/ Numb. XLVI. Quem neque Pauperies neque Mors neque Vincula terrent. Hor. From SATURDAY January 16, to TUESDAY January 19. 1714. Mr. Forth ( according to Order) presented to the House Heads of a Bill to attaint the Pretender and all his adherents, and the same were read, and committed to a Committee of the whole House on Thursday next. Votes of the House of Commons, Decemb 19. SIR, To the ENGLISHMAN. AS I am an Englishman born in the City of Dublin, I take the Liberty to vindicate the Commons of that Kingdom from the late ill Usage of the Examiner.. I hope you will pardon a long Letter on so important a Subject, and let the caufe os an in- jured Nation take place of all other Thoughts' which you designed for your Paper, especially when I promise to make it appear that it is also the Cause of Great- Britain. The British Constitution has been compared to that beautiful Figure in Architecture called a Py- ramid ; the Basis is the People, the Middle the Nobility, and the Top the Monarch. Were this Figure placed so as to rest on the Middle of it , it would lose both its Beauty and Strength, if it should be attempted to make it stand on its Spire, it would sink into the Ground by its own Weight; but when it is erected in its proper Posture, there is nothing so beautiful that can be so lasting ; the wider the Foundation of it is, the longer will be its Duration. • The true Basis of Government, is the Affec- tion of those who are subject to it . Whoever en- deavours to abate the Warmth of this, does all that in him lies to destroy the Constitution. The Prince is the common Parent of all his People, and where there is an equality in Service and Duty on their side, he hurts himself when there is a Partiality of Favour on his. The happy English Constitution has communi- cated itself to its Neighbouring Kingdom of Ire- land. An Act of Parliament when Sir Edward Poynings was in the Government, in the Reign of ' Henry VIIth, made all the Statutes then in force ' in England of the same validity in Ireland. 4 They have ever since continued to make their own Laws by the Legislature of Ireland, which is our Common Sovereign, and the Lords and Commons of that Kingdom. Besides this known Truth, it might be mentioned in favour of the English of that Kingdom, that by their Defence of Londonderry and Inisskilling, though under the greatest Necessities from a dreadful Famine within, and a powerful Army without, they la- ved not only that Kingdom, but England also; which, had those Towns been taken, would have had that Army thrown in upon her. Without any regard to the Laws under which the Commons of Ireland act, the Examiner in his ' Paper of Friday last, has insulted them after his ' usual manner. He is pleased to insinuate, that the Kingdom of Ireland is a Province under a Viceroy and without taking notice that the ( Price Two- Pence Protestants of Ireland are our selves transplanted from Great Britain, and no way debased in our manner of Subjection, by breathing in that part of the Queen's Dominions, to tteat the Com- mons of Ireland in Parliament assembled as fol- lows. But you must take along with you, that ; before he begins to foam, he has named the Whigs, and then thus says he. - ' By their own indefatigable Industry, by a thou- sand Wiles and Stratagems, by the most subtle Abu- ses of Liberty, by Pears and Jealousies, Lying and Calumny, by the most arbitrary Strains of usurped Power, and by Rage and Violence unequal to the Ca- pacities of a single Tyrant, the Irish Whigs, have got- ten the bitter of the Lenity and Indolence of the Go- vernment, and have forced their Way into one Branch of the Legislature This Assertion is an High Crime and Misde- meanour, and it is a new Reproach to all Men in Power, if they let this also go unpunished. It was necessary for him to utter this audacious Ca- lumny, before he acknowledged that the reason of his Anger was, that the House of Commons had under their Consideration the Behaviour of my Lord Chancellour Phips The Examiner was to insinuate, that the Assembly was composed of Persons who got into the Legislature unwarran- tably, before he brought out that the House of Commons had censured Sir Constantine Phips. It concerns none but the Members of that House, to 1 make Sir Constantine Phips appear a guilty Man ; but I insist upon it that the House of Commons are his proper Accusers, and if their Proceedings therein are any way interrupted, after the Exa- miner has been his Advocate, it will be a strong Argument on the side of the Commons. As for the Clergy's Opinion of his Lordship in his Ad- ministration of Civil Justice, it is no Absolution ; and their Interposition in it makes more for the Justification of what Mr. Molesworth said of them- selves, than Refutation of what the House of Commons has said of the Chancellour. 4 It is the Glory of the Churches of England and Ireland, that we of the Laity are left at Liberty to judge for our, selves, and search the Scrip- tures for our Duty ; and all the Clergymen in the whole World cannot make out the Words of Mr. Molesworth to be against the Christian Reli- gion. It is indeed an Argument that he had no good Opinion of that venerable Body ; and I speak thus much, not in Vindication of that Gen- tleman, but on the side of the Clergy, of whom I am sorry it was said. The Clergy, like all other Mortals, weaken the Authority which they re- ally have, by reaching at what they have not. Had { The ENGLISHMAN. Had their Complaint been, that Mr. Molesworth hud turned them to ridicule, by in Application of Words in Scripture, they might have expected in a Publick Manner to have the Words retracted ; but if they will pronounce a Ludicrous thing a Blasphemous one, it is every Man's business to have Apprehensions in behalf of the Man who has incurred their Displeasure. Reason delive- red by Clergymen deserves our Attention above that of all other Men, but Passion in them ought the most strenuously to be opposed ; and this out of regard to the great Effects which their good and bad Actions have upon the Minds of other Men. « The Commons, who had a right to impeach the Lord Chancellour, went into gentler Methods, and petitioned that he might be recalled for the Peace and Safety of the Subjects of Ireland. The Representative Body in Parliament did no more than a private Man might have done, for the Right of Petitioning is a Right of every Subject in her Majesty's Dominions, as will appear by an Act of Parliament recited in a Discourse called the CRISIS, which I have this Day published. But this Method, which was the most gentle to the Minister, and respectful to the Queen, is treated by the Examiner thus. ' Designing Men are certainly net Safe, nor can Fac- tion expect any Peace, when such Honest Minsters and " Upright Magistrates are Resolute and Indefatiga- ble in watching Her Motions, and putting a stop to Her Career. If they are Removed, Sedition may then proaper, and Diacord go on quietly in the Accom- plishment of all its pernicious Purposes. One of their Honours, Mr. Mol h, brings just the same Argu- ment against the Clergy, the Church, and Christia- nity. They that have Turned the World upside down, are come hither also. • I speak it solemnly, there is no Man in the World whom I have any Inclination to oppose or lessen, but as I think his Measures are injurious to the Publick. I cannot but believe the Exa- miner may be instructed to work this way, and oppose the Sense of the Convocation to that of the House of Commons, to lead to the like Proceed- ings in England, in order to intimidate Members of the British Parliament on the like Occasions, under Peril of displeasing the Church; and then running honest Men down with the huddled Cry of The Clergy, the Church, and Christianity. When it comes to that, Farewel Parliaments, the glorious British Constitution will soon be no more. 1 But there is still a Circumstance in the same Paper of the Examiner's, that may have a Con sequence still more immediately pernicious, and that is the last Sentence of it ; Since Her Majesty is to be the last, we hope they will be obliged to own Her for the Greatest and the wisest of the Stuarts. I cannot but think this Expression uttered as lamenting in favour of a pretended Stuart, in whose Behalf he sighs, and says, Since Her Majesty is to be the last. The natural way of speaking his Sense in a man who was in the interest of his Country, had been to say, As Her Majesty without Issue is to be the last— But whether his Inclinations are for the Pretender or not, I am sure he promotes his Service in a very great Degree, when he en- deavours to villify that House of Commons which is now laying a Price upon his Head. But let the rest of the World do what they please, and defer their Protestations against these Evils as long as they think fit, I will postpone all else that's dear to me to the Love of my Country ; and as this is, and I trust in Provi- dence will be my strongest Passion to my Life's End, I will, while it is yet Day, profess and pub- lish the Rules by which I govern my Judgment of Men and Things in the present Conjuncture. 4 Does this Action bespeak such a one a wise Man if he is for the Pretender, a Madman if he is for the House of Hanover ? 4 Does this Position open a Way to the Pre- tender ? Or does it further secure the Protestant Succession ? . 1 These are my Questions, which I make the Test of Men and Opinions; and if a Man does a Thing that may advance the Interest or Power of the Pretender or his Friends, and can no way do good to the House of Hanover, he may swear to his laft Breath that he is for that House before he shall make me believe him.- In like manner, if People talk to me of Hereditary Right, and then follow it with Professions for the House of Ha nover, which can have no additional Securit" from the urging of Hereditary Right, I shall no more believe him an Hanoverian, than I should think a Man religious who should make a blas- phemous Discourse, and close it with the Re- hearsal of the Creed. 4 I speak all this, because I am very much afraid of the Pretender ; and my Fears are encreased because many others laugh at the Danger. presume to say, those who do laugh at it either do not think at all, or think it will be no Day of Danger to themselves. But I thus earlily let go my Fire against the Pretender's Friends, be cause I think my self a pretty good Judge Mens Mein and Air, and see what they intend at a Distance. I own I have nothing to say for the Liberty I take now, or the Book I put out to Day, when no body else talks in the same Stile, but what the Sailor did when he fired out of the Stage- Coach upon Highway- men before they had cried Stand, Would you have me stay till they have boarded us ? ' I am, SIR Your most humble Servant, RICHARD STEELE. ADVERTISEMENTS. The CRISIS is this Day ready to be delivered to the Subscribers, at the House of Ferd. Burleigh in Amen- Corner. Whereas a Silver Watch was taken some time since from a private Lodging, and sundry letters have been sent about it, if Restitution is not immediately made, the Party's Name shall be inserted in this Day Se'ennight's Paper, and proceeded against according to law For SALE by the CANDLE. On Thursday next, the 21st Instant, at 5 a Clock in the Afternoon, at Garraway's Coffee house in Exchange- Alley in Cornhil, only one Cask of Wine in a lot, viz. 72 Hogssheads of ex- cellent French old Claret of the best Growths in France, deep, bright, strong, fresh, of the true Flavour and genuine, very fine and fit to be immediately bottled, in a Vault under Jacob's Well, between Ni- cholas- lane and London- stone in Canonstreet. N. B. the Buyers to be allowed one Month after the Sale to take away the said Clarets. And to Pipes of excellent new Canary Oratava Wines, neat an entire Parcel, in a Warehoure up one pair of Stairs fronting the Thames, at Wiggins Key, between Billingsgate and the Custom- house. All the said Wines to be seen and tasted this Day and to Morrow from to 1, and from 2 to 5, and all Thursday ( as above) till the time of Sale. To be sold by Tho. Tomkins, Broker in Seething- lane in Tower- street. Just published, The Guardians compleat, Printed in two. Vo- lumes, 8vo. and 1210. upon tne same Paper and letter with the Tatlers and Spectators. Printed for Jacob Tonson, at Shakespear's Head over against Catherine street- in the Strand. Just published, The Mouse- Trap, a Poem : Written in Latin by Mr. E. Holdsworth, of Magd. Colledge, Oxon. Done into English by John Quincy. Tbe Second Edition. Whereunto are added some short Remarks upin a Tranfiation of this Poem, lately done by Mr. Sam. Cobb, M. A. and late of Trinity- Colledge, Cambridge Price 5 d Printed for J. Phillips, at the Black Bull in Cornhill and J. Baker in Pater- Noster- Row. LondoN: Printed for Sam. Buckley, at the Dolphin in Little- Britain ; where Advertisements are taken in : And Sold by Ferd. Burleigh in Amen Corner.