we thinke you now promise vnto our selues IN THESE SAD TIMES BVT SPEEDY PERDITION for as our sauiour sayd those that despise his true messengers despise him and those that despise him despise him that sent him that is God himself As the Gospell hath euer brought peace plenty happy dayes and good gouerment where euer it hath become as all the places in England can tell where it hath been faithfully preached as all England in generall can witnes what good we haue receiued by it so the contempt of it and the Ministers of the same will bring desolation and ruine vpon the whole land And if we shall now be contemnes of the Gospell and the Ministers thereof and aduancers of Superstition and make a mock of it what I say may we then looke for but speedy confusion and deplorable misery Truely it would greiue the hart of any that either loue God the King or their Country or their religion to see the strange metamorphosis of all things in this Kingdome to see how idolatry creepes up EVEN IN THE VNIVERSITYES TO POYSON the WHOLE REAL ME how in all places superstition is euery where preached vp both in Court and Country and what way there is made for subuerting of preaching and the bringing-in of human inuentions and apish ceremonyes in STEAD of the Gospell and the promulgation of the same which should saue mens soules What holinesse I pray is now a dayes placed in Churches and Chappels what adorning of them to the ruining of the parishes almost where they are what adoration to tables altars Syllables all contrary to the expresse commaund of God who hath sayd thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image or the likenes of any thing in heauen aboue or in the earth beneath thou shalt not bow downe to it or worship it Yet all this cannot restraine them for they auerre notwithstanding all this the place is holy and ought to be venerated What I beseech you is contempt of God if this be not It would pity and perplex the hearts of all those that truely feare the Lord to see what infinite costs haue within these few yeares been bestowed vpon chappels and Churches onely for the aduancing of superstition and to say now something of Paules how hath the whole country for aboue these fifty yeares been made fooles about that there hauing been so many gatherings made for it and Stones brought vp to it and preparations made for the repayring of it and after they haue pursed the mony what haue they done else but conuert it to their owne vse And now of late what immense summes of money haue been gathered for the same purpose I haue heard from IESVITS themselues that are well acquaynted with those businesses if not principall sticklers in them who I know at least are very ioyfull at such preparations that it AMOVNTETH to ABOVE TWO HVNDRED THOVSAND POVNDS that which hath already been gathered and remaynes yet to be payd which had been almost sufficient to haue built a royall house for the honour of the King and Kingdome and all this mighty masse of money must be spent in making a seate for a A PREISTS ARSE to sit in for it is cathedra Episcopi a Bishops chaire and for the Deane and subdeane and for the Prebends Canons Pety canons VERGERS QVIRISTERS c all to keepe the POPES SADDEL WARME as the Popelins themselues bragging prate The truth is the whole fraternity of that crew is but a generation of vipers whose imployment is nothing els but to mayntayne the superstition allready retayned to vsher in more and Popery it selfe vpon the first occasion and to sing Credos and anthems and exercise prophanenes Such droues of those vnprofitable Epicures there are through the Kingdome as deuoure more reuenues then all the Nobility of the kingdome or many mighty Prince enioyes And all this they possesse for the plauge of the Kingdome for the bringing-in of luxury idlenes superstition Popery and Idolatory the least of which sinnes are enough to moue the Lord to displeasure and all that I now speake you know to be true nay the whole Kingdome knoweth it well neither can there any good reason be giuen for the maintenance or vpholding of them without a pestilence and plauge be necessary for the honour of a State and Kingdome which all that rabble rout are to ours and all Conntryes where they dwell and the very truth is the Papists and they are all one the one as profound idolaters as the other and so say the Papists themselues that if it were not for the Puritans they should quickly accord and so the Papists haue told mee twenty times at home and abroad and therefore they so hate them they stigmatize with the name of Puritans What a lamentable thing is this then that this Kingdome should harbour then within it selfe it s owne destruction AND BESTOW VPON THAT VERMIN SVCH MIGHTY REVENVE and all for the eating out of the bowels of their mother Time doubtles it is that the King and State should looke speedily to them yea it is high time and so much the more it concernes his Maiesty in that they pretend his authoritie for all their wickednes and getting his hand abuse his whole kingdome in pillaging and poling of it and in inslauing his subiects vpon euery slight occasion and make them vnable to yeild vnto the Kings most vrgent necessityes which when through mere indigency they are found fayling in then they hauing the Kings royall eare cry these are the Puritans that deny yon highnes their assistance in time of your occasions when they haue been impouerished by their exactions and by their wicked Courts and thus they abuse both the King and his people as all the world knoweth well and therefore I say due time it is that his Maiesty should looke a little into these things And so much the rather because all these their deuillish plots are for the ADVANCING OF POPERY which will be the bane of him his and the whole realme and the ruine of all things at last What impudency allready the Prelats are come to the cry of the whole Kingdome can witnes Their late proceedings in the Fast businesse can tell for howsoeuer it pleased his royall maiesty out of his pious zeale to proclaime a Fast through the kingdome for the humbling of the people for their sinnes and commanded that the same booke of prayers should be reprinted which had been set forth by publick authority in former calamityes of plague and pestilence the prelats contrary vnto his royall proclamation see out an other or at least left out many things of purpose that rended to the beating downe of Popery and superstition and other things to the dishonour of him and his nighest Allies a horrible affront against regall command and would haue cost any other Subiect as much as he had been worth deseruedly that should thus dispise his Imperiall Maiestics Proclamation and often declarations but
great comfort and releife they will in time be made a prey to the cruelty of euery oppressor and their liues become untolerable to them especially when it shall be thought a State policy that he that hath the best faculty of tyrannising and oppressing the King subjects shall bee esteemed the most seruiceable member in a common-wealth the greatest Statist And this is policy from hell the authors of which the Lord himself will confound if they repent not But in the meane time in seeking for releif and ease vnder oppression though it be in the diseases of the common-wealth as it is in the bodies of men the speedier remedy to them is euer the best for the longer they continue the more dangerous they are yet as the patient submits himself to the Physitian for the time of the Cure So much more ought the subject to leaue the Cure to Kings best opportunityes as the onely Physitians of Kingdomes and who as they are called Gods so many times imitate him in long suffering conniuing at and patient enduring the insolent and domineering oppressors and such as trample not onely vpon the people but their owne lawes yea vpon their crownes and dignity and yet seeme in the meane time to be their faithfullest seruants and those that stand most of all for the advancement of their honour and glory as those cursed enimies of God did in the 66 of Isaiah 5. Let the Lord be glorified say they when they persecuted and oppressed his seruants hated them and cast them out So say these sycophants Let the Kings honour be mainteyned when they meane nothing lesse All which things Kings many times know very well and them to be mere hypocrites and to doe all they doe for their owne base ends and therefore in their fittest opportunities purge the Church and State of them And as Kings are Gods in respect of health safety gouernment and wisdome So they are likewise in respect of invocation onely to be sought to and called vpon of their subjects in all times of the calamities of oppression next after God himself we are not to goe in our troubles and oppressions to wizards of State the Kings enimies that bewitch men with presents or rebells or take indirect courses of insurrections and tumultuation this is a remedy worse then the disease and more displeasing to God and dishonorable to the subject and deserues a greater yoake of seruitude but we must continue our humble petitions to the King and tell his Majesty how the matter stands We must be like the importunat widow and allthough we meet with many discouragements as those that came unto Christ did yet we may not surcease and be weary or droue back for Kings are Gods and are exorable full of pity compassion and neuer send away their subjects without comfort that with lowly importunity sollicit them and this is the duty of all good subjects and such as will approue their wayes before God and men in the number of which I shall desire euer to liue and die being though but poore as rich in loyalty as any subject in the Kings three dominions But now to shut vp all Whereas you think many will blame mee for that I vse such coorse expressions towards them and it will fauour of some inward splene and study of reuenge and may also scandall religion for they will say they are all of this Spirit In answer to that I protest in the presence of allmighty God that I am so farre from either rancour and hatred toward them for all the wrong they haue done mee as I neuer thinke of any euill towards them because I referre my cause to God and vengeance to him and cast my self vpon his prouidence in a more speciall maner chiefly at this time when I haue none other to depend vpon I being made odious amongst all men and hatefull to them that neuer saw mee But this I confidently confesse vnto you that I know more of the wicked plots of the Prelats then any Subiect that is a Protestant with in the Kings dominions and you would say there were reason for it if you knew all And before I haue done with them I will make the wickednes not onely of our Prelats but of all the Prelats in the whole world knowne vnto all Christians Princes and to al their Subiects who to speake the truth are all infinitly abused by them not onely for the trampling vnder their feet all the sucular Peeres vnder them and the Nobility and flower of all Kingdomes where they dwell and the subiugating of their Commons but in fine in regard of the danger of hauing their necks brought vnder a greater yoake of bondage then euer it formerly was all which I will make appeare vnto all Christian Princes and vnto all men as clearly as the Sun shines at Noone day The mistery indeed that they are a working is carryed closely so that Kings and Nobles do not see it for they all buzze Nobles and Princes in the eare that those that are enimyes to the Hierarchy they indeed would disthrone Kings and haue no gouernment and they would slight the nobility and dignityes and ouerthrow order and states and then they tell a thousand storyes to them all to incense the King and Nobles against that poore company of men that more honour dignityes and powers in a Kingdome then euer any prelat did as shall be euidently proued in my ANATOMY of the pRELATS which I dedicat vnto all Christian Princes and Common-wealths for it concernes them all but especially all such as make profession of the reformed religion I dare say by that time you and all men shall haue read that booke you will see into the mystery of their iniquity so clearely that you will affirme there are no names bad enough for them or sufficient to expresse the wickednes and treachery of those empostors Our Prelats writ books sometime against the Pope and call him the grand Imposter but the truth is the Papists say that all such Bishops are knaues and that if the Pope be an Impostor they are greater for they are all Pops and thus much I haue often heard them speake and that were it not for the hindering of the Catholick cause and the vniuersall Monarchy they could make them fly without gunpowder but they hoped in time they would leaue to write against the Church of Rome They know one an others kneueries all which I haue made knowne in the Anatomy of the Prelats which is in the hands of some speciall friends The printing of which I haue reserued till my censure in the starre-chamber because I desire to doe things methodically and vpon mature deliberation and in such sort that all Christendome may haue the greater cause to looke into businesses that so highly concerne their well being You know I haue been a traueller and liued many yeares abroad and in the most florishing vniuersityes of Europe and in many Courts of great Princes and haue
subiects to lay open the wickednes and vngratitude of such men by the most fittest termes they know how to expresse it Wee see the scripture is full of expressions of this kind malice and hatred to their persons being layd aside which I harbor not in my heart against them I thinke it me duty 18 set forth their malicious plots the best way I can for to such a hight is their malice come that speak them faire or speak then fowle nay let them but thinke you speake to them though you meddle not with them it shall ruine you Neither are they content with their owne power in destroying of poore men which no Court hath in a greater measure or euer had that I remember but they call for all aide still of the Nobility and of the Kings maiestie himself to help them in their dayly oppressings of poore men as if any of them resisted at any time their autority or as if they of themselues without any other help could not ruine all the honest men they brand with the name of Puritans in the Kingdome and trample vpon them at pleasure when the whol realme seeth and feeleth dayly their tyranny ouer their brethren which they groane most greiuously vnder and vnder the which thy haue no way to releiue themselues but by appealing to Caesar the Kings most excellent Maiesty which was all the refuge of poore Christians and all distressed subiects in all nations and ages yea vnder heathen Emperors and that now is all the hope of releife they at this day do enioy which if it fayle them they cannot expect from the Prelats any other but a life far worse then death for I haue credibly been informed that they dayly labour to incense his gracious Maiesty against such as complayne of their exorbitant domineering ouer them and would make the whole State beleeue that they are weary of their liues and the onely persecuted men that now liue though they liue in all honour and pompe and onely forsooth because there are some vnder others names and others without names set downe the greivances of Ministers people which maner of complayning I could wish were subscribed euer vnto with the hand of the authors for that I thinke more beseemeth men whatsoeuer the issue be for they must dye one day and to dye for the honour of God the King their Religion and country or to suffer any thing for either of them it was euer thought honourable and I call God to witnes the onely loue and honour of these hath made mee abandon all loue to my self and mine in comparison and made mee lye downe in dust and ashes whereas if I could haue temporised I might haue enioyed no small portion in things of this life But I say I would earnestly wish that the oppressed would shew his Maiesty indeed by name and by the effects that they groane under a mighty and vnsupportable bondage vnder the Prelats not knowing which way euer to haue releise but by his gracious assistance And truely if men would goe playnly simply to worke to justify vnto the Prelats faces the things they accuse them of as I euer will if it did themselues no good it would witnes to all posterity that there were some willing to abdicate all for the honour of God and the good of the Country and Religion And who knoweth but as Benedad said of the Kings of Israel and Iuda that they were mercyfull and therefore they might by humble entreaty find favour so our Christian Kings succeeding them and the best of them in faith and goodnes and being more mercifull who knowes I say but humble suitors may happily find favour at their princely hands at last and that they truely being informed of the calamities their poore subjects sinke vnder would send them speedy relief especially when they consider their owne place and the end of their being that King and Princes are appointed by God himself to be nursing fathers and nursing mothers of his people and therefore they haue their titles of gracious Princes and Sauiours of their people for Kings are Gods vicegerents to doe that which otherwise he might doe himself which is to releiue the oppressed and deliuer them from the mighty and help them against their enimies and were wont to sit in the gates to receiue their complaynts and this is the doctrine that God teachers Princes the practice of which in common wealths is far better then Machiauells and brings more security ever to their crownes and dignities And those that teach Kings and Princes contrary vnto that that God himself hath taught them are but sucking Polititians whatsoeuer the world esteemes of them and haue been euer fatall to all Empires as if you looke into histories you shall finde If God himself hath said that for oppressions and cruelties a land shall be made desolate and giues in charge to Kings and Princes for their owne preservation and the common good to remoue those that oppresse the people and cause them to sin if Machiauell and his disciples shall say the contrary that Kings must favour such as seeme to advance Princely dignity by what meanes soeuer it be and by so much the more that the commons complaines against them and that Kings are not tyed to any Lawes but by their absolute autority and prerogatiue may doe what they will I will affirme it vnto the death it is damnable doctrine and the teachers of it ought to be put out of office at least be they Bishops Preists or Deacons But concerning such men heare what the learnedst King that euer was King IAMES I meane said in his speech to the Lords and commons at whitehall March 21. 1609. who had more policy in the paring of his nayles then all the Grollish Polititians that are now extant in the whole body of them yet he said that those that perswade Kings to doe contrary vnto their lawes are vipers and pests both against them and the common-wealth And these are the words of a mighty learned and prudent King this doctrine I haue receiued from him And if it would please his Highnes our renowned King whom God long preserue well to consider what his father says his Majesty would better Perceiue the truth of 〈◊〉 his speech for in that he spake not onely like a King of wise dome but like an oracle frō heauen And indeed Monarchies haue euer been preferred before all populer gouernments because there is one euer ready to whom the subjects in all their pressures by the mighty may haue recourse and from whom releife and whom to appeale to So that they shall not need then allwayes to wayte for publick meetings for the redressing of greuances For this is a part of Kingly art to cure these diseases of state in time and obstare principiis miseriarum populi and the violation of their lawes for if the people be depriued of the benefit of the law and the appeale to the King that
THE ANSWER OF IOHN BASTWICK Doctor of Phisicke To the exceptions made against his Letany by A learned Gentleman WHICH IS Annexed to the Letany it selfe as Articles superadditionall against the PRELATS In the vvhich there is A full demonstration and proof of the Reall Absence of Christ in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper with the vanity and impiety of the Consecration of Temples Churches and Chapples ALSO The necessity of the perpetuall motion and circulation of worship if men be bound to bow the knees at the name of Jesus This is to follow the Letany as A second part thereof PRINTED In the yeare of Remembrance Anno 1637. THE SECOND PART OF THE LATENY OF IOHN BASTWICK Doctor of Phisick WORTHY SIR I Was sometime in a demurre whether I should answer any thing or no vnto the exceptions you made against my LETANY and had I not indeed heard from many that others also from your speeches conceiued something in it might well haue been omited who by that meanes began to haue a preiudicat opinion of my honest endeauours I should neuer haue vouchsafed to haue giuen a reason of my proceedings in that behalfe till I had been called in question But in regard of that I thought fit in the meane time in a few words to signifie vnto you that whatsoeuer you seeme to blame as either fauouring of rashnes or not so graue was of purpose put in by me and proceeded from no disguised distemper or vnadvisednes but from mature deliberation and very good reason And whatsoeuer you may thinke of it I hope among equall Iudges it can no wayes hurt the cause of any honest men nor procure trouble to me my onely ayme and end being the honour of God and the King and the generall good of this Kingdome Which I shall euer preferr before my owne life and well being Nay had I neuer so many liues I would willingly loose them all in the cause of either Neither do I suppose any wise men to be so shallow that if I should handle a good cause neuer so weakely or vnaduisedly that the truth it selfe should suffer for my deficiency or others fare the worse for my temerity God forbid that one mans fayling should any wayes proue fatall to all those that are innocent More charity I do conceiue yet dwels in the world then that the innocuous should suffer with the delinquent But now breifly to summe vp what you obiect against MY LETANY OBLIGATION and EPISTLE to the LADY You seemd to blame some three passages as not so graue but comicall others to hyperbolicall and sauouring of some virulency and in fine thinke that some others will be questionable as scandalous and somewhat dishonourable to the diuine Sacrament of Baptisme and the holy ordinance of Matrimony To all which I suppose among all rationall men I shall find no great difficulty to answer when I am called thereunto But in the meane time by way of preface I haue sent you the ensuing lines in the which I shall tell you and that vpon good grounds there is no iust cause why any should blame mee for mingling iocâ—â— serijs et seria iocis all scurrility and prophanesse being avoyded For there wants not presidents of this kind in sacred writ that in the most graue and waightiest matters it pleased the Prophets of old to vse ironicall speeches yea the holy Scriptures are full of them But not now to enumerat many let one at this time suffice to be specified Where the Prophet deridingly bids Bals Priests cry alowd for that their God might either be in a iourney or a sleep or talking with his freinds I pray was not this as deepe an Irony as any euer was and that in a serious businesse But to speak no more of that let vs looke into all the famous writers of all ages and you shall find that many of them haue vsed this method for the discouering and confuting of error and haue more confounded the aduersaries of the truth in a pleasant and merry way then with all the grauity they could euer vse I dare say the Papists themselues will tell you that ALAGVNDE that noble Gentleman did them more hurt with his Beehiue And two or three other such books mixing and contempering mirth with seriousnes theÌ„ the profoundest Doctor of that age with all the pouderosity of Arguments and solidest tractats Such delight change of writing brings that euen as the same meat dressed after a common maner is not so pleasing nor so delightfull to many that know the diuersity of tasts but cooked with some variety as some time with tart sometime with pleasant sauce doth conciliat an excellent appetit so the same truth diuersly set out and comming forth in a new fashion and something merrily makes more gazing after it then if it were in an ordinary graue matronly habit which vsually is not looked after Neither was it euer more seasonable then in this age where there is such plurality of mutations in all things Besides a Writer must looke at the condition of the people whose benefit he aymes at the variety of humors sexes and conditions and must so order things that they may please the most If grauity please not they may haue that which may make them merry If seriousnes on the other side sobriety be prized they may find no want of that neither there being both the one and the other so mingled together as they may take away nauciousnes and recreat the readers And this indeed is the best way of writing though nothing now a dayes can please all mens phantasies It was the counsell of the Fathers to write with diuersity of style in the same faith that the enimies of the Gospell and errors might the better be opposed and that the way of truth might the more easily be found out and falsity discouered an excellent meanes of which they conceiued to be the variety of styles and writing And so dayly experience teacheth vs. It is with many men in our dayes as it is with those that are stung with the Tarantula in Apulia who are cured by musick and that not with euery sort of musick but such onely as at that instant pleaseth their humour which the Musitian playes long many times before he can find out or light vpon and sometyme can neuer hit it so that many perish being sodainly stupisied and benummed with the poyson But if the fidler strike vpon that string that pleaseth their Phantasy then immediatly they dance and so continne till they fall downe out of wearinesse then keeping them very warme sweating them when they haue got new strength that they begin to stirr againe they likewise fall a playing the same lesson and they dance afresh and so by fits continue this exercise till they haue sweat-out all the malignancy and the venome and by this meanes and this onely they are cured Euen so I say in this age where there are so many stung with Popish
Tarantulas all sorts of musick cannot please them to make them sweat out their Poison of errors for I playing formerly somewhat grauely it delighted not their phansies I haue endeauoured now therefore with a more merry lesson to try if there be any way to purge that venome to restore them to sanity of mind and body Our Sauiour Christ compared the men of his time to a company of little children sitting in a market place that allthough their fellowes had mourned vnto them they neuer had condoled with them and all though they had piped yet they neuer had danced so attent they were to their fopperyes and vaine inuentions that neither mercy nor indgments nor any thing could preuaile with them And yet our Saviour ceaseth not still to vse all meanes to the bringing them to the knowledge of God and of themselues And now to speak something to the matter in hand and for my owne particular You cannot be ignorant that for these three score yeares and vpward there haue been thousands that haue writ with all maner of grauity and humble lowlines calling for reformation and yet nothing hath been listned vnto but for their paines they haue beene Seuerely punished and miserably vndone by the PRELATS As for my self I neither medled nor made with them nor their dignities and notwithstanding out of their meere suspition to the dishonor of God and the King and our holy profession they haue ruined mee and all mine and I haue now layn in prison mourning these two yeares and few haue lamented with mee I must confesse I had at this instant a humour of piping to see if I can put any of my brethren into a mind to dance out of error sweat out the contagion and poison of heresies that are now drunk in and if I shall seeme to haue been ouer pleasant they will I hope dispense with it when they know the occasion You thinke that in my Letany I am too comicall I conceiue that to be a misprision in you for what I haue set forth is most true and not fained most of which I haue been an eve witnes of and can produce thousands to witnes the same with mee And were I a little comicall I hope the PRELATS will not blame that in mee For not long since they themselues in an open Court of iudicature in censuring one that writ against comedyes testifyed their liking vnto them affirming they allowed of Comedies so the abuse were taken away which is absent in mine withall sayd that some of the ancient Fathers made a Comedy which was renowned amongst the graue and learned Now if it be a thing commendable in the Fathers I hope they will not blame it in their children in the number of which I am filius Ecclesie et patrum and especially when they allow them in both their Vniuersities and before the Kings and Qneenes Maiestie them allso made in the scorne of those they brand with the name of Puritans to the dishonor of their owne Christian profession and to the exposing of it in as much as in them lyes to the scorne of the aduersaries in so much if I haue not heard amisse that the Kings highnes and the Queene to their euerlasting honours be it spoke were displeased with it and that the Queene should say that if such affronts should be put vpon their Religion in her Country they would not be thought worthy to liue This I must confesse shewed a diuine goodnes in that most illustrious Princesse and doth withall sufficienly demonstrate that her Grace knoweth what belongeth a little better to the honour of Religion then our greater Masters But be it as you suppose as comicall as can be imagined though in truth there be no such thing with them and mature esteemers of things I hope it will deserue no blame If I should play a little vpon them when they make it their dayly sport to fill not onely their stages Courts of Iudicature but their very pulpits with playes against the most holyest Christians yea the cheifest of all their pastimes are imployed in scorning mocking and telling one filthy tale or other which of purpose they themselues haue inuented against them and all to make them odious amongst all men and this is their iournall practice yea I say they make their very pulpits stages to disgrace honest men and their most holy profession to the infinite dishonour of God and the ruine of their brethren I pray go to the Court sermons and you shall see those SYCOPHANTS sometime bringing into their deskes Christ and the King on the one side and the Iewes and the Puritans on the other The King they compare to Christ in all things The Puritans as they terme them they compare to the rebellious disobedient and persecuting Iews putting a reed into the Kings hand in stead of a Scepter a crowne of thornes on his head and the other accoutriments of scorne vsing all maner of contumelies to his Royall Maiestie and crying haile Master when in the meane time they make but a scorne of his highnes neither regarding him nor his lawes and yeilding no obedience to either I beseech you Sir what is this but an interlude If this be preaching then Haman was a good Preacher for he preached as good doctrine as these doe against the poore Iews and sought not onely the ruine of one or some sew of them but the destruction of them all as the Prelats and Preists of our age now doe against their innocent brethren For my part I must confesse I haue often gone out of the kings chappel with admiration at the Kings most excellent goodnes and that all the honest men in the kingdome had not lōg agoe been made a prey to their enemyes desire for if one priuat man shall but conceiue a displeasure against an other or heare but a sinister report of him that he is not so well affected to him as he imagins or that he is his enimy there is forthwith a violation of freindship betwene them and ueuer a true reconciliation more to be expected now if Kings had not more heroicall vertues in them of wisdome patience clemency and forbearing and if our gracious King were not a Prince of surpassing debonerity we should be as so many sheep vnto the slaughter slaine all the day lōg Nay we haue all cause to blesse God for our Royall King and to pray for the continuation of his life and happy raigne long among vs and withall that the Lord would put it into his royall breast duely to looke into the intentions of those enemyes of all goodnes who ayme not at the flourishing of his crowne and dignity but the ruine of it and the true Religion and to bring in a confusion both in Church and State for the better effecting of those devilish purposes that no gunpowder plot could bring yet to passe But that we may a little looke back to this preachment of the Court Preists and the
comedy in it Whereas they compared their bretheren to the rebellious Iewes I could earnestly desire that his Highnes and the Nobility would but seriously a little consider these mens proceedings and their Christian candor in it and that they would examine them by the rule of truth and Iudgement and then they should well perceiue that malice and enuy and not ripe and mature brotherly reason had dictated this calumniating ventosity to thē by which they make themselues preuaricators against God and men Let them not therefore say that those they brand with the name of Puritans are like the Iews but proue it Wherein I pray haue they euer shewne their least disloyalty to his Maiesty or plotted any thing against his life or dignity or impeached his royalty in any thing has he not their liues liberty and purses to the vttermost yea aboue their abilities at his command doe they or euer did they resist his royall authority in the least thing nay in any thing do not his seruants hale them to prison take away their goods driue away their cattle at any time vpon any pretence without the least reluctation Let dayly experience then the prisons convince this notorious calumniation wherefore then are these abominable things acted against them in their pulpits before King and Councell the whole Nobility and flower of the Kingdome I know there is not one of these poore men but would spēd their best bloud abandon their wiues and children and hazard their estates yea all they haue for the honour of his crowne and dignity and that most willingly and although they should be trampled vpon to death would neuer harbour a disloyall thought against his Soueraignty but as Iob sayd concerning God if the Lord kill mee I will trust in him so I dare promise in the person of them all if the King should conceiue neuer so meanly of them and of their allegiāce were it to death it selfe yet they would a thousand times rather die before they would be found disloyal in any duty that the King by the right of a King or the lawes of his Kingdōe can either expect or chalenge at their hāds or by any autority or Prerogatiue royall vindicat How is it thē I say that these unworthy Preists dare thus abuse the Kings royall eares and so honorable an audience with such dayly false accusations What a damnable hight of impiety are our profane Preists and Prelats come to to make the pulpit a stage and place to vent most seditious lyes in and those for the incensing of the king against his most loyall Subiects and that to make a diuision between the head and the members the vnity of which is not onely the glory but the safety of a kingdome which neuer florisheth so well as when there is a sweet harmony between the king and his people This is not to be Ministers of Christ who is the king of peace but of the deuill and Antichrist so to preach Looke vpon the first Sermon that euer was preached after the natiuity of Christ by the Angel to the shephards it was a sermon of ioy and Peace and of good tidings Listen also the heauenly host what a sermon they made in the theater of glory in their praysing of God and you shall heare them saying glory to God in the highest and on earth Peace and good will towards men And when the disciples like the Preists and Prelats of our age before better information would haue had fire come downe from heavē to destroy those that would not entertaine Christ he sayd vnto them you know not of what Spirit you are teaching all his disciples euer after by that Sermon to preach peace and good will and not to incite to destruction their auditors And indeed the Gospell is a message of peace and the Ministers of it should teach peace and good will and not warre incensing and inflaming kings against their poore Subiects and alienating the Subiects from their Soueraigne Lords and Masters Sainct Tiberne is a fitter Place pulpet for such Preachers then the kings chappell Neither can there be any thing writ spake or done too seuerely against such sowers of sedition and especially those that make the pulpit a place of it The peace-makers haue euer been blessed by Christs owne testimony but for such as are cause of sedition oppressiō and warre in a common wealth they are accursed Christ the blessed peace maker made peace between God and men Moses his seruant he stood vp in the gap between God and the people and made an attonement for the people The Apostles likewise were all preachers of peace and so are all their true Successors But our Preists and Prelats they preach warre and make the Pulpet a place to act their lying comedies in to the estranging of the king from his Subiects and breeding in his royall heart sinister surmises against them to the wounding of the poore Subiects hearts with greefe when they see their King and ruler the breath of their nostrils whom they honour and loue better then their liues to be alienated from them And that the Pecres and Nobles of the king dome should by their diabolicall preachments harbour any evill thoughts of them This I say wounds the poore Subiects hearts and of all this lamentable misery are the Prelats Preists the onely cause by their dayly acts in their pulpits They haue diuerse parts in their sceane Sometime they bring them in as most dangerous and pernicious enimyes of his Highnes making them worse then the powder plotters And because forsooth there was a man killed his mother and his brother not long since there must be a booke printed that he was a Puritan that he did that facinorous exploit because they would not kneele at the Sacrament and howsoeuer there be sufficient witnesses to the contrary yet that must goe for current there must I say be a rayling pamphlet set forth against the whole company of those that feare the Lord as if they were all of the same mold But had it been so that a distempered man had perpetrated so foule a crime through some deuillish temptation that had made profession of religion must it follow they are all such Because Iudas was a Traytor must all the Apostles be therefore condemned Because one Courtier may be found disloyall to his Prince therefore must all the rest be accused of the same wickednes and because one merchant may breake and play the knaue shall we say that all are such good reason will make no such illation And yet this must be acted and preached before his Maiestie and that by a Prelat that all Puritans are such and a thousand such impieties are dayly layd to their charge Yea what wickednes is there that they are not dayly accused of to King and Nobles both priuatly and publickly I haue heard many Sermons at the Court yet neuer did I heare any wherein I saw not the Puritan brought vp with one
scorne or other and some notorious lyes told of them So that I wonder not that those poore men are thought so euilly of though a most innocent and harmles people as any liues upon the earth For when the place of God it self from whence truth should onely sound is made a theater of lying and false accusations no wonder that the Kings Maiesty and nobles of the Kingdome haue a prejudicat opinion of them they call Puritans when they expect nothing but truth and veritable narrations from that place In my yonger dayes that I may in some thing relate my owne condition I was bred in as great a hatred of Puritans as any tender yeares was capable of as it is well knowne and thought those men not worthy to liue yet knew not any of them our Country hauing then scarce two in it neither was there a sermon perhaps in halfe a yeare thereabouts and that read out of a paper booke and halfe of it commonly was rayling against the Puritans But whē it pleased God that some of those that spake euillest of them through surfetting and excesse had brought themselues to languishing sicknes and after to death it selfe I say when those men in their greatest extremities chose rather to trust them yea and to preferre them before there owne brethren and niest kins-folks and bequeath their children estats into their hands and then being also demanded the reason of such trust and confidence in them whom they had reputed the worst of men before and most of all traduced and hated they then openly declared themselues and their opinion of them saying that they were now dying men and that it was now time to speake the truth and that they in their harts beleiued they were the true seruants of the Lord howsoeuer despised and contemned in the world and withall they desired that their soules might goe the way that theirs went I say when I saw such a wonderfull change in these men who were men many of them of knowledge and vnderstanding in all religions and some of them trauellars and courtiers and that now on their death beds they should giue such an approbation and so honourable testimony of those men of whom they had in their prosperity spoken so maliciously I being then of yeares of descretion and better able to discerne and iudge of things that differ began more seriously to consider of that matter and soe much the more studious I was because I had in some sort seene the vanity of all pleasures hauing indeed been bred in nothing else The right way then to find blessednes was my onely ayme which through Gods speciall fauour benediction vpon my earnest endeauours dayly reading of the word and holy scriptures priuat duties godly society and frequent hearing of the word which is onely able to saue our soules I found out to the prayse and honour of his name be it spoken And I then well perceiued looking into the liues and maners of men that those that were comonly branded with the name of Puritans were the happiest and that if any were eternally blessed they were such of them as squared there liues in sincerity according to their profession And least that I might through an ouerweening conceit of some seeming blessednes in them be mistaken I contented not my self with home comparing of men and domesticall experience but I resolued to seek out still a more excellent way if there were any whereupon I went into forraine nations and liued among all sorts of men and in the greatest Princes Courts conuersing among all ranks and orders of them and that many yeares and amongst all professions Courtiers Soldiers Scholars citizens merchants and among all sects of factions and religions and examining all those in the ballance of Iudgment I found none in life and death happy and truely comfortable but those that are branded with the name of Puritans or at least those that liue and die in their faith And for my owne particular to speake now my conscience I had rather goe the way of the meanest Puritans that liue and die according to their profession then of the greatest Prelats that euer liued vpon the earth and this I speake in the presence of God for of the ones happinesse I am as sure as the word of God is sure and of the others I can promise nothing hee liuing in rebellion to God all the dayes of his life and his repentance not knowne vnto mee And notwith standing I say all rhis that these are such an holy people yet are they made but the off-scouring of the world and of all things and brought vpon euery stage and into the pulpit as fittest for ludibry by the Players Preists and Prelats yea and in their Courts it is enough to ruine a mans cause if his aduersary can but taint him with the name of a Puritan but most especially are they vilely abused by the Preists and Prelats in their Pulpits Now I say if it be lawfull in them to make playes of honest men and to faine what they please against them I pray let it be lawfull in mee in merriment to speake the truth of them which as neare as I can I will not transgresse If some shall say they haue not so great traynes nor so much adoe in their marching I affirme that at all tymes they goe more like Princes then humble Ministers of Christ and the Apostles Successors of whom we neuer reade they came euer in coach or on horseback but when Paul was mounted by autority or that they had euer a seruant to attend them much lesse such pompe and state yet one of them conuerted more soules in one day then all the Prelats euer did that euer I read of neither to speake truely haue I heard of any they euer conuerted but of many thousands they haue confounded But now to the matter in hand because one of their abetters sayd not long since that they had not such attendance as I accuse them of I say if they haue lesse company one day they haue more an other and whether they be their owne or others Seruants when they are in their Company be they the Nobles themselues they are all their attendants and the best of them most hartily glad if by their seruice they can please them and we know it vsuall that the denomination of the retinue is alwayes from the greatest and they are sayd to be his followers And I haue heard the pursuiuants themselues often brag of the greatnes of their Masters attendance and in such ample maner as I thinke the Kings Maiestie hath not commonly greater and therefore that cannot be denyed which is dayly practised And for their Seruants insolency I haue frequently both seene it and felt it Now whereas you thinke that it will not be will taken that I call Bishops Preists and Deacons Antichrists little toes and in my LETANY desire deliuerahce from them and withall seeme to accuse them of incontinency
his face he lyes to teach an other way to heauen then by the Scripture which Christ the Sonne of God sendeth vs to and all the Prophets and Apostles as to the instructers of the simple and able to make the man of God wise to saluation and perfectly furnished to euery good worke and the which the Holy Ghost compares to a guide and a Lanthorne for direction and a light to conduct vs in this our pilgrimage and peregrination through the errors of the world and to keep our feet in the paths of truth and with the Prelats this great and glorious light this Scripture must be so obscure as it must be inferior to all things that haue a power in themselues to declare demonstrate their owne nature as fire to be fire gold to be gold light to be light But the Scripture onely that can not be knowne but by the helpe of others to be the word of God it cannot be the word of God without the Fathers and their interpretation of them for the Scriptures themselues they are the onely refuge of Schismaticks the cause of all errors and that that commeth confirmed and proued onely from Scripture is euer to be suspected with the Prelats O BLASPHEMY yea the booke that hath nothing but Scripture must be adiudged to the fire and the author of it giuen ouer to the Deuill sined a thousand pounds and censured to pay the costs of sute and be debarred of his practice the onely support left for the releife of his distressed family to the vtter vndoing of him his poore wise and children and all this forsooth because there was nothing but Scripture in it O HORRIBLE impiety The truth is howsoeuer they seemed to condemne it because it had nothing but scripture that was not the occasion but the very cause was because I writ against the Pope Father Antichrist such correspondency there is now betwene the Pope and the Prelats that one cannot write against him but the Prelats say by and by that they are meant by it The Grols You know that among the Papists if any of them hold but any one tenent of the Protestents as that there is no Purgatory beside the bloud of Iesus Christ or that there are no sinnes in their owne nature veniall or that the Scripture is sufficient of it selfe with out traditions and ought to be the sole rule of life and doctrine and the onely Iudge of controuersies or that the Pope is not Christs Vicar nor Peters successor or that Christ is not corporally present in the Sacrament of the altar as they call it for any of these assertions or any other of our tenents he is forthwith condemned for an heritick and burnt at a Stake as dayly experience teacheth vs. Nay it is a common thing amongst vs here in England let any man hold but any one tenent of any sect whatsoeuer be it as they terme them Brownists Anabaptists Antinomians though in all other things he agree with the Church as they call it yet he is forthwith adiudged condemned for such an one Yea let a man refuse but to eate bloud or Swins flesh though in all other things a good Christian by and by they condemne him for a Iew I say then if for any one tenent among the Papists a man may be condemned for an heretick and suffer for it and if by the Prelats likewise for any one opinion differing from them that same sect holdeth one may be iudged and condemned to extremest misery as a Brownest Anabaptist c. I say then by farre more excellent reason one may conclude that those that hold so many damnable Popish opinions and tenents as the Prelats doe and defend them in their open Courts that they are Papists and so they are indeed and to be detested For they mayntayne and set vp Popery and Papall Iurisdiction challenging their owne autority to be iure deuino and the Pope doth no more They likewise trample vpon the scriptures as a thing of nothing accusing them of obscurity and imperfection and will not admit the Scripture to be Iudge of Controuersies The Pope does no more And withall hold the Synagogue of Rome to be a true Church and not so much as to haue had the suspition of error in any fundamentall points of religion and all this I say in their open Court and the Pope doth no more to the making of the King and his Subiects all Schismaticks and hereticks to the infinit dishonour of God and the King and to the eternall disgrace of King Iames of famous memory a Prince for knowledge and wisdome the gratest that euer was saue Salomon and for learning renowned through the extremest parts of the whole vniuerse of whom I dare say thus much as a Scholer becanse I know something in that art for which I should excessiuely haue honoured him had he been but a priuat man much more a King and withall my Soueraygne whose dignyty I will neuer see trampled ypon though I suffer for my loyalty the whole fury of the Prelats and their Confederats I say therefore I dare say thus much of that renowned King that for learning Scholarship all the Prelats in England shouelled into one heape or plastered together into one lump are not worthy to be named the same yeare that his excrements are mentioned and yet notwithstanding these vnworthy fellowes do not cease in their open Courts and in euery stinking pamphlet set forth by their autority to abuse this famous King WHO IN HIS APOLOGY TO ALL CHRISTIAN PRINCES which is well knowne to the learned as defender of the faith maintaynes the doctrine of the reformed Churches in his Kingdomes and dominions to be the onely true doctrine the Popish to be erronious and abominable and with inuencible arguments and that many he proues the Pope to be Antichrist and exhorts all Christian Kings and Princes his brethren to cast off his yoake demonstrateth likewise yea euidently euinceth that Rome is the whore of Babilon and in many of his learned writings he continually like himself a defender of the faith opposeth all the Romish impious tenents And all that I now say is well knowne to all men of vnderstanding Now I pray take notice of the PRELAT OF CANTFRBVRYS ARROGANCY and of all his fellowes The King as defender of the farth teaching vs both by his life and doctrine maintaines and proues THE POPE TO BE ANTICHRIST AND THF CHVRCH OF ROMF TO BE THE WHORE OF BABILON and earnestly exhorts all Christian Princes to come out of her And the Prelats in their Court affirme that the Church of Rome is a true Church and neuer had so much as a suspition of error in fundamentall poynts of religion and in putrid pamphlets set forth by their autority they confirme the same and that the Pope is not Antichrist Is not this damnable impiety against God and the King preiudiciall to the saluation of thousands the maintenance of the Papists
in their diabolycall doctrins and the making of many poore people at their wits end not knowing which way now to take for the sauing of their soules and withall yeilds and ministers to my knowledg many arguments vnto the Preists and Iesuits of seducing the Kings Subiects and to peruert and mislead the people and keeping of the seduced in error and disloyalty to their King when they shall heare our Fathers the Prelats to proclayme the synagogne of Satan Rome it self to be the true Chuth and that she neuer had so much in her as the appearance of error and that saluation may be found and had in it And yet royall and learned KING IAMES ABSOLVTELY ASSEVERS NAY VNANSWERABLY PROVETH THAT THE POPE is ANTICHRIST AND ROME THE WHORF OF BABILON AND that SALVATION CANNOT BE HAD IN THAT CHVRCH and in the same faith he liued and dyed and in the same our gracious King Charles was bred and educated and hath in two seuerall declarations after the 39. Articles of the dissolution of the Parlament pag. 21 24 Protested before God and all his Subiects that he would neuer giue any way to the licencing or autorising of any thing whereby any innouation in the least degree may creep into our Church nor euer conniue at any back sliding to Popery And that it is his hearts desire to be found worthy of that title which he esteemeth to be most glorious in all his crowne Defender of the faith Here the King protests he is of the same faith his father was defender of the same and that he will neuer licence nor autorize any thing that tends to innouation nor neuer conniue at any backsliding to Popery And who is he worthy the name of a Subiect that will not take his royall word by which he hath declared himself to be of his royall fathers faith and a defender of the same and that was that the Pope was Antichrist and the Church of Rome the whore of Babilon And yet the Prelats and their complices that vermin to the deshonour of both these famous Kings their Lords and Maisters teach the contrary and punish those seuerely that defend and mayntaine the same faith they professe themselues protectors and defenders of trampling vpon regall dignity in their Courts and abusing Princely clemency It is worth the looking on to see the pride of the Prelats in setting the Kings picture ouer their dresser in the high Commission Court for they haue placed his Highnes standing with his hat of before their worships like a delinquent his Crowne and scepter layed low as the poore Emperors and Kings were wont to stand before his impiety the Pope when they were cited to his Courts of which storyes you may reade many in KING IAMES HIS APOLOGY to goe no farther and in this very maner haue they set vp the portrait of our renowned King And the very intrinsecall marry bone of the matter is they trample vpon his imperiall dignity while they seeme to honour him with whom they make themselues in the meane time checkmates for they say they were before Christian Kings and had their thrones and that they were not beholding to him for their honour and dignity of Episcopality for they were iure diuino that they were Now what is it to trample vpon the Kings Crowne and Royalty stamp his lawes vnder their feet and to backslide to Popery and to bring in innouation if this be not But concerning innouation afterwards In the meane time by these damnable proceedings they manifest sufficiently that they are Antichrists litle toes for they are very Popes themselues and whatsoeuer can be sayd of the Pope may be spoke of them I will therefore for the more cleare elucidation of this matter in a few things breifly here compare them together For howsoeuer one may be a greater Pope then an other as one King may be greater then an other yet they are all Popes and pernicious enimyes to God the King and the whole Church of God But now to the matter The Pope writeth himself Father so do they write themselues reuerend Fathers The Pope sells sin for mony so do they as the whole kingdome and their Officers can well tell and doth nothing without mony so doe they The Pope forbiddeth marriage and meats and which Paul calleth the doctrine of deuills so doe they in the same maner whatsoeuer they pretend The Pope commandeth superstitious idoll dayes to be kept and obserued contrary to the commandements of God and punisheth the neglect of his Commands more seuerely then the breach of the waightiest lawes of God so do the Prelats as their Courts can witnes yea and command men and compell them as the Pope himself to breake the commandements of God to obserue vaine and impious traditions The Pope selleth Licences for meats and mariage the Prelats doe the same The Pope selleth nonresidences pluralityes trialityes totquots the Prelats doe the same to the staruing and ruining of the soules of men The Pope ruleth and gouerneth the Church by the cursed Canon law and Popish excommunications the scalding house of conscience the Prelats doe the very same and the breach of their stinkingest Canons is more deeply punished in their Courts then the violation of all the lawes of God and the King The Pope preferreth his Ceremonyes and traditions aboue the word of God The Prelats doe the same as dayly experience teacheth vs. The Pope maketh his Seruants or Preists by his owne power without the consent of the people and intrudeth them vpon the congregations without either their knowledge or liking the Prelats doe the same The Pope percecuteth all godly Preachers and people that preach the Gospell in the purity of it and desire in sincerity to serue the Lord and would bring their brethren to the knowledge of the same and to the purity and truth of the Apostolicall Churches the Prelates doe the like as the whole Kingdome knoweth well and the gaoles and prisons dayly witnes and the silencing of so many learned and painfull Ministers The Pope appoynts his Preists to stand at the altar with the Deacon apperrelled with his foppish and player-like accutriments those Babylonish garments and to cry out Dominus vobiscum the Deacon and Subdeacon with all the rest of Baals Preists answering him as lowd as they can the Bishops doe the same sauing onely that it is in English The Pope commandeth adoration at the Sacrament crossing of children in baptisme demanding of the new-borne babes if they will forsake the Deuill and all his works c and esteemeth the Font more holy then other places inioyneth likewise purifying of women and a thousand such like costly and chargable vanities which were tedious to relate and all these and more then these doe the Prelats in like maner in all which their Antichristian autority with their Popish practices are sufficiently manifest so that there is little or no difference betweene Pope and Prelats And all autority of doing
this they arrogat vnto themselues iure deuino Limbes therefore they are of Antichrist from whom doctor Pocklington gloryes that they are lineally discended in his impious pamphlet Sunday no Sabbath pag 2 and 44. And if it be so that they be lineally descended from that good race we may neuer promise vnto our selues any comfort from them or to the King or Kingdome true peace and security but may iustly looke for miseryes one after an other and extreme calamityes For King Iames sayes of that generation that they are the frogs that came out of the bottemles pit and are of the nature of amphibia that liue in the water and vpon the earth seeming to be Church men and yet are intermedling with States affayres and indeed troubling the whole world and all common-wealths where they dwell or haue any place and authority as all the Christian world can witnes which is now drowned in bloud that they haue been the onely originall of and such a gender of filth that great frog left behind him here when he was droue away that there hath such a brood ofstinking polwigs rose from that as euer since the very earth and aire hath been so putrified with them and the very fountaines of liuing water so corrupted as Egypt it selfe was not more stinched with the noysomenes of them then we haue been with the continuall bane of these in our nostrils insomuch that they are now lothsome to God men and dangerous to vs all So that the duty I beare to my Soueraigne Lord the King and the loue I haue to the happy flourishing of this Kingdome and the good of the Church hath made mee cast away all feare and speake the truth which when I doe I cannot but say the Prelats are the most wicked prophane and vnconscionable men that liue vpon the earth and inferior to the Pope in no impiety but rather transcending him in regard of their knowledge which the Pope wanteth and also in that he neuer yet forced any man to prophane the Lords day which they doe But more of this afterwards in our farther paragonating of them together And truely in regard of what King Iames hath taught his subiects in his diuerse books writings and of our gracious King his Declarations that he will neuer autorize any thing that tendeth to innovation in the least degree I cannot but from my soule detest the Prelats as the greatest innovaters that euer were in the world of which practises all men know the danger as that they haue many times been fatall to Kingdomes and Republicks and euer perillous if they were not from worse to better which then all reason doth allow of And therefore it hath euer been so stricktly looked to in all Countries prouided so against by as many Statutes and decrees and wayes of punishment as by the wit of man could be deuised and especially in this Kingdome singular care was had by the Gouerners and whole State that all occasions of revolting back againe to Popery might be prevented euen as the Lord himselfe once tooke order by many caueats to the people of Israel and by speciall prohibitions charged them not to returne into Egypt for he knew well they had still a lingering after the flesh-pots Onions so I say our rulers and the whole common wealth assenting vnto them as if the Statutes and records be searched you shall find had such a provident care neuer to returne backe againe to that Romish Egypt that there was speciall order taken not onely about greater matters but euen about thy very standing of the Communion table and it was by publick consent appoynted to be placed in the middest of the Church that euery one might see the whole administration of the Sacrament and the actions about it And order likewise was taken that alters should be beat downe and remoued out of all Churches But in this Age tables are turned againe into Altars in many places and set alterwise euery where a new way of vshering in Popery being now found out And howsoeuer by the same wisdome and common consent and speciall statutes and lawes it was ordered that no autority Ecclesiasticall should be exercised in the Kings dominions in their owne names nor no Courts held but by the Kings sole autority and all this for preuention of backsliding to Popery yet the Prelats against these speciall decrees and statutes keepe Courts make sommons and alter all things by their owne autority as if they were absolute Princes without any dependency to the infinit dishonor of his Maiestie the molestation of his subiects and troubling of the Church of God And howsoeuer it was decreed that all those that should iure diuino challenge a superintendency in the Church aboue their brethren were ipso facto in a Praemunire and under the Kings indignation and high displeasure yet the Prelats in their open Courts do challenge their jurisdiction and autority iure diuino and punish those with seuere censures that deny it And howsoeuer I say againe there are many more statutes yet in force that prouide against innouations with the Kings declarations yet our Prelats violating them all dayly bring in innouation not onely to the troubling of the Kings best subiects but to the putting of them to infinite expenses in the execution of them and for the bringing-in againe of Popery and superstition and all abomination and in as much as in them lyes to the ruining of this flourishing monarchy and kingdome All which wicked proceedings with the bringers of them in we ought to detest as we feare God and the King if we will listen vnto Solomon who in the 24. of the Prov ver 21. 22. thus sayth My Son feare thou the Lord and the King and medle not with them that are giuen to change for their calamity shall rise sodainly and who knoweth the ruine of them both So that we see both diuine and human wisdome haue allwayes prouided against changes and innouations as being most dangerous and perillous to a state and that made our gratious King in his declarations set forth his mind so clearly as that he would no way allow of it Notwithstanding all this the Prelats are mightily taken vp with noueltyes and innouations so as they haue troubled the whole realme by them ruined and trust out all the most painfull and diligent Ministers to the vtter vndoing of them their poore wiues and children and the staruing of the soules of the people and the perishing of multitudes of families of those good subiects that durst not meddle with them in their dangerous and deuillish proceedings and made many thousands fly the country and more ready to depart not knowing where to liue free quietly for them in the whole kingdome And it is now come to passe according to that of Salomon Prov. 30 ver 21. For three things the earth is disquieted and for foure it cannot beare for a seruant when he raigneth and a foole when he
haue been admitted among the best Christians in this cause So that in the ORIGINALL CHVRCHES this and this onely was the vse of witnesses which I say in our times where we are knowne all â—o be Christians there is very little need of for it is a meere complement in baptisme and to speake truely and properly none can better answer for the faith and education of the child to be baptised then the father neither hath any better right to giue the name then the father and mother who if we look into the word of God euer gaue their owne children their names Abraham gaue I saack his name I saac gaue his children their names and so we shall find that both the Patriarks and Kings of old gaue their children their names and answered for them neither can there be any good reason giuen why Christians should be inferior in this matter to the Iews Withall Baptisme now is become a thing so chargable to Godfathers and of so much expense that a poore man can scarce get any to christen his children and especially a man as I am not onely poore but of whom all men are noâ— afrayd so as it was an impossible thing for mee to get or procure any GODFATHERS and therefore I was constrayned to sue at this time in my wifes name TO THE PRELATS who had been the cause of all my misery to see of they would now at last shew any humanity to the oppressed and true it is I ioyned the VVHORE OF BABYLON with them because they had a very honorable opinion of her and so highly magnifyed her as they sayd iâ— open Court that howsoeuer other Churchâ—s had played the harlot yet shee euer had remayned a chast matron so that they could not now except against her their old mistris and for witnes in things of this kind I thinke the testimony of any good or bad will serue neither do I know what reason there should be to the contrary for the thing is apparent whether the sun shines or no at noone day so that if one should say it did not thousands would witnes the contrary and that I am a Christian who can doubt For I was signed with the signe of the crosse as all men know and the Prelats haue crossed mee euer since so that I haue I thanke them crosses enough to witnes that And that cities also vse to giue names vnto children this dayly experience will witnes and therefore that may not be taken ill by any Catholicke when I am as I sayd a true antient CATHOLICK AND APOSTOLICK ROMAN and am resolued to liue and die in that faith in despite of the deuill nay in contemptum diaboli et Praelatorum â—mnium For the exception you make against that passage where I say writing to my good Angell I will conclude hereafter that we shall be maryed together and therefore for better for worse I remaine his poore wife c. I must confesse I suppose there will not be any so vnwise as to thinke that to vse a word that is metaphorically taken in all Countries and languages vpon the like occasion and merrily to expresse it should be blameworthy in mee for what is more commonly in vse then to say one being cast in prison by his aduersaries that are implacable that he is marryed to the place and jaylour If any do not like of the maner of expression ' let him goe learne his granam to suck and not mee to speak for that matter for sure I am such a fellow neuer came where good literature and the liberall arts dwelt that will take away from any scolar the liberty of a metaphor or make it an offence in one when it is a vertue in an other but for that I thinke it was not yours but an others exception therefore I will say no more of it For the capitall and one of the grand ones and your last to speake a little of that and so I will conclude You tell mee I giue the Prelats vnreuerent titles and names which you thinke they will make scandalum magnatum and censure mee for it The truth is the lawes of the Kingdome proclame them enemies of the King and all such as they are and therefore when I haue authority from them for my language I conceiue it may be tolerated among all such as honour the King or loue the lawes which they make a scorne of to my knowledg But you are mistaken in the businesse I was censured and lost my eares the one at London the other at Colchester long before I thought of my Letany as the whole Countrey can tell and therefore I made my Letany for deliuerance from them and their cruelty and in that I call a Spade a Spade and euery thing as it deserues and so much the rather because as soone as my apology was arriued NEWCOMIN the PREIST reported in the country that it should cost mee my eares and the one I should lose in Colchester and the other at London and something more was added of other punishments when notwithstanding I had made onely a relation of the Prelats proceedings against me in the high commission court of which there were a thousand witnesses And what that Preist reports that ordinarily hapens for he commonly speaketh nothing which commeth not from the Prelats mouthes and that they say they know well they haue power enough to bring it to passe When I was first hoisted vp into the high Commission Court by that learned Rector and that the pursâ—iuant was gone downe to ransack my Study and take away my papers of all which proceedings I being absent was ignorant he then reported that I should be fined a thousand pounds which came to passe and whatsoeuer besides he had foretold all that was executed vpon mee as if he himselfe had giuen the verdict and this that I now relate is notoriously knowne to the whole country And as he then did giue sentence vpon mee before iudgment in their owne Court so hath he now done in the starchamber it seemeth that all Courts are theirs and that all the NOBILITY AND PEERES OF THE KINGDOME are bound to put in execution what euery prophane Preist out of insolency will haue and others out of cruelty enioyne them to do vpon otherwise incurring their displeasure and of this cruelty I haue heard not once So that so many informations out of the Countrey of this censure against mee maketh mee dayly expect the extremity all which proceedeth from the tyranny of the Prelats who indeed thirst after the ruine of all them they loue not and those that truely feare the Lord and this dayly experience teacheth vs. Now I say when they fight not against men onely but God himself as I haue shewed sufficiently and when they trample vpon the Prerogatiue royall pretend what they will and the lawes of the Kingdome which they are bound to obey and defend as well as my self being subiects it is the duty of all good