THere I left in my former Scintilla, Sect. 1. and here I be­gin again to fire a Second Beacon: The Lord grant it may give warning to our Watchmen the High and Honourable Parliament and Gover­nours of our Commonwealth: I write not for profit, nor vain glory, but for Truths sake, which I follow so close at the Heels, that I may happi­ly be so looked back upon, that I may perceive a frowning Brow, an envious Heart, or a malignant Eye. But that which puts me on at this present, is to attest a Truth, and to joyne with my Brethren that set the first Beacon on fire, and now by firing this Beacon, there may be the more warning to find out the Plots and subtle dealing of the Enemy to the Government of our State and Reformation in Religion. Had I had any notice of theirs, I should have added one sheet of Paper to them, for the more light: But neither knowing, nor hearing, nor seeing any thing till it was publick, I was silent: Now having perused theirs, I here begin to light mine, (Now theirs is out.) The first they begin with in order, I shall do the same in a brief but short Compendium, I shall only name and hint of some old Truths, and so run up the Beacon and fire it anew, that you may so perceive the Truth which this Beacons light discovers, the full intentions of Papists, and Popish plots, to advance their Religion, and to extirpate the Protestant: Sect. 2. I begin with their first plot­ters of late years, that thought to ruine at once the Protestant Religion, and with an high hand then to bring in the Popish at one blow, (but that the Lord prevented) and then I shall go on to shew their wicked intendments to this present.

These Plo [...] were first put on by the Devill, and he became a lying Spirit in bidding them go and prosper, and putting into their minds these wicked Plots, and into those heads that sate with their Holy Father the Pope, namely of these their pillars in former time, ‘Doctor Fisher, Father Parsons, Father Porter, Father Worington, Father Palmer, Father Lovet, Father Fisher, Doctor Bris [...]ow, Doctor Wright, Father Wood, Father Lurtice, Father Marfield, Father Hiam, Father Sweete, Father Ployden, Doctor Smith, these were their great Plotters, as Mr. Ward of Ipswich, Mr. Taylor of Clapham describes, for the advance of the Roman Catholique Cause; and for the Plotters of the Powder Treason were these, Sir Everard Digby, Robert Catesby Esq Am­brose Rockwood, Francis Tressam, &c. and so on as appears more at large: (November the 5. Anno 1605) in divers Books, which are so well known, that I need not relate them, for God did let their mischief fall on their own Pate.’ Afterward anno 1623. what flocking and running was to Masse? (Popery being then suffered too too much) for the which many Citizens (as now) with others would go but to see Masse, for it was as publick as in these daies, and so Drew-a-ry their Priest in Black-fryers drew them awry, where suddenly the House under them sunk and fell down, and many Citizens and others thet went but to see (as too many now do) never returned but sunk suddenly down, and had not time to say, Lord have mercy on us: of this read more in Mr. Gees Foot out of the Snare, in this was no plot, no powder, but the Hand of God; and these verses have I seen made by a reverend Divine upon the fall of these.

But for a Plot, and all Plots to set up, advance, and bring [Page]in Popery, let the Reader that desires to know or read more of the cunning carriage of the Popish party, and their Jesuiticall plots, in that learned Lawyers Books, The Popish Royall Favourite, 1643. Rooms Master Peece, 1644. and the Hidden Works of Dark­nesse, 1645. Who hath to his comfort, by God been preserved and kept as Daniel in the Lyons Den, and God that keeps Eels to live and thrive in the mud, can and will preserve him safe in any place by his Providence, into whose protection, and under whom I know he desires to be protected.

But now to come closer to my brethren, and to attest what they have written, and to declare that which is too true con­cerning Popish Books, and the growth of Popery, and most poy­soning and most Blasphemous Books, as in their first Section they hint and expresse in the Catalogue at the end: I hope this Honoura­ble House wil pardon my boldnesse in all things that I shal write of that is Truth, and Truth need not creep in a corner, nor be ashamed to shew his face in any place, especially and above where in former time his evidence hath been taken and was found Authentick. And now in regard our Honourable Parlia­ment have made a greater profession for Reformation, then any heretofore, and have by Declarations declared in that kinde their exceeding care in demolishing Images, Pictures in windowes, and burning some Books that have been Popish and Erroneous, and also some few Blasphemous and Scandalous Books, yet so many pass, and such multitudes printed, and those that vent and preferre them so slenderly punished, or not at all almost suffer, that I cannot forbear, b [...]t could have wished I had been worthy to know of that my Brethren have done that I might have been worthy to have joyned with them. But Via Recta in omni Tem­pore est Bona, now I say they have moved me to prosecute the Truth, for the proof of this and in it, I shall be so brief as may be, for I intend not to reap up the whole Rable of Deformation; but help on to bring one stone, to begin a Reformation, and thus I proceed, I pray take notice.

I am a Stationer and a wholesaleman, and I so professe my self,Sect. 4. and have dealt in Books above 40 years for my self, my first master when I was Apprentice, dealt much in Popish Books; and in the first year of King James reign, spent his time in Stafford-shire [Page 6]at Worly-hall in binding, vending, and putting to sale Popish Books, Pictures, Beads, and such Trash: there I learned to abhorre Popery by seeing the grosse ignorance of many amongst them, and ever since have made observation of their deceitfull and double dealing; and the more in regard of the death of a loving friend, that left me so interested with a Papist, by which I did more and more observe their fraud. But this I leave, and to the for­mer, onely I adde this by way of observation.

In my Trading to divers parts, I found how all my Chapmen were addicted, and dealing with some in Worcester, &c. amongst the rest with one Francis Ash a Book-binder and ingenious fel­low, an excellent Workman, a strong and secret Papist. This man had from time to time written to me for divers Popish Books, and I alwayes either put it by or evaded to furnish his Letter in that sort; and he being an excellent Workman, I em­ployed him and got some friends to do the like; for he grew so famous in Bristoll, Glocester, Shrewsbury, Hereford, and many places, especially with all the Papists in Worcestershire, and having got intimation with most of the greatest Papists was in a manner Agent for them, got good sums of money, and was greatly pre­ferred of all, for Popish Books, Pictures, and the like; and found an extraordinary Trade, especially to joyn pictures to the Eng­lish Bible in 8^vo. which pictures he had from Mr. Robert Peake, (who after went to Basing-house) so that Mr. Ash after took a voyage to France for Popish Books, and pictures for the Bible, which the Papists so much extolled, so that now the Papists of late will have Bibles in English, and the Po [...] cannot avoid it, but so that all their sorts must have pictures, and I fear Popish notes: and by this means Ash grew into an extraordinary way to get Trade; I am credibly informed there, that in France he dealt for the pictures of all the Popish sorts, and the most excel­lent, as of Vandikes Draft, and there bargained with an excellent workman Mr. Hollard to ingrave and cut them, and gave a piece of money in hand to begin withall, and they there were begun, and divers proffers made of them since. But after Ash came home, having by Papists got a good considerable summe of money in his hand, and the King coming to Worcester, and the Parliament besieging it, Ash fearing to be plundered, flung the [Page 7]said money into a House of Office amongst the filth, and after that Worcester was taken by the Parliaments Forces about 14 dayes, he would trust none but himself, who breaking open the House of Office, undertook to sift his Gold and Silver from the filth; by reason of which noysome smell he was suffocated, and (as I may say) poysoned, and soon after dyed.

That this is true, many in Worcester can affirm. But know this, that Mr. Ho [...] goes on, and is come out of France and lives in Covent-garden, and at work on the pieces, whereof about fourteen are finished.

Now Honourable Worthies look to have Popish notes to the Po­pish pictures, and where you heretofore put pictures out of win­dowes from sight of your Eyes, now look to have them in your Bibles to set in the Heart, and so to have Popery rooted in you; for if you will not come to them, the Jesuites have a plot to come to you. Honourable Worthies look in time, how people swarme to Masses, and the Gentry do send their daughters to make Nuns: Look with your eyes, hear with your Ears, pity with your Hearts, and consider, O consider, the grievous complaint, (and not without cause) True Religion is corrupted, and the misery of poor perishing Stationers overthrown, and how every Pedler, Hawker, running Mercury, now hath got the trade of Bibles, Popish, Blasphemous, Conjuring, Hereticall, impious and slanderous Books and Libels, to the dishonour of God, scandall of Religion, the decay of Piety, and the disgrace of your Government. Doe you not see Right Honourable Governours of our State, you cannot chuse but see, and bear, a [...] know, how this spreading Gangreen runs quiet, and vent blasphemous, helish, and horrid Books; I shall not stand to Catalogue all, for so I should muster an Army of them, only I will name one instar onmium, which is that Fiery flying Roll of Copps, where heterms the Holy Bible the Scripturian Whore: Was not one hanged in Qu. Elizabeths dayes for a Book not like that? Have not I of late seen many Books, that had they been published in the Bishops dayes, how had a man suffered? I know, and with grief I speak it, I heard an Anabaptist (as he professeth himself) affirm it to my face, when I told him I marvelled he would print such a Book, as he had then printed, and how he could in conscience publish a Book so erroneous: his answer [Page]was in these plain ungodly termes, he got by it, and well too; I told him although a man got never so much, yet he should have a care what he Printed, his reply was thus, if the Devill himself should give him or bring him a Book that he was sure to get by, he would print it: so I left him to be the Devils Statio­ner, for I know none will desire that place, yet too many now vend Books for him. Oh you High and Worthy Members of the House, you that sit at the Stern, you are or at least should be the Watchmen of our Common-wealth, as I doubt not but you will look to the swarmes of Ladies daughters and young Gentlewomen hurryed beyond the Seas to be Nuns. Next look into Pauls Churchyard, how many have lived bravely, kept good houses, invited, entertained Clergy, Gentry, and all sorts to their Tables, were able to give entertainment to men of learning, men of parts, knowing-men, travellers, strangers, of most Christian Nations, and able to entertain and welcome any, and to give li­berally to the poor, and who so well respected in Court, City, or Countrey as Stationers, knowing men, honest men, pious men, men in name and fame of credit; and happy were the strangers that tra­velled these parts that knew Stationers, and now, now, now, poor honest Stationer, where's thy glory? where's thy fame? where's thy plenty? Alas, alas! in penury, where as yearly came a hun­dred, or at least eighty great Dryfats from beyond the seas with Books, now four or five Dryfats serves, where multitudes of people, and no mean ones, and all like Bees brought Honey to their Hive; now it may be comes a Drone, a Waspe, it may be a Spider, and all to suck from them: I dare [...], and I have heard it, and from honest Stationers, that have had brave plentifull Ware­houses, full Shops, excellently stored, and able to fit any Customer, and these have told me, and I find and know it to be too true, that they have not taken 20 s. a week, and their Rent to be paid was so much without Firing, Beer, and Bread, with much more charges, &c. nay I have heard others that have been excellent well furnished, that they took not above 12 s. a week, some not so much; How, O how can these pay that they have not! and I write it with grief, I know it, where 500 l. since this un­happy war was expended in Paper and Printing, and a great deal of it for the Parliaments glory, the good of this Common­wealth [Page]and for Gods glory, and all in Printing and Paper, and sodainly after sold for 75 l. I know where 1000 l. more hath been turned to wast paper, and that which cost 10 or 12 s. a Ream sold at 2 s. 6 d. the very same. Should here my brother Stationers come forth, and at a generall Muster call'd to accompt, there is not that man now living, that hath Reason, Conscience, or Judgement, but would presently say Poor honest Sta­tioner, get thee gone, and associate thy self with thy brother Girdler, and brother Imbroiderer, and the Lord raise and comfort you up again, for I fear you will be in as small use for the Soule, as they be for the Body, for now your religious learned godly Authors of Books, your Divines who had plentifull Stu­dies; and all Books of worth, will yeeld little or no money: have not I known a Learned Reverend Divines Study that cost at least 400 l. sold for 60 l. and what a world of Books in all parts of this Land, of Noblemens, Gentlemens, Ministers and others, are now sold at so poor and low a rate, as it is a shame that ever Learning should be so undervalued: should I undertake to muster an Army of these, which if I should, I should exceed my intenti­ons; for should I but shew the swarmes of Flyes and Lice, I may say now of the base, filthy, stinking, (a term it pleased an un­learned marryed woman of late not for want of Ignorance to put upon our old Divinity Books) which is and may be very well retorted back to their new stinking stuffe daily Printed, able to fire Church and State, and fit for the Devils Imps, and no way to reforme Religion or S [...]te, nor as I see like to be reformed, for our Reformation is now a Desolation; for how many poor Ministers Wives and Children come daily to beg, and how many Ministers cannot have sufficient to cloath and feed their own Families at home and abroad,Witnesse Burmuda Reforma­tion and Plantatiō where is not one Minister left in that Country for want of means. then how should they buy Books that cannot buy shoes to their feet or cloathes to their backs. Now our new Praters or Preachers have gifts they will say, and that passes Humane Learning. It is too true; there be many gifted men, for hath not one a place in the Excise, a shop with Wares near the Exchange, and a preacher near S. Albans: I hope they will not have three wives. In the Bishops dayes we thought it not fit one should have three Benefices at once, but now such hold it nothing to have three Callings as the gifted men say. But their Disputations which begun in Cole­man-street [Page]and at the Spittle, will not end in Bow-lane; nor Milk-street, nor Beech-lane; I leave them to argue and dispute, and the Impoverished poor Ministers in a complaint, untill a Refor­mation, which now as it is in a perfect Desolation we see; for how many Churches in Wales and some other parts are turned to Hogsties, Cow-houses Stables, Gaming-places; do we not see, and have we not seen the Ten Commandements put out where the Nine Pins and a Bowle is put in! Let any judge which is the better place of Pauls the upper part or the lower, had the Book­sellers had shops in the two outward Isles of Pauls, and the mid­dle been a walk or passage, or had it been made an Hospitall for our Lame Souldiers, an Almshouse or an Armoury, it would have been more commendable: I know no reason but they that have the Timber and Lead should repay to me and 10000 more the money we lent for the repair, being Lead is such a com­modity for the Dutch, I hope it will be considered, and we to be paid back in money. But what say some, a Meeting house is more convenient then the Church: I remember when I was in Leyden they had one, and I and my Comorades fellow Travellers saw them Excommunicate all in that Meeting house to the last single man, and that was their brave agreement, God send us a better. But now say the Welch up to the Mountain, and to the highest Mountain, and there we shall finde Christ: another sayes to the Sea-shore, and hear our Brother out of the Ship, for there's Christ; another comes to the Market-house, and there he will sell Christ, (I hope not Judas) for no money. Go but to Carmarthen, and there with bleeding Heart, and watering Eyes, see and hear, and beleeve the miseries of those parts: And here I im­plore the Honourable Parliament, and all the Members thereof, the Councell of State, and all, to joyn and help now or never, for now here is fire, the second Beacon is on fire, and all cry Fire, fire, fire, and we know when Fire is here in London cryed, all comes, the Lord Maior, the Sheriffs, the Commons, the Poor, the Rich, the Master, the Servant, one brings a Brome, another a Bucket, a third a Payle, some Ladders, some Hooks, and the Lord Maior and Sheriffs call for the ☞ Engine to play and quench the fire. Honourable and Honoured, you Parliament Members, you the Honourable of the Councell of State, come bring out the ☞ Engine, [Page 11]come and begin thi [...] Reformation against base poysonous Popish Books, against Conjuring, horrid Blasphemous Books, and Disorders in Church and State; Execute those your Acts (upon such horrid Books, as hath been Printed) also set out Licensing and Licensers; Look to Pedlers, Hawkers, Running Mercurists and sellers of Pop [...]sh Blasphemous Books: you can do what you please to them that de­ [...]y Assessements or Taxes, and presently curb them, and why not [...] to the abusers of Printing unlicensed Books; and you that can punish for old Primers can punish for Masse Books, lying, scandalous Ranting Books, Blasphemous Scurrillous Books, for poysonous Popish Pictures, and for what you please; you know a File of Red Cotes can command Taxes for you; Let this command your Ordinances, for Gods glory, and execute Law, Justice, and Equity, and we shall for ever give God the Glory, you the Honour and Praise: And if Scintilla have offended, I humbly submit, and thus I leave this Beacons Fire not to go out, untill the 19 of the Acts [...]e 19 be performed to Gods Glory, which God grant: And thus I end, only wishing I may live not to see this Fire go out un­till I see all Blasphemous Books of Conjuration, and the Turkish Al­choran and all Hereticall, Schismaticall, Ranting, Scandalous and Li­bellous Books with Bawdery and Scurrility be consumed by this second Beacon set on fire by Scintilla.