Perfons concerned to prove it Calumny, or suffer under it; And I was willing to ripen the Question of the Succeffion upon my own Head. It foon appeared that there was fo much Ground for what I faid in the Papers I then printed that it was thought much more proper to weaken the Validity of what I said by Invectives against me, which came out ftitch'd, bound, and in loofe Papers for fome Months every Week, than gain fay what I afferted. In the midst of this Treatment the Converfation happened which gave Occafion to the CRISIS. The Gentleman mentioned in the following Defence, as giving the firft Hint to the Defign, I need no longer "conceal; it was Mr. Moor of the Inner-Temple, a Man perfectly skilled in the Hiftory, the Laws, the Conftitution, of this Kingdom, and, in my poor Opinion, as capable of doing eminent Service, where thofe Qualities are requifite, as any Man in England not already employed. All I have to fay further concerning him is, that I hope the Mention of this bis great Merit may prove to bis Advantage; and it is not to be imputed to me if he feels no Effect of publick Favour, for starting fo useful a Defign as appeared in the Crifis. When the Crifis was written Hand in Hand with this Gentleman, I, who was to answer for it with my All, would not venture upon our fingle Judgment, therefore Icaufedit to be printed, and left one Copy with Mr. Addifon, another with Mr. Lechmere, another with Mr. Minfhull, and another with Mr. Hoadly. I don't name Mr. Hoadly last because I honour or depended upon him leaft: For he has every good Quality, Talent, and Grace, that can adorn a Chriftian, a Gentleman, and a Divine; and what ever ever Prejudice may suggest, I think it a great Defence that the Work palled his Hand. From thefe corrected Copies (no one of thefe Gentlemen knowing till this Day that the other bad seen it) the Crifis became the Piece it is. When I was now fully convinced that what I faid was juftifiable in the Sight of God and Man, I thought I had an Opportunity of giving an Alarm to all honeft Men, and disconcerting the Counfels of Men I thought ready to attempt any thing they could act with Impunity, and who cared not, fo they carried on their own Game, though they did it by bringing on their native Country the Imputation of Falfhood and Treachery, accompanied with Slavery, Poverty, and Difhonour. All this was plainly intimated in the Crifis, but expreffed in fuch a manner as to be within the Law, against those who had the Adminiftration of the Laws, and feemed to me to be undermining the Conftitution. It was therefore reafonable to act within the Law as far as a Man could against those who made no Use of it, but to cover themselves in making Encroachments upon it and Tranfgreffions against it. Befides the Care of refcuing my own Name from a feeming Disgrace of a Vote of the Commons, I thought this Apology neceffary to shew the arbitrary Ufe of Numbers in the most odious Colours, that Gentlemen may have a juft Deteftation of practising a Thing in it felf unwarrantable, from the Support only of the infolent and unmanly Sanction of a Majority. A GENTLEMEN Who voted against the Expulfion of Mr. STEEL E. J OHN Harvey, Efq; Sir Thomas Lee, Bar. Sir Roger Hill, K L 2 James James Lowther, Efq; James Littleton, Efq; William Betts, Efq; William Coventry, Efq; Thomas Erle, Efq; George Pit, Efq; John Hedwith, Efq; Sir Tho. Webster. Bar. M Sir John Thorold, Bar. The Hon. Tho. Wentworth. Sir John Jermayn, Bar. Lord Newport. William Whitmore, Efq; George Evelyn, Efq; Tho. Onflow, Efq; Paul Docminique, Efq; L3 The |