WIthout Doubt the laſt Parliament had g • eat Matters in Agitation, and the Enquiry they made about the Penſioners of the preceeding Parliament was no ſmall one, but rather one of the chief things they had in hand; for had they been permitted to have perfected that, it had been a good Recompence for the diſappointment which the Nation ſuſtained in their other Expectations, by the ſudden Prorogation: And without all queſtion, nothing is fitter for the Thoughts of a Parliament, than to take into Conſideration how to puniſh them that had p • oved the Peſt, and had almoſt (if not altogether) ruin'd the Nation; and how to prevent the like miſchief for the future.

The Name of a Penſioner is very diſtaſtful to every Engliſh Spirit; and all thoſe who were Penſioners I think are ſufficiently deſpiſed by their Country men: And therefore I mention only two or three things that will ly at their doors; before I offer my Advice what is to be done.

Breach of Truſt is accounted the moſt infamous Thing in the World, and this theſe Men were guilty of to the higheſt degree; Robbery and ſtealing our Law puniſhes with death, and what deſerve they who Beggar and take away all that the Nation has, under the pretenſion of diſpoſing of the Peoples Money for the Honour and Good of the King and Kingdom: And if there were nothing more than this to be ſaid, without doubt they deſerve a high Cenſure.

Beſides the giving away ſuch vaſt Sums, without any colour or reaſonable pretence: There is this great miſchief will follow upon it; Every man very well knows that it has put the KING into an extraordinary way of Expence; And therefore when he has not ſuch great Supplyes. it muſt of neceſſity bring Him Into great Want and Need: And ſhall not only give Him an ill Opinion of all Parliaments that do not ſupply Him ſo extravagantly, but perhaps put Him to think of ways to get Money that otherwiſe would never have entred into His Thoughts; ſo that whatever ill may happen of this ſort, theſe Penſioners are anſwerable for it.

Furthermore, they have laid us open to all our Enemies, whoever will invade may not doubt to ſubdue us: For they have taken from us the Sinews of War, that is Money and Courage, all our Money is gone, and they have exhauſted the Treaſure of the Nation: And when People are poor, their Spirits are low, ſo that we are left without a defence, and who muſt we thank for bringing us into this deſpicable Condition, but theſe Gentlemen, who notwithſtanding this, have the Face to ſtyle themſelves His Majeſty's Friends, and all thoſe who oppoſe their practices are factious and Seditious. They have brought it to that paſs, that Debates can not be free; if a Gentleman's Tongue happen to ly a little awry In his Mouth, preſently he muſt be called to the Bar; or if that would not do, whenſoever any Gentleman that has a true Engliſh Spirit happens to ſay any thing that is bold, preſently away to tell His Majeſty of it, and often times more than the Truth: And thus they endeavoured to get an ill Opinion in His Majeſty of his beſt Subjects. And their Practice was the more abominable, becauſe their Words and Actions gave the occaſion to force thoſe ſmart Expreſſions from the Gentlemen that ſpoke them, for their honeſt hearts were fired with true Zeal to His Majeſty and Countrey▪ when they beheld the Impudence and falſeneſs of theſe Penſioners.

As for Example, We find that in or about the 10th. year of Richard 2; of England. it was endeavoured to get a Corrupt Parliament; for the Engliſh Story ſays, That the King ſeat far the Juſtices and Sheriffs; and enjoined them to do their beſt. that none ſhould be choſen Knights and Burgeſses, but ſuch as the King and his Council ſhould name; but we find it could not be effected.

The next that occurs to my thoughts, is that in the 4th year of Henry 4th. the Parliament that was called at Coventry, named the Lay-mens Parliament, for the Sheriffs were appointed that none ſhould be choſen Knights or Burgeſſes, that had any skill in the Laws of the Land.

The next that I remember, is that in Henry 4's time, in the year 1449 or 50, when the Duke of Suffolk was accuſed by the Commons, and committed to the Tower, the King diſſolved that Parliament, not far unlike our Caſe of my Lord D—, but it differs in this, that Suffolk was committed to the Tower, as of Right he ought, but we were denyed that Juſtice againſt D— only Henry made the caſe thus far even, that he ſet Suffolk at Liberty after he had diſſolved that Parliament. Soon after a Parliament was called, wherein great care was taken in chooſing of Parliament Men that ſhould favour Suffolk: But they ſo far failed of their Purpoſe. that his Appearance at the Parliament gave great diſtaſte to the Houſe of Commons; and they were ſo far incenſed, that they began the Parliament with a freſh Accuſation againſt him and others; So that you may ſee that it is not alwiſe in the power of the Court continually to corrupt the Members of Parliament.

In the time of Henry 8th, about the 20th Year of his Reign when the Parliament was active againſt Pluralitys. and Non Reſidence; There was an Act paſſed to releaſe to the the King all ſuch Sums of Money as he had Borrowed at the Loan, in the 15th year of his Reign; it's ſaid that it was much oppoſed, but the reaſon that is given why it paſſed is. 〈◊〉 the Houſe was moſtly the Kings Servants, but it gave great diſturbance to the Nation: And this is the only caſe that I can remember that comes any thing near to our Penſioners; but 〈◊〉 cannot find that they or any Parliament took Money to Votes So that we muſt conclude that there was never any Penſion ••• in Parliament till this Pack of Blades were got together.

Therefore Sir, what will you do? Shall theſe Men Eſcape, ſhall they go free with their Booty: Shall not the Nation have Vengeance on them, who had almoſt given up the Government. It was they who had perverted the ends of Parliament: Parliaments have been and are the great R • fuge of the Nation, that which cures all its Diſeaſes, and heals it Sores: But the Men had made it a Snare to the Nation, and at beſt had brought it to be an Engine to give Money; It therefore theſe go away unpuniſht, we countenance what they have done, and make way to have Penſioners in every Parliament; but for be any ſuch Thought from any Man that ſits within theſe Walls: And having ſaid this, I will in the next place humbly offer my Thoughts what is to be done.

In the firſt place I do propoſe that every man of them ſhall on their knees confeſs their fault to both Houſe, and that to be done at the Bar one by one.

Next, That as far as they are able, that they refound all the Money they have received for ſecret Service. Our Law will not allow a Thief to keep what he has got, by ſteal ••• but of courſe orders Reſtitution, and ſhall theſe proud Robbers of the Nation, nor reſtore their ill gotten Goods?

And laſtly, I do propoſe that they be Voted incapable of ſerving in Parliament for the Future, or of injoying any Office Civil or Milit • ry, and order a Bill to be brought i • to that purpoſe: For it's not fit, that they who were ſo fal •• and unjuſt in that Truſt, ſhould ever be Truſted again. The Sir is my Opinion, but if the Houſe ſhall incline to any 〈◊〉 that way, I ſhall readily comply, provided a ſufficient ma •• of Infamy be ſet on them, that the People may know w •• Bought and Sold them.