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To the Worshipful

Mr. JOHN SNOW,

Bailiff of STOCKBRIDGE.

SIR,

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Ccording to my Promife when I took my Leave of you, I fend you all the Pamphlets and Papers which have been Printed fince the Diffolution of the laft Parliament; among thefe you will find your Humble Servant no fmall Man, but fpoken of more than once in Print: You will find I take ' up whole Pages in the Examiner, and that there is a little Pamphlet written wholly upon me, and directed to me. As you are the Magiftrate of the Town wherein, of all Places in the World, it concerns me moft to appear a different Man, from the Perfon whom these Writers reprefent me; I address my Vindication to you, and at the fame time to the whole Borough. In the first Place I must recommend to your Perufal a printed Paper, which was publish'd in French on one fide, and English on the other, and given Gratis in the open Streets: A Country Gentleman of my Acquaintance, who was going into Wales the next Day, receiv'd one of them from a Boy diftributing them in Cheapfide, and made me a Prefent of it. I will trouble you only with the English.

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A moft Humble Addrefs or Memorial prefented to Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, by the Deputy of the Magiftrates of Dunkirk to Her Majefty..

May it please your moft Excellent Majesty, THE Sieur Tuggbe, Deputy of the Magiftrates of Dunkirk to your Majefty, to ' implore your Clemency in relation to the intended Demolition of the Fortifications and • Port of the faid Town, had entertain❜d Hopes that by the moft humble Representations he had prefum'd to make, touching the extreme Mifery to which the faid Demolition will re⚫duce Eighteen Thoufand Families that make • up that Čity, your Majefty's Mercy might have been moved, and that according to his most refpectful Requeft, he might have obtain'd the Prefervation at least of the Mole or Dikes of that Port. But he was as it were Thunderftruck by the Denunciation which my Lord Vifcount Bolingbroke made to him, that your Majefty did not think fit to make any Alteration • in the dreadful Sentence you have pronounc'd • against that Town, and that'tis your Majefty's Pleasure that Sentence fhould be executed in its full Extent. Tho' ftunn'd by this Blow, the Sieur Tuggbe yet prefumes to approach once more your Majefty's awful Throne, being thereto encouraged by the Benefit your Majefty's Clemency pours down on all the Nations of the Earth; and with trembling to reprefent to your Majefty, that he does not ⚫ demand that the Works that may serve either for the Attack or Defence of Dunkirk be preserved,

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either on the Landfide, or towards the Sea. 'The unfortunate Inhabitants of Dunkirk are no 'longer concern'd for thofe magnificent Works, "that ftrike Terror on all the Beholders. The Magiftrates only beg the Prefervation of the 'Mole and Dikes that form and keep up the Harbour, thereby to preferve to their People only their neceffary Subfiftence, by enabling them ⚫to carry on their HerringFishing, and fome other 'fmall Trade along the Coaft.

Your Majefty endued with Native Clemency and Chriftian Charity, of which all Nations 'feel the benign Influence, defires not to return Evil for Evil; nor does your Majefty admit it ' in your Refolutions any farther than it is indifpenfably neceffary according to Political Views, and agreeable to the Welfare of your own Subjects. The Sieur Tugghe will prefume to obferve to your Majefty that the Pre• fervation of the Harbour of Dunkirk, in the naked Condition it has been Represented, will < neither be inconfiftent either with the Politi'cal Views of Great Britain, or the Welfare and Good of the British Subjects, but rather • Beneficial to both.

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• Dunkirk has had the Misfortune to become the Object of Great Britain's Indignation, either ⚫ by the Sea Armaments the King made there,and which during the late Wars may have disturb'd the Tranquility of your Majefty's Kingdoms, and retarded the Execution of your Majefty's Projects, or by the Privateering of its Inhabitants, which has often annoy'd and molested the Trade of your Majefty's Subjects. But in the Condition to which your Petitioner begs its Harbour to be reduc'd, that is, divefted of all C

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its Works and Fortifications, and its Mole and Dikes only preferv'd, it will never be able, whatever War (which God avert) may happen for the future, either to form any Obstacle to your Majefty's Projects, or to difturb the Trade of your Majetty's Subjects, fince in • fuch a Condition it will be an open Town, both on the Land and Sea- fide, abandon'd to the first Invader, defencelefs for whom foever fhall poffefs it, and which any Enemy may enter by Sea and by Land, in order to burn both the Ships that might be fitting out there, and even the Town and Harbour. Thus in fuch a Condition Dunkirk neither will nor even • can be oppofite either to your Majefty's Political Views, or to the Welfare of your Majefly's Subjects.

The Prefervation of the Harbour of Dunkirk without Works and Fortifications, may in fine be equally ufeful, and become even abfolutely neceffary, both for your Majesty's Political Views, and the Good of your Sub•jects.

Your Majefty's Political Views, chiefly in • Times of Peace, center all in the Increase of the Commerce of your Majefty's Subjects, and at the fame time the Welfare and Interest of yourSubjes lie in the Improvement of their Trade. Therefore by proving that the Prefervation of the Harbour of Dunkirk will be not only advantageous, but alfo neceffary for the Commerce of the Subje&ts of Great Britain, your Petitioner hopes he shall prove all that's contain'd in his Second Propofition.

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First, Dunkirk is become the Obje& of the Jealousy of the Dutch, and the Dutch have

• wish'd

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