The Publisher of these Letters, bespeaketh the Reader, and greets him in these words.
VNderstand, Good Reader, That these Letters were caughtup by the way betwixt Calize in Spaine, and Bristoll in England: then sent unto me by a pretious and honourable Friend, a MinisterM. Will. Addert [...]y. in the Ship, wherein he has a Captaine like himselfe, one, I hope, that feares GOD above many Captaine Rob. Moulion.. I received these with this injunction, To make them publique and as usefull as I could. By Gods helpe I will endeavour it; Because God commands it so, To learne wisedome from the unjust; and in imitation of my pretious Friend, whom God hath taught this Art, To turne poyson into an Antidote. It is easily learnt, when God will reach it; and very Nature shall helpe us here, for the greatest Balsomes doe lye enveloped in the Bodyes of powerfull Corrisives: And poysons, as a great Physitian sayes, containe within themselves their own Antidote. In the head of a Toad, some tell us, is a pretious stone: but who found it there, I cannot tell. This I can tell, That it is our wisedome, and it should be our worke, To gain instruction from every thing. Now Reader, this must be the worke at this time; whereunto I will be as helpefull unto thee as I can, That thou maist informe thy judgement, and understanding from these Letters, touching grave and weighty questions; and be able to give short but cleare resolutions thereunto. Then thou shall see what use to make of all this in the close.
For the informing of thy judgement, this is the first question, Concerning the Church of Rome or of Spaine (both are one and the same.) 1 Q. What Church is it? A. A malignant Church; wasting and destruction are in their paths: the wayes of peace they have not knowne.
2 Q. What her sons and daughters are? A. As their Mother alwayes hath been, and now is (but now more enraged then ever, like a she-beare robbed of her whespes) mad upon their idols evermore, and now mad with rage, and drunke with the bloud of Gods faithfull ones.
3 Q. How doe their hands, and heads, and hearts stand bent now? A. To destroy a Mother Church in England; nay, all over the world.
4 Q. What is their Religion? A. More brutish then the Pagans is now adayes; They have many petty-gods, but I doe not know, That they have one Goddesse among them all.
5 Q. Who is the father of their Religion? A. The Pope.
6 Q. Who their God-father? A The stocke, when they have lavished gold upon it; he undertakes for them sure as their surety, for to it they bow, we see; and aske blessing, I thinke.
7 Qu. Whom doe they conceive is the hearer of Prayers; and giver of all Blessings? A. Queen Mary, the Queen of Heaven.
8 Q. What is the scope of their devout Prayers? A. It is double, from a double eye, and a cloven heart:
- 1. That they may rise at Court, grow rich, great and high in the world.
- 2. And, that their Countrey may fall into ruines: And Gods Servants all into their owne bloud, and wallow therein: so they pray.
9 Q. By what meanes will they compasse all this? A. By the mediation of the Queen of the earth; and by the sole intercession of the Queen of Heaven; into whose hands the matter is referred; for the transacts all their affaires in Heaven and earth.
10 Q. What way doe they take for the effecting of all this? A. The old path, the path of the Destroyer, wherein they have stood these 1000. yeares up to the knees in bloud; where you must note all along, That they make lies their refuge too; under falshood they will hide themselves, horrible lies they will tell for advantage, so to promote their suit with the Queen on earth, and Queen in heaven.
11 Q. Who are the most bloudy and implacable enemies to our Church and Kingdome? A. They that were friends once, and are Apostates now; who had the forme of Godlinesse only, and cared for no more; These are the most implacable adversaries against God and good men, as it is at this day; where we should note, That the most horrible impieties, iniquities, outrages, all these will stand with the forme of Godlinesse, as is most legible, 2 Tim. 3. from the first verse to the 6.
12 Q. What counsell give they to their Prince? A The very same which Athaliab gave to her son Abaziah; To doe wickedly, so to hasten the destruction of his owne house, and of his Kingdome, whereby it appeares, That their Lord and master has the worst servants of any lord in the world, for their work is, To make themselves miserable, and their Lord, as he was, whom Seracides cals the foolishnesse or shame of the people. Eccles. 47.23.
13 Q. What subjects are they? A. The Devill hath no better in the world, no more right-handed men; or, to speake in two words, as he doth, KINGS-MEN, saith he, DIVELS-MEN, say I, for they will spend their bloud for their King, so be he will hath his sword in Heaven (The true Church) make it drunke with the bloud of Gods pretious ones. Now, Reader, proceed to the Letters, and hear what the man saith, when thou hast so done, thou shalt thereby see, That the Questions and Answers before cited, are all the result from the Letters, and having observed that, thou shalt heare more from me.
MY last unto you was about a moneth past by a Bristow ship under covert of me to Colonell Collon, which I hope is come in sa [...]ety to your hands, wherein I advised you of the receit of three from you, and one from my brother Henry. I could not then procure, &c. I sent it (meaning his Tobacco) to Colonell Co [...]n, desiriar, him to send unto Oxford by the first safe conveyance. The joy I received by yours to beare of his Majesties prosperous and victorious proceedings, was not greater then the sorrow and griefe received since (although I doe not beleeve [Page 4]one word that they say, being all or the most part of our nation that live here most damnable traitors and rebels) they have reported that the Scots have taken New-castle, and Yorke, and are masters of the North; that my Lord of New-castle is retired to Oxford, that Sr William Waller hath given my Lord Hopton a great overthrow, and beat him into Salisbury; and that this Summer they will pluck the Crowne from his Majesties browes, which God defend. I admire that his Majestie doth not prevaile with the King of Spaine, to seise upon all these accursed Rebels estates and ships. He undertake that if the King of England could procure so much favour of his brother the King of Spaine this next vintage (for that is the best time to seize upon all such ships and estates as doe belong to any Rebels,) he might thereby furnish himselfe with a brave fleet, and mony to set it out. I would I were in Commission against them, first to shew my zeale and great desire to serve my Sovereigne, and secondly, to chastise such base ill-borne villaines that dare open their mouthes, and much more take up armes against their naturall King, and so good and vertuous a Prince, and that hath so many yeares protected them in such great prosperity, but this is my passion and folly to give counsell to them that are able to give it to the whole Ʋniverse, & since it hath been my ill fortune not to serve him with my bloud, I have & still shal assist him with my prayers.
I advised you in my last Letters of the small hopes of gaine, and the great adventure and perill of the trade to Bristow in wines, I have a far better trade here to the Indies, and hope thereby to raise my selfe to an estate; I wrot you likewise in my last giving you light of a way to raise me to great preferment and honour in this Countrey, which I trust, if you received my Letter, you have put in execution. I hope there will be no delay in a businesse of so great importance, and where there will be no other expence, but of time and solicitude. The businesse is this, That you and my brother Henry use all diligence by friends and favour [and lying] to procure from the Queene of England a Letter of favour to her sister the Queene of Spaine in this manner. That Don Briano I:anson the bearer of this, is son to a noble Gentleman, and servant of hers, who by reason of the great persecutions in England of the Romane Catholiques [an horrible untruth] travailed into Spaine, and there married a Gentlewoman naturall in Cadiz. And that all his parents and kindred have, and still doe preserve themselves in the Catholique faith: [An horrible lie, and more horrible it is, because he belies the dead, his owne deare Mother in the grave; he knowes, and all that knew her, That she detested Popery, and died a faithfull servant of the Lord Jesus Christ: And for his Father, and Brother, they were Protestants too (at large) and so they would be accounted still. They never turned themselves to the Church of Rome; till the King turned his hand and sword there, against the Church of England. And for his Uncle M. John J:anson, his Fathers eldest Brother, he abhorreth Poperie, and detesteth his brothers and Nephewes wayes. And therefore the younger Brother, the Knight, hath begged the lands of his eldest Brother the Gentleman, as I am informed, And the King hath given all his Right to him against law. But M. John J:anson, holdeth his Right still by the Tenour of the law, and that is a strong hold. But this is enough to informe all, that will be informed, The manner of Papists, they will blaspheme their dearest friends for advantage; and to promote their Catholique Faith;] In conclusion, desire the Queen her sister to favour me as a servant of hers, and that I being [Page 5]a younger brother have but small meanes, and in that regard desire ber Majestie of Spaine first to honour me with a habit without any costs or charges (which are great) and secondly to bestow some office upon me, whereby to maintaine my selfe, and I make no question but by this meanes to raise my selfe to good preferment. Let the Letter be sent directly to me ly some good ship, and if you can conveniently procure a Letter from my Lord Hopton, to his brother my Lord Embassadour in MadridObserve: we have an Hopton in Spaine soliciting the cause there, as well as an Hopton in England fighting here; True Spanish both. to favour and assist me to his power upon any occasion, it would not doe amisse: but the chiefe matter is Her Majesties Letter, which being penn'd in the manner that I have advised will questionlesse stand me in great stead. I hope that my former Letter came to your hands, and that you have put in action this my desire, and that with all brevitie I shall heare from you as also of the health of all my brothers and Sisters, for whom with your selfe, my prayers shall never be wanting. So at present I commit you to God; and rest
I Wrote to you by the way of Bristow about a moneth past, which I trust you have received, because it doth very much import mee, which if you received, I make no question but you have with my Father put in action the procuring of the Queenes Letters of favour in my behalfe to the Queene of Spaine her sister, that thereby I may raise our Name in this Country to honour and meanes: for unlesse I may freely enjoy the Roman Catholique Religion without any danger of my person or estate, there is no reason I should leave a place where I enjoy liberty of conscience and live in very good esteeme. But I make no question, but after the King hath subdued his rebels, be will at least give freedome of conscience to the Roman Catholiques that maintaine the Religion of all our Ancestors, as well as he doth and hath done to so many sorts and Sects as are this day in England, brought up and invented by particular moderne and light-pated Apostates: But I trust in God that these warres will redound to his honour, and to theObserve with all observation what the Papists now so furiously drive after, The Setling, &c. I had enlarged upon their Trust, and set the Churches Trust against it, but there was no place for it. setting once againe of the true Catholique and Apostolique faith in that blessed Country, that deserved (for the great devotion of the inhabitants once to the Mother of God) the name of the Dowry of the blessed Virgin, Queene of Angels; and I trust in God to be an eye witnesse of so great a blessing, and to lay my bones in my native Country; however and in the meane time it is very convenient to procure honour and preferment in this CountryHe would lay downe his body here, but he would be raised in Spaine first. You well observe who rules the Scepter in Spaine., which I find no other way of possibility, but this that I have formerly advised my Father and your selfe, and now againe doe desire, which is the procuring of her Majesties Letters of favour to her sister the Queene of Spaine, WHO GOVERNS [...]ERE MORE THEN THE KING. Let the Letter be to this effect, but better indited; Don Briano I:anson the bearer hereof, is the son of a noble Gentleman and servant of her Majesties; who by reason of the persecution of the Roman Catholiques in England, and being a younger brother, with small hopes of any estate, travelled into Spaine, where he married a Gentlewoman naturall of Cadiz; and that all my Parents, Kindred and Allies, have and still doe continue firme Roman Catholiques, [Page 6]and that they have suffered much in their temporall estates only for the maintenance of the Catholique faith: This point I pray let it be amply set downe, for it will much import me in my pretencesObserve how be would have his lie enlarged and insisted upon for advantage., and that in this regard her Catholike Majesty (for that is her Title) will be pleased for her Majesties of Great Brittaines sake, to take notice of me and honour me with an habit of Calatrana or Alcantra, without costs and charges (which are great, and my ability weake,) and that her Majesty would bestow upon me some Office, either in Court or elsewhere, assuring her Majesty that I shall alwayes a [...]complish my obligation, for the which her Majesty of England doth pause her royall word; send the Letter with all possible security to my hands in Cadiz, and from hence I will goe to Madrid, and I commit the successe of this, and also of all other matters touching me or mine, to the advocation of the blessed Virgin Mary, Queene of Angels and mother of God, of whomWhen you have read this then reade 2 Thes. 2.11, 12. I am confident she will desire the good successe of these my endeavours, if these may redound to the honour of God and salvation of my soule, and to whose blessed advocation I doe likewise [...]y commend my Father, your selfe, and all the rest of my brothers, and sisters, and friends, and the whole Kingdome in generall, beseeching her Majesty that as she is the FOƲNTAINE of GRACE, as we are assured by the salutation of the Angell, Ave Maria gr [...]t [...]a plena, dominus [...]ecu [...], benedicta tu in mulie [...]us, & benedictus tructus ventris tui Jesus; so she will be pleased to communicate to me and all my kindred in particular, part of that grace, that thereby we may attaine to glory. Good Brother forget not to write to me by all conveyances, advising me of the happy proceedings of the King, for I must confesse I would not willingly so much as heare any thing to the contrary, although it be false; and pray use your friends and endeavours for the procuring of this Letter, for I trust thereby to be raised, Mr Richard Archdale goeth now in this Fleete for London, and from thence he saith be will goe for Oxford, he is a true KINGS-MAN, and there are but very few in these parts, I would I had the tampering of them.
I have nothing else at present to advice you, only desire you to be perswaded, that there is nothing in this world more deare to me then the remembrance of you my dearest brother; whom I pray God prosper in all your proceedings, and let me have the happinesse to see you
The Publisher to the Reader.
NOw, Reader, I beleeve thou art perswaded, that this man hath sent over his heart unto us; for which we have little cause to thanke him, because it was quite from the purpose of his heart so to doe, that we should understand his affections towards us. But a Gratious Providence hath so disposed it, that we doe understand his mind perfectly, and can raise all these questions forecited from his Text, and give Resolution from thence thereunto; All which his own hand hath made legible. But thou mayest make some question here, whether, knowing the heart of this man, how it stands bent, thou mayest make judgement, what is the mind of all the Papists in the world, in relation to [Page 7]GOD, the LORD CHRIST, and the rights of his Kingdome? Whereunto I answer from the clearest grounds (which I have neither time nor place to set downe,) That, looke what way this man bends his tongue, his heart and his head, all the Papists in the world, at this day, stand, like a bowe, so bent; As face in water answers face, so doth the heart of one Papist answer another, They are all for the raising themselves in the world; And for the casting of the Church of God, and their rights and priviledges out of the world. All these bloudy characters are stampt: All these lines are drawne in the hearts of all the Papists in the world; from that Center they put forth into the Circumference of the whole Universe. There is the Answer for that. Now make some use of thy knowledge. Learne 1. Who is the fountaine of Grace in the Papists account? The Virgin Mary they say. An horrible blasphemy. She is but a vessel filled brim-full from that fountaine, the Lord Christ her Saviour. Therefore though this Papist has put up a prayer for his Country, regard it not, no more then his curse; nor th' one nor th' other can doe any hurt, it is not in the hand of a mediatour. Be assured now, that their prayer is a curse to themselves: and their curse is a blessing to us and our Land. 2. Thou hast learnt, That the Lord Christ, blessed for ever, is the fountaine of grace; From Him is every good and perfect gift: Therefore renounce gifts, graces, duties, all; and let thy soule run-out all to that fountaine the Lord Christ, Him alone, and none with Him. 3. Thank God, that thou hadst thy birth and breeding in a Land o'visions. A mercy! Thou must thanke God for it; but it is no singular mercy: For the Scribe, who wrote these letters, was borne in the same Land, and had his breeding there in this very City; Yet he is what he is, and what he is thou understandest by his letters; Be thou thankfull for the place of thy habitation, and that thou art not, as he is. 4. Labour after the power of godlinesse, drink in the Principles of GODS Truth; Let them sinke down into thine heart; they shine with their own light; pray to GOD to shine upon thine heart; to give thee an eye wherwith to see; and an care, wherwith to heare; both these are from the Lord. This man had Principles too (upon my knowledge) at his tongues end; they did not sinke down: So had his brother; his Father also; these were well principled; they had the forme of godlinesse, that they had; I know it, no man better: And for the first, the second brother the Scribe, he went into Spaine because of persecution, saith he; an abominable lye say I; but after the manner; This is a truth, that thither he went; and there sold his Birth-right, (I meane the true Religion, the Crown, and diadem of a person and people) this he sold for a wise, he thought good of the price, and they gave him the price; like to that, which is meant, by Thirty pieces of silver. Zech. 11. And the Lord of glory tooke it so ill now, as once he did, because He is dealt with so unworthily, so ingloriously, that he commanded now as once he did, cast it to the potter; let him make earthen gods of it: And so God hath left him to his own hardnesse. It is so with the Father the Knight, and his eldest son the Doctor: They went for true Protestants, and held on their profession, untill they went to the King, to serve him▪ And now, if we may beleeve the Letter, they are as the younger brother is, who hath the Pope for his Father, his Church for his Mother; The stock on earth, and the Queen of Heaven, for his Godfather, and Godmother, these must undertake for him; therefore he asketh the stock blessing, worshipping it: and he expects all good from the Queene of Heaven, [Page 8]she is his God-mother sure. Therefore fifthly, Aske thy soule this question, What love hast thou to the Truth? A weake, faint, waterish love, God knowes: Looke to it, to strengthen it, else it will never carry thee-up to the work of Christ, nor can it keepe thy heart close to it, so as to fulfill all His wils Acts 13.38. [...].. This is an hot service thou art engaged upon now, it will put thee to cost: but if thy love be not strong, as strong as death, (and that overcommeth all) thou wilt never be at cost about it. That thou mayest not faint in thy mind, Looke to that Affection, it is the great Centurion, the commander in the soule; Aske thy soule inrice over, Doest thou love Christ? And cease not, till thou canst in uprightness▪ of neart, appeale unto Him as Peter did; LORD Thou knowest that I love Thee: Then certaine it is, nothing will be too hard to doe; nothing too much to suffer for Him; but if this be wanting, all is wanting. I knew the [...]ne when the fore-mentioned, made profession that they loved Christ; they did not; they hated Him; for remisse love is called hatred, and as it is called, so it is, and accounted: And now it is so with them; the wages of iniquity was tendered to their eye; they embraced it, and have blundered-on as Balaam did, against the drawne sword, And so reade the judgement; they a [...]e delivered up to beleeve lies, and to a sense reprobate; Let the Word of GOD, and then the love of God, dwell richly in you, Amen.
In the last place, that it may be first and last remembred, I will put to thee and my own soule, these two questions, and let us labour to put both out of question.
1. Doe I put forth my selfe? does my soule run-out in as earnest desire and pursuit, to rise in Gods favour, as the men of the world doe, to rise in the favour of the world? O let us labour to put this out of question; And to help our consideration, and that we may doe as afore-said, let us compare favour with favour; preferment with preferment; the favour of a man, with the favour of a God; preferment in the Court of Kings, with that in Heaven, to be there, as the Lord Christ is, in glory: And let us remember with-all, or else all is nothing,2 Cor 59. [...]. that the favour of God, (that is) to be accepted of Him, is the greatest preferment; But it must be laboured for with the same labour of love, as men have had, who have laboured after a Bishoprick; or if you will, a Crowne of gold. [...], Clem. Al. Stro. 1.7. p. [...]00. A Crowne of Glory must be so laboured after: The Kingdome of God also suffers violence, and the violent take it by force; let us put this out of question.
2. Doe I put forth my selfe? am I as active for GOD, for CHRIST and His cause, as are the enemies of all Righteousnesse, active for Anti-christ, the promoting his cause? If we are but as active, it sufficeth; And then our hands, heads, hearts will be all a work for God: only this we must not doe, not lie for God, not doe wickedly for God; we must doe as they doe, with the same activity of spirit, for CHRIST, as they for Anti-christ. We are for God, we must work as God doth, in our measure, holily, righteously, there is no unrighteousnesse in Him. Worke so, and worke on; Let head worke, and tongue worke, and hand worke, heart, soule and spirit worke, it is for our Master in Heaven, and His Cause, a good Master and as good a Cause, He will plentifully reward the work is done for Him, seven fold into our bosome. Therefore my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, alwayes abounding in the works of the Lord, forasmuch as you know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord.