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
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
Let themselves call to minde whether there was not an Act which is more then a bare Order both made and nulled in the same Session since the Beginning of this Parliament though perhaps not dashed by that full Authority which did establish it yet was it not set aside as needlesse and vain or at least as not sufficiently advised upon beforehand The Act which I mean was that which concerned the Fleet or Navy against the Turkish Pirats to redeem our Christian Country-men from Bondage For their better remembrance of which I shall beg leave of the Readers to make a little digression in the relation of some few circumstances and if I rightly apprehend it the matter in brief was thus Our good King in his piety and pity to those poor Captives had formerly with that Ship-money so grudgingly paid built and sent out diverse Ships to the same purpose and God assisting a work so Religious and becoming a Christian Prince he provailed therewith against the Pyrats of Sally and freed many of his Subjects from barbarous slavery in that place whereupon he made preparation also against those of Argyer intending the like mercy for the Christians there but was prevented in his designe by the Scottish insurrection which forced him Northward And before his intentions could return to motion for that Southern Expedition this unhappy Parliament by his authority met at Westminster where that it might be conceived some others had Bowels as well as He a Bill was preferred and disputed upon concerning a Fleet to the fore-mentioned end for the maintenance of which though it might easily have been concluded by settling of Ship-money in a Parliamentary way with an Order for the manner of levying the same to the Subjects liking which had been a more safe and sensible kinde of payment then many disbursments extorted since and might have been a mean to continue Gods nationall blessing upon the whole Kingdome by interessing in that sort all mens hearts and hands in so charitable and Christian a work yet because it was a path wherein the King had trod and they had no purpose to deal either with or for him in any such friendly or Loyall way as might shadow his apprehended haltings from his peoples eyes by making that cleerly Legall which had formerly appeared somewhat warping Besides there wanted matter or stuff to fill up the belly of that monstrum horrendrum or ungospel-like Remonstrance which was purposed to be made against his Government by which the people were to be taught to beleeve that the King did never doe any thing well therefore by all meanes Ship-money must be damned and cryed down for ever in perpetuam Regis ignominiam if mouth can doe it And for the intended Navy another course was concluded upon to advance monies to maintaine that viz. from the importation and transportation of commodities But by the way while these things were in agitation amongst the wise the King having had more sincere and serious thoughts about that businesse then other men desiring and hoping to further and speed the designe with his advice and Councell sent them his judgement concerning some particulars about the matter only to consider upon and to follow if they so pleased or otherwise to proceed according to their own discretions which advise of his had they taken in good part from their Prince and Master they had shewn no more respect unto him then Job was wont to shew to his meanest servant but they lest they might seem to need his help by a civill acceptance of his Councel were so far from relishing of it that they presently voted the same to be an obstruction cast in on purpose to stop the businesse nay a plain refusall of the King to confirme the Bill Whereupon his Sacred Majesty being armed with meeknesse against affronts leaving them wholy to their own devises did presently signe their Bill and in that fashion as they would have him so discovering to all his people if they would see that a Vote of Parliament may be fallible And now behold to return to the matter when this Act was thus finished according to their desires and all Religious hearts raised to an high expectation of seeing their poor brethren quickly redeemed from Turkish thraldome whether from their dislike of the Kings readinesse unto so Christian a work or because they had some other imployment intended for the Merchants money here at home I cannot tell but that Act was never as I heard put in execution to this day but even quite set aside and as we may say so much as in them lay quite nullified cancelled and repealed and free leave given to the Turks thereby not onely to take our Country-men at sea but also to come into the very havens of our Kingdome and to carry away our Children to the ruine of Christian souls for ever insomuch that whereas there was but the number of some 2000. English in slavery when this so adored Parliament did begin there is now November 1645. above 5000. in most lamentable bondage our King being robbed and despoyled by his loving Subjects Who consult as they say to advance Christs Kingdome of his Shippes and Navy wherewith he was wont to defend his Realme from such Pyracies This is that Act which I spake of and the reason of my remembring it at this time is to helpe the Authorizers of this venemous Pamphlet with a president for the recalling their speciall Order whereby 't is published And now before I return to my work in hand let me assume the boldnesse to expostulate a little with these men I am one of Gods Ambassadours Jesus Christ who shall be their Judge is my Master and in his Name let me reason with them about this matter for I hope I may presume to speak unto them at a distance as they are like my self but Dust and Ashes Let me ask you a question in the first place O you superlative men Suppose some of your Novices and under-hand workers as alas you have too many such I feare even about the King should by this Pamphlet which you whom they think infallible have by speciall Order authorized or by any other of like nature published under your Protection be moved to act Jaques Clements part or Raviliacks part upon the Sacred person of their Soveraigne can you imagine that the same will not be set on your score as well as that of those Regicides was laid to the charge of the Jesuites whose custome it was as your selves well know while the doctrine of King-killing was appropriate to their order to inspire men to the perpretation of that supream villany by sending forth such conditioned books as this is which you have authorized wherein with most reproachfull language they would paint out the Prince designed for slaughter as if he were the greatest Tyrant promise-breaker and oppressor of his people in the world and a person in no sort fit to live that so it might be apprehended
meeknesse we can scarce discerne by their writings wherein we see nothing wanting save modesty truth and sincerity but these being the naturall fruits of the Spirit of meeknesse we should have judged the Authors of this Book quite Empty of that Spirit had not themselves informed us otherwise And yet too by Christs own warrant we may be suspicious of those that beare testimony of themselves A shadow of meeknesse I grant they may have but the Spirit is another thing When Satan loboured with our first Parents to the same end as these doe with us he had a shadow of meeknesse and love in his expressions but not the Spirit so those Wolves that were prophesied to come in these last dayes are foretold to have sheepes cloathing that is shadows and pretences of meeknesse they should bleate so lamb-like that the very Elect themselves should scarce be able to discerne them but yet they should be quite void of the spirit of meeknesse and verily we suspect these our subtile Brethren to be of that number nay they tell us that in the spirit of meeknesse they Still speak This word Still makes us bethink our selves how they have spoke already and to look back to their former language and dealings with us and we find that we have been reviled railed upon reproached both in Print and Pulpit sub tecto sub dio by the names and titles of Malignants Papists Devils and Dogs we have been imprisoned plundred and violently divested of all we had for our Conscience and Allegeance fake we have had our deare Wives our tender Infants our gray-haired Parents turn'd out of doores and exposed to beggery for our sakes our selves being formerly banished and separated from them for Gods sake because we will not be reclaimed from the Gospel of Jesus Christ that Doctrine of Obedience which all our dayes hath been taught us in the Church of England we have been hunted up and down the Kingdome like wilde beasts by these meek men and such as they have set upon us to spill our bloud we have had some of us the trials of cruel mockings and scornings yea of scourgings some of us have been roasted at the fire have had our Hands and Feet burnt off in a far more cruel manner then Bishop Bonner served Tomkins or Edmond Tirrell Rose Allen according as it is mentioned in the book of Martyrs we have been tempted to take their cursed Oathes and Covenants and we have thousands of us been slain with the Sword we have been forced to wander up and down through woods and mountains shall I say in sheep-skins and goat-skins Nay some of us without any cloathes at all being stripped stark naked by these our modest Country-men as those of our Nation and Religion were in Ireland by the Barbarous and mercilesse Rebells there and constrained thus to shift for our lives being destitute afflicted tormented Thus hath that spirit of meeknesse which rules in these our subtile and suspected Brethren discovered it self unto us and say they In the Spirit of meeknesse we still speak but from this their spirit of meeknesse Good Lord deliver us They proceed and say For those that wilfully deviate and make it their Profession to oppose the truth we think it below us to revile them with opprobrious Language remembring the Apostle Jude and that example which he gives us in his Epistle The Apostle Jude in his Epistle speaks of certain persons whom he calls filthy dreamers because doubtlesse they forsaking the rule of Gods Word talked and dreamed of new lights and Revelations which also they followed these dreamers he sayes despised Dominions and spake evill of Dignities viz. of such persons to whom in regard of their Authority and Eminency they owed their highest duty and Reverence and the Example which the Apostle gives to whom he resembles these men is of the Devill himselfe who disputing with Michael the Arch-Angell a supreame Servant of God maintaining the truth against him did assault him with railing accusations now these our subtile and suspected Brethren tell us that they remember the Apostle Jude and the Example he gives them indeed we perceive they do remember it very well they are full as good as their word in this particular nor could any men remember it better then they do or shew a more absolute conformity unto it for they dreame of new Lights they despise Dominions they speak evill of Dignities their chief contestation is with the supreamest of Gods Servants in this Kingdome whom for his defending the truth they do assault and revile with most opprobrious language and we do verily beleeve too their spirits are so high that according to their own saying they think it below themselves to speak altogether so evilly of any as of Dignities to offer so much despight to any as to their betters under whose Dominion they ought to subject themselves for they remember what the Apostle Jude sayes and the example which he gives them in his Epistle Besides if they should rail with opprobrious language upon those who wilfully deviate and make it their profession to oppose the truth they should revile themselves and give ill language one to another for if practice may speak profession and what men be they are the most wilfull deviatours from the known truth and the greatest opposers of it that ever sprung from the bottomless pit in this last Age and so they should shew themselves not only forgetfull of the Apostle Jude and the example which he gives them but also of themselves and of that Oath and Covenant which they have taken to hold one with another and to assist each other in this their wilfull deviation against the truth and against their Soveraigne for though they have broken their Oath of Allegeance so often taken to defend his life and Honour who is the defender of the truth yet they are resolved not to break that other which they have taken since not to lay down Armes of which their tongues and pens are a speciall part till they have had their will of the King and satisfied their lusts upon him perhaps indeed afterwards they may be at leisure to break their Oath of Association too and may come to be so humbled by one another that they may not think it so below themselves as it seemes yet they do to revile with opprobrious language those that wilfully Deviate and have made it their profession to oppose the truth But truely we their simple Brethren are of opinion that if these high-thoughted men did not at this present think it below them to shame themselves to upbraid their own hearts with their own wayes to charge their own doings upon their own Consciences but would suffer that sepulcher in their own bosoms to open that the steame thereof might ascend into their own nostrils to the loathing of themselves they should do more becommingly and what in the end would be found more Comfortable But concerning
the true reason of his departure thence to be that he might not speake destruction to his people but safety and Honour still if possible that he might not imbrew his hands in the bloud of innocent and Loyall Subjects against Law and Conscience yea surely lest the rest of that guilt of bloud which he saw was likely to be spilt should be charged upon the Head of him and his posterity He withdrew himselfe from their society and did for the present even abhorre to be amongst them When God pleaseth we see he can make men speak truth whether they will or no. And truly let any man who hath Conscience judge in the matter whether the King did not do prudently and conscientiously in his forsaking them when he perceived their purpose and resolution was to have him sit there amongst them onely with a Reed or Pen in his Hand to signe and own as his Act and Deed whatever they alone should vouchsafe to do that so they might cast the blame and Odium of all their Injustice afterwards upon him which is most apparent they would have done if he had stayed for being by his departure frustrate of such their intentions they seem to cast it all upon the people by those words if no resistance be used Straffords President will cast Canterbury and Canterburies all the rest of the Conspiratours and so the people will make good their ancient freedome still As if the people of their own accords without being requested thereunto or sollicited by others for the upholding and making good some Ancient Priviledge which they formerly had enjoyed and now if the King were able to make resistance were in danger to be deprived of Had desired that those men Strafford and Canterbury should be put to death onely by their Votes and not by Law Indeed I read that in Heathen Rome the People had such a Custome to voice men to death and such men they should commonly be as had done the Common-wealth best service and from the Custome perhaps it was that Pilat a Romane Magistrate did permit the people of the Jewes against all Law and right to voice Christ to be crucified But I never heard that the people of England were wont to do so in any age till this new Arbritrary Government was set up And we beleeve it will be easier for these Libellers to make the people as the world now goes with many of them Pagans and Jewes in such desires then to prove that any such Custome did ever yet hitherto belong unto them nor will it availe much to the peoples comforts at the great day or to their own securities in the mean while if now they should purchase any such Priviledge But I leave the People to consider of this matter themselves and returne to these King-accusers who have themselves well answered their own accusation against their Soveraigne and declared the true Reason of his leaving his Seat at Westminster to which they might have added another viz. Gods calling him from thence both by his Word and Providence 1. By his Word which a King as well as another man is bound to observe and give heed unto My Sonne if sinners entice thee consent thou not if they say let us lay wait for bloud let us lurke privily for the innocent without cause c. My sonne walke not thou in the way with them refraine thy foot from their path for their feet run to evill and make haste to shed bloud 2. By his Providence in his permitting the tumultuous people to rise against him and to force him from thence Consule providentiam Dei cum verbo Dei sayes one and when with the Word Providence concurs there is doubtless a speciall call from heaven But the King having these grounds of withdrawing himselfe some may wonder why in that former place they so heavily charge him to have walked to the ruine of his three Kingdomes by abhorring his Seat and Councell as if his leaving that were the sole cause of all our woe I answer in a word Their reason I conceive is because the King being of a soft and tender conscience is unwilling to beare the guilt therefore he shall whether he will or no if they can help him to it beare all the blame being unchargeable of reall evils he shall be burdened with imaginary the Devill and his Members desire no greater advantage against those they hate then to see them meekly scrupulous nor doe they please themselves better in any thing then in loading with slanders and tormenting the righteous when they see them to be in an afflicted condition Shimei cursed his Soveraigne and falsly called him A bloudy man and the destroyer of Sauls house because â—e saw him in a low condition So these men fancie they may say any evill against their King because he is in an afflicted condition they may speak to his farther griefe because he is already grieved But as David in that place sayes so say we It may be the Lord will look upon the affliction of his Anointed and will requite good the sooner to him even for these their accursed and false scandals of him And O our God our eyes are towards thee we will waite for thy salvation And thus I hope I have now made it apparent that there is as little of Verity as there is of Piety in that reproachfull Charge which these ill disposed Libellers these Martin Mar-kings have cast upon their Soveraigne now we shall observe how they proceed They address their speech to the Reader in generall whom they suppose to be either a Friend or an Enemy to their cause and say If thou art well affected to the Cause of Liberty and Religion which the two Parliaments of England and Scotland now maintain against a Combination of all the Papists in Europe almost especially the bloudy Tigres of Ireland and some of the Prelaticall Court Faction in England thou wilt be abundantly satisfied with these Letters here Printed and take notice how the Court hath been Cajold by the Papists and we the more beleeving Protestants by the Court SECT VII 1. What that Liberty is which the pretended Parliament doe maintaine 2. And what that Religion may be which they are about to set up Reasons to shew it may haply be the Popish or peradventure the Turkish 3. Six Arguments to prove it cannot be the Christian Protestant THe Reader may be well affected to that Reformed Religion which Gods holy and pure Word teacheth which the Church of England this fourscore yeares last past hath pulikly professed and to that Liberty which Christianity alloweth which the Subjects of this Land above any other in the World most happily have enjoyed under their Soveraigne Princes and which the Parliaments of this Kingdome before this have concurred in the establishing of and yet no way affected to that cause of Liberty and Religion which these men speake of Nay if the Reader may judge of Liberty and Religion by its
also noted the same that this was the course which Julian the Apostate took in his dayes He having a purpose as these have to ruine the profession of Christianity Used not the sword as Dioclesian did though these indeed to make the work more speedy doe act Dioclesian too but he took away the means of the Clergies subsistance knowing full well that if maintenance once failed the number of Preachers would not long continue The said Julian also would tell the Bishops and Pastors when he stripped them of all they had that in so doing He had a speciall care of their soules health because the Gospell commended Poverty unto them Such like flowts at the Doctrine of Christ doth often fall from lips of the Apostates of these days 5. By their pulling downe all Christian order and formes of publicke Worship and Service tending to decency and edification by casting down defiling and defaming the Houses of God turning many of them into Stables Slaughter-houses Prisons and Jakes they have made close-stooles of Fonts and Pulpits and done as bad to Communion Tables they have rent the holy Bible in pieces scorned at the Sacraments Baptized Horses robbed Churches of Sacramentall Utensils as Plate Linnen calling it Idolatrous and Superstitious because it had been only used in Christs service nay the poore innocent Bells because they have been the meanes of calling people together to Worship God and to adore the Saviour of the World must be pulled down and turned into Guns that they may be another while Instruments of destruction to the Members of Jesus this indeed as I read was the manner of the Turkes when they tooke Constantinople they melted the Bells into Ordnances In a word what ever evill or impiety the Enemies were wont to slander our Church withall these men have acted or suffered to be done by those whom they maintaine insomuch that now the Priests of Rome shall not speak only lyes as heretofore when they tell the people That in England they abolish Church Sacraments the meanes of Salvation they either raze or rob Churches wheresoever they come and make Stables of them that they will neither have Temples nor forme of Religion nor doe they serve God any way yea the English Nation is growne so barbarous that they are very Canniballs and devoure one another God knowes my Soul abhorres to thinke much more to name those things that are acted done amongst as nor should my pen be fouled with the mention of them were they not visible to so many eyes and did not necessity of defending impugned Truth and an abused Church restraine me But I would have all the Papists understand for to that end do I thus speak that we who are of the true Protestant Christian Religion do abhor and loath these practices as much as any and are persecuted to death by them that do them for our dislike of them 6. By their suppression and demolition of all Monuments of Christianity that there might be seen no more tokens of it in the Kingdome as if they intended that no man should be able hereafter to say this Land was once Christian The very festivall times when the Birth Death Resurrection Ascension of our Saviour is commemorated which next to the Preaching of Gods Word and Administration of the Sacraments have been the most speciall means to confirme mens faith in the History of Christ these they have inhibited and forbidden as if they hated his very remembrance Gods wisdome appointed the Feast of Passeover to be kept as an Ordinance for ever among the Jewes to minde them of their deliverance from Aegypt and to be a mean to assure their Children in after-Ages of the truth of that great mercy And the Church conceiving that our deliverance from sinne and Satan by the Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ to be as a great a deliverance as that other and to deserve as well to be remembred did also apprehend that way or mean to be the best to convey the notice of it to Posterity which Gods owne Wisdome devised and that was by celebrating Annuall Festivalls in memoriall thereof but these men it seemes have resolved to the contrary for they will not have the same kept any longer in remembrance Nay that miraculous Thorne at Glassenbury which was wont to celebrate the Festivall of Christs Nativity by putting forth its leaves and flowers was cut in pieces by these Militia men that it might no longer Preach unto men the Birth day of their Saviour But what doe I speake of dayes and times and teaching Trees the very Doctrine it selfe which Christ himselfe taught and practised viz. the Doctrine of Peace Patience and passive obedience unto Princes is reckoned obsolete and uselesse by these men it was publickly maintained by a certaine worthlesse Member at a great Committee in the Checquer Chamber that such Doctrines were out of date in these dayes and had been onely proper to former times when the Church was in a low Condition and under the Persecution of Heathen Emperours Nay these men would not that any true Christian Protestant should have leave to live to relate unto posterity the Doctrine of his Saviour as seemeth by their doings their thirst for Protestant Bloud appeareth to be such as if they desired that all of that Profession in the world had but one Head that so they might cut it off at one blow for they have shed already more of it within these foure yeares then ever was shed in Great Brittaine since the world began and that for no other cause that we yet know for they never durst come to dispute it with us then for holding to the Doctrine of Christs Gospell because we will not contrary to that lift up our hands with them against our Soveraigne By these particulars and many others which I might alleadge it is evident what ever they pretend to the contrary that their endeavours are to destroy the Christian Protestant Religion Our Saviour doth warrant us to judge of men by their fruits wherefore t is no marvaile if the Reader being a true Protestant Christian be not well affected to that cause of Liberty and Religion which the two Parliaments of England and Scotland do seeme to maintaine SECT VIII 1. Of the feigned Combination against the Parliament 2. Our judgement of the Papists and of their assisting the King 3. Our abhorment of the Cruelties of the Irish and how they are out-gone by the English Rebells 4. Our Opinion of the Court Faction of what flock we are 5. How the Libellers call themselves the more beleeving sort of people BUt the Reason insinuated by our Subtile Brethren why men should be affected to that their cause is taken from the Consideration of the Persons against whom as they say t is maintained viz. against a combination of all the Papists of Europe almost especially the bloudy Tigres of Ireland and some of the Prelaticall and Court Faction in England That
thereof but more of this hereafter 2. Concerning the Bloudy Tigres of Ireland we doe abhorre their Cruelties and beleeve that their damnation sleepeth not but shall in Gods due time over-take and over-whelme them But we must adde farther that the Tigres of England even many of those whom they call the Parliament side have been full as Bloudy nay more Bloudy and base then those of Ireland who have persecuted with fire and sword from among them those only that were of a differing Religion and Nation unto themselves but these here have handled them of their own Country and Religion after the same manner never any Tygres so thirsted after the Bloud of their nearest kindred and best friends as these in England have done nor can any villany be named that was acted by them in that Kingdome which hath not been done and out-done by those in this these also have raised a Rebellion against their Soveraigne and in pursuance thereof have killed slaine and destroyed men women and children in some places where they have come these also have stripped people of both Sexes naked and then shut them up in Churches together or other places and afterward have come and in a barbarous and beastly maner have whipped and scourged them these also have rosted Christians at the fire and burnt them by piece-meales their toes from their feet and their fingers from their hands striking up halfe a dozen Drums in the meane time that the shreeks and cryes of the tormented might not be heard to move pitty in any towards them which was the custome of them in old time that Sacrificed Children unto Moloske was it ever heard that the Tigres of Ireland or the Spaniards in the Indies did ever act any such Cruelties upon them of their owne Faith and Nation Indeed modesty restraines from expressing all their doings and did I delight to make men odious as well as sinne I could name the Persons by whose Command and Authority some of these things have been Acted and the places where they have been done And confident I am if Master Fox were now alive to search into all the places where these Parliament Tigres have come and to write their doings the volume would be three times as big as his former and repleat with as Savage Actions as ever yet were recorded by the Pen of Man Onely this I must say further I have not heard that the Tigres of Ireland have shewn so much immediate spight against God and Christ in demolishing all markes of Christianity in destroying polluting and defiling the Temples of Gods Worship as these of England have done t is true we hear that since they have got our Churches into their possessions they have in their superstitious way consecrated them anew And truely had our Tigres of England been there and used the Churches of that Kingdome as they have done them in this there had been great need of a new Consecration Wherefore concluding this particular I will only speak to these men who have thus mentioned the Tigres of Ireland as our Saviour in the Gospell did to some of like Conditions You Hypocrites can you see Tigrely doings in your Brethren of Ireland And can you not discern these more Tigrely and bloudy Actions which are committed by your selves Amend first for shame your own doings and then you may speak with more credit against the Evills of others 3. Concerning the third sort viz. those some of the Prelaticall and Court Faction in England which these men cry out also upon to be of the Combination we doe confesse there hath been and perhaps still are some about the Court or that have too near a relation to it whom we doe dislike as much and more too then these men doe and we have reason for it they are such as neither serve God nor the King so faithfully as they ought to doe but are either secret pensioners unto his enemies pursuing their ends notwithstanding their pretendings and engagements to His Majesty or else they are slaves to their owne proper lusts making provisions only for their owne Flesh and Belly notwithstanding Gods wrath upon the Kingdome and from these is the speciall cause that the Kings affaires goe on so badly as they doe these be the men who by their Power and Authority have countenanced and advanced the vile even to abuse spoile and dishearten the good lest the Lustre of inferiours merits should discover the worthlesnesse of those that are in place above them and give too happy a progresse to His Majesties businesse Of which sort are they who when by their Treacheries Indiscretions Negligences or ill Governed behaviours Townes and Countrys are lost good undertakings nulled or made frustrate can very unreverendly and undutifully lay the fault upon the Kings ill fortune yea and tax His Majesty of this or that so making his Candour the Napkin as it were to wipe the filth from their own Noses These men we would that all the world should know we do dislike and perfectly abhorre for such their workes sake even as we doe the Irish Tigres or the Men of Westminster themselves But we do beleeve and know that besides these the King hath a Company belonging to him both of the Nobility of the Gentry and of the Clergy our subtile Brethren may call them a faction if they will or even what else they please that are both truly Religious and truly Loyall that have sacrificed their fortunes and are every one ready to sacrifice their lives too in defence of their holy Protestant Religion and of their King and Country that do truly mourn for the miseries of this Church and State yea many of them stand like Mary and John as being able perhaps to do little else looking with watery eyes upon their innocent and righteous Soveraigne whom they behold in their Saviours Condition Crucified between Theeves on both sides And of this flock we do professe our selves to be and to it we resolve by Gods Grace to adhere for ever although we should see every of them to be in the Kings very case and Condition wronged every way and abused by both their parties even as he no we will not leave to be on their side in this cause though we beleeve them to be the men whom together with the King the Heads of the Association made at London have vowed to destroy We know that the Lord whom we serve is able to deliver us from their cruell hands but if not let all the People know that we will never fall down before that many-Headed Idoll which they have set up or rather which hath advanced it selfe to be adored by the People And this is our Answer to these subtile men who by a tale of strange Combination did think as it seemes to perswade us to forsake the King and to adhere to his Enemies But they tell the Reader further Thou say they wilt be abundantly satisfied with these Letters here Printed and take
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
of the Kingdome more frequently taught or better fed did they ever in any Nation under the Sun injoy more Peace and Happiness then they did all the time of His Reigne untill this unhappy Parliament turned all things up-side down and so made us of all Christians in the world well-nigh the most miserable and disconsolate Certainly though the Parliament Ministers are pleased to cry out in their Rethorick O the Affliction the Misery the Wormwood and the Gall of those times Yet Posterity in after Ages will acknowledge that the Nobility Gentry Clergy Citizens and Common-people of this Nation in the General did all arrive at the height of earthly happiness in King Charles his time whilest he alone did sway the English Scepter It is true there were Particular grievances from particular men both in Church and Common-wealth and can it be expected otherwise while we live in this world and some good men haply did suffer some hard usage at the hands of evill but did the King ever stop His eares at any Petition Did He ever deny Justice to any that did require it Or did He ever harden His Heart from shewing mercy where ere it was needful There was perhaps much whispering abroad and murmuring in Corners but was there alwayes a cause Mans Nature is apt some time to complaine for nothing even when there is more reason to be thankfull I will name the main particulars of offence and let the world judge what matter of blame did truly arise from them unto the King 1. The Bishops were cryed out upon to be too Rigorous but hath not the carriages of that faction which the Bishops did oppose since they have gotten Head largely acquitted them of that imputation in the judgement of all wise men surely they forefaw the mischief which we all now feel and did labour as became them in their places to prevent the same Perhaps every of them did not go the best way to work nor did use such apt Instruments as the case and time required I justifie no man in all particulars and perhaps too some of us who are now imprisoned banished and divested of all we have by this Reforming Parliament did in those dayes suffer more molestation from some of their unworthy Officers then many of those did who since that time have been most revengefull Three factious fellows had their ears clipt by the sentence of the Lords in the Star-Chamber and were set in the Pillory and this was exclaimed upon for great cruelty in the Bishops because they having been abused by them did not beg their pardon but how truly their necks also deserved the Hâ—lter hath well appeared by the late temper of their spirits and the little good use they have made of that their too small and gentle chastisement 2. The Star-Chamber and high Commission were two great Eye-sores for many great and heavy fines were layd on men for their sins sake in those Courts by the Kings Nobles and Judges some of whom are now great men with His greatest Enemies But how many of those fines did His Majesty in His tendernesse and goodnesse afterwards remit or cause to be mitigated and since the people would so have it He hath now given way even before the Act of continuing the Parliament that those Courts should be suppressed and so be no more offensive 3. Many people of the Kingdome voluntarily departed hence to New-England and this was pretended persecution from some who differed in opinion from them whom they called their Antichristian Enemies but now t is plainly apparent by that spirit which stayed behind in some of their fellowes that the true cause of their departure was only pride In themselves Cesar-like they could allow of no superiour either in Church or State no Bishop no King perhaps some of them might have tender Consciences through weaknesse or mis-information and some of the plainer sort might be honest men and went for company with the rest they knew not whither in the simplicity of their Spirits But t is well known they had all the countenance of the King and Councell to further them in the voyage and Plantation they carryed their Wealth and Goods with them and had supply of relief sent them continually from this Kingdome afterward untill this Warre caused the returne of many of them to help forward the destruction of their native soile and Country Indeed some are of opinion that they went to New-England only to learn and inure themselves to shed mans bloud we hear of few of the Heathens converted by them but of many masacred and by accustoming themselves to slaughter Infidells they have learned without scruple to murder Christians are better proficients then the Spaniards themselves in destroying those of their own Nation and Religion But as was said when they went first from hence they were suffered to carry their wealth with them they were not used as they and their faction use us who now suffer at their hands for our Conscience and the Gospell sake They take away all our goods make us beggars and then afterward if they do not murder us or starve us in prison they banish us into strange and desolate places with scarce cloaths on our backs to seek our fortunes 4. Great Complaints also there was of monopolies people payed an halfpenny more for a thousand of Pins then they were wont to doe and almost half a farding more for a pound of Sope and Starch then in former times when money was not so plentifull and such like heavy grievances did mightily oppresse them and made them weary of the Kings Government because He did permit of such things And yet the Excize upon bread and beer and flesh and cloathes and such like things as are sold in the market for mans use or spent in families was not then set up the Monopolizers durst not be so detrimental to the poor Subjects of this Kingdom while the King had the sole power in His Hands But since they got to be Members and Favourites of the Parliament they with their fellowes have Epimetheus-like opened this Pandorâ—'s Box and let loose amongst us all those Dutch miseries and they say the people are content to have it so though perhaps when they have been pilled or milked a few yeares longger by these new-State men it will be confessed that the Old Government viz. that of the King was far the better and the more easie 5. But the greatest complaint of all was Ship-money Ship-mony O that was a grievous burden indeed not to be stood under for a twentieth Part a fift Part weekly Contributions billetting of Souldiers seizing on Rents plundring of houses cutting of throats ravishing of women deflowring of Virgins and such like matters were not yet in fashion nor yet felt or known by the people of the Kingdome and therefore Ship-mony that was the great grievance But was not Ship-mony disputed and judged Legall before His Majesty did require it And when
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
clandestine proceedings against us here c. SECT XVI 1. Of the Enemies late sufferings 2. Of their strange Patience 3. Of their extraordinary great successe and the true grounds of it 4. Successe no Argument of a good cause 5. The worst men have alway made most use of it HEre is much remarkable stuffe in these few words which I shal endevour to discover First say they Were our cause altered as it is not or we worse Rebels then formerly as none can affirm c. We granted them before that their cause is stil the same in specie as it was at first and so are they themselves no whit altered from what they were but only a malo in pejus from bad to worse and the Moralists account this an Alteration And let any one that hath the use of sense and reason judge whether Age doth not make some difference in sinful men as wel as it doth in Satan himself who in the beginning of the world was a Serpent as these at the beginning of the war were Rebels and it is true he is but a Serpent stil but he is come to be now an old Serpent so called Rev. 12. and that is aliquid amplius Antiquity in evil speaks both a further ability to evil and a larger measure of iniquity and in this respect he may be called a worse Devil then at the first and so may they worse Rebels But I wil not with Arguments either prevent or assist those proofs too sufficiently given of themselves by their own actions I had rather spend time to pray them better But they tel us of Notice to be taken of late sufferings which they have undergon and of some strange Patience which it seems as they say hath manifested it self of late to be in them Yea even now since the discovery of these Papers Truly we must confess our errour we have not hitherto observed any such thing but we are resolved upon this intimation to make inquiry first after their late Sufferings and then after their strange Patience These Sufferings of theirs we find upon Consideration began about the year 1642. some certain months before the â—â—rth of those 19. Propositions about the time of the Kings first removal North-ward which as we imagine and remember was Lent time and therfore most accursed doth that superstitious season deserve to be and for ever to be blotted out of John Bookers Almanack as wel as Christmas day because therin did begin their late great Sufferings Then O then most sadly they fel into the same Condition that Richard the third was in when alas ful sore against his wil the whole care and burden of the Kingdom was cast upon his shoulders then alas and from thenceforth wo and alas they were forced out of meer Necessity to begin to seize upon the Kings Magazines His Forts Towns and Castles His Navy of Ships Houses and all he had to their great discomfort and displeasure And how hath all their very Senses since that time bin continually troubled and molested their Ears O lamentable have bin loaden with the most offensive acclamations and Honourings of the people their Gust and Smel hath bin tormented daily with the perfumes and feastings of the City their Eies and Touch have bin most vexatiously tortured with those so loathed heaps of Plate and Monies which from all parts of the Kingdom have come trowling in unto them While the King in the mean time hath bin in great prosperity wandring up and down in Fields and Mountains Cold and Wet Weak and Weary Faint and Hungry with few friends and little mony Yea while he hath had time and opportunity to get himself a Stomack they good souls have bin wel nigh surfeited with good cheer and done to death with abundance Yea poor creatures they have bin constrained to sit warm and to lie soft to be served in state to drink Wine in bowles to be behonoured be worshipped to be crouched and kneeled unto and so forth Wherfore if that Pope of Rome when he lay beaking himself in the midst of his Luxuries had cause to cry out Heu quantum patimur pro Christo then great reason have these Complainants to cry out also of their late great Sufferings Yea and besides all these corporal calamities their very spirits have bin also distracted many times with most frightful fears and Jelousies as of Plots strange Plots under ground Regiments great Regiments of Subterranean Horses lay in wait for them Conspiracies dangerous conspiracies were contrived against their corporal welfare as that honest Tailour that sate close in Moor-fields can abundantly witness which doleful matters have oft-times put them into as pittiful a plight as that good Alderman of London their friend was in when he thought himself to be shot in the breeches Nor is here all yet these fears of theirs have bin followed with increase of cares also to provide plenty of Prisons and strong holds to hamper and restrain the Ministers of God those great enemies to their undertaking to devise means how to destroy both them and their doctrine and all that with them adhere fast to the testimony of Jesus concerning obedience to God and Caesar. These and such like have bin the late sufferings and great troubles of these men And they are indeed as we now confess the more remarkable because sufferings of this kind are seldom the portion of Gods children as these call themselves nor had we apprehended that this kind of life which they have lived had bin a suffering if themselves had not so called it and put us in mind so to account of it Indeed some of the Brethren of the Independent faction as M. Edwards that free-spoken Presbyterian in his Book detecting their late manner of living in Holland doth inform the world did call such a kind of life themselves living it a Persecution and a suffering otherwise we have not heard that appellation given unto it before But indeed these are new times and many other things have new names Loyalty is called Treason and Treason Loyalty Obedience Rebellion and Rebellion Obedience Truth Falshood and Falshood Truth and why may not as wel a pleasant life be called a life of sufferings and a suffering life a life of pleasure if it please the new Omnipotency now above-board so to ordain and establish No man must move the lip open the mouth or so much as peep against it And thus at last they may see we have taken notice of their late sufferings and confess them rare Now we shal view their patience too which themselves call strange specially that which they have shewn even now after the discovery of these Papers Indeed their publication of them together with their Preface and Notes upon them after their discovery is testimony sufficient of the strangeness of their patience And yet we must tel them that we conceive by the effects of this their patience that we have read of such a like patience before now in
will the King appear so aboundantly culpable in this case as these men would have Him if these 3. following particulars be well considered upon 1. The lawfulnesse of using the ayde of Papists specially being His own Subjects in case of life and extremity of which I have spoaken somewhat before to which I referre the Reader All that the Enemy can object is the Kings Resolution to the contrary at the beginning of this Rebellion His words to this purpose they faile not to alleadge in the end of their observations Pag. 55. where also they tell us that the King made a strict Proclamation for the punishing those of that Religion that should presume to list themselves under Him and that a way by Oath was prescribed for discrimination of them and instructions granted to the Commissioners of Array in all places to dis-arme them All which doth but speak His Majesties full purpose of keeping his Resolution for the King doubtlesse did verily beleeve till experience taught the contrary that Protestant Religion had such a power in the hearts of those that pretended so much unto it that they would never suffer Him their Soveraigne and protectour to stand in need of the help of Papists to defend Him And these men in the same place confesse that at the battle of Edge-hill the Papists were taken into the Kings Army of meere necessity and they alleadge in scorne the excuse as they call it which the King gave for the same namely that by law they were prohibited Armes in time of peace and not in time of Warre which distinction say these bore date long after the Warre begun but that was want of invention only perhaps so for who could have beleeved that men of their pretendings should prove so highly vile and base as they have done in driving their King to such exigents or that the People of our Religion should prove so ingratefull as to leave their Soveraigne and protector so desolate as that contrary to His own Resolution He must be forced in defence of His life to use those of another Religion and be put to excuse Himself by that distinction This makes me remember that in Seneca when Hercules familie was abused Ingrata tellus nemo ad Herculeae Domus auxilia venit vidit hoc tantum nefas defensus Orbis 2. The time when this Letter unto the Queen was writ wherein this promise was made and the occasion moving thereunto The time His accusers confesse was March 5. 1644. immediately after the breaking up of the Treaty at Uxbridge when all hopes of peace by way of an accommodation were frustrate and dissolved when the Kings affaires were very low and the enemy high having newly taken the Town of Shrewsbury one of His Majesties best Garrisons And the particular moving him at that time to think of this meane of procuring assistance from his Subjects of that Religion was as appeares in the Letter His discovery that the English Rebels had so much as in them lay transmitted the command of Ireland from him to the Scots Which might easily perswade him that their purpose was to take that of England unto themselves and so his whole Authority in all his Dominions being totally rent from him and divided amongst them he was like to be but a Sans terrae or a Cipher signifying just nothing in his three Kingdomes which also spake plainly to his Conscience that it was nothing lesse then Reformation of Religion what ever was pretended that the Puritane Rebels aymed at upon which considerations he concluded with himselfe as the Letter infers That it would be no Piety at all but plain Presumption in him to neglect any lawfull meane for defence of himselfe and that authority which God had entrusted him withall or still to stand upon scruples which word the malitious Observatours Pag. 45. would have the people take speciall notice of and truly what is it but a Scruple a needlesse Scruple for any to question whether a Protestant Prince should use the helpe of Papists in case of necessity to defend himself in his naturall rights and Royalties it being not onely lawfull but according to his Office and duty to preserve his Crown and Dignity by the help of his Subjects of what Religion soever they being by the providence of God lotted under his Government as the proper meanes and Instruments for that very purpose Wherefore now at length though the King had not hitherto as himself saies though of this meane scil with intent to use it yet upon this occasion and consideration I give thee leave says he to promise in my name that I will take away c. 3. The thing promised which is the taking away the penall Statutes against the Papists provided that in this his necessity they afford him that powerfull assistance as shall inable him to do it And truely if extraordinary successe be such a full proof of a good cause as these Libellers would now have it and the King by the assistance of his Popish Subjects should obtaine the same against his Puritan Rebells then their cause and Religion must for another while be concluded the best and this Argument being fore-swallowed much wrong should they have in the worlds deeme if at least He whom they have enabled should not suffer them to enjoy the free use of it under his protection And besides if we do but consider the Carriages of the Rebells themselves what allowance they have given and what promises they have made to men of all Sects and Religions for to purchase their assistance in taking from the King his inheritance and Authority What advantages they have made of the Kings fore-mentioned purpose and promise not to use the ayd of Papists How they have sued for that assistance which he resolved against and have entertained many of that Religion into their Armies and what proffers they have made to those whom they could not prevaile with to help them only to sit still and not help him I say if we consider of these things this promise which the King made will not appeare so unreasonable to men of understanding as these would have it But they Accuse the King afterward for offering this to the Queen in behalf of the Papists without either her or their request It may be easily beleeved that they have sued for it heretofore Besides if it be but considered what the fashion of the world is now come to be since the Puritans pricked up their ears Namely to Capitulate and bargain with their King for what they shall have and what he will grant before any duty or service shall be afforded to him and then too if it be remembred what large and unreasonable demands the Kings worst deserving subjects do require at His hands onely for the purchase of life and peace to himselfe and his people No man will wonder if the King do think the Papists will look at least for Liberty of Conscience and Religion under him when by their
here I think my self bound in Conscience not to let slip the means of setling that Kingdom if it may be fully under my Obedience Now if to preserve the lives of Protestant Subjects impossible otherwise to be done if to keep Religion and Regal Power from subversion be not two sufficient grounds to excuse at least a Christian Prince in a disabled condition for the Consenting to a present Peace with the vilest Murderers in the World I know not what is Yea and beside if the Conditions be observed which the King in his low estate requires to have this Peace granted upon perhaps they may speak the same very commendable 1. It must be such a Peace as must not be against His Conscience and Honour 2. The Penal laws against Appeals to Rome and Premunire must stil stand The Accusers themselves confesse these two 3. It must be on this Condition or so far forth as the Irish remain in their due Obedience to him and lend him their faithful assistance against his enemies as becometh Subjects This is apparent Paper 19. However these Calumniatours please to interpret to me it seemeth that this Peace with the Irish is like that which Solomon made with Shimei That wise King laid such an injunction upon him for the grant of his life as he foresaw he was likely to break and so would come afterward to a due punishment of his former offences and even so hath our King done in that his grant for doubtlesse it is as hard a thing for the Irish to abstain from appealing to Rome or to continue long in their due obedience as it was for Shimei to forbear going to Gath when he heard his servant was run thither and by that time the King through Gods assistance may be able to do justice upon them according to their merits Kings what ever people think have choice spirits differing from those of other men are better guided as being in a special sort in Gods hand which directs them in using a connivent lenity where a sharp insight or notice may work a greater damage for the present In matters of Government which every one that can find fault with skilleth not in such accidents fall out somtime that the Prince must not stand to ask what may be done by law but must do what is necessary to be done in that case If a Cholerick man as one saies be about to strike I must not go about to purge his Choller but to break his blow So doth the King in this case He labours to break the blows of the Murderous Irish that they may fall no longer so heavy upon his Protestant Subjects Time was when He would have gone in person to have purged their Choller and to let them bloud and so have redeemed his poor afflicted people from their fury in a more Kingly way only his good Subjects here that take upon them to command him would not give him leave so to do wherefore he must now do as he may and not as he would And surely if those Abbots of Westminster that sit there at ease fatted with the wealth and pleasures of the Kingdom sporting themselves with reports of bloud and slaughter had but any sensible feeling of those miseries which our poor Protestant Brethren in Ireland do indure by the continuation of that War they would be glad of a peace upon any condition so it were but with the enjoyment of Conscience and Religion But they as is conceived were the first kindlers of the fire there thereby to gain advantage to themselves of raising combustions here and as their phrase so their fashion is to go through with the work Ergo til there be a total ruine and desolation of all they wil admit of no peace in either Kingdom wherefore the King as the case then stood went the only right way at that present by a pacification with the rebellious Irish to inable himself to suppresse the rebellious English those roots of war and seeds-men of sedition and so to recover a Capacity sufficient to correct all offenders and settle a firm tranquility among all his Subjects But these Accusers at the end of their Notes Pag. 55. do object divers of the Kings expressions against the doings of the Irish which as they apprehend this his consent to agree with them did contradict His words say they once were these We hope the lamentable Condition of Ireland wil invite us to a fair intelligence and unity that we may with one heart intend the relieving and recovering of that unhappy Kingdome where those barbarous Rebels practice such inhumane and unheard-of outrages upon our miserable people that no Christian eare can hear without Horrour nor Story parallel And at another time say they thus the King speaketh We conjure all our Subjects by the bonds of Love Duty and Obedience that are precious to good men to joyn with us for the recovery of that Kingdom Also in July say they at the Siege of Hull He conjures both Houses as they wil Answer the contrary to Almighty God to unite their force or recovery of Ireland And in December the King answers some Irish Protestants thus Since the beginning of that monstrous Rebellion I have had no greater sorrow then for the bleeding Condition of that Kingdom Truly their bare repetitions of these pathetical expressions and desires of their Soveraign with which themselves were no whit moved to unite with him in so pious and Charitable a work doth plainly discover them to be none of that number of good men whom the King conjured nor to have any fear in their hearts of Almighty God And doing the same to this end viz. as they hope to disgrace the King who at the end of their relation they blush not to tax for his laying the blame of the Irish miseries upon the Parliament i. e. upon the faction so called which if he should not do he would sin highly against God and the Truth I say to repeat those his expressions to this end as they do doth witnesse them to be given up to Reprobate sense and to remain in the most hardened condition of impenitency And thus have I done also with the fourth particular There remains now only to observe the other Circumstances annexed to this their Charge for aggravation taken from the manner of working whereby these things are said to be effected in a close trading way and from the end for meer particular advantage I shal answer both these together in a word thus The King writes Letters to his Wife and his Wife to him again wherin they communicate their hearts and minds to each other Now because they did not shew those their Letters to the faction at Westminster before they sent them and crave their approbation of what they had written therefore they are here accused to go in a close trading way and to ayme at their own particular advantage by certain men who as must be supposed did never do any
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
respect Herein I have according to the very Letter of it with my power maintained and defended 1. The true Reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the Church of England against Popish Tenents and Innovations 2. His Majesties Royal Person Honour and Estate according to mine Allegiance And 3. The Power and Priviledges of Parliament together with the true Rights and Liberties of the Subject Yea I have here endeavoured with all faithfulnesse to vindicate the Dignitie of that High and Supreme Court from the scandall of Rebellion Oppression Injustice and other evils which to its great disgrace have been practised under its venerable Name and thereby so much as in me lieth I have freed it from the merit of that Odium which is wrought in Peoples hearts against it For indeed the very name of Parliament is grown more hatefull to many of the vulgar through their ignorance then ever that of Starre-Chamber or High-Commission was and they wish and pray through their folly that the same may be quite abolished as those others are I have also herein opposed and endeavoured to bring by discovering their wickednesse to condigne punishment those evill workers who by Force Practice Councels Plots Conspiracies and every other way have done things contrary to all those things in the said Protestation contained All which I promised and vowed to do in a lawfull way which is that of my Calling even with the hazard of my life as well as of mine estate which is lost already and this my Conscience sayes I shall not fully do unlesse I publickly own my doings by prefixing my name unto them Thirdly I considered with my self that by concealing my name I should seem in a sort to be ashamed of that Truth which I professe to maintain and of following my Master Christ in his way of detecting Hypocrites and wicked men He saith of himself that in secret he had spoke nothing that is He was no back-biter no whisperer against any in private corners He spake openly against mens evill doings and was never ashamed to acknowledge his own Doctrines And he hath said too that I cannot be his Disciple that is approved indeed unlesse I follow him viz in his very way doing his work after his very manner though I meet with his Crosse in the doing of it which also I must take up chearfully after his example be it with the losse of my life it selfe He lost his before me Fourthly I considered that my Book is likely to prove more serviceable by mine open acknowledgement of it the writings of that couragious and learned Judge Master David Jenkins are believed to have done the more good by the setting his name unto them nor did I think it comely that any man should appeare more resolute for the Law of the Land then the Ministers of Christ are for the Law of their God For mine own part I am sure I should shew my selfe most strangely ungratefull to the Almighty and distrustfull of him after so large an experience as I have had of his mercy and goodnesse if any feare of danger should make me upon this occasion obscure my self My former Books though plain by his gracious blessing were not unfruitfull among many of my Countrymen unto whom my name as of late I perceive is not so distatefull that I should think them unwilling to see it in print again and from any hurt by those that took offence at them my God hath hitherto protected me as he hath often done praised be his Name from the mischiefs of being beaten and pistolled often threatned by some of the prophaner sort of our Cavalleers for my free preaching against their blasphemy and dissolutenesse their selfseeking lust-pleasing and King-neglecting basenesse Now after Davids way of arguing He that delivered me from the Lion and the Beare can also c. He is the same God still if I can but believe He can yea and will preserve in the midst of danger wherefore though it was once in my mind viz. when I was at a great distance both to conceale my name and also to keep out of their reach as may appear by that passage page 275. yet now being returned amongst them I have for these reasons altered my resolution in that particular And again beside these Reasons I had in my heart also these Reasonings What if I do suffer is it not for a King a gracious King to whom I have sworn Allegiance and under whose Protection I have laboured in Gods Vineyard Is it not for a Church a mother-Church that admitted me first Christs Member and afterwards Christs Minister is it not for keeping the Protestation that Protestation tendred to me by the Parliament when it was a Parliament is it not for discharging my Conscience and Office for telling people of their sins according to Gods Command for detecting Hypocrites after Christs own example and shall I by suffering for the same do any other then with Simon of Cyrene help my Saviour bear his Crosse Have I yet resisted unto bloud as many before me have done Ought I not to be willing to lose life it self for my Brethren to redeem them from the wayes of sinne and errour May not haply this their redemption be effected sooner by suffering then by preaching Is not my exclusion and debarment from an appointed place to preach in a kind of a call or setting aside to sufferings Could Saint Paul have wished himself even separate from Christ if on that condition he might have united his Countrymen unto him and should not I be willing to go to Christ for the gaining of mine Am I not Christs own to be disposed of for his service Did not he buy me for that end Did not he honour me with the dignity of being one of his Ministers of purpose that I should bear witnesse of his Truth is it any new thing to suffer for the sake of that Shall I if thereunto called be the first that have attested the same unto the world Beside what advantage will the Adversaries get to themselves by being cruel to me Shal they not rather confirm thereby to the world what I have written of their conditions Nay shall not those whom I have detected onely in the generall by their being angry at me expose themselves to be known particulatim nominatim and shall hey any whit strengthen their Dominion by my ruine Shall they not rather hasten their own thereby Was not the reigne of the Popish Bishops here in Queen Maries dayes the sooner at its period in the judgements of all men for their persecuting those Reverend Bishops and Ministers who opposed their sinnefull wayes and sealed wiâ—â— their bloud that Doctrine and Lyturgie which is now a pulling down in this Kingdome These and such like also were the reasonings of my spirit concerning this matter of prefixing my name to this Vindication But perhaps some of you will say Ad quid perditio haec what needs all this waste of
words Times are not now as they have been Many of the Presbyterian faction in whom the spirit of cruelty is most naturall and who ruled the Rost when most of these villanies were acted which your Book reproveth are either runne away or turned the other way for the Militia now most in the others hands hath proved a stronger Argument with their Consciences then their Covenant therefore there is no cause to fear persecution for a discharge of duty And besides these are times wherein every one may speak and practice as himself pleaseth nor can any be imagined so vile as to permit all that will to write against that King whom God hath commanded to Honour and that Church which baptized and taught us all the knowledge of God we have and be offended onely at those that write in their behalf Shall we think that men have leave in these Reforming times to be any thing but true Protestants and to do any thing but their duties away away with all Panick fears To this I Answer 1. There is a Leaven of that proud and sower Faction yet remaining 2. There is a Generation of Apostate Priests too much in favour with men of Power and these are mischievous men who having themselves betrayed the Truth cannot abide that any should appear for it they have hitherto been the chief movers to persecution for those Greater persons would never doubtlesse have defiled themselves with such actions as casting Gods Ministers out of their Possessions if some of these little Satans had not stood at their right hands to tempt them provoke them Now these persons specially those of mine old acquaintance do cry nothing but hanging hanging against me for I believe their sight of me puts them in mind of their own Apostacy from that way of Christ wherein formerly they walked with me they have confidently said it that the Parliament would hang me And why Because I was one among many others that had proved this unnaturall Warre to be unlawfull by Gods Word and had Vindicated sacred Scripture from those false and perverse glosses which for ill purposes were put upon it And these Prophets that in this particular at least themselves may appear true will do their best I beleeve with the Members of both Houses to make good the word which they have spoken for those Lords and Gentlemen whom they relate unto if they can prevaile with them shall be all conditioned like Dionisius the Tirant of Siracuse who sent Philoxenus to the gallows because he would not flatter him But as the Prophet said so say I As for me behold I am in their hands let them do with me as seemeth meet good unto them c. It hath been mine endeavour this seaven years day and my usuall Prayer that I may be able to conclude as M. Bradford the Martyr did concerning those that had power over him viz. If they shall imprison me I le thanke them If they shall burn me I le thank them If they shall banish me I le thanke them but if they shall give me leave to preach the Gospell I le thank them more and I promise them withall by Gods grace to be a daily Petitioner for their Conversion and for the pardon of their sins And for my kind Brethren I will in requitall remember them of their destiny they may reade it themselves in Isay 9. 15. The Prophet that teacheth lies is the tail So in Mal. 2. 8. 9. The Lord speaking to some of their stamp saith Because ye have departed out of the way and caused my people to stumble therefore I le make you the most vile base contemptible among them Yea I doubt not e'relong but by most men they 'l be so reputed however of late they have been honoured and justly indeed do they merit to be the tail of the people for making themselves to be the tayl of the Dragon which they have manifestly done by their casting down the Stars from Heaven the Orthodox Ministers out of Christs Church But when this their day of contempt is come and they are assaulted as that Popish Doctor Bourn was in Queen Maries dayes even in the Pulpit from whence they have vented their lies and blasphemies as to this it will come I hope if I live to see it I shall have grace to approve my selfe to them as Master Bradford did to him and help to conduct them away in safety from vulgar rage perswade the people to rest quiet for thus it becomes the true Gospel No disaffection have I now as God knows unto their persons though I professe my selfe a perfect enemy to their courses But now good Readers to leave them there remains onely two requests which I make to you The first is this That you would not think amisse of the most High and Honourable Court of Parliament for those evils that are done in these daies under its name and if any suggest that such or such passages in this my Book are against the same believe them not for I professe unto you I neither do nor dare think the supreme Court of Justice in this Kingdome to be all one with sinne or that Oppression Sacriledge Rebellion Popery and those other Evils which I inveigh against are the Actions of that when God shall please to restore unto us a true Parliament you shall see all these things amended and the Authours of them severely punished Have still therefore a Reverend esteem of Parliaments Secondly I desire that you would not conceive any bitternesse in me or in my Book against the persons of those men that now are called the Parliament as perhaps some may fancy because my usage hath not been good for I professe here also unto you that I do not apprehend my self in respect of my self to have any true cause of hate towards them I thank God I can say to them as the Apostle to his Galathians You have not hurt me at all Nay rather I hope they have been the means to make me in some sort a better Christian. The Causes of my sufferings as I learned at first from some of themselves were these foure I hinted them indeed to the world before in my Loyall Subjects Belief and referre them now to your judgements whether they may not occasion comfort and rejoycing in me yea and love too towards them rather then hatred or ill affections The first was as I was then told because I was an honest man and thereby did more hurt to their Cause being opposite to it in the Country where I was known then an hundred knaves what greater Honour could they do me then by affording this Testimony of me This reason I confesse from their mouths was apprehended by me as a timely intimation and call from God to doe their cause from thence forth what hurt I could which by his power I have since endeavoured and by his grace shall continue so to doe unto my lives end The second