Secondly, The dreadful Maledictions, or Curse, they have denounced upon the Breakers of it; with those exemplary punishments they have not spared to inflict upon such notorious Offenders.

Thirdly, So hainous a thing was it esteemed of old, to endeavour an enervation, or subversion of these Antient Rights and Priviledges, that Acts of Parliaments themselves (otherwise the most sacred with the People,) have not been of force enough to secure or defend such persons from condign punishment, who in pursuance of them, have acted inconsistant with our great Charter. Therefore it is, that that great Lawyer, the Lord Cook, doth more then once aggravate the example of Empson and Dudley (with persons of the same rank) into a just caution, as well to Parliaments as Judges, Justices as inferior Magistrates, to decline making, or executing any Act, that may in the least seem to restring or confirm this so often avowed and confirmed Great Charter of the Liberties of England, since Parliaments are said to err when they cross it; the Obeyers of their Acts punished, as Time-serving Transgressors; and that Kings themselves (though enriched by those courses) have with great Compunction and Repentance left among their dying words their Recantations.

Therefore most notable and true it was, with which we shall conclude this present Subject, what the King pleased to observe in a speech to the Parliament, about 1662. (viz.) The good old Rules of Law are our best security.

The manner of the Courts behaviour towards the Prisoners, and Jury, with their many extravigant Expressions, must not altogether slip our observation.

(1st) Their carriage to the Jury outdoes all presedents; they entertained them more like a Pack of Fellons, then a

Jury of honest men, as being fitter to be try'd themselves, then to acquit others. In short, no Jury, for many Ages, received so many instances of displeasure and affront, because they preferred not the humor of the Court before the quiet of their own Consciences, even to be esteemed as perjured, though they had really been so, had they not done what they did.

(2d) Their treatment of the Prisoners was not more unchristian, than inhumane. History can scarce tell us of one Heathen Roman that ever was so ignoble to his Captive: What! to accuse, and not hear them; to threaten to Bore their tongues, Gag and Stop their Mouths, Fetter their Leggs, meerly for defending themselves, and that by the antient fundamental Laws of England too. O Barbarous ! had they been Turks and Infidels, that carriage would have ill become a Christian Court, such actions proving much stronger disswasives, then Arguments to convince them, how much the Christian Religion inclines men to Justice and Moderation above their dark Idolatry. It is truly lamentable that such occasion should be given, for intelligence to Forreign Parts, where England hath had the reputation of a Christian Country, by the illtreating of its sober and religious Inhabitants for their conscientious Meetings to worship God. But, above all, Dissenters had little reason to have expected this boarish fierceness from the Mayor of London, when they consider his eager prosecution of the Kings Party under Cromwell's Government, as thinking he could never give too great a Testimony of his Loyalty to that new Instrument, which makes the old saying true, That one Runagade is worse then three Turks.

Alderman Bloodworth, being conscious to himself of his partial kindness to the Popish Friars, hopes to make

amends by his zealous prosecution of the poor Dissenters; for at the same Sessions he moved to have an Evidence (of no small quality) against Harrisen, the Mendicant Fryar, sent to Bridewel and whipt; he was earnest to have the Jury fined and imprisoned, because they brought not the Prisoners guilty, when no Crime was proved against them, but peaceably worshipping their God: Whence it may be easie to observe, That Popish Friars, and Prelatical Persecutors are meer Confederates.

But what others have only adventured to stammer at, the Recorder of London, has been so ingenious as to speak most plainly; or else, what means those two fatal Expressions, which are become the talk and terror of City and Country?

First, in assuring the Jury, That there would be a Law next Session of Parliament, That no man should have the protection of the Law, but such as conformed to the Church; which, should it be as true, as we hope it is false (and a dishonorable Prophesie of that great Assembly) the Papists may live to see their Marian dayes out-done by profest Protestants.

But surely no English-man can be so sottish, as to conceive that his right to Liberty and Property, came in with his Profession of the Protestant Religion; or that his natural and humane Rights, are dependant on certain Religious apprehensions; and consequently, he must esteem it a cruelty in the abstract, that Persons should be denied the benefit of those Laws which relate to civil concerns, who by their deportment in civil affairs, have no wayes transgrest them, but meerly upon an opinion of Faith, and matter of Con

science.

It is well known that Liberty and Property, Trade and Commerce were in the World long before the Points in difference

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betwixt Protestants and Dissenters, as the common Priviledges of Mankind; and therefore not to be measured out by a conformity to this, or the other religious perswasion, but purely as English-men.

Secondly, But we should rather choose to esteem this an Expression of heat in the Recorder, then that we could believe a Londons Recorder should say, an English Parliament should impose so much Slavery on the present Age, and entayle it upon their own Posterity (who for ought they know may be reckoned among the Dissenters of the next Age) did he not encourage us to believe, it was both his Desire and his Judgment, from that deliberate Elogy he made on the SpanishInquisition, expressing himself much to this purpose: viz. "Till now I never understood the reason of the pollicy and prudence of the Spaniards, in suffering the Inquisition amongst them: And certainly it will never be well with us, till some thing like unto the Spanish Inquisition be in England." The gross malignity of which saying, is almost inexpressable: What does this but justifie that Hellish design of the Papists to have prevented the first Reformation; If this be good Doctrine, then Hoggestrant, the grand Inquisitor, was a more venerable Person then Luther, the Reformer. an expression that had better become Cajetan the Popes It was Legate, then Howel, a Protestant Cities Recorder. This is so far from helping to convert the Spaniard, that it is the way to harden him in his Idolatry; when his abominable cruelty shall be esteemed prudence; and his most barbarous and exquisite torturing of Truth, an excellent way to prevent Faction.

If the Recorder has spake for no more then for himself, it is well; but certainly he little deserves to be thought a Protestant, and a Lawyer, that puts both Reformation and Law into the Inquisition: There being nothing more destructive of the fundamental Laws and Liberties of England, and that

noble design of primitive Reformation, then the Arbitrary Power and terrifying Raks of the Spanish Inquisition. And doubtless the supream Governours of the Land, are highly oblieged in Honour and Conscience (in discharge of their Trust to God and the People, to take these things into their serious consideration, as what is expected from them, by those who earnestly wish their and the Kingdoms safety and prosperity.