Tho' we challenge them to answer, and upbraid them for not answering ; and cry
victoria
I upon that very account.
Rehearsal - v1 - 1750
) / £ave now two members in the house of commons, representing my person.
Arn't we brave sellows, countryman !
and we have exercised our authority to the full over this present house of commons, in our legion million papers, wherein we call them down right rogues and villains, and betrayers of their trust to
us. Andin-my Observators I pay them off plentifully. Aud fay, Vol. 2. N. 99. that I don't mean them at St. Stephen, in my list of knaves, nor the bench, nor the church ! when the Observator but one before, N. 97. I put all the present judges into my lift, and Vol. 3. N. 2. The »/^>cr house of convocation, as well as the inse rior clergy. And those at St. Stephen no more than these!
In Vol. 2. N. 79, 1 call a book of Sir Humphrey Mack- wortVi an appeal to the people ; and inser, that any one , of the people may shew his like or diflike of that appeal :
So that it is every one of the people that is appealed to. And every one may give his sentence, and censure what ■ ever action of the government, that I bring before him,, in my appeals of Observators, and all the rest of our
scandalous club.
But I have told thee plainly to whom appeals may be
made, and who have right to examine into the admini stration of the government, even «// that pay taxes, as before quoted in my Observator, preparatory to my trial, Vol. 3. N. 62. ^»i/ /Ao/e (fay I) those who pay
taxes, may take notice how they are spent.
C. Now thou talk'st of trial, I have forgot my self all
this while; I have been talking with thee at the old
rate, as thy simple I countryman. I forgot my post at this
OBSERVATORY
this time, that I am now thy judge therefore must put on authority, and deal with thee like a foul criminal, as thou art. I'll teach thee now another sort of doctrine. Thou fay'st, that all that pay taxes may take notice how they arespent. Who are they that pay taxes ? come, tell me
88 The
quickly.
'O. Your lordjbip
knows as well as me, Every man, toilman, and child in the nation, both ali•ue and dead;
for we are tax'd for thestrst and last breath that we-
draw ; because it is by our own consent: Which makes
us free-born, beyond any other people !
. C. That is, we are born free to pay taxes ! call's! thou
this free-horn ? thou ought'st to be hang'd for a dunce, as well as a knave. Do children in the womb give their
vote to be tax'd as soon as they are born?
O. If they like not the conditions of our government,
they may stay where they are, and not come into it ! or go and be born in some other country, where they like the constitution better. But good your lord/hip, I have - something else to fay, they are concluded by their refrtfen- tatives in parliament.
C. Did they vote for such representatives?
O. As much, as much as the major number of the gronun people, who have no vote in elections. And why may
not a child have a representative, as well as a man who . never votes for any ?
C. Ma s s ! the rogue has puzzesd me ; he's book-learn'd! and now I sind, that the people of England are no more
than the children that are yet unborn ! but why then do we call the Æoa/i of commons the representa tives of the people?
O. Why ? are not those who have votes dispeople ? . that is, Apart of the people! and it is a common figure to put a£tfr/ for the whole. And so,- though they ar»- not half, noi half the half of the people; yet, by our
represented,
figure oispeaking, they are thepeople t
C. Then, by this rule, any tivo or three may call
themselves the people; even thou rogue, and me rogue . t Q. Yss, an please your, honour ! if we were strong. enoughs
TRYAL and DEFENCE, &c.
89 enough, and had a forty to stand by us ! we should be
as good the people, as any party ever took' that name !
C. But, for the present, ' I'll call thee ro'Cue to an
account. This then is thy meaning, that whoever pay
Then, every man, woman, or child, horn, or unborn, may come to my lord treasurer, take him by the fleeve, and demand an account how all the taxes are dispos'4 of?
taxes have a right to know how they are employed.
and so they may to the house of commons, and to the queen ; and tear her and parliament to pieces, and drag.
them about the streets, &c. if they give not such an ac count as shall be pleasing to these demanders.
How can any government stand at this rate ? this is all mob ! lets in an ocean of mob upon us, as Ovid fays*
Omnia vulgus erat, scelerifque licentia vulgo.
The setting up such doctrines as: these, and making peo ple drunk with, senseless notions free-born, origiriai oS government from, mob, Sec. deserves animadverfion, more than all the highnuay men atld thieves in England}. b«H cause it do's insinitely more mischief. It unhinges all government, and keeps the people perpetually madding for new revolutions. And, if it prevail'd, it wou'd turn th«i whole earth into one aceldamu. ,. . . . ■[ i
O. Let them look to that ! but this is the true do&rinc of our church ; this is the liberty and property of English
■,
men, their hirth-right, and distinguishing
from all other staves, . who fare tame in their fubje&ion ! For this I was borne. stickler ; and for this I intend to spend my dearest blood. For this (as I have given warn
am to ing in my Observator, Vol. 2. N. 13. ) /I resolv'd
have al get my self and family completely arned ; got
ready two good protestant muskets, and three basket-hilt- swords, that were us'd at MarsI-on-ktoor, Edge-hill,.
&c. If I be not bang'd in time, there shall be another Marston-moor touch for the liberties of England! And sot 1 lave my self to yaxsx. lordship, and the honest ;ury.
characteristics
CULPRET, Fron*
The REHEARS A L.
From ;f>at. Nov. 4, to &at. Nov. 11, '1704. N° ij.
He method os the dissenters towards peace and union.
^/•T^O's tne government think to stop my mouth 1 3 with all their gravity ! I can triumph on t pillory, and write an hymn to it afterwards, as De Foe did. Thus ridiculing the sacred hymns of the church,
in giving the fame to our frophane and »*7/? y sing songs.
C. But what if they shou'd whip thee at a cart's-tail;
where the im£ cou'd not thee ; besides a hand
some fine upon thy back ?
O. That wou'd be only sining the party, who are
oblig'd to fave me harmless. But none of them will be ivhipp'd for me : and I come of a family that have a na tural aver/ion to / but I'll petition the ja^n to be bang'd, as I did her father ; and then she'll forgive my whipping, as he did. . And I'll be as grateful to her for
as have been to him
However thou seest my Observators still go on as last
Wednesday, with the fame bookseilers name. And Vol.
N. 67. to continue from my last, on last Saturday,
Ae day of my trial, that the sets may be comp/eat. Wasn't that cunning trick tell thee thou hast got new Observator. And who that why my self, that offer my self to thee again. If were another Ob
fervator, he would begin new number, and not take my volume and number, and go on with and fay was from last Saturday. Nor wou'd he have had the impudence to vindicate the Observator against the sen tence ofthe court, as do, and fay of him, he was al ways a well wisbcr to his country, and a zealous defender of liberty and property. Whereas he was found guilty for his wicked attempts against all these and mews his loving inclinations in that fame Wednesday
9o
Observa tor, where he fays, and woudnotyou have such men es
%
is I
I
a is? I
it
!
it ;;
it
? it
it a
a
3.
it, I
;
The REHEARSAL:
9r betray their country abroad, or that sell it at home, he hangd, drawn and quarter'd, or if the law will not
reclaim them, have them be-witted?
I am the
will go backwards with thee, and keep on the fame chat
Thus you see
same
man still : and therefore
we us'd to have, upon my former Observators. While they came out three times a week, I pretended it was in' order to my trial. But as I told thee before, it was for the beginning of the parliament ; and to answer the
ends of ihepublick, for which I am entertain d.
There
one of them, that of 03. 28. Vol. fore Ispent speech. 3.
N. upon my queens And therein echo over again her majesty's exhortation to peace and union at home, while
we are engag'd in war abroad. And the use I make of to turn all the wranglings and anglings among us upon the church-party. And there take opportunity to
have another stroke at my old friend Sir George Rook, way of excuse. fay thus, to have the nation hurrfd
into contention about the conduct one man, that
great in office, when perhaps one hundred part the nati
on knows nothing of the bufiness may be just as much as the towns-men o/'Calnes know the advantage tak
ing Gibraltar fay, when a nation engag'din such little trifling contentions, may give room for our enemies to believe that they may engage us yet in greater divifi ons; when indeed, as her majesty most excellently fays, THErE OUGHT TO BE NO CONTENTION AMONG US,
BUT WHO SHAll MOST PrOMOTE THE PUBlICK WEL FArE.
Here, countryman, make Sir George Rook the great bane of contention thro' the nation which will make him very obnoxious to the common people; that the nation shou'd be kept in divifion, upon his account and you know the natural consequence of that is, that he be remov'd
out of the way, when we clamour against him
C. But you make him unknown to the hundred man
in the nation. How then can he be a national quarrel
O. Thou'rt always putting me out! faid that only
to lessen him, to shew how inconfiderable he that he's- no
64.
grown
is ;
!
of
is
! I
I j
?
;
; of it
of
I
I it
I:
is
of
by
it, is,
-
C. But hark ye, Bays, who is it has made all this stir about Sir George Rook ? For tho* he is known to as ma ny as know there is an English fleet, and spoke of with that esteem and honour he justly has merited: yet his name
made no sir in the nation, nor was blown about in print, but by thee and thy scandalous club, who have been lay ing at him these two years past or more, expofing and ridiculing him in the grossest manner. And even for his taking of Gibraltar, and his victory over the grandsleet of France ; for which I have given thee due correction fae- fore. And the very week after the news of his taking Gibraltar, &c. canae over, out came little Colepeper bark ing at his heels ; and his comical romance v/ts differs 'd ever city and country, and ad•vertisd for a month or more1 to
gether, in all yourscoundrel papers. These things oblig'd some of Sir George's friends to publish a narrative of his expedition, and to do him and the nation right. For fo- exceeding ytas the malice ofthe •o;A»£s against' Sir George, (because a church- man) that rather than he shou'd have the credit of doing any thing that was brave, or useful to England, they took all the pains they cou'd, and thou
The REHEARSAL
$z
no more known in the nation,- than the advantage of taking Gibraltar, (there I have him again ! ) is knowu to the townsmen ofCalnes.
them the foremost man, to turn this iiictotytio the French side ; and to represent the taking of Gibral tar, as of no use ox consequence at all ; tho' thon before mad'st it the key of the Levant ; and reproachcTst this fame Sir George, for not having taken it before. As I hare shew'd in my Rehearsal, N. 10. How then can'st thou lay to the church party all this stir has been about Sir George Rook? . ». •, ■ '. ■,
amongst
O, Most cleverly! for if no body had answer 'd for him, but let us r«z7 on, there had been no dispute ! thoa know'st, it is the second blow that makes the quarrel. Thou Rehearser hast begun the contention, what had'st thou to do to concern thy self for our colepepering and bt-
flawng Sir George Rook ? Art thou one of the twenty cut-throat commissioners of the blood-office? or one of the
The REHEARS AL;
93
some-bodies of officers, that faid they wou'dstab me for abusing of Sir George Rook ? upon which I cry V «tf of assassinations, to «//7ra all the party ! and I'll tell thee,
ourfolks never raZt of assassination, but they zwfa» it ! C. This matter thou and talk'd over in Rehearsal N. ' 12. But I'll tell thee, I have not the honour to be
any relation, or so much as an acquaintance of Sir G. Rookh. But I speak merely as a true hearted Englishman. And cannot refrain from indignation, to see an honorable and gallant gentleman, so vilely traducd by a company of rake-hells, notwithstanding of all the signal services he has done his country ; for no other reason but that he i» true to the church. This shews the implacable spirit of whigism, which regards not country, but only party. And would rather their country should fink, than besavd by the church f
Besides their intolerable impudence, to charge their own crimes upon others, who detest them. As thy now laying upon the church the clamours thou thy self hast rais'd about Sir George Rook ! and so as the cause of that breach of union there is in the nation ! the church is the caa/i of ell!
O. Then let them be quiet ! and not be answering to what we write against them.
Tho' we challenge them to answer, and upbraid them for not answering ; and cry victoria I upon that very account. For why shou'4
we lose advantages ? that Is not our manner !
Thus Mr. De Foe begins his new test op
th^ chvrch of England's honesty, in these words, it it
not many months fince the world anas entertain d with a yet un-answer'd pamphlet, entituTd, A NEW TEST OF THE
church of England's loyalty, 13c. And here he makes the church of England as black as belli a pack of the greatest rogues and villains that ever the earth bore ! but concludes, p. 24. with an exhortation to peace and union, recommended by the queen ! and adds an adver tisement, that -whereas he heard of a book preparing Qf the sufferings of the loyal clergy of the church o/'England ;
by which it appears, (fays ne) that notwithstanding her majesty*
94
The REHEARSAL.
majesty s commands of peace and union, the churchmen art resohid to revive all the old quarrels, Sec. And then threatens them with expofing their clergy for sodomy, in- test, adultery, drunkenness, blasphemy, and other scanda lous crimes. Calamy's
C. That book a preparing, is in answer to
abridgment ofBaxter's life, lately printed, and now again re-printing, wherein he gives a long detail of the suffer ings of the non-cons, with most scandalous and false re
O. Well
slections on the church of England.
! that's what I fay ; they will be
answer
ing ! Is that observing the peace and union enjoin'd by
her majesty t
C. But you fay, they have not answer d your church of England loyalty, nor your church of England honesty,
UOr the christianity of the high church confider'd, dedicat
ed to my lord H m : all printed this fame year : and
all exhorting to peace and union : after having left nei
ther loyalty, honesty, nor christianity to the church of England. Is not this pasfive obedience to you, to a great
degree ? and complying with your exhortations to peace and union, tho' they are the sufferers !
O. O ! the rogues cannot answer 4 and we hew them down upon that account! how do we triumph over them in the dissenters answer to the high church challenge
(printed likewise this fame year 1704. ) p. 15, &c. fgr their not having answer'd De Laun'i book? which makes the church of England not only popish and anti- christian, but heathenish. Yet no answer! and to pro voke them, we have about two months since re-printed that precious piece. And in my Observator before nam'd, wherein I too exhort to peace and union, I have adver- tifedit with the huge long title page at full length. Where in we boast, that it was burnt by the common hangman
20 years ago : as the churchmen fay it well deserv'd ; for
its nonsense and filliness, as well as malice and impudence.
And that there is nothing in but what has been an swered over and over again. That there nothing new in but the old job-trot of railing and Billingsgatt
it,
is
it,
The REHEARSAL.
95
against both church and flate, as they fay it is in all we write. But let them fay what they will, we still
insist it is not answer dl come answer ! answer ! why don't you answer ? This is my way to peace and union, to advertise this book over again, which makes very de vils of the church of England; and shews them upon what terms we will make peace with them!
£ Then if they answer, they are the aggressors. And if they don't answer, their caa/i is gone, and you tri
umph !
O. Right, my boy ! thus we have them both ways !
Isn't this brave?
That dog of a Cassandra (whom I have mauTd)
was an aggressor, tho' it was wrote in answer to the oc cafional letter, N. I without 2d.
The wolssiript was an aggressor, tho' wrote in a«- to moderation a vertue, which 21. calls the church of England, men of debauch'd consciences, of the
grossest immoralities, of damnable lusts, enemies
state, and ofstrange disposition to receive the Romish reli gion. Sec.
The new association was an aggressor, tho' wrote in answer to f£e danger ospriest-craft, &c. which makes the church of England all anti-christs, and the least any men to be endur'd, in any well order flate.
'Tis these aggressors disturb the peace and union her ma jesty recommends they will be ripping up oldsores.
C. Yet your little pert Calamy, in postscript to the preface ofhis abridgment, sets down list of authors
where your true principles are to be found, the ^r/? of which was in the reign of old ^ Bess, intitul'd Part of a
register, Sec. which, with much ado, got sight of and found full of treason against the queen, and most diabolical but senseless malice against the church, her
rites, ceremonies, liturgy, and episcopacy. Of the like strain with those that follow, hitter and violent. Invec tives, which declare openiyar, and shew all reconcilia
tion or compounding to be impossible. How will you re
concile your present occafional conformity with what these . , books
the
.
it
I a
aa /.
;
!
da
of
of
st,
96 The REHEARSAL.
books call idolatry, anti-christian, and even beatbenisbi Or would Mr. Calamy recommend these books, without reading them ? You must either quit Calamy, or yous
back to the hangman. Calamy's Ifyou dare stand by
cause, and all your mealy-mouth'd pretences to peace and union ! You must even quit your famous monfieur de Laun, whom you have reprinted, and send his book too
list
will, upon notice, give you such an abstract out of them,
as will make every honest man's hair stand on end, and,
have you bunted out of the kingdom !
But if you will not stand by Calamy, then send his
book whither De Launs went with De Foe's, and the rest of the sike tendency ; and then see whom you will have left behind, ofall your late celebrated writers !
!
of books, I your
It wou'd be the joyfullest bonfire that ever England
faw ! then peace and union ! and I'm afraid not till then
From &at. Nov. 1 1 to i&at. Nov. 1 8, 1704. N° 16.
This Observator of no church. Of mob principles. Their new-old method ofanswering books.
Coun. \\ 7"HO art thou, master? Havel got a net*
VV
?
O. It is no matter who I am. Am not I Observator?
Do'sn't see ? Thou'rt to follow the horse, never mind the
rider. Is not the Objervator carry'd on, the fame volume, numbers, and days, where Touchin left off; ifhe has left
,off? So that the precious -volumes of the Observator will be kept up, and compleat, for the use of the publick. I
am only ajourneyman, to carry on the work, till Touchh has past his sentence. And he gives thee notice in die Flying-Post of last Saturday, that he will write his Obser- •vatoi s again. We know of what use the Observattrs have been to our cause, in spiriting up the mob, thro' die
master
nation. And we must not yet let them fall. There will
be no notice taken, which of them were wrote by Twchn, and
the different
The REHEARSAL.
97 and which not ; which I tell thee, countryman, has been
case, before this time ; as
of them.
be observ'd in the Somesprinklings of wit in some Touchin was ltft to so
of
heavily dull, full of nasty ribaldry and billings-gate as
strains them j others
(where
himself)
nauseated every man of common sense, ox probity. But in the whole, it is a party paper ; and we are answerable for it. Therefore thou may'st go, and talk as freely as formerly.
- C. Then I take thine of last Saturday, N. 68. to be in answer to my Rehearsal, N. 13. where I speak of the
Observator's religion, and of his church
thee again, in thy forefaid Observator, thus, Are you high-church, or low-church, or freely speaking, are
you of no church? And thou anfwIer'st, Those are en-
Jharing questions, countryman ; and
cannot give a cate gorical answer to any of them. The meaning of which I take to be, if I can understand common sense, that thou
art of no church ; and that it is ensnaring to make
theespeak out, and confess so much : Because it is not yet
grown popular enough ! which thou hop'st to see in a short time!
Then thou shift'st the business of church, and com'st to what thou call'st religion in general, and tak'st thy rise from heathen Rome, whose religion thou commend'st ex-
treamly! and mak'st them a pattern (tho' very unjustly) for a toleration of all religions which do not hurt the state. It seems then thy care is not much for their souls ! or
thou think'st that salvation is well enough secur'd in any
even of heathen Rome !
But did not heathen Rome persecute christianity? Or,
do'st thou think that the principles of christianity are oppo fite to government, even tho' in the hands of heathen em
perors ? That sort of christianity would indeed have given umbrage to theRoman emperors, not to give any toleration to it. But the christian doctrine (in those dark times]) was passive obedience to the height, even to the heathen kings and persecutors ! They did not consider, that we
F Yet
religion,
might come in time to have christian-popish-princes !
Vol. I.
may
: And ask
The REHEARSAL.
98
Yet in this very Observator thou pleads for liberty es
conscience, even to papists that live peaceably.
O. That is still except kings ! They must not have
that liberty we allow to our selves ! for look ye, country man, ours are original rights! and kings but derivative from us! liberty and property are only the people's. ' Yoo never heard of the king's liberty and property ! And we
Jimit and tie up his prerogative, as we please.
Thus we claim occafional conformity, as the r/jitf of every subject ; but at the fame time will not allow it to
the crown, but have tyd even the house of Hanover
ever they come) to conformity, without any occafional. Kings may do mischief with therefore must not be trusted with But the people never did any harm in their lives!
or, if they do, may forgive themselves, as being the ori
ginal power and they please, for diverfion, to worry and destroy one another, even to half the nation, who can
fay unto them, What do ye? May they not do what they please with themselves, and with their own Is not this salus populi And not that the fuprema lex?
C. What to destroy one another to the end of the
chapter
O. Ay, to the end of the world! rather than let pre
rogative blow upon hair of our heads
C. Pray, Sir, answer me one thing. What great
harm has come to Englandiiy the arhitrariness of all her kings, since William the conqueror?
O. None that know of, or not worth naming. Bat know what thou'd'st be at. Thou wou'dst bid me lay in the Other scale, the barons-wars, York and Lancaster, the late revolution of forty-one, &c. And then have me
compare, what the people havefuffer'dhy the arhitrariness of kings and what the rebellion of the people But won't compare for thee. And what wilt thou do then
C. Then must compare my self and see where
the salus populi most fasely deposited, whether in kings, with all their faults or in the mob, with all their vertues! O. But who knows what these kings might have done,
they had not been restrain'd, what thou call'st our rebellions? C. Ay!
if
I
is
I
a
! ! ?
;! I
it !
;
by
if is
by by
it !
;
!
?
! ! I
(if
The REHEARSAL.
99
C. Ay ! who knows indeed ! Do'st thou expect an
answer to thy night-mare ofjealousies and/ears? Wilt thou oppose thy might-bees, and which never have been in England, to all that we have seen and felt of reiellicn and rewlution ? To the hundreds and thousands that have been murder d, and many more utterly undone by popular
commotions ! Wilt thou compare all these with a favour
ite or two (whom you generally hate) disgraced or ruin'd
by a ; or whatever you cou'd call a grievance to the people, in all the arhitrary and illegal acts of our iing? (as I faid) since William the conqueror ! Men must be cs-
chanted, before they can be carry'd away with such ridi culous pretences, to hunt after their own ruin ! whence rebellion is rightly call'd witchcrast by God himself/ And is not that the cafe, when dreams of what we never fi•w, that persuade us out of our fve fenses, and our reason, and experience to boot! And are men thus bewitch'd, thus perniciously bewitch'd, to the endless destruction
of the people, in sapping the foundations of all government,
and laying groundwork for nothing but eternal revolution
and confufion, making all settlement, in what /o/ct of ga-
I'ernment soever, utterly impracticable, by placing the dernier resort of all things in the oto£ ? I fay, are such
men to have what they call their full liberty given them,
to propagate and practise such principles, let them call themselves of what church or denomination they please ?
These thou thy self, master, hast excepted, as being hurt ful, and most dangerous to the stated • .
And how thou, who wilt not ' declare thy self of any church, and so art of no church, and consequently wou'd'it hint no church establish'd; how thou art sit to treat of church matters; especially considering, that the (burch with us, as in all nations, is a part, and the
principal part of the state, I leave thee to thy next to re solve ; and will now prosecute the subject we were last upon, a little further.
In Biy last I shew'd the method of your party towards peace and union, in sending out a numerous,^wuw ofpoi- rcnotts pamphlets against the church ; and then taking equal
F 2 offence
ioo
The REHEARS AL.
offence at their being answer d, or not answered, each a new ground of quarrel!
making
But as if the daily swarms of pamphlets that come from your fide (ten to one in number to those that are wrote on the fide of the chufch ) were not sufficient, you have got a
been long since answer d, as new booh, and cry out foi
new answers to them.
In the year 1660 (you began early, immediately upon
the restauration ) you publish'd a hook with this title, The interest of England, in the matter of religion, unfolded
new-old trick, to re-print your old libels, which have
in thesolution ofthese questions. in 1 . Whether the presbyterian party should
justice, er reason ofstate, he rejected and depressed, or protected and
encouraged?
2. Q;, Whether the presbyterian party may he proteseed
and encouraged, and the episcopal not deserted or disoblig'd? 3. Whether the upholding of both parties, by ajus andequal accommodation, be not in itselfmore defirable cad
more agreeable to the state of England, than the abfohti exalting of the one party, and the total subverfion of tht
ether?
Written by J. C.
This w the title. And in theyear 1661, Sir Roger
VEstrange wrote an excellent answer to well known
by the name of the holy cheat, provingfrom the un
deniable practiccs and pofitions ofthe presbyterians, that the
defign that party, is, to en/lave both king andpeople, un
der the mast religion. This was wrote so pointedly, and the proofs so undeniable, that the party were not able
give any answer to so that went on, and prevail and in the year 1682, received fourth impression.
of all which, the fame book thus an swer and efsectually confuted, came out again, in tie
year 702, under this title, Three questions ofpresent im
portance, modestly resolvd. And the three forefaid queriu set down, with small •variation of some words, but no
thing in substance. And thisj>f<w the fame book come
out again, with the former title but no notice takin, A. ,
Notwithstanding
;
a it
it,
is
a
1
d
it ;
V, to
of of
The REHEARSAL. 101
that it is already answer d, past even their modesty to reply! No! it is now a new, spick andspan new book !
See if any of the church party will give it a new answer !
us. Andin-my Observators I pay them off plentifully. Aud fay, Vol. 2. N. 99. that I don't mean them at St. Stephen, in my list of knaves, nor the bench, nor the church ! when the Observator but one before, N. 97. I put all the present judges into my lift, and Vol. 3. N. 2. The »/^>cr house of convocation, as well as the inse rior clergy. And those at St. Stephen no more than these!
In Vol. 2. N. 79, 1 call a book of Sir Humphrey Mack- wortVi an appeal to the people ; and inser, that any one , of the people may shew his like or diflike of that appeal :
So that it is every one of the people that is appealed to. And every one may give his sentence, and censure what ■ ever action of the government, that I bring before him,, in my appeals of Observators, and all the rest of our
scandalous club.
But I have told thee plainly to whom appeals may be
made, and who have right to examine into the admini stration of the government, even «// that pay taxes, as before quoted in my Observator, preparatory to my trial, Vol. 3. N. 62. ^»i/ /Ao/e (fay I) those who pay
taxes, may take notice how they are spent.
C. Now thou talk'st of trial, I have forgot my self all
this while; I have been talking with thee at the old
rate, as thy simple I countryman. I forgot my post at this
OBSERVATORY
this time, that I am now thy judge therefore must put on authority, and deal with thee like a foul criminal, as thou art. I'll teach thee now another sort of doctrine. Thou fay'st, that all that pay taxes may take notice how they arespent. Who are they that pay taxes ? come, tell me
88 The
quickly.
'O. Your lordjbip
knows as well as me, Every man, toilman, and child in the nation, both ali•ue and dead;
for we are tax'd for thestrst and last breath that we-
draw ; because it is by our own consent: Which makes
us free-born, beyond any other people !
. C. That is, we are born free to pay taxes ! call's! thou
this free-horn ? thou ought'st to be hang'd for a dunce, as well as a knave. Do children in the womb give their
vote to be tax'd as soon as they are born?
O. If they like not the conditions of our government,
they may stay where they are, and not come into it ! or go and be born in some other country, where they like the constitution better. But good your lord/hip, I have - something else to fay, they are concluded by their refrtfen- tatives in parliament.
C. Did they vote for such representatives?
O. As much, as much as the major number of the gronun people, who have no vote in elections. And why may
not a child have a representative, as well as a man who . never votes for any ?
C. Ma s s ! the rogue has puzzesd me ; he's book-learn'd! and now I sind, that the people of England are no more
than the children that are yet unborn ! but why then do we call the Æoa/i of commons the representa tives of the people?
O. Why ? are not those who have votes dispeople ? . that is, Apart of the people! and it is a common figure to put a£tfr/ for the whole. And so,- though they ar»- not half, noi half the half of the people; yet, by our
represented,
figure oispeaking, they are thepeople t
C. Then, by this rule, any tivo or three may call
themselves the people; even thou rogue, and me rogue . t Q. Yss, an please your, honour ! if we were strong. enoughs
TRYAL and DEFENCE, &c.
89 enough, and had a forty to stand by us ! we should be
as good the people, as any party ever took' that name !
C. But, for the present, ' I'll call thee ro'Cue to an
account. This then is thy meaning, that whoever pay
Then, every man, woman, or child, horn, or unborn, may come to my lord treasurer, take him by the fleeve, and demand an account how all the taxes are dispos'4 of?
taxes have a right to know how they are employed.
and so they may to the house of commons, and to the queen ; and tear her and parliament to pieces, and drag.
them about the streets, &c. if they give not such an ac count as shall be pleasing to these demanders.
How can any government stand at this rate ? this is all mob ! lets in an ocean of mob upon us, as Ovid fays*
Omnia vulgus erat, scelerifque licentia vulgo.
The setting up such doctrines as: these, and making peo ple drunk with, senseless notions free-born, origiriai oS government from, mob, Sec. deserves animadverfion, more than all the highnuay men atld thieves in England}. b«H cause it do's insinitely more mischief. It unhinges all government, and keeps the people perpetually madding for new revolutions. And, if it prevail'd, it wou'd turn th«i whole earth into one aceldamu. ,. . . . ■[ i
O. Let them look to that ! but this is the true do&rinc of our church ; this is the liberty and property of English
■,
men, their hirth-right, and distinguishing
from all other staves, . who fare tame in their fubje&ion ! For this I was borne. stickler ; and for this I intend to spend my dearest blood. For this (as I have given warn
am to ing in my Observator, Vol. 2. N. 13. ) /I resolv'd
have al get my self and family completely arned ; got
ready two good protestant muskets, and three basket-hilt- swords, that were us'd at MarsI-on-ktoor, Edge-hill,.
&c. If I be not bang'd in time, there shall be another Marston-moor touch for the liberties of England! And sot 1 lave my self to yaxsx. lordship, and the honest ;ury.
characteristics
CULPRET, Fron*
The REHEARS A L.
From ;f>at. Nov. 4, to &at. Nov. 11, '1704. N° ij.
He method os the dissenters towards peace and union.
^/•T^O's tne government think to stop my mouth 1 3 with all their gravity ! I can triumph on t pillory, and write an hymn to it afterwards, as De Foe did. Thus ridiculing the sacred hymns of the church,
in giving the fame to our frophane and »*7/? y sing songs.
C. But what if they shou'd whip thee at a cart's-tail;
where the im£ cou'd not thee ; besides a hand
some fine upon thy back ?
O. That wou'd be only sining the party, who are
oblig'd to fave me harmless. But none of them will be ivhipp'd for me : and I come of a family that have a na tural aver/ion to / but I'll petition the ja^n to be bang'd, as I did her father ; and then she'll forgive my whipping, as he did. . And I'll be as grateful to her for
as have been to him
However thou seest my Observators still go on as last
Wednesday, with the fame bookseilers name. And Vol.
N. 67. to continue from my last, on last Saturday,
Ae day of my trial, that the sets may be comp/eat. Wasn't that cunning trick tell thee thou hast got new Observator. And who that why my self, that offer my self to thee again. If were another Ob
fervator, he would begin new number, and not take my volume and number, and go on with and fay was from last Saturday. Nor wou'd he have had the impudence to vindicate the Observator against the sen tence ofthe court, as do, and fay of him, he was al ways a well wisbcr to his country, and a zealous defender of liberty and property. Whereas he was found guilty for his wicked attempts against all these and mews his loving inclinations in that fame Wednesday
9o
Observa tor, where he fays, and woudnotyou have such men es
%
is I
I
a is? I
it
!
it ;;
it
? it
it a
a
3.
it, I
;
The REHEARSAL:
9r betray their country abroad, or that sell it at home, he hangd, drawn and quarter'd, or if the law will not
reclaim them, have them be-witted?
I am the
will go backwards with thee, and keep on the fame chat
Thus you see
same
man still : and therefore
we us'd to have, upon my former Observators. While they came out three times a week, I pretended it was in' order to my trial. But as I told thee before, it was for the beginning of the parliament ; and to answer the
ends of ihepublick, for which I am entertain d.
There
one of them, that of 03. 28. Vol. fore Ispent speech. 3.
N. upon my queens And therein echo over again her majesty's exhortation to peace and union at home, while
we are engag'd in war abroad. And the use I make of to turn all the wranglings and anglings among us upon the church-party. And there take opportunity to
have another stroke at my old friend Sir George Rook, way of excuse. fay thus, to have the nation hurrfd
into contention about the conduct one man, that
great in office, when perhaps one hundred part the nati
on knows nothing of the bufiness may be just as much as the towns-men o/'Calnes know the advantage tak
ing Gibraltar fay, when a nation engag'din such little trifling contentions, may give room for our enemies to believe that they may engage us yet in greater divifi ons; when indeed, as her majesty most excellently fays, THErE OUGHT TO BE NO CONTENTION AMONG US,
BUT WHO SHAll MOST PrOMOTE THE PUBlICK WEL FArE.
Here, countryman, make Sir George Rook the great bane of contention thro' the nation which will make him very obnoxious to the common people; that the nation shou'd be kept in divifion, upon his account and you know the natural consequence of that is, that he be remov'd
out of the way, when we clamour against him
C. But you make him unknown to the hundred man
in the nation. How then can he be a national quarrel
O. Thou'rt always putting me out! faid that only
to lessen him, to shew how inconfiderable he that he's- no
64.
grown
is ;
!
of
is
! I
I j
?
;
; of it
of
I
I it
I:
is
of
by
it, is,
-
C. But hark ye, Bays, who is it has made all this stir about Sir George Rook ? For tho* he is known to as ma ny as know there is an English fleet, and spoke of with that esteem and honour he justly has merited: yet his name
made no sir in the nation, nor was blown about in print, but by thee and thy scandalous club, who have been lay ing at him these two years past or more, expofing and ridiculing him in the grossest manner. And even for his taking of Gibraltar, and his victory over the grandsleet of France ; for which I have given thee due correction fae- fore. And the very week after the news of his taking Gibraltar, &c. canae over, out came little Colepeper bark ing at his heels ; and his comical romance v/ts differs 'd ever city and country, and ad•vertisd for a month or more1 to
gether, in all yourscoundrel papers. These things oblig'd some of Sir George's friends to publish a narrative of his expedition, and to do him and the nation right. For fo- exceeding ytas the malice ofthe •o;A»£s against' Sir George, (because a church- man) that rather than he shou'd have the credit of doing any thing that was brave, or useful to England, they took all the pains they cou'd, and thou
The REHEARSAL
$z
no more known in the nation,- than the advantage of taking Gibraltar, (there I have him again ! ) is knowu to the townsmen ofCalnes.
them the foremost man, to turn this iiictotytio the French side ; and to represent the taking of Gibral tar, as of no use ox consequence at all ; tho' thon before mad'st it the key of the Levant ; and reproachcTst this fame Sir George, for not having taken it before. As I hare shew'd in my Rehearsal, N. 10. How then can'st thou lay to the church party all this stir has been about Sir George Rook? . ». •, ■ '. ■,
amongst
O, Most cleverly! for if no body had answer 'd for him, but let us r«z7 on, there had been no dispute ! thoa know'st, it is the second blow that makes the quarrel. Thou Rehearser hast begun the contention, what had'st thou to do to concern thy self for our colepepering and bt-
flawng Sir George Rook ? Art thou one of the twenty cut-throat commissioners of the blood-office? or one of the
The REHEARS AL;
93
some-bodies of officers, that faid they wou'dstab me for abusing of Sir George Rook ? upon which I cry V «tf of assassinations, to «//7ra all the party ! and I'll tell thee,
ourfolks never raZt of assassination, but they zwfa» it ! C. This matter thou and talk'd over in Rehearsal N. ' 12. But I'll tell thee, I have not the honour to be
any relation, or so much as an acquaintance of Sir G. Rookh. But I speak merely as a true hearted Englishman. And cannot refrain from indignation, to see an honorable and gallant gentleman, so vilely traducd by a company of rake-hells, notwithstanding of all the signal services he has done his country ; for no other reason but that he i» true to the church. This shews the implacable spirit of whigism, which regards not country, but only party. And would rather their country should fink, than besavd by the church f
Besides their intolerable impudence, to charge their own crimes upon others, who detest them. As thy now laying upon the church the clamours thou thy self hast rais'd about Sir George Rook ! and so as the cause of that breach of union there is in the nation ! the church is the caa/i of ell!
O. Then let them be quiet ! and not be answering to what we write against them.
Tho' we challenge them to answer, and upbraid them for not answering ; and cry victoria I upon that very account. For why shou'4
we lose advantages ? that Is not our manner !
Thus Mr. De Foe begins his new test op
th^ chvrch of England's honesty, in these words, it it
not many months fince the world anas entertain d with a yet un-answer'd pamphlet, entituTd, A NEW TEST OF THE
church of England's loyalty, 13c. And here he makes the church of England as black as belli a pack of the greatest rogues and villains that ever the earth bore ! but concludes, p. 24. with an exhortation to peace and union, recommended by the queen ! and adds an adver tisement, that -whereas he heard of a book preparing Qf the sufferings of the loyal clergy of the church o/'England ;
by which it appears, (fays ne) that notwithstanding her majesty*
94
The REHEARSAL.
majesty s commands of peace and union, the churchmen art resohid to revive all the old quarrels, Sec. And then threatens them with expofing their clergy for sodomy, in- test, adultery, drunkenness, blasphemy, and other scanda lous crimes. Calamy's
C. That book a preparing, is in answer to
abridgment ofBaxter's life, lately printed, and now again re-printing, wherein he gives a long detail of the suffer ings of the non-cons, with most scandalous and false re
O. Well
slections on the church of England.
! that's what I fay ; they will be
answer
ing ! Is that observing the peace and union enjoin'd by
her majesty t
C. But you fay, they have not answer d your church of England loyalty, nor your church of England honesty,
UOr the christianity of the high church confider'd, dedicat
ed to my lord H m : all printed this fame year : and
all exhorting to peace and union : after having left nei
ther loyalty, honesty, nor christianity to the church of England. Is not this pasfive obedience to you, to a great
degree ? and complying with your exhortations to peace and union, tho' they are the sufferers !
O. O ! the rogues cannot answer 4 and we hew them down upon that account! how do we triumph over them in the dissenters answer to the high church challenge
(printed likewise this fame year 1704. ) p. 15, &c. fgr their not having answer'd De Laun'i book? which makes the church of England not only popish and anti- christian, but heathenish. Yet no answer! and to pro voke them, we have about two months since re-printed that precious piece. And in my Observator before nam'd, wherein I too exhort to peace and union, I have adver- tifedit with the huge long title page at full length. Where in we boast, that it was burnt by the common hangman
20 years ago : as the churchmen fay it well deserv'd ; for
its nonsense and filliness, as well as malice and impudence.
And that there is nothing in but what has been an swered over and over again. That there nothing new in but the old job-trot of railing and Billingsgatt
it,
is
it,
The REHEARSAL.
95
against both church and flate, as they fay it is in all we write. But let them fay what they will, we still
insist it is not answer dl come answer ! answer ! why don't you answer ? This is my way to peace and union, to advertise this book over again, which makes very de vils of the church of England; and shews them upon what terms we will make peace with them!
£ Then if they answer, they are the aggressors. And if they don't answer, their caa/i is gone, and you tri
umph !
O. Right, my boy ! thus we have them both ways !
Isn't this brave?
That dog of a Cassandra (whom I have mauTd)
was an aggressor, tho' it was wrote in answer to the oc cafional letter, N. I without 2d.
The wolssiript was an aggressor, tho' wrote in a«- to moderation a vertue, which 21. calls the church of England, men of debauch'd consciences, of the
grossest immoralities, of damnable lusts, enemies
state, and ofstrange disposition to receive the Romish reli gion. Sec.
The new association was an aggressor, tho' wrote in answer to f£e danger ospriest-craft, &c. which makes the church of England all anti-christs, and the least any men to be endur'd, in any well order flate.
'Tis these aggressors disturb the peace and union her ma jesty recommends they will be ripping up oldsores.
C. Yet your little pert Calamy, in postscript to the preface ofhis abridgment, sets down list of authors
where your true principles are to be found, the ^r/? of which was in the reign of old ^ Bess, intitul'd Part of a
register, Sec. which, with much ado, got sight of and found full of treason against the queen, and most diabolical but senseless malice against the church, her
rites, ceremonies, liturgy, and episcopacy. Of the like strain with those that follow, hitter and violent. Invec tives, which declare openiyar, and shew all reconcilia
tion or compounding to be impossible. How will you re
concile your present occafional conformity with what these . , books
the
.
it
I a
aa /.
;
!
da
of
of
st,
96 The REHEARSAL.
books call idolatry, anti-christian, and even beatbenisbi Or would Mr. Calamy recommend these books, without reading them ? You must either quit Calamy, or yous
back to the hangman. Calamy's Ifyou dare stand by
cause, and all your mealy-mouth'd pretences to peace and union ! You must even quit your famous monfieur de Laun, whom you have reprinted, and send his book too
list
will, upon notice, give you such an abstract out of them,
as will make every honest man's hair stand on end, and,
have you bunted out of the kingdom !
But if you will not stand by Calamy, then send his
book whither De Launs went with De Foe's, and the rest of the sike tendency ; and then see whom you will have left behind, ofall your late celebrated writers !
!
of books, I your
It wou'd be the joyfullest bonfire that ever England
faw ! then peace and union ! and I'm afraid not till then
From &at. Nov. 1 1 to i&at. Nov. 1 8, 1704. N° 16.
This Observator of no church. Of mob principles. Their new-old method ofanswering books.
Coun. \\ 7"HO art thou, master? Havel got a net*
VV
?
O. It is no matter who I am. Am not I Observator?
Do'sn't see ? Thou'rt to follow the horse, never mind the
rider. Is not the Objervator carry'd on, the fame volume, numbers, and days, where Touchin left off; ifhe has left
,off? So that the precious -volumes of the Observator will be kept up, and compleat, for the use of the publick. I
am only ajourneyman, to carry on the work, till Touchh has past his sentence. And he gives thee notice in die Flying-Post of last Saturday, that he will write his Obser- •vatoi s again. We know of what use the Observattrs have been to our cause, in spiriting up the mob, thro' die
master
nation. And we must not yet let them fall. There will
be no notice taken, which of them were wrote by Twchn, and
the different
The REHEARSAL.
97 and which not ; which I tell thee, countryman, has been
case, before this time ; as
of them.
be observ'd in the Somesprinklings of wit in some Touchin was ltft to so
of
heavily dull, full of nasty ribaldry and billings-gate as
strains them j others
(where
himself)
nauseated every man of common sense, ox probity. But in the whole, it is a party paper ; and we are answerable for it. Therefore thou may'st go, and talk as freely as formerly.
- C. Then I take thine of last Saturday, N. 68. to be in answer to my Rehearsal, N. 13. where I speak of the
Observator's religion, and of his church
thee again, in thy forefaid Observator, thus, Are you high-church, or low-church, or freely speaking, are
you of no church? And thou anfwIer'st, Those are en-
Jharing questions, countryman ; and
cannot give a cate gorical answer to any of them. The meaning of which I take to be, if I can understand common sense, that thou
art of no church ; and that it is ensnaring to make
theespeak out, and confess so much : Because it is not yet
grown popular enough ! which thou hop'st to see in a short time!
Then thou shift'st the business of church, and com'st to what thou call'st religion in general, and tak'st thy rise from heathen Rome, whose religion thou commend'st ex-
treamly! and mak'st them a pattern (tho' very unjustly) for a toleration of all religions which do not hurt the state. It seems then thy care is not much for their souls ! or
thou think'st that salvation is well enough secur'd in any
even of heathen Rome !
But did not heathen Rome persecute christianity? Or,
do'st thou think that the principles of christianity are oppo fite to government, even tho' in the hands of heathen em
perors ? That sort of christianity would indeed have given umbrage to theRoman emperors, not to give any toleration to it. But the christian doctrine (in those dark times]) was passive obedience to the height, even to the heathen kings and persecutors ! They did not consider, that we
F Yet
religion,
might come in time to have christian-popish-princes !
Vol. I.
may
: And ask
The REHEARSAL.
98
Yet in this very Observator thou pleads for liberty es
conscience, even to papists that live peaceably.
O. That is still except kings ! They must not have
that liberty we allow to our selves ! for look ye, country man, ours are original rights! and kings but derivative from us! liberty and property are only the people's. ' Yoo never heard of the king's liberty and property ! And we
Jimit and tie up his prerogative, as we please.
Thus we claim occafional conformity, as the r/jitf of every subject ; but at the fame time will not allow it to
the crown, but have tyd even the house of Hanover
ever they come) to conformity, without any occafional. Kings may do mischief with therefore must not be trusted with But the people never did any harm in their lives!
or, if they do, may forgive themselves, as being the ori
ginal power and they please, for diverfion, to worry and destroy one another, even to half the nation, who can
fay unto them, What do ye? May they not do what they please with themselves, and with their own Is not this salus populi And not that the fuprema lex?
C. What to destroy one another to the end of the
chapter
O. Ay, to the end of the world! rather than let pre
rogative blow upon hair of our heads
C. Pray, Sir, answer me one thing. What great
harm has come to Englandiiy the arhitrariness of all her kings, since William the conqueror?
O. None that know of, or not worth naming. Bat know what thou'd'st be at. Thou wou'dst bid me lay in the Other scale, the barons-wars, York and Lancaster, the late revolution of forty-one, &c. And then have me
compare, what the people havefuffer'dhy the arhitrariness of kings and what the rebellion of the people But won't compare for thee. And what wilt thou do then
C. Then must compare my self and see where
the salus populi most fasely deposited, whether in kings, with all their faults or in the mob, with all their vertues! O. But who knows what these kings might have done,
they had not been restrain'd, what thou call'st our rebellions? C. Ay!
if
I
is
I
a
! ! ?
;! I
it !
;
by
if is
by by
it !
;
!
?
! ! I
(if
The REHEARSAL.
99
C. Ay ! who knows indeed ! Do'st thou expect an
answer to thy night-mare ofjealousies and/ears? Wilt thou oppose thy might-bees, and which never have been in England, to all that we have seen and felt of reiellicn and rewlution ? To the hundreds and thousands that have been murder d, and many more utterly undone by popular
commotions ! Wilt thou compare all these with a favour
ite or two (whom you generally hate) disgraced or ruin'd
by a ; or whatever you cou'd call a grievance to the people, in all the arhitrary and illegal acts of our iing? (as I faid) since William the conqueror ! Men must be cs-
chanted, before they can be carry'd away with such ridi culous pretences, to hunt after their own ruin ! whence rebellion is rightly call'd witchcrast by God himself/ And is not that the cafe, when dreams of what we never fi•w, that persuade us out of our fve fenses, and our reason, and experience to boot! And are men thus bewitch'd, thus perniciously bewitch'd, to the endless destruction
of the people, in sapping the foundations of all government,
and laying groundwork for nothing but eternal revolution
and confufion, making all settlement, in what /o/ct of ga-
I'ernment soever, utterly impracticable, by placing the dernier resort of all things in the oto£ ? I fay, are such
men to have what they call their full liberty given them,
to propagate and practise such principles, let them call themselves of what church or denomination they please ?
These thou thy self, master, hast excepted, as being hurt ful, and most dangerous to the stated • .
And how thou, who wilt not ' declare thy self of any church, and so art of no church, and consequently wou'd'it hint no church establish'd; how thou art sit to treat of church matters; especially considering, that the (burch with us, as in all nations, is a part, and the
principal part of the state, I leave thee to thy next to re solve ; and will now prosecute the subject we were last upon, a little further.
In Biy last I shew'd the method of your party towards peace and union, in sending out a numerous,^wuw ofpoi- rcnotts pamphlets against the church ; and then taking equal
F 2 offence
ioo
The REHEARS AL.
offence at their being answer d, or not answered, each a new ground of quarrel!
making
But as if the daily swarms of pamphlets that come from your fide (ten to one in number to those that are wrote on the fide of the chufch ) were not sufficient, you have got a
been long since answer d, as new booh, and cry out foi
new answers to them.
In the year 1660 (you began early, immediately upon
the restauration ) you publish'd a hook with this title, The interest of England, in the matter of religion, unfolded
new-old trick, to re-print your old libels, which have
in thesolution ofthese questions. in 1 . Whether the presbyterian party should
justice, er reason ofstate, he rejected and depressed, or protected and
encouraged?
2. Q;, Whether the presbyterian party may he proteseed
and encouraged, and the episcopal not deserted or disoblig'd? 3. Whether the upholding of both parties, by ajus andequal accommodation, be not in itselfmore defirable cad
more agreeable to the state of England, than the abfohti exalting of the one party, and the total subverfion of tht
ether?
Written by J. C.
This w the title. And in theyear 1661, Sir Roger
VEstrange wrote an excellent answer to well known
by the name of the holy cheat, provingfrom the un
deniable practiccs and pofitions ofthe presbyterians, that the
defign that party, is, to en/lave both king andpeople, un
der the mast religion. This was wrote so pointedly, and the proofs so undeniable, that the party were not able
give any answer to so that went on, and prevail and in the year 1682, received fourth impression.
of all which, the fame book thus an swer and efsectually confuted, came out again, in tie
year 702, under this title, Three questions ofpresent im
portance, modestly resolvd. And the three forefaid queriu set down, with small •variation of some words, but no
thing in substance. And thisj>f<w the fame book come
out again, with the former title but no notice takin, A. ,
Notwithstanding
;
a it
it,
is
a
1
d
it ;
V, to
of of
The REHEARSAL. 101
that it is already answer d, past even their modesty to reply! No! it is now a new, spick andspan new book !
See if any of the church party will give it a new answer !
