IT were a troubleſome and tedious Buſines for a generall Counſell (with the help of all the Vniverſities) to give theſe whom I write to, correſponden • Epithetes, Names, Titles, and Tittle-tattles that may be ſutable to their Educations and continuall practiſe; for as when Monopolies and Projects did oppreſſe and moleſt this Kingdome like ſwarmes of Caterpillers; in which uniuſt deſignes too many crafty companions did abuſe the Kings name, in playing the Knaves, to the mighty and intollerable generall iniury of his Majeſtie, and all his Subiects: ſo theſe Locuſts are crawl'd out of the bottomleſſe Pit, an • under the bleſſed name of God they doe play the Divels incarnate.

It is to be wondred at, what wondrous paines they take to doe wickedly; how their unholy and crooked imaginations have pumped into their impious fancies the falſe conceptions of ſome vertuous matter; then are they in extreame paine and travell till they are delivered from the abortive Iſſue of their addle Brains: for which (although they have no acceptance from God, nor thanks from good men (but rather hatred from all) yet out their ſtinking ſtuffe muſt, or the muſty Verſe muſt breake or crack all the hoopes, or the Divell perhaps may want his due if authority be not reviled againſt, and a long ſciſmaticall Oration hyppocratically ſtretcht out to the Rabble of their diſobedient and unlick'd Auditors, who out of their deepe ignorance, doe extoll the vapourous matter, with a wine-drawne ſpeech and lowting courteſie, bleſſe them for that dayes exerciſe, in inveighing ſo vehemently and bitterly againſt all Rule and Government, in Church and State; when indeed his admired mouth better deſerved the help of Doctor Executioner, that hee might wipe it with a hempen wiſpe.

Their Tongues have been the Wedges their Heads the Beetles, and their Pens the Axes that have ſplit, rent and cloven all our bleſſed peace, content and happineſſe which we lately inioyed: their Books have beene ſhot (like Bolts) whereby this Kingdomes diſgrace is not only overſpread over it ſelfe; but alſo our diſhonour is ſcattered over the face of all Chriſtendome; and though they be ſo ignorant that they cannot diſpute with a Sexton; yet they will take upon them to diſplace Biſhops and learned Divines, and place in their roomes Weavers and Wyer-drawers.

But the wiſedomes of theſe Martiniſts, will anſwer, that Biſhops have beene erronious, negligent proud, contentious, covetous, uncharitable, ambitious, &c. all which is granted, but it is not granted that all Biſhops have been ſo (nor at leaſt) ſo bad as theſe fellowes would make them) as men are men, ſo men are ſubiect to error and failings: if ſome great men in high and eminent places have done amiſſe, doth it ſtand with your witleſſe reaſons quite to overthrow and caſt downe their high Callings, Functions and neceſſary Offices: ſome Iudges perhaps have done corruptly; ergo, wee will have no more Iudges: you may better argue, that many Separatiſts are malicious or ignorant Knaves, and therefore wee would have no more Separatiſts. This were to be as wiſe, as he that pul'd downe his houſe, becauſe there was one old rotten poſt in it, or that all your Tribe ſhould have no eaſier cure for the Tooth-ach, but by knocking out your braines: No, no, my friends (a farre off) there is no doubt but if the State were ſettled, (which by your Sectaries have too much diſturb'd) there are (under God) Parliamentall Chyrurgions and Phyſitians that with his Royall Maieſties moſt humble, hearty, loyall and all deſired aſſiſtance and protection, would ſoone recover this almoſt gangrean'd Church and Common-weale to its former health, and moſt renowned reputation and dignitie.

I would wiſh theſe ſhuttle-heads that deſire to rake in the embers of Rebellion, to give over blowing the Coales too much, leſt the ſparkes flee in their faces, or the aſhes choake them: ſome of them have made ſuch hot worke already with tutoring their Tutors; that their owne lips are burnt: It is well known that their magnified Teachers have three ſeverall times in the preſence of God taken their Oaths, wherein they have vowed all Canonicall obedience, and they ought to obſerve the ſaid oathes, till ſuch time as the wiſedome of that power and authority which ordained theſe oathes doe alter or • brogate the ſame as occaſions may requi • e. But though they ſeemed conſtantly to ſweare obedience to thoſe venerable Edicts of the Church; yet it is found that their humble ſubmiſſion was but diſſembling intruſion; and now they are poſſeſt of their Pulpits, they take great care that no learned conformable Preacher ſhall come there at any time, for feare that if truth come once to light, then their Cake will bee dough, and they being once diſcovered to their Auditors (eſpecially their good Dames) may happen to want their pudding, Bacon, with other good cheere, beſides ſome other courteſies at Conveticles,

Thus, when theſe extraordinary qualified Theologues are mounted in their Thrones, a Popiſh Prieſt can hardly outdoe him in ſtrange poſtures, as in lifting up the pureneſſe of the whiteſt whiteneſſe of his eyes; then marke how hee diſplayes his armes as if he were ſwimming; alſo the terrible aſſault and battery that the poore cuſhion endures, the haukings, hemmings, hummings, coughings, ſpittings (with other Parentheſis while there is more matter a pumping) beſides the terble thundring voyce againſt our Church-Lyturgie, although they doe know that they lye, and that that Booke was approved of by the learned Calvin and all the reverend Fathers of the bleſſed Reformation in King Edwards Reigne. That five martyr'd Biſhops, (namely, Arch-biſhop Cranmer, Biſhop Ridley, Biſhop Latimer, Biſhop Hooper, Biſhop Farrar, with many more godly men and glorious Martyrs, (whom the Papiſts moſt cruelly burnt and perſecuted; yet they all at their very deaths did acknowledge our Church-Liturgie, or Common-prayer Booke, and ſealed their faiths with their bloods, by the Papiſt Tyranny; and is it poſſible that any ſhould be ſo ſhameleſſe as to ſay that Booke is Popiſh now

The ſaid Booke was ſuppreſt in Q. Maries Reigne becauſe it was not Popiſh: The ſaid Booke was not Popiſh in all the happy Reigne of Q. Elizabeth, nor was it eſteemed either Popiſh or Romiſh in all the Reigne of King Iames: in both the times of theſe three mighty Princes (of ever-bleſſed memory) and till within theſe three or foure yeares, there hath ſcarce • y beene heard of any learned or Religious minded Proteſtant that did ever hold that Booke to be ſtuft with Romiſh Raggs of Popery, although ſome things in it may be amended, and ſomethings quite omitted.

But you have ſuch nice ſtomacks that nothing will downe with you except it be ſawc'd with diſobedience and contention; you being ſuch odd ſellowes whom Learning, Witt, ſence or Reaſon can by no meanes ſatisfie. Whips are for ſlaves and not ſwords, and it is fit that ſuch as wiſedome cannot ſatisfie, ſhould have their mouths bung'd up with ieeres, will nothing agree with your appetites, or reliſh well in your pallates, but the bald-rib of a Biſhop, or the iole of a Iudge? truely I hold it better that ſome of you were taken away with Gregories Voyder; the Reaſon is, there are Caps with foure corners, and thoſe you diſtaſt; there are creatures to bee met in one corner, hold there; and there is a Tree neere Paddington with three corners; but no more of that (I pray) though it is neceſſary that ſome of you ſhould eſcape no worſe.

I am ſo cleare-ſighted that I can ſee through the very veines and ſinnewes of your Conſciences; for your Religions you may (many of you) caſt Croſſe and Pile, and for your iuſt dealing you may play at my Sow ha's Pigg'd. Therefore it is wholſome for the times that ſuch Cocks as you ſhould be let blood in the Combe.

It is a marvell that moſt of your perverſe Sects have not wry mouthes, for very few of you do ſpeak right at any time; but out of the concupiſcence of your Conſciences, and the Learning you are indued withall in Crooked-Lane Lattin, hath got you with child with Rebellion; and being with child you long to ſwallow Churches, and devoure Authority, but you will be told one time or other that there is ſome odds betwixt Learning and Libelling.

I know ſome that will doe their ill-good will to outlaw my Soule for writing this, and they wil ſerve an execution of damnation upon me, but if I be aware of their comming I will meete them with ſuch a powder that ſhall make their bones to rattle in their Skins like 3. blew beanes in a blew bladder rattle bladder rattle.

And for a concluſion, It is as lawfull, for honneſt men by either ſpeaking or writing to make the malicious Facts and Acts of Knaves knowne, as it is for Knaves to ſlaunder and abuſe honeſt men; and moſt certaine it is that the Leaders of theſe Factions doe know they are out of the way, and would be glad to returne againe (were it not for ſome worldly reſpect) for which cauſes they muſt impudently goe on, according to the old Proverb, over-ſhooes, over Bootes.