Plain Truth, Without Fear, or Flattery. Being a Dialogue between Mr. Thrivewell a Citizen, and Mr. Sharpwit a Scholar, upon the Road between Oxford and London, Sharpwit. MAster Thrivewell well met this Frosty Morning, whether hath the desire of profit drawn you thus early, that you have left the security of your City, and exposed yourself to the danger of an Enemy of such dangerous consequence. Thrivewell. Enemy Mr. Sharpwit, what Enemy? I am confident I cannot meet with so great an Enemy as I have left behind. Sharpwit. Think you so, suppose you should meet with a Company of Cavaliers, (as this Country is full of them) that should use you like the poor Publican amongst Thiefs, first Rob you, then wound you, and leave you in the field destitute of all comfort. Thrivewell. Truly Mr. Sharpwit I should think it very hard usage, but I cannot believe that any of the Cavaliers can be so cruel. Sharpwit Think you so, what think you then of their proceed at Kingston upon Thames, Brainford, and Reading, where they were invited into the Towd by the Jnhabitants, where since their Arrival they have disarmed the Townsmen, possessed themselves of their Houses, seized their Go●ds, imprisoned their Persons, and forced the rest to leave the Town, exposing them, their wives and children to take up their lodging in the open fields. Thrivewell, I have heard such a report, but I cannot believe it to be true, I conceive it to be a report form by a sort of people which we have in London, which by such reports endeavour to make the Cavaliers odious in the sight of the world. Sharpwit, That is your Jmmagination, but by the way, what sort of People are those. Thrivewell, I will tell you, they are called Roundheads. Sharpwit, Why are they so called? Thrivewell, Nay that I 〈…〉 I know no reason for if, but I have heard some say that they are called Roundheads because they cannot endure the Bishops, for Common prayer. Sharpwit, They are those that his Majesty mentions so oft in his Declarations, under the notion of Brownists. And assists and Separatists. Thrivewell, The very same they are the only Cavaliers in the Kingdom that I stand in fear of. Sharpwit, Why do you fear them? If they be true Roundheads they define to live peaceably and religiously with all men, which are the only instruments of Reformation, Why should you fear them? Thrivewell, You coming from Oxford, cannot I know be ignorant of the great differences and distractions, which are fallen between his Majesty and the Parliament. Sharpwit, Sir to my great grief they are very well known to me, but to your discourse. Thrivewell, These differences caused the Parliament to raise an Army, this Army caused an imposition on us Citizens, that we should contribute toward the maintenance of the said Army, which for a while was done voluntarily by the Roundheads, but when their springs were almost exhausted, than they began to look more narrowly to us, and because that every man should bear an equal share there was an Ordinance made that every man should pay the twentieth part of their Estates, which being denied, by the same power they come upon the Persons so refusing, and the goods of the said persons, to the value of the sum so assessed, for the purposes aforesaid, and this Ordinance being put in execution by these men which we call Roundheads, both to secure my person and my estate, I have left London, and am travailing toward Oxford, hoping to enjoy that liberty there, which is denied me at London. Sharpwit, Truly Master Thrivewell I am afraid you have leapt out of the Frying-pan, into the Fire, you have striven to avoid Sylla, and are like to fall into Charybdis, nay I may make a more effectual and efficacious construction of this your progression, you have left the Tents of Kedar, and are wandering toward the Wilderness of the wicked, but pray stay a while, and since you have given me so free a relation of the estate of London, I will discourse to you the true condition of Oxford. Thrivewell, I think myself much engaged to you for so great a courte●●e, pray proceed. Sharpwit, Sir you had a great Captain lately left London, and some other great ones, that is I have heard so, the same Cause left London, and went to Oxford. Thrivewell, 'tis true Sir, I know them very well. Sharpwit, It will be a discourse suitable to the season to declare unto you the manner of their arrival and entertainment; Coming into Oxford, news was immediately brought unto the Court that such men were privately come to the City, whereupon there was command given that a messenger should be sent to fetch them to the Court, and to command them to attend his Majesty's pleasure, where being come, the cause of their arrival was demanded Answer was made, that they came to make a tender of their service to his Majesty, being convinced in their Consciences that their Allegiance bound them thereunto, hoping that his Majesty would pardon all their former actions, promising amendment for the future, which was accepted graciously by his Majesty, and they for the present dismi●…, the next day a messenger was sent to them to demand the Loan of ten thousand pound a man, otherwise they were to leave the City, now judge whether, it be better to pay the Twentieth part of your estate, and live in security, or to part withal, otherwise to be exposed to the scorn and abuse of Welch and Irish Cavaliers, where you hall not walk the street but shall be called A Parliament Fugitive, with many other abuses of the like nature. Thrivewell, Sir I am satisfied in that particular, but pray resolve me, do not you think that his Majesty intends to maintain the Protestant Religion. Sharpwit, I should sinne if I should think the contrary. Thrivewell, why then should he be opposed, against whom do we take up Arms, wherein lies the danger which is so much feared. Sharpwit. I will satisfy you in that particular, Arms are taken up against a pack of knaves (alias Evil Counsellors) who have combined together, to destroy the Religion and Laws of the Land. Thrivewell, Pray Sir relate the circumstances in each particular. There is (you know) a great party of Papists, which by all means endeavour to promote the war, they being bound to endeavour to gain a freedom of Conscience which they have lost, by the same Law of Conscience, by which we are bound to defend that freedom of Religion that we enjoy. Thrivewell. Sir, pray tell me a reason why the Papists may not be suffered to have freedom of Conscience. Sharpwit, I will answer you with a question, wherefore were the Israelites commanded to purge the Land of Jdolatry. Thrivewell, I am satisfied in that Particular, pray proceed. Sharpwit, Next there is a great Party of Delinquents, which promote the war, having no other way to secure themselves from the censure of the Law, but by fomenting and increasing these distractions, those that are possessed with malignant spirits, delight to bathe themselves in troubled waters as may appear by a great party now in this Kingdom, which take advantage of the present distractions, and now live in defiance both of Religion & Law, separating themselves from the Metropolis of England, and have took a Journey as fare as Newcastle— Thrivewell, Indeed I have heard that Newcastle is full of Papists, nay the report goes that the Earl of Newcastle has a Popish Army under his command, but I am hard of belief. Sharpwit, Believe it Sir 'tis as frequent with the said Earl to go from his Army to Mass, as it formerly hath been with the Paulonian Singingmen, to reel from the Alehouse to the choir, and from thence to the Alehouse again, as if they had made a Covenant with the Devil and might be drunk by Patent. Thrivewell, I must confess I have seen much wickedness in some of those Cathedrall-men, but because some are wicked we must not condemn all. Sharpwit, Indeed it's the part of a Christian to Judge charitably, but leaving this discourse, pray tell me the opinion of those men which you call by the name of Rounheads. Thrivewell, Why they are men that cry down the Common-prayer, Episcopacy, and the now established Church Government, they are all for the maintenance of the purity of Religion, with many other new opinions, touching which I desire you to give me your opinion. Sharpwit, To my best power I shall, as touching the Common-prayer, there hath been many things of late days brought in, and inserted, which are absolute Popery, the particulaas thereof I will sorbeare to mention, because I hope ere long the Authority of the Law will purge the Land both of it, and the bringers in of those abominations. As touching the Bishops, (though it may seem strange that I should speak against them being a professed Scholar) but I must speak my Conscience without fear or flattery, they have been the Authors of all our present distractions, had they been suffered to reign but one three years longer, we had had Fire and Faggot, as in Queen Mary's days for already Divines were instructed to preach, Prerogative, and Divine Jurisdiction, the power of the King over the Subject, nay I heard that on Fuller of affection to his King then of Loyalty to his Country, in a Court Sermon once, and in many Sermons to his Parishoers, taught openly this Portion of Law, (for Divinity ●…re it cannot be) that the goods and estates of the Subject were at the King's disposal, if necessity re●…tred and that the King was sole judge of the said necessity, and now judge whether this be not the highest degree of Prerogative, had Ahab been possessed of this rich Jewel he had not made murder the prize of Naboths Vineyard, it hath been such false Doctrines which hath procured our present ●r●e●ling miseries, it hath been the Bishops, and their Creatures, (who like so many fawning Spaniels, can soothe and temporize and by Book maintain to serve their ●uds, and glut their Godless gain, that hath raised this storm in the See of the Church, and distracted the Commonwealth, therefore it shall be my prayer that we may continue free from that Egyptian servitude, which we have so long lived in. Thrivewell, Pray Sir resolve me how fare doth Prerogative extend, what is the Nature of it. Sharpwit, I shall be loath to meddle with an edge tool, for fear I should cut my fingers, for such is Prerogative to be dealt withal, therefore leaving this discourse I will relate unto you the manner of the Government in France, In that Kingdom there are three degrees or ranks of People, the Prince, the Peers, and Peasants, the Prince reigns like a Monarch, the Peers like petty Kings, and the poor Peasants like to many Tip●s of Egyptian slavery. Thrivewell, The manner pray relate. Sharpwit, As touching the King and his Nobles I will omit them, but for the poor Commons I shall discourse at large, the●e the Tenant or Fa●…er cannot say, (his rent being paid) that the overplus is his own, as the reward of his tillage, the Labourer that hath wrought all day hard, and with the sweat of his Brow purchased a piece of silver, cannot say t●at is his own neither, for happily while he is counting his Cards, an Edict comes from the King, and takes away a thirds of what he had gotten so hardly, and the question being made wherefore they do so answer is returned, the King must have it, and this is Prerogative Royal in France. Thrivewell, From which good Lord deliver us in England, but leaving this discourse pray resolve me one thing, heard you not that his Ma●…sty had lately a List of the names of all those persons of Eminency that stand for the King in the City. Sharpwit, I can name some of them, the ringleader was one Blackmore, a● very pursy Gentleman, but since I have heard that he was very poor, for having spent his estate in good House-keeping, he has shut up his shop like a broken Merchant, and is gone to Sea to ●ave his credit. The next was a ●a●dfore man with a Crisped Periwig, his name I have quite forgot, but I and certain he was a frank Customer, than there was a Capering Just-asse, which (I believe) doth Foster a malignant Spirit, next there was one Baconface a ●…ntner, which I hear say builds Castles in the Air, than there was another that was scarce able to say Bo●… to a Goose, with many other Bakers and Brewers, and indeed of all Trades, so that I could not but wonder that so many men, seemingly wisemen, should be so blind as not to disern how they send aid to those that desire to destroy them. Thrivewell, Make that apparent. Sharpwit, Is not Religion the Foundation of the Laws, and do not the Papists endeavour to subvert our Religion, and if the Religion of a Land be subverted, are not the Laws infringed, and if the Law (which is the protection of the Subject) be infringed, do we not lie open to an arbitrary Government, and so consequently that man that shall any way assist that Party in the promoting of the Designs which they have now on foot, (their intentions being so apparent) doth as much as in him lies, to destroy the Religion and Laws of the Kingdom, and so consequently is his own destroyer, for the bringing in of an arbitrary power, is the first step to destruction; Before the coming together of this Parliament you had a taste of an arbitrary Government, witness the Ship-money, with many other things, from which (next to God) this Parliament hath preserved us from, and therefore (considering the benefits we have received by them, with the continual charge, care, and toil which they undergo for the General Good, and how (notwithstanding the scandalous speeches of some wicked ones, that say they aim at Preferment) they might by joining with his Majesty gain Honour with less charge and more security, if they did not aim only at the glory of God, and the good of the King and Kingdom) it is the best way in respect of God, to join with the Parliament in the defence of Religion, and in respect of your own safety, to assist them in the maintaining of the Laws, for if the Laws be destroyed, the Liberty of the Subject cannot stand. Thrivewell, I am converted, and will hencforward practise to be an instrument of Reformation. FINIS.