"Whitehall, Sept. 15th.

I SHOULD have thanked you fooner for your "melancholy Letter of 26th Aug. and the good "councell you gave me in it, as my purpose was "alfo to fay fomething to you concerning my takeing the feales from the Chancellour, of " which you must needes have heard all the pasfages, fince he would not fuffer it to be done "fo privately as I intended it. The truth is, his "behaviour and humour was growne so insup

portable to my felfe, and to all the world elfe, "that I could not longer endure it, and it was "impoffible for me to live with it and do those

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things with the Parliament that must be done, "or the Government will be loft. When I have "a better opportunity for it, you shall know << many particulars that have inclined me to this "revolution, which already seems to be well " liked in the world, and to have given a real and "visible amendment to my affaires. This is an "argument too big for a letter, fo I will add but "this word to it, to affure you that your former friendship to the Chancellour shall not do you

any prejudice with me, and that I have not in "the least degree diminished that value and kind"nefs I ever had for you, weh I thought fit to fay "to you upon this occafion, because it is very poffible malicious people may fuggeft the con"trary to you.

Superfcribed "For my Lord Lieutenant."

"C. R."

The

The COMPILER has been favoured by the MARQUIS of BUCKINGHAM (a name dear to Literature and to the Arts) with the Original of the following Letter of Lord Clarendon, addreffed to the Juftices of the Peace for the County of Buckingham; which, from the excellent sense it contains, and the good advice it gives, feems particularly fuited to the fituation of affairs in these times of; alarm and danger*:

"My Lords and Gentlemen,

"His Majeftie being well affured, as well by the confeffion of fome defperate perfons lately "apprehended, as by other creditable informa"tions, that, notwithstanding all his unparal "leled lenity and mercy towards all his fubject "for their past offences, how greate foever, there "is ftill amongst them many feditious perfons, "who, inftead of being forry for the ill they "have done, are ftill contriving, by all the means

they can, to involve the Kingdom in a new "civil warre; and in order thereunto, have made "choice of a small number, who, under the title

of a Council, hold correfpondence with the forraigne enemyes to this Kingdom, and dif"tribute therein orders to fome fignal men of "their party in the feveral Counties, who have provided armes and lifted men to be ready

In the Summer of 1794.

upon

upon any fhort warning to draw together in a body, by which, with the helpe they promise "themfelves from abroad, they prefume to be "able to doe much mifchiefe; which his Majeftie hopes (with the bleffing of God upon his greate care and vigilance) to prevent, and to that purpose hath writt to his Lords Lieute"nants of the feveral Counties, that they and "their Deputy Lieutenants may doe what be

longs to them: But his Majeftie, taking notice "of greate negligence and remiffneffe in too "many Juftices of the Peace*, in the exercife of "the

86

James the Firft, who, like his grandfon Charles the Se cond, perhaps never faid a foolish thing, nor ever did a wife one, in one of his fpeeches in the Star Chamber, directs the Judges to take notice, in their feveral Circuits, of thofe Juftices of the Peace that were moft active for the good of "the Country, that they might find encouragement from "him: for" (adds Wilfon), " to make ufe of his Majefty's

own words, I value thofe that ferve me faithfully there with "thofe that attend my perfon; therefore let none be ashamed "of his office, or be difcouraged in being a Juftice of the "Peace, if he serve worthily in it. The Chancellor (con"tinued the King) under me, makes Juftices, and puts them "out; but neither he nor I can tell what they are: and there"fore the Judges must inform us, who only can tell who do "well and who do ill, without which how can the good be "cherifhed, and the bad put out? The good Juftices are careful to attend the service of the King and Country; the bad are idle flow-bellies, given to a life of eafe and delight,

"liker

"the trust committed to them, hath commanded « me, who (serving him in the province I hold) "am, in fome degree, accountable for the faults "of those who serve him not fo well as they "ought in that Commiffion, to write to the Juf"tices of the Peace of all the Counties in Eng"land, and to lett them know of all his Majeftie "expects at their hands: I do therefore choose "this time to obey his Majesty's commands, and "take the best care I can that this Letter may find you together at your Quarter Seffions, pre

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fuming that you who are present will take care "that it be communicated to those who are ab"fent, at your next monthly meetings, which it "is most neceffary you keep conftantly. I am

forry to heare that many perfons who are in the "Commiffion of the Peace neglect to be fworne, "or, being fworne, to attend at the Affizes and "Seffions, or indeed to doe any thing of the "office of a Justice. For the former fort, I defire "that you cause the Clerke of the Peace forth"with to return to mee the names of those who "are in the Commiffion and are not fworne, to "the end that I may prefent their names to the

"King,

liker ladies than men, and think it is enough to contemplate. "justice; when, as virtus in actione confiftit, contemplative "juftice is no juftice, and therefore contemplative Juftices " are fit to be put out."

WILSON'S "Life and Reign of King James."

"King, who hath already given order to his At"torney-General to proceed against them. For "the reft, I hope, upon this animadverfion from "his Majeftie, they will recollect themselves, feriously reflect upon their breach of truft to the "King and Kingdom, and how accountable they "must be for the mifchiefs and inconveniences "which fall out through their remiffness, and not

difcharging of their dutyes. I affure you the "King hath foe great a sense of the service you

doc, or can doe for him, that he frequently "fayes, hee takes himselfe to be particularly be"holding to every good Juftice of the Peace who “is cheerful and active in his place, and that if “in truth the Juftices of the Peace in their several "divifions be as careful as they ought to be in

keeping the watches, and in the other parts of "their office, the peace of the Kingdom can

hardly be interrupted within, and the hopes " and imaginations of feditious perfons would be "quickly broken, and all men would ftudy to be "quiet, and to enjoy thofe many bleffings God "hath given the Nation under his happy Govern“ ment. It would be great pity his Majefty "fhould be deceived in the expectation he hath "from you, and that there fhould not be a vir"tuous contention and emulation amongft you, "who fhall ferve foe gracious a Prince most "effectually; who fhall discover and punish, if

"he