THe harmlesse spirit and the merry, commonly knowne to the world by the name of Robin Good-fellow, having told his Fairy mistresse of fleering upon strangers Elves, and the tickling of her nose with her petulant finger, and receaving but frownes for his favours and checks for his coun­sailes he grew weary of her service, and being as light of love as he was of care he resolved to visit her no more. The troubles and commotions in the upper world had wrought his thoughts another way, and in a serious humour one night he resolved to goe abroad, to observe the new courses and alterations of the world.

The first place he came at was Windsor, where he found a good part of the Army newly come from Redding, he heard them talke as confi­dent of victory as if they had killed the Cavaliers already, he much ad­mired the understanding and resolution of their Generall, and da­ring not stay there any longer for feare he should be taken for a Malig­nant and be whipt, he made a swift dispatch for Oxford, yet not farre from Windsor he met at the townes end many Sentinells and incounte­red some Courts of Guard, though they were men of warre he heard them much to desire peace, and freezing in the cold, Robin could not chuse but laugh, to heare them comfort one another by boasting in what hot service they had been.

When he came to Oxford, the first place he ventured into was St. Maries Church, where indeed he found a Convocation of many reve­rend heads, some whereof had lately departed from London for their consciences sake, and esteemed the freedome of their minds of a greater [Page]consequence then their Revenues: they much lamented the iniquity of the times, and wisht indeed (if they could be found) that abler and more learned men might supply their deserted places. Robbin wondred at the gravity of the men, who with great wisdome and moderation were dis­coursing amongst themselves from whence the first cause of these di­stempers did arise, and some imputing it to this, and some to that, Rob­bin departing from them three times, sneezed out aloud, Bishop, Bi­shop, Bishop.

From thence he came to Christchurch where he found a pack of cunning heads assembled together, these were men of another temper, and indeed they were the ottachousticons of the Kings, Who whispered into his sacred eares all the ill counsells that they had contrived, Those were they that possessed him with impossible things, and induced him to believe them. They would tell him of great battels which were ne­ver fought, wherein he had the victory, and some conquests were told him to be atchieved by the Parliament wherein he received no losse at all. A band or two of men, have passed for a whole Army, and a Liter on the Thames for a whole fleet at Sea. Robbin much wondred that they being so neare unto him the influence of so Sacred a Majesty could work no better impession in their soules; and drawing neare unto the bed chamber he found His Majesty though in these distracted times yet full of native constancy, and tranquillity of mind, and secured better by his innocence then his Guard. With much Joy and Renowne he departed thence, and observing as he went (for it was past midnight) many a loose wench, in the armes of many of the Cavaliers, he gave every wench as he passed by a blue and secret nip on the arm without awake­ning her. He heard amongst the Sentinells, as he was departing from Oxford of a great victory obtained by one Sir Ralph Hopton against a part of the Parliaments forces, wherein the Earle of Stamfords regi­ments were said to be quite routed, many of his Souldiers slaine, many taken prisoners and great store of Armes, and Ammunition with them, amongst which a great brasse piece on which the Crown and the Rose were stampt, was most remarkable. Robbin had a great desire to go thi­ther [Page]himself, and to justifie the truth of so absolute a Victory. He had not gone as farre as Eusham, but he espied the nine Muses in a Vinten ers Porch crouching close together, and defending themselves as well as they could from the cold visitation of the Winters night. They were extream poore, and (which is most strange) in so short an absence and di­stance from Oxford they were grown extreamly ignorant, for they took him for their Apollo, and craved his Power and Protection to support them. Robbin told them they were much mistaken in him, for though he was not mortal he was but of middle birth no more then hey, they be­ing the daughters of Memorie, & he the son of Mirth, but he bade them take comfort for that now in Oxford there was sure news of Peace and a speedy hope of their return to their discontinued habitations: at this they seemed with much Joy to rouse up themselves, and did assure him that if what he reported did prove true, they would sing his praises throughout all generations. The Elf proud of such a favour in the name of Oberon did thank them, and did conjure them to perform it, and in the twinkling of an eye he conveyed himself to Salt-Ash in Cornwall, where Sir R. Hoptons forces were quartred. He found the defeat given to the Earle of Stamford nothing so great as Fame in Oxford confirmed it to be. Collonell Ruthens regiment indeed was sorely shaken, and some of his men slain, and many taken prisones. With a curious eye he ob­served what Arms and Ammunition were taken, and above all he had a labouring desire to see the brasse piece with the Crowne and the Rose on it, which so much dignified his conquest: he searched up and down the Army, and in and about the Magazine but he could not find it. At length despairing of what he looked for, the venterous Elfe came into Sir Ralphs chamber, and finding him asleepe, and safe as Wine and In­nocence, he dived into his pocket, and the first thing he took out, hee found to beare the impression of the Rose and Crowne, and it was a brave piece indeed, for it was a farthing token which was all peradven­ture that was in it. Robbin ashamed to see himself so deluded could not at the first but smile at the conceit, and putting it into its Magazine re­penting himself of his journey, he did swear that he would never trust [Page]Fame, nor Pamphlet more, though printed in a thousand Universities.

From thence with much indignation, and more speed he flung away, and in a moment placed himselfe at Bristoll, where he found the face of things just like the aire of an April morning, it smiled and it rained both at once, some were greedy of peace, and some againe were as ea­ger of war; here some stood for the King, there others for the Parlia­ment, the greater number was for the one side, but the better for the other. The husband was divided against the wife, the sister against the brother, and the son lifting forbidden hands against the father. Robin beholding so strange a division amongst people so neer in blood, wished himselfe againe in Fairy Land; for said he, we have no such dinne, no such tumults, nor unnaturall quarrels, but all silence and oblivion and a perpetuall peace. And quickly abandoning the place, he in an instant came into Glocestershire, to a Towne called Tedbury, where the more to increase his misery he met with the spirit of faction and distempered zeale. This was the spirit that was accustomed to make a great hubbub in the Churches to teare off the Surplice from the Ministers shoulders, and when the children were to be signed with the signe of the Crosse (like a Divell dispossessed) to teare himselfe for fury, and with great noyse and foaming to runne out of the Temple. This spirit would faine have perswaded Robin to turne Roundhead, and told him that they were the best sort of Christians: I, replyed Robin, that is even as true as God is in Glocestershire. As he was proceeding in his discourse, he was inter­cepted by a great noyse and tumult of people, who cried out, flye, flye, flye. Amazed at the suddennesse of the cry, and the multitudes of the people that came thronging by; he looked about him to understand what the businesse was, he found it a company of people, whom flying from Cirencester, the ignorant fury of the sword had spared. Prince Rupert had newly entred the Towne, and having thrice summoned it, and they refusing to yeeld it into his hands, he seized on it by violence, and on his first entrance he burned a great part of the Towne, the shot from the windowes by the Muskets of the Towne did wonderfully an­noy his men, and he found no better meanes to prevent that mischiefe, [Page]but by setting fire on the houses, there was a great overthrow, and Colonell Carre, and Colonell Massey, two chiefe Commanders for the Parliament, were either slaine, or desperately wounded. Robin found this Prince to be a Gentleman of himselfe of a civill and serious dispo­sition, a man few in words, and very little beholding to Fame for the many strange reports he had delivered of him; affrighted at the thun­der of his Armes, Robin dispatched himselfe from him with as much speed as the bullets flew from the mouth of his angry Canons, and on the first summons of the Cocke hee came to Newarke, where either through feare of some new designe upon them, or through some great cold they had taken, he found every man of the Earle of Newcastles garrison souldiers to be ficke of a Palsey: loath to continue amongst those crasie people, with an invitive dispatch hee came to Pontefract, where he found the Earle of Newcastle with the greatest part of his Ar­mie gone towards Yorke, not so much through feare as it was suggested, but for complement rather, and to entertaine the Queene of England, who was expected to be either at Newcastle, or at Yorke. He found the Army of the Recusants, though in many combats shaken and scattered, yet not to receive so great an overthrow as many tongues too credu­lously have voiced it.

Neither did he find in York Masse to be said in every Church, it being crosse to the method of the close and subtill generation of the Papists to make a publick profession of their Religion before they had fully perfected their intentions and by the strength of Authority made both the ends of their designes to meet together. Howsoever it being dis­covered that the Warre which was pretended, for the maintaining of the Kings Prerogative tended now indeed to the innovation of Religi­on, and to make the Papists appeare the Kings best Subjects, it hath turned many hearts and armed many hands against them. The newes of the Queens landing made Robbin so brisk, and so overcharged him with newes, that being as unable to contain it, as he was greedy to receive it, he could not take a full survay of Yorke, nor had the leisure to go unto Newcastle to discover what good service those foure ships have done to [Page]hinder any malignant vessells that come either from Holland or from Denmark from landing at Newcastle; a mad vagary tooke him to come up to London, which the vagabond else performed with such a sudden­nesse, that could he be discovered in his way, he would have proved rather the object of the memory then of the eye. The first place hee came into, it was a Conventicle of the Family of Love, it was then much about two of the clock in the morning, and the Candles being put out, they were going from one exercise unto another. Robbin presented him­self before them all, and seemed lusty as the spirit of youth when it is newly awakened from the mornings sleep; the women were well con­tented to stay, but the men cryed out, a Satyre, a Satyre, a Satyre, and thrusting them before them all tumbling headlong down the staires to­gether, they left him laughing to himself alone.