THE Scotch Presbyterian WEATHER-COCK Pearch'd upon our English Steeples: OR, An historical Narration of the variable Chances and Changes OF Presbyterian Government in Scotland, and may consequently be in England. WITH THE Churches Deformation. To the tune of Tom of Bedlam. Printed in the year 1647. The Scotch Presbyterian Weathercock Pearcht upon our English Steeples. AMongst all the reasonable, sensible and senseless creatures under the Moon, all are subject to changings and variations as the Moon is: The Poet Ovid did artificially metamorphize and transform men to Wolves, Dogs, Bears, owls, Apes, Magpies, &c. but the strange attempt of our Scottish Brethren upon us English silly souls, goes beyond all fiction or any transmutation since the Creation; I did never red of a man that was big with child, a bull great with calf, or a gander that laid a goose-egge, for it is monstrous and against nature, that any male creature should assume the office of a female to conceive and bring forth. Now the question is, whether a Scottish Weathercock be a male or a female bide, and moreover, wherefore so many thousand of Weathercocks from Scotland, would make us all Woodcocks in England. This short following relation will show the inconstancy and forgetfulness of too many of our too dear Brethren of that neighbour-Nation, and whosoever will but consider what he reads, shall perceive their most audacious presumption in pearching their Presquiterian Weathercocks upon our steeples: If their stomacks cannot endure Our Father in their Churches, we desire them not to thrust him out of ours; if they have no mind to be honest men, and loyal Subjects to their sovereign, we request them to suffer us to be so; if they will be Presbyterians, we entreat them to give us leave to be Protestants if they do distaste our Church-Government, we do as much difrelish theirs: And if this following discourse will not satisfy them, I do wish a fair riddance of them hence. The greatest number of men are out of the way, so that it is persuasion and not enforcement that must bring them in, the Patriarch and earthly father of the second world( Noah ') said, God persuade thee Japhet to dwell in the Tents of Sem, which shows, that the consciences of men must be perswad●d and not compelled. Then by what authority or power, can our Church, and kingdom of England be forcibly and compulsively yoked and subjected to the Scottish presbytery, and, as if our Church and learned clergy were so ignorant in the grounds and principles of Christian Religion, that they must all return back to their Horn-books, or A, B, C, or( which is worse) to a new-moulded, never before heard of strange thing, called, a directory. If it were possible to persuade our dear Brethren of Scotland to turn their Blew Bonnets into considering Caps, they would( with some little shane if they had any) remember old courtesies and favours done to them formerly in the reign of Queen Elizabeth when as her majesty( in Christian piety and Princely compassion) with the expense of much treasure, and too much noble and valiant English blood, she aided that kingdom against the invasion of the French, whose Armies had then taken strong footing in Scotland, with an intent to enslave the whole Nation under the servitude of France, and enforce their consciences to the Doctrine of the Romish Church: All these miseries were prevented by Gods great mercies, who graciously made the English-men the instruments to expulse the French Forces out of Scotland. In those daies the Scots did thankfully aclowledge their means of deliverance( under God) to be the love, bounty, and valour of this Nation, and to express their gratitude the more, it was enacted in a Parliament at edinburgh that public Prayers, and thanksgiveings, to God, for the late achieved victories and future blessings upon the Queen and Subjects should be daily said, which was accordingly performed in all the Churches throughout the Scottish kingdom, which was also printed there, and inserted into their liturgy, or Service-Booke; moreover the English book of Common-prayer was sent from us to them, and by them it was universally and thankfully received, and subscribed unto by the most learnedest men of that time in that kingdom, two of which were, are, and will be famous, namely, M. George Buchanan and M. John Knox, and because the world shall take notice of their forgetfulness of good turns, I will set down word for word what their own Histories do relate concerning these matters. In the year of our Lord, 1560. and the second or third of Queen Elizabeths reign, Buchanan near the latter end of his 19. book, doth testify in plain words as followeth; Scoti ex servitute Gallica, Anglorum auxiliis liberati eisdem ritibus cum angles communibus subscripserunt. Which words do import that the Scots received the first reformation of their Religion, and their freedom from the French servitude by the English aid and assistance, both by Land, and, by Sea,( Gratis) and subscribed, to the Engli Service Book. And John Knox relates as much in his first Book of the history of the Kirk of Scotland, in which place the Reader may find these words following, 111. in David Buchanans last Edition. It is thought convenient, advised and ordained, that in all Parishes of this realm, the Common-Prayer Book be red weekly on sundays and other festival dayes, publicly in the Parish Churches, with the Lessons of the Old and New Testament conformed to the order of the Book of Common-Prayer. And if the Court of the Parishes be qualified, to cause them to red the same: And if they be not, or if they refuse that, the most qualified in the Parish use and red the same: * This shows that they favoured In●●●endency then, which they oppose now. secondly it is thought necessary that Doctrine, Preaching, and interpretation of Scriptures be had and used privately in quiet houses, conventions of the people thereto, while afterward that God moved the Prince to public preaching, by faithful and true Ministers. And thus much may suffice to show that the Scots have neither manners or reason to enforce us to set their Weathercocks upon our steeples, neither do I lay this aspersion of their bold intrusion upon the whole Nation, for all the Scots are not Rebells or Presbyterians, no more then England is all Protestants, or English-men all loyal, the contrary is apparently seen, every field and garden hath weeds amongst the herbs, and tares amongst the wheat, and our folly is worthy of derision for that we did so far under-value and debase ourselves to beg and buy mischief at such a deere rate out of Scotland, as if we had not villainy enough of our own, but must pray and pay our neighbours to bring us more then we had good use for, and to give more for it then it was worth: But herein our charity appeared, that though we needed not their assistance to ruin ourselves, yet( to enrich themselves) they wanted our money: Thus much by way of digression. Anno Domini, 1560. in the month of June a peace was concluded between the English, French, and Scots, upon certain Articles, and the French were to be carried home( out of Scotland) in English bottoms at the Queen of Englands charge, which was accordingl● done, whereupon the English Armies all retreated, and a Parliament was held at edinburgh in November following, to settle a full agreement in all ecclesiastical and Civill affairs, which was accordingly kept. But then the Scots turns being served by the English, they conceived it a disparagement to their Nation to have such a mark of Servitude remain upon them as the English Religion; wherefore they made no scruple of conscience of that former Covenant, subscription and Religion, but proudly and perfidiously threw it away. Then they drew up a new book of Church Government and Religion of their own, which is called the first, or John Knox his Book of Discipline, which manner of Doctrine lasted 16. years, or as long as the Author of it lived. Now I desire the Reader to consider that our Religion,( being Protestant) was by us freely given to them, and in requital they will force us to buy of them with mighty sums of money, their precious pearls, presbytery, which if it were of God, then surely Gods Spirit is in it, and I am so far from supposing those Scots to be Christs Apostles, that English-men should bee afraid and ashamed to imitate Simon Magus in offering to buy the Holy Ghost for money at too dear a price of our dear Brethren. About the year 1579. one M. Andrew Melvill,( a very learned but a fiery violent spirited man) he came fresh from Geneva into Scotland, and brought in by subscription( without and against authority) the pure Geneva plot of the Presbyterian Discipline, which hath been ever since the bane of that crown and kingdom, as it will bee of this if not prevented, for it hath been the cause of this unhappy schism, difference, and dissension now between the Churches of both Nations. But if they had kept their first Faith, Covenant and subscriptions, and reception of the English Service Book, there could now have been no pretence or colour of a new Covenant, disention or war between the two Churches and Nations. The Presbyterian Covenant hath a back door to go out at when they please, it hath many meanders, turnings, windings, mazes, intricate Dedalian Ambiguites, mental Reservations, like the equivocations of their dear Brethren the Jesuits. Let us therefore be careful to keep them at home, we stand no more in need of them now, to blow the coals of contention and division; when we are in want of much trouble and mischief we will sand for them, they will come at a beck( with some of our money to boot) when we lack active spirits to stir us up to sheathe our swords one in the bowels of another, or when we are in necessity to have the kingdom drained of it's treasure, then we may have our dear Brethren( with small entreaty) to command, lend their helping hands to cut our throats or pick our purses, and( in a word) to rob us of our lives and estates. Therefore let us not suffer them to fish any more in our troubled waters under pretence of we know not what, let us settle our King, Religion, laws and Liberties, and let them study a new lesson to prove honest men to their native King, in their own country, and much good may their presbytery do them there, for it hath contentious distaste hear. The Church in child-bed: Or, a lamentable ditty, showing how after many violent pangs and throes in her three yeares travail, she was delivered of a new birth, by the Men-Midwives of Reformation. To the tune of Thom. of Bedlam. 1. O All ye zealous Brethren, That long for alteration, Come here and behold In a new made mould The Map of Reformation. Religion now is moulded, And in a new mint stamped, Being like an old boot, Set up in the foot, New underlaid and vamped. 2 Trudge now not to New-England, Geneva, France, nor Flanders, We may spare those labours, Thanks to our good neighbours, The South Scots and High-Landers. 3 Being full of fiery fervour, They itched for reformation, Who'd think eaten-meale Should kindle their zeal To such an inflammation? 4 Next them to our Assemblies Let's give thanks, and not doubt it, Who simplo pains took In making their Book, Having sate three years about it. 5 Though they have sate long brooding, At last they have hatched some chicken, And by many helps Brought forth blind whelps, And shaped them by long licking. 6 And now delivered safely, From travel, and still living, Me thinks the city, In pious pity, Should appoint a day of Thanksgiving. 7 Thus doth the world admire now Your Book, and to your praise, knows, Y'have more pains taken, Then old friar Bacon, In framing that head of Brazen-Nose. 8 The Niceterian Synod With those Septuagint rabbis, To our new Writers Are but Sheep-biters, And mere S. Bartholomew Babies. 9 To them the Fathers are but Mundungus to Varinus, ●… or they will out-look And baffle without book Either Austine, or Thom. Aquinas. 10 What though they were nere at Cambridge D'ye think them Dunces? Fie no, They scorn the knowledge Of a paltry college, Who have it Jure Divino. 11 Book learning's out of date now, Your only Mode in fashion Is standing-hood wink't To pray by instinct, And preach by inspiration. 12 He that can tell you a story, Although there's nothing in't Sir, And boldly out-stand Three glasses of fand, O there's a man in print Sir. 13 Each Dolthead now's a Deacon Before he can red his Psalter, And every Hobler, hat's scarce a good Cob●er, Forsooth is a Translator. 14 The Sisters may exercise too Their gifts in their Vocation, And be in conjunction With their brotherly function, For spiritual propagtior. 15 The Prela●s are deposed By scoundrills and backbiters, When they dare pull down King Charles his crown D'ye thine they'll spare your mitres, 16 The Brethren saw your blindness, Y'are eclipsed now with vapours, Their rush-farthing light Will shine more bright Then all your torches and tapers. 17 Your Book of Common-Prayer Was the idol of great Dagon, The Apocrypha too Is counted less true Then the sight of S. George and the Dragon. 18 He now that buries with prayer, Or weds with a ring, his sentence Cannot be evaded, He shall be degraded And stand in the Stool of Repentance. 19 canonical coat and vestment With hood and Surplice on it, Is damned by the vote And of less note Then a Scotch Pled or blew Bonnet. 20 The Font too now's but a fable Like the golden fleece of Jason, 'Tis no great matter Whether now in a platter We are christened, or in a basin, Thus is Religion moulded, And in a new mint stamped, Being like an old boot Set up in the foot New underlaid and vamped. FINIS.