And indeed when I reflected on the Coherence of things, I could not so much blame this Prince for his venturing upon the probability, for whoever was but to go up to thisLunar Worldand read the Stories of that Time, with what Fury the hot Men of theSolunarian Churchacted against theDissenting Crolians, and with what warmth they assisted their Prince against them, and how Cruelly they insulted them after they were defeated in their attempt of Dethroning him, how zealously they Preach'd up the Doctrine of absolute undisputed Resignation to his Will, how frequently they obey'd several of his encroachments upon their Liberties, and what solemn Protestations they made to submit to him in any thing, and to stand by and assist him inwhateverhe Commanded them to thelast Drop, much with the same Zeal and Forwardness, as ourLife-and-Fortune Mendid here inEngland. I say, when all this was consider'd, I could not so much condemn his Credulity, nor blame him for believing them, for no Man could have doubted their Sincerity, but he that at the same time must have Taxt them withmost unexampled Hipocrisie.
For theSolunariansnow began to discern their Prince was not really on their side, that neither in State Matters any more than Religion, he had any affection for them, and the first absolute Shock he gave them, was in Publishing a general Liberty to theCrolians. 'Tis true this was not out of respect to theCrolianReligion any more than theSolunarian, but purely because by that means he made way for an Introduction of theAbrogratzianReligion which now began to appear publickly in the Country.
But however, as this was directly contrary to the expectation of theSolunarians, it gave them such a disgust against their Prince, that from that very time being disappointed in the Soveraign Authority they expected, they entred into the deepest and blackest Conspiracy against their Prince and his Government that ever was heard of.
Many of theCrolianswere deluded by the new Favour and Liberty they receiv'd from the Prince to believe him real, and were glad of the Mortification of their Brethren; but the more Judicious seeing plainly the Prince's Design,declar'd against their own Liberty, because given them by an illegal Authority, without the assent of the whole Body legally assembled.
When theSolunarianssaw this they easily reconcil'd themselves to theCrolians, at least from the Outside of the Face, for the carrying on their Design, and so here was a Nation full of Plots, here was the Prince and hisAbrogratziansplotting to introduce their Religion, here was a parcel of blind short-sightedCroliansplotting to ruin theSolunarian Establishment, and weakly joining with theAbrogratziansto satisfy their private Resentments; and here was thewiser Croliansjoining heartily with theSolunariansof all sorts, laying aside private Resentments, and forgetting old Grudges about Religion, in order to ruin the invading Projects of the Prince and his Party.
There was indeed some verbal Conditions past between them, and theSolunarianswilling to bring them into their Party promised them upon the Faith of their Nation, and the Honour of theSolunarian Religion, that there should be no more Hatred, Disturbanceor Persecutionfor the sake of Religion between them, but that they would come to a Temper with them, and always be Brethren for the future. They declared thatPersecution ran contrary to their Religion in general, and to their Doctrin in particular; and backt their Allegations with some Truths they have not since thought fitto like, nor muchto regard.
However by this Artifice, and on these Conditions, they brought theCroliansto join with them in their Resolutions to countermine their designing Prince; these indeed were for doing it by the old way down-right, and to oppose Oppression with Force, a Doctrin they acknowledg'd, and profest to join with all theLunarpart of Mankind in the practice, and began to tell their Brethren how they had impos'd upon themselves and the World, in pretending to absolute Submission against Nature anduniversal Lunarian Practice.
But a cunning Fellow personating aSolunarian, and who was in the Plot,gravely answer'd them thus,
'Look ye, Gentlemen, we own with you thatNature,Reason,Law,Justice, andCustom of Nationsis on your side, and that all PowerDerivesfrom,Centersin, and on all Recesses or Demises of Powerreturnsto its Great Original theParty Governed:Nay we own ourGreat Eyefrom whom all the habitable Parts of this Globe are inlightned, has always directed us to practice what Nature thus dictates, always approv'd and generally succeeded the attempt of Dethroning Tyrants. But our Case differs,we have always pretended to this absolute undisputed Obedience, which we did indeed to gain the Power of your Party; and if we should turn round at once to your Opinion, tho' never so right, we should so fly in the Face of our own Doctrin,Sermons, innumerablePamphletsandPretensions, as would give all our Enemies too great a Power over us in Argument, and we should never be able to look Mankind in the Face: But we have laid our Measures so that by prompting the King torun upon usin all sorts of bare-fac'd Extreams and Violences, we shall bring him to exasperate the whole Nation; then we may underhand foment the breach on this side, raise the Mob upon him, and by acting on both sides seem to suffer a Force in falling in with the People, and preserve our Reputation.
'Thus we shall bring the thing to pass,betray our Prince, take Armsagainst his Power, call inForeign Forceto do the Work, and even then keep our Hands seemingly out of the Broil, by being pretended Sticklers for our former Prince; so save our Reputation, and bring all to pass with Ease and Calmness; while the eager Party of theAbrogratzianswill do their own Work by expecting we will do it for them.
TheCroliansastonish'd both at the Policy, the Depth, the Knavery and the Hypocrisy of the Design, left them to carry it on, owning it was a Masterpiece of Craft, and so stood still to observe the Issue, which every way answer'd the exactness of its Contrivance.
When I saw into the bottom of all this Deceit, I began to take up new Resolutions of returning back intoour Old World again, and going home toEngland, where tho' I had conceiv'd great Indignation at the Treatment ourPassive Obedience Mengave their Prince here, and was in hopes in these my remote Travels to have found out some Nations of Honour and Principles. I was fill'd with Amazement to see ourModerate Knavesso muchout-done, and I was inform'd that all these things were meer Amusements, Vizors, and Shams, to bring an Innocent Prince into the Snare.
Would any Mortal imagin who has read this short Part of the Story, that all this wasa Solunarian Church Plot, a meer Conspiracy between these Gentlemen and theCrolian Dissenters, only to wheedle in the unhappy Prince to his own Destruction, and bring the popular Advantage of the Mob, to a greater Ascendant on the Crown.
Of all theRichlieus,Mazarines,Gondamours,Oliver Cromwels, and the whole Train of Polititians that our World has produc'd, the greatest of their Arts are Follies to the unfathomable depth of theseLunarian Policies; and forWheedle,Lying,Swearing,Preaching,Printing, &c. what is said in our World byPriestsandPolititans, we thank Godmay be believ'd; but if ever I believe aSolunarian PriestPreaching Non-Resistance of Monarchs, or aSolunarian PolititianturningAbrogratzian, I ought to be mark'd down for a Fool; nor will ever any Prince in that Country take their Word again, if ever they have their Senses about 'em, but as this is a most extraordinary Scene, so I cannot omit a more particular and sufficient Relation of some Parts of it, than I us'd to give.
TheSolunarian Clergyhad carry'd on their Non-Resistance Doctrin to such Extremities, and had given this new Prince such unusual demonstrations of it, that he fell absolutelyinto the Snare, and entirely believ'd them; he had try'd them with such Impositions as they would never have born from any Prince in the World, nor from him neither, had they not had a deep Design, and consequently stood in need of the deepest Disguise imaginable; they had yielded to aStanding Army, and applauded it as a thing they had desir'd; they had submitted tolevying Taxesupon them byNew Methods, and illegal Practices; they had yielded to the abrogation or suspension at least of their Laws, when the King's absolute Will requir'd it; not that they were blind, and did not see what their Prince was doing, but that the black Design was so deeply laid, they found it was the only way to ruin him, to push him upon the highest Extreams, and then they should have their turn serv'd.---- Thus if he desir'd one illegal Thing of them, they would immediately grant two; one would have thought they had read our Bible,and the Command, when a Man takes away the Cloak, to give him the Coat also.
Nor was this enough, but they seem'd willing to admit of the publick Exercise of theAbrogratzianReligion in all Parts; and when the Prince set it up in his own Chappel, they suffered it to be set up in their Cities, and Towns, and theAbrogratzian Clergybegan to be seen up and down in their very Habits; a thing which had never been permitted before in that Country, and which the Common People began to be very uneasy at. But still theSolunarian Clergy, and all such of the Gentry, especially as were in the Plot, by their Sermons, printed Books, and publick Discourses, carry'd on this high topping Notion of absolute Submission, so that the People were kept under, and began to submit to all the impositions of the Prince.
These things were so acted to the Life, that not only the Prince, but none of hisAbrogratzianCounsellors could see the Snare, the Hook was so finely covered by the Church-Artificers, and the Bait so delicious, that they all swallow'd it with eagerness and delight.
But the Conspirators willing to make a sure game of it, and not thinking the King, or all his Counsellors would drive on so fast as they would have them, tho' they had already made a fair progress for the Time, resolv'd to play home, and accordingly they persuade their Prince, that they will not only submit to his Arbitrary Will, in Matters of State, and Government, but in Matters of Religion; and in order to carry this Jest on,one of the heads of their Politicks, and a Person of great Estem for his Abilities in Matters of State, being without question one of the ablest Heads of all theSolunarianNobility,pretended to be converted, and turn'dAbrogratzian. This immediately took as they desir'd, for the Prince caress'd him, and entertain'd him with all possible endearments, proferr'd him to several Posts of Honour and Advantage, always kept him near him, consulted him in all Emergencies, took him with him to theAbrogianSacrifices, and he made no Scruple publickly to appear there, and by these degrees and asuper-achitophalianHypocrisie, so insinuated himself into the credulous Prince's favour, that he became his only Confident, and absolute Master of all his Designs.
Now the Plot had its desir'd effect, for he push'd the King upon all manner of Precipitations; and if even theAbrogratziansthemselves who were about the King, interpos'd for moretemperate Proceedings, he would call them Cowards, Strangers, ignorant of the Temper of theLunarians, who when they were a going, might be driven, but if they were suffered to cool and consider, would face about and fall off.
Indeed the Men of Prudence and Estates among his own Party, I mean theAbrogratziansin the Country, frequently warn'd him to take moremoderate Measures, and to proceed with more Caution; told him he would certainly ruin them all, and himself, and that there must be some Body about his Majesty that push'd him upon these Extremes, on purpose to set all the Nation in a Flame, and to overthrow all the good Designs, which with Temper and good Conduct, might be brought to perfection.
Had these wary Councils been observ'd, and a Prudence and Policy agreeable to the mighty consequence of Things been practis'd, theSolunarian Churchhad run a great risque of being over thrown, and to have sunk gradually in theAbrogian Errors, the People began to be drawn off gradually, and the familiarity of the thing made it appear less frightful to unthinking People, who had entertain'd strange Notions of the monstrous things that were to be seen in it, so that common Vogue had fill'd the Peoples Minds with ignorant Aversions, that 'tis no absurdity to say, I believe there was 200000 People who would have spent the last drop of their Blood againstAbrogratzianism, that did not know whether it was aMan or a Horse.
This thing consider'd well, would of it self have been sufficient to have made the Prince and his Friendswary, and to have taught them to suit their Measures to the Nature and Circumstances of Things before them; butSuccess in their beginningsblinded their Eyes, and they fell into thisChurch Snarewith the most unpitied willingness that could be imagin'd.
The first thing therefore this new Counsellor put his Master upon, in order to the beginning his more certain Ruin, was to introduce several of hisAbrograziansinto Places of all kinds, both in theArmy,Navy,Treasure, andCivil Affairs, tho' contrary to some of the general Constitutions of Government; he had done it into theArmybefore, tho' it had disgusted several of his Military Men, but now he push'd him upon making it Universal, and still thePassive Solunariansbore it with patience.
From this tameness and submission, his next Step was to argue that he might depend upon it theSolunarian Churchhad so sincerely embrac'd the Doctrine ofNon-Resistance, that they were now ripen'd not only to sit still, and see their Brethren theCrolianssuppress'd, but to stand still and be opprest themselves, and he might assure himself the Matter was now ripe, he might do just what he wou'd himself with them, they were prepar'd to bare any thing.
This was the fatal Stroke, for having possest the Prince with the belief of this, he let loose the Reins to all his long conceal'd Desires. Down went theirLaws, theirLiberties, theirCorporations, theirChurches, theirColleges, all went to wreck, and the eagerAbrograziansthought the Day their own. TheSolunariansmade no opposition, but what was contain'd within the narrow circumference of Petitions, Addresses,Prayers, and Tears; and these the Prince was prepar'd to reject, and upon all occasions to let them know he wasresolv'd to be obey'd.
Thus he drove on by the treacherous Advice of his new Counsels, till he ripen'd all the Nation for thegeneral Defectionwhich afterward follow'd.
For as the Encroachments of the Prince push'd especially at their Church Liberties, and threatened the overthrow of all their Ecclesiastical Privileges, the Clergy no sooner began to feel that they were like to be the first Sacrifice, but they immediately threw off the Vizor, and beat theConcionazimir; this is a certain EcclesiastickEnginewhich is usual in cases of general Alarm, as the Churches Signal ofUniversal Tumult.
This is truly a strange Engine, and when a Clergy-Man gets into the Inside of it, and beats it,it Roars, and makes such a terribleNoisefrom the several Cavities, that 'tis heard a long way; and there are always a competent number of them plac'd in all Parts so conveniently, that the Alarm is heard all over the Kingdom in one Day.
I had some Thoughts to have given the Reader aDiagramof this piece of Art, but as I am but a bad Drafts Man, I have not yet been able so exactly to describe it, as that a Scheme can be drawn, but to the best of my Skill, take it as follows. 'Tis ahollow Vessel, large enough to hold the biggest Clergy-Man in the Nation; it is generallyan Octagonin Figure,open before, from theWastupward, but wholeat the Back, witha Flatextended over it forReverberation, or doubling the Sound;doublingandredoubling, being frequently thought necessary to be made use of on these occasions; 'tis very Mathematically contriv'd, erected ona Pedestal of Woodlike a Windmil, and has a pair of winding Stairs up to it, like those at the great Tun atHiedlebergh.
I could make someHierogliphicalDiscourses upon it, from these References, thus. 1. That as it is erected on a Pedestal like a Wind-Mill, so it is no new thing for the Clergy, who are the only Persons permitted to make use of it, to make itturn round with the Wind, and serve to all the Points of the Compass. 2. As theFlatover it assists to encrease the Sound, by forming a kind of hollow, or cavity proper to that purpose, so there is a certain natural hollowness, or emptiness, made use of sometimes in it, by the Gentlemen of the Gown, which serves exceedingly to the propogation of all sorts ofClamour,Noise,Railing, andDisturbance. 3. As the Stairs to it go winding up like those by which one mounts to the vast Tun of Wine atHiedleburgh, which has no equal inour World, so the use made of these ascending Steps, is not altogether different, being frequently employ'd to raise People up to all sorts ofEnthusiasms, spiritualIntoxications, mad andextravagant Action, high exaltedFlights,Precipitations, and all kinds ofEcclesiastick DrunkennessandExcesses.
The sound of this Emblem of emptiness, theConcionazimir, was no sooner heard over the Nation, but all the People discover'd their readiness tojoin inwith the Summons, and as the thing had been concerted before, they send over their Messengers to demand Assistance from a powerful Prince beyond the Sea, one of their own Religion, and who was alliedby Marriageto the Crown.
They made their Story out so plain, and their King had by the contrivance of theirAchitophelrendred himself so suspected to all his Neighbours, that this Prince, without any hesitation, resolv'd to join with them, and accordingly makes vast Preparations to invade their King.
During this interval their Behaviour was quite altred at home, the Doctrin ofabsolute SubmissionandNon-Resistancewas heard no more among them, theConcionazimirbeat daily to tell all the People they should stand up to Defend the Rights of the Church, and that it was time to look about them for theAbrograzianswere upon them. The eager Clergy made thisEcclesiastick Enginesound as loud and make all the Noise they could, and no Men in the Nation were so forward as they to acknowledge that it was a State-Trick, and they were drawn in to make such a stir about the pretended Doctrins ofabsolute Submission, that they did not see the Snare which lay under it, that now their Eyes were opened, and they had learnt to see the Power and Superiority of Natural Right, and would be deceiv'd no longer.Otherswere so honest to tell the Truth, that they knew the emptiness and weakness of the pretence all along, and knew what they did when they Preacht it up,viz. to suppress and pull down the Crolians: But they thought their Prince whothey alwaysserv'd in crying up that Doctrin, and whose Exclusion was prevented by it, would ha' had more Gratitude, or at least more Sense, than to try the Experimentupon them, since whatever to serve his Designs and their own,which they always thought well united, they were willing to pretend, he could not but see theyalways knew betterthan to suffer the practice of it in their own Case. That since he had turn'd the Tables upon them, 'tis true he had them at an advantage and might pretendthey were Knaves, and perhaps had an opportunity to call them so with some reason; but they were resolv'd, since he had drove them to the necessity of being one or t'other, tho' he might call them Knaves, they would take care he should have no reason tocall them Foolstoo.
Thus the Vapour of absolute Subjection was lost on a suddain, and as if it had been preparatory to what was coming after, the Experiment was quickly made; for the King persuing his Encroachments upon the Church, and being possest with a Belief that pursuant to their open Professions they would submit to any thing, he made a beginning with them, in sending his positive Command to one of his Superintendent Priests, orPatriarchs, to forbid a certain Ecclesiastick to officiate any more till his Royal Pleasure was known.
Now it happen'dvery unluckilythat this Patriarch, tho' none of the most Learned of his Fraternity, yet had always been a mighty zealous Promoter of this blind Doctrin ofNon-Resistance, and had not a little triumph'd over and insulted theCrolian Dissentersupon the Notion ofRebellion, antimonarchical Principles and Obedience, with a reserve for the Laws, and the like, as a scandalous practice, and comprehensive of Faction, Sedition, dangerous to the Church and State, and the like.
This Reverend Father was singl'd out as the first Mark of the King's Design; thedeluded Princebeliev'd he could not but comply, having so publickly profest his beingall Submissionandabsolute Subjection; but as this wasall Conceit, he was pusht on to make the Assault where he was most certain to meet a repulse; and this Gentleman had long since thrown off the Mask, so his first Order was disobey'd.
ThePatriarchpretended to make humble Remonstrances, and to offer his Reasons why he could not in Conscience,as he call'd it, comply. The King, who was now made but a meer Engine, orMachine, screw'd up or down by this false Counsellor to act his approaching Destruction with his own Hand,was promptedto resent this Repulse with the utmost Indignation, to reject all manner of Submissions, Excuses or Arguments, or any thing but an immediate, absolute compliance, according to the Doctrin so often inculcated; and this he run on so high, as to putthe Patriarch in Prisonfor Contumacy.
ThePatriarchas absolutely refus'd to submit, and offer'd himself to the Decision of the Law.
Now it was always a sacred Rule in theseLunar Countries, that bothKingandPeopleare bound to stand by the arbitrimnet ofthe Lawin all Cases of Right or Claim, whether publick or private; and this has been the reason that all the Princes have endeavour'd to cover their Actions with pretences of Law,whatever really has been in their Design; for this reason the King could not refuse to bring the Patriarch to a Tryal, where the Humour of the People first discover'd it self, for herePassive Obedience was Try'd and Cast, the Law prov'd to be superior to the King, the Patriarchwas acquitted, his Disobedience to the Kingjustify'd, and the King's Commandprov'd unjust.
The Applauseof the Patriarch, the Acclamations of the People, and the general Rejoycings of the whole Nation at this Transaction, gave a black prospect to theAbrograzians; and a great many of them came very honestly and humbly to the King and told him, if he continued to go on by these Measures he would ruin them all; they told him what general Alarm had been over the whole Nation by the Clamours of the Clergy; and the beating of theConcionazimirin all Parts, inform'd him how the Doctrin ofabsolute Obediencewas ridicul'd in all Places, and how the Clergy began to preach it back againlike a Witches Prayer, and that it would infallibly raise the Devil of Rebellion in all the Nation, they besought him to content himself with the liberty of their Religion, and the freedom they enjoy'd of being let into Places and Offices of Trust and Honour, and to wait all reasonable Occasions to encrease their Advantages, and gradually to gain Ground; they entreated him to consider the impossibility of reducing so mighty, so obstinate, and so resolute a Nation all at once. They pleaded how rational a thing it was to expect that by Degrees and good Management, which by precipitate Measures would be endanger'd and overthrown.
Had these wholsome Counsels taken place in the King's Mind he had been King to his last hour, and theSolunariansandCrolianstoo had been all undone, for he had certainly incroach'd upon them gradually, and brought that to pass in time which by precipitant Measures he was not likely to effect.
It was therefore a master-piece of Policy in theSolunarianChurch-men to place a feign'd Convert near their Prince, who shou'd always biass him with contrary Advices, puff him up with vast prospect of Success, prompt him to all Extreams, and always Fool him with the certainty of bringing Things to pass his own way.
These Arts made him set light by the repulse he met with in the Matter of thePatriarch, and now he proceeds to make two Attacks more upon the Church; one was by putting some of hisAbrograzian Priestsintoa Collegeamong some of theSolunarian Clergy; and the other was to oblige all theSolunarian Clergyto read a certain Act of his Council, in which his Majesty admitted all theAbrograzians,Crolians, and all sorts of Dissenters, to a freedom of their Religious Exercises,Sacrifices,Exorcisms,Dippings,Preachings, &c. and to prohibit theSolunariansto Molest or Disturb them.
Now as this last was a bitter reproach to theSolunarian Churchfor all the ill Treatment theDissenting Crolianshad receiv'd from them, and as it was exprest in the Act that all such Treatment was Unjust and Unchristian, so for them to read it in their Temples, was to acknowledge that they had been guilty of most unjust and irreligious Dealings to theCrolians, and that their Prince had taken care to do them Justice.
The matter of introducing theAbrograziansinto the Colleges or Seminaries of theSolunarian Priests, was actually against the Sacred Constitutions and Foundation Laws ofthose Seminaries.
Wherefore in both these Articles they not only disobey'd their Prince, but they oppos'd him with thosetrifling Things call'd Laws, which they had before declar'd had no Defensive Force against their Prince; these they had recourse to now, insisted upon the Justice and Right devolv'd upon them by the Laws, and absolutely refus'd their compliance with his Commands.
The Prince, pusht upon the Tenters before, receiv'd their Denial with exceeding Resentment, and was heard with deep regret, to break out in Exclamations at their unexpected faithless Proceedings, and sometimes to express himself thus:Horrid Hypocrisy! Surprizing Treachery! Is this the absolute Subjection which in such numerous Testimonials or Addresses you profest, and for which you so often and so constantly branded the poorCrolians,and told me that your Church was wholly made up of Principles of Loyalty and Obedience! But I'll be fully satisfied for this Treatment.
In the minute of one of those Excursions of his Passion, came into his Presence the seemingly revoltedLunarian Noble Man, and falling in with his present Passions, prompts him to a speedy revenge; and propos'd his erectinga Court of Searches, something like theSpanishInquisition, giving them plenipotentiary Authority to hear and determine all Ecclesiastical Causes absolutely, and without Appeal.
He empower'd these Judges to place by his absolute Will, all theAbrograzianStudents in theSolunarian College, and tho' they might make a formal Hearing for the sake of the Form, yet that by Force it should be done.
He gave them Power to displace all thoseSolunarian Clergy-Men that had refus'd to read his Act of Demission to theAbrograzian, and Crolian Dissenters, and 'twas thought he design'd to keep their Revenues inPetto, till he might in time fill them up to some of his own Religion.
The Commission accordingly began to act, and discovering a full Resolution to fulfil his Command, they by Force proceeded with the Students of theSolunarian College; and it was very remarkable, that even some of theSolunarian Patriarchswere of this number, who turn'd out their Brethren theSolunarian Students, to placeAbrograzians in their room.
This indeed they are said to have repented of since, but however, these it seems were not of the Plot, and therefore did not foresee what was at hand.
The rest of thePatriarchswho were all in the Grand Design, and saw things ripening for its Execution, upon the apprehension of thisCourt of Searchesbeginning with them, make an humble Address to their Prince, containing the Reasons why they could not comply with his Royal Command.------
The incens'd King upbraided them with his having been told by them of their absolute andunreserv'd Obedience, and refusing their Submissions or their Reasons,sent them all to Jail, and resolv'd to have brought them before his newHigh Court of Searches, in order, as was believ'd, to have them all displac'd.
And now all began to be in a Flame, the Sollicitations of theSolunarian Party, having obtain'd powerful Relief Abroad, they began to make suitable preparations at Home. The Gentry and Nobility who the Clergy had brought to join with them, furnish'd themselves with Horses and Arms, and prepar'd with their Tenants and Dependants to join the Succours as soon as they should Arrive.
In short, the Forreign Troops they had procur'd, Arriv'd, Landed, and publish'd a long Declaration of all the Grievances which they came to redress.
No sooner was this Forreign Army arriv'd with the Prince at the head of them, but the face of Affairsaltred on a suddain. The King indeed, like a brave Prince, drew all his Forces together, and marching out of his Capital City, advanced above 500Stages, thingsthey measure Land with in those Countries, and much aboutour Furlong, to meet his Enemy.
He had a gallant Army well appointed and furnish'd, and all things much superior to his Adversary, but alas the Poison of Disobedience was gotten in there, and upon the firstMarchhe offer'd to make towards the Enemy one ofhis great Captainswith a strong Party of his Men went over and revolted.
This Example was applauded all over the Nation, and by this time one of the Patriarchs, even the same mention'd before that had so often preacht Non-Resistance of Princes, lays by his Sacred Vestments, Mitre, and Staff, and exchanging his Robes for a Soldier's Coat, mounts on Horseback, and in short, appears in Arms against his Lord.----- Nor was this all, but theTreacherous Prelatetakes along with him severalSolunarian Lords, and Persons of the highest Figure, and of the Houshold, and Family of the King, and with him went the King's own Daughter, his principle Favourites and Friends.
At the News of this, the poor deserted Prince lost all Courage, and abandoning himself to Despair, he causes his Army to retreat without fighting a Stroke, quits them and the Kingdom at once, and takes Sanctuary with such as could escape with him, in the Court of a Neighbouring Prince.
I have heard this Prince exceedingly blam'd, for giving himself up to Despair so soon. ----- That he thereby abandon'd the best and faithfullest of his Friends, and Servants, and left them to the Mercy of theSolunarians; that when all these that would have forsaken him were gone, he had Forces equal to his Enemies; that his Men were in Heart, fresh and forward; that he should have stood to the last; retreated to a strong Town, where his Ships rod, and which was over against the Territories of his great Allie, to whom he might have deliver'd up the Ships which were there, and have thereby made him Superior at Sea to his Enemies, and he was already much Superior at Land; that there he might have been reliev'd with Forces too strong for them to match, and at least might have put it to the issue of a fair Battle.------ Others, that he might have retreated to his own Court, and capital City, and taking possession of the Citadel, which was his own, might so have aw'd the Citizens who were infinitely Rich, and Numerous, with the apprehensions of having their Houses burnt, they would not have dar'd to have declar'd for his Enemies, for fear of being reduc'd to heaps and ruins; and that at last he might have set the City on Fire in 500 Places, and left theSolunarian Church-Mena Token to remember theirNon-Resisting Doctrine by, and yet have made an easy Retreat down the Harbour, to other Forts he had below, and might with ease have destroy'd all the Shipping, as he went.
'Tis confess'd had he done either, or both these things, he had left them a dear bought Victory, but he was depriv'd of his Counsellor, for as soon as things came to this height,the Achitophelwe have so often mention'd,left him also, and went away; all hisAbrograzian Priests too fosook him, and he was so bereft of Counsel that he fell into the Hands of his Enemies as he was making his escape, but he got away again, not without the connivance of the Enemy, who were willing enough he should go; so he got a Vessel to carry him over to the Neighbouring Kingdom, and all his Armies, Ships, Forts, Castles, Magazines, and Treasure, fell into his Enemies Hands.
The Neighbouring Prince entertain'd him very kindly, Cherish'd him, Succour'd him, and furnish'd him with Armies and Fleets for the recovery of his Dominions, which has occasion'd a tedious War with that Prince, which continues to this Day.
Thus farPassive Doctrins, and Absolute Submission serv'd a Turn,bubl'd the Prince, wheedled him in to take their Word who profess'd it, 'till he laid his Finger upon the Men themselves, and that unravell'd all the Cheat; they were the first that call'd in Forreign Power, and took up Arms against their Prince.
Nor did they end here, but all this Scene being over, and the Forreign Prince having thus deliver'd them, and their own King being thus chas'd away, the People call themselves together, andas Reason good, having been deliver'd by him from the Miseries, Brangles, Oppressions, and Divisions of the former Reign, they thought they could do no less than to Crown their Deliverer; and having Summon'd a general Assembly of all theirCapital Men, they gave the Crown to this Prince who had so generously sav'd them.
And here again I heard the first King exceedingly blam'd for quitting his Dominions, for had he staid here, tho' he had actually been in their Hands, unless they wou'd have Murther'd him, they could never have proceeded to the Extremeties they did reach to, nor cou'd they ever have Crown'd the other Prince, he being yet alive and in his own Dominions.
But by quitting the Country, they fix'd a legal Period to their Obedience, he having deserted their Protection, and Defence, and openly laid down the Administration.
But as these sort of Politicks cannot be decided by us, unless we know the Constitutions of thoseLunar Regions, so we cannot pretend to make a Decision of what might, or might not have happen'd.
It remains to examine how thoseSolunariansbehav'd themselves, who had so earnedly cryed up the Principles of Obedience, and absolute Submission.
Nothing was so Ridiculous, now they saw what they had done, they began to repent, and upon recollection of Thoughts some were so asham'd of themselves, that having broken their Doctrin, and being now call'd upon to tranfpose their Allegiance, truly they stopt in the mid-way, andso became Martyrs on both sides.
I can liken these to nothing so well as to those Gentlemen of ourEnglish Church, who tho' they broke into the Principles of Passive Obedience by joining, and calling over the P. ofO. yet suffer'd deprivations of Benefices, and loss of their Livings,for not taking the Oath; as if they had not aseffectually perjur'd themselvesby taking up Arms against their King, and joyning a Forreign Power, as they could possibly do afterward, by Swearing to live quietly under the next King.
But these nice Gentlemen are infinitely outdone in these Countries, for theseSolunariansby a true Church turn, not only refuse to transpose their Allegiance, but pretend to wipe their Mouths as to former taking Arms, and return to their old Doctrins of absolute Submission, boast of Martyrdom, and boldly reconcile the contraries oftaking up Arms, andNon-Resistance, charging all their Brethren with Schism, Rebellion, Perjury, and thedamnable Sin of Resistance.
Nor is this all, for as a great many of theseSolunarian Church-Men had no affection to this new Prince, but were not equally furnished, or qualify'd for Martyrdom with their Brethren; they went to certain Wise Men, who being cunning atsplitting Hairs, and making distinctions, might perhaps furnish them withsome mediums between Loyalty and Disloyalty; they apply'd themselves with great dilligence to these Men, and they by deep Study, and long Search,either found or madethe quaintest Device for them that ever was heard of.
By this unheard of Discovery, to their great Joy and Satisfaction, they have arriv'd at a Power, which all the Wise Men in our World could never pretend to, and which 'tis thought, could the description of it be regularly made, and brought down hither, would serve for the Satisfaction and Repose of a great many tender Consciences, who are very uneasy atSwearing to save their Benefices.
These great Makers of Distinction, have learn't to distinguish betweenactiveSwearing, andpassiveSwearing, betweende factoLoyalty, andde jureLoyalty, and by this decent acquirement they obtain'd the Art of reconcilingSwearing Allegiance without Loyalty, andLoyalty without Swearing, so that native and original Loyalty may be preserv'd pure and uninterrupted, in spight of allsubsequent Oaths, to prevailing Usurpations.
Many are the Mysteries, and vast the Advantages of this new invented Method,Mental Reservations,Inuendoes, and Double Meaningsare Toys to this, for they may be provided for in the litteral terms of an Oath, but no Provision can be made against this; for these Men after they have taken the Oath, make no Scruple to declare,they only Swear to be quiet, as long as they can make no Disturbance; that they are left liberty still to espouse the Interest and Cause of their former Prince, they nicely distinguish betweenObedienceandSubmission, and tell you aSlave taken into Captivity, tho' he Swearsto live peaceably, does not thereby renounce hisAllegianceto his natural Prince, nor abridge himself of a Right to attempt his own Libertyif ever opportunity present.
Had these neat Distinctions been found out before, none of ourSolunarian Clergy, no not thePatriarchsthemselves surely would have stood out, and suffer'd such Depredations on their Fortunes and Characters as they did; they wou'd never have been such Fools to have been turn'd out of their Livings for not Swearing, when they might have learnt here that theymight have swore to one Prince, and yet have retain'd their Allegiance to another; might have taken an Oath to the new, without impeachment of their old Oaths to the absent Prince.-------It is great pity these Gentlemen had not gone up to theMoonfor Instruction in this difficult Case.
There they might have met with excellent Logicians, Men of most sublime Reasons, Dr.Overall, Dr.Sherlock, and all our nice Examiners of these things wou'd appear to be no Body to them; for as the People in these Regions have an extraordinaryEye-sight, and the clearness of the Air contributs much to the help of theirOpticks, so they have without doubt a proportion'd clearness of discerning, by which they see as farinto Mill-stones, and all sorts of Solids, as the nature of things will permit, but above all, their Faculties are blest with two exceeding Advantages.
1.With an extraordinary distinguishing Power, by which they can distinguisheven Indivisibles, part Unity it self,divide Principles, anddistinguish Truthinto such and so manyminute Particles, till they dwindle it away into a very Nose of Wax, and mould it into any Form they have occasion for, by which means they can distinguish themselves into or out of any Opinion, either in Religion, Politicks or Civil Right, that their present Emergencies may call for.
2. Their reasoning Faculties have this further advantage, that upon occasionthey can see clearly for themselves, andprevent others from the same discovery, so that when they have occasion to see any thing which presents for their own Advantage, they can search into the Particulars, make it clear to themselves, and yet let it remain dark and mysterious to all the World besides. Whether this is perform'd by their exceeding Penetration, or by casting an artificial Veil over the Understandings of the Vulgar,Authors have not yet determin'd; but that the Fact is true, admits of no Dispute.
And the wonderful Benefit of these Things in point of Dispute is extraordinary, for they can see clearly they have the better of an Argument, when all the rest of the World think they have not a Word to say for themselves: 'Tis plain to them that this or that proves a thing, when Nature, by common Reasoning, knows no such Consequences.
I confess I have seen some weak Attempts at this extraordinary Talent, particularly in the Disputes inEnglandbetween theChurch and the Dissenter, and between theHigh and Low Church, wherein People have tollerably well convinc'd themselves when no Body else could see any thing of the Matter, as particularly the famous Mr.W---lyabout theAntimonarchical Principles taught in the Dissenters Accademies;dittoinL----sly, about the Dissentersburning the City, and setting Fire to their own Houses to destroy their Neighbours; andanother famous Author, who prov'd thatChristopher Lovelost his Head for attempting to pull down Monarchy by restoring KingCharlesthe Second.
These indeed are some faint Resemblances of what I am upon; but alas! these are tender sort of People, that han't obtain'da compleat Victory over their Consciences, but sufferthat Trifleto reproach them all the while they are doing it, to rebel against their resolv'd Wills, and check them in the middle of the Design; from which Interruptions arise Palpitations of the Heart, Sickness and squeamishness of Stomach; and these have proceeded toCastings and Vomit, whereby they have been forc'd sometimes to throw up some such unhappy Truths as have confounded all the rest, and flown in their own Faces so violently, as in spight of Custom has made them blush and look downward; and tho' in kindness to one another they have carefully lickt upone anothers Filth, yet this unhappy squeamishness of Stomach has spoil'd all the Design, and turn'd the Appetites of their Party, to the no small prejudice of a Cause that stood in need of more Art andmore Faceto carry it on as it shou'd be with a thoro'-pac'dCase-harden'd Policy, such as I have been relating, is compleatly obtain'd in these Regions, where the Arts and Excellencies of sublime Reasonings are carried up to all the extraordinaries ofbanishing Scruples, reconciling Contradictions,uniting Opposites, and all the necessary Circumstances requir'd in a compleat Casuist.
'Tis not easily conceivable to what extraordinary Flights they have carry'd this strength of Reasoning, for besides the distinguishing nicely between Truth and Error, they obtain a most refin'd Method of distinguishingTruth it self into Seasons and Circumstances, and so can bring any thing to be Truth, when it serves the turn that happens just then to be needful, and make the same thing to be false at another time.
And this method ofcircumstantiating Matters of Factinto Truth or Falshood, suited to occasion, is found admirably useful to the solving the most difficultPhænomena of State, for by this Art theSolunarian Churchmade Persecution be against their Principles at one time, and reducible to Practice at another. They madetaking up Arms, and calling in Foreign Power to depose their Prince,consistent with Non-Resistance, and Passive Obedience; nay they went farther, they distinguisht betweena Crolian'staking Arms, anda Solunarians, and fairly prov'd this to beRebellionand that to beNon-Resistance.
Nay, and which exceeded all the Power of human Art in the highest degrees of Attainment that ever it arriv'd to onour side the Moon; they turn'd the Tables so dexterously, as to argument upon one sort ofCrolians, call'dPrestarians; that tho' they repented of the War they had rais'd in former Times, and protested against the violence offer'd their Prince; and after another Party hadin spight of themBeheaded him,took Armsagainst theother Party, and never left contriving their Ruin, till they hadbrought in his Son, and set him upon the Throne again.
Yet by this most dextrous way ofTwisting,Extending,Contracting, andDistinguishingof Phrases and Reasoning, they presently made it as plain as the Sun at Noon Day; that thesePrestarianswereKing-killers, Common-wealths Men,Rebels, Traytors, andEnemies to Monarchy; that theyrestor'dthe Monarchy only in orderto Destroy it, and that they Preach'd upSedition,Rebellionand the like: This was prov'd so plain by thesesublime Distinctions, that they convinc'd themselves and their Posterity of it, by a rare and newly acquir'd Art, found outby extraordinary Study, which proves the wonderful power ofCustom, insomuch, that let any Man by this method,tell a Lye over a certain number of times, he shall arrive to a Satisfactionof its certainty, tho' he knew it to bea Fiction before, and shall freelytell it for a Truth all his life after.
Thus thePrestarianswere call'd the Murtherers ofthe Father, tho' they restor'dthe Son, and all the Testimonials of their Sufferings, Protests and Insurrections to prevent his Death,signify'd nothing, for this method ofDistinguishinghas that powerful Charm in it, that allthose Trifleswe call Proofs and Demonstration were of no use in that Case.Custombrought the Story up to a Truth, and in an instant all theCrolianswere hookt in under the general Name ofPrestarians, at the same time to hook all Parties in the Crime.
Now as it happen'd at last that theseSolunarian Gentlemenfound it necessary todo the same thing themselves, viz. To lay aside their Loyalty,Depose,Fightagainst,shoot Bulletsat, and throw Bombsat their Kingtill they frighted him away, andsent him abroad to beg his Bread. TheCroliansbegan to take Heart and tell them, now they oughtto be Friends with them, and tell them no more ofRebellionandDisloyalty; nay, they carry'd it so far as to challenge them to bringtheir Loyalty to the Test, and compareCrolian LoyaltyandSolunarian Loyaltytogether, and see who hadrais'd more Wars, taken up Armsoftenest, or appear'd inmost Rebellionsagainst their Kings; nay, who hadkill'd most Kings, theCroliansor theSolunarians, for there having been then newly fought a great Battle between theSolunarian Church-Menunder their new Prince, and the Armies of Foreign Succours undertheir old King, in which theirold Kingwas beaten and forc'd to flie a second time, theCrolianstold them that every Bullet they shot at the Battle was as mucha murthering their King, as cutting off the Headwith a Hatchetwas a killing his Father.
These Arguments in our World would have been unanswerable, but when they came to be brought tothe Test of Lunar Reasoning, alas they signify'd nothing; theydistinguishtanddistinguishttill they brought thePrestarian Warto be meer Rebellion,King-killing, Bloody andUnnatural; and theSolunarianfighting against their King, andturning him adriftto seek his Fortune,no prejudice at all to their Loyalty, no, nor to the famous Doctrine ofPassive Obedienceand Absolute Subjection.
When I saw this, I really bewail'd the unhappiness of some of our Gentlemen inEngland, who standing exceedingly in need of such a wonderful Dexterity of Argument to defend their sharein our late Revolution, and to reconcile it to theiranticedentandsubsequentConduct, should not be furnish'd from this moreaccurate Worldwith the suitable Powers, in order the better to defend them against theBanterandjust Railleryof their ill-natur'd Enemiesthe Whigs.
By this they might have attained suitable reserves of Argument to distinguish themselvesout of their Loyalty, andinto their Loyalty, as occasion presented to dismissthisPrince, and entertainthat, as they found it to their purpose; but above all, they might have learnt a way how to justifySwearingto one King andPrayingfor another,Eatingone Prince's Bread anddoinganother Prince'sWork,Servingone King they don'tLoveandLovinganother they don'tServe; they might easily reconcile the Schisms of the Church, and prove they are still Loyal Subjectsto King James, while they are only forc'd Bonds-Men to theAct of Settlement, for the sake of that comfortable Importance, call'dFood and Rainment; and thus their Reputation might have been sav'd, which is mostunhappily tarnish'dand blur'd, with the malicious Attacks ofthe Whigson one Hand, and theNon-Jurantson the other.
TheseTax them as above with Rebellion by their own Principles, and contradicting the Doctrin ofPassive Submissionand Non-Resistance, by taking up Arms against their Prince, calling in aForeign Power, and deposing him: They charge them with killing theLord's Anointed, by Shooting at himat the Boyn, where if he was not kill'd it was his own fault, at least 'tis plain'twas none of theirs.
On the other Hand, theNon Jurant Clergycharge them withSchism, declare the whole Church ofEnglandSchismaticks, and breakers off from the general Union of the Church, in renouncing their Allegiance, and Swearing toanother Power, their former Prince beingyet alive.
'Tis confest allthe Answersthey have been able to make to these things, arevery weakandmean, unworthy Men of their Rank and Capacities, and 'tis pity they should not be assisted by some kind Communication of theseLunar ArgumentsandDistinctions, without which, and till they can obtain which, aConforming Jacobitemust be the absurdest Contradiction in Nature; a thing that admits of no manner of Defence, no, not by thePeople themselves, and which they would willingly abandon, but that they can find no side to join with them.
TheDissenting Jacobiteshave some Plea for themselves, for let their Opinion be never so repugnant to their own Interest, or general Vogue, they arefaithful to some thing, and they wont joyn with these People, because they havePerjur'd their Faith, and yet pretend to adhere to it at the same time. TheConforming Whigswon't receive them, because they pretend to rail at the Government they have Sworn to, and espouse the Interest they have Sworn against; so that thesepoor Creatureshave but one way left them, which isto go along with me, next time I Travelto the Moon, and that will most certainly do their Business, for when they come down again, they will be quiteanother sort of Men, the Distinctions, the Power of Argument, the way of Reasoning, they will be then furnish'd with will quite changethe Scene of the World with them, they'll certainly be able to prove they are the only People, bothin Justice, inPoliticksand inPrudence; that the extremities of every side arein the Wrong, they'll prove their Loyalty preserv'd, untainted, thro' all theSwearings,Fightings,Shootingsand the like, and no Body will be ableto come to the Test with them; so that upon the whole, they are all distracted if they don'tgo up to the Moonfor Illumination, and that they may easily do in the nextConsolidator.
But as this is a very long Digression, and for which I am to beg my Reader's Pardon, being an Error I slipt into from my abundant respect to these Gentlemen, and for their particular Instruction, I shall endeavour to make my Reader amends, by keeping more close to my Subject.
To return therefore to the Historical part of theSolunarian Church-Men, inthe World in the Moon.
Having as is relatedDepos'd their King, and plac'd the Crown upon the Head of the Prince that came to their assistance, a new Scene began all over the Kingdom.
1.A terrible and bloody Warbegan thro' all the parts of theLunar World, where their banish'd Prince and his new Allie had any Interest; and the new King having a universal Character over all the Northern Kingdoms of the Moon, he brought in a great many PotentKings,Princes,EmperorsandStates, to take part with him, and so it became the most general War that had happen'd in those Ages.
I did not trouble my self to enquire into the particular Successesof this War, but at what had a more particular regard to the Country from whence I came, andfor whose InstructionI have design'dthese Sheets, the Strifeof Parties, the Internal Feuds at home, and theirAnalogy to ours; and whatever is instructively to be deduced from them, was the Subject of immediate Inquiry.
No sooner was this Prince plac'd on the Throne, but according to his Promises to them that invited him over, he conven'd the Estates of the Realm, and giving them free Liberty tomake,alter,addorrepeal, all such Laws as they thought fit, it must betheir own faultif they did not Establish themselves upon such Foundation ofLiberty, andRight, as they desir'd; for he gave them theirfull Swing, never interpos'done Negativeupon them for several Years, and let them do almost every thing they pleas'd.
Thisfull Libertyhad like to have spoil'd all, for as is before noted, this Nation hadone unhappy Qualitythey could never be broke of, always tobe falling outone among another.
TheCrolians, according to Capitulation, demanded the full Liberty and Toleration of Religion, which theSolunarianshad condition'd with them for, when they drew them off from joyning with theold King, and when they promis'd to cometo a Temper, and tobe Brethren in Peace and Love ever after.
Nor were theSolunarianChurch-Men backward, either to remember, or perform the Conditions but by the consent of the King, who had been by agreement madeGuarantee of their former Stipulations, an Act was drawn up in full Form, and as compleat, as both satisfy'd the desires of theCrolians, and testify'd the Honesty and Probity of theSolunarians, as they were abstractedly andmoderatelyconsider'd.
During the whole Reign of this King, thisUnion of Partiescontinu'd without any considerable Interruption, there was indeedbrooding Mischiefswhich hovered over every accident, in order togenerate Strife, but the Candor of the Prince, and the Prudence of his Ministers, kept it under for a long time.
At last an occasion offer'd it self, which gave an unhappy Stroke to the Nation's Peace. The King thro'innumerable Hazards, terribleBattlesanda twelve Years War, had reduc'd his powerful Adversary to such a necessity of Peace, that he became content to abandonthe fugitive King, and to own the Title of this Warlike Prince; and upon these, among various other Conditions,very Honourable for him, and his Allies, and by which vast Conquests were surrendred, anddisgorg'd to the Losers, a Peace was made to the Universal Satisfaction of all those Parts ofthe Moonthat had been involv'd in a tiresome and expensive War.
This Peace was no sooner made, but the Inhabitants of this unhappy Country, accordingto the constant Practiceof the Place, fell out in the most horrid manner among themselves, and with the very Prince that had done all thesegreat things for them; and I cannot forget how the Old Gentleman I had these Relations from, being once deeply engag'd in Discourse withsome Senatorsof that Country, and hearingthem reproach the Memory of that Princefrom whom theyreceiv'd so much, and on the foot of whoseGallantryandMeritthe Constitutionthen subsisted, it put him into some heat, and he told them to their Faces that they were guilty both ofMurther and Ingratitude.
I thought the Charge was very high, but as they return'd upon him, and challeng'd him to make it out, he answer'd he wasready to do it, and went on thus.
His Majesty,said he, left a quiet, retir'd, compleatly happy Condition,full of Honour, belov'd of his Country,Vallu'dandEsteem'd, as wellas Fear'dby his Enemies, to come over hither at your own Request, to deliver you from the Encroachments and Tyrannyas you call'd it, of your Prince.
Ever since he came hither, he has been your meerJourny-Man, yourServant, yourSouldier of Fortune, he hasFoughtfor you,Fatigu'dandHarras'dhis Person, androb'd himselfof all his Peacefor you; he has been in a constant Hurry, and run thro'a Million of Hazards for you; he has convers'd with Fire and Blood,Storms at Sea, Camps and Trenches ashore, and given himself no rest fortwelve Years, and all foryour Use, Safety and Repose: In requital of which, he has been always treated withJealousies, andSuspitions, withReproaches, andAbuses of all Sorts, and on all Occasions, till the ungrateful Treatment of theSolunarianseat intohis very Soul, tir'd it with servingan unthankful Nation, and absolutelybroke his Heart; for which reason I think himas much Murther'das his Predecessor was,whose Head was cut offby his Subjects.
I could not when this was over, but ask theOld Gentlemen, what was the reason of his Exclamation, and how it was the People treated their Prince upon this occasion?
He told me it was a grievous Subject, and a long one, and too long to rehearse, but he would give me a short Abridgment of it; and not to look back into his Wars, in which he was abominably ill serv'd,his subjects constantly ill treated himin giving him Suppliestoo late, that he cou'd not get into the Field, nor forward his Preparationsin timeto be ready for his Enemies, who frequently were ready to insult him in his Quarters.
By giving himsham TaxesandFunds, that raised little or no Mony, by which he having borrow'd Mony of his People by Anticipation, the Funds not answering, he contracted suchvast Debtsas the Nationcould never Paywhich brought the Warinto disrepute, sunk the Credit of his Exchequer, and fill'd the Nation with Murmurs and Complaint.
By betraying his Counseland well laid Designs to his Enemies,selling their Native Country to Foreigners, retarding their Navies and Expeditions, till the Enemies were provided to receive them,betraying their Merchantsand Trade, spending vast Sums to fit out Fleets,just time enoughto go Abroad, and do nothing, and thenget Home again.
But as these were too numerous Evils, and too long to repeat, the particular things he related to in his Discourse, were these that follow.
There had beena hasty Peaceconcluded with a furious and powerful Enemy, the Kingforesaw it would be of no continnuace, and that the demise of a neighbouring King, who by all appearance could not live long, would certainly embroil them again.----- He saw that Prince keep up numerous Legions of Forces, in order to be in a posture to break the Peace with advantage. This the King fairly represented to them, and told them the necessity of keeping upsuch a Force, and for such a Time, at least as might be necessary to awe the Enemy from putting any affront upon them in case of the Death of that Prince, which they daily expected.
The Party who had all along malign'd the Prosperity of this Prince,took fire at the Offer, and here began another State Plot, which tho' it hookt in two or three sets of Men for different Ends, yet altogether join'd in affronting and ill treating their Prince, upon this Article of the Army.
The Nation had been in danger enoughfrom the designs of former Princes invading their Priviledges, and putting themselves in a Posture to Tyrannize by the helpof standing Forces, and the Party that first took Fire at this Proposal tho' the very same Men who in the time of anAbrogratzianPrince, were for caressing him, andgiving him Thanks for his Standing Army, as has been noted before, were the very People that began the outcry against this Demand, andso specious were the Pretencesthey made, that they drew in the veryCrolians themselvesupon the pretence of Liberty, and Exemption from Arbitrary Methods of Governmentto oppose their King.
It griev'd this good Princeto be suspected of Tyrannick Designs, and that by a Nation who he had done so much, and ventur'd so far to savefrom Tyranny, and Standing Armies; 'twasin vainhe represented to them the pressing occasion;in vainhe gave them a Description ofapproaching Dangers, and the threatning posture of the Enemies Armies;in vainhe told them of the probabilities of renewing the War, and how keeping buta needful Forcemight be a means of preventing it;in vainhe propos'd the subjecting what Force should be necessary to the Absolute Power, both as to Time and Number of their ownCortezorNational Assembly.
It was all one, the Design being form'd in the Breasts of those who wereneither Friends to the Nation, nor the King, those Reasons which would have been of Force in another Case, made them the more eager;bitter Reflections were made on the King, and scurrilous Lampoons publish'd upon the Subject of Tyrants, and Governing by Armies.
Nothing could be more ungrateful toa generous Prince, nor could any thing more deeply affect this King,than whomnone ever had a moregenuine, single-hearted Design for the Peoples good, but above all, likeCæsarin the Case ofBrutus, it heartily mov'd him to find himself push'd at by those very People whom he had all along seen, pretending to adhere tohis Interest, and thePublick Benefit, which he had always taken care shouldnever be parted, and to find these People join against this Proposal,as a Design against their Liberties, and as a Foundation of Tyrannyheartily and sensibly afflicted him.
It was a strange Mistery, and not easily unriddled, that those Men who had always a known aversion to the Interest of the depos'd King should fall in with this Party, and those that were Friends to the general Good, never forgave it them.
All that could be said to excuse them, was the Plot I am speaking of, that by carrying this Point for that Party, they hookt in those forward People to join in a popular Cry of Liberty and Property,things they were never fond of before, and to make some Settlement of the Peoples Claimswhich they always had oppos'd, and which they wouldsince have been very glad to have repeal'd.
So great an Ascendant had thePersonal Spleenof this Party over their other Principles, that they were content tolet the Liberties of the People be declar'din their highest Claims, rather than not obtain this one Article, which they knew wouldso exceedingly mortify their Prince, and strengthen the Nations Enemies. They freely join'd inActs of Succession, Abjuration, Declarationof the Power andClaims of the People, and the Superiority of their Right to the Princes Prerogative, and abundance of such things,which they could never be otherwise brought to.
'Tis true these were great things, but 'twas thought all this might have been obtain'din Conjunction with their Prince, rather than by putting Affronts and Mortifications upon the Man that had next to the Influence of Heaven been the only Agent of restoring them to a Power and Capacity of enjoying, as well as procuring, such things as National Priviledges.
'Twas vigorosly alledg'd thatStanding Armies in times of Peace, were inconsistent with the Publick Safety, the Laws and Constitutions of all the Nationsin the Moon.
But these Allegations were strenuously answer'd, that it was true without the consent of the great National Council, it was so, butthat being obtain'd, it was not illegal, and publick Necessities might make that consent, not only legal, but convenient.
'Twas all to no purpose, the whole was carry'd with a Torrent of Clamour and Reflection against the good Prince,who consented, because he would in nothing oppose the Current of the People; but withal, told them plainly what would be the consequences of their Heat,which they have effectually found true sinceto their Cost, and to the loss of some Millions of Treasure.
For no sooner was this Army broke,which was the best ever that Nation saw, and was justly the Terror of the Enemy, but the great Monarch we mention'd before, broke all Measures with this Prince and the Confederate Nations, a Proof what just apprehensions they had of his Conduct, at the head of such an Army. Forthey broke with contempt, a Treaty which the Princeupon a prospect of this unkindness of his Peoplehad entred into with the Enemy, and which he engag'd in, if possible, to preventa new War, which he foresaw he should be very unfit to begin, or carry on, and which they would never have dar'd to break had notthis Feudhappen'd.
It was but a little before I came into this Country, whensuch repeated Accounts came, of the Incroachments, Insults and Preparations of theirgreat powerful Neighbour, that all the World saw the necessity of a War, and the very Peoplewho were to feel it mostapply'd to the Prince to begin it.
He was forward enough to begin it, and in compliance with his People, resolv'd on it; butthe Griefof the usage he had receiv'd, the unkind Treatment he had met with from those very People that brought him thither, hadsunk sodeep upon his Spirits, that he could never recover it; but being very weak in Body and Mind, and join'd to a slight hurt he receiv'd by a fall from his Horse,he dyed, to the unspeakable grief of all his Subjects that wish'd well to their Native Country.
This was the melancholly Account of this great Prince's end, and I have been told that at once every Year, there is a kindof Fast, or solemn Commemoration kept up for the Murther of that former Prince, who, as I noted,was Beheaded by his Subjects; So it seems some of the People, who are of Opinion this Prince was Murther'd by the ill Treatment of his Friends, a way which I must own,is the cruellest of Deaths, keep the same Day, to commemorate his Death, and this is a Day, in which it seemsboth Parties are very free with one another, as to Rallery and ill Language.
But the Friends of this last Prince have a double advantage, for they also commemorate the Birth Day of this Prince, and are generally very merry on that Day; and the custom is at their Feast on that Day, just like our drinking Healths, they pledge one anotherto the immortal Memory of their Deliverer; as the Historical part of this Matter was absolutely necessary to introduce the following Remarks, and to instruct the Ignorant in those things, I hope itshall not be thought a barren Digression, especially when I shall tell you that it is a most exact Representation of what is yet to come in a Scene of Affairs, of which I must make a short Abstract, by way of Introduction.
The deceas'd Prince we have heard of, was succeeded by his Sister in-Law, the second Daughter of the banish'd Prince, a Lady ofan extraordinary Character, of the Old Race of their Kings,a Nativeby Birth,a Solunarianby Profession; exceedingPious,JustandGood, of anHonestypeculiar to her self, and for which she was justly belov'd of all sorts and degrees of her Subjects.
This Princess having the Experience of herFatherandGrand-fatherbefore her, join'd to her own Prudence and Honesty of Design; it was no wonder if she prudently shun'd all manner ofrash Counsels, and endeavour'd to carry it with a steady Hand between her contending Parties.
At her first coming to the Crown, she madea solemn Declarationof her resolutions forPeaceand just Government; she gave theCroliansher Royal Word, that she would inviolably preserve theToleration of their Religion and Worship, and always afford themher Protection, and by this she hop'd they wouldbe easy.
Butto the Solunarians, as those among whom she had been Educated, and whose Religion she had always profess'd, been train'd up in, and Piously persued; she express'd her selfwith an uncommon Tenderness, told them they should be the Men of her Favour, and those that weremost zealousfor that Church should have most of her Countenance; and she back'd this soon after with an unparallel'd Act of Royal Bounty to them, freely parting with a considerable Branchof her Royal Revenue, for thepoor Priestsof that Religion, of which there were many in the remote Parts of her Kingdom.
What vast Consequences, and prodigiously differing from the Design, may Words have when mistaken and misayplyed by the Hearers. Never were significant Expressions spoken from a sincere, honest and generous Principle, with a single Design to ingage all the Subjects inthe Moon, to Peace and Union, so perverted, misapply'd and turn'd by a Party, to a meaning directly contrary to the Royal Thoughts of the Queen: For from this very Expression,most Zealous, grew all the Divisions and Subdivisions in theSolunarian Church, to the Ruin of their own Cause, and the vast advantage of theCrolianInterest. The eager Men of the Church, especially those we have been talking of,hastily catch'dat this Expression of the Queen,Most Zealous, and Millions of fatal Constructions, and unhappy Consequences they made of it, some of which are as follows.
1.They took it to implythat the Queen whatever she had said tothe Crolians, really design'dtheir Destruction, and that those that were of that Opinion, must be meant by theMost ZealousMembers of theSolunarianChurch, and they could understandZealno otherwise than theirown way.
2. From this Speech, and their mistaking the WordsMost Zealous, arose an unhappy Distinction among theSolunariansthemselves, someZealous, someMore Zealous, which afterwards divided them into two most opposite Parties, being fomented by an accident of a Book publish'don an Occasion, of which presently.
The Consequences of this mistake, appear'd presently in theMost Zealous, in their offering all possible Insults to theCrolian Dissenters, Preaching them down,Printingthem down, andTalkingthem down, as a People not fit to be suffer'din the Nation, and now they thought they had the Game sure.
Down with theCroliansbegan to be all the Cry, and truly theCrolians themselvesbegan to be uneasy, and had nothing to rely uponbut the Queens Promise, which however her Majesty always made good to them.
The other Party proceeded so far, that they begun to Insultthe very Queen her self, upon the Matter of her Word, and one of her College-Priests told her plainly in Print, she could not be a true Friend tothe Solunarian Church, if she did not declare War against, and root out all theCroliansin her Dominions.
But these Proceedings metwith a Check, by a very odd accident: A certainAuthorof those Countries, avery mean, obscure and despicable Fellow, of no great share of Wit, but that had a veryunlucky way of telling his Story, seeing which way things were a going, writes a Book, andPersonating this high Solunarian Zeal, musters up all their Arguments,as ifthey were his own, and strenuously pretends to prove thatall the Croliansought to be Destroy'd,Hang'd,Banish'd, and the D----l and all. As this Book was a perfect Surprize to all the Country, so the Proceedings about it on all sides were as extraordinary.