Withers his Remembrancer, OR, Extracts out of M r WITHERS his Booke, called BRITAINS REMEMBRANCER.
WIth mee I must confesse they prevaile the more, because I have had a great opinion of the pietie and spirituall irradications of the man; (otherwise to mee unknowne) and especially of that worke of which this is part: and in which he seemes to be warranted by a speciall calling to speak boldly of great matters, and to censure where none else dares give any judgment. What therefore he sayes, is not to be contemned; or else wee must, as the Scripture commands us, try the spirit whether it be of God. Now since it is knowne, that for a long time Master George Withers hath command of a Troope of Horse in the service of the Parliament, and beene quartered at Maid-stone in Kent, (an act in the first motion and progresse of it without the commands of the King, and expresly against his Proclamations since:) and hath executed some things in the County, beyond the sense of his book at least, and needing [Page 2] the omnipotencie of Peters chaire, to make, not barbarous words, but actions good; and to reconcile what hath beene there done and here written: It is not only convenient, but necessary (for the advantage of the cause, and other Christian respects) that Master George Withers, who hath given to many weake ones publique offence and scandall, doe as publiquely, and as becomes a man of such a sanctified and religious profession, informe the world upon what grounds of conscience or reason he first undertooke such a charge. And I have warrant to presse this upon him, not only from mine owne scruples, but his owne invitation, expressed in the latter end of his Premonition to his booke. ‘If you find ought else that may be doubted of, or for which I may seeme reproveable or needing advice; Let mee christianly and charitably receive intelligence thereof: And if I make not a reasonable defence, I will humbly acknowledge, and give the best satisfaction for my errors that I am able.’ When this shall be done, I shall be either converted or confirmed: In either of which I shall adhere to truth; in whose defence if I perish, it shall be to mee a victorie.
In Pag. 195. 196. &c. He is so large in reprehending of the seditious and schismaticall wayes of separation; and commends so justly the heretofore happy government of the Church by Bishops, that the Reader is to be referred thither for M. Withers opinion therein. The reproofes he bestowes on London, p. 207. 208. &c. Are likewise too large t [...] be here insisted, I desire the Londoners to have recourse to his book.
The Church revenues for the present need
218. a. b.
Sequestred are (to stand a while instead
Of Temp'ralties:) And some themselves perswade
That they will now be lay-possessions made.
But God forbid: for he that shall bereave
The Church of her inheritance, doth leave
A curse upon his children, which shall stay
Untill his whole descent be worne away.
In Pag. 219. a. He hath a proper Elogie of the vertues of that illustrious Princesse and her issue, the Queen of Bohemia.
—That illustrious Dame
(To whom I owe, ev'n more then all, I am:)
Whether then, is it fit the Parliament should trust him with a Troop of Horse? lest if Prince Rupert should come into Kent, he might be as good as his word.
225. a:
—Neither art thou solely
[He speaks of the Nation.]Despised and dishonour'd by thy folly:
But in those mischiefs which thy sinne procure
Thy Prince a disadvantage doth endure:
His vertues are repulsed from that height
Of Honour, whereunto assur'd thy might,
Wer't thou lesse wicked! He whom as our eyes
We seemed as but yesterday to prize;
He for whose absence we so much
In Spain.
complain'd,And wep't, & pray'd, & vow'd, whilst he remain'd
Divided from us: and at whose return,
We did so many piles to ashes burn.
Even he hath not received that content
From us, which he expected, and we meant.
Some spirit of dissention loos'd hath bin,
Some sparks of discord have bin hurled in
And blowne among us: so that he and wee
Not so well pleased in each other bee
As both desire: And should this flame encrease
God knowes how much it would offend our Peace.
My Prince and Countrey,
226. a. b.
though perhaps I beNot much to them, are both most deare to me:
☞ And may I perish, if to safe my life
I would betwixt that couple nourish strife:
Or if for one of them, I that would say
Which might from others due take ought away.
—to have power and ayme
226. b.
To touch the Lords annointed I disclaime:I have no warrant; neither know I ought
To reprehend him, for although I mought.
For as my Princes faults I may not blaze,
So, I am also bound (as there is cause)
To justifie what vertues I doe heare
To be in him: and see in him appeare.
The Generall faults of others mine owne eyes
Have seen; and that's enough to warrantize
A generall reproofe: but never yet
In him beheld I what did not befit,
His person or his place: much have I seen
That rather hath an honour to him been.
And whatsoe're shall mutter'd be of some,
There reigns not any King in Christendome
Of whom there was divulg'd a better fame,
Dr, whom a royall Throne so well became:
And what is lately done to blot the storie
Of his deserts, or to deface his glorie?
Or wherewithall can any tongue traduce
His actions which admitteth no excuse?
What if the people have expected more
(From hopes by them conceived heretofore)
Then yet succeeds? What can from thence redound
To prove his vertues and his wayes unsound?
Why may not this effect arise from them
That so suspect much rather then from him:
As God long since unto the Jewes did say
(Who judged him unequall in his way)
So say I;
England; Is thy Soveraigns path
Unequall? or is't rather thine which hath
Such indirectnesse? wherefore may not all
Which is amisse by thine own fault befall?
228. a.
Let every one examine well his way,And for himselfe and for all others pray:
For this is farre more likely to redresse
The present mischiefs, then our forwardnesse.
The party that hath innocencie shall
Be sure to stand; though all about him fall:
And, if we all perversely wicked prove,
We shall have all one judgement from above.
If in thy King, O
Brittain, ought amisse
Appeares to be 'twixt God and him it is.
Of him he shall be judged: what to thee
Pertaineth it his censurer to bee?
If thou shalt suffer with him thine offence
Deserv'd it, and nought else but penitence
Becomes thy practice; neither shall there ought
That's wrong, by other meanes to right be brought.
228. b.
Why may it not be possible that thouDemandest what he might not well allow,
Without dishonour? Or, if all were right
Which thou required'st, yet the manner might
Distast him? or, who certaine is but some
(Pretending publique grievances) might come
With private spleen and malice to pursue
Those faults in others, which their conscience knew
Themselves are guilty of—
If so it be, I doe admire the lesse
That thy Petitions had an ill successe.
229. a.
Of Reformation thou dost shew great Zeale,But some corruption maist thou not conceale
That marres the blessing? art thou sure thou hast
No just occasion given to distaste
Thy King? Doe thy complainings all intend
The publique welfare, without private end?
And in preferring them dost thou commit
No errors? or no deceits forget?
I will not say thou did'st; but I doe feare
That they who wisest are, in some things erre.
There also were—
Unwise and undiscreet ones,
232. a.
mixt amongOur Parliaments, who did those meetings wrong,
232. b.
By controverting of Religion there,And moving questions that improper are
To that assembly. For there is provided
A Synod, wherein ought to be decided
Such matters: and what they determine shall
The Parliament may ratifie—
But we may blush to see how much amisse
Some stretch the Parliamentall power in this.
He would not be mistaken, as if he would not have Parliaments looke after the exercises of Religion.
But my desire is also that they further
The Church affaires in their owne place and order.
—though some threaten fearfull things to those
Who dare a Parliamentall power inclose
Within a bound: yea though, some talking things
Prate as if they might make, and unmake Kings.
Coine new Religions—
234. b.
What their forefathers unto them did leaveLet them not suffer any to bereave
Their children of. For they may that deny
Even to their King; provided legally
They doe it, in resisting his demands
By legall pleadings, not by force of hands.
Let them therefore their ancient rights retaine
By all just meanes; and let them yeeld againe
The Royall dues:
235. a.
for those things prosper notWhich are amisse from God or Caesar got.
All wrongs shall be revenged, but none brings
Such vengeance, as the wrong to God, or Kings.
If but in word alone (nay but in thought)
Wee have against our Prince committed ought
Which is disloyall, hid it shall not lie,
But be revealed by a winged spie.
Nor let us as wee doe in corners prate,
As if the soveraigne power, or the State
Encroacht injuriously; and so defame
The Government; disgrace the royall name;
And nourish by degrees an evill spirit,
That us of all our peace will dis-inherit.
—Bring not when yee come to plead with Kings
Against their claimes, some bare conjecturings:
For what thou hast no utter evidence
To be the right, the right is in thy Prince;
It is a Royalty to Monarchs due—
—Let pure humilitie
True pietie,
235. b.
due love, and charitieBe brought along: and when all thes
[...] yee bring
Then goe with loyalty and meet your King,
In his and your affaires without mistrust,
And then (as certainly as God is just)
In every due respect ye shall prevaile,
Or gaine some great advantage if yee faile.
Go cast your selves before him with submission;
Present him with Petition on Petition
With one accord, and with a fearefull face
Informe him how much hinderance and disgrace,
236. a.
Or danger to the land there may accrue,If he your loyall Counsell shall eschue.
For God, because his lawes wee disobey,
Us at our Soveraignes feet doth meane to lay
To humble us a while. If wee repent
To all our loyall suites he will assent;
If otherwise, God will give up this land,
Our lives and fortunes, all into his hand.
Goe offer, while to offer you are free;
And what you give him, shall peace offerings be:
If that which for atonement you provide
With love and patience be sanctified.
Speaking of our own inheritable rights and freeholds.
269. b.
Those dues we should preserve with all our mightBy pleading of our just and ancient right
In humble wise; if so the soveraigne state
Our freedome shall attempt to violate.
But when by peacefull meanes we cannot save it,
We to the pleasure of the King must leave it,
And unto God our judge: For all the power
In us consists, in saying, This is our.
This therefore is my rule;
266.
That Government.(What ere it be) in which to me God lent
My birth and breeding; that untill my end,
I will obey and to my power defend.
Yea though it tyrannize, I will denay
No more obedience, then by Law I may;
Ev'n by those Lawes and customes that doe stand
In force, and unrepealed in that Land.
—If any faction shall constraine ☜
That I one fact must take, I will maintaine
What bore the Soveraigntie when I came thither,
And I and that will stand and fall together.
To close up all, as in a fit place let us here insert some more of M r Withers his owne lines; which will serve for a reason too of the Title to these few Extracts.
Let all those Observations I have had
Of others errors be occasions made
To mind me of my owne:
Cant. 8. pa. 282.
and lest I erre,Let every man be my Remembrancer.
With so much charitie, as I have sought
To bring their duty more in thought.
And, if in any sin I linger long
☞ Without repentance: Lord, let every tongue
That names me check me for it: and to me
Become what I to others faine would be.
Amen
FINIS.