raise you above the meditating of any revenge or executing your anger upon the many the more conscious you shall be to your people the more prone you will be to expect all love and loyalty from them and to inflict no punishment upon them for former miscarriages You will have more inward complacency in pardoning one then in punishing a thousand And again saith he for those that repent of any defects in their duty toward me as I freely forgive them in the word of a Christian King so I believe you will finde them truely zealous to repay with interest that loyalty and love to you which was due to me c. And dear Soveraign many such exhortations to press you to offer a free pardon to all and not to seek to be revenged on any ye have in his Book and last Speech to you Now I say If a Subject had been murthered and that his sonshould forgive all the murtherers yet the Law hath a power in it to put them to death for their actings in murthering his Father notwithstanding his son's remittance because his son is not a competent Judge in the cause But in a King in whom is the life of the Law it is not so for in any Case and especially his own Case he may forgive what he will and that must stand for Law because he is a compleat Judge so that his word by the Law is made to be above the Law as we see in Cases of Remittance for after that many have been cast to die by the Law the King's pardon hath saved them and whosoever denieth this denieth the King's Prerogative Royal. Again I say There is a distinction between Martyring and Murthering for a Martyr offereth himself for the defence of the Truth of God as our Savicur saith John 10. 17 18. He layeth down his life none properly can be said to take it from him because he hath power to lay it down and to take it up again else he is not a Martyr but the life of him that is murthered is violently taken from him that though he would live upon any terms he may not live and he cannot help it And your Royal Father understanding this did not say at his death nor as you have it in his Speech to you that he was murthered but said that he was martyred Therefore he that saith he was murthered doth not onely deny him to be a Martyr but doth also denie both his power and pardon and belyeth him for he did never pardon any for wilful murther yet pardoneth all these men being his own enemies looking not on them as his murthereres but as they wilfully yet ignorantly did slay him and he would have you to pardon them in like manner Your Royal Father following Christ Jesus in it who as he was a King and a pattern to all Kings for the future times had an eye to his Perogative Royal thus that he gives order to his Apostles concerning them that had put him to death that if they did repent his blood should not be required of them and we see Peter proceeds with them accordingly for after he had shewed the Jews how they had slain the Lord Jesus until they were pricked in their hearts and made to cry out to the Apostles saying Men and brethren what shall we do Peter doth not say Tou must die for it but saith Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of the Lord Jesus for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost Act. 2. 37 38. yet by the Jews Laws such offenders were to die without mercy Levit. 24. 17 18. and if it had been the will of Christ Peter had power enough to put them to death as we see Ananias and Sapphira were slain by the word of his mouth Acts 5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. but herein is Christ's pardon or Perogative Royal seen Most Royal Soveraign That Text 2 Chron. 25. 3. which many urge in this Case is no president for you to follow first Because Joash was murthered 2 King 12. 20. Secondly Because we read not that King Joash gave any such charge to his son as your Royal Father gave you to shew that he forgives all his enemies and would have you to forgive them freely if they repent and come to agreement with you Thirdly We read not of the repentance of them that slew King Joash therefore it was but just for his son Amaziah to put them to death And it behoves your Majesty if there be any defects in your Father's Speech to rectifie it by the word of Christ and let not any wrest it to a wrong sence contrary to his minde for I am sure he meant to imitate his Saviour notwithstanding he might fail in expressing his minde through the frailty of flesh and blood following the customes of former Kings whose conditions did not reach unto him yet I know none that came neerer to Christ in word and deed then he did Therefore do you follow the best as he did and take Peter's doings Acts 2. 37 38. for your president and so you will honour your Father for if you do not offer mercy to all freely without exceptions and receivs all that will accept of your pardon preferring and securing them for the time to come you wrong your self and disobey and dishonour your Royal Father more then any ever yet did by taking from him that power to forgive all which power as he saith all his enemies could not take from him for in the well managing of that power lieth all your happiness and of your peoples God did appoint three several Voices to be heard of men and obeyed upon pain of his displeasure The first Voice was that of Moses and Joshua to the children of Israel and because they did not obey it all that generation fell in the wilderness Heb. 3. 16 17 18 19. The second Voice was that of John Baptist and Jesus Christ to the Jews and because they did not obey it Jerusalem was destroyed and the Jews which lieth desolate to this day Heb. 4. 1 2 3. The third Voice is this Voice even the Voice of your Royal Father to your Majesty and for not obeying it you and your people have suffered hitherto and this Voice is signified Heb. 4. 7. and therefore I beseech your Majesty obey it now And as Peter took the first spouse of Christ after his resurrection out of those that had put him to death so I see no way left for you to obtain your three Kingdomes but by joyning your Royal Self to his Highness the Lord Protector and his Counsel and to prevent all jealousies make one of his Daughters partaker of your Royal Crown for you see the people dare not rise against him for you this is evident by the last appearance for you in most places of the heart of England which if the generality of the people that are well-affected to
people it is for their liberty but the people by following their disorderly wayes have brought and do bring themselves into bondage dayly There are too many such instruments in this Land and chiefly the Fathers of them are that withered Poet consulting with his Muses and that whited wall Lily consulting with his Stars or worst Angels and that double-tongu'd Walker consulting with his false Hebrew who shall have his reward as his brother had 2 Sam. 20. 1 21 22. the three unclean spirits Rev. 16. 13. which have brought such a confusion by striking at all Governours and Government in this Nation that it is almost past recovery The first comes like Faux with his dark Lanthorn to plot and blow up all in which he tells us of a rebellious perpetual Parliament that should continue for ever comparing it to the River of Thames But Gaffer Withers what is become of your Parliament now I believe God's providence by his Highness the Lord Protector hath dried up your infernal River Rev. 16. 12. Rev. 9. 14 15. that the way of the Kings of the East might be prepared and Collen where those Kings or Wisemen Matth. 2. 1. were buried from hence is eastward and will they not now be raised up in warlike bodies to help King Charls to his throne Merlin saith as much not Lily's false Merlin nor the Scots Merlin but the true Britain Merlin which cannot be translated into English or any Speech verbatim nor cannot be understood but by some few Welsh-men which had the traditional rule to understand it from hand to hand ever since Merlin's time And about three yeers agone when the King was in France as I was saying That the King would come in an ignorant Welsh-man hearing me answered and said Not yet a while Why said I. Said he The King must first go to Collen and be saluted of the three Kings there who shall say thus unto him Art thou come thou art welcome Brother Said I How do you know this Said he I heard it from some that had skill in Merlin and Merlin doth not speak doubtfully to them that understand him Therefore how that welcome was to be performed whether by the Princes congratulating of the King there or by some Vision he was to have there or whether he is to be rebaptized there I leave that to a further manifestation Some think that Merlin meant that the King should die and be buried at Collen with those three Kings and that his Brother Duke James should reign and be that great King Merlin mentioneth yet Merlin saith nothing of the King's death but saith he shall be buried there and that is to be understood that he shall be buried in Water-baptism Rom. 6. 4. and then be raised into glory for the Spirit of God that moved upon the Waters and created the Light Gen. 1. 2 3. which Spirit was upon those three Kings that lie buried there who came to our Saviour Jesus Christ Matth. 2. 1 2. is to rest upon our KING when he is rebaptized then shall he prosper victoriously and his wisdom shall be glorious in setling the affairs of the whole Earth I heard another say who was acquainted with an old man that had skill in Merlin had foretold him many things which he found come to pass The old Man said That he understood the time of things coming to pass by the golden number which by Merlin's Rule consisted of twenty eight yeers And said to him further That the Book of Merlin would be out of date and of no use within this three yeers for before the end of 1657. all that he said is to be fulfilled And this Merlin though long before spake truer concerning the King then Withers did of his Thames-River-Parliament And what doth Lily but like a Monkey barke at the Moon he knows nothing nor never did know any thing but as the Parliament directed him to write for they consulted with him knowing him to be a cunning sophister and an enemy to the King and gave him notice of their designs and bid him that he should write in such a Month so and so and in such a Month so and so and they having Men and Money at command brought their wicked designs to pass and fulfilled his wicked sayings until Lily was looked upon as a rare Simon Magus that the Souldiery and others by his means were much encouraged against the King but when the Parliament got all to themselves and began to slight Lily he began to encourage the Army against them saying That they should fall Then the Parliament send for him imprisoned him and would have condemned him as a Witch or Conjurer and ever since Lily could foretel nothing but as a blinde man which throweth stones fast about him perchance may kill an unhappy Crow so he speaking much for and against the Power something of his words must needs come to pass and for his Book called Monarchy or no Monarchy who knows not that every one can tell that England must be either a Kingdom or no Kingdom that is no news and all that he doth in that Book is but spitting his venome against the Truth by perverting confounding and wresting some ancient prophesies And when all is done he can make out nothing himself but in the later end of his Book he directs you to enquire at a company of pictures of dumb beasts and other images which he hath pourtrayed saying to you That that is the ancient Aegyptian way of prophesie Truely it is the Aegyptian Bondage he would lead you in and he the beasts and their Pictures are all alike in their knowledge and expression being all void of any instruction therefore believe him not It is a wonder to see what mysteries there by God's providence that ye might avoid them is in these mens names all that are possest with Withers's Opinion may be called Witherds and all that are possest with Lily's Opinion may be called Lilyes as we call Lutherans and Calvinists after the names of Luther and Calvin who were the first of those Opinions but see how Christ hath designed by name both Withers and his party with Lily and his party to the fire Matth. 6. 28 29 30. John 15. 6. as for Walker that man of â—â—lial and son of Bichri he is designed to fall by the wisdom of a woman of Abel 2 Sam. 20 1 15 16 17 18. 19 20 21 22. for the Blood of King Charles like the Blood of Abel crieth against him Gen. 4. 10. because that he stirred up most against him when he wrote that wicked Pamphlet in 1641. entituled To your Tents O Israel to stir the people to rebellion and withal did fling it to the King as he went in his Coach using all the despite he could against him when all others at that time seemed to reverence him until that wicked Walker broke the way of rebellion to them and then they followed him like so many mad-men For my part I hate
the death witness Saint PAUL who did all this insomuch that Saint PETER at last calls him Our beloved brother PAUL 2 Pet. 3. 15. Wherefore nowithstanding they have so violently persecuted your Royal FATHER to the death most glorious Soveraign upon their repentance receive your Subjects in love and mercy as your FATHER hath commanded you who went beyond any one Martyr because of his power and dignity and therefore his sufferings were greater and are morefull of glory which is to you an unspeakable joy full of glory through Jesus Christ who did enable him To the Son JESUS CHRIST be all Glory and Praise for ever and ever Amen In long-Ally at the entrance of Crown Court in Black-fryers March 23. 1654. Your faithful Servant in the LORD Arise Evans To the Reader Beloved THese things had been out in print before the last Christmass but that I had Visions to the contrary which shewed me that the King's party then had high hopes to prevail another way so that these things then would have been rejected but now I hope they are satisfied and see no good can come to them that way and that they will look upon this to be the most probable and the most excellent way for the King to come in and that this for that end comes out seasonably now and the Lord send his presence and blessing with it to his glory and our comfort So be it To the ROYALISTS Reloved YOU see in my little book called Voice of Michael the Arch-angel what Lines I have presented to his Highness the Lord PROTECTOR to shew him how God is for us And I believe and so doth his Highness give credit by all that I can gather from his deportment toward me He believeth also that what I shewed him came to pass On last Saint Michael's â—ay was the appearance of God for you and since the Almighty hath appeared for us insomuch now that his Majesty CHARLES STEWARD upon good terms may come to his Throne when he please And God forbid but that the QUEEN DUKE of York DUKE of Glocester and all the late KING's Children should come in upon the same Agreement and be highly honoured by this Nation if her Majesty leave Idolatrous Superstition and all other sins attending Courts in our days behinde her which the Lord of Heaven and Earth that beareth rule in this Nation cannot a bide I know nothing that hinders the KING at this time but a seeking of his Kingdom and shewing himself willing to agree with his Highness the Lord PROTECTOR and his Party Then let us praise God to whom onely be the glory of our Salvation by Jesus Christ and truely as you see by the above said book I have not spared them but roughly shewed them the Truth which albeit his Highness received not in wrath but as it is a sharp loving reproof to his and their honour be it spoken they received it with all readiness mildness meekness and clemency shewing to a discerning eye a willingness in them to perform what is required on their part provided that they have an Agreement suitable to their Worth and Valour of which Demands in reason they ought not to be denied by his Majesty CHARLES STEWARD Therefore having through God's assistance brought it to this pass left I should be unfaithful I shall God willing now speak a word of reproof unto you of the KING's party and chiefly to you who have not hitherto changed your habit of sin and cause of your misery yet you would have the Kingdom come with all haste and some of you are so violent that nothing will satisfie you but blood and treading down of such parties and especially upon such and such men as you fancy to be guilty you would have no mercy shewed And in all these things you are mistaken for they are so willing to do righteously and to have peace that they please God thereby And therefore neither you nor all Europe shall not be able to bring them down by force Truly let me tell you I think it is in vain for any to fight with these men in the field I know none that did attempt to fight them which got any thing by them but the humbling of their high and lofty Spirits And his Majesty the late KING was sensible of it and knew that he had chosen the wrong people for his Souldiers when he said of them Sect. 26. pag. 209. of his Book as followeth For the Army which is so far excusable as they act according to Souldiers principles and interest demanding pay and indempnity I think it necessary in order to the publick peace that they should be satisfied as far as is just no man being more prone to consider them then my self And though they fought against me yet I cannot but so far esteem that valour and gallaâ—try they have sometimes shewed as to wish I may never want such men to maintain my Self my Laws and my Kingdoms in such a peace as wherein they may enjoy their share and portion as much as any men And truly the King had great reason to wish such a wish when he had considered the carriage of both Armies for as the King's Army were generally given to swearing drunkenness whoredom with other such vain sinful lusts which to maintain such a course of life no small means will serve turn so that to maintain such lusts they wronged the Countries where they came which Countries observing the different dealing of both Armies and that the KING's Army made them who afore were really for the King to abominate such doings so that they all did joyne with the PARLIAMENT's Party against the KING which thing proved both his and his Armies ruine and indeed the ruine of all his Party Besides such men were the worst men for Souldiers as could be imagined for when they should be watching and alwayes in readiness one party was with their whores another drunk a third gaming a fourth plundering a fifth swearing and fighting one with another which things are destructive to an Army who should sanctifie themselves specially at such times Deut. 24. 9. but when they were got together though they would fight most gallantly at a single duel or at an Ale-house yet such men are never good in the field specially when they come to encounter with a people whom they think do seek the Lord and fear him and live civilly then the fear of God's wrath and of death commonly makes them run away or else their ambitious Commanders strive for honour till time be past when indeed they should go on by lot Judg. 1. 1 2 3. and if they chance to do an exploit they too soon fall a plundering that seldom but at the last they come to lose all again These things the late KING understood and experience did witness it to him But the PARLIAMENT-Souldiers were men of another temper and though of divers Opinions yet they went out of zeal in rage and fury to fight against