ENGLANDS MISERIE, IF NOT PREVENTED by the speedie remedie of a happie union between His MAIESTIE and this PARLIAMENT.
By His Majesties concurrance with them, to discard all false flattering Achitophel-Cavaliers, proud ambitious Prelates, and bloodsuck thirsting Church Papists, as well as profest about His Majesties sacred Person and Councels.
Written by a Well-wisher to His King and Countrey.
Together with the Copie of a Letter sent from a friend in Lancashire, to a Gentleman in Grays-Inne-Lane.
As also an Order from both Houses of Parliament to the Sheriffs of York and Lincolnshire for suppressing of Forces that disturbe the Peace of the Kingdom.
Jo. Brown, Cler. Parl.
LONDON: Printed by T. P. and M. S. in Goldsmiths Alley. August 18. 1642.
ENGLANDS MISERIE.
ENgland never lay panting as at this present by reason of His Majesties long absence from his great Counsel of this Kingdom, which is truly conceived to be the cause of all the disturbance of this Common-wealth. And these Machivillians (or rather matchlesse-villains) that professe themselves to be friends, when indeed they are fiends, pretending love, intending mischief to his Maiestie and this Kingdom; having words as soft as butter or oyl, when their greatest Amitie, is but dissembled Enmitie, with two faces under one hood, like Janus; and two hearts in a brest like Magus, Adulatores amici in obsequies, hostes in animis, compti in verbis, turpes in factis, laeti ad prospera, f [...]agil [...]s ad adversa inflati ad obsequia, anxii ad opprobria, immoderati ad Gaudia, fa [...]iles ad humana, diffi [...]il [...]s ad honesta: Their Avès are vaes to this troubled Nation, and though they speak favourably we ought not to beleeve them.
Who murthered Cesar that worthy Emperour in the Senate house at Rome? Brutus and Cassius those flatterers whom he loved most. Who poisoned that [Page 4] mightie Conquerour Alexander in the midst of his triumphs at Babylon? Those that flattered him most, his own cup-bearer and kinsman Antipater: Who betrayed Christ, God and Man, unto the Scribes and Pharisees? his own purse-bearer, that flattering Judas imbracing and kissing him as Flatterers use to do. They find it an easie way to deceive by friendship, when indeed they make themselves odious to the whole world, being in the end (by all their plots and contrivances) found ayming at our lives, shooting at our goods, and wounding our good names.
I have read that King Xerxes marching towards the Greeks with a huge Armie of Souldiers, called some of this kind of Parasites to him and demanded what was to be most feared in his Iourney.
One saith, I do fear that when the Greeks do hear of your power, they will flie and not abide your band.
Another said, he doubted all Greece was not able to lodge them, or receive them into their Cities.
A third, That he feared most that the Ocean was not enough for them to passe over.
A fourth feared the Aire had not roome enough for the Arrows which they should shoot off.
The King by this being extremly puffed up with Pride, demanded at last of a certain Philosopher, [Page 5] named Damascerus, what he doubted most in that war. The thing that I most fear (saith he is this, that these Flatterers will deceive you. So if his Maiestie will be pleased to advise with she great Counsell of this Kingdom, we shall not need to fear a Civill war in England, nor the Power of any forraigne Foe; But otherwise if the King will still hearken to these flattering Achitophels, proud Prelates and Papists, I feare they will doe this Kingdome more harme by their whisperings of (Prerogative) and (honour) in Princes eares, than any enemie forraigne or domestique can doe by their weapons.
The Citie Troy which Agamemnon in ten whole yeares could not subdue, yet Sinon with his flatterie allured the mind of King Priamus, deceived the Nobles, and inticed the Citizens by his adulation, to their utter ruine and confusion. Who could move Caesar so much to any thing as Curio the Parasite? Not Pompeius his Sonne in Law, nor his Daughter Julia, nor all the Senators of Rome might make Caesar friend or foe so much as Curio. And who have for these 16 yeares and still doe seeke the utter ruine and subversion of this Nation? But Finches, Windebanks, Lands, &c. who speaking against their Consciences, to maintaine Poperie and superstition, perswade his Majestie to remove from his [Page 4] [...] [Page 5] [...] [Page 6] Great Councell into remote places of this Kingdome for the safetie of his Person, when as his Maiestie would be more safe nere his Parliament with one man, than at Beverley with all his Cavaliers; and yet such as these are sooner beleeved than they. Alexanders followers bare their heads aside as he did, and such as flattered Dionysius in his owne presence, did run and iustle one another, and either stumble at, or overthrow what ever stood afore their feete, to inferre that they were as short-sighted and pur-blinde as he: And therefore Princes had need of other Councellours (besides those that are daily with them that would admonish them frankly, gravely, and sincerely, and that would counsell them faithfully; for as much as there is scarce any one in their Courts that do not run after the splendour of their prosperitie, and regard his owne particular profit.
And what Councell can be more fit for Princes to harken too, than the great Councell of the Kingdome? What Councell so free from flattery, bribery, ayming at their owne ends as they? Who durst have told his Majestie of the illegalitie of Ship-money, of the severall grievances of Courts, of Starrechamber, High Commission, Court of Honour? Who durst have questioned the Delinquents that were corrupt Iudges in these severall Courts? Who [Page 7] durst have spoke for the iust Libertie of the Subiect, but he should have beene called in question for speaking against his Maiesties Prerogative in Star-Chamber any time these sixteene yeares? And who stand or ever stood more for his Maiesties iust Prerogative, honour, and safetie, than they have done? Certainly, no age can parallell their care, paines, and dangers, they have and doe undergoe for the safetie of King and Kingdome.
It then behoves the Gentry and Commons of this Kingdome to maintaine this Parliament against all opposers, and couragiously, if they (for the good of King and Kingdome command) hazard their dearest lives, to arrest these flattering Councellours, and bring them from the presence of the King, that his Throne may be established in Righteousnesse.
VVE are very much perplexed in our Countrey with divers fears and jealousies; fain would many of the Gentrie and most of the Commons obey the Parliaments Ordinance of the Militia, but the Lord Strange doth so thunder amongst us with his Commissions of Array, and out Papists grow so cunning, that most of them come to Church and take the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacie; That we are all at a stand, we are very fearfull of Irish Commanders [Page 8] to be landed at Farmby this next week to ioyn with these Church Papists I am sure for no good; But to promote the faction about his Majestie: whereof, if his Majestie were truly informed, I beleeve that he would admit no such persons about him, There was a strange Monster taken neer Toxteth-Parke by Miles Mather and his man, about the bignesse of a child of foure yeers old, and like a child in shape from the head to the navell of the belly, but very hairie, his thighes, legs and feer were like brasse as far as he could conceive: which the said Mather taking into his armes, thinking it had been alive, and left upon the Seashore by some poore Traveller out of Ireland, covered it with his cloak, thinking to have carried it to Liverpoole, and as soon as it received the least heat it wept and vanished away to his great amazement and wonder. Since which time the said Mather hath been frantique, and is now in cure at Orms kirke under Doctor Shaw. This is all the news and wonders we have for the present with us, God turn all to the best. Sir I am
ORdered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament that the Sheriffes of the County of York and Lincolne, and likewise the Lords Lieutenants of the said Counties, and in their absence, their Deputies allowed by Parliament, and the Justices of Peace, and all other his Majesties Officers shall suppresse all forces that shall be raised, or gathered together in those Counties, either to force the Town of Hall, to stop the passages to, and from the same; or in any other way to disturbe the peace of the Kingdom.