Then we deferve to be betrayed to the End of the Chapter, and England will fall unpitied by all the Nations of the World.

A

LEGION'S Addrefs to his Majefty.

To the King's most excellent Majefty.

MONG the Throng of your loyal Subjects, and obedient Cities, Towns,

and Corporations, who come to teftify their Refentment of the Affront put upon your Majefty by the French King, in acknowledging the Titles of your Majefty's Kingdoms to a contemptible Impoftor, and to make tender of their humble Duty to your Majefty, we beseech your Majefty to permit the humble Addrefs of not the feweft nor the meanest of your moft dutiful Subjects,

We humbly approach your Majefty in the Names of all the Freeholders of England, who love the proteftant Intereft, and feek the Profperity of their native Country; and tho' we have not had time to take their Hands to this Paper, we presume to affure your Majesty that the Hearts of the whole Nation are here reprefented. Such excepted as will be hereafter exprefs'd, because the Sincerity of this Address is such, and the Substance of it of fuch Moment, as no Man can diffent from, and remain either a Lover of his Country, or a faithful Subject to your Majefty.

We had come to your Majefty with our humble Petition, but that we find no room left to complain, your Majefty having been always fo ready to redress the Grievances of your People in a parliamentary Way, that we have rather had cause to fear our Reprefentatives too much of late falling into Parties, and led by furious Men, or feparate Interefts, fhould impofe upon your Goodness, and injure the People they were fent to ferve, than that any real Grievance of the Nation, fhould not be redreffed, or any needful Laws paffed by your Majefty, at the first Request of your People.

We cannot but reprefent to your Majefty, and humbly complain that a late House of Commons, having with more Freedom than they approved of, been told the Illegality of their Proceedings, and charged with the Facts, wherein they acted contrary to the Senfe and Intereft of the People they represented, fhould inftead of rectifying or answering the fame, addrefs your Majefty to take care of, and defend yourself against your People, as if it could be poffible your People of England could entertain any Thoughts to the Prejudice of your Majefty, who are fo juftly,dear to them.

And whereas, the Profperity of this Nation depends upon the unanimous Conjunction both of Hearts and Intereft, between your Majefty and your People, and your Majefty has fully teftified both your Senfe of, and your Defire to cultivate, and if poffible to improve fuch a Conjunction, we cannot but exprefs our Sorrow, and Disappointment that it fhould ever come to pafs that an English Parliament fhould be lefs careful to preferve it than confifted with our Safety, or your Majesty's Satisfaction.

'Tis not without a juft Concern we have for fome time paft obferved, that it has been poffible even for fo great an Affembly to err, their invading the Rights of the People who they were chofen to defend, by imprisoning fuch Gentlemen VOL. III.

R

as

as by humble Petition, according to Law, put them in Mind of their Duty: and by addreffing your Majefty to put them out of your Favour and Commiffion in the Countries where they were feverally ufeful to your Majefty and the Nation; their evading the Profecution of Perfons of Honour, whom they had impeached of Crimes they did not think fit to prove. Their untimely and inconfiftent trifling the Houfe of Lords; their unreafonable Delays in paying the juft Debts of the Nation; their Backwardness in affifting our Proteftant Neighbours, ready to be infulted by the French; the Partiality of their Proceedings in feveral particular Cafes among them felves. Thefe, and the like Mifcarriages, have often filled the Hearts of your most dutiful Subjects with Trouble, to fee thofe Gentlemen we fent up as our Reprefentatives fo ill purfuing the great End of affembling in Parliament, viz. the Service and Benefit of your Majefty, and their Country.

Your Majefty in your great Wifdom, we doubt not, has been fully fatisfied that wherein our Reprefentatives have been wanting in their Duty to your Majefty in their Care of the Proteftant Religion, and your Majefty's Allies. So far they have acted contrary to the general Senfe of us, your Majefty's most dutiful Subjects the Freeholders of England, who chose them, and have betray'd the Truft repofed in them by their Country.

Your Majefty has fufficiently expreffed in all the Actions of your glorious Life, your Value for, and Refolution to maintain the English Conftitution, and we acknowledge the Freedom we now enjoy is owing to the happy Conduct of your Majefty, in refcuing us from thofe who would have betrayed us and our Liberties to the Power of French and Popish Counfels; and 'tis to our great Sorrow, that we obferve fome of thofe very Inftruments of Tyranny have found Ways to be trufted again with the Liberties of their Country, not doubting but it is by their reflefs Contrivances that many of the Gentlemen of that Houfe have been deluded, and blindly led, under fpecious Pretences of Liber. ty, to embroil us in Civil Hea's and Diforders.

Your Majefty (more than any of your late Predeceffors) has appeared fully fatisfied with the conftant Affections of your Subjects, and have therefore graciously granted them conftant and uninterrupted Affemblies of Parliaments, and your People have, on all Occafions, teftified their Zeal for your Service, Loyalty to your Perfon, and their Willingness to fupply your Majefty with all needful Sums for the Support of your glorious Defigns, firmly believing (as they have always found) that your Majefty was ever entirely in the common Intereft, and a true Defender of the Liberty of your People; and though to our unfpeakable Grief your Majefty has not been fo well ferved, nor the Ends of the Nation fo well anfwered by our Reprefentatives, yet we humbly befeeck your Majefty not to entertain from thence any Refentments againft either Parliaments in general, which your Maj-fty has fo often declared to be the Safety and Glory of the English Constitution, or against your loyal and loving Subjects (the good People of England) in particular.

And we take Leave to affure your Majefty, that we cannot entertain any Fears that your Majefty fhould decline your Affections to Parliaments in geneal, in that your Majefty has thought fit to give us an Opportunity to elect again

another

another Reprefentative, which we hope fhall more fully answer the great Ends for which they are chofen.

Wherefore, from our deep Senfe of your Majefty's great Care, to preferve the Affections of your loyal Subjects, and to prevent all Interruptions it may meet with from the private Defigns of our Enemies, we come to prefent your Majefty with our humble and unfeigned Thanks for your late Proclamation for the Diffolution of the Parliament, and for your gracious Intentions therein de clared for the speedy calling another.

Nor can we forget to give your Majefty our most humble Thanks and grate ful Acknowledgments, even for the very Words of your faid Proclamation · wherein your Majefty is pleased to take Notice of the true Intent and Meaning of the repeated Addreffes of your People; who coming with Hearts full of Refentment at the Infolence of your Majefty's Enemies, and the Indignity of*fered your Person, in foftering and acknowledging a fcandalous and ridiculous Pretender to your Majefty's rightful Dominions, cannot refrain expreffing their juft Fears that the late Houfe of Commons would fail in their Duty to your Majefty and the Nation, by affuring your Majefty what Care they would take to fend up fuch Men as fhould fully anfwer the Expectations of all good People, if your Majefty would be graciously pleafed to give them an Opportunity, by calling a new Parliament.

And we humbly thank your Majefty for that (by your gracious Proclamation) you have confirmed what the Conftitution of England, the Reafon and Nature of the Thing: And all impartial Men have allowed, that it is most reasonable your Majefty's concurring the Freeholders of England, fhould have an Opportunity of a new Choice given them when they find Caufe, in order to chufe fuch Men as are more likely to bring to pass the juft and pious Intentions of the Nation.

And because it may feem a new Thing in England, for the People to thank their King for diffolving the Parliament, we humbly crave Leave to affure your Majefty, that nothing could have led us to fuch a Proceeding, but the Satiffaction of having an Opportunity put into our Hands, of fending up fuch Reprefentatives to attend your Majesty in Parliament, as may, with unfhaken Fidelity to your Majefty, and unbyaffed Regard to the Intereft of their native Country, proceed in the weighty Matters your Majefty fhall lay before them, with that Unanimity of Council, and Vigour in Refolution, as is neceffary, ac this Juncture, to encourage the Proteftant Confederacy Abroad, fecure the Peace and Tranquillity of Europe, reduce the exorbitant Power of our Enemies, complete your Majefty's juft and glorious Designs, and defend our Commerce in the World.

And we further humbly affure your Majefty, that if ever a Parliament (which God forbid) fhould proceed contrary to thefe juft and reasonable Ends, they must be acted by fome ill Agents, contrary to the Senfe of their Country, their Duty to your Majefty, and the honeft Intentions of us your Majefty's obedient Subjects who chufe them.

And if ever that unhappy Time fhould come again, and as often as it shall fo. happen, your Majefty will infinitely engage the Hearts and Affections of R 2 all

all your honeft Proteftant Subjects, by giving them opportunity to show their Refentments, by chufing Men of more Honefty in their Rooms.

So fhall the Peace and Tranquillity of thefe Nations be preferved, the Glory of your Majefty's Reign inereafed, the Enemies of our Happiness be defeated. Our Proteftant Neighbours, your Majefty's Allies, be affifted and encouraged; our Religion, Liberty and Trade, fecured; and your Majefty's Satisfaction compleated, to the Glory of God, and the infinite Comfort of all thofe who wifh and pray for the Profperity of your Majefty and Old England.

Legion's Humble Address to the Lords. 1703. To the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal affembled in Parliament.

[A Proclamation was published, offering 1001. Reward for difcovering the Author, and 501. for apprehending the Printer of this Tract; but without Effect.]

May it pleafe your Lordships,

T

HE diftreffed People of England, betrayed and abused by their Reprefentatives, humbly fly to your Lordships as the only Refuge now left them, next under God and her Majefty, where they can apply themselves for the Safety of their Liberties, and Redress of the Grievances of the Nation.

And that your Lordships and all the World may know, that as it is not without great Reason that we come to your Lord fhips from that House where all our Safety ought to depend, and where formerly it did depend; accordingly we crave leave humbly to reprefent to your Lordships,

1. That there is a Duty incumbent on the People's Reprefentatives, viz: the Care of the Liberties, Properties and Peace of the Perfons they reprefent, which they have no right to part with, or to expofe, and that therefore all the Powers and Rights of us the Reprefented, are not committed to them our Reprefenters.

2. That whenever a House of Commons fhall part with, expofe, neglect or fuffer to be infringed the Liberties, Rights and Peace of the People they reprefent: They betray their Truft, violate the general Reason and Nature of their being chofen; their reprefenting Power and Being ceases of courfe, and they become from that time forward, a mighty Conventicle, an unlawful Affembly; and may and ought to be depofed and difmiffed by the fame Laws of Nature and Right, that oppreffed Subjects may, and in all Ages have, depofed bloody and tyrannic Princes,

3. It is the undoubted Right and Privilege of the People of England, that they are not bound to fubmit to any Power but what is legal; and the known Laws of the Land are the stated Bounds of parliamentary, as well as regal Power; and the People therefore ought not to be opprefs'd. On the Breach of thefe Laws, and oppreffing thefe People, your Lordships noble Ancestors have frequently taken Arms, and pulled down bloody Tyrants; depofing their Power, and refcuing your Country from Slavery and Oppreffion: And having conveyed to your Lordfhips, and us the the People of England, the Right of being governed by known Laws, we have, till now, defended that Right, to the Deftruction of all thofe that ever attempted to invade it; and under your Lordships Protection, ftill refolve to do fo, to the last Drop of our Blood.

4. As it is the undoubted Right of the People of England, that they may not be opprefs'd; fo when at any time they have fuffered the Invafions and Depredations of tyrannic Princes contrary to that Right, they have always made legal Claim of their proper Rights and Privileges: And it cannot be juft, that what our Kings have no Right to take away, our Reprefentatives may give without Law; and that the People may endure the Tyranny of five hundred Ufurpers more than of one, fince no Number or Quality of Perfons can make that lawful which in its own Nature is not fo.

Thefe Things being undeniably true, we cannot without great Regret apply our felves to your Lordships; and humbly reprefent in our own Names, and in the Names of all the good People of England,

1. That 'tis the undoubted Right of all the Boroughs, Cities, and Towns Corporate, who by Prefcription, Charter, or other Right, are to chufe Reprefentatives in Parliament, always to do fo, unless they are legally divefted of that Right: And that to deprive the Town of Maidstone, for now two Seffions of Parliament, of their Privilege of fending two Members to represent them, is arbitrary and illegal, contrary to the Privilege and Liberties of Englishmen, who can forfeit no Right, but by legal Conviction, Attainder or Act of Parliament.

2. To throw out and put in Members of Parliament at Committees of Elections, by Intereft of Parties, and pofitive Vote; not prefcribing that Vote by the true Merit of the Cafe, and plain Majority of the Electors, is deftroying the People's Right of Elections, and divefting the Towns of their Privileges, which by Law they ought to enjoy: And that to vote in fuch Committees, that fixteen Voices of Electors entitles any Perfon to be a Member of Parliament against twenty-two, is partial, unjust and deftruc tive of the Being of Parliaments, and the original Rights of the People of England; and has nevertheless been notoriously practifed of late in feveral other Elections befides thofe of Westbury and Sudbury. 3. For the House of Commons to invade the Nation's Judicature, and take from any Freeholder his Right of Action, where the Law gives him the Privilege to right himself in cafe of Injury, is betraying the Truft repofed in them by the People of England, and exercising the fame arbi

trary