THE Converted Cavaliers CONFESSION OF THEIR design When first we drew the King away from his PARLIAMENT.  
As also (now our eyes are in some measure opened) that we see there was a deeper Plot and design in hand, at that time by the Papists; who made use of us, to accomplish their own design, which then lay hid from us, but now discovereth itself: With our Resolution to forsake the Papists.  
Written by a converted Cavalier, for full satisfaction to all Neutralists.  
LONDON. Printed by Bern: Alsop, according to Order. 1644.   

THE CONVERTED CAVALIER HIS CONFESSION: Of their design, When they drew the King away from his PARLIAMENT.  
TO confess the truth of our design, (of us I mean who are Protestants and in the King's party) it was at the first) to accomplish these two things.  
First, we perceived that the Parliament would not suffer us in our patents which we had obtained of his Majesty, and which had cost us dear; and were like to be very profitable to us; we therefore were loath to lay them down, and forgetting the law of the land, we thought that his Majesty might do what he pleased, and therefore we conceived that if we could draw his Majesty away from his Parliament, into some remote place, where we might incense and enrage him against them, by persuading him that they did abridge him of his prerogative, and then promising him that to maintain his prerogative, we would assist him with money, horses, and arms, thereby to awe the Parliament; we thought this being performed, that then we should enjoy still our unlawful gains by patents as we had done formerly, so that being too much leavened with the Earl of Straffords doctrine, we held that if the Parliament would not apply themselves to his Majesty, the King then was acquitted before God and man, and might make use of his prerogative, this is the first thing.  
In the second place we perceived that the Parliament would endeavour to reform the Church government, and take away all superstitious worship out of it, and that they would amend (if not take away) the book of Common Prayer, which thing seemed very grievous to us, because we desired to serve God in a formal worship (it being more pleasing to the flesh) and obey him only with the outward man, for we thought that even that was pleasing to God, and that we should now be urged and pressed to a more spiritual worship, which we thought was quite against the hair, likewise we thought it an high offence, (now after the book of Common Prayer had been received so many years) that we should go to condemn our forefathers for the use of it, by taking it away; we likewise hoped that when by this design of drawing the King away, we should by force effect for him that he might by his prerogative do what he pleased, and that we should have this book of Common Prayer set up (not dreaming all this while that the Papists had any plot in stirring us up, and likewise, our blind and superstitious Ministers to stand up for it, though indeed now we well remember that one said a year ago that they would stir us up to stand for the Common Prayer till they had effected their own ends, and then we should have Popery set up, and such a Service Book as they would have imposed on Scotland, (which now we may see is their plot) in despite of a Puritan Parliament, and all their Puritan adherents, and that we should have our Lord Bishops again, to curb those that did speak or do any thing against it, as they did heretofore (esteeming that they which were such great scholars were the only churchmen) and all that which they did to be divine, and that we ought to observe it; this was the second thing.  
But now we see that they made use of us and our designs but for their own ends, for they had a deeper plot and design then in hand, then that we were aware of, which we find now to be this, that they endeavour, to make a division betwixt us that are (as yet) but Protestants in name, and those that are Protestants in heart, that so we dashing ourselves one against another, both parties might be consumed, and then (when we are so weakened) they know it will be an easy matter for them to destroy both parties; that this is their design we shall make appear, by these reasons.  
1. Because these many years they have (by means of some near to the King) had familiar recourse to the Court, there to agitate and further any Design that they had, and likewise were much countenanced and favoured; as Mr. Prin in his late book at large setteth forth, that they had their Agents at Court consisting not only of Jesuits and Priests, but even of our own Bishops, which should have been fathers to uphold our Religion, they have been chief Incendiaries to set the Protestants together by the ears, and the Bishop of Canterbury by name hath employed a Jesuit and a Papist to endeavour to bring us to the Romish Religion, as it is laid to his charge in his articles of impeachment; now it is evident that this was the Design that they prosecuted, because first they did (according as they durst) in words and writings, disgrace the profession and professors of the Protestant Religion, thereby to cause profane people to hate, those that were more forward in Religion then themselves.  
2. Because they cannot endure any that are of the Protestant Religion, neither are they to keep faith with us (as their Religion teacheth them) who are Protestants, but they may murder and destroy us, and for so doing they merit heaven, then sure it is very madness and folly in us to think that they will endeavour to establish the true Protestant Religion, which they call heresy, and howsoever although we can endure their Religion practised by both great and small among us, yet if they prevail, they will not leave one that bears the name of a Protestant alive in our Kingdom, witness what they have done in Ireland to the Protestants there.  
3. Because now their Plot doth discover itself, by bringing the Irish forces over; first the Protestant forces, that so they might not oppose them there, but come over into England to waste themselves, and such Protestant forces as were here before: And now they bring (O you Malignants and all my fellow Cavaliers open your eyes) the Irish Rebels (that have killed so many thousand Protestants in Ireland) into England daily for to cut our throats, so that now we may see that whatsoever colour they put upon their design, by persuading us that the King fought for the Protestant Religion and his Prerogative, and that they that were Papists did but assist him for the accomplishing of the same, against those which they and we call Puritans, yet they do indeed intend to bring us under the command of the Pope, and so to take away the King's Prerogative, that he would be subject to him, and so although His majesty do indeed intend the true Protestant Religion, yet (they prevailing) he shall not be able to establish it.  
The Consideration of these things, is the true Cause why we do now forsake their Proceedings, and publish it to this intent, That others that still prosecute the design that we did, may now take notice of the Papists, how they make use of us to our own destruction; and then I hope, you likewise will forsake them, as many already have done, who are different from us in their persons, but more in their affections; and let us now make use of what we see them do for our best advantage, and that is this; Whereas we see them encouraging and countenancing and helping them that are zealous in their false Religion, so let us now unite ourselves to those that are zealous for the Protestant Religion, and as much countenance encourage and help them, both by our persons and prayers, and in particular this Parliament, which they have been a means to cause us so much to oppose: For sure, had not God raised them up as Instruments to stand for this Nation, we had been all lost. And this is my persuasion, and my Resolution is to adhere to the King's Forces no more.  
FINIS.