University of California Berkeley 
 
 PAULINE FORE MOFFITT LIBRARY 
 

 
 
 rf 
 
 THE 
 
 SIMPLE COBLER 
 
 OF 
 AGGAVVAM in AMERICA. 
 
 WILLING 
 To help 'mend his Native Country, la- 
 mentably tattcrcdjboth in the upper-Leather 
 and lolc,with all the honcft flitches he can take. 
 
 And as willing never to bee paid for his work, 
 by O Id Englifli wonted pay. 
 
 It is his Trade to patch all the year long, gratis. 
 Therefore I pray Gentlemen keep your purfes. . 
 
 By Theodore de U Guard. 
 
 In rcbtts Ar&ti'u ttc t<Miil)>C)fort*Jfimei qxAqttt confUa tutiJJimAfunt.Qc. 
 
 In Englifli, 
 When bootes and (hoes arc come up to the lefts, 
 Coblcrs muft thruft their awlcs up to the hefts. 
 
 This is no time to fearc ApeHes gramm : ,- ''* 
 NcSftter q*ideiultr* crcpidam. 
 
 LONDON, 
 Printed by John Dtver & fakrt Ittitfon, for Stefhen BoWeff, at the 
 figneofthc Bible in Popes Head- Alley, 1647. 
 
 - - 
 
O:. ' 
 
tfl 
 
 TO THE 
 
 READER 
 
 Gentlemen, 
 
 Tray make a little rootfie for a 
 Cobler, his work WM done in time, 
 hit ajhip fetting jayle one day 
 too foon makes it appear ejome 
 weeks too late ; Seeing lee is Jo 
 reafonableas to demand no other 
 pay for his labour and leather, but leave to pay us 
 wettfir our faults, let it be well accepted, a* Coun* 
 fell in our occafions to come, and M Teftimoyy to what 
 
 
 By a Friend. 
 
THE 
 
 SIMPLE COBLER 
 
 P F 
 
 AGGAVVAM in AMERICA. 
 
 Ither I am in an Apoplexic, or that 
 man-is in a Lethargic, who doth 
 not now fenfibly feel God fhaking 
 the Heavens over bis head, and 
 the arth under his feet : The 
 Heavens fb, as the Sun begins to 
 turnc into darkncffc, the Moon in- 
 to blood, the Starres to fall down 
 to the ground; So that little Light of Comfort or 
 Counfcil is left to the fonnes of men : The Earth fb, 
 as the foundations are failing, the righteous fcarce 
 know where to finde reft, cbe Inhabitants ftaggcr 
 like drunken men : It is in a manner diffol ved both in 
 Religions and Relations : And no mamll ; for, they 
 have defiled it by trtnfgreffing the Lawes, changing 
 the Ordinances, and breaking the Evcrlafting Cove-, 
 nant. The Truths of God are the Pillars of she 
 world , whereon States and Churches may Hand 
 quiet if they will * if they will nor, He can caJGly 
 make them off into dilutions , and diftraftions e- 
 
 nough* 
 
 Sathan 
 
Tlie Simple Cobler of 
 
 Sathan is now in his paffions, hee feeleshispaflion 
 approaching ; he loves to filh in rbylcd waters. 
 Though that Dragon cannoc fting the vitals of the 
 Ele& mortally, yet that Beelzebub can fly-blow their 
 Intellectuals ml lerably: The fin^r Religion grows, 
 the finer he (pins his Cobwebs, he will hold pace 
 \vithChriftfoIongas his wits will ferve him. Hce 
 fees himfelfe beaten out pfgroffe Idolatries, Herefies, 
 Ceremonies, where Hhe Higltt breakes forth with 
 power-, he will therefore bcftirre him to prevaricate 
 Evangelical! Truths, and Ordinances, that if they 
 will needs be walking, yet they dull &0rtf#v&fci'- 
 /#, and not keep their path : he will put them out of 
 time and place AflTafcinating for his Engineers,inen 
 of Paracelfian parts, well compl xioned for ho- 
 nefty for, fnch are fitteft to Mountebanke his 
 Chimiftry into (icke Churches and wcake Judge- 
 ments . 
 
 Nor {hall hee neede to ftretch his ftrength over* 
 much in this worke : Too many men having not 
 laid their foundation fure, norballaftcd their Spirits 
 deep with humility and feare , are prcft enough of 
 themfelves to evaporate their o^ne apprehcnfions. 
 Thofe that are acquainted with Story know, it. bath 
 ever been fo in new Editions of Churches: Such as 
 are leaft able, are moft bufy to pudder in the rubbifti, 
 and to rajfe duft in the eyes of more fteady Repay- 
 rers. Civill Commotions make room for uncivill 
 pradifes: Religious mutations, for irreligious opi- 
 nions: Change ofaire, dif covers corrupt bodies : 
 Reformation of Religion, unfound mindes. He that 
 hath any well- faced phancy in his Crowne, and doth 
 
 not 
 
AGGAVVAM i 
 
 not vent it now, feares, the pride of bis own heart 
 will dub him duns for ever. Such a one will trouble 
 the whole ifrad of God" with his raoft\ untimely 
 births, though he makes the bones of his vanity' Hick- 
 up, to the view andgriefe of all that are godjy. wife. 
 The dcvill defirqs no better fport then to fee light 
 heads handle their heeles, nnd fetch the ir carrecr in a. 
 time, whenthe Roofe of Liberty flt^flwfc <^rpen. . 
 
 The next perplexed Queftion, with pious and pon- 
 derous men, will be . What (hould be done fortha 
 healing of thefe comforrlefreexulccr-awQoSi.il am tfao 
 unakkft advifcr of a thoufand, ^;he unworthitft of ten 
 thotifand -, y tt I hope I may.prefnrae to aflcrt what 
 f ollows without juft offence. .-Ulllii 
 
 Firft, fuch as have given or. taken any unfriendly 
 reports of usNw-EgliJh, flipylddoc well torecol- 
 ledl themklves. We have been reputed a Colluvics 
 of wild Opinionifts, fwarmed into a remote wilder- 
 nes to find clbow-roomc for our phanatick Dodrines 
 and pntdifcs : I truft our diligence paft,and conftant 
 fedulity aga : nft fuchperfons and courfes, will plead 
 better things for ijs. I dare take upon m 3 to be the 
 Herauld tfNew~E&gland fo farre, as to proclaime to 
 the wprld, in the name of our Colony, that all Fa- 
 milifts, Antinomians, Anabtptifts, and other Enthu- 
 fiafls,. (hall have free Liberty to keep away f torn us, 
 and luch as will come to be gone as faft as they can, 
 the fooner the better. 
 
 Secondly, I dare averre, that God doth no where 
 in his word tolerate Chiiftian States, tpgive Tolera- 
 tions to (uch adverfaries of his Truth > if they have 
 power in their hands to fupprefle them. 
 
 B Here 
 
The Simple Cobler of 
 
 Here is lately brought us an Extraft of a 
 Chart4,fo tilled, compiled between the Sub-planters 
 of a Weft:-lndiAn\fan& , whereof the firft Article of 
 conftipulatfon 5 firmely provides free ftable-roome and 
 litter for all kinde of consciences, be they never fo 
 dirty or jadifh ; making it aftiomible, yea ? treafbn- 
 qfcift, todifturb any man in his Religion, or to dif- 
 commcnd it, whatever it be. We are very fbrrow 
 to feefuch profefTed profanenefTe in Evgiijk Profef- 
 fors, asinduftriouflytolay their Religious foundati- 
 ons on the ruine of true Religion;, which fiddly 
 bindes every confcience to contend earneftly tor the 
 Truth: to preferve unity of fpirit,faith and Or.iinan- 
 ces, to be all like-minded,of one accord -, evet;y man 
 to take his brother into his Chriftian care: to (land 
 feftvwith one ipirit, with one minde, ftriving together 
 for the fai:h of the Gofpel : and by no meanes to per- 
 mit Herefies or erroneous opinions . But God abhor- 
 ring fuch loathfome beverages, hath in his righteous 
 judgement blafted that em*rpn2<%which might other- 
 wift have profpercd wcR ,for ought- 1 know: I prefumc 
 their cafe is generally known en rhis. 
 
 If the devill nifgHt'have his free option, I beleevc 
 he would ask nothing di^ but liberty to enfranchize 
 all other Regions, and to ernbondage the true 5 nor 
 {houldhencccU It is much to be feared, that laxc 
 TToIeratiuns upon S'.ate- pretences and planting necef-^ 
 fities 5 will be the next (ubtle Stratagem he will fpread, 
 to dillate the Trnrh of God and lupplanr the peace of 
 the Churches. Tolerations in things tolerable, ex- 
 quifiiely drawt, nuc by the lines of the Scripture, and 
 penfill of the Spirit, are the facrcd favours of Truth, 
 
 the 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 the due latitudes of Love, thefaire Compartknents of 
 Chriftian fraternity: but irregullr dirpmfationSjdeal? 
 forth by the facilities of men, are the frontiers of er- 
 rour,thc redoubts of Schifine,the perillous irritamencs 
 of earn :ill enmity. 
 
 My heart hath natural! y -det^(fedte;-ire tliings.-The 
 ftandingofthe Apocrypha in &#B&4<ffj Fonainers ? 
 dwelling in my Countrty, to crowd out native Sub- 
 jeds into the corners of the Earth 5 Aichymized 
 coines* Tolerations of divers Religions, or of one 
 Religion in fegregane fliapcs : lit that willingly af- 
 ferns to thelaft, if he examines his heart by ;day- light, 
 his confcience will tell him, he is either an Atheift, 
 or an Heretiqu", or an Hypocrke, or at beft a cap- 
 tive to fomeluft : polchpietyis the greateft impie.y 
 in the world. True Religion is lgn& frobatioxisjNtiith 
 doth congrtgArt homogenca & ftgrtg*rc hettrogenta. 
 
 Not to tolerate things mccrly indifferent to weak 
 conferences, argues a confcience too flrong: prefled 
 uniformity inched, caufes much difuhrty To tole- 
 rate more than indiffcrents, is not to deale indifferent- 
 ly with God ; He that doth it, takes his Scepter out 
 of His hand, and bias Him ftind by. The power of 
 all Religion and Ordinances, lies in their purity: their 
 purity in their fimplicity : then are mixtures pernici- 
 ous. I lived in a City, where a Papift Preached in 
 one Church, a Lutheran in another, a Calvinift in a 
 third j a Lutheran one part of the day, a Calvinift the 
 other, in the fame Pulpit : the Religion of that place 
 was but raotly and meagre, their afft&ions jeopard- 
 like. 
 
 If the whole Creature fhould confpire to doe the 
 
 B 2 Creator 
 
6 The Simple* foUer of 
 
 Creator a nrifchiefe , or offer him an infolency , it 
 would be in nothing more , then in ere&ing untruths 
 againfthis Truth, or by fophifticating his Truths 
 with humane medley's : the removing of fomeonc 
 iota in Scripture , may draw out all. the life, and tra- 
 verfe all the Truth of the whole Bible : but to autho- 
 rife an untruth , by a Toleration of State , is to build 
 a Sconce againft tl>c walls of Heaven, to batter God 
 out of his Chaire: To tell a pra&icall lye, is a great 
 finne, but yet tranfient , but to Jet up a Theoricall un- 
 truth , is to warrant every lye that lyes from its root 
 to the top of every branch it hath, 
 
 I would willingly hope that no Member of the 
 Parliament hath skilfully ingratiated himiclfc into the 
 hearts of the Houfe y that he might watch a time to 
 midwife out fame ungracious Toleration for his own 
 turne,and for the fake of that, fome others. I would 
 alfo hope that a word of generall caution ihouid not 
 bee particularly mifapplied. Yet good Gentlemen, 
 looke well abour you f and remember how Tiktriut 
 plaid the Fox with the Senate of Rome , and how 
 F d>itu UAXIWH* cropt his cares for his cunning. 
 
 That State is wife, that will improve all paines and 
 patience rather to compofe,then tolerate differences in 
 Religion. There is no divine Truth, .but hath much 
 Celeftiall firein it from the ^Spirit of Truth : nor no 
 irreligious untruth, withourits proportionof Antifire 
 from the Spirit of Error to contradia it : the zcale of 
 the one, the virulency of the other , muft neccifanly 
 kindle Combuftions. Fiery difcafes feated in the 
 fpiric, embioile the whole frame of the body,; others 
 axorc extcrnall and coolc, arc leffe dangerous. They 
 
 which 
 
AGGAVVAM i 
 
 which divide in Religion, divide in God , they who 
 divide in him, divide beyond cst*Generalifrimttm y 
 where there is no reconciliation, without atonement^ 
 that is, without uniting in him , who is One , and in- 
 his Truth, which is alfo one. 
 
 Wife are thofe men who will be perf waded rather 
 to live within the pale of Truth where they may bee 
 quiet, than in the purliev's, where they are Pure to bee 
 hunted ever and anon, doe Authority what it can. 
 Every Gngular O pinion , hath a fingular opinion of it 
 ftlf -, and he that holds it, a fingular opinion of him- 
 felfe, and a fimple opinion of all contra-fenticnts : he 
 that confutes them, muft confute all three at once , or 
 elfe he does nothing* which will not be done without 
 more ft irre then the peace of the State or Church can 
 indure. 
 
 And prudent arc thofe Chriftians, that will rather 
 give what may be given, then hazard all by yeelding 
 nothing. To fell all peace of Country , to buy fome 
 peace of Confidence uofcafonably ; is more avarice 
 than thrift, imprudence than patience : thcydealc 
 not equally, that fa any Truth of God at fuch a rate; 
 but they dealc wifely that will ftay till the Market is 
 fallen. 
 
 My prognofticks deceive me not a little 5 if once 
 within three fevcri yearcs , peace prove not fuch a 
 penny-worth at moft Marts in Cbriftcndomc , that 
 he that would not lay downe his money, his luft, his 
 opinion, his will, I had aLnoft faid the bcft flower of 
 his Cro vnr, for it, while he might have htd it ; will 
 tell hisowne heart, he plaid the very ill husband. 
 
 B 3 Co~ 
 
8 The Simple Cobitr of 
 
 Concerning Tolerations 1 may further offer t. 
 
 That Pcrfecution of true Religion,and Toleration 
 of falfe ; are the Cannes and J,Ambrt$ to the Kingdome 
 of Chrift, whereof the laft is farfe the worft. Augn- 
 Jtincs tongue had not owed his mouth one penny rent 
 though it had never fpake word more in it , but this, 
 Nullum m^lum f^as libertAte err*ndi. 
 
 Hethatis willing to tolerate any Religion, ordif- 
 crepant way of Religion, befiJes his own,% unlefle it 
 be in matters meerly indifferent, either doubts of his 
 owne, cr is not fincr.re in it. 
 
 He that is willing to tolerate any unfound Opini- 
 on, that his orvne may alfo be tolcrated^though never 
 fo found , will fora need hang Gods Bible at the 
 Devills girdle. 
 
 Every Toleration of falfe Religions, or Opinions 
 hath as many Errors and finncs in it , as all the falfe 
 Religions andOpinions it toleratcs,and one found one 
 more. 
 
 That State that will give Liberty of Confcience in 
 matters of Religion 5 muft give Liberty of Conlcience 
 and Converfation in their Morall Lawes , or elfethe 
 Fiddle will be out of tune , and feme of the ftrings 
 crackc. 
 
 . ^He that will rather make an irrel : gious quarrell 
 with other Religions 5 then try the Truth of his own by 
 valuable Arguments.and peaceable Sufferings; cither 
 his Religion, or himfclfe is irreligious. 
 
 Experience will teach Churches and Chriftians, 
 that ic is farre better to live in a State united, though 
 fomewhatCorrupt 5 then in a State,whereof fome Part 
 
 is 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 h Incorrupt, and all the reft divided. 
 
 I am not altogether ignorant of the eight Rules gi- 
 ven by Orthodox Divines 3 about giving Tolerations, 
 yet with their favour I dare affirm e, 
 
 That there is no Rule given by God for any State 
 to give an Affirmative Toleration to any falfe Religi- 
 on, or Opinion whatfoevcr $ they muft connive in 
 fome Cafes, but may not concede in any. 
 
 That the State of England (fo farre as my Intelli- 
 gence ferves) might in time have prevented with cafe, 
 and may yet without any great difficulty deny both 
 Toleration, and Connivances (ah.t Republic*. 
 
 That if the State of England /hall cither willingly 
 Tolerate , or weakly connive at (uch Courles 3 the 
 Church of that Kingdomc will fooner become the 
 Devills Dancing-Schoole, then Gods-Temple : The 
 Civill State a Btare- garden, then an Exchange : The 
 ^vrhble Rcalmc aPaisbafe, then an England. And 
 what pity it is,that that Country which hath been the 
 Staple of Truth to all. Chriftcndome, fhould now be- 
 come the Aviary of Errors to the whole World , let 
 tvery fearing hcarr judge. 
 
 I take Liberty of Confciencetobee nothing but a 
 freedoms from Hnne^and error. ConfticnttA in tantum 
 ItinrAj in quantum at errors liberata. And liberty of 
 trror nothing but a Prifon for Confcicnce. Then 
 fnuil wil! bee the kmdnefTe of a State to build fuch 
 Prifons for their Subje&s. 
 
 The Scnprurc faith, tbere is nothing makes free but 
 Truth , and Tvuih iaith , there is no Truth but One : 
 If the Starts of the World would make it their fum- 
 operous Care to prefcrve this One Truth in its purity 
 
 and 
 
i o TT>e Simple (jotter of 
 
 and Authority it would eaic them of: all other Politi- 
 call cares. I am fure Satan makes I: his grand, if not 
 onely task, to adulterate Truth-, Falfliood ishisfole 
 Scepter, whereby he firft ruffled, and ever fine* ruined 
 the World. 
 
 If Truth be but One, me thinkes ail the Opinionifts 
 in EtgUuJQiQuld not be all in that One Truth, fomc 
 of them I doubt are out. He that can extra (S an uni- 
 ty out of tuch a difpartty, or contract iuch a difparrty 
 into an unity-, had need be a better Artift, then ever 
 was DrckelL 
 
 If two Centers (as we may fuppofc)be in on: Cir- 
 cle, and lines drawn from both to all the pnints of the 
 Compaffe, they will certainly croffe one aaother,and 
 probably cut through the Centers themfelves. 
 
 There is talkc of an univerfall Toleration, I would 
 talk what I could againft it, did I know what more 
 apt and reafonablc Sacrifice England could offer to 
 God for his late performing all his heavenly Truths, 
 then an univerfall Toleration of all hellifh Errors, or 
 how they (hall make an univerfall Reformation, but 
 by making Chnfts Academy the Devils Vnivcrfity, 
 where any man may commence Hcretique/tfr/i/ftf**; 
 where he that is fiftus DMfoHctu, or fimplirittr fcf- 
 , may have his grace to goe.to hell cum Publieo 
 and carry as many after him, as he can.' 
 
 eft t non cierccafa is a pretty piece of 
 Ltiwum for fome kinde of throats that arc wil- 
 lingly fore, but Htnjts dtdocevda eft non ptrtnittcvd*, 
 will be found in a farre better Diamoron for the Gar- 
 
 garifmcs 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 u 
 
 garifmcs this Age wants, if timely, and throughly 
 applyed. 
 
 If there be roome in England 'for" 
 
 familifts c Hams 
 
 ' Lemur 
 
 Drjades 
 
 Libertines 
 
 Eraftians 
 
 Antifcripturijt 
 
 MiEinaries 
 
 room 
 
 $$cini*ns 
 Arruns 
 
 Brtwnits 
 
 Religious Men Seekers 
 but pernicious 
 Hcretiques. 
 
 for 
 
 Good Spi- 
 
 rits,butye- 
 
 , ry Dcvills, 
 
 PotamiJes 
 
 Naiades 
 
 tiinnides 
 
 Piertdts 
 
 Nereides 
 
 Pales 
 
 Parcades 
 
 CaJtaliJes 
 
 Monidts 
 
 Charites 
 
 Hcticoflides 
 
 ? . - 
 
 Peia 
 
 ;In a word room for Hell ,at>ore ground. 
 
 But why dwell I fb intolerable long about Tolera- 
 tions, I hope ray fcares a^e but panick, againft wJhich 
 1 have a double cordial!, Fir}>, That the Parliament 
 will not though they could : Secondly/pai they can- 
 not though they wpuld grant luch Tolerations. God 
 who hath fo honoured them with eminent wifdome 
 in allx)ther things, will not fufferthem to caftboth 
 
 C his, 
 
The Simple Cobler of 
 
 his, and their Honour in the duft of perpmiall Infa- 
 my, doe what they can ; nor (hall thofc who have 
 fpcnt fo great a part of their fubfiftance in redeeming 
 their Civill Liberties from Ufurpation, lofe all that 
 remaines in enthralling their ipirituall Liberty by 
 Toleration. 
 
 Itisfaid Opinioniftsare many, and ftrong, thar Jt 
 fu*t DircSj that it is t urbata Respttblie^ I am very for- 
 ry for it, but more forry, if defj>ondency of minde 
 ihall caufe the leaft tergivcrfaiion in Gods Worthies, 
 who have receiv'd fuch pledges of his presence in their 
 late Counfcls,and ConfliAs.lt is not thoufands of O- 
 pinonifts that can pinion his Everlafting ArmesJ can 
 hardly bilceve there is a greater unbeleever then my 
 Selfc, yet I can verily belecvc that the God of Truth 
 will mafhortcime fcatter them all like fmoake be- 
 fore the winde. I confeflfe I am troubled to fee Men 
 fo over-troubled about them ; I am rather glad to 
 he? re the Devill is breaking wp houfe in EngUnd, and 
 removing fomcwhethor clfe, give him leave to {ell all 
 his rags, and oddc-cnds by the out-cry; and lee 
 hi petty Chapmen make their Market while they 
 ay, upon my poore credit it will not laft long. 
 Hec that h^th done fo much for E#land will go on 
 toperfe& his owne praife, aad his Peoples Peace : 
 Let goo^i men Hand ftill, and behold his^ further Sal- 
 vation. He ihar fitteh in the Heavens laughs at them, 
 the moft high hath thctn in Derifion, and their folfy 
 ili^ll certainly be manifcfted to all men. 
 
 Yet I Jarc not but addc, and in the Name of God 
 
 will add^tbat if an vPublique members of Church or 
 
 Sta;e 3 havc been cither open iaucors, or privie abetters 
 
 \ of 
 
Ac G AW AM in America. 
 
 of anyblafphemous, contagious Opinions-, It will 
 be their wifedomcto proportion their repentance to 
 their Sinne, before God makes them Publique mo- 
 numents of Ignominie, and Apoftafie. 
 
 Thirdly, That all Chriftian States, ought to di 
 avow and decry all fuch Errours, by feme peremp- 
 tory Stnuitary Ad, and that in time, that Subjects 
 knowing fully the minde of the Scaee, might not de- 
 lude themfelves with vains hopes of unfuffcrable 
 Liberties. It is lefle to fey StAtuttur verittt, mat 
 Rtgnum^ than Fiat ]uftitia, THAI Coelnm ; but there is 
 no fuch danger in either of them. Fc-are nothing 
 Gentlemen, Rukiconcm tranfiiftis, Jaffa eft alea,yc have 
 turned the Devill out of dopres ; fling all his old par- 
 rell after him out at the windows, left he makes an 
 errand for it againe. QUA relinq*u*tHr in morbis ptft 
 indicttiwem, recidiva* faccrc ccnfuwerc.Chriti. would 
 have his Church without fpot or wrincklc 5 They 
 that helpe make it fb, (hall lofe neither honour nor 
 labour: Ifyecbewile, fuffer no more tfiorns in his 
 fides or your ownc. When God kindles fuch fires as 
 thefe, he doth not ufually quench them, till the very 
 fcwm on the pot fides be boy led clean away >Ez,el(. 24, 
 10,1 1 . Yee were better to do it your fclves 5 than leave 
 it to him : the Arme of the Lord is mighty, his hand 
 very heavy ; who can dwell with his devouring fire, 
 and long-lafting burnings ? 
 
 Fourthly, to make fpcedy provifion againftOb- 
 ftinates and diffcminaries .- where under favour, two 
 things will be found requifite. Firft, variety of pe- 
 naltyes, I meane certaine , not indefinite : I arn a 
 Crabbat againft Arbitrary Government. Experi- 
 
 C 2 encc 
 
The Simple Cobler o/ 
 
 cnce hath taught us here, that political!, domefticall, 
 and pcrfonall refpe&s, will not admit one and th6 
 fame remedy for all, without fad inconveniences. 
 Secondly, Juft feverity : perlecution hath ever fpread 
 Truth, profecution fcatterd Errour : Ten of the moft 
 Chriftian EmperorSjfound that way bed- Schollars 
 know whom I meane : Five of the ancient fathers 
 perfwadedtoit, of whom Augnftme *'as one, who 
 for a time argued hard for Indulgcncy : but upon 
 conference with other prudent Biftiops, altered his 
 judgement, as appeares in three of his Epiftles 3 to 
 MtrcellinW) Dontius^ and Bonifac. I would be un- 
 derftood, not onely an Allowcr, but an humble PC- 
 titioner,that ignorant dnd tender confcienced Anabap- 
 tifts may have due time and means of convidion. 
 
 Fiftly, That every Prophet, to whom God hath 
 given the tongue of the learned, fhould teach, and 
 every Angell who hath a pen and intehornc by his 
 fide, write againft thele grieving extravagancies : 
 writing of many bookes, I grant is irkefonnc, reading 
 cnd!efle. A rcafonable man would rhinke Divines 
 haddecliiraed li fficirntly nponthefc Themes. I have 
 ever thought the Rul- given> Titus ,3.10. which cuts 
 the worke&iXtandfharpe to be more properly pre- 
 valent, then we ;ir>fome waiting upon unwearyable 
 Spirits. It is a mft toylfoitie taske to runne the wild- 
 g^olc chafe after a well breath* d Opinionift : they 
 delight in viulkicjauon: it is an Itch, that loves a life 
 to be fcrubd: th^y dcSre not fatisla^ion, but fatis- 
 didtion, whereof chrnsf elves muft be judges: yet in 
 new erupaons of Errour with new objedions, fi- 
 lence is fintull. 
 
 As 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 15 
 
 As for my felfe^ I am none of the difputers of thjs 
 world: all I can doc, is toguefle when men fpeake 
 true or falfe divinity : If I can mit finde the paren- 
 tallroot, or formall reafonof a Truth, I am quiet 
 if I cannot, I (horc up my (Under judgement as lon^ 
 as I can, with two or three the handfomeft props I 
 can get : I (hall therefore leave arguments to acutec 
 heads, and ondy fpeake a word of Love, with all 
 Chriftian refpedl to our deare brethren in E*ghnd^ 
 which are againft baptizing of /nfants: I intreat 
 them to confidenhefe few things (erioufly and meek- 
 ly. Firft, whatahighpitcIiofboldnefTeitisforman 
 to cut a principall Ordinance out of the Kingdome of 
 God -, if it be but to make a diflocatiofij which fo 
 farre difgoods the Ordinance, I fcare it altogether un- 
 hallowsit; totranfplaccandtranftimc a ftated In- 
 ftitution of Chrift, without his diredion, I thinke, 
 is to deftroy it. Secondly, what a Cruelty it is to 
 
 deveft Children of that onely externall priviledge 
 which their heavenly father hath bequeathed them, 
 to intereft them vfiibly in Himfelfe, His Sonne, His 
 Spirit, Hi s Covenant of Grace, and the tender bo- 
 fomeof their carcfull mother the Church. Thirdly, 
 whit an Inhumanity it is, to deprive parents of that 
 comfort they may take from the baptifrne of their In- 
 fants dying in their Childehoold. Fourthly, How 
 unleafbnable and unkindely it is, to interturbe the 
 State and Church with thefc Amalekitifh oniets, 
 whc n th^y are in their extreame pangs of travell with 
 their lives. Fiftly, To take a through view of thofe 
 who have preambled this by-path. Being fbmetimes 
 in the Crowds rof forainc weather- dopers, that is > 
 
 C 3 Anabap- 
 
1 6 The Simple Cobler of 
 
 Anabaptifts ; and prying into their inward frames 
 with the beft eyes I had-, I could not but obterve thcfc 
 difguifed guifes in the generality of them. 
 
 Firft, A flat formality of Spirit without fait or fa- 
 vour in the fpiritualties of Chrift, as if their Religion 
 began and ended in their Opinion. Secondly , a fhal- 
 low flighting of fwch as diflent from them, appearing 
 too often in their faces,fpeeches andcarriages.Third- 
 ly, a feeble, yet peremptory obftinacy^ feldomearc 
 any of them reclaimed. Fourthly, a lhamefull fliding 
 into other fuch tarpauling tenets, to keep themfelves 
 dry from the fliowers of Jufticc, as a rationall rninde 
 would never entertain, if it were not Error-blafted 
 from Heaven and Hell . I fhould as fhrewdly fulpeft 
 that Opinion, that will cordially corrivc with two or 
 three fottifli errors, as that faith that can profcfledly 
 live with two or three fordid fins. I dare not fearc 
 our godly brethren in Eftgltnd tobc yet comming to 
 this paflej how foon they m*y,themfel ves know not 5 
 the times are flippery : They will undoubtedly findc 
 God as jealous of his Ordinances, as themfelves of 
 their Opinions : 
 
 Sixthly, That Authority ought to fee their Sub- 
 jcfts children baptized, though their Parents judge- 
 ments be againft it, if there be no other Evangelicall 
 barre in the way. 
 
 Seventhly, That prudent men, efpecially young, 
 fhould doe well not to ingage themfelves in confe- 
 rence with Errorifts, without a good railing and great 
 caution ^ their breath is contagious,their leprey fprea- 
 ding : receive not him that is weak, faith the Apoftle, 
 to doubtfull difputations 5 much lefle may they run 
 
 them- 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 themfelves into dangerous Sophiftications. He ufu- 
 ally hears beft in their meetings, that flops his cares 
 cloffeft ; he opens his mouth to beft purppfe, that 
 keeps it fhut,and he doth beft of all,that declines their 
 company as wifely as he may/ 
 
 Brethren, have an extraordinary care alfo of the 
 late Theofophers, that teach men to climbc to hea- 
 ven upon a ladder of lying figments. Rather then the 
 deviil will lofe his game, he will out- (hoot Chriftin 
 his own bow , he will outlaw the Law, quite out of 
 the word and world : over-Gofpell the Gofpell, and 
 quidanye Chrift,with Sugar and Rats-bane. He was 
 Profeffbur not long fince at Schelftat in Alfttz*, 
 where be learned, that no poyfon is fo deadly as the 
 poyfon of Grace. 
 
 The wifeft way^ when all is faid, is with all humi- 
 lity and feare, to take Chrift as himfelfe hath revea- 
 led himfelfe in hi$ Gofpel, and not as the Divcll prc- 
 fents him topreftigiaied phanfies. I have ever hated 
 the way of the Rofir- Crucians , who reject things ts 
 Gads wifdome hath tempered them , and will have 
 nothing bur their Spirits. If I were to give phyfick to 
 Sprits, I would doe fo too : but when I want phyfick 
 for my body , I would not have my fonle tartarcd * 
 nortny Aniraall Spirits purged tsy way, but by my 
 Naturall , and thofe by my bodily humours , and 
 thofc by luch Ordinaries, as have the nearcft vicinage 
 to them , and not by Mctaphy ficall Limberkmgs. 1 
 cannot thinke that tnAteria frim* mfccund^ fhould be 
 good for me, 
 
 Here I h old my felfe bound to fet up a Beacon , to 
 
 give 
 
i8 T?;e Simple Cotter of 
 
 give warning of a new-fprung Sed of Phrantafticks, 
 which would perfwade themfelves and others , that 
 they have difcovered the Nor- weft pafTageto Hea- 
 ven. Thefe wits of the game , cry up and downe in 
 corners fuch bold ignotionsof anew Gofpel, new 
 Chrift, new Faith, and new gay-nothings, as trouble 
 unfetled heads 5 querulous hearts 3 and not a little grieve 
 the Spirit of God. I defire all good men may be fa- 
 ved from their Lunatick Creed 5 by Infidelity; and ra- 
 ther beleeve thefe torrid overtures will prove in time, 
 nothing but horrid raptures downe to the loweft hell, 
 from which he that would be dciivered,kt him avoid 
 thefe' blafphemers 5 a late fry of croaking Frogs , not 
 to bee indured in a Religious State , no if it were 
 poflible, not an houre. 
 
 Asfomeare playing young Spaniels, queftingat 
 -every bird that rifes -, fo others, held very good men, 
 are at a dead ftand, not knowing what to doe or (ay; 
 and are therefore called Seekers 5 looking for new 
 Nuntio's from Chrift, to afibile thefe benighted que- 
 ftions, and to give new Orders for new Churches. I 
 crave leave with all refpcft to tell them 5 that if they 
 lookeinto ^^20.20.25. G4/.i.8 3 p. I Ti^.6.i^.i6. 
 . and finde them not there ; they may happily feeke as 
 the young Prophets did for Eliab's corps , where it 
 never was 3 nor ever will be found. 
 
 I cannot imagine why the Holy Ghoft fliould give 
 i7;cj0: the folemneft charge , was ever given mortall 
 . man,toobfervethe Rules he had given., rill the com- 
 ming of Chrift, if new things muft be expeded. 
 
 Woe be co them, who ever they be 3 that fo trouble 
 s the wayes of God that they who have found the way 
 
 to 
 
AGGAYVA^M i 
 
 to heaven , cannot findc the way to Church : And 
 woe : he to- them, thaj .fo gaze at the -glorious light, 
 they fay, will break forth in the tftoufand yeares to 
 come,thacthcy make little of the gracious Troth tHaiJ 
 hath been revealed thefe fixteen hundred years pad. 
 And woe be to them that fo. under- value the firft Ma- 
 fter-BMilders, I mean the ApofHcs df:Chrift,thatun-i 
 leiTe he fends wifet then rh^y, He mbft-be accounted 
 leffe fairhfull in his houfe than Mofcs was. 
 
 Ihavecaufeenough to be as charitable to others 
 as any man living* yet /cannot but fear, that thofe 
 men never Moored their Anchors well in v the firrad 
 foile of Heaven, that are weather- waft up and down' 
 with every eddy-wind of every new Dodrinc. The 
 good Spirit of God doth not ufually tie up the Helme, 
 and fuffer p&flengers to Heaven to ride a drift, hither 
 and riiifher, as every wave and current carryes them: 
 that is a fitter courfe for fuch as the Apoftle calls wan- 
 dring Starresand Meteors, without any certain mo- 
 tion^ hurryed about with tempefts^red of the Ex- 
 halations of their own pride and felf-wittedneffe : 
 whofe damnation flcepeth not, and to whom the mift 
 of darknefTe is reftrved for ever, that they may fuffef 
 irreparable fliipwracfc upon the Sands and Rocks of 
 their own Errours^being of old ordained to condem- 
 nation. 
 
 JEightly, Ictallcpnfiderateifaen bevtere of ungroun- 
 ded opinions in Religion Since I knew what to fear, 
 my timerous heart hath dreaded three things : a bla- 
 zing ftarrc appearing in the aire- ? a State Comet,/ 
 ^eanafayourK^rifingina'Kingdome-, a new Opi- 
 nion fpreadiflg in Religion,: thde ire Exorbitances : 
 
 D which 
 
10 The Simple Cobltr o/ 
 
 which is a formidable word , a vacntim and an exor- 
 bitancy, are mundicious evils. Concerning Novel- 
 ties of opinions -, J (hall exprclTc my thoughts in thefe 
 briefe paffages. Firft, that Truth is thebeftboone 
 God ever gave the world . there is nothing in the 
 world, world, any further then Truth makes it fo- it 
 is better than any creat' Ens or Bomm, which are but 
 Truths twins. Secondly, the leaft Truth of Gods 
 Kingdome, doth in its place, uphold the whole king- 
 dome of his Truths , Take away the leaft vcriculum 
 out of the world, and it unworlds all, potentially, and 
 may unravcllthe whole texture idhially, if it be not 
 confervcd by an Armc of extraordinary power. 
 Thirdly, the leaft Evangelical! Truth, is more worth 
 than all the Civill Truths in the world,that are meer- 
 ly lo. Fourthly, that -Truth is the Parent of all Li- 
 berty whether politicall orperfonall-, fomucR Un- 
 truth, fo much thraldome^06* 8.32. 
 
 Hence it is,that God is fo jealous of his Truths,that 
 he hath taken order in his due Juftice : Firft, that no 
 pra&icall fin is (b finfull as fomc errour in judgementj 
 no men fo accurfed with indelible infamy and dedo* 
 lentimpenitency, as Authours of Herefie. Second- 
 ly, that the leaft Error, if grown fturdy andpreffed, 
 {hall fet open the Spittle-doore ot all the fquint-ey'd, 
 wry- necked, and bralen- faced Errors that are or ever 
 were of that liter ; if they be not enough *o ferve i'.s 
 turne, it will beget more, though it hath not one cruft 
 of reafon to maintain them. Thirdly, fbartbit State 
 which will permit Errors in Religion, ftullcdmic Er- 
 rors in Policy unavoydably. Fourthly^hat that Po- 
 licy which will fiiffer irreligious errors/iiill iuffcr the 
 
 lolfe 
 
AGGAVVAM in America, 
 
 lofle of fo much Liberty in one kinde or other, I will 
 not exempt Venice^ Rhagufa the Nether-lands^ or 
 any. 
 
 Aneafie head may foon demonstrate, that the pre- 
 mcntioncd Planters, by Tolerating all Religions,had 
 immazedthemfetves in themoft intolerable confufi- 
 ons and inextricable thraldomes the world ever heard 
 of. I am perfwaded the Devill himfelfe was never 
 willing with their proceedings, for feare it would 
 break his winde and wits to attend fuch a Province. 
 I fpeak it fcrioufly according to my meaning. How 
 all Religions fhould enjoy their liberty, Juftice its due 
 regularity, Civill cohabitation moral! honcfty^ in 
 one and the fame Jurifdidion, is beyond the Artique 
 of my comprehension. If the whole conclave of Hell 
 canfo compromife, exadverfe, and diametriall con- 
 traditions, as to compolitize fuch a multimonftrous 
 maufrcyof hetcroclytes and quicqutdlibets quietly 5 
 I truft I may fay with all humble reverence, they can 
 doe more tncn the Senate of Heaven. My modus lo- 
 qttcndi pardoned 5 I entirely wifh much welfare and 
 more wifdome to that Plantation. 
 
 It is greatly to be lamented, to obferve the wanton 
 FcarlefTenefle of this Age, ef pecially of younger pro- 
 fcflbrs. to greet new opinions and Opinionifts : as if 
 former Truths were grown fuperannuate and faplefle, 
 if not altogether antiquate. Non [enefcit vtritas. No 
 man ever faw a gray hairc on the head or beard of any 
 Truth, wrinckle, or morphew on its face : The bed 
 of Truth is green all the year long. He that cannot 
 folace himfelf with any faving Truth,"as dfe&ionate- 
 ly as at the firft acquaintance with it , hath not 
 
 D 2 only 
 
77* Simple fytterof 
 
 onely a faftidious, but an adulterous heart. 
 
 If all be true we heare, Never was any people un- 
 derthe Sun, fo fick of new Opinions z.s%n<rlijh-men^ 
 nor ofnew-fafhionsas English women : if God helpc 
 not the one, and the devill leave not helping the o- 
 ther, a blinde man may eafily forefee what will be- 
 come of both J have fpoken what / intend for the pre- 
 fent to men ; / fhall fpeak a word to the women anon 3 
 in the meantime Jintreatthem to prepare patience. 
 
 Ninthly, that goclly humble Ghriftians ought not 
 to wonder impatiently at the wondeifull works of 
 God in thefe times : it is full Seafon for him to work 
 Soveraign work, to vindicate his Sovcraignty, that 
 men may feare before him . States are unftated, Ru- 
 lers growne Over-rulers, Subjeds worfe then men, 
 Churches decayed. Tofts, Profeflbrs, empty casks 
 filled with : unholy humours ; / fpeak not of all, but 
 too many ; / condemn not the generation of the juft : 
 God hath his remnant, whom he will carefully pre- 
 fcrve. If it bee time for men to take pp Dcfenfive 
 Aanes againft fuch as are called Gods, upon the 
 point of Sal P&fnli, it is high time for him that is 
 God indeed, tcnJraw his Sword againft wormcs and 
 nomcn,uponthepointof^jVjf^ intperii: The pier- 
 cing of his Sword (hall difcover the thoughts of ma- 
 ny hearts. 
 
 Laftly, ] dare averre, that it ill becomes Chrifti- 
 ans any thing well fhod with the preparation of the 
 Gofpel, to meditate flight from their deare Countrey 
 upon thefec^ifturbances. Stand your grounds ye Elt- 
 tzars and Shammahs, ftir not a foot fo long as you 
 have half a foot of ground to ftand upon: after one 
 
 or 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 or two fuch Worthies, a great Vi&ory may here- 
 gained, and flying Jfrael may return ro a rich fpoile. 
 Engtijh-mcfl) be advifed to love England, with your 
 hearts and to preferve it by your Prayers. J am bold 
 to fay, that fince the pure Primitive time, the Gofpel 
 never thrived fo well in any foils on earth, as in the 
 Brttifb ; nor is the like goodneffe of nature, or- Cor- 
 nucopian plenty el fe- where to be found : if ye lofe 
 that Country, and findc a better brfore ye come to 
 Heaven, my Cofmogaaphy failes me. J am farre 
 from difcounging any, whom neceffity of Confci- 
 encc or condition thrufts out by head and (houldcrs : 
 if God calls any into a WildcrnefTe, He will be no 
 wildcrnefletothcm, 3^.2.31. witneffe his large be- 
 neficence to us here beyond expectation. 
 
 Ye fay, why come not we over to help the Lord a- 
 gainft the Mighty, in theft his Sacred battailes ? 
 
 J Anfwer,many here are diligently obfkvingthe 
 councell of the fame Prophet, 22. 10. Wtefnot for 
 him that k dead, neither bemtane him -, kirt wet 'p for him 
 that is gone away awlfht/l return o mere to fte his Na- 
 tive Country. We make it an Article of our ^dmeri- 
 can Creed, which a celebrate Divine of England hath 
 obferved upon Hcb. 1 1 .p. That no man ought to for- 
 fake his own Country, but upon extraordinary caufc, 
 and when that caufe ceafeth, he is bound in confci- 
 ence to return if he can : We are looking to hita who 
 hath our hopes and jeafons in his oncly wile hand. 
 
 In the mean time, we defi re to bow our knees before 
 the Throne of Grace day and. night, that the Lord 
 would bt pleafed in his tender m?rcy to ftill the fad 
 unquietncfTc and pcr-pcracute contentions^ of that 
 
 D 3 moft 
 
24 Tfo Simple Cobler of 
 
 moft comfortable and renowned ifland, that at length 
 He may have praife in his Churches, and his Chur- 
 ches peace in him,through Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Should J not keep promife in fpeaking a little to 
 Womens faftridns, they would take it unkindly: J 
 was loath to peftcr better matter with fuch ftuffe ; J 
 rather thought it mcete to let them ftand by them- 
 {elves, like the <H& Gentu in the Grammar, being 
 Deficients, or Redundants, not to bee brought under 
 any Rule : J (hall therefore make bold for this once, 
 to borrow a little of their loofc- tongue Liberty, and 
 mifpend a word or two upon their lon^- wafted, but 
 fliort-skirted patience : a little ufe of in y ftirrup will 
 doe no harme. 
 
 Zidenttm di,cere vtrum^ quid frohibct ? 
 
 Cray Gravity ft fclfc can 
 That LtttguAge ke adapted to the Theme. 
 He that to Parrots ffea^s^ muftparrotife ; 
 Be that inftrutts afalc^maj aft tb'tvwifc. 
 
 It is known more then enough, that J atn neither 
 Nigard, nor Cinick, to the due bravery of the true 
 Gentiy: if any man miflikcs a bully mong draffock 
 more then J, let him take her for all mee; J honour 
 the woman that can honour her felf with her attire : a 
 good Textalwayes deferves a fair Margent : J am not 
 much offended, if J fee a trimme/ar trimmer than fhe 
 that wears it : in a word, whatever Chriftianity or 
 Civility will allow, J can afford with London mea- 
 fiirc : but when J hearc a nugiperous Gentledame in- 
 
 quire, 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 quire what drefTe the Queen is in this week ^ what the 
 nudiuftertJanfdftionof the Court-, J mean the very 
 ncweft : witheggetobcinitin all hafte, what- ever 
 it be , J look at her as the very gizzard of a trifle, the 
 produ&of a quarter of a cypher, the epitome of no- 
 thing, fitter to be kickt, if flie were of a kickable fub- 
 ftance, than either honoured or humoured. 
 
 To fpeak moderately, J truely confeflc, it is be- 
 yond the ken of my underftanding to conceive, how 
 thofc women fhould have any true grace, or valua- 
 ble vertuc, that have fo little wit 5 as to disfigure them- 
 felves with lueh cxotick garbes, as not onely difman- 
 tics their native lovely luftre, but tranfclouts them 
 into gant bar- geefe, ill-fliapen fhotten fhell-fifti, E- 
 gyptian Hieroglyphicks, or at the beft into French 
 flurts of the paftery, which a proper Engliih- woman 
 fliould feorn with her heeles : it is no marvell they 
 weare drailes on the hinder part of their heads,having 
 nothing as it fcems in the fore-pait, but a few Squir- 
 rills braines, to help them frisk from one ill-fa vor'd 
 falhion to another* 
 
 Theft whimiri'Cro'itvn'dfbees^ thcfe fAfhion-fAnfyig wits^ 
 Art empty thin br tit? d falls ^ Andfdling Kits, 
 
 The very troublers and irnpoveriflicrs of mankind. 
 J can hardly f orbcare to commend to the world a fay- 
 ing of a Lady living ibmetime with the Queen of 0- 
 hemiAh^ J kaow not where (he found it, but it is pitty 
 it fliould be loft. 
 
 The world it fnll efcire^ much like unto A bubble - y 
 
 cAre Awdwomet and women And 
 (cart And tronklt. 
 The 
 
2 6 The Simple fitter of 
 
 ThcVcrles arc even enough for fuch odde peg- 
 ma's. Jean make my fclf fick at any time, with com- 
 paring the dazzeling fplender wherewith our Gentle- 
 women were embellifhed in fome former habits, with 
 the gut-foundrcd goofdotne,wherewuh they are now 
 furcingled and debauched. We have about five or 
 fix of them in our Colony : if J fee any of them ac- 
 cidentally, J cannot clcanfe my phanfie of them for 
 a moneth after. I have been a folitary widdower al- 
 rnoft twelve years, purpofed lately to make a ftep o* 
 ver to my Native Country for a yoke-fellow: but 
 when J confidcr how women thers haVe tripe- wifed 
 themfelves with their cladmems, J have no heart to 
 the voyage, left their naufeous fhapes and the Sea, 
 fhould work too forely upon my ftomach. J fpeak 
 fadly ; me thinks it ihould break .the hearft of Eng- 
 lifh- men, to fee fo many goodly Engliflv women im- 
 prifoned in French Cages, peering out of their hood- 
 holes for fome men of mercy to help them with a lit- 
 tle wit 5 and no body relieves them. 
 
 It is a more common then convenient faying, that 
 nine Taylors make a man : it were well if nineteene 
 could make a won\an to her mtnde : if Taylors were 
 men indeed, well furnifhed but with meere rtiorall 
 principles, they would difdain to be led about like 
 Apes, by fuch mymick Marmofets. It is a moft un- 
 worthy thing, for men that have bones in them, to 
 fpend their lives in making fidle-cafes for futilous 
 womens phanfies , which are the very pettitoes of in- 
 firmity, the gyblets of perquifquiliantoyes. Jam fo 
 charitable to think, that moft, of that myftery, would 
 work the cheerfuller while they live, if they might be 
 
 well 
 
AGGAVVAM in Amtrica. 
 
 well ditchargcd of the tyring flavcry of mi (-tyring 
 women : it is no little labour to be continually put- 
 ting up Englifh- women into Out- landiih caskes^ who 
 if they be not fhifted anew, once in a few moneths, 
 grow too fowrc for their Husbands. What this Trade 
 will anfwer for themfclvcs when God (ball take inea- 
 fure of Taylors confidences is beyond my skill to i- 
 maginc; There was a time when 
 
 The joining of the Rcd-Ro{e with the White, 
 Didfet our Sute into A Bawa*k plight. 
 
 But now our Rofes are turned to Flore Je lices, our 
 Carnations to Tulips, our Gilliflowerstopan{ies,our 
 City- Dames, to an indenominable Quasaulry of o- 
 vcrturcas'd things. He that makes Coates jfor the 
 Moone, had need take mcafure every noone ^ and he 
 that Boakes for women> every Moone, to keep them 
 fromLunacy. 
 
 J have often heard divcrfe Ladies vent loud femi- 
 nine complaints of the weariiome varieties and charg- 
 able changes of fafhions : J marvell themfclvcs prc- 
 ferre not a Bill of rcdrcflc. J would Ejfcx Ladies 
 would lead the Chore, for the honour f their Coun- of England 
 ty and perfbns 5 or rather the thrice honourable La- 
 dies of the Court, whom it beft befcerncs : who may 
 wel prefume of a Le Roy le *ve*lt from our fober King, 
 a Les Seigneurs ont Affentus from our prudent Peers, 
 and the like Aftentw from our confideratc, J dare not thankfuiL 
 fay wife-worne Commons : who I belccve had much 
 rather paffeonefuch Bill, than pay fo many Taylors 
 Bills as they are forced to doe. 
 
 Mod deare and unparalleled Ladycs,be plea(cdto 
 attempt it : as you have the precellcncy of the women 
 
 E of 
 
2 8 Th* Simple filler of 
 
 of the world for beauty and feature; fo aflume the ho- 
 nour to give, and not take Law from any, in matter 
 of attire : it ye can tranfadi fo faire a motion among 
 your felves unanimoufly,! dare fay,they that mqft re- 
 nite, will katt repent. What greater honour can 
 your Honors defirc, then te build a Promontory pre- 
 fi dent to all foraigne Ladies, to deferve fo eminently 
 at the hands of all the Englifh Gentry, prefent and to 
 come : and to confute the opinion of all the wife men 
 in the world ; who aever thought it poflible for wo- 
 men to doe fo good a work f 
 
 I addrcfle nay fclf to thofc who can both heare and 
 mend all if they pleafe : I ferioufly feare, if tlje pious 
 Parliament doe not finds a time toftate fafhions, as 
 ancient Parliaments have done in forae part,God will 
 bardly finde a tina-e to ftate Religion or Peace : They 
 arc the furguedryes of pride, the wafttonncfleofidle- 
 neflb, provoking fins,, the certain prodromies of ^(Tu- 
 red judgement^^.i.y, 8* 
 
 It is" beyond all account, how many Gentlemens 
 and Citizens eftates are deplumed by their feather- 
 headed wives ; what ufefull f upplies the pannage of 
 Zngltnd would afford other Countries, what rich re- 
 turnes to it felf, if it were not flic'd out into male and 
 female fripperies : and what a multitude ofmif-em- 
 ploy'd hands,might be better improved in fome more 
 manly Manufadtures for the publiquc wcale : it is not 
 eafily credible, what may be laid of the preterplura- 
 lities of Taylors in London: I have heard an honeft 
 man lay that not long fince there wer numbred be- 
 tween TemfltbAne and Ck*ri*gc,ra$t , eight thou- 
 fami of that Trade ; let it be conjedlured by that pro 
 
 portion 
 
AQGAV.VAM in America. 
 
 portion how many there are in and about 
 in all EngUnd y they will appeare to be very nume- 
 rous, ifthe Parliament would pleafe to mend wo- 
 men, which their Husbands dare not doe, there need 
 not fo many men to make and 'mend as there arc. I 
 hope the prefent dolcfull eftate of the Realme 3 will 
 perfwade more ftrongly to fome confiderar-e courfe 
 herein 5 than I now can. 
 
 Knew I Ilow to bring it in, I would fpcak a word 
 to long haire, whereof I will fay no more but this : 
 if God proves not fuch a Barbor to it as he threatens, 
 unlefle it be amended, 5/4.7.20. before the Peace of 
 the State and Church be well fetled 3 then let my pro- 
 phecy be fcorned, as a found ininde (corncs the ryot 
 of that fin, and more it needs not. If thofe who are 
 tcarmed Rattle-heads and impuricans, would take up 
 a Refolution to begin in moderation of haire, to the 
 juft reproach of thofe that are called Puritans and 
 Round-heads, I would honour their manlinefle, as 
 much as the others godlincfle, fo long as I knew what 
 man or honour meant : if neither can find a Barbours 
 fhop 5 let them turne in^to Pfal.6$. 21.^.7.29.1 Cor. 
 11.14. if it be thought no wildome inmentodiftin- 
 gui(h themielves in the field by the Sciflcrs, let it be 
 thought no injuftice in God 5 not to diftinguifli them 
 by the Sword. I had rather God fliould know me by 
 my fobriety, than mine enemy not know me by my 
 vanity. He is ill kept, that is kept by his own fin. A 
 fhort Promife, is a farre fafer guard than a long lock -.- 
 it is an ill diftindion which God is loth to look at, 
 and his Angels cannot know his Saints by. Though 
 it be not the marh of the Beaft,yet it may be the mark 
 
 2 of 
 
The Simple CoUer 
 
 of a beaft prepared to {laughter. I am fure mm ufe 
 not to weare fuch manes -, I am alfo fure Souldiers 
 ufe to we,are other marklets or notadoes in time of 
 battell. 
 
 Having done with the upper part of my worke , I 
 would now with all humble willingnefTc fet on the 
 bed pecce of Soule- leather I have ," did I not feare I 
 fhould breake my All,which though it may be a right 
 old Englifh blade , yet it is but little and weake. I 
 fhould eftecnnc it the beft piece of workmanfhip my 
 Cobling hand ever wrought , if it would pleafe him 
 whofc worke it is, to diredl me to fpeake fuch a word 
 over the Sea , as the good old woman of Abel did o- 
 ver the wall, in the like exigent : but alas, I am but 
 fimple, What if I be ' 
 When St4tcs dijhcl<v y d*re, Andlwts tintwift^ 
 Wifennen kief their tongues Jules fpeA^whAt they lift. 
 I would not be fo unwifc as to grieve the wife, if I 
 were wile enough to forefee it : I would fpeake no- 
 thing to the Caufe or Continuance of thefe weari- 
 fome Warres hitherto^ the one is enough debatcd,the 
 other more than enough pera&cd. Nor would j'de- 
 claime of the uncomelineffe, unbrotherlinefle, unfea- 
 tonableneffe and unreafonablencffe of thcfe direful! 
 digladiations : tvery ftroke Ihucke founds to loud 
 upon this harfh ftring. I would much rather fpeake 
 perfwafives to a comely brotherly ftafonable and 
 rcafonablc ccflfation of Arraes on both fides , by a 
 drawne battell : Wherein if I {hall adventure a few 
 overbold words, I intreat my ignorancc.impartiality, 
 and Loyalty may plead pardoiTfor me. 
 
 Founc mcanes there an < and so more , within the 
 ; com- 
 
AQGAYVAM in America. ->\ / 
 
 compafTe of my confideration 3 conducing co what is 
 defired. Either to get the Standard fixed in heaven 
 by the Lord of Hods taken downe 5 I mcane by Re- 
 formation : O r to fet up white colours inftead of red, p ; ? r/ * e *f* f 
 on one fide or oth^r , I mcane by Compofition : Or rS/otoni. 
 by furling up all the Enfignes on both fides , I meanc 
 bymutuall and generall Ceflation : Or by ftilldif- 
 playing all the Colours and Cornets of every batalli- 
 en, I meane by Proftcution : without Reformation 
 there will hardly be any CompofitiOn, without Com- 
 pofition little hope of CcflTation , without CeflTation 
 there muft and will bceProfccution 5 which God 
 forbid. 
 
 Referwttio*. 
 
 When the Roman Standard was defixed with fuch 
 difficulty at the battell betweene Hattniballzn&fU- 
 ntinitu at Tbrtjimcntj it proved an ill Omen. When 
 God gives quietncffe, who can make trouble ; when 
 he hideth his face , who can behold him ? whether ic 
 be againft a Nation or a man onely. That the Hypo- 
 crite reigne not ? left the people be infnarcd, fab 34. 
 29,30. How can the Sword of the Lord put it fclfc 
 up into its Icabbard and be quiet, when himfelfc hath 
 given it a charge to the contrary? 9^.47.6,7. It was 
 a Cardinall Truth which Cardinall Ptilc (pake to 
 //.8. Penes Keges eff infcrre bctttun^ fenes dtttem Dcum 
 termintre. If Kings will make their beginnings^ God 
 will make his ends : much more when himfelfe be- 
 gins : when 1 begin, I will alfb make an end , i S*m. 
 3.12. Farre better were it r for men to make an end 
 with "him in time , than put him to make fuch an end 
 with th&m as he there intends. 
 
 E 3 :*? 
 
ib Simple (jotter of 
 
 Politicall Rcfott&jLtiQn he feemes to call for now 
 ifldigitantcr. When he beholds ChriftianKingdomes 
 and States unfoqnd in their foundations , illineall in 
 their fupcrftru&ures , unjuft in their admin ift rations; 
 he kicks them in peec.es with the foot of his Indigna- 
 tion : But when Religious Statefmen frame and build 
 by the levell and plummet of his wi(Home 5 then peo- 
 ple may lay.as his fervants of old, Looke upon Zion 
 the City of your Solemnities 5 your eyes (hall fee it a 
 quiet habitation, a Tabernacle that fliall not be taken 
 downe^not one of the flakes thereof (hall be removed, 
 neither (hall any of the coards thereof be broken; nei- 
 ther by civill commotions nor forreigne inv^fions, 
 Jj 4. 3 3.20. When tl>e coards of a State are exquifitly 
 tight 5 and the ft^kcs firmely pitched $ fuchaTenr, 
 though but a Tent, (hall not cafily flutter or fall : But 
 if the Tacklings be fo loofe, that the raainc maft can- 
 not ftand fteady , nor the Saile be well Ipread ; then 
 may the lame divide a great fpoyle, vcr.23 . If Reli- 
 gion, Lawes, Liberties, AfFedions, Converfations, 
 and forreigne fcderacies be flight , the ftrength of 
 ftrong men (hall bc-weakaefle , and the weaknefle of 
 the weake viftorious. 
 
 PurapotiteJA ne unnm admittit ^l^cifrHum^ riequt w- 
 Iet,pr&fcripti0 infoliticis a#t morAlibus. It may main- 
 taine a bright conjedlure, agaiuft a rufty truth : a legi^ 
 ble poffcffion , againft an obliterate Claime : an in- 
 convenience, againft a convenience , where no cleare 
 remedy may be had ; but never any thing that is for- 
 m^lly (infull, or materially mifchievous, When rot- 
 ten States are foundly mended from head to foot^pro- 
 portions duly admcafured 5 Juftice juftly difpenced; 
 
 then 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 thenfliall Rulers and Subjeds have peace with God 
 and themfelvcs : but till then, thegayeft Kirigdomes 
 fhall be but ruffling (cuffling, removing and comrao- 
 ving hovells. For England ', however the tipper Sto- 
 ries are fllroadly fhattred -, yet the foundations and 
 frame being good or mendable by the Archite3ors 
 now at worke, there is good hope, when peace is fet- 
 led , people (hall dwell more wind- tight and Water- 
 tight than formerly. I earneftly wifh our Mr. Builders 
 to remember,that punctual lity in Divinity & Politic, 
 is but regularity- that what is amiiTe in the moiild 5 will 
 misfafhion the profultrand that if this market be flipt, 
 things may grow as deareas eVcr they were. Moft 
 expert Gentlemen , bee intreated at length to fet our 
 head right on our fhoulders , that we may nee looke 
 upwards and goe forwards like proper Engliflimen. 
 
 God will alfo have Ecclefiafticall Reformation 
 now,or nothing : And here he ftands not upon Kings, 
 Parliaments or Aflemblies , but upon his owne 
 Termes. i feare hee will have all droffe and baft 
 mcttalls throughly melted away by thole combu- 
 ftions, bcforcTie quenches them ; all his Ordinances 
 and veflells caft into his owne fafliion , in his owne 
 mould, to his owne Amufsiw, before he reftores peace* 
 There was not a (tone left upon a ftone of the old 
 Temple , before the new was crefted. If this firft 
 workebee throughly and throughoutly difpatched as 
 I hope it is, the great Remora is removed. If the 
 Parliament and Aflerably pleafcd to be as curious aad 
 induftiious as I have feenea great PopifliBifhop in 
 in execrating a Prorcftant Parifli Church one day, 
 and confecrating it the next^thcy may adjourn awhile 
 with leave enough* Some 
 
34 The Simple Cobler of 
 
 Some ten or twelve years'before thcfc Wars there 
 came to my view thefe two Predi6Uons. 
 i . When God fodlf urge this Land with foaf and nitre, 
 
 Wot be to the Crone-> we be to the Mitre. 
 
 The accent of the blow fhall fall there. 
 He that pities not the Crownc , pities not his ownc 
 foule. Hee that pities not thofe that wore the Mitre, 
 more than they pitied thcmfelvcs , or the Churches 
 over which they infulrcd , or the State then corrupted 
 and now corrayncd by their pride and negligence , is 
 to blame. 
 
 2. There i* tfet ofBifhofs commlng next behind, 
 
 Witt ride the dwell off hit legs , and bred his wind. 
 Pooremen ! they might have kept his backc till this 
 time for ought I know , had they not put him beyond 
 his pace : but Schollers muft gallop, though they 
 tumble for it. Yet I commend them for this , they 
 gave him fuch ftrayncs as make him blow fhort evej: 
 fince. I doubt the Affembly t/oubles him^and I doubt 
 he troubles them.|Well,the Bifhops are gone : If they 
 have carried away with them all that was in the poc- 
 kets of their holliday hofe, fare them well 5 let them 
 come againe when I give them a new Conge d* flier ^ 
 or fend a Purfuivant for them $ which if I do , / fhall 
 never truft my felfe more , though they have often 
 done it for rac,who never defcrvcd that honour. Some 
 of them / confeffe were honeft men , and would ha\ c 
 becne honefter if they dared for their fellows. 
 
 The fad woikenow , is to inftitutc better things in 
 their Rome, and to indu& better men in their roornc; 
 rather where, and how to finde thofe things^they ha- 
 ving cunningly laid them fo farrc out of the way $ / 
 
 doubt 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 doubt fome good men cannot fee them, when they 
 look full upon them : it is like, the Bifhops carryed 
 away their eyes with them, but I feare they left their 
 Spectacles behinde them. I ufc no fpe&aclcs, yet my 
 eyes are not fine enough, nor my hand fteady enough 
 to cut by fuchfine threds as are now. fpun. I am I 
 know not what $ I cannot tell what to make of ray 
 {elf, nor I think no body elfe : My Trade is to finde 
 more faults than others will mend y and I am very 
 diligent at it , yec it fcarce findes me. a living, though 
 the Country findes me good (lore of work. 
 
 For Church- work, I am neither Presbyterian, nor 
 pkbsbyterian, but an Interpendent : My task is to fit 
 and ftudy how dupeable the Independent way will 
 be to the body of England^ then my head akes on one 
 fide -, and how fuitable the Presbyterian way, as we 
 heare it propounded, will be to the minde of Chrift, 
 then my head akes on the other fide: but when I con- 
 fider how the Parliament will conarnoderate a way 
 out of both, then my head leaves afcing: 1 am not 
 withoutfome contrivalls in my patching braines , but 
 I had rather fuppofethem to powder, than expofe 
 them to prere$ular,much leflfe to preter- regular judge- 
 ments : I fhall therefore rejoyce that the work is fain 
 into fo good hands^ heads 5 and hcarts,who will weigh 
 Rules by Troy- weight,and not by the old Haber-du- 
 pois: and rather then meddle where I have fo little 
 skill, I will fit by an<| tell my fears to them that have 
 the patience to heare them, and leave tht red-hot que- 
 ftion to them that dare handle it. 
 
 I fear many holy men have notfb deeply humbled 
 theinfdves for their former mif- worfhtppings of God 
 
 F as 
 
The Simple Cooler of 
 
 as he will have them before he reveales his fecrets to 
 them: as they accounted things indifferent, fothey 
 account indifferent repentance will fcrve turne. Son 
 *f mA, if my people be afhamed of All that they have 
 dont^ thenfbew them the forme of the hottfc, And thefa- 
 fbiov thereof^ elfe not, Eze^.i i . A fin in Gods wor- 
 fhip, that (eemesfmall in the common beam of the 
 world, may be very great in the fcales of his San- 
 <ftuary. WhereGod is very jcalous,his fervants ihould 
 be verycautelous. 
 
 I fear, the furnace wherein our new formes are cart- 
 ing, is over- heat, and cafts fmoak in the eyes of our 
 founders, that they cannot well fee what they doe, or 
 ought to doe-, Omneperit }ttdic urn cum res tranftt in 
 AfftBum. Truth and peace are the C After and Tellnx 
 oftheGofpel: they that feck the one without the o- 
 ther, are like to findc neither : Anger will hinder do- 
 meftick Prayers,much more Ecclefiaftiquc Councels. 
 What is produced by tumult, is cither deficient or re- 
 dundant. When the judgements of good men con- 
 curre with an harmonious Diapafon, the rcfult is me- 
 lodious and commodious. Warring and jarring men 
 are no fit builders of houfcs for God, though other- 
 wife very good. Inftruments may be well made and 
 well ftrung,but if they be not well fretted, theMu- 
 fique is marred. The great Turk hearing Mufitians 
 fo long a tuning, he thought it flood not with his ftatc 
 10 wait for what would follow., When Chrift whips 
 Market-makers out of his Temple, he nifes duft : but 
 when he enters in with Truth and Holincfft, he calls 
 for deep filence, Hd.i. 20. There muft notatoole 
 be heard when the Tabernacle is reared: Nor is that 
 
 amiable 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 amiable or fcrviceable to men that pafleth through fo 
 many ill animadverfions of Auditors and Spedators. 
 If the Aflembly can hardly agree what to determine, 
 people will not cafily agree what to accept. 
 
 J fear,thefe differences and delaycs have occafion- 
 ed men to make more new difcoveries, then otherwise 
 they would. If publique Aflemblies of Divines can- 
 not agree upon a right way, private Conventicles of 
 illiterate men, will foon finde a wrong. Bivioas de- 
 murres breed devious refolutions. Paflcngeis to hea- 
 ven are in hafte, and will walk one way or other. He 
 that doubts of his way, thinks he lofes his day : and 
 when men are gone a while, they will be loth to turn 
 back. If God hide his path, Satan is at hand to turn 
 Convoy: if any haveamindcto ride pofte, he will 
 helpe them with a frefh fpavin'd Opinion at every 
 Stage. 
 
 Where clock? wittfttnd, *nd Dials havt no light ^ 
 There men muftgoe by g*e(fe y t>e't wrwg or right. 
 J feare,if the Affembly of all Divines^ do not con- 
 jfent, and concenter the fooner,God will breathe a fpi- 
 rit of wifdome and meckncffe, into the Parliament of 
 no Divines, to wh>m the Imperative and Coa&ive 
 power fupremcly belongs, to confult fuch a commo- 
 deratc way, as (hall beft pleafe him, and profit his 
 Churches : fo that it (hall be written upon thedoore 
 of the Affembly -, The Lord was not there. 
 
 J fearc,thc importunity of fome impatient, and fub- 
 tlety of fome malevolent mindes, will put both Par- 
 liament and Affembly upon fome preproperations, 
 that will not be fafe in Ecclefiafticall Conftitutions. 
 To procraftinate in matters clear, as J laid even now, 
 
 F 2 may 
 
3 8 The Simple oUcrof 
 
 may be dangerous fo, not to deliberate in dubious 
 cafes, will be as perillous. We here, though J think 
 tinder favour, wee have feme as able Steerelmen as 
 England affords, have been driven to tack about a- 
 gain to lome other points of Chrifts CompaflTe,and to 
 make better obfervations before we hoyfe up failes. 
 It will be* found grrat wifdomein difputable caf es,not 
 to walk on by twylight, but very cautcloufly ;.. rather 
 by probationers for a time,then peremptory pofitivcs. 
 Ret lings and whet Hngs in Church t<fts, are bothdif- 
 fi ultand difadvantog<"ous. It is rather Chriftian mo- 
 defty thrn fhame, in the dawning of Reformation, to 
 be very perpenfive. Chrifts minde is, th^t Evange- 
 licall policies, fhould be framed by Angclicall nica- 
 fures ; not by a line of flaxc 5 but by a golden Reed, 
 
 J feare, he that fayes, the Presbyterian and Inde-- 
 
 Ecndent way, if rightly carryed,doe not meet in one, 
 e doth not handle his Compaffesfo confideratcly as 
 he fliould. 
 
 3 feare, if Authority doth not eftablifli a futcable 
 and peaceable Government of Churches the fooner, 
 the bells in all the fteeples will ring awke k> long,that 
 tliey will hardly be brought into tune any more, 
 
 My Iaft 5 but not leaft feare , is,That God will hard- 
 ly replant his Gofpel in any part of ChriftendomeJn 
 fo faire an Edition as is expend, till the whol field 
 hath been fo ploughed and harrowed, that the foile 
 be throughly cleankd and fitted for new feed: Or 
 whether he will not tran fplant it into >i ome other Re- 
 gions, J know not : This feare J have feared thefe 20 
 years 5 but upon what grounds J had rather bury than 
 broach. J 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 I dare not but adde to what preceded about 
 Church- Reformation, a mod humbL Petition > that the 
 Authority of the Miniftery be kept in its due altitude; 
 if it be dropp'd in the duft , it will foene bee ftifle'd : 
 Encroachments on both fides, have bred detriments 
 enough to the whole. ,^The Separatists are content 
 their teaching Elders fliould fit higheft on the Bench, 
 fo they may fit in the Chaire over againft them-, and 
 t^ae their Ruling Elders fhall ride on the faddle , fb 
 they rr ay hold the bridle. That they may likewife 
 have ie-fonable and honorable raaimenance.and that 
 ceitaialy dated: which generally we find and pra&ife 
 here as chc be ft way. When Elders live upon peo- 
 ples good wills , people care little for their ill wills/ 
 be they never fo juft : Voluntary contributions or 
 non-tributions of Members, put Minifters upon 
 many temptations in adminiftrations of their Office : 
 two homes care doe more dif-fpirit an ingenuous 
 man tht:i r.wo day.es ftudy : nor can an Elder bee gi- 
 ven- t^hoipltality, when he knpwes not what will be 
 given him to defray it : it is pity men of gifts , fliould 
 live upon oiens gtiifrs. ( have fccne inuft of the Re- 
 formed Churches in Earop , and feenc more mifcry 
 in thcfetwo refpeds, then ir is meet others Ihould 
 hearc : tbe complaints of painful! Ptretu-i EavidPa- 
 ftw^ to my felfe,wich teareSjConcerning the Germane 
 Churches, are not to be rtkred. 
 
 There is yet a perfonall Reformation,^ requifite as 
 thcpoliticall. Wh^n States are fo refor<ned,thatthty 
 conforrne fuchas are profligate , into good civility: 
 civill men, into religious morality : When Churches 
 arc fa conftituted, ihac Faith is ordained Paftor, 
 
 F Truth 
 
40 i T7;e Simple Cotter of 
 
 Truth Teacher, Holineffe and Righteoufnefle riiliag- 
 Elders : Wifdome and Charity Deacons : Know- 
 ledge, love, hope, zeale^heavenly mindedneffe,meek- 
 nefle 5 patience, warchfulneffe, humility, diligence,fo- 
 briety, modefty, chaftity, conftancy, prudence, con- 
 tentation, tnnocency, fincerity , admitted members, 
 and all their oppofites excluded : then there will bee 
 peace of Country and Confcicnce. 
 
 Did the fervants of Chrift know what it is to live 
 in Reformed Churches with tmreformed fpirhs,under 
 ftrid order with loofc hearts, how formes of Religi- 
 on breed but formes of GoJlincfTe, how men by 
 Church-difcipline, learne their Church poftures,and 
 there reft ; they would pray as hard for purity of 
 heart, as purity of Ordinances. If wcmockeGod 
 mthefe, he will macke us , either with defeat of our 
 hopes, or which is worfe : when we have what we fo 
 much defirc, we (hall be fo much the worfc for it. It 
 was a well faked fpecch, uttered by an Englifli Chri- 
 ftianof a Reformed Church in the Netherlands, We 
 have the good Orders here , but you have the good 
 Chriftitns in England. He that prizes not Old Eng- 
 hnd Graces , as much as New England Ordinances, 
 had need goe to fome o:hcr market before hee comes 
 hither. In a word , hee that is not Pa ftor , Teacher, 
 Ruler 3 Deacon and Brother to himfelfe , and lookes 
 not at Chrift above all, it matters not a farthing whe- 
 ther he be Presbyterian or Independent : he may be a 
 zelot in bearing wicnefle to which he likes beft , and 
 yet an Ifcariotto both, in the witneffe of his owne 
 Confci:nce. 
 
 I have upon ftri A obfervation, fccn (o much power 
 
 of 
 
AGQAVVAM in America. 41 
 
 of godlincffe, and fpirituall mindcdneffe in Englifh 
 Chriftians, living mecrly upon Sermons and private 
 duties, hardly come by, when the Gofpell was litde 
 more then Symptomaticall to the State; fuch Epi- 
 demicall and lethall formality in other difplinated 
 Churches^that I prcfefle in the hearing of God, my 
 heart hath mourned, and mine eyes wept in fecret,to 
 confider what ifrill become of multitudes of my deare 
 Country-nv n, when they fliall enpy what they now 
 covet : Not that good O rdinances breed ill Confci- 
 ences, but ill Confciences grow ftark naught under 
 good Ordinances ; in(omuch that might I wifh an hy- 
 pocrite the moft perilous place but Hell,I fhould wifli 
 him a Membcrfhip in a ftri<5t Reformed Church and 
 might I wifh a fincere Servant of God, the grcateft 
 gricfe Earth can afford, 1 fliould wifh him to live with 
 a pure heart, in a Church impurely Reformed; yet 
 through the improvement of Gods Spirit, thatgriefe 
 may fan&ific him for Gods fervice and prefencc, as 
 much is the mcancs he would have,but cannot. 
 
 I fpeak this the rather to prevent, what in me lies, 
 the imprudent romaging that is lite to be in England, 
 from Villages to Townes, from Town s to Cities, 
 for Churches fakc,to the undoing of Societics,Fncnd- 
 fhips, Kindreds, Families, Heritages, Callings, yea r 
 the wiie Providence of God in difpofing mcns habi- 
 tations,now in the very Infancy of Reformation . by 
 forgetting that a litlc leaven may feafbn a large lump: 
 and it is much better to doc good than receive. It 
 were a moft uncharitable and unfei viceable part, for 
 good men code fert their own Congregations, where 
 many may glorifie God in the day of his Yifitation, 
 
 for 
 
The Simple fabler of 
 
 for their prciencc aadailiftance. If a Chriftian would 
 
 pickc out a way to thrive in grace, let him ftudy to 
 
 adminifter grace to thenri that want-, or tomakefurc 
 
 ableffing upon his Famt'y let him labour to mul- 
 
 tiply the family of rhriUv -.nd beleeve, that he which 
 
 foweth liberally, fhall reip abundantly ; and he that 
 
 fparcth more than is need, from them that have more 
 
 need, ftiall furely come to poverty .- yea, let me fay, 
 
 that he who forfakes the meanes of grace for Chrift 
 
 and his Churches fake, (hall meet with a better bar- 
 
 gaine, namely, grace it fel f. It is A * nnc now, when 
 
 full flocks fliould rather fcatter to l$ane Churches, 
 
 thin gather from other places, to make themfclves 
 
 fat -, whenabL- Chriftians fhould iarhtrr turn Jefuitcs 
 
 aad Seminaries, than run into Coven s and Fiieiies : 
 
 had this been the cotirfe in the Primitive time, the 
 
 Gofpel had been pinfolded up in a few Ciihs,and not 
 
 Ipread as it is. 
 
 What more ungodly fecriledge or manfteallng can 
 there be then to purloyn from godly Miirfters the firft 
 born of their fervent prayers and faithfuil preachings, 
 the leaven of their flocks, the incouragement of rheir 
 fbulcs, the crowne of their labours, their Epiftleto 
 Heaven. I am glad to heare our Ntw-EngLnd Elders 
 generally deteft it dtffuet.cr i and look at it as a kil- 
 ling Cordolium, It oKn will needs gather Churches 
 out of the world (as they fay) let them firft plough 
 the world, fow it, and reap it with their own hancls, 
 and the Lord give them a liberall H&rveft. He is a ve- 
 ry hard man that wil; reap where he hath not (owed, 
 . and gather where he hath not ftrowed, Mtfth. 24.25,. 
 
 He that faith, it is or .was our cale, wants a cafe for 
 
 his 
 
AGGAVVAM in America* A* 
 
 his undemanding, and he that takes his warrant out 
 oifohn^. 37.38. is little acquainted with Expofi- 
 tors. Wife men are amazed to hear that confcienti- 
 ous Mtnifters dare fpoile many Congregations to 
 make one for therafelves. 
 
 In matter of Reformation , this would be remem- 
 bred, that in premonitory judgements, God will take 
 good words, and fincerc intents 5 but in peremptory, 
 nothing but reall performances. 
 
 Cowyoption. 
 
 If Reformation were come thus neer, J ftiould ho.pc 
 Compofition were not farre off : When hearts meet 
 in God, they will foon meet in Gods wayes, and up- 
 on Gods termes. But to avoid prolixity,which fteales 
 upon me , For Compofition, J fhall compofc half a 
 dozen difticks concerning thefe kind of Wars , wilh- 
 ingj could fingafleepthefe odious ftirresat leaft on 
 fomcpart, with a dull Ode. He is no Coblcr that 
 cannot fing,nor no good Cobler that can fing well : 
 
 are 
 
 Ju venal. J thele. 
 i. 
 
 THqfclkmt Jo ft the field, fat often #i*t, 
 That end their varsfiefore their rws begin. 
 
 2. 
 
 fleir Cwfeis often worftjhAtfrft begln^ 
 And they mtj Ufe the field^the field that win : 
 
 3. 
 
 Jn CiviKrws 'tvixt Sufytts And their King, 
 There if no conwefi: got by conquering. 
 
 G 
 
44 he Simple Colter of 
 
 
 4* 
 War ill begun ^ the tnety n?^y to mend, : 
 
 Is to end the War before the *>ar dot end. 
 
 5- 
 
 They that mil e#d ill wars, mf! have the skill 
 To wtktanendby Kulc,And**tbj Will. 
 
 6. 
 
 In ending wars 'tween Subjects and their Kings^ 
 Great things drefw'd, by lofing little things. 
 
 We heare, that M*]efa Imperil hath challenged 
 SdtuPopHti into the field; the one fighting for Pre- 
 rogatives, the other defending Liberties: Were J a 
 Conftable bigge enough, J would fet one of them by 
 the heeles 3 t keep both their hands quiet ; J mcanc 
 onely a paire of Stocks, made of found Reafon hand- 
 fomcly fitted for the legges of their Underftandings. 
 
 If SdlwPopnh began, furcly it was not that Sdu* 
 Popnli which I left in England : that Saint Pspuli was 
 as mannerly a Stlm Pofuti as need be: if I be not 
 much deceived,that Stlw Populi f uffer'd its nofe to be 
 heldtptheGrindftone, till it was aMoft ground to 
 the griflcs 5 and yet grew never the (harped for ought 
 I could difccrne: ^ What was, before the world was 
 made, I leave to better Anticjuaries then my fclf; but 
 I am fare, fince the world began, it was never ftoryed 
 that SalusPofuli began with Majejlas Imfmi unlcfle 
 Hwf* Imperiifab unharbour'd it ? and hunted it to 
 a ftand, and then it muft either turn head and live or 
 turn taile and dye: but more have been ftoryed 'on 
 the other hand than MiftJW Imperil is willing to hear- 
 I doubt not btu ft$*f* imperii knows, that Com- 
 
 mon- 
 
AGGAYVAM in America. A* ^^ 
 
 mon- wealths coft as much the making as Crownes ; 
 and if they be well made, would yet outfell $n ill- 
 fafiiioned Crown 5 in any Markctovcrt^v^in^/fA- 
 y if they could be well 'votjche^. But '-Precesfr 
 ) are the peoples weapons : fo are Swords 
 and Piftols, ^hen God and Parliaments bid them 
 Arcne. Prayers and Teares are good weapons for 
 them that have nothing but knees and ey^s -, but naoft 
 men are made with teeth and nailes ; qnely they rpuft 
 neither fcratch for Liberties, nor bite Prerogatives,, 
 till they have wept and prayed as G0d would have 
 them. If Subiefts muft fight for their Kiags againft 
 other Kingdoffics, when their Kings will , Jknow no 
 reafon, but they may fight agaiaft their Kings for 
 their own Kingdomes, when Parliaments fay they 
 maya#d muft: but Parliaments muft not fay they 
 muff^till God (ayes they may. 
 
 J can never belcevc that MAJcJlts Imperil^ was ever 
 fo fimpk as to think, that if it e'xtends it felf beyond 
 its du Artique at one end, but Sain* Ptpnli muft An- 
 tartique it as farre at the other end, or elfe the world 
 will be Eceentrick, and then it will whirlc -, and if it 
 once talk a whirling, tentooae, it will whirle them 
 offfirft, that fit in higheft chaires on cufliions fill'd 
 with Peacocks feathers ; and they arc like to ftand 
 their ground fafteft, that owne not one foot of ground 
 to ftand jopon. When Kings rife higher than they 
 {hould, they exhale Subje&s higher than they would: 
 if the Primum Mobile fliould afcend one foot higher 
 than it is, it wojidd hurry all the nether whe^lcs, and 
 the whole world on fire in 24 hourcs. No Prince ex- 
 ceeds in Sovcraignty, but his Subjects will exceed as 
 
 G 2 farre 
 
The Simple Cobltr of 
 
 farre in fome vicious Liberty, to abate their griefc 5 or 
 fome pernicious mutiny, to abate their Prince. 
 
 The cra&ie world mU crack.-* in aS the middle joyvts, 
 
 if M the ends it hath^ have not their parapoynts. 
 
 Nor can J beleeve that Crownes trouble Kings 
 Heads,fo much as Kings heads trouble Crownes : nor 
 that they are Flowers of Crownes that trouble 
 Grownes.but rather fome Nettles or Thirties mifta- 
 fcen for flowers. 
 
 To fpeake plainer Englifb, J have wondred thefe 
 thirty years what Kings aile : Jhave feen in my time, 
 thebeft pa.t of twenty Chriftian Kings and Princes 
 Yet as Chriftian as they were,fome or other were ftilt 
 fctffiing for Prerogatives. It muft be granted at all 
 h'ands,~tbat Prerogative Regis- arc necefFary Siippbtf- 
 ters of State : and ftately things to ftately Kings : bfic 
 if wichalljthey be Derogative Xeg*o y they are but lit- 
 tle things to wife Kings, fiquity is / as Hue to People, 
 as Eminency to Princes ; Liberty to Subjefts^as Roy- 
 alty to Kings : if they cannot walk'together lovingly 
 hand in hand 5 /^r/j>^,they muft cut girdles and p^rt 
 as good friends as they may : Nor muft it be taken 
 offcnfively 3 that when Kings arc haleingup their top- 
 gallant, Subje&s lay hofd on their flablines; the 
 head and body muft move alike: it is nothing meet 
 for me to fay with Horace, 
 
 Uitufortitnam. ficnos tt Car'lefertmftt. 
 
 But J hope I may fafely fay, 
 
 The body be arts the headjhe he ad the Crwnc ; 
 If both be are not alike > then one milldevwt. 
 
 Diftra&ed Nature, calls for diftrading Remedies 
 perturbing policies for difturbing cures: if one Ex- 
 
 treamc 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 trcame fhould not confh'tute its Anti-Extreame, all 
 things would foon be in cxtrcmt : if ambitious windcs 
 get into Rulers Crownes, rebellious vapours will in- 
 to Subjects Caps, be they ftopt never io clofe : Yet 
 the tongues of Times tell us of tenPreter-royallU- 
 furpations, to one contra- civill Rebellion. 
 
 Civill Liberties and Proprieties admeafurcd , to 
 every man to his truefuitvt , are the priwpHrAprin- 
 cipia, vropri* quarto modo, the ftnequibtu of humane 
 States, wuhout which, men are but women* Peoples 
 proflrations of- thcfc things when they may lawfully 
 helpe it, are prophane proftitutions $ ignorant Idco- 
 lifrnts , under naturall noddaries 3 and juft it is that 
 fuch as underfill them 5 fhould not re- inherit them in 
 haftc, though they feckc it carefully with teares. And 
 fuch ufurpations by Rulers,are the unnatural li zings of 
 nature > disfranchifernents of Freedome, the Neronian 
 nullifyingsof Kingdomcs : yea I bcleeve the divell 
 himfelfc would turne Round-head , rather then fuffer 
 thefe Columnesof Commonwealths to bee flighted : 
 as he is a creature 5 hee feares dccreation-, as an Angell 
 dehominations ; as a Prince dif- common wealthings; 
 as finite thefe pcne- infinite infolcncies y which are the 
 moft fini:e Infinites of mifery to men on this fide the 
 worlds difTolurion : therefore it is , that with Gods 
 lcave,he hath founded itiAlarm to all i\\e fttfque deqae 
 pell-mells, one and alls, now harrafling fundry parts 
 of Chriftendome. It is enough for God to be Infinite, 
 too much for man to be Indefinite. He that will flye 
 too high a quarry for AbfolutenefTc , fliall ftoope as' 
 much too low before hee remounts his proper pitch : 
 If $4C*b will overtop his brother out of Gods time 
 
 G 3 and 
 
48 The Simple Cobler of 
 
 and way 5 hcc will fo hamftring him , that hee fhall 
 make legs whether he will or no , at his brothers ap- 
 proach:and fuch as over- run all humane raeafure 5 (hal 
 fcldome rcturne to humane mercy : There arc finnes 
 befides the finne againft the Holy Ghoft, which ftall 
 not bee expiated by f acrifice for temporall revenge : 
 I meane^vhco they are boyled up to a full confidence 
 of ctintumicy and impcnitency.Let abfolute demands 
 or Commands 5 be put into oae fcale , and indefinite 
 rcfWalls into the other : all the Goldfmiths in Ckeap- 
 fide^ cannot tell which weighes heavieft. Intolerable 
 griefes to Subje&s 3 breed the ll**wf*fet in a body 
 politicke, which inforces that upwards which fliould 
 not. I Ipeake thefe things to excufe, what I may 5 my 
 " Countrymen in the hearts of all that looke upon their 
 proceedings. 
 
 There is a qadrobulary faying, which paffes c'iif- 
 rent in the Wefterhc world , Tkat the Emperour is 
 King of KingSjthe Spaniard,King of Men 5 the French > 
 King of Aflcs, the Kingof;*/W t King of Devills: 
 By his leave that firft brayed the fpeech,they are pret- 
 ty wife Devills and pretty honeft; the worft they doe^ 
 is to keep their Kings from Divelizing , and them- 
 felves from Affing : Were I a King (a fimplc fuppo- 
 fall) I would not part with one good Englifti Divcll, 
 for two of the Emperours; Kings, nor three of the Spa- 
 niards Men, nor foure French Aflcs; if I did, /fiiouhl 
 thinke my fclfe an Afle for my labour. / know no- 
 shing that Engliftimen want, but true Grace, and ho- 
 neft pride; let them be well furnifht with thofe two, J 
 fearc they would make raoreAfles, then SpAivccun. 
 make men 5 or the Emperour Kiags. You will lay J 
 
 am 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 49 
 
 am now beyond my latchct -, but you would not fay 
 fo, if you knew how high my laechet will ftretch, 
 when J heare a lye with a latchct , that reaches up to 
 his throat that firft forged it. 
 
 He is a good King that undoeth not his Subje<5b,by 
 any one of his unlimited Prerogatives : and they arc 
 a good People, that uadoe not their Prince, by any 
 one of their unbounded Liberties, be they the very 
 leaft - J am fure either may, and J am f urc neither 
 would be trufted, how good foever. Stories tell us 
 in" effeft, though not in termes, that ovcr-rifen Kings, 
 have been the next evills to the world, unto falne An- 
 gels; and that over-franchized people, are dcvills 
 with fmooth fnaffles in their mouthes. A King that m 
 lives by Law 5 lives by love , 2nd he that lives above " 
 Law, (hall live under hatred doc what he can. Sla- 
 very and Knavery goe as (eldome afunder, as Ty ran - 
 ny and Cruelty. 
 
 J have a long while thought it very poffible, in a 
 time of Peace, and in fome Kings Rcigne, fordifert 
 Statefmen,tocut an exquifite thred between and quite 
 through Kings Prerogatives, and Subje&s Liberties 
 of all forts, fo as C<efar might have his due, and Peo- 
 ple their (hare, without fuch (harpe disputes. Good 
 Cafuifts would cafe it, and cafe it, part it and part it, 
 now it, and then it, punctually. Aquin* \ Sttarfz^ot 
 V*lentU) would have done it long ere this, had they 
 not been Popifh, I might have faid knavilh-, for> if 
 they be fo any where, it is in their Tractates of Pri- 
 viledges. Our Common Law doth well, but it muft 
 doe better before things doe as they fliould. There 
 are fome ^#^tfin Law, that would bee taught to 
 
 fpeak 
 
50 T7;e Simple Colter of 
 
 fpeak a little more mannerly, or elfe well ^nti- 
 im'd : we fay, the King can doe a Subjed no wrong ; 
 why may we not fay, the Parliament can do the King 
 no wrong ! We fay, Nullum temptt* occnrrit Regi in 
 taking wrong ; why may we not fay, Nullum tew- 
 f$ts faccunit Zegt in doing wrong ? which I doubt 
 will prove a better Canon, if well examined. 
 
 Authority muft have power to make and keep peo- 
 ple honeft ; People, honefty to obey Authority- both, 
 ajoynt-Councellto keep both fafe. Morall Laws, 
 Roytll Prerogatives, Popular Liberties, are not of 
 Mans making or giving, but Gods: Man is but to 
 meafure them out by Gods Rule : which if mans wif- 
 dome cannot reach. Mans experience muft mend : 
 And thefe Eflentialls, muft not be Ephorized or Tri- 
 buned by one or a few Mens difcretion, but lineally 
 fan&ioned by Supreame Councels. Inpro-re-nafcent 
 occurrences, which cannot be forefeen ; Diats 5 Parli- 
 aments, Senates, or accountable Commiffions, muft 
 havq power to confult and execute againft interfilicnt 
 dangers and flagitious crimes prohibited by the light 
 of Nature : Yet it were good if States would let Peo- 
 ple know (b much before hand, by fome fafe woven 
 waniftfio, that groffe Delinquents may tell no tales of 
 Anchors and Buoyes, nor palliate their preemptions 
 with pretence of ignorance. ]know no difference in 
 thefe Eflentialls., between Monarchies, Ariftocrades^ 
 or Democracies , the rule andreafon will bee found 
 all PJIC, fay Schoolemen and Pretorians what they 
 will. And in all, the beft Standard to meafure Pre- 
 rogatives, is the Plough -ftaffe ; to meafure Liberties, 
 the Scepter : if the ttarmes were a little altered into 
 
 Loyall 
 
AGGAVVAM m America. 
 
 Lcyall Prerogatives and Royall Liberties, then we 
 fhould be fure to have Royall Kings and Loyall Sub* 
 jeds. 
 
 Subjects their King, the King his Subjects greets^ 
 Whilome the Scepter And the P lough- jkdffe meets. 
 But Progenitors have had them for four and twen- 
 ty prcdeceiTions : that would be fpoken in the Nor- 
 man tongue or Cimbrian, not in the Engiifli or Scot- 
 tifli : When a Conquerour turnes Chiiftiah, ChrifH- 
 anity turnes Conquerour : if they had had them time 
 out of mindc of man^beforc Adam was made, it is not 
 a pin to the point in foro rt&& rations : Juftice and 
 Equity were before tirae, and will be after it: Time 
 hath neither Politicks nor Ethicks, good nor cvillin 
 it; it is an empty thing, as empty as a Kc-E*gltfi 
 purfe, and emptier it cannot be : a man may break 
 his neck in time, and in a lefTe time then he can heale 
 it. 
 
 But hf re is the deadly pang, it muft now be taken 
 by force and dint of fword : I confeffc it is a deadly 
 pang to a Spirit made all offlefli,but not to a morti- 
 fied heart . it is good to let^God have hi s will as he 
 plcafe, when we have not reafon to let him have it 
 as we fheuld ; remembring, that hitherto he hath ta- 
 ken order, that ill Prerogatives gotten by the Sword, 
 fhould in time be fetcht home by the Dagger, if no- 
 thing elfe will doc it : Yet I truft there is both day 
 and meanes to intci vent that bargaine. But if they 
 Ihould- if God will make both King and kingdome 
 the better by*it, what fliould either lofe< J am iure 
 there is no great caufe for either to nuke great brags. 
 fax auoc<4rior y eo chdrior. 
 
 H ^ 
 
The Simple fabler of 
 
 A Peace well made^i* Itkelieft then to hold, 
 When 'tis both dearly bought And dearly fold. 
 J confeffcjhe that parts with luch pearles to be paid 
 in ol J iron, had need to be pityed more by his faith- 
 full frien Js, than he is like to be by his falfe flatterers . 
 My heart is furcharged, I can no longer forbeare. 
 
 r Deleft Lord,znd my more i\\zn dear eft Kin^l 
 moft humbly befecch you upon mine aged knees, 
 that you would pleafe toarme your minde with pati- 
 ence of proofc, and to intrench your felfe as deep as 
 you can, in your wonted Royall mcekhefle ; for I am 
 refolved to difplay my unfurled foule in your very 
 face, and to ttormc you with volyes of Love and 
 Loyalty. You owe the mcancft true Subject you 
 have, a* clofe account of thefe open Warres $ they are 
 no Arcana imperil. Then give me leave to inquire 
 ofyourMajcfty, what you make in fields of blood, 
 when you fliould be amidft your Parliament of peace: 
 Whatyoudoefculkinginthc fuburbs of Hell, when 
 your Royall Pallaces ftand defolate, through your 
 sbfence? What moves you to take up Anne* againft 
 your faithful! Subjeds, when your Armes ihould be 
 embracing your mournf ull Quten * What incenfes 
 your heart to make fo many Widdows and Orphan^ 
 and among the rtft your own ? Doth it become you, 
 the King of the ftatelieft Iflan.d the wo; Id hath, to for- 
 fake your Throne, and take up the Manufacture of 
 cutting your Subje&s throats, for no other fin, but 
 for Deifying you fo over-much, that you cannot be 
 quiet in your Spirit till they have ^Uickc you down 
 as over- low *f D.oc your three kingdomes fb trouble 
 
 you 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 you, that they muft all three be fet on fire jat once^that 
 when you have done, you may probably run away 
 by thefr light into utter .darkneffe ? poe your three 
 Crowncs fit fo heavy on your head, that you will 
 break the backs of the three boj ; es tuat: let them on, 
 and helpt you bcare them fo honourably ? Have your 
 three Larnb-like flocks fo jnuleftcd you-, that you muft 
 deliver them up to ihe ravening "teeth of evening 
 Wolves t Are you fo angry with thofc c'^at never 
 gave you juft caufe to be angry, but by their too much 
 feare to anger you A all, wiien you gave them caufe 
 enough * Are you fo weary of Peace, that you will 
 never be weary of warres? Are you fo willing to 
 warreathouie, who were fo unwilling towarrea- 
 "Broad, wh:r.e and when you Ihould ? Are you fo wea- 
 ry of being a good King, th^t you w,ill leave your 
 (elf never a good Subjed ? Have you peace of Con- 
 
 fcience^ in enforcing many of your Subje&s to fight 
 for you againft their Confcienccs ? Are you provided 
 with Anfwcrs at the great T j >bunall 5 for the deftrudir 
 on of (o many thoufands, whereof every man was as 
 good a man as your Self/^/w man ? 
 
 Is it not a moft unworthy part for you to be run- 
 ning away from your Subje&s in a day of battell,up- 
 onwhofc Pikes you may come (afe with your naked 
 bread and welcome ? Is it honourable for you to be 
 flying on horfes, from thofe that would cftecme it 
 their greate ft honour^ cobeare you on their humble 
 flioulders to your Chaire of Eftate, and let you down 
 upon a Cufhion fluffed with their hearts ? Is it your 
 prudence to be inraged with your beft friends, for 
 adventuring their lives to refcue you from your worft 
 
 H 2 enc- 
 
T^t Simple Cobler of 
 
 enemies ? Were I a King, pardon the fuppofall, I 
 would hang that Subjed by the head, that would not 
 take me by the hecles, and dragge me to my Court, 
 when he fees me (hifting for life in the ruined Coun- 
 trey, if nothing clfe would doe it -, And I would 
 honour their very hceles, that would take me by the 
 very head, and teach me, by all juft rneanes, to King 
 it better, when they (aw me un- Kinging my fclfe and 
 Idngdome : Doc you not know Sir, that, as when 
 your people are ficke of the kings-evill, God hath 
 given you a gift to hcalcthem ? fowhen your felfe 
 are ficke of it, God hath given the Parliament a gift 
 to heale you : Hath your Subjects love been fo great 
 to you, that you will fpt nd it ail, and leave yonr chiU 
 dren little or no&e * Are you fo exafpera ed againft 
 wife Scotland, that you will make England yvm foole 
 or foot-ftoole Is your fathers Sonne grownc more 
 Orthodox, then his moft Orthodox father, when he 
 told his Sonne, that a King was for a king dome, and 
 not a kingdome for a King ? paralelt to that oif the 
 Apoftle , the husband is but by the wife, but the wife 
 of the husband. 
 
 Is Mdjtjttt Imp mi grownc fo kickifli, that it can- 
 not ftand quiet with Saltu Pepuli, unleffe it be fette- 
 red * Are you well advifed, in trampling your Sub- 
 jedls fo under your feet, that they can firide no place 
 to be fafe in, but over your head : Arc you fo inexo- 
 rably offended with your Parliament, for fuffering 
 you to returne as you did, when you came into their 
 houfe asyoudid>, that you will be avenged on ail 
 whom they repreftntf Will you follow your very 
 worft Councell fo farre, as to provoke your very 
 
AGGAVVA-M in America. 55 
 
 beft, to take better connfell than ever they did t If 
 your Ma jefty be not Popifh, as you profefle, and I am 
 very willing to beleeve, why doe you put the Parlia- 
 ment to refume the facrament of the Altar or Con- 
 iubftantiations in faying, the King and Parliament, 
 the King and Parliament f breaking your fimple 
 Subjects braines to undcrftand fuch myfticall Parli- 
 ament ? I queftion much, whether they were not bet- 
 ter fpeake plainer Englifh, than fuch Latine as the 
 Angels can hardly conftrue, and God happily loves 
 not to parfe , I can as well admit an ubiquitary King 
 as another , if a King be abroad in any good affaire 5 
 but if a King be at hortie, and will circumfcribe him- 
 felfc at Oxford, and profcribe or difcribe his Parlia- 
 ment at Wcftmrnftcr*, if that Parliament will pre- 
 fcribc what they ought, without luch paradoxing,/ 
 fhould chink God would fubfcribe a Le Dieu le vtnlt. 
 Is your Advifera fuch a Suavame* to you, that 
 hath been fuch a Grwamen to Religion and Peace ? 
 Shall the chiefe bearing wombe of your kingdorac^be 
 ever foconftituted, that it cannot be delivered of its 
 owne deliverance 5 in what pangs (bevcr it be, without 
 the will of one man- mid wife, and fuch a man as will 
 come and not come, but as he lift : nor bring a Par- 
 liament to bed of a well begotten Liberty without an 
 entire Subftidief Doe not your Majefty being a 
 Schollar , know that it was a truth long before 
 it was fpokcn 3 that Mnndw ejt MM tut nuHus, 
 that there is Princifum furnm unum , which unites 
 the world and all chat is in it; where that is bro- 
 ken, things fall afundcr, that whatfoeveris d liable or 
 
 triable, is fryable. 
 
 Is 
 
5 6 The Simple C^ er rf 
 
 Is the MtlittA of your kingdome, iuchan orient 
 
 flower of your Crowne , which all good Herbalifts 
 
 judge but a meere nettle , while it is in any one mans 
 
 hand living <f May not you as well, challenge the ab- 
 
 folute dHpofall of all the wealth of the kingdome 
 
 as of all the ftrcngth of your kingdome '. Can 
 
 you put any difference ? unlciFe it bee this, that 
 
 mens hearts and bones are within their skins, more 
 
 proper and intrinfecall , their lands and cattell more 
 
 external! : dare you not concrtdit the militia y with 
 
 thofe to whom you may bmuft your heart , better 
 
 then your owne breaft ? Will they ever harme you 
 
 with the Militia , that have no manner of malittA a- 
 
 gainft you, but for mif-imploying the Militid againft 
 
 them by the intUita of your ill Counfcl lours-' What 
 
 good will the MiliiiA doc you when you have wafted 
 
 the Realme of all the beft wilites it hath ? May not 
 
 your Majefty fee through a paire of Spe^acles,glazed 
 
 with inch-board- th * while you have your Adviser A 
 
 in one hand, and the MttiitA in the other 3 you have the 
 
 necks of your Subjeds under your feet, but not ybur 
 
 heart in your owne hanofxiae you not know that wa* 
 
 lum fft^ fofle malum ? 
 
 Hath tpifcopary b-enc fiich a religious Jewell in 
 your'State, chat y^u will fell all or moft of your Co- 
 ronets, Caps of honour, and blue Garters, for fix and 
 twcnry clo.h Caps * and your Barons Cloaks 3 for 
 fomany Rockets 3 whereof ufually twenty have had 
 fcarce good manners enough ro keepe the other fix 
 fweet { Is no Bifhop no King , fuchan oraculous 
 Truth, that you will pawne your Crowne and life up- 
 onit(f if you will 5 God may make it true indeed on 
 
 your 
 
AGO AW AM in America. 
 
 your part : Had you rather part withall , then lofe a 
 few iuperfluous tumors , to pare off your monftioufl 
 nefle ? Will you be fo covetous, as to get more then 
 you ought, by lofing more then you need < Have you 
 not driven good Subje&s enough abroad,but you will 
 alfo Slaughter them that (lay at home? Will you take 
 fuch an ill courfe, that no prayers can faften any good 
 upon you < Is there not fome worie root than all 
 thcfe, growing in your Spirit, bringing forth all this 
 bitter fruit < againft which you fliould take up Arms, 
 rather than againft yourharmelefle Subjects' Doe 
 you not forefee 5 into what importable head tearings 
 and heart- fearchings you will be ingulfed, when the 
 Parliament (hall give you a mate, though but a Stale? 
 Mcthinks it (hould breake your heart,t f" ce ^ uc h a one 
 as I , 'prefume fo much upon your Clemency and too 
 much upon your Majefty , which your felfe have fo 
 cclipfed by the interpofall of your Stlfe between your 
 Selfe and your Selfe , that it hath not ray's enough 
 left, to dazle downe the height of my aflfe&ions to the 
 awe of my Judgement. 
 
 Trei-Royall Sir , I once againe befeech you, with 
 teares dropping from my hoary head, to cover your 
 Selfe as clofe as you. may , with the heft {hkld of 
 goodneffe you have : I have fomewhat more to fay, 
 which may happily trouble noc your Selfe, but your 
 followers ,' more than whac is already faid. There li- 
 ved in your Realmeand Reigne two whom I may 
 well tearme Prophets, both now in a better king- 
 dorne-, whereof one foretold two things concerning 
 your Majefty, of chele very proceedings, long before 
 they began , which being done and paft fhall bee bu- 
 ried 
 
58 The Simple Cobler of 
 
 ried in filencc : the other made this predi&ion about 
 the fame time. 
 
 King Charles will joyne Himfelfe to bitter Grief e^ 
 
 Then joy fie to Ged^ and prove a Godly Chiefe. 
 His words were in proie thefe, king Charles will come 
 into fetters, meaning ftrong affliftions^and then prove 
 as good asking, as (uch a good king of Ifrael , whom 
 he then named, but I need notrhe was as inwardly ac- 
 quainted with the minde of God , as fervent and fre- 
 quent a Beadfman for your welfare , and had as reli- 
 gious Opticks of State , as any man I know : fourc 
 other Predictions he nrjade,full as improbable as this, 
 whereof three are pundually performed. A good 
 Chriftian being fometime in confli&s of Conference, 
 hurried with long tentations , ufcd this fpcech to my 
 felfe, I am now refolved to be quiet, for I plainly fee, 
 God will fave me whether I will or no : If your Ma- 
 jefty would be pleafed to thinke fo in your heart, and 
 lay fowith your mouth , all the good Subjedsyou 
 have, would fay, \^4men , till the heavens rang, and I 
 hope you have few fo bad, but would fay, So be it. 
 
 Much lamented Sir, If you will pleafe to retire your 
 Selfe to your Clofet , whither you may moft fafely 
 come, and make your peace with God,for the vaft he- 
 ritage of finneyonr Intombed father left upon your 
 fcore, the drcadfull Imprecation he pou red upr>n the 
 heads of his tender Pofterity in Somwerfets&nd Over- 
 buryes Cafe , publifhed in Starchamber by his com- 
 mand^ your owne finfull marriage, the fophiftication 
 of Religion and Policiein your time, the luxury of 
 your Court and Count rey, your connivence with the 
 Iriih butcheries 3 your fcrgetfull breaches upon the 
 
 Par- 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 Parliament , your compliance with Popifh Doegs, 
 with what elfe your Confcience (hall fuggeft : and 
 give us, your guilty Subje&s example to doe the like, 
 who have held pace and proportion with you in our 
 cvill wayes : we will helpe you by Gods affiftancc, 
 to poure ont rivers of tears, to wafli away the ftreams 
 of blood , which have beerae flied for chefe heavy ac- 
 counts 5 we will alfo helpe you, God helping us, to 
 belceve, that there is hope in ifracl for thefe things: 
 and Balme enough in his GiUtd to heale all the bro- 
 ken bones of your three kingdomcs , and to redouble 
 your honour and our peace : His Arme is infinite*, to 
 an infinite power all things arc equally faifible to an 
 infinite mercy , all finnes equally pardonable. The 
 Lord worke thefe things in us and for us 3 for his com- 
 paffions fake in Jefus Chrift. 
 
 Sir E 'you may now pleafe to difcover your Selfe 
 where you pleafe ; I truft I have not ind angered you : 
 I prefuinc your Eare-guard will keep farre enough 
 from you, what ever IJhave faid : be it fo, I have di 
 charged my duty, let them look to theirs. II my 
 tongue fhould reach your eares, which I Itttle hope 
 for -, Let it be once faid 5 the great King of great jBr/- 
 ^/^ 5 tookeadvifeofafimpleCobler,yetfuch a Cob- 
 ler, as will not exchange either his blood or his pride, 
 with any Shoo- maker or Tanner in your Realme,nor 
 with any of your late Bifliops which have flattered 
 you thus in peeces: J would not fpcake thus in the ears 
 of the world , through the mouth of the Preffe for all 
 the plunder your plunderers have pillaged 5 were it; 
 not iomewhat to abate your Royall indignation to- 
 ward a loyoll Subjed - 3 a Subject whole heart hath 
 
 J beene 
 
The Simple CoHer of 
 
 becne long carbonadoed, des veniaim verbo^ in flames 
 ot affe&ion towards you. Your Majefty know or 
 may know , time was , when J did , or would have 
 done you a better peecc of fervice 5 than all your 
 Troopes and Regiments are now doing. Should J 
 heare any Gentleman that follow you, of my y cares, 
 fay he lo^es you better than J 5 if it were law full, J 
 would fweare by my fword , he faid more than his 
 fword would make good. 
 
 Gracious Sir, Vouchfafe to pardon mee ray no 
 other finne, but my long Jdolatry towards you, and j 
 will pardon you your treafon againft me,even me, by 
 committing treafon againft your Selfe my Lord and 
 ; and your murther in murthering me > even me, 
 
 by murtheving my dear fellow- Subje&s, bone of my 
 bone 5 and flefh of my flefh , and of yours alfo. Jf 
 you will not pardon me, J will pardon my felf, dwell 
 in my owne cloaths as long as J can , and make as 
 good a (hift fo my proportion, as he that hath a ligh- 
 ter paire of heels : And when you have done what 
 you pkafc and what you can, Jam rcfblved to be 
 
 As loya/l a Svbjeff to your Mtjefty when I 
 have never a head on my fielders T as 
 you A Royatl King te me> when you have 
 yew three Crownes on jour head. 
 
 Theod: de la Guard* 
 
 j 
 
AGGAVVAM in America* 
 
 I Would my skill would ferve me alfo , as well as 
 my heart,to tranflate Prince Rttpertfor his Queen- 
 mothers fake, Elizf a fecond. Mifmcane me nor. I 
 have had him in mine armes when he was younger, I 
 wifh I hid him there now : if I miftake nor, hee pro- 
 mifed then to be a good Prince , but I doubt he hath 
 forgot it : if I thought he would not be angry with 
 me , I v^ould pray hard to his Maker , to make him a 
 right Roundhead, a Wife- hearted Palatine , a thank- 
 full man to the Engliflv, to forgive all his finnes, and 
 at length to (a ve his foule, riotwithftanding all his 
 God-damne mee's : yet I may doe him wrong,! am 
 not certaine hee ufeth that oath , I wifli no man clie 
 would I dare fay the Devills dare nor. I thank God 
 I have lived in a Colony of many thoufand Englifh 
 almoft thefe twelve yeares , am held a very fociable 
 man^ yet I may confiderately fay, I never heard but 
 one Oath fworne, nor never faw one man drunke, nor 
 ever heard of three women Adulterefles , in all this 
 time , that I can call to minde : If thefe finnes bee a* 
 rnongft us privily, the Lord healc us, I would not bee 
 underftoodtoboaft of our innocency $ there is no 
 caufe I (hould,our hearts may be bad enough,and our 
 Jives much better. But to follow my bufineffe. 
 
 Profectuions of Warres between a King and his 
 Parliament^re the direfull dilacerationsohhe world, 
 the cruell Cataftrophes of States, dreadfull to fpeake 
 of 5 they are mfwd* & ntgtnd* : I know no grounds 
 cm be given of them but two : Either upon reafon 
 founded upon fome furmifall of Treafon , which my 
 reafon cannot reach : I could never conceive why a 
 
 I 2 ra- 
 
O2 The Simple fyUer of 
 
 rational! King fhould commit Treafon againft a rea- 
 fonable Parliament*, or how a faithfull Parliament a- 
 gainft their lawfull King : the moft I can imagine, 
 is a mifprifion of Treafon ', upon a mifprifion of 
 Reafon. Hce that knowes not the Spirit of his 
 King, is an Atheift. Our King is not Charles le 
 fimple fometimc of France : he underftands not our 
 King that underftands him not to be under/landing.. 
 The Parliament is fuppofed Omnifcient : becaufe un- 
 der God they are Omnipotent : if a Parliament have 
 not as much knowledge and all other vertues , as. all 
 the Kingdome befide, they are no good Abridgement 
 of the Commonwealth* I beleeve Remonftrances 
 have demonftratcd enough concerning this point of 
 Reafon, to give fatisfadtion to fuch as fatisfa&ion.will 
 fatisfie Or upon Will. 
 
 The Will of a King is very numinous 5 it hath a 
 kinde of vaft univerfaiity in it, it is many times grea- 
 ter then the Will of his whole kingdome / ftifned 
 with ill Counfell and ill Prefidents : if it be not a foot 
 andhalfc lefler than the Will of his Councell, and 
 three foot IcfTcr that the Will 0f his Parliament it is 
 too big. I thinke it were well for a King if he had no 
 will at all, but were all realon. What if he commit- 
 ted his morall will to Divines, that were no Bifhops? 
 his Political^ to his Parliament.and a Councell cho- 
 fcn by Parliament ". that if ever it mifcarry , they 
 may.blamethemfelvemoft, and him leaft. J fcarce 
 know any King that hath fuch advantage as ours ^ his 
 three kingdomes lye fo diftin&'and entire, that if hec 
 pleafe, he might keepe them like three gardens with- 
 out a weed, if he would let God keepe his will, with- 
 out wilf nine/ft and raflineffe. J 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 I have obferved men to have two kindes of Wills, 
 a Free-hold will, fuch as men hold in Capitt of them- 
 felves or a Copy-hold will^held at the will of other 
 Lords or Ladies. I have read almoft all the Com- 
 mon Law st England^ and fome Statutes 5 yet I ne- 
 ver read, that the Parliament held their will in fuch 
 aC4//tt: their Tenure is Knight- fir <vice^ and good 
 Knight- (ervice toa, or elfe they are to blame. And 
 I am furc, a King cannot hold by Copy, at the will of 
 other Lords the Law calls that faje tenure, incon- 
 fiftent with Royalty ; much more bafe is it, to hold 
 at the will of Ladies . Apron- firing tenure is very 
 weak, tyed but of a flipping knot, which a childe may 
 undoe, much more a King. It ftands not with our 
 Queens honour to weare an Apron, much lefTc her 
 Husband, in the firings 5 that were to infhare both 
 him and her felf in many unfafeties. I never heard our 
 King was Effeminate: to be a little Uxorious per- 
 fonally,is a vertuous vice in Oeconomicks , but Roy- 
 ally, a vitious vertue in Politicks. To fpeak Englifh, 
 Books and tongues tell us, the errour of thefe warres 
 on our ITings part, proceeds from ill Counftllonrs. 
 Ill Counfcllours, are very ill Gamefters ; if they fee 
 their own ftake a loofing, they will play away King, 
 Queen, Bifhops, Knights, Rooks, Pawncs, and all, 
 before they will turne up the board .- they that play 
 forlufts,will play away themfelvcs, and 'not leave 
 themfelves fo much as a heart to repent ; and thca 
 there is no Market left, but Hell -, if the cafe be thus, 
 it is to no end to look for any end,till one fide make an 
 end of the other. 
 
 I They 
 
64 Tfx Simple Cobler of 
 
 They that at flak? their Crewnes And Hwonrs fet, 
 Play lofting games , iflujt or Gujlt dot btt. 
 
 Ceftatien. 
 
 If God would vouchsafe to give his Majefties Re- 
 ligion and Rcafon, power to fling his wills head over 
 the Wall, in matter of Compofition, and his Sub- 
 jefts ftrength to throw their lufts after itj Armes 
 would be loon laid down, and Peace foon taken up. 
 They that are not at peace with God, are not ac peace 
 with themfelvcs, whatever they think ; and they that 
 are not at peace with themfelves, cannot be at p^eace 
 with others, if occafion provokes 5 be their natures ne- 
 ver fo good. 
 
 So farre as I can conjedure, the chiefc impediment 
 to a generall and mutuall CeflTation of Armes, is,a de- 
 fpaire of mutuall and generall forgiveneffe. If ever 
 England had need of a generall Jubile in Heaven and 
 Earth, it is now. Our King and Parliament have been 
 at great ftrife, who (hould obtaine moft Juftice: if 
 they would now ftrive, who (honld (hew moft Mer- 
 cy, it would hare well throughout the world. Here 
 alfo my fpecch muft be twofold and blind-fold. It is 
 now nineMoneths and more fincethe laft credible 
 News was a&td : . it is poflible by this, the Parlia- 
 ment may be at the Kings mercy : Did I fay a Kings 
 mercy, wJiat can I fay more ? no man on earth, can 
 (hew more mercy than a King, nor fliall need more, 
 when he comes to give an Account of his kingdome : 
 Nor did ever any Parliament merit raore^tnercy than 
 this, for they never finned, that I know, I meane a- 
 gainft the Common and Statute Law of England : it 
 
 is 
 
AGGAWAM in America. 65 
 
 is pity they who have given fo many gcncrall par- 
 dons, (hould want one now. If our jring hath loft 
 his way, and thereby learned to look to his path bet- 
 ter hereafter, and taught many Succefibrs to tf ing it 
 right for many ages ; Me thinks it flioul i impetrate 
 a Roy all Redintegration, upon a Roy all acknow- 
 ledgement and ingagement. But how fliould an er- 
 ring /Ting truft a provoked Parliament { Surely He 
 may truft God fafe enough ; who will never truft 
 that State more with a good /Cing, that will doe ill to 
 a #ing that is turned fo good. Me thinks thofe pafTa- 
 ges of Scripture, ^1.43. 24,25. ^^.57,17, 18. The 
 ft range illation, ti of. 2.13, 14. fhould melt a heart of 
 fteele into floods of mercy. 
 
 For others, were my head, one of the heads which 
 firft gave the King Counfell to take up thefe Armes, 
 or to perfift in them, when at any time he would have 
 disbanded, I would give that head to the Jfingdome, 
 whether they would or no if they would not cut ic 
 off, I would cut ic offmy felf, and tender it at the Par- 
 liament doore, upon condition that all other heads 
 might ftand, which ftand upon penitent hearts, and 
 will doe better on than off-, then I would carry it to 
 London Bridge, and charge my tongue to teach all 
 tongues, to pronounce Parliament right hereafter.. 
 When a kingdome is broken juft in the neck joynt, 
 in my poore policy, ropes and hatchets are not the 
 kindlicft inftrumcnts to fct it : Next to tfie fpillinig 
 of the blood of Chrift for fln/he fparing of the Wood 
 of finners, where it maybe as well fpared~as fpilt, is 
 the beft way of expiation. It is no rare thing for Sub- 
 to follow a leading Ki'ng; if he will cake his 
 
 trun- 
 
6 6 Tlie Simple (otter of 
 
 truncheon in his hand, it muft be expeded many- 
 will put their fwords in their Belts. Sins that rife one 
 of miftakc of judgement, are not fo finfull as thofe of 
 malice ordinarily : and when multitudes fin, multi- 
 tudes of mercy are the beft Anodines. 
 
 gratia gratis data^ gratifsima. 
 
 Grace willdiffelve, but rigour hardens guilt : 
 Breakjtot with Steely bUwes^ what oylefhottld melt. 
 
 In Breaches integrant^ 'tween Principalls of States^ j 
 Due fuftice may fappreffe, hut Love redintegrates . 
 
 Whofoever be pardoned, I pray let not Britanicut 
 fcape, I mean a pardon. I take him to be a very well 
 delerving Gentleman 5 Out of my entire refpedto 
 him, I {hall prefume to give him halfe a dozen flitches 
 ofadvife. 
 
 I intreat him to confider that our King is not onely 
 a man, but a King in afflidion. Kings affli&ions are 
 beyond Subje&s apprehenfions , a Crown may hap- 
 pily ake as much as a whole Common- wealth. 
 
 I defire him alfo to conceale himfelf as deeply as 
 he can, if he cannotgetafpeciall pardon, towearea 
 Latitat, about his neck, or let him lie clofe under the 
 Philofbphers ftone^and Tie warrant him for ever be- 
 ing found. 
 
 If he be difcovered, Jcounfell him to get his head 
 fet on fafter than our New-England Taylors uf c to fee 
 on Buttons ; Kings, and Kings Childrens memories 
 are as keen as their Subjeds wits. 
 
 If he fears any inch thing,that he would come over 
 
 to 
 
AGGAVVAM in America* 
 
 tous,tohelperecruiteour pumpkin blaftcd braines : 
 we will promite to maintain him fb long as he lives 
 if he will prornife to live no longer then we main- 
 tain him. 
 
 If hefhoukl be difcovered and his head chance to 
 be cut off againft his will, J earneftly befeech him to 
 bcqueathe his wits to me and miae inFee-fimple, for 
 we want them, and cannot live by our hands in this 
 Country. 
 
 Laftly, J intreat him to keep his purfe, J give him 
 my counlell gutis, confefling him to be more then 
 my match, and that J am very loath t fall into his 
 hands. 
 
 Prosecution. 
 
 If Reformation, Conapofition, CefTation, can finde 
 no admittance, there muft and will be Prolecution .- 
 to which I would alfo fpeak briefely and indifferently 
 (till to both fides ; and firft to that, which I had ra- 
 ther call Royalifts then Cavaliers 5 who if I miftake 
 not, fight againft the Truth. 
 
 Foolifli Cowardly man ( I pray patience, for I 
 fpeak nothing but the pulfe of my own heart ) dreads 
 and hates, nothing in Heaven or Earth, fo much as 
 Truth: it is not God, nor Law, nor fin, nor death, 
 nor hell, that he fcares, but onely becaufe he feares 
 there is Truth in them : Could he de-truth them all, 
 he would defie them all : Let Perdition it felf come 
 upon him with deadly threats, fiery fwords,difplay- 
 ed vengeance, he cares not : Let Salvation come 
 cap in hand, with naked Reafon, harmelefle Religi- 
 on, lawny embracements, he will rather flye or dye, 
 
 K than 
 
d8 T7;e Simple Cobler of 
 
 than entertaine k : come Truth in what (hape it will, 
 he will rejedt it : and when hec can beat it off with 
 mod fteely proweife , he thinkes himfelfc the braveft 
 man^when in truth it is nothing bu^exfanguine feeble 
 exility of Spirit. Thy heart, faith the Prophet Ez^ek^ 
 16.30. isweakc, like the heart of an imperious who- 
 rifh woman : a man would thinke, the heart of an 
 imperious whore, were the very pummel 1 of Sunder- 
 bergs fword ; alas, (lie is hen-hearted, fhee dares not 
 looke Truth in the face ; if fhee dared, (he would nei- 
 ther be whorifh, nor imperious, nor weake. He (hews 
 more true fortitude , that prayes quarter of the lea ft 
 Truth 5 at a miles diftance , than hee that breakes 
 through and hcwes down the moft Thebean Phalanx 
 that ever fitld bare. Paul cxpreft more true valour, 
 in faying, I can doe nothing againft the Truth , than 
 GeltAk^ in defy ing the whole hofte of J frail. 
 
 Couragious Gentlemen , Yce that will ftab hi.Ti 
 that gives you the lye take heed yee fpend n^t 
 your bloods, limbs and foules, in fighting for fome 
 untruth : and yec that will fling out the gantlet to him 
 thatcallsyou Coward, dishonour not your felves 
 with fuch Cowardifc, as to fight agamft Truth,meer- 
 ly for feare of it. A thousand pities it isTuch gallant 
 Spirits fliould fpend their lives , honours , heritages 
 and fwcet relations in any warres , vc here, for ought 
 many of them know > fomc falfc miftake commands 
 in Chicfe. 
 
 Honoured Country- men, bee intreated to love 
 Truth : if it loves not you againe, and repaires not all 
 your loflcs, then inftall iome untruth in its roome, for 
 your Generall. Jf you will needs warre^ be perjfvva- 
 
 dcd 
 
AGGAVVAM in America, 60 
 
 ded to contend lawfully,wifely and 
 all Errors in Divinity and Policy : they arc the cur- 
 fed Counter- mures , dropt Portcullifes, fcowring 
 Angi-ports, fdphurious Granado's , laden murthe- 
 rers , peevifti Galthropcs , and rafcali defparadoes, 
 which the Prince of lyes imployes with all his skill 
 and malice , to maintaine the walls and gates of his 
 kingdome, when Truth would enter in , with grace 
 and peace to fave forlorne finners , and diftreffed 
 Commonwealths; witneffc the prefent deplorable 
 cftatc of fundry States in Europe. 
 
 Give mee leave to fpeake a word more f - it is but 
 this, Y^e will findc it afarreeafierfield, to wage 
 warre againft all the Armies that ever were or will be 
 on Earth, and all the Angels of heaven 3 than to take 
 up Arm<rs 5 againft any truth of God : It hath more 
 Counfell and ftrength than all the world befidcs 5 and 
 will certainly either gaine , or mine, convert or fub- 
 vert every man that oppofes it. I hope ingenuous 
 men will rather take advice , then offence at what I 
 have (aid : I htd rather plcafe ten,' than grieve one in- 
 telligent man. 
 
 If this (idc be refolute, I turne me to the other. 
 
 Goe on brave Englishmen, in the name of God, go 
 on profperoufly, becaufe of Truth and Righteoufncs : 
 Yce that have the Caufe of Religion, the life of your 
 Kingdome and of all the good that is in it, in your 
 hands : Goe on undauntedly : As you are Called and 
 Chofen, fo be faithfull : Yee fight the battells of the 
 Lord, bee neither defidious nor perfidious : You 
 ferve the King of Kings , who ftiles you his hea- 
 venly Regiments : Confider well, w hat impregnable 
 
 K 2 fighting 
 
The Simple Cobler of 
 
 fighting it is in heaven , where the Lordof Hofts is 
 your Gencrall, his Angells,your Colonclls,the Stars, 
 yourfellow-fouldicrs, hisSaints 3 yourOratours, his 
 Promifcs, your vi<ftuallers,his Truth,your Trenches; 
 where Diums are Harps , Trumpets joyfull founds 5 
 your Enfign?s,Chrifts Banners- where your weapons 
 and armour, are fpirituall,therefore irrefiftable^here- 
 fore impiereable; where Sunne and wind cannot 
 difadvantage you, you are above them , where hell it 
 felfe cannot hurt you , where your f words are furbu- 
 flied and fharpened , by him that made their metall, 
 where your wounds , are bound up with the oyle of a 
 good Caufe, where your blood runnes into the veynes 
 of Chrift, where ludden death is prefent martyrdome 
 and life your funeralls refurredions ; your honour, 
 glory ; where your widows and babes are received- 
 into perpetuall penfions ;- your names lifted among 
 DAvias Worthies 5 where your greateft loflcs are 
 greateft gaines; and where you leave the trou- 
 bles of wane, tolyedowne in downy beds of eter- 
 nallreft.. 
 
 What good will it doe you, deare Countrymen,to - 
 live without lives, to enjoy England without the God 
 oiEngUnd } your Kingdome without a Parliament, 
 your Parliament without power, your Liberties with- 
 out {lability, your Lawes without Juftice , your ho- 
 nours without ycrtue,your beings without tranquilly, 
 /your wives without honefly , your children without' 
 morality, your fervants without civility , your lands 
 without propriety T your goods without immunity, the 
 Gofpel without falvation , your Churches without 
 Miniftery* your Minifters without piety , and all you* 
 
 have 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 7 l 
 
 have or can have , with more teares and bicterncflTc of 
 heart, than all you have and (hill have will fweeteei* 
 or wipe away * 
 
 Goe on therefore Renowned Gentlemen , fall on 
 refolvedly,till your hands cleave to your fwbrds,your 
 fwords to your enemies hearts,your hearts to vi&ory> 
 your vidories to triumph, your triumphs to the ever- 
 lafting praife of him that hath given you Spirits to 
 offer your fclves willingly , and to jeopard your lives 
 in high perills 5 for his Name and fervice fake. 
 
 And Wee your Brethren, though we ncceflarily a- 
 bide beyond $ordan, and remaine on the American 
 Sea-coafts, will fend up Armies of prayers to the 
 Throne of Grace , that the God of power and good-^ 
 neffe, would incourage your hearts,corer your heads, 
 ftrengrhen your arms, pardon your finnes r fa ve your 
 foules, and bleffe your families, in the day of Battcll. 
 Wee will alfo pray, that the fame Lord of Hofts, 
 would difcover the Counfells,defeat the Enterprizes^ 
 deride the hopes, difdaine the infolencies s and wound 
 the hairy fcalpes of your obftinate Enemies , and yet 
 pardon all ,that arc unwillingly mifled. Wee will 
 likewife hclpc you beleeve that Gpd will be feene on 
 the Mount> 'that it is all one with him, to fave by ma- 
 ny or few 5 and that he doth but humble and try you 
 for the prefent , that he may doe you good at the lat- 
 ter end. All which hee bring to pafle who is able to 
 doe exceeding abundantly , above all we can aske or 
 thinke, for his Truth and mercy fake in Jefus Chrift. . 
 Artn. Amen. 
 
72, The SimpU Cotter of 
 
 A Wotd of ICELAND: 
 
 Not of the Nation uni<verjatly, nor of any man in 
 
 ity that hath fa much & one haire of Chriflianity or 
 
 Humanity growing on his head or kearJ, but 
 
 onely ef the truculent Cut-throats y **d 
 
 fuck as jhaKttkc up ^4rme$ 
 
 in their Defence. 
 
 THcfe Irifh anciently called ^*trop*pbagi y 
 eaters : Have a Tradition among them. That 
 when the Dcvill fhewed our Saviour all the king- 
 domes of the Earth and their glory, that he would 
 not (hew him IrcUnd, but refervcd it for himfelf : it 
 is probably true, for he hath kept it ever fince for 
 his own peculiar- the old Fox, forefaw it wold ec- 
 clipfe the glory of all the reft : he thought k wifdome 
 to keep it for a Boggards for himfelf, and all hisuit- 
 clean fpirits imploycd in this Hemifphcre , and the 
 people, to doe hrs Son and Heire, I mean the Pope % 
 that fervice for which Lwis the eleventh kept his 
 Barber Oliver y which makes themfo blood thirfty. 
 They are thevery Offallofmcn, Drcgges ofMan- 
 kind,Reproach of Chriftcndome,the Bots that crawlc 
 on the Beafts taile, J wonder fameu. felf is not afha- 
 medofthem. 
 
 J begge upon my hands and knees, that the Ex - 
 
 pcdkion 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 75 
 
 pedition againft them may be undertaken while the 
 hearts and hands of our Souldiery are hot, to whom 
 J will be bold to fay briefly : Happy is he that (hall 
 reward them as they have fcrved us,and Curfed be he 
 that (hall do that work of the Lord negligently, Cur- 
 fed be he that holdeth back his Sword from blood - 
 yea, Curfcd be he that raakcth not his Sword ftarke 
 drunk with Irijh blood, that doth not recompcncc 
 them double for their hellifn treachery to the *?///ft, 
 that maketh them not heaps upon heaps, and their 
 Country a dwelling place for Dragons, an Aftonifh- 
 ment to Nations : Let not that eye look for pity, nor 
 that hand to be fpared, that pities or fpares them, and 
 let him be aceurfed, that curfeth not them bitterly* 
 
 ERRATA 
 
74 We Simple Cobler of 
 
 ERRATA 
 
 AT KON 
 
 CORRIGENDA :* 
 
 NO W J come to rubbe over my work, J findc 
 five or fix things like faults, which would bee 
 mended or commended, Jknow not well which. 
 
 i . For ZmVy,read Lepidity, _ and that a very 
 little, and that very neceflary, if not unavoydable. 
 Mifee jtttltitiAm Confiliis krevem 
 Dulce eft deft fere in loco. Horat. 
 To [peak to light heads with heavy words, were to 
 break their necks : to cloathe Summer matter, with 
 Winter Rugge, would make the Reader fweat. It is 
 Hiufick to me, to heare every Dity fpeak its fpirit in its 
 apt tune : every breaft, to fing its proper part, and eve- 
 ry creature,to exprcfle it felf in its naturall notcrfliould 
 J heare a Moufe roare like a Beare, a Cat lowgh like 
 an Oxe,or a Horlc whittle like a Red- breaft, it would 
 fcare me, 
 
 ?hc world's A wellftrung fdle^ntans tongue the quill y 
 
 That fills the world with fumble for w Ant of skill* 
 When things And words in tune And tone doe meet y 
 The unlvcrfall fong goes fmootb andfaeet. 
 
 2. For aiulacitjjtv&y veracity or Vcrum Gallic* non 
 
 liben- 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 
 
 libenter tudis. Martial. Flattery never doth weli,but 
 when it is whifpercd through a paire of lifping teeth 
 Truth beft, when it is fpoken oqr, through a paire of 
 open lips. Ye mae fuch a noife there, with Drums 
 and Trumpets, tbac if I fhould not fpeai loud, yee 
 could not hear me .- Ye ulAe one to another, with 
 whole Culvering and Canon - give us leave to tal^ 
 Squibs and Piftolctto's charged with nothing but 
 powder of Love and fliot of Reafon : if you will cut 
 iuch deep gaftics in one anothers flcfli, we muft fow 
 them up with deep ftkches^clfe yc may bleed to death: 
 ye were better let us^your tender Countrymen doe it, 
 than forraigne Surgeons, who will handle you more 
 cruelly, and ta^eno other pay, but your Lives and 
 Lands. 
 
 Ecce mcoS) utinamcfus octlos i 
 
 Infer ere : & patri& inttts deprendere Cur AS. Ovid. 
 
 (Phceb, 
 tie that to tall wen fpeak^f^^fl lift *fs hud , 
 
 And when h'hath done 9 nttiflfet it where he did : 
 He that to proud men talkes^ wuftput on pride 5 
 
 And when h'hath dwe>'tis good to lay't afide. 
 
 3. fctftTfsfatyMfpealtAt three tbotfand mite$di~ 
 P/ince } vt>h^h every Cow&ddare doe^ read, if my heart 
 deceives me not, 1 would fpeak^ thus ^ in the Pre fence 
 Chamber or Houfe of Commons 5 hoping Homer will 
 fpc *^ a good word for me. 
 
 Omnibus 
 
Simple (Roller of 
 
 Qmnilttt in rebus fotiorvirfortis & audax 
 Sit licet hofpes, &e hnginquis venerit oris. 
 
 When Kings are /<?/?, andSubje&s caft away, 
 A fathfttll heart fiwldfpeake what tongue can fay 
 
 h sfyls not where this faith full heart doth Jrve!l y 
 His faith full dealing jhonld be taken 
 
 4* For, ajfeffed terwes, read, / kdjte nor. - Jf 
 J affeft termeSjit is my feeblenefle-, Friends that know 
 ixie, thin^e J doc not : J confeflTe , J fee J have here 
 and there ta^en a few finifli ftitches,which may hap- 
 ly pleafe a few velvet ears ; but J cannot now well 
 ppll them out, unlcffe J fhould fearae rend all. Jt 
 ieemes it is in fafhion witfi you to fugar your papers, 
 and dapple your fpeeches , with new qutfdled words. 
 Ermins inMinifcr is every mans Coat. Yet we hear 
 fomeare racing in old mufty charnell-boo/^s, for, old 
 mouldy monofyllables-, J wifh they were all bantfht 
 to Mtnwptbfbire 9 to returne when they had mpre 
 wit. 
 
 nafcettttrtitiA jamcecidere, cadentque 
 ntwc font in benere vac/iMa^f volet ufw. Hor. 
 
 : I honour them with my heart , that can expreflfe 
 more than ordinary matter in - ordinary words ; 
 it is a pleafing eloquence, them more,that ftudy wife-^ 
 ly and foberly to inhance their native language; them 
 moft of all, that cfteeme the late fignificant fpeech,the 
 third great blefling of the Land?, it being fo enriched , 
 that a man may fpcake many tongues in his mothers 
 mouth; and an uplandifli Rufticke, more jn one word 
 tl#n Jiiq&felfe and all the Parifli underftands. Afte- 
 
 dcd 
 
AGGAVVAM in America. 77 
 
 &ed termes are unaffe&ing things to folid heare rs; yet 
 I hold him prudent, that in thefe faftidious times,will 
 helpe difcdged appetites with convenient condiments, 
 and bangled ears, with pretty quicke pluckes. 1 fpeakc 
 the rather becaufe, not long fince, I met with a book, 
 the bcft to mee I ever faw , but the Bible ; yet under 
 favour 5 it was fomewhat underclad 3 efpecially by 
 him who can both excogitate and expreire what hec 
 undertakes, as well as any man I know. 
 
 The world if grown* fo f#e in words and witt, 
 That pens mtiftnow Sir Edward Nicholas it. 
 
 He that much matter {peaks, ft takes ne'r a whin. 
 jf's tongue doth not earner' t above his witt. 
 
 5 . For, Yon verfe it (imply jvhat need have we of your 
 thin P*tf ry ; read,I confefle I wonder at it my felfyhat I 
 fhould turnc Poet : Jean impute it to nothing, but to 
 the flatuoiifnefle of our diet: they arc but f udden rap- 
 tures foonc up, (boflc downe. 
 -Dediiftum dicer t Carmen, is highly commended by 
 
 , 
 
 Agreftem tenui meditator arundine mufam. 
 Toetrj's a gift wherein fat few excel/; 
 
 He doth very itt> that doth not pacing well. 
 tut he doth pap ing well, that doth ki$ heft, 
 
 And he doth bejt^ thatpafseth all the reft. 
 
 6. For tedcovfneffe, read, I am forry for it - Wee 
 have aftrong weakncflein N.E. that when wee arc 
 fpeaking, we know not how to conclude ; wee make 
 many ends, before we make an end : the fault is in the 
 
 L ^ Climate; 
 
7 8 Tlie Simple Coller of 
 
 Climate; we cannot helpc it though we can t which is 
 the Arch infirmity in all morality: We are fo near the 
 Weft pole , that our Longitudes are as long , as aay 
 wife man would wi(h,and fomewhat longer. ] fcarce 
 know any Adage more gratehill,r.han Grata brcvi M. 
 ycrbj, confer maxime ad compendium. Plaut. 
 
 Coblcrs will 'mend \ but foms wiS never mend y 
 But end, and end^ and tnd^ and never end. 
 
 A well-girt houre gives every man content, 
 Sixe ribs of beef e y are worth fixe weeks if Lent. 
 
 For , all my other faults , which may bee more and 
 greater than 1 fee y read, / am heartily forry for th m be- 
 fore J Aoow them , left J (hould forget it after * 'and 
 "humbly crave pardon at adventure , having nothing, 
 that J can thinAof, to plead but this, 
 
 <%*ify*is inofs peccrt^ mmor eft rerts. Petron. 
 Poore Ceblers mil may fault it now and then^ 
 Thcy'r ever mending faults for ether me? 
 And if I werkgforxoHght, why Is it faid, 
 This bungling Cobler would be fondly paid ? 
 
 Se farewell England old 
 
 Jftvilltiwescnfat, 
 Letgoedmen cgme to us, 
 
 Weil welcome them to New. 
 
 And farewell loving Friends, 
 If happy dayes enfue, 
 w'l have fome Gwfts from hence > 
 fray welcome m toyeu. 
 
 And 
 
AGGAVVAM Jh :Ammca. 7$ 
 
 Ifthetfltthy Cranium mend > 
 is my L>ifi tnd All- 
 
 . V 
 
 End. 
 
 Let me drive in half a dozen pfaine honeft 
 Country Hobnailes , fuch as the Martyrs 
 were wont to weare^ to make my work 
 hold the furer aixt I have done. 
 
 \ft yk^^T 
 
 1 . *-r*Hcre lives ctnnot kegott, 
 
 X Thwjiti&ctnfiotfafutc, 
 Where Truth cannot be quiet ^ 
 Nor Ordinances fur e. 
 
 2. No K'fig can King it right, 
 
 Nor rightly foray hi$ Rtds 
 
 Who truely fovetnot Chrift, 1 
 
 Andtruclyfctrs not Cod. 
 
 . He unnot rule a 
 
 As Land* tbould ruled leen, 
 Th At lets bfafetfitrnfd 
 $y a ruling Romane 
 
 4. No etrthly m an c An be 
 
 Trus Subject to this SMe 
 Who makes the Pope his & 
 Jh Heretiqtte kv Mate. 
 
 L 3 J, Tbm 
 
The Simple fabler of &c. 
 
 5. There Peace will %oe to War, 
 Andfilence wake a noife : 
 Where upper things mil not 
 With nether 
 
 6. The upper worldjball Rule, 
 
 Wmle Stars will run their race : 
 The nether world obey, 
 While People l(eep their flace. 
 
 
 The Clench. 
 
 f **y 
 
 So longs the world doe lajl ** 
 Then credit not 4 word 
 Of what is (aid and > aft. 
 
 . 
 
 \ V^ 
 
 -c T vr T c 
 FINIS. 
 
I