Prelacy Which comprehends those Boutefeu's by whom He and his people are almost become The ruine of each other Be it knowne These were at first no creatures of his owne Or of his Predecessors though they gain'd A legall Oath by them to be maintain'd As part of holy Church and though a while They sate among the Peerage of this Isle But they were first created to promote The Kingdome of the BEAST and to devote Their services to him in raising high In making strong and large his Emperie Or in debasing Kings and how they did Performe that service you in Stories read Now when for bloody tyranny from hence That Tyrant was expell'd by Providence These also if they had not been befriended Had into banishment their Chief attended But they pretending to a Reformation Perhaps to keep possession in this Nation For their grand Signior and to bring to passe What now of late almost effected was Obtained grace And proving to be fit For their ambition who aspire to get An arbitrary pow'r they did arise Almost to all their former dignities And grew so active and so wise became In praying of the Kings and their owne game That here as plainely as in France we see There 's no such Tyrants as where Prelates bee And he perhaps did mean the self-same thing Who us'd to say no Bishops and no King They were advanc'd like Jeroboams Priests But to preserve usurped Interests Upon the people and to help encrease Those claimes which Tyrants covet to possesse By falsifying Charters and Commissions From Sacred Writ to justifie oppressions And Jurisdictions to that end they had To force when wit they wanted to perswade Then to oblige the more and that they might Be like to Jereboams Priests outright They from the poorest and the basest sort Of people rose to highest place in Court This is their Jus Divinum whatsoe're Their friends or they would make themselves appeare Which by clear demonstration I make good And not by tales of Tubs and Robin-Hood Thus what they were and what they had to do And what at best their pride hath brought them to I have declared that your King no more May cheated be by them as heretofore Or think that Law or Conscience him obliges To keep up their usurped Priviledges But thereby know that if he shall delight In that which is indeed the Royall-right He their vaine services no more will need And joy that from such Flatt'rers he is freed If any shall object that he hath tooke An Oath on their behalfe that might be spoke Aswell of Kings perhaps who tooke away Old Idol-Priesthoods For 't is likely they Vow'd their protection when the policy Of Jereboam rais'd his Hi'rarchy To six the Kingdome But no Oaths oblige Which in unlawfull actions would ingage And his Oath is not broke by him who tooke it When that which made it lawfull doth revoke it If it be said those things to God were given Which they possest What then in earth and heav'n God is the sole possessor of all things And whatsoever any takes or brings Hath neither more nor lesse nor doth allow That any place on earth or portion now Of things meere earthly should be made appeare More holy or more his then others are For man intitling GOD to mens estates Is but a Priest-cheat which he greatly hates When you give more to GOD then he commands His Thanks is Who requir'd it at your hands Nor doth he those Oblations ever prize Which from a superstitious ground arise Nor counts a charitable deed made void When gifts abused better are imploy'd Oh! let not then his hazzards to preserve Their temp'rall claimes be more then they deserve Let him not tire himselfe to change a boot Which he may weare with ease on either foot Let him not by his undue care of these Which were the chiefest cause of his disease Against his own just Int'rest make him erre By seeking their advancements to preferre Before his own well-being Let him not Permit their formall wisdome to besot His understanding so that he shall scorne This Counsell or continue to adjourne Compliance with his people in those things Which are the Cement betwixt them and Kings And will be so approved maugre that VVhich to deceive him they both print and prate Let him not trust to their inchanting Spells Nor to the braine of their Achitophells For if faint or false-heartednesse in those Who for the Publike his attempts oppose Shall not for private or by-interest Betray the cause and trust they have profest GOD at this present time will lower bring The tyrannizing pow'r of Priest and King Nor King-craft Priest-craft nor the policies Of all who preach or fight up tyrannies Shall long prevaile though to support each other All Europes Tyrants should unite together But GOD when they suppose to reach the tops Of their designs will frustrate all their hopes And cause them to perceive that he intends To prosper that whereto they are no friends Before that day from all equivocations From all close ends and mentall Reservations Let Charles begin a resolute retreat Else MARK this when sev'n years he shall compleat Among the Beasts with Nebuchadnezar Th' event of his demurrers will appear And he who yet a Leadstar might become Of just Dominion to all Christendome Shall misse the best advantage offred yet To any King who on his Throne did sit Though clouds rise in the South and in the North There is a Doome-conditionall gone forth To be reverst or stand as he shall now His want of prudence or his wisdome show As when the Sun ascends to run his race From his ecclipsed honour and disgrace He now may rise whereas if he passe by The present offred opportunity He may perhaps begin the fatall dance Which ev'ry King must foot who doth advance Himselfe above his bound He may now make Their expectations frustrate who yet take An old prediction in that sense which he Would be unwilling so fulfill'd should be For through these Islands this Tradition goes That He who made the English Damask Rose Or els some other being curious growne To know the future fortune of his Throne Receiv'd in hieroglyphick-wise exprest Their Portraitures who when he was at rest Should in his Kingdome after him succeed VVith words in Latine Verse thus Englished A Man a Child a Furious One A Maid a Fox a Lion None Vir Puer c. I would not any much should trust or feare Such Prophecies yet when events appeare To answer unto that which was foretold Wise men should make what use of them they could Seek how they might extract ev'n from the Devills Deceits an antidote against his evills And so direct their actions that his Charmes And cheating riddles may not do them harmes Lo that prediction is this day fulfild Six as it was fore-typifi'd have held The Scepter of that King and now there 's none Who either weares the Crowne or fills the Throne Nor
tells what Kings should do There makes description of such Tyrants too As those for which their suit his People made VVhen in his wrath a King bestow'd he had Because they long'd for that vaine Gallantry Which they among the Nations did espie He sharply threatens Kings who tyrannize Or use their pow'r in an insulting wise And sayes he gave them their Prerogatives That men should under them lead quiet lives That Swords they have to execute the Law Defend the just ungodly men to awe And so to raigne that no good man might feare The port they carry or the Sword they beare VVhence then obtain'd they that exhorbitant Dominion whereof now so much they vaunt Did first the people give them such a pow'r And set them up of purpose to devour Vex and inslave them That were to conceive A madnesse which no wise men will beleeve Nor many fools their folly so betray As thus to think much lesse the same to say And doubtlesse hitherto no Nation had So little reason as to grow so mad Did they then raise themselves unto their height VVhere got they pow'r to conquer such a right If others helpt them whither did they run To keep themselves free when that deed was done It seemeth likely they would stay to share Their portions where they so victorious were And did not sure intend to set up one By whom they would themselves be trod upon Nor could those valiant men become so base To leave behind them an inslaved-race By takeing such conditions as are now Impos'd on many Kingdomes which you know Or if a Nation might be fool'd so much Who knowes this Peoples lot to have been such What ancient History or what record Thereof a testimoniall doth afford If none how do your British Tyrants claime What they usurp and that whereat they aime If they obtain'd it by deceiving trust Which is most true then make amends they must And if spontaneously they do the same They lose with honour what they got with blame If they prescription plead from times of yore Time makes not wrongs to be the lesse but more By Conquest will they claime it know ye then The Conquerours are conquered agen And what time and the sword away have tore Time and the sword doth righteously restore And that time is no bar to rightfull things Is for the people true as well as Kings But how their Peoples freedomes goods and lives Shall Kings protect if their Prerogatives Should be infring'd or lost there is indeed A just Prerogative that he may need In some Immergencies which both by reason And by the law of nature is in season When things which for the Publike safety are Require them and when no knowne lawes declare What may be done In such necessities No Common-Wealth no prudent man denies An arbitrary Pow'r to private men Much lesse to Magistrates and Princes then No Nation is so foolish to restrain That just Prerogative and so make vaine Their owne security they will and may Be Judge of those necessities for they Are most concerned in them and if he Whom they to guard them chose depriv'd shall be Of meanes to do his duty they must bear The blame of what ensues for he is clear Thus I could answer to all other things Which are objected by usurping Kings If need requir'd and bring them light to see How they by hypocrites abused be And say enough were he thereto inclin'd To make your present King to change his mind But GOD that only turnes the hearts of Kings And to himself reserves such glorious things As their conversions will I hope in time Produce that miracle of grace in him For if I guesse right he would now be glad To know where wholesome counsell might be had And knowes what 't is to want in his distresse Such men as dare the truth to him professe Without regarding carnall hopes or fear Or who displeased or well pleased are There are some Prayers left upon record That plead yet strongly for him to the Lord And which by his forgot Remembrancer VVere offered up for him in his first year When that which now is truly come to passe By him foreseen and justly feared was It may be at this present time those Praiers Then sent up for this King and his affaires Begin to take effect for who doth know What mercies from the Fount of Grace may slow Or what for him those offerings might prepare Which made by Faith in Fiery Trialls were Oh if they take effect and if he find Such motions as are wish'd for in his mind To spring up let a blessed deaw from heaven Descend that growth unto them may be given With true humility let him begin To meet them kindly and to welcome in Those guests with such respect into his heart As may there fix them never to depart Let not a shame to be repented of Or their derisions who perhaps will scoffe At such a change deter from persevering Or by their threats beget in him a fearing Of what may follow for it glad shall make And cheere his Soul when all their hearts will ake Let him not entertain the least suspect His Penitence will want a due effect If it be true or that a guard or wall From being manifest restraine it shall When once it works Nor let his people feare To trust him when he proves therein sincere For hearty Penitence is of a straine Not like to that which hypocrites do faine But moving unresistable and cleare When and in whomsoere it shall appeare Yea thereunto so great a pow'r is given That hearts alone it breaks not ope but heav'n And maketh way to reconcile agen The greatest sinners both to GOD and Men. For whosoere is truly penitent Meerely with tongue and eies doth not repent With vowes with protestations and with teares Or with such formall complements as theirs Who keep an out-side-fast or cloath the back With vestments and with long cloakes died black Or who make faces or look for a while So sad as if it were a mortall sinne to smile But wheresoere true penitence you see Like rising up from death to life will be It wholly changes and new moulds new makes That man within whose heart it rooting takes As well within it cleanseth as without And that the truth of it ye may not doubt The sinner from ill habits it estranges His words his thoughts his company it changes His works his waies his plots and his designes Of good intentions giveth certaine signes He daily growes more fruitfull takes more care To be indeed reform'd then to appeare Regards not what of others he is thought So he unto perfection may be brought Fears nothing more shuns nothing more then sin And that abhorred course which he was in Forgiveth every one that was his foe Gives unto all men that which he doth owe Shames neither to bewaile or to confesse To GOD or men his former wickednesse Nor any good advice will disesteem How
each others wickednesse And what the scurrill Pamphleters expresse To their reproach when they should rather mourne Then impudently laugh themselves to scorne Beleeve it till Authority prescribes A mulct for liers cheifly lying Scribes And takes more notice of that sleighted sin VVhich one prime cause of all your strifes have bin Peace will not settle for when one warr 's done Another by a lie may be begun Weigh and consider of what Tyrannies Of what prophanenesse of what blasphemies Of how much malice and of what black crimes You have been guilty ev'n in these sad times On either side And when you well have thought On these things think likewise how much you ought To grieve and to repent that GOD might spare Those threatned judgements which deserved are For 't is meere madnesse to expect his grace Or look for Peace so long as in the face Of men and Angells you persist in evills As if you thought there were nor GOD nor Devills Think and consider with a serious thought To what a giddie posture all is brought In what confusion your affaires you see In what amazements now the wisest bee In what a feare the valiant and the strong Now are or will be ere it shall be long How manifold your sub-divisions are What symptomes of destruction do appeare How impudently still you palliate The falshoods of those Members of the State And of those Agents who abuse their trust How all things out of order they doe thrust Through want of Justice how they daily sad Mens hearts and how when they have made them mad They punish them because they could not use Those wits which their oppressions made them lose Marke and consider with what shamelesnesse Your Holy Flatt'rers do bepaint and dresse Their Patrons in the Prliament as tho It were not possible they should misdo How others make the Army at the least S. Michael and his Angells how the rest So impudently do extoll the King As if he were a Saint in ev'ry thing And needed no repentance for ought done In former time or since this Warre begun And while such danbings are consider you If penitence be likely to ensue Or wilfulnesse and therewith mind I pray Which of the two are Traytors either they Who mind a misled King or Parl'ament Of those things which destruction may prevent Or they who fawne and flatter them to hell By calling evill doings doing well They who by Justice would uphold the Throne Or they who praise men for what pulls it downe VVhen these things are consider'd then to mend What is amisse your best endeavours bend Let all those carnall policies by which The world your understandings doth bewitch Be laid aside Let those Designes wherein 'T is evidently seen that you have been Without successe be quite by you abjur'd Yea since experience often hath assur'd That those effects which you have had thereby Did still exasperate and multiply Your fears and griefs mind what experience showes And trust no more such broken reeds as those To no Dissenting-party be unjust Nor falsifie so much the Common-trust As by your private mutuall promises To barter for your owne advantages Or in your Treaties at the publike cost To seek your selves till you and all is lost But still in your proceedings let pure Truth Preserved be both in your heart and mouth So GOD who marketh what you act and say Will help to guide you out of your dark way Advance that Kingdome whereto you pretend And make your greatest enemie your friend Yea make among you Truth and Peace prevaile Though King and Parliament your hopes may faile Eschew Hypocrisie take heed of Pride And of what thing soever may divide The people th' Army or the Parliament And them into those new Divisions rent Which at this present are of many feared And for which Engines are in secret reared But chiefly at this time think not in vaine On that State-Principle Divide and Reigne For at this Juncture thereupon depends Your welfare and your Adversaries ends Whatever therefore shall be now advis'd By others let not this note be despis'd Take heed of an Adjournment till you see The Kingdomes in a better posture bee Lest when you are divided from each other You lose the meanes to meet againe together By some contrivance and by somwhat done Which at this present day you think not on Though all are much to blame let all provide Their best expedients to amend or hide Those failings in each other which will spread No further by their being covered Forgive as much as may be one another That love may knit your scatter'd force together Lest on a sudden some prevailing pow'r Not yet appearing all at once devour Let neither Parliament nor People spare To keep themselves in armes as yet they are For though the burden greivous may be thought Your safety will not be so dearly bought As your destruction may Let now likewise All Pow'rs all Councells and Authorities Use ev'ry prudent way and means whereby The people may not feare a Tyranny Nor feel a present weight which may appeare A greater Burthen then the thing they feare But use all cautions to impose it so That such as lay it may help beare it too So shall the people know 't is laid on them For their own safety and but for a time And that the threefold Cable be not broke Which holds your Anchor let all care be tooke That City Shires and Army yeeld and give As to their Bulworke and Preservative Next under GOD unto this Parl'ament Respect obedience and each complement Of duty which may re-enable them To vindicate their honour and esteem From those obliquities now thereon throwne By others and some Members of it owne Yea though some part thereof hath been to blame As all Terrestrialls are know that their shame And suffrings will be yours know that the fault Is your that many of their Members halt Know that their Foes who seek to aggravate Their crimes to you have done it out of hate To them and you and not with an intent That you should lesse be griev'd or they repent But that you should be mad and make them roome Into their places back againe to come And double your Oppressions which the while With tears they pity like the Crocodile Yea know that if you in this storme forsake This Vessell though it bruized be and leake Your Fortunes will be therewith shipwrackt found If that sink you shall certainly be drown'd For in this torne and ancient Vessell lies That which must free you from the slaveries You have been in and keep you likewise free From those in which you are afraid to bee Herein are all your stores for war and peace Of safety honour and of Trades encrease And therefore joyne with courage use your pow'rs Wit wealth and ev'ry facultie of yours To stop the leakes which it hath lately sprung To keep it tite and make it faire and strong Oh all you who have
vitious men Or such as had no worth But wealth and arrogance to set them forth Or could be instruments to help undo Their honest neighbours and the Kingdome too Is it no wrong to set such Rascalls over Their well knowne betters that they may uncover And rise and bow before them who are fitter To lacky by their horse Caroch or Litter Or rather to be baffled kick'd and scorned Then with a Coronet to be adorned Was nothing purpos'd fit to be repented When that Designe was first of all invented Which to promote and thereby to inforce He sent both for Commanders and for Horse To Germany And was there nothing plotted VVhen on our Seas that Spanish Navy sloted VVhich anchor'd in the Downes Is there no teare Or sign due for those things which acted were Concerning Rochell whereof to this day The Protestants of France complaine and say It cannot be but that both GOD and Man VVill vengeance bring for what they suffred then Is there no need of penitentiall prayers For innovating of the Scotch-affaires For doing and undoing For complying And failing off For granting and denying For all those falsifyings which fore-went The first the second and this Parliament For all those injuries which have been since For all the acts of fraud and violence Committed in these Islands since this Warre By him and those which of his party are For all these is there no compunction due VVhich he before the world is bound to shew No cause can he discover of contrition For that Idolatrie and Superstition VVhich daily multiplied in these Lands By his connivance or by his commands And by the vaine hopes fear or fraud of those Whose piety consists in mimick showes And since there is a Statute in this Isle VVhich treasonable makes to reconcile This people unto Rome did it appeare No fault to tolerate an Agent here Or Nuntio from the Pope to innovate In matters of Religion and the State Is there not cause enough he should repent Though no cause else were found that he hath spent So many yeares before he doth begin That penitence which brings forgivenesse in That he adventured so many falls Neglected and with-stood so many calls Made outward shewes of sorrow and remorse Yet was no whit the better if not worse That in his heart he still prepares for Warre VVhen all his words for peace and Treaties are That GODS long suffrings and th' indulgencies Of his wrong'd people he doth still despise And that although he now is in a chaine His former hopes and purposes remaine If he repent not may he not at last Be made repent it when the time is past That he is so unwise as to provoke Those men so far by whom his pow'r is broke As by apparant signes to let them see His aimes to compasse their destruction bee And how for that intent still meanes are tri'd All parties from each other to divide And from themselves Moreover may he not Find reason to repent what by the Scot He hath endeavour'd to effect his ends What by the Citie Armie and his Friends In either House yea by the people too That he may make all Parties help undo Themselves and him whose fall till he repent No pow'r shall be so powerfull to prevent For though they thriv'd a while both he and they Whom hee corrupteth shall descend one way And GOD this Kingdome shall in order set By men and meanes not thought upon as yet More might be said much more to let him see What causes of repentance there may be Which I had rather he himselfe should find And seriously consider in his mind Then hear them from another and but that The Common-Voice these faults enumerate I had not mention'd them nor shall these prove A blemish to him if all this may move His heart to Penitence For then I le say Enough to take all guiltinesse away And make him cleaner then he was that morn In which it was first said that he was borne And GOD so blesse my hopes as I intend All this to bring his troubles to an end And in this manner do it that past evills Nor future sinnes nor spight of men or Devills May power obtaine to stop him or to fling him From that estate whereto I wish to bring him The way by me designed I confesse To be a path full of uneasinesse To flesh and blood and not without much terror At first to those who liv'd in wayes of error It is not so with violets bestrow'd With pinks and roses as the path way show'd By his deluding Prelates but I 'le say This confidently 't is the safest way And easiest I could find for one who had Such long and obstinate by-wand'rings made And I unwilling am he should begin A course which he might lose his labour in As those do who close up a fest'ring wound With healing salves whilst filth in them is found My course may harsh appeare and full of dangers To them who to such practises are strangers Yet I dare warrantize for I can tell It leads to heaven although it lies by hell And that it will at last be well approved Of those who him for his own sake have loved But lest the Maximes which Court-breeding gives To Kings and zeal to their Prerogatives May steell his conscience and still make him dream That all his Kingdomes and all things in them Are his by right And that if it be so All those endeavourings conducing to The keeping of that Right may then be done And lest he thence infer he wrongeth none On whom he maketh war with an intent Incroachments on his Kingship to prevent But that they rather who have him with-stood Have down upon their own heads drawne their blood To take the frothie vanity of that Conceit away thus I expostulate If Kings have such a right how was it gained From whom was that Prerogative obtained For sure what ever Parasites may please To feigne Kings are not Ab Origines But had beginnings like to other men Who rise and fall are borne and die agen And came to their preferments either by GOD's gift or mans or else by Victory 'T were blasphemy to say that God bestow'd That pow'r upon them which to be allow'd They now contend and they from hell did fetch Their text or comment who such doctrine preach It cannot be that God who is Perfection Goodnesse it selfe the Essence of Affection And Fountaine out of which free mercie goes Throughout the whole creation and or'e-flowes It cannot be that from among those creatures VVhich are in all things of the selfe same natures He should not only one or two advance Above the rest but by his Ordinance Declare it likewise to be right and just In them even meerly to fullfill their lust To take from others when it pleases them Child honour goods life liberty and limb Or practise cruelties upon them No It neither can be neither is it so For in his Word he
a Symptome of a Sottish Nation To grow respectless of Self-preservation Or fear to practise what agrees with Reason Because it hath been falsly called Treason By Parasites and Priests who that a King Might make them something made him any thing Which he desir'd to be and hence did rise Abhominable Court-Idolatries Yea hence it was that men first grew afraid To think until of late what may be said And must be resolutely done before GOD will these Isles to their lost Peace restore A Realm that fears to call her Trustee to Accompt for ought mis-done or left to do Is like those Children who do fear the shows Which they themselves set up to scar the Crows And they who think you have no rightful power To curb his fury who might you devour May think as well they should not put a clog Or hang a chain upon a shepherds dog Although he dayly bites and kills the sheep Which he was only bred and â—ed to keep In warlike manner with his Standard rear'd The King against you in the Field appear'd And gave you as it were a Summons thither That he and you might plead you Rights together By way of Combate which your Common-Laws Allow of for the tryal of that Cause Whereof there 's doubtful proof And wherein none Knows how to judg aright but GOD alone This Tryal both did stand to By this Tryal The King was overcome without denyal And did submit What had you then to do But what you would your selves be done unto When your Desires were made a Rule whereby Another might square out his Charity Men do not use to hunt a Beast of prey To take him and then let him go away They who have caught a Lyon you would blame If they dis-mist him though he seemed tame Unchain'd and without keepers since that Creature Is known of so untamable a Nature That he will ravine as he did before If to himself you leave him any more Kings who without controul the Scepter sward As tameless are as Lyons that have preyd Which howsoever you shall use or feed them Wil soon grow dangerous unless you beed them You therefore must not give them leave to seize On ought at will no not so much as Floâ—s Lest some Prerogative they thereon found But you must circle them within a Bound And Laws and Counsellors provide whereby You may their Wills and Judgments rectifie And then when they by general consents So furnisht be they may be Instruments Of Honor Peace and Plenty And take this From me who know best what most fitting is For this Isles constitution That th' increase Of Wealth and Honor Settlement of Peace And Freedom from Oppressions whatsoe're Some dream shall never be enjoyed here In any Government so perfectly As by a regulated Monarchy Shall I advise you to a Treaty than No T is not now as when the War began Before the Tryal your Trustees did well To treat for Peace because they could not tell What might succeed and thought it safer far To take some wrong then seek redress by VVar. But now for them to Treat were to admit That GOD had past no Tryal for them yet And those who thereto would perswade them now I shall not for their wisest Friends allow If Friends For that not only of their prizes Defeats the Conquerors but equalizes Them likewise with the Conquer'd and makes void What should by right of Conquest be injoyd When he whose ancient Birth-right was quite lost Hath by expence of labour time and cost A lawful repossession of it sought And at the Law his suit to Tryal brought Obtained a Verdict Judgment Execution And ful possession without Diminution What for a Friend I pray were such a one Who should perswade this man when all were done To wave his lawful right so dearly bought To treat with him who his undoing sought And uncompel'd refer unto debate What he should leave or take of that Estate And what were that man but a Groll at best Who re-adventur'd thus his Interest Nor honester nor wiser much are they Who now into a Treaty would betray The Parliament For what hath yet been done If they must Treat again for what is won Why did they make good meaning men to fight And lose their lives to win for them a Right Which they must get by Treaty Why is he A Prisoner if a King as yet he be That 's capable of Treating Or of more Then you shall seem obliged to restore In meer humanity Or by that band Whereby as Christians you obliged stand Upon his true Repentance And upon Security like fault shall not be done But if no Treaty be allow'd how then Shall you and he be reconcil'd agen By such a Course as will be generous And for our Genius to advise Ev'n thus Like honorable Victors offer him Terms honorable if he merrit them By true Repentance For it will be more Then can be justly offer'd him before Lest you at last may be requited ill If Power he get before he change his Will When you perceive that GOD in him hath wrought That mind whereto you wish he should be brought Give him Conditions freely such as may Full well become a King whom to obey Acknowledg and submit to 't wil beseem Those Nations who a good repute esteem Give him that Kingly-Liberty which will Confine him from all power of doing ill And him enable too for every thing Pertaining to the Office of a King Which to declare and to consider how It shall secured be I leave to you Whom they concern and who know how to make Your own Conditions if good heed you take But many are suppos'd to be inclin'd To some new Government by them design'd In whose erection and establishment They could receive a great deal more content Then in well regulating what they had And some of these it may be are so mad And so uncharitable as in heart To pray that GOD would rather quite depart Both from this King and all his Generation Then frustrate them or their vain Expectation If there be any such far be you from Their evill mind Let not their secret come Into your Souls And though GOD should permit His wilfulness a little longer yet Pronounce your Judgments warily on him Lest in his Person you your selves condemn And since 't is possible that from your sin His Faylings and your Plagues might first begin As once did from the Peoples an offence In David which brought on a pestilence Consider 't wil make easie your own Doom If toward him affected you become As Children ought to be whose Father hath Attempted their destruction in his wrath Yea careful be you do not so employ Your pow'r to cure the Head that you destroy Both Head and Body and to ease the pains Of Head-ache that you knock not out your Brains That Limb which may be cur'd cut not away Those Vessels which with water clense ye may Purge not with Fire For
therein fraught or share Whether ye Masters Captains Pilots are Cape-Masters Souldiers Sailers Passengers Or as all some way are Adventurers Consider I beseech you what a losse There would befall if some new storme should tosse This Vessell on the Rocks Or if there should Some Traytors in her Cabines or her hold Lie closely unsuspected or unseen And blow up all her Decks and Magazeene By some concealed traine or spring a Leake About the keel whilst you unwisely seek With quarrelling for vailes or private shares Amongst the desperatest Mutineers The slaves your pris'ners and among the rest Your Malecontents it may be will suggest That your Commanders and your Pilots may Make prizes of you and take all away By Abitrary Pow'r For there are some Who hoping if you jealous would become It would effect their ends have whisperings Among their other mischiefe-breeding things To this effect that if you make them strong They will improve that strength unto your wrong And faile your trust But dreame not think not so Nor erre you from your duties though they do What change in them soever might be wrought What e're they do yet do you what you ought Keep to your Principles though they may range Saile by the same Card though the winds do change And that you may not fear what will ensue Look back a little and things past review When lately by an Arbitrary might You were opprest and in so great a straight That you perceiv'd no meanes your selves to free From your oppressions nor ought like to bee Whereby to scape from thrall you should be able Without attempts then deemed treasonable Loe then ev'n at that time and when your King A double Chaine on you assay'd to bring And thought together in one teame to yoke His Oxen and his Asses then GOD broke The Royall snare and wonderfully wrought For your deliverance to passe he brought By what was never call'd to that intent By that which never more to call he meant Ev'n by a Parlament to which he gave A pow'r to be whilst being it would have With Priviledges which by Pow'r-divine Were made destructive to his owne designe For lawfull pow'r it got and just occasion To arme against a tyrannous invasion And your estates and freedomes were defended By that which for a mischiefe was intended So if this Parl'ament degenerate From what it should be and from what of late You thought it was and shall imploy that pow'r Which was from you receiv'd and which is your To raise themselves upon a publike wrong GOD them will break when they appear most strong Cause those whom they depend on to deceive them Of all their expectations quite bereave them And by some lawfull way which yet appears To no mans eye preserve you from your fears For ev'ry tyrannizing pow'r shall clash Against each other and to pieces dash All those and their designes who shall comply With any instruments of Tyranny That passage may be made to raise up that Which is the strength and honour of a State If yet your former doubtings be not past But that th' aspersions which on them are cast Whom GOD for your deliverers hath chose Hath shooke you from your confidence in those Or if defects which may be found in them Do either urge or tempt you to contemne Such instruments and in your hearts to say Can these men save us Mindful be I pray What persons to your aid GOD first did call By what sleight meanes he hath effected all Your conquests Yea by what contrary things His works he often to perfection brings Consider how this Army was despis'd And scorned when it first was modelliz'd How likely were they whom you first did gather To be your guard to be your ruine rather Then to defend you how did they protest And rage when they against their wills were prest With how much weakenesse was that work begun And yet thereby what wonders hath GOD done How hath he added unto your prevailings By them though they their errors had and failings How hath he humbled you by their great pride Whose seeming vertues you have glorifi'd That you may see a pow'r so excellent Knowes how to work with any instrument That you may find there are some things despis'd Which have deserved better to be priz'd That you may learne in weak meanes not to fear Nor trust too much in those that mighty are That you may know if your owne waies be streight You may be safe though others go not right And though you will not know it they who live By faith the truth of these things do perceive And would in GOD find out a place to dwell Though there were neither heav'n earth nor hell Then credit must be kept their pow'r obey'd On whom your Trust and Guandianship is laid And from that duty none can be excus'd Though some among them have that trust abus'd For as he is a man that hath a soule Although his body be with Ulcers fowle Maim'd blind and deafe and may from you thereby Claime all the duties of your charity So though the Body Representative May wounds and many blemishes receive Yet therein is the soule of Government And therefore all you whom they represent Obedience owe thereto in ev'ry thing Excepting an obedience that may bring Those publike hazzards which are so apparent That in themselves they bring a sealed Warrant Of disobligement And in those things too So must you then proceed in what ye do That your owne consciences may truly say Obedience onely made you disobey And that the world may see by your proceed That GOD and justice have approv'd the deed Though crack'd your Bulwork be and faulty grown This is no time to sleight or pull it downe But to repaire it rather lest you leave Your selves unguarded and a blow receive This is no time to shake the Reputation Of those who are your onely preservation But rather to uphold it by removing The scandalous by cherishing approving And strength'ning those among them by whose wit And honesty they have a being yet Informe them better who are much abus'd By false opinions into them infus'd And thereupon your Supreme Court defame As doing arbitrarily the same Which was denied lawfull in the King For they should know that ev'n the selfe-same thing May be both just and unjust He doth take Unlawfully your goods a prize to make To satisfie his lust or to destroy Those Freedomes and those Rights you should enjoy They take a portion from you orderly And thereto forced by necessity To save your priviledges and prevent The losse of all by that which they have spent Their actions are not bounded in that Law Whereby men out of Parl'ament should draw The Line of their proceedings But by that Which is the first foundation of a State By that Supreme Law whereby pow'r they had To make or change the Lawes alreadie made And for the Publike-safety to provide By that Law they must act and are not
ti'd To any other when necessity Shall for the weale of your Community The contrary require For otherwise They meet in vaine about those remedies Which are desir'd and do but time employ To marre the benefit they would enjoy And strengthen Tyrants in their usurpations Upon the Rights and Freedomes of the Nations Let no men therefore say when they shall vary From former Lawes their Acts are arbitrary Injuriously since your experience sees That strong necessity at sometimes frees Ev'n private persons from adhering to The Letter of the Law in what they do The mannaging of Publike Interests In th' Agents reputation much consists 'T is Reputation makes a Kingdome strong And rich and keeps it from affronts and wrong 'T is that which maketh Lawes For neither wit Nor humane Pow'r are able to forget That Priviledge because if Pow'r should make them A greater Pow'r by right of Pow'r would break them If Wit and Reason would a Law devise There are so many seeming to be wise That they would make such over-long debates And worke so variously in sev'rall pates That if to make a Law some should agree By others it would straight repealed bee And if more Settlement were not obtain'd By Reputation then there can be gain'd By Pow'r and Wit or Reason you would never Agree but fight or else debate for ever Take therefore of their good repute a care On whose repute your Safeties builded are For when that once is lost it proveth not A Jewell which may easily be got Nor is there any precious stone yet knowne That gives a fairer lustre to a Crowne With Reputation may a single man Doe more sometime then twenty thousands can A Cities uproars sooner it restraines Then all their Scarlet Gownes and Golden Chaines And dares make stand the peoples rage to stay When Wit and Wealth and Titles run away Yea calmes them sooner and scapes better too Then honesty and innocency do I know not anie thing that can so soone Bring universall Discords into tune Nor know I ought that 's in it self so vaine And empty which doth so much pow'r obtaine In humane actions and there is not now A Nation whom it more concernes then you Consid'ring what your present postures are To keep your Senates reputation cleare For should I shew your postures in a glasse No Puppet-play that ere devised was Came neere it neither did you ever see An Antick like that shew which there would bee Such fruit lesse hopes such fears such mimick actions Such turnings windings sidings such distractions Were never represented on the Stage Of anie Common-wealth in anie Age. There you should view a thousand contradictions A thousand fancies fooleries and fictions Repeated personated sworne beleeved And men accordingly made glad or greeved And acting that in their false joy and sorrow Which they must backward act againe tomorrow From Ireland this man bringeth heavy newes From Scotland that man little better shewes One tells what Plots are in the City laid Another of the Army what is said A third with an affrighted look doth bring A tale of some designement with the King By Scots and by Malignants and then stands As if he had new purchas'd Bishops Lands A fourth is much dismayed by some tales Of risings in the Counties and in Wales As if he fear'd a sudden separation From somwhat which he holds by Sequestration A fifth hath heard from Holland or from France He knowes not what yet falls into a trance As if his conscience knew of somwhat done Which he then wisht had never been begun Another shewes another way his folly And looks as sadly and as melancholy As if he were surprized with a dread Of losing some great place or of his head And at the turning of the wind or tide Upon some pleasing newes on t'other side Starts up as they do when a Piper plaies Who have been bitten by Tarantula's You would not thus with ev'ry novell noise Be fill'd with Panick feares and gannick joyes Or moved be with ought which others did If you your owne affaires would better heed This would not be were men imploid about Internall things as on those things without Nor would they be so giddily affrighted With things abroad if things at home be righted He that his way with sobernesse doth go Dreads not the furious marching of a foe He who takes care to keep his conscience clear Shakes not when evill tidings he doth hear He that indeavours warrantable things Feares not the pow'r of Senators or Kings Nor should you ever need to fear a jot What by the Welch or Irish French or Scot Could be design'd or done or what the King With all his party to effect could bring Nor what an open or a secret foe By pow'r or by his policy could do Either within these Ilands or abroad If you repose true confidence in GOD And give him but sincere and contrite hearts To joyne with him in acting of your parts No though your slips and Ignorances were As many and as great as now they are Let all the sev'rall Nations of these Iles Who liv'd in love and Amity ere whiles Unite againe and seek each others peace That their encreasing strifes and plauges may cease Let our Welch-Britans who their actions square By those things which they but suspect or heare Recover so much of their humane reason As teaches them a difference 'twixt Treason And Lawes of Nature that it may make place To bring them nearer to the law of Grace That so they may not still beleeve and doe Both by implicite Faith and reason too For when they truly know what doth belong Unto themselves and their owne right and wrong They will the sooner be informed then What duties doe belong to other men And grow more wise by this Epitomie Of Lawes divine and true morality Do as yee would be done to then all they VVho pore upon their Law books ev'ry day And would be thought experienced in all Lawes Cannon Civill and Municipall If this advice they follow they shall dwell In safety on their hills and live as well Among their vallies and their Glins in Wales As on the fruitful'st Southerne Downes and Dales Then let them practise it and not call to them A wasting desolation to undo them Let them not woo uncivill civill wars To clime up to their Mountaines Rocks and skars For if they find them rich they 'l leave them poore If needy they will make them need the more They bring the worst into a worse estate And crash the Bones where they can suck no fat Let your Scotch-Britans so insist upon Their interest that nothing may be done Against their Brethrens rights and so preserve Their Leauges that willfully they do not swerve From any Branch thereof and let them so Observe the Covenant as men that know The letter of it or a circumstance Is not to be pursued to th'advance Or any sense or practise which may lame The essence and intentions of
the same For if they make the letter to extend Beyond the true intention and the end Of what was covenanted and so weaken That Interest for which the same was taken They are deceivers and worse hypocrites Then were of old the cunning Gibeonites Let therefore that stout Nation well advise Among themselves wherein the diff'rence lies Betwixt the Kingdomes lest perhaps it drawes A mischief on both Nations without cause And bring on those ingagements which may lose The love the peace the honour and those dues Which now are claim'd make them lose their blood And Countrey too as far as it is good Let them not think that their accommodation The profit or advantage of one Nation Prefer'd should be in any thing at all Before these Islands weal in generall Let them seek nothing but what Iustice may Allow them lest she take both that away On which they seiz'd and therewith all the rest Which formerly was lawfully possest For Iustice more secures and more enriches Then policy although that more bewitches And neither wealth nor honour can be lost By honesty though somtime she be crost That Nation have done well to think upon The bringing of the King back to his Throne If from right Principles the motion came But on them it would bring perpetuall shame If thay recall'd him without penitence Of those faults for which they first drove him thence For that they quarrell'd with him first none doubt And they were with the last who pull'd him out That people is too wise to call him home Ere he shall truly penitent become And by some satisfying expiations Hath perfectly secured both the Nations For if he bring the same heart back they know He will as soon as he shall able grow Avenge himselfe on them as upon those Who were the first from whom his troubles rose Let them not give their friends just cause to lay That to their charge which Foes of them do say Their Brethrens portion let them not envy Or looke upon it with an evill eye Nor let our English haughtily despise Their Northerne Brethrens kind compliances Or sleight their friendship or puft up with pride Their want of superfluities deride But by how much more GOD hath seem'd to blesse Their Clymate with a greater fruitfulnesse So much the more respectively let them Be carefull that they no way do contemn Their Lot lest GOD for that in gratitude Justly permit some other to incrude On their inheritance and make them glad To seeke worse habitations then they had Yea let both Nations strive with all their mights To fortifie each other in their Rights And be assur'd that which of them soever Shall first to break their late sworne League endeavour Shall both be ruin'd and if both make void Their solemn Vowes then both shall be destroy'd Let both remember well that Covenant Which they have sworn and how much yet they want Of perfecting their Vowes to God and Man That they may keep them better if they can Know you have entred into leauge together Not to insnare but to secure each other And that your Treaties were not to get more From one or t'other then they had before But that thereby they stronger might be made Against him who did all their rights invade Know that your Covenant was not contrived That Christian liberty should be deprived Or make that for a Jus divinum go Which neither was nor can be proved so Or to compell men to renounce admit Or to accord as those or these thought fit Or as the best reformed Churches had it Ought further then GGDS word authentick made it It is not possible that any Nation Should make a vow upon consideration To pin their Faith upon anothers sleeve Things to professe which they cannot beleeve To practise what their consciences abhor And what they find no lawfull warrant for But sure their meaning was men should assay To get the truths perfection if they may Till otherwise they find it to adhere To those as truths which truths to them appeare That from compulsion all men should be free Where doubtings are till they decided be And that their vow injoyned none to do More then their pow'r and place oblig'd him too Let both remember that they vowed have The Person of the King from harme to save His honour to preserve and what belongs To him of right from violence and wrongs But this remember too that when you made This vow you likewise resolutions had That therein his protection should extend No further then you thereby might defend The Kingdomes priveledges and maintaine Those rights which to the people appertaine For els you shall betray your greatest trust And prove but hypocritically just Remember you have vowed to endeavour To bring to publike triall whomsoever You shall discover either to divide The Kingdomes or to make the people side In factions and that you have vow'd to strive As you are able that they may receive Due punishment And mark if you have bin As faithfull as you promised therein Halt not 'twixt two opinions as ye do If Baal be to be serv'd let it be so Either you have a pow'r or you have none If none why act yee still as ye have done Either your King or you deserveth blame If you have traitors been repent the same Acknowledge it submit implore for grace And let him take againe his pow'r and place If he as much demerit as you say Do not your trust and your own lives betray But quit your selves like men and do your best To vindicate their cause who are opprest If both be faulty then let both amend Lest both be quite destoyed in the end If you have drove the naile unto the head There clinch it let no more be done or said For why should this brave Island be destroid That in the mean time some should be imploid Thereby to raise themselves and to prepare Well-feather'd nests perhaps some otherwhere Those evill Counsellers which late appear'd To be about the King may now be fear'd To be among your selves and they of whom The King was made most fearfull to become Have now compli'd with him and justly may King People Scotch and English if they weigh What hath been done shake hands and well agree For they are all as like as like can be Come come repent together and forgive For there 's no other means in peace to live And when you are forgiving let all share A part of Mercy who repentant are Let our seduced Irish who among The rest are yet involved in the throng Of murth'rous Rebells but have guiltlesse bin Of their inhumane and loud crying sin Find some Gate open whereby they might gaine An entrance your forgivnesse to obtaine Upon repentance and on evidence Produced differencing their offence For some of them assisted to their might Their brethren in their terrified flight Against destroiers and in secret stood Betwixt them and the seekers of their blood Some of them