A letter from a Parliament man to his friend, concerning the proceedings of the House of Commons this last sessions, begun the 13th of October, 1675
Shaftesbury, Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of, 1621-1683.
1675
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A letter from a Parliament man to his friend, concerning the proceedings of the House of Commons this last sessions, begun the 13th of October, 1675
Shaftesbury, Anthony Ashley Cooper, Earl of, 1621-1683.
[3], 7 p.
s.n.,]
[London :
1675.
Attributed to the Earl of Shaftesbury. Cf. NUC pre-1956.
Signed: T.E.
Place of publication from Wing.
Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.
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eng
England and Wales. -- Parliament. -- House of Commons.
Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1660-1688.
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A
LETTER
FROM
A
Parliament
man
TO
HIS
FRIEND
,
Concerning
the
Proceedings
of
the
House
of
COMMONS
this
last
Sessions
,
begun
the
13th
of
October
,
1675.
Printed
in
the
Year
,
1675.
A
LETTER
from
a
Parliament
man
To
his
FRIEND
,
Concerning
the
Proceedings
of
the
House
of
COMMONS
this
last
Session
,
&c.
SIR
,
I
See
you
are
greatly
Scandalized
at
our
slow
and
confused
Proceedings
.
I
confess
you
have
cause
enough
,
but
were
you
but
within
these
Walls
for
one
half
day
,
and
saw
the
strange
Make
and
Complexion
that
this
House
is
of
,
you
would
wonder
as
much
that
ever
you
wondred
at
it
:
For
we
are
such
a
pied
Parliament
,
that
none
can
say
of
what
Colour
we
are
;
for
we
consist
of
old
Cavaliers
,
old
Round-haeads
,
Indigent
Courtiers
,
and
true
Country
Gentlemen
;
the
two
latter
are
most
numerous
,
and
would
in
probability
bring
things
to
some
Issue
,
were
they
not
clogged
with
the
humerous
uncertainties
of
the
former
.
For
the
old
Cavalier
grown
Aged
,
and
almost
past
his
Vice
,
is
damnable
Godly
,
and
makes
his
doating
Piety
more
a
Plague
to
the
World
,
than
his
youthful
Debauchery
was
:
For
he
is
so
much
a
By
got
to
the
Bishops
,
that
he
forces
his
Loyalty
to
strike
Sail
to
his
Religion
,
and
could
be
content
to
pare
the
Nails
a
little
of
the
Civil
Government
,
so
you
would
but
let
him
sharpen
the
Ecclesiastical
Tallons
;
which
behaviour
of
his
so
exasperates
the
Round-head
,
that
he
on
the
other
hand
cares
not
what
Increases
the
Interest
of
the
Crown
receives
,
so
he
can
but
diminish
that
of
the
Miter
:
so
that
the
Round-head
had
rather
enslave
the
Man
,
than
the
Conscience
;
The
Cavalier
rather
the
Conscience
than
the
Man
,
there
being
a
sufficient
stock
of
Animosity
as
proper
Matter
to
work
upon
.
Upon
these
therefore
the
Courtier
mutually
plays
:
For
if
any
Anticourt
motion
be
made
,
he
gains
the
Round-head
either
to
oppose
or
absent
,
by
telling
them
,
If
they
will
joyn
him
now
,
he
will
joyn
with
them
for
Liberty
of
Conscience
.
And
when
any
Affair
is
started
on
the
behalf
of
the
Countrey
,
he
assures
the
Cavaliers
,
If
they
will
then
stand
by
him
,
he
will
then
joyn
with
them
in
promoting
a
Bill
against
the
Fanatiques
.
Thus
play
they
on
both
hands
,
that
no
Motion
of
a
publick
nature
is
made
,
but
they
win
upon
the
one
or
other
of
them
;
and
by
this
Art
gain
a
Majority
against
the
Country
Gentlemen
,
which
otherwise
they
would
never
have
:
Wherefore
it
were
happy
that
we
had
neither
Round-head
,
nor
Cavalier
in
the
House
;
for
they
are
each
of
them
so
Prejudicate
against
the
other
,
that
their
sitting
here
signifies
nothing
but
their
Fostering
their
old
Venome
,
and
lying
at
Catch
to
snap
every
advantage
to
bear
down
each
other
,
though
it
be
in
the
destruction
of
their
Countrey
.
For
if
the
Round-heads
bring
in
a
good
Bill
,
the
old
Cavalier
opposes
it
;
for
no
other
reason
,
but
because
they
brought
it
in
.
So
that
as
the
poor
English
Silk-weavers
,
are
feign
to
hire
a
French-man
to
Sell
their
Ribbons
:
So
are
the
Round-heads
a
Cavalier
,
to
move
for
those
Bills
they
desire
should
pass
;
which
so
sowers
the
Round-head
,
that
he
revenges
that
Carriage
upon
any
Bill
the
Cavalier
offers
;
and
the
Rage
and
Passion
of
the
one
and
other
,
are
so
powerful
,
that
it
blinds
them
both
,
that
neither
perceives
the
Advantage
they
give
the
Courtier
,
to
abuse
both
them
and
their
Countrey
too
:
so
that
if
either
of
them
do
any
Good
,
it
is
only
out
of
pure
Envy
against
the
other
.
Thus
you
see
how
we
are
yoaked
,
and
seeing
this
,
you
may
cease
your
admiration
that
we
offer
at
all
,
and
do
just
nothing
.
Nor
is
this
Division
alone
of
the
House
all
we
have
to
lament
(
for
Death
,
that
common
Cure
,
does
now
every
day
lessen
this
evil
)
but
that
which
is
more
our
misery
,
is
,
that
those
Gentlemen
who
are
truly
for
the
Good
of
their
Country
,
will
not
be
perswaded
to
stand
upon
the
sure
Basis
of
Rational
Principles
(
like
Workmen
too
presumptive
of
their
Judgments
that
will
not
Build
by
rule
)
but
rather
affect
the
most
loose
standing
on
the
Sandy
foundation
of
Heat
and
Humour
:
By
reason
of
which
they
often
do
as
much
harm
as
good
,
and
yet
perceive
it
not
;
this
is
the
sore
evil
we
are
under
.
For
I
would
not
doubt
the
Countries
carrying
it
from
the
Court
in
every
Vote
,
let
the
Courtiers
use
all
the
Art
they
could
,
would
the
Country
Gentlemen
but
give
themselves
the
trouble
to
enform
their
understandings
a
little
,
and
not
suffer
themselves
to
be
hurried
by
a
heedless
Inadvertency
into
vulgar
Notions
.
Which
,
if
well
examined
,
are
directly
contrary
to
their
honest
intentions
;
For
lack
of
which
they
totally
mistake
their
Interest
,
fall
foul
on
their
Friends
,
support
their
Enemies
,
and
carry
on
the
designs
of
the
Court
,
whilst
they
aim
at
the
Service
of
their
Countrey
.
For
if
they
would
take
the
pains
but
to
think
what
is
the
greatest
Enemy
in
the
World
,
that
English
Law
and
Liberty
always
had
,
still
hath
,
and
ever
must
have
;
It
may
be
the
result
of
such
a
thought
would
say
,
it
was
Encroaching
Prerogative
.
Well
,
if
then
they
would
but
beg
from
themselves
but
so
much
seriousness
,
as
to
think
this
second
thought
,
to
check
this
Prerogative
,
which
is
so
dangerous
an
Enemy
to
our
Laws
and
Liberties
,
peradventure
that
thought
would
answer
,
In
suppressing
all
they
could
its
Creatures
and
Dependants
,
and
supporting
such
,
whose
Interest
it
is
to
keep
Prerogative
within
its
just
bounds
.
Now
could
they
be
prevail'd
with
but
to
think
a
third
thought
,
it
would
Land
them
at
the
full
and
satisfactory
Solution
of
the
Question
,
and
will
hold
in
every
thing
.
But
I
will
put
it
in
a
Case
wherein
we
are
most
apt
to
Err
,
and
wherein
we
reckon
it
no
less
than
Piety
to
play
the
Fool
,
to
the
end
you
may
see
how
miserably
we
are
cheated
and
abused
,
by
sucking
in
the
untried
Notions
that
Education
,
the
Arts
of
others
,
or
our
own
Ignorance
have
imposed
upon
us
.
The
third
thought
therefore
shall
be
this
:
Which
are
most
the
Creatures
and
Supporters
of
boundless
Prerogative
,
Prelates
,
or
dissenting
Protestants
?
The
answer
to
which
must
,
and
can
be
no
otherwise
,
The
Prelates
.
Well
then
,
if
we
would
now
reduce
this
to
Practice
,
and
say
,
The
greatest
Friends
to
Prerogative
are
the
Prelates
,
the
greatest
Enemies
to
our
Laws
and
Liberties
is
Prerogative
.
The
only
way
therefore
to
restrain
Prerogative
,
is
to
do
,
What
?
To
fortifie
and
strengthen
the
Yoke
of
the
Prelates
over
the
Neck
of
the
People
?
No
:
(
Surely
this
were
an
odd
and
a
barbarous
kind
of
Reasoning
)
But
to
give
Liberty
to
dissenting
Protestants
,
as
the
best
means
to
keep
up
the
Ballance
against
boundless
Prerogative
.
For
these
must
and
never
can
be
otherwise
(
unless
by
Accident
,
and
by
Mistake
)
than
Friends
to
Liberty
:
But
the
Prelates
neither
are
nor
can
be
otherwise
than
Creatures
to
Prerogative
,
for
all
their
Promotions
,
Dignities
,
and
Domination
depends
upon
it
.
The
same
might
be
said
concerning
the
only
Antient
and
true
Strength
of
the
Nation
,
the
Legal
Militia
,
and
a
standing
Army
.
The
Militia
must
,
and
can
never
be
otherwise
than
for
English
Liberty
,
'cause
else
it
doth
destroy
it
self
;
but
a
standing
Force
can
be
for
nothing
but
Prerogative
,
by
whom
it
hath
its
idle
Living
and
Subsistance
.
I
could
instance
also
in
many
other
Particulars
,
but
our
Inadvertency
in
this
,
is
demonstration
enough
how
much
we
are
cheated
by
the
common
and
hackney
Notions
imposed
upon
us
;
and
this
is
almost
the
cause
of
all
the
Error
we
commit
.
For
missing
our
true
Footing
,
you
see
we
have
run
in
the
mistaken
Notion
of
being
for
the
Church
so
long
,
till
we
have
almost
destroyed
the
State
,
and
advanced
Prerogative
so
much
by
suppressing
Nonconformity
,
that
it
's
well
nigh
beyond
our
reach
or
power
to
put
Check
to
it
;
and
had
not
Time
,
and
but
an
indifferent
Observation
,
shewed
us
how
much
we
were
abused
in
this
matter
:
And
that
a
Lay-Conformist
and
a
Fanatique
can
live
as
quietly
and
neighbourly
together
(
would
the
Prelates
but
suffer
them
)
as
any
in
the
World
,
we
had
ruined
our selves
past
all
recovery
.
For
by
our
Bouying
up
the
Bishops
in
their
harsh
and
irreconcileable
Spirit
,
in
stead
of
Healing
,
we
have
so
fed
and
nourished
the
Discontents
throughout
the
Kingdom
,
that
I
think
nothing
keeps
the
Fire
from
flaming
out
afresh
in
another
intestine
War
but
the
bare
circumstance
of
Opportunity
only
;
and
how
long
that
will
be
able
to
restrain
Passions
that
are
made
Wild
by
Oppression
,
is
worthy
a
very
serious
Consideration
;
and
therefore
there
is
hardly
any
thing
more
a
Wonder
to
wise
Men
,
than
to
see
the
Clergie
run
at
this
rate
upon
the
Dissenters
:
wherefore
since
the
Nonconformists
have
given
so
large
and
ample
a
Testimony
of
their
willingness
to
live
Peaceably
,
if
yet
notwithstanding
the
Clergie
will
not
suffer
them
to
be
quiet
in
their
Families
and
their
Houses
,
I
doubt
,
they
may
at
one
time
or
other
,
drive
them
into
the
Field
,
and
then
it
may
exceed
their
Divine
Art
to
Conjure
them
down
again
;
for
he
sees
but
little
,
that
sees
not
the
English
Temper
is
better
to
be
Led
than
Driven
.
And
therefore
I
think
it
would
not
be
more
a
Vanity
,
to
compel
the
Ladies
to
wear
Queen
Elizabeths
Ruff
,
than
to
force
the
Nonconformists
to
be
drest
in
her
Religion
.
Nor
yet
are
these
all
the
Arts
we
are
under
:
For
we
have
a
Gang
that
Huff
,
and
bear
themselves
high
on
the
Countrey
side
,
but
earn
only
for
the
Court
;
these
lay
out
their
Craft
in
putting
the
House
upon
little
trifling
things
,
and
spend
and
waste
the
Mettle
thereof
,
upon
such
pittiful
Pickadilloes
,
as
't
is
next
to
a
shame
for
an
English
Parliament
so
much
as
to
mention
.
These
start
a
fierce
Dispute
about
some
little
Matter
,
and
keep
a
bluster
as
if
none
were
such
faithful
Patriots
as
they
,
when
they
do
it
on
purpose
only
to
while
out
the
Time
,
and
thin
the
House
,
by
tiring
the
honest
Country
Gentry
in
so
tedious
,
fruitless
,
and
trifling
attendance
.
Do
but
move
things
worthy
a
Parliament
;
as
that
we
may
have
our
old
known
Rights
of
Annual
Parliaments
ascertained
:
That
none
that
are
or
shall
be
Bribed
by
any
Place
or
Office
,
shall
ever
sit
in
this
House
:
That
Parliament
ought
not
to
be
Prorogued
,
Adjourned
,
or
Dissolved
,
till
all
Petitions
are
heard
,
and
the
Aggrievances
of
the
People
redressed
;
with
many
things
more
of
as
great
Importance
;
O
then
,
forsooth
,
their
pretended
Loyalty
(
which
in
plain
English
is
easily
understood
)
will
not
abide
such
unmannerly
and
clownish
Debates
as
these
,
and
twenty
such
little
shreds
of
Non-sense
are
impertinently
urged
in
stead
of
Argument
.
But
further
,
These
Country-Court
Engines
,
after
they
have
taken
the
Measures
of
the
House
,
at
the
opening
of
every
Session
,
by
our
thanks
for
the
gracious
Speech
,
which
being
the
true
Pulse
of
the
House
;
if
it
happen
to
come
so
hard
as
speaks
us
but
saint
and
cool
to
the
one
thing
necessary
,
(
the
matter
of
Money
)
then
they
know
what
will
follow
,
that
the
Court
will
get
no
Grist
that
Sessions
;
and
though
the
Court
in
indignation
could
turn
them
Home
on
the
Morrow
,
yet
it
must
consult
its
Reputation
a
little
,
restrain
its
Resentments
,
and
suffer
them
to
sit
about
a
six
weeks
,
or
two
months
,
and
then
they
assure
the
Court
,
since
they
can
get
no
good
by
them
,
they
shall
take
no
harm
;
and
therefore
to
stop
them
from
some
worthy
Undertaking
,
they
by
their
feigned
Zeal
against
Court-Corruptions
,
put
them
upon
Impeaching
some
Treasurer
,
Councellor
,
or
Minister
of
State
;
and
having
spent
half
our
time
about
this
,
the
rest
is
spent
for
the
Clergie
upon
Church-Work
,
which
we
have
been
so
often
put
upon
and
tired
with
these
many
Sessions
:
Though
Partiality
unbecomes
a
Parliament
,
who
ought
to
lay
the
whole
Body
that
we
represent
a
like
easie
,
Nonconformists
,
as
well
as
Conformists
,
for
we
were
chosen
by
both
,
and
with
that
intention
that
we
should
oppress
neither
.
To
lay
one
part
therefore
of
the
Body
on
a
Pillow
,
and
the
other
on
a
Rack
,
sorts
our
Wisdom
little
,
but
our
Justice-worse
.
You
now
see
all
our
Shapes
,
save
only
the
Indigents
,
concerning
whom
I
need
say
but
little
,
for
their
Votes
are
publickly
saleable
for
a
Guiny
,
and
a
Dinner
every
day
in
the
Week
,
unless
the
House
be
upon
Money
or
a
Minister
of
State
:
For
that
is
their
Harvest
,
and
then
they
make
their
Earnings
suit
the
Work
they
are
about
,
which
inclines
them
most
constantly
as
sure
Clyants
to
the
Court.
For
what
with
gaining
the
one
and
saving
the
other
,
they
now
and
then
adventure
a
Vote
on
the
Countrey
side
;
but
the
dread
of
Dissolution
makes
them
strait
tack
about
.
The
only
thing
we
are
obliged
to
them
for
,
is
,
that
they
do
nothing
Gratis
,
but
make
every
Tax
as
well
Chargeable
to
the
Court
,
as
burthensome
to
the
Countrey
,
and
save
no
Mans
Neck
,
but
they
break
his
Purse
.
And
yet
when
all
is
said
,
did
but
the
Country
Gentry
rightly
understand
the
interest
of
Liberty
,
let
the
Courtiers
and
Indigents
do
what
they
could
,
they
might
yet
at
last
deserve
the
Name
of
a
worthy
English
Parliament
;
Which
that
we
may
do
,
is
not
more
passionately
your
desire
,
than
it
also
is
of
,
Sir
,
Your
most
humble
Servant
.
T.
E
FINIS
.