Loyalty speaks Truth:  
OR, A CONFERENCE of the Grand MERCURIES, Pragmaticus, Melancholicus, and Elenticus, Concerning the present condition of his Majesty, and the proceed of this blessed Parliament.  
1648 Jan: 10 th'.— 1647  PRagmaticus, 
How now man, how do you look, like a man had set an errand from Limbo Patrum, or been crushed between the gates of Death of late: whence is the apparition of your countenance so fearful unto me, what unheardof calamity hath so much prevented the hopes of your future health, that you seem to be as it were both alive and dead together.  Melanch. 
Health Pragmaticus how can that be expected, when all things are in so desperate a state of Disease that the world may seem distempered with a continual Phlebotomy.  Pragm. 
The world man, that's nothing to you, nor me: But what news there whence you came of late, at London, is there any thing there that is cause of your pensiveness.  Mel. 
Yes verily, there & here, and every where.  Prag. 
Why, what's that.  Mel. 
Why if this be not a subject of grief, I know not what is: I mean, first, to see all Supremacy and Majesty dishonoured, and sit lamented; lamonting I should have said, among the captivated of the times; to see all Magistracy neglected and trampled under foot, by those, that are wellwishers to none but themselves; to see what Divisions, open contradictions, clancular devises, and subtle undermine whereby to extirpate all freedom, and by the force of continual working designs, to blow up the very foundation of Liberty and lawful Privileges. O strange cruelty! O unheard of impiety; more Monsters in nature now, than Counsellors in Court or wisemen at Westminster (except those only that do us good) some cry no King no King; and intimate as much by their deportment, that they would all feign wear Crowns (and be Kings) on their own heads so long as they wear them: These having by their newborn power (which is nothing else, but the curtain-drawing of a coming Chaos) made obscure the glory of radiant Titan's desire, that Phaeton also may take notice, if he dare reassume the Charior, he is like to be dismounted if they can do it, and they set the world on fire again; for if he be so bold to come among them, he must dream of a Kingdom, as little as Saul did, when he went to seek his father's Asses. But some again there are, which run as fare on another extreme and cry, no Parliament, no Parliament, and would expel all such Authority as they do their ghostly Father with Crucifixes and Holy-water; These are so inveterate, that although they many times use as many Benedictions, to drive away the Devil, as Pope joane did in Sanctification of that young Cardinal in her womb; yet can they be very well content with his company while they curse the Parliament, with Bell, book, and candle. Surely they think they are as bad, as that concaved company of Redheaded Crocodiles; and to speak the truth (but only because they are very devout) the States have melted so many of their Tapers into Commissions, and on the wickes thereof, have made such Matches on their side that by this time, they may have learned to pray for them by Daylight. These are ours and the Kingdom's enemies; and the other Friends, neither to Parliament nor Army: and if all parts illaffected (I mean in the Body politic) with such distempers, nay gangrened with such Diseases, and no Physician, no cure; no remedy probable, or probably conceivable, unto what prodigies, and growth in miseries on our side may our enemies persevere against us.  Elenticus. 
The more Miserable is our condition; truth it is which you have now spoken: we have a seeming Peace, and in this peace, there is so cruel warring, by differences in judgement, of actions past, opinions concerning Religion, and hopes of what shall be the cunning events of things; that it may rather seem a cessation of Arms, either to mollisie our hearts, or else a respiration only; that our Enemies, nay ourselves may take breath to be more cruel hereafter, and study to be more inhuman one towards another; and Melancholicus, although you have given such a summary demonstration of our Condition, less than which by a great deal, is too, too sufficient, to make a people more than ordinarily miserable; yet there are many consequences ortive, from our great Distractions and sad differences, which lie upon us as burdens insufferable, more than the general state, or our particulars are able to bear, without sinking under them: Truly what Peace can we expect, or what amendment of these things, so long as the Whoredoms of jezabel remain; so long as Pride can vaunt in our streers, without so much as a check for its selfishness, as if it were (as it is indeed) independent upon all virtue (because nothing to do therewith) claim the Superiority of the greatest and highest Places to herself; neither is she now (as formerly) content with Temporal preferment only (but because the House is divided against itself, steps in, and attempts Ecclesiastical also; and being most of all Independent, she matters not much, whether Lawne-sleeves, or long Beards, or both, be the rest of her Attendants; nay, what Peace can we expect, so long as Covetousness itself must be for the most part the Regulator of all things; and because it hath an aptitude to keep what it hath got, it must be made Collector of the public treasure; Commissary to the Army, and Chaire-man; or chief, in almost every Committee, and being grown proud, in that she is a Parliament man's companion, it being in her power, she hath made her eldest daughter Extortion, a Sequestrator also; and because the Court should be more free from lavish Expenses (than formerly, whereby to nourish Vice) the royal Revenues are (by her) employed, to use● more profitable to the Kingdom; and hence it is, that the Kingdom is so full of congested riches, men have enough and to lay up, and to buy lands besides, to take opportunity for goods bargines themselves; though contrary to the Ordinance of Parliament, yea to buy the goods, and Chattels, of Delinquents, to set the estates of Malignants, for the State's profit, to Farm them, at easy rates; and because custom hath changed this course, into the nature, of Committee men, they can judiciously (I can deem it, no less, than prudence) wink, at each others deviation from the Ordinance which commands that no Committee-man, or any belonging to any Committee-man▪ should have the use, of any sequestrations for their own profit, and so they drive a fine trade out, and want nothing, but only, that rustic Pan would be pleased to grant them, as he did Midas, to have what they could wish for his ridiculus judgement, but yet, it may be, Apollo may be angry with them▪ and clap, a pair of Ass' ears, horns, upon their heads; if once reeds would grow in the Committee chamber that would be known too: but only that I believe the Deanery will not go down, so soon, as the leaden steeple, if all be true as is reported, what did you hear Melancholicus, concerning that business.  Mel. 
I heard that there was an Order for the pulling of it down; and that it should part of it, be emplyed to repair the City stock, which was impaired, by your Cavaliers by so voluntary concession of moneys contributing the same, to these that were the Kingdoms, and our enemies. Prag. Cavaliers? who are the Kingdom's enemies now I pray you, now poor Cavaliers trouble you not.  Elenticus. 
Verily the cause of the coming of God's judgements upon a people is sin only; and we had war sent upon us as, a judgement for sin, yet we repent not truly; those that we called Cavaliers (this I think) were instruments of God's wrath to scourge us then: and it is much to be feared, we have manifested so little thankfulness towards God for mercies past, and not regarded his great Deliverances, that except a sudden repentance, God will find him another Servant, and us another Enemy to execure his judgement upon us; and therefore I desire that the Spirit of bitterness should cease to remain among us, and then we might live to see our Land flourish, in Peace and Truth once again.  Prag. 
Yes, but hark you, do you think if the Cavaliers had got the better, we should not have been in a better condition than we are now.  Mel. 
Truly I think if the Papists had got the better▪ Gods people would have gone all to fire and faggot; and although our condition be at this time very hard in respect of Taxes and impostors, which the necessity of the State may seem to require, yet seem happy (if so be the moneys so collected, were put to a right use, no question we should have a settled peace ere long) in relarion to what we might have suffered.  Prag. 
Taxes; yea marry Taxes indeed, when the Earl was here, then here was come lend money to bring the King to London; but now they have him, they mean not that he shall come there; and then they had the Public Faith, for their money, but that shall be all I warrant you, and then there was Contribution, as long as men were able to pay it: and after that came Excise, and the new found pollings, but I heard the other day, that the Excise was down? what? did you here of it.  Melanch. 
It is not down, but stronger up than ever, only there be not so many Commissioners as they were.  Prag. 
Why?  Mel. 
I know not.  Prag. 
Who are ●ut now.  Mel. 
There is Mr. Vincent out.  Prag. 
Why how comes that to pass, he was the best of them all, and if a man could be honest in such a place, he was an honest man (I think) and I think he had the love of the Country more than any, I am sure he had of the City; if he's gone out, it was because he would go out.  Elenticus, 
I heard him say he would not stay in with such Partners.  Prag. 
He was the chiefest of them all▪ I think.  Elent. 
Nay, Mr. Coilier was first in Commission if I am not mistaken.  Prag. 
Collier, he was but a bom-basted Taylor, he sat hum drum always, when I went to pay my money, and did scarce so much as say Bee to a Goose; I knew him a good while since and his wife too, and her Father the Thatcher.  Mel. 
Truly that makes things in that case they be, when men meddle with that▪ they know not what belongs unto, as the Proverb is, Set a Sow to play on a Fiddle. There is Mr. Writer, and Careless, in with him still, but Mr. Freeston is out.  Elent. 
He out, why there is Mr. Writer, it's true, he was ill spoken of, when Rainsborough men came first into Town; but I think he is an indifferent honest man, and a great suffering man; and 'tis fit such men should be employed in such places, if some must; but only that he cannot find his brains sometimes, when he hath need of them.  Prag. 
But they say, Careless is in Commission before Writer.  Elent. 
How comes that to pass; Careless, is but a fellow of a servile Condition, start up I know not how in these times, when all honest men were rather loser's then saviours; and the truth is, I know the man's Conditions so well, that for his Severity, he should better be a Hangman. (nay pardon me now, I am too gross, he is a State's Officer) I mean, an Executor of justice; for I am sure, he knows to whip a Beggar well enough since he was Constable; and for want of a Beadle did it himself: what do you laugh at▪  Prag. 
I'll tell you what at, a pretty comparison, as there was one made▪ of one of our Committee men the other day; which was, that as he said he read of one Tyresiss, whom the gods being angry withal, transformed from a Man to a Woman, at length when jupiter and juno fell at variance, whether was more prone to lust, a Man or Woman, they chose this Tiresias to decide the matter, because he had known the nature of both kinds: So, if a man ask me, whether is the honester man, a Cavalier or a Roundhead, I shall bid go and ask Careless; because he hath been of both sorts.  Mel. 
Such men are not fit for the Public service, however crept in.  Elent. 
Nay, what a slavery are we in, when such men shall not only rule, but reign over us: Slavery (I) none but such fools, as we be would endure it.  Mel. 
I will tell you what we shall do, we will Petition Adem Nash; that when he speaketh nex● in the House, it would please his worship to make known to the Houses, that there, a sort of Men, which having already taken away the munificentiall parts of our City, are now also, about to demolish, the Spiritual habitations of our Souls, and have long since extirpated their outworks of defence (our Ministers) insomuch, that on last Sabbath, there was not one Sermon in the whole City, but at the College only, because that is the next way to heaven, which they will teach us now after Christmas so perfect, that we shall not need the leaden Steeple for the first step; therefore that to be cumulated into a legion of Angels, for a continual conduct of the City thither, and the relief of the Poor, according to their Charity: Further, that there is not so small estimation of affection among us▪ as to be bought and sold, by a Committee of partial judges, and yet hold our peace; Therefore, we desire that it may be Ordered, that we may have a honester Committee▪ or better Roundheads: And also that the collection of Excise, be somewhat regulated; for when we bring our moneys to the Office, there is a fellow looks so big upon us, that we● dare not, for his ears, displease him, for fear of a Hocus, Pocus.  Pragmat. 
Nay, let us beg too, that no Citizen Cavalier, shall be ever an enfranchised Round-head, except he voluntarily forfeit his Ears to the Pillory, at seven or eight ears end, according to the growth of the same, and that whereas it hath been a great propagation to the good of this City, and much accommodation in necessity, that a good number of Horses, be always kept ready and well looked to; it is desired, that it be so still, otherwise the generation of Asses, which now ride upon us, will so ingrease and multiply, that their ears, may be taken for horns, among—  
FINIS.