I Return you many thanks for your Letter, and News, and par­ticularly for the accompt you give me of Generall Lockhart; I ever took him for a Gentleman, and, indeed, the King himselfe, hath alwayes esteemed him one of his fairest Enemies; Insomuch, as it would have troubled many here, who never saw him, if he should publickly have borne witnesse to so mechanick a slander, as that of seeing his Majesty at Masse: Truly, the Devill had sound out an ill Father for such a Brat, and therefore, I hope, it will now lye at his own Doore. It was very unlikely, that a Person of his ho­nour, should be guilty of so foule, or a Man of his wit, of so lame a calumny; Wherein to verify his state, he must, at once render himselfe, a base spie, and a false Protestant, for what other account should bring him into Spanish Townes, and Popish Churches? I read that part of your Letter to the King, and could not but ob­serve his smile, it was so grave, and full of Resentment; (for no­thing, you know, is more naturall to him, then dumb Rhetorick:) At present, he said little, but three houres after, made many reflecti­ons both witty, and serious: He said, his Enemies were now put to hard shifts, and he took it for a good Omen, that, already, for want of better Weapons, they fought with such Bullrushes; That they had timed it very well, and very ill; Well, for themselves, that related it; But ill for others, that were to beleive it: Since, for more then ten years past, whilst they were confident of their own Power, they had used no Arguments against him, but Bullets, and were much unconcerned in his Religion, whether it were Chri­stian, or Mahumetan; But now, just now, in this Crisis of affaires, [Page 4]when their cause is, manifestly withering, and his hopes, budding,) least the Nation should, otherwise, think of restoring him, he who profoundly dissembled all thi while, chose, it seemes, so op­portune a juncture, for his profession of Popery, being in love with banishment, and having, no doubt, therein consulted with his deare friends Mr. Scot, and Marchamont Needham; that, indeed, it is not the part of fair enemies to take such advantage of their own wrong, by first driving him to seek Protection from Papists, and then, upon no other account imaginable, reporting him a Papist; that, yet, he submits, with all patience, to the good will of God, since he sees, he must taste of his Fathers Cup, whose lot it was to be branded by Protestants, for a suspected Papist, and ruined by Jesuites, as a persevering Protestant: These were his Maje­sties own Comments upon the text, and better cannot be added; yet, being a debt equally due to his owne great vertue, and the satisfaction of all that desire, and are willing to be satis­fied, I cannot, but, upon my owne knowledge, attest, that he is not onely a sincere professor, but an approved Champion of the Protestant Religion, and devoted Son of the Church of England, yet, with much moderation of Judgement and candour of mind to­wards those that differ from him; especially in matters, and outward discipline, and many pregnant instances I could give you, both of his strictnesse in the one, and largenesse in the other, if I thought it needfull, or that his conversation, and what he hath done, and suffered upon these accounts, were not better evidence for him, then any thing, that I should say; but, I feare, I have too much honoured so silly a detraction.

Your enclosed Pamphlet of newes from Brussells is more con­siderable, as having a deeper roote, and more colour, though not in it selfe, yet in the feares of those, whom it would seeme to concerne, for the wounds of guilt are hardly to be cured, or search­ed by any Chirurgery, and the fiend of an evil conscience is too subtle [Page 5]for exorcismes, not is it in the power of clemency to pardon those, that will however arraigne themselves, and who think their safety consists not with the being of him, from whom, otherwise, they might expect it: with such persons, even promises are threats, they having suggested to themselves, that they ought as much to feare the snare of moderation, as the Gibbet of severity, both of them contrived and erected in their own brests; but these, I trust, are few, and I can freely say, it must be their owne fault, if there be any; for, I am confident, it is, yet, in the power of the great­est criminall to baile himself, and none will finally prove guilty, but the implacable, his Majesty desiring above all things, herein, to imitate, the goodnesse of God, who willeth no mans destructi­on, and freely giveth to those that ask: as for such as pronounce against themselves, that their sins are greater, then can be par­doned, let them, with Cain, flye into the Land of Nod, let the Authour of this Pamphlet and his confederates, dispose of them­selves to their best security, let such furies vent their Diabolicall rage; but let not others, who may be innocent, if they please, chuse rather to be guilty.

I have often said of late, that Mr. Needham would yet once more, before he dyed write for the Cavaliers, and see how soon my prophecy is fulfilled; the Stile, language and sense are purely his, certainly, it was some such precious Saint, a Cain for Innocency, a Balaam for Integrity, A Judas for Loyalty, a Corah for Allegiance, and for Christian Prudence, an Achitophel, that compiled this Creed for reprobates; no novice, or single sinner could arrive at such perfection, it must be a Vaterane, and an Apo­stat to boote: he is, I perceive, most religiously sensible of the Pilgrimage, he owes to TIBURNE, and can never rest, till he have paid his vowes, and offered himselfe at that shrine.

[...]e frontispeice is very observable, being for the greater mockery & [Page 6]Imposture, adorned with a Crown, and authorised with the stile of his Majesty, who must, it seems, be betrayed with a Kisse, Crucifi­ed with a solemne inscription, and murthered, as it were, before White-hall; But I much marveyle, the reverend Authour should impute the publishing of it to casualty, and not rather entitle Re­velation or Providence to his excellent mysteries, He had precedents enough in the Case, and perhaps, in the language of the Saints, (who cannot, now, pick a Pocket, but in Gods name) it had been most agreeable to truth.

A speciall Act of Providence, indeed, it was, that made a neer attendant on his Majesties Person, write so perfectly the sense of Sir Arthur Hazlerigge, and Mr. Scot, that, (without a Counter­revelation) one would almost sweare, that, whilst the poor Cavaleer wrote, they guided his Pen; Were they now such Princes, as late­ly they were, in the RUMP, I should judge, they had wracked Him, but that his Confession should be so voluntary, so seasonable, and, withall, so ample, is almost as great a Miracle, as the discovery of a trepaning Plot.

This surely, may serve for a use of consolation to the godly, what need they fear any danger, at home, or abroad? Let them discharge their Spies and Intelligencers, & enjoy the quiet sleep of a good con­science; you see how their enemies betray their own councels; they are all infatuated, and bereft of understanding, their best States­men have not a Character left to conceale the deepest mysteries, but must, it seemes, resort to Sir C. C. for Sir Charles Coote, and obscure their malice onely with Allegories, as transparent, as tif­fany, or Christall; errand Woodcocks, no doubt, that think their bodies safe, if they can but hide their heads.

I presume, there needs no serious argument to prove it spu­rious, every sillable smells of Gunpowder, every line Proclaimes him a Toad, that could spit such venome, the contrivance is the quintessence of Jesuitisme, and King-killing malice; the Pub­lisher [Page 7]himselfe, I suppose, doth not expect it should be beleived, it serves his turn, if it be but read; for he thinks if it make no report, it will at least give an Alarme, and though the history be not admitted, the morall may.

To particulars, I will not descend, they are some of them so scurrilous, all so malicious that I feare, least I should seem to assist or abet such calumnies; But in generall, let me assure you, his Majesty hath no such neere attendants, as this would per­sonate, no such fiends haunt his Person, or Court, his Privy-Coun­cell is known to be entirely Protestant, never suspected of the contrary, truely English, no lesse faithfull to the Nations interest, then the Kings, and such as never knew how to separate the service of their Country from that of their Prince; for two of the principall, I dare answer, that the burthen of their song now is, as it hath alwayes been, Sir we beseech you, make your peace, if you can, and leave us out, for we are not considerable in the case; all their Counsells have been suitable to their professions, constantly re­jecting the numerous proffers of powerfull aid from forreigne Princes, upon inconvenient termes; his Majesty himselfe is known to be a Prince of a most sincere, and Noble nature, the true Son of that Father who recommended to him those divine precepts and prin­ciples of charity, clemency, and moderation, the true Grand-Son of that Grand-Father, who by receiving, nay advancing his reclaim­ed enemies, and by observing all the agreements he made, as a King, no lesse punctually, then he did articles of war, as a Gene­rall hath, in some measure, stopped the mouthes of our desperados, nay hath taught the world, that great provocations may be forgot­ten, great Records cancelled, great Errors favourably censured, and that the word of a King is of more value, then the oath of a Com­mon-wealths-man.

The generality of our Courtiers, and visitants, who, now, be­gin to appeare in great numbers, are, (excepting a few light fel­lowes, [Page 8]looked upon, as the chaffe or dregs of the party, and, rather for hospitalities sake, not excluded, then, for friendship, admitted) very moderate, and apt (as Courtiers commonly are) to receive Impressions from their Prince, so as nothing is discoursed in out Cabales, but the healing of Breaches, the necessity of unfeigned re­concilement with the true Presbyterian, the danger of a faithlesse and hollow-hearted Union, the hazard of destruction to the Nati­on; but certainly of ruine to our selves, if through our spleen or obstinacy, once more, we relapse, into a state of Warre; the chief designe of the time and place is to set on foot an interest, truly na­tionall, and comprehensive, as much, as may be, of all interests, not such a one, as shall gratifie any one party to the prejudicing, or disobliging of others; Persons of mixed Principles are chiefly che­rished, such as speak the language of our Pamphleteer, have the Brand of Incendiaries, and Emissaries; I could heartily wish, that you in England did so well distinguish, and mark them all for right Pageants, who serve the RUMP in the Kings Livery.

But I fear I have already exceeded the lawfull bounds of a Letter, and therefore must conclude, I pray present my service to our We­stern friends, and faile not to give me the first, and most particular accompt you can of Elections, for they are the most important newes, the season can afford, till the sitting of the next Parliament.