82

THE

INTEREST

OF

Whigg and Tory.

Τ

A LETTER to a Friend.

Though others may be more fortunate in their Conceptions, yet I am confident that no Body imploys their thoughts fo often, and with more Affection to His Majesties Service than I do: It is very obvious that the Kings Affairs are much perplex'd: Vaft fupplys are neceffary, and there is but a dark prospect where the Money will be had, or if the Nation were in more Wealthy Circumftances, the Divifions that are amongst us would much obftruct the giving fo much as is needful at this time: But the greatest difficulty which the King has to ftruggle with will be from the High Church or Tory Party, and the more he trusts or confides in them, the harder game he will have to play: For give me leave to fay the King can never be fafe in depending upon them till they change their Principles, or he do foregoe his own: No Man can have fo mean a thought of the King that

he

he will ever have fo little Honour or Juftice either to deny or go counter to what he has profefs'd and practifed in the whole courfe of his Life: And it's very plain that it is Private Interest, and not the Publick good, is the Principle by which that party has been acted: And though they have fometimes feemed very zealous to ferve the Crown, yet they have never gone further with any King than fo long as they could ferve themfelves of him, and therefore unless they are govern'd by a more Publick Principle, or have given more ample teftimonies of their true affection to the King, than they have done to those that have been before him, the more Countenance he gives them, the more he ftrengthens the hands that will be lift up against him, if a fair occafion offer it felf. The Seven Bifhops who were fent to the Tower for refufing to read K. James's Declaration, were highly ap plauded for that Action, as a Service done the Publick, but if their own particular Intereft had not prevailed with them, they would not have been fo forward, to read the Declaration of K. C. that ftruck more directly at the heart of the Government, and reproach all that fhew'd a diflike of it. If that Party has given any inftances of their Affection to this King,either they are not publickly known, or not well understood, but what they have done on the contrary are too notorious to admit of a Difpute: It was that Party that conten ded fo obftinately for the Regency, and when the matter came to be decided by a Vote in the Houfe of Lords, there was but one Bishop that gave his Vote against the Regency Who are they befides thofe of that Party and the Papifts that at this day refufe to take the Oaths, Five of the G.2 Seven

Seven Bishops have fo done. It was that Party in the House of Lords that opposed the impofing the Oaths with the penalty efpecially on the Clergy: It's that Party that fo much favours the Papifts of this day; and if any Proteftants are found to be in a Plot with the Papifts, they are all of that Party: Every thing moved in Parliament for our fettlement receives its oppofition from that Party, and I do averr that amongst that Party there are none of them who have been preferred by the King have given a Vote,but have oppofed every thing that was for the Publick good: Whatever tends to recal K. James, or to facilitate his readmiffion, is vigorously difputed for by that Party: And tho' they now ftand fo ftifly for his Interest, yet they paffively lookt on whilft he was driven out of this Kingdom, which is an undeniable Argument that they either wanted Courage or Intereft, and a defect in either of them makes them rather to be defpifed, than fear'd; for if they had neither Courage nor Intereft to ferve K. James, in whom they have fo much inclination, it will not much mend the matter when this King is in the fame Cafe. They have not the face to justifie the late Illegal Proceedings, yet are very bufie to keep in, and get into Imployments the very Perfons that were then made ufe of. I don't deGre that these People should be removed to make more room for me, for I am very well fatisfied with the Poft I am in, and with all poffible thankfulness acknowledge his Majefties Grace and Favour, but I say this, because I wish that every Man the King makes use of, were altogether as honest and affectionate to his Service as I am, and as able to ferve him as I am willing.

I was

I was and am of opinion that the King made a very wrong step when he employed fo many of that Party, because it would unavoidably abate the Zeal of many of his Friends, and I fear it has had this further bad effect, to make those People believe that either he is afraid of them, or that they are neceffary to him; whofe utmost hopes or expectations were to fhroud themfelves under an Act of Oblivion

I am far from reflecting upon what the King has done, for it lyes heavy upon my Spirits as oft as I think of it, but I fhould rejoyce if I could offer any thing to help the King to make the best of a bad bargain: For he has a very ticklish game in his hands: If he fhould now all at once difcard that Party, no doubt it would confound his bufinefs very much for the prefent, and on the other hand, if he do not fo carry it towards Friends (till with more convenience he may put them off) that they may fee it is neceffity and not choice that makes him take this courfe, he will be in great danger of loofing moft, if not all of them, and if fo the King will be in very untoward Circumftances: For then he will be under the neceffity of depending wholly upon this Party, and confequently he muft run up to all the excess that they have formerly practifed, and yet he fhall not be fure of them, for as foon as they can make a better bargain, they'l leave him to fhift for himself: This I conceive to be the Kings Cafe, and I wifh any thing could be thought on that would do his bufinels effectually.

I do highly approve the Kings Method relating to Ecclefiaftical matters in giving of the Church Preferments to none but Moderate Men, and of Exemplary

G 3

Exemplary Lives; for hereby the fierceness of the High Church-Men will be abated, and the overnicenefs of the Diffenters taken off, and confequently bring both fides to better temper, which is the firft and principal step in order to uniting of Proteftants.

In like manner, if the King would for the future, difpofe of all fuch places as become vacant to none but Moderate Men, and especially give the preference to fuch as deferv'd well of him, this would be to the fatisfaction of his Friends, and could give no caufe of offence to the contrary Party; it would let his friends fee what further kindneis he intended them, and the other would have no cause to complain; or if they did, they would loofe ground by it: And further to difplace fuch as in Parliament Vote against the Intereft of the King and Kingdom, I think cannot be a question I am far from thinking it to be juftifiable to dif place Men for Voting according to their Confciences, but when Men are for promoting of that which is against the Publick, or for bringing in K James, or bringing on Confufion, to continue fuch in Imployment muft difcourage the Kings Friends, and to put them out can offend none but fuch as whofe good or ill will is equally to be regarded.

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Besides the prefent juncture of Affairs, there feems to be but one objection against turning out thefe fort of Men immediately, and that is the doubt in what Intereft the bulk of England lies: This is a thing that may certainly be known, but it would be a great deal more than this Paper can allow of to make it clearly out; and yet I will humbly offer one thing that will in a few words give a great deal of light into it, That when we