THE copy OF two LETTERS; written by two friends, one to another, Concerning a pretended Dispute had betwixt Doctor Tailor with a young bachelor of divinity attending him, and Master Alexander Henderson, Commissioner for the Kirk of Scotland at Oxford.  
London, Printed April the 11. 1643.   

SIR,  
A Few days ago there came to my hands a Pamphlet entitled, Mercurius Aulicus, the week thereof; wherein I found mention made of a certain dispute made betwixt one Doctor Tailor with a bachelor of divinity, and our good friend Mr. Alexander Henderson. In reading over of which part of the paper, I find the expression and discourse of the business a little to Mr. Henderson his disadvantage, nor lacketh there divers who really think so, and make great brags thereof: the man his worth I well know, and shall ever honour; being of the mind that he may be wronged in that Printed relation. And because you are daily conversant with him, and cannot be ignorant of what have passed in that kind, I shall esteem it as none of the least of the obligements I owe to you, if by the first sure bearer you send me a true account how that business went for satisfying the judgement of divers, and the curiosity of  
Your very loving friend. London, 15. March. 1642.   

The Answer to the said Letter.  
SIr, the 15. of March, there lately came to my hands, and I shall be glad to resolve your doubts, by showing the true progress so far as I can remember unpartially.  

April the first.  
IN this confused and miserable time of war, while truth suffereth exile with peace, and all sinews of human society are dissolved, you are more wise then to judge of your old acquaintance by the report of Mercurius. I have inquired from those that were present, what did pass betwixt Master Henderson, and the Doctor, And have learned that the Doctor did begin indeed with much civility, saluting him, presenting him with a book, and speaking more of his reputation than he could willingly hear; But without the smallest provocation, did suddenly grow to such procacity, that as he boasted of his new arguments in his book, which had not been heard of before, so spared he not to say, that our best Arguments were swords and guns; that Master Henderson had given proof at Aberdene, how much might be said in an evil cause. To which nothing was answered but that it beseemed him who was a young man to speak more modestly of a national Kirk, and a national Cause; He replied, that he was a Presbyter, as he told before, that he was a Doctor of divinity, which could not be known by his book, although printed in the year 1642. The other who is called a bachelor of divinity added, Let no man despise thy youth; which speech had it been directed to the Doctor, had not been nonsense.  
It is true, he came to Master Henderson on the 19 of Feb. in the morning, but Mercurius telleth not that this 19 of Feb. was the Lord's day, a circumstance so considerable, that it made those who were present for the time, thinking it no Judaism to keep the Sabbath, and preparing themselves after a long journey for the Kirk, weary of his discourse, in so much, that at last it was told the Doctor, that it was the Sabbath. But the Doctor was so pregnant and confident, that he was ready to argue, that he was about a work of the Sabbath: it may be, because it is not unlawful to fight on the Sabbath day.  
Had the Doctor come in the terms of Mercurius, desiring Master Henderson to give a reason either of his faith, or hope, or demands; or had an amica collatio been his desire, he might have obtained all that he desired, and possibly more. But coming with faenum in cornu, and no word in his mouth, but Dispute, dispute, concertation, concertation, such a way as was more suitable for schoolboys, then great Divines. And wherewith Mr. Henderson, although the most part of his life conversant with university men, had never been acquainted. It was told him, that in the synod which was expected, he and others might have disputing their fill, or if that failed, there were many learned men in England to answer his Book, or if it pleased him to send to Scotland, it would find an answer there. But that Master Henderson was come to supplicate the King's majesty, not to answer books, nor to dispute Propositions in the university. Whether this humour in the Doctor proceedeth from the condition of the times or some individual cause, I dispute not. This I know, that a Scripturient Engine, may find matter enough for exercise in Gerson, Bucerus, altar Damascenum, the learned Salmasius, and other modern Authors, which yet lie unanswered, but I confess it is a more easy work ferram contentionis reciprocare, by writing a new book.  
Had the Doctor perused the paper exhibited in the late treaty, or the Declaration of the national Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland, for unity of Religion, and uniformity of Kirk government, with the reformed Kirks, he would not have challenged us of any obtrusion or anrichristian usurpation, nor would he have compared our Christian way of charity, not of authority, of supplication, not of usurpation, with the obtruding of the service-book, so full of Popery upon the Kirk of Scotland, but this he and his fellow did retractate.  
Not only Master Henderson and many better than he, but the Kirk of Scotland, and all the reformed Kirks at their first reformation, were resolved upon the Question, that Antichristian doctrine, worship, and government, should all down together. And we wish that the Kirk and kingdom of England were resolved also. But beside the will of God that scandals must be; and beside the judgement of God upon people for the abuse of the Gospel; the avarice and ambition of the corrupt clergy is a main hindrance of the resolution which could it be as easily satisfied, as their Arguments answered, it would be quickly resolved upon the Question; It is right that episcopacy go down, because it standeth not by divine right.   
FINIS.