ENGLANDS Unhappy Changes, OR, sudden Alteration. Wherein is contained two Treatises, and one Petition. The first concerns the sweet Blessing of Peace, which we lately enjoyed. The second Concerns the troubles and distractions which this whole Kingdom is now in, by reason of these perilous times. The third Is Englands Petition to heaven for peace Written for the benefit of all them that have a true desire to live at PEACE. BY LAWRENCE PRICE. LONDON, Printed for F. Grove, on Snow-Hill, near the saracens Head. 1648. The Epistle. COurteous Reader, and hearers, I am very much grieved that I have no good news to accommodate you withall, yet being in a manner engaged, to writ unto you such news, which I partly know by experience to be true, I have emboldened myself to present unto the view of the world, this little book of mine, called, Englands unhappy changes, or fear of a sudden alteration, which is like to ensue, except the Lord of his mercy prevent it: Wherein you may behold as in a prospective-glasse, the manifest troubles and calamities of this our bleeding kingdom. It is a picture, not drawn to the life, but to the death of many thousand late valiant-hearted English-men, but hoping that God in his good time, will bind up the wounds, of this broken-hearted kingdom. I, the Author of this book, do wish to all them that love Gods word, and true Religion, true peace in this world, and in the world to come eternal happiness. Yours to command, so long as you obey Gods Commandements. laurence PRICE. Englands unhappy changes OR, Sudden Alteration. FAmine, Fire, and the Sword, have long time acted their bloody Tragedies, in many a foreign Nation and Country, as it is known to the Christian world; Hungaria hath been terrified by the Sword, Poland hath been wasted by fire, Bohemia hath been wasted by fire and sword, France hath been bloodily massacred, and Germany hath had a long continuing Famine. In all which time England hath flourished like a beautiful bay-tree, planted by the river side, whose leaves withered not at any season. Never was kingdom or Nation endued with more store of heavenly and earthly blessings, then was this iceland of England, as namely the light of the gospel to illuminate our souls, Gods holy word to direct our ways and actions, faith, hope,& charity, abounded in the hearts of the people, brethren held fast in the bonds of amity, vows and promises were faithfully kept, and neighbours did lovingly agree together; then was hatred, envy, and malice, held in derision; then was talking without lying, love without flattering, joy without sorrowing, and true peace without Civill war, and dissension. Now, whilst these golden dayes of peace did continue, English-men behaved themselves so bravely abroad, that the whole world stood in fear of them. The very Heathens, Pagans, Turks, Jews, and infidels, did even tremble to hear of our Navy by Sea, and our Army by Land; for by the noble valour of our trusty friends, were our foreign enemies subdued; by them were the Spaniard chased, the French tamed, and the Irish Rebells kept in subjection. And thus did our Land for many years together increase in happiness, and far exceed other Kingdoms and Provinces, having all things at will that mens hearts would wish for, or their tongues desire. But now behold, here comes a sudden alteration which hath turned our joy into sorrow, our mirth into mourning, and our peace into war. Satan that old enemy of mankind, having made as it were, a bargain with the sins of this Nation, whereby to work our everlasting destruction and overthrow; These two Malignants, Sin and the Devil, strives to get the upper-hand of us all, and so began Englands woes. And now is our Land in general distraction, some are become contemners of Gods word, some are despisers of Gods Ministers; some there are that wish for wars, and too too few there be amongst us, which do practise for true peace. Yet I fear there are many that will lift up their hands and eyes towards heaven, and cry peace, peace, when their hearts are altogether inclined to war, but they that are desirous to enjoy the sweet and bountiful blessings of a happy peace, must practise for it in their lives and conversations. But to go forward with that which is already begun; We see poor bleeding England is already become her own enemy, and most grievously wounded with her own weapons, sin and iniquity being the first beginners of this quarrel. If we red and make good use of the Scriptures, we may find that many great Cities and kingdoms, have quiter been plucked up by the roots for sin, and no memory left of them, but onely here they lived, or here they stood: and can English men and women then think daily to run forward in their unrepented sins, without any intermission or sorrow for the same. Hath satan so much blinded our eyes, and hardened our hearts, that our hearts cannot be mollified; nor our eyes shed forth some showers of tears to cool the heat of Gods fire? hath the alterations of times, and changes of opinions, so corrupted our Nation, that we prefer blood-shed before peace, dis-loyalty before obedience, perjury before truth, and sin before repentance; then are wee yet in a miserable condition: It is said that when the Lord is angry with sinners, he holds three whips in his hand; which three whips are, pestilence, the sword, and famine, yet he never draws blood with them, till such time our faults are many, and our sins heinous. We have here in England felt the smart of two of Gods whips very lately; pestilence& the sword, hath already drawn blood,& the scourge of famine is like to follow after, except the Lord bee more merciful unto us: do we not see that all manner of corn, and victuals, is at such an excessive rate, insomuch that both in the City and Country, many poor people perish through want of food; do we not likewise see, that amongst tradesman, that trading grows so dead, that no moneys is to bee got? do wee not know, that since the times are changed from better to worse, that rich mens hearts are changed from flesh to flint, and that they hold it a point of Popery, to bestow any charity upon the poor: All which doth prognosticate a fearful Unhappy Change in England. Now therefore, 'tis high time, for us to turn unto the Lord, by prayer, and mourning; let us consider this, and lay it to heart, how that the Lord would not have destroyed the City of sodom with fire and brimstone, had they repented. Neither would he have drowned the world in the time of Noah, had the people truly repented, Gen. 19.24. And had not we disobeyed the will of God, these miseries which we now endure, had not befallen us. When wee enjoyed the blessing of sweet peace, which is the very life of a Kingdom, we could not be content, we could not praise God for his blessings, and now for our unthankfullnes, the Lord hath sent the sword amongst us, which hath changed our former peace, into a bloody war: and except we repent, we are all like to perish. wherefore I desire your christian patience to mark and make good use of these foling lines, wherein shal be expressed particularly, the manner of those bloody and unnatural civill wars, together with the troubles, vexations, and distractions, which are now in our kingdom of England. Here followeth a brief Description of Englands bleeding miseries, tis very well worth the observation, and worthy to be kept in memory. IT is very well known, to many in this kingdom of England, that not long since, we had great hopes of a safe& well grounded peace, and that the Souldiers should be totally disbanded, but alas, there is no such thing like to be performed nor is the world one jot better; but rather worse then ever it was, and we may well be sure that the Lord is angry with us for our wicked doings. We may justly say with the lamenting Prophet, the Lord hath a controversy with the habitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land, by swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing and whoring, they break out, and blood hath touched blood, Hosea 4.1, 2. Tis true, but I would to God it were false, that blood hath touched blood, and that very deeply, there is never a County, Shire, nor City in England, from the Mount in Cornwall in the West, to the town of Barwick in the North but hath tasted and dearly paid, for this bloody cup of civill war. Whereby some have lost their goods, some have lost their lives; and many thousands have lost both goods& lives: so that the country people in many places did not know what to do, nor whether to run to hid themselves from the terrible stroke of death. At night, when men should have taken their rest, the Drums did beat up their martiall alarums, and the Trumpets did sound forth their doleful music of bloody designs. By Day, when men should go to their labour, their cattle and horses were taken up for service, and the two great armies in the bowels of our kingdom, were continually preparing for battle. And this was the only cause of our sorrows and troubles; and had it not been for this, there would not have been so many newses of taking of Towns, firing of Houses, plundering of Cities, ravishing of Women, and deflowering of Virgins: had it not been for these Wars, there had not been so many Lords, Knights, Colonels, and Captains imprisoned, nor so many innocent people have lost their lives. Those unnatural civill wars, hath made many woeful mothers to bewail the death of their slain sons, many sisters to mingle tears with their brothers blood: many fatherless children to want good nourishment: And many a mournful widow to sit weeping all alone for want of the company of her late deceased husband. Moreover the consideration of these late extremities makes the kingdoms of England& Scotland, together with the Principality of Wales, and duchy of Cornwall, stand greatly in fear. For why, if these unnatural civill Warres should go forward, as God forbid they should, there is no man can tell how long, nor how little a while he shall enjoy that he hath now in possession, for that which is won to day, may bee lost to morrow: The peer is not certain of his Land, the rich Man of his Estate, The Citizens of their merchandise, the tradesman of his calling, nor the poor man of his life, of this we have already had woeful experience, and by the means of this home-bred warres, have many thousands of English men perished by the sword: one friend fighting against another. It is known that since these rumours began in England, that the Father hath fought against his own son, the son against his father, brother, against brother; friend, against friend; neighbour, against neighbour; and one Citizen against the other; and they that heretofore were loving friends are now become mortal enemies: A proof whereof is plainly to be seen between the English, and the Scots, who when at first they enjoined and united themselves together, they took both one Covenant, they bore arms both on one behalf, they went both under one pay, or promise, they fought both against one Party, and now through diversity of opinions, and some other unknown causes, are these old friends become new enemies, and as it is supposed by many, there will sudden changes be between them and us. Seeing then that nothing but fire and sword, wrath, and revenge, blood-shed, and slaughter is threatened amongst us, what then remaines but that we sand up our humble petitions, for peace and truth, unto the God of peace, who is able in a moment of time, to change sorrows into joy, and war into peace. Here followeth the faithfull-hearted Subjects, Humble Petition, for Peace, which he prefereth to the Almighty Lord and King of Heaven and Earth. Psal. 95.6. O come, let us worship and bow down: and kneel before the Lord our Maker. O THOU eternal and everliving Lord God, of Heaven and Earth, in whom we live, move, and have our being, thou whom the winds, and Seas obey, in whose powerful hands, are all the corners of the earth; we thy poor distressed people, and children, do in all humility of spirit, sand up our Petitions unto the Throne of thy divine Majesty, desiring upon the bended knees of our penitent hearts that thou wilt be pleased to hear and graciously to answer, these our supplications which we make unto thee. We do aclowledge, O Lord, that our sins have deserved eternal destruction, both of our bodies and souls. And those plagues and warres which thou hast sent upon this Kingdom, are but gentle corrections, in regard of our manifold transgressions which we have committed against thee. nevertheless, good Lord, although our sins are so many and so grievous, wee beseech thee for thy tender mercies sake, to behold us with the eye of pitty, and pacify these civill out-rages which are spread through this land: and if it be thy blessed will, take away this bloody cup from our sinful Nation: let us not perish by the sword: as thousands of our neighbours, friends, and kindred have already done: it is onely in thy power O Lord, to save us or to destroy us. The Kingly Prophet David, plainly doth confess that it lies not in the power of man, nor in the strength of Elephants, to conquer and subdue, but in the hands of the Lord, that raiseth up, and pulleth down, so that if the Lord be on our side, though ten thousand times ten thousand should set themselves against us, wee need not fear: but if the Lords anger be kindled against us, what flesh is able to endure his wrath. Therefore again, and again, we pray thee that thou wilt once more stop the mouth of this devouring monster, civill War, and let true peace return with speed, unto her old acquaintance, and have a settled habitation in and throughout the Dominions of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Lord sand us such a peace as may endure among us, so long as our lives endure, and consequently, let the sweet blessing of true peace, continue in this Kingdom from generation to generation, till the whole world shall be dissolved: And for the better supply of this peace so long hoped for, good God sand a speedy union between the Kings most Excellent Majesty and the Parliament, to the lasting joy and comfort of all his true-hearted Subjects, which do hearty love our royal King Charles, and his hopeful off-spring. add years to his dayes, O Lord, as thou didst unto that good King Hezekiah; in due him with Samsons strength, Davids valour,& Solomons wisdom: So that he may be a maintainer of true Religion, a surpriser of Superstition, a lover of his friends, and a terror to his enemies. So that Charles our King, and wee his Subjects, may spend the the rest of our daies in Peace and unity, to Gods great glory, and our own souls happiness: To the which, let all good people say, Amen FINIS.