AND thus, the above three mentioned Persons, (whose names are, as followeth) (Captain Elie, Simpson Tonge, and John Crawley:) laid about their three several Designs; The First Captain Elie, whose Design, was, and is, to pro­pagate, the Popish Interest, and also his own Exaltation, and Fortune. Secondly Simpson Tonge, whose design was, to be revenged of his Father, as I shall give an account of more at large, in the ensuing Treatise.

And thirdly, John Crawly who through distress, and want, and also his desire, and inclination to serve the Popish Party, was by that, and the Consultation and Combination he had with the other two, perswaded that he could serve the Church of Rome, and purchase for himself a better Interest of Livelyhood, than he had before, which as is manifestly [Page 2] known, by his bare Garb, and spare Diet, he had no Live­lyhood at all.

Having plainly laid down before you the Reasons, and Designs, the above three mentioned Persons, proposed to themselves, if they could by their audacious Subornation, disanul the King's Evidences, push off the King, Councel, Parliament, and Countrey, of these three Nations, from believing the real being of any such thing as an intended Plot by the Papists, kindled against his Majesties Person, his Laws and Government, or Church-Settlement, and Establish­ment of England. But instead of that they would first assert, that the Popish Party in these three Kingdoms are the best Subjects, and what they are imputed with, of an insurrecti­ous Conspiracy, or Plot, sprung first from Inveteracy, Ma­lice, and Hatred, and also an old Root of Antipathy, that the Papists assert the Protestants to harbour for them. These I say are the strongest Grounds, the foresaid three Persons, have for their firmest Foundations, to carry on such Presump­tous, audacious and false Undertakings, to contradict, and invalidate the King's prudent and wise Understanding, as al­so the Great Parliament of England, and the most Honoura­ble Privy-Councel, who to any mans rational understand­ing, are Persons of incomparable Prudence, Wisdom, and Learning, as that they would not undervalue their said seve­ral worthy Faculties and unparalell'd Understanding, and likewise their Christian Principle, as to give Credit to any uncertain hearsayings, nor vain blasts of false Informations, but their great Wisdom leads them narrowly to search and dive into the depth of all Causes, that come before them to be tryed. They are so careful, how to pass their Judg­ment, as that they try the very foundation, of the Kings Evidences, how? and in what measure, and in what years, and in what times of the year, the Evidences became acquain­ted with the first, and the whole summary agitation of the Popish Plot.

And if they find by the Evidences, Instances, and Cir­cumstances, that they have truth on their side, by several In­formations, Depositions, and Confessions, that they make unto several persons, distinctly and diversly, or in divers pla­ces; [Page 3] the Lords before whom these examinations and Depo­sitions are taken, do compare one Confession to another, and proceed accordingly, and accordingly place their In­stances. This through and ample search the King, Parlia­ment, Councel, and subordinate Magistrates, through all Causes that come to be tryed before them, so that thereup­on, it is a great Presumption, and a contumelious Incredulity, for any person or persons whatsoever to go about to invalidate and contradict, what the said Lords or Subordinate Magi­strates do upon well grounded and certain Instances, confirm and acknowledge to be truth. And therefore their Tryals in such Causes, and in many inferiour Causes, in any mat­ter relating to the Popish Plot, their approbation of it pas­seth as is above mentioned, so that no particular Cause is wink­ed at, but is tryed as the Gold in the Furnace, which implies that people of so great Wisdom, as the Governour, and Go­vernours of these three Kingdoms are, who narrowly search the truth of all things before they pass it by as cre­dited or contradicted. So that we have more reason to ac­cept and receive for currant what they confirm, than what three false Suborners would fain blow up unto our under­standing to the contrary, whose Designs, Intents, and Pur­poses are as above cited, and as I shall more amply give you an account of. These said three Suborned Witnesses that falsely, and contumeliously, contradict the King's E­vidences, who passed through such Purificatory of Tryals, as they have done.

I say it is very hard if such Enormities, committed against King and Government, should pass without Correction. Now I must turn to give you an account of the said three Suborned Witnesses, or Evidences, whose names are above cited. I am acquainted with two of them, but one whose name is Elie, is a stranger to me, but I find by a relative ac­count, I have had of him, how he designed to carry on this Subornation, which is the last of many monstrous, and horrible cheats he hath committed, controled and contract­ed this many years in England. But of this particular, you shall hear more at large in the ensuing part of this Treatise. And now I must come to hint of his two Confederates, who [Page 4] are my Acquaintance, and of the said two I do intend to treat, who thought to invest themselves, with a pretended Coat of Loyalty, to his Sacred Majesty of Great Britain, France, and Ireland; But the said Coat being but a second­hand one, and bare-thread worn, and the Colour of it be­ing Black, and as the nature of the colour Black is to wear, or rot away, sooner than any other Colour shall, by rea­son that it is too much boyled in the dying. But I shall not insist to give an accompt of a Trade that I have no more skill in, than the above three Gentlemen had in choosing such a rotten Garb, which wore out so soon, and tore so unexpectedly, that the rent appeared so strangely, as that soon their Nakedness were espyed and discovered, which more plainly to let you understand it, their Knavery, and Subornation, was descryed: and as it is thought, after­wards may ensue, that their Iniquity shall not pass uncor­rected; But now in the Interim, notwithstanding their great dependency, upon the mainest supporters of Subornation, as that we see, for all the Combination of the Pope and the Devil; their Iniquity shall be brought to light to their shame and Confusion. So as that they will be glad, to make them Aprons of Figtree Leaves, to hide the iniquity and wickedness of their sinful devilish and malicious undertakings, which to my understanding, I cannot term it better; for who­ever he or they be, that are led away by the wicked instiga­tion of Satan, are hired or bribed to take false Oaths, and bind themselves in Covenant with the Devil, irrevocably, and that in as much as they will ransack their Consciences, and make a shipwrack of them, as these three Suborners have done, though indeed I must confess they were put on, so to do, by the Counfounders of Christianity, Religion, Godliness, Holiness, and Piety, and all other Christian Laws, and Governments, to use all means whatsoever with a general Indulgence, for so doing, for to Confound the King, the Church, Government, and Kingdoms of these three Nations, expecting that this late most Abominable and Horrible Plot, should be placed as a perpetual stain, over the heads of Protestants. The proposals of the which Contri­vance, being thus; That if the said three Suborners, could [Page 5] or would, whether right or wrong, take their Oaths, that they knew such Contracts, in the Writings, of the chiefest and strongest Evidences the King hath, as that what they several times deposed upon Oath, and manifestly proved in such a through and Emphatical manner, as that all Persons of whatsoever Degree, Dignity, or Quality, durst not nor will scruple, (that is to say, such as are endued with common Sense, Reason, or Understanding) but the said Evidences of the King, spoke nothing but real and manifest truth, in what they have declared or deposed as to the proof of the Plot. But the Ancient antipathy and Malice of Rome, is still bent and ever will be, during the Reign of the Romans to do all the mischief to the Protestant Religion and Government, to the utmost of their power, and to this end they thought to make themselves more drunk with the Cup of Abomina­tion, and then to vomit it out upon the heads of English, I­rish, and Scottish Protestants; when they seeing that the Lord was pleased to break the Vail that covered and hid their untolerable wickedness, and let their shameful deeds be seen in and through the World. But they who much may be com­pared to the Magicians of Egypt, as often as Moses through and by the power of God, turned the Rod to several vivifi­cant or lively Postures of twelve Creatures, so the Egyptian Magicians by the Power of the Devil, worked a formal resemblance to that which the man of God, and by his power Acted, which thus implies, that as the Lord was pleased to discover to let the people of England, see the malici­ous naked Sword of Rome, that was ready to cut their Throats: so the Popish party on the other hand, with their Magical Spells of Money, thought to raise such perverse, perjured Suborners, for to swear that the Plot was first contrived and hatched by the Protestant Party, upon the which Sound of the Magick Money Art, the above mentioned Captain Elie, Sympson Tongue, and John Crawley, contrived together, and thought it a great prey, and cryed one to another, Come let us go to the Popish Party and swear three Oaths, That Doctor Tonge, Doctor Oats, Captain Bedloe, &c. were the first Contrivers of the Popish Plot, and that they have so contrived it, as that they made the King averse against his [Page 6] Subjects, and expells some of them into forreign Countries, banisht some of them that were in great Favour at Court, and deprived them of the privilege of bearing Office or Com­mission of Magistracy under him within his Jurisdiction, or Dominions, I say, as to the said Suborners, that their Hands were greased, and their Lips anoynted for to exclaim against the King's Evidences, in hopes they may procure more people to compact with them in Perjury, and Sub­ornation, and they would share with them in what moneys they could receive upon that account. I have given you thus far an account of the Subornation of these three Per­sons, and now I will let you understand what three Per­sons they are, their Intents, Designs, and Purposes, as I have promised in the beginning of my foregoing lines. That Captain Elie, who was the Chiefest Ringleader of the other two, is frequently termed a great States-man, and a Jesui­tical Contriver, which may very well be seen in the Me­thod he took to manage his Business, when he went about to raise a Company of Suborned Witnesses, to serve the Devil against his King, as I shall let you more clearly see, before I bring my notes of him to a period. I will insist a little longer upon so worthy a Subject as he is, and though I am not personally acquainted with him, yet I am told some people compare him to a Kidnapper, and the reason why they compare him to so unbeseeming a Comparison, is this, because the Kidnapper, when he is about to snap up people for his purpose, he is like the Fisherman, who lays out several fair and inviting Baits, which tempts the poor innocent Fish, so that through the temptation thereof, he gives such a snap at the Bait, thinking or little suspecting to be prejudiced by that saib Bait, but poor Creature, there is a hook in the Bait, that as soon as ever the fish gives a snap, and a pull, the said hook takes hold, in his Jaws, or Throat, so that the Fisher­man draws him to shore, and takes his hook out of him, and puts the fish into his Basket; these said Resemblances, of Kidnapping and Fishing, in my thinking become very well Captain Elie, and his Jesuitical Baits of drawing, tempting, and leading poor people to Prejury and Suborna­tion, expecting thereby, to propagate the Popish Interest, [Page 7] advance his own fortune and to seduce such as he takes, to temporal and spiritual miserie. But he being not the only Subject of my Discourse, I do intend to desist speaking any more here of him until he comes into my purpose in the next Clause. And now to come to the main of my present matter, and purpose, I have given you some small account of Captain Elie's Proceedings, who was the only Ringleader of this mischievous Contrivance of Subornation, who also was the Captain of Sympson Tonge, who is a man of a great esteem of himself, and thinks himself to be a man of com­petent Knowledge, Capacity, and Worth, and for my part thus far I have to say of him, in those my following lines, that if he had but money enough, as he expected that Cap­tain Elie would procure for him, I am certain he would al­low the Ladies of Honour a Glass of the best Wine, a Dose of Physick, and a good Allarm when they are drinking of the Wine, which he thought, or at least expected he could have been always able to maintain, by his being one of the above mentioned hirelings, or Suborners of the black Coat: but poor man! he is sadly disappointed, and irrecoverably frustrated. For instead of their pretended carrying on the work of Subornation, and the wearing of the Black Coat, whereby he expected to be able to keep a Coach, and six Horses, and likewise he expected to occasion the King's E­vidences to be trodden under foot, and the Parliament and Councel, to be counted ridiculous and foolish, and the Laws of the Nation to be unjust and unrighteous, which thus the said Evidences proposed to themselves, that if they could get the King's Evidences Countermanded, and Counterpoi­sed, and by the same get them invalidated; all the neigh­bouring Princes and People in Europe, would cry shame up­on the people of England and their Laws and Government, how unjustly they execute their Subjects, without any cer­tain foundation or well-grounded Reason for so doing. Nay it would be a perpetual blemish upon the head of England, until Dooms-day: I say, this was the intended design, and purpose, of these Suborners, to see whether they could baf­fle the King out of his Judgment, contradict the Lords of both Parliament and Councel in their Knowledge and Un­derstanding, [Page 8] and so blemish the Laws of England for ever. But as I have promised to hint further of Sympson Tonge, I must needs confess he had another reserved aim in the pur­pose of his Subornation, as I shall let you see when it comes to my purpose, and in the interim I shall only hint his Torn black Coat, in the which he thought to wrap himself up from the Reproaches and Scandals that he purchased for himself, for his Confederacy, Combination, and Contri­vance; with his so called Noble Captain Elie, and his Cou­zen John Crawley; having wrapt himself as aforesaid, so close­ly, narrowly, and roundly into the Cloak, that it tore a­way; and the rent was so wide, and he being in company with his Ladies of Honour who discovered his Nakedness, and then cryed away with him, he is clap'd, he hath got no Money, let him come here no more, and they also cry­ed to him in a Laughter and a Table-talk, you had better go to Madam Cellier who is a good Midwife, and hath skill in Chirurgery, who also if she gets it her self will convey it to another, by reason of her converse with the people over whom you thought to spread the black Cloak, whom also for some time you fed with Fancy and Conceit of your great Works, when you expected to cast over the blame of the Popish Plot, when your Father, Doctor Oates, and the rest of the King's Evidences, and thereby bear the popish Party spotless, and blameless, which indeed if you could do, I must acknowledge you would be a happy man, and they a happy people both as to the state of their Bodies and Souls.

For they have got so deep into the Mire of it, that they cannot so soon be rid of it, for if it had been as false as it is true, and that they were as Innocent as they were Guilty, I am certain wherever he be that could clear them, would make himself a happy man, and them a happy peo­ple, as to the view of the World; But not before God, for it is said in Scripture, Non demittitur peccatum, nisi restituatur oblatum; But not that I am about to Preach to you, nor to hinder such a man as this man Sympson Tonge is, who promised to bring truth to light, but instead of so doing he hath brought falsehood under the cover of his old Black Cloak, but as the [Page 9] Lord will have it, he prevented his false Designs, and turn­ed him and them into a rejection and disdain in the esteem of any Rational People, and thus he cheated himself and deprived himself of the privilege he might have obtained in the natural affection and love that he might have been still partaker of, but let him see what it is for a man to forfeit certainty for uncertainty, and when he throughly, and perspi­cuously looks into it, he may as well say to his two former Confederates Captain Elie and Crawley; as he said to the wo­men when they beheld his Nakedness, and discovered his Venus Disease, as he cryed, Alas they cheated me! But judge you, what it's to build a Tower of De­fence upon the words of a treacherous Villain, and therein to confide, as Sympson Tonge trusted confidently in the fair promises and sweet words of Captain Elie, when he first deluded him, and next, judge what it is to build a Paradice, with Kisses, Wine, and Money, in a womans Bosom, the which three materials, are as stedfast as he is treacherous: I will direct you, to learn the uncertainty of these two Comparisons, of him who most tryed to his woeful experience the event of such matters, and the next thing it is how much this poor man hath to bemoan and bewail his wretched and desperate Condition. I Instance you this simile, as much as it had been from his own mouth, what it is to begin to love Women so soon as he did, and that in such a measure, as that he would run any hazard to enjoy it. And seeing that he could not enjoy it, not half to his lascivious desire, by reason that he had not money enough, his Means being but small, whereupon he thought it his only and nearest way to procure money and accom­plish his desire, to play a Game at Sice-Ace, or Tick-tack, with the Pope and his Party: and I would wish with all my heart, that the Knave could win one thousand pound of the Pope; but hang the Pope, he is a Serpent-like Dog, he is so craf­ty, and subtile, and covetous, as that in so short a time as Symp­son had to do with him, it is impossible to pump so much money out of him; but I must needs confess, as I find Symp­son was ever unlucky, if he were wise he might have cheat­ed the Pope, for he is an old blind Cuckold; and cannot [Page 10] well see, nor ever did, nor ever shall as long as he con­tinues in his devillish Superstition and Idolatry, but I must kick by the Pope a while and take another dish of discourse with Sympson Tonge, which is this, that I must tell him as I find several well grounded, solid, and learned men, una­nimously to agree upon this opinion, that there is a decre­tal lett, decreed for a man in his life time in this World, the which lots and decrees are manifold and sundry-fold, and every man hath his proper decree, or lot, whatsoever it be good or bad he cannot avoid it, which is to say, by the very observation of the Firmaments, as is commonly observed by the Mathematicians, and Astrologians, as thus, if a man be born under a twopenny Planet, he will never be worth a Groat in his life time. I do not intend, to tres­pass upon your patience, with the circumspective Observations that those words would require to be traced in, for I sup­pose you would say, it had been too tedious so to do; and in another place, it is anciently observed by the afore old Arts-men, viz. Mathematicians, and Astrologians, that if a man be born to be hanged all the world cannot prevent it, or save him, and I doubt very much if Mr. Sympson Tonge escapes either the one or the other, of the said decrees, or lots; not that I trust, or give credit to any such Observa­tion, but by his own very Carriage, and by the dreadful view I have of his most monstrous Enormities; And now seeing that I undertook to treat of one more of his other two Confederates in Knavery, and Subornation, I do intend to be­gin where I left off; Having given you an account already of their Names, Conditions, and expected Commissions, their conditions you must of necessity conclude with me, that it must be some Great Orator, that is able to define their said malicious, perverse, and wicked Conditions, and I must leave it in the mean while to your own prudent Judg­ment, what condition such Audacious, Contumelious, and perverse Rogues can be endured with, who went about to contradict the Eminent and Great Wisdom that the most of the Peers of England are endued with, who sit both in Parliament and Concel. Nay furthermore, they went about to outface the Great and Dread Soveraign of the three Na­tions, [Page 11] who was by strength of reason, and undeniable Evi­dences convinced and satisfied, that there was nothing surer, under the Godhead, than that there was a real Plot in agi­tation against him by the popish Party, and as to their re­spected Commissions, if the Black old worn Coat had endured a little longer; But it was too threadbare before they got it that they could do no good with it: but every one of them as to his respective Commission, whereupon they relyed the fu­ture welfare of their being, As for Elie he should have been the second General Monk, or the second Chancellour Hyde; And as for Sympson Tonge, he expected to be Bishop of Canterbury, or of some other great Archiepiscopacy, at the next vacancy; And as for John Crawley, he expected to be a great Officer, at least a Captain of a Man of War, or a Captain of the King's Life-Guard. Whereof all their three ambitious Designs and wished for desires, were grievously disappointed, and frustrated. Such disappointment, had been most suitable to all such perverse Perjurers, and Sub­orners, (as I suppose,) the Event of the Progress will be no better than what I term it. Though at their first growth they may grow up with a visible possibility of continuing in the same manner that they grow in, but it is very remar­kably observed, that all sorts of Grains, Trees, or Leaves, or any thing that grows, that soonest, and unexpectedly yields a fragrant Blossom, but it is concluded all such as yield their Blossoms before their natural time, they fade and wither away, so that there comes no fruit of their Blos­soms; which I verily believe, will prove the same with these three upstarted Imps, in whose proceedings they only glory themselves, and upon their boughs they beheld very comfortable Blossoms, whereof they did much glory and rejoyce, but when it came to the time of Fruit, they yield­ed none, but their Blossoms withered away before they came into any maturity; and they themselves, remain like three wetherbeaten old Stumps, without either fruit, happi­ness, or good success in their undertakings, which is what we expected when first we heard of their proceedings. You may see, the event of Iniquity is commonly Destruction, and Ruine, incident to the Workers thereof; and I do not [Page 12] question, but it will be the event of these three discontent­ed Suborners, to fall ten degrees lower than ever they were, for they are not favoured neither on the one side nor on the other, but of all sides they are dejected, rejected, undervalued, and disdained, so that I can compare them to no better similitude, than they are like three mad Dogs, who after falling mad, run away from their master, every body cries, kill them! they are mad! which is the same in course with Captain Elie, Simpson Tonge, and John Craivley, three who thought themselves merry men; I suppose they have no such pleasure in their mirth now, but that I dare say they would give it in exchange for mine. And I leave them to what they enjoy, and to that indeed that may lead them to repentance.

Now having completed their several Styles, and Titles, their Aims, Designs, Intents, and Purposes, and having al­so given an account what they expected to benefit them­selves by their kindling of their Subornation, which I am certain they could not so confidently propose to themselves, without the Promises, Supportations, and Assistance, of some great People. But seeing we have not, (as yet,) any suf­ficient grounds of Reason, to build our suspicion upon any particular Persons, to be concerned in the raising of such Suborners, we will only thus conclude, and so rest silent, until the Lord, (who hath seen and knows their Iniquity) may be pleased to discover them, and their mischievous Pro­ceedings, and Designs; as he hath been graciously pleased with his powerful hand, to protect these Kingdoms, and to discover all Mischiefs, and malicious Contrivances and Con­nivances, that were like to fall upon them by the Contracts of evil People; And for his Protection, Guidance, Shelter, and Direction, which he hath many a time been graciously pleased to shew these Nations, we desire to render unto him, the Praises, the Glory, the Honour, and Renown, both now and for ever.

I must hint once more at Sympson Tonge, who as he is ta­ken notice of, is very well known to be one that loved best, and chieflyest preferred the love of strange women, be­yond the love of his natural Parents, which is a Quality, [Page 13] was very much discerned and beheld in him, since he came to the knowledge of good and Evil; Which is a very re­markable, manifest, and inspectious Demonstration, of the want of Grace in any Child, to prefer any worldly plea­sure beyond the love of his Parents, the which want of natural love is discerned to inhabit in the breast of the said Simpson Tonge. Which his Father having throughly read, by his Carriage, and natural Inclination, and accordingly, by all the means possible he could, watcht how his said Son spent his time, in what Company, and in what Exercise, he most de­lighted: and the manner of spending his time, and what little Money he could scrape of his Father and Uncle, he spent it in the Company of Women, as far as it reach'd. But his Purse falling short, and weak, he could not thereby pur­chase any womens Company keeping, so that he under­standing he could no longer frequent their Society, but instead of so doing, he lighted on a company of scurrilous fellows, that would Drink, Sing, and Smoak with him, (for he himself is an indefatigable Smoaker,) there is no kind of Liquors that come amiss in his Dish whatsoever, the more he drinks the more he would, the longer he sits the longer he would. So that Singing, Drinking and womens Com­pany keeping, (if he could be his own Carver) would be his delight all his life time. And if I write here more, as to the Description of his Inclinations, than what you may be apt to believe, of these my Descriptions of this Gentleman, if you be so concerned, and that your fancy may lead you, to enquire, whether those my Descriptions of him, and his worldly Delights and Pleasures: you may then if you please, enquire of those that are longer acquainted, and nearer re­lated to him, than I am. Who I am certain, if they lay by Impartiality, and declare of him, what their Conscience leads them to, will confirm what I herein write, or declare of my knowledge of this man, to be real truth, in most or all the particulars of his Life and Conversation, that I have undertaken to give an account of. Nay I will say moreover, if they were examined and put to their Oath, if they were really led by their Conscience, whether or not they know these things to be true that I write in this Paper, [Page 14] and that if they do not forswear themselves, they will con­firm what I say herein. It is very well known that he hath been cured of the Disease called the Venus Disease, or that which is found in Venus Garden, and his Father payed for his Cure several times, and also Chastised him with such Fatherly Correction, for his several and manifold Debauche­ries, Drunkenness, and Whoredoms, every time that he could trace him in it. But he getting in favour with his Fa­thers Acquaintance, and Servants, as that the tenth part of his Enormities, and wicked Relapses, were not brought to his Fathers knowledge, so that most of them passed without Correction; and when his Father (to his great Grief) under­stood that his unhappy Son was so overpowered with the Works of Satan, and so filled and overwhelmed with such Gross, Horrible, and Abominable Enormities, and Relap­ses, he with many Sobs, and Sighs, determined to cloud his Countenance from him for some small time, which he was forced to make use of such Notions for his said Sons Castigations several times, and that to the end that he might understand how much the Lord abhors Sin, and how grie­vous it would be to his Father to see his Son run headlong in Apostacy against God, and in Disobedience against his Father. And upon the other hand again, that he may un­derstand what Peace, Pleasure, and sundry other advantagious Comforts and Consolations it is, to the Soul and Body, to be in peace with God, and in the dutiful Obedience that Children owe to Parents, and whilst they keep that peace with God, and that loving natural Obedience they owe to their Parents, the Lord will shield them from all or most other Temptations of the Devil, and that in such Measure, as that the Devil shall never have power over such obedient Children, as by their Disobedience to God, and their Pa­rents, they purchase him to have over them. O alas! then how shall it be with that Child? who for the small Lucre of a filthy Gain of Money, will not only be contented of a Revenge against his Father, would not be satisfied to dis­content and displease him many a time, but must needs use all the means he could to take away his Fathers Life, And that by taking false Oath, and complyed with others so to [Page 15] do? which indeed, will go very near to be accomplished by him and his Confederates, if Perjuration and Suborna­tion, if likewise the Amity betwixt the Pope and the De­vil, would be taken any notice of by the Administers of the Law of this Nation; But as we have reason to bless God, and pray for the well and long Rule and Reign of our King, and the continuance of our Good Laws, which I hope, may at long run, take to consideration the monstrous and unhumane Iniquity and Wickedness of these said three Sub­orners, and handle them as their great Transgressions shall require. Who went about to cloud the Nation with an As­persion of innocent Bloodshedding, which questionless would be done through the means of the said Suborners, had it not been prevented by the divine Providence, and an hundred more clear Manifestations and truer Demonstrations, than ever they (with all their Subornations) shall be able, Em­phatically, and Efficaciously to contradict. Though indeed I must confess, that if the Case stood so sted fast on their side, as they are grounded in Lies, and Falsehood, it would do very well with them; They have related up and down the Town, amongst their Whores, and Holes, or (at least Simpson Tonge hath) that the King received him with a great deal of Honour, Respect, and Credit, Embraced him in his Arms, placed him upon a Couch hard by him; which is but one of his Lies, (although a most false and incredible Story) it is to any Persons that have competent Judgment, that the King would harbour with so great a Reception such a shit­ten School-Boy, who never attained to such Knowledge, or Worth, as to be esteemed a Favourite by our Great Monarch, as he most falsly and audaciously affirms he hath been. Which I state here, as an instance unto you, that you may judge whether or no he that would tell such an abominable and an unprofitable Lye for nothing, would tell a more Hai­nous (though this is very Hainous) for his Expectation of being made Bishop of the next vacant Bishoprick. I infer this to this Effect, that if the Credit, Reputation, Honour, and Safety of these three Nations, upon such a rotten Foundati­on as these three Persons are, who will stick no more to Truth nor stumble no more at telling a Lye, then they will to kiss [Page 16] their Whores, when their Lusts most burn them, or drink their Liquor when they are most desirous to be Drunk, the which desire (in them) is never wanting.

Having shown this one instance, of the insufficiency and unlawfulness of such Evidences, to be taken in less impor­tances and Consequences than the welfare of these three Nations, I expect this Paper may come into some bodies hands whose good and knowing Inclination may lead them to con­strue well of this my inference. As also, of another that I shall place after it, which is this, that I would desire to know, whether or not it is lawful for a man, who takes upon him­self to be an Evidence in Matters of State, nay in any man­ner of Case in whatsoever Evidences are required? when he or they undertakes to carry on and stand by as Evidences, for to maintain such Cases, as he proposes or promises to do, and having so promised, afterwards to go with his purse of Money to bribe people, as I shall hereafter prove, that the said Sympson Tonge and Captain Elie, have given fourty shillings in money to a Woman, who was Housekeeper to Doctor Tonge; And afterwards they offered her three pounds more, upon Condition she would declare and take upon Oath what they would have her do, as to the placing of the first Ofspring and beginning of the Popish Plott, upon the heads of Doctor Tonge, Doctor Oates, &c. and if she would yield to take the said Oath, she should be preferred to any preferment whatsoever she would desire. From this Instance I infer, that seeing motions of Bribery and Ambition of Exalta­tion, is much made use of by the foresaid Persons, for to raise suborned Witnesses, which I suppose when you take it into Con­sideration, you will judge the Promoters of this said Suborna­tion, should not nor must not be received as Evidences for the King, or any State-Matter, nay you must of necessity grant, that it is abominable to suffer any such Bribe-hatchers to speak in this behalf; for I am certain if it be so now in Eng­land, that the Evidence of such people is received as Material and Colloteral, it hath not been so in old times, and the Laws are as good now as ever they were, if Suborners could be kept at distance, which if not it is not safe for an honest man to live in his own Countrey. For he doth not know [Page 17] who to trust to, whereas Bribes and pitiful ones, leads a­way the Son falsly, and treacherously, to betray his Father, And all that in hopes and Ambition of a little Preferment. Which consideration when you read this will shew you the unlawfulness of such Persons, who would not stumble to cut your Throats for their own Interest. I pray therefore, beware of Wolfs in Sheeps-Cloathing. For I am sure, these three persons of Subornation can be compared to no better thing.

Now having shewn you these persons Condition, that is to say, two of them with whom I was chiefest acquainted, how and in what manner they lived, only I left off giv­ing an account of John Crawley, whose dependency of Live­lyhood, depended most and chiefly upon the Benevolence of his Acquaintance here in Town, his Business here was upon pretence of learning the Law, and for ought I know, he may learn his belly full of it, and that in such measure as that if you will give him rope enough he will hang him­self: he is an Irishman by his Countrey, he is a man of a very loose Life and Conversation, he is a great Whoremaster, mighty debauch'd in all Exercises, a great Curser, Swearer and Drinker: mighty forgetful of the natural Course of Temperance and Modesty, I speak nothing but what might be proved, therefore in as much as I have in short shewn you, the Lives, Conversations, and the distressed and de­stitute Condition, of these two of whom I promised in the foregoing part of this Relation to give you an account of; whose demerited distress, by reason of their Debauchery, and evil course of Life led them to be tempted by Captain Elie's Moneys, which when you throughly weigh and consi­der, the rate they led their lives in, you will and must of necessity grant, that there is but little or no trust to be confi­ded on the Words or Oaths of such debauch'd and lewd Li­vers, from whence I shall infer the unlawfulness of their E­vidences; But I shall cease of so doing, until I give a fur­ther account of Doctor Tonge's Son: of whom I have to say that he or whoever, that goes about to betray his own Parents, which is contrary to the Precept and Commandment of God so to do, that I guess, Reason may guide any rational Christi­an, [Page 18] to place the less trust or Confidence in him, for he who­ever he be that would be so soon led away, and so easily perswaded by the World, the Flesh and the Devil, to coun­terpose his dear and good Father, who is known to be a worthy and a reverend Man, and a good and loyal Subject, true and trusty to his King and Countrey, upon the which account he hath spent all his Estate, to defend, maintain and propagate the King, Church and Government Interest in these three Nations, to the utmost, and beyond his power, Capacity, and Ability; and when this moderate, learned and discreet man, could not with safe Conscience, neither his Stock, nor his Estate was able to maintain the inordinate and riotous Desires and Designs of his Son, but according to his Capacity, allowed him competently as he thought fit or necessary for him. But his Son being not therewith con­tented, nor satisfied, as he was ever unsatiable; he betook him to a serious Consideration, which way he should be re­venged of his Father, for cutting short his former and ac­customed Allowance of Maintenance and Subsistence. And thereupon after some premeditation and deliberation of time, he rushes forth into these Exclamations against his Father, and said, come hang it (thought he) I will be thus reveng­ed on him, I will raise a measure of the dust and Street­sweepings of Rome about his Ears and Eyes; And there­with I shall stifle and blind him, and thereupon after having resolutely determined to be thus revenged of his Father, and nothing wanting to his power to prejudice both his Father and the Countrey, but the next opportunity that may an­swer to that Effect. Having within a small time afterwards met with an elderly man, whose name was Mr. Lane, whose Son served Doctor Oates, and afterwards for some Misde­meanors, that he had committed against Doctor Oates, was sentenced by course of Law to stand in the Pillory. This said old Lane and Sympson Tonge had entred into discourse (Sympson Tonge, who never was backward to prate and talk to every body, as well unacquainted as acquainted) the old man understanding by him, that he was inclined to cast op­probious Aspersions upon Doctor Tonge and Doctor Oates, as he's seen by his disturbed and discontented Mind, and by [Page 19] the Relation he gave him of his Father and Doctor Oates, and thereupon made answer unto him; if that you prove trusty to me, and the Trust you say you will take in hand, I will put you in a way to be revenged upon your Father for his Cruelty and Hardheartedness unto you, and also to be revenged on Doctor Oates, who was so Tyrannical towards my poor Son, who served him for some time; If you will therefore draw up in Writing what you know of your Fa­ther's Privacies and Secrets, and accordingly Countermand them, as I am certain you are able to do; being a Son to Doctor Tonge, and a Schollar, and do it Efficaciously and Materially, and having so done, or at least drawn up the common Heads of what you intend to Evidence against Doctor Tonge, Doctor Oates, Captain Bedloe, and the rest of the Discoverers of the Plot. And I shall find a trusty and ho­nest Gentleman, unto whom wholly and totally you may impart the summary Substance of what you intend to main­tain against them, and the said Gentleman will advise and direct you in the best way and manner, how to bring your bu­siness emphatically about. He is a Gentleman that desires the Propagation of the Church of Rome, his name is Cap­tain Elie, he can bring you and your Writings to the acquain­tance of the King, the Duke of York, and several great Lords about Whitehal, and the Lords in the Tower: through whose Acquaintance and Knowledge, you will meet with the oc­casion or means, to be recompensed some degrees beyond any that were the King's Evidences in the Discovery of this Plot, nay you shall be of greater Esteem and more Famous, and your Name higher extoll'd than your Father was, or would be, if he had been Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and there are many of the Lords (that I told you) both at Whitehal and the Tower, that will recompense you to your hearts desire and content; Upon the which welcomed and great terms, both these persons gladly entred into a banquet of incompara­ble Conceits and Expectations, they so fed themselves with such pleasant hopes, of being revenged of their Enemies, and accomplishing their hearts desire, with great Treasures of Silver and Gold, the which Treasure they thought would suffice to maintain their Ambition, during the rest of their [Page 20] days, together with the Esteem and Affection, they would daily receive, of the Favourites of Rome, which might have been enough to maintain their Pomp all their lifetime.

And they having so thorowly discoursed the Business a­mongst themselves, so that to the end they should not delay no time nor let slip an opportunity, the said Mr. Lane be­takes himself to Captain Elie's Chamber, where after some small waiting there, he met with him, and he gave him a full and true account of what Doctor Tonge his Son unfold­ed unto him at his house, where also he waited to give Cap­tain Elie a full and summary account, of what he thought or expected to make out concerning the carriage of the Plot, by and between Doctor Tonge, Doctor Oates, Mr. Bed­loe, &c.

Upon the which Relation of Mr. Lanes to Captain Elie, Immediately Captain Elie repairs with all Expedition possi­ble he could, unto this said Lane his house, where he met with Sympson Tonge, after having information in what Room he was, having also offered some Salutations the one to the o­ther, The Captain said Sr. I presume that you are the Per­son, the man of the house (naming Lane) hath informed me of, he also told me that you had a desire to speak with me. Sr. said Sympson Tonge I have discoursed with the man of whom you now speak. Sr. (said Captain Elie) would you be pleased to tell me what may be your occasion with me. Yes, (says he) if you will be pleased to tell me your name. Sr. (said he) they call me by the name of Captain Elie, and then Sympson Tonge (replying) you are the Gentleman that I desire to see, and then having after some small circumstan­ces, entred throughly and deeply into one anothers acquain­tance, and accordingly Sympson Tonge discoursed with Cap­tain Elie the total and whole substance of what he designed and intended to proceed against his Father, Doctor Oates, and the rest of the King's Evidences. The which Relati­on, and account of Sympson Tonge, relished and tasted with the Palate of Captain Elie, as sweet as if every word had been overflowing with honey; whereupon he replied, Sr. I perceive your present Condition may be bare, and there­fore I shall suddenly procure you some relief of Money, which [Page 21] I perceive you may have occasion of at present. The which free offer of Captain Elie, pleased very well Sympson Tonge. That being the progress of their first Discourse, they depart­ed very satisfactorily contented the one with the other, for their first meeting, and from that time forth they had more frequent resort to one anothers Company. So that Captain Elie procured as he promised, a recruit of Money for Sympson Tonge. Now having given you an account of the first Offspring of this Subornation betwixt these two fore­mentioned Persons, who thought fit to find out a third Sup­porter, to hold up the Brandiron upon which stands their Brewing-pan; whereupon Sympson Tonge met with an old Confederate of his, in whose Company oftentimes he be­stowed many kisses to his Ladies of Honour, as is mention­ed in the foregoing part of this Treatise, the Which Confe­derates name was John Crawley, who I told you was one of the three that wore the black Garb, with Captain Elie and Symp­son Tonge, of whose Proceedings, Designs, Lives and Conver­sations, I have given you as large an Account as I thought fit to trespass your patience with the reading or hearing of such unworthy Transactions, heinous Offences, against God and Man, and treacherous relapses of a Son against his Fa­ther; and my design in giving you the trouble of understan­ding these particulars herein mentioned, was to let you un­derstand that I do expect your Reason and Understanding will lead you to grant me undeniably, when you read and consider the total course and whole passages of these three Suborners, and also when you understand to what intent and purpose they designed their Undertakings, in this their work of Subornation, that they should not, nor ought not, be received, or accepted, but as they are, and as they may be properly called, Perjurers, If it may be read in their course of Life, which is all the instances we can show for their Insufficiency of being received as Witnesses, in Matters of State, and all that I have to say, is to pray that the Lord may keep you from such deluding Instruments, Fare­wel.

And all that I determine to treat of, as to this my pre­sent purpose, or relation of these three self-designed and in­teressed [Page 22] Persons, as they are termed, and mentioned gene­rally and severally in the foregoing part of this my account of them, so that I judge it both mine, yours, and all other Christians Duty, and not only our Duty, but we should make it our Care and Business, to pray earnestly and dili­gently to the Lord, That he may be graciously pleased to extend unto us, a handful of his Great Mercy, and with his accustomed Clemency, Consideration and Pity, lodge us under the Shadow and Shelter of his Wings, and there that we may dwell under his Tuition, Direction, and Pro­tection, where we might be safely secure, from the Claws and Clutches of such ambitious and hungry people, as these or any such other self-designed Persons are, of whose Am­bition, self-Interest, and Want, I have already given what account I think to handle at present.

And now I shall [...]ly let you see, how and in what mea­sure the Lord is pleased to order the inordinare and unlawful Designs, Intents and Purposes, and how he thinks fit to re­pay them with the self and same Allowance, as he did re­pay Cain, Esau, and Judas, The which three Persons were led as we read in the holy Scriptures, by their ambitious Pride, vain Glory, and unsatiable Desires, and intended to purchase such Interests, as would render them every one as his Inclination was, whether for lucre of Gain, Am­bition and Pride, Envy and Malice: which you may read in Cain's History, of his destroying his Brother, as to one of those three respective Particulars, that I herein instance. The next of Esau, whose aim was to be his Fathers Heir, and to have his ample Succession, in the enjoyment of the plenty of the Flocks, of his Father Isaac, and for the purchasing the same, he thought to use all means possible, to accomplish what he aimed at, which indeed, answered his Expectati­ons, in many or most Respects. And Judas of whose Trea­cherous Design was the third and last Instance, of my pre­sent Treatise, as I mention them, Cain, Esau, and Judas. The which three persons were led, (as we read in our Recourse of the holy Scriptures) by their Ambition, Pride and unsatiable Desires, as it is most manifestly seen, if you look through their Conditions, The one of them intended to propagate such [Page 23] an Interest, as would render him and his Successors Famous and Eminent through most Generations. The second, for the sake of a Prerogative, which he expected to obtain, if he could but play his Cards, as he proposed several times to himself so to do, but at last to his everlasting woe failed him. And the third, for the sake of a small filthy Lucre, and al­so Envy and Malice; and also every one of the said three Apostates, having his particular Design, Intent and Purpose, in his Hainous and wicked Relapse, and abominable Apostacy, thought to Conquer all Obstacles, Interruptions, or Ob­structions, that stood in his way, and hindred him of enjoy­ing his unlawful Wishes, and having so conquered them, he expected thereby to Crown himself in the Throne of his ambitious Aim or Usurpation. The which indeed I may say, was the main of all their designed Interests, of them that combined with them in their said Undertakings. You may be pleased to see and throughly view and consider, in what height and measure of Estimation, Ambition is harboured in the Bosom of some or great many persons of these times. And to let you see more plainly, to the end that you may be plea­sed to take notice of the several and sundry Inconveniences, that ambitious, covetous and envious Persons are made subject to, by reason that they leap before they see, so that by their unadvised Undertakings, they fall into several Laborynths and Snares of Inconvenien­ces, and that instead of being made partakers of what they aim at, they are frustrated and deprived of their Expectations, and they are also rebuked, reproved and re­proached in the Opinion and Judgment of the most dis­creet, solid and wise men; which I shall let you see is the Event and Fruit of these three mentioned Persons, that I took in hand to speak of, in this my account to you of them.

And now you may see, the antient Root of Ambition and Malice, which sprung, and proceeded from our Prede­cessors, in the former Ages, may be very well in many re­spects compared to this present passage, that I presume you are throughly acquainted with, of Captain Elie, Sympson Tonge, and John Crawley, for every one of these three pre­sent [Page 24] Persons, had their particular Aims and Designs, to pro­pagate their particular Interests, but woe be to them, they are by divine Providence most shamefully and reproachfully disappointed asyou shall read in the following lines.

For as the Lord is not pleased to suffer such Abominations as those persons proposed to themselves, to maintain and go through with, without Reprehensions, Reproofs and Reproaches, and that in a scandalous and ridiculous Man­ner, as indeed the Guilt and the Crime of their Undertakings doth require Punishment, which I do not question, but they may receive it after their own measure; neither doth the Lord think fit, to see his Anointed, viz. the Great King of these three Nations, together with the Subjects and Mini­sters of Law, Aequity and Justice; to be perpetually spot­ted and blemished, by the Enemies of the Government of this Land. Who in general are incomprehensible, but it is generally and assuredly grounded upon the Chickens, that are hatched in the Hutch of Rome, which you nor no other person can deny: if he be either a Closet-Reader, or a Tra­veller, but that it is the daily study of the said Chickens, and both their Male and Female-Dame, to cast all the En­ormities and scandalous Reproaches, they possibly can in­vent and forge, upon the Reputation of Protestants, as I could instance several satisfactory Instances and Examples, to the said effect. But I designed to handle it in another Paper, that I intend to let you see more at large, what I have seen, heard, and understood, how and in what man­ner and measure the Popish Party, under whose wings I have been hatched for all my lifetime until the beginning of July 1679, that I Renounced them by the Direction and Tuition of God, being led so to do as you shall read in my next opportunity. And to hint where I left off in the fore­going words of the Design of Elie, Crawley, and Tonge, to asperse the King, Countrey, Church and Government of these three Nations, which indeed there is many a Soul, that joynes with them in so doing, at least in their wishes, and thoughts, they would willingly assist and back them, for they could do it without being seen in it, so that they are loath otherways to be Concerned, but in their Clande­stine [Page 25] way, they stir up others to blow the fire, and they kin­dle it themselves, which is a thing easily proved, if it had been throughly and narrowly examined, but for my part, I do not intend to press my Evidences to that effect upon any man, though that I may safely say, and not only say, but firmly aver that I have performed the duty of an honest Subject, a zealous Christian and a loving Country-man. And having so done as is manifestly seen that I am readier to serve than people are to receive me, which the old Pro­verb being performed, which is called, Propriate Service is not accepted. But to hint a little more of my purpose, to let you see as a Confirmation to your own understandings, how this contrived Contradiction of the verity of a Plot, was contracted by the above Persons, and I do not question but they had many Assistants, in these their Undertakings of Ble­mishing and Disgracing the King's Subjects, and Laws of these three Nations, as surely they would have been made privy to, by the Lurkers and Peepers, officious and busie Per­sons, that lurk and peep from forth their Windows, listen­ing and waiting whether they could hear any such Rumors or Reports, as the contradicting and discrediting of the Popish Plot, and upon the other hand expecting likewise, to cast it over upon the heads of Protestants, in hopes to clear themselves, and lay the Guilt upon them; these I say, and such other Reports, as would relish best their Pallates with such a savory taste, as to say that There is no Plot, It is proved there is none, The Kings and Council are con­vinced to the contrary of the being of any Plot in agitation at all, and that it is but a slam; and Captain Elie; Sympson Tonge, and John Crawley maintained it so to be, and therefore he that saith there was a Plot in agitation shall not be the better thought of. Alas! I say, this is the long wished and languishing Desire of the Church of Rome and all Members thereunto belonging; That they may hear such a general and unanimous Contradiction of the Plot, and indeed Reason will shew us, not to blame them in that respect; for it is no marvail, that the People should defend their great Interest, and keep it as pure and blameless as possible they can, but I must say it is not for their Care of so doing, if they had ta­ken [Page 26] it in an honest way, we blame them. But for their e­vil accustomed practises, for conniving and contracting Mas­sacre, Murder, Rebellion upon all whosoever that contra­dict their Tenets, Governments or Laws; and after having so done, by their fiery Instruments of devillish Exploits, they do absolve them, and dispense with such abominable Wickedness, as hath been Recorded of them in several A­ges. Which would be tedious to instance them or some of them in this and such like little pieces of Paper, by rea­son that the Matter doth require to be more spaciously hand­led than I can well at present bestow time upon. But I say we can expect no less of any people which are so manifestly proved to be Guilty and Criminal, but that they would with all their Endeavours hide their Guilts and Crimes, and im­ploy their best Wits, how to recall the Reputation by famed Honesty and Innocence, which we see daily, that they, that is to say, the Roman Catholicks do practise and use all means whatsoever, to get themselves into a renewed Favour, and procure them the title of harmless people, but I judge that what they can do to that purpose cannot yield them such Reputation as they have lost, by their several, sundry, and manifold Connivances and Contrivances, for they are by several Authors Recorded in old Ages remarkably to be a people that continually harbour an Antipathy against Pro­testants, which I would let you see by several Instances, but as I have excused my self in the foregoing lines, that I must wait till another Opportunity, and expecting upon such Considerations, (which I shall thus reason unto you here­after) and shall (in the Interim) recommend you to your own reading, in several approved Authors, which I question not, but you may be furnished with them, and if you be not you may borrow of others, who are so concerned to be curious in keeping (for the reviving of their Memory) such Books as may confirm the Truth of what I do tax Popery to be guilty of, in many Ages, Reigns, and Go­vernments; though that the Roman Catholicks do unjustly assert, that the very first Ofspring of Protestants proceeded from Luther and Calvin, in King Henry the Eighth's time, about one hundred and fifty years ago, Whereupon, Papists [Page 27] may take occasion to contradict me, in claiming an Interest in the knowledge of their Error in many Ages. For they are a people that are apt to purchase all Demurrs whatsoe­ver that they can light of quoted in any Writings against them, for I know they say that Protestants are but new up­start Apostates, and that they can claim no Rights in the Pri­mitive Record, much less they say in the Apostolical Church-Government; and the reason they produce for that false As­sertion of theirs, is this, That the Primitive Records and the Apostolical Church-Governments were established for many hundreds of years, before the Name or Government of Pro­testants was invented or published; yet we find we believe great many stedfast and well-grounded Authors, that Protestants were for some hundreds of years before that time that they take to be first dissenting of Protestants from the Roman Catholick Church, which I shall under­take to maintain to the Contrary on some other Occasion. And well understanding that you may be as acquainted with the truth of it as I am, I take it as one of the Reasons or Con­siderations, (as above mentioned) for not further satisfying you with preambled Instances at present.

The next Reason I have as to that matter of my silence, in letting you see more of the Transactions of the Popish Party is this, that I intend to make use of Opportunity; which shall be with as much Expedition as I can, to give you a larger account of their Malice against Protestants. And upon these Considerations I leave you to your thoughts of these Matters: And shall only tell you that the old Spi­rit of Popery and Envy, is much revived now adays, and I am afraid in this City, Suburbs, Court and Kingdom, which I could wish with all my heart, that the said City, and Country might not feel the burthen, Smart, Strength and multiplicity of the said Party. I do also pray to the Lord, that my King as his Subjects could been purged from their long burning Sedition, that they cast in between him and his Subjects; I could wish, that his Majesty could be rid of the daily troubles, he, his Parliament and Councel, are daily toxicated with, by reason of the said Parties mutinous and rebellious old Satanical Disobedience, that they con­tumaciously [Page 28] and contumeliously harbour and entertain for him, and his Gracious Government. And if that he could but be so clearly rid of them, as I could wish with all my Soul he were; I am certain he and all his Subjects, would be united together and they so tied to him in Loyalty as that the Splendor of their peaceable Union and Loyal A­mity, would be reported and highly Commended all over the World. But in the mean while, a man cannot sleep well in a bed full of Fleas. But God grant that his Majesties Dominions may be rid of all Seditions and Insurrections, and of the Authors of them, that we may see our King and his Subjects united together as firm and stedfast as any King and Subjects of the whole Universe. The which means of their amorous Union and Injunctions we ascribe unto the Lord who is God and King over all, for to rectifie the Condi­tion of our present State of Affairs, as shall be most accep­table in his own glorious sight and useful to my King and Country.

Now I do intend to let you understand, something of the Event of the proceedings of these three Persons, viz. Cap­tain Elie, Sympson Tonge, and John Crawley, which is this, that after they bussled the Kings Majesty, and his most Honou­rable Privy Councel, with their composed, but ill grounded, and false Contradictions of the realty of the Popish Plot, and their bustling being so great, as the noise of their barkings was so both abominable and terrible, as their howlings oc­casioned some other Helhounds to follow them, because as it is said Birds of a Feather flock together, thinking to rouse up a Dear to Chase, but instead of so doing they were forced to Chace a Fox, and the Fox being as his nature is the subtlest of most Beasts, after having all the day made them follow him, at last when it grew late, and the Road over­whelmed with Darkness, therewithal the said Fox under­standing full well his time, and his place, he whips down into his Hole, and the darkness so overwhelming, the Hun­ters and the Hounds strayed from both their Chace and Trace, so they were forced to retire most shamefully home to their several houses. This simile I make, and thus apply the same, in comparison of these three Hunters that thought to deceive [Page 29] several and especially the transitory Pleasures of this World which by some Critick Authors is compared to a Fox, which no man ever deceived, neither the Fox nor the World. For in the first place, though the Fox be taken by the force of many Hounds, yet it is very well known that he is not a­fraid of any man; and so the World, Though men for some season Encompass, Enjoy, and take Pleasure in it, yet it is visibly seen, that it deceives more than deceive it, as I may refer my self to the Experience of these three Gentle-hunts­men, of whose proceedings I gave you some account how they went about to chase themselves out of their way, so that it was very difficult for them to find out the way again. Which I question if ever they find it any more. And to hunt this Subject (called the World) which most people call their mainest and greatest Concerns, to covenant with it, and also to forfeit for a transitory being, a perpetual enjoy­ment, it is to be thought a great madness in them so to do, for when they assure themselves of the constant continuance of it, they are then most like to be farther from it, as you may observe in several passages of this very time, to the woful experience of these three Gentlemen, who travelled hard for it, for I am afraid that they run a dangerous hazard in hopes to gain it, and so to purchase themselves such means in it, as to make themselves merry with the Pleasures and Comfort of it. But alas! they were sadly mistaken with its subtile promises, it gave them the slip at the last. This I say is the Event and Ofspring of all such that covenant with the World, it goes into its own hold, after they chace it aslong as ever they can for their lives, and they are never the wiser of all their spent labour about it. You may ask Sympson Tonge if I speak truth or not, who hath bought the Experience that I give you of the same Relation very dear, which I am certain if he were to buy it again at such a Price or Rate as it is like to cost him, I am confident he would Consider be­fore he would be at half the trouble or pains that he was at. He spent his Labour, his Reputation and Credit, and forfeited the comfortable and natural Affection of his Father, in hopes to exalt himself to a greater Fortune, which you may see how short he came of what he aimed at. And I [Page 30] suppose you will let me tell you, or at least give me leave to speak what I think of the matter, he would be throughly sa­tisfied and contented, not to have purchased to himself such Discords and Discontentments, as he made himself partaker of and also subject to go through, of whose proceedings I have told you already. Yesterday being examined before King and Council, and he having nothing to say for himself, but standing as a block, without much either Grace or Counte­nance, to answer what was imputed to his Charge, neither was he able to answer some particular Questions as were propounded to him by the King, whereupon at the Request of the Lords, the King was pleased to Order Mr. Attorney General, to prosecute the Law against him, and Captain Elie, for whose proceedings I have no further to shew you; but I desire that the Lord may endue me and others with more Grace than to employ my time upon so uncertain a Foundation, and upon a clearer Conscience, than this Youth hath lived. This I say is all that I determine at present, on­ly recommending us all to the Tuition and Protection of the Divine Deity, as also the Government of our King and Coun­trey, and next or lastly, I Recommend all our Concerns un­der the gracious keeping of God, and so Farewel.