Page:Trenchard Tracts 074-124.djvu/17

 great advantages of us, and burnt our Fleet at Chatham. At lat he made as dihonourable a Peace with them, as he had done a War; perpetual reproach to our Country, that our Reputation at Sea hould be unk to o low an ebb as to be baffled by that Nation, who but a few Years before had ent a blank Paper to the Parliament, to precribe to them what Laws they pleaed. During this War the City of London was fired, not without violent upicions that the Fireballs were prepared at Whitehall. Soon after this he entred into the Triple Alliance to oppoe the growing greatnes of France, and received a great Sum from the Parliament to maintain it, which he made ue of to break the ame League; ent Mr. Coventry to Sweden to diolve it; and entred into a trict Alliance with France, which was ealed with his Siter's Blood. In Conjunction with them he made a new War upon Holland, to extirpate Liberty, and the Protetant Religion; but knowing the Parliament were avere to the War, and would not upport him in it, he attempted before any War declared to eize their Smyrna Fleet, hut up the Exchequer, and became o mean as to be a Penioner to France, from whence his Predeceors with Swords in their Hands had o often exacted Tribute. He not only uffered, but aited them to arrive at that pitch of Greatnes, which all Europe ince hath ufficiently felt and lamented. He ent over ten thouand Men to ait in ubduing Flanders and Germany, by whoe help they did everal coniderable Actions. He ent them Timber, Seamen, Ship Carpenters, and Models, contrary to the Policy of all Nations; which raied their Naval Force to a degree almost equal to our own: And for their exercie, he uffered them to take multitudes of Englih Ships by their Privateers, without o much as demanding atifaction.

During this War he iued out a Declaration upending the Penal Laws, which appears to be deigned in favour of the Papits, by his directing a Bill afterwards to be tolen away out of the Houe of Lords, for indulging Protetant Dienters, whom he perecuted violently most of his Reign, while he both countenanced and preferred Papits, broke the Act of Settlement in Ireland, retored them to their Etates, iued forth a Proclamation