A letter written from the Tower by Mr. Stephen Colledge (the Protestant-joyner) to Dick Janeways wife

A letter written from the Tower by Mr. Stephen Colledge (the Protestant-joyner) to Dick Janeways wife

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A LETTER Written from the TOWER by Mr. Stephen Colledge (the Protestant-Joyner) To Dick Janeways Wife.

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A LETTER Written from the TOWER by Mr. Stephen Colledge (the Protestant-Joyner) To Dick Janeways Wife.

Dear Jane,

MY Commitment was the more surprizing to me in that it broke those measures we had taken for a Rendezvouz that Evening, where we were to repeat those satisfactions Thee and I have often mntually tasted from the solaces of Venus abroad, while Dick Janeway toil'd contentedly upon his Mercury at home; I wish him better reward of his Labour, then I am like to reap by mine.

This place affords little pleasure, besides the sweet thoughts of thy Dear self; and my Confinement is the more uneasie to me, by the supercilious behaviour of my Warder: yet with the help of some yellow-boys, and a few Tools, (both which I desire Thee to send me) I hope to set up to that Trade I so long neglected, and to become Scaffold, Block, and Nine-pin-maker to the Tower.

Encourage thy Dick to go on, though I can no longer assist, in the True Protestant Cause, yet he is hard enough for all their Observators, Heraclitus, and other Tantivy-Scriblers; and (as I often told Thee) our best Friends are still behind the Curtain, Men whose Talent is declaiming, and that can out-bark all their Towzers, and out-do that She-Tory Joa— Br— with all her Guns and Crack-farts.

Had not this Commitment prevented me, I'le swear I was about a piece that would have gone nigh to do their Job; I had Chalk'd out my Design, and had Plain'd my Materials, and should have Glew'd them well together, and fitted it for Dick's never-fading Paint.

Return my thanks in the lowest and most prostitute manner to Sh— B—l, (whom next to Alg. Syd. I esteem as the chief Patron of our Cause) for his True Protestant Ignoramus-Jury, which so honestly discharg'd their Conscience, and gave Verdict against those seven Tory-Evidence. Thou knowst, 'tis in the mouth of two or three Witnesses a Truth shall be establish'd; doth it follow then, that six or seven shall do ihe same? And thou knowest who teacheth when he holds forth, That for a few to be Perjur'd for the benefit of the Nation, and True Protestancy, is not only Venial, but a piece of Service becoming the Godly Party, and the favourers of the Good Old Cause.

[Page] But I find that an Ignoramus in Middlesex, is no Dimittimus out of this Limbo; and I fear those at Oxford may speak other Latine, and that the Jury there may be, at this time, as Toryish as their Terre-filius: if so, adieu Colledge! who promis'd my self last March to survive all my Name-sakes there, and to have seen them crumbled down with my Axes and Hammers.

Be sure to convey away all Papers, Cuts, Draughts, &c. specially that of Mac-Cvt-throat, that represents the Oxford-Gownmen, and all the Bishops too, crouding with Father Patch to kiss the Popes Toe, lest Goodman Hog seize them, as others did the Sack-full in the Hay-mow, and lest the Original of those Tories and Abhorrers fall into such hands as will open some mouths wider against me at my Tryal. Which let it come when it will, I hope to make a better bargain then that Goose-brain'd Mac Fitz-Harys; though his Jury came short of what was promis'd him, mine shall do more then I can desire, and may help me out with another Ignoramus. I'le never trust Mongrel-Solicitor, nor shatter-brain'd Whitaker, who thought his Law-quirks as much Treason-proof, as I did my Mail and Blunderbusses, but will as fairly bring himself to Bed, as he did his Client Fitz-Harys: I could play with other edg'd Tools then mine own, and this Upholsterer can Hang himself, though not his Room.

I'le have no other Solicitors then those True Protestants, that pass like Popes for Infallible, J—s, Win—n, T—y, W—p, Poll—n, and Smith, who are the Pillars that must support the Cause, and help me their Champion at a dead lift. If three of them couid sway five hundred, they may easily cajole two or three Judges, whose Places they stand fair for next Parliament. These, dear Jane, must do the Job, and must not only talk down the Bishops-Court, but balder the World out of its Reason, and must deny the King any Money, that they may have the more themselves: and 'tis not a few Millions that are yearly swallow'd up by our Lawyers, Attorneys, and other half-starv'd Green-bags and Pettyfoggers; 'twas these that cow'd our Country-Gentry the last Parliaments, and with a splay-mouth'd little Fanatical Hypocrisie, and a cramp Law-term, appear'd as formidable as Gorgon's Heads, and by their tickling and noise became the Bell-weathers of the Flock, while the rest were content to bleat Amen to their Arbitrary Nonsense: But this to our selves. Above all, retain our Friend Win—ton, who with a Good my Lord! and a peal of Liberty and Property, Our All is at stake, can silence even Sir George, or any other such Gigantick Abhorrer, and will make more noise for a grain of Popularity, then another for 5 l. and let him be Col. Pury's Cloak-boy, a bag ful of Nonsense, nay a dull man in Ignoramus; yet give me one that will talk for my money, tho' I lose my Cause; And tho' Judge Jenkins (who knew them best) gives it as his Advice, and bids us (p. 138) avoid the Lawyers of the House of Commons, yet I must shortly put my self into their Clutches, as to a point of Law or two I intend to start at my Tryal; and let all True Protrstants pray for my good Deliverance. My next shall be (if this Air, or that of Tyburn, choaks not my Muse in the mean time) in such a strain as pleased when thee and I used to meet at the Swan; and so Adieu.

To the Cause and Thee most True I'le prove,

Till Ketch and Cord shall end our Love.

From my Lodgings in Lobs-Pound, near the Duke or Exeter's Daughter.

§

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LONDON: Printed for R. J. 1681.

Information about this book

Title statement

A letter written from the Tower by Mr. Stephen Colledge (the Protestant-joyner) to Dick Janeways wife

Colledge, Stephen, 1635?-1681.

Edition statement

1681

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A33884

ID [STC]

Wing C5226

ID [STC]

ESTC R37677

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

17000011

ID [OCLC]

ocm 17000011

ID [VID]

105692

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Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A33884)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 105692)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1612:12)

Source

— A letter written from the Tower by Mr. Stephen Colledge (the Protestant-joyner) to Dick Janeways wife, Colledge, Stephen, 1635?-1681..

Extent

1 sheet ([2] p.)

Printed for R.J.,. London :: 1681.. (Caption title.) (Imprint from colophon.) (Reproduction of original in the Huntington Library.)

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