the king in the Isle of Wight, and fo, next to Dr. GAUDEN himself, was beft able to convince his fon of the truth. Moreover, how could the bishop of Winton imagin that the ill people about CHARLES the second could bring him to doubt of his father's being the author of Icon Bafilike, if he really knew it to be written by him? when upon this fuppofition he was rather capable of fatisfying all those who had any fcruples in this affair.

As for Dr. GAUDEN's great fervices, and his faying in a letter to the chancellor, "That what

was don like a king, should have a kinglike retribution," Mr. WAGSTAF fays, that those are my"ftical expreffions, and that by them he might probably mean a book he wrote against the covenant, and a proteftation he publifht against the king's death, neither of which could be term'd fuch extraordinary services, when many others had don the fame, and more: much lefs could it be faid that either of these books was don like a king, or deferv'd a kinglike retribution; whereas Mr. WAGSTAF, and those who are of his opinion, maintain that the ftile and matter of Icon Bafilike are fo like a king's, that no fubject could poffibly write it : I but a multitude of others agree with me, that the ftile is infinitely liker that of a doctor than a king.

LASTLY, It is objected that Dr. WALKER's and Mrs. GAUDEN's teftimonies contradict one another. But how? Dr. WALKER fays, that Dr. GAUDEN told him he did not know if CHARLES the first had

feen the book but Mrs. GAUDEN affirms, that the marquifs of Hartford told her husband the king had seen and approv'd it, both which affertions are confiftent enough together. For Dr. GAUDEN might be ignorant that the king had feen it, when Dr. WALKER afkt him that queftion, who perhaps never mention'd it to him again in their difcourfes about this matter, or might eafily forget it, as he fays he did several other particulars, little foreseeing he fhould ever be oblig'd to make this discovery: and befides we must upon all accounts allow his wife to know more circumftances of this business, as of most others, than his friend. The next fuppos'd

contradiction is, that Dr. WALKER fays Dr. GAUDEN once told him, after the restoration, that he did not pofitively and certainly know if king CHARLES the fecond knew he wrote Icon Bafilike, tho' he believ'd he might, because the duke of York did, who own'd it to have bin a seasonable and acceptable fervice. But Mrs. GAUDEN affirms, that her husband acquainted the king with it himfelf, which is very true. But pray let us examin at what time. After his difcourfe with Dr. WALKER most certainly. For does the not in clear and direct terms fay, that it was in his last fickness, which prov'd mortal to him; and that the reason of it was, because he faw fom perfons who were privy to it defire nothing more than to have it conceal'd, which he was not willing it should be in confideration of his numerous family, to whom it might fometime or other do seasonable fervice?

Now

Now that no mistakes may be occafion'd hereafter by imperfect fragments of Mrs. GAUDEN'S narrative, and that this affair may be fet in the cleareft light, I fhall, before I proceed to the examination of the pofitive teftimonies produc'd for the king, infert the narrative here at large, as it was exactly copy'd from the original, to which the curious are refer'd.

Mrs. GAUDEN's

NARRATIVE.

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MY

Y husband understanding the great value and esteem the people had of CROMWELL "and of others in the army, occafion'd by the "high opinion which they had of their parts, and piety; he being alfo well affur'd, that one of "the main defigns of thofe wicked politicians, was to eclipse his majefty that then was, as much "as might be, and to give a falfe mifreprefenta"tion of him to the world; he, that he might "do his majesty right, did pen that book which goes by the name of the king's book. The "title which he gave it then was Sufpiria Regalia; and the defign was to have it put forth as by "fom person who had found the papers in his

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majesty's chambers at Holmeby, being by chance " left or fcatter'd there. And to this purpose he "had prefix'd an epiftle, which might be fup"pos'd to be written by that perfon, who having "found them by that accident, thought it not fit "to conceal them. His defign alfo in the book, "was to give fuch a character of her majesty to the "world, as her great worth, extream merits, and "admirable endowments deferv'd. When my huf"band had writ it, he fhew'd it to my lord CAPEL, " who did very highly approve of it; and though "he

"he thought it would do very well to have it (6 printed, yet he said it was not fit to do so without his majesty's approbation; and to come to speak to his majefty in private was then impoffi"ble, in regard of the strict guard which they kept about him. Immediately after this there "was a treaty with his majesty at the Isle of Wight, "whereupon my husband went to my lord mar"quifs of Hartford that then was, and to him de"liver'd the manufcript, and he deliver'd it to "the king at the Isle of Wight, and likewife told "him who the author was. When my lord mar"quifs return'd, my husband went to him, to "whom my lord faid, That his majefty having

1

had fome of thofe effays read to him by bishop "DUPPA, did exceedingly approve of them, and "afked whether they could not be put out in fome "other name. The bishop reply'd, that the de

"fign was, that the world fhould take them to be "his majesty's. Whereupon his majesty defir'd "time to confider of it; and this (fays my lord) "is all the account I can give of it: What is be come of the manufcript I know not, and what will become of his majefty God knows. Upon "this my husband told my lord marquifs, That, in his opinion, there was no way fo probable to fave his majesty's life, as by endeavouring to move the hearts and affections of the people as "much as might be towards him; and that he alfo thought that that book would be very "effectual for that purpofe. Then my lord bad ཐ་ my husband to do what he would, in regard the cafe was defperate. Then immediately my

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"husband