My present Relation refers more especially to the Affair of the Election of those representing n.o.bles, which, as before, the Northern Part of the Island, by a late Treaty of Coalition, were obliged to send up as often as the Soveraign of the Country thought fit to Summon her Hereditary Council to meet, which Summons was generally once in Three Years.
To let you into the Nature of the unhappy Strife which is the Subject of my present Relation, it may be necessary to descend to a Historical Relation of some Facts for a few Years past, and to give the Characters of some Persons who have the princ.i.p.al Conduct in the present Affairs.
There had been a Contention in the last Election in the same Place, (we shall go no further back) of something of the like Nature with this; wherein the same Heat was unhappily breaking out against the Friends and Favourites of the great Queen of the Island, as had now come to a full height; it is too true, That the Factions which then agitated the n.o.bility being between the Court-Party then so called, and a flying Squadron of n.o.blemen, who were of the same general Denomination with themselves, that Breach tended so much to the dividing their Interest, that they could never effectually joyn it again, they made that Seperation of Affection then which they could never unite, let in those Enemies then which they could never get removed again, brought those Charges and Accusations against one another then which their Enemies have since made use off, and which they cannot now deny but are fatal to them.
The Parties are so naturally resembling our unhappy Divisions in _Britain_, have been so exactly pursued by our Methods, are so properly adapted to Persons as well as Things, so alike in Temper, Manners, Management and Design, to our Parties, of _Tory_, _Whig_, _High Church_, _Low Church_, _Old Whig_, _New Whig_, _High Flyer_, _Dissenter_, _Jacobite_, _Court_, _Country_, _Revolution_, _Union_, and the like. That to give the more lively Representation of them to your Minds, and to avoid the barbarous Words used in the Country, where the Language is altogether unknown to us, and unlike ours, I shall even call them by the same Names, giving a brief Description as I go on, and always desiring you to add a Subintelligitur for the word _Atalantick_ to them all; as the _Atalantick Whigs_, _Atalantick Tories_, _Atalantick High Church_, and so of all the rest: And whenever you meet with the Names or Distinctions of _Whig_, _Tory_, _High Church_, _Low Church_, _&c._ in this Discourse, the Author provides against any other Suggestion or Meaning, than that of the _Whigs_, _Tories_, _High Church_, _Low Church_, _Old Whig_, _New Whig_, _High Flyers_, _Dissenters_, _Jacobites_, _&c._ who are Inhabitants of the famous Island of _Atalantis Major_, situate beyond the North Cape, between the Degrees of 42 and 80 of Northern Lat.i.tude, as you sail from _China_ into _Europe_, by the Streights of _Na.s.sau_, the Island of _Nova Zembla_, (if it be an Island) and the like, being what we call the North-East Pa.s.sages: And you cannot blame me for being thus Particular in this early Protestation, if you consider how ready the Men of this Age are to Censure, Condemn and Reproach, the Meaning of Authors, whether they themseves have any meaning or no. If any Man shall presume to say, there is no such Place, I may as readily answer their Presumption, by another less Criminal, _viz._ That they never have past that Way to _China_, and consequently cannot demonstrate the Truth of what they say.
Having thus premised what I think necessary, to fence this Work against the Malice of the Times, I am next to tell you, That I shall confine this Part of my Account to the Transactions of the Northern Part of this great Island, and therein to what happened in this Case of the Election of their n.o.ble Councellors only; yet I must Hint a little at what had been transacting in the Southern Parts of the Island; and this is absolutely necessary, in order to make the other Accounts intelligible.
In order to this, you are to understand, That the Southern Part of the Island was the most remarkable of any, as to the Policy of their Government, and the Character of the People; and excepting _Englishmen_ and _Polanders_, there is not such another Nation in the World: Here they reckoned about Fifty three several Sects, Divisions, and espoused Opinions in Religion, upon most of the Heads whereof the People actually seperated from one another; such as, (1.) _Churchmen_, and among them _High Church_, _Low Church_, _Non Jurors_, _Prelatists_, _Socinians_, _Arians_, _Arminians_, _Deists_, _Atheists_, _Immoralists_, _Flyers_, _Soul-Sleepers_, _Prophets_, _&c._ (2.) _Presbyterians_, and under that head all kind of Dissenters, _Cameronians_, _Independants_, _Anabaptists_, _Baptists_, _Seventh-Day-Men_, _Sabatarians_, _Donatists_, _Gnosticks_, _Antiprelatists_, _Muggletonians_, and various undistinguishable _Quakers_ both wet and dry, _Sweet Singers_, _Family of Love_, _Christian Jews_, _Jewish Christians_, and the like. In the State, the Divisions were no less Fatal, or the variety greater in Proportion, these we may, as I said before, call by the Names which the like Factions are distinguish"d by here; such as _Tory_, _Whig_, _Low Church_, _Hot_ _Whig_, _Old Whig_, _Modern Whig_, _High Flyer_, _High Church_, _High Tory_, a _Gillicranky_, a _Tantivy_, _Tackers_, _Non Jurors_, _a.s.sa.s.sinators_, _Junto"s_, _Squadroni_, _Court_, _Country_, _Revolutionists_, _Non Resisters_, _Pa.s.sive Obedience Men_, and the like.
You may understand, that the Queen of the Island had thought fit to change Hands in the Administration just before I came there, and tho"
it was given out that the change would not be from what we call here a Whig to a Tory Ministry, in effect it past for no other, especially for that the Whigs were generally laid by in every publick Matter, and the Tories, or at least such as had appear"d with them were all taken in.
Among the Persons turn"d out of Employ, or very much envy"d in it, we find two great Personages, Men of the greatest Eminency in their Station that the Age had produc"d in that Island, their Country had no Error to find in their Conduct except it were that it was so much in debt to their Services, that they could not be capable of rewarding it, therefore like the corrupted Nature of the whole Race of Man, they hate the Men, as a late Author says, because they hate to be in debt beyond the Power of Payment.
One of these presided over the Treasure, the other over the Army, and except what may have happen"d since those days, their very Enemies had not been able to a.s.sign any Reason from their own Behaviour, why they dismist them. Of these more in the Process of the Story.
For the present it shall suffice to tell you, without other Preamble, both these were by the Artifice of their Enemies, dispossess"d of the Queen of the Island"s Favour, and that with them fell the Juncto"s and Squadrons of their Friends in most Part of the Southern _Atalantis_.
In the North Part of the Island the Divisions of the Court had not extended so far, at least they had not been push"d so vigorously, the great Officers kept their Posts, whether Civil or Military, not the least Alteration was made, except of a few inferiour Officers, and those but casually; all seem"d to stand at a Stay till the Election of the n.o.ble Councellors aforesaid, and till the sitting of the great Council, as above.
There were some of the n.o.bility of these Northern Parts that had very much the Favour of their Prince, and by whom she had always been directed in those things that related to that Part of Her Dominions, These were,
1. The Duke _de Sanquarius_, a Northern Prince of great Reputation who had the princ.i.p.al Trust in the Management of the late Coalition, which, as is noted already, had formerly been made between this Northern Part of the Island and the Southern. This Prince was a Person of great Prudence and Policy, perfect Master of the Interest, Temper and Const.i.tution of the Country and People; great and as a Master of his own Pa.s.sions, that had an Insight into Persons as well as things, and was, without Dispute, the best qualify"d to manage that uneasy People, of any Man in that Part of the Island: He had a leading Interest among them, and us"d it with such Temper and such Clearness of Judgment, as seldom failed to bring to pa.s.s whatever he undertook. He was Viceroy in the great Meeting of the States of that Country, several times; in which he behav"d to the Satisfaction of his Sovereign and the general Good, even to the Confession of his Enemies, after the separate Government of that Part of the Island ceas"d he was receiv"d very graciously by the Queen, and made princ.i.p.al Secretary of State.
2. The Earl of _Stairdale_ was another, a n.o.bleman of extraordinary Merit, distinguish"d for a thousand good Qualities; affable, generous, exceeding curteous, steddy in a sound Principle, wise above his Age, brave above his Neighbours. His Family had been famous for the Gown, he was like to make it more so by the Sword: He had at this time a very honourable Command in the Armies of _Atalantis Major_, and being the same thing as we call a Lieutenant General, was employed against the _Tartarians_.
3. The Earl of _Crawlinfordsay_ a n.o.bleman of a most ancient Race, being the first of his Degree in the whole _Atalantis Major_, an honest, bold, gallant Person; he had so much Goodness in his Temper, Courage in his Heart, and Honesty in his Face, that made all Men love him; he was true to his Sovereign, and tho" his Fortunes too depended upon the _Court_, being Captain of the Queen"s Guards, yet so true to his Honour, that he scorn"d to sacrifice his Principle to his Interest; had too much Courage to be bully"d, and too much Honesty to be brib"d; too much Wit to be wheedl"d and too much Warmth to forbear telling it in the Teeth of those that try"d all those ways to bring him into their Party.
4. The Prince of _Greeniccio_ of the ancient Blood of _Agyllius_. This was a young n.o.bleman of great Hopes, and from whom great things were expected, an account of the very Race he was descended from. Had he inherited the Principles of his Family as he did the Honour and Estate, he must have been the Head of that very Party he now acted against, being the same for whose Cause two of his greatest Ancestors at least had both ventured and lost their Lives, but Grace not going by Generation, nor Vertue by Inheritance any more in that Country than in ours. He neither own"d their Cause or imitated their Vertue, but gave himself up first to all Manner of Vice, and then with his Morals abandoned his Principles, flew in the Face of his Grandfathers injured _Grave_, join"d with his Murtherers, and the abhorr"d Betrayers of his Country, and plac"d himself at the Head of that very Party who had trampled on the Blood of his Family as well as Nation. He was in Temper brave but rash, had more Courage than Generosity, more Pa.s.sion than Prudence, and more Regard to his Resentment than to his Honour; he was proud without Merit, ambitious without Prospect, revengeful without Injury; he would resent without Affront, and quarrel without Cause, would embroil himself without Reason, and come out of it without Honour: His Courage was rather in his Blood than in his Head, and as his Actions run often before his Thoughts, so his Thoughts often run before his Reason; yet he was pushing and that supply"d very much his Want of Policy; but he discover"d the Errors of his Judgment by the Warmth of his Behaviour in every thing he did he sought no Disguise, every Man knew him better than himself, and he never could be in a Plot because he conceal"d nothing.
He was a General in the Armys of _Atalantis Major_ and excepting the chief Command of an Army, was very well fitted for the Field: He had behav"d himself very well on several Occasions against the _Tartarians_, and unless his ill Fate should place him above being commanded, he might in time be a great Man; at present, having all the Fire of a General without the Flegm, his great Misfortune and the only Thing that can ruin him is, That he thinks himself qualifyed to Command, and cannot bear the l.u.s.tre of their Merit that excel him.
5. The E. of _Marereskine_: This was a n.o.bleman whose Character is not so easy to describe; he appear"d in the Service of the Queen of the Island, but was suspected to lean to the _Tartars_, whose Interest he was known formerly to espouse; He was proud, peevish, subtle and diligent, affected more the Statesman than the Soldier, and therefore aim"d at the Place the Duke _de Sanquharius_ enjoy"d of Secretary of State, but had not yet had his Ambition gratifyed.
You are to note also that the Queen of the Island had for several Years committed the Administration of her Affairs to two extraordinary Persons, Natives of the South Parts of the Island. The Prince _de Heymuthius_ and the E. of _Dolphinus_, their Characters may be confin"d to this: In short, the first commanded all the Armies of _Atalantis Major_, and was Captain General and Commander in Chief; the other, High Keeper of the Treasury of the Island, the greatest General and the greatest Minister of State the Island ever knew, who had raised the Glory of their Mistress, and the Honour of their Country, to the greatest Pitch the Age has ever seen; whose Merit I can no more describe than the Nation can requite.
Tho" these Characters seem to take up too much room in this Tract, yet it could not be avoided, it being impossible to let you into a true Notion of the Farce that was acted afterwards if the Actors had not been thus described.
_Greeniccio_ was a Peer of the whole Island, and therefore had no Vote in the Northern Election, being one of the Hereditary Council aforesaid; but taking upon him the absolute Direction of the Affair, tho" he had really, as above, nothing to do with it, he rendred himself at the City Reeky, the Capital of that Part of the Kingdom a few Days before the Election.
_Marereskine_, who had really a Voice in the Election, was there before him, and had busily embark"d _Bellcampo_, Lord of the Isles, and Brother to _Greeniccio_, to make Parties, and prepare Parties, sollicite Votes, get Proxies, and the like, about the Countries.
This _Bellcampo_, Lord of the Isles, was an insinuating self-interested Man, had little Fortune of his own, but resolved to raise himself which side soever got upmost: He run with every Stream, kept fair with every Side, spoke smoothly to all, meant Service to none, his dear Self excepted. By this means he got up from one Step to another to some good Employments, which his Interest and Diligence procured for him rather than his Sincerity; for he was first made a Peer on the Side he now acted against, and now a Judge acting against the Side made him a Peer, and the like.
These were the Instruments of the Fate of North _Atalantis_; _Marereskine_ acted one Part, _Greeniccio_ another: And here it is, as I said before, that the differing Parties, appeared so like our _Whig_ and _Tory_, _Episcopal_ and _Presbyterian_, that I cannot better describe them to you than by the same Names, only with this Difference, That all the _Tories_ and _Episcopal_ People in North _Atalantis_ were _Tartarians_ profestly, and boldly owned themselves for the _Tartarian_ Emperor.
And now the two last mentioned Engines, having acted covertly for some time, which they had the better opportunity to do, because they had both appeared among the other Party, _which now I"ll call Whigs_; before, the first of these carried it stiff and forward when he talked with the great Officers, or such Lords as had some Dependance upon the Court: He told them of what the Queen expected from them, what was their Duty to do, that they would find it their Interest to do so and so, that they might consider in Time what they had to do, and the like: When he talk"d with any of the _Whig_ Lords, for there was a Squadron of them left, that had a great sway yet in the Country, then he would talk of him, and Party and Queen, as one Knot, in the plural Number, most haughtily, thus: We are resolved to do so and so, and we must have none but such or such.
The _Lord of the Isles_, at the same time acted his usual Flattery on both Sides, insinuating to the _Whigs_, that they were in No Danger; that there was not the least Design against them or their Liberties; that the Queen was resolved to change Hands, but would not change Principles; that their Church should not be touched, that their Priviledges should not in the least be infringed, and that they need not fear. One time, this Politick Peer, as he would be thought, was very handsomely met with, the Story is this, whether designedly or no it matters not. He was one Day in Company with some of the North _Atalantis_ Ministers, for there just as here, they have one Church established in the North, and another in the South of the Island; He used all his Art in persuading the Ministers that they should be easie, that they should fear nothing, that there was no Design to give them the least Disturbance; that this was a Politick Turn, not a Religious, and that they should do well to be satisfied, and to satisfie their People that they were in no Danger, and should fear nothing. One of the Ministers, who had heard him very patiently, but saw easily through all his cunning; returns, Thus my Lord, shall I tell your Lordship a Story, and then he goes on with it. We had in former times, one _John_ ---- who had the Honour to be his Majesty"s Hangman in this City. This good Man had a most gentle easie Way of executing his Office; for when the poor People came into his Hands, and were to Die by his Operations, as many honest Men did in those cruel Days, (this by the way was home to his Lordship, for that this very _John_ cut off his Lordships Grandfather"s Head) all the while he was a fitting Things for the Execution of his Office, he would smile upon them, talk kindly to them, bid them not be afraid, Come, come, fear nothing, trust G.o.d, and the like: Then bringing them to the foot of the Ladder, he would still say, Be not afraid, come, come, fear nothing, step up one step, do not fear, trust in G.o.d, and so to another step and another; and just thus he carried "em on, till at last, with the very Words in his Mouth, Fear nothing, he turn"d them off.
The honest Minister made no Application of the Story, much less took Notice, how his Lordship"s own Grandfather not only fell by the same Hangman, but by the same Party that he then espoused: But he had too much Sense, and was too closely touch"d with the Story, not to make the Application himself; so he left the Ministers, giving no Reply at all to the Story.
This Story grew so popular, especially being printed by the Reviewer of that Country, that the Lord of the Isles could make nothing of his Design whenever he talk"d of the good Design of the Party; he was only laugh"d at, and bid remember his Grandfathers Hangman; so he became useless.
The Prince _Greeniccio_ and the Earl of _Marereskine_ then took upon them the Manegement of the whole Affair. They took publick Apartments in the Town, kept an affected State, called themselves the Queen"s Managers, and had a Court as great as if they had been really so; they received the Visits of the n.o.bility with an Air of Majesty, and affected Gravity; and under this a.s.sumed Authority they took upon them to Closet the n.o.blemen when they came to pay their Respects to them; not to ask who they would give their Votes for, or to sollicit them to Vote for this or that, but in a Style haughty and insolent, especially to the Men of the greatest Character and Merit.
_Greeniccio_ had several Ruffles with some of the n.o.bility, of which it may not be amiss to give some Account, because it may be for the Advantage of our n.o.bility to know, how Persons of like Quality in that Country can submit to be treated.
_Bradalbino_, a n.o.bleman of great Age and Authority in that Island, expected to be One of the Sixteen, and was told he was in the List; when he comes to Discourse with the Prince _de Greeniccio_, he tells him, Very plainly, That he thought it would be much for the Publick Good to put in Two or Three Lords, such as _Leslynus_, and one of the Family of _Boiilio_, being Men he thought could not properly be left out, and that if they were in, he would come into all the rest: The Prince, in a kind of Pa.s.sion swore, By G--d, not of them; and but for naming them, laid aside _Bradalbino_ himself.
Another Lord being an Officer in the Army, having the Court List proposed to him, answered, My Lord you kno" _Leslynus_ is my General and Commander in Chief, and he could not as he commanded under him but Vote for his General, _&c._ _Greeniccio_ in a fury returns, G.o.d d----n your General, what do you tell us of Commander in Chief? If that be all, we shall soon get you another Commander in Chief; you shall Vote for none such as he.
Another Lord expostulated with him a little to admit such and such with the Men he proposed; he answers, My Lord, I am no Hypocrite, I am above-board; this is the List we will have; the Q....n approves of it, and I will have no other; and swearing again, By-G--d, says he, "Tis indifferent to me, keep out but the Men we are against; but I will have no _Go....phin_ Men, no _Ma....bro"_ Men, no Squadron Men, in short, no _Whigs_ of any Denomination; as for the rest, it is indifferent, any but them. How, my Lord, says this n.o.bleman, What will you take _Tartarians_, (that is, as our _Jacobites_) rather than the honest Gentlemen that have been so true to the _Atalantic_ Interest: I care not what they are, says the Prince, so they be none of these.
Among the n.o.blemen that he used with the most rudeness, was the Earl of _Crawlindford_: Whether he thought to Insult this faithful n.o.bleman, because he knew his Fortunes were low, and that he depended on the Court; or whether he took this Advantage to use him Ill on Account of an old Ruffle, in which he having challenged the Earl to Fight; and the Earl appearing ready to defend his Honour with his Sword; the Prince ashamed of the needless Quarrel, had declin"d it again, and came off but, so, so; choosing to risk his Honour rather than his Life; what was the Reason, Authors do not agree about; But the Prince used him most scandalously. The Earl prest him hard, and told him, How he had on all Occasions shewn himself faithful to the Queen, and to the _Atalantic_ Interest, that he had gone into all such Measures as were for the Service of both, that he thought he had some Claim to be trusted in the Service of his Country.
The Prince told him plainly, He might set his Heart at rest, for he should not be one. He ask"d him, What Reason was a.s.signed, what Objections were against him. The Prince, with much more Plainness than Prudence replies, They knew he was under Obligations to the President of the Treasure, and the great Commander of the Army; and he did not know but they might come to bring a Charge or Impeachment against them in the great _Atalantic_ Council; and he would have no Body chosen but such as would give their Words they would come into such Measures. The Earl told him, If any thing could be offered to prove them Guilty, or any Crimes were made appear, he scorned to be so much obliged to any Man as not to dare to do Justice; and that he would readily join in an Impeachment, if there was Reason sufficient to Charge them; and to refuse him otherwise, implied, they wanted Crime and just Ground to form the Impeachment upon, and therefore must choose such a Set of Men as would Impeach innocent Men blindfold, to please a Party. The Prince told him, That the Resolution was to Impeach them, and he would have none chosen that would not agree to it. What, right or wrong, my Lord!
says the Earl; to which the Prince, not suddenly replying, the Earl went on, Let what will come of it, and tho" I should lose all, nay, tho" I were to beg my Bread, I"ll never submit to such base Terms, and so defied him. The Prince told him, It should be the worse for him; and there they parted.
There was a short Dispute between the Prince and the Earl of _Stairdale_; but the Earl had so much more Honesty than the Party, and so much more Sense and Wit than the Prince, that indeed he cared not much to talk to him, but left him to _Mareskine_. He was too hard for them both, and having baffled them in Discourse, he was no more to be Bullied by them, than he was to be Wheedled; he told "em plainly, They were betraying their Country, selling and sacrificing the Priviledges of the n.o.bility, making themselves Tools to a Party, and giving themselves up in a base Manner to the Pleasure of a few Men, who, when they had got their Will would contemn them, would love the Folly, but P....s upon the Fools; and as to their List, he scorn"d to come into it, or into any of their menacing Measures. This put a short end to their Attempts upon him; and indeed, had the other Lords been advised by this gallant Gentleman, they had broke all their Schemes; but they were not all united in their Resolutions, or equally determined in their Measures.
Thus they went on, _Mareskine_ mannag"d the most mildly; yet he told the n.o.bility of his Acquaintance: That the List was determined, that the Q....n expected they should Vote them all: that they would have no Mixtures: that her Majesty would have nothing to do with the _Whig_ Lords, but there was other Work to do now than usual: Discoursing with some of the Lords, who were G----als in the Army, he told them plainly, They had resolved to Impeach the great Commander; and that it could not be expected, those who had Commands under him, and were Awed by him, should do Justice in that Case. They had often the Question put to them, What it was the great Commander, or the Keeper of the Treasure, had done, that they were to be Impeach"d for: But they could never be brought to offer the least tollerable Reason, except that the Prince _Greeniccio_ let fall in his Pa.s.sion sometimes, of which he had no manner of Government, That he had used him ill abroad.
Some, who had more nicely enquired into the Particulars of the ill Usage which was the Cause of this Resentment, have given the oddest contradicting Accounts of it that any History can Parallel: As first, That the great Commander had restrained the rashness of this young Hotspur General, who being but a Boy in Experience, compared to the Commander, was always for pushing into the Heart of _Tartary_ with the Army; not considering, That to run up a Hundred Mile into the Country, and leave the Enemies Towns untaken, and their Armies in a Condition to Recruit, cut off their Convoys and Communication, and make their Subsistence impracticable, was the ready way to destroy them, as has been seen by a woful Example in _Spain_. But the General was wiser, and regarded more the Safety of the Army, and the Honour of his Mistress; and therefore, by the unanimous Approbation of all the allied Generals, (for it was not his own single Opinion) and according to the just Rules of War, went on gradually to take their fortified Towns, and ruin their Defences on the Frontiers, that at last, he might have a sure and easie Conquest of the rest: This was one Pretence. The second was just the Reverse of this: For at a great Battle with the _Tartarians_, the Commander having resolved to attack the Enemy in their advantageous Camp, and having drawn up in Battalia his whole Army, he gives the Post of Honour to the Prince, appointing him, with a select Body of the best Troops in the Army, to fall on upon the Right, and Charge the Enemy, while other Generals did the like, and with equal Hazard and more real Danger, on the Left. There was not a Gentleman in the Enemies Army but would have taken this as the greatest Testimony of his General"s Esteem, and would have thought any Man in the Army his mortal Enemy that should have gone about to have deprived him of it. Nor was there any Man in the _Attalantick_ Army, who did not take it as an Evidence of the great Opinion the Commander had of the Prince"s Courage; and all the World talked of it as the greatest Honour could possibly be done the Prince.
Had not the Commander taken all needful Care to have him well back"d, had he not given him the best Troops in the Army to act under him, had he not plac"d a great Body of Horse to support him, had he not equally prest the Enemy in other Places, to prevent their doubling their Strength in that Part; had he done any Thing but what a Man of Honour would have thought himself obliged by, there might have been some Reason to Object: But to call giving a General a Post of Honour sacrificing him, because it was attended with Danger, is referr"d to the Determination of the Soldierly Part of Mankind. And as it would be laught at in _Tartary_, in _France_, and in _Britain_, where such Things are very seldom heard of; so I can a.s.sure the Reader, it was sufficiently laugh"d at in _Attalantis Major_, and the Prince of _Greeniccio_ is become most intollerably ridiculous by the taking Notice of it.
Hence all Men in the Island of _Atalantick Major_ conclude, he has Rashness without Courage, Fury without Honour, Pa.s.sion without Judgment, and less regard to his Character than to his Resentment.
Nor has the Vanity of this Prince appeared less in his not sticking openly to discover, That he aims at the Command in general; that he thinks himself equally qualified for a Post of so great Trust, and that regard is not had to his Merit that he is so long suffered to Serve under another; at the same time not enquiring, whether the Allies of the Queen would have equal Confidence in him, as in the great Commander, on whose Judgment, all the Princes and States of the North have so much Dependance, to whom they have so chearfully committed their Troops, and under whose Conduct they have had such wonderful Success against the _Tartarian_ Emperor: But it never was this Prince"s Talent to think too much, his Heat was always too volatile, and his Head too light for his Hands.
We have brought him now to the Conclusion of the Affair: Having gone through his Catechizing of the n.o.bility, in which indeed they of his own Party appeared of a Temper patient and debased, below the true Spirit of n.o.blemen; (at least, G.o.d be praised, below the ancient Temper and Gallantry of the n.o.bility of _Great Britain_) Having come now to the Day for the Choice, which was the 10th Day of their Sixth Month, but as I suppose _November_: There appeared at the Place 33 n.o.blemen, besides the 16 which were chosen, and who every one Voted for themselves and for one another; so that of about 130 n.o.blemen, which they say are in the North Part of _Attalantis Major_, only 49 appeared.
There was a great Meeting of the honest Part of the n.o.bility, at another Place, to consult what was proper to be done in this new-fashion"d Way of Proceeding: Some proposed to go down in a Body to the Place where the rest were met, and protest against the Illegality of the Choice; that to impose a List upon the n.o.bility was not agreeable to the Nature of a free Choice; and that therefore they should protest, That whoever were returned by Virtue of that Meeting, were not legally Chosen, and had no right to Sit in the great Council of the n.o.bility.
This was sound Advice: But unhappily it was not resolved upon; and some they say slipt out of the Meeting for fear of Resentment, and went down and voted, and came up again _incognito_.
The rest resolved to send Two of their Number down to the Meeting, and offer their Service to Vote with them, provided they would declare their Measures: and that those that might be chosen would declare themselves for the true _Atalantick_ Succession, against a pretending Claimant, who was then sheltred among the _Tartarians_: But they could receive no Satisfaction even to this so reasonable Request. But the Prince of _Greeniccio_, who had no right to Vote himself, yet run up and down, as a Broker, or a Party-Sollicitor, whispering and prompting, from one to another, to Influence and Settle them, (for some began to waver.) This Prince, I say, giving an answer, insolent and haughty, _like himself_. The n.o.ble Persons that went, came away, and contented themselves, with telling them, they would having nothing to do with them. Thus, being but a Rump of the n.o.bility, they gave up their Liberties, Voted as they were commanded to do, signed a Roll of Names, and this they called a Choice.
The Number of the dissenting n.o.bility were about Twenty six, whereof Five did at last comply with their List, as they thought, being in publick Commands, supposing it might give a Handle to their Enemies, to misrepresent them to their Soveraign; but they nevertheless, upon all Occasions, testified their Dislike and Abhorrence of the Method, and of the Conduct of those concern"d in it.
Among those said Dissenters, were Two Dukes, One Marquis, Sixteen Earls, and Six Lords, besides many others, who were Absent.
We might be large in describing, and giving Characters of these dissenting n.o.bility. Among them we could not escape the Prince _de Rosymonte_, a Person, for Blood and Birth, eminent in that Country, more for his own excellent and inimitable Virtues, Grave, Sober, Judicious, even from his Youth, of whom one of the _Atalantick_ Poets gave this bright Character.
_Grave without Age, without Experience wise._