Page:Petty 1851 The Down Survey.djvu/292

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light, there being few moneths in the yeare wherein he did not hear, in generall or particular, of some such machination.

But God laughing all these attempts to scorne, and the Doctors said adversaryes finding that, whilst he was present to cleer and defend himselfe, could doe him noe harme, about November, 1658, the Dr having then been six moneths absent in England, and great endeavours allsoe then used by some for a change of governement uppon the death of Oliver Protector, it was thought convenient to begin the ruine of that family with pulling out the smaller pinns of that frame wee were in, in order whereunto an Onessimus of the Doctors was dealt with to frame the following libell:

Right Honourable:

Since my arrivall, in pursuance to your trust imposed, I have, not without a great exspence, been industriouse in acquiring the most impartiall intelligence of the party you desired an accompt and character, which, by variouse appearances unto persons in severall capacityes, I have attained, and, as I suppose, even into the intrinsicks of his former transactions, whereof I gave you a full account per a friend, with the name and quality of the persons averring every particular, and their willingness and agility to justifie the same uppon legall inquisitt, but because I have noe answer thereof I thought requisite to repeale some principle presumptions on your freedome, uppon my single authority, by reason of the unsafeness of nominating of persons per post.

Now, because mens principles and habitts are best knowne by their acts, as formerly at length, I shall now in short present you with a narration of his stepps and progress of his undertaking in the souldiers settlement, vizt, he had then the opportunity of the Lord Deputy and Ladyes eare, as well as his physician as complying with the then predominant party, and he made the bulke of the Major-Generall a party and share in his designe, whose interest the army not apprehending, were willing to venture theirs on the same bottome, especially being invited by the pretence of a new and unheard of survey, and of a certainty and infallibility therein, in manner following, a new chart for the surveying instrument was presented, as an invention of great concernement, which really diifered from the old one as 4d from a groat.

Then about six artists were contracted with to teach other men of meane and