THe sad and deplorable condition of this un­happy Kingdome, is remarkeably evident to all intelligent persons of all degrees, who have any share or interest in the Common-wealth; and by all those who are honest as much lamented. Yet every man is not sensible by what practices and endeavours, our Lawes have been subvert­ed, or who have been the Authors, and contrivers of the King­domes miserie: or at least all men will not seeme to understand, who have blowne the bellowes to kindle this unnaturall War, which hath almost wasted and consumed (although not in their persons, yet in their Estates) all the chief Nobility, and Gentry of the Land. I have therefore out of my zeale, to rectifie those un­derstandings, who are not wilfully blinded by their owne igno­rance and folly, written this ensuing narrative; wherein is disco­vered, how, and by what practises the Subjects of England have been seduced, and made the unhappy instruments, to contribute to their owne undoing: by which they may easily discerne, who have been the Authors, and contrivers of their miserie: and may hereby if they become sensible of their past errours, finde a meanes to recover their lost Liberty, and redeeme themselves from the Slavery and Thraldome they have so long endured.

[Page 2]No man is ignorant in how happy a condition this Kingdome was, before it was destroyed by this unhappy Parliament; neither am I so partiall to the foregoing times, but that I could discerne that there were faults then, for there was pride, sloath, and covet­ousnesse in some of the Clergie, Bribery and corruption in some of the Judges, partiality and selfe-interests in many Magistrates, an aiming at an exorbitant power in the Court, managed to His Majesties disadvantage, by those He imployed and trusted, who studied their owne ends and profits, without regard to His Ma­jesties Honour. These were the personall crimes of men, which could not justly occasion complaint against the whole frame and order of our setled constitution of Government, yet the offen­ces of these evill Ministers, were accounted great grievances, and multiplied in their number, and aggravated in their nature, by those Schismaticks, who could not make a rent and division in the Church Government, to which they were enemies, because they were curb'd and restrained by the Ecclesiasticall power; & hindred from introducing innovation into the Church, which they could not effect, unlesse they first beget a distraction in the Civill Go­vernment. And therefore there was no pressure put upon the peo­ple (and they counted all such, whether legall, or illegall, if it con­cerned them in their purposes) but these Schismaticall people, presently put themselves in opposition against it, and by that gain'd an opinion amongst the common sort (who are still of least understanding) that those men were the chief Patriots: beleeving according to their hypocriticall demenors, that they had no indi­rect ends, but aimed only at the good of the Common-wealth, and to maintaine the Laws and Liberties of the Subjects. These men having by these subtile insinuations, crept into the good opi­nion of the vulgar people, the Clergie and Laity of the same Sect, magnifying each the others integrity, and both deluding the igno­rant people, the one by an humble and feined piety, the other by pretending to a strict observation of the Laws, in so much that the common people imagined that there was no way left to reco­ver the golden age, but by bringing these men into power and Authority, and to make them the directors, and Governours both in Church and State. Then was raised a generall complaint that all things were out of order, by reason we had no Parlia­ments [Page 3]called, but how to reduce His Majesty to a necessity to call a Parliament, and to make that necessity such, as that He might not be able to dissolve that Parliament: this was the study and practice of these underminers of our happy and peaceable Government.

The people of England had been so long inur'd to Peace, and with it were growne so rich, that it was difficult to stir them up to any commotion or Rebellion: And therefore there must be some way found out by His Majesties owne Instruments, and Ministers of State to disturbe the Kingdome; and no man was found so fit for this as the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, whose zeale to ad­vance the dignity of the Protestant Church within His Majesties Dominions, by reducing it to an uniformity, and decency in Gods worship, and by endeavouring to increase the Wealth of it, that so the Clergie might not become contemptible, was cherist in these pious endeavours, and became so passionate in the pursu­ance thereof, being I am afraid a little transported with the va­nity of being stiled the author of so glorious a worke, that with­out mature consideration he swallowed all proposals, that he imagined might conduce to so good an end: And so became unfortunately engaged in the reforming of the Scottish Kirke, by endeavouring to conforme it to the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England. In this undertaking I am confident his Lordship had no end that aimed at any thing but Gods worship, but I have been on very good grounds ascertain'd that those who put his Lordship on this work, had an intention thereby to destroy the Bishops in that Kingdome; that so they might be disposers of the Churches patrimony. This gave the first rise to our miseries, for the Scots imediately oppose our Lyturgie, branding it as Popish, and Superstitious, that Lyturgie which in the time of Queene Eli­zabeth, when She protected them against the Invasions of the French, they embraced with all reverence and thankefulnesse, and made use thereof in their Churches, as long as they had need of the English Protection, and then it was neither Popish nor Su­perstitious, but a most holy worship, divinely composed for the decent and true honour of God: but they had not then been in­structed in Mr. Calvins Doctrine, or at least knew not how to wrest it, and make use of it to throw off obedience to Kings, as[Page 4]the true Protestant Religion had taught them to throw off the usurpt Authority of the Pope.

Cardinall Richlieu, who was undoubtedly the most vigilant, and wisest Councellour of this latter age; who industriously stu­died his Princes advancement, and enlargements of his Domini­ons, and had been long studying and contriving to disturbe the Peace of England, and watching every opportunity to doe it, for he well knew as long as the King of England enjoyed Peace, he held the ballance of this part of Christendome, and by joyning with any Prince in opposition to the French King, would be able at any time to give a stop to his increase of Empery, and restraine his enlargement of Dominion, which this Cardinall aymed at: And for that cause he covetously embraced this occasion offered by the Scots refusall of our Booke of Common-Prayer, and pre­sently endeavours to insinuate the Auncient League between their Nations, how willing the French would be to assist them in the defence of their Religion, Laws and Liberties; But the Language which the Scots best understood was the French crownes, for that wise States man well knew, how little gold was generated in that cold climate, and how affected that Nation was to that met­tall, for he believed they might be purchased not onely to forfeit their Allegeance but to sell their God for that coyne. And therefore he subtilely dispersed his crownes amongst their poor Nobility, who received them with condition of Rebellion, but yet durst not enter openly into an hostile opposition of their Kings commands, un­till they were assured of a party in England, and therefore the Puritanicall party of this Kingdome must be tamper'd withall, and accordingly were, and found right for their turne; but these were but of the meaner sort of people, and such as were not able to raise any considerable power to countenance their underta­kings. And therefore it was necessary that some eminent Lords should be drawne into the Plot, of which there were not many, that were Puritannically affected, and therefore they must seeke to gaine such who were discontented, because they were not countenanced, and enjoyed offices and honours at Court, to which their ambitions prompted them. This was by the industry of these men effected, and accordingly divers of the Nobillty were wrought upon to be of this party, of which I beleeve divers of[Page 5]them who look't not into the depth of this Conspiracy, have since heartily repented; seeing, and now knowing, what instruments they were made, to contribute to the ruine of this Kingdome. But they understood His Majesty had money in his purse, and was beforehand with the world, and untill that was wasted and He become poor, there was no hope of bringing Him to comply with their ends, and therefore there must be a shew of War, be­fore a reall War, and for this reason His Majesty must be perswa­ded to carry an Army to the borders of Scotland, to compell the Scots to conformity, and there He must have instruments to per­swade Him to lye still, untill His stock of money was spent, Treat­ing, and making, and receiving overtures of Peace, which at last was concluded, and the observation thereof solemnely protested to continue so long, untill their Brethren in England were ready to assist them, and then the Religious Scots had liberty to breake all Oathes, and Protestations, and Rebell againe. And so shortly after they enter into England, with a pretence to Petition His Majesty, but not to fight, but for their safety. This Petition must be presented by an Army, and this Army must possesse themselves of Townes in England, and must have all things granted unto them, which they could possibly desire, within the Kingdome of Scotland, and this must be confirmed unto them by Acts of Parlia­ment, wherein His Majesty must divest Himselfe of all Regall pow­er, and give up all into the hands of His Scottish Subjects, to be at their disposall, which could not have been an ill bargaine for His Majesty, if He had had but some tye upon them to make good the compact; for if an Earth-quake should swallow up those that are perfidious of that Nation, it could be no losse unto the Crowne of England, unto which they have ever been false and burthen-some: For what was there wanting to that Nation, that they could desire from their native King? His bounty, affection, and protection they were sufficiently sensible of, if they could be sen­sible of benefits, but nothing can obliege them to hold their faith, or become gratefull.

These Scots being in a hostile manner entred the Kingdome, whom all good Subjects were bound to oppose and resist; it was so far from that, that those Souldiers which His Majestie raised for that purpose were disheartned, and discouraged, in their un­dertakings, [Page 6]and their Officers branded with the names of Papists, and the Souldiers encouraged to mutiny against their Comman­ders.

The Scots being Invaders were welcomed, and to make it good that they were Invited into the Kingdome, they were well re­compensed for their paines. And no doubt this money was gi­ven them that they might be ready on all occasions to enter the Kingdome againe when the Parliament should call for them to second and assist them in their attempts against His Majesty: For truely now the Parliament have a very faire pretence, to challenge the same grants from His Majesty that the Scots have obtained, and they are sure of their Brethrens assistance, for they desire that this Kingdome should be as far engaged in Rebellion as themselves; for by that being become equall sharers in iniquity, they are thereby mutually obliged to potect, and preserve each other against the power of the King, whom they are bound to oppose and suppresse, lest His justice enabled by power, should overtake and punish their Trayterous Rebellion.

The Scots being now gone out of England, and His Majesty ha­ving been in Scotland, and there according to His promises con­firmed all by Act of Parliament as aforesaid, He returned hither to assure His subjects here that He was willing to do for them what­soever they could demand for the good of the Common-wealth, and by the presidents of having already condiscended unto more then ever any of His Ancestors did for the Subjects, they are not at all stirred up to a gratitude for His grace and favour already conferr'd, but are thereby encouraged to make greater and higher demands, and must now invest themselves with all Regall power and authority, and His Majesty must be but a cipher, whilst they rule, governe, order and dispose all things at their pleasure. And that they may the better gull and abuse the people, and so lead them on to beleeve in them, they must in generals traduce the whole government, the Church they must bespatter with Popery, and therein all decency must be accounted Superstition, and the Bishops who laboured for uniformity, and punisht non-conformists, must be branded with the names of Popish innovators, and the chief crimes laid to their chare was Church Ornaments, which they sty­led ragges of the whore of Babell. Sure if God had commanded [Page 7]these reformers to have built the Tabernacle or the Sanctuary, they would not have obeyed him, but told him he was Popishly affected, and would have built him a Temple after their owne fancies and imaginations.

The Church being now the object of their furious zeale, the wisdome of this grave Senate is not bound to particularize the faults therein, for so they might come to be disputed, and might either in the reason and opinion of the people prove no faults, or else by that course it might onely produce a Reformation, but that was not the Parliaments aime, for they indeavoured to throw the whole Kingdom into combustion, especially the Church Government, that must be destroyed, that so they may therein frame a new Ʋtopian government, agreeing with their phana­tique zeale: The people greedy of novelties, willingly embrace & entertaine these changes, and with an easie credulity, beleeve all scandalous reports that are by these mens factors and abettors, raised to calumniate the Church, they doubt not if these men tell them so, but that there lurkes Idolatry in a Tipet or a Surplice, and if these men incite the madde multitde thereunto, they will presently disroable their Ministers of their decent vestments, and for no other cause then that they are conformable to the establi­shed Government of the Church of England, they will assist to drive them from their Cures, and without any legall authority, to divest them of what they are possest of by the Lawes of God and the Realme: if any Inhabitant within those Parishes where these enormities were committed, was so conscientious as that he would not adhere to these exorbitant courses, he was sure to be presently branded with the name of Papist, or at least Popishly affected, and that alone was sufficient to declare, that he was dis­affected to the Parliament proceedings, and must be presently new Christened by his Parliament god-fathers, with the nick-name of Malignant, and Delinquent. And if this new named creature doth not forthwith seale up his lips, and not dare to speake or mutter against those, who prosecute these illicit acts, a Messen­ger shal be ready to fetch him to the Parliament, where in custody he shall attend at an extraordinary charge their honours leisure, who by reason of the high and weighty affaires of the Kingdome, cannot admit to hear so petty a complaint, untill this poor Ma­lignants [Page 8]purse growes empty, and the Messenger hath sufficiently drained his pockets; and then peradventure he will carry him before a Committee, where he shall be examined upon captions gueres, whereby he may entrap himselfe, he shall neither know his accuser, nor his accusation, but he shall be told in generall, that he is a notable opposer of the Parliament, and for that he shall be sure to be committed to some Prison, that so his example of pu­nishment may terrifie others from daring & presuming to be ho­nest men. With this manner of proceeding, the most rationall men, who discovered and disliked these practises, were deterr'd from opposing them, and those of the vulgar and ordinary ranke of people, were perswaded by other arguments, which were more prevalent on their understandings, which was impunity and pro­fit: for they were informed that they should neither pay Tithes, nor be be subject to Ecclesiasticall Courts: by this they were en­gaged to take part with these new Reformers. But as yet the Par­liament durst not declare against the Common-Praier Booke, for they thought the people were too well inclined to that forme of Worship, to be suddenly deprived thereof: And therefore they declare that they intend not to abolish the Booke of Common-Prayer, but by authority confirme the use of it throughout the Kingdome, and withall they tell the people that it is a scandall raised by the Malignant party to make them odious, to report that they intended any such thing as to take away the Common-Prayer Booke, onely there may be some things in it that may be fit to be reform'd; which hereafter with the advice of an As­sembly of Reverend Divines they meane to performe: Yet at the same time they connive at such Ministers as leave it off, and suf­fer scandalous pamphleteers to traduce that Sacred Lyturgie, ab­stracted from the Scripture, Composed by the most Reverend, Learned, and pious Divines, and sealed by the bloud of Martyres: By these Instruments they first undermine it, and afterward when they have occasion to make use of their Scotch Brethren to Conquer the Kingdome, then they are fitted with a packt Assem­bly, that must declare against the Booke of Common-Prayer, as Po­pish and Superstitious, that so they may introduce a thing called a Directory, that may bring them to a conformity with their Bre­thren in Doctrine, Worship, and Discipline.

[Page 9]Now give me leave to tell you by the way, that these men who have so universally changed, and altered the setled, and professed Protestant Religion within this Kingdome, abused the people with telling them that His Majesty by the advice of His evill Councel­lors, and assistance of the Bishops, meant to change and alter Re­ligion, by throwing a supposed infamy on His Majesty, which they really intended afterwards to effect themselves, as is mani­fest by the sequell, for they have absolutely changed our Religion, and His Majesty remaines a constant perseverer in the mainte­nance of the old established forme, both of Doctrine, Worship, and Discipline; and I will be bold to affirm, that the Kingdome is al­most if not altogether, the unparallel'd president that have Rebel­led against their King, and fought, and destroyed the Nobility and Gentry of their Kingdome, because they will not consent to in­troduce the Religion and Laws of another Nation, and of such a Nation as Scotland, whose people for the most part are not yet civilized, and for their rudenesse, and poverty, are the scorne and contempt of all Christendome.

This could not be that the gallant English should be so delu­ded, but that for their sins God hath infatuated them to be see­kers of their owne destruction.

This much by way of digression; The Parliament now find­ing the people so apt to beleeve all that they suggest, they begin to decline, not onely against His Majesty in relation to Religion, but also accuse Him of misgovernment in Civill affaires, but like the rest, they will not strike point-blanke at His Majesty, but wound Him through His Ministers sides, telling the people, that He hath been misled by evill Councellors, and thereupon they frame a Remonstrance, which I may call an appeale to the people, whereby they asperse and traduce His Majesty by enumerating all the pressures, and supposed grievances, wherewith the Subjects have been burthened, since His Majesty came to the Crowne, and they therein proceed so far as to accuse His Majesties intentions, saying that He intended to put an Excise upon his people. Eve­ry man imagined that they did this to declare to the world what Taxes the Subjects groaned under, and no man could suppose that the Parliament would multiply and encrease these grievan­ces, and that they would impose an Excise upon the people,[Page 10]and so would induce that into Act, which they pretend onely was intentionally in His Majesty, but time shewes us otherwise, for now the little fingers of these Councellors are weightier in oppressing the Subjects, then the loynes of His Majesties Coun­cellors.

The Free-borne Subject must be imprisoned, disseised of his E­state, and no Legall cause shewne, Taxes imposed, all things ma­naged by Arbitrary power, and no appeale but to them that do the injustice, this is part of the present misery we groane under, but more of this in its due place.

The Parliament finding an inclination in His Majesty to re­form all that is amisse, and willing to comply with His Parliament in all that they can propose for the good of the people, they grow fearfull that if His Majesty be suffered to comply with them so fast, all that is amisse in the Common-wealth will be reform'd too soone, and then there will be no worke for them, but they must returne home, and become private men againe, which is con­trary to their intentions; for they resolve to Lord it over their fellow Subjects perpetually, which they cannot doe, unlesse they devolve the Kingdome into greater miseries and distractions, by contriving a Civill War within the bowels thereof: for the effecting of which, they use all their art and industry to inslave the people, by pretending that there is a Malignant party in the Kingdome of Papists, and such as are Popishly affected, who are machinating treacherous plots against them, by destroying of this glorious Parliament, which intends so much good to the Com­mon-wealth; and in the ruine of this Parliament, to bury all hopes of future redresse of our grievances.

These feares and jealousies are fomented amongst the people, by their active instruments, who are especially those of the Clergy, and these by their pretended sanctity of life easily gained credit amongst their simple auditors, besides such as are divulgers of these reports, are directed to insinuate, that His Majesty hath a hand in these contrivances, by which obliquity He must be repre­sented as the object of the peoples fear, who ought to be the protector of them and their Lawes, and they the security of His Power and Person: By this, distrust of His Majesty being begot­ten, and nourisht amongst the people, His Majesties Person, toge­ther [Page 11]with His Royall Consort and Children, are exposed to all ca­lumnie and reproach; that so they may become contemptible. Yet notwithstanding all these practises, which were the contri­vances of particular plotters in both Houses: yet there was a party of honest able Gentlemen in the House of Commons, and the Bishops and some Noble Lords in the House of Peeres, that crost and thwarted the proceedings of this violent party. How to remove these was now the great endeavour, and the Bishops they must first be thrust out of the House of Lords, and the better to effect this, the people they must be stirr'd up to Petition the House of Commons, that the Prelates who by their Votes in Parliament hindred the intended Reformation, might by an Act of Parliament be excluded out of the House, and their Votes taken away.

And to the end that these people might not erre in the forme or manner of Petitioning, they had good friends in the Parlia­ment that could penne their Petitions according to the sense of the House: these Petitioners were commonly attended by a tu­multuous rabble of the City and Suburbes, who were summoned to meet together for that purpose, and although they came toge­ther, and flockt to the Houses, more like an unlawfull assembly of riotous, and mutinous persons, who imperiously demanded, ra­ther then humbly Petitioned for what they desired, and therefore for their manner of comming, rather deserved to be reprehen­ded then cherisht, yet they were welcomed, and thankt for their great care of the Common-wealth, and encourag'd to draw to­gether in such unlawfull assemblies.

The Bill being now formed for the excluding the Bishops out of the House, they presse His Majesty to sign it, and that they may worke Him thereunto, they make use of all those Instruments a­bout Him, who are either afraid to be lasht by their exorbitant power, or else are desirous to partake with them in their wayes, and these who are truely the evill Councellors, obtaine of His Ma­jesty to passe this Bill.

I wish with my soule His Majesty had never been betrayed by these evil Instruments to doe so ill an act as to deprive the Church of that power next under Him should govern and protect it, and by their consent to wholsome Lawes in Parliament preserve their flocks from the ravenous Wolves that have since devoured them.

[Page 12]I am no Lawyer to determine how essentiall a part of the Par­liament the Bishops were, but I believe they were one of the E­states that made up that great body, and this I am sure is conso­nant to reason, for if each Member of the Common-wealth be obliged to obey the Lawes made in that Convention, because they consent unto them by those who are present at the making of those Lawes as being Persons chosen by them by whose Votes they oblige themselves, I know no reason that the Clergy who are so eminent a part of the Common-wealth, should not have fit persons by them chosen to sit and Vote likewise in the House, by whom their consent unto all Lawes might be included.

And it will appear a strange irregular course in the opinion of foraine Nations, and that which will be a dishonour and a disparagement unto this Kingdome, that the doctrine and discipline of our Church, is subverted, and that we have in a manner a new Religion framed, and no Clergy-man hath either an affirmative or a negative Vote in the composure; an Assembly of Divines being pickt out and packt together by no lawfull authority, and onely made use of to colour out and countenance the acts of those who are altogether Lay-men.

It will seem strange hereafter when these proceedings shall be maturely heard and debated, that it should appear that a businesse of so high a nature as the dispossessing the Bishops of their just rights should be transacted, and that those who are parties should be made their Judges, to condemn without hearing those who are so eminently their Superiours both in degree and dignity: but it is now too apparent to all the world what it was that pro­voked this violent and irregular prosecution, the end being that these Reformers might rob the Church of that patrimony which the piety of their Auncestors had invested the Bishops withall.

And it will be well if the legislative power which these men exercise can secure them from being guilty of sacriledge, and quit them at the dreadfull Tribunall from horrid impiety.

Those honest and able Noblemen and Gentlemen who were chosen and trusted by their Countries, and whose tender consci­ences scrupled at these injurious and impious proceedings, and ac­cording to the dictate of their reasons dissented from these unjust and irregular actions, these were traduced amongst the people as[Page 13]members Popishly affected, and not fit to continue in the Houses.

And to deter them the more, the rabble & scum of the people were brought down often to Westminster, and there were taught to know those men that opposed their Faction, and to revile them with scurilous and opprobrious language, and so to menace them as they thought it not safe for them to stay longer in the Houses, especially after they had with the like Tumults driven away His Majesty from White-hall, the Protectour of them and the Lawes being chased out of the Towne, there was little secu­rity left for those Subjects who did desire to regulate their acti­ons by the Law, when their King that should maintain the Law, and unto whom all His Subjects did owe and had sworne obedi­ence, could not secure Himself from the insolence and violence of the inraged multitude.

Sure all this while the people were in a dreame, or else they could not have been drawn so madly to violate all Law, and to contribute to their owne undoing.

For, by driving away these sober and temperate men from the Parliament, and His Majesty from their protection, they put all Power and Authority into the hands of furious Schismatiks, and submitted themselves and their Estates to be disposed by them, whose phrenaticall spirits never knew temper and moderation in any of their actions.

By their Votes and Ordinances the Kingdome is immediately throwne into all disorder and distemper, unlimited tyrannous re­gall authority usurpt by Subjects, who like Phaëton gotten into the Suns Chariot set all the world on fire, it never hapning other­wise but that when such unskilfull Pilots get to the helme, all Passengers are shipwrackt on the rocks. So it fell out with these men, as how could it be otherwise imagined, that Shop-keepers and poor mechanique Trades-men (for such were the major part that were left in the House of Commons) should be able to manage and dispose the great affaires of the Kingdome. I doe not say that all the House of Commons consisted of such, for there were some cunning Contrivers left in the House, who either out of malice to the present setled Government, or envy that they were not preferred to eminent Places and Offices at Court, at which their ambitions aymed, who guided and governed the rest of the[Page 14]Members to consent unto, and Vote what they designed for the disturbance of the Common-wealth.

These having driven away His Majesty, and also their fellow Members that opposed them, it was now necessary that they should still infuse fears and jealousies into the hearts of the people, thereby to prevent that they may not return unto their wits and setled judgment: For, then their Treasons would be unmask'd, and their Plots and contrivances discovered, and then the people would fall upon them as the Authours of their misery.

To avoid this, these cunning Artists shifted the scene, and ac­cording to the common Proverb, cried Whore first. And divulged that His Majesty intended to raise War against His Parliament, whereas the truth was, they intended to raise a War against His Majesty, and to this purpose all the lies that the Devill the Au­thour of lies could invent, were printed and published by their allowance, Papists every where mustered invisible Armies under ground, and forain Forces were landed in every Port, and daily intelligence pretended to be brought to the House of strange Massacres intended for the cutting the throats of all their Mem­bers, especially the most eminent, they were aymed at to be de­stroyed: and yet all these pretences could hardly prevaile with the people inured to long peace and quiet to put themselves into Armes, and therefore they would not relie on the giddy multi­tude, although they had incensed them with strange malitious re­ports, which was, that His Majesties Commissions of Array which He directed into the severall Counties of the Kingdome to mu­ster the Forces thereof for the preservation of their peace accor­ding to an auncient and knowne Law, was intended for their ruine and destruction, and thereby to subject them unto a tyranni­call and arbitrary power, whereby they should be robb'd of their Estates, and enslaved in their persons. This rumour wrought much with the ignorant multitude, yet not so much as that the Parliament would build upon this foundation, an assurance of protection from the people, but would make use of the peoples affections and inclinations towards them as a good second to their maine support, which was an Army of mercinary Souldiers, raised by His Majesties consent, to suppresse the Irish Rebellion, but em­ployed by these men to fight against his Majesty, & upon the fore-mentioned[Page 15]pretences to destroy Him and all those who adhere unto Him, out of their Loyalty, and the conscience of the duty they owed Him: The horrid acts committed by the barbarous Irish, in massacring the poor Protestants in Ireland, was so strong a motive to engage people to take armes to suppresse those Re­bels, and revenge their injuries, that every man was willing to un­dertake that Warre, little thinking that the designe of Ireland should onely be made the pretence, whilst a Civill War in England was principally intended.

And if men were not stupidly ignorant, they might still discerne, that the Irish War is kept on foot, without intention to end the same by a vigourous undertaking of it, that so they may have a pretence still to leavy and keep Souldiers here in England, there­by to oppresse the people by their Taxes, and enslave them by their power.

For if this had not been their end, why would they not permit His Majesty who was willing at first in Person to under­take that War, to be the manager thereof, as it did properly be­long unto Him? why did they impose such hard conditions on those poor people? wherein the innocent with the guilty were all involv'd, disposing of their Estates, and selling of it to Mer­chant Adventurers, before they begun the War, thereby rende­ring the people desperate, by leaving no gap open, whereby they might enter by way of Treaty, mercy or accomodation? Why doe they now proceed so slackly in that War, by sending over inconsi­derable Forces, and starving those before they recruit them by fresh supplies? or why have they taken such care, and used such industry to dissolve all Treaties, which His Majesties pious indea­vours framed to compose the differences in that Kingdome? un­lesse they intend still to continue and prolong that War, that so they might have specious pretences from thence to enslave and poverish the people here.

But now Forces being raised for Ireland, they did delay the sending of them, alleaging that His Majesty seduced by evill Coun­cellors, was raising an Army to fight against the Parliament, and to enthrall His Subjects, depriving them of their just rights and Liberties, and therefore these Souldiers with as many more as they were able to raise, must be employed to fight against the [Page 16] Cavelieres, for with that honourable appellation, they were plea­sed malitioufly and ignorantly to stile all those, whose Loyalties prompted them to adhere unto His Majesty.

Being now resolved upon a War, their next study was how to be assured of the sinewes thereof, MONEY, and they finde the certainest meanes to be furnisht with that mettall, is to engage the City in their Rebellion, whose purses overflow'd with abun­dance, indirectly gotten by false light Wares, Weights, and Mea­sures, and therefore it was not unlikely that what was gotten by the cunning of the Devill, might be exhausted to be spent by his ministers: but yet the knave & his money are not so soone parted as the foole and his money, and therefore they must use some arti­ficiall, & cunning suggestions, to divorce the Citizen from his God.

And therefore first, they sell him very cheape pennyworths of Land in Ireland, and having once bit at that bait, and disburst some money for that purchase, it was easie to perswade him to shoot one arrow after another, untill he be drawne by the peru­sall of a faire survey, with the title confirm'd by an Ordinance of Parliament, to buy the Mannor of Hell with the fishing of Styx, and the ferry of Charon. Else who would imagine that there could be a generation of Christian people so given over to worke wick­ednesse, without any the least shew of legall title, or justice for their warrant or security, that could be induced to purchase other mens Estates, nay to purchase that Land which the Religion and piety of our Auncestors conferr'd on the Church, nay that these Sacrilegious villaines, ravenous birds of prey, can unplume the Sacred birds of Paradise and pride it in their feathers, exposing the reverend Clergie naked to the frozen charity of these unchristian times?

Pride and plenty are the diseases of this City, and War which by bloud-letting cures this sicknesse must doe it; but there is a great deale of hazard in it, the remedy being commonly worse then the disease; for some time it kils in stead of curing, and most times it so ruines and destroyes the fabrick, and constitution of health, that it leaves a weake, miserable, and consumptive body ever af­ter.

In all ages of the world this hath been experimentally mani­fested, and I wish it may not be prophetically now spoken of this [Page 17]City. For all the flourishing and most famous Cities of the world, when their pride and luxury had debaucht them into such sins as London is guilty of, they have been at last miserably swallowed in the ruines of that War, which their owne Rebellion first begot.

But the Parliament now had their ends, which was to engage the City as deepely in this Rebellion as themselves; for so they became masters of their Estates, and so were enabled to manage and continue the War at their pleasures. And truely it was no difficult taske for them to goe through with their undertaking, for now being possest of the money banke (the City mines) they could do all things.

There the Army is now raised, and wants nothing now but a popular Generall to conduct this Army. Essex, who being scorn'd, laught at, and contemn'd at Court amongst the Lords, for his dis­ability, being angry at his slighting, he was thought fit to be the man, for upon his Fathers score, no merits of his owne, he was esteemed amongst the people: besides, he was bold and blockish, so his confidence might lead him into action, and his ignorance not discover their artifice that employ'd him: By this he ap­pear'd to be a fit subject for their election, and rejection at plea­sure, and accordingly afterward they used him, rejected him, and scorn'd him, when he had serv'd their turnes.

The Army being now rais'd and marcht, both was done un­der the specious pretext of fighting for the King, to bring Him to His Parliament, and to withdraw Him from His evill Coun­sellors, to reside with His great Councell, who intended to make Him a GREAT and GLORIO10

S KING. A Battaile is fought pretended for the King, where His Majesty opposed them in Person, and their undistinguishable bullets let flye against His Majesty, the Prince and Duke of Yorke, and yet all this was still pretended for the safety of His Person: in this Battaile it pleased God to protect His Majesty, that He came off with Honour and safety, for He kept the field, tooke divers Colours, and some Cannon. Yet this must be other wayes represented to the City, and those who pretended to be in the Battaile, but were indeed hid in Sawpits, must be instructed to make ample narratives at the Guild-Hall, thereby to gull the City with an opinion of a Victory, lest they should be disheartned, and so with-hold their contribu­tion.

[Page 18]It is most true His Majesty lost gallant men there, and it could not be otherwise, for He had none but such in His Army, and playing like a prodigall gamester, gold to brasse, it must of neces­sity follow, that by the chance of War, He must lose some of the Nobler mettall, by adventuring it on that oddes.

But His Majesty went on with his designe, and tooke Banbury, which His enemies durst not attempt to hinder, and from thence marcht towards London, and having beaten the enemy at Bran­ford, might undoubtedly have pursued His successe into the City, where certainely he had then a strong party to have assisted Him, but His Party restrained Him, being unwilling to expose that rich City, to the fury and rapine of the greedy Souldier. His Majesty therefore retreated unto Oxford, where He might study that Lo­gique which the Parliament had taught Him, which was, how Subjects might fight against their King, for His preservation: but finding not learning enough there to instruct Him in this strange and unheard of doctrine, He takes the field againe, and sometimes winnes, and loses according to the hazard of Battailes. Yet at last He grew so successefull, that our Brethren of Scotland were call'd to the aid and assistance of their distressed friends here.

And now the solemne League & Covenant was contrived, and these accursed Traytors as they had abandoned their Loyalty, so they must sweare to forsake their Religion, thereby to engage the Scots to their assistance. This accordingly they performe, and so a Scottish Army is brought into the Kingdome, hired by these mi­screants at the price of their Religion, to gnaw out the bowels of their native Country: by the help of these and their money, and by the evill conduct, emulating pride, and perfidious treacherie of His Majesties Officers they prevaile, reduce the whole Kingdom to their obedience, and at last purchase His Majesty who was fled to the false Scots for His protection, and refuge, and by them to the dishonour of their Nation be it ever spoken, and with this Cha­racter of ignomy and infamy, let them be branded to all posterity, who had any share therein: His Majesty was treacherously and basely delivered up into the hands of His Rebellious and disloyall Subjects, who in so many severall Battailes had sought His life, and therefore could not be imagined but that they would ex­pose Him to contempt, and as they have rob'd Him of His Liberty, [Page 19]when they found it necessary or convenient for them, would de­prive him of his life also.

I have now brought the Parliament, or rather they have brought themselves to the highest degree of power and Sove­raignty; I beseech every man seriously to weigh and consider by what meanes and instruments they have ascended to this Su­preame height, each step by which they have climbed have beene multiplied Treasons, new in their invention, unparallel'd in their condition, sins of the blackest nature have been their props and sup­ports, the fowlest impieties, and the most irreligious practises, the basis and foundation of all their structure: publique faith they have prostituted like a common whore, and taught her to pick the pockets of her fornicators: Lying and perjury hath been the un­tempered morter they have dawb'd withall: Murder, Theft, and Rapine, hath been the chiefe materials they have wrought withall. But lest you should imagine me too invective, although I speake nothing but the truth, I will give you my observations of the dif­ference, betweene the present and preceding times, wherein if every indifferent understanding be not able to discover a remarkable disparity, and how we are declin'd into a much worse condition then formerly we enjoyed; I must conclude he wilfully shuts the eyes of his reason, lest he should be made sensible of that igno­rance he hath lived in, or be found guilty of conniving at those plots and practices which during this Parliament have been used, to ru­ine and destroy his Country.

It were enough to let you see the difference, if I onely tell you the Kingdome before this Parliament enjoy'd peace, and that it is now embroyled with a Civill War: but I shall addresse my selfe more particularly to each mans understanding; and in the first place I shall begin with our Religion, which was so reform'd and setled in this Kingdome, as that it was an honour unto our Nation, a fear and terror unto the Romish party, and the hope and wish of all Protestant Churches beyond the Seas, that they might be ren­dred in a capacity to imitate us; for we had excluded the no­vell introductions and superstitious fopperies of the Papists, and yet retained a decency of order & Divine worship in our Churches, such as would not admit of parity to confound, or fancy to disturbe the wel-composed harmony in the government of the Church.

[Page 20]That God, who is the God of Order, and is delighted in it, as ap­peares by the consent and union in the Creation, and disposing of all things, was here served with Order and Reverence; Humility was the Garment we put on when we entred into the holy places, exprest by our humble Gestures and civill Comportment in the time and place of Adoration, and each degree according to his eminency had that duty and respect payed him, which was due according to the superiority of his calling, from his inferior and subordi­nate Officers.

A remedy was provided for each inconvenience, and no crime could escape unpunished, unlesse by the corruption of the Judge, and that nothing can prevent; for whilst Jugdes are men, some of them will still be wicked and corrupt, and private passions and interests will lead them to connive at offences, or to passe indi­rect and unjust Sentences, according to their affections and relati­ons. We had as many eminent and learned men in the Kingdom as any Age ever produced, and the Ʋniversities and Innes of Court as flourishing in their severall Professions as ever they were. The Word and the Sword, Religion and Justice, were e­qually administred through the Kingdom; each man knew where, and how to pray according to the Patterne and Forme prescribed by our Saviour, and to joyne with united hearts and voices in the most sacred and best composed Lyturgie of the world. The first rudiments of Christian Religion were learned by heart, by being only Auditors and Assistans at our Church service. The Lords Prayer, the Greed, and the ten Commandements, which are the principles of Christian Religion, was a part of our Lyturgie; and we are daily taught how to praise God for the benefits we had and did daily receive, and how to pray unto him for the supply of our wants. And sure, on these two maine pillars of Praise and Prayer, the structure of Religion is erected.

This was the Sacrifice we offered three or four times a day in our Cathedrals, and at least as many times a week by injunction in our ordinary Churches; and now this sacred Offertory which by Act of Parliament was Enjoyned, by Ordinance is Abolished, as if it were a crime to serve God in any other forme or method then the two Houses shall prescribe. Instead of this Decency and Ʋniformity, what confusion is introduced is obvious to every man;[Page 21]how these divine Collects are enforced to give place to extempo­re Nonsence, and the admirable composed Prayers extracted out of the most patheticall parts of the Scripture, must be banished the Church, whilst Heresies and Blasphemies are planted within the walls of the Church, whereby whole Congregations are in­fected and become Separatists in their tenents. Pious, Religious, and Orthodox Ministers are Voted out of their Free-holds, and violently ejected, because they will not be perjured, and conforme to worship the Presbyterian Idol, or the Independent Monster, these novell Reformers would set up. And in the Cures of these Reverend Divines for the most part, ignorant Non-conformists and factious Schismatiques are placed, by which they have new modell'd the Church, and setled therein fit Chaplains for such Patrons, who must instruct the people to believe nothing to be Orthodox Divinity but what they read unto them out of a Par­liament Ordinance, or a City Diurnall. And if they can but con­tinue the people in this slavish Ignorance, to forget their duty to God, and their Loyalty to the King, and to submit by an im­plicite faith to the power of the Parliament, then their great work is done; for all their great labour is to keep up their Diana the Parliament, and to keep the people from knowing that it is the Devill that utters those Oracles which are vented from that Shrine. But sure the Bloud of those Martyrs who have suffered for good Consciences, and have either dyed in Prisons, or for want been starved abroad, being unjustly robbed by these mercilesse men of all their Estates and Lively-hoods; cry loud for venge­ance, and will one day awaken the patience of our long suffering God: And draw down his revenging wrath on these counterfeit Zealots, and impious Hypocrites, who have indeed really no Re­ligion, but only make use of that sacred Cloak to disguise all their villany. For what have these great Reformers done, but introdu­ced will-worship into the Church, and Lawlesnesse in the Common­wealth? For who can now discover the face of any Church in this Kingdome? where every severall Congregation use a distinct forme of worship, and where there is no Coercive power to compell Ʋniformity in Doctrine, or to punish Deformity in man­ners. The sacred Scripture is profaned, and by the Liberty each man appropriates to himself to Interpret according to his own[Page 22] Fancy, or rather to apply that divine writing to serve for the advancing his own designes; the sense thereof is so inverted by these Scripturists, who use it no other wayes then the Devill did to intrap & circumvent their hearers; so that those divine Oracles which were bequeath'd us, to instruct us in the right way to Hea­ven, are by these lying Prophets become by-paths that lead to destruction. Our Lawes which are each Subjects Birth-right, how miserably are they perverted? what man can now be secu­red in his inheritance or possession, being so enslaved and sub­jected to an Arbitrary power? when by a Vote of the House of Commons we are dispossessed of all that we enjoy, and if we plead our title and appeal to any Court of Judicature, expecting Justice according to the known Lawes of the Land, our proceedings are obstructed by some Order from the House of Commons, or one of their Ordinances, (of which they have made so many, that they know not what they have made; and besides, diverse of them are contradictory in themselves) and by these, without dispute, we are debard of our legall Rights.

This is now our miserable condition, that we know not what we may call our own, or how to preserve those auncient Inheritances descended from our Predecessors: for it is in the power of a Knave to stile an Honest man and a Loyall Subject ei­ther Malignant or Delinquent; new termes in the Law, invented this blessed Parliament; and to informe this under-hand to a Committee, where himself dares not publickly appear to avow his information, or to be crosse interrogated concerning his accusation; and this is sufficient to turne a man out of all his Estate, expose his Wife and Children to beggary, and no way left to repaire this injurious proceeding, but by appealing to them that doe the wrong: whence it is probable you may expect equall justice, when your Judges have equally divided your Estate a­mongst them: For Informers they share with Sequestrators, Se­questrators they share with Committee-men, and Committee-men they share with the Members of the House, who are their great Masters that protect them against all complaints in the House of Commons; & thus the honest Country-man, who knew no offence in maintaning his Allegeance which he was bred in, and had sworn unto his King; is taught by suffering to conforme to what he [Page 23]understands not, nor his rulers declare not, the inscrutable unli­mitable Priviledges of Parliament: from offending whereof he is no sooner cleared by submitting to a large Fine, but that he is presently subject again to the like mischief, if he obeyes the Law of the Land, or the malice of his neighbour prosecutes him. Re­bels and Traytors shall be protected to rob and plunder by Ordi­nance of Parliament, and honest men and Loyall Subjects shall be ruined and destroyed for adhering to the Established Religion and the known Lawes.

I will appeal to every honest Country-man, whether he were not in a much better condition when he was unacquainted with the termes of Plunder, Free-quarter, and Contribution, when he understood not the iniquity of a Sequestrator or a Committee, but upon occasion of any injury done him, had immediate recourse to the next neighbour, the Justice of Peace, where he complained, and had redresse according to a known Law: When he went to Church, and knew how to Pray, and had good life and manners taught him out of the Pulpit, and not Parliament Orders and Declarations read every Sunday which he understands not; when holy Feasts were kept and observed, by which he was taught the History of the Church, and Martyrologie of the Saints, at which time Hospitality was observed, and thereby Amity and Friendship maintained and continued amongst neighbours.

These were the blessings of peace; what hath succeeded instead of this, they have fresh in memory: I need not particularize, but I am sure they have, according to the old proverb, removed out of Gods blessing into the warme Sunne: for I am sure they have changed Peace and Plenty into Warre and Poverty: by which, as they sowed, they are assured to reap the unpleasant fruits of their labour. I am confident, if men are not mad, and possest with such a spirit of Frensie, as that they cannot discerne between Good and Bad, False-hood and Truth, Religion and Irreligion; they must needs confesse, that all they have done or acted for six or seaven yeares last past, wherein they have complyed with the Parliament, they have endeavoured to advance evill, false-hood, and irreligion, thereby to destroy themselves and their Poste­rities, and to make themselves slaves to the Arbytrary wills and[Page 24]powers of the usurped Authority of their fellow-subjects; by which they are not masters of their own Estates, but at the wills and pleasures of those they have set over them. And let them ingenuously judge of their own actions, and then they will confesse that they have wilfully perjured themselves in forfeiting their Allegiance to their Soveraigne, for no profit or advantage to themselves, but to render themselves in a worse condition of Slavery and Vassallage then ever they were in, for now they are disposable at the wills and pleasures of their fellow-subjects, as their absolute Vassalls and Slaves, and can call nothing their own, when they, that is, the House of Commons have a desire to call for it. For this is a Maxime in our new reformed Government, that all we possesse, belongs to the State, and that when the State bath occasion to make use of it, all is at their disposall. O happy Sub­jects! what a blessed Government have you fought for! no doubt the whole Christian world will admire your Ignorance, but not follow your Example, for that were to become fooles like you, and from being Subjects free and happy under a gracious King, to make themselves Slaves to their Fellow-subjects, as you have done to M. Ash the Clothier, M. Martin the Atheist, M. Blackston the Pedler, M. Birch the Carrier, & therest of the Reve­rend rabble, of which the House of Comons is now composed. Oh you Subjects of England! if you have any sense of your own miseries entaile them not to your Posterities, but at length rouze up your selves, & shake off the servile youk you have drawn in, returne in zeal to your God & his Worship, in duty to your King and his Just Rights, in love to your Country and your Legall liberty & vindicate your selves from those aspersions which now lie heavy on you, and make the King (according to your Protestation) a great and a glorious King, your selves free from Slavery; & make the Parlia­ment know, they are but your Fellow-subjects, trusted by you, and that you will call them to an account, wherein they have ex­ceeded their Commission.

And when you dare to become so bolde, as to call the Parlia­ment to account for their past actions; aske them whether you gave them any Authority to destroy the Church, to extirpate Episcopacy, roote and branch, to abolish Common Prayer, to ex­clude[Page 25]you from the blessed Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper, to introduce a forme of Marrying and Burying into the Church, fitter for Pagans then Christians, to remove the Ten Comandements, written with the Finger of God, out of the Church, and to place instead thereof, their new-invented damned Cove­nant? After them, whether you gave them Authority to levy War against your King, and to pursue Him, and endeavour to kill Him, because He would not perjure Himself by taking that Covenant, contrary to the Oath He took at His Coronation? Whether you gave them Authority to imprison Him, &c? Aske them, whether you gave them Authority to overthrow all Lawes, according to their will and pleasure, and to usurpe to themselves, nay, to exceede Regall power, and to dispose of your Persons and Estates as they think fit? Ask them for an account of all the Mony they have raised out of your Estates? Ask them concer­ning all things that have been done amisse in the Kingdome du­ring their raigne, either by their command or tolleration; and if they cannot give you very good satisfaction in all the particulars, proceed against them as guilty of the breach of the trust you re­posed in them, and punish them according to their deserts; or if in Clemency you think fit to pardon them, at least remove them from their Rule and Government; and let not those, who have so ill behaved themselves in the discharge of their trust, be any longer employed by you, but humbly desire His Majesty to call another Parliament, and desire that you may have free leave to chuse new Members, in whose honesty you have better hopes. This may be a way to re-setle the Kingdome, and restore our Peace, else we shall all be miserable: for if these Parliament men continue to governe us, who have designed themselves Princes, and us their Slaves, what can we expect but by our own consents, to be made despicable?

It was the cunning of the Church of Rome when she intended to become Catholique, & rule over all her sister Churches, when she introduced novell superstitions which she was taxed for, and could not justifie; She still maintained her errors by the power she in­vested her self withall, which was, that what the Church declared either in doctrine or discipline, ought not to be contradicted or dispu­ted, [Page 26]for the Church of Rome was the sole interpreter of Scriptures, and where they were not able by their glosses and interpretations, to justifie and defend their Tenents, they had un-written tra­dictions, which on all occasions supported their doctrines.

Is it not so with the Parliament, I meane the House of Com­mons, for that usurpes the whole power of the Parliament, (the Lords being become no ciphers but blankes in their accounts) doe not they invest themselves with a Soveraigne power, apropriating sole dominion unto themselves, and that nothing is Law, but what they declare to be so? and if any act of theirs be questioned to be done contrary to the knowne Law, have they not an unknowne Law, one of their unwritten verities, which are as necessary and usefull as the Popish traditions, to justifie them in their erronious proceeding? have they not their Parliament priviledges, which is their Catholocon, a medicine for all diseases, a principall help at Mawe, by which they alwayes with the prize, for by vertue of this mistery of iniquity, they defend and maintaine all their ille­gall actions, and are protected from all inquiry into their procee­dings, by telling the people it is a breach of their Priviledges.

But I wish the same course were taken with the Parliament, that our Protestant Divines tooke with the Church of Rome, to enquire when those superstructures were built in the Church, so when these Priviledges were begotten in the Parliament; and then it would appear, that those priviledges were illegitimate, be­gotten by Rebellious parents, and nurs'd up in factious times, and that the Law of the Land neither ownes them, nor knowes them. Let the Parliament be required to produce some good authors, that have aunciently written concerning their fundamentall Laws, which they so often mention, and of their unbounded Priviledges, which they so often make use of: that the people may know that they are not their owne inventions, that they are not fictions and chimaer as to delude the vulgar, and to disguise the truth, and bluster out their owne iniquities: Let them shew how an Ordinance be­comes a Law, or is able to destroy the Law: Let them declare where that priviledge is that protects a Parliament man to com­mit Fellony, or Treason, and that it is a breach of priviledge to in­dict him for it. Let them produce Records that are authenticall,[Page 27]that divdes the power from the Person of the King, and incorporates that Power into the House of Commons. Let them shew in any times that the House of Commons ever disposed of the Militia of the Kingdome, usurp'd authority to make Peace or War, and to contract leagues with forraigne States, to condemne or pardon, to make Judges to dispose of the Kings Revenue, to Imprison the King Himselfe, &c. Nay was it ever heard or read of, that a Speaker of the House of Commons, an inconsiderable contempti­ble person for his birth and breeding, should arrogate to himself, and assume by the permission of that House the ensignes of Regall Authority, and usurpe the Kings Chaire and cloth of State, and give publique audience to Ambassadours? Oh unheard-of arro­gance, never to be parallel'd by precedent or future presidents, and cannot be exceeded, unlesse by that of the Devill who at­tempted to be like the highest.

Let these exorbitances suffice to put the Kingdome in minde what pressures have been put upon them, what usurpations the two Houses, (but especially the House of Commons) have injustly arrogated to themselves, and then let them consider how they are rob'd of their just rights, and into what a slavery they are inthral'd, and whether they have not slept those years past, whilst the De­vil and his instruments have sown these tares amongst their good corne, and so spoil'd the plentifull harvest, they hoped to reape by this Parliament; and that they must be compell'd to hazard to pluck up the tares, though therewith the good corne be endange­red, for the field must be clensed, to sow and prepare for a new crop, else in a short time the people of this Kingdome will be star­ved for want of Bread.

I could enlarge my selfe further on this subject, for there is no want of matter to swell this discourse into a volume, but I resol­ved not to make my Country-men more miserable, by enumera­ting too many of their miseries, or by paraphrasing on them, Rhe­torically argue them into too deep a sense of their Sufferings; it shall suffice me, if they become sensible of their present condition, and thereby endeavour a Manumission from their Slavery, that they remember what they were, what they are, and what they ought to be, and as true borne English-men, shake off their[Page 28] Fetters, with the same hands they have imposed them, depose the Tyrant Parliament, and Re-inthrone their lawfull Soveraigne, expell Rebellious Presbytery, and establish moderate and limited Episcopacy, provide for tender consciences who will conforme in obedience to Civill Magistracy, and then no doubt we shall re­turne to a setled Government, and Peace will be restored with plenty, and we shall againe be a happy and united people, as for­merly, under our gracious King, whom God preserve.