His Majesties Declaration Defended by John Dryden
page 25 of 48 (52%)
page 25 of 48 (52%)
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relief, made their Advantages upon his Distresses; and while they
pretended a care of his Person on the one hand, were plucking at his Scepter with the other? After this, the Pamphleteer gives us a long Bead-roll of _Dangerfield's_ Plot, Captain _Ely_, young _Tongue_, _Fitz-Gerard_ and Mr. _Ray_, rails at some, and commends others as far as his skill in Hyperbole will carry him. Which all put together, amounts to no more than only this, that he whom they called Rogue before, when he comes into their party, pays his Garnish, and is adopted into the name of an honest man. Thus _Ray_ was no Villain, when he accus'd Colonel _Sackvile_, before the House of Commons; but when he failed of the reward of godliness at their hands, and from a Wig became a tearing Tory in new Cloaths, our Author puts him upon the File of Rogues, with this brand, _Than whom a more notorious and known Villian lives not_. The next thing be falls upon, is the Succession: which the King declares, _He will have preserved in its due descent_. Now our Author despairing, it seems, that an Exclusion should pass by Bill, urges, _That the Right of Nature and Nations will impower Subjects to deliver a Protestant Kingdom from a Popish King_. The Law of Nations, is so undoubtedly, against him, that I am sure he dares not stick to that Plea: but will be forc'd to reply, that the Civil Law was made in favour of Monarchy: why then did he appeal to it? And for the Law of Nature, I know not what it has to do with Protestants or Papists, except he can prove that the English Nation is naturally Protestant; and then I would enquire of him what Countrymen our Fore-fathers were? But if he means by the Law of Nature, self-preservation and defence; even that neither will look but a squint upon Religion; for a man of any Religion, and a man of no Religion, are equally bound to preserve their lives. But I answer |
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