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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A62103	A vindication of King Charles: or, A loyal subjects duty Manifested in vindicating his soveraigne from those aspersions cast upon him by certaine persons, in a scandalous libel, entituled, The Kings cabinet opened: and published (as they say) by authority of Parliament. Whereunto is added, a true parallel betwixt the sufferings of our Saviour and our soveraign, in divers particulars, &c. By Edw: Symmons, a minister, not of the late confused new, but of the ancient, orderly, and true Church of England.	Symmons, Edward.; Symmons, Edward. True parallel betwixt the sufferings of our Saviour and our Soveraign, in divers particulars.	1648 (1648)	Wing S6350A; ESTC R204509	281,464	363

King for a slight esteem of his friends at Oxford whom they would fain seduce from him to which purpose they take great advantage from a word they finde in one of his Letters scil in Paper 13. which they dresse up for their own purpose with 2. more of their own adding according to their wonted honesty and affirm them to be spoken by the King and applyed to the persons of his friends But in answer to this matter or word rather I shall alleadge the Copie of a Letter writ by His Majesties own hand to Secretary Nicholas about the same I received it also from the mouth of the forementioned Gentleman of whom I had the former which to another purpose I have set down He had the perfect Copies of both though at a great distance but he had so well observed them that he was confident he failed but little if at all in remembring the very words Which to this particular were thus I Am very sorry that I have been so unfortunate to have my private Letters taken by the Rebels but if all mens private thoughts were seen as mine are I beleeve I should appeare as innocent as any it may be that many expressions in those Letters might have been prudently omitted but if one be well understood I care not although the rest take their fortune and that is concerning the Mungrell Parliament at Oxford indeed when I was disturbed in mine Affaires by Sussex and his faction in my passion I writ so to my Wife but both by the precedent and subsequent clauses of that Letter it may easily be understood that I meant it of him and his adherents And indeed let the Letter be read and to an equall eye it can appeare no otherwise to be intended then his Majestie hath expressed Yet these lyers in wait do collect from thence and tell the Lords and Gentlemen at Oxford that the King despiseth them all and that onely for their retaining some little Conscience to Religion and because they be not wicked enough to serve his purpose fully that is as they say afterward to think and act the same things which the inhumane Irish Rebels or the worst forreigne Enemies of our Religion and State could wish to be done and thereupon they compare their Soveraigne the most Religious and Gratious Prince that ever this Nation had to Richard the third who first rejected and then beheaded the Duke of Buckhingham because when he had furthered him in deposing and dis-inheriting the two Princes he was not wicked enough say they to consent also to the Murther of them and to advise the Lords and Gentlemen to take warning by the Dukes example and timely to turn away from the King unto goodnesse that is to their society it is sufficient only that I have related what they say that villany needs no further discovery or Confutation Onely I adde this those Lords and Gentlemen whom they labour to seduce and whom love and Conscience hath ingaged to their Soveraigne are not capable to be drawn from him by these mens insinuations or driven from him by their violence How cheerefully have they all Hazarded yea many of them sacrificed their lives for Him How joyfully have they endured the spoyling of their Goods for His sake With what admiration do inferiour men behold the cheerfullnesse and contentednesse of great persons in great afflictions and are ready daily to cry out unto them O Christians most truly Noble How much better have you learned Christ then we have done Assuredly as never Prince was more unhappy in many of His people then ours is so never was any more Happy in others of them then He hath been more truly beloved more sincerely affected even by some of all sorts and this Himself hath so well acknowledged and merited from us that our grief is that we have no more Fortunes and Estates to lose nor more lives then one to adventure for Him The Libellers doe but labour in vaine if they think to draw us from our obedience Another thing they lay to His Charge in these words He seekes Treaties in shew and wins upon the people by that shew yet chooseth such Commissioners and binds them up with such instructions that all accommodation is unpossible The Rancour of this Accusation needs no Confutation neither for how reall His Majesty hath been in his endeavours for Peace Heaven and Earth can witnesse yea the very choice of his Commissioners as these men well know notwithstanding their perverse Cavills sufficiently proves it being persons of such approved Honour and candid affections to their Country that none in the Nation goes beyond them and let the Directions which the King gave them be viewed by all men and judged of whether they be such as speak all accommodation impossible unlesse with the most unreasonable men living who will have no Peace O how oft as the world knowes hath His Majesty tendred them pardon for all their unrepairable wrongs done against him if they would but let Him and his People live in quiet yea How oft hath he been heard in secret to say O that I knew what I might doe to satisfie these men In very deed what these Libellers are pleased to report of the Kings Commissioners was true of those that were sent from the men of Westminster they were tyed up as themselves in open conference at Uxbridge did not stick to acknowledg whereas the King declared openly that he meant not his Directions to his Commissioners should be obligatory only by them he did acquaint them with his sense and left them free to themselves to doe that which became men of Honour and all this the Authors and Authorizers of this Libell knew well enough therefore from this their Accusation we onely learne of what great use sometimes to some men are brasse browes and hard foreheads They accuse him also for pawning the Jewels of the Crowne their Anger is because they escaped their fingers they can see no Errour in themselves for robbing him of all things el●e and bringing him to such a distresse as he was forced to part with them for supply of his necessities but they observe a great fault in him for not suffering himselfe to perish rather then Pawne his owne Jewels that these men want nothing but matter appears by this and will be more evident by and by For having vented as much Poyson as their venemous skill would serve them to suck out of the Kings inoffensive Letters to lengthen the Catalogue and make the heap shew bigger they begin to object as faults against him diverse of his former most affectionate expressions and desires for the good of his people hoping that now they have imbittered mens hearts against him with their virulent lies and perversions even his greatest indulgencies will appear distastfull The first of which they instance in is his profession Dec. 2. 1641. which they say was in these words I am so farre from repenting of any Act done this

A VINDICATION OF KING CHARLES OR A LOYAL SUBJECTS DUTY MANIFESTED In Vindicating his Soveraigne from those Aspersions cast upon Him by certaine persons In a scandalous Libel Entituled The Kings Cabinet Opened And published as they say by Authority of Parliament Whereunto is added A true Parallel betwixt the sufferings of our Saviour and our Soveraign in divers particulars c. By EDW SYMMONS A Minister not of the late confused New but of the Ancient Orderly and True Church of England Remember Lord the reproach of thy servant how he beareth in his bosome the reproach of all the mighty wicked people Wherewith thine enemies have rep2roached O Lord wherewith they have reproached the foot-steps of thine Anointed PSAL. 89. 50 51. His Enemies will I clothe with shame but upon Himselfe shall his Crown flourish PSAL. 132. 18. Even so Amen REV. 22. 20. But thou O Lord how long PSAL. 6. 3. Printed in the Yeere 1648. To all that truely feare God into whose hands this Booke shall come Christian Friends THis Book here tendred to your view was for the most part of it made in Cornwal in the year 1645. I was quickned in my undertaking by a noble Gentleman of great faithfulnesse and Loyalty that County hath many such Before it was quite concluded the Enemy like a flood brake in thither Whereupon to preserve and finish it I went to France but by so doing I had almost lost it for my Cloak-bag which contained it and all I had beside passed by accident in one Ship and my self went in another and we landed an hundred miles asunder that was Plundred and nothing therein returned unto me but onely these Papers they by meer fortune some six weeks after Which speciall Providence in their particular preservation spake them to my heart Gods will to have them published to my hopes his purpose to grant a blessing Hereupon I fitted them for the Presse with all speed and they were ready in May 1646. nor was the fault in my will that they were not then committed to the same But perhaps God had a speciall Providence in this also peoples hearts were not then so capable to receive a Vindication of their Soveraign from a fellow-Subject as now they are even forced to be by that illustrious eminency of his graces which hath beamed forth in his dark condition even to the conviction and admiration of all reasonable creatures Since the finishing hereof I had occasion to see and observe the manners and conditions of the French Nation both those of the Romish and of the Reformed Religion and my speciall care was to understand what sense they had of the present differences in our Church and Nation which truly to remember is but to renew that griefe I had in observing In briefe they both conjoyntly rejoyced at our follies and as appeared to me desired our ruine And this did chiefly occasion the writing my Post-script which was done the last Spring at my returne into the hither parts of that Kingdome where I understood also of His Majesties restrained condition at Holdenby About the time of his deliverance from that place by Gods direction and merciful protection I came back safe into England but fancying the season to be then past for publication of my Book in regard of those great alterations which had happened since its first composall and withall some hopefull reasons offering themselves to my thoughts at my first arrivall made me conceive it would not be so needfull Therefore I resolved to lay it aside But after some moneths expectance those new hopes being likely to prove tympanous I was solicited by some friends from the farthest part of the Kingdome to put it to the Presse now I was in a place where the same might be done who also informed me that in their apprehensions vulgar hearts wanted satisfaction in nothing concerning the Kings integrity but only in the matter of those Letters which did still scruple many of them Wherefore they conjured me if I rendred His Majesties Honour indeed that I should give the world a speedy view of what I had writ to that particular These Arguments easily prevailed with a willing mind which was encouraged farther by that free liberty which I saw daily used by others in writing speaking against those sins and sinners which this Book reproveth though to my griefe withall I saw in many Papers wickednesse rather scoffed at then pursued with such grave and home rebukes as the case requireth and sin thereby I perceived was rather made a matter of laughter then of sorrow even to the most guilty through that impudence which is in them and yet I doubt not too but ingenious lashes are sufficiently distastfull to galled spirits because there is truth as well as wit in them they haply may be as rods to rotten hearts but Gods Word if closely applyed as I hope in some measure t is in this Book done will prove unto them as a very Scorpion if those make them hisse and spit this will make them even rage and roare for the more Divinity a proofe carryes with it or in it the more tormentfull it is alwayes unto the wicked Sic scriptum est may haply silence Satan but t is not alwayes so powerfull upon the spirits of proud men The Pharisees were so far from being quieted by Christs doctrine that they grew more inraged and were incensed thereby to seek his ruine and had no rest till they had procured it though they got none by it And let any one practice Christ or follow him in his way as close as he can he shall doubtlesse meet with those that will practice the Pharisees and follow them a great deale closer It was in my thoughts I confesse to have concealed my name as you may see in the following Preface and for what reasons but I have altered my resolution concerning that particular from these considerations First if I had not owned my work I had done that which I dislike and incurr'd the blame which I object to others I had hazarded my Book to be entitled a Libel and exposed my selfe to be reckoned in the number of night-birds that love darknesse yea I had receded from my former self for when the King was in a condition visibly Potent I prefixt my name to all I writ and if I should forbeare to do so now I should appeare as faln in my zeal and abated in my dutifull affections by the increases of his Afflictions I read of Nicodemus who affecting secresie while Jesus was at liberty came to him by night but when he was in restraint he thought it his duty to discover himself in his behalf and so he did more then ever All Scripture is written for our learning Secondly I held my self bound to attest my Keeping as I had done my Taking the Protestation and that was by writing my name For this my Book is nothing else but the discharge of my Conscience and Duty in that

thing covertly in their lives nor seek themselves in any matter But how close and selfish they have indeed been in their proceedings I have hinted already and the world hath too sharp a sense of it Had the King from the beginning bin more close and reserved perhaps ere this he had quite blown them up at least as by a counter-mine had given a check to their proceedings and therein done no other then what became a politick General whose wisdome 't is to out-go his Enemies in their own way and to beat them at their own weapons But the Kings sincere and plain dealing hath added much through their wickednesse to his own undoing and yet now at length writing but a few words in private to his own Wife about his own necessary preservation because he did not acquaint them with it before-hand he is inveighed against and cried out upon for trading in a close way for meer particular advantage But the thing they intend chiefly by these words is to perswade the world which is also the main drift of their whole Libell that the design which the King drives at is to advance Popery to this end he useth clandestine proceedings against them at Westminster the only supporters as must be believed of Protestant Religion and condemneth as they say all that be in any degree Protestants at Oxford granteth tolleration of Idolatry to Papists and indemnity to the murderous Irish which in regard of his many Protestations to the contrary he being ashamed to own openly is fain to betake himself to a close trading way to pursue and accomplish In Answer to which grand Calumny I shal only set down the extract of a Letter closely sent indeed that the world may most truly discern the Kings close trading way by his Majesty to the Commissioners in Ireland immediately after Nazeby Battail when he was in Wales and in a most low condition written by the hand of the Lord Digby his Majesties Secretary I wish I had the ful Letter it self to set it down verbatim for I confesse this to be but the abstract of it which I received from a Gentleman of most approved truth and Candour as he did only bear the same in memory which notwithstanding he is confident is but little if at all differing from the Original My Lords and Gentlemen HIs Majesty hath Commanded me to let you know that according to your promise and agreement with him he long since expected your aide and doth much wonder you should neglect him and your selves so much as to retard it because immediately after His your ruine must necessarily follow but He is informed that taking the advantage of His low Condition you insist upon somthing in Religion more then formerly you were contented with He has therefore commanded me to let you know that were his condition much lower then it is you shal never force him to any further concessions to the prejudice of his Conscience and of the true Protestant Religion in which He is resolved to live and for which He is ready to die and that He wil joyn with any Protestant Prince nay with these Rebels themselves how odio●s soever rather then yeild the least to you in this particular I refer it to all mens Consciences whether this be not a sufficient evidence of his Majesties sincerity and affection to the Protestant Religion considering the estate wherein his affairs stood when this Letter was written and also whether it doth not fully confirm the truth of what I said in effect before viz. That what ever concessions were made to the Papists and Irish were rather by the inforcement of the Puritan Rebels then by any inward affection of His Majesty to their Religion But indeed it was needlesse to have alleaged any other of his secret Letters for this Evidence For these which the Adversaries have here published and declared to be Evidences of truth do manifestly speak to this purpose we read in the eighth Paper how the King tels the Queen that He differs from Her in nothing but Religion Are not these the Kings own Words which themselves have published Was not this Letter sent as wel as the rest in a close trading way as they call it Do they think the King ever intended it should come into their hands And when they laid aside many other Papers as not fit for publication at this time was not this thought fit to be divulged by their own wise selves Is not this one of those Evidences of Truth they speak of in the beginning which to have concealed would have bin a great sin against the mercies of God Truly I dare boldly say that neither the King for himself nor any of his friends in his behalf could possibly have given a better evidence to the abused Subjects of this Nation that His Majesty is a true Protestant then this is which his Enemies have given by their publication of that Letter Surely the Finger of God was in it For peoples more clear understanding and notice of it I wil set down the Kings Words as they stand in the Letter Writing to his Queen about that businesse of Ireland fore-mentioned he speaketh thus I need not tel thee what secres●e this businesse requires yet this I wil say that this is the greatest point of confidence I can expresse to thee for it is no thanks to me to trust thee in any thing else but in this which is the only thing of difference betwixt us and yet I know thou wilt make as good a bargain for me even in this I trusting thee though it concern Religion as if thou wert a Protestant O what a discovery is here made of the Kings sincerity in his profession When for an obligation upon his Queen to make a good bargain for him he tels her in his most bosome expressions that he trusts her to do it for him a Protestant as if her self were one The world may here see though these Observatours themselves who have helped us wil not that in the closest way of trading according to their own phrase which the King useth he tradeth as a Protestant and acknowledgeth in his most secret Letters to his Queen that there is a difference though it be the only difference between Him and Her in matter of Religion And thus have I vindicated my Soveraigns Honour against this particular Charge also of his enemies and do expect that I have hereby procured to my self though not deserved from these men and their Faction whose basenesse I have in part detected the imputation and Title of the falsest of men a Papist yea of the falsest of Papists a Jesuite for it was voted and concluded before hand that whosoever should do as I have done should be so accounted But notwithstanding all that I have said in the Kings behalf yet this I confesse to these men so much as concerns the position in general I am wholly of their opinion viz. that whoever is guilty of those