THE happy maintaining of truth in His Majesties Dominions, is the great and most honourable employment of all Sub­jects, but especially of those unto whom the good of the Subject is in a more pecu­liar manner intrusted, that are so many Patres Patriae, so many Fathers of their Countrey to dispose and defend the Rights, Priviledges, and Interests of their Countrey, and the liberties of the Subject; such are the two honourable Houses of Parliament, and all Magistrates who ought to comply with His Majesty, so farre as His Majesty doth comply with truth; and truth is defined to be conformitas rei cum intellectu, the con­formity of any thing with the understanding. Now in matters of Religion, the will of God is the object of the understanding, so that if the intellect or understanding be not rightly infor­med and conformed to Gods revealed will and word, that Re­ligion is false and erronious, and such are the Idolatrous o­pinions of the Papists, being conformed only to the will of humane traditions and inventions, altogether repugnant to the Doctrine of Christ, and his Apostles.

And if the Delinquents who now swarme in Armes about the King, have by force and evill counsell raised an unhappy division under fair pretences of Religion, which they intend to overthrow, and will maintaine Idolatry to be truth, the viola­tion of all Lawes divine and humane to be truth, sint omnia protinus alba, let all things, even blacke it selfe be called white. But if these Delinquents, and Malignants did in the [Page 2]first place sow private seeds of dissention betweene the King and His Parliament, & in vulgus spargere semina, and after­ward disperst them amongst the vulgar people; if they by pernicious counsell drew first His Majesties affection, then His Person away from the Parliament, then banded themselves in­to a great Army against the Parliament, against the Subject, and most especially against the Protestant Religion, whose ruine they had formerly contrived; and finding that all their intenti­ons were by divine providence blowne away, like the vene­mous worke of the Spider, in publicum exitiosi, nihil spei, nisi per discordias habent, tamen, Deus & Rex, & pretiosa nomina praet exuntur, they are Tacitus his words with little alteration; these men destructive to the Common-wealth, had no hope to bring about their Idolatrous and wicked intents, but by pre­tending those pretious names of God and the King, as standing in their defence, when indeed they oppose both, seeing none can stand for God and the King truly and lawfully, unlesse he stand also for the good of the Subject, of the maintenance of the Protestant Religion.

Truth doth not consist in any duality of good and evill, of right and wrong, of reall and counterfeit, of verball and sub­stantiall, but like a dye throwne by the hand of adversity, or powerfull opposition doth alwaies set upon a square, it is one and the same still like it selfe, and therefore indeed it is good, because it is alwaies one; thus with God who is all goodnesse, there is no shadow of alteration or changing; but the Divel and his workes are multiplicia, fallacia, and therefore malignantia, so the malignants of these times give out that they fight for God, but indeed their meaning is fallacious, for they intend being delinquents to keepe themselves from the censure of the Law, they would erect againe their superstitious Idolatry, and make the land groane againe under monopolies and arbitrary taxations, they would enjoy the liberty of their owne wicked dissolutenesse, and would have no reformation of Religion, lest [Page 3]they should be compelled to a conformation thereunto, and therefore stand neither for God nor the King, but for their own manifold private ends, and are malignants to God, the King, and the whole State of the Kingdome.

The question being thus stated between the malignants, and those who stand for the maintenance of the true Gospel, and the King, as farre as he stands for the truth, and is conformable thereunto, it doth appeare how and by whom the Kingdome is now distracted, the truth sheweth it selfe, we are conform­able to God, first seeking his glory, and then the honour of the King, who cannot be the Kinst of malignants and true Prote­stants, and therefore we are true obedient subjects unto his Ma­jesty, in endeavouring to divide those evill counsellours from him, and to bring the King and his Subjects to a religious uni­ty consisting of many parts, as the Laws divine and humane, the just priviledge of the Subject, by a free and legall govern­ment, together with the priviledges of Parliament, all which these malignants endeavour utterly to subvert and destroy.

Et si hoc in arido, quid in vindi? If this be done (ex facto) by the children of this world unto an evill and malignant end, may not his Majesties great Councell the Parliament (fas est ab ho­ste doceri) (ex jure) for the undoubted good of the children of light, and the honour of his Majesty, defend the true Prote­stant Religion, the Kings lawfull Power, the just liberties of the Subject, and the priviledges of Parliament, and may not Magistrates (your Honour being the chiefe moderator and go­vernour of this honourable City) comply with the Parliament, in standing for the glory of God, the defence of the King, and the maintenance of divine and humane Rights.

It is most certaine, that this honourable Citie of London, though much distracted and disquieted, hath in her greatest feares and jealousies, Anchora fluctuanti Civitati, the Anchor of your Honours wisedome to keep the Citie, though tost on the waves of dissention, fast to the faith of Christ, alter & opti­mus [Page 4]Tiphis, another and an excellent governour, and chief Ma­ster of the Cities ship; so that as Lelius for wisedome, Metellus for piety, Aristides for justice, were all commended in Roman Histories: so the ancient images of excellent men, were but pa­ternes and resemblances of mans contracted and compleat ver­tues united in your Honour, being the Atlas of the Citie, bea­ring the weight and management of all civill affaires on your Honours shoulders: And therefore, though magnanimity on­ly was attributed to Cyrus, onely modesty to Agesilaus, onely wisedome to Themistocles, skill to Philip, and boldnesse to Brasi­dus; yet Alexander, as Plutarch reporteth, was furnished and full fraught with all these: So your honourable Lordship is known to be magnanimous, in standing for the defence of the true religion, modest and courteous towards delinquents and offenders, mercifull and compassionate to the distressed, wise and judicious both in politicke and divine matters, and coura­giously bold, maugre all opposition, to stand in defence of the true Protestant Religion, & the policie of the Citie wherof you are the governour, and not only Major, but Optimus; and yet such is your Honours magnanimous patience, that you are put or di­verted from your resolutions, by the left handed and popular voice, your honour can, as Tacitus saith, aequo animo laceratam ferre existimationem, your Honour can oppose the malignitie of the times with an invincible patience and magnanimity, knowing that the aim of your desires is the truth and glory of God.

But what doe I speake of passive vertue? Your actions car­ry in them the most lively portraiture of an able, honest minde: and though your Honour may thinke, nec ille te novit, qui lau­davit, nec tu illum, yet we should be all ashamed, quasi canes, la­tratu accipere quem non agnoscimus, to bark at those we doe not know; yet what Schollar, nay, what Plebeian can bee ignorant of your great care and vigilancie for the Citie: for though they watch in vain, if God keep not the Citie, yet the eyes of the [Page 5]Cities have been infallible witnesses of your good propension and inclination to the safety of the Citie; so that wee may say, Come and see the legible characters of the honourable Maiors fidelity, love and loyalty to the Citie, in taking order, by di­rection from the great Councell of the Honourable Parlia­ment, for the building of those great, strong, and serviceable fortifications neere and about the Citie of London, Speque, fi­deque inquit Majora videbis. The Protestant faith, and the goodnesse of the cause now undertaken, promiseth greater workes: For,

And here I wish that I had as many eyes as Argus, to disco­ver the great cost bestowed upon these workes; they are raised to a great height, according to the best advantages of Geome­tricall proportions, there is earth heaped upon earth, compa­cted together according to the dimensions of Art: so that eve­ry Fortification, pondere tuta suo est, is strong by the weight and worth of the work. My Lord, I will not here set before you the absolute Modell of these fortifications, which are well e­nough knowne unto your Lordship, and how many emergent reasons to magnifie and praise your Lordship for your fideli­ous care of the City. My Lord, actions are acknowledged to be the essence of vertue wherein it consists, these workes pro­ceed from the mighty working of Gods Spirit in your heart, from your piety and constant resolution to defend the Prote­stant Religion, and your constancie in opposing those malig­nants that would destroy the King, the Kingdome, and the Par­liament, your Honour, nay all the Citie, if they could get ac­cesse, or make an in rode thereinto.

But your Honour hath in these dangerous times, when ruine and destruction doth threaten the Kingdome, and especially the Citie, when the true Protestant Religion is deserted by ma­ny, and scandalized by other Malignants, your Honour doth not respect the opposition of Man, though dressed with [Page 6]the flourish and pomp of Majesticall words; and yet herein lies your greatest, that you ascribe all praise unto God the Lord of Hoasts, which worketh with wonderfull wisedome, and bringeth excellent things to passe. Religion is not unlike the soule in the body of man: for in the whole Common-wealth it is or should be wholly and every part thereof, tota in toto & tota in qualibet parte: it hath shewed your Honour the way for common good, and it should direct all the parts of the Common-wealth to bee compliable for the good of the Com­mon-wealth, and not to hang backward when any matter of cost or charge propounded for the defence and fortification of the Citie: for all such are Hostes intra muros, enemies within the walls.

Every Magistrate, especially Maiors of Cities, are to reduce the Citie into one Monarchicall government, to take care of it, pace quam bello, for a wise man is a rich man, a very King and an Emperour, and ought to take care of the people under his charge, as if the King himselfe were present: For Monarchy hath severall parts subordinate thereunto, whose ends are the same, namely, to distribute justice, both in reward and punish­ment, unto the deserving; to see the Lawes executed, and by them to keep the subject from wrong or molestation: But if Lawes are silent, and a Citie, as this of London, be threatned by a malignant party, as it is now, so that En & ecce venit Rex cum siccariis, behold the King and his Cavaliers are comming, is the daily voice and imagination of the people: then the Maior, as your Honour hath most piously done, ought to fortifie the walls of Jerusalem, to look that strength may bee provided to oppose the enemy: And herein your care and vigilancy have declared themselves. Your Honour hath heard how other Cities and great Townes have been plundered by the ma­lignant party, and how earnestly they demonstrate their cruel­ty upon the famous City of London; but your Honour hath taken advice of the Parliament, a way to oblige posterity unto [Page 7]your Honour: For though we have indeed none that fighteth for us, but thou, O God, yet these Bulworkes and Fortificati­ons made round about the Citie, shall glorifie your Name to posterity, shall make your honour to bee accounted the Defen­der of true Religion, and the preserver of the whole body of this Citie; Men, women and children, shall and are glad to see such fortifications raised for the defence of the Citie, and doe blesse your Honour for your great care of the City.

The Sleepers in Sardos (Arist. Phys.) when they awaked, thought they had passed no time; but we shall be more drow­sie and sottish then they, if wee now open not our eyes to ac­knowledge how happy wee are in your Lordships care and vi­gilancy over the Citie; and therefore I may say by a British Palingenesia, as Hypolitus was called Virbius, so your Honour may be stiled, Londini civitatis Vlysses, Themistocles, or by any other name famous for loving and providing for the securitie and safety of the City wherein they were governours. The Ci­tie doth acknowledge it selfe to have been happy in many great Benefactors, some whereof have erected Schooles, and endow­ed them for the propagation of good literature: Others have made their bounty flow out of Aquaducts and Conduits. Some have founded Hospitalls for maimed impotent people, and given them large revenews; but what hath their ends of their actions been? To be accounted famous and munificent, hiding their sins under the roof of an hospitall; and it may be, these great and glorious workes were but splendida peccata, shi­ning sinnes. But your Lordship moved onely with a right god­ly affection to the cause of Religion, hath provided for the safe­ty and protection of this honourable Citie of London: These out-workes speak your love to the Cities good and preservati­on, to the true essence of Religion, to the Parliament and the whole Kingdome and Estate, so that it may be said:

[Page 8] Xenophon calleth Magistrates the Kings eyes, the Kings cares, shoulders, feet and hands; not because they should see nothing but what the King pleases, and like and approve of that, or that they should heare nothing but the evill counsell of malignants, or that they should catch and snatch one from the other, or carry fire in the one hand, and water in the other; or with the one to offer a gift, and with the other a stab to whom the King pleases, altera manu panem, altera lapidem; but that Magistrates eyes, eares, shoulders, feet and hands, should be mutuall helpers one to the other, for the common good and publicke service of the whole State; and herein your Honour hath shewed your selfe an excellent Magistrate, complying with the Parliament in all matters that concerne the publicke administration of the Common-weale; so that you have lookt upon the present state of this Citie and Religion, with the cleare eye of justice; you have heard of the great pressures which the countrey hath en­dured by the cruelty of the Cavaliers; you have to the discou­ragement of malignants, on the shoulders of fortitude, bore and suffered their false aspersions, and aequo animo lacer atam ferre ex­istimationens, is as Tacitus saith, the true note and property of a wise man; and your honour hath in your present Magistra­cie walked uprightly, having clean and pure hands; nay, strong hands: for your Honour hath been the chiefest raiser and pro­moter of the workes and fortifications round about the Citie of London; you saw the times were dangerous, and that the Kings Cavaliers g [...]ped after nothing more then to get London, and make it a prey to the supplying of their necessities. This made the Parliament and your Lordship to take order for the fortification of the Citie, to prevent the malice of our enemies, who marching under the name of the King, would destroy both the Citie and the Kingdome.

Nature witty in policie, hath given to all creatures a naturall instinct to fortifie and preserve themselves, ad conservationem specierum, the earth hath mountaines to keep off the fierce in­vasions [Page 9]of the North wind, the Heavens are fortified [...], so that no malignant vapours can ascend higher then the mi­dle region, and man is fortified by his inward vertues and spi­rituall graces, nurus adherens esto uil consoire sibi, your Lord­ship is thus fortified in your owne person, but this City which is the heart of the Kingdome is by your Lordships care and vi­gilancy fortified with warlike workes, whereby your great care and love to the City doth most evidently appeare.

Even from the beginning of this cruell Civill Warre, your Honour being armed with the compleat armour of Righteous­nesse, have cheerfully stood in defence of the City, and the true Protestant Religion, and the whole State, wherein the Parliament and your Honour have procceded with an invin­cible constancie and magnanimity, for in magnis rebus [...] nun­quam tentes aut perfice, matters of State are not slightly to be intended but perfected, and I beleeve that all the honourable Members of the Houses thinke every one of themselves are employed, consulere de Religione, & incommunem [...] sa­lutem, and how can this be better manifested then by fortify­ing the City on every side with Bulwarks and fortifications? and it is the Cities happinesse now it these great times of dan­ger, that the Parliament and your Honour have so carefully pro­vided for the Cities safety, which thing pleased wel Marcus Fu­rius Camillus Dictator of Rome, who seeing all the Senate and Subjects of Rome, not onely accord in the common execution of each office for common good of all, but willingly and lo­vingly both highest and meanest to provide for the security of the City, which he said was happy; si tales vires in Magistratu habeat in salutem Civitatis tam concordibus junctos animis: the saying of Camillus is now verified concerning the City of Lon­don; the Parliament and your Honour, together with all well affected Subjects in the City, have complied together to forti­fie this famous City from the imminent danger of the enemy, and more especially the City must looke on your Honour as [Page 10]the rationale propugnaculum Civitatis, who by counsell, advice and wisdome, are a rationall fortification to this City, defen­ding it by your piety, and true profession of the Gospel, for God often passeth over the punishment of the wicked for the righteous sake; and moreover you have, together with the Parliament, provided for the generall security of the City, that children which shall be borne hereafter, may as soone as they get their tongues pray for your Honour: for should the enemy get entrance into this City, there would be nothing but ruine and desolation in the streets thereof, while men, women and children were sacrificed to the fury of the sword: your Honour therefore deserveth the Cities unfained approbation and praise for raising and advancing those praise-worthy workes, and for­tifications round about the City of London; if they regard their children, wives, or any thing that is deare unto them, they must blesse your Lordship, who by your pious provision for the City, and your pious profession of the true Protestant Religion, doe shine like the Sunne in his sphere of the City, and are therein the high treasurer of the Weale-publicke, your au­thority being beautified with justice in executing Lawes, with wisdome for determining right, with mercy and compassion for releeving the distressed, and this is the glorious abundant treasure of your honourable minde, which God hath fortified with graces, and illuminated with understanding for the com­mon good and benefit of this honourable City.