Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	authority_n	king_n	parliament_n	1,836	5	6.6012	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96785	Vox pacifica a voice tending to the pacification of God's wrath; and offering those propositions, or conditions, by the acceptation, and performance whereof, in some good measure, a firme and continuing peace may be obtained. It is directed to the King, Parliaments, and people of these islands: By Geo. Wither Esquire, (a commander in this war) heretofore their unheeded remebbrancer [sic] of plagues and deliverances past; and their timely forewarner of the judgments now come. He hath disposed it into six books, or canto's, whereof foure onely are contained in this volumne; and the other deferred to be hereafter published, as there shall be cause.	Wither, George, 1588-1667.	1645 (1645)	Wing W3210; Thomason E1242_1; ESTC R202399	111,848	215

without limitation they are feee To do what may by Parliaments be done And that is ev'rie reasonable thing Which to their weale and safety may belong And their abilitie to passe may bring If to Divinity it be no wrong And whosoe're in these extremities Perswade that they should take upon them lesse Vnto the publike peace are enemies Yea they deferre or marre your happinesse By weakning of their hands who are your friends And strengthening his who now your spoile intends Let them not therefore act as if they had But halfe a power or seemed to be lame Or as if they a Parliament were made To be no more but only so in name With prudent conscience and with confidence Let them proceed in what they undertake And in what e're pertaines to their defence On just resolves let them no haltings make Through want of presidents For power they have To make new presidents as well as they Who liv'd before them And if they will save Their Countrie and themselves this is the way Since in an extarordinarie Cause True Reason binds as firmly as the Lawes And though it greatly grieve you as it ought Yet suffer not the absence of the King To foole you with so frivolous a thought As that a diminution it may bring To their authority For wheresoe're He bideth when his Parliament shall sit The Kingship vertually is alwaies there And cannot possibly divide from it The Person of a King may ramble forth As his own fancie hurries him about Or do things derogating from his worth Or die or from the Kingdome be cast out And yet the Kingdome and the Kingship too Continue still as they were wont to do The life of Bodies-naturall indeed Departs out of them when their head is gone And thereunto no other can succeed To make it live or not a headlesse-one So 't is not in this Bodie-politike The vitalls of it in the body lie Not in that head-ship and though it be sick When that falls from it yet it doth not die A King is but a substituted-head Made for conveniencie And if thereby The bodie seem to be indangered If Power it hath it hath Authoritie To take one off and set another on Aswell as at the first to make it one And when that Body shall be represented As this hath been according to the Law Or shall be by necessity convented Therein resides that Soveraignty that Awe And Rule whereto the Lawes of GOD and nature Injoyne obedience and not in that thing Corrupted which was but that Creatures creature And which to serve it was first made a King When therefore GOD injoynes you to obey And honour Kings these duties are not meant To those who from their Kingships run away But rather to th'essentiall Government Of whatsoever kind by Law ordain'd Or by a strong necessity constrain'd For were it otherwise the pride and lust Of an injurious Arbitrary power Would all men out of their possessions thrust And all the freedomes of mankind devoure Let therefore neither fear nor flattery Prescription or vaine custome make you cleave Vnto an accidentall Majesty And that which is substantiall quite to leave At this time chieflie take a speciall care As of what verie much conduceth to Your Peace and Safety that as now things are Your just advantages you let not goe Lest by a faint and conwardly endeavour You loose your freedoms and be slaves for ever And yet take heed that zeal to Innovations Nor private fears nor hopes incline your minde To subjugate these Kingdoms or these Nations To Governments of anie other kind But rather use your utmost diligence To rectifie those things which are amisse In that which is establish'd and from thence Cast out or purge whatever therein is Repugnant to those Charters which by grace Or nature were confer'd And let your care Be so to settle it that place you make The Throne of CHRIST among you up to reare Lest when his Kingdome comes you els be fain To pull your new-devices down again Take likewise heed that you no meanes neglect Whereby the King may be reclaim'd and won GODS honour with your safetie to respect And do the duties he hath left undone For by rejecting him how just soe're The Causes be you shall delay the peace Which is desir'd And make your quarrell here With much more difficultie to decrease But if your industrie shall win him home And he return sincerely to his charge It shall a blessing to these Isl●s become Your honour and your joy it shall inlarge And as CHRISTS Vice-Roy he shall sit upon A righteous and an everlasting Throne Walk therefore prudently in this straight path And turn not to the left hand or the right That pow'r which GOD to you committed hath Improve for him according to your might Him in the reasonable-meanes attend With Faith and Patience that he may at last Your King new-moulded back unto you send Your King new-moulded back unto you send Or him out of his ruin'd Kingdome cast If possibly he can his course repent GOD will restore him yet If you amend Then all these Troubles and this grievous Rent Shall in true Peace and sweet agreements end If both conforme Both shall true Peace enjoy If both be wilfull GOD shall both destroy But heark my Scribe I heare a dreadfull crie Of wounded men and therewith as it were The shouts of those that have a Victorie Of much concernment Therefore go and heare What now is done For somewhat hath been wrought From whence if well it shall improved be Enlargements of those meanes will forth be brought Which may effect what thou desir'st to see As soone as thou hast Information had Of what is rumoured and duly weigh'd What profitable uses may be made Of that which either hath been done or said Retire thou hither and give eare again To that which to your Peace doth appertaine The fourth Canto The Contents While here our Authour doth recite His Musings after Naesby fight The VOICE returnes and doth begin To shew us what must usher in Exiled Peace Then told are we How kept our Vowes and Covenants be How we reforme and fast and pray What Thankfulnesse we do repay What must in generall be done What by each Jndividuall-One What course both King and State must take E're they their Peace with God shall make What he expects from ev'rie Nation From ev'rie Towne and Corporation And ev'rie House in some degree Before our Peace renew'd will bee WHen from attention to that Silent-tongue heard Which without words reveales what you have I came abroad the Streets and Temples rung Of Victories and Signalls there appear'd Not only of a valiant Resolution In those that conquer'd but of some divine Disposure of them too for execution Of that which GOD himselfe did fore-designe The scornfull Adversaries rushed on To Policie and Strength themselves commending The LORD of Hosts our Friends reli'd upon With Prayers fighting and with Faith defending And lo GOD

times First made carv'd Images of Wood and Stone Perhaps but meerly for Commemoration Of some deceased Worthy and at last Improv'd it into sottish adoration So Those on whom the Government was plac'd By prudent Counsell Base men by degrees So idolized and with flatteries So long in servile manner bow'd their knees To their Self-will that first to tyrannize The peoples blockishnesse and basenesse brought them Yea how to be Oppressors they first taught them And when Kings saw the peoples foolishnesse Did make themselves beleeve that their owne Creature Had therein an inherent awfulnesse Advancing it above the humane nature They quickly from that folly and that feare Advantages assumed to improve Their pow'rs It made them greater to appeare And in a more Majestick Orb to move The slavish gestures and the servile phrase Long us'd in Court did thereto so much add That he who like a man declares his cause Is judg'd unmannerly or somwhat mad Nay to that height the Royall claime is brought That none but Slaves are now true Subjects thought A Parliament you have which you obtained When you were most desirous to have had it You thereunto a priviledge have gained Which now more fixt than formerly hath made it The House of Peeres is of a party cleared Whom leaning to your Common-Foe you doubted Whose power you felt whose policie you feared And whom long since some gladly would have outed Yet had Corruption over-fill'd it so With honour'd Titles worne without deserts And with so many raised from below To sit on Princely Seats with Slavish-hearts That when your troubles well-nigh cur'd you thought Far greater mischieves were upon you brought Your House of Commons though when first convented It fill'd you with a hopefull expectation Hath ev'ry way so truly represented The Common Constitution of this Nation That little hitherto hath been effected To mitigate your Feares or settle Peace According to the issue you expected But ev'ry day your sorrowes more increase So great an inundation of confusion Is broken in upon you that in vaine You hope or labour for a good conclusion Till GOD himselfe make up the Breach againe And you with more sincerity confesse Your Guilt your Weaknesse and your Foolishnesse Betwixt You and your King there is of late A cursed Fire broke forth whose raging flame Each others ruine threatens like to that Which from Abimelech and Shechem came So damnable a Spirit of Contention Is conjur'd up that his designes are brought Past all those remedies and that prevention Which by the wit of mortalls can be wrought So madly you each other do oppose That ev'ry one consults and acts in vaine What one reares up another overthrowes What one destroyes another builds again And nothing is the vulgar expectation But ruine if not utter Desolation For crying-sins do gen'rally prevaile The Rules of Order quite aside are laid The prudence of the Counsellour doth faile The honestest-Designes are most gain-said The Grossest Falshood soonest is believ'd His cause best speedes who aimes at basest-ends The worst-Transgressour shall be soon'st repriev'd The veriest Knave shall find the Lordliest friends And when Foundations thus are overthrowne What can the Righteous do what likely hope Have Husbandmen when all is over-growne With Briars and Thornes to reap a thriftie crop Or what can by a Parliament be done Where all are with Corruption over-grown With Warlike Forces too now strongly arm'd You do appear and Martiall men abound As though each Township Bee-hive-like had swarm'd And Horse and Armes sprung daily from the ground But what have these availed in regard Of expectation Nay how multiplide Are these afflictions rather which you fear'd By their dissensions insolence or pride Your Treasures Stocks Fields they have nigh wasted Their avaritions fury to allay Yet as if they had Pharoah's kine out-fasted So greedie and so hungrie still are they That all the plenties of your peacefull years Will hardly quench that vast desire of theirs Want of sincerenesse in your chiefe Commanders Too much ambition much respect of friends Most men that hear this know these are no slanders Fraud Envie Cowardice or private-ends And gen'rally defect of Discipline Or to be plaine want of that honestie Which these Forth-breakings of the Wrath-divine Hath now required in your Soulderie Have set licentiousnesse so much at large And made most Officers presume upon Such loosnesse and so slackly to discharge Their duties that you likely are to run By your owne Forces as the matter goes Not much lesse hazard than by open Foes Your Common men this will disparage none Among you Martialists that blamelesse are Have not in misdemeanours been out-gone By many who the States opposers were They cheat rob lye curse sweare blaspheme and rore They equally oppresse both Friend and Foe They plunder scoffe insult game drink and whore And ev'rie day corrupt each other so That if this plague continue but a while You and your King so many Rogues will arme That throughout ev'rie Township of this I le This curse brood of Lice will crawle and swarme Till they have quite devoured those that fed them And pine in that starv'd Body which first bred them For though the highest honours temporarie On Souldiers are conferred whose true worth Whose vertues in employments militarie With an illustrious candor shineth forth Though they who to defend their Countries cause Themselves to death and dangers do expose Observing duly GODS and Natures Lawes Not only to their friends but to their foes Though these deserve all honours no expression Is full enough to make an illustration Of their ignoble and their base condition Who triumph in their Countries desolation And as the raskall sort of Tinkers do Pretend to mend one hole and then make two For these foure yeares of Discord have so changed The gentlenesse already of this Nation And men and women are fo far estranged From civill to a barb'rous inclination They are so prone to mutinous disorders So forward in all mischievous projections So little mov'd with robberies or murthers And so insensible of good Affections That they whom you have arm'd for your defence Will shortly ruine you unlesse preventions Be interposed by that Providence Which frustates diabolicall intentions And therefore now Conditions are propounded On which a Restauration may be grounded Yea now when Med'cines that most soveraigne were At other times have multiply'd diseases When all your Policies quite routed are To intervene a Timely-Mercie pleases Now that your Armies King and Parliaments Which were your hopefulst meanes of preservation Are made by Sin imperfect Instruments And leave these Iles almost in desperation Thou shalt once more to dis-respective men A Herald-extraordinarie be And carrie them conditions once agen Whereby they from these troubles may be free And that those Angels which now smite these Lands From Desolation may with-hold their hands Now then for Overtures of Peace provide Silence thy Trumpets let thy Drums be still Furle up thy Colours lay Commands

their worth or innocencie wrong Let it redound to their owne infamie Let ev'rie check from which they shall be free An augmentation to their honour be And let it not discourage them a whit That now those temp'rall Dignities are gone Which oft in their possessors pride beget And really are honour unto none Since by their lives and doctrines they may more Their Persons and their Callings dignifie Then Wealth and Titles have done heretofore And reach true honours highest pitch thereby For who when Prelacie did highest seem Were honour'd by the People or the Peers With more unfain'd affection and esteem Then they are now whom reall worth endeers Oh! let this honour still on them attend And let their counsels move you to amend For every one hath erred in his wayes King Priest and People have alike misgone As doth the Flock ev'n so the Shepheard strayes And there is no man perfect no not one It is not in the pow'r of words to tell How farre below esteeme your vertues are Or how in wickednesse you would excell If wholly left to your own selves you were Could you but look into your hearts and view How many villanies those cavernes hide Beside all those which words and deeds do shew Or may by circumstances be descride You could not but unfainedly confesse That you are yet uncapable of peace Could you permit your blinded eyes to heed How while you smart you multiply offence How that which awfull penitence should breed Hath changed errour into impudence Could you perceive before it were too late How fast you fell away since you began To faile in your professions to the State And to be faithlesse both to GOD and Man You would abhorre your selves and be affraid Your soules by transmigration would ere long Passe into sottish Beasts For you have straid Beyond that blockishnesse which is among The noblest Brutes and hardly do escape With so much of true manhood as the shape There is no pittie of the Fatherlesse Or of the poore afflicted Widdowes teares No charitable heed of their distresse Whose miserie most evident appears They who have gladly lent and spent and given Goods Blood and best-assistance to defend The Common-safety till they have been driven To want of Bread have hardly found a friend Some other who oft hazzarded their lives For your protection and have quite undone Their dearest Children and beloved Wives To do you service have been look'd upon Without regard and worse by far have sped Then they who nothing have contributed Nay would it were but so their and your Foes By your injustice or your heedlesnesse Finde meanes to spatter and to ruine those Whom to defend you did with vowes professe And though their deeds have through this Isle proclaim'd Their faithfulnesse you gladly suffer them By cunning whisperers to be defam'd And Falshoods words Truths actions to condemn Before due trialls you through Avarice Or Envie with contentednesse can heare Desert traduc'd and with such prejudice Receive Detractions as if glad you were Of such false Quittances to make a show Of having paid that debt which yet you owe It is indeed the Polititians way Thus to requite And therefore he that bring● Obligements greater then discharge they may On thanklesse Nations or on fathlesse Kings Instead of due reward shall be repaid With causlesse jealousies and with suspect Of having either failed or betraid Their Trust by fa●shood or by some neglect And then it must a Mercie be believ'd If He for all the service he hath done In lieu of wh●● he thought to have receiv'd With life and losse of honour may be gone And this will now the portions be of some Whom better usage better will become And how can GOD have peace with such a Nation In which this b●senesse and this falshood lurks Which is rejected with much detestation Among the brutish Salvages and Turks Or how can you to other men be true Who to your selves are false as may appear By many practices which you pursue Through wilfulnesse through follie or through feare For whosoever tyranny defends And sets himselfe that Party to oppose Which for the Publike Libertie contends Betrayeth his own person to his Foes Or if perchance his person free he saves Himselfe in his Posterity inslaves Nay you who seem the better part to take Ev'n y●u are to your selves as false as they The Price of blood a thing of nought you make And complement Advantages away Your Passes and Protections you bestow Nor as though to your safety they pertain'd But rather your Authority to show Who gave them Or that profit might be gain'd To Clarks and Secretaries And your care Is not at all times how you may supply A place of Trust with such as fathfull are Or fittest for the States necessitie But soonest they those favours do obtain Who sell the Publike for their private gain Nor Ablenesse their duty to discharge Nor losse nor suffrings for the common Cause Nor of Integrity good proofes at large Respect to such a mans preferment drawes Nay he that by a generall assent Was nominated and petition'd for Without his seeking in the Parliament To services of Trust and which is more Had these imployments also recommended By Order thence hath now a year unheard For answer from those Referrees attended Without so much as hope of their regard Because though to the Publike-weale it tends 'T is found it will disprofit private friends Your Indiscreet Indulgence suffers those Who loose their Bloud and Liberties for you To lie in worse condition then your Foes To whom an equall usage seemeth due Yea while in loathsome dungeons they remain Who captivated in your service were Sweet Lodgings and respect their Foes obtain When in your Quarters they imprison'd are By which unequallnesse till their side please To show more mercy much discouragement Your Partie findes and disadvantages Which moderate severenesse might prevent And you more Cruelty then Mercie show When Mercy you on Cruell-men bestow He that to ruine you no spight hath spar'd If he submit although but to deceive you Shall find more courtesie and more regard Then he who never left nor meanes to leave you He that with Outrage hath your townes embroil'd He that hath in your blond his hands imbrew'd Your friends of their chiefe livelihood despoil'd And to his utmost power that course pursu'd He if for favour though constrain'd he come Shall not alone finde meanes to set him free With his Possessions for a triviall summe But also quickly countenanced be With Friends and Favours him inabling too Your faithful'st friends and servants to undo False to your selves you are in not assaying To execute the fulnesse of your power In these Extremities and in delaying To take those Freedomes which are justly your The Members of your Body wasted are And such as are of that consumption glad Vnlesse prevented will the cure defer Vntill it cannot possibly be had By raising feares of some supposed-thing Which

bear Their sufferings well when they are so opprest If thou who know'st what comforts do attend A calme and patient bearing of the Crosse What blessing crownes the Meek mans latter end And with what riches GOD repaies his losse Art so inrag'd no marvell if nigh mad Some others grow who are as greatly pain'd And want th'experiments which thou hast had Whereby the wrongs may better be sustain'd Is this the power is this the strength of him Who somtimes thinks he could the world contemn Is this a time for thee who hast made show Of better hopes to scramble with the Boyes For Nuts and Apples wilt thou struggle now With Fooles and Slaves for bables and for toyes Contend thou not with Children in their play Nor strive thou their vaine longings to possesse From Micah take thou not his Gods away Lest they may bring thee to unhappinesse Endeavour what is comly to be done To reap the profit which to thee belongs Vse prudent meanes Oppressors pawes to shun Or to remove or mitigate thy wrongs And to that purpose having done thy best Be patient and to God commit the rest And to preserve this temper warie be Above all other times when their despight And envie shall be exercis'd on thee Who think the Publike-Trust belongs of right To so much by the yeare These have so long Inslav'd the people that themselves disgrac'd They do conceive if to do right or wrong Inferiours in Authority be plac'd And these have lately censur'd it unfit That with so reverend a thing as Wealth Such strangers now as Honesty and Wit Should called be to serve the Common-wealth Or lend a helping hand to save what they Have took a course to ruine many a day These value men according to the Rent Their Fathers left them and these cannot brook Without vexation and much discontent That notice should of other worth be took And therefore if it must be as these will If your besotted people have a minde To be oppressed to be fooled still And to be kept perpetually blinde Straine not thy selfe to helpe unlade an Asse That loves his burden nor his drivers trouble But let them and their silly creature passe Till they have made their scornes and mischiefs double For he that meddles with them nothing gains But kicks and evill language for his pains Cast quite behind thee what of their despite Or injuries to thee hath been reported Their open hate with secret love requite For evill let not evill be retorted Fret not thy self although thou see them jeer And Thee and thy Authority deride For most to whom their envy shall appear Will laugh to scorne their folly and their pride And as thou soughtst it not nor dost yet know By whom that seeming-honour was confer'd So whether thou continued be or no In thy imployments give it no regard For thou shalt sit ere long above their hate And their Commissions shall be out of date While thou remain'st amongst them do thy best To side with innocence and do not there Of wicked prophanations make a jest Curse those that curse or swear at those that swear Abuse not thy Authoritie or Place To favour knaves or put good men to sorrow Plead not for law this day in one mans case What for another shall be none to morrow Vse not thy power thy neighbours to enslave As manie do who bettet things pretend And when thou chargest others care to have That they against their Oathes do not offend Take heed thou mak'st more conscience of thine own Then others of their oathes have lately showne For some of those who fluently can preach Vpon the Bench as tho if need had bin They could the Parson of the Parish teach To do his dutie in reproving sin Even some of those at that time countenance Known Malefactors there indicted for Crimes then in charge and shamelesly advance In practice what in words they do abhorre When there they have inveighed at abuses Occasion'd by permitting an excesse Of licenc'd and unlicen'd tipling-houses And their suppression urg'd with earnestnesse Instead of what they would appear to do They seem to put downe one and set up two These are not pleas'd that an observing-eye Is plac'd among them And perhaps to prove Thy patience these their power ere long will trie But Thee to no distemper let it move This is a time of suffring and though men Are instruments each other to correct Yet GOD himselfe employes them Suffer then Without repining what he shall inflict Although thy foes oppresse and friends forsake thee Let no ill tydings make thy heart affraid From thy first principles let nothing shake thee What ere against thee shall be done or said But further what to Publike-peace belongs And leave thou unto GOD thy private wrongs For though it may be granted that if here Thou should'st illustrate all things which concern Thy usages but onely in that Shire Where thou hast liv'd thy Readers might discern In what condition manie others are Who truly serve the Publike yet take heed Lest following thine own suffrings over-far May tediousnesse or sleighting of them breed Be watchfull too lest by much musing on Thy personall affronts a selfe-respect May cause mis-censures to be cast upon The Publike Justice to her dis-respect For men opprest and griev'd in an extreme Look not alone with sullennesse upon Those Parties that are thought to injure them And on their own oppressions as if none Had borne the like but also as if cleare They from all blame in all their suffrings were And in a publike Grievance scarce a man Among a thousand searcheth out those things Which mis-befall so farre as they began To find the Fountaines whence the mischief springs Most men and thou among the rest for one Can spie out many others much to blame But few men heed what they themselves have done Whereby the Plague so generall became And whence soev'r it comes the Male-content Though in the Persons he the cause may find Fomes out his venome on the Government And to a change is presently inclin'd Whereas the mischiefe still the same will be Vntill there be a change in such as He. Ev'n some of you and manie is that some Who to the skies this Parliament have rais'd With whom it was almost a GOD become And such as never could enough be prais'd This Parliament in whose defence you stand Till all your pretions things are well nigh wasted Till warre hath marched quite through all the land Till bitternesse in all your sweets is tasted Till into pleces Families are torne Vntill with blood your wayes and streets do run Till Towns and Towers and Temples down are borne Till Prince and Peasant are almost undone Till Famine too beginneth to appeare Which in long Warfares bringeth up the reare This Parliament for which you suffer so And for whose preservation beare you would Ten times as much might you before-hand know What if it prosper'd not ensue there should Ev'n to

this Parliament so highly priz'd You in your former love are growing slack This your Diana is by some despis'd Of your Distractions her the cause you make On her you laid the burthen and the blame As if due care she wanted or fore-sight When disadvantage or dishonour came By ill successe in counsell or in fight And murmured as if your hearts had said That by your Parliament you were betrai'd Such is your folly madnesse I might say That some among you so your selves expresse As if you thought it much advantage may The Publike Cause to bring her faithfulnesse Or prudence into question For you heare Collect report and have dispersed so All scandalls and dis-trusts which malice reare And daily give such credence thereunto That you who seeme to be unfained Friends Vnto this Parliament have thereby done Those mischieves to it which the Foe intends And will destroy it if this course you run Yea this your folly will more weaken it Then all your cunning Adversaries wit For this imprudencie will by degrees Your bones unsinnew and your joynts untie By this you both their hands and hearts will leese Who in your Quarrell vow'd to live and die What Devill then hath tempted you in this To sin against your soules and blinds you so That you observe not whose design it is Which you now further and whose work you do The honour of that Senate is the power And life thereof and on the life of that Dependeth ev'ry Priviledge of your Belonging to your temporall estate And peradventure some way doth extend That being to concern which hath no end It is your duty therefore to discerne And labour the defence of that which may Your being and well-being so concerne And to that purpose there is much to say For though it be your strongest Creature-guard Against Oppressors yet you can expect No safer Tutelage to be confer'd Thereby then what a Creature may effect It labours your protection but alas The worke is great and through much opposition And manie difficulties they must passe To bring this Land into a safe condition For to restore you to your peace agen 'T is now a work for GOD and not for men You heed their failings but you heed not yet Nor fullie can conceive how hard a worke They have to do nor how they are beset With enemies nor what obstructions lurke In these proceedings which make show to be Without a rub to them who stand a aloof And have not opportunitie to see What stops may rise before they come to proofe Their own infirmities as they are men And which you ought to wink at may perchance In this great enterprize be now and then Occasions of no little hinderance For who but GOD alone can perfect be Or who is fit for such a work but he The haynous sins and manie obdurations Of that great Bodie whom they represent And of those froward and divided Nations Which are concerned in their Government Give being unto many sev'rall things And actions whence oft-times an accident Vnlooked for or some hid mischiefe springs Which humane policie cannot prevent When Israel sinneth Benjamin that hath A wicked cause their Brethren down shall smite To expiate the just avengers wrath Before the cause prevailes that is upright Whilst in the camp an Achan doth remain These Counsell and your Souldiers fight in vain Though Moses govern'd you though Josuah were Call'd up to be your Armies Generall And Davids Worthies now revived here To be your Colonells events would fall Below your hopes whilst unrepented sin Is wilfully conniv'd at For that made Your Parliaments unprosprous that hath been Chiefe cause of all their failings they have had And then beside this hindrance and this bar To their successe they have a powerfull foe Opposing them as well by force of war As by what fraud and tyrannie can do And that their Faith and stoutnesse may appear A muster of their foes I give you here Their Generall in chiefe is ANTICHRIST And he the main Battalia now commands Which of those armed Locusts doth consist On whose Activitie his Empire stands Lievtenant-Generall is he that strives A conquest of your Liberties to make And counts it one of his Prerogatives As he shall please your goods to give and take He leads the Van in which with him appeares Those Princes and those Nobles who still are And were at first the wicked Councellers Who did encourage him unto this war And he of broken Courtiers up hath made And of some beggar'd Lords all this Brigade The Major-Generall who bringeth on The right wing of this Armie is the Prince Of broken fortunes who still falls upon The Carriages and Baggage that from thence He may recruit His ragged Regiments Beside those lousie and those tatter'd fellowes Late pressed for him out of Beggers Rents And freed from the prisons and the gallowes Were patch'd up out of Bankrupts cast-Commanders Cashier'd Bandettees Fellowes of the pot Debauched Players Tapsters Gamesters Panders With such as in a drunken fit were got To beare them companie And these are they Who first made plunder seem a lawfull prey The left wing by Pope would be ordered is A stately Prelate and one for whose sake Though he the Triple-crown is like to misse The war now rais'd did first beginning take He heads a Partie of as desp'rate mates As e're drew sword and manie of them be Both disciplin'd to make Assasinates And readie for it when their time they see Among these march some prudent-seeming men Some that more honestie then wealth do want Some wittie fellowes but not one for ten Of those that are extreamlie ignorant The openly prophane the closelie vitious The Papists Atheists and the Superstitious The Rear is brought up by a Libertine That is for anie Doctrine or opinion For any Government or Discipline For Protestant for Brownist for Arminian Or anie thing he pleases And he gives This libertie so far as they are able To make it good to all whom he receives Into his Troopes which are innumerable For all that would their wicked lusts fulfill All they who Law and Order do contemn All they that are ambitious of their will Ev'n all of these unite themselves to him And in his quarters manie women too Are found who not a little mischiefe do These Forces both asunder and united Have so obstructed and so manie waies This Parliament opposed and dispighted In all their consultations and assaies They have by sleight of wit by strength of hand By Treacheries by Treaties and by Spies Abroad and here at home by Sea and Land By Protestations Promises and Lies And by a thousand other tricks beside Pursu'd such meanes and courses to distract Affright discourage weaken or divide And frustrate what they shall advise oract That 't is no wonder you have sped no better But rather that the mischieves are no greater For if beside the disadvantages Which have occurred to this Parliament By open enemies you now

faithfulnesse Of ev'rie Soule And suffer not vaine jars Among your selves to multiply contention Lest you thereby both make these present wars To bring forth an incurable dissention And hinder as you have already done That Work which God among you hath begun Such differences obstructions have begot Retarding Peace But doubtlesse for the same To your great Senate there belongeth not An imputation of the smallest blame Nor were it faultie though it could be said And proved too that some among them now Their weightie consultations had betrai'd And to your Foes their secrets daily show Nor ought they to be blamed though you see A Spider sent among them for an Ant A Butterfly or Hornet for a Bee Or those that wit or honestie do want For such when they are found they still cast from them With as much forwardnesse as doth become them But they they only do deserve the blame Of all those falshoods which these Lands disease Those brainlesse fellowes who had so small shame And little grace to make their choice of these Those falsly termed free-men who for porredge Would sell their birth-right and who to uphold Their lawfull freedomes have not so much courage As to maintaine them though they see they could They whom a pettie Justice by the nose May lead to what absurdities he pleases And make them think he favour to them showes When he their losse and slaveries increases These and their fellow Burgers have undone you Their slavishnes hath brought these plagues upon you These to the House of Commons sent that Rabble Of Runawayes and Traytours which betrai'd Your liberties as much as they wereable And on their heads the bloud is justly laid For what you suffer These were first unjust In sending in to be their Deputies In stead of men Pride Avarice and Lust Oppression Folly Fraud and Vanities These having neither honestie nor wit Nor care to make a prudent choice of those To whom so great a Trust they should commit Some persons for the publike service chose So like themselves that wonder it is none To see so many do as they have done For such a choice they passed that unlesse Some prudent Boroughs and some wiser Shires Had made elections with more warinesse And sent brave spirits forth to ballance these You had been quite undone and you and yours Of all the Christian world had been the scorne Perpetuall Bond-slaves to malignant Pow'rs And hated of your children yet unborne For ever therefore let that providence Which so provided for you be renown'd And let there be a blessed difference On them and on their seed for ever found To honour them and mark them out from those Who to the publike welfare now are foes And let your Burgers and Free-holders learn In time to come how much how neare it may The publike and their private weale concern To be advis'd on whom their trust they lay For what is more unsafe or more unwise Then to commit as manie times they do Their goods their persons liberties and lives Yea and the meanes of their salvations too To their disposures whom they rather fear Then well affect of whom no good they know Of whose corruptions frequently they hear Of whose injustice sinsible they grow Whose worths are their revenue and whose wait Is meere formalitie or nev'r-a-whit What can be more absurd then to suppose They are the wisest men in all the Shire And fit'st for publike service to be chose Who wisest in their own opinions are Who come uncall'd and shuffle out their choice By suit and friends or having got perchance The overplus of one poore single voice With much ado their purpose to advance Or what a greater indiscretion showes Then to elect for Giver of your Lawes A fellow that nor Law nor Gospell knowes Nor difference 'twixt a good and evill cause And till that day pursued no other course But hunting hawking or else somwhat worse What more dishonourable can be thought Then to your Court and Senate most supreme For which the worthiest persons should be sought To send a foole or knave to sit with them Whose reverend presence should not be polluted With such companions or what one thing may A truer signe of madnesse be reputed Then thus to foole their dignitie away For since they cannot their debates decide But by most Voices what else will ensue If manie places be with such suppli'd But those events which all the Land will rue When worst designes are by the most promoted And reason shall by noise be over-voted There never was a time in which you ought To be more carefull of your choice then now If you recruit your House For men are taught By this long Parliament so well to know Each others minde each others interest And inclination that unlesse you see The number wanting in due time increast And made compleat by men that worthie be You will be as assuredly undone As if the King had tyranniz'd nay more For to oppresse you there had been but one But then you shall perhaps have many a score And therefore as you here fore-warned are In your elections use more prudent care Thy Letters of Advice ere while directed To those in whom the choice of these doth lie Have partly signifi'd what was effected And what events will still ensue thereby While such are chosen And what Caveats ought To be observed that a better choice May be hereafter and that men be sought Who wit and conscience have aswell as voice For these defects breed vip'rous wormes within The verie bowells of the Parliament More dangerous then outward foes have bin And if the Members wanting be not sent With better heed then heretofore you tooke For peace embracing truth in vain you looke Let therefore those true Patriots which are left Put forth a strong endeavour to compleat Their wasted number e're they are bereft Of power and meanes themselves to re-beget Into a perfect bodie And let none By fallacies delude you with a feare It may not now as legally be done As when the Members first convented were For that they are lawfull Parliament Although the King be absent 't is confest Ev'n by the King In whom now to prevent Their being so the power doth not consist Nor ever did of right while cause you know Why SALVS POPVLI should have it so Believe it whosoever shall pretend This Parliament hath not a legall power Her bodie to recruit is no true friend Nor fit to be a Councellour of your For seeing they have power to make a Seale It were a great absurditie to dreame They had not legally a power aswell To use as make it And if you in them Allow an use thereof that private men The benefit of justice might obtain It should much rather be allowed then In things which to the Publike-right pertaine And most especially in all affaires Concerning their own being and repaires If really a Parliament they be As without peradventure they are One Then

due reward By plotting packing siding or partaking By hiding that which ought to be declar'd By cowardly an honest Cause forsaking If he hath under blame or censure brought Those innocents who meerly out of zeale Vnto the Publike have sincerely sought His folly or his falshood to reveale And knew it true although their proofes did faile Let him his cruelty in that bewaile And let your Parliament take speciall care Of this abuse lest els a ground be lai'd Whereon their cunning foes may engines reare Whereby they may be wrong'd if not betrai'd For though in justice they should vindicate The honour of their Members whensoever Rash levitie malignancie or hate To injure or asperse them shall endeavour Yet when good probabilities induce The well-affected to mistrust or feare Some publike dammage danger or abuse By that which they shall either see or heare By any Member either done or said Why should it not unto his charge be laid If where it ought a secret be reveal'd If for the publike without private spleen If past due time it hath not been conceal'd If probabilitie thereof hath been If he that speaks it be no way defam'd And of concernment if the same appears Why should the speaker be reprov'd or blam'd For thus disclosing what he thinks or hears If it be false th' accused need not feare it For if he be not otherwaies suspected None without proof unto his wrong will heare it And if he blamelesse be and well affected The zeal of his accuser hee 'l commend And count him his because the Kingdoms friend Your Senators their priviledges have Not for their own but for the publike sake And they abuse the trust their Countrey gave Who any further use of them shall make And who can judge it reasonable then To make the people more afraid to wrong The priviledges of your Single-men Then those which to the Commonwealth belong Were it not fitter to adventure on Dishonouring a Commoner or Peer Then suffer all of them to be undone Through want of speaking that which you shall hear Let them who Freedoms-personall would cherish To publike dammage with their freedoms perish This way the Royallists did first begin To screw up their Prerogative to that Which made it more indulgent to have bin To serve their turnes then to secure the State And if there be not still a prudent care That Priviledges clash not and that they Which are subordinate may not appeare In force untill their Betters give them way Destruction will succeed Let therefore so Each Member on his Priviledge insist That both by claime and practice he may show They are not to be used as men list Or turned into Bug-bears to affright The Common-wealth from claiming of her right Let therefore care be took and quickly too That her due rights the Common-wealth enjoy That private men their duties better do And that divisions do not all destroy Let not those foolish Toyes who do besot Themselves with arrogance presume to prate As if a Parliament had them begot To be the heires-apparent to the State Permit you not Religious-Melancholy Phlegmatick-Av'rice or Zeale-Cholerick Nor an excessivenesse of Sanguime-Folly To make both Church and State grow deadly sick Nay rather mad and in their mad distractions To teare themselves into a thousand fractions Let not your King and Parliament in One Much lesse apart mistake themselves for that Which is most worthy to be thought upon Or think they are essentially the STATE Let them not fancie that th' Authority And Priviledges upon them bestown Conferred to set up a Majesty A Power or a Glory of their own But let them know 't was for another thing Which they but represent and which ere long Them to a strict account will doubtlesse bring If any way they do it wilfull wrong For that indeed is really the Face Whereof they are the shadow in the glasse Moreover thus informe them that if either They still divided grow from bad to worse Or without penitence unite together And by their sin provoke him to that course GOD out of their confusions can and will Create a cure and raise a lawfull-power His promise to his people to fulfill And his and their Opposers to devour Yea bid both King and Parliament make hast In penitence united to appeare Lest into those Confusions they be cast Which will affright them both and make them feare And know there is on earth a greater-thing Then an unrighteous Parliament or King More might be said but that which is behinde Requires another season Thou therefore Another opportunity must finde If thou desir'st to be informed more Perhaps thou hast already more exprest Then many will approve if thou reveale it Yet if thou look for any temp'rall-rest Let hopes nor fears compell thee to conceal it Thy Scorners in derision lately said Thou art a Prophet but when all is told Which is behind their pride will be afraid Tha● some ensuing things thou didst behold And that what e're thou art thou hast declar'd Those Councells whereof notice should be took Those warnings which are worthy of regard And like a true-man and a free-man spoke Let it be therefore spoken without fear And Let him that hath eares to hear it hear The VOICE here left to speake and here will I For this time leave to write and fit and mourn For Britains and mine own iniquity Vntill that VOICE with perfect Peace return O GOD returne it quickly and let not This portion of it be divulg'd in vain Or so despised be or so forgot That Words of Peace we never heare again Speak Peace how ever to thy Servants heart Speak to his Soul in grace and mercy LORD That from thy wayes he never may depart Or dis-obedient be unto thy Word Forgive him all the vanities that lurke Within his heart All deeds by him misdone And every word and thought whereby this worke Defil'd hath been since first it was begun Of outward-mercies and of some more ease From his afflictions too he should be glad But since ther 's as much bane as blisse in these Give what thou knowest fittest to be had And let an Eccho from this VOICE redound Vnto thy praise an everlasting-sound Amen FINIS