THE Lord Chancellor's PETITION To His Highness the Prince of Orange, On his Entrance into London.
THat your Petitioner, who was once Lord High Chancellor of England, is now become the Lowest of your Supplicants; and from the first and chiefest Councellor about the Throne, a miserable Dejected Captive in the Tower.
I do not presume to justifie my Integrity, that would be an Arrogance as black as my Crimes. I confess, I am as unworthy [Page 2] to Live, as I am unwilling to Die; and therefore I prostrate my self to the Footstool of your Grace and Clemency, that Fountain of unparalell'd goodness, whence only Mercy can flow, upon so Vile and Notorious a Delinquent.
To Innumerate my Crimes, would be as numberless as the Enemies I have created by them; nor will I presume to Prophane your Sacred Ears with so black a Catalogue, whose precious Minutes are more happily Imployed in the weightier Affairs of the Nation; the Restitution of those Laws and Liberties which I, by my byass'd and Precipitate Council, endeavour'd to Subvert.
What cou'd be more pernicious and destructive to the Fundamental Laws of the Nation, than to Establish a Power in the Monarch, to dispence with them?
Whet greater Inlet to Popery, than to take off the Test and Penal Laws? What deeper stroke to the Protestant Church, than to Erect a Court of Ecclesiastical Commissioners, to pull down her Pillars? What sharper Persecution of the Prelats, than by publishing an Arbitrary Declaration; for the Non-obeying of which Illegal VVarrant, so many since have been treated as Criminals in the Tower: Nor could there be a more Irregular Method than the late Regulating of Corporations for a free Election of Parliament. In all which, and many others, (to my Shame, I must confess) I have been all along a principal Counsellor and Instrument.
These (may it please your Highness) are the Crying Crimes, which, were they yet greater, is in your Power to mitigate, [Page 4] by your Intercessions to the Parliament, having already the King's Pardon. If you vouchsafe this Mercy to an humble Supplicant, I will promise in some measure to make Retaliation, by Discovering some Arcana Imperii, or Intriegues of State, what I am Capable of; which may highly concern your Highness's Interest in this Kingdom.
IRELANDS Wonders from the Skies: OR, A Warning-piece TO ALL PAPISTS.
WE have had so many Miracles of this Kind, Spectres & Phynonima's in the Air, that I would not offer this Subject to the VVorld, if I had not more than common Authority to confirm it. I will not insist upon the person of quality, from whom the Letter (which implys the Contents of this Paper) was Communicated, nor instance the Person to whom it was VVrit; tho' [Page 6] of sufficient Credit, to affirm the Truth of what is inferred.
The Letters bear date Novemb. the 18th wherein are such Prodigies exprest, as wou'd exceed all Belief, if it had not proceeded from a person of so much integrity, and confirmed since by so many persons of undenyable Authority.
The LETTER.
IN the Town of Youghall, near Kingsail, in the County of Cork, upon the 18th of Novemb. last, about Nine of the Clock at Night, my Aunt, the Lady L. going to see her Sister, discover'd a strange and unexpected Vision, viz. The Moon, which was then in her Encrease, all Red, with a cross Gules in the middle; upon which, being surpris'd, she call'd her Servants to be Spectators. This suddenly disappearing, another [Page 7] succeeded; which, changing the former Figure, bore the Emblem of a Lyon; By which time all the Town being alarm'd, came out to behold this wond'rous Prodigy. No sooner they appear'd, but both those Wonders disappeared.
The two Moons, over-cast with a dark Cloud, appeared dismal to the Speclators; when, on a sudden, the Cloud disperst, and all the Firmament appear'd serene and clear. After this apeared a more prodigious Spectre, viz. Two Armies, in visible and distinctive Habits, one Red and Blew, the other White and Yellow; betwixt which two, seemed a most deep and deadly Engagement; insomuch that a showre of Blood dropt from the gathering Clouds; but most discernable in the White and Yellow. Afterwards the two Moons appear'd as visible as before, with the same Figure, till the morning; which put [Page 8] a period to the Combat, and drove us, (who were Spectators with Horror and Amazement) to our respective Habitations.
- Sir William Parry, Mayor.
- Derras Hynde, Collector.
- Thomas Osburn, Sheriff.
- Robert Hapkins, Vimner.
- Henry Davis, Church-Warden
- William Dawson, Ministor of th [...] Town.
- Thomas Davis, Town-Clark.