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A DIALOGUE BETWEEN••r Roger and Mr. Rob. Ferg In NEWGATE, Relating to the PLOT.

••r Rog.

THe worthy Mr. Ferg

〈◊〉. Ferg.

The Reverend Sir Roger.

Sir Rog.

Oh Sir, this is a ſmile of Fortune indeed, when in this••lancholly Region of Abdication, I am permitted, thanks to a••d Goaler, the converſation of the celebrated Mr. Ferg ,••oſe Perſon though I never had the Honour to be acquainted••th, yet his Name and Merits have been my particular Familia­•••y.

〈◊〉Ferg.

Yes Sir, I underſtand my Name and Merits have beenur particular Intimacy; you have been both their Herauld and••ſtorian, and have Blazon'd them in Capital BLACKS in manyir Obſervator.

Sir Rog.

Really Sir, you do me a great deal of Right; I have••ver been ſparing of Black and White: The flouriſhes of myill have been profuſely generous. I never ſaw any ſhiningature, or Moſaick face, from Great Nou's Noſe, to Little Titus〈◊〉Chin, but I have play'd the kind Lely. A beautiful Pen ſhouldver want Drapery, where my Penſil could furniſh it.

Ferg.

'Tis worthily ſaid of you. You ſpeak like a plainaler.

2Sir Roger.

But, Mr. Ferguſon, I have had a long deſire of kiſſing your Hand by the way of Congratulation, and welcomto our ſide. From a Saul to a Paul, a Perſecutor to a Devote as there's joy even in Heaven at a ſinners converſion, give mleave to expreſs no common Tranſport, in gaining ſo conſiderable a Patron to our glorious though at preſent, drooping Cauſe

Ferg.

Ay, Sir Roger, I am a ſort of a Come-over, to that drooping Cauſe, as you call it, Ecce ſignum, theſe Bonds.

Sir Roger,

Ay, that's our common misfortune. But, Mr. Ferg I hope the great Truths that I have ſo long Preacht, publiſhed and recorded, amongſt the many Eyes they have opened, have haſome illumination upon Mr. Ferg ; for I ſhould be proud of being any ways inſtrumental to ſo eminent Converſion.

Ferg.

Nay, Sir Roger, not to boaſt any great operation upon me for I am a meer Volunteer, and my whole Illumination is purely my own, nevertheleſs I muſt give thee this immortal Applauſe That the Proteſtant Zealots that have had any hand in this Ploor been well-wiſhers towards it, are moſt, if not all, thy Diciples; and all that die in it, are no better than thy Martyrs.

Sir Roger,

Good Heaven forbid! My Martyrs! What, draw innocent Blood upon my head: Lord have mercy on me. I hopyou are not in earneſt.

Ferg.

Nay, 'Tis too true for a Jeſt. I ſay nothing but what can prove.

Sir Rog.

How prove Sir! I hope you do not ſet up for an Evidence.

Ferg.

No, Sir Roger, as I am a bonny Scot, I am more a Gentleman than to make a Peather; not but my natural, perſonal tenderneſs would go far, to tempt my mortal Frailty that way: How ever there's no danger of me in that caſe, for had I an inclination towards it, I am afraid the World wants faith, and a Ferg Oracles would find but few Believers: And therefore pray SiRoger, diſpell that bodily fear: All I have to ſay is only Intenes.

3Sir Roger.

Nay, then you have diſpell'd my fear, and therere pray go on with this bloody Charge againſt me, for I dare and any Arraignment, where there's neither the face of Judge or Jury, Mr. Ferg .

Ferg.

Say you ſo? Then pray tell me what are all our Jacobiteools, but Pupils and Proſelites to thoſe two Pillars of thy Church,re Divino and Paſſive Obedience.

Sir Roger.

And what have you to object againſt thoſe twoillars?

Ferg.

Nay, no great matter tbut only that a very weak Samp­••n may totter them: For, in ſhort, what is thy Divine Right••om above, and our Non-Reſiſtances below, and all thy Long -inded Arguments upon that Subject, any more that ſo many••gh flown Enthuſiaſms, to help up the Golden Image of an Arbi­••ary Nebuchadnezar, whilſt that Fidle of thine, thy Obſerva­••rs have been the Pſaltreys, and Sackbuts to tune us to fall down••d worſhip. A King, at this rate, by thy Aſſertion, provided his••rect Succeſſion, be unqueſtionable, in nothing elſe, thoughver ſo indirect, can be queſtionable: For he may Be what he••ſe, and Do what he pleaſes Set up what he pleaſe, and pullown what he pleaſe, ſwear what we and our Laws pleaſe, and••form what he and his no Law pleaſe; Run away from his Peo­••e when he pleaſes, and Return when and how he pleaſe: In fine,••at a Right Line ſanctifies all Wrong, That the True Blood in〈◊〉Veins, Enlitles him to the whole Blood in our Veins: And••at if he pleaſe to take it, we muſt pleaſe to give it him, unleſs••r Tears or Prayers can ſhield off the Blow; for Sir Rodger is leaſ'd to allow no other Edge-Tool, or Armour, Offenſive orefenſive; for our Protection.

Sir Rog.

Lord Sir, I am all amazement: Can you talk at this••ild rate, and be one of us?

erg,

One of You! Ay, never the worſe for talking, old Boy. is a Sign I am the more ingenious Freind to your Cauſe, when〈◊〉liſt under your Banner, ex mero motu, frankly and generouſly:4 Not blindly drawn into a party by Cob-web Arugments, thGin to catch Wood-cocks; Men of Senſe are above it.

Sir Rog.

But ſure you don't think that the Right of our GreaMaſter, his Divine Right of Royal Inheritance in his Claim to Crowns a Triffle to be thus jeſted with?

Ferg.

Jeſt Sir! All Jeſt. There neither is, nor ever was anſuch Divine Right in the World.

Sir Rog.

How! No Divine Right.

Ferg.

Right is ſo far from any Claim Divine, that twas alwaythe Creation of Power, and Sanction of the Community. IfLineal Chain of Succeſſion be all thy Foundation; Prithee, iwhat part of the World wilt thou find i? How many timeſince the Conqueſt in 27 Reigns, has that Succeſſion been broken, (and if once broken, 'tis never truly rejoined again:) Foinſtance, between the Houſes of York and Lancaſhire, theſe quodam hot, and ſometimes bloody Diſputants of Soveraignity, how have Kings been depoſed? What Changes made? and yet thpreſent Allegiance never queſtion'd nor diſputed. What Divine Right had Harry the 7th, when the World will tell you his beſTitle, lay in his Queen, and yet we never read that his People either murmured, or quarrell'd his Recognition to the Throne by Act of Parliament, out of any Grievance, that the Duke oRichmond was their Crowned-head, and their Crown'd heirebut a Subject: Nor, as I ever heard, did his Son Harry the 8th, his Succeſſor, upon the death of his Mother, claim poſſeſſion before his Father's deceaſe, by any Pretenſion of better Royal Blood in his own, than his Father had in his Veins.

Sir Roger,

But certainly the Divine Right of Monarchs

Ferg.

Is a meer ſophiſtry, The Juggle of Prieſt-craft, and pre­enſion of Superſtition. So far from any thing of Divine in the caſe, that God Almighty himſelf Abdicated (or very little bet­ter) the very firſt King even of his own making; laid Miſ­government to his charge, and Anointed his Succeſſor even be­fore his death, and that too in the perſon of his darling David,5 the Man after his own heart; ſo far from a Son, or Right Heir of〈◊〉that he was no Kin to the family; ſo little was Royal Suc­•••ſion the Care of Heaven, or ought to be the Quarrel of••n.

Sir Roger,

Truly, Mr. Ferg , you talk ſtrange bug words,〈◊〉what ever your own private Opinion is, I hope you do not••ach thoſe Tenents amongſt your Jacobite freinds.

Ferg.

Quite contrary, Sir Roger, for where popelus vult ducipi••piatur. The Wiſe know better. Shal we be worſe than the Race of〈◊〉, uncover our own nakedneſs? No, Sir Roger, not all Evan­•••a veritias, but ſome pia fraus. There's ſtratagem to be uſed inhurch Militant, as well as a Camp Militant, not all downright••ngth of Reaſon in one, nor length of Sword in the other:〈◊〉Example, pray who were greater Aſſertors of that jus Divi­••Doctrine, than our two laſt dying Freinds, and as they had••d ſo ſtrenuous in it, did not the wiſe managers of their death,••ſe ſweetneſs of Mortality; the 3. Tyburn Abſolvers, very prud­••ly take care that they ſhould dye in it ſtrenuouſly too. Ay, Roger, we muſt now be thoſe falſe Traitors to our Cauſe, as bew ray our own Neſt.

Sir Rog.

Verily, Mr. Ferg , you diſcourſe the Politicksur Cauſe extreamly well. But to ſatisfie one Curioſity, pray••me quit this ſubject, and without offence be ſo bold as to askone ſingle Queſtion.

Ferg.

A double one, and welcome, Sir.

Sir Rog.

Conſidering then the Character the World gives of〈◊〉, your Fluctuating Principles, and uneaſineſs in all Govern­•••ts, how comes it that thoſe worthy Gentlemen, concerned in〈◊〉glorious, tho dangerous Enterprize, durſt lodge ſo great & im­••ant a Truſt with ſuch volatile Mercury, as Mr. Ferg 's?

Ferg.

My Character, ſay you! Why? 'tis the only thing that••mmended me to their Confidence. For pray, to compare〈◊〉between us; you are Zealots and Partiſans in a Conſpiracy•••ſooth) out of a principle of Right and Juſtice. But I am6 animated by a Sprightlier Fire; am for Mutiny and Miſchi••right or wrong. You act by dictates of Conſcience and Honoubut I have been ſlighted and diſobliged by the preſent Gove••ment, and my Motives againſt it are Spight and Revenge: A Revenge never weighs nor diſputes, when on the contrary, Hnour may be tender and ſcrupulous: Beſides, yours is but tLove, but mine the Luſt of Rebellion: and Love may ſometimcool, when Luſt always burns.

Sir Rog,

In troth, Mr. Ferg , this Argument ſavours a lit••too much of the Libertine. But you are a glorious Don John aI am ſatisfied the worthy Gentlemen could not have made a noler Choice, than ſuch a Friend and Champion, as Mr. Ferg .

Ferg.

Nay Sir, ſince you touch me in that ſenſible part, I mtell you farther, That I am always the Almanzor of a Conſpircy, Almanzor-like, I know neither one ſide nor to'ther, any loger than I am puſhing in it: But then like an Almanzor too,〈◊〉Man puſhes ſo heartily and ſo home as I do. And for diſtinctons of which King, or what King, in ſhort, I run amuck at〈◊〉Kings; and indeed at all Religions too: For, between Frienmy King, my Country, my Religion, my Heaven, are all c••tured in my ſelf

Sir Rog.

Really Mr. Ferg , you here give me ſo extraodinary, and withal ſo ingenious a Declaration, that I muſt aknowledge you a perſon truly worthy Admiration, though not atogether Imitation. For though you are an abſolute Original, athat no mean one, Yet, I confeſs, 'tis ſuch a one as I durſt nCopy. My tenderer Morals are a little more nice and ſqweamiſhowe'er to give you your due renown; I heartily wiſh that a••the Hands and Hearts, engaged in this Pious and honeſt Confedracy, had been all of your Nerve and Mould. For then, we mighhave hoped to have had an anſwerable ſucceſs to the greatneſs〈◊〉the undertaking, and Reſolution of the Undertakers, and not〈◊〉have had it thus poorly miſcarry, by ſo many Sieves and Spungthe Leaky falſe Brothers, whoſe Cowardly Revolts and Apoſtcy7as ſo weakly and baſely betrayed, it to our whole Cauſes ut­•••Confuſion and Ruine. For truly, Sir, though I myſelf can­•••come up to your Heights, however I muſt do you this Right,wn you one of the moſt qualified Inſtruments, to embark in〈◊〉ſuch Religious and Righteous bold Cauſe. For indeed, 'tis••y my Maxim, That provided the Dagger be but conſecrated, no••r whether the hand be or no.

Ferg.

There you ſay Right, Sir Roger; For we have holy Writ••ur ſide in that point. For we do not read that Tyrus the Great,〈◊〉Heathen and Infidel, is called the Servant of God. viz. 〈◊〉the great ends for which God had raiſed him. And with the〈◊〉parity of Reaſon, our Grand Patron Lewis, is the moſt•••••tian Servant of Jeſus, though the moſt Faithful Sworn Bro­of Mahomet.

〈◊〉Rog.

Nay, Mr. Ferg , now you talk of ſuch Great〈◊〉in their Age, as a Cyrus and a Lewis. From their great Ex­•••es, I think it but highly reaſonable, and every ways honour­••••that every Man that has the leaſt glowing ſpark of Ambiti­••this〈◊〉Veins, ſhould, and ought to ſignalize himſelf, by doinghing that may make him Great and Famous in his Genera­••••

••rg.

Famous in his Generation! Is that all? Ay, Famous to••rity. That was always my Principle: To be a Constantine,〈◊〉Eroſtratus, to Found Churches, or to Deſtroy Churches;〈◊〉States, or ſubvert them; to do ſomething Great either one〈◊〉or t'other; (no matter which:) to attempt any thing,••rink at nothing, that may leave an Immortal Name behind〈◊〉

〈◊〉Rog.

Nay, Mr. Ferg , there we differ. An Eroſtratus••tle too much. I declare I was never that hardy Boutefeu••er. 'Tis true, now you talk of that Famous Incendiary, I••ſs, That fanning the Coals, or lighting the Train, to Fire••w up a Conventicle has been my particular Maſter-piece and〈◊〉. I was ever a profeſt Nero at ſuch a Conflagration, and8 Sung to my Fidle, as heartily, as that Illuſtrious Roman to〈◊〉Harp, at ſuch a Bonefire. But as to the Church of England, I〈◊〉ever ſo wholly in her Intereſts (as our dear departed has it) 〈◊〉very tender there, till her protection and preſervation was〈◊〉ſo near and dear to me, that I avow my ſelf her profeſt KniErrant, her Dimock, her Champion &c. And now to tell〈◊〉the very top of my Ambition, and height of all my hopes, and〈◊〉deed the only great thing that I deſigned ſhould immortalize〈◊〉Name, was one glorious Projection that I had formed for Church of England's ſervice. Oh! 'twas the only grand Emy fifty years Bellows had been blowing for. My whole GBirth, my Minerva, my

Ferg.

And pray, What was this glorious Projection?

Sir Rog.

You may remember, how, at the firſt Proteſtant Wand Dawn of Popery, in my Obſervators, I projected an Accmodation

Ferg.

Between both Churches.

Sir Rog.

Right Sir, an amicable Reconciliation between〈◊〉old Roman Mother, and the Young Engliſh Virgine Church:〈◊〉mark you me Sir, to carry on this great work, having at〈◊〉time a wonderful Influence over the Clergy.

Ferg.

Influence! Ay, Sir Roger, thou wert whole and ſole〈◊〉of their Aſcendant: An Abſolute Pontifex Maximus amongſt〈◊〉He the Servus Servorum, and thou the Guide of Guides. But go on.

Sir Roger.

Then, what with that Aſcendance, and my own〈◊〉of Eloquence, I had projected, as I told you, ſuch an Accomdation, ſuch an Eternal Foundation of Peace, ſuch Pillars〈◊〉Irenicum, that had not the obſtinacy of the Times obſtruct••glorious a Pile, I had built a Tower that ſhould have reachtven, without the danger of one Tongue of Confuſion: Brothe Lamb and Lion to couch together, ſo lovingly and harly, that inſtead of a Maudlin at one end of the Town, and a CChurch at another, we had ſaved all that trouble; ſo huſht, ſo〈◊〉9〈◊〉ſo compoſed all Jars, till even from a Pauls to a Pancraſs, fromigheſt to the loweſt, one Roof ſhould have hold Both, as••ftly reconciled, as a Dancing School and a Meeting-houſe:〈◊〉with all that ſiſterly Love, even to the quietneſs and inno­of a Switzerland Congregation: not one Church amongſt〈◊〉ſhould have had Maſs in the Morning, and Common Pray­the Afternoon.

••rg.

Nay, this Deſign was great indeed.

〈◊〉Roger.

Great! Ay, What could be greater, eſpecially on〈◊〉Church of England's ſide? For what could have aggrandiz­Church of England more, than her generous Hoſpitality,dopting, Naturalizing and Incorporating ſo conſiderable an••tion to her Strength, Wealth and Fortunes. Whileſt like Empire, but two Czars, our Church by this Hand-in-hand〈◊〉, had arrived to the height even of an Abſolute Muſcovite•••arochy.

••rg.

Upon my Veracity, Sir Roger, I never heard of a Demore Heroick.

〈◊〉Rog.

Ay, Mr. Ferg, had my Good Fortune been but anſwer­to my Good Parts, without Vanity let me tell you, I, andoliticks, had ſet up my Royal Pupil James, (pardon myneſs) a ſecond Great Alexander, and my ſelf the Great A.

••rg.

Ay, no doubt Sir Roger.

〈◊〉Rog.

Nay, to credit my Good Parts, I always acted upon••od Principle, I was ever for ſteering by the Chart of a Good••••cience, and though I have ſtood up ſo high for Royal Pre­••ive, So I always abhorred Invaſion of Rights and Property ashole practice of my Life, even in my own moſt diminitive•••erns and Converſe with Mankind, ſufficiently teſtifie.

••rg.

So very tender Conſcienced ſay you, in all your Concerns! 〈◊〉there you muſt pardon me. For I have heard a kind of an••ry amongſt ſome Authors and Book-ſellers.

〈◊〉Rog.

That would pick a hole in my Scutchion. Alas! poor10 ſnarlers, I know their Malice. Look you, Mr. Fer , in〈◊〉Reign of Imprimatur, when I was Soveraign Comptroller of t••Preſs, I have made bold ſometimes, with a little innocent Pyraborrowed an Earing or two from the Egyptian Vermine. For wh••a good Copy came to my hands, I refuſed it a Licenſe, and writpon the ſubject my ſelf: And all the Juſtice in the World. Fwas not my Commiſsion Abſolute, I the Lord of the Glebe; aconſequently the firſt Fruits my own. If that be their feel••ſting againſt me Look you Sir, at this very time am I now tra••lating the Volume of the Famous Joſephus. 'Tis true, the Orignal Proprietor of that Divine Hiſtory has looked upon the Coas an Eſtate and Inheritance. Much good may it do him, with〈◊〉Right and Title. I'le find him a trickum in Lege, ſuch a ſly daof the Pen, to do his Buſineſs for him, whilſt by an old ſlur〈◊〉a little new Engliſh put upon it, I'le trip up his heels for't as faand honeſtly, as the beſt fair Fall in a Lincolns-Inn Rounds.

[Here a Meſſenger to call Sir Rog. over to the Marſhalſea, brooff the Conference.

Edinburgh, Re-printed by the Heirs and Succeſſors of AndreAnderſon, Printer to His moſt Excellent Majeſty, 1696

About this transcription

TextA dialogue between Sir Roger --- and Mr. Rob. Ferg--- in Newgate, relating to the plot.
AuthorFerguson, Robert, d. 1714..
Extent Approx. 23 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 6 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images.
Edition1696
SeriesEarly English books online.
Additional notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A85222)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 172046)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 2610:7)

About the source text

Bibliographic informationA dialogue between Sir Roger --- and Mr. Rob. Ferg--- in Newgate, relating to the plot. Ferguson, Robert, d. 1714.. 10 p. Re-printed by the Heirs and Successors of Andrew Anderson, Printer to His most Excellent Majesty,Edinburgh, :1696.. (Caption title.) (Imprint from colophon.) (Imperfect: tightly bound, stained, and with broken and missing type, resulting in loss of text.) (On suspicion of being concerned in Barclay's plot, Robert Ferguson was arrested March 10th, 1695/6, and he remained in Newgate till January 14th, 1696/7, when he was admitted to bail.) (Attributed to Ferguson by Wing.) (Reproduction of original in: University of Aberdeen. Library.)
Languageeng
Classification
  • William -- III, -- King of England, 1650-1702 -- Assassination attempt, 1696 -- Early works to 1800.
  • Divine right of kings.
  • Great Britain -- History -- William and Mary, 1689-1702.

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ImprintAnn Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2011-04 (EEBO-TCP Phase 2).
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  • DLPS A85222
  • STC Wing F735A
  • STC ESTC R177015
  • EEBO-CITATION 43663293
  • OCLC ocm 43663293
  • VID 172046
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