THE VINDICATION OF THE separate BRETHREN OF THE SPIRIT, Against a libel, Called The Resolution of the roundheads.  
And against all Slanderous Pamphlets, since the time that Simon Magus tempted Simon the cobbler.  
Published by H. Drowrey.  
LONDON, Printed 1641   

The Vindication of the roundheads.  
FIrst whereas that libel begins with our head, we therefore pronounce it a capital libel.  
It then butts at our horns which in despite of that libel shall shoot out to a greater length, and be more visible than they were, there being no contradicting since Doctors Commons suffered an Eclipse.  
As for the cavaliers, our black and blue arms and Sides do confess that dear truth, and we only say they are a Company of Absoloms, and we hope to see them hanged in their long Locks for that affront.  
To the shutting upon shops, we answer, that even as when the Sky falls you may catch larks, just so when Bishops go down we may set up again.  
As for the Whitebrothes, &c. they are dishes the libeler would lick his lips at, and we say, that at one of those Feasts we edify so much, and grow so strong, that the devil himself cannot tame us.  
To that point where he saith that we hold to maintain Bishop, Order, learning and Unity, in the Church, universities and commonwealth, is profaneness, superstition, and plain Popery, Though it be put upon us as a jeer, yet thus we confirm it; First, to maintain Order is profaneness; for if there were no Order (as it is amongst as) there could be no transgression of the Order, and consequently no profaneness. Secondly, Learning is superstition, for thereby scholars are so furnished with suffient arguments against us, that they dare stand stiff upon their own knowledge and as it were overtopps us. Lastly peace and union is Popery, for what do the Papists more boast of then their Uniformity, That we may not therefore be like them, we intend as long as we may have any Countenance, to set all the kingdom together by the ears, whereby we in time shall become as famous for our separations as they, for their Uniformity.  
As for the terms of Roundheads and prickears, we say it is a seemly sight, and if our example could but beget that fashion, amongst the Courtiers, they would look just like so many Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednegoes, in the King's House, to the amazement nay affrightment of all foreign nations that should behold them, which some of them may easily do, without the help of a Barber, 'tis but even pulling off a Cap of hair, and the thing is done if not over done.  
Then for our Lecturers of both Sexes, I pray you who is it but they that beget Children daily and Hourly in our Churches? The men hailed out of the world, and the women pull them in by the shirts of the flesh, and in short, time draw them empty of carnal things, abating much of their fleshly lust, leaving them only to the comfort of a crest-fallen Spirit which we call Repentance, and after that brunts over they quickly learn the mystery of conventicle, breakfasts which surely proveth cordial and Restorative, enabling them to go through with the work they take in hand cheerfully and powerfully.  
Concerning the Community betwixt the Brethren and the Sisters, surely surely no flesh is able to resist the sweet allurement of a zealous fleer when she hears a not able piece of stuff from the impudent Lecturer, or of a goodly Sky-coloured gleg upwards, upon the pricking of her conscience, and the deep-sigh of two minutes long presently after it, for these causes we wonder that the young Gentlemen of the Inns of Court do not convert, verily the provocatives thereunto are plump, and smooth, and yet rough enough in some places, (but those are Common places, and therefore not worth mentioning) They are no jesebels painted or braided, but rather faithful rahabs', penitent Harlots. Another inducement to the Gentlemen might be good Husbandry: for questionless, the Commons are larger, and the payment lesser. Besides, they teach the Tone of the Nose an artificial way, as well as the Sisters of Saint Giles in rueful earnest▪ and we hope this will be considered.  
Touching the Woods and Sawpits, they were places frequented only in those times, when Learning played the Tyrant, by Commission, since which extirpation; every of our own houses are Synagogues for that purpose. And for the putting out lights, some reasons may be showed, and some not; one cause thereof may be, for that in our Prayers we should see each others yawning, gaping and staring upward, the divine rapture would be converted to a loud laughter at one another's ill-favoured faces, and we so prevented of that fruit, which from the exercise will otherwise arise▪ as for other reasons they are not to be discovered to any reprobate, whose hair is longer than his ears.  
Then the libel wrings us by the Nose, the Nose is to be considered as part of the Face, and is the instrument of one sense (then 'tis well you'll say we have some sense) but you shall find we make other use of it than you expect, for even as the Apostles did speak with Tongues, so verily do we speak with Noses, yea, with fiery Noses, which do guide a musical and Tintinable relish to our Language; like the hum of a bell, or the drove of a Bagpipe; but (as the Song hath it) let Symons Beard alone, so let Beters' Nose alone.  
For the ruff, the doublet, and the Breeches, they have their significations▪ the ruff showeth how terrible we are in our choler, the Doublet is the Emblem of the stomach which is spacious, and the shortness of the Breeches, conduceth to the length of the Leg, and therefore demonstrates our adverseness to the Charactor of the Duck, O Ducks, plaguy Creatures.  
As for our Faith, Charity and good Works, we link them thus together▪ our Religion is built on Faith only, and great need there is it should be strong, in respect the other Graces and symptoms of heavenly mindedness are seldom apparent in us, not need they be so, For Faith applieth itself to things not seen, our Charity and good Works were never seen nor ever shall be, for that is the common way of Salvation, and dissonant from the rules of singularity; but ours prescribeth a new way to be saved by stratagem.  
The length of the Prayer is a qualification in the Lungs, the tautology thereof a Vertigo in the brain, and the earnestness of the same, a habit got by practice, which seemeth to strain the interiours of the whole man, with a kind of Divine Witchcraft, even ravisheth the souls of the tender Sisters, and filleth them with a servant desire to experience the strength of those able bodies that retain such powerful graces.  
As for the Robes, Gestures, and Utensils ecclesiastic, what is a Canonical cote, but a woollen Smock; or a surplice, but an over-wide linen Smock, and is a habit quite contrary to a plain Text, that men should not put on womens' apparel, what are the ornaments of the Altar, but Images of Gold and Silver in the form of Candlesticks and Embossed Books, and the Cringes and Bowings, but Sacrifices of dexterous hamstrings thereunto.  
As for the Synod of morefield's and Pimlico, we doubt not but the Canons there devised, will hold good with as much success as those last enacted a Paul's, especially for that the Agent of them are now, &c.  
Now truly and verily for the Resolution and the Reformation, it could not have been 〈…〉ed, though the Ironmonger, Law●●●t of our Family had draw● it; but only the rascally libeler put it in jeering terms; but that may be requited when we meet him in Cheapside.  
Now for an Addition of better Arguments for the maintenance of this Religion, take these few; It is confirmed by the lamentable death of a godly Knight, the Proto-Martyr of the Spiritual cause, who because he is dead, our Secretary (being principal council in this Vindication) thinks it good manners or, let him rest in peace; but in his life time Ram-Ally knew him well.  
Rome is the Beast with ten horns, we having but two horns, are therefore no Roman Beasts; those Horns were empailed with crowns, which our horns rather push against. A glorious Whore did ride on that Beast▪ but we are Beasts ourselves, and ride the Whore.  
The Jesuits are the only Roman Puritans, that our singularities ought to take the right hand of theirs▪ they are the Brothers of Jesus the surname▪ but we are the Brothers of Christ the proper name, which always preserves the eminence of the Pedigree in every great Family.  
That this Religion is merely of the Spirit, what do you say to many of us, that can read as perfectly at the wrong end of the Book, as at the right end; or to a Brown-Baker that will take a Sermon Verbatim in characters (which you would take for Conjuring forms, they look so ghastly) and yet could never read a Letter of the Book, or to another, that never read his Accidence, and hateth Latin, yet derives Hebrew roots with facility; if these be not peculiar and si●ple gifts of the Spirit, than we have no good Spirit in us, and the Resolution is an honest Libel.   
FINIS.