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A62103 A vindication of King Charles: or, A loyal subjects duty Manifested in vindicating his soveraigne from those aspersions cast upon him by certaine persons, in a scandalous libel, entituled, The Kings cabinet opened: and published (as they say) by authority of Parliament. Whereunto is added, a true parallel betwixt the sufferings of our Saviour and our soveraign, in divers particulars, &c. By Edw: Symmons, a minister, not of the late confused new, but of the ancient, orderly, and true Church of England. Symmons, Edward.; Symmons, Edward. True parallel betwixt the sufferings of our Saviour and our Soveraign, in divers particulars. 1648 (1648) Wing S6350A; ESTC R204509 281,464 363

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four things scil Of Clandestine proceedings against the Honour and being of Parliament Of condemning all that be Protestants in any degree Of granting a Tolleration to Idolaters And of indempnity to Murderers or that goes in a close trading way to effect those things for meer particular advantage cannot be defended by any but such as deserve the imputation of the worst men And therefore I am of opinion that all those who take upon them to defend the men now above-board who under the name of Parliament have not only undermined the King their Soveraign but also the Parliament it self in destroying its Priviledges which they pretend to stand for who have condemned all to be Popishly affected that are in any degree Protestants at Oxford calling them by the odious names of Malignants Papists Devils and Dogs who have not only granted a Tolleration of Idolatry but set it up and persecuted with fire and sword banishment and confiscation all that wil not commit the same themselves whom they call the Parliament are the Idol whom all the people of the Kingdom must fall down unto and worship who have also granted indempnity to the murderous Irish. For I would have them but speak out and say of what Nation and Religion their Plunket is of Nay let them tell the world if they dare what promises have been made from them by their Instruments in a close trading way unto that Plunket and Muskerry whom they Tax their King for shewing countenance unto upon condition they would but sit still and not helpe their Soveraign Who also have further yet in a close trading way cozened us their fellow Subjects of all we had that was dear unto us our Religion Liberty Peace Wealth and Friends for their own meere particular advantage that themselves might rule alone and bear the sway over our Soveraign and our selves over our Consciences and Estates which they spoile and sell away according to their pleasures I say I doe verily beleeve that whoever they be that shall take upon them to defend these men under what colour and pretences soever are as bad as the worst of men yea falser then the Papists then the Jesuites But we will listen now to what these men adde farther they say Hitherto the English have had Commission to Chastize the Irish and the Irish have had the like to Chastize the English both have spilt each others bloud by the Kings Warrant yet as both hath been in part owned so both hath been in part disowned and the King himself hath not appeared with open face in the Businesse SECT XIX 1. The Enemies malitious devises to Scandalize the King with favouring the Irish Rebellion detected and confuted 2. The Kings requiring secresie of the Queen and Ormond in the matters writ to them Justified The Libellers Blasphemy against Gods Providence ●and in as king Gods Blessing upon their Libell noted THe English have had Commission to Chastize the Rebellious Irish and the Irish have had the like to Chastize the Rebellious English both have spilt each others bloud by the Kings warrant and what harm is there in all this The King is the Minister of God and bears the sword sayes the Apostle to execute wrath upon them that do evill and therefore so far forth as the same hath been managed to the punishment of Rebellion whether by English or by Irish under his command and Authority the King hath with open face owned it But in as much as the same hath been used by the one or other against himself His Crown and Dignity against the Law against His Loyall Protestant subjects to the hurt or damage of them and their Religion the King hath both secretly and publikly disowned ever and still doth For why should he sinne against God His own Conscience and honour in taking upon himselfe the scandall of others doings as those that call themselves his great and wise Councell desire he should who themselves commit the sinne and would have him beare all the blame for this is their way of Honouring their Soveraigne in the eyes of His people And to this purpose when at first by decolation of Strafford the Irish Governour they had put that wild and unruly people into a fit Capacity and proximate potentia of Rebelling and perhaps too in their close trading way wherein for their own particular advantage they are of all men living most skilfull had helped to draw that power into Act to the end the people of this Kingdom whom they were to use to another purpose might not so soon suspect them guilty of so much evill they published abroad that the Rebells in Ireland had the Kings warrant for all their bloudy doings to put some colour upon this devilish slander they printed certain examinations as they cal'd them of certain inferior men women who reported as they tell that they heard some say they heard from others who received it perhaps from 3. or 4. persons that some Commanders among the Irish Rebells had affirmed that themselves had the Kings Commission for what they did Which thing if any of the Irish Rebells did say or affirme what wonder is it do not all Rebells use to pretend the best authority for their own wicked doings have not even they of Westminster themselves rais'd all their forces of men and monies against the Kings person under the Kings own name was not the King and Parliament the onely word in use with them at the first though now the Kings name is left out for they apprehend the people to be so deeply lock'd with themselves in guilt and bloud that they dare not leave them I dare boldly affirme it that many thousands of our English had never been ingulpfed in those Rebellious wayes wherein they are had they at first but been acquainted with the devises of Rebellious Heads but now things are come to that height that they know not how to disingage themselves without a present ruine from them who have engaged them But hence I say it plainly appeares to be no wonder if the Irish Rebels did pretend the Kings Authority also in the beginning of their accursed undertaking though whether they did or no I cannot tell for I did not hear them only this I am sure of that they who published and printed those reports in this Kingdome did hope thereby to work as indeed they did a disaffection in many people against their Soveraigne that so themselves might be strengthned with their concurrence in their intended project against him and all his friends that sided with him with whom I may affirme they have even dealt as the Cyclops in Homer did with Ulisses and his Associates who findeing no reason to misuse them yet having a great desire to feed upon them would needs perswade that they were Pyrats So these not knowing any sufficient reason to quarrell with the King and his friends or to stir up the people against them yet having a great hunger after
to discover Hypocrites that men might beware of them They are these 1. If the King can be gotten to settle the Militia in their hands all the Injustice and unlawfulnesse of the war on their side will be thereby cancelled and whatsoever they have done against him and his subjects will be Authorized as found and good their crafty seizing upon it at first and their violent use thereof since to the destruction of so many will go for worthy deeds and the King will be judged to have been much to blame in making any opposition against them and for his calling them Rebells His own Act will be the eating of those his own words and speake them to have been His most humble dutifull and obedient subjects all the while they fought against him yea and all they did in that kinde to have been done out of pure love to His Good and Glory and for the benefit of Church and Common-wealth And then too if withall the King shall but confer some new Titles of Honour upon their Chieftaines as when time was he did upon Lesley for this they expect and intend to demand too then they shall appeare White all over and who will dare to say to the contrary and full as good subjects almost as their Brethren the Scots That is one Reason 2. If they can get the King to settle in their Hands that depositum of Power and Authority which God hath intrusted in His they shall bring him as they desire into their own condition and make him such a one to God as themselves have been and are to him whereby Gods displeasure may be so far kindled against him that he may permit them having all the power in their hands to bring their endeavours fully to passe in destroying Him and His posterity and then the world shall be taught to beleeve that Heaven hath punished him for such His sin and confirmed with its blessing all their sayings and doings against him that God was of their minde all the while as now by the success is most apparent Honesta quaedam scelera successus facit saies Seneca the highest Villanies if succesfull shall be accounted vertues and these men care not to obtain truths but opinions warrant 3. They desire the Militia may be settled in their hands quia omnis in ferro salus est their whole safety consists therein it is the Nurse of their wealth and the sole Anchor of their security for O si pateant pectora virûm quantos intus sublimis agit fortuna metus what great feares have these mens High fortunes created in their Bosomes could we but view their insides They dare neither trust the King nor yet the Countrey that trusted them for should the strength be in any hands but their own they might be called to an account for all their doings the Law might be in force again and Justice suffered to shew her face Treason should sit no longer in the seat of Religion Truth might appear above-board and Peace be restored unto the Nation and Order might come again into fashion Yea had the King His power again He might call a Parliament a true Parliament a free Parliament which is a thing that they quake to think on for then like a Company of poore Hope-losts they should stand below and look up to that place of Honour where erst they sat and have so much abused and who in their condition can indure this Nemo Hercule nemo No mervail therefore if they desire to hold fast the Militia in their own hands 4. Should they part with it they should not onely degrade themselves of their present Honour and disarme themselves of safety but of their wealth and riches too for all is now at their Command the Lands Estates the goods and Fortunes of all their Country-men which the Militia of the Kingdome hath invested them with a right in and possession must be maintainted by the same meanes as obtained But should the Militia return into the Hands of the right owner Honest men would enjoy their own as before and they who are now so Gay would remaine stark Naked like Jack-daw in the fable when every bird had re-assumed her own feathers And then further too their pleasures would also cease that sweetnesse they feel in shedding of bloud would be no more which very want would be as bad as death unto them their Natures are now so accustomed unto it In a word as Amos speakes they have gotten them Hornes by their own strength or sleight and the Hornes are the defence of the Head the Militia are these Hornes and should they part with that they fear they should not keep their Heads long after and therefore great reason they have rather to desire the settlement of it for ever in their own Hands But with their favour what reason hath the King to trust them that will not trust Him them with His weapons upon that experience He hath had of their love and kindnesse Who will not trust Him with His own Can it be imagined that they will imploy them otherwise then they have done considering what their delights are Nay may it not be expected that they will make Him the Author of all their Evill which from thenceforth they shall doe when by His consent the power is once settled in their goods Hands Surely they that used His name to the raising of so many men against Himself to the killing of so many of His Subjects when He openly opposed them will not scruple to doe all their mischeif under His Name and Authority when they have so faire a pretence for it Nay should the King doe in this as they would have Him may not the Just and Holy God account Him a partaker with them in Evill His Majesty by His own pious confession hath smarted under the Hand of God for His consenting though doubtlesse against His will to the shedding of Straffords innocent Bloud and should He againe after His Humiliation for that by a new consent make Himself guilty of many more Blouds the continued Anger of the Almighty might be too heavy a burden for Him to beare No doubt but they are and will be the more importunate for His consent now because they see His heart hath smot Him for His consent then for how ever it was blattered much at the beginning by those of their faction against forcing of tender Consciences yet verily we beleeve there were never men that delighted more in offering violence to the Soules and Consciences of the righteous then themselves do wherefore should His Majesty yeild to them in this particular it would be in singultum cordis a corrasive to His Heart for ever and therein a glory unto them and also it would argue too great a distrust in Gods defence of Him and be a mean to delay Gods punishment from falling upon the heads of these lofty Rebells And besides all this His Majesty hereby shall give way to the settling
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
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
his head where he lies asleepe then I 'le returne them to him again that he may perceive that I had an advantage to have done him hurt but not an heart or Conscience disposed thereunto and I 'le rebuke Abner the General of his Hoste and the rest of his Captaines for guarding the Sacred person of their Soveraigne and the things that concerned him so neere no better And indeed even thus did David doe and we know what an happie successe he had of his so doing The Kings heart hereupon melted towards him and He yeelds him to be a righteous man a wronged person and pronounceth a blessing upon him Blessed art thou my Son David thou shalt doe great things and also shalt still prevaile We do conceive that if the surprizers and publishers of these Papers had gone in this way of David it would have been more to their credits more becomming that Gospel which they pretend to professe and the duty of Christian subjects then that course is which they have taken and we also beleeve that if they had been as Honest men as David was indued with as innocent and Loyall hearts towards their King as He they would have done after his manner and we desire that they would aske their own Consciences whether in this particular themselves be not directly of our opinion But seeing 't is so apparent that these men are of a contrary spirit unto David notwithstanding their great pretences to Religion and seeing that God hath suffered them thus fully and foulely to discover their false hearts by their publication of these Papers We for our parts may conclude more truely it would be a great sin in us against the Mercies of God to conceale and not to take yea and to give publike notice to the world of this Evidence of the truth of their inward malice and wickednesse against their Soveraigne which he so gratiously hereby hath permitted to us that we might not be Seduced or misled by them But they go on and say Nor dare we smother that light under a Bushell but freely hold it out to our Seduced Brethren for so in the spirit of meeknesse labouring to reclaime them we still speake that they may see their Errour and return into the right way The Apprehension and hope of these men is to discover unto us by this their light which they so freely hold out unto us some nakednesse in their Father It seemes they are of the Generation of Cham for he in like sort did freely hold out unto his Brethren what he ought to have hidden and concealed But because they tell us they dare not doe otherwise we their Brethren before we yeeld up our selves to be led by them desire to know who it is that keepes them in such great awe that they dared not rather to have acted the parts of Shem and Japhet which we conceive had been more to their own credit and benefit and more to the comfort of their posterity We do not remember any punishment denounced in Scripture against those that conceale the imperfections of their Father we are plain men and love to deal plainly specially with those that offer themselves thus freely to guide us and therefore we must tell them that we suspect them from this word we dare not to be under Satans bondage for he it is that rules by feare He it is that compelleth those that be in Captivity under him to doe wickedly according to his lust and will to transgresse Gods Holy word and to run themselves upon his heavy curse yea He it is that forceth his servants so that they dare do no otherwise surely we beleeve these men cannot shew a better reason for their calling us Seduced then this is for us to hold them suspected and therefore by this Title from henceforth we shall be bold to call them our Suspected Brethren And the Light by which they would shew us our Errour as they call it gives us further to apprehend how justly they deserve this Title for who but men whom the God of the world hath blinded would think that the Kings Errours for such onely in their imaginations is the light which they here so liberally and freely hold out unto us should be a glasse sufficiently able to discover to us our faults Gods word and law was wont to be the sole glasse and rule for such a purpose By the Law comes the knowledge of Sin saith the Apostle therefore they must shew us either that the Law is out of date in these times grown faulty and unsufficient or else that the same doth allow us to withdraw our Duty and Obedience frow our Soveraigne upon the sight of his supposed or real Errours that God therein commands us to adhere to him with this limitation unlesse he be guilty of such and such failings except they can shew us this we are resolved not to forsake our old light to be guided by a new thus devised and held out unto us by our Suspected Brethren But by the way why do they call us their Seduced Brethren we conceive because they judge us simple in compare with themselves and in that regard very capable of seduction they make themselves as sure of us as if they had already seduced us and therefore they call us their Seduced Brethren we confesse our inferiority unto them in this respect for as the Serpent was more subtile then all the beasts of the field so they in their generation are wiser then we and do deserve the Title of Subtile and crafty Brethren as well as of Suspected But we must tell them ex magnis ingeniis magni errores great errours have not come but from great wit they were Gyants and Lucifer that highly rebelled against God and S. Augustine adviseth magis tibi metue cum in intellectu habitat Diabolus quàm cum in affectionibus for an erroneous Devil in the understanding will quickly prove a furious Devil in the affections as experience teacheth therefore we will be content to be esteemed simple still yea to be numbred if they please among those whom Plutarch saies were rudiores quam qui poterant decipi for so we hope the Devil will have more to doe to intrap us the Simple then he hath had to captivate and inthrall them the Subtile for as Esay saies their wisdome and understanding hath perverted them and caused them to rebell and from their wisdome doubtlesse their hopes doe arise to reclaim as they call it or rather to pervert us by their Labours for so they tell us they labour to reclaime us viz. from the Errours of Loyalty and Christian Obedience But they tell us they labour in the spirit of meeknesse that they Labour we beleeve their Predecessours have done so before them who have travailed Sea and Land to make others the Children of Hell as well as themselves but that they have any acquaintance at all with the spirit of
Sacriledge if possible 7. Authorize all base Libells all scandalous and lying Pamphlets that any one hath a minde to publish against Him though they be such as not onely the Authours themselves but the very Devill himself would blush to own 8. Kill Slay and Destroy all that love Him and think well of Him suppresse reproach ruinate banish imprison or murder all those Ministers of God that shall dare to alleadge Gods Word in their Kings behalf and fail not to shew speciall favour and countenance to all such Preachers as have mouth and forehead to belie Him and to defame Him from the Pulpits and that will speake of Him as if He were an Infidell an Idolater an Apostate 9. When you have brought Him to a most low and desolate condition be sure you Flout lustily at Him and hire fellows that are skilfull in scorning to write weekly Pamphlets on purpose to expose Him to be Ludibrium Hominum oppro●rium Populi for this was the condition of Christ His Saviour to which He as well as others who are Godly must be conformable 10. Let all your Consultations be only to throw Him down from that Excellency wherein God hath set Him although to bring the same to passe you hazard the destruction of all His Kingdomes But be sure you hold your own still call your selves His Great Councell and when ever you write unto Him let it be in this submissive form and stile We your Majesties most Humble and most Loyall Subjects considering with great grief and sorrow of Heart c. Can any men that have but the least spark of grace or modesty in them affirm that the Councellours who walk towards their King according to these or such like rules do deserve the name of the Kings Councell Truly we who are accounted Seduced having been brought up in the plain honest Protestant Christian Religion dare not either think or say they do we know there will come a day when all men shall be judged according to their works and therefore in the mean time our subtile Brethren must pardon us if we so judge of men for the present as their works speak them nor indeed dare we so much disparage the most High and most Honourable Court of Parliament in England to which alone the Title of the Kings Great Councell belongeth as to fasten the same upon such a Disloyall Hypocriticall unchristian and bloudy Faction as this now above-board is and which walketh according to the fore-mentioned Rules But what are those Titles or Language which in these his Letters we may see the King bestowes upon his Great Councell as they call it we find him therein Lamenting their pertinacy complaining of their Stubborunesse and bewailing the perversenesse of their spirits as Christ could not look upon such conditioned persons without Grief and Anger so the King cannot speake of them without sorrow and indignation for they were once his people though now they have plucked their necks from under his yoak perhaps sometimes he calls them by the name of Rebells and is there not a cause did not Christ call some that walked in such wayes as they goe in Vipers and Children of the Devill When the Jewish Nation whom God had formerly owned for his people did act the part of an Impetious whorish woman he called her Harlot 't is fit every thing should be called by its owne name and that the name Rebell is proper to them whom the King entitles with it we are able to shew by such strong Arguments as these their Champions for all their Subtilty can never answer for what ever wickednesse is or has been in any Rebels of former Ages is superlatively apparent in these men Let themselves but say what things do make and denominate a Rebell and it shall be Evidenced clearly that themselves have the same Conditions Are they Rebells that lift up a violent hand against the Supream Magistrate or that open a foul mouth against Him or that publish and Authorize base Scandalous Pamphlets to His defamation and dishonour that violently break all Laws both Humane and Divine If any one of these or all these together be the properties of Rebells then these men are compleatly qualified for the Title Or again is it the custome of Rebells to slight the Kings Authority to deny Him to be Gods Anointed to rob Him of His rents and revenues to cheat Him of His Arms His Ships His Castles and Hearts of His people to hunt Him up and down his Kingdome like a Partridge upon the mountaines If these be the Actions and works of Rebells then these men above all men have fully merited to be so called In a word if Absalom and Achitophel if Sheba the son of Bichri if Korah Dathan and Abiram were Rebells in their Generations then so are these in this for these have done over all the same things which every of them did do though with greater impudence and violence Nay if Satan himself in his seduction of our first Parents did act the Rebell against the Almighty then also have these against their Soveraign for they have directly proceeded in his method and way as might be shewed in all the particulars But these Examples are all so Evident in Scripture to peoples eyes that I shall leave the matter wholly to their own observance and listen to what these men say further having told us of Language and Titles which the King bestowes upon his Great Councell they adde Which we return not again but consider with Sorrow that it comes from a Prince Seduced out of his proper spheare What the King bestowes we have heard already what they return we shall see anon only in the first place we cannot but observe their Sorrowfull Consideration because 't is a phrase in great fashion even with them also whom they call his Great Councell who have many a time and oft told the King in their letters to him of their own great griefs and sorrowes But let their Consciences speak what is the true ground of their sorrow is it not this Because they that are able to doe so much to the Kings damage to raise so many Armies against him of his own people to corrupt so many of his Officers and Commanders for to betray the places committed to their trust should not yet by all their injurious and contumelious dealings which have been more then was ever offered to a Christian Prince by Protestant people be able to break his heart and sink him to his grave still they see he is strengthened by the help of God to beare his burden and they have heard haply of that his pious expression viz. Though God hath pleased to lay on me a greater Burden of Affliction then upon other Princes my Predecessours yet withall he hath in his goodnesse inlarged unto me an answerable measure of patience Let their own Consciences speak whether in very deed their grief doth not spring from this Consideration For if
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
nihil Regis quam quod genere Regio ortus erat In striking Henry of Burbon his intention was not to kill the King howbeit he called himselfe King sithence he had nothing left but the appearance of a King being of the bloud Royall Our Anabaptisticall Crew have their Chambers of Meditation too or their Conventicles where they meet with their disciples to whom they suggest as also they do in their Pamphlets and Sermons that the King is no true member of the Church because he dissents from them but a persecutor of it and is no longer to be obeyed or held for King then the Parliament or representive Body of the Kingdome in whom the Supreame power is inherent shall allow him so to be and therefore being now deciared by them to be an enemy to the Kingdome and one that seeks the peoples ruine he is to be accounted but as another man and hath but the bare Name or Title of a King as being borne of that family and stocke which formerly swayed the Scepter Now my Argument from all this stands thus who ever maintains that the Pope or Parliament may at pleasure alter Kingdomes exempt people from their Oath of Allegeance and arm them against their Prince do maintain that people in such a case may kill their King But this as appeares by their doctrine and practice is the Tenent of these men as well as of the Jesuites Ergo these men also by their Tenents hold it lawfull to kill the King The minor is proved already and the major is evident to sense and reason for no man wil doubt but a King from whom offer is made to take away his Kingdome will take Armes to maintaine his right and will labour to reduce them to Loyalty that stand armed against him and in so doing 't is impossible but he must run the hazard of his life since in defending himself he is resolute as in Conscience he is bound to be not to lose his Kingdome which God hath committed to his care without the loss of his life it self But perhaps some wil say that in some of their books and Sermons they disclaim killing the King yea though he were an Heretick or a Tyrant I answer the Romish Jesuites their Brethren in some of their books also have condemned not onely the murdering of Princes but also Rebellion against them though Hereticks and Tyrants but they meane sine permissu superiorum it is not lawful for a private man to do it say they of his own head untill he be permitted by his superiours but having leave and countenance from them if sentence and judgement be once passed that the King is a Tyrant or an Heretick or not capable to govern then obedience to the said judgement is to be given as to the voice of Christ So these when they speak against King-killing and Rebellion are to be understood until the King be declared by Parliament to be an Enemy to the Kingdome and to seek the ruine of it but when this is done then men may not onely arm themselves against him but kill him if possibly they can and by so doing they do but the Command of God and helpe the Lord against the mighty These be the nicetyes of Romish Jesuites and English Pharisees by which they inchant men they protest Solemnly that they allow not the murdering of Kings No not they but herein lies the craft they acknowledge none for Kings but whom themselves please to allow and maintain that to kill a King whose Government they cannot brook is not to kill a King but a man as they say masked under a Regall Title But indeed some of their faction have been more plain in their expressions and disclaiming this jugling distinction have declared their Tenents in down right English even as Parry of old affirmed that because Elizabeth stood excommunicated by the Pope he might lawfully kill her And as Catesby stood to it openly that because the Pope had not allowed the Catholiks to receive James for King the Powder-Treason was a work of Piety And as Raviliak affirmed that He had reason to kill Henry of Burbon because he would make warre against the Pope and so by consequent saies he against God for the Pope was God even so in this plain downright fashion we have had some of our Parliamentarians express their judgements and intentions that because the Parliament hath declared against the King 't is no sin to kill him yea they have professed that themselves would do it if they could reach him so long as he is in this condition not received or allowed on by the Parliament yea Raviliack-like they have affirmed that He wars against the Parliament and so by Consequent against God and therefore it would be a work not onely lawfull but also pious for to kill him such expressions have often fallen from the lips of many severall persons among them who might be named if we did Belligerare Hominibus magis quam vitiis And thus the people do now see how those who pretend to keep them from Popery do lead them into the deepest ditch and most Hellish puddle thereof themselves call the Jesuites the worst of Papists and yet hold with them in their worst of Tenents onely the difference is this the Jesuites place power and infallibility in the Pope and these place it in the Parliament for though these our Subtile Brethren will not like Romanists make a Pope of the King yet they will make one of the Parliament whose members are as perfect in their Seats as Pontifex is in Cathedra But I remember a distinction which the Secretary of Charles the 5. used to some English Ambassadours who upon his complaint of Pope Julius the 3. his foul play with the Emperour demanded of him how he being a Papist could excuse this unkindnesse of the Pope towards his Master He answered that the Pope was an honest man but Julius the 3. was an Arrant Knave so saving the Honours of the Right worshipfull as they are Members peradventure as they are men they may be subject to errours and be esteemed of according to their merits SECT V. 1. The falsity and injustice of the said Charge against the King manifested in all the particulars 2. Who they are that sit in the Scorners Chair 3. The Enemies reasons and ends of Charging the King with their own Conditions BUt we having now seen the Nature of their Charge we will consider also the Verity of it or the falsity rather for we apprehend it as false as foul as injurious as High were it all true yet according to Christian Religion and the doctrine of the Bible it were a great sin in them thus to object it For is it fit to say to a King thou art wicked or to Princes ye are ungodly When Saint Paul understood Ananias to be the Ruler he confessed he had done ill in calling him whited wall though indeed he was no better But
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 ●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
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
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
purpose do stil detain it from him Our observation of them hath been this They wanting matter to make their King odious to the world as they desire he should be did labour all they could to disable him from doing as he had said and purposed that so they might upon his failing have some pretence to tel the people he was perfidious and a Promise-breaker 2. Whether the Kings promises when first made were not intended performable only upon the Condition of their Faith and Obedience who now tax him and whether they have performed their duties in those particulars we conceive that as Gods promises so the Kings are made upon such supposals If ye be willing and obedient saies God ye shal eat the good of the Land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shal be devoured by the sword and again The Lord wil be with you while you be with him but if ye forsake him and walk contrary unto him He wil forsake you and walk contrary unto you If the Kings promises should be more absolute then Gods they might be sinful and so a sin to keep them though he had power beside faith and obedience doth not only make people capable of the thing promised but doth also inable the party promising to make his intended goodness manifest It is said that Christ could do no mighty works in a certain place because of the peoples unbelief Did mens unbelief weaken Christs hands and can it strengthen those of the King I conceive no man can justly tax the King of any breaches in this kind unless they can shew that his promises were absolute and notwithstanding their continuation in Rebellion and opposition against him or at least can name some one particular of them for which they took his word and waited on him in the way of obedience which he did not perform to the uttermost of his power 3. Whether those men who take such pains to have the King accounted it in the world a Promise-breaker be themselves free from the same crime whether they have been precise and punctual in keeping all their Oaths Promises and Protestations made unto the King If not it may be suspected that their Policy is greater then their Honesty and that they hope to cloud their own fault by means of this dust which they raise against the King as conceiving that men wil not be so uncivil as to think them guilty of that which with so much mouth and fieriness of Spirit they censure in the King And yet verily many are of opinion that it cannot be shewn from any story that there was ever a like pack of perfidious wretches under the cope of Heaven professing the Christian Protestant Religion that have broken more Oaths of Allegeance Bonds of obedience and Protestations of Loyalty then these have done Again I do further advise the Readers that if from any passages in these Letters they shal conceive they see in the King some failing concerning his trust and dependance on God that he doth not so totally cast himself upon his strength and providence as in their thoughts it be seemeth the Anointed of the Lord and as at the beginning of his troubles he resolved to do but seems to look out for other helps as of Forreiners and people of another Religion which in their apprehensions is not so proper for him a Protestant Prince to make use of Yet before they passe a rigorous censure against him after the manner of these men Let them also consider of these three particulars 1. That the King is in the state of Mortality and so hath frailties in him as wel as others Nor was it ever known that Faith was at all times alike strong and lively in the best believers somtime they have relied wholy upon God but somtimes again they have been ful of doubtings specially when afflictions have bin hard upon them and God seemed to stand afar off David at some time thought that God had quite cast him off and forgotten him though somtime again he could say that God was his salvation and when Peter that great Apostle felt himself sinking his Faith failed him Now considering how tedious bitter and heavy the Kings afflictions have bin we who are more frail should rather magnifie and admire the strength of Gods grace in him that hath supported him so far and so long then condemn him for his weakness the best of us perhaps had despaired and bin distracted or dead long ere this under the like continuance of a far lesse burden 2. That necessity is a Tyrant and forceth men beyond their wils and purposed inclinations and therfore Seneca wel Magnum imbecillitatis nostrae patrocinium necessitas quae omnem legem frangit it breaks all laws and resolutions and thrusts a man with a kind of Authority into by-paths it did David when notwithstanding Gods particular promise to settle him in the Throne of the Kingdom and after a large and frequent experience of Gods delivering him from Sauls rage he said I shal one day perish by the hand of Saul and thereupon used that which is now counted an indirect mean for his preservation the help of Forreiners and men of another Religion He sought protection from Achish king of Gath and indeed behaved himself in his court being there also put to his shifts somwhat unseemly And so Abraham notwithstanding God had promised him his special guard wherupon he had the more reason to be confident and to depend upon him yet being in a strait to save his life used an undirect mean two several times and hazarded the loss of his Wives Honour Our King hath had no such personal and special promises of Gods preservation as those holy men had therfore if he had bin so weak in faith as some wil happily apprehend him yet had he shewn himself therein but the son of David the son of Abraham It would doubtless better become the best of us to pray with the Psalmist Let not the rod of the wicked lie alway upon the back of the Righteous lest the righteous put forth his hand unto wickedness then to condemn or censure a righteous Prince for his putting forth his hand for forrein help in a cause of this nature when he is in danger to be deprived both of life and Kingdom but more of this hereafter 3. Let it be remembred how highly guilty of hiring and impolying forrein aid these his Accusers with their faction are who oppose his Majesty notwithstanding that great strength of ships arms wealth and men which are at home under their Command they have the aid of all men whomsoever they can get or hire to help them in spoyling the King they called in the Scottish Nation to this purpose and it is wel known by divers where neer thirty of their men being at once taken together Prisoners were found upon examination to be of six several Nations and all Papists wherfore then may
reason of the Abolition of Episcopacy that the Fathers of Gods Church might not have power to punish and suppress such kind of offenders 2. Because Episcopacy is the upholder of truth and order this is evident enough to be another reason themselves cannot deny that the same was first ordained established in the Church for a Remedy against Heresies Sects and Schismes which even in the Primitive times began to spring up among Christians the Smectymnists themselves confesse this and also for the maintaining of Order and Decency in Gods worship and service wherfore truth and order being the things which these men purpose to suppresse and destroy as appeares by that in-let which they have given to all false Doctrines and Teachers and by that confusion which they have set up in all places therefore a necessity lyes upon it Episcopacy must be Abolished as being a main obstruction to that their intendment or undertaking This is the second 3. Because Episcopacy is a great friend to Monarchy a maine supporter of it King James upon experience and observation was wont to say No Bishop no King which saying those that found most fault with it do now endeavour to make good unto the full for they intend the utter destruction of Monarchy in this Kingdome as will appeare by their words anon a form of Government indeed which their Faction have alway maligned and laboured to destroy King James in his Basilicon Doron pag. 4. which he made before he was King of England complaines of the men of this faction then in Scotland how they did use to calumniate him in their popular Sermons not sayes he for any evill or vice in me but because I am a King which they think the Highest evill and againe they informed saies he the people that Kings and Princes were naturall enemies to the Liberty of the Church and could never patiently beare the yoake of Christ which hath been the very Doctrine of these times Wherefore that wise King was most specially carefull all his dayes to countenance and establish Episcopacy in all His Kingdomes not onely as the main preserver of Religion but also as the speciall upholder of Monarchie and he layes it as a charge upon his Son to imitate him therein And indeed these innovators know full well that they cannot bring their designes to effect against Monarchy without the Abolition of Episcopacy for this keeps downe those unruly fiery spirits of the Ministry which are used as chief incendiaries in all State Combustions this restraines them from reproaching their betters and Speaking evill of Dignities this maintaines that Common form of Prayer in this Church established by the use whereof as by a daily Sermon of obedience peoples hearts are seasoned with Duty and Loyaltie in that they are taught continually to acknowledge God to be the onely Ruler of Princes and the Kings Heart to be in Gods Hand who alone must be sought unto to guide and dispose the same in that also we are all taught as we are subjects daily to consider that it is Gods Authority which the King hath and that we are faithfully to serve Honour and humbly obey Him in God and for God Viz. because God hath so commanded and because He is in Gods own stead by his appointment and ordination over the people And by many other such like Divine and Godly expressions people are taught in their use of that book to make profession of their Duty Loyaltie unto their Prince all which make directly against these men and their designes therefore Episcopacy the upholder of this book as the main impediment to their Project down the Common-prayer Book too without any reason at all alleadged on their parts that take upon them to be the Abolishers In a word Episcopacy with her Common-Prayer Book will not admit Treason to stand in the first rank of Christian vertues as these new-Reformers would have it nor be held the fairest and shortest way to Heaven Ergo She and that too must be both Abolished to make way for the downfall of Monarchy in this late most flourishing and happy Kingdom This is the third Reason The 4. is because the King at His Coronation did take a Solemne Oath to maintain Episcopacy it being the Government then established in the Church and the endeavours of these men are not only to destroy the Kings Honour by their Tongues and Pens His Body and Estate by their violence and oppression but also His Soul if they can possibly by forcing upon Him the guilt of perjury which if they could effect beside that unappeaseable grief which in so tender a Conscience as the Kings is they know they should create they would also purchase to themselves an Argument for confirmation of those their slanders already cast out against him to the same purpose viz. that he is regardlesse of keeping his Oath and Promise And besides too if they can make him their Instrument to ruine the Church of God which he loves so dearly and to destroy Monarchy and Kingly Government whereby himself and his posterity are supported if they can make him their Agent to ruine himself it will speake them admirable gifted and to have out-gone all the Machivillians that ever were before them most worthy therefore and fit to enjoy the Supremacy in the State and to be feared of all people And then further yet if they can get the King at their motion to Abolish Episcopacy they shall occasion him to break the Charge which his Father layed upon him to the contrary in his Basilicon Doron which he calls his Testament The Charge and Caveat there given is in these words Take heed my sonne of those Puritan● which aime ●t a parity who are the very pests in Church and Common-wealth whom no deserts can oblige no Oathes or promises binde they breathe nothing but Calumny and Sedition aspiring without measure railing without reason and making their own imaginations without warrant of the Word the square of their Conscience I protest before the Great God and since I am here as upon my Testament t is no place for me to lie in that you shall never finde with any Hye land or Border-theeves greater ingratitude more lies and viler perjuries then with these phanatick spirits And suffer not the Principals of them to brooke your Land if ye like to sit at rest except you would keep them for to trye your Patience as Socrates did an evill wife These were the words of the Kings Father wherefore should His Majesty let these men with his good will and approbation be principall in the Church and yeild for this purpose to their desires in abolishing Episcopacy God doubtless would be much offended with him for not minding the Commandement of his Father Yea and peradventure too these his tempters would goe neer afterward to suggest unto his Subjects for they have mouth and fore-head enough to do it that the King like his Predecessour Edward the
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 Irish●ob ●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
ill spoken of the same reason may be given for the enemies prevailing of late against the Kings men Though I doe not say that all on the Enemies side are free from this hellish sinne or so respectfull of Christ and God as the Turkes are in this particular for there are with them even with them also most horrid swearers and most execrable blasphemers but their evills hurt not us as our owne doe nor are so mis-becoming their Cause as ours are to that which we maintaine And indeed never any good undertaking had so many unworthy attendants such horrid blasphemers and wicked wretches as ours hath had I quake to think much more to speak what mine eares have heard from some of their lips but to discover them is not my present business a day may come when the world may see that we who adhere to the King for Conscience sake what ever is said of us to the contrary have as truly hated the prophanesse and vilenesse of our own men as we have done the disloyalty and Rebellion of the Enemy For indeed the truth is betwixt them both as betwixt two mil-stones the King his Cause and our selves too are ground in pieces and were the matter well opened it would appear that both those and these have had but one and the same end even to satisfie their owne lusts and enrich themselves with the ruines of their King and Country But without all question neglect of Religion and want of Discipline hath weakned and undone the Kings Armies O had His Sacred Majesties Commands and Orders for the exercise of both been put in Execution the Enemy had never been able to have stood before us 3. Popular Fury which is like the rushing of mighty waters comes also in to the making up of this Land-floud which gives the Adversary such occasion of glorying the Addition of the many though it can adde no true credit to their Cause yet it makes the successe appear extraordinary The People sayes Jeremy are foolish and know not Gods way and our Saviour sayes the Multitude walke in the broad way they are led much by mouth and noise and incline alwayes to the strongest their delights are to lift up those that are already up and to throw downe lower the already downe with them the winner hath alwayes praise let a man get power or prosperity how he can he shall not want vertue in their opinions A notable Testimony of this we have in that propheticall vision Rev. 13. wherein is foreshewn what shall fall out in these latter times we are there told of a certain Beast with many Heads whom all the world wonder after in regard of his Power and Authority which notwithstanding was not lawfull or rightly come by as the Text infers For the Dragon or Devill did give it to him and not God yet such was the blindness and fury of the People that they did worship and adore him for it And by the way let us here note that Satan is sometime said to give power by Gods permission as well as God and as that power which is gotten by honest and lawfull meanes is Gods gift of which kinde was that of Pilat though abused by him it was conferred upon him by the voluntary designement of Caesar the Supream Magistrate and therefore our Saviour saies it was of God or from above So that strength and Authority on the other side which is obtained by unlawfull courses is the gift of Satan and such was that of the many-headed Monster forementioned He is said to have received power from the Dragon because by fraud violence and unjust wayes he had gryped a great strength of the Militia into his hands whereby for a season he was succesefull in many designes Yea sayes the spirit vers 7. He made Warre with the Saints and overcame them He prevailed over men of all sorts small and great rich and poore free and bond and compelled them to receive a Marke or to take a Covenant and no man might live and trade buy or sell in all his Quarters that scrupled at it And in regard of this his great Power and success together all that dwelt upon the earth or in the Countries where he had to doe those onely excepted sayes the Text whose names were written in the booke of Life did worship the Beast wondered after him and admired him saying who is like unto the Beast who is able to make Warre with him And no doubt but the Beast did admire himselfe too for such his greatness and success among the People whose foolish and froward access indeed did make the same so extraordinary These I conceive are the chief causes of that prosperity which the enemy so much glories in what invisible reasons there be in Gods secret Councell for his permitting this I cannot tell but sure I am though the Adversaries may have received their power as that beast did to doe as they have done yet Gods Hand it selfe is in the Judgement as 't is a punishment And indeed we have sinned one with another and therefore are justly punished one by another we had made this happy and rich Kingdom the stage of our wickedness and therefore it is become unto us an Acheldama or field of blood and should God make it an Hell also for ever to torment us in it would be but our due merit and his true Justice Let us give God his due glory He is righteous in all his doings The Judgement indeed hath falne hitherto most heavy upon the Kings Family and Party and this I beleeve is of Gods speciall permission too but whether because Judgement doth usually begin at Gods own house or because we on that side are in the generall so sinfull and the best of us so little affected with these nationall miseries and so little humbled under our own I cannot tell Gods Councells are a great deep But let this be confessed to our shame of which I wish we could take more unto our selves for this is a time and season to do it in I thinke since the world began there was never so great a Judgement lesse laid to heart wherein so many are concerned then this is by us Alas Alas Who amongst us yet speaketh aright Who repenteth him of his wickedness Who lamenteth for his sin Who smites himselfe and sayes What have I done Every one in a manner still goes on ●in his old course and runs desperately upon his owne ruine even as the Horse that wanteth understanding rusheth into the battle We have those that seeme to hate Religion as much as the Rebells doe Loyalty yea that make Religion a mark of Rebellion even as they on the other side do make Rebellion a mark of Religion Nay I would they did not hate both Loyalty and Religion too sure they use those worst that are to both these best affected we must needs think that God hath an high indignation against such persons and disdaines sure
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
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
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 odio●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 secres●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
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 Hocci●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 ra●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
and precious in all our apprehensions scib. for that she hath been tam partu potens ●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 ma●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
the King vows Constancy to the Queens grounds and documents was written Jan. 2. 1645. when there was a way making for the Treaty at Uxbridge And a Rumor of somewhat the King would do had beed presented to the Queen as appears by the Letter in the ugliest form which also Her love to Her Husband might make more affrightfull perhaps it was that He would trust his person among them But what ever it was it seemes the Queen had writ thereof unto the King in Her former Letter and receives his Answer in these words IF thou hast not Patience to forbeare judging harshly of my Actions before thou hearest the reasons of them from me thou mayest be often subject to be doubly vexed first with slanders then with having given too much eare unto them To conclude esteeme Me as thou findest Me constant to those grounds thou leftest Me withall Now from hence they gather that The King vowes Constancy to the Queens grounds and documents as if at Her going away She had left certain Grounds and Documents as rules of direction for the King to go by whereas the words are not to the Grounds Thou leftst with Me as then they ought to have been but to those Thou leftst Me withall that is which I had formerly resolved upon thou shalt finde me constant in my ways and purposes I am still the same I was when thou leftst Mee and thou shalt never find Me swarving from the Grounds of Conscience Justice and Honour which Thou knowest Me to be balanced withall Let the world now judge of the Honesty and truth of these observatours by this their manifest forgery and of the Honour which the Parliament have purchased to themselves in publishing this Observation by Speciall Order The 38. Paper from whence they conclude that the Kings Councels are wholly managed by the Queen and nothing small or great is transact without her privity and consent begins thus Deare Heart I Never till now knew the good of Ignorance for I did not know the danger thou wert in by the Storme before I had an assurance of Thy happy escape I think it not the least of my misfortunes that for my sake Thou hast run so much Hazard in which thou hast expressed so much Love to Me that I confesse it is impossible to repay by any thing I can doe much lesse by words but my Heart being full of Affections to Thee admiration of Thee and impatient passion of Gratitude to Thee I could not but say something leaving the rest to be read by Thee out of thine owne Noble Heart By which words we see that the Letter was writ to the Queen after She had lately been in a great danger by Sea even to the hazard of Her life for the Kings sake and had thereby as also by Her discreet and faithfull management of affaires for Him beyond the Seas given the largest testimonies of Her true Affection as in his judgement could possibly be given Now therefore if in his Passion of Gratitude to use his own phrase he had professed to make Her of His Councell in all His Affaires yea and that He would thenceforth think it a wrong to Her to do any thing without Her I beleeve it would have been with men not disposed to quarrell a very excusable errour Some more expressions then ordinary or Con●ugall indulgence are allowable to any wife after so great an affright and danger as must needs be supposed the Queen was in to revive and lighten Her Spirit again But to a Queen to a Kings daughter to a Lady of such splendour and parts that had run so great an Hazard as a greater could not be imagined for the love of Her Husband what wel-bred Gentleman under the Sun but will blush to say that any expression of esteem can be too Honourable or too High to be used unto Her But if we look further yet into the Paper unto the words which they ground their observation upon we shall find them ●ttered upon another particular occasion for when His Majestie had testified his joy in gratulating His Queens deliv●●ance He discourseth to Her of another matter scil of His being persecuted it is his own word for places with importunity of suitors whereby He was put to a kind of distresse for an evasion that he might not if possible offend any by granting to some what others also gaped after for alas such hath been the Condition of our good King that He hath been forced to feare to offend and such hath been his infelicity that too many of those that served him did more seek themselves then him proposing as himself saies in another place severall recompences to themselves for their paines and Hazard in this Rebellion and if to one was granted what others expected and sued for these being frustrate of their expectations conceiving themselves slighted have grown sullen upon it and no more service would they do Nay peradventure dis-service rather to revenge themselves upon him and happy had it been if all Suitors for places had been discarded at their first appearance For doubtlesse those of best desert and most faithfulnesse have had more modesty and wisdome then to persecute and torment the King with any such selvish motions in these times of distraction as might any way tend to his disadvantage But the King tells the Queen in that his Letter of those his straits and how he delivered himselfe I answered saies he that having professed to have thy advise it were a wrong to thee to do any thing before I had it This is all yet from hence these nimble-witted spacious conceited fellows make shift to collect all this long matter and that plainly too as they think It is plain say they here that the Kings Councels are wholly or altogether managed by the Queen though She be of the weaker Sex born an Alien bred up in a contrary Religion yet nothing great or small is trans-acted without Her privity and consent and for this see Paper 38. Truly I hope all the world sees that this adds but little more to the credit of the Authorizers of this Pamphlet then the former observation did And thus have I also discovered the vanity of their exceptions against the King for his loving the Queen SECT XXII Of the Kings fault in labouring to uphold Monarchy His soliciting the King of Denmark to this purpose no whit Contradictive to his former resolutions of not calling in forrein aid ANother Grand particular beside this they have against Him and that is His imploying Collon●ll Cockram to solicite the King of Denmarkes assistance Whence they Conclude thus He makes not onely Papists our Enemies for Religion sake but all Princes though Protestants for Monarchy sake From whence all people must learne and beleeve three things 1. That 't is onely Religion and nothing but their Religion which the King doth oppose these men for yea and for their pure Religion it is that he makes Papists their Enemies 2.
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 Achero●●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 ●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 Lorrai●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 Lorrai●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 Burg●ndi●●● Dutch Wall●ns Itali●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
King for a slight esteem of his friends at Oxford whom they would fain seduce from him to which purpose they take great advantage from a word they finde in one of his Letters scil in Paper 13. which they dresse up for their own purpose with 2. more of their own adding according to their wonted honesty and affirm them to be spoken by the King and applyed to the persons of his friends But in answer to this matter or word rather I shall alleadge the Copie of a Letter writ by His Majesties own hand to Secretary Nicholas about the same I received it also from the mouth of the forementioned Gentleman of whom I had the former which to another purpose I have set down He had the perfect Copies of both though at a great distance but he had so well observed them that he was confident he failed but little if at all in remembring the very words Which to this particular were thus I Am very sorry that I have been so unfortunate to have my private Letters taken by the Rebels but if all mens private thoughts were seen as mine are I beleeve I should appeare as innocent as any it may be that many expressions in those Letters might have been prudently omitted but if one be well understood I care not although the rest take their fortune and that is concerning the Mungrell Parliament at Oxford indeed when I was disturbed in mine Affaires by Sussex and his faction in my passion I writ so to my Wife but both by the precedent and subsequent clauses of that Letter it may easily be understood that I meant it of him and his adherents And indeed let the Letter be read and to an equall eye it can appeare no otherwise to be intended then his Majestie hath expressed Yet these lyers in wait do collect from thence and tell the Lords and Gentlemen at Oxford that the King despiseth them all and that onely for their retaining some little Conscience to Religion and because they be not wicked enough to serve his purpose fully that is as they say afterward to think and act the same things which the inhumane Irish Rebels or the worst forreigne Enemies of our Religion and State could wish to be done and thereupon they compare their Soveraigne the most Religious and Gratious Prince that ever this Nation had to Richard the third who first rejected and then beheaded the Duke of Buckhingham because when he had furthered him in deposing and dis-inheriting the two Princes he was not wicked enough say they to consent also to the Murther of them and to advise the Lords and Gentlemen to take warning by the Dukes example and timely to turn away from the King unto goodnesse that is to their society it is sufficient only that I have related what they say that villany needs no further discovery or Confutation Onely I adde this those Lords and Gentlemen whom they labour to seduce and whom love and Conscience hath ingaged to their Soveraigne are not capable to be drawn from him by these mens insinuations or driven from him by their violence How cheerefully have they all Hazarded yea many of them sacrificed their lives for Him How joyfully have they endured the spoyling of their Goods for His sake With what admiration do inferiour men behold the cheerfullnesse and contentednesse of great persons in great afflictions and are ready daily to cry out unto them O Christians most truly Noble How much better have you learned Christ then we have done Assuredly as never Prince was more unhappy in many of His people then ours is so never was any more Happy in others of them then He hath been more truly beloved more sincerely affected even by some of all sorts and this Himself hath so well acknowledged and merited from us that our grief is that we have no more Fortunes and Estates to lose nor more lives then one to adventure for Him The Libellers doe but labour in vaine if they think to draw us from our obedience Another thing they lay to His Charge in these words He seekes Treaties in shew and wins upon the people by that shew yet chooseth such Commissioners and binds them up with such instructions that all accommodation is unpossible The Rancour of this Accusation needs no Confutation neither for how reall His Majesty hath been in his endeavours for Peace Heaven and Earth can witnesse yea the very choice of his Commissioners as these men well know notwithstanding their perverse Cavills sufficiently proves it being persons of such approved Honour and candid affections to their Country that none in the Nation goes beyond them and let the Directions which the King gave them be viewed by all men and judged of whether they be such as speak all accommodation impossible unlesse with the most unreasonable men living who will have no Peace O how oft as the world knowes hath His Majesty tendred them pardon for all their unrepairable wrongs done against him if they would but let Him and his People live in quiet yea How oft hath he been heard in secret to say O that I knew what I might doe to satisfie these men In very deed what these Libellers are pleased to report of the Kings Commissioners was true of those that were sent from the men of Westminster they were tyed up as themselves in open conference at Uxbridge did not stick to acknowledg whereas the King declared openly that he meant not his Directions to his Commissioners should be obligatory only by them he did acquaint them with his sense and left them free to themselves to doe that which became men of Honour and all this the Authors and Authorizers of this Libell knew well enough therefore from this their Accusation we onely learne of what great use sometimes to some men are brasse browes and hard foreheads They accuse him also for pawning the Jewels of the Crowne their Anger is because they escaped their fingers they can see no Errour in themselves for robbing him of all things el●e and bringing him to such a distresse as he was forced to part with them for supply of his necessities but they observe a great fault in him for not suffering himselfe to perish rather then Pawne his owne Jewels that these men want nothing but matter appears by this and will be more evident by and by For having vented as much Poyson as their venemous skill would serve them to suck out of the Kings inoffensive Letters to lengthen the Catalogue and make the heap shew bigger they begin to object as faults against him diverse of his former most affectionate expressions and desires for the good of his people hoping that now they have imbittered mens hearts against him with their virulent lies and perversions even his greatest indulgencies will appear distastfull The first of which they instance in is his profession Dec. 2. 1641. which they say was in these words I am so farre from repenting of any Act done this
vindicating my Lord the King from the aspersion of these men whereby they endeavoured to besmeare his Honour in their malicious Notes upon his Letters they aymed to make him as the Philistims did Sampson an object of contempt and scorne but their pillars being false and therefore weak whereon their building stood the same is fallen most heavie downe upon their own heads they hoped to portray him forth according to the Image of him in their owne minds by wresting his expressions to the highest pitch of misconstruction and charging upon him their own conditions but through Gods help those filthy Garments they arrayed him with are taken off and sent home to their proper owners And what ●s to be done now having uncloath'd the King shall I so leave him as many false friends have done that would not be so comely wherefore I will present him once againe as habited in another mantle more truly his then that other was though put upon him for the most part by the same men in opposition of that Act of theirs which I have undone I will set him forth in Christs Robes as cloathed with sorrowes and shew what a perfect similitude there hath been and is between our Saviour and our Soveraign in the foure last years of both their sufferings Such entertainment as Christ had such usage as he met withall from such conditioned enemies and such friends such temptations as he was assaulted with such wrongs and for such things such causes of sorrow and of complaint in all particulars even in specie hath our King had in the like manner observe I pray you and mark it well O all you Loyall English Scottish and Irish and you will say that never Prince had a more perfect fellowship with the Son of God in this worlds miseries then yours hath never was Christs yoke better fitted for any never did any beare a greater measure of his burden And if nearenesse in condition here fore-speaks a nearnesse of conformity in the life to come as the Apostle teacheth then think with your selves from what you observe how superlatively glorious above other Kings will yours be at Christs appearing First of all was Christ rejected of his owne people so the Text sayes He came to his owne and his owne received him not nay so farre were they from so doing that they denyed the Holy and Just one and desired a Murtherer to be granted to them This hath been directly the Kings case He hath been rejected by his owne people who have refused to own him for their King denying the Supreme power to reside in him which they have laboured to take from him yea with open mouth they have cryed out we will not have this man to reigne over us we are none of his Disciples we are for the Parliament they have preferred Murderers and Robbers before him chusing rather to live under the bloudy and iron yoak of such then to submit themselves to his most just gentle and easie Government 2. Did Christ complain that the foxes had holes and the birds of the aire had nests but himselfe had not where to hide his head and may not the King take up the same words all that was his is taken from him craftie Foxes and ambitious Kites have seized as a prey upon his Houses and Habitations when his Majesty at the beginning of these Troubles had travelled from Shrewsbury to Wrexham in Denbighshire and being to returne the same night he dismissed the Gentry desiring his stay with these words Gentlemen Goe you and take your rests for you have Homes and Houses to go unto and beds of your owne to lodge in and God grant you may long enjoy them but I am deprived of those Comforts I must intend my present affaires and return this night to the place from whence I came 3. Was Christ tempted in his necessity to distrust God to turne stones into bread for his present sustenance and hath not the King been tempted so to doe sure little else have they allowed him to live upon Was our Saviour moved to take desperate courses to cast himselfe down yea to humble himselfe unto his Creature and was he offered to be made a glorious Prince if he would so doe to have the Kingdoms of the world bestowed upon him by one that had no right to give them All men know that such assaults and such motions with such like profers by such persons have been made and put and tendered to our Soveraigne 4. Was not Christ accounted a deceiver of the people called a fellow an impostor a Malignant one that had a Devill and railed upon in all places whispered out of credit where ere he came by a Pharisaicall brood who sought only to themselves mens praises and hath not the King been so called intitled esteemed and used by a like selfe-seeking generation Indeed Christ and the King have like conditioned Enemies great pretenders to Religion and in that regard of great repute among the people were and are the the chiefe opposers both of the one and of the other the great Sanedrim or Counsell at Jerusalem were the Heads of the Faction against Christ and plotted all his miseries they made Decrees against him and his Followers and molested those that did confesse him they stirred up the people to cry out upon him and countenanced all men in speaking evilly of him they hired the Souldiers and men of warre to go out with swords and staves against him and as if he were a thiefe to apprehend him And hath not the Sanedrim or great Counsell at Westminster been the Authors of all such things against the King as Scripture affirms the one so alas doth experience confirm the other 5. As Christ was opposed by men of severall Sects and Factions as by Pharisees and Sadduces who were at odds enough between themselves yet banded together against him So is the King assaulted by men of severall Religions and Opinions as by Presbyterians and Independents who are divided sufficiently inter se yet both united in their oppositions against him nay as the prophane Herodians were admitted Associates with the precise Jews in their conspiracies against Christ so the most vile cursers and prophane swearers being apprehended likely by their greatnesse wealth or friends to further the designe have been admitted by these pure conceited fellows into their combination against the King and advantages taken from their private discontentments to hook them into their Association 6. As Christ was watched in all he did and perverted in all he said if any thing that proceeded from him could be wrested to a wrong sence it should be surely done but no notice at all would be taken of his Vertues or his Miracles yea he was oft accused for his eating and drinking with Publicans and sinners even by these men that would allow him no other Company for they had thrust him out from among themselves because he disliked and
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 ●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
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
for I am sure 't is not the way of Christ and God nor can I humbly acknowledge your great Labour and endeavours imployed these many yeares in the Reformation and preservation of Church and Common-wealth for I know no such matter but rather the direct contrary I love not to jeere you for such language to you I take to be none other then a plaine jeering of you nor can I tell how to give flattering Titles I am one of Christ's Messengers and have a charge to tell you aloud of your transgressions and of your sinnes perhaps there are but few that will in all things do it so plainly as I have done or shall do but as it is my duty so I thank God it hath alwayes been my custome and care to keep a good Conscience in this matter and though I am guilty of many sinnes for which the Lord be mercifull unto his servant yet praysed be his grace I never had any inward check for any knowne flattery of any in the serious discharge of my calling I hope I may without presumption say that I am as free from that sinne as Luther was from that of Covetousnesse I make no question if you can gripe me you the guilty Faction I meane will deale with me as your Fore-fathers did with my Master Jesus for my going in this his way of plainly detecting Hypocrites and evill men and therefore I shall keep my selfe out of your power so long as I can and doe pray that if it be my portion at last when mine hour is come to fall within your reach I may have strength and patience from above to endure the paines of death which I shall confidently look for at your bloudy hands though let me tell you one thing and it shall be only that which blessed Sanders the Martyr told your brother Stephen Gardiner you were best to take heed of shedding innocent bloud for truly it will cry And as Jerome of Prague did his Enemies at the Councell of Constance so shall I cite you to answer for it before the Tribunall of the most High and just Judge Well this being premised I doe now addresse my selfe unto you for the present in this manner Be it knowne unto you O you unhappy men you have been the principall instruments of all our woes and have given life and motion to all our miseries you are they that have most highly scandalized the Gospell of the Sonne of God by your acting under the profession of it most horrid evills as if that had countenanced you in your so doing you are they that have turned this well-ordered Common-wealth into a confused Chaos and have laboured with all your might to pull down the prosperous Government of this most renowned Church you are they that have persecuted and defamed a most pious King and exposed to eternall disgrace and suspition the Religion of the Protestants you have suppressed silenced banished murthered and undone many thousand Preachers and Professours of it you are they that have deceived your Countrey in abusing that trust which they imposed in you you would be accounted Patriots forsooth but you have acted the part of Butchers rather both upon the soules and bodies of your Countrey-men you would be thought wise men but your wisdome hath been only shown in ill doings you would be esteemed holy persons but where then is that harmlesness that undefiledness which should have appeared in you you have been full of bloud-guiltinesse yea of Rebellion which as the Scripture sayes is like the sinne of Witchcraft Majestie and Mercy were wont to be the strongest guards against Treason till your dayes but you have violently burst through that double fence and pierced through the privie maile of Innocence too Majesty Mercy and Innocence all have been rather as a prey to invite your evill natures then any guard to keep you back from offering violation O to what an high pitch have you ascended what transcendent impieties what blouds and blasphemies have you countenanced and committed quis talia fando temperet à lachrymis who without flouds of tears is able to expresse or think of what you have acted First for the Title of Patriots which you thirst after O had you been advised by your King had you closed with your Soveraign when he at first committed things to your care to order rectifie and settle for our good had you minded that work for which you met and made that your businesse as he would have had you how should we all have rejoyced in the very mention of you as of Patriots indeed how should we have hugged your names in our affectionate memories and conveyed them to Posterity with a charge to keep in everlasting Honour As Adam and Eve were our undertakers or representers in Paradise so were you in Parliament and as God to them so the King to you gave a Liberty over all the Plants and Creatures in his Garden restrained you in nothing save onely from one particular thing which was the forbidden fruit but nothing would satisfie your ambitious reach save onely that whereby you have brought upon us all Gods heavie curse and all kinde of miseries O how farre were you from the disposition of honest Joseph who being tempted to meddle with that which belonged not to him was with-held by the consideration of that great trust which his Master had reposed in him and of that liberty and authority which in all things else was granted to him And how did God soone after reward this his faithfulnesse by advancing him to as great Authority over the whole Realm as he had before over one Family wherein also all but the Throne was at his disposing in that only sayes Pharaoh I will be above thee which he good man was farre enough from seeking after for his endeavours only were to settle Pharaoh more firmly in it and to advance his wealth and dignity as the story at large tells us by which meanes he procured honour and favour sufficient to himselfe both with God and Man he lived desired of all and died lamented by the whole Nation O I say that you had had the wisdome and the grace to have imitated this Joseph this good Councellour of State you were tied in as great engagements of gratitude as he but you without any other temptation save only the corruption of your owne hearts have laboured to ravish from your Lord and Master his reserved jewell of Majestie and to rob him of his wealth and of the hearts of his people yea and to invest your selves with that Honour and esteem which with your strongest studies you ought to have fastened eternally to his Crown and Diademe Therefore you must never think however your flatterers doe bedawb you that you shall ever be dignified by good men with that Title of Abraes as Joseph was or be reckoned for Patriots of your Countrey I have read that true Patriots have these foure conditions 1. They will
not likely to be quickned by such endeavours yet our duty is to have respect to after Ages to prevent that the spirits of Posterity be not stained with a false opinion of our King as doubtlesse they also are like to be by those Bookes and Libels of the enemy conveyed unto them unlesse as much or more of ours be left too to present him in his true character to their knowledge Without question we that are now alive shal never scape the censure of succeding Generations viz. to have been too basely sluggish and faint-heared if such transcendent villanies should be acted in our dayes against our King our Religion and so many of us and many of us should not be found to have layed open the enemies basenesse to their faces nay when they that come after us shall apply themselves to write the History of these our times how will they be able truly to depaint these superlative Hypocrites in their due colours if plenty of our Books be not extant to this purpose to hint the notice of their true conditions Let no man therefore plead that writing will do no good as if silence could doe more or had done any I know indeed that much hath been writ already more a great deal then hath or may be read for the enemie hath set forth many threats and orders against such as shall sell or buy the same and hereupon many are discouraged from writing more And perhaps too many have feared to Publish what they have further written lest they prove obstructers to a desired Peace and so doe dammage to the Publike in regard of the enemies height and greatnesse but sure these men know not the spirits of this kinde of enemies with whom we have to doe who are such as will neither know nor own the way of peace but having made themselves crooked wayes to walk in as the Prophet speaks have no judgement in their goings their condition is Satan-like to triumph most where least opposed and to be most vexatious where they have least occasion resist the Divell and he will flie so hold these at open defiance let them know you scorn and contemn them for all their greatnesse as vile persons set the glasse of Gods word before their eyes make them know themselves and let the World know them 't is the only way to make them calmer and to bring them into order whereas say nothing against them and they 'le proclaime that 't is because we have nothing to say and that our consciences tell us they are in the right and so we are silent against our wills Surely the best and most Christian charity that can be shewn them is to reach unto them the proper fruit of their own wayes to feed upon for could they be but fild with shame they might be brought to seeke God And suppose they turn again and rend us for our love and use us the worse for our endeavouring to make them better what new thing shall they doe did not the Pharisees even the same in their dealings with our Saviour and shall not they by doing so confirm more fully to the world that to be true which we have written of them should they chase us up and down the Kingdome with their bloud-hounds to destroy us would it not become them better to hunt fleas then to hunt Kings nor could it be to the advantage of them at all or of their cause but of the truth rather and of us if they should prevaile against us even to kill us upon this occasion that which we maintaine is not the first of Gods truths that hath been sealed with bloud some think that every of his commands at one time or other must be so confirmed and why may not the fifth Commandement at this time as well as the second was in the dayes of Queen Mary to every thing there is an appointed season Whosoever is in the streight and narrow way must look for oppositions and discouragements but faith which over-commeth the world is able to carry through all them Christ was opposed in all he did as much as possible he could be by man he met with contradictments in all his intendments and undertakings even from friends sometimes as well as enemies Master spare thy selfe sayes Peter to him the like must we expect if we follow him but should not this rather evidence the divinity and justice of our way unto our own consciences then be any case of damping to our spirits Non nobis nati sumus we are not our owne nor must we be men of private spirits specially in these times Nay we must take paines and be content not to see the fruit of our labours but that others should reape the benefit of our sowings when we are gone After the death of Christ and his Apostles their Doctrine and Writings did most good in the world and so perhaps may ours when we have ceased to be are no more seen God hath promised his blessing first or last to honest endeavours but we must tarry Gods time Wherefore you in the first place to whom God hath given inward abilities up and be doing with the same and be confident the Lord will be with you Remember how they that imployed their gifts had more comfort at the reckoning day then he had who had hid his talent in a napkin You secondly that have outward strength be not backward to assist the weak in bringing to light unable births give none occasion to think or say those that had or look to have the greatest share in the Kings happinesse when the sun shines upon him are least regardfull of his Honour when the times are dark and cloudy You thirdly that refuse to further or countenance works of this nature I beseech you also doe but disdaine to hinder And you lastly who ere you be that look for salvation from the Lord rest your selves in him wait patiently for him fret not because of evill doers nor be you envious against the workers of iniquity for their present prosperity in their way they shall erelong be cut down like the grasse and wither as the green hearb be you in the fear of the Lord all the day long and be certain your expectation shall not be cut off He that testifieth these things saith surely I come I come quickly Amen even so come Lord Jesus The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen The End The Contents of the chief particulars discoursed of in this Booke PREFACE The Reasons 1. Of the Authors undertaking this worke and at this time 2. Of his speciall zeale against the sins of this faction which he opposeth 3. Of his prayers for their persons 4. Of his former intentions to conceale his name Sect. I. OF the supposed Authors of the Libell Of the Authorizers thereof and their speciall Order How fit the same should be recalled A president propounded
to that purpose A serious expostulation with them about the same and of their maintaining a base fellow to deride and scoffe at their Soveraigne in his affliction pag. I. Sect. II. Of the pretended end of publishing the Libell the true end thereof hinted Their blasphemy against God noted How these Letters of the King might have been made use of as Evidences of truth and Loyaltie Of what stock and lineage the Authors of the Libell discovered themselves to be Of their subtilty and of that spirit and meeknesse which they boast of How aptly for themselves they alleadge the Example mentioned by S. Jude pag. II. Sect. III. The Kings great and true affection to his people Evidenced How farre divers of them that call themselves His Great Councell are from proving themselves his good Counsellors The ten Rules or Precepts whereby they have proceeded Of the Language and Titles which they complaine of and how truly the name Rebell belongs unto them The true cause of their great grief and sorrow so often mentioned An impudent Charge against the King propounded by the Libellers pag. 23. Sect. IV. The Nature of their Charge opened Their villanous and bloudy Scope therein clearly Evidenced and proved How perfectly in their Tenents they hold with the Jesuites in the points of King-killing and King-deposing fully declared pag. 34. Sect. V. The falsity and injustice of the said Charge against the King manifested in all the particulars Who they are that sit in the Scorners Chair The Enemies reasons and ends of Charging the King with their own Conditions pag. 49. Sect. VI. Of the Kings Errour in following evill Councellours and who they were His Majesty scorned at by the Libellers for his tendernesse of Conscience and hopes in Gods Justice The folly and falshood of the Libellers Charge against Strafford and Canterbury The Enemies acquit the King of having a voluntary hand in Straffords death They hint the right Reason of his withdrawing from Westminster pag. 56. Sect. VII What that Liberty is which the pretended Parliament doe maintaine And what that Religion may be which they are about to set up Reasons to prove it may be the Popish Reasons to shew it may be the Turkish Six Arguments to prove it cannot be the Christian Protestant pag. 67. Sect. VIII Of the feigned Combination against the Parliament Our Judgement of the Papists and of their assisting the King Our abhorment of the Cruelties of the Irish. How they are out-gone by the English Rebels our Opinion of the Court-faction of what Flock we professe our selves to be How the Libellers and their side call themselves the more beleeving sort of people pag. 77. Sect. IX The slander laied upon us to be Enemies to Parliaments and Reformation Confuted Of pretended Miracles Revelations and new Lights The taking the Kings Cabinet in Battaile no Miracle The Libellers Argument to prove an impossibility of forgery in their Parliament pag. 85. Sect. X. Of that perspecuity and Modesty which the Libellers boast to be in their owne Annotations Their pretty confident way of perswading all men to be of their Opinions Their Reasons why they did not Publish all they had against the King pag. 94. Sect. XI Censuring Superiours unlawfull Why the Enemies must continue to slander the King How easie a thing it is for wicked men to deprave the best writings Of the Kings integrity and goodnesse And of Englands happinesse under him The maine Particulars of offence under his Government nominated No just matter of blame from them can now be objected to His Majesty pag. 102. Sect. XII The Adversaries industry to finde things unbeseeming the King in his Letters The Letters freed from any such thing Certaine Christian considerations propounded to the Readers to Evidence the same Of the Rebels pertinacy in their Rebellious way their endeavours that the Kings promises might neither be beleeved nor performed pag. 111. Sect. XIII Of their 3. Propositions at Uxbridge 4. Pretences for their Abolition of Episcopacy 4. True Reasons of that their impious requests pag. 123. Sect. XIV Their unreasonablenesse in desiring the Militia to be in their sole disposall 4. Vain pretences for it 4. True grounds of this their demand How sinfull and dangerous it might be for the King to grant it pag. 135. Sect. XV. Of their Vindicating the Irish Rebels how fully they have done it already in one sence and how glad we should be if themselves would go and do it in the other their true intent in that demand opened pag 157. Sect. XVI Of the Enemies late sufferings of their strange patience of their extraordinary great successe the true grounds thereof Successe no argument of a good cause The wicked have been alway wont to use that argument pag. 156. Sect. XVII Another charge against the King confuted of clandestine proceedings The Kings condemning all that be Protestants at Oxford a most impudent and malicious slander His Toleration of Idolatry another The occasion of the Kings promising liberty of conscience to Papists The reasonablenesse of that promise at that time and upon that occasion The objection of the Kings former resolution to the contrary answered as also his promise not to abolish the laws against them pag. 174. Sect. XVIII The King granting indemnity to the murderous Irish another slander The necessity reasons of making peace with the Irish at that time The conditions upon which that peace was to be made this Act not contradictive to any of his former expressions against their detestable doings The vanity of their charge against the King for going in a close trading way Two sufficient evidences of his Majesties sincere and constant affection to the Protestant Religion The whole charge against the King most truely retorted upon the objecters pag. 185. Sect. XIX Of the enemies malicious devises to scandalize the King with favouring the Irish Rebellion detected confuted The Kings requiring secresie of the Queen and Ormond in the matters writ to them justified The Rebels blasphemy against Gods Providence and in asking Gods blessing upon their Libell noted pag. 193. Sect. XX. What good use might have been made of the Kings letters Of the faults laid to the Queens charge specially in loving her Husband pag. 198. Sect. XXI Of the Kings fault for loving his wife The manifest and m●●cious falsifications and perversions of divers of the Kings e●pressio●s to his Queen noted pag. 207. Sect. XXII Of the Kings fault in labouring or indevouring to uphold Monarchy His Majesties soliciting the King of Denmarke to this purpose no whit contradictive to his former resolutions of not calling in forraigne aide pag. 214. Sect. XXIII The Libellers Cavils at the word Mongrill Parliament at the Commissioners at the Treaty at Uxbridge and at the Kings pawning his Jewels answered His Majesties affection and goodnesse to his subjects for want of other matters objected as a fault against him by these Libellers pag. 220. Sect. XXIV The story of the Rebels unchristian behaviour towards
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