Bristoll with receiving Mr. Fiennes especially the retaking of the Towne affording an Argument à majore ad minùs What is the quarrell the Gentleman had before surrendred it for which he was sentenced by a Councell of Warre As for the Councell of Warre I beleeve they were guided by honour and Conscience in what they did And by vertue of the Article obliging the Governour of a Towne to hold out to extremity condemned the Gentleman The Generall remitting the summum jus concurred not for execution of the sentence the gentleman lives and does well may he long do so he hath left the Camp he followes the Counsell a worke sutable to his parts acknowledged by this Author to be fit for a Senate You complaine of his friends for putting him upon an imployment of which you say he was not capable but are you free from blame to deny him an imployment for which you acknowledge him so well fitted he never was engaged neither in Counsell nor in Armes against this Cause as some who are to be found in other Counsells or Armies but parciùs ista I adde but this the Gentleman hath received some wrong by this charge but the Parliament more it being an injust reflection upon their Wisdome and Priviledge that they should be taxed for dealing with their owne Members as they thinke best for the publick good of the Kingdome As for that passage of Souldiers bawling in the fields Coblers pratling in Tubs in stead of preaching Ne saevi magne Saeerdos Quam scit uterque libens censebo exerceat artem Pag. 122. He proceeds to exagitation of a piece of a Letter written from Lieutenant Generall Cromwell upon the taking of Bristoll First he wonders the latter part of the Letter now published by him was suppressed by that Authority that printed the other part It is no wonder that the Parliament intending to recommend to the people matter of thanksgiving should not with-hold that part of the Letter wherein there were some passages tending rather to doubtfull disputation then undoubted gratulation which I conceive was the reason of it It is a greater wonder to me that this Author should so confidently print it when the Parliament had forbid it As for the expressions of the Letter recited and animadverted I hold not my selfe obliged to say any thing I am no mans Champion but an Advocate to the truth and a servant not as I am like to be taxed a Parazite to the Parlialiament but if I were minded to call the Letter and the Annotations upon it to a review it were easie to find as may irregularities in the notes as the Author of the Manifest doth in the Text From hence the Manifest finds an easie passage to the Independents aggravating their ill Pag. 127. extenuating their good service Pag. 128. I am loath to leave so ill a relish in the minds or mouthes of the Readers as to repeate the imputations but take them as they are Men that serue themselves into imployment engage the Pamphleteers to set forth lyes and tales for them causers of disturbances blasphemies heresies violation of the Covenant underminers factious guilty of a malicious plot bringers of confusion into the Church and consequently Anarchy into the State men that doe all for by-ends that joyne with others as the Papists with Malignants for their own Interests Tantaene animis coelestibus irae To this I answer in the words of the Apostle Iames My beloved brethren let every man be swift to heare slow to speake slow to wrath for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousnesse of God I cannot conceive how they that are singly Independents that is men dissenting from other Governments in the constitution and ordering of a Congregation should deserve so much bitternesse First they desire a liberty of collecting their members from severall Parishes and would have an union of hearts rather then a neighbourhood of houses to make up a Congregation It cannot be denied but that this would produce many inconveniences which no doubt will be remonstrated but me thinkes if it be not tolerable for its consequents it should be pardonable for its grounds arising from a desire of all possible puritie in an Assembly Wee shall all be in this point Independent in our desires and endeavours and must be constrained to set up a Congregation within a Parish when wee debarre one halfe from the Sacrament and admit the other which is like to be the case in many places Secondly they defire a liberty to ordaine their own Officers This is the practice of Presbyterians also for all Officers but Pastors To their admission also the reasonable consent of the people is allowed and the approbation which gives life to the Ordination Thirdly they desire a freedome from the Presbyteries and Synods An association of Churches me thinks they should not deny a necessitie of Synods they allow the difference is whether the acts of such meetings should be by way of advice or authority whether the meetings should be setled or occasionall for reconciling these let us consider the one would have State-meetings the other upon emergencies both agree they should be as ost as necessity is and no oftner in case it be oftner it is as nothing to that Congregation which hath no reference thither As for that of advice and authoritie I have read a position in Voetius the Professor of Theology at Utretcht a very learned man and a Presbyterian to this purpose Potestas Ecclesiae est directiva non jurisdictiva It is to be found in a disputation de unione regimine Ecclesiarum wherein are many things that sound to moderation but this difference I beleeve will finde more dispute in notion then opposition in action I should wave both the debates of jus divinum in Presbyteries and the authority of Assemblies and remit things to the practice If the dictates or rather directions of a Presbytery or Synod be agreeable to the Word of God and publique Peace and edification I should embrace them were the Authority of a Synod never so little were they repugnant to these rules and ends either in themselves or my apprehension which yet I should strive to get informed with all diligence and humility I must be spared were their authority never so great The next and indeed the last thing of moment is the London-Petition which this Author approves and prints and contests with the Parliament about the receiving Petitions in generall and this in particular But this Gentleman and I are of so different tempers that I shall not take so much liberty to dispute on the behalfe of the Parliaments Priviledge and practice in this particular as he doth against it They best know their own Priviledges and how to maintaine them This I know that there is no better way to preserve the peoples liberty then by keeping inviolate the Parliaments Priviledge If there be a necessity of Rulers for the conservation of Liberty as there is there is an equall necessitie of preserving the authority of those Rulers especially employing their endeavours for publique good as the Parliament doth The Petition was well framed for the substance of it and is granted for the maine if the Parliament thought it too binding and particular and judged better to grant the thing then receive the Petition who need find fault when they that Petition are gainers and they that grant are no losers As for the Citie of London their deserts are such of this Cause and Kingdome that I am confident no reasonable thing much lesse religious will be denied them and I am as confident they will aske no other They understand the need and use the Parliament have had and have of them and they also apprehend the neare relation and dependance they have upon the Parliament and may easily foresee the fractions would arise in so great a multitude did not the countenance and Authoritie of Parliament restraine Their mutuall advantage depends upon their agreement which whosoever goes about to interrupt let them be divided in Iacob and scattered in Israel For a close let me take that passage of the Manifest concerning the endeavour of the enemy to divide the Nations and his own hopes to which I adde mine that they shall not prevaile Certainly our endeavour should be to prevent the fulfilling of theirs especially in a thing so important to Religion and the good of these Kingdomes The scrupulous thoughts of offence made me sometimes to forbeare this answer which yet I have endeavoured so to order as not to give any offence if it be taken I shall be sorry yet glad that it is not given It may possibly breed me some disquiet but why should I purchase my own peace with the losse of truth If I have incurred one trouble I am sure I have avoided another which was to me a great one sc. to see the obligations of this Kingdome aggravated their ingratitude recorded the Parliament affronted the Commissioners abused the people deceived these are things I have endeavoured to right forgive me this wrong I will trouble you no more unlesse this Author continue in a resolution of a fuller discourse as he intimates in the end of his Manifest which I desire might be forborne For if there be no remedy we shall also find a Reserve FINIS Postscript WHereas it may be said that this labour might have bin spared in regard of the Censure adjudged by Parliament to Truths Manifest I answer that there is as much difference betwixt a Censure and an Answer as betwixt the offence in writing the Booke and the hurt done by spreading it The Parliament have taken just notice of the fault but have not thereby prevented the mischiefe for since the Author was call'd in question the book hath been studiously dispersed and as I beleeve reprinted and hath found some Readers so confident as to say that the book was censured because it could not be answered the contrary of which doth now appeare Pag. 23. Pag. 29. Rom. 15. 20. Jam. 1. 19 20.
Manifest Truth OR AN INVERSION OF Truths Manifest Containing a NARRATION of the Proceedings of the Scottish Army and a Vindication of the Parliament and Kingdome of England from the false and injurious aspersions cast on them by the Author of the said Manifest PROV. 18. 17. He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his neighbour commeth and searcheth him Published by Authoritie LONDON Printed by M. S. for Henry Overton in Popes-head-Alley and Giles Calvert at the Spread Eagle at West end of Pauls 1646. THE PREFACE THough all possible care shall be taken that this ensuing Discourse may need no Apology yet the misconstruction it is lyable to in this quarrelsome age may require a Preface in which I shall not as the Author of Truths Manifest goe about to quicken the appetite of my Reader by a self-commendation but if I regarded the praise of men should much rather choose to be commended by another in the end of my worke then by my selfe in the beginning But out of a great and just tendernesse of doing or being thought to doe any thing which might tend to any alienation betwixt these happily united Kingdomes I thought fit to declare as followeth First that a hearty union betwixt the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland as it is most agreeable to Religion and the solemne Covenant so it is eminently requisite to their mutuall preservation both from the illegall intrenchments of their owne King and from the attempts of forreigne Princes or States for by such an inviolate conjunction they shall be kept from being instrumentall to each others ruine which hath lately been designed upon both successively by their owne King that he might become absolute Lord of them both to the prejudice if not ruine of Religion and Liberty As also Strangers especially the French shall be prevented in their wonted designe which hath been to raise and foment differences betwixt these Kingdomes and have been forward to assist Scotland against England not for love to Scotland but hatred or feare of England which they have looked upon as a dangerous Neighbour And let me adde further that the continuation and confirmation of this Union will not prove onely an Ornament to the Protestant Religion but a great advantage to the propagating of it and will also make us more capable of righting our selves Confederates and Allyes against any injuries or usurpations that are or shall be offered And I hope these apprehensions shall over-awe my pen that it walke very circumspectly in the ensuing discourse Secondly give me leave to say that this Union doth not necessarily inferre a confusion or mixture but may as well and it may be better stand with a full reservation to each of their peculiar Lawes Priviledges Governments and possessions It is hard if not impossible to find two persons that shall concurre to an universall compliance in their friendship but are glad to find a correspondence in some things and content to yield a mutuall forbearance in others This is more difficult to be found in States who have besides their diversities of Lawes and Government more differences of generall and particular Interests then private persōs are capable of And though through Gods mercy these two Kingdomes are more happy then other Confederates who like bodies exactly sphericall touch but in a point as they have occasion by their Ambassadours yet the nature of affaires and men permits not they should meet as two bodies exactly plaine in every point For though their Interests be the same sc the conservation of their Liberties against Tyranny and Religion the choycest fruite of their Liberty against any thing destructive to it yet the customes and constitutions of the Kingdoms and the dispositions of the people may be so different besides other incident disadvantages that an universall close is rather to be desired then expected and something must be left to time and more to him who alone challenges the Prerogative of fashioning mens hearts alike And it may be added that such an union is not onely not possible but not necessary for Conjunction being but a meanes to some further end is no further requisite then it conduces to that end of mutuall preservation There is indeed beside the benefit a native beauty in unity but to be violent in pressing of it is to scratch the face that it may be beautifull and when accomplishd as it is thought it will be found rather to be a paint then a naturall complexion I shall onely take Liberty to adde further that the pressing an exact uniformity in Church or a union of mixture in State the nature of persons and things not admitting it may hinder a union of conjunction in those things which are possible and necessary And I pray God it be not the Designe of some under the pretence of union in things presently impossible to promote a difference in that which is necessary Thirdly as this discourse springs not from any principle of disaffection to the Scottish Nation so I hope none will force any such conclusions from it beyond my meaning though without my guilt For my part I freely professe that I think it may in its owne nature as well as its intent tend more to the preservation of union then the occasioning of distraction Upon this ground we have patiently received and read two Manifests to which the Questionist from St. Andrewes hath added something not a little reflecting upon the Parliament and Kingdome of England the first untouch'd produced a second this second may bring forth and in the close of it intimates a third and possibly a worse till under pretence of justification of our brethren the charges against our selves may grow intolerable and occasion greater inconveniences Fourthly I hope the distance of time intervening betwixt the booke and the Answer cannot afford an objection against it First I staid to see if somebody that was more able or more concerned would undertake it Secondly it is a businesse of great tendernesse and importance and occasioned many thoughts of heart which did long delay it but could not prevaile against it For I am able truly to say with the Author of Truths Manifest that not so much the love and honour of my own Nation which yet I hope shall be alwayes deare to me as Covenant and conscience and consideration of the good of both Kingdomes have put me upon this worke and carried me through it for it is found that unequall complyances especially with natures not so good doe but make way for greater disadvantages which cannot alwayes be borne And though it be alwayes better to suffer wrong then doe it and sometimes better to receive wrong then require right yet the most beaten path to peace and justice which I thinke now it becomes me and others to walk in is neither to doe wrong nor to suffer it For though a man may part with his owne Right for publick advantage yet I know no Rule of parting with other mens
preservation But doe not the Publicanes so Could they doe lesse then forbeare the attempt of ruining that Parliament which had been so carefull to hinder all means of furthering the wrong or ruine of Scotland I know not what kindnesse it was not to doe it I am sure it had been barbarous cruelty and injustice to have done it but if the Gentleman meane they were the cause of our preservation positively by affording their seasonable helpe it is acknowledged upon the Grounds and Termes already mentioned sc. their own preservation as well as ours and full satisfaction The Manifest proceeds in declaring the readinesse of the Scots for the helpe of Ireland I will by no meanes extenuate the courtesie but that also is easily reducible to their own interest which they had reason to regard their labour being bestowed in Ulster which lay neare to Scotland and would have been a very ill Neighbour in the Rebels hands As also it may be considered that they had divers Scottish Plantations in those parts which it concerned them to doe their best to preserve for their love to their Countrymen and to keep off the burthen of their comming over to themselves But I deny not but they have suffered something from Ireland and done something for it and nodoubt with respect to Religion and the common good of these Kingdomes But I being not so well acquainted with those affaires forbeare to speake more of them Let the Brittish in Ulster speake After the narration of the Scots interposing with the King by Commissioners sent to Oxford and their resolution upon the successe of it already mentioned he proceeds to the Parliaments sending into Scotland for assistance and to aggravate the kindnesse of their comming he reflects upon the Parliament for not sending till their affaires were almost in despaire adding the danger of not calling for helpe till things were too low This low condition is described by him in the same page viz. The overrunning of the North the beating Sir William Waller at the Devizes surrendring Bristoll and Banbury Castle basely as he calls it Toward the clearing of the truth in this the Author affords us some helpe which I shall endeavour to make out as farre as truth will suffer His words that I shall make use of are these For the Parliament to try if they could do the businesse themselves without troubling the Scots was wisdome for what need you call for ayde and trouble your Neighbours when you can do your businesse alone Certainly the hopes of compassing our businesse without the helpe of an Army thence was the ground of their being no sooner called though this Author alledgeth other mysticall grounds pag. 30. But wee staid too long Not so long as the Gentleman mentions neither were our affaires so low as he expresses Wee have good reason to remember the time of our sending thither which was in Iuly 1643. But whereas it is said that Sir William Waller was ruined at the Vies and Bristoll taken before our sending The latter is absolutely denied for our Commissioners had not newes of the losse of Bristoll till they were in Scotland As for Sir William Wallers Defeate it is true he was scattered before the Commissioners went from London but the Commissioners were named and the Instructions preparing and the journey fully resolved on before that Defeate even when Sir William Waller had utterly spoyled Hopto's Army with continuall fighting And as for the subjection of the North to the Earle of Newcastle except Hull it is not strictly true for Wraisell-Castle likewise held out and was never taken by the Kings Forces But I acknowledge that added not much to the state of our affaires I seek not advantages I have too many given me Pag. 31. as also pag. 56. Upon mention of the Covenant for setling of the Church according to the Word of God and conforme to the best reformed Churches he addes and by name to the Church of Scotland This I take to be a falsification of the Covenant which when I tooke I understood to have no more reference to one reformed Church then to another no more to Scotland then New-England though I beleeve Old England uncapable of that Government is in New All that is particularized with respect to Church-Government on the behalfe of Scotland is that wee joyno in preservation of it against the common Enemy supposed by all to be Pupists and Prelates the plaine intent of which to me seemes to be an endeavour to preserve Scotland from any relapse to the corruptions they had escaped and not to preclude it from any further reformation if need should be I can hardly forbeare urging you with that of Iob cap. 13. ver. 7. Let us alledge faire and argue accordingly especially since your Title is Truths Manifest and mine Manifest Truths As for the Relation of their passing Northumberland with so little opposition yet so much want you are referred partly to the Narrative which is true as for the want spoken of it was not so great as is pretended neither was the Countie of Northumberland so much then wasted for it hath indured very much since but that it afforded many sheep which were killed by the Scots the first or second night of their Entrance If their want had been greater the fault had been partly their own who undertook to bring in fortie dayes provision which if it had been done would have given libertie for getting Provisions before-hand Pag. 35. 36. He gives a Relation of the raising the Siege at Yorke and the Battell at Marston Moore where the fault is laid wholly upon the Yorkeshire Horse which was not so but I referre to the Narrative Onely I must take notice of his extolling the service of the Major Generall of the Scotch Horse who is certainly a very able Commander But I must differ in that point with Truths Manifest For the Scotch Horse which he commanded on the left Wing were none of them drawne up in the Front that day nor yet the next Reserve as I am informed but as a Reserve to the Reserve and being weaker Horse then my Lord Manchesters were designed rather to the Chace if God should so blesse us then to the Charge What whole bodies they charged I know not but have made the best inquirie I can As for the provocation which the Author had to magnifie the fore-named Gentleman by the unseemly appellation of the Saviour of the three Kingdomes for so I beleeve he meanes though it be printed the Savour given to Lieutenant Generall Cromwell for ought I heare it was attributed to him by a Scottishman Major Generall Craford by name which he could not help and I hope and thinke I may say that he is angry at the expression his modesty and piety in that respect hath been answerable to his valour and successe and upon a strict examination you will find that he was in the field to the last though his service might be a little hindred