A VIEW OF THE COURT OF S^t. GERMAIN. Directed to the Male-contents Proteſtants of ENGLAND.

THERE being already ſo many Volumns to shew the Lawfulneſs of the late Revolution, it is ſuperfluous, it ſeems, to make any further attempt on the ſame Subject: For if you have shut your Eyes againſt the ſtrong Arguments and Convincing Proofs made uſe in theſe Books, who can flatter himſelf to cure you of that wilful Blindneſs? However, I hope, this plain account I make bold to direct to you, will not prove altogether uſeleſs, for when I conſider your Party, I think I may reaſonably believe that it is made up of ſome good and honeſt Men, tho' miſguided by a tender Conſcience, and of ſome ſelf-intereſted Perſons, who being not able to obtain the Preferments they expected, have turned Jacobites in hopes to advance their Fortune by a Second Revolution. But give me leave to tell you further, that after an Impartial Enquity into the Life and Converſation of your Party, I have all the reaſons in the World to conclude that the Number of the Conſcentious Jacobites, I have ſpoken of, muſt be very little, and that the greateſt Number among you are hurried away by the imaginary hopes I have hinted at, therefore if I can convince you, that you have no reaſon to flatter your ſelves, to obtain any reward or preferments under King James, no, nor when he should be reſtored by your means, I hope2 ſome of you will open their Eyes to their own Intereſt, and forſake a Prince from whom you cannot expect any greatful Return.

I won't recal to your Minds his Behavior while he was on the Throne of England, I ſuppoſe no body has forgot that no Proteſtants were welcome to him, but ſuch as would promiſe to betray the Liberties of their Country to Popery and Arbitrary Power; neither ſhall I mention how ſeverely he uſed the Proteſtants in Ireland in 1689; you would be apt to ſay that being in Popiſh hands he could not avoid it, but I intend only to give you a short view of his Court at St, Germain, and an Account of the Entertainment the Proteſtants of your Party have met there: For if a Prince in his Circumſtances, who Intereſt it ought to be to court proteſtants, cannot conceal for a time the Hatred he has for them what treatment can you expect from him, when he is Re-inthroned, and Supported by the power of France.

King James retireing unto France after his defeat at the Boyn left the Adminiſtration of his Affairs in Ireland to my Lord Tyrconnel, and in Scotland to the Colonels Buchan and Cannan: and the French King having appointed St Germain in Laye for his Reception, he there began to form a Court in in the Year 1690, and his Houſhold was Conſtituted as follows.

• The Duke of Powis, Lord Chamberlain.
• Colonel Porter, Vice-Chamberlain.
• Colonel Skelton Comptroller.
• The Earls of Dumbarton and Abercome Lords of the Bed Chamber.
• Captains, Macdonald, Beadles, Stafford, and Trevanian, Groom of the Bed Chamber.
• The Two Skeldons. Eſquires.
• Fergus Graham Privy purſe.
• Sir John Sparrow, Board of green Cloath, and Mr. Strick­land, Vice Chamberlain to the Queen.

• Mr. Brown Brother to my Lord Montage Brown, and ſometime Commiſſioner of the Cuſtom) Secretary of St•te for England.
• Father Innes, Preſident of the Scots Colledge at Paris Secretary of State for Scotland.
• 3
• Sir Richard Neagle, Secretary of State for Ireland.

To which were added as a Juncto, Mr. Carril the Queens Secretary, and Mr. Stafford, formerly Envoy at the Court of Spain, whom the King called together as a Privy-Council, to adviſe with upon all Emergencies: The Earl of Melford Prime Miniſter of State, being ſent to Rome ſometime before, partly to Negociate King James's Affairs at the Pope's Court, and partly to remove him from the Jealouſies of the Irish, who at that time wholly Monopolized this prince's Ear and F••our.

Thus things continued for a while, but Ireland being reduced ſometime after, and the Scotish Highlanders Sub­mitting, the Court of St. Germain was every day throng­ed with Gentlemen from thoſe Kingdoms, as well as from England; and then a Proteſtant Party began to diſtinguish themſelves, and endeavour to make an appeatance at that Court.

The firſt conſiderable ſtep they made, was to deſire a Chappel from King James, for the exerciſe of their worship according to the Church of England, and propos'd Dr. Grandvil, Brother to the Earl of Bath, formerly Dean of Durham, as a fit perſon to be their Chaplain; they urged the great Incouragement, ſuch a Toleration would give to his Adherents in England, and what ſatisfaction it would be to ſuch Proteſtants as followed him; but tho comon Policy, and his Circumſtances made every Body believe that this R•queſt would be eaſily granted, yet it was poſitively denied, and Dr. Granvil obliged not only to retire from Court, but alſo from the Town of St. Germain to avoid the daily inſults of the Prieſts, and the dreaded Conſequences of the Jealouſies with which they poſſeſt't King James's Court againſt him. Dr. Gordon, a Bishop of Scotland, the only proteſtant Divine that then was there, met with a•orſe Treatment ſtill than Dr. Granvil, and was reduced to〈◊〉neceſſity of abjuting his Religion for want of Bread, with••ich he could not be ſupplied, but upon thoſe hard terms. ••wever K. James being ſenſible that ſuch an uſage would••••udice his intereſt in Britain, reſolved to prevent the having of any Proteſtant Divine there, and therefore ſent Bro••••Macqueen in Company of Major Scot into England, who••••ght Letters from him to his Friends, in which he4 required them to trouble him no more with Divines, as Meſſengers.

This bad Succeſs did not altogether diſcourage the Proteſtant Party, they made a ſecond effort upon the conſtitution of the before mentioned Council of Five, to have one of the number at leaſt a Proteſtant: They inſiſted upon the Advantages which might thence redound to his Majeſties affairs in Britain, and for that end did earneſtly recomend my Lord Chief Juſtice Herbert as a Perſon both well qualified to give Advice in English Affairs, and of an unſpoted Reputation in his Country. Thoſe reaſons where ſo convincing, that the Irish fearing they would obtain their demand; an Information was trumped up againſt the Chief Juſtice by Mr. Comptroller Skelton, and Sir William Sharp, of having ſaid that King James's violent Temper would ruine himſelf and all that followed him. My Lord owned the Words, but made ſo ingenious an Explanation of his meaning, which was in relation to the Act of Settlement in Ireland; that King James was ſatisfied, The Irish having miſſed their Aim; formed a short time after another Plot againſt him, and charged him of Correſponding with the English, and miſ repreſenting the Tranſactions of that Court, whereupon he and a Worthy Lady, with whom he boarded, were confined, and Broomfield the Quaker committed to the Baſtile. And thus was this Lord Chief Juſtice for no other Reaſon, but his adhering to a Proteſtant intereſt, excluded from all share of management of Affairs in King James's Court, tho his Capacity, and ſufferings were ſufficient in the Eyes of all reaſonable Men, to have intituled him to a share in that Prince's Favour and Secret. If my Lord Chief Juſtice Herbert was ſo uſed, I would fain know upon what ground any of our Jacobites should flatter himſelf of a better Treatment.

Mr. Cockburn of Lantoun in the Kingdom of Scotland wa•the next Proteſtant that had Merit and Favour enough t•pretend to a share in the management of King James•Affairs. This Gentleman having followed him in Irelan•was taken at Sea, after the Battle of the Boyn, and broug••priſoner to London: but a propoſal being made of Exchangi••him for Captain St. Lo, Then priſoner in France, he〈◊〉••larged; and during his abode here, did ſo ingra••5himſelf with the moſt conſiderable of the diſaffected proteſtants, that he was recommended by them to King James, as a perſon fit to ſerve him in the Affairs of greateſt Truſt, He was no ſooner arrived at St. Germain, that he told that prince, his Friends in England thought that my Lord Melford, who was then returned from Rome, was a great Grievance, and ought to be laid aſide, & that the only way for the King to procure the good Opinion of his Subjects in Britain, and reconcile them to him, was to put the management of his Affairs in proteſtants Hands. This prudent Advice of the diſaffected proteſtants of England, or of Mr. Cockbur, had in effect quite contrary to what they expected; King James took it ſo ill, that in few days after an Order was procured from the French Court commanding him to depart France under ſevere penalties, being too much a Friend to the English Intereſt; Mr. Cockburn was forced to obey, and has lived as an Exile in Holland and Hamburg ever ſince.

But the Submiſſion of the Scotsh Highlanders affoord us ſtill ſome more convincing proofs of King James's hatred for the proteſtant Religion, and of his ingratitude towards ſuch who had made a Sacrifice of all that can be dear to Men, to ſupport his ſinking Fortune in Scotland. The Lords Dumfermling, Dunkel, Colonels Cannon, Graham, and ſeveral others proteſtants, having forfeited their Eſtates and Families, retired into France, as alſo did the Colonels Buchan, Maxuel. Wachop, and ſome other Popish Gentle­men; but when they came to St. Germain, the Papiſts were immediatly preferred to conſiderable Poſts, both in the French and Irish Armies, where the Proteſtants, tho their Merit was greater, were expoſed to all imaginable hardship, and contempts: My Lord Dumfermling and Colonel Cannon are too Illuſtrious Examples of King James's Ungratitude, to be here paſt by. The Earl through a miſtaken notion of Loyalty and Honour, had Sacrificed his Honourable Family, and a Plentiful Eſtate, to follow that Prince in his misfortune; and it moſt be granted that ſuch a Proof of Loyalty, deſerved ſome kind Returns, yet happening to Quarrel at St. Germain, with one Captain Brown, a Papiſt, about a Trifle, the Captain was incouraged and countenanced in his Quarrel by the Court, and made9 Commander of a Company of Scots, Reformed Officers is Catalonia whilſt this Noble Lord was deſpiſed, for his ad­•ering to his Religion, this ill Treatment broke his Heart, and he ſunk under he Weight of his hard Fate, at St. Germai••His misfortoun laſted longer than his Life, for notwith­ſtanding his Meris, Sufferings, and the intereſt made by his Friends, he not could obtain a Chriſtian Burial; and his Corps was laid in a Chamber, till an opportunity was found of digging a hole in the Fields in the Night where they Thurſt him in.

Nor was Colonel Cannon better uſed, then my Lord Dumferling: This Gentleman Commanded as General over King James's Army in Scotland and ſerved him with ſo much faithfulneſs, that every body thought he would be preferred to a great Command upon his arrival at St. Germain; but he poſitively refuſing to abandon the little Religion he had which was Proteſtant, was reduced to the Scandalous Allowance of half a Crown a day whilſt papiſts who had ſerved under him were advanced to good poſts. This unhappy Gentleman finding himſelf thus neglected, fell ſick through Grief and Want, and died; having taken the Sacrament from the Hands of Dr. Granvile three dayes before his Death; but the prieſts who were alwayes buzing about him took the opportunity of his being ſpeechleſs to thruſt a Wafer down his Throat, and gave out that he dyed a Papiſt, and by this means got him the Favour of Burial, which his Corps had elſe been excluded from, as well as my Lord Drumforling's. If the Sufferings and great Merits of theſe two Gentle Men have not been able to Molify King James's Heart, and to brain from him any generous Returns, I would fain know upon what Foundation are grounded the great hopes of our Grumblers, ſeeing the moſt part of them have not had Courage enough to follow that Prince, and have, for ought we ſee no other Qualification to recommend them but their bare Jacabitiſm.

However, the Examples I have already expoſed to your view, are not ſufficient to convince you, that as long as you are Proteſtants, and English Men, you are to expect no share in King James's Favour; I'll produce ſome others, which I am ſure will open your Eyes, unleſs you are bound by an Oath to to continue always blind, and I'll begin with Sir James Moungomeris.

This Gentleman left no Stone unturn'd to re-eſtablish King James in Scotland, by the ſame Parliament, that declared him to have Forfeited his Right; He was afterward, for Several Years, his moſt active Miniſter in England, Penn'd and published Declarations for him at the time of his deſigned Deſcent from La-Hogue, and after the Miſcar­riage of that, wrote his Britain's Juſt Complaints: Was his weekly News ſender and Project Drawer; yet this is very Sir James Mountgomery, who had done ſuch great things, and run ſuch hazards for him being obliged to fly to France, after making his eſcape from the Meſſengers Houſe, could not obtain by reaſon of his being a proteſtant, any share in­to that Prince's Favour; was brow-beaten from the Court by Prieſts daily upbraided with having been once in the Prince of Orange's Intereſt & at laſt obliged to retire•o Paris, where he dyed with the Melancholy Reflections of the miſerable State he brought himſelf into.

The Earl of Lauderdale, tho a Papiſt, met with no better Fate than Sir James; His Lady being a Proteſtant, and he an enemy to the violent Meaſures of the Court was judged to be ſufficient Reaſon to exclude him from any share, in the Government, ſo natural it is for all bigots to hate every body that will not go to their hight of Violence. This Gentleman heartily adviſed King James to put his affairs into Proteſtants Hands, and recommended the Earl of Cl•n, and the Nonjuring Bishops in England, and the Lord Home, Southesk and Sinclar in Scotland, as the fitteſt perſons to ſerve him, but his Advice was ſo ill taken that he had his Lady ſent to England not to return any more, was himſelf forbid the Court, and reduced to a Penſion of one Hundred piſtlos per Annum; He retired to Paris, and ſeeing no pro­bability of his Maſters changing his Meaſures, died of Greif One vvould have thought that his Brother, Mr. Alexander Maitland, who on ſeveral Occaſions had behaved himſelf very bravely in that prince's Service, should have been preferred by him, yet he met with ſuch an Entertainment that wanting Bread there, he vvas very glad to come to England, and making his peace vvith the Government, vvhoſe Service he had Deſerred having once had a Command in the Scots Guards under King William.

Sir Andrew Forreſter is unother greet Inſtance of King8 James's averſion to Proteſtants: This Gentleman ſerved with all imaginable Zeal that Prince's Intereſts, when a Subject, and was the devoted Creature of his Moſt Arbitrary Commands, when a King, he ſuffered Impriſonment in the Tower for him at the time of his deſigned Deſcent, and yet notwithſtanding all this, and the great Experience he had in Scotish Affairs, he could never obtain any share in that Prince's Confidence: when he came to St. Germain all his Merits, Sufferings and the good Character he had in both Kingdoms were not enough to Counter-ballance the Objection of being a Proteſtant, and therefore by no means to be Intruſted; ſo that after ſome times Attendance, as a Cypher, he was rewarded with a paſs to return to England, for they had there no occaſion for him.

Sir Theophilus Oglethory, who by his Capacity as well as Services, was encouraged to go over and offer his Aſſiſtance, met with Sir Andrew Forreſter's Fate upon account of his Religion; and was ſo unkindly uſed that he was very glad to get home to Old England again, where 'tis expected he will Plot no more.

Mr. Fergus Graham was the only Proteſtant Gentleman in King James's Family, but as ſoon as they ſaw that my Lord Preſton and Colonel Graham his Brother, who ventu­red ſo much for that Prince, could do them no more Service in England, he was diſcharged for no other reaſon, but that they thought a Proteſtant a Blemish in their Houſe-hold.

Nor was Sir William Sharp better uſed, altho he pretended to come over upon the Act of Parliament in Scotland to ſave his Eſtate, for the Entertainment he had at St. Germain before he came away is very well known. The penſion he had whilſt King James's Army in Scotland kept up was taken from him, and he fell under diſtruſts, with Melford and Innes, and contempt at Court, which will appear to all Reaſonable Men a ſufficient motive for his coming away.

But the uſage of Dr. Cockburn, a Scotish Divine, is beyond any thing that can be imagined. This Gentleman was Banished Scotland for his practices againſt the Government, and afterwards being obliged to leave England for writing of Pamphlets, thought himſelf ſecure of a Sanctuary at St. Germain, if not, of a Reward for his Services; but inſtead of that he met with the daily importunities of Prieſts to9 make him abandone his Religion, and their endeavours•roving vain, they then repreſented him as a dangerous perſon and got him ſent from France. He lives now in Exile in Holland, both from Britain and France,

Mrs. Ashton. widow to Mr. Ashton, who was Executed for his being concerned in my Lord Preſton's Affairs, went•o the Court of St. Germain, after her Husband's Death, as•hinking that she had ſome Merit to plead for a kind Reception, but she was as much deceived as any of thoſe I have already mentioned. Few dayes after her arrival, Prieſts were ſent to tell her, that nothing but being Roman Catholick could recommend a woman to the Queen's Service, which the poor Gentlewoman declining to comply with was neglected, and dying ſoon after, was refuſ'd Burial, till her Father Mr. Rigby of Covent-Garden, as a mighty Favour, and at great Charges, obtained leave from the Court of St. Germain, to have her Body brought over into England; and Buried her in Covent Garden Church.

If theſe Examples are not ſufficient to convince our Jacobites, or if they queſtion the truth of them, for really I muſt own that they are almoſt incredible; I deſire them to conſult the Young Lord Henmore; Mr. Louthian, Captains Murray, Dalyel, Macgil, Maclean, Fielding, Mr. Charles Kinnaird, and ſeveral hundreds more now in and about London, who are lately come from St. Germain, and they will tell you, that the only reaſon why they left that Court was, becauſe they could not have Bread, except they would change their Religion, and therefore did chooſe rather to run the hazard of Impriſonment, by returning to England, then ſtay and ſtarve in France.

Many Inſtances more might be given, to shew King James's hatred to every thing, that bears the name of Proteſtant; but if what has already been ſaid is not ſufficient; ſure I am, that the reſt should be to no purpoſes What Proteſtant has he ever ſo much as ſeemed to Truſt, ſince he lives in France? I know that my Lord Middleton muſt be excepted, for indeed King James has a ſeeming Truſt in him. There is no Man that has been at St. Germain〈◊〉muſt needs perceive, that he is not chief Miniſter, as Melford was, nor manages Affairs betwixt Verſailes and St. Germain, that being done by Innes and P•rter: He is but10 ſeldom called to the Couneil, and the French Court has never depended upon his Coreſpondance, ſince the diſappointment they received by our Fleets going into the Streights.

I hope; theſe Inſtances will••nvi••e all good Men, that have any ſenſe of Liberty, Religion, and Honour, how unreaſonable it is to be a Jacobite, and to think that the Preſent Misfotune; of King James, will frighten him from invading our Laws and Liberties in time to come, ſeeing, that neither the abandoning of Wives Children and Eſtates, nor the hazarding, nay, Loſs of Life in his Service, can render him Juſt and Favourable to ſuch Proteſtan•s who have made a Sacrifice of all thoſe Things to follow him: And if it be ſo, as certainly it is: what muſt thoſe Proteſtant, Nations expect, (if ever he re-obtains the Government) who have renounced him, and ſet another Prince upon his Throne?

If theſe who have followed him into France, are denied the Exerciſe of their Religion, when his Circumſtance make it his Intereſt to grant it, what muſt we expect if ever he be again in poſſeſſion of the Crown?

My Lord Chief Juſtice Herbert, and the other Gentlemen before named, who firmly adhered to his Intereſts even in his greateſt Misfortunes, were contemned, deſpiſed, and ſuffered to Starve, becauſe they were Proteſtants, how can we or any Proteſtant Jacobites, who have none of thoſe Merits, pretend to be better uſed? If the loſs of Honours and Eſtates, has not been ſufficient to obtain from him Chriſtian Burial; upon what Ground can our Jacobites who have dene nothing for him, flatter Themſelves with the hopes of great preferments, If he is reinthroned? In short, if the Examples he had of his Father's Misfortunes, and his Brothers Exil, wherein he himſelf was a shater, together with the Senſe of his own Misfortunes have not been able to work a Reformation upon him, as appears by the above written Accounts, can we expect that ever he will be made more plyable,

The Education of his Prince of Wales, whom no body deubts he deſigns his Succeſſor, is another Inſtance of his irreconcilable Antipathy to the Proteſtant Religion, and English Liberties: One would have thought that Intereſt, as well as Policy, would have made him educat his Child11 a Proteſtant, or at leaſt oblige him to put proteſtants 'about him of enqueſtioned Reputanon, to inſtruct him in the ways of pleaſing the people, but inſtead of that, Dr. Beejon a famous and violent Papiſt; was made his Preceptor, and none but Popish Servants were allowed to be about him, ſo that he can imbibe nothing but what is for the Intereſt of Rome, and Deſtruction of England.

Can people be ſo mad as to expect good terms from a prince, who not only thus Treats his Proteſtant Subjects, who have followed him in his Misfortunes, but alſo whoſe Religion lays him under a Neceſſity of deing it? Could greater Obliga•ions be laid upon any Prince then were upon hin by the Church of England when a Subject? Her intereſt Saved him from being proſecuted for the Popist plot excluded from the Succeſſion to the English Throne, and afterwards Dethroned by the Doke of Monmouth, ye•all thoſe Obligations were no more than his Coronation Oath, could not hinder him from invading he Proteſtant Religion in general, but more particularly the Liberties of the Church of England,

But perhaps ſome will Object againſt what I have ſaid, that from the Entertainment Proteſtants met with at St. Germain 'tis not reaſonable to conclude that King James pears ſtill ſuch an averſion to our Religion and Liberties: For being himſelf but a Refuge in France, and having nothing to live upon but the penſion the French King Ilows him, it is not in his power to reward thoſe Proteſtants who have followed him, even not to careſs them: and herefore we ought rather to peruſe the Declarations he as put out ſince his being in France; for therein we shall•nd undenieble proofs, that his Misfortunes have much tered his Mind. Read (vvill our Jacobites ſay) the•eclaration he published upon his intended Deſcent from〈◊〉Hague, and obſerve vvhat promiſes he makes, both in lation to our. Religion and our Liberties, the Sincerity thereof you have no manner of pretence to Queſtion, for••en thinking himſelf ſure of his Game, nothing could lige him to diſguiſe the true gentiments of his Heart.

This is ſome vvhat indeed, Gentlemen, and vvere the〈◊〉as you ſay, I vvould aggree vvith you, but give me〈◊〉to tell you, that 'tis a great Queſtion〈◊〉12Declaration you ſpeak of, which was Printed here; did really contain King James's Sentiments; but whether it was his own Declaration, or Sir James Montgomtrie's, it does not matter a pin, for his late Majeſty did publiekly diſown it in a Memorial to the Pope, upon his return to Paris; and it has been acknowledged in a Jacobite Pamphlet, called, An Anſwer to Dr. welwood's Anſwer to King Jame's Declaration; That the ſame was formed without his Knowledge, and againſt his Inclination.

I have told you, in the beginning of this Diſcourſe, that I believe that there are among you ſome Conſcientious Men, and to thoſe I shall ſay nothing at this time, but to ſuch that are angry with the Government (as I know many amongſt you are) meerly becauſe they cannot have any Imployment under it, and who think without any further Examination to better their Condition by a ſecond Revolution: I'l ſay, that they ought to conſider, that King James's Popish, Friends, muſt be all provided for firſt of all, and pray what will remain then for you? For as to Penſions I think you are not ſo mad as to flatter your ſelves with ſuch imaginary hopes, for the French Army that brings King James over muſt be paid, and their vaſt-Charges for the Irish war, and the Maintenance of King James Re-imburſed, before your beloved Prince be in a Condition to Expreſs his Favour to you: perhaps you will ſay, that the French King is too much a Gentleman, to demand any ſuch thing, but I don't know what has given you that Noble Idea of his Generoſity: But ſuppoſing his Temper to be ſuch, this War will ſo much drain his Exchequer, that Neceſſity will force him to demand what is juſtly owing to him and who shall be able to diſpute his Bill of Charges? Nay, will King James be able to ſatisfie him? I don't know, but this I am ſure of, that as long as you profeſs the proteſtant Religion, you cannot expect to be more Favourably Treated then his pre­ſent Followers.

Some others amongſt you are diſaffected, becauſe, as they ſay, without the Reſtotation of King James, a proteſtan•war will be Entailed of the Nation, and becauſe our Treaſure is Exhauſted by Taxes, and Our Blood Expended beyon••Sea, which the Nation cannot long bear.

To theſe Gentlemen I muſt anſwer, That they are much miſtaken, for the bringing in of King James, which they think will put an End to theſe Troubles, would Infallibly bring the Seat of War from Flanders into England: For in is Unreaſonable to Suppoſe, that ſo many Noblemen and Gentlemen as are Engaged in King William's Cauſe, would tamely Submit, or that his Majeſty, whoſe Intereſt in Eu­rope is ſo very great would either Ingloriouſly abandone his Throne, or want Foreign Aſſiſtance to ſupport him in it.

2. King James and the French King are both Old, and upon a Change of a Governour in France, we may reaſon­ably expect Change of Meaſures; for as to the prince of Wales, his Intereſt ſtands or falls with that of his Suppoſed Father; but after all, is it Reaſonable to believe that the French, or any other Nation, will live in perpetual War with us meerly for the ſake of a prince, who pretends to be deprived of his Rights? There are very few Knight-Errants in this Age, or at leaſt, ſure I am, that no Nation in general is acted by their principles, and we ſee the French offer already to forſake him.

3. I grant that our taxes are greater then ever our Nation paid; but yet they are not ſo heavy but that we can hold it out, many Years at this Rate. In short, whatever they be, I believe there is no good Man but will rather hazard his perſon to keep the Enemy abroad, then ſee a French and Irish Army in the Bowels of our own Countrey, deſtroying our Subſtance, Burning our Habitations and Committing the Barbarities which they Committed in the palatinate: For Certainly by one Months Ravage of this Nature, we should loſe more Blood and treaſure then can probably be-ſpent to bring the War to an Honourable and Happy Con­cluſion.

•hat happy Moment is not perhaps ſo far as ſome people imagine; for whoſoever will caſt his Eyes on the preſent poſture of Affairs in Europe, muſt needs Conclude that the French cannot hold it out much longer.