A LETTER OF ADVICE TO THE Petitioning Apprentices.  
AFter the mighty and gigantic roaring of the Mobile of the fanatic Pigmies against the Loyal proceedings of the greatest, and best bread part of London Apprentices, for no other Reasons, and upon no other Incitements, then that they obstructed the Cabals, and openly protested against the Disloyal proceedings of ill-minded men, and persons disaffected to the King and Kingdom, and offering their Lives and Fortunes to His Majesty in His Just Vindication, the mighty Mountain of their Seditious and Scandalous Reflections, and Tattle, like that in the Fable, which( to the amazement of the Beholders) did belch forth unheard of Groans, and at last, only brought forth the small Body of a Mouse; So, This of Theirs, after the tedious noise, and roarings of Factions Cabals, and Seditious Pamphlets, that seemed to threaten no less than the down-fall of those Loyal and Worthy Youths, only produced the Image and Form of a Counter-Address, by the no less Scurrilous then Factions Party of the Apprentices of London; which like the goliath of the Philistines, defies the Armies of Cod and Israel; But it is not to be feared, that the Justness of the Cause they resist, and the Honesty of their Antagonists Intentions, will raise up a David to Destroy this their Uncircumcised and Unmannerly Champion. And though the same Reasons that were brought against the most Loyal Youths, might with Reason and Impartiality be thrown upon their Antagonists. Yet to avoid all manner of Reproach and Scandal, I shall forbear to do it, but content myself to say, that I think it the greatest sausiness imaginable, for so Inconsiderable a Party, and such raw and nonsensical Boys, to be so bold, as to presume to council the Wisest, Justest, and best of Princes; But what means will not men attempt, rather than not attain to their designs; will they not dare to throw aspersions upon Authority, and vilify the very Throne of Justice, by their Grand Implements of Faction, Janeway, Curtis, Care and Vile, and multitudes of the same Stamp and Gang, whose Marks are in their foreheads, and ought to be shunned like Infected Persons; For now a days no Plague so Infectious as the Plague of Faction and Fanaticism, that seems even to threaten the downfall of the Nations tranquillity, and none so likely to be Infected as raw Youths in the height of their blood, who are apt to embrace the words of a Seditious Teacher for the voice of an Oracle; And therefore wisely did the late Rebels instigate persons of such Principles and Conditions to Rebel against the best of Princes, as knowing them to be Resolute on any Design that is daubed over with Religion and Liberty; Ingeniously hath a late Author set down the Apprentices Reformation in a late satire against Separatists, whose words I will transcribe at large, as trusting the Judgement of so Learned a Pen, sooner than my own raw Fancy and Judgement; and the rather because it was penned before the Petition was so much as thought of, and so cannot be called Malice or Envy, but is rather a prophecy of what we may expect then a satire on what's past; for thus says that Worthy Author on the Subject.  

—" Prentices themselves will have it so:  
" They'l root out POPERY what s'ever come,  
" It is Decreed; nor shall thy Fate Oh ROME  
Resist their Vow; They'l do't to a Hair, for they  
Who if upon Shrove Tuesday or May-day,  
Beat an old Bawd, or fright poor Whores they could,  
Thought themselves better than their Founder lord,  
Have now vast Thoughts, and scorn to set upon  
Any Whore less than her of BABYLON.  
They're mounted high, contemn the humble Play  
of CAT or FOOT-BALL on a Holiday  
In Finsbury Fields; No, 'tis their brave Intent,  
perfitly t'advise the KING t'a PARLIAMENT;  
The Work in hand they'l disapprove, or back,  
And cry i'th'Reformation, What d'ye Lack?  
Can they whole Shop-Books writ, and yet not know  
If BISHOPS have a Right Divine, or no?  
And can they sweep their Shops and doors so well,  
And for to cleanse a STATE as yet not tell?  
No, Study and Expetience makes them wise,  
Why should they else watch late, and early rise?  
Their wit so flows, that when they think to take  
But Sermon-Notes, they oft-times Sermons make.   
And then a little farther by way of Irony, he says, 
Go on Brave HEROES, and perform the rest,  
Increase your famed each Day a Yard at least,  
Till your high Names are grown as Glorious full  
As the Four London Prentices at th' BULL.  
So may your goodly Ears still Prickant grow,  
And no bold Hair increase to mar the show.  
So may your Moo●-Fields Pastime never fail,  
And all the Towns about keep mighty Ale;  
So may You come to sleep in fur at last,  
And some Smectimnuan when your Days are past;  
Your Funeral Sermons in six Hours Rehearse,  
And Hewood sing you Praise in lofty Verse.   
Thus far this Learned Satyrest( which I challenge any one of their Pensionary scribblers to answer,) hath set down the Apprentices blessed Reformation, and therein hath with a prophetic as well as Poetical strain depicted our present Reformadoes; But it may be objected, that there is not any harm in their Address, and that they do not aspire to the Throne of Majesty; To which I answer thus, Is there no harm in thwarting Authority, and protesting against the Addresses, those true and grateful demonstrations of Loyalty? Is it no harm to scandalise those Youths, that took the first occasion by way of Address, to re-gain their Reputations, and profess their Loyalty? Is it not harm to disapprove and dislike what His Majesty so much Honours and approves of? If it be not harm( as they will have much ado to prove,) yet I am sure it is the greatest piece of ill manners imaginable; and then on the other hand, who will call it humility, that they approach not to His Majesty with their Address, but rather a just shane flowing from the unmannerliness, if not Injustice of their Cause; for were it good, just and honest, according to the Laws of the Nation, Reason and Civility, why should they be fearful to approach to His Majesty, when all the World that know him, esteem him a Prince that is not a hinderer but an encourager of all things that are honest, and tend to his own and the Nations security; But why he should be loaded by a Petition from the meanest of his Subjects, to council him in the greatest of his Affairs, I am not sensible; I should rather think it would better become them to let it alone, or at least I say till their betters had gone before them in this Affair; But alas whither will not the blind zeal of I action hurry the wisest men, and much less the Rabble of Head-stong and unthinking Striplings; But yet notwithstanding all this, you can be so sensible as to pretend to Loyalty, when you visibly detest that very Address of the Apprentices, that was so Eminent for Loyalty and Allegiance to the best of Kings; What is your Petition less then tacitly to challenge your Antagonists into the Field, to vindicate themselves from your aspersions, and so cause a Rebellion; Therefore as Apprentices, I would desire and entreat you, especially those of you, that can pretend to any thing of worthy Birth, or Civil Education, to forbear these proceedings, which if you have but the sense of rational creatures, you cannot but see it will tend to no good; Why should it be said of You in after-ages, that you were headstrong in villainy, and prove to Faction & Rebellion? who for the bare notion of Loyalty dare break even the very Laws of Reason and Civility, and spit scandal on the lives of your fellows, in moving so contrary to the Principles of the Loyalty that you pretend to; I assure you I have studied all the reason imaginable, and can find none so sufficient to excuse this your saucy presumption; nay I have taken the advice of graver years, and wiser heads than my own, yet they can put no favourable construction upon your present proceedings, than that you are lead away by the specious pretences of ill-minded & disaffected persons, who for their Zeal to the Cause, will dare to affront even the Majesty of Heaven; Therefore despise not the poor advice of your fellow Apprentices, who desire nothing more then the welfare of the King and Kingdom, of this City in particular, and in It, You, and all the Apprentices besides, hoping that upon better thoughts you will see the evil of your ways, and the unmannerliness of your proceedings; and not pretend to council your councillors, and teach your Senators wisdom, but steadily to six your Loyalty to the best of Princes, against all opposers of what Sect or condition soever, and be not lead away by Seditious Masters, and more Seditious Teachers, but adhere to the true Church of England, which never yet could be scandal'd with that infamous crime of Rebellion; and give and sacrifice your lives and fortunes to His Majesty's Service, in vindication of His Supremacy and your own Allegiance, which that you may do to the Eternal Honour of the rest of the Apprentices of this Famous City, is the hearty wishes and endeavours of your Fellow-Apprentices, though an utter enemy to your present proceedings; Grant me but a favourable and impartial reading of what is here set down, and then any of you without partiality or malice, give me correction wherein I have transgressed the Laws of the Nation, Reason or Conscience, or the Duty I owe His Majesty, and the Veneration due to this City, which God willing I will do my endeavour to acquit, and so hoping you will see your errors, and recant; I take leave, and remain your loving friend as you prove; farewell.   

London, Printed by N. Thompson, 1681.