A prospective for King and subjects. OR A schort discovery of some treacheries acted against Charles the I. and Charles the II. Kings of England, Scotland, and Ireland. With Some few advertisements to the people in the 3. Nations concerning the cruel, exorbitant, and most Tyrannical slavery they are now under which they have wrought themselves into, and still desiring to be, by upholding of a pretended court of Parliament, altogether ruling contrary to the Laws of the Lands or any branch there of, and according to there own Lustful and arbitrary wills. Romans the 11. chap: verse the 4. But I have reserved 7000. man who have not bowed there Knees to Baal. Written by Wendy Oxford once an honourer of them and there pretences, but now as great an abhorrer of there Macheeslian practices. Let St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, be now judge against such Antichristian Romancing Rulers, as are assembled together at Westminster. Romans 1. Chapt. and the 24. and 25. verses. Wherefore God gave them up to uncleassenesse, and to the change the truth into alley, worshipping the creature more than the creator. Printed to Leyden by john Pricton in the jeer 1652. To the Most High and Mighty sufferer of this age Charles the II. by the grace of God, Right and true Born King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Most Gracious Sovereign. BEfore I beg your sacred Majesty's patronising this mite, which shall be conneighed into your nature all soils, for as well correction to your enemies, as also the cherishing of the starvinge and dying people therein, who have laid long grieved and languishing under an arbitrary power. I beseech you to remember the advice given to your royal Father of blessed memory by a wise man. Make not known the chiefest of your determinations to an open council (all thoughstyled a privy council) lest you fail in the design, vera, amicitia, tantum modo est inter bonos mali nec interse amici sunt, nec cum bonis, Neither do any thing of great concernment in council of a civil friend, in which your Majesty cannot be safe in the execution thereof unless it be concealed: Civilem amicum sic habeas ut putes posse in imicúm fieri. Admire not (Gracious Sr.) that in a corner of the earth I whisper this council unto you, for had your sacred Father believed the same he had never been so unhappy as to be murdered by his own people (nay by some of those he made his bosom friends) and consequently your royal self had not been exposed to such terms as your own soul, better knows then any. But vincit qui patitur. No I writ this small ensueing treatise unto your Majesty that you may have an insight of what you have done, and the better you wall discern what is to be done, by removing all sychophauts who lay parsonally in the breast of your Fathers and your Majesty's, but there hearts in the treasury of both your known enemies. Latet anguis in herba! and still the seeds of those adamites are engendering in your counsels which (gracious Prince) I hold myself bound induty to make known to your Majesty, & thereby give a caveat to you for the future, seeing the glory of God & the good of my Sovereign, and 3 commonwalths at stake If your Majesty should discountenance the work, my comfort remains that the frowe of my Prince may turn to the favour of my God nec mendacii utilitas est diuturna, nec veritatis damnum diu nocet, neither shall flattery still hold in credit, nor truth always continue in disgrace. No no (Great Sr.) none but such as join with your Enemies (knowing you to be Heir apparent of so great a monarch (who was not only defender of the faith, but martyr thereof) dares be (especially) when the christian faith lies wallowing in the blood of its own saints over the whole earth in your Majesteys being so unlawfully kept from that Sceptre, which usvally did protect the innocent, and detect the nocent: which that it may once more be put in the hand of your righteous self the vicegerent of the Lords, I here on my bended knees offer unto the most high my humblest prayers for your Majesty's safety, and in throning (not doubting but your gracious goodness will grant protection to these my desires) and that as days multiplies on your hairs and years on your people, that the weisdome of God and savour of your own subjects may be joined with the help of all christian princes (making it there own cases) to the restablishing of your Majesty's 3. Crowns. This suit will I never give over, in all others, I will remain Your Majesty's faithful and obedient subject during life. Wendy Oxford. The Epistle to every free borne subject of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Dear Countryman. I Desire not to hold thee long in the porch, but entreat thee to enter into the house, where if thou findest any thing which thou canst call thine, I pray take it, and of the rest, if there be any thing which may do thee good in the time of peace or war, tribulation or prosperity, accept thereof, but as thou readest it, I beg of thee to observe well, and be an impaitiall judge of the truth thereof, which if thou be'st there in resolved, do not only of (what is true) lay up, where thiefs may break through and steal it away, but lay the good so up, that thou Majest (upon a good opportunity) make good use thereof to the freeing thyself from the thraldom thou art under, and the darkness of thy Salvation thou art kept in by those who made the glory of God, and thy freedom from Tyranny, there pretences, & stalking horses, but they rule notover you as christians or as the beloved of the Lord but as Servants forcing you to make brick without straw. Which that you may be freed from, by a most Faithful Moses, shallbe the hearty prayers and well wishis of Thy loving countryman and Brother in Christ. Wendy Oxford. A Prospective for KING AND SUBJECTS. I Have read of William Rufus a King of England was slain with an arrow Shot at a hart by a knight, and in an other History I find that Basilius Macedo A Roman Emperor was killed with the stroke of a hart in hunting, Cajus and Fulvius Valerius Anastasius (we read also) the Emperors perished by lightning, as also young Drusus Pompey the Son of the Emperor Claudius was choked with a pear which he cast up and caught it in his mouth in a sportive way, so likewise of Charles King of Navarre we read he came to a strange and untimely death, for he being sewed up in a sheet by night that he might be bathed in it, he that seued it, went to burn of the thread with the candle, and set fire on the sheet, so that the King being so much scorched with the heat, died threon in three days. You may likewise read of Euripiudes of very great fame who was unawares torn to pieces by dogs and (as plyny writeth) An acreon was choked with the stone of a Raysin, and Marius with a hair in a mess of milk, yea I read of Pliny himselfs perished by a strong fire of mount Vevesus Whilst he was seeking to know the reason thereof, some ends there lives in laughing as Valerius Maximus, others by sneezing, and as I began with a King of England I will end with a King of England, whom weread was buggered with a hot spit through a horn into his fundament up into his body, but this was a cruel act of privacy, but never did you read or hear of any Prince or King murdered after such a manner as Charles the I. was on the 30. day of Ianu. 1648. about 2. of the clock in the afternoon, niether did I ever hear or read of any Kings or princes so much laid snares for & so much betrayed as there have been together, vide: King james, King Charles the I. and King Charles the II. And if you will force me to believe there hath, I must confess there hath been tracheries, which have been acted against Kings, and Princes, but still have been discovered, before execution, as Caesar whose life was taken from him as he was going to the senate house; yet it was discovered to him in a letter before, if he had read it, to have believed it; so, many plots there was against the late Queen Elisabeth, some dangerous on's against King james, but put them altogether, they reach not at the throngs of treacheries, in this our age. For the chiefest of your Royal Father's Nobility, (Dread Sovereign) and gentry, nay whom he made Noble, and whom he preserved from perishing, nay let me go higher; some, whom he (by his gracious goodness) redeemed from death, which they were condemned unto by justice for treason against himself, and others formurther; These very people being chosen counsellors to him, not only betrayed him from there very beginning of there trusts reposed in them, as to the losing his people's hearts, but also in the renting his Kingdoms, and all the territories thereunto belonging from him and his posterity, nay not resting there, but in the conclusion (casting of the name of treachery) they presumed to take away his life, under the colour of justice by a Pilot and pharisaical judges openly to condemn him in the same Hall, whre they should justly have died formerly, and then executed there cruel murder on him at the gates of his own court, and onascaffold openly in the face of his own people, as if he had been a traitor to himself, nay they cut his sacred life of in the most ignominous way that could be inmagined, even as the greatest traitor that ever was since England received christrianty even by the hand of the common Hangman belonging to Tyburn. O prodigious Monsters? whose persons and actions shallbe some what laid forth in this book, when I come to my advice to the poor blinded people: but they are more at large painted out to the life in my book entitled. The banis head man's complaint coming forth. Should I begin at the sust of King james, and so descend to this very day of all the treacheries which have been acted at home in counsels, and a broad against the States of the 3. Kingdoms, I should be in a labyrinth, and weary the reader's patience, wherefore I will but cull out some remarkable on's, and indeed but point at some of them, enough for for your gracious Majesty to perseive what is meant in the whole. Did not your royal Father of Blessed memory (all though so crusified by his own subjects) put his whole trust of the managing, the whole affairs of his Kingdoms in to the hands of his council: and was he not betrayed (before ever a Parliament was called) by some of them, sworn privy councillors, was it not plainly seen that there was a Spanish purse always open a mongst them, was not the Spanish faction moulded so high with the riches of the Indies, that never since Queen Elizabeth died, revenge could be endeavoured against the insolent but subtle Spaniard. And was not there a French pox in other some of his counsellors causing a rottenness in there hearts, to the Keeping his then Majesty from maiking wars & regaining the lost claim of that Crown, and when at last, some more honest than the rest did persuade an army to besent over, did not then golden french Pistols (by treacheary) overcome the English Steel, whose edge formerly was a terror to all nations And with leave (Great Prince) was not your royal Father betrayed in all his privy counsels, counsels of war, and in his very bedchamber at York, Shrewsbury and Oxford, was there ever any thing of consiquence, acted there in, nay but spoke on, or was ever design but intended on his Enemies in the field, or upon any Garrison, but it was presently sent away to the General, or Scontmaster General of his Enemies, or to the Commander in chief, of the next Garrison of Enemies, or if time would premit to the committee of safety, then sitting at Derby House, was it not that your Father's Enemies there treasury was greater than his (they having the revenues of all his, the Royal Queens, & your then Princely self with your Brothers the Duke of York, and most of all the nobility and greatest gentery in the whole Kingdom, besides there daily assessments and loans, and subsidies with many other extraordinary taxes, as excises of all things, together with the infinite and vast sums of monies raised on Bishops, Deans and chapters lauds, enough to purhase whole Armies, Towns, and Cities, as in conclusion they did, for were not thereby whole Armies, Cities, Garrisons of Towns, and Forts sold to his then Majesties, and now continuing yours; are not the proverbes too too much verified in these latterdayes. Monies makes the mare to go: and an ass laden with gold shall enter in to the strongest city or town what ever, and the golden Key unlock the strongest gates that are, yes, your Majesty sees and feels the truth hereof. For no sooner was the sacred life of your dear Father and our sovereign taken away, but immediately messages were sent to some about your sacred self for the holding of correspondency with them at Westminster which the very business of Bredah speaks something thereof, for no sooner was anything done (altough never so privately thought) but with in 3. days the whole result was at Whitehal (that once a royal seat for our Kings and Queens but now a den of thiefs) which would have been made good to your Majesty by some what wished happiness to you at the hague, but truth was crushed in the shell, and those blasted for there good intentions: But pardon me (Gracious Sr.) that I am so plain, I most humbly beseech your gracious Majesty. I must now go a long with your Majesties' counsellors from Bredah into Schotland, from whence I must tell your gracious goodness there was daily postings between some of your chrifest pretended friends and your openest Enemies, (O Sr.) there have proceeded a world of teacheries, as first concerning the holding your Majesty from taking the Covenant until your thro' at was ready to be, cut the steel of your Enemies being thereby prepared, those treacherous vermins that put triphles into your conceience were hired thereunto, for that your Enemies knew, the schotts' nation would not trust you nor fight for you, until you had done it, and also thescotts, juncto would not do there ut most in raising of an Army until they had your conscience engaged, which was too late, when you had taken it, for by that time, your Enemies became masters of the field. Next look upon that most traitorous act of delivering up of Edinburgh, Castle and Leith, was not 20000. paid down for it and the Governor thereof now the only man with your Enemies, than was it not a sylver bridge that conveyed your Enemies over in to Fife, did not the silver over quench the heat of Brent I laud, and so all along in your Majesties' whole progress in Scotland, to be short hath not monies conquered all Scotland. Now (most suffering Prince) give me leave to march a long with your counsellors from sterling into England, where they laid the plot your Majesty should be katched in a trap, to that end you were sussered to go without let or molestation, your Enemies being assured before hand, that you should not march to London, where you had finished your desines. What was it but monies that hindered you from suffering the gallant Cavalero under the Duke of Bucks, earl of Cleveland, and Massy, to fall on your Enemies at Torwood where God had designed there for your prey had you not been betrayed. What was it but monies that when your Majesty was advised by some of your must faithful subjects to march immediately to London, that you were advised too lay down before Carlisle a day & night, on set purpose that Lambert and Harrison Major Generals of 2. brigades of your enemies, horse might be joined together, and that Cromwell General of your enemies might come up in the rear of your army who was at least 9 days march from you, yes, it was monies that did all this, and those very persons that received it now lie in prison for a colour, but spend after that extraordinary manner, as if they were more than free subjects. Again was it not 30000. paid to some apppointed to receive it, that caused David Lesly (when as your Majesty had given the Duke of Bucks and that gallant gentleman Massy 500 horse to go a part from your army, and when the Duke sent for 500 horse more with the hearty desire of doing some acceptable piece of service in breaking an associated committee of Traitors met from divers counties for the raising forces against your Majesty, which the said Duke might easily have taken and dispersed them every on had his grace had the 500 horse sent for) what was it caused David Lesly to come unto your Majesty and tell you that the Duke was a young soldier, and would engage your whole army, and so cause a loss of all presently (which he by a lingering way lost in the end) which caused your Majesty immediately to send an express order under your own hand & seal for the calling bacl the Dake of Bucks to your body: and what was it but a Sylver bar that crossed your road to London, and what was it that when your army had the bal at there ●eet at waring tun Bridge and your enemies Lambert and Harnison at the mercy of your army, that they were suffered to go a way untouched, nay suffering many faithful and gallant gentlemen (who were on the for lost hope) to be taken and carried away prisoners within less than musket short of your whole army, and but by a small party of the enemy, yet not released by your Generals command but contrary command given that none should stir. Next let me remind your faced self of the many treachirous acts at Worcester, as first the advice of being drawn to that place of no strength, to be taken in a net as a covey of partridges: Secondly when as half of the army of your enemies were marched under the command of L. General Fleet wood by up tun over the bridge and so came close to the other side Worcester, which is in compass 18. Miles distant on part from the other part of your enemy's army, I say what was it that kept your Majesty from sighting on or the other part of your enemies when your Majesty was advised to it in the steeple of Worcester minster, again what was it that caused your Majesty to suffer a bridge of boats to be made within musket shot of the town of Worcester, for your enemies to relieve on another as they should see occasion, and the enemy to make it without disturbance; Lastly (as to Worcester treachery) what was the cause that when some came and told your Majesty (as you were at dinner) that the enemy was coming on, and some persons of Honour desired that they might go out with a party and charge that bold enemy which was coming on, but David Lesly gave order to the contrary (saying) let them come on I-se make them to garre faether in one hour, than they shall come on in three, which neglect and treachery in conclusion proved to the utter overthrow of your Majesty, the great loss of your nobility & gentry, and as much as in him lay the loss of 3. Kingdoms, O Sir, it was not for want of courage or discipline, but your enemy's purse that sealed un assurance of victory to your enemies, it was that formerly which gave victory of above 28000. gallant men under Duke Hamiltons' command in 1648. to 8000. under Cromwel's conduct in Lancashire: for the nations know, there was not a blow struck to any commander for the victory but to the Duke in Westminster halyard. So that your Majesly plainly sees yourself bereft of duty sidelity and valour of all sides, as your subjects beguiled of there allegiance, by being seduced with fair pretences on the on side, and your subjects in snared to slaufhter on the other by treacherous vermins, O have not many armies in your royal father's time been strong in bulk, but weakened by factions amongst the chief, which caused his commanders (not confiding in on another) to provide for there own safety and subsistence, what was it that bred these distempers but the Parliaments coin, which the plain country man saw likewise and made him draw his neck out of the choler. My duty (dread Sovereign) teaches me to let you know as much of the treacheries and corruptions of your enemies as I well know, which in brief, is, that which you cannot be ignorant of that there is such a large allowance of monies to the council of state (styled) for the rewarding of in formers, Spies, and intelligencers even to betray there nearest friends in all relations, so that where blood and the nearest consanguinity can not find security of council and action, it is in vein for a Prince to hold himself safe in many councillors: great emperor's, Princes, and generals in these our days (who have made use of councillors as to hear the opinions of every on of them) but they had never effected such great attempts as they did, had they not kept the result of all in there own hearts until the very hour which they intended the enterprise: may I be on ce blessed with the sight of your Majesty I shall be more plain in my expressions then now I am, for that I ossend some so much, that this poor book could not find a press until the soarings were a little clipped: and if by my expressions and confessions which I shall then lay open to your Majesty's judgement, Ishal not irritate your displeasure, but merit your gracious pardon, it will engage me too make the greater discovery es, which I shall for bear to any what ever but my own Prince. But thus much I shall presume on in the interim, that your Majesty be cautions of some near you, and then fear not those fare from you. And let this be a cave at to the Dutch, for no question if it be possibly to corrupt any of there greatest States, which God for bid those of Westminster will not be wanting to the ut most of there endeavours and stocks (which England with grief may say) are to great. (great Prince) cast of such sychophants (as I said already) whose persons are with your Majesty, and there hearts in the treasury of your enemies, look on those (I beeseech your Majesty on my knees) that have lost there fathers, brothers, and kindred, nay all there estates for doing you service and your roy all father, I say cast not not of your nobility and true hearted gentry, they have ever been formerly accounted ornaments to a crown the on, and props thereunto, the other, and all of most honourable respects in a republic; Although I must confess (in these our latter days) even as some deadly hem lock hath appeared in fertile ground, and the richest ore hath been digged out of barren soil, even so hath virtuous and honourable spirits proceeded from mean parentage, and appeared so in your service, and base and ignoble, descended from Honourable progenitors, who have formerly appeared as stars for there Princes, but now gone out as snusses of candles, against them; wherefore well said a holy man, nobility of birth many times begets ignobility of mind, and untimely honour hinders many from honourable attempts but; to such nobility, and such counsellors I conclude thus (which I desire may be a caveat to the remaining honest of Lords and privy councillors) that greatness can not exempt them from the vengeance of God, nor all the wealth in the Parliaments treasury buy them there from, which commandment (contrary to there knowledge and conscience that they should honour God and be true to their King) they do thus presumptuously transgress; which is neither God's commandment cannot deter, nor God's Word advise them, nor his judgements fear them, I will say as Saint John writes in the 12. Chap. of the revolations & the 11. verse, he which is filthy, let him by fylchy still. Wherefore (most gracious Sir) I beseech you to leave such counsellors in time, lest your Majesty be left by them in the lurch (A slander by many times sees more than he that playeth) as your Majesty hath been too often already. Now (gracious King) be pleased too give a poor subject of your Majesty's leave to set down a few advertisements for the procuring your own rights and Kingdoms. And first of all (Sir) I beseech your Majesty as to descend so much, as to address yourself to your people in a he avenly way of peace, and goodness by way of declerations, and remonstrances, making there in a Covenant with God to follow your vows and protestations made, or to be made to your subjects, although they have been stubborn and stisse necked hitherto against you, yet behold and see what the Lord God of hosts may do with there hearts: for (great Sir) think not to overcome them by sword so easily as by word, no no, they have been so long embrueng there hauds in bloods on of another, that there hearts are hardened against forra igners you may bring in; they may be sooner smitten with your assuance to them, that as you redeem your rights carefully, you will not only spend them wisely, but that you will first of all settle the protestant religion amongst them in the purity thereof according to the best reformed churches, that when your Majesty's time shall come, when you must give an account to the King of Kings of your vicegerency and Steward ship, the God of all Gods may say to you welcomely, Euge bone serve? and give your gracious self a Crown of glory which shall never fall from the head of your Majesty, and that your people may have just cause to mourn for suchan earthly loss, and rejoice that you are else where in glory remaining for ever hereafter, which that your Majesty may attain unto here, and hereafter, God of his mercy grant, Amen. 2. Next that your Majesty promise to rule over them with love, and not by fear, the loving way of government being easy and safe, but Tyranny is ever accompanied with care and terror (O Sir) carry this saying in your breast. Ama & impera; Qui terret, plus ille timet, sors illa Tyranno convenit. And truly (Dear Sr.) could your Majesty be but quiet a while longer, your gracious self should soon see this saying fulfilled in the now oppressors of your people, there exorbitant oppressions will force the oppressed to take an advantage of shaking of the yoke they are now under as not being able to bear any longer, neither will God's justice suffer the sway which is grounded on there cruel Tyranny to continue. Now to these two principles which I beg your Majesty to hearken unto, let me speak to my country men concerning them. Remember (fellow commoners) that you by God's ordinance, and humane laws, are the true and lawful subjects of this King who now you deraine his rights and your own due obdience from. For heis your naturally born King, and these you now yield obedience unto in all there false edicts, have surruptiously gotten the stasse of government over you, and accordingly usurp there authority, under pretence they have gotten it by conquest, but alas they have not conquered there King, nor you, but it was you that conguered yourselves, in conquering your Prince, and those you fought against. Next remember good country men, and repent as you will answer at the dreadful day of judgement (when all your now usurping rulers and your actions of treason and murders must be accounted for) of your holding down your Prince by the hair of the head whilst these bloodsucking rulers cut it of from his Sacred person remember when you did this murder, you wounded your God through the sides, and so long as you fight against to keep your native Sovereign from his rights and possessions, you detain God out of his right, the King being the vice gerent of the Lords so that in plain terms you tobbe God of his deuce and the King of his, contrary quite to our Savious rule give unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God those things which are Gods. 3. Next (most renowned Prince) promise to the people that you will do justice to all (which is termed Regia mensura) even to the meanest as well as to the greatest without partiality, neither inclining to the right hand of affection nor to the left hand of hatred. I beseech you toread Sir Francis Bacon's Essays of judicature, wherein he speaks to Prince as well as to judges if thou perceivest (saith he) on the on side high hills of advantage, powerful combination, and violent prosecution, and on the other side the low valleys of poverty and dejectednesse, prepose thy way as God did to judgement. Isaiath the 40. Chap: and the 3. verse, by raising valleys and taking down mountains, so shalt thou lay the foundation of thy sentence on a sure ground. Then O King as jehosaphat said. Be of good courage, and do justice, and the Lord will be with thee and all nations shall fear thee. Now let me speak again to your people as to this 3. advice. And if so that such promises be made to you (good countrymen) by a King, I and by your own King, not a foreigner, by a protestant Prince of your own religion, and not of astrangeon, that you shall have your religion resettled, your laws (now torn to pieces) reestablished, so that in causes of justice and judgement you shall have true sentence, Secundum allegata & probata, and that you shall have judges like Elohem upon life and death, and like Solomon when meum & tuum is in dispute, and not like these Kingly usurpers, who (to your griefs I speak it) had rather Ius dare, to make laws of there own upon there authorityes of sic volumus, sic jubermus, not fearing at all that fearful malediction in Abekuke chapter the 5. and the 1. verse. Cursed is he that remooveth his neighbour's land mark, I say they had rather Ius dare, them Ius dicere then to pronounce the old laws already made. If such things be promised by our dread Sovereign; what shall let you (but an extraordinary judgement of God for your sin of in gratitude) from in throning him in his native rights, and yours, which will prove in conclusion your freedoms, and greatest gains. But some of these men's, Baal priests may say what will you extirpate those you have chosen to make and preserve your laws? I answer, they deserve it, having been chosen by you to do so, (nay they having sworn so to do,) but they have proved false, for sworn, and gross covenant breakers, who have wrested the laws of God, and the gospel of jesus Christ to there own ends: the justice of God requires it and man also, melius ut pereat unus, quam pereat unitas, better for on to perish, than unity to be destroyed: they term themselves a Parliament, and as but on body, therefore let that on as a rotten corrupt, and putrified body be cut of to save a whole stock from perishing, Fiat justitia. Ense reseindendum, ne pars sincera trahatur, Look upon the Apostles rule. Nos scimus bonam esse legam, modò index à legitima utatur. We know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully. To the end of what hath been hitherto spoken by me I humbly beg of your Majesty that I may return unto you, and your goodness hear me. That your Majesty would not be advised (by any favourites) when you shall (by God's blessing) attain to your crowns to deal with your people, as physicians sometimes deal with there patients, that they must be recovered by corrosives, and sharp remedies; not (Dear Sr.) that you please to cure them with a diat, and assuage with fomentations. And if against the light of nature, and laws of nations and rights thereof, your people shall persist in there obstinacy, and contemn your many times offered grace, and goodness, than you are excused, in the binding, cutting and pruning such stife stakes (that will rather burst then bend) and all to be really looked on, as to the restoring yourself to your own, and them to yourself, yet you may not extirpate all. But for the a voiding of this latter I wish (great Sir) that your Kingdoms may be settled without more blood, as firm as mountains, not to be remooved, your cities return in obedience, and your strongholds with continuance of the same; all your subjects obsequious, and not to hate monarchy under thoughts of freedom, and so conspire still to with hold there obedience: O that is a grievous sin, and absolutely unlawful by the laws of God and man, to resolve a redemption by a wicked temptation of liberty: Such subjects must expect to labour under general convulsions, and be wasted with unheard of Lacerations. No, fare be it from your people to entertain such precipitation of thoughts and fare be also contempt and rigour from your Majesty, lest the divine power of God bring to pass that which few fears, none dare attempt, and Prince and people ab horre, wherefore (O Prince) resolve of coming to your own (if possibly, by love and peace, and rather suffer a little longer than ruin al. Si vis vincere, disce pati. Now you that call yourselves the supreme power of England Scotland and Ireland. I can compare you to no other than to the 30. Tyrants of Athens, or to the Tribunes amongst the Romans, either like the 30. Tyrants who were chosen by the people to be there conservators of there laws and liberties, (even so were you) who held the people with goodwords and fair glozzed declarations (as you have done) until they had the opportunity, and strength to persist in there design of Tyranny than they turned the weapons of the people against there own breacts and became absolute Tyrants whole names and deeds had never been blotted out had not this age bred such monsters as you are to outvie them in the highhest manner that may be, or else you may be compared to the Tribunes amongst the Romans', to be appealed unto from inferior courts of judicature, and chosen Parliament men to be advisers about affairs, and assistants to the King, which in a short time, you by your machevilian perjuries, and so phisticated conjurations to the people namely your declarations, promises, remonstrances etc. In your usurped authority have not only overtopped the King's power, like the Tribunes, but have cut of King, and power to all posterity. Wherefore all people may justly say either you are without Christ, or Christ without peace, A hard saying (I must confess) but yet more of truth than wonder which the church of God mourneth for such discords, where in her best earthly Saints lie murdered by you, religion through out the world accuseth your errors, and you who seem to be professors accuse religion, by which means, Heretics, schismatics, and Blasphemors, Turks, insidels, and pagans, in sult over God's children and all of you over the church. But wherefore have you thus betrayed the honour of God, and battered his inheritance? O look (ye vipers) what Kazienzen saith, ubi nost est pax, non est Mundus: But I fear the saying of jehu is upon you, what have you to do with peace? The people have just cause to say of you, nay God himself may say, you Hatter him with your prayers, and wound him with your swords; you have the voice of jacob, but the hands of Esau, the visage of innocent Abel, but the hearts of murderous Cain; for you have made bonfires of whole towns in the 3. Kingdoms, and exhibited emblems of your inflamed minds to the world, and all at the same time when you seem to congratulate your thankfulness to the Lord: but in these things you make God your stalking horse, for whilst you seem to burn in cense, whole towns are turned in to smoke, O, your weapons reak not with the blood of Turks, but in the hartbloods of your native King and fellow subjects. O what a miserable resolution have you clothed yourselves with, even to destroyall rather than be destroyed? Are you to be called ministers of State, are you to be called peace makers, and physicians of a commonwealth, no, rather to be called firebrands of a Kingdom, or (in more law like terms) States barrators, who have blasted the happiness of 3. Kingdoms by your litigious juggle, and you have deluded the people thereof into an universal sorrow and complaint, groaning under the heavy pressures of your taxations, being tilted (as empty barrels) in there fortunes by your avaricious and arbitrary exactions. And those who have escaped your swords, you have bereft of there estates, which must cause famine inevitably to depopulate by lingering deaths, others, who escaped, and yet under your power, live (as in apresse) under your tyrannous calamity: So that all, not only being sequestered from light and conversation of that which concerns there souls, but are also sequestered from there country habitations, that they are in a worse condition than the souls of the air, neither having rest nor food, & you are not only sufficed here with, but your thirsty blood sucking souls (like the lapathaes and Centaurs) who in warring seek nothing but war, such are your haughty minds, that you thirst after the blood of your neibouring countries of Scotland and Ireland, nay those being dry land territories, can not quench your thirsts, wherefore you make war on the seas, and with those who were at peace with all the world, until such time as your pride forceth them to adfence, and I doubt not but they (being borne under awatery climate) may satiate your bloody Stomaches and the Sulphering heat of your bound less consciences with water enough, which the Lord of hosts grant they may cut of as a curse from the earth, and make good the saying of the Apostle. Cut them down, cut them down, why cumber they the ground. Now according to my promise let me whisper a word or two to my blind, ignorant, and wilful countrymen, to such as when there King having so often ventured his life for the saving there's, they like barbarians, and the worst of heathens, requited good with evil. O countrymen remember Worcester business, and remember that from the first entrance of his Majesty out of Scotland through great dangers and hardship by carlisle and so a long to Worcester that not 3. hundred of you came into the assistance (casting of all duty and allegiance) to your Prince, but contrarily you stocked into the help of those, that you cry daily tyrannizeth over you, whose confusions in your cups you drink and the health and prosperity of your Prince, yet you are the first that would cut his Majesty's throat, for did you not endeavour it at Worcester when you came to the assistance of Cromwell by Thousands, and when that your King had lost the day, you were worse enemies to his nobility and gentry than any of Cromwel's men, nay you hunted after the life of his then does comfited Majesty, like as the hunter doth after his prey: raping, and plundering all before you beating the brains out of the meaner sort and hurrying the greater (after you had sufficiently rob them) to some traitorous committee or other for are ward. O Countrymen, think you not that you must answer for these in humane, & bloody acts, for these robberies, and murders, you then & formerly have committed contrary to the commandments of, thou shalt not steal, thou shalt do no murder. Who is it for, that you have run a hazard of damnation of bodies, and souls, it is even for those, whose power can be no other (by the laws of God and man) than a rob usurping power, so that other nations have just cause now to say, Quales Magistri, tales servi. But he hold and read there petition presented to his Majesty (whom they wilfully murdered) on the 16. day of july 1642. there you shall find that these usurpers then called God of heaven and earth to witness that they would defend his Majesty from all harms, and dangers, etc. and that they would confirm your, laws, and redeem your lost liberties, view likewise his Majesty's reply to this petition, that he should not count himself safe until they had laid down there arms, and delivered up his towns and magazines, which they detained from him, and that the tumults of London were suppressed, then view the replication of these now usurpers to that replication dated the 29. of july. That they desired his then Majesty to accept of this there just reply, that they could not discharge the trust reposed in them, for the safety of the King, and Kingdom (mark that country men King and Kingdom) neither could they yield to these demands of his Majesty's, for (say they in that replication) they took up arms, and the possession of such towns and maguzines, for the security of religion the safety of his Majesty's person, of the Kingdom and Parliament all which they saw to be in most eminent danger. (Mark again all these resolutions) and there in they likewise desire that the King would return to his court of whitehal, assuring him that his royal person should be as safe there, as in any other place (they having assurance of the loyalty of the city of London to his Majesty, and to that purpose they have taken care to prevent all danger which his Majesty may justly apprehend. (Countrymen) by this petition, and the 2. replications with the order of Parliament made there on, Die jovis jul. 30. 1642. ordered by the Lords assembled in Parliament, that the petition and replication of the Lords and Commons be printed and published, and that they be read by the parsons and curates in all churches of England and Wales. john Browne Cl. Parl. I could give you many more of there declarations remonstrances, engagements, protestations, nay there oaths, and Covenants, where in they have solemnly sworn to maintain the King in his just privileges, and to preserve the person honour and dignity of the King with there lives and fortunes and that they would maintain the just liberties and Freedoms of the people. But now let an inquiry be made, if these usurpers you fight for, have done and performed the least part of this replication, or any of their remonstrances etc. & first let is inquire what they have acted as to religion. Which they. 1. Have not only lacerated and turn to pieces the fundamentals thereof, but they have quite abolished and wholly extirpated the very roots and branches thereof. Have they not in there very night marches (in which they were conducted by the woeful light of Burning towns) few making resistance all being astonished at the prodigy thereof seeing the churches themselves polluted with horses and even committing beastly acts therein, virgins with rapes, and the cries of the churchmen heard louder, and farther than the drums, and trumpets of those you maintain, seeing the pollution of holy things thus trampled upon, nay holy and godly ministers imprisoned and turned out from there stocks, and (that not all) but put to death for preaching the word of God according to there consciences, and this being done have they not put in anabiptistical, schismatical fellows, do they not suffer your pulpits to be adulterated by cobblers, tinkers, weavors etc. Who teace nothing but sedition conspiracy, false doctrine and Heresy from which good Lord in his due time deliver you. 2. Next let us make an inquiry concerning the King's person and dignity, which they have so often called God to witness and other imprecations in there printed acts (but dissembled deeds) that they desired God to deal by them & there's, as they dealt by his then Majesty and progeny, which God grount. I say (Countrymen) let us inquire if they have not (in stead of maintaining him in his royal dignities) imprisoned his sacred person, and in stand of preserving his royal life if they have not wilfully murdered him in a most ignominious way, as you already heard, and in stead of making his Crowns to flourish upon him & his posterity, they have sold them to Goldsmiths, and abolished his posterity for ever so fare as in them lies, and this was there chiefest aims of there first taking up arms. 3. Thirdly inquire after your freedoms and liberties (dear Countrymen) behold whom you made as Gods amongst you, have they not sacrificed your bloods to there fortunes, do they not drive you on, upon all occasions in the front of battles and storms, as sheep to the slaughter. What navyes must be prepared, what armies raised, what wars prosecuted, what cities destroyed, nations depopulated on the only effects of there opinions, and none of all this against Heathens or antichristian enemies; but even against there own fellow subjects, and neighbouring protestant brothers, with whom there ever was firm league until such sycophants came to be rulers over you. Must they not be judges and juries of your bloods; fortunes, behaviours, and estimations? will they not utter things according to the dictates of there own affections? do they not measure all things by the circle of there own advantages? have they not made your public plenty's quit the pre-eminence to there private profits? have they not made all that is yours serviceble to there amplitude; in a word, have they not sacrificed your blood and fortunes to there arbitrary wills, and have they not effused blood in these wars at no rate and cherished devisions purposely to purchase what they have obtrined hitherto, to be Kings and emperor's, over you, in treasuring up vast summis of monies from you, resolving to leap into an authority of a more hopeful permanency; and have not you brought this upon yourselves by sighting for and rising with them upon all occasions; but goodness for bid that such earthtly worms should continue over you after such a manner as they have done in making there progresses through smoking cities, & over the trampled bodies of half dead men, and continuing in the exhausting all that is yours, rather than they should be exhausted. O countrymen look but upon there ways a little better and take the length of this my prospective glass, and you shall perceive, that they know if the administration of the public should be regulated according to the laws of God, by the judgement of a pious and godly Prince, than they must become base, low, and most contemptible, that they should be exposed to prey and direption. They are neither like the heathens a as Hannibal who said, Miles parce ferro? and Marcellus, wishing he could quench the flames of burning Syracuse) no they desire not to buy peace at so dear a rate, nor sell there dominations so cheap, neither would they imitate Tytus (lifting up his hands and eyes to heaven) wept over the Carcases of the jews. No, they choose rather to strutte it out with pride, and make themselves inebriate with passion, and strengthen there fury with desolation, nought but in exorable wraths cohabite with there disloyal minds. But let them besure that our merciful Lord, will be offended with the long continuance and these lasting malignityes of there undertake, they having ceased to be what they professed long since, they have forgone there declared innocence, and in stead of increasing in reputation of godliness and a good cause (which they then pretended to have in hand) they have built up there towers of fury and malice against all goodness, both as concerning your religion and estates (nothing at all esteeming of what our saviour said) when he commanded all scandals to be remooved from religion and out of the temple of the Lord dooming a Millstone to be hanged about there necks and cast into the sea, and nothing esteeming of another rule of our saviours, love they neighbour as they self. I must tell you countrymen the gentiles in times past were amazed at the charity of Christians, to see how they loved each other but now the heathens, behold amongst Christians brother against brother, father against Son, destroying on another, and butchering each other, prosecuting, and persecuting on another with endless hatred, which can not be but a sad Harmony in the greatest of there jubilations; now for all these things are daily seen by you, yet you will cleave to these monsters of mankind, you have hitherto rather choosed to perish with them, then to live a godly, quiet, and a sober life, under your King the chosen on of God. O countrymen I beseech you by the mercies of God and in the bowels of jesus Christ, to forsake these rulers (who have forsaken God and you, these devourers of holiness, who have enough to bestow on there own edifices but nothing to bestow on the repairing the Temples of God, but rather pulling down the churches as they do daily amongst you reedifiing there own buildings, as it is in Agge the 1. and the 4. verse. It is time for yourselves to dwell in your houses and this house to lie waste. O such wretched cormorants, who do not only let the houses of God liewaste, but utterly pull them down, and purchase lands with the spoils thereof, yet these sacrilegious persons are accounted by you good Christians, yet you stick and adhere to them who make there buildings as it is spoken in the 6. chap. of joshua and the 26. verse. Not laying the foundations thereof in the blood of there bodies, but in the spoil of there souls, which God in the conclusion will make them as swallows nests, which in the winter fall down of themselves: and will you yet think upon such people, will you still, deny your obedience to your King, who would there on do as Noah did after the stood who built an altar to the Lord Gen. the 8. and the 20. verse. I will here conclude dear countrymen with this my last advice to thee. Which is. That thou forsake this pretended Parliament who have brought thee to this miserable condition that they have left no authority in England able to settle peace; your lives & fortunes being liable to there lustful wills by illegal accusations blank impeachments, threatening declarations who have put out the eyes of the Kingdom (the two universities of Oxford & Cambridge) knowing that learning is a step to Religion, & both to your laws & liberties, and all enemies to there barbarous, irrational and illegal way of Government, all which when you took part first with these members, we that have Christianity do believe that you were seduced by these fair pretences of defending Religion, King, laws, and liberties, which they first held to you; and you thereby being unwilling to have a Parliament conquered by the sword and consequently yourselves, and you not thinking that they could so fare prevaricate as to conspire against King, Parliament, and yourselves, to the utter subversion of all laws, liberties, and the fundamental Government of the Land, betraying religion unto Heretics, and Schismatics, sharing the spoils of 3. Kingdoms between them, & now resolving to enrich themselves more in foreign Lands, I say that (as myself was once at the first blinded) you my countrymen had no intention they should be so fare entrusted as you have found to your grief they have engaged you before you were ware: (but think it not yet too late to draw bacl your feet, and yet stippe the bridle out of your mouths, with which bit they think they have you at there check, having girt the saddle so fast to your galled backs, and they as rank riders mounted, who have not only spurred you out of your estates, laws; and liberties, but will spur you into hell by new oaths, Treasons, Covenants, etc. If you take not the more heed, and be not the more resolute, for now they have Squeezed what they can out of the King's party, they call them home, beginning to make up there bottomless vessels full out of your estates who have been there friends. Now I have showed you the Lion whom they hunted after (the Lord of the forest) not only to be sick and weak and so become a prey to them, he is not only gored by the ox, bitten by mad dogs, and kicked by Asses, and as our saviour was spittedon by pharises, but even as our saviour was become a prey and crusified for our sins, so was your King for your laws liberties, and the sins of the whole three Kingdoms. Now to all Christian Princes I speak to you especially of blood or the same religion which this martyred King Charles the, first was. Look I say (you neibouring Kings and Princes) upon this sad example, unheard of Precedent, and unparelled violence, and the Lord grant you may apply it to your own souls, and lay your counsels and forces in conjunction to make examples of such murderous subjects, thereby you shall not only fear your own people from the like attempt but re-establish him who no doubt may be able to help any of your greatnesses in such or any other distress, and I am confident will be willing to his utter most power. And you will have (O Princes) the hearts and prayers of all our gracious King's liege people in his three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland, for your redemption of them likewise from slavery and bondage, to which I cry. Amen. FINIS. THE EPILOGUE. And declaration of the penman. Most Gracious Sovereign. TO show your gracious Majesty that I love my country so much that I could devote myself to death for it as the Deccis in Rome have done and that I resolve to be such, Quem neque pauperies, neque mors, neque vincula terrent; I (in the presence of God and in the name of all the freeborn commoners of England) do declare, that there is no legal Parliament in England nor lawful Government in Scotland and Ireland, that there is not 495. Commoners by names of Knights and Burgesses neither is there a house of Lords, nor is there a King with out any of which by the known laws of England, petition of right by which Kings formerly knew what was there's, and the subjects there's, nor by there ordinances remonstrances and declarations made in the years 1642. 1643. where in they declared they intended not, neither could they make law without his them Majesty's consent; I do farther protest against those arbitrary, exacting, and usurping few members remaining at Westminster, that what ever they have done, or shall do, as they now are, is void, and null by law ab initio, and of none of effect by there own doctrines, and judgements declared in there ordinance made by them the 20. of August 1647. where in they made void ab initio all votes, ordinances, and orders, passed by the then Lords and Commons from the 26. of july 1647. to the 6. of August following, when there speaker with some other renegadoes of them huried away to the army then at Windsor, and this faith I resolve to live and die in as Your Majesty's loyal subject. Wendy Oxford.