The Nation poyson'd with False Principles.
The Injustice of our Common Wealthsmen.
True. Yes, in several of them I do; and the main reason is This. There's no man under Five and Fifty, at Least, that is able to give any Account, of the Designe, and Effects of this way of Petitioning in Forty and Forty One, but by Hear-say: so that This Nation proceeds mostly upon the Maxims, and Politiques, which That Republican Humour deliver'd over to us: But yet let the Thing, or the Manner of it be as it will, Those that disarm'd, and turn'd back the Kentish Petitioners at London-bridg. Those that Wounded, and Murther'd the Surry-Petitioneres in the Palace Yard, only for desiring a Peace, and in order to the Preservation of his late Majesty: Those People methinks, that were so Outrageous Against Those Petitions (and Several others of the same kind) should not have the Face now to be so Violent, for This. And whoever examines the present Roll, will find the Old Republicans to be the Ring-leaders.
Bum. Really, Citt, the man speaks Reason.
The mean ways of promoting their Designs.
True. Consider then the Mean ways ye have of advancing your Pretensions, by Falshoods, and Scandals, to disappoint Honest men of Elections; The use ye make of the most Servile Instruments, to promote your Ends; your fawning Methods of Popularity toward the Rabble; your ways of undermining the Government of the City, as well as of the Nation; your worse then Jesuitical Evasions in matter of Conscience; your Non-sensical Salvo's, and Expositions of Christian Liberty; your putting out the Church of Englands Colours, and calling your selves Protestants, when you are effectually no better then Algerines, and Pyrating even upon Christianity it self; your Beating of the wood, in the History of our most Seditious Times, to start Presidents and Records in favour of your own Disloyal Purposes. The Pharisaical Distinguishing of your selves from the Profane (as you are pleas'd to stile all others,) even in your Dresse, Tone, Language, &c. Your Uncharitable Bitternesse of Spirit; your lying in wait for Blood; and laying of Snares for the Unwary and the Innocent; and still vouching an Inspiration for all your Wickednesse; your gathering of all Winds toward the raising of a Storm; Your Unity in Opposition, and in nothing Else: your Clamours, and Invectives against Priests, and Jesuits, when it is the Church of England yet, that feels the Last effect of your Sacrilegious Rage. 'Tis not so much the Officers of the Church, and State, that are Popishly Affected, but the Offices Themselves; and Those in the first place (as you chuse your Sins too) that are most Beneficiall. To say nothing of your wild Impostures upon the Multitude.——
Citt. Now you talk of Impostures, what do you think of L'Estrange's History of the P L O T, and his Answer to the A P P E A L? Whether are Those Pamphlets, Impostures upon the Multitude, or Not?
True. You were saying e'en now, That The History of the Damnable Popish Plot was of your Writing; Answer me That Question, First; Was it so, or not?
Citt. No, it was not of my Writing; It was done by a Protestant-Club.
True. Why then let me tell ye, if a man may believe the Preface to That Club-History, or the Notes upon the Answer to the Appeal (for I have read them all:) L'Estrange's Pamphlets are great abuses upon the People: But if you had the Books about ye, the matter were easily clear'd by comparing them.