COLONEL HUSON'S (Or the COBLER'S) CONFESSION, In a Fit of DESPAIR.  
Taken in Shorthand by the Pen of a Ready-Writer.  
Ne Suitor ultra Crepidam. The Devil would be God's Ape.  
Printed according to Order.   

Huson's Confession.  Enter Huson in a melancholy posture with an Halter about his neck. Huson. 
DId the wheel of Fortune ever move so swiftly as now? Was I not but t'other day above the Parliament, the Laws, the City, and the Good old Cause? Nay, did I not lay aside all other Considerations to imagine to myself greater ascents to dominion, since Fortune denied me nothing I could propose to myself? Have all my Familiars forsaken me, 
Ties the rope.  who was so lately their dearest Favourite? Is there no way left to evade disgrace and ruin, but to precipitate all my Honours from this beam, 
Points to the beam.  and terminate my vast attempts in the narrow compass of a noose? Had not I better have stitched my ambition to my in-sole & tacked them close to the Last, than thus at length to become my own hangman, when the world is not so courteous as to afford me any other (since none so vile) Executioner? Since the case is no otherwise, nor will be mended without my end, I will make use of such a one, as (if exercised sooner) might have prevented much mischief this Kingdom hath received by my bloody ambition, and have made the World rather pity than (as now it will) deride my misery.  Enter Pluto in grave Attire. Pluto. 
Is not this the voice of my most devoted Servant?  Huson. 
Your dejected, deserted, despairing Castaway.  Pluto. 
How! Castaway? is my service grown so contemptible, as to bring my most intimate Favourites into this condition?  Huson. 
I ascribe not my misery to any other cause than my own folly & miscarriage, whereby I have so disappointed the designs of my good Lord, that I am not worthy to be named in your presence.  Pluto. 
Away, away with this whining humour of melancholy, dost think to do me service and tby self honour by this puling kind of despair, upon every discouragement; I am very sensible of thy miscarriages not without the highest aggravations, I have all along been no less than a father unto thee, have fitted thee for my service, preserved thee from the infection of learning, wit, civility, or any real sense of religion or ingenuity; furnished thee with cruelty enough, dissimulation in the most perfect form of plain simple honesty, continually inspired thee not only with counsel but courage, for many high attempts, so that there is nothing left in thee at last but what is merely connatural to myself and of my free gift. And yet that after all this, you should desert my wont providence, and rely more upon your own judgement than my dictates was a provocation not expressible but by my eternal fury. I must tell thee, had Noll or Bradshaw ever so much forgotten themselves, or me their great Lord, I should not have been wrought to such lenity by any persuasions: but since thy penitence hath wrought so high upon thy spirit, I will reveal a secret of most high consolation to thyself. I have long since determined, upon thy faithful service to me in this world, not only to advance thy honours and fortunes here to the highest degree, but in my infernal Kingdom to prefer thee to the chief general-ship of my dreadful Legions: and from this my grace and favour to thee no ordinary provocation shall divert me, therefore draw near and make an humble and penitent confession before me, in order to thy readmission into my favour.  Huson. 
I most humbly confess, 
Knelt before him.  to thy infernal Majesty, thy blessed Jezabel; thy Saints Cain, Herod, and Judas, Cora, Dathan and Abiram, Nero, Julian, Machiavil, and Ravilliack, John of Leyden, Knipper Doling, Melchier, Hoffman, and Muncer, Jack Sraw, Jack Cade and Wat Tyler, thy devout Servants, Enoch ap Evan, Pym, and Hacket. Thy Great Officers of State and zealous assertors of thy Good old Cause (now with thee) Cromwell, Prideaux, Williams and Bradshaw, with thy innumerable Army of Tyburn and Smithfield Martyrs, and to all thy company of black Angels and infernal Spirits, etc. That I have offended against thee my Ghostly Father, in word, thought and deed, by my faults, my faults, my great faults. First, that when it was in my Power and thy Commands, I neglected utterly to destroy the Rump of the Long Parliament, taking them for thy servants as well as myself, and therefore not so strictly harkening to, and obeying thy commands as I ought in duty to have done.  Pluto. 
I deny not but they were my Servants, did my works, and still do, but this is no excuse for your neglecting my positive commands, since my secret designs are not fully known, nor can be to my best servants on earth; but go on.  Huson. 
Secondly, that when thou hadst put it into my heart, (upon the Apprentices football play) on Monday the 5. of Decemb. to take the opportunity to destroy men, women, and children, in the City of London, and make prize of their estates thereby to engage the Army to go on in thy service under my command, I did not prosecute the design further than the death of a few innocent persons, to the greater prejudice than promotion of thy service.  Pluto. 
These are humbling faults with a witness, and should teach the avoiding of the like for future.  Huson. 
That when there appeared no other means for the upholding the interest of thy servants, but only the firing of the City of London with Granades, and so distressing thine and our enemies; through diffidence and want of courage I waved that thy great design. The consideration of which my most grievous offence, so increases my confusion and sorrow for this and other the like enormities, that expressions fail me, and I can go no further at this time, but humbly desire pardon from you my Ghostly Father and great Protector and all your infernal and forementioned Saints and Servants, for these and all other the like my transgressions, with a hearty promise of double diligence in thy works of darkness for time to come.  Pluto. 
I am satisfied in thy confession and upon thy hearty repentance for these thy faults, and the renewing of thy obedience for the future, do absolve thee by my own terrible name, and that black infernal lake in my Kingdom; therefore arise, and for thy penance let this thy confession be forthwith published to all my servants in the world, lest they by the like incogitancy renew thy miscarriages; but let my lenity in this small penance oblige you to an increase of your diligence in my service for time to come: and for a further testimony of my paternal affection, in especial to you upon the renewing of your obedience thus to me take some of my advice in general, and for particular occasions I and my spiritual servants will never fail in our assistance.  
I. Be sure never to attempt any great thing without the specious pretence of Religion, and the Good old Cause.  
II. Never condescend to any thing in favour of the family of the Stuarts, but remain their inveterate enemy.  
III. To your utmost, obstruct the settlement of any Government whatsoever in the Church.  
iv In all places show yourself a most zealous assertor of liberty of conscience.  
V Incline to all factions whatsoever, but be sure never cleave to any particular.  
If thou shalt be constant and faithful in observing these my general rules, and all my particular dictates, thou shalt find by an uncontrol'd prosperity, that thou art not the least in my favour, and at last a far greater preferment in my fiery region, than this world affords.  Hus. 
If ever I fail in performing (to my utmost) your commands, account me as I am unworthy the honour of your favourite.  Pluto. 
The greatest happiness I give my best Servants, shall attend thy most prosperous attempts, dear son,  
Vale.  
FINIS.