Subjects, but also by Alienating their Affecti- Vol. IX. ons from us and our Government, to Promote the Intereft of the Pretender, and in order thereto to raife Disturbances in the approaching Elections of Members to ferve in Parlia ment; we being refolved, as far as in us lies, to bring the Authors and Contrivers of fuch Traiterous Defigns to condign Punishment, and to deter all others from the like Attempts for the future, have thought fit, by the Advice of our Privy Council, to iffue this our Royal Proclamation, hereby promifing a Reward of One Thoufand Pounds to any Perfon or Perfons, who fhall difcover the Author or Authors of the faid Traiterous Libel to any One of our Principal Secretaries of State, and the Sum of Five Hundred Pounds to any Perfon or Perfons, who shall discover the Printer or Printers thereof, as aforefaid, to the end that fuch Author or Printer may be Profecuted according to Law; which refpective Rewards our Commiffioners for Executing the Office of Treasurer of the Exchequer, are hereby directed to pay accordingly. And we do heres by Strictly Charge and Command all our Magiftrates in and throughout our Kingdom of Great Britain, That they do make diligent Search and Enquiry after the faid Author, Printer, or Publishers; and that they do apprehend and feize the faid Perfons, and all o thers whom they shall find difperfing the faid Libel, and give proper Information thereof, fo as the faid Offenders may be delt with as the utmost Rigour of Justice requires. And whereas there is nothing which we fo earnestly defire, as to fecure the Peace and Profperity of our Kingdoms, and to preferve C to Vol. IX. to all our Loving Subjects the full Enjoyment of their Rights and Liberties, as well Religious as Civil, and in a moft particular manner the Freedom of their Elections of Members to ferve in Parliament, and being fatisfied that the Jame hath been of late Years greatly Invaded by the Encouragements which have been given to Tumults, Riots, and other indirect Practices in the Elections of Members to ferve in Parliament; and it being moft apparent, that fuch Evil-minded Perfons are now Fomenting and Carrying on the fame dangerous Practices, we do hereby declare our highest Resentment and Difpleafure against all fuch Illegal Proceedings, ftrictly Prohibiting the fame, as being most Injurious to our Government, and to the Fundamental Rights of our People. And we do further Charge and Command all our Sheriffs, Juftices of the Peace, Chief Magiftrates in our Cities, Boroughs, and Corporations, and all other our Officers and Magiftrates throughout our Kingdom of Great Britain, That they do, in their several and respective Stations, take the most Effectual Care to fupprefs and prevent all Riots, Tumults,and other Difor ders, which shall be raised or made by any Perfon or Perfons whatsoever, at or in the approaching Elections of Members to serve in Parliament, and that they do put the Laws in Execution against all Offenders in that be half. And we do further Require and Command all and every our Magiftrates aforesaid, That they do, from Time to Time, tranfmit to One of our Principal Secretaries of State due and full Informations of all fuch Perfons who shall be found Offending, as aforefaid, or in any degree Aiding or Abetting therein; It being our Royal Refolution to Punish the Vol. IX. fame according to the utmost Severity of Law. Given at Our Court at St. James's, the I fhall not prefume to give an Abstract of the Virulent Libel mention'd in this Proclamation, left I fhould be thought to be any ways affifting in fpreading its Poyfon; and thereby, contrary to my Intention, offend those very Perfons whom, (without Vanity be it faid) I have ferved in the worst of Times, and for whofe fakes, I have been a confiderable Sufferer. However, I hope, I may freely enjoy the Right and Priviledge of an Impartial Fournalift, and fo far gratify the Curiofity of my Conftant Readers, as to give them a general View of that Traiterous Libel: The rather, both because others have *See the Pamalready taken that Liberty; and because phlet call'd, the fame may ferve to expofe and baffle Treafon De the Caufe, which the Authors, (for they and another are fhrewdly fufpected to be a TRIUM-entituled, VIRATE) defigned to defend and pro- A Reply to a mote. tected, &c. Traiterous The Substance then of that Villainous Libel, &c. Compofure may be reduced to thefe Five Substance of Heads, viz. the faid Libel. I. A Declamation against the pretended Arts and Indirect Practifes of the prefent Government, whom they are fo audacious as to call a Corrupt Ministry, in order to have a Whig Houfe of Commons elected. Vol. IX, II. Preffing Motives to the Tories, to whom they give the Title of the Church, to exert themselves, at this critical Junature, to get Church-Men chofen into the enfuing Parliament. III. Articles of IMPEACHMENT, or a large Charge against the Whigs, for intended criminal Designs, against the Conftitution in Church and State, fuch as, Abolishing Epifcopacy; repealing the Limitations in the Act of Settlement, and the Act for Triennial Parliaments; Renewing the War; Setting up a Standing Army, and enflaving the Nation. And Themfelves. IV. Much Sophiftry and Declamation to prove the falfe and malicious Suggestion, That the Church is in Danger. V. Villainous Invectives against the Duke of Marlborough, and his Family; Calumny and Slander, on the prefent Ministry, and all the Nobility and Gentry who are in the King's Intereft; with Treasonable Reflections, on his Majefty, and the Royal Family. In the Profecution of the first General Head, the Libellers, begin with Declaiming against the pretended Lies, Scandal, and Mifreprefentations of the Whigs; Then they fuggeft, That corrupt Meafures are ufed at this Time more than ever, in order to elect a Whig Parlia ment; That Boroughs are rated on the Royal Exchange like Stocks and Tallies, and the Price of a Vote is as well known as of an 6 Acre of Land, That the Honest Party of the Nation, meaning the Tories, have all the Difadvantages to struggle with 'that ⚫ that can be imagin'd, from the Electors Vol. IX. being notoriously bribed; and Sheriffs prepared to make falfe Returns. And upon this Occafion the Authors complain of the Indolence and Defpondency ⚫ of many Gentlemen among the Tories, who feem to give up the Game for loft and that tho' feveral of the Ordinary Sort of Freeholders have the heroick • Virtue to refufe 30, 40, nay 100 l. a Man, yet they know not how, there is a Defect fome where, the Whigs out 'do them, in Industry, as much as in Money, Activity, Boldness, &c. 6 Upon this Occafion, the Authors extoll the late Miniftry for Rescuing the late Queen and the Nation from the Hands of an Arbitrary Funto, and an Infatiable Witch. Then they endeavour to juftify the late Measures; and fondly fuggeft, That without the Peace, as bad and fcandalous as it is reprefented King 'GEORGE would not be on the Throne: For if the Queen had dy'd during the 'War,the French would have had anOpportunity of Bringing in the Pretender, or at leaft, of involving the Nation in Blood. That if the Peace be bad 'tis mainly owing to that awkward and bungling Politician, the Staff, as the E- of o-d's Hiftorians are pleafed to call him." But 'tis obfervable, That tho' the Authors reflect in another Place on the late Treasurer, yet they afterwards infinuate, as if the King's peaceable Acceffion to the Throne, was owing to a Secret Cor⚫ refpondence |