But how can'st thou
reconcile
the letter of Mr.
Rehearsal - v1 - 1750
C.
very prudently bore all affronts, and waited only till he cou'd have the law on his side — and then he drew like a lion !
The author of the True state, &c. lets us know,/.
that he was acquainted with Don Quixote Therefore
I'll tell him Spanish story, very a propos, because they are the nicest judges of honour. A Don there happening into dispute with another, after dinner, the other had his tooth-pick in his hand, and in the heat of discourse, moving his hand up and down, with the tooth-pick
the Don afterwards bethought himself, whether some affront might not have been meant by as he tended to beat him with that tooth-pick. Upon which he went to council learned in the law of honour who, after he had consulted his books, gave this resolution, that the tooth-pick was made of quill, was no
because people don't use to beat one another with quills but the tooth-pick was made of wood, was direct bastinado because not the fixe of the cudgel, nor the smart of the blow, that consider honour
which
front
is
a
if ;
a
it is
: ; if
a
it by
it,
:
'd
it
;
if
;
a af
in in it;
38.
[
The REHEARSAL.
a89
which isr as much wounded by the er/ser of an affront, as if crab-tree were laid upon the bones. Now, Sir, consi der that a cane is but a reed; and ratfi being no engines of war in England: quære, Whether Mr. D 's cane Was any greater affront to W. C. than if he had shook* %wJfeptiU athim ?
But these Spaniards may be too squeamish upon the faint of honour! And why shou'd Mr. W. C. be deter
mine by them ? He rather appeals to English judges, and, p. 38. quotes Spehnan's Glossary to prove, that
throwing his- hat, and then his peruke in Mr. D
fact, ana making a full pass at him, at the fame time, was no breach of the law of combat. And for your Spa niards, he fays, ihid. That as to W. C. w^a has read the bijlary of Don Quixote, he laughs at those heroes.
/ threIw hat at him, which faid p. 15. first my
him; afterwards I his shoulder :
upon and made a home
took that
Says Mr. Denew, That is not fair ——
. . 's
But here I shall be call'd in question again! For did I say, that W. C. threw his peruke in Mr. D- "'sface? whereas it did light upon his Jhoulder. For thus W. C.
mifid
threw peruke, which hit my
fa/s at him.
I,
« You are a villain
Fair ! said bird by
any thing
to an
assassin. me.
opportunity,
, to afisassinate
As to the Fairness, it is clear'd in Spelman's Giossary :
as the assassination was by the Jury.
But for the shoulder ! the shoulder ! what shall be faid
to that? Behold one of the most palpable forgeries,
and most imprudently manag'd, that this age has seen in print !
But what signisies this ace, or this Corner of the earth? see the True state, p. 6. And there you will see, That the World has not in any age produed a man beyond Mr. De Foe, for his miraculom fancy, and lively invention in all his writings, both •verse and prose. And if he was the
pin-man of this True state, as is fuppos'd, this was very
prudently manag'd ! however, he is oblig'd in gratitude to
stand by his ingenious and magnanimous friend, who had the courage to give such a Romanpck character of his
Vol. I. O War*
290
Worthiness, done !
The REHEARSAL.
as no less a heroe durst have venturd to have -
But supposing Mr. De Foe to be the author, he may defy Don S>uixot, Scarron, and all the •writers of Ro mances in any age of the world, for such a character of an heroe as he has dress 'd up ! Page 3. of the 7raf /ate, he tells how W. C. having heard that Sir George Rook had wrote something very disobliging of him ; and that he ought to have an account os it from Sir G. R. himself, (that was like a man of honour) he •went to Sir George, and ast? d him, if he had written such a letter ? Sir George (fays he) witb an air of coldness and gravity, told him, that he had •wrote so, and repeated the words to him. Was not this sneakingly and cowardly done ? Now thun der and lightning, blood and destruction ! But Pallas came in shape of Prudence, and I her heroe, now in
have it fad I I W. C. d, , nowrescu'd
Iwas not to be before willing
Sir, distress reply srom yourself,
am ; but satisfied
lieve it. And without any other words between them, W. C took his leave.
After this he tells, That Sir George sent him a chal lenge. But W. C. wou'd not fight him in England, for sear of being hang'd; for he was sure to stay! Nor in
Holland, (which Sir Geerge offer'd) for the fame reason. And lest the wind shou'd blow him into France, or some body tip him over board, as he tells p. 40, and p. 38. he refus'd to fight another, because he was such a coward as to threaten him. And another, because he had learn'd tofence. And another, and another, because he wou'd sight none till he had fought Sir G. R. sirst. And that there were 20 before them, and he must fight them ia their order. And as to his behaviour at the time ofthe assault, he values himself upon it, that he was master of his temper ; fince net qbligd by the rules of honour, bt drew his sword purely in his own defence. Was he not then can V into it ? At least it was the cane made him do
it ; for there was no other assault made upon him, but by the cane. And the law judg'd it to be an assault ; sp that this was a canigg even in law. And the Review*
nice
he has
contribution from the high-church for writing
The
REHEARSAL. ,
291
Slice distinction in behalf of W. C. is like that of one, who being kick'd patiently, and alk'd by a friend, if he would take that, answer'd, I did not take he gave me.
Now cou'd any thing less than miraculous fancy,
and lively invention, have brought an heroe through so
many dangers, and invented so many excuses to avoid fighting And yet honour fase still
But he fought for peace, and for the laws and to
prevent the shedding of christian blood!
- Will not this passive heroe have place in Mr. Be
fif's now printing brave long y^tyr against pastive ,obe dience? W. C. cannot do less than be subscriber! But his •wit out- weigh his courage half grain, he'll give thee, Mr. Review, no thanks for reviving this matter,
and that thou wilt not let rest.
For just now since began the last paragraph, thy
lately deceas'd) truth and honesty, of the 4th instant, N. 24. come to my hands wherein thou hast this matter of Mr. Denew and the cane over again and insults unmeasurably, that not answer'd. And seems has been in several of thy former papers, which
have not seen.
Thou tak'st upon thee likewise to name the author of
the Rehearsal and bestow'st some of thy loving strokes
upon him. This has been long harp'd upon
•uator, and the rest of the scandalous club. But guess on that author will not tell any of you who he not, that you may not be nearer guessing who he is.
Thou call'st him likewise church hireling, and that
this paper. Thus measuring his corn by thy bushel but if thou wilt take my word, can assure thee, that to this day he has not receiv'd one farthing either for or that paper. Nor was he put upon otherwise than by
the prospect he had of doing good, and rescuing the common people from the mischief he faw was done them, in the popular principles of confufion, which were in- still'd into them in these weekly and rebellious papers, to O make
Obser-
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292
lOhl 'REHEARSAIL.
make us andther Poland; andin drdef to this, vilelyef-
perfing of the church ahd the ministry, not sparing the queen her self. He easily forefaw what dirt he must meet with, more than Hercules found in the stable of Jugeas\
when he provok'd worse beasts than St. Paul fought wtith at Ephefus ; but if he help to open the eyes of any one he thinks it a sufficient compensation, if not he has his reward in undergoing such & penance, for what he thought agoarf end.
From &at. June 23, to £>&t. June 30, 1 705. N° 48.
I. The I relating to Sir H.
Afa—tfet
in es clear U
AJh
"
Kenfington neat London,
affair light as
tan. 2. The
Sandwich, /
think,
affair of
fully cleared, by the opposition made against it. 3.
Mr. Burchet'o concern referr'd to Himself.
(1. ) Gun. AM now come tb clear some disputed
matters, being always ready to do justice to all sides. The following letter was sent Sir H.
' with desire might be inserted here, And thn$ word for word,
" SIR, Warrington, June 705.
" This comes to do you the justice to assert, that yoi *' sent not me, nor did deliver to bro. Fauilris* " message from you, That ivas past twelve s'clsckiiiiti
the church
England, as law establijFd. am, Sir,
Vour affectionate, and
Humble servant, Tho. JJhurf.
" For Sir Hen.
" Baft, at
A/hurst
O. Well,
'
by I
of
it by I
6, 1
it is,
t,
JL 'if
it
by
The REHEARSAL.
3,9. 3.
O. Well, but thou promis'd'st likewise to let us knows, . what thy intelligencer in the xvmtry faid for himself. We expect: that he shopld own himself a liar, or elsejustify,
what he has faid, and produce witnesses too, that we be. not Jlammd off with such idle /lories; but let full justice be done, and shew not thy self partial to one fide more,
than another.
C. I will not, but let thee know all that
I know of the matter. Thus then fays my intelligencer (as thou call'll; him) to his friend here, from whom I had and whom
defir'd to write to him about it.
- ** Yours, dear Sir, of the zd of June, came to me on.
" the 4th and on the 5th went to Warrington, and *f met with Mr. Vaudrey, and casually with Mr. Ashurst
too. They are not willing to give any such thing un- " der their hands, because of the relation betwixt
'em yet they do both own it, and indeed to no
** "
purpose to deny having both of them declared the menage so often. Mr. Patten not against having his name made publick he adheres to the very words
* he wrote in his letter to me, and has declared himself " upon again, in the presence of two credible wit- V. nesses, which witnesses have certify'd the fame. on the
back of his letter jo me, in this form.
O. Where
whp " wit this letter, ow. ns the trltttt
fiom^Pat^e. n. t)f. W^arringtonf
" of this letter th$ presences
tAvar. d Mansn. n curate of Nett>t. o» the parish pf IsinwicX.
Jjihn. . Gw/teruf. .
this letter of Mr. Patten's How do we know what that letter fays
C. That which printed in an advertisement last May iqth. N. 42. and was then i^^Tbomas Patten; but yet did not think proper to put any gentleman's name in print, without his own expense Itawe, which now
having
June »70S-
O 3
I is
S,
I it
;
is it
is
it it I in ?
;
?
in.
it,
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it,
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I ;
it is
•
294
The REHEARS AL.
having obtain'd, as you see, I set it down. And thi»
shews, that I took not up that story without sufficient
" But my later goes on, and fays,
" In the presence of the fame Thomas Patten and Edward
" Alanfin Mr. AJhurst os AJhurst declared, that there " was no letter sent from Sir H. A/h /; that it was a '* message only; and that Sir -H. Ash / did bid him
" tell his cousin Vaudrey ""Twas past twelve o'clock with " the church of England. All which will be attested by
more, if there be a necessity for it.
Thus the letter which I have by me ; and I hope will
grounds, which now I 'have been sored to publish for my own vindication. .
be a sufficient vindication of me in this matter, to which
I have been brought very unwillingly, to chase stories; but became necessary, when otherwise I must lie under the af-
• perfion of inventing stories, or taking them up too lightly. I have told the naked fact on both sides, without any comments of my own. I have not refus'd to publish any
paper sent me that might help to clear up the truth, as well' on the one side, as on the other.
O.
But how can'st thou reconcile the letter of Mr. AJhurst with the account given in thy letter ?
C. That lies not upon me; I only tell plain matter of fact, as it stands on both sides : But I observe some cer tain words in Mr. Ashurst's letter, n/z. [As by law esta blished] which are not in Mr. Patten's letter, or any ac
count I have given . of this matter. And then those words being put in, it may be faid, that it was not so said; and no body fays it was, but I will not anticipate what Mr. AJhurst, or any other has to fay in their own desence, nor will limit how far any gentleman may go, to gratify x
relation. .
(2. ) O, But come thou Drawkansor, look about thee !
here's another upon thy back ! our Moderator of the zotb
instant N. 6. who fays, We hope thatenough has beensaid as to the Sandwich bufiness, but the Re(hearser hav
ing, since then, beenso very impudent as contrary to aS truth)
J The REHEARSAL. 295
truth to insert affidavits about it, malicioujly and wick edly defigning thereby to ruin a whole corporation at once. —i
C. Hold
get Kalf the charge. First, as to the defign of ruining a'
! hold ! let me answer
by parcels,
fir-
whole corporation, and at once too ! to swallow them all at a bit ! I can tell thee, that this Rehearser is not half so terrible a sellow as thou tak'st him to be ! he had none .
of these bloody thoughts in his head ; he had no defign at
all against the corporation, all he meant was to shew the1
bitter, anti-monarchical, old Oliverian-republican spirit,
that reigns in the whigs and dissenters (some of which may be in the corporation of Sandwich, as well as in Coventry;
and other places, not excepting London or Westminster } and how that spirit of Belial, the enemy of all order of go vernment, has of late dard to shew its face more boldly
and licentiously than even in the late ; from what reason I will not here pretend to guess, nor so far impose upon my reader's understanding as to fay what the cos/Jv
I shall
quence must be if these principles be indulged, and let jr^n*
and prosper among us.
But now, cannot a man tell of a wÆ/g- or a dissenter in.
such a corporation, but it must be improvd to no less than' a very quo warranto against their charter ? Is that a suf sicient reason to dissolve a. corporation ? let the Moderator make his words good ! or talk no more of moderation !
one would expect moderation from a moderator! but hespits jire like the bell on 'em !
And having, among others, attack'd the Rehearsal, and given him the lie, about the yin Sandwich, now•
fays (only by way of moderation ! ) that it was very impu- . iently, maliciously, and wickedly done of him to produce
affidavits to prove the truth of it ! but for this the Mode* rator has already received his correction in the whipping-
post, the \c)th instant N. 2. therefore IfyartYam.
O. But he fays he has affidavits to confront thy affi~, davits. -J
C. Where are they ?
O. At Mrs. Malthus %, thepublister of his paper.
The REHEARSAL.
C. That is to fay, Go hok——r\i they had been to the purpose, no doubt, we should have had them !
0. But he inserts a long letter wrote to . him from Saxd-
>v,i ch, and commending his paper, as an honest at\c\ useful fppcr ; by which we may know it comes from the bemtft
He has set down no names of scribers, but it is in the plural ltileof we ; whereby we may suppose, if we please, that it was wrote by the whole
town, or a considerable part of them.
C. See thou read right. Is it not dated from Gotham ?
Who else could have objected, That the Rehearsal/t*- duces only thiaffidavit ofoneperson relating to Mr. Branch,
when that affidavit tells, that there were nqne present with Mr. Eljied and Mr. Branch, when the words were spoke ? And the letter adds, by way of aggravation, Jed he the very/ame too, who had the dispute with him (Branch) at Sandown gate ; when the faid affidavit is so very particular as to tell. That it was full three and thirty rods . without andfrom the said gate, that W&r. Brunch overtook Mr. Elstcd, and sell into discourse with him wjtm be uttered the words objected. And to shew how careful Mr. Elsted was of what he swore, he had the dis tance measu r'd before he made his affidavit ; which it
likewise mentioned in the affidavit.
But there is a very useful, tho' not quite so honest a
stroke in that letter, which fays, That the town ^"Sand
wich it already too unhappy by reason ofsuch Inhabitants !
a? 6
and gaily there !
sub
It tells after, those who lost it at the election ; and that in revenge of that, they raised these
JUries upon the honest part ofthat taunt.
This is wholsome doctrine ! that where whigs or difent
ers prevail, no churchman must live among them, else
they will be always unhappy, by reason ofsuch inhabitants ! they are spies upon them, and tell tales !
O. But Moderator has added a certificate, which he fays does directly contradict all that Mr. Rehearsal hat
said.
C. It contradicts not one word of only shews the
stuffing and cutting of party who struggle to death under
Who were these ?
the weight oftruth.
They
a .
it,
TTke REHEARSAL.
297
Tbey produce a shamflag ; have sent it up to London,
md it WAS. Jfetwed at Man's coffiee-house at Charing-Cross,
then »t the Ad/niraUy-Ostke, and at last 'tis got to Mrs. Malthus' 's house to be seen in the hands of the worthy Moderator, now advocate genei al for the can/f ; but the
affidavits T have already produc'd have obviated this true ui&ig trick, fox this jbum-jfog shew'd sirst at Sand
wich : And in the affidavits taken there, it is sworn, that this was not the flag they few hung out, unless alters fence. And suppose two or three floould swear that they did not see this flag hung out? which may easily be. I
doubt not there were many in town at that time of elec tion who did not see or take notice of it. But what all this to the positive affidavits of those who did fee and took such exact notice of as to be able toswear so
very particularly to
If such a flir had not been made in
many printed the first relation could have gone no further than
papers,
the act of some sew hot-headed republican, zealots, and in
considerable enough, and had not affected the corporation. But now the party espousing the cause, and giving us
fresh instance of their method offincerity, in dealing with truth, in /hamming and covering the vilest of their actions, and making the extravagance of the most infignificant among them party-cause, and throwing dirt upon the friendsof the church, become party-cause, and let them
take fox their pains. And the corporation owns that senseless andseditious letter inserted in the Moderator, they deserve whatever mark the government pleas'd to put
upon them not, let them disown their Moderator, or them and let the friends of the church and the mon
archy take courage, and not be run down with noise and nonsense, while the full plain truth on their side.
{3. ) And there being but one man of reputation (;}iat hear of) who has been named\a this shameful cause, that
W, Mr. Surchet ih? secretary of the admiralty, and whom have heretofore mentioned with honour, in vindication of Sir George Rook leave to him to do himself jujlice
upon the author of that scandalous paper calsd Vindua- O . /<a»
it j
if
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it
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298 The REHEARSAL.
tien ofthe corporation •o/"Sandwich, which has presum'd to make use os his name in a cause which he cannot but
know will not bear the test; and in which, ifhe thinki sit, he need not be concern'd.
From &at. June 30, to &at:. July 7, 1 705- N° 49-
t. The Observator charges the loss of New-found-land (with- the destruction of trade, invasion ofour liberties,
encouragement of fraud, and dis-regard to honesty)
upon the parliament. 2. And upon K William. 3. Whence shewd that whigs can never be content. 4. The Review threatens the next parliament with a ncm
revolution, and to bring upon them the magazine ofori
ginal power.
5. Whence a short view taken of the of government, wherein Harrington'/
whigs
cun-powder blows up
new invention. Ofgovernment being
scheme
De Foe'/ magazine. 6. A from God, and
yet the wholefrom the people.
Gaa. TT 7"E're come to a sine pass indeed, and are (1. ) VV likely to have a sine time on't, when
fat chin and De Foe, and the rest of our weekly scandals
shall have free liberty to spend their vcrJxct upon all
of state, and events of war, and the mobils
transaclions suffer'd to be led away by them, and
of the nation are
prejudic'd against the government
and whole administra tion ! of Saturday last, thou lay'st the loss of Nc•a>
the parliament lost New-found-
In thine
the parliament. Thou faid'st in these
found-land upon
plain words, 'Twas countrymen thus, Ifyour
li TRAdE be destroy treasure misapply d, the
land, and go'st on to tell all thy
berties, invaded, the publtck
d, your traffics ncglected, your
converted to PRIVATE funds for national SERVICE 'its
uses, frauds encourag'd, and honesty disregarded,
long withyour PARlIAMENT. ofparliaments I This begets a fine notion in the people
of so many people as are guided wholly by these papers. which
The REHEARS AL.
299 which are an incredible number in this nation who know no more nor ho other than as they are inform'd from
thence, and swallow down all they fay as gospel 7
(2. ) O. Now herein thou shalt see a full proof of my
truth and honesty, and love to publick good, without par
tiality to any, how near or dear soever ; for in my Ob- servator last before, of June 27th Vol. IV. N. 25. I lay
the loss of this fame New
noured, glorious, and immortal I fay,
-sound-land
K— William,
By that inglorious treaty of Reswick, a part of that
country was given to the French ; and there was no par liament concerned in that treaty; and I date the loss of New -found- land from that inglorious treaty : Besides how oft have I bemoan'd the protestant interest abroad,
glorious and immortal cannot ! when your own representa tives in parliament cannot ! when every Tutchin and Dfr Foe can arraign all these, make them betrayers of their
not only neglected, in that war for religion, but given up by that treaty? Was it not then inglorious f now am
upon my ever ho-
I not impartial, and seeking only my country's good !
C. This shews the natural and genuin efsects of your whig and republican principle, of placing the radi cal power of government in the people, that 'tis impossible to please you ; for what can please you, when even the
trust,
(3. )
and enemies to the nation ! when even Tutchin and Dt Foe themselves, those noble chiefs of the people, can not agree, but are in open war with one another f how then should a whole nation, a whole world of Tutchini or De Foes, all independent and each original; how should all these agree to a zrcaa which, Tutchin or Z)•f Piv, should be a / or would they be pleas 'd with him, when they had him !
(4. ) If Tutchin were chosen, De Foe would say to him, as he threatens the next parliament, if they please not him, in his Review of last June 19. Vol. II. N. 46. That he must open the magazine of originalpower of which
(i'ays he) the late revolution is a pattern; and he
would bring a new revolution upon K Tutchin, un- . esi K Tutchin hang'd him up in time ; he would O6 ' not
K-
i tie Foe, if the choice sell
The
The REHEARSAL.
300
not let a whiffing or pillory serve his turn. And do we think 'that Tutchin would not have as much to fay against
him ?
zine oforiginalpower would be opened on the other side.
(5. ) If this seems extream ridiculous, as indeed it then let all the whigs and commonwealth-men in England know, that neither Dolemau alias Parsons the Jesuit, who led the dance here, nor Buchanan, Knox, or Rutherford in Scotland; nor Harrington, Hobbs, Milton, Lack, or
Sidney in England, or any other orators for the original power of the people, either antient or modern, could make any other or better sense of it. This bold challenge,
and will stand by and bo provocations that could possibly use can prevail with any of them, to fave their cause from- being thus destitute and abandoned.
have given specimen as to Lock, N. 38. let any jus tify him who can, and none ofthem fay any new tiling,
or any thing else than begging the question at sirst, that the power was originally in the people; and thence raising their sine superstructures, which are all utterly inconfistent with any settlement of government whatsoever. The ma gazine of original power overturns them all at pleasure and that foss'e may, by their own scheme, be railed Tutchin or De Foe, and nothing but eternal revolution can be the end of for this original magazine must ad mit (as Mr. Lock disputes) of no absolute power either in
king or parliament, or any deputed from the people, else blown up all at once, and the power can never revert
to the people!
Then they fall to work at balancing, and set up co-or
upon
maga
dinate powers and these agree about as dogs do about bone
If you will not believe me, hear one of your owaprt- phets, the famous Harrington,' in his Oceana printed at
London, 1656, fays thus, p. 152, 153.
" " Your Gothick politicians' seem unto me rather to have " invented some new ammunition or gun-powder their
king and parliament (duo fulmina lelli) than govern-
z' nrnt; for what become of the princes " kind of .
people)
is
it :
a
it,
(a
in I
a !
is
I
I
;
a
it, is a
by it a;
is,
The REHEARSAL.
301
" people) in Germany f Blown up. Where are the " efiates or power of the pees le in France ? Blown up. u Where is that of the people w Aragon, and the rest of '* the Spanish kingdoms ? Blown up. ; On the other side, " where is the king of Spain's power in Holland? Blown f- up. Where is that of the Austrian princes in Switx ? " Blown up. This perpetual peevishness and jealousy, " under the alternate empire of the prince, and of the " people, is obnoxious to every spark ; nor shall any
" man shew a reason that will be holding in prudence
" why the people of Oceana have blown up their king,
" but that their king did not sirst blow them up. The
" rest is discourse for ladies.
O. What ! make our constitution nothing but meer geffiping ! Does Harrington talk at this rate ? you maze me ! why he is one of our chief authors. And this very
book of hjs call'd Oceana is lately re-printed by our
worthy Mr. Toland. What can be the meaning of thi»
from Harrington ?
C. I can tell thee he was a whig, that is, a republican,
and had seen the experiment try'd before his eyes of king
and parliament being co-ordinate powers, and balancing one another. He faw there could be no end of but the one ever- powering and conquering the other when the contest was for power, and when the parliament had pre vailed, he faw itend in ^. fengle person and an army upon which he sell toscheme-making, and fancy'd he had found out model free from the former inconveniences; but 'tis
such medley as neither himself, nor any body else can make head or tail of, yet of use (if men would take
to shew the vanity of all our scheme-mongers in placing government upon the foot of the people, or any other
soundation than divine institution.
(6. ) O. But we have late authors, and of the church of
England too, which fay, that government indeed from, God; but the modification of it, as to the species of the go vernment, and the choice of the governors, from the
people.
C. And that all for what else there in govern
ment,
is ,
is
is is
is
aa
; it)
it,
302
The REHEARSAL.
ment, but the species or kind of government (whether mn- \
archy, aristocracy or democracy ) and the choice of the per- sons who shall govern? They that are so chofen have thence forward the making of our laws, and absolute do minion over us ; and the placing this in the people is mak
ing government wholly from them, and liable to all the inconveniencies and contradiction we have been speaking of.
But did God appoint government, and yet appoint no species of government, nor any person or persons who should
govern f What sort of government was that ? Was not
How should government have arisen upon such a grant as this ? And
that leaving us just where we were before ?
where is such a grant to be found ?
(as I think I have fully demonstrated) for mankind in the supposed state of independency all upon the level, to have agreed upon any sort of government at all, by free and
ceived from such a. grant, if it had been given ?
have been to give them leave to do what was impossible for them to do ! at least, this we may fay, that it is what was never yet done since the foundation of the world, which I think is sufficient to determine the question, for eur question is fact and not possibilities ; and it is of the original oigovernment in the world, and the sirst dividing the world into nations, not what was done by any set of banditti in this or that corner ; such an instance, if it could be shewed, would not determine the rights of man kind in the general. But if no such instance can be shewed, as I believe there cannot, of any nation so formed and framed, no not of the Romans at sirst under Romulus, who was not chosen by ihefree and equal vote of thoie
. who came in to him, he rather chose them, or accepted of their sharing his fortune ; I fay, if no such instance can
be given of any prince chosen by the free and equal vote of all his subjects (tho' if it could, it would nQt, as I have faid, determine the right of mankind in the general ) then how very despicable does the plea look of the original of
fnxt
I have shewed Num. 38. ) "what benesit could mankind have re
equal votes, (which Mr.
very prudently bore all affronts, and waited only till he cou'd have the law on his side — and then he drew like a lion !
The author of the True state, &c. lets us know,/.
that he was acquainted with Don Quixote Therefore
I'll tell him Spanish story, very a propos, because they are the nicest judges of honour. A Don there happening into dispute with another, after dinner, the other had his tooth-pick in his hand, and in the heat of discourse, moving his hand up and down, with the tooth-pick
the Don afterwards bethought himself, whether some affront might not have been meant by as he tended to beat him with that tooth-pick. Upon which he went to council learned in the law of honour who, after he had consulted his books, gave this resolution, that the tooth-pick was made of quill, was no
because people don't use to beat one another with quills but the tooth-pick was made of wood, was direct bastinado because not the fixe of the cudgel, nor the smart of the blow, that consider honour
which
front
is
a
if ;
a
it is
: ; if
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it,
:
'd
it
;
if
;
a af
in in it;
38.
[
The REHEARSAL.
a89
which isr as much wounded by the er/ser of an affront, as if crab-tree were laid upon the bones. Now, Sir, consi der that a cane is but a reed; and ratfi being no engines of war in England: quære, Whether Mr. D 's cane Was any greater affront to W. C. than if he had shook* %wJfeptiU athim ?
But these Spaniards may be too squeamish upon the faint of honour! And why shou'd Mr. W. C. be deter
mine by them ? He rather appeals to English judges, and, p. 38. quotes Spehnan's Glossary to prove, that
throwing his- hat, and then his peruke in Mr. D
fact, ana making a full pass at him, at the fame time, was no breach of the law of combat. And for your Spa niards, he fays, ihid. That as to W. C. w^a has read the bijlary of Don Quixote, he laughs at those heroes.
/ threIw hat at him, which faid p. 15. first my
him; afterwards I his shoulder :
upon and made a home
took that
Says Mr. Denew, That is not fair ——
. . 's
But here I shall be call'd in question again! For did I say, that W. C. threw his peruke in Mr. D- "'sface? whereas it did light upon his Jhoulder. For thus W. C.
mifid
threw peruke, which hit my
fa/s at him.
I,
« You are a villain
Fair ! said bird by
any thing
to an
assassin. me.
opportunity,
, to afisassinate
As to the Fairness, it is clear'd in Spelman's Giossary :
as the assassination was by the Jury.
But for the shoulder ! the shoulder ! what shall be faid
to that? Behold one of the most palpable forgeries,
and most imprudently manag'd, that this age has seen in print !
But what signisies this ace, or this Corner of the earth? see the True state, p. 6. And there you will see, That the World has not in any age produed a man beyond Mr. De Foe, for his miraculom fancy, and lively invention in all his writings, both •verse and prose. And if he was the
pin-man of this True state, as is fuppos'd, this was very
prudently manag'd ! however, he is oblig'd in gratitude to
stand by his ingenious and magnanimous friend, who had the courage to give such a Romanpck character of his
Vol. I. O War*
290
Worthiness, done !
The REHEARSAL.
as no less a heroe durst have venturd to have -
But supposing Mr. De Foe to be the author, he may defy Don S>uixot, Scarron, and all the •writers of Ro mances in any age of the world, for such a character of an heroe as he has dress 'd up ! Page 3. of the 7raf /ate, he tells how W. C. having heard that Sir George Rook had wrote something very disobliging of him ; and that he ought to have an account os it from Sir G. R. himself, (that was like a man of honour) he •went to Sir George, and ast? d him, if he had written such a letter ? Sir George (fays he) witb an air of coldness and gravity, told him, that he had •wrote so, and repeated the words to him. Was not this sneakingly and cowardly done ? Now thun der and lightning, blood and destruction ! But Pallas came in shape of Prudence, and I her heroe, now in
have it fad I I W. C. d, , nowrescu'd
Iwas not to be before willing
Sir, distress reply srom yourself,
am ; but satisfied
lieve it. And without any other words between them, W. C took his leave.
After this he tells, That Sir George sent him a chal lenge. But W. C. wou'd not fight him in England, for sear of being hang'd; for he was sure to stay! Nor in
Holland, (which Sir Geerge offer'd) for the fame reason. And lest the wind shou'd blow him into France, or some body tip him over board, as he tells p. 40, and p. 38. he refus'd to fight another, because he was such a coward as to threaten him. And another, because he had learn'd tofence. And another, and another, because he wou'd sight none till he had fought Sir G. R. sirst. And that there were 20 before them, and he must fight them ia their order. And as to his behaviour at the time ofthe assault, he values himself upon it, that he was master of his temper ; fince net qbligd by the rules of honour, bt drew his sword purely in his own defence. Was he not then can V into it ? At least it was the cane made him do
it ; for there was no other assault made upon him, but by the cane. And the law judg'd it to be an assault ; sp that this was a canigg even in law. And the Review*
nice
he has
contribution from the high-church for writing
The
REHEARSAL. ,
291
Slice distinction in behalf of W. C. is like that of one, who being kick'd patiently, and alk'd by a friend, if he would take that, answer'd, I did not take he gave me.
Now cou'd any thing less than miraculous fancy,
and lively invention, have brought an heroe through so
many dangers, and invented so many excuses to avoid fighting And yet honour fase still
But he fought for peace, and for the laws and to
prevent the shedding of christian blood!
- Will not this passive heroe have place in Mr. Be
fif's now printing brave long y^tyr against pastive ,obe dience? W. C. cannot do less than be subscriber! But his •wit out- weigh his courage half grain, he'll give thee, Mr. Review, no thanks for reviving this matter,
and that thou wilt not let rest.
For just now since began the last paragraph, thy
lately deceas'd) truth and honesty, of the 4th instant, N. 24. come to my hands wherein thou hast this matter of Mr. Denew and the cane over again and insults unmeasurably, that not answer'd. And seems has been in several of thy former papers, which
have not seen.
Thou tak'st upon thee likewise to name the author of
the Rehearsal and bestow'st some of thy loving strokes
upon him. This has been long harp'd upon
•uator, and the rest of the scandalous club. But guess on that author will not tell any of you who he not, that you may not be nearer guessing who he is.
Thou call'st him likewise church hireling, and that
this paper. Thus measuring his corn by thy bushel but if thou wilt take my word, can assure thee, that to this day he has not receiv'd one farthing either for or that paper. Nor was he put upon otherwise than by
the prospect he had of doing good, and rescuing the common people from the mischief he faw was done them, in the popular principles of confufion, which were in- still'd into them in these weekly and rebellious papers, to O make
Obser-
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292
lOhl 'REHEARSAIL.
make us andther Poland; andin drdef to this, vilelyef-
perfing of the church ahd the ministry, not sparing the queen her self. He easily forefaw what dirt he must meet with, more than Hercules found in the stable of Jugeas\
when he provok'd worse beasts than St. Paul fought wtith at Ephefus ; but if he help to open the eyes of any one he thinks it a sufficient compensation, if not he has his reward in undergoing such & penance, for what he thought agoarf end.
From &at. June 23, to £>&t. June 30, 1 705. N° 48.
I. The I relating to Sir H.
Afa—tfet
in es clear U
AJh
"
Kenfington neat London,
affair light as
tan. 2. The
Sandwich, /
think,
affair of
fully cleared, by the opposition made against it. 3.
Mr. Burchet'o concern referr'd to Himself.
(1. ) Gun. AM now come tb clear some disputed
matters, being always ready to do justice to all sides. The following letter was sent Sir H.
' with desire might be inserted here, And thn$ word for word,
" SIR, Warrington, June 705.
" This comes to do you the justice to assert, that yoi *' sent not me, nor did deliver to bro. Fauilris* " message from you, That ivas past twelve s'clsckiiiiti
the church
England, as law establijFd. am, Sir,
Vour affectionate, and
Humble servant, Tho. JJhurf.
" For Sir Hen.
" Baft, at
A/hurst
O. Well,
'
by I
of
it by I
6, 1
it is,
t,
JL 'if
it
by
The REHEARSAL.
3,9. 3.
O. Well, but thou promis'd'st likewise to let us knows, . what thy intelligencer in the xvmtry faid for himself. We expect: that he shopld own himself a liar, or elsejustify,
what he has faid, and produce witnesses too, that we be. not Jlammd off with such idle /lories; but let full justice be done, and shew not thy self partial to one fide more,
than another.
C. I will not, but let thee know all that
I know of the matter. Thus then fays my intelligencer (as thou call'll; him) to his friend here, from whom I had and whom
defir'd to write to him about it.
- ** Yours, dear Sir, of the zd of June, came to me on.
" the 4th and on the 5th went to Warrington, and *f met with Mr. Vaudrey, and casually with Mr. Ashurst
too. They are not willing to give any such thing un- " der their hands, because of the relation betwixt
'em yet they do both own it, and indeed to no
** "
purpose to deny having both of them declared the menage so often. Mr. Patten not against having his name made publick he adheres to the very words
* he wrote in his letter to me, and has declared himself " upon again, in the presence of two credible wit- V. nesses, which witnesses have certify'd the fame. on the
back of his letter jo me, in this form.
O. Where
whp " wit this letter, ow. ns the trltttt
fiom^Pat^e. n. t)f. W^arringtonf
" of this letter th$ presences
tAvar. d Mansn. n curate of Nett>t. o» the parish pf IsinwicX.
Jjihn. . Gw/teruf. .
this letter of Mr. Patten's How do we know what that letter fays
C. That which printed in an advertisement last May iqth. N. 42. and was then i^^Tbomas Patten; but yet did not think proper to put any gentleman's name in print, without his own expense Itawe, which now
having
June »70S-
O 3
I is
S,
I it
;
is it
is
it it I in ?
;
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in.
it,
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it,
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I ;
it is
•
294
The REHEARS AL.
having obtain'd, as you see, I set it down. And thi»
shews, that I took not up that story without sufficient
" But my later goes on, and fays,
" In the presence of the fame Thomas Patten and Edward
" Alanfin Mr. AJhurst os AJhurst declared, that there " was no letter sent from Sir H. A/h /; that it was a '* message only; and that Sir -H. Ash / did bid him
" tell his cousin Vaudrey ""Twas past twelve o'clock with " the church of England. All which will be attested by
more, if there be a necessity for it.
Thus the letter which I have by me ; and I hope will
grounds, which now I 'have been sored to publish for my own vindication. .
be a sufficient vindication of me in this matter, to which
I have been brought very unwillingly, to chase stories; but became necessary, when otherwise I must lie under the af-
• perfion of inventing stories, or taking them up too lightly. I have told the naked fact on both sides, without any comments of my own. I have not refus'd to publish any
paper sent me that might help to clear up the truth, as well' on the one side, as on the other.
O.
But how can'st thou reconcile the letter of Mr. AJhurst with the account given in thy letter ?
C. That lies not upon me; I only tell plain matter of fact, as it stands on both sides : But I observe some cer tain words in Mr. Ashurst's letter, n/z. [As by law esta blished] which are not in Mr. Patten's letter, or any ac
count I have given . of this matter. And then those words being put in, it may be faid, that it was not so said; and no body fays it was, but I will not anticipate what Mr. AJhurst, or any other has to fay in their own desence, nor will limit how far any gentleman may go, to gratify x
relation. .
(2. ) O, But come thou Drawkansor, look about thee !
here's another upon thy back ! our Moderator of the zotb
instant N. 6. who fays, We hope thatenough has beensaid as to the Sandwich bufiness, but the Re(hearser hav
ing, since then, beenso very impudent as contrary to aS truth)
J The REHEARSAL. 295
truth to insert affidavits about it, malicioujly and wick edly defigning thereby to ruin a whole corporation at once. —i
C. Hold
get Kalf the charge. First, as to the defign of ruining a'
! hold ! let me answer
by parcels,
fir-
whole corporation, and at once too ! to swallow them all at a bit ! I can tell thee, that this Rehearser is not half so terrible a sellow as thou tak'st him to be ! he had none .
of these bloody thoughts in his head ; he had no defign at
all against the corporation, all he meant was to shew the1
bitter, anti-monarchical, old Oliverian-republican spirit,
that reigns in the whigs and dissenters (some of which may be in the corporation of Sandwich, as well as in Coventry;
and other places, not excepting London or Westminster } and how that spirit of Belial, the enemy of all order of go vernment, has of late dard to shew its face more boldly
and licentiously than even in the late ; from what reason I will not here pretend to guess, nor so far impose upon my reader's understanding as to fay what the cos/Jv
I shall
quence must be if these principles be indulged, and let jr^n*
and prosper among us.
But now, cannot a man tell of a wÆ/g- or a dissenter in.
such a corporation, but it must be improvd to no less than' a very quo warranto against their charter ? Is that a suf sicient reason to dissolve a. corporation ? let the Moderator make his words good ! or talk no more of moderation !
one would expect moderation from a moderator! but hespits jire like the bell on 'em !
And having, among others, attack'd the Rehearsal, and given him the lie, about the yin Sandwich, now•
fays (only by way of moderation ! ) that it was very impu- . iently, maliciously, and wickedly done of him to produce
affidavits to prove the truth of it ! but for this the Mode* rator has already received his correction in the whipping-
post, the \c)th instant N. 2. therefore IfyartYam.
O. But he fays he has affidavits to confront thy affi~, davits. -J
C. Where are they ?
O. At Mrs. Malthus %, thepublister of his paper.
The REHEARSAL.
C. That is to fay, Go hok——r\i they had been to the purpose, no doubt, we should have had them !
0. But he inserts a long letter wrote to . him from Saxd-
>v,i ch, and commending his paper, as an honest at\c\ useful fppcr ; by which we may know it comes from the bemtft
He has set down no names of scribers, but it is in the plural ltileof we ; whereby we may suppose, if we please, that it was wrote by the whole
town, or a considerable part of them.
C. See thou read right. Is it not dated from Gotham ?
Who else could have objected, That the Rehearsal/t*- duces only thiaffidavit ofoneperson relating to Mr. Branch,
when that affidavit tells, that there were nqne present with Mr. Eljied and Mr. Branch, when the words were spoke ? And the letter adds, by way of aggravation, Jed he the very/ame too, who had the dispute with him (Branch) at Sandown gate ; when the faid affidavit is so very particular as to tell. That it was full three and thirty rods . without andfrom the said gate, that W&r. Brunch overtook Mr. Elstcd, and sell into discourse with him wjtm be uttered the words objected. And to shew how careful Mr. Elsted was of what he swore, he had the dis tance measu r'd before he made his affidavit ; which it
likewise mentioned in the affidavit.
But there is a very useful, tho' not quite so honest a
stroke in that letter, which fays, That the town ^"Sand
wich it already too unhappy by reason ofsuch Inhabitants !
a? 6
and gaily there !
sub
It tells after, those who lost it at the election ; and that in revenge of that, they raised these
JUries upon the honest part ofthat taunt.
This is wholsome doctrine ! that where whigs or difent
ers prevail, no churchman must live among them, else
they will be always unhappy, by reason ofsuch inhabitants ! they are spies upon them, and tell tales !
O. But Moderator has added a certificate, which he fays does directly contradict all that Mr. Rehearsal hat
said.
C. It contradicts not one word of only shews the
stuffing and cutting of party who struggle to death under
Who were these ?
the weight oftruth.
They
a .
it,
TTke REHEARSAL.
297
Tbey produce a shamflag ; have sent it up to London,
md it WAS. Jfetwed at Man's coffiee-house at Charing-Cross,
then »t the Ad/niraUy-Ostke, and at last 'tis got to Mrs. Malthus' 's house to be seen in the hands of the worthy Moderator, now advocate genei al for the can/f ; but the
affidavits T have already produc'd have obviated this true ui&ig trick, fox this jbum-jfog shew'd sirst at Sand
wich : And in the affidavits taken there, it is sworn, that this was not the flag they few hung out, unless alters fence. And suppose two or three floould swear that they did not see this flag hung out? which may easily be. I
doubt not there were many in town at that time of elec tion who did not see or take notice of it. But what all this to the positive affidavits of those who did fee and took such exact notice of as to be able toswear so
very particularly to
If such a flir had not been made in
many printed the first relation could have gone no further than
papers,
the act of some sew hot-headed republican, zealots, and in
considerable enough, and had not affected the corporation. But now the party espousing the cause, and giving us
fresh instance of their method offincerity, in dealing with truth, in /hamming and covering the vilest of their actions, and making the extravagance of the most infignificant among them party-cause, and throwing dirt upon the friendsof the church, become party-cause, and let them
take fox their pains. And the corporation owns that senseless andseditious letter inserted in the Moderator, they deserve whatever mark the government pleas'd to put
upon them not, let them disown their Moderator, or them and let the friends of the church and the mon
archy take courage, and not be run down with noise and nonsense, while the full plain truth on their side.
{3. ) And there being but one man of reputation (;}iat hear of) who has been named\a this shameful cause, that
W, Mr. Surchet ih? secretary of the admiralty, and whom have heretofore mentioned with honour, in vindication of Sir George Rook leave to him to do himself jujlice
upon the author of that scandalous paper calsd Vindua- O . /<a»
it j
if
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298 The REHEARSAL.
tien ofthe corporation •o/"Sandwich, which has presum'd to make use os his name in a cause which he cannot but
know will not bear the test; and in which, ifhe thinki sit, he need not be concern'd.
From &at. June 30, to &at:. July 7, 1 705- N° 49-
t. The Observator charges the loss of New-found-land (with- the destruction of trade, invasion ofour liberties,
encouragement of fraud, and dis-regard to honesty)
upon the parliament. 2. And upon K William. 3. Whence shewd that whigs can never be content. 4. The Review threatens the next parliament with a ncm
revolution, and to bring upon them the magazine ofori
ginal power.
5. Whence a short view taken of the of government, wherein Harrington'/
whigs
cun-powder blows up
new invention. Ofgovernment being
scheme
De Foe'/ magazine. 6. A from God, and
yet the wholefrom the people.
Gaa. TT 7"E're come to a sine pass indeed, and are (1. ) VV likely to have a sine time on't, when
fat chin and De Foe, and the rest of our weekly scandals
shall have free liberty to spend their vcrJxct upon all
of state, and events of war, and the mobils
transaclions suffer'd to be led away by them, and
of the nation are
prejudic'd against the government
and whole administra tion ! of Saturday last, thou lay'st the loss of Nc•a>
the parliament lost New-found-
In thine
the parliament. Thou faid'st in these
found-land upon
plain words, 'Twas countrymen thus, Ifyour
li TRAdE be destroy treasure misapply d, the
land, and go'st on to tell all thy
berties, invaded, the publtck
d, your traffics ncglected, your
converted to PRIVATE funds for national SERVICE 'its
uses, frauds encourag'd, and honesty disregarded,
long withyour PARlIAMENT. ofparliaments I This begets a fine notion in the people
of so many people as are guided wholly by these papers. which
The REHEARS AL.
299 which are an incredible number in this nation who know no more nor ho other than as they are inform'd from
thence, and swallow down all they fay as gospel 7
(2. ) O. Now herein thou shalt see a full proof of my
truth and honesty, and love to publick good, without par
tiality to any, how near or dear soever ; for in my Ob- servator last before, of June 27th Vol. IV. N. 25. I lay
the loss of this fame New
noured, glorious, and immortal I fay,
-sound-land
K— William,
By that inglorious treaty of Reswick, a part of that
country was given to the French ; and there was no par liament concerned in that treaty; and I date the loss of New -found- land from that inglorious treaty : Besides how oft have I bemoan'd the protestant interest abroad,
glorious and immortal cannot ! when your own representa tives in parliament cannot ! when every Tutchin and Dfr Foe can arraign all these, make them betrayers of their
not only neglected, in that war for religion, but given up by that treaty? Was it not then inglorious f now am
upon my ever ho-
I not impartial, and seeking only my country's good !
C. This shews the natural and genuin efsects of your whig and republican principle, of placing the radi cal power of government in the people, that 'tis impossible to please you ; for what can please you, when even the
trust,
(3. )
and enemies to the nation ! when even Tutchin and Dt Foe themselves, those noble chiefs of the people, can not agree, but are in open war with one another f how then should a whole nation, a whole world of Tutchini or De Foes, all independent and each original; how should all these agree to a zrcaa which, Tutchin or Z)•f Piv, should be a / or would they be pleas 'd with him, when they had him !
(4. ) If Tutchin were chosen, De Foe would say to him, as he threatens the next parliament, if they please not him, in his Review of last June 19. Vol. II. N. 46. That he must open the magazine of originalpower of which
(i'ays he) the late revolution is a pattern; and he
would bring a new revolution upon K Tutchin, un- . esi K Tutchin hang'd him up in time ; he would O6 ' not
K-
i tie Foe, if the choice sell
The
The REHEARSAL.
300
not let a whiffing or pillory serve his turn. And do we think 'that Tutchin would not have as much to fay against
him ?
zine oforiginalpower would be opened on the other side.
(5. ) If this seems extream ridiculous, as indeed it then let all the whigs and commonwealth-men in England know, that neither Dolemau alias Parsons the Jesuit, who led the dance here, nor Buchanan, Knox, or Rutherford in Scotland; nor Harrington, Hobbs, Milton, Lack, or
Sidney in England, or any other orators for the original power of the people, either antient or modern, could make any other or better sense of it. This bold challenge,
and will stand by and bo provocations that could possibly use can prevail with any of them, to fave their cause from- being thus destitute and abandoned.
have given specimen as to Lock, N. 38. let any jus tify him who can, and none ofthem fay any new tiling,
or any thing else than begging the question at sirst, that the power was originally in the people; and thence raising their sine superstructures, which are all utterly inconfistent with any settlement of government whatsoever. The ma gazine of original power overturns them all at pleasure and that foss'e may, by their own scheme, be railed Tutchin or De Foe, and nothing but eternal revolution can be the end of for this original magazine must ad mit (as Mr. Lock disputes) of no absolute power either in
king or parliament, or any deputed from the people, else blown up all at once, and the power can never revert
to the people!
Then they fall to work at balancing, and set up co-or
upon
maga
dinate powers and these agree about as dogs do about bone
If you will not believe me, hear one of your owaprt- phets, the famous Harrington,' in his Oceana printed at
London, 1656, fays thus, p. 152, 153.
" " Your Gothick politicians' seem unto me rather to have " invented some new ammunition or gun-powder their
king and parliament (duo fulmina lelli) than govern-
z' nrnt; for what become of the princes " kind of .
people)
is
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a
it, is a
by it a;
is,
The REHEARSAL.
301
" people) in Germany f Blown up. Where are the " efiates or power of the pees le in France ? Blown up. u Where is that of the people w Aragon, and the rest of '* the Spanish kingdoms ? Blown up. ; On the other side, " where is the king of Spain's power in Holland? Blown f- up. Where is that of the Austrian princes in Switx ? " Blown up. This perpetual peevishness and jealousy, " under the alternate empire of the prince, and of the " people, is obnoxious to every spark ; nor shall any
" man shew a reason that will be holding in prudence
" why the people of Oceana have blown up their king,
" but that their king did not sirst blow them up. The
" rest is discourse for ladies.
O. What ! make our constitution nothing but meer geffiping ! Does Harrington talk at this rate ? you maze me ! why he is one of our chief authors. And this very
book of hjs call'd Oceana is lately re-printed by our
worthy Mr. Toland. What can be the meaning of thi»
from Harrington ?
C. I can tell thee he was a whig, that is, a republican,
and had seen the experiment try'd before his eyes of king
and parliament being co-ordinate powers, and balancing one another. He faw there could be no end of but the one ever- powering and conquering the other when the contest was for power, and when the parliament had pre vailed, he faw itend in ^. fengle person and an army upon which he sell toscheme-making, and fancy'd he had found out model free from the former inconveniences; but 'tis
such medley as neither himself, nor any body else can make head or tail of, yet of use (if men would take
to shew the vanity of all our scheme-mongers in placing government upon the foot of the people, or any other
soundation than divine institution.
(6. ) O. But we have late authors, and of the church of
England too, which fay, that government indeed from, God; but the modification of it, as to the species of the go vernment, and the choice of the governors, from the
people.
C. And that all for what else there in govern
ment,
is ,
is
is is
is
aa
; it)
it,
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The REHEARSAL.
ment, but the species or kind of government (whether mn- \
archy, aristocracy or democracy ) and the choice of the per- sons who shall govern? They that are so chofen have thence forward the making of our laws, and absolute do minion over us ; and the placing this in the people is mak
ing government wholly from them, and liable to all the inconveniencies and contradiction we have been speaking of.
But did God appoint government, and yet appoint no species of government, nor any person or persons who should
govern f What sort of government was that ? Was not
How should government have arisen upon such a grant as this ? And
that leaving us just where we were before ?
where is such a grant to be found ?
(as I think I have fully demonstrated) for mankind in the supposed state of independency all upon the level, to have agreed upon any sort of government at all, by free and
ceived from such a. grant, if it had been given ?
have been to give them leave to do what was impossible for them to do ! at least, this we may fay, that it is what was never yet done since the foundation of the world, which I think is sufficient to determine the question, for eur question is fact and not possibilities ; and it is of the original oigovernment in the world, and the sirst dividing the world into nations, not what was done by any set of banditti in this or that corner ; such an instance, if it could be shewed, would not determine the rights of man kind in the general. But if no such instance can be shewed, as I believe there cannot, of any nation so formed and framed, no not of the Romans at sirst under Romulus, who was not chosen by ihefree and equal vote of thoie
. who came in to him, he rather chose them, or accepted of their sharing his fortune ; I fay, if no such instance can
be given of any prince chosen by the free and equal vote of all his subjects (tho' if it could, it would nQt, as I have faid, determine the right of mankind in the general ) then how very despicable does the plea look of the original of
fnxt
I have shewed Num. 38. ) "what benesit could mankind have re
equal votes, (which Mr.
