ENGLANDS HAZZARD.

I Know it is dangerous for any man in a point of ſuch conſequence to take upon him to be a Coun­ſellor, much more a Teacher; he generally makes himſelfe but a Foole; which would ſeem wiſer than the Times; a ripe Age likes not to bee di­rected, leſt it ſhould be out-witted; true Prin­ciples will not be liſtened to againſt received Grounds; No per­ſons may ſhew their deſires, or reading, but the reward will be cenſure, or ruine: Yet in a publike Danger it is hard to keep ſi­lence, hee that bewrayeth not his affection to remedy generall Ruthes, may ſeem to want a breſt. Therefore when Church and Kingdom are in a Combuſtion, I will bring my dreeping bucket, though I be ſcorched in ſeeking to quench the Flames. The cauſe ſeemeth now to be a matter of Blood, for the whole Kingdome is upon the Challenge, and not only the Souldier playes his mor­tall prizes, but the Parliament is turned into a Counſaile of War; Committees of Greevances are become Committees of Varian­ces, and inſtead of enacting of Statutes, we have executing of Martiall-Law; whilſt the oppreſſions of the Common-wealth ought to be Reformed, the whole Kingdome is made an oppreſ­ſion; and for Iuſtice againſt private Tyrants, we meet with a ſpight againſt the King: Now Lords of Mannors torment their Tennants, or Iuſtices inſult over the poore Countrymen, and a thouſand other crying injuryes are now no ſeaſonable conſidera­tions, but al the buſie thoughts are intent about the Crown-quar­rell; as if they which ought to enjoy no Peace ſhould reſt qui­et, and He which ſhould be ſecure, muſt onely be moleſted. Oh how do all the true Malefactours triumph in villany, when He2 ſhould be free from any mortall barre, is the onely perſon arraig­ned I culpable perſons feare not the Sword of the Iuſtice, when the ſword of violence is drawn out againſt the King. Deere So­veraign, that your miſeries muſt priviledge all other mens law­leſſe demeanours, and that you muſt weep to make them ſing! yet this is the whirle of the Times; not they, but You are hum­bled; not Vice, but Majeſty is puniſhed; the Kingdome is combined to ſuppreſſe, if not to deſtroy their naturall Soveraign; Oh that your injuries could be as eaſily redreſſed, as they can be lamented, or that your ſorrows could be as timely ended, as they are paſſionately felt; but it is Aeſculapius his finger that muſt heale this Malady; for when the whole Common-wealth is turned into a Mutiny, and they which ſhould be Your Peace­makers are turned the Patrones of the Diſcontent, it is a hard compromiſing ſuch a difference. Doubtleſſe our breach is like the Sea, and we may rather expect to ſee all under water, than to ſee the bankes repayred. Our ſufferings already have been incre­dible, but wee muſt not think upon what we have endured, but on the extremities which are behind. We have yet ſome face of a Nation amongſt us, but we may ere long ſeek for England in England, and ſee our deer Kingdom leſt a Colony for Strangers; Oh how pretious is a Native like to be! how many will the ſword leave to draw breath in their own ayre? We ſhall fight, ſo long for Priviledges, till we ſhall ſcarce have Countrymen to enjoy them; and ſtand ſo eagerly for Rights of Parliament, till we have ſcarce a Senate-houſe left. Have not many Nations thus un-Kingdomed themſelves? Hath not England formerly thus cut her own throat? If we be acquainted with Hiſtoryes, let us take heed that we be not made a Hiſtory; there need not many yeeres to effect this, a ſhort time may bring it forth. Oh ▪ that we could prevent miſery, rather than haſten it on, or chaine up the the wild Beaſt, before we be made a prey. Where are our Pi­lots, which were wont to direct the Ship in a ſtorme? Where are our Watchmen, which were wont to preſerve the City, be­fore a City be made a heape? Can Ship-wrack, or Devaſtation be pleaſure, or honour to the Pilots, or Watchmen? Is there no­thing to calme this troubled aire? Nothing, if Fury blow like a Whirlewind, but ſet aſide Fury, and the guſts are downe, the the Tempeſts gone; if Religion carry any incentive with it,3 or Scripture had not loſt its wonted reverence, our Diſtractions were growing to an end, yea we had felt the laſt of miſery: For can a King can be reſiſted? What one ſyllable of Scripture wit­neſſes it by full, and cleare authority? No, precepts are wanting, onely preſidents are inſiſted upon, as if God would have his evident Laws overthrown with particular examples; God may diſpence with the whole Bible, but it is not for us to remit the vigour of one Law, without a ſpeciall toleration from Gods one mouth. It is in vaine then for to ſhelter themſelves under the in­ſtances of David, Ieroboam, Iehu, &c. except we can plead their warrant, aſwell as their example; but theſe examples excepted, what ground or rule is there in the whole Scripture to counte­nance the reſiſtance? Calvin, that condemns the attempt of pri­vate perſons in aſſaulting Superiours, what one teſtimony of Scripture doth he bring to authorize the oppoſition by the ſtates of a Kingdom? No, we muſt truſt his own opinion, for not one ſound proofe doth he alledge out of the whole Bible to juſtifie the act; Hugo Grotius which diſalloweth the reſiſtance both of private perſons and inferiour Magiſtrates (and hath nothing but the point of neceſſity to ſupport the languiſhing cauſe) yet can he not bring one inſtance of Scripture for this particular cauſe to colour this proceeding, beſides thoſe helpleſſe examples which I told you of before. And if neceſſity might be admitted as a lawful excuſe for the violating of the fift Comāndement, why upon the ſuppoſition of the like neceſſity, might not men make a breach of all the other Commandements, as having more Gods, or wor­ſhipping of Idols, or committing uncleanneſs when the remedy is wanting, or bearing falſe witneſſe when a mans eſtate, or life is endangered? Neceſſity therefore is but our greater triall, not a deſpenſation for diſobedience. The ſtrong proofs then that thoſe learned Writers bring for Obedience in general are enough to confirme ſubjection, and the weake Arguments that they uſe to erect reſiſtance with are enough to ſettle Conſcience, that the Deſigne is unſetled; yea I was never made a ſtronger ſubject, nor a weaker Rebell, then by conſidering how they are not able (which hold the contrary opinion) to pull downe that, which themſelves have built up.

Reſiſtance then is no religious Act, becauſe the maintainers of4 it ſayle in that, which ſhould give the greateſt ſtrength to the Cauſe, the approbation of Scripture. But if a King can be reſiſted, yet can ſuch a King? No, they which are moſt tenacious of the point, yet let goe their Hold-faſt, if the King be not ſoyled with the height of wickedneſſe to make him the fit object of Reſistance; but what malicious eye can ſpy out ſuch ſteynes in the intemerate brow of our pure Prince? No, he is the lu tre of the Throne, the Triumph of Monarchy; His Royall Blood hath no contagion of vulgar errours, but is the true Soveraigne of Innocency; When was the ſcepter borne with ſuch an undefiled hand? or the Crown worne with ſo many bright gemmes ſhining in it? No, he hath honoured the Throne with more conſpicuous graces, and emi­nent Vertues, then any Prince hath done for theſe may yeares; he being the pride of Humility, the ſober palate of Temperance, the pure loynes of Chaſtity, the ſoft bowells of Mercy and Clemency, the warded knee of Devotion, a ſworne Proteſtant, a vowed Pro­tectour of the Liberties of his Subjects, ambitious of Peace, and one that would ſtrike the weapons out of his enemies hands with an Act of Oblivion. Oh that ſuch a Prince ſhould be af­fronted, much more aſſaulted! No, methinks the Soldier ſhould rather diſarme himſelf, crampe a March, ſuffer violent death, then maligne ſuch a Soveraigne; for if any King upon earth can be re­ſiſted, yet can ſuch a King?

If this continue, what will be the iſſue, ye may judge by the preſent condition. The Tenant is not onely ready to ſurrender up his Leaſe, nor the Merchant to turne Bankrupt, nor the Chur­ches to ſtand empty without an Incumbent, the Country is not only conſumed with monthly Contributions, Exciſes, free Loans, free Benevolences, free Quarters, the Gentry are not onely aba­ſed, by having underlings take the command of the Country out of their hands, by taking their Horſes, Armor, every thing that delights the eye from them, or by taking away their Perſons, and muring them up in Priſons, the Poor are not onely ready to murmur, and rage, and ſtarve, but the whole Nation is ready to draw upon it ſelfe, and to give it ſelf the bloody ſtab.

The oppoſing of Princes hath in former times been fatall to this Nation, yea the Kingdome hath ſcarce ſuffered ſo much by all the miſeries that hath lighted upon it, as it hath done by civil5 Wars. In the Reign of William the Conqueror, when the Engliſh men that had ſubmitted to his Government Rebelled againſt him,Rog. Wendov. Poli. Chron. Hen Huntingd. Ypod. Neystr. Mat. Weſt. 2. Mat. Pariſ. Will. Ma•mſb. Polydor. Virg. it did not only change his courteou•uſage of them into extreame ſeverity, in eſcheating their Lands, abhorring their per­ſons (ſo that he would not ſuffer any Engliſh Scholler to come to promotion) driving ſome into exile, forcing others to live in woods like Outlaws, cutting off the hands of ſome, and the heads of others, but the Kingdome was brought to that miſerable de­ſolation, that the Highwayes lay un-occupyed through frequent robberies cōmitted, and all was waſted from Wales to the mouth of Wye, and the Land from Durham to York lay nine years un­tilled, ſo that for the want of ordinary ſuſtenance, the Northern people were enforced to eat the fleſh of men. H•venden. Ypod. Neyſtr. Huntington. l. 8. Malmſb. Nov. l. 2. p. 105. Gervaſ. D•ro­bornenſis.In the R igne of King Stephen, when the great Ones fell to their accuſations (as no Rebellion was ever without pretence of Reaſon, and iuſtice) they charging him with the violating of his Oath touching For­reſts, and other Immunities of the Church, and yet indeed (as the Hiſtory ſaith) the pleading of Church and Common-wealth, were but publique colours for private grudges, their onely quar­rell being a ſecret ſpight, that becauſe they had ſet him up, hee would deny them any thing, as the command of certaine Lord­ſhip•, and Caſt•es which they expected, what outrages were com­mitted in the Nation? Every year heaped on new calamities, to the ruine of the Nation, thouſand Families were decayed, whole Counties depopulated, and ſo many mens Eſtates confiſcated to the Crown, that they generally went by the name of the Diſin­herited; yea as the height of miſery (by the calling in of the Scots) the wombs of women were ripped up, infants toſſed up­on the pikes of Speares, the Prieſts ſlain at the Altar, and the ſlain (in a moſt inhumane manner) diſmembred. In the Reign of K. Iohn, we find the eſtate of the Land moſt deplorable,Lib. S. Alb. in vit. Guliel. Abbat. not only by aſſaylings, ſurpriſings, burnings, ſpoylings, diſinheritings which were exerciſed by Fathers ſetting againſt their Sons, Brothers againſt Brothers, kinſmen and allies againſt their neereſt friends, but eſpecially by c•lling in the French Dolphin Lewis, who after he had gotten a little command in the Land, deſpiſed the Engliſh­men, beſtowing all their Townes and places of Command upon his own Cavallery;Rog de. W. S. for when Fitz-Walter demanded but Hert­ford6 Caſtle, as his ancient right, an Anſwer was given him by Lewis according to the advice of all his French Nobility, that Engliſhmen were not worthy to have ſuch places intruſted to their charges, who were the betrayers of their naturall Lord; yea Milun upon his death-bed confeſſed, that if ever Prince Lewis had the Crown of England ſet on his head,Ypod. Ney•tr. he would condemne into perpetuall Exile all them that then (as Traitors againſt their Soveraign) adhered to him againſt King Iohn,Mat. Pariſ. hist. maj. and that he would extirpate all their Kindred. By one and another the diſtreſſes of the times were ſo grievous, that the Kingdom (as one ſaith) was like a generall ſhambles, or place of infernall torture. In the Reigne of Henry 3. To ſoon as the Kingdome grew diſcontented, every man dared whatſoever his own audaciouſneſſe did ſuggeſt,Mat. Westminſt. or others connivency permitted, inſomuch that Foulke de Brent, and other Nobles plucked from the K. moſt of his Crown-Land, without any other right than that which the equity of Tumults gave them; yea though the Land had been ſufficiently plagued with forraign Power, yet an ordinary Citizen,Fabian. even Conſtantine Fitz. Arnulph (whoſe Sedition infected all, to whom War was beneficiall,Pariſ. and Peace banefull) would have ſet up a Lewis againe in London, crying in the open ſtreets, Mountjoy, Mountjoy, God for us, and our Lord Lewis: Yea ſuch was the thraldom of thoſe times, through the ſpight of the Barons againſt Hubert de Burgo, that afterwards Iudgements were committed to the unjuſt,Pariſ. Wendover. Lawes to Out-laws, Peace to Wranglers, and Iuſtice to Wrong­doers. And in concluſion, through the bloody Battels that were fought, all was made a booty, and put to fire, and ſword, from the Marches of Wales to Shrewsbury, inſomuch that ſuch a greevous Famine happened,Wendover. Pariſienſ. that perſons were enforced to pluck the eares of Corne whilſt they were greene in the field. In the Reigne of Edward 2. when the Earles of Arundell, War­wick, Lancaster, and Warren made a wofull rent with the King, and would not aſſiſt him in his Warres againſt the Scots, not on­ly they which were left to keep the Marches, inſtead of valliant Champions proved petty Chapmen; but ſuch grievous depopu­lations were committed for foure yeares together, that there was ſcarce bread enough to bee found for the Kings table, and the common people in generall eat horſes, and dogs, yea men, and7 children were ſtollen for food, and Theeves newly brought to Goales were torn in peices and devoured hall alive, by ſuch as had continued longer there; and the bloody-flux,Tho. dela More. Tho. Walſingh. and other di­ſeaſes that aroſe from unwholſome dyet, deſtroyed ſo many, that the living were ſcarce able to bury the dead. And in the reigne of Richard 2. how lamentable were the effects that were brought forth by that potent inſurrection in Kent, Eſſex, Surrey, Suf­folk. Norfolke, Cambridgeſhire, and Huntingtonſhire for Manu­miſſion? Hiſtoryes report, that inſtead of reforming the Com­mon-wealth, havock was made of the Common-wealth; the Laws were ſo neer to be overthrown, that that Idoll of Clowns,Stow. Hollingſhead. Wat. Tyler, threatned that hee would have all the Lawes of the Kingdome come out of his own mouth; great men were in ſo little ſecurity, that bloody hands were layd upon the moſt emi­nent perſons in the Kingdome, and their heads cut off and fixed upon poles, being ſo placed that they might kiſſe,Speed. Stow. Hollingſhead. and whiſper in one anothers eare, and a generall intention to kill all perſons of quality, and to ſet up petty Tyrannies in the Nation; the Kings perſon was damnably conſpired againſt, and the Kings Mother unſufferably abuſed, the ſtately Priory of Saint Iohns without Smithfield was burnt to aſhes,Sir Walter Lee in his ſpeech to St. Albans men. and the goodly Pallace of the Sa­voy with all the riches therein conſumed, writings, rowles, and records defaced, and ſuch a generall ruin brought upon the King­dome before this War was ceaſrd, that there was neither Graſſe nor Corn, old nor new, within five miles ſpace of London.

Yee ſee I have layd before you the miſeries of former times, would it not grieve you to behold againe ſuch Tragedyes? Take ye pleaſures in diſaſters? Can the ruin of your Nation affect you? Thinke of theſe things betimes, leſt after thoughts be like reco­vering phyſick to a dead creature. We are not far from deſtructi­on, the want of Trading, the unſeaſonable Harveſt, the Kingdom drayned of Meanes, beſides a thouſand other calamities afflicting the Age by theſe laſt Wars, foreſpeaks approaching miſery. What houſe is not full of anguiſh? What corner of the Land is not re­pleniſhed with groans and fight? How few are there that are not weary of theſe unſupportable burthens? How few that doe not deſire Peace? Will yee not heare the complaints of your Countrymen? deſpiſe ye the ſobbes of your fellow-Profeſſours? Will it be honour to you to leave a people deſolate? Will it bee8 comfort to you to conclude in a waſte? Think what curſes will follow you, if ye continue theſe ſorrowes, lay to heart the trou­bled ſoules ye will have upon your death-beds it ye be authors of un-Chriſtian deſignes. When there are ſome hopes then of•nhappy agreement, do not ye ſlake the hopes, or diſturbe the agree­ment. Do you yeeld, for the King condeſcends; doe ye neglect your own deſires, for he ſtands not too much upon his own he nor; expreſſe you a true ſelf-denyal, for he hath reſigned up his own will; he ſpeaketh for Peace, doe you eccho after him, and ſay, we will have Peace. I beſeech you therefore by all the Eng­liſh blood which runs in your veines, by all the prickles of Con­ſcience left in your Proteſtant ſoules, by all the reliques of pitty which ye feele towards a periſhing Nation, that ye take downe the Standards, that yee frill up the Colours, that yee caſt out of your hands the Piſtols, and Pole-axes. Oh ſhed no more blood, but ſtaunch the dropping veines; braine not the ſlender num­bers which are left, but preſerve the remnant; thinke when yee have murthered enough, tremble to be the Headſman of the Na­tion. Let all rage and rancour, ſpight and ſpoyle be layd aſide, and eye one another like freinds, embrace like Chriſtians, bring Vnity againe into a divided Nation: bleſſe the Age, and crown the Land with Peace.

Da Pacem Domine.