An Answer to a Paper concerning Mr.
De Foe,
against his History of the UNION.
SIR,
I Herewith send you a Paper full of scurrilous Reflections, upon Mr.
De Foe
and upon his Work, called,
The History of the Ʋ nion,
pretended to be done in Defence of Mr.
Clark,
who, it seems, is thought to be Injur'd in the Account there given of the Tumult at
Glasgow.
I am very sorry to find a Stranger so Treated among us in
Scotland,
who, I think, has on many Occasions in his Writings very well deserved of this Nation: But I am still more concerned, that this Malignity of the Pen should proceed to such a scurrilous Piece, especially in pretending to Defend a Gospel Minister, who, if he Retains any of the Temper of his Master, will think himself very little Obliged to the Person that has Wrot it, to Defend him in so Rude and Indiscreet a manner, as it must be owned, becomes no Modest Man to do.
This Occasions me to hope, notwithstanding the General Opinion of the People here, that Mr.
Clark
himself has no hand in it: For first, as the Truth of it will want very strong Confirmation, and is impossible to be made out, so the Language of it would be more Reflection upon a Gospel Minister, than any thing Mr.
De Foe
can have Wrot concerning him.
The Scripture Rule laid down by the Apostle for a Minister is so manifest in this case, and so expresly forbids to return
Railing for Railing, and Reviling for Reviling,
that Mr.
Clark,
if he sees this Paper, or any Body is so kind to him as to shew it him, can not but clear himself from being concerned in it, in Honour to his own Reputation;
But this is worse still,
for to Revile without being Reviled is a part which no Honest Man will render, much less a Minister of the Gospel, Reverend for Learning, Grave in Years, and Sober in Education, such as Mr.
Clark.
But I wave all this, perswading my self Mr.
Clark
can have no Hand in such a wretched Piece of Railing and Falshood, and hasten to speak in short to the matter of Fact, which is all that requires an Answer in this Paper, the other being too Gross to deserve any Notice.
As to Mr.
De Foe
's Work in a History of the Transactions of the Union, many People here of the best Capacity to Judge, have been Witnesses to the Preparations he has made for it, and can Testify for him in his Absence, (1.) That he has been very Careful, has taken a great deal of Pains, and been at a great Expence to perform the Promise made in the Introduction, and which this Person Quotes,
viz.
to Write with Impartiality and Truth.
(2.) That he being gone away for
England,
left the Sheets behind him to the Inspection of Persons in our own Countrey, of Unbyass't Principles, and Unspotted Reputation; to whose Revising and Correction he submitted every thing he had Wrot, and therefore it can not be Suggested that he has designedly made any Errors to make up History, or Printed any thing that Merits this Authors hard Words, — but on the contrary, while Mr.
De Foe
has Undertaken the Writing an Impartial History of Fact, he could not be so weak as to think, that those People, who perhaps acted a part in that Affair, which they may have Reason since not to be pleased with in themselves, should be pleased with his relating it, however Impartially: And therefore I doubt not he Expected all the ill Usage he finds from Persons whose Actions will not bear a clear Representation.
As to the Errors, I am sorry the Author that pretends to be Mr.
Clark
's Defender, can find out so few real ones, that he is fain to speak what is so far from being to be Justified, that I dare say Mr.
Clark
will not owne it himself.
Mr.
Clark,
as a Minister of the Gospel, can not be Guilty of so much Prevarication as to say himself that he did not speak the Words Mr.
De Foe
has Quoted, and I make no scruple to assure the World, that he did speak the very Words,
at least
without Variation of the Sense: And there are so many living Witnesses now in the City of
Glasgow,
and some of them here in this City at this time, who heard the Words spoken, that it is something which few People can Understand must move this Author to deny that for him, which so many People know is matter of Fact, and is so easy to be Proved.
Wherefore the Gentleman who Wrot this scurrilous Paper is desired to Reflect a little, and go and ask Mr.
Clark
about it; I dare say that Reverend Person is a Man of too much Conscience and Honesty not to Acknowledge the Words, and if his Memory should fail him so much, as not to Remember the Words, he will, no doubt, Refer to his Notes, and find it there just as is related, or with very little Difference,
viz. Addresses will not do, and Prayers will not do, there must be other Methods, it is true, Prayer is a Duty, but we must not rest there,
&c.
Wherefore up, and be Valiant for the City of our GOD.
And that the Reader may not depend upon the single Testimony of this Paper, I may refer him to some of the Chief Inhabitants of
Glasgow,
many of whom were then in the Church, and will, I make no Question, be such Friends to Truth, and to the Stranger that is Abused, as to make it out.
Further, if the Author of this Paper now meant, can Engage Mr.
Clark
to bring this matter before the Assembly which is now Sitting, as a Charge of Slander by Mr.
De Foe,
I do Promise in his Absence to bring unquestioned Witnesses before the said Assembly to prove the said Words upon him, and till he does so, Mr.
De Foe
can not be Charged with Slandering him.
It is plain also, the Paper it self acknowledges
the Fact,
tho he Couches it, as if he were asham'd of it,
saying, that
Mr.
Clark
Cited
1 Chron.
22. 16.
2 Sam.
10. 12. but does not think fit to put down the Words of the said Texts, which are as follows,
Arise therefore and be doing, and the LORD be with thee.
—And—
Be of good Courage, and let us play the Men for our People, and for the Cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.
Indeed he was right crafty to hide these Words.
For, had Mr.
Clark
said no more than this, it had answered all Mr.
De Foe
alleages, which he also expresses with as much Tenderness to Mr.
Clark
as could be,
viz. That this was Constructed by the Rabble to excite them to Tumults,
— and who could say less? or what could that People think who were before Irritated about their Addresses, being refused, but that when he said,
ARISE AND BE DOING, be of good Courage, and play the Men,
and at last,
Ʋ p, and be Valiant,
but that he meant they should take Arms,
&c.
Now, in Order to do Mr.
De Foe
some Justice in this, I must necessarily observe, How odd it is for this Author to publish this Scurrilous Pamphlet, (1) on a Man that he knows to be absent, and not able to reply to him. (2) Against a Book that is not yet published, that so the People being ignorant of the manner of expressing it, may believe all he says; — and by what clandestine way he has come to the sight of the imperfect Sheets, I dare say he will be ashamed to owne.
However, as I think Mr.
De Foe,
as a Historian, could not have been faithful to the Matter of Fact, no nor to the Magistrates and good People of
Glasgow,
who were then misrepresented to the whole Island,
nay to their Sovereign too,
and lay under the Scandal of a Factious Mutinous People, without relating the Steps by which that Tumult grew up, as the honestest way to Vindicate them; — So I think he has been so far from reproaching or abusing Mr.
Clark,
that he took all the Precautions possible to prevent his Readers supposing Mr.
Clark
did it in Design.
As to what Connexion of Circumstances there might be to render his Design suspected to others, Mr.
De Foe
uses him most discreetly; And if in one Line he calls him a Weak Good Man, which is the utmost they can pretend, I forbear for his own sake to enter into an Enquiry here, whether it were a Weakness in him,
AT THAT TIME,
to use such Expressions or no, referring it to them who know what Influence his Words,
however well and innocently design'd,
had upon the People, and how, within one Hour after they were spoken, the whole City was in an Uproar and Confusion: I am sure it is a Weakness in any of his Friends, to bring him thus on the Stage again at such a time as this especially.
Let them consider of that as they like.
But that you may not take my Word for Mr.
De Foes
discreet Usage of him, I shall quote the Words in his History as he has printed this Case, and let any Man judge, if he has used the Reverend Minister ill or no. His Words are thus,
P.
60. and which, if fairly quoted, his Paper would have answer'd it self.
"On
Thursday
the
day of
the Fast appointed by the Commission of the Assembly was kept in
Glasgow,
Mr.
C
k
Minister of the Trone Kirk Preached from the Words in
Ezra
8. 21.
And I proclaimed a Fast at the River of
AHAVA,
that we might afflict our selves before our GOD, to seek of Him a right Way for us, and for our little Ones, and for all our Substance.
'
'I shall convince the Gentleman concerned, that this Account is not made for a Satyr upon him, 'tis too serious a Subject; and when both he, and those who heard him, reflects on, how much more his Unhappy Temper, at that time, forc'd from him, than I set down here, all which I have by me
verbatim,
as he spoke it, he will, I say, be convinced, that I talk no more, than, in the Obligation of a Historian to Truth of Fact, I am bound to do.'
'I am not at all apprehensive of having the Truth of these Words questioned, having received them from the Mouths of more than two or three of the principal Inhabitants of
Glasgow,
who heard them spoken; and if the misplacing a Word should be snatcht at,
I venture to say,
that this was the full Purport of the Expression, without the least Variation; as to the Weak Good Man that spoke them, I will not suggest, that he foresaw the Consequence of them, or had any such thing in his Design, tho it calls for some Charity to guess his Meaning; The kindest thing I can say of them, is that he did not mean at all what followed, but spoke in his Haste; for God forbid I should suggest he mean'd to raise a Rebellion, and to bring his Country into all that Blood and Confusion, which, if GODs Goodness had not prevented it, had certainly followed.'
'The Sermon ended about eleven a Clock, and the People were so Enflamed before, that, by one of the Clock, the Mob were gotten together, their Drum was Beat in the Back streets, and all the Confusions we are now to speak of followed.'
Thus far the History speaks, and here any Man may see how Discreetly Mr.
De Foe
has used Mr.
Clark,
how he has Declared over and over that he does no way Charge his Design —
And that is more than all the People of
Glasgow
will do, tho' they have as much Respect for their Ministers as other People.
Nay, he Endeavours to clear him
so much as
of foreseeing the Consequence, and in that gives him the Stile of
Weak Good Man
; if this Author will not have him to be a Good Man,
that is none of Mr.
De Foe
's fault,
and if he will not own his Weakness in ill Timeing that Discourse, Mr.
Clark
is very little oblig'd to him: For it certainly must be Owned as a Weakness, or Justified as a Design, and let him take it which way he pleases.
There is a seeming Error indeed, in Printing the Word
Of
for
After
: But Mr.
De Foe
is cleared of this Effectually, for that he left a Blank for the Day of the Month, to be filled up at the Press, which they have still left open, and his Original Copy being here in Town to refer to, — makes it out; The
Errata
also at the Revising of the Sheets supply it all, which this Accuser, it seems has not seen, but speaks without Book.
For the Words being Read either way are Right, even by his own Charge, — thus,
(First) For, on
Thursday
the Day of the Fast. Read, on
Thursday
the Day after the Fast.
(2.) Mr.
De Foe
knew as well as the scurrilous Author the Fast was on a
Tuesday,
and therefore Printed the
Thursday,
which was the Day of the Sermon, and cannot fairly be supposed to mean the Fast Day, and so secondly, the Blank being filled up, it will be right another way thus:
On
Thursday
the 7 of
November, the day after the Fast.
Who would believe such a shift as this should be made use of, as a Refuge to protect the rest of the Allegations: It is the matter of Fact, not the Day of the Month that is material, and that is but foully wiped off indeed.
As to Persons dealing with the Provost of
Glasgow
before this Sermon about Addressing, which he calls a fourth Error; The Provost is a Man of too much Candor to assist their Suggestions, and it is Referred to him to Determine whether it be Truth or no, let them Enquire at the Peril of their Credit.
The third Charge is a full Test of the Honesty of this Author, and may direct any Honest Man to make a Judgment of him.
P.
1.
Par.
4. he says,
His
(De Foe
's) third Error is P. 60.
That about one of the Clock after Sermon ON THE FAST DAY, the Mob got together and Beat up the Drums.
This cannot be Mr.
Clark,
he has more Honesty, he would not have spoken so without Book, he dar'd not to impose such abominable Falsity on the World,
at least I hope so
; — for, in Mr.
De Foe
's Book,
the Sheet lying now before me,
and as quoted above, it is nothing so: The Words are thus,
Sermon being ended about eleven of the Clock, — by one of the Clock the Mob were gotten together, their Drum was Beat,
&c. — and this is true.
Let any Man judge of the rest of this Sheet by this
Specimen,
— and therefore I think this may serve for a full Answer to his mighty
Book of Errors,
for such indeed it may be justly esteem'd.
All the rest of his Paper is filled with Fire and Brimstone, Abusing the Magistrates of
Glasgow,
and Railing at Mr.
De Foe,
who, if he was here, perhaps might speak for himself: But this I must say for him, That whereas he pretends to Charge him with Reproaching a Minister of the Gospel;
If the Author of that Paper had read out that part of the History of the Union, which Treats of the Management of the Ministers of
Scotland,
he will find Mr.
De Foe
has done the Ministers in general so much Justice, and their Characters so much Honour in that Book, as well as on all Occasions in his other Writings, as will sufficiently Evidence him to be both a Reverencer of their Office, a Lover of their Persons, and a Friend to their Interest.
As to his Reflections on the History it self in general, which he strives to Disparage, tho' he has not seen it, he is referr'd to
Solomon,
who, Mr.
Clark
can tell him, ranks them among his Fools, who judge of a Matter before they hear it: — His Motion to have the Government suppress it, shows his Good Will to Mr.
De Foe
on one hand, and which, if he were here, no Question he would Laugh at sufficiently; but, on the other, is a Satyr on his Friend Mr.
Clark,
as if he were ashamed his Actions on that Occasion should come to the View of the World.
And indeed Mr.
Clark,
I think, will have little Reason to Thank him for what he has done in this Case; for that I shall take effectual Care, in the Vindication of Truth, to have a more particular Account of that whole Case put into this History, this Mr.
De Foe
at first design'd, wherein the Accuser may have further Occasion of Vindicating some Body, who is generally thought to have had but bad Luck formerly at Vindicating himself.
As to the Rude and Indiscreet Language given him in the Paper, as it justly offends the Ears of the Hearers, and fouls the Mouth of the Reader; so I shall observe the Method Mr.
De Foe
himself takes in all such Cases,
i. e.
Take no notice of it, it is not worth while, it hurts the Author, not Mr.
De Foe
in the least, only this I must say as my own Observation in all Matters of Debate.
Wise Men Argue, and Fools Rail.
Edinburgh,
Printed by the Heirs and Successors of
Andrew Anderson,
Printer to the Queens most Excellent Majesty, 1708.