the time of their deliverance and Gods taking vengeance on their enemies was now at hand onely they must repent and be strong and of a good courage to fight the battels of the Lord. They also threatned in all places such as they thought were seriously active against them talking of great Changes and Revolutions in England and in publick places dropped Lists of the names of those men whom they had a mind should fall by Heroical hands particularly at Cupar the Shire-town in Fyffe a threatning Declaration was found while the Deputy-Sheriff was there demanding the legal Fines from those who had been convicted of frequenting Field-Conventicles and entertaining declared and attainted Traytors and Fugitives and intercommuned Rebels The Declaration was thus directed To all and sundry to whom these presents shall come but especially to the Magistrates of the Town of Cupar in Fyffe BE it known to all men that whereas under a Pretext of Law though most falsly there is most abominable illegal and oppressive Robberies and Spoils committed in this Shire Captain Carnegie and his Souldiers by vertue of a Precept from William Carmichael c. he being authorized and held on to it by that Apostate Prelate Sharpe who c. These are therefore to declare to all that shall any way be concerned in this villanous Robbery and Oppression either by assisting recepting levying or any manner of way countenancing the same that they shall be holden as guilty thereof And however they bethink themselves for the present secured being guarded by a Military Force and those that are thus robbed despicable yet let them take this for a warning that they shall be handled severely answerable to their Villanies and that by a Party equal to all that dare own them and that shortly as God shall enable and assist them whose names may be read in these following Letters A B C D c. to the end of the Alphaber On this followed the Murther of the Archbishop upon the third of May 1679. because as their first Declaration said It was appointed as a day of solemn Thanksgiving for setting up an Vsurper to destroy the Interest of Christ and assume the power which is proper to him alone These Assassinations were commended to this barbarous people by Mr. Knox of old who in his History of Scotland approves of the private murthering of the Cardinal Beton by Norman Lesley Son to the Earl of Rothsey and James Melvin calling it a godly fact and proposing it as an Example to be followed by Posterity And in a Scotish Pamphlet printed at the beginning of the late Wars called Sions Plea the Heroical Fact of Felton is commended as fit to be followed by the Nobles of Scotland saying God hath chalked out a way guiding you by the hand in giving this first blow will you not follow him Mr. Hunt and Baxter of later days insist on the same Example So that we see the Fanaticks come nothing short of the Jesuits in the practice of Assassinations and promoting Open Rebellions concerning which we have this ingenious Distick accommodated both to Ignatius the Founder of the Jesuits and Lesley the Champion of the Presbyterians Quam bello plus pace noces ad ocia versus Crudeles animum vertis ad insidias Scotiâ in mediâ conscripto milite regnas Diraque fraterna nomine bella geris How mischievous the designes of these men were appears partly by their obstinate persevering in their treasonable opinions and justifying their rebellious practices even to their deaths and refusing to save their lives by asking pardon and praying for the King and partly by the following Declarations which were taken with some of them The new Covenant taken from Donald Cargil a Field-preacher at Queens-ferry the third of June 1680. Sect. 4. SEriously that the hand of our Kings hath been against the Throne of the Lord and that now for a long time the Succession of our Kings and the most part of our Rulers with him hath been against the purity and power of Religion and Godliness and freedom of the Church of God and hath of late so manifestly rejected God his Service and Reformation disclaiming the Covenant of God and blasphemously enacting it to be burnt by the hand of a Hangman Governed contrary to all right Laws divine and humane exercised such Tyranny and Arbitrary Government oppress'd men in their Consciences and Civil Rights used free Subjects Christian and reasonable men with less Discretion and Justice than their Beasts c. We do reject that King and those associate with him from being our Rulers because standing in the way of our right free and peaceable serving of God according to our Covenant and declare them henceforth to be no lawful Rulers as they have declared us to be no lawful Subjects And that after this we neither owe nor shall yield any willing obedience to them but shall rather suffer the utmost of their cruelties and injustice until God shall plead our Cause and that upon these accounts because they have altered and destroyed the Lords established Religion overturned the fundamental and established Laws of the Kingdom taken away Christs Church and Government and changed the Civil Government of this Land into Tyranny So that none can look upon us or judge us bound in Allegiance to them unless they say also we are bound in Allegiance to Devils they being his Vicegerents and not Gods We do declare that we shall set up over our selves and over all that God shall give us Power Government and Governours according to the Word of God and especially to that Exod. 18.21 and shall no more commit the government of our selves and the making of Laws for us to any one single person and lineal Successor we being not tyed to one Family-government not being an Inheritance but an Office And we declare against enacting that blasphemous so Calvin calls that Supremacy of Henry the Eighth upon which this Prerogative is founded and scrilegious Prerogative given to a King over the Church of God A Declaration and Testimony of the true Prssbyterian Anti-Prelatick and Anti-Erastian persecuted Party in Scotland IT is not amongst the smallest of the Lords Mercies to this poor Land that there hath alway been some who have given testimony of every course of Defection which we are guilty of which is a token for good that he doth not as yet intend to cast us off altogether but will leave a Remnant in whom he will be glorious if they through his grace keep themselves clean still from Popery Prelacy Erastian Supremacy so much usurped by Him who it is true as far as we know is descended from the Race of our Kings yet he hath so far deborded from what he ought to have been by his Perjury and Usurpation in Church-matters and Tyranny in matters Civil as is known by the whole Land that we have just reason to believe that one of the Lords great controversies is That we have not
was forming some Villains were carrying on that horrid and execrable Plot of Assassinating his Majesties person and his dearest Brother And a Massacre was to follow wherein they principally designed for slaughter the Officers of State the present Lord Mayor and Sheriffs of London and others that had been most eminent for Loyalty Upon which Discovery James Duke of Monmouth the Lord Melvin Sir Jo. Cockrane Sir Thomas Armstrong Robert Ferguson Richard Goodenough Francis Goodenough Richard Rumbold William Rumbold Richard Nelthorp Nathaniel Wade William Tompson James Burton Joseph Elby Samuel Gibbs Francis Charleton Joseph Tyley Casteers and Lobb two Nonconformist-preachers Edward Norton John Row John Ayloff and John Atherton fled from Justice Ford Lord Grey made his escape Arthur Earl of Essex killed himself in the Tower William Lord Russel Thomas Walcot William Hone and John Rous were on their Tryals convicted and executed And it is observable that each of them confessed enough to clear the Justice of the Nation The most that they could plead for themselves was that their Crime could amount onely to misprision of Treason Algernoon Sidney another of the Conspirators was tryed condemned and executed afterward who professed to die for the Old Cause wherein he had been engaged from his youth And indeed he was so far engaged that being named for one of the Royal Martyr's Judges he often appeared at his Tryal And Manus haec inimica Tyrannis was his Motto The Earl of Shaftsbury had been indicted of High-Treason 24 Novemb. 1681. for endeavouring to depose and put to death the King and levy war within the Kingdom he having declared That in a short time the Parliament was to sit at Oxford and that he had inspected the Elections and was satisfied that the Parliament would insist on three matters viz. The Bill of Exclusion against the Duke of York The abolishing the Act of Parliament of the 35 of Queen Elizabeth and a new Bill for uniting Protestant Dissenters which he was confident the King would not consent to and if so that he and other Lords had provided strength to compel him under the command of Captain Wilkinson and John Booth he declared the King to be a man of no faith and there was no trust in him That he deserved to be deposed as well as King Richard the second And the said Earl further declared That 〈◊〉 would not desist till he brought this Kingdom 〈◊〉 a Commonwealth as Holland was That the King was a man of an unfaithful heart not fâ—â— to rule and govern being false unjust and crueâ— to his people and if he would not be governed they would depose him Though the Witnesseâ— swore positively to the particulars yet there was such a Jury provided as brought in an Ignoramus Sir Sam. Bernardiston being their Foreman who hath since been found guilty of Misdemeanors of a high nature During the late seditious Stirs and Tumults none was more active than one Stephen Colledge a Joyner of London a pragmatical person that pleased himself with the title of The Protestant Joyner he had been busie for a long time sowing Sedition and talking Treason so openly that his Friends advised him to forbear lest he came to the Gallows He made it his business to serve some dissenting Lords boasting of his acquaintance with the Earl of Shaftsbury Lords Gray Howard Clare Huntington Pagit Lovelace c. He had fitted his Raree Show and scandalous Songs and Pictures reflecting on the Royal Family The sole pretence for his treasonable actions was his zeal against Papists who he said had feigned seventeen or eighteen Sham-plots against the Protestants he affirmed that London was to be seized by the Papists and that they had a designe against the Parliament at Oxford and therefore he with some others whom he had perswaded came well armed thither Divers Ribbons were provided as a mark of distinction bearing this Motto NO POPERY NO SLAVERY one of which he gave to Turbervil and it was proved as the Lord Chief Justice said at the close of the Tryal whom he called Papists The King was a Papist the Bishops and the Church of England were Papists He was indicted for High-Treason the 17 and 18 of August 1681 it being proved that he said That nothing of good was to be expected from the King That he minded nothing but beastliness and the destruction of the people That he endeavoured to establish Arbitrary Government and Popery Dugdale Smith and Turbervil who had been Witnesses against the Lord Stafford were of the Evidence against him though there were enough if these had been laid aside to have proved him guilty Mr. Masters testified against him p. 31. That he said The Parliament in 1640. was as good a Parliament as ever was chosen To which Mr. Masters answered I wonder how you have the impudence to justifie their proceedings that raised the Rebellion against the King and cut off his head To which Colledge replied They did nothing but what they had just cause for and the Parliament at Westminster was of their Opinion p. 31. And being demanded what he had to say against this testimony he answers That Mr. Masters had said nothing material and that it was but a jocose discourse p. 39. To which Mr. Justice Jones replied Do you make mirth of the blackest Tragedy that ever was that horrid Rebellion and the murther of the late King Colledge answered I never justified that Parliament in any thing that they did contrary to Law One Mr. Jennings who was another Witness testified that on the bleeding of Colledge's Nose he said It was the first bloud that he lost in the Cause but it will not be long ere more be lost He saw him sell the Ribbons with NO POPERY NO SLAVERY to a Parliament-man as he supposed who tyed it on his Sword c. p. 32. It is observed in the Tryal that there was not one Papist that gave evidence against him and that they were such of whom Colledge had formerly given a good Character though now the case was altered The Jury were so well satisfied with the Evidence that they quickly agreed and brought him in guilty and so he was condemned and executed at Oxford on Wednesday 31 of August 1681. Captain Tho. Walcot was indicted for High-Treason at the Old-Baily July 12 c. 1683. for endeavouring to move and stir up War and Rebellion against the King to deprive the King of his Crown and to put him to death for which he conspired with divers other Traytors and had several meetings and consults to those ends and provided Blunderbusses Carbines and Pistols c. Which being proved by Col. Rumsey Mr. Keeling Mr. Bourne Mr. West and Captain Richardson he was found guilty sentenced and executed Then was William Hone arraigned on the like Indictment the Evidence against him were Mr. Keeling Mr. West Sir Nicholas Butler and Capt. Richardson upon whose testimonies he was found guilty and executed also July 13. the Lord Russel was tryed for
duty of such an injured Prince for the common good to resigne his Government and if he will not the People ought to judge him as made uncapable by Providence and not to seek his restitution to the apparent ruine of the Commonwealth Thes 147. If therefore the rightful Governour be so long dispossessed that the Commonwealth can be no longer without but to the apparent hazard of its ruine we i. e. the people that dispossessed him are to judge that Providence hath dispossessed the former and presently consent to another Thes 149. If a People that by Oath and Duty are obliged to a Soveraign shall sinfully dispossess him and contrary to their Covenants chuse and covenant with another they may be obliged by their later Covenant notwithstanding their former Thes 181. If a Nation injuriously deprive themselves of a worthy Prince the hurt will be their own and they punish themselves but if it â— necessary to their welfare it is no injury to him but a King that by War will seek Reparation from the Body of the People doth put himself into a Hostile state and tells them actually that he looks to his own good more than theirs and bids them take him for their Enemy and defend themselves if they can p. 424. Though a Nation wrong their King and so quoad men tum Cauiae they are on the worse side yet maâ—â— he not lawfully war against the common good oâ—â— that account nor any help him in such a War because propter finem he hath the worse Cause Thes 352. And p. 476. we were to believe the Parliaments Declarations and Professions that the War which they raised was nâ—â— against the King either in respect of his Authority or his Person but onely against Delinquent Subjects And yet they actually fought against the King's Person and Authority And We are to believe saith Mr. Baxter p. 422. That men would kill them whom the fight against Quam bene conveniunt Mr. Baxter never followed any Text that he preached on so closely as he hath done the Text of this Jesuit in the Commentary of his Holy Commonwealth John Milton printed a Book very well like this of Mr. White called The Tenure of King and Magistrates driving on this Maxime That it is lawful for any that have power to call to account depose and put to death wicked Kings and Tyrants after due conviction if the ordinary Magistrate neglect it We have lately had a Fanatical Lawyer following the Divine Mr. Baxter transcribing out of the same Book of Mr. White to the same end I shall observe onely this Note among others in Mr. White p. 158. where he answers some Objections of Divines concerning the Authority of Princes and Non-resistance Vp steps the Divine saith he to preach us out of Scripture the Duty we owe to Kings no less than Death and Damnation being the Guerdons of Disobedience and Rebellion And p. 159. They will speak reason too telling us that God by nature is high Lord and Master of all That whoever is in power receiveth his right from him That Obedience consists in doing the Will of him that commandeth and concludes that his Will ought to be obeyed till God taketh away the obligation i. e. till he who is to be obeyed himself releaseth the right And p. 160. They alleadge that God by his special command transferred the Kingdom from Saul to David from Rehoboam to Jeroboam so that in fine all that is brought out of Scripture falleth short of proving that no time can make void the right of a King once given him by the hand of God Now mark what Mr. White says to overthrow the sence of Scripture The reason saith he 〈◊〉 this weak way of alleadging Scripture is that when they read that God commandeth or doth this they look not into Nature to know what this commanding or doing is but presently imagine God commands it by express and direct words and doth it by an immediate Position of the things said to be done whereas in Nature the commands are nothing but the natural light God hath bestowed on mankind and which is therefore frequently called the Law of Nature Likewise Gods doing a thing is many times onely the course of natural second causes to which because God gives the direction and motion he both doth and is said to do all that is done by them These things are transcribed by Mr. Hunt to the same ends that Mr. White urged them p. 144. of his Postscript The nature of Government and its Original saith he hath been prejudiced by men that understanding nothing but words and Grammar-Divines without contemplating Gods Attributes or the nature of man or the reasonableness of moral Precepts have undertaken to declare the sence of Scripture and infer that Soveraign power is not of humane institution but of divine appointment because they find it there written that by him Kings raign imagining that when the Scripture saith God commands or doth this that God commanded it by express words or doth it by an immediate position of the thing done whereas in Nature his commands are nothing but the natural light God hath bestowed on mankind likewise Gods doing a thing is onely the course of natural and second causes to which because God gives direction and motion he doth both and is said to do all that is done After this Mr. Hunt rails against our Divines in the Jesuits Mr. White 's Language also White calls them Grammar-Divines verbal and wind-blown Divines p. 162. and Mr. Hunt calls them men that understand nothing but words and Grammar-Divines who saith Mr. White without Logick Philosophy or Morality undertake to be Interpreters of the sacred Bible Who saith Mr. Hunt without contemplating Gods Attributes or the nature of man or the reasonableness of moral Precepts have undertaken to declare the sence of Scripture From the Premises we may draw this Conclusion That the Papists and Fanaticks do agree and mutually lend and borrow Arguments to resist Kings elude the Scriptures defame the English Clergie and overthrow the Government in Church and State As 1. That to conclude from the sence of Scripture is a weak way of arguing 2. That Non obstante what the Scripture says of Divine right of Soveraign power it is not of Divine but Humane institution 3. That Providence and the effects of second causes being influenced by God are of equal authority with the Precepts injoyned by the Word of God 4. That the Soveraign power being but of humane institution may be resisted and is alterable 5. That having cast off their Loyalty to the King and his Laws they are in a fair way to cast off God and his Laws 6. That the worst of Papists and their Atheistical Arguments are made use of by some that call themselves true Protestants against the express commands of God for Obedience to the Higher Powers There was printed 1650 an Answer to Dr. Ferne's Exercitation concerning usurped Powers in which the Answerer
most as being Popishly inclined who have given the greatest demonstration of their opposition to it But to return If they wanted any numbers to petition for what they had in designe or any money to begin the Wars Mr. Pym and some other of the five Members were sent into the City who in conjunction with some eminent Preachers such as Mr. Marshal Calamy c. by their long Speeches and fair pretences deceived the hearts and opened the purses of the deluded people From hence came those Tumults that petitioned against the Bishops and Popish Lords and for the bringing the Earl of Strafford and the Archbishop to their Tryals The good Lord of Essex said He never knew but one Bishop viz. Bishop Williams who betrayed his Lord and Master that stood for the good of the Commonwealth As for the rest Mr. Nathaniel Fiennes made a large Speech to shew that Episcopacy was an Enemy to Monarchy whereas his Father spoke and printed to the contrary That the Bishops were too much devoted to the King And the young Gentleman was not long after condemed by Martial Law Now that the Papists had a great hand in our Troubles at home as well as in Scotland doth clearly appear from the Testimony of Sir Edward Cooke and other Transactions already mentioned But it will yet more evidently appear that the Popish Party were chief Agents in animating the English Rebels with whom they held correspondence to that end by the discovery made to Sir W. Boswel by one Andreas ab Habernfield and communicated to the Archbishop September 6. 1640. Which Relation Mr. Prynne found among the Archbishops Papers and caused it to be printed by Order of a Committee of the House of Commons Mr. Prynne urgeth many Arguments to evince the truth of that Plot and says That not onely he but the Parliament as well as the King and Archbishop did believe it and that he must be a Monster of incredulity that doth not believe it The particulars of the discovery that are most to our purpose are as follow 1. That the Discoverer was bred a Papist and an Ecclesiastick and judged a fit person to be Coadjutor to Con the Popes Nuntio by Cardinal Barbarino who under the Pope was made President of the Congregation of Jesuits in England for propagation of Religion But the horrour of this Plot which was to destroy the King and the Archbishop and involve three Nations in Bloud so troubled his Conscience that he not onely discovered the Plot but forsook the Religion that allowed of such bloudy practices 2. That from Con he received and dispatched all the intelligence concerning the Plot which was communicated to Con from a Consult of political Jesuits which met privately in the Province of Wales 3. That there were at least fifty Scotish Jesuits at that time in and about London That one Maxwell a Scotish Earl and Papist was sent into Scotland by the Popish Party with whom two other Scotish Earls were Correspondents whose business it was to excite the Scots to a Rebellion by aggravating the Actions of the English Court particularly the punishment of Prynne Burton and Bastwick and the imposing of the English Liturgie on them 4. That a Chaplain of Hamiltons the Kings Commissioner had often secret conference with Con concerning whom the Informer asking merrily whether the Jews also agreed with the Samaritans Con replied I would to God all Ministers were like him 5. That Cardinal Richlieu sent Mr. Tho. Chamberlain his Chaplain and Almoner to whom a Bishoprick was promised into Scotland who tarried there four months and was not to return till he brought good news 6. That Sir Toby Matthews a politick Jesuit did diligently enquire and transmit Intelligence to Rome 7. That in the house of one Capt. Read was a constant meeting of the Jesuits every Post-day where they received Letters from Rome and made returns in feigned names 8. That Mr. Porter and Windebank the Lord Arundel and his Countess the Countess of Buckingham and others were privy to the Plot and betrayed the Kings Counsels Upon the whole Mr. Prynne makes these remarks That the Conspirators have almost brought their designe to maturity to our shame and grief by new-raised Civil Wars both in England and Ireland but he adds not a word of Scotland That Secretary Windebank and Captain Read with some others went secretly into Ireland to raise a Rebellion there who assured them that there would be such Broils in England that no Force could be sent thence But not a word yet of what was done in Scotland where they were in actual Arms against the King and ceased not till they had effected the death of the Archbishop and the King as this discovery had foretold I shall adde an Observation of Hammond L'Estrange The Presbyterian Party saith he were not the onely men in the Conspiracy â— for in case of general disturbances nothing iâ— more familiar than for several Factions of contrary inclinations and interests to unite aiming at their own several ends And a foul blemish it would have been to the Society of Jesus should they have sate still in a work so proper to their Employment as these Scotish Broils Though they did not reach at the external glory of the Enterprize which they rendred to the Presbyterians yet were they as diligent in their Machinations as possibly they could be hoping to be greatest gainers at last But the Jesuits had done their business having set their Journey-men at work both in England and Scotland and they were ready as Auxiliaries to assist them to which end they mix themselves with the Councils and Armies both of England and Scotland obstructing all Overtures and Treaties of Peace It was not for any love to the King or his Cause that some few of them engaged with his Party but to help on the publick Calamity of the two Nations and to keep on the Wars that they might raise themselves on the ruines of both Parties For that there were more Papists engaged with the Parliament-Armies than the King 's appears by his Majesties Declaration after the Fight at Edghill Oct. 1643. All men know the great number of Papists Commanders and others that serve in their Armies the great industry they used to corrupt the Loyalty and affection of Our loving Subjests of that Religion the private promises and undertakings that they made if they would assist them against Vs all the Laws made in their prejudice should be repealed when nothing could prevail with Vs to invite them to Our Succour or recal Our Proclamation which forbad them so to do We know that a far greater number of Papists are in their Army than Our own And one Robert de Salmonet a Popish Priest and Scotish man who wrote a History of our Wars in French saith of this Fight That which most surprised every one was that they found among the dead at Edge-hill several Popish Priests For although in their Declarations they called the Kings Army
that time divers Petitions from several parts of the Kingdom complained of the great increase of Popery and Superstition and the people call earnestly to have the Laws put in execution When these Petitions were promoted by their own Members and that Decency which was used in the Church the Superstition and Popery which they remonstrated against but not one word of putting the Laws in execution against the Separatists 2. That Priests and Jesuits swarmed in great numbers That of late years about the City of London Priests and Jesuits have been discharged out of prison That the Pope had then a Nuntio in the City The great resort to Mass at Demark-house That on the reprieve of Goodman the City of London refused the advance of Money for supply of his Majesties Army for that reason Therefore they desire that Goodman may be left to Justice To this the King answered Concerning Goodman that he being found guilty onely as being a Priest on which account neither King James nor Queen Elizabeth put any to death be did reprieve him desiring them to consider the inconvenience that may fall on his Subjects and other Protestants abroad by executing of such severity That he will put the Laws in execution against Popery and Superstition the increase whereof was much against his mind That he would speedily issue out a Proclamation for all Priests and Jesuits to depart the Kingdom within one month or to be proceeded against according to Law As for Rosetti the Popes Nuntio that he had no commission but was onely to correspond between the Queen and the Pope which was warranted by Articles of Marriage yet he had perswaded her to dismiss him within a time to take away the offence That he would restrain the resort of Papists to Denmark-house and the Chappels of Embassadours But instead of being satisfied with these Answers four Members of Parliament acquaint the Lords of a monstrous designe of the Papists an Army of fifteen thousand in Lancashire eight thousand Irish Papists under the Earl of Strafford and many thousands in divers other places well armed and payed by the Earl of Worcester Of which Sanderson in the Life of King Charles says p. 360. After-Ages will think these Hyperboles there being no such Armies possible by them nor no such fears in others Yet this Message was carried from the Lower to the Vpper House and gave occasion to a multitude of people to frame Petitions sutable to Plots Fears and Jealousies for the Parliaments purpose And Alderman Pennington with some hundredâ— of the Rabble presents a Petition in the name of fifteen thousand Citizens against Bishops and their Jurisdiction How little they cared for Religion though their actions sufficiently declared yet their expressions were not wanting A Great Creature of theirs said modestly That they haâ— power enough to take the Crown from the King if the Gospel did not hinder them but theâ— did it with a Non Obstante Mr. Hambdeâ— being asked by a Minister in the beginning of the War Why Religion was made a cause 〈◊〉 it answered Because the people would not stâ—â— else But H. Martyn told them in the House They need not lye for a good Cause it was nâ—â— Religion but Liberty they fought for And so little did some of them value their Religion that as Col. Morley and others with hiâ— said They would cast themselves upon any Nation even the Turk rather than let the King subdue them Mr. B.'s Key for Catholicks mentioneth several of the Popish designes which saith he are grounded on this Maxime That their foundation must be Mutation which will cause a Relaxation and serve as so many violent Diseases as Stone or Gout to a speedy Destruction p. 318. Upon which he adds this Consultation of the Jesuits We shall necessitate the Puritan Protestants to keep the King as Prisoner or else to put him to death If they keep him as a Prisoner his diligence and friends and their own divisions will either work his deliverance and give him the day again by our help or at least will keep the State in a perpetual unsetledness and will bring an odium on them or if they cut him off which we will rather promote lest they should make use of his extremities to any advantage then first we shall procure the odium of King killing to fall on them which they are wont to cast upon us and so shall be able to disburthen our selves Secondly And we shall have them all to pieces in Distractions for they will either set up a new King or the Parliament will keep the power changing the Government into a Democracy The first cannot be done without great Concussions and new Wars and we shall have an opportunity to have a hand in all and if it be done it may be much to our advantage The second will apparently by Factions and Distractions give us footing for continual attempts But to make all sure we will have our footing among the Puritans too that we may be sure to maintain our interest which way soever the world goes This was the Frame of the Papists Plot. In the next page he tells us of the Letters of the Agents of the Agitators in France published in the weekly News-books commending the Jesuits for good men and how agreeable they were to them in their Principles for a Democracy and what meet Materials for such a Commonwealth the Jesuits would be The Agencies of particular men with Jesuits he says I purposely omit p. 321. Mr. Baxter doubtless knew more than 〈◊〉 mentions he had an Idea of all their Plots and Principles in 's own brain And p. 329 saith It is opened by many in print how far thâ— Jesuits crept into all Societies under the name of Independents He tells us a story of onâ— that came from Scotland pretending himself a Jew who gave the Anabaptists the glory oâ— his Conversion and was rebaptized at Heâ—ham but was discovered at Newcastle to be â— Jesuit The whole story is in print And p. 321. he acquaints us that Sexby and otherâ— of the Army did confederate with Spain tâ— murther Cromwel when they found that hâ— attempted to make himself a King And hereupon it was that Cromwel took distaste aâ— the Papists and prevailed to make an Acâ— with this Preamble Anno 1656. Forasmuâ—â— as there is a great increase of Popish Recusants within this Commonwealth by reason whereof great danger may follow to the Commonwealth they being persons very active in mischievous Plots and Conspiracies c. This doubtless was well known by Cromwel who had made great use of them to effect his mischievous designes Peter du Moulin in his Answer to Philanax Anglicus p. 59. observes that a year before the Kings death a select number of English Jesuits were sent from their Party in England first to Paris to consult with the Faculty of Sorbone who were then wholly Jesuited about this Question Whether seeing the State of England was in a likely posture
if any conjecture that he was a flat Papist I believe him not but he was the head of the Grotian Papists and he himself boasted of it ubi supra Now if any would know how far Grotius and consequently the King was a Papist he says He i. e. Grotius was a more arrant Papist than Cassander who dyed in that Communion and was one that owned the Council of Trent and such I think are flat Papists But if Mr. B. did not believe the King to be a flat Papist then his iniquity was the greater to give so many though frivolous instances by way of proof that others might believe what Mr. B. did not Did not Mr. B. know that the fear of introducing Popery was made a chief ground of the War against the King And may he not as well make it a ground of another War against the present King because he adheres to his Bishops whom Mr. B. calls Popish Clergie-men And he says that the Parliament whom they were bound to believe made it their great argument and advantage against the King that he favoured the Papists and on this supposition saith he thousands came in to fight for their Cause And they made one Article against the Archbishop of Canterbury that he endeavoured to introduce Popery whose life on that account they took away though he were indeed one of their greatest adversaries which as it appears by the discovery of the Plot of the Jesuits to take away his life mentioned in the relation of Andreas ab Habernfield and printed by Mr. Prynne wherein because of his constancy to the Established Religion from which he could not be tempted by the offer of a Cardinals Cap made to him from the then Pope by Con his Nuncio they plotted his death so it will appear to be a gross slander by that which followeth And first it shall not be denied that his promoting of decent Ceremonies and some Executions on Seditious persons procured him that ill report among the Fanaticks But he refuted it sufficiently by declaring openly at the Council-Table against the great resort of Papists to Denmark-house of which also he complained to the King with passion as a thing of dangerous consequence and particularly against Sir Toby Matthews and Walter Mountague two active Papists mentioned in Habernfields Discovery And before that time he published his Conference with Fisher the Jesuit one of the best discourses yet extant against them After which time though he could not wipe off the aspersion among the Fanaticks yet he was lookt on by the Papists as their greatest enemy He prevailed to banish both Matthews and Mountague from the Court whereat the Queen shewed some displeasure against him but knowing how able and faithful a Minister he was for the Kings service He reconciled the Queen to him again His Conference with Fisher was for the satisfaction of some persons of Quality on whom the Jesuits had practised Sir Edward Deeâ—ing his professed Adversary says That by â— the Bishop had muzled the Jesuit and struck the Papist under the fifth Rib. In his Preface 〈◊〉 King Charles he says God forbid your Majesty should let the Laws and Discipline sleep for feâ—â— of the name of Persecution and suffer Mr. Fisher and his fellows to angle in all parts of your Dominions for your Subjects Let us have 〈◊〉 dissolving of Oaths of Allegiance no deposâ—â—â— of Kings and blowing up of States for 〈◊〉 their Religion were as good as they pretend they cannot compass it by good means I am 〈◊〉 they ought not to attempt it by bad for if theâ— will do evil that good may come of it theâ— damnation is just He complains there thaâ— the Church was between two Factions as between two Milstones wherefore he thought it his duâ—â— to deliver her from both for he tells the King that no one thing did make conscientious men to waver more in their minds and to be drawn from the sincerity of Religion professed in the Church of England than the want of uniform and decent Order the Romanist being apt to say the Houses of God could not be suffered to lye so nastily were the true Worship of God observed in them the external worship of God in his Church being the great witness to the world that our hearts stand right in that Service And to deal clearly with your Majesty these thoughts and no other made me labour so much for decency and an orderly settlement of the external Worship of God To this I add that the Archbishop did no other than what was practised with good success upon the Papists in Queen Elizabeths days of which I have taken notice before to be acknowledged by our present Dissenters This most Reverend Archbishop was not more averse from the Doctrine of the Papists than from any acquaintance or correspondence with them Panzani and Con two of the Popes Nuncio's often endeavoured some Conference with him but he still put them off though some persons of Quality sollicited it He suppressed Socinian and Popish Books especially that called An Introduction to a devout life written by Francis Sales Bishop of Geneva And to omit many other arguments his Protestation at his death of which hereafter is enough to satisfie all but Infidels Bishop Beadle Anno 1633. certifyed Bishop Laud then of London of the dangerous condition of Ireland by the growth of Popery and informed the Earl of Strafford who was newly made Lord Deputy that the Pope had a greater power in that Kingdom than the King governing there by a Congregation de propaganda fide established not long before at Rome That the Popes Clergie there was double in number to the Kings and they were bound by Oath to maintain the Popes power and greatness against all persons That the Pope had erected a Colledge in Dublin to affront the Kings Colledge One Harris Dean of the New Colledge printed a Treatise against Bishop Vshers Sermon at Wansteed and after the dissolving of the new Frieries in Dublin they erected others in the Country where the people flocked in great multitudes to hear Mass forgetting the Principles of Religion That a Synodical meeting of their Clergy had been held in Drogheda in which they decreed That it was not lawful to take the Oath of Allegiance and therefore it was thought necessary to restrain them by a standing Army Whereupon the Lord Deputy was advised to summon a Parliament and so ordered his affairs as to raise an Army of Twenty thousand men which was maintained mostly out of the Estates of the Papists by which means he kept the Irish in awe and had he been continued there that Hellish Massacre on the English Protestants which followed on the withdrawing of that Great man might in all probability have been prevented But these two Great men the one of which made it his business to prevent Rebellion in the State the other to suppress Faction and Confusion in the Church were made the chief marks at which all the Plots
nor is it sufficient for Subjects not to obey the wicked commands of Princes but they must resist them and deliver the children of God out of the hands of their enemies as we would deliver a Sheep in danger to be devoured by a Wolf and if the Magistrate shall refuse to put Mass-mongers and false Preachers to death the people in seeing it performed shew that zeal of God which was commended in Phinees Gilby says That Kings Princes and Governours have their Authority from the People and on occasion the People may take it away again as men may revoke their Proxies It is lawful saith he to kill wicked Kings and Tyrants The Subjects did kill the Queens Highness Athaliah John killed the Queens Majesty Jezabel Elias being no Magistrate killed the Queens Majesties Chaplains Baal 's Priests Knox in his Debate with Lithinton Hist of Reformat p. 390. justifies the killing of Tyrannical Princes and men in publick places by private persons from the Example of Phinees who he says was a private person whose fact was approved and rewarded and affirms that it ought to be imitated by those who prefer the true Worship and Glory of God to the affection of fleshly and wicked Princes and says that this Example approved by God stands instead of a Command for as God is immutable so he cannot condemn that which he hath approved in his Servants before us The Book called Naphtali justifieth the Rebellion at Pentland-Hills Anno 1666 from the same Example ascribing it to the Holy Spirit of God asserting that the Rebels were no more Traytors than Phinees was a Murderer being led by the same Spirit and had as good warrant p. 21 c. The same Doctrine as defended by a Book called Jus populi vindicatum ch 20. p. 409 c. On this Principle Mr. Mitchel attempted to murther the Archbishop Anno 1668. and did mortally wound the Bishop of Orkney for which he was executed See Ravilliack Redivivus but died impenitently believing he was led to this heroical act by the Spirit of God These and such Books are used by the Field-Conventiclers more than the Practice of Piety One of them being taken and searched had Naphtali in one Pocket and a Pistol charged with two Bullets in the other i. e. as a Gentleman said The Doctrine for one hand and the Application for the other Many other Pamphlets such as was the Apologie and Apologetical Narration The poor mans Cup The History of the Indulgence were printed in Scotland and many to the like purpose in England under the Titles of Pleas for Peace the Celeusma c. defaming the Bishops as Apostate perjured Prelates Traytors to Christ Enemies to his People Thorns and Thistles bloudy Persecutors Popish Clergie-men c. to prepare the people to another Rebellion and Assassinations It would be too large to repeat the Tumults Wars and malicious Murthers committed in Scotland by the Conventiclers upon such as according to the Laws sought to suppress them and how they justified them all in several Pamphlets which are in the hand of almost all that can read them How obstinately they died justifying themselves in those horrid Actions chusing rather to die than confess the sinfulness of them and to beg pardon or to pray for the King and promise obedience Mitchel at his death said That he laid down his life willingly in opposition to the perfidious Prelates and in testimony of the Cause of Christ and in his Speech saith Blessed are all they that take the proud Prelates and dash their brains against the stones And yet we have had some at home who have not onely pitied these men but promoted their Practices there and frequently attempted the same in England Since his Majesties return who can but wonder at the Enthusiastick madness of Venner and the Fifth-monarchy-men who with less than half an hundred of men attempted the whole City of London And the Plot in December 1662 to cut off Root and Branch King Queen Duke Bishops and Gentry that none of them might run beyond Sea for which Tong Philips Stubbs Hinde Sallers and Gibbs were executed at Tyburn which Plot was to be carried on upon the fear and jealousie of a Popish Massacre And seditious Letters were dispersed to that purpose a copy of which was read in the Court and the Fifth-monarchy-men Quakers Anabaptists and all sorts of Fanaticks were invited to joyn in the Plot. The next year March 21. 1663. another Plot was discovered in the North of which the King says in his Speech That it was of a large extent and very near execution had he not by Gods goodness come to the knowledge of the principal Contrivers and secured them from executing their intended mischief In the year 1666. there was another Plot to murther his Majesty and overthrow the Government to kill the General surprize the Tower fire the City and a Junto setled in London and Money provided to carry on this designe for which Rathbone Sanders Tucker Flint Evans Miles Westcot and Coles were executed And whether such bloudy practices as these have not been encouraged by those Principles which the Jesuits and Fanaticks especially Mr. White and Mr. Baxter have published in print is so evident that it can admit of no dispute or contradiction especially if it be considered of what a cruel disposition that man who hath published so many Pleas for Peace but such a Peace as the Historian speaks of Desolationem volunt Pacem vocant cannot be had but by the ruine of Church and State was who kept the Field against the King from the beginning of the Wars till he became a Prisoner as hath been collected out of his own boasting Confessions in a little Tract called The second part of the History of Separation to which I shall adde the following Relation Mr. Vernon in his Life of Dr. Heylin Preface ad finem Mr. Baxter says he may be pleased to call to mind what was done to old Major Jennings in the last War in the Fight that was between Linsel and Longford in Salop where the Kings Party being worsted the Major was stript almost naked and left for dead in the Field but Mr. Baxter and one Lieutenant Hurdman walking among the wounded and dead bodies perceived some life left in the Major and Hurdman run him through the body in cold bloud Mr. Baxter all the while looking on and taking off with his own hand the Kings Picture from about his neck telling him as he was swimming in his Gore that he was a Popish Rogue and that was his Crucifix which Picture was kept by Mr. Baxter for many years till it was got from him but not without much difficulty by one Mr. Summerfield who then lived with Sir Tho. Rous and generously restored it to the poor man now alive at Wiche near Parshore in Worcestershire although at the Fight supposed to be dead being after the wounds given him dragged up and down the Field by the
disowned him and the men of his practices whether inferiour Magistrates or others as enemies to our Lord and his Crown and the True Protestant and Presbyterian interest in their hands Therefore although we be for Government and Governours such as the Word of God and our Covenants allows yet we for our selves and all that will adhere to us as the Representatives of the true Presbyterian-Church and covenanted Nation of Scotland considering the great hazard of lying under such a sin do by these Presents disown Charles Stuart who hath been reigning or rather we may say tyrannizing on the Throne of Scotland forefaulted several years since by his Perjury and breach of Covenant with God and his Church and usurpation of his Crown and Royal Prerogatives therein and by his Tyranny and breach of the very leges regnandi in matters Civil for which reasons we declare that several years since he should have been denuded of being King As also being under the Standard of Christ we declare War against such a Tyrant and Usurper and all the men of his practices as enemies to our Lord Jesus Christ his Cause and Covenants and against all such as have strengthened him sided with him or any-wise acknowledged him in his Usurpation and Tyranny Civil and Ecclesiastical yea and against all such as shall strengthen side with or anywise acknowledge any other in the like Usurpation and Tyranny c. Given at Sanquair 22 June 1680. Collected out of the true Copies collated with the Originals kept among the Records of his Majesties Privy-Council Al. Gibson Will. Paterson But that the hand of Joab i.e. the Jesuits was in all these Tumults and Rebellions will thus appear Dr. Oates whose Testimony ad homines is very creditable assures us That the Jesuits creep in among Dissenters under the disguise of Nonconforming Ministers to divide and exasperate to blow up Animosities and Calumnies into actual Rebellion against the Civil Government under a pretence of the dislike of the Ecclesiastical Thus in his printed Narrative part 1. he says That Rich. Strange Provincial John Keins Basil Langworth John Fenwick and Harcourt Jesuits did write a treasonable Letter to one Father Suiman an Irish Jesuit at Madrid in Spain in which was contained the plotting and contriving a Rebellion of the Presbyterians in Scotland against the Episcopal Government in order to which they employed Matthew Wright Will. Morgan and one Ireland to go and preach under the notion of Presbyterians and give the disaffected Scots a true understanding of their sad estate and condition by Episcopal Tyranny and to tell them they had now a fair opportunity to vindicate their Liberty and Religion and that it could be done no other way but by the Sword Paragr 18. That the Fathers of the Society in Ireland were very vigilant to prepare the people to rise for their Liberty and Religion and to recover their Estates Parag. 35. That the Jesuits by order of their Provincial were to send new Messengers into Scotland to promote the Commotions there and to inform the people of the great Tyranny they lay under by being denied liberty of Conscience and that not being to be procured but by the Sword they must take that course to purchase their liberty Parag. 43. That two new Ministers were sent into Scotland on the fifth of Aug. 78. one by the name of Father Moore the other of Sanders alias Brown with instructions to carry themselves like Nonconformist-Ministers and to preach to the disaffected Scots the necessity of taking up the Sword for defence of liberty of Conscience These Dr. Oates saw dispatched Parag. 150. The Doctor saw a Letter from Father Ireland Aug. 7. 1678. where he intimates the joy he had that the disaffected Scots would not lay aside their endeavours for liberty of Religion and that the Catholicks of Scotland had promised to use their utmost interest to keep up the Commotions there And a good Author observes what fell out in the tragical end of the Lord Forester in Scotland who after the defeat of the Rebels at Bothwel-bridge took occasion on the Indulgence granted by his Majesty to erect a house within two miles of Edinburgh for a publick Conventicle of Nonconformists and for building this â—â—â—agogue he went for a zealous man among them but not long after he was murthered by a woman-relation with whom he had lived incestuously many years After his death a Dispensation was found in his Closet from the Pope to marry her which he delaying to do she took his life in reparation of her abused Honour Which shews that the Supporters of the Nonconformists may be secret Papists Parag. 51. John Keins told the Doctor That the Provincial had taken care of keeping alive the Differences between the disaffected Scots and Duke Lauderdale that Mum and Chocolet should be put down and the Order of the Magpies should be turned to their primitive institution and habit by Mum and Chocolet meaning the Protestant Peers and by Magpies the Bishops Paragr 67. n. 7. One means he says they were to use to bring in Popery was by Seditious Preachers and Catechists set up and maintained and directed what to preach in their own or other private or publick Conventicles and Field-meetings And my Author says I have heard Mr. Prance affirm that both Gauan and White-bread used to preach frequently in Conventicles in Southwark and other places and that he was able to prove Whitebread the Provincial of the Jesuits who was executed for the Plot did not many months before the discovery preach in a Conventicle as a Nonconformist at Spaldwick within five miles of Huntingdon and that he had several times done the like before as was attested by several of the Congregation before divers Gentlemen in the County of Huntingdon But to return for England where we are told by a marvelous cunning man That the next Scene that opened would be Rome or Paris But the Prophet saw nothing of Geneva or Scotland which was also so nearly conjoyned in the Intrigue that I scarce know how to separate them For as I believe there was is and will be a Popish Designe to overthrow the Government as long as the Jesuits retain their Principles and avowed Obedience to the See of Rome so I am confident there was is and will be a Fanatick Plot against the Church and State as long as so many Factious and Seditious persons retain their Antimonarchical and Separating Principles As for the Papists they thought their work was sufficiently carried on by the Divisions which they had increased among our selves by the Toleration and therefore for a while they contented themselves with working as so many Moles under ground heaving at the Foundations of our Government But through the mercy of God Parturiunt Montes their intended Babel proved but a Mole-hill which was easily scattered For Die Lunoe 1678. it was Resolved Nemine Contradicente in the Parliament That there was is and for several years last past hath been a
Johnson for fear of being knockt on the head he desires the Knights directions in the management He says Mr. Braddon has been at great charge and trouble already and he knows few that would have undertaken it but himself And all this pains was taken to insinuate to the people that because the King and Duke were that morning walking in the Tower about the time this Murder was done therefore they designed it How base how devilish and hellish a designe is this as my Lord Chief Justice justly exclaims After a long and fair Tryal they were found guilty but continued under Bail till next Term when on April 21. Braddon was Fined 2000 l. and to find Sureties for good behaviour during life and be imprisoned till performed and Speke as being not so guilty being onely concern'd in the Letter 1000 l. with Sureties also for good behaviour during life and imprisonment till performed Among the rest of the late Conspirators was one James Holloway a forward busie young man Inhabitant of Bristol who having been acquainted with all the Methods and attended on all the motions of the Designe without effect blessed be God till its discovery then sensible of his guilt and danger thought it time to consult his own safety and leaving London in a disguise he ranged several parts of England as a dealer in Wool till he could find an opportunity to take shipping which having obtained he set sail and after some loss of time by stress of Weather he made Antegua in the West-Indies resolving to visit the rest of the Caribby Islands also and so to St. Christophers which he judging to be the safest place sent thence to his Factor at Nevis about some concerns he had there which Factor discovered him whereupon Sir William Stapleton sent to St. Christophers to apprehend him and thence brought him to Nevis where he was prisoner thirteen days and then sent for England where being come he was examined before the King in Council and committed to Newgate till Easter-Term 1684. he was brought to the Kings Bench-Bar to shew cause why he should not suffer death he having been Outlawed for High-Treason in his absence He told the Court he had nothing to say having told all he knew to his Majesty from whom he hoped mercy The Court told him they had nothing to do with the Kings mercy but they had leave to let him take a Tryal notwithstanding the Outlawry whereby he might have opportunity to make his defence if he had any thing to say for himself But he declaring that he had nothing more to say a day was set by the Court for his execution as is usual in Outlawries which was done at Tyburn on the 30th of April 1684. He had liberty to speak there what he pleased and held a long Dialogue with the Sheriffs delivering them a Paper which he acknowledged to be his own writing which is a kind of Epitome of what he had before deliver'd to Mr. Secretary Jenkins And so after a short Prayer he was hang'd drawn and quarter'd and his Quarters brought back to Newgate and sent thence to Bristol which should have been the Scene of his activity in this cursed Tragedy He says in his Paper delivered to the Secretary that asking one Tyly of Bristol What News July 1681 he told him All naught and if some speedy course be not taken we shall be all undone for they have got Sheriffs to their minds naming North and Rich who will find Jurors to believe any evidence against a Protestant and so hang up all the Kings friends by degrees He told him also that all the Protestant Gentry naming the Earl of Shaftsbury Lord Howard of Escrick and others were come to a resolution seeing fair means would not do but all things on the Protestant side are misrepresented to the King by such great Criminals and none more in favour than those to take the King from his evil Counsel and that by an Insurrection in London Bristol Taunton Exeter Chester Newcastle York and other places in the North and that there would be a considerable party in Scotland and another in Ireland Mr. West told him there was a designe to take off the King and the Duke coming from Newmarket to prevent bloudshed Holloway dislikes that saying the designe was onely to take the King from his evil Counsel He calls it a PROTESTANT PLOT He saith to the Sheriff I hope it will be a satisfaction that there was a Plot. Again I pray God that no other people may concern themselves with Publick affairs out of their own way and that the Scriblers might be put down for they do more to the Kingdom than any thing else Which was both the beginning and end of his discourse with the Sheriffs And he begins his Paper left with the Sheriffs with exclaiming against Pamphleteers and News-Scriblers And afterwards And did by some Scriblers and News-mongers constantly know most publick affairs which they undertook to represent according to their own humour He declares his hearty sorrow for yielding thereto or acting therein being satisfied it might have caused very much bloudshed in the Nation He concludes I repent not my Confession and could I discover more would do it throughly though I find not mercy with man On Thursday Feb. 14. 1684. Sir Samuel Bernardiston was Tryed and Convicted for High Misdemeanour at the Sessions of Nisi Prius holden at Guild-hall London It was upon an Information exhibited by the Attorney-General wherein is set forth That there having been lately a horrid Plot discovered Sir Samuel Bernardiston intending to scandalize the Evidence wrote a Letter containing these Sentences The return of the Duke of Monmouth to White-hall and his being received into extraordinary Favour of his Majesty hath made a strange alteration of affairs at Court for those that before spake of him very indecently now court cringe and creep to him His Grace complained to the King of the scandalous misrepresentation that was made of him in the Mondays Gazette upon which the Gazetter was called to account for it who alleadged for himself that a Person of great Quality sent him in writing the words therein recited commanding him to put them in the Gazette Testerday being the last day of the Term all the Prisoners that were in the Tower upon the late Sham Protestant Plot were discharged upon Bail Mr. Braddon who prosecuted the Murder of the Earl of Essex the Information put in against him in the Kings-Bench by Mr. Attorney for a pretended Subornation c. was not prosecuted and his Bail was discharged And the passing Sentence upon the Author of Julian the Apostate and the Printer of the late Lord Russel's Speech was passed over with silence Great applications are made to his Majesty for the pardoning Mr. Sidney in the Tower which is believed will be attained and that he will be banished The Lord Howard appears despicable in the eyes of all men he is under guard at White-hall and
was such another Fast as those that were kept in the days of their Q Mary of which she was wont to say That she was as much afraid of a Fast of the Ministers as of an Army of Souldiers And yet if you will believe themselves or some Advocates of theirs nearer home there are not a more innocent peaceable and harmless people in the world as the Author of Naphtali said of the Rebellion of Pentland hills There hath not been in Britain such a company of men in Arms for the Covenant and Cause of God for sound Judgment true Piety Integrity and fervent Zeal and undaunted Courage But all this Zeal and Courage was still directed against the King and the established Government and Worship of God For in the year 1679. the Convention of Estates gave the King a Tax of 30000 l. to maintain a Regiment of Foot three Companies of Dragoons and three Troops of Horse to suppress the Field-Conventicles which met in Arms against which their Leaders preached saying It was given by the enemies of Christ to drive him out of his Kingdom and it would be as great a fin to pay it as it was in Judas to betray Christ and that now was the time to try them whether they would have Christ for their King or no. And the same Ruffians that murdered the Archbishop did several times lay wait for the Collectors of this Tax and they so perplexed the peoples Consciences that a Servant of the Earl of Dondonald fell distracted through trouble of mind for having assisted his Master in laying the Tax on Renscot This is that little Sister for whom the Noble Peer pleaded that having no Breasts she might like the Amazons have liberty to take up Arms and once more enter our Nation and rent us in pieces as formerly And it were easie to shew from the Writings of some of our own Nation that the same Principles have been preached to the people of this Land who have greedily swallowed and digested the same and think themselves under the same obligation of Covenant as those barbarous people Dr. Lake in a Sermon before the Lord Mayor says That discoursing some Rebels that were then in Goal in Scotland who did openly avow the Rebellion and refused to pray for the King He told them they were variously reported to be Jesuits or Jesuitically affected or to be Fifth-Monarchy-men wild arrant Fanaticks They told him they were neither one nor other but true Presbyterians according to the Covenant He replying That we had Presbyterians in our own Kingdom who yet did not obstinately maintain such King-deposing and murthering Doctrines They told him he did not understand them for they believed the same Doctrines but onely wanted Power and Courage to act them And at their execution they desired the people to take notice That they died true Presbyterians according to the Covenant It is another Artifice of these People agreeable to the practice of the Papists that they keep their People in ignorance and under the power of an implicit Faith and blind Obedience as the Papists do and bring them up in strong prejudices against their Governors Some have been so mad as to baptize their Children into the National Covenant which they are not ashamed to compare with The Covenant of Grace Mr. Alexander Gibson Clerk of his Majesties Privy-Council certified May 13. 1678. that one David Ferguson taken at a Field-Conventicle being asked why he kept not to his Parish-Church answered That he had sworn the Covenant whereby he was obliged not to hear Bishops Deans or Curats and that others being asked why they kept Conventicles answered To hear Gods truth and being demanded what that was they answered They could not tell And upon examination they could not say the Creed the Lords Prayer or ten Commandments Mr. Jo. Dickson preached to them That all the Bishops and their Clergie never did nor ever will convert one Soul They believe without farther enquiry being forbid to read the Books written for Obedience and Conformity that Episcopacy is Antichristian and Presbytery is Christs own institution They hold with the Papists That the actions of their Kirk and Teachers in Field-Conventicles and armed and fighting men is not Rebellion because the Presbytery is not subject to the Secular Power That the Subjects may enter into Solemn Leagues and Covenants without and against the Prince That Kings may be excommunicate and deposed which some of them have practised against his present Majesty That not the King in some cases but the Kirk have power to convocate and dissolve Assemblies and that they may make Laws without the King That Salvation is not to be had but in their Communion They injoyn new Articles of belief as That Episcopacy is an Antichristian Order and so are the Church-Festivals and Ceremonies That the Oath of Supremacy is an unlawful Oath and the People are absolved from it That the Power of the King is originally in the People and that there is a mutual obligation between them and if the King perform not his part the People are free from performing theirs That for the good of the Kirk and Gods Cause they may rebel against their Prince That the Prince nor any Secular Power can silence or deprive a Minister who is subject to none but Christ That Passive Obedience to the unjust commands of a Prince is as great a sin as Active Obedience to the same That a private person may kill a Magistrate by impulse of the Spirit after the Example of Phinees to deliver the Kirk from Oppression That it is lawful to kill Protestant Bishops and their Curates as enemies to true Godliness and such as would bring the Kirk to a slavish dependance on the King James Mitchel who was executed for attempting the murther of the Archbishop said in his dying Speech They are all blessed that shall take the proud Prelates and dash their brains against the stones as afterward some Ruffians did by the Archbishop These are their Principles and all these they have practised when they had opportunities They come little behind the Papists for equivocation and persisting in falsehood where they think their lives or the good of the Kirk concerned Jo. King being charged for bearing Arms against the King in the late Rebellion denied it until one that apprehended him swore that he had both Sword and Pistols To which he answered he did it not in an hostile manner which was a Jesuitical Equivocation He bore testimony against that woful Supremacy so much applauded and universally owned of such of whom better things might be expected as usurping on Christs Royal Authority spoiling him of his Royal Crown Scepter Sword and Royal Robe by taking those Princely Ornaments to invest a man whose breath is in his nostrils And both Kid and King bore their Testimonies against the Oath of Allegiance and Bond of Peace of which to satisfie the Reader I give him a Copy I A. B. for testification of my faithful
obedience to my most gracious Soveraign Charles King of Great Britain c. affirm testifie and declare by this my solemn Oath That I acknowledge my said Soveraign onely Supreme Governour of this Kingdom over all Persons and in all Causes and that no foreign Prince Power State or Person Civil or Ecclesiastick hath any Jurisdiction Power or Superiority over the same and therefore I do utterly renounce and forsake all foreign Power Jurisdictions and Authorities and shall to my utmost power defend assist and maintain his Majesties Jurisdiction aforesaid against all mortals and shall never decline his Majesties Power and Jurisdiction as I shall answer to God The form of the Bond. I A. B. underscribing do faithfully bind and oblige me that I my Wife Barnes and Servants respectively shall no ways be present at any Conventicles and disorderly Meetings in time coming but shall live orderly in obedience to the Law under the penalties contained in the Acts of Parliament made there-anent As also I bind and oblige me that my whole Tenants and Cotters respectively their Wives Barnes and Servants shall likewise refrain and abstain from the said Conventicles and other illegal Meetings not authorized by Law and that they shall live orderly in obedience to the Law And further that I nor they shall receipt supply or commune with forfeited persons intercommuned Ministers or vagrant Preachers but shall do our utmost endeavour to apprehend their persons And in case my said Tenants Cotters and their foresaids shall contravene I shall take or apprehend any person or persons guilty thereof and present to the Judge Ordinars that they may be fined or imprisoned therefor as is provided in the Acts of Parliament made there-anent otherwise I shall remove them and their Families from my ground And if I shall fail herein I shall be liable to such penalties as the said Delinquents have incurred by the Laws consenting to the registration hereof in the Books of his Majesties Privy-Council or Books of any other Judges competent that Letters and Executorials may be direct hereupon in form as effairs and constitutes my Procurators The Field-preachers damned this Bond as an Arbitrary Tyrannical and Illegal proceeding and Mr. Welsh a Field-preacher having condemned the people for not coming armed to their Meetings with Swords and Pistols to defend the Gospel said That the subscribing this Bond was a renouncing their Baptism and making a Covenant with the Devil more express and worse than that of Witches And Mr. John Dickson at a Conventicle May 26. 1678. said That those who subscribed it had committed a greater sin than the sin of the Holy Ghost and were already in Hell This Mr. Welsh as Ravilliack Redivivus relates it preaching to about seven thousand people told them That the King the Nobles and Prelates were the Murtherers of Christ And sitting down in his Chair he said O People I will be silent speak O People and tell me what good thing the King hath done since his coming home yea hath he not done all the mischief a Tyrant could do And at another time he said That God would assert the Cause of Pentland-hills in spite of the Curates and their Masters the Prelates and in spite of the Prelates and their Master the King and his Master the Devil It was but a little before the Duke of York's going to Scotland that they were forming their Presbyteries after the Model of Ignatius dividing the Nation into several Provinces each of which was to have a Provincial and over all there was appointed a General who as Ignatius had been a Souldier and was thought fit to lead an Army The Provincials were to take an account of the growth or decay of their Party to mark out their Friends and their Enemies and to renew their Contributions and to give account of all to their General who was to reside at Edinburgh or London If this designe had succeeded no two Factions in the world had been more like whatever they are now than the Jesuit and Fanatick Which was the Incubus and which the Succubus that brought forth the two last hellish Plots or whether they were not Twins or as it is in the Riddle Mater me Genuit eadem mox gignitur ex me may puzzle the Reader to resolve It is certain the same plastick Principles formed them both and the Subjects were equally disposed to receive those Forms which have so affrighted the Nations and there is little difference the name excepted between a Clement and a Melvil a Ravilliack and a Mitchel a Bradshaw and a Cargil or the Jesuitical and a Fanatical Regicide both make the King accountable to the People both are for excommunicating deposing and assassinating of Kings both have been such Fire-brands as have kindled consuming fires where-ever they have fixed their cloven feet It is no great wonder that they are sometimes transformed into Angels of light seeing Satan himself may be so transformed neither of them can do their work if they should appear in their proper colours armed with Pistols and Blunderbusses in flames of fire and an horrible stench of Gunpowder and Brimstone they come clothed with Zeal as with a Cloak and in Sheeps clothing with demure looks and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the Simple but inwardly they are ravening Wolves and by their fruits you may know them It is not a pretence of acting for a Good Old Cause or the Catholick Church that can justifie unnatural Rebellions and Bloudshed they who do such things are of their Father the Devil though they own Rome or Geneva for their Mother It is said of Augustus that meeting with a young man in the Country exactly like him in growth and features he asked him merrily whether his Mother was never at Rome No saith the young man but my Father hath been there meaning it was more likely that Augustus and he had one Father than that he should be the Son of Augustus Though our Fanatick Plots were conceived by those that were never at Rome yet the Principles that begot them most certainly came from thence The Fanatick Zeal embracing Popish Principles hath brought forth many of those Plots and Conspiracies which have so often disturbed our Peace and Government And by this time I hope the vizard and pretence of these men will vanish viz. that such of them as have suffered by the hand of Justice have died as Patriots of their Country for their zeal against Popery and in defence of the Liberties of the People against Tyranny and Arbitrary Government This hath been pleaded a thousand times in behalf of a Noble Peer and persons of the same Principles but of the lowest rank have pleaded it for themselves This designe says Colledge is not onely against me but against all the Protestants in England that have had the courage to oppose the Popish Plot and dies praying that his may be the last Protestants bloud that murdering Church of Rome may shed in Christendom And in