Two discourses lately revievv'd and enrich'd by the author one, The pre-eminence and pedegree [sic] of Parlement, whereunto is added a vindication of some passages reflecting upon the author in a book call'd The popish royall favorit, penn'd and published by Master Prynne ..., with a clearing of some occurrences in Spayne at His Majesties being there, cited by the said Master Prynne out of the Vocall forrest ... : the second, Englands teares / by James Howell ... Pre-eminence and pedigree of Parlement Howell, James, 1594?-1666. 1644 Approx. 80 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 16 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-05 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). A44762 Wing H3124 ESTC R16765 13623391 ocm 13623391 100858 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Prynne, William, 1600-1669. -- Popish royall favourite. Howell, James, 1594?-1666. -- Vocall forrest. England and Wales. -- Parliament. Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1625-1649. 2003-12 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2004-01 SPi Global Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2004-02 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2004-02 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2004-04 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion Two Discourses , Lately Revievv'd and enrich'd by the Author . One , The Pre-eminence and Pedegree of PARLEMENT . Whereunto is added A Vindication of some passages reflecting upon the Author , in a Book call'd the Popish Royall Favorit , penn'd and published by Master Prynne ; wherein he styles him , No Friend to Parlements , and a Malignant , pag. 42. With a clearing of some Occurrences in Spayne at His MAjESTIES being there , cited by the said Master Prynne out of the Vocall Forrest , whereunto the collaterall Landskippe refers . The second , ENGLANDS TEARES . By Iames Howell Esq r one of the Clerks of His Majesties most Hon ble Privy-Councell . Printed at London according to Order , by Richard Heron. 1644. The Printer to the Reader . REader , These two Discourses , one , the Pre-eminence and pedegree of Parlement , the other Englands Teares , I present again to your view : They went abroad singly before , but I have conjoyn'd them now in one peece , for your better accommodation . They have bin surreptitiously printed in Oxford , and els where , but mistaken in divers places ; They come forth now , not only corrected , but enrich'd by the Authour himselfe . When they were expos'd first to the world , they found extraordinary good acceptance , and have been very much sought for since , as well for the richnesse of the stile and matter , as for the gallant worth of the Author , which is so well known at home and abroad . R. H. To my worthily honored Friend , Sir W. S. Knight . SIR , I Have many thanks to give you for the Book you pleased to send me , called the Popish Royall Favorite ; and according to your advice ( which I value in a high degree ) I put pen to paper , and something you may see I have done ( though in a poore pamphleting way ) to cleare my selfe of those aspersions that are cast upon me therein . But truly Sir , I was never so unfit for such a task ; all my Papers , Manuscripts , and Notes , having been long since seized upon and kept from me . Adde hereunto , that besides this long pressure and languishment of twenty three Moneths close restraint ( the sense wherof , I find hath much stupified my spirits ) it pleased God to visit me lately with a dangerous fit of sicknes , a high burning feaver , with the new disease , whereof my Body as well as my Mind is yet somewhat crazie : so that ( take all afflictions together ) I may truly say , I have passed the Ordeal , the fiery Tryall . But it hath pleased God to reprieve me to see better dayes I hope ; for out of this fatall black Cloud , which now oresets this poore Island , I hope there will breake a glorious Sun-shine of peace and firme happinesse : To effect which , had I a Jury , a grand-Jury of lives , I would sacrifice them all , and triumph in the oblation . So I most affectionately kisse your hands , and rest Your faithfull ( though afflicted ) Servant , Iames Howell . From the Prison of the Fleet. The Pre-eminence OF PARLEMENT . Sectio Prima . I Am a Free-born Subject of the Realm of England ; whereby I claim as my native Inheritance , an undoubted right , propriety , and portion in the Laws of the Land ; And this distinguisheth me from a Slave . I claim also an interest and common right in the High Nationall Court of Parlement , and in the power , the priviledges and jurisdiction thereof , which I put in equall ballance with the Laws , in regard it is the fountain whence they spring ; and this I hold also to be a principall part of my Birth-right , which great Councell I honor , respect , value , and love in as high a degree as can be ; as being the Bulwark of our liberties , the main boundary and banke which keeps us from slavery , from the inundations of tyrannicall Rule , and unbounded Will-government . And I hold my self obliged in a tye of indispensable obedience , to conform and submit my self to whatsoever shall be transacted , concluded , and constituted by its authority in Church or State ; whether it be by making , enlarging , altering , diminishing , disanulling , repealing , or reviving of any Law , Statute , Act , or Ordinance whatsoever , either touching matters Ecclesiasticall , civill , common , capitall , criminall , martiall , maritime , municipall , or any other ; of all which , the transcendent and uncontrollable jurisdiction of that Court is capable to take cognizance . Amongst the three things which the Athenian Captain thank'd the gods for , one was , That he was born a Grecian , and not a Barbarian . For such was the vanity of the Greeks , and after them , of the Romans , in the flourish of their Monarchy , to arrogate all civility to themselves , and to terme all the world besides Barbarians : So I may say to have cause to rejoyce , that I was born a vassall to the Crown of England ; that I was born under so well moulded and tempered a Government , which endows the subject with such Liberties and infranchisements that bear up his naturall courage , and keep him still in heart ; such Liberties that fence and secure him eternally from the gripes and tallons of Tyranny : And all this may be imputed to the Authority and wisedome of this High Court of Parlement , wherein there is such a rare co-ordination of power ( though the Soveraignty remain still entire , and untransferrable in the person of the Prince ) there is such a wholsome mixture 'twixt Monarchy , Optimacy , and Democracy ; 'twixt Prince , Peers , and Communalty , during the time of consultation , that of so many distinct parts , by a rare cooperation and unanimity , they make but one Body Politick , ( like that sheafe of arrows in the Emblem ) one entire concentricall peece , and the results of their deliberations , but as so many harmonious diapasons arising from different strings . And what greater immunity and happinesse can there be to a People , than to be liable to no Laws but what they make themselves ? to be subject to no contribution , assessement , or any pecuniary levy whatsoever , but what they Vote , and voluntarily yeeld unto themselves ? For in this compacted Politick Body , there be all degrees of people represented ; both the Mechanick , Tradesman , Merchant , and Yeoman , have their inclusive Vote , as well as the Gentry , in the persons of their Trustees , their Knights and Burgesses , in passing of all things . Nor is this Soveraign Surintendent Councell an Epitome of this Kingdom only , but it m●y be said to have a representation of the whole Universe ; as I heard a fluent well-worded Knight deliver the last Parliament , who compared the beautifull composure of that High Court , to the great work of God , the World it self : The King is as the Sun , the Nobles the fixed Stars , the Itinerant Judges and other Officers ( that go upon Messages 'twixt both Houses ) to the Planets ; the Clergy to the Element of fire ; the Commons , to the solid Body of Earth , and the rest of the Elements . And to pursue this comparison a little farther ; as the heavenly Bodies , when three of them meet in Conjunction , do use to produce some admirable effects in the Elementary World : So when these three States convene and assemble in one solemne great Iunta , some notable and extraordinary things are brought forth , tending to the welfare of the whole Kingdom , our Microcosme . HE that is never so little versed in the Annales of this Islle , will find that it hath bin her fate to be four times conquered . I exclude the Scot ; for the scituation of his Country , and the quality of the Clime hath been such an advantage and security to him , that neither the Roman Eagles would fly thither , for fear of freezing their wings ; nor any other Nation attempt the work . These so many Conquests must needs bring with them many tumblings and toffings , many disturbances and changes in Government ; yet I have observed , that notwithstanding these tumblings , it retained still the forme of a Monarchy , and something there was always that had an Analogy with the great Assembly the Parlement . The first Conquest I finde was made by Claudius Caes●r ; at which time ( as some well observe ) the Roman Ensignes , and the Standard of Christ came in together . It is well known what Laws the Roman had ; He had his Comitia , which bore a resemblance with our Convention in Parlement ; the place of their meeting was called Praetorium , and the Laws which they enacted , Pleboscita . The Saxon Conquest succeeded next , which were the English , there being no name in Welsh or Irish for an English man , but Saxon , to this day . They governed by Parlement , though it were under other names ; as Michel Sinoth , Michel Gemote , and Witenage Mote . There are Records above a thousand years old , of these Parlements , in the Raigns of King Ina , Offa , Ethelbert , and the rest of the seven Kings during the Heptarchy . The British Kings also , who retaind a great while some part of the Isle unconquered , governed and made Laws by a kind of Parlementary way ; witnes the famous Laws of Prince Howell , called Howell Dha , ( the good Prince Howell ) whereof there are yet extant some Welsh Records . Parlements were also used after the Heptarchy by King Kenulphus , Alphred , and others ; witnesse that renowned Parlement held at Grately by King Athelstan . The third Conquest was by the Danes , and they govern'd also by such generall Assemblies , ( as they do to this day ) witnesse that great and so much celebrated Parlement held by that mighty Monarch Canutus , who was King of England , Denmark , Norway , and other Regions 150 years before the compiling of Magna Charta ; and this the learned in the Laws do hold to be one of the specialst , and most authentick peeces of antiquity we have extant . Edward the Confessor made all his Laws thus , ( and he was a great Legis-lator , ) which the Norman Conquerour ( who liking none of his sons , made God Almighty his heir , bequeathing unto him this Island for a legacy ) did ratifie and establish , and digested them into one entire methodicall Systeme , which being violated by Rufus , ( who came to such a disastrous end as to be shot to death in lieu of a Buck for his sacriledges ) were restor'd by Henry the first , and so they continued in force till King Iohn ; whose Raign is renowned for first confirming Magna Charta , the foundation of our Liberties ever since : which may be compar'd to divers outlandish graffs set upon one English stock ; or to a posie of sundry fragrant flowers ; for the choicest of the British , the Roman , Saxon , Danish , and Norman Laws , being cull'd and pick'd out , and gathered as it were into one bundle , out of them the foresaid grand Charter was extracted : And the establishment of this great Charter was the work of a Parlement . Nor are the Lawes of this Island only , and the freedome of the Subject conserved by Parlement , but all the best policed Countries of Europe have the like . The Germanes have their Diets , the Danes and Swedes their Rijcks Dachs ; the Spaniard calls his Parlement , las C●rtes and the French have , ( or should have at least ) their Assembly of three States , though it be growne now in a manner obsolete , because the Authority thereof was ( by accident ) devolv'd to the King. And very remarkable it is , how this happened ; for when the English had taken such large footing in most parts of France , having advanced as far as Orleans , and driven their then King Charles the seventh , to Bourges in Berry ; the Assembly of the three States in these pressures , being not able to meet after the usuall manner in full Parlement , because the Countrey was unpassable , the Enemy having made such firme invasions up and down through the very bowels of the Kingdome ; that power which formerly was inhaerent in the Parlementary Assembly , of making Lawes , of assessing the Subject with Taxes , subsidiary levies , and other impositions , was transmitted to the King during the war ; which continuing many years , that intrusted power by length of time grew as it were habituall in him , and could never after be re-assumed and taken from him ; so that ever since , his Ediots countervaile Acts of Parlement . And that which made the businesse more feasable for the King , was , that the burthen fell most upon the Communalty ( the Clergy and Nobility not feeling the weight of it ) who were willing to see the Peasan pull'd downe a little , because not many years before , in that notable Rebellion , call'd la laquerie de Beauvoisin , which was suppressed by Charles the wise , the Common people put themselves boldly in Arms against the Nobility and Gentry , to lessen their power . Adde hereunto as an advantage to the worke , that the next succeeding King Lewis the eleventh , was a close cunning Prince , and could well tell how to play his game , and draw water to his own mill ; For amongst all the rest , he was said to be the first that put the Kings of France , Hors de page , out of their minority , or from being Pages any more , though thereby he brought the poore peasans to be worse than Lacquays . With the fall , or at least the discontinuance of that usuall Parlementary Assembly of the three States , the liberty of the French Nation utterly fell ; the poore ●oturier and Vineyard-man , with the rest of the Yeomanary , being reduced ever since to such an abject asinin condition , that they serve but as sponges for the King to squeeze when he list . Neverthelesse , as that King hath an advantage hereby one way , to monarchize more absolutely , and never to want money , but to ballast his purse when he will : so there is another mighty inconvenience ariseth to him and his whole Kingdome another way ; for this illegall peeling of the poore Peasan hath so dejected him , and cowed his native courage so much by the sense of poverty ( which brings along with it a narrownesse of soule ) that he is little usefull for the warre : which put 's the French King to make other Nations mercenary to him , to fill up his Infantery : Insomuch , that the kingdome of France may be not unfitly compared to a body that hath all it's bloud drawn up in to the arms , breast and back , and scarce any lest from the girdle downwards , to cherish and bear up the lower parts , and keep them from starving . All this seriously considered , there cannot be a more proper and pregnant example than this of our next Neighbours , to prove how infinitely necessary the Parlement is , to assert , to prop up , and preserve the publike liberty , and nationall rights of a people , with the incolumity and well-fare of a Countrey . Nor doth the Subject only reap benefit thus by Parlement , but the Prince , ( if it be well consider'd ) hath equall advantage thereby ; It rendreth him a King of free and able men , which is far more glorious than to be a King of Slaves , Beggars , and Bankrupts ; Men that by their freedome , and competency of wealth , are kept still in heart to do him service against any forraine force . And it is a true maxime in all States , that 't is lesse danger and dishonour for the Prince to be poore , than his people : rich Subjects can make their King rich when they please ; if he gain their hearts , he will quickly get their purses . Parlement encreaseth love and good intelligence twixt him and his people ; It acquaints him with the reality of things , and with the true state and diseases of his kingdom ; It brings him to the knowledge of his better sort of Subjects , and of their abilities , which he may employ accordingly upon all occasions ; It provides for his Royall Issue , payes his debts , fines means to fill his Coffers : and it is no ill observation , That Parlement-monyes ( the great Aid ) have prospered best with the Kings of England ; It exceedingly raiseth his repute abroad , and enableth him to keep his foes in feare , his Subject● in awe , his Neighbours and Confederates in security , the three main things which go to aggrandize a Prince , and render him glorious . In summe , it is the Parlement that supports , and bears up the honour of his Crown , and settles his Throne in safety , which is the chiefe end of all their consultations : For whosoever is entrusted to be a Member of this High Court , carrieth with him a double capacity ; he sits there as a Patriot , and as a Subject : as he is the one , the Country is his object , his duty being to vindicate the publike liberty , to make wholsome Lawes , to put his hand to the pump , and stop the leaks of the great vessell of the State , to pry into , and punish corruption and oppression , to improve and advance trade , to have the grievances of the place he serves for redressed , and cast about how to find something that may tend to the advantage of it . But he must not forget that he sits there also as a Subject , and according to that capacity , he must apply himselfe to do his Soveraigns businesse , to provide not only for his publike , but his personall wants ; to beare up the lustre and glory of his Court ; to consider what occasions of extraordinary expences he may have , by encrease of Royall Issue , or maintenance of any of them abroad ; to enable him to vindicate any affront or indignity that might be offered to his Person , Crown , or Dignity , by any forraine State or Kingdome ; to consult what may enlarge his honour , contentment , and pleasure . And as the French Tacitus ( Comines ) hath it , the English Nation was used to be more forward and zealous in this particular than any other ; according to that ancient eloquent speech of a great Lawyer , Domus Regis vigilia defendit omnium , otium illius labor omnium , deliciae illius industria omnium , vacatio illius occupatio omnium , salus illius periculum omnium , honor illius objectum omnium Every one should stand Centinell to defend the Kings houses , his safety should be the danger of all , his pleasures the industry of all , his ease should be the labour of all , his honour the object of all . Out of these premisses this conclusion may be easily deduced , That , the principall fountaine whence the King derives his happinesse and safety , is his Parlement ; It is that great Conduit-pipe which conveighes unto him his peoples bounty and gratitude ; the truest Looking-glasse wherein he discernes their loves ; now the Subjects love hath been alwayes accounted the prime Cittadell of a Prince . In his Parlement he appears as the Sun in the Meridian , in the altitude of his glory , in his highest State Royall , as the Law tels us . Therefore whosoever is averse or disaffected to this Soveraigne Law-making Court , cannot have his heart well planted within him : he can be neither good Subject , nor good Patriot ; and therefore unworthy to breathe English ayre , or have any benefit , advantage , or protection from the Lawes . Sectio Secunda . BY that which hath been spoken , which is the language of my heart , I hope no indifferent judicious Reader will doubt of the cordiall affection , of the high respects and due reverence I beare to Parlement , as being the wholsomest constitution , ( and done by the highest and happiest reach of policy ) that ever was established in this Island ; to perpetuate the happinesse thereof , Therefore I must tell that Gentleman , who was Author of a Booke entituled the Popish Royall Favorite , ( lately printed and exposed to the world ) that he offers me very hard measure ; nay , he doth me apparant wrong , to terme me therein , No friend to Parlement , and a Malignant ; A character , which as I deserve it not , so I disdain it . For the first part of his charge , I lwoud have him know , that I am as much a friend and as reall an affectionate humble servant and Votary to the Parlement as possibly he can be , and will live and dye with these affections about me : And I could wish , that he were Secretary of my thoughts a while , or if I may take the boldnesse to apply that comparison his late Majesty used in a famous speech to one of his Parlements , I could wish there were a Chrystall window in my breast , through which the world might espye the inward motions and palpitations of my heart , then would he be certified of the sincerity of this protestation . For the second part of his Charge , to be a Maligna●t , I must confesse to have some Malignity that lurks within me much against my will ; but it is no malignity of minde , it is amongst the humours , not in my intellectuals . And I beleeve , there is no naturall man , let him have his humours never so well ballanced , but hath some of this Malignity raigning within him ; For as long as we are composed of the foure Elements , whence these humors are derived , and with whom they symbolize in qualities ; which Elements the Philosophers hold to be in a restlesse contention amongst themselves ( and the Stoicke thought that the world subsisted by this innated mutuall strife ) as long I say , as the foure humors , in imitation of their principles ( the Elements ) are in perpetuall reluctancy and combate for praedominancy , there must be some malignity lodg'd within us , as adusted choler , and the like ; whereof I had late experience , in a dangerous fit of sicknesse it pleased God to lay upon me , which the Physitians told me proceeded from the malignant hypocondriacall effects of melancholy ; having been so long in this Saturnine black condition of close imprisonment , and buried alive between the wals of this fatall Fleet. These kinds of malignities , I confesse are very rife in me , and they are not only incident , but connaturall to every man according to his complexion : And were it not for this incessant strugling and enmity amongst the humors for mastery , which produceth such malignant effects in us , our soules would be loth ever to depart from our bodies , or to abandon this mansion of clay . Now what malignity my Accuser means , I know not ; if he means malignity of spirit , as some antipathy or ill impression upon the minde , arising fromdisaffection , hatred , or rancor , with a desire of some destructive revenge , he is mightily deceiv'd in me : I maligne or hate no Creature that ever God made , but the Devill , who is the Author of all malignity ; and therefore is most commonly called in French le Malin Esprit the malignant spirit . Every night before I go to bed , I have the grace , I thanke God for it , to forgive all the world , and not to harbour , or let roost in my bosome the least malignant thought ; yet none can deny , but the publike aspersions which this my Accuser casts upon me , were enough to make me a malignant towards him ; yet it could never have the power to do it : For I have prevail'd with my selfe to forgive him this his wrong censure of me , issuing rather from his not knowledge of me , than from malice , for we never mingled speech or saw one another in our lives to my remembrance : which makes me wonder the more , that a Professor of the Law , as he is , should ronounce such a positive sentence against me so slightly . But me thinks PI over-hear him say , that the precedent discourse of Parlement is involv'd in generals , and the Topique Axiome tels us , that Dolus versatur in universalibus there is double dealing in universals : His meaning is , that I am no friend to this present Parlement ( though he speaks in the plurall number Parlements ) and consequently , he concludes me a Malignant ; Therein , I must tell him also , that I am traduc'd , and I am confident it will be never p●ov'd against me , from any actions , words , or letters ( though diuers of mine have bin intercepted ) or any other misdemeanor , though some things ●re ●ather'd upon me which never drop'd from my quill . Alas , how unworthy and uncapable am I to censure the proceedings of that great Senate , that high Synedrion , wherein the wisedome of the whole State is epitomized ? It were a presumption in me , of the highest nature that could be : It is enough for me to pray for the prosperous successe of their consultations : And as I hold it my duty , so I have good reason so to do , in regard I am to have my share in the happinesse ; And could the utmost of my poore endeavours , by any ministeriall humble office ( and sometimes the meanest Boat-swain may help to preserve the Ship from sinking ) be so happy , as to contribute any thing to advance that great worke ( which I am in despaire to do , while I am thus under hatches in this Fleet , ) I would esteem it the greatest honor that possibly could befall me , as I hold it now to be my greatest disaster , to have fallen so heavily under an affliction of this nature , and to be made a sacrifice to publike fame , than which there is no other proofe , nor that yet urg'd against me , or any thing else produc'd after so long , so long captivity , which hath brought me to such a low ebbe , and put me so far behind in the course of my poore fortunes , and indeed more than halfe undone me . For although my whole life ( since I was left to my selfe to swim , as they say , without bladders ) has bin nothing else but a continued succession of crosses , and that there are but few red letters found ( God wot ) in the Almanacke of my Age , ( for which I account not my selfe a whit the lesse happy ; ) yet this crosse has carried with it a greater weight , it hath bin of a larger extent , longer continuance , and lighted heavier upon me than any other ; and as I have present patience to beare it , so I hope for subsequent grace to make use of it accordingly , that my old Motto may be still confirmed , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . HE produceth my attestation for some passages in Spaine , at his Majesties being there , and he quotes me right , which obligeth me to him ; and I hope all his quotations , wherein he is so extraordinarily copious and elaborate in all his workes , are so ; yet I must tell him , that those interchangeable letters which passed between His Majesty and the Pope , which were originally couch'd in Latine , the language wherein all Nations treate with Rome , and the Empire with all the Princes thereof , those letters I say , are adulterated in many places , which I impute not to him , but to the French Chronicler , from whom he tooke them in trust . The truth of that businesse is this : The world knowes there was a tedious treaty of an Alliance 'twixt the Infanta Dona Maria ( who now is Empresse ) and His Majesty , which in regard of the slow affected pace of the Spaniard , lasted above ten years , as that in Henry the sevenths time , 'twixt Prince Arthur , and ( afterwards ) Queen Katherine , was spun out above seven : To quicken , or rather to consummate the work , his Majesty made that adventurous journey through the whole Continent of France , into Spaine ; which voyage , though there was a great deale of gallantry in it ( whereof all posterity will ring , untill it turne at last to a Romance ) yet it prov'd the bane of the businesse , which 't is not the errand of so poore a Pamphlet as this to unfold . His Majesty being there arriv'd , the ignorant common people cried out , the Prince of Wales came thither to make himselfe a Christian. The Pope writ to the Inquisitor Generall , and others , to use all industry they could to reduce him to the Romane Religion ; And one of Olivares first complements to him , was , That he doubted ●ot but that His Highnesse came thither to change His Religion : whereunto he made a short answer , That He came not thither for a Religion , but for a Wife . There were extraordinary processions made , and other artifices us'd by protraction of things , to make him stay there of purpose till the Spring following , to worke upon him the better : And the Infanta her selfe desir'd him ( which was esteem'd the greatest favour he received from her all the while ) to visit the Nunne of Carion ; hoping that the sayd Nunne , who was so much cried up for miracles , might have wrought one upon him ; but her art failed her , nor was His Highnesse so weake a subject to work upon , according to His late Majesties speech to Doctor Mawe and Wren , who when they came to kisse his hands , before they went to Spaine to attend the Prince their Master , He wished them to have a care of Buckingham , as touching his Sonne Charles , he apprehended no feare at all of him ; for he knew him to be so well grounded a Protestant , that nothing could shake him in his Religion . The Arabian proverbe is , That the Sun never soiles in his passage , though his beames reverberate never so strongly , and dwell never so long upon the myry lake of Maeotis , the black turfd moores of Holland , the aguish woose of Kent and Essex , or any other place , be it never so di●ty ; Though Spaine be a hot Countrey , yet one may passe and repasse through the very Center of it , and never be Sun-burnt , if he carry with him a Bongrace , and such a one His Majesty had . Well , after his Majesties arrivall to Madrid , the treaty of Marriage went on still , ( though he told them at his first comming , that he came not thither like an Embassador , to treat of Marriage , but as a Prince , to fetch home a Wife ; ) and in regard they were of different Religions , it could not be done without a dispensation from the Pope , & the Pope would grant none , unlesse some Capitulations were stipulated in favour of the Romish Catholikes in England , ( the same in substance were agreed on with France . ) Well , when the dispensation came , which was negotiated solely by the King of Spains Ministers ; because His Majesty would have as little to do as might be with Rome , Pope Gregory the fifteenth , who died a little after , sent His Majesty a Letter , which was delivered by the Nuncio , whereof an answer was sent a while after : Which Letters were imprinted and exposed to the view of the world ; because His Majesty would not have people whisper , that the businesse was carried in a clandestine manner . And truly besides this , I do not know of any Letter , or Message , or Complement , that ever pass'd 'twixt His Majesty and the Pope , afore or after ; some addresses peradventure might be made to the Cardinalls , to whom the drawing of those matrimoniall dispatches was referred , to quicken the work , but this was only by way of civill negotiation . Now touching that responsory Letter from His Majesty , it was no other than a Complement in the severest interpretation , and such formalities passe 'twixt the Crown of England , and the great Turke , and divers Heathen Princes . The Pope writ first , and no man can deny , but by all morall rules , and in common humane civility His Majesty was bound to answer it , specially considering how punctuall they are in those Countries to correspond in this kind , how exact they are in repayring visits , and the performance of such Ceremonies ; And had this compliance been omitted , it might have made very ill impressions , as the posture of things stood then ; for it had prejudiced the great work in hand , I mean , the Match , which was then in the heat and height of agitation : His Majesties person was there engag'd , and so it was no time to give the least offence . They that are never so little vers'd in businesse abroad , do know that there must be addresses , compliances , and formalities of this nature ( according to the Italian Proverbe , That one must sometimes light a candle to the Devill ) us'd in the carriage of matters of State , as this great businesse was , whereon the eyes of all Christendome were so greedily fix'd ; A businesse which was like to bring with it such an universall good , as the restitution of the Palatinate , the quenching of those hideous fires in Germany , and the establishing of a peace through all the Christian World. I hope none will take offence , that in this particular which comes within the compasse of my knowledge , being upon the Stage when this Scene was acted , I do this right to the King my Master , in displaying the Truth , and putting her forth in her own colours , a rare thing in these dayes . TOuching the Vocall Forrest , an Allegoricall Discourse , that goes abroad under my name , a good while before the beginning of this Parlement , which this Gentleman cites ( and that very faithfully . ) I understand there be some that mutter at certain passages therein , by putting ill glosses upon the Text , and taking with the left hand , what I offer with the right : ( Nor is it a wonder for trees which lys open , and stand exposed to all weathers to be nipt ) But I desire this favour , which in common justice , I am sure in the Court of Chancery cannot be denyed me , it being the priviledge of every Author , and a received maxime through the World , Cujus est condere , ejus est interpretari ; I say , I crave this favour , to have leave to expound my own Text , and I doubt not then but to rectifie any one in his opinion of me , and that in lieu of the Plums which I give him from those Trees , he will not throw the stones at me . Moreover , I desire those that are over criticall Censurers of that peece , to know , that as in Divinity it is a rule , Scripturae parabolica non est argumenativa ; so it is in all other kind of knowledge . Parables ( whereof that Discourse is composed ) though pressed never so hard , prove nothing . There is another Rule also , That Parables must be gently used , like a Nurses breast ; which if you presse too hard , you shall have bloud in stead of milke . But as the Author of the Vocall Forrest thinks he hath done , neither his Countrey , nor the Common-wealth of Learning any prejudice thereby ( That maiden fancy having received so good entertainment and respect abroad , as to be translated into divers Languages , and to gain the publick approbation of some famous Universities ) So he makes this humble protest unto all the World , that though the designe of that Discourse was partly Satyricall ( which peradventure induc'd the Author to shrowd it of purpose under the shadowes of trees , and where should Satyres be but amongst Trees ? ) yet it never entred into his imagination to let fall from him the least thing that might give any offence to the High and Honorable Court of Parlement , wherof he had the honor to be once a Member , and hopes he may be thought worthy again ; And were he guilty of such an offence , or piacle rather , he thinks he should never forgive himselfe , though he were appointed his own Judge . If there occurre any passage therein ▪ that may admit a hard construction , let the Reader observe , That the Author doth not positively assert , or passe a judgement on any thing in that Discourse , which consists principally of concise , cursory narrations , of the choisest Occurrences and Criticismes of State , according as the pulse of time did beat then : And matters of State , as all other sublunary things , are subject to alterations , contigencies and change , which makes the opinions and minds of men vary accordingly ; not one amongst twenty is the same man to day as he was four years ago , in point of judgement , which turns and alters according to the circumstance and successe of things : And it is a true saying , whereof we find common experience , posterior dies est prioris Magister The day following is the former dayes Schoolmaster . Ther 's another Aphorisme , The wisedome of one day is the foolishnesse of another , and 't will be so as long as there is a man left in the world . I will conclude with this modest request to that Gentleman of the long Robe ; That having unpassionately perus'd what I have written in this small Discourse , in penning whereof , my conscience guided my quill all along as well as my hand , he would please to be so charitable and just , as to reverse that harsh sentence upon me , To be no Friend to Parlements , and a Malignant . FINIS . ENGLANDS TEARES , FOR THE PRESENT VVARS , WHICH FOR THE NATVRE of the Quarell , the quality of Strength , the diversity of Battailes , Skirmiges , Encounters , and Sieges , ( happened in so short a compasse of time , ) cannot be paralleld by any precedent Age. Hei mihi , quàm miserè rugit Leo , Lilia languent , Heu , Lyra , quàm maestos pulsat Hiberna sonos . Printed at London , according to Order , by Richard Heron , 1644. To my Imperiall Chamber , The City of London . Renowned City , IF any showers of adversity fall on me , some of the drops thereof must needs dash on thy Streets . It is not a shower but a furious Storme that powr's upon me now , accompanied with fearfull cracks of thunder and unusuall fulgurations . The fatall Cloud wherein this storm lay long engendring , though , when it began to condense first , it appeared but as big as a hand , yet by degrees it hath spread to such a vast expansion , that it hath diffus'd it selfe through all my Regions , and obscur'd that fair face of Heaven , which was used to shine upon me ; If it last long , 't is impossible but we both should perish . Peace may , but War must destroy . I see poverty posting apace , and ready to knock at thy gates ; That gastly herbenger of Death the Pestilence appears already within and without thy Walls ; And me thinks I spie meager-fac'd Famine a farre off making towards thee ; nor can all thy elaborat circumvallations , and trenches , or any art of Enginry , keepe him out of thy Line of Communication if this hold . Therefore my dear Daughter , think , Oh think upon some timely prevention , 't is the Counsell , and request of Thy most afflicted Mother ENGLAND . Englands Teares . OH ! that my head did flow with waters ; Oh , that my Eyes were limbecks through which might distill drops and essences of bloud ! Oh that I could melt away and dissolve all in to teares more brackish than those Seas that surround me ! Oh that I could weepe my selfe blind to prevent the seeing of those Mountains of mischiefs that are like to fall down upon me ! Oh , that I could rend the Rocks that gird me about , and with my ejaculations tear and dissipate those black dismall cloud● which hang over me ! Oh , that I could cleave the Ayre with my cries , that they might find passage up to Heaven , and fetch down the Moon ( that ●atry planet ) to weep and wayle with me , or make old Saturne descend from his Spheare , to partake with me in my melancholy , and bring along with him the mournfull Pleiades , to make a full consort and sing lachrymae with me , for that wofull taking , that desperat● case , that most deplorable condition I have plung'd my selfe into unawares , by thi● unnaturall selfe-destroying Warre , by this intricate odd kind of Enigmaticall War wherein both Parties are so entangled ( like a skeine of ravell'd silk ) that they know not how to unwind and untwist themselves , but by violent and destructive wayes , by tearing my entrailes , by exhausting my vitall spirits , by breaking my very hear●●strings to cure the Malady . Oh , I am deadly sick , and as that famous Chancelor o● France spoke of the civill Warrs of his Countrey , That France was sick of an unknow● disease ; so if Hippocrates himselfe were living , he could not be able to tell the tr●● symptomes of mine , though he felt my pulse , and made inspection into my wate● never so exactly ; onely in the generall he may discover a strange kinde of infecti●● that hath seised upon the affections of my people ; But for the disease it selfe it wi●● gravell him to judge of it : nor can there be any prediction made of it , it is so sharp which make some tell me that I cannot grow better , but by growing yet worse ; Th●● there is no way to stanch this Flux of Bloud , but by opening some more of the m●●ster Veines : that it is not enough for me to have drunke so deep of this cup of affl●●ction , but I must swallow up the dregs and all . Oh , Passenger stop thy pace , and if there be any sparkles of humane compa●●sion glowing in thy bosome , stay a while and hear my plaints , and I know they w● not only strike a resentment , but a horror into thee ; for they are of such a natur● that they are able to penetrate a breast of brasse , to mollifie a heart hoop'd with Adamant , to wring tears out of a statue of Marble . I that have bin alway accounted the Queen of Isles , the Darling of nature , and Neptune Minion ; I that have bin stil'd by the Character of the first Daughter of the Church , that have converted eight severall Nations ; I that made the morning beams of Christianity shine upon Scotland , upon Ireland , and a good part of France ; I that did irradiat Denmarque , Swethland and Norway with the light thereof ; I that brought the Saxons , with other Germanes high and low ▪ from Paganisme , to the knowledge of the Gospell ; I that had the first Christian King that ever was ( E●●ius ) and the first reformed King ( the eight Henry ) to raigne over me ; I out of whos● bowells sprung the first Christian Emperour that ever was , Constantine ; I that had five severall Kings , viz. Iohn King of France , David King of Scotland , Peter King of Boheme , and two I●rish Kings my Captifs in lesse than one year ; I under whose banner that great Emperour Maximilian tooke it an honor to serve in person , and receive pay from mee and quarter his Arms with mine ; I that had the Lyon rampant of Scotland lately added to fill up my Scutchen , and had reduc'd Ireland , after so many costly intermissive wars , to such a perfect passe of obedience , and settlement of customs & Crown Revenues ; I that to the astonishment and envy of the World , preserved my own Dominions free and flourishing , when all my neighbour Countries were a fire before my face ; I that did so wonderfully flourish and improve in commerce domestique and forren both by Land and Sea ; I that did so abound with Bullion , with buildings , with all sort of bravery that heart could wish ; in summe , I that did live in that height of happines , in that affluence of all earthly felicity , that some thought I had yet remaining some ●ngots of that old gold whereof the first age of the world was made : Behold , behold , I am now become the object of pitty to some , of scorne to others , of laughter to all people ; my children abroad are driven to disadvow me for fear of being jeerd , they dare not own me for their Mother , neither upon the Rialto of Venice , the Berle of Ausburg , the new Bridge of Paris , the Cambios of Spaine , or upon the Quoys of Holand , for feare of being baffled and hooted at . Me thinkes I see my next neighbour France , ( through whose bowells my gray-Goose wing flew so oft ) making mowes at ●ne , and saying , that whereas she was wont to be the chiefe Theater where fortune us'd ●o play her pranks , she hath now removed her stage hither ; she laughes at me that I ●hould let the common people the Citty rabble , ( and now lately the females ) to ●●ow their strength so much . Me thinks I see the Spanyard standing at a gaze , and crossing himselfe to see mee so ●olish as to execute the designes of my enemies upon my selfe . The Italian admires 〈◊〉 see a people argue themselves thus into Arms , and to be so active in their own ruine ; ●he German drinks carouses that he hath now a Co-partner in his miseries ; The Swed joyces in a manner to see me bring in a forren Nation to be my Champion ; The ●etherlander strikes his hand upon his breast , and protests that he wisheth me as well once the Duke of Burgundy did France , when he swoare , He lov'd France so well , ●at for one King he wish'd she had twenty . Me thikns I see the Turke nodding with his Turban , and telling me that I should ●hank Heaven for that distance which is betwixt us , else he would swallow me all up ●t one morsell ; only the Hollander my bosome friend seems to resent my hard condi●ion , yet he thinks it no ill favoured sight to see his shops and lombards every where ●●ll of my plundered goods , to find my trade cast into his hands , and that he can un●ersell me in my own native commodities , to see my gold brought over in such heaps , ●y those that flie from me with all they have for their security ; In fine , me thinks I ●ear all my neighbours about me bargaining for my skin , while thus like an unruly ●orse , I run headlong to dash out my own brains . O cursed jealousie , the source of all my sorrowes , the ground of all my inexpressible miseries ! is it not enough for thee to creep in twixt the husband and the wife , twixt the lemmon and his mate , twixt parents and children , twixt kindred and friends ; hast thou not scope enough to sway in private Families , in staple societies , and Corporations , in common counsells , but thou must get in , twixt King and Parlement , twixt the ●ead and the members ( twixt the Members amongst themselves ? ) but thou must get a twixt Prince and people , but thou must cast up so deep a trench twixt the Soveraign ●nd the Subject . Avant , avant thou hollow-eyed Snake-haird monster , hence away ●nto the abisse below , into the bottomlesse gulfe , thy proper mansion ; sit there in thy haire , and preside o're the counsells of hell amongst the Cacodaemons , and never ascend again to turne my high law-making Court into a Councell of Warre , to turne my best antidote into poyson , and throw so many Scruples into that Soveraign physick which was us'd to cure me of all d●stempers . But when I well consider the constitution of this elementary world , and finde man ●o be part of it , when I think on those light and changeable ingredients that go to his composition , I conclude , that men will be men while there is a World , and as long as the Moon their next neighbour towards heaven hath an influxive power to make impressions upon their humors , they will be ever greedy and covetous of novelties and mutation ; the common people will be still common people , they will sometime or other shew what they are , and vent their instable passions . And when I consider further the distractions , the tossings , turmoylings and tumblings of other Regions round about me , as well as mi●e own , I conclude also , that Kingdoms and States and Cities and all body politiques are as subject to convulsions , to calentures , and consumptions , aswell as the fraile bodies of men , and must have an evacuation for their corrupt humors , they must be phlebotomiz'd ; I have often felt this kind of phlebo●omy , I have had also shrewd purges and pills often given me , which did not onely work upon my superfluous humors , but wasted sometimes my very vitall spirits ; yet I had Electuaries and Cordiall● given me afterwards , which fetched me up again ; Insomuch that this present tragedy is but vetus fabula novi Histriones it is but an old play represented by new Actors , I have often had the like . Therefore let no man wonder at these traverses and humor of change in me . I remember there was as much wondring at the demolishing of my 600 and odd Monasteries , Nunneries & Abbeis for ●●ing held to be Hives of drones , as there is now at the pulling downe of my Crosses Organs and Windowes , ; There was as much wondring when the Pope fell hire , a● 〈◊〉 that the Prelates are like to fall ; The World wondred as much when the M●sse was disliked , as men wonder now the Liturgy should be distasted ; And God grant that people do not take at last a surfet of that most divine Ordinance of preaching , for no violent thing lasts long ; And though there should be no satiety in holy things , yet such is the depraved condition of man , he is naturally such a Changeling , that the over frequency and commonnesse of any thing , be it never so good , breeds in tract of time a kind of contempt in him , it breeds a fulnesse and nauseousnes in him . The first Reformation of my Church began at Court , and so was the more feasable , and it was brought to passe without a Warre ; The scene is now otherwise , it is far more sanguinary and fuller of Actors ; never had a Tragedy Acts of more variety in so short a time ; there was never such a confus'd mysterious civill War as this , there was never so many bodies of strength on Sea and Shore , never such choice Arms and Artillerie , never such a numerous Cavalrie on both sides , never so many Sieges , never a greater eagernes and confidence , there was never such an amphibolous quarrell as this , both parties declaring themselves for the King , and making use of his name in all their Remonstrances to justifie their actions , The affect on , and understandings of people were never so confounded and puzled , not knowing where to acquiesce , by reason of such counter-commands . One side calls the resisting of Royall commands loyalty , the other termes loyalty , the opposing of Parlementary Orders and Ordinances . Both parties would have peace , the one would have it with Honor , the other with Truth , ( and God forbid but both should go together ) but , Int●a●a ring or Ego , in the mean time I , poore I am sure do suffer by both , the one taking away what the other leav's , If the one polls me , the other shaves me , and God grant they fall not a flaying of me at last . Insomuch that whosoever will be curious to rea● the future story of this intricate Warre ( if it be possible to compile a story of it ) he will find himselfe much stagger'd , and put to kind of a riddle before he understand it ; for touching the intricacy of it , touching the strange nature , or rather the unnaturalnesse of it , it cannot be parallel'd by any precedent example : In my Chronicles I am sure no age can match it , as I will make it briefly appear , by comparing it with all the Warres that ever embroil'd me , which I finde to be of three sorts , either by the invasion of Forreners , the Insurrection of my Commons , or by the confederacy of my Peers and Princes of the Bloud . I will not ●ake the ashes of Antiquity so far as to speak of that deluge of bloud I spilt before I would take the Roman Legions for my Garrison ; I am loth to set down how the Saxons us'd me , and how the Danes us'd Them , nor how I had one whol brave race of people ( the Picts I mean ) quite extinguished in me , I will begin with the Norman expedition , and indeed to make recearches of matters before , is but to grop● in the dark , but I have authentick Annales and Records for things since . The Norman came in with the slaughter of neer upon sixty eight thousand Combatants upon the place , a Battaile so memorable , that the very ground which sucked in the bloud retaines the name of it to this day . The Dane not long after strook in to recover his pretended right , with the sacking of my second great City of Yorke , and the ●iring of her , with the slaughter of 3000 of my children in one afternoon , yet he was sent away without his arrand . In the raigne of Rufus I was made of his colour , red with bloud both by the Welsh and the Scot , who lost his King Malcolme in the Battaile of Alnwick . All my eight Henries were infested with some civill broyles , except my fift Henry the greatest of them , who had work enough cut him out in France , and hee plied his work so well that he put that Crown upon his Sons head . All my Edwards also had some home-bred insurrection or other ; indeed two of my three Richards had alwayes quietnesse at home , though the first did go the furthest off from me , and was longest absent of any ; And the third , though he came in by bloud , yet the short time of his three yeares Vsurpership he was without any , and prov'd one of my best Law-givers , yet his life ended in bloud , for having come in like a fox , he dyed like a calfe . Touching my second Richard , and second Edward , there were never any of my Kings came to a more Tragique end , and the greatest stains that black my story are the violent deaths they suffered by the hands of their own ( Regicide ) Subjects . The two Sister Queens that swayed my Scepter had also some domestique commotions ; and now my CHARLES hath them to the height , insomuch that of those five and twenty Monarques who have worne my d●adems since the Norman entred , there was only foure , viz. the forementioned Henry , and Richards , with King IAMES scaped free from all intestin broyles ! Oh how it torments my Soule to remember how my Barons did teare my bowells ! what an Ocean of bloud the two Roses cost me before they were conjoyned , for during the time that I came to be a Monster with two heads ( made so by their division ) I mean during the time that I had two Kings at once , Edward the fourih , and Henry the sixt within me , in five years space I had twelve Battails fought within my entrails , wherin I lost neer upō fourscore Princes of the royal stem , and parted with more of my spirits than there were spent in winning of France . The World knowes how free and prodigall I have bin of my bloud abroad in divers places , I watered the Holy Land with much of it ; Against my Co-Islander the Scot I had above twenty pitch'd Battails , tooke many , and kil'd some of his Kings in the Field ▪ the Flower de lyces cost me dear defore I brought them over upon my Sword ; and the reduction of Ireland from time to time to civility , and to an exact rule of alleageance wasted my children in great numbers . I never grudg'd to venture my bloud this way , for I ever had glorious returns for it ; and my Sons dyed in the bed of honour : but for them to glut themselves with one anothers bloud ; for them to lacerat and rip up ( viper-like ) the wombe that brought them forth , to teare the Paps that gave them suck , can there be a greater piacle against nature her selfe , can there be a more execrable and horrid thing ? If a stranger had us'd mee thus it would not have griev'd me half so much ; It is better to be stung with a nettle , than prick'd by a Rose ; I had rather suffe● by an Enemy , than by my own naturall born off-spring . Those former home-wag● Wars , whereof there hapned above fourscore ( smal & great ) since the Norman cam● in , were but as fires of Flax in comparison of this horrid combustion , which mak● both my Church & State to suffer so much . One may finde those Wars Epitomiz● in small volumes , but a whole library cannot contain this . They were but Scratches being compar'd to the deep wounds which Prince , Peere , and people have receiv'd by this ; such wounds , that it seems no gentle C●t●plasmes can cure them , they must be ●anc'd aed canteriz'd , and the huge scars they will leave behinde them will , I feare , make me appear so deformed and ugly to all posterity , that I am halfe in despaire to recover my former beauty ever again . The deep stains these Wars will leave upon me , all the water of the Severn , Trent or Thames will hardly wash away . The Sun yet hath not run twice his course through the Zodia● , since the two-edged ●word of War hath rag'd & done many horrid executions within me , since that Hellish invention of powder hath thundred in every corner , since it hath darkned torn , & infected my well-tempered aire , since I have weltered in my own bloud , and bin made ● kind of Cockpit , a Theater of death to my own children ; And in so short a circumvolution of time , I may confidently affirm take battailes , re-encounters , skir●ishes , with sieges both winter and summer , there never hapned so many in any Countrey ; not do I see any appeara●ce , the more is my misery , of any period to be ●ut to these Distractions , every day is spectator of some new Tragedy , and there●ations that are hourely blaz'd abroad sound sometimes well on the one side , some●●mes on the other , like a peale of bels in windy weather ( though oftentimes in a ●hole volley of News you shall hardly finde one true R port ) which makes me feare 〈◊〉 the all disposing Deity of Heaven continueth the successes of both parties in a ●inde of equality , to prolong my miseries . Ita serior , ut diu me sentiam mori , I am ●ounded with that dexterity , th●t the sence and agonies of my sufferings are like to ●e extended to the uttermost lengt● of time and possibility of n●ture . But , O Passenger , if thou art desirous to know the cause of these fatall discompo●●res , of this inextricable War , truly I must deal plainly , I cannot resolve thee herein 〈◊〉 any full satisfaction . Grievances there were I must confesse , and some incongrui●es in my Civill government ( wherein some say the Crosier , some say the Distaffe ●as too busie ) but I little thought , God wot , that those grievances required a redresse ●●is way . Do'st thou ask me whither Religion was the c●use ? God ●orbid ; That in●●cent and holy Matron had rather go c●ad in the snowie white robes of meeknesse 〈◊〉 longanimity , than in the purple m●ntle of bloud , her practise hath bee●e to ●●ercome by a passive fortitude without reaction , and to triumph in t●e milk-white ●●ory Chariot o● inn●cency and p●tience , not to be ●urried away with the fiery ●●eels of War ; Dei lar●●es not les armes ( ●s my next neig●bour hath it ) grones not guns , 〈◊〉 nor swords , prayers not partis●ns were us'd to be her weapons unlesse in c●se of 〈◊〉 and impendent d●nger , in case of invincible necessity , and visible actuall una●●ydable extinguis●ment , and then the Arms she useth most is the Target to shroud 〈◊〉 selfe under , and fence away th● blow ▪ she leaves all other weapons , to the 〈◊〉 to propagate and exp●nd it selfe . Thi● gentle grave L●●y ▪ though the Rubricks of 〈◊〉 Service be in red characters , yet she is no lover of Bloud ▪ she is an embracer of 〈◊〉 , and the sole object of her 〈◊〉 is the God of Peace , in who●e Highest ●ame , in the name I●h●vah , as the Rabbies observe , all the letters are quies●●nt . That sacred Comforter , which inspi●es her Ambassadors , uses to ascend in form of a Dov● , not in the likenesse of a 〈…〉 , and he that brings him downe so , may be sayd to sin agai●●t the 〈…〉 ; To be●t Religion into the braines with a Pol●axe , is to 〈…〉 , to o●●er him victims of humane bloud ; Therefore 〈…〉 wro●g R● igion if I should cast this war upon her : yet me think●s I 〈…〉 lame●● that shee was not also without her 〈…〉 Gove●●ors ( for want of moderation ) could not 〈…〉 t●e Church , but ●hey must pu● themse●ves 〈…〉 up to the Turr●ts of civill p●licy , many o● her Preachers 〈…〉 ●ome to the Cou●t , some to th● Country ; some would h ve nothing 〈…〉 , o●●ers nothing 〈◊〉 Priviledge ▪ some won'd giveth 〈…〉 , some to feed zeal , would famish the understanding ; others 〈…〉 underst●nding , and tickle the outward eare ( wit● ess●ies and flourishes of 〈◊〉 ) would 〈…〉 the soul of her true food , &c. But the principal thing ●●ear that Reverend L●dy , ( that Queen of souls , & turn key of heaven ) m ke 〈…〉 of , is 〈◊〉 that Se●mlesse garment of Unity and Love which our S viour left 〈…〉 and rent into so many Sci●sures and Sect● by those that would make 〈…〉 which she wore in h●r infancy , to serv● her in 〈…〉 . I hear her cry out ●t the monstrous exorbitant liberty that almo●● every c●pricious Mechanique takes to ●imselfe to s●ape and form what Religion h● list : for the world is come ●ow to 〈◊〉 passe , ●h●t the T●ylor and Shoomaker may 〈◊〉 wh●t Religion they please ; 〈…〉 and ●apster m●y breach what Religio● they p●e●se ; The Druggest and Apothe●●ry m y ming e her as they please ; The H●●berd●sher m●y put her upon w●at block ●e p●eases ; The Armourer and Cutler 〈◊〉 fur●●sh her as they please ; The Dyer m●y put w●at col ur , the Painter may 〈◊〉 what face upon her be please ; The Dr●p●r and Mercer may measure her as th●● please ; The W●●●er may cast her upon wha● 〈…〉 please ; The Boatswain and 〈◊〉 m●y bring her to what dock they please ; The Bar●er may trim her as he plea●● The Gard ●er may lop her as he please ; the Blackesmith may forge what Religion 〈◊〉 please , and so every Mechanic according to his profession and fancy may forme he● he please . Me thinks I hear that venerable Matron complaine further , how her 〈◊〉 in some places are become meer Beacons to summon men to Arms ; How in 〈◊〉 of lights , her Churches up and down are full of Firebrands ; How every capri●● of the brain is term'd now tendernesse of Conscience , which well examined is thi●g but some fond fa●cy , or fanatick frenzie rather of some shallow-braind 〈◊〉 For whereas others h●ve bin us'd to run mad for excesse of knowledge , some of children grow mad now a daies out of too much ignorance . It stands upon reco●● my story , that when the Norman had taken firm footing within me , he did demo● many Churches and Chappels in New-Forrest , to make it fitter for his pleasur● venery ▪ but amongst other judgements which fell upon this Sacriledge , one was 〈◊〉 tame sowle grew wilde ; I fear God Almighty is more angry with me now than & that I am guilty of a worse profanes ; for not my Fowl , but my Folk & peop●● ●rown halfe wild in many places , they would not worry one another so in that wol●ish belluine manner else , they would not precipitate themselves else into such a mixt ●●ungrell War , a War that passeth all understanding ; They would not cut their owne ●hroats , hang , drown , and do themselves away in such a desperate sort , which is now ●rown so common , that self-murther is scarce accounted any newes ; which makes ●trangers cry out , that I am all turn'd into a kind of Great Bedlam , that Barbary is come ●●to the midst of me ; That my children are grown so savage , so flesh'd in bloud , and ●ecome so inhumane and obdurate , that with the same tendernesse of sence they can 〈◊〉 a man fall , as see a horse , or some other bruit Animall , they have so lost all reve●ence to the image of their Creatour , which was us'd to be more valued in me , than ●mongst any other Nation . But I hope my King and great Councell will take a course to bring them to their ●ld English temper againe , to cure me of this vertigo , and preserve me from ruine ; 〈◊〉 such is my desperate case , that as there is more difficultie , so it would be a grea●●r honour for them to prevent my destruction , and pull me out of this plunge , than 〈◊〉 adde unto me a whole new kingdome ; for true wisdome hath alwayes gloried ●uch in conservation , as in conquest . The Roman , though his ambition of conquering had no horizon , yet he us'd to tri●mph more ( as multitudes of examples might be produc'd ) at the composing of an in●stine war , than for any new acquest , or forren atchievement whatsoever ; And though 〈◊〉 was a great martiall man , and lov'd fighting as well as any other , yet his maxime 〈◊〉 , That no peace could be so bad , but it was preferrable to the best war. It seemes the ●●lian his successour retaines the same genius to this day , by the late peace , ( notwith●●anding the many knots that were in the thing ) which he concluded : For although 〈◊〉 absolute Princes were interessed in the quarrell , and that they had all just preten●●s , and were heated and heightned in their designes , yet rather than they would dila●●t the entrailes of their owne mother ( faire Italy ) and expose her thereby to be ra●h'd by Tramontanes , they met half way , and complyed with one another in a 〈◊〉 kind of freedome , though every one bore his share in some inconvenience . Oh at my children would be mov'd by this so seasonable example of the Italian , who ●mongst other of his characters , is said to be wise , à priori , before the blow is given . ●esire my gracious Soveraigne to think , that it was never held inglorious or deroga●ie for a King to be guided and to steere his course by the compasse of his great ●ouncell , and to make his understanding descend , and condescend to their advice ; ●●was it ever held dishonourable for subjects to yeeld and bow to their King , ( to be ●●lowes , not Oakes ) and if any mistake should happen , to take it upon themselves , ra●●●r than any should reflect upon their Soveraigne . And if , in case of difference , he ●●illing to meet them halfe way , 't were handsome they went three parts before to ●ent him . Therefore I conjure them both , in the name of the great Deitie of Hea●●d , ( who transvolves king domes , and tumbleth downe Kings in his indignation ) that they 〈◊〉 think of some speedie way to stop the issue of b●oud ; for to deale plainly with 〈◊〉 see far greater reason to conclude this war , than ever there was to 〈…〉 Let them consider well they are but outward Church rites and ceremonies they fight for , as the rigidst sort of Reformers confesse , the Lutheran ( the first Reformist ) hath many more conformable to the Church of Rome , which hee hath continued above ●hese 120 yeares , yet is he as far from Rome as the first day he left her , and as free from ●anger of relapse into Poperie as Amsterdam herselfe ; and must I , unhappie I , be ●acerated and torne in peeces thus for shadowes and ceremonies ? O let not posteritie ●ind it upon record , that the unparallel'd Act of grace for the continuance of this , be ●ore hurtfull to me , than the untimely dissolution of all Parlements pass'd . I know ●here is a clashing 'twixt Prerogative and Priviledge , but I must put them in mind of ●he misfortune that befell the flock of sheep and the Bell-weather , whereof the first ●ed in a common , the latter in an inclosure , and thinking to break into one anothers ●asture ( as all creatures naturally desire change ) and being to passe over a narrow-nar●ow bridge which sever'd them , they met in the middle and justled one another so ●ong , till both fell into the ditch . And now that I have begun , I will warne them by ●nother fable of the Spanish Mule , who having by accident gone out of the great road , ●nd carried her Rider thorow a by-path upon the top of a huge steepie rock , stopp'd upon a sudden , and being not able to turne and go backward , by reason of the narrow●esse of the path , nor forward , in regard of a huge Rockie precipice , she gently put ●ne foot behind the other , and recoyl'd in that manner untill she had found the great ●oad againe . I desire my high Councell to consider , that the royall Prerogative is like the Sea , which as Navigators observe , and the Civilians hold , what it loseth at one time or in one place , gets alwayes in some other ; That Subjects banding against their King , are like the earthen pitchers in the Fable justling with the great brasse kettle . I desire my deare King to consider , that the priviledge of Parlement , the Lawes and liberties of the Subject , is the firmest support of his Crown , that his great Councell is the truest glasse wherein he may discerne his peoples love , and His own happinesse ; It were wsdome that both did strike saile in so dangerous a storme , to avoyd shipwrack ; I am loth to say , what consultations , what plots , and machinations are fomenting and ●orging abroad against me , by that time I have enfeebled and wasted my selfe , and lost the flower of my best children in these wofull broyles . Mee thinks I spie the Iesuit sitting in his cell and laughing in his sleeve at me , and crying out , The Devill part the Fray , for they do but execute my designes . Oh , I feele a cold quame come over my heart , that I faint , I can speak no longer ; yet I will straine my selfe to breath out this one invocation , which shall be my conclusion . Sweet Peace , most benigne and amiable Goddesse , how comes it to passe that thou hast so abandon'd Earth , and taking thy flight to Heaven , as once Astraea did , dost reject the sighs and neglect the Sacrifices of poore mortals ? was that flaming Vsher of Gods vengeance which appear'd six and twentie yeares since in the Heavens ▪ the Herald that fetch'd thee away ? for ever since poore Europe hath been harass'd , and pitifully rent up and downe with 〈◊〉 Wars ▪ and now I am become th● last Scene ▪ Gentle peace , thou which makest Heaven and Earth to triumph , which gladdest not only the heart of man , but makest the verie medo●●s ●nd 〈◊〉 the forr●sts and woods the hils an● h●●ses to reioyce ; Thou which goest alwayes 〈◊〉 by plentie and pleasure , Thou w●ich fill●st the 〈…〉 , the Grasiers folds , the Tradesm●ns shop , th● Vintners cell●rs ▪ 〈…〉 desk ▪ the Me●chants M●g●●i●es , the Prin●es 〈◊〉 , how comes it 〈…〉 Throne to Bellona , 〈◊〉 - d●stroying 〈…〉 Y●oman wan●s H●●ds a●d Horse to p●ow up 〈…〉 the morning dew with his anhel●d sweat , shakes at his work 〈…〉 p●undring ; The Tradesm●n shuts up his shop 〈…〉 would ; The Merchant w●lks to the Exchange only to learne new ● , not to negotia●e . Behold how my best sort of Children are w●arie of their lives , e●●her for 〈◊〉 endl●sse exacti●ns , or remedilesse unthought-on imprisonments , a●d ill by an 〈◊〉 confus'd power which the nec●ssitie of this fatall war hath drawn upon them . Sw●et 〈…〉 which wast us'd to mak● Princes Courts to triumph with Tilt and Tournements , and other Gallantries , to make them receive lustre by forren Amb●ssadours ; to make the Arts and Science● flour●sh ; to make Cities and Suburbs shine with good y structures to make the Countrey ring with the Hun s-mans Horn , and the Shepherds Pipe , the High-wayes with Carriers bels ; ●ow comes it to passe that bloud-thirstie Discord now usurps thy place , and fl ●gs about her Snak s in everie cor●er , that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , the double-edg'd ●word of civill war doth r●ge and cu● on both sides in so horrid and inhumane a manner ? Behold , my Prince his Court is now full of nothing but Buff Coats , Spanners and Musket Rests ; both Townes and Countr●y , and my High-wayes eccho w th nothing but with t e sound of D●ums and Tru●pets ; Hea●k how pitif●lly my Lions roare , how dejectedly my Roses and Flower de luces hang downe their heads , what dol●full straines my Harp gives . O consider my case most blisfull Queene ▪ d●scend , desc●nd againe in thy Ivorie Chariot ? resume thy Throne , crowne thy Temples with thy won●●d Laurell and Olive , bar up Ianus gates , and make new Halcionian dayes to shine in this Hem●sp●ere ; dispell those Clouds which hover'twixt my King and his highest Councell , chase away all jealousies and ombrages of mistrust , that my great Law-making Court be forc'd to turne no more to polemicall Committees , and to a Councell of war ( unlesse it be for some forren Conquest , ) but that they may come againe into the old Parlementarie Road , To the path of their predecessours , to consult of meanes how to sweep away those Cobwebs that hang in the Courts of Iustice , and to make the Lawes run in their right Channell ; to retrench excessive fees , and find remedies for the future , that the poore Client be not so peel'd by his Lawyer , and made to suffer by such monstrous delayes , that one may go from one Tropique to the other , & crosse the Equinoctiall twentie times , before his sute be ended ; That they may think on a course to restraine Gold and Silver from travelling without license , with other staple commodities , and to punish those that transport Hides for Calf-skins ; To advance native commodities and Manufactures , to improve and ballance Trade , and settle it so , that it may stand upon its owne Bottome , and not by any accidentall wayes , as of late yeares a glut of Trade was cast upon me by the wars 'twixt France and the House of Austria , and others . That this Trade of mine ( my chiefest sinew ) be not cast into the hands of Aliens , who eat me out in many places in my own commodities ; That it be prevented hereafter , ●hat one Town be not permitted to ingrosse and ingulph all ( like the spleene , ●hat by its swelling sucks both bloud and moisture from the rest of the members ) but that my Trade and wealth m●y by some wholsome policie be diffus'd up and down my Cities in a more equ●ll distribution . That they may advise of a way to relieve the Orphan , who suffers more for his minority in mee , than any where else ; That the poore Insolvent Subject be not so buried alive , and made to rot in Prison , notwithstanding his apparant known disability , whereas were he ●bro●d , he might be usefull to the Common-wealth some way or other , and come haply afterwards to an ability to pay . To regulate the businesse of drain'd lands , which well manag'd , would tend very much both to enlarge and enrich my Quarters . To secure the Dominion of my Seas , the fairest Flower of my Crown , which is now almost quite lost . To preserve my Woods , whereof , if this coursehold , their will hardly be found in some places enough to make a Tooth-pick . To settle the Revenues , and supply the wants of my Crown ; for the wants of the Crown & the Grievances of the Subject have bin always used to go hand in hand in my Parlements . And now , that my neighbour Princes ( specially they of France and Spain ) have of late years enhanc'd the revenue Royall , at least to the third part more than it w●s , it were a disp●ragement to me , that my King should not bear up in equal proportion ▪ and point of Greatnesse this way , considering that he hath more of the Royall Stem to maintain , than any of his Progenitors ever h●d . Lastly , that they may settle a way to regulate all exorbitant fancies of novelists , in the exercise of holy Religion : It being an undeni●ble m●xime , th●t where there is no obedience , subordination , and restrictive Lawes to curb the change●ble humours and extravagancies of mens braines there can be no Pe●ce or Piety : if the fire be not kept within the tunnell of the Chimney , and that some be appointed to sweep down the Soot with a high hand ( which may be done otherwise than by shooting up of Muskets ) the whole House will be in d●nger of burning . Oh me , I feel the pangs of death assail mee , let some good body go toll the bell ; And as one of my Kings , ( Wil. Rufus ) the night before he was slain in New-forrest , for the expi●tion of his fathers Sacriledge , did dreame that a cold winde did passe through his bowels , so me thinks , I feele a b●eake cold Northern blast blowing upon me , w●ich I fe●r will make an end of me : It is a miracle if I scape , 't is only the high hand of Providence can preserve me . If I and my Monarchy miscarry , I desire that my Epitaph may be written ( in regard I know him to have bin a long time not only sensible , but a sharer with me in point of suffering ) by my dearly beloved Child Iames Howell . To the discerning Reader . HE that with a well-weigh'd judgement observeth the passions of this last Discourse , must needs conclude , that th● Author ( besides his own hard condition of two years close impri●sonment ) hath a deep sence of the common calamities of this hi● Country in generall , which makes him break out into such patheti● expressions . And because he might do it with more freedom , an● lesse presumption , he makes England her selfe to breath out hi● disordered passions . We know a Mother hath a prerogative by a● uncontrollable Edict of nature to speak home unto her children , & sometimes in a chiding round way ( though with tears in her eyes ) to give them advice : The same doth England in this discourse but with all the tendernesse and indifferency that may be to bot● parties now in Arms. Therefore the Author humbly hopes tha● no exception , much lesse any offence , will be taken at Her complaints , or Counsell . Mollia commotum frangunt documenta furorem Prov. FINIS . I. H.