Divers Historical DISCOURSES Of the late Popular INSURRECTIONS In Great BRITAIN, And IRELAND, Tending all, to the asserting of Truth, in Vindication of their MAJESTY'S; By james Howell Esquire;  
Some of which Discourses were strangled in the Press by the Power which Then SWAYED, But now are newly retreeved, collected, and Published by Richard Royston.  
The first TOME.  
LONDON, Printed by I. Grismond. 1661.   


Belua multorum capit●…m Plebs vana vocatur, Plus satis Hoc Angli ●…uper docuere Popelli. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ ay: H:  
The People is a Beast which Heads hath many, England of late hath showed This more than any.    

TO HIS MAJESTY  
SIR,  
THese Historical Discourses (set forth in such variety of dresses) having given so much satisfaction to the world for the asserting of Truth, in Vindication of Your Royal Father of ever blessed Memory, and some of them relating also to Your Majesty, I humbly conceived might be proper for Your Majesty's perusal & Patronage.  
Concerning the Author thereof his name needed not to have been prefixed, He being so universally well known and distinguished from other Writers both at home and abroad by his stile, which made one of the Highest Wits of these Times say of Him,  Author hic ex Genio notus, ut Ungue Leo. 
God Almighty bless Your Majesty with a continuance of Happiness, and daily increase of Glory, so prayeth  
Your Majesty's most loyal, and humble Subject, ROYSTON.   

A Catalogue of the several Pieces that are here contained.  

I. A Dialog 'twixt Patricius and Peregrin presently after Kintonfield Battle, which was the first Book that came forth for Vindication of His Majesty.  
II. The second part of that Discourse.  
III. A seasonable Advice sent to Philip late Earl of Pembrock, to mind him of the several solemn Oaths whereby he was bound to adhere to the King.  
IV. A Manifesto sent in His Majesty's name to the Reformed Churches, and Princes beyond the Seas touching His Religion.  
V. Apologs, and Emblems, in whose Morals the Times are represented.  
VI Of the land of Ire, or a Discourse of that horrid Insurrection in Ireland, discovering the true Causes thereof.  
VII. The Sway of the Sword, or a Disurs of the Common Militia or Soldiery of the Land, proving, That the Command thereof in chief, belongs to the Ruling Prince.  
VIII. An Italian Prospective, through which England may discern the desperate condition she stands in.  
IX. A Nocturnal Progress, or perambulation of most Countries in Christendom.  
X. A Vindication of His Majesty touching a Letter He writ to Rome from Madrid, in Answer to a Letter which Pope Gregory the 15th. had sent Him upon passing the Dispensation for concluding the Match.  
XI. Of the Trety of the I'll of Wight, and the Death of His Majesty.  
XII. Advise from the prime Statesmen of Florence, how England should come to Herself again, which can be by no other means under Heaven, but by calling in the King, and that, in a free confident way without Articles, but what He shall be pleased to offer Himself.    

THE TRUE Informer, WHO DISCOVERS To the World the first grounds Of this ugly REBELLION And Popular TUMULTS In England, Scotland, and Ireland.  
Deducing the Causes thereof in an Historical Discourse from their Original.  — Neutrum modò, Mas modò Vulgus. 
Written in the Prison of the Fleet Anno 1642.   

CASUAL DISCOURSES, AND Interlocutions BETWIXT Patricius and Peregrin, Touching the Distractions of the Times, With the Causes of them.  Patricius. 
SUrely I should know full well that face and phisnomy: O Heavens! 'tis Peregrin. Gentle Sir, you are well met, and welcome to England, I am heartily glad of your safe arrival, hoping now to apprehend some happy opportunity whereby I may requite part of those worthy favours I received from you in divers places t'other side side of the Sea.  Peregrin. 
Sir, I am as joyful to see you, as any friend I have upon earth; but touching favours, they deserve not such an acknowledgement, I must confess myself to be far in the arrear, therefore you teach me what I should speak to you in that point: But amongst other offices of Friendship you have been pleased to do me from time to time, I give you many thanks for the faithful correspondence you have held withme, since the time of our separation, by intercours of Letters, the best sort of fuel to warm affection, and to keep life in that noble virtue Friendship, which they say abroad, is in danger to perish under this cold Insulary clime for want of practice.  Patricius. 
Truly, Sir, you should have had an account of matters hence more amply and frequently, but that of late it hath been usual, and allowed by authority, to intercept and break open any Letters; but private men need not complain so much, since the dispatches of Ambassadors, whose P●…ckets should be held as sacred as their Persons, h●…ve been commonly opened, besides some outrages offered their houses and servants; nay, since their Maj●…sties Letters under the Cabinet Signet have been broke up, and other counterfeit ones printed and published in their names.  Peregrin. 
Indeed I must confess the report hereof hath kept a great noise abroad, and England hath suffered much in point of national repute in this particular; for even among Barbarians, it is held a kind of sacrilege to open Letters; nay, it is held a base kind of burglary, then to break into a House, Chamber, or Closet: for that is a plundering of outward things only, but he who breaks open ones Letters which are the Ideas of the mind, may be said to rip up his breast, to plunder and rifle his very brain, and rob him of his most precious and secretest thoughts.  Patricius. 
Well, let us leave this distasteful subject, when these fatal commotions cease, this custom, I hope, will be abhorred in England: But now, that you are newly arrived, and so happily met, I pray be pleased t●… make me partaker of some foreign news, and how the squares go betwixt France and Spain, those two great wheels, that draw after their motion (some more, some less) all the rest of the Western world: and when you have done, I will give you account of the state of things in England.  Peregrin. 
I thought you had so abounded with domestic news, that you had had no list or leisure to hear any foreign; but to obey your commands, you know that I have been any time these six years a Land-loper up and down the world, and truly I could not set foot on any Chr●…stian shore that was in a perfect condition of peace, but it was engag●…d either in a direct, 〈◊〉 or collateral war, or standing upon its guard in continual apprensions and alarms of fear: For, since that last flaming Usher of God's vengeance, that direful Comet of the year 1618. appeared in the heavens, some malevolent and ang●…y ill-aspected star hath had the predominance ever since, and by its malign influxes, made strange unusual impressions upon the humours of subjects, by inci●…ing them to such insurrections, revolts, and tumults; which caused a Jewish Rabbi to say lately, that it seems the grand Turk thrives extraordinarily in his devotions, it being one of his prime prayers to Mahomet, that he should prevail with God Almighty to continue disentions still among Christian Princes. And truly, as the case stands, one may say, that the European world is all in pieces; you know well with what fearful fits of a high burning fever poor Germany hath been long shaken, which hath wrought a Lethargy in some of her members, by wasting of the vital spirits which should diffuse themselves equally through that great body; and how she st●…ll ●…ostereth a cold Northern Guest (the Swed) within her bosom, and is in 〈◊〉 fear of a worse from the Levant: In the Netherlands one shall hear the half-starved soldier murmur in every corner, and railing against his King, and ready to mutiny for want of pay. In France you shall see the poor Asinin Peasan half weary of his life, his face being so 〈◊〉 ground, ever and anon with new tallies. You know there are some Sovereign Princes, who have a long time wandered up and down in exile, being outed of their own anti●…nt Patrimonial Territories, and little hopes yet, God wot, of restoring them. The world knows how Savoy is become of late a kind of Province to France; Nay, Spain, who hath been so dexterous to put her neighbours together by the ears, and to foment war a far off, to keep her own home secure, is now herself in the midst of two fearful fires, kindled on both sides of her by quite-revolted subjects, viz. the Portuguese and Cat alan, which so puzzles her, that she cannot tell what Saint to pray unto. The Venetian also, with the pope, and all the Princes of Italy, are arming apace; the Hollander only, Salamander like, thrives in these flames: and as I have heard of some that by a long habitu●…l custom could feed on poison, and turn it to nourishment, so Hans alone can turn War to a Trade and grow fat by it.  
Now, Sir, being weary of eating my bread in such a distracted world abroad, and hoping to take some sweet repose in England, I find that she is in as bad a case, if not worse, than any other. So much news I give you in a lump, I will be more particular with you some other time, if you please to spare me now.  Patricius. 
I hear, not without much resentment, these pithy expressions you have been pleased to make of the torn estate of Europe abroad; and since you mention that blazing Star, I remember what a Noble Knight told me some years ago, That the Astronomers, who lay sentinel to watch the motion and aspect of that Comet, observed that the tail of it having pointed at divers Climates, at last it seemed to look directly on these Northwest I lands, in which posture it spent itself, and so extinguished; as if thereby it meant to tell the world, that these Islands should be the Stage whereupon the last act of the Tragedy should be played. And how many Scenes have passed already, both here and in Ireland, we know, God wot, by too too woeful and fresh experience.  Peregrin. 
There is a saying When your neighbour's house is on fire, by its light you may see in what danger your own stands: And was England so blind and blockish, as not to take warning by so many fearful combustions abroad? When I took my leave last of her, I left her in such a complete condition of happiness, both in Court, Country, City and Sea, that she was the envy of all Europe, in so much, that that Golden Verse might be fi●…ly applied to her then Golden times,  
Mollia securae perage●…ant otia Gentes.  
The Court was never so glorious, being hanselld every year almost with a new Roya●… offspring; the Gentry no where more gallan●… and sportful; the Citizen never more gorgeous and rich, and so abounding with treasure, bullion and buildings, that no age can parallel; Commerce, inward and outward was never at that height; the customs increasing every year to admiration; the narrow Seas were never guarded with braver Ships, nor the navy Royal for number of vessels and magazines of all sorts of materials was ever so well replenished; the Universities had never such springing days: and lastly, the Church did so flourish, that amongst the rest of the reformed Churches of Christendom, I have heard her called the Church triumphant.  
Besides, Ireland was arrived almost to the same degree of prosperity, for all the arrearages of the Crown were paid, and not a penny sent hence for many years to maintain the standing army there, or for any other public charge, as formerly; Traffic came to that mighty height of increase, that in few years the Crown customs and imposts came to be five times higher. In fine, Ireland was brought not only to subsist of herself, but enabled to contribut towards the filling of the English Exchequer, and to make some retribution of those vast expenses the Crown of England hath been at any time these 400 years to reduce her to civility; her bogs were almost all dried up, and made good land▪ her mudde-walls turned apace to Brick in divers places, so that in one Summer that I fortuned to be there, above 50. new Brick-houses were built in one Town. But it hath been the fate of that Island, to be 〈◊〉 near a condition of a settled, happiness, and yet to have some odd accident still intervene to cross it.  
In conclusion, there wanted nothing to make England and her united Crowns so exactly blessed, that she might have assumed the title of one of the Fortunate Islands. Good Lord, how comes it to pass, that she is now fallen into such horrid distempers, and like a distracted body, laying han●…s upon herself, would thrust the sword of civil war into her own bowels? I beseech you, Sir, impart unto me the true cause of this change; for I know none so capable to do it as yourself.  Patriciu●…. 
Infandum, Peregrine, jubes renovare dolorem:  
First, Sir, in the general you know, that it is with the Regions upon Earth, as it is with those of the Air, sometimes we have a clear azur'd sky with soft gentle ventilations, and a sweet serenity the whole Hemesphere over; at other times we know the face of the heavens is overcast with frowns, with Frog vapours, and thick clouds of various shapes, which look like Monsters, hover up and down, break at last into thunder and fulgurations, and so disquiet and raise a kind of war in the aereal Commonwealth. Just so in the Regions that are dispersed up and down this earthly Glo●…e, peepled with men (which are but a composition of the Elements) you have sometimes a gentle calm of peace and quietude, with a general tranquillity all the Country over; at other times you have ugly misshapen clouds of jealousies, fears, and discontentments rise up, which break out at last into acts of disobedience, rebellion, and fury. And as those aereal Meteors and Monsters above, are engendered of those watery fogs and mists which are drawn up out of fennie and rotten low grounds here upon earth; so in the Region of the mind, the ill vapours which ascend to the brain from rotten and impostumated hearts, from desperate and mal●…-contented humorists are the causes of all civil commotions and distempers in State. But they have much to answer for in the world to come (though they escape it in this) who for any private interest or respect whatsoever, either of Promotion, Vainglory, Revenge, Malice, or Envy, will embroil and plunge their own native Country in any public engagement or civil war, by putting a partition-wall betwixt their sovereign Prince and their fellow-subjects. Truly, in my opinion, these may be called the worst kind of Betrayers of their Countries. But I am too far transported from satisfying your request in relating the true causes of these calamities, I will now fall to work, and bring you to the very source of them.  
There is a pack of perverse people (composed for the most part of the scummie and basest sort) multiplied in England, who by a kind of natural inclination, are opposite so point blank to Monarchy in State, and Hierarchy in Church, that I doubt if they were in Heaven (whither 'tis to be feared they run a great hazard ever to enter, it being a rule, that he who is rotten-hearted to his King, can never be right-hearted to his Crea●…or) I say if these men were in Heaven, they w●…uld go near to repine at the Monarchical power of God Almighty himself, as also at the degrees of Angels, and the postures of holiness in the Church triumphant. They call every Crotchet of the brain, tenderness of conscience forsooth: which being well examined, is nothing else but a mere spirit of contradiction, of malice and disobedience to all higher powers which possesseth them. There are no constitutions either Ecclesiastical or Civil can please them, but they would cast both into such and such a mould, which their cracked brains would fain devise, yet are never able to bring to any perfection; They are ever labouring to bring Religion to the dock, and to be new trimmed, but they would take down her forecastle, and scarce allow her the King's Arms to adorn her: They are great listeners after any Court-news, and prick up their ears when any thing is spoken of King, Queen, or Privy Counsellor, and are always ready, though upon loose trust, to take up any report whereby they may whisper in conventicles and corners, and so traduce the Government. These great Z●…lots use to look upon themselves most commonly through multiplying glasses, which make them appear to be such huge Santons, that it renders them not only uncharitable in their opinions of others, but Luciferian-like proud in their own conceit, insomuch that they seem to scorn all the world besides, believing that they are ●…he only Elect whose souls work according ●…o the motion of the Spirit: that they are ●…he true Children of promise, whose faces alone look towards Heaven; They are more pleased with some new reach or fancy, (that may puzzle the pericranium) than a Frenchman is in some new faction in clothing: They are nearest to the nature of the Jew of any people upon earth, and will converse with him sooner than with some sort of Christians; And as in their pharisaical Dispositions they symbolise with the jew, so in some of their positions they jump pat with the jesuit: for though they are both in the extremes, and as contrary one to the other, as the points of a diameter, yet their opinions and practices are concentrique, viz. to depress regal power; Both of them would bind their Kings in Chains, and the Nobles in links of Iron; They both deny all passive obedience, and as the one would have the mortar of the Temple tempered with blood, so the other would beat Religion into the brain with the poleaxe. Their greatest masterpiece of policy is to forge counter●…eit news, and to divulge and disperse it as far as they can to amuse the world, for the advancement of their designs, and strengthing their party: But the jesuit doth it more cunningly and modestly, for he fetcheth his news from far, so that before the falsehood of it can be controlled, his work is commonly done, and the news forgotten; But these later politicians use to raise lies hard by home, so that the grosseness and palpableness of them is presently discovered. Besides, to avoid the extremes of the other, these later seem to fall into flat profaneness, for they may be called a kind of enemies to the very Name, Cross, and Church of Christ. Touching the first, They repine at any reverence to be done unto the name of Jesus, though spontaneous, not coercive. For the second, which was held from the beginning to be the badge and Banner of a Christian, they cry up the Cross to be the mark of the b●…ast; And for the last, viz. the Church, they would have it to be neither beautiful, holy, nor amiable, which are the three main properties that God requires in his house. To conclude, when any comes to be seasoned with this sour leaven, he seems to degenerate presently from the nature and garb of a Gentleman, and falls to be of a sordid and low disposition, narrow hearted and close handed; to be timorous, cunning and jealous, and far from the common freedom, and sweetness of moral society, and from all generous and loyal thoughts towards his King and Country.  
These, these have been the chiefest machinators, and engeneers England's unhappy divisions, who Viperlike have torn the entrails of their own mother their dear Country: But there were other extern concurrent causes, and to find them out, I must look Northward, for there the cloud began to condense first;  
You know Sir, the Scot's nation were ever used to have their King personally resident amongst them, and though King james by reason of his age, bounty, and long breeding there, with other advantages, drew such extraordinary respect from them, that they continued in good conformity: yet since his death, they have been overheard to mutter at the remoteness and absence of their King, and that they should become now a kind of province by reason of such a distance: some of their Nobles and Gentry found not at the English Court, nor at his Majesty's Coronation in Edinburgh that Countenance, Familiarity, Benefit and Honours which haply they expected, and 'tis well known who he was, that having been denied to be lorded (David Lesley) took a pet, and went discontented to his country, hoping that some title added to the wealth he had got abroad, should have purchased him more respect. These discontented parties tamperd with the mercenary preachers up and down Scotland, to obtrude to the p●…ple what doctrines they put into their mouths, so that the pulpits every where rung of nothing but of invectives against certain obliquities and Solaecismes (and I cannot tell what) in government, and many glances they had upon the English Church: yet all this while there was not matter enough for an insurrection, nor to dispose the people's hearts to a mutiny▪ until by the policy (as some affi●…med) of the said discontented party the English liturgy was sent thither: this by the in●…itement of those fiery pulpiteers, was cried up to be the greatest I doll that possibly could be brought into their Kerke, insomuch that when it was first offered to be read, the woman and ba●…er sort of mechaniks threw stools and stones at the Bishop's heads, and were ready to tear them in pieces▪ And here began the storm. 〈◊〉 Majesty having notice hereof, sent a most gracious proclamation, signifying, that whereas he had recommended that Book to be practised amongst them, wherein he himself served God Almighty twice a day, he did it out of a pious endeavour to breed an uniformity of public Divine service in all his dominions, specially in that his native Kingdom. But since it had produced such dangerous effects, he was contented to revoke it absolutely; for it was never his purpose to press the practice of the said book upon the consciences of any, he did only commend, not absolutely command, the use of it; Therefore he exhorted and required that every one unto whom it had given any scandal, should return to his pristine obedience, and serve God as formerly, offering herewith a gracious pardon, and to pass an Act of Amnestia for an abolition of all faults passed.  Peregrin. 
And would not this suffice? In natural motions we find that the cause being taken away, the effect ceaseth, and will not this hold in civil Actions?  Patricius. 
No, this would not serve the turn, but 〈◊〉 was a further reach in it, and for an inch to take an ell: you know the Scots since 〈◊〉 single Lion came to quarter with our three, are much elevated in their spirits, more respected, employed and trusted abroad, they are heightened in their resolutions and aims, and will questionless be daily more and more. You have heard of a Mine that reached from our exchequer to Edinburgh. And I believe you have not forgot Boccolinies' balance, that was showed us in Italy, wherein Lorenzo de Medici weighed all the states of Christendom, and throwing in England amongst the rest, you know how much he made her to weigh less by this addition. The former Proclamation I say, and Pardon would not suffice, but they took opportunity to fish in those troubled waters, and vent their spleen further, by an utter extirpation of Episcopacy, and by trampling the mitre under their feet, hoping to have some of the birds plumes, being pluck●…, to feather their own nests; And they brought their work about; Good Lord, what a deal of dirt was presently thrown into the Bishop's faces by every Rural petty Clerk! what infamous ballads were sung, what a thick cloud of Epidemical hatred hung suddenly over them, so far, that a dog with black and white spots was called a Bishop amongst them up and down the streets.  
The chiefest contrivers of this uproar, ●…inding their design to go on so well, and perceiving the whole Country so eagerly bend against Bishops, (and what artifices and suggestions were used to render them so odious is incredible) but finding withal his Majesty unwilling to alter the government his father (of so fresh and famous memory) had left him, and to which he had been sworn at his Coronation, they put themselves in arms, and raised forces to beat down the mitre with the sword, if the sceptre would not do it. To the frontiers they came with a great Army, (not half so great as was bruited) pretending they came as Petitioners (though they brought their Petition upon the pikes▪ point,) Some of the great ones▪ about the King grew cold in the action: And what a pacification was then shuffled up, and how a Parliament was called thereupon in Scotland, with other passages, is a fitter subject for a story than a discourse.  Peregrin. 
I could have wished two things, that either His Majesty had given them battle then, having the flower of his Nobility and Gentry with him, who I understood came with all cheerfulness and pomptitude to attend him, or else that after the said pacification, His Majesty had shaken off all jealousies, and with a royal freedom and a commanding confidence gone amongst them to handsel their new Parliament House at Edinburgh; for it is probable, it had averted those showers and cataracts of ●…miseries which have fallen ●…pon us since; but I pray Sir, proceed.  Patricius. 
As they say, there is no wind but blows somebody good, so it was thought, this Northern cloud did England some advantage, for a Parliament was summoned hereupon: a Parliament do I call it? it was rather an Embryo of a Parliament, an Ephemeran of 20▪ days. In this sitting His Majesty declared unto both Houses the indignities he had received by His Scotch Subjects, and therefore proposed a supply to be made of twelve subsidies to suppress that Rebellion; and in lieu thereof he was willing to forbear and utterly to abolish the Ship-money, which he had reason to think legal at first, being advised thereunto by Noy his Attorney General, who had such a mighty repute in the Law; yet he would not rest there, but he advised further with his learned Council, who concurred in opinion with Noy; Nor would he rest there also, but he had the approbation of all the judges singly, and afterwards of nine of the twelve jointly upon a demur. This was enough to induce his conscience to hold it legal all this while; It was clearly proved that the moneys levied this way, were employed to no other but the intended service, the guarding of the narrow Seas; and not only for that, but to preserve his right of Dominion in them, being the fairest flower of his Crown, which was not only discoursed of abroad, but began to be questioned by the French Cardinal: And touching danger, how could England be but in apparent dangers? consideri●…g how all her next neighbours were in actual hostility, which made huge fleets of men of war, both French, Dunkirk, Hamburgers and Hollanders to sail and flaunt ever and anon in her Channels, and hard before her royal Chambers: nor came there one penny of that public contribution to his private coffers, but he added much of his own demeans for the maintenance of a royal fleet every summer: yet he was ready to pass any Bill for the utter abolishing of the said Ship-money, and for redressing of a●…y other grievances, provided they would enable him to suppress this Scots Rebellion: some say the House was inclinable to comply with his Majesty's demands, but (as the ill spirit would have it) that Parliament was suddenly broke up, and I would they who gave that Counsel had been then in Arabia, or beyond the Line, in their way to Madagascar, who nevertheless have got to be in high request with this present Parliament.  
Among others, old Sir Harry Vane was one, who, when the House seemed willing to give six subsidies, and the King inclinable to take them; The said Vane being the Secretary of State stood up, and said, His Majesty expected no less than twelve, which words did so incense and discompose the House, that they drew after them that unhappy dissolution.  
His Majesty being reduced to these straits, and resenting still the insolence of the Scot, proposed the business to His Privy Council, who suddenly made up a considerable and most noble sum for his present supply, whereunto divers of his domestic servants and Officers did contribut. Amongst others who were active herein, the Earl of Strafford bestirred himself notably, and having got a Parliament to be called in Ireland he went over, and with incredible celerity raised 8000. men, who procured money of that Parliament to maintain them, and got over those angry Seas again in the compass of less than six weeks. You may infer hence to what an exact uncontrollable obedience he had reduced that Kingdom, as to bring about so great a work with such a suddenness and facility.  
An army was also raised▪ here, which marched to the North, and there fed upon the Kings pay a whole Summer. The Scot was not idle all this while; but having punctual intelligence of every thing that passed at Court, as far as what was debated in the Cabinet Council, and spoken in the bedchamber, (and herein amongst many others, the Scot had infinite advantage of us) He armed also, and preferring to make England the stage of the war, rather than his own country, and to invade rather than to be invaded, He got over the Tweed, and found the passage open, and as it were made for him all the way till he came to the Tine, and though there was a considerable army of horse and foot at Newcastle, yet they never offered so much as to face him all the while, At Newburgh indeed there was a small skirmish, but the English foot would not fight, so Newcastle gates flew open to the Scot without any resistance at all, where it is thought he had more friends than foes, and who were their friends besides for this invasion, I hope Time, and the Tribunal of Justice will one day discover.  
His Majesty being then at York, summoned all his Nobles to appear, to advise with them in this exigence: Commissioners were appointed on both sides, who met at Rippon, and how the hearts and courage of some of the English Barons did boil within them, to be brought to so disadvantageous a Treaty with the Scot, you may well imagine. So the Treaty began, which the Scot would not conform himself to do, unless he were first unrebell▪ d and made Rectus in Curia, and the Proclamation, wherein he was declared Traitor, revoked, alleging it would be dishonourable for His Majesty to treat with rebels. This treaty was adjourned to London, where this present Parliament was summoned (which was one of the chiefest errands of the Sco●…, as some think.) And thus far by these sad and short degrees, have I faithfully led you along to know the true Originals of our calamities.  Peregrin. 
Truly Sir, I must tell you, that to my knowledge these unhappy traverses with Scotland, have made the English suffer abroad very much in point of National honour; Therefore I wonder much that all this while there is none set a work to make a solid Apology for England in some communicable language, (either in French or Latin) to rectify the world in the truth of the thing, and to vindicat her, how she was bought and sold in this expedition, considering what a party the Scot had here, and how his coming in, was rather an Invitation, than an Invasion, and I believe if it had been in many parts of the world besides, some of the Commanders had gone to the pot.  Patricius. 
It is the practice of some States I know, to make sacrifice of some eminent Minister, for public mistakes: but to follow the thread of my Discourse. The Parliament being sat, His Majesty told them, that he was resolved to cast himself wholly upon the affection and fidelity of his people, whereof they were the Representative body: Therefore he wished them to go roundly on to close up the ruptures that were made by this infortunate war, and that the two armies, one domestic, the other foreign, which were gnawing the very bowels of the Kingdom, might be dismissed. Touching grievances of any kind (and what State was there ever so pure, but some corruption might creep into it?) He was very ready to redress them: concerning the Ship-money, he was willing to pass a B●…ll for the utter abolition of it, and to establish the property of the subject; therefore he wished them not to spend too much time about that. And for Monopolies, he desired to have a list of them, and he would damn them all in one Proclamation: Touching ill Counselors, either in Westminster-Hall, or White-Hall, either in Church or State, he was resolved to protect none, Therefore he wished that all jealousies and misunderstandings might vanish: This, with sundry other strains of Princely grace he delivered unto them, but withal he told them, that they should be very cautious how they shook the fram of an ancient Government too far, in regard it was like a Watch, which being put asunder, can never be made up again, if the least pin be left out.  
So there were great hopes of a calm, after that cold Northern storm had so blustered, and that we should be suddenly rid of the Scot, but that was least intended, until some designs were brought about. The Earl of Strafford, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the judges, and divers Monopolists are clapped up, and you know who took a timely flight (Lord Finch) to the other side of the Sea. And in lieu of these, the Bishop of Lincoln is enlarged, Bastwick, Burton, and Prynn are brought into London with a kind of Hosanna. His Majesty gave way to all this, and to comply further with them, he took as it were into his bosom, I mean, he admitted to his Privy Council those Parliament Lords, who were held the greatest Zelots amongst them, that they might be witnesses of his secretest actions, and to one of them (the Lord Say) he gave one of the considerablest Offices of the Kingdom, by the resignation of another most deserving Lord, upon whom they could never fasten the least misdemeanour; yet this great new Officer would come neither to the same Oratory, Chapel, or Church, to join in prayer with his Royal Master, nor communicate with him in any public exercise of devotion: and may not this be called a true recusancy? To another he gave one of the prime and most reposefull Offices about his own Person at Court (The Earl of Essex) and thereby he might be said to have given a Staff to beat himself. Moreover, partly to give his Subjects an Evidence how firmly he was rooted in his Religion, and how much he desired the strenthning of it abroad, The treaty of marriage went on 'twixt his eldest daughter, and the young Prince of Orange. Hereunto may be added as a special argument of compliance and grace, the passing of the Bill for a Triennial Parliament, and lastly (which is the greatest Evidence that possibly can be imagined, of that real trust and confidence he reposed in them) he passed that prodigious Act of Continuance.  Peregrin. 
Touching the Triennial Parliament, there may come some whole some fruit out of it, will keep all Officers in awe, and excite the Nobility, and young Gentry of the Kingdom to study, and understand the Government of the land, and be able to sit and serve their country in this great Senate: But for this Act of Continuance I understand it not; Parliaments are good Physic, but ill meat; They say abroad that England is turned hereby from a Monarchy to a Democracy, to a perpetual kind of Quingentumvirat; and whereas in former times there was a Heptarchy of seven▪ Kings in her, they say now she hath seventy times seven. But in lieu of these unparallelled Acts of grace and trust to the Parl. what did the Parliament for the King all this while?  Patricius. 
They promised, specially upon the passing of the last Act, That they would make him the most glorious, the best beloved, and richest King that ever reigned in England: and this they did with deep protestings and asseverations. But there intervened an ill-favoured accident which did much hurt, viz. A Discourse (for truly I think it was no more) but a discourse) which some green heads held to bring up the Northern army, to check the Puritan party, and the rabble of the city: This kept a mighty noise, and you know who fled upon it, and much use was made of it to make that cloud of jealousy which was but of the breadth of a hand before, to appear as big as a mountain. Yet his Majesty continued still in passing Acts of grace, and complying with them in every thing▪ He put over unto them the Earl of Strafford, who after a long costly trial (wherein he carried himself with as much acuteness, dexterity and eloquence, as humane brain could be capable of for his defence) he was condemned to the Scaffold, and so made a sacrifice to the Scot, who stayed chiefly for his head, which besides those vast sums of money, was given him to boot.  Peregrin. 
Touching the Earl of Strafford, 'tis true, he was full of ability, elocution and confidence, and understood the laws of England as well as any, yet there were two things, I heard, wherein his wisdom was questioned; first that having a charge ready against his chiefest accusers, yet he suffered them to have the priority of suit, which if he had got he had thereby made them parties, and so incapable to be produced against him: Secondly, that during the time of his trial, he applied not himself with that compliance to his jury as well as to his judges, for he was observed to comply only with the Lords, and not with the House of Commons.  Patricius. 
Howsoever, as some say, his death was ●…esolved upon, (si non per viam justitiae, saltem per viam expedientiae) which appears in regard the proceedings against him are by a clause in the Act not to be produced for a leading case or example to future ages and inferior Courts: I blush to tell you how much the rabble of the City thirsted after his blood, how they were suffered to strut up and down the streets before the royal Court, and the Parliament itself, with impunity; They cried out, that if the Common Law failed, club law should knock him down, and their insolency came to that height, that the names of those Lords that would not doom him to death, should be given them to fix upon posts up and down; And this was the first tumult that happened this Parliament, whereof so many followed after their example, being not only connived at, but backed by authority, for there were prohibitions sent from the Parliament, to hinder all process against some of them.  
These Myrmidons, as they termed themselves, were ready at a watchword, so that one might say there was a kind of discipline in disorder.  Peregrin. 
Were there any troubled for delivering their votes in the Houses? I thought that freedom of opinion and speech, were one of the prime privileges of that great national Senat.  Patricius. 
Yes, Those that were the Minions of the House before, became now the subjects of popular malice and detraction, (as the Lord Digby now Earl of Bristol for one) because against the dictamen of their consciences they would not vote the Earl of Strafford to death, and renounce their own judgements, and captivate it to the sense of others, yet they stood firm to their first grounds, that he was a delinquent in a high nature, and incapable ever to bear office in any of His Majesty's dominions.  Peregrin. 
I perceive Sir by your speeches, that one of the chiefest causes of these combustions may be imputed to the City of London, which may be called the Metropolis of all these evils, and I little wonder at it, for it hath been always incident to all great Towns, when they grow rich and populous, to fall into acts of insolence, and to spurn at government; where so many pots, (so many brains I mean) are a boiling, there must needs be a great deal of froth, but let her look to herself, for Majesty hath long arms, and may reach her at last. But the truth is, that London bears no proportion with the size of this Island, for either the one should be larger, or the other lesser: London may be well compared to the liver of a crammed Italian goose, whose fattening emacerates the rest of the whole body, and makes it grow lean and languish, and she may be well termed a goose now more than ever, for her feathers are plucked apace; but now that you have done with the Earl of Strafford, what is become of all the rest who were committed?  Patricius. 
They are still in durance, and have continued so these two years and upward, yet are not proceeded against, nor brought to their answer to this very day, though all the Courts of Justice have been open ever since. Many hundreds more of the best sort of Subjects have been suddenly clapped up, and no cause at all mentioned in many of their commitments, and new Prisons made of purpose for them, where they may be said to be buried alive, and so forgotten as if there were no such men in the world (whereof the Author was one:) And how this can stand with Magna Charta, with the Petition of Right (to vindicat which, there was so much pains taken the last Parliament) let any man of a sane judgement determine. Yet one of the Judges, who hath an Impeachment o●… High Treason still lying Dormant against him, though he be not Rectus in Curia himself, is suffered to sit as Judge upon the highest tribunal of England, whereas another for a pretended misdemeanour only is barred from sitting ther. Others who were at first cried up and branded to be the most infamous Projectors and Monopolizers of the land, (as Hamilton, Holland, etc.) are not only at liberty, but crept into favour, and made use of.  Peregrin▪ 
Hath the house of Commons power to commit any but their own Members without conference with the Lords? Or hath any Order or Ordinance of one of the Houses singly, or of both conjunctly, power to enjoin a virtual, binding, general obedience without the Royal consent?  Patricius. 
The power of Parliament, when King, Peers, and Commons, which is the whole Kingdom digested as it were into one volume, is indefinite, but what either of both Houses can do of themselves singly or jointly without the King who is the life of the Law, especially when a visible faction reigns amongst them, I will not determine.  
— tantas componere lites non opis est nostrae—  
But for my own opinion, I think it is as impossible for them to make a Law without the King, as it was for Paracelsus to make a human creature without coition of both sexes. The results of Parliament without the Royal consent, are as matches without fire; And it is an incontroulable principle, that the old Law must be our guide, till new be made, nor is any Act of the Subject justifiable, but what is warranted by the old. But to proceed in the true discovery of these Domestic scissures, my Lord of Stafford being gone, we hoped fair weather would follow. (He who was the cause of the tempest (as they pretended) being thrown overboard) but unlucky mists of jealousy grew thicker and thicker; Yet the Scots were dismissed, having had Fiddlers fare, meat, drink, and money, for eleven long months together. So His Majesty went to Scotland, where the Parliament there, did but ask and have any thing, though it be the unquestionable Prerogative of Majesty to grant or deny Petitions, and to satisfy his conscience before any Council whatsoever.  
But during his sojourn there, this formidable hideous Rebellion broke out in Ireland, which though it may be said to be but an old play newly revived▪ yet the Scene was never so Tragical and bloody as now: for the Barbarismes that have been committed there have been so sanguinary, and monstrously savage, that I think posterity will hold them hyperbolical ●…when History relates them. The Irish themselves affirm there concurred divers causes to kindle this fire: One, was the taking off of Straffor●…s head, (who awed them more than any Deputy ever did) and that one of his Accusations should be to have used the Papists there too favourably: Secondly, the rigorous proceedings and intended courses against the Roman Catholics here in England. Lastly, the stopping of that Regiment of Irish, who was promised by His Majesty's Royal Word and Letter to the King of Spain, who relying upon that employment, rather than to beg, steal, or starve, turned Rebels: And that, which hath aggravated the Rebellion all this while, and heightened much the spirit of the Irish, was the introduction of the Scot, whom they hate in perfection above all people else; And intended lastly the design spoken of in our Parliament, to make an absolute Conquest, and national Eradication of them, which hath made them to make virtue of necessity, and to be valiant against their wills.  Peregrin. 
Indeed I heard that Act of staying the Irish Regiment, considering how the Marquesses de Velada, and Malvezzi, and Don Alonso de Cardenas, who were all three Ambassadors here for the King of Spain at that time, having by reliance upon the sacred Word and Letter of a King, imprested money, and provided shipping for their transport, and been at above 10000 Crowns charges, I say this Act was very much censured abroad, to the dishonour of His Majesty and our reproach.  Patricius. 
I am very sorry to hear it. Well Sir. His Majesty by His presence having settled Scotland, was at his return to London received with much joy and exultation, but though he was brought in with a Hosanna at one end of the Town, he found a Crucifige at the other: For at Westminster there was a Remonstrance framed, a work of many weeks, and voted in the dead of night, when most of the moderate and well-thoughted Members were retired to their rest, wherein with as much aggravation and artifice as could be, the least moat in Government was exposed to public view, from the first day of His Majesty's Inaugurat●…on to that very hour: Which Remonstrance as it did no good to the Public but fill people's heads with doubts, their hearts with gall, and retard the procedure of all business besides, so you may well think it could expect but cold entertainment with His Majesty, who hoped his great Council, according to their often deep protestations, had done something for his welcome home, that might have made him the best beloved King that ever 〈◊〉 amongst his people.  Peregrin. 
〈◊〉 〈◊〉, there is no Government upon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 up of m●…n, but is subject to corruption; there is no Court of judicature so clean, but some cobwebs may gather in it, unless an Act of Parliament could be made to free and exempt men from all infirmities and error; It cannot be denied, but Scotland might have something to complain of (though I think least of any) and so leapt first into the pool to be cured, and what she fished besides in those troubled waters 'tis too well known: England also no doubt might have some grievances, which his Majesty freely offered not only to redress for the present, but to free her of all fears for the future, from falling into relapses of that kind; but to redress grievances by Arms, by plunging the whole country into an intestine war, this makes the remedy worse than the malady, it is as if one would go about to cure a sick body by breaking his head, or let him blood by giving him a dash on the nose, it is as mad a trick as his was who set the whole House a fire to roast his eggs. But truly Sir, in my opinion, his Majesty at his return from Scotland, might have justly expected some acts of compliance and gratitude from his Parliament, considering what unparallelled acts of grace he had passed before.  Patricius. 
His Majesty did not rest there, but complied further with them by condescending to an act for putting down the star-chamber Court the high Commission, the Court of honour, nay, he was contented his own Privy Council should be regulated, and his forests bounded not according to ancient Prerogative but late custom; nay further, he passed a Bill for the unvoting, and utter exclusion of the Spiritual Lords from the Parliament for ever, whereby it cannot be denied, but by the casheering of 25 votes at a clap, and by excluding the Recusant Lords besides (who subsist most by his grace) he did not a little enervat his own prerogative. Add hereunto that having placed two worthy Gentlemen Byron and Lunsford Lieutenants of the Tower, he removed them both one after the other, and was content to put in one of their Election: And lastly, he trusted them with his greatest strength of all, with his Navy Royal, and called home Pennington who had the guard of the narrow Seas so many years.  Peregrin. 
Truly Sir, I never remember to have heard or read of such notable acts of grace and confidence from any King: but would not all this suffice?  Patricius. 
No, But they demanded all the Land Soldiery and military strength of the Kingdom to be disposed of by them, and to be put into what posture, and in what Equipage, and under what Commanders they pleased; And this was the first thing his Majesty ever denied them, yet he would have granted them this also for a limited time, but that would not serve the turn; Hereupon his Majesty grew a little sensible how they inched every day more and more upon his Royal Prerogatives; And intending to go to his Town of Hull to see his Magazine (which he had bought with his own money) with his ordinary train, he was in a hostile manner kept out, Canons mounted, Pistols cocked, and levelled at him. But whether that unlucky Knight (Hotham) did this out of his fidelity to the Parl. or out of an apprehension of fear that some about the King, being moved with the barbarousness of the action would have pistold him, I will not determine.  Peregrin. 
I have read of divers affronts of this kind that were offered to the French Kings, Rochel shut her gates more than once against Henry the Great, and for the King now regnant, they did not only shut him out of many of his Towns, but upon the gates of some of them they writ in legible Characters, Roy san Foy, ville sans peur, a faithless King, a fearless Town. Yet in the greatest heat of those wars, there was never any Town refused to let in her King, provided he came attended only with his own train; and besides other people abroad, I heard the Scot's nation did abhor that Act at Hull. But I pray Sir go on.  Patricius. 
His Majesty being thus shut out of one Town, he might justly suspect that an attempt might be made to shut him in, in some other; Therefore he made a motion to the Yorkshire Gentlemen, to have a guard for the preservation of his Person, which was done accordingly. But I am come to forward, I must go back and tell you how the King was driven from Westminster. When His Majesty was returned from Scotland he retired to Hampton Court, whence upon the Lord Majors and the Cities humble sollici●…ation, he came back to Whitehal to keep his Christmas. But when the Bill against Bishops was in agitation, which business ●…asted near upon ten weeks, a crew of bold ●…turdie mechanics, and mariners, came ●…rom the City and ruffled before Whitehall and Westminster-hall, and would have violated the Abbey of Westminster, so that for many ●…ights a Court of guard was forced to be kept ●…n the body of that Church, (the chiefest Sanctuary of the Kingdom.) Moreover, His Majesty having impeached some of the Members of both Houses, of High Treason, and being denied to have them delivered up, he went himself to the Lower House to demand them, assuring the House they should have as fair and legal a trial as ever men had. But as it pleased God, they were not there, but retired to London for refuge; The Londoners grew stark wild thereupon, and notice being sent to all the adjacent Counties, this act of the Kings (though it wanted no precedents of former times) was aggravated in the highest degree that possibly could be. Hence you may easily infer, what small security his Majesty had at Whitehall, and what indignities he might have exposed himself unto, by that which had passed already from the Rabble, who had vilified and cried tush at his proclamations, and disgorged other rebellious speeches with impunity: therefore he retired to Hampton Court (as we read, our Saviour withdrew himself once from the multitude) thence to Windsor Castle, whence accompanying her Majesty, with his eldest daughter to the sea side for Holland, and having commanded the Prince to attend him against his return at Greenwich, the Prince had been surprised, and brought to London, had not the King come a little before. Thence he removed to York, where he kept his Court all the Summer.  
But to return to London, the very next day after their Majesty's departure, the Country about, especially Buckinghamshire being incited by the C●…tie and Parliament, came in great swarms, and joining with the London mechanics, they ruffled up and down the streets, and kept such a racket, making the fearfullest riot that ever I believe was heard of in Parliament time: so those Members which formerly were fled into the City, were brought to the House in a kind of triumph, being guarded by land and water in warlike manner by these Champions: After this, sundry troops of horse came from all the shires near adjoining to ●…he Parliament, and Buckingham men were ●…he first, who while they expressed their ●…ve to (Hamden) their Knight, forgot their ●…worn oath to their King, and in stead of feathers they carried a printed Protestation in ●…heir hats, as the Londoners had done a lit●…le before upon the Pikes point.  Peregrin. 
This kept a foul noise beyond Sea I re●…ember, so that upon the Rialto in Venice, ●…t was sung up and down, that a Midsummer Moon (though it was then midst of Winter) did reign amongst the English, and you must ●…hink that it hath made the Venetian to ●…hrink in his shoulders, and to look but illfavouredly upon us, since we'll have none of his currants. But Sir, I heard much of that Protestation, I pray what was the substance of it?  Patricius. 
It was penned, and enjoined by the Par●…iament for every one to take, and it consisted of many parts; the first was, to maintain the true Potestant Religion against all Popish innovations, which word Popish (as some think) was screwed in of purpose for a loop hole to let in any other innovation: the second was to maintain the Prerogative an●… Honour of the King; then the power and privilege of Parliament; and lastly, the Propriety and Liberty of the subject; for thre●… parts of this Protestation, the people up an●… down seemed to have utterly forgotte●… them, and continue so still, as if their consciences had been tied only to the third, viz the privilege of Parliament, and never was there a poor people so besotted, never wa●… reason and common sense so baffled in an●… part of the world.  
And now will I go to attend His Majesty at York, where, as I told you before, being loath to part with his Sword, (though he had half parted with his Sceptre before) by denying the Parliament an indefinite time to dispose of the Militia, (alleging that as the Word, so the thing was new.) He sends forth his Commissions of Array, according to the old Law of England, which declares i●… to be the undoubted Right, and Royal Signory of the King, to arm or disarm any subject: The Parliament sends out clean countermands for executing the said Militia, so by this clashing 'twixt the Commission of Array and the Militia, the first flash of this odious unnatural war may be said to break out. The pulse of the Parliament beats yet higher, they send an Admiral to the Sea (the Earl of Warwick) not only without, but expressly against the King's special command. They had taken unto them a Military guard from the City for their protection, without His Majesty's consent, who by the advice of the Lord Keeper and others, had offered them a very strong guard of Constables and other Officers to attend them, which the Law usually allows; yet the raising of that guard in Yorkshire for the safeguard of His Majesty's person, was interpreted to be levying of war against the Parliament, and so made a sufficient ground for them to raise an Army, to appoint a General (the Earl of Essex) with whom they made public Declarations to live and die. And they assumed power to confer a new Appellation of honour upon him, (Excellency) as if any could confer Honour but the King! And this Army was to be maintained out of the mixed con●…ribution of all sorts of people; so a great mass of money and plate was brought into the Guild hall, the Semstresse brought in her silver Thimble, the Chambermaid her Bodkin, the Cook his Spoons, and the Vintner his Bowls, and every one something, to the advancement of so good a work, as to wage war directly against the Sacred person of their Sovereign, and put the whole Country into a combustion.  Peregrin. 
Surely it is impossible that a rational Christian people should grow so simple and sottish, as to be so far transported, without some colourable cause, therefore I pray tell me what that might be?  Patricius. 
The cause is made specious enough, and varnished over wonderful cunningly; The people are made to believe they are in danger, and a prevention of that danger is promised, and by these plausible ways the understanding is wrought upon, and an affection to the cause is ushered in, by aggravation of this danger, as one would draw a thread through a needle's eye: This huge Bugbear Danger, was like a monster of many heads, the two chiefest were these▪ That there was a plot to let in the Pope; And to 〈◊〉 the civil Government into a French frame; It is incredible to think how the Pulpits up and down London did ring of this by brainsick Lecturers, of whom some were come from New-England, others were picked out of purpose, and sent for from their own flock in the Country, to possess, or rather to poison the hearts of the Londoners, to puzzle their intellectuals, and to intoxicat their brains by their powerful gifts; It was punishable to preach of Peace, or of Caesar's Right, but the common subject of the pulpit was either blasphemy against God, disobedience against the King, or incitements to sedition; Good Lord, what windy frothy stuff came from these fanatic brains; These Phrenetici Nebulones (for King james gives them no better Character in his (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉,) who may be said to be mad out of too much ignorance, not knowledge; who nevertheless are come to that height of profaneness and pride, that they presume to father all their doctrines, all their nonsense, raptures and rave upon the holy Spirit. Nor did the Pulpit only help to kindle this fire, but the Press also did contribute much stubble; What base scurrilous Pamphlets were cried up and down the streets, and dispersed in the 〈◊〉? What palpable and horrid lies were daily printed? How they multiplied in every corner in such plenty, that one might say t●…er was a superfaetation of lies, which continue unto this day? One while the King of Denmark was coming over from the Sound: Another while the King of France had a huge Army about Calais designed for England: Another while there was an Army of Irish Rebels coming over with the privity of the King: Another while a plot was cried up and down to burn London: Another while there were subterranean invisible troops (at Ragland Castle) mustered under ground in Wales, and thousands of Papists armed in Lancashire, and divers reports of this nature were daily blown up, and though the Authors of them were worthless and mean futilous persons, yet the reports themselves had that credit as to be entertained and canvased in the High Court of Parliament. But these false rumours produced one politic effect (and it was the end indeed for which they were dispersed) they did intimidat and fill the people's hearts with fears, and dispose of them to up roars and so to part with money.  Peregrin. 
I know there be sundry sorts of Fears; there are Conscientious Fears, and there are ●…annick Fears, there are Pusillanimous Fears, and there are Politic Fears. The first sort of Fear proceeds from guilt of Conscience, which turns often to Phre●…cy. The second sort of Fear may be called a kind of Chimaera, 'tis some sudden surprisal or Consternation arising from an unknown cause. Pusillanimous Fear makes a mountain of a molehill, and proceeds from poverty of spirit, and want of courage, and is a passion of abject and degenerous minds, and may be called Cowardice, and this Fear is always accompanied with jealousy. Politic fear, is a created forged Fear wrought in another, to bring some design about; And as we find the Astronomers (the comparison is too good) do imagine such and such shapes and circles in the Heavens, as the Zodiac, Equinoctial, Colours, Zones and Topiques with others, though there be no such things really in nature, to make their conclusions good. So the Politician doth often devise and invent false imaginary Fears, to make his proceedings more plausible amongst the silly vulgar, and thereby to compass his ends: And as the Sun useth to appear far bigger to us in the morning then at noon, when he is exalted to his Meridian, and the reason the Philosophers use to give, is the interposition of the vapours which are commonly in the lower Region, through which we look upon him (as we find a piece of silver look bigger in a bucket of water then elsewhere) so the Politician uses to cast strange mists of Fear, and fogs of jealousy before the simple people's eyes, to make the danger seem bigger: But truly Sir, this is one of the basest kinds of policy, nor can I believe there be any such Politicians amongst the Cabalists of your Parliament, who pretend to be so busy about God's work, a Glorious Reformation, for you know there is a good Text for it, that God needeth not the wicked man▪ he abominats to be beholding to liars to bring about his purposes: But I pray Sir deal freely with me, do you imamagin there was a design to bring in the Mass●… again?  Patricius. 
The Mass? You may say there was a plot to bring in Mahomet as soon, to bring in the Koran, or Talmud as soon; For I dare pawn my soul, the King is as Cordial a Protestant as any that breathes under his three Crowns, which besides his public deep Protestations, and his constant quotidian exemplary open practice, many other convincing private reasons induce me to believe, and it is in vain to think the Pope can take footing here to any purpose without the King's leave. You know as well as I Sir, that of all the Reformed Churches in Christendom, the Lutheran retains most of the Roman, both in his positions and practice, and comes much nearer to him then we do, yet I have observed, that from the first day of his Reformation, to this, He is as averse, and as far off from Rome, as the rigidest Calvinist that is; And shall I think, because there are some humble and handsome postures, and decent vestures revived in our Church (for they were never abolished;) because the Communion table stands in the East end where it ever stood since Christianity came in all our cathedrals, which should be a rule to all inferior Churches, though the Separatist cries it up most falsely to be an Innovation: because the Queen hath a few simple Capuchins (fewer than was allowed by the Matrimonial Capitulations) whither to retire sometimes: Because Schismatics were proceeded against with more care, and the Government of the Church born up ●…ately with more countenance, shall I be●…ieve out of all this that the Pope must pre●…ently come in? shall I believe the weakness ●…f our Religion to be such, as to be so easily ●…aken and overturned? Yet I believe there was a pernicious plot to introduce a new Religion, but what I pray? not Popery, but Presbitry, and with it to bring in the doctrine of Buchanan and Knox for civil government, and so to cast our Church and State into a Scots mould.  Peregrin. 
Indeed I heard the English much derided abroad for resigning their intellectuals in point of Religion to the Scots, whom from Infidels they made Christians, and Reformed Christians first, and now for the English to run to them for a Religion, and that the Uniformity & reformation should proceed from them, having disdained us formerly, what a disparagement is it think you to the Anglican Church? This with other odd traverses, as the eclipsing the glory of the King, and bringing him back to a kind of minority, the tampering with his conscience, I will not say the straining it so far, the depriving him of all kind of property, the depressing of his Regal power, wherein the honour of a nation consists, and which the English were used to uphold more than any other, for no King hath more awful attributs from his subjects, as Sacred Sovereign, gracious and most Excellent Majesty, nor any King so often prayed for, for in your morning Liturgy he is five times prayed for, whereas other Princes are mentioned but once or twice at most in theirs: I say that this, with interception of letters, some incivilities offered Ambassadors, and the bold lavish speeches that were spoken of the greatest Queens in Christendom, and his Majesties late withdrawing his Royal protection from some of his Merchant-Subjects in other countries, hath made the English lose much ground in point of esteem abroad, and to be the discourse, I will not say the scorn of other people. They stick not to say, that there is now a worse malady fallen upon their minds, than fell upon their bodies about an age since by the Sweeting sickness, which was peculiar only unto them and found them out under all Climes. Others say, there is a pure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 amongst them, that they are turned to Wolves (as you know it is a common thing in L●…pland) & that the old Adage is verified in them, Homo homini lupus; Nay our next neighbours give out, that the saying was never truer than now, Rex Anglorum, Rex Diabolorum. Nor is it a small disrepute to the English, that the word Cavalier, which is an attribute that no Prince in Christendom will disdain, and is the common Appellation of the Nobility and Gentry in most parts of the world, is now used, not only in Libels and frivolous Pamphlets, but in public Parliamentary Declarations, for a term of reproach. But truly Sir, what you have related touching the Pulpit and the Press, transforms me into wonder, and I should want faith to believe it, did you not speak it upon your knowledge; but the English when they fall to work upon a new humour, use to overdo all people.  Patricius. 
You have not yet the tithe of what I could give you, you would little think that Coachmen, and Feltmakers, and Weavers were permitted to preach up and down without controlment, and to vent their froth and venom against Church and State, to cry down our Hierarchy and Liturgy, by most base and reviling speeches.  Peregrin. 
Touching your liturgy, I have heard it censured abroad by the regidest Calvinists of Generva and Dort, yet I never heard any other Character given of it, but that it is a most Pious, Pathetic, and perfect piece of devotion, both for the matter and form of it, which I have been a little curious to observe. It begins with some choice passages of holy Scripture, and a previous Declaration or Monitory to excite us to the work in hand; The first address we make to God is by an humble and joint Confession which is appliable to any conscience, and comprehends in it all kind of sins. Then followeth a pronunciation of God's promises and proneness to pardon and absolve us; We go on to the Lords Prayer, which having been dictated by our Saviour himself we often use, and is as Amber thrown in amongst our Frankincense, to make the Sacrifice more precious and pleasing unto God; Then we proceed to some choice Psalms, and other portions of holy scripture taken out of the old and new testament; Then we fall to the Symbol of faith, whereof we make a solemn joint confession in such a posture as shows a readiness and resolution in us to defend it: and so to the Litany, wherein the poor penitent peccant soul may be said to breath out herself into the bosom of her Saviour by tender ejaculations, by panting groans, & eviscerated ingeminations, and there is no sin, no temptation whatsoever that humane frailty is subject unto, but you shall find a deliverance from it there, it is so full of Christian charity, that there is no condition of people, but are remembered and prayed for there. Then we proceed by holy alternatif interlocutions (whereby we hear ourselves speak as well as the Minister) to some effectual short prayers; because in long prayers the mind is subject to wander, as some Zelots now a days use to bring their Hearers into a Wilderness by their Prayers, and into a Labyrinth by their Sermons. Then go we on to the Decalogue, and if it be in a Cathedral, there is time enough for the Hearer to examine himself, while the Music plays, where and when he broke any of God's holy Commandments, and ask particular forgiveness accordingly in the interval; Then after other choice portions of Scripture, and passages relating to our Redemption, and endearing, unto us the merits of it, with a more particular Confession of our Faith, we are dismissed with a Benediction: So that this Liturgy may be called an Instrument of many strings, whereon the sighing soul sends up varions notes unto heaven: It is a posy made up of divers flowers, to make it the more fragrant in the nostrils of God. Now touching your Bishops, I never knew yet any Protestant Church but could be content to have them, had they means to maintain the Dignity, which the Churches of France with others have not, in regerd the Reformation beg an first among the people, not at Court, as here it did in Engl. For unless there be some Supervisers of God's house, endowed with eminent authority to check the fond fancies, and quench the false fatuous fires of every private spirit, and unless it be such an authority that may draw unto it a holy kind of awe and obedience what can be expected but confusion and Atheism? You know what became of the Israelites when the wont reverence to the Ark, and the Ephod, and the Priest, began to languish amongst them: For the brain of man is like a garden, which unless it be fenced about with a wall or hedge, is subject you know to be annoyed by all kind of beasts which will be ready to run into it; so the brain unless it be restrained and bounded in holy things by rules of Canonical authority, a thousand wild opinions, and extravagant fancies will hourly rush into it: nor was there ever any field so subject to produce Cockle and Darnell, as the human brain is rank and ready to bring forth tares of Schism and Heresy of a thousand sorts, unless after the first culture the sickle of Authority be applied to grub up all such noisome weeds.  Patricius. 
Yet this most ancient dignity of Bishops is traduced and vilified by every shallowpated petty Clerk, and not so much out of a true zeal, as out of envy that they are not the like. And touching our Liturgy, whereof you have been pleased to give so exact a Character, people are come to that height of impiety, that in some places it hath been drowned, in other places burnt, in some places torn in pieces to serve for the basest uses, nay it hath been preached publicly in Pulpits, That it is a piece forged in the devil's shop, and yet the impious foul mouthed Babbler never was so much as questioned for it. Nor did the Church only echo with these blasphemies; but the Press was as pregnant to produce every day some Monster either against Ecclesiastical, or Secular Government. I am ashamed to tell you how some bold Pamphleteers in a discourse of a sheet or two, would presume to question, to dispute of, and determine the extent of Monarchik jurisdiction, what sturdy doubts, what saucy Queries they put, what odd frivolous distinctions they f●…am'd, That the King though he was Gods Anointed, yet he was man's appointed: That he had the commanding, not the disposing power: That he was set to rule over, not to overrule the people; That he was King by human choice, not by divine Charter; That he was not King by the Grace of God, so much as by the suffrage of the people; That he was a Creatur●… and production of the Parliament: That he had no implicit trust, nor peculiar property in any thing; That populus est potior Rege; That Grex league, lex est Rege potentior; That the King was singulis major, universis minor, (whereas a successive Monarch— Uno minor est jove.— Sometimes they would bring instances from the States of Holland, sometimes from the Republic of Venice, and apply them so impertinently to absolute and independent Royalty; But I find that the discourse and inferences of these grand Statists were bottomed upon four false foundations, viz. That the King of whom they speak must be either a Minor, and Idiot, an insufferable Tyrant, or that the Kingdom they mean, is Elective; None of all which is appliable, either to our most gracious and excellently qualified King, or to his renowned Kingdom, which hath been always reputed an ancient successive Monarchy, governed by one Suprem undeposeable and independent head, having the Dignity, the Royal State, and power of an Imperial Crown, and being responsible to none ●…ut to God Almighty and his own 〈◊〉 ●…or his actions, and unto whom a Body ●…olitick compacted of Prelates, 〈◊〉, and all degrees of people is naturally subject; but this is a theme of that transcenden●…y, that it requires a serious and solid Tractat, rather than such a slender Discourse as this is to handle.  
But I pray excuse me Sir, that I have stepped aside thus from the road of my main narration; I told you before, how the clashing 'twixt the Commission of Array, and the Militia, put all things in disarray throughout the whole Kingdom; The Parliament as they had taken the first Military guard, so they began to arm first, and was it not high time then for His Majesty to do some thing think you? yet he essayed by all ways imaginable to prevent a war, and to conquer by a passive fortitude, by cunctation, and longanimity. How many overtures for an accommodation did he make? How many Proclamations of pardon? How many elaborat Declarations breathing nothing but clemency, sweetness and truth did drop from his own imperious invincible pen, which will remain upon Record to all ages, as so many Monuments to his eternal glory? Yet some ill spirit stepped still in, between his Grace, and the abused Subject, for by the peremptory Order of Parliament (O monstrous thing) the said Proclamations of Grace, and other His Majesty's Declarations were prohibited to be read; fearing that the strength and truth of them would have had a virtue to unblind, or rather unbewitcht (for Rebellion is as the sin of Witchcraft) the poor besotted people: What deep Protestations and holy Vows did he reiterate that the main of his designs, was to preserve the true Protestant Religion, the known Laws of the Land, and the just privileges of Parliament? How often did he dehort and woe the City of London (his imperial Chamber) from such violent courses, so that she may be justly upbraided with the same words, as the Prince of peace upbraided jerusalem withal: London, London, How often would I have gathered thee, as a ●…en doth her chickens under her wings, yet thou wouldst not?  
How often did he descend to acknowledge the manner of demanding the one and five Members in his public Remonstrances? and if there was an error in the proceedings, how oft did he desire his Great Council to direct him in a course how to go on in the Impeachment? which they never did, but would reserve the privilege to themselves to be judge and party.  Peregrin. 
Can your Parliament protect high Treason? I am sure the character of an Ambassador cannot, which the late French Ambassador (who for his time played his Cards more cunning than ever Count Gondomar did) knew well; and therefore, as I heard some French men say, he got Letters of Revocation before his designed time: but it seems strange to me, that the King who is the Protector of the Law, and Fountain of Justice, cannot have the benefit of the Law himself, which the meanest of his vassals can claim by right of inheritance: 'Tis strange, I say, that the Law should be a dead letter to him who is the Life of the Law, but that for omission of some punctilio in the form of the Process, the charge of high Treason should be so slightly waved, specially Treason of so universal a concernment, that it may be called a complication of many Treasons; for if in every petty State it be High Treason to treat only with any Foreign Power without the privity of the Prince, it must needs be Treason of a higher nature actually to bring them in; And hereof I could allege you many pregnant instances, ancient and modern, but that I do not desire to interrupt you in your relation.  Patricius. 
The Parliament, as I told you before, armed apace, it was not fitting then His Majesty should sit idle; therefore he summons those Nobles and others, who had an immediate relation unto him by Office or Service, to attend him at York, according to their particular obligation and oath: But it seems the Parliament assumed power to dispense with those oaths, and excuse their attendance, which dispensation prevailed with some (tender) consciences; yet the Great Seal posted to Court, and after it most of the Nobles of the Land, with the flower of the Gentry, and many of the prime Members of the Commons House; so that were it not for the local privilege, the Parliament for number of Members, might be said to be ever since about the King: These Nobles and Gentlemen resenting His Majesty's case, and what practices there were on foot to alter the Government both of Church and State, not only advised His Majesty to a royal war for defence of his Crown and Dignity, but contributed very cheerfully, and have stood constant to the work ever since.  Peregrin. 
They have good reason for it, for the security of the Nobility and Gentry depends upon the strength of the Crown, otherwise popular Government would rush in like a torrent upon them. But surely those Nobles, and those Parliament Gentlemen and others, some of whom I understand, were reputed the wisest and best weighed men for experience and parts throughout the whole Kingdom, and were cried up in other Parliaments to be the most zealous Patriots for the propriety and freedom of the Subject, would never have stuck so firmly to His Majesty, had they not known the bottom of his designs, that it was far from his thoughts to bring in the Pope or French Government; for thereby they should have betrayed their own posterity, and made their children slaves.  Patricius. 
To my knowledge, these Nobles and Gentlemen are still the very same as they were in former Parliaments, wherein they were so cried up for the truest lovers of their Country, and best Commonwealths-men; yet now they are branded, and voted to be Seducers, and Traitors, because according to their oaths and consciences, they adhere to the King their Master and Liege-Lord, for maintenance of that Religion they were baptised and bred in. Those most Orthodox and painful Divines, which till this Parliament began were accounted the precisest sort of Protestants, are now cried down for Papists, though they continue still the very same men, both for opinions and preaching, and are no more Papists than I am a Pythagorean. In fine, a true English Protestant is put now in the same scale with a Papist, and made Synonyma's. And truly these unhappy Schismatics could not devise how to cast a greater infamy upon the English Protestant than they have done of late by these monstrous imputations; they would fasten upon him such opinions which never entered into his thoughts, they would know one's heart better than himself, and so would be greater Kardiognosticks than God Almighty.  
But to draw to a conclusion; The Parliaments Army multiplied apace in London, the Kings but slowly in the North, so that when he displayed his Royal Standard at Nottingham, his Forces were not any thing considerable, so that if the Parliaments General (Essex) had then advanced towards him from Northampton, he had put him to a very great strait; they increased something at Derby, and Stafford, but when he was come to Shrewsbury, the Welshmen came running down the mountains in such multitudes, that their example did much animate the English; so that his army in less than a month that the Court continued in Shrewsbury, came to near upon twenty thousand Horse and Foot; not long before, the Nephew Princes came over, and the first encounter Prince Rupert had with the Parliaments Forces was at Worcester, where he defeated the flower of their Cavalry, and gave them a smart blow. At Shrewsbury His Majesty took a resolution to march with His whole Army towards London, but after seven days march he understood the Parliaments Forces were within six miles side-long of him, and so many miles he went out of His road to find them out, and face them: Upon Sunday morning he was himself betimes upon Edge-Hill, where the Enemy's Colours plainly appeared in vale before Keinton; it was passed two in the afternoon before all his Infantry could get to the bottom, who upon sight of the Enemy's Colours ran as merrily down the Hill, as if they had gone to a Morris dance. So His Majesty himself being Generalissimo, gave command the great Ordnance should fly for a defiance, so the battle began, which lasted above three hours, and as some French and Dutch Commanders (who were engaged in the Fight) told me, they never remembered to have seen a more furious battle for the time in all the Germane wars. Prince Rupert pursued the Enemy's Horse like a whirlwind near upon three miles, and had there been day enough, when he came back to the Infantry, in all probability a total defeat had been given them: So that the same accident may be said to fall out here, as happened in that famous battle at Lewis, in Henry the thirds time, where the Prince of Wales (afterwards Edward the first) was so eager, and went so far (by excess of courage) from the body of the Army in pursuance of the Londoners, that it was the fatal cause of the loss of that mighty battle. His Majesty (to his deserved and neverdying glory) comported himself like another Caesar all the while, by riding about and encouraging the Soldiers, by exposing his person often to the reach of a Musket-bullet, and lying in the field all that bleak night in his Coach. Notwithstanding that many lying Pamphlets were purposely printed here, to make the world believe that he had retired himself all the time of the fight; what partial reports were made in the Guild-Hall to the Londoners, and by what persons, (W. and Strode) I am ashamed to tell you: But that His Majesty was victorious that day (a day which I never thought to have seen in England) there be many convincing arguments to prove it; for besides the great odds of men which fell on their side, and Cannons they lost, some of their Ordnance were nailed by the King's Troops the next morning after in the very face of their Army. Moreover, the King advanced forward the next day to his former road, and took Banbury presently after; but the Parliamenteers went backwards, and so from that day to this, His Majesty continueth Master of the field. 'Tis true, that in some places, as at Farnham, Winchester, and Chichester, they have prevailed since, but no considerable part of the Royal Army was there to make opposition; and I blush to tell you, how unworthily the Law of Arms was violated in all those places.  Peregrin. 
Good Lord, how can the souls of those men that were in the Parliaments Army at Keinton Battle, dispense with the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance, besides the Protestation you speak of, they had taken to preserve the Person, Honour, and Prerogative of the King, when they thus actually bandy against his Person, and appear in battle with all the engines of hostility against him?  Patricius. 
I would be loath to exchange consciences with them, and prevaricate so palpably with God Almighty; Touching the Cavaliers, they may be said to comply with their duties both towards God and their King according to the Oaths you mention; Moreover, there was a strong Act of Parliament (for their security) which was never as much as questioned or controverted, much less suspended or repealed: But always stood, and yet stands in as full validity and force, as it was the first day it was Enacted, and as much binding to an universal obedience, which Act runs thus:  

13. Octobris Anno undecimo Henrici Septimi, Anno Dom. 1496  
IT is Ordained, Enacted, and Established by the King Our Sovereign Lord, by the Advice and Assent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons in this present Parliament Assembled, and by Authority of the same, That from henceforth no manner of person or persons whatsoever he or they be, that attend upon the King and Sovereign Lord of this Land for the time being in his person, and do him true and faithful service of Allegiance in the same, or be he in other places by his Commandment, in his wars within this Land or without: That for the said Deed, and true duty of Allegiance, he or they be in no wise Convict or attaint of High Treason, nor of other offences for that cause, by Act of Parliament or otherwise by any process of Law, whereby he or any of them, shall lose or forfeit Life, Lands, Tenements, Rents, Possessions, Hereditaments, Goods, Chattels, or any other things: But to be for that Deed and Service utterly discharged of any Vexation, Trouble or loss. And if any Act or Acts, or other process of the Law hereafter, thereupon for the same happen to be made contrary to this Ordinance, That then that Act or Acts, or other process of the Law, whatsoever they shall be, stand and utterly void. Provided always that no person or persons shall take any benefit or advantage by this Act, which shall hereafter decline their said Allegiance.   Peregrin. 
This is as plain and fair as can be for securing both the Person and Conscience of the Cavalier, but was there ever any Act or Oath, or any thing like an Oath that obliged Englishmen to be true unto, or fight for the Parliament?  Patricius. 
Never any, but these men by a new kind of Metaphysics have found out a way to abstract the Person of the King from his Office, to make his Sovereignty a kind of Platonic Idea hover in the air, while they visibly attempt to assail and destroy his Person and Progeny, by small and great shot, and seek him out amongst his lifeguard with fire and sword; yet they give out, they fight not only not against him, but for him, and that their army is more loyal unto him than his own; who, they say, fight only for the name King, though they have his person really amongst them, commanding and directing: Thus they make Him a strange kind of Amphibium, they make in one instant a King and no King of the same Individuum; a power which the Casuists affirm God Almighty never assumed to himself, to do any thing that implies a contradiction.  Peregrin. 
Noble Sir, you make my heart to pant within me, by the Pathetic relation you have been pleased to make me of these ●…uthfull times; But one thing seems to me to be no less than a miracle, how his Majesty hath been able to subsist all this while, considering the infinite advantages the averse party hath had of him; for they have all the tenable places and towns of strength, both by land and sea; They have the Navy royal, they have all the Ammunition and Arms of the Crown, they have all the Imposts and Customs, Poundage and Tonnage (which they levy contrary to their former Protestation before the Bill be passed) They have the Exchequer at their devotion, and all the Revenue of the King, Queen, and Prince, and lastly, they have the city of London, which may be ealled a Magazine of money and men, where there is a ready supply and superfluity of all things, that may seed, cloth, or make men gay to put them in heart and resolution: Truly considering all these advantages, with divers others on their side, and the disadvantages on the Kings, it turns me into a lump of astonishment, how his Majesty could bear up all this while, and keep together so many Armies, and be still master of the Field.  Patricius. 
I confess Sir, it is a just subject for wonderment, and we must ascribe it principally to God Almighty, who is the Protector of his Anointed, for his hand hath manifestly appeared in the conduct of his affairs; He hath been the Pilot, who hath sat at the helm ever s●…nce this storm began, and will we hope continue to steer his course till he waft him to safe harbour again; Add hereunto, that his Majesty for his own part, hath been wonderfully stirring, and indefatigable both for his body and mind; And what notable things HER Majesty hath done, and what she hath suffered, is fitter for Chronicle, than such a simple Discourse.  
Hereunto may be added besides, that his Majesty hath three parts of four of the Peers, and Prime Gentry of the Kingdom firm unto him, and they will venture hard before they will come under a popular government and mechanical corporations, or let in Knox or Calvin to undermine this Church, and bring in their bawdy stool of Repentance.  Peregrin. 
Truly Sir, amongst other Country's, I extremely longed to see England, and I am no sooner come, but I am surfeited of her already, I doubt the old Prophecy touching this Island is come now to be verified, That the Churchman was, the Lawyer is, and the Soldier shall be. I am afraid the English have seen their best days; for I find a general kind of infatuation, a total Eclipse of reason amongst most of them; and commonly a general infatuation precedes the perdition of a people; like a fish, that putrifieth first in the head; Therefore I will truss up my baggage and over again, after I have enjoyed you some days, and received your commands.  Patricius. 
Dear Sir, If you seriously resolve to cross the Seas again so soon, I may chance bear you company, for as you have since the short time of your sojourn here judiciously observed a national defection of reason in the people of this Island, which makes her so active in drawing on her own ruin; so by longer experience, and by infallible Symptoms I find a strange kind of Vertigo to have seized upon her, which I fear will turn to the falling sickness, or such a frenzy that will make her to dash out her own brains: Nor are her miseries, I fear, come yet to the full; It is the method of the Almighty, when he pleases to punish a people, to begin with rods, to go on with scourges, and if they will not do, he hath Scorpions for them: Therefore, I will breathe any where sooner than here, for what security or contentment can one receive in that Country, where Religion and justice, the two grand Dorique Columns which support every State, are fallen down? which makes all conditions of men, all professions and trades to go here daily to utter ruin. The Churchman grows every day more despicable, as if he had no property in any thing, nor is there any way left him to recover his Tithe, but by costly troublesome suits. The Civilian, a brave learned profession, hath already made his last Will; And the Common Lawyer's case is little better; The Courtier cannot get his Pension; The Gentleman cannot recover his rents, but either they are sequestered by a high hand of unexampled power, or else the poor tenant is so heavily assessed or plundered, that he is disabled to pay them in; All kind of Commerce both domestic and foreign visibly decays, and falls more and more, into the hands of strangers (to the no small dishonour of the wisdom of this Nation) nor can the Tradesman recover his debts, Parliamentary Protections continue still in such numbers, so that it is a greater privilege now to be a footman to the meanest of the Lower House, then to be of the King's Bed chamber: Prenti●…es run away from their masters, and against their father's intent turn soldiers, and for money, which is the soul of trade, I believe since the beginning of this Parliament, above one half of the treasure of the Kingdom is either conveyed tother side of the Sea, or buried under ground, whence it must be new digged up again. Moreover, all things are here grown Arbitrary (yet that word took off the Earl of strafford's head) Religion, Law, and Allegiance is grown Arbitrary; nor dares the judge upon the Tribunal (according to his oath) do justice, but he is overawed by Ordinance; or else the least intimation of the sense of the lower House is sufficient to enjoin him the contrary, so that now, more than ever, it may be said here,— Terras Astraea reliquit.— peace also hath roved up and down this Island, and cannot get a place to lay her head on; she hoped to have had entertainment in Yorkshire by the agreement of the best Gentlemen in the Country; but an Ordinance of Parliament beat her out of doors; Then she thought to rest in Cheshire, and by a solemn Covenant she was promised to be preserved there, the principal Agents of that Covenant having protested every one upon the word of a Gentleman, and as they did desire to prosper, both themselves, their tenants and friends,, should strictly observe it; but the like Ordinance of Parliament battered down that Agreement.  
Then she thought to take footing in the West, and first in Dorcetshire, then in Cornwall and Devonshire, and by the holy tie of the blessed Sacrament she was promised to be preserved there; but another Ordinance of Parliament is pursuing her, to dispense with the Commissioners of the said Agreement for their Oaths. Lastly, His Majesty is mainly endeavouring to bring her in again throughout the whole Land; but the furious, phrentique Schismatics will have none of her; for as one of them (besides a thousand instances more) preached in one of the most populous Congregations about the City, It were better that London streets ran with blood, and that dead carcases were piled up as high as the battlements of Paul's, than peace should be now brought in. And now that Peace is shut out, Learning is upon point of despair, her Colleges are become Courts of Guard, and Mars lieth in Mercury's bed. Honour also, with her Court, lieth in the dust; the Cobbler may confront the Knight, the Boor the Baron, and there is no judicial way of satisfaction; which makes Monarchy fear she hath no long time of abode here. Public Faith also, though she had but newly set up for herself, is suddenly become Bankrupt, and how could she choose? for more of the Kingdom's treasure hath been spent within these thirty months, than was spent in four-score years before; but she hopes to piece up herself again, by the ruins of the Church; but let her take heed of that, for those goods have been fatal to many thousand families in this Kingdom: yet, she thinks much, that those public sums which were given to suppress one rebellion (in Ireland) should be employed to maintain another rebellion (in England.) And lastly, methinks, I see Religion in torn ragged weeds, and with slubbered eyes sitting upon Weeping-Crosse, and wring her hands, to see her chiefest Temple (Paul's Church) where God Almighty was used to be served constantly thrice a day, and was the Rendezvouz, and as it were the Mother Church, standing open to receive all comers and strangers, to be now shut up, and made only a thoroughfare for Porters; to see those scaffolds, the expense of so many thousand pounds, to lie rotting; to see her chiefest lights like to be extinguished; to see her famous learned Divines dragged to prison, and utterly deprived of the benefit of the Common Law, their inheritance: Methinks, I say, I see Religion packing up, and preparing to leave this Island quite, crying out, that this is Country fitter for Atheists than Christians to live in; for God Almighty is here made the greatest Malignant, in regard his House is plundered more than any: There is no Court left to reform heresy, no Court to punish any Church Officer, and to make him attend his Cure, not Court to punish Fornication, Adultery, or Incest: Methinks I hear Her cry out against these her Grand Reformers (or Refiners rather) that they have put division 'twixt all degrees of persons. They have put division 'twixt husband and wife, 'twixt mother and child: The son seeks his father's blood in open field, one brother seeks to cut the others throat; they have put division 'twixt master and servant, 'twixt Land- Lord and Tenant; nay, they have a long time put a sea of separation 'twixt King and Queen; and they labour more and more to put division 'twixt the Head and the Members, 'twixt His Majesty and his political Spouse, his Kingdom: And lastly, they have plunged one of the flourishingst Kingdoms of Europe in a war without end; for though a Peace may be plastered over for the time, I fear it will be but like a fire covered with ashes, which will break out again, as long as these fiery Schismatics have any strength in this Island; so that all the premises considered, if Turk or Tartar, or all the infernal spirits and Cacodaemons of hell had broken in amongst us, they could not have done poor England more mischief. Sir, I pray you excuse this homely imperfect relation, I have a thousand things more to impart unto you when we may breathe freer air; for here we are come to that slavery, that one is in danger to have his very thoughts plundered; Therefore if you please to accept of my company, I will over with you by God's help, so soon as it may stand with your conveniency, but you must not discover me to be an Englishman, abroad: for so I may be jeered at and kicked in the streets; I will go under another name, and am fixed in this resolution, never to breathe English air again, until the King recovers his Crown, and the People the right use of their Pericraniums▪   

THE SECOND PART OF A DISCOURSE ' 'twixt PATRICIUS AND PEREGRIN, TOUCHING The DISTEMPERS OF THE TIMES.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1661.   

A DISCOURSE, or PARLEY, Continued betwixt Patricius and Peregrin, Upon their landing in France, touching the civil Wars of England and Ireland.  Peregrin. 
GEntle Sir, you are happily arrived on this shore; we are now upon firm ground, upon the fair Continent of France; we are not circumscribed, or cooped up within the narrow bounds of a rheumatic Island; we have all Europe before us. Truly I am not a little glad to have shaken hands with that tumbling Element the Sea; And for England, I never intent to see her again in the mind I am in, unless it be in a Map; nay, In statu quo nunc, while this Faction reigns, had I left one eye behind me, I should hardly return thither to fetch it; therefore if I be missing at any time, never look for me there. There is an old Proverb, From a black Germane, a white Italian, a red Frenchman, I may add one member more, and, from a Round-headed Englishman, The Lord deliver us.  
I have often Crossed these Seas, and I found myself always pitifully sick, I did ever and anon tell what Wood the Ship was made of; but in this passage I did not feel the least motion or distemper in my humours: for, indeed I had no time to taink on sickness, I was so wholly tsken up, and transported with such a pleasing conceit, to have left yonder miserable Island.  Peregrin. 
Miserable Island indeed; for I think there was never such a tyranny exercised in any Christian Country under Heaven; a tyranny that extends not only to the body, but to the brain also; not only to men's fortunes and estates, but it reaches to their very souls and consciences, by violented new coercive Oaths and Protestations, composed by Laymen, inconsistent with the liberty of Christians. Never was there a Nation carried away by such a strong spirit of delusion; never was there a poor people so purblinded and Puppified, if I may say so, as I find them to be; so that I am at a stand with myself, whether I shall pity them more, or laugh at them. They not only kiss the stone that hurts them, but the hands of them that hurl it; they are come to that passive stupidity, that they adore their very persecutors, who from polling fall now a shaving them, and will flay them at last if they continue this popular reign. I cannot compare England, as the case stands with her, more properly, then to a poor beast, sick of the staggers, who cannot be cured without an incision. The Astronomers, I remember, affirm that the Moon (which predominates over all humid bodies) hath a more powerful influence o'er your British Seas then any other; so that according to the observation of some Nevigators, they swell at a spring tide in some places, above threescore cubits high: I am of opinion, that that inconstant humorous Planet, hath also an extraordinany dominion over the brains of the Inhabitants; for when they attempt any Innovation (whereunto all Insulary people are more subject than other Citizens of the world which are fixed upon the Continent) they swell higher, their fancies work stronglier, and so commit stranger extravagancies than any other: witness these monstrous barbarismes and violences, which have been, and are daily offered to Religion and just●…ce, (the two grand supporters of all States) yea, to humane Reason itself since the beginning of these tumults.  
And now, noble Sir, give me leave to render you my humble thanks for that true and solid information you pleased to give me in London of these commotions.  
During my short sojourn there, I lighted on divers odd Pamphlets upon the Seamstresses stalls, whom I wondered to see selling Paper sheets in lieu of Holland: on the one side I found the most impudent untruths (vouched by public authority) the basest scurrilities, and poorest jingles of wit that ever I read in my life; on the other side I met with many pieces that had good stuff in them, but gave me not (being a stranger) a full satisfaction, they looked no further than the beginning of this Parliament, and the particular emergences thereof: but you have, by your methodical relation, so perfectly instructed and rectified my understanding, by bringing me to the very source of these distempers, and led me all along the side of the current by so straight a line, that I believe, whosoever will venture upon the most intricate task of penning the story of these vertiginous times, will find himself not a little beholden to that Relation, which indeed may be termed a short Chronicle rather than a Relation. We are come now under another clime, and here we may mingle words, and vent our conceptions more securely; it being, as matters stand in your Country, more safe to speak under the Lily than the Rose; we may here take in and put out freer air; I mean, we may discourse with more liberty: for, words are nought else but air articulated, and coagulated as it were into letters and syllables.  Patricius. 
Sir, I deserve not these high expressions of your favourable censure touching that poor piece; but this I will be bold to say, That whosoever doth read it impartially, will discover in the Author the Genius of an honest Patriot, and a Gentleman. And now methinks I look on you unfortunate Island, as if one look upon a Ship tossed up and down in distress of wind and weather, by a furious tempest, which the more she tugs and wrestles with the foamy waves of the angry Ocean, the more the fury of the storm increaseth, and puts her in danger of shipwreck; and you must needs think, Sir, it would move compassion in any heart, to behold a poor Ship in such a desperate case, specially when all his kindred, friends and fortunes; yea his Religion, the most precious Treasure of all, are aboard of her, and upon point of sinking. Alas I can contribute nothing now to my poor country but my prayers and tears, that it would please God to allay this tempest, and cast over board those that are the true causers of it, and bring the people to the right use of Reason again. It was well observed by you, Sir, That there is a national kind of indisposition, and obliquity of mind that rageth now amongst our people, and I fear it will be long ere they return to their old English temper. to that rare loyalty and love which they were used to show to their Sovereign: for all the Principles of Monarchy are quite lost amongst us, those ancient and sacred flowers of the English Diadem are trampled under foot; nay, matters are come to that horrid confusion, that not only the Prerogative of the crown, but the foundamentall Privilege of the freeborn subject is utterly overthrown, by those whose Predecessors were used to be the main supporters of it: so that our King is necessitated to put himself in Arms for the preservation not only of his own Regal rights, but of Magna Charta itself, which was never so invaded and violated in any age, by such causeless tyrannical imprisonments, by such unexampled destructive taxes, by stopping the ordinary processes in Law, and awing all the Courts of Justice, by unheardof forced oaths and Associations, and a thousand other acts, which neither Precedent, Book-case or Statute can warrant, whereof, if the King had done but the twentieth part, he had been cried up to be the greatest Tyrant that ever was.  Peregrin. 
Sir, I am an Alien, and so can speak with more freedom of your Country. The short time that I did eat my bread there, I felt the pulse of the people with as much judgement as I could; and I find, that this very word Parliament is become a kind of Idol amongst them, they do, as it were, pin their salvation upon't; it is held blasphemy to speak against it. The old English Maxim was, The King can do no wrong; another Nominative case is now stepped in, That the Parliament can do no wrong, nor the King receive any: And whereas there was used to be but one Defender of the Faith, there are now started up amongst you, I cannot tell how many hundreds of them. And as in the sacred profession of Priesthood we hold, or at least wise should hold, That after the Imposition of hands, the Minister is inspired with the Holy Ghost in an extraordinary manner for the enabling of him to exercise that Divine Function, so the English are grown to such a fond conceit of their Parliament Members, that as soon as any is chosen by the confused cry of the Common people to sit within the walls of that House, an inerring spirit, a spirit of infallibility presently entereth into him (so that he is thereby become like the Pope, a Canon animatus) though some of them may haply be such flat and simple animals, that they are as fit to be Counselors, as Caligula's Horse was to be Consul, as the Historian tells us.  Patricius. 
Touching Parliament, there breathes not a Subject under England's Crown, who hath a higher esteem of it then I, it makes that dainty mixture in our Government of Monarchy, optimacy and Democracy, betwixt whom, though there be a kind of co ordination of power during the sitting of Parliament, yet the two last, which are composed of Peers and People, have no power, but what is derived from the first, which may be called the soul that animates them, and by whose authority they meet, consult and depart: They come there to propose, not to impose Laws; they come not to make Laws by the sword; they must not be like Draco's Laws, written in blood. Their King calls them thither to be his Counsellors, not Controllers; and the Office of Counsel is to advise, not to enforce; they come thither to entreat, not to treat with their Liege Lord; they come to throw their Petitions at his feet, that so they may find a way up to his hear●….  
'Tis true, I have read of high things that our Parliament have done, but 'twas either during the nonage and minority of our Kings, when they were under protectorship, or when they were absent in a foreign war, or in time of confusion, when there were competitors of the blood-royal for the Crown, and when the number of both Houses was complete and individed; but I never read of any Parliament that did arrogate to itself such a power Paramount, such a Superlative superintendence, as to check the Prerogative of their Sovereign, to question his negative voice, to pass things, not only without, but expressly against his advice and royal command: I never heard of Parliament, that would have their King, being come to the Meridian of his age, to transmit his intellectuals, and whole faculty of reason to them. I find some Parliaments have been so modest and moderate (Now moderation is the Rudder that should steer the course of all great Counsels) that they have declined the agitation and cognizance of some state affairs, humbly transferring them to their Sovereign and his privy Counsel: a Parliament man then, held it to be the adaequat object of his duty, to study the welfare, to redress the grievances, and supply the defects of that particular place for which he served; The Members then used to move in their own (Inferior) sphere, and used not to be transported by any Eccentric motions. And so they thought to have complied with the Obligation, and discharged the consciences of honest Patriots, without soaring above their reach, and roving at random to treat of universals, much less to bring Religion to their bar, or pry into the Arcana Imperti, the cognizance of the one belonging to the King, and his intern Counsel of State: the other to Divines, who, according to the Etymology of the word, use to be still conversant in the exercise of speculation of holy and heavenly things.  Peregrin. 
I am clearly of your opinion in these two particulars; for, secrecy being the soul of policy, matters of State should be communicated but to few; and touching Religion, I cannot see how it may quadrat with the calling, and be homogeneous to the profession of Laymen, to determine matters of Divinity; who, out of their incapacity and unaptness to the work, being not pares negotio, and being carried away by a wild kind of Conscience without Science, like a Ship without a Helm, fall upon dangerous quicksands; so that whilst they labour to mend her, they mar her, whilst they think to settle her, they confound her, whilst they plot to prevent the growth of Popery, they pave the way to bring it in, by conniving at, and countenancing those monstrous Schisms which I observed to have crept into your Church since the reign of this Parliament: so that one may justly say, These your Reformers are but the executioners of the old project of the Jesuits, the main part whereof was, and is still, to hurl the ball of discord, and hatch new opinions still 'twixt the Protestants, to make factions and scissures between them, and so render their religion more despicable and ridiculous.  
But methinks, matters are come to a strange pass with you in England, that the judges cannot be trusted with the Law, nor the Prelates with the Gospel; whereas from all times, out of their long experience and years, these two degrees of men were used to be reverenced for the chief Touch-men, and unquestionable Expositors of both, which another power seems now to arrogate to itself, as the inerring Oracle of both: but I pray God that these grand Refiners of Religion, prove not Quacksalvers at last; that these upstart Politicians prove not Impostors: for I have heard of some things they have done, that if Machiavelli himself were alive, he would be reputed a Saint in comparison of them. The Roman ten, and Athenian thirty, were Babies to these; nay, the Spanish Inquisition, and the Bloet-Rade (that Council of blood) which the Duke of Alva erected in Flanders, when he swore, That he would drown the Hollanders in their Butter-tubs, was nothing to this; when I consider the prodigious power they have assumed to themselves, and do daily exercise over the bodies, the estates and souls of men.  
In your former Discourse you told me, that amongst multitudes of other mischiefs, wh●…ch this new Faction hath wrought, they have put division 'twixt all sorts and sexes, 'twixt all conditious, both of men and women; one thing more I may say, they have done in this kind: for, they have laboured to put division between the Persons of the holy Trinity, by making the first Person to be offended at that voluntary genuflection and reverence which hath been from all times practised in the Christian Church to the name of the second Person; so that jesus worship, as I have read in some of your profane Pamphlets, is grown now to be a word of reproach amongst you.  
But to the point; there is one thing I can never cease to wonder at: that whereas at the beginning of this Parliament, there were as able and experienced, as stout and well spoken Gentlemen, as any in the whole Kingdom, that sat in the House, and made the far major part, I wonder I say, that they would suffer this giddyheaded Faction to carry all before them in that violent manner, that they did not crush this Cockatrice in the shell.  Patricius. 
First, Sir, you know there is nothing so agreeable to the nature of man, as novelty; and in the conduct of humane affairs, it is always seen, that when any new design or faction is a foot, the Projectors are commonly more pragmatical and sedulous upon the work; they lie centinel to watch all advantages, the Sand of their brains is always running: This hath caused this upstart Faction, to stick still close together, and continue marvellously constant to their ends; they have been used to tire and outfast, to weary and outwatch the moderate and well-minded Gentlemen; sometimes till after midnight, by clancular and nocturnal sit; so that as His Majesty says in one of his Declarations, most of their Votes may be said to be nought else, but Verdicts of a starved Iury.  
Another reason is, That they countenanced the flocking together of the promiscuous rabble from London, notwithstanding the two several motions the Lords made unto them, that they might be suppressed by Parliamentary Order: This riotous crew awed the wont freedom of speech in both Houses, cried up the names, and confronted many of their Members: yet these new Politicians not only connived at them, but called them their friends; and so they might well enough, or rather their Champions; for they had ordered the matter so, that they were sure to have them ready at their devotion, at the heaving of a finger: and from this tumultuous mongrel crew, they derived their first encouragements to do such high prodigious insolences they have committed since. Add hereunto, that they complied exceedingly besides with the Common Council of the City, they used to attend them early and late to knock heads together; and if any new thing was to pass in the House, they would first wait on them, to know their pleasure, and afterwards it should be propounded and put to Vote in the House: And how derogatory it is to the high Law-making-councell, to make their chiefest Members wait from time to time on the Magistrates of the City, who in former times were used to attend them upon all occasions in Westminster, I am ashamed to think on; nor am I less ashamed to remember those base Artifices and indirect courses that were practised at the election of this pretended Major; here they tacked about to a second choice; after the first was legally made, and how the Common-council was packed up of the arrandest Schismatics up and down the City. And to that mutinous wealth-swoln City, and the said unbridled pack of Oppidans (seconded afterwards by the Country clowns) who offered such outrages to God's House, the King's house, and the Parliament house, may be ascribed all miseries, and the miscarriage of things: for they caused His Majesty to forsake his own standing palace, to absent himself from his Parliament, and make that unpleasing p●…ogresse up and down his Kingdom ever since, which put all Counsels at a stand, and to be involved in a confusion.  Peregrin. 
But let me tell you that your Britannic Sun, though he be now ore-set with these unlucky clouds, engendered of the vapours of distempered brains, and the rotten hearts of many of his own menial servants, who have proved like the Sons of Serviah unto him, ingrateful monsters, yet is he still in his own Orb, and will, when this foul weather's passed, and the air cleared a little by thunder, shine more gloriously and powerfully then before, it being a maxim of State, That Rebellion suppressed, makes a Prince the stronger; Now Rebellion durst never yet look a Prince long in the face, for the Majesty of Gods anointed, useth to dart such fulgent piercing beams, that dazzle the eyes of disloyalty, and strikes her stark blind at last. And truly, as you say, I am also clearly of opinion, that these ingrateful Londoners, as they were the comencers, so have they been the continuers and contrivers of this ugly Rebellion ever since; They seem to have utterly forgotten who hath given them the sword, and by, and from whom they hold their Charter; Their Corporations are now grown body politics, & so as many petty Republikes amongst them, so that they begin to smell rank of a Hans-town. Poor simple Animals, how they suffer their pockets to be picked, their purses to be cut; how they part with their vital spirits every week; how desperately they post on to poverty, and their own ruin, suffering themselves in lieu of Scarlet-gownes, to be governed by a rude company of Red-coats, who 'twixt plundering, assessments, and visits, will quickly make an end of them. I fear there is some formidable judgement of regal revenge hangs over that City; for the anger of a King is like the roaring of a Lion; and I never read yet of any City that contested with her Sovereign, but she smarted sound for it at last. The present case of London bears a great deal of proportion with that of Monpellier here in France, in Charles the seventh's time; for when that town had refused the publishing of many of the King's Edicts and Declarations, murdered some of his Ministers and Servants, abused the Church, and committed other high acts of insolency; the Duke of Berry was sent to reduce the Town to obedience; the Duke pressed them with so hard a siege, that at last the best Citizens came forth in procession, bareheaded, & barefooted, with white wands in their hands, and halters about their necks to deliver the keys of all the gates to the Duke, but this would not serve the turn, for two hundred of them were condemned to the galleys, two hundred of them were hanged, and two hundred beheaded, the King saying, he offered those as victim for the lives of his servants whom they had murdered with the false sword of Justice.  
But, Sir, I much marvel how your Church-government, which from all times hath been cried up to be so exact, is so suddenly tumbled into this confusion? how your Prelates are fallen under so dark a cloud, considering that divers of them were renowned through all the Reformed Churches in Christendom for their rare learning and piety? At the Synod at Dort, you know some of them assisted, and no exception at all taken at their degree and dignity, but took precedence accordingly, how came it to pass, that they are now fallen under this Eclipse, as so be so persecuted, to be pushed out of the House of Peers, and hurried into prison? I pray you be pleased to tell me.  Patricius. 
Sir, I remember to have read in the Irish Story, That when the Earl of Kildare in Henry the eighth's time, was brought before the Lord Deputy for burning Cassiles Church, he answered, My Lord, I would never have burnt the Church, unless I had thought the Biship had been in it; for 'twas not the Church, but the Bishop I aimed at. One may say so of the Anglican Church at this present, that these fiery Zelots, these vaporing Sciolists of the times are so furiously enraged against this holy Primative order; some out of Envy, some out of Malice, some out of Ignorance, that one may say, our Church had not been thus set on fire, unless the Bishops had been in't. I grant there was never yet any Profession made up of men, but there were some bad; we are not Angels upon earth there was a judas amongst the first dozen of Christians, though Apostles, and they by our Saviour's own election: Amongst our Prelates peradventure (for I know of no accusation framed against them yet) some might be faulty, and wanting moderation, being not contented to walk upon the battlements of the Church, but they must put themselves ●…pon stilts; but if a golden chain hath happily a copper link two or three, will you therefore break and throw away the whole chain. If a few Sho●…makers (I confess the comparison is too homely, but I had it of a Scots man) sell Calf's skin for Neat's leather, must the Gentle-Craft be utterly extinguish▪ d, must we go bare foot therefore? Let the persons suffer in the Name of God, and not the holy Order of Episcopacy  
But good Lord, how pitifully were those poor Prelates handled? what a Tartarian kind of tyranny it was, to drag twice into prison twelve grave reverend Bishops, causâ adhuc inaudita, and afterwards not to be able to frame as much as an accusation of misdemeanour against them, much less of Treason, whereof they were first impeached with such high clamours: But I conceive it was of purpose, to set them out of the way, that the new Faction might pass things better amongst the Peers. And it seems they brought their work about; for whilst they were thus reclused and absent, they may be said to be thrust out of doors, and ejected out of their own proper ancient inheritance, And the Tower wherein they were cast might be called Limbo patrum all the while.  Peregrin. 
But would not all this, with those unparallelled Bills of Grace you mentioned in your first Discourse, which had formerly passed, suffice to beget a good understanding, and make them confide in their King?  Patricius. 
No, but the passing of these Bills of grace, were termed Acts of Duty in his Majesty; they went so far in their demands that 'twas not sufficient for him to give up his Tower, 〈◊〉 Fleet-Royall, his Magazines, his Ports, Castl●… and Servants, but he must deliver up his swor●… into their hands, all the Soldiery & Military forces of the Land; nay, he must give up his very Understanding unto them; he must resign his own Reason, and with an implicit Faith or blind Obedience, he must believe all they did was to make him glorious; and if at any time he admonished them, o●… prescribed ways for them to proceed and expedit matters, or if he advised them in any thing, they took it in a kind of indignation, and 'twas presently cried up to be Breach of Privilege.  Peregrin. 
Breach of Privilege forsooth, There is no way in my conceit, to make a King more inglorious, both at home and abroad, then to disarm him; and to take from him the command and disposing of the Militia throughout his Kingdom, is directly to disarm him, & wrest the Sword out of his hand: and how then can he be termed A defender? how can he defend either himself, or others? 'tis the only way to expose him to scorn and derision; truly, as I conceive, that demand of the Militia was a thing not only unfit for them to ask, but for him to grant. But, Sir, what should be the reason which moved them to make that insolent proposal?  Patricius. 
They cried out that the Kingdom was upon point of being ruined; that it was in the very jaws of destruction; that there were foreign and inland plots against it: all which are proved long since to be nothing else but mere Chimaeras; yet people for the most part continue still so grossly besotted, that they cannot perceive to this day, that these forged fears, these Utopian plots, those public Ideas were framed of purpose, that they might take all the martial power into their hands; that so they might without controlment cast the government of Church and state into what mould they pleased, and engross the chiefest offices to themselves: And from these imaginary invisible dangers proceeded these visible calamities, and grinding palpable pressures which hath accompanied this odious War ever since.  Peregrin. 
Herein methinks, your statists have shown themselves politic enough, but not so prudent & honest; for Prudence & Policy, though they often agree in the end, yet they differ in election of the means to compass their ends: The one serves himself of truth, strength of Reason, integrity, and gallantness in their proceedings; the other of fictions, fraudulence, lies, and other sinister means; the work of the one is lasting and permanent, the others work moulders away, and ends in infamy at last; for fraud and frost always end foul. But how did they requite that most rare and high unexampled trust his Majesty reposed in them, when he before passed that fatal Act of continuance, a greater trust than ever English King put in Parliament? How did they perform their solemn promise and deep Protestations, to make him the most glorious (at home and abroad) the richest and best belovedst King that ever reigned in that Island.  Patricius. 
Herein I must confess, they held very ill correspondence with him, for the more he trusted them, the more diffident they grew of him; and truly, Sir, herein white differs not so much from black, as their actions have been disconsonant to their words: Touching the first promise, to make him glorious; if to suffer a neighbouring Nation (the Scot) to demand and obtain what they pleased of him; if to break capitulations of peace with a great foreign Prince (the French King) by the renvoy of the Capuchins, and divers other Acts; if to bring the dregs and riffraff of the City to domineer before his Courtgate, notwithstanding his Proclamations of repressing them; if to confront him and seek his life by fire and sword in open field, by open desiance, and putting him upon a defensive war; if to vote his Queen a Traitress, to shoot at her, to waylay her, to destroy her, if to hinder the reading of his Proclamations, and the slighting of his Declarations (enclosed in Letters signed and sealed with his own hand) for fear they should bring the people to their wits again; if to call them fetters of gold, devilish devises, fraught with doctrines of division, real mistakes, absurd suppositions, though there never dropped from Prince's pen, more full, more rational and strong sinewy expressions; if to suffer every shallow-brained Scolist to preach, every Pamphletter to print, every rotten-hearted man or woman to prate what they please of him and his Queen▪ if to slight his often acknowledgement, condissentions, retractions, pronunciations of Peace, and proffers of Pardon; if to endeavour to bring him to a kind of servile submission; if to bar him of the attendance of his Domestiques, to abuse and imprison his messengers, to hang his servants for obeying his Commission; if to prefer the safety and repute of five ordinary men, before the honour of their King, and being actually impeached of Treason, to bring them in a kind of triumph to his House; if for subjects to Article, Treat and Capitulate with him; if to tamper with his Conscience, and make him forget the solemn sacramental oath he took at his Coronation; if to divest him of all regal rights, to take from him the election of his servants and officers, and bring him back to a kind of minority; if this be to make a King glorious, our King is made glorious enough.  
Touching the second promise to make him the richest King that ever was; if to denude him of his native rights, to declare that he hath no property in any thing but by way of trust, not so much property as an Elective King; if to take away his customs of inheritance; if to take from him his Exchequer and Mint, if to thrust him out of his own Towns, to suffer a lousy Citizen to lie in his beds within his Royal Castle of Windsor, when he himself would have come thither to lodge; if to enforce him to a defensive war, and cause him to engage his Jewels and Plate, and so plunge him in a bottomless gulf of debt for his necessary defence; if to anticipate his revenue royal, and reduce him to such exigents that he hath scarce the subsistence of an ordinary Gentleman; if this be to make a rich King, then is our King made sufficiently rich.  
Concerning their third promise, to make him the best belovedst King that ever was; if to cast all the aspersions that possibly could be devised upon his Government by public elaborat remonstrances; if to suffer and give Texts to the strongest lunged Pulpiteers to poison the hearts of his subjects, to intoxicat their brains with fumes of forged jealousies, to possess them with an opinion, that he is a Papist in his heart, and consequently hath a design to introduce Popery; if to slight his words, his promises, his Asseverations, Oaths and Protestations, when he calls heaven and earth to witness, when he desires no blessing otherwise to fall upon himself, his wife and children, with other pathetic deep-fetched expressions, that would have made the meanest of those millions of Christians which are his vassals, to be believed; if to protect Delinquents, and proclaimed Traitors against him; if to suscitate, authorize, and encourage all sorts of subjects to heave up their hands against him, and levy arms to emancepate themselves from that natural allegiance, loyalty, and subjection, wherein, they and their forefathers were ever tied to his Royal Progenitors; if to make them swear and damn themselves into a rebellion; if this be to make a King beloved, than this Parliament hath made King Charles the best beloved King that ever was in England.  Peregrin. 
I cannot compare this Rebellion in England, more properly then to that in this Kingdom, in King John's time, which in our French Chronicle bears to this day the infamous name of jaquerie de Beauvoisin; The Peasans then out of a surfeit of plenty, had grown up to that height of insolency, that they confronted the Noblesse and Gentry▪ they gathered in multitudes, and put themselves in arms to suppress, or rather extinguish them; and this popular tumult never ceased, till Charles le Sage debelled it; and it made the Kings of France more puissant ever since, for it much increased their Finances, in regard that those extraordinary taxes which the people imposed upon themselves for the support of the war, hath continued ever since a firm revenue to the Crown; which makes me think of a facecious speech of the late Henry the Great, to them of Orleans: for whereas a new imposition was laid upon the Townsmen during the league by Monsieur de la Chastre, who was a great stickler in those wars; they petitioned Henry the fourth, that he would be pleased to take off that tax, the King asked them, Who had laid that tax upon them? they said Monsieur de la Chastre, during the time of the League, the King replied, Puis que Monsieur de la Chatre vous à liguè qu'il vous destigue, since Monsieur de la Chastre hath leagued you, let Monsieur de la Chastre unleague you, and so the said tax continueth to this day.  
I have observed in your Chronicles that it hath been the fate of your English Kings to be baffled often by petty companions; as jack Straw, Wat Tyler, Cade, Warbeck and Symnel. A Wasp may sometimes do a shrewd turn to the Eagle, as you said before; your Island hath been fruitful for Rebellions, for I think there happened near upon a hundred since the last Conquest, the City of London, as I remember, in your Story hath rebelled seven times at least, and forfeited her Charter I know not how often, but she bled sound for it at last, and commonly, the better your Princes were, the worse your people have been; As the case stands, I see no way for the King to establish a settled peace, but by making a fifth Conquest of you; and for London, there must be a way found to prick that tympany of pride wherewith she swells so much.  Patricius. 
'Tis true, there has been from time to time many odd Insurrections in England, but our King gathered a greater strength out of them afterwards, the inconstant people are always accessary to their own miseries: Kings Prerogatives are like the Ocean, which as the Civilians tell us, if he lose in one pla●…e, he gets ground in another. Cares and Crosses ride behind Kings, Clouds hang over them. They may be eclipsed a while, but they will shine afterwards with a stronger lustre. Our gracious Sovereign hath passed a kind of Ordeal, a fiery trial; he while now hath been matriculated and served part of an Apprenticeship in the School of Affliction; I hope God will please shortly to cancel the Indenture, and restore him to a sweeter liberty than ever. This Discourse was stopped in the Press by the tyranny of the Times, and not suffered to see open light till now.   

A SOBER and SEASONABLE MEMORANDUM SENT TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE PHILIP late Earl of Pembrock, and Montgomery, etc.  
To mind Him of the particular Sacred Ties (besides the Common Oath of Allegiance and Supremacy) whereby he was bound to adhere to the King his Liege Lord and Master.  
Presented unto Him in the hottest brunt of the late Civil Wars.  juramentum ligamen Conscientiae maximum. 
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1661.   

To the Right Honourable, PHILIP Earl of Pembrock, and Montgomery, Knight of the Bath; Knight of the most noble Order of the Garter; Gentleman of His Majesty's Bedchamber, And one of His most Honourable privy Counsel, etc.  
My Lord,  
THis Letter requires no Apology, much less any pardon, but may expect rather a good reception and thanks, when your Lordship hath seriously perused the contents, and ruminated well upon the matter it treats of by weighing it in your second and third thoughts which usually carry with them a greater advantage of wisdom: It concerns not your body, or temporal estate, but things reflecting upon the noblest part of you, your soul, which being a beam of Immortality, and a Type of the Almighty, is incomparably more precious, and rendereth all other earthly things to be but babbles and transitory trifles. Now, the strongest tye, the solemnest engagement and stipulation that can be betwixt the soul and her Creator, is an Oath. I do not understand common tumultuary rash oaths, proceeding from an ill habit, or heat of passion upon sudden contingencies, for such oaths bind one to nought else but to repentance: No, I mean serious and legal oaths, taken with a calm prepared spirit, either for the asserting of truth, and conviction of falsehood, or for fidelity in the execution of some Office or binding to civil obedience and Loyalty, which is one of the essential parts of a Christian; Such public oaths legally made with the Royal assent of the Sovereign from whom they receive both legality and life (else they are invalid and unwarrantable) as they are religious acts in their own nature, so is the taking and observance of them part of God's honour, and there can be nothing more derogatory to the high Majesty and holiness of his name, nothing more dangerous, destructive and damnable to humane souls than the infringement and eluding of them, or omission in the performance of them. Which makes the Turks, of whom Christians in this particular may learn a tender piece of humanity, to be so cautious, that they seldom or never administer an oath to Greek, Jew, or any other Nation, and the reason is, that if the Party sworn doth take that Oath upon hopes of some advantage, or for evading of danger and punishment, and afterwards rescinds it, they think themselves to be involved in the Perjury, and so accessary to his damnation: Our Civil Law hath a Canon consonant to this, which is, Mortal peccatum est ei praestare juramentum, quem scio verisimiliter violaturum; 'Tis a mortal sin to administer an Oath to him who I probably know will break it; To this may allude another wholesome saying, A false Oath is damnable, a true Oath dangerous, none at all the safest. How much then have they to answer for, who of late years have framed such formidable coercive general Oaths to serve them for engines of State to lay battery to the Consciences and Souls of poor men, and those without the assent of their Sovereign, and opposite point blank to former Oaths they themselves had taken: these kind of Oaths the City of London hath swallowed lately in gross, and the Country in detaile, which makes me confidently believe that if ever that saying of the holy Prophet, The Land mourns for Oaths, was appliable to any part of the habitable earth, it may be now applied to this reprobate Island.  
But now I come to the main of my purpose, and to those Oaths your Lordship hath taken before this distracted time, which the world knows, and your conscience can testify, were divers; They were all of them solemn, and some of them Sacramental Oaths (and indeed, every Solemn Oath among the Ancients was held a Sacrament:) They all employed, and imposed an indispensible fidelity, Truth and loyalty from you to your Sovereign Prince, your Liege Lord and Master the King: I will make some instances: Your Lordship took an Oath when Knight of the Bath to love your Sovereign above all earthly Creatures, and for His Right and dignity to live and die etc.  
By the Oath of Supremacy you swear to bear faith and true allegiance to the King's Highness, and to your power to defend all ●…urisdictions, Privileges, Preeminences and Authorities belonging to his Highness etc.  
Your Lordship took an Oath when Privy Counsellor, to be a true and faithful Servant unto Him, and if you knew or understood of any manner of thing to be attempted, done, or spoken against His Majesty's Person, Honour, Crown, or Dignity, you swore to let, and withstand the same to the uttermost of your power, and either cause it to be revealed to himself, or to others of His Privy Counsel; The Oaths you took when Bedchamber man, and L. Chamberlain bind you as strictly to His Person.  
Your Lordship may also call to memory when you were installed Knight of the Garter, (whereof you are now the oldest living except K▪ of Denmark) you solemnly swore to defend the Honour and Quarrels, the Rights and Lordship of your▪ Sovereign: Now the Record tells us that the chiefest ground of instituting the said order by that heroic Prince Edward the Third was, that he might have choice gallant men, who by Oath and Honour should adhere unto him in all dangers, and difficulties, and that by way of reciprocation He should protect and defend them, Which made Alfonso Duke of Calabria so much importune Henry the Eight to install him one of the Knights of the Garter, that he might engage King Harry to protect him against Charles the Eighth, who threatened then the conquest of Naples.  
How your Lordship hath acquitted yourself of the performance of these Oaths, your conscience (that bosom record) can make the best affidavit; Some of them oblige you ●…o live and die with King Charles, but what Oaths or any thing like an Oath binds you to live and die with the House of Commons, as your Lordship often gives out you will, I am yet to learn: Unless that House which hath not power as much as to administer an Oath (much less to make one) can absolve you from your former Oaths, or haply by their omnipotence dispense with you for the observance of them. Touching the Political capacity of the King, I fear that will be a weak plea for your Lordship before the Tribunal of heaven, and they who▪ whisper such Chimaeras into your ears, abuse you in gross; but put case there were such a thing as political capacity distinct from the personal, which to a true rational man is one of the grossest Bulls that can be, yet these forementioned Oaths relate most of them merely unto the King's Person, the individual Person of King Charles, as you are His Domestic Counsellor, and cubicular Servant.  
My Lord, I take leave to tell your Lordship (and the Spectator sees sometimes more than the Gamester) that the world extremely marvels at you more than others, and it makes those who wish you best to be transformed to wonder, that your Lordship should be the first of your Race who deserted the Crown, which one of your Progenitors said, he would still follow though it were thrown upon an hedge: Had your Princely Brother (William Earl of Pembrock) been living he would have been sooner torn by wild horses than have banded against it, or abandoned the King his Master, and fallen to such gross Idolatry as to worship the Beast with many heads. The world also stands astonished that you should confederate to bring into the bowels of the Land, and make Eulogiums in some of your Speeches of that hungry people which have been from all times so cross and fatal to the English Nation, and particularly to your own honour: Many thousands do wonder that your Lordship should be brought to persecute with so much animosity and hatred that reverend Order in God's Church (Episcopacy) which is contemporary with Christianity itself, and whereunto you had once designed, and devoted one of your dearest Sons so solemnly.  
My Lord, if this Monster of Reformation (which is like an infernal Spirit clad in white, and hath a cloven head as well as feet) prevails, you shall find the same destiny will attend poor England, as did Bohemia which was one of the flourishingst Kingdoms upon that part of the earth, which happened thus: The Common people there repined at the Hierarchy and riches of the Church, thereupon a Parliament was packed where Bishops were abolished, what followed? The Nobles and Gentry went down next, and afterwards the Crown itself, and so it became a popular confused anarchical State, and a Stage of blood a long time, so that at last, when this Maggot had done working in the brains of the foolish people, they were glad to have recourse to Monarchy again after a world of calamities; though it degenerated from a successive Kingdom to an Elective. Methinks, my Lord, under favour that those notorious visible judgements which have fallen upon these Refiners of reformed Religion should unbeguile your Lordship, and open your eyes: For the hand of heaven never appeared so clearly in any humane actions: Your Lordship may well remember what became of the hotham's, and Sir Alexander Cary, who were the two fatal wretches that began the War first, one in the North, the other in the South, Plymouth and Hull. Your Lordship may be also pleased to remember what became of Brooks the Lord, and Hampden, the first whereof was dispatched by a deaf and dumb man out of an ancient Church (at Litchfield) which he was battering, and that suddenly also, for he fell down stone dead in the twinkling of an eye; Now, one of the greatest cavils he had against our Liturgy was a clause of a Prayer there against sudden death; Besides, the fag end of his Grace in that journey was, that if the design was not pleasing to God, he might perish in the action: For the other (Hampden) he besprinkled with his blood, and received his death upon the same clod of earth in Buckingham-shire where he had first assembled the poor Country people like so many Geese to drive them gaggling in a mutiny to London with the Protestation in their Caps, which hath been since torn in flitters, and is now grown obsolet and quite out of use. Touching Pym and Stroud, those two worthy Champions of the Utopian cause, the first being opened, his stomach and guts were found to be full of pellets of blood, the other had little or no brain in his skull being dead, and less when he was living: Touching those who carried the first scandalous Remonstrance (that work of night and the verdict of a starved jury) to welcome the King from Scotland, they have been since (your Lordship knows well) the chief of the Eleven Members impeached by the House. And now they are a kind of Runagates beyond the Seas, scorned by all mankind, and baffled every where, yea, even by the Boors of Holland, and not daring to peep in any populous Town but by owl-light.  
Moreover, I believe your Lordship hath good cause to remember that the same kind of riotous Rascals, which rabbled the K. out of Town, did drive away the Speaker in like manner with many of their Memberships (amongst whom your Lordship was fairly on his way,) to seek shelter of their Janissaries the Redcoats: Your Lordship must needs find what deadly feuds fall daily 'twix●… the Presbyterian and the Independent, the two fiery brands that have put this poor Isle so long in combustion. But 'tis worthy your Lordship's special notice how your dear Brethren the Scots (whom your Lordship so highly magnified in some of your public Speeches) who were at first brought in for Hirelings against the King for them, offer themselves now to come in against them for the King: Your Lordship cannot be ignorant of the sundry clashes that have been 'twixt the City and their Memberships, and 'twixt their Memberships and their men of War or Military Officers, who have often waved and disobeyed their commands: How this tatterdimallian Army hath reduced this cowed City, the cheated Country, and their once all-commanding Masters, to a perfect pass of slavery, to a true Asinin condition; They crow over all the ancient Nobility and Gentry of the Kingdom, though there be not found amongst them all but two Knights; and 'tis well known there be hundreds of private Gentlemen in the Kingdom, the poorest of whom, is able to buy this whole Host with the General himself and all the Commanders: But 'tis not the first time, that the Kings and Nobility of England have been baffled by petty companions: I have read of jack Straw, Wat Tyler, and Ket the Tanner, with divers others that did so, but being suppressed it tended to the advantage of the King at last; and what a world of examples are there in our story, that those Noblemen who banded against the Crown, the revenge of heaven ever found them out early or late at last.  
These, with a black cloud of reciprocal judgements more, which have come home to these Reformers very doors, show that the hand of divine justice is in't, and the holy Prophet tells us, When God's judgements are upon earth, than the inhabitants shall learn justice.  
Touching your Lordship in particular, you have not, under favour, escaped without some already, and I wish more may not follow; your Lordship may remember you lost one Son at Bridgenorth, your dear Daughter at Oxford, your Son-in-Law at Newbury, your Daughter-in-Law at the Charter-house of an infamous disease, how sick your Eldest son hath been; how part of your house was burnt in the Country, with others which I will not now mention.  
I will conclude this point with an observation of the most monstrous number of Witches that have swarmed since these Wars against the King, more (I dare say) then have been in this Island since the Devil tempted Eve; for in two Counties only, viz. Suffolk and Essex, there have been near upon three hundred arraigned, and eightscore executed (as I have it from the Clerks of the Peace of those Counties;) what a barbarous devilish office one had, under colour of examination, to torment poor silly women with watchings, pinch and other artifices to find them for Witches: How others called spirits by a new invention of villainy were connived at for seizing upon young children, and 〈◊〉 them on shipboard, where having their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they were so transformed that their 〈◊〉 could not know them, and so were carried over for new schismatical Plantations to New-England and other Seminaries of Rebellion. My Lord, there is no villainy that can enter into the imagination of man hath been left here uncommitted; no crime from the highest Treason to the meanest Trespass, but these Reformers are guilty of. What horrid acts of profanes have been perpetrated up and down! the Monuments of the dead have been rifled! Horses have been watered at the Church Font, and fed upon the holy Table! Widows, Orphans, and Hospitals have been commonly robbed, and God's House hath been plundered more than any! with what infandous blasphemies have Pulpits rung! one crying out, that this Parliament was as necessary for our Reformation, as the coming of Christ was for our Redemp●…ion: Another belching out, that if God Almighty did not prosper this Cause, 'twere fitting he should change places with the Devil: Another, that the worst thing our Savoour did, was the making of the Dominical prayer, and saving the Thief upon the Crosse. O immortal God, is it possible that England should produce such Monsters, or rather such infernal fiends shaped with humane bodies! yet your Lordship sides with these men, though they be enemies to the Cross, to the Church, and to the very name of jesus Christ; I'll instance only in two who were esteemed the Oracles of this holy Reformation, Petrs, and Saltmarsh; The first is known by thousands to be an infamous, juggling and scandalous villain, among other feats, he got the Mother and Daughter with Child, as it was offered to be publicly proved; I could speak much of the other, but being dead, let it suffice that he died mad and desperate, yet these were accounted the two Apostles of the times.  
My Lord, 'tis high time for you to recollect yourself, to enter into the private closet of your thoughts, and summon them all to counsel upon your pillow; consider well the slavish condition your dear Country is in, weigh well the sad case your liege Lord and Master is in, how he is bereaved of his Queen, His Children, His Servants, His Liberty, His Chaplains, and of every thing in which there is any comfort; observe well, how nevertheless, God Almighty works in Him by inspiring Him with equality and calmness of mind, with patience, prudence and constancy, How He makes His very Crosses to stoop unto Him, when His Subjects will not: Consider the monstrousness of the Propositions that are tendered him, wherein no less than Crown, Sceptre, and Sword, which are things in-alienable from Majesty, are in effect demanded, nay, they would have him transmit, and resign his very intellectuals unto them, not only so, but they would have him make a sacrifice of his soul, by forcing him to violate that solemn sacramental Oath he took at his Coronation when he was no Minor, but come to a full maturity of reason and judgement: make it your own case, My Lord, and that's the best way to judge of His: Think upon the multiplicity of solemn astringing Oaths your Lordship hath taken, most whereof directly and solely enjoin faith and loyalty to his Person; oh my Lord! wrong not your soul so much, in comparison of whom your body is but a rag of rottenness.  
Consider that acts of loyalty to the Crown are the fairest columns to bear up a Nobleman's name to future ages, and register it in the temple of immortality. Reconcile yourself therefore speedily unto your liege Lord and Master, think upon the infinite private obligations you have had both to Sire and Son: The Father kissed you often, kiss you now the Sun lest he be too angry; And Kings, you will find, my Lord, are like the Sun in the heavens, which may be clouded for a time, yet he is still in his sphere, and will break out again and shine as gloriously as ever; Let me tell your Lordship that the people begin to grow extreme weary of their Physicians, they find the remedy to be far worse than their former disease; nay they stick not to call some of them mere Quacksalvers rather than Physicians; Some go further, & say they are no more a Parliament then a Pye-powder Court at Bartholmew-Fair, there being all the essential parts of a true Parliament wanting in this, as fairness of elections, freedom of speech, fullness of Members, nor have they any head at all; besides, they have broken all the fundamental rules, and Privileges of Parliament, and dishonoured that high Court more than any thing else: They have ravished Magna Charta which they are sworn to maintain, taken away our birthright thereby, and transgressed all the laws of heaven and earth: Lastly, they have most perjuriously betrayed the trust the King reposed in them, and no less the trust their Country reposed in them, so that if reason and law were now in date, by the breach of their Privileges, and by betraying the said double trust that is put in them, they have dissolved themselves ipso facto I cannot tell how many thousand times, notwithstanding that monstrous grant of the Kings, that fatal act of continuance: And truly, my Lord, I am not to this day satisfied of the legality (though I am satisfied of the forcibleness of that Act) whether it was in his Majesty's power to pass it or no; for the law ever presupposeth these clauses in all concessions of Grace, in all Patents, Charters, and Grants whatsoever the King passeth, Salvo jure regio, salvo jure coronae.  
To conclude, as I presume to give your Lordship these humble cautions and advice in particular, so I offer it to all other of your rank, office, order and Relations, who have souls to save, and who by solemn indispensable Oaths have engaged themselves to be true and loyal to the Person of King Charles. Touching his political capacity, it is a fancy which hath been exploded in all other Parliaments except in that mad infamous Parliament where it was first hatched; That which bears upon Record the name of Insanum Parliamentum to all posterity, but many Acts have passed since that, it should be high and horrible Treason to separat or distinguish the Person of the King from His Power; I believe, as I said before, this distinction will not serve their turn at the dreadful Bar of divine justice in the other world: indeed that Rule of the Pagans makes for them, Si jusjurandum violandum est, Tyrannis causâ violandum est, If an Oath be any way violable, 'tis to get a Kingdom: We find by woeful experience that according to this maxim they have made themselves all Kings by violation of so many Oaths; They have monopolised the whole power and wealth of the Kingdom in their own hands; they cut, shuffle, deal, and turn up what trump they please, being Judges and parties in every thing.  
My Lord, he who presents these humble advertisments to your Lordship, is one who is inclined to the Parliament of Engl. in as high a degree of affection as possibly a freeborn Subject can be; One besides, who wisheth your Lordship's good, with the preservation of your safety and honour more really than he whom you intrust with your secretest affairs, or the White jew of the Upper House, who hath infused such pernicious principles into you; moreover, one who hath some drops of blood running in his veins, which may claim kindred with your Lordship: and lastly, he is one who would kiss your feet, in lieu of your hands, if your Lordship would be so sensible of the most desperate case of your poor Country, as to employ the interests, the opinion and power you have to restore the King your Master by English ways, rather than a hungry foreign people, who are like to bring nothing but destruction in the van, confusion in the rear, and rapine in the middle, should have the honour of so glorious a work.  
So humbly hoping your Lordship will not take with the left hand, what I offer with the right, I rest,  
From the Prison of the Fleet 3. Septembris 1644. Your Lordships truly devoted Servant. I. H.   

HIS Late MAJESTY'S Royal DECLARATION, OR MANIFESTO TO ALL FOREIGN PRINCES AND STATES, Touching his constancy in the Protestant Religion.  
Being traduced abroad by some Malicious and lying Agents, That He was wavering therein, and upon the high road of returning to Rome.  
Printed in the Year, 1661.   

TO THE Unbiass'd REDER.  
IT may be said that mischief in one particular hath something of Virtue in it, which is, That the Contrivers and Instruments thereof are still stirring and watchful. They are commonly more pragmatical and fuller of Devices than those sober-minded men, who while they go on still in the plain road of Reason, having the King, and known Laws to justify and protect them, hold themselves secure enough, and so think no hurt; judas eyes were open to betray his Master, while the rest of his fellow-servants were quietly asleep.  
The Members at Westminster were men of the first gang, for their Mischievous brains were always at work how to compass their ends; And one of their prime policies in order thereunto was to cast asspersions on their King, thereby to alienat the affections and fidelity of his people from him ●…notwithstanding that besides their pub●…ick Declarations they made new Oaths and protestations, whereby they swore to make Him the best belov'd King that ever was;) Nor did this Diabolical malice terminat only within the bounds of his own Dominions, but it extended to infect other Princes and States of the Reformed Churches abroad to make Him suspected in his Religion, & that he was branling in his belief, and upon the high way to Rome; To which purpose they sent missives and clandestine Emissaries to divers places beyond the Seas, whereof foreign Authors make mention in their writings.  
At that time when this was in the height of action, the passage from London to Oxford, where the King kept then his Court, was so narrowly blockd up, that a fly could scarce pass; some Ladies of honour being searched in an unseemly and barbarous manner; whereupon the penner of the following Declaration, finding his Royal master to be so grossly traduced, made his Duty to go beyond all presumptions, by causing the said Declaration to be printed and published in Latin, French and English, whereof great numbers were sent beyond the seas to France, Holland, Germany, Suisserland, Denmark, Swethland, and to the English plantations abroad, to vindicat his Majesty in this point, which produced very happy and advantageous effects for Salmtisius, and other forrin writers of great esteem speak of it in their printed works. The Declaration was as followeth.   


CAROLUS,  
Singulari Omnipotentis Dei providentia Angliae, Scotiae, Franciae & Hiberniae Rex, Fidei Defensor, etc. Universis et singulis qui praesens hoc scriptum ceu protestationem inspexerint, potissimum Reformatae Religionis cultoribus cujuscunque sint gentis, gradus, aut conditionis, salutem, etc.  
CUM ad aures nostras non ita pridem fama pervenerit, sinistros quosdam rumores, literasque politica vel perniciosa potius quorundam industriâ sparsas esse, & nonnullis protestantium ecclesiis in exteris partibus emissas, nobis esse animum & consilium ab illa Orthodoxa Religione quam ab incunabulis imbibimus, & ad hoc usque momentum per integrum vitae nostrae curriculum amplexi sumus recedendi; & Papismum in haec Regna iterum introducendi, Quae conjectura, ceu nefanda potius calumnia nullo prorsus nixa vel imaginabili fundamento horrendos hosce tumultus, & rabiem plusquàm belluinam in Anglia suscitavit sub pretextu cujusdam (chimericae) Reformationis regimini, legibusque hujus Dominii non solum incongruae, sed incompatibilis: VOLUMUS, uttoti Christiano Orbi innotescat, ne minimam quidem animum nostrum incidisse cogitatiunculam hoc aggrediendi, aut transversum unguem ab illa Religione discedendi quam cum corona, septroque hujus regni solenni, & sacramentali juramento tenemur profiteri, protegere & propugnare. Nectantum constantissima nostra praxis, & quotidiana in exercitiis praefa●…ae Religionis praesentia, cum crebris in facie nostrorum agminum asseverationibus, publicisque procerum hujus Regni testimoniis, & sedula in regiam nostram sobolem educando circumspectione (omissis plurimis aliis argumentis) luculentissimè hoc demonstrat, sed etiam faelicissimum illud matrimonium quod inter nostram primogenitam, & illustrissimum principem 〈◊〉 sponte contraximus, idem fortissimè attestatur: Quo nuptiali faedere insuper constat, nobis non esse propositum illam profiteri solummodo, sed expandere, & corroborare quantum in nobis situm est.  
Hanc sacrosanctam Anglicanae Christi Ecclesiae Religionem, tot Theologorum convocationibus sancitam, tot comitiorum edictis confirmatam, tot Regiis Diplomatibus stabilitam, una cum regimine Ecclesiastico, & Liturgia ei annexa, quam liturgiam, regimenque celebriores protestantium Authores tam Germani, quam Galli, tam Dani quam Helvetici, tam Batavi, quam Bohemi multis elogiis nec sine quadam invidia in suis publicis scrip●…is comproban●… & applaudunt, ut in transactionibus Dordrechtanae Synodus, cui nonnulli nostrorum praesulum, quorum Dignitati debi●…a prestita fuit reverentia, interfuerunt, apparet Istam, inquimus Religionem, quam Regius noster pater (beatissimae memoriae) in illa celeberrima fidei suae Confessione omnibus Christianis principibus (ut & haec praesens nostra protestatio exhibita) publicè asserit: Istam, istam Religionem solenniter protestamur, Nos integram, sartam-tectam, & inviolabilem conservaturos, & pro virili nostro (divino adjuvante Numine) usque ad extremam vitae nostrae periodum protecturos, & omnibus nostris Ecclesiasticis pro muneris nostri, & supradicti sacrosancti juramenti ratione doceri, & praedicari curaturos. Quapropter injungimus & in mandatis damus Omnibus ministris nostris in exteris partibus tam Legatis, quam Residentibus, Agentibusque & nunciis, reliquisque nostris subditis ubicunque Orbis Christiani terrarum aut curiositatis aut comercii gracia degentibus, hanc solennem & sinceram nostram protestationem, quandocunque sese obtulerit loci & temporis oportunitas, communicare, asserere, asseverare.  
Dat. in Academia et Civitate nostra Oxoniensi pridie Idus Maii, 1644.   

CHARLES' by the special Providence of Almighty God, King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the Faith, etc. To all who profess the true Reformed Protestant Religion, of what Nation, degree, and condition soever they be to whom this present Declaration shall come, Greeting.  
Whereas We are given to understand, that many false rumours, and scandalous letters are spread up and down amongst the Reforme●… Churches in foreign parts by the Politic, or rather the pernicious industry of some illaffected persons, that we have an inclination to recede from that Orthodox Religion, which we were born, baptised, and bred in, & which We have firmly professed and practised throughout the whole course of our life to this moment, and that We intent to give way to the introduction, and public exercise of Popery again in Our Dominions: Which conjecture or rather most detestable calumny, being grounded upon no imaginable foundation, hath raised these horrid tumults, and more than barbarous wars throughout this flourishing Island, under pretext of a kind of Reformation, which would not only prove incongruous, but incompatible with the fundamental Laws and Government of this Kingdom, We do desire that the whole Christian world should take notice and rest assured, that We never entertained in Our imagination the least thought to attempt such a thing, or to depart a jot from that holy Religion, which when We received the Crown and Sceptre of this Kingdom, We took a most solemn Sacramental Oath to profess and protect. Nor doth Our most constant practice and quotidian visible presence in the exercise of this sole Religion, with so many Asseverations in the head of Our Armies, and the public attestation of Our Barons, with the circumspection used in the education of our Royal Offspring, besides divers other undeniable Arguments, only demonstrate this; But also that happy Alliance of Marriage, We contracted 'twixt Our eldest Daughter, and the Illustrious Prince of Orange, most clearly confirms the reality of Our intentions herein; by which Nuptial engagement it appears further, that Our endeavours are not only to make a bare profession thereof in Our own Dominions, but to enlarge and corroborate it abroad as much as lieth in Our Power: This most holy Religion of the Anglican Church, ordained by so many Convocations of learned Divines, confirmed by so many Acts of National Parliaments, and strengthened by so many Royal Proclamations, together with the Ecclesiastic discipline, and Liturgy thereunto appertaining, which Liturgy and discipline, the most eminent of Protestant Authors, as well Germane as French; as well Danes as Swedes and Swittzens; as well Belgians as Bohemians, do with many Eulogies (and not without a kind of Envy) approve and applaud in their public Writings, particularly in the transactions of the Synod of Dort, wherein besides other of Our Divines (who afterwards were Prelates) one of our Bishops assisted, to whose dignity all due respects and precedency was given: This Religion We say, which Our Royal Father of blessed memory doth publicly assert in His famous Confession addresed, as we also do this our Protestation, to all Christian Princes; This, this most holy Religion, with the Hierarchy and Liturgy thereof, We solemnly protest, that by the help of Almighty God, we will endeavour to Our utmost power, and last period of our life, to keep entire and inviolable, and will be careful, according to Our duty to Heaven, and the tenor of the aforesaid most sacred Oath at Our Coronation, that all Our ecclesiastics in their several degrees and incumbences shall preach and practise the same. Wherefore We enjoin and command all Our Ministers of State beyond the Seas, aswell Ambassadors as Residents, Agents, and Messengers, And We desire all the rest of Our loving subjects that sojourn either for curiosity or commerce in any foreign parts, to communicate, uphold and assert this Our solemn and sincere protestation when opportunity of time and place shall be offered.   

CHARLES, par la Providence de Dieu Roy de la grand ' Bretagne, de France, et d' Irlande, Defenseur de la Foy, &c. A tous ceux qui ceste presente Declaration verront, particulierement a Ceux de la Religion Reformee de quelque Nation, degreou condition qu'ils soient, Salut.  
AYant receu advis de bonne main que plusieurs faux rapports & lettres sont esparses parmi les Eglises Reformees de là la mer, par la politique, ou plustost la pernicieuse industrie de personnes mal affectionnes a nostre government; que nous auons dessein a receder de celle Religion que Nous auons professè & pratiquè tout le temps de nostre vie iusques a present; & de vouloir introduire la papautè derechef en nos Dominions, Laquelle conjecture, ou calumnie plustost, appuyee sur nul fundement imaginable, a suscitè ces horribles tumultes & allumè le feu d' une tressanglante guerre en tous les quatre coins de ceste fleurissante Monarchie, soubs pretexte d' une (chymerique) Reformation, la quelle seroit incompatible avec le governement & les loix fondementales de ce Royaume.  
Nous Desi●…ons, quil soit notoire a tout le monde, que la moindre pensee de ce faire n●… a pas entree en nostre imagination, de departir ancunement de cell' Orthodoxe Religion, qu' avec la Couronne & le sceptre de ce Royaume Nous sommes tenus par un serment solennel & sacramentaire a proteger & defendre. Ce qu' appert non seulement par nostre quotidienne presence es Exercies de la dite Religion, avec, tan●… d' asseverations a la teste de nos Armees, & la publicque Attestation de nos Barons, avec le soin que nous tenons en la nourrituredes princes & princesses nos ensans, Mais le tres-heureux mariage que nous avons conclu entre la nostre plus aisnee, & le tres-illustrie prince d' Orenge en est encore un tres-evident tesmoignage, par la quell' alliance il appert aussy, que nostre desir est de n' en faire pas une nue profession seulement dicelle, mais de la vouloir estendre & corroberer autant qu' il nous est possible: Cest ' Orthodoxe Religion de leglise Anglicane Ordonnee par tant de conventione de Teologues, confirmee par tant de arrests d' Parlement, & fortifie par tant d' Edicts royaux avec la discipline & la Lyturgi●… a elle appartenant, laquelle discipline & Lyturgie les plus celebres Autheurs Protestants, tant Francois, qu' Allemands; tant Seudois que Swisses, tant Belgiens que Bohemiens approuent entierement & non sans quelqu envie en leur escrits particulierement en la Synode de Dort, ou un de nos Euesques assistoit, & la Reverence & precedence deue a sa dignite Ecclesi●…stique luy fut exactement rendue: Ceste tres-sainte Religion que nostre feu pere de ●…res-heureuse memoire aduoue en sa celebre Confession de la Foy addressee come nous faisons ceste Declaration a tous Princes Chrestiens; Nous Protestons que moyennant la grace de Dieu, nous tascherone de conseruer ceste Religion inviolable, & en son entier selon la mesure de puissance que Dieu amis entre nos mains; Et nous requerons & commandons a tous nos ministres d' estat tant Ambassadeurs, que Residens, Agens ou messagers, & a tous autres nos subjects qui fontleurseiour es paysestrangers de communiquer, maintenir & adower cestenostre solennelle Protestation toutes fois & quantes que l' ocasion se presentera.    

APOLOGS, OR FABLES MYTHOLOGISED.  
Out of whose Morals the State and History of the late unhappy Distractions in Great Britain and Ireland may be Extracted;  
Some of which Apologs have proved PROPHETICAL.  — Nil est nisi Fabula Mundus. 
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1661.   

To my Honoured and known friend Sir I. C. Knight.  
SIR,  
AMongst many other Barbarismes which like an impetuous Torrent have lately rushed in upon us, The interception and opening of Letters is none of the least, For it hath quite bereft all ingenious Spirits of that correspondency and sweet communication of fancy, which hath been always esteemed the best fuel of affection, and the very marrow of friendship. And truly, in my judgement, this custom may be termed not only a Barbarism, but the ba●…est kind of Burglary that can be, 'tis a plundering of the very brain, as is spoken in another place.  
We are reduced here to that servile condition, or rather to such a height of slavery, that we have nothing left which may entitle us free Rational creatures; the thought itself cannot say 'tis free, much less the tongue or pen. Which makes me impart unto You the traverses of these turbulent times, under the following fables. I know you are an exquisite Astronomer. I know the deep inspection you have in all parts of Philosophy, I know you are a good Herald, and I have found in your Library sundry books of Architecture, and Comments upon Vitruvius. The unfolding of these Apologues will put you to it in all these, and will require▪ your second, if not your third thoughts, and when you have concocted them well, I believe, (else I am much deceived in your Genius) they will afford you some entertainment, and do the errand upon which they are sent, which is, to communicate unto you the most material passages of this longed-for Parliament, and of these sad confusions which have so unhinged, distorted, transversed, tumbled and dislocated all things, that England may be termed now, in comparison of what it was, no other than an Anagram of a Kingdom. One thing I promise you, in the perusal of these Parables, that you shall find no jingles in them, or any thing sordid or scurrilous, the common dialect and disease of these times. So I leave you to the guard and guidance,  

Of God and Virtue who do still advance  
Their Favourites, maugre the frowns of Chance.   
Your constant servant, I. H.   

The great CONJUNCTION, OR, Parliament of STARS.  
UPon a time, the Stars complained to Apollo, that he displayed his beams too much upon some malignant Planets; That the Moon had too great a share of his influence, and that he was carried away too much by her motion: They complained also, that the constellation of Libra (which holds the balance of Justice) had but a dim light, and that the Astrean Court was grown altogether destructive, with divers other grievances. Apollo hereupon, commanded Mercury to summon a general Synod, where some out of every Asterisme throughout the whole Firmament were to meet; Apollo told them, I am placed here by the finger of the Almighty, to be Monarch of the sky, to be the Measurer of Time, and I go upon his errand round about the worl●… every four and twenty hours: I am also the Fountain of Heat and Light, which, though I use to dispense and diffuse in equal proportions through the whole Universe; yet there is difference 'twixt objects, a Castle hath more of my light then a Cottage, and the Cedar hath more of me then the Shrub, according to the common axiom, Quicquid recipitur, recipitur ad modum recip●…entis. But touching the Moon, (the second great Luminary) I would have you know, that she is dearest unto me, therefore let none repine that I cherish her with my beams, and confer more light on her then any other. Touching the malignant Planets, or any other Star, of what magnitude soever, that moves not in a regular motion, or hath run any eccentric exorbitant course, or that would have made me to move out of the Zodiac, I put them over unto you, that upon due legal examination and proof, they may be unsphered or extinguished. But I would have this done with moderation; I would have you to keep as near as you can between the Tropiques and temperate Zones: I would have things reduced to their true Principles, I would have things reform, not ruined; I would have the spirit of malice and lying, the spirit of partiality and injustice, the spirit of tyranny and rigour, the base spirit of fear and jealousy to be far from this glorious Syderean Synod; I would have all private interests reflecting upon revenge or profit, to be utterly banished hence: Moreover, I would not have you to make grievances, where no grievances are, or dangers where no dangers are. I would have no creation of dangers; I would have you to husband time as parsimoniously as you can, lest by keeping too long together, and amusing the world with such tedious hopes of redress of grievances, you prove yourself the greatest grievance at last, and so from Stars become Comets: Lastly, I would have you be cautious how you tamper with my Sovereign power, and chop Logic with me in that point; you know what became of Him who once presumed to meddle with my Chariot. Hereupon the whole Host of Heaven being constellated thus into one great Body, fell into a serious deliberation of things, and Apollo himself continued his presence, and sat often amongst them in his full lustre, but in the mean time, whilst they were in the midst of their consultations, many odd Aspects, Oppositions and Conjunctions happened between them: for some of the Sporades, but specially those mongrel small vulgar stars, which make up the Galaxia (the milky way in Heaven) gather in a tumultuous disorderly manner about the body of Apollo, and commit many strange insolences, which caused Apollo (taking young Phosphorus the Morningstar with him) to retire himself, and in a just indignation to withdraw his Light from the Synod: so all began to be involved in a strange kind of confusion and obscurity; they groaped in the dark, not knowing which way to move, or what course to take, all things went Cancer-like retrograde, because the Sun detained his wont light and irradiations from them.  

MORAL.  Such as the Sun is in the Firmament, a Monarch is in his Kingdom: for, as the Wisest of men saith, In the light of the King's Countenance there is life; and I believe that to be the Moral of this Astrean Fable.   

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. OR, The Great Council of BIRDS.  
UPon a time the Birds met in Council, for redress of some extravagancies that had flown unto the volatill Empire; Nor was it the first time that Birds met thus; for the Phrygian Fabler tells us of divers meetings of theirs: And after him we read that Apollonius Thyaneus, undertook the interpretation of their language, and to be their Drogoman.  
They thus assembled in one Great Covey by the call of the Eagle their unquestioned hereditary King, and by virtue of his Royal Authority, complaints were brought, that divers Cormorants and Harpies, with other Birds of prey, had got in amongst them, who did much annoy and invade the public liberty: sundry other Birds were questioned, which caused some to take a timely 
Finch, etc.  flight into another air.  
As they were thus consulting for advancement of the common good, many 
Mechanics▪ Mariners.  Rooks, Horn-Owles and Seagulls flocked together, and ●…luttered about the place they were assembled in, where they kept a hideous noise, and committed many outrages, and nothing could satisfy them, but the Griffons head, which was therefore chopped off, and offered up as a sacrifice 
〈◊〉 Stra●….  to make them leave their chattering, and to appease their fury for the time.  
They fell foul afterwards upon the Pies, who were used to be much reverenced, 
Bishops.  and to sit upon the highest perch in that great Assembly: they called them I dolatrous and inauspitious Birds, they hated their mixed colour, repined at their long train, they tore their white feathers, and were ready to peck out their very eyes: they did what they could to put them in Owls feathers (as the poor Sheep was in the Wolveses skin) to make them the more hated, and to be stared and hooted at whersoever they passed. The Pies being thus scared, presented a Petition to the royal Eagle, and to this his great Counsel, that they might be secured to repair safely thither to sit and consult, according to the ancient Laws of the Volatill Empire continued so many ages without controlment or question: in which Petition they inserted a Protest or Caveat, that no public act should pass in the interim. This Supplication, both for matter and form, was excepted against, and cried up to be high Treason, specially that indefinite Protest they had made, that no Act whatsoever should be of any validity without them, which was alleged to derogate from the High Law-making power of that Great Counsel, and tended to retard and disturb the great Affairs which were then in agitation: so the poor Pies, as if by that Petition they had like the Blackbird voided Lime to catch themselves, (according to the Proverb, Turdus cacat sibi malum) were suddenly hurried away into a Cage, and after ten long Months canvasing of the point, they were unpearched, and rendered for ever uncapable to be Members of that Court, they were struck dumb and voice-less, and suddenly as it were blown up away thence, though without any force of powder, as once was plotted against them. But this was done when a thin number of the adverse Birds had kept still together, and stuck close against them, and also after that the Bill concerning them had been once ejected, which they humbly conceived by the ancient order of that Court could not be readmitted in the same Session. They Petitioned from the place they were cooped in, that for heaven's sake, for the honour of that noble Counsel, for Truth and Justice sake, they ●…eing as freeborn Denizens of the airy Region, as any other Volatills whatsoever, their charge might be perfected, that so they might be brought to a legal trial, and not forced to languish in such captivity. They pleaded to have done nothing but what they had precedents for: And touching the Caveat they had inserted, it was a thing unusual in every inferior Court of Judicature, and had they forborn to have done it, they had betrayed their own nest, and done wrong to their successors. It was affirmed they had been Members of that Body politic, long before those lower parched Birds, who now would cast them out; and that they had been their best friends to introduce them to have any thing do do in that general Counsel: they prayed they might not be so cruelly used, as the Solan goose, and 
Sco●….  Redshank had used them, who were not content to brail and clip their wings only, but to ●…ear them so, that they should never grow again; to handle them so unmercifully, was not the way to make their adversaries Birds of Paradise: in fine, they advised them to remember what the sick Kite's Mother answered him, when he desired her to pray to the Gods for him, How canst thou, said she, expect any good from the Gods, whose Temples thou hast so violated? At last, upon the importunity and pitifulness of their Petitions, the accusation of Treason, which kept such a noise at first, being declined against them, they were released in the morning, but cooped up again before night: and after the revolution of four full Moons, they were restored again to a conditional liberty, under which they remain till this day.  
There wants not some, who affirm, that in that Great Counsel of Birds, there were some Decoys (and 'tis well known where Decoys were first bred) who called in, not only these mongrill obstreperous Birds from abroad to commit such outrages as were spoken of before, but drew after them also many of the greatest Birds, who sat in that Assembly, to follow them whither they listed: Others, who were of a more generous extraction, disdained to be such Buzzards, as to be carried away hood-wincked in that manner, to be Birds of their feather. Thus a visible faction was hatched in this great Counsel, as if the said Decoys had disgorged and let fall some grains of Hemlock seeds amongst them to distemper their brains. Or, as if some Spinturnix, that fatal incendiary Bird, or some illboding Screech-owl, which as stories tell us appeared once at Rome, in a famous, though unfortunate great Counsel (when there was a schism in the Popedom) had appeared likewise here. There wanted not also amongst them some Amphibious Birds, as the Barnacle, which is neither Fish nor Fowl; and the cunning Ba●…t, who sometimes professeth himself a Bird, sometimes a Mouse. I will not say there were any Paphlagonian Birds amongst them, who are known to have double hearts. But 'tis certain, that in this confusion there were some malevolent Birds, and many of them so young, that they were scarce fledged, who like the Wasp in the Fable, conspired to fire the Eagles nest, (and a Wasp may sometimes do mischief to an Eagle as a Mouse to an Elephant.) Moreover some of these light brained Birds flew so high, that they seemed to arrogate to themselves, and exercise royal power, but foolishly; for we know what became of the Crow upon the Ram's back, when she thought to imitate the Eagle: And as it was observed that they were most eager to attempt those high insolensies against Jove's Bird, who had been stark naked, and as bare as Cootes, unless he had feathered them; so that the little Ant was more grateful to Esop's Bird; then those Birds were to the Eagle their liege Lord and Master. But the highborn Bird with the two golden wings, the noble Falcons, the Martlets, the Ravens, 
M. Hert. E. South. E. Westm. E. Worce. E. Dover. Wales. Digbies.  the Swan, the Chough, and all the ancient Birds of the Mountains remained faithful and firm to the Eagle, and scorned to be carried away by such Decoys; As also the generous Ostriches, who unless they had had an extraordinary stomach, could not have digested such iron pills as were offered them. Amongst other great Birds which banded against the Eagle, the flying Dragons, Green and White, 
E. Pemb. E Wa●…w.  were busy, specially the White; And for the Green, considering he was an ancient Bird of the Mountains, and that his Progenitors had been so renowned for their rare loyaly to the Crown, every one wondered that he should be drawn so far by the forefaid Decoys, as to be the first of his race that should clap his wings against his Sovereign Liege Lord.  
The aforesaid distractions continued still, and increased more and more in that general convolation of Birds; therefore the Turtle would stay there no longer, there was so much gall amongst them: the Pelecan flew away, he saw Piety so vilified; the Dove was weary of their company, she found no simplicity and plain dealing amongst them: And the Kings▪ Fisher, the Halcyon (the Emblem of Peace) quite forsook 
Arondelle.  them, he found so mnch jarring, dissensions, and bandings on all sides; the Swallow also, who had so ancient and honourable a rank amongst them, got into another air, he foresaw the weather was like to so be foul: And lastly, Philomela, the Queen 
Her Majesty.  of Volatills, who was partner of the Eagles' nest, abandoned them quite, and put a Sea 'twixt her and them; nay, the Eagle himself withdrew his royal presence from them; so the Decoys aforesaid carried all before them, and comported themselves by their Orders in that height, as if like the Lapwing, every one had a Crown on his head; they so enchanted in a manner, all the common sort of Oppidan, rural, and Sea-birds, and infused such a credulity into them, that they believed them to have an inerring spirit, and what came from them, was as true as the Pentateuch: Moreover, it was shrewdly suspected, that there was a pernicious plot amongst them to let in the Stork, who is never seen to stay long in any Monarchy.  

MORAL.  Moderation is that Goden Rule whereby all Great Counsels should square their deliberations, and nothing can tend more to their Honour or dishonour, in point of Wisdom: Moreover, in a Successive hereditary Monarchy, when subjects assume Regal Power, when they bar the Holy Church of her Rights, & of that Reverence which is due to her chief Professors, it is the most compendious way to bring all things to confusion, and consequently to an inevitable ruin, or some fatal Change. 
And this I hold to be the chiefest Moral of this Apologue of Birds.    

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, The gathering together, or Parliament of FLOWERS.  
UPon a time, The Flowers assembled, and met in one general Counsel, by the authority and summons of the Sovereign Rose, their undoubted natural King, who had taken the Lily for his royal spouse. The dew of heaven fell plentifully upon this happy conjunction, which made them to Bourgeon, to propagate and prosper exceedingly, in so much, that the sweet fragrant odor which they did cast, diffused itself over all the earth. To this meeting came the Violet, Gillyflower, the Rosemary, the Tulyp, Lavender and Thyme, the cinquefoil (though of a foreign growth) had an 
M. Hamilt.  honourable rank amongst them, and as some observed, got too much credit with the royal Rose. The Flowers of the field were admitted also to this great Counsel: the Cowslip, the Honysukle and Daisy had their Delegates there present, to consult of a Reformation of certain abuses which had taken rooting in the Common wealth of Flowers, and being all under the Rose, they had privilege to speak all things with freedom; Complaints were made that much Cockle and Darnell, with other noxious Herbs and tares were crept in amongst them, that the Poppy did pullulat too much, with divers other grievances: The success of this Senate, this great Bed or Posy of living Flowers, was like to prove very prosperous, but that the herb Briony, Wormwood, Wolfbane, Rue, and Melampod (the emblems of Sedition, Malice, Fear, Ambition and jealousy) thrust in amongst them, and much distempered their proceedings: These brought in with them the Burr, which exceedingly retarded and 
Scot  entangled all businesses; and it was thought that the Thistle was too meddling amongst them, which made matters grow to that acrimony and confusion, as if the herb Morsus diaboli had got in amongst them. Amongst many other good-morrows, they propounded to the Rose, that he should part with his prickles, and transmit his strength that way to be disposed of by them; the Royal Rose liked not this bold request of theirs, though couched in very smooth language, but answered, I have hitherto condescended to every thing you have propounded, much more then▪ any of my Predecessors ever did; but touching these prickles, which God and nature hath given me, and are inherent in me and my stock from the beginning, though they be but excressencies, yet you know they fortify and arm me, Armat Spina Rosam. And by them I protect you and your rights from violence, and what protection I pray can there be without strength? therefore I will by no means part with them to enfeeble my regal Power, but will retain them still, and bequeath them to my Posterity, which I would be loath to betray in this point; nor do I much value what that silly infected Animal, the King of Bees tells me sometimes, when humming up and down my leaves, he would buzz this fond belief into me, how it added much to his Majesty, that nature gives him no sting, as all other Bees have, because he should rely altogether upon the love and loyalty of his subjects. No; I will take warning by the Eagle, the King of Volatills, and by the Lion, King of Quadrupedals, who (as the Prince of 
Plut.  Moralists reports) when by fair insinuations the one had parted with his talons, the other with his teeth and ongles, wherein their might, and consequently their Majesty consisted, grew afterwards contemptible to all creatures, and quite lost that natural allegiance and awe which was duc unto the one from all birds, and to the other, from all beasts of field and forest.  

MORAL.  Every natural borne Monarch, hath an inherent inalienable strength in himself, which is the common Militia of his Kingdom; for, though the people's love (which oftentimes is got by an Apple, and lost by a Pear) be a good Citadel, yet there must be a concurrence of some visible settled force besides, which no earthly power may dispose of without his royal commands: and for him to transmit this strength to any other, is the only way to render him inglorious and despicable, both at home and abroad; And thus you have the spirit of these Flowers, and Moral of the Fable.   

The Assembly of Architects.  
THere was an ancient goodly Palace, composed of divers pieces, and partitioned into sundry Chambers, Halls and Courts, which were supported by mixed Pillars, partly Corinthian, partly jonique, but principally by the Dorique the King of Columns, as having the firmest Pedestal: Some took exceptions, and alleged, that some of the said Courts were too high, and some of the Chambers in this Structure were too wide. The Lord of this Palace called together the best Masons and Architects, to advise with him (not without him) for mending of those faults, the better contrivance of the rooms, and to reduce the Building to a just proportion. They solemnly met, and falling to consultation hereof, they found that the Chamber which was spangled with Stars, and where his private Counsel of State did use to sit, were too wide; they thought that the Court erected on the North-side, and that learned Court where Ecclesiastical matters were scanned, was too high; These, with that peculiar Court which was erected for the support of Honour, they went about in lieu of rectifying, to ruinat and raze to the very ground; and some of these Masons (for indeed they were rather Masons then true Architects) were so precise and over critical, that they seemed to find fault with the position of the Chapel that belonged to this Palace, because, forsooth, it stood East and west, which situation, only in regard it was ancient, they held to be a superstitious posture; They seemed to repine at the decency, riches and ornament of it, with divers other frivolous exceptions. The Lord of the Palace said little to that, but touching the errors and disproportions in the foresaid Courts and Chambers of public justice, he was very willing they should be amended, and reduced to a true dimension and symmetry; and that all other rooms should be searched and swept clean: but he would be loath to see those ancient pieces quite demolished, for that would hazard the fall of the main Fabric, his princely hereditary patrimony (descended upon him from so many wise Oeconomists and royal Progenitors) in regard of the ●…uncture and contignation those parts had with the whole frame. To mend a thing by demolishing it, is as curing a sick body by knocking him in the head: he told them it was easier far to pull down, then build up; one may batter to pieces in one hour, that which cannot be built in an age: That everlasting Villain, who burned the Ephesian Temple, destroyed, as it were in a trice, what was a rearing up ten long Olympiads: He wished them further to be very cautious how they meddled with th' the Angulars and Basis of that Royal Structure; for so they might prove as wise as those Architects, who took out some of the foundation stones, to repair the roof. Lastly, he told them, that if they intended to pull down any part of his own standing Palace, they should be well advised before hand of the fashion whereof that new Fabric should be, which they purposed to rear up in the room of the old.  

MORAL  Innovations are of dangerous consequence in all things, specially in a settled well tempered ancient State; therefore there should be great heed taken, before any ancient Court of Judicature, erected as a Pillar to support Justice by the wisdom of our Progenitors, be quite put down; for it may shake the whole Fram of Government, and introduce a change; and changes in Government are commonly fatal, for seldom comes a better. And this I hold to be the aim of this Apologue.   

The Insurrection of the Winds.  
IT fortuned, that the Winds banded against Aeolus: And Boreas (the Northwind) began to bluster first, and would blow where he listed, he grew so boisterous, that he is called Scopa viarum, the highway Besom, he seemed to sweep all before him Southward, insomuch, that uniting all his strength into one body, he made towards Aeolus in a hostile armed manner, and so obtained of him what he desired. After his example (and an odd example it was) the West-wind, his fellow subject rose 
The Scot The Irish.  up, alleging, that though he blew from the left-side of Heaven, yet he deserved to be as much favoured as Boreas, in regard he drove a far richer trade, and blew upon a more fertile Country, which brought in much more benefit to the rest of Aeolus his Dominions; therefore he would have his liberties also assured him, which he alleged were altogether as ancient as the others: This made him puff with such an impetuous violence, that his blasts brought with them (God wot) divers showers of blood, and whole Cataracts of calamities: Now, as it is observed in the course of natural things, that one mischief seldom marcheth alone, but ushers in another, and hath always its concomitants, so these North and Western gusts, as one wave useth to drive on another, made all the winds in the compass, both collateral and cardinal to rise up and rebel against Aeolus, even under that very Clime, and in those Orisons, where he kept his principal residence and royal Court. And this popular wind (for 'twas no other, take it all 
England.  jointly in one puff) did rage with that vehemency, that it turned every where into fearful flames of fire (issuing out of a kind of Ignis fatuus, which by its repercussions, and furious arietations, did a world of mischief, as if it had been that incendiary Prester wind, or rather an Haraucana, that Indian gust, which always brings the Devil along with it as those Savages believe) had blown here, For, surely God was not in this wind. Yet some were so simple, to think that this wind proceeded from divine inspirations; nay, they came to that height of profaneness, as to father it upon the Holy Ghost, though nothing could be more different to his sweet motions, nothing so directly opposite to his soft gentle breeses and eventilatio●…s; for no holy consecrated thing could stand before this Diabolical wind, down went all Crosses it met withal; it battered down Church and Chappel windows (and I fear the walls and steeples will next to wrack.) It was so violent, that it overturned all stone Tables that stood Eastward; it blew away all the decent Vests and Ornaments of the Church; the Bishop's Mitre (an Order contemporary with Christianity itself) did quake like an Aspen leaf before it; nay, it shrewdly shook the very Imperial Sceptre, and Crown which stood on Aeolus his head, so that he was like to become Ludibrium Ventorum.  
But the highest Deity of Heaven, He who walketh upon the wings of the wind, and makes weight for them, and gathereth them in his fist when he pleaseth, hating such an odious rebellion, rebuked these tumultuous winds, he caused a contagious air, to rush in and mingle with them, and infect them with new d●…seases; besides whispers of jealousies, doubts and diffidence blue and buzzed more and more amongst them, so that they could not trust one another; insomuch, that it made them to fall into confusion amongst themselves, which is the common fate of all Rebellions. So Aeolus recovered his Monarchy, and as they say, there is no wind but blows some body good; so this turned much to the advantage of Aeolus, for he grew ever after more firm and better established in his regal power, because he put a competent guard in those Climes whence all these boisterous winds burst forth, and so secured himself ever after, that they could not blow where they listed.  
Popular Insurrections being debelled, turn to the advantage, and render the Ruling Prince more secure afterwards, or a broken bone being well set, grows stronger oftentimes: And so you have the Principal Moral of this Parable in brief.  

POSTSCRIPT.  SIr, I long to receive your opinion of these rambling pieces of fancy, you may, peradventure, have more, when the times are open: surely the wind will not hold still in this unlucky hole, for it is too violent to last: It begins (thanks be to God) to sift already, and amongst those multitudes, who expect the change, I am one that lieth at the Cape of good Hope, though a long time under hatches (in the Fleet.) Howsoever, though all the winds in the compass should bluster upon me; nay, though a Haraucana should rage, I am armed and resolved to bear the brunt, to welcome the Will of God, and possess my soul with patience. 
If you desire a further intimation of things, I refer you to a Discourse of mine called The True Informer, who will give you no vulgar satisfaction. So I am  
Yours, as at first, inalterable. I. H.    

OF The LAND of IRE: OR, A DISCOURSE OF THAT HORRID INSURRECTION AND MASSACRES Which happened lately In IRELAND;  
By Mercurius Hibernicus: Who discovers unto the World the True Causers and Incendiaries thereof.  
In Vindication Of His Majesty, who is most maliciously Traduced to be Accessary thereunto;  
Which is as damnable a Lie as possibly could be hatched in Hell; which is the Staple of Lie.  A Lie stands upon one leg,— Truth upon two.  

Mercurius Hibernicus, His Advertisement to the well-tempered READER.  
THere is a mongrel race of Mercuries lately sprung up, but I claim no acquaintance with them, much less any Kindred. They have commonly but one week's time for their conception and birth; and then are they but like those Ephemeran creatures, which Pliny speaks of, that are born in the morning, grow up till noon, and perish the same night: I hope to be longer lived then so, because I was longer a getting, there was more time and matter went to my Generation.  
There is a Tale how the true Mercury indeed, descended from Heaven once in a disguise, to see how he was esteemed on earth; and entering one day into a Painters-shop, he found there divers Pictures of Apollo, jupiter, Mars, with others; and spying his own hanging in a corner hard-by, he asked what the price of that Portrait might be? The Painter answered, that if he bought any of the rest, he would give him that into the bargain for nothing: Mercury hereupon shaking his white Caducean, flung out in indignation, and flew up to Heaven. Should Mercury chance to descend now from his sphere, I think he would be much more offended to find himself personated by every petty impertinent Pamphleter; yet I believe he would not think it ill that Aulicus assumes his shape, nor that the Harp, who owes her first invention to him, should be made now his crest.   

To my honourable Friend Mr. E. P.  
SIR,  
IF You please to cast your eyes upon the following Discourse, I believe it will afford you some satisfaction, and enlighten you more in the Irish affairs. The allegiance I owe to Truth, was the Midwife that brought it forth, and I make bold to make choice of you for my Gossip, because I am  
From the prison of the Fleet 3. Nonas April is 1643. Your true servant, I. H.   

Mercurius Hibernicus.  
THere is not any thing since these ugly wars begun, whereof there hath been more advantage made to traduce and blemish His Majesty's actions, or to alienate and embitter the affections of his people towards Him, to incite them to arms, and enharden them in the quarrel, than of the Irish affairs; whether one cast his eyes upon the beginning and proceedure of that war (which some by a most monstrous impudence would patronise upon their Majesties) or upon the late Cessation, and the transport of Auxiliaries since from thence. There are some that in broken pieces have written of all three: but not in one entire discourse, as this is, nor hath any hitherto hit upon those reasons and inferences that shall be displayed herein.  
But he who adventures to judge of affairs of State, specially of traverses of war, as of Pacifications, of Truces, Suspensions of Arms, Parleys, and such like, must well observe the quality of the times, the success and circumstance of matters past, the posture and pressure of things present (and upon the Place) the inducement or enforcement of causes, the gaining of time, the necessity of preventing greater mischiefs (whereunto true policy Prometheus like hath always an eye) with other advantages. The late Cessation of Arms in Ireland was an affair of this nature; a true Act of State, and of as high a consequence as could be: Which Cessation is now become the Common Subject of every man's discourse, or rather the discourse of every common Subject all the three Kingdoms over: And not only the subject of their discourse, but of their censure also; nor of their censure only, but of their reproach and obloquy. For the World is come now to that pass, that the Foot must judge the Head, the very Cobbler must pry into the Cabinet Counsels of his King; nay the Distaff is ready ever and anon to arraign the Sceptre; Spinstresses are become States-women, and every peasan turned politician; such a fond irregular humour reigns generally of late years amongst the English Nation.  
Now the Design of this small discourse, though the Subject require a far greater volume, is, to vindicate His Majesty's most pious intentions in condescending to this late suspension of Arms in His Kingdom of Ireland, and to make it appear to any rational ingenious capacity, (not pre-occupied or purblinded with passion) that there was more of honour and necessity, more of prudence and piety in the said Cessation, than there was either in the Pacification or Peace that was made with the Scot  
But to proceed herein the more methodically, I will lay down, first,  
The real and true radical causes of the late two-yeers Irish Insurrection.  
Secondly, the course His Majesty used to suppress it.  
Lastly, those indispensable impulsive reasons and invincible necessity which enforced His Majesty to condescend to a Cessation.  
Touching the grounds of the said Insurrection, we may remember when His Majesty out of a pious design (as His late Majesty also had) to settle an Uniformity of serving God in all his three Kingdoms, sent our Liturgy to his Subjects of Scotland; some of that Nation made such an advantage hereof, that though it was a thing only recommended, not commanded or pressed upon them, and so called in suddenly again by a most gracious Proclamation, accompanied with a general pardon: Yet they would not rest there, but they would take the opportunity hereby to demolish Bishops, and the whole Hierarchy of the Church (which was no grievance at all till then) To which end, they put themselves in actual Arms, and obtained at last what they listed; which they had not dared to have done, had they not been sure to have as good friends in England as they had in Scotland (as Lesly himself confessed to Sir William Berkley at Newcastle) for some of the chiefest Inconformists here, had not only intelligence with them, but had been of their Cabinet-counsels in moulding the Plot: though some would cast this war upon the French Cardinal, to vindicate the invasion we made upon his Master's dominions in the Isle of Rets; as also for some advantage the English use to do the Sp●…niard in transporting his Treasure to Dunkirk, with other offices. Others would cast it upon the jesuit, that he should project it first, to ●…orce His M●…jesty to have recourse to his Roman Catholic Subjects for aid, that so they might, by such Supererogatory service ingratiate themselves the more into his favour.  
The Irish hearing how well their next Neighbou●…s had sped by way of Arms, it filled them full of thoughts and apprehensions of fear and jealousy, that the Scot would prove more powerful hereby, and consequently more able to do them hurt, and to attemp●… ways to restrain them of that connivency, which they were allowed in point of Religion: Now there is no Nation upon earth that the Irish hate in that perfection, and with a greater Antipathy, than the Scot, or from whom they conceive greater danger: For whereas they have an old prophecy amongst them, which one shall hear up and down in every mouth, That the day will come when the Irish shall weep upon English men's graves: They fear that this prophecy will be verified and fulfilled in the Scot above any other Nation.  
Moreover, the Irish entered into consideration, that They also had sundry grievances and grounds of complaint, both touching their estates and consciences, which they pretended to be far greater than those of the Scots. For they fell to think, that if the Scot was suffered to introduce a new Religion, it was reason they should not be so pinched in the exercise of their old, which they glory never to have altered. And for temporal matters (wherein the Scot had no grievance at all to speak of) the new plantations which had been lately afoot, to be made in Conaught and other places; the concealed lands and defective titles which were daily found out; the new customs which were imposed, and the incapacity they had to any preferment or Office in Church and State (with other things) they conceived these to be grievances of a far greater nature, and that deserved redress much more than any the Scot had. To this end, they sent over Commissioners to attend this Parliament in England, with certain Propositions, but those Commissioners were dismissed hence with a short and unsavoury answer, which bred worse blood in the Nation than was formerly gathered; and this, with that leading case of the Scot, may be said to be the first incitements that made them rise.  
In the cou●…se of humane actions, we daily find it to be a true rule, Exempla movent, Examples move, and make strong impressions upon the fancy; precepts are not so powerful as precedents. The said example of Scotland, wrought wonderfully upon the imagination of the Irish, and filled them (as I touched before) with thoughts of emulation, that They deserved altogether to have as good usage as the Scot, their Country being far more beneficial, and consequenly, more importing the English Nation. But these were but confused imperfect notions, which began to receive more vigour and form after the death of the Earl of Strafford, who kept them under so exact an obedience, though some censure him to have screwed up the strings of the Harp too high; insomuch that the taking off of the Earl of strafford's head, may be said to be the second incitement to the heads of that insurrection to stir.  
Add hereunto, that the Irish understanding with what acrimony the Roman Catholics in England were proceeded against since the sitting of our Parliament, and what further designs were afoot against them, and not only against them, but for ranversing the Protestant Religion itself, as it is now practised (which some shallow-braind 〈◊〉 do throw into the same scales with P●…pery.) They thought it was high time for them to forecast what should become of Them, and how they should ●…e 〈◊〉 in point of conscience, when a new Deputy of the Parliaments election (approbation at least) should come over. Therefore they fell to consult of some means of timely prevention: And this was another mo●…ive (and it was a sh●…ewd one) which p●…sht on the Irish to take up Arms.  
Lastly, that Army of 8000. men, which the Earl of Strafford had raised to be transported to England for suppressing the Scot, being by the advice of our Parliament here, disbanded; the Country was annoyed by some 〈◊〉 those straggling Soldiers, as not one in twenty of the Irish, will from the sword to the spade, or from the Pike to the plough again. Therefore the two Marquesses that were Ambassadors here then for Spain, having propounded to have some numbers of those disbanded forces, for the service of their Master; His Majesty by the mature advice of his privy Counsel, to occur the mischiefs that might arise to his Kingdom of Ireland by those loose cashiered Soldiers, yielded to the Ambassadors motion, who sent notice hereof to Spain accordingly, and so provided shipping for their transport, and impressed money to advance the business; but as they were in the heat of that 〈◊〉▪ His Majesty being then in Scotland▪ 〈◊〉 w●…s a sudden stop made of those promised troops, who had depended long upon the Spaniards service, as the Spaniard 〈◊〉 do●…e on theirs. And this was the last, though no●… the least fatal cause of that horrid insurrection: All which particulars well considered, it had been no hard matter to have been a Prophet, and standing upon the top of Holy-Head, to have foreseen those black clouds engendering in the Irish air, which bro●…e out afterwards into such fearful tempests of blood.  
Out of these premises, it is easy for any common understanding, not transported with passion and private interest, to draw this conclusion. That They who complied with the Scot in his insurrection; They who dismissed the Irish Commissioners with such a short unpolitick answer, They who took off the Earl of strafford's head, and delayed afterwards the dispatching of the Earl of Leicester, They who hindered those disbanded troops in Ireland to go for Spain, may be justly said to have been the true causes of the late insurrection of the Irish; and consequently, it is easy to know upon the account of whose souls must be laid the blood of those hundred and odd thousands poor Christians, who perished in that war; so that had it been possible to have brought over their bodies unputrified to England, and to have cast them at the doors, and in the presence of some men I believe they would have gushed out afresh into blood, for discovery of the true murderers.  
The grounds of this insurrection being thus discovered, let us examine what means His Majesty used for the suppression of it. He made his addresses presently to his great Counsel, the English Parliament then assembled, which Queen Elizabeth and her progenitors did seldom use to do, but only to their Privy Counsel in such cases, who had the discussing and transacting of all foreign affairs; for in managing matters of State, specially those of war, which must be carried with all the secrecy that may be, Trop grand nombre, est encumber, as the Frenchman saith, too great a number of Counselors may be an encumber, and expose their results and resolutions to discovery and other disadvantages, whereas in military proceedings the work should be afoot before the Counsels be blazed abroad. Well, His Majesty transmitted this business to the Parliament of England, who totally undertaking it, and wedding as it were the quarlel (as I remember they did that of the Palatinate a little before by solemn vote; the like was done by the Parliament of Scotland also, by a public joint Declaration, which in regard there came nothing of it, tended little to the honour of either Nation abroad) His Majesty gave his royal assent to any Propositions or acts for raising of men, money and arms to perform the work. But hereby no man is so simple as to think His Majesty should absolutely give over his own personal care and protection of that his Kingdom, it being a Rule, That a King can no more desert the protection of his own people, than they their subjection to him. In all his Declarations there was nothing that he endeared and inculcated more often, and with greater aggravation and earnestness unto them, than the care of his poor Subjects their fellow-Protestants in Ireland: Nay, he resented their condition so far, and took the business so to heart, that he offered to pass over in person for their relief: And who can deny but this was a magnanimous and Kinglike resolution? Which the Scots by public act of Counsel, did highly approve of, and declared it to be an argument of care and courage in his Majesty. And questionless it had done infinite good in the opinion of them that have felt the pulse of the Irish people, who are daily o'erheard to groan, how they have been any time these 400. years under the English Crown, and yet never saw but two of their Kings all the while upon Irish ground, though there be but a salt 〈◊〉 of a few hours sail to pass over. And much more welcome should His Majesty, now regnant, be amongst them, who by general tradition, They confess and hold to come on the paternal side from 〈◊〉 (by legal and lineal descent) who was an Irish Prince, and after King of Scotland, whereas the title of all our former Kings and Queens was stumbled at always by the vulgar. His Majesty finding that this royal proffer of engaging his own person, was rejected with a kind of scorn, couched in smooth language, though the main business concerned himself nearest, and indeed solely himself, that Kingdom being his own hereditary Right. Understanding also, what base sinister use there was made of this insurrection by some traitorous malevolent persons, who, to cast aspersions upon His Majesty, and to poison the hearts of his people, besides public infamous reports, counterfeited certain Commissions in His Majesty's name to authorise the business, as if he were privy to it, though I dare pawn my soul His (or Her) Majesty knew no more of it then the great Mogor did. Finding also that the Commissioners employed hence for the managing and composing matters in that Kingdom, though nominated by the Parliament, and by their recommendation authorized by His Majesty, did not observe their instructions, and yet were connived at. Understanding also, what an inhuman design there was between them and the Scot, in lieu of suppressing an insurrection to eradicat and extinguish a whole nation to make booty of their lands (which hopes the London Adventurers did hug, and began to divide the Bears-skin before he was taken, as His Majesty told them▪ an attempt the Spaniard nor any other Christian State ever intended against the worst of Savages; The conceit whereof in●…used such a desperate courage, eagerness and valour into the Irish, that it made them turn necessity into a kind of virtue.  
Moreover, His Majesty taking notice that those royal Subsidies, with other vast contributions whereunto he had given way, with the sums of particular Adventurers (amongst whom some Aliens (Hollanders) were taken in, besides the Scot to share the Country) were misapplyed, being visibly employed, rather to feed an English Rebellion, then to suppress an Irish: Nay, understanding that those charitable collections which were made for the relief of those distressed Protestants, who being stripped of all their livelihood in Ireland, were forced to fly over to England, were converted to other uses, and the Charity not dispensed according to the Givers intention. Hearing also that those 5000. men which had been levied and assigned to go under the Lord Wharton, the Lord of Kerry, Sir Faithful Fortescue and others were diverted from going to the west of Ireland, and employed to make up the Earl of Essex Army: And having notice besides that the Earl of Warwick had stayed certain ships going thither with supplies, and that there was an attempt to send for over to England some of those Scottish Forces which were in Ulster, without his privity. Lastly, His Majesty finding himself unfit, and indeed disabled to reach those his distressed Subjects, his own royal army all his naval strength, revenues and magazines being out of his hands; and having as hard a game to play still with the Scot, and as pernicious a fire to quench in England, as any of his Progenitors ever had: Receiving intelligence also daily from his Protestant Nobility and Gentry thence, in what a desperate case the whole Kingdom stood, together with the report of the Committee that attended His Majesty from them expressly for that service, who amongst other deplorable passages in their petition, represented, That all means by which comfort and life should be conveyed unto that gasping Kingdom, seemed to be totally obstructed, and that unless 〈◊〉 relief were afforded, His loyal Subject●… there must yield their fortunes for a prey, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a sacrifice, and their Religion for a 〈◊〉 to the merciless Rebels.  
His Majesty (as it was high time for 〈◊〉) taking into his Princely thoughts those woeful complainrs and cries of his poor Subjects, condescended at last to appoint some persons of honour to hear what the Irish could say for themselves, as they had often petitioned; and God forbid but the King of Ireland should receive his Subjects petitions, as well as the King of Scotland. But His Majesty being unsatisfied with what they propounded then, the Lord Marquess of Ormond marched with considerable Forces against them, and though he came off with honour, yet no relief at all coming thither for many months after from the Parliament here, who had undertaken the business, and had received all the sums and subsidies, with other unknown contributions to that end, matters grew daily worse and worse. To sum up all, His Majesty receiving express and positive advice from his Lord Justices and Counsel of State there, that the whole Kingdom was upon point of utter perdition, which was co-intimated the same time to the Parliament here, by a special letter to the Speaker; I say His Majesty finding that he had neither power of himself, it being transmitted to others; and that those trusties did misapply that power and trust he had invested in them (for the time) to make good their undertaking for preservation of that his fruitful Kingdom; being impelled by all these forcible reasons, His Majesty sent a commission to the Lord marquis of Ormond his Lieutenant General (a most known sincere Protestant) to hearken to a treaty according to their petition; and if any thing was amiss in that treaty in point of honour (as it shall appear by comparing it with others, there was none) we know whom to thank. For out of these premises also, doth result this second conclusion, That they who misapplied those moneys, and misemployed those men which were levied with His Majesty's royal assent for the reduction of Ireland: They who set afoot that most sanguinary design of extirpating, at least of enslaving a whole ancient Nation, who were planted there by the hand of Providence from the beginning: They who hindered His Majesty's transfretation thither to take cognizance of his own affairs, and expose the countenance of his own royal person for composing of things: They, They may be said to be the true causes of that unavoidable necessity and as the heathen Poetsings, The Gods, themselves cannot resist Necessity) which enforced His Majesty to capitulat with the Irish, and assent to a Cessation.  
It was the saying of one of the bravest Roman Emperors, and it was often used by Henry the Great of France, Her Majesty's Father, That he had rather save the life of one loyal Subject then kill a hundred Enemies: It may well be thought that one of the prevalentst inducements that moved His Majesty (besides those formerly mentioned) to condescend to this Irish Cessation, was a sense he had of the effusion of his own poor Subject's blood, the hazard of the utter extirpation of the Protestants there, and a total irrecoverable loss of that Kingdom, as was advertised both in the petition of the Protestants themselves, the relation of the Committee employed thither to that purpose, and the express letters of the Lords Justices and Counsel there.  
To prove now, that this Cessation of arms in Ireland was more honourable and fuller of Piety, Prudence and Necessity, then either the Pacification or Peace with the Scot I hope, these few ensuing arguments (above divers others which cannot be inserted here, in regard of the force intended brevity of this Discourse) will serve the turn.  
1. In primis, When the Pacification was made with Scotland His Majesty was there personally present, attended on by the flower of His English Nobility, Gentry and Servants, and the enemy was hard by ready to face Him. At the concluding of the Irish Cessation, His Majesty was not there personally present, but it was agitated and agreed on by his Commissioner, and it hath been held always less dishonourable for a King to capitulate in this kind with his own Subjects by his Deputy, then in his own person, for the further off he is, the less reflects upon him.  
2. Upon the Pacification and Peace with Scotland, there was an Amnestia, a general pardon, and an abolition of all by-passed offences published, there were honours and offices conferred upon the chiefest sticklers in the War. At the Cessation in Ireland there was no such thing.  
3. When the Pacification and Peace was made with the Scots, there was money given unto Them, as it is too well known. But upon the settling of this Cessation, the Irish received none but gave His Majesty a considerable sum as an argument of their submission and gratitude, besides the maintenance of some of his Garrisons in the interim; and so much partly in point of honour.  
4. At the concluding of the Pacification and Peace with Scotland, there was a vigorous, fresh, unfoiled English Army a foot, and in perfect equipage; there wanted neither Ammunition, Arms, Money, clothes, Victuals or any thing that might put heart into the Soldier and elevat his spirits. But the Protestant Army in Ireland had not any of all these in any competent proportion, but were ready to perish, though there had been no other enemy than hunger and cold: And this implies a far greater necessity for the said Cessation.  
5. In Ireland there was imminent danger of an instant loss of the whole Kingdom, and consequently, the utter subversion of the Protestant Religion there, as was certified both to King and Parliament by sundry letters and petitions which stand upon record: There was no such danger in the affairs of Scotland, either in respect of Religion or Kingdom; therefore there was more piety shown in preserving the one, and prudence in preserving the other in Ireland, by plucking both (as it were) out of the very jaws of destruction by the said Cessation.  
We know that in the Medley of mundane casualties, of two evils, the least is to be chosen, and a small inconvenience is to be born withal, to prevent a greater.  
If one make research into the French Story, he will find, that many kinds of Pacifications and Suspensions of Arms were covenanted 'twixt that King and some of his Subjects, trenching far more upon regal dignity than this in Ireland. The Spaniard was forced to declare the Hollanders Free-states, before they could be brought to treat of a truce: And now the Catalans screw him up almost to as high conditions. But what need I rove abroad so far? It is well known, nor is it out of the memory of man (in Queen Elizabeth's reign) that in Ireland itself there have been Cessations, all circumstances well weighed, more prejudicial to Majesty then this.  
But that which I hear murmured at most as the effect of this Cessation, is the transport of some of those Soldiers to England for recruting His Majesty's Armies, notwithstanding that the greatest number of them be perfect and rigid Protestants, and were those whom our Parliament itself employed against the Irish. But put case they were all Papists, must His Majesty therefore be held a Favourer of Popery? The late King of France might have been said as well to have been a Favourer of Hugonotts, because in all his wars he employed Them most of any in places of greatest trust against the House of Austria; whereas all the World knows, that he perfectly hated them in the general, and one of the reaches of policy he had, was to spend and waste them in the wars. Was it ever known but a Sovereign Prince might use the bodies and strength of his own naturall-born Subjects, and Liege men for his own defence? When His person hath been sought and aimed at in open field by small and great shot, and all other Engines of hostility and violence: When he is in danger to be surprised or besieged in that place where he keeps his Court: When all the flowers of his Crown his royal prerogatives which are descended upon him from so many successive progenitors) are like to be plucked off and trampled under foot: When there is a visible plot to alter and overturn that Religion he was born, baptised, and bred in: When he is in dan●…er to be forced to infringe that solemn Sacramental Oath he took at his Coronation to maintain the said Religion, with the Rights and Rites of the holy Anglican Church, which some brainsick Schismatics would transform to a Kirk and her Discipline, to some chimerical form of government they know not what. Francis the first and other Christian Princes, made use of the Turk upon less occasions; and if one may make use of a Horse, or any other bruit animal, or any inanimat Engine or Instrument for his own defence against man, much more may man be used against man, much more may one rational Creature be used against another though for destructive ends in a good cause, specially when they are commanded by a Sovereign head, which is the main thing that goes to justify a war. Now touching the Roman Catholics, whether English, Welsh, Irish, or Scottish, which repair to his Majesty's Armies either for service or security. He looks not upon them ●…s Papists, but as his Subjects, not upon their Religion, but their allegiance, and in that ●…uality he entertains them: Nor can the Pa●…ist be denied the Character of a good Subject, all the while he conforms himself to the Laws in general, and to those laws also that are particularly enacted against him, and so keeps himself within the bounds of his civil obedience: As long as he continues so, he may challenge protection from his Prince by way of right, and if his Prince by some accident be not in case to protect him, he is to give him leave to defend himself the best he can, for the law of nature allows every one to defend himself, and there is no positive law of man can annul the law of nature. Now if the Subject may thus claim protection from his Prince, it followeth, the Prince by way of reciprocation may require assistance, service and supplies from the Subject upon all public occasions, as to suppress at this time a new race of Recusants, which have done more hurt than ever the old did, and are like to prove more dangerous to his Crown and regal Authority than any foreign enemy.  
But whosoever will truly observe the genius, and trace the actions of this fatal Faction which now sways with that boundless, exorbitant, arbitrary and Antinomian power, will find, that it is one of their prime pieces of policy, to traduce and falsify any thing that is not conducible to their own ends: Yet what comes from them must be so magisterial, it must be so unquestionably and incontroulably true & lawful, that it must be believed by an implicit faith, as proceeding from an in-erring Oracle (as if these Zealots were above the common condition of mankind, to whom error is as hereditary as any other infirmity) though the thing itself encroach never so grossly both upon the common liberty, the states and souls of men. But if any thing bear the stamp of royal Authority, be it never so just and tending to peace and the public good, yea, though it be indifferent to either side, it is presently countermanded, cried down, and stifled; or it is calumniated and aspersed with obloquys, false glosses and misprisions; and this is become now the common Theme wherewith their Pulpits ring  
Which makes me think, that these upstart politicians have not long to reign; for, as the common Proverb saith, Fraud and Frost end foul and are short-lived, so that policy, those Counsels which are grounded upon scandals, reproaches and lies, will quickly moulder and totter away, and bring their Authors at last to deserved infamy and shame, and make them find a Tomb in their own ruins. Add hereunto as further badges of their nature, that black irreconcilable malice and desire of revenge which rageth in them, the averseness they have to any sweetness of Conformity and Union, the violent thirst they have of blood, which makes me think on that dis●…ique of Prudentius, who seemed to be a Prophet as well as Poet (a true Vates) in displaying the humours of these fiery Dogmatists, this all-confounding faction which now hath the vogue, to the punishment, I will not say yet, the perdition of this poor Island.  

Sic m●…res produnt animum, & mihi credit, junctus  
Semper cum falso est dogmate Coedis amor.   
Thus in English.  

Manners betray the mind, and credit me,  
there's always thirst of blood with Heresy.    

THE SWAY OF THE SWORD; OR A DISCOURSE OF THE MILITIA Train'dbands, OR COMMON SOLDIERY OF THE LAND;  
PROVING, That the Power and Command thereof in chief belongs to the Ruling Prince, and to no other.  Sine Gladio nulla Defensio.  

The Author's Apology.  
'tIs confefsed that the subject of this Discourse were more proper to One of the long-Robe, which I am not, I am no Lawyer otherwise then what nature hath made me, so every man, as he is born the child of Reason, is a Lawyer, and a Logician also who was the first kind of Lawyer: This discursive faculty of Reason comes with us into the world accompanied with certain general notions and principles to distinguish Right from Wrong, and Falsehood from Truth: But touching this following Discourse, because it relates something to Law, the Author would not have adventured to have exposed it to the world, if, besides those common innate notions of Reason, and some private Notes of his own, he had not informed and ascertained his judgement by conference with some professed Lawyers, and those the Eminentest in the Land, touching the truth of what it Treats of; therefore he dares humbly aver that it contains nothing but what is consonant to the fundamental and fixed Constitutions, to the known clear Laws of this Kingdom.  
From the prison of the Flcet 3. Nonas Mail 1645. I. H.   

Touching the POLEMICAL SWORD, And command in chief of The MILITIA, etc.  
GOVERNMENT is an Ordinance of God for Man's good; the kinds of Government are ordinances of men for God's Glory: Now, among all Wo●…ldly affairs there is not any thing so difficult, and fuller of incertitudes as the Art of Ruling man, For those nimble spirits (as it is spoken elsewhere) who from Apprentices have been made Freemen of the Trade, and at last thought themselves Masters, having spent their Youth, their Manhood, and a long time of old age therein, yet when they came to leave the World they professed themselves still to be but Novices in the Trade. There is a known way to break, guide, and keep in awe all other Animals, though never so savage and strong; but there is no such certain way to govern multitudes of men, in regard of such turbulences of spirit and diversity of opinions that proceed from the Rational Faculty, which other cretures that are contented only with sense, are not subject unto; and this the Philosopher holds to be one of the inconveniences that attend humane reason, and why it is given man as a part of his punishment.  
Now, why the Government over men is ●…o difficult, there may be two main reasons alleged, The first is the various events, and World of inexpected contingencies that attend humane negotiations, specially matters of State, which, as all other sublunary things, are subject to alterations, miscarriages, and change, this makes the minds of men▪ and consequently the moulds of policy so often to alter, scarce one amongst twenty is the same man as he was twenty years ago in point of judgement, which turns and changeth according to the success and circumstances of things, The wisdom of one day is the foolishness of another, Posterior Dies est prioris Magister, the Day following becomes the former day's Teacher.  
The Second Reason is, the discrepant, and wavering fancies of men's brains, specially of the common people, who (if not restrained) are subject to so many crotchets and chimaeras, with extravagant wanton desires, and gaping after innovations. Insulary people are observed to be more transported with this instability than those of the Continent, and the Inhabitants of this I'll more than others, being a well-fed spriteful people; In so much, that it is grown a Proverb abroad, that The Englishman doth not know when he is well: Now the true Politician doth use to fit his Government to the fancy of the people, the ruler must do as the rider, some people are to be rid with strong bits and curbs, and martingalls, as the Napollitan, and French our next neighbour, which is the cause that a kind of slavery is entailed upon him, for the French Peasant is born with chains; Other Nations may be rid with a gentle small bridle, as the Venetian and the Hollander, who hath not such boiling spirits as others; A bridle doth serve also the Spaniard, who is the gretest example of stability, and exact obedience to authority, of any people; for though Spain be the hottest Country in Christendom, yet it is not so subject to Fevers as others are, I mean to fits of intestine commotions: And this was never so much tried as of late years; for though the present King hath such known frail●…ies, though he hath been so infortunate, as to have many Country's quite revolted, and rend away from him; though the ragingst Plague that ever was in Spain under any King, happened of late years, which sweeped away such a world of people; though his Taxes be higher than ever were any, though he hath called in and engrossed all the common coin of the Country, and delivered but the one half back again, reserving the other half for Himself; though there's no legal Instrument, no Bond, Bill, or Specialty can be writ but upon his sealed paper, with sundry other exactions, yet his subjects are still as obedient, and awful unto him, they are as conformable and quiet, as if he were the most virtuous, and victorious Prince that ever was; and this they do principally for their own advantage, for if there were another Governor set up, it would inevitably hurl the whole Country into combustion and tumults; besides, they are taught, that as in choice of Wives, so the Rule holds in Governments, Seldom comes a better.  
Touching the Originals of Government and ruling power, questionless the first among Mankind was that Natural power of the Father over his Children, and that Despotical domestic surintendence of a Master of a house over his Family; But the World multiplying to such a Mass of people, they found that a confused equality, and a loose unbridled way of living like ●…rute animals to be so inconvenient, that they chose one person to protect and govern; not so much out of love to the ●…erson, as for their own conveniency and advantage, that they might live more regularly, and be secured from rapine, and op●…ression; As also that justice might be administted; and every one enjoy his own without fear, and danger: such Govern●…urs had a power invested accordingly in ●…hem, also as to appoint subservient, able Mi●…isters under them to help to bear the ●…urden.  
Concerning the kinds of Government, ●…ll Politicians agree that Monarchal is the best and noblest sort of sway, having the nearest analogy with that of Heaven, viz. A supreme power in one single person; God Almighty is the God of Unity, as well as of Entity, and all things that have an Entity do naturally propend to Unity; Unity is as necessary for a well- being, as Entity is for a Being, for nothing conduceth more to order, tranquillity, and quietude, nor is any strength so operative as the united; The fist is stronger than the hand, though it be nothing but the hand, viz. The fingers united by contraction; The Republic of Venice which is accounted the most Eagle-eyed and lastingst State in the World, fo●… she hath continued a pure Virgin, and shined within her watery Orb ne'er upon thirteen Ages, is the fittest to give the World advice herein, for if ever any have brought policy to be a Science which consists of certitudes, this State is She, who is grown a●… dexterous in ruling men as in rowing of 〈◊〉 Galley. But whereas the vulgar opinion is that the common people there have a shar●… in the Government, 'tis nothing so, for he Great Counsel which is the maine hang whereon the Republic turns, is compose●… only of Gentlemen who are capable b●… their birth to sit there, having passed twenty five years of age; To which purpose they must bring a public Testimonial that they are descended of a Patrician or noble Family. But to return to the main matter, this sage Republic who may prescribe rules of Policy to all Mankind, having tried at first to Govern by Consuls and Tribunes for some years, she found it at last a great inconvenience, or deformity rather, to have two heads upon one body; Therefore She did set up one Sovereign Prince; and in the Records of Venice the reasons are yet extant which induced her thereunto, whereof one of the remarkablest was this; We have observed that in this vast University of the World all Bodies according to their several Natures have multiplicity of Motions, yet they receive virtue and vigour but from one, which is the Sun; All causes derive their Originals from one supreme cause; we see that in one creature there are many differing Members, and Faculties which have various functions, yet they are all guided by one soul, etc.  
The Island of Great Britain hath been always a Royal Isle from her first creation, and Infancy; She may be said to have worn a Crown in her Cradle; and though She had so many revolutions, and changes of Masters, yet She continued still Royal; nor is there any species of Government that suits better, either with the quality of the Country, and Genius of the Inhabitants, or relates more directly to all the ancient Laws, Constitutions, and Customs of the Land, then Monarchal; which any one that is conversant in the Old Records can justify; Britannia ab initio mundi semper Regia, & regimen illius simile illi caelorum.  
Concerning the many sorts of Trust●… which were put in the Supreme Governor of this Land (for there must be an implicit and unavoidable necessary Trust reposed in every Sovereign Magistrate) the power of the Sword was the chiefest; and it was agreeable to Holy Scripture he should have it, where we know 'tis said, The King beareth not the Sword in vain; The Laws of England did ever allow it to be the inalienable prerogative of the Sovereign Prince, nor was it ever known (humbly under favour) that any other power whatsoever managing conjunctly or singly, did ever pretend to the power of the public Sword, or have the Militia invested in them, but this ever remained entire and untransferrible in the person of the Ruler in chief, whose chiefest instrument to govern by is the Sword, without which Crowns, Sceptres, Globes and Maces are but babbles. It is that Instrument which causeth true obedience, makes him a Dread Sovereign, and to be feared at home and abroad; Now 'tis a Maxim in policy, that there can be no true obedience without Fear; The Crown and Sceptre draw only a loose kind of voluntary love, and opinion from the people, but 'tis the sword that draws Reverence and awe, which two are the chiefest ingredients of Allegiance, it being a principle, that the best Government is made of Fear and Love, viz. when by Fear Love is drawn as thread through the eye of a Needle; The surest Obedience, and Loyalty is caused thus, for Fear being the wakefullest of our passions works more powerfully in us and predominates over all the rest; primus in orbe Deus fecit Timor. To raise up a Sovereign Magistrate without giving him the power of the sword, is to set one up to rule a metalled Horse without a Bridle; A chief Ruler without a Sword, may be said to be like that Log of Wood which jupiter threw down among the Frogs to be their King, as it is in the Fable. Moreover, One of the chiefest glories of a Nation is to have their Supreme Governor to be esteemed, and redoubted abroad as well as at Home. And what Foreign Nation will do either of these to the King of England if he be Armless, and without a Sword? who will give any respect o●… precedence to his Ambassadors, and Ministers of State? The Sword also is the prime Instrument of public protection, therefore that King who hath not the power of the Sword, must have another Title given Him, the Protector of his people.  
Now, in a Successive hereditary Kingdom, as England is known, and acknowledged to be by all Parties now in opposition, There are three things which are inalienable from the Person of the King: They are,  

1. The Crown.  
2. The Sceptre.  
3. The Sword.   
The one, He is to carry on His Head, the other in His Hand, and the third at His Side; and they may be termed all three the ensigns or peculiar instruments of a King: by the first, He Reigns, by the second He makes Laws, by the third He Defends them: and the two first are but babbles without the last, as was formerly spoken.  
1. Touching the Crown or royal Diadem of England, there is none, whether Presbyterian, Independent, Protestant, or others now in action, but confess that it descends by a right hereditary Line, (though through divers Races, and some of them conquerors) upon the Head of Charles the first now Regnant: 'tis His own by inherent birthright and nature, by God's Law, and the Law of the Land, and these Parliament-men at their first sitting did agnize subjection unto Him accordingly, and recognize Him for their Sovereign Liege Lord: Nay, the Roman Catholic denies not this, for though there were Bulls sent to dispense with the English Subjects for their allegiance to Queen Elizabeth, yet the Pope did this against Her as he took Her for a Heretic, not an Usurpresse, though he knew well enough that She had been declared Illegitimate by the Act of an English Parliament.  
This Imperial Crown of England is adorned and deckd with many fair Flowers, which are called, royal Prerogatives; and they are of such a transcendent nature, that they are unforfeitable, individual, and untransferrable to any other: The King can only summon and dissolve Parliaments: The King can only Pardon (for when He is Crowned, He is sworn to rule in Mercy as well as in Justice:) The King can only Coin Money, and enhance or decry the value of it: The power of electing Officers of State, of Justices of Peace and Assize is in the King; He can only grant sovereign Commissions: The King can only wage War, and make Outlandish Leagues: The King may make all the Courts of Justice ambulatory with His Person, as they were used of old▪ 'tis true, the Court of Common Pleas must be sedentary in some certain place for such a time; but that expired, 'tis removable at His pleasure: The King can only employ Ambassadors and Treat with foreign States, etc. These, with other royal Prerogatives which I shall touch hereafter, are those rare and wholesome flowers wherewith the Crown of England is embellished, nor can they stick any where else but in the Crown, and all confess the Crown is as much the King's, as any private man's Cap is his own.  
2. The second regal Instrument is the Sceptre, which may be called an inseparable companion, or a necessary appendix to the Crown; this invests the King with the sole Authority of making Laws, for before His confirmation all results and determinations of Parliament are but Bills or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they are but abortive things, and mere Embryos; nay, they have no life at all in them till the King puts breath and vigour into them: and the ancient custom was for the King to touch them with His Sceptre, than they are Laws, and have a virtue in them to impose an obligation of universal obedience upon all sorts of people, It being an undeniable maxim, That nothing can be generally binding without the King's royal assent, nor doth the Law of England take notice of any thing without it: This being done they are ever after styled the King's Laws, and the Judges are said to deliver the King's judgements, which agrees with the holy text, The King by judgement shall establish the Land: nay, the Law presumes the King to be always the sole Judge Paramount, and Lord chief Justice of England, for he whom He pleaseth to depute for His chiefest Justice, is but styled Lord chief justice of the Rings ●…ench, not Lord chief Justice of England, which title is peculiar to the King Himself, and observable it is, that whereas He grants Commissions and Patents to the Lord Chancellor (who is no other than Keeper of His Conscience) and to all other Judges, He names the Chief Justice of his own Bench by a short Writ only containing two or three lines: which run thus, Regina johanni Popham militi salutem, Sciatis quod constitutmus vos justiciarium nostrum Capitalem ad placita coram nobis terminandum durante beneplacito nostro; Teste etc. Now, though the King be liable to the Laws, and is contented to be within their verge, because they are chiefly His own productions, yet He is still their Protector, Moderator, and Sovereign, which attributes are incommunicable to any other conjunctly or separately.  
Thus the King with His Sceptre, and by the mature advice of His two Houses of Parl. which are His highest Council and Court, hath the sole power of making Laws; other Courts of judicature do but expound them and distribute them by His appointment, they have but juris dati dictionem or declarationem, and herein, I mean for the Exposition of the Laws the twelve judges are to be believed before the whole Kingdom besides. They are as the Areopagites in Athens, the chief Precedents in France and Spain in an extraordinary junta, as the Cape-Syndiques in the Rota's of Rome, and the Republic of Venice, whose judgements in point of interpreting Laws are incontroulable, and preferred before the opinion of the whole Senate whence they received their being; and who hath still power to repeal them, though not to expound them. In France they have a Law maxim, Arrest donné en Rebbe rouge est irrevocable, which is, a Scarlet Sentence is irrevocable, meaning when all the Judges are met in their Robes, and the Client against whom the Cause goes, may chafe and chomp upon the bit, and say what he will for the space of twenty four hours against his Judges, but if ever after he traduces them, he is punishable: It is no otherwise here where every ignorant peevish Client, every puny Barister, specially if he become a Member of the House will be ready to arraign and vie knowledge with all the reverend Judges in the Land, whose judgement in points of Law should be only tripodicall and sterling: so that he may be truly called a just King, and to rule according to Law, who rules according to the opinion of his Judges; therefore, under favour, I do not see how his Majesty for his part could be called injust when he levied the Ship-money, considering he had the Judges for it.  
I now take the Sword in hand, which is the third Instrument of a King, (and which this short discourse chiefly points at) it is as well as the two first incommunicable and inalienable from his Person; nothing concerns his honour more both at home and abroad; the Crown and the Sceptre are but unwieldy and impotent naked indefensible things without it. There's none so simple as to think there's meant hereby an ordinary single sword, such as every one carrieth by his side, or some imaginary thing or chimaera of a sword; No, 'tis the polemical public sword of the whole Kingdom, 'tis an aggregative compound sword, and 'tis moulded of bell-metall; for 'tis made up of all the ammunition and arms small and great, of all the military strengths both by Land and Sea, of all the Forts, Castles and tenable places within and round about the whole I'll: The Kings of Engl. have had this sword by virtue of their royal signory from all times, the Laws have girded it to their sides, they have employed it for repeling all foreign force, for revenging all foreign wrongs or affronts, for quelling all intestine tumults, and for protecting the weal of the whole body politic at home: The people were never capable of this sword, the fundamental constitutions of this Kingdom deny it them; 'tis all one to put the sword in a mad man's hand, as in the peeples; or for them to have a disposing power in whose hands it shall be. Such was the case once of the French sword, in that notorious insurrection called to this day La Iaqueris de Beauvoisin, when the Peasants and Mechanics had a design to wrest it out of the King's hand, and to depress all the Peers and Gentry of the Kingdom; and the business had gone so far that the peasans might have prevailed, had not the Prelates stuck close to the Nobility; But afterwards poor hare▪ brained things they desire the King upon bended knees to take it again; Such popular puffs have blown often in Poland, Naples and other places, where while they sought and fought for liberty by retrenching the regal power, they fooled themselves into a slavery unawares, and found the rule right, that excess of freedom turns to thraldom, and ushers in all confusions. If one should go back to the nonage of the world, when Governors and Rulers began first, one will find the people desired to live under Kings for their own advantage, that they might be restrained from wild exorbitant liberty, and kept in unity; Now unity is as requisite for the well-being of all natural things, as entity is for their being, and 'tis a received maxim in policy, that nothing preserves Unity more exactly then Royal Government: besides, 'tis known to be the noblest sort of sway; In so much that by the Law of Nations, if Subjects of equal degrees, and under differing Princes should meet, the Subjects of a King should take precedency of those under any Republic.  
But to take up the Sword again. I say that the Sword of public Power and Authority is fit only to hang at the King's side, and so indeed should the Great Seal hang only at his girdle, because 'tis the Key of the Kingdom: which makes me think of what I read of Charlemagne, how he had the imperial Seal embossed always upon the pommel of his Sword, and his reason was, that he was ready to maintain whatsoever he signed, and sealed.  
The Civilians, who are not in all points so great friends to Monarchy as the Common Law of England is, say, there are six jura Regalia, six Regal Rights, viz. 1. Potestas judicatoria, 2. Potestas vitae & necis, 3. Armamenta, 4. Bona adespota, 5. Census, 6. Monetarum valour: to wit, Power of judicature, Power of Life and Death, all kind of arming, masterless goods, S●…issements, and the value of money.  
Among these Regalia's, we find that Arming, which in effect is nought else but the King's Sword, is among the chiefest; and 'tis as proper and peculiar to his person, as either Crown or Sceptre. By these two he draws a loose voluntary love and opinion only from his Subjects, but by the Sword he draws reverence and awe, which are the chiefest ingredients of allegiance, it being a maxim, That the best mixture of Government is made of fear and love. With this Sword he conferrs honour, he dubbs Knights, he creates Magistrates, the Lord Deputy of Ireland, the Lord Mayor of London with all other Corporations have their Swords from him, and when he entereth any place corporate, we know the first thing that is presented him is the Sword: With this Sword he shields and preserves all his people that every one may sit quietly under his own Vine, sleep securely in his own House, and enjoy sweetly the fruits of his labours.  
Nor doth the point of this Sword reach only to every corner of his own dominions, but it extends beyond the seas to guard his Subjects from oppression, and denial of justice, as well as to vindicate the public wrongs, make good the interests of his Crown, and to assist his confederates; This is the Sword that Edward the third tied the Flower deluces unto (which stick still unto it,) when having sent to France to demand that Crown by maternal right, the Counsel there sent him word that the Crown of France was not tied to a distaff, to which scoffing answer he replied, that then he would tie it to his sword, and he was as good as his word. Nor is this public sword concredited or entrusted by the people in a fiduciary conditional way to the King, but it is properly and peculiarly belonging unto him, as an inseparable concomitant, perpetual Usher and attendant to his Crown. The King, we know, useth to maintain all garrisons upon his own charge, not the peeples; he fortifies upon his own charge, not the peeples: And though I will not aver, that the King may impress any of his Subjects, unless it be upon an actual vasion by Sea, or a sudden irruption into his Kingdom by Land, as the Scots have often done, yet at any time the King may raise Volunteers, and those who have received his money, the Law makes it felony, if they forsake his service.  
Thus we see there's nothing that conduceth more to the glory, and indeed the very essence of a King than the Sword, which is the Arms and Military strength of his Kingdom; wherefore under favour, there cannot be a greater point of dishonour to a King then to be disarmed, then to have his Sword taken from him, or disposed of and entrusted to any but those whom he shall appoint; for as à minori ad majus the Argument often holds, if a private Gentleman chance to be disarmed upon a quarrel, 'tis held the utmost of disgraces, much greater and more public is the dishonour that falls upon a King, if after some traverses of difference 'twixt him and his Subjects, they should offer to disarm him, or demand his Sword of him: when the Eagle parted with his talons, and the Lion with his teeth and ongles, the Apolog tells us how contemptible afterwards the one grew to be among Birds, the other among Birds, the other among Beasts. For a King to part with the Sword politic is to render himself such a ridiculous King, as that log of wood was which jupiter let down among the frogs for their King at the importunity of their croaking; 'tis to make him a King of clouts, or as the Spaniard hath it, Rey de Havas, a Bean King, such as we use to choose in sport at Twelfth-night.  
But my hopes are, that the two present Houses of Parliament (for now they may be called so, because they begin to parley with their King,) will be more tender of the honour of their Sovereign Liege Lord, which, together with all his Rights and Dignities, by several solemn Oaths, and by their own binding instruments of Protestation and Covenant, (not yet revoked) they are sworn to maintain, and that they will demand nothing of him which may favour of Aspertè or force, but what may hold water hereafter: But now, touching the Militia or Sword of the Kingdom, I think, under favour, the King cannot transfer it to any other; for that were to desert the protection of his people, which is point blank against his Coronation Oath and his Office: What foreign Prince or State will send either Ambassador, Resident or Agent to him, when they understand his Sword is taken from him? What reform foreign Church will acknowledge Him defender of the Faith, when they hear of this? Nay, they who wish England no good will, will go near to paint him out, as not long since another King was, with a fair velvet Scabbard, a specious golden hilt and chape, but the blade within was of wood. I hope that they who sway now, will make better use of their successes: Many of them know 'tis as difficult a thing to use a victory well, as to get one; there is as much prudence required in the one, as prowess in the other; they will be wiser sure than turn it to the dishonour of their King: it being a certain rule, that the glory of a Nation all the world over depends upon the glory of their King, and if he be any way obscured, the whole Kingdom is under an eclipse.  
I have observed, that among other characters of gallantry, which foreign Writers appropriate to the English Nation, one is, that they use to be most zealous to preserve the Honour of their King; I trust that they who are now up will return to the steps of their Progenitors, both in this particular and divers other; that their successes may serve to sweeten and moderate things, and suppress the popular Sword which still rages; And it had been heartily wished that a suspension of Arms had preceded this Treaty, which useth to be the ordinary forerunner, and a necessary antecedent to all Treaties; for while acts of hostility continue, some ill-favoured news may intervene which may embitter and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ nor can it be expected that the proceedings will go on with that candour and confidence, while the old rancour is still in action▪ 'tis impossible a sore should heal till the inflammation be taken away; To cast water into a wound instead of oil is not the way to cure it: or to cast oil upon a fire instead of water is not the way to quench it; poor England hath had a consuming fire within her bowels many years, she is also mortally wounded in all her members, that she is still in a high Fever, which hath made her rave and speak idle a long time; and 'tis like to turn to a Hectic, if not timely prevented. I pray God she may have no occasion to make use of the same complaint as Alexander the Great made when he was expiring his last, Perii turba Medicorum: too many Physicians have undone me.  
To conclude in a word, there is but one only way, under favour, to put a period to all these fearful confusions; it is, to put the great Master-wheel in order, and in its due place again, and then all the inferior wheels will move regularly; let the King be restored, and every one will come to his own, all interests will be satisfied, all things quickly rectified; till this be done, 'tis as absurd to attempt the settling of peace, as if one should go about to set a Watch by the gnomen of an horizontal Dial when the Sun is in a cloud.  
I. H.   

AN ITALIAN PROSPECTIVE, Through which GREAT BRITAIN (Without any MULTIPLYING ART) May clearly See Her present DANGER, And foresee Her future DESTRUCTION, If not timely prevented.  
 Perditio tua ex Te Anglia.  

Paraenesis Angliae.  
O England (specially thou besotted City of London) if Thou beest not quite past cure, or grown careless and desperate of thyself, if the least spark of Grace, or ray of Reason be yet remaining in Thee, be warned, be warned by this stranger, who having felt thy pulse, and cast thy water very exactly, discovers in Thee symptoms of inevitable Ruin if thou hold'st on this course.  
Divers of thy own children oftentimes admonished Thee with tears in their eyes, and terror in their hearts, to recollect thyself, and return to thy old road of obedience to thy Sovereign Prince, But They have been little regarded, Let a Foreiners advice then take place, and make some impressions in Thee to prevent thy utter destruction.  
From the prison of the Fleet 2. Aug. 1647. I. H.   

AN ACCOUNT OF THE Deplorable, and Desperate condition THAT ENGLAND stands in, Sent from LONDON, Anno 1647. To the LORD FRANCISCO BARBERINI, Cardinal of the most holy Apostolic See, and Protector of the English Nation, at his Palaces in Rome.  
MY last to your Eminence was but short, in regard I had been but a short time in this Country, I have now made a longer sojourn here, and taken a leisurely information of all matters; therefore I shall give your Eminence an account proportionably: For by conversation with the most indifferent, and intelligenced men, and by communication with the Ambassadors here resident, I have taken some pains to pump out the truth of things, and penetrate the Interest of all parties.  
And truly, I find, that That angry star, which hath loured so long upon Europe in general, hath been as predominant, and cast as direful aspects upon this poor Island, as it hath done upon any other part: Truly, my Lord, in all probability this people have passed the Meridian of their happiness, and begin to decline extremely, as well in Repute abroad, as also in the common notions of Religion, and indeed in the ordinary faculty of Reason: I think verily the Ill Spirit never reigned so much in any corner of the earth by those inhuman and horrid things that I have observed among them. Nor is it a petty Spirit, but one of the greatest Cacod●…mons that thus drives them on, and makes them so active in the pursuance of their own perdition.  
To deduce matters from their Original, Your Eminency may please to understand, that this King at his access to the Crown had deep debts to pay, both of His Fathers, and his own, he was left engaged in a fresh war with Spain; and had another presently after which France, and both at one time, but he came off well enough of those: Afterwards never any Country flourished in that envied happiness, and wanton kind of prosperity; This City of London was grown to be the greatest Mart, and mistress of trade, of any in the world; Insomuch, as I have been certainly informed, the King might have spent merely upon His customs 4000 crowns a day: Moreover, she had a vast bank of money being made the scale of conveying the King of Spain's treasure to Flanders: Insomuch that in a few years she had above ten millions of his moneys brought hither, which she might have remitted in specie or in merchandise, and for which this King had five in the hundred for coinage: Yet could he not get beforehand with the world, having a sister with so many Nephews and nieces, having a Queen with divers children of His own, (at least 16 of the Blood-royal) to maintain, with divers profuse Courtiers besides, which made Him more parsimonious than ordinary. The Wars then growing more active 'twixt Spain and France, as also 'twixt Holland and Spain both by Land and Sea, and divers great Fleets of Men of War as well French (who were grown powerful that way) as Dunkirk, Spaniards Hollanders, and Hamburgers, appearing daily in His narrow Seas, and sailing close by His Chambers, the world wondered this King had no greater strength at Sea, in case that any of the foresaid Nations should do him an affront, as some of them had already done, by denying to dash their Colours to his Ships: Insomuch that in Holland and other places he was pasquilled at, and portrayed lying in his cradle lullabyed and rocked asleep by the Spaniard: Hereupon being by advertisements from his Agents abroad, and frequent advice of His Privy Council at home, made sensible of the danger, and a kind of dishonour he was fallen into, and having intelligence that the French Cardinal began to question his title to the Dominion of the narrow Seas, considering He employed no visible power to preserve it, He began to consult of means to set forth a royal Fleet: but in regard the Purse of the Crown was lightly ballasted, and that he had no mind to summon the three Estates, because of some indignities he had received in former Parliaments by the Puritan party (a race of people averse to all Kingly Government, unless they may pair it as they please) his then Attorney General (Noy) a great cryed-up-Lawyer, put it in his Head to impose an old Tax called Shipmoney upon the Subject, which the said Lawyer did warrant upon his life to be Legal, for he could produce divers Records how many of his Progenitors had done the like: The King not satisfied with his single opinion, referred it to his learned Council, & they unanimously averred it to be agreeable to the Law of the Land; yet this would not fully satisfy the King, but He would have the Opinion of His twelve Judges, and they also affirmed by their single vouches the said Tax to be warrantable; Hereupon it was imposed and levied, but some refusing to pay it, there was a suit commenced, during which all the Judges were to redeliver their opinions jointly, and the business being maturely debated and canvased in open Court divers months, and all arguments produced pro & con, nine of the said twelve Judges concluded it legal. Thereupon the King continued the imposition of the said Tax, and never was money employed so much for the Honour and advantage of a Country, for he sent out every Summer a royal fleet to scour and secure the Seas; he caused a Galeon to be built, the greatest and gallantest that ever spread sail: Nor did he purse up, and dispose of one penny of this money to any other use, but added much of his own Revenues yearly thereunto: So the world abroad cried up the King of England to be awake again; Trade did wonderfully increase, both Domestic and foreign in all the three Kingdoms; Ireland was reduced to an absolute Settlement, the Arrears of the Crown paid, and a considerable Revenue came thence clearly to the Exchequer of England every year, the salaries of all Officers, with the pay of the standing Army ●…here, and all other Charges being defrayed by Ireland herself, which was never done before. Yet for all this height of pappinesse, and the glorious fruits of the said Ship-money, (which was but a kind of petty insensible Tax, & a thing of nothing to what hath happened since) there were some foolish people in this Land which murmured at it, and cried nothing else but a Parliament, a Parliament; and they have had a Parliament since with a vengeance.  
But before this occasion, it was observed, that the seeds of disobedience, and a spirit of insurrection was a long time engendering in the hearts of some of this peace-pampred People, which is conceived to proceed from their conversation and commerce with three sorts of men, viz. the Scot, the Hollander and the French Huguenot. Now an advantage happened that much conduced to necessitate the convoking of a Parliament, which was an ill-favoured traverse that fell out in Scotland; For the King intending an Uniformity of Divine worship in all His three Kingdoms, sent thither the Liturgy of this Church, but it found cold and course entertainment there, for the whole Nation, men, women and children rise up a 'gainst them: Here upon the King absolutely revoked it by Proclamation, wherein He declared 'twas never His purpose to press the practice thereof upon the Consciences of any; therefore commanded that all things should be in statu quo prius, but this would not serve the turn, the Scot took advantge hereby to destroy Hierarchy, and pull down the Bishops to get their demeans: To which purpose they came with an Army in open Field against their own Native King, who not digesting this indignity, Mustered another English Army; which being upon the confines of both Kingdoms, a kind of Pacification was plastered over for the present.  
The King returning to London, and consulting His second thoughts, resented that insolency of the Scots more than formerly: Hereupon He summons a Parliament, and desires aid to Vindicat that Affront of the Scot The Scot had strong Intelligence with the Puritan Faction in the English Parliament, who seemed to abet his quarrel, rather than to be sensible of any national dishonour received from him; which caused that short-lived Parliament to dissolve in discontent, and the King was forced to find other means to raise and support an Army by private Loans of His nobler sort of Subjects and Servants: The Scot having punctual Advertisements of every thing that passed; yea, in the King's Cabinet Council was not idle all this while, but rallies what was left of the former Army (which by the Articles of Pacification (a little before) should have been absolutely dismissed) and boldly invades England, which he durst never have done, if he had not well known that this Puritan party which was now grown very powerful here, and indeed had invited him to this expedition, would stand to him. This foreign Army being by the pernicious close machinations of some mongrel Englishmen aforementioned, entered into the Bowels of the Country, the King was forced to call this present Parliament, with whom he complied in every thing, so far as to sacrifice unto them both judge, Bishop, Councillor and Courtier; yea, He yielded to the tumbling down of many tribunals of Justice, which were an advantage to his Prerogative; He assented that the Prelates, who were the most Ancient and Prime Members of the upper House, and had priority of all others, since the first constitution of Parliament in the enrolment of all Acts, He assented I say that these, who were the greatest prop of His Crown should be quite outed from among the Peers; He granted them also a Triennial Parliament, and after that, this Perpetual; which words, to the apprehension of any rational man, carry with them a gross absurdity in the very sense of the thing: And touching this last Grant, I had it from a good hand, that the Queen was a friend to this Parliament, and your Eminence knows how they have requited Her since, but the main open Councillor to this fatal Act was a Scot  
Now the reason which they alleged for this everlasting Parliament was one of the baldest that ever I heard of, it was, that they might have time enough to pay the Scots Army, whereas in one morning they might have dispatched that, by passing so many Subsidies for that use, and upon the credit of those, they might have raised what money they would.  
The Parliament finding the King so pliable, and His pulse to beat so gently, like ill-natured men they fall from inches to els in seeking their advantages: They grew so peremptory as to demand all the Military strength of the Kingdom, the Tower of London, with the whole Royal Navy, which they found in an excellent equipage, gramercy ship-money; so that the benefit of ship-money, which they so clamoured at, turned most to their advantage of any thing afterwards.  
The Scot being Fidler-like returned to his Country with meat, drink, and money, the King went a while after to keep a Parliament there, wherein he filled every blank, they did but ask and have, for He granted them what possibly they could propound, both for their Kirk and State, many received Honour, and they divided Bishops Lands amongst them: for all which unparallelled Concessions of Princely grace, they caused an Act already in force to be published, viz. that it should be damnable Treason in the highest degree that could be, for any of the Scots Nation conjunctly or singly to levy arms, or any Military Forces, upon any pretext whatsoever, without His Majesty's royal Commission; and this they caused to be done by way of gratitude, but how they performed it afterwards the world knows too well.  
The King returning to London, in lieu of a welcome to his two Houses of Parliament (to whom also before his departure he had passed more Acts of Grace then all his Progenitors, take them all in a lump) they had patched up a kind of Remonstrance, which was voted in dead of the night, wherein they exposed to the world the least moat in former government, and aggravated to the very height every grievance, notwithstanding that the King had redressed all before; and this Remonstrance, which breathed nothing but a base kind of malice, they presented as a nosegay to their Sovereign Prince, to congratulat his safe return from a foreign Country; which Remonstrance they caused to be printed and published before he could give any answer thereunto. The King finding such a virulent spirit still reign in the House, and knowing who were chiefly possessed with it (viz. Those whom he had impeached before, but saw he could get no justice against them) in such an extremity, he did an act like a generous Prince, for taking the Palsgrave with him, he took the first Coach he met withal at his Courtgate, and went to his House of Commons in person, to demand five Members, which he would prove to be Traitors in the highest degree 〈◊〉 to be the Authors of all these distempers, protesting upon the word of a King, that they should have as fair & legal a trial as ever men had; in the interim he only desired that their persons might be secured. The walls of both Houses, and the very stones in London street did seem to ring of this high carriage of the Kings, and the sound went thence to the Country, whence the silly Plebeians came presently in whole herds to this City, who strutting up and down the streets, had nothing in their mouths, but that the Privilege of Parliament, the privilege of Parliament was broken, though it be the known clear Law of the Land, that the Parliament cannot supersede or shelter any Treason.  
The King finding how violently the pulse of the grossly seduced people did beat, and there having been formerly divers riotous crues of base Mechaniques and Mariners, who had affronted both his own Court, and the two Houses besides, which the Commons, to their eternal reproach, connived at, notwithstanding that divers motions were made by the Lords to suppress them, the King also having private intelligence that there was a mischievous plot to surprise his person, removed his Court to the Country.  
The King departing, or rather being driven away thus from his two Houses, by this mutinous City, he might well at his going away have ubraided her in the same words as H. the 3. did upbraid Paris, who being by such another tumultuous rabble driven out of her in the time of the Ligue, as he was losing sight of her, he turned his face back, and said, Farewell ingrateful City, I will never see thee again till I make my way into thee through thy Walls: Yet though the King absented himself in person thus from the two Houses, he sent them frequent messages, that they would draw into Acts what he had already assented unto, and if any thing was left yet undone by him, he would do it; therefore he willed them to leave off those groundless fears and jealousies wherewith they had amused both City and Country; and he was ready to return at all times to his Palace in Westminster, provided that his person might be secured from the former barbarisms and outrages: But in lieu of a dutiful compliance with their Prince, the thoughts of the two Houses ran upon nothing but war: The King then retiring into the North, and thinking with a few of his servants only to go visit a Town of his (Hull) he was denied entrance by a fatal unlucky wretch (Hotham) who afterwards was shamefully executed with his Eldest Son, by command of his new Masters of the Parliament: The King being thus shut out of his own Town (which opened the first door to a bloody war) put forth a Declaration, wherein he warned all his people that they should look to their proprieties, for if He was thus barred of his own, how could any private Subject be sure to be Master of any thing he had, and herein he was as much Prophet as Prince; For the Parlement-men afterwards made themselves Landlords of the whole Kingdom, it hath been usual for them to thrust any out of his freehold, to take his bed from under him, and his shirt from off his very back. The King being kept thus out of one of his Towns, might suspect that he might be driven out of another, therefore 'twas time for him to look to the preservation of his Person, and the Country came in voluntarily unto him by thousands to that purpose, but he made choice of a few only to be his guard, as the Parlementeers had done a good while before for themselves: But now they went otherwise to work, for they fell a levying, listing and arming men by whole Regiments and Brigades till they had a very considerable Army afoot, before the King had one Musqueteer or Trooper on his side; yet these men are so notoriously impudent, as to make the King the first Aggressor of the war, and to lay upon Him all the blood that was split to this day, wherein the Devil himself cannot be more shameless. The Parliamenteers having an army of foot and horse thus in perfect Equipage, 'twas high time for the King to look to himself, therefore he was forced to display his royal Standard, and draw his sword quite out: Thus a cruel and most cruentous civil war began which lasted near upon four years without intermission, wherein there happened more batta les, sieges and skirmishes, then passed in the Nether-lands in fourscore years, and herein the Englishmen may be said to get some credit abroad in the world, that they have the same blood running in their veins (though not the same brains in their sculls) which their Ancestors had, who were observed to be the activest people in the field, impatient of delay, and most desirous of battle than any Nation.  
But it was one of the greatest miracles that ever happened in this Land, how the King was able to subsist so long against the Parlamenteers, considering the multiplicity of infinite advantages they had of him by water and land: for they had the Scot, the Sea and the City on their side; touching the first, he rushed in as an Auxiliary with above 20000. Horse and Foot completely furnish▪ d both with small and great ammunition and Arms, well clothed and moneyed: For the second, they had all the King's ships well appointed, which are held to be the greatest security of the Island both for defence and offence, for every one of them is accounted one of the moving Castles of the Kingdom: besides, they had all the other standing stone-Castles, Forts, and tenable places to boot: Concerning the last, (viz. the City) therein they had all the wealth, bravery, and prime ammunition of England, this being the only Magazine of men and money: Now if the K. had had but one of these on his side, he had in all probability crushed them to nothing: yet did he bear up strangely against them a long time, and might have done longer, had he kept the campane, and not spent the spirits of his men before Towns; had he not made a disadvantageous election of some Commanders in chief, and lastly, had he not had close Traitors within doors, as well as open Rebels without; for his very Cabinet Council, and Bedchamber were not free of such vermin, and herein the Parlementeers spent unknown sums and were very prodigal of the Kingdom's money.  
The King, after many traverses of war, being reduced to a great strait by cross successes and Counsels, rather than to fall into the hands of the Parlementeers, withdrew himself in a Servingman's disguise to the Scots army, as his last rendezvous, and this plot was managed by the French Agent then residing here; A man would think that that Nation would have deemed it an eternal honour unto them to have their own King and Countryman throw himself thus into their arms, and to repose such a singular trust in them upon such an Extremity: but they corresponded not so well with him as he expected, for though at first when the Parlamenteers solicited their dear Brethren for a delivery of the King's person unto them, their note was then, if any foreign petty Prince had so put himself upon them, they could not with honour deliver him, much less their own native King; yet they made a sacrifice of him at last for 800000. Crowns; whereupon Bellieure the French Ambassador being convoyed by a Troop of horse from the King towards London, to such a stand, in lieu of largesse to the soldiers, he drew out an half Crown piece, and asked them how many pence that was, they answered 30. He replied, for so much did judas betray his Master, and so he departed.  
And now, that in the course of this Historical Narration, I have touched upon France, your Eminence may please to understand, that nothing almost could tend more to the advantage of that K. then these commotions in England, considering that he was embarked in an actual war with the House of Austria and that this Island did do Spain some good offices; among other, by transport of his treasure to Dunkirk in English bottoms, whereunto this King gave way, and sometimes in his own galleons, which saved the Spaniard near upon 20. in the hundred, then if he had sent it by way of Genoa; so that some think, though France made semblance to resent the sad condition of her Neighbour, and thereupon sent the Prince of Harcour, and the foresaid Monsieur Bellieure to compose matters, yet she never really intended it, as being against her present interest and engagements: yet the world thinks it much that she should publicly receive an Agent from these Parlamenteeres, and that the French Nobility who were used to be the gallantest men in the world to vindicate the quarrels of distressed Ladies, are not more sensible of the outrages that have been offered a daughter of France, specially of Henry the greats.  
But to resume the thread of my Narration, the King (and with him, one may say, England also) being thus bought and sold, the Parlamenteers instead of bringing him to Westminster, which had put a Period to all distempers, tossed him up and down to private houses, and kept the former Army still afoot: And truly I think there was never Prince so abused, or poor people so baffled, and no people but a purblind besotted people would have suffered themselves to be so baffled: for notwithstanding that no Enemy appeared in any corner of the Kingdom, yet above 20000. Tagaroones have been kept together ever since to grind the faces of the poor, and exhaust the very vital spirits of town and Country, and keep them all in a perfect slavery: Had the Parlament-men, when the Scots were gone, brought their King in a generous and frank way (as had well becomed Englishmen) to sit among them, and trusted to him (which of necessity they must do at last) as they had gain▪ d more honour far in the world abroad, so they had gained more upon his affections then I believe they will ever do hereafter.  
But to proceed, the King having been a good while prisoner to the Parliament, the Army snatched him away from them, and some of the chiefest Commanders having pawned their souls unto him to restore him speedily, in lieu thereof they tumbled him up and down to sundry places, till they juggled him at last to that small Isle where now he is surrounded with a guard of strange faces; and if haply he begins to take delight in any of those faces, he is quickly taken out of his sight. These harsh usages hath made him become all grey and oregrown with hair so that he looks rather like some Sylvan satire than a Sovereign Prince: And truly my Lord the meanest slave in St. Marks galleys or the abjects Captif in Algiers bannier is not so miserable as he in divers kinds, for they have the comfort of their wives, children and friends, they can convey and receive Letters, send Messengers upon their errands, and have private discourse with any; all which is denied to the King of great Britain, nay the young Princes his children are not permitted as much as to ask him blessing in a letter. In so much that if he were not a great King of his passions, and had a heart cast in on extraordinary Mould, these pressures and those base aspersions that have been publicly cast upon him by the Parliament itself, had been enough to have sent him out of the world ere this, and indeed 'tis the main thing they drive at, to torture his brain, and tear his very heart strings if they could: so that whereas this foolish ignorant people speak such horrid things of our Inquisition, truly my Lord 'tis a most gentle way of proceeding being compared to this King's persecutions.  
As the King himself is thus in quality of a captif, so are all his Subjects become perfect slaves, they have fooled themselves into a worse slavery than jew or Greek under the Ottomans, for they know the bottom of their servitude by paying so many Sultanesses for every head; but here, people are put to endless, unknown, tyrannical Taxes, besides plundering and Accize, which two words, and the practice of them (with storming of Towns) they have learned of their pure Brethren of Holland: and for plunderings, these Parliamenteer-Saints think they may rob any that adheres not to them as lawfully as the jews did the Egyptians: 'Tis an unsommable mass of money these Reformers have squandered in few years, whereof they have often promised and solemnly voted a public account to satisfy the Kingdom: but as in a hundred things more, so in this precious particular they have dispensed with their Votes: they have consumed more treasure with pretence to purge one Kingdom, then might have served to have purchased two; more (as I am credibly told) then all the Kings of England spent of the public stock since the Saxon Conquest: Thus have they not only beggared the whole Island, but they have hurled it into the most fearful▪ st Chaos of confusion that ever poor Country was in; they have torn in pieces the reins of all Government, trampled upon all Laws of heaven and earth, and violated the very Dictamen of nature, by making Mothers to betray their Sons, and the Sons their Fathers, but specially that Great Charter, which is the Pandect of all the Laws and Liberties of the freeborn Subject, which at their admission to the House they are solemnly sworn to maintain, is torn in flitters: besides those several Oaths they forged themselves, as the Protestation and Covenant, where they voluntarily swear to maintain the King's Honour and Rights, together with the established Laws of the Land, etc. Now I am told, that all Acts of Parliament here are Laws, and they carry that Majesty with them, that no power can suspend or repeal them, but the same power that made them, which is the King sitting in full Parliament; these mongrel Politicians have been so notoriously impudent as to make an inferior Ordinance of theirs to do it, which is pointblank against the very fundamentals of this Government, and their own Oaths, which makes me think that there was never such a perjured pack of wretches upon earth, never such Monsters of mankind.  
Yet this simple infatuated people have a Saintlike opinion of these Monsters, this foolish City guards them daily with Horse and Foot, whereby she may be said to kiss the very stones that are thrown at her, and the hand whence they came, which a dog would not do: But she falls to recollect herself now that she begins to be pinched in Trade, and that her Mint is starved, yet the leading'st men in her Common-council care not much for it, in regard most of them have left traffiquing abroad, finding it a more easy and gainful way of trading at home, by purchasing Crown or Church lands, plundered goods, and debts upon the Public Faith, with Soldiers debenters; thus the Saints of this Island turn godliness into gain.  
Truly my Lord, I give the English for a lost Nation, if they continue long thus, never was there a more palpable oblaesion of the brain, and a more visible decay of Reason in any race of men: It is a sore judgement from heaven, that a people should not be more sensible how they are become slaves to Rebels, and those, most of them the scumm of the Nation, which is the basest of miseries: how they suffer them to tyrannize by a mere arbitrary extrajudicial power o'er their very souls and bodies▪ o'er their very life and livelihoods; how their former freedom is turned to fetters, Molehills into Mountains of grievances, Ship-money into Accize, Justice into Tyranny: For nothing hath been and is daily so common amongst them as imprisonment without charge, and a charge without an accuser, condemnation without appearance, and forfeitures without conviction.  
To speak a little more of the King, if all the infernal fiends had ligued against him, they could not have designed or disgorged more malice: They would have laid to his charge his Father's death, as errand a lie as ever was forged in hell: they would make him foreknow the insurrection in Ireland, whereas the Spanish Ambassador here, and his Confessor who is a very reverend Irishman, told me, that he knew no more of it then the grand Mogor did: they charge him with all the blood of this civil war, whereas they and their instruments were the first kindlers of it, and that first prohibited trade and shut him out of his own Town: They have intercepted and printed his private Letters to his Queen, and Hers to him, (Oh barbarous baseness!) but therein they did him a pleasure, though the intent was malicious, their aim in all things being to envenom the hearts of his people towards him; and this was to render him a glorious and well-beloved Prince, as likewise for making him rich, (all which they had vowed to do upon passing the Act of Continuance,) But now they have made him poorer than the meanest of all his vassals, they have made him to have no propriety in house, goods, or Lands, or as one may say, in his wife and children: 'Twas usual for the father to hunt in his Park while the son hunted for his life in the field, for the wife 〈◊〉 lie in his beds, while the husband laid wait to murder him abroad; they have seized upon and sold his private Hangings an●… Plate, yea his very Cabinets, Jewels, Pictures, Statues, and Books.  
Nor are they the honourablest sort of people, and men nobly extracted (as in Scotland) that do all this, (for then it were not so much to be wondered at) but they are the meanest sort of Subjects, many of them illiterate Mechaniques, whereof the lower House is full; specially the subordinat Committees, who domineer more o'er Nobles and Gentry, than the Parliament Members themselves their Master's use to do.  
Touching those few Peers that sit now voting in the upper House, they may be said to be but mere Ciphers, they are grown so degenerate as to suffer the Commons to give them the Law, to ride upon their backs, and do most things without them: There be many thousand Petitions that have been recommended by these Lords to the lower House, which are scornfully thrown into corners and never read; their Messengers have used to dance attendance divers hours and days before they were vouchsafed to be let in or heard, to the eternal dishonour of those Peers, and yet poor spirited things they resent it not: The Commons now command all, and though, as I am informed, they are summoned thither by the King's Original Writ but to consent to what the King and his Great Counsel of Peers (which is the true Court of Parliament) shall resolve upon; The Commons I say are now from Consenters become the chiefest Counsellors, yea Controulers of all; nay some of this lower House fly so high as to term themselves Conquerors, and though in all conferences with the Lords they stand bare before them, yet by a new way of mixed Committees they carry themselves as Colleagues: These are the men that now have the vogue, and they have made their Privileges so big swollen, that they seem to have quite swallowed up both the King's Prerogatives, and those of the Lords: These are the Grandees, and Sages of the times, though most of them have but cracked brains and crazy fortunes God wot; Nay some of them are such errand Knaves and coxcombs, that 'tis questionable whether they more want common honesty, or common sense; nor know no more what belongs to true policy than the left leg of a joynt-stool: They are grown so high a tiptoes, that they seem to scorn an Act of Amnestia, or any grace from their King, whereas some of them deserve to be hanged as oft as they have hairs upon their heads; nor have they any more care of the common good of England than they have of Lapland, so they may secure their own persons, and continue their Power now, Authority is sweet, though it be in Hell.  
Thus, my Lord, is England now governed, so that 'tis an easy thing to take a prospect of her ruin if she goes on this pace: The Scot is now the swaying man, who is the third time struck into her bowels with a numerous Army: They say he hath vowed never to return till he hath put the Crown on the King's head, the Scept●…r in his hand, and the sword by his side; if he do so, it will be the best thing that ever he did, though some think that he will never be able to do England as much good as he hath done her hurt; He hath extremely out-witted the English of late years: And they who were the causers of his first and last coming in, I hold to be the most pernicious Enemies that ever this Nation had; for 'tis probable that Germany (viz. Ponterland and Breme) will be sooner free of the Swed, than England of the Scot, who will stick close unto him like a burr, that he cannot shake him off; He is become already Master of the Englishmans soul, by imposing a Religion upon him, and he may hereafter be master of his body.  
Your Eminence knows there is a periodical fate hangs over all Kingdoms after such a revolution of time, and rotation of fortune's wheel; the course of the world hath been for one Nation, like so many nails, to thrust out another; But for this Nation, I observe by conference with divers of the saddest and best weighdst men among them, that the same presages foretell their ruin as did the Israelites of old, which was a murmuring against their Governors; It is a long time that both judges, Bishops and privy Counsellors have been muttered at, whereof the first should be the oracles of the Law, the other of the Gospel, the last of State-affairs, and that our judgements should acquiesce upon theirs; Here as I am informed; 'twas common for every ignorant client to arraign his judge; for every puny Curate to censure the Bishop; for every shallow-brain homebred fellow to descant upon the results of the Council Table: and this spirit of contradiction and contumacy hath been a long time fomenting in the minds of this people, infused into them principally, by the Puritanical Faction. Touching the second of the three aforesaid (I mean Bishops) they are grown so odious (principally for their large demeanes) among this people, as the Templars were of old, and one may say it is a just judgement fallen upon them, for they were most busy in demolishing Convents and Monasteries, as these are in destroying cathedrals and Ministers; But above all, it hath been observed that this people hath been a long time rotten-hearted towards the splendour of the Court, the glory of their King, and the old established Government of the land: 'Tis true there were a few small leaks sprung in the great vessel of the St●…te, (and what vessel was ever so ●…ite but was subject to leaks?) but these wiseacres in stopping of one have made a hundred: Yet if this King's reign were paralleled to that of Queen Elizabeth's, who was the greatest Minion of a people that ever was, one will find that she stretched the Prerogative much further; In her time as I have read in the Latin Legend of her life, some had their hands cut off for only writing against her matching with the Duke of Anjou, others were hanged at Tyburn for traducing her government; she pardoned thrice as many Roman Priests as this King did, she passed divers Monopolies, she kept an Agent at Rome, she sent her Sergeant at Arms to pluck out a Member then sitting in the House of Commons by the ears, and clapped him in prison; she called them saucy fellows to meddle with her Prerogative, or with the government of her household, she managed all foreign affairs, specially the wars with Ireland solely by her privy Counsel; yet there was no murmuring at her reign, and the reason I conceive to be, that there was neither Scot or Puritan had then any stroke in England.  
Yet, for all their disobedience and grumble against their Liege Lord the King, this people are exactly obedient to their new Masters of the House of Commons, though they sit there but as their Servants and entitle themselves so; and also though in lieu of the small scratches which England might happily have received before (all which the King had cured) these new masters have made such deep gashes in her, and given her such deadly wounds that I believe are incurable.  
My Lord, I find by my researches, that there are two great Idols in this Kingdom, the greatest that ever were, they are the Parliament and the Pulpit; 'tis held High treason to speak against the one, and the whole body of Religion is nailed unto the other, for there is no devotion here at all but preaching, which God wot is little better than prating. The abuse of these two hath been the source of all the distempers which now reign: touching the latter, it hath served as a subvervient Engine to prop up the power and popularity of the first; these malicious Pulpit-men breathe out nothing thence but either sedition, schism or blasphemy: poor shallow brained Sciolists, they would question many things in the old Testament, and find Apocrypha in the New: And such is the violence wherewith the minds of men and women are transported towards these Preachmen, and no other part of devotion besides, that in all probability they will in time take a surfeit of them: so that give this giddy people line enough there will be no need of Catholic Arms to reduce them to the Apostolic Church, they will in time pave the way to it themselves, and be glad to return to Rome to find out a Religion again.  
There was here before, as I am informed, a kind of a face of a Church, there were some solemnities, venerations and decencies used that a man might discover some piety in this people; there was a public liturgy that in pithy Pathetical prayers reached all occasions; the Sacraments were administered with some reverence, their Churches were kept neat and comely; but this nasty race of miscreants have nothing at all of sweetness, of piety and devotion in them; 'tis all turned to a fatuous kind of zeal after more learning, as if Christianity had no sobriety, consistence or end of knowledge at all: These silly things, to imitat the Apostles time, would have the same form of discipline to govern whole Nations, as it did a chamberfull of men in the infancy of the Church, they would make the same coat serve our Savious at 30. years, which fitted him at three: 'Tis incredible how many ugly sorts of heresies they daily hatch, but they are most of them old ones newly furbished; they all relate to Aerius, a perfect hater of Bishops, because he could not be one himself. The two Sectaries which sway most, are the Presbyterians and Independents, the Presbyterian is a spawn of a Puritan, and the Independent a spawn of the Presbyterian: there's but one hop 'twixt the first and a jew, and but half a hop 'twixt the other and an Infidel; they are both opposite to Monarchy and Hierarchy; and the latter would have no Government at all, but a parity and promiscuous confusion, a race of creatures fit only to inhabit Hell: and one of the fruits of this blessed Parliament, and of these two Sectaries is, that they have made more Jew's and Atheists than I think there is in all Europe besides; but truly, my Lord, I think the judgements of Heaven were never so visible in any part of the Earth, as they are now here, for there is Rebel against Rebel, House against House, City against Army, Parliament against Scot, but these two Sectaries, I mean the Presbyterian and Independent who were the firebrands that put this poor Island first in a flame, are now in most deadly feud one against the other, though they both concur in this to destroy government: And if the King had time enough to look only upon them, they would quickly hang, draw, and destroy one another.  
But indeed all Christian Princes should observe the motions and successes of these two unlucky Incendiaries, for if they should ligue together again, (as they have often played fast and loose one with another) and prevail here, this Island would not terminat their designs, they would puzzle all the world besides. Their Preachmen ordinarily cry out in the Pulpit, there is a great work to be done upon earth, for the reforming all mankind, and They are appointed by Heaven to be the chief Instruments of bringing it about▪ They have already been so busy abroad, that (with vast sums of money) they brought the Swed upon the Dane, and the very Savages upon the English Cavaliers in Virginia; and could they confederate with Turk, or Tartar, or Hell itself against them, they would do it: they are monstrously puffed up with pride, that they stick not to call themselves Conquerors, and one of the chief ringleaders of them, an ignorant home bred kind of Brewer, was not ashamed to vaunt it publicly in the Commons House, that if he had but 20000. men, he would undertake to march to Constantinople, and pull the Ottoman Emperor out of the Seralio.  
Touching the other grand Idol the Parliament, 'tis true that the primitive constitution of Parliament in this Island was a wholesome piece of policy, because it kept a good correspondence, and closed all ruptures 'twixt the King and his people, but this thing they call Parliament now, may rather be termed a cantle of one, or indeed a Conventicle of Schismatics, rather than a great Counsel; 'tis like a kind of headless Monster, or some estropiated carcase; for there is neither King nor Prelate, nor scarce the seventh part of Peers and Commons, no not the twelfth part fairly elected; nevertheless they draw the people, specially this City, like so many stupid animals, to adore them.  
Yet though this institution of Parliament be a wholesome thing in itself, there is in my judgement a great incongruity in one particular; and I believe it hath been the cause of most distempers; it is, That the Burgesses are more in number than the Knights of the Shires; for the Knights of the Shires are commonly Gentlemen well born, and bred, and versed in the Laws of the Land, as well as foreign Governments, (divers of them) but the Burgesses of Towns are commonly Tradesmen, and being bred in Corporations they are most of them inclining to Puritanism, and consequently to popular Government; These Burgesses exceeding the Knights in number, carry all before them by plurality of Voices, and so puzzle all: And now that▪ I have mentioned Corporations, I must tell your Lordship, that the greatest soloecism in the policy of this Kingdom, is the number of them; especially this monstrous City, which is composed of nothing else but of Corporations; and the greatest errors that this King, specially his Father, committed, was to suffer this Town to spread her wings so wide▪ for she bears no proportion with the bigness of the Island, but may fit a Kingdom thrice as spacious; she engrosseth and dreins all the wealth and strength of the Kingdom; so that I cannot compare England more properly than to one of our Cremona geese, where the custom is to fatten only the heart, but in doing so the whole body grows lank.  
To draw to a conclusion, This Nation is in a most sad and desperate condition, that they deserve to be pitied, and preserved from sinking, and having cast the present state of things and all interests into an equal balance, I find, my Lord, there be three ways to do it, one good, and two bad.  
1. The first of the bad ones is the Sword▪ which is one of the scourges of heaven, especially the Civil sword.  
2. The second bad one is the Treaty, which they now offer the King in that small Island where he hath been kept Captif so long, (〈◊〉 which quality the world will account him still while he is detained there) and by tha●… Treaty to bind him as fast as they can, an●… not trust him at all.  
3. The good way is, in a free confiding brave way (Englishmen-like) to send for their King to London, where City and Country should Petition him to summon a new and free full Parliament, which he may do as justly as ever he did thing in his life, these men having infringed as well all the essential Privileges of Parliament, as every puntillio of it, for they have often risen up in a confusion without adjournment, they had two Speakers at once, they have most perjuriously and beyond all imagination betrayed the trust both King and Country reposed in them, subverted the very sundamentals of all Law, and plunged the whole Kingdom in this bottomless gulf of calamities: another Parliament may haply do some good to this languishing Island, and cure her convulsions, but for these men that arrogat to themselves the name of Parliament (by a local puntillio only because they never stirred from the place where they have been kept together by mere force) I find them by their actions to be so pervers, so irrational and refractory, so far given over to a reprobat sense, so fraught with rancour, with an irreconcilable malice and thirst of blood, that England may well despair to be healed by such Phlebotomists, or Quacksalvers; be sides they are so full of scruples, apprehensions, and jealousies proceeding from blac●… guilty souls, and gawl'd consciences, that they will do nothing but chop Logic with their King, and spin out time to continue their power, and evade punishment, which they think is unavoidable if there should be a free-Parlement.  
Touching the King he comports himself with an admired tempered equanimity, he invades and o're-masters them more and more in all his answers by strength of reason, though he have no soul breathing to consult withal, but his own Genius: he gains wonderfully upon the hearts and opinion of his people, and as the Sun useth to appear bigger in winter, and at his declension in regard of the interposition of certain meteors 'twixt the eye of the beholder and the object, so this King being thus p'erclouded and declined, shines far more glorious in the eyes of his people; and certainly these high moral virtues of constancy, courage and wisdom come from above; and no wonder, for Kings as they are elevated above all other people and stand upon higher ground, they sooner receive the inspirations of heaven; nor doth he only by strength of reason out 〈◊〉 them, but he woos them by gentleness and mansuetude; as the Gentleman of Paris who having an Ape in his house that had taken his only child out of the cradle, and dragged him up to the ridge of the house, the parent with ruthful he art charmed the Ape by fair words and other bland●…ments to bring him softly down, which he did; England may be said to be now just upon such a precipice, ready to have her brains dashed out, and I hope these men will not be worse natured then that brute animal, but will save her.  
Thus have I given your Eminence a rough account of the state of this poor and pitifully deluded people, which I will perfect when I shall come to your presence, which I hope will be before this Autumnal Equinox; I thought to have sojourned here longer, but that I am grown weary of the clime, for I fear there's the other two scourges of heaven that menace this Island, I mean the famine and pestilence, especially this City, for their profaneness, rebellion, and sacrilege▪ It hath been a talk a great while whether Antichrist be come to the world or no, I am sure Anti-Iesus, which is worse, is among this people, for they hold all veneration, though voluntary proceeding from the inward motions of a sweet devoted soul, and causing an outward genuflection, to be superstitious, insomuch that one of the Synodical Saints here printed and published a Book entitling it against jesus Worship.  
So in the profoundest posture of reverence I kiss your vest, as being,  
London this 12, of August, 1647. My Lord, Your Eminences most humbly devoted, I. H.   

A NOCTURNAL PROGRESS, OR A PERAMBULATION Of most COUNTRIES IN CHRISTENDOM,  
Performed in one night by strength of the Imagination;  
Which progress terminats in these North-West Iles,  
And declares the woeful Confusions They are involved at present.   

The progress of the Soul by an usual DREAM.  
IT was in the dead of a long Winter night, when no eyes were open but Watchman's and Sentinels, that I was fallen sound asleep, the Cinqs-out-port were shut up closer than usually, for my senses were so trebly locked, that the Moon, had she descended from her watery Orb, might have done much more to me then she did to Endymion when he lay snoring upon the brow of Latmus' Hill; nay, (be it spoken without profaneness) if a rib had been taken out of me that night, to have made a new mo●… of a woman, I should hardly have felt it.  
Yet, though the Cousin German of death had so strongly seized thus upon the exterior parts of this poor Tabernacle of flesh, my inward parts were never more actif, and fuller of employments than they were that night.  

Pictus imaginibus, formisque fugacib●… adstat  
Morpheus, & variis fingit nova vultibus ora.   
Methought my soul made a sally abroad into the world, and fetched a vast compass; she seemed to soar up and slice the air to cross seas, to clammer up huge Hills, and never rested till she had arrived at the Antipodes: Now some of the most judicious Geometricians and Chorographers hold that the whole Mass of the Earth being round like the rest of her fellow Elements, there be places, and poizing parts of the Continent, there be Peninsulas, Promontories and Lands upon the other face of the Earth that correspond and concentre with all those Regions and Isles that are upon this superficies which we read, Countries that symbolise with them in qualities, in temperature of air and clime, as well as in nature of soil; The Inhabitants also of those places which are so perpendicularly opposite, do sympathise one with another in disposition, complexions and humours, though the Astronomers would have their East to be our West, and so all things vice versa in point of position, which division of the Heaven is only man's institution.  
But to give an account of the strange progress my soul made that night; the first Country she lighted on was a very low flat Country, and it was such an odd amphibious Country, being so indented up and down with Rivers and arms of the sea, that I made a question whether I should call it Water or Land; yet though the Sea be invited and ushered in into some places, he is churlistly penned out in some other, so that though he foam and swell, and appear as high Walls hard-by, yet they keep him out, maugre all his roaring and swelling.  
As I wandered up and down in this Watery Region, I might behold from a straight long Dike whereon I stood, a strange kind of Forest, for the trees moved up and down; they looked afar off as if they had been blasted by thunder; for they had no leaves at all; but making a nearer approach unto them, I found they were a nomberlesse company of Ship-Masts, and before them appeared a great Town (Amsterdam) incorporated up and down with Water; As I mused with myself upon the sight of all this, I concluded, that the Inhabitants of that Country were notable industrious people, who could give Law so to the angry Ocean, and occupy those places where the great Leviathan should tumble and take his pastime in; As my thought ran thus, I met with a man, whom I conjectured to be 'twixt a Merchant and a Mariner, his salutation was so homely; the air also was so foggy, that methought it stuck like cobwebs in his Mustachos; and he was so dull in point of motion, as if the blood in his veins had been half frozen: I began to mingle words with him, and to expostulat something about that Country and people; and then I found a great deal of downright civilities in him: He told me that they were the only men who did miracles of late years; Those innumerable piles of stones you see before you in such comely neat frabriques', is a place (said he) that from a Fish- Market in effect is come to be one of the greatest Marts in this part of the world, which hath made her swell thrice bigger the●… she was 50. years ago; and as you behold this floating Forest of Masts before her mole, so if you could see the foundations of her houses, you should see another great Forest, being reared from underground upon fair piles of timber, which if they chance to sink in this Marshy soil, we have an art to screw them up again. We have for 70. years and above without any intermission, except a short-lived truce that once was made, wrestled with one of the greatest Potentates upon Earth, and born up stoutly against him, gramercy our two next neighbour Kings, and their Reason of State, with the advantage of our situation. We have fought ourselves into a free-State, and now quite out of that ancient allegiance we owed him; and though we pay twenty times more in taxes of all sorts than we did to him, yet we are contented: We have turned war into a Trade, and that which useth to beggar others, hath benefited us: Besides, we have been and are still the rendezvous of most discontented Subjects, when by the motions of unquiet consciences in points of Religion, or by the fury of the sword, they are forced to quit their own Countries, who bring their arts of Manufacture, and moveables, hither; Insomuch that our Lombard's are full of their goods, and our banks superabound with their gold and silver which they bring hither in specie.  
To secure ourselves, and cut the Enemy more work, and to engage our Confederates in a war with him, we have kindled fires in every corner, and now that they are together by the Ears, we have been content lately, being long wooed thereunto, to make a peace with that King to whom we once acknowledged vassalage; which King out of a height of spirit, hath spent 500 times more upon us for our reduction, than all our Country is worth; But now he hath been well contented to renounce and abjure all claims and rights of Soverainity over us; In so much, that being now without an enemy, we hope in a short time to be masters of all the commerce in this part of the world, and to eat our Neighbours out of trade in their own Commodities: We fear nothing but that excess of Wealth, and a surfeit of ease may make us careless and breed quarrels among ourselves, and that our General, being married to a great King's daughter may—.  
Here he suddenly broke the thread of his discourse, and got hastily away, being hauled by a ship that was sailing hard by▪  
Hereupon my soul took wing again, and cut her way through that foggy condensed air, till she lighted on a fair spacious, clear Continent, a generous and rich Soil mantled up and down with large woods, where, as I ranged to and fro, I might see divers fair Houses, Towns, Palaces and Castles, looking like so many Carcases, for no humane soul appeared in them; methought I felt my he art melting within me in a soft resentment of the case of so gallant a Country, and as I stood at amaze, and in a kind of astonishment, a goodly personage makes towards me, whom both for his comportment, and countenance, I perceived to be of a finer mould than that companion I had met withal before: by the trace of his looks I guessed he might be some Nobleman that had been ruined by some disaster: having acosted him with a fitting distance, he began in a masculine strong wound language full of aspirations and tough collision of Consonants, to tell me as followeth: Sir, I find you are a stranger in this Country, because you stand so aghast at the devastations of such a fair piece of the Continent, then know Sir, because I believe you are curious to carry away with you the causes thereof, that these ruthful objects which you behold, are the effects of a long lingering war, and of the fury of the Sword, a cruentous civil War that hath raged here above thirty years: one of the grounds of it was the infortunate undertaking of a Prince, who lived not far off in an affluence of all earthly felicity; he had the greatest Lady to his wife, the bes●… purse of money, the fairest Stable of horse▪ and choicest Library of books of any other of his neighbour Princes. But being by desperate and aspiring counsels put upon a Kingdom, while he was catching at the shadow of a Crown, he lost the substance of all his own ancient possessions: by the many powerful alliances he had (which was the cause he was pitched upon) the feud continued long; for among others a Northern King took advantage to rush in, who did a world of mischiefs, but in a few years that King and He found their graves in their own ruins near upon the same time; but now, may heaven have due thanks for it, there is a peace concluded, a peace which hath been 14. long years a moulding, and will I hope, be shortly put in execution; yet 'tis with this fatal disadvantage, that the said Northern people, besides a mass of ready money we are to give them, are to have firm footing, and a warm nest ever in this Country hereafter, so that I fear we shall hear from them too often: upon these words this noble personage fetched a deep sigh, but in such a generous manner that he seemed to break and check it before it came half forth.  
Thence my soul taking her flight o'er divers huge and horrid cacuminous mountains (the Alps) at last I found myself in a great populous Town (Naples) but her buildings were miserably battered up and down, she had a world of Palaces, Castles, Convents and goodly Churches: as I stepped out of curiosity into one of them, upon the West side there was a huge Grate, where a creature all in white beckoned at me, making my approach to the Grate, I found her to be a Nun, a lovely creature she was, for I could not distinguish which was whiter, her hue or her habit, which made me remember (though in a dream myself) that saying, If Dreams and wishes had been true, there had not been found a true maid to make a Nun of, ever since a Cloistered life began first among women; I asked her the reason how so many ugly devastations should befall so beautiful a City, she in a dolorous gentle tone, and ruthful accents, the tears trickling down her cheeks like so many pearls, (such pearly tears that would have dissolved a Diamond) sobbed out unto me this speech: Gentle Sir, 'tis far beyond any expressions of mine, and indeed beyond humane imagination to conceive the late calamities which have befallen this fair though infortunate City, a pernicious popular Rebellion broke out here upon a sudden into most horrid barbarismes, a Fate that hangs over most rich popular places that swim in luxe and plenty; but touching the grounds thereof, one may say that rebellion entered into this City, as sin first entered into the world by an apple: For our King now in his great extremities having almost half the world banding against him; and putting but a small tax upon a basket of fruit to last only for a time, this fruit-tax did put the peeples teeth so on edge, that it made them gnash against the Government, and rush into Arms; but they are sensible now of their own follies, for I think never any place suffered more in so short a time: the civil combustions abroad in other Kingdoms may be said to be but small squibs compared to those horrid flakes of fire which have raged here, and much ado we had to keep our Vest all fire free from the fury of it: in less than the revolution of a year it consumed above fourscore thousand souls within the walls of this City; But 'tis not the first time of forty, that this luxurious foolish people hath smarted for their insurrections and insolences, and that this mad horse hath o'erthrown his Rider, and drawn a worse upon his back; who instead of a saddle, put a packsaddle and Panniers upon him: but indeed the voluptuousness of this people was grown ripe for the judgement of heaven.  
She was then beginning to expostulat with me about the state of my Country, and I had a mighty mind to satisfy her, for I could have corresponded with her in the re●…ation of as strange things, but the Lady A●…adesse calling her away, she departed in an ●…nstant, obedience seemed to be there so precise and punctual.  
I steered my course thence through a most delicious Country to another City that lay in the very bosom of the Sea, (Venice) she was at first nothing else but a kind of posy made up of dainty green Hillocks, tied together by above 400. bridges, and so coagulated into a curious City; though she be espoused to Neptune very solemnly once every ●…eer, yet she still reserves her maidenhead, ●…ad bears the title of the Virgin City in that part of the world; But I found her tugging mainly with a huge Giant that would ravish her; He hath shrewdly set on her skirts, and a great shame it is, that she is not now assisted by her Neighbours, and that they should be together by the ears when they should do so necessary a work, considering how that great Giant is their common Enemy; and hath lately vowed seven year's wars against her; specially considering, that if he comes once to ravish her, he will quickly ruin her said Neighbours, She (to her high honour be it spoken) being their only rampart against the incursion of the said Giant, and by consequence their greatest security.  
From this Maiden City, me thought, I was in a trice carried over a long gulf, and so through a Midland Sea, into another Kingdom, (Spain) where I felt the Clime hotter by some Degrees; a roughhewn soil, for the most part, it was full of craggy barren hills; but where there were valleys and water enough, the country was extraordinarily fruitful, whereby nature (it seems) made her a compensation for the sterility of the rest. Yet notwithstanding the hardship of the soil, I found her full of Abbeys, Monasteries, Hermitages, Convents, Churches, and other places of devotion; as I roved there a while, I encountered a grave man in a long black cloak, by the fashion whereof, and by the brimms of his hat, I perceived him to be a jesuit; I closed with him, and questioned him about that Country: He told me the King of that Country was the greatest Potentat of that part of the world; and, to draw power to a greater unity, they of our Order could be well contented, that he were universal Head over temporals, because 'tis most probable to be effected by him, as we have already one universal Head over spirituals: This is the Monarch of the Mines, I mean of Gold and Silver, who furnishes all the world, but most of all his own enemies with money, which money foments all the wars in this part of the world: Never did any earthly monarch thrive so much in so short a tract of time, But of late years he hath been illfavouredly shaken by the revolt and utter defection of two sorts of Subjects, who are now in actual arms against him on both sides of him at his own doors. There hath been also a long deadly feud 'twixt the next tramontan Kingdom (France) and him, though the Q. that rules there be his own sister, an unnatural odious thing: But it seems God Almighty hath a quarrel of late years with all earthly Potentats; for in so short a time ther never happened such strange shocks and revolutions: The great Emperor of Ethiopia hath been outed, he and all his children by a petty companion: The King of China, a greater Emperor than he, hath lost almost all that huge Monarchy by the incursion of the Tartar, who broke o'er the wall upon him: The grand Turk hath been strangled, with 30. of his Concubines; The Emperor of Muscovy hath been content to beg his life of his own vassals, and to see before his face divers of his chief Officers hacked to pieces, and their heads cut off and steeped in strong water, to make them burn more bright in the market place. Besides the above mentioned, this King hath also divers enemies more, yet he bears up against them all indifferently well, though with infinite expense of treasure, and the Church, specially our Society, hath stuck close unto him in these his exigents: whence may be inferred, that let men repine as long as they will at the possessions of the Church, they are the best anchors to a State in a storm, and in time of need to preserve it from sinking; besides, acts of charity would be quite lost among men, did not the wealth of the Church keep life in them: Hereupon drawing a huge pair of Beads from under his cloak, he began to ask me of my Religion; I told him I had a long journey to go, so that I could not stay to wait on him longer; so we parted, and me thought I was very glad to be rid of him so well.  
My soul then made another flight over an Assembly of hideous high hills, (Pyreneys) and lighted under another Clime, on a rich and copious Country (France) resembling the form of a Lozenge, but me thought, I never saw so many poor people in my life; I encountered a Pesan, and asked him what the reason was, that there should be so much poverly in a Country where there was so much plenty: Sir, they keep the Commonalty poor in pure policy here, for being a people, as the world observes us to be, that are more humorous than others, and that love variety and change, if we were suffered to be pampered with wealth, we would ever and anon rise up in tumults, and so this Kingdom should never be quiet, but subject to intestine broils, and so to the hazard of any invasion: But there was of late a devilish Cardinal, whose humour being as sanguine as his habit, and working upon the weakness of his Master, hath made us not only poor, but stark beggars, and we are like to continue so by an eternal war, wherein he hath plunged this poor Kingdom, which war must be maintained with our very vital spirits: but as dejected and indigent as we are, yet upon the death of that ambitious Cardinal, we had risen up against This, who hath the Vogue now, (with whom he hath left his principles) had not the fearful example of our next transmarin Western neighbours (the English) and the knowledge we have of a worse kind of slavery, of those endless arbitrary taxes, and horrid confusions they have fooled themselves lately into, utterly deterred us, though we have twenty times more reason to rise then ever they had: yet our great City (Paris) hath showed her teeth, and gnashed them illfavouredly of late, but we find she hath drawn water only for her own Mill, we fare little the better, yet we hope it will conduce to peace, which hath been so long in agitation.  
I cannot remember how I parted with that Peasan, but in an instant I was landed upon a large Island, and methought, 'twas the temperat'st Region I had been in all the while (England;) the heat of the Sun there is as harmless as his light, the evening serene●… are as wholesome there as the morning dew; the Dog-days as innocuous as any of the two Equinoxes. As I ranged to and fro that fair Island, I spied a huge City (London) whose length did far exceed her latitude, but ne●…ther for length or latitude did she seem to bear any political proportion with that Island: she looked, methought, like the jesuits hat whom I had met withal before, whose brimms were bigger than the crown, or like a petticoat, whose fringe was longer than the body. As I did cast my eyes upwards, methought I discerned a strange inscription in the air which hung just over the midst of that City written in such huge visible characters, that any one might have read it, which was this: Woe be to the bloody City.  
Hereupon a reverend Bishop presented himself to my view, his grey hairs, and grave aspect struck in me an extraordinary reverence of him: so performing those compliments which were fitting, I asked him of the condition of the place, he in a submiss sad tone, with clouds of melancholy waving up and down his looks, told me; Sir this Island was reputed few years since to have been in the completest condition of happiness of any part on earth, insomuch that she was repined a●… for her prosperity and peace by all her neighbours who were plunged in war round about her, but now she is fallen into as deep a gulf of misery, and servitude, as she was in a height of felicity & freedom before: Touching the grounds of this change, I cannot impute it to any other then to a surfeit of happiness; now, there is no surfeit so dangerous as that of happiness: There are such horrid divisions here, that if they were a foot in hell, they were able to destroy the Kingdom of Satan: truly Sir, there are creped in more opinions among us about matters or Religion, than the Pagans had of old of the Summum bonum, which Varro saith were 300. the understandings of poor men were never so puzzled and distracted; a great while there were two opposite powers (King and Parliament) who swayed here in a kind of equality that people knew not whom to obey, many thousands complied with both, as the men of Calcutta who adore God and the Devil, Tantum Squantum, as it is in the Indian language) They adore the one for love, the other for fear: there is a monstrous kind of wild liberty here that ever was upon earth; That which was complained of as a stalking horse to draw on our miseries at first, is now only in practice, which is mere arbitrary rule; for now both Law, Religion and Allegiance are here arbitrary: Touching the last, 'tis quite lost, 'tis permitted that any may prate, preach or print what they will in derogation of their anointed King: which word King was once a Monosyllable of some weight in this I'll, but 'tis as little regarded now as the word Pope (among some) which was also a mighty Monosyllable once among us: the rule of the Law is, that the King can do no wrong, there is a contrary rule now crept in, that the King can receive no wrong; and truly Sir, 'tis a great judgement both upon Prince and people; upon the one, that the love of so many of his vassals should be so alienated from him; upon the other, that their hearts should be so poisoned, and certainly 'tis the effect of an ill spirit; both the one and the other in all probability tend to the ruin of this Kingdom.  
But now Sir, (because I see you are so attentive, and seem to be much moved at this Discourse) as I have discovered unto you the general cause of our calamities, which was not only a satiety but a surfeit of happiness, so I will descend now to a particular cause of them; it was a Northern Nation (Scot) that brought these cataracts of mischiefs upon us; and you know the old saying,  

Out of the North  
All ill comes forth.   
Far be it from me to charge the whole Nation herewith; no, but only some pernicious Instruments that had insinuated themselves, and incorporated among us, and swayed both in our Court and Counsels: They had a hand in every Monopoly; they had out of our Exchequer, and Customs near upon 400000. Crowns in yearly Pensions, viis & modis; yet they could not be content, but they must puzzle the peace and policy of this Church and State: and though they are a people of a differing Genius, differing Laws, Customs, and Manners unto us, yet for matter of conscience they would bring our necks into their yoke, as if they had a greater talon of reason, and clearer illuminations, as if they understood Scripture better, and were better acquainted with God Almighty than we, who brought them first from Paganism to Christianity, and also to be reform Christians: but it seems, matters have little thriven with them; nay the visible hand of heaven hath been heavily upon them divers ways since they did lift their hands against their native King; For notwithstanding the vast sums they had hence, yet is the generality of them as beggarly as ever they were; besides, the Civil Sword hath raged there as furiously as here, and did as much execution among them. Moreover the Pestilence hath been more violent, and sweeping in their chief Town (Edinburgh) then ever it was since they were a people. And now lately there's the notablest dishonour befallen them that possibly could light upon a Nation, in that 7000. of ours should upon even ground encounter, kill, slay, rout and utterly discomfit thrice as many of theirs, though as well appointed and armed as men could be: And truly Sir, the advantages that accrue to this Nation are not a few by that exploit; For of late years that Nation was cried up abroad to be a more Martial people than we, and to have baffled us in open field in divers traverses: besides, I hope a small matter will pay now their Arrearages here, and elsewhere; but principally, I hope they will not be so busy hereafter in our Court and Counsel, as they have been formerly.  
Another cause of our calamity is a strange race of people (the Puritans) sprung up among ourselves, who were confederate with those of the North; they would make God's House clean, and by putting out the candle of all ancient learning and knowledge, they would sweep it only by the light of an Ignis fatuus: but 'tis visibly found that they have brought much more rubbage into it, and whereas in reforming this house, they should rather find out the groat that is lost, they go about to take away the mite that's left, and so put Christ's Spouse to live on mere alms: True it is, there is a kind of zeal that burns in them, (and I could wish there were so much piety) but this zeal burns with too much violence and presumption, which is no good symptom of spiritual health, it being a rule, that as the natural heat, so the spiritual should be moderate, else it commonly turns to a frenzy, and that is the thing which causeth such a giddiness and distraction in their brains; This (proceeding from the suggestions of an ill spirit) puffs them up with so much spiritual pride; for the Devil is so cunning a Wrestler, that he oftentimes lifts men up to give them the greater fall: they think they have an inerring spirit, and that their Dial must needs go true, howsoever the Sun goes: they would make the Gospel, as the Caddies make the Koran, to decide all civil temporal matters under the large notion of slander, whereof they forsooth to be the Judges, and so in time to hook in all things to their Classis: I believe if these men were dissected when they are dead, they would be a great deal of Quicksilver found in their brains.  

Proh Superi, quantum mortalia pectora coecae  
Noctis habent!—   
But I could pity the giddiness of their brains, had they not so much gall in their breasts, were they not so thirsting after blood, so full of poison and irreconcilable malice; in so much that it may be very well thought, these men are a kin to that race which sprung out of the Serpent's teeth: these are they which have seduced our great Counsel, and led this foolish City by the nose to begin and foment this ugly War, insomuch that if those numberless bodies which have perished in these commotions, were cast into her streets, and before her doors, many thousand Citizens noses would bleed of pure guilt.  
Not to hold you long, these are the men who have baffled common sense, blasted the beams of nature, and offered violence to reason itself; these are they who have infatuated most of the people of this Island; so that whereas in times past, some called her the I'll of Angels, she may be termed now the I'll of Gulls, or more properly the I'll of Dogs, or rather indeed ●…he I'll of Wolf's, there is such a true Lycanthrepy come in among us: I am loath to call her the Island of Devils, though she hath been branded so abroad.  
To conclude Sir, the glory of this Isle is quite blasted; 'tis true they speak of peace, but while the King speaks to them of it, they make themselves ready for battle; I much fear, that Ixion-like we embrace a cloud for peace, out of which there will issue out Centaurs, and Monsters, as sprung out of that cloud.  
Touching that ancientest holy Order whereof you see me to be; I well hoped, that in regard they pretended to reform things only, they would not have quite extirpated, but regulated only this Order: it had been enough to brayle our wings, not to have ●…ear'd them: to have lopped and pruned, not to have destroyed root and branch of that ancient tree which was planted by the hands of the Apostles themselves: In fine Sir, we are a lost people, 'tis no other Dedalus, but the high Deity of heaven can clue us out of this labyrinth of confusions, can extricat us out of this maze of miseries: the Philosopher saith, 'tis impossible for man to quadrat a Circle; so 'tis not in the power of man, but of God alone, to make a loyal Subject of a Round head: Among other things that stranger's report of this Island, they say that Winter here hath too many tears in his eyes: Helas Sir, 'tis impossible he should have too many now, to bewail the lamentable base slavery, that a freeborn people is come to: and though they are grown so tame as to kiss the rod that whips them, yet their Taskmasters will not throw it into the fire.  
Truly Sir, as my tongue is too feeble to express our miseries, so the plummet of the best understanding is too short to fathom the depth of them.  
With this, the grave Venerable Bishop giving me his benediction, fetched such a sigh, that would have rended a rock asunder; and suddenly vanished (methought) out out of my sight up towards Heaven. I presently after awoke about the dawnings of the day, when one could hardly discern Dog from Wolf; and my soul, my Arimula vagula blandula, being reentered through the Horn gate of sleep into her former mansion, half tired after so long a Peregrination; and having rubbed my eyes, distended my limbs, and returned to a full expergefaction, I began to call myself to account touching those world of objects my fancy had represented unto me that night; and when by way of reminiscence I fell to examin●… and ruminate upon them; Lord, what a mass of Ideas ran in my head! but when I called to mind the last Country my soul wandered in, methought I felt my heart like a lump of lead within me, when I considered how pat every circumstance might be applied to the present condition of England: I was meditating with myself what kind of dream this might be; whereupon I thought upon the common division that Philosophers make of dreams, that they are either  

Divine,  
Diabolical,  
Natural, or  
Humane.   
For the first, they are Visions more properly or Revelations, whereof there are divers examples in the holy Oracles of God, but the puddled crannies of my brain are not rooms clean enough to entertain such: Touching the second kind, which come by the impulses of the Devil, I have heard of divers of them, as when one did rise up out of his sleep, and fetched a poniard to stab his bedfellow, which he had done, had he not been awake; Another went to the next chamber a-bed to his mother, and would have ravished her; but I thank God this dream of mine was not of that kind.  
Touching the third species of dreams; which are natural dreams, they are according to the humour which predominats; if Melancholy sway, we dream of black darksome devious places; if Phlegm, of waters; if Choler, of frays, fightings, and troubles; if Sanguine predominat, we dream of green fields, gardens, and other pleasant representations; and the Physician comes often to know the quality of a disease by the nocturnal objects of the patient's fancy.  
Humane dreams the last sort relate to the actions of the day past, or of the day following, and some representations are clear and even; others are amphibious, mongrel, distorted and squalid objects, (according to the species of trees over troubled waters:) and the object is clear or otherwise, accorning to the tenuity or grossness of the vapours which ascend from the ventricle up to the brain.  
Touching my Dream, I think it was of this last kind; for I was discoursing of, and condoling the sad distempers of our times the day before: I pray God some part of it prove not prophetical; for, although the Frenchman sayeth, Songs sont Mensonges, dreams are delusions, and that they turn to contraries, yet the Spaniard hath a saying,  

Et ciego sonnava que via  
Yera lo que querria.   

The blind man dreamt he did see light,  
The thing he wished for happened right.   
Insomuch that some Dreams oftentimes prove true; as S. Austin makes mention of a rich Merchant in Milan, who being dead, one of his Creditors comes to his son to demand such a sum of money which he had lent his father; the son was confident 'twas paid, but not finding the Creditors Receipt, he was impleaded and like to be cast in the Suit, had not his father's Ghost appeared to him, and directed him to the place where the Acquittance was, which he found the next day accordingly. Galen speaks of one that dreamt he had a wooden leg, and the next day he was taken with a dead Palsy in one whole side. Such a Dream was that of William Rufus, when he thought he had felt a cold gust passing through his bowels; and the next day he was slain in the guts, by the glance of an arrow, in new Forest, a place where he and his Father had committed so many Sacrileges. I have read in Artimedorus, of a woman that dreamt she had seen the pictures of three faces in the Moon like herself, and she was brought to bed of three daughters a little after, who all died within the compass of a month. Another dreamt, that Xanthus' water ran red, and the next day he fell a spitting of blood.  
To this I will add another foretelling Dream, whereof I have read, which was thus: two young Gentlemen being travelling abroad in strange Countries, and being come to a great town, the one lay far in the City, the other in an Hostry without the wall in the Suburbs: he in the City did dream in the dead of night, that his friend which he had left in the Suburbs rushed into his chamber panting and blowing, being pursued by others; he dreamt so again, and the third time he might see his friend's Ghost appearing at his bed's side with blood trickling down his throat, and a Poniard in his breast, telling him, Dear friend, I am come now to take my last farewell of thee, and if thou rise betimes, thou shalt meet me in the way going to be buried; the next morning his friend going with his Host towards the Inn in the Suburbs where he left his friend, they met with a Cart laden with dung in the way, which being stayed and searched, the dead body was found naked in the dung.  
I will conclude with a notable Dream that Osman the Great Turk had not many years since, a few days before he was murdered by his Janissaries, 1623. He dreamt, that being mounted upon a huge Camel, he could not make him go, though he switched and spurred him never so much; at last the Camel overthrew him, and being upon the ground, only the bridle was left in his hand, but the body of the Camel was vanished: the Mufti not being illuminated enough to interpret this Dream, a Santon who was a kind of Idiot, told him, the Camel represented the Ottoman Empire, which he not being able to govern, he should be o'erthrown, which two days after proved true.  
By these, and a cloud of examples more, we may conclude, that Dreams are not altogether impertinent, but something may be gathered out of them; though the application and meaning of them be denied to man, unless by special illumination.  Somnia venturi sunt praescia saepe diei. 

By Dreams we oft may guess  
At the next day's success.   
THus have you a rough account of a rambling Noctivagation up and down the world: I may boldly say, that neither Sir john Mandevile, or Coryat himself travelled more in so short a time: whence you see what nimble postilions the Animal Spirits are; and with what incredible celerity the imagination can cross the Line, cut the Tropiques, and pass to the other Hemisphere of the world; which shows that humane souls have something in them of the Almighty, that their faculties have a kind of ubiquitary freedom, though the body be never so under restraint, as the Authors is.  

They err as much who think all Dreams false,  
As They who think Them always true.   
In the prison of the Fleet 3. Idus Decembris 1645. I. H.   

A VINDICATION OF HIS MAJESTY,  
Touching a Letter He writ to Rome from the Court of Spain, in Answer to a Letter which Pope Gregory the 15th. had sent Him upon passing the Dispensation for concluding the Match with the I●…fanta.  
Which Letter Mr. Pryn mentions in his Book called the Popish Royal Favourite, whereby the World is apt to believe that His Majesty had Inclinations to Pope●…y.  
There goes also herewith, A clearing of some Aspersions that the said Mr. Pryn casts upon the Author hereof in the same Pamphlet, viz. That he was a Malignant, and no friend to Parlements.  
WHEREBY, He takes occasion to speak something of the first Rise, And also of the Duty as well as the Authority of Parlements.   

To my worthily honoured friend Sir W. S. Knight.  
SIR,  
I Have many thanks to give you for the Book you pleased to send me, called the Popish Royal Favourite; and according to your advice (which I value in a high degree) I did put pen to paper, and something you may see I have done (though in a poor pamphleting way) to clear myself of those aspersions that seem to be cast upon His Majesty; But truly Sir, I was never so unfit for such a task; all my Papers, Manuscripts, and Notes having been long since seized upon and kept from me: Add hereunto, that besides this long pressure and languishment of close restraint (the sense whereof I find hath much stupefied my spirits) it pleased God to visit me lately with a dangerous fit of sickness, a high burning fever, with the new disease, whereof my Body as well as my Mind is yet somewhat crazy: so that (take all afflictions together) I may truly say, I have passed the Ordeal, the fiery Trial. But it hath pleased God to reprieve me to see better days I hope; for out of this fatal black Cloud, which now oresets this poor Island, I hope there will break a glorious Sunshine of peace and firm happiness: To effect which, had I a Jury, a grand-Jury of lives, I would sacrifice them all, and triumph in the oblation.  
So I most affectionately kiss your hands, and rest  
Your faithful (though afflicted) Servant, From the Prison of the Fleet. I H.   

The Pre-eminence, and Duty OF PARLIAMENT.  

Sectio Prima.  
I Am a Freeborn Subject of the Realm of England; whereby I claim as my native Inheritance, an undoubted right, propriety, and portion in the Laws of the Land: And this distinguisheth me from a slave. I claim likewise protection from my Sovereign Prince, who as He is my Liege Lord is obliged to protect me, and I being one of His Liege people am obliged to obey Him by way of Reciprocation; I claim also an interest and common right in the High National Court of Parliament, and in the power, the privileges and jurisdiction thereof, which I put in equal balance with the Laws, in regard it is the fountain whence they spring; and this I hold also to be a principal part of my Birthright; which Great Council I honour, respect, value, and love in as high a degree as can be, as being the Bulwark of our liberties, the main boundary and bank which keeps us from slavery, from the inundations of tyrannical Rule, and unbounded Will-government. And I hold myself obliged in a tye of indispensable obedience, to conform and submit myself to whatsoever shall be transacted, concluded, and constituted by its authority in Church or State with the Royal assent, whether it be by making, enlarging, altering, diminishing, disannulling, repealing, or reviving of any Law, Statute, Act, or Ordinance whatsoever, either touching matters Ecclesiastical, civil, common, capital, criminal, martial, maritime, municipal, or any other; of all which the transcendent and uncontrollable jurisdiction of that Court is capable to take cognizance.  
Amongst the three things which the Athenian Captain thanked the gods for, one was, That he was born a Grecian, and not a Barbarian; For such was the vanity of the Greeks, and after them of the Romans in the flourish of their Monarchy, to arrogat all civility to themselves, and to term all the world besides Barbarians: so I may say to rejoice, that I was born a vassal to the Crown of England; that I was born under so well-moulded and tempered a Government, which endows the subject with such Liberties and infranchisements that bear up his natural courage, and keep him still in heart; such Liberties that fence and secure him eternally from the gripes and talons of Tyranny: And all this may be imputed to the Authority and wisdom of this High Court of Parliament, wherein there is such a rare co-ordination of power (though the Sovereignty remain still entire, and untransferrable in the person of the Prince) there is such a wholesome mixture 'twixt Monarchy, Optimacy, and Democracy, 'twixt Prince, Peers, and Commonalty, during the time of consultation, that of so many distinct parts, by a rare co-operation and unanimity they make but one Body Politic, (like that shea●…e of arrows in the Emblem) one entire concentrical piece, the King being still the Head, and the results of their deliberations but as so many harmonious diapasons arising from different strings. And what greater immunity and happiness can there be to a Peeple, than to be liable to no Laws but what they make themselves? to be subject to no contribution, assessment, or any pecuniary erogations whatsoever, but what they Vote, and voluntarily yield unto themselves? For in this compacted Politic Body, there be all degrees of people represented; both the Mechanic, Tradesman, Merchant, and Yeoman have their inclusive Vote, as well as the Gentry, in the persons of their trusties, their Knights and Burgesses, in passing of all things.  
Nor is this Sovereign Surintendent Council an Epitome of this Kingdom only, but it may be said to have a representation of the whole Universe; as I heard a fluent well-worded Knight deliver the last Parliameut, who compared the beautiful composure of that High Court to the great work of God, the World itself: The King is as the Sun, the Nobles the fixed Stars, the Itineant judges and other Officers (that go upon Messages 'twixt both Houses) to the Planets; the Clergy, to the Element of fire; the Commons, to the solid Body of Earth, and the rest of the Elements. And to pursue this comparison a little farther; as the heavenly Bodies, when three of them meet in Conjunction, do use to produce some admirable effects in the Elementary World; So when these three States convene and assemble in one solemn great junta, some notable and extraordinary things are brought forth, tending to the welfare of the whole Kingdom our Microcosm.  
HE that is never so little versed in the Annals of this I'll, will find that it hath been her fate to be four times conquered, I exclude the Scot for the situation of his Country, and the Quality of the Clime hath been such an advantage and security to him, that neither the Roman Eagles would fly thither for fear of freezing their wings, nor any other Nation attempt the work.  
These so many Conquests must needs bring with them many tumblings and toss, many disturbances and changes in Government; yet I have observed, that notwithstanding these tumblings, it retained still the form of a Monarchy, and something there was always that had an Analogy with the great Assembly of Parliament.  
The first Conquest I find was made by Claudius Caesar, at which time (as some well observe) the Roman Ensigns, and the Standard of Christ came in together: It is well known what Laws the Roman had; He had his Comitia, which bore a resemblance with our Convention in Parliament; the place of their meeting was called Praetorum, and the Laws which they enacted, Plebiscita.  
The Saxon Conquest succeeded next, which were the English, there being no name in Welsh or Irish for an English man, but Saxon, to this day; They also governed by Parliament, though it were under other names, as Michael Sinoth, Michael Gemote, and Witenage Mote.  
There are Records above a thousand years old of these Parlements in the Reigns of King Ina, Offa, Ethelbert, and the rest of the seven Kings during the Heptarchy: The British Kings also, who retained a great while some part of the Isle unconquered, governed and made Laws by a kind of Parlementary way; witness the famous Laws of Prince Howell, called Howell Dha, (the good Prince Howell) whereof there are yet extant some British Records: Parlements were also used after the Heptarchy by King Kenulphus, Alphred, and others; witness that renowned Parliament held at Grately by King Athelstan.  
The third Conquest was by the Danes, and they governed also by such general Assemblies, (as they do to this day) witness that great and so much celebrated Parliament held by that mighty Monarch Canutus, who was King of England, Denmark, Norway, and other Regions 150 years before the compiling of Magna Charta; and this the learned in the Laws do hold to be one of the specialst, and most authentic pieces of antiquity we have extant. Edward the Confessor made all his Laws thus, (and he was a great Legis-lator,) which the Norman Conqueror (who liking none of his sons, made God Almighty his heir by bequeathing unto him this Island for a legacy) did ratify and establish, and digested them into one entire methodical Systeme, which being violated by Rufus, (who came to such a disastrous end as to be shot to death in lieu of a Buck for his sacrileges) were restored by Henry the first, and so they continued in force till King john; whose Reign is renowned for first confirming Magna Charta, the foundation of our Liberties ever since: which may be compared to divers outlandish grasses set upon one English stock; or to a posy of sundry fragrant flowers; for the choicest of the British, the Roman, Saxon, Danish, and Norman Laws, being culled and picked out and gathered as it were into one bundle, out of them the foresaid Grand Charter was extracted; And the establishment of this great Charter was the work of a Parliament.  
Nor are the Laws of this Island only, and the freedom of the Subject conserved by Parliament, but all the best policed Countries of Europe have the like. The Germans have their Diets, the Danes and Swedes their Rijcks Dachs; the Spaniard calls his Parliament las Cortes; and the French have, (or should have at least) their Assembly of three States, though it be grown now in a manner obsolete, because the Authority thereof was (by accident) devolved to the King. And very remarkable it is, how this happened; for when the English had taken such large footing in most parts of France, having advanced as far as Orleans and driven their then King Charles the seventh, to Bourges in Berry the Assembly of the three States in these pressures, being not able to meet after the usual manner in full Parliament because the Country was unpassable, the Enemy having made such firm invasions up and down through the very bowels of the Kingdom; That power which formerly was inhaerent in the Parlementary Assembly, of making Laws, of assessing the Subject with Taxes, subsidiary levies, and other impositions, was transmitted to the King during the war; which continueth many years, that entrusted power by length of time grew as it were habitual in him, and could never after be re-assumed and taken from him; so that ever since, his Edicts countervail Acts of Parliament. And that which made the business more feasable for the King, was, that the burden fell most upon the Communality (the Clergy and Nobility not feeling the weight of it) who were willing to see the Peasan pulled down a little, because not many years before, in that notable Rebellion, called lafoy jaquerie de Beauvoisin, which was suppressed by Charles the wise, the Common people put themselves boldly in Arms against the Nobility and Gentry, to lessen their power. Add hereunto as an advantage to the work, that the next succeeding King Lewis the eleventh, was a close cunning Prince, and could well tell how to play his game, and draw water to his own mill; For amongst all the rest, he was said to be the first that put the Kings of France, Horse de page, out of their minority, or from being Pages any more, though thereby he brought the poor peasans to be worse than Lacquays, and they may thank themselves for it.  
Nevertheless, as that King hath an advantage hereby one way, to Monarchize more absolutely, and never to want money, but to ballast his purse when he will; so there is another mighty inconvenience ariseth to him and his whole Kingdom another way; for this peeling of the Peasan hath so dejected him, and cowed his native courage so much by the sense of poverty (which brings along with it a narrowness of 〈◊〉) that he is little useful for the war: which put's the French King to make other Nations mercenary to him, to fill up his Infantry: Insomuch, that the Kingdom of France may be not unfitly compared to a body that hath all its blood drawn up into the arms, breast and back, and scarce any le●…t from the girdle downwards, to cherish and bear up the lower parts, and keep them from starving.  
All this seriously considered, there cannot be a more proper and pregnant example than this of our next Neighbours, to prove how infinitely necessary the Parliament is to assert, to prop up and preserve the public liberty, and national rights of a people, with the incolumity and welfare of a Country.  
Nor doth the Subject only reap benefit thus by Parliament, but the Prince, (if it be well considered) hath equal advantage thereby; It rendereth him a King of free and able men, which is far more glorious than to be a King of Cowards, Beggars, and Bankrupts; Men that by their freedom, and competency of wealth, are kept still in heart to do him service against any foreign force. And it is a true maxim in all States, that 'tis less danger and dishonour for the Prince to be poor, than his people: Rich Subjects can make their King rich when they please, if he gain their hearts, he will quickly get their purses. Parliament increaseth love and good intelligence 'twixt him and his people, it acquaints him with the reality of things, and with the true state and diseases of his Kingdom, it brings him to the knowledge of his better sort of Subjects, and of their abilities, which he may employ accordingly upon all occasions; It provides for his Royal Issue, pays his debts, finds means to fill his Coffers: and it is no ill observation, That Parlementmoneys (the great Aid) have prospered best with the Kings of England; It exceedingly raiseth his repute abroad, and enableth him to keep his foes in fear, his Subjects in awe, his Neighbours and Confederates in security, the three main things which go to aggrandise a Prince, and render him glorious. In sum, it is the Parliament that supports, and bears up the honour of his Crown, and settles his Throne in safety, which is the chief end of all their consultations: For whosoever is entrusted to be a Member of this High Court, carrieth with him a double capacity; he sits there as a Patriot, and as a Subject: as he is the one, the Country is his object, his duty being to vindicat the public liberty, to make wholesome Laws, to put his hand to the pump, and stop the leaks of the great vessel of the State, to pry into, and punish corruption and oppression, to improve and advance trade, to have the grievances of the place he serves for redressed, and cast about how to find something that may tend to the advantage of it.  
But he must not forget that he sits there also as a Subject, and according to that capacity, he must apply himself to do his Soveraignt business, to provide not only for his public, but his personal wants; to bear up the lustre and glory of his Court; To consider what occasions of extraordinary expenses he may have, by increase of Royal Issue, or maintenance of any of them abroad; To enable him to vindicat any affront or indignity that might be offered to his Person, Crown, or Dignity, by any foreign State or Kingdom, or intestine Rebellion; To consult what may enlarge his honour, contentment, and pleasure. And as the French Tacitus (Comines) hath ●…t, the English Nation was used to be more ●…orward and zealous in this particular than ●…ny other; according that to ancient eloquent speech of a great Lawyer, Domus Regis vigi●…a defendit omnium, otium illius labor omni●…m, deliciae illius industria omnium, vacatio ●…lius occupatio omnium, salus illius periculum ●…nium, honour illius objectum omnium. Eve●… one should stand Sentinel to defend the King's house, his safety should be the danger of 〈◊〉, his pleasures the industry of all, his ease ●…old be the labour of all, his honour the ob●…ct of all.  
Out of these premises this conclusion ●…ay be easily deduced, That, the principal ●…ntain whence the King derives his happiness and safety, is his Parliament; It is that great Conduit-pipe which conveighes unto him his people's bounty and gratitude; The truest Looking-glass wherein he discerns their loves; (now the Subjects love hath been always accounted the prime Citadel of a Prince.) In his Parliament he appears as the Sun in the Meridian, in the altitude of his glory, in his highest State Royal, as the Law tells us.  
Therefore whosoever is averse or disaffected to his Sovereign Law-making Court▪ cannot have his heart well planted within him, he can be neither good Subject, no●… good Patriot, and therefore unworthy to breathe English air, or have any benefit, advantage, or protection from the Laws.   

Sectio Secunda.  
BY that which hath been spoken, which is the language of my heart, I hope no indifferent judicious Reader will doubt of the cordial affection, of the high respects and due reverence I bear to Parliament, as being the wholsomest constitution, (and done by the highest and happiest reach of policy that ever was established in this Island) to perpetuate the happiness thereof. Therefore I must tell that Gentleman, who was Author of a Book entitled the Popish Royal Favourite, (lately printed and exposed to the world) that he offers me very hard measure; nay, he doth me apparent wrong, to term me therein, No friend to Parliament, and a Malignant▪ A character, which as I deserve it not, so I disdain it.  
For the first part of his charge, I would have him know, that I am as much a friend and as real an affectionate humble servant and Votary to the Parliament as possibly he can be, and will live and die with these affections about me: And I could wish, that he were Secretary of my thoughts a while, or if I may take the boldness to apply that comparison his late Majesty used in a famous speech to one of his Parlements, I could wish there were a Crystal window in my breast, through which the world might espy the inward motions and palpitations of my heart, then would he be certified of the sincerity of this protestation.  
For the second part of his Charge, to be a Malignant, I must confess to have some Malignity that lurks within me much against my will; but it is no malignity of mind, it is amongst the humours, not in my intellectuals; And I believe, there is no natural man, let him have his humours never so well balanced, but hath some of this Malignity reigning within him; For as long as we are composed of the four Elements, whence these humours are derived, and with whom they symbolise in qualities; which Elements the Philosophers hold to be in a restless contention amongst themselves (and the Stoic thought that the world subsisted by this innated mutual strife) as long I say, as the four humours, in imitation of their principles (the Elements) are in perpetual reluctancy and combat for praedominancy, there must be some malignity lodged within us, as adusted choler, and the like; whereof I had late experience, in a dangerous fit of sickness it pleased God to lay upon me, which the Physicians told me proceeded from the malignant hypochondriacal effects of melancholy; having been so long in this Saturnine black condition of close imprisonment, and buried alive between the walls of this fatal Fleet: These kinds of malignities, I confess are very rife in me, and they are not only incident, but connatural to every man according to his complexion; And were it not for this incessant struggling and enmity amongst the humours for mastery, which produceth such malignant effects in us, our souls would be loath ever to depart from our bodies, or to abandon this mansion of clay.  
Now what malignity my Accuser means, I know not; if he means malignity of spirit, as some antipathy or ill impression upon the mind, arising from disaffection, hatred, or rancour, with a desire of some destructive revenge, he is mightily deceived in me; I malign or hate no Creature that ever God made but the Devil, who is the Author of all malignity; and therefore is most commonly called in French le Malin Esprit, the malignant spirit. Every night before I go to bed, I have the grace, I thank God for it, to forgive all the world, and not to harbour, or let roost in my bosom the least malignant thought; yet none can deny, but the public aspersions which this my Accuser casts upon me, were enough to make me a malignant towards him; yet it could never have the power to do it: For I have prevailed with myself to forgive him this his wrong censure of me, issuing rather from his notknowledge of me, than from malice, for we never mingled speech, or saw one another in our lives to my remembrance; which makes me wonder the more, that a Professor of the Law, as he is, should pronounce such a positive sentence against me so slightly. But methinks I overhear him say, that my precedent discourse of Parliament is involed in generals, and the Topique Axiom tells us, that Dolus versatur in universalibus, there is double dealing in universals: His meaning is, that I am no friend to this present Parliament (though he speaks in the plural number Parlements) and consequently, he concludes me a Malignant; Therein I must tell him also, that I am traduced, and I am confident it will be never proved against me, from any actions, words, or letters (though divers of mine have been intercepted) or any other misdemeanour, though some things are fathered upon me which never dropped from my quill. Alas, how unworthy and uncapable am I to censure the proceedings of that great Senate, that high Synedrion, wherein the wisdom of the whole State is epitomised? It were a presumption in me, of the highest nature that could be: It is enough for me to pray for the prosperous success of their consultations: And as I hold it my duty, so I have good reason so to do, in regard I am to have my share in the happiness; And could the utmost of my poor endeavours, by any ministerial humble office (and sometimes the meanest Boatswain may help to preserve the Ship from sinking) be so happy, as to contribut any thing to advance that great work (which I am in despair to do, while I am thus under hatches in this Fleet,) I would esteem it the greatest honour that possibly could befall me, as I hold it now to be my greatest disaster, to have fallen so heavily under an affliction of this nature, and to be made a sacrifice to public fame, than which there is no other proof, nor that yet urged against me, or any thing else produced after so long, so long captivity which hath brought me to suck a low ebb, and put me so far behind in the course of my poor fortunes, and indeed more than half undone me. For although my whole life (since I was left to myself to swim, as they say, without Bladders) has been nothing else but a continued succession of crosses, and that there are but few red letters found (God wot) in the Almanac of my Age, (for which I account not myself a whit the less happy) yet this cross has carried with it a greater weight, it hath been of a larger extent, longer continuance, and lighted heavier upon me than any other; and as I have present patience to bear it, so I hope for subsequent grace to make use of it accordingly, that my old Motto may be still confirmed, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉.  
HE produceth my attestation for some passages in Spain at his Majesty's being there, and he quotes me right, which obligeth me to him; and I hope all his quotations wherein he is so extraordinarily copious and elaborate in all his works, are so; yet I must tell him, that those interchangeable letters which passed between His Majesty & the Pope, which were originally couched in Latin, the language wherein all Nations treat with Rome, and the Empire with all the Princes thereof, those letters I say are adulterated in many places, which I impute not to him, but to the French Chronicler, from whom he took them in trust. The truth of that business is this; The world knows there was a tedious treaty of an Alliance 'twixt the Infanta Dona Maria (who now is Empress) and His Majesty, which in regard of the slow affected pace of the Spaniard, lasted above ten years, as that in Henry the sevenths' time, 'twixt Prince Arthur, and (afterwards) Queen Katherine, was spun out above seven: To quicken, or rather to consummate the work, his Majesty made that adventurous journey through the whole Continent of France into Spain; which voyage, though there was a great deal of gallantry in it (whereof all posterity will ring until it turn at last to a Romance) yet it proved the bane of the business, which 'tis not the errand of so poor a Pamphlet as this to unfold. His Majesty being there arrived, the ignorant common people cried out, the Prince of Wales came thither to make himself a Christian; The Pope writ to the Inquisitor General, and others, to use all industry they could to reduce him to the Roman Religion; And one of Olivares first compliments to him, was, That he doubted not but that his Highness came thither to change His Religion: whereunto he made a short answer, That He came not thither for a Religion but for a Wife: There were extraordinary processions made, and other artifices used by protraction of things, to make him stay there of purpose till the Spring following, to work upon him the better; And the Infanta herself desired him (which was esteemed the greatest favour he received from her all the while) to visit the Nun of Carton, hoping that the said Nun, who was so much cried up for miracles, might have wrought one upon him; but her art failed her, nor was His Highness so weak a subject to work upon according to His late Majesty's speech to Doctor Maw and Wren, who when they came to kiss his hands before they went to Spain to attend the Prince their Master, He wished them to have a care of Buckinham; as touching his Son Charles, he apprehended no fear at all of him; for he knew him to be so well grounded a Protestant, that nothing could shake him in his Religion.  
The Arabian proverb is, That the Sun never soils in his passage, though his beams reverberate never so strongly, and dwell never so long upon the miry lake of Maeotis, the black turfed moors of Holland, the aguish woose of Kent and Essex, or any other place, be it never so dirty; Though Spain be a hot Country, yet one may pass and repass through the very Centre of it, and never be Sunburnt, if he carry with him a Bongrace, and such a one His Majesty had.  
Well, after his Majesty's arrival to Madrid, the treaty of Marriage went on still, (though he told them at his first coming, that he came not thither like an Ambassador to treat of a Marriage, but as a Prince, to fetch home a Wife;) and in regard they were of different Religions, it could not be done without a dispensation from the Pope, and the Pope would grant none, unless some Capitulations were stipulated in favour of the Romish Catholics in England, (the same in substance were agreed on with France.) Well, when the dispensation came, which was negotiated solely by the King of Spain's Ministers (because His Majesty would have as little to do as might be with Rome) Pope Gregory the fifteenth, who died a little after, sent His Majesty a Letter, which was delivered by the Nuncio, whereof an answer was sent a while after: Which Letters were imprinted and exposed to the view of the world, because His Majesty would not have people whisper, that the business was carried in a clandestine manner. And truly besides this, I do not know of any Letter, or Message, or Compliment, that ever passed 'twixt His Majesty and the Pope afore or after; some addresses peradventure might be made to the Cardinals, to whom the drawing of those matrimonial dispatches was referred to quicken the work, but this was only by way of civil negotiation.  
Now touching that responsory Letter from His Majesty, it was no other than a Compliment in the severest interpretation; and such formalities pass 'twixt the Crown of England, the great Turk, the Mogor and divers Heathen Princes. The Pope writ first, and no man can deny, but by all moral rules, and in common humane civility His Majesty was bound to answer it, specially considering how punctual they are in those Countries to correspond in this kind, how exact they are repaying visits, with the performance of such Ceremonies; And had this compliance been omitted, it might have made very ill impressions, as the posture of things stood then; for it had prejudiced the great work in hand, I mean, the Match, which was then in the heat and height of agitation, His Majesty's person was there engaged, besides, and so it was no time to give the least offence: They that are never so little versed in business abroad, do know that there must be addresses, compliances, and formalities of this nature used in the carriage of matters of State, as this great business was, whereon the eyes of all Christendom were so greedily fixed; A business which was like to bring with it such an universal good, as the restitution of the Palatinat, the quenching of those hideous fires in Germany, and the establishing of a peace throughout all the Christian World.  
I hope none will take offence, that in this particular which comes within the compass of my knowledge (being upon the Stage when his Scene was acted) I do this right to the King my Master, in displaying the Truth, and putting her forth in her own colours, a rare thing in these days.  
TOuching the Vocal Forest, an Allegorical Discourse, that goes abroad under my name, a good while before the beginning of this Parliament, which this Gentleman citys (and that very faithfully,) I understand there be some that mutter at certain passages therein, by putting ill glosses upon the Text, and taking with the left hand, what I offer with the right, (Nor is it a wonder for trees which lie open, and stand exposed to all weathers to be nipped.) But I desire this favour, which in common justice, I am sure in the Court of Chancery cannot be denied me, it being the privilege of every Author, and a received maxim through the World, Cujus est condere, ejus est interpretari; I say, I crave this favour, to have leave to expound my own Text, and I doubt not then but to rectify any one in his opinion of me, and that in lieu of the Plums which I give him from those Trees, he will not throw the stones at me.  
Moreover, I desire those that are over critical Censu●…ers of that piece, to know, that as in Divinity it is a rule, Scripture a parabolica non est argumentativa, so it is in all other kind of knowledge; Parables (whereof that Discourse is composed) though pressed never so hard, prove nothing. The●… is another Rule also, That Parables must be gently used, like a Nurse's breast; which if you press too hard, you shall have blood in stead of milk.  
But as the Author of the Vocal Forest thinks he hath done, neither his Country, nor the Common wealth of Learning any prejudice thereby (That maiden fancy having received so good entertainment and respect abroad, as to be translated into divers Languages, and to gain the public approbation of some famous Universities) So he makes this humble protest unto all the World, that though the design of that Discourse was partly Satirical (which peradventure induced the Author to shroud it of purpose under the shadows of trees, and where should Satyrs be but amongst Trees?) yet it never entered into his imagination to let fall from him the least thing that might give any offence to the High and Honourable Court of Parliament, whereof he had the honour to be once a Member, and hopes he may be thought worthy again: And were he guilty of such an offence, or piacle rather, he thinks he should never forgive himself, though he were appointed his own Judge. If there occur any passages therein, that may admit a hard construction, let the Reader observe, That the Author doth not positively assert, or pass a judgement on any thing in that Discourse, which consists principally of concise, cursory narrations of the choicest▪ Occurrences and Criticisms of State, according as the pulse of time did beat then: And matters of State, as all other sublunary things, are subject to alterations, contingencies and change, which makes the opinions and minds of men vary accordingly.  
I will conclude with this modest request to that Gentleman of the long Robe; That having unpassionately perused what I have written in this small Discourse, in penning whereof, my conscience guided my quill all along as well as my hand, he would please to be so charitable and just, as to reverse that harsh sentence upon me, To be no Friend to Parlements and a Malignant.    

A GLANCE UPON THE I'll of WIGHT, AND Upon the unparallelled Concessions of GRACE. HIS MAJESTY passed in that Trety, etc.  
Concluding with the horrid Murder committed afterwards upon His Sacred Person.  Cui dabit partes scelus expiant jupiter?  

A GLANCE UPON THE I'll of WIGHT, OR AN INQUISITION AFTER TRUTH.  
WHo vindicats Truth doth a good office not only to his own Country, but to all Mankind; It is the scope of this short discourse, viz. to make some researches after Truth, and to rectify the world accordingly in point of opinion, specially touching the first Author and Aggressor of the late ugly war in England, which brought with it such an inundation of blood, and so did let in so huge a torrent of mischiefs to rush upon us. There be many, and they not only Presbyterians and Independents, but Cavaliers also, who think that the King had taken the guilt of all this blood upon himself, in regard of that Concession he passed in the preamble of the late Treaty at the Isle of Wight; The aim of this Paper is to clear that point, but in so temperate a way, that I hope 'twill give no cause of exception, much less of offence to any: the blood that's sought after here, shall not be mingled with gaul, much less with any venom at all.  
We know there is no Principle either in Divinity, Law or Philosophy, but may be wrested to a wrong sense; there is no truth so demonstrative and clear, but may be subject to cavillations; no Tenet so plain, but perverse inferences may be drawn out of it; such a fate befell that preambular Concession His Majesty passed at the Transactions of the late Treaty, in that he acknowledged therein that the two Houses of Parliament were necessitated to undertake a war in their own just and lawful defence, etc. and that therefore all Oaths, Declarations, or other public Instruments against the Houses of Parliament, or any for adhering to them, etc. be declared null, suppressed, and forbidden.  
'Tis true, His Majesty passed this grant, but with this weighty consideration as it had reference to two ends.  
First, to smoothen and facilitate things thereby to open a passage, and pave the way to a happy peace, which this poor Island did so thirst after, having been so long glutted with civil blood.  
Secondly, that it might conduce to the further security, and the indemnifying of the two Houses of Parliament, with all their instruments, assistants, and adherents, and so rid them of all jealousies, and fear of future dangers which still lodged within them. Now touching the expressions and words of this Grant, they were not his own, nor did he give order for the dictating or penning thereof; the King was not the Author of them, but an Assentor only unto them: nor was He or his Party accused, or as much as mentioned in any of them, to draw the least guilt upon themselves. Besides, He passed them as he doth all Laws and Acts of Parliament, which in case of absence another may do for him in his politic capacity, therefore they cannot prejudice his person any way. I am loath to say that he condescended to this Grant,  — Come strict a novacula supra, 
When the razor was as it were at his throat, when there was an Army of about thirty thousand effectif Horse and Foot that were in motion against him, when his Person had continued under a black long lingering restraint, and dangerous menacing Petitions and Papers daily ob●…ruded against him. Moreover, His Majesty passed this Concession with these two provisos and reservations,  
First, that it should be of no virtue or validity at all, till the whole Treaty were entirely consummated;  
Secondly, that he might when he pleased enlarge and clear the truth with the reservedness of his meaning herein, by public Declaration: Now the Treaty being confusedly huddled up, without discussing, or as much as receiving any Proposition from himself as was capitulated, (and reciprocal proposals are of the essence of all Treaties) it could neither bind him, or turn any way to his disadvantage: Therefore under favour, there was too much hast used by the Parliament, to draw that hipothetick or provisional Concession to the form of an Act so suddenly after in the very heat of the Treaty, without His Majesty's knowledge, or the least intimation of his pleasure.  
Add hereunto, that this Grant was but a mere preambular Proposition, 'twas not of the essence of the Treaty itself: And as the Philosophers and Schoolmen tell us, there is no valid proof can be drawn out of Proemes, Introductions or Corollaries in any science, but out of the positive assertions and body of the Text, which is only argument-proof; so in the Constitutions and Laws of England, as also in all accusations and charges, forerunning prefaces & preambles (which commonly weak causes want most) are not pleadable: and though they use to be first in place, like gentlemen-Ushers, yet are they last in dignity, as also in framing, nor had they ever the force of Laws, but may be termed their attendants to make way for them.  
Besides, there's not a syllable in this preface which repeals or connives at any former Law of the Land, therefore those Laws that so strictly inhibit English Subjects to raise arms against their Liege Lord the King, and those Laws è contrario which exempt from all dangers, penalties or molestation, any Subject that adheres to the person of the King in any cause or buarrell whatsoever, are still in force.  
Furthermore, this introductory Concession of the Kings, wherein he is contented to declare, That the two Houses were necessitated to take Arms for their defence, may be said to have relation to the necessity, à parte pòst, not à part antè: self-defence is the universal Law of Nature, and it extends to all other cretures, as well as to the Rational: As the fluent Roman Orator in that sentence of his, which is accounted among the Critics the excellentest that ever dropped from Cicero; Est enim haec non scripta, sed nata Lex quam non didicimus, accepimus, legimus, verum ex natura ipsa arripuimus, hausimus, expressimus, ad quam non docti, sed facti, non instituti, sed imbuti sum●…s, ut si vita nostra in etc. For this (meaning self-defence) is not a written, but a Law born with us; A Law which we have not learned, received or read, but that which we have sucked, drawn forth, and wrung out of the very breasts of Nature herself; A Law to which we are not taught, but made unto, wherewith we are not instructed, but endued withal, that if our life's be in jeopardy, etc. we may repel force by force. Therefore when the House of Parliament had drawn upon them a necessity of self defence (And I could have wished it had been against any other but their own Sovereign Prince) His Majesty was contented to acknowledge that necessity. As for example: A man of war meets with a Merchant man at Sea, he makes towards him, and assaults him; The Merchant man having a good stout vessel under him, and resolute, generous Seamen, bears up against him, gives him a whole broadside, and shoots him 'twixt wind and water; so there happens a furious fight betwixt them, which being ended, the Merchant cannot deny but that the man of war, though the first Assailant, was necessitated to fight, and that justly in his own defence, which necessity he drew upon himself, and so was excusable, à posteriori, not à priori; As the Civilians speak of a clandestine marriage, Fieri non debuit, sed factum valet; It ought not to have been, but being done 'tis valid: whereunto relates another saying, Multa sunt quae non nisi per acta approbantur. There are many things which are not allowable till they are passed.  
The Kings of France have had sundry civil wars, They have had many bloody encounters and clashes with their Subjects, specially the last King Lewis the thirteenth, which turned all at last to his advantage; Among other Treaties in that of Loudun, he was by force of Article to publish an Edict, Don't lequel le Roy approuvoit tout le passé comme ayant esté fait pour son service, etc. Wherein the King approved of all that w●…s passed, as done for his service, etc. and these concessions and extenuations are usual at the close of most civil wars, but there was never any further advantage made of them, then to make the adverse party more capable of grace and pardon, as also to enable them to bear up against the brunt of Laws, and secure them more firmly from all after-claps; They were passed in order to an Act of Abolition, to a general pardon, and consequently to a re-establishment of Peace; now, Peace and War (we know) are like Water and Ice, they engender one another: But I do not remember to have read either in the French History, or any other, that such Royal Concessions at the period of any intestine war were ever wrung so hard, as to draw any inference from them, to cast thereby the guilt of blood, or indeed the least stain of dishonour upon the King; For Royal Indulgences and grants of this nature are like nurse's breasts, if you press them gently there will milk come forth, if you wring them too hard you will draw forth blood in lieu of milk: And I have observed that the conclusion of such Treaties in France, both parties would hug and mutually embrace one another in a gallant way of national humanity; all rancour, all plunderings, sequestration, and imprisonment would cease, nor would any be prosecuted, much less made away afterwards in cold blood.  
Touching the Comencer of this monstrous war of ours, the world knows too well, that the first man of blood was Blew-cap, who showed Subjects the way, how to present their King with Petitions upon the Pikes point, and what visible judgements have fallen upon him since, by such confusions of discord and pestilence at home, and irreparable dishonour abroad, let the world judge. The Irish took his rise from him: and whereas it hath been often suggested, that His Majesty had foreknowledge thereof, among a world of convincing arguments which may clear him in this particular, the Lord Maguair upon the ladder, and another upon the Scaffold, when they were ready to breathe their last, and to appear before the Tribunal of heaven, did absolutely acquit the King, and that spontaneously of their own accord, being unsought unto, but only out of a love to truth, and discharge of a good conscience: but touching those cruentous Irish wars, in regard there was nothing whereof more advantage was made against His late Majesty, to embitter and poison the hearts of his Subjects against him then that Rebellion, I will take leave to wind up the main causes of them upon a small bottom as was spoken elsewhere.  
1. They who kept intelligence and complied with the Scot, in his first and second insurrection.  
2. They who dismissed the first Irish Commissioners (who came of purpose to attend our Parliament with some grievances) with such a short unpolitic harsh answer.  
3. They who took off strafford's head, (which had it stood on, that Rebellion had never been) and afterwards retarded the dispatch of the Earl of Leicester from going over to be Lord-lieutenant.  
4. Lastly, they, who hindered part of that disbanded Army of 8000 men raised there by the Earl of Strafford, which His Majesty, in regard they were soldiers of fortune, and loose cashiered men, to prevent the mischiefs that might befall that Kingdom, by their insolences, had promised the two Spanish Ambassadors, the Marquesses of Veloda and Malvezzi, then resident in this Court; which soldiers rise up first of any, and put fire to the tumult to find something to do.  
They, I say, who did all this, may be justly said to have been the true causes of that horrid Insurrection in Ireland; and consequently 'tis easy to judge upon the account of whose souls must be laid the blood of those hundred and odd thousand poor Christians who perished in that war▪ and had it been possible to have brought o'er their bodies unputrified to England, and to have cast them at the lower House door, and in the presence of some Members, which are now either secluded, or gone to give an account in another world, I believe their noses would have gushed out with blood for discovery of the true murderers.  
Touching this last firebrand of war, which was thrown into England, who they were that kindled it first, the consciences of those indifferent and unbiased men are sittest to be judges, who have been curious to observe with impartial eyes, the carriage of things from the beginning.  
I confess, 'twas a fatal unfortunat thing, that the King should put such a distance 'twixt his Person and his Parliament, but a more fatal and barbarous thing it was, that he should be driven away from it, that there should be a desperate design to surprise His Person, that Venus with his Myrmidons, and Bourges with his Bandogs, (for so▪ they called the riffraff of the City they brought along with them) should rabble him away, with above four parts in five of the Lords, and near upon two parts in three of the Commons: Yet 'tis fit it should be remembered, what reiterated Messages His Majesty sent from time to time afterward, That he was always ready to return, provided there might be a course taken to secure his Person, with those Peers and other who were rioted away from the Houses, 'Tis fit it should be remembered, that there was not the least motion of war at all, till Hotham kept His Majesty out of His own Town Kingston upon Hull, (for the Name whereof showed whose Town it was) where being attended by a few of His menial Servants, he came only to visit her, having peaceably sent the Duke of York, and the Palsgrave thither the day before) which act of Hotham's by shutting the gates against him was voted warrantable by the House of Commons, and it may be called the first thunderbolt of War: 'Tis fit it should be remembered, that a while after there was a complete Army of 16000 effectif Horse and Foot enrolled in and about London to fetch him to his Parliament by force, and remove ill Counselors from about him, (long before he put up his Royal Standard) and the General then named was to live and die with them: and very observable it is, how that General's Father was executed for a Traitor, for but attempting such a thing upon Queen Elizabeth, I mean to remove ill Counsellors from about her by force. 'Tis also to be observed, that the same Army which was raised to bring him to his Parliament, was continued to a clean contrary end two years afterwards to keep him from his Parliament. 'Tis fit it should be remembered, who interdicted Trade first, and brought in Foreigners to help them, and whose Commissions of War were near upon two month's date before the Kings. 'Tis fit it should be remembered how His Majesty in all His Declarations and public Instruments made always deep Protestations, that 'twas not against his Parliament he raised Arms, but against some seditious Members, against whom he had only desired the common benefit of the Law, but could not obtain it; 'Tis fit to remember, that after any good successes and advantages of his, he still Courted both Parliament and City to an Accommodation; how upon the Treaty at Uxbridge, with much importunity for the general advantage and comfort of his people, and to prepare matters more fitly for a peace, he desired there might be freedom of Trade from Town to Town, and a Cessation of all Acts of Hostility for the time, that the inflammation being allayed, the wound might be cur●…d the sooner; all which was denied him. 'Tis fit to remember how a Noble Lord (The Earl of Southampton) at that time told the Parliaments Commissioners in His Majesty's Name, at the most unhappy rupture of the said Treaty, That when he was at the highest he would be ready to treat with them, and fight them when he was at the lowest: 'Tis fit the present Army should remember how often both in their Proposals, and public Declarations they have informed the world, and deeply protested that their principal aim was to restore His Majesty to honour, freedom and safety, whereunto they were formerly bound, both by their own Protestation and Covenant, that the two Commanders in chief pawned unto him their souls thereupon. Let them remember, that since he was first snatched away to the custody of the Army by Cromwell's plot, who said, that if they had the Person of the King in their power, they had the Parliament in their pockets. I say being kept by the Army, He never displeased them in the least particular, but in all his Overtures for Peace, and in all his Propositions he had regard still that the Army should be satisfied: let it be remembered, that to settle a blessed Peace, to preserve his Subjects from rapine and ruin, and to give contentment to his Parliament, He did in effect freely part with His Sword, Sceptre, and Crown, and every thing that was proprietary to him: Let it be remembered with what an admired temper, with what prudence and constancy, with what moderation and mansuetude he comported himself since his deep afflictions, insomuch that those Commissioners and others who resorted unto him, and had had their hearts so averse unto him before, returned his Converts, crying him up to be one of the sanctifiedst persons upon earth: and will not the blood of such a Prince cry loud for vengeance?  

Blood is a crying sin, but that of Kings  
Cries loudest for revenge, and ruin brings.   
Let it be remembered, that though there be some Precedents of deposing Kings in his Kingdom, and elsewhere, when there was a competition for the right Title to the Crown by some other of the blood Royal, yet 'tis a thing not only unsampled, but unheard of in any age, that a King of England whose Title was without the least scruple, should be summoned and arraigned, tried, condemned, and executed in His own Kingdom, by His own Subjects, and by the name of their own King, to whom they had sworn Allegiance.  
The meanest Student that hath but tasted the Laws of the Land can tell you, that it is an unquestionable fundamental Maxim, The King can do no wrong, because he acts by the mediation of his Agents and Ministers, he hears with other men's ears, he sees with other men's eyes, he consults with other men's brains, he executes with other men's hands, and judges with other men's consciences; therefore his Officers Counsellors or favourites are punishable, not He: and I know not one yet whom he hath spared, but sacrificed to Justice. The Crown of England is of so coruscant and pure a mettle▪ that it cannot receive the least taint or blemish; and if there were any before in the person of the Prince, it takes them all away and makes him to be Rectus in curia. This as in many others may be exemplified in Henry the Seventh, and the late Queen Elizabeth: when she first came to the Crown 'twas mentioned in Parliament, that the attainder might be taken off him, under which he lay all the time he lived an Exile in France; it was then by the whole house of Parliament resolved upon the question, that it was unnecessary, because the Crown purged all. So likewise when Queen Elizabeth was brought as it were from the Scaffold to the Throne; though she was under a former attainder, yet 'twas thought superfluous to take it off, for the Crown washeth away all spots, and darteth such a brightness, such resplendent beams of Majesty, that quite dispel all former clouds: so that put case King james died a violent death, and his Son had been accessary to it, (which is as base a lie as ever the devil belched out) yet his access to the Crown had purged all. This business about the plaster which was applied to King james, was sifted and winnowed as narrowly as possibly a thing could be in former Parlements, yet when it was exhibited as an Article against the Duke of Buckingham, 'twas termed but a presumption or misdemeanure of a high nature: And 'tis strange that these new accusers should make that a parricide in the King, which was found but a presumption in the Duke, who in case it had been so, must needs have been the chiefest Accessary.  
And as the ancient Crown and Royal Diadem of England is made of such pure allay, and cast in so dainty a mould, that it can receive no taint, or contract the least speck of enormity and foulness in itself, so it doth endow the person of the Prince that wears it with such high Prerogatives; that it exempts him from all sorts of public blemishes; from all Attainders, Empeachments, Summons, Arraignments and Trials; nor is there or ever was any Law or Precedent in this Land, to lay any Crime or capital charge against him, though touching civil matters: touching property of meum and tuum, he may be impleaded by the meanest vassal that hath sworn fealty to him; as the Subjects of France and Spain may against their Kings, though never so absolute Monarches.  
In the Constitutions of England, there are two incontroulable Maxims, whereof the meanest mootman that hath but saluted Littleton cannot be ignorant: the first is, Rex in suis Dominiis neque habet parem, nec superiorem. The King in his own Dominions hath neither Peer, or Superior. The other is Satis habet Rex ad poenam quod Deum expectet ultorem: 'tis punishment enough for a King that God will take revenge of him: Therefore if it be the Fundamental Constitution of the Land, that all just Trials must be by Teers, and that the Law proclaims the King to have no peer in his own Dominions, I leave the world to judge, what capacity or power those men had to arraign their late King, to be in effect his Accusers and judges; and that an exorbitant unsampled Tribunal should be erected, with power and purpose to condemn All to clear none, and that sentence of death should pass without conviction or Law upon Him that was the heard and protector of all the Laws. Lastly, that They who by their own confession represent but the Common people, should assume power to cut off Him who immediately represented God,  Cui dabit partes scelus expiandi jupiter?— 
Well, we have seen such portentous things, that former Ages never beheld, nor will future Ages ever be witness of the like: Nay, posterity, after a Century or two of years will hold what is now really acted to be but Romances.  
And now with thoughts full of consternation and horror, And a heart trembling with amazement and sorrow for the crying flagrant sins of this forlorn Nation, specially for that fresh Infandous murder committed upon the sacred Person of his Majesty, I conclude with this Hepastick, wherein all cretures (though irrational) that have sense, yea the very vegetals seem to abhor so damnable a fact.  

So fell the Royal Oak by a wild crew  
Of mongrel shrubs which underneath Him grew;  
So fell the Lion by a pack of Curs;  
So the Rose withered 'twixt a knot of Burrs.  
So fell the Eagle by a swarm of Gnatts,  
So the Whale perished by a Shoal of Sprats.   
In the prison of the Fleet 25. Febr. 1648. I. H.   

ADVICE Sent from the prime Statesmen OF FLORENCE, HOW ENGLAND may come to HERSELF again, Which is, To call in the KING, Not upon ARTICLES, But in a Free confident way:  
Which Advice came immediately upon the Readmission of the Secluded Members, And Copies thereof being delivered to the Chiefest of Them.  
It produced happy Effects.   

A Letter sent from the City of Florence, Written by a Great Counsellor there, touching the present Distempers of England; wherein He, with some of the Prime Statesmen in Florence pass their judgements which is the only way to compose the said Distempers.  
To my Honoured, and most Endeared Patron.  
IT is no small diminution to my former happiness that I have not received your commands any time these two months, which makes me lodge within me certain apprehensions of fear that some disaste●… might befall you in those new Distractions, therefore I pray be pleased to pull this thorn out of my thoughts as speedily as it may stand with your conveniency.  
We are not here so barren of Intelligence, but we have weekly advice of your present Confusions, and truly the severest sort of speculative persons here who use to observe the method of Providence, do not stick to say, that the hand of Heaven doth visibly stir therein, and that those Distractions in Army, State, and City are apparent judgements from above, for if one revolve the Stories of former Times, as I have done many (but you more) he will find that it hath been always an inevitable Fate which useth to hang over all popular Insurrections to end in confusion and disorders among the chief actors themselves at last; And we have had divers examples thereof here among us, which hath caused us to be so long in quietness and peace.  
But truly Sir, give me leave to tell you that your Nation hath lost much of their Repute abroad all the World over in statu quo nunc; Some do laugh at you; Others do scorn, and hate you; And some do pity and comiserat you.  
They who laugh at you, think you are no better than Manned men▪ having strange Maggots in your brains bred out of the fat of so long wanton plenty, and peace.  
They who scorn and hate you, do it for your Sacrilege, your horrendous Sacrileges, the like whereof was never committed on Earth since Christianity had first a hole to put her head in.  
They who pity you are few, and We are of the number of Them, as well in the common sense of Humanity, as for the advantages, and improvement of Wealth which this State hath received by your Trading at Leghorn, for that Town doth acknowledge her prosperity, and that she is arrived to this flourishing Estate of Riches, of Buildings and bravery by the correspondence she hath had this latter Age with England in point of Commerce, which yet we find doth insensibly impair every day, and I believe you feel it more; Therefore out of the well-wishes, and true affections we bear unto England, some of the most serious, and soberest Persons of this place who are well seasoned in the World, and have studied men under divers Climes, and conversed also much with Heavenly Bodies, had lately a private Junto, or meeting, whereunto I was admitted for one, and two of us had been in England where we received sundry free Civilities; Our main business was to discourse, and descant upon these sad confusions, and calamitous condition wherein England with the adjoining Kingdoms are at present involved, and what might extricate Her out of this Labyrinth of Distractions, and reduce Her to a settled Government; Having long canvased the business, and banded arguments pro & con with much earnestness, all our opinious did concentre at last in this point, That there was no probable way under Heaven to settle a fast, and firm Government among you, then for the Men that are now upon the Stage of power to make a speedy application to their own King, their own Liege Lord and Sovereign, whom God, and Nature hath put over them; Let●… them beat their brains, screw up their wits, and put all the policy they have upon the tenterhooks as far as possibly they can, yet they will never be able to establish a durable standing Government otherwise, They do but dance in a circle all this while, for the Government will turn at last to the same point it was before▪ viz. to Monarchy, and this King will be restored to His Royal Inheritances, maugre all the Cacodaemons of Hell: Our Astrologers here, specially the famous Antonio Fiselli hath had notes to look into the horoscope of his Nativity, and what predictions he hath made hitherto of him have proved true to my knowledge, He now confidently averrs, with the concurrence of the rest, that the aspect of all the stars, and conjunction of the Planets much favour him the next two years; Nam Medium coeli in Genitura Caroli Secundi Regis Angliae juxta axiomata Astrologiae Genethliacae dirigitur ad radios Sextiles Lun●… Anno Domini 1660. & significat acc●…ssum ad Dominum, For the Medium coeli in the Geniture of Charles the Second according to the axioms of Genethliacal Astrology is directed to the Sextile rays of the Moon, and signifies an access to Dominion. Add hereunto that a most lucky conjunction follows the same year, in the very Centre of the said King's horoscope betwixt jupiter and Sol in the month of September.  
When I was employed by this State in Paris not many years ago, I had occasion to make my address to your young King, and when I observed His Physiognomy, and the Lineaments of his face, I seemed to discern in it something extraordinary above vulgar countenances, and that he carried a Majesty in His very looks, and noting besides the goodly procerity, and constitution of His body, he seemed to be cut out for a King.  
Now, in point of extraction, and lineage, it cannot be denied but he is one of the greatest born Princes that ever was in the world; for whereas His Grandfather, and Father were allied only if you regard Foreign Consanguinity, to the House of Denmark and the Guises, this King bears in his veins not only that blood, but also the bloods of all the great Princes of Christendom, being nearly linked to the House of Bourbon and France, to the House of Austria, and consequently to the Emperor, and Spain, as also to the Duke of Savoy, and our Grand-Duke: Moreover he is nearly allied to all the greatest Princes of Germany, as the Saxe, Brandenburg, Bavaria, the Palsgrave, and to the Duke of Lorain who descends in the directest line from Charlemagne; Add hereunto that the young Prince of Orange is his Nephew, and which is considerable he is a pure Englishman born, whereas your two former Kings were Foreigners. The Queen His Mother is of as Glorious an Extraction, which makes me admire the frontless impudence of some of your poor Pamphletors who call Her ever and anon the Little Queen, notwithstanding that the World knows Her to be the Daughter of Henry the Great, and Queen of Great Britain, which Title and Character is indelible, and must die with Her.  
Hereunto may be adjoined, that this young King is now mounted to the Meridian of his Age, and maturity of judgement to govern, and doubtless he is like to make a rare Governor, having this advantage of all other Sovereign Princes in the world to have been bred up in the School of Affliction so long, to have Traveled so many strange Country's and observed the humours of so many Nations.  
But to come to the Cardinal point of our Communication, after divers debates, and alterations how England might be brought to a stable condition of tranquillity and perfect peace, to her former lustre, and glory, the final result of all, ended in this, that there was no other imaginable means to do it then for you to make a timely and fitting humble address unto your own King, and without question it is in his power to grant you such an absolute pardon, such an abolition of all things passed, such a gracious Amnestia, such Royal concessions that may extend to the security of every person for the future that was engaged in these your revolutions, both touching his life and fortunes; Unless their guilt of Conscience be such that like Cain or judas they think their Sin is greater than can be forgiven them.  
Now the mode of your application to Him may avail much, for if you chop Logic with him too far, and stand upon Puntillios', and too rigid terms, if you show your selves full of fears, jealousies, and distrusts, it will entangle, and quite mar the business, for in a Sovereign Prince there must be an Implicit, unavoidable necessary trust reposed by his people, which all the Laws that man's brain can possibly invent cannot provide against; Therefore if you proceed in a frank, and confident true English way you may work upon his affections more powerfully, and overcome him sooner so, then by any outward Arms, This way will make such tender impressions, upon that he will grant more than you can possibly expect.  
Some Foreign Historians as the French Comines and our Guicciardin do cry up the English Nation for using to love their King in a more intense degree than other people, and to regard his honour in a higher strain, to support which they have been always so ready, and cheerful both with their persons and purses; There is now a fair opportunity offered to rake up the embers of these old affections, and to recover the Reputation of true Englishmen; There is no people but may sometimes stand in their own light, go astray, and err, for Error was one of the first frailties that were entailed upon man (and his posterity) as soon as he was thrust out of Paradis; 'Tis a human thing to err, but to persevere in an error is diabolical; You shall do well and wisely to follow the example of the Spanish Mule, who out of a kind of wantonness being gone out of the high beaten road into a by path, which led her to a dirty narrow lane full of pits and holes, at last she came to the top of a huge hideous Rock where she could go no farther, for before her there was inevitable destruction, and the lane was so narrow that she could not turn her body back, thereupon in this extremity she put one foot gently after an other, and Crablike went backward until she came again to the common road; This must be your course, by a gentle retrogradation to come into the King's high road again, and there is no question but he will meet you more than three parts of the way: If you do not, truly in our opinions you will precipitat your selfs down a Rock of inevitable destruction; For Heaven and Earth are conspired to restore him, and though all the Spirits of the Air should join with you, you shall not be able to oppose it. I presume you are not ignorant how ●…he two great Monarches of Spain and France (which may be said to be the main Poles whereon Europe doth move) have comprehended him within the private capitulations of peace, The Emperor hath promised to wed his quarrel, and there is no Prince or State in Christendom but would gladly reach a friendly hand to restore him, being deprived of his birthright, and his Royal indubitable Inheritance (as you your felves confess) for observing the fifth commandment, for obeying his Father and Mother; From which Birthright he may be said to have been thrust out when he was in the state of Innocency, being but in a manner a Child, and very young then.  
Now touching your selves I will not flatter you, but plainly tell you that you have not one friend any where beyond the Seas, nay your great Confederate the Swed (as I had good intelligence) could upbraid one of your Ambassadors that are now there, that He had not washed his hands clean since they had been embrued in His Prince's blood.  
The time that I sojourned in England I was curious to read your Annals, and to make some inspections into your Laws, and Method of Government; as also into the Genius of the people, and I find there is no species of Government that suits better with the nature of the Inhabitants, the quality of the Clime, and relates more directly to the civil Constitutions, Laws, and Customs of the Land then Monarchal; The I'll of Great Britain hath been always a Royal Island from her very Creation, from her Infancy, she may be said to have worn a Crown in her Cradle, and although she had four or five Revolutions and changes of Masters, yet she still continued Royal, whereunto alludes a saying that I observed in your old Records, Britannia ab initio mundi semper fuit Regia, & Regimen Illiu●… simile illi caelorum: Great Britain hath been from the beginning of the World Royal, and Her Government like that of the Heavens.  
Therefore, all these premises being weighed in the balance of true judgement you shall do well, and wisely to recollect your selves, and call in your hopeful young King, whose Title your consciences do acknowledge to be unquestionable, otherwise it is not only improbable but impossible for England to be Herself again, and to be settled in any stable Government which may reach to posterity; you may wind up your wits as high as you can, you may consult with your first, second, and third thoughts, but will never be able to settle a fixed Government, you will be still at a loss, your Debates will be like a skeyn of ravelled thread, you will be in a labyrinth of confusions, and the end of one, will be still the beginning of another.  
To conclude, the current and concurrent opinion of all Ministers of State here both Foreign and Florentine is, that if you do not make a timely application to your King, you will have all the Princes of Christendom about your ears, and what a sad calamitous Country, what an Aceldama will England be then? Therefore if there be a true Patriot, and public soul amongst you, if there be ever any drops of true English blood running in your veins, or the least spark of national fire and affections glowing in your bosoms toward your own dear Country, prevent these imminent dangers, and invite your King by discreet and moderate proposals; The gallant Samnit General could tell the Romans who had over poured them, that if they gave them easy and gentle capitulations they would perform them, but if they would tie them to too high and strict terms, they would observe them no longer than they could have opportunity to break them.  
Touching the affairs of Italy, we are like to have a general blessed peace this side the Alps, and Lombardy who hath been so pitifully harassed a long time, and hath had her face so often scratched, is in a fair way to recover her former beauty; Signior Giovanni Palavicino, and D. Lorenzo Minuccio convey their most affectionate respects unto you, and so doth  
Your Entire, and Faithful Servant. Florence this 12th. of March, 1659.  
There are divers other large Pieces tending to the same Subject, which shall be published in the second Tome.  
FINIS.