" fternation of Soul, declared themselves all undone, by his Majefty's forward and un"governable Zeal in fo foon and openly declaring himself, for faid he, bad bis Majefty been pleased to have diffembled himfelf till a Parliament bad been called, we bad been fure to have gone through Stitch, whereas now I Tremble to think of the dreadful Blow an Heretical Parliment must give us. "Now as for the Religion his late Majefty "died in, I refer you to Dr. Kenn, Bishop of "Bath and Wells, in refufing to take the Sa"crament of him, and, receiving it from Holy Father HUDDLESTONE, "that could and did both Abfolve and "Anoint him, and fend him better prepared to another World. "Neither can I omit one Thing, more "in Favour of fome honest mistaken Gen"tlemen, the High-flown Tories, whose on"ly Religion and Loyalty did feem to con"fift in zealoufly Caroufing his Royal High"nefs's Health, do now fairly and candidly " acknowledge the great Cheat that had been put on them; and do feem to abominate "it from their Souls; and therefore we may "hereafter not only call but believe thei " Proteftants. "I do recommend one Thing more to your ferious Confideration, viz The Manner of the Deaths of the Earl of Essex, " Lord Ruffel, Col. Sidney, &c. defiring you, ແ you to perufe their Speeches, &c. with "the Votes of the laft Westminster Parlia ment, which then foretold what is now "moft Demonftrable; not forgeting the late Difarming of all the great oppofers of Popery in all the Counties of England. "I need not advise you what Care you "ought to take in. Election of your Mem"bers for this Enfuing Parliament, and ef 66 pecially that you have not falfe Returns "made you: the Writs, when Sealed, were "all taken out of the Lord Chancellor's ' Hands, and put into other moft fure and trufty Hands, that they might the better "do their Bufinefs with Privacy, &c. the "reft I leave to your Care and Confideration, "and am your Friend, R. L. P. S. Fail not to communicate these for the good of his Majesty and his Loyal Subjects. The Lord Halifax has defired leave to retire himself into the Country, I doubt not but you have feen the Two laft Edits about the Customs and Excife, as true an Earnest of his Majefty's Refolutions to defend every Man's Property, as he has been pleased to give as aforefaid, of defending the Proteftant Religion as by Law Eftablished. I ↑ First Letter February 2.1.. I faw this Letter taken out of the PoftBag presently after opening, Thursday the Twenty-fixth of February 1684-5, about Six of the Clock. William Mafey. The Superfcription. These for the Worfhipful Mayor of This is a true Copy of the Original, sent THOMAS VENN, Mayor. III. A Third concerning the fame Defign. To Mr. Hoar at his Houfe in Bridgewater Somerfet, February 28. Friend, OUR new Religion doth every Day. "afford us fo many, and fuch Variety of pretty Odd Paffages, fome of "which I cannot chufe but infert to you. "The Confult having in Debate the feveral "Orders of the Priefts belonging to the 66 Chief 66 66 .. tr ... Chief Provincial, their going Daily in St. James's-Park, publickly in their feveral Habits according to their Orders, and "the People having taken great Offence at it, advised his Eminency, that he would not permit them fo to do; his Eminency was pleased to ask them if they thought he was an honeft Man, if fo, why then should they think he would diffemble with God; "No he would not neither fhould they, for "he had commanded them to wear their "Habits: And he would protect them, not only in the Park, but in the Streets also, if they thought fit to walk there; upon which a certain Heretick Lay Lord, "then fiting in Confult Facerg, erg, flood up and boldly replied, if he met any of them fo in the Streets he would lay them faft, for they were all Traytors by our Laws, and did not doubt but the Apprentice-Boys would would foon knock them on the Head with their paring Shovels for their Impudence. Upon the whole it is credibly reported, his Eminency Thought of this Expedient, viz. the ordinary and common Habits of Popifh Priefts, being Caffocks and long "Cloaks; his Eminency ordered his Heretical Chaplains belonging to the late Provincials Chappel at Wbll, that they all put themselves in the fame Habits, "viz. Long Cloaks and Caffocks, which 66 66 66 .. 66 .. ' they σε they all unanimoufly refufed, fcorning as they honeftly faid, to be Cloathed in the "Habit of bafe Idolaters, Papift Friefts. "And in Earneft, the Reverence and Holy Zeal of fome of our Grandees doth every Day appear more Warm and Devout, for and towards thiefe Blefted Fathers. As for 66 66 Example, fome very few Day's fince, One "of the First Rate meeting Holy Father "HUDDLESTONE, in the Court પ near the Provincials Prefence, (could not "chufe but with great Reverence and fome "kind of Spiritual Rapture) devoutly taking "his Holy Hand, and with these and such "like holy Expreflions, kifling it; Holy Fa ແ ther, this is the Duty I owe to that Bleffed "Man, that was not only fent for an holy "Inftrument towards the preferving my late "pious Mafter of Bleffed Memory, for the Enjoyment of a Temporal Crown here, "but alfo ordained by Gon for a more happy and holy Conductor of him, in his way to an Eternal one in the Heavens. "Here's also another Report of a pretty "Confort of all the Effex Calves, that fince "the Publishing of the late Royal' Edict, "their Horns. all' on a fudden began to Bud, and all bleat for Milk at the old Price, "uiz. Fifteen-pence the Pail, which is "News to the Cits; for you know the ho"neft Cockneys love white Veal with very fport or no Horns at all, if they come ho 66 neftly |