A Seasonable Invitation FOR MONMOUTH TO RETURN TO COURT  
SIR,  
AFter a long Exile from your Father's House, and Heart, enter a little into yourself, and consider what you are, what you were, and where you are: Remember, that your Veins are filled with Royal Blood; and that it was That, which Raised you to that High Throne of Glory, on which we all one Day saw you seated: So High you were Exalted, that nothing but a Crown could make you Higher. What Honour, what Dignity, what Preferment was there to be disposed of, that was Great, but you had it? But above all, you had the Hearts of the People, and the Heart of your Royal Father and Prince, was yours: So that, we may say, in some measure, you Governed Three Kingdoms. And in this you had a Happiness attended you, which Kings are deprived of, your Head and Shoulders were removed from the heavy Pressure of their Government, under which the Greatest Monarchs groan and sweat, it being a burden insupportable.  
And, Who was it, that loved you thus, to Exalt you above the Heads of all the Nobility, and Worthy Heroes of Three Kingdoms? Who was it, that gave you Wings to soar like an Angel, up to the Imperial Throne of Majesty? Who was it, that made you the Peoples only Object, on which their Eyes with such Delight were fixed, that scarce could they remove them thence? Who was it, but He who gave you Being? And, Who was this, but the King your Father? And, Why did he do all this, but because he loved you? And, Why did he love you, but because you were his Son? Sir, You were so tied to the Heart-Strings of your Royal Father, that all the World believed, that nothing but Death or Hell could ever make a Divorce betwixt You: How comes it then, that this tie of Nature, this strict Bond of Amity is dissolved, and broken in pieces? How comes it, that this Darling Prince is Banished from the Royal Palace; And, like Sinful Adam, shrouds himself in craggy and obscure Places, fearing to appear before that Majesty who gave him Being? Who is it, that hath Exiled you from your Father's Love? Who is it that hath turned you out of a Paradise of Delights, to wander in strange and unknown Paths? Who is it, that hath Banished you from a Glorious Court, where, like the Angels, you might have lived in Innocent Delights, now to inhabit desert Places, where you meet with no other Company than Caballing Devils; who, like cursed Achitophel, are ever pouring Poison in the Ears of poor Young Absolom? Sometimes he tells him, The King( his Father) grows Old and Weak, and that He is easily subdued; that the Mobile grow weary of His Government, and fall off from Him; that he himself hath so much the Hearts of the People, as that he can immediately Raise Twelve Thousand Men; and that the King being left Desolate, he will strike Him: And all this, that Absolom may be King, and the People may live in Peace.  
But, says Chusai to Absolom, It is not Good Counsel, that Achitophel hath given; For( says he) thou knowest thy Father, and the Men who are with him, are Valiant, and as courageous as a Bear in the desert, when her Whelps are taken from her.  
How comes it then, that Chusai's Counsel is not Embraced, and Atchitophel's Rejected? How comes it, that Monmouth Banisheth not from him this Devil Achitophel, and flies not into the Embraces of his Father?  
Sir, Look about you, and see what Evil Spirit it is, that hath thus Charmed you; Who hath done all this Mischief? Who hath made this havoc in your Soul? Death or Devil it must be: Death hath not yet approached either You, or your Royal Father, to give the Fatal Blow of Divorce; therefore, some Devil it is, which you must learn to know, Fight with, and Conquer, before you can deserve the Name, or Place of General; of which, and all your other Embellishments he hath despoiled you.  
Sir, 'Tis said by all your Friends, That there is a little Crooked, Hucked-back Devil, which Hell hath long since disgorged itself of, and confined him to this Kingdom, daily to make new Reformations in Religion, State, and Government. He puts himself into all Shapes and Forms, and hath his Choice of Religions, which he puts on, and pulls off, as you would a svit of clothes; and that Religion which is most in Fashion, or best pleaseth the People, he appears in. There is nothing, which he is not the Author of, he does not look a Squint at. He hath the Eyes of a Basilisk, Kills all he looks on: He hath Hands embrued in the Blood of the Innocent: He hath the Heart of a Panther: He feeds on nothing but Revenge; He thirsts after nothing but Human Blood, and the Eternal Ruin of Innocent Souls ▪ He is like one of those ill Presaging Birds of Night, which Pliny speaks of, which cast forth fearful boding Scrieches, in the Dead of Night, as if they envied us Darkness, and the Sweetness of Repose. Sometimes you shall see him seated at the Councel-Board of Kings; and when Banished thence, he becomes the Prince of Rebels, and daily presides in Cabals and Conventicles. He dreams of nothing but Fires, Plots, Poisons, Murders, and Change of Government, with which his Sleep is disturbed. In the Day time he is surrounded with a Number of little Devils, which Act, Say, and Swear, just as he prompts them.  
Sir, This is the Fiend, 'tis said, which haunts you; This is that Devil, who hath blasted your Honour, robbed and despoiled you of your Estate, and High Dignities; This is he, who hath taught you Disloyalty, Disobedience, and Contempt to your Prince: And this is he, who( if you immediately fly not from) in the end will work your Eternal Ruin. Consider, Sir, the Nature of this Beast, this Monster with whom you have thus long conversed. Consider what you have gained, and what you have lost by Associating yourself with this Caballing Devil; and then say, what Reason you have longer to continue his Slave. Behold the Strange Deformity of Shape, Tongue, and Manners, he daily changeth himself into; and tell me, if you can behold him without Horror and Affrightment. And believe it Sir, he loves you not; for he hath been often heard to say, He useth you for no other end, than to complete his own Hellish designs. Be quick therefore as Thought, and immediately fly into the Embraces of your Father; who, I doubt not, hath Arms open to Receive you, if you come to Him with a Heart truly Penitent: Prostrate then yourself at His Feet, and humbly ask Him Pardon for the ill you have done. If you know of any traitorous Conspiracies against Him, or His Government, fail not immediately to let Him know them, and pour into His Ears all the Secrets of your Cabals: Be Reconciled to his Royal Highness; and, you shall see, the King will not only Receive you into His Arms, but Heart; and Raise you to as great a Height of Glory, as ever you yet arrived at.  
Sir, When you have done these things, we shall see Monmouth as Great as ever: Then all Tongues shall speak his Praises, all Arms shall be opened for his Reception, all Hearts shall dance to welcome his Return, and all his Friends will bid him welcome to his Father's House; where we shall all behold a Great Day of Jubilee: For it will be a Day of Peace to all Loyal Hearts; it will be a Day of triumph: For at your Return, the Troops of the Ungodly Brethren shall be broken in Pieces, the Fury of the Giddy-headed Mobile shall be allayed, and the Enemies of the Crown laid Prostrate at the Feet of Majesty: We shall then have no more Cabals, no more Sham-Plots, no more Irregular and Unlawful Petitioning, which Robs the Crown of its Richest Jewels, and wounds through the Sacred Sides of Princes. At this Day the Enemies of God, and Monarchs, shall be so Confounded, that their Frightful Aspects shall betray the Blackness and Horror of their Guilty Souls. The Loyal Subject at that Day, shall appear in his White Robes of Innocency; and the Enthusiastick traitor shall with Envy burst in pieces, to see himself Caught in his own toil, and Perish in his own pernicious Practices. And when Absolom despiseth the Counsels of Achitophel, and returns to David, the Wicked counselor shall despair, be his own Executioner, and Hang himself. And so the Little Devil takes his Leave, and goes to his Eternal Home: where he hath been long Expected by the Inhabitants of that Place.  
Sir, Dispossess but yourself of This Devil, and you for ever make yourself a Happy Prince. This is the Advice of Him, who shall always Subscribe Himself,  
A Friend to Monarchs, and a Lover of Loyal Subjects.   

LONDON, Printed for W. B. in the YEAR, 1681.