VPon a ſerious reflect and diſcovery of the various Impoſtures in ſeveral parts, I cannot but ſuſpect the integrity of your procedure, and deplore the ſadneſs of your Condition, with as much regret of ſpirit as I do my own: But ſeeing we have bin proſtrated to the powerful indications of the diſpleaſure of the moſt High, ſince many are apt to recriminate, and boaſt of the proſperity of their Cauſe; which if they did but look back to the ſource, and ſearch the very principles; and then ſee, if ever any cauſe had like ſucceſs; and whether it be a juſt reproach to your Enemies, that the judgments of God have begun with them, whilſt you know not yet where they may determine.

My Lord, Be pleaſed to look Northwards upon your Country-men the Scots, who (being inſtigated by the crafty Cardinal Richlieu, to di • urb the groth of the incomparable Church of England, and ſo conſequently the tranquility of a Nation, whoſe Expedition at the Iſle of R • gave e • rour to the French) made Reformation their pretence, to gratifie their own avarice, introduce themſelves, and a more then Babyloniſh Tyranny, impoſing upon the Church and State, beyond all impudence or example. I ſay (my Lord) look upon what they have gotten, by deceiving their Brethren, ſelling their King, betraying their Lord and Maſter his Son; and by all their perfidie, become onely a conquer'd Nation for their Diſloyalty, and an infamy as unparalled, as their Treaſon and Ingratitude. But behold (Sir) the Scean being changed, and ſundry Models and Chimaeras blown away, nothing remaining of them but empty Coffins; but which is yet leſs empty then the heads of thoſe Politians, which ſo lately ſeemed to fill it. As for the product and ſucceſs in the ſeveral Intervals, we ſhall not blot paper with a recital of ſuch Interludes; for it is not the various Diſpenſations and providencens in your journey to that Holy Land of purchaſes and profits, which can ſerve as an appeal for the juſtification of your proceedings.

In a word (my Lord) it is the height of all impertinency to conceive, that a few Subjects who fall into an exorbitabitant contradiction to their own good, can ever conſtitute a well-order'd Government for the Thouſands of true Engliſh men that are not clad in Red; let me therefore intreat you, to embrace a juſt Right to challenge ſubmiſſion to the precepts of Loyalty, and to endeavour the inveſting of a Lawful Authority and to recover and protect a Civil Government, according to the good old Laws of the Land: For if the eſſential end of Rulers be the common peace, and their Laws oblieging as they become relative: reſtore us then to thoſe under which we lived with ſo much happineſs and tranquility, as no age in the World, no Government under Heaven could pretend, or ever did enjoy the like. And now (my Lord) if after the greateſt of injuſtice, and impiety on your parts, you have proſecuted that with the extreameſt madneſs, which you eſteemed criminal in your Enemies, viz. For any, To arrogate the ſupream power to a ſingle perſon condemn men without Law, (witneſs the Marqueſs of Montroſs, and others) execute, and preſcribe them with as little, violate Authority, diſpenſe with your ſolemn Oaths; in ſumme, to mingle Earth and Heaven, as many have done by their unarbitrary proceedings: All which actions do abundantly declare the Hypocriſie of ſome, and the Juſtification of others, pronouncing the Aſſertors of Regal Government the onely honeſt which have appeared upon the ſtage, in Characters as plain, that he which runs may read, whilſt there are ſome that would perſecute them even to death. My Lord, When I compare theſe things together, I cannot but acknowledge it the very finger of God, mirabile in oculis nostris; and it is that which induceth me, to beſeech you to re-enter into your ſelf, to abandon all falſe principles, to withdraw your ſelf from Seducers, to repent of what you have done, and to riſe and promote the publick Intereſt.

And whereas many object, that the King is not to be trusted: judge not of others by your ſelves; Did ever any man obſerve the leaſt inclination of revenge in his Breaſt? Has he not beſides the innate propenſity of his own nature to gentleneſs, the ſtrict Injunctions of a dying Father, to forgive all men, even the greateſt of Offendors? Yes I dare pronounce it with confidence, and avouch it with all aſſurance, that there is not an Individual amongſt you, throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland, whoſe Crimes are the moſt crimſon, whom He will not be moſt ready to pardon, and graciouſly receive upon their repentance; nor any thing that can be deſired of Him, to which He would not chearfully accommode, for the ſtopping of that torrent of bloud, and extream confuſion, which has hitherto run, and is yet imminent over ſeveral places. Do but reaſon a little with your ſelf, & conſider ſadl • , whether a young Prince, mortified by ſo many afflictions, diſcip • in'd by much experience, and inſtructed by the miſcarriages of others, be not the moſt excellently qualified to govern and reduce a people, who have ſo ſucceſſeleſly tryed ſo many Governments, and various Changes?

As to the Objection that He has lived among Papiſts, is vi • iouſly inclin'd, and has a wicked Counſel about Him: What can be ſaid more auſterely? Have not many the Foreheads to declare, He has lived amongſt Papiſts to his prejudice, who have proſcrib'd him from Proteſtants, perſecuted Him from place to place, as a Partridge on the Mountains? Whilſt the Catholick King was an Allie to England, many there were that had nothing to do with Pariſts; it was then no crime: God is not mocked, away with this reſpect of perſons: where is it you would have him to be? The Hollander dares not afford him harbour leſt the Engliſh refuſe him theirs: The French may not give him bread, for fear of offending others; and unleſs he ſhould go to the Indies, or the Turk, where can he be ſafe from revenge? But ſuppoſe him in a Papiſt Countrey, conſtrained thereto by incharity to his Soul as well as Body; Would he have condeſcended to a toleration of Papiſts. He needed not to have wanted the aſſiſtance of the moſt puiſſant Princes of Chriſtendom to reſtore Him, of whom He has refuſed ſuch Conditions, as in prudence He might have condeſcended to, and the people would have gladly received; So that we may eaſily divine, who they are that tranſact & truck with the Jeſuit, although at a far diſtant, and how firm • nd near He is to the Church of England, from the leaſt wavering in his Faith. But ſince there is a toleration of Religions, without exception; do not think it a ſinne in Him, to gratifie thoſe that ſhall moſt oblige Him.

And further (my Lord) give me leave to introduce this aſſertion, That for his Vertues and Morality, I provoke the moſt refined Family amongſt you, to produce a Relation of more piety and moderation; ſhew me a Fratetnity more ſpotleſs in their honour, and freer from the exorbitances of Youth, than the King and his two Brothers, ſo conſpicuous to all the World for their Temperance, Magnanimity, Conſtancy, and Underſtanding; a Friendſhip and Humility unparallel'd, and rarely to be found amongſt the ſevereſt perſons, ſcarcely in a private Family.

It is the malice of a very black Soul, and a virulent Renegado (of whom to be recommended were the utmoſt Infamy) that has interprered ſome complyances, to which perſons in diſtreſs are ſometimes engaged, with thoſe whom they converſe withall, to the diſadvantage of a Prince.

My Lord, I have but a word to add; and deſire, that it may incline you to accept of your beſt Intereſt, and prevent that dreadful ruine which the Obſtinacy of many doth threaten. Is it not as perſpicuous as the Sun, that it lies in the power of the people to ſummon a Free-Parliament, and ſuch Patriots and Repreſentatives, to reform and nominate his Counſel, introduce themſelves, receive what compoſition they can deſire, have all the ſecurity that mortal men can imagine, and the greateſt Princes of Europe to engage in the performance? This were becoming worthy-men, & honourable indeed; this is ingenuous ſelf-denial: And it is no diſgrace to reform a miſtake; but to perſiſt in it lyes the ſhame.

Doth not bleeding England, Scotland, and Ireland require this? Doth not the Laws of God command it? If ſo: you cannot, you muſt not defer it. For what can you pretend that will not then drop into your Boſomes? The humble man will have repoſe, the aſpiring and ambitious honours: The Merchants will be ſecure, Trades immediatly recover, Aliances will be confirm'd, the Laws reflouriſh, render Conſciences conſider'd, preſent Purchaſers ſatisfied; the Souldier paid, maintained, and provided for; the Sea-man honourably employed: and what's above all this, Chriſtianity and Charity will revive again amongſt Hs, Mercy and Truth will meet together; Righteouſneſs and Peace ſhall kiſs each other.

On the contrary, conſider (I beſeech you) the confuſion which muſt of neceſſity befall Us if ye perſiſt in your Obſtinacy. For whilſt there is no Order in the Church, no Government eſtabliſhed, and that every man is abandon'd to his own deceitful heart: whilſt Learning is decried, and the Miniſtry reproach'd, what can ye expect, but the moſt direful expreſſions of the wrath of God, a univerſal deſolation, and deſperate Enthuſiaſme, with other miſeries that attend and follow the coming in of Sathans crafty Emiſaries, and impure Gnoſticks: beſides, a univerſal animoſity in the very Bowels of your Nations; the Patent againſt the Children, and the Children againſt the Parents, berraying one another to the death: So that the words which our Bleſſed Saviour has himſelf pronounced, doth exemplifie the condition your once flouriſhing Kingdomes are reduc'd unto: A Kingdom divided cannot stand. The truth of which, doth not a little reflect upon him, who had rather be a ſufferer with the afflicted, than enjoy the pleaſures of ſin which ſome poſſeſs for a ſeaſon. Subſcribing,