IN the thirteenth year of the Reign of our most gracious Soveraign Lord, King CHARLES of blessed memory, His most excellent Majesty out of the great desire he had to maintain and preserve peace and unity among His good Sub­jects in all His Dominions, and through His Holy and Pious In­clinations endeavouring to advance the Protestant Religion by promoting unity and purity in the holy Church, was willing to settle and establish Uniformity of Worship and Government therein, as wel in Scotland as England; and in order thereunto, did by the advice of the reverend Learned Fathers and Bishops of the Church, Order and Appoint, That the Liturgy, Book of Canons, with all the form of Worship and Government u­sed in the Church of England, should be read, practised and observed by the Church of Scotland; and that the Government of that Church should be that most ancient and sacred Govern­ment of Bishops.

But the Presbyters there, the Fathers of rebellion, contemns the Kings Commands, refuse to yeild obedience to his Majesties Decrees in this matter, and in contempt of his Soveraign Au­thority, rejects the Book of Canons and Liturgy, and confronts the Holy Fathers and Bishops sent by him to take the Care, Charge and Government of that Church; an Indignity never to be forgotten. Hnd here you have the beginning of our wo­ful troubles, and also the primitive Authors thereof, whom I in­tend to trace all through, til you see what consequences did en­sne; For this traytorous Fa&ion did not stop here, but present­ly enters into an Engagement, and swears his Majesties Subjects into a confederacy against their Leige Lord, raiseth Tumults. and takes up Arms against their King, and thereby necessitates [Page 3]His Majesty to raise an Army in England at no small Charge, with which the King marches for Scotland in March, 1659. Wheaenpon the Scots desire a Treaty, and his Majesty being willing to avoid bloodshed, condescended, and gave tearms too good for false Rebels, and so a peace was concluded, and the King returns for England, and came to his House at Cleoballs, about August, 1639. In December following this disloyal Pres­byterified, never to be trusted Scot, calls a Parliament, to con­sult how they might the more subtilly carry on their treacher­ous designs, and holding correspondence with some Factious follows in England of their own stamp, whom nothing will sa­tisfie unless they may reign over, and rule both King and Peo­ple, as a Poet of their own confesseth, Knox in his History of the Church of Scotland, first impression in Octavo, pag. 265. saith, That wi [...]hout the Reformation which they desired, they (mea­ning the Covenanters) would never be subject to any mortal man. Thus you see their principles is, that they must have what they please, or else farewel all subjection. Are not these sad subjects for a Prince? Let the Reader consider it wel.

In the year 1640. about November the Kings Majesty calls a Parliament in England, (to his sorrow;) for the Presbyters in Scotland combining with their Brethren in England, so mana­ged their business, that the Majority of this Parliament were Scotified; and being met, they immediately begin to pick holes in the Coats, and to accuse of Treason his Majesties most faith­ful and confiding friends, as the Noble Earl of Stafford, and o­thers; and presently began to lay hold of the Kings Royal Pre­rogative, as the Militia of the Nation, His onely Security, and his Negative Voice, telling the King that they were the Supream Authority of the Nation; they also perswaded the King to pass an Act that they should not be dissolved without their own con­sent: By this time these loyal Rebels began to shew themselves in England, the Ministers stirred up the people against the Bish­ops, to the endangering of their Lives; and the Parliament and others (especially the Ministers) were restless until they had gotten the Lords spiritual thrown out of the Lords House, thereby to weaken his Majesties hands, and to strengthen their own, for the better accomplishing their wicked Enterprises [Page 4]against his Majestie, and his Royal family.

Their next step of Rebellion was to Jurage the people, and make them tumultuous, under pretence of Petitioning; (Trea­son carried on by fair pretences) and by these tumults his Ma­jestys Sacred Person was much indangered, that he could not be safe about the City (when Cities grow rich and populous, they are apt to rebell) but was forced to leave it, and raise a few forces for the safety and defence of his own person: Here­upon the Parlament, glad of such an occasion, raised an Army in their own defence (as they say) but most apparent it was to oppose his Majesty. Twelve of the Reverend Fathers and Bishops of the Church accused of Treason; some of them their lives taken away, and the Government of the Church over­thrown, contrary to the protestation taken by the Parlament, May 15, 1641. to which I refer you.

The Parlament having raised an Army voted Essex General: the King then set up his Standard, and invited his Loyal Sub­jects to his assistance against these Rebels, and their Army, who they told us were to fight for King, and Parlament; Oh wret­ched hypocrisie; unless by fighting for the King, they mean fighting to take away his life (and that's fighting for him with a witness) a [...] I hope his Majesty that now is, will beware of such friends.

I had almost omitted one passage which should have been mentioned before; and that was, the King demanded five fire­brands out of the House, for fear least they should have set the House on fire, but so much had this zealous faction preva [...]led, and their devotion was such, that they had rather be burned with them, then throw them out to be quenched. I need not name them, some of them are gone to their place, where no doubt they have received the wages of their work: there are onely two that I know) remain, whom God hath reserved for examples of justice, that others may learn better obedience for future, and these will be easily known; one is Bishop of Dur­ham, r [...]tempo [...], and the other St. D [...]uz; forget not their good service, they are worthy persons, and their services for their Country such as deserve to be recorded for the benefit of future ages, they are like to be very little beneficial to this.

The next progress of these loyal subjects, or rebells, which you will, was, their Army being raised, the War begun, and his Majesties faithful Subjects and Souldiers behaved themselves stoutly, that the poor Rebells was many times well beaten, and prevailed little against their King, notwithstanding Sir John's blessing of them; but yet the zealous fomentors of the Rebel­lion made all their Pulpits ring with cursing and banning the poor ignorant people and Apprentices: Oh, Curse ye Meroz, curse ye Meroz b [...] [...], because he went not out [...] Lord against the mighty: Thus they plainly made use [...] holy Scripture to stir up the Kings subjects against him, but had for­gotten, that rebellion is like the sin of witchcraft; but carried all under fine pretences; and would make, as if God himself approved of their wicked waies; and their cursed and cursing Doctrine so terrified the minds of men, that they could neither live quiet in their houses, nor sleep quiet in their beds; but must forsake all loyaltie and duty, to fight against their Sove­raign Lord: blind zeal puts men upon unwarrantable practices.

And by this means their Armies was recruited, after they had been routed.

And what rare devices had the Rebells to supply themselves with mony; they are excellent Doctors, and have a salve for every [...]ar; an excellent faculty to preach Charity, every one must contribute so [...]ething towards this hopeful Reformation; and therefore they stirred up the Citizens and others, to bring in their superfluous Plate-rings, and Jewels, and mony and bid them believe on the Publick Faith for Security; here­by raising vaste sums of mony, which is well secured [...]rom the right owners, as safe as if it were in another world for [...] que­stion whether ever it will be paid in this: and very lately a grave [...]en o [...] of the F [...]a [...]ernity, in his Thanksgiving Sermon be­fore their Worships, moved them to remember to pay the Publick Faith; but I have not faith to believe they are so made as to take his counsel: it had been more welcome, and better acceptable advice, if he could have told them such another trick to borrow more: but surely the people have bought more with then to lend them any; yet I have heard the City of London (the famous Nursery of these Rebells formerly, I wish [Page 6]it may become loyal now, but it is hard to trust where once deceived) have lent them some; I wish poor Sequestred Di­vines could find so much Credit, or Charity amongst them: however I am not without hope to have my right; for I do be­lieve, when his Majesty is restored to his, we shal be restored to ours; in the mean time J know its not to be expected that the Disciples should fair better then their Lord. J shal now present you with a Combination of these Rebels both in England and Scotland; for now they discover openly what before they pra­ctised secretly: in the year 1643. they enter into Covenant, and swear a confederacy in cruelty and wickedness, it would be too tedious to repeat at large, J shal onely touch of things to refresh our memories, and inform those youth that are Loyal, and want a little information in these things; J will observe something of their Covenant, that Scottish trick, to warn a­gainst the snare of it: The first part is, That we shal sincere­ly, really and constantly, through the Grace of God, endeavor in our several places and callings, the preservation of Refor­med Religion in the Church of Scotland, in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Government, against our common enemies, &c. where note; They swear the people to indeavour to preserve the Doctrine, Worship, &c. of Scotland, expresly in terms, and so draw poor people into a snare; for I dare affirm, that three fists of the people of England that took this Covenant, knew not what the Doctrine, Worship, and Discipline of that Church was; and impossible it is for persons to keep any En­gagement, when they know not what they are thereby obliged to; unfess they think they are bound to do whatever the As­sembly of Presbyters require them: And w [...]thout all peradven­ture a Prince muk needs be happy that hath such subjects, espe­cially considering their Doctrine, I'le cite you a passage out of their own Author; The Commonalty ought to reform Religion, if the King will not; see Knox to the Commonalty, page 49, 50. A­gain, If Princes be Tyrants against God, and his Truth, their sub­jects are freed from their Oaths of Allegiance, Knox to England and Scotland, folio 79.

But who do the Gentlemen mean by the common Enemies the people and they are sworn to oppose? Surely they do not [Page 7]mean his Majesty, and the Learned Fathers the Bishops, and all Divines and people that wil not bow down to their Baal, nor worship their new-erected Image, Presbyterie; yet the second head in the Covenant smels as if this were that they intend, to which I refer you; For in that they swear, That wi [...]hout respect of persons they must endeavour the extirpation of Popery and Pre­lacy, that is (say they) Church-Government by Bishops, Arch­bishops, &c. And so they make the people swear at all adven­tures against the Government of the Church of England esta­blished both by the Authority and Judgement of his Majesty, the Learned Fathers of our Church; and this in direct opposi­tion to the Oath of Keligion and Supremacy: But this is no­thing, for according to their Doctrine, if the King be a Tyrant against God, the people are freed from all sub [...]ection; and they, viz. the Presbyters, must be Judges whether their King be a Ty­rant, yea or no; here is a High Court of Justice to trye and condemn all Kings and Princes that wil not subject to the Jron yoke of Presbytery.

Again, in the first Branch of their Covenant they swore to endeavour the preservation of the Church of Scotland, and ar for­mation of the Church of England and Ireland, in Doctrine, Wor­ship, Discipline, &c. according to the word of God, and the exam­ple of the best reformed Churches; and shall endeavour to bring the Charches of God in the three Nations, to the nearest conjunction and uniformity, &c: So that this clause doth seem to insinuate, that the Churches of England and Ireland was unsound in Do­ctrine, and corrupt in Worship, Discipline, and Government; but theirs is Sanctum Sanctorum, and therefore to be preserved, and be our pattern to reform by; and if their words import not thus much, then how doth their matter agree? For if Eng­land and Ireland in their reformation according to the Scrip­tures, or from the example of any other Church better reform­ed then Scotland, exceed, and go beyond what the Church of Scotland now practice, yet by the Covenant that Church is to preserved in Doctrine, Worship, Discipline and Government, as now it is; then how is it possible for the people by all their endeavours, to bring the Churches of God in the three King­doms to a conjunction and uniformity in Religion, Confession [Page 8]of Faith, form of Worship, Directory, Government, and Ca­techising? And do but make this observation, what good Sub­jects these are; they would not receive the form of Worship, Directory, &c. appointed them by his Majesty and the Bishops, and yet would impose their inventions upon their Soveraign Lord, Bishops and people; and the same spirit reigns amongst their Brethren in England, as wil appear: and thus you see how by cursing and swearing they managed their stratagems; for one while they preached, Curse ye Meroz; another while their Covenant; and so carried on their war against their King; and their valiant Champions was Ess [...]x, who manfully behaved him­self in the West; and Wall [...]r at the Devizes with Haslerigg; 'tis true, M [...]ss [...]y is a worthy Gentleman and Souldier, whose merits ought not to be forgotten, for we have demonstrated his Loy­alty to his Ma [...]esty at Worcester, and since, B [...]w was another of their zealots, who out of his zeal in this Rebellious Cause, as I have often heard, and that by persons that tell me they saw it; at Abing [...]o [...] he caused a man that had been a Rebell with him against his King, but repenting of his sin, and accor­ding to his duty turning loyal to his Soveraign, was taken in his service; for which that bloody Presbyter Brown caused him to lose his life; it's affirmed that the Rope broke twice, as a testi­mony of God's justifying the accused; but the blood-thirsty caused two ropes to be twisted together, and never was satisfi­ed till the man was hanged, though the man pleaded for his life, as also did many sad spectators of that cruelty: and certainly if this sin pass unpunished on earth by men, we may expect God will powr out his judgments on us here, and upon him hereafter.

After these had ingaged in the War, till their hearts failed, they like Cowards quit the field, and then in come some of ano­ther Faction; as, Fairfax, Cromwell, Harrison, and Ireton, and they act their parts; but still Curse ye Meroz, was good do­ctrine in City and Country, until by the Warrs the Kings Ma­jesty had lost most of his Garrisons, his forces in a great mea­sure destroied, and almost all wrested out of his hands by trea­chery, and falshood, and nothing but Oxford and a few other places left; his Majesty reduced by these Rebels unto these streights, slies unto Scotland, or at least to the Scotch Army [Page 11](at Southw [...]ll, about May 1646.) and presuming on their Loyalty, (which all things considered, he had little reason to do) yet hoping at last they would be engaged (by his Majesties throwing himself into their hands) to become faithful unto him; but instead thereof their Ministers charge him with the guilt of blood, yea all the blood of Ireland and England; and admonish him (as they eall it) all which his gracious Majesty bare patiently, which no doubt could not but be a great affliction to a Prince to be insulted over by such Rabshecaes, who having forgotten their own duty, con­demn his innocent Majesty as if he had neglected his: But had these sons of Belial never read that Text of St. Mat. 5.7. Thou hy­pocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye, &c. and Job 24.17. Is it fit to say to a King, thou art wicked; and to Princes, ye are ungodly? I wil not say Sir John had never read these sacred Scrip­tures; yet I much incline to think, they wilfully forgot them, as al­so the duty of subjection they owe to their Prince.

The Parliament demand the King of the Scots, and they de­mand money of the Parliament for their good service and help in the Rebellious War, or a price for their Prince; the Parliament grant them the money, and they (Traytor's like) sell their King as Iudas did his Christ, and to this day have not manifested so much repen­tance as Indas did; for he brought the money back to the High-Priests, who therewith bought the Potters Field to bury Strangers in; and if ever the false Scot (as I fear he never wil) return their mo­ney, it wil serve to buy a large field to bury them and their Brother Rebels in.

The King being thus sold by the Scots, was brought to Hampton Court in 1647. from whence he got to the Isle of Wight, where there was a treaty, in which the main things insisted on, was to keep down the Government of the Church thrown down by this Rebel­lion, and instead of the Government by Bishops, the Presbyter must set up his Stool of Repentance for all Loyal Subjects; but this trea­ty was soon interrupted by another Faction sprung up both in Par­liament and Army, who were children, the off spring of Presbyte­ry, though they like unnatural Fathers, disown them, and say they are illegitimate; However we well know they are their Fathers, though we know not their Mothers; and this seems a greater my­stery then that of Merline the Welsh Prophet, whose Mother men knew, but not his Father; and indeed this is a Riddle, I leave the Readers to interpret.

Thus was our Lord and Soveraign brought to lose precious life by the Fathers and the Children, as our Saviour by Pilate and the chief Priests: thus you have the raisers, the rise, and the manage­ment of this bloody Tragedy acted at White-hall Banqueting-House, Ian. 30. 1648.

About this time some of the Presbyters seem displeased and dis­satisfied, and spoke against the putting his Majesty to death; so did Iudas when he saw his Lord condemned, and for sorrow went and hanged himself, which a blinde man would be glad to see some of them do: And Fairfax declared against it, but he never endea­voured to hinder it; and Pilate did as much after he had condem­ned our Saviour, said, he had nothing to do with him, he was a Just man; but alas! he suffered him to be crucified for all that; and to me its a question whether the Presbyters trouble they seemed to shew, was out of respect and love to his majesty, or for fear they had lost their design of Svoeraignty which they hoped to have had by the treaty at Isle of Wight; whether it was that the King lost his life, or because it was taken away by other hands as wel as theirs, and they thereby deprived of the sole Honour of the Work, for such traytors glory in their wicked success; or what meant all their hypocritical dayes of thanksgiving for Victories against our Liege Lord.

But possibly they may think to excuse their treason against the Father, by their kindness to his Son, and now our Soveraign, who I hope God wil preserve from reposing any trust in them, least he also fall by his Fathers Enemies: I shall set before the Reader my observations of these mens carriage of late, and leave the Judicious to judge whether their Love be true, loyal, or feigned for some self ends:

Iune 6. 1650. the Scots sent for his Majesty out of Holland, and would Crown him King, but upon conditions, and they such as made his heart bleed within him; He must acknowledge to these traytors that his innocent Father was guilty of blood and many crimes which these horrid wretches was pleased to impute to him; and he must confess his sin, his Fathers sin, and the Families sin, &c. (and as it's reported, brought his Majesty into their Stoole of Repentance, but I conceive this untrue, and therefore I pass it) In­dignities many, and that most unsufferable and intollerable ones they put upon him; they are such unworthy and deceitful people, that it's hard to say what they dare not do, as to force his Majesty [Page 11]to take Oaths and Covenants, what they please, or else give him up as they did his Father, to the slaughter: I shall here present to your view an Oath he was necessitated to take, which is as follows, viz.

J Charles by the Grace of God King of Great Britain, France and Ireland, &c. do assure and declare by my solemn Oath in the presence of Almighty God, the searcher of all hearts, my allowance and ap­probation of the National Solemn League and Covenant, and faithful­ly oblige my self to prosecute the ends thereof in my State and Calling, and that J for my self and successors shall consent and agree to all Acts of Parliament enjoining the National Solemn League and Covenant, and fully establish the Presbyterian Government; and that J shall give my Royal assent to all Acts and Ordinances of Parliament passed, or to be passed, injoining the same in my other Dominions; and that J shall observe these in my own Family, and shall never make opposition to the Presbyterian Government, or endeavour to make any change thereof.

This being done, they raised an Army for his assistance and defence, engaging they would indeavour to restore his majestie to all other his Dominions; but kept him that he must not converse with his and his Fathers old friends that lost all for them, and was forced to leave their Country for his sake; neither would they suffer his Majesty to prefer any of them in the Army, nor permit them to be of his Coun­cil; but Sir John and his Kirk-party must do all; govern their Gover­nor, and rule their Soveraign, who must do whatever their Royal plea­sures are, else this Covenant is broken, at any time whenever they please to say it's broken, and his poor Majesty exposed to all dangers and cruelty; for all the people are freed from their Allegiance, when Mass John tells them their King hath broken Covenant; so that they are worse then the Pope, and their Doctrines as bad as Romes: and that this is the Presbyters opinion, I shall make a recital of a few pla­ces out of their own Authors; VVhittingham in his preface to Good­mans book, saith, That if Kings and Princes refuse to reform Religion, the inferior Magistrates, or people, by the direction of the Ministry, might lawfully, and ought, if need require, even by force of Arms to reform it themselves.

Buchanan in his Presbyterian Maximes, out of his Book intituled, De jure Regni, pag. 61. saith, Populus R [...]ge, est praestant [...]o [...] & melio [...], the people are better then the King, and of greater authority.

Again, pag. 13. Populo sus est, ut impertum cui velit deferat; the peo­ple have right to bestow the Crown at their pleasure. De Jure regni, [Page 12]pag. 25. P [...]ncs populum est, ut leges ferat; sunt reges veluti tabulariorum custod [...]s: I might bring plentiful proofs, but this with their practice is a full demonstration of their Principles, which if they deny, their practice where ever they had power, is as famously known as the Ana­baptists of Germany, &c. And as for all that shew of Loyalty now seeming to be in them unto his Majesty, it is most manifest that it is out of selfish designs to advance their own interest, and upon no other ac­count; I am bold to affirm, that if he amongst them all who pretends the Highest friendship to the King were asked whether he would have him come in his Royal Prerogative without shakles at his heels, and a Persbyter at his Elbow; if it were possible to make him speak truth, he would say, Away with him, crucifie him; Do they not say they will fight against him rather then he shall come, and not establish their way of Church. Government, &c. which is an infringing of his Just Pre­rogative, and below his Royal Dignity and Soveraign Jurisdiction; 'tis true, they are willing he should come, because they are afraid of the Phanatique Sectaries, least they should overcome them; and therefore they have revived their Covenant by which they swore a Confedera­cy with their Brethren of Scotland against Episcopacy and Bishops, the ancient Government of our Church; A Monarchy they are for, but it must be a limited Monarchy; a King they are for, but they must rule him, and the people too, else curse ye Meroz, curse him bitterly, &c. Again, the King they are willing to have, but not his mother, Bro­ther, nor any other person that have been faithful to him, or may be serviceable if they prove false; and who dare trust them? For all that is (as they iudge) below their Reformation, is Popery; and all a­bove it, Heresie; when alas they themselves are the grand Hereticks and Schismaticks in the Nation; it was they made the breach in, and brought all those sorrows and pains upon our mother the holy Church, and I wonder with what face these men think their sin should be either forgotten or forgiven without repentance, and a return from whence they are fallen.

Is it imaginable that so sober, vertuous, and pious a Prince as his Majesty is, will change those Principles of Religion he hath been brought up, and confirmed in by his Gracious and most Renowned Father, of bl [...]ssed memory, who suffered Martyrdom for it, and thereby sealed to the truth of it with his precious blood. Neither let it be thought a Prince can be so, dis ingenuous, or guilty of such ingratitude, as to neglect his own, and his Father's Friends, for the favour of false Rebels; Prov 27 10. Thine own friend, and thy Father's friend, forgot not, &c. This was the sacred saying of a King, and not a King onely, but the wisest of Kings.