A DISCOVERY OR CERTAINE OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING The crafty and cursed Proceedings of the Conspirators or Rebbells of ENGLAND against their owne King Queene Church Government then established To wit 1639. And the Liberty Peace Fafety Quiet-Beeing of that our Nation and other Kingdomes thereunto belonging By whom the People of other Nations have beene also Cheated and Troubled Observed by J. M. Whose Hart hath for many yeares together mourned in secret for the Calamity by the sayd Rebbels brought vpon his owne and other Nations 1. Samuel Chap. 15. vers 23. Rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft They are inclosed in their owne Fat with their mouth they speake proudly Psal 17.10 They are waxen Fat they shine yea they over-passe the deeds of the wicked they judge not the cause the cause of the Fatherlesse yet they prosper and the right of the needy doe they not judge Shall I not visit for these things saith the Lord Shall not my soule bee avenged of such a nation as this Ierem. 5.28.29 Printed in the yeare 1657. To the Beloved Discreet and understanding Reader SIR and SIRS MAY it please you with patience to Read and consider according to wisdome and bee not rash to judge condemne nor censure as sometimes the humor and custome of some is to doe euen by my betters As it shall please God to permit give your selves convenient time with deliberation to scanne and marke what you read not only for what followes in this small pamphlet but for what it signifies or further aluds unto which doth consist of matter beyond the expression of any mortall man as of himselfe And though I doe most humbly confesse that I have neither the head nor the mouth of the Learned much lesse the Tongue of the Eloquent neither hath my breeding beene such as to make mee so capable for such a businesse as some other men And however my infirme and weake disposition is knowne and seene to the world or to many as wel as to my selfe yet it is possible by the gratious assistance of God Almighty that though this little Booke comes to bee produced vnto the veuw of the world by so weake an Instrument from whom it is not expected yet I haue some reason to conceave a possibility and that by the providence and power of God that not onely the wary Reader but also the Learned may finde some thing in it worth their notice Though it doth not follow that I shall bee fully understood at the first reading of it And this I doe mention from mine owne experience when I haue read the workes of other men SIR and SIRS This may bee intended for some such as doe holde or have held little or much with Theefes and Murtherers who by disguising them selves have not beene rightly knowne to bee what they are and it would be labor in vaine for to perswade those who are resolved to cleave vnto them though the said Conspirators have cast away the feare of the Lord as may bee well seene by their continuall presumption flattering reveylings purgery blasphemy witchcraft and what so ever possible can be worse For their disposition is to delight in mischief as well as to flatter themselves with the ruine of others 2. The desperate condition the Rebbels of England have brought upon them selves doth require them to persist or continew in mischiefe because it is contrary both to their nature custome and safety and all the like of them for to sease from doeing of evill nor will they sease from seducing of al others that they can possible provaile withall for to make them even like them selves so long as they know of any righteous nation who doth feare the Lord and abhorre such guilt unlesse they bee subdued without which not any Nation in all Europe shall long have rest unlesse any should bee found to bee like them selves of whom there is litle likely hood of escaping ous of the snares of the divell or as litle hope as for a Woolfe to become a Lambe 1. Tim. 1.26 As I have had more then ordmary Reasons to thinke almost twenty yeares together and that to my exceeding great sorrow and griefe of heart And though some times I have hoped by the helpe of the Lord and from the Confidence of other men that the Rebbels should have beene forced unto obedience or unto some thing like unto equity But in all this time I never expected that the Rebbels would ever willingly yeeld vnto any thing that was righteous just or reasonable because I constantly have had strong Reasons to the contrary vnlesse they were thereunto forced These things are Remarkable First That they have hypocritically contrary to their owne protestations Vsurped not onely the Crowne and Revenues of the King but the precious Lafe of the King himselfe and many other worthy Persons before and since and that by secret formes of Petitions framed by them selves in private and cunningly set the people a worke by some of their owne Busi-bodies to come vnto Westmunster from and about London Ipswich Buckingam-Schire and the like factious people who in a clamerous manner came crying Iustice Iustice For those very things that the Conspirators before were resolved to doe namely for the taking away of the Laves and Estats of such as were more blamelesse and honourable then themselves by a thousand degrees And they have Pressed Imprisonned Baâ—â—sâ—ed and Murthered many thousands of their Equals at home and abroad and they have made Warre with severall forrame Nations without and against the consent of the King and that by the helpe of that cursed Army of theirs with which they compelled the Country to maintaine against them selves and how-ever they falsely pretend to represent the Body of the Nation as may appeare in all their Proceedings Seeing all their Actions have beene contrary and against the will and minde of the Body of the Nations as may appeare by their unlawfull choyse of members like themselves contrary to the Countrys choyse A DISCOVERY OR Certaine Observations concerning the crafty and cursed proceedings of the Conspirators or Rebbels of England against their owne King Queene Church and Government c. SIR and SIRS MY Reasons why I for almost these twenty yeares together haue beene exceedingly desirous to see a firme and a Righteous Peace betweene the Kings of Spaine and France which to my comefort the King of Spaine hath often and ernestly desiered And so hath his Helynesse this present Pope who vnder God is unto both Kingdoms a Righteous Judge A faithfull Stuard A Loving and A tender-harted Father Who vnder God and in the behalfe of God his Heauenly Father doth very much desire the comfort Peace and Saffety of therâ— both they being two of the most honorablest Kingdoms of all the world and the ancientests for Christianety My Second Reason is that seeing both Kings doe as Justly possesse each King his owne Crowne as any in all the world and therfore it is needffull and high time
vnto your Majesty and your best friends and Subjects then ever eyther the Canaanites or the Perizzites where vnto Abraham in his dayes I meane such as are sent or employed by Crumwell or the like of him and for him for to corrupt the mindes of your people or otherwise to worke out theyr owne ends who will cause trouble in your Kingdome at the last and disturbe your Majesty and such as desire to live in peace And Thirdly because they were brethern that is to say neare of Kinn yet not nearer of Kinn then your Majesty is vnto the King of Spaine Wherfore consider whether it will not bee the honour wisdome and saffety of your Majesty and your people and the comfort of all good Christians vpon the face of the earth for to Imitate so good and so holy a man as Abraham was by adhearing to peace with your nearest and best friends and with all Righteous Princes States and Cityes that desiers to be at peace with you SIR It will not bee hard to prove those to bee the most eminent Kings and Princes 2. Chron. Chap. 20. vers 7. who are most in favor with the King of Kings neyther was any in those dayes in higher esteeme with the Lord then Abraham who was and unto this day is called The friend of God because in all things hee did that which was pleased to God Gen. 12.7 As I. By helping the oppressed against Vsurpers II. By praying for the sinfull Cities of Sedom and Gemorrâ—… Gen. 13.4 III. By obaying the Commands of the Lord Gen. 18.17.19.23.24.25.26.27 To the end of the 32. vers â—â—â— 4. â— 9 in being ready to offer his only Sonne Isaac IV. By buylding of Altars for the worship of God V. By calling upon the name of the Lord. VI. In that hee beleeved the worde and the promise of God which was counted vnto Abraham for righteousnesse and therefore his earnest intreating of Leth for the preservation and the continuation of peace betweene them and their servaunts was First because the God of Peace doe delight in peace Secondly it seemes Abram conceaved it to bee both disgrace and danger both to himselfe and to Loth for to bee at strife in the eyes of the Heathen amongst whome they then lived Thirdly because they were Brethren who served one God after one and the same manner and so doth the King of Spaine and your Majesty Fourthly they were neere neighbours and very neer of Bloude and yet not neerer then your Majesty and the King of Spaine SIR a serious consideration heerof is most needfull because the Lord our God is worthy to bee regarded and honoured in these our dayes as wel as he was by Abraham in his time SIR it hath been yeare after yeare great admiration and griefe vnto me that the Kingdoms of France and Spaine who are of one Religion one Faith one Hope of one minde and of one Judgment in matters concerning Salvation and the God of both Kingdoms is the Lord of Heaven and not the God of Rebbells And yet notwithstanding all this such lamentable Ruings of the people of both Kingdoms to the destroying of so much bloude and Treasure one of an other And that to the extreame weakening and disabeling one of an other Seeing it is not vnknowne to the Lords Cleargie and many other honourable Persons in your Kingdom that all are not friends to the King and people of France who speake them faire Revel 2. vers 2.9 It is as well of some which pretend to bee Christians and are not but by their proceedings they rather seeme to bee of the Synagogue of Sathan And it were to bee wished that this sorte were not worse then some of those which doe not professe them selves to bee Christians at all and that in matter of fraud deceat and violence which the nations of Portugall and of the Vnited Provences can wittnesse as wel as the King of Spaine Philip. 3. vers 2. and his people wherefore I say Beware of dogs beware of evill workers For First those who hath donne so much mischieffe vnto their owne and severall other Nations by pollicie and stite of hand besides open violence will in the short or in the longe sinde a tricke to trouble you and your people First eyther by stirring vp some of your owne people against your best friends And Secondly against your owne Person and so cause Noble and other Innocent bloud to be shed in France like as them selues by the helpe of their wicked Army haue done in England And I am of the minde of the Prophet Jeremiah who sayd Jerem. 13.23 If a blacke More can change his skinn or a Leopert his spots then may they doe good who are accustomed to doe evill It seemes that it was falsely sayd of the Apostell St. Paull and some others that they sayd Let vs doe good that euill may come of it Rom. 3.8 I wish that this may not bee truly sayd to bee the practise of Oliuer Crumwell and some of his adherences SIR It was the folly of Nahash to bee so vnreasonable as to require the Right eye of every man in Jabesh Gillead as a Reproch insufferable vnto Israell which stird vp in them such a spirit that the wholle Army of Nahash was so overthrowne and scattered that two of his men 1. Sam. 11.2.11 could not bee seene to gether And therefore it will bee honourable for your Majesty and your most faithfull Counsell before God and the world to incline vnto peace vpon resonable Conditions such as may with honour bee granted that it may not bee sayd that the King the Kingdome of France is the cause of trouble terror vnto all good Christians who gladly would liue at peace Wherefore your Majesty your Honourable Councell and reverent Cleargy may bee pleased Numb 16.24.25.26.27.30 speedily to separate your selues from such an evill generation in whom is neither feare of God love of Equity nor of Christianity And Saul sayd vnto the Kenites Goe depart get you downe from amongst the Malakites least I destroy you with them 1. Sam. 15.6 for you showed kindnesse to all the Children of Israëll when they came vp out of Egypt So the Kenites departed from amongst the Malakites Saul destroyed the Malakites Vers 7. for the cruelty which they had done long before according to Gods owne commaund From whence your Majesty and all the good People may bee gratiously pleased for to observe that it is very dishonourable and dangerous for a Righteous Prince King or Nation to bee in Company or Combination or Alliance with euill doers who are so desperately wicked as the Rebells of Engeland Jer. 17.9 who by theft murther perjury and falsehood doe over-passe the deeds of the wicked Jer. 5.28 They are waxen fat they shine yea they over passe the deeds of the wicked They judge not the cause of the Fatherlesse yet they prosper Vers 29.
which are commanded and best pleasing vnto God Almighty who is abuntdantly able and willing to reward your Majesty and all that doe so wherefore I pray God that the Consideration heereof may incourage and stirre vp the Spirits of your Majesty and your Honourable Counsell with your most Reverent Cleargy and the rest of your People to breake the yoake of these Usurpers from off the necks of the King and the distressed Nation of England as Abraham did by the enemyes of his Brother Loth. And as the Lord stirred vp the Spirit of Cyrus King of Persia Gen. 14.14.15 16. Because not only they resolved to Spoyle Ezra 1.1 Raven Murder all such Catholikes Protestants as are more Religeous more Conscientionable towards men more zealous towards God then any of the sayd Rebbells as I have proved and found by long experience For I have often observed in severall Countryes that some Catholikes doe worship God in vprightnesse of hart and in the beauty of holinesse as you may read at large in the 1. Chron. chap. 16. vers 29. And in that manner as is fully exprest Psal 110.4 And this generation of Hypocrites and Iugglers are a very great disparidgement to all honest-harted Protestants both at home and abroad who by the evill conversation of these English and Scottes Conspirators are evill spoken off without cause For I doe assure your Majesty and all the world that how ever many Protestants are deluded by these Lurking Curres yet I doe know Protestants both of my owne and severall other Nations Job 1.1 Who feare God and eshew evill and are harmlesse and upright men John 4.23.24 such as worship God in spirit and in trueth God is a spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in trueth And how ever these desemblors in England doe Vsurpe the name of Protestants to the great disgrace of many thousands of honest and Godly men both in England and elsse where who to my knowledge doe feare the Lord and serve him in sinserity and trueth as it is sayd by Joshua in the 24. of Joshua 14. My Judgement is that neither Catholick nor Protestant shall bee able to lift vp their heads without spot so longe as they goe in the wayes of Caine Baallam Elemasse Judas Crumwell Isa 56.11 or his adherance yet these cunning Sophisters who like doggs are greedy after the pray and that they may the better obtaine it they take vpon them the name of Protestants And by giving to the Officers of his Army and the like of his owne Creaturs large Portions out of the sweat of honest mens browes and the substance of those who takes paines for their Living these are the Catterpillors whose delight and Resolution is not only to destroy those that are better then them selves but even the way and the meanes by which they should subsist in time to come And these are esteemed and found to bee by all men that follow honest callings like vnto those dogg-fish at Sea which come into the Nets and spoyle aboundance of Herrings and the Net also and yet they are good for nothing them selves It seemes to me a sad thing that men that vse great Industry take paines and venture their lives and Estates night and day and many times after longe patience and losse of time when it please God to send them a scull of Herrings then coms the dogg-fish and spoiles the net and a thousand times more Herrings then would serve them to eate and yet escapes from being taken him selfe So the Rebbells though they have done much mischiefe to their betters yet they sometimes escape longe from punishment therfore Let them bee put to shame Psal 83. and perish When it goeth well with the Righteous the citie rejoyceth Vers 10. and when the Rebbells perish there shall bee joy and shouting Gen. 6.5 Prov. 11. at the 10. vers Because the thoughts of their harts are for wickednesse and evill continually Neither is there any thing to bee expected from these destroying Traitors or very littele that justly belongs vnto them selves Yet the hastening of their speedy being humbled or distroyed is very urgant and of great necessety for the prevention of their sutor evill for they are so absolutely bent to continue in their wickedres that it seemes they have sould them-selves and delight to doe wickedly against their owne and other Nations to wit Crumwell his Army and others of his chiefe Associates And therefore it is that they devise mischiefe continually and soweth discorde between loving and deare friends Prov. 6.14.15 and if they fall they know it will bee without Remedy In the meane time Deut. 31.22 they wax fat and fill them selves and such as helpe them And like the Sons of Ely they make them selves fat with such things as are the chiefest of England and other Nations belonging to others which are their betters abroad and at home Whereof God him selfe takes notice as in the 1. of Sam. 2.29 Because they can frame Rayling and Reviling Arguments against Papists they suppose that to bee sufficient to justefie them in all their Treason Theft and Murder wherin they are not ashamed to abuse the Trueth because their discourse and behavior is for the most part if not all together contrary to Trueth and Equity By which meanes they cause many a good Protestant to thinke and to doe in some things worse then ever they would have done and so stirre vp and continew strife for the working out of their owne ends neyther can they any way better please the divell their patron for by their owne confession they have some times set Catholicks and made vse of them against Drotestants who were drawne to it By the importunety and impudency of the sayd Conspirators at other times with no lesse brasen faces they have provoacked and stirred vp Protestants against Catholiks So that first and last these cursed and dubble insinuators have beene the cause of great distresse trouble and bloudshed vnto both Catholicks and Protestants But all you that have yet hope to finde peace vnto your soules and that you may lift vp your face without spot in time to come be sure to let no wickednesse enequity nor presumptuous persons dwell in your Tabernakle nor come neare you nor any body for them that you may bee steadfast without feare and that your Age may bee clearer then the Noone-day So shall you shine forth and bee as the morning and also secure because there is hope Job 11.14.15.16.17.18.19.20 It hath beene demaunded of mee of what Religeon the Conspirators of England are and because I know not of any they have I have beene oftimes troubled what or how I should make answear not onely because they have so often changed from one to another but because all their proceedings is so contrary to all Religeons that which I can most properly say is that if they had any Religeon that had any
peace without any order or consent of the King or any Minister of State Which makes mee greatly feare 2. Kings 2.5 that for that and many other great evils contrived by the sayd Conspirators against our owne and severall other Nations that yet a great judgement hangeth over the Nation of England besides what they have already brought vpon it And how-ever the evill doers may flatter them selves in their carnall security vainly presuming vpon their Policy the strength of theyr Army which God is able to strike with terror and madnesse as hee hath done the like of them before Agag supposed that the bitternesse of death was past but hee proved to bee mistaken and as the sword of the Conspirators hath made many women childlesse of our owne and other Nations so I have Reason to thinke that the Mothers of the Conspirators shall be called Childlesse among Women as it is in the first of Samuel Chap. 15. vers 32.33 And which is worse the little Pigges are in danger to be beaton for the faults committed by the Boars and the Sowes of these times in England For which they know them selves to bee abhorred at home and abroad And that they may still enjoy the Estates of other men and keepe such of our Nation out as wel High as Low who gladly would bee in their native Contry therefore they take the course of Richard the Third and follow his evill Example who was the bloodyest Tyrant that ever was in England before them selves namely in this That such as joyne not with them in theyr Treason have beene at severall times by wicked men of theyr owne ad-herance who fained them selves to bee for the King and the Country drawne into plots of the Rebbells owne devising and then charged with Treason and therevpon tooke away theyr Lives and theyr Estates And others who have onely beene tolde of it by notorious Rogues sent out and employed by some of the Rebbells and vpon that they were taken and hanged although they never medled at all in the businesse As Captaine Thomas Collupp who lived in Wisbich and many more in the County of Norfolke and thereabouts who were taken and hanged And hee who did pretend to know of a Commission from the King tolde them of it who flatly Refused to have any thing to doe with the businesse yet they were Murdered and the Rogue himselfe escaped to wit Gregre Gamblin who also lived in Wisbich and many other such bloudy plots have beene acted by these Rebbels and theyr Ad-herance by theyr Lucefer-like Arte in and about London and elsewhere An in this and the like Courses doth the sayd Bebbells intend to continue vntill they have brought destruction as well as great dishonor vpon our Nation Who stay alwayes at home to invent mischief against our friends abroad and at home to doe what evill they can and to hinder what good they can And to Cologue with the sea-men they take away other mens Estates which connot spare it but need it for their Wyves and Children them selves and by this meanes they get the sea-men to bee more willing to goe abroad where they know they must be massacred for feare least they should gather together and more wisely set them selves against the Conspirators at home then here to fore and how-ever they may Craftily pretend to doe some thing which shall seeme pleasing vnto the severall Countries whose neybours and frinds they have ruined destroyed and murdered all England through Now for their owne endes they will insinuate with them as the Devill did with Eue. Gen. 3.1.4.5 But when the Contry shall come to be Invaided by foraine nations who by these Conspirators have beene abused then will they doe a great-deale worse then Absoloms Mule did for though the Beast left his master 2. Sam. 18.9 when he had most need of him yet hee tooke away none of his mony nor Iewells with him But these Rebbells will not only not leave them in their greatest distresse but they will take all their Monys and chiefest Treasure of the whole Kingdom with them In the meane time their Continuall indeavor will be to prepare and instruct others abroad in their evill devises as neare as they can to bee like them selves that they may the more willingly receave the sayd Rebbells and their stolen Treasure and protect them when they dare stay in England no longer And for the present many of the people of England are by constraint forced to cologe with the Rebbells and giue them good words but it is as them poore people in some parte of the West-Indeans doth by the divill namely because they should not bee so mischevous to the Contry as they are afraid of And whereas the said Rebbells and their Adherance by false Information haue caused many good people of our owne other nations to thinke that all who follow and adheare vnto the King are vngodly sweators proud envious and Contentious persons as well his Majesties servants as others whereof my selfe haue beene obrayded that those were such as I justified and that by such and the like of evill Conversation the Kingdom should bee governed if ever the King came to be Restored againe to the Kingdom Vnto which I answere that if any thing of it be true I beleeue they are such as may be secretly Imployed by the Rebbells them selves or at least some to make the rest worse then they would be For my part if there be any such I justifie them not but if I knew them I should therefore abhorre them because such can doe the Rebbels farre more service then they can doe the King and I vnderstand them to be worsse then the Plague in the Kings Court and for oft I know the cause of so much swearing and other evill behaviour in the Kings Armie pretended by the Rebbells hath beene by Reason of such that hath beene sent to that purpose by the Rebbells themselves First to commit that which may offend God and so to make our best friends our enemies Numb 25.1.2.3.4.6.7 verses Secondly to vex trouble and oppresse the Country more then needes that by that meanes they might cause more Rebbells against the King like them selves Thirdly because the Rebbells might thereby take advantage to Revile and Raile at the Kings Armie as they constantly vsed to doe by their slanderous reportes in their printed pamphlets throughout all the Kingdom and else where abroad which caused many good people to conceave worse of the Officers and others of the Kings Armie then was trueth Though possibly they did somthing more then either the King or the Armie were willing to doe By Reason of stubornnesse and Rebbellious rysings of some against the King and the Country Because the Rebbells by deceat forged pretences by violence vsurped and made themselves Masters of the Kings Customs and such other monys as should have payed his Majestyes Armie Neither did the King ever offer to Raise any Armie vntill
that all stryffe difference and contention that is betweene them may happyly cease and that godly Loue and a blessed and continuall Vnion might bee obtained betweene the two Kingdoms afore sayd And so much the rather because the enemies of them both and of all vnfained Christians doe strive with all their might and pollecy to hinder it Thirdly Because it would bee matter of gladnesse and great joy of harte vnto all the people of God to Liue peaceably and quietly in all Godlynesse and honesty which is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior 1. Tim. 2.2 Forthly Because it is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour Who will haue all men to bee saved and to come vnto the knowlâ—g of the truth Neither can the Spirit of God 1. Tim. 2. nor the hart of the Pope vers 3.4 bee more greeved then when their Children Associate them selues with evill Contentious men Therefore greeve not the holy Spirit of God Ephe. 4.30 by which you are sealed vnto the day of Redemption For God is not the God of confusion 1. Cor. 14.33 but of peace Wherefore SIR my hart doth humbly pray your Majesty to propound Reasonable Conditions of peace to your owne Vncle the King of Spaine and to all other Christian and Righteous Princes who desier to liue at peace with you And that for to prevent the shedding of Christian and Innocent blood in time to com Thereby you shall exedingly obleage al Christian and Righteous Princes and People that liue in the feare of God but especially your owne Cousin the King and his subjects of great Brittain and Ierland who are greatly opressed by the Impudence of a generation of Rebbells and hyppocrits And also the Duke and the State of Venice whose indeavour hath allwayes beene to liue in amity and frendshippe with the Kings and Nation of France who is in great danger of an enemie that is much too mighty for them Wherefore SIR if it may please your Majesty by a speedy cessation from all hostillity of both sides by which means you will bee the better able upon occasion to withstand your secret enemys as also to helpe your best Friends in time of neede namely your Cuzon the King afore sayd and his subjects whose distressed Estate and Condition hath beene greevous to mee and to divers others these many yeares Likewise the Duke and the State of Venice shall the better obtaine helpe in their great distresse from your Majesty or some other Christian Princes or else by Reason of the peace a foresaid the said State shall obtaine the more honourable and speedy peace with that enemy who otherwise will bee too mighty for them Neither can that at all bee good or safe for your Majesty nor your subjects nor any Christian Prince Neither can I possible thinke of any other persons who under God are more Indifferent Just and Impartiall Mediators Composors of all manner of differences or any greevances betweene such Christian Princes as your Majesty and the King of Spaine or the like of you then the Popes Holynesse who is vnder God undoubtedly for all such Princes and people as both You and your Subjects are And for oft I know for all other who are unfained Christians even as a carefull and a naturall Father for his owne Children And therfore an able emenant and righteous Judge fit for so waighty and necessary Imployment as that is Because he is one that feareth God and hateth covetousnesse who in Gods behalfe and in the place of Meyses will provide reasonable and able men as in Exodus chap. 18. vers 21.22 And for the removing of all suspition and scrupell the said Pope being of late yeares Nuntius for the late Pope at Munster and by his great abillities and his Loue vnto Equity through Gods assistance made and occasioned such an agreement betweene the King of Spaine and the Lords the States Generall of the Vnited Provences as that neither parties doth complaine but rather thanke him And that because hee knows that hee doth not Judge only for man but for the Lord who is whith him in Iudgement 2. Chron. 19.6 With whome there is no respect of persons nor iniquity with the Lord our God nor taking of gifts for the gift doth blinde the eyes of the Wise Deutro 16.19 And though I humbly show my weake Judgement in that I conceave the King of Denmarks and the State of Venice to bee emenent and indifferent Judges which are needfull for such waighty affaires neither of them having any more Relation to your Majesty of France then to the King of Spaine or to bee sure his Majesty of Denemarcke hath no more Relation vnto the King of Spaine then hee hath vnto your Majesty but rather lesse of the twoo yet I remember that when the late difference was betweene the Lords the States Generall of the vnited Provences and the Vsurpers of Engeland they chose for theyr Arbitrators the Lords of Switscherland the Lords of Geneva and of the Kingdom of Sweaden and therfore I humbly present unto your Consideration and the Advise of your most honourable Privy Counsell together with the Advice of your most Graue Learned and Reverent Cleargy whether the three Spirituall Electors of Germany bee not nutrall and indifferent Judges for to giue theyr Advise and Assistance in a buisenesse which concerns all Catholicks in so high a nature the King of Spaine and your Majesty being both Catholicke Kings neare neighbours and neare of Kinne he being bone of your bone and flesh of your flesh Iudges 9.2 Why then will your Majestye bee the Last 2. Sam. 19. vers 12. that shall Resolve vpon a happy Peace with the King of Spains who is one of your best and your nearest Frends Peace being a thing pleasing vnto God and vnto all that feare him in trueth It is no disparidgment to any King or Prince in the world to follow the Example of Abraham who was very Rich in Cattell Silver and Gould yet for peace-sake gave choyse to Loth Genes 13. vers 2.7 his brothers Son who was the meanist and the joungest man Either to goe to the Right hand or to the Left which he pleased in the 8. and 9. verses of the same Chapter you haue it SIR Abraham being the Eldest man and the mightyest might so much the better haue clamed some kinde of prehemenence yet the cleane contrary appeares in Abraham who was the first that prayed Loth that there might be no striffe betweene them and that for these three Reasons First his Loue vnto peace Secondly because the Canaanites and the Perizzite were in the land which was a people whom Abraham did not much Confide in and who he was not willing that they should see striffe betwene them two who weare so neare friends And yet I doe hartely wish that you had not in you Lande for the most part if not continually those who are farre worsse
Governement in Ireland First theyr blood-thirsty and tyranny call proceedings against the sayd EARLE when he was tryed for his Life doth apparently show their prepared and abhominable designes Namely a fixt and a firme resolution secretly within them selves by force to take away the Life of the Nâ—â—…e Earle without any regard vnto Justice Law or Equity which showes the doge-like mallice of the Rebbels against that worthy Person who was preferd to a place of Quallity Trust and Power who was both willing and able to resist the develish Rebellion then intended by the Conspirators against the King and his Subjects as appeares by one that was convinced of Pergery that came as a witnesse against the noble Earle Secondly they pretended to convince this Earle of some crime by the testimony of only one witnesse who was knowne to bee his profest enemy Which is contrary to the Law of God for it is sayd at the mouth of two or three witnesses he only shall die that is worthy of death Deut. 17.6 but at the mouth of one witnesse no man shall die Thirdly after they were shamefully worsted in theyr accusing this Noble Person of hygh Treason seeing they could prove no Treason at all against him Fâ—â—athly after the cloase of the prosses or his charge given in before they alleaged three new Artickles against him with vnhuman Importunity to have the Earle presently to answere vnto them without any time to bethinke him selfe though by Reason of the infirmety of his body and his spirits being much spent by pleading by way of answere vnto theyr accusations against him did earnestly desire some few dayes time to bethinke him selfe which the Lords of the Vpperhouse thought to bee but Reasonable yet nothing would content these shamelesse fellows but a present answer from him Fiftly the Ignorant people being by false Reports Inveteratly set against him by whome he was accused that he caused a Horse to bee stolen and after that hanged the man that bought him because he might injoy his Estate after his death which thing proved so foull against them selves that they did not so much as mention it at the Barre Sixtly they stird vp base and unruly Raskalls not onely for to Importane but to compell the Lords of the house of Peares to pas a Bill for to take his life without Law and contrary to Law and against the will of the Lords Offering violence to theyr persons in case they would not graunt it notwithstanding they found nothing against him worthy of death which the Lords fully declared Seaventhly when the Bill was past it was still by the Law of the Land in the power and choyse of the King to signe the Bill or not His Majesty having also declared that he found in the sayd Earle nothing that toutched his Life justly and the Conspirators supposing the King would by no meanes be prevailed with all to signe the sayd Bill they gave out words presumptiously that in case hee would not they would pull downe the Tower of London where the sayd Earle was Imprisoned and teare him in peeces This ruyd multitude being set on by the slye and secret Conspirators came tumultuously vnto the Kings Court and forced them selves in whether the Porter would or not and sayd That they would have no Porter at all there but would speake with the King when they pleased the like was never knowne before They prest so hard vpon his Majesty neyther would they leave him vntill he was forced to promise them that hee would advise with the Bishops and then signe the sayd Bill Nor durst the Bishops advise the King to the contrary for feare of being murdered them selves I thinke they were threatened too to that purpose I have within my selfe more then ordinary Reason to thinke that if his Majesty had not signed the sayd Bill which was contrary to the Law of God and the Nation and against the Kings owne conscience then he had beene murdered at that present time or shortly after Neither were they yet contented because that they see that what they had donne displeased the King and the Lords of the house of Peares to see so Noble and so Innocent a person to loose his Life as the sayd Earle of Strafford was contrary to Law and Conscience Therefore this theyr impudence brought a necessety vpon them selves to have murdered the King had he not departed from London when he did and yet they blamed him because hee departed This is the Reason that the Precedences and Princes of King Darius sought occasion against Daniell because God gave him wisedome Dan. chap. 6. vers 4.5.6.10.12 and an excellent spirit was found in him and therefore the King thought for to set him over the whole Kingdome wherefore like Balaam his sayd enemyes conspired to make him cast off his duty to God or to forfeyte his Life to the King because that the Lord gave him savour in the sight of the King who better deserved it then the sayd Precedences or Princes So because there was found in the Earle of Strafford so much Courage Wisdome and the feare of the Lord as not to bee a Rebbell like his enemies therfore they like vnto the Princes of Daryons sought by all vnlawfull meanes their serpentlike heads could possible devise to deprive the King and the Nation of England of a Gentleman who was more noble able honest and Righteous then the best of them selves only because his workes were Righteous the Intentions of the Rebbells was then wholly or mischiefe just like vnto Cain 1. Ioh. 3.12 who was of that wicked one and slew his Brother for no other Reason but because his owne workes were evill and his Brothers good They prepared a way to destroy Daniell saying wee shall finde nothing against him Dan. 6. vers 5. except it bee concerning the Law of his God And because Daniell durst not neglect his duty and so breake his peace with his God when he knew of the conspiracy contrived by his enemyes who had prevailed with the King to signe it he went into his house and his windowes being open towards Jerusalem Vers. 10. hee kneeled vpon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thankes before his God as hee did afore time Heere vpon Daniell was accused to the King by his sayd enemyes for breaking the Kings Decree Vers. 12.13.14.15.16 thinking therby to have taken his Life from him Inciting the Law of the Meades and Persians which might not bee changed Whereat the King Darius was sore troubled but it proved to the destruction of the conspirators them selves From which I observe that many times evill men brings good men into great trouble as appeares by the conspiracy of Hammon against the Jews which caused Mordicay â—o rend his Clothes and put on Sacke-cloath with Ashes and went out into the mist of the City and cryed with a loude and a bitter cry From whence I conceave it to bee a sad and a
dangerous thing for good women and good mens daughtors to be Married unto Rebbells or into any Rebbellious famely Because oft times besides Bedding with those who are defilled with Theft Lying and many other crying sinnes likewise their being knowne to be gilty of shedding of innocent bloud to wit those that are of such famelye come by that means oft times to be destroyed Iosuah 7.20.24 and theyr Wives and Children with them Ioshua as it apears by Akan and his Children who were stoned with stones and burned with fire So likewise Dathan and Abiram perished with their wives their sons and their little children When the earth swallowed them up and their houses and all that pertained unto Kor◠went downe alive into the pitt Numb 16.27.30.31.32.33.34 and the earth cloased upon them and they perished from among the congregation So that all Israëll round about fled at the cry of them And there came out a fire from the Lord which consumed the two hundred and fifty men Vers. 35. that offered Incence Partly because they set them selves against Moyses and Aron whome it had pleased the Lord to set over them Take notice of this O as the Rebbells have done against the King the Bishops and others of the Clargy of England Therefore it is needfull that all good men seperate them selves from such wicked men King of France and beware in time as the said Rebbells bee According to the advise of God and Moyses his servant And the rather because the basor sort of their owne adhearance doe take upon them the places of Ministers and those that are the true servants of God are despysed and rejected And some slandered imprisoned Isa 53.3 and some of them murdered with the cruell hands of Rebbellious Tyrants And therefore they can indure nothing but what is contrary to sound Doctrine neyther will they indevor to know sound Doctrine but after their owne lusts 2. Tim. 4.3 they heaped to them selves Teachers who dispise just Dominion speaking evill of Dignities and of all others who are better then themselves and of other things which they neyther know nor vnderstand Woe vnto them for they have gon in the way of Cane Iude. 7.8.9.10.11 and ranne greedely after the error of Balaam for reward Who also will one day perish in the like gainsaying of Core without timely repentance and amendment It is not the meannesse of the persons of the Rebbels that I meane but the basenesse of their behaviour towards God their King and Contry nor yet of the mean quallety of Groomes Coachmen Coblers Souldiors and the like that I disdaine at But because they presume vpon that which belongs not vnto them neyther are they in any measure fit for it By reason whereof the word and the trueth of God is despised and slighted which is preached by his owne Servants who were thereunto lawfully called who like the faithfull and holy Prophets of the Lord desiers to keepe a good conscience towards God in the discharge of their duty which is contrary to the procedings of the Rebbells Therfore it is that these conseated and busie fellows are not onely allowed but colleaged with all by the Conspirators who had rather be flattered to hell in their wickednesse then to be justly reproved by the true Messingers of God Hence it is that so many are persecuted and droveout of their livings and out of their native country and which is worsse divers for a lively-hood doth suffer them selus to be perswaded to preach contrary to their owne Consciences without which they cannot subsist nor be quiet in the Land as the case now standes Besids all this I have great reason to conceave that some of the chieffe of the Rebbells of England also some of Schorland and some others else where in which three partys was signefied comprehended the body and foundation of Rebbellion before the Rebellion was knowne in the shape or likenesse of a most huge mighty Cockatrice having it seemes some relation vnto the Prince of darkenesse To wit Mark 9.25 some foule spirit powerfull in strength wonderfully garded for his owne defence full of subtilty Revel 18.2 and evill intention and it seems had some relation to one of those great Dragons whereunto Haman was likened Hest 11.6 which you shall finde mention made of in the History of Heaster or vnto the great Redde dragon that fought against Michaell ad his Angells Who for defeat rage mallice Revell 12.7.8.9 and horrible mischiefe is in a great measure immetated by the Rebbells of England which to the wonder of a great part of the world shall by Gods gratious assistance more fully apeare here after yet notwithstanding the trueth of these Comparisons whereunto I liken the Rebbells of England yet these fellowes like vnto proud Senecharab who is termed the great King of Assiria doe boaste in an impudent manner of their wicked and curssed councell and vsurped strength for warre Isa 36.4 can finde also a Rabshakeh full of bouldnesse against their Souveraine Lord and King and many others of their betters Who pretend they doe not all this violence without the Lord Vers 10. that is to say they pretend that they Rebbell against their King and destroy their Nation in the behalfe of the Lord. See their Serpentlike subtilty resembling exactly that of Rabshakeh when as hee said Let not Hezekiah deceave you for hac shall not be able to deliver you Neither are they lesse blasphemous then Rabshakeh Isa 36. in their severall expressions against God v. 14.15 as well as presumptious and slanderers against their rightious King Neyther doe they come short of Rabshakehs rule and bouldnesse in stirring vp the people to Rebbell against their King but they exceed him in this that they compell by force and violence the people to Rebbell against their lauwfull and righteous King Nay the Traitors of England doe not only abhorre and scorne all those who doe offer to mention that by the helpe of God Almighty the King of England and a righteous government shall be againe restored but they pretend it high treason for any man to say so and vpon this account they murder many of the Kings subjects who are more Noble and Righteous then themselves Neyther in theyr best discourses will they bee ashamed to say Beware least the King deceave you or any body for him saying the Lord is able and will restore vs to our native country and with our neyghbour nations All whome hath beene wonderfully cheated and abused by the hypocriticall shifts and fraud of a generation of Jugglers Neyther will they want brason and whorelike faces to say to other honest men who are not vnder theyr power or Jurisdiction Bee not yee deceaved to thinke that the Lord shall restore againe Charles Stuard to the Crowne and Kingdom of England seing wee have conquered it and wee have forced the Portugall and the Hollanders to doe
what soever wee pleased Isa 36.18.14 and where is the Lord that shall hinder vs And who are the Gods of all these Nations that have delivered their Lands theyr Goods 1. Sam. 22.23 and theyr Shipps from being taken and spoiled by vs Or theyr men from the edge of our sword Wherefore consider this O King and Nation of France and all other good people both hygh and low at home and abroad in whome is eyther courage councell for warrer or the feare of the Lord least that curse come vpon you which came vpon Meroz by the Angell of the Lord Judg. 5.23 not for any act that Meroz had donne but because the inhahitants of that city did not come forth to the helpe of the Lord against the mighty This was a double a bitter curse because the Righteous God doe count him selfe to be slited when men doe forbeare or withould their helpe from the distressed in time of neede when Oppressors are powerfully bent to mischiefe who make no difference betweene Right and wrong Remember what is sayd of such as steale or joyne with theefs Where God saith vnto the wicked what hast thou to doe Psal 50. vers 16.17 18.19 to take my name in thy mouth seeing thou hatest Instructions and casteth my words behind thee when thou sawest a theef thou consentest with him thou givest thy mouth to evill and thy tongue frameth deceite From hence we may see God will not owne those who consent or joyne with theefes And a worse forte of theefes cannot bee then the Rebbells of England because no honest man is ever the better by joyning with such but allways the worse Remember the Inhabitants of Seachem And because God is silent and seemes to take no notice Judges 9.4.5.6.44.45 therefore they thinke that all is well Supposing God to bee like them selves who sayth Now consider this yethat forget God Least I teare you in peeces Vers 21.22 and there bee none to deliver So that you may see that it is more dangerous in regard of the Judgements of God vpon such or as doth hange over the heads or attend vpon such as this evill generation is then the Infamy of the world can bee by farre in regarde of men SIR That which may the more and the rather stirre vp the spirit of your Majesty and your good people against the sayd Rebbells in England Is this First Because in former time in the like case the Kings of England have divers times beene helped or Releeved with Shipping Men 2. Chron. 36 z 2. and Mony from France when the Relation betweene the Kings of France and of England was not so neare as now it is Ezra 1.1 Secondly they that destroy with persecution and murder your best friends will also take occasion to doe the like by your Majesty as soone as they have prepared them helpers like vnto them selves in your Kingdom Thirdly because it is sayd that the Innocent shall stirre vp him selfe against the hypocrite What credite can it bee for your Majesty Job 17.8 or any other that loves Equity to have correspondence in the least with the throne of iniquity that frameth mischiefe by a Law Psal 94.10 Who gather them selves togeather against the soules of the Righteous Psal 94.20.21 and condemne the Innocent bloud Fourthly that which makes my hart even tremble within mee is that these Sonnes of Lucefer have so contrived theyr villonous plots as to cause your Majesty the King of England to fight one against the other as I greatly feare they will bring to passe or that some one or other of his Fathers house at the feare thereof I am greatly troubled I have just cause likewise to thinke that they are also the cause of the continuation of the difference so long betweene your Majesty and your owne Vnkle the King of Spaine by which meanes the Godly and Just indeavours of the Pope and others towards that needefull worke are from time to time blasted and frustrated even of the sayd Pope and many others who are more Just in theyr Demands and more Innocent in theyr Actions then the best of them to wit the Rebbels of England because the feare of God is with them but the sayd Rebbells have fully and longe since many ways approved them selves to be at the least some of those who God is sayd to abhore and to hate which cannot cleare them selves of the gilt of none of these six things which God is said to hate in the 6. of the Proverbs of Salomon Neyther can they ever cleare them selves of the seaventh which is an abomination to the Lord. To wit proud Lookes Lying tonges hands that shed Innocent bloud an hart that deviseth wicked Imaginations feet that bee swift in running to mischiefe a false witnesse that spaketh Lyes And him that soweth discord amongst brethren or emnety betwixt deare friends And who so neare like to the divell as the Robbels of England who hasten them selves to doe all such things Psal 5.6 The Lord will abhirre the bloudy and deceatfull man David is against them that flatter with their tounges neyther is it easy to prove that such are better then Traittors Psal 35. vers 19.20 That same Holy King spake and prayed against such as hated him selfe without a cause who spake not for peace but devised deceatfull matters against them that weare quiet in the Land Two very good Kings were blamed 2. Sam. 19. vers 5.6 the one by the chiefest Generall of his owne Army that he hated his friends and loved his enemies Now it is most certaine that such as doe so doe shame the faces and weaken the hands and sorely greeve the harts of all theyr best friends and most faithfull servants as appeares by Naball 1. Sam. 25.10 the Carmollite Naball rayled at them which had showne kindenesse to him and his And marke how his honest servants behaved them selves in this case Vers 14. who by their relation of David and his Mens behaviour towards them in the field who weare a wall vnto them night and day together with the haste and wisdome of Abygaile theyr Mistres prevented the destruction of all the houshould of Naball Vers 16.17.18 and of all that belonged vnto him For the prevention there of David praysed and blessed the Lord God of Israell and blessed the advise of shee that appeased his Anger which kept him from shedding of bloud and from avenging himselfe with his owne hand Had not Abygaill wisely hasted to meet David who with terms of humillity apeased his anger Vers 31.33.34 there had not one beene left alive that pissed against the wall The second vnto whom the Seer Jehuw the son of Hannania said vnto that good King Jehosophat shouldest thou helpe the vngodly and love or joyne with them that hate the Lord 2. Chron. 19 vers 2. Therefore is wrath vpon thee from before the Lord. O King of
will doe wrong to no man neither are they proud nor contentious nor envious against any man without a cause especially they will bee sure not to abuse or scorne any one whome they know to bee Loving and Faithfull vnto theyr Prince or Master But on the contrary they vvill surely Honour Love and bee very glad of the welfare of all such Thirdly they will Courteously Wisely and Kindly behave them selves at all times towards all men of vvhom they know no hurt not only for good example but theyr continuall indeavour vvill bee to get theyr Prince and Master more and more Friends to the vtmost of theyr povver and more especyally vvhen they know theyr Prince or Master to bee in distresse or stands in need of helpe Much lesse vvill they disoblige any honest man vvhereby they may bring a scandall or reproach vpon his Prince Master or Friend or any of theyr Followers Fourthly They which are so qualefied will have a continuall care to cary them selves Soberly Righteously and Godly and so vvithout offence that all enemyes who are given to Callumniate others Tit. 2.12 may be ashamed vvhen they speake unvvorthyly as of evill doers For it is better 1. Pet. 3.15 16. if the vvill of God be so that ye suffer for vvel-doeing then for evill-doeing It doth exceedingly concerne all Righteous Princes to follow the Example of David King of Israël both in respect of theyr ovvne vvalking vvith God before vvhom they stand as is specefied in the 101. Psalme 1. Kings 18.15 the three first verses It vvould bee exceeding pleasing vnto the King of Kings Gen. 14.19.20 vvho is the most High God Therefore it is convenient for Kings to bee circumspect in all theyr thoughts vvords and actions Ephes 5.15 See then that you walke circumspectly Redeeming the time because the dayes are evill Vers 16. By this meanes God will make you able to quensh and resist all the fiery darts of the wicked Fphes 6.6 to the end It is needfull that all Righteous Princes doe often consider the Example and Resolution of one of the best Kings that ever was in the worlde not onely to Read but vvarily and seriously consider how exactly David resolved concerning those who should serve him or not come in his sight Psal 101. included in the five last verses The carefull practise of this will cause you and all Righteous Princes to finde favour with God and all good men vvhich vvill bee a meanes to make Spyes or men vvho have evill Intentions of them selves or sent by others shortly more and more to absent them selves from the presents of all such Princes Otherwise it vvill bee hard to vvithstand theyr odarious bouldnesse vvho are now adayes growne more shamelesse then those were in the time of Ahashueros the King For though Hamons Wife and all his Friends were so wicked as to advise him at his Complaint tolet a Gallows be set up to hang Mordicai fifty Cubits high yet vvith all they wished himselfe to speak vnto the King for his consent by which it seems they were not so Impudent as to send swarms of Rascallity of theyr owne adherence 1. To the House of Commons 2. vnto the House of Peares as the Rebbels of England did by threatnings to force them to passe a Bill against the Life of the Lord Liftenant of Yreland 3. who presently after pressed into the Kings owne House by force against his will by shamelesse importunity got his Majesty to Signe the same against Lavv Custome or Equity for the taking away of the Life of so Noble a Person to wit the Earle of Strafford to the great griefe of the King himselfe and against his vvill This vvas in the yeare 1641. to the sorrow of many of the Nation Much-lesse did Hamon Esther 5.14 or any of his Party presume or intende to take away the Life of Mordica 2. Kings 2.32 or any of the Iewes vvithout the consent of that King as the fayd Rebbels did after that by the Lord Arch-Bishoppe of Canterberry the Lord Caple the Earle of Darby SIR Charles Lucas and many others of our Nation 2. Sam. 3.39 who were more Righteous and better then themselves Wherefore I pray as sometimes King David did the Lord reward the doers of such evill according to their wickednesse because thereby our present King is weake though a Righteous annoynted King because the Vsurpers of England are as yet too mighty for him meerely by Reason of the differences between other Princes procured or continued by the Contention sowen or occasioned by Crumwell and some of his party As may partly apeare by that innocent bloud which was shed in Portingall who were the occasion that nation Revolted from the King of Spaine as was mentioned by the Portingall Ambassador vnto them selves in England not many yeares since whereof I have beene credeably informed For though the Rebbellion in England was not then in its full strength and Rigour yet there was a resolution thereof in many of the Conspirators longe before as by the helpe and the providence of the Lord shall more fully hereafter appeare Therefore in the behalfe of God Allmighty who some times taketh the wicked in their craftynesse 1. Cor. 3.19 For the Wisedom of this world is foolishnesse with God For it is written he taketh the wise in their owne craftinesse I doe humbly Intreat your Majesty the Nobillety and Godly Cleargy and all the good people of France as all other Righteous Princes Republicks States and Citys at home and abroad That they would bee pleased seariously to consider the sad condition of our present King and of all his Fathers house Psal 11.3 For if the foundations bee destroyed what can the Righteous doe And therfore I vse parte of the words of Mordica vnto Esther the Queene Namely 2. Pet. 2.2 If you doe the will of the Vsinpers afore said and let them goe on in these their pernisious wayes Thinke not with your selves that you or your good people Esther 4.14 shall scape free or speede better then those of our owne and so many other Nations hath done already to wit England Scotland Ierland Portingall the Vnited Provinces of the Netherlands and Spaine All these can witnesse by experience what kinde of Apostels or Saints these Conspirators of England are Neither doth it stand with their condition or safty to leave off this theyr trade as longe as they live for feare least theyr owne doggs or Adherance should plucke the pray out of their teeth and breake theyr jaws in peeces It will bee the wisedome of all them which are not satisfied to search out the trueth of all this like as Jobe in the like case Job 29.17 vers 16.17 saith of himselfe Because I delivered the poore that cryed and the Fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him the cause that I knew not I scarced out therfore the blessing of him that was
ready to perish came vpon jobe Such helpers doth the King the oppressed subjects of England now stand need of See the Example of Daniell and those that were with him that brought the wickednesse of the wicked which they malliciously intended to their neighbour vpon theyr owne head put them to death Thus the Innocent bloud was saved the same day in the 62. verse of the History of Susanna And I have with deliberation observed that it hath all wayes been the custome of the Righteous to set them selves against oppressors as may appeare by the example of Abraham who as soone as he heard that Loth and the people amongst whom hee lyved was taken Gen. 14.14 15.16.17 hee presently Armed his Servants and rescud them without any Prophet to himselfe Secondly Not the Souldiers of Crumwells Army which take vpon them to preach but the Priests shall make an atonement for the sinnes of Ignorance for the soule of the Ignorant before the Lord. But the soul that doth ought presumtuously the same reproacheth the Lord. And that soule shall bee cut off from among his people and it follews Numb 15.28.30.31 because hee hath dispysed the word of the Lord and hath broken his Commandement that soule shall bee vtterly cut off The Ephraëmyts destroyed Oreb and Zob who were vsurpers in Israëll Judges 7.25 Gideon with his three hundred men who desiered bread to refresh his faint and hungery men were obrayded by the men of Sucooth and Penuell Jud. 8. vers 5.6.7.21 yet persued and slew Zebah and Zalmanna And Samuell sayd vnto Agag the Amallakite 1. Sam. 15.33 As thy sword hath made women Childlesse so shall thy Mother bee Childlesse amongst women and Samuell hewed Agag in peeces before the Lord in Gilgall Davids servants whom hee sent to comfort Hannan in kindnesse 2. Sam. 10. vers 6. being reproched and villenously intreated For which David made them to stinke And David slew the men of seaven hundred Charrets of the Assirians and forty thousand horsmen who helped the Amonits Vers 13.14 18.19 By which you may see that wicked men and those that helpe them are oft times distroyed to gether Beware of false Prophets Zachar. 13.4 which come to you in sheeps Clothing or weare a ruffe garment to deceave I meane such who oy crafty and suttle Arguments seeke to make difference betwixt you and your best friends whose friendship you neede and they neede yours Therefore they seeke to worke out their owne ends by the ruying of you and your friends who therefore by Christ are called Ravening wolves And Right well may you know them if by the advise of your vnfained Councell you please to looke backe vpon the fruits of them Matth. 7.15.16 who vnto England and many other Nations hath proved the worst shepheards that ever the world bred Neither are they lesse slacke or negligent in following theyr hurtfull designes then the Pharisees were who compast Sea and Land to make Procelites for their owne vse which Procelites being prevailed withall and instructed by such Conspirators they become two-fould more the Children of hell then themselves Matth. 23.15 These are they who smitte with their tongues partly murdered the King Queen others of the best of the Nation of England as well of Low Jer. 18.18 as of High degrees of men by their mallitious slanders with their tongues 1. Kings 21.9.10 These are those sons of Beliall like those who boare false witnesse against Naboth the Ieserellite for the taking away his Life and his Inheritance Such were they who by the Conspirators of England and the false Prophets together were incouraged against the Duke of Buckingam and his Mother and it seems were imployed to murder Doctor Lambe by day in the streets of London Acts 7.52.57.58.59.60 with stones like Stephen the Marter And the fore said Lords Canterberry and Strafford these and many others of the most emenent and faithfullest of all the Kings Subjects were murdered by the false Accusors First in their Honour And Secondly their Lives by wicked hands by the contrivance of their Leadors which caused them to erre Iesa 3.12 who distroy the way of theyr path Neither will theyr conscience sticke to make Marchandise of you 2. Tim. 3.3 and your people if you take not heede in time and make such a peace as you can with your owne Vnckle the King of Spaine these are the Men that sell the Subjects of theyr owne gratious King for handfuls of Barly and peeces of bread to slay the soules that should not dye for feare least they should gather together to call the Traitors in question for their Theft Treason Murder against the King the Nation of England they save alive the soules that should not live because in matter of trust Ezek. 13.19 they dare not confide in any other but who are Children of wickednesse like themselves and have made shipwracke of a good conscience in some measure like the Conspirators them selves Consider this all ye who are Lovers of Equity doe expect to find mercy in time of need who reverence the God of trueth who would not bee as them that mocked the Messengers of God and dispised his Word vntill the wrath of God did arise so that there was no Remedy lest 2. Chron. 36.16 For there shall bee judgement mercylesse to them that have showne no mercy Remember the dubble and the bitter cursses of Meras and the Inhabitantes thereof 2. Iames 3.13 Cursse ye Meras saith the Angell of the Lord Cursse ye bitterly the Inhabitants thereof Because they came not to the helpe of the Lord Iudg. 5.23 against the mighty And that the King and the Kingdome of France and all other Princes States and Cities may prevent them selves and their good Subjects from the like cursse it were an exceellent thing 2. Chron. 20.3 that your Majesty your Nobillity and your Reverent Archbishops and the rest of your Learned Cleargy of France would set them selves first to seeke the Lord as Jehosophat set him selfe And without delay advise with others of your Subjects Friends and Brethrem whom God hath been pleased to blesse with Courage Wisedom and Learning the feare of the Lord and with harts that are content with what they Justly possesse and that such men may bee forthwith appointed by the King Nobillity and Cleargy as afore sayd diligently to inquier and search out the matter how why and by whome some of the Kingdome of France have joyned with the Oppressors and Troublors of all good Christians and who are aproved enemies vnto the King and the best of his people and vnto all his most vnfained friends and that they would make it their businesse to finde our where this cursed Serpent lyes hid who hath procured all this mischiefe against those that gladly would live in peace The Righteousnesse of Jobe cloathed him and his judgement was as a
beware of Intangling your selves with such Rebbells So shall you by the blessing of the Lord preserve your lives and Estates long in peace O you that may doe good against the Oppressors doe it quickly and with your Might For there is no worke nor devise nor knowledge nor Wisdome Eccles 9.10 in the grave whether you goe Now consider what I say and the Lord give you vnderstanding to doe that which is good For what can it profit a man 2. Tim. 2.7 though he should devide the spoyle with them or bee inriched by brybes or gaine the whole world Mark 8.36 and loose his owne soule Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soule Let not him that is or may bee deceaved trust in vanity for vanity shall bee his recompence and the congregation of hypocrits shall bee dissolate and fier shall consume the Tabernacles of bribery They conceave mischiefe Job 15.32.34.35 and bring forth vanity and theyr belly prepareth deceat Wherfore I say againe beware of doggs beware of evill workers beware of the Conspirators of England and so I humly take my leave for this time SIR and SIRS It is not for any thing that I have lost of my owne in England though I have suffered enough elsewhere but it is chiefly to disburden my Conscience of what I have yet to say By this the world may observe that the Vsurpers of England have by violence removed such as were in power so that no Justice can bee done by them though they were lawfully called to the Government neyther will the Conspirators them selves relieve the Oppressed by Justice though they bee earnestly sought vnto To doe any thing that is good they have neyther will nor courage But theyr study is onely for evill and mischiefe wronge and opression and that continually as may apeare out of what is before mentioned namely the complaint which I made to the Protector of the Army and some others in England in March last Therefore it is of great necessity that all men take speciall heed of these slye secret and cunning deceavors because they by misleading and seducing the people of England within it selfe so by forms and showes of hollynesse as by plausable and faire pretences of indeavoring that Justice and Judgment may take place just like Absolom 2. Sam. 15.2.3.4.5.6 Who seemed to bee Religious as they doe vers 7. But it was to Conspire against the King and the Kingdome as the Rebbels of England have done Then of a sudden they set them selves against such as by the providence of God and the favour of the King and the Law of the Land were set over them First by notorious slaunders in private against such as were farre more honest and Emenent then any of them selves Secondly in a more open and Impudent maner they stird vp many of the meanor sort of people to bee contentious and envious like vnto them selves To wit the Absoloms and the Achithophells against those who it had pleased God to set over them so that theyr very name and savour stanke in the nostrills of all that first discovered theyr cursed plottings Thirdly they have most grosly sedused and beguyld all other Protestants abroad in other Nations yet to my owne knowledge many whereof namely of severall other nations are neyther Cheats Theeves Juggelors nor busy bodies as the Rebbells of England and some of Schotland are as they for many years together have been Yet like Rabshekahs with bould whorelike faces they adresse or assotiate themselves with all Protestants who are Godly harmles at home abroad as if there were no difference betweene the good Protestants of other Contryes that Generation of Tyrants Theeff Murderors in England yet by their fauning colloging together with theyr Lies they have mis-informed and corrupted the mindes of such as would tremble to thinke of doing such things as the Rebbells of England have done yet the mallice of them have caused the other that is to say some Protestants abroad for to Judge amisse of those who are fare more Righteous and harmlesse then any of those who are full of all subtilty by whom to the great greefe of my hart many Protestants of other countryes have beene mis-informed and deceaved I dovnfainedly acknowledge my selfe to bee a Protestant but my faith is not strong enough to beleeve that the name of a Protestant can Justify mee before God if I conspire eyther against Catholickes or Protestants for to murder them or to take away theyr Good Names or Estates all which the Rebbells of England have by fraude and violence done to both and which is worsse to my sorow I finde my selfe to be past hope ever to see any remorce or amendement in the sayd conspirators who accustome them selves to contrive and delight in mischiefs Who cause strife and debate between frind and frind Isai 58.4 betwixt Parents and Children and betwixt Man and Wife Who fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickednesse Vers 6. The fast that I have chosen saith the Lord is to loose the bands of wickednesse to vndoe the heavy burden and to let the opressed goe free and to breake every yoake But the Rebbells of England by fraud and strong delusions have Murdered their betters with their tounges and wicked hands and taken away the Estates from the fatherlesse and the Widdows vnlesse some small matter they leave to some yet hardly so much as will keepe them alive in regard of the quallety in which they have formerly lived and by the helpe of their hypocritecall Army who have beene instructed and bred by seditious Parents and by some other factious famelyes as by some scismaticall Ministers who for their bellys and filthy lucers sake Rom. 16.18 and by creeping or sneaking into houses have by faire speeches or fanning words deceaved the harts of the simple Where they were not able to seduce men they would cast in theyr poyson where they found silly women who by them were leade away captive 2. Tim. 3.6 such as were laden with divers lusts and by their meanes become contentious against their husbands And these sedusors and their followers are they who have constantly and wickedly incouraged and aplauded the sayd Army who like Doeg the Edomite serve the Conspirators even as Spyes and Informors against the peaceable and tender harted men of England 1. Sam. 22.9.18 whose consciences serve them not to bee Rebbells against their lawfull King and Nation because their soules abhorre it and so doth mine And by the help of the said Armye have Crumwell and his consorts murdered the Fathers and the Pillers of our country vpon whom vnder God the peace and prosperity of England rested And by whose Industrons care the lives liberties and Estates of our Nation of all degrees were in safety 1. Pet. 2.13 14.15 so long as God and the King and those who were sent by him were obayed according
to the Laws of God our Land But these dog-like Edomites have murdered the Kings subjects by sea and land at home and abroad by selling them vnto Turks or the like And had Saull now 85. Priests of the Lord that hee would have betrayed and murdered though some refused it when time was yet hee should not want such as would doe it so long as Crumwells Army is in armes in England neither did Innocence deliver those in whom it was found neither persons of High or Low degree who perished by the hands of a company of villans and Tyrants though Innocent faithfull and blamelesse 1. Sam. 22. from the 13. to the 20. vers These troubellors of Christendom hath sent away many a thousand of our finest jong men as well of sea-men as others and jounge Children of honest parents as it is reported both of late and long agoe by spirits of the Rebbells Adherance and by the meanes and consent of the Conspirators some were slayne and others never returned againe And some were hanged because they refused to beare armes against their King and against their owne Consciences Not onely by the power of the Rebbells at home but vnder the command of foraine Princes abroad who by the Rebbells were sent away as captives even as carried away by the Turkes in time of warre And now their Army which consists of home-bred vermon by whose meanes all this and much more evill hath beene donne vnto out King and Nation who are shamlesse busi-bodyes 1. Tim. 14.1 as well as seducing spirits and doe harden their faces as it were with steele as apeares by their bould Intrusion and their dogg-like Lurking not only in Germany and all the Neatherlands and many other places where Godly Protestants doe reside But even in Catholicke Contries and they have the Impudence to come into the Court of their owne King though they have murdered his Father and forced his Majesty out of his owne Dominions And they pretend to bee Prophets and say they are sent and I beleeve they are sent by Crumwell or some of his prime Creaturs they say as Prophets but I suppose as Spies Wherefore I humbly and earnestly intreat your Majesty the King of France Zach. 13.4 and all good Christians high and low to beware of these false Prophets of Crumwells Army or others of his creatures though they should come vnto you in a ruffe garment 4. Cor. 11.14.15 or in sheeps clothing or how ever they may hyde their teeth disguise or transforme them selves yet I am sure it will not be easy for them to remove their ravening and wolfe-like harte Therefore it is Requisite that you bee very circumspect how you have to doe with Crumwell or any of his Impes I say remember their former fruits and take heed in time least when it is too late you wish that you had taken the advise of him who desiers the continuation of your honour peace and safty These fellows doe find them selves to bee counted as dung or as so many stinking karings and therefore are abhored by their owne and other nations which makes them continually vigelent day and night to aply them selves vnto the arte of subtilty for to make parties for them selves amongst your people and others by corrupting their minds by Lyes and other deceavings which will prove litle to the comfort of you and your friends at the last It is not for any profit or reward that I have receaved from your Cuson the King of England neither doth hee take any more notice of mee then of the meanest person in all the world neither doth hee know this day the least of my Intentions for his Majesty and his Fathers house Yet I cleave vnto the Lord our God and vnto all such who are opressed by vsurpers But I abhorre the pollicy and the procedings of those who are in combination with the devill But of this by Gods assistance more at large hereafter In the meane time trust not in lying words which cannot profit abhorre those that steale murder sweare falsely and yet stand in the house that is called by the name of the Lord. As if it were possible for serpents to become saints whereas they are vndoubtedly farre worse then a denne of Robbers Jer. 7.8.9.10.11 But remember you to looke to your selfe and your people in time because the eyes of the Lord doth runn to and fro through the whole Earth to show him selfe strong in the behalfe of them 2. Chron. 16.9 whose harts are perfect towards him Joab vsed strong and as loving arguments as any friende or Subject could possible doe vnto his Prince for to perswade the King from what hee had conceaved amisse or from what hee was resolved to doe contrary to the will of God but the King rejected the advyse of his Servant Joab and shortly after confest it to bee his folly and cryed out That hee was in a great straight God graunt your Majesty doe not so See 2. Sam 24. verses 3.10 and likewise the 14. SIR and SIRS It doth highly behove you to stirre up your selves warely and diligently to resist and prevent the power and the hellish intentions of the Conspirators of England who are Sons of Beliall 1. Kings 24.9.10.12 13. verses 1. Sam. 2.12 who know not the Lord as were the Sons of Ely Or like those false witnesses which accused Naboth the Iezreelite of Blasphemy as in other kinds the Sons of Beliall did by the King and others in England neither doe they seeme lesse nor more holy then Iesabell for shee proclaimed a Fast as they vse to doe vvhen they intend mischiefe By vvhich you may see it to bee needfull for you to looke to theyr Water in time otherwise know for certaine they vvill be unto your people and to all others vvho are not like them selves as snares and traps as scurges in your sides and thornes in your eyes Neither vvill the Lord subdue them under you If you give them longer opportunety to inveagle and defile the minds of your people with their poysonous leaven because hardly a word passeth from them but it is infectious Bee pleased to marke the 23. of Joshua 13. Give no heed vnto any thing they say or pretend but make Peace vvith your Unkle the King of Spain Consider vvith your faithfull Councell and Cleargy vvho loves Iustice Equity and Iudgement and so thinke of a vvay to comfort and releeve your Cuzon the King of England and his Fathers House This vvill prove vnto your Majesty such a degree of Wisedome as vvill bring Honour and Praise vnto all your good People and get you Favor vvith God and all good Men. By this the eare that heareth you vvill blesse you and the eye that seeth you will give witnesse vnto you because you will thereby cause the Widdow to sing for joy Neither can any better imploy his Monics and his Endevours Job 29.11.12.13 then by exercising and doeing those things
other Nations I wonder then why the same tittle of being Souldiers of Fortune should not Iustifie Theeves and rued fellows which by night sett houses on fier Robbe Churches Banks of Exchanges the houses of Marchants and others for which Crimes all suth Theeves that can be taken are forced to suffer at the Gallows and such as Crumwel and his Consorts who hath donne a thousand times more mischiefe against God and man then any such Theeves and yet they escape And it seemes the only Reason thereof is because their Party with the helpe of that Army is so strong that they can not bee aprehended which the Rebbells Compell the Kindome to paye against the King and them selves and because the souldiers shoud not in time set them selves against the Conspirators therefore they at the charge of the Country give them as good as dubble paye â—ll things being considered Also the strength of their subtilty is of such force as that they have from time to time not onely prevailed with many to Iustefie them the said Rebbells But even to joyne with them against Opressed Peaceable and Innocent men so that besydes them selves they have caused good men to erre in helping them in that which was evill Therefore I say of them as good ould Jacob sayd by his two gracelesse Sons They are Instruments of Cruelty Oh my soule come not thou into the secret of their Assembly bee not thou vnitted vnto such men for in their woolfe-like anger they have slaine the King himselfe and many more and that in their selfe will Cursed bee their anger for it was fierce for the spoile Gen. 49.5.6.7 and their wrath which did and doth consist of Cruelty Which hath caused many an honest hearted man of England and Schotland to bee Dispised and Reviled by other Nations by Sea and Land who had no hand at all with the Conspirators but haue beene constantly greeued for their malicious tyrany Yet it is not ane asie matter to make those of other Nations to vnderstand who is gilty and who is free wherefore such as my selfe continues subject to bee blamed and some times other wayes troubled for what the Rebbells have done namely for killing the Iust and taking possession who have also devided the spoile among the Officors of the Army and the like of them 1. Kings 21 19. Neither will they ever cease from condemning and killing the Iust vntill it shall please God to stir vp men of Courage to subdue them For they have killed James 5.6 and Condemned the Iust and that in divers kindes neither are those that are left Ren. 9.18 able to resist because they have an Army of their owne breeding who like young Wolves the oulder they grow the more hard-hearted and wicked they are especially the Officors thereof and some others such-like who like vnto Argile some of the Leshlies and others of Scotland who for the greedynesse and the pride of their owne hartes hath brought their severall Nations into a condition almost as if they were solde for slaves These things have grieved mee long and very fore because the Lies and subtilty of these Murderors should be of that strength force and longe Continuance as yet still so to blinde the mindes of some of our owne and other Nations that to this day they doe not vnderstand the mannor or way of their preparations vnto the Rebbellion in England at the beginning nor the Arte of the proceedings of the said Conspirators ever since For besides their pernicious pretences needlesse jealosies slanderings backbitings against those who by God the King and the Staet were Lawfully set ever them as of many of their hurtfull Lies which are yet unmentioned they have done much evill by this which followes to witt The King of Spaine being destressed by Reason of a longe warre with the high and mighty Lords the Staets Generall of the Vnited Provences and about twenty yeares a goe the King of France was provoked or moved to make warre against the King of Spanie on the other side of his Country to wit against Artoyes and West-Flanders which were Invaided by the Armyes of the King of France therefore the King of Spaine was greatly constrained to send a strong Fleet to the Coast of Flanders for to Land there Men and Mony for the preservation of those Contryes which at that time were in danger to bee wholly lost Which Fleet having had a long and a sore fight with a considerable Fleet of the Lords the States aforesayd When they came neare the Length of Dover there met them 10. or 12. more lusty Men of Warre belonging to the foresayd Vnited Provinces and the Spanish Fleet having many hurt Men in their Shippes and their Powder and Shot being almost spent were there by necessitated to put into the Downes from which the Conspirators of England who then lay in waite to make use of all Advantages by the suggestions and lyes they caused many to beleeve that the Spanish Fleet came into the Downes with an Intent to conquor England and that by the Consent of our own King And by this malicious wilde they stird up selfe-ended Men like them selfes and others who understood not the businesse against the King and the State of England for to make way for their cursed Rebellion which they then intended First As it apeares by that their Calamerous Contention against the King and the State for punishing of those three presumptions Firebrands to wit Prin Burton and Bastwicke by whose pernicious Impudence thousands were stird vp to trouble and disturbe not onely the King Church and State but also the whole Nation Secondly As it further apeares by that those Traytors of Scotland which were like vnto those in England who by a wicked and a forced Combination some of that Nation were deceaved and stird vp as Traitors to Invade England without and against the Consent of the King and the State and against the Will and Consent of many of the Nation of Scotland who would not make Covenants and sware falsely as others that were Traytors Hosea 12.5 did Who have caused Iudgement to spring vp as Hemlocke Wherefore such as were vnwilling were threatned to bee Plundered and some of them have since beene Imprisoned and Murdered Thirdly As the Marqueses of Huntly Muntros and others And that which should have beene first when those distressed Subjects of the King of Spayne their Shippes being suddenly contrary to their expectation suncke and fiered who escaped drownding and the Sword of the Hollandors who were then their Enemies in the yeare 1638. Being at Peace with vs they came into the Downes to refresh and to fit them selves for the Reasons afore sayd and in that their great destresse by swimming and other wayes made hard shift for to get to shore to save their lives some of them who were Innocent and harmlesse men were by some of the Conspirators or some of their Adherance Barbarously Murdered in time of
the presumption of the Rebbells was so extreame against his Majesties Person and his Subjects that it could no longer bee induered for them selves doe know that his Majesty was bound in conscience by his Oath and by the Law of the Land to defend the Ministers of Church and State and all other peaceable and obedient subjects so longe as possibly hee could And for somuch as concernes the Kings Councell his Servants and all others that pretend to adheare vnto his Majesty my prayers vnto God Allmighty the desires of my hart and the cryings of my spirit not vnto the God of Rebbells but vnto the Lord of Heaven is more then any man vpon the face of the earth doe know as in Exod. 14.15 That every man high and low may aprove himselfe before God who knowes the hartes of men who sees and takes notice of the actions to bee men that feare and serve God such as love and indeavor with all theyr might to execute Justice and Judgement for all maner of persons as well for the small as the great as it is in the Word of the Lord. Deut. 1.17 And the Lord graunt that every one may bee such as to scorne and abhorre Flattering Bribes and Treason Thou shalt not wrest Judgement Deut. 16.19 thou shall not Respect persons neyther take a gift for a gift doth blinde the eyes of the Wise and pervert the words of the Righteous That which is al-together Just Vers 20. shalt thou follow that thou mayest live and inherit the Land which the Lord thy God giveth thee The Lord make all the Kings Subjects milde kinde and curteous one towards another that the Rebbells may not bee able to say any thing that is evill against them And the Lord give vs all grace and wisdome from the highest to the lowest that wee may bee wary that neither Rebbels nor no man deceave vs with vayne words for because of these things cometh the wrath of God vpon the Children of disobedience Bee not therefore partakers with such for the fruit of the spirit is in all Goodnesse Righteousnesse and Trueth See then that you walke circumspectly Redeeming the time because the dayes are evill Eph. 5.6.7.9 â—0 15.16 and never worse then now and that by reason of Crumwell and his Adherents who make the best men weary of their lives whom the oppressed most stand need of By this shall all men know that ye who pretend to bee for the King and the Country of England doe come out of an honest and good Intention if you constantly love all men who are of Godly conversation For the King needs no Desemblors Cheats Proude Scornfull nor Contentious persons neither can his present condition despence with such because if any such should bee in or about his Courte or in his Majesties Armies Ezec. 3 20. as in the 2. Revel vers 13.14 they will prove worsse then the plague or the canket in any mans body And if men prove constantly faithfull to God and their King and delight to bee continually in Peace Love and good will one towards another and withall bee vigelent and continually wachtfull and beware of Lurcking or Sneaking Curres which the Rebbells have or will send amongst you Therefore you that by expeperience know the fidelety one of a nother associate your selves often together and take notice of such busie-bodies as indeavor to make differences strife and envie among men and marke such who falsly accuse any person whether hee bee of High or Low degree and those who indeavor to discharge others from cleaving vnto the King and serving his Majesty in this his extremety Neither will you finde any better way to bring the Rebbells vnto dispaire then by the meanes aforesayd and by causing them to spend their Labors and Monies in vaine Finally My Brethren fare-well bee Perfect and Courageous bee of good comforte bee of one minde live in peace and the God of Love and Peace shall bee with you For if you should in the least give way or any regard vnto such Spies 2. Cor. 13.11 as are imployed by the Rebbells whose custome have allwayes beene to sowe mischeefe contention and discord amongst such as hate Rebbellion And if you by their meanes suffer your selves to bee stired vp to unquiet or disturbe one another take heed that you bee not consumed one of another For this would make the seducing spirits in England who cleave vnto the Rebbells for Reward or for a share of the pray to blaspheame the Lord of Heaven to his face in their Pulpits and they will presumptuously pretend the God of the oppressed to bee the God of Rebbells And First by the way remember this That if by any of the Kings Servants who have receaved Promotion great benefit Subsistance and the Kings favour such Commanders and Souldiers as have willingly vpon their owne charge ventured their Lives and lost their Estates or any such as otherwayes have constantly and with their whole harte and might and that by their great expence and over-throw of their fortunes and subsistance and ever since the begining of the Rebbellion by trueth and experimentall arguments have allwayes stroven to defend maintaine and Justefie the King and all who were faythfull in Authority vnder him to the vndeceaving and Rightly informing of such as were by the Rebbells and their Adherance Malliciously stirred vp against the King and such as were faithfull in Authority who in duty and for conscience sake indeavored to doe God and the Kingdome service As also many good men of Forraine Nations have beene from time to time grosly and wonderfully deluded and bitterly stirred vp by the Lies of the Conspirators against the King and his best Subjects whose slanderous reports have beene constantly discovered and resisted by such as feared God and vtterly abhorred Rebbellion and falsehood to the great satisfaction of many strangers who have been mis-informed by the Conspirators and their Adherants concerning or against the Justnesse of the Kings cause And if the Conspirators can by any means prevaile with such of the Kings Officors or Servants which are in place for to bring such Commandors Souldiors and such others as is before mentioned wrongfully into disgrace by falsehoode and Lies first devised and forged by the Rebbells or their Adherance or if they can cause any such to bee scorned slighted or otherwayes troubled by such as are in favour with the King this will cause the Rebbells to Insult and glory the more though it bee their owne shame and a great mischiefe of their owne contriving this will prove the fainting of all honest harts and the weakening of the hands of such as have yet hope and courage if they can by Brybes secreat wickednes or other devellish artes cause the Kings best Friends and subjects to bee loftily or scornfully looked vpon And if such who never receaved any subsistance reward or benefit shall for their good will continuall paines and expences bee Rewarded with
evill for good this will bee next vnto a deaths-wound vnto the King and will make the hartes of all his most faithfull Friends and Subjects farre and neare to faint mourne and greeve when they heare of such things And the Rebbells doc knowe that there is no such way to disharten and dis-ingage the Kings friends and cause them to leave him and all his Fathers house in his greatest need neither is there any such way for to stirre vp God and Man to bee the Kings enemies then for to render evill for good vnto them who have vnfainedly served him and made them selves odious in the eyes of all the Kings profest and secraet enemies for God Conscience and his Majesties sake and the good of the Nation This caused King David to cry out in the eares of Saule his Master in these words 1. Sam. 24.12 the Lord Judge betweene mee and thee and the Lord avenge mee of thee No man need to thinke that the Rebbells will bee so foolish as to send any knowne or profest Rogue for to worke out their businesse in this kinde but they will make vse of some selfe-ended fellows who one time or other have pretended to serve the King and such who hath the arte to cut a mans purse at the same time when hee laffeth in his face or like Judas when they seeme to bee most zelous and have the bouldnesse and the Impudence to associate them selves with such as they certainly know to bee the Kings friends and by that meanes get what seacrets they can not onely to betray the Kings businesse but also their owne friend and brother to the presumptuous enemies And like vnto the ould proverbe this wickednesse proceedeth from the wicked 1. Sam. 24 15. and hacht by the Conspirators in England Though some-times acted abroad as well as at home The Lord therefore bee Judge 1. Chro. 12.33 and plead the cause betweene all those who are not of a dubble harte against those who are proud scornfull and false-harted towards those The Tribe of Zebalon whose harts and Indeavors have ever been for the glory of God the honour of the King and for the prosperity peace and safety of all obedient subjects in whose eyes a vile person is contemned espesially Traytors and notoroius Rebbells But honoureth them with his whole harte Psal 15.4 that feare the Lord. Wherefore bee pleased to consider how needfull a thing it is for all such as enjoy the Kings favour who subsist or get benefite by him that they carefully take heed to resist and avoyd the stratagems of those who secreatly endeavour to provoke them to bee a terror and a burden vnto those who ever-more have indeavored the honour of the King by whom they subsist as also longed for their happy and prosperous returne into their Native country 2. Sam. 22.28 And remember that the eyes of the Lord are vpon the hauftie to bring them downe and who will save the afflicted people My hart is not haufty nor mine eyes lauftie saith David in the Psal 131. vers 1. Bee sure that all who are bent vpon mischiefe will seeke to crosse others in any thing that is good scornefull men bring a Citie into a snare but wise men turne away wrath The blood-thirsty hate the vpright but the Just seekes his soule Forget not this master-peece of the Rebbells pollicy that they will vse all meanes possible to get the Rulor Proverb 29.8.10.12 and such as are in favour and trust to harken to Lies then they will declare and publish that all his servants are wicked Such are they who to day will seeme to power out their soules before you and hugge you as their bosom-friend and to morow will deride you and lauffe you to scorne Thinke it not strange that I mention such things vnto you seeing to my sorow I have met with such my selfe Now let the wisdome of the Reador be this to avoyde and advise his friend to stand cleare in time and shunne such as cause divisions offences Rom. 16.17 contrary to the doctrine that good men teach bee sure that you follow not the evill example of those that revyle the Gods Exod. 22.28 and who scorne and curse the Rulor of the people But such as know or vnderstand the wickednesse of Rebbells and yet faune and conceale it that is almost as bad as the former Act. 23.4 for if notorious Tyrants who are knowne to the world to be but Vsurpors at the best shall dare to take vpon them to murder men for what they pretend have been concealed as intended against them though it bee every mans duty for to bend his minde and indeavor to discover what hee can of the Intentions proceedings of such Opressors as the Traitors which now beare Rule in England are who are nothing a shamed all this while of being Gods and their Countries enemies A wise man scaleth the Citie of the mighty and casteth downe the strength of the confidence therof Proud and haufty scornor Prov. 21.22.24 is his name who dealeth in proud wrath Therefore blessed is the man that walketh not in the Councel of the vngodly nor standeth in the way of sinners nor sitteth in the seat of the scornfull but his delight is in the Law of the Lord. The lauftie and proud lookes of men shall bee humbled and the hauftinesse of men shall be bowed downe Jsa 2.11.12 And every one that is lifted vp shall be brought low One would thinke that this were sufficient for every one that remembers his latter end or considers that he hath a soule to save Deut. 32.29 that it is now high time to shunne and abhorre those who have defiled them selves by treason and the blood of Innocence and yet bouldly stands out in defiance of all those whome they have most offended to wit the Lord of Heaven the King and Country of England and other Nations belonging there-vnto besides Neighbour Nations who also were our friends even as now they are And that the Conspirators have aproved them selves to be past shame doth apeare by the odatious bouldnesse of John Milton in his answer vnto the booke of the Learned Salmasius which doth consist of presumptions scornings Lies and revilings and doth as it were declare that hee had forgotten that there is a Righteous God in Heaven For the sayd Milton doth show in that booke that there is no more feare of God left in him in that he hath despised and controdicted the Worde of the Lord for it is sayd I Councell thee to keepe the Kings Commandement and that in Regard of the oath of God Bee not hasty to goe out of his sight stand not in an evill thing for hee doth what soever pleaseth him Where the worde of a King is there is Power Eccles 8.2.3 and who may say vnto him what doest thou vnlesse it bee such gracelesse Rebbells Pro. 20.2 who will neither obay God
vnder the hand of Mr. Hengh Pieters Minister dated the 17. day of Iune 1634. For the clearing mee of a false Accusation then layd to my charge an other was the Copy of an Act vnder the hands of the Lords of Rotterdam to show that I was a free Broker and the third was a Copy of an Act that I had from the Company my Masters to the intent that Crumwell might vnderstand that I desired nothing but what was as Just as the Cloathes on my back and rather farre shorter then one or two over I signefyed also vnto the said Crumwell that whether the mony were payed or not that I expected nothing neyther would accept of any thing from him or any of his party but from my Masters aforesayd vnder whom I had sufferd and to this purpose I wrote vnto him SIR I hope your Highnesse will grant that though Power and Impudence by violence There is a longer explication of this in Folio 58. drive honest and harmlesse men from their Right and quiet being yet you will not deny but that it is lawfull for men who are opprest and spoyld for to vse the best meanes they can towards the obtaining of Reparation or Restitution as it shall please the Lord to give power or opportunety And I doe comfort my selfe in the Lord my God as some times David did who I hope will gratiously favour my Righteous cause 1. Sam 30.6 neyther hath hee left mee wholy without hope Though I must confesse it sometimes pleaseth God for to suffer lyes craft tyranny and falshoode to prosper and to continew longe Daâ— 8.25 SIR If I should make such a greevous complait without Just and very extreame cause how should I then expect the God of equity to bee on my side or who can I expect shall helpe mee in time of need I hope the Lord will not suffer vayne thoughts for to lodge with in mee nor any evill thing which I blame in others To my sorrow I know that by violence framed and shamelesse Arguments as by other vnlawfull proceedings oft-times a bad cause is kept too long on foote yet that doth not make a bad cause good because it is contrary vnto equity and because the God of Just men is of purer Eyes then to behould evill and who can not looke vpon iniquity vnlesse it bee in his good time to punish such as deale treacherously Habak 1.13 and such as holde their tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more Righteous then hee SIR seeing that my last hope I have left of ever Recovering the sayd somme of Mony is only by the helpe of your Highnesse my sufferinge namely in my person and good name as in matter of my subsistance have beene very great of three twenty yeares continuance Wherefore blame mee not though I earnestly seeke Reparation by such meanes or possibillities as God is pleased to aforde mee I doe most humbly Confesse that I am very large and tedious and you shall doe well to Consider the extremety of my being necessetated herevnto I further signefied vnto the sayd Crumwell besides my greevances at large comprehended in divers Articles as is a foresayd that in case hee did not cause mee to have Iustice as aforesayd seeing that power is in his hand that hee might perceave that I did intend to doe that which would bee very vnwelcom to him and vnto many of his Party and I also added parte of my grounds or Reasons wherfore I would doe it as followeth SIR I doe most humbly show vnto your Highnesse Verbatum that for these many yeares together I have been very much greeved at the proceedings of your Highnesse the Army and others of your Party against the Worde of God the King the Church the Lawes Nation of our Land And that ever since the troubles of England by the Conspiracy of you your Partye as heereafter more at large first began in which time many thousands of the best and most peaceablest famelyes are ruened also by the slight of men and that long in secret my most beloved Nation hath beene in a most wonderfull manner stirred vp and set one against another by such as were the enemies troublers of our Nation so at home as from abroad by which Cursed meanes aboundance of blood have beene spilt for which my soule hath constantly mourned in secreat Jer. 13.12 For which Cause and for other Reasons that I must as yet conceale I have spoken much against the Person and Proceedings of your Highnesse and some others of your Party which by the helpe of the most high God shall be knowen shortly in publicke or in private which I have intended this many yeares but hetherto I have kept it still private vnlesse vpon occasion some wordes darkely have past from mee because I have greatly and alwayes longed to see or heare of a Righteous settlement in England without discovering my selfe and as yet onely my prayers to God Almighty have been my best Indeavours to that purpose And SIR much at convenient time and place I have to say without any wrong or prejudice vnto any others also it will concerne you and many of your Party to know the same in private before it comes in publicke to the world because thereby your evill savour will yet be much more knowne then ever it was or hath been as yet This is the Copye of a Letter from mee to Crumwell the Arch-Rebbell being word for word The Copye of another Letter inclosed to the sayde MR. Streckland for the sayd Crumwell Dated the 28. of March 1657. in Bridges and sent by the ordinary Post by way of Dunkirke For your Highnesse to wit the most vallient Oliver Crumwell Lord Protector of the Army and some others in great Brittaine and Jerland This is also verbatum SIR I doe humbly agayne give you notice that I did write vnto you from Middlebourgh and Flushing in Zeland by one Iohn Simmons a Shippe-Carpentor dwelling neare Noahs Arke not farre from the Millstayres in Horsydowne London Certaine papers of Consequence bearing date the 20. of Feb last But for want of a speedior passage I dated other papers the third and the fourth of March old stile Also I wrote vnto Mr. Hugh Pieters Mr. Walter Streckland to Sir Henry Vaine all whom doe know mee or some times have knowne mee but MR. Pieters Minister best of any of them SIR The Contents of the sayd papers are as followeth I having served the Company of Marchants Adventurors of England some times Residing in Delfe and Rotterdam since the yeare 1634. and though I humbly doe and shall ever Acknowledge many of my sayd Masters both of the first of the last of their Worships some were as good Masters vnto mee as I could wish or desier them to bee yet others of their sayd Worships who were towards me disaffected from the begining of 1634. have from time to time caused my Life
and Harte to bee very full of bitternesse which hath beene vnto mee exceeding prejudiciall and greevous and doth consist not onely of denying mee of Iustice vpon severall ocasions against several slanderous abusive persons who by some of the sayd Company were partly or wholy incouraged if not from time to time Imployed and set on against mee as also I have beene wonderfully blamed as a mallicious fellow for suing for Iustice without which I saw it to be vnpossible ever to bee quiet The want wherof caused the evill-doers to bee the more Insolent and many others afterwards by Reason of the evill example of the first three and I have often by severall of my sayd Masters most wrongfully beene accused in the like kinde I say by divers of themselves though from the first to the last never any thing at all hath beene proved against mee Also the Injurijs and violence hath beene so extreame and continuall against mee as I shall humbly show when it shall bee Requiered of mee that I went three severall times to the Hage to complaine vnto Mr. Olyver Synjohns Mr. Walter Streckland when they were there as Ambassadors for to Intreat them to move the Company in my behalfe but for feare of giving my Masters great distast thereby and by Reason of some difference betweene Mr. Streckland and my selfe about the Ingagement which I refused in 1650 neither was Sterckland content with mee vpon those two Considerations I did forbeare because I have since in sundry kindes beene greatly abused and all other hopes of Reparation now failing my humble desier is that by the Indeavor and power of your Highnesse I may have payed mee by my sayd Masters Resedent now in Dordricht the full somme or valew of 200. pounds starling to mee or my Assiges in Bridges within thirty dayes after the 10. of March 1656. ould stile for the Reasons specefied at large in the sayd papers before mentioned sent by the said Simmons vnto your Highnesse who arived at London the 11. day of this month of March. SIR this I entreat of you because the power of our Land is now principally in your hand and because your Will and Word hath beene as it were a Law in many other things of farre greater consequence but if you doe it not to be payd to mee within the time mentioned I intend by the helpe and the Devine Providence of that same God Jsa 1.4 which it seemes many of your party have forsaken Or else they know him not 1. Sam. 2.12 I shall I say by the speciall assistance afore sayd shortly make such things knowne to the world as that neyther your Highnesse nor some of your helpers will bee at all willing to heare of Concerning the proceedings of you some of your Party in these last 20. years together against that parte of our Nation who most Inclined to peace trueth and meeknesse and it may bee by the helpe afore sayd in short time by my meanes some of the same Creatures who have been begotten by the troublers of England bred vp vnder some of your owne party may happily come to byte you and some others But if the sayd two hundred pounds starling bee payd vnto mee or my Assignes in Bridges in Flanders before the 10. of Aprill 1657. old style I shall not onely deferre the same which I otherwise by the grace of God intend but also I shall by the helpe of the most High indeavour to show you or some whom you shall be pleased to appoint for to heare mee the best way and course to bee taken towards your Honour peace and safty to the end that yet a farre greater dissollation come not vpon my beloved Nation by the meanes of your Highnesse and some of your party which I am afrayd of and long have beene by Reason whereof you may conceave the more or better safety for your selves and yet be mistaken SIR I humbly referre you to my former papers wherin I wrote you distinctly the particulars of many of my greevances also inclosed to you and vnto Mr. Sterckland for you besides Copyes of papers presented at severall times vnto my sayd Masters as well to such as Reside now in London and Hamborough as now Residing in Dordricht wherein many particulars of my greevances were especified And so I tooke my leave Further the Reador may please to consider that Crumwell and his Consorts have choyce of two severall Interpretations of that which is written in folio 52. part of 53. by them to be vnderstood out of those words being proper as also trueth both wayes namely vnto my long many foulde or sundry sufferings by mine owne enemies in 23. yeares or as truely may the same words bee vnderstood to bee the longe and extreame sufferings of the King and the Nation of England by Crumwell and his Army and some other Conspirators in Combination with them Further I did in my papers afore-sayd alledge vnto Crumwell and others that I neyther would wilfully offende him nor flatter him further then my necessety did require for the clearing of mine owne Conscience between God and my selfe in regard of what longe since came to my knowledge conserning the Conspirators in England Secondly I did therin reflect vpon what I then supposed would follow betweene the sayd Conspirators and my selfe and the onely meanes of my being Righted remayned in himselfe to wit Crumwel Therefore I could doe no lesse then to give him some good words by way of the Tytle given him by the like of himselfe some others who loves him not as himselfe wel knowes Thirdly A woe There is a Cursse pronounced vnto such as call evill good and good evill Prov. 16.15 which is to Iustifie the wicked and to condemne the Iust Fourthly Neyther doe I beleeve that Crumwell desiers to bee flattered vnlesse it be by such Jsa 5.20 as are ingaged in Treason as well as himselfe without which hee will not lightly put Confidence on any man These and divers things being neere to this purpose I signefyed vnto the said Crumwell and Streckland others of their Party in March a foresayd who answered mee not a worde which showes the hart of the sayd Crumwell to his owne shame to be lifted vp and it may be to his owne destruction 2. Kings 14 10.13 Who gloryes in his owne shame and who onely mindes earthly things It seemes there is none in Power in England that will doe that which is good no Phil. 3.19 not one as apeares by Crumwell and his Consorts though they are sought vnto Psal 14.3 Wijse and Righteous Reador bee pleased to take notice of the Conclusion These following Reasons Reade and Consider First to my great disgrace and prejudice my wrongs and sufferings in my Person and good name hath been in sundry kinds very extreame and of 23. yeares continuance Secondly This hath caused me from time to time to be bitterly revyled and scorned by
2.4 who as they say apposeth and Exalted himselfe above all that is called God and that the Pope showeth himselfe that Hee is God Also Crumwell and his Army and others of his Creatures are alwayes ready for to pawne all the Fayth and Throth they have that the Pope is Antichrist Revel 11.7 and the Beast that ascended out of the bottomlesse Pit But the Scripture sayth That hee is Antichrist that denyeth the Father and the Sonne But the Pope confesseth both the Father and the Sonne so that by te Rule of Scripture 1. Iohn 2. vers 22. hee can not be Antichrist Neyther doe I know who should bee Antichrist vnlesse the Devill or Crumwell or some such cursed Creature I confesse it can not yet bee sayd that the Seaven Hills of Rome are in the possession of this our Crumwell Revel 18.2.3 But I have some Reasons with confidence to thinke that Crumwell the Sycofant hath seaven soule Spirits about him or that are his Associates who are yet more wicked then any can bee about the Pope or in Rome it selfe Neyther doe I suppose it will bee harde for to disprove but that the Rebbells are Lyers like those false Apostels who pretend to be Christians and are not but are rather of the Synagogue of Sathan witnesse theyr troubling of all Nations Zepha 2.9.13 who are good Christians besides theyr owne Nations so many yeares together And marke their many alterations and changes against Christianity in England and contrary vnto all Christians of all other Nations And yet the future and evill intent of the Iugglers in England doth apeare against Christians in that they will neyther assist the State of venice in theyr distresse at all themselves nor will they cease from hindring nor from troubling of those that gladly would helpe that State in theyr need who are an Honourable Ancient and Peaceable State to wit The Republike of Venice who are like to bee forced unto a very dishonourable Peace which can not but prove very prejudiciall vnto France vnto other several Christian Nations or else the sayd State may come to be greatly distressed by reason of the Rebbells of England which will bee yet worse for other Christians yet the sayde Rebbells continue to presse on theyr owne ends though they should bring all Christendom in subjection vnto those who are no Christians and therefore they will make no Peace but breake and hinder what Peace they can vnlesse it bee with such as are like themselves who will shortly bee found worse then Turkes who by theyr dissimulations pretend to bee what they are not and it is theyr chiefe joy to trouble the Christians because they know it to be pleasing to such as are no Christians And this is the Reason they continue to renew and stirre vp strife contention mischiefe and bloodshedde betweene Christians and Christians as aforesayd Wherefore they seeme almost to burst with envy against the Iesuwyts who endevour to keep the people in peace and vnity and from insurrections tumults and Rebellion against theyr severall Princes or Magistrates vnder whom they doe reside Also theyr endeavour is to save theyr people from being spoyled schattered or deceaved by the Woofes or Rebbells of England by whose meanes vnder God the Lives as well as the Estates of those people are preserved because they expell and frustrate the poyson which ingenders or breeds in the hearts of Rebbelles And I would to God all good Protestants and godly Ministers had taken heed in time and had not bitten of the secreat baytes where withall the Traytors of England have catched and drawne many into Treason and evill designes as well as themselves But such Protestants and Catholikes shall doe well to free and cleanse themselves in time to come and to see that they bee not defiled with the cages of these vncleane Birds 2. Cor. 7.1 and from being companions with a Denne of Theefes James 4.8 And take heed of the sayd seducing Spirits Revel 18.2 and of the habitations of the doctrine of Devills who speakes Lyes in hypocrisie having their consciences seared with a hot yron I say Mat. 21.13 if the Lord please to cleanse your hearts and your hands from the evill fruyt and the poyson of the sayd Rebbells which the Lord will doe if you 1. Tim. 4.1.2 with your whole harte desier it so shall you bee able to remove the stumbling blockes out of the wayes of the Lords people and to prepare for them a good way Ier 6.16 which shall be pleasing vnto God good Men. Because Rebbells are resolved to holde and practise the doctrine of Balaam Esa 37.14 who advised Balack to cast a stumbling blocke before the people of Israëll Soo the Gardians of England makes use of such doctrines as is hatefull to God Revel 2.14 15.16 and hurtful to all good men And hee that shall advise them to repent and amende theyr lives theyr advise doth seeme odious or as ydle tales vnto them Gen. 1◠14 at the best Who like Sea-hounds that doe very much spoyle by destroying much fisch so long as they live which is the cause that large monye is given for theyr heads though they bee good for nothing But they that can obtayne the heads of such Rebbells deserve much more mony and favour both from God and all good men because the Rebbells neyther doe nor will cease from destroying abundance of good and honest men of theyr owne and other Nations so by Sea as by Lande and had Knepperdolling and Jan van Leyden and theyr followers by whom it seems the Relligion and practise of Crumwell and his Associates was first composed and acted severall whereof had for rewarde each an Yron Basket and were naked noynted with honny exalted to the toppe of the Steeple at Munster in Westphalen stung to death with flyes without eyther meat or drinke but onely halfe a penny Loafe once for all And I partly perceave that Crumwell the Traytor some of his fellows are afrayd of some such like rewarde for what they have donne vnto the King and the Nation of England as well as to our friends and Neighbour-Nations who knowes very well what became of Wat Teyller and his Companions and this is the Reason that they keepe a great Army of Souldiors in Armes like vnto themselves which are payed out of other mens Estates by force against the King and the Country Neyther can they devise any better shifts for to collour hyde theyr owne Theft Treason then by Lyes forged pretences against the King and such others as were faithfull in the Land more righteous then themselves And by the continuation of theyr fashood and hypocrisy by which they prevayle with some selfe-Ended-men and some others who are deceaved by the same Rebbells or caused to beleeve that they had just cause and reason for to rebbell against the King and the government then established