A clear VINDICATION OF ROMAN catholics FROM A Fowle Aspersion: To Wit, That they have and do promote a bloody and wicked design of the Pope and Cardinals.  
Printed in the year 1659.   

A clear Vindication of Roman catholics, &c.  
THere hath been and at present is, much noise that Roman catholics have a long time, and still do drive on a design of reducing the three Nations under the yoke and power of Rome, and for the easier and surer effecting thereof, that they have a dispensation from the Pope to dissemble and deny their Religion, to profess any other, so to pack Parliament and Army, to make and head Sects, whereby to set up, and pull down whomsoever shall seem to advance or hinder the work, be he King or other; and that in order hereto, the late King was sentenced to loose his head. At first I looked upon this noise as a piece of discontent or malice as well by reason of its strangeness, as in regard I observed the abetters of it to be either mean, prejudiced, or easy of belief: but seing it lately confirmed by two sober and eminent persons, Mr. Prynne in his good Old Cause, and Mr. Backster in his key for Catholick●, I began to suspect the worst yet suspended my judgement, charity forbidding to judge any unheard. At length suspicion breeding curiosity and desire to sound this noise to the bottom, I made means to eonverse with the party concerned in it, and not long after lighting on the chief, both of their Laity and Clergy: I took occasion to speak of the report went of them. They all protested as they were Christians, that it was a black malicious slander raised by their adversaries to render them odious to the end to bereave them at pleasure, of their liberties, fortunes, and lives, for hated, persons they know are fitted for the lash of ambition, covetousness and fury. I expected some plausible excuse, but meeting with a flat denial I grew at a loss what to reply having not any proof to offer. whereat they said, Sir your silence gives us, you have not any proof for this report, wherefore we may and do claim the just privilege granted by the law to all, which is to be esteemed innocent and treated as such until proof comes to make good the charge. But Sir, for your further satisfaction we will prove our innocence, first because this pretended practise, as to the King, was inconsistent with our interest, for albeit he was of a different judgement, nevertheless being satisfied our principles were agreeable with all sorts of governments, that we were loyal and harmless subjects; he afforded us a good and handsome being, now the removal of him we could not but see, would worse our condition by delivering us up to hands we had no assurance of, more then hard usage as we have since found by woeful experience: next, this pretended practise is against our Religion, which teacheth obedience to all superiors lawful commands, and that under pain of sin and damnation, disalloweth doing even the least hurt, though it were certain the greatest good should come thereof and is not sin a hurt, and what sins greater then rebellion, murder, denying ones Religion, and professing contrary? neither can raising a mist from eighty eight, or the Gunpowder plot, anywise darken her brightness, or blemish her beauty, in as much as those were clear effects of interest and passion which she makes her business to check and restrain. True it is, that conceiving our Religion to be safest and best, we hold it charity to impart, and reason it to others, but that we go about to propagate it by violent and unworthy means, is so false, that we abhor and detest the very thought of it: then had we such a dispensation, sure we would make advantage of it by saving or advancing ourselves which every one may see we do not: moreover if the Parliament and Army be packed by us, clearly they are at our devotion and disposal; if so, what senseless fools must we be to suffer them to give liberty to all, and refuse it to us to keep up others rights, & let ours fall to the ground. Last of all, to stop the mouth of iniquity itself, we call God to witness, that we verily believe ther is not in the Pope any power to grant any such dispensation, and if any such dare at any time show its face we declare to all the world that it is a mere forgery and impostor, which diserves no less then to be burnt by the public hand of the Hangman; as a seditious and infamous libel. It will be instanced that upon account of this dispensation, one in New-castle became a Jew, was circumcised, another in London upon the same score preached among the Quakers in a millers habit; still this is but saying we require proof: now to show our confidence none can be brought, we make this fair offer, if any be produced out of the Parliament, Army, or sectaries that can make it out he really hath any such dispensation, we shall be content to endure the saddest doom envy or malice can censure us to; but if this be impossible as we are sure it is, we leave it to any Christian that hath the least sense of feeling of innocence wronged, to judge whether Mr. Prynne, and Mr. Backster be not bound by the laws of God and man to make us reparation by undeceiving and disabusing the people, whom they have so highly provoked, and incensed against us by this horrid calumny. It is St. Augustins and the Roman catholic tenet, that what is wrongfully taken away, as to estate or famed, unless it be restored, the sin will never be forgiven, what then shall become of Mr. Prynne and Mr. Backsters confidence of eternity, so long as they persist, nay glory in their injustice, of detracting without the least remorse or purpose of amendment? Gentlemen, I confess you have given me full satisfaction, and I am sorry for your sufferings, and wish it were in my power to right you, but all I can do is to publish as much, which I promise you faithfully I shall not fail to do, and so I take my leave and rest.  
Your thankful and satisfied friend and servant. L. P.  
FINIS.