But we make use of them, as they do of us, each to do his own
business
: To over-turn the government both
in church and state, and share it between us.
in church and state, and share it between us.
Rehearsal - v1 - 1750
And they keep them to their hard-meat now in
Scotland, where the prejiyterians rule ; who declare all to leration to the church, or any other, to be anti-christian,
and establishing iniquity by a law.
There is no one sort of our dissenters but will fay, that
they had rather be under the church of England, than un
der any of the dissenters, except themselves. And so they fay all. And of all the others, they dread the prefiy- terians most, because they have suffer d most under them.
C. Then the struggling of all the other dissenters (ex cept the prefiyterians) against the church, is only to set up the prejiyterians instead of the church. And what
will they get by that bargain ?
They pretend to be afraid of their toleration now,
iho' they have all the security for it that is possible to be given, that an act of parliament, back'd with re peated affurances from the throne, and from the house of Kommcns too. And they are not afraid of the lords. To fay, that an act of parliament may be repeas to re-
jiiin\\ the s'curity that, as faid, possible to be given.
No man has other (under God] for his life, liberty, or iftate, or can have. And he that asks an impossible
'tis plain has mind to quarrel.
But they are afraid of their toleration now, yet wou'd
set those up, who, they axtsure will take from them
V/ho are obliged to do by their constantly dedar'd/m- tiphs, and have ever done when they had thepowtr.
Let me add to this, that the most effectual way they can take to provoke the parliament to take away their ts- leration, to vote, as they have generally done, and am told intend to do so now again, at the ensuing elec tions, for such members ofparliament as axe least in the
security,
is,
I
!
it
I ,
it a
it
is
d, is
is,
The REHEARSAL.
245 of the church. Which will let the church see, -si, that it is impojsibh to please the dissenters, by what-
fere/i
i'er concessions, and how firmly soever granted. And in te next place, that while they have votes for parliament' icn, the church can never be secure; but in perpetual ha- :ard of" being overturned, every new election of parliament.
O. But at this rate, if ali the dissenters, except the
rrjhytcrians,
shou'd vote for the church, then the church
; and they wou'd never
oa'd be always
get'
s
;fr down.
establish'd
C. No. Nor ought they ever to destre they un- lerstood their own interest. Unless they preser persecuti on to toleration.
Some or other must still be uppermost. And whom stvould all desire, but those under whom all live most eafily
Besides, if the presbyterians get into the saddle, the other dissenters will sind harder work to get them disposiest than to undermine the church who not so much upon her guard, nor apt tosuspect designs against her. But
the presbyterians are vigorous, and watchful, and indefa tigable. They hold the reins of discipline strict and
vere as all the other dissenters have prov'd and that they stand not upon blood, to secure their conquests. They never sufser such open attempts against their constituti on, such revilings, and persecution of the tongue, as the church bears patiently from them every day They threw
malignant out of their parliaments, and modelVd them at pleasure, without regard to birth-rights, or primitive constitution. And they made all seel the weight of their
hand, who durst murmur or complain.
(2. ) O. Well then, tho' you think theinterest os the
other dissenters to iwte for the church, yet you allow that
the interest of the presbyterians to iwff against her. C. No. will not allow that neither. For if they do not get such wbig house of commons as they desire, they put the church upon necessity of keeping more watch-
ful eye over them, whom she sees restless for her destruc tion. Besides, they cannot hope to get the queen to break
M
those
3
is
aI a
s
it is
; 'd
?
it a!
it, if
:
se
;
1\&
The REHEARSAL.
ihose solemn promises she made to the church, upon her
acc:£:on to the crown, not only ofsupporting and main
taining it, but to bestow her distinguijhingsavours upon those who were most zealous for it ; and to take care,
that it shou'd be fasely transmitted to posterity.
But suppose the church were leveWd with the ground,
a whig parliament will never put the preflyterians into the saddle, whom they know to be such furious riders.
The n'higs aie of no religion, they are atheists, or i)Ms at best. They hate all churches. But since some or other must be set up, they like that best, where there is least discipline ; and therefore they will not easily part with the church of England: but they would garble and modi her into a no church, that is, with no discipline at all. But to submit themselves to the rigour of a presbyteriat elrsfis, their fouls abhor.
Besides, the independents, the anahaptists, and even the quakcrs, will not give their heads for the •washing.
They will dispute it with the presbytcrians, as to number,
wealth, and interest. And which ever of them stall prevail, all the r<^ will have their A«r»s in their fits. And they must ra/tf the rest with a iW of iron, ta/ecur*
themselves, as they did before, in their several chsngts. Ar. d the consequence of this wiil be what it was before,
a civil war, and horrid defiructicn of lives, liberty, and
property, without prospect of end.
So that if the love of ones countiy, and posterity can
sirm establishment only can prevent all these evils ; and
give security and toleration to the dissenters in general, as to all things for which they can any way pretend cm-
With which, since they are not content, it is
science.
plain that they seek something else !
Therefore, whoever vote not at the ensuing eleSi- ens, for such members as are most intirely in the i*~ terefis of the church of England, do all that is in their power (whether themselves know it or not) to bring these nations into confufion. And the end will be pipe.
(3-) O.
The REHEARSAL.
247
{3. ) 0. Now thou mazes me. What ! Do'st think, that either whigs or dijfenters will bring in popery ?
C. I do not believe the generality of them intend it. But they may be guWd, as they were before : and made tools of, as before, to pull down the church of England. And when that is gone, the bulwark against popery is
gone. The dissenters have no foundation of a church. They will Z'cwÆ into a thousand divifions among them selves: Every man, woman, and child will be setting up a religion of their own. The popish
emissaries will come and preach among them, and blo-iv into their
i«M& all the old exploded heresies, which they willfuck in as it were inspiration. This was the case offorty -one times, when there were above threescore different religi ons at one time in England, whose names you may see in Htrefiography and Gangrena, wrote in those times.
In that diftraction, several families of the nohility and gentry (besides many others,not taken notice of) feeing no saceoi a church left in England, went over to the church
of Same ; and many of them have not return'd to this
day.
And the prospect there is of the like coming again
may be one reason of that strange run towards pope ry, which has been observable of late years in England. Bnt it is not only in the consequence, but it has been
always in the operation and defign to introduce popery, whenever the dijsenters were rais'd up against the church of England. It is well known that the cardinals Rich'
lieu and Mazareen fomented the' rebellion against King
Charles I. sent into Scotland the solemn league and cove
nant, drawn exactly after the model of the holy league in
France : and assisted these dissenters all they cou'd against
the church ofEngland ; and by them, at last, broke it to
pieces : And that these good protestant whigs aud-dissen ters crav'd aid of the French king against king Charles I.
After the restoration king Charles II. set up the dissenters in the year 1672. And we all know now with what de-
This was the ruin of his unfortunate brother, king M 4 James
248
The REHEARS AL.
fames II. what favours he shew'd to the papists, and M. igdalm college, were but handles taken up against him afterwards. But when he began to play the dissenters against the church, his enemies against his friends; and in the fourth year of his reign, made an alteration in the lieutenancies, and commissions of the peace, and put in whigs and disinters, then he lost the hearts of the chuich of England. Then it was he found in bisstipprr, one morning as he rose, these •verses.
,
The hearts of all thy friends are lest and gone, Wcndring they sland and gaze about thy throne, Scarcely believing thee the martyr . : son,
Those ixhom thoufavour's merit not thy praise, To their own ends they sacrifice thy case, Andixillinsorrow make thee endthy days.
The disinters were made the cats-foot then, and always will be, when there is any defign against the church of EngLnd. And ihat there are dfigning men among us, no body will doubt : because all complain of though they know not where to fix it. But time will disco
ver it.
Upon the whole, to set up the dissenters against the
church, to keep out popery;- like making holes yoOr
dykes, to keep out the sea. The dissenters may en- courag'd) break the church: and then they will dash one another to pieces, till the nation made a prey, sirst to atheism, and then to popery. The prevention of which depends in great measure, under God, upon the enlu- ing clcctions, that true friends to the church, and to the crown be chosen. And none that lie under anysuspicion, by their principles or otherwise, to hold correspondince with, or be of the party of the presbyterians in Scotland, now armd and obtain'd law.
Ifthe Englifi dijsenters have no evil designs, have given demonstration, that the true real inttrtst of them all, as well presbyterians as others, to endea vour the preservation, and seek the peace of the church of England.
it is
by a
is is
I
it,
a
(if in
The REHEARSAL.
249
! But if they set themselves up against her in the ensu-
g
ou'd be at. And if the zeal of the church
elections, it is as a plain
demonstration what they be not equal
1
o
O preserve, as theirs to destroy,
ACTDM EST— ■
From ^>at. May 5, to &at. May iz, 1705. N° 41-
1 . Past twelve a clock, and a cloudy morning. 2. The Kit-cat theatre, and its dedication. 3. The consede
racy of whigs and dissenters. 4. The loss of the late
bill against popery. 5. • The story of Philip Levi a
6. How the tackers are recewd in the country, particularly at Honiton and Exeter.
Oi. XT THAT's that in thy hand, thou Yt looking V V upon so earnestly ?
Jew.
C. A whig-watch, or barometer, caculated for the en
suing- elections.
O. It is a letter ; let me see the superscription.
It is
directed to Warrington in Lancashire : To Mr. Va
who is a justice ofpeace ; and it is sign'd W, Ajh
that is, Sir W. Ash——st, a good man, I'm sure he can. fay nothing that's ill. Come, let me see what he fays.
C. Soft and fair. I'll shew thee a gentle stroke or so, to fatisfy thy curiofity, and keep the rest to another time.
Here he dissuades his coufin Mr. Va . . ry from es poufing the interest of the HIGH-CHURC. 4, as be was told
he did in the ensuing elections.
0. That's as an honest man inou'd do.
C. But the reasons he gives — He aJJ'ures Mr. Va—ry,
That a name there at length, which I dare not repeat,
being of supreme quality, was in the interest of the dis senters ; and that it was past twelve a clock with the
church of England. These are the words.
M 5 O. Aud
•-ry t,
The REHEARSAL.
250
O. And they're pretty words, I
swear. Is it not in-
gtnijus ?
C. And ingenuous too! He tells the plain truth of
what is in defign by the whigs and dissenters ; and how near in view, as they imagine. But for the sublime lad) he is so bold to mention, as in the interest ofthe dissen- .
ters, we know her education and inclination! are other
wise ; and the repeated assurances the church of England has had from the throne, sets them above all these •wicked
and seditious surmises of any poffibility of the queens
departing, or being persuaded, in the least tittle, from
her firmness to her mother the church of England, and her faith plighted to it ; wherein she trusts her soul to be sani'd, and her body too, at the insolent rate vou iicbigs
and disinters have treated and tbreatned her majesty. The interests of the church and the crown are the fame.
They stand and fall together; and if it he. past twelve a clock with the church, the Queen is past her meridian.
All the way after is down-hill, and the motion swift. But we look upon all this as the rant of the part): First, to blacken the queen, and render her suspected to all
her true friends, that is, the church of England; and then, she having lost their hearts, (as these wbigs and dissenters wou'd have to be left naked and defenceless to the mercy of the inveterate enemies of the church, monarchy, of her family, and of herself; who insulted her, in the of her distress, in late striking at
her very life,, endeavouring to deseat her succession, and after, to bring over the princess and
nmier upon her all which have already shew'd, and am still ready to produce out of their printed pam phlets.
And this rant and bullying and lying take place, and the true sons of the church come to think the case desperate, will weaken their hands, and dispirit them and give an easy victory to their enemies. But they have not, of late, shew'd themselves so cow hearted, as
You felt to your ost, at Coventry, Honiton, and Hers*
,/W. They are awake,
and will e/>/o/£ to the uttermoii
it r
;
so
if
;
of
I
a
,
it)
The REHEARSAL.
251
all such candidates for elections, as think it past twelve a clock -with the church of England; which none think, or willfay so, but who auish it.
(2. ) O. Here's a stir kept with a private letter ; but canst thou shew any publick act countenanc'd or allowd by any of those thou call'st whigs or dissenters, which contains the least disrespect or threatning towards the church or religion ! then thou'lt fay somewhat !
C. The kit-cat club is now grown famous and noto rious all over the kingdom ; and they have built a temple for their dagon, the new play-house in the Hay-Market.
The foundation was laid with great solemnity by z noble babe of grace. And over or under the foundation-stone is a //•zte of stiver, on which is graven kit-cat on the
one side, and /////« w^j- on the other. This is in futu- ram ret memoriam, that after ages may know by what worthy hands, and for what good ends this stately fa- brick was erected. And there was such zeal shew'd, and
all purses open to carry on this work, that it was almost as soon finishV as begun ; while Pauss-worA is become a
proverb ; and the greatest part of our communicants can not come to our churches for want of room ; and there
is no zeal or money to be found to build others : while Dan. Burgess, and other dissenters, can rear cathedrals with as much expedition as that in the Hay market.
And now I come to the dedication of in
spoke at the sirst opening of which printed for our tdification Take sew lines of
Such was our buildtrs art that soon as nanid, This fabrick, like the infant world, was framd.
The architect must on dull order wait But ^tis the poet only can create.
This
Ik the good age
Honu did cathedrals rife, and zeal advance
But now that pious pageantry's no mere Andstages thrive, as churches, did before.
M will
ghostly ignorance,
faid -to be written by Dr. th, chaplain to ht-cat, an open and prosess'd enemy to all religion and
prologue
6
G
it ;
;
is
of
; ;
is
it,
! a
! a
it :
252
The REHEARSAL;
will give a sine idea of our church and nation to other
countries ; especially when they hear, that this is call'd,
Ike queen'. ; play-house.
O. Let it be the queens, : what is that to the honest
dissenters ? They hate play-houses, and have spoke as
much against them as Mr. Collier, tho' not with his ivit
and learning. I myself have sputter d at them, and call'd them ;'// names, which is all my talent, as thou hast
found.
C. Then thou dost distinguish kit-cat and whig from
dissenter ; yet they are Simeon and Levi, strict brethren in
iniquity. Are they not all whigs, whom the dissenters promote at ehctions f Is not kit-cat their sanhedrin, their
patrons and solicitors ? their very saints, and only pa triots ! whose horrid prophanations and blasphemies ( to some of which I reserr'd thee in my last ) are such as
cannot be repeated without polluting the very thought ! and wou'd not be fuffer'd in any Christian country. This calls for fire and brimstone, which will come one
day.
O. Thou mistak'st the matter quite. The dissenters
approve not of our whig-vices ; but they take us by the hand only upon the account of bufiness, because we join with them against the church; and then we have ouedity which they want, and money too, and interests,
court. By which means we can represent the most vir
tuous as unfit to serve the publick ; andsanctify the great est of our rakes into their places ! and the dissenters are
pleas'd with this, as tending to promote their good old cause. They can hold a candle to the devil for God's fake ! And they have got a pure word, which can
all these things, that is moderation ! which they extend to Lucifer himself, and all his imps, that
solve
are on their side ; any thing that is against the church of England! even popery itself! It is not the sirst time they and we too crav'd aid of that (and of France
too) against the church of England. I tell thee, country- p:an, >ve vhigs, who are of no religion at all, hett and despise these snivling dissenters as much as you do; and.
The REHEARSAL:
253
rally and ridicule them when wi are by ourselves.
But we make use of them, as they do of us, each to do his own business : To over-turn the government both
in church and state, and share it between us. Give us the sower of the state, and let them set up what church they will. We know how to deal with it, as we did before, if they don't please us, when we are once got
into the power.
(4. ) But in the mean time, we must both cry out a-
^iiA popery / That's a brave word among the mob ! and we six it upon all the church of England ; especially the house of commons and the tackers. For this end we
have given it out, and it runs now among the coffee houses, that the late hill against popery, which was fram'd by the lords, was lost, by a clause added by the house of commons, on purpose to clog whereby the toleration was quite destroy
have heard that faid over and over, and consi dently averr'd which made me enquire of member of parliament, who told me the whole of which was this The hill as came from the lords, laid such pe nalties upon those papists who did not declare themselves
protestants at such an age. member of the house of commons faid the word protestant, as commonly under stood, included all the fects among us, quakers, muggle- tonians, anabaptists, &c. Whereupon, instead of the
Word protestant, the church of England was put, that those papists who shou'd enjoy the benesit of that aft, shou'd declare themselves of the church of England, and continue in it. This was all the alteration upon which such outcries are made and shews, that there are some wou'd rather have papists stay where they are, than come over to the church of England.
O. And good reason for that wou'd strengthen our enemies with whom we now contend for the power. We are not afraid of the papists They stand not now the gap against us they are of our side against the church of England, and always have been. Therefore bet
ter for us, that the papists keep where they are, they are
it is
in
;
i
d.
:
A
; ;
: C. 1
it
it,
a
it,
The REHEARSAL.
254
are now auxiliaries ; than that they should go orer to the church of England, for then they wou'd be
enemies. you (5. ) C. And for the fame reason,
had rather a Jew, a Mahometan, or a Pagan, shou'd remain as they are, than become a Christian of the church of Eng
land.
O. Yes, surely ; and we shew'd it lately : There was
one Philip Levi, a very learned Jew, whom we got to teach Hebrew in our private academy at Shrew/bury; and gave, him a good penfion, and were very kind to
him ; but minded not his converfion. This some of the churchmen did for us ; and he was baptiz'd, according to
Immediately upon which, we turn'd him off, as did the Jews at London, for a deserter. We hunted his creditors upon him, whereby he and hisfamily, his wist ready to lye-in, were reduced to great straits. Here upon the churchmen, both clergy and laity (out of pure
spite to us, and not out of zny charity ) thought them selves oblig'd not to let the poor man starve, because we wou'd have had it so, for an example to others. They therefore rais'd a contribution for him, wherein Dr. Hollins (a learned and good phyfician we must own him) was very active, as well as a large contributor. He must be some frirst-ridden sellow. But they sent this convert-
ed]iw to Oxford, with letters of recommendation foi his teaching Hebrew the re; where he meets with all pro per encouragement from the vice-chancellor and heads of
And the learned lord bishop of Worcester, and other good judges, do attest his eminent skill in the rab hinical learning, superior even to the late learned Abet- dana. But all this is out ofspite to us ! And now thou'st got this story by the end, I'll warrant thou'lt print to rake all thou canst against us.
(6. ) C. cou'd sill sheet every day with fresh tohni of your love! And that as transparent, as that Yooa bullying too has fail'd you. All your Billingsgate rbe terick has not persuaded the people out of conem Avith th»
ackers.
Easter.
houses.
t
a is
I
it,
The REHEARSAL.
155
iackers. They are receiv'd every where with greater
demonstrations of re/pect and esteem than ever were us'd to be express'd to their members, especially after the dsso- Iution of a parliament ; which (hews their inclinations to wards a future election. Here's a letter just now come to my hands, dated at Exeter the 2d of May, which fays as follows : Yesterday in the evening Mr. Snill our late member in parliament came hither with such an at- tendance ofgentry on horseback, that most people fay there hath npt been such a fight ; at least a hundred of these horse went as far as Honiton, where the gentlemen tarry d till the coach had its fresh horses, so attended to Honiton-cliff, where were a vast company more, with
foot also, with gilded laurels in their hats. At which
place the gentlemen defird Mr. Snell to mount on horse back, and ride at the head of them, there being a horse pro vided on purpose, which he did ; and all the people attend
ed with I the bells shouts ofjoy,
in all the ringing quarters of
never ; and, I fuller of people
town, and
dent happened in this great concourse ofpeople. These are the words of the letter. And this was more happily ominous than the entrance of Sir John Elwill into the fame town of Honiton, in opposition to the tackers, which was attended with blood, and over which thou mak'st thy lamentations in thy Observator dated the fame day of this letter, the zd of this month. Not knowing the triumph of a tacker at Honiton and Exeter the day before. And what was then a doing to a man whom the people (thy
God and sovereign ) delighteth to honour. For whom, and all the tackers, thou and thy rascally crew had, in
think the
streets
what is much to be remark'd, of
dont hear one ill acci
your towring imaginations, prepar'd gailowses 50 cuhits high. And to add to the omen, it was upon a double saints holy-day, the jest of whigs, and abhorrence of dissenters. The complexion of the omen thou may'st sind,
Esther vi. 1 3, which I desire thee and thy friends to read and consider.
i
From
The REHEARS AL.
From §>at. May 12, to . §at. May 19, 1705. N°4Z.
256
An account of /^election for the county Suffolk. With that of Oxford, &V. 2. A defence of the Reve rend Mr. Lamb from the foul mouth of the Obsem- tor. With the assault of the dissenters uson the church e/'Harpenden. 3. The hopes of the dissenters now in the elections nearest Scotland. 4. The security pro posedfor the church of England. 5. Ashort account of
1.
(1. ) Coun. TT7E parted last time upon the reception the VV seekers meet with in the country. And
tacking.
An advertisement concerning Sir W. A—
t.
now the elections are begun, I'll shew thee an account I have of an election in a county about which thou and I have already squabbl'd, that is, Suffolk. Here's a letter thence of the 9th instant, from an elector that was pie
sent, who fays, in these words, /
you the hopesulaccount of our county election for Suffolk.
About ten in the morning came the Lord Dysert and Sir
Rob. Davers, usher'd into the tcwn by such a body cf at
the chief gentry, and most reputable yeomanry of the coun ty, as enliven d the reputation of the church party. Whin
presently they were succeeded, according to custom, by Sir Samuel Barnardiston, and Sir Dudly Cullum.
But to see what a rabble had espous'd that faction! hu
a I ; SirTho such scoundrel medly excepting
never beheld
mas Felton, and two more,
three gentlemen to head that herd. At a •. Aiindow indeed
espyd the D. ofG. L. C—s, and the L. H. zealous pro moters. But the earl of Dysert, £sV. eppos' d that rout os Presbyterians, Independents, Anabaptists, Quakers, who appear'd in a body, Papists and mode ration-brothers, who were all covenanted again/
poor church. And began such a noise of no tackers; Aw French shoes heah the Queen, t? c. that you
cannot
forbear giving
do not think there wire I
The REHEARSAL.
257 wou'd have thought hell had been broke loose. But when
my Lord Dysert and Sir Robert Davers appear d
/wai to how allthat surpris'd see
(those noble tackers)
glorious appearance were transported, and presently enter-
tain'dwith the grateful mustek of no forty-eicht; no Presbyterian rebellion i save the Queen's WHITE NECK; A TOWEr, A TOWEr; A DaVErS ; SAVE YOUR COUNTrY BY MY LoRd ANd DaVErS,
iSV. But you woud have rejoied to see ho•w the ClErGY •watt unanimously in abody srom the late Lord Hereford'. ; house to the place of polling, and poll'd above 20O ; •which so dispirited the adverse party, that we heard no more of them. Ifthe clergy woud be unanimous andfaithful to the
interests ofthe church, the gentry 1findwou'd espouse them ough the kingdom ; and then we need fear no undermin
ing party. In short, all parties here tryd their utmost. The enemy brought in the lame, and the blind, and all
that coudbut speak ; yet we out-poll' d them by 573. Maj
this the first county-election be . a precedent to the nuhole
kingdom, happily presage the settlement of the church, and
the rescue of her majesty out of the hands of those that seek her destruction, and our subverfion. Thus the letter, ad
ding the poll, viz. for Lord Dysert, 2877 ; and for Sir Robert Davers, 2883; Sir Samuel Barnardiston, 2286; Sir Dudfy Cullum, 2318.
0. Our truth and honesty has fadly lamented this our defeat , notwithstanding his sweet dialogue 'twixt Sir R.
D. and the Chimney-sweeper. And now despairs ofsuc cess in the corporations, as well as county of Suffolk. He gives them over as all high-flyers and papi/hes.
C. Yet what papists were there, were on your side a- gainst the church ; particularly Mr. L y, a noted pa-
fist procur'd 200 votes against the Earl rfDysert.
O. No matter for that ; they are all papijkes ; I have
faid it over and over ; and if the Plot — office was up a- gain, I wou'd swear it ; and, as my brother truth and honesty fays, that all this is long of these wicked par
sons whom therefore we rail at, curse, and expose all
that ive can.
C. And
REHEARSAL;
C. And more than you can with either truth or ho nesty; but, thank God, your wit is not so great as youi malice ; and your stories are so fillily contriv'd, as to pass the belief of any man of common sense. You have Ifd yourselves out of credit ; you have made a trait of it. And what you fay is no more a reflection, than if it came from an oyster-woman M Billingsgate, or a uatcr- rr. an upon the Thames.
*58
The
And your threats are of no more regard; you sent
a letter to Oxford (which I got, and printed, March 31, N. 35. ) with the names of the tackers in the Univerfity,
County and City, whom you threaten d to shoot througk the head if they offer'd to appear at the then ensuing elections, and call'd them penfioners of France. But you*
scandal is despis'd, and reckon'd as ridiculous as YOO t vain boast of your legions, and impotent threats. These fame tackers, nam'd in your letter, are now chose again
in the County, Uniucrfity, and City of Oxford. I
teH thee, if I were to stand at an election, I wou'd hire thei and thy scandalous club to speak all the ill of me that
y ou cou'd invent ; it wou'd really be a recommcndatiit of me, even to strangers, who had one drachm ofsenst or prohity, and who understood the mamur of proceeding ofthe most harden d, prophane, and faction that ever the earth bore. Thy Observators, and the other
papers of the scandalous club are stuft''d with iwect'tvct against the church and clergy, and almost impossible stories told, like those in The cobler of Gloucester, such an
other author in the times offorty-one, which you have now re-printed, out of your deep respect to the church, no doubt ! Thou tell'st a story (too beastly to be repeat
1 1, which I have heard many years ago, and thou lay'st it upon X high-flyer, a knight in Kent (we guess whom v o» mean) as if done yesterday. But if ever it was done (which J
ed) in thine of the 9th instant, Vol. IV. N.
can hardly believe) I remember full well it was faid to be done by a parcel of the debauchee whigs, who us'd to prophane churches, and all things sacred; as some of them lateiy have done ; who are now pinocles of the
faSith
they,
The REHEARSAL.
faSIion, and saints of the covenant! and,
without mending!
(2 ) O. But what fay'st thou to what I tell of your sine
parson Lamb, in my Otservator, N. 9. the last but one to that before nam'd ? Don't I make him a pure drunkem fellow, and set down a violent expression of his in favour
ofthe tackers ?
C. I
believe not one word of and thou brings no vouchers. And have this further reason to believe, that Mr. Lamb
not a man of that violent and pajstonate temper thou woud'st represent him. Thy violent crew gave him trial of it, about month past, at Harfenden near St. Al- bans where company of whigs and diffentcrs being met to concert elections and, as they use, to rout and
revel Mr. Lamb lock'd up the church-doors, to secure
that place, at least, from their insults. For which, as
happen'd, he had good reason for, in their cups, they had mind to have the church-bells -to ring, to grace their solemnity and, sinding the church-doors lock'd, they made no ceremony with but broke into the church, and sell a ringing the bells. Upon which Mr. Lamb
went to them, and represented their disorder to them in mild manner, that he persuaded them to depart in peace, and leave him in possession of his church. But, upon second thoughts, and t'other cup, they got up a- gain, and sinding the chui ch-doors lock'd up again,
believe like the rest of
thy stories
that
259 which is more,
as before, broke in the second time, and sell to the bells. Mr. Lamb went to them again and his rhttorick had that persuasion, as to get them out quietly
the second time, and he lock'd up the church doors again. But, to make my story short, they broke in the third time. And Mr. Lamb seeing no end of took with him the church -wardens and constables, and, reasoning the case with them, faw there violent dissenter of his pa
rish, to whom he address'd himself, and faid, Neigh bour, Tm sorry never to see you at church but upon such an occafion as this, to do violence to it. The dissenter as pertly reply'd, That the church was as much his, as the
a
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t6o the REHEARSAL.
parson's, and that he iumid come to it, whcn he woud, and- horn} he woud, and do what he picas V, with other insult ing language. But the authority of the church -v-arahst and constables, and sear of the lain, repriev'd the church,
and fav'd Mr. Lamb, for that time ; who, in all this as
sault upon himself and the church, carry'd with the greatest evenness and moderation, of which all present
were witnesses. And therefore the Obfervators contrary representation of Mr. Lamb, without other voucher than his own veracity, will go down with none, but who are in love with s! ander,znA take every occasion against: the church.
(3. ) O. These clergy do us all the mischief: Therefore we must be reveng'd on them one way or other. They
us, and influence elections. They have got most of the gentry (all but the ,whig-rctkes ) from us; and, among the common people, they have the fiber and substantial party. But yet our. number, we hope, will prevail ; which cannot be inconfiderable, while we have the fools and knaves on our side ! considering which, I did not think, that the church cou'd have put us so hard
to as perceive now in the beginning of the eleffims. But our hope in the north, who are nearer, and keep
correspondence with ou good brethren in Scotland.
(5. ) And as the day were our own already, tri
umph in mine of the 2th instant, and afle them, what they use to afle at us, (as undermost to receive favours, and theirs to grant what will content you, and ease you of yourfrights put thefright upon them and fay, No good man against the security the church, or agahjf
preach against
making new lasws, any are wanting, to defend its enemies the papists. you
C. But the church has other enemies,
and dissenters who are battering her every day most shameless and violent manner.
againfi
vibigt the
O. O, for that fay in the fame paragraph, that the
protestant dissenters are the support and friends the church of England. -
C. This insulting past all measure when, the
very next paragraph, you charge the clergy with preaHch '
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261
. ng down the doctrine of the church of England ; and fay, that the dissenters preach it up, and so are the true church as England. Then down with the church of
England! they are the dijsenters ! This you have la- bour'd at in several pampblets, to prove the dijsenters to be the church of England. This is your way of being the support of the church of England! to get it all to
yourselves, and out with those who are now falfly caWd
the church of England. you And in thine of the 9th instant, N. 11.
wou'd take away the right of our clergy to their livings, and
to vote in clections, and call them free-boaters of divi
nity ; and such contemptible creatures as our noble progeni tors wou'd have disdain d to have set with the dogs of their flock. Thou fay 'st, They hold their livings by
no other tenure, than the poor of th/e land hold their AlMS
HOUSES. And therefore fay'st,
cannot but admire at their impudence to intermeddle with our elections.
C. Our eleSionI
i !
Scotland, where the prejiyterians rule ; who declare all to leration to the church, or any other, to be anti-christian,
and establishing iniquity by a law.
There is no one sort of our dissenters but will fay, that
they had rather be under the church of England, than un
der any of the dissenters, except themselves. And so they fay all. And of all the others, they dread the prefiy- terians most, because they have suffer d most under them.
C. Then the struggling of all the other dissenters (ex cept the prefiyterians) against the church, is only to set up the prejiyterians instead of the church. And what
will they get by that bargain ?
They pretend to be afraid of their toleration now,
iho' they have all the security for it that is possible to be given, that an act of parliament, back'd with re peated affurances from the throne, and from the house of Kommcns too. And they are not afraid of the lords. To fay, that an act of parliament may be repeas to re-
jiiin\\ the s'curity that, as faid, possible to be given.
No man has other (under God] for his life, liberty, or iftate, or can have. And he that asks an impossible
'tis plain has mind to quarrel.
But they are afraid of their toleration now, yet wou'd
set those up, who, they axtsure will take from them
V/ho are obliged to do by their constantly dedar'd/m- tiphs, and have ever done when they had thepowtr.
Let me add to this, that the most effectual way they can take to provoke the parliament to take away their ts- leration, to vote, as they have generally done, and am told intend to do so now again, at the ensuing elec tions, for such members ofparliament as axe least in the
security,
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245 of the church. Which will let the church see, -si, that it is impojsibh to please the dissenters, by what-
fere/i
i'er concessions, and how firmly soever granted. And in te next place, that while they have votes for parliament' icn, the church can never be secure; but in perpetual ha- :ard of" being overturned, every new election of parliament.
O. But at this rate, if ali the dissenters, except the
rrjhytcrians,
shou'd vote for the church, then the church
; and they wou'd never
oa'd be always
get'
s
;fr down.
establish'd
C. No. Nor ought they ever to destre they un- lerstood their own interest. Unless they preser persecuti on to toleration.
Some or other must still be uppermost. And whom stvould all desire, but those under whom all live most eafily
Besides, if the presbyterians get into the saddle, the other dissenters will sind harder work to get them disposiest than to undermine the church who not so much upon her guard, nor apt tosuspect designs against her. But
the presbyterians are vigorous, and watchful, and indefa tigable. They hold the reins of discipline strict and
vere as all the other dissenters have prov'd and that they stand not upon blood, to secure their conquests. They never sufser such open attempts against their constituti on, such revilings, and persecution of the tongue, as the church bears patiently from them every day They threw
malignant out of their parliaments, and modelVd them at pleasure, without regard to birth-rights, or primitive constitution. And they made all seel the weight of their
hand, who durst murmur or complain.
(2. ) O. Well then, tho' you think theinterest os the
other dissenters to iwte for the church, yet you allow that
the interest of the presbyterians to iwff against her. C. No. will not allow that neither. For if they do not get such wbig house of commons as they desire, they put the church upon necessity of keeping more watch-
ful eye over them, whom she sees restless for her destruc tion. Besides, they cannot hope to get the queen to break
M
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ihose solemn promises she made to the church, upon her
acc:£:on to the crown, not only ofsupporting and main
taining it, but to bestow her distinguijhingsavours upon those who were most zealous for it ; and to take care,
that it shou'd be fasely transmitted to posterity.
But suppose the church were leveWd with the ground,
a whig parliament will never put the preflyterians into the saddle, whom they know to be such furious riders.
The n'higs aie of no religion, they are atheists, or i)Ms at best. They hate all churches. But since some or other must be set up, they like that best, where there is least discipline ; and therefore they will not easily part with the church of England: but they would garble and modi her into a no church, that is, with no discipline at all. But to submit themselves to the rigour of a presbyteriat elrsfis, their fouls abhor.
Besides, the independents, the anahaptists, and even the quakcrs, will not give their heads for the •washing.
They will dispute it with the presbytcrians, as to number,
wealth, and interest. And which ever of them stall prevail, all the r<^ will have their A«r»s in their fits. And they must ra/tf the rest with a iW of iron, ta/ecur*
themselves, as they did before, in their several chsngts. Ar. d the consequence of this wiil be what it was before,
a civil war, and horrid defiructicn of lives, liberty, and
property, without prospect of end.
So that if the love of ones countiy, and posterity can
sirm establishment only can prevent all these evils ; and
give security and toleration to the dissenters in general, as to all things for which they can any way pretend cm-
With which, since they are not content, it is
science.
plain that they seek something else !
Therefore, whoever vote not at the ensuing eleSi- ens, for such members as are most intirely in the i*~ terefis of the church of England, do all that is in their power (whether themselves know it or not) to bring these nations into confufion. And the end will be pipe.
(3-) O.
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247
{3. ) 0. Now thou mazes me. What ! Do'st think, that either whigs or dijfenters will bring in popery ?
C. I do not believe the generality of them intend it. But they may be guWd, as they were before : and made tools of, as before, to pull down the church of England. And when that is gone, the bulwark against popery is
gone. The dissenters have no foundation of a church. They will Z'cwÆ into a thousand divifions among them selves: Every man, woman, and child will be setting up a religion of their own. The popish
emissaries will come and preach among them, and blo-iv into their
i«M& all the old exploded heresies, which they willfuck in as it were inspiration. This was the case offorty -one times, when there were above threescore different religi ons at one time in England, whose names you may see in Htrefiography and Gangrena, wrote in those times.
In that diftraction, several families of the nohility and gentry (besides many others,not taken notice of) feeing no saceoi a church left in England, went over to the church
of Same ; and many of them have not return'd to this
day.
And the prospect there is of the like coming again
may be one reason of that strange run towards pope ry, which has been observable of late years in England. Bnt it is not only in the consequence, but it has been
always in the operation and defign to introduce popery, whenever the dijsenters were rais'd up against the church of England. It is well known that the cardinals Rich'
lieu and Mazareen fomented the' rebellion against King
Charles I. sent into Scotland the solemn league and cove
nant, drawn exactly after the model of the holy league in
France : and assisted these dissenters all they cou'd against
the church ofEngland ; and by them, at last, broke it to
pieces : And that these good protestant whigs aud-dissen ters crav'd aid of the French king against king Charles I.
After the restoration king Charles II. set up the dissenters in the year 1672. And we all know now with what de-
This was the ruin of his unfortunate brother, king M 4 James
248
The REHEARS AL.
fames II. what favours he shew'd to the papists, and M. igdalm college, were but handles taken up against him afterwards. But when he began to play the dissenters against the church, his enemies against his friends; and in the fourth year of his reign, made an alteration in the lieutenancies, and commissions of the peace, and put in whigs and disinters, then he lost the hearts of the chuich of England. Then it was he found in bisstipprr, one morning as he rose, these •verses.
,
The hearts of all thy friends are lest and gone, Wcndring they sland and gaze about thy throne, Scarcely believing thee the martyr . : son,
Those ixhom thoufavour's merit not thy praise, To their own ends they sacrifice thy case, Andixillinsorrow make thee endthy days.
The disinters were made the cats-foot then, and always will be, when there is any defign against the church of EngLnd. And ihat there are dfigning men among us, no body will doubt : because all complain of though they know not where to fix it. But time will disco
ver it.
Upon the whole, to set up the dissenters against the
church, to keep out popery;- like making holes yoOr
dykes, to keep out the sea. The dissenters may en- courag'd) break the church: and then they will dash one another to pieces, till the nation made a prey, sirst to atheism, and then to popery. The prevention of which depends in great measure, under God, upon the enlu- ing clcctions, that true friends to the church, and to the crown be chosen. And none that lie under anysuspicion, by their principles or otherwise, to hold correspondince with, or be of the party of the presbyterians in Scotland, now armd and obtain'd law.
Ifthe Englifi dijsenters have no evil designs, have given demonstration, that the true real inttrtst of them all, as well presbyterians as others, to endea vour the preservation, and seek the peace of the church of England.
it is
by a
is is
I
it,
a
(if in
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249
! But if they set themselves up against her in the ensu-
g
ou'd be at. And if the zeal of the church
elections, it is as a plain
demonstration what they be not equal
1
o
O preserve, as theirs to destroy,
ACTDM EST— ■
From ^>at. May 5, to &at. May iz, 1705. N° 41-
1 . Past twelve a clock, and a cloudy morning. 2. The Kit-cat theatre, and its dedication. 3. The consede
racy of whigs and dissenters. 4. The loss of the late
bill against popery. 5. • The story of Philip Levi a
6. How the tackers are recewd in the country, particularly at Honiton and Exeter.
Oi. XT THAT's that in thy hand, thou Yt looking V V upon so earnestly ?
Jew.
C. A whig-watch, or barometer, caculated for the en
suing- elections.
O. It is a letter ; let me see the superscription.
It is
directed to Warrington in Lancashire : To Mr. Va
who is a justice ofpeace ; and it is sign'd W, Ajh
that is, Sir W. Ash——st, a good man, I'm sure he can. fay nothing that's ill. Come, let me see what he fays.
C. Soft and fair. I'll shew thee a gentle stroke or so, to fatisfy thy curiofity, and keep the rest to another time.
Here he dissuades his coufin Mr. Va . . ry from es poufing the interest of the HIGH-CHURC. 4, as be was told
he did in the ensuing elections.
0. That's as an honest man inou'd do.
C. But the reasons he gives — He aJJ'ures Mr. Va—ry,
That a name there at length, which I dare not repeat,
being of supreme quality, was in the interest of the dis senters ; and that it was past twelve a clock with the
church of England. These are the words.
M 5 O. Aud
•-ry t,
The REHEARSAL.
250
O. And they're pretty words, I
swear. Is it not in-
gtnijus ?
C. And ingenuous too! He tells the plain truth of
what is in defign by the whigs and dissenters ; and how near in view, as they imagine. But for the sublime lad) he is so bold to mention, as in the interest ofthe dissen- .
ters, we know her education and inclination! are other
wise ; and the repeated assurances the church of England has had from the throne, sets them above all these •wicked
and seditious surmises of any poffibility of the queens
departing, or being persuaded, in the least tittle, from
her firmness to her mother the church of England, and her faith plighted to it ; wherein she trusts her soul to be sani'd, and her body too, at the insolent rate vou iicbigs
and disinters have treated and tbreatned her majesty. The interests of the church and the crown are the fame.
They stand and fall together; and if it he. past twelve a clock with the church, the Queen is past her meridian.
All the way after is down-hill, and the motion swift. But we look upon all this as the rant of the part): First, to blacken the queen, and render her suspected to all
her true friends, that is, the church of England; and then, she having lost their hearts, (as these wbigs and dissenters wou'd have to be left naked and defenceless to the mercy of the inveterate enemies of the church, monarchy, of her family, and of herself; who insulted her, in the of her distress, in late striking at
her very life,, endeavouring to deseat her succession, and after, to bring over the princess and
nmier upon her all which have already shew'd, and am still ready to produce out of their printed pam phlets.
And this rant and bullying and lying take place, and the true sons of the church come to think the case desperate, will weaken their hands, and dispirit them and give an easy victory to their enemies. But they have not, of late, shew'd themselves so cow hearted, as
You felt to your ost, at Coventry, Honiton, and Hers*
,/W. They are awake,
and will e/>/o/£ to the uttermoii
it r
;
so
if
;
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The REHEARSAL.
251
all such candidates for elections, as think it past twelve a clock -with the church of England; which none think, or willfay so, but who auish it.
(2. ) O. Here's a stir kept with a private letter ; but canst thou shew any publick act countenanc'd or allowd by any of those thou call'st whigs or dissenters, which contains the least disrespect or threatning towards the church or religion ! then thou'lt fay somewhat !
C. The kit-cat club is now grown famous and noto rious all over the kingdom ; and they have built a temple for their dagon, the new play-house in the Hay-Market.
The foundation was laid with great solemnity by z noble babe of grace. And over or under the foundation-stone is a //•zte of stiver, on which is graven kit-cat on the
one side, and /////« w^j- on the other. This is in futu- ram ret memoriam, that after ages may know by what worthy hands, and for what good ends this stately fa- brick was erected. And there was such zeal shew'd, and
all purses open to carry on this work, that it was almost as soon finishV as begun ; while Pauss-worA is become a
proverb ; and the greatest part of our communicants can not come to our churches for want of room ; and there
is no zeal or money to be found to build others : while Dan. Burgess, and other dissenters, can rear cathedrals with as much expedition as that in the Hay market.
And now I come to the dedication of in
spoke at the sirst opening of which printed for our tdification Take sew lines of
Such was our buildtrs art that soon as nanid, This fabrick, like the infant world, was framd.
The architect must on dull order wait But ^tis the poet only can create.
This
Ik the good age
Honu did cathedrals rife, and zeal advance
But now that pious pageantry's no mere Andstages thrive, as churches, did before.
M will
ghostly ignorance,
faid -to be written by Dr. th, chaplain to ht-cat, an open and prosess'd enemy to all religion and
prologue
6
G
it ;
;
is
of
; ;
is
it,
! a
! a
it :
252
The REHEARSAL;
will give a sine idea of our church and nation to other
countries ; especially when they hear, that this is call'd,
Ike queen'. ; play-house.
O. Let it be the queens, : what is that to the honest
dissenters ? They hate play-houses, and have spoke as
much against them as Mr. Collier, tho' not with his ivit
and learning. I myself have sputter d at them, and call'd them ;'// names, which is all my talent, as thou hast
found.
C. Then thou dost distinguish kit-cat and whig from
dissenter ; yet they are Simeon and Levi, strict brethren in
iniquity. Are they not all whigs, whom the dissenters promote at ehctions f Is not kit-cat their sanhedrin, their
patrons and solicitors ? their very saints, and only pa triots ! whose horrid prophanations and blasphemies ( to some of which I reserr'd thee in my last ) are such as
cannot be repeated without polluting the very thought ! and wou'd not be fuffer'd in any Christian country. This calls for fire and brimstone, which will come one
day.
O. Thou mistak'st the matter quite. The dissenters
approve not of our whig-vices ; but they take us by the hand only upon the account of bufiness, because we join with them against the church; and then we have ouedity which they want, and money too, and interests,
court. By which means we can represent the most vir
tuous as unfit to serve the publick ; andsanctify the great est of our rakes into their places ! and the dissenters are
pleas'd with this, as tending to promote their good old cause. They can hold a candle to the devil for God's fake ! And they have got a pure word, which can
all these things, that is moderation ! which they extend to Lucifer himself, and all his imps, that
solve
are on their side ; any thing that is against the church of England! even popery itself! It is not the sirst time they and we too crav'd aid of that (and of France
too) against the church of England. I tell thee, country- p:an, >ve vhigs, who are of no religion at all, hett and despise these snivling dissenters as much as you do; and.
The REHEARSAL:
253
rally and ridicule them when wi are by ourselves.
But we make use of them, as they do of us, each to do his own business : To over-turn the government both
in church and state, and share it between us. Give us the sower of the state, and let them set up what church they will. We know how to deal with it, as we did before, if they don't please us, when we are once got
into the power.
(4. ) But in the mean time, we must both cry out a-
^iiA popery / That's a brave word among the mob ! and we six it upon all the church of England ; especially the house of commons and the tackers. For this end we
have given it out, and it runs now among the coffee houses, that the late hill against popery, which was fram'd by the lords, was lost, by a clause added by the house of commons, on purpose to clog whereby the toleration was quite destroy
have heard that faid over and over, and consi dently averr'd which made me enquire of member of parliament, who told me the whole of which was this The hill as came from the lords, laid such pe nalties upon those papists who did not declare themselves
protestants at such an age. member of the house of commons faid the word protestant, as commonly under stood, included all the fects among us, quakers, muggle- tonians, anabaptists, &c. Whereupon, instead of the
Word protestant, the church of England was put, that those papists who shou'd enjoy the benesit of that aft, shou'd declare themselves of the church of England, and continue in it. This was all the alteration upon which such outcries are made and shews, that there are some wou'd rather have papists stay where they are, than come over to the church of England.
O. And good reason for that wou'd strengthen our enemies with whom we now contend for the power. We are not afraid of the papists They stand not now the gap against us they are of our side against the church of England, and always have been. Therefore bet
ter for us, that the papists keep where they are, they are
it is
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;
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it
it,
a
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The REHEARSAL.
254
are now auxiliaries ; than that they should go orer to the church of England, for then they wou'd be
enemies. you (5. ) C. And for the fame reason,
had rather a Jew, a Mahometan, or a Pagan, shou'd remain as they are, than become a Christian of the church of Eng
land.
O. Yes, surely ; and we shew'd it lately : There was
one Philip Levi, a very learned Jew, whom we got to teach Hebrew in our private academy at Shrew/bury; and gave, him a good penfion, and were very kind to
him ; but minded not his converfion. This some of the churchmen did for us ; and he was baptiz'd, according to
Immediately upon which, we turn'd him off, as did the Jews at London, for a deserter. We hunted his creditors upon him, whereby he and hisfamily, his wist ready to lye-in, were reduced to great straits. Here upon the churchmen, both clergy and laity (out of pure
spite to us, and not out of zny charity ) thought them selves oblig'd not to let the poor man starve, because we wou'd have had it so, for an example to others. They therefore rais'd a contribution for him, wherein Dr. Hollins (a learned and good phyfician we must own him) was very active, as well as a large contributor. He must be some frirst-ridden sellow. But they sent this convert-
ed]iw to Oxford, with letters of recommendation foi his teaching Hebrew the re; where he meets with all pro per encouragement from the vice-chancellor and heads of
And the learned lord bishop of Worcester, and other good judges, do attest his eminent skill in the rab hinical learning, superior even to the late learned Abet- dana. But all this is out ofspite to us ! And now thou'st got this story by the end, I'll warrant thou'lt print to rake all thou canst against us.
(6. ) C. cou'd sill sheet every day with fresh tohni of your love! And that as transparent, as that Yooa bullying too has fail'd you. All your Billingsgate rbe terick has not persuaded the people out of conem Avith th»
ackers.
Easter.
houses.
t
a is
I
it,
The REHEARSAL.
155
iackers. They are receiv'd every where with greater
demonstrations of re/pect and esteem than ever were us'd to be express'd to their members, especially after the dsso- Iution of a parliament ; which (hews their inclinations to wards a future election. Here's a letter just now come to my hands, dated at Exeter the 2d of May, which fays as follows : Yesterday in the evening Mr. Snill our late member in parliament came hither with such an at- tendance ofgentry on horseback, that most people fay there hath npt been such a fight ; at least a hundred of these horse went as far as Honiton, where the gentlemen tarry d till the coach had its fresh horses, so attended to Honiton-cliff, where were a vast company more, with
foot also, with gilded laurels in their hats. At which
place the gentlemen defird Mr. Snell to mount on horse back, and ride at the head of them, there being a horse pro vided on purpose, which he did ; and all the people attend
ed with I the bells shouts ofjoy,
in all the ringing quarters of
never ; and, I fuller of people
town, and
dent happened in this great concourse ofpeople. These are the words of the letter. And this was more happily ominous than the entrance of Sir John Elwill into the fame town of Honiton, in opposition to the tackers, which was attended with blood, and over which thou mak'st thy lamentations in thy Observator dated the fame day of this letter, the zd of this month. Not knowing the triumph of a tacker at Honiton and Exeter the day before. And what was then a doing to a man whom the people (thy
God and sovereign ) delighteth to honour. For whom, and all the tackers, thou and thy rascally crew had, in
think the
streets
what is much to be remark'd, of
dont hear one ill acci
your towring imaginations, prepar'd gailowses 50 cuhits high. And to add to the omen, it was upon a double saints holy-day, the jest of whigs, and abhorrence of dissenters. The complexion of the omen thou may'st sind,
Esther vi. 1 3, which I desire thee and thy friends to read and consider.
i
From
The REHEARS AL.
From §>at. May 12, to . §at. May 19, 1705. N°4Z.
256
An account of /^election for the county Suffolk. With that of Oxford, &V. 2. A defence of the Reve rend Mr. Lamb from the foul mouth of the Obsem- tor. With the assault of the dissenters uson the church e/'Harpenden. 3. The hopes of the dissenters now in the elections nearest Scotland. 4. The security pro posedfor the church of England. 5. Ashort account of
1.
(1. ) Coun. TT7E parted last time upon the reception the VV seekers meet with in the country. And
tacking.
An advertisement concerning Sir W. A—
t.
now the elections are begun, I'll shew thee an account I have of an election in a county about which thou and I have already squabbl'd, that is, Suffolk. Here's a letter thence of the 9th instant, from an elector that was pie
sent, who fays, in these words, /
you the hopesulaccount of our county election for Suffolk.
About ten in the morning came the Lord Dysert and Sir
Rob. Davers, usher'd into the tcwn by such a body cf at
the chief gentry, and most reputable yeomanry of the coun ty, as enliven d the reputation of the church party. Whin
presently they were succeeded, according to custom, by Sir Samuel Barnardiston, and Sir Dudly Cullum.
But to see what a rabble had espous'd that faction! hu
a I ; SirTho such scoundrel medly excepting
never beheld
mas Felton, and two more,
three gentlemen to head that herd. At a •. Aiindow indeed
espyd the D. ofG. L. C—s, and the L. H. zealous pro moters. But the earl of Dysert, £sV. eppos' d that rout os Presbyterians, Independents, Anabaptists, Quakers, who appear'd in a body, Papists and mode ration-brothers, who were all covenanted again/
poor church. And began such a noise of no tackers; Aw French shoes heah the Queen, t? c. that you
cannot
forbear giving
do not think there wire I
The REHEARSAL.
257 wou'd have thought hell had been broke loose. But when
my Lord Dysert and Sir Robert Davers appear d
/wai to how allthat surpris'd see
(those noble tackers)
glorious appearance were transported, and presently enter-
tain'dwith the grateful mustek of no forty-eicht; no Presbyterian rebellion i save the Queen's WHITE NECK; A TOWEr, A TOWEr; A DaVErS ; SAVE YOUR COUNTrY BY MY LoRd ANd DaVErS,
iSV. But you woud have rejoied to see ho•w the ClErGY •watt unanimously in abody srom the late Lord Hereford'. ; house to the place of polling, and poll'd above 20O ; •which so dispirited the adverse party, that we heard no more of them. Ifthe clergy woud be unanimous andfaithful to the
interests ofthe church, the gentry 1findwou'd espouse them ough the kingdom ; and then we need fear no undermin
ing party. In short, all parties here tryd their utmost. The enemy brought in the lame, and the blind, and all
that coudbut speak ; yet we out-poll' d them by 573. Maj
this the first county-election be . a precedent to the nuhole
kingdom, happily presage the settlement of the church, and
the rescue of her majesty out of the hands of those that seek her destruction, and our subverfion. Thus the letter, ad
ding the poll, viz. for Lord Dysert, 2877 ; and for Sir Robert Davers, 2883; Sir Samuel Barnardiston, 2286; Sir Dudfy Cullum, 2318.
0. Our truth and honesty has fadly lamented this our defeat , notwithstanding his sweet dialogue 'twixt Sir R.
D. and the Chimney-sweeper. And now despairs ofsuc cess in the corporations, as well as county of Suffolk. He gives them over as all high-flyers and papi/hes.
C. Yet what papists were there, were on your side a- gainst the church ; particularly Mr. L y, a noted pa-
fist procur'd 200 votes against the Earl rfDysert.
O. No matter for that ; they are all papijkes ; I have
faid it over and over ; and if the Plot — office was up a- gain, I wou'd swear it ; and, as my brother truth and honesty fays, that all this is long of these wicked par
sons whom therefore we rail at, curse, and expose all
that ive can.
C. And
REHEARSAL;
C. And more than you can with either truth or ho nesty; but, thank God, your wit is not so great as youi malice ; and your stories are so fillily contriv'd, as to pass the belief of any man of common sense. You have Ifd yourselves out of credit ; you have made a trait of it. And what you fay is no more a reflection, than if it came from an oyster-woman M Billingsgate, or a uatcr- rr. an upon the Thames.
*58
The
And your threats are of no more regard; you sent
a letter to Oxford (which I got, and printed, March 31, N. 35. ) with the names of the tackers in the Univerfity,
County and City, whom you threaten d to shoot througk the head if they offer'd to appear at the then ensuing elections, and call'd them penfioners of France. But you*
scandal is despis'd, and reckon'd as ridiculous as YOO t vain boast of your legions, and impotent threats. These fame tackers, nam'd in your letter, are now chose again
in the County, Uniucrfity, and City of Oxford. I
teH thee, if I were to stand at an election, I wou'd hire thei and thy scandalous club to speak all the ill of me that
y ou cou'd invent ; it wou'd really be a recommcndatiit of me, even to strangers, who had one drachm ofsenst or prohity, and who understood the mamur of proceeding ofthe most harden d, prophane, and faction that ever the earth bore. Thy Observators, and the other
papers of the scandalous club are stuft''d with iwect'tvct against the church and clergy, and almost impossible stories told, like those in The cobler of Gloucester, such an
other author in the times offorty-one, which you have now re-printed, out of your deep respect to the church, no doubt ! Thou tell'st a story (too beastly to be repeat
1 1, which I have heard many years ago, and thou lay'st it upon X high-flyer, a knight in Kent (we guess whom v o» mean) as if done yesterday. But if ever it was done (which J
ed) in thine of the 9th instant, Vol. IV. N.
can hardly believe) I remember full well it was faid to be done by a parcel of the debauchee whigs, who us'd to prophane churches, and all things sacred; as some of them lateiy have done ; who are now pinocles of the
faSith
they,
The REHEARSAL.
faSIion, and saints of the covenant! and,
without mending!
(2 ) O. But what fay'st thou to what I tell of your sine
parson Lamb, in my Otservator, N. 9. the last but one to that before nam'd ? Don't I make him a pure drunkem fellow, and set down a violent expression of his in favour
ofthe tackers ?
C. I
believe not one word of and thou brings no vouchers. And have this further reason to believe, that Mr. Lamb
not a man of that violent and pajstonate temper thou woud'st represent him. Thy violent crew gave him trial of it, about month past, at Harfenden near St. Al- bans where company of whigs and diffentcrs being met to concert elections and, as they use, to rout and
revel Mr. Lamb lock'd up the church-doors, to secure
that place, at least, from their insults. For which, as
happen'd, he had good reason for, in their cups, they had mind to have the church-bells -to ring, to grace their solemnity and, sinding the church-doors lock'd, they made no ceremony with but broke into the church, and sell a ringing the bells. Upon which Mr. Lamb
went to them, and represented their disorder to them in mild manner, that he persuaded them to depart in peace, and leave him in possession of his church. But, upon second thoughts, and t'other cup, they got up a- gain, and sinding the chui ch-doors lock'd up again,
believe like the rest of
thy stories
that
259 which is more,
as before, broke in the second time, and sell to the bells. Mr. Lamb went to them again and his rhttorick had that persuasion, as to get them out quietly
the second time, and he lock'd up the church doors again. But, to make my story short, they broke in the third time. And Mr. Lamb seeing no end of took with him the church -wardens and constables, and, reasoning the case with them, faw there violent dissenter of his pa
rish, to whom he address'd himself, and faid, Neigh bour, Tm sorry never to see you at church but upon such an occafion as this, to do violence to it. The dissenter as pertly reply'd, That the church was as much his, as the
a
i it,
it ;
it,
;
!
so a
is a;;I
;a
a
it,
;
is, it a I
t6o the REHEARSAL.
parson's, and that he iumid come to it, whcn he woud, and- horn} he woud, and do what he picas V, with other insult ing language. But the authority of the church -v-arahst and constables, and sear of the lain, repriev'd the church,
and fav'd Mr. Lamb, for that time ; who, in all this as
sault upon himself and the church, carry'd with the greatest evenness and moderation, of which all present
were witnesses. And therefore the Obfervators contrary representation of Mr. Lamb, without other voucher than his own veracity, will go down with none, but who are in love with s! ander,znA take every occasion against: the church.
(3. ) O. These clergy do us all the mischief: Therefore we must be reveng'd on them one way or other. They
us, and influence elections. They have got most of the gentry (all but the ,whig-rctkes ) from us; and, among the common people, they have the fiber and substantial party. But yet our. number, we hope, will prevail ; which cannot be inconfiderable, while we have the fools and knaves on our side ! considering which, I did not think, that the church cou'd have put us so hard
to as perceive now in the beginning of the eleffims. But our hope in the north, who are nearer, and keep
correspondence with ou good brethren in Scotland.
(5. ) And as the day were our own already, tri
umph in mine of the 2th instant, and afle them, what they use to afle at us, (as undermost to receive favours, and theirs to grant what will content you, and ease you of yourfrights put thefright upon them and fay, No good man against the security the church, or agahjf
preach against
making new lasws, any are wanting, to defend its enemies the papists. you
C. But the church has other enemies,
and dissenters who are battering her every day most shameless and violent manner.
againfi
vibigt the
O. O, for that fay in the fame paragraph, that the
protestant dissenters are the support and friends the church of England. -
C. This insulting past all measure when, the
very next paragraph, you charge the clergy with preaHch '
3
is
I
!
in of in
I
if if
;
is
?
it
!
I I
cf
is 1)
1
r
a
it,
The REHEARSAL.
261
. ng down the doctrine of the church of England ; and fay, that the dissenters preach it up, and so are the true church as England. Then down with the church of
England! they are the dijsenters ! This you have la- bour'd at in several pampblets, to prove the dijsenters to be the church of England. This is your way of being the support of the church of England! to get it all to
yourselves, and out with those who are now falfly caWd
the church of England. you And in thine of the 9th instant, N. 11.
wou'd take away the right of our clergy to their livings, and
to vote in clections, and call them free-boaters of divi
nity ; and such contemptible creatures as our noble progeni tors wou'd have disdain d to have set with the dogs of their flock. Thou fay 'st, They hold their livings by
no other tenure, than the poor of th/e land hold their AlMS
HOUSES. And therefore fay'st,
cannot but admire at their impudence to intermeddle with our elections.
C. Our eleSionI
i !
