BEing that your foure notorious Victo­ries over the Cavaliers (that at Wor­cester, that at Keinton, that at Brainford, and that lately at Malborough) have now as you promised, taught the pre­sent Age, and will hereafter teach the succeeding, what it is to runne into so heinous crimes; And whereas things stand now so, that you need not any longer hire M^r Booker to calculate Path-waies on your side; These your great Conquests (which will ter­rifie Historians from writing them) and these your glorious. Felicities (which are even burthensome to your selves) having given you leasure to hearken to the sighs and groanes of the people, to whom you promised a Through reformation: That you may in some part satisfie their expectations, the time of good tidings (which the Kings men commonly call Christmas) being now at hand, I have thought fit to present unto you these few ensuing Conside­rations, which upon mature advice I presume you will find to be of much weight with your selves, and of much concernment to the Commonwealth.

1. That the time of gaming being now come in, you would be pleased to take into your serious con­sideration [Page 3]that scandalous-Packe of Cards, which hath, upon the Coates, names unfit for Regenerate eares; as Hercules, Alexander, Julius Caesar, and Hector of Troy, and such like; and that you would change them into Old Testament Names, as the Kings to be David, Josiah, Solomon, Hezekiah: the Queenes, Sarah, Rachel, Hester, Susanna: and the Knaves lastly, Balaac, Achitophel, Tobit, and Bel. It is not without ground conceived, that the Israel of God would be well pleased now and then to recre­ate themselves at New-Cutt, and some such other games, if they had Kings and Queenes of the Cir­cumcision, and Knaves of the Covenant. Or if some men out of an holy dislike to Antiquity, should desire to have Moderne Kings and Queenes, and Knaves; that upon the foure Kings you would put the Names of any foure of the five Members, and upon the foure Queenes any foure women be­longing to them, and upon the foure Knaves, Cala­my, Marshall, Downing, and Burges. For as your selves have served us in making men take up Arms against the King, and these Ministers have served you in absolving them that were Captives, of that Oath which the King gave them, not to beare Armes against Him; so both of you deserve to have your memories kept fresh in Statues: and how that may be done more conveniently then this way. I see not.

2. That seeing you have a very usefull gift, and a great Talent in Multiplying things to the advan­tage of the Common cause, and that many eyes see more then few, and so may do more good to the [Page 4]Common-wealth, you would be pleased to consi­der, if it were not worth the labour to employ some skilfull men in the making of two sorts of Dice. Confiding Dice, and Malignant Dice; the Confiding to be ey'd with Caters, Cinques, and Sices: and the Malignant with nothing but Aces, Deuxes, and Treys; the which Dice are to be so ordered, that the Confiding may be sold to the Confiding, and the Malignant to the Malignant; that so wee may make a lawfull and holy game for you. But provided, that for feare wee be suspected of false play, it be ordred that these Dice be thrown out of Parliament Boxes.

3. That during all this good tide, there be no Hazard allowed, but with an eye upon the Com­mon-wealth: and that instead of the Night that is usually destin'd to the profit of the Butler, there be a Night destin'd to the two Houses of Parlia­ment, and that the Burgesses of every towne (who through the thinnesse of affaires may convenient­ly now be dispensed with) goe downe into their se­verall Countries to looke to the Boxes; who for ministring to the Common-wealth in such a ser­vice, shall have a considerable allowance out of the gaines. This I conceive (next to the shewing of the Monstrous Lord with the five Members, in Faires and Markets) will most conduce to the swelling of the Publique Burse: and it is very fit that you, that have undergone the burthen of affaires, should have a share out of all the Losses of the Kingdome.

4. That there be no Masquing, Mumming, Blind-man-buffe, Leading Hoodwink'd, or such like Gambolls, during the Twelve dayes. Acted or performed in any place, but in either, or both houses, or some of the Courts where the Com­mittees sit, or lastly (which is accounted the farre fittest place) in some of the City Halls, where there hath beene a conference betweene the Mem­bers, and the Aldermen: It being a great usurpa­tion upon the priviledges of this Parliament, that any one (without your leaves) should lye hid in any dresse or disguise, so as to see all the rest, and not be seene himselfe of them.

5. That being your sage Counsels have thought fit to vote downe Stage-Players roote and branch, but many even of the well-affected to that Refor­mation have found, and hope hereafter to find, Play-houses most convenient, and happy places of meeting: and that now in this Bag-pipe Min­stralsie weeke (I meane, this red packe of leasure dayes that is comming) there must be some Enter­ludes whether you will or no: You would be plea­sed to declare your selves, that you never meant to take away the calling of Stage-playes, but reforme the abuse of it; that is, that they bring no prophane [...], but take them out of the Scripture all (as that of Joseph and his brethren would make the Ladies weepe: that of David and his Troubles would do pretty well for this present: and doubtlesse Sulanna and the two Elders would be a Scene that would take above any that was ever yet presented) It [Page 6]would not be amisse too, if instead of the Musicke that playes betweene Acts, there were onely a Psalme sung for distinction sake. This might be easily brought to passe, if either the Court Play-writers be commanded to read the Scripture, or the City-Scripture-Readers be commanded to write Playes. This as it would much advantage our Part, so it would much disadvantage the King's: for as by it wee should gaine a new place of Edify­ing, so Captaine Trig, and the rest of the Players which are now in service, would doubtlessely re­turne to their callings, and much lessen the Kings Army.

6. That instead of Carols, which Farmers sonnes, and servants sing on Christs Birth-day before they may eate or drinke, you take order, that by some of your best City-Poets (who will write certainly to their capacity) there be some songs made of the great deeds that his Excellencie did at Worcester, and Edge-hill, in which 'twould do admirably well, if there were inserted a mention of that honorary summe of five thousand pounds which you presen­ted him with after his Triumph through Kings­street; that so, if Posterity should chance to questi­on (as all certainties, you know, may be more then questioned) whether he got the victory or no, they may be compell'd to this Dilemma, either to ac­knowledge His Noblenesse that would receive so little for conquering, or your Liberality that would give him so much for being beaten.

7. Being Nativity-Pies must be eaten with [Page 7]Spoones, and at the good time the good old people bring out Plate older then themselves, among which there are most commonly the Twelve Apo­stles, that is, a dozen of Sainted spoones, so that their very instruments of eating are so many Idols, it is more then wish't you would take away those Apostles, as being now scandalous superflui­ties: and that your owne heads (as you can best a­gree among your selves) were fixt upon them: which next to that I mention'd of the Cards, would be a pretty kind of Statue to keepe up your glories.

8. Being your Papers (which a while very hand­somely thrust out Epistles and Gospels in many places) are not now read in Churches, and that they begin not to be prevalent, but with the igno­rant of your owne party, and some few of the Kings servants, which are payd by you, as well as by Him, and therefore may be called Double-Pentioners: That (it being now a time when much fruit and spice is to be vented) you would send all your Declarations, Messages, Answers, Replyes, and such like weekly productions, to the Grocers, with a command, that they make up their fruits, and spaces in no other paper but them, which Art will disperse them, not into every shire, but into every house; so that no necessary businesse, that requires paper, would be done without them.

9. And lastly, That as the Revenewes of Bi­shops, and Cathedrals, and many Lay-Land-Lords are already set apart for publique disposall, so you would opportunely advise of a way to sequester all [Page 8]New-yeares-guifts (as Capons, Turkies, Hennes, Geese, and such things as will live) for the use of the King and Parliament, and command them to be immediately after the Day brought up to London, and withall, that for their better safety, your owne High Sheriffes (which wee heare you are now pric­king) may raise a posse Comitatûs to conduct them in Droves from Shire to Shire. This I conceive will relish well with the ordinary sort of Citizens, who begin already to be nice Stomack'd, and shortly will be able to get downe nothing but what falls from Heaven.

These grand Considerations I thought fit to present to you, because you have now carry­ed up things to that height, that the people ex­pect nothing little from you. They are but few in number, but your wisedome is great, and it is easie to adde to another mans Invention.

And thus I have discharged my duty to you, without which I should not have thought I had closed the Yeare as a Subject, and a true Mem­ber of the Common-wealth.