A GILDED PILL, for a new Moulded PRESBYTER.  
OR, Wholesome advice for the holy Synod: and all New-modelled Reformadoes.  
With some Hints or Observations concerning the late Petition (promoted by some factious Shimeys) to ruin this famous City and Kingdom.  Now they shall say, We have no King, because we feared not the Lord. Hos. 10. 3. 
Printed in the Year 1647.   

A PILL for a new-Moulded Presbyter.  
Brethren:  
I Hear present unto your view a M●p, that may well be called, The M●p of Misery, or the direct Plot of the fatal Tragedy that should have been acted upon you and this City: or a gilded Pill, that is without side Gold; within side Deadly Poison, which I hope will prove a caveat to the well affected party of this languishing Kingdom, and teach them (if they be wise and provident while th●y have time and power) to avoid the Serpentine and venomous snares of that execrated and pestilent brood of Presbytery, who in sheep's clothing, prove ravenous wolves, and devoureth: too simple credulous and easi● to be inveagled sheep of the little flock of Christ. This Fraternity of Iniquity, of the Society of the Serpent, (or 
(a) Only distinguished thus▪ The one lives in a hot Country, the other in a cold.  Scot I should say rather) from whom they have quickly learned (as is most proper to their natures) actions and Doctrines, crafty wiles, impieties, lies, equivocations, murders, impostures, and the like, all which th●y are taught of that old Scot, the Devil, their principal Instructor, are now become an overspreading Leprosy over the face of this Kingdom, (although the Lord be praised the 
(b) The King, the true hearted Commons, and Sir Thomas Fairfax Army.  Head, the heart, and hands, of this Kingdom are yet (most of them) free from this infectious dis●ase.) O let us use all the means we can for the cleansing this Leper: let us purify the inward rooms of our hearts with the pure incense of prayer, and wash the very walls and outsides of these out earthly Tabernacles, with true repentant tears, that the Lord may put an end to all our miseries, and that we may resolve in our hearts to give Caesar his due, to fear God and the King, and not to meddle with these money changers, that sell 
(c) Doves in the Temple of the Lord, that is, That live by the The Synod.  ruins of the innocent people: But we truly believe, that the Lord will gather his wheat into his Garner, and burn the 
(d) Stinking Elders.  tares with unquenchable fi●e.   

Courteous Reader, I have thought good to insert here the Petition for their late combination, and to expose to thy view some notes or observations upon it, which if thou takest in good part, it shall be my Directory ere long to expose to thy view a new Century of Presbyterian Priests, Vale.  

To the Right Honourable the Lord Maior, the Right Worshipful the Aldermen, etc.  
The humble Petition of the Citizens, Commanders, Officers, Young men, and Apprentices. etc.  
Sheweth:  
THat your Petitioners taking into serious consideration, how Religion, his Majesty's honour and safety, the privileges of Parliament, and Liberties of the Subject, are at present greatly endangered, and likely to be destroyed; And also sadly weighing with ourselves what means might likely prove the most effectual to procure a firm and lasting peace, without further effusion of Christian English blood, have therefore entered into a solemn engagement, which is hereunto annexed, and do humbly and earnestly desire, that this whole City may join together by all lawful possible means, as one man, in hearty endeavours, for his Majesty's present coming up to his two houses of Parliament, with honour, safety, and freedom, and that without the near approach of the Army, there to confirm such things, as he hath granted in his Message of the 12. of May last, in answer to the Propositions of both Kingdoms: and that by a personal Treaty with his two Houses of Parliament, and the Commissioners of the kingdom of Scotland, such things as are yet in difference, may be speedily settled, and a firm and lasting peace established: all which we desire may be presented to both Houses of Parliament, from this Honourable Assembly.  
And we shall pray, etc.   

A solemn Engagement, etc.  
Whereas we have entered into a Solemn League and Covenant, for reformation, and defence of Religion, the honour and happiness of the King, and the peace and safety of the three Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland, All which we do evidently perceive, not only to be endangered, but ready to be destroyed.  
We do therefore in pursuance of our the said Covenants, both of Allegiance, Oath of every Freeman of the Cities of London, and Westminster, and Protestations, Solemnly engage ourselves, and vow unto Almighty God, that we will to the utmost of our power, cordially endeavour that his Majesty may speedily come to his two Houses of Parliament, with honour, safety, and freedom, (and that without the nearer approach of the Army) there to confirm such things, as he hath granted in his Message of the 12 of May last, in answer to the propositions of both Kingdoms, and that by a personal treaty, with his two Houses of Parliament, and the Commissioners of the Kingdom of Scotland, such things as are yet in difference may be speedily settled, and a firm and lasting peace established. For effecting hereof we do protest and re-oblige ourselves as in the presence of God, the searcher of all hearts, with our lives and fortunes, to endeavour what in us lies, to preserve and defend, his Majesty's Royal person and authority, the Privileges of Parliament, and Liberties of the Subject, in their full and constant freedom: The Cities of London, and Westminster, lines of Communications, and Parishes mentioned in the weekly Bills of mortality, and all others that shall adhere with us to the said Covenant, Oath of Allegiance, Oath of every freeman of London, and Westminster, and Protestation. Nor shall we by any means admit, suffer, or endure any kind of neutrality in this Common Cause of God, the King and Kingdom, as we do expect the blessing of Almighty God, whose help we crave, and wholly devolve ourselves upon, in this our undertaking.   

Considerations upon the Petition, and engagement, and late Declaration.  
TO the right understanding of the true intents and end of this Petition and engagement, these subsequents fall necessarily into consideration.  
First upon what occasion this enterprise is begun, and upon what ground it pretendeth to take its foundation: The occasion and ground as both Petition and engagement seemeth to import, are thus, that Religion, his Majesty's honour and safety, peace and safety of the three Kingdoms, Privileges of Parliament, and Liberties of the Subject are not only greatly endangered, but like to be destroyed.  
Here's an honourable occasion and ground indeed, were it as real as by them pretended; but later anguis in herba, here's a bewitching enticing bait, but the hook is venomous and mortal; For if also we do but duly weigh and consider, where, and by whom this great danger is, and who are those threatening destroyers, those Petitioners and new devised Covenanters (especially the contrivers and promoters of the design) will be found the only continent wherein the said epidemical mischief lodgeth, and from whence all fear thereof ariseth, and yet this very Petition, and new Machiavellian Protestation is no other than an eleven Membered design for a new bloody direful war even for the destruction of Religion, of his Majesty's honour and safety, peace of the three Kingdoms, etc. yea, and for the most horrible and dreadful destruction, and subversion of this mighty populous City: For it is first to be considered by all who shall be moved hereunto to subscribe, and be assistant before they subscribe, assent or act, where, and by whom those forementioned principles of England's safety are so desperately endangered; if it be found that these kind of engagers, contrivers, and drivers on of this new device, be the very men from whom all the said danger hath hitherto arisen, and from whom it is now only threatened, than this new engagement can be no other esteemed then an engagement of the people in the very destruction of that, for which it thus gloriously pretends safety and preservation: for can we expect grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? such as are the engagers, such must we suspect and deem the intent of, the engagement and designs, for every thing produces its like, and you may know a Bear by his paw. And to put the matter out of doubt, common observation, or every man's woeful experience tell us where the faultlies; there are but two parties in the Kingdom upon which now it can be laid, either this Army and their friends, or the obstructing traitorous party in the two Houses at Westminster, with their Clergy accomplices & confederates. As for the Army and their friends they have ever actually and visible engaged for the foresaid principles of common right and safety, and now to give undoubted testimony to their uprightness and sincerity in their said undertake, they do now faithfully and unanimously stand for the due and effectual accomplishment thereof, as their several printed papers evidence to every impartial capacity: Therefore there can be no just ground or reason in the engagement for these things, if the engagement be against them: for to engage against the real engagers for a thing is a direct engagement against the thing itself, though never so much under the notion and colour of the thing: And now the face of this new design is directly against the Army, for the rescuing of his Majesty's Royal Person from their honourable safe protection and custody, end enforcement of them at such a distance to the City; and yet it would seem to make the subscribers believe, as if that were the most likely means, to prove most effectual, to procure a firm and lasting peace without a further effusion of Christian English blood; and how like that is, let the world judge: For what can be surmised or concluded from them but jorres, discord, strife, confusion, wars, effusion of blood, etc. for such an engagement as this cannot possibly be without such disastrous horrible effects, for what is done in this nature, and after this kind, must needs be done by force of arms. Therefore this engagement must needs arise from such as are most desperate inveterate enemies to the Army, and to these foresaid pillars of the people's safety, who for their own protection in the ruin of the Army would engage King, Kingdom, and City in their own destruction; therefore let this be a caution for every honest hand and heart endeavouring and desiring the peace and prosperity of King and Kingdom to forbear subscription or concurrence thereto; touch not, taste not, handle not.  
Now concerning the factious traitorous party in the House (with their complices) who are the hinderers of those forementioned principles of safety but those? Are they not the party under the weight of whose treacherous delusions, oppressions, and cruelties, this Kingdom still laboureth in pain? and who obstruct the course of justice, and under that obstruction protect themselves from justice, even to the disquieting of the Kingdom, ●ndangering the peace, and eminent ruin thereof? impartial judgement tell us they are, and how can this new engagement (those weighty premises considered) be judged for any other end, then for the protection of these delinquent traitorous Members, their accomplices, and accomplishment of their own factious designs, and even to the very apparent ruin of the Cities of London and Westminster, and endangering the stately structures thereof to be laid levill with the ground? For who are the Armies enemies but these? And what party considerable in the Kingdom have these men to shelter themselves from the edge of their particular charge? Are not their greatest hopes in the City? And so rather than they will perish even the City itself shall sink and perish, for hereby they would engage it, to lay itself in its own ashes: for if this their desperate work should go forward, what can the City expect, but to be sacked, plundered, and destroyed, and left in its own rubbish and ruins? for is not the whole Kingdom in a manner concurrant with the Army? And if there should be such an engagement, and protestation and vow in the City, as one man to make resistance, and to suffer no neutrality amongst them, how can they think to stand against this just and faithful Army, and this Kingdom, and scape the consuming vengeance of sword and famine? Certainly vengeance will dog the heels of the Tyrant and oppressor whether soever he flieth, and when inquisition is made, woe unto his protectors and defenders; therefore you that are, or shall be moved to this perilous bloody plot, look well before you leap, yeasterday cannot be recalled, to day if you will hear the voice of safety, harden not your hearts, lest you hurry swift destruction upon your own heads, the City, and Kingdom too: Thus having this foresaid Petition and Covenant put into mine hands, I thought good in haste to add a short consideration thereto, that if happily I may add unto the just prevention of the ruin of this Kingdom and City thereby, and so present and leave both to the use, judgement and consideration of all whom it may concern, and remain,  
Faithfully devoted to the peace and safety both of Kingdom and City.   
FINIS.