Accusers in so close obscurity that his sparkes if he had any in him to this purpose could not possibly flie abroad But let me ask a question did not the wisemen of the Kingdome quench these fire-brands to prevent the flame how came it then to break forth after they were extinguished had they lived been both at liberty and afforded their full concurrence could possibly the flame have been more great and detrimentall Againe why was not the imputation proved at least against Canterbury who lived almost three years after the war was begun when they wanted matter to put him to death Surely the Law hath so well provided in a case of this Nature that if there had been any such matter His Enemies should not have needed to solicite for the peoples Votes and Hands to get him dispatched But it was Canterburyes Honour to drink of his Masters cup The voices of the people and of the Priests prevailed And indeed these quenched fire-brands were so farre from kindling this fire that we apprehend rather they were quenched to this end lest they should have hindred it from being kindled When Charles was King and Strafford Deputy of Ireland and Canterbury Metropolitan of this Church we had no warres in England Straffords bloud we grant was a fire-brand which we with the King beleeve still burnes upon us his Prayers at his death to the contrary could not stop the cry of it from pulling downe of vengeance And Canterburyes bloud we feare will cry louder yet against the people of this Land who by giving their Votes where the Law gives none to take away his life have cryed out against themselves His bloud be upon us and upon our Children But say these men who never slandred any but their betters Strafford and Canterbury were two evill Councellours and yet Strafford and Canterbury dyed like two Christian Martyrs and might the latter end of their Accusers be but like theirs it would be their happinesse in one kinde and ours in another They chiefly incensed the King against the Scots but they did not stir up the Scots against the King in provoking them to an insurrection nor did they hinder the Kings Act of mercy and pardon towards them afterwards much lesse did they after that Act of Pacification with that Nation send for those Scots into England and hire them with English money to cut the throats of English men Had they been Councellours in such matters they had been ill Councellours indeed But say they Strafford and Canterbury endeavoured to submit all these three Kingdomes to a new Arbritrary Government and were duely executed for attempting that subversion of Law which the King hath perfected since It was wel they did but endeavour a new Arbritrary Government not erect it they did but attempt a subversion of Law not effect it but some others since their times have gone further and turned all Law into Vote and all Justice and Reason into Violence and Will For if there be this day in Europe a more Arbritrary cruel and butcherly Government then hath been exercised in England by some since Strafford and Canterbury were set aside from having to doe in the world my reading failes me if to take away lands estates goods good name and lives from men without any allegation of Law or reason but only the Parliament judgeeth so or the People will have it so if this be not Arbritrary Government I know not what is therefore if Strafford and Canterbury were justly executed as these say for attempting let all men judge how deservedly ought these others to be executed for accomplishing such designes But these men tell us further that the King hath since perfected that subversion of Law which those his ill Councellours had formerly attempted 'T is too well known that the customary way of these mens Honouring the King is by casting on him the scandall of their owne doings The Law we confesse is subverted and overthrown but the King can no more be said to have done the same then David could be said to have killedd Abner and Amasa because he was the Soveraigne to those sons of Zeruiah who did the deed and were so subtile and strong that he could neither restrain them from it nor bring them to condigne punishment for it And let all modest and ingenuous men observe how desperate and bold these men are in their aspersions against the King they affirme He hath subverted Law and walked in the Councell of the ungodly to the ruine almost of 3. whole Kingdomes They could have said no more if when the Militia and Power were in his sole hands things had been as now they are But we and themselves too can all witnesse that when the Parliament met no drop of bloud was yet spilt in Ireland no Commotions were stirring in Scotland for the King by his Grace and Goodnesse had allayed all nor was there any complaining of Souldiers nor plundering in the streets of England all the three Kingdomes were in peace and to continue them therein the King calls a Parliament and gives power to the Members thereof and encouragement withall to settle all things both in Church and Common-wealth for the Subjects benefit even as firmly as themselves who were intrusted and chosen by their fellow Subjects for that purpose could possibly devise He denyes them nothing in pursuance thereof suffers them to call all suspected officers and persons to account not excepting Strafford or Canterbury and further to assure His people of His strong desires to continue their happinesse He settles a Trienniall Parliament as the most speciall mean to prevent ill Councellours in after-times yet these Accusers tax the King of perverting the Law and speak as if the three Kingdomes had been at the very brim of destruction and quite ruined ere this if the power had not been taken out of His Hands by those who by their meeknesse wisdome and frugality have put all the said Kingdomes into a more hopefull condition of preservation as it must be beleeved though against all sense and experience then they were in before Indeed had those undertakers done that work for which they were summoned and called together the Kings good Subjects in all His Kingdomes might have had cause of mentioning their names with perpetuall Honour but they as it seemeth envying that happiness which their fellow Subjects were likely to enjoy by those new enacted Lawes and especially by the Trienniall Parliament fairly pretending other matters did get the same Act presently made uselesse by another for the continuation of this which hath created themselves as they suppose and intend perpetuall dictators and all their fellow Subjects perpetuall slaves For let these perpetuall great Councellours approve themselves never so evill and detrimentall to-Church and State yet the poore Subject must be forced by the Militia which they have got into their hands to beleeve them unerring for He shall have no benefit by the Trienniall Parliament to examine their doings
his Word in cases of this Nature But I returne again to these men Who would have us by these their words of His Maj. soliciting the King of Denmark and in him all other Princes to take notice that he calls in forraign Aide which fault they amplifie over and over in other places for though themselves may without offence or sinne call in another Nation and hire them with I know not how many 1000. Pounds a moneth to help them cut the throats of their Country-men yea and may make use of any forreiners in the world of what Nation Religion or Spirit soever they be to help them to destroy and pull down Monarchy yet the King may not without exclamation desire the aide of a Protestant Prince no not of his neerest Kinsman the King of Denmark to uphold the same But what is the reason that the King must be confined to this restraint themselves walk so much at Liberty Why they tell us at the end of their notes that the King had made resolutions and promises that he would never bring in forreine forces Which themselues indeed never did nor ever intended for doubtlesse they resolved at first to bring their defignes to passe by any meanes and rather then faile to get assistance Flectere si superos nequeunt Acheroâ—â—a movere and therefore themselves are free and do as they please whereas the King is entangled in his own promises They say Pag. 58. As to the bringing in of forrain forces The King Mar. 9. 1641. in his Declaration from Newmarket saith Whatsoever you are advertised from Rome Venice Paris of the Popes Nuncios soliciting Spain and France for forrain â—ydes We are confident no sober honest man can beleeve Us so desperate or senselesse to entertain such designes as would not onely bury this Our Kingdome in soddain destruction and ruine but Our Name and Posterity in perpetuall scorn and infamy Also they tell us of other words which the King spoke some three weeks after to the same purpose which indeed as I take it do expresse the inward ground and Motive that caused him to speak the former viz. We have neither so ill an opinion of Our own Merits or the Affections of Our Subjects as to think Our self in need of forraigne force Also August the 4. in his speech to the Gentry of York-shire the King acknowledgeth say they that He is wholly cast upon the Affections of his people having no hope but in God His just cause and the love of his Subjects Now these observators having quoted these three expressions of the King do conclude saying What distinction can now satisfie us that neither Irish French Lorraiâ—ers Dutch Danes are forreiners To which I answer First for the Irish they are no more forreiners then the Scots are nor in some respect so much for Ireland hath been a dependant unto the Crown of England many hundred yeers before Scotland was and then for French Lorraiâ—ers Dutch and Danes I shall answer concerning them when they are landed for the Kings assistance and in the meane time it would be but just that they should satisfie us that neither the Irish Scots French Burgâ—ndiâ—â—â— Dutch Wallâ—ns Italiâ—ns that are already in their Armies are neither Papists nor Forreiners as I said before the time and place is known to many where neere 30. of their men being taken were examined and found to be of six severall Nations all forreiners and all Papists But these words of the King alleadged by these men against Him do plainly discover to every honest eye that His Majesties designe was never to use any but His own Subjects nor did He think it possible and the rather in regard of His own good merits that people so long instructed in Protestant Religion should ever prove so ungratefull as to force Him their Prince to stand in need of forreigne assistance and therefore the Heads of the faction having in their malicious policy to work feares and jealousies against Him told the people that the Popes Nuncio that great Bulbegger was soliciting both in Spain and France the Kings businesse for forreigne aides and of this they said they were advertized from Venis and Paris yea and from Rome it self with which it seems they held intelligence even from the very beginning Now to remove this foolish vanity and to retaine a clearnesse in His peoples hearts the King expressed himself in that sort unto them assuring them that they were all forgeries against Him and that he did wholly cast Himself upon the Affections of His people and was confident that no sober man could beleeve Him so senselesse as to entertaine such a designe which would have been so detrimentall both to Himself and His Kindom and in very deed if before he had tryed his own people he had called in such Armies of Forreiners as they reported it must needs have been confessed a desperate part in him a mean to have brought a suddain Destruction upon his Kingdome and a perpetuall Infamy upon His Name But if after three yeares as long as was allowed to the fig-tree in the Gospell the King finding his Subjects unfaithfull and cold in their affections towards him Nay more perceiving by so long experience that their endeavours were to take from him both his Life and his Inheritance yea and his Honour too and that they abused his good opinion of them by mis-interpreting his professions unto them and conceiving him tyed thereby from using others help for defence of himselfe and Monarchy I beleeve if he had or should alter his Resolution and call in any Prince in Christendome to his assistance in the maintenance of Regall Authority which God hath intrusted him withall and of that Government which as the most absolute God established among his own people and hath alway blessed this Nation under He being utterly disabled to do it otherwise it should be reckoned by the Almighty at the great day if any fault at all but among his infirmisies Yea and if destruction thereby should fortune to come to the whole Kingdome the whole infamy and guilt thereof should be charged upon the Heads of these his most perverse and injurious people even as that of Jerusalem by Titus Vespasian is laid upon the seditious that were therein even unto this day But my humble prayer to the Almighty is that he would yet please to spare us and to bestow his grace at length upon the people of this land that they might cease provoking his Divine Majestie to punish that way this so Horrid a sin and so High abuses to his own Annointed And thus I have done also with this particular SECT XXIII 1. The Libellers Cavills at the word Mongrill Parliament At the Commissioners for the Treaty at Uxbridge At the Kings pawning His Jewels answered 2. His Majesties Affection and Goodnesse to His Subjects for want of other matters objected as a fault against Him by these Libellers IN the third place they accuse the
A VINDICATION OF KING CHARLES OR A LOYAL SUBJECTS DUTY MANIFESTED In Vindicating his Soveraigne from those Aspersions cast upon Him by certaine persons In a scandalous Libel Entituled The Kings Cabinet Opened And published as they say by Authority of Parliament Whereunto is added A true Parallel betwixt the sufferings of our Saviour and our Soveraign in divers particulars c. By EDW SYMMONS A Minister not of the late confused New but of the Ancient Orderly and True Church of England Remember Lord the reproach of thy servant how he beareth in his bosome the reproach of all the mighty wicked people Wherewith thine enemies have rep2roached O Lord wherewith they have reproached the foot-steps of thine Anointed PSAL. 89. 50 51. His Enemies will I clothe with shame but upon Himselfe shall his Crown flourish PSAL. 132. 18. Even so Amen REV. 22. 20. But thou O Lord how long PSAL. 6. 3. Printed in the Yeere 1648. To all that truely feare God into whose hands this Booke shall come Christian Friends THis Book here tendred to your view was for the most part of it made in Cornwal in the year 1645. I was quickned in my undertaking by a noble Gentleman of great faithfulnesse and Loyalty that County hath many such Before it was quite concluded the Enemy like a flood brake in thither Whereupon to preserve and finish it I went to France but by so doing I had almost lost it for my Cloak-bag which contained it and all I had beside passed by accident in one Ship and my self went in another and we landed an hundred miles asunder that was Plundred and nothing therein returned unto me but onely these Papers they by meer fortune some six weeks after Which speciall Providence in their particular preservation spake them to my heart Gods will to have them published to my hopes his purpose to grant a blessing Hereupon I fitted them for the Presse with all speed and they were ready in May 1646. nor was the fault in my will that they were not then committed to the same But perhaps God had a speciall Providence in this also peoples hearts were not then so capable to receive a Vindication of their Soveraign from a fellow-Subject as now they are even forced to be by that illustrious eminency of his graces which hath beamed forth in his dark condition even to the conviction and admiration of all reasonable creatures Since the finishing hereof I had occasion to see and observe the manners and conditions of the French Nation both those of the Romish and of the Reformed Religion and my speciall care was to understand what sense they had of the present differences in our Church and Nation which truly to remember is but to renew that griefe I had in observing In briefe they both conjoyntly rejoyced at our follies and as appeared to me desired our ruine And this did chiefly occasion the writing my Post-script which was done the last Spring at my returne into the hither parts of that Kingdome where I understood also of His Majesties restrained condition at Holdenby About the time of his deliverance from that place by Gods direction and merciful protection I came back safe into England but fancying the season to be then past for publication of my Book in regard of those great alterations which had happened since its first composall and withall some hopefull reasons offering themselves to my thoughts at my first arrivall made me conceive it would not be so needfull Therefore I resolved to lay it aside But after some moneths expectance those new hopes being likely to prove tympanous I was solicited by some friends from the farthest part of the Kingdome to put it to the Presse now I was in a place where the same might be done who also informed me that in their apprehensions vulgar hearts wanted satisfaction in nothing concerning the Kings integrity but only in the matter of those Letters which did still scruple many of them Wherefore they conjured me if I rendred His Majesties Honour indeed that I should give the world a speedy view of what I had writ to that particular These Arguments easily prevailed with a willing mind which was encouraged farther by that free liberty which I saw daily used by others in writing speaking against those sins and sinners which this Book reproveth though to my griefe withall I saw in many Papers wickednesse rather scoffed at then pursued with such grave and home rebukes as the case requireth and sin thereby I perceived was rather made a matter of laughter then of sorrow even to the most guilty through that impudence which is in them and yet I doubt not too but ingenious lashes are sufficiently distastfull to galled spirits because there is truth as well as wit in them they haply may be as rods to rotten hearts but Gods Word if closely applyed as I hope in some measure t is in this Book done will prove unto them as a very Scorpion if those make them hisse and spit this will make them even rage and roare for the more Divinity a proofe carryes with it or in it the more tormentfull it is alwayes unto the wicked Sic scriptum est may haply silence Satan but t is not alwayes so powerfull upon the spirits of proud men The Pharisees were so far from being quieted by Christs doctrine that they grew more inraged and were incensed thereby to seek his ruine and had no rest till they had procured it though they got none by it And let any one practice Christ or follow him in his way as close as he can he shall doubtlesse meet with those that will practice the Pharisees and follow them a great deale closer It was in my thoughts I confesse to have concealed my name as you may see in the following Preface and for what reasons but I have altered my resolution concerning that particular from these considerations First if I had not owned my work I had done that which I dislike and incurr'd the blame which I object to others I had hazarded my Book to be entitled a Libel and exposed my selfe to be reckoned in the number of night-birds that love darknesse yea I had receded from my former self for when the King was in a condition visibly Potent I prefixt my name to all I writ and if I should forbeare to do so now I should appeare as faln in my zeal and abated in my dutifull affections by the increases of his Afflictions I read of Nicodemus who affecting secresie while Jesus was at liberty came to him by night but when he was in restraint he thought it his duty to discover himself in his behalf and so he did more then ever All Scripture is written for our learning Secondly I held my self bound to attest my Keeping as I had done my Taking the Protestation and that was by writing my name For this my Book is nothing else but the discharge of my Conscience and Duty in that
a most Heavenly work to rid the earth of him and a service most acceptable unto the Lord when Raviliack was demanded by his examiners to declare the reason moving him to his attempt he answered That the reasons why it was requisite to kill the King they might understand by the Sermons and Pamphlets of the Preachers Wel Sirs we all know the meaning both of you and of your Prophets and therefore as Elias from the Lord did charge Ahab with the death of Naboth because the letters provoking to it were signed with his seal so do I from the same Lord charge you with all those evil opinions and hard conceits which are already kindled in the mindes of any against the King by the meanes of this Pamphlet because 't is published by your Authority Yea if any further mischief shall befall his Sacred Majesty upon the same at your hands will the Judge of Heaven and Earth require it and know you further that the guilt of all the blasphemies reproaches scornes slanders which are spit out against the King either in this book or any other published by your leave and Order without your deep repentance and humiliation shal be heaped upon your Souls at the day of Reckoning even as if your own selves had been the Authors of them for nil interest sceleri an faveas aut facias to favour and to doe in this case is all one nay the Apostle speaks as if those who appove of other folks ill doings were in a degree worse then the Actors themselves and given up in a further measure to a Reprobate sense Qui non vetat peccare cum potest jubet saies the wise Heathen not to prevent a mischief when one may is directly to command it to be done Gentlemen for as your souls friend I would fain have you recover again that Title I charge you before the living God and Jesus Christ who shall one day sit in judgement upon you to ask your Consciences in secret whether it be not a sin and a wickednesse to speake evil of the Ruler of the people to act Shimei's part against Gods Anointed whether to write or publish such Pamphlets as this be the way to Honour the King in the eyes of his people Whether you have thus learned Christ from the Church of England Whether you ever met in Gods word with any saying or example to warrant you in this way of proceeding And I require you also as you will answer it before the Lord to ask your own hearts whether to Authorize such a work as this to the Kings defamation be a Christian work Honourable and becoming the dignity of a Parliament whose actions ought al to be glorious and presidentiall Nay is it an Act prudentiall in you thus publikely to own and countenance this prolem populi this abominable thing which the very Parents and Authors of are ashamed to father What will you say 't is one of the Priviledges of Parliament you fight for to Authorize things against the King against your own Allegeance end Protestation surely ab initio non fuit sic former Parliaments disdained to own such a Priviledge to tread in such pathes Or will you say you are more Omnipotent then those your Predecessours were who never had those brave advantages that you have true nor never did desire them But can your new Omnipotency make that which is evil in it self turn good by your Authorization I pray where had you this large Commission Who gave you this Authority Christ in whose hand is all power never did let your Chaplains prove it if they can or your Consciences affirm it if they dare Nor will that Writ which called you together and fixt you in your Spheare at Westminster tell you that the King the fountain of power under God did place you there in this sort to exercise your Activity against him your Patent therefore by which you have Authorized this work of darknesse must needs come ab Inferno And can you expect that the Judge of quick and dead will at the great day pronounce well done good and faithfull Servant unto you for doing Satans work for executing his Commission O how much better will you finde then it had been if you had wrapt up your Talents in a Napkin and in the meane time how much more had it been to the dignity of that High Court of Parliament which you pretend so much to stand for if you had but left out the name Parliament and said Published by speciall Order of the Rebellious faction in the two Houses at Westminster But now I have begun to take upon me to speak unto you O you lofty men let me ask you a question more to a like purpose What reward or commendation can you expect at Gods hand for maintaining your Beadsman Britanicus to libell against his Soveraigne to teach and excite by his weekly books the ignorant and seduced vulgar throughout the Kingdome to joyn with him in reviling and laughing to scorn their publike Father now your selves have most unjustly thrust him into affliction Dare you say his expressions are not vile O let me beg pardon of my Soveraigne and of all modest men if to the shame of these mens faces and to the increase of indignation in all godly spirits against their courses I doe with detestation repeate over here one of his passages published to the world on Monday the 4. of August 1645. Where is King Charles What is become of him Some say when he saw the storme comming after him as far as Bridgewater he came away to his dearly beloved in Ireland Yes they say he ran away out of the Kingdome very Majestically Others will have him erecting a new Monarchy in the Isle of Anglesey A third sort say that he hath hid himselfe it were best send Hue and Cry after him If any man can bring any tale or tidings of a wilfull King which hath gone astray these four yeares from his Parliament with a guilty Conscience bloudy hands and a heart full of broken vowes and protestations if these marks be not sufficient there is another in his mouth for bid him speak and you will soon know him then give notice to Britanicus and you will be payd for your paines GOD SAVE THE PARLIAMENT O you Men of Westminster is this your Beadsman that prayes for you that works for you that is maintained and cherished by you then these are the scornes of your hearts the flouts of your Spirits that are vomited up by his mouth and pen if not why have you not hang'd the villain or rather torn him in pieces with wild horses Are not you they that call your selves the Kings most Humble most dutifull and most Loyall Subjects Are not you they that would be accounted the Holy just most Christian and unerring Parliament have you not talked much of reforming our Church and Government and will you countenance and favour such persons Is this the Reformation you
Personall Estate to be disposed of as their own How they have executed all Regall Prerogatives How they call all those that do adhere to the King Rebells and Traitours and pursue them as such with fire and sword How they Hunt the King up and down the Kingdome as if he were become an out-law seeking to murder and destroy him How they now of late do all in the name of the Parliament Onely though at first til the people were fully seduced by them and ingaged with them they did use the Kings Name together with it doth not at all this speak plainly that they thirst to drink the Kings bloud and desire to have it shed or spilt 5. Consider how in their Notes in this their accursed Libel pag. 44. they tax the King as faulty for his Soliciting the King of Denmark and other Protestant Princes as they speak to assist for the supporting of Monarchy doth not this plainly infer that they have concluded against the Government here in England and so by Consequence against the Monarch himself Doth it not evidently declare that they account him King no longer and that all the Supremacy is now in themselves Which being supposed and withal that he according to their Votes seekes the ruine of his people whose safety above all things must be regarded It follows of necessity that they desire the Kings Destruction and would have it apprehended that they do but their duty to the Kingdome in desiring it 6. Consider how they do as in their Pamphlets and Sermons compare the King to Saul Ahab Nero and the like so in their malicious Notes upon his Letters here pag. 48. they compare him to Richard the third the most bloudy and unjust man that ever swayed the English Scepter which plainly speaks that they would have people take him to be such a one and to have no more true right to the Crown then that Richard had and that themselves would be as glad of his death as Hen. the 7. was of the death of that Tyrant If these particulars amongst many others that might be propounded be considered on I doubt not but all reasonable men wil yeeld that I have done the Authours of this Libell right in my interpretation of their intentions expressed in those their words against the King But that I might not leave the least scruple in the hearts of any wel-meaning people that yet remain drunk with a good opinion of their Honesties and do in Charity think it impossible that men pretending so fair and having so great a name in the world for Religion should be so Diabolical and have such Hellish designes I wil further yet indeavour their satisfaction for I doe publikely profess mine aymes are to do the work of Christ in laying open mens Hypocrisie that mine abused Country-men for whom Christ died might not longer be deceived which work by Gods grace I shal faithfully pursue though I meet in the end with Christs reward at their bloudy hands for my labour Wherefore I wil shew First that there is no impossibility at all in the matter notwithstanding their specious pretences which they make and then it wil further Evidence the verity of what I have said from their own Tenents My Argument for the first is this Whatever hath been already may possibly be again for sayes Solomon The thing which hath been is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done But such men there have been who had a name to be alive when they were dead in trespasses and sins who said they were Jewes called themselves Gods people and were so accounted by others when in very deed they were of the Synagogue of Satan therefore 't is not impossible but such men may be also in these dayes which are the last dayes and therefore the worst the very dregs of time For proof of the Assumption let us remember the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospel they had as great a name in the world then as these persecutors of the King have now and were as wel thought on by the vulgar in whose opinions they were farre enough from those villanies which notwithstanding Christ did sufficiently discover to be in them Nay the people though themselves were imployed as under-instruments in the very business were so bewitched with a good conceit of their Pharisaical rulers whom they counted the Worthies of their Nation that they would not at first beleeve that they had any purpose to kill Christ for when he said why goe ye about to kill me the people replied Thou hast a Devill Who goeth about to kill thee they good folkes conceived that their Holy and wise Rulers did onely provide for the safety of Church and Common-wealth and endeavoured Christs Reformation whom they apprehended to be an irregular man one that would not submit His Judgement to the Great Councell at Jerusalem nor be ruled by their Votes and Orders Nay the very Pharisees themselves like these our men would not owne their own malice against Christ for when Pilate would have delivered him into their hands to have done with him as they pleased O no cry they 't is not lawfull for us to put any man to death they had rather some body else should doe it for them we are too holy to defile our selves with His bloud out of pure love to piety and to the peace of the Kingdome we have proceeded thus far against Him and have been at great Charges with the Souldiers to apprehend Him and though you can finde no fault in Him yet you may be sure on it if he had not been a Malefactor we would not have brought him before you No no if we could otherwise have reformed Him we would not have troubled your Lordship with Him But will you please to heare His Conditions Why He would be a King and Rule over us and if He be let alone He wil ruine the whole Kingdome and bring destruction upon the Temple too and to spoyl our Religion He bestowes strange Language and Titles upon us the Great Councell the Worthies of the Nation who are a company of Holy and unblameable men witnesse all the people He calls us Hypocrites Vipers and Painted Sepulchers and the like which we return not again but consider with sorrow that these expressions come from a Jew Seduced out of his proper spheare One that hath left the Society He ought to be withall and keeps Company onely with publicans and Sinners ungodly persons whose counsells he followes and hath set himself in the seat of the scornfull For we take all his Sermons against our Ordinances and doings to be but onely invectives and scornes against us whereby He exposeth us to be contemned of the people as if according to His saying we made the Law of God of none Effect by our Traditions When indeed none can be more zealous for it then we are and thus you see what a Person He is and what
fruits according to Christs Rule He being a Christian must needs loath their Liberty and being a Protestant must needs hate their Religion For first what is that Liberty which they maintaine If the uncontrouled practice of those that be obsequious to them or if their own Acts and Ordinances may speak it is such a Liberty as Turks exercise over Christians or as Canniballs in the Western World exercise over their fellow-Heathens or as Beasts of prey doe practice upon inferiour Creatures A Liberty which only the strong can enjoy but the weak and feeble are the worse for A Liberty which Lyons Wolves and Kites may thrive upon but Lambes Kids and Doves will be undone by A Liberty for them that have Might and Power to take away their neighbours goods by Sea and Land A Liberty to Kill Slay and Cain-like their owne Brethren whom they hate or that be not of their opinion A Liberty to doe as Enoch ap Evan did without danger of Hanging A Liberty to Steal a Liberty to Lye a Liberty to Slander and Raile upon their Betters A Liberty which the Devill liketh above all things A Liberty to break the Oath of Allegeance and all Gods Commandements so they observe the Ordinances of Parliament A Liberty to be of any Religion save only of the True A Liberty for the Child to Rebell against the Parent the Servant against his Lord and for the Base to rise against the Honourable A Liberty to shake off the Yoke of Subjection and Obedience to their Soveraigne A Liberty to take from Him what God hath given Him Authority Power Wealth and Honour A Liberty to mock Him to scorne at Him in His Affliction to write Libells against Him to hunt Him up and down His Kingdomes like a Partridge upon the Mountaines to murder Him if they can A Liberty to Vote away mens Estates and to voice away the lives of their fellow-Subjects when there is no Law to condemne them In a word a Liberty for every man to doe what is right in his owne eyes or as himselfe lusteth provided that He will take part with the Parliament as they call it against those whom they please to judge their Enemies we doe not say that all particulars that be on that side doe act all and every of these things but they may if they have power and a will thereto for they have Liberty as well as the rest of their faction who are already the Servants of Corruption this is that cause of Liberty which they maintaine Now in the second place for their Religion what is that Truly we cannot tell unlesse we say of it as was wont to be spoken of that of the Papists in the Prayer on the fift of November Their Religion is Rebellion their Faith Faction and their Practice Murdering of Soules and Bodies For since they have pulled downe and discountenanced the Religion of Jesus Christ established amongst us which was a Religion of Peace Patience Obedience Love they have not given us a plat-forme of any that we might know what Faith they fight for what Religion in particular it is which they maintaine we confesse we are yet to seek what t is they aime at sometime we see occasion to think t is the Popish Religion which they are setting up sometime that t is the Turkish we cannot imagine that it can be the Christian Protestant Religion for that is it which they only labour to destroy When we observe how they deny the Kings Supremacy not only in Spiritualls but also in Temporalls How they take upon them to absolve from the Oath of Allegeance to loosen Subjects from their Loyalty to raise Rebellions How they allow of King-slandring King-hunting King-killing How they make Gods Commandements of none effect by their traditions and Ordinances preferring these before the precepts of Christ in their inflicting greater penalties for the not observing them How they challenge infallibility unto themselves requiring Faith and Obedience to their dictates and judgements the people must beleeve as the Parliament Judgeth they must hold the opinion of not Erring and of the necessary assistance of Gods Spirit in the Parliament Committees as the Romanists conceive to be in their Papall Consistories They must fancy in them a like unlimited Authority to dispense with Gods Lawes against theft murder oppression and the like as some Papists doe to be in the Pope and as what is done by his Command so what is done by theirs must be beleeved to be done by Gods As he will be accounted Gods Lieutenant so will they by a Commission of their owne making as what is done for the advantage of his See so what is for the furthering of their designes must be apprehended to be done for the upholding of Christ and as t is taught by some of the Popish Clergy that whoever is out of Papall Obedience must undoubtedly perish so hath it been Preached by some of the Parliament Ministers that whoever is not under the Obedience of Parliament is a Malignant and in state of Damnation When I consider of these and such like particulars withall how bold they are with the Scriptures of God in corrupting with their false glosses and interpretations à la mode de Rome the pure text and Word of God forcing it to speake against it selfe in furtherance of their cause How Saint Paul himselfe is in danger of an Index Expurgatorius from them also how he hath been censured already for his speaking so broadly against the sinne of Rebellion to speak in those points or places rather as a Politician in respect of the times wherein he lived then as a Divine Considering also how they shun disputes with us whom they account their adversaries as the Papists were wont to doe How they inhibit the reading of our Bookes How they command the simple people who are their Disciples not to joyne with us in our Prayers to God or in our praises of God yea taking an Oath of some of them to that purpose no the Wife must not pray with her Husband nor the Childe with his Parent if the Husband or Parent doe professe themselves for the King and for the ancient established Church of England as we are able to prove by particular Examples In a word considering how they pursue us with lies and slanders how they imprison us and force upon our Consciences ungodly Covenants How they persecute with fire and sword all that be not of their opinion as the Papists of old were wont to doe How like to the proceedings of the Popish Inquisition these of their holy House are in diverse particulars which might be instanced in when we doe consider of these and many such like matters wherein they imitate those of Rome we thinke it to be the Romane Religion which they mean to maintaine and set up amongst us Not that we thinke they will admit of the Popes Authority for they intend to be Popes themselves as Henry the 8. disclaimed
you shal go in therefore some of you I see are scrupulously fearful to lift up your hand against the King or to cut the throats of all your Brethren that be not of your Opinion to work a new-found Reformation by the Sword but hereupon it is that we have such a stoppage made in Englands mercies the Elect of God are stil kept out of their possessions and the Land is yet ful of wicked men and herein you shew your selves most weak and simple that you do not consider that God is weary of his ordinary manner of working he sees it is impossible that his Children should have their hearts desires in this life by going in that old beaten path himself is not able to satisfie their lusts that way and therefore he hath now at length better bethought himself and left his old wont is resolved to go an extraordinary way to work which he never went in before hath stirred up many extraordinary men worthy members to that purpose yea and now he wil have his people cast his Word behind their backs as a thing out of date to walk by and look only unto extraordinary Lights and Revelations that we their Teachers shal tel them of and go only by them and believe it now God hath altered his mind and course of working 't is plainly to tempt him if you expect his blessing in his old way or â—hal observe the guide of his word any longer they that wil not now depend upon Miracles and Revelations are obstructers of Englands mercies yea and worthy to be voted Enemies to Gods Reformation such as are wilful in their enmity too and past all hope of recovery This is the sense and Doctrine of William Bridge one of the Parliament Ministers delivered in the year 1642. at Margarets on Fish-street hil London and ordered to serve for the whole Miridian of Great Brittain by the Committee of the House of Commons in Parliament concerning Printing witness John White But leaving William Bridge to his extraordinary illuminations and Revelations we turn again to these good fellows and desire to know of them what these particular Miracles and Revelations be which they here speak of we conceive they mean these Letters which they say were taken in the Kings Cabinet at Nazeby field by victorious Sir Thomas Fairfax But truly we do not see how things written by way of Letters from one person to another can properly be called Revelations nor how it can merit the name of a Miracle for Enemies in War or Battail to seize upon a Cabinet of Papers At the Battail of Edgâ—-hil His Majesties Soldiers took certain Letters wherein by divine providence was discovered how one Blake was hired by them that call themselves the Kings most loving and obedient Subjects to signifie by some token the place where His Majesty was in the field that they might more directly level their Shot thither and speak forth their Loyalty by the mouth of their Ordnance we apprehended it indeed a special mercy of God to us but we did not call it by the name of a Miracle or a Revelation Yea but these men it seems do coâ—nt such an accident when it falls out on their side a Miracle and a Revelation and a sufficient one too to convert all of us unto their opinion if we be not before-hand wilful in our enmity against Parliaments and Reformation But if any be so obstinate and wil not be wrought upon by these means 't is supposed that he wil either deny these Papers to be written by the Kings own hand or else that the constructions â—â—d inferences made out of them are just and true or that these Papers are blameable against such Rebels as they are who have published them for it seems these are properties essential to one wilful in enmity yet whether it be out of our weakness of judgment or no we leave it to reasonable men to determine we the simple Brethren do confess that we believe it is possible that a man may suspect whether all these Papers as they are here published by his deadly enemies were written by the Kings own hand or no yea and he may also absolutely deny that the Constructions and inferences which they make out of them are just and right and further he may declare and shew that nothing in them is so blameable as they would have the world believe seeing they are against such unparalleld Rebels as they are and notwithstanding be free from any such enmity as they speak of It seems their guilty consciences expected some such matter and therfore they endevour so wel as they can poor men to answer for themselves saying As to the first know that the Parliament was never yet guilty of any such forgery the King yet in all the Letters of his which have been intercepted never objected any such thing and we dare appeal to his own Conscience now knowing that he cannot disavow either his own hand-writing or the matters themselves here written All the Cyphers Letters all circumstances of time and fact and the very hand by which they are Signed so generally known and now exposed to the view of all wil aver for us that no such forgery could be possible Their Argument in these words unto the first stands thus If these Letters were not written with the Kings own Hand then the Parliament should be guilty of forgery but the Parliament was never guilty of such forgery Ergo. The Major in this Argument they take for true but it is not currant unless they wil prove that none had to do with these Letters but the Parliament and that the publication of them was the Act of the whole Court which we do not believe because the end thereof being as was shewn before only to defame and endanger the Kings Person doth speak it a work un-beseeming a Parliament consisting of Christian men unless we take only a part for the whole perhaps indeed it might be the Act of some amongst them viz. of the prevailing Faction but crimen paucorum diffundere in omnes is not our custome But their Minor only they prove and that thus If the Parliament were guilty of any such forgery then the King in some of his Letters that have been intercepted would have objected the same But the King never objected any such thing Ergo. To this I answer it would be as great a shame if a whole Parliament should be guilty of forgery as if it should be guilty of the forementioned Act of Authorizing this Libell but yet some of the rotten Members thereof as they are men may possibly be as guilty of the one as of the other for all men say these are subject to Errour Nor is it an impossible thing to shew that some of them have not dealt so sincerely as became honesty when they were yet in ways of entreaty with their Associate Counties for free benevolence before they came to their weekly Taxes and Contributions some
what they have said and shewn that if they had any thing else which could have been wrested possibly against the King the world should have been made acquainted with that too But because what remaines in their hands is intermixt with other matter of no pertinence for publication at this time therefore it is thought fit to conceale the same lest otherwise they should have played the fools and done a prejudice unto themselves And thus we have seen their Answer to the second objection which they conceive may be made against their Annotations now we shall heare what they say to the third their words are these Touching the last objection if thou art a perfect Malignant and dost not stick to deny that there is any thing in these Letters unbeseeming a Prince who professes himself defender of the true Faith a tender Father of his Country and has been so Sanctimoniously ingaged with frequent speciall vows of Affection candour sincerity and constancy to His particular Protestant Subjects of England and Scotland then know that thou art sacarce worthy of any reply or satisfaction in this point SECT XI 1. Censuring superiors unlawfull why the Enemies must continue to slander the King How easie a thing it is to deprave the best writings 2. Of the Kings integrity and goodnesse and of Englands happinesse under Him 3. The main Particulars of Offence under His Government nominated No just matter of blame from them can now be Objected to His Majesty OUr Saviour in the Gospell forbids us to Judge our equals we are confident therefore he will never approve of us if we take upon us to sentence our superiours yea the Highest of all our Soveraigne who is Gods immediate servant and with whom none but He whose Title is The onely Ruler of Princes hath to do What hast thou to do to censure another mans servant saies the Apostle And Saint James assures us if we be masterly in that kind we shall thereby increase onely our own damnation But these men we see teach us another lesson for they tell us plainly in effect that if we be so nice and scrupulous as to give respect to Gods Word in things of this nature if we will not censure our King as themselves doe and condemne Him too upon their bare Testimony of doing unbeseemingly we are perfect Malignants that is to say as compleat Devills as any be in Hell But truly we had rather they should call us Malignants for obeying our Lord Christ then that Christ should call us Hypocrites for our conforming to their example as he doth some in the Gospell who were of their Conditions those that can see a Mote at a distance can worst of all see a Beame neer at Hand as the Authour of truth and wisdome informes us And we observe in the Gospell how they who could finde so much fault with the Son of God for every thing he said or did could see nothing amisse in themselves no not when it was evidently shewn them t is possible there may be such men alive now that can see a fault in their Soveraigne where it is not and none in themselves where are great plenty But for our parts we affect not to be of their number our work lies most at home and there we desire to be imployed our studies are to know and practice the Subjects Duty the Prince his Actions belong not to our inquisition we remember the Apostles precepts Study to be quiet and minde your owne Businesse which if all men had done we had had no fighting Nay did we see in the King what they say which we beleeve is not to be seen yet durst we not speak after their fashion for we have not so learned Christ. If we have a warrant in Scripture to Judge any it is onely those that censure others and not them neither but by their fruits and in matters of our owne Alloy which concern our own Cognizance and wherein it becomes us to have skill and knowledge and indeed upon this ground we dare boldly say what ever they tell us of to be unbeseeming the King in these his Letters we are certain in their Notes upon them there is nothing to be found but what is most unbeseeming subjects and men that professe themselves Protestant Christians who have been so Sanctimoniously ingaged with frequent speciall Vowes of Allegeance and Loyalty to their Soveraigne of affection and duty to his Person this we are confident that none unless their own dear selves will deny For their Annotations themselves do full loudly utter the same in their own proper Language Nay we are perswaded the very men of Westminster would not deny this were it not so much to the prejudice of their own Safety and Reputation to confess it both which indeed are supported for the present among many people by this vilifying and slandering the King insomuch that doubtless a kind of desperate necessity lyes upon them to doe and to countenance such things as they have done For say thir sinfully-resolved Consciences within themselves Woe would be unto us if the people whom we have Cozened of their wealth and peace and got ingaged with our selves in this black Rebellion under pretence of Religion so contrary to Christs Doctrine should but at length have a right apprehension of the Kings good spirit and disposition they would reckon us the veriest Villaines upon Gods earth yea they would fall upon us with one accord and cut our throats to expiate their own guilt and to recover peace to themselves and to the whole Nation should they but know in truth how we have used their Sovervigne Wherefore we must be wise in time and look to our selves Suprema tantum nos queant facere securos mala our onely safety consists in acting the highest evils We must slight Majesty we must contemne Gods Image and bedaube his Annointed with our bitterest inventions we must pervert his words and put the foulest gloss and construction that Hell can teach us to make upon all that proceeds from him and so we shall increase and continue that blinde and ungodly odium which by our fine policy we have already wrought in mens hearts against him Imperium iis artibus retinetur quibus partum est by lying and sland ring his foot-steps we be began our matchless undertaking and by the same meanes we must maintain it the Common sort having swallowed down our poyson already if they be kept strictly to their diet Mithridate-like may live upon it and adhere still unto us untill we have quite destroyed him whom we hate with a perfect Hatred for those unsatisfiable wrongs which our selves have done him yea and the people will think too that they doe God good service in their helping of us specially if we be but succesfull against him and also by our following this course we shall uphold our own Dignitie and retaine the repute of Holy and good men all we do will be
thought to be done out of zeal against sin and out of pure love to our Countrey we shall be looked upon as impartiall men that will wink at sin in no man no not in the King himself we will persecute and destroy him though he be our Common Parent rather then suffer sin to abide and domineere in him yea we shall be apprehended by the vulgar to be Gods speciall favourites elected and appointed by him on purpose to punish the King and to pull him from his Throne that so Christ in us the Saiuts may be set up and rule in his stead And what ever the King suffers at our hands shall be interpreted by the helpe of our Preachers men fitted for our turns to be Gods just judgement upon him for those very crimes which we lay to his Charge as Perfidiousnesse and Breach of speciall Vowes made to us his Protestant Subjects of England and Scotland for so we call our selves and under that guize we goe covered No doubt I say but the Consciences of those I mentioned have spoken to this purpose within themselves or else they would confess together with us that there is nothing in those Annotations upon the Kings Letters but what is most uncomly and misbeseeming Christian subjects And truly it is no difficult matter for men resolved and ingaged by all they care for bodily safety and worldly reputation to deprave the most innocent writing and to pick out matter thence to defame the Author Julian the Apostate these mens elder Brother having a deep hatred against Christ did imploy his maliciously-fine braine against the Sacred Bible and took great paines to cull out thence all shews of errour or places seemingly contrary to each other which he would formalize to his own purpose all ambiguous expressions which he would wrest and pervert to the most sinister construction and all obscure places which by a further entangling he would make more dark and cloudy and thus for a season with some men he disgraced Christ and his Holy Religion Now hence we gather that if one man alone was able by the helpe of Satan to do thus against the Sacred writings of God himselfe It is no marvail if many of the same rank and spirit laying their heads together shall with the like assistance doe thus against the writings of the King who is but a man for as we doe not make our King infallible like as they do the Parliament so we will not put His writings into the same skale of perfection wherein they weigh their Votes But this we will say and from their Malice against him do firmly beleeve that he is a lesser sinner then other men are for the more like in degree their spightfulness against him is to that of the Pharisees against Christ the more like unto Christ in innocency and Holiness is our Soveraigne the object of it That Hatred which is most deep and deadly in such men as these are is alwayes the most unjust And further too this we affirm concerning our Soveraigne that of all the Kings His Predecessours that swayed the English Scepter as he hath done we beleeve him to be the least sinfull and we may conclude it from the pride and fatnesse of these his people who Jessurun-like have kicked up their Heeles against him had he not been so good so milde so gentle towards them they had not been so malipert so proud so injurious towards him had he been a wanton Edward the fourth and borrowed a pace the rich Citizens monies and repayed them againe by lying with their wives or had he been a boysterous Henry the eighth and chopt off his Subjects heads in lust and anger doubtless he had found much better respect and fairness both of Carriage and Language from the men and women of this Nation London had not shut up their Gates thus long against him had he deserved less love they would have shewn more feare and Reverence to him No man was ever so perfect Christ alone excepted but at some times have been guilty of some obliquities which should they all that were committed through his whole life be mustered up and presented in one view and continuation together would make him appeare most strangely sinful whereas if his life were displayed in that tenour onely as led he would haply be an object of admiration for â—anctity and perfection These men and their faction have set nothing of the King to the worlds view since their unhappy meeting but his oversights and blemishes which they have narrowly searched for throughout his whole life and reigne nay they have made use of the â—ins and corruptions of those Monopolizing Lords and Gentlemen who are now right deare unto themselves and sit amongst them to make the King distastful to his people they have bedawbed him with others crimes for want of somewhat more proper and what have they to their utmost done thereby but purposed for an object of scorn and abhorring Him whom God by endowment with Principall and choise graces hath marked out for a ' Pattern of Honour and imitation to all Princes and men We dare challenge malice her selfe to open her mouth so wide as she can and for her better Advantage let her borrow the tongues and pens of these men to vent her worst of all and then let her speak out and tell the world what personall Crimes she can Charge the King withall Nay must she not needs confess if she say any thing that He hath been an example of meekness Temperance Charity Patience Mercy and Justice to all his Nobles and to all his people Had some of these great ones now with them been in these Vertues conformable unto him they had not haply been in that high esteem wherein they are at this present amongst them Nay because the Libellers in their height of impudency doe speake of the King as if he were not according to his profession a defender of the true Faith a tender Father of his Country and sincerely affected to the good of his Protestant Subjects in England and Scotland we doe appeale to all the world to Name an Age since England was a Nation wherein the Church and Faith of Christ flourished in such high lustre and glory wherein the Subjects of this Kingdome of all ranks and degrees did more abound in wealth and riches and wherein those of the true Protestant Religion which is the Religion of truth and peace of Humility and obedience were more countenanced and favoured then they have been in his dayes was there ever so much Splendour Bravery and Abundance in the City So much Plate and Money in the Country so many Pleasant Houses and Stately Buildings in all places throughout the Land Was there ever so much Feasting and plenty of food among all sorts of people so many good Garments and cloathes worne by men and women of all degrees so large Portions and dowryes given with Children in marriage were ever the Protestant Subjects
reason of the Abolition of Episcopacy that the Fathers of Gods Church might not have power to punish and suppress such kind of offenders 2. Because Episcopacy is the upholder of truth and order this is evident enough to be another reason themselves cannot deny that the same was first ordained established in the Church for a Remedy against Heresies Sects and Schismes which even in the Primitive times began to spring up among Christians the Smectymnists themselves confesse this and also for the maintaining of Order and Decency in Gods worship and service wherfore truth and order being the things which these men purpose to suppresse and destroy as appeares by that in-let which they have given to all false Doctrines and Teachers and by that confusion which they have set up in all places therefore a necessity lyes upon it Episcopacy must be Abolished as being a main obstruction to that their intendment or undertaking This is the second 3. Because Episcopacy is a great friend to Monarchy a maine supporter of it King James upon experience and observation was wont to say No Bishop no King which saying those that found most fault with it do now endeavour to make good unto the full for they intend the utter destruction of Monarchy in this Kingdome as will appeare by their words anon a form of Government indeed which their Faction have alway maligned and laboured to destroy King James in his Basilicon Doron pag. 4. which he made before he was King of England complaines of the men of this faction then in Scotland how they did use to calumniate him in their popular Sermons not sayes he for any evill or vice in me but because I am a King which they think the Highest evill and againe they informed saies he the people that Kings and Princes were naturall enemies to the Liberty of the Church and could never patiently beare the yoake of Christ which hath been the very Doctrine of these times Wherefore that wise King was most specially carefull all his dayes to countenance and establish Episcopacy in all His Kingdomes not onely as the main preserver of Religion but also as the speciall upholder of Monarchie and he layes it as a charge upon his Son to imitate him therein And indeed these innovators know full well that they cannot bring their designes to effect against Monarchy without the Abolition of Episcopacy for this keeps downe those unruly fiery spirits of the Ministry which are used as chief incendiaries in all State Combustions this restraines them from reproaching their betters and Speaking evill of Dignities this maintaines that Common form of Prayer in this Church established by the use whereof as by a daily Sermon of obedience peoples hearts are seasoned with Duty and Loyaltie in that they are taught continually to acknowledge God to be the onely Ruler of Princes and the Kings Heart to be in Gods Hand who alone must be sought unto to guide and dispose the same in that also we are all taught as we are subjects daily to consider that it is Gods Authority which the King hath and that we are faithfully to serve Honour and humbly obey Him in God and for God Viz. because God hath so commanded and because He is in Gods own stead by his appointment and ordination over the people And by many other such like Divine and Godly expressions people are taught in their use of that book to make profession of their Duty Loyaltie unto their Prince all which make directly against these men and their designes therefore Episcopacy the upholder of this book as the main impediment to their Project down the Common-prayer Book too without any reason at all alleadged on their parts that take upon them to be the Abolishers In a word Episcopacy with her Common-Prayer Book will not admit Treason to stand in the first rank of Christian vertues as these new-Reformers would have it nor be held the fairest and shortest way to Heaven Ergo She and that too must be both Abolished to make way for the downfall of Monarchy in this late most flourishing and happy Kingdom This is the third Reason The 4. is because the King at His Coronation did take a Solemne Oath to maintain Episcopacy it being the Government then established in the Church and the endeavours of these men are not only to destroy the Kings Honour by their Tongues and Pens His Body and Estate by their violence and oppression but also His Soul if they can possibly by forcing upon Him the guilt of perjury which if they could effect beside that unappeaseable grief which in so tender a Conscience as the Kings is they know they should create they would also purchase to themselves an Argument for confirmation of those their slanders already cast out against him to the same purpose viz. that he is regardlesse of keeping his Oath and Promise And besides too if they can make him their Instrument to ruine the Church of God which he loves so dearly and to destroy Monarchy and Kingly Government whereby himself and his posterity are supported if they can make him their Agent to ruine himself it will speake them admirable gifted and to have out-gone all the Machivillians that ever were before them most worthy therefore and fit to enjoy the Supremacy in the State and to be feared of all people And then further yet if they can get the King at their motion to Abolish Episcopacy they shall occasion him to break the Charge which his Father layed upon him to the contrary in his Basilicon Doron which he calls his Testament The Charge and Caveat there given is in these words Take heed my sonne of those Puritanâ— which aime â—t a parity who are the very pests in Church and Common-wealth whom no deserts can oblige no Oathes or promises binde they breathe nothing but Calumny and Sedition aspiring without measure railing without reason and making their own imaginations without warrant of the Word the square of their Conscience I protest before the Great God and since I am here as upon my Testament t is no place for me to lie in that you shall never finde with any Hye land or Border-theeves greater ingratitude more lies and viler perjuries then with these phanatick spirits And suffer not the Principals of them to brooke your Land if ye like to sit at rest except you would keep them for to trye your Patience as Socrates did an evill wife These were the words of the Kings Father wherefore should His Majesty let these men with his good will and approbation be principall in the Church and yeild for this purpose to their desires in abolishing Episcopacy God doubtless would be much offended with him for not minding the Commandement of his Father Yea and peradventure too these his tempters would goe neer afterward to suggest unto his Subjects for they have mouth and fore-head enough to do it that the King like his Predecessour Edward the
that truth and Loyalty which themselves also once professed and we stil maintain truly we have had such an ample experience already of their goodness in our preservation that we publickly profess to all the world we daily find in England what our poor captive Brethren do feel at Argier that there is no such cruel Turk as the Renegado Christian. When the sole power of the Sword or Militia was in the Kings Hand the poor Country-men as wel as the rich and Noble lived in peace slept securely under his own roof and without any fear did eat his bread with gladness he could say that what he had bought and payed for was his own and if any did injure or oppress him the Law was open to do him right But since these new Preservatours as they call themselves are risen up those Golden days are vanished and Iron times are come upon us Judgment is turned away backward and Justice standeth a far off Truth is fallen in the street and equity cannot enter Yea truth faileth and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey Esay 59. 14. 15. Our Nobles and Gentry are debased our Rich-men are beggered and many thousands of all sorts are killed or starved the whole Commonalty of the Kingdom in the General are in the same Condition with the Asses of France thought fit for nothing but blows and burdens no man can now command the use of his proper goods or the service of his own Children we hear daily of rapes and robberies burning of houses depopulation of Towns violence and oppression reigns in all places and confusion is poured out in ful measure among us insomuch that our wel-ordered Common-wealth that was is translated into a very Conjuration of Tyrannies by the means of these men whose aims and endevours are only to keep us in perpetual slavery Militari Jure by the Militia which yet forsooth they desire may be setled in their good hands for the peoples security and preservation 'T is true the people at first chose them and now they feel them and have cause to know them and to confess of them that they are very Scorpions to them and that their little finger is ten times heavier then the Kings Loynes The people chose them to be Arbytratours on their side against their King to comprimize as it were on their behalf some matter between the King and them for under that notion do the people commonly chuse their Parliament men and such shal only be carried on their shoulders whom they apprehend wil be most stiffe against their Soveraign as if he were the only great Enemy to their welfare and prosperity But by this time the greatest part of them we believe are otherwise instructed and as some of them have confessed their apprehensions of the King and Parliament as they stand now in the tearms contradistinct and opposite is like that which the Heathens have of God and the Devil as those adore the Devil with gifts and sacrifices for fear of mischief from him so do these the Parliament but God say the Heathens is good and wil do us no harm so say these is the King and therfore they neglect to do him service And doubtless might people have but liberty now to speak their minds freely they would utterly renounce the preservation of those their Arbitratours and desire again the Kings protection after the manner of former times And wheras these new Governours desire to have the Militia of three Kingdoms setled in their own hands for our greater security we must needs apprehend from the proof they have given us of what they promised us that this their pretence is but one of those bitter flouts which in scorn at our simplicities for thinking them to be honest men they cast upon us Sed Deus vindex God shal one day sit in judgment on them 4. They have said It would be to the Kings great glory to let them have the whole and perpetual managing of the Militia for then they should be fully able to make him the most glorious Prince in Christendome which thing they have a long time promised purposed and endevoured and all this fighting must be belâ—eved to be to that very end for had the King but tamely at first delivered up into their hands what God committed into his trusted them for ever with that Power and Authority wherwith God hath trusted him Had he but for their sakes denied God to be the only Ruler of Princes and acknowledged them his Governours and Guardians Had he but resigned unto them what King John his Predecessour once did unto the Pope they would have made the Pope their President in this as wel as they do in many other things and have returned it back again to him as he did to King John and so the King holding his Kingdom from thenceforth immediately of them they would have done more for him I that they would then ever his old Land-lord God Almighty either did or meant to do For wheras God made him King but only of England Scotland and Ireland they would have given him moreover all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory of them so that had not the King stood in his own light they had Conquered for him long ere this the Kingdoms of France and Spain and the Empire of Germany yea and the last year they had pulled out old Antichrist by the ears and burnt the whore Babylon with fire together with all of her Trinkets and at this very instant they had bin stepping over unto Constantinople for to ding down the great Turk and in the next half year the Mogull of Persia had bin taught to submit himself and then also the King of China had bin summoned to an account for his usurping the Title of Filius Coeli which is proper to no man living but only to those of their faction and by that time the Grand Chams of Tartary would have learned so much wit as to forbear calling themselves Domini Dominantium and to leave that stile wholly unto these superlative Abamocchoes And now who wil not say it had bin a Glorious thing to the King for the world to take notice that so great a brood of such mighty Alexanders should like that Cadmeyan Progeny start up on the sodain at one time in his Kingdom But it seems the King wanted faith and thought such great Acts might be sooner purposed then performed or else was jealous of these his Worthies that in their subduing of these Kingdoms they would not have dealt with him as Joab did with David at the taking of Rabbah and yeilded to him the glory of the Conquest Now whether the King were too blame or no in so thinking let wise men judge But let me reason a little with these men about this their reason Suppose the King should settle as they would have him the Militia of the Kingdom in their hands and then they should chance to Vote Bonum est
nobis esse hic 't is better to stay at home and play 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then to adventure abroad How would the King then appear so abundantly glorious Do they imagine it could be any thing to his glory to have it reported in the Courts of forrein Princes that the Monarch of Great Brittain after twenty years managing his inheritance left him by his predecessours and weilding the Scepter of three Kingdoms to the great prosperity and wealth of his Subjects hath submitted himself to Pupillage under the Command of a few ordinary Gentlemen his own vassals at their requests who think themselves wise enough and therfore take upon them as his Tutors and Guardians to Govern not only himself and his Kingdom but also his very Family and Houshold they appoint him what Servants shal wait upon him and have power to dispose of his Children in marriage without his consent or if they please against his wil. Can any man think that such a report would speak the King in a Glorious Condition Would not Strangers reply and say Is this the Honour of the English King and his great Priviledge above other Princes He may enjoy it sure without Emulation no man wil ever envy him this glory But is this indeed the English mens kindness to their Common Father their gratitude for all their happiness and peace under him Is this the upshot of all their great promises to him Is this that Royal Prerogative that happy freedom which those who stand so much upon their own liberty can in their good nature find in heart to afford unto their Soveraign Would not the meanest of them all disdain to be in that Condition What Neither have Command over his Subjects nor yet over his houshold servants Neither have power to chuse a Wife for his Son nor to bestow his Daughter in marriage Must the Right Worshipful his Tutors and Guardians have the sole disposing of his Children No doubt but they wil have a care to match them into such Haggard stocks that the English Nation shal never more be blessed with any Right-bred Eagles Thus would Forreiners descant upon our Kings Condition should he yeild to the desires of these men and this they would have us believe would be to his great glory Yea and furthermore they have bin teaching the People ever since the Parliament began that the Kings office properly is but only to put in Execution what the Parliament shal Decree to see offenders punished according to the minde and pleasure of his great Councell From whence we learne that there is a preferment waiting for him if he have but a care to please his little Great Masters well and be dilligent to come when they call to go and do as they bid in lieu of his settling the Militia of the three Kingdomes in their hands they will bestow upon him the grand Executionership of the Kingdome which He and His after him shall hold of them and their successours quà m diù se benè gesserint which may be an Office not onely of profit in such Tyrannicall times as we are like to have under their Government but also of pleasure if the King will but put off his mercifull disposition and learne of them to delight in slaughter and shedding of bloud And thus we see what great Dignity and Glory upon his resignation of the Militia is like to be conferred upon Englands King But what man now not void of Reason considering withall the tearmes these Demanders stand in at the present with the King will not conclude this their pretence of making the King Glorious to be onely one of their Flouts which in their pride and bitterness they are pleased to put upon their Soveraigne even for his easiness and goodness in giving credit at first so far to their Oathes and Honesties as to suffer them already to over-reach him truly as a plain scorn we apprehend it for let them Answer us a question or too Would dutifull and loyall Subjects as they call themselves desire any thing in earnest of their Prince and not first lay down their Harness Do not these their weapons speak that by violence or dread they intend to obtain their purpose Have not these very men seized already by fraud and force upon that very thing without the Kings leave which they require of him to grant them Do they not by calling themselves the Militia declare Evidently that they account themselves the everlasting Masters of it Do they intend if the King shall think meet to deny their request to yeeld up presently that possession which they have already of the same We suppose not for they claime in their Tenents all earthly power and Authority to be theirs by right as they are Gods Children They are so bold as to say Gods Providence hath cast into their hands that strength of the Militia which by unjust meanes they have seized upon and they have entred into an Oath and Covenant in effect to keep the same in despight of the King and with it to suppress and destroy all them that shall ayde and assist the King to recover His own again And what is all this but as Micha speakes to oppresse a man and his House Yea a King and his Heritage and to resolve to continue in so doing even because they have gotten a power into their Hands But tell us O you pretenders to Piety where in the meane time is that Subjection to the King for Conscience sake which S. Paul calls for and that obedience for the Lords sake which Saint Peter requireth will you all hold as some of your fellow-members have maintained that these Precepts were onely in date in the Primitive times when the People of God lived under Heathen Persecutors and are of no concernment in these dayes now Gods people have got strength Or do you think the bare calling your selves His Majesties most Dutifull and Loyall Subjects a sufficient observance of those injunctions We beleeve neither of these excuses will satisfie Christ Jesus at the reckoning day But in the interim doth not your desiring the King that the Militia may be setled in your hands plainly infer that in your own Consciences you have done him wrong in seizing already upon it without his leave Surely if the right of settling it be now in him the right of seizing upon it before was not in you but you did a manifest injury to His Majesty in meddling with it against his will and a far greater yet you intend to do him by your resolving still to keep it by force if you may not have it confirmed by his Approbation unlesse you will yeeld that this your demand proceeds from the scorners Chaire you must of necessity grant us thus much But in very deed these men have other reasons for this their unreasonable request though they are ashamed to name them I shall do it for them for mine aymes are like those of Christ my Master in his preaching
which they pretend they would inflict upon the Irish Rebells for that Protestant bloud shed by them would but the King give them leave so to do Truly if they would go themselves and fight it out with those Rebels in Ireland we dare affirm they shal have not only free leave but thanks too yea and moreover they shal have not only the usual boon of such Malefactors as act the executioners part upon their fellows viz. the grant of their own lives but by our consent they shal also be the very great Oes of Ireland and they shal hold this Dignity by their dearly affected Irish Law of Tanistry which is That he who is best able by force and violence to wrest unto himself the estates of others shal be the Chief Commander among them We perceive by their doings that they would set up that Law here in England in stead of all others which they have put out of date or use But we conceive it is not so suteable for this Nation where men have bin wont to enjoy their own and to leave their inheritance to their own Children and therfore we suppose it wil be an hard matter for them to introduce and settle the same here But in Ireland it is a custome established to their hand Yea and further yet upon Condition that they wil go thither and so we in this land may be rid of their Companies we wil all supplicate the King for a further favour in their behalf viz. that every great O amongst them may have the Honour to give the Earl of Tyrones own Arms which is a bloudy Hand for their own proper and most deserved Cognizance and that they may also be all Barons of that Strong Iland which Tyrone fortified and called Fough-na-Gaul the Hate of English-men For in very deed no man living did ever better merit that Title then they have done But alas we have read that Ireland harbours no venimous Vipers therfore we are confident the great Oes of Westminster wil never adventure thither in their own persons But if they can get the Militia of the Kingdom setled by the King wholly in their Hands that so they may fear no rising here against themselves they wil therwith force and press all the English people who wil not take their unlawful and ungodly Covenant which is in effect to renounce the Doctrine of Christs Gospel and their obedience to the King for ever and send them thither where they wil expose them to be starved or slaughtered as many thousands have bin already and therfore let all the Countries that have stood out longest in their Loyalty and at last accepted of these New Lords expect to be thus punished for their tardiness in Apostacy And for those lusty Club-men in the Counties of Wilts Somerset and Devon and the like let them look for this reward at the hands of their Militia-Masters for taking part with them against the Kings men Such fellows as wil gather together and make head against those that wrong and abuse them wil be dangerous to live in a New State They that did thus against the Cavaliers may do as much against the Round-heads when they are but a while as wel acquainted with their Conditions They that wil be forced from their Duty to their Soveraign and natural Liege-Lord by such wrongs and oppressions as in these troublesome times are offered to them by the unruly Soldiers wil be easily driven upon a like sensible occasion to make resistance against tyrannical usurpers those Beasts that wil decline from their Allegiance to the Kingly Lyon wil never long rest contented under the obedience of Cat-a-Mountains therfore a timely course must be taken with such persons they shal all be sent into Ireland out of hand and be hampered there for Ireland must be the continual Spain or Carthage to our New Rome to rid her of all such mutinous and tumultuous persons and then shal these Saints these Bloudy Butcherly Saints have free Elbow-room to inherit this land and having neither truth nor King nor Enemy left for to disease them they shal be at leisure if Pride and faction wil give them leave to live at peace together And thus have we seen the scope of the third demand also which concerneth Ireland Now from what hath been said concerning these matters let any man judge whether these men have not reasons to pursue their desires without giving back an hairs bredth from their first proposals and whether the King hath reason or no to consent unto them Nay whether the Subjects of England have cause to wish the Kings complyance with them in all these things for my part I profess sincerely in the sight of God I apprehend their demands to be the most unreasonable that were ever made and therfore do hope that God wil ere long awaken in the Kings behalf for such hath bin his wont formerly in cases of like nature When Nahash the Ammonite required of the men of Jabesh Gilead to purchase a quiet bondage under him that he might pul out their right Eys So when Benhadad required of the king of Israel his Strength Treasures Houses Wives Children and what ever was dear and pleasing unto him when Senacherib required of the people of Jerusalem to forsake their own natural King and to submit their necks under his yoak to yeild up themselves into his hands to be carried from their own good Land they knew not whither We find that God did continually awake in the behalf of each of these distressed and most severely punished every of these unreasonable demanders and doubtless he did so for the very unreasonableness of those their requests And shal not we believe that he wil awake now also when all these unreasonable demands proceed together at once and from the same men who first require the Abolition of Episcopacy there is Nahash request to pluck out our right Eies Secondly they require the Militia of the three Kingdoms that is Benhadads request for all that the King and his friends have Thirdly under the title of Vindicating the Irish Rebels they require that the people of this Kingdom should be at their disposal to translate from their own Native Country and never to see it any more there is Senacheribs request Therfore Awake Awake as in times of old O Lord our strength arise for our succour at this present and redeem us for thy mercies sake Behold O God our shield and Look upon the face of thine Anointed as thou art the Judge of all the Earth and helpest them to right that suffer wrong Amen Amen I now proceed to Answer these men who in their Libell go on and say But were our cause altered as it is not or were we worse Rebels then formerly as none can affirm that takes notice of our late sufferings and our strange patience even now after the discovery of these Papers and our late extraordinary success in the field Yet stil this
better habitation And thus we see that to argue from success is but a weak kind of Arguing nay these very men that now use the same in their own behalf were wont to say heretofore when others have prevailed against their faction The mâ—re Knaue the better luck I know no reason but that Proverb is stil as tâ—â—e as ever â— But I shal now shew in the next place that the worst men have always â—in wont to plead this Argument Two or three examples amongst many shal be alleaged to this purpose The Scripture tels of â—â—bsakeh when he moved the people of Jerusalem as these men do us to make a general revolt from Hezekiah he pretended that God had set him on work and had said Go up against this land and destroy it and his main Argument was his Masters extraordinary great successe to which purpose he reckoned up as our enemies do a great many Cities Towns and Castles which he had taken as Hâ—nah and Arâ—â—â—d Sepharvaim Henah and Ivaâ— And so the Turke argue at this day against the Christians that their Religion excels ours because they have prospered better and prevailed more then we have done And in like sort the Independent faction may urge the same thing against the Presbyterians here amongst â—s for they have been the most succesful and if the Argument be good then down must go the Presbytery as wel as Episcopacy râ—â—t and branch and the Parliament have erred in Voting for it yea and the Covenant taken to conform the Government of this Church to that of Scotland becomes frustrate and of none effect But to proceed As Raâ—sâ—akeh and the Turks so the Popish Bishops in Qu. Maries time did insist much upon this Argument as Master Fox witnesseth they would urge upon the Martyrs their extraordinary successe which they and their cause had by King Edwards death and Queen Maries coming to the Crown against such great endevours to the contrary these very men who now use the same Argument in their own behalf wil not allow that it was sufficiently good then in the behalf of the Papists I â—il mention but one example more and that is of Pope Alexander the third who as story speaks him was none of the best men when he had prevailed against the good Emperour Frederick the second his Liege-Lord as these have done against their King by getting a great victory against him wherein most unfortunately his son was taken prisoner for redemption of whom the Emperour was forced to prostrate himself upon the ground and yeild his neck to be troden on and to acknowledge Alexander to be rightful Pope which by reason of a schisme was before denied and to restore what ever had been taken during the war on his part when I say the Pope had brought him to all this and to such like things would these men now bring their Sâ—veraigâ— as is evident by the Doctrine of their Preachers who tel the people that God wil bring the necks of Kings under the feet of his Saints that is as they interpret under the feet of their faction then did He the said Pope insult and glory as these already begin to do in his Extraordinary great success and made it his Argument to perswade the foolish world after these mens fashion that his cause was Gods and that God had favoured his quarrel as the most just and lawful Henry King of England and Lewis King of France were both in the Seduction in token whereof being both on foot they held the Bridle of the Horse on which the Pope rode the one with the right hand and the other with the left And thus also we see that the worst men have bin wont to use this kind of Arguing which our Adversaries now think to be so good and do stand so much upon But from this consideration we for our parts shal beware of being swayed by it or of judging Gods love or hatred from outward Accidents fools only build upon such foundations Evil is the touch-stone of Good and often gets the better of it to try goodnesse Constancy The Arke was taken Prisoner by the Philistines it doth not follow thereupon that God did hate the same no more doth it now follow that he hates the King because he lets his Enemies for the present prevaile against him For Israels sin God suffered the Arke of his glory to be obscured for a season so for our sins it is that our Soveraign is afflicted And let not these Insulters perswade themselves that our Allegeance is so weakly knit that it can be looâ—ened with this Argument we are not of them that draw back nor yet of them that blush not to affirm that so long as the King is able to protect them they are bound to serve him but no longer these waters of affliction that have so plentifully showred down upon his Head are not able in the least degree to quench the heat of our love they are as oyle rather to inlarge the flames of our affections the Enemies success against him and ill usage of him doth but make him appear in our eys more like our Saviour and so locks our hearts the faster to him And let these King-Tormentors know that God hath an hook for their Noses and a Bridle for their lips and the things that are coming upon them make hast Nulla sors lâ—nga est the weather-cock may turn alieno in lâ—co haud stabile regnum est there is no constant sitting in anothers seat ima permutat brevis Hora summis who knows what a year a month or a day may bring forth quos foelices Cyntâ—ia vidit vidit miseres abitura dies Great and wise Agamemnon professed that he had learned by his victories 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great things are overturned in a monent Troya nos tumidos fecit nimium feroces saith he Troyes Conquest hath made us proud and cruel fierce and haughty Et Stamus nos Danai loco unde illa cecidit we the Conquerours are in the same condition from whence she fel Hodie mihi cras tibi is the Motto of all Mortals our portion of sorrow we have to day they shal have theirs to morrow the times may so alter that Affliction may chance to stand again for a mark of Gods Children even in their Calender res Deus nostras celeri citatas turbine versat And so I have done with this particular and come to that which these Libellers adde in their next words Having minded us of their late extraordinary successe in the field they proceed and say Yet stil this Clandestine proceedings against us here condemning all that are in any degree Protestants at Oxford as also granting a Tolleration of Idolatry to Papists indemnity to the Murderous Irish in a close trading way for meer particular advantage cannot be defended by any but by the falsest of men Papists and by the falsest of Papists Jesuites SECT XVII
intelligence with the Cardinall Mazarine Though I will not swear saies he that Lenthall says true yet I am sure 't is fit for thee to know Pap. 1. Here was another Clandestine businesse And further he doth consult with her about supplies of Men Monies and Powder for defence of his life against them of Westminster Pap. 3. and gives her direction for the conveyance of it in some other Papers a businesse Clandestine and shrewd too And in Paper 6. he assures her in private that Hertogen the Irish Agent was an arrant Knave a particular which might concerne the men of Westminster and touch them more close then perhaps every body will yet beleeve Besides in most of these Letters we shall finde the King and his Queen comforting and supporting each other under their heavy burdens with mutuall intimation of perfect love and patheticall expressions of conjugall affection All which are notable proceedings indeed against them at Westminster and great obstructions to their endevours which are to breake the Hearts of both and sinke them to their graves presently And thus we see the nature and danger of the first particular in the Charge concerning Clandestine proceedings which are so evident that we can say nothing against it The 2. followes the proof whereof is more and obscure and that is condemning all that are in any degree Protestants in Oxford by which they would have it beleeved that the King is so great an Enemy to Protestant Religion that his very friends at Oxford who have forsaken all they had for his sake are hated by him for their Religion sake so many of them as are Protestants in any degree But how this is manifest in these his Papers we are to seek for though these men have forehead enough to affirme it yet their fortune is not good enough to prove it Indeed we find the King in his Letters to Ormond Paper 16. and in his Directions to his Commissioners at Uxbridge taking great care and giving strict Charge for the preservation of his Protestant Subjects in Ireland but in no place can we see so much as a sillable tending to the condemnation of Protestant Religion But these men cannot leave their old trade of Taxing the King with their own Conditions Heaven and Earth can witnesse that never was there in England greater enemies to Protestant Religion then themselves have been never was there so much Protestant Bloud spilt in this Nation since the beginning of the world as hath been by their meanes within these foure years Never was London so full of Prisons never the Prisons so full of Protestant Divines Protestant Nobles Gentry and Christians of all sorts as they have been since these good men kept Court at Westminster Besides how they have Countenanced and brought into the Church all kinde of Sects and Heresies to the ruine of Protestantisme which the King for the Honour and Health thereof was alwayes carefull to suppresse and keep out How have they maintained and preached Doctrines of Devills scil of strife murder of Brethren Rebellion against Princes oppression of neighbours and practised the same which are all directly opposite to the Religion of the Protestants How have they abolished the Book of Common-Prayer established by Parliament to be the Protestants publick forme of Worshiping and serving God in this Kingdome Had the King done but any one of these things or were he not himselfe a most constant and zealous Professour of Protestant Religion in his daily practice these men might happily have had some Colour for this their confident Charge against him and so to have created suspitions of him But seeing all things are so cleare contrary we learne onely thus much from this particular on their charge that they are men whose hearts are not overspiced with honesty They passe not what they say nor with what face so they say no truth The third particular which they load their King withall is Tolleration of Idolatry to Papists which they speak as if Idolatry sub eo nomine were already allowed and set up by the Kings Authority in contempt of God and true Religion and so doubtlesse they would have it apprehended Reasonable men will yeild that there is a difference betwixt Idolatry and the Penalty thereof the penalty may be suspended altered or taken away for the time and yet the sinne it selfe not tollerated or allowed These doubty Champions will not yeild that their Parlia have granted a tolleration to Adultery though they have abrogated the penal Lawes against that sin and so taken away the meanes to punish it Nor can they prove that the King hath promised any more to Papists then the Parliament hath already granted to fornicatours In their after-notes where they make repetition of this matter they referre the Reader to Paper the 8. for their ground of it In which we finde the King relating to His Queen how the English Rebells had transmitted the Commands of Ireland from the Crowne of England to the Scots an expression worthy by the way to be observed by all Englishmen that regard the honour of their Nation considering that the King Himself is a Scot and that the men of Westminster intend if they cannot kill Him to thrust Him and His Children as some of their Hang-bies have whispered to His Ancient Inheritance in Scotland when they have made use of His People of that Nation to help to destroy His Kingly Power here not one Scot of them all shall have any footing or any more to doe in this Kingdome I say considering this every true Englishman hath cause most highly to reverence the King for His Justice unto and His care of the dignity of the English Crown But to proceed the King tells His Queen that by that Act that base and ignoble act He found Reformation of the Church not to be as they pretended the end of this Rebellion and concludes it would be no piety but presumption rather in Himselfe not to use all lawfull meanes to maintaine His righteous Cause And as one mean to that purpose not thought of before He gives His Queen leave to promise in His Name that all penall Lawes in England against Roman Catholicks shall be taken away as soone sayes He as God shall inable me to doe it upon this Conditiion so as by their meanes I may have so powerfull assistance as may deserve so great a favour and inable me to doe it Now how truly from these words that accusation is collected let the Readers Judge Here they see is no absolute grant or tolleration of Idolatry as they pretend but only a conditionary promise of withdrawing the penall Statutes against the Papists His Subjects if by their meanes He may be delivered from this bloudy raging and malicious persecution of the Puritans and settled in His power and throne again And well may the Papists expect as much favour from the King for such a service as Adulterers have had already from the Parliament gratis Nor perhaps
deportments towards her been such as our Religion commandeth she might ere this in all probabilities have preferred the same before her own even as she hath done our Nation many have heard her at a wel furnished Table say one of these Dishes in England with my Husband and Children might I but enjoy it there in peace would please me better and be sweeter to me then all this plenty in this place So great is her affection to our Nation whose great ingratitude and unkindnesse to her so unbecoming the Gospel the Lord pardon Let the Reader pardon this digression her Majesties wronged Innocence and the truth did extort it from me I return now to her Accusers from whom I learn That her Majesties main and proper fault is Loving her Husband and this I confesse they Evidence at large from many quotatious out of her several Letters as first they say she performs the office of a Resident for him in France and is restlesse even to the neglect of her own health to assist him against them his Enemies 2. She vows they say to die by famine rather then fail him in her faithful endevours 3. She confines not her Agency to France but sollicites other Princes also for shipping in his aid 4. She sends Armes into Scotland to Mountrosse and many such like particulars they alleage which doth abundantly evidence this her fault of loving her Husband Nay and the most heinous matter of all is the Counsels which she gives him namely to be suspicious in his Treaties with them who have deceived him so much already to take heed of his own safety amongst them and not to think himself safe any longer then he defends his friends that have served him for which they quote Pap. 31. these they call Counsels of very pernicious Consequence of which nature also is that manifestation of her Judgment that peace cannot be safe to the King without a Regiment for his Guard a la mode de France say they they might as wel have said a la mode du Parliament and of all this they alleage their punctual proofs out of these Letters wherefore 't is very plain that the Queen is guilty of a most dear and tender affection to the King her Husband and in order to him she desires the welfare of all his friends and for this cause is deemed by these men a fit object of abuse and hatred But truly if I did not evidently see them to be given up to blindnesse of mind by reason of that malice which is in them I should much admire at their folly in these their exceptions against the Queen I dare say that Henry Burtons Wife or John Basticks Wife might have done ful as much for their husbands when time was had they bin in a like capacity and bin no whit blamed by these men for the same Nay they should have been commended rather for such Testimonies of their faithfulnesse and affection O but the Queens fortune is to be the Kings Wife and therefore she must not look to find such grace and favour in the eyes of these jolly men as to have that in her not censured for a fault which in mean women is entitled virtue Nay I am further confident that if this truly royal Mary Wife to our Soveraign Charls had like that Queen Isabella wife to our Edward the 2d. joyned issue with some of the Enemies against the King her Husband she should have bin in as high account with these as that other was with the Rebels of those days her difference in Religion should have bred no dis-affection at all in them towards her for 't is not so much an unity in that which they desire and aime at as to all is plainly apparent from that multiplicity of Religions allowed amongst them if there be but a facile community another way in things more sensible it wil abundantly serve the turn to give satisfaction to these blessed Reformers But because the Queen is Chara fidaque marito dear and faithful to her Lord and Husband therefore must she be exclaimed upon and hated yea hunted and forced out of the Kingdom by certain wise and wel-bred Gentlemen as they would be accounted that rule the rost at Westminster who if they could but lay hands upon her would also murder her for with open mouth they have charged her already with no lesse then Treason Treason against the New-state forsooth even for her affectionate adherence unto the King her Husband in these times of his affliction Observe it I beseech you and consider well of it O all ye Princes and Nobles of the world and all you that are true Gentlemen of what Nation and Kingdome soever and say whether you ever read or heard of the like Behold here a most Royall Lady of most noble and high Vertues and incomparable parts Great Henries Daughter Sister to the late French King and Aunt unto the present and Queen of England who hath been defamed sclandered reviled railed upon shot at persecuted and driven to banishment brought upon the publick Stage for a Traitour condemned and threatned with death and forced to fly into other Countries to preserve her selfe in being like that woman in the Revelation from the face of the Dragon and all this onely for her faithfulnesse and loyal affections to her Husband in his distresse consider of this thing I beseech you and speak your minds And you my Country-men of England in general examine your thoughts and then say Hocciâ—e est Humanum factum aut inceptum Is there any Generosity nay any Humanity in such dealings Can you imagine that such demeanours towards such a personage will be ever chronicled to our Nations praise or read by posterity with approbation Was ever such harsh and hellish usage offered by the hands of English men before now to a daughter of France Duke Reiners Daughter Wife to that good though most unfortunate King Henry the 6. was used much better by Richard the third she had no such despights offered to her person because a woman and though she brought much forrein aid into the Kingdome yet was she not as I read ever accused of Treason for the same she was raâ—her interpreted to have done thereby her proper duty to her Husband no man I am sure can say that our Protestant Religion allows of this behaviour or that our holy Mother Church did ever feed any of her Children with such nourishment as should cause them to break out into such exorbitancies Her milk was alwaies seasoned with the Doctrines of Humility Reverence Civility Gentlenesse Affability and gratiousnesse of conversation to people of all sorts even to inferiours and to enemies Much more to superiours and to friends Surely if this our once most generous and courteous Nation had not now in too great a measure layed aside common Humanity as well as grace were there but this one reason which I shall name it would be abundantly enough to make this Queen most dear
against all sence and reason nay they have plainly inferred as hath been observed that they seek his ruine because he is a King and would maintaine Monarchy He that makes himselfe a Monarch or a King is no friend to the Parliament Well when he is dead as I think no wise man expects otherwise but that they will murder him openly or secretly shorten his dayes if they can get him and God doe not in a miraculous manner againe deliver him for as nothing but Christs Crucifixion would please the Jewes of old so nothing but the Kings extinction will satisfie the malice of some in this Age but I say when he is dead we shall in this one thing imitate Pilate and publish to all the world his accusation and cause of his death This shall be his Title Carolus Gratiosus Rex Angliae CHARLES the Gratious King of England was put to death by the Pharisaicall Puritans of his Kingdome only because he was their King and in many respects so like unto Jesus Christ the Worlds Saviour I wish with my soule and I pray with my heart that they may yet at length prevent us in this by their unfeigned Humiliation for the wrongs they have done him and by their right acceptance of him and obedience to him Thus have I shown in many particulars how fitly the Kings sufferings doe parallel with those of Christ I might instance in more but I hope the well disposed from this which hath been said will of themselves make observation of the rest I might here also evidence on the other side How his Majesties Enemies doe resemble him whom themselves call Anti-christ in their conditions yea I could by comparing their doings in this their generation with the worst Acts of the worst of Popes in severall Ages demonstrate to the world that these men of all men are most like them but mine aymes are not so much to decypher them as to offer a true presentment of the King unto his people to declare his vertues and wrongs which they labour to conceale is rather my work then to proclaim their ungodlinesse which indeed speaks it selfe loud enough without my discovery And truly had it been possible for me to have healed the wounds made by them upon my Soveraignes Honour without laying open their corruptions I should not have mentioned them so much as I have done for my delights are not to be stirring in such obscene and stinking puddles But all men know that he who takes upon him to justifie the Righteous must of necessity condemne the wicked the goodnesse of the one cannot be vindicated unlesse the vilenesse of the other be detected specially when they thus stand in competition wherefore omitting what might be spoken of them to this purpose I shall rather as Christs Minister apply my selfe to speake unto them after I have uttered a few words to those well-meaning Common people who have been seduced by them whom in the first place I desire to listen to mee SECT XXVII A serious and Brotherly Discourse to the seduced and oppressed Commons of this Nation their dangerous condition related divers and necessary considerations propounded to their thoughts to disswade them from persisting in their present way Their Objection of keeping their late Oath and Covenant Answered COuntrey-men and fellow-Subjects you see I have dealt with you as Pilate did with these people of the Jewes whom the subtill Pharisees had prevailed with to be their instruments in seeking Christs ruine for the desiring to divert them from further proceeding in so evill a way against so just a Person brought him forth before their eyes crowned with Thorns and arrayed with sorrowes and bad them Behold the man supposing that the sight of his griefs already suffered by the wrongs and abuses already offered would make them desist from offering more So I desiring with my soule as God is my witnesse to stop you in this your ungodly way which the craftie Pharisees of these times have thrust you into and to stay you from furtheir endeavouring your Kings destruction have set him before your eyes in the same sad and afflicted condition that Christ was in and whereinto your selves alas have helped to bring him Now I beseech you all Behold the man consider how much you have wronged his innocence already and abused his goodnesse and whether you have not shewne unkindnesse enough unto him who hath been unto you the Author of so much good so many yeares together You will say had we lived in the dayes of Christ we would not have joyned with the Pharisees in persecuting and abusing him and his Disciples and yet you are partakers in the like evills will you disallow of such things against your Saviour and yet act them against your Soveraigne Have you any other evidence against the King then those people had against Christ the bare testimony and report of his deadly enemies or have you any better warrant from Gods Word to rise up and cry out against the one then those had to do so against the other surely you have not O foolish people therefore and unwise who hath bewitched you who hath perverted you I know you 'l say even they whom we thought we were bound to follow scil our Teachers and our Leaders true and God shall require your bloud at their hands but in the meane time if you die in this way you will die in your sin for as Esay sayes the Leaders of this people cause them to erre and they that are led by them are destroyed that is are in the undoubted way unto destruction and what will you doe at the end thereof Perhaps your consciences are yet asleep so was Judasse's till his worke was quite done his Master murthered and himselfe received his wages but then it began to open indeed and so to roare within him that it debarred him quite from all contentment in his money for he brings that back to them who had employed him and makes his moan unto them and perhaps expects comfort from theâ—â— but they having served their turnes of him left him in the bryers whereinto they had brought him and rejected his complaint with a quid hoc ad nos what is it unto us see you to it their owne consciences did not yet stirre nor had they any respect at all to the troubles of his spirit Now truly friends this will be the condition of many of you when you have damn'd your soules in serving the lusts of these men and think to enjoy comfort in that wages of iniquity the Estates of other men which you gape after and is promised unto you as the price of bloud then will the doores of your consciences be unlocked the sence of your guilt will make you as sick as he was both of your rewards and lives and then if you lament and cry we have sinned in spilling innocent bloud the bloud of our Soveraigne or the bloud of our Countrey-men that never
our Saviour did with praiers in our mouths for them which it may be through Gods working may have a like effect after our death as Christs had to the conversion of some of them the conversion of those 3000. Act. 2. is held to be a fruit of Christs prayer upon the Crosse and Sauls conversion of Stephens prayer at his death so who knowes but our meeknesse our patience and our prayers at such a time may be effectuall to a like purpose even to draw some of our persecuting Countreymen from their bloudy and rebellious way into the paths of Christ and of his Gospel yea whether we live or die if we can do Christ and the King service no other way let us resolve and endeavour to pray down their and our enemies by praying for them And by all meanes while breath is in us let 's have a care so to live as we may still credit our righteous cause and as becometh those that are designed to slaughter for Jesus sake and for the Doctrine which he left us Holy bloud believe it will prove of harder digestion to them then prophane that they had killed the holy and the just one was that which afterward pierced the hearts of these mens elder Brethren when time was I say no more But the Lord strengthen and guide us all in our Christian and Loyall way by his grace and spirit that though we be a people robbed spoiled snared in holes hid in prison-houses driven to banishment and exposed for a prey yet we may walk before our God in all humilitie and well-pleasing to the restauration of his Gospells honour the inward comfort of our own spirits in the midst of miseries and to the conviction and shame of our unnaturall Countrey-men who seeke to take away our lives also from us Soli Deo Gloria Amen Amen May 26. 1646. A POST-SCRIPT to the READER THis Book was prepared as now you have it and might have seen the light within lesse then the compasse of that year wherein the Libell which it Answers was first published had there been at hand the convenience of a Presse and strength to bring forth But 't is no small advantage which the enemies have against Truth and the King that with them is both liberty and ability to vent what they please whereas with us is neither Had we but halfe the like helps encouragements and powers which they have had the world should see that the King hath Subjects and the Truth Defenders There hath been a further alteration of Affaires to the worse on the Kings side since this Book was written as may be collected from many passages therein and divers particulars concerning the enemies deportment here expressed have so fallen out as foreshewn for indeed 't is no difficult matter for any man acquainted with their spirits to fore-speak their doings Had there appeared any change in them to the better nay had their growth but promised a probability of more Christianity and duty in their future then hath been in their past Actions or then was here prognosticated of them this publication perhaps having been thus delayed had been still suspended though in very deed there is no reason why for such a cause it should have been quite stifled seeing that their Libell which it confuteth is divulged printed reprinted and still sold to the Kings darkening and defamation Besides many other scandalous and vile Pamphlets have been and are daily sent forth on purpose to damp his Lustre and to staine his Glory yea and translated too they are into other Languages that he might appear deform'd and spotted to the eye of Forraign Nations which because they have not been Answered with a like industry on our parts Strangers have thought yea and affirmed that nothing could be said for him because nothing was scil to their capacitie we have say they read in our owne languages many Bookes against him but none in his behealfe it must be acknowledged in very deed that this way the enemies have been more diligent in defaming then we have been in defending the King though in our own tongue there hath been abundance written in his justification and to their detection The Protestants of other Countryes unto whom the Kings bosome was alwayes open in their distresse towards whom his bowels alwayes yerned and for whose reliefe his commands went often forth to all Churches in his Kingdomes to make Collections how have they at least too many of them by meanes of those industrious Lies and Libels opened their mouthes and stretch'd forth their tongues against him And how are we that suffer with him and for him or rather for the Truth maintained by him esteemed of in our banishment amongst them are we any other but objects of scorn and taunting to them 't was our delight but 't was our duty and our work is with the Lord to obey God and him in contributing to their necessities in the day of their visitation but they take pleasure in this of ours to wound our very wounds and to enlarge our sorrows yea every way to help forward our affliction at what a distance have they looked upon us because the hand of God is out against us what bitter words have they darted at us and which is to our great griefe against the Sacred Person of our Soveraign with what violence and confidence doe they ignorantly undertake to justifie the false reports of his enemies against him Nay how is our Church it selfe the late glory of Christendome and of the whole Earth despised and slighted by them in this time of our persecution The Papists on the one side scoffingly ask us where is now your God where is your Church become you may now freely boast of its Invisibility if you please you have a ground for it c. And our Brethren on the other side that outwardly professe the same Faith with us and from whom we expected better they act Edoms part as reproachfully upon us crying out against our Church and the Government thereof down with it down with it even to the ground For they the Protestants of France in speciall are willingly perswaded by those Letters and Pamphlets sent them out of England that the Professours of the true Religion here before this Parliament begun were kept in a like underly condition as themselves are in their own Country though those French Congregations allowed in England might in their gratitude to our King have given them a better and more true information had they so pleased But upon this conceit they in France apprehend this Warre here against the King to be undertaken only to recover Liberty to worship God in the right manner that is to say after the French Mode or Discipline as they think at least and are made to believe and most people loving their own wayes and fashions best though lesse perfect then their neighbours cannot but wish good luck to all such as are stooping towards them and rejoyce for
to that purpose A serious expostulation with them about the same and of their maintaining a base fellow to deride and scoffe at their Soveraigne in his affliction pag. I. Sect. II. Of the pretended end of publishing the Libell the true end thereof hinted Their blasphemy against God noted How these Letters of the King might have been made use of as Evidences of truth and Loyaltie Of what stock and lineage the Authors of the Libell discovered themselves to be Of their subtilty and of that spirit and meeknesse which they boast of How aptly for themselves they alleadge the Example mentioned by S. Jude pag. II. Sect. III. The Kings great and true affection to his people Evidenced How farre divers of them that call themselves His Great Councell are from proving themselves his good Counsellors The ten Rules or Precepts whereby they have proceeded Of the Language and Titles which they complaine of and how truly the name Rebell belongs unto them The true cause of their great grief and sorrow so often mentioned An impudent Charge against the King propounded by the Libellers pag. 23. Sect. IV. The Nature of their Charge opened Their villanous and bloudy Scope therein clearly Evidenced and proved How perfectly in their Tenents they hold with the Jesuites in the points of King-killing and King-deposing fully declared pag. 34. Sect. V. The falsity and injustice of the said Charge against the King manifested in all the particulars Who they are that sit in the Scorners Chair The Enemies reasons and ends of Charging the King with their own Conditions pag. 49. Sect. VI. Of the Kings Errour in following evill Councellours and who they were His Majesty scorned at by the Libellers for his tendernesse of Conscience and hopes in Gods Justice The folly and falshood of the Libellers Charge against Strafford and Canterbury The Enemies acquit the King of having a voluntary hand in Straffords death They hint the right Reason of his withdrawing from Westminster pag. 56. Sect. VII What that Liberty is which the pretended Parliament doe maintaine And what that Religion may be which they are about to set up Reasons to prove it may be the Popish Reasons to shew it may be the Turkish Six Arguments to prove it cannot be the Christian Protestant pag. 67. Sect. VIII Of the feigned Combination against the Parliament Our Judgement of the Papists and of their assisting the King Our abhorment of the Cruelties of the Irish. How they are out-gone by the English Rebels our Opinion of the Court-faction of what Flock we professe our selves to be How the Libellers and their side call themselves the more beleeving sort of people pag. 77. Sect. IX The slander laied upon us to be Enemies to Parliaments and Reformation Confuted Of pretended Miracles Revelations and new Lights The taking the Kings Cabinet in Battaile no Miracle The Libellers Argument to prove an impossibility of forgery in their Parliament pag. 85. Sect. X. Of that perspecuity and Modesty which the Libellers boast to be in their owne Annotations Their pretty confident way of perswading all men to be of their Opinions Their Reasons why they did not Publish all they had against the King pag. 94. Sect. XI Censuring Superiours unlawfull Why the Enemies must continue to slander the King How easie a thing it is for wicked men to deprave the best writings Of the Kings integrity and goodnesse And of Englands happinesse under him The maine Particulars of offence under his Government nominated No just matter of blame from them can now be objected to His Majesty pag. 102. Sect. XII The Adversaries industry to finde things unbeseeming the King in his Letters The Letters freed from any such thing Certaine Christian considerations propounded to the Readers to Evidence the same Of the Rebels pertinacy in their Rebellious way their endeavours that the Kings promises might neither be beleeved nor performed pag. 111. Sect. XIII Of their 3. Propositions at Uxbridge 4. Pretences for their Abolition of Episcopacy 4. True Reasons of that their impious requests pag. 123. Sect. XIV Their unreasonablenesse in desiring the Militia to be in their sole disposall 4. Vain pretences for it 4. True grounds of this their demand How sinfull and dangerous it might be for the King to grant it pag. 135. Sect. XV. Of their Vindicating the Irish Rebels how fully they have done it already in one sence and how glad we should be if themselves would go and do it in the other their true intent in that demand opened pag 157. Sect. XVI Of the Enemies late sufferings of their strange patience of their extraordinary great successe the true grounds thereof Successe no argument of a good cause The wicked have been alway wont to use that argument pag. 156. Sect. XVII Another charge against the King confuted of clandestine proceedings The Kings condemning all that be Protestants at Oxford a most impudent and malicious slander His Toleration of Idolatry another The occasion of the Kings promising liberty of conscience to Papists The reasonablenesse of that promise at that time and upon that occasion The objection of the Kings former resolution to the contrary answered as also his promise not to abolish the laws against them pag. 174. Sect. XVIII The King granting indemnity to the murderous Irish another slander The necessity reasons of making peace with the Irish at that time The conditions upon which that peace was to be made this Act not contradictive to any of his former expressions against their detestable doings The vanity of their charge against the King for going in a close trading way Two sufficient evidences of his Majesties sincere and constant affection to the Protestant Religion The whole charge against the King most truely retorted upon the objecters pag. 185. Sect. XIX Of the enemies malicious devises to scandalize the King with favouring the Irish Rebellion detected confuted The Kings requiring secresie of the Queen and Ormond in the matters writ to them justified The Rebels blasphemy against Gods Providence and in asking Gods blessing upon their Libell noted pag. 193. Sect. XX. What good use might have been made of the Kings letters Of the faults laid to the Queens charge specially in loving her Husband pag. 198. Sect. XXI Of the Kings fault for loving his wife The manifest and mâ—â—cious falsifications and perversions of divers of the Kings eâ—pressioâ—s to his Queen noted pag. 207. Sect. XXII Of the Kings fault in labouring or indevouring to uphold Monarchy His Majesties soliciting the King of Denmarke to this purpose no whit contradictive to his former resolutions of not calling in forraigne aide pag. 214. Sect. XXIII The Libellers Cavils at the word Mongrill Parliament at the Commissioners at the Treaty at Uxbridge and at the Kings pawning his Jewels answered His Majesties affection and goodnesse to his subjects for want of other matters objected as a fault against him by these Libellers pag. 220. Sect. XXIV The story of the Rebels unchristian behaviour towards
seeing there is no more truth at all in the matter then can be infused thereinto by vertue of a Vote We are most confident that at the Generall Audit when all things and men shall be judged as they are and have been it will be found a most malicious and transcendent wickednesse in these men thus to have slandred and belyed the Lords Anointed their own dread Soveraigne Themselves know well that the King did not leave his place or seat at Westminster but was most violently forced and driven away from thence full sore against his will for the safeguard of his life by the rude multitudes who were set on work to be so irreverend towards him by them that took the Protestation to defend him And they know too that if the King could by his requests and messages have obtained to have had a restraint of those so high affronts offered to him he had not withdrawn himself from thence But because we have not to this very day heard of any person punished or so much as checked for that contemptuous and rebellious behaviour by them whom they call the Parliament and the Kings Great Councell we do beleeve that when all Secrets shall be opened it wil be found that even they who have now authorized this Libell and in it this impious Charge against the King did then countenance those very contempts against him on purpose to force him from them Wherefore though the King must not be suffered to enjoy the Priviledge of a King or of a Man yet they might permit him without blame or grudging to have the Liberty of the meanest Creature in endeavouring to preserve his own life and being And say they He hath not onely left his place but also as they would have it beleeved hath rejected it for ever hath bound himselfe to come no more there Yea And do all his proffers of pardon all his endeavours for Treaties all his desires of Accommodation speak onely so much and no more Do his private instructions to his Commissioners at Uxbridge before mentioned evidence this and nothing else Do his intentions to make his Queene the Happy instrument of renewing the meeting if he could have had but any demonstration that the Rebells would yeeld to Reason Paper 2. discover nothing but this Truely we doe apprehend rather all these particulars to be Arguments of the contrary when God the wronged Party doth beseech the wicked world to be reconciled to himselfe we apprehend he is willing to pardon all offences and to be friends with his enemies if they would beleeve him So when an abused Christian King doth imitate God in this particular we conceive it rather a signe that He would be again at unity with His Rebellious Subjects then that His purpose is still to keep himself at a distance We do finde that such an Accusation or Slander as this is was once laid to the Charge of God himself by a most disloyall and Hypocriticall people who having forced the Lord from them by their wickednesse and driven Him away by their ill usage and thereby made themselves most miserable did notwithstanding as these do very mannerly lay all the fault upon Him as if themselves had been the most innocent and wel-deserving people in the world and his departure had been altogether causless and on set purpose to bring upon the Heads of his people all those sorrows which their own ungodly doings alone had effected and procured Sion said the Lord hath forsaken me my God hath forgotten me Nay it seemes they had charged him as these doe their King that he had even quite divorced himself from them bound himself to come no more at them nor to own them for his people for God argues the case with them upon such their Charge and that first in a mild way as our King hath often done with His enemies and tels them he had not forgotten them what ever they said of him no A mother could sooner forget the child of her wombe then he could forget them though they deserved not to be so well remembred by him And then in the beginning of the next Chapter he comes more home unto them and challengeth and urgeth them to bring their proof to shew the Bill of Divorcement whereby they said he had cast them off So may our King call upon these his Accusers to produce the Bonds they talk of the Obligations whereby he hath tyed himselfe to fit elsewhere surely they that read this their Libell may easily beleeve that if either the Authors or Authorizers of it had any thing to this purpose tending to the Kings further disgrace or defamation they would not fail to publish the same in Print that all the world might see it But as those Accusers of God failing in their Evidence had the blame retorted upon themselves Behold for your iniquities have you sold your selves So may these Accusers of the King thus Charging their own faults upon Him without any injury have the same returned upon their own Heads the miseries which are upon the Kingdome by reason of the Kings absence they may thank their own selves for And as the Lord in that place doth further convince them of the wrong they did him by declaring his continuall readinesse to help them out of those miseries whereinto they had brought themselves if they would but heare him beleeve in him and trust unto him which he proves by minding them of what he had done formerly what Acts of grace he had passed already for their good inferring thereby that he was both able and willing to do as much again if they would but give him leave by taking his word So may the King and so hath the King by the very same wayes and meanes evidenced his innocency and freedome from those their unjust accusations what readinesse hath he alwayes shewed in denying himselfe to satisfie them What Acts of grace hath He already passed never any King hath done the like Let the bitterest of His Enemies deny it if they can what could be desired by reasonable men which he hath not offered and promised unto them if they would but beleeve him and trust unto him But this they wil not be brought unto for it is one of the most difficult things in the world for a Person that hath been so highly wronged as He hath been and intends well to gain credit from them that have abused him their owne guiltiness makes them incredulous and without Faith 't is impossible that either God or the King should be able to do any people good as it was said by our Saviour that himself could doe no mighty works in a certain place because of the peoples unbelief So may it be said of the King he cannot do that good he would unto his people because of their unbelief As God is better then man can conceive him to be so the King is better then these men will beleeve him to be yea
in regard of their abuses of him I may say then they can beleeve him to be It was the saying of a good Subject since these wars begun O that the people of England did but know their King they would love him they would beleeve him they would not abuse him But we must not wonder to see a good King in Gods condition We proceed therefore to their next particular where they Charge the King to have settled himself in the seat of the Scornful and we will see their truth in that The Psalmist informes us that those onely that are at ease have leasure to take up a sitting in that place and not those that are in an afflicted condition Did the King live the life of the men of Westminster and had all the wealth and pleasures of this Kingdome at his command and were he withall of their disposition indued with their spirits to act their parts there might be some probability of truth in this particular but it being cleane contrary with them there is no likelyhood at all in it 1. Had He been a Subject and by good fortune chosen Burgesse of some Corporation or Knight of some Shire and sate in the House of Commons amongst them at this present and had concurred first in pretending to settle Religion to make a glorious Church to advance Christ and then afterward in consulting how to take away the Churches maintenance to slight the places of Gods Worship that they might be of no more esteem then common Houses Alehouses Barns and Stables in persecuting banishing and imprisoning the Fathers of the Church and Ministers of Jesus those in special who have been the greatest opposers of Antichristianity and Popery and in giving liberty to all Sects and Religions save only to the true one which commands Humility Loyalty and Obedience had he I say been such a man and thus imployed then he might justly indeed have been said to sit in the Chaire of the scornfull and to have exercised his scoffes and scorns against God himselfe Or 2. had he been one of those that under pretence of advancing the Liberty and Happinesse of the Subject should vote away the Subjects right to his own goods sometimes a twentieth part sometime a fifth part sometime all under a pretence of taking away Monopolies and Illegall payments should bring in such new toles and taxations as the Nation was never acquainted with excize upon bread beere butter cheese flesh and all Commodities that are used for the life of man under pretence of being one of the good Patriots and preservers of their country should raise Wars cause desolations burne houses hire strange Nations with their Countries money to come to kill their Country-men under pretence of keeping tender Consciences from unnecessary matters should force upon them unlawfull Oathes ungodly Covenants even to the taking up of Armes against their Soveraigne to whom they have sworne Allegeance to the damnation of their souls for ever without deep Humiliation and Repentance Had the King I say beene one of these men and done thus He might deservedly have been said to have sate in the Scorners Chaire and to have laughed to scorne a whole Nation Or 3. had He been one of that number who talke of making the King a glorious Monarchie and yet take from Him all His Power Authority not suffer Him to have so much as the choice of His own Servants the Rule of His own Family the disposall of His own Children the society of His own Wife That promise to make Him the richest Prince in Christendome yet rob Him of all His Goods and Revenews and not allow Him so much if they can help it as shall buy Him bread to eat or cloathes to wear that call themselves His most Humble and obedient Subjects yet obey Him in nothing but study to vex and crosse Him in every thing hire fellowes to hunt Him to shoot at Him and if they can to kill Him that avouch great love and affection to Him desires to advance His Honour and yet Authorize Libells and base Bookes to defame slander and reproach Him If the King were one of this Generation and should concurre in such Actions He might be said to sit in the seat of the Scornfull indeed and to bestow His Scornes before all the world upon His Soveraigne Or lastly were He one of them that partly by fraud partly by violence having stripp'd their Soveraigne of all His Weapons Castles Ships and Townes and of the Hearts of many of His People and scarce left Him a place to hide His Head in in three Kingdomes should maintaine a cursed villaine to proclaime up and down the world that He is runne away very Majestically to set up a new Monarchy in the I le of Anglesey this indeed were to sit in and to fill up the Seat of the Scornfull for this is right Hail King of the Jewes which was plaine scorning in the Hall at Jerusalem according to Scripture and so doubtlesse if Scripture might be Judge it is in the Hall at Westminster We doe confesse and beleeve that were the King in this sort qualified conditioned and exercised then that imputation of theirs might be laid upon him But it being with him as it is we see no reason above-board why they should entitle him to the scorners Chaire unlesse his Magnanimity and Christian Courage bearing his burden of affliction be taken to be a contemning and scorning at their malice But yet they have a reason doubtlesse and ends too for this their charging the King though they think it fit for to conceale them I am one appointed of God to detect the devices of Satan and to unkennell the thoughts of the wicked and I dare be bolder with them then they for their own Credit sake dare be with themselves and therefore I shall discover them First their Reason I apprehead is this they know themselves worthy to be both abhorred and scorned of all men and doe beleeve they are so in the Hearts of all the wise for their most abominable and grosse hypocrisie yea they know in their Consciences that God scornes at them they being exercised as those are whom Scripture affirmeth God holdeth in derision and therefore they speake of the Kings scorne at them from the guilt of their own merits and deservings Then their Ends I conceive are these first to make His Majesty appeare abhominable unto the world which is the main scope of all their endeavours for t is said the Scorner is an abhomination unto men And secondly that the blinde and seduced vulgar might not think them to be guilty of that sinne which with so much boldnesse and bitternesse they doe first of all charge upon the King It is the knowne policy of a wicked harlot to call her honest neighbour whore first and of a pick-purse pursued to cry stop the Theef that himself might not be suspected to be the man You take too much