WEll met Cousin David: I have not séene thée a long time before. Prethée what good newes hast thou brought me under thy Monmouth Cap?

Dost thou heare me Cousin An­drew; If thou carriest no better newes un­der thy blew Bonnet, then I doe under my Monmouth Cap, the matter will all come to nought, and that very shortly.

Why, I understand David, that thou hast of late beene in Ireland, and wee have every one expected good newes from thence; therefore use thou no delay, but di­spatch [Page 2] and tell me some of the best passa­ges th [...]t are now in Ireland.

I [...] I tell thee newes of Ireland, I shall tell thee such bloody news that 'twill make thy heart bleed to heare it, if thou art a Christian.

Let me intreat thee in a faire way to declare unto me the miserable estate, that the Inhabitants of Ireland are in, and I shall be as diligent to give thee satisfacti­on for what I have heard and seen both in Scotland and England, as may counter­vaile thy Irish Tragedy.

Then thus it is: In the Kingdome of Ireland are three Armies, one of the which are for the King; the second, are for King and Parliament; the third, are nei­ther for King nor Parliament, which are Rebells indeed, naturally borne in that Countrey, and called the wilde Irish. Now while there is a Cessation of Arms between the English Armies, the wilde Irish dare not shew themselves, but hide themselves in Caves and Woods, and dare not to bee seen. But when the two English Armies are in combustion one with the other, then the wilde Irish Rebels take their opportunity, then they run through the countries which [Page 3] is call'd the English Pale; and having no op­position to w [...]thstand them, they make Waste, Destruction, and Ruine, in all parts where they come; Firing of houses, De­flowring of Virgins, Ravishing of Women, Slaughtering of men, and cutting the Throats of children.

This is bloody newes indeed; but I thought there had beene a generall Peace concluded on throughout all Ire­land.

No, nor never will be, till there be a Generall Peace concluded throughout all England, Scotland, and VVales; for if the fountaine or spring affords nothing but un­wholesome water, how can the Rivers or Ponds that are fed therewith chuse but to savour of the same?

What meane you by those Foun­taines, and Springs, Rivers, and Ponds, which you talke of? What doe you tearme the fountaine to be?

I tearme the Fountaine, or Spring, to be the Kingdome of England; and the Rivers, or Ponds, to be Scotland, Ireland, and VVales; which are continually fed and replenished by the English Fountaine: So that what the Fountaine savours of, the Ri­vers [Page 4] savours of the same. When the Foun­taine afforded good wholesome water, so did the Rivers; and as the Fountaine did, or doth alter, so doe the Ponds and Rivers also. In a word, when England was at Peace, all were at Peace; and when England went to Wars, all went to Rack.

Thou hast very well answered: and what thou hast said is knowne to be too true: And because thou hast given me such satisfaction, I will indeavour my selfe to shew thée the passages of the people in those parts which I have travelled in: And first, Ile begin with my Countrymen the Scots, who for the most part of them are never satisfied, full, nor fasting; give them some, they'l have all; give them all, they'l have more: Yet like the old Pro­berb, They are sometimes penny-wise, and pound foolish.

But how stands the people affected to the Church and States Government?

They are there even as they are here in England; Some will goe to the Church, some will not: Some will heare Sermons preacht in no places but Chur­ches; and some will heare none but them that are preacht in Stables, Barnes, un­der [Page 5] Hedges, or the like: In the meane while, many Reverend Ministers, that are both able and willing to Preach the Word of the Lord, are Persecuted, Reviled, and Falsely spoken of by a sort of Factious Hy­pocrites, who are iust as Judas was, All for what will you give me.

If this be true which thou hast spo­ken, Scotland is in a very sad condition con­cerning Church Government: But what say you of the States Government? Canst thou resolve me upon that point?

For that matter I will answer thee as well as I may: The Scots are like many of the English, I will not say all; They have giddy braines, itching eares, ungodly wits, covetous desires, wavering minds, fickle thoughts, hollow hearts, and dissembling tongues, and may very well serve to make good the old Proverb; So many men, so many minds.

Thou speakest well for thy Coun­treymen, but are they all so?

No, God forbid they should be all so: I know some, though I cannot name them, that are Religious, Vertuous, Wise, Prudent, Charitable, and men of good Consciences; but I must confesse, there are too few of them.

VVell, what hast thou to say of those parts of England where thou hast been tra­velling?

I say, that a man may travell threescore miles in England, and yet scarse find three men of one mind, though they be all of one company. I have heard some cry out for an old King, and a new Parlia­ment; A have heard others cry for a Par­liament, and no King; and some there be would have no King nor Parliament; but I thinke the young Crack Rope, Squire Brandon, will lead them a dance to Ty­bourne for that trick, and some others, on one of the odde Holy-days, and weare gay Clothes for their sakes. And now David, what sayst thou for the Country of VVales, does thy Country stand up for the King, or no?

There is never a man that is a true Britaine, borne from the East to the VVest part of all Wales that I know, but is of this Opinion, that King Charles is appointed by the mighty Lord and King of heaven to bee our King upon earth; and for his sake, in a just and lawfull cause, will not onely venter their Possessions, but their Goods and E­states, their Lives, and all for his Majesties [Page] Rights and for the Parliaments just Privi­ledges: And for mine own part, I will pray that King Charles may have a long life, com­fortable dayes, and Friends in time of need. And thus I hope, that all those that hear me, or shall hereafter read this booke, will hear­tily say, Amen. And Amen say I.

Yet David, I have one thing more to speake of concerning a Country-woman of thine, which is said to be a Prophetesse; Is there any such matter in Wales?

Yes, and Ile shew the manner of it: In the Towne of Cardiffe, in the West part of Wales, lives a woman call'd Mistris White of an hundred and twelve years old, who up­on the third day of May, 1648 spake these words as followeth, by way of Prophesie.

I think the woman that writ these Lines was some kin to mother Shipton; but the fifteenth day of May is already past, and I heard of no such matter brought to passe as this Prophesie makes mention of.

Sayst thou so, why then Ile tell thee of two Disasters that hapned on that very day; one was in the Bishopricke of Durham, where were seven Gentlemen ri­ding upon the way, which some met with in the habit of Souldiers; fought with them, and tooke away both Money and Clothes, and after killed foure of them, say­ing, That they knew some of them to bee Cavaliers. The second was at Clifton in Dorset, where the Townes-men rose one a­gainst the other: some taking the Kings part, and some the Parliaments part, where were twentie six persons slaine by their own neighbours.

This is sad newes indeed, but when doest thou think these times will mend?

When Lawyers deale honestly with their clyents, when rich men grow bountiful, when shopkeepers leaves off dissembling, when the Army is paid and disbanded, when our Royall King Charles enjoys his former happinesse, and when a generall peace is concluded in England, which God grant may speedily come to passe.

Thou wert used heretofore to sing me now and then a merry crotchet when we met together; what have all thy old me­riment forsaken thee now; Prethee come lets hear thee sing one pretty straine which may fit with the times.

You shall.