the Second, his Grandfather; yea, your Highness; - and brought the great Gustavus upon him in consequence. Not a good kindred, that!] 'And' it is the daily complaint which comes over to us, new reiterations of which we have but received within these two or three days, being conveyed by some godly. Ministers of the City, That the Protestants are tossed out of Poland into the Empire; and out thence whither they can fly to get their bread; and are ready to perish for want of food.

And what think you of the other side of Europe, Italy to wit, if I may call it the other side of Europe, as I think I may, 'Italy,' Spain, and all those adjacent parts, with the Grisons, the Piedmonts before mentioned, the Switzers? They all;- what are they but a prey of the Spanish power and interest? And look to that that calls itself [Neuter gender] the Head of all this! A Pope fitted, I hope indeed "born" not "in" but out of "due time," to accomplish this bloody work; so that he may fill up his cup to the brim, and make himself ripe for judgment! [Somewhat grim of look, your Highness!] He doth as he hath always done. He influences all the Powers, all the Princes of Europe to this very thing [Rooting-out of the Protestants. The sea which is now scarcely audible to us, two safe centuries off, how it roars and devouringly rages while this Valiant One is heroically bent to bank it in! He prospers, he does it, flings his life into the gap, that WE for all coming centuries may be safe and ungrateful!]; and no man like this present man.* So that, I beseech you, what is there in all the parts of Europe but a consent, a coöperating, at this very "time and season, of all Popish Powers' to suppress

* Alexander VII.; "an able Pope," Dryasdust informs me.

everything that stands in their way? [A grave epoch indeed.]

But it may be said, "This is a great way off, in the extremest parts of the world;* what is that to us?" -If it be nothing to you, let it be nothing to you! I have told you it is somewhat to you. It concerns all your religions, and all the good interests of England.

I have, I thank God, considered, and I would beg of you to consider a little with me: What that resistance is that is likely to be made to this mighty current, which seems to be coming from all parts upon all Protestants? Who is there that holdeth up his head to oppose this danger? A poor Prince [Charles X. King of Sweden; at present attacked by the King of Denmark; the Dutch also aiming at him]; indeed poor; but a man in his person as gallant, and truly I think I may say as good, as any these last ages have brought forth; a man that hath adventured his all against the Popish Interest in Poland, and made his acquisition still good "there' for the Protestant Religion. He is now reduced into a corner: and what addeth to the grief of all, more grievous than all that hath been spoken of before (I wish it may not be too truly said!) is, That men of our Religion forget this, and seek his ruin. [Dutch and Danes: but do not some of us too forget? “I wish it may not be too truly said!"]

I beseech you consider a little; consider the consequences of all that! For what doth it all signify? Is it only a noise? Or hath it not withal an articulate sound in it? Men that are not true to the Religion we profess,' -profess' I am persuaded, with greater truth, uprightness

"parts of it" in orig.

and sincerity than it is 'professed' by any collected body, so nearly gathered together as these Nations are, in all the world, God will find them out! [The lowminded Dutch; pettifogging for "Sound Dues," for "Possession of the Sound," and mere shopkeeper lucre!] I beseech you consider how things do coöperate. 'Consider,' If this may seem but a design against your Well-being? It is a design against your very Being; this artifice, and this complex design, against the Protestant Interest,— wherein so many Protestants are not so right as were to be wished! If they can shut us out of the Baltic Sea, and make themselves masters of that, where is your Trade? Where are your materials to preserve your Shipping? Where will you be able to challenge any right by sea, or justify yourselves against a foreign invasion in your own soil? Think upon it; this is in design! I believe, if you will go and ask the poor mariner in his red cap and coat ["Coat," I hope, is not "red:"but we are in haste], as he passeth from ship to ship, you will hardly find in any ship but they will tell you this is designed against you. So obvious is it, by this and other things, that you are the object. And in my conscience, I know not for what else ‘you are so' but because of the purity of the profession amongst you; who have not yet made it your trade to prefer your profit before your godliness [Whatever certain Dutch and Danes may do!], but reckon godliness the greater gain!

But should it happen that, as contrivances stand, you should not be able to vindicate yourselves against all whomsoever, I name no one state upon this head, [Do not name the Dutch, with their pettifoggings for the Sound; no!] but I think all acknowledge States are en

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gaged in the combination, judge you where you were! You have accounted yourselves happy in being environed with a great Ditch from all the world beside. Truly you will not be able to keep your Ditch, nor your Shipping, unless you turn your Ships and Shipping into Troops of Horse and Companies of Foot; and fight to defend yourselves on terra firma!

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And these things stated, liberavi animam meam; and if there be "no danger" in 'all' this, I am satisfied. I have told you; you will judge if no danger! If you shall think, We may discourse of all things at pleasure, [Debate for days and weeks, Whether it shall be "House of Lords" or Other House;" put the question, Whether this question shall be put; and say Ay, say No; and thrash the air with idle jargon!] and that it is a time of sleep and ease and rest, without any due sense of these things, I have this comfort to God-ward: I have told you of it. [Yes, your Highness! - O intemperate vain Sir Arthur, peppery Thomas Scott, and ye other constitutional Patriots, is there no SENSE of truth in you, then; no discernment of what really is what? Instead of belief and insight, have you nothing but whirlpools of old paper-clippings, and a gray waste of Parliamentary constitutional logic? Such HEADS, too common in the world, will run a chance in these times to get themselves stuck up on Temple Bar!

Really were it not that France (give me leave to -! say it) is a balance against the Party at this time Should there be a Peace made (which hath been, and is still laboured and aimed at, "a General Peace"), then will England be the "general" object of all the fury and wrath of all the Enemies of God and our Religion in the world! I have nobody to accuse;

but do look on the other side of the water! You have neighbours there; some that you are in amity with; some that have professed malice enough against you. I think you are fully satisfied in that. I had rather you would trust your enemy than some friends, - that is, rather believe your enemy, and trust him that he means your ruin, than have confidence in some who perhaps may be in some alliance with you! [We have watched the Dutch, and their dealings in the Baltic lately!] I perhaps could enforce all this with some particulars, nay I 'certainly' could. For you know that your enemies be the same who have been accounted your enemies ever since Queen Elizabeth came to the crown. An avowed designed enemy 'all along;' wanting nothing of counsel, wisdom and prudence, to root you out from the face of the Earth: and when public attempts [Spanish Armadas and such like] would not do, how have they, by the Jesuits and other their Emissaries, laid foundations to perplex and trouble our Government by taking away the lives of them whom they judged to be of any use for preserving our peace! [Guy Faux and Jesuit Garnet were a pair of pretty men; to go no farther. Ravaillac in the Rue de la Ferronerie, and Stadtholder William's Jesuit; and the Night of St. Bartholomew: here and elsewhere they have not wanted "counsel," of a sort!] And at this time I ask you, Whether you do not think they are designing as busily as ever any people were, to prosecute the same counsels and things to the uttermost?

The business then was: The Dutch needed Queen Elizabeth of famous memory for their protection. They had it, 'had protection from her.' I hope they will never ill requite it! For if they should forget either