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HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENCE
Loyalty; For who can charge me of any other crime? you ſeeme to doe me ſome great favour, when you leave it to my free election, whether I will be ſo or not: is any ſo in love with fetters, but that he would change them for freedome, (were the conditions equall)? true it is, Liberty is offered: but like Merchants you value it at ſuch a rate, that my fidelity, honour, and all that is deare to a noble mind, muſt be the price to purchaſe it. If I refuſe what you propound, rack, torture, loſſe of goods, lands, and perhaps life it ſelfe: (a hard choyce) it is in my power to bee a free man: but how? if I will be a ſlave, enter into covenant, and take an oath which in it ſelfe is plaine periurie: as if treaſon were nothing, unleſſe I made it Sacramentall. I have already given my Faith unto my Prince, upon whoſe head this Crowne is by law of Nature and Nations juſtly fallen. Shall I falſifie that Faith, and joyne my wicked hands with yours to put it off againe? (Heaven forbid): what but Religion, Liberty and Glorious Shewes are pretended? dare not all Rebels cloake their purpoſes with ſuch goodly titles? They are much deceived who thinke that religion, and rebellion can be companions; or that God will favour their attempts, that ſtrike at himſelfe through the princes ſides. In that very word King, there is ſuch a Deity encloſed, that who wounds them, wounds the divine NaIudas was the onely traitor among the Apoſtles: and ſhall wee ranke our ſelves with thoſe hated examples of diſloyaltie and treaEngland: when have we fought with them, but we have beene beaten? even then, when their dominions and ſtrength were leſſe, by all that Ireland and Wales have added to their power: and then, when they did labour, both with forraigne, and their owne civill diſtractions, their title no better then the ſword: yet we found it a hard taske to keepe our Kings in their ſeates, whoſe royall off-ſpring wee doe endeavour to tumble out. We have no France to flee unto for ſuccour, our ancient league is worne out, theirs wholly Simented, by ſtrong tie of marriage. To depend upon any other forraigne aſſiſtances, were to build Caſtles in the ayre. And beſides that, Traitors are diſtaſtefull to all Kings: our perſons cauſe, is not more odious then our religion. It is eaſie to begin, but let us ſee what will be the event of ſuch ill grounded warre. I foreſsee with horror the miſeries that attend it: as firing of houſes, waſting of goods, famine, ruine of townes and citties, and the unjuſt libertie uſurped, loſt in an inſtant and for ever; Wife, Children and Bloud, man by nature holds moſt deare; if we pittie not our ſelves, yet let us not forget them wee hold moſt deare: Kings have ſtrong hands to put a bit in the moſt ſtubborne; if you cannot reliſh gentle ſubjection, how will you digeſt ſlavery? Put not backe therefore this bleſſed arme that ſtretcheth out to receive us; when all is wilderneſſe, we ſhall then begge what now we refuſe.
For my part, I am in your powers, and know not how this free ſpeech of a priſoner will be taken. Howſoever you diſpoſe of me, I will never diſtaine my Anceſtors, nor leave that foule title of Traitor, as an inheritance to my poſterity: you may when you pleaſe take my head from my ſhoulders; but not my heart from my Soveraigne.
London Printed by E. G. and are to be ſold at the Horſe-ſhooe in Smithfield, 1640.