The true Portraiture of the Right Honourable ISAAC PENNINGTON, Lord Major of the City of London.   portrait of Isaac Pennington   

A TRUE DECLARATION And just COMMENDATION OF THE Great and Incomparable care of the Right Honourable ISAAC PENNINGTON, Lord Major of the City of LONDON, in advancing and promoting the Bulwarks and Fortifications about the City and Suburbs.  
With a Vindication of his Honour from all the malicious aspersions of Malignants.  
Est major quam cui poss●t ventosa nocere  
Turba malignorum—  
Published, and presented to his Honour, by W. S.  
London, Printed for R. Harper, and are to be sold at ●is Shop in Smithfield, 1643.   

TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Isaac Pennington, Lord Major of the most Famous City of London.  
Right Honourable,  
YOur Honour being the chiefest Treasurer of the Weal-publicke of this City, I amongst the subscriptions and contributions of well affected persons, have in this Book, like the Widow, offered into your Treasury but only two mites of Service and Duty, and for it do most humbly pray your gracious favour, and your Honours good acceptance. I know it will appear strange unto some, who if they dislike my industry, and distaste my zeal, I esteem them only tanquam pedarios sensores, trampling on the truth of the Cause, and carrying their eyes in their heels, and not in their heads, kicking and spurning at all zealous and well affected Patriots. But those malignant humours are so fare from me, and my intents, that in publishing this book, I have scattered abroad the fire of my zeal to show itself in its own shine, and placed my happiness in your Honours approving my endeavours. I have verily cast into your Treasury as much as I could, and for my part do judge it every man's part to departed from all where he oweth all that is for the good and safety of the Commonwealth and the City, which to advance your Honour hath, and doth most Religiously and stoutly endeavour. To this I can only add my daily prayers, and will still pour them forth to the God of all glory and mercy, that his manifold and daily blessings may be multiplied upon your Honour, for your great viligilancy and care over this great City in these imminent times of Danger, while I desire your approbation of this testimony of my zeal to your Honour, and presume to subscribe myself, your Honour's most humble servant,  
W. S.   

My Lord,  
THE happy maintaining of truth in His Majesty's Dominions, is the great and most honourable employment of all Subjects, but especially of those unto whom the good of the Subject is in a more peculiar manner entrusted, that are so many Patres Patriae, so many Fathers of their Country to dispose and defend the Rights, Privileges, and Interests of their Country, and the liberties of the Subject; such are the two honourable Houses of Parliament, and all Magistrates who ought to comply with His Majesty, so fare as His Majesty doth comply with truth; and truth is defined to be conformitas rei cum intellectu, the conformity of any thing with the understanding. Now in matters of Religion, the will of God is the object of the understanding, so that if the intellect or understanding be not rightly informed and conformed to Gods revealed will and word, that Religion is false and erroneous, and such are the Idolatrous opinions of the Papists, being conformed only to the will of humane traditions and inventions, altogether repugnant to the Doctrine of Christ, and his Apostles.  
And if the Delinquents who now swarm in Arms about the King, have by force and evil counsel raised an unhappy division under fair pretences of Religion, which they intent to overthrow, and will maintain Idolatry to be truth, the violation of all Laws divine and humane to be truth, sint omnia protinus alba, let all things, even black itself be called white. But if these Delinquents, and Malignants did in the first place sow private seeds of dissension between the King and His Parliament, & in vulgus spargere semina, and afterward dispersed them amongst the vulgar people; if they by pernicious counsel drew first His Majesty's affection, than His Person away from the Parliament, then banded themselves into a great Army against the Parliament, against the Subject, and most especially against the Protestant Religion, whose ruin they had formerly contrived; and finding that all their intentions were by divine providence blown away, like the venomous work of the Spider, in publicum exitiosi, nihil spei, nisi per discordias habent, tamen, Deus & Rex, & pretiosa nomina praet exuntur, they are Tacitus his words with little alteration; these men destructive to the Commonwealth, had no hope to bring about their Idolatrous and wicked intents, but by pretending those precious names of God and the King, as standing in their defence, when indeed they oppose both, seeing none can stand for God and the King truly and lawfully, unless he stand also for the good of the Subject, of the maintenance of the Protestant Religion.  
Truth doth not consist in any duality of good and evil, of right and wrong, of real and counterfeit, of verbal and substantial, but like a die thrown by the hand of adversity, or powerful opposition doth always set upon a square, it is one and the same still like itself, and therefore indeed it is good, because it is always one; thus with God who is all goodness, there is no shadow of alteration or changing; but the Devil and his works are multiplicia, fallacia, and therefore malignantia, so the malignants of these times give out that they fight for God, but indeed their meaning is fallacious, for they intent being delinquents to keep themselves from the censure of the Law, they would erect again their superstitious Idolatry, and make the land groan again under monopolies and arbitrary taxations, they would enjoy the liberty of their own wicked dissoluteness, and would have no reformation of Religion, lest they should be compelled to a conformation thereunto, and therefore stand neither for God nor the King, but for their own manifold private ends, and are malignants to God, the King, and the whole State of the Kingdom.  
The question being thus stated between the malignants, and those who stand for the maintenance of the true Gospel, and the King, as fare as he stands for the truth, and is conformable thereunto, it doth appear how and by whom the Kingdom is now distracted, the truth showeth itself, we are conformable to God, first seeking his glory, and then the honour of the King, who cannot be the Kinst of malignants and true Protestants, and therefore we are true obedient subjects unto his Majesty, in endeavouring to divide those evil counsellors from him, and to bring the King and his Subjects to a religious unity consisting of many parts, as the Laws divine and humane, the just privilege of the Subject, by a free and legal government, together with the privileges of Parliament, all which these malignants endeavour utterly to subvert and destroy.  
Et si hoc in arido, quid in vindi? If this be done (ex facto) by the children of this world unto an evil and malignant end, may not his Majesty's great Council the Parliament (fas est ab hoste doceri) (ex jure) for the undoubted good of the children of light, and the honour of his Majesty, defend the true Protestant Religion, the King's lawful Power, the just liberties of the Subject, and the privileges of Parliament, and may not Magistrates (your Honour being the chief moderator and governor of this honourable City) comply with the Parliament, in standing for the glory of God, the defence of the King, and the maintenance of divine and humane Rights.  
It is most certain, that this honourable City of London, though much distracted and disquieted, hath in her greatest fears and jealousies, Anchora fluctuanti Civitati, the Anchor of your Honour's wisdom to keep the City, though tossed on the waves of dissension, fast to the faith of Christ, altar & optimus Tiphis, another and an excellent governor, and chief Master of the City's ship; so that as Lelius for wisdom, Metellus for piety, Aristides for justice, were all commended in Roman Histories: so the ancient images of excellent men, were but patterns and resemblances of man's contracted and complete virtues united in your Honour, being the Atlas of the City, bearing the weight and management of all civil affairs on your Honour's shoulders: And therefore, though magnanimity only was attributed to Cyrus, only modesty to Agesilaus, only wisdom to Themistocles, skill to Philip, and boldness to Brasidus; yet Alexander, as Plutarch reporteth, was furnished and full fraught with all these: So your honourable Lordship is known to be magnanimous, in standing for the defence of the true religion, modest and courteous towards delinquents and offenders, merciful and compassionate to the distressed, wise and judicious both in politic and divine matters, and courageously bold, maugre all opposition, to stand in defence of the true Protestant Religion, & the policy of the City whereof you are the governor, and not only Major, but Optimus; and yet such is your Honours magnanimous patience, that you are put or diverted from your resolutions, by the left handed and popular voice, your honour can, as Tacitus saith, aequo animo laceratam ferre existimationem, your Honour can oppose the malignity of the times with an invincible patience and magnanimity, knowing that the aim of your desires is the truth and glory of God.  
But what do I speak of passive virtue? Your actions carry in them the most lively portraiture of an able, honest mind: and though your Honour may think, nec ille te novit, qui laudavit, nec tu illum, yet we should be all ashamed, quasi canes, latratu accipere quem non agnoscimus, to bark at those we do not know; yet what Scholar, nay, what Plebeian can be ignorant of your great care and vigilancy for the City: for though they watch in vain, if God keep not the City, yet the eyes of the Cities have been infallible witnesses of your good propension and inclination to the safety of the City; so that we may say, Come and see the legible characters of the honourable Mayor's fidelity, love and loyalty to the City, in taking order, by direction from the great Council of the Honourable Parliament, for the building of those great, strong, and serviceable fortifications near and about the City of London, Speque, fideque inquit Majora videbis. The Protestant faith, and the goodness of the cause now undertaken, promiseth greater works: For,  Causa jubet superos meliora sperare secundas. 
And here I wish that I had as many eyes as Argus, to discover the great cost bestowed upon these works; they are raised to a great height, according to the best advantages of Geometrical proportions, there is earth heaped upon earth, compacted together according to the dimensions of Art: so that every Fortification, pondere tuta suo est, is strong by the weight and worth of the work. My Lord, I will not here set before you the absolute Model of these fortifications, which are well enough known unto your Lordship, and how many emergent reasons to magnify and praise your Lordship for your fidelious care of the City. My Lord, actions are acknowledged to be the essence of virtue wherein it consists, these works proceed from the mighty working of God's Spirit in your heart, from your piety and constant resolution to defend the Protestant Religion, and your constancy in opposing those malignants that would destroy the King, the Kingdom, and the Parliament, your Honour, nay all the City, if they could get access, or make an in road thereinto.  
But your Honour hath in these dangerous times, when ruin and destruction doth threaten the Kingdom, and especially the City, when the true Protestant Religion is deserted by many, and scandalised by other Malignants, your Honour doth not respect the opposition of Man, though dressed with the flourish and pomp of Majestical words; and yet herein lies your greatest, that you ascribe all praise unto God the Lord of Hosts, which worketh with wonderful wisdom, and bringeth excellent things to pass. Religion is not unlike the soul in the body of man: for in the whole Commonwealth it is or should be wholly and every part thereof, tota in toto & tota in qualibet parte: it hath showed your Honour the way for common good, and it should direct all the parts of the Commonwealth to be compliable for the good of the Commonwealth, and not to hang backward when any matter of cost or charge propounded for the defence and fortification of the City: for all such are Hosts intra muros, enemies within the walls.  
Every Magistrate, especially Majors of Cities, are to reduce the City into one Monarchical government, to take care of it, pace quam bello, for a wise man is a rich man, a very King and an Emperor, and aught to take care of the people under his charge, as if the King himself were present: For Monarchy hath several parts subordinate thereunto, whose ends are the same, namely, to distribute justice, both in reward and punishment, unto the deserving; to see the Laws executed, and by them to keep the subject from wrong or molestation: But if Laws are silent, and a City, as this of London, be threatened by a malignant party, as it is now, so that En & ecce venit Rex cum siccariis, behold the King and his Cavaliers are coming, is the daily voice and imagination of the people: then the Mayor, as your Honour hath most piously done, aught to fortify the walls of Jerusalem, to look that strength may be provided to oppose the enemy: And herein your care and vigilancy have declared themselves. Your Honour hath heard how other Cities and great Towns have been plundered by the malignant party, and how earnestly they demonstrate their cruelty upon the famous City of London; but your Honour hath taken advice of the Parliament, a way to oblige posterity unto your Honour: For though we have indeed none that fighteth for us, but thou, O God, yet these Bulwarks and Fortifications made round about the City, shall glorify your Name to posterity, shall make your honour to be accounted the Defender of true Religion, and the preserver of the whole body of this City; Men, women and children, shall and are glad to see such fortifications raised for the defence of the City, and do bless your Honour for your great care of the City.  
The Sleepers in Sardoes (Arist. Phys.) when they awaked, thought they had passed no time; but we shall be more drowsy and sottish than they, if we now open not our eyes to acknowledge how happy we are in your Lordship's care and vigilancy over the City; and therefore I may say by a British Palingenesia, as Hippolytus was called Virbius, so your Honour may be styled, Londini civitatis Ulysses, Themistocles, or by any other name famous for loving and providing for the security and safety of the City wherein they were governor's. The City doth acknowledge itself to have been happy in many great Benefactors, some whereof have erected Schools, and endowed them for the propagation of good literature: Others have made their bounty flow out of Aquaducts and Conduits. Some have founded Hospitals for maimed impotent people, and given them large revenues; but what hath their ends of their actions been? To be accounted famous and munificent, hiding their sins under the roof of an hospital; and it may be, these great and glorious works were but splendida peccata, shining sins. But your Lordship moved only with a right godly affection to the cause of Religion, hath provided for the safety and protection of this honourable City of London: These outworks speak your love to the Cities good and preservation, to the true essence of Religion, to the Parliament and the whole Kingdom and Estate, so that it may be said:  
Major es quam cui pos●it maligna n●cere,  
Turba—  
Xenophon calleth Magistrates the King's eyes, the King's cares, shoulders, feet and hands; not because they should see nothing but what the King pleases, and like and approve of that, or that they should hear nothing but the evil counsel of malignants, or that they should catch and snatch one from the other, or carry fire in the one hand, and water in the other; or with the one to offer a gift, and with the other a stab to whom the King pleases, altera manu panem, altera lapidem; but that Magistrate's eyes, ears, shoulders, feet and hands, should be mutual helpers one to the other, for the common good and public service of the whole State; and herein your Honour hath showed yourself an excellent Magistrate, complying with the Parliament in all matters that concern the public administration of the Commonweal; so that you have looked upon the present state of this City and Religion, with the clear eye of justice; you have heard of the great pressures which the country hath endured by the cruelty of the Cavaliers; you have to the discouragement of malignants, on the shoulders of fortitude, bore and suffered their false aspersions, and aequo animo lacer atam ferre existimationens, is as Tacitus saith, the true note and property of a wise man; and your honour hath in your present Magistracy walked uprightly, having clean and pure hands; nay, strong hands: for your Honour hath been the chiefest raiser and promoter of the works and fortifications round about the City of London; you saw the times were dangerous, and that the King's Cavaliers gaped after nothing more than to get London, and make it a prey to the supplying of their necessities. This made the Parliament and your Lordship to take order for the fortification of the City, to prevent the malice of our enemies, who marching under the name of the King, would destroy both the City and the Kingdom.  
Nature witty in policy, hath given to all creatures a natural instinct to fortify and preserve themselves, ad conservationem specierum, the earth hath mountains to keep off the fierce invasions of the North wind, the Heavens are fortified 〈◊〉, so that no malignant vapours can ascend higher than the middle region, and man is fortified by his inward virtues and spiritual graces, nurus adherens esto uil consoire sibi, your Lordship is thus fortified in your own person, but this City which is the heart of the Kingdom is by your Lordship's care and vigilancy fortified with warlike works, whereby your great care and love to the City doth most evidently appear.  
Even from the beginning of this cruel Civil War, your Honour being armed with the complete armour of Righteousness, have cheerfully stood in defence of the City, and the true Protestant Religion, and the whole State, wherein the Parliament and your Honour have proceeded with an invincible constancy and magnanimity, for in magnis rebus 〈◊〉 nunquam tentes aut perfice, matters of State are not slightly to be intended but perfected, and I believe that all the honourable Members of the Houses think every one of themselves are employed, consulere de Religione, & incommunem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 salutem, and how can this be better manifested then by fortifying the City on every side with Bulwarks and fortifications? and it is the City's happiness now it these great times of danger, that the Parliament and your Honour have so carefully provided for the City's safety, which thing pleased well Marcus Furius Camillus Dictator of Rome, who seeing all the Senate and Subjects of Rome, not only accord in the common execution of each office for common good of all, but willingly and lovingly both highest and meanest to provide for the security of the City, which he said was happy; si tales vires in Magistratu habeat in salutem Civitatis tam concordibus junctos animis: the saying of Camillus is now verified concerning the City of London; the Parliament and your Honour, together with all well affected Subjects in the City, have complied together to fortify this famous City from the imminent danger of the enemy, and more especially the City must look on your Honour as the rationale propugnaculum Civitatis, who by counsel, advice and wisdom, are a rational fortification to this City, defending it by your piety, and true profession of the Gospel, for God often passeth over the punishment of the wicked for the righteous sake; and moreover you have, together with the Parliament, provided for the general security of the City, that children which shall be borne hereafter, may as soon as they get their tongues pray for your Honour: for should the enemy get entrance into this City, there would be nothing but ruin and desolation in the streets thereof, while men, women and children were sacrificed to the fury of the sword: your Honour therefore deserveth the City's unfeigned approbation and praise for raising and advancing those praiseworthy works, and fortifications round about the City of London; if they regard their children, wives, or any thing that is dear unto them, they must bless your Lordship, who by your pious provision for the City, and your pious profession of the true Protestant Religion, do shine like the Sun in his sphere of the City, and are therein the high treasurer of the Weale-publicke, your authority being beautified with justice in executing Laws, with wisdom for determining right, with mercy and compassion for relieving the distressed, and this is the glorious abundant treasure of your honourable mind, which God hath fortified with graces, and illuminated with understanding for the common good and benefit of this honourable City.  
FINIS.