A TRVE RELATION OF THE MOST VVISE AND VVORTHY SPEECH Made by Captain VEN, one of the Burgesses of the PARLIAMENT to the Apprentises of London; who rose in Cheapside upon the Combustion at Westminster on Wednesday last at night, De­cember the 29. 1641.

AS ALSO The Randevowes they had that night at the Counter in Wood-streete.

VVITH A Description of the estate of Jreland at this present time.

LONDON: Printed for R. H. 1641.

CAPTAIN ƲEN HIS SPEECH TO THE APPRENTISES OF LONDON.

THE Apprentises waiting three dayes at the Parliament House, without giving affront or ill Language to any; they did onely with a full Consent, Cry downe Bishops and Popish Lords.

But coming scattering home by slender Companies, were set upon by divers Cavi­liers, who did cut many, and misused most with base Language, not onely Apprentises but men of good rank and qualitie (calling them Ram-headed Rogues) to the great disparaging and dishartning of them in their Trades and Callings; for by this meanes [Page 2]many Tradesmen have shut up Shops, and given over their Trades, because they are so abused: And the adverse party, Papists and their Adherents, greatly countenanced and incouraged; which makes them so bold and insolent, that they care not what outrages they commit against honest men of good report, and the Kings loyall and good Subjects, and without some speedy redresse, and suppressing of them by the good Lawes of the Land against such as doe so insolently fall upon the Kings Ma­jesties Subjects without cause, there is like to be many thousand lives spilt and taken away.

The Apprentises being many of them committed, and the other countenanced, made the Apprentises to swell in bloud, to the adventure of the losse of their lives, met on Wednesday night last, to the number of two thousand with Clubs, Swords, Hal­berts, and were resolved to goe to the White Lion; and others cryed out, to my Lord Ma­jors: but by the providence of God, and the grave wisdome of Captaine Ʋen, they were [Page 3]prevented by the grave Speech that follow­eth.

Gent. Let me intreat you to be at peace and quietnesse, and return every one to his own habitation, and you shall find we will be as readie to do any favour for you, and relieve you in any of your iust grievances, as you can or shall yourselves, and as you shew your willingnesse to us, so shall we with our lives be willing and readie to help you: therefore pray depart everie man to his own home in peace, that it may not be said of you, they are rude and tumultuous, but that you may shew your selves to be discreet in all your affairs, to the advancing of the cause you have in hand; and refer the cause to us which will be readie to support you to our powers in all that shall be iust.

Then some cried out, But what should they do for the Brethren that were committed by my L. Maior, and at Westminster, before they shall suffer we will spend all our lives. The Cap­tain made answer, That for those that were committed at Westminster, he and another was appointed by the House to release them [Page 4]all, and we did so the same night before we came from Westminster. And if my L. Maior hath committed any, I will warrant you, if you will be quiet, and take my word, they shall be released evercie one. And as soon as I have refreshed my self, I will go to my L. Maior, and have them discharged; but do you by no means go, but return home: So they all cried, Home, home, home, with a mightie noise. Then the maior part went a­way, but some of them remained there which would not be satisfied, but went down to the Counter in Woodstreet, where they were withstood by the Officers there­to belonging, with swords and half pikes, but some rusht in upon them, and got away one of the half pikes from one of them, and then went up into Cheape side again, but could not rest satisfied, but down they went again, and the doore being shut against them, they broke it, and brake the win­dows. After this, the Keeper of the Counter let some of them come in, and search for them in everie Ward, and questioned the pri­soners whether there was any or no, but [Page 5]they found none there, And therefore went away.

There are many Volenteers agoing out, but it is to be feared, that there are many of them Papists, who will be more readie to help the Papists against the King, then the King against the Papists. But I hope the Lord will defeat their designes, and bring their evill waies upon their own heads, if there be any that seeks the destruction of this Land.

Ireland is in a verie bad estate, and in much fear and trouble of the losse of Dublin, but there is yet hopes if there be but present help and aid against the Rebels, which is the de­sire of all true Subiects, the going forward of the happie designe.

Thus Courteous Reader, you have had the full occurrant of the passages, and in what a miserable estate we are brought unto by Papists and Atheists, who swarme like the frogs of Egypt over the whole Land, and not likely to be swept away, till the Lord in mercie to his people, sweep them [Page 6]into the Red sea of their own blood, into the depth of which the Lord bring all the enemies of his Gospel.

And so I salute you with kinde farewell.

FINIS.

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