Catalogue description ---- To his brother ----.

--" I received a pritty long letter from you without date, and can't but observe that one and the same cause has had very different effects upon you and me ; the management of the House of Commons, upon Sacheverel's tryall, which opened my eyes, has plainly closed yours. I never thought of the people's power of turning out her present Majestie whenever they are pleas'd to judge she does not govern according to their mind, and of bringing in her room one or more, as they shall think, in their great wisdomes, are fitt ; which upon that triall, is openly and impudently avow'd. That which I find weighty with you is a tenderness for the memory of King William, and you cant well reconcile the setling him upon the throne, without for ever afterward (in compliment to him) taking away the hereditary right of the whole Royall family. Now tho' you are much taken with that Presbyterian canting phrase of High and Low Church, yet you are to be informed that the body of the Church of England acknowledge their obligation to King William for the rescuing them and the whole nation from the impending miseries of King James his government ; and if heer and there a hott-brained coxcomb of the church, ungratefully as well as foolishly, malignes the Revolution, you will be very unjust and want that charity and moderation you so recommend for our poor harmless dissenting brethren, if you pick out those for the subject of your harangue against the rest of the true members of the Church Establish'd, who, notwithstanding the thanks they owe and pay to the memory of King William, yet are steddy in supporting the government upon its ancient basis. And tho'this be but the dull fancy of the sorry unthinking, unrefin'd countrey gentlefolks and clodpates, yet take notice, 'tis such a fancy as has been delivered down to 'em from their forefathers, who lived easyly and happily under that opinion, till, in the late deplorable times, the People sett up for governing their governor, as 'tis very evident, by Hoadly and his brother Observator, they are now, by the instigation of them and the Devill, instructed and incited to doe again ; but to leave them to themselves (and I think I can't leave 'em in worse company), methinks you use us poor country creatures too much à la negligence when you tell me we liberally grant our lives and fortunes provided we may keep both safe at home, where they are allways at the Queen's service. This is a very piquant conceit, and I presume intended for a smart saying rather than a true one. You can't be ignorant that the gross of the Queen's armies are composed of those that inhabited the country, whose lives are exposed for the nation's service, and you know and feel that taxes are paid heer, by which our fortunes are imploy'd too in her service ; and why, after all this, we have not reason to be as safe at home as you are upon the Exchange, I can't comprehend. But you lay a great stress upon the Precisians being of very important use to the Public, during this long w[ar] and ha[ve not the] Jews been so too. [The next few lines are torn away, leaving only a few disconnected words, amongst which are 'St. Saviour's Southwark'] but can no where find him blowing the trumpett to sedition and rebellion as his successor has done, but inculcating doctrine quite counter to what H[oadly ?] has been poisoning the nation with. If you were a stranger to me and I did not know your principles, I should certainly be induced by some passages of your letter to conclude that you had been brought up at the feet of Dr. Burgess and not of Dr. Ashton, when you doe so often insinuate that 'tis the principle of the Church of England to think moderation a crime, and to stigmatize and raile at Dissenters, that drunkards and swearers and spendthrifts, vicious and debauch'd persons, if they'l drink healths to the church, are true Church of England men, and will make good members for maintaining the Constitution. I presume you'll explain this by an innuendo, the High Church, which appellation you are mightyly taken with, and because the admired Scotch bishop knows of no High Church but the Church of Rome, our High Church must be suppos'd to be a part of that, tho' at the same time, the Bishop must allow our High Church men to differ from that of Rome, as well as from the Bishop himself, in the point of deposing of Kings. I would make it a request to you to consider well if you are doing good service to the true Church of England, whereof you are a member, whilst, under the foolish, malicious canting term of High Church, you involve not only the vicious, rotten part of the Church in all the black characters you give it, but the sound part of it too, which is the ultimate design and drift of the fanatic party, who are passionately fond of this intreague of worrying one part of the Church by the other. I allow Dr. Tillotson and many others of the Church of England to have been its bulwark against popery (tho' not one of the prickear'd herd of peaceable modest Dissenters that ever I heard of), but can you think of none (if now living) that would be stigmatized (to use your own word) with the name of a High Churchman, that stood in the gap ? What do you think of the seven Bishops, that were sent to the Tower ? What of London and York &c. ?

" I did really intend to have been so complaisant to have run thro' your whole letter, but I began too late, and have some letters besides to send by to-morrow's post, which is very lucky for you, in preventing a more tedious, impertinent scribble. Only one favour I am to ask, which you have all along neglected bestowing on me, that is to inform me who it is that is to be the judge of the Queen's maladministration, and to make choice of a more acceptable governor, in case the people (according to the new Revolution principle, as they call it) shoud think fitt to have an alteration. I fancy those you convers with have considered the point, against it comes to be put in practice.

" And now, having done with politics, I would be glad to have your opinion how I may safely lodge a pretty considerable summe of money that I expect will be suddenly paid me in, in town. I am informed the Bank gives specie bills at three per cent., but whether it be in Exchequer bills, which I suppose carry interest, or otherwise, I know not. Pray, in your next, favour me with your thoughts in this matter." Signature torn off.