VOX REGNI: OR, The Voice of the Kingdom. BEING A DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE City and Country.  Country. 
GOod Neighbour City, Let us revive and renew that intimacy and correspondency we formerly had in the days of Queen Elizabeth; you know we have a mutual dependency upon each other, and the Happiness or Misery of the One, will be the same to the Other: And therefore let us with good Protestant Hearts, resolve to love each other as Protestants; and live and die together in a Resolution to Preserve and Defend our Protestant King from all Bloody Papists; together with our Properties, and the Privileges of Parliament: And in special manner let us maintain the True Protestant Religion with Heart and Hand, with Purse and Power, as becometh Christians and Good Subjects; forasmuch as the Protestant Religion is the Best in the whole World, the good Word of God being the only Rule thereof, both as touching matters of Faith, and matters of Conversation; and it doth not allow of any kind of wickedness.  City. 
This Proposal and Desire of the Country, doth greatly rejoice the hearts of all true Protestants in the City: We can hearty and readily say, One and All, One and All, for our Protestant King, for our Parliament-Privileges, for our Properties, and for our precious Protestant Religion: O these things are near and dear unto us! And when we seriously consider the present dangers that attend the King and Kingdom, and the future miseries that may come by the cruelty of the bloody Papists, our very hearts are ready to break. And therefore we do agree with you, to live and die together, in the Protestant Cause, as before expressed.  Country. 
If we should not thus agree, our Posterity may pour out Curses both upon City and Country: For if we suffer the Popish Party to get uppermost, we shall leave them that will be Protestants nothing to possess but Popish Cruelty: Farewell then to the precious Gospel of Christ; farewel to the sweet Ministers of Christ, as well the Conformists as the Nonconformists; Popish Cruelty will make no difference between them; the same Gallows shall hang them, and the same Fire shall burn them. O what a dreadful Change will then be in our Land! Instead of the holy Scriptures in English, there will be Latin Matins or Masses, instead of Christ's holy Ordinances, there will be the Inventions and Traditions of Rome; instead of powerful Soul-searching Ministers, the Land will be filled with Jesuits, Monks and Friars, like the Locusts that came out of the bottomless Pit.  City. 
We are glad that the Country hath such a good apprehension and feeling sense of the miseries which come into a Nation with Popery: We also must say, If Popery do get uppermost, Undone, Undone, Undone; every way undone; you in the Country, and w● in the City, utterly undone: And therefore it highly concerns us to act according to the old English Proverb, and since we are Forewarned, to be Forearmed; especially considering what Endeavours there hath been, and what Long there now is, for the Death of our Protestant King, by the Popish Party, because they reckon that then they shall certainly have a Popish King. Lord have mercy upon us! How dreadful 〈…〉 we been deceived! About twenty years ago we could not be persuaded 〈…〉 f the Royal Family would appear for Popery; but then we were swallowed up with expectations of seeing the happiest days; and being the most happy People upon Earth: But instead thereof, how have our Goals been filled with Good Christians! yea, even in the time of the Raging Pestilence? After which, our famous City was set on Fire, and continued burning four days, in which time more than thirteen thousand Houses were destroyed; and now, not our Houses only, but our Bodies also are in danger of Burning: for all the talk is of a Popish Successor, and a Popish Religion, upon the Death of the King, whom God long preserve.  Country. 
In troth, good City, when we look back upon things past, and consider the present state of Affairs, together with what is like to come upon us, it is a heart-breaking Consideration: But let us cheer up; blessed be God we have a good Parliament: We have had many a hard tug in choosing them, and were almost wearied out in looking for their sitting; which made us often inquire of you in the City what might be the meaning of so many Prorogations; but you could not tell us: though we did believe the King had some Bad Folks about Him that might be the cause of it. But when His Majesty was graciously pleased to send his Proclamation into the Country, wherein He did promise they should not only Meet, but Sat, it filled the Country Protestants with great joy.  City. 
This was the great joy of the City also; and the first day of their meeting, thousands of People did appear at Westminster to see them: and a cheerful countenance was in the face of all good Protestants: At which time His Majesty made a Speech to both Houses of Parliament; in which, He did put the Parliament upon an Impartial Inquiry into the Plot, and bringing the Lords in the Tower to a Trial, that Justice might be done; and His Majesty did give unto them great Assurances that nothing should be wanting on His part to maintain the Protestant Religion, in concurrence with them in any new means or ways they should propose to Him, that should consist with preserving the Succession of the Crown in its due and legal Course of Descent: He also commended unto them the state of Tangier, and said it would not be long tenable without help from them; and having pressed them to Unity among themselves, at last concluded, That the World should see it was not his fault, if this were not a happy Session.  Country, 
Verily this was a brave Speech; and we believe this Parliament are as right for the impartial management of these things, as ever Parliament were in England: And they do well know that the Country and City chose them for this very purpose, viz. To inquire into the Plot, so as to find out all that are guilty of it, of what Rank or Quality soever; and as for the Protestant Religion, they know England is quite undone, if that be not well secured both for the present and hereafter; and for the Trial of the Lords in the Tower, they know the Country is highly displeased and greatly grieved that men impeached of High Treason, and that by the Commons of England, should be so long before they be brought to their Trials; for if they be Innocent, it is great wrong to them; and if they be Guilty, it is no kindness to the Kingdom to let them live so long. But pray good City, tell us what is the meaning of those words, The Succession of the Crown in its due and legal Course of Descent.  City. 
Truly it is a hard matter to hit upon the right meaning of Princes; but as to those words, some do think it is a keeping of the Crown in the Royal Family, not suffering it to descend upon any other Persons but such as are of the Regal Race; and some do think it is a forbidding of the Parliament to remove any Person whatsoever from the Crown, who by due course ought to have it, being in the Royal Line.  Country. 
It it be so, than we must have the next Person in the Succession, whatever he be as touching Religion, though a Jew, a Turk or a Papist. Indeed, indeed, this will make our Country cry out, Lord have mercy upon us, Lord have mercy upon us. But our hope is, our good Parliament will look well to this great matter. And now we pray you good City, tell us something of the Proceed of Parliament.  City. 
If you will but lay out a little money, you may have the Proceed of Parliament in Print; and I would advise you in your several Neighbourhoods to joy● together, and then you may have them for a very small matter; besides the great benefit you will find in conferring with each other, at the reading of them.  Country. 
Truly this will be very profitable for us, and it will be a good way to keep up and maintain Love and good Friendship. But pray let us have some brief account for the present, for we know you can do it very well, the City being so near the Parliament, and you are well informed of matters.  City. 
After the King had ended His Speech, the Commons of England went together, and chose for their Speaker William William's Esq Recorder of Chester, and the next day they presented him to His Majesty, who approved very well of him, for indeed he is a good Protestant, and a right Englishman. Then the House went on with swearing their Members, and appointed their several Committees. And one of the first things that came before them, was a Dreadful Information of one Mr. Dangerfield, wherein he declared, How he was concerned with the Lady Powis, and the Lord Peterborough, in contriving and framing a Plot that should be cast upon the Presbyterians; and how he was with the Duke of York in his Closet at Whitehall, who gave him great encouragement to proceed in that matter; assuring him that the major part of the Gentry in the Northern Parts were his Friends, and were no strangers to this design. And that the Duke made divers Vows to stand by them that were engaged in this thing, that they should not want money. That whoever happened to be in prison, according to their steadfastness in the Cause, all possible care should be taken to support and preserve them. That the Lord Peterborough told him he had an opportunity to make his Fortune what he would himself, if he would follow the Advice of the Duke of York, who would certainly be King in a short time. To which Dangerfield answered, That he valued not his Life to serve the Duke's Interest; and then the Earl of Peterborough gave him the Title of Captain Willoughby. About four days after this, he was with the Duke again, who told him that in a short time he should see the Catholic Religion flourish in this Kingdom, and Heresy torn up by the Roots; and that he had heard of the Proposal made to him by the Lords Powis and Arundel, about the taking off the King, and also of Dangerfields' Refusal; and therefore said to Dangerfield, If you value the Religion you profess, my Interest, and your own Happiness, depend upon my Honour for your Advancement. To which Dangerfield replied, That he would stand and fall in defence of the Roman Catholic Religion, and his Highness' Service; and that then he was well satisfied by his ghostly Father, that the King was a condemned Heretic; and therefore he was not a little concerned that he had refused to kill the King: And then said, That if his Highness would command him to the Attempt, he would not fail either to lose his Life or accomplish it. And Mr. Dangerfield further saith, That the Duke then gave him twenty Guinneys, and said, That if he would be vigorous in what he had undertaken already, he would so order it, that his Life should not be in the least danger; adding these words, We are not to have men taken in such daring Actions, but to make a quick dispatch, and be gone. If you will buy Dangerfields' Narrative, as it was given in at the Bar of the House of Commons, you may see this, and much more.  Country. 
Good City hold you a little, and let us put in one word, viz. This makes us think of the old Saying in our Country, that is, Murder will out. And truly this is no new wickedness, for one Brother to murder another; for the first murder that ever was in the World, was the murder of a Brother, for Cain murdered his Brother Abel. But pray good City go on.  City. 
The House of Lords and the House of Commons have had other Informations, wherein there is great discoveries of this horrid Plot in England; and besides there is the beginning of a great discovery of a damnable Plot in Ireland, which we hear will be printed, and then you will see all, even Beelzebub himself in the Plot, against our Protestant King, and Protestant Kingdoms.  Country. 
Truly it is well done of the Parliament to cause these matters to be printed; for now we see clearly they are not willing the People shall perish for want of knowledge. But pray let us hear further.  City. 
The Commons of England have declared, That such as did abhor Ptitioning the King for the Calling and Sitting of the Parliament, are Betrayers of the Rights and Privileges of English Subjects.  Country. 
That pleaseth us to the heart; for we thought it was a grievous thing to be counted Criminals for beseeching and entreating His Majesty to do that which we knew would be for His Good as well as ours. And we thought this was the way to make it a crime for Servants to beseech their Masters, and Children to desire their Parents to do those things that are necessary for the well-being of the Family.  City. 
The Commons of England have declared, That the Acts of Parliament in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and King James, made against the Papists, ought not to extend to the Protestant Dissenters: And are preparing a Bill to Unite all His Majesty's Protestant Subjects.  Country. 
God's blessing on their hearts for that; for it is a sad thing to see Protestants persecute Protestant's. Many good People in the Country have been often in Prison, and received great trouble from the Bishop's Courts, and they have born all with great patience, and are still very good Neighbours, and in our Consciences we believe they are very good Subjects to His Majesty: They follow their Employments, they pay Scot and Lot, and other Taxes to the King, and they serve God according to their Consciences, without wronging their fellow Subjects: And to persecute such, is to please the Papists, and do their work for them, till they have an opportunity to do it themselves against all Protestants, of which these are a considerable part. But pray good City go on with your account.  City. 
The Commons of England have prepared a Bill to Exclude James Duke of York from Inheriting the Imperial Crowns of England and Ireland, etc.  Country. 
Now you tell us a great thing indeed! This is laying the Protestant Axe to the Root of the Popish Tree in England. This indeed is the only way to preserve us from our present Fears and future Dangers. This makes us think of that Old Saying in our Country, It is good to be sure: And verily this is the right way to make all things sure: First, It maketh sure of the Safety of the King; for the Papists will not in all likelihood be then so hasty to murder him; because if York were excluded by Law, they have no other way to set him in the Throne, but by the Sword, which after so execrable and horrid an Act as that of murdering the King, would be a thousand times more difficult for them to accomplish: But as things are now, they would plead his Title by Law, though violence should befall the King, which God of his infinite mercy prevent. Secondly, This is the way to make sure of the Safety of the Protestants, for by this Law their Hearts will be encouraged and their Hands strengthened to prevent all designed Mischiefs upon their Persons, Estates, or Religion. But pray let us hear a little more concerning this Bill.  City. 
The Commons sent it up to the House of Lords, where after a long Debate about it, (in which many good Protestant Lords did press the passing of it, and that they might agree with the Commons) it was Rejected by the major part of the House.  Country. 
Alas! alas! This is very unpleasing Intelligence: This will grieve the hearts of the poor Country Protestants, because their Lives and Lands, and (which is more than all) the Protestant Religion is still in danger. But what shall we say, or what shall we think of this Proceeding of our Peers and Prelates, who are professed Protestants? Can they show us any Law of God, either in Nature, or in the holy Scripture, That Peers, Prelates or Peasants are bound to have such a Governor as is engaged by his Principles to destroy all his Subjects, if they will not be of his Religion? And that this will be the practice of a Popish Successor, England has had too sad an instance in the Bloody Reign of Queen Mary. But good City tell us some better news before we part.  City. 
The Parliament has resolved to bring the Lords in the Tower to their Trials, and have already begun with the Lord Stafford, who being upon a full hearing found Guilty of High Treason by his Peers, has received Sentence of Death accordingly.  Country. 
This is what we have long waited for, and this answers to the King's Speech at the opening of the Parliament, wherein he desired the Lords in the Tower might be brought to their Trial, that Justice might be done. But 'tis now time to part, let us therefore pray, That our Protestant King may live long, and our Protestant Parliament may sit long: And from a Popish Successor, who will bring in Popish Idolatry and Popish Cruelty, Good Lord deliver us. Amen.  
FINIS.