THE copy OF A LETTER WRITTEN By Mercurius Britanicus To Mercurus Civicus.  
BRother Civicus, conform to your desire, I thought good to write to you of the estate of Britannia, with its adjacent Irelandia. But in regard the greatest matters are yet in fiery; And because of the wonderful confusion which everywhere appeareth, I cannot write as I would: For the PARLIAMENT cries, Law, Law; the KING cries, Aw, Aw; the Queen cries Ave, Ave, and the country cries, W●e, W●e, but always thus much for your satisfaction I perceive there are three parties in their kingdoms, which for brevity I will express in abstracto, to wit; piety, policy, and popery: Each one of these hath a Bastard-brother; piety hath Independency, a Bastard which Singularity begat upon novelty: policy hath atheism, a Bastard which Superstition begat upon Ignorance: And Popery hath Prelacy, a Bastard which the man of sin in his full strength, begat upon one of the d●ughtres of Mammon. These three parties I find diversely ranked in these kingdoms: For England putteth Policy first then* piety▪ and then Popery. Scotland putteth piety first, next Po, licy, and then Popery. Ireland putteth Popery first, than policy, and last piety. In each of these kingdoms there is a prime patron to which these foresaid parties address themselves, Hence it is that in England policy runneth to the King, Popery to the Queen, piety to the Parliament. In Scotland piety runneth to a Covanant, whence some are called Covenanters, policy runneth to a Band, whence some are called Banders and Baberders: And Ppoerie runneth to Fortifications, or else is forced to leave the country. In Ireland these partis have a contrary current; For their popery runneth to fire and sword, policy to a cessation, and piety to a Posture of defence The policy of England, and popery of Ireland have put all these kingdoms in blood, and are grieved that they cannot meet together as they would for mutual supply; And unless the piety of Scotland disappoint their designs, by all likelihood they will work our ruin. For policy will never lay down arms so long as that question of Thine and Mine is undiscussed: popery will never lay down arms, so long as the Name of Israel is heard of under the Heaven. And as for their soldiers, who serve any of them for money, they will never lay down arms so long as there is either pay or plundering to be gotten. The stirring of these Malignants hath put each godly hearted Scots man into a military condition. And therefore to the confusion of all the powers of hell be it known, that Scotland's piety, now marching in the fields, is resolved never to lay down arms, tell it hath rectified England's policy, and extirpated Ireland's Popery, which that it may be speedily accomplished by the power of heaven, is the humble and daily prayers of.  
Your loving Brother. M B