True and good News from Brussels.  
Containing A SOVEREIGN ANTIDOTE Against the POISONS, AND CALUMNIES Of the present time.  
In a Letter from a Person of great Quality there, to his Friend in England.   printer's or publisher's device 
LONDON: Printed in the Year, 1660.   

True and good News from Brussels.  
SIR,  
I Return you many thanks for your Letter, and News, and particularly for the account you give me of General Lockhart; I ever took him for a Gentleman, and, indeed, the King himself, hath always esteemed him one of his fairest Enemies; Insomuch, as it would have troubled many here, who never saw him, if he should publicly have borne witness to so mechanic a slander, as that of seeing his Majesty at Mass: Truly, the Devil had sound out an ill Father for such a Brat, and therefore, I hope, it will now lie at his own Door. It was very unlikely, that a Person of his honour, should be guilty of so foul, or a Man of his wit, of so lame a calumny; Wherein to verify his state, he must, at once render himself, a base spy, and a false Protestant, for what other account should bring him into Spanish Towns, and Popish Churches? I read that part of your Letter to the King, and could not but observe his smile, it was so grave, and full of Resentment; (for nothing, you know, is more natural to him, then dumb Rhetoric:) At present, he said little, but three hours after, made many reflections both witty, and serious: He said, his Enemies were now put to hard shifts, and he took it for a good Omen, that, already, for want of better Weapons, they fought with such Bulrushes; That they had timed it very well, and very ill; Well, for themselves, that related it; But ill for others, that were to believe it: Since, for more than ten years past, whilst they were confident of their own Power, they had used no Arguments against him, but Bullets, and were much unconcerned in his Religion, whether it were Christian, or Mahometan; But now, just now, in this Crisis of affairs, when their cause is, manifestly withering, and his hopes, budding,) lest the Nation should, otherwise, think of restoring him, he who profoundly dissembled all thy while, chose, it seems, so opportune a juncture, for his profession of Popery, being in love with banishment, and having, no doubt, therein consulted with his dear friends Mr. Scot, and Marchamont Needham; that, indeed, it is not the part of fair enemies to take such advantage of their own wrong, by first driving him to seek Protection from Papists, and then, upon no other account imaginable, reporting him a Papist; that, yet, he submits, with all patience, to the good will of God, since he sees, he must taste of his Father's Cup, whose lot it was to be branded by Protestants, for a suspected Papist, and ruined by Jesuits, as a persevering Protestant: These were his Majesties own Comments upon the text, and better cannot be added; yet, being a debt equally due to his own great virtue, and the satisfaction of all that desire, and are willing to be satisfied, I cannot, but, upon my own knowledge, attest, that he is not only a sincere professor, but an approved Champion of the Protestant Religion, and devoted Son of the Church of England, yet, with much moderation of Judgement and candour of mind towards those that differ from him; especially in matters, and outward discipline, and many pregnant instances I could give you, both of his strictness in the one, and largeness in the other, if I thought it needful, or that his conversation, and what he hath done, and suffered upon these accounts, were not better evidence for him, than any thing, that I should say; but, I fear, I have too much honoured so silly a detraction.  
Your enclosed Pamphlet of news from brussels is more considerable, as having a deeper root, and more colour, though not in itself, yet in the fears of those, whom it would seem to concern, for the wounds of guilt are hardly to be cured, or searched by any Chirurgery, and the fiend of an evil conscience is too subtle for exorcisms, not is it in the power of clemency to pardon those, that will however arraign themselves, and who think their safety consists not with the being of him, from whom, otherwise, they might expect it: with such persons, even promises are threats, they having suggested to themselves, that they ought as much to fear the snare of moderation, as the Gibbet of severity, both of them contrived and erected in their own breasts; but these, I trust, are few, and I can freely say, it must be their own fault, if there be any; for, I am confident, it is, yet, in the power of the greatest criminal to bail himself, and none will finally prove guilty, but the implacable, his Majesty desiring above all things, herein, to imitate, the goodness of God, who willeth no man's destruction, and freely giveth to those that ask: as for such as pronounce against themselves, that their sins are greater, then can be pardoned, let them, with Cain, fly into the Land of Nod, let the Author of this Pamphlet and his confederates, dispose of themselves to their best security, let such furies vent their Diabolical rage; but let not others, who may be innocent, if they please, choose rather to be guilty.  
I have often said of late, that Mr. Needham would yet once more, before he died write for the Cavaliers, and see how soon my prophecy is fulfilled; the Style, language and sense are purely his, certainly, it was some such precious Saint, a Cain for Innocency, a Balaam for Integrity, A Judas for Loyalty, a Corah for Allegiance, and for Christian Prudence, an Achitophel, that compiled this Creed for reprobates; no novice, or single sinner could arrive at such perfection, it must be a Vaterane, and an Apostate to boot: he is, I perceive, most religiously sensible of the Pilgrimage, he owes to TYBURN, and can never rest, till he have paid his vows, and offered himself at that shrine.  
●●e frontispeice is very observable, being for the greater mockery & Imposture, adorned with a Crown, and authorised with the stile of his Majesty, who must, it seems, be betrayed with a Kiss, Crucified with a solemn inscription, and murdered, as it were, before Whitehall; But I much marveyle, the reverend Author should impute the publishing of it to casualty, and not rather entitle Revelation or Providence to his excellent mysteries, He had precedents enough in the Case, and perhaps, in the language of the Saints, (who cannot, now, pick a Pocket, but in God's name) it had been most agreeable to truth.  
A special Act of Providence, indeed, it was, that made a near attendant on his Majesty's Person, writ so perfectly the sense of Sir Arthur Hazlerigge, and Mr. Scot, that, (without a Counter-revelation) one would almost swear, that, whilst the poor Cavalier wrote, they guided his Pen; Were they now such Princes, as lately they were, in the RUMP, I should judge, they had wracked Him, but that his Confession should be so voluntary, so seasonable, and, withal, so ample, is almost as great a Miracle, as the discovery of a trepaning Plot.  
This surely, may serve for a use of consolation to the godly, what need they fear any danger, at home, or abroad? Let them discharge their Spies and Intelligencers, & enjoy the quiet sleep of a good conscience; you see how their enemies betray their own counsels; they are all infatuated, and bereft of understanding, their best Statesmen have not a Character left to conceal the deepest mysteries, but must, it seems, resort to Sir C. C. for Sir Charles Coote, and obscure their malice only with Allegories, as transparent, as tiffany, or Crystal; errand Woodcocks, no doubt, that think their bodies safe, if they can but hid their heads.  
I presume, there needs no serious argument to prove it spurious, every syllable smells of Gunpowder, every line Proclaims him a Toad, that could spit such venom, the contrivance is the quintessence of Jesuitism, and King-killing malice; the Publisher himself, I suppose, doth not expect it should be believed, it serves his turn, if it be but read; for he thinks if it make no report, it will at least give an Alarm, and though the history be not admitted, the moral may.  
To particulars, I will not descend, they are some of them so scurrilous, all so malicious that I fear, lest I should seem to assist or abet such calumnies; But in general, let me assure you, his Majesty hath no such near attendants, as this would personate, no such fiends haunt his Person, or Court, his privy-councel is known to be entirely Protestant, never suspected of the contrary, truly English, no less faithful to the Nations interest, than the Kings, and such as never knew how to separate the service of their Country from that of their Prince; for two of the principal, I dare answer, that the burden of their song now is, as it hath always been, Sir we beseech you, make your peace, if you can, and leave us out, for we are not considerable in the case; all their Counsels have been suitable to their professions, constantly rejecting the numerous proffers of powerful aid from foreign Princes, upon inconvenient terms; his Majesty himself is known to be a Prince of a most sincere, and Noble nature, the true Son of that Father who recommended to him those divine precepts and principles of charity, clemency, and moderation, the true Grandson of that Grandfather, who by receiving, nay advancing his reclaimed enemies, and by observing all the agreements he made, as a King, no less punctually, than he did articles of war, as a General hath, in some measure, stopped the mouths of our desperadoes, nay hath taught the world, that great provocations may be forgotten, great Records canceled, great Errors favourably censured, and that the word of a King is of more value, than the oath of a Commonwealths-man.  
The generality of our Courtiers, and visitants, who, now, begin to appear in great numbers, are, (excepting a few light fellows, looked upon, as the chaff or dregs of the party, and, rather for hospitalities' sake, not excluded, then, for friendship, admitted) very moderate, and apt (as Courtiers commonly are) to receive Impressions from their Prince, so as nothing is discoursed in out Cabales, but the healing of Breaches, the necessity of unfeigned reconcilement with the true Presbyterian, the danger of a faithless and hollow-hearted Union, the hazard of destruction to the Nation; but certainly of ruin to ourselves, if through our spleen or obstinacy, once more, we relapse, into a state of War; the chief design of the time and place is to set on foot an interest, truly national, and comprehensive, as much, as may be, of all interests, not such a one, as shall gratify any one party to the prejudicing, or disobliging of others; Persons of mixed Principles are chief cherished, such as speak the language of our Pamphleteer, have the Brand of Incendiaries, and Emissaries; I could hearty wish, that you in England did so well distinguish, and mark them all for right Pageants, who serve the RUMP in the King's Livery.  
But I fear I have already exceeded the lawful bounds of a Letter, and therefore must conclude, I pray present my service to our Western friends, and fail not to give me the first, and most particular account you can of Elections, for they are the most important news, the season can afford, till the sitting of the next Parliament.  
I remain, SIR, Your true, and affectionate friend to serve you. W. S. Brussels, March 20th. S. V 1659.   
FINIS.