A BATTAILE Fought betvveen a Presbyterian COCK of the Right breed, and A CRAVEN of the Independent breed.
With the CRAVENS desire, that the quarrell may be ended, either upon Tower-Hill, or at the narrow place turning up to PADINGTON.
Also the sad complaint the CRAVEN made to some of his friends at his death, that he could not be buryed, and INTOMB'D as Presbytery John was, he therefore only desires one of the Beadles of Bride-Well to be his Excequetor.
With the Presbyterian Cocks Epistle to the HEADS-MAN.
⟨July 29⟩ London Printed 1647.
IT is not in expectation of any future benefits, or desire of any further acquaintance with thee; that I present this to thy view. But as thou art the the chiefe Headsman, and a bettor at this sport against me, ha, ha; indeed, it is thy due Cum Privilegio. And the rather considering (if I be not much mistaken) thou thy selfe art an Independent; (thou knowest the old saying, trust thee, and hang thee) for had'st thou the Law in thy own hand, (as may be thou hast already) thou wouldst not care how many such Cravens fall into thy pit. But now to come to thy Patient. This Craven must be cured out of hand, or else these bitter and undigested pills or pellets will go neere to spoyle his crowing: do'st thou not hear how he rattles in his guisard, and cryes out give me Liberty of Conscience to do what I list, or else I cannot continue long liv'd; for I cannot abide Conformity [Page 2]ô give me Liberty, &c. Nay here wil be further imployment for thee, & for loane Ruggles thy wife, if thou hast one; one did I say? I do not forget, thou hadst like to have a mischance, (meane only a turn in thy own Office for having two) but that was when Bishops did rule: but now if thou hast two, thou mayst plead for thy Liberty of Conscience. But this Craven hath some Hens that follow him to his Dunghils, which are good breeders, and close sitters: As the Pheasant, and the Peacock Hens; they are very sharp beackt, hollow ey'd, and long claw'd; and their feathers would be very profitable to thee: and I observe by their lookes they are troubled with some inward griese; which is fitest for thy wife to look after: they keep a vile chackling, they want (as the word is called) groping, for they are mad they cannot hatch up their broude of contention no faster, to teach them to cry up Liberty of Conscience, and down with Honesty. Sir, if this be not suddenly cured, it may turn to the pip, or some worse disease: so leaving you to your severall Offices, being resolved never to trouble you my selfe.
TO THE READER:
VVHat ever thou art that shall read this small Challenge between these two Cockes, whether Presbyterian, or Independent (as I am confident thou art of one side or other) You must observe Cockpit orders; That is done, and done; If thou speakst in the time of their incountring, thou mayst happily lose thy wager; now which side thou wilt take I know not, and indeed it is very difficult to perswade thee, especially if thou art Weather-Cockly bent; well how ever thou hast notice where this challenge is to be, and brother Presbyter I will give thee notice of one thing, to beware, for the Master of the Pit is a cunning Roock, and seeks to draw in abettors by laying too to one, that the Independant Craven will have the best of it; but I feare it not, yet if T. T. were to incounter with him, I would hold the master of the Pit my selfe, and his Craven too, (had I them but in a strong noose) for all he seemes to flout, and say this Cockes Come hath been cut, I answer that was when might overcame right, but Craven thou wast in a worse condition then, when thou wast like to be choakt with a paire of Lawne sleeves; and they could [Page 4]not be more odious to thee, then thou art to me, in thy odious clamerings after Liberty of Conscience, so thou hast that, thou carst not if the whole Kingdome where become a sad and disconsolate Chaos; but God-forbid, I hope there will ever bee a strong and setled government to confine such Cravens as thou art: And now Craven or Capon, having observed thy dunghill motions and Crowings, and carriages, whereof there is never a one good, I professe my selfe thy utter enemy; and my wishes and betts shall be, that the Presbyterian Cocke, who is of a farre better breed may have the better of thee; I like his weapons and carriage a great deale better then I doe thine, and I tell thee, It were better thy head were off, then to live to tread thy Peacock and Pheasant Hens of thy owne faction; to become as so many Dung-hill Cravens, who are good for nothing but to crow at unseasonable houres; And labour dayly by their Crowings and other unlawfull actions to bring all to destruction; God forbid. I know any honest Presbyterian will say Amen. Good Reader, doe but observe the Impudence and insolency of this poysond breath Craven; who not onely strikes his spurres, but spits his venomous and most approbrious scoffes and jeeres against many Reverend Divines, and that not of the meanes sort, but even of the Assembly, away Craven for shame if thou hast any, I may without much wronging of thee challenge thy feare to thy Maker, when thou so impudently abuses them that are fellow labourers with him; but it matters not what thou sayest, neither doe they whom thou hast wronged: I may say truly, that their seasonable and timely Crowings have defended their young breed committed to their charge, from the Roaring of the Lion; and shall still continue I hope, when thy Satanicall breed, or Dunghills of these distracted times may have their Comes cut, and their Cravenly [Page 5]feathers poold off their backes; It may very well be feared, that if these Dung-hills, or Cravens, play so high as to strike at such lights could get the better, (which God forbid) would soone seeke to strike their poysonous beakes into the very light of truth it selfe; and then to walke and rule as they please, which they call Tolleration, or Liberty of Conscience, that they may hatch and bring up their ungodly breed of Sectaries, as Anabaptists, Antinomians, Anti-Scripturists, Seekers, &c. A divilish brood, God defend us from them; these are they that hate true Reformation, and setlement of true Religion; they are as the Scripture truly renders them, of a perverse and crooked Generation, they sinell too much of the Onyons and Garlick of Aegypt, who outwardly make as if they were the sheep, or little flocke, but inwardly devouring Wolves, and hate to bee reform'd.
To conclude, Without an extraordinary sudden Antidote from heaven, to expell these lothsome smells of Sectaries, they may not only trouble us with the smell, but by their continuing, may be the cause of pulling downe the plagues of Aegypt upon the whole Kingdome.
Farewell Independent CRAVEN.
Lastly, My hearty Prayers to God for all my true hearted Brethren the Presbyterians is, That the Lord would power out upon them, and all sorts of persons in these Kingdoms a spirit of grace and supplication, that it may repent us of all our iniquities, and that we may be reconciled to the Lord; that so all the threatens of his wrath may be removed from amongst us, and he may blesse us with the sweet fruits of truth and peace.
The last VVILL and TESTAMENT of the CRAVEN COCK.
And now my dear brother and Excequetor, you see how the case stands with me, I shall trouble you but with a short Will, in regard halfe my estate is sequestred, for the Headsman is to have my body, my head excepted.
Impr. I dee desire that my head may bee set upon London-Bridge, with my face looking towards Horseydown, that it may be as a scare-crow to the fowles of the aire, that they may not hurt none of my young Brood when they goe to purge themselves of their fornication.
Item, I doe bequeath my Feathers unto some of my fellow Cravens, if in case they should fall into the like danger; they may help to cover them.
Item, I do bequeath those two precious Stones that lye within me, among my Peacock, and Pheasant Hens; that in case their inward bowels should yearne after those secrets of nature that hath past between us; that they may not loose the sight of them.
Item. For my two gouty legs, I doe bequeath to each Hospitall one; if they can cure them, they will serve some of my brethren, that stand for Liberty of Conscience.
Item. Jn the last place, for my spurs; J doe freely bestow them upon those two well affected Jndependent brethren Tim. Reed, and Iack. Pudding; who I am sure will stand up stifly for Liberty and Tolleration to play the fooles, that they may make others laugh, and themselves get money.
And now my deare brother and Excequotor, in case there should be nothing left for you, I shall desire Mr. Derick (he being Master of the pit) to pay you, and the rest of our Independent brethren to the full.