A further Continuance of the Grand Politic Informer, Discovering the wickedness and mysteries of the present State iniquities on foot about the 14 of September 1653.  
OMNIUM RERUM VICESITUDO.  
THe last sheet we gave you a hint of the design and intent of some of the poorer wretches, as are very industrious in making a Knife to cut their own throats; we mean in the altering the government of the City of London: But first for their encouragement, let them consider, that Cromwell maketh use but of one sort of people to do one thing and so soon as that is done he layeth aside them, and maketh use of another generation: As first against the Scots, he made some instrumental, to cross their interest in the Presbyterians. So soon as they had finished, he layeth them aside: then he made use of some of the late Parliament, to take off the late King's head; these also he layeth aside, as you see in the late Disolving the Parliament, judging he hath good reason so to do (though he maketh use of but one sort of men to commit one sort of Treason) for he knoweth that he that is a Traitor to another trust will be a Traitor to his trust that he reposeth in him. If he should entertain him long in his service would be still expecting favours: but to prevent this he after they have sweetened their mouths a little he turneth them off and pretendeth insufficiency; or that they are not holy enough, or some other thing: now by this means he strengtheneth his interest, for whilst that they are in employment they gain riches, and he winketh at them; so when he turneth them out of employment, they must still be owners of him and his Tyranny, for in any other change (think they) our estates cannot be secure, because we have gained them by indirect means; and there is no way like to the taking of Sanctuary under the power of a Tyrant, that is guilty of betraying of trust, usurping the supreme power, who will be ready to say if they will not question me for my Treasons, I will not question them for their Villainies: No further then, for loss of place to make way for other new Traitors to act their parts on the stage: now we see what a miserable thing it is for men so readily to contribute their helps or assistance to raise a Tyrant; but it is in hope, that they may rise in the top of his favour, and be raised with him; we hear could tell you many a story, how God doth bring down Tyrants, when they are most strong they become weak, etc. But as to the changing the government of the City of London, it's very strongly aggitated, that some clothed in red, not Saints clothed in white; Saints should govern the City instead of Mayor, aldermans, and Common Council men, this is set on foot and contrived by some of the City, who have taken the Oath of the City upon their making free; the substance was that they should do nothing that should be for the hurt of the City of London; but it may be they say, that they did take that Oath with a proviso (viz) if in case there came not commands to the contrary from the Cockpit, we have too many— think the creatures of Cromwel's favour to be sufficient dispensations to all Oaths and Villainies that can be committed: but he that hath but half an eye might see that, the changing of the government, and the seizing of the guards of the City of London was designed when they took away the chains from the ends of the streets, and threw down the forts; so when they were thus disarmed, they put garrisons upon them by and under pretence of preventing malignant designs; but under pretences of that and of the pretending to promote the work of the Lord, and securing the interest of the Lords people; they (viz.) the Lord Cromwel's interest and people; they have devoured all our wealth and liberties: but now the design they drive at, in endeavouring to alter the government of the City of London, is to take away all the rights or as much as they can of Election in the people; for say they, if the government of the City of London should be continued by the election of the people, they may elect such as we may not stand well assured of complying with us in our Treasons, and we know that the City of London is able to question us, and drive our Army into the sea, or swallow them up at a mouthful; therefore it is convenient that we (say they) should take from them all means possible of their unloosing their bonds, the which if they do, we must be bound: Besides (say they) if we can bind the hands of the City of London, we shall lead the whole Nation into Captivity, and to that end, is a great part of the Army come into the City, and upon their march towards London to choose a Lord Mayor it may be; We see that saying of Aratus to Philip of Macedon made good in our age; That Tyrants, Thiefs and Robbers make use of Arms, Rocks, and Forts, and decree it; There is nothing as Papprius Masson saith, so sacred, which the great Tyrants of this world will not violate if some advantage may come unto them thereby. You see it and find it to be true, that London that hath been the fountain and cause of the greatness of the Tyrants, now must disrobe herself of her most excellent government, that she hath kept unviolated many hundred years; but if this were all we are in such a condition, that we should account it an happiness to be only slaves and no more; but we must be miserable slaves: There is another design on foot for wickedness in the height, the like was never conspired nor acted by any; nay it would make the worst in Hell ashamed, nay we are persuaded it would make the Devil himself blush, and yet some of our Saints or white Devils have that horrid, damnable, and wicked impudence to design that the Records of the Nation should be burned; in this they have many ends: First, that all that hold any Houses or Land by what little soever, when the Records of the Nation are burned, it shall be much at the discretion of the Judge to award judgement either to the Plaintiff or Defendant which so ever of them is most a Saint allies an Hypocrite (God forbidden that we should speak or open our mouths against the good people of God, they we say, that profess to the love it, and that do not make use of pretences to carry on base wicked designs) for you must assure yourselves that they will provide Judges that shall be Conscience proof, and that will incline much in their judgements to favour those that favour the times: besides this is the only way that these Israelites will come by the goods and lands of the Egyptians at advantage. John of Leydon required his impostors and followers to seize of all the goods of the wicked, by open force; but these are bringing of it home more covertly and obscurely by these pretences, viz. To prevent further contests and quarrels by suits of Law: but if this be brought about, you shall have little cause to go to law, for you shall have nothing to defend by it. Besides, he that doth hold any thing must hold and enjoy it upon their terms, that he must live and take the present Tyrant's orders for better for worse; besides these will keep the people more to depend upon the favour of the Tyrants, for than they will see it to be a thing of necessity to comply, for they see that upon the least distaste (and they will not be wanting to take occasion as oft as may) to turn them out of their estates: likewise this of the burning of the Records is a good design for those that have bad Titles to the Houses and Land they hold and to those that would cheat Orphans, but the body of the design is this, that Magna Charta may be no more pleaded, nor the Petition of Right; neither shall the people have the least remain, to put them in mind of their ancient Liberty; [and the people may account it a favour to live] and if they will have their causes pleaded, it must be by friends, or else suffer you must. A third design is that all Societies and meetings shall be prohibited under a pretence of preventing of carrying on of plots and designs: and to that end throw down Plays and Bear baiting, and all other pastimes; we do not here argue for Plays, we only show what is designed when they pretend reformation. Next they must prevent Fairs and Markets, meetings to Hunt and Hawk; what a sad condition have these men brought themselves too? The Tyrant himself that maketh us all slaves is but a slave himself: for he cannot nor dare to go without his guards, he is afraid of his own shadow, when it is his guilty conscience that putteth him in fear, he calleth about him stronger guards, and crieth a plot to colour all: Pliny the songs in his Janegyr to Trajan, says that wicked princes makes Arms their sanctuary, but good Princes make the affections of their people to be their sanctuary. This design of preventing meeting hath already taken in Ireland, this was one of the parts that the Tyrant Dyonisius acted to secure himself in his abominable tyranny, he would not permit the Syracutians to meet in friendly and familiar meetings, thereby the better to prevent the knowing one another's minds; for saith he, if they know not one another's mind, they cannot so readily put in execution any thing that may be hurtful to the Tyranny! What a lamentable thing is it, that men should bring themselves into such a condition, to fear their shadow. Another design's on foot, is that under pretence of preventing of the disarming of the royal party: it is intended to disarm all the good people of England, that they may not be in a capacity to resist the intended tyranny. [Do but remember what freedom you enjoyed (under the Kingly power accounted by our Tyrants to meet in Arms, and other friendly meetings] We shall press it onwards in answer to a Letter pretended to be sent to Mr. John Lilburn, where in general is observed nothing but weakness and madness. We find this person that entereth the Lists in this Letter, to be but of a mongrel breed: he barketh round the Cage now the Lion is fast barred therein: we cannot conceive it to be our work to take notice of him, only we will feel his pulse, to know of what temper he is of; we find him rightly principled for the intended Tyranny, in the 1. place we will match him with Julian the Apostate, Who when any of the Christians complained unto him. saith he, Why complain you, your God commandeth you patiently to bear all evils, reproaches and indignities; if one cheek be struck, turn the other. So saith this nameless and senseless Author of this Letter, admit he hath defamed you (meaning Major Packer defaming his Lilburn) saith he, is that Christian like for you to do so and so, by him, yea, he might as well have said, John Lilburn, it is Christian like for thee to submit to God, to the Gaolers, it being the will of the Tyrants, and their earnest desire and your duty to submit to the higher powers. Though it be the duty of a Christian to submit it to all such things that shall be done in opposition of that truth which he professeth in the name of Christ, yet that doth not bind him up from defending either his life, good name, or Estate in a civil respect. He hath another expression that seemeth very strange, wherein he complaineth of Mr. lilburn's popularity, and saith, that with his clouted shoes, blue aprons and private Soldiers, threaten disturbance, it appeareth suddenly what temper this Author is of: he cannot but know, that the persons now, whose greatness hath been, and will be the cause of much trouble: They we say, ascended by popularity to that greatness they now are at, he hath one claw more where he taketh exceptions at the Subscription of John Lilburn in a Letter to Cromwell, where he subscribeth himself sturdy John Lilburne: saith he The law of England hath only branded beggars and Rogues with the name sturdy, therefore saith he, you have not to boast therein: he doth not rightly understand the meaning of the Law in this point; which is, that no person that is sturdy or able for employment should be suffered to beg; for under colour thereof, they committed Robberies, and divers outrages: so that impotent men were suffered to take an alms, in regard there was not that danger in them, neither could they do much mischief as 18. 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Lastly, saith he, it may be that God may say, I have afflicted my servant John Lilburn and he is not yet humbled; we believe that this generation that afflicteth John Lilburn God hath sent as he sent the Devil to afflict Job: so hath he sent them, and set them up to be a scourge to the Nation as well as to John Lilburn: but we have faith to believe that God will also cast them down. In the next sheet, we shall show you the design that they have to lay aside Trials by Juries, and upon it give you our Observations.  
Reader, We desire thee to be content with the Eratae's that escape the press, there are many in the third part of the politic Informer, in a case of Lettletons', especially of estates upon condition, that and the rest shall in the sixth part be corrected by an Errata; one thing more we would entreat thee not to censure the Politic Informer, for inclining either to one faction or another; assure thee his principles are right, for a true and just government of a Common wealth, by a people representative, annually elected, as we shall plainly demonstrate in the ensuing works; yet in the former part there may be some probable ground to believe he inclineth to monarchy; we assure thee he doth not in the least incline to it; but he's of opinion, that no one ought to usurp supreme power; neither ought any person or persons to have it above one year: it is not the work of one that undertaketh politic observations to incline any way, but only to discover the reasons of state, the proper tendency, the end and aim that these corrupt persons, that have now Usurped and assumed the Supreme power to the great detriment of the people of England: it was not the way of Tacitus Live or of subtacitus tranquillionis, or any politic Historian to incline to speak or write in favour of either Galba Otha, or Vitellias; but to unmask and unrobe the state of things, to declare the truth; so shall it be our work to discover the high designs on foot, which is to rob and destroy the Rights, Privileges, Estates, and Lives of the people of England; which we mentioned of the perfidious dealing with the King, was not that we did it in favour of him: we do acknowledge he did deserve death, but we affirm it ought to have been another way, as is shown in the first part of this Work, the Mirror, cap. 1. and Section 2. Affirmeth that the Kings were sworn to be ruled and governed by the same Law that he should rule and govern by; we do not acknowledge that any thing is to rule but Law, in which it may be said God ruleth.  
Reader, The tumult in Paul's Churchyard, Sunday 6 of October, is to be feared was set on foot by Cromwell, thereby to take an occasion to question the Lord Mayor, and alter the government of the City [Nero set on, fired Rome, and laid it on the Christians; he thereby did punish Rome, and took an occasion to persecute the Christians] We shall in our next give you our farther thoughts therein, and an account how they have laid the plot to do it: that a Colonel may be your Mayor, the Pikes your Aldermen, and Musketeers your Common Council; we shall also discover to you the dangerousness, hellishness, and wickedness of the design of the present power, in their intended taking away of Forest Land, wherein they will destroy nigh four hundred thousand people of England, and after they have ruined them make use of them to destroy the rich, that thereby they may support themselves in their Tyranny; though they make use of one party to destroy another: witness the contention at present, betwixt the Citizens of London and their Lord Mayor, whose year being near expired, denies the delivery of the Collar of Esses with the City Plate and Hang, (but he were much engaged to his Coachman or else he had got enough of that) with the rest of the City goods, which goes from one Mayor to another; and this is, as they say, because they will not allow him all the money which two of his Brethren should have had towards their Mayoraldries if they had not laid down their Cloates before; besides he had or would have turned out the four Clerks belonging unto the City; and all this is done by instigation from our Grandees at Whitehall, who made him put by the trial of the soldier, who set the Pistol to one of the Sheriff's breasts the sixth of October; but more of this in the next.  
FINIS.