old Parliament [Whitlocke and Glynn look intelligence], we were three months, and could not get over the word "Incumbrances" [Hum-m-m!]: and we thought there was little hope of "regulating the Law" where there was such difficulty as to that. But surely the Laws need to be regulated! And I must needs say, I think it were a sacrifice acceptable to God, upon many accounts. And I am persuaded it is one of the things that God looks for, and would have. [Alas, your Highness!] I confess, if any man should ask me, "Why, how would you have it done?" I confess I do not know How. But I think verily, at the least, the Delays in Suits, and the Excessiveness in Fees, and the Costliness of Suits, and those various things which I do not know what names they bear - I heard talk of "Demurrers" and such-like things, which I scarce know [Sentence is wrecked]! But I say certainly, The people are greatly suffering in this respect; they are so. And truly if this whole business of settlement, whatever be the issue of it, if it come, which I am persuaded it doth, as a thing that would please God;

'then,' by a sacrifice 'to God' in it, or rather as an expression of our thankfulness to God, I am persuaded that this will be one thing that will be upon your hearts, to do something that is honourable and effectual in this. ["Reforming of the Law!" Alas, your Highness!] — 'Another thing' that truly I say that it is not in your Instrument [Nothing said of it there, which partly embarrasses his Highness; who is now getting into a small Digression]! Somewhat that relates to the Reformation of Manners, you will pardon me! - My Fellow Soldiers 'the Major-Generals,' who were raisedup upon that just occasion of the Insurrection, not only

"to secure the Peace of the Nation," but to see that persons who were least likely to help-on "peace" or to continue it, but rather to break it - ["These Major"Generals, I say, did look after the restraining of such "persons; suppressed their horse-racings, cock-fightings, "sinful roysterings; took some charge of 'REFORMATION "OF MANNERS,' they:" but his Highness is off elsewhither, excited by this 'tickle subject,' and the Sentence has evaporated] Dissolute loose persons that can go up and down from house to house, and they are Gentlemen's sons who have nothing to live on, and cannot be supplied with means of living to the profit of the Commonwealth: these I think had a good course taken with them. [Ordered to fly-away their game-cocks, unmuzzle their bear-baitings; fall to some regular liveli hood, some fixed habitat, if they could, and, on the whole, to duck low, keep remarkably quiet, and give no rational man any trouble with them which could be avoided!] And I think what was done to them was honourably and honestly and profitably done. And, for my part, I must needs say, It* showed the dissoluteness which was then in the Nation; as indeed it springs most from that Party of the Cavaliers! Should that Party run on, and no care be taken to reform the Nation; to prevent, perhaps, abuses which will not fall under this head alone! [Not under Reformation of MANNERS alone: what will the consequence be?]

We send our children into France before they know God or Good Manners; ** and they return with all the licentiousness of that Nation. Neither care taken to educate them before they go, nor to keep them in good order

The course taken with them, the quantity of coercion they needed, and of complaint made thereupon, are all loosely included in this “It." ** Morals.

when they come home! Indeed this makes the Nation not only commit those abominable things, most inhuman things, but hardens men to justify those things;

as the Apostle saith, "Not only to do wickedly themselves, but to take pleasure in them that do so." And truly, if something be not done in this kind, 'in the way of reforming public morals,' without sparing that condition of men, without sparing men's sons, though they be Noblemen's sons! [Sentence breaks down] Let them be who they may that are deboist, it is for the glory of God that nothing of outward consideration should save them in their debauchery from a just punishment and reformation! And truly I must needs say it, I would much bless God to see something done in that matter heartily, not only as to those persons mentioned, but to all the Nation; that some course might be taken for Reformation; that there might be some stop put to such a current of wickedness and evil as this is! And truly, to do it heartily, and nobly and worthily! The Nobility of this Nation, they especially, and the Gentry, would have cause to bless you. likewise that some care might be taken that those good Laws already made for punishing of vice might be put in execution.

And

This I must needs say of our Major Generals who did that service: I think it was an excellent good thing; I profess I do! [Yes; though there were great outcries about it.] And I hope you will not think it unworthy of you 'to consider,' that though we may have good Laws against the common Country disorders that are everywhere, yet Who is to execute them 'now, the Major-Generals being off?' Really a Justice of the Peace, he shall by the most be wondered at as

an owl, if he go but one step out of the ordinary course of his fellow Justices in the reformation of these things! [Cannot do it; not he.] And therefore I hope I may represent this to you as a thing worthy your consideration, that something may be found out to repress such evils. I am persuaded you would glorify God by this as much as by any one thing you could do. And therefore I hope you will pardon me.

[His Highness looks to the Paper again, after this Digression. Article Fifteenth in his Highness's copy of the Paper, as we understand, must have provided, "That no part of the Public Revenue be alienated except by consent of Parliament:" but his Highness having thus remonstrated against it, the Article is suppressed, expunged; and we only gather by this passage that such a thing had ever been.]

I cannot tell, in this Article that I am now to speak unto, whether I speak to anything or nothing! There is a desire that no part of' "the Public Revenue be alienated except by consent of Parliament." I doubt "Public Revenue" is like "Custodes Libertatis Angliæ;" a notion only; and not to be found that I know of! [It is all alienated; Crown Lands &c. are all gone, long ago. A beautiful dream of our youth as the "Keepers of the LIBERTY of England" were - as thing you could nowhere lay hands on, that I know of!] any, and if God bless us in our will be Public Revenue accruing, Whether you will subject this to any out consent of Parliament?

But if there be Settlement, there the point is, alienation with

[We withdraw the question altogether, your Highness: when once the chickens are hatched, we will speak of selling them! Let us now read Article Sixteenth:

"Article Sixteenth," in his Highness's copy of the Paper,

"provides that no Act or Ordinance already extant, which is "not contrary to this Petition and Advice, shall be in the least "made void hereby."— His Highness, as we shall se, considers this as too indefinite, too indistinct; a somewhat vague foundation for Church-Land Estates (for example), which men purchased with money, but hold only in virtue of Writs and Ordinances issued by the Long Parliament. - A new Article is accordingly added, in our Perfect-copy; specifying, at due breadth, with some hundreds of Law-vocables, that all is and shall be safe, according to the common sense of mankind, in that particular.]

*

Truly this thing that I have now farther to offer you, it is the last in this Paper; it is the thing mentioned in the Sixteenth Article: That you would have those Acts and Ordinances which have been made since the late Troubles, and during the time of them, 'kept unabrogated;' that they should, if they be not contrary to this Advice, that they should remain in force, in such manner as if this Advice had not been given. Why, what is doubted is, Whether or no this will be sufficient to keep things in a settled condition?** Because it is but an implication 'that you here make;' it is not determined. You do pass-by the thing, without such a foundation as will keep those people, who are now in possession of Estates upon this account, that their titles be not questioned or shaken, if the matter be not explained. Truly I believe you intend very fully in regard to this 'of keeping men safe who have purchased on that footing.' If the words already 'used' do not suffice- That I submit to your

own advisement.

But there is in this another very great considera*Petition and Advice; but we politely suppress the former part of the **It was long debated; see Burton.

name.