and Promises (if any should be given) that shall be judged to be against the interest of the Romish Religion, will be viola∣ted; as is undeniable, not only from Argument and Experience elsewhere, but from the sad experience this Nation once had on the like occasion.

In the Reign of such a Prince, the Pope will be acknowledged Supream (though the Subjects of this Kingdom have sworn the contrary) and all Causes, either as Spiritual, or in order to Spiritual Things, will be brought under his Jurisdiction.

The Lives, Liberties, and Estates of all such Protestants, as value their Souls and their Religion more than their secular Concernments, will be adjudged forfei∣ted.

To all this we might add: That it appears in the discovery of the Plot, that Forreign Princes, were invited to assist in securing the Crown to the Duke of York; with Arguments from his great Zeal to establish Popery, and to extirpate Protestants (whom they call Hereticks) out of his Dominions; and such will ex∣pect performance accordingly.

We further humbly beseech Your Majesty, in Your great Wisdom to consider, Whether in case the Imperial Crown of this Protestant Kingdom, should descend to the Duke of York; the opposition which may possibly be made to his possessing it, may not only endanger the farther descent in the Royal Line, but even Mo∣narchy it self.

For these Reasons, we are most humble Petitioners to your most Sacred Maje∣sty, That in tender commiseration of your poor Protestant people, Your Majesty will be gratiously pleased to depart from the Reservation in Your said Speech; and when a Bill shall be tendred to your Majesty, in a Parliamentary way, to disable the Duke of York from inheriting the Crown, Your Majesty will give your Royal Assent thereto; and as necessary to fortify and defend the same, that your Majesty will likewise be gratiously pleased to Assent to an Act whereby your Majesty's Pro∣testant Subjects may be enabled to Associate themselves for the defence of your Majesty's Person, the Protestant Religion, and the Security of your Kingdoms.

These Requests we are constrained Humbly to make to your Majesty as of ab∣solute Necessity, for the safe and peaceable Enjoyment of our Religion.

Without these things the Alliances of England will not be valuable, nor the Peo∣ple encouraged to contribute to your Majesties Service.

As some farther means for the Preservation both of our Religion and Propriety; We are Humble Suiters to your Majesty, that from henceforth such Persons onely may be Judges within the Kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales, as are Men of Ability, Integrity, and known Affection to the Protestant Religion. And that they may hold both their Offices and Sallaries, Quam diu se bene gesserint. That (several Deputy-Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace, fitly qualified for those Imployments, having been of late displaced, and others put in their room, who are Men of Arbitrary Principles, and Countenancers of Papists and Popery) such on∣ly may bear the Office of a Lord-Lieutenant as are Persons of integrity and known Affection to the Protestant Religion. That Deputy-Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace may be also so qualified, and may be moreover Men of Ability, of E∣states and interest in their Countrey.

That none may be Imployed as Military Officers, or Officers in your Maje∣sties Fleet, but Men of known Experience, Courage and Affection to the Pro∣testant Religion.

These our Humble Requests being obtained, we shall on our part be ready to Assist your Majesty for the Preservation of Tangier, and for putting your Majesties Fleet into such a Condition as it may preserve your Majesties Soveraignty of the Seas, and be for the Defence of the Nation.

If your Majesty hath or shall make any necessary Allyances for defence of the Protestant Religion, and Interest and Security of this Kingdom, this House will be ready to Assist and stand by your Majesty in the support of the same.

After this our humble Answer to your Majesties Gracious Speech, we Hope no evil Instruments whatsoever shall be able to lessen your Majesties Esteem of that Fidelity and Affection we bear to your Majesties Service; but that your Majesty will always retain in your Royal Breast, that Favourable Opinion of us your Loy∣al Commons, that those other Good Bills which we have now under Consideration, Conducing to the Great Ends we have before mentioned; as also all Laws for the Benefit and Comfort of your People, which shall from time to time be tendred for your Majesties Royal Assent, shall find acceptance with your Majesty.