A PLEASANT CONFERENCE BETWEEN A POPISH RECUSANT, AND A PROTESTANT MAID.  
By way of Question and Answer, Touching, some Passages in Religion.  
By J. S.  
LONDON, Aug. 20. Printed by T. FAUCET. 1642.   

A CONFERENCE BETWEEN A POPISH Recusant, AND A PROTESTANT Maid.  
Quest.  
WHat is your Name?  
Answ.  
ROUND-HEAD.  
Quest.  
Who gave you this Name?  
Answ.  
My Persecuters and Slanderers in my infamy, wherein I was made a wonder to Wise men, a jeering stock to Pools, and an inheritor of the scorn and contempt of all the rabblement of Hell.  
Quest. What did your Persecuters and Slanderers then for you?  
Answ. They did Promise and vow three things in my name: First, that they will make me odious to all that be of their fraternity: Secondly, that they will work my ruin and confusion: And thirdly, they wish that GOD would sink them many miles into Hell, if they do not so do.  
Quest.  
Dost thou think that thou art bound to believe and be afraid of their threaten?  
Answ.  
I doubt not, but they shall sink as deep in Hell as they do desire, neither do I question but their will shall be accepted for the deed, according to their old tenit, but I am taught not to fear any but only him that is able to cast both body and soul into Hell.  
Quest. But they that are against you are many in number, and great in Power?  
Ans. Well, if God be for us, it's no matter who is against us, let Pharaoh come, and Nebuchadnezer, Hamon, Absalon, and Achittophell, Jezabell, Judas, and all other traytors, the Irish Rebels, the madmen in the North, that sight against themselves and some at home that have a mind to be nibbling, as well as the rest of the Serpent seed, but they are limited by an over ruling power, else we had been devoured long since; therefore we need not fear them though they were more in number, and their power as great as the Seven headed Beast can make it.  
Quest. Can nothing hurt you, what strange creatures are you?  
Answ. Persecution cannot, for that is our Livery or colours, which shows under whom we are Soldiers, the only way to hurt us, is to let us live at ease, for we are like Camomile, if we are trod on we shall smell the sweeter and grow better.  
Quest. 'Tis well you are so confident, but ere it be long your faith is like to come to trial, and then we shall see what mettle you are made of, what can they not cast you in Prison, put you in Pillories, cut off your Ears, burn your Face, strip you naked in frost and snow, kick your Bibles and curse them, hang you, drown, stab you and such like?  
Answ. All this they may do and yet not hurt us, but not without commission from GOD; now God will never hurt Roundheads if they be Sound-heads, God never intended hurt to JOB when he gave commission to Satan to afflict his Carcase for the trial of his Faith and Patience, neither did he lose any thing thereby in conclusion; so we it may be must suffer for a while, but in the end we shall see who shall have the worst of it.  
Quest. What have you done to these poor wretches, that they rage against you so like Madmen, do not you use to Preach in a Tab as they say you do?  
Answ. What if we do, is that such a capital Crime that nothing but our ruin and confusion can make satisfaction, the old Whore gins to stink, and she would feign father some of her Beastliness upon us; they can not say, we use to lay tubs of Gunpowder under the Parliament House, but let them be doing, be that hath set them a work will pay them their wages, all this while they are meriting, and they will shortly come to works of Supererogation, let us not doubt but they shall have a reward answerable to their works.  
Quest. Well, look to it Round-head, there's rods in piss for you to be sure, what think you of it:  
Answ. We do both think and know, that the rod of the wicked shall nor always rest upon lot of the righteous, the Lord can chastise us with rods for our profit, and afterwards burn them in Hell, as they desperately desire in their blasphemous and cursed execrations: The Lord preserve Hull, as for Hell it is their portion, they will never be quiet till they have it in full possession, indeed they have well deserved it long ago, and without repentance they must of necessity have t.  
Quest. Do they that are at so great a distance from Roundheads, practise any thing that is amiss, far be it from them to preach in a Tub.  
Answ. Indeed swearing, cursing, oaths of the new fashion, lying, whoring, is nothing, murdering Heretics, Sabbath-breaking, coveting Heretics goods, ruinating whole Kingdoms by treason, all this and more his Holiness can pardon, but hath never a Bull for such as preach in a Tub, they must be cursed with Bell, Book, and Candle; see, see, their matchless charity, they brag of so much surly they will shortly spoil the fashion of their Christianity, and prove downright devils.  
Quest. If you Round heads were once brought to ruin, they are like to prove admirable subjects.  
Answ. But stay, we have a God that can preserve us, blessed for ever be his great and holy Name, for blessing us with such a blessed Parliament, whom they call Roundheads, for dealing so roundly with them; Let us not fear but that power that hath kept them hitherto, will keeps them still in despite of all the Dragon's malice with all his wicked angels to help him; they that cannot willingly and freely die with and for such a Parliament, are not worthy to live to enjoy such precious mercies, the Lord enable us to gird up the loins of out minds, and to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might the Lord prosper our sweet Parliament, and enable us all cheerfully to resign up out selves to undergo whatsoever he in wisdom knows best for his own honour and glory, for that is best for his own people though wicked men do not so think.  
Farewell Round head.  
If I can believe all things are possible, for Faith will carry me where I shall farewell for ever.  
FINIS.