Scotland by domestick dissentions stir'd up against him by Hay Creighton Bruce Graham and other Jesuites who furnished the Rebellious Nobility with moneys from Spain to carry on their designs Nor hath Ireland reason to rejoyce in their acquaintance where the Seminary Fryars of late dayes had gone so far as in Dublin it self not only to appear in their habits but also to affront the Archbishop and Maior of that City nor were they wanting to the erection of Colledges and Societies maintain'd by good Benefactors as appears by a Letter from the Council in England to that in Ireland Yet for all this hath their rebellious favourits dealt mildly with them though the Laws be severe enough and 20. years ago look'd upon this kind of mercy as a crime fit to be thrown in the face both of King and Bishop but how deservedly let any judge but Prynne whose malice and partiality is well enough known Nor need we much trouble our selves to prove the Jesuite somewhat medling their familiarity with the Anabaptists Quakers and such like Phanaticks being suspicious Of which many examples might here be shewn but that their common knowledge would make the Relation tedious only take notice that the very Weekly Gazet suspects Mr. Rogers and those of his Fraternity to have some Jesuite or Priest at the Helm with them And Mr. Rogers takes no good course to clear himself by endeavouring to vindicate the Jesuite from having any hand in our late Warrs which this following Story is sufficient to confute When the late King was murdered Mr. Henry Spotteswood riding casually that way just as his Head was cut off espyed the Queens Confessor there on Horse-back in the habit of a Trooper drawing forth his Sword and flourishing it over his own head in Tryumph as others then did At which Mr. Spotteswood being much amazed and being familiarly acquainted with the Confessor road up to him and said O Father I little thought to have found you here or any of your Profession at such a sad spectacle To which he answered that There were at least forty or more Priests and Jesuites there present on Horse-back besides himself The resultancy of this Story is home and pat and for the truth of it I referr you to Mr. Prynne Nor need we here relate the great correspondency betwixt the late Grandees and Cardinal Mazarini of which Mr. Walker gives us a hint and experience can proclaim the rest Nor is it probable that they should have no hand in the promotion of our late distractions as most beneficial to the Catholick Cause since they have been the chief fomenters of all other Wars in Christendom leaving nothing un-essay'd that may bring all into confusion as Ludovicus Lucius and others can inform you more at large Besides all this we might give some Extracts out of the Plot discovered by Andreas ab Habernfield 1640. September to Sir William Boswell the Kings Agent at the Hague and by him to the Archbishop and so to his Majesty A design managed abroad by the Pope and Cardinal Barbarino and in England chiefly by George Con a Scotch-man and the Pope's Nuncio The substance of which was that the Roman-Catholicks here should stirr up the Puritans to revenge themselves of the Bishops and the Scots should also be perswaded to Arms whence the English should so adhere that the King remaining Inferiour in Forces should be constrain'd to crave aid from the Papists which should be deny'd unless he favoured them with a Toleration which if absolutely deny'd it was contrived by sodain death to remove him But because we find the Reality of the Plot questioned by an understanding Gentleman we shall referr you to L'estrange and Prynne's Relation But let this Plot be as it will 't is more then suspicion that our Phanaticks have been beholden in many things to the Jesuite of which one example may somewhat satisfie They caus'd the Book written by Parsons Anno 1524. under the faigned name of Doleman and call'd A Conference about the Succession of the Crown which Book was condemned by Act of Parliament 35. Elizab. to be publish'd again under the title of Several Speeches delivered at a Conference concerning the Power of Parliaments to proceed against their King for Mis-government The Arguments and Precedents are meerly the same though the fashion of the Book be a little altered Parsons having made it a Dialogue and these men into Speeches And how agreeable to this Rule of King-killing they steer'd their course is impossible to be forgot as long as Memory or Record can be had in this World CHAP. IV. The helps and assistance which the Calvinist Presbyterian and Jesuite afford one another for the ruine and alteration of Kingdoms with their Plots to destroy the Government and Tranquillity of England THat the Independents should only be beholden to the Jesuits or these Fathers the sole Ingeneers of Wickedness would mainly over-cloud the Reputation of the Presbyterians who look upon themselves as active for any mischief and as cunning contrivers And therefore 't is best for them to go hand in hand each discovering to other what new Plots they have found out for the subversion of Governments By which Club they have afforded certain Rules to Politicians which have exactly been observed and followed by our late Schismaticks as is palpable by the following Observations And first we shall begin with the Plots of the Calvinists a people never negligent to promote their own Interests Of whose Sect as the Emperour Ferdinand affirm'd the proper genius is To hold nothing either Fraud or Wickedness which is undertaken for the Religion No sanctity of Oath nor fear of Dishonour hinders them A Chararacter like that given by the experienced King James to the Puritans the same with our Non-conforming Presbyterians of whom one gives this sentence Puritans and all other Sectaries who though scarce two of them agree in what they would have yet they all in general are haters of Government And to this purpose was the judgement of the wise Secretary Walsingham when to Monsieur Critoy Secretary of France he assured them to be dangerous and very popular not Zeal nor Conscience but meer Faction and Division and besides this gives a short description of their Cunning Jugling and Rebellion for which with the Jesuite they start strange Doctrines to be as an Umbrella to their Illegal proceeding Of which the learned Bancroft Mr. David Owen and an Ingenious Epistle Congratulatory under the Name of Lysimachus Nicanor will afford you many Instances Whereby you may see that the Presbyterians in their Principles and Actions have more of Rome than the late reverend Archbishop Land or his favorites Let Bayly and the spurious Irenaeus Philalethes or any others collect or steal out of him what they please The Calvinists being resolved to root the Lutherans out of the Palatinate took this following Method to bring their ends about as
denyes their Judicatory not being call'd by the Kings consent but for all this they judge him fit to be Excommunicated yet none would pronounce the Sentence against him till at last many of them being departed a young fellow named Andrew Hunter said that he was warned by the Spirit to pronounce the sentence and so ascending the chair read the same out of a Book This boyling humour of the Ministers troubled King James not a little which greatly augmented when they insolently refused to pray for the Queen his Mother then near herend though he had earnestly commanded them But the greatest of all was the execution in England how handsomly I know not though he greatly endeavoured to stop it But the King thinking to put an end to all tumults thought fit to reconcile the Nobility which at last he did Feasting them all at Haly-rud-house thence causing them to walk hand in hand two and two to the Market Cross at Edinburg where they sealed their Concord by drinking one to another The same peace he thought to have made with the Ministers but this not fadging all fell to nothing After this Huntley Bothwell Crawford Montross and Athol agitated by the Jesuits rebell but upon thier submission were pardoned Yet though the King was so easie to shew favour so was not the Presbytery who deprive the Bishop of Saint Andrews of all spiritual function for marrying the King's Cozen the Duke of Lenox his Sister to the Earl of Huntly though he did it by the King 's express Command yet was the King forced to dissemble his dislike of their insolency knowing their power and stubborness and having another thing in hand viz. his marriage with Ann the King of Denmark's Daughter whom to to fetch he presently took ship and married her in Upslo in Norway thence through part of Swedeland and Denmark he returned with her into Scotland where she was crowned though the accustomary unction was much opposed by the Ministry calling it a Jewish Rite abolished at Christs coming and introduced by the Pope After this Bothwell and some others conspire against the King endeavouring to seize upon his person at Haly-rood-house and Faulkland but without success and so was glad to fly into England The Presbyterie taking advantage against the King in these troubles Petition that the Acts made 1584. to restrain the insolencies of these hot heads should be abrogated which the King was constrained fearing lest they should also rebell against him upon a denyal in some sort to consent to Though the next year he assures them that he would not suffer the Priviledges of his Crown to be lessen'd nor Assemblies to meet without his Order but this they slightly answer by telling him that they will keep to the benefit allowed them the year before Nor shall they hold their tongue in the Pulpit upon just and necessary causes Such small esteem had they for their Soveraign though they would humble themselves to inferiour people in greater matters For when they had with the consent of the Council of Edinburgh made an Act that the Munday Market in that City should be alter'd to Tuesday The Shoomakers whom it most concerned gathered together before the Ministers doors threatning to chase them out of Town if they harp'd upon that string any more which was the reason of this Saying there Rascals and Sowters can obtain from the Ministers what the King could not in matters more reasonable Bothwell as aforesaid having fled to England for Treason returns again and being assisted with other Nobles and by the cunning of the Lady Atholl seizeth upon the King at Haly-rood-house where he constrains the King to pardon all and that several persons of quality should be turned from the King's service But the King getting to Sterling the Estates there decreed Bothwels actions to be Treasonable and the King not obliged to performance because forced whereupon Bothwell falling to open Rebellion is pronounced Rebell If the King's Authority could do this the Kirk thought they had as much power to excommunicate the Catholick Lords which the King the Lord offering themselves to Tryal endeavoured to stop telling them that they had nothing to do in such affairs but this denial so troubled and vext the Assembly that they order all of their fraternity to be in Arms For this insolency the King checking them they replyed That it was the Cause of God and in the defence thereof they could not be deficient Hereupon the King puts forth a Proclamation prohibiting all meetings yet for all this they kept on their Course so that the King was forced to yield Yet this procured him no peace though the birth of Prince Henry rejoyced him For Bothwell falls again into Rebellion assisted by Argile Arrol c. Nay the Presbyterie were so active in this Treason as to carry on his designs they give him the monies collected for the relief of their then distressed Brethren at Geneva By this means having got some forces together he fights the King's Party in which though he was not beaten yet shifts for himself dissolving his Souldiers Yet after this having joyned himself with some Catholick Lords to surprize the King again but being discovered flyes to open Rebellion and having with nine hundred men under the Command of Huntly beat Argile who had above 10000. upon Composition are pardoned but banished And Bothwell gets himself to France thence to Naples where he dyed miserably poor about the year 1624. The King for peace-sake and good policy had a mind to pardon and call home the banished Lords to which at last Mr. Robert Bruce the Minister consents provided that Huntly should not return but the King reasoning with him for Huntly too he imperiously answered I see Sir that your resolution is to take Huntly into favour which if you do I will oppose and you shall choose whether you will lose Huntly or Me for us both you cannot keep This is that Bruce whose popularity outvyed the King's who seeing one time what a multitude conducted him into Edinburgh said By my sale Bruce puts me down in his Attendants And this is he who had preached many years without Ordination nor would he be ordained which was the occasion of some disputes 1598. Yet for all this self-conceited pratler the Lords return which mads the Ministry who meet about it proclaim a Fast order inquiry to be made into their Favourites against whom they proceed with Censures and clamour as if the Kirk had been singing her Requiem The King troubled at these turbulent actions under his very nose by Proclamation dissolves them Whereupon they Petition him not to incroach upon the Limits of Christs Kingdom And these hubbubs were the more heightned by the Sermon of Mr. David Blake in which he ranted against the King Queen and Lords and call'd Queen Elizabeth an Atheist and a Woman of no Religion of which the English Ambassador complain'd and demanded satisfaction Upon
will defend me Difficile est Satyram non scribere nam quis iniquae Tam patiens Urbis tam ferreus ut teneat se We must be angry Who can choose but frown When Traytors thrive by a Rebellious Town If my fault be only speaking tartly the then Dr. Reynolds will assure this to be no such crime by telling them that there is sometimes a Necessity of sharp Rebukes and Mr. Hickman in this will stifly plead mine Innocency when he tells the World in these words that c If at any time I seem to depart from that meekness of spirit which is required in a Minister I shall desire that it may be considered not only what is fit for me to speak but what is meet for them to hear If I were to mention their fact who took the Reliques of Peter Martyr ' s Wife's carkase out of the Grave and after buried them in a Dunghill would you not allow me to call it Unchristian and Inhumane c. And in another place either himself or his Friends have bestirr'd themselves notably to plead the necessity and justness of my keenness by declaring to all people that If any where I have used more sharpness then is pleasing to men I shall only say that their hard grateing hath sharpned my style and made it more keen and piercing than I could have allowed my self to use towards a good-natured Adversary 'T is almost morally impossible for him who contends with a fiery and furious Antagonist sometimes not to be a little over-heated But yet I am very willing to lye under the lash of their severest Titles provided they will be so Ingenious as to distribute Justice with an equal hand If they look upon me as an hot-headed Rayler for calling them Rebels and Traytors and what can be more true I wonder how they can quit John Calvin from the same Epithet who call'd those who could not agree to his will Profane Impudent Brasen-faced Impostours Fools wicked Forgeries Perfidious Uncharitable Peevish Hang-man Plague void of Grace Knaves Serpents Devils Filthy Dog c. If they censure me as-an impudent and sawcy Fellow for calling them Hypocrites I hope they will give the same Title to John Knox the Father of the Scotch Presbytery and a great assistant to these in England This man had so got the knack of villifying that his Tongue could be no Slander Passing by those of Inferior Rank take some of his Complements to Queen Mary calling her several times a wicked Woman tells her that she was not sober merciful but cruel and wicked Mischievous false dissembling unconstant proud and a Breaker of Promises an open Traitoress to the Imperial Crown of England Nor is this all but he calls her Reign The Monstriferous Empire of a wicked Woman the yoke of the Devil her most Tyrannical Iniquity that most unhappy and wicked Womans Authority that reigneth in Gods wrath an usurped Government c. and calls his own Queen Regents actions Idolatry Avarice and Cruelty If they think me malepert for calling them Schismaticks they cannot handsomely quit Marshal Calamy Young Newcomen and Spurstow of the same guilt for terming the Reverend Bishop Hall false and confident self-confounding-man and of a confident boldness and that his Book is full of falsities and contradictions For ranting against Episcopacy as an Iron and Insupportable yoke unjust Opposition uttering words bordering upon Blasphemy A Stirrup for Antichrist to get into the Saddle Corrupt Prelates that they discountenance discourage oppose blaspheme Preaching that they are Rotten Members Sons of Belial And then thunders out strange things of their Intolerable Oppressions and Tyrannies Drunkennsss Profaness Superstition Popishness of the English Clergie and then talks of their Cruelty Tyranny scandalous Sins hateful Enormities and that the Bishops do encrease Popery Superstition and Profaneness And to make their malice compleat would gladly bear the people in hand that it hath been the Bishops great design to hinder all farther Reformation to bring in Popery and Libertinism to keep out and beat down the Preaching of the Word to silence the faithful Preachers to oppose and persecute the most zealous Professors and to turn all Religion into a pompeous outside and to tread down the Power of Godliness If they think me uncivil for hinting at their Perjury they cannot but be as angry with their Brethren in Scotland the Committee of Estates for calling that Famous Loyal and Religious Marquess of Montross several times Excommunicate Traytor Viperous brood of Satan declared Traytor whom the Church hath delivered into the hands of the Devil and the Nation doth generally detest and abhorr Impudent braggard lyer and malicious man perfidious Traytor a Child of the Devil Dissembling Hypocrite of a mean and desperate Fortune vain man miserable miscreant malicious man and accuseth him of wickedness base treacherous practises Rebellion and Treason and then fairly concludes that he is a person justly excluded from civil Society for his Treasonable Practises and Excommunicated from the Church for his abominable Transgressions And this way of Presbyterian slandring is bravely imitated by their gude Kirk who call the same noble General That Excommunicated and forfeited Traytor That wretched man that Monster of men that excommunicate wretch unnatural Man that perfidious and proud Atheist and then also concludes their Charity that he is delivered into the hands of the Devill If they have a bad opinion of me for giving them now and then some names which they think are attributed by way of Reproach they can have no better thoughts of Mr. Hickman for scornfully calling the learned Dr. Pierce a wanton wit uncharitable one that tumbles out his ugly Tropes and rowls himself in his railing Eloquence a deplorable Dilemmatist a doughty Disputant accuseth him of Malice Railing Impudence and Nonsense That his Book is full of bitter girds and scurrilous gibes and that himself foams out of his own shame and waxeth worse and worse The same party calls Mr Hobs a Prodigious Writer and Commune Dei hominum que Odium And terms the learned and ingenious Author of Tilenus Junior an Aethiopian scribler poor fellow and accuseth him of Impudence Nor is this all but throws his venom upon the late Supporter of Learning the Reverend Arch-bishop Laud by affirming that the flourishing of him was the decaying and languishing of Church and State Nor could either body well recover but by spewing out such evill instruments as he and Buckingham So that it seems in his opinion there was a necessity of murthering them both The same Gentleman can also tell you who sufficiently abused and vilified the Learned Dr. Heylin and Mr. Pierce and at last threw his malice to the purpose upon the poor sequestrated Episcopal Divines telling the World that a greater part of them were unsavory salt fit only to be cast upon the Dunghill And if reports be true he can also tell you who not long since call'd the Bishops Schismaticks and threw great reproaches upon that
party I could also tell you how Mr. White once a great Brother in Authority scandalized those who adhered to the King in the late Wars And what wicked Epithets another Brother threw upon the Book of Common-Prayer and severall others as Prynne Vicars Leyton and others mentioned in this Book But that it would be too tedious both for my self and Reader Should I tell you of the abominable railing scolding and brawling of Barlee Bagshaw and Baxter three noted B's you would bless your self to see these people who pretend to all Sanctity and Holiness to have so much of the Devil in their mouths Thus have I stopt their rage against me by making them more angry And if this do not satisfie them I shall treble it the next time yet might all this have been spared if they would as patiently permit others to tell them the Truth as they will impatiently throw Lyes and Scandals upon their betters But these People do not love to be touch'd on their sores though it be to cure them They say 't is one way to find a Thief to note who blusheth at the discourse of stealing but these men are farr from that sign of Grace Tell them but of the sins belonging to their Religion as Treason Schism Perjury c. they will presently fly in your face though take no great notice of other Peccadiglio's like the Baker in the Play who took all names and reproaches without any offence but being once by chance call'd Mealstealer was so inraged that he would have spoiled all their sport unless they had left off such close Reflections And thus much in part to pay them home with their own Coyn. As for the Author whilst a School-Boy he was too much sway'd to Presbytery and delighting in the Stories of our Times had none to peruse but May Vicars Ricraft and such like partial Relators By which means believing with the Ignorant all things in Print to be true was perswaded to incline to the wrong side But a little before his going to the University lighting by chance upon Dr. Bate's Judicious Book Elenchus Motuum he found the Laws and true Government to be opposite to his former Readings and therein the knavery and jugling of their Opposers strange things which he had never heard of before Which with some other assistance so farr prevail'd with him that in a short time he threw off Father Schism and ever since like little Loyal John in the Epitaph For the King Church and Bloud-Royal He went as true as any Sun-Dial As for the Learned in History neither Preface nor Book was intended for them And as for those who are not somewhat studied this way though they are not able of themselves to search out the Truth yet are they not obliged to believe all in Print If they finde something in these Papers not agreeable to the Canting Tales of every zealous Brother let them not censure mine as false because the other pretends himself to be a Saint These People though they make a great deal of noyse being commonly the most ignorant and partial in Humane Story To say no more If we believe every thing in Mr. Clarke's Story-Books we shall with him make wicked men Saints Rebels good Subjects and Schismaticks the best Church-men which all should desire to be really perform'd who wish the Honour of his Majesty Peace of the Church Prosperity and Happiness of the Nation St. George's day 1662. The Contents of the Chapters BOOK I. CHAP. I. Nothing so wicked but some will undertake and vindicate Pag. 1. CHAP. II. The Life of Ignatius Loyola the first founder of the Jesuits Pag. 6. CHAP. III. Some Observations of the Jesuits Political Constitution Temper and Actions especially relating to our late Troubles Pag. 10. CHAP. IV. The helps and assistance which the Calvinist Presbyterian and Jesuite afford one another for the ruine and alteration of Kingdomes with their Plots to destroy the Government and Tranquillity of England Pag. 15. CHAP. V. The Originall of the Commons in Parliament That the Clergy is one of the three Estates and the King supream above all Pag. 30. CHAP. VI. The Priviledges of Parliament and that in some Cases they are null and voyd Pag. 38. CHAP. VII The beginning of the Presbyterians with the wicked Principles of the Ring-leaders of that factious Sect. Pag. 42. CHAP. VIII The Rebellious Actions of the Presbyterians in Scotland till the death of King James Pag. 45. CHAP. IX The illegal malepert and impious plots and designs of our Schismatical Presbyterians in England in the Raigns of Q. Elizabeth King James and K. Charles till the beginning of the Wicked Long Parliament Pag. 59. BOOK II. CHAP. I. THe mischievous and impudent contrivances and innovations of the wicked Long Parliament 1. Their false slaunders thrown upon the Court and Church 2. Their affection to and siding with the chief of the Schismatical Incendiaries 3. The impudence and seditiousnesse of the Lecturers thrust amongst the simple people by the power and cunning of the Parliament 4. Their designs to alter the frame of the Civil Government 5. Their plots to overthrow Episcopacy Divine service and the Orthodox Clergy 6. Their stirring up the people to Tumults whereby they frighted the King and Queen from London 7. The small esteem which the Commons had of the King and Nobility whereby it is plain that it was not the King but the Parliament which occasioned and began the Warrs Pag. 73. CHAP. II. The Abominable Hypocrisie and jugling of the Parliament and Army till the horrid murder of his Majesty Pag. 106. CHAP. III. The inconstancy villany and monstrous Tyranny of the wicked Army till the happy Restauration of the King Pag. 119. CHAP. IV. The grand perjury of the Parliament and Army Pag. 130. CHAP. V. The wicked Sacriledge of the Parliament and Army Pag. 133. CHAP. VI. That some through ignorance and acredulous disposition prompting them to embrace their specious pretences might be charmed to side with the Parliament though really designed no dammage either to the Kings person or Authority Pag. 141. BOOK III. Â THat the Presbyterians were not willingly and actively instrumental for the uncapitulated Restauration of his Majesty Pag. 149 CHAP. II. The wickednesse of our Presbyterians in throwing Aspersions upon his Majesty and instigating the People to Rebellion by assuring them in the Lawfulnesse of Subjects fighting against their Kings Pag. 171. CHAP. III. The small or rather no Authority that the Presbyterians allow the King to have over them Pag. 197. CHAP. IV. THat the Presbyterians are but Conditional Subjects no longer obedient to their King or acknowledging Him then he serves their turns and is subservient to their fancies Pag. 207. CHAP. V. I. The wicked Reproaches the Presbyterians cast upon the present Episcopal Church 2. What small reason they have to desire Toleration from the King and Episcopal Party since they deny the same to them with their scandals upon the Church as Popish
the rest to follow and what effect it took is not ignorant to any who remember the Glorious and almost Almighty profane Titles thrown upon him by such Proselytes Thus have I heard and read of a Great man who made Books in his own Fame and Vindication in these late Wars and put them forth in other mens names as some suppose Annius threw his Labours upon Chaldaick Authors And somewhat to this a Writer prompts us to this Quaere Whether the Petition of July 1659. was penn'd by the Parliament and address'd to the Parliament and so the Parliament gave the Parliament thanks However this is more than probable That those who delivered the Hartfordshire Petition at the beginning of these Wars abused all the simple Subscribers the Petition that was deliver'd taking notice of several things done in Parliament the very night before its delivery in which time it was impossible to get so many Thousand hands and then travel to London on that Errand of which abuses the King himself took special notice unless their Messengers had been as swift as the Spirit Orthon-Mercury to Corasse and the Count de Foix or those who carryed the Noble Lombard from Egypt to Pavia in one night III. But because a meer Exercising of their Religion was not sufficient unless they might have Publick places for such duties they earnestly desire and Petition that they might have but one Church or two allotted them for such Publick Duties thereby to appear as the face of a Congregation All things at first have but a small beginning Those who endeavour the hopes of their Towring Expectations at the first on-set may like Phaeton bring a ruin to themselves and designs which the Independents knew well enough and so desired as the case then stood rather to grow up by degrees than by too hasty swelling to burst with the Toad to their own Confusion What Petitions have been pressed to the Parliament by self-ended Schismaticks to have places allotted them for Preachments is troublesome to remember at this time yet Mr. Edwards informs us of divers drawn up twenty years ago for a Toleration of some Congregations to enjoy an Independent Government and to be exempted from that which should be establisht by Law And some two years after this 1643. the Independents in their Apologetical Narrative presented to the Parliament shew'd themselves so humble that they might thereby gain Pity and Toleration that they concluded that they pursued no other Interest or Design but a Subsistence be it the poorest and meanest in their own Land c. But how well this self-denying desire agreed with their after usurping Incroachments is known well enough Phil. Nye and Tom. Goodwin the main contrivers of this Petition stealing to themselves the best Preferments in the Nation and the richest Indowments both in University and Countrey being divided amongst the rest so that the Proverb was now verified Give an Inch and take an Ell. IV. The Calvinists having now got liberty to exercise their faculty in Preaching and that publickly so that that they seem'd to keep equal pace with the Lutherans an Edict as if only for quietness sake was publisht that neither Party should cast aspersions upon one another Which at length proved no small lift to throw the Lutherans first out of favour and then their places for then they durst not contradict the Calvinists who were now Favourites and by consequence might with some liberty throw dirt in their Antagonists faces Besides this degrading of the Lutherans was a sufficient disgrace to them amongst the Vulgar who are commonly so politick as to side with the strongest party so they rest secure as experience hath told us at home King James in his Directions concerning Preachers strictly prohibited them from using any bitter invectives or undecent railing speeches But this was not long observed in King Charles his raign for what could not handsomly be acted in the Pulpit was in the Press though at last the former was not a little abused by scolding Burton and such like hot-headed Cushion-thumpers and Paper grew scant with the swarms of Invective Pamphlets against both Church and State Than which scandalous Libels nothing brings more detriment to a Nation as a French States-man observeth They drawing like Orpheus the brutish Vulgar a thing most capable of Sedition to dance after whatsoever they are tuned to especially if skrew'd up to the hopes of high preferment A design most wicked as being composed of horrid juggling really intending one way though they seem to carry fair for another the pretence pointing at the Reformation of when the effect brings destruction to the Kingdom By this means the Parliament and Presbyterian got applause from the people who are apt to believe and remember falshood more than truth whereby the number and confidence of their Proselytes increast to such an height that they were able to maintain and vindicate their Pamphleteers with a strong hand though not by Reason and Law So that it was more than a common danger to write any thing though truth against the Parliament but to vilifie the King was no small hopes of preferment and credit as appears by the multitude of Pamphlets and the licensed Gazets weekly flying about in 1648. where Tyranny Hypocrisie Perfidiousness were commonly attributed to his Majesty When as the Ingenuous Mr. Walker must end his dayes in the Tower for telling true tales abroad But when a great part of the Parliament it self must be look'd upon as rotten Members for adhering to the King and the rest of them shackled for demanding their priviledges and freedom 1648. which they had so long pretended to fight for What punishment might poor people expect for presuming to pry into such Great-mens Errors If a whole Army will undertake to vindicate the words and wishes of Symbal Wade and White whereby the Murther of his Majesty was desired that man can expect no great incouragement who endeavours lay to open the Villanies of such Sectaries V. Then as if to give some content a Disputation was held but a Calvinist appointed Moderator who was afterwards made Professor 'T is nothing here to my purpose to discourse whether these Polemical Exercises upon a publick account brought either Satisfaction to the Auditors or Tranquillity to the Nation and few are like that betwixt the two Reynolds's where both conquer'd both turn'd and yielded I shall therefore let that rest since the thing self as yet is sub judice The subtile Calvinists in Germany will make themselves Moderators in their own Cause and their Brethren in England must either be Umpire betwixt the King and themselves or else all the fat is in the fire and God knows what unheard of Priviledges lost When the King at their desire upon hopes of Peace yields to call in all his Proclamations against them and Essex as Traytors if they would take off Malignancy from his followers they would not yield to Overtures
himself loyal and rational be judge And truly what itching ears for Innovation and against Regal Authority some of the forraign Presbyters have is something palpable from the Letter of Gisbertus Voetius wherein he doth not only commend Prynne's Soveraign Power of Parliaments but saith that it ought to be translated into Latin and French for the benefit of the Reformed Divines and Politicians And Prynne himself tells us that it is translated into several Languages And what Pleas they may suck out of such Books against Monarchy cannot be ignorant to those who have seen what mischief the counterfeit Name of Junius Brutus a fit name for such a murtherous mind though the true Authour is supposed to be Beza and that printed in divers Languages hath laid open to those who are willing to perpetrate wickedness And how consentaneous to the Doctrines laid down in these Pamphlets their actions have been their often Rebellions in France but more especially in the dayes of Lewis the 13 th will shew us whom though he had pardoned several times yet would they never keep Articles but upon every advantage fly to their Arms again looking upon Regal Authority only as a Bug-bear to afright Children hoping in time by dwindling it to nothing to raise themselves to Superiority And how many men by these false Positions may be drawn to Schism and Rebellion is manifest from this one Example In King James his time one Knight a young Divine Preach'd at St. Peters in Oxford and in his Sermon maintain'd the Presbyterian Doctrines above specified for which being call'd in question he laid the fault upon some late Divines in forraign Churches who had misguided him in that point especially on David Paraeus who had asserted these Doctrines upon which his Comment on the Romans was publickly and solemnly burnt at Oxford 1622. June 6 th Cambridge and St. Paul's Cross in London The famous University of Oxford in a full Convocation concluding 25. June 1622. That such assertions were contrary to Scripture Councils Fathers the Faith and Profession of the Primitive Church and Monarchy it self and therefore condemned them as false wicked and seditious And did also affirm That according to the Scriptures it is not lawful for Subjects upon any terms to resist their King or Prince no not to take up Arms against him either for Religion or any other account whatsoever And for more sureness they did also Decree that every one before he took a Degree should swear to this The Opinion delivered in the sentence of these two famous Universities I shall value more than of an Assembly or Classis made up of all the Presbyterians in the World The consideration of these Disciplinarian Maximes I believe did make our ingenious Satyrist cry out Our Zeal-drunk-Presbyters cry down All Law of Kings and God but what 's their own If you desire to see any more of their wild and extravagant Principles you may consult Archbishop Bancroft's Industrious Book a piece that I am sorry is so scarse as it is and that for want of Re-printing while Calvert's shop dayly labours with the multitude of Fanatick Pamphlets and such Books as Smectymnuus must be printed and printed again and that with the addition of a long Preface by a great Time-serving Divine CHAP. VII The Rebellious Actions of the Presbyterians in Scotland till the Death of King James HOw agreeable the practise of the Brethren have been to these Treasonable Notions afore specified shall here in brief be laid down by their tumultuous Carriages in Scotland Whither these Principles kindled with a fiery zeal enough to eat up whole Kingdoms were carryed and the furiousness of them greatly augmented at the return of John Knox that great Incendiary of the Nation and Kirk of Scotland as a learned Doctor calls him from Geneva 1559. A man that still had the misfortune to carry Warr and Confusion along with him as if like Hippocrates's Twins he and they were inseparable witness the Combustions he made at Franckfort amongst the poor English Protestants fled thither for Religion where he was not undeservedly accused of High-Treason against the Emperor by comparing him in print to Nero and calling of him Enemy to Christ c. For which crimes he was forced to sculk away to Geneva thence to Deep in France and after that to Scotland whence after few weeks stay he fled back to Geneva but not setling there he returns to Deep again from which place he wrote divers Letters to the Scots to stirr them up to Rebellion and having by that means wrought some confidence among them returned to Scotland again By these Principles distill'd amongst them by this wandering Brother and the deadly Feuds of old betwixt the Nobility the Nation became miserably distracted The Kings and Queens thinking it hard measure to have their undoubted Rule and Soveraignty pluck'd from them by such inferiour Instruments and Vassals And on the other side the Congregators for so they then call'd themselves back'd on by several Hot-spurs scorned to yield subjection to any but themselves so that the disturbed Kingdom appeared to be governed by two distinct Authorities like Caesar and Pompey one party disdaining an Equal whilst the other denyed a Supream The Presbyters so farr extolling their own Priviledges as Christs Embassadours that many thought there was no Antichrist but Kings and such Civil Authority which cogitations nurst in them such a small esteem of their Rulers or Laws that they did not only think that to be their right which was most agreeable to their own humours but also that they might gain such things to themselves by the Sword As if Subjects need any more Priviledge then the course of Law At the beginning of the Reformation in Scotland the Queen-Regent favourably because contrary to her Religion allowed them the Bible in their own Language But they not content with this use their wonted Master-peice of Reviling upon which she was constrained to send for some of their Preachers to appear before her who accordingly came but with such a multitude of favourites and attendants that through fear of her own Person she was obliged to order by Proclamation all to depart who came unsent for a thing alwayes usual in the best of Governments yet was this so offensive to the Brethren that they throng in Tumults into her Privy-chamber and there threaten her with their weapons an act quite contrary to the Apostles and Primitive Christians so that she was constrained to pleasure them Afterwards she allows them liberty to use their Prayers and Service in the Vulgar Tongue provided they kept no Publick Assemblies in Edenbourgh or Leith for avoiding Tumults And in their Petition to her for the obtaining these favours they acknowledge that the Redress of all Enormities both Ecclesiastical and Civil did orderly belong to her But this acknowledging of her Authority lasted not long for when presently afterwards they demanded more liberty with a
their inspirations and commands from Geneva thought fit for example sake and fear to let the Law so much by them violated take her course whereby Copping and Thacker were hang'd at Saint Edmondsbury in Suffolk Barrow and Greenwood were executed at Tyburn Coppinger dyed in Prison and Hacket was hang'd by the Cross in Cheapside the two last were more extravagant then the rest falling to open blasphemy Nor did John Penry a Welshman escape this was the man who made those scurrilous Pamphlets against our Church under the title of Martin Mar Prelate a man so much guilty of his own villanies that with Cain he feared death from every mans hand and therefore was forced to sculk and ramble amongst his brethren for protection so that his Antagonist was not amisse when he sang of him thus Qui tantum constans in knavitate sua est He was taken at Stepney and condemned for felony and hang'd at Saint Thomas Waterings Upon whose death an honest Northern Rimer made these Couplets The Welshman is hanged Who at our Kirke flanged And at our state banged And brened are his buks. And though he be hanged Yet he is not wranged The De'ul has him fanged In his kruked kluks Besides these Udal Billot Studley and Bouler were condemned yet through the Queens mercy were reprieved and Cartwright and some others were imprisoned These round dealings did a little terrifie the rest of them and gave a check to the furiousnesse of the wiser sort But yet having some of the Nobility their Patrons whether for Conscience or Policy let others judge as Leicester Lord North Burleigh Shrewsbury Warwick Walsingham Sir Francis Knollys Mr. Beal Clerk of the Council and others they took heart again and proceeded in their Consultations and Actions as formerly Nor was Arch-bishop Grindal thought to be so vigilant as his place required for which he got the Queens displeasure Yet formerly had they kept meetings of some of their Ministers to carry on their intended innovations but privately for fear of discovery The first known to be kept in England was at Wandsworth in Surry 1572. Novemb. 20. Another they had at Cockfield in Suffolk where threescore of their Ministers met 1582. May 8. where they consulted concerning our Common-Prayer-book Canonical Apparel and other Ceremonies of the Church though they had no call but their own presumption And because they resolved to be vigilant they had another Synod passing by one also the same year at Cambridge where was drawn up a form of Discipline scorning to submit to Ours or Anthority by which they were to be guided of which thus a painful and learned Antiquary will inform us Inventing out of their own corky brains a new certain no-form of Liturgy to themselves thereby to bring into the Church all disorder and confusion And in the same Assembly they made a Collection for their Scottish brethren who fled into England for their guilt of high Treason and what loyalty can be expected from such traiterous Assistants let moderate men judge though I am apt to give some credit to one of our old English Versifyers Nor Queen in her Kingdom can or ought to sit fast If Knox or Goodman's books blow any true blast After this another Synod was held at Coventry 1588. June 10. where they imperiously condemned the reading of Homilies Crosse in Baptism that Bishops ordination by them and their autherity are all unlawful and that a Bishop is neither Doctor Elder nor Deacon And besides all this they decree that occasions are to be sought to bring the people in liking to their Discipline and that those of deeper apprehensions shall be drawn to it by all private allurements possibly And these positions with others were carried cunningly abroad to be subscribed by all to make their faction more unanimous And many other Meetings and Assemblies they had at London Oxford Cambridge and other places to carry on their designs as appears by the confession of Mr. Thomas Stone and the Collections of the Right Reverend Bancroft And so powerful were they grown amongst some of the Nobility and Gentry that at the Parliament at Westminster 1585. they were so vigilant by their whispering with the Members day and night that if the Queen had not interposed her authority they might have given the Bishops a scurvy lift by the assistance of their Schismatical Brethren by them voted into the House To this Parliament the Non-conformists having framed another Book by them called A Book of the Form of Common Prayers c. in which was contained the substance of their pretended Discipline To this Representative I say in them having great hopes they presented this book With this Petition May it therefore please your Majesty that it may be Enacted that the Book hereunto annexed Intituled A Book of the Form of Common-prayers Administratien of Sacraments and every thing therein contained may be from henceforth authorized put in ure and practised throughout all your Majesties Dominions By this they shewed themselves no enemies to set Forms of Prayer but only that they not others should have the honour of making it Like the Cardinal who confess 't that Reformation was necessary but was vext that Luther should undertake it And at the Dissolution of this Parliament Queen Elizabeth takes special notice of our Innovators for finding fault with our orderly Church-government the which humour she not unfitly terms New fanglednesse I might here tell you of many more bold actions in this Queen's time used by these Renegadoes as a very serious and learned Gentleman calleth them But only one shall instance for an hundred to shew you how partial they were in all their dealings as to make the Proverb true that Kissing goeth by favour and this shall be of one of their grand Masters viz. Mr. Snape and thus it was in brief Mr. John Nelson of Northampton one of their Elders or Deacons had his Worship's daughter classically got with child by his serving-man nor durst the Elders maid associate with the same species that the Mistris doth For this Snape brings the poor man to publick repentance and ignominy amongst his neighbours nor do I blame him if he had used the Gentlewoman so too and impowred to do it but she O she was the Daughter of a rich Brother and Sectaries were of old observed to gain most by pleasuring simple women and colloguing with those who had full coffers She therefore good soul was esteemed to run counter to the Primitive Fall there the woman but here the man or rather poverty is judged the tempter But because the Country had both eyes and ears therefore a marriage was thought most plausible to vindicate the Brethren the which was accordingly performed by a lame Souldier of Barwick by the appointment of Snape by whose order the same Souldier had married many others at the same place And it may be Barebone's Parliament drew their new model of coupling
to the contrary who as story saith is true to his promise with those Miscreants who contract with him so that his Majesty might now be dumb with astonishment when six years before he cryed out with grief And are all the specious promises and loud professions of making us a great and glorious King Of setling a greater Revenue upon us then any of our Ancestors have enjoyed of making us to be honour'd at home and fear'd abroad resolved into this Yet doth the King yet live as a Saint as well as a Martyr in the memory of good men and as long as Learning or Piety are permitted to adorn the world his divine meditations will be had by every one in greater esteem then Alexander had of Homer Antonius Caracalla of Oppians Verses or the Lord Burleigh of Tully's Offices Such is the excellency of the style the strength of its reason the noblenesse of its Subject that malice it self cannot deny but that the Royall Composer hath excell'd all other humane pen-men Nor was the fame of his quil only made known to this Island but forraigners allow him the priority of all others in this virtue But I shall conclude this sad Tragedie and Murther with the Stanza's of a good Historian and Poet. What dissolute proceedings have we here What strange presumptuous disobedience What unheard fury void of awe or fear With monstrous unexampled insolence Durst Subjects ever here or any where Thus impiously presume so fowle offence To violate the power commanding all And into judgment Majesty to call Fame hide it close and do not carry word To after-coming ages of our shame Blot out of Books and rase out of Record All Monuments memorials of the same Forget to tell how we did lift our sword And envious idle accusations frame Against our lawful Soveraign when we ought His end and our release have stay'd not sought CHAP. III The Inconstancy villany and monstrous Tyranny of the wicked Army till the Restauration of his Majesty THus did the Rump tryumph when separated from the secluded Members The which outing was as great a Providence as any that hath hapned to the distracted Kingdoms these many years the miraculous restauration of his Majesty excepted For if they had admitted the King to his Title again yet had it been so qualified that his Authority and honour had lain in the dust his friends and our ancient Church utterly distroyed and discredited and an abused Nation trampled upon by a tyrannizing and schismatical Presbytery The Rump being thus a Cock-horse acted on with more wickedness then the 30 Athenian Tyrants there being no good Theramenes at Westminster as there was at Athens honestly to oppose our unheard of Villanies who presently Vote the House of Lords uselesse and dangerous and the Kingly-Office unnecessary and burthensome And for the better carrying on of their designes order a Committee of Estates consisting of several Lords and Commons who were to sit in White-Hall and rule the Militia and Navy and look after the Trade and safety and peace of the Nation and this to continue a year and no longer And makes it treason for any to proclaim the King vote themselves a Free State and a Common-wealth and order an Engagement to be taken all England over to be true and faithful to them And having thus secured themselves they ruled the roast till 1653. In which year they were pul'd out by the eares by their Generall and darling Cromwel and his hireling Red-coats who affirm'd Wisedome and direction being sought from the Lord it seem'd to be a duty incumbent upon us who had seen so much of the power and presence of God going along with us And that we were bound by necessity and providence to act as we have done even beyond and above our own thoughts and desires The Rump being thus squeezed out Oliver began to be all in all and so for some daies the Nation remain'd without any Government but what reflected from the beams of his Orient Nose in which time the Fleet and the Army in Scotland with others congratulate his valour against the Beasts at Westminster and resolve to stick to him as was formerly concluded upon amongst themselves Yet at last after some consultation a Councill of State was order'd to sit till another Representative be call'd he and his Officers acting at pleasure At last as the King doth with the Peers so did he with his confiding Commons sending out his Letters to every man who should sit whereby none were permitted but such as he pleas'd The men that were summon'd by his particular writs above a hundred in number accordingly met at White-Hall where their Patron Cromwell made a canting Speech to them and then gave them an Instrument under his own fist and seal whereby he constituted them the Supreme authority of the Nation taking himself to be Don Quixot's Knighterrant to whom all things were common This conventicle puts me in mind of that Parliament kept at Coventry in Henry the sixths time which was afterwards declared a devilish Councill and only celebrated for the distruction of the Nobility and no lawful Parliament Because they which were return'd were never elected according to the due order of the Law but secretly named by them which desired rather the destruction then the advancement of the Common-wealth The majority of these men were according to Olivers own heart being of his own fraternity by whose compliablenesse he knew was the only way to make himself more great To bring which to pass upon some instinct or other they and he together dissolve themselves A great part of them with their gray headed Speaker going to Oliver and deliver'd him the power that they pretended to have receav'd from him whose wicked working-noddle was not unlike Ismens in Tasso who I suoi Demon negli empi uffici impiega Pur come servi egli discioglie elega Could Devills imploy to act what he design'd And them as if his slaves could loose and bind Now were we again left without any shew of Government but what lay in the sword and breasts of Cromwell and his dissembling adherents who after three days seeking God as they said and their devilish Hypocrisie verified the old saying In nomine Domini incipit omne malum It was resolved upon that Cromwell should be chosen Lord Protector of the three Nations And was accordingly sworn and after proclaimed Thus Oliver Cromwel from a low estate yet a Gentleman rais'd himself to the Supremacy in England not unlike the Macedonian Nabin thus related by the Poetical Monck of Saint Edmunds-Bury Having no title save title of robbrye Only by force himself to magnefye Which with stronge honde toke full possession For to be crowny'd in thilke region To obtain this Height his naturall dissimulation was none of his least assistants who with his eyes lift up to heaven and his hands clapt upon his breast
the Church in Sudly Castle at the beginning of these Wars profaned Not only the Monuments of the Chandoises spoil'd but one part of the Church converted to a Stable whilst the other was little better than a Shambles the Pulpit being made the chief stall where the meat was hung up and the communion-table served for a board to joynt upon The Inhabitants of Weden-Pinkney in Northamptonshire cannot yet forget how Mr. Losse their Minister was abused whilest he was officiating by the souldiers who rid into the Church and wounded the Minister because he would not go along with them they refusing to tell him by what authority they commanded him An action so wicked that the very heathens will rise up in judgment against them And those of Chelmsford in Essex need no remembrancer how their Church-windows having the History of Christ and the Scutchions of Bene factors painted in them were batter'd down by the instigated rabble who not content with this layd violent hands on Dr. Michelson their Parson and rent the Common Prayer Book with a great deal of joy This reformed town as my Author saith was govern'd by a Tinker two Coblers two Taylors and two Pedlers How miserably was the ancient Cathedral Church at Winchester dealt withall the famous Monuments of the Dead utterly defaced the bones of Kings Bishops c. thrown about the Church the two famous Brazen Statues of King James and King Charles erected at the entrance into the Quire pulled down the Communion-Plate books hangings cushions c. seis'd upon and made away the Church-vestments put on by the heathenish soldiers riding in that posture in derision about the streets some scornfully singing pieces of the Common-prayer whilst others tooted upon the broken pieces of Organs The stories of the old and new Testament curiously beautified with colours and cut out in carved work they utterly destroy'd against which wickednesse the Prophet David of old complained Nor did the famous Organs escape their fury being pull'd to pieces and imployed to private uses As one in York something advanced his houses if my memory fail me not with Organ and Church-wood which if he had turn'd into Looms and Shuttles had been more proper for his trade And of the brasse torn from violated Monuments might have been built a house as strong as the brazen Towers in some old Romances And after this manner was the Cathedral of Exceter served where the Commandements were defaced the Common-Prayer Book burnt the glasse-windows monuments statues and organs broke and the name of Jesus over the Communion table blotted out as superstitious Nor can some honest people of London yet forget the intolerable actions of the saint-like soldiers at St. Peter's Pauls-wharf sunday 9 Sept. 1649 who rode into the said Church with swords drawn and pistols spann'd crying out Knock the Rogues on the head shoot them kill them which was accordingly done an old woman being shot into the head and above 40 more grievously wounded and the Minister Mr. Williams hurried Prisoner to White-Hall And all this because the Common prayer establisht by the true Laws of the Land was read whence my Author observes that these Hereticks though they loudly cry up Liberty of Conscience yet will allow none to others but take all to themselves the better to cloak their villanies with pretended Religion and reformation The Cathedral of Chichester was sufficiently violated being robb'd of all her vestments and plate and not so much as a Cushion left in the pulpit the Organs and ten Commandements broke down and spoil'd the Pictures of the Kings of England and Bishops of that See defaced with the monuments seats stalls and painted walls And after the same manner was the Cathedral of Peterborough used and how Lichfield escaped is not unknown And their fury being once begun no man can expect that the Metropolitan Church of Canterbury could escape where Coll. Sandys soldidiers barbarously overthrew the Communion-Table tearing the velvet cloth from before it defacing the goodly Screen violating the monuments of the dead spoiling the organs breaking down the ancient rails and seats with the brazen Eagle which supported the Bible tearing the surplices gowns bibles and Arras hanging in the Quire representing the whole story of our Saviour wherein observing divers figures of Christ one said that here is Christ and swore that he would stab him another said here is Christ and swore that he would rip up his Bowels which they did accordingly so farre as the figures were capable and not content with this finding another Statue of our Saviour in the Frontispiece of the south-gate shot about forty shots at it tryumphing much when they had hit the head or face The ancient Cathedral of Durham can yet shew her ruines and can tell with what unspeakable tyranny the Kings poor friends were used in it And that of Carlisle deplores the want of a part of its body being ruined to be imployed in wicked Warre whilest it was intended a house of prayer and peace Nor is it unknown how sacrilegiously that excellent structure of St. Pauls in London was abused making of it an Exchange where things may be bought and sould not only contrary to the Laws of God but also of man and that not only of our own but forraign Churches as may appear by several Canons against such violations The laws of our Nation expresly forbidding any Fair or market to be held in Church-yards and by consequence not in the Church it self so that a late writer said not amisse that one might well be amazed at the genius of this age that suffered this goodly and venerable fabrick to be built about and converted into rascally ware-houses and so sordidly abused and defaced that an Argument of greater avarice malice meanesse and deformity of mind cannot possibly be exprest England is the sole spot in all the world where amongst Christians their Churches are made jakes and stables markets and tipling houses and where there were more need of Scorpions than Thongs to drive out the Publicans and Money changers And that St. Pauls by the wicked reformers was converted into a stable is not unknown to it's Neighbours which iniquities and such like occasioned the Saying That we had now a thorough Reformation in England since our horses also went to Church Yet some not content to have their horses in the Church unlesse some other villanie were done witnesse the damnable wickednesse of one Captain Beamont who at Yakesly in Huntingtonshire Anno. 1644. having pist in the Font fetched his bold horse from Mr. Finnemores stable and in derision of Baptism sprinkled it on the horse calling of him Ball Esau because he was hairy and in scorn to the Church of England crost him on the forehead and to make their villany compleat one Robert Rayner Corporal acted the part of the Minister and would also have God-Fathers one Bartly Ward but nick-named Widdow Shropshire acting the part of
give them advertisement of all that passed The Moderator Mr. Alex. Henderson well known in both Kingdoms for a rigid Covenanter did justly affirm that it was no Commission the party having no power by it to give any voyce in the Assembly and so there was no more to be said to it But immediately something being transmitted by whispering from ear to ear until it came to the Moderators ear The Moderator began presently to Recant and perusing his Letter of Credence said He perceived that there was only want of Formality in the draught which they might easily pass over And so they allowed that for a Commission which was none and admitted him to have a voyce in the Assembly though the University gave him no such power nor would they have sent any Commissioner but a Divine At this sudden change of the Moderator made in him by a whisper many began to smile and to lay wagers that the party admitted was a Covenanter which the Moderator did not expect from that University and that this secretly-eonvey'd Intelligence of it had changed him And accordingly it proved to be Thus kissing goeth by favour among these people As a man might as well have been a Devil as a Gibelline for any favour he might expect from Pope Boniface VIII so strictly and partially did he bind himself with those of the Guelphian Interest But their hypocrisie is not only visible in these byass'd actions but in the whole series of their lives in which their jugling is not to be parallel'd What counterfeited Zeal What pretended gifts of the Spirit What seeming Sanctity What long-winded Prayer-affections What contrived Sighs and Groans not to be utter'd What demure Carriage What Eye-humility What pretended Self-denyal And yet what real Wickedness and Roguery are acted under these Vizards Whilest they are under they would be thought all humility but having once got their ends and Supremacy their actions bespeak them the worst of Tyrants Which calls to my memory that Monck that by his dejected carriage alwayes looking down with his Eyes was by his Neighbours taken for a real Saint but being by hypocritical carriage chosen Abbot lived in the height of open wickedness affirming that at first he was but seeking for the Keys of the Monastery but having now found them and got what he look'd for would live according to his own pleasure Thus it is storyed of Pope Sixtus how true I know not that before he arrived to that honour eat and drank nothing but Bread and Water saying Panis Aqua Vita Beata But having once setled himself in the Porphyry Chair he refused to stoop to such coorse fare when it was offer'd him having his reason from the contrary Position of the words Aqua Panis Est vita Canis After this fashion another threw away his Net when he came to the Pontifical Dignity knowing that he had then catch'd the Fish Thus at the beginning of the Warrs a publick Monethly Fast was appointed for the last Wednesday of every Moneth but no sooner had they got the King upon the Scaffold and the Nation fully secured into the Rumps Interest but then they thought it needless to abuse or gull the People with multitude of Prayers and Sermons they having got what they long expected and as they thought had so strongly secured themselves that it was all one whether the beslaved People thought them to be Saints or no and so by a particular Act of their Worships null'd the Proclamation for the Observation of the former all which verifieth the old Verse The Devil was sick the Devil a Monck would be The Devil was well the Devil a Monck was he Thus you see the true reason of this new Order of Sanctity and how easie it is to deceive the world with a counterfeit Holiness Like the old Wife at Venice who caus'd two great Books to be made both of equal bigness and like fashion whereof the one was a real Bible but the other hollow within like a Chest made in all points like a Book with Clasps and all which she fill'd with flat Bottels of Malmsey and with good fine Marchpanes which she her self made of the Brawn of Capons and Partridges with Sugar and Almonds and then with-drew her self into a pretty Cell with these two Books and there sat prunking and tarrying all alone in her devout Contemplations sometimes five or six dayes together Praying and Reading full devoutly till the Bible was quite empty not eating or drinking any thing else all that while And after this manner did Antonius Piceus get a name of Sanctity by his hypocritical fasting 40. dayes and whether John Scot did his Miracles this way or by the help of the Virgin Mary is not worth enquiry at this time Though I am confident that the Presbyterians gain more by jugling than by fair play How seeming honest are many of their Writings and Protestations yet when well look'd into are either never kept or of themselves signifie nothing but like a meer Complement full of courtesie full of craft of which many examples might be given but one at this time may satisfie seeing it was done by the chief of that Gang and that too since his Majesties return At a General Meeting of the Covenanting Presbyterians in and about the City of London a Petition was drawn up by them to be presented to the King which thus concludes Beseech your Majesty That the things of God and Religion which have been so Solemnly Covenanted for may be owned and confirmed by your Royal Authority which notwithstanding we do sincerely profess our readiness to accommodate with our Godly and Orthodox Brethren dissenting from us so farr as may consist with our Consciences and Covenant Is not this a very gratious Petition and Condescention Can any man desire the Society of more peaceable Brethren Who only desire that their Covenant made against all Laws and Authority yet they hold its Obligation to be perpetual might be confirm'd yet if it be not for Peace-sake they are very willing to agree with the Episcopal Party according to the Covenant O these are loving souls and hate Dissention as a Beggar doth a liberal Alms and truly the Episcopal Clergy is as much beholden to them as Montross was Had the Independents at their first return from America and Holland made a solemn Engagement for the extirpation of Presbytery And in 1644. or 45. had Petitioned the Parliament that their Engagement might be confirm'd by their Authority all England over yet in conclusion would profess that they would willingly agree with Presbytery so farr as their Engagement allow'd them Would not all the Brethren in England and Scotland exclaim against it for a meer juggle and cry out Gra-mercy Horse Yet had this Engagement been farr more rational and lawful than the Covenant But Awaa Whiggs awaa This Covenanting Sophism is but a demonstration of your Hellish Knavery and he that puts any trust in