bless and sanctify by thy Word and Spirit these Creatures of Bread and Wine that they may be to us THE BODY AND BLOOD of thy beloved Son In a word the Scots affirmed that all the material Parts of the Mass-Book were seminally in this and they could not relish it that Laud and his Set of English Bishops should urge them to a Liturgy more Popish than their own and observed that for Vnity they were content to meet Rome rather than Scotland The Book being read by a Bishop in the City of Edinburgh the People expressed great detestation thereof and the Bishop who read it had probably been slain coming out of the Church had not a Noble-man rescued him The Nobility Gentry and Ministers petitioned against it The King threatned to prosecute them as Rebels and commanded the Council to receive no more Petitions Thereupon several of the Nobility in the Name of the Petitioners made a Protestation that the Service-Book was full of Superstition and Idolatry and ought not to be obtruded upon them without consent of a National Synod which in such Cases should judg That it was unjust to deny them Liberty to accuse the Bishops being guilty of High Crimes of which till they were cleared they did reject them as Judges or Governours of them They justified their own Meetings and subscribing to Petitions as being to defend the Glory of God the King's Honour and Liberties of the Realm The Scots concluded to renew the COVENANT which had been made and sealed under King James 's Hand in the Year 1580 afterwards confirmed by all the Estates of the Kingdom and Decree of the National Synod in 1581 THIS COVENANT was for the Defence of the PVRITY OF RELIGION and the King's Person and Rights against the Church of Rome This was begun in February 1638 and was so fast subscribed throughout the Kingdom that before the end of April he was scarce accounted one of the Reformed Religion that had not subscribed the Covenant The Non Covenanters were Papists not exceeding 600 in number throughout the Kingdom Statesmen in Office and Favour at that time and some few Protestants who were affected to the Ceremonies of England and Book of Common Prayer The King sent the Marquess of Hamilton to deal with the Scots to renounce their Covenant but they affirmed It could not be done without manifest Perjury and Profanation of God's Name and insisted to have the Service-Book utterly abolished it being obtruded against all Law upon them That their Meetings were lawful and such as they would not forsake until the Purity of Religion and Peace might be fully settled by a free and National Synod And they declared THAT THE POWER OF CALLING A SYNOD IN CASE THE PRINCE BE AN ENEMY TO THE TRVTH OR NEGLIGENT IN PROMOTING THE CHVRCHES GOOD IS IN THE CHVRCH IT SELF And that the State of the Church at that time necessitated such a course The King at length fearing lest the Covenanters if he delayed would do it themselves called a National Synod to begin at Glasgow the 21st of November 1638 but within seven days it was dissolved by the Marquess of Hamilton in the King's Name and they commanded to sit no more But they protested against that Dissolution and continued the Synod when the Marquess of Hamilton was gone and deposed all the Bishops condemned the Liturgy took away the High-Commission Court and whatsoever had crept into the Church since the Year 1580 when the NATIONAL COVENANT was first established When they themselves broke up the Synod they wrote a Letter of Thanks to the King and published a Declaration Feb. 4. 1638 directed to all the sincere and good Christians in England to vindicate their Actions and Intentions from those Aspersions which Enemies might throw upon them This Declaration was welcome to the People of England in general and especially to those who stood best affected to the Reformed Religion and the Laws and Liberties of their Country In fine the Scots are declared Rebels and the King in Person with an English Army resolved to chastise them But The generality of the Nation detested the War knowing that the Scots were innocent and wronged by the same Hand that they were oppressed and they concluded that the same Sword which subdued the Scots must destroy their own Liberties Yet glad they seem'd to be that such an Occasion happen'd which might in reason necessitate the King to call an English Parliament but whilst he could make any other shift how low and dishonourable soever he would not endure to think of a Parliament He borrowed great Sums of Money of the Nobility and required Loans of others and the CLERGY contributed liberally to this VVar which was called BELLVM EPISCOPALE THE BISHOPS WAR The King being animated to the War by the Bishops both of England and Scotland the last perswading him that the COVENANTERS were in no sort able to resist him that scarce any English Army at all would be needful to fight but only to appear and his MAJESTY would find a Party great enough in SCOTLAND to do the VVork He thereupon raised a gallant Army which rendezvouzed at York The Scots likewise to render the King unwilling or unable to be a Tyrant levied a brave Army which advanced forward under the Command of General Lesley They nevertheless continued their first course of Petitioning the King which being favoured by almost all the Nobility of England at last by the happy Mediation of those Wife and Noble Counsellors a PACIFICATION to the great Joy of all good Men was solemnly concluded on the 18th of June 1639 and the King granted them a free National Synod to be holden August 6 and a Parliament to begin the 20th to ratify what the Synod should decree Hereupon the English and Scots returned home praising God who without any effusion of Blood had compounded this Difference and prevented a War so wickedly design'd But Shortly after the King's return to London his Heart was again estranged from the Scots and thoughts of Peace and he commanded the PACIFICATION to be burnt by the Hands of the common Hangman An Act than which nothing could more blemish his Reputation as rendring him not to be believed for any thing For what Tie would hold him when the Engagement of his Word his Royal VVord given in sight of God and Man could not bind And having upon the 18th of December broke up the Scotch Parliament he began to prepare for a new VVar. The Scots complained that it was a Breach of their Liberties not heard of before in twenty Ages That a Parliament should be dissolved without their Consent whilst Business of Moment was depending That whatsoever Kings in other Kingdoms might do it concerned not them to enquire but it was absolutely against their Laws They hereupon sent four Earls as their Commissioners to the King to complain that nothing was performed which he had promised at the PACIFICATION and to intreat redress of those Injuries which had
your Martyr's that he would put himself on the Love and Affection of his English Subjects was to draw them in to support him in his wicked War against the Scotish Nation whom at the same time he called Rebels and urged their Expulsion tho he was under an Agreement for a Cessation of Arms and to allow them 850 l. per diem and Quarters in England till their Complaints might be weighed in this Parliament 2. Information That he appeared an exorbitant and outragious Tyrant in his Attempts upon that People This appears in many Particular to recount some of them briefly 1. In overturning their Church-Government established by many Acts of Parliament and obtruding upon them Laud's Liturgy and Popish Ceremonies 2. In denying them the undoubted Right of all Subjects to petition for Redress of their Grievances 3. In dissolving their Synod and Parliament burning the Pacification made with them by the Hangman's Hands and imprisoning the Lords sent by them to petition him to perform his solemn Promises and redress their Grievances 4. In levying Armies against them and raising a Civil War to justify himself in the violation of their Laws A CIVIL WAR it was said the great Lord Digby seeing we are of the same Religion and under the same King And 5. In the very thing for which you Doctor are now magnifying him I mean in attempting to make use of the Love and Affection of the English to enslave and ruin the Scotish Nation 3. Information That the Scotish Covenant was not a new Invention or Innovation but established by the Law of Scotland and taken by King James the First seventy Years before King Charles the Second took it 4. Information That Bishops and Clergy-men in Conjunction with Papists abetted and assisted this Tyrant in the Violation of the Laws when the bulk of the Nobility Gentry and People of England appeared undauntedly in defence of the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom 5. Information That Popery hath greatly spread in Scotland over since Land 's Superstition was introduced there their number then not exceeding 600 and therefore Presbytery being now restored there by Law it may be reasonably hoped that it will reduce many who have been deluded into that Idolatry 6. Information That PRINCES ARE NOT ALWAYS TO TRUST TO THE Insinuations and Suggestions of Scotish Bishops seeing that when they instigated King Charles the First to dissolve the Synod and Parliament he was seduced by them into a Belief that the Scotish Covenanters were a contemptible number and that THEIR PARTY in Scotland was sufficient to deal with them 7. Information That the Scots were not Rebels in taking Arms to assert their Rights and vindicate the Laws and Liberties of their Country For my Noble Lord Russel the Honour of our Age was most undoubtedly in the right when the day before his Murder he wrote in his Paper left behind him the following words I cannot deny but that I have been of Opinion that a free Nation like this might defend their Religion and Liberties when invaded and taken from them the under pretence and colour of Law I do â—â—firm this was his Orthodox Opinion and these the words he wrote tho they were left out of the Print and in that day there might be reason to omit them But to bethink my self Reverend Sir and to return to what we were upon I lest you thinking at our last parting I will now hear what your Head run upon I think say you he that rends the first half Year's Transactions betwixt King Charles and this Parliament Pag. 5. will find he made his Word good to a tittle for whatsoever they offered to him by way of Bill which the Nation groaned under before as a real nay but as a fancied Burden he PRESENTLY posses it To shew that Against Experience you believe And argue against Demonstration Pleas'd that you can your self deceive And set your Judgment by your Passion We must have a little Chat about this half Year which has exercised your Thoughts and I shall shew you the Reasons wherefore I dissent from your Opinion That your Martyr READILY PASSED whatsoever Bills the Parliament affored for the Redress of the Nation 's Grievances Now a cannot remember one Instance in the whole History of his Reign of a willing and ready Compliance with his People in any one Act of Grace or Justice Every thing of that kind in the whole course of his Life was wrested from him by the universal Outory of the Kingdom against his high Oppressions which did never avail but when the extremity of his Affairs wrought his stubborn Mind to a Compliance And most sure I am that you are mistaken in the sew Instances you bring You say That he PRESENTLY pass'd the Bills for putting down the Stan-Chamber and High-Commission-Coures But I affirm the contrary and do thus prove it The Parliament could never bring him to make a fair Bargain with them they bought every thing at a very dear rate and when they had come to his Price they were ever in danger of being wick'd They came to a Contract with him to yield up those two accursed Courts of Oppression and Tyranny and agreed to a POLL BILL wherein every Duke was assessed at 100 l. a Marquese at 80 l. Earls 60 l. Viscounts and Barons 40 l. Knights of the Bath and Baronets 30 l. nother Knights 20 l. Esquires 10 l. every Genduriam dispending 100 l. per Annum 5 l. and all others of Ability to pay a competent proportion and the meanest Head in the whole Kingdom was not excused I hear there is now a Poll-Bill on foot in this present Parliament and therefore from the high Affection and Duty which I hear and shall ever pay to those excellent Princes who do so happily fill their Grandfathers and Fathers Throne I do here remember my Country men at what rate and for what they were thus assessed in 1640. Then they were forc'd to buy off the Encroachments of a TYRANT who had sworn to maint ain their Laws and Liberties but now they at lower rates are only to enable the hest Princes that ever sway'd the English Scepter to vanquish the worst of Tyrants Well This Bargain was struck and the Parliament resolving very honestly to stand to it they prepared the Bills but finding the King begin to falter declaring that he would take their Money but would not at that time pass the Bills to put down the Star-Chamber and High-Commission-Courts They voted that he should pass all the three Bills or none at all However Neither the Contract nor their Vote could hold him he trick'd them here and upon the 2d of July pass'd the Poll-Money Bill but demurred upon the other two The afterwards finding that the matter was very ill taken and that it was not seasonable to displease the Kingdom at that time he passed the other two Bills And now hope that you are convinced that he did not so PRESENTLY pass Bills for Redrese
that you are certain that from the beginning of the Long Parliament Novemb. 4. to the day of his Death he did every thing ALMOST that deserved a better Reception than it met withal and made such various Offers and Condescontions as would have pleased any sort of Men but those who were resolved to be Masters of his whole Crown and Dignity c. 'T is something unhappy good Doctor when you seem to speak with assurance that you dare not adventure to do it without a Reserve your ALMOST in this place abates much of the Glory of this Paragraph He did every thing ALMOST he made Offers and Condescentions what those were I suppose you intend to inform me by and by when I see them we will talk about them and then should it be found that they were such as were not satisfactory to the Lords and Commons in that great Parliament you will deserve to be TOPHAMIZ'D for slandering the Representative Body of the English Nation and truly I think you merit something beyond that Punishment for saying that their most Excellent Majesties King William and Queen Mary do daily imitate the Vertues and Graces of a King who yâ—â—â—gree might have committed some Mistakes in his Government in his first sixteen Year's Reign and yet did every thing with an unlucky ALMOST to redress such things as his Male-Administration had put out of order SO FAR AS HE COVLD BE SATISFIED THEY WERE OVT OF ORDER For to the eternal Honour of their present Majesties and to the unspeakable Comfort of all good Englishmen we see them daily acquiescing in the Wisdom of their great Council and redressing not only ALMOST but ALTOGETHER the Disorders and Grievances of two or three unhappy Reigns In the next place you affirm That when the Parliament sat down in 1640 the King purposed and resolved to consent to every thing they could offer which might be really for the good of his Kingdom You are Sir too general herein for my Conversation you talk as tho you had been one of his Privy-Council or at least a Chaplain to Archbishop Land I cannot say what his Purposes or Resolutions were but when we come to Particulars shall endeavour to weigh them by his Actions Pursuant to what he purposed and resolved Pag. 5. say you he tells them frankly in his first Speech that he was resolved to put himself freely and clearly on the Love and Affection of his ENGLISH SVBJECTS and withal promises them to concur so heartily with them that all the World may see that his Intentions HAVE EVER BEEN and shall be to make THIS a glorious Kingdom Having said this you are running on Doctor but with too much speed for me you instantly add I think c. Well so you may and I intend to hear what that is anon for now and not till now you have cut me out Work and I must intreat you to pause a little and hear what I observe upon what you but now declared He told them he resolved to put himself freely and clearly on the LOVE AND AFFECTION of his ENGLISH SVBJECTS Can this be true Doctor Did he in earnest say so Why he was born at Dumferling how then can you represent him abdicating his Ancient Kingdom and renouncing the Love and Affection of the Scotish Nation Seeing you are silent in this matter I must it seems take the pains to examine it and I promise to supply your Omission with Impartiality and all imaginable regard to Truth And in doing it shall shew with what brevity I can not only the reason why your Martyr did at this Juncture caress and cajole an English Parliament but how our Nation became so happy as to see one assembled when our Fathers had almost forgot the Name of a Parliament The Story is this The Reformation of England had never abrogated nor scarce shaken the Prelatical Dignity in any Parliament but in Scotland it was quite rooted out by Law that Church having been ever much addicted to the Reformation of Geneva By degrees it was restored by the extraordinary Interposition of the Power of King James the first yet not without many Difficulties not without great Reluctancy of the Nobility Gentry and most of the Ministers of that Nation They suffered a great Diminution of their Temporal Liberties by the Introduction of Episcopal Jurisdiction the Bishops using rigorous Proceedings against Gentlemen of Quality by Fines Imprisonments c. And the whole structure of Ecclesiastical Policy so long used in Scotland and established by so many Acts of Parliament was at one blow thrown down their Consistories Classes and Presbyteries were held in the nature of Conventicles and all Decision of Ecclesiastical Controversies confined to the Tribunal of a Bishop Dr. Hollingworth in his Tract called A Vindication of their Majesties Wisdom c. p. 9. saith that Laud was A VERY GOOD MAN the Book of Sports excepted for ought I know he meant this Scotch Book for it made Sport with a witness if he did not I am sure this deserved an Exception also I am sensible of the Doctor 's Infirmities that he is addicted to rash and inconsiderate Railing therefore tho I will not humour him in reciting the Authority which I have for this black Story of his otherways very good Man because I have in his Works no more than his bare word for what he asserts my good Nature prompts me to advise him not to give me the Lie in this matter for I know those who have been at Rome and I can produce a most reputable Member of the Church of England for what I here charge upon that very ill Man Laud. After this friendly Caution the Doctor may deny it if he dares That fierce cruel insolent and Popishly-affected Archbishop Laud was the main Instrument in this fatal Work He in the Year 1637 composed a Common-Prayer Book for Scotland and desiring to demonstrate his great Affection to the Court of Rome sent it thither to be approved by the Pope and Cardinals they returned it with Thanks for his Respect to them but sent him word that they thought it not fit for Scotland The GOOD MAN thereupon further to ingratiate himself with his ELDER BROTHER alter'd some things in it and made it more harsh and unreasonable and then instigated the King to send it to the Scots with an express Command to have it read in their Churches It varied from the English Common-Prayer Book but the Alterations were for the worse especially in the Lord's-Supper it was expresly commanded that the Altar so called should be situate to the Eastern Wall together with many Postures of the Minister whilst he officiated And in the consecrating Prayer those words which in the English Liturgy are directly against Transubstantiation were quite left out in that Book and instead of them such other words as in plain sense agreed with the Roman Mass-Book viz. Hear us O most merciful Father and of thy Omnipotent Goodness grant so to
been offered them since the Pacification But to add to the Grievances of that oppressed Nation the King committed two of their Commissioners to Prison In April 1640 the King called a Parliament in England not to seek Counsel and Advice of them but to draw Countenance and Supply from them resolving either to make the Parliament pliant to his Will and to establish Mischief by a Law or else to break it The Scots wrote a Justification of their Proceedings to this Parliament and advised them to be wary in vindicating their own Laws and Liberties this Parliament being procured to no other End but to arm the King against his Scotish Subjects and by that VVar to enslave both the Nations That after so many Violations and Dissolutions of Parliaments in England this was not called to redress Grievances but to be so over-reach'd if they were not careful that no possibility should be left for the future of redressing any That some dangerous Practice might be well suspected when at the same time a Parliament was denied to Scotland tho promised by the WORD OF A KING granted to England when not expected and obtruded upon Ireland when not desired The Parliament met the 13th of April when the King required a Supply to carry on his VVar against the Scots with a Promise that he would afterwards redress the Kingdom 's Grievances To which it was answered by many That redress of Grievances was the chief End of assembling Parliaments and ought to precede granting of Subsidies That the People had no reason to pay for that which they neither caused nor desired and which could not prove to their Good but quite contrary to the great detriment of the whole Kingdom That they would more willingly pay to prevent that unhappy VVar That the VVar would make the Breach wider and the Remedy desperate That THE BEST JVSTICE VVOVLD BE TO FILL VP THE PITS VVHICH VVERE MADE TO INTRAP OTHERS VVITH THE BODIES OF THOSE THAT DIGGED THEM Upon the 5th of May the King to the great grief of both Kingdoms * Upon the News of the Dissolution of this Parliament Cardinal Barberini intituled The Protector of England though he greatly affected Arch-Bishop Laud declared That he feared he would cause some great Disturbance in England and that certainly for his sake and by his means the King had dissolved this Parliament which he feared Scotland and most part of England would take very ill dissolved this Parliament finding them no way disposed to countenance the War But he PROTESTED HE WOULD GOVERN ACCORDING TO LAW as if the Parliament were constantly sitting And yet the very next day to the extream Grief of the People he was seen to break his Word for he commanded the Lord BROOKS Study and Pockets to be searched and Mr. Bellasis Father of the present Earl of Fanomberg Sir John Hâ—â—haâ— and Mr. Crew Members of the House of Commons were imprisoned And the King published a false and scandalous Declaration against the Commons He then betook himself to other Courses to carry on this VVar The CLERGY contributed freely to it and Collections were made among the PAPISTS Great Loans were attempted to be drawn from the City and for not complying therein Sir Nicholas Rainton Sir Stephan Soumâ— and other eminent Citizens were imprisoned Nay he went further and had it under consideration to â—oin 400000 l. of BRASS MONEY A Precedent for what the late King James did in Ireland The Scots taking Alarm at the Breach of the English Parliament and at the King's Preparations and finding themselves bereaved of all possibility of satisfying him by any naked Supplication they provided for their own Safety and resolved to enter England with a Sword in one hand and a Petition in the other The King marches his Army Northwards but the Common Souldiers were found sensible of Publick Interest and Religion though many Commanders and Gentleman seemed not to be so They declared their aversion to the War and questioned whether their Captains were not Papists Upon the 28th of August 1640 the Scots marching towards Nowcastle the English Army encamped to intercept their Passage but many of the Souldiers not liking the Cause forsook their Commanders However the Horse engaged the Scots but received a Repulse some on both sides being slain and Colonel VVilmot with Sir John Digby and Oniale both Captains of Horse and PAPISTS were made Prisoners Hereupon the Scots became Masters of Newcastle and Durham The King by Proclamation summoned all the English Nobility with their Followers and Foroes to attend his Standard at York upon the 20th of September against the Scots But about twenty Peers considering the great Calamity into which the King 's rash Proceedings had thrown the Kingdom framed and sent his Majesty an humble Letter representing the Mischiefs attending his wicked War the Rapines committed by his Army wherein Papists were armed though the Laws permit them not to have Arms in their Houses c. and they humbly entreated him to summon a Parliament The King thereupon summoned all the Lords to appear at York upon the 24th of September and then declared to them that OF HIS OWN FREE ACCORD he had determined to call a Parliament and sixteen Lords were agreed upon to treat with the like number of the Scots and at length a Cessation of Arms till the 16th of December was agreed upon and that during that time the Scots should be paid 850 l. a day and they allowed Winter-quarters in England Both Nations hereupon rested in assured Confidence that the Parliament would put a Period to this War which could never have been begun but for want of a Parliament They were also confident that the Freedom which the Fundamental Laws allow to Parliaments could not be denied to this to which the King WAS NECESSITATED and upon which THE PEOPLE had set their utmost Hope whom it seemed not safe after so many and often repeated Oppressions to provoke any further So much for the Scotish Affairs Now it may be thought that I have too long digressed therefore to return to you Reverend Doctor Hollingworth We will try what Inferences may be raised from this Melancholy History to render it useful to the English Reader I have declared that King Charles the First was an insufferable Tyrant you affirm him to have set a Pattern for the best of future Princes and that King William and Queen Mary are daily imitating him And the last thing you said was That when the Parliament met in November 1640 He frankly told them that he was resolved to put himself freely and clearly on the LOVE AND AFFECTION OF HIS ENGLISH SUBJECTS Now I have been taking a great deal of pains to set this Matter in its true Light and to shew whence this sudden Fit of Love to our Nation with an exclusion of Scotland arose And with your leave Sir here are two or three Vses of Information or Instruction from what hath been said 1. That this Declaration of
KING JAMES AND PRINCE HENRY HIS SON CAME TO A TIMELY DEATH YEA OR NO Some Parliaments have been but short-liv'd when there was but a muttering that enquiry should be made of their Deaths It would search to the quick to know WHETHER ROCHEL and all THE PROTESTANTS in it were not betrayed into the hands of their Enemies AND BY WHOM It would go to the quick to find out WHETHER THE IRISH REBELLION was not plotted promoted countenanced and contrived in England AND BY WHOM Now I hope Reverend Sir that you will not have the face to deny but Mr. Love was a Consciencious and Pious Divine and I will finish this Head in telling you though a little out of course that the Earls of Northumberland Pembroke Salisbury and Denbigh with the Lord Wainman Sir Henry Vane Mr. Pierepont Mr. Holles Mr. Prideaux Mr. St. John Mr. Whitlock and Mr. Câ—â—w Commissioners for the Parliament in the Treaty we have been talking of were as well as you boast the King's Comnissioners to have been Men of Honour and Honesty Men of Fortunes and Estates Men of great Parts and Endowments who understood the Business they went about and were very fond of healing the Nations Breaches and putting things into such a posture as might settle the King upon his just Rights and the People upon their ancient Priviledges Well Sir for my own Comfort if not for yours I purpose to trouble my self at least at this present with but one thing more in your Tract You say That the Scots notwithstanding all their Promises and Obligations SELL THE KING TO THE ENGLISH PARLIAMENT 'T is a Divine Truth Men are not only ignorant because they cannot but because they will not know the Truth And I cannot conceive that you believe what you here assert Therefore that my Country-men may be undeceived and our Brethren of Scotland vindicated I will set this Matter in its true Light The King had fled to the Scotish Army at Newcastle then in the Parliament's Service and Pay there Propositions for Peace were made unto him which he rejected The War being happily ended the Parliament were in arrear to the Scots for their assistance in it Four hundred thousand Pounds It was agreed that half that Sum should be presently paid upon receipt whereof the Scots were to deliver up not the King but Berwick Newcastle and Carlisle to the Parliament 'T is far from Truth that this was the Price of the King for the Parliament freely granted to the Scots that they might carry him if they pleased to Edinburgh But they refused it affirming that by his Presence in an unsettled Nation new Commotions might arise They rather desired which was also the King's desire that he might be carried into the Southern parts of England and live in some of his Palaces near London which they thought more convenient for treating of a Peace So that in all the whole Debate they seemed to contend not who should have the King but who should not have him Nevertheless to cast a slander upon both Nations for certainly 't is as wicked a thing to buy as to sell such Merchandize You Sir will have it that the Scots sold him the English bought him but WILFULNESS EVER WAS THE GREATEST BLINDNESS Reverend Sir I shall for the present discharge you and my self from further trouble You think I suppose that you make me a very merciful Offer That if I will repent and do so no more I may hope to live in Peace and you will not further lash me with any more such Scourges as I have been but now tortured with but if I shall persist and appear incorrigible you have more Rods in Piss and will pay me off You have much more to say in the behalf of King Charles the First 't is well if you have for I am sure 't is very little that you have hitherto said and you assure me I shall have it and resolve That as long as you can hold a Pen in your Hand you will not drop his Cause There 's no Remedy then but I must abide your Fury for I resolve never to ask Forgiveness and promise to do so no more But on the contrary to write on as I have leisure and you give me occasion in the defence of the Laws and Liberties of my Country Upon which Subject I have much more to say and if you will not be quiet you shall have it I love the Cause too well to drop it and will wear my Steell Pen to the stumps in its defence And Now seeing we are eternally to differ in this Point I desire to settle two things with you for the more orderly Prosecution of this dreadful War 1. That we as Duellists agree the length of their Weapons may resolve how often to trouble the World with our Impertinencies I think once or if you will have it so twice because there are TWO MADDING-DAYS in a Year may suffice 2. That after you have fairly answer'd this and my former Letter by falsifying which as a Preliminary I shall expect from you the many particular Instances I have brought to shew that your admired Prince was a Tyrant or else to prove that they are not Acts or Evidences of Tyranny you would then in the further Prosecution of that Defence which you have undertaken and indeed of Criminating one of the greatest and best deserving Parliaments that even England saw lay aside your loose and general way of discoursing and come to Particulars when you shall so proceed and are failed of a clear Answer then and not till then the day will be your own For tho throughout your whole Discourse which I have been examining you Rebellize the Lords and Commons and fly in the Face of the Parliament with the King 's gracious MESSAGES SAYINGS c. Othâ—â—s may upon better grounds sum up the humble condescending convincing PETITIONS MESSAGES DECLARATIONS c. of the Parliament and dash them all into your Face than you can those Messages and Sayings of the King into the Faces of all who declare that he was a proud Nimrod a hardened Pharaoh in plain English A MERCILESS TYRANT Lastly To encourage you to further Conversation with me the some Men are so impudent as to say that it is not Day when the Sun it self doth shire you shall see that I am not resolved against Conviction but that being under the Command of good Manners I rest not satisfied in the Confession which I made in the beginning of this Letter of an Error committed in my former in relation to the Noble Lord Conway sometime Secretary of State to King Charles the First but shall more fully do it in this place Being misguided by the Printer's Mistake in Rushworth's first Collections from whence I took it I was led to say in my last Year's Letter pag. 7. That the Lord Conway said in Parliament that he never hated Popery whereas his words were that he ever hared it and I have now certain ground