To the READER.

Most Prefaces are, (Effectually) Apologies; and neither the Book, nor the Author, one Jot the Better for them. If the Book be Good, it will not Need an Apology; If Bad, it will not Bear One: For where a man thinks, by Calling himself Noddy, in the Epistle, to Atone, for Shewing himself to be one, in the Text; He does (with Respect to the Dignity of an Author) but Bind up Two Fools in One Cover: But there's no more Trusting some People with Pen, Ink, and Paper, then the Maddest Extravagants in Bedlam, with Fire, Sword, or Poyson. He that Writes Ill, and Sees it, why does he Write on? And, with a kind of Malice Prepense, Murder the Ingenious part of Mankind? He that Really Believes he Writes Well; why does he pretend to Think Otherwise? Now take it which way you please, a man runs a Risque of his Reputation, for want, either of Skill, and Judgment, the One way; Or of Good Faith, and Candor the Other. Beside a Mighty Oversight, in Imagining to bring himself off, from an Ill Thing, Done, or Said, by Telling the World that he did it for This or That Reason. When a Book has once past the Press into the Publique; there's no more Recalling of it, then of a Word Spoken, out of the Air again. And a man may as well hope to Reverse the Decree of his Mortality, as the Fate of his Writings. In short: When the Dice are Cast, the Author must stand his Chance.

Now that I may not be thought to Enterfere with my self, by Declaiming against One Preface in Another: I do here previously Renounce to All the Little Arts and Forms of Bespeaking the Good Will of the Reader; As a Practice, not only Mean, Light, and Unprofitable; but wholly Contrary to the Bent of My Inclination; as well as Inconsistent with the very Drift, and Quality of my Design. For These Papers were Written, Indifferently, for the Enformation of the Multitude; and for the Reproof of a Faction: Two Interests that I am not much Sollicitous, or Ambitious, to Oblige: And upon This Consideration it is, that I have Address'd them to the Reader in Generall; as a Calculation that will serve for All Meridians: But if I could have Resolved upon a Dedication, with any Particular Mark, or Epithete of Distinction; it should have been, To the IGNORANT, the SEDITIOUS, or the SCHISMATICAL Reader; for There, properly, lies my Bus'ness.

The Reader will find in the First Number of This Collection, the True Intent, and Design of the Undertaking; And he will likewise find, in the very Date of it, (April 13. 1681.) the Absolute Necessity of some Such Application, to Encounter the Notorious Falshoods; the Malicious Scandals, and the Poysonous Doctrines of That Season.

Whether I had Sufficient Ground, or Reason, for the Warmth I have Exprest in These Papers, upon Several Occasions, (out of an Affectionate Sense of my Duty, and a Zeal for the Peace, Welfare, and Safety of my Country;) I Dare, and I Do Appeal to the King, and his Ministers; to the Consciences of as many of his Majesties Subjects, as are not Stark Blind because they WILL not See; and to the Justice of the Nation. I do Appeal, I say, to his Majesties Proclamations; to his Royal Declaration; Several Orders of Councel; the Examinations, and Confessions of Unquestionable Witnesses; The Solemnity of so many Tryals, Sentences, and Executions; and the Criminals, Every Man of 'em, Either Acknowledging the Crime, or Justifying the Treason: But the FACT, however made as Clear as the Day. There's the Flight of the Conspirators; Their Arms Seiz'd; Their Councels Laid Open; Men Listed; The Methods of the Confederacy Detected, to the very Time, and Place for the Perpetration of the Villany; to the very Circumstance of the Providential Fire at Newmarket, that Disappointed it. I have All These Demonstrative Proofs, and Convincing Evidences, to Warrant me in the most Violent Presumptions of a Rebellion in Agitation: And the Phanatiques Themselves made good the Worst Things that ever I said of the Party: In Vindication of the Importunity of All my Foreboding, if not Prophetical Suspicions: Nay, they were come to the very Point, and Crisis of the Operation, of That Unaccountable, and Amazing Vote. [If his Majesty shall come by Any Violent Death (which God Forbid) it shall be Reveng'd to the Utmost upon the Papists.] The King, and the Duke were to be Murder'd by Republican, and Fanatical Rebells: There's your VIOLENT DEATH. And Then, [Reuenge it upon the Papists:] For [the Thing (says Keeling) was to be laid upon the Papists as a Branch of the Popish Plot. Walcots Tryal. Fol.9.] And the Next Step was, for the Traytors to Unriddle the Mystery, and to Expound, Who were the Papists. [The Lord Mayor, and the Sheriffs] were Three of 'em. They, were to be Kill'd; And [as many of the Lieutenancy as they could get; And the Principal Ministers of State; My Lord Halifax, My Lord Rochester, and my Lord Keeper: (They were Three Papists more.) My Lord Keeper was to have been Hang'd upon the same Post that College had hung. Sir John Moor to be Hung-up in Guildhall, as a Betrayer of the Rights and Liberties of the City. And the Judges Lordships to be Flay'd, and Stuff'd, and Hung-up in Westminster Hall: And a great many of the Pensionary Parliament Hang'd-up, as Betrayers of the Rights of the People. Walcots Tryal, p. 15.] You have here, a Practical Explanation of the True-Protestant Way, (in case of the King's Violent Death) of Revenging it to the Utmost upon the Papists. And This Intended Assassination (says Ferguson (in the same Page)) [Is a Glorious Action, and such an Action as I HOPE TO SEE PUBLIQUELY GRATIFY'D BY PARLIAMENT; And Question not but you will be Fam'd for it, and Statues Erected for you, with the Title of LIBERATORES PATRIAE. Ibid.] Now when Matters were come to This Pass once, I think it was High Time to Write Observators.

I might Enlarge my self, upon the Inducements that Mov'd me to Enter upon This Province; The Needfullness of some Popular Medium for the Rectifying of Vulgar Mistakes, and for Instilling of Dutyfull, and Honest Principles into the Common People, upon That Turbulent, and Seditious Juncture: But I am not Willing to Clogg my Preface, with the Repetition of what I have spoken so Expressly to, in the Book.

I am now to Advertise the Reader, in the next Place; That as I have not Strain'd, so much as One Syllable, in the Whole Course of These Papers, beyond the Line of Truth, Nor let fall One Word, Contrary to my Conscience; Nor Layd-on so much as One False Colour, for a Blind, or a Disguise: As I have not done any Thing of All This, I say; Nor Gratify'd so much as One Passion to the Prejudice, of any MAN, or THING; or of Common Justice it Self: So neither, on the Other hand, was I less Cautious, and Considerate, in the Undertaking of This Duty, then I have been Clear, and Impartial, in the Discharge, and Manage of it.

I was no sooner Possess't, of the Reason, and the Expedience of the Thing; but I fell presently to Deliberate upon the Invidious Difficulties; The Scandals, Reproches, and a Thousand Other Mischiefs, and Inconveniencies, that would probably Attend it. I laid them All before me; And upon a Full Computation of the Matter, Pro and Con; I Resolv'd, at last, to Put pen to paper; not without some Vanity perhaps, in Affecting the Honour of being Revil'd, by the Blasphemers of God, and the King. I shall say Nothing of the Traytors; The Papists; The Fidlers; The All-manner-of-Rogues, and Debauchees that they have made me: For their Cause is Founded upon a Sacrilegious Hypocrisy; Maintain'd by Fraud, Scandal, and Imposture. And when they have a mind to Blacken a man, 'tis not a Straw matter, for any Foundation of Fact, or History: But Paint him as like the Devil as they Can; and to make short Work on't, One Fanatique Sits to Another, for the Picture. But These Scurrilities have more of Noise in 'em, then of Weight: And Those People that had the face to Calumniate Charles the First, for a TYRANT, and a PAPIST; And the Confidence, at This very day, to do as much for Charles the Second; They that Preach REBELLION out of the GOSPEL; Give it the Name of GOD'S TRUTH, GOD'S CAUSE; And offer up the Bloud of Kings as an Acceptable Sacrifice to Jesus Christ: What Christian will not Value himself, upon the Reputation of lying under the Scourge of Those Tongues, and Pens, that Offer these Outrages to their Maker, and their Saviour? So that these Clamours, and Maledictions, I look upon, as Matter, rather of Advantage, then Discredit; Where Loyalty to the King, and to the Church, is made the Crime: But yet I must Confess, I had Some Other Mortifications in my Thought, that went a little Nearer me.

As first, the Indecency of a Gentlemans Entring into a Street-Brawl, (and Bare-fac'd too) with the Sink of Mankind, both for Quality, and Wickedness. 21y. The Disproportion, and the Indecorum of the Thing, for an Old Fellow that now Writes Sixty Eight, to run about, a Masquerading, and Dialoguing of it, in Twenty Fantastical Shapes, only to furnish a Popular Entertainment, and Diversion. 31y. The Scandalous Appearance of it, for Me to take up the Profession, and Bus'ness of a Pamphleteer; And (almost) to Lose the Name of my Family, by it, in Exchange for That of the Observator. 41y. I had This Prospect before me too. What Construction would be made upon't; (If I may speak it with Modesty) even to the Lessening of my Character; And Consequently, to my Detriment, Every way, as well in Respect of Fortune, as Esteem: For men are apt, in such Cases as This, to Mistake, the Intent, as well as the Reason of the Office; and to Impute the most Sacred, and Consciencious Zeal of an Upright Heart, in the performance of the most Important, and Necessary Duty, only to a Levity of Mind, perchance; Or in Other Terms; to an Over Officious, and Pragmatical Itch of Medling: It makes a man to be lookt upon, as if a Pamphlet were his Masterpiece; and when he's once Nail'd to That Post, he may reckon upon't, that he's at the Top of his Preferment. Upon These Four Difficulties, I Reason'd with my self, after This Manner. To the First; What do I care, for having so much Dirt Thrown at me, that will Wash off again? And at the worst, the Engaging with such a Rabble of Contaminated Varlets, is no more then Leaping into the Mud to help my Father. Secondly. 'Tis not for a man in years, to do so and so. Well! And here's a Reputative Circumstance, on the One hand, against an Indispensable Duty, on the Other. The Common people are Poyson'd, and will run Stark Mad, if they be not Cur'd: Offer them Reason, without Fooling, and it will never Down with them: And give them Fooling, without Argument, they're never the Better for't. Let 'em Alone, and All's Lost. So that the Mixture is become as Necessary, as the Office; And it has been My Part, only to Season the One with the Other. Thirdly, I must Set the Conscience of the Action, against the Reproch. And Lastly; 'Tis nothing to me what Other People Think, so long as I am Conscious to my Self that I Do what I Ought.

All This I Computed upon, before-hand; And thus far, I have not been Deceiv'd in my Account. I have been Baited with Thousands upon Thousands of Libells. I have Created Enemies that do me the Honour to Hate me, perhaps, next to the King Himself (God Bless him) and the Royal Family. Their Scandals are Blown over: Their Malice, Defeated, And whenever my Hour comes, I am ready to Deliver up my Soul, with the Conscience of an Honest Man, as to what I have done, in This Particular: And I do here Declare, in the Presence of an All-Seeing, and an All-Knowing God, That as I have never yet receiv'd any Answer, more then Cavil, and Shuffling, to the Doctrine, and Reasoning of These Papers: So I never made use of Any Sophism, or Double Meaning, in Defence of the Cause that I have here taken upon me to Assert: But have dealt Plainly, and Above-Bord, without either Fallacy, or Collusion.

After This View of the Worst side of my Case; (And (in truth) a kind of Abstract of it, in Minutes) I should be Extremely wanting, both to God and Man, in not taking This Occasion, of making known to the world, the Many Generous Instances of Affection, and Respect, which I have received, not only from the most Considerable Part of his Majesties Loyal Subjects of All Qualities, and Degrees; But Particularly from the Two Famous Universities Themselves: And, in short, from the most Eminent Persons of the Long Robe, in their Several Professions: In Testimony of their Favourable Acceptance of my Honest Endeavours toward the Service, both of the Church, & the State. And This I am Obliged to leave behind me, upon Record; out of a Double Right, & Regard, as well to my Friends, as to my Self: For I reckon upon it, as an Accumulation of Honour, to Me, to be Rescu'd out of the hands of Publique Enemies, and Apostates, by Men of the Clear Contrary Character; That is to say; by Men of Unquestionable Integrity, and of Unspotted Faith.

My Back Friends are as Merry, now, as a Laugh on One side of the Mouth can Make 'em; at the Conceit of calling the several Presents which have been made me (and they are very Considerable) by the name of a Gathering; and they do not Stick to put it about, That I was my Own Sollicitor for the Begging of it. I have been Told of One, that said as much; for whose sake, I would Advise All Parents to take it for a Warning, not to Stuff their Childrens Heads so Damnably, with Greek and Latin, as to leave no Room for Brains, and Good Manners. But what if it be a Gathering? Are not All Publique Benevolences; Publique Works; Publique Acknowledgments; the same Thing? Neither do I find any more Scandal, in receiving a Reward for a Service in a Common Cause, then in a Lawyers taking a Fee, in a Private One: But be it what it will: I shall Transmit the Acknowledgment of it, with This Paper, as the Glory of my Life: And Value my self Incomparably more upon so Eminent a Mark of a General Esteem; then upon the Advantage of Ten times a Greater Sum, by Any Other way. But Gatherings, with some People, are only Honourable, when they are Apply'd to the Maintaining of Conspirators, and Affidavit-Men: And they Account Money much better Bestow'd upon the Subversion of the Government, then toward the Defending of it: But That Orange is Squeez'd as far as 'twill Drop, already.

Now to the Calumny of My Setting This Bus'ness afoot; First, I thank God, that neither my Mind, nor my Condition were ever Sunk so Low, yet, as to Descend to That way of Application. 21y, As I hope to be Sav'd, the Matter was Proceeded upon, in Several Places, and a Long Time, before ever I had the Least Inkling, or Imagination of it; And when it was so far Advanc'd, without my Privity, I must Certainly have been both a Great Fool, and a Great Clown, either to have Oppos'd, or Refus'd, a Token of so Obliging, and so Generous a Respect. To Conclude; If any man has been so Misled, as to Intend That for a Personal Charity; which I cannot Honourably Own the Receiving of, under That Notion; I am ready to Return him his Proportion, with a Thousand Acknowledgments: But This shall not Hinder me yet, from Cherishing in my Thoughts, the Remembrance of what Honour soever has been done me for the sake of the Publique.

The Reflexions that have been Pass'd upon my Quality, and Conversation, need no Further Answer, then to Appeal to my very Name, and my Acquaintance: But for the Charge of being a Papist, it is as False, as it is Malicious.

I am to say One Word more now, concerning my L. Shaftsbury; whose Name, and Title, I have often Occasion to make mention of, in This Book. The Reader is to take Notice, that it is Intended of the Late Earl of Shaftsbury, who Dy'd at Amsterdam, Jan. 168-2/3. The Surviving Heir of That Honour, and Family, having ever Demean'd himself with a Remarkable Loyalty, and Respect, toward the King, and his Government.

Numb. 1.