nour and Prerogative of the Crown, without being punish'd, if the Miniftry think fit, as he deferves, by the Laws of our Country; but true and real Danger to the Queen's Honour may arife, if Perfons in Authority tolerate Men (who have no Compun&ion of Confcience) in abufing fuch Inftruments of Glory and Honour to our Country as the Illuftrious Duke of Marlborough, fuch wife and faithful Managers as the late Earl of Godolphin, fuch pious, difin terested, generous and felf denying Patriots as the Bishops.

There is no Man will deny, but that it is in the Power of the Miniftry to call the Examiner to an Account, as well as the Flying-Poft. It is not for me to enter into the Reasons why they do not do themselves that Juftice; but where is Honour, where is Government, where is Prerogative, while neither Age nor Sex, Virtue nor Innocence, can have any Redrefs from the Affaults made upon their Reputation, which is dearer than Life? but fuch Injuries the Examiner repeats every Week with Impunity. But after I have fully answered the fpecious Pretenfion of Monfieur Tugghe, concerning the Trade, and vindicated my Sovereign from his treache rous Infinuation, That it would be want of Mercy in Her to infift on the Demolition of Dunkirk; it is incumbent on me to come more closely to the Point with the Pamphleteer, and the Examiner. The former fays, in his 17th Page, Why must the Queen be attacked with fuch Infolence, and be told, in terrorem, that the People of Great Britain expect Dunkirk ball be demolished?

The Examiner, as above, puts the ftrefs of his Argument on the fame words in the Guardian, of whom he says,

For thefe Reasons, faving the Trefpafs on Cuftom, the LYE might be given in the Teeth of the Guardian, when he infolently.. tells the Queen, in his late feditious Libel, for fuch it must be accounted by every true Bri6 tain, That the British Nation EXPECTS the immediate Demolition of Dunkirk; I say, it is not fo; the British Nation does not EXPECT that Her Majefty should divest Her felf of the Power which is in her Hands, by the Poffeffion of Dunkirk, to do HerselfRight, and to fecure to Herfelf the Performance of fuch Conditions from all the Princes. concerned, as they have agreed to be juft, and ought to be performed; but which we do not find them fo free to execute, as the Obligations Britain has laid on them has given us reafon to expect.

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Both these great Authors lay the weight of the Accufation, upon faying, the British Nation expects; you fee the difference of a Man's Condition who acts under the Laws of his Country in general, from his, who acts only under the Prerogative.

Here is a Treaty concluded; I am reckoned dif refpe&ful, because I fay, the Nation EXPECTS . the Conditions to be complied with; he is a very loyal Man, who fays, the Nation does not EXPECT it; but this wary Politician, the Examiner, fays, There are Dangers to be expect-ed from other Powers in the World, as well as France; he obferves the Whigs forward to gine ap our trading Intereft to the Dutch, in order to

make

make Friends with them in their other nameless Defigns against the Miniftry.

What has been already faid to Monfieur Taggbe, concerning the Advantages the Dutch may reap from the Demolition, is alfo an Anfwer to the Examiner: All reafonable Men know, that the Dutch can reap no Advantage, but what muft flow from their Industry, and our Negligence; but the Power of France cannot only rival us in Trade, but alfo when the King pleases (which is mentioned as a thing poffible, not probable) invade us again with the Pretender, from the very fame Place whence he last set out to vifit us, when we have no Troops to de. fend us, no Allies to fuccour us: When I think of these things with Horror, from the Love I bear my Sovereign and my Country, they fay, I offend the Prerogative. Authors who write for the Prerogative, if they acted like Men of Honour, fhould be alarm'd at the improper Application of it by a Miniftry, as much as by any other Acts of their Fellow Subjeas.

It is the Prerogative of the Crown to create Peers of England; but if in the midst of a Queftion in the Legislature, half a dozen new ones fhould march in, and by their Votes turn ac Point, upon which our All might depend, would the Honour and Prerogative ofthe Crown be equally confulted at that Inftant?

It is the Prerogative of the Crown to make Peace and War; fhall the Crown therefore lay down its conquering Arms, and deliver it felf up to the Vanquish'd? A Man is born with Free-will; does it therefore follow, that it is lawful to kill himself?

It

It is the Prerogative of the Crown to make Alliances, and act in conjunction with their Allies; fhall therefore its Armies march with them, in Confidence and Friendship, till they come to Front the Enemy, and then Face about, and leave them in the Day, in the Moment of Distress?

But it is a Folly to put Cafes, which I hope will never happen among us; for if they should, the Perfons who should tranfact any thing like any fuch things as I have now mentioned, would be fo far from confidering the Honour of the Prince, that they would diminish and blaft it; and be fo far from being a Support to, that they would be a Rent Charge upon the Prerogative.

The true Meaning and Use of the Prerogative, is to be interpreted and understood by the Rules of the joint Welfare and Happiness of Prince and People; and all great Genius's in Bufinefs, in all Nations and in all Ages, have apply'd it in this manner.

But from the Example of all Nations, who have loft their Liberty, we fee that when, for the Sins of a Nation, Men of poor and narrow Conceptions, Self-interested, and without Benevolence to Mankind, have had the use of their Princes Favour and Prerogative, they think only what they may do, not what they ought to do.

All that I have at prefent to complain of, is, that the Defence of my Queen and Country, and of the most valuable part of our Trade, is treated as an Offence against the Honour and Prerogative of the Crown: I am heartily forry to hear the word Prerogative introduced with

fo

fo much Pomp against so inconfiderable a Man as my felf, or, in the Examiner's words, againft fo contemptible a Wretch. If this word Prerogative comes to be used to frighten Men from fpeaking what they lawfully may upon publick Occurrences, it may come to pafs hereafter, that it may be a Refuge to indifcreet Minifters, and they may in time to come prote& their Mifcarriages under that aweful Word.

It would follow, that whatever should be painful or difagreeable to the People, would be imputed to the Prince; whatever should be pleafing, would be attributed to the Ministry. Minifters would not fail to cover their Follies, or iniquities, under the fhelter of the Prerogative. What was urged concerning Dunkirk, in the Letter to the Guardian, was apparently and profeffedly laid before the Miniftry, that they might not be unmindful of what the British Nation expect from them. I fay again and again, if once Men are fo intimidated as not to dare to offer their Thoughts upon publick Affairs, without incurring the Imputation of offending against the Prerogative of their Prince; that Prince, whatever Advantage his Minifters might make of his Prerogative, would himself foon have no Prerogative, but that of being deceived. As for my part, I have that fincere and faithful Duty to Her Majefty, that I will never fear to attempt any thing that I am able for her Service, however her Favour may be intercepted from me. The Examiner accufes me of Ingratitude, as being actually under Salary, when I writ the Letter to the Guardian; but he is mistaken in that Particular, for I had refign'd, not only my Office in the Stampt Duties, but

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