The next paragraph of our author’s is a panegyric on the Duke of Monmouth, which concerns not me, who am very far from detracting from him.  The obligations I have had to him, were those of his countenance, his favour, his good word, and his esteem; all which I have likewise had, in a greater measure, from his excellent duchess, the patroness of my poor unworthy poetry.  If I had not greater, the fault was never in their want of goodness to me, but in my own backwardness to ask, which has always, and, I believe, will ever, keep me from rising in the world.  Let this be enough, with reasonable men, to clear me from the imputation of an ungrateful man, with which my enemies have most unjustly taxed me.  If I am a mercenary scribbler, the lords commissioners of the treasury best know:  I am sure, they have found me no importunate solicitor; for I know myself, I deserved little, and, therefore, have never desired much.  I return that slander, with just disdain, on my accusers:  it is for men who have ill consciences to suspect others; I am resolved to stand or fall with the cause of my God, my king, and country; never to trouble myself for any railing aspersions, which I have not deserved; and to leave it as a portion to my children,—­that they had a father, who durst do his duty, and was neither covetous nor mercenary.

As little am I concerned at that imputation of my back-friends, that I have confessed myself to be put on to write as I do.  If they mean this play in particular, that is notoriously proved against them to be false; for the rest of my writings, my hatred of their practices and principles was cause enough to expose them as I have done, and will do more.  I do not think as they do; for, if I did, I must think treason; but I must in conscience write as I do, because I know, which is more than thinking, that I write for a lawful established government, against anarchy, innovation, and sedition:  but “these lies (as prince Harry said to Falstaff) are as gross as he that made them[25].”  More I need not say, for I am accused without witness.  I fear not any of their evidences, not even him of Salamanca; who though he has disowned his doctorship in Spain, yet there are some allow him to have taken a certain degree in Italy; a climate, they say, more proper for his masculine constitution[26].  To conclude this ridiculous accusation against me, I know but four men, in their whole party, to whom I have spoken for above this year last past; and with them neither, but casually and cursorily.  We have been acquaintance of a long standing, many years before this accursed plot divided men into several parties; I dare call them to witness, whether the most I have at any time said will amount to more than this, that “I hoped the time would come, when these names of whig and tory would cease among us; and that we might live together, as we had done formerly.”  I have, since this pamphlet, met accidentally with two of them; and I am sure, they are so far from being my