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
promised us the new Religion you will set up amongst us Is this the way to Heaven which you will trace out to your Country-men that adore you Doth your Discipline purchased with the effusion of so much Christian bloud allow of such expressions and persons without correction Indeed this is the way to work an Alteration from what was before the Devil had formerly but his Chappell where God had his Church but from henceforth if you prevail he is likely to have his Church where God shal scarce have a Chapell Wel as an Holy Martyr said to others so say I to you I thank God I am none of you and my prayer is Never let my soul O Lord partake in their Counsells nor my feet tread in their paths but give me I beseech thee thy grace to pray daily against their wickednesse And let it not O let it not good Lord be told in Gath or believed in Askelon that these bitter fruits do spring from the tree of Protestant Religion Let it rather be acknowledged and apprehended that these things are favoured and done by the men of this Nation as they are at this present by Satans working in a deadly enmity and opposition against their Soveraigne and not as they are either his sworn Subjects or Children of the English Church And thus O my God as thy messenger Liberavi animam meam I have dicharged my Conscience towards them SECT II. 1. Of the pretended end of publishing the Libell the true end thereof hinted 2. Their blasphemy against God noted 3. How these Letters of the King might have been made use of as Evidences of Truth and Loyaltie 4. Of what stock and linage the Authours of the Libell discover themselves to be 5. Of their subtilty and of that spirit of meeknesse which they boast of 6. How aptly for themselves they alleadge the Example mentioned by S. Jude I Now come to the Book it selfe whose publication they have Authorized and I observe that the persons for whose sake 't is pretended to be put forth are some whom the Authors call their Seduced Brethren to reclaime them I conceive they are so accounted because they will not concur in breaking their Protestation and opposing their Soveraigne I apprehend my selfe to be reckoned in the number and therefore in the behalfe of my self and the rest I desire these men who are so careful to Reclaim us that they would deal plainly with us and tell us in downe right English whether it be any thing else but our Loyalty our love and obedience to our Soveraigne which they would Reclaim us from let them in the first place declare unto us our transgression and prove out of Gods Word that we are such as they call us and account of us let them shew who hath Seduced us we are of the Prophet Jeremies minde If we be deceived it is the Lord that hath deceived us 't is his Word that hath taught us to Honour the King and to adhere unto our Soveraigne that is the foundation we stand upon and so strong and stable it is that we beleeve and hope these new Teachers shall never be able either to shake it or us from it Nay we have an apprehension that these men are in a Seduced condition themselves because they are gone out from us whereas they were once of us they took the Oath of Allegeance and afterward the Protestation as well as we to defend the Kings Person Honour and Estate against all opposers And now being themselves out of the right way we fear they would draw us into the same danger they tell us we are Seduced onely that we might yeeld so to be We remember that Satan Seduced our first Parents from their duty towards God by proceeding in the direct way and mothod of these men he pretended pity and respect unto them as to his Seduced Brethren and to the same purpose as these do He standred defamed and reproached his Soveraigne wherefore these men must pardon us if but for this reason we are somewhat suspicious of them Beside the Scripture tells us of some men who call Light Darknesse and Darknesse Light Good Evill and Evill Good and what know we to the contrary but these men may be of that number Our Saviour informes us that in the last dayes many wolves should come in sheeps cloathing who by fair pretences should deceive many and should carry their designes so cunningly that if possible they should deceive the very Elect themselves Now as these are the last dayes so these men have fair pretences are crafty in their carriages do deceive many and therefore may peradventure be those very wolves forespoken of Saint John adviseth us not to beleeve every one but bids us try their spirits whether they be of God or no wherefore having this warning if we trust these men before we have tryed them we shall shew our selves as they entitle us Seduced indeed they must give us leave therefore to examine of what spirit they are who thus take upon them to reclaim us whether their doctrine be of God or no we will go by Christs own rule let them except against it if they can or dare By their fruits saith he you shall know them and this their Book is their fruit we will consider whether their speech and language therein doth not bewray them They begin thus It were a great sinne against the mercies of God to conceale those Evidences of truth which He so graciously and almost miraculously by surprisall of these papers hath put into our hands I confesse they promise faire like those Galathians whom Saint Paul writes unto they begin in the Spirit with the mention of Sin and Mercy they have like those Locusts Rev. 9. the faces of men but observe them well we shall finde they have the teeth of Lyons and the tayles of Scorpions my endeavours shall be on purpose to discover them that men may avoid them and not be hurt by them which that I may do I beg of thee O most mighty Jesus who art the Light of lights and doest enlighten every man that commeth into the world to lighten the understanding of thy poore Minister that he may be able by thy light to enlighten thy people so as they may cleerely discerne this work of darknesse which is cast forth by an Hidden Crew to blemish and disgrace the Doctrine of thy Gospel professed in this Church to obscure those beames of Majesty wherewith thou hast decked thine owne Anointed and to seduce those Soules for which thou sheddest thy precious bould into wayes of perdition and destruction that by these my endeavours thy true Religion may be illustrated thy Servant the King Vindicated and thy people preserved to the Glory of thy great Name and to the inward comfort of me thy weak instrument and that for thine owne Merit and Mercies sake Amen Amen It is evident that the ends why these papers were divulged after
Personall Estate to be disposed of as their own How they have executed all Regall Prerogatives How they call all those that do adhere to the King Rebells and Traitours and pursue them as such with fire and sword How they Hunt the King up and down the Kingdome as if he were become an out-law seeking to murder and destroy him How they now of late do all in the name of the Parliament Onely though at first til the people were fully seduced by them and ingaged with them they did use the Kings Name together with it doth not at all this speak plainly that they thirst to drink the Kings bloud and desire to have it shed or spilt 5. Consider how in their Notes in this their accursed Libel pag. 44. they tax the King as faulty for his Soliciting the King of Denmark and other Protestant Princes as they speak to assist for the supporting of Monarchy doth not this plainly infer that they have concluded against the Government here in England and so by Consequence against the Monarch himself Doth it not evidently declare that they account him King no longer and that all the Supremacy is now in themselves Which being supposed and withal that he according to their Votes seekes the ruine of his people whose safety above all things must be regarded It follows of necessity that they desire the Kings Destruction and would have it apprehended that they do but their duty to the Kingdome in desiring it 6. Consider how they do as in their Pamphlets and Sermons compare the King to Saul Ahab Nero and the like so in their malicious Notes upon his Letters here pag. 48. they compare him to Richard the third the most bloudy and unjust man that ever swayed the English Scepter which plainly speaks that they would have people take him to be such a one and to have no more true right to the Crown then that Richard had and that themselves would be as glad of his death as Hen. the 7. was of the death of that Tyrant If these particulars amongst many others that might be propounded be considered on I doubt not but all reasonable men wil yeeld that I have done the Authours of this Libell right in my interpretation of their intentions expressed in those their words against the King But that I might not leave the least scruple in the hearts of any wel-meaning people that yet remain drunk with a good opinion of their Honesties and do in Charity think it impossible that men pretending so fair and having so great a name in the world for Religion should be so Diabolical and have such Hellish designes I wil further yet indeavour their satisfaction for I doe publikely profess mine aymes are to do the work of Christ in laying open mens Hypocrisie that mine abused Country-men for whom Christ died might not longer be deceived which work by Gods grace I shal faithfully pursue though I meet in the end with Christs reward at their bloudy hands for my labour Wherefore I wil shew First that there is no impossibility at all in the matter notwithstanding their specious pretences which they make and then it wil further Evidence the verity of what I have said from their own Tenents My Argument for the first is this Whatever hath been already may possibly be again for sayes Solomon The thing which hath been is that which shall be and that which is done is that which shall be done But such men there have been who had a name to be alive when they were dead in trespasses and sins who said they were Jewes called themselves Gods people and were so accounted by others when in very deed they were of the Synagogue of Satan therefore 't is not impossible but such men may be also in these dayes which are the last dayes and therefore the worst the very dregs of time For proof of the Assumption let us remember the Scribes and Pharisees in the Gospel they had as great a name in the world then as these persecutors of the King have now and were as wel thought on by the vulgar in whose opinions they were farre enough from those villanies which notwithstanding Christ did sufficiently discover to be in them Nay the people though themselves were imployed as under-instruments in the very business were so bewitched with a good conceit of their Pharisaical rulers whom they counted the Worthies of their Nation that they would not at first beleeve that they had any purpose to kill Christ for when he said why goe ye about to kill me the people replied Thou hast a Devill Who goeth about to kill thee they good folkes conceived that their Holy and wise Rulers did onely provide for the safety of Church and Common-wealth and endeavoured Christs Reformation whom they apprehended to be an irregular man one that would not submit His Judgement to the Great Councell at Jerusalem nor be ruled by their Votes and Orders Nay the very Pharisees themselves like these our men would not owne their own malice against Christ for when Pilate would have delivered him into their hands to have done with him as they pleased O no cry they 't is not lawfull for us to put any man to death they had rather some body else should doe it for them we are too holy to defile our selves with His bloud out of pure love to piety and to the peace of the Kingdome we have proceeded thus far against Him and have been at great Charges with the Souldiers to apprehend Him and though you can finde no fault in Him yet you may be sure on it if he had not been a Malefactor we would not have brought him before you No no if we could otherwise have reformed Him we would not have troubled your Lordship with Him But will you please to heare His Conditions Why He would be a King and Rule over us and if He be let alone He wil ruine the whole Kingdome and bring destruction upon the Temple too and to spoyl our Religion He bestowes strange Language and Titles upon us the Great Councell the Worthies of the Nation who are a company of Holy and unblameable men witnesse all the people He calls us Hypocrites Vipers and Painted Sepulchers and the like which we return not again but consider with sorrow that these expressions come from a Jew Seduced out of his proper spheare One that hath left the Society He ought to be withall and keeps Company onely with publicans and Sinners ungodly persons whose counsells he followes and hath set himself in the seat of the scornfull For we take all his Sermons against our Ordinances and doings to be but onely invectives and scornes against us whereby He exposeth us to be contemned of the people as if according to His saying we made the Law of God of none Effect by our Traditions When indeed none can be more zealous for it then we are and thus you see what a Person He is and what
fruits according to Christs Rule He being a Christian must needs loath their Liberty and being a Protestant must needs hate their Religion For first what is that Liberty which they maintaine If the uncontrouled practice of those that be obsequious to them or if their own Acts and Ordinances may speak it is such a Liberty as Turks exercise over Christians or as Canniballs in the Western World exercise over their fellow-Heathens or as Beasts of prey doe practice upon inferiour Creatures A Liberty which only the strong can enjoy but the weak and feeble are the worse for A Liberty which Lyons Wolves and Kites may thrive upon but Lambes Kids and Doves will be undone by A Liberty for them that have Might and Power to take away their neighbours goods by Sea and Land A Liberty to Kill Slay and Cain-like their owne Brethren whom they hate or that be not of their opinion A Liberty to doe as Enoch ap Evan did without danger of Hanging A Liberty to Steal a Liberty to Lye a Liberty to Slander and Raile upon their Betters A Liberty which the Devill liketh above all things A Liberty to break the Oath of Allegeance and all Gods Commandements so they observe the Ordinances of Parliament A Liberty to be of any Religion save only of the True A Liberty for the Child to Rebell against the Parent the Servant against his Lord and for the Base to rise against the Honourable A Liberty to shake off the Yoke of Subjection and Obedience to their Soveraigne A Liberty to take from Him what God hath given Him Authority Power Wealth and Honour A Liberty to mock Him to scorne at Him in His Affliction to write Libells against Him to hunt Him up and down His Kingdomes like a Partridge upon the Mountaines to murder Him if they can A Liberty to Vote away mens Estates and to voice away the lives of their fellow-Subjects when there is no Law to condemne them In a word a Liberty for every man to doe what is right in his owne eyes or as himselfe lusteth provided that He will take part with the Parliament as they call it against those whom they please to judge their Enemies we doe not say that all particulars that be on that side doe act all and every of these things but they may if they have power and a will thereto for they have Liberty as well as the rest of their faction who are already the Servants of Corruption this is that cause of Liberty which they maintaine Now in the second place for their Religion what is that Truly we cannot tell unlesse we say of it as was wont to be spoken of that of the Papists in the Prayer on the fift of November Their Religion is Rebellion their Faith Faction and their Practice Murdering of Soules and Bodies For since they have pulled downe and discountenanced the Religion of Jesus Christ established amongst us which was a Religion of Peace Patience Obedience Love they have not given us a plat-forme of any that we might know what Faith they fight for what Religion in particular it is which they maintaine we confesse we are yet to seek what t is they aime at sometime we see occasion to think t is the Popish Religion which they are setting up sometime that t is the Turkish we cannot imagine that it can be the Christian Protestant Religion for that is it which they only labour to destroy When we observe how they deny the Kings Supremacy not only in Spiritualls but also in Temporalls How they take upon them to absolve from the Oath of Allegeance to loosen Subjects from their Loyalty to raise Rebellions How they allow of King-slandring King-hunting King-killing How they make Gods Commandements of none effect by their traditions and Ordinances preferring these before the precepts of Christ in their inflicting greater penalties for the not observing them How they challenge infallibility unto themselves requiring Faith and Obedience to their dictates and judgements the people must beleeve as the Parliament Judgeth they must hold the opinion of not Erring and of the necessary assistance of Gods Spirit in the Parliament Committees as the Romanists conceive to be in their Papall Consistories They must fancy in them a like unlimited Authority to dispense with Gods Lawes against theft murder oppression and the like as some Papists doe to be in the Pope and as what is done by his Command so what is done by theirs must be beleeved to be done by Gods As he will be accounted Gods Lieutenant so will they by a Commission of their owne making as what is done for the advantage of his See so what is for the furthering of their designes must be apprehended to be done for the upholding of Christ and as t is taught by some of the Popish Clergy that whoever is out of Papall Obedience must undoubtedly perish so hath it been Preached by some of the Parliament Ministers that whoever is not under the Obedience of Parliament is a Malignant and in state of Damnation When I consider of these and such like particulars withall how bold they are with the Scriptures of God in corrupting with their false glosses and interpretations à la mode de Rome the pure text and Word of God forcing it to speake against it selfe in furtherance of their cause How Saint Paul himselfe is in danger of an Index Expurgatorius from them also how he hath been censured already for his speaking so broadly against the sinne of Rebellion to speak in those points or places rather as a Politician in respect of the times wherein he lived then as a Divine Considering also how they shun disputes with us whom they account their adversaries as the Papists were wont to doe How they inhibit the reading of our Bookes How they command the simple people who are their Disciples not to joyne with us in our Prayers to God or in our praises of God yea taking an Oath of some of them to that purpose no the Wife must not pray with her Husband nor the Childe with his Parent if the Husband or Parent doe professe themselves for the King and for the ancient established Church of England as we are able to prove by particular Examples In a word considering how they pursue us with lies and slanders how they imprison us and force upon our Consciences ungodly Covenants How they persecute with fire and sword all that be not of their opinion as the Papists of old were wont to doe How like to the proceedings of the Popish Inquisition these of their holy House are in diverse particulars which might be instanced in when we doe consider of these and many such like matters wherein they imitate those of Rome we thinke it to be the Romane Religion which they mean to maintaine and set up amongst us Not that we thinke they will admit of the Popes Authority for they intend to be Popes themselves as Henry the 8. disclaimed
intelligence with the Cardinall Mazarine Though I will not swear saies he that Lenthall says true yet I am sure 't is fit for thee to know Pap. 1. Here was another Clandestine businesse And further he doth consult with her about supplies of Men Monies and Powder for defence of his life against them of Westminster Pap. 3. and gives her direction for the conveyance of it in some other Papers a businesse Clandestine and shrewd too And in Paper 6. he assures her in private that Hertogen the Irish Agent was an arrant Knave a particular which might concerne the men of Westminster and touch them more close then perhaps every body will yet beleeve Besides in most of these Letters we shall finde the King and his Queen comforting and supporting each other under their heavy burdens with mutuall intimation of perfect love and patheticall expressions of conjugall affection All which are notable proceedings indeed against them at Westminster and great obstructions to their endevours which are to breake the Hearts of both and sinke them to their graves presently And thus we see the nature and danger of the first particular in the Charge concerning Clandestine proceedings which are so evident that we can say nothing against it The 2. followes the proof whereof is more and obscure and that is condemning all that are in any degree Protestants in Oxford by which they would have it beleeved that the King is so great an Enemy to Protestant Religion that his very friends at Oxford who have forsaken all they had for his sake are hated by him for their Religion sake so many of them as are Protestants in any degree But how this is manifest in these his Papers we are to seek for though these men have forehead enough to affirme it yet their fortune is not good enough to prove it Indeed we find the King in his Letters to Ormond Paper 16. and in his Directions to his Commissioners at Uxbridge taking great care and giving strict Charge for the preservation of his Protestant Subjects in Ireland but in no place can we see so much as a sillable tending to the condemnation of Protestant Religion But these men cannot leave their old trade of Taxing the King with their own Conditions Heaven and Earth can witnesse that never was there in England greater enemies to Protestant Religion then themselves have been never was there so much Protestant Bloud spilt in this Nation since the beginning of the world as hath been by their meanes within these foure years Never was London so full of Prisons never the Prisons so full of Protestant Divines Protestant Nobles Gentry and Christians of all sorts as they have been since these good men kept Court at Westminster Besides how they have Countenanced and brought into the Church all kinde of Sects and Heresies to the ruine of Protestantisme which the King for the Honour and Health thereof was alwayes carefull to suppresse and keep out How have they maintained and preached Doctrines of Devills scil of strife murder of Brethren Rebellion against Princes oppression of neighbours and practised the same which are all directly opposite to the Religion of the Protestants How have they abolished the Book of Common-Prayer established by Parliament to be the Protestants publick forme of Worshiping and serving God in this Kingdome Had the King done but any one of these things or were he not himselfe a most constant and zealous Professour of Protestant Religion in his daily practice these men might happily have had some Colour for this their confident Charge against him and so to have created suspitions of him But seeing all things are so cleare contrary we learne onely thus much from this particular on their charge that they are men whose hearts are not overspiced with honesty They passe not what they say nor with what face so they say no truth The third particular which they load their King withall is Tolleration of Idolatry to Papists which they speak as if Idolatry sub eo nomine were already allowed and set up by the Kings Authority in contempt of God and true Religion and so doubtlesse they would have it apprehended Reasonable men will yeild that there is a difference betwixt Idolatry and the Penalty thereof the penalty may be suspended altered or taken away for the time and yet the sinne it selfe not tollerated or allowed These doubty Champions will not yeild that their Parlia have granted a tolleration to Adultery though they have abrogated the penal Lawes against that sin and so taken away the meanes to punish it Nor can they prove that the King hath promised any more to Papists then the Parliament hath already granted to fornicatours In their after-notes where they make repetition of this matter they referre the Reader to Paper the 8. for their ground of it In which we finde the King relating to His Queen how the English Rebells had transmitted the Commands of Ireland from the Crowne of England to the Scots an expression worthy by the way to be observed by all Englishmen that regard the honour of their Nation considering that the King Himself is a Scot and that the men of Westminster intend if they cannot kill Him to thrust Him and His Children as some of their Hang-bies have whispered to His Ancient Inheritance in Scotland when they have made use of His People of that Nation to help to destroy His Kingly Power here not one Scot of them all shall have any footing or any more to doe in this Kingdome I say considering this every true Englishman hath cause most highly to reverence the King for His Justice unto and His care of the dignity of the English Crown But to proceed the King tells His Queen that by that Act that base and ignoble act He found Reformation of the Church not to be as they pretended the end of this Rebellion and concludes it would be no piety but presumption rather in Himselfe not to use all lawfull meanes to maintaine His righteous Cause And as one mean to that purpose not thought of before He gives His Queen leave to promise in His Name that all penall Lawes in England against Roman Catholicks shall be taken away as soone sayes He as God shall inable me to doe it upon this Conditiion so as by their meanes I may have so powerfull assistance as may deserve so great a favour and inable me to doe it Now how truly from these words that accusation is collected let the Readers Judge Here they see is no absolute grant or tolleration of Idolatry as they pretend but only a conditionary promise of withdrawing the penall Statutes against the Papists His Subjects if by their meanes He may be delivered from this bloudy raging and malicious persecution of the Puritans and settled in His power and throne again And well may the Papists expect as much favour from the King for such a service as Adulterers have had already from the Parliament gratis Nor perhaps
meanes the land is restored to tranquility and the King to his Crown and dignity For doubtlesse the Religion of the Papists is as dear to them as the Religion of Miles Corbet Edmund Prideaux and Zouch Tate the three chief examiners of the Kings Letters is to them and may with as little detriment to any Church or State be tollerated And besides the Penalty which the King promiseth to take away is not as I conceive to be levied upon the Papists meerely because such for it may be exacted upon others also though of another Religion if they be guilty of these particulars Scil. if they shall refuse to take the Oath of Supremacy and Allegeance to the King 2. If they shall Raise disturbance in the Church or State 3. If they shall Seduce the Kings Subjects from their Religion and Obedience 4. If they shall Refuse to come to Church once in a month at least or to hear Divine service 5. If they shall many of them together Keep private Conventicles and meetings in such cases onely as I conceive the Laws are in force against Papists and against all men else as equally of what Religion soever Wherefore let any man of understanding and justice speak whether these fault-finders themselves be not under the same Penalties as deeply as ever were the Papists Have not they renounced the Oath of Supremacie and Allegeance to the King by making a new Oath and placing the Supremacy in the Heads of their faction Have not they raised such distractions and Rebellions in Church and State as the like was never known Have not they had their private meetings in all places of the Kingdome and seduced thousands of the Kings Subjects from their duty and obedience Do not they refuse to come to Common-Prayer Nay have they not Abolished the same out of Churches that no man at all might come unto it May they doing these things and indeavouring the Kings destruction withall be freed from the Penalty of these Laws And may not the Papists remaining in their due obedience and assisting their Soveraigne against his Enemies according both to Law and duty reasonably enjoy the same freedome though peradventure they come short of one of the particulars which perhaps too is not so much out of Malice as in these others but out of ignorance and mis-information and that is not coming to Common-Prayer to which neither can they come now if they had a mind because it is taken away by those very men who would have the Statutes still in force against the Papists for not allowing of that which themselves with all contempt and scorn have abolished But in the last Page of their Notes they Object in this case also the Kings resolution and promise not to Abolish these Lawes but to joyn with his Parliament in suppression of Popery In answer to which let what hath been said already be well remembred and withall how they that call themselves His Parliamant have not suffered the King to concurre with them but have opposed and persecuted him ever since he declared that his Resolution to the end he might not be able to pursue the same Yea How themselves have compelled him in the continuance of his affliction to do that which they cry out upon him for have endeavoured all they could to force him further had not a great measure of Divine grace upholden him He may justly complaine of them as David did of some in his time They have driven me out from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord saying go serve other gods They have done what they could to violence him from his Religion and to force him to be a Papist according as they voiced him Never Prince had greater temptations and inforcements yet never Prince was more constant in his Religion blessed be the Majesty of Heaven for him A perpetuall disgrace will it questionlesse be to Protestant Religion in the eyes of all the world beside that any pretending to it should shew themselves so unworthy as to suffer so gratious a Prince to stand in need of Papists to defend him much more that they should by ill usage force him with such promises to seek their ayd but that they should accuse him also for doing the same after they have inforced him to it we must needs cry out O nullo scelus credibile in aevo quodque posteritas neget the Height of their villany is the only advantage they have that it wil not be believed by posterity Wel I say let all those particulars be thought upon by all sober men of this Age and if they be not sufficient in their judgments to plead the King Excusable in this case then let them remember as they were advised before that the King is a man as others are and in his extremity he declared himself to be the Son of David and the Son of Abraham SECT XVIII 1. The Kings granting indempnity to the murderous Irish another Slander The necessity and Reasons of the Kings yeilding to a Peace at that time with the Irish And the Conditions upon which that Peace was to be granted This Act not contradictive to any of his former expressions against their detestable doings 2. The Vanity of their Charge against the King for going in a close trading way Two sufficient Evidences of His Majesties sincere and constant affection to the Protestant Religion 3. The whole Charge against the King most truly retorted upon the Objectors WE come now to the fourth particular in their Charge which is say they granting indempnity to the murderous Irish. This is collected as they tel us in their after-notes from the Kings Letters to Ormund Pap. 16. 17. 18. 19. in all which I assure the world there is no such word or phrase to be found as I wil or I do grant indempnity to the murderous Irish Indeed I find therein his Majesty consenting to a peace with the Irish and he sets down the reasons necessitating him thereunto which these honest Observatours have totally omitted to take notice of lest there should have bin no appearance of blame at all in their accusation in which they do altogether as wisely as Satan did when he spake Scripture to our Saviour for he did omit but only so much of the sentence as would if expressed have made that part alleaged nothing to his purpose And of this all men shal judge for I wil set down in the Kings own words the grounds moving him to write to that purpose unto Ormund Paper 16. Ormund THe impossibility of preserving my Protestant Subjects in Ireland by a continuation of the War hath moved me to give you these powers and directions that is one ground A 2. follows in these words It being now manifest that the English Rebels have as far as in them lyeth given the Command of Ireland to the Scots that their aym is at a total subversion of Religion and regal power and that nothing else wil content them or purchase Peace
his Word in cases of this Nature But I returne again to these men Who would have us by these their words of His Maj. soliciting the King of Denmark and in him all other Princes to take notice that he calls in forraign Aide which fault they amplifie over and over in other places for though themselves may without offence or sinne call in another Nation and hire them with I know not how many 1000. Pounds a moneth to help them cut the throats of their Country-men yea and may make use of any forreiners in the world of what Nation Religion or Spirit soever they be to help them to destroy and pull down Monarchy yet the King may not without exclamation desire the aide of a Protestant Prince no not of his neerest Kinsman the King of Denmark to uphold the same But what is the reason that the King must be confined to this restraint themselves walk so much at Liberty Why they tell us at the end of their notes that the King had made resolutions and promises that he would never bring in forreine forces Which themselues indeed never did nor ever intended for doubtlesse they resolved at first to bring their defignes to passe by any meanes and rather then faile to get assistance Flectere si superos nequeunt Acheroâ—â—a movere and therefore themselves are free and do as they please whereas the King is entangled in his own promises They say Pag. 58. As to the bringing in of forrain forces The King Mar. 9. 1641. in his Declaration from Newmarket saith Whatsoever you are advertised from Rome Venice Paris of the Popes Nuncios soliciting Spain and France for forrain â—ydes We are confident no sober honest man can beleeve Us so desperate or senselesse to entertain such designes as would not onely bury this Our Kingdome in soddain destruction and ruine but Our Name and Posterity in perpetuall scorn and infamy Also they tell us of other words which the King spoke some three weeks after to the same purpose which indeed as I take it do expresse the inward ground and Motive that caused him to speak the former viz. We have neither so ill an opinion of Our own Merits or the Affections of Our Subjects as to think Our self in need of forraigne force Also August the 4. in his speech to the Gentry of York-shire the King acknowledgeth say they that He is wholly cast upon the Affections of his people having no hope but in God His just cause and the love of his Subjects Now these observators having quoted these three expressions of the King do conclude saying What distinction can now satisfie us that neither Irish French Lorraiâ—ers Dutch Danes are forreiners To which I answer First for the Irish they are no more forreiners then the Scots are nor in some respect so much for Ireland hath been a dependant unto the Crown of England many hundred yeers before Scotland was and then for French Lorraiâ—ers Dutch and Danes I shall answer concerning them when they are landed for the Kings assistance and in the meane time it would be but just that they should satisfie us that neither the Irish Scots French Burgâ—ndiâ—â—â— Dutch Wallâ—ns Italiâ—ns that are already in their Armies are neither Papists nor Forreiners as I said before the time and place is known to many where neere 30. of their men being taken were examined and found to be of six severall Nations all forreiners and all Papists But these words of the King alleadged by these men against Him do plainly discover to every honest eye that His Majesties designe was never to use any but His own Subjects nor did He think it possible and the rather in regard of His own good merits that people so long instructed in Protestant Religion should ever prove so ungratefull as to force Him their Prince to stand in need of forreigne assistance and therefore the Heads of the faction having in their malicious policy to work feares and jealousies against Him told the people that the Popes Nuncio that great Bulbegger was soliciting both in Spain and France the Kings businesse for forreigne aides and of this they said they were advertized from Venis and Paris yea and from Rome it self with which it seems they held intelligence even from the very beginning Now to remove this foolish vanity and to retaine a clearnesse in His peoples hearts the King expressed himself in that sort unto them assuring them that they were all forgeries against Him and that he did wholly cast Himself upon the Affections of His people and was confident that no sober man could beleeve Him so senselesse as to entertaine such a designe which would have been so detrimentall both to Himself and His Kindom and in very deed if before he had tryed his own people he had called in such Armies of Forreiners as they reported it must needs have been confessed a desperate part in him a mean to have brought a suddain Destruction upon his Kingdome and a perpetuall Infamy upon His Name But if after three yeares as long as was allowed to the fig-tree in the Gospell the King finding his Subjects unfaithfull and cold in their affections towards him Nay more perceiving by so long experience that their endeavours were to take from him both his Life and his Inheritance yea and his Honour too and that they abused his good opinion of them by mis-interpreting his professions unto them and conceiving him tyed thereby from using others help for defence of himselfe and Monarchy I beleeve if he had or should alter his Resolution and call in any Prince in Christendome to his assistance in the maintenance of Regall Authority which God hath intrusted him withall and of that Government which as the most absolute God established among his own people and hath alway blessed this Nation under He being utterly disabled to do it otherwise it should be reckoned by the Almighty at the great day if any fault at all but among his infirmisies Yea and if destruction thereby should fortune to come to the whole Kingdome the whole infamy and guilt thereof should be charged upon the Heads of these his most perverse and injurious people even as that of Jerusalem by Titus Vespasian is laid upon the seditious that were therein even unto this day But my humble prayer to the Almighty is that he would yet please to spare us and to bestow his grace at length upon the people of this land that they might cease provoking his Divine Majestie to punish that way this so Horrid a sin and so High abuses to his own Annointed And thus I have done also with this particular SECT XXIII 1. The Libellers Cavills at the word Mongrill Parliament At the Commissioners for the Treaty at Uxbridge At the Kings pawning His Jewels answered 2. His Majesties Affection and Goodnesse to His Subjects for want of other matters objected as a fault against Him by these Libellers IN the third place they accuse the
trembled at his word yea and for their successe against them in these their mischiefes and unjust doings they praised God and said The Lord be glorified they had dayes of Thanksgiving to that very purpose Therefore since it hath been the usuall custome of the grandest Hypocrites to doe after this fashion you have no reason now to think any whit the better of these men for their outside professions Last of all consider the relation which these men the Members of the Commons House I mean do stand in unto your selves whom they command and to your Soveraign whom they oppose to your selves they are publick Servants chosen by you to agitate for you in Gods way and according to Law your common affaires scil to confirme your Religion Peace and Possessions to you and not to raise warres to the destruction of all these To the King they are sworn Subjects bound by Oath and Protestation to preserve his Person Estate and Honour safe and intire against all people in briefe they are the grand Jury-men of the Kingdome and nothing else and their office is not to judge or passe sentence against any persons but to enquire after the grievances of the Countrey and to make presentment of them with all humility unto the King who is the Judge so deputed of God and to the Nobles of the upper House who are with him as Justices upon the Bench and to supplicate of them in whom the only power judicative is resident a redresse of things amisse and then when a good Law is made to give their assent unto it and notice of it to the Countreys or places whose Deputies they are and to stirre them up to honour their King and to praise God for him who is so ready to do Justice and to shew grace unto them this is the proper office and work of the House of Commons in the discharge of which only you are to shew countenance unto them but if they shall doe things out of spleen or unbecoming their places you are to withdraw your favour from them and to bestow your frowns upon them for if the Grand Jury at an Assizes in stead of doing that duty whereto by Law they are designed should fall to pull the Justices from the Bench and to beat the Judge out of Town and to imprison and kill their Neighbours as good men perhaps as themselves would you think it fit to take their parts in such their doings would you not rather all joyn to lay hands upon them and bring them to be punished for their misdemeanours and desire to have them put out of their places and wiser men appointed in their stead that know how to behave themselves better I pray consider well of these things and remember at length what you have done and what you have now to doe under whose fealty you were born and to whom you have sworn Allegiance and observe what intimation our Saviour gives in that saying of his if my Kingdome were of this world then would my servants fight that I should not be delivered to the Jewes or to them that seek to take away my life doth he not plainly inferre thereby that the Subjects of earthly Princes who have Kingdomes in this world ought to fight for their Soveraign to endeavour his deliverance from injustice and wrong and not to suffer him in any sort to be rendred up into the hands of his enemies and be you certain of it that so long as the King Gods Deputy and your Protector under God is thus abused and kept from his Rights you shall never enjoy peace or prosperity nor the quiet possession of what is yours for Gods heavie Curse will so long hang over this Nation and Kingdome Well think of it well and doe accordingly Confident I am Brethren that the major part of you did Associate your selves with these ill disposed men as they of old did with Absalom and Achitophel in the simplicity of your Hearts by giving too much credit as they did to those false reports which in their wicked policy they cast out against the King and Government you were perswaded before you were instructed and in your good zeale you have walked thus far to the extirpation as you hoped of Popery and prophanenesse which alas you have exceedingly increased though sore against your wills and are likely to thrust your selves into it or into other as deep errours you have heard say that zeale without knowledge is very dangerous and let me tell you further that the highest Heresies have risen from misguided zeal Arrius upon detestation of Gentilisme least he should seem to acknowledge more Gods then one by confessing a Co-equality of Christs Divinitie with his Father denied the same and Sabellius in detestation of Arrius fell into the other extreme and denyed the distinction of Persons And be your selves the Judges do not many of you measure what is good and holy by its opposition to the Constitutions of the Church of Rome accounting most perfect what is most opposite thereunto and that polluted which participateth in any thing with the same doe you not thinke your selves rightest when unlikest the Papists and nearest to Heaven when furthest from them though perhaps then you may be nearest to them in substance even when most opposite in Ceremony somwhat in this Book hath been discovered to this purpose but that is not the right rule to go by well consider I beseech you of what I have said unto you and desist from having any further hand against your King and from labouring the extirpation of that Government you were born under which to doe doubtlesse is a most heinous sinne if a man were borne in another Land where is a Government lesse perfect then ours is he ought not by any meanes to joyne in fighting for the destruction of it nor is our Posteritie so strictly bound by such strong engagements of Conscience to endeavour the restauration of this if by these violent and unlawfull courses it should be altered which God forbid as we are now to uphold and maintaine the same or to prevent the Change thereof Wherefore I beseech you all remember your selves think what you have alreadie done what you are in doing and stay your hands Object Perhaps some of you will say but we have taken an Oath a Covenant which our Preachers put us often in minde of to persevere in our way and not to forsake those men with whom we have entred into Association Answ. Master John Goodwin one of your Ministers doth enform you in his 12. Serious Considerations that to violate an abhominable and an accursed Oath out of Conscience to God is an holy and blessed Perjury Now therefore if I prove that your Oath and Covenant is abhominable and accursed then it will follow that as it was an high sinne to take it so is it an higher to keep the same and according to the Doctrine of one of your own Teachers an holy and blessed Perjury will
in regard of their abuses of him I may say then they can beleeve him to be It was the saying of a good Subject since these wars begun O that the people of England did but know their King they would love him they would beleeve him they would not abuse him But we must not wonder to see a good King in Gods condition We proceed therefore to their next particular where they Charge the King to have settled himself in the seat of the Scornful and we will see their truth in that The Psalmist informes us that those onely that are at ease have leasure to take up a sitting in that place and not those that are in an afflicted condition Did the King live the life of the men of Westminster and had all the wealth and pleasures of this Kingdome at his command and were he withall of their disposition indued with their spirits to act their parts there might be some probability of truth in this particular but it being cleane contrary with them there is no likelyhood at all in it 1. Had He been a Subject and by good fortune chosen Burgesse of some Corporation or Knight of some Shire and sate in the House of Commons amongst them at this present and had concurred first in pretending to settle Religion to make a glorious Church to advance Christ and then afterward in consulting how to take away the Churches maintenance to slight the places of Gods Worship that they might be of no more esteem then common Houses Alehouses Barns and Stables in persecuting banishing and imprisoning the Fathers of the Church and Ministers of Jesus those in special who have been the greatest opposers of Antichristianity and Popery and in giving liberty to all Sects and Religions save only to the true one which commands Humility Loyalty and Obedience had he I say been such a man and thus imployed then he might justly indeed have been said to sit in the Chaire of the scornfull and to have exercised his scoffes and scorns against God himselfe Or 2. had he been one of those that under pretence of advancing the Liberty and Happinesse of the Subject should vote away the Subjects right to his own goods sometimes a twentieth part sometime a fifth part sometime all under a pretence of taking away Monopolies and Illegall payments should bring in such new toles and taxations as the Nation was never acquainted with excize upon bread beere butter cheese flesh and all Commodities that are used for the life of man under pretence of being one of the good Patriots and preservers of their country should raise Wars cause desolations burne houses hire strange Nations with their Countries money to come to kill their Country-men under pretence of keeping tender Consciences from unnecessary matters should force upon them unlawfull Oathes ungodly Covenants even to the taking up of Armes against their Soveraigne to whom they have sworne Allegeance to the damnation of their souls for ever without deep Humiliation and Repentance Had the King I say beene one of these men and done thus He might deservedly have been said to have sate in the Scorners Chaire and to have laughed to scorne a whole Nation Or 3. had He been one of that number who talke of making the King a glorious Monarchie and yet take from Him all His Power Authority not suffer Him to have so much as the choice of His own Servants the Rule of His own Family the disposall of His own Children the society of His own Wife That promise to make Him the richest Prince in Christendome yet rob Him of all His Goods and Revenews and not allow Him so much if they can help it as shall buy Him bread to eat or cloathes to wear that call themselves His most Humble and obedient Subjects yet obey Him in nothing but study to vex and crosse Him in every thing hire fellowes to hunt Him to shoot at Him and if they can to kill Him that avouch great love and affection to Him desires to advance His Honour and yet Authorize Libells and base Bookes to defame slander and reproach Him If the King were one of this Generation and should concurre in such Actions He might be said to sit in the seat of the Scornfull indeed and to bestow His Scornes before all the world upon His Soveraigne Or lastly were He one of them that partly by fraud partly by violence having stripp'd their Soveraigne of all His Weapons Castles Ships and Townes and of the Hearts of many of His People and scarce left Him a place to hide His Head in in three Kingdomes should maintaine a cursed villaine to proclaime up and down the world that He is runne away very Majestically to set up a new Monarchy in the I le of Anglesey this indeed were to sit in and to fill up the Seat of the Scornfull for this is right Hail King of the Jewes which was plaine scorning in the Hall at Jerusalem according to Scripture and so doubtlesse if Scripture might be Judge it is in the Hall at Westminster We doe confesse and beleeve that were the King in this sort qualified conditioned and exercised then that imputation of theirs might be laid upon him But it being with him as it is we see no reason above-board why they should entitle him to the scorners Chaire unlesse his Magnanimity and Christian Courage bearing his burden of affliction be taken to be a contemning and scorning at their malice But yet they have a reason doubtlesse and ends too for this their charging the King though they think it fit for to conceale them I am one appointed of God to detect the devices of Satan and to unkennell the thoughts of the wicked and I dare be bolder with them then they for their own Credit sake dare be with themselves and therefore I shall discover them First their Reason I apprehead is this they know themselves worthy to be both abhorred and scorned of all men and doe beleeve they are so in the Hearts of all the wise for their most abominable and grosse hypocrisie yea they know in their Consciences that God scornes at them they being exercised as those are whom Scripture affirmeth God holdeth in derision and therefore they speake of the Kings scorne at them from the guilt of their own merits and deservings Then their Ends I conceive are these first to make His Majesty appeare abhominable unto the world which is the main scope of all their endeavours for t is said the Scorner is an abhomination unto men And secondly that the blinde and seduced vulgar might not think them to be guilty of that sinne which with so much boldnesse and bitternesse they doe first of all charge upon the King It is the knowne policy of a wicked harlot to call her honest neighbour whore first and of a pick-purse pursued to cry stop the Theef that himself might not be suspected to be the man You take too much
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
there is any such Combination opposed by the two Parliaments of England and Scotland as these men mention is more perhaps then the Readers have heard of before or then they do yet beleeve upon the bare affirmation of these Relaters who are but men all men are Subject to Error Indeed we have heard of a most ungodly and unlawfull Association betwixt those whom they call the two Parliaments and certaine other people in England and Scotland The tenour of which is if I rightly apprehend never to lay downe Armes nor to admit of Peace till they have accomplished their owne ends upon the King and his Friends and satisfied their Lusts upon them And to defend and assist with their lives and fortunes all those whoever they be without exception that shall joyne with them against the King his Party So that be they Papists Turkes Jewes Heathens Atheists Arrians Irish Tigres Devills of Hell if they do but joyne with them against their King and those that Honour him as Gods Annointed for this very cause and reason they have bound themselves by Oath they have vowed and protested to defend and maintaine them with their lives and fortunes even till death and never to forsake them If there be a more generall illegall and irreligious Combination then that is which any others have entred into these relaters should have done well to have given the Reader a Copy of the same who otherwise must apprehend them in these their words to be only at their old vomit againe Because they cannot possibly devise more evill and mischiefe to Charge upon others then themselves do practice against others therefore they still impute unto others their own iniquities or else their guilty Consciences makes them fancy that they see their own pictures in other mens faces But we will not omit to observe the ingenuity of these men though it be but a little intimated in those their two words Almost and Some they do not say all the Papists in Europe absolutely all the prelaticall Court faction without any limitation have entred into this fancyed Combination But all the Papists in Europe almost and some of the Prelaticall and Court faction the word almost doth exclude all the Papists that either are or may be under the Parliament Pay and Service and the word Some may excuse those of the Prelaticall or Court Faction that hold intelligence with those at Westminster and are men of like complexion with them dissemblers disobedient unthankfull treacherous heady and high-minded however they carry themselves to outward appearance And truly we beleeve that if these tale-tellers would but speak out when the fit of ingenuity is upon them they would confesse and acknowledge that if any Papists in the world any of the Bloudy Tigers of Ireland will but joyne with those whom they call the two Parliaments against the King and that little flock which for Conscience sake remain Loyall to him they shall be accepted and absolved presently from what is past they shall be reckoned Papists no more Bloudy Tigers of Ireland no more but all good men and true in a moment and have free leave yea and money too to act over againe their bloudy Tragedies here in England Or if any of the Court Faction of what Religion or conversation soever will but vouchsafe to be more vile and wicked then ever they have been and be hired as Judas was to betray their Master or to render up to his Enemies those places of Defence committed to their Trust and so come off from the King to their Parliament side they shall be welcome and Voted good all upon the suddaine Truly we never heard of any yet that had the Conscience to act the part of a Traitour or of a villaine against God his Prince and Country but hath been accepted by them and as was said we beleeve if our subtile and suspected Brethren would but speake out when the moode of ingenuity is upon them they would confesse as much But the Reason as we conceive why they yoke Papists Irish Tigers and the Court Faction thus together and affirme them to be entred into a Combination is this Because they would that the common people should have an equall odious esteem of each of these three sorts whom they would also should be apprehended to be the onely persons that maintaine and uphold the King and whom the King doth only respect and adhere unto therefore they would that we unto whom they direct their speech should decline him and his Cause and joyne with themselves and their faction against Him that and them In Answer to which I shall only declare in a word what our judgements and opinions are of each of these three sorts of people 1. Concerning Papists we the Persecuted and Loyall Protestants of this Kingdome doe more abjure their Religion then these men do that speak so bitterly against them though we do not think it lawfull to enter into a Combination to root them out of the Earth by shedding of their Bloud no though they should enter into such a one to destroy us for we have no warrant in the Gospell so to doe T is the Word of God that is ordained to suppresse false Religions and not the Sword of Man Fire Sword and Pistolls are the Weapons of Antichrist and not of Christ. And because of their Religion we are heartily sorry that there are any Papists in the Kings Armies for that scandall which ignorant people take by them through the perverse suggestions of the crafty Adversary who from hence take occasion to keep their affections enstranged from their Soveraigne Not that hereby any scandall is justly given by His Majesty for we hold it not only Lawful for him to make use of those of that Religion but also necessary yea it would be a sinne against God if being assaulted by Theeves and Rebells he should not use the meanes for his own Preservation and imploy for his own defence all those whom God hath submitted under his Government for that purpose there is no man if he should be assaulted by Robbers and Murderers but would make use of the aide of a Turke to save his life Yea these very men themselves we see can hire Papists from other Countryes to help them to destroy their Soveraigne and is it not meet and reasonable that the King should permit Papists his owne Subjects to help to preserve him from such their violence Indeed we are ashamed and blush that Papists should out-goe any that beare the name of Protestants in duty and obedience to their King that any whom this Church hath bred should so desert their Soveraign in his danger who hath protected them in theirs as that he should need the help of Papists Sorry we are at the heart that this occasion is given to have any of another Religion to defend the Defender of our Faith against the basenesse and violence of those persons whom he hath defended in the profession
notice there-from how the Court hath been Cajold that 's the Authentick word now among our Cabalisticall adversaries by the Papists and we the more beleeving sort of Protestants by the Court The Reader may be abundantly satisfied by these Letters of His Majesties longing desires to see Peace restored to His poor Subjects throughout His three Kingdomes And he may also be abundantly satisfied by their printing of these Letters of that abundance of bitternesse spight and malice which is in the hearts of the Publishers of them against their Soveraigne but for satisfaction in any other matters the Reader if he be rightly affected and lookes onely with his owne eye he must seeke it some where else for here it is not to be found What they intend by Cajold and whom by Cabalisticall Adversaries I stand not to argue for the words are shelly Nec de verbis est disputandum only I cannot but observe the Title which these Wisemen give themselves and their owne Faction We say they the more beleeving sort of Protestants Faith it seemes they have and in their owne opinion great Plenty more then others like them John 9. they say they see and like him Luke 18. they think themselves better then other men they are not like us Publicans who confess our selves to be weak and sinful and to have need to cry daily unto the Lord for mercy and increase of Faith they are past their Creed already and can tel God Lord we believe whereas we are yet but at our Pater noster help our unbelief But in whom or in what is it that they do believe Surely in themselves and their own fictions because they have renounced the Truth of God which they have been taught and are turned persecutors of it God hath given them up first to make and then to believe lies in which respect they are indeed the best believers and in that sense they speak not amiss in calling themselves the most believing sort of Protestants though in another sense they are the most unbelieving for they wil not believe the King in any thing let him promise profess and protest never so oft and solemnly unto them their Tongues Pens and actions proclaim publickly their unbelief yea they glory in their not believing and do all they can that others might be Infidels also in the same respect as wel as they their malicious notes upon his Letters are to this very purpose let them deny it if they can And as for God they believe him as little as they do the King for they dare not trust him for protection they have more confidence in the Militia a great deal and stand more upon it Beside if they did believe God they would also fear him Faith and Fear go together they would regard his word more and not so oppose it in all their ways or endevour to make it of none effect by their sinful Ordinances and traditions Besides faith in God discovers it self by doing the works of God and they are not Hatred Strife Sedition Rebellion Murder Lying Slandring and speaking evil of dignities which these men traffick solely in S. James tels us of Nudifidians who say they have Faith and boast that they have more then others sure these are the very men for they call themselves the more believing sort of Protestants the bare believing sort of Protestants perhaps they are they account good works but marks of Popery We confess our selves no such Protestants for we are of the Apostles mind As the body without the Spirit is dead so Faith without good works is dead also But they tel the Reader further and say If thou art an Enemy to Parliaments and Reformation and made wilfull in thine enmity above the help of miracles or such Revelations as these are then t is to be expected that thou wilt either deny these Papers to have been written by the Kings own Hand or else that we make just constructions and inferences out of them or lastly thou wilt deny that though they be the Kings owne and beare such a sense as we understand them in yet that they are blameable or unjustifiable against such Rebells as we are SECT IX 1. The slander laid upon us to be Enemies to Parliaments and Reformation Confuted 2. Of pretended Miracles Revelations and new Lights the taking the Kings Cabinet in Battle no Miracle 3. The Libellers weak Argument to prove an impossibility of forgery in their Parliament IT seems t is voted and decreed that if a man be not well affected to that cause which the men above board do maintaine He is then no lesse then an enemy to all Parliaments and Reformation yea past all hope of recovery wilfull in enmity beyond the help of miracles For it must be understood that all men being divided into two ranks Elect and Reprobate and the Elect being all on the Parliament side or well affected at least to their cause the rest must needs be all damned creatures enemies to Parliaments i. e. to the Common-wealth and all good Lawes yea and enemies to Reformation too that is to God and all true Religion and therefore away with such fellowes from the earth t is not fitting they should live they that cannot erre have so concluded Here by the way we may see a ground of all these bloody warres which many hitherto are ignorant of a reason of all these cruel declarations and injunctions to kill slay and destroy the forces raised by or adhering to the King why they are all Reprobates men hardned in Enmity against Parliaments and Reformation past all hope of recovery and therefore to be sent to Hell in all haste as to their proper place that so the earth the sole inheritance of Gods Elect ones may be wholly left to the free possession of its proper owners and fully cleared from those Enemies of God and Parliaments Well what we are Heaven knows for their Censures we passe not any more then Saint Paul did to be censured by the Corinthians we say with him He that Judgeth us is the Lord and whom the Lord condemneth shall be the onely condemned men at the great day and our Saviour tells us that then the first may be last and the last first the first in mens esteem the last in Gods and so è contra But let us a little reason the particular with them that thus fiercely charge upon us Must we of necessity be enemies to Parliaments and Reformation because we are not affected to their cause Doth this Parliament contain in it all other Parliaments that ever have been and as they hope ever shall be May not a man possibly dislike the proceedings of this and yet approve of the being of another May not a man wish the dissoultion of this and yet withall desire the convention of another May not the same man obhorre evill and love good hate vice and imbrace vertue May not a man affirme this no Parliament at all
of all those Sects and Heresies to the destruction of Christian Protestation Religion which by their crafty and violent seizing upon the Militia were but only let in to the Church May it please His Sacred Majesty and all His Loyall Subjects to remember when the Pope of Rome these mens Grandsire for however in words they disclaime kindred with Him yet are they wholly like Him in Conditions they tread in His steps observe His method end in all their undertakings when He I say after the fashion of these His Nephews had fraudulently forceably seized upon the Militia of His Soveraign the Emperour then did all Corruption and false Doctrine make entrance into that Church the light grew dim And when the Emperour afterward gave his Consent that the said Pope and his conclave formerly His Subjects should have that His power and Authority which at first indeed he laboured to recover againe unto himselfe settled in their hands then was all that wickednesse formerly but admitted confirmed and established and the faithfull Church became from thenceforth a very Harlot Let Story be observed and it will be found that the fall of the Empire the rise of the Pope-dome above it and the spring of Mahumatisme happened all about one time and the two last might be permitted of God for a punishment of the first For it is no small sinne for the Supream Magistrate to part with that depositum out of his hands which the Almighty hath intrusted solely with him Histories doe sufficiently testifie what extreame molestations the Emperour hath been put unto and what base affronts have been put upon him by his proud Subjects of Rome Since he gave his consent that the Militia of that City and Country should be settled in their Hands Himselfe is there now but vox non significativa He hath the Title of Roman Emperour and no more And such must be the condition of our King if he be not warned by the Emperours example He must be content to be only an unsignificant voice too in his own Kingdom yea and to be regulated in his expences if he have leave to live yet he shall be so ordered that he doe not live profusely or have wherewithall to dare to practice ought to their prejudice Yea and he must learne to hold the Stirrup too to kisse the Toe to bow the Knee to the Supremacy or Popes of the Lower House if they shall at any time please to frown upon him or to Vote him a Delinquent Well let but these things be seriously and with judgement thought upon by moderate men and then let reason speak whether it be fit that the King should yeild to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they would have him whether it be meet he should suffer the Sword to be carryed before the Gran Concilii rather then still before himselfe and should settle the Militia of the three Kingdomes in their hands which are good onely by their own Testimony But I have been perhaps too tedious in scanning the Reasons of this their second demand we come therefore to advise a little upon the third Proposition which say they concernes the Vindication of the Irish Rebells SECT XV. 1. Of their Vindicating the Irish Rebells How fully they have done it in one sense 2. And how glad should we be if themselves would go and do it in the other Their true intention in that demand opened TO Vindicate in the most vulgar acception is to Justifie and acquit from blame and if they take the word in that sense they have Vindicated them too sufficienly already and much more then hath become men of their Profession For as God by his Prophets tells Jerusalem that she had multiplyed her abominations more then her sisters Sodome and Samaria she had justified them in all which they had done in her going beyond them in wickednesse and that she was a Comfort to them so may it be said of these men they have multiplyed their transgressions more then their Brethren the Rebells of Ireland they have Justified them in what ere they have done they have been a Comfort to them Surely the Irish doings shall not be remembred in the day that the impieties of those of this Nation are reckoned up Did the Irishâ—ob â—ob kill and roste Christians So have these done did they burn Houses strip Men and Women naked scourge them and expose them to the wide world These have not been behinde in such doings did the Irish Rebell against their Soveraigne These have both overtaken and also gone beyond them in this sin for though nothing should cause men to Rebell yet to say the truth the Irish lived formerly under a more hard bondage which might provoke their corruptions whereas these Jesurun-like rebelled out of meere wantonnesse Nor did those Irish execute their savage Cruelty as was noted before on those of their own nation and Religion as these English have done they did not defile their own Churches nor kill and abuse their own Priests but these have delighted to prophane and destroy those places where themselves had formerly met to worship God and have offered most speciall despight to the Ministers of their own Religion who baptized them and preached Gods truth unto them Besides the Religion which the Irish Rebells professe is not so directly opposite to such barbarous Cruelties which they have committed as is that which these of England pretend unto nor have they been so bold as those to entitle God unto all their outrages they think they need a pardon both from God and the King for their inhumanityes and Rebellions whereas these stand upon their Justification and have often despised the Kings mercy when tendered to them nor have they in Ireland persecuted and pursued the Kings Sacred person they have not reviled nor railed upon him as these have done Never any such reproachfull Libell as this which we oppose doe we read was sent abroad by the Rebells of Ireland against their Soveraign nor yet did we hear that ever those Irish took so solemn a Protestation at the beginning of their Parliament as these English did to maintain the Kings person Honour and Estate In a word Those Irish are not so impudent as these hard-fore-headed English are as to call them Rebells and Traitours who according to their Oath of Allegeance and Protestation do labour to maintain the Kings life and right against them but they yeeld themselves to be or to have been in a Rebellion Wherefore who will not say that the English Rebells have out gone the Irish and by committing evils in a more abominable way have even Justified those their Brethren as Jerusalem did her sisters Sodome and Samaria And yet as if all this were nothing these good men desire to be still Vindicating the Irish Rebells and would have the Militia of the three Kingdomes settled in their own good hands to the same purpose But perhaps by Vindication these mean punishment and revenge
some others beside themselves as for example in a certain Dragon Rev. 12. 15. who when he had persecuted a woman there mentioned whom some interpret to be the Church of Christ and driven her into a wilderness i. e. into a low and desperate condition his patience provoked him to cast out of his mouth after her waters as a flood which as Expositors say were multitudes of slanders reproachful speeches scandalous reports and lies hoping therby to drown her honour and reputation for ever for they would be more easily believed of her in her affliction and to carry her away so far that she should never appear in any credible or comfortable condition more Nor did his patience end here but the Text tels us vers 17. that he went farther in the heat therof to make war with the remnant of her seed that keep the Commandment of God and have the testimony of Jesus We are sure this was such a patience which these men are seasoned withal and which they have shewn since their discovery of these Papers and do stil exercise towards their Soveraign and all that remain faithful and loyal to him Nay and farther too we must tel these men that this humour which they call patience in themselves though the name which they give it be somthing new yet for the nature of it 't is no whit strange or singular for many men before these times have bin infected with it Cain was when he kill'd his brother because his own works were evil and his brothers good and so was Nimrod that mighty Hunter before the Lord and oppressour of his neighbours Saul in the Old Testament was ful of this patience when the Evil Spirit was upon him and made him throw his Javelin against David at one time and against Jonathan at another and so was that Saul in the new Testament too at such time as he went panting up and down like a bloud-hound breathing forth threatnings against the People of God Shimei also was brim-ful to the very mouth of it when with his revilings and execrations he saluted David in the depth of his affliction and Achitophel did overflow therwith when in all haste he would have pursued his Soveraign while he was faint and weary This Patience was in Haman too when to be revenged for Mordecai's stifness he endevoured the ruine of the whole Jewish Nation it was in Nebuchadnezâ—ar also and made the form of his visage change against Sedrach Mesach and Abednego when in scruple of Conscience they refused to submit to an Ordinance of his almost as damnable as the Parliament Covenant And in the Scribes and Pharisees it was most plentifully abounding as appears by all their dealings with Christ and his Apostles Thus I say this condition which these men commend in themselves for the matter of it is not so new and strange though I confess the Name by which they call it seems so to be for it was wont to be tearmed Rage Cruelty Wrath and Fury and not Patience Yet I remember Master Fox tels us that Bishop Bonner and those of his bloudy Consistory in Queen Maries days who having with as much rage and passion as can be imagined handled and oppressed the Martyrs when they came to read the definitive sentence and to give them up to the secular power to be put to death were wont to make proclamation as these men here do to the whole world of their great meeknesse and strange Patience which they had used towards those obstinate Hereticks as they called them So that we see this Patience here mentioned is not only by Bishop Bonners Authority a strange Patience but also such a Patience as Master Fox himself doth make mention of in the Book of Martyrs But the poor Church of Christ hath felt enough and too much of this their Patience therefore at this time I wil speak no more of it onely I conclude in the words of the Prophet Micha The best of them is as a Bryer the most upright of them is sharper then the thorne Hedge The next thing they mention wherein they Triumph indeed and glory is their late extraordinary success in the field some perhaps may wonder how these three can accord together great sufferings strange Patience and extraordinary good success and all of late but they must remember that their Sufferings and Patience being of that kind as was shewed before may wel stand with extraordinary good success yea in such men as they are such sufferings and such patience are the natural fruits and dependants of prosperity and Extraordinary good Successe But by the way take notice of their end in yoaking these three together Prosperity and good successe which of old went currant onely among the Papists for a Note of the true Church is now admitted also by these men to be a speciall marke of the goodnesse of their cause but in regard our Religion hath hitherto taught that sufferings and patience were rather the marks of Christs true flock then extraordinary successe in the world therefore Euphoniae gratia for sound sake the name of sufferings and patience are still retained and joyned together here with extraordinary good successe Alteratio non fit in instanti if the Change from one extreame unto another should not be by degrees it would be too grosse and palpable but by that time the three Propositions be granted to them Extraordinary good successe will be able to stan alone and to go currant among all their Proselites for an unquestionable note of the true Church or cause it will not need the countenance of these two names of Suffering and Patience which shall from thenceforth be rejected and wholly disclaimed as infallible marks of Loyalty and Malignancy Indeed successe is the best Argument they have to win and hold people to themselves and to their Cause wherefore t is requisite that for further discovery I shew the invalidity and weaknesse of this their Argument But first for our better progresse therein we shall consider what this extraordinary successe is which they so brag and boast of and what are the true grounds and causes of it Their Successe I confesse to narrow Capacities and low braines may seeme as they call it extraordinary but to those that consider the causes of things together with the meanes and manner of their proceedings it appeareth nothing so T is well known how by fraud and policy they seized at unawares upon the Kings Militia and Navy How they ingrossed into their hands most of his Townes Castles Rents Revenues and all he had leaving him nothing of his owne to subsist on How they rooked to themselves all the Plate and Money of the Kingdome and how by the service of false Teachers they poysoned the hearts of his Subjects drew them from their Allegeance and armed them against him And having done all this they were able to get a Victory against him at Nazeby-field after they had taken
thing covertly in their lives nor seek themselves in any matter But how close and selfish they have indeed been in their proceedings I have hinted already and the world hath too sharp a sense of it Had the King from the beginning bin more close and reserved perhaps ere this he had quite blown them up at least as by a counter-mine had given a check to their proceedings and therein done no other then what became a politick General whose wisdome 't is to out-go his Enemies in their own way and to beat them at their own weapons But the Kings sincere and plain dealing hath added much through their wickednesse to his own undoing and yet now at length writing but a few words in private to his own Wife about his own necessary preservation because he did not acquaint them with it before-hand he is inveighed against and cried out upon for trading in a close way for meer particular advantage But the thing they intend chiefly by these words is to perswade the world which is also the main drift of their whole Libell that the design which the King drives at is to advance Popery to this end he useth clandestine proceedings against them at Westminster the only supporters as must be believed of Protestant Religion and condemneth as they say all that be in any degree Protestants at Oxford granteth tolleration of Idolatry to Papists and indemnity to the murderous Irish which in regard of his many Protestations to the contrary he being ashamed to own openly is fain to betake himself to a close trading way to pursue and accomplish In Answer to which grand Calumny I shal only set down the extract of a Letter closely sent indeed that the world may most truly discern the Kings close trading way by his Majesty to the Commissioners in Ireland immediately after Nazeby Battail when he was in Wales and in a most low condition written by the hand of the Lord Digby his Majesties Secretary I wish I had the ful Letter it self to set it down verbatim for I confesse this to be but the abstract of it which I received from a Gentleman of most approved truth and Candour as he did only bear the same in memory which notwithstanding he is confident is but little if at all differing from the Original My Lords and Gentlemen HIs Majesty hath Commanded me to let you know that according to your promise and agreement with him he long since expected your aide and doth much wonder you should neglect him and your selves so much as to retard it because immediately after His your ruine must necessarily follow but He is informed that taking the advantage of His low Condition you insist upon somthing in Religion more then formerly you were contented with He has therefore commanded me to let you know that were his condition much lower then it is you shal never force him to any further concessions to the prejudice of his Conscience and of the true Protestant Religion in which He is resolved to live and for which He is ready to die and that He wil joyn with any Protestant Prince nay with these Rebels themselves how odioâ—s soever rather then yeild the least to you in this particular I refer it to all mens Consciences whether this be not a sufficient evidence of his Majesties sincerity and affection to the Protestant Religion considering the estate wherein his affairs stood when this Letter was written and also whether it doth not fully confirm the truth of what I said in effect before viz. That what ever concessions were made to the Papists and Irish were rather by the inforcement of the Puritan Rebels then by any inward affection of His Majesty to their Religion But indeed it was needlesse to have alleaged any other of his secret Letters for this Evidence For these which the Adversaries have here published and declared to be Evidences of truth do manifestly speak to this purpose we read in the eighth Paper how the King tels the Queen that He differs from Her in nothing but Religion Are not these the Kings own Words which themselves have published Was not this Letter sent as wel as the rest in a close trading way as they call it Do they think the King ever intended it should come into their hands And when they laid aside many other Papers as not fit for publication at this time was not this thought fit to be divulged by their own wise selves Is not this one of those Evidences of Truth they speak of in the beginning which to have concealed would have bin a great sin against the mercies of God Truly I dare boldly say that neither the King for himself nor any of his friends in his behalf could possibly have given a better evidence to the abused Subjects of this Nation that His Majesty is a true Protestant then this is which his Enemies have given by their publication of that Letter Surely the Finger of God was in it For peoples more clear understanding and notice of it I wil set down the Kings Words as they stand in the Letter Writing to his Queen about that businesse of Ireland fore-mentioned he speaketh thus I need not tel thee what secresâ—e this businesse requires yet this I wil say that this is the greatest point of confidence I can expresse to thee for it is no thanks to me to trust thee in any thing else but in this which is the only thing of difference betwixt us and yet I know thou wilt make as good a bargain for me even in this I trusting thee though it concern Religion as if thou wert a Protestant O what a discovery is here made of the Kings sincerity in his profession When for an obligation upon his Queen to make a good bargain for him he tels her in his most bosome expressions that he trusts her to do it for him a Protestant as if her self were one The world may here see though these Observatours themselves who have helped us wil not that in the closest way of trading according to their own phrase which the King useth he tradeth as a Protestant and acknowledgeth in his most secret Letters to his Queen that there is a difference though it be the only difference between Him and Her in matter of Religion And thus have I vindicated my Soveraigns Honour against this particular Charge also of his enemies and do expect that I have hereby procured to my self though not deserved from these men and their Faction whose basenesse I have in part detected the imputation and Title of the falsest of men a Papist yea of the falsest of Papists a Jesuite for it was voted and concluded before hand that whosoever should do as I have done should be so accounted But notwithstanding all that I have said in the Kings behalf yet this I confesse to these men so much as concerns the position in general I am wholly of their opinion viz. that whoever is guilty of those
themselves in the hearts of these very men and of their Masters at Westminster that they may look with better eyes then ever yet they have done upon Charles their Soveraign whose honour they have pierced and may have better breathings then ever they have had after Christ their Saviour whose Gospel they have scandalized Amen SECT XX. What good use might have been made of these Letters Of the faults laid unto the Queenes Charge specially in loving her Husband I Have done with their Prologue to the Kings Letters and in a manner with their Annotations upon them too which for the most part containe but the same over againe with the mixture of more malice therefore in examining the one I have also in a sort dispatched the other Nor doe I love any more then needs must to busie my selfe in repetitions There are I confesse a few particulars in these their Annotations which as I remember have not been touched upon in the discussion of the former Generall these I shall cull out and only shew them which will be enough and so leave them to the world to be judged of They begin at the end of the Kings Papers their Observations thus Much use may be made of these Precedent Papers and many things therein will appear very worthy our notice In which they speak truth and had not themselves been of too spiderous a nature they might have made much good use of them indeed and have noted from them such dexterity of understanding such undantednesse of resolution such fortitude of spirit in adversity such conjugall faith and affections such paternall care and pitty to his people and such true Christian patience and piety to be in their Soveraigne as cannot be altogether Paralell'd at this day in any Prince of Christendome In a word these Papers speak our King to be compleatly a Councellour a Souldier a Gentleman and a Scholler and had he but trusted to himself more and lesse to the advice of others in the management of his Affaires thousands of his Subjects from these his Letters are most confident that his enemies had not now been triumphant But the notice of such mattters serveth not the turnes of these men nor can their coloured eyes see any thing of this nature in these Letters faults and errors only are thought worthy their observance of which they fancy they have espied great plenty in the King and Queen both The Queens faults though for shew sake they have branched them out into many particulars may all be reduced to one and that is Loving of her Husband Indeed they begin their Complaints against Her with saying She is implacable to our Religion Nation Government but they can instance neither in word or action to make the same appear conjecturall only they tell us afterward of her great care that our Bishops be provided for and the blessing of God be upon her for it they hope that people doe still beleeve that Bishops were enemies to all good and therefore if the Queen doth but manifest any respect to them in their present affliction and persecution it doth sufficiently speak her implacablenesse to our Religion Nation Government Well I wish with my soul that the men of Westminster had proved themselves no worse affected to our Religion Nation and Government then the Queen hath done for then I am sure they had all still been in a most flourishing and happy Condition But the Queen being the Kings Wife must help to bear her Husbands Burden of blame as well as Sorrow even as it shall please these His vassalls to cast it on Her Indeed they tell us also afterward out of Paper 27. that the Queen desires the disbanding of the Parliament in which perhaps they would have her thought an Enemy to our Religion Nation Government But we shall first read Her words and then we may judge whether they import such an interpretation the Queen writing to the King from York saith I understand to day from London that they will have no cessation and that they treat at the beginning of the two first Articles and afterward of the disbanding of the Army certainly I wish a peace more then any and that with greater reason but I would the disbanding of the perpetuall Parliament first and certainly the rest will be easily afterwards I doe not say this of mine own head alone for generally those that are for you and against you in this Country wish an end of it These be the Queenes words entirely She desires a peace more then any and in order to that she wisheth a disbanding of the perpetuall Parliament because otherwise peace is never likely to be had and this is not the judgement of herselfe alone but of all in generall that are both for and against the King in that Country wherefore if this be an Argument of the Queenes enmity against our Religion Nation Government then all those that are both for and against the King in that County of York-shire are Enemies as well as she because they joyne with her in wishing an end to the Warre and restoration of peace unto the Kingdome But by the way I wonder why they should Tax the Queen with implacablenesse to our Government is not that of our nation Monarchiall and that of our Church Episcopall and her Husband the Head and upholder of both can the Queen then be beleeved to be disaffected to either of these the men doubtlesse have lost their senses together with their Loyalty Concerning her Majesties affection to our Religion and Nation let me be bold though one of the meanest upon this occasion to give a Testimony unto my Country-men from mine own experience Those English Protestants who have been in France in these times of persecution cannot but witnesse the same with me and say That the Queen hath been to the uttermost of her power a most tender carefull nursing Mother both to our Religion and Nation in that her Native Kingdome for by her sole meanes and great industry we had places allowed us to meet together to serve God in even publickly after the English manner in each of which Gods Word was faithfully Preached on the Lords Day and truly read together with Divine Service twice a day throughout the week wherunto she was careful that her own Servants of our Nation and Religion whereof she hath many should duly and constantly resort which great priviledge and favour to us was looked on with much regret and spleen by some Jesuited Papists who wickedly reproached Her Majesty for the same exclaiming upon her for a Lutheran and a Protestant even because she had manifested such love to our Nation and Religion in providing for us these Sinagogues which rebukes and reproaches she good Princesse was content for our sakes to bear with meeknesse and patience undoubtedly it may be easily believed from this sweetnesse and goodnesse of her nature after her receipt of so many abuses from some amongst us that had our
and precious in all our apprehensions scib. for that she hath been tam partu potens â—tero toties enixa gravi pignora pacis she hath so highly enriched this Kingdome from her fruitful and chast womb with so many sweet and Royal pledges of future happinesse as few Queens before her have done ever the like But O my dear Country thou art fallen thou art fallen from thine ancient glory for thou hast brought forth in this thine unhappy Age a generation of vipers who have laboured to destroy both Religion and good manners in thee and by whose operation Stigii profundi claustra obscuri specus laxantur Hels own self is broak loose into thee The Lord in mercy yet once again vouchsafe a gracious look upon thee But by the way who can choose but admire the strength of malice because these men themselves do hate the King they cannot abide that so much as his Queen should love him they have robbed him of the hearts of his People the Comforts of his Crown and it grieves them they cannot alienate from him the Affections of his Wife the comforts of his bosome they grutch him the enjoyment of her love at a distance How have they by their spightfull promulgation of the 34 Paper which was written twenty years before and no whit concerneth them at all endevoured to work in her an alienation from him and by that they say upon Pap. 11. to weaken the duty of his Son towards him but praised be the majesty of Heaven for it those that are most neerly his own cannot be loosened from him though of all Princes he is most unhappy in too maâ—y of his people yet is he most blessed of all men in his Wife and Progeny never had Husband a more loving Spouse never had Parent more sweet conditioned and respectfull Children then our Soveraign hath of the Prince of Wales and Duke of York and as our prayers so our hopes are that Gods grace wil so preserve and keep those other Princes whom the Rebels have got into their bondage that not all the temptations they can use shall ever make them decline from duty But further as if there were no cause of fear at all on her part they tax the Queen for being jealous of her Husbands safety if He should venture himself to go amongst them Truly considering the spirit they are of if She should in her tendernesse fear they might entertain him Thyestaeis dapibus seeing they have wherewithall to do it I should not think Her worthy to be blamed which thing how horrid and incredible so ever the hear-say of may seem to people before it is done yet should the same be acted by Order from the Lower House and Voted meet in that manner to torment the King many of the Vulgar are in such a Captivity of Judgement to them that they would quickly cry it up for a most remarkable and comely Act of Justice And let Reason speak in the Queens case She hath had ample experience of their inveterate malice against her Husband full Testimonies of their bloudy dispositions both against him and her self besides her own Father was Murdered by an Assassinate of theirs who hold the Principle of King-killing as these men do May not she therfore being a tender Lady and ful of affections be excused by all men if she fears the like may befall her Husband and for prevention thereof desireth he should have a Regiment for his Guard which themselves onely interpret should be a la mode de France Yea and why may he not have a Regiment of Scots for his Guard a la mode France the Scots are his Country-men to defend him from them and their Assassinates who have Authorized this Pamphlet against him for the ends aforesaid But to conclude this particular let these virulent men speak their pleasure against the Queen I hope by this time the world hath sufficient knowledge of them to her Honour she being the object of their Hate cannot but be a Map of goodnesse And most Noble Queen if one of the meanest and most obscure of your Majesties subjects may presume to speak to so great a Princesse let me assure your Highnesse however these English Catalines have censured your virtues and abused you for them yet there be many thousands of true Protestant English hearts who according as our Religion teacheth have you in the most high esteem of all earthly women for your tender Care and constant fastnesse to our Soveraign in these times of trouble your zealous endevours to assist him hath so increased the flame of our Loyal affections towards you that we are confident the whole floud of waters which the many-headed Dragon throws out of his mouth shal never be able to extinguish it in us Yea and by the strength of that grace which our holy Religion hath wrought in us we shal never cease night and day to make you the special subject of our prayers until we see you restored with honour to your Throne amongst us or hear that you are advanced with glory to your seat in Heaven And let your excellent goodnesse I beseech you pardon your Vassal this great boldnesse SECT XXI Of the Kings fault in loving his Wife The manifest and malicious falsifications and perversions of divers of the Kings expressions to his Queen noted THus have I examined the Queens faults and notwithstanding the ponderous aggravations which these enemies of Honour and virtuous Ladies do set them forth withall have found them light and easie I come now to see what they say further against the King whom they do accuse in the first place for loving his Wife again as wel it should seem as she loves him It is manifest that notwithstanding their late extraordinary great successe these mens hearts are not yet freed from jealousies and fears they are suspicious stil of Conspiracies yea that the King and Queen have entred into a Covenant to love each other for to spight them in giving them a good Example in cases of like Nature They tel us that He communicates his thoughts and affairs unto Her and though She be the weaker sex yet he makes her privy to his secrets and takes advise and counsel from her yea and more then this they say He professes to prefer Her health before His worldly affairs for which they bid us see Paper 14. which we have done and the world shall hear what we have there seen That Letter was written by his Majesty to the Queen January 8. 1645. immediately after his taking of Leicester wherein he hath only to this purpose these words I Must tel thee that 't is thy Letter by Fitz Williams assuring me of thy perfect recovery with thy wonted kindnesse which makes me capable of taking contentment in these good successes for as divers men propose several recompenses for themselves for their pains and hazard in this Rebellion So thy company is the only reward I expect and wish for
That 't is an heinous crime and sin in the King to endeavour to maintain Monarchy or to solicite any Princes though Protestants and of his owne nearest bloud and Alliance beside to aide him therein 3. That all Princes are contained and included in the King of Denmarke for in the Kings soliciting him he solicites all them Whence by the way we may also observe how provident these times are in providing for the credit of their future Clergy for 't is doubtlesse for their sakes that an Argument à singularibus ad universalia is here amongst other like stuffe made paâ—â—able and good by Authority and speciall Order of Parliament Concerning the Religion of these men it hath been made apparent already that the fruits and effects of it speake it to be such a one as deserves the hatred of all men though it cannot under any proper name be the object of the Kings opposition for no man can directly say what it is themselves are not yet resolved upon it nor what to call it But whatever is the ground of the Kings opposing them 't is evident that the Cause of their resisting him which I hope all Christian Princes will take speciall notice of is for Monarchy sake he would maintaine Monarchy He will not tamely admit the downfall of Monarchy in this noble Kingdome which these men as appears by their owne words would faine effect and therefore they thus persecute him and exclaim upon him nor are they either ashamed or affraid to intimate the same to the whole world let all the Monarchs of the Earth take it as an open defyance if they please they thinke themselves able to grapple with them all yea they and their faction where ere they prevaile are resolved not to leave a Monarch standing I desire of all you His Majesties Subjects of Great Brittain and Ireland who have unfortunately been seduced by this faction but to observe well this discovery which themselves have made by this passage of their own intentions they have told you oft and perhaps may tell you againe by some impudent speech or declaration that they intend still to maintaine true Religion and Monarchy in this Kingdome to have a King over them and that they be only ill tongues Enemies to Parliaments that say otherwise c. But I beseech you beleeve not a word they say to this purpose for God hath here made their owne tongues and pens to betray their Hearts for your sakes that you might speedily withdraw your selves from their seduction and not be their Instruments to embrew your hands in the bloud of your Soveraigne and to take from him his Inheritance who hath alway defended you in yours with peace and plenty till by their fraud and violence he was disabled and how have you enjoyed your selves and comforts since let your experience speak it to your owne Hearts Be you assured from what you have felt that Monarchy is the Protection of this Nation and of you the good people in it call but to minde the daies past when a Monarch only had the Militia in his disposing quà m placide poâ—ens dominusque vitae how pleasingly powerfull was he in the use of it with what innocent hands did he sway the Scepter How unbloudy was his whole raigne How tender and sparing of the lives of his Subjects Populus iste non bella nôrâ—t non tubae fermituâ— truces non arma gentes cingeres assuêrant suas muris nec urbes we knew not what Warres or Alarums meant nor did we need weapons to protect our selves nor Walls to defend our Cities pervium cunctis iter every man might travaile safely communis usus omnium rerum fuit there was a common use of all Common blessings yea and every man beside without disturbance enjoyed the comfort of his own Labours But since Monarchiall Government hath been obscured by these mens introduction of themselves upon the Stage of Action what hath been in practise amongst us but all kind of Oppression Tyranny Injustice and Villany whereof I heartily wish that your Experience did need my further information wherefore I pray take speciall notice of this passage 't is published you see to the world by Authority of Parliament yea by their speciall Order and therefore you have reason to beleeve it to be the true intent of their Hearts and the rather because 't is so agreeable to all their Actions yea though the contrary should be told you hereafter by the same Authority Be it known I say unto you all and remember it well the end of all these warres and fightings against the King is to destroy Monarchy in this Kingdome and to keepe you the free-borne Subjects of it in this turbulent slavish and underly condition whereunto a few of your Tyrannicall fellow-Subjects have already brought you they tell you sometimes that 't is the Militia of the Kingdome onely which they would have settled in good hands and the King shall be King still but your experience have taught you that no hands are so good as his neither can the Kings bare Title be able to defend you in your possession They tell you that they will defend you but you have payed for so much wit as to judge of what you shall have by what you have had already from them therefore as no man having tasted old wine straightway desireth new viz. if he be also acquainted with the relish of the new for he saies the Old is better so you having had a sufficient tast of both Governments the Monarchicall and the other new one which we cannot yet tell by what name to call have no reason by any meanes to allow of this since you are so sure that the old is better In a word let this Conclusion be rooted in your Hearts which experience hath in part confirmed unto your senses that as the Moone and Starres would fall infinitly short of that bright Lustre which now they have if the Sunne were stripped of his abundant shining so take from the King his Royall Prerogative let him be as a King and no King and all the people great and small will quickly feel that from his flourishing Condition proceeded all their happinesse I shall not here need to spend time in shewing the Excellency of Monarchy above all other Governments and the fitnesse of it for this Nation abler Pens have done that abundantly since the beginning of this unreasonable Rebellion only this I say to introduce any other forme into this Kingdome is a new thing never yet in being here and therefore I apprehend such an Act to be a perfect opposition unto Gods revealed will whosoever be the Agents in it for as the saying is Qui mala introducit voluntatem Dei oppugnat revelatum in verbo qui nova introducit voluntatem Dei oppugnat revelatum in rebus and therefore I advise all Statesmen consulere providentiam Dei cum verbo Dei to take Councell of Gods Providence as well as of
of these things I beseech you Nay consider O all yee people of all sorts whether you think in Conscience these your new Rulers with their crew be the very meek Ones of the Earth as they account themselves to whom the intire right and possession of all earthly blessings and inheritances doe appertaine whether it be a true position which since the Militia hath been in their hands they have been bold to maintain viz. that right by Conquest is the best Title else Gods providence would not permit them to be successefull and whether if that Tenent be maintained any one of you all can promise to your selves the use and comfort of any thing that is either left unto you or purchased by you let this also be thought upon 9. Consider whether in any thing these men have performed what at first they promised whether Religion be better setled the Church better reformed and united the Common-wealth more flourishing the Subjects more happy then when they took these matters into their hands you were told by them as you well know when they first inticed you to engage your selves with them in this Warre that the same would be quickly over and oft-times since when they came to borrow more money of you have they not pretended continually that the worke was almost done if you would but come off well and afford another good pluck it would be quite ended they promised also when they moved unto the warre that they would exact nothing against your wills from you no God forbid that they should use any violence they desired that men should do freely and without constraint only what themselves pleased they were all for the freedome of the Subject but have they proved as true of their words as you did of your Assistance have they used no enforcements to get your money since that time or are your miseries concluded and your expences yet at an end Are the Scots paid all their Arrears Is Ireland reduced to obedience or as quiet as at their first meeting Is the King setled in his proper Rights and Dignitie as was pretended and the Subjects in their Liberties Is Judgement and Justice executed in our Gates and oppression driven from our Streets and every thing removed that may provoke Gods further displeasure Nay doth not the late prevailing of these men speak rather a neernesse of Gods more heavie Curse upon us and a beginning rather then a finishing of your sorrowes Is it not probable that God will take the matter into his owne hand by Plague or Famine and call both them and you to a reckoning for that Christian bloud that is spilt by you without lawfull Authoritie Or are not all the Nations of the world Gods Instruments and cannot he employ some of them to punish you for your punishing others without a warrant from his Vicegerent or cannot he send a spirit of division amongst your selves as once between Abimilech and the men of Sichem after that by conspiring together they had prevailed against the House and Family of Gideon sure bloud and oppression are crying sinnes in Gods eares and the Judge of all the world will doe Justice and 't is a fearfull thing to fall into the hands of God when he is angry consider in your hearts of these things 10. Consider the conditions of your chief Leaders in speciall and of their Faction in generall whereunto you have adhered whether they be such as becomes the Gospel of Jesus Christ or rather whether in your observation they be not such as the Apostles Paul and Peter prophesied should be in the worst men of the last and worst times Have they not shown themselves a covetous self-seeking Generation did they not at the first seek and sue with all their strength and policie for the dignity to be chosen Parliament-men and have they not since placed themselves in the best Offices of the Kingdome are not many of them that were leane and bare before grown plump and fat and shining are they not in the mannagement of their prosperity and successe boasters proud supercilious and scornfull persons have they not often blasphemed Gods Word by perverting the same to their owne purpose have they not shew'd themselves disobedient ingratefull without naturall affection to their Countrey and friends are they not manifest promise Oath and Protestation Breakers doe they not daily approve themselves to be false accusers of others fierce-spirited in persecuting their unjust and mischievous accusations also to be Traytors heady high-minded having only pretences to Godlinesse without any true power thereof And further are they not despisers of Government presumptuous in their wayes selfe-willed not fearing to speake evill of dignities doe they not run the black course of reproaching their betters as well as the red of cruelty against their brethren Now the Apostles tell us that all such conditioned men are reprobates concerning the true faith and made to be destroyed and doe you thinke that there is safety in being of their society Againe are they not of that number whom Esay the Prophet mentions whose hands are defiled with bloud and whose fingers with iniquitie whose lips have spoken lies and whose tongues have uttered perverse things is not wasting and destruction in all their wayes have they not refused to know and to own the way of peace And now if they be such consider whether you are like to gaine any thing by adhering to them seeing that their egges are Cockatrice egges whereof whosoever eateth dyeth and their webs are spiders webs which shall never become Garments to cover themselves much lesse others Be serious I beseech you deare Christians in thinking of these things and let not their Religious pretences their many fastings and thankesgivingdayes make you think ever a whit the better of them for Satans Ministers have come in the shape of Angels of light before now it hath been the old custome of Hypocrites to deale thus with God Almightie by fastings and thanksgivings to uphold their reputation for their Fastings read Esay 58. chapter and for their Thankesgivings see Jer. 7. where 't is said of them that they could steale or plunder murder and shed bloud speak falsly and commit adultery yea and worship Baal as some do now the Militia or God of forces and yet sayes the Lord they come and stand before me in my House and say we are delivered to do all these abhominations they acknowledge Gods deliverance and perhaps his assistance of them but so as if the same had been vouchsafed on purpose that they might be and continue to be the Actors of those villanies so in Esay â—6 there is mention made of others that were frequent in their oblations to God and as appears vers 5. had just as these men doe hated their Brethren and in a pretence of zeale to Gods name had cast them out of their possessions though they were such as truly feared the Lord and
through their own easinesse they had been perswaded into such bondage under such Masters as did nothing but pill and oppresse them and would afford no justice or remedy unto them upon their complainings Nay and yet this was but the least part of their punishment the worst is behind vers 13. Therefore sayes the Lord viz. because they willingly walked after the Commandement or were so easily perswaded to take a wicked Covenant I will be unto Ephraim as a moth and to the House of Judah as rottennesse i. e. my Curse shall consume them and their Families as a moth doth a Garment or as rottennesse doth a thing that is already putrified Consider I say whether this may not in some sort concerne you and if you think it may I beseech you deare Countreymen renounce speedily that sinfull Oath which you have too unadvisedly taken least as oppression hath already overwhelmed you so the moth and rottennesse from the Lord doe also seaze upon you Say not you a Confederacy any longer with them that have confederated against your Church and King neither feare you their feare God is yet gracious and will pardon what is past if you repent therefore let him only be your feare let him be your dread And your King also is gracious ready upon your return to Loyalty like the Prodigals Father to remit your unkindnesse and to receive you with gladnesse let him also be the object of your Reverence and let the desires of your soules be to rejoyce his spirit now after this time wherein you have so sadded and afflicted him that so at last yet he may give up his account with joy which will surely be most for your profit And now for those your Teachers who have seduced you both from Gods blessing the warm Sun too of outward prosperitie which did so comfortably shine upon you undoubtedly they were Satans Ministers in Angels shapes as once he made use of Peters tongue to tempt our Saviour so now he hath of theirs to deceive you and observe them well their gilt ere long will fall off and their good report will die before them And deare Countrey-men let me not be thought to boast overmuch if after S. Paul's manner I compare my selfe with them to your cogitations and opinions Are those your Preachers Englishmen so am I are they Protestants at least in your esteem so am I are they Ministers of Christ think you know this that by the favour and grace of God so am I and perhaps may say that through divine assistance I have given as true a proof of my Ministery among some that know mee as they have done I have been in labours as aboundant and in reproaches for Christs sake more in prison as frequent in dangers of death as often in as many perils by Robbers by mine own Countreymen by false brethren as the best of them And therefore I hope I may obtaine credit with you as well as they I tender your salvation I dare confidently say for Christ my Masters sake as truly as they do I have no design at all of mine own upon you to get your moneys or ought you have I aime only God is my witnesse to free you from the snare wherein you are intangled I am a stranger to you and so am content to be untill the great day when we shall all meet before the great Judge to have our hearts opened and our works manifested And I doe beseech you God knowes I write this with teares and begge of you even in the bowels of our Saviour and for the sake of those your precious soules which he purchased with his dearest bloud that you would but be advised to consider seriously of what I have said unto you my prayer to the Almighty is and shall be that you may but accept of the same with a like heart and spirit as 't is propounded say but you Amen to this my petition and we shall be againe of one mind and judgement And O let us not let us not my deare Brethren thus continue fighting one with another or divided one from another for if we do we shall ere long be destroyed one by another but let us lay aside all malice against one another and all evill speaking one of another Sirs we are Brethren why should we strive and quarrell after this sort to the sport and scorn of all that dwell about us and to the obloquie and disgrace of our Holy Religion O let our contention I beseech you only be like that of the Vine and Olive which of us shall beare best fruits and not like that of the Bryer and Thistle which of us shall be most mischievous and unprofitable And so Countreymen I conclude my speech unto you with this Prayer for you Pater ignosce illis quia nesciunt quid faciunt Father of mercies forgive the people of this Land who have been seduced into this Rebellion against the King their sinnes committed in the same for they know not what they have done lay not the evill unto their charge but wink at their former ignorance and open their eyes now at length and henceforth to see their errour and blesse these considerations unto them to that end and purpose for Christ Jesus sake Amen And be you assured Sirs that not only my selfe but also many others whose bloud you have thirsted for whose Estates you have gaped after and whom divers of you have been wont to entitle with the odious names of Malignants Papists Devils and Dogges doe dailie pray to this purpose in your behalfe for we apprehending you to be in the same condition and state as S. Paul was in while he yet went breathing out threatnings against the Church of Christ doe thinke it our dutie to approve our selves such as he was when he prayed for the persecuting Israelites his Brethren according to the flesh that they might be saved we conceive of you as he did of them that you have a zeale though not according unto knowledge this our Religion teacheth us to doe and thus to think And so God be with you SECT XXVIII A faithfull and Ministeriall Admonition to the Troublers of our Israel scil the Factious Members of the pretended Parliament at Westminster who are Evidenced to be neither Patriots to their Country Wisemen nor good men Their Religion discovered to be nec una nec vera nec bona IN the next or second place I shall assume the boldnesse to speak a little unto you O you men of Westminster and I pray observe my words if Providence shall please to bring this my Book unto your view And first let me desire of you not to be angry if I speak rather to profit then to please you forbearing altogether those false and clawing expressions which your adorers use when they addresse themselves to speak unto you I dare not tell you of any Humble tenders of my constant Devotion to serve you in your way
you by the conditions of those persons that are above-board with you and imployed by you as also by that progresse which Religion hath had since you have domineered for the goodnesse or badnesse of Rulers hath alwayes been concluded upon from the growth or decay of Religion in their dayes But truly Sirs not to flatter you we observe your Piety to be nec una nec vera nec bona and therefore conceive it to be in very deed nulla I must be plaine 't is my profession and my resolution and therefore you must beare with me First 'T is not una for you are divided in Religion the very best among you I shall minde you to this purpose of some passages in Print between your two so much extolled Professors nay Martyrs so intitled so honoured William Prynne and Henry Burton whom at the beginning of your meeting you sent for and reeeived with more affectionate and generall applause then ever since was shewn unto your Soveraign these two however conjoyned in that ridiculous and admired Triumph which your selves with the City of London was pleased to make them even these very two have been at daggers drawing almost ever since about their Religion and each of them have even amongst your very selves Followers and Disciples great plenty they are indeed the two grandest Champions of the two grandest Factions of those 52 which as reports goes doe swarm among you Prynne is as appears for the Presbyterians and Burton for the Independents And their controversie is about no lesse then a maine part of the Gospel for of that nature is Church-Government in Burtons present judgement and Prynne was apprehended of the very same opinion all the while he held up Satans banner against the Bishops though now it seemes as many others of his Sect are he is fallen from it for he holds now as Prelaâ—s did before that there be Nationall Churches and that each hath a Liberty to chuse and settle such a Form of Church Government as is most sutable to the Lawes Customes and manners of the people yea and further that there is no direct precept or pattern in Sacred Writ for particulars in Discipline and Ceremony but they are left to humane prudence And to prove this against his Brother Burtons Faction he doth use those very Arguments which were wont to be used against himselfe and his Sect and are to be found originally in Mr. Hookers Ecclesiasticall Policy But Burton spits at him for this and affirms plainely that to shape Religion in point of Church-Government to humane Policy is to shape a Coat for the Moone humano capiti cervicem jungere equinam populo ut placeret fabulas facere to coyne tales to please people Wherefore he taxeth his Brother Prynne of high presumption in thus attempting to mingle Earth and Heaven together they are his owne words for I 'le not vary a syllable from his own expressions what sayes he cannot your Law and our Gospel cotten together unlesse our Gospel weares your Lawes Liverie and be tyred in a Gown like one of your Sergeants made up of two severall colours Prynne is peremptory that Church-Government and Power of making Ecclesiasticall Lawes to binde was ever in the Civill Magistrate the Priests or Clergie never had any thing to do in that worke by right and now sayes he the power is in the Parliament that place Math. 18. 15 16 17. If thy brother offend c. He will have to be meant not of Excommunication but of the Civill Court of Justice And he sayes further that in the Assembly or Evangelicall Synod Act 15. the Apostles did not passe their Votes as they were Apostles guided infallibly by the Holy Ghost but rather as they were in their ordinary capacity as Elders and chiefe members of it and this he concludes to be an undeniable Scripture Authority for the lawfull use of Parliaments and Synods under the Gospell upon like necessary occasions and for their power to determine Controversies of Religion to make Canons maugre all evasions and exceptions of Independents to elude it all which with much more such stuffe to the same purpose as it seems Prynne hath against his Adversaries and proves it as Burton notes with an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but sayes he that shall not serve the turne for he denies every bit of it with another 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as good as his he is very positive that we should have a very mad world of it if Civill States or Parliaments should have liberty to frame Church-Governments or set up Discipline He allows a State to pull down an old Church-Government indeed but by no meanes to set up any for that he saith is another thing And he tells Prynne plainely that he is out of his proper orbe in talking thus and 't is out of his jealousie that Church Censures should trench upon his pleadings at the Barre of Justice and for his part he is confident that the place Mat. 18. belongeth not to Civill Courts but to the Church as all Presbyterians heretofore did expound it and for the Decrees made at the Synod Act. 15. He is of opinion because they were binding that they were made by the Apostles as they were Apostles and that the Parliament now hath no power to make the like And he is directly of opinion that that Assembly or Church-meeting was no Parliament scil no such Parliament as Prynne would have it and therefore he adviseth him thus Good Brother be not so peremptory but take in your top-saile 't is too high to bear up against so stiffe a gale of Scripture and reason Prynne affirms before-hand that whosoever submits not to that Church-Government which the Parliament shall set up is guilty of arrogancy schism contumacy and liable to such penalties as are due to those offences Burton cryes out Good Brother be not so legall what if they set up such a one as godly people cannot submit unto must they either violate their consciences or suffer in their good names for arrogant contumacious schismaticks and be liable to I wot not what penalties beside why good Brother if we should go and live under the Turkish Government and could not in Conscience turne Turks in the Religion there established yet there is a way of exemption for it namely to become Tributaries to the State as many Christians do Good Brother let 's not have any of Draco's Lawes executed upon innocents shall we now turne worse persecutors of the Saints then the Prelats Surely Henry Burton being so wise and so good a man in your esteems you cannot imagine but he sees some reasons for his thus speaking Againe Prynne in another place requires absolute obedience to the generall consent of the Assembly and Parliament which Burton holds utterly unlawfull and alledgeth to prove it so that generality of Votes whereby the Jewes State did carry it away to crucifie their King inferring thereby that he thinkes it possible that this
Minister of the Protestant Church of France that they of their Religion never lived so safely and so comfortably before as they have done since they were disarmed of their weapons which they were at the end of their last warre which he called a Rebellion But with you all the strength and promises of God it seemes are nothing unlesse you have somewhat that is sensible to trust unto O if you knew God and were religious indeed you would be of another mind for they that know thy Name will trust in thee sayes the Psalmist Nay we read in Scripture of haters of God that should come in the last times who should have a form of Godlinesse notwithstanding we feare you are rather of that number and that you hate God for his word sake because therein he so plainly opposeth those waies of Rebellion cruelty oppression and injustice which you walke in and commandeth so strictly those things which as it appears you have resolved against and for his sake you hate all that belongs unto him his Church which you have destroyed his Prophets whom you have persecuted his Service which you have abolished his Temples which you have defiled and his Annoynted whom you have vilified because in meeknesse gentlenesse mercy patience and goodnesse he is so like unto him and are these markes of true Piety not they that commend themselves but whom their works commend and whom God commends are and shall be the onely approved persons I dare boldly affirm and I call your own Consciences to witnesse it with me that Kingly Majesty was never so blasphemed and exposed to vulgar contempt as it hath been since you sate nor was the dignity of Parliament which next to the Kings honour ought by all true Englishmen to be held as sacred so abused as it hath been by you who have used its venerable name to countenance all your evill and illegall actions against your Soveraign and his Subjects and have made that High and Supreme Court as the Pharisees of old did Gods House no better then a very den of Thieves and I am confident if Jesus Christ my Master were here he would tell you so to your faces and bestow as many woes upon you as he did upon your Brethren in those dayes who like you did pretend so much to Piety when they had so little of it You take to your selves the Title of the Lords Worthies forfooth but good names doe not alwayes prove good men Titles without truth serve but to enhance and disexcuse damnation you call the warre on your side Sacrum so was the Pope wont to call his though it be both against Law and Religion your League and Covenant you stile Holy as was that in France when time was though like that it be to root out Protestant Profession and the King your Armies you intitle the Armies of God as the disobedient Barons in King Johns time did theirs and your worke you call opus Domini the Lords work and the Lords cause though such as the Lord abhorreth and detesteth thus bold are you with the Almighty as if he were such another as your selves but is this true Godlinesse it will not be so found at the great day you talk much of Conscience but doth this alone prove you have any do not many men use to plead Conscience when through passion or opinion they pursue a cause with greater heat then themselves can give or others discern a reason for your Consciences scruple as you would have us think at a gesture or a Garment in Gods Service but they are secure in Actions of killing robbing rebelling and breaking all Lawes of private interest and Soveraign Power we see you are resolute in bloud and rapine and can even scorn at those that make Conscience at such crimes you talk of mens having Authority from Gods word for what they doe and yet practice your selves things above measure sinfull as if they were necessary duties and are able to shew no Scripture at all for the same we are posed we confesse at your Pietie we can see no dram of goodnesse in your doings and therefore must conclude there is as little in your selves Policy we confesse we see great store in you even such as was in Jeroboam that sonne of Nebat who made Israel to sinne for to prevent the peoples return to their Loyaltie whom himselfe had drawn into Rebellion he altered the established way and manner of worshipping God which he knew would have reduced them to their right obedience ver 27. Jeroboam said in his heart if this people go up to doe sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem then shall the hearts of this people turn againe unto their Lord even unto Rehoboam King of Judah and they shall kill me And hereupon he sets forth a Directory or new way of serving God and perswades the people that other places were as fit for that purpose as the Temple or Church it selfe yea and vers 31. He made Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the Sonnes of Levi and Chap. 13. 33 34. Whosoever would he consecrated him and he became one of their Priests which thing saith the Text became sinne to the house of Jeroboam even to cut it from off the face of the earth Truly Sirs 't is too evident to all men that your Piety hath runne in the very same Channell after Jeroboams example you have made England to sinne looke you to the consequent We confesse also you have as much Religion and Pietie as Absalom had enough to vizard over for the while your cursed Design till you had supplanted your Soveraign stole away the hearts of his people from him insinuated into them a suspition of his truth and justice perswaded them to accept of you to be Judges in his place wherein you have received as many complaints and relieved as few as ever Absalom did In briefe such hath been your godlinesse and humilitie that you have declared the King to have failed in his Trust and Voted the Royall Power to be in your selves yea a power more then Royall even to subvert all Lawes which because the King approves not of you have drawne his own sword against him and pursued him as eagerly on all advantages as ever Absalom did his Father while he in the meane time David-like hath pitied you and was unwilling to spill your bloud surely if there were nothing else then your unnaturall violence against your Soveraign in all your wayes opposed to his mercy towards you in the height of injury it were abundantly sufficient to discover to all the world that little true Pietie that is in you But if to this we adde also the consideration of that superlative crueltie towards your brethren we are confident that no tongue touched with Christianitie will dare to speak one word in your commendations Your proceedings against them speak you to be of the Tyrant Maxentius mind that the bloud
their Soveraigne and his meeke and gracious carriage towards them since the beginning of these troubles related by themselves and their impudency therein noted pag. 224. Sect. XXV Their pretence of bringing Delinquents to punishment made a ground of the war the King acknowledged by his enemies to be on the defensive part His Majesties good opinion a long time of the Parliament objected as a fault against him by themselves The King makes no war against his Parliament evidenced This Conspiracy of Traytors at Westminster no true Parliament fully proved The conclusion of the answer to the Libell pag. 229. Sect. XXVI A true Parallel between the sufferings of our Saviour and our Soveraigne in divers speciall particulars pag. 241. Sect. XXVII A serious and brotherly discourse to the seduced and oppressed Commons of this nation their dangerous condition related divers speciall and necessary considerations propounded to their thoughts to perswade them to desist from their present ill way Their objection of keeping their Oath and Covenant to the pretended Parliament answered pag. 257. Sect. XXVIII A consciencious and home discourse to the pretended Parliament at Westminster who are evidenâ—ed to be neither Patriots to their Country wisemen nor good men Their Religion discovered to be nec una nec vera nec bona pag. 274. Sect. XXIX A consolatory speech to all the Loyall hearted that suffer for conscience sake in these times Arguments to assure them of Gods help in due time Foure markes to know the approach of that time how they are to demeane themselves in the mean time living and dying pag. 296. Post-script The reason why this book was not published sooner The necessity and benefit of writing books of this nature with an exhortation thereunto pag. 305. The End Jer. 26. 14 15. Rev. 12. 3. * A Book so called Printed 1643. * The stirrers up to a new Warre Job 32. 18. Mat. 21. 15. Luk. 19. 40. Rom. 5. 7. Rom. 5. 6. * Orcham or as some say Luther â—â— Joh. 3. 16. 1 Sam. 16. 9. Psal. 22. 6. Joh. 8. 44. Luke 6. 28. 1 Cor. 1. 27 28. * A Lover of his King * A Lover of his Country §. 1. Esay 8. 20. §. 2. §. 3. Rom. 1. 32. §. 1. Jer. 20. 7. 1 John 2. 16. Mat. 24. 24. 1 John 4. 1. Mat. 7. 20. Libell §. 2. Acts 23. 5. 1 Sam. 22. 2 Sam. 16. Esay 36. 11. Psal. 50. 16 c 1 Sam. 24. 4. 1 Sam. 26. 8. c. 1 Sam. 26. 25. Libell §. 4. Gen. 9. 22. Gen. 9. 23. Rom. 7. 7. §. 5. Gen. 3. 1. Esay 47. 10. Mat. 23. 15. Joh. 5. 3. Gen. 3. Mat. 24. Libell §. 6. Judge ver 8 9. Libell §. 1. 2 Pet. 3. 16. 1 Cor. 4. 3. §. 2. 2 King 18. 28. Gen. 10. 9. Mat. 21. 38. §. 3. Mat. 5. 3. Jer. 3. Ezek. 16. Libell §. 4. Basilic Doron Lib. 2. Libell §. 1. Libell Eccles. 1. 9 10. Rev. 3. 9. Rev. 2. 9. 3. 9. John 7. 20. §. 3. Prov. 22. 1. Prov. 16. 10. Canon Alius causa 15. deâ—â—â—t quest 6. Object Answer §. 1. Job 34. 18. Act. 23. 5. 2 Cor. 5. 20. Esay 49. 14. Vers. 15. Esay 50. â— Mat. 13. 58. Mar. 6. 5 6. §. 2. Psa. 123. 4. Psal. 2. 2 3 4. Psal. 73. 11 12 Prov. 3. 34. Prov. 24. 9. Numb 16. 1 Kings 18. 17. Jud. 16. Psal. 123. 4. Psal. 31. 20. Prov. 3. 34. 19. 29. §. 1 Pag. 49. Libell p. 49. * Yet should God incline the Heart of Sr Thomas Fairfax to adhere unto his Lord and Soveraign no doubt but some of them would as much revile him in their language as now they seem to honour him with the title of Victorious Which indeed they have sufficiently done since the Kings deliverance from Holmeby Libell pag. 49. §. 2. Luk. 23. 23. Mat. 27. 25. Libell p. 49. §. 3. Libell p. 49. §. 4. Prov. 1. 10. Libell §. 1. * See the looking-glasse of Schisme by that Learned Minister of Christ M. Peter Studley §. 3. §. 2. Sands Europae Speculum pag. 119. Exod. 12. 24. 25 26. §. 1. §. 2. §. 3. §. 4. Libell Thes. 2. 10 11. James 2. 18. Verse 26. Libell §. 1. 1 Cor. 4. 4. Mat. 19. 30. John 8. 39. Vers. 40. §. 2. Libell Libell §. 1. Psal. 64. 6. Jer. 11. 18. Luk. 6. 7. Dan. 6. 4. * This hath oft been related to me with tears of affection to him by diverse Inhabitants of that poore Loyall Town who heard the expression from His Majesties Lips Libell §. 2. Libell Libell Mat. 7. 1. Rom. 14. 4. Jam. 3. 1. 1 Thes. 4. 11. * That free famous City cannot say that the King in all his time did ever imprison so much as one Lord Major * The abundance hath appeared by the many millions of treasure which they have â—ent within these six yeares * Tho. Case in his Sermons of waiting on God §. 3. * Committee-men and Sâ—questrators were not yet known * 26. Children taken at once by the Turkes from off the Coasts of Cornwall July Anno 1645. §. 1 Libell §. 2. Isa. 1. 19 20. 2 Cor. 15. 2. Mat. 13. 58. Mark 6. 5. 2. Ps. 13. 1 2. c. Mat. 14. 30. 1 Sam. 21. 7. Gen. 12. 12. Gen. 20. 2 Psal. 125. 8. * In Cornwall when Essex his Army was there defeated by his Majesty Libell 2 King 21. 16. 2 Cor. 23. 12. * And now of late they have been payd home in their own coyn so many wayes even as themselves have dealt with their Soveraigne that they would confesse with that Heathen King Jud. 1. 7. had they but as much sence of the Deity as He and say As we have done so God hath rewarded us 2. 3. 4. Mat. 18. * Calumny arraigned cast Or answer to Prins rank passages in his book intituled Truth Triumphing over Falshood Pag. 14. Pag. 13. ejusdem Pag. 12. §. 2. This reason I received lately from the judgment of others and therefore thought fit to insert it in the first place with these that follow * In the daily Collects or prayers for the King * Stet pro ratione voluntas Bas. Dor. p. 42. §. 1. Rom. 13. 4. 1. Sam. 13. 2. 2 Sam. 23. 1 Chro. 11. Pap. 1. Micah 3. 9 11. Vers. 10. Vers. 12. * I am not certain which of them it was and I want Books to help my memory * Maerentia tecta Caesar hâ—bet vacuasque domos legesque silentes clausoque justitio tristi foro Lucanus Mic. 2. 1 2. Rom. 13. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 23. §. 2. 4. Amos 6. 17. §. 3. Ezek. 16. 51. Vers. 54. * Vntill the sword be restored into that hand where God did put it and he whom God hath appointed be the orderer and disposer of the affaires in Ireland we must never expect Gods continued blessing upon our Forces that are sent thither therefore in their desiring the sole management of the Irish affaires with exclusion of the King they doe but
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
deportments towards her been such as our Religion commandeth she might ere this in all probabilities have preferred the same before her own even as she hath done our Nation many have heard her at a wel furnished Table say one of these Dishes in England with my Husband and Children might I but enjoy it there in peace would please me better and be sweeter to me then all this plenty in this place So great is her affection to our Nation whose great ingratitude and unkindnesse to her so unbecoming the Gospel the Lord pardon Let the Reader pardon this digression her Majesties wronged Innocence and the truth did extort it from me I return now to her Accusers from whom I learn That her Majesties main and proper fault is Loving her Husband and this I confesse they Evidence at large from many quotatious out of her several Letters as first they say she performs the office of a Resident for him in France and is restlesse even to the neglect of her own health to assist him against them his Enemies 2. She vows they say to die by famine rather then fail him in her faithful endevours 3. She confines not her Agency to France but sollicites other Princes also for shipping in his aid 4. She sends Armes into Scotland to Mountrosse and many such like particulars they alleage which doth abundantly evidence this her fault of loving her Husband Nay and the most heinous matter of all is the Counsels which she gives him namely to be suspicious in his Treaties with them who have deceived him so much already to take heed of his own safety amongst them and not to think himself safe any longer then he defends his friends that have served him for which they quote Pap. 31. these they call Counsels of very pernicious Consequence of which nature also is that manifestation of her Judgment that peace cannot be safe to the King without a Regiment for his Guard a la mode de France say they they might as wel have said a la mode du Parliament and of all this they alleage their punctual proofs out of these Letters wherefore 't is very plain that the Queen is guilty of a most dear and tender affection to the King her Husband and in order to him she desires the welfare of all his friends and for this cause is deemed by these men a fit object of abuse and hatred But truly if I did not evidently see them to be given up to blindnesse of mind by reason of that malice which is in them I should much admire at their folly in these their exceptions against the Queen I dare say that Henry Burtons Wife or John Basticks Wife might have done ful as much for their husbands when time was had they bin in a like capacity and bin no whit blamed by these men for the same Nay they should have been commended rather for such Testimonies of their faithfulnesse and affection O but the Queens fortune is to be the Kings Wife and therefore she must not look to find such grace and favour in the eyes of these jolly men as to have that in her not censured for a fault which in mean women is entitled virtue Nay I am further confident that if this truly royal Mary Wife to our Soveraign Charls had like that Queen Isabella wife to our Edward the 2d. joyned issue with some of the Enemies against the King her Husband she should have bin in as high account with these as that other was with the Rebels of those days her difference in Religion should have bred no dis-affection at all in them towards her for 't is not so much an unity in that which they desire and aime at as to all is plainly apparent from that multiplicity of Religions allowed amongst them if there be but a facile community another way in things more sensible it wil abundantly serve the turn to give satisfaction to these blessed Reformers But because the Queen is Chara fidaque marito dear and faithful to her Lord and Husband therefore must she be exclaimed upon and hated yea hunted and forced out of the Kingdom by certain wise and wel-bred Gentlemen as they would be accounted that rule the rost at Westminster who if they could but lay hands upon her would also murder her for with open mouth they have charged her already with no lesse then Treason Treason against the New-state forsooth even for her affectionate adherence unto the King her Husband in these times of his affliction Observe it I beseech you and consider well of it O all ye Princes and Nobles of the world and all you that are true Gentlemen of what Nation and Kingdome soever and say whether you ever read or heard of the like Behold here a most Royall Lady of most noble and high Vertues and incomparable parts Great Henries Daughter Sister to the late French King and Aunt unto the present and Queen of England who hath been defamed sclandered reviled railed upon shot at persecuted and driven to banishment brought upon the publick Stage for a Traitour condemned and threatned with death and forced to fly into other Countries to preserve her selfe in being like that woman in the Revelation from the face of the Dragon and all this onely for her faithfulnesse and loyal affections to her Husband in his distresse consider of this thing I beseech you and speak your minds And you my Country-men of England in general examine your thoughts and then say Hocciâ—e est Humanum factum aut inceptum Is there any Generosity nay any Humanity in such dealings Can you imagine that such demeanours towards such a personage will be ever chronicled to our Nations praise or read by posterity with approbation Was ever such harsh and hellish usage offered by the hands of English men before now to a daughter of France Duke Reiners Daughter Wife to that good though most unfortunate King Henry the 6. was used much better by Richard the third she had no such despights offered to her person because a woman and though she brought much forrein aid into the Kingdome yet was she not as I read ever accused of Treason for the same she was raâ—her interpreted to have done thereby her proper duty to her Husband no man I am sure can say that our Protestant Religion allows of this behaviour or that our holy Mother Church did ever feed any of her Children with such nourishment as should cause them to break out into such exorbitancies Her milk was alwaies seasoned with the Doctrines of Humility Reverence Civility Gentlenesse Affability and gratiousnesse of conversation to people of all sorts even to inferiours and to enemies Much more to superiours and to friends Surely if this our once most generous and courteous Nation had not now in too great a measure layed aside common Humanity as well as grace were there but this one reason which I shall name it would be abundantly enough to make this Queen most dear