BENEFITS and ADVANTAGES

Gain'd by the late

Septennial PARLIAMENT,

Set in a Clear LIGHT,

BY THEIR

Aus and Deeds.

With a LIST of the

Naturaliz'd foreigners:

AND

REASONS for Repealing the Septennial
A CT, and reinforcing TRIENNIAL
PARLIAMENTS.

By a Member of the late Parliament,

LONDON:

Printed for A. Moore near St. Paul's, and fold
by the Bookfellers. (Price Six-pence.)

THE

BENEFITS

AND

ADVANTAGES

OF THE

Last PARLIAMENT, &c.

A

S the Tree is known by its Fruit, fo are Men by their Works, which let us into the Knowledge of what Good

or Evil they have done in their refpective Stations. Both of these ought to be handed down to Pofterity, for the Advantage of those that come after Us: The firft by way of Precept and Example, to perfuade and invite to its adorable Imitation; and the laft by way of Dehortation and Diflike, that fucceeding Generations may have in abhorrence, and avoid the Mischiefs that have been done, or intended to be done to them, by their worthless Predeceffors: Which of thefe twoTasks is made choice of by me, the Reader will eafily judge, by a curfory Glance at the Title of this little Pamphlet; wherein it is defigned to prefer Matters А

of

of Fact before thofe of Speculation and Conjecture. Let it fuffice then, that the Relations I am now fubmitting to the Perufal of the Publick, are fuch as will abide the Touchstone of Truth; and that whatsoever Partiality may be imputed to me, through the blind Obftinacy of Men, who will neither lend a favourable Ear nor Eye to what is difagreeable to their refpective Interefts, I fhall lean towards no other Byafs, than what fhall guide and direct me to. thofe laudable Paths, wherein all, that have at Heart the Welfare of our moft Excellent Conftitution in Church and State, find themselves obliged to tread. I have been both an Ear and an Eye-witness of what has been transacted by one Part of the Legiflative Body of the Nation more than Twenty One Years; and though I am firmly refolved to retreat, in my own Perfon, from all publick Business, through the Infirmities of a crazy Conftitution, and an advanced Age, hold myself obliged to do what in me lies towards the Reprefentation of the Third Eftate of this Realm (whereof I fhall ftill glory in being a Member) by Gentlemen, that will poftpone their own to the publick Interest.

In order to this, it will not be improper to review (after as fuccinct a manner as the Nature of this Undertaking will allow) the Steps and Methods that were taken and made ufe of by the Parliament preceding this, that is now under Election; and from thence to infer, how much it will tend to our common Safety, and the Prefervation of our Religious Rights and Civil Liberties, if we fhall delegate the Power the Laws have invefted the Commons of Great Britain with, to those who were intrufted with it before; or if it fhall be more conducive to

the

!

the Honour, Eafe, and Tranquillity of the Nation, to chufe new Deputies, who, as Guardians of the Peoples Properties and Immunities, will redress their Grievances, and prevent any Encroachments on their Rights and Liberties.

Nor can any thing be more adapted to Enquiries of fuch a Nature, or confift better with a right Information, whereby we may be led into a true Knowledge of the Merits of our late Representatives, than the abovementioned Retrofpection, which shall be carried on by me with all the Candour and Impartiality that is needful to be made ufe on fuch an Emergency. I fhall therefore look back no further than his Prefent Majesty's Proclamation for calling this laft Parliament, which he was moft graciously pleased to iffue out, before their Predeceffors, chofen by the late Queen, of Glorious Memory, who had fettled the Revenue, had ended their Seffions; and give the very words of it at length, that the Reader may judge, after he has feen the Result of their Confultations, in the Titles of the Acts that are in force thereby, how dutifully the faid worthy Members have come up to the Tenour of it, which runs thus.

'A PROCLAMATION for Calling a New Parliament.

GEORGE R.

Τ

3

T having pleafed Almighty God, by moft remarkable Steps of his Providence, to bring Us in Safety to the Crown of this Kingdom, notwithstanding the Designs of evil Men, who fhewed themselves difaffected to our Succeffion; and who have, fince, with the utmost Degree of Malice, misrepresented A 2

our