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<DATE>2012-04-19</DATE>
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<NAME>Alexis Jakobson</NAME>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="1">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2" MS="y">
<P>THE MYSTERY OF THE TWO IVNTOS PRESBYTERIAN and INDEPENDENT.</P>
<P>OR, THE SERPENT IN THE BOSOME, VNFOLDED.</P>
<Q><BIBL><HI>PETRON. ARBITER.</HI></BIBL> Omnes nobi&s;cum aut Corvi qui Lacerant, aut Cadavera quae lacerantur.</Q>
<P>Printed in the Yeare, 1647.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
<PB REF="3" MS="y">
<PB N="1" REF="3" MS="y">
<HEAD>To the un-bya&s;&s;ed Reader.</HEAD>
<P>_YOu that are bya&s;&s;ed with <HI>&s;elf-re&s;pects</HI> I write not to, you have your aimes; and your ends before you are aware, like &s;hot not feared, till felt) will come upon you. To the upright <HI>in heart,</HI> though <HI>mi&s; led in judg|ment</HI> I &s;peak. Con&s;ider how by a <HI>prevaricating num|ber of Grandees,</HI> our <HI>fir&s;t Principles</HI> are altered; our <HI>Religion into Schi&s;me,</HI> and <HI>Hypocriticall profanenes;</HI> In&s;omuch that the Lords Supper is now almo&s;t every where di&s;continued, for want of (I know not what) imaginary &V;topian holine&s;&s;e. The Creed Lords Prayer, and Ten Commandements, (the in&s;truments of Faith, Hope, Charity, teaching <HI>Omnia credenda, &s;peranda, &amp; facienda</HI>) left out of the Directory. Thus much for Religion.</P>
<P><HI>Our known Laws</HI> (being the <HI>&s;econd Principle</HI> held out to the Peo|ple by the Nationall Covenant, and many Declarations) are turned into <HI>Arbitrary, emergent, and up&s;tart Orders and Ordinances of</HI> Parliament: every day ri&s;ing, and every day withering like Mu&s;h|romes. So that we are now governed <HI>Jure vago &amp; incerto,</HI> by a lea|den Lesbian rule, to which we cannot &s;quare our obedience and acti|ons, but mu&s;t &s;tay till the Grandees that guide the Legi&s;lative power of Parliament make application of them to our actions. A great mi|&s;ery.</P>
<P><HI>The third Principle is our Liberties.</HI> What is become of them, this little Treati&s;e will tell you, as al&s;o of our Properties. But &s;tay! me thinks I heare men &s;ay that the clamour and danger mutining at the Parliament door the&s;e two la&s;t weeks, hath humbled our Grandees, and made them &s;eek the <HI>Lord</HI> with <HI>Fa&s;ting and Prayer.</HI> I an&s;wer, let mee tell you what &s;ucceeded in the Hou&s;e of Commons, when a Let|ter and Declaration from the Army being tendred to be read, &s;ome of the Grandees an&s;wered, That if they &s;hould read tho&s;e demands, they might chance to find them of that nature, as they can neither with ju&s;tice deny them, nor with honour grant them, becau&s;e it was not ho|nourable for them to doe their duty upon admonition of their Army, being but their &s;ervants, and would &s;avour of compul&s;ion. To pre|vent this, they re&s;olved to take into confideration freely and of their
<PB N="2" REF="4" MS="y"> owne accord the <HI>Grievances</HI> which &s;candalized the people. They went therefore upon <HI>3.</HI> Heads: <HI>The Self-denying Ordinance.</HI> &V;pon which they Voted (as they &s;aid by a Preparatory Vote onely) That all Mem|bers holding any Offices, Grants, or Places by conce&s;&s;ion of the Par|liament, &s;hall account for, and pay in the profits thereof to the Grand Committee of Accounts. This I conceive under favour of the Gran|dees, who po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e tho&s;e places, and contrived this Vote (to be a meer delu&s;ory Order, For who can beleeve that &s;uch &s;elf-&s;eeking men, as all men know them to be, will execute the&s;e offices for nothing, and pay in to the u&s;e of the State their profits. Be&s;ides, it is apparent how &s;ub&s;ervient to the&s;e Grandees, their own creatures, the Committee of Accounts are.</P>
<P N="2"><HI>2.</HI> They Voted, That no money hereafter &s;hould be given to any Member in <HI>compen&s;ation or recompence of his lo&s;&s;es,</HI> untill the Publick Debts be paid. Here the Grandees were in earne&s;t, becau&s;e their owne turnes are already &s;erved, and the lo&s;&s;e and inconvenience of this Vote falls only upon the much contemned <HI>Middle</HI> or <HI>Moderate Members.</HI></P>
<P N="3"><HI>3.</HI> They appointed a Committee to con&s;ider how to take off the Grievance ari&s;ing from &s;uch Members as abu&s;ing the Priviledge of Parliament refu&s;e to pay their debts.</P>
<Q><L>Proh Superi, quantum mortalia pectora caecae</L>
<L>Noctis habent; Ip&s;e &s;celeris molimine Tereus</L>
<L>Creditur e&s;&s;e pius; laudem&abque; a crimine &s;umit.</L></Q>
<P>Let not the Grandees be offended, that I di&s;cover tho&s;e &s;ickne&s;&s;es which they labour to cover; <HI>Antea morbos, nece&s;&s;e e&s;t, cognitos e&s;&s;e, quam remedia eorum.</HI> God onely can be the <HI>Ae&s;culapius</HI> and cure them. But I am afraid they de&s;ire rather a &s;light &s;uppurating, then a perfect cure; and that they pray rather to hide, then help their evils.</P>
<Q><L>Da fallere, da ju&s;tum, &s;anctum&abque; videri</L>
<L>Noctem peccatis, &amp; fraudibus objice nubem.</L></Q>
<P>If this be their condition, <HI>quos perdere vult Jupiter, hos demen|tat; quos tueri vult, &s;u&s;citat.</HI> I have done my duty, even in this ge|neration, <HI>quando dicere quod nolo mi&s;erum, quod volo &amp; debeo pe|riculo&s;um.</HI> I leave the &s;ucce&s;&s;e to God, re&s;ting,</P>
<P><HI>Thine,</HI></P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>THEODORUS VERAX.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB N="3" REF="4" MS="y">
<HEAD>The My&s;terie of the two Iuntos, <HI>Presbyterian</HI> and <HI>Independent.</HI></HEAD>
<P>_THe Kingdome being overgrowne with <HI>Preroga|tive, <MILESTONE N="1"> Corruption,</HI> and <HI>Super&s;tition</HI> (the fruits of a long and lazie peace) by a long di&s;continu|ance of Parliaments; At la&s;t by Providence his Maje&s;tie was nece&s;&s;itated to call a Parliament the onely Colledge of Phy&s;itians to purge the much di&s;tempered body of the Common-wealth.</P>
<P>In this Parliament a conte&s;t betweene the <HI>Kings Prerogative</HI> and <HI>the peoples lawes and liberties</HI> begat a warre. <MILESTONE N="2"> The <HI>Divines</HI> on both &s;ides out of their pulpits &s;ounding Alarme thereto: and not only <HI>Sermons;</HI> but <HI>Declarations of Parliament,</HI> and <HI>the Nationall Covenant,</HI> (holding forth to the people the defence of Religion, Laws, Liberties, and properties) inflamed the people to the rage of battle, as the Elephant is inraged at the &s;ight of Red. This warre occa&s;ioned extraordinary Taxes and leavies of mo|ney, &s;uch as was never heard of by our Ance&s;tours, and were <HI>Ir|ritamenta malorum,</HI> the nur&s;e of our Corruptions.</P>
<P>This incentive working upon the humane frailty of the &s;peak|ing and leading members of the Hou&s;es,<NOTE PLACE="marg">3. <HI>Grandees.</HI></NOTE> cau&s;ed them fir&s;t to in|terweave their particular intere&s;ts and ambitions with the pub|lique, and la&s;tly to preferre them before the publique.</P>
<P>Wherefore the &s;aid <HI>Leading men or Grandees</HI> (for that is now Parliament language.<NOTE PLACE="marg">4. <HI>Factions.</HI></NOTE>) Fir&s;t divided them&s;elves into <HI>two factions or Junto's: Presbyterians,</HI> and <HI>Independents:</HI> &s;eeming to look only upon the Church, but (Religion having the &s;tronge&s;t operation upon the &s;pirit of man) involved the intere&s;ts of the Common|wealth.</P>
<P>The Common people of the two hou&s;es following (with an implicite faith and blind obedience) the example of their leaders, <MILESTONE N="5"> divided them&s;elves al&s;o into the &s;aid Dichotomy; which they did with more &s;eriou&s;ne&s;&s;e then their leaders, as not perceiving any thing of de&s;igne therein: But according to the diver&s;ity of their judgements, or rather fancyes and confidings (for to re&s;igne a
<PB N="4" REF="5" MS="y"> mans judgement to the opinion of another man is but a &s;illy tru&s;t and confidence) &s;tudied the to holding of their parties with ear|ne&s;tne&s;&s;e; whil&s;t the Grandees of each party in private clo&s;e toge|ther for their owne advancement, &s;erving one anothers turn.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="6"> The <HI>Grandees</HI> (in all publique debates) &s;eeme as reall in their reciprocall oppo&s;itions, as tho&s;e &s;illy ones who are in earne&s;t, whereby they cheri&s;h the zeal of their re&s;pective partyes, keepe them &s;till divided, (<HI>Divide &amp; impera</HI> is the devils rule) and &s;o amu&s;e them, and take them off from looking after other intere&s;ts, in which (were they conjoyned) they might &s;hare with the Gran|dees them&s;elves: and for the better contentment of &s;uch their Confidents as look too intentively after their own gain, the Grandees of each <HI>Junto</HI> conferre &s;omething of advantage upon tho&s;e that are &s;ub&s;ervient to them, as five pounds a week, or &s;ome petty imployment.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="7"> The &s;eeds of the&s;e factions &s;pread them&s;elves into the Com|mon-wealth and Armies: as Rheume di&s;tils from the Head into all the body.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>8</HI> Monopoli|zing Profits and prefer|ments,</NOTE>Thus the leading men or Bell-wethers have <HI>&s;eemingly divided them&s;elves,</HI> and having <HI>really divided the Hou&s;es:</HI> and captivated their re&s;pective parties judgement, teaching them by an Implicite faith <HI>Jurare in verba Magi&s;tri,</HI> to pinne their opinions upon their &s;leeves; They begin to advance their Projects of Monopolizing the profits, preferments and Power of the Kingdome in them|&s;elves. To which purpo&s;e, though the leaders of each party &s;eem to maintain a hot oppo&s;ition, yet when any profit or preferment is to be reached at; It is ob&s;erved that a powerfull Independent e&s;pecially moves for a Presbyterian: or a leading Presbiterian for an Independent: and &s;eldome doth one oppo&s;e or &s;peak again&s;t another (in &s;uch ca&s;es) unle&s;&s;e &s;omething of particular &s;pleen or Competition come between, which cau&s;eth them to break the common Rule. By this meanes the Grandees of each faction &s;el|dome mi&s;&s;e their mark, &s;ince an Independent moving for a Pre&s;|byterian, his reputation carries the bu&s;ine&s;&s;e cleare with the Inde|pendent party: and the Presbyterians will not oppo&s;e a leading man of their own &s;ide. By this artifice the Grandees of each &s;ide &s;hare the Common wealth between them: And are now be|come proud, domineering Rehoboams (even over the re&s;t of their
<PB N="5" REF="5" MS="y"> follow members&punc; contrary to the liberty of Parl. which con&s;i&s;ts in an equality) that were formerly fawning ambitious <HI>Ab&s;oloms.</HI></P>
<P>There hath been lately given away to members openly (be|&s;ides innumerable and ine&s;timable private cheates mutually con|nived at) at lea&s;t 300000 l. in money; be&s;ides rich offices, <MILESTONE N="9"> Im|ployments in money Committees, Seque&s;trations, and other ad|vantages. And tho&s;e members who have &s;o well &s;erved them|&s;elves under colour of &s;erving the publique, are (for the mo&s;t part) old Canva&s;ers of Factions who have &s;ate idly and &s;afely in the hou&s;e watching their advantages to confound bu&s;ine&s;&s;es, and &s;huffle the cardes to make their owne game, when others that have ventured their per&s;ons abroad, labour'd in the publick work like <HI>I&s;aelites</HI> under the&s;e <HI>Egyptian</HI> task-ma&s;ters, and lo&s;t their e&s;tates, are left to &s;terve, untill they can find reliefe in that empty bag, called by fooles <HI>fides publica,</HI> by wi&s;e men <HI>fides punica.</HI> And are now looked upon in the Hou&s;e &s;uperciliou&s;ly, like unwel|come gue&s;ts (for it is known how malignantly and how jugling|ly writs for new elections were granted and executed) and called <HI>younger brothers,</HI> and like younger brothers they are u&s;ed: their elder brothers having &s;lipped into the world before them, and anticipated the inheritance; They have broken fir&s;t into the com|mon field, and &s;hut the dore to prevent after commers even from gleaning after their full harve&s;t. For the better effecting whereof they have now morgaged (in effect) all the meanes they have to rai&s;e money, unto the City. And being them&s;elves fat and full with the publike Trea&s;ure (to expre&s;&s;e rather their &s;corne then care.) Ther are making an Ordinance that no more money &s;hall be given to their members: And yet to &s;hew how carefull they are of all &s;uch as have <HI>cheated</HI> the Common-wealth <HI>under them</HI> (I will not &s;ay <HI>for them</HI>) They have taken advantage of the petition of the Army: wherein they de&s;ired Indempnity for all acts done in relation to the warre. And have pa&s;&s;ed an Ordinance of In|dempnity for all &s;uch, as have acted <HI>by authority,</HI> and <HI>for the &s;er|vice</HI> of the Parliament, wherein (under great penalties, &amp; with an app<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ale at la&s;t from the Judges of the Law, to a Comittee of Par|liament) &s;uch as have gone beyond the authority given by Par|liament, and &s;eque&s;tred men unju&s;tly and &s;o withheld their goods under pretence thereof, and &s;uch as have leavied taxes three or
<PB N="6" REF="6" MS="y"> four times over, are quit from private actions: and the benefite of Law and Ju&s;tice taken from the Oppre&s;&s;ed, to &s;ecure <HI>countrey Committees, Seque&s;trators,</HI> and others, (not <HI>Prerogative,</HI> but <HI>Legi&s;lative) Theeves;</HI> contrary to <HI>Magna Charta,</HI> which &s;aies,, <HI>nulli negabimus, nulli differemus ju&s;titiam, aut rectum;</HI> We will deny, or deferre ju&s;tice and right to no man. Oh prodigious acts! and of greater tyranny then any King ever dur&s;t adventure upon. What is become of our <HI>Nationall Cov.</HI> and the Parliament many <HI>Declarations</HI> for defence of Lawes and Liberty? Or have we fought our libertie into &s;lavery? By the&s;e devi&s;es the <HI>hone&s;t middle men</HI> of the Hou&s;e (who&s;e con&s;ciences will not let them joyn in any faction to rend the Common-wealth in &s;under) are out of all po&s;&s;ibility of repaire, and made contemptible as well by their own want, as the pride of the Grandees: and in the end, their poverty will inforce them to leave the &s;ole po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of the hou&s;e to the&s;e <HI>thriving Junto men,</HI> who do beleaguer them therin, ma|king them (for farther addition to their lo&s;&s;es) pay all taxes from which the thriving men go free: &s;o that the poorer part of the hou&s;e payes tribute to the richer. Nay it is further whi&s;pered, that at la&s;t the <HI>Junto men</HI> will quit the Parliament Priviledge of not being &s;ued, purpo&s;ely to leave the&s;e younger Brothers to the mer|cy of their Creditors, and di&s;able them to &s;it in their Hou&s;e.</P>
<P>An other ambitious ayme of tho&s;e <HI>Junto men</HI> is their devi&s;e of referring all bu&s;ine&s;&s;es of moment <HI>to Committees.</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>10.</HI> Commit|tees of the Hou&s;es.</NOTE> For the active &s;peaking men by mutuall agreement, naming one another of eve|ry Committee (or at lea&s;t their confident Mini&s;ters) doe thereby <HI>fore-&s;tall and intercept</HI> the bu&s;ine&s;&s;es of the hou&s;e, and under co|lour of examining and preparing matters, they report them to the hou&s;e with what glo&s;&s;es, additions, detractions, and advanta|ges they plea&s;e; whereby the Hou&s;e (judging according to their report) oftentimes mi&s;-judgeth, and if it be a bu&s;ine&s;s they are willing to &s;moother, the Committees have infinite artificiall de|layes to put it off, and keep it from a hearing, or at lea&s;t from reporting. By this meanes the remaining part of the Hou&s;e are but cyphers to value, and Suffragans to ratifie what is fore-judged by the &s;aid Committees. This u&s;urpation of theirs is much helped by keeping the doors of their Committee roomes &s;hut, and di&s;|patching all affaires privately and in the darke. Whereas Ju&s;tice
<PB N="7" REF="6" MS="y"> delights in the light, and ought to be as publique as the common aire, it being again&s;t its nature to be chambred up and kept from the ob&s;ervation of eye, and eare witne&s;&s;es.</P>
<P>Parts of this project wee may well call the <HI>Multiplicity of money Committees,</HI> as Gold&s;miths hall, Haberda&s;hers hall,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>11.</HI> Money Committees.</NOTE> the Committee of the Kings revenues, Committee of the Army, &amp;c. Where every mans profit and power is according to his cunning and con&s;cience. Hereby they draw a generall dependency after them, for he that commands the money, commands the men: The&s;e Committee-men are &s;o powerfull that they over-awe and over-power their fellow members, contrary to the nature of a free Parliament: wherein the equallity of the members mu&s;t main|taine the freedome and integrity thereof, and &s;uppre&s;&s;e fa|ctions.</P>
<P>The like may be &s;aid of &s;uch <HI>members as</HI> (in &s;corne of the <HI>&s;elf-denying Ordinances) hold offices by gift or connivence</HI> of the Par|liament: either <HI>openly</HI> in their own name,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>12.</HI> Members holding offi|ces, &amp;c.</NOTE> or <HI>Secretly</HI> in the name of &s;ome friend. Their offices inabling them to do courte&s;ies and di&s;courti&s;es. And although there hath bin a Committee appoin|ted to certifie all pen&s;ions, Seque&s;trations, offices, imployments of advantage and profits conferred by the Parliament upon any their members, in which Committee <HI>M. Sands</HI> holdeth the chair; yet is this meerly a formallitie to blind the eyes of the world, and foole the expectation of &s;ome lo&s;ing members, who were then re&s;olute to know who had already received &s;atisfaction for their lo&s;&s;es, and how farre they had outrunne their fellow-members therein. Yet this Committee is now let fall, no reports deman|ded of <HI>M. Sand:</HI> and when any is to be made; they are not un|provided of a meanes to make it fruitle&s;&s;e, by putting every par|ticular to debate: well knowing that no man will be willing to argue again&s;t the particular per&s;ons and merits of his fellow-members, and thereby heape envie upon his own head; be&s;ides the delay of a particular debate.</P>
<P>How frequently the <HI>countrey Committees</HI> act contrary to the Laws of the Land:<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>13.</HI> Countrey Committees.</NOTE> how they trample <HI>Magna Charta</HI> under their feet, how boldly and avowedly they tran&s;gre&s;&s;e all orders and Ordinances of Parliament, and break our &s;olemne League and Covenant, how they ordinarily turne well affected men out of
<PB N="8" REF="7" MS="y"> their free-holds and goods, impri&s;on and beat their Per&s;ons with|out any known charge, accu&s;er, or witne&s;&s;e again&s;t them. How fre|quently they leavie one taxe three or four times over &amp; continue their leavyes after the Ordinances expire. How cruelly they rai&s;e the twentieth and fifth part upon the well affected; exerci&s;ing, an Illegall arbitrary tyrannicall power over their fellow &s;ubjects farre higher then ever <HI>Strafford</HI> or <HI>Canterbury</HI> dur&s;t advi&s;e the King to. How ignorantly and unju&s;tly they exerci&s;e a power <HI>to hear and determine</HI> (or rather to determine without hearing, or heare without under&s;tanding) <HI>private controver&s;ies of Meum&punc; &amp; Tuum, for debts, tre&s;pa&s;&s;es,</HI> nay <HI>title and po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of lands</HI> without either formality or knowledge of the Law, not having wit, man|ners nor breeding enough (as being cho&s;en for the greate&s;t part, out o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> the ba&s;e&s;t of the people for ba&s;e ends) to &s;atisfy men with an out&s;ide, or Complement of ju&s;tice: In&s;omuch that nothing is now more Common, then an accu&s;ation without an Accu&s;er, a &s;entence without a Judge, and a condemnation without a hear|ing. If any man, I &s;ay, be &s;o deaf as not to heare the loud univer|&s;all outcrying of the people; &s;o great a &s;tranger in our I&s;rael as not to know this truth, let him peru&s;e <HI>M. Edward Kings</HI> di&s;covery of the arbitrarie actions of the Com. of <HI>Lincolne</HI> printed 1647. where he may &s;ee the&s;e things brie&s;ty Epitomi&s;ed: but to hi&s;tori&s;e them at large would require a volume as big as the book of <HI>Mar|tyrs.</HI> The&s;e Committees are excellent &s;punges to &s;uck money from the people, and to &s;erve not onely their owne, but al&s;o the Covetous, Malicious, Ambitious ends of tho&s;e that raked them out of the dunghill for that imployment, and doe defend them in their oppre&s;&s;ions. Who is &s;o blind as not to &s;ee that the&s;e men have the&iuml;r protectors? Their <HI>Daemones</HI> to whom they offer up part of their rapins; to whom they &s;acrifice.</P>
<Q>Occulta &s;polia, &amp; plures de pace Triumphos.</Q>
<P>If there be any intention to re&s;tore our lawes and liberties, and free us from arbitrary Government: it is fit the&s;e Committees and all a&s;&s;ociations be laid downe, having no enemy to a&s;&s;ociate again&s;t, and that the old forme of Government by Sheriffes, Ju|&s;tices of the Peace &amp;c. be re-e&s;tabli&s;hed; and the <HI>Militia</HI> in each County &s;etled as before, in Lieutenants, and Deputy-Lieutenants, or in Commi&s;&s;ioners.</P>
<PB N="9" REF="7" MS="y">
<P>Nor is it a &s;mall artifice to rai&s;e mony by &s;o <HI>many &s;everall and confu&s;ed Taxes.</HI> Whereas one or two wayes orderly u&s;ed and well husbanded, would have done the work. 1. Royall Sub&s;idie of 400000 l. 2. Pole-mony. 3 the free Loans and contributions upon the publick Faith amounted to a va&s;t incredible &s;umme, in mony, Plate, hor&s;e, Armes, &amp;c. 4. The Iri&s;h adventure for &s;ale of Lands the fir&s;t and &s;econd time. 5. The Weekly Meale. 6. the City Loane after the rate of 50 Sub&s;idies. 7. The A&s;&s;e&s;&s;ement for bringing in the Scots. 8. the 5. and 20 part, 9. The Weekly a&s;&s;e&s;sement for my L. Gene|ralls Army. 10. The weekly (or Monthly A&s;se&s;sement for Sir <HI>Tho. Fairfax</HI> Army. 11. The weekly A&s;&s;e&s;sement for the Scotti&s;h Army. 12. The weekly A&s;se&s;sement for the briti&s;h Army in <HI>Ireland.</HI> 13 The Weekly A&s;se&s;sement for my L. of <HI>Manchesters</HI> Army. 14. Free|quarter (at lea&s;t) connived at by the State, becau&s;e the Souldiers ha|ving for a time &s;ub&s;i&s;tence that way, are the le&s;se craving for their pay: whereby their arrears growing &s;tale, will at la&s;t either be fru|&s;trated by a tedious Committee of Accounts, or forgotten. In the mean time, the grand Committee of accounts di&s;count it out of the Commanders arrears, whereby the State &s;aves it. 15. The Kings Re|venue. 16. Seque&s;trations and plunder by Committee<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">, which if well an&s;wered to the State would have carried on the work: which thus I demon&s;trate, One half of all the goods and chattells, and at lea&s;t one half of all the Lands, Rents, and Revenues of the Kingdom have been &s;eque&s;tred. And who can imagine that one half of the pro|fits and goods of the Land will not maintain any Forces that can be kept and fed in <HI>England,</HI> for the defence thereof? 17. Exci&s;e upon all things. This alone if well mannaged would maintain the Warre. The Low-countries make it almo&s;t their onely &s;upport. 18. Fortification money, &amp;c. By the&s;e &s;everall wayes and Taxes about 40 <HI>millions</HI> in money and money worth have been milked from the People: and the Parliament as (the Pope did once) may call England, <HI>Puteum inexhau&s;tum;</HI> yet is now almo&s;t drawn day. A va&s;t Trea&s;ury, and &s;o exce&s;&s;ive, as nothing but a long peace could import: and nothing but much fraud and many follies could di&s;&s;ipate. And we ought not to wonder if it be accounted <HI><GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="MURP" EXTENT="1 letter">nter ar|cana
<PB N="10" REF="8" MS="y"> novi&s;&s;imi imperii</HI> to be alwayes making, yet never fini&s;hing an account thereof.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">15. <HI>Accounts.</HI></NOTE>And as they have artificially confounded the accompts by laying on multiplicity of Taxes; &s;o (&s;o for the &s;ame rea&s;on) they let the money run in &s;o many muddy, ob&s;cure channells, through &s;o many Committees and Officers fingers, both for collecting, receiving, i&s;&s;u|ing and paying it forth, that it is impo&s;&s;ible to make or ballance any publick account thereof: and at the lea&s;t one half thereof is known to be devoured by Committees and officers and tho&s;e that for lucre protect them. By the&s;e means as they make many men partners with them in the publick &s;poils, &s;o they much &s;trengthen and increa&s;e their party, whereby <HI>multitude peccantium tollit paenam.</HI></P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg">Accounts a|gain.</NOTE>If the&s;e things were not purpo&s;ely done, 1. our Taxes would be fewer in number, and more in effect. 2. They would be put to run in one chanell, under the fingering of fewer Harpies, and per&s;pi|cuous and true Entries made of all receipts and di&s;bur&s;ements which would be publick to common view and examination. The Exche|quer way of Accompts is the exacte&s;t, anciente&s;t, and be&s;t known way of account of <HI>England,</HI> and mo&s;t free from deceit, which is al|mo&s;t confe&s;&s;ed <HI>de facto,</HI> when (to make the Kings Revenue more ob|noxious to their de&s;ires) they took it out of the exchequer way (con|trary to the fundamentall Lawes of the Land; for both the higher &amp; lower Exchequer are as ancient and fundamentall as any Court in <HI>England</HI>) and put it under, a Committee which (as all other Commit|tees do) wil render an account of their &s;teward&s;hip at the latter day. In the mean time divers of that Committee buy in old &s;leeping Pen|&s;ions which thee pay them&s;elves from the fir&s;t of their arrears: yet other men that have di&s;bur&s;ed money out of their pur&s;es for the Kings Service, can receive no pay for any money laid forth before <HI>Michaelmas</HI> Terme, 1643. becau&s;e (forfooth) then the Committee fir&s;t took charge of the Revenue. In the mean time the Kings Tenants and debtours are deprived of the benefit of the Lawes and Liberties of the Subject which before they enjoyed: all Debts and Monies being now rai&s;ed by the terrour of the Pur|fuivants and Me&s;&s;engers, who&s;e Commi&s;&s;ions are onely to di&s;train
<PB N="11" REF="8" MS="y"> and levy, &amp;c. whereas formerly the Exchequer &s;ent out legall Proce&s;s, and the Tenant or Debtor had liberty to plead to it in his owne defence, if he thought him&s;elfe wronged; but now New Lords, new Lawes,, and to countenance their doings, the Com|mittee have gotten an addition of &s;ome Lords to them. 3. If there were faire play above board, &s;o many Members of both Hou&s;es would not be ambitious of the trouble and clamour that attends Task-Ma&s;ters, Publicans, and &s;uch &s;inners as fit at the re|ceipt of Cu&s;tome, being no part of the bu&s;ine&s;&s;e for which the write &s;ummons, or the people choo&s;e or tru&s;t them and whereby they are diverted from the bu&s;ine&s;&s;e of the Hou&s;e: but would leave that imployment to other men, who not having the chara|cter and priviledge of Parliament upon them, will be le&s;&s;e able to protect them&s;elves and their agents from giving pub<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter">ike accounts of their receips and disbur&s;ements, and from putting affronts &amp; delayes upon the Committee of Accompts as (it is well known) &s;ome of them have done. La&s;tly it is &s;candalous that the &s;ame men &s;hould be continued &s;o long in their money imployments becau&s;e <HI>Diuturnitas &amp; &s;olitudo corrumpunt Imperia;</HI> and by long continu|ance and experience they grow &s;o hardned, &s;o cunning in their way, and &s;o backward with dependencies, that it is almo&s;t impo&s;&s;i|ble to trace them. And although (when we look upon the many per&s;ons imployed) we cannot &s;ay there is <HI>&s;olitudo per&s;onarum;</HI> yet when we con&s;ider that by a long partner&s;hip in their imploy|ments they are allyed together in one common intere&s;t; they are to be e&s;teemed but as one man, for a Corporation of men is but many men joyned together as one man, and with one mind pur|&s;uing one and the &s;ame end or intere&s;t.</P>
<P>And though we have a generall Committee of Accompts,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>16.</HI> Committee of Accounts.</NOTE> yet they were nominated by tho&s;e Members that ought to give Ac|compts: and it mu&s;t needs be &s;u&s;pitious for an Accomptant to choo&s;e tho&s;e per&s;ons before whom he &s;hall accompt. And we &s;ee (after &s;o long a time of their &s;itting) no fruit thereof. Whereas the people did hope, that after &s;o much money &s;pent, and &s;uch great debts and arreares left to pay, (whereby they are threatned with continuance of their Taxes) That a full and exact generall accompt of all Receipts and Disbur&s;ements would have been pub|li&s;hed
<PB N="12" REF="9" MS="y"> in Print, for their &s;atisfaction, as is u&s;ually done in the Low Countries, and as was once done by this Parliament, <HI>Anno</HI> 1642. by a Declaration of the accounts of the Kingdome.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>17.</HI> Wants of the Parl. and how occa&s;io|ned.</NOTE>By the&s;e exorbitant cour&s;es, though they have drayned 40. Mil|lions from the people, yet (as <HI>Philip</HI> of <HI>Macedon</HI> was &s;aid to be <HI>Inter quotidianus rapinas &s;emper inops</HI>) they are falne to &s;uch ridi|culous want and beggerie, that they have lately pawned almo&s;t all the &s;ecurity they have for 200000.l. to disband the Armie, and enter upon the Iri&s;h imployment. They have &s;lit Gold&s;miths Hall in &s;under, and given one &s;ide thereof to the Citie, and kept the other halfe thereof to them&s;elves, and that already charged with 200000.l. at lea&s;t. So that if any &s;udden occa&s;ion happen, they have put their pur&s;e into the hands of the uncircumci&s;ed Jews of the City, and cannot rai&s;e one peny but by new taxes up|on the people. It was worth ob&s;erving to &s;ee how officiou&s;ly &s;ome of the old Stagers took leave of the Publique pur&s;e, before it came into Huck&s;ters hands. Alderman <HI>Pennington</HI> had a debt of 3000. l. he owed to Sir <HI>Iohn Pennington</HI> forgiven him, (he never asked forgivene&s;&s;e of his &s;ins &s;o heartily) and 3000.l. more given him out of Gold&s;miths Hall in cour&s;e. The rea&s;on of this bounty was forked or two-fold:</P>
<P N="1">1. Becau&s;e he had got enough before.</P>
<P N="2">2. To comfort his heart, for being left out of the City Militia. But the mo&s;t ob&s;ervable thing was, to &s;ee this old Parlia|ment like a young Prodigall, take up money upon difficult termes, and intangle all they had for a &s;ecurity.</P>
<P N="1">1. They gave way to the City to hedge in an old debt, being a loane of money after the rate of Sub&s;idyes: and other old debts.</P>
<P N="2">2. Whereas 200000. l. only was the &s;umme to be borrowed; the City injoyned them to take up 230000. l. whereof the the odde 30000. l. to be be&s;towed for reliefe of decayed occupiers of the City: So, that (upon the matter) the Parliament payes 30000. l. Broakage.</P>
<P N="3">3. That the City may not tru&s;t the greate&s;t unthrifts of Chri&s;ten|dome, with laying out their owne money; they put upon them two Trea&s;urers of the City to retaine and disbur&s;e it for the &s;er|vice
<PB N="13" REF="9" MS="y"> for which it was borrowed. So ye &s;ee they have now neither credit, money, nor a pur&s;e to put it in.</P>
<P>So that the <HI>mode&s;t Members</HI> who have beene more forward to helpe their Country then them&s;elves,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>18.</HI> Mode&s;t and middle members.</NOTE> are left in the lurch for their lo&s;&s;es, and expo&s;ed to the laughter of their elder brothers, the old <HI>Junto</HI> men, and factious leaders of the hou&s;e; all being now morgaged to the <HI>Lombards</HI> of the City. The <HI>thriving Mem|bers</HI> hope their younger brothers will continue as mode&s;t, as they have beene, and dige&s;t all with patience. But others (and tho&s;e neither fools nor knaves) hope all the <HI>mode&s;t and middle men</HI> of the hou&s;es (&s;uch as are ingaged in no faction) will be provoked here|by to draw into a third party or <HI>Junto</HI> to moderate the exce&s;&s;es of the other two, when any thing prejudicial to the Common-wealth is agitated: and to call the old <HI>Junto</HI> men tho&s;e land Pyrates to ac|count, making them ca&s;t up what they have &s;wallowed, and bring it to a common <HI>dividend.</HI> Nor let them be di&s;couraged with the &s;uppo&s;ed difficulty hereof, &s;ince 20. or 30. men holding together, &amp; ob&s;erving the cro&s;&s;e debates, and different &s;way of each party, may ea&s;ily make them&s;elves moderators of their differences, &amp; turn the &s;cales for the be&s;t advantage of the common, which way they plea&s;e to ca&s;t in their votes, &s;ince it is very rare to have any que|&s;tion carried by more then eight or tenne voyces.</P>
<P>Mo&s;t of the&s;e <HI>Grandees</HI> have for <HI>their retreat,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>19.</HI> Grandees provi&s;ion to &s;ave them|&s;elves.</NOTE> hou&s;es in the Low Countryes richly furni&s;hed with &s;eque&s;tred Plate, Linnen and Stuffe: and great &s;tore of money in bank for their &s;helter, again&s;t &s;uch &s;tormes as their Rapine, Tyrannie and Ignorance may happi|ly rai&s;e here among&s;t us. In tho&s;e their retirements, the&s;e Authors of our mi&s;eries will injoy their &s;innes, and our &s;poiles in &s;ecurity, attending an opportunity to purcha&s;e their peace at la&s;t, and betray our Safeties and Liberties to the inraged Prince and Peo|ple. This is called robbing the Aegyptians. And truly the&s;e am|bitious &s;tate-Mountebanks have brought us into a darkne&s;&s;e, wor&s;e then Aegyptian. The text faith, the Aegyptians ro&s;e not from their places in three dayes: They yet knew where they were: which is more then we doe, every man being out of his place and ranck. The Servant in place of his Ma&s;ter, the Begger in place of the King, the Foole in place of the Councellour, the Theife
<PB N="14" REF="10" MS="y"> in place of the Judge, the Cheater in place of the Trea&s;urer, the Clowne in place of the Gentleman; none but God alone can play <HI>Daedalus</HI> part, and give us a Clue to lead us out of this labyrinth, into which the&s;e unpolitique <HI>Hocas Poca&s;&s;es</HI> have brought us: The&s;e unskilfull workmen that have built up Babel, and pulled downe Sion. Others are &s;aid to prepare Forraigne Plantations for Re|treat; To people which, children are ravi&s;hed from their parents armes, and Shipped away; an abomination not knowne in Eng|land before, and therefore no competent Law made again&s;t it; no more then in ancient Rome again&s;t Parricides.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>20.</HI> Grandees their &s;everal intre&s;ts and de&s;ignes and &s;trengths.</NOTE>By what hath been already &s;aid, you &s;ee what the <HI>&s;everall,</HI> and what the <HI>conjoyned intere&s;ts</HI> of the&s;e <HI>two Juntos</HI> or <HI>Factions Pre&s;|byterian</HI> and <HI>Independent</HI> are. Let us now con&s;ider where <HI>their &s;everall &s;trength</HI> lyes. The <HI>Independent</HI> groundeth his &s;trength upon the <HI>Army,</HI> which if he can keepe up, he hopes to give the Law to all; and to produce that great Chymaera, <HI>Liberty of Con&s;cience:</HI> not con&s;idering that the confu&s;ion and licentiou&s;ne&s;&s;e of &s;uch a liberty will de&s;troy it &s;elfe, <HI>Libertas Libertate perit.</HI> The <HI>Presby|terians</HI> have three <HI>pillars</HI> to &s;upport them. 1. <HI>The City</HI> is their chiefe foundation, with which they keepe a &s;trict corre&s;pondencie, and dayly communication of Councells. Upon this con&s;iderati|on they have lately put the Parliament Pur&s;e into the Cities Poc|ket as afore&s;aid; &s;etled and inlarged the City Militia. Where|as all the Countrys of England (being more obnoxious to injuries then the Citie) &s;uffer much for want of &s;etling their Militia; the Parliament not tru&s;ting them with armes, &s;o much as for their owne defence: An evident &s;igne, there is a farther de&s;igne then disbanding this Army. And becau&s;e the City Militia, can only keepe in awe the adjacent South and Ea&s;t Counties of the King|dome; therefore to &s;uppre&s;&s;e the remoter parts, and inforce them to obedience, they keepe up &s;ome <HI>in-land Garri&s;ons,</HI> and have <HI>Generall Poyntz &s;upernumerarie forces</HI> for the North. And in <HI>the We&s;t</HI> (under colour of &s;ending men for Ireland) they keepe upon free quarter and pay of the country <HI>many &s;upernumerarie Re|giments</HI> and Troops mo&s;t Cavaliers; at lea&s;t five times as many as they really intend to tran&s;port. The&s;e are alwayes going, but ne|ver gone: Like Saint <HI>George,</HI> alwayes in his &s;addle, never on his
<PB N="15" REF="10" MS="y"> way. Something ever is and &s;hall be wanting untill Sir <HI>Thomas Fayrfax's</HI> Army be disbanded; and then (it is thought) the di&s;|gui&s;e will fall off; and the&s;e &s;upernumeraries &s;hall appeare a new modelled Army under Presbyterian Commanders, you may bee &s;ure: and &s;uch who&s;e con&s;ciences &s;hall not befoole their wits where any matter of gaine appeareth. If this be not their ayme, Why did they not disband the&s;e lewd Supernumeraries before la&s;t winter, &s;ince they might have rai&s;ed as many men the &s;pring following for halfe the charge their very free quarters co&s;t? And mo&s;t of the&s;e &s;weare they will not goe for Ireland, vowing they will cut the throats of the Round-heads.</P>
<P>The Countrey is amazed, fearing the&s;e Cavaliers are kept on free-quarter by a Cavaleeri&s;h party for &s;ome Cavaleeri&s;h De&s;igne. Secondly, why did they not rather divide Sir <HI>Thomas Fayrfax</HI> Army into two parts, one to goe for <HI>Ireland,</HI> the other to &s;tay in <HI>England;</HI> being already modelled, excellently di&s;ciplined, and ha|ving the vi&s;ible marks of Gods favour upon their actions? But to take a few for <HI>Ireland,</HI> a few for <HI>England,</HI> and leave a Coare in the middle to be plucked forth and disbanded, was the way to di&s;content them, and put them into mutiny: and thereby nece&s;&s;i|tate the Parliament to disband them all, and give an opportuni|tie to them that &s;eek it, to new modell another army out of the afore&s;aid Supernumeraries, more plyable to the de&s;ires of the Presbyterian <HI>Iuncto:</HI> Adde hereunto the cau&s;ele&s;&s;e exa&s;perating Speeches and a&s;per&s;ions ca&s;t upon mo&s;t of the army purpo&s;ely, as moderate men think, to di&s;content them. Thirdly, If they have no intent to keep up an Army upon the people, why have they con|tinued the military charge for another yeare; and inlarge it from 52000 l. to 60000 l. a moneth?</P>
<P>Thus the <HI>City, Inland Garri&s;ons,</HI><NOTE PLACE="marg">21. <HI>Presbytersi</HI></NOTE> and <HI>Supernumerarie forces new modelled</HI> are like to prove the three &s;tringed whips wherewith the Presbyterian Phaetons will drive their triumphant Chariot if they prevaile; To which may be added <HI>the Presbytors</HI> them&s;elves, who by over-awing mens Con&s;ciences with their Doctrine, will &s;ubdue and worke mens mindes like wax to receive any impre&s;&s;i|on of bondage that tyranny and oppre&s;&s;ion can &s;et upon them, as they do in Scotland: The Clergy in all times and places have ever
<PB N="16" REF="11" MS="y"> held with the mightyt as the Jacco hunts &s;till with the Lion to partake of his prey.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>23.</HI> Quaeries up|on the pre|mi&s;es.</NOTE>The premi&s;es con&s;idered, I &s;hall propound the&s;e en&s;uing <HI>Quae|ries</HI> to tho&s;e that are of better Judgement then my &s;elfe.</P>
<P N="1">1 <HI>Quere,</HI> Why the Title and puni&s;hment of Malignants is tran|&s;lated from the Cavaliers, who fought for Regall Tyranny again&s;t the Parl. and laid upon tho&s;e that fought again&s;t Regall Tyranny for the Parliament? Is it not becau&s;e tho&s;e Cavaliers that have fought for one Tyrannie, will not be &s;crupulous to fight for ano|ther? and &s;uch well affected as have oppo&s;ed Tyranny in one kinde, will not admit of it in another? Why is it now accounted a note of malignity and di&s;affection to endeavour the putting down of Arbitrary Government, and re-e&s;tabli&s;hing our lawes, liberties and properties; whereto the Parliament by their many Declara|tions and their Nationall Covenant are bound? Lay this to heart and con&s;ider whether they have not changed the&s;e their fir&s;t prin|ciples, and con&s;equently whether they are not de&s;irous to change their old friends who re&s;olutely adhere to the &s;aid principles.</P>
<P N="2">2. If the King grant the Propo&s;itions; or if he deny them, and the predominant <HI>Juncto</HI> (for both <HI>Juncto's</HI> joyned in one (for this is probable) to drive on one common intere&s;t) e&s;tabli&s;h the mi|litary and civill power without him, according to their de&s;ires, and in order to their aymes. <HI>Quaere</HI> whether the &s;aid leading men &s;et|led in their po&s;tures with their confident Guards about them, may not draw after them &s;o many of their party, as upon an implicite faith will follow them, and lick up the crums of the publicke &s;poyles under their Tables: expelling or di&s;abling (as afore&s;aid) the di&s;-ingaged members, and by this policy make them&s;elves per|petuall Dictators, incorporating and ingro&s;&s;ing to them&s;elves both the Con&s;ultive, Directive and Mini&s;teriall power of the Kingdome in all cau&s;es Civil and Military, &s;etting up an <HI>Oligarchy</HI> or popular Tyranny in &s;tead of a Regall: As the thirty Tyrants of <HI>Athens</HI> did. In order whereto they already declare, 1. That an Ordinance of Parliament without the Kings Royall a&s;&s;ent is equall to an Act of Parliament. 2. That an Ordinance is above a Law by vertue of their Legi&s;lative power: upon which pre&s;uming in their Ordinance of Indempnity they have granted an Appeale from the Judges of the Law to a Committee of Parliament. See the Ordinance <HI>May</HI> 21. 1647. 3. That they are the Irre|vocable
<PB N="17" REF="11" MS="y"> Tru&s;tees of the peoples lawes, liberties and properties, without account: with other <HI>principles preparative to Tyranny.</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. <HI>Quaere,</HI> Why Arbitrary and Barbarous Government by Co~mittees and other Illegall proceedings (which in time of war were u&s;ed upon Reall or pretended nece&s;&s;itie, &amp; were then only excu&s;able, becau&s;e <HI>nece&s;&s;itas tollit Legem</HI>) are &s;till continued upon us now in time of peace, no enemies troubling our quiet, and without any further pretence of nece&s;&s;itie, Contrary to their Na|tionall Covenant, and all their Declarations? Is it not, to inure the People to &s;ervitude, and ever u&s;e their patience?</P>
<P N="4">4. <HI>Quaere,</HI> Whether the Prodigious oppre&s;&s;ions of Committees, Seque&s;trators, &amp;c. and of free Quarter be not purpo&s;ely counte|nanced to nece&s;&s;itate the people to ri&s;e in tumults, that thence occa&s;ion may be taken to keepe in-land Garri&s;ons and Armies?</P>
<P N="5">5. <HI>Quaere,</HI> Whether our lawes, liberties, and properties are not now as lyable to an Inva&s;ion from the <HI>Legis-lative power,</HI> as formerly, from the <HI>Prerogative?</HI> Con&s;idering that tho&s;e who like ambitious <HI>Ab&s;olom</HI> courted and wooed the people in the begin|ning of troubles, now like haughtie <HI>Rehoboams,</HI> care not though the people complaine: Their little finger is heavier then the loynes of the King, the controver&s;ie betweene the two <HI>Juncto's</HI> being no more, then who&s;e &s;laves wee &s;hall be.</P>
<P>If the <HI>middle and di&s;-ingaged men</HI> in the Hou&s;e do not &s;peedily unite them&s;elves into a party or <HI>Juncto,</HI> as the Factious have done,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>23.</HI> Middle and Moderate members a|gaine.</NOTE> and communicate their coun&s;els; they will be <HI>arena &s;ine calce,</HI> loo&s;e &s;and di&s;&s;ipated by every breath: and neither &s;erviceable for them|&s;elves nor their Countrey. Whereas if they unite, twentie or thir|ty may become Moderators and Umpeers between both parties; (as hath beene already &s;aid) Let the moderate men but con&s;ider how &s;ad and di&s;honourable a thing it is to &s;ee nothing almo&s;t of great and publique concernment come into the Hou&s;e, but what hath bin <HI>before hand contrived, debated, and dige&s;ted</HI> in one or both of the two <HI>Juncto's</HI> at their <HI>private meetings:</HI> and put into &s;o re&s;ol|ved and prejudicate a way and method of di&s;patch, that every man is appointed his part or Cue before-hand: One man to move it, and &s;et it on foot, another to &s;econd him: One man to &s;peake to one part of the argument, another to another part: another to keepe him&s;elfe to the la&s;t for a re&s;erve, and &s;peake to the que|&s;tion, which he is provided to qualifie with a di&s;tinction, or vary
<PB N="18" REF="12" MS="y"> it, if he find it difficult to pa&s;&s;e. Thus all publique bu&s;ine&s;&s;es are mea&s;ured by private re&s;pects; wherby it appears, that as <HI>frequent Parl.</HI> are <HI>good phy&s;ick:</HI> &s;o continuall Parl. are <HI>bad food;</HI> &amp; the peo|ple may complain, that, <HI>qui medice vivit, mi&s;ere vivit.</HI> Parliaments are <HI>Bona peritura;</HI> they cannot keepe long without Corruption. Their perpetuitie emboldens the members, by taking from them all feare of being called to account: E&s;pecially if they get their &s;onnes into the Hou&s;e as well as them&s;elves (as many have done this Parliament: and more endeavour to do) whereby they have an e&s;tate in their places for two or three lives: Moreover by long &s;itting they become &s;o familiar with one anothers per&s;ons and de&s;ignes, as to &s;erve one anothers turnes, to joyn intere&s;t, and to draw into Factions, <HI>Hodie mihi, cras tibi.</HI> If you and your partie will helpe me to day, I and my friend will helpe you to mor|row.</P>
<P><NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>24.</HI> Conclu&s;ion with &s;ome complaints.</NOTE><HI>Mi&s;erima Re&s;p. ubi maje&s;tas Imperii, &amp; &s;alus populi di&s;cordi|bus conflictantur &s;tudiis.</HI> What &s;hall we &s;ay?</P>
<Q>En quo di&s;cordia tetra&mdash;perduxit mi&s;eros?</Q>
<P>Shall we complaine to God? God hath a controver&s;ie with us. Of whom &s;hall we complaine? of our &s;elves? we mu&s;t fir&s;t reforme our &s;elves: we that take upon us to reforme Church and Common-wealth. Shall we complaine of our &s;innes? aske the grace of repentance fir&s;t; and &s;o aske that we may obtaine. Shall we complaine of our puni&s;hments? let us fir&s;t repent, and amend our &s;ins that cau&s;ed them. Let us fir&s;t pluck off the maske of hy|pocri&s;ie, God will &s;ee through &s;uch a fanta&s;ticall garment of Fig|leaves. Let us no longer make Religion a &s;talking-hor&s;e; God who is all Wi&s;edome, and all Truth, will not be deceived. If we talke like Chri&s;tians, and live like Turks, Chri&s;t will not owne us. To fa&s;t for a day, and hang our heads like bulru&s;hes, will not reconcile us. We mu&s;t fa&s;t from publique &s;poiles, rapines and op|pre&s;&s;ion, and not drink the teares of the poore and needy. Shall we complaine with the Prophet, That our Princes are become Theeves? that was heretofore our complaint, now we mu&s;t in|vert it, and cry, That our Theeves (meane and ba&s;e people) are become Princes. We are &s;ick, very &s;ick, intemperately &s;ick; and God hath given us a Phy&s;itian in his wrath, a Leper as white as
<PB N="19" REF="12" MS="y"> &s;now, fitter to infect then cure us. What Phy&s;ick doth hee pre|&s;cribe? Poy&s;on. What dyet? Stones in&s;tead of bread, Scorpions in&s;tead of fi&s;hes, hard fare for them that formerly fed &s;o daintily. Before I conclude, let me give you the pedegree of our Mi&s;eries, and of their Remedies. A long peace begat Plenty, Plenty be|gat Pride, and her &s;i&s;ter Riot; Pride begot Ambition, Ambition be|got Faction, Faction begot Civill War: And (if our eviils be not incurable, if we be not falne <HI>in id temporis quo nec vitia no&s;tra, nec corum remedia ferre po&s;&s;umus</HI>) our War will beget Poverty, Po|verty Humility, Humility Peace againe, <HI>Sic rerum revertentibus vicibus annulus vertitur Politicus.</HI> The declining &s;poake of the Wheele will ri&s;e againe. But we are not yet &s;ufficiently Humb|led; we have not repented with <HI>Nineveh.</HI> We weare Silkes and Velvets in&s;tead of &s;ack-cloath and a&s;hes (even the meane&s;t up|&s;tart hath his thefts writ upon his back by his Taylor in proud Characters of Gold-lace) we have not watered our Couch with our Teares, but with adulterous &s;weat. Look to it therefore ye &s;tate <HI>Incubi,</HI> that by an ince&s;tuous copulation have begot plenty upon Warre, and filled your hou&s;es with the &s;poyle and plunder of your deare Countrey; an inundation of bloud, and of the tears of the oppre&s;&s;ed will wa&s;h away the foundation of your hou&s;es: And peace will be farre from you in this world, but e&s;pecially that peace which the world cannot give: And becau&s;e <HI>Salaman|der</HI>-like you delight in the fire of contention; an unquenchable fire will be your lot hereafter. And though you e&s;cape all ac|counts here, yet upon the great day of account when you &s;hall receive your &s;entence of condemnation, tho&s;e your children for who&s;e preferment you fell your &s;oules, your God for gold, &s;hall not &s;hew &s;o much thankfulne&s;&s;e or pitty towards you, as to &s;ay, alas our father! But your hearts are hardned with <HI>Pharaoh,</HI> I leave you therefore to <HI>Pharaoh's</HI> de&s;tiny, to be drowned in your owne Red Sea, as he was in his.</P>
<P>Thus farre I adventured to vindicate our Religion, Lawes,<NOTE PLACE="marg"><HI>25.</HI> Re&s;olution and &s;cope o<GAP DESC="illegible" RESP="KEYERS" EXTENT="1 letter"> the Author.</NOTE> and Liberties with my pen; in di&s;charge of my Con&s;cience, and pur|&s;uance of our Nationall Covenant which obligeth us to defend them again&s;t who&s;oever to our power; neither knowing nor ca|ring whether in &s;o wicked an age (wherein vice is honoured, and
<PB N="20" REF="13" MS="y"> vertue contemned) I may be thought worthy of puni&s;hment for being more righteous then my &s;uperiors. I know an hone&s;t man is wondred at like a mon&s;ter, and the innocency of his life and conver&s;ation &s;u&s;pected as a Libell again&s;t the State, yet if I peri&s;h I peri&s;h; <HI>&amp; pereundum in licitis.</HI> Nor am I le&s;&s;e provided of a &s;afe retreat then our Grandees. My grave is open for me, and one foot in it already. <HI>Contemp&s;it omnes ille qui mortem prius.</HI> He that contemnes death, &s;cornes both Hope and Feare; which are the only affections that make Knaves, Fooles and Cowards of all the world. The world is a goodly Theater, we the Actors, God is both Poet and chiefe &s;pectator. We mu&s;t not choo&s;e our owne parts, that is at Gods appointment. One man he appoints to play the King, another the Begger, one a Comick, another a Tragick part: What&s;oever part God hath appointed for me in this remainder of my life, I will have a care to per&s;onate it in|genuou&s;ly and aptly: Not doubting but my <HI>Exit</HI> &s;hall be ac|compained with an applau&s;e into my tyring Roome, my Tomb; nor will I refu&s;e the meane&s;t part that may draw a plaudit from &s;o excellent a &s;pectator, but will prepare my &s;elfe for the wor&s;t of evills, in this wor&s;t of times; and pray to God to reforme our Reformers. <HI>Amen.</HI></P>
<TRAILER>THE END.</TRAILER>
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