and for the ſake of Liberty; compoſed for the moſt part of Men of Religion and Sobriety. If this Army could commit ſuch violences upon a Parliament always ſucceſsful, that had acquired ſo much Reputation both at home and abroad, at a time when the whole People were trained in Arms, and the Pulſe of the Nation beat high for Liberty; what are we to expect if in a future Age an ambitious Prince ſhould ariſe with a diſſolute and debauched Army, a flattering Clergy, a proſtitute Miniſtry, a Bankrupt Houſe of L——ds, a Penſioner Houſe of C——ns, and a ſlaviſh and corrupted Nation?
By this means came in Charles the Second, a luxurious effeminate Prince, a deep Diſſembler, and if not a Papiſt himſelf, yet a great favourer of them: But the People had ſuffered ſo much from the Army, that he was received with the utmoſt Joy and Tranſport. The Parliament in the Honymoon paſſed what Laws he pleaſed, gave a vaſt Revenue for Life, being three times as much as any of his Predeceſſors ever enjoyed, and ſeveral Millions beſides to be ſpent in his Pleaſures. This made him conceive vaſter hopes of Arbitrary Power than any that went before him; and in order to it he debauched and enervated the whole Kingdom: His Court was a ſcene of Adulteries, Drunkenneſs, and Irreligion, appearing more like Stews, or the Feaſts of Bacchus, than the Family of a Chief Magiſtrate: And in a little time the Contagion ſpread thro' the whole Nation, that it was out of the Faſhion not to be leud, and ſcandalous not to be a public Enemy: Which has been the occaſion of all the Miſeries that have ſince happened, and I am afraid will not be extinguiſhed but by our ruin. He was no ſooner warm in his Seat but he rejected an advantageous Treaty of Commerce which Oliver made with France, as done by an Uſurper; ſuffered the French to lay Impoſitions upon all our Goods, which amounted to a Prohibition, inſomuch that they got a Million a Year from us in the overbalance of Trade. He ſold that important Fortreſs of Dunkirk, let the French ſeize St. Chriſtophers and other places in North America.
He began a fooliſh and unjuſt War with the Dutch; and tho' the Parliament gave him vaſt Sums to maintain it, yet he ſpent ſo much upon his Vices, that they got
