Dr. HOLLINGWORTH'S DEFENCE OF K. CHARLES the First's Holy and Divine Book, called ΕΙΚΩΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ Against the Rude and Undutiful Assaults of the late Dr. Walker, of Essex.  
PROVING By Living and Unquestionable Evidences, the aforesaid Book to be that Royal Martyr's, and not Dr. Gauden's.  

Imprimatur.  
Maii 2. 1692. Carolus Alston, R. P. D. Hen. Episc. Lond. à Sacris.   
London: Printed for Samuel Eddowes, under the Piazza of the Royal Exchange in Cornhill, 1692.   

To the READER.  
Reader,  
IT is a thing of very sad consideration to all wise and good men in the Nation, to think, that at this time of the day, when we have a noble Prince brandishing his Sword abroad, and as noble a Princess indefatigably attending the public Affairs at home, in order to preserve the Religion and Laws of their Country; that there should be a Generation of Men at the same time rendering them their Thanks for all Their Care and Pains, by vilifying their Grandfather, and extolling every scurrilous Pamphlet that lessens the deserved Honour and Reputation of that great and good man. What this means, and what it is designed for, every man that hath but half an Eye in his Head may easily see: And tho' many of their pretences of Love and Duty to Their present Majesties are very great, yet it is plain these Attempts upon the Name and Memory of K. Charles I. are in order to a Commonwealth, or else to bring the Monarchy to the Standard of Venice or Genova, and therefore I think no man is to be blamed, at this time, for standing up for the ancient Constitution of the Kingdom, and in order to it, for defending that Prince who (notwithstanding all unjust Reflections) did grant as much, nay more, for preserving it, than any King that had reigned before him; which he that reads over his History impartially, must needs confess, or else I am sure he must wilfully shut his Eyes against the clearest Light; for, I am certain there was nothing offered him, that could make the Kingdom truly happy, but he was willing to hearken to it, and comply with it.  
By what means all his Condescensions proved in vain, it is the easiest thing to understand; a few proud and ambitious persons had got the Power in their Hands, by their Interest in a corrupt and enthusiastical Army, and rather than return to their old stations again, they chose to break through all the Guards and Fences of Law, all the Oaths they had taken, and against the Sense, the Petitions, and earnest Desires of the Nation in general, to imbrue their Hands in their Prince's Blood, an action for which the Honour of the Kingdom has been stained ever since.  
But that after all this, and the Ruins that one Act has brought upon us, we of this Age should be so mad and intoxicated, as to vindicate it, and appland every thing that justifies that horrid Murder, is a thing, I may say, without a parallel, and causes great thoughts of heart amongst all disereet and thinking men; and withal, that such a Book as Dr. Walker's late Book against King Charles' incomparable Writings should be so magnified and applanded, has to my own knowledge as much amazed as well as grieved a great part of the Subjects of this Kingdom; and therefore I thought it necessary, for the casing the minds of those good men, to let the World see what a Forgery that Book of Dr. Walker's was; and if honest, plain, and living Testimonies will convince his Admirers, I am sure I shall now do it.  
I have omitted in this Answer many Inconsistencies in the Dr's Book, because I was resolved to dwell upon matter of Fact; and withal, I have forborn returning those Scurrilities and Scorns he has loaded me withal, upon himself, for I considered him as dead, and therefore have been as civil to him as the nature of my Undertaking would allow me; and I wish with all my Heart he had survived the publishing his Book, that he might have had time to have repent of such an unseasonable, false, and undutiful a Book as this of his is, whereby he has gratified none but the great Enemies of Monarchy and Episcopacy.  
Reader, I have but one thing more to add, and that is, if any man question the Truth of those living Evidences I have quoted, if he pleases to come to me, I will wait upon him to them, and he shall have satisfaction from themselves of the Truth of what I have writ.  
The God of Heaven and Earth restore all the People of this Nation to sound Minds, to impartial Considerations of Persons and Things, especially of the Person and Cause of King Charles the First, that so we may not be disappointed of our hopes and expectations of Success this Summer, by Sea and Land, by provoking God, by vindicating the barbarous deal of a base Faction with him, for he that vindicates them repeats, and as far as he is able, commits them over again; which, I am sure, is a great Sin, and without great Mercy, will have a suitable Punishment one time or other from Heaven.  
Farewell.   

King CHARLES the First's ἘΙΚΩΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΗ: OR, THE Portraiture of his Sacred Majesty in his Solitude and Sufferings, VINDICATED.  
THERE is a Book lately published, that hath made a great noise in the City and Country, and hath occasioned a great many false and spiteful Reflections upon myself, which, I must tell the World, I am so far from being really burdened with the Thoughts of, that I look upon them as the greatest Honour done to me, and to my Memory when I am dead and gone, considering it is for an honest and seasonable Zeal for the Honour and Reputation of King Charles the First, whose Name (notwithstanding all villainous and designing Reflections) will smell sweet to all Ages and Generations to come. How this Book hath been bought up, and carried up and down in Triumph, all men of any Observation know, and all good men are grieved at it: And now the Point is gained, and that for which that Great King was so highly venerated, so deservedly applauded, and indeed upon the score of which the greatest part of his Actions were vindicated, is now proved a Cheat, and a Forgery, and therefore he truly is guilty of what by the then Parliament was laid to his Charge, and made the reason of their War against him, and, at last, of the Murder of him. This is sad News in deed, if it can be unquestionably made out, and those many of us, that have defended the Interest and Innocence of this King, have great cause to lay our Hands upon our Breasts, and say, What have we done?  
But stay a little, bare Assertions and Accusations were never yet amongst Wise and Good Men admitted as satisfactory Proofs; and therefore this Book must be considered, and examined, and weighed in a just and proper Balance, before we down upon our Knees, and acknowledge our Faults, for defending and standing up for this good and admirable Person.  
And therefore I, so far as I am concerned, must beg Leave to tell the World what I have to say for myself, and what I have to say in Bar, to the Truth and Credit of this Book, so much admired by a Party of men, who will cry up any thing that serves their Lusts against Monarchy and Episcopacy, for that is, in short, the sum total of the thing; and was there no Hopes of overturning the Government once again, and engrossing the whole Power of the Nation into their hands, King Charles' Ashes might lie still in the Grave, without any disturbance or molestation.  
The Title Page of the Book is, A True Account of the Author of a Book entitled, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; or, the Portraiture of his Sacred Majesty, in his Solitude and Sufferings: With an Answer to all Objections made by Dr. Hollingworth, and others, in defence of the said Book.  
The Author is Dr. Walker of Essex, who, if God, the Avenger of the Injured and Oppressed, had not called him to an account, before his Book was published, I should have been so bold as to have given, and that by undeniable Proofs, such Instances of the man, as would have invalidated his whole Testimony, and made him and his Book too a Scorn to the World; but he is dead, and therefore I will, as much as I ought in this Case, forbear him, and let his Ashes lie easier in the Grave, than he has the Ashes of King Charles the First.  
The design of the Book is to tell the World, that that Book, that hath for 43 years together gone under the Name of King Charles, was none of his, but drawn up by Dr. Gauden.  
Well, But how must we be satisfied in this? For, truly there ought to be mighty clear and home Proofs, that a Book writ in so lofty, noble, and so agreeable a Style to all the other acknowledged Writings of this great King; a Book so full of Accounts of Political and State-Affairs, that no man hardly could be acquainted withal but himself; a Book so full of Divine Thoughts and Meditations, so suited to the various Conditions and Afflictions he was in, and indeed a Book, as the present Bishop of Rochester said in a Sermon, must needs be his, because it was impossible any one should write it but himself.  
I say, there ought to be mighty clear Proofs such a Book was none of his; Witnesses upon Witnesses, and those very honest, and known upright men, who make Conscience of the Appearance of Evil, aught to be brought into Court to make this good, to convince the World this so celebrated a Book was none of his. I, but here is no such thing, Dr. Gauden made the Book, and told Dr. Walker so, and therefore 'tis true, and who ought to doubt it? And this most of the Dissenters about Town say too. Why truly, with the World's good Leave, I am one that doubts it, nay, that scorns to believe it, and the more, because Dr. Walker asserts it, who was he not dead (which upon this account and no other I am truly sorry for) as I said before, I would give Reasons sufficient to satisfy any man why I do not believe it upon his Authority.  
Well, further Dr. Gauden showed him some of the Heads of Chapters, and afterwards told him, that he had made Bishop Duppa acquainted with it, and sent it by the Hands of my Lord Marquis of Hartford, to the King. This is all fine indeed, and yet, notwithstanding both the Marquis and Bishop Duppa survived the Calamities of the War, and saw King Charles the Second Restauration, and felt the good Effects of it, the one by being made Duke of Somerset, and the other Bishop of Winchester; yet poor (and yet so highly deserving) Dr. Gauden was fain to sit down contented with the small Bishopric of Exeter, though over-and-above he had wrote against the very Covenant, he, as Dr. Walker said, had taken, and never durst desire, as by the Sequel appears, either Marquis or the Bishop to recommend him to the particular and great Opinion of King Charles the Second; for, the Dr. tells us, pag. 5, that Dr. Gauden did not know whether the King knew it, yea or no; nor yet did he ever (as by Dr. Walker's further Account appears) give himself the Pleasure and Satisfaction, to understand from the Marquis, whether King Charles the First received it, approved it, and made use of it in his Retirements, as he pretended to design it, which certainly he might have done by a word speaking to the Marquis, after the Restauration, for he lived till October following.  
And this to me makes it a plain Case, that it is all Shame, and that if Dr. Gauden had dared at that time to have told such a Falsehood, he must have sat down contented with his Living at Barking, without any Expectations from the Court, without either being Bishop of Exeter, or living in hopes of the Bishopric of Winchester.  
And Sir Dennis Gauden might have spared the Cost and Charges of building an House upon Clapham Common, for his Brother the next Bishop of Winchester that was to be. A Story, all things considered, enough to make a very melancholy man to smile, but 'tis such a one as Dr. Walker was accustomed to; That Sir Dennis Gauden should lay out five or six thousand pounds upon an House for his Brother, when Bishop of Winchester, which he was to have for writing a Book, and yet neither he nor his Brother knew, neither King Charles the Second had nay knowledge of his writing the Book at all.  
So that, in short, the whole thing lies within this compass; Dr. Gauden made the Book, and told Dr. Walker so. I say on the other side, if Dr. Gauden said it, he did but jest with him, or else did something worse, which I will not name; for, I will prove by and by, under the hand of a more creditable man than ever Dr. Walker was, without any Disparagement to his Memory, that Dr. Gauden had another opinion of the Author of that Book, and did so declare it.  
Well, he says, he believes upon this Say-so of Dr. Gauden, that it was his Book, and would have others upon his bare credit believe the same; and there are Thousands of Designing men have, upon this man's Assertion, greedily swallowed it down, though I hope either to shame or silence them before I have done: And therefore on the other hand I say, I have better and greater Testimonies to the contrary, which I now come to offer to the World, which when I have done, I will leave myself in the hands of all unprejudiced, dispassionate, and uninterested men, to judge which of us, upon true Evidence and Proof, aught to be believed. And thus I begin.  
I tell the World in my Postscrip to the Defence of King Charles the First, that being in Conversation with Sir John Brattle, a worthy person, and who hath long enjoyed a considerable Office in the Royal Mint, and discoursing with him about King Charles the First, and particularly of the Suspicions of the Truth of his Book, he frankly told me, and assured me the Truth of this Story.  
That in the year 47, the King having drawn up the most considerable part of this Book, and having writ in some lose Papers, at different times, desired Bishop Juxon to get some Friend of his, whom he could commend to him as a trusty person, to look it over, and put it into an exact method: The Bishop pitched upon Sir John's Father, whom he had been acquainted withal for many years, who undertaking the Task, was assisted by this his Son, who declared he sat up some Nights with his Father to assist him in methodizing these Papers, all writ with the King's own Hand.  
Which Story, upon the coming out of my Book, did so nettle the Enemies of King Charles, that Sir John was presently pestered with Penny-Post Letters, (the usual way of that Party, when any thing crosses their Designs) and gave him such a disturbance, that presently they raised a Story about Town, that Sir John had denied the thing, and consequently I had abused the World with a Tale of my own inventing; upon hearing of which, I went the next morning to Sir John's House, in the Tower, and not finding him at home, by good Providence, in my return, met him under Aldgate, and walking with him down towards Crouched Friars, I told him what I had heard, and desired to know whether he had said any such thing, Sir John presently, without haesitation, told me, that all I had printed was true, but was troubled at my printing of it, because of the Trouble he had with these Penny-Post Letters, at which I was not so much concerned, because I thought it an Honour to Sir John, to have any hand in vindicating his old Master, and did think the Cause I was engaged in would defend me from any Imputation of Undecency, in not ask his Leave to print a Story which he told without any Obligation to silence, and in company of another person, a worthy Citizen, as well as myself; but to do Sir John Justice, I must acknowledge, that what he said to me, as to the truth of what I writ in his Name, he hath said to all my Friends ever since, that have had the opportunity of conversing with him, and talking about this Affair.  
And now let us see what Dr. Walker says to this; why truly he does as good as tell me, that I have contradicted myself, when I assert, the Book was delivered by the King to Bishop Juxon, and the same Book sent by the King to Mr. Simmons: He says, They cannot both be true; if that, not this; if this, not that; they are so contrary, pag. 2. Good God how fast will some men shut their Eyes, when seeing the Light would make them write and speak Truth! A man of very ordinary Parts, and of an honest Mind, might at first sight fee no manner of inconsistency in these two Stories; for, in plain terms I tell you, Bishop Juxon received the most considerable part of the Book to methodise, by his Friend Dab, as he in familiarity called Sir John's Father in 47, and the King sent it to Mr. simmond's in 48, so that here is a full Years difference betwixt the one and the other. But poor Dr. Walker knew very well what sort of men's Cause he was carrying on, and that a bare telling of them I had contradicted myself, would be enough, for they presently run away with a Scandal, though never so gross and groundless, without any further examination. Further, he questions Sir John's Memory, and talks of his Youth to invalidate the Story, but that is so great an Affront to all the young Gentlemen and Apprentices in London, who at the age of Nineteen are so very much employed and trusted in their Master's Books and Accounts, that I leave them to vindicate Sir John upon the score of helping his Father in a thing of such a Nature as this was, at such an Age. And as for his doubting whether Bishop Juxon ever saw the King, from the beginning of the War till his Murder, pray who can believe that a person who had been so obliged by his Master, as Bishop Juxon was, would not take a days Journey to visit his Royal Master at Hampton-Court, when the Army caressed him at that great rate, and suffered access to him by all forts of Persons, even the Marquis of Ormond himself, who had so stoutly appeared against them.  
And this is all I have to say as to Sir John Brattle; and that he told me this, I will depose upon Oath, whenever I am lawfully recalled.  
The next thing I shall discourse upon, is the Story of Mr. simmond's. I say in my Postscript, That King Charles sent his Book to Mr. simmond's, to peruse and correct, he having writ so excellent a Vindication of him, as indeed it is the best I ever saw, and which I wish were reprinted, and that Mr. simmond's, upon the reading of it, sent for Dr. Gauden, shown it him, and who was so taken with it, that he borrowed it, transcribed it, and so returned it back to his loving Neighbour again, which Story I had from the Reverend, and my Worthy Friend, Dr. Meriton, who does not use to tell Stories of this high nature, without very good Grounds; but that which confirmed me in the belief of this Account, was this, namely, That Dr. Meriton dining the latter end of the last year with the late Lord Mayor Sir Thomas Pilkington, happened to meet with Dr. Walker, at the same Table, where Dr. Walker was pleased, with his usual Confidence, to assert Dr. Gauden the Author of the King's Book, upon which Dr. Meriton turned upon him with this Story of Mr. simmond's, communicating the whole thing to Dr. Gauden, upon which he was so confounded, that he had nothing to say for himself; and though if none but Dr. Meriton himself had declared to me the issue of their Debate, it would have satisfied me: Yet the further satisfaction I had from my Worthy Friend Mr. Marriot, than Chaplain to the Lord Mayor, and Minister of the Parish Church in Rood Lane, who stood by, and heard the whole Discourse, and withal the Silence he put Dr. Walker to; which he professed to myself, gave me so full a satisfaction, that upon that account I ventured to give the World an account of it in Print. After this, in January last, a Reverend Friend Mr. Ionas Warley, Vicar of Witham in Essex, coming to Town, was pleased to let me know by a Paper of Directions, where Mrs. simmond's, the Widow of the aforesaid Loyal Sufferer lived, whom according to the Directions I found at the same place, where after telling her, that I heard she was such a man's Widow once, and she acknowledging it, I asked her, whether she knew any thing of the King's Book, and how far her Husband was concerned in it; she presently answered me, that going into her Husband's Study, she saw upon the Table a Book in writing, which she knew was not her Husband's Hand, and therefore asked him whose it was, which he turning her off with bidding her mind her own Business, she desisted from any further Enquiry; after which he sending, or else giving it with his own hands to Mr. Royston to print. The said Book was printed, as I shall show by and by, and the Proofs corrected by himself; but the thing getting some Air, the Soldiers came, and seized upon a great part of the Impression, so that what were left of that Impression, were sold for Twenty Shillings a piece. The King's Murder quickly after following, she told me, her Husband never joyed himself, (those were her very words) but fell sick, and died the 29th of March following, and throughout his whole Sickness declared the Book was the King's Book, which upon reading, the Spirit and Temper, the Religion and Piety, the holy Courage and undaunted Zeal, the Simplicity and Sincerity of the man throughout all his Writings for King Charles, I am confident he would never have attested upon his Deathbed, if the Book had been composed by any but King Charles himself, and which upon the Characters I have read of the Lord Marquis of Hartford and Bishop Duppa, I also firmly believe of them, both of them, no doubt, scorning to assist their Royal Master's Righteous Cause by such a Cheat as a Book writ in his Name by Dr. Gauden; for true Churchof- England-men, governed by conscientious Principles, scorn to carry on their Designs by Lies and Forgeries, by Tricks and Devices, that are only fit to serve a bad and wicked Cause; the King himself was a man of too great Wisdom and Piety, of Understanding and Learning, to want the help of such a man as Dr. Gauden; and I dare say, the two aforesaid Lords scorned to propose such a thing to him; or if they had, he would with all worthy Disdain have rejected it.  
But to put this thing further out of doubt, understanding who composed and printed this Book, and they both being now alive, I went to the one, and sent to the other; he I went to, was Mr. Thomas Milbourn Printer, just by Jewen-street, and enquiring of him what he knew of King Charles' Book, he told me, before a sufficient Witness, That in the year 48 he was Apprentice to Mr. John Grisman, a Printer, at which time Mr. simmond's, by Mr. Royston, sent the King's Book to be printed, and that his Master did print it; and that Mr. simmond's always had the name of sending it to the Press; and that it came to them as from the King, and they understood it no otherways; and that they had printed several other things with C. R. to them, and that it looked to them like the same Hand, and the same sort of Paper with others that were so marked, and looked upon as the King's Papers, for the King (as all Kings no doubt do) kept the Original by him, and Mr. Odert the Secretary transcribed them.  
Which after I writ down, I read to him, and he before witness declared to be true; but withal, he informed me, that there was one Mr. Clifford belonging to the Church of St. Paul's, and Reader of Prayers at Sergeants-inn in Fleetstreet, that assisted him in composing and correcting the aforesaid Book, who could give me a further account of the thing; upon which the same day April the 28th, in the Afternoon, I sent a Letter to Mr. Clifford, desiring him to give me the favour of his company that Afternoon, or to come to me the day following; who sent me an Answer, That his Business was so, that he could not come that Evening, but he would come to me the next day; which accordingly he did, and after Dinner, before Witnesses, I writ down what he said to me upon Knowledge of the King's Book, which I after read to him, and he set his Hand to: The words were these.  

I James Clifford do, upon my Knowledge, declare to Dr. Hollingworth, that I was an Actuary in several things published by King Charles, particularly the Letters between him and Mr. Alexander Henderson, who endeavoured to seduce the King to favour the Presbyterian Government, and that there was a man of known Fidelity, Mr. simmond's by Name, Chaplain to the then Prince of Wales, who was employed by the King to take care of his Book, because he had writ the Vindication of the King so well; and that the King entitled his Book The Royal Plea; but Dr. Jeremiah Taylor coming accidentally to Mr. Royston's Shop, he having a great and assured Cofidence in him, shown him the first Proof from the Press, which when the Dr. viewed under that Title, he told him that the Title would betray the Book; whereupon Dr. Tayler did undertake to write a Letter to his Majesty, to let him know it would be in danger of being suppressed for the Titles sake, there being, as he understood, two crafty Informers, by name Cheltenham and Jones, who would understand the Book by the Title, and therefore he thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would be a better Title, and the less taken notice of by the Informers, being Greek, and withal, it agreeing with the Title of his Father's Book, called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; upon which Letter the King immediately consented to the alteration of the Title as Dr. Tayler proposed. And withal, I do declare, that the King, for fear the Original should miscarry, ordered Mr. Odert, Secretary to Sir Edw. Nicholas Principal Secretary of State, to transcribe it, and lodged the Original in the Lord Marquis of Hartford's own Hands, and by the Copy of Mr. Odert's, Mr. Milbourn and myself, (it being the way of Livelihood I took to, being turned out of Magdalen College in Oxford for my Loyalty) did print the said Book, after the printing of which a great part was seized in Mr. Simmonds' Lodgings, and he, though in a Shepherd's Habit, was so far discovered, as that he was pursued into Great Carter-lane, by the Rebels, where he took Refuge, and the bloody Villains fired two Pistols at him, which frighted him up Stairs, and out of the Garret Window he made his escape over the Houses. And I do further say, that I never heard, nay, that I am sure, that Dr. Gauden never was concerned in that Book, by which Mr. Milbourn and myself printed it, and that we had no part of the Copy from Dr. Walker, for it was that transcribed by the aforesaid Mr. Odert we printed it by.  
Teste Jac. Clifford, In the Presence of Luke Milbourn, Clerk, 
 and Margaret Hollingworth.   
And now I think this is enough as to Mr. simmond's; there is but one thing worthy of Remark, (for the other about Colonel Rich is trifling) and that is, That Mr. simmond's was gone from Rain some years before 48, and therefore could not send for Dr. Gauden as a Neighbour, to communicate the King's Book to him.  
This Story, though true in the main, was not so punctually delivered as it ought to have been, and I quickly saw my Error, after the Book was out, though I did not say that Mr. simmond's sent for the Dr. to Rain, the Living out of which he was sequestered for his Loyalty in 43.  
Now, you must understand, that Dr. Gauden was presented to the Living of Bocking in 41, and as I am well informed, he had his first presentation from the Parliament, but not looking upon it as a safe Hold for so great and reputable a Benefice, which is called a Deanery, he, by the Intercession of Friends, at last, procured a Presentation from Archbishop Laud, the rightful Patron to it, then in the Tower, at which place he contracted a Friendship with, as well as became a Neighbour to Mr. simmond's at Raine, which I am told is not Two Miles from Bocking, and it was in London, after he had received the King's Book, that he sent for his former Neighbour Gauden, and communicated, and lent him for some days that Book: And, pray what mighty Error is there in this, for Dr. Walker to take such an Advantage from? I wish he had committed no greater throughout his whole Book, and then I am sure it would have not swelled to 37 Pages; for, if he had writ nothing but Truth, a Nutshell would have held it all.  
And thus much for Mr. Simmonds' Story, in which, I hope, by Living Testimonies, I have made good what I asserted, and proved Dr. Walker's Say-soes but mere Fictions of his own.  
I, but still Dr. Gauden said he composed and framed the whole Book to serve the King, and that Good, that Pious man Dr. Walker does assert it, and his words weigh more with us, say the Commonwealths-men, than a Thousand (though living) Testimonies to the contrary. I, but soft and fair Gentlemen, I say and will prove it by a better Evidence than Dr. Walker's can be supposed to be, that Dr. Gauden, after he was Bishop of Exeter, did say the quite contrary, and did justify it to be the King's Book; and that if ever he told Dr. Walker he made it, he spoke that which is false to one or the other, and therefore his Credit ought not to be relied on at all.  
Dr. Walker hath forced me to this, or else Bishop Gauden's Ashes should for me have lain peaceably and honourably in the Grave; but Dr. Gauden's Reputation is a mere Trifle when put in the Scales with the Honour of King Charles the First.  
Know therefore, Reader, that understanding the Reverend Mr. Long, Prebendary, as I take it, of Exeter, was well acquainted with Dr. Gauden, when Bishop of Exeter, and had many free Discourses and Communications with him, and sometimes about King Charles the First, and more particularly about his Book, to whom Bishop Gauden declared, it could be the Book of none but the King himself; hearing of which before I ever thought of so bold a Man and audacious a Slanderer as the Essex Dr. proved afterwards by his Book to be, I made bold the 21st of April, the very day after the publishing of Walker's Book, to write to Mr. Long, desiring him to let me know whether Dr. Gauden had ever declared and asserted any such thing in Conversation with him? who was pleased to answer mine by the next Post, and to refer me to his Letters he had sent to Dr. Good all, the Physician in Charterhouse-yard, upon whom I waited, and who was pleased, upon my desire, to give me out of Mr. Long's two Letters these two Transcripts.  
I Had the Hap to be acquainted with Bishop Gauden, as long as he was our Diocesan, and I have heard him often affirm, that he was fully convineed, that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was entirely that King's Work.  
Exon, March 23. 1691/ 2 Tho. Long.  
And in another Letter thus:  
I Can affirm on my own Knowledge, that Bishop Gauden did affirm it to be his full Belief, that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the King's own Work.  
Exon, April 15. 1692 Tho. Long.  
And if the Reader of these two Accounts be desirous to know who Mr. Long is, I must tell him, that he is an Ancient, Grave, Reverend Divine, well known for his Truth and Honesty; one who, as he is a professed Member of the Church of England, so he hath always been true to the Doctrine and Discipline of it in his Preaching and Practice, and not like my Adversary, who I know (for I was personally acquainted with him) was an Encourager of, and a Comrade principally with those who had no kindness for the Church at all.  
I have but one thing more which is matter of Fact to answer, and that is his Story about Major Huntingdon: He tells you how he met him at Tunbridge, upon what account he visited him, and what passed betwixt the Major and himself, when the rest of the Company were engaged in their Divertisements; in which he takes great care of not being contradicted by any Slander by, for still his bare Word and Credit are the only things to be relied upon, so vain a thing is Man.  
Well, the purport of the Discourse is, That the Major denies all that was said of him by Sir William Dugdale, or any others, as to the Papers relating to the King's Book. Well done Dr. Walker; if thou ever hadst a man alone with thee, undoubtedly he was always on thy side, and thou wert always in the right, and when the man was dead, wouldst assume the confidence to print it.  
Now, What must a man say in this case? Must he give the famous Dr. Walker the Lie, and say, the Major never said these words; and that because he said the contrary to others, who have attested it in the most solemn and serious manner? Truly this looks very hard upon the Memory of such a man, say the Commonwealths-men, as Dr. Walker.  
Well, but by the good Leave of all Dr. Walker's Believers and Admirers, I will here, in the Fear and Presence of God, tell this Story:  
That the last year, when Dr. Walker, by living in London at Alderman bury, had been by his vain and rash, his false and undutiful Talking, an occasion of the clergymen's and others Defence of the King's Book, amongst other Confirmations of the Truth of the Book, this Story was told me by a certain Nonconformist Minister, to wit, what Major Huntingdon told him with his own Mouth, that he procured some Papers that made up part of his Royal Book afterwards, from the Hands of my Lord Fairfax the Parliaments General, which were taken after Nazeby Fight, and kept by my Lord Fairfax himself; and that afterwards he the said Major Huntingdon presented them to the King with his own Hand. This Story I remember as well as any thing I saw done or heard spoken all the last year: I spare the man's Name for particular Reasons; but if ever I be called by Authority to name him, I will do it, and depose the Truth of his saying so, upon my Oath.  
I have now, and I hope to all good men's satisfaction, made out Matter of Fact against Dr. Walker's Assertions, and doubt not but from henceforth, if the Party, that have taken occasion to triumph over the Dust of King Charles the First, from this vain, shuffling, proud, and inconsistent Book of Dr. Walker's, will not believe what I have said yet, that they will have either the Modesty, the Prudence, or Henesty not to rail at and revile him, who was one of the best, wisest, and most pious Princes that over sat upon a Throne, and consequently lest deserved the hard Fate that he met withal from Sons of Belial.  
I have but two things more to add, and then I have done.  
I am very well assured, and that from a very good Hand, that Dr. Dillingham many years' Fellow and Master of Emanuel-College in Cambridge, did wait upon the King after he was seized by the Army in 47, and when the King was walking in the Garden, had by a special Favour from those about the King, admittance into his Bedchamber, where he saw and read under the King's own Hand, fresh writ, a whole Chapter of the King's Book; which is a great Testimony, considering the Truth and Piety of Dr. Dillingham, throughout his whole Life, who never was a vainglorious man, hunting after Popularity. And further, I have a Commission from the present Bishop of Gloucester, Dr. Fowler, to present the World with this Narrative, from an Original drawn up and attested by himself, which has a great deal of weight in it, considering the former Testimonies.  

About Twenty eight Years since, I received the following Account from Mrs. Keighly of Albro-Hatch in Barking Parish in Essex, viz.  
THAT she had a Servant, who went from her into the Parliament Army, and was made a Captain, who giving her a Visit, some time before the Murder of the King, told her, that he laid down his Commission; and she demanding the Reason why, he replied, That his Conscience would no longer permit him to keep it. She again ask him what it was that had dissatisfied him, he replied, That whereas he had been made to believe that the King was a very bad man, he was now abundantly assured, that he is an excellent good man. She enquiring what induced him to judge so well of the King, he told her, That he was appointed to stand every Morning at His Majesty's Bedchamber Door, when he was a Prisoner in the Isle of Wight, and observing for several days after he was set at his Post, that the King went into his Closet quickly after he was dressed, and there stayed a considerable time, and then went down into the Garden, and walked there a pretty while, and perceiving that he still left the Key in his Closet Door, he adventured to go in, and found that he had been penning most devout and pious Meditations and Prayers, which he fell to reading, and read on till he saw the King return into the Walk that leads towards his Chamber, (for the Closet Window looked into the Garden.) And thus he the said Captain did for several Mornings after, and read from time to time the King's Mornings Work, till he came to a Resolution, no longer to be such a Prince's Jailor. Mrs. Keighly farther told me, that he gave such an account of these Meditations and Prayers, that she was confident they were printed in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, after she came to read that Book. This Mrs. Keighly was a very religious and pious Gentlewoman, and as discreet and prudent.  
This I attest, Edward Fowler, D. D. June 15. 1691.   
And now I leave the whole thing in the Unprejudiced Reader's Hands, to judge betwixt me and the late Dr. Walker; and if some men will be still incredulous, I here offer myself to stand to the Verdict of Twelve Neighbour-Ministers, of Dr. Walker in Essex, and will give up the Cause if they bring me in guilty; and I am sure it is a Corner of the Kingdom, wherein live as learned and virtuous Clergymen as any are in such a spot of Ground in the Kingdom.   

POSTSCRIPT.  
READER,  
THere is one thing I omitted which in my Conversation with Mrs. simmond's she acquainted me with, and that was being at Dinner some years since, at a Citizen's House, he like one of the Faction, and greedy to lessen Monarchy by aspersing King Charles the First, told her, if she would confess the Truth, that her Husband made the Book called the King's, there were some Hundreds of pounds at her Service; which she, knowing her Husband's Honesty in his Deathbed Assertions scorned, and told him she was not to be bribed by never so much, to so great a Lye.  
I wish Dr. Walker had been as stout to have resisted Temptations to Revenge and Vainglory, Revenge against a Church to which he was never true; for he was an Enemy within our Gates, and then I am sure the World would not have been pestered with a Book stuffed with so many notorious Falsehoods.  
FINIS.