Rome for good News, OR, Good News from ROME: In a Dialogue between a Seminary Priest, and a Supposed Protestant, at large.  
An Exhortation to Bishops.  
WHEREUNTO Is also annexed a Discourse between a poor Man, and his Wife.  
London, Printed for the Author.   

THE EPISTLE DEDICATORY.  
I Hope I may without craving pardon for my presumption commend a few lines unto you: It's the manner of those that writ Books to Dedicate them to such persons as either from whom they have received Favours, or Secondly, live at present in the sense and enjoyment of Favours received, or thirdly expect Favours for the future. There's a concurrence of all these in yourself, for first you bestowed yourself upon me, which as Solomon speaking of a good wife, (saith) She is a Price far above Rubies: The Favours received among others were these, first you supported yourself and three Children by the Milk of your own Breasts, when I was in restraint, Secondly when I have been surrounded and distressed with a Regiment of how-shall-I-does and what shall-I-does, I have found entertainment at your hands, especially by those two Inmates of yours that cohabit with you, those Ladies of Honour, I mean the Lady Peace and the Lady Patience. Thirdly, A Traveller told me that he was in a place called Canida some part of the West Indies where the Bears all the Winter when the ground was frozen and hard did lie in their Dens, and were preserved alive only by sucking, and l●cking of their Paws a very strange Providence: Myself and four children have had a great part of our support this hard time, by the licking of your fingers, I mean by the labours and endeavours of your hands and fingers. Fourthly, When I have been without employment, and had the offer of several Inns, which we might have kept; you would by no means hearken to that, telling me that there were several temptations attended that Calling, with which I might be overtaken; besides, that I was an ancient Man, yourself a young Woman, and that you had nothing but your credit to carry you through the world, which might be impeached by that means, and therefore I must forbear that; next, whereas I had many small Calls to the Pulpit, some of them not exceeding eight pound per annum, some 26 l. nay 30 l. per annum, with my diet, and the use of a Study of Books, where I might have been furnished with good store of Ware to have carried to the Shop, and much ado I had to keep myself out of the Pulpit, although it were no hard matter for me to stand Centinel two hours in a week in a Pulpit to say Sermons with as much ease as many do: your answer hath been; Husband, I might have been more happy in the world than to have had you, yet upon condition you will neither sell Ale nor Preach, I will be contented with my condition, although it should come to be but bread and water, and thus you laid me neck and heels together, and were instrumental to keep me both from Pot and Pulpit, which are the two last shifts many men undertake. I have one thing more to give you thanks for, you have born and brought me forth four Children in my latter days, the youngest whereof, although as yet not a quarter old, I would be loath to leave for the King of Spain's Golden Mines at Perein or at Potosey; and what I shall expect for the future, is, that you will be as good to me as formerly you have been, I desire you not to be better, its impossible you should; Nevertheless, I shall blaze your infirmities to the world, and yet without besmutting your Reputation, you can neither chide nor scold; and when you have had provocations thereunto, I have demanded of you how you could be silent; your answer hath been, I want wit, there are some men in the world could wish their wives were as witless as yourself. Upon these Considerations, in token of my thankfulness, I have commended this Paper unto you, it is an old piece which I met withal more than forty years since, and learned by heart, and kept it in my head so long, and lost very little of it, having not seen the Copy in all that time, I was resolved at last to lay it somewhere else, and now bequeath it to you. You will say in reading of this little Paper, that the same things that were acted by the Prelates are acted with us at this day, and therefore may conclude that those Prelates are still alive, or else that there is a new resurrection of them. No wife, not so; but you will find that the sinners that lived in the first age of the world, have those that resemble them still in their practices. As it was in the days of Noah, etc. As Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth. And as the Child of the Bondwoman persecutes the Son of the free, even so 'tis now, and so 'tis now: and this by reason of that enmity that is between the Seed of the Woman and the Serpent: The wind bloweth where it listeth; by the wind Wife is meant you know the spirit. And those Prelates are of those Angels, or very much like them as ever they can look mentioned in the Revelations, that stand at the four corners of the earth, holding the winds that they blow not, and that none may buy or sell but they that receive the mark either in their hand or in their forehead. I shall conclude my Epistle with the Mariners speech who having been at Sea, and having met with a prosperous Voyage when he comes home, telling of it saith thus, All this we did with a little Ship, and a great God: I shall leave you and yours but a little of the world more than to each Child Adam's Comb, I mean their fingers, which with God's Blessing may prove a good Portion, yet as I hope shall leave both you and them in the everlasting Arms of a great God, to whose Providence and Protection I commend you, which is the desire of him who is  
Your ever effectionate Husband, Consilio Juvans.  
Reader, If thou see the Paper I have Commended unto my Wife, I hope thou wilt not be offended at it; Cannot a poor Man and his Wife talk together by the fire side but the world must be troubled at it? There are many Thousand Families talk after this rate, Hanc veniam petamusque damusque, what leave I take, I'll afford thee to do as much, if thou art angry, who can help it; Farewell.   

Rome for Good News, OR, Good News from Rome.  Protestant. 
WHat News Sr. Shaveling, hear you none,  
You should know some I think,  
For many times if any stir,  
You have it in the Clink.  Priest. 
Yea some, there is one Hildersham  
For that he thought not meet  
To take the Inquisition Oath  
Was cast into the Fleet.  Prot. 
Me thinks I should well know the man  
That's taken in the Lurch.  
Is it not one doth what he can  
To oppose the Romish Church?  Priest. 
It's he, but wot you, one that then  
In high Commission sat,  
In learned sort in open Court  
His fault did aggravate.  
You'd feign know how, I tell it now,  
A number standing by.  
In sober wise he doth advise,  
And tells him this plainly.  
That Banbury men were stiff at first,  
Oh they would nothing do,  
But now they would do best and worst,  
And something over too.  
And you said he will peevish be,  
You'll in New Prison lie,  
And there perhaps ere long like Bates,  
A Malefactor die.  Prot. 
What said he thus, then had he quite  
The poor man's Courage dashed,  
But that he knew it was not true  
His Lordship overlasht.  
For thus to speak of worthy Bats,  
How he was not afraid,  
Instead of a Malefactor he,  
A Martyr he should have said.  
What though we are not so precise,  
And little Scripture can,  
We are persuaded he lived well,  
And died a faithful man.  
Will Turner think you turn his Coat,  
And say he cares not, what  
Will Sharp of Banbury change his note,  
And now go sing a flat.  
No Turner stood and heard his tale,  
And was ashamed to hear  
The Bishop vent such foul untruths,  
Without all shame or fear.  Priest. 
Well, true or false it matters not.  
You see here's just occasion,  
Why we resolve their Lordships have  
A Catholic persuasion.  
And truly they deserve our Church,  
Should yield them great applause,  
In show they much oppose indeed,  
They much maintain our cause.  
What though they rate us now and then,  
To give the State content,  
And calls us Powder-plotting men,  
That so we may be shent.  
Though you and they do term us oft  
The common adversary,  
Yet they and we do well agree,  
We very little vary.  
And though in outward policy,  
They needs must make fair weather,  
They know full well their cause and ours  
Will stand or fall together.  
With Puritans and Preachers all,  
With most our Kingdom shake,  
Accounting those, our common foes,  
They present order take.  
Of such Precisians what they can,  
The Churches they disarm,  
And leave in Pulpit scarce a man,  
Will do us any harm.  Pro. 
Yes sundry men sound to tax  
Your foul Idolatry,  
Your Mass your Vows your Pilgrimage,  
And Pope's Supremacy.  
Your Salt your Spittle, and your Cream,  
Your kneeling to the Bread,  
Your Sacrifice your Fasting days,  
And prayers for the Dead.  
Your calling on departed Saints,  
Your Purgatory fire,  
Strange Penance pardons Indulgence,  
And such like Popish mire:  
Your Censing and Baptising Bells,  
Your Tapers and your Lights,  
Your Crossing holy Water Oil,  
And conjuring of Spirits.  
Your Orders, Altars and perfumes,  
Your Litany procession,  
Strange Language, lying Miracles,  
Auricular confession.  
Your Church belief, your Merits,  
Works of Supererrogation,  
Your Cannonizing Traytorus Saints,  
Your gross Equivocation.  
Your Singing Ringing Requiems,  
Your Monthly minds your Feasts,  
Your Legends Bulls babe frighting toys,  
More base than Skoginggs jests,  
Your pillar prayers relics woods,  
Your Curtsy knocking breasts,  
Your false Communion kissing pax  
And keeping it in Chests.  
Your Counsels, Cannons, decretals,  
Decrees and men's Traditions,  
Your Jewish Church and such like,  
A thousand superstitions.  
These are the Doctrines whereunto  
Your practices do suit,  
All which our Learned Clergymen,  
Do labour to confute.  Priest. 
In words 'tis true your Clergymen  
Our Doctrines do disclaim,  
But who sees not therein they give  
Themselves a privy maim.  
We some time hear and well can bear,  
You call our Doctrine dotage,  
Provided though you do not eat,  
Our meat you sup our Pottage.  
What are our Ceremonies good,  
And are our Doctrines naught,  
In sense can these be practised  
And not the other taught.  
The blusters which your Doctors makes,  
'Tis but a blast of breath,  
There's in it not such danger 'tis,  
No Dagger but a Sheath.  
Themselves must sob and come and Crouch,  
And cause to bow the knee,  
When as they bid to take and eat,  
The Bread as well as we.  
They must put on our worthy weeds,  
Cap, Tippet and Surplus,  
And do such rites for which, what word,  
Or Warrant but from us.  
If any other should allege  
Alas he should but feign,  
And Coin them from his own conceit,  
Or from some others brain.  
What orders have we, you have not,  
I'll wage an hundred pounds,  
Our Papacy your Prelacy,  
Stands at the self same grounds.  
You keep our Fasts and feast days  
You read our Leiturgy,  
Our Cannons and your Laws from us,  
You have your Ministry.  
Your Church, Organs and your choir,  
Your Litany contains,  
Some worthy points whereof there is,  
Not one of us complains.  
All points wherein we will accord  
I cannot reckon up,  
On Fish-street hill one gives the Bread,  
But would not give the Cup.  
One pleads in Pulpit for our faith,  
Implicit and ear shrift,  
And saith none kneelers must be damned,  
They can it no way shift.  
A third to prove you kneeling good,  
Although it came from us,  
Reads in our Mass book word for word,  
And thence concludeth thus.  
Here's Sursam Corda which saith he  
We have from Popish write,  
Our Church as good reteins and which,  
Of us complains of it.  
Some yet more cunningly concur,  
In act and shun the name,  
Like Usurers when as our work,  
And worship is the same.  
Our Robes must be your Ornaments,  
Or for distinction sake,  
You must have honest burial,  
And therefore prayers make.  
Our Church are your giving thanks,  
Strange Language? Learning deep,  
Instead of our procession you,  
Perambulations keep.  
Our kneeling is your comeliness,  
Our Cross in babes face,  
Is now become your Christian badge,  
And no small sign of grace.  
Our Images are portraitures,  
Of men that do adorn,  
Your Churches if you pull them down,  
It hardly will be born.  
If Banbury men will do there geere  
I trow they have their doom,  
Their orders are well stuff I hear,  
With welcome news to Rome.  
Ye welcome news I hope ere this,  
'Tis over all the Town,  
Your Church men have no thority,  
To thrust our pictitures down.  
Your homily saith they defile,  
wherein it seems to lie,  
This order writes another Style,  
To wit they beautify.  
And so concludes that who so doth,  
them molish or deface,  
Is justly censured as one,  
That doth profane the place.  
What practice we? that you do not,  
Have we Stews, you have stage,  
Blaspheme we? you have lottery,  
Maintained with wrong and rage,  
Pardon we, faults you let forth fees,  
For filthiness to farm,  
The strumpet poor must penance pay,  
The rich hath no such harm.  
Sometime indeed for very need,  
The silly stand in sheet,  
When with bare breast and head bore dressed  
The silken walk in street.  
In brief what ere may be the fruit  
Of all your tolerations,  
Our penance pardons indulgence,  
And other dispensations.  
The same is of your punishing  
Of sin by sheet or purse,  
Your fees for absolution,  
Your Canon's Court and Curse.  
Nay further name a sin who can  
That any doth commit,  
But your conformity will breed,  
Or feed and foster it.  
Ah ha' Sir Large, how like you this?  
Did he not say the troth,  
That said you would soon eat our meat,  
That thus fell to our broth.  
Where are the thousand men become,  
That sought for reformation,  Doct. Ravis. 
A rare bird with his heady book,  
Soon wrought their desolation.  
Ho! they'd have superstition down,  
Dumb Ministers suppressed,  
They would have no non resident,  
Each pastor flock must feed,  
And yet have but due recompense,  
Here were a world indeed.  
They'led no commendam's have, they'led not  
Pluralities permit,  
They shout at Rovers, yet how right  
These Oxford heads they hit.  
They would have mended many things  
In Common-prayer-book.  
In fine they would have Discipline,  
Which none of us can brook.  
'Tis Discipline, I say't again,  
That we cannot abide,  
And have therein all formal men  
And Prelates on our side.  
And newters our Religion like,  
And civil men no doubt,  
Yet should it come to parting wealth,  
It's feared they would stand out.  
They would join close for House and State,  
For Country, Children, Wives,  
It's thought they would not part with these,  
But jointly venture lives.  
'Tis this, hark in your ear a word,  
That puts us to our pause,  
That we try not by dint of Sword  
the goodness of our-cause.  Protes. 
Avaunt you peevish plotting Priest,  
You Jailor keep him sure,  
And hear him longer they that list,  
I will it not endure.  
See how he hath the bloody minds  
Of Popish crew descried,  
More meet their cause by Prince's Laws  
At Tyburn should be tried.  
And are our Prelates Popish then,  
I thought they had been wise,  
I took them for good Protestants,  
Though none of them precise.  
Oft have I heard a speech, it is  
No less a just complaint,  
Of Priests and Papists liberty,  
And Puritans restraint;  
I mean such as those Imps do term,  
That means of grace withstand,  
And under that pretence molest  
The quiet of the Land:  
This Practiser dissembles not,  
Whom Papists mean to strike,  
He tells us plainly whom the Pope  
And Prelates love alike?  
He brings to mind an adage old,  
Which once I saw in verse,  
It's not so new or old as true,  
I will it here rehearse;  
Lord Bishops make dumb Ministers,  
Whence ignorance doth spring,  
Hence Popery, thence Treachery,  
'Gainst Country, State and King.  
Why stay I thus, and presently  
Betake me not to Court,  
And in the ears of Prince and Peers  
This Conference report.  
Is Prince's life so little worth,  
Is countries' love so cold,  
Shall Wives and Children be to Sword,  
As sheep to slaughter sold;  
Much better true Church Rule were sought,  
That those things might be stayed,  
Then Popery or Prelacy,  
That favours it endured;  
We shall be counted Puritans,  
Too strict men screpulous,  
Better we wrongfully so termed,  
Then justly treacherous.  
Who ever heard that such as stand  
For Christ's true Discipline,  
In Popish Plot had head or hand  
In treacherous design;  
Entreat we then His Majesty,  
The Prelates may restore  
To the Church her ancient Parish Right,  
Usurping it no more;  
It's this you see would daunt our foes,  
Our Friends would gratify,  
Our State secure judgements remove,  
And blessing multibly;  
But if we walking as before,  
Christ's Discipline withstand,  
Some fearful Plague and judgement sure  
Will overtake the Land;  
The Lord hath sent his messengers,  
But we have them disgraced,  
His Prophets mocked, his Ministers  
Suspended and dis'placed;  
Some are dispersed, others despised,  
In Prison some remain,  
Some ended have their days in bands,  
Whose blood doth yet Complain;  
Their Wives and Children here and there  
Exposed to misery,  
No marvel if ere long we hear,  
There's now no remedy;  
But let's have these restored,  
Let no dumb Ministers be made,  
Let such as have crept in, return  
Unto their former Trade;  
Let learned Hildersham go forth,  
Who knows him, knows 'twere meet  
He Preaching were, not Prisoner  
In Kings-bench or the Fleet;  
Let other more be set at large,  
Let Ashby men be gone,  
Let Leicester men have their discharge.  
Let Banbury men alone;  
Down with that cursed Office-Oath,  
Let Ceremonies cease,  
Unjust subscription, scourge of truth,  
And bane of Church's Peace;  
The things their Patrons count but toys,  
Let's banish hence with speed,  
Let learned men, not formal boys,  
Be set the Flock to feed.  
In brief, let's all submit to Christ  
Our Prophet, Priest and King,  
At's this t'our Country, State and selves,  
In the end will safety bring;  
But as for those that be his foes;  
And will not have him reign,  
In woeful plight into his fight,  
They shall be brought and slain.  

An Exhortation to Bishops.  
Come down ye Bishops, fear a fall,  
Your Kingdom begins to shake,  
The hand is writing on the wall,  
Which makes your knees to quake;  
Your Buildings like a tottering wall,  
The groundworks laid in sand,  
Come down it will take Babel's fall,  
Sure long it cannot stand;  
Your Language is confounded sure,  
Ye wot not what to say,  
And yet to build up Babel's Tower,  
You still bring Clods of Clay;  
But all this while you patch and piece  
With paltry stuff indeed,  
So that in th'end the mark you'll miss,  
When you hope best to speed;  
It is not Jeroboams Calves  
Can save you I am sure,  
Nor yet your cruel Canon Laws,  
Can make your Kingdom dure;  
You have deprived many a man,  
For breaking men's Decrees,  
But for the Laws of God not one,  
That doth his living lose;  
How can this stand with equity?  
Resolve me this I pray,  
To maintain Guides that cannot see,  
And thrust the good away,  
For let him be the vilest wretch,  
That lives under the Sun,  
If he will wear a Surplice,  
And Cross the Child with Thumb,  
He is countenanced still by you,  
Much better than the best,  
If this prove not to be too true,  
Then let me have no rest.  
You sell most foul adulteries,  
For Silver and for Gold,  
The poor must crouch upon his knees,  
By you to be absolved;  
And sometimes you bless Jack for Gill,  
If Silver do appear,  
If not, then sometime say you will,  
Poor knave what dost thou here;  
You think to have your Heaven here,  
And after Heaven too,  
But I can tell you in your ear,  
That will be much ado;  
For you be grown so monstrous great,  
Even now a days of late,  
That it will go hard for you to get  
In at the Narrow Gate;  
Wherefore me thinks 'twere best,  
If you could so agree,  
To let your hearts have now no rest,  
Till you unladen be  
Of all this Pomp and glorious train,  
Which caused God to frown,  
Which sin of yours he doth so hate,  
That sure you must come down;  
For sure the Word of God is  
True, and do it not forget,  
He will pluck up, I say to you,  
Those plants he never set,  
But prithee Husband, seeing the seminary Priest tells the 
Sabellicus Platina. Sabellicus Platina. Exorcizo te Creatura salis & aquae per Deum vivum & Sanctum, etc.  Protestant, that we had these things from them, how may it appear?  
Wife, History reports it, Pius Primus brought the conjured font into the Roman Church, Anno 547. in a most fearful manner, as I read in the old Church Rubric.  
Pope Higanus brought in Godfathers and Godmothers in the year 143.  
Pope Adrian brought in the white linen Surplice in the year 769.  
Pope Zacharias brought in Priests Garments, Copes, and Vestments, horned Caps, and that none but hallowed Garments should be used.  
Pope Telesphorus ordained Lent to be kept seven weeks before Easter.  
Pope Higinus hallowed Churches or Temples.  
Pope Calistus Churchyards.  
Pope Honorius in the year 1214. brought in kneeling at the Sacrament.  
Pope Nicholas forbidden Marriage in Lent, and other set times.  
Pope Calistus the Imbring days for Fasts four times in the year.  
Pope Silvester the first added Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays weekly.  
Pope Innocent put unto the former the Apostles Eves; The Saints and Angels were beholding to those Reverend Fathers, for hallowing their days.  
For generally all the Saints and Angels found such favour with Pope Boniface, that they had not only a Catholic holy day called Alhallows, but a famous Temple in Rome, once dedicated to all the Devils called Pantheon, was turned by this Holy Father into the name of Maria Rotunda, and consecrated to the B. Virgin, and all Martyrs. Boniface the eighth shown like honour to the four Evangelists. Pope Sabinian ordained bells to call the people together to Divine Service: virtue attributed to bells: first, to preserve the Fruits of the Earth; secondly, to drive away the evil will of our enemies; thirdly, to expel storms, Tempests, Thundrings, Lightnings; fourthly, to drive away Spirits and Devils; and therefore it is that the Custom is continued in many places, as yet to ring as they call it the passing bell, when a man or woman is dying. Pope Felix the third made holy the day of the Archangel Michael. Pope Damasus as Writers say, added to the Psalms, Glory be to the Father, etc. and to be sung in turn, as the Church of England yet useth. Pope Witalianus brought in the Organs to make up the Music, in the year 653. Pope Gelasius brought in pricksong. Pope Gregory plain song. Pope Vitalianus descant.  
Pope Clement the first brought in Confirmation of Children by Bishops, Anno 310. Melciades succeeding him, said, it was a more worthy Sacrament than the Sacrament of Baptism. Pope Anasiasius brought in (as Writers say) standing at the Gospel, i● the year 404. Pope Damasus enjoined Hierome to make an Order of Service for Churches, and how many Psalms and prayers should be said on every day, etc. which being done, the Pope commanded all Churches should use that Order, and no other. And a much like exploit was performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and his brethren, as Master Fox reports in King Edward's days: and coninues still by the Convocation-house. I shall omit some things, one Pope put the Pater noster into the Mass, and commanded it to be sung. Pope Marcus would have the Nicene to be sung after the Gospel. Pope Anacletus would have the priest and the people to salute one another in Service time; and therefore appointed the one to say, The Lord be with you, and the other to say, And with thy Spirit. Pope Sergius put in at the Sacrament, O Lamb of God that takest away the sins of the World, have mercy upon us. Pope Symachus added the Hymn, Glory be to God on high. The other Popes brought in their parts and patched together the Lethany or Lithurgy, out of which the Service-b●ok is taken. Pope Leo as some affirm brought in Infant-baptism about 300. years after Christ.  
Pope Pase halus decreed Tithes in the year 827. Pope Vrbanus ordained Canterbury to be the chief patriarchal Seat. Many things of this nature I shall omit at present, as also the names of the several Authors who writ of them; but I hope Wife you will believe me.  
Husband, if these things came from Rome, tell me what the Reverend Dean and Doctor W. meant, when he said, We bless thee Lord for the solemnities of the Church.  
Truly Wife, as far as I conceive the Formalities and Ceremonies of the Church now in use: but I can tell you what an old Non conformist would express in his prayer, Lord purge thy Church of all the Remnants & Relics of Popery, Idolatry & Superstition, which do but adulterate thy worship, & cause the sacrifice and oblation to be abominable in thy sight, and take away those things which do but contaminate the Consciences of thy people, & are but as botches and blains in the face of thy Spouse: This man was a sufferer, necessitated sometimes to leave the Nation, never changing his Judgement. But this Doctor being sometimes a Clerk in the Convocation-house, made a handsome well-penned Speech against some formalities, and was accounted a young Puritan, and was called to the Bar, and to his knees too, but had a Friend. But now his narrow silken throat is grown wider, he can sup Ceremonies, yea and swallow a fat Parsonage, a Prebendship, and a Deanery, and never keck at it. I have seen him in his formalities, that if he had worn bells on his Legs, you would rather have taken him for a Maid-marian in a Morris dance than a Minister, and with us much contempt cast upon him, as ever I saw upon a man in a Pulpit. indeed, he saith, he doth it to come as near Rome as he can, under pretence of drawing them to his religion, for that end he hath now put himself into the Suburbs, and it is supposed by many that he will be as easily persuaded to come to live in the City, as he shall persuade 
What that is I know not, he puts so many simples in the consection.  the Romanists to come to live in the Suburbs. One thing I took from the mouth of an honest Country man of his, which was the Doctor's Speech thus, That it was a lesser sin for a man to kill his father, than for a man in regard of the ceremonies, to refrain coming to Divine service established in the Church of England; the one was the kill of a particular person, the other made a breach in the mystical body of Christ. but this I shall only say, O Doctor, Doctor, quae te dementia cepit, what madness hath possessed thee, remember from whence thou art fallen.  
Husband, I would be satisfied in one thing concerning this Divine service, how it came to be imposed, how came it up at first.  
The first that ever I read of was Pope Damasus, who enjoined Hierom to make an Order or service for Churches, and appoint 
Guliel Durandus.  what prayers should be said on every day, etc. and how many Psalms, etc. which being done, the Pope commanded all Churches should use that service, and none other; and the like was performed by the Archbishop and his brethren in King Edward's days, as Mr. Fox reports, and still continued by the Convocation-house as at this day.  
Object. But did not the Lord give forms of blessings, prayers, and Psalms, etc. therefore, why may not the prelate's do the like?  
I tell thee what I shall say, Dost think jeroboham had so slender a reason for his golden Calves? God gave a Law by Moses; therefore there may a Law be given by the Bishops: the Apostles wrote a New Testament, or Gospel; therefore the Convocation-house may write a Testament or Gospel, if the prophet's practice will bear them out in the one, I see no reason why it should not bear them out in the other, and let them if they can show where any of the Apostles made any forms of prayer, and imposed on other Churches; neither did I ever hear any man stand for Common-prayer, that had the spirit of prayer.  
'Twere other passages I heard you speak of the Doctors.  
I did so, the one was, we thank the Lord for, the reformation, he might rather have called it a regradation; for as the Sun went back ten degrees in the days of Ezekiah by the Sundial of Ahaz, so we in England according to an outward appearance 
Fascicu. temp.  are gone back ten degrees by the Sunshine of the Gospel of Christ. And whereas you told as that on Friday next you shall have the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel, which day is to be kept holy by the appointment of the Church of God; I suppose he means Rome to be the Church of God, because pope Felix the third ordained and appointed that holy day.  
What meant our Reverend Diocessan, when after one year of his being our Diocessan, and had not preached two Sermons, he told us they were our spiritual fathers; Paul saith, that although you have many Instructors, I have begotten you; indeed, if the Patriarch had told us how many thousands of pounds he and the rest of his brethren of the Cloister had gotten he had said something; but let him or any of his brethren say and speak truth, that since I came to this place or City, the Lord hath blest my labours; for such a poor Soul came to me, and told me, that the Lord had by my Ministry made him to see how that he was most vile wretched sinner, and under the wrath of God; which if they can, as I am confident they cannot, I'll submit and do penance in a White Surplice, which is as base as in a White Sheet.  
In the next place, now Wife we will talk a word of our own Reverend Dean; he saith that we must worship in the Temple, at the Temple, and going from the Temple; and speaking of the several Gates to Heaven, he told us that Baptism was Infant's Gate; you need not question the truth of it, seeing it appears to be plainly expressed in the Church Catechism. To his Temple worship I shall say nothing, because he is supposed to be a Mongrel Papist; but I cannot but admire that Baptism should be Infant's Gate into Heaven, and so much the more for that, when they are there they do not stay there scarce one in an hundred, but out they come tumbling, and by the fruit they bring with them speak evil of that good land: but this I can say of him, that he is a great admirer and lover of fish on Fasting-days, and eats no other flesh, and there is some reason for it, Durandus renders it; why fish is more holy than flesh, because God cursed the earth, but never cursed the water.  
Husband, another of our Doctor's cries out against Sacrilege, what's that?  
He tell thee Wife, as they account it, a robbing of the Church, and so by consequence as they would maintain it, a robbing of God; but they never tell how the Church first robbed the poor Country, by telling them that it was a meritorious-work, promising them to fetch souls out of Purgatory. Henry the third was pressed by his Clergy, and hooked in to grant liberally unto them, and by his Magna Charta saith thus; Henry by the grace of God King of England, etc. To all Archbishops, Bishops, etc. Know ye that to the honour of God, and the salvation of my Soul, and the Souls of my Progenit●rs and Successors, do give and grant, etc. An easy piece of matter to cheat both King and Nobles, as my Author saith, when neither of them could write or read. And Richard Wetherhead alias Wethershead Archbishop of Canterbury by a Provincial Constitution, it was forbidden to all Physicians to administer any Physic to a ●ick person upon pain of excommunication, until the Priest had first shrived him for his sins; (although his condition was ever so desperate.) The pretence was to physic his Soul first, but the intent was to get a ●ollop out of his estate: Surely, he that would not have the hire of an Harlot to be brought into his house, will never accept of such lands and go●ds thus cheated to be employed in his service; but most sure it is, that God doth not accept of any thing that he doth; neither requite nor command: But we know these fellows came but to fill their bellies, and if the means were gone, they'll be like Bagg-pipes when the wind is out they tattle no longer.  
Husband, you know they are accounted but fanatics and Schismatics that speak against those men or their practices, you have been in some trouble already, meddle not with their Cathedral service and things, which as they say are for decency.  
Wife, for my father's sake I shall not, because its next my father's Religion, he being a Roman Catholic; and yet for the poor Jews sake I am not willing to be silent, it's a bad requital for the prayers they put up for us Gentiles, Cant. 8. ver. 8. we have a little sister, and she hath no breasts; what shall we do for our sister in the day that she shall be spoken for? See what a stumbling block we cast before them; we tell the Jew that all the Ceremonies of the Mosaical Law were abrogated by the coming of Christ; he will argue thus, Why may not we use those Types and Ceremonies instituted by Moses at God's command, as well as you to make use of those Ceremonies instituted by several Popes, which you say were Antichrists Christ's utter enemy? Ask the Ceremoniaster or the Ceremonimaster what he can say to that. But as for accounting others fanatics, they are the greatest fanatics themselves, who leaving the sacred Scripture, which are the rule of life, doctrine and discipline, and set up the traditions of men, whereas his Worship must be as his Word is, sincere quasi sine cera, without mixture or composition of humane invention, and is forbidden by the second Command, as William Gloucester Bishop, saith; And then what can you say for your Cathedral service? Wife you know that neither praises nor prayers are accepted with him unless they be the fruit of his own spirit. Jesus Christ takes the Odours which are the prayers of the Saints, and presents them to his Father; if not acceptable, they must needs be abominable. Do you think that Jesus Christ will take the bawling squeling voices of singing men and boys, together with the grunting squeaking noise of the Bishop's Pigs, I mean the Organs, and present them with reverence be it spoken: he will assoon accept of a pair of Bagpipes, for its all but Wind-Musick. Neither do I think that the Boy who in Paul's lately got near unto the Organs with an instrument of Horn in his fist called a Cats-call, with which he tuned Mew Mow (was much to be blamed) who being observed by some, would now and then duck down his head and to't again, I conceive there was no reason why they should be angry with him; for they pretended to religious worship which the boy did not, therefore less sinful. Secondly, he made some as merry as the Organs made others.  
And whereas they say that some things are for decency.  
I'll tell thee Wife, there are a sort of the female sex, who are Mercenary, (as I have heard) and they are called Hackney Whores, but in some Countries are called Courtesans, and they are known by their habits as they walk in the street; If I should see thee in the habit of a Courtesan, be it as decent as may be, it would make my crooked Nose warp on the other side in my old age, and for all thy profession of love to me, take thee but for a Concubine. To see that goodly Matron the Church of England professing love to the Lord Christ, and him to be her Head and Husband, and yet to put on the habit of an old Whore, an old Whore, an old Whore, I can account her but for a Concubine at the best, and she makes many of her Sons this day almost ashamed to call her Mother. The Apostles care was to present the Church a pure Virgin; Sure I am, that those botches in her face are no beauty spots: Nay, she is now going to persecute a visible Mark of Antichrist: And the Devil is now turned Scullion, and is now going to scouring, to make some Souls brighter and better; for that end he hath put himself into a White Surplice and in a pair of Lawn Sleeves, but by that time he hath done his work, he will make his White Surplice and his Lawn Sleeves as black as himself; as old as I am I may live to see it.  
Husband, I would ask thee but one question about the sin of wearing Hats, which they so much condemn.  
Wife, I'll tell thee, Gestures and Vestures have anciently been the work of the Convocation-house, next unto the Trade of Net-making, which holds good to this day; for now they make the Meshes of the Net so narrow, that a man cannot get through with a good Conscience, unless he leave that behind him, but the Devil will be ready to help him, first by telling him that it were better to yield than that the Benefit which others might have by his Ministry should be lost; secondly, that in regard of his relations, his Wife and Children that have dependence on him; or thirdly, that it may be he hath gotten a little money or means, 'twill quickly be gone. True it is, Prelacy may be down, but yet it may stand long enough to see him spend all he hath, and thus he will pull him by the ears, especially if it be ever a whit a good living, but he will have him through. A Boy was seen to offer a Candle to the Picture of the Devil which was drawn behind the door, one demanded wherefore he did it, he answered I do not know what need I may have of him; friends, if you have need to use him he will be very ready to serve you without a Candle, he can do his work in the dark; for nothing but merely for your Soul's sake, and he will be as courteous to you as he hath been to Br.— he will make such a Gap in your Conscience, that a bush of Thorns may be drawn through forward and backward, and never prick it. The worst of it is, that two bushes will hardly stop it again. Look you to that.  
But good Wife, I am an old Man, and we have two little boys, if I die and you survive me, prithee put neither of them two an Apprentice to that Trade of Ne●-making, if ●ou should, before they have served half their time, their Masters will break or give over, and then they mus● be turned over to Rome to serve the rest of their time, into which they have made such a fair progress here; but, that's not all, I have no mind to that Trade, I had much rather you would put them Apprentices to a Sweep-Chimney, that's a Trade newly come in fashion, and its like to hold as long as they live, I do not know whether it may outlive its sister's Contribution and Excise. But that's not all yet neither, Wife, I am now very serious with you, it entrencheth and encroacheth very much upon that incomparable Magna Charta that was made by the greatest Monarch that ever swayed Sceptre: Sealed with his own most precious blood, and who accounted it great dignity to be styled King of Saints, and is aprointed thereunto of his Father, Psal. 2. and whose Father is God over all, blessed for ever: in this Magna Charta are Recorded his Prerogatives Royal, one of them is to make Laws for his Subjects, and those Laws are as absolutely perfect as himself, and his Subjects for their Souls have but that one only Lawgiver, and his Laws for duration of time hold until he make a new Magna Charta never to be Repealed by any Act or Acts of men: In this Magna Charta are Recorded likewise his Subjects Privileges, their Immunities and Freedoms, being not confined to any circumscript place to Worship him in, so that they Worship him in Spirit, and in Truth, It's their Privilege to meet as occasion may serve, to hear his Word, to Pray, to Communicate and participate of his Ordinances according to the Dictates and Commands of the said Magna Charta; he hath also his Officers Recorded in this Magna Charta, Pastors, Teachers, Elders. Here come now a sort of fellows, whence I know not, some say from Rome, some say they are Chips of Jeroboams Block, others say they are of those Angels that stand at the four corners of the earth, to hold the winds that they blow not, some say that they are of those Locusts that come out of the bottomless pit, indeed they smell pitifully of the smoke of ignorance; well Wife, let them come from whence they will come, sure I am, they are a company of mad fellows of them; for the first thing they do, they pick a quarrel with the King concerning the Government that is upon his shoulders, and his Kingdom that shall have no end; and as Whores▪ when they fall together by the ears, the first thing they do they make at the head, and off goes the Coyf or Head-geer; so do these, the first blow they give is at the head, and off goes his Crown and Dignity, it's but a trick of the old Whore, and un King him by taking away his prerogative-Royal, annihilating and making of no validity his Laws, and by their actions in effect charging him thus, That he is an imperfect King, insufficient for Government, wanting wisdom to rule and that his Laws are very imperfect, like the Nouns Heteroclites, in quae genus, some superant, others deficient, some have too much in them, some too little, and therefore they have other Laws of humane invention, which will serve their turn better, and by them they hope to keep their Revenues, and find themselves somewhat to do; for nothing do nothing have, and so fall to persecute (which as we say in a Country Proverb) is as natural to them as for a Calf to suck Milk.  
And now Wife, prithee tell me, are not these a parcel of pretty fellows, I believe you'll say as I say anon; but tell me Wife, whence had they dost think this their form of Government at first?  
Indeed Husband I do not know, whence say you?  
I do imagine Wife where they had it, hark a word in your ear, because no body shall know what we say: [I do think the Devil brought it over Sea in his Plocket, for it smells very Romish, and hath a strong tatch o'th' old Whore.] But of that not a word more good Wife.  
Well Wife, now we'll speak a word concerning those that speak in his Name, some of them they suspend, imprison, they put the Consciences of others in the Stocks, and unless they will set up their posts by God's posts, and their Thresholds by God's Thresholds of which the Lord complaineth by Ezekiel, ●he Ordinances of men by the Ordinances of God they shall not speak in his Name, unless they will first give the people a little Frith Froth, Riff Roff, Slibber Slobber, Wish Waysh; such stuff in the guts, being so windy, would quickly endanger and cause the Il●ia capatio, and make the Carcase of a poor Soul look like Prometheus' sacrifice, skin and bone without flesh; against which there is an Antipathy in the Souls of those that look for the bread of Life.  
Next they come to such Assembles of the King's Subjects, where they meet to Worship him, and take away both their privileges and their persons, or by their means they are so dealt withal contrary to the Magna Charta of their great King, Kings-bench, Dedford, Bridewell, Gatehouse, Newgate and other prisons will testify it; but none in Bedlam. One saith, that when the Devil shown our Saviour all the Kingdoms of the earth, he never shown him Ireland, he kept that for himself: Surely, these fellows keep Bedlam for themselves, the fittest place for such mad fellows; Bedlamites let them be then.  
But Husband, you have almost forgotten the Text, you were speaking a word about the sin of wearing Hats.  
No Wife, I was something long in speaking a word of small Consolation to those that were of the house of Convocation, I remember we were speaking of the sin of wearing Hats in Sermon time, a Cap of Linen or woollen is as tolerable as the Doctors silk Cap, and if a  Cap may be worn, why may not the Feltmaker make him as well as the Tailor? Being both species of the same Genus, both made of wool, the sin must be then in the breeds or brimms, which being cut off, the sin is done away. I know they draw an argument (a pari) thus, If men show such reverence to an Ambassador that is sent from an earthly Prince, how much more to an Ambassador that is sent from the King of Kings: First, this is not generally so, for in some countries' as in Russia and other Countries, if you put off your Hat to salute they'll go nigh to stab, taking it for a jeer; and the French preach with their Hats on; if a man put not off his Hat, it's no breach of any Law, their being no Statute for it, men do it out of civility to an ambassador, it being a Custom; and if a man keep on his Hat in Sermon time, it's no sin, because there is no prohibition if it be not the custom of the place I see no reason why the Preacher should beget a custom, seeing he hath no Warrant from the word. But to prove that they are sent, & are Ambassadors from the King of Kings, here they'll have a hard tug on't, let them prove their Mission or Sending, I know how they are called just as Hogs to the Troughs; the Maid comes and puts the meat in the Trough the pigs it may be are grazing in the pastures or Commons, she takes the pail, jumbles and knock it from side to side against the Trough, and calls them upon the report of the pail, away they come as fast as they can creep through Hedges, tumble over the little Pigs in their way, or outrun them, and to the Troughs they come, and from one Trough to another, leaving it may▪ be a little in the bottom for the little Pigs that come after; Even so when they hear the report that such a Deanery, Prebendship or fat Parsonage is fallen, they take Horse and away they ride Post as fast as they can, outrun some of their lesser fellows from one living to another, until they have gotten two or three livings, & then they ' le deal kindly with the Devil, they ' le serve in one place, let the Devil take t'other, or send one in his place that shall do the Devil as little hurt as himself, who shall live by the Licks of the Trough; those in some places are called Rats, in other places Curates: And upon this riding Post, the question arose of the two Creatures which were most miserable, Horses or Asses; it was determined, Horses; because they were many times rod Post to get livings for Asses; but these fellows can swallow a great deal of Popish trash, Towers and Steeples, and yet cannot endure that a man should sit with his Hat on: Wife, prithee, are they not favoured like those Hypocrites our Saviour speaks of, That strain at a Knat, and swallow a Camel?  
But cannot they, Husband, prove their Mission or Sending from the Bishop?  
Yes Wife, they can, thus, according as it is in the Book of Orders, after the Priest (for so the Book of Orders styles them) hath promised the Bishop due Reverence and Obedience; the Bishop puts his hand on his head, and saith, Receive the holy Ghost, whose sins ye remit, etc. be thou a faithful dispensour of the Word: Here he shows himself to be Christ, or rather Antichrist, who sits in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God, when the poor Patriarch could give no more than did hang on his fingers, when he laid them on the Priest's head. What say you wife, is not this pretty stuff, that ever any man in a day after so much light breaking forth, should be brought under such Egyptian blindness▪ and as they are that make them, so are they that are made by them: But stay a little Wife before we go to Bed, for our Candle gins to grow short, we must not let this go so.  
The Bishop himself, whence ere he come, God never sent him; for God never sent a man and puts him upon impossibilities; the word is no more, as is commonly known, than Overseer to oversee his Flock, to be diligent to know the state of the Flock, to visit the sick, to preach the Word in season and out of season: These are part of his duties belonging to his Office, these things are impossible for his Lordship to perform; and therefore we must send him to look another Master, that sends him on his Errand.  
we'll talk a little of his duty for Preaching that he doth not; for he neither preacheth in season nor out of season, or very seldom, nay most of them preaching down preaching, and some of the fraternity speaking contemptuously and jearingly against those that preach twice in a day, saying, that they are like Virgil's Cow that bis venit ad mulctram, came twice in a day to the Pail, indeed, they come but seldom to the Pail, and when they do come, 'tis a poor quantity of thin gear they give, let it stand, there will be no Cream on't, they were as good kick it down, for they put some bitter thing or other in it like wormwood, which is good in beer but not in Milk, and rub the breast with it, and wean the Children apace; some such Milk the Dean of Norwich lately gave, which made bo●h Man and Owl admire him for in his Sermon at Norwich preaching against preaching and long prayers, which some made, as he said, an Ell long, and which, as he said, he was assured, was of no Divine 
Certified in a Letter to London from a v●ry good hand.  Institution; whereat an Owl standing or flying over his head, Hemmed him up with a note of admiration, crying, Ho, Ho, Hoo. What Milk that was that the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry gave down about the midst of May, as fruitful▪ a season as they ear affords what Milk that was I do not know, for he in the Administration of pope Clement's Ordinance, pope Melciades Sacrament, delivered it to the blue coat boys, a 'mong the rest to one john Hurst a Limner whose Mother dwells at the Swan in Newgate-Market, who could never speak nor hear; he poured it in at their ears, with which they made their confession of Faith, for they never opened their lips▪ and which is to be admired, how the Bishop could confirm them in Faith, that had none, or if they had it was more than he knew.  
The worst on't is, if any give better Milk, those cursed kine will endeavour to kick it down, or strike down the poor Creature that gave it. I could wish those cursed kine short horns.  
Wife, being time to go to bed, we will talk no more to night, but leave till another ttme, and then we will begin with Magna Charta, and talk over three or four sheets more. Good Husband you take the Child and the Candle, I'll take the Warming-pan and some Coals, and so to Bed.    

Read the two lines, But this, etc. in Folio 7. after 27 lines.  
But this our Doctors, Proctors could  
In no wise well digest.  
Read Why do we, etc. in Folio 9 after 16 lines.  
Why do we not that would he thought  
Good Subjects in request,  
First to the Lord, then to the King,  
These things may be redressed.  
FINIS.