TIs a sad signe, when mercy proves the forerunner of misery, when temporall injoyments for a mi­nute, ushers on an age of scarlet calamities; when gentle entreaties worke not the desired effect, then smarting corrections must inforce by power what love could not bring to passe by courtesie. Such is the case of England, po [...]e, miserable, distracted, almost destroyed England. I who was term'd the Virgin Island, the Southern Arcadia, the land flowing with Milke and Hony, where plenty of all good, and delightfull pleasure had its residence, where Peace brought Honour to the Prince, and Riches to the People, where the Soveraignes sole delight and study was to preserve the Subject, and the Subjects care (guided by Consci­ence) to observe the just commands of the Soveraigne, where the Prince hated Tyranie the Preachers Popery, and the Subject fear'd no slavery, but every degree lived in the feare of God, in the favour of the Prince, injoying the fruits of their own Vine. I, even I, am now become as a widdow mourning for the losse of her espoused Love: instead of singing joyfull Anthems. I am inforced to take up a great lamentation, and cry out with the Prophet, Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountaine of [Page 2] teares, that I might weepe day and night [...] the slain of the daug [...] ­ [...]ers of my People. But alas poore ENGLAND, what will [...] vaile thee to lament, now when the acceptable time is past, how happy haddest thou bin haddest thou known in this thy day what had belonged to thy Peace, but the day is gone, the night is come and darkenesse covers the face of the whole earth, mercyes could not prevaile, threatning must subdue, threatnings could not subdue, Iudgments must destroy, plagues could not forwarn us (though brought upon us yeare after yeare) therefore the sword must now destroy us. In this great strait, to whom shall poore ENGLAND complain, if to God, he cannot but appeare a just avenger, a displeased Judge, an incensed Father, for the slaugh­ter of his beloved Sonne, whom ENGLAND hath cruelly crucified it may be justly expected that in stead of finding favors a storme of fiery indignation will be showr'd upon me. If I com­plain to neighbour Nations, in stead of redresse, I shall find de­rision, rejociyng at my misery, glorying in my downfall, I that was the heigth of their envie and admiration, am now become the subject of their wish, a desolation, if I complain to my own, none will heare me, J have often (with prayers and teares) sayd O King! Heare me, and have mercy on mee, but alas, Flatterers stood so thick between him and me, that all I said was to no pur­pose, when I came with a Petition for Peace, he was so busie with a Councell of Warre, that my labour was lost, and in all my religious endeavours, to prevent this lasting misery, I found so many Crosses, that being altogether disheartned, I sate me downe to consider what the cause might be, that so many Pa­pists were turn'd Protestants, so many Courtiers turn'd Souldiers so many Prelates made Peeres, so many Ladyes made Councel­lors, so many Knaves put in authority and the sequell of all I have found to be, that England having abounded in sin of all kinds a­bused mercies, slighted threatnings; surfeited with Manna, was grown sick of a Plurisie and these were appointed (by a divine Decree) to be the Horsleeches that should suck away the cor­rupted and putrified blood, bred from the evill Court humours and thence diffused through the body of the whole Kingdom [...] [Page 3] and in this they very well agree for they have shewed them­ [...]ves insatiate blood-suckers not satisfied till by their abounding [...]ey have burst themselves, and almost ruined what they were [...]rdained to preserve, the cure proving much more desperate [...]en the disease, so much by the way, Sinne I found to be the pri­ [...]ary and chiefe ground of my sufferings, to looke back onely to [...]e dayes of Queene Elizabeth of blessed memory, had England [...]en been humbled for the blood-shed in the Antichristian per­ [...]cution of Queene Mary, (whose memory bringeth timely [...]rrow to my heart) the Enemie had never obtained such an ad­ [...]antage and encouragement as he had to worke and plot so ma­ [...] wayes and stratagems to destroy our then (Faiths defendor) [...]th the Protestant profession; for sinne gives the devill an ad­vantage and when a man lyes open unguarded, 'tis a happy advan­ [...]age for an enemy to take to kill him, penitent sorrow prevents [...]nne; had ENGLAND made a progression in a Religious re­ [...]ormation in the dayes of King Iames, and not sat downe in a Wildernesse, as beeing content to be onely freed from that [...]GYPTIAN slavery, not regarding to make a further progress into the land of Canaan Rome had not found such an opportunity to corrupt our Clergy and to bring us back again to make Bricks to, subject our selves to Peters chaire▪ and to endeavour the ad­vancement of the antichristian Kingdome, Romes Antagonist (Prince Henry) had not been destroyed▪ nor so many famous and deserving Peeres had their lives shortned but onely to make way for the advancement of Romes Empire and the de­struction of poore ENGLAND, to what end was so many Parliaments dissolved, and Parliaments so long discontinued, but to subvert Religion and destroy the Law: to what end was the Spanish faction so much favoured but to shew that they had declared themselves ready to protect England, (with a Spanish Fleet, a Powder conspiracy an [...]rish rebellion, an English inva­sion) to the totall destruction of it's Religion and Liberty, can any man be so sottish as not to see the Bishops, De [...]nes and Doc­tors going in Procession to Rome▪ just when they began to perse­cute Purita [...] with one [...]d, and entertain [...]esuits, Fryars [...] plucking them to high [...] with both [...]and▪ [Page 4] can it seeme reasonable that a Papist should love a Protestant or Spaine love England, where there is no Antipathy, but in prin­ciples of policie: can it be a matter reasonable to think that they that now declare themselves (the Law's defenders,) against the Kingdome, will maintaine them for the King, could he be wonne to put them in execution against them, or may it not ap­peare as great a principle in the Papists of Spaine and France to endeavour the promotion of their Antichristian cause, a­gainst England, as it is in England to maintain ours against them, certainely it cannot be denied, yet such is Englands misery, Her off-spring prove abortives and Viper-like, endeavour to eat up their native mothers bowels: they endeavour to destroy what nature enjoynes them to preserve, this devision hath sin brought upon me, Father against Sonne, Sonne against Father: what the sword leaves; the fire destroyes, blood touches blood, and feare and anguish upon every soule. The anger of the Lord hath divi­ded us. What earthly power hath ability to joyne what God hath divided, we have seene many experiences. How long hath the sole endeavours of the High Court of Parliament bin im­ployed to settle these different distractions and to promote the Peace of England, and what hath hindered (Sinne) that hath di­vided God and England, and God he hath divided England, in it selfe, and assuredly know till England make a division between sinne and it, there will never cease to be a division in it, Oh then for Englands sake! speedily set about this worke, if there must be a division let it be betweene sinne and us. Heare O King and give eare to Englands Petition, let not flattery pervert Judg­ment, but let Law and Justice support the Crowne. Heare O Queene Englands Petition, let not Idolatry lead you captive but imbrace the truth, so shall your soule live. Heare O Nobles Englands Petition, let not Ambition inthrall Vertue, but really endeavour the advancement of Gods glory, with the good of the King and Kingdome. Heare O Clergy Englands Petition. Vnto you is given to be knowne the mysteries of the Kingdome of God. O then endeavour to use convincing and converting ar­guments, arme your selves with the power of the Lord and in a [Page 5] Religious Warfare endeavour the pulling downe of Babell and the setting up the throne of Christ. Heare O People and give care to Englands Petition, how long shall wisdome cry in the streets and be rejected: how long will you continue in your sins and wage▪ Warrè against the great God of Heaven and Earth, O repent repent and turne from your wicked wayes, why will ye dye O ye Church of England. be perswaded to hate Swearing Pro­phanesse, Sabath breaking, Gospell contemning, Mercy abusing, Judgement slighting: Heart hardning, selfe securing thinke not that you shall fare better then your brethren in Ireland and Eng­land that hath been devoured by the sword for know of a truth except you repent you shall all likewise perish leave Iudging o­thers and judge your selves, leave justifying your selves and justi­fie others. O King, Queene, Prince Peeres, Preachers, and People. Heare Englands Petition, be perswaded to set upon this worke with speed, now while 'tis cal'd to day, for who knowes what a day may bring forth, who knowes whether the Lord may heare us and have mercy on us, and heale our iniqui­ties, and give a close to our differences, uniting in a bond of peace the heart of the King, Parliament and People, and make England once more a Garden of pleasure, which now appeares a terrene Golgotha, a bloody field of Slaughter.

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