The Declaration of the Lord Petre upon his Death, touching the Plot.

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In a Letter to his moft facred Majefty.

May it please your Majefty,

Give myself the Hopes that your Majesty will pardon this Prefumption of a dying but dutiful Subject, in giving you the Trouble of this fhort Account and Declaration of myself, by which in the firft Place I offer to God my hearty Prayers for your Majefty's long Life and happy Reign, with all the Bleffings of this Life, and eternal Happiness of the next; I having been now above five Years in Prifon, and what is more grievous to me, lain so long under a falfe and injurious Calumny of a horrid Plot and Defign against your Majefty's Perfon and Government, and am now by the Difpofition of God's Providence called into another World, before I could by a public Trial make my Innocence appear; I conceived it neceffary for me, as an incumbent Duty I owe to Truth, and my own Innocency, to make this enfuing Proteftation to your Majefty and the whole World. That whereas one Titus Oates hath maliciously and falfely fworn that he faw me receive a Commiffion directed to me from Joannes Paulus de Olivia, conftituting me Lieutenant-General of an Army, which he pretended was to come into England; I declare in the Prefence of the all-feeing God, before whofe juft Tribunal I am shortly to appear, that I never faw any fuch Commiffion directed to me, or any other Perfon whatsoever, and do firmly believe there never was any fuch: But of the Folly as well as the Falfhood of the Information, the fober Part of Mankind, as I conceive, fufficiently, e'er this are convinced.

And as for those Afperfions which the ignorant and malicious have thrown upon the Roman Catholic Church (of which I am, and by the Grace of God do die a Member) as if murdering of Kings, and taking up Arms against our Sovereigns were an authorised Principle of that Religion : I do knowingly affirm there is nothing with more Horror detefted by the Catholic Church, as being exprefsly contrary to the Command of our Saviour and Chriftian Doctrine, and as fuch I renounce and deteft it, as I do all Plots and Confpiracies against your facred Perfon. Having thus briefly, and with all Sincerity of a dying Man difcharged my Confcience, I fhall end where I began, and with my laft Breath beg of God to defend your Majefty from all your Enemies, and to forgive thofe, who by their VOL. III. Perjuries

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Perjuries have endeavoured to make me appear to be one; who living and dying am (as in Duty bound, &c.),

Your most obedient,

and loyal Subject,

W. PETRE.

The Loyal Speech of George Plaxtone, M. A. Minister of Sheriff-Hales in Shropshire; fpoken at Shifnal, in the fame County, upon the Proclamation of his facred Majefty, King James the Second, &c.

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Gentlemen!

OU have laid the greatest Tafk upon me, that I ever underwent in all my Days: You have obliged me to speak of the most important Matters of our Nation, and allowed me fcarce one Minute for Thought or Premeditation: But may that Almighty Power, by whom Kings reign, inftruct me! and may an Heart and Soul full of Loyalty, furnish my Tongue with Argument and Elocution.

My Undertaking is great and difficult: Who can speak of Kings, without Awe and Reverence? Or, Who can be an Orator, when thofe two contrary Paffions of Grief and Joy, at once ftruggle in his Breaft? I cannot look back to the peaceful Days of Charles the Second; I cannot remember the lafting Happineffes of his Reign, but I muft drop a Tear upon his Hearfe: Nor can I look forwards, towards the prefent Glories of James the Second, but I am overwhelmed with Joy, and a loyal Tranfport feizes me. We have loft one of the best of Princes, which ever fwayed thefe British Scepters, Charles the gra cious: a Prince, who was the Care of Heaven, the Darling of his Subjects; whofe Life was a Miracle, and his whole Reign one continued Bleffing: Mercy and Juftices were the Supporters of his Throne; and Peace and good Wishes the Legacy he has left us. I cannot relate the laft Words of that incomparable Prince, without a Sigh; I dare not name them, without Tears for our general Lofs: Thus he remembred us in his dying Words, if fuch a Prince may be faid to die: Brother I am now going to refign up my Self to God, and my Crown and Government to you; grant me these few Requests.

I. In all your Undertakings, fet the Fear of God before your Eyes, and let that direct you.

II. Remember to maintain the Church of England, as now by Law established. III. Govern your Subjects with Mercy, Eafe and Peace.

IV. Be good to my Queen, and Children.

This was the Royal Legacy which he left us; a Legacy, truly becoming fuch a Prince as Charles the Second. But this is not all, though a great deal more than we deferved, the greatest Bleffing is ftill behind; he has left us his Royal Brother, James the Second, to fucceed him in his Throne, and Virtues: This muft wipe away all our Griefs, this muft make our Joys perfect, and crown our Lives with a lafting Happiness. The Sun is fet with us; but no Night follows: Charles the gracious, is only exchanged for James the juft: And though our King be dead, yet the Monarch lives. We are bleft again with a gracious Prince; a Prince, whofe Virtues need no Panegyric; and to praise him according to his moft excellent Greatnefs, is above the feeble Power of Oratory and Eloquence. What Virtues can we wish for in a Prince, which our present Sovereign brings not to his Throne? What Joys are wanting to make us happy, which he will not bestow?

Would we have our Religion fecured? We have the Laws on our fide, and the Royal Word of a King for it: The King has declared, that he will maintain our Religion, as now by Law established; and do what in him lies, to make the Church of England flourish.

Gentlemen! Where the Word of a King is, there is Power: And what the King hath declared, he will make good; for no Prince is jufter to his Word, than he is. Would we have our Rights and Liberties preferved? We have a Prince of the greatest. Juftice upon Earth. Whilft he was a Subject, he was the most faithful Friend, and the best of Masters to his Servants; and I hope, a good Mafter will never make an ill King. But more; We have his Royal Promife, That he will walk in the Steps of his dearest Brother. Would we have the Glories of our Kingdom maintained; would we fee the Old English Bravery once again flourish! We have now the most victorious and warlike Prince in Christendom; a King, who dares attempt any thing, but an ill Act; a King, who has been a Soldier almoft from his Cradle. I need not tell you, how he fignalized his Valour under the Proteftant Marefchal Turenne in France: I need not fpeak of his Magnanimity under Don Juan of Auftria, against the French King then in League with the English Rebels. I need not remember you of the extraordinary Hazards of his Royal Perfon, in the Dutch Engagements, fighting for the Rights and Honour of our Nation, and expofing himfelf in a Shower of Fire and Bullets; Bullets, which diftinguish not the greatest Prince from the

meaneft Soldier...

Gentlemen! He was then the Joy and Treasure of our Nation; and our Reprefentatives in Parliament, did not only gratefully acknowledge his Services;

but did almost loyally chide him, for hazarding his Royal Perfon in War, in whom all our Hopes and Expectations were centered. He is still the fame James the Just, the valiant, and the brave; though we (I wish I were not to name it, for the Honour of my Nation) ingratefully revolted from him.

Away then with all Fanatic Fears and Jealoufies! Can the Grand-Child of James the peaceful, can the Son of Charles the Martyr, can the Brother of Charles the gracious can the victorious and juft James Duke of York and Albany prove an ill King? It cannot be. Can he, who has been an Obedient Subject for Fifty-two Years together; can the jufteft Mafter, and the firmeft Friend, and the most faithful Brother, prove an ill King? It cannot be; and God for bid, that any one fhould think it.

Gentlemen! Let us remember our Duties, and endeavour all we can to be loyal; and then we need not doubt, but God will blefs us with a merciful and a gracious King. Our Submiffion to his Rule, our Content and chearful Obedience under his Government, will return to us in Showers of Mercy, Kindness and Juftice.

Good Subjects do generally make good Kings; and if our King fhould prove otherwife, it will be our own Faults. What fhall I fay more? Charles the gracious ftill lives in James the just. We have only changed the Name, not altered the Sovereign.

Away then with those odious Names of Whig and Tory; let them be forgotten and buried: Let us remember, that we are Chriftians, and English-Men; the former will teach us Loyalty and Allegiance to our King; Love, Unity, and good Wishes towards one another: the latter will engage us to maintain the Glories and Peace of our Church and Nation; and to preferve the best of Kings, and the happieft of Governments. Let us all, with one Heart and Mind, blefs God for thefe Mercies; and fay,

God fave King James the Second.

The Proceedings of the Right Honourable the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament affembled, upon the Obfervations of the Commiffioners for taking, examining and stating the Public Accounts of the Kingdom, delivered into the Houfe of Peers.

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Die Veneris 150. Januarii, 1702.

HIS Day Mr. King, Secretary to the Commiffioners appointed by a a late Act of Parliament, to take, examine and ftate the Public Accounts of the Kingdom, delivered at the Bar an Account of the general State of the Receipts and 1ffues of the public Revenue between the

Feaft

Feast of St. Michael 1700, and the Feast of St. Michael 1701. And also, the Feast of St. Michael 1701, and the Feast of St. Michael 1702. With their Obfervations thereupon.

Die Martis 260 Januarii, 1702.

The House being moved, That a Day be appointed for taking into Confideration the Book of public Accounts, now before this Houfe: It is ordered by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament affembled, That the said Book of Accounts fhall be taken into Confideration on Tuesday next at Eleven o'Clock,

Die Lune 10 Februarii, 1702.

It is ordered by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament affembled, That the Commiffioners of Accounts do lay before this Houfe To-morrow at Eleven o'clock, what further Obfervations they have made in relation to the Accounts, fince the Delivery of the general State of Receipts and Iffues of the public Revenue into this House.

Die Martis 20 Februarii, 1702.

The Order being read for taking into Confideration the Book of Accounts. It is thereupon ordered by the Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament affembled, That the Queen's Remembrancer do immediately bring to this House the Impreft Rolls tranfmitted to him fince November, 1699.

Then the Title of the Book of Accounts was read, and the Commiffioners Obfervations.

After which it was propofed to read the Obfervations upon the Accounts Paragraph by Paragraph.

And the first Paragraph being read,

The Lord Halifax was heard thereto.

Then the House being informed, That Mr. Gregory King attended at the Door from the Commiffioners of Accounts:

He was called in, and at the Bar delivered the Commiffioners of Accounts further Obfervations.

Then the Queen's Remembrancer attending, was called in, and delivered the Impreft Rolls tranfmitted to him fince 1699, as ordered.

The Houfe being moved to appoint a Committee to confider of the Obfervations delivered to this Houfe from the Commiffioners of Accounts, it was agreed to, as followeth : And

Lords Committees were appointed to confider of the Obfervations in the Book of Accounts delivered into this Houfe the fifteenth Day of January laft, and this Day. Whofe Lordships having confidered thereof, and heard fuch Perfons concerning the fame, as they fhall think fit, are afterwards to report their Opinion thereupon to this Houfe. Whofe Lordship, or any five of them, are to meet To morrow at Ten o'Clock in the Forenoon, in the Prince's Lodgings, near the Houfe of Peers, and to adjourn as they pleafe.

It