QUAERE'S, SEASONABLE, TO BE humbly presented to King Charles, at Holmby, and others, for his Parliament at Westminster: VVith a few to be taken to heart, by the Common people of England, communicated:
By PHILANACTODEMUS.
Whereunto is added a Prologue and an Epilogue, for the better Illustration of the thing to the different Reader.
⟨Aprill: 15th. London.⟩ Printed in the Yeare 1647.
The Prologue.
I Know I shall be censured by thee, I would faine court thee into a true and good opinion of me, and it shall be in a Dramaticke way. I know thou lovest Playes, as an old Protestant, yet it is a great wonder to mee, that Papists should joyne with thee, as well as they did to fight for Protestant Religion, to go and see them in Lent, which is the principall time of their devotion. Then imagine thou seest act in these Quaeres, The Emperour, King of Spaine, French King, King of Denmarke, Bohemia, Hollander, Rocheller, German Princes, Scots, Pope, Iesuit, Bloody Irish, nay, the Divell himselfe; and how to make this a Tragicomedy, will require a good Artist; sure none, but Heaven, can doe it. I forgot to name thee amongst the Speakers, but if thou doest not finde one, as like thy selfe as can be, in the heat of the Play, I am much mistaken. There is one, I am sure on't, that fought a great while for the liberty of the Subject in England, [Page] and when he would not finde it heere, he went over into France for it: There, there are brave Parliaments, ten for one, at least. After that hee hath quarrelled with his Affronter, and his Host, and had halfe the time of experiment of them, as of this tedious English Parliament, hee will satisfie, and comfort himselfe for all the losses, and dangers, he hath exposed himself, and his friends to, heere. VVell Malignant, see the Play, and when thou hast done, give me thy opinion of it.
Quaeres to be humbly presented to his Majesties Remembrance, in the Consideration, and his Resolution in the Answer.
1. WHether the non prosecution of the Palatinate War, begun with so many Protestations by King James, that hee would never sheath his sword, till by Gods grace, it were recovered; and thereby divers German Protestants were engaged, was not a weakning to the cause there, and consequently to your Majesties dishonour?
2. Whether the deserting of that Warre, and contracting of great debts, and pawning of the Crowne Jewells, to the misdirecting of a fleet to Cales, against the advice of your then Parliament, were not a spoiling of your credit with the Hollander, and a blasting the bud of your reputation in War, with all Princes in Christendome?
3. Whether the engaging the King of Denmarke against the Emperour, and then deserting him, and your Brother Palatine, to make the French King your Enemy (as if the Emperour and King of Spaine had not beene big enough) at the selfe same time when you would not be advised, nor agree with your Parliament, and to embroyle the Rochellers in a war against the French King, after you had lent your Ships to the beating of them, whereby the French were taught the better [Page 2] use of Navigation, were not a shaking to the Basis of the Protestant Religion, and the welfare of your Kingdomes, and the taking away all hopes of recovering any of your right in France?
4. Whether the not ayding of the Swede upon Oxesterne his Embassy, were not the losse againe of the Palatinate, and a great party in Germany, to their very regrett at this Day?
5. Whether the raysing of ship money upon pretence of necesssitie, and setting out of fleetes to sea to noe use, were not a great oppression of your people, and another blasting of your reputation in Warre with all Forraigne Princes?
6. Whether the sending of the Earle of Arundell Embassador into Germany, when at the Diet at Ratisbone he was to be a spectator of the King of Hungary being made King of the Romans, and the Duke of Bavaria invested in the Palatinate, was not a confirmation of your Majesties consent to both, and no intention of reliefe to the Palsgrave?
7. What motives had your Majesty to breede such a jealousie with your people (though it was not then known by the awe of your evill Councell over them a long time) as the sending of severall Agents to Rome, and receiving severall Nuncios from thence, just at the time when you deceived your Subjects of their expectation, to fight abroad, for which to doe you honour and service, they were contented with illegality, but you must needs turne your sword into your owne bowels, As if the affronts, and disgraces, you had made your selfe, not only with your enemies, but your friends, and kindred, must be revenged upon that flocke, you were ordained to preserve? Your Majesty had the Goats, the Sheep by Gods blessing are safe, yet they desire you to be their Shepheard if you please.
[Page 3]8. Whether your Majesties raising of Armes against the Kingdom of Scotland, when you engaged your whole Nobility, and much Gentry of England, in a designe of Warre, with an oath to fight for what your Majesty was contented to pacifie upon the first Treaty, was either honour or advantage to your Majesty, or your Kingdome of England? Were not both Armies (though the English advance did impaire many an estate) suddenly disbanded? and your Majesty no sooner come to London, but presently a paper of the Treaty, found in a Noble mans custody, must be burnt by the hand of the Hangman; and a new War must be proclaimed, and a new Generall nominated, almost a year before you were ready, though your Majesty called a Parliament, contrary to your promise to your Lord Keeper, for which you broke his heart, to advance the designe with a pretextuous letter, Au Roy: And the Parliament, though you would never have agreed with them before, would have assisted in that blinded understanding, but that your Evill Councell would have all present money, and give no reason for it, and therefore did not your Majesty dissolve that Parliament?
9. Was it your necessity against the income of Scots, or your owne designe, to bring them in, for you may easily practise what you will (upon your English people) or the providence of Heaven, to unite us both, that your Majesty called this Parliament; was not this Parliament begun in trouble, and combustion, when two Armies were ready to fight, and both invited to destroy this? Were not your Majesties evill Counsellors of greatest esteeme, accused by a just complaint, of which your Majesties eares should be most open, to your three Kingdomes? What charge, and what danger, to the Kingdomes, was the keeping of those [Page 4] Armies on foot? What delay of justice? When the Armies we [...]e disbanded, what haste into Scotland? What attempts there? How your Majestie, and your people were there agreed, was beyond a then English Imagination, if wee had had that constancy, to what Principles, belong to us, more then them, your Majesties Cavaliers had never given such a common name to Englishmen, but wee had gon the way to desire your Majestie, to know your freinds here, as they did in Scotland.
10. Why your Majesty should aske us at your returne from thence, why wee were not a contented people, as they were, is beyond any reason you gave us then for it, and against it since, you convinced or passed most Delinquents; you displaced divers men, that were commanded to doe their duty against the Earle of Strafford? you gave us a perpetuall Parliament, which an assurednesse of your good Acts, would have made short, and businesse easie, but such a Laberinth have you brought it, and this Kingdome to, by your absence from it, and refusing to doe those things, which must secure your Majestie, and the Members in it, that there must be a Counsell from Heaven, to which you must joyne in prayer, with your people, for the making of your selfe glorious, and them happie by it.
11. Why your Majestie should offer such treaties, and still provide for Armes, keepe your Agencies with so many severall Princes, to bring strangers upon your owne people (a principall judgement of God cited by the Prophet) why you should declare against Papists, and receive them not only into favour, but into Major Generalls Commands, is against the sence of any true Protestant? Why you should engage, and spill so much blood (as if blood would require no vengeance, especially when it is betweene Brother [Page 5] and Brother) for the denying your selfe, and disabling so many of your Subjects of so many Paradices, as your Kingdomes afforded you, and them, deserves repentance, and regret.
12. Why after the Rebellion in Ireland, that War was so slackned, till your Majesty desired to goe your selfe, meerely to get a life guard of 2000. men heere first, which by the consequent may very well be supposed, was intended against your English People; for if you attempted this war with a fourth part of the number, and was able with that volant party, to seaze upon so many Magazines, provided for the defences of severall Counties, and offer at Hull it selfe, though you washt the Lord Digbies intercepted Letter to the Queene, to advise you to retreat into a strong place, with the vaine feares, and jealousies of your Parliament, what could you have done with a greater force?
13. Why your Majesty pretended so much the prosecution of that war, and after tooke away the materialls belonging to those, that were ingaged in it, but to shew you desired a cessation there, to make your war stronger with those false men heere, though it was a strange hazard of State, to leave that Kingdome so slenderly guarded, and that poore remainder of Protestants unmassacred, to the mercy of such barbarous Rebels; who wee may justly conjecture, had they not had some further assurance from your Ma. of a settlement by Law, to the ruine of Protestants with them, would not have left unattempted the murder of the rest, is against any understanding, but of deeper capacities?
14. Why should your Ma. send Glamorgan to make a peace with the Rebels, when you could not procure Ormōd to do it, and then Digby to accuse Glamorgan, for so doing, both whom have beene Agents for your Ma. there since, doth as much stumble us?
[Page 6]15. Did your Majesty ever read that any English Prince was ever fortunate, that was averse to Parliaments, and have you read of Edward the first, that fought so long in defence of his Father, against Parliaments, loved Parliaments best afterwards, and prooved the most Victorious Prince of his time?
16. Was not the sending Prince Charles into France, against the sence of your Majesty, after you had passed it your selfe? Was not the hazard of making you resigne your Title to that Crowne, before you should be released (if taken) then inculcated to you? Was there any necessity of so doing, after he had beene so kindly invited to the Parliament?
17. Was your Majesties request to your Parliament for the sending you so many Anticovenanting Priests either reasonable or seasonable, as if you had forgot what you had done with your Scots, or never considered what you did there, was agreeable with the most universall practice, of the Protestant Religion throughout Christendome? Were not Francis the first, and Henry the fourth your Majesties Father in Law (the most valiant and powerfull Princes of their time) the greatest favourers of Presbyteriall Government, though they could not establish it by reason the Papacy was so inveterately setled, and their Reformation so yong, as it wanted strength.
18 Whether their example is not a sufficient precedent for your Actions, as well as your profession of following your Father King Iames in his care of the Common-wealth? Which wee see evidenced otherwayes, for he renownced Episcopacy in Scotland, and probably would have done it heere, if he had beene so desired by his Parliament, tooke the Covenant, and never denyed Iustice, against any favorite, [Page 7] or Councellers whatsoever, whensoever his Parliament askt it?
19. Was the obtruding of the Common-prayer, and booke of Cannons, agreeable with your Majesties Oath, taken at your Coronation at Edenborough? If nor, how could that Oath be dispenced withall, more then the Oath taken at the Coronation at Westminster? Was that Oath at Westminster takē according to the sence of the giver, or the receiver? are either, or both Oaths, obligatory to maintaine old Lawes, and Ceremonies obnoxious to the necessity of the season? If I? How came so much Reformation of Law, and Religion, by your Majesties Predecessors, and in what state of soules health, doe you conceive them that did so, to be?
May it please your Majestie:
VVE might enlarge and multiply Queres, but that we feare wee have tyred your Majesty with these already, but wee humbly desire your Majesty, to enquire into your memory whether such things have not been counselled, and practiced, and advise with your judgement, and conscience, whether such things for the honour of your Majesty, and the safety of your people were fit to be done; your Majesty is the great Shepheard of three flocks. No good Shepheard will seperate his sheepe, when he can keepe them together, nor lodge them in three folds, when one will serve: and when your Majestie by your owne experience hath cured one flocke, by a knowne Medicine, will you deny that approoved balsome to the other two? Vnity was the thing that Christ left us to practice upon earth, when he went up into Heaven, and there he exercises it himselfe, for the three Persons to our understanding, acted rather here beneath. God hath made your Majesty our head to [Page 8] be a Paterne to us of unity.
Nay, if wee straggle, God hath given your Majesty the rod, and the shepheards staffe, to coerce us into the fold. We desire then your Majesty to bring us all into one practice of serving God, and obeying your Majesty; that your Majesty will encourage these our hopes by taking our Covenant, and take off the imputation which by the perswasion of those false Prophets, and Mountebancks of State (that have this long time kept your M [...]jesty from your Parliament) you have taken upon your selfe, and lay it justly upon those Locusts and Caterpillers, that by the serene countenance of your Majesty over your people, they may be destroyed from the face of the earth, that your Justice may shine like the Sun, and the same of your Majesty ring through the world, to the terrour of your enemies, and the comfort of all your good people.
Quaeres to be humbly proponed to the Lords, and Commons assembled in Parliament at Westminster.
1. VVHether you can secure this Kingdome (as none other can or ought to doe it) without setling your owne houses, in a certaine knowledge of your Members, to be true Members thereof?
2. Whether the enquiry into that knowledge, will not be too tedious by having those businesses examined by a Committee at Westminster?
3. Whether the charge of that enquirie, being for the Publique good, is not fit to be borne by the Publique purse?
4. Whether the charge of that enquiry will not be lesse, by sending a Commission into the Countrey, by Lords and Commons, for the tryall of the truth, and the certainty [Page 9] more then by having the Counties and Corporations attending at Westminster?
5. Whether such a Commission be not more agreeable to the practice of the Lawes, by Circuits, within this Kingdome, then any other way, and whether not of equall ease to the people?
6. Whether it is probable, that when the sword, and the purse, and all other coercive power hath been in the Souldier, Committee mē, & their inferiour Officers hands, and still remaineth so; That a Parliament Committee at Westminster should have a true information of the affaires of the Countryes?
7. Whether it will not be a great engaging of the Country peoples loves, to have their grievances visited at their owne doores, to the staggering of all sorts of Malignant Parties, and confirming the people in a true sence of the Parliaments intentions, in the Reformation of the Church and State?
8. Whether such a Commission may not have a relation to the Sewres of the Kingdome, that because the horses are wasted, and will be for many yeeres wanting, there may be carriage had by water, and that the Weares, and Mills belonging to Malignants, being taken away, in places proper, those that belong to the well affected, be bought out with the Publique purse, for making the Rivers of England navigable?
9. Whether such a Commission may not extend to the relieving of the well affected, in the severall Counties, against the malice of the constantly Malignant, the most worldly, & griping men, who by Suits in Law, Arests, &c. may ruine many a well affected man, that hath lost and spent his estate in the Parliament service? Is it not a strange [Page 10] Paradox of State, that a Cane shall secure a man more then a sword? and a Committee of Complaints be erected to relieve Malignants, and none for those that have fought for the Parliament? As if defending of Garrisons against the Command of King and Parliament severally, were greater reason of protection, then the constant defending of the true Cause?
10. Whether it is possible, that except money be brought downe to six per Cent. the particular debts of the Kingdome can be payd, or Land yeeld that value, as to satisfie the Publique?
May it please your Lordships.
I Could multiply my requests in my Quaeres, but that I thinke there is worke enough offered at already; yet no more then is easily feasible, with the seasonablenes of the Spring, and the ready endevour of some good Patriots of this Kingdome; if your Lordships will spare some to be itinerant to that purpose, you may finde a juster accompt of your owne strength, under God, and his Majesty, then can be otherwise brought you. I shall crave a pardon for my boldnesse in advising, and pray a blessing in whatsoever you shall order, though it be for the correcting of me, for my sawcinesse, in medling with your affaires.
Quaeres considerable by the Common people of Engl [...]nd.
First for the Soldiery.
1. VVHether the Law of Arm [...]s bee agreeable with the Lawes of Christiani [...]y? I so, whether a soldier employed in Armes, may preach in Church, or privately, to the dividing of the frame of Ecclesiasticall Law, in the government of the Church?
[Page 11]2. Whether the Civill Magistrate may not punish such a Soldier, that doth so offend?
3. Whether it can agree with the essence of a true Christian, who ought to be Christs Souldier, as a Member of the Church Militant to converse with, allow, or tollerate; nay rather is he not bound to fight against the Turke, Jew, Atheist, Pap [...]st, or any other false worshipper, prophaner, or renter of the seamlesse garment of Jesus Christ, in the behalfe, and for the cause of Christ Jesus?
For the City.
4. Whether the City of London is not bound as well in policy, as conscience, to assist their Brethren of the Country, and they reciprocally them, in the joint maintaining of the liberty of the Subject, which hath been so gloriously vindicated, by the constancy of the two Nations of England and Scotland, in their Parliaments? was not that alwayes the Physitian of the Law, whensoever any ulcers broke out? and why should it be declined, much lesse reviled?
5. Whether is not this City, and indeed all other, that have held for the Parliament, in much better condition, now & at all times of this war, then those where the Royall Q [...]rters were kept? could there any thing be expected but the plunder of the City of London, if entred by the rattleheaded party? was not so much publikely professed by them? and yet will people wish for them againe?
For the Countrey.
I [...] it possible to preserve a new Acquest without charge, and hazard, viz. the just liberty of the Subject? and shall we then gsumble at the Parliaments ordering the Quartering of a necessary Army, for the preserving of our peace, especially when it shall consist of such men, as shall give no scandall to Church or State, nor doe any thing then secure the Countrey?
[Page 12]My advice to all is, to be content with the government which God hath more expresly favoured this Island withall, more then any other Nation, that is, of this Parliament, that as the King never dies in Law, so the priviledge of the Subject should not neither: and this being so difficultly brought on, and miraculously kept, it is against the sense of Earth, and I am confident against the will of Heaven, it should be attempted to be dissolved. We read the Patriarchs used to evidence their serving of God with sacrifice, and though God did afterwards appoint his chosen people to serve him that way; yet to one of the best of his servants he sayes, Obedience is better: That Obedience which produces awe and unity, feare, love, and security. I desire the people of England to joine in to the glory of God, the honour of the King, the priviledge of Parliaments, and the setling of a firm peace and true Religion, among all good Christians.
THE EPILOGUE, Discourst by the Dramatist Semi Prelaticall Protestant, Papist, and Independent.
NOw Sir, what doe you thing of this inlightment? doe you Master Protestant know, what you have fought for all this while? were not you of the same opinion with me, at the instant of those misguidances demonstrated now unto you? did you not observe the practice of the latter Prelates, to be quite contrary to what was used in Queene Elizabeth, and King Jame's times? could you beleeve the profession of the Arch-bishop of Canterbury at his death, before your owne eye sight, in your own experience in his life time? Are you bound to let the worship, and glory of [Page 14] God, to be dishonoured by your suffering, when by your sword you may preserve it?Doth the Church Militant consist meerly in suffering? is God called the Lord of Hosts, because his people must submit rather then defend his true Religion? Js the Arbitration in Government of a Prince (though never so pious) more convincible to the reason of obeyers, then these lawes, made for the necessities, and requests of those that are to be governed?
I must confesse, I was of your opinion, but I have been in a dreame a great while; I got by chance to Oxford, where I was so plyed with Colledge beere, and lewd Sack, and so followed by the Schollers, with drinke, and sophistry, that I lost all my former remembrance, till I came home, where when J had considered a little, and began to waver in my opinion, my wife comes in, and posts me back to Oxford, to bring home some honour, and she added further, that besides the saving of my owne life and my estate, the King might bestow such a round-headed neighbours house and land upon me (for the King would surely hang all the Round-heads) upon this I returned, and raised what forces J could, but I did not find the King so bountifull as I expected, and the widdowes of some that had raised troopes, and ventred their lives, but dyed by sicknesse were as hardly used for the wardships of their Children. I cannot blame the King for this, in all, (though he be close enough) but must lay it upon some Courtiers and some of the favorites of the two German Princes, who if we had the command of any Garrisons [Page 15] and did not pay our constant contributions extraordinary to them we were suddenly displac'd and made Reformadoes, to prevent which we did plunder the Countrey sufficiently, and yet did not thrive in our Armes, and if there were any boone to be gotten, some of the forenamed crept betweene us, and it. We are now undone, saving the grace of the Parliament, which is extraordinary to us; (we are sure we should not have used them so if we had had the better,) and you have so dissolved our late taken up principles, that we must desire, you to Petition the Parliament, that no more of us, may be suffered to goe over into France, for divers of us desire to goe thither, upon great hopes the Queene will bring us back againe with a poulder. But a Gentleman whom J dare trust, came from thence lately, who says we are infinitely slighted there, and the Prince himselfe meanly Courted, and allowed his followers wretchedly. And for the Religion we professed at Oxford, there is no toleration for it there, but in Henry Jermyns Chappell and that is so nigh the Queenes that it smels to much of Popery. If we should goe to Charenton we must turne Presbyteriall, and then loose that slight Alimony we have from the Queene, and all further hopes from the King. We humbly desire you will intreat the Parliament that staying here we may make use of a wood for the hearing of the Common Prayer, as the Independents exercised in their way; if not, and that you will force us to be Presbyterians, you will banish the Papists and Independents, and let us have but one setled forme of Religion.
Sir Dramatist, I pray forbeare to request our banishment, as Master Protestant would have it; for either the French or Spanish or Italian Catholiques would make such a prey of us as we had better pay all statute payments in England then endure their lawes, or adventure at their charity; we had no Agents at Rome before, but were lustily maintained from hence, and yet great gratuities went to the Popes favorites, for the allowing of us to venture our lives, and estates, against the lawes of our Country, and our Priests and Iesuits made as strong hazzard, by oath, and our purses, as all. But Sir if an ingenuous confession will move with you I will make it. There be as many Sects of us, as of Jndependents; and if the Inquisition had not beene set up to the awing of all, there would have been more. We English Catholiques had been rent in the latter end of Queene Elizabeths Reigne by our owne divisions; but when Bancroft came to be Arch-bishop, we had opportunity to playster up a rent in a Gunpowder treason. And when that could take no effect nor we doe any thing more during the life of Crooke-back Cicill, though the then Northampton was our friend, we ventred on KingJames his weaknesse in his favourite, Somerset and more inBuckingham; we had then one of our own Religion, that governed favourite and King, and we brought in a principall instrument of Spaine, Gundamore, to take of the maine agent of the English designes against the Catholicke and Spanish advance and to our own shame, be it spoken, we got that Agents head to be strucken off.How we pursued the [Page 17] rest of that designe, when we desired one Queene Mary, and got another, though our designe went on more cleaverly, then it could have done by the first, is beyond my knowledge of the secrets of State; but you may resemble it to this; the King held at once the Primate ofIreland, John of Yorke, Doctor Prideaux, and Doctor Holsworth in disgrace, they were the great Puritants of the then times; The Spanish match was in the same rellish with the people of England. The King when he was to engage his Protestant Subjects in a warre, and had banished all Catholicks from his Court, onely with an explanation, that he expected their horses, and Armes, to set Protestant Riders on, found that Canterbury or Wren or any other Arminian faction could not advance any Protestant considerable party towards him, makes use of the first univesally, the other in Wales, third in Worstershire and Oxford the fourth in Cambridge and London to the following of their steps in the Kings affaires. 'Tis true we laught all this while at their indiscretion, in promoting our designes; for we knew well our Generalissimo was coming that did as much for the time, as we could expect, but then they preached our projects, and gave an outside to the Kings cause when we had caemented the Junto within: we have laboured other Nations to, but the interesse of Franceover Spaine was so great that rather then lose their hold here, the French deferred us; the Hollander was jealous of the English match, the Dane embroyled by the Sweeds; the Loraynet had such a long march by land, and distrusted by the way [Page 18] he could not come at us; Only the Irish that begun our cause and would have continued it, but that they could not have our conditions by the dissimulation of Ormond; They have offered to relieve us if wee may trust them, though I as English Papist expect as little favour from them as from French, Italian or Spaniard, or rather murther for my Nations sake; My request is Sir, that you would prevaile with the Parliament, that wee may stay in England without a Priest, that our Children may be educated according to their direction, and if there be any Schooles fit for the Aged of us (wee have used to kneele to our Priest though much younger then our selves) or other degrees wee desire wee may goe thither, and if any Treason against God the King, or the Parliament be found, let us suffer according to that Law they have made, or shall make, for their owne security, and our dissolution.
I pay spare our banishment too, for if wee should travile into Holland, our trayne would bee so numerous (so many of us having bin Militant) that wee should breed a new jealousy there, if into France, the Presbyterians would defie us, and the Papists, and all the Queenes party, when they are out of hope of having any more good by us, an wee stay not in England, to keepe a division in the Parliaments party, will hate us more, then ever they complied with us; If wee goe to New England, wee heare so much of their uniting, in the practice of Religion, [Page 19] and the Government of the Church, that wee feare, we shall be worse put to it, there, then at home; Wee desire therefore that Master Protestant would be satisfied with a wood, wee can spare him two, or three, and a River too, in hope that they may Baptize anew; for Master Protestant is very flexible in his Religion, saving that hee takes Edward the Sixts Tradition for as good, and obligatory as Scripture, and in that, and his willingnesse to submit to absolute Monarchy hee is onely positive; If wee should be banished, hee would long for Bishops againe, though the last curtesie they did him, when they were in their power, was to chasten him in all their Courts. You may see what ill humours the want of Discipline breeds to those men that used to be whipt; if they delight in it, I pray let them have it, and let us alone, wee can be contented without severall exercises in a Parlor or an upper Roome. Nay for the edifying, and making of Proselytes, wee can finde vacant Churches enough. And for the further promulgation of our cause, wee dare adventure into a possessed Pulpit; onely the other day one of ourBrethren was much forsaken of the Spirit, when hee questioned a Minister for speaking against Bellarmine; for hee askt him whether hee could prove it by Scripture, that Bellarmine fayd so; and an other being expounding, and being contraried by his Brethren, it was made appeare, that the pocket Bible he had, though it was of the Amsterdam size, yet it was of the Remish [Page 20] translation; Wee thought very well of that Brother, that he was sanctified, and could not Sin, but certainly he did fall in that exercise. Sir we request all our errors may be attributed to the desire of knowledge in an excessive manner, (though some of us that are of the higher forme, thinke they have enough because they have more then their Brethren) yet Sir, now I consider that the excessive desire of knowledge was the occasion of Adams fall, and the consequent of more Ignorance, and all other evill and mischiefe to his posterity, J thinke it may be a good warning to us, to sit content with the mercy of Heaven, in that Peace, and Vnity which it hath pleased God to provide for us. There wanteth nothing but a handsome Authority, over us, to bring us into the universall fold, which I hope you will speake to the Parliament for. Now I thinke of the Communion Christ left us, I thinke also of his practice, before, and at it, and after it, nay and after his Resurrection, for what greater Communion, then among sheepe yet the last command, hee gave his Apostles was, to feede his sheepe, so that for my partI am convinc'd of my Separation, and I shall submit to what prudentiall government of the Church the power that it set over mee, shall provide for mee, and J shall be gladder, if it be that, which agrees with our other reformed Brethren abroad,and I shall labour to bring in as many stray sheepe as I shall finde, in the Wildernesse, I will quit Parlor, and upper Roome, for the serving of God in his [Page 21] true congregation, so that I hope there will be no neede of my banishment.
Now I finde you all so plyable, J will tell you more of your happinesse then ever you heard before. If you turne truly you shall be called Round-heads, a name as much above a Cavalier as Heaven is above Earth. This you may consider by your owne knowledge in the Arts, that the Heaven is Round, in the whole, and in its singularities. The Sun constantly, the Moone that is the Mistresse of what man can doe (without Gods other order) round in her perfection; they have both faces, probably heads. Why you should make this a name of scorne, is against the sence of Heaven. And if you contemplate below, and were as you offer a right Cavalier (the best name upon Earth) when you shall study and travaile the Earth, you shall finde that Earth round too, that Earth were you made off; and if you have a head made of Earth, certainly that must bee round:Being thus constituted from the nature of Heaven and Earth, J can tell you what a true sence of your former franticknesse will bring you too; and as every sick man if hee bee strong enough to endure Physicke, is to have his Malignant humours purged, except hee will venture a Feaver at his heart, at least an Ague in his bones, you being already purged are now to receive a Cordiall against the venome that hath so long interlined your understanding, [Page 22] and if you doe it willingly, the Physick will worke the better. I have knowne many a sick Lady much comforted in her good opinion of her Doctor; what Medicine our great Physitian prescribes (though it may destroy some, yet if it preserve many) wee must not dispute. You may easily see what cures the Parliament have done already. Lewis the Eleventh when hee had corrupted Edward the Fourths Councellors of Warre, and patcht up his Peace with a Tribute of 50000 Crownes a Yeare to be payd in the Tower of London, when hee had foold Charles the hardy into a Warre against the Swisses, (a People then more contemptible then ever the Scots were esteemed by the haughtinesse of the Cavaliering party,) When hee had possessed himselfe of the Duchy of Brittaine, and made every old Payrage of France his owne, hee then dissolved all Assemblies of State, which is just the same with English Parliaments, and then bragged that hee had brought the Realme of France, hors du Paga, that is, out of Wardship. If now wicked Counsell hath advised His Majesty, to practice upon His People, when Hee was secure to all the World, and upon the example of Lewis the Eleventh's prosperity against Parliaments, to adventure at doing the like here, which was professed by Proclamation Royall; and yet by the providence of Heaven one was brought on, and that one by the same providence, to doe such Miracles, and contrary to [Page 23] the Callers intention, to bring this Kingdome out of Wardship, I could advise such evill Councell, for their soules health hereafter, and preserving the Lawes better, here to offer themselves up as Martyrs to the Justice of the Kingdomeso much abused by them, and that those that are under the Parliaments obedience will thinke no adventure of their Lives and Fortunes too hard for the securing of the Publike.