an authority equalling that which the vulgar creed kath for a ballad, which their wisdoms conceive as authentick as the divinest writ.

There are vast disproportions, if not a gulf equalling that which separated the rich man from an Abraham's bosom, betwixt such who write to give God the honour, and those who arrogate divine honour to their foolish imaginations. The hero, in the romance, must pass strange dangers, encounter monsters, magicians, and giants in difficulties, and be at a precipice for ruin, before miracles are called in for his deliverance.

Cæsar, who writ commentaries on his own actions, though none of the worst, might not be the truest of historians. Opinion puts false spectacles on our eyes; both self-interest and self-conceit rarely not disease our sights, and make us resemble ictericks, who can apprehend no colour beside their own.

Some will have it to be numbered among those rarely numerable infelicities of loyalty, to be huffed by every braggart, not only out of the tributes which should be inseparable from virtue, but must be ever incapable of worldly compassion, unless lost to that reason which should difference from brutes. The foolish things of this world, thus, in no christian sense may seem to confound the wise; but they, who, with a grain of salt, have only a mite of charity, may pity, not envy giddiness advanced to slippery precipices.

Though a sober doctor, in the languishing state of the body politick, might not be useless, some will not allow the metamorphosed apothecary, by the addition of honour, lost to one, while he provided sauce, with sippets of his own, to make an harsh parcel of chronicle be more easily digested. A merry transformed surgeon, who pretends an equal intimacy in transactions about state-ulcers (if truth is in wine) might be believed, who would have a broomstick, with a rag at the end of it, to have been of sufficient efficacy for the miracle of a revolution.

The fanatick O. whose name might imply his doctrine fit for lighter grounds, having been baffled about a misquoted piece of the Apocalypse, was sarcastically asked by a lord, at the general's table, whether he was converted out of the Revelations? To which he boldly replied to the grandee, equally through all times giddy, That it was not the Revelation, but the happy Revolution, to which they all owed their conversions.

That nature should produce nothing more reserved, than our English hero, will seem not the least of our nation's wonders, when some can impute that crime to him, which makes all things more perlucid than glass; and others will have such not infrequent perturbations impetuously moving in giddy passions, as not to permit the greatest secrets inconspicuous.

The marrying of a niece to a regicide's son might call loyalty in question, did we not live in such an age of wonders, where nothing can seem strange. Some can cast away, what others can think a foolish pity, on a lady born of loyal parents, who apprehend not the mysteries of flesh and blood, or rather those transcendent ones of the late times.

It is not the least piece of charity (if some may be credited) to believe he never intended that restoration, of which he was made an happy instrument. His own pristine loyalty, and that of his untainted brothers (by consanguinity, not alliance) might predispose the re-imbibing of so long estranged allegiance: But many swim with the stream, who dare not oppose an adverse torrent.

Report will have the E. of L. drolling to have told the D. that he could never have heartily cursed him in his life, except once; and that was, when he beat down the city gates. To whom he merrily replied, That, while he was doing the work of his masters, they turned him out of commission; but he conceived himself to have been even with them. Ridentem dicere verum, quid vetat ? Can be the question of more than a single Horace.

A person of great and sober honour (who rarely could find a peer in that unhappy juncture, either in estate, or loyally engaged relations) assured with voice and gesture expressing horror and indignation, that nothing of good could be expected from this man; neither by his agents in Scotland, by homebred or exotick intelligence, the least glimpse of hopes could arise: But a sudden revolution taught a palinode; he had long expected nothing less from so worthy a person. The shepherd, who would be reputed wea ther-wise, by telling one it would be fair, and another foul, in all weathers kept his reputation. Our late times can shew no few successful imitators of this trifling impostor, who to this foolish craft owe the opinion of their grand wisdom.

In the so much celebrated march from the north, nigh Dunsta ble, having an opportunity of treating some of his commanders, one of them, a person neither unsociable, nor of that rigidly mo. rose humour, which is inseparable from faction, informed me he could not sufficiently admire at the universal kindness which they encountered in the march from Scotland. If a king was in the design, nothing could be more vain than the people's imaginations; since neither the general, nor his followers, could think of it without horror; and, that I might relinquish vain and fruitless hopes, thought himself obliged in civility and conscience to inform of the oath taken in Scotland, nothing differing from that which, since put by fanaticks, I have perused in print, not without a new impression of horror.

Christianity will induce us to believe, that neither the general, nor his army, were guilty of that atheistical policy, which calls God in for a witness to a lye. Success instils new thoughts: Men have the changes of mind with the vicissitudes of fortune. Factions, like all other traders, inriched by unexpected returns, disdain all partnership, divide and drive different interests. How easily do those speculations, which seemed as high as heaven, stoop to the lure of every fancied profit?

Cromwell, though he snatched at a crown in the comedy, could not expect to gain one by the tragedies acted over three nations. The Earl of Essex, who would seem clear from the suspicion of treason against Queen Elisabeth, would not deny that success might have made a traitor.

They, who feared not man, might suppose it in vain to contest with the Deity. The general and his army heard, in their expedi tion, the voice of the people, like that of God; they found the sinews of war were wanting; and, though the chains, gates, and posts of the city were cast down, the spirits of the citizens were indejected; who had engaged to restore a parliament to freedom and honour, it had been perjury not to have performed it, though some will have the act a high violation of faith, deserted first to relinquish the patched piece of folly with the appellative.

The army introduced no king; but, having settled a more rationally supposed parliament in freedom, acquiesced in the determinations of their superiors: And, thus, the true soldiers of king and parliament finished, without their cruel aid, the war so long protracted by perjury, rapine, and blood.

It may seem a cruel piece of charity to deprive of christianity, for the better intitling to grace and excellency. Who came, at the last hour in the gospel, was allotted a reward equalling that of the first comers. Such converts, as are the joy of angels, should not be the envy of men.

Some will have the Low-country a nursery for soldiers, but the most unsuccessful academy for religion and loyalty; who exposed their souls and bodies mercenaries, in the cause of a rebellious commonwealth, were vainly expected good subjects to a prince.

Generous persons, that are apt to entertain their title in their beliefs, can suppose our general no ignoble soldier of fortune, who, fighting long under her colours, attained the giddy idol for his constant mistress. He deserted no masters, till they deserted him; a Low-country religion both obliged him to a party, and disobliged; when he wanted an exchange for loyalty, he exchanged it; and, when giddy patriots of the then espoused cause were returned fairly to take away his commission, he as honourably relinquished the deserters of themselves and him.

It is a blasphemy to affirm him a deity, though we may justly allow him an Hannibal, a Fabius, an Hercules, a worth equalling, if not superexcelling all the antient heroes. Some foolish sycophants will intitle to more wisdom, than God ever intrusted to mere human nature; yet, while they strive to deify, make him the fool that said in his heart, There is no God. He who can take oaths, with an intention to violate them, it must be a strange ex, cess of charity which can allow him a God in his creed.

General Lesly told Potter a trumpeter, sent to him by the royal martyr, That he would serve his majesty as faithfully as he had done the parliament. The Scot gained an easy belief, and, in charity, we may believe intended what he promised; he served them for money, and for gain (which was his religion) would have exposed to sale his masters. But, while a necessitated prince could not go to the price, a king, not to be equalled by millions, is passed in exchange for two-hundred thousand pounds.

Nothing is more pleasant than the junior story of this bonny Jocky, who ran away with blith Jenny, stealing sixteen shillings

sterling from an old mistress at Edinburgh, to defray charges; yet, by temptation of so vast a sum, though much mowing, and many bearns, she reaped not matrimony, till, her fingers being as light as her heels, a plundered portion made up the match; which was a muckle day of joy, as the good countess told the right honourable Lady of Oxford, when her husband from a common soldier arrived to be a Scotch general, and, by heading a rebellion, became an earl, to give a reputation to his future villainies. Snakes, though warmed in the most royal bosoms, will requite their enter. tainment with a sting. Though factions may seem to lose their heads, which are taken off by honour, yet they are rarely wanting to fresh opportunities for mischief.

Our generous champion, when he had espoused loyalty, and ac quired deserved honour, by the evil principle of no mercenary spi. rit, made conscience a prostitute to the lusts of faction.

Who would wound our hero, in the weakest part, find him there most impregnable. Honour, conscience, and gratitude appear in his vindication; and that cruel necessity which can make batteries on the strongest resolutions: None will fancy it brutish sottishness, or that the most daring of men would be affrighted out of reason, by an inconsiderate huffer; the great tie of christianity which enjoins satisfaction, and the preserving of a generous family, famous through a long series of ancestors, might be no lesser inducements to marriage. If in some things he resembled an Alexander the Great, in others he exceeded the more victorious Julius Cæsar, an husband for all men's wives; excellent above his famed ancestor a Fourth Edward, or a Philip, who, sirnamed the good, wanted his virtue. Our hero was not captivated by that which inslaves the proudest victors; and made him, whose labours filled all the world, ridiculously to truckle to a distaff: In this a more than Hercules, who, by an invincible fortitude, endured a confinement which might intitle to a quotidian encountering of monsters, and not less frequent triumphs over wild beasts in passions.

In requital, if he found a wife not rich, she made herself so. Some can fancy the riches accruing to her husband, and heir, by this frugal woman's means, made the proudest dowry in three na. tions scarce a parallel for a match. It was a rare felicity in ages, when the parents virtue was the child's dowry; who neither gain by inheritance nor acquisition, are only reputed contemptibly poor: Where money answers all things, riches; where worth, virtue may seem the best portion, and most acquirable of perfec tions.

Though Lycurgus's dogs seem to make an infallible demonstration, they are too uncharitable in their censures, who can believe that no temptation either of gain or profit could intervene, in which, with the transformed cat in the fable, the humour of mousing not returned.

It is reported of Theophilus, that he burnt a rich wife's, disdaining that the covetous folly of a woman change the title of an emperor to that of a merchant.

ship of his should exSome can

hope a more cruel traffick found no acceptation from our induperator; others can fear an Harpy's talons laden were never an ungrateful oblation.

He who plucked the thorns out of the crown, it is charity to believe he would plant no new pricks, or Canaanites resembling them, in his side, whom he had returned to a land of promise.

Who moved in so high a sphere of glory, as our hero, could not but attract clouds of envy, which, by their blacker interposure, might veil that lustre which they could not obscure. Envious folly, the most obnoxious to mistakes, rarely makes not more bright what she intends most to darken. A sober scrutinist may find our general the least conscious of what the rabble's idol, report, the common lyar, broaches from frothing hogsheads, either for advantage or impairing of glory. The giddy strumpet, fame, which is every idiot's prostitute, makes no stop betwixt the extreams of honour or infamy; she cherishes that which we intend to blast by the cold wind of an envious displeasure; and, while active as fire, she would gratify grandeur, consumes what she intends only to inliven by a warmer commendation.

The selling of a prince was a fatal prognostick; may the sale of loyalty be more propitious! The God of this world did so dazzle foolish eyes, that nothing was to be seen in the most execrable traitor, beside unparalleled excellence. Treason was only a subtle reservedness, or a pious fraud for royal advantage. The mammon of unrighteousness was not employed to provide heavenly places, but to promote earthly interests. Some can think the greatest Judas, here, might have found no cause of desperation, where so many pieces might have intitled to honour and office. may serve out of many centuries of observations, who (a constant servant to his royal master through all changes) proved a setter of Oliver's, pearched high by mammon, in this last and more happy revolution defaming him for disloyalty; to have been so grand a virtuoso on record, as might evidence to have received no lesser stipends for annual courses of treason.

M's case

Though he, who makes haste to be rich, cannot be innocent; yet who would guess the greatness of guilt, by the vastness of a contracted treasure, may be mistaken in their arithmetick. The general's offices of profit, and places of honour, none can justly deny him, nor a wise man the frugal improvement; his retinue was rather beneficial than chargeable, who put neither to the expences of wages or diet.

The courtiers, and his own servants, who revenge, by their tongues, the loss which they have sustained by their teeth, rarely speak well of him, whom they will have the author of board-wages at court, and to have saved half in his own daily allowance; the poulterer's ware, as sacred, must be untouched; if it met no maim at his table, was injoined, new-roasted, to revisit it next day in company. All excesses are equally dangerous; if he observed the truly golden mean to inrich a family, it could not be dis