Page:The Works of the Rev. Jonathan Swift, Volume 5.djvu/306

298 of armies, and plundering every where like French dragoons. The rump assembly grew despicable to those who had raised them: the city of London, exhausted by almost twenty years contributing to their own ruin, declared against them. The rump, after many deaths and resurrections, was, in the most contemptuous manner, kicked out, and burnt in effigy. The excluded members were let in; a free parliament called, in as legal a manner as the times would allow; and the king restored.

The second claim of presbyterian merit, is founded upon their services against the dangerous designs of king James the second, while that prince was using all his endeavours to introduce popery, which he openly professed upon his coming to the crown: to this, they add their eminent services at the revolution, under the prince of Orange.

Now the quantum of presbyterian merit during the four years reign of that weak, bigotted, and ill-advised prince, as well as at the time of the revolution, will easily he computed, by a recourse to a great number of histories, pamphlets, and publick papers, printed in those times, and some afterward; beside the verbal testimonies of many persons yet alive, who are old enough to have known and observed the dissenters conduct in that critical period.

It is agreed, that upon king Charles the second's death, soon after his successor had publickly owned himself a Roman catholick, he began with his first caresses to the church party; from whom having received very cold discouraging answers, he applied to the presbyterian leaders and teachers; being advised by his priests and popish courtiers, that the safest method