of the Kingdome more frequently taught or better fed did they ever in any Nation under the Sun injoy more Peace and Happiness then they did all the time of His Reigne untill this unhappy Parliament turned all things up-side down and so made us of all Christians in the world well-nigh the most miserable and disconsolate Certainly though the Parliament Ministers are pleased to cry out in their Rethorick O the Affliction the Misery the Wormwood and the Gall of those times Yet Posterity in after Ages will acknowledge that the Nobility Gentry Clergy Citizens and Common-people of this Nation in the General did all arrive at the height of earthly happiness in King Charles his time whilest he alone did sway the English Scepter It is true there were Particular grievances from particular men both in Church and Common-wealth and can it be expected otherwise while we live in this world and some good men haply did suffer some hard usage at the hands of evill but did the King ever stop His eares at any Petition Did He ever deny Justice to any that did require it Or did He ever harden His Heart from shewing mercy where ere it was needful There was perhaps much whispering abroad and murmuring in Corners but was there alwayes a cause Mans Nature is apt some time to complaine for nothing even when there is more reason to be thankfull I will name the main particulars of offence and let the world judge what matter of blame did truly arise from them unto the King 1. The Bishops were cryed out upon to be too Rigorous but hath not the carriages of that faction which the Bishops did oppose since they have gotten Head largely acquitted them of that imputation in the judgement of all wise men surely they forefaw the mischief which we all now feel and did labour as became them in their places to prevent the same Perhaps every of them did not go the best way to work nor did use such apt Instruments as the case and time required I justifie no man in all particulars and perhaps too some of us who are now imprisoned banished and divested of all we have by this Reforming Parliament did in those dayes suffer more molestation from some of their unworthy Officers then many of those did who since that time have been most revengefull Three factious fellows had their ears clipt by the sentence of the Lords in the Star-Chamber and were set in the Pillory and this was exclaimed upon for great cruelty in the Bishops because they having been abused by them did not beg their pardon but how truly their necks also deserved the Hâ—lter hath well appeared by the late temper of their spirits and the little good use they have made of that their too small and gentle chastisement 2. The Star-Chamber and high Commission were two great Eye-sores for many great and heavy fines were layd on men for their sins sake in those Courts by the Kings Nobles and Judges some of whom are now great men with His greatest Enemies But how many of those fines did His Majesty in His tendernesse and goodnesse afterwards remit or cause to be mitigated and since the people would so have it He hath now given way even before the Act of continuing the Parliament that those Courts should be suppressed and so be no more offensive 3. Many people of the Kingdome voluntarily departed hence to New-England and this was pretended persecution from some who differed in opinion from them whom they called their Antichristian Enemies but now t is plainly apparent by that spirit which stayed behind in some of their fellowes that the true cause of their departure was only pride In themselves Cesar-like they could allow of no superiour either in Church or State no Bishop no King perhaps some of them might have tender Consciences through weaknesse or mis-information and some of the plainer sort might be honest men and went for company with the rest they knew not whither in the simplicity of their Spirits But t is well known they had all the countenance of the King and Councell to further them in the voyage and Plantation they carryed their Wealth and Goods with them and had supply of relief sent them continually from this Kingdome afterward untill this Warre caused the returne of many of them to help forward the destruction of their native soile and Country Indeed some are of opinion that they went to New-England only to learn and inure themselves to shed mans bloud we hear of few of the Heathens converted by them but of many masacred and by accustoming themselves to slaughter Infidells they have learned without scruple to murder Christians are better proficients then the Spaniards themselves in destroying those of their own Nation and Religion But as was said when they went first from hence they were suffered to carry their wealth with them they were not used as they and their faction use us who now suffer at their hands for our Conscience and the Gospell sake They take away all our goods make us beggars and then afterward if they do not murder us or starve us in prison they banish us into strange and desolate places with scarce cloaths on our backs to seek our fortunes 4. Great Complaints also there was of monopolies people payed an halfpenny more for a thousand of Pins then they were wont to doe and almost half a farding more for a pound of Sope and Starch then in former times when money was not so plentifull and such like heavy grievances did mightily oppresse them and made them weary of the Kings Government because He did permit of such things And yet the Excize upon bread and beer and flesh and cloathes and such like things as are sold in the market for mans use or spent in families was not then set up the Monopolizers durst not be so detrimental to the poor Subjects of this Kingdom while the King had the sole power in His Hands But since they got to be Members and Favourites of the Parliament they with their fellowes have Epimetheus-like opened this Pandorâ—'s Box and let loose amongst us all those Dutch miseries and they say the people are content to have it so though perhaps when they have been pilled or milked a few yeares longger by these new-State men it will be confessed that the Old Government viz. that of the King was far the better and the more easie 5. But the greatest complaint of all was Ship-money Ship-mony O that was a grievous burden indeed not to be stood under for a twentieth Part a fift Part weekly Contributions billetting of Souldiers seizing on Rents plundring of houses cutting of throats ravishing of women deflowring of Virgins and such like matters were not yet in fashion nor yet felt or known by the people of the Kingdome and therefore Ship-mony that was the great grievance But was not Ship-mony disputed and judged Legall before His Majesty did require it And when
the Scripture which these Dreamers have alleadged out of S. Jude it being the sole and onely one produced for their own Justification in these their Commentaries upon the Kings letters we must give them their due praise and yeeld it was very sutable for the purpose They goe on and tell us of something to be seen also saying They may see here in these his private letters what Affection the King beares to his people what Language and Titles he bestowes upon his great Councell SECT III. 1. The Kings great and true affection to his people Evidenced 2. How far divers of them that call themselves His Great Councell are from proving themselves his good Councellors The ten Rules or Precepts whereby they have proceeded 3. Of the Language and Titles which they complain of and how truly the name Rebell belongs unto them 4. The true cause of that great grief and sorrow so often mentioned An impudent Charge against the King propounded by the Libellers THe unlearned saith S. Peter do pervert many things in S. Pauls Epistles to their own destruction through the ignorance that is in them and if so then much rather may the malicious make perverse constructions upon the Kings Letters to the hurt of others through the bitterness that is in them Truly we do imagine that our subtile and suspected Brethren have even so done and malum being sui diffusivum they would fain season us with the same liquor which infecteth them to which end they would have us look with such Eyes as they doe and to judge with such hearts for thereby in time we may perhaps be brought to speak with such tongues and to act with such hands too And peradventure if we cannot read with their Spectacles or relish their interpretations they wil conclude us to be stark blinde and strongly Seduced But if they do we are of S. Pauls minde and passe not much to be judged by them our Judge is Christ whose Gospell hath taught us to interpret better These Letters we acknowledge have been read and as proceeding from their hands too together with their corrupt glosse upon them and we wish from our soules we had seen no more disloyalty in the one then we doe disaffection in the other no worse language in their notes against the best of Kings then we doe in his letters against the worst of Subjects we see his tender care to preserve in being his Protestant people in the Kingdome of Ireland he being made unable at the present to restore them to their former wel-being Pap. 16 and 17. we see also how desirous he is to settle a peace among his unkinde and unnaturall people of this Kingdome though with the diminution of his own undoubted rights and the lending away to his own great losse and prejudice his most just Prerogative Pap. 25. we see moreover how his spirit is grieved in him at the Stubbornnesse and perversnesse of the English Rebells that they hindred his hopes of an Accomodation by way of Treaty Pap. 6. which in the judgement of all that love their Country would be the best for the people of this land as the case now standeth we see in his Letters what resolution he hath to adhere to his Clergy the Messengers and Servants of the great God who were wont to be reckoned among the better sort of his people though now with these new and vile Reformers they are the most contemptible Pap. 1. Indeed his private directions for his Commissioners at Uxbridge do alone speake sufficiently his fatherly and Pious Affection to his people His words as his very Enemies record them are these Paper 25. I cannot yeeld to the change of the Government by Bishops not onely as I fully concur with the most Generall opinion of Christians in all Ages as being the best But likewise I hold my self particularly bound by the Oath I took at my Coronation not to alter the Government of this Church from what I found it And as for the Churches Patirmony I cannot suffer any diminution or alienation of it being without peradventure Sacriledge and likewise contrary to my Coronation Oath But whatever shall be offered for rectifying of abuses if any have crept in or for the ease of tender Consciences so as it endamage not the foundation I am content to heare and will be content to give a gratious answer thereunto Had any of the Kings Predecessours but offered thus much half thus much to the strictest non-Conformists in former times they would have cryed it up for a token of the greatest affection that ever King did shew unto his people But the men of our times unlesse their Soveraigne will commit perjury and break his Oath to God as they have done theirs both to God and him to please their Humours unless he will commit Sacriledge as they do destroy his own Conscience and damne his own soul to satisfie their lusts they are resolved to raile upon him for one that beares no Affections to his people But in these his Instructions to the same Commissioners we may and do observe more of his Affection yet to his own dammage and wrong unto his people his words are these by the testimony also of his own deadly enemies The Militia is certainly the fittest subject for a Kings quarrell for without it the Kingly power is but a shadow who can deny this and therefore upon no meanes to be acquitted but maintained according to the Ancient known lawes of the Land no otherwise doth the King desire to have it defended and upheld Yet because to attain to this so much wished peace by all good men it is in a manner necessary Scil. in regard of the guilty Consciences of the Rebells that a sufficient and reall security be given even to them to take away if possible their suspition for the performance of what shall be agreed upon I permit you either by leaving strong Towns or other Military forces in the Rebells possession untill Articles be performed to give such assurance for performance of conditions as you shall judge necessary to conclude a firm Peace Provided alwayes that you take as great a care by sufficient security that Conditions be performed to me good reason and to make sure that the peace once settled all things shall return to their ancient Channell Now behold and wonder O all ye Nations of the word and judge I beseech you betwixt this King and his Accusers Could any Christian deny himself more Did ever Prince deny himselfe so much Can the desires of any man be more equal and just then these are Doe you perceive in these his secret instructions that he covets any more power or Prerogative then is allowed or approved by the Ancient and known Lawes of the Land Can any innocent disposition upon the earth possibly give more satisfaction to a perverse froward and guilty Enemy then is here offered to these men by a most Gracious and Honest King onely to procure
upon you Moses and Aaron cryed those Grand Rebells when themselves onely did so And one who had sold himselfe to work wickednesse layed it to the charge of good Elias that he troubled Israel because his guilty Conscience told him that the Prophet and all other honest men beside had cause to accuse him for so doing and this is the very case of these men who as we see have done nothing in this particular without President and example though we confesse in respect of the Circumstances these men are more bitterly scornfull then ever any were that we read of in Scripture or elsewhere It was bitterly done of the Philistimes when they had weakned Sampson and brought him into an afflicted condition to mock and scorne at him in his misery yet they did not in those their mocks charge him with scorning them And the Persecutors of our Saviour did deal bitterly with him when in derision they Crown'd him with Thornes put a Reed into his hand in stead of a Scepter called him King bowed the knee to Him and then advanced him upon a Crosse instead of a Throne yet they did not at that time in their scoffing and flouting expressions say that His Crosse was the Chair of the Scornfull and that he being fastened to that did sit in the Scorners seat and scorne at them But these men are pleased even thus to deale with their King and Soveraigne as all the world may see by their Language so that the King hath cause to complain in the words of the Psalme Our soule is exceedingly filled with the scornings of them that be at ease and with the contempt of the proud And we his Subjects will pray in his behalfe as the Psalmist in another place Let the lying lips be put to silence O Lord which thus cruelly thus disdainfully and thus despightfully speake against the Righteous And we are confident as the Wiseman sayes that the High and Holy God scorneth at these scorners and hath prepared heavy judgements for them SECT VI. First of the Kings Errour in following evill Councellours and who they were His Majesty scorn'd at by the Libellers for his tendernesse of Conscience and hopes in Gods Justice 2. The folly and falshood of the Libellers Charge against Strafford and Canterbury 3. The Enemies acquit the King of having a voluntary hand in Straffords death 4. They hint the right Reason of his withdrawing from Westminster THe next particular which these honest and good men as they would be accounted doe charge their King withall is that He hath walked in the Councells of the ungodly to the ruine almost of three Kingdomes Indeed it cannot be denyed the King hath been exceeding unhappy in his Councellours and himselfe doth intimate that his walking after their advise hath been a main cause of Gods judgment upon this Kingdome His words to this purpose are these Paper 22. Nothing can be more Evident then that Straffords Innocent bloud hath been one of the great causes of Gods Judgement upon this Nation by a furious Civill Warre both sides being hitherto almost equally punished as being in a manner equally guilty but now this last crying bloud being totally theirs I beleeve it is no presumption hereafter to hope that his hand of Justice must be heavier upon them and lighter upon us looking now upon our Cause having passed by our faults This Christian and pious ackowledgement of the King these men scoff at in their Notes upon it and deride at that remorse of Conscience which his Majesty discovers for his permitting the shedding of Straffords bloud He left him say they to the Block against Conscience as is now alleadged and again Remorse of Conscience suggesteth to the King c. Yea and they doe seem to glory in what themselves did do to the spilling of it and to rejoyce that none but themselves had a hand in the death of Canterbury Yea and further how slightfully if not scoffingly doe they speak of the Kings mentioning Gods Hand of Justice in the businesse Their words are these Pag. 49. The King in his Letter of Jan. 14. takes it as evident that Straffords innocent bloud has brought the Judgement of this Civill warre equally upon both sides both being equally guilty thereof His meaning is that he and his side was as guilty in permitting as the Parliament was in prosecuting But now for Canterburies bloud that being totally put upon the Parliaments score he doubts not but the Hand of Justice will from henceforth totally lay the weight of this guilt upon the Parliaments side Yet the Kings words are I beleeve it is no presumption hereafter to hope that his hand of Justice must be heavier upon them Considering the time when this their scornfull Comment upon the Kings expressions came forth viz. immediately after their Victory at Nazeby field by their Victorious Sir Thomas Fairfax for so they call him we understand their sence to be this The King talks of Gods Hand of Justice and doubts not but the same will from the time of Canterburies death lay the weight of the guilt of bloud totally upon our side Victorious Sir Thomas Fairfax hath answered him sufficiently in that particular and declared to the world what his hopes in Gods Justice are come to well let him please himselfe still in those fancies so long as we have the â—â—nd of Victorius Sir Thomas Fairfax on our side we will give him leave to flatter himself in that Hand of Justice he speaks of c. And yet let these scoffers of these last times that say Where is the promise of his comming for since the father fell a sleepe all things continue as succesfull as they did before let them I say know that Gods Justice may awaken soon enough to their Confusion Quod defertur non aufertur the longer the blow is in comming the heavier will its fall be Fortuna belli semper ancipiti in loco est the day of the Lord will come suddenly upon them as a thief in the night Quos dies vidit veniens superbos hos dies vidit fugiens jacentes But they go on in that place and inform us who those ungodly ones were whose Councell in this other place they say the King has followed to the ruine almost of three Kingdomes Their words are these The truth is Strafford and Canterbury were the chief firebrands of this war the two ill Councellours that chiefly incensed the King against the Scots and endeavoured to subject all the three Kingdomes to a new Arbitrary Government and are now justly executed for attempting the subversion of that Law which the King has perfected since Because dead folkes cannot speak for themselves and because it is so Voted therefore Strafford and Canterbury were the chief fire-brands of this war and so for truth it must be taken though one of them was quite extinct a year before this war begun and the other kept by his
of them being sent by the rest into the Country to pick their neighbours purses whilest they have been perswading the poor Country-man to new Loanes and Charges for the maintenance of this unchristian and unnatural War Providence as must be pretended did usually at the very instant time send some Letter or other wherein was related with thanks to the people for their former assistance what a great Victory by the help of God and them the Parliament had lately obtained against the Kings Forces with little or no loss to themselves so that now the work was in a manner quite done one Contribution more would finish the Business These Letters were suspected even by the abused people themselves to be but meer forgeries devised on purpose to cozen them of their Monies when afterward they understood there had been no such Victories at that time verily those that dare belie Gods Providence and forge Letters from that may be suspected wil be as bold with the King in pursuance of their own designs against him But say they if the Parliament were guilty of any such forgery the King in his Letters which have been intercepted would have objected the same The word intercepted might have been omitted for if in any of the Kings Letters which have by Accident come into their Hands any such thing were objected yea and sufficiently proved yet we are confident of their wisdome so far that we dare say for them they would never have divulged the same nor suffered the world to know of it if they themselves could help But for their whole Argument 't is only negative and therefore weak and fallible The King hath not accused them of forgery Ergo they are not guilty thereof is no necessary consequent There is many a Malefactor in the Kingdom that deserves hanging yet was never brought to his trial is he therefore innocent As it doth not follow that they are most faulty that are most ill spoken of no more doth it on the contrary that they are most free from blame that are least taxed But if the King hath not objected forgery unto them the more is his goodness and wisdome he that desires peace with his Adversary is sparing even in his just objections that no obstruction be cast in by him as a bar to union whereas they that love strife though themselves have already offered most wrong yet are stil most ful of clamours and when they can find no faults to object they 'l invent some to keep the fire burning doubtless if the New great Seal be remembred it must be acknowledged by all men that the King hath had more cause to accuse them of forgery then ever they had yet to Accuse him of Perjury but by their own Confession we see the King hath been more careful of their credit then they have been of his Honour or of their own Souls But being conscious of the weakness of their Argument they hope to strengthen it with a second which is nihil ad nos as the other was nihil ad rem 't is their appeal to the Kings own Conscience who say they cannot disavow his own handwriting this may indeed be aliquid ad regem but what is it to the Reader Would they have every one in these Kingdoms and beyond the Seas to whom they have dispersed these Copies make a journy to ask the King whether these Letters were of His own Hand-writing And to this second they adde a third which is even like the former they tel the Reader that all the Ciphers Letters all the Circumstances of time and fact and the very hand by which they are Signed so generally known and now exposed to the view of all will aver for them that no such forgery could â—e possible And yet the Reader all the while sees nothing but only that which comes from the hand of the Printer or did he see the very Cyphers or original Letters they speak of were the hand wherewith they were Signed exposed generally to the view of all could all men know it to be the Kings or swear it were nto forged I suppose not unless He had first submitted his faith and judgment to believe only as the Parliament Voteth In a word I conceive that not withstanding all they say to the contrary they who forged the Kings Seal may possibly forge Letters under the Kings Name I do not Accuse any to have so done only I speak thus to shew that their Arguments are not so convincing as themselves think Forgery in this case might be possible But they come to the second objection which they believe may be made against their Notes upon these Letters and say As to our Comments and Annotations if there be not perspicuity and modesty in them there is no common Justice nor place for credit left among mankind SECT X. 1. Of that perspicuity and Modesty which the Libellers boast to be in their own Annotations 2. Their pretty confident way of perswading all men to be of their Opinions 3. Their Reasons why they did not publish all they had against the King IF any shal dislike these Comments and Annotations upon the Kings Letters He is confuted in these words very substantially for the Authors of them say that they are all very good and we know men can best judge of their own works they can give the fairest interpretation of their own doings the Crow can see beauty in her own bird though none else can so these men can see perspicuity and modesty in their own Notes yea so confident they are that their sight is good their judgment true that they dare boldly conclude there is no Common Justice or faith left amongst men if all mankind be not of their Opinion in this particular Was not this stoutly spoken Are not these valiant men We see they are resolved to hold their own though all mankind say to the contrary Truly upon this their commendation their Notes have been read over again and again and I profess I can see no perspicuity at all in them unless of spight and malice which indeed I find set forth with the Highest and most transcendent impudency against Soveraign Majesty as I believe ever Mankind saw Nay I dare affirm it that never any Protestant Christian Subjects did discover the like under Countenance of such an Authority as these pretend And I require these boasters to shew but one word or expression savouring of true modesty and Christian reverence to their King in all their Annotations and I promise them it shal excuse with me a multitude of their other errours Nay let their own Consciences speak concerning this perspicuity which they talk of whether they did not on purpose transpose these Letters in this their publication of them inverting the Order wherein they were written setting some that were first last and some that were last first that so their dependance upon each other being broken they might be lesse perspicuous to the Reader
not the King fight with his Enemies at their own weapons and oppose strangers to strangers Papists to Papists Is it so great a sin in him to use such men and are they no whit to be blamed for the same thing may not he with as much dependance upon God do in his necessity what they do in the midst of plenty may they imploy forrein aid to thrust him out of his inheritance and may not he with as good leave make use of the like to keep the possession of what God hath given him surely upon this consideration if the King for his part be worthy of censure they also deserve a portion of the same Condemnation no honest man but is of this judgment This is that advice which I propound to the indifferent Readers and which I conceive to be most agreeable to Christs Gospel if they now please to follow it they may through Gods blessing not only be kept out of a sinful path but also have better satisfaction in the matter discoursed upon then they are likely to receive from these Annotators whom I write against for these High-boys say plainly that all such who are not of their opinion are perfect Malignants and not worthy of any reply or satisfaction at all in this point viz. at their hands And they further proceed saying Our Cause is stil the same as it was when the King first took Arms and as it was when the King made most of these Oaths and Professions Our three Propositions concerning the Abolition of Episcopacy the Setling the Militia of the three Kingdoms in good hands by the advise of Parliament the Vindication of the Irish Rebels being all our main demands at the Treaty in February last and no other then the Propositions sent in June 1642. before any stroak struck wil bear us witness that we rather have straitned then enlarged our Complaints But were our case altered as it is not or were we worse Rebels then formerly c. These words are added to evidence their former And the Argument in them stands thus If our Cause be stil the same as at the Beginning and our selves as bad Rebels as we were at first then the King is such a one as we do repute him or would have him believed to be and those that think better of him are perfect Malignants and as unworthy of future satisfaction as we judge them But our Cause is stil the same as it was at the first and we are as bad Rebels as at the beginning Ergo. The Minor in this syllogisme we shal easily grant But did we not understand how unworthy we are in their account of any reply we should be bold to deny the Major For we conceive not how either the unalterableness of their Cause or their persistency in maintaining it can prove the King who opposeth both it and them to be as they report him Indeed if their reports of him were of a clean contrary nature to what they are the Argument might wel stand for the longer he perseveres to resist Rebellion and rebellious men the more fully doth he approve himself according to his Title and Profession The Defender of the true Faith and a tender Father of his Country for the continuance of their cause and of them in their way speaks a continuance if not an increase of their strength and this must needs infer a decrease of the Kings Power because what they have is taken from him and the Kings weakness affords an opportunity of shewing his own true worth He being debarred of outward assistance and supportments is separated from that which makes disfigured Monsters look handsomly Patience is a more substantial virtue then temperance and he that endures famishing without alteration hath more virtue then he that comes from a feast without a surfeit But I wil not spend words to them that list not to reply wherfore desiring all men to observe the simpleness and insufficiency of their Argument for the proof of what they would have it I shal shew the reason why their Cause is stil the same as at the beginning when the King first took up Arms in his own defence It is in a word because themselves are stil the same Traitâ—rs Heady High-minded lovers of themselves of their own lusts and wils more then of God their King and Country nor indeed can men ever love where they have cause to fear they must stil mistrust without all hope of reconciling whom they have injured beyond all remedy of amends Injuriam qui tulit oblivisci potest qui fecit nunquam though the King in his goodness may forgive yet they in their guiltiness cannot believe and therfore they are stil the same men and their Cause is stil the same Besides they have entangâ—ed themselves in such a labyrinth of mischiefs as in their own apprehensions they have no place left of acknowledging their error without a total ruine both of their Estates and Persons therfore also having learned the wisdome of Spes quisque sibi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are stil the same men and their cause is stil the same And moreover too should they deny themselves in the least particular or retract an hairs breadth from their first position what a Jealousie might it breed in peoples heads of their infallibility how easily might those whom they have led all this while on the blind side suspect them also erronious in other matters and so might they come to be despised in those minds wherin hitherto they have been enshrined with all devotions Peoples love is commonly according to their hope it grows and fades with it therfore should their hopes in these new State-men begin to fail their love towards them might fail too yea and perhaps be turned into hatred of them and so people returning to their former Loyalty might force those grand Imposters that have seduced them to yeild up the Militia to its right owner and betake themselves to the due order of their predecessours in former Parliaments which to do as yet they have no intention and therfore are stil the same men and their Cause is stil the same as at the first when they forced their Soveraign in his own defence to make use of those few Arms his friends brought him even to maintaine that breath which God had given him At which time to disswade if possible from this un natural War which he saw they did intend and foresaw would be destructive to his poor Subjects the King endevoured to heal their ulcered minds with all Princely favours and true shews of trust to which purpose he made many of those promises which they reckon up in a reproachful way as not performed by him at the end of their notes and wanting other means to manifest further the reality of his heart in those his professions they having robbed him of all his power he did for their very sakes that they might have the more assured confidence confirm his
away what ere he had to defend himself they made a shift to beat him with his own Weapons after four long years pursuit of him and what extraordinary matter is there in all this Nay some say too they had not prevailed then neither but that they plowed with the Kings Heifer as they also did in their taking those Townes and Castles which since they entred upon Had not some whom the King trusted been perfidious these great Conquerours had not been so prosperous Wherefore the case being rightly stated it was not altogether Victorious Sir Thomas Fairfax but partly also victorious treachery and victorious money which was the procurer of such their late extraordinary great successe And yet perhaps Sir Thomas Fairfax may be a right valiant man in his way as many other Commanders on that side are worthy all to be engaged in a more noble and righteous quarrell and I wish with my Soul for their Soules sake and for the honour of the English Nation that either the cause which they strive to maintaine were better or that their industry wherewith they maintaine it were not so good But that none may think that the extraordinary successe which these perverters of Order these underminers of Government have had and which these troubles of Israel these over-turners of Christianity do boast of is to be attributed to any goodnesse in their cause or to any Celestiall or Divine benediction upon it I shall desire them to consider of the true Grounds and Reasons of it I shall name only those that are most visible amongst which I might mention private divisions between our Chieftaines who to revenge themselves of one another seemed not to care what advantage they gave to the common foe nor what detriment to the King but this hath been too sufficiently yea too shamefully visible without further notice I might mention also the Indiscretion or inability of those who have undertaken to manage the Kings Affaires The greatest talkers sayes the Proverb are not always the wisest men He that can make a witty speech is not alwayes meetest to sway a Councell nor are men of quickest gust or relish always men of the best and sagest spirit 't is one thing to give directions for dressing of a good Dinner and another thing to give orders for the governing of a great Army Beside the Genius of some men is neither publick nor noble enough either to gaine or keep the Hearts of people who by a certaine instinct from above are most regardfull in troublesome times of those whom they apprehend to be most neglectfull of themselves Assuredly the King and his Cause both have received the greatest wounds from the hands of Friends I might also mention mens dishonesty in falsifying the trust imposed in them when they have by their oppression and violence beggered the people committed to their care by their excess and harshness weakened their hearts and loosened the joynts of Loyalty in them and made the places strong and fensible as if they had been there set only to enrich themselves and to make preparation for the Enemy and this being done their work were done they have delivered up all into the adversaries hand and so departed But to omit these and many more particulars which might be named which have occasioned that great success so gloried in I shall mention only three viz. Remisnesse in the best of ours Prophanenesse in the worst and Popular fury 1. Remisness The best on our side in generall being not armed or quickned with such stings of Hatred as they on their side are have been more heavy and dull in their opposite desires and inferiour to them in their attempts and practises They by tumbling and tossing like heaps of snow rowled up and down have grown great and mighty and we by our frosty coldness have given them leave to harden Whereby they are encreased to that stupendious heap we see though 't is possible yet that a thaw may come for rota fortunae is in gyro notwithstanding their present bigness they may be sensible of a diminution might but the glorious Sun-shine of Gods Countenance return again upon our Soveraign And yet perhaps this Remisness which I seeme to tax in these of ours hath been more from others restraint then their owne sluggishness for alas the chiefest care of too many amongst us hath been to damp the endevours of good men in such places where they might have been most serviceable yea to prevent if possible their being trusted or imployed at all for fear I think the Kings Affaires should thrive too well if such had had the managing of them many of the Kings friends as they have been called have been so faithfull to Him that they would neither do their own duties nor suffer others to do theirs having themselves deserved ill they could not abide that others should deserve better it hath been one of the hardest things for a known honest man to obtain leave of them since the Kings troubles began to doe His Majesty faithfull service yea I have heard it often said that the surest and speediest way for one to bring himselfe to ruine among many of the Kings men was to be more active and honest then others in doing the Kings worke Nay if a Minister of Christ hath but laboured earnestly and zealously in his proper way according to his Office in the behalf of God his Soveraigne and his Country He hath growne remarkable on the suddaine and been noted by many that should have encouraged him for an unsufferable fellow fit for nothing but for slaughter unless presently silenced and dismissed for they have cryed He will spoile the Kings Cause if let alone and make all the Souldiers stark Puritanes rank Round-heads or else stirre up all the people against us and all this but for his faithfull and true dislike of that which spoiled it Remissenesse therefore in good men is granted a mean to preserve their own safeties but withall t is undoubtedly one of the special things that hath damnified the Kings Cause and advanced that of the Enemy 2. As Remisnesse in some so prophanesse and high impiety in some others of our side hath weakned us and aided them t is a true saying A divine blessing doth alwayes accompany good causes where wickednesse and wilfull witlessenesse doth not bar against it but when either of these oppose the blessing is obstructed and alas Hinc dolor Hinc lacrymae hence also is the source of our sorrows and of our enemies good successe Sir Edwin Sands in his Europae speculum tells us that the Jewes in their speculations of the causes of the strange successe of worldly affaires doe assigne the reason of the Turkes prevailing against the Christians to their Blasphemies and horrid Oathes which doe wound the eares of the very Heavens and cry to the throne of Justice for Divine vengeance whereas the Turkes hate prophanation and will not suffer Christ to be
and who should be the greatest among them which doubtlesse was no small molestation to his heavenly Spirit nor was this all he met with many unkindnesses from them too he was wounded in the house of his friends forsaken of his Disciples when the times grew black and cloudy yea and afterward his very Appstles themselves fled from him one forswore him and another betrayed him And even in this also hath the King been like unto him there hath been strange divisions and strivings among his Followers for place and preferment to his Majesties great griefe and damage He hath had wounds given him by his friends and deep ones too they have enlarged his sorrowes they that had dependence on him have forsaken him because his afflictions were great upon him His servants have renounced their relation to him yea those whom he trusted have betrayed him they that eat of his bread have lift up the heele against him onely Christ had but one Judas whereas the King hath had many but Christ indeed knew what is in man and therefore did not commit himselfe unto them in which knowledge the King hath been defective and so hath been deceived 12. Christ expected that his three speciall Apostles whom he chose out of all the rest for that purpose should watch and pray with him and for him in his greatest Agony but they even they â—lumbred and slept and left him in that great and sad houre to tread the Wine-presse himselfe alone Even so the best of us from whom his Majestie may expect most speciall services of this nature in his agonies and sorrowes for that we are ordained on purpose in regard of our office and calling to watch and pray Alas we sleep we faile in such our duties for him we have left him in a manner quite desolate that he may take up to himselfe that word of Christ and say of my people there was none with me And as our Saviour notwithstanding that failing in dutie towards him in his necessitie did excuse the weaknesse of his Disciples the spirit sayes he is willing but the flesh is weake so hath our King done even excused the failings of his Subjects towards him How oft hath he been heard to say of many they are willing to help me but are not able and when he heard related the weaknesse of one who Peter-like had saved his life by a recantation the man sayes he I thinke is honest and loves me well only he is affraid to die 13. But to draw to a conclusion as Christ deserved none of this hard measure which he found at the hands of those that offered the same he alwayes merited their greatest respect and loving affections many good workes saith he have I done for which of them doth you stone me Many Sermons had he preached many good Prayers had he made many Diseases had he cured manie Miracles had he wrought yet all was forgotten malice and spight did raze out the remembrance of all So the King hath deserved nothing but good from the hands and hearts of his Subjects He may also say manie good Acts of Grace have I passed for your benefit O my people manie blessings have you enjoyed under my Government manie yeares of peace and plenty under my protection for which of them do you thus hunt me thus persecute and molest me Indeed Christs enemies sinned against their own Consciences in all they did against him as appeares by that their saying if we let this man alone all will believe in him as if they had said he is so holy in his life so true in his sayings so gracious and good in his conversation so mild so sweet and affable in his whole carriage that we are like to lose all our credit with the people unlesse we ruine him and therefore on purpose they belyed and beslandred him yea by all means laboured to engage the people with themselves against him yea they made them their instruments to doe him all the mischiefe and perswaded them that in their so doing they did God good service Thus the Kings enemies also have gone against their owne Consciences in all their doings against him and for the very same reason they know him to be so full of grace and goodnesse that if people were but let alone they would quickly all adhere unto him and so themselves of all men should become the most odious to prevent which they have bedaubed him with lies and slanders and engaged the people to be their instruments to persecute and abuse him yea and made them to think that they serve God in so doing 14. Last of all the Pharisees pretended salutem populi in all these their doings against Christ and that they did all for the good of the Common-Wealth better one man die sayes the chiefe of them then all the people perish yet Pilate easily perceived that all was out of meer envy and malice and therefore askes them what particular accusation they could bring against him but they could alledge none only they tell him in generall termes if he were not a Malefactor we would not have brought him before thee He must take their words and contrary to his own sence believe that they were too holy to harbour envy or to doe any thing against any man without cause indeed afterward they inferred plainly that the reason why they sought to take away his life was because he was their King He makes himselfe a King say they and therefore is not Caesars friend S. Matthew sayes that this was his very accusation which Pilate set over his head on the Crosse Jesus of Nazareth King of the Jewes which was in effect thus much This Jesus was accused and thus crucified as you here see only because he was King of the Jewes The Pharisees indeed would have had him altered the words and set down because he said he was the King of the Jewes but sayes Pilate quod scripsi scripsi what I have written is the truth and so it shall stand in Hebrew Greeke and Latine that all the world may know your Jewish basenesse Thus were their dealings with our Saviour and thus also have our English Jewes in all respects dealt with their Soveraign they have pretended salutem populi the preservation of the Common-Wealth as if that were like to perish if he did not yet one that hath but a Pilates eye a meer naturall eye if not coloured with Rebellion may plainly see that the root of all is meer envy and malice let any body aske the chiefe among them what personall evill or accusation they can bring against the King there can be nothing answered but in generall termes if there were not a cause if he were not a malefactor His great Councell would not doe as they have done against him But what that cause is or wherein he is so faulty cannot be made manifest only their words must be taken
against all sence and reason nay they have plainly inferred as hath been observed that they seek his ruine because he is a King and would maintaine Monarchy He that makes himselfe a Monarch or a King is no friend to the Parliament Well when he is dead as I think no wise man expects otherwise but that they will murder him openly or secretly shorten his dayes if they can get him and God doe not in a miraculous manner againe deliver him for as nothing but Christs Crucifixion would please the Jewes of old so nothing but the Kings extinction will satisfie the malice of some in this Age but I say when he is dead we shall in this one thing imitate Pilate and publish to all the world his accusation and cause of his death This shall be his Title Carolus Gratiosus Rex Angliae CHARLES the Gratious King of England was put to death by the Pharisaicall Puritans of his Kingdome only because he was their King and in many respects so like unto Jesus Christ the Worlds Saviour I wish with my soule and I pray with my heart that they may yet at length prevent us in this by their unfeigned Humiliation for the wrongs they have done him and by their right acceptance of him and obedience to him Thus have I shown in many particulars how fitly the Kings sufferings doe parallel with those of Christ I might instance in more but I hope the well disposed from this which hath been said will of themselves make observation of the rest I might here also evidence on the other side How his Majesties Enemies doe resemble him whom themselves call Anti-christ in their conditions yea I could by comparing their doings in this their generation with the worst Acts of the worst of Popes in severall Ages demonstrate to the world that these men of all men are most like them but mine aymes are not so much to decypher them as to offer a true presentment of the King unto his people to declare his vertues and wrongs which they labour to conceale is rather my work then to proclaim their ungodlinesse which indeed speaks it selfe loud enough without my discovery And truly had it been possible for me to have healed the wounds made by them upon my Soveraignes Honour without laying open their corruptions I should not have mentioned them so much as I have done for my delights are not to be stirring in such obscene and stinking puddles But all men know that he who takes upon him to justifie the Righteous must of necessity condemne the wicked the goodnesse of the one cannot be vindicated unlesse the vilenesse of the other be detected specially when they thus stand in competition wherefore omitting what might be spoken of them to this purpose I shall rather as Christs Minister apply my selfe to speake unto them after I have uttered a few words to those well-meaning Common people who have been seduced by them whom in the first place I desire to listen to mee SECT XXVII A serious and Brotherly Discourse to the seduced and oppressed Commons of this Nation their dangerous condition related divers and necessary considerations propounded to their thoughts to disswade them from persisting in their present way Their Objection of keeping their late Oath and Covenant Answered COuntrey-men and fellow-Subjects you see I have dealt with you as Pilate did with these people of the Jewes whom the subtill Pharisees had prevailed with to be their instruments in seeking Christs ruine for the desiring to divert them from further proceeding in so evill a way against so just a Person brought him forth before their eyes crowned with Thorns and arrayed with sorrowes and bad them Behold the man supposing that the sight of his griefs already suffered by the wrongs and abuses already offered would make them desist from offering more So I desiring with my soule as God is my witnesse to stop you in this your ungodly way which the craftie Pharisees of these times have thrust you into and to stay you from furtheir endeavouring your Kings destruction have set him before your eyes in the same sad and afflicted condition that Christ was in and whereinto your selves alas have helped to bring him Now I beseech you all Behold the man consider how much you have wronged his innocence already and abused his goodnesse and whether you have not shewne unkindnesse enough unto him who hath been unto you the Author of so much good so many yeares together You will say had we lived in the dayes of Christ we would not have joyned with the Pharisees in persecuting and abusing him and his Disciples and yet you are partakers in the like evills will you disallow of such things against your Saviour and yet act them against your Soveraigne Have you any other evidence against the King then those people had against Christ the bare testimony and report of his deadly enemies or have you any better warrant from Gods Word to rise up and cry out against the one then those had to do so against the other surely you have not O foolish people therefore and unwise who hath bewitched you who hath perverted you I know you 'l say even they whom we thought we were bound to follow scil our Teachers and our Leaders true and God shall require your bloud at their hands but in the meane time if you die in this way you will die in your sin for as Esay sayes the Leaders of this people cause them to erre and they that are led by them are destroyed that is are in the undoubted way unto destruction and what will you doe at the end thereof Perhaps your consciences are yet asleep so was Judasse's till his worke was quite done his Master murthered and himselfe received his wages but then it began to open indeed and so to roare within him that it debarred him quite from all contentment in his money for he brings that back to them who had employed him and makes his moan unto them and perhaps expects comfort from theâ—â— but they having served their turnes of him left him in the bryers whereinto they had brought him and rejected his complaint with a quid hoc ad nos what is it unto us see you to it their owne consciences did not yet stirre nor had they any respect at all to the troubles of his spirit Now truly friends this will be the condition of many of you when you have damn'd your soules in serving the lusts of these men and think to enjoy comfort in that wages of iniquity the Estates of other men which you gape after and is promised unto you as the price of bloud then will the doores of your consciences be unlocked the sence of your guilt will make you as sick as he was both of your rewards and lives and then if you lament and cry we have sinned in spilling innocent bloud the bloud of our Soveraigne or the bloud of our Countrey-men that never
words Times are not now as they have been Many of the Presbyterian faction in whom the spirit of cruelty is most naturall and who ruled the Rost when most of these villanies were acted which your Book reproveth are either runne away or turned the other way for the Militia now most in the others hands hath proved a stronger Argument with their Consciences then their Covenant therefore there is no cause to fear persecution for a discharge of duty And besides these are times wherein every one may speak and practice as himself pleaseth nor can any be imagined so vile as to permit all that will to write against that King whom God hath commanded to Honour and that Church which baptized and taught us all the knowledge of God we have and be offended onely at those that write in their behalf Shall we think that men have leave in these Reforming times to be any thing but true Protestants and to do any thing but their duties away away with all Panick fears To this I Answer 1. There is a Leaven of that proud and sower Faction yet remaining 2. There is a Generation of Apostate Priests too much in favour with men of Power and these are mischievous men who having themselves betrayed the Truth cannot abide that any should appear for it they have hitherto been the chief movers to persecution for those Greater persons would never doubtlesse have defiled themselves with such actions as casting Gods Ministers out of their Possessions if some of these little Satans had not stood at their right hands to tempt them provoke them Now these persons specially those of mine old acquaintance do cry nothing but hanging hanging against me for I believe their sight of me puts them in mind of their own Apostacy from that way of Christ wherein formerly they walked with me they have confidently said it that the Parliament would hang me And why Because I was one among many others that had proved this unnaturall Warre to be unlawfull by Gods Word and had Vindicated sacred Scripture from those false and perverse glosses which for ill purposes were put upon it And these Prophets that in this particular at least themselves may appear true will do their best I beleeve with the Members of both Houses to make good the word which they have spoken for those Lords and Gentlemen whom they relate unto if they can prevaile with them shall be all conditioned like Dionisius the Tirant of Siracuse who sent Philoxenus to the gallows because he would not flatter him But as the Prophet said so say I As for me behold I am in their hands let them do with me as seemeth meet good unto them c. It hath been mine endeavour this seaven years day and my usuall Prayer that I may be able to conclude as M. Bradford the Martyr did concerning those that had power over him viz. If they shall imprison me I le thanke them If they shall burn me I le thank them If they shall banish me I le thanke them but if they shall give me leave to preach the Gospell I le thank them more and I promise them withall by Gods grace to be a daily Petitioner for their Conversion and for the pardon of their sins And for my kind Brethren I will in requitall remember them of their destiny they may reade it themselves in Isay 9. 15. The Prophet that teacheth lies is the tail So in Mal. 2. 8. 9. The Lord speaking to some of their stamp saith Because ye have departed out of the way and caused my people to stumble therefore I le make you the most vile base contemptible among them Yea I doubt not e'relong but by most men they 'l be so reputed however of late they have been honoured and justly indeed do they merit to be the tail of the people for making themselves to be the tayl of the Dragon which they have manifestly done by their casting down the Stars from Heaven the Orthodox Ministers out of Christs Church But when this their day of contempt is come and they are assaulted as that Popish Doctor Bourn was in Queen Maries dayes even in the Pulpit from whence they have vented their lies and blasphemies as to this it will come I hope if I live to see it I shall have grace to approve my selfe to them as Master Bradford did to him and help to conduct them away in safety from vulgar rage perswade the people to rest quiet for thus it becomes the true Gospel No disaffection have I now as God knows unto their persons though I professe my selfe a perfect enemy to their courses But now good Readers to leave them there remains onely two requests which I make to you The first is this That you would not think amisse of the most High and Honourable Court of Parliament for those evils that are done in these daies under its name and if any suggest that such or such passages in this my Book are against the same believe them not for I professe unto you I neither do nor dare think the supreme Court of Justice in this Kingdome to be all one with sinne or that Oppression Sacriledge Rebellion Popery and those other Evils which I inveigh against are the Actions of that when God shall please to restore unto us a true Parliament you shall see all these things amended and the Authours of them severely punished Have still therefore a Reverend esteem of Parliaments Secondly I desire that you would not conceive any bitternesse in me or in my Book against the persons of those men that now are called the Parliament as perhaps some may fancy because my usage hath not been good for I professe here also unto you that I do not apprehend my self in respect of my self to have any true cause of hate towards them I thank God I can say to them as the Apostle to his Galathians You have not hurt me at all Nay rather I hope they have been the means to make me in some sort a better Christian. The Causes of my sufferings as I learned at first from some of themselves were these foure I hinted them indeed to the world before in my Loyall Subjects Belief and referre them now to your judgements whether they may not occasion comfort and rejoycing in me yea and love too towards them rather then hatred or ill affections The first was as I was then told because I was an honest man and thereby did more hurt to their Cause being opposite to it in the Country where I was known then an hundred knaves what greater Honour could they do me then by affording this Testimony of me This reason I confesse from their mouths was apprehended by me as a timely intimation and call from God to doe their cause from thence forth what hurt I could which by his power I have since endeavoured and by his grace shall continue so to doe unto my lives end The second
also noted the same that this was the course which Julian the Apostate took in his dayes He having a purpose as these have to ruine the profession of Christianity Used not the sword as Dioclesian did though these indeed to make the work more speedy doe act Dioclesian too but he took away the means of the Clergies subsistance knowing full well that if maintenance once failed the number of Preachers would not long continue The said Julian also would tell the Bishops and Pastors when he stripped them of all they had that in so doing He had a speciall care of their soules health because the Gospell commended Poverty unto them Such like flowts at the Doctrine of Christ doth often fall from lips of the Apostates of these days 5. By their pulling downe all Christian order and formes of publicke Worship and Service tending to decency and edification by casting down defiling and defaming the Houses of God turning many of them into Stables Slaughter-houses Prisons and Jakes they have made close-stooles of Fonts and Pulpits and done as bad to Communion Tables they have rent the holy Bible in pieces scorned at the Sacraments Baptized Horses robbed Churches of Sacramentall Utensils as Plate Linnen calling it Idolatrous and Superstitious because it had been only used in Christs service nay the poore innocent Bells because they have been the meanes of calling people together to Worship God and to adore the Saviour of the World must be pulled down and turned into Guns that they may be another while Instruments of destruction to the Members of Jesus this indeed as I read was the manner of the Turkes when they tooke Constantinople they melted the Bells into Ordnances In a word what ever evill or impiety the Enemies were wont to slander our Church withall these men have acted or suffered to be done by those whom they maintaine insomuch that now the Priests of Rome shall not speak only lyes as heretofore when they tell the people That in England they abolish Church Sacraments the meanes of Salvation they either raze or rob Churches wheresoever they come and make Stables of them that they will neither have Temples nor forme of Religion nor doe they serve God any way yea the English Nation is growne so barbarous that they are very Canniballs and devoure one another God knowes my Soul abhorres to thinke much more to name those things that are acted done amongst as nor should my pen be fouled with the mention of them were they not visible to so many eyes and did not necessity of defending impugned Truth and an abused Church restraine me But I would have all the Papists understand for to that end do I thus speak that we who are of the true Protestant Christian Religion do abhor and loath these practices as much as any and are persecuted to death by them that do them for our dislike of them 6. By their suppression and demolition of all Monuments of Christianity that there might be seen no more tokens of it in the Kingdome as if they intended that no man should be able hereafter to say this Land was once Christian The very festivall times when the Birth Death Resurrection Ascension of our Saviour is commemorated which next to the Preaching of Gods Word and Administration of the Sacraments have been the most speciall means to confirme mens faith in the History of Christ these they have inhibited and forbidden as if they hated his very remembrance Gods wisdome appointed the Feast of Passeover to be kept as an Ordinance for ever among the Jewes to minde them of their deliverance from Aegypt and to be a mean to assure their Children in after-Ages of the truth of that great mercy And the Church conceiving that our deliverance from sinne and Satan by the Birth Death Resurrection and Ascension of Christ to be as a great a deliverance as that other and to deserve as well to be remembred did also apprehend that way or mean to be the best to convey the notice of it to Posterity which Gods owne Wisdome devised and that was by celebrating Annuall Festivalls in memoriall thereof but these men it seemes have resolved to the contrary for they will not have the same kept any longer in remembrance Nay that miraculous Thorne at Glassenbury which was wont to celebrate the Festivall of Christs Nativity by putting forth its leaves and flowers was cut in pieces by these Militia men that it might no longer Preach unto men the Birth day of their Saviour But what doe I speake of dayes and times and teaching Trees the very Doctrine it selfe which Christ himselfe taught and practised viz. the Doctrine of Peace Patience and passive obedience unto Princes is reckoned obsolete and uselesse by these men it was publickly maintained by a certaine worthlesse Member at a great Committee in the Checquer Chamber that such Doctrines were out of date in these dayes and had been onely proper to former times when the Church was in a low Condition and under the Persecution of Heathen Emperours Nay these men would not that any true Christian Protestant should have leave to live to relate unto posterity the Doctrine of his Saviour as seemeth by their doings their thirst for Protestant Bloud appeareth to be such as if they desired that all of that Profession in the world had but one Head that so they might cut it off at one blow for they have shed already more of it within these foure yeares then ever was shed in Great Brittaine since the world began and that for no other cause that we yet know for they never durst come to dispute it with us then for holding to the Doctrine of Christs Gospell because we will not contrary to that lift up our hands with them against our Soveraigne By these particulars and many others which I might alleadge it is evident what ever they pretend to the contrary that their endeavours are to destroy the Christian Protestant Religion Our Saviour doth warrant us to judge of men by their fruits wherefore t is no marvaile if the Reader being a true Protestant Christian be not well affected to that cause of Liberty and Religion which the two Parliaments of England and Scotland do seeme to maintaine SECT VIII 1. Of the feigned Combination against the Parliament 2. Our judgement of the Papists and of their assisting the King 3. Our abhorment of the Cruelties of the Irish and how they are out-gone by the English Rebells 4. Our Opinion of the Court Faction of what flock we are 5. How the Libellers call themselves the more beleeving sort of people BUt the Reason insinuated by our Subtile Brethren why men should be affected to that their cause is taken from the Consideration of the Persons against whom as they say t is maintained viz. against a combination of all the Papists of Europe almost especially the bloudy Tigres of Ireland and some of the Prelaticall and Court Faction in England That
there is any such Combination opposed by the two Parliaments of England and Scotland as these men mention is more perhaps then the Readers have heard of before or then they do yet beleeve upon the bare affirmation of these Relaters who are but men all men are Subject to Error Indeed we have heard of a most ungodly and unlawfull Association betwixt those whom they call the two Parliaments and certaine other people in England and Scotland The tenour of which is if I rightly apprehend never to lay downe Armes nor to admit of Peace till they have accomplished their owne ends upon the King and his Friends and satisfied their Lusts upon them And to defend and assist with their lives and fortunes all those whoever they be without exception that shall joyne with them against the King his Party So that be they Papists Turkes Jewes Heathens Atheists Arrians Irish Tigres Devills of Hell if they do but joyne with them against their King and those that Honour him as Gods Annointed for this very cause and reason they have bound themselves by Oath they have vowed and protested to defend and maintaine them with their lives and fortunes even till death and never to forsake them If there be a more generall illegall and irreligious Combination then that is which any others have entred into these relaters should have done well to have given the Reader a Copy of the same who otherwise must apprehend them in these their words to be only at their old vomit againe Because they cannot possibly devise more evill and mischiefe to Charge upon others then themselves do practice against others therefore they still impute unto others their own iniquities or else their guilty Consciences makes them fancy that they see their own pictures in other mens faces But we will not omit to observe the ingenuity of these men though it be but a little intimated in those their two words Almost and Some they do not say all the Papists in Europe absolutely all the prelaticall Court faction without any limitation have entred into this fancyed Combination But all the Papists in Europe almost and some of the Prelaticall and Court faction the word almost doth exclude all the Papists that either are or may be under the Parliament Pay and Service and the word Some may excuse those of the Prelaticall or Court Faction that hold intelligence with those at Westminster and are men of like complexion with them dissemblers disobedient unthankfull treacherous heady and high-minded however they carry themselves to outward appearance And truly we beleeve that if these tale-tellers would but speak out when the fit of ingenuity is upon them they would confesse and acknowledge that if any Papists in the world any of the Bloudy Tigers of Ireland will but joyne with those whom they call the two Parliaments against the King and that little flock which for Conscience sake remain Loyall to him they shall be accepted and absolved presently from what is past they shall be reckoned Papists no more Bloudy Tigers of Ireland no more but all good men and true in a moment and have free leave yea and money too to act over againe their bloudy Tragedies here in England Or if any of the Court Faction of what Religion or conversation soever will but vouchsafe to be more vile and wicked then ever they have been and be hired as Judas was to betray their Master or to render up to his Enemies those places of Defence committed to their Trust and so come off from the King to their Parliament side they shall be welcome and Voted good all upon the suddaine Truly we never heard of any yet that had the Conscience to act the part of a Traitour or of a villaine against God his Prince and Country but hath been accepted by them and as was said we beleeve if our subtile and suspected Brethren would but speake out when the moode of ingenuity is upon them they would confesse as much But the Reason as we conceive why they yoke Papists Irish Tigers and the Court Faction thus together and affirme them to be entred into a Combination is this Because they would that the common people should have an equall odious esteem of each of these three sorts whom they would also should be apprehended to be the onely persons that maintaine and uphold the King and whom the King doth only respect and adhere unto therefore they would that we unto whom they direct their speech should decline him and his Cause and joyne with themselves and their faction against Him that and them In Answer to which I shall only declare in a word what our judgements and opinions are of each of these three sorts of people 1. Concerning Papists we the Persecuted and Loyall Protestants of this Kingdome doe more abjure their Religion then these men do that speak so bitterly against them though we do not think it lawfull to enter into a Combination to root them out of the Earth by shedding of their Bloud no though they should enter into such a one to destroy us for we have no warrant in the Gospell so to doe T is the Word of God that is ordained to suppresse false Religions and not the Sword of Man Fire Sword and Pistolls are the Weapons of Antichrist and not of Christ. And because of their Religion we are heartily sorry that there are any Papists in the Kings Armies for that scandall which ignorant people take by them through the perverse suggestions of the crafty Adversary who from hence take occasion to keep their affections enstranged from their Soveraigne Not that hereby any scandall is justly given by His Majesty for we hold it not only Lawful for him to make use of those of that Religion but also necessary yea it would be a sinne against God if being assaulted by Theeves and Rebells he should not use the meanes for his own Preservation and imploy for his own defence all those whom God hath submitted under his Government for that purpose there is no man if he should be assaulted by Robbers and Murderers but would make use of the aide of a Turke to save his life Yea these very men themselves we see can hire Papists from other Countryes to help them to destroy their Soveraigne and is it not meet and reasonable that the King should permit Papists his owne Subjects to help to preserve him from such their violence Indeed we are ashamed and blush that Papists should out-goe any that beare the name of Protestants in duty and obedience to their King that any whom this Church hath bred should so desert their Soveraign in his danger who hath protected them in theirs as that he should need the help of Papists Sorry we are at the heart that this occasion is given to have any of another Religion to defend the Defender of our Faith against the basenesse and violence of those persons whom he hath defended in the profession
purpose do stil detain it from him Our observation of them hath been this They wanting matter to make their King odious to the world as they desire he should be did labour all they could to disable him from doing as he had said and purposed that so they might upon his failing have some pretence to tel the people he was perfidious and a Promise-breaker 2. Whether the Kings promises when first made were not intended performable only upon the Condition of their Faith and Obedience who now tax him and whether they have performed their duties in those particulars we conceive that as Gods promises so the Kings are made upon such supposals If ye be willing and obedient saies God ye shal eat the good of the Land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shal be devoured by the sword and again The Lord wil be with you while you be with him but if ye forsake him and walk contrary unto him He wil forsake you and walk contrary unto you If the Kings promises should be more absolute then Gods they might be sinful and so a sin to keep them though he had power beside faith and obedience doth not only make people capable of the thing promised but doth also inable the party promising to make his intended goodness manifest It is said that Christ could do no mighty works in a certain place because of the peoples unbelief Did mens unbelief weaken Christs hands and can it strengthen those of the King I conceive no man can justly tax the King of any breaches in this kind unless they can shew that his promises were absolute and notwithstanding their continuation in Rebellion and opposition against him or at least can name some one particular of them for which they took his word and waited on him in the way of obedience which he did not perform to the uttermost of his power 3. Whether those men who take such pains to have the King accounted it in the world a Promise-breaker be themselves free from the same crime whether they have been precise and punctual in keeping all their Oaths Promises and Protestations made unto the King If not it may be suspected that their Policy is greater then their Honesty and that they hope to cloud their own fault by means of this dust which they raise against the King as conceiving that men wil not be so uncivil as to think them guilty of that which with so much mouth and fieriness of Spirit they censure in the King And yet verily many are of opinion that it cannot be shewn from any story that there was ever a like pack of perfidious wretches under the cope of Heaven professing the Christian Protestant Religion that have broken more Oaths of Allegeance Bonds of obedience and Protestations of Loyalty then these have done Again I do further advise the Readers that if from any passages in these Letters they shal conceive they see in the King some failing concerning his trust and dependance on God that he doth not so totally cast himself upon his strength and providence as in their thoughts it be seemeth the Anointed of the Lord and as at the beginning of his troubles he resolved to do but seems to look out for other helps as of Forreiners and people of another Religion which in their apprehensions is not so proper for him a Protestant Prince to make use of Yet before they passe a rigorous censure against him after the manner of these men Let them also consider of these three particulars 1. That the King is in the state of Mortality and so hath frailties in him as wel as others Nor was it ever known that Faith was at all times alike strong and lively in the best believers somtime they have relied wholy upon God but somtimes again they have been ful of doubtings specially when afflictions have bin hard upon them and God seemed to stand afar off David at some time thought that God had quite cast him off and forgotten him though somtime again he could say that God was his salvation and when Peter that great Apostle felt himself sinking his Faith failed him Now considering how tedious bitter and heavy the Kings afflictions have bin we who are more frail should rather magnifie and admire the strength of Gods grace in him that hath supported him so far and so long then condemn him for his weakness the best of us perhaps had despaired and bin distracted or dead long ere this under the like continuance of a far lesse burden 2. That necessity is a Tyrant and forceth men beyond their wils and purposed inclinations and therfore Seneca wel Magnum imbecillitatis nostrae patrocinium necessitas quae omnem legem frangit it breaks all laws and resolutions and thrusts a man with a kind of Authority into by-paths it did David when notwithstanding Gods particular promise to settle him in the Throne of the Kingdom and after a large and frequent experience of Gods delivering him from Sauls rage he said I shal one day perish by the hand of Saul and thereupon used that which is now counted an indirect mean for his preservation the help of Forreiners and men of another Religion He sought protection from Achish king of Gath and indeed behaved himself in his court being there also put to his shifts somwhat unseemly And so Abraham notwithstanding God had promised him his special guard wherupon he had the more reason to be confident and to depend upon him yet being in a strait to save his life used an undirect mean two several times and hazarded the loss of his Wives Honour Our King hath had no such personal and special promises of Gods preservation as those holy men had therfore if he had bin so weak in faith as some wil happily apprehend him yet had he shewn himself therein but the son of David the son of Abraham It would doubtless better become the best of us to pray with the Psalmist Let not the rod of the wicked lie alway upon the back of the Righteous lest the righteous put forth his hand unto wickedness then to condemn or censure a righteous Prince for his putting forth his hand for forrein help in a cause of this nature when he is in danger to be deprived both of life and Kingdom but more of this hereafter 3. Let it be remembred how highly guilty of hiring and impolying forrein aid these his Accusers with their faction are who oppose his Majesty notwithstanding that great strength of ships arms wealth and men which are at home under their Command they have the aid of all men whomsoever they can get or hire to help them in spoyling the King they called in the Scottish Nation to this purpose and it is wel known by divers where neer thirty of their men being at once taken together Prisoners were found upon examination to be of six several Nations and all Papists wherfore then may
clandestine proceedings against us here c. SECT XVI 1. Of the Enemies late sufferings 2. Of their strange Patience 3. Of their extraordinary great successe and the true grounds of it 4. Successe no Argument of a good cause 5. The worst men have alway made most use of it HEre is much remarkable stuffe in these few words which I shal endevour to discover First say they Were our cause altered as it is not or we worse Rebels then formerly as none can affirm c. We granted them before that their cause is stil the same in specie as it was at first and so are they themselves no whit altered from what they were but only a malo in pejus from bad to worse and the Moralists account this an Alteration And let any one that hath the use of sense and reason judge whether Age doth not make some difference in sinful men as wel as it doth in Satan himself who in the beginning of the world was a Serpent as these at the beginning of the war were Rebels and it is true he is but a Serpent stil but he is come to be now an old Serpent so called Rev. 12. and that is aliquid amplius Antiquity in evil speaks both a further ability to evil and a larger measure of iniquity and in this respect he may be called a worse Devil then at the first and so may they worse Rebels But I wil not with Arguments either prevent or assist those proofs too sufficiently given of themselves by their own actions I had rather spend time to pray them better But they tel us of Notice to be taken of late sufferings which they have undergon and of some strange Patience which it seems as they say hath manifested it self of late to be in them Yea even now since the discovery of these Papers Truly we must confess our errour we have not hitherto observed any such thing but we are resolved upon this intimation to make inquiry first after their late Sufferings and then after their strange Patience These Sufferings of theirs we find upon Consideration began about the year 1642. some certain months before the â—â—rth of those 19. Propositions about the time of the Kings first removal North-ward which as we imagine and remember was Lent time and therfore most accursed doth that superstitious season deserve to be and for ever to be blotted out of John Bookers Almanack as wel as Christmas day because therin did begin their late great Sufferings Then O then most sadly they fel into the same Condition that Richard the third was in when alas ful sore against his wil the whole care and burden of the Kingdom was cast upon his shoulders then alas and from thenceforth wo and alas they were forced out of meer Necessity to begin to seize upon the Kings Magazines His Forts Towns and Castles His Navy of Ships Houses and all he had to their great discomfort and displeasure And how hath all their very Senses since that time bin continually troubled and molested their Ears O lamentable have bin loaden with the most offensive acclamations and Honourings of the people their Gust and Smel hath bin tormented daily with the perfumes and feastings of the City their Eies and Touch have bin most vexatiously tortured with those so loathed heaps of Plate and Monies which from all parts of the Kingdom have come trowling in unto them While the King in the mean time hath bin in great prosperity wandring up and down in Fields and Mountains Cold and Wet Weak and Weary Faint and Hungry with few friends and little mony Yea while he hath had time and opportunity to get himself a Stomack they good souls have bin wel nigh surfeited with good cheer and done to death with abundance Yea poor creatures they have bin constrained to sit warm and to lie soft to be served in state to drink Wine in bowles to be behonoured be worshipped to be crouched and kneeled unto and so forth Wherfore if that Pope of Rome when he lay beaking himself in the midst of his Luxuries had cause to cry out Heu quantum patimur pro Christo then great reason have these Complainants to cry out also of their late great Sufferings Yea and besides all these corporal calamities their very spirits have bin also distracted many times with most frightful fears and Jelousies as of Plots strange Plots under ground Regiments great Regiments of Subterranean Horses lay in wait for them Conspiracies dangerous conspiracies were contrived against their corporal welfare as that honest Tailour that sate close in Moor-fields can abundantly witness which doleful matters have oft-times put them into as pittiful a plight as that good Alderman of London their friend was in when he thought himself to be shot in the breeches Nor is here all yet these fears of theirs have bin followed with increase of cares also to provide plenty of Prisons and strong holds to hamper and restrain the Ministers of God those great enemies to their undertaking to devise means how to destroy both them and their doctrine and all that with them adhere fast to the testimony of Jesus concerning obedience to God and Caesar. These and such like have bin the late sufferings and great troubles of these men And they are indeed as we now confess the more remarkable because sufferings of this kind are seldom the portion of Gods children as these call themselves nor had we apprehended that this kind of life which they have lived had bin a suffering if themselves had not so called it and put us in mind so to account of it Indeed some of the Brethren of the Independent faction as M. Edwards that free-spoken Presbyterian in his Book detecting their late manner of living in Holland doth inform the world did call such a kind of life themselves living it a Persecution and a suffering otherwise we have not heard that appellation given unto it before But indeed these are new times and many other things have new names Loyalty is called Treason and Treason Loyalty Obedience Rebellion and Rebellion Obedience Truth Falshood and Falshood Truth and why may not as wel a pleasant life be called a life of sufferings and a suffering life a life of pleasure if it please the new Omnipotency now above-board so to ordain and establish No man must move the lip open the mouth or so much as peep against it And thus at last they may see we have taken notice of their late sufferings and confess them rare Now we shal view their patience too which themselves call strange specially that which they have shewn even now after the discovery of these Papers Indeed their publication of them together with their Preface and Notes upon them after their discovery is testimony sufficient of the strangeness of their patience And yet we must tel them that we conceive by the effects of this their patience that we have read of such a like patience before now in
to make them succesfull instruments in his righteous Cause and perhaps till they be cut off the enemies shall prosper and then the wheele shall be turned another way and the truly Loyall and Religious in quos victor victusque furit that suffer by both sides may see betteâ— times We find the Church in her complaint of such men prophesying to this purpose O Lord thy hand scil of Justice is lifted up and they will not see or acknowledge the same but they shall see scil before God hath done with them and feele too yea and he ashamed for their envie or malice at thy people viz. who make better use of the judgement then themselves doe for the fire of thine enemies shall devour them i. e. the fire of rage and power of doing hurt shall be the longer permitted to Gods very enemies untill these wicked and ungodly wretches are devoured scattered or destroyed And till then as is inferred also in that Chapter even the righteous people that keep the truth and wait for God in the way of his judgements must with patience submit themselves and meekly beare the indignation remembring that God hath alwayes had his time to sift and try whom he hath formerly taught and fed and this to them is that season this is Gods threshing time His fan is now in his hand he is taking away his wheat and hath carryed much of it already out of sight the chaffe remaines still in great heaps upon the floore and having received little or no diminution glorieth in its extraordinary great successe not thinking what must shortly be done with it how t is designed to the fire But because Successe is so great a plea with these men and so prevalent with most people I will first shew that t is the weakest Argument that can be alledged to prove the goodnes of a Cause and then that the wickedest men have most used it But of both these briefly Concerning the first David in the 73. Psalme describing the outward estate of evill men sayes they were successefull in their affaires insomuch that people thereupon came in apace unto them yea so prosperous they were in their way that himselfe in a manner was non-plussed at the matter And Jeremy the Prophet argues with God about the same thing why it should so be That they who dealt very treacherously should be so very happy Whose conditions also in another place he describes more fully in these words Among my people are found wicked men who lie in waite and set traps and snares to catch their Brethren their houses are full of deceit and wrong yea they do in their injustice and cruelty surpasse the deeds of ordinary wicked men they take upon them to be Judges and yet judge not the cause no not so much as the cause of the fatherlesse or the right of the needy and yet they prosper are become great grow rich waxen fat and shine Here was prosperity we see here was successe but no Honesty no goodnesse So the Prophet Habakkuk complains of treacherous dealers and wicked persons who devoured men more righteous then themselves They catched them in their nets and gathered them in their drags and thereupon rejoyced in themselves and offered sacrifice to their own nets burnt incense to their drags because by them their portion was fat and their meat plenteous We read in Rev. 12. of the true Church How she was driven by the Dragon into the wildernesse i. e. into a desolate and obscure Condition Delituit in Cavernis non eminuit in primariis sedibus as one saies she was not visible â—as formerly nor had she power and liberty to shew her self in her family or to govern her Children as she was wont to do she was in the very same Condition as our Mother-Church of England is now in the devil had obtained great successe against her but shal we conclude from thence that He was in the right and she in the wrong or Him to be the beloved of God and she the hated we have no sufficient reason for it So in the 7. ver of the next Chap. where that Beast is said to make War with the Saints to overcome them doth it therefore follow that his cause was better then theirs I think not In the 11. of Daniel a certain vile person so intitled is prophesied of who should do much mischief against the Holy people whom he should kil and destroy and against the Sanctuary or place of Gods worship which he should pollute taking away the daily Sacrifice or Common-prayer unto God and setting up the Abomination of Desolation in the room thereof Yea he should exalt himself above Him he ought to obey and speak Blasphemous things against the God of gods He should Honour onely the God of forces i. e. He should trust only in his Militia or strength of weapons for safety and protection all these it seems are the conditions of a vile person yet should he prosper for an appointed time until the indignation be accomplished saies the Text which was determined to be done We know that Câ—in prevailed against Abel yet Abel was the better man and offered the better sacrifice Nay the Pharisees we know prevailed against Christ himself for a season had their wils of him got him Crucified by the common vote and consent of the people even according to the desires of their own hearts And from hence it was believed by a great many that Christ was even such a man as his Enemies reported him scil a Deceiver and a Malefactor and that it was the just judgment of God upon him for his sins He was despised rejected of men saies the Prophet Yea we esteemed him smitten of God scil for his own sins and afflicted Nay some of his Disciples themselves were so staggered at the matter that even they made a question whether he were the man whom they took him to be because of that success which his Enemies had against him we trusted say they it had been he that should have redeemed Israel as if they now feared they were deceived Indeed it is the Humour of men though often warned to the contrary to pass sentence upon others from a view of their outward condition if they prosper then they conclude them good and beloved of God if not then wicked presently When the Viper was seen hanging â—n S. Pauls hand He was judged a Murderer immediately and the worst man in all the company so those whom Pilate sâ—ew while they were at their devotions and those â—n whom the Tower of Siloe fel were thought greater sinners then other men because of their misfortunes which opinion our Saviour himself confâ—teth Yea scripture throughout and daily experience both doth inform us that the best men are usually the most afflicted for this world is the furnace wherin and Affliction is the fire wherwith God neals his people and makes them fit for a
better habitation And thus we see that to argue from success is but a weak kind of Arguing nay these very men that now use the same in their own behalf were wont to say heretofore when others have prevailed against their faction The mâ—re Knaue the better luck I know no reason but that Proverb is stil as tâ—â—e as ever â— But I shal now shew in the next place that the worst men have always â—in wont to plead this Argument Two or three examples amongst many shal be alleaged to this purpose The Scripture tels of â—â—bsakeh when he moved the people of Jerusalem as these men do us to make a general revolt from Hezekiah he pretended that God had set him on work and had said Go up against this land and destroy it and his main Argument was his Masters extraordinary great successe to which purpose he reckoned up as our enemies do a great many Cities Towns and Castles which he had taken as Hâ—nah and Arâ—â—â—d Sepharvaim Henah and Ivaâ— And so the Turke argue at this day against the Christians that their Religion excels ours because they have prospered better and prevailed more then we have done And in like sort the Independent faction may urge the same thing against the Presbyterians here amongst â—s for they have been the most succesful and if the Argument be good then down must go the Presbytery as wel as Episcopacy râ—â—t and branch and the Parliament have erred in Voting for it yea and the Covenant taken to conform the Government of this Church to that of Scotland becomes frustrate and of none effect But to proceed As Raâ—sâ—akeh and the Turks so the Popish Bishops in Qu. Maries time did insist much upon this Argument as Master Fox witnesseth they would urge upon the Martyrs their extraordinary successe which they and their cause had by King Edwards death and Queen Maries coming to the Crown against such great endevours to the contrary these very men who now use the same Argument in their own behalf wil not allow that it was sufficiently good then in the behalf of the Papists I â—il mention but one example more and that is of Pope Alexander the third who as story speaks him was none of the best men when he had prevailed against the good Emperour Frederick the second his Liege-Lord as these have done against their King by getting a great victory against him wherein most unfortunately his son was taken prisoner for redemption of whom the Emperour was forced to prostrate himself upon the ground and yeild his neck to be troden on and to acknowledge Alexander to be rightful Pope which by reason of a schisme was before denied and to restore what ever had been taken during the war on his part when I say the Pope had brought him to all this and to such like things would these men now bring their Sâ—veraigâ— as is evident by the Doctrine of their Preachers who tel the people that God wil bring the necks of Kings under the feet of his Saints that is as they interpret under the feet of their faction then did He the said Pope insult and glory as these already begin to do in his Extraordinary great success and made it his Argument to perswade the foolish world after these mens fashion that his cause was Gods and that God had favoured his quarrel as the most just and lawful Henry King of England and Lewis King of France were both in the Seduction in token whereof being both on foot they held the Bridle of the Horse on which the Pope rode the one with the right hand and the other with the left And thus also we see that the worst men have bin wont to use this kind of Arguing which our Adversaries now think to be so good and do stand so much upon But from this consideration we for our parts shal beware of being swayed by it or of judging Gods love or hatred from outward Accidents fools only build upon such foundations Evil is the touch-stone of Good and often gets the better of it to try goodnesse Constancy The Arke was taken Prisoner by the Philistines it doth not follow thereupon that God did hate the same no more doth it now follow that he hates the King because he lets his Enemies for the present prevaile against him For Israels sin God suffered the Arke of his glory to be obscured for a season so for our sins it is that our Soveraign is afflicted And let not these Insulters perswade themselves that our Allegeance is so weakly knit that it can be looâ—ened with this Argument we are not of them that draw back nor yet of them that blush not to affirm that so long as the King is able to protect them they are bound to serve him but no longer these waters of affliction that have so plentifully showred down upon his Head are not able in the least degree to quench the heat of our love they are as oyle rather to inlarge the flames of our affections the Enemies success against him and ill usage of him doth but make him appear in our eys more like our Saviour and so locks our hearts the faster to him And let these King-Tormentors know that God hath an hook for their Noses and a Bridle for their lips and the things that are coming upon them make hast Nulla sors lâ—nga est the weather-cock may turn alieno in lâ—co haud stabile regnum est there is no constant sitting in anothers seat ima permutat brevis Hora summis who knows what a year a month or a day may bring forth quos foelices Cyntâ—ia vidit vidit miseres abitura dies Great and wise Agamemnon professed that he had learned by his victories 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that great things are overturned in a monent Troya nos tumidos fecit nimium feroces saith he Troyes Conquest hath made us proud and cruel fierce and haughty Et Stamus nos Danai loco unde illa cecidit we the Conquerours are in the same condition from whence she fel Hodie mihi cras tibi is the Motto of all Mortals our portion of sorrow we have to day they shal have theirs to morrow the times may so alter that Affliction may chance to stand again for a mark of Gods Children even in their Calender res Deus nostras celeri citatas turbine versat And so I have done with this particular and come to that which these Libellers adde in their next words Having minded us of their late extraordinary successe in the field they proceed and say Yet stil this Clandestine proceedings against us here condemning all that are in any degree Protestants at Oxford as also granting a Tolleration of Idolatry to Papists indemnity to the Murderous Irish in a close trading way for meer particular advantage cannot be defended by any but by the falsest of men Papists and by the falsest of Papists Jesuites SECT XVII
That 't is an heinous crime and sin in the King to endeavour to maintain Monarchy or to solicite any Princes though Protestants and of his owne nearest bloud and Alliance beside to aide him therein 3. That all Princes are contained and included in the King of Denmarke for in the Kings soliciting him he solicites all them Whence by the way we may also observe how provident these times are in providing for the credit of their future Clergy for 't is doubtlesse for their sakes that an Argument à singularibus ad universalia is here amongst other like stuffe made paâ—â—able and good by Authority and speciall Order of Parliament Concerning the Religion of these men it hath been made apparent already that the fruits and effects of it speake it to be such a one as deserves the hatred of all men though it cannot under any proper name be the object of the Kings opposition for no man can directly say what it is themselves are not yet resolved upon it nor what to call it But whatever is the ground of the Kings opposing them 't is evident that the Cause of their resisting him which I hope all Christian Princes will take speciall notice of is for Monarchy sake he would maintaine Monarchy He will not tamely admit the downfall of Monarchy in this noble Kingdome which these men as appears by their owne words would faine effect and therefore they thus persecute him and exclaim upon him nor are they either ashamed or affraid to intimate the same to the whole world let all the Monarchs of the Earth take it as an open defyance if they please they thinke themselves able to grapple with them all yea they and their faction where ere they prevaile are resolved not to leave a Monarch standing I desire of all you His Majesties Subjects of Great Brittain and Ireland who have unfortunately been seduced by this faction but to observe well this discovery which themselves have made by this passage of their own intentions they have told you oft and perhaps may tell you againe by some impudent speech or declaration that they intend still to maintaine true Religion and Monarchy in this Kingdome to have a King over them and that they be only ill tongues Enemies to Parliaments that say otherwise c. But I beseech you beleeve not a word they say to this purpose for God hath here made their owne tongues and pens to betray their Hearts for your sakes that you might speedily withdraw your selves from their seduction and not be their Instruments to embrew your hands in the bloud of your Soveraigne and to take from him his Inheritance who hath alway defended you in yours with peace and plenty till by their fraud and violence he was disabled and how have you enjoyed your selves and comforts since let your experience speak it to your owne Hearts Be you assured from what you have felt that Monarchy is the Protection of this Nation and of you the good people in it call but to minde the daies past when a Monarch only had the Militia in his disposing quà m placide poâ—ens dominusque vitae how pleasingly powerfull was he in the use of it with what innocent hands did he sway the Scepter How unbloudy was his whole raigne How tender and sparing of the lives of his Subjects Populus iste non bella nôrâ—t non tubae fermituâ— truces non arma gentes cingeres assuêrant suas muris nec urbes we knew not what Warres or Alarums meant nor did we need weapons to protect our selves nor Walls to defend our Cities pervium cunctis iter every man might travaile safely communis usus omnium rerum fuit there was a common use of all Common blessings yea and every man beside without disturbance enjoyed the comfort of his own Labours But since Monarchiall Government hath been obscured by these mens introduction of themselves upon the Stage of Action what hath been in practise amongst us but all kind of Oppression Tyranny Injustice and Villany whereof I heartily wish that your Experience did need my further information wherefore I pray take speciall notice of this passage 't is published you see to the world by Authority of Parliament yea by their speciall Order and therefore you have reason to beleeve it to be the true intent of their Hearts and the rather because 't is so agreeable to all their Actions yea though the contrary should be told you hereafter by the same Authority Be it known I say unto you all and remember it well the end of all these warres and fightings against the King is to destroy Monarchy in this Kingdome and to keepe you the free-borne Subjects of it in this turbulent slavish and underly condition whereunto a few of your Tyrannicall fellow-Subjects have already brought you they tell you sometimes that 't is the Militia of the Kingdome onely which they would have settled in good hands and the King shall be King still but your experience have taught you that no hands are so good as his neither can the Kings bare Title be able to defend you in your possession They tell you that they will defend you but you have payed for so much wit as to judge of what you shall have by what you have had already from them therefore as no man having tasted old wine straightway desireth new viz. if he be also acquainted with the relish of the new for he saies the Old is better so you having had a sufficient tast of both Governments the Monarchicall and the other new one which we cannot yet tell by what name to call have no reason by any meanes to allow of this since you are so sure that the old is better In a word let this Conclusion be rooted in your Hearts which experience hath in part confirmed unto your senses that as the Moone and Starres would fall infinitly short of that bright Lustre which now they have if the Sunne were stripped of his abundant shining so take from the King his Royall Prerogative let him be as a King and no King and all the people great and small will quickly feel that from his flourishing Condition proceeded all their happinesse I shall not here need to spend time in shewing the Excellency of Monarchy above all other Governments and the fitnesse of it for this Nation abler Pens have done that abundantly since the beginning of this unreasonable Rebellion only this I say to introduce any other forme into this Kingdome is a new thing never yet in being here and therefore I apprehend such an Act to be a perfect opposition unto Gods revealed will whosoever be the Agents in it for as the saying is Qui mala introducit voluntatem Dei oppugnat revelatum in verbo qui nova introducit voluntatem Dei oppugnat revelatum in rebus and therefore I advise all Statesmen consulere providentiam Dei cum verbo Dei to take Councell of Gods Providence as well as of
State yet now found upon experience to study only to keep themselves up and their patients down I would never talke to them of such stuffe but I would tell them that all the people doe with all thankfulnesse acknowledge their unwearied paines uncessant labours and constant endeavours in the Common cause of God and this Kingdome and that the Nation doth at this present enjoy a quiet exemption from all illegall impositions a blessed deliverance from all tyranny and oppression and many unparalleld benefits and freedoms by their sole meanes and happy Government I would applaud all they doe their very opening of Tavernes and Alehouses by command and shutting up Church dores on Christs birth day their silencing suspending and imprisoning the Ministers of Jesus for taking the opportunity to offer the knowledge of him unto the people I would warrant them they did all things well and nothing was amisse in their doings though their infallibility should fal into contempt yet their power wil carry them out Thus would I busie my selfe and thus make my applications to men of place and power if I were a flatterer and not stand wasting time and words in speaking good of the King unlesse He were in a more shining and promising Condition I thinke most men of commonsence considering His Majesties present state will take my word in this particular and so acquit and discharge me of the second imputation But now let me aske my Accusers a few questions would they in their good natures have no man lay to Heart or take notice of the sufferings of their Soveraigne desire they that He might have the occasion also to use those words Have you no regard all you that passe by the way Do they thinke it was well done of the Priest and Levite to afford no compassion to the wounded man would they have me carry my selfe towards the King as many of my Coat in these dayes have done Helpe to wound Him and then divert others eyes from looking on Him must I be a blasphemer and a flatterer if I doe not adde something to His burden and speake of Him as of one hated of God because afflicted were Jobs friends commended by the Almighty for so doing let them deal ingenuously and make the case their owne suppose themselves were in the Kings condition afflicted and wrong'd on every side as He is and I as a Minister should remember them of their Saviours usage in the world and shew them how in many particulars their condition is like unto His and thereupen should say unto them in the Apostles words Rejoyce that you are partakers of Christs sufferings would they account this Blasphemy and flattery in me I suppose not must the King then alone be deprived of the Comforts of Gods word and of Christs Example must these together with those of His Crowne be taken from Him then I would say O the miserable Condition of a King That is now accomplished in our land and dayes which Moulin Prophesied would come to pass if Jesuiticall spirits and attempts were not prevented viz. that t is even a punishment to reigne and the Coronation of Kings is but a designation to Misery a consecration of sacrifices markt out to slaughter Well be advised all you who think all is yours who ingrosse to your selves the comforts of Gods word as well as the goods and possessions of your Brethren who cannot abide any body should be thought well of unlesse they be of your faction who thinke it a sin to speak Reverentlyto or of your Lord and Soveraign who call Civility flattery and Truth Blasphemy if it looketh to himward Be advised I say the times may change and the cold North-winde may blow upon you Judge not that you be not judged speak not to the grief of the grieved but rather so as your selves in your Afflictions may be Comforted for with what measure you meat it shall be measured to you Be it known unto you all this Anointed of God whom you have persecuted however He hath been neglected and is still rejected and refused by the new Master builders of these times yet must be the very Head stone of the Corner before any thing can be setled among us to our comforts He it is that must reduce Ireland and compose Scotland He and none but He can make up the sad and wide breaches of poor England He He is that right-handed man ordained and appointed of God for that Happy worke and furnished from above with wisdome Mercy and abilities to effect it yea His inspection into State affaires especially into the Constitution of this Natitions Government is far beyond that of all your New State-mongers He alone is able to do more in six weekes for the benefit of it by His direction if he might be suffered to goe about it then they have done in this six yeares by all their Consultations yea and He who by that Divine strength bestowed upon him hath been able hitherto to stand under such a weighty burden of wrongs and sorrowes is onely able to remit and forgive so many and such High indignities as have been offered to Him And beleeve it all you His guilty and distrustfull people His high vertue and Magnanimity disdaines to take revenge upon you It would be dishonourable for Him that hath Paralleld with Christ in so many other things not to conforme also to his example in pardoning Injuries yea and in praying too Pater ignosce illis I am perswaded that nothing but the Kings prayer can obtaine Gods pardon for His Afflicters it is worth the observing the Sin of Jobs friends and we know what that was could not have been forgiven if Job whom they had afflicted though but with harsh censures had not been their intercessour the Lord said to Eliphas the Temanit my wrath is kindled against thee and thy 2 friends wherefore go ye to my servant Job and offer up for your selves an offering and my servant Job shall pray for you for him will I accept lest I deal with you according to your folly To conclude therefore let me advise all that have had any hand against the King in the causing or aggravating of his sorrows that they would fear the wrath of God which hangs over them for the same and in pitty to their own soules and to their posterity that they would in true humility goe to their Soveraigne and beg both his Pardon and his Prayers And so by giving him the advantage of shewing his mercy and goodnesse they may at last there being now no other way left be helpers in making him to appear according to their word at first The most Glorious Prince in Christendome The God of all power and grace bow and incline their Hearts unto it Amen Amen SECT XXVI A true Parallel between the sufferings of our Saviour and our Soveraigne in divers speciall particulars THus have I by Gods assistance discharged this part of a Subjects Duty in
Parliament may Vote a like businesse and he sayes further that we must not pin our soules to their sleeves we doe not know whether they may possibly carry them a Parliament is not immediately inspired by the Holy Ghost as the Apostles were Prynne is very eager for forcing mens Consciences But Burton is still as much against that Tenent as Prynnes own selfe was in former times and affirmes that no Rule nor Example nor Reason can be drawne from Scripture to force men to any Religion no sayes he we are not to proceed any further with the Papists themselves then to information and rectifying their Consciences by instruction and admonition And he adviseth Prynne in these words Brother let not that impartiall Edict be revived that if any confessed themselves to be Christians they should be put to death nomen pro crimine the very name of Christians was taken for a crime it seems he is of opinion that if the Presbyterians prevaile it is not unprobable that Edict may be revived againe And afterward when Prynne would have the Civill Magistrate to suppresse restraine imprison confine and banish the setters up of new Formes of Ecclesiasticall Government without lawfull Authority Burton conceiving himselfe aymed at cries out most pitifully And must I undergoe all these terrible censures because you so judge but what if your judgement be altogether erroneous what punishment is due to him that condemnes the Innocent you may be a Civill Judge one day Remember then Brother that if I come before you that you meddle not with my Conscience if you should make a Law like that of the Jewes that who so confesseth Christ to be the Sonne of God shall be Excommunicate I shall be apt to transgresse that Law but yet take heed how you punish me with an ense rescidendum or I know not what Club-Law It seemes Burton himselfe feares when his Brother Prynne comes to be Judge as if you his good Masters prevaile you cannot reward him for the losse of his eares and good service done you in writing and pleading for you with a lesse place we are in some likelihood to have such Lawes put in Execution against Christians as were of old among the Jewes for as John Goodwin another of Prynnes Brethren speaking of him in his Book forequoted sayes the Statutes of Omri are as good for his turne if authorized by Parliament as the Statutes of Moses the manner of the House of Ahab as laudable as the manner of the House of David yea of God himselfe And indeed Prynnes behaviour and language hath been such towards his Soveraign towards the Church of England his Mother and towards some of his own Brethren of late that every honest man hath cause to put it into his Let any and say from Prynnes pride malice and cruelty from his bloudy disposition and Tyranny from his cursed lies and calumnies his Religion practices and blasphemies Good Lord deliver us But to make an end with these two Brethren Prynne accuseth Burtons Faction of obstinacy singularity arrogancy selfe-ends and sayes that Independency stript of all disguising pretences is nothing but Pharisaicall vainglorious selfe-conceitednesse of superlative Holinesse Burton takes Pepper at this and sayes that Prynnes malice is liberall in throwing dirt in their faces and confesseth ingenuously that if he and his side should undergoe all these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and say nothing a fooles Cap and a Bell were fittest for them with which I leave them Now the reason of this large repetition of the Passages betwixt these men is to shew a proofe of that little agreement that is amongst the best of you and truly till you have brought these Brethren with their followers to a better unity we shall never thinke you guilty of any great Piety what ever your pretences be Besides by the way you may observe and sâ—e that Henry Burton himselfe doth not very well approve of your Parliamentary proceedings and lesse cause have we to like well of them I wonder how the best of you all will answer this you all take Henry Burton for a very honest man one he is that hath suffered much for the Cause and was up to the eares in the businesse as well as Prynne and in your grave judgements as worthy as he of the greatest Triumph that ever was permitted by a Court of Parliament to fellowes of such demerit since the world began one that is deeply gone in the way of perfection yea so farre that I hope you will think it impossible that he should slide back or fall away specially in these times of new Light and Revelation And further too himselfe affirmeth before all the world in his said Book whether you take notice of it or no I cannot tell but if you doe not you are much to blame that he was out for the State that is for you the Parliament 4 or 500 l. this was year 1644. it seems the Bishops had not left him so poore as you leave your prisoners or else he had thrived well since that he could spare so much yea and he professes too that he did it with a cheerfull heart not for squint-eyed respects to lay out so much at once to receive of the State so much Annuity as it seemes some provident men doe No what he did was out of pure and perfect love to you therefore no man can think that he speaks any thing of you out of malice or disaffection but only out of truth and singlenesse and yet you see he dares not trust his soule with you as you are a Parliament he reports of you as of persons to be suspected notwithstanding your Memberships And how you will ever be able to acquit your selves in this businesse I know not But againe as there is no unity in your Piety or Religion so neither is there any truth or goodnesse in it 't is neither vera nor bona and therefore you cannot be such holy persons as you would be accounted you intitle God indeed to your doings but this is no argument of godlinesse unlesse your Actions were more godly you mind not to approve your selves like him but desire that he should be thought like you you would have us conceive you to be great with God but we perceive you either will not or dare not trust him and this makes us believe that you are not very inward with him let your own Consciences speak do you not confide more in the Militia of the Kingdome then you do in his strength and providence for protection and preservation why else doe you keep such a racket to have the management of that out of his hands wherein God hath placed it did you live by Faith as the just and righteous doe you could not possibly be so eager after the arme of flesh the true Church of Christ was never in more security then when she had least of that to trust to I have heard it affirmed by a learned and peaceable
Minister of the Protestant Church of France that they of their Religion never lived so safely and so comfortably before as they have done since they were disarmed of their weapons which they were at the end of their last warre which he called a Rebellion But with you all the strength and promises of God it seemes are nothing unlesse you have somewhat that is sensible to trust unto O if you knew God and were religious indeed you would be of another mind for they that know thy Name will trust in thee sayes the Psalmist Nay we read in Scripture of haters of God that should come in the last times who should have a form of Godlinesse notwithstanding we feare you are rather of that number and that you hate God for his word sake because therein he so plainly opposeth those waies of Rebellion cruelty oppression and injustice which you walke in and commandeth so strictly those things which as it appears you have resolved against and for his sake you hate all that belongs unto him his Church which you have destroyed his Prophets whom you have persecuted his Service which you have abolished his Temples which you have defiled and his Annoynted whom you have vilified because in meeknesse gentlenesse mercy patience and goodnesse he is so like unto him and are these markes of true Piety not they that commend themselves but whom their works commend and whom God commends are and shall be the onely approved persons I dare boldly affirm and I call your own Consciences to witnesse it with me that Kingly Majesty was never so blasphemed and exposed to vulgar contempt as it hath been since you sate nor was the dignity of Parliament which next to the Kings honour ought by all true Englishmen to be held as sacred so abused as it hath been by you who have used its venerable name to countenance all your evill and illegall actions against your Soveraign and his Subjects and have made that High and Supreme Court as the Pharisees of old did Gods House no better then a very den of Thieves and I am confident if Jesus Christ my Master were here he would tell you so to your faces and bestow as many woes upon you as he did upon your Brethren in those dayes who like you did pretend so much to Piety when they had so little of it You take to your selves the Title of the Lords Worthies forfooth but good names doe not alwayes prove good men Titles without truth serve but to enhance and disexcuse damnation you call the warre on your side Sacrum so was the Pope wont to call his though it be both against Law and Religion your League and Covenant you stile Holy as was that in France when time was though like that it be to root out Protestant Profession and the King your Armies you intitle the Armies of God as the disobedient Barons in King Johns time did theirs and your worke you call opus Domini the Lords work and the Lords cause though such as the Lord abhorreth and detesteth thus bold are you with the Almighty as if he were such another as your selves but is this true Godlinesse it will not be so found at the great day you talk much of Conscience but doth this alone prove you have any do not many men use to plead Conscience when through passion or opinion they pursue a cause with greater heat then themselves can give or others discern a reason for your Consciences scruple as you would have us think at a gesture or a Garment in Gods Service but they are secure in Actions of killing robbing rebelling and breaking all Lawes of private interest and Soveraign Power we see you are resolute in bloud and rapine and can even scorn at those that make Conscience at such crimes you talk of mens having Authority from Gods word for what they doe and yet practice your selves things above measure sinfull as if they were necessary duties and are able to shew no Scripture at all for the same we are posed we confesse at your Pietie we can see no dram of goodnesse in your doings and therefore must conclude there is as little in your selves Policy we confesse we see great store in you even such as was in Jeroboam that sonne of Nebat who made Israel to sinne for to prevent the peoples return to their Loyaltie whom himselfe had drawn into Rebellion he altered the established way and manner of worshipping God which he knew would have reduced them to their right obedience ver 27. Jeroboam said in his heart if this people go up to doe sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem then shall the hearts of this people turn againe unto their Lord even unto Rehoboam King of Judah and they shall kill me And hereupon he sets forth a Directory or new way of serving God and perswades the people that other places were as fit for that purpose as the Temple or Church it selfe yea and vers 31. He made Priests of the lowest of the people which were not of the Sonnes of Levi and Chap. 13. 33 34. Whosoever would he consecrated him and he became one of their Priests which thing saith the Text became sinne to the house of Jeroboam even to cut it from off the face of the earth Truly Sirs 't is too evident to all men that your Piety hath runne in the very same Channell after Jeroboams example you have made England to sinne looke you to the consequent We confesse also you have as much Religion and Pietie as Absalom had enough to vizard over for the while your cursed Design till you had supplanted your Soveraign stole away the hearts of his people from him insinuated into them a suspition of his truth and justice perswaded them to accept of you to be Judges in his place wherein you have received as many complaints and relieved as few as ever Absalom did In briefe such hath been your godlinesse and humilitie that you have declared the King to have failed in his Trust and Voted the Royall Power to be in your selves yea a power more then Royall even to subvert all Lawes which because the King approves not of you have drawne his own sword against him and pursued him as eagerly on all advantages as ever Absalom did his Father while he in the meane time David-like hath pitied you and was unwilling to spill your bloud surely if there were nothing else then your unnaturall violence against your Soveraign in all your wayes opposed to his mercy towards you in the height of injury it were abundantly sufficient to discover to all the world that little true Pietie that is in you But if to this we adde also the consideration of that superlative crueltie towards your brethren we are confident that no tongue touched with Christianitie will dare to speak one word in your commendations Your proceedings against them speak you to be of the Tyrant Maxentius mind that the bloud
to that purpose A serious expostulation with them about the same and of their maintaining a base fellow to deride and scoffe at their Soveraigne in his affliction pag. I. Sect. II. Of the pretended end of publishing the Libell the true end thereof hinted Their blasphemy against God noted How these Letters of the King might have been made use of as Evidences of truth and Loyaltie Of what stock and lineage the Authors of the Libell discovered themselves to be Of their subtilty and of that spirit and meeknesse which they boast of How aptly for themselves they alleadge the Example mentioned by S. Jude pag. II. Sect. III. The Kings great and true affection to his people Evidenced How farre divers of them that call themselves His Great Councell are from proving themselves his good Counsellors The ten Rules or Precepts whereby they have proceeded Of the Language and Titles which they complaine of and how truly the name Rebell belongs unto them The true cause of their great grief and sorrow so often mentioned An impudent Charge against the King propounded by the Libellers pag. 23. Sect. IV. The Nature of their Charge opened Their villanous and bloudy Scope therein clearly Evidenced and proved How perfectly in their Tenents they hold with the Jesuites in the points of King-killing and King-deposing fully declared pag. 34. Sect. V. The falsity and injustice of the said Charge against the King manifested in all the particulars Who they are that sit in the Scorners Chair The Enemies reasons and ends of Charging the King with their own Conditions pag. 49. Sect. VI. Of the Kings Errour in following evill Councellours and who they were His Majesty scorned at by the Libellers for his tendernesse of Conscience and hopes in Gods Justice The folly and falshood of the Libellers Charge against Strafford and Canterbury The Enemies acquit the King of having a voluntary hand in Straffords death They hint the right Reason of his withdrawing from Westminster pag. 56. Sect. VII What that Liberty is which the pretended Parliament doe maintaine And what that Religion may be which they are about to set up Reasons to prove it may be the Popish Reasons to shew it may be the Turkish Six Arguments to prove it cannot be the Christian Protestant pag. 67. Sect. VIII Of the feigned Combination against the Parliament Our Judgement of the Papists and of their assisting the King Our abhorment of the Cruelties of the Irish. How they are out-gone by the English Rebels our Opinion of the Court-faction of what Flock we professe our selves to be How the Libellers and their side call themselves the more beleeving sort of people pag. 77. Sect. IX The slander laied upon us to be Enemies to Parliaments and Reformation Confuted Of pretended Miracles Revelations and new Lights The taking the Kings Cabinet in Battaile no Miracle The Libellers Argument to prove an impossibility of forgery in their Parliament pag. 85. Sect. X. Of that perspecuity and Modesty which the Libellers boast to be in their owne Annotations Their pretty confident way of perswading all men to be of their Opinions Their Reasons why they did not Publish all they had against the King pag. 94. Sect. XI Censuring Superiours unlawfull Why the Enemies must continue to slander the King How easie a thing it is for wicked men to deprave the best writings Of the Kings integrity and goodnesse And of Englands happinesse under him The maine Particulars of offence under his Government nominated No just matter of blame from them can now be objected to His Majesty pag. 102. Sect. XII The Adversaries industry to finde things unbeseeming the King in his Letters The Letters freed from any such thing Certaine Christian considerations propounded to the Readers to Evidence the same Of the Rebels pertinacy in their Rebellious way their endeavours that the Kings promises might neither be beleeved nor performed pag. 111. Sect. XIII Of their 3. Propositions at Uxbridge 4. Pretences for their Abolition of Episcopacy 4. True Reasons of that their impious requests pag. 123. Sect. XIV Their unreasonablenesse in desiring the Militia to be in their sole disposall 4. Vain pretences for it 4. True grounds of this their demand How sinfull and dangerous it might be for the King to grant it pag. 135. Sect. XV. Of their Vindicating the Irish Rebels how fully they have done it already in one sence and how glad we should be if themselves would go and do it in the other their true intent in that demand opened pag 157. Sect. XVI Of the Enemies late sufferings of their strange patience of their extraordinary great successe the true grounds thereof Successe no argument of a good cause The wicked have been alway wont to use that argument pag. 156. Sect. XVII Another charge against the King confuted of clandestine proceedings The Kings condemning all that be Protestants at Oxford a most impudent and malicious slander His Toleration of Idolatry another The occasion of the Kings promising liberty of conscience to Papists The reasonablenesse of that promise at that time and upon that occasion The objection of the Kings former resolution to the contrary answered as also his promise not to abolish the laws against them pag. 174. Sect. XVIII The King granting indemnity to the murderous Irish another slander The necessity reasons of making peace with the Irish at that time The conditions upon which that peace was to be made this Act not contradictive to any of his former expressions against their detestable doings The vanity of their charge against the King for going in a close trading way Two sufficient evidences of his Majesties sincere and constant affection to the Protestant Religion The whole charge against the King most truely retorted upon the objecters pag. 185. Sect. XIX Of the enemies malicious devises to scandalize the King with favouring the Irish Rebellion detected confuted The Kings requiring secresie of the Queen and Ormond in the matters writ to them justified The Rebels blasphemy against Gods Providence and in asking Gods blessing upon their Libell noted pag. 193. Sect. XX. What good use might have been made of the Kings letters Of the faults laid to the Queens charge specially in loving her Husband pag. 198. Sect. XXI Of the Kings fault for loving his wife The manifest and mâ—â—cious falsifications and perversions of divers of the Kings eâ—pressioâ—s to his Queen noted pag. 207. Sect. XXII Of the Kings fault in labouring or indevouring to uphold Monarchy His Majesties soliciting the King of Denmarke to this purpose no whit contradictive to his former resolutions of not calling in forraigne aide pag. 214. Sect. XXIII The Libellers Cavils at the word Mongrill Parliament at the Commissioners at the Treaty at Uxbridge and at the Kings pawning his Jewels answered His Majesties affection and goodnesse to his subjects for want of other matters objected as a fault against him by these Libellers pag. 220. Sect. XXIV The story of the Rebels unchristian behaviour towards