ENGLANDS MISERIE, IF NOT PREVENTED by the ſpeedie remedie of a happie union between His MAIESTIE and this PARLIAMENT.
By His Majeſties concurrance with them, to diſcard all falſe flattering Achitophel-Cavaliers, proud ambitious Prelates, and bloodſuck thirſting Church Papiſts, as well as profeſt about His Majeſties ſacred Perſon and Councels.
Written by a Well-wiſher to His King and Countrey.
Together with the Copie of a Letter ſent from a friend in Lancaſhire, to a Gentleman in Grayſ-Inne-Lane.
As alſo an Order from both Houſes of Parliament to the Sheriffs of York and Lincolnſhire for ſuppreſſing of Forces that diſturbe the Peace of the Kingdom.
Jo. Brown, Cler. Parl.
LONDON: Printed by T. P. and M. S. in Goldſmiths Alley. Auguſt 18. 1642.
ENgland never lay panting as at this preſent by reaſon of His Majeſties long abſence from his great Counſel of this Kingdom, which is truly conceived to be the cauſe of all the diſturbance of this Common-wealth. And theſe Machivillians (or rather matchleſſe-villains) that profeſſe themſelves to be friends, when indeed they are fiends, pretending love, intending miſchief to his Maieſtie and this Kingdom; having words as ſoft as butter or oyl, when their greateſt Amitie, is but diſſembled Enmitie, with two faces under one hood, like Janus; and two hearts in a breſt like Magus, Adulatores amici in obſequies, hoſtes in animis, compti in verbis, turpes in factis, laeti ad proſpera, f•agil•s ad adverſa inflati ad obſequia, anxii ad opprobria, immoderati ad Gaudia, fa•iles ad humana, diffi•il•s ad honeſta: Their Avès are vaes to this troubled Nation, and though they ſpeak favourably we ought not to beleeve them.
Who murthered Ceſar that worthy Emperour in the Senate houſe at Rome? Brutus and Caſsius thoſe flatterers whom he loved moſt. Who poiſoned that4 mightie Conquerour Alexander in the midſt of his triumphs at Babylon? Thoſe that flattered him moſt, his own cup-bearer and kinſman Antipater: Who betrayed Chriſt, God and Man, unto the Scribes and Phariſees? his own purſe-bearer, that flattering Judas imbracing and kiſſing him as Flatterers uſe to do. They find it an eaſie way to deceive by friendſhip, when indeed they make themſelves odious to the whole world, being in the end (by all their plots and contrivances) found ayming at our lives, ſhooting at our goods, and wounding our good names.
I have read that King Xerxes marching towards the Greeks with a huge Armie of Souldiers, called ſome of this kind of Paraſites to him and demanded what was to be moſt feared in his Iourney.
One ſaith, I do fear that when the Greeks do hear of your power, they will flie and not abide your band.
Another ſaid, he doubted all Greece was not able to lodge them, or receive them into their Cities.
A third, That he feared moſt that the Ocean was not enough for them to paſſe over.
A fourth feared the Aire had not roome enough for the Arrows which they ſhould ſhoot off.
The King by this being extremly puffed up with Pride, demanded at laſt of a certain Philoſopher,5 named Damaſcerus, what he doubted moſt in that war. The thing that I moſt fear (ſaith he is this, that theſe Flatterers will deceive you. So if his Maieſtie will be pleaſed to adviſe with she great Counſell of this Kingdom, we ſhall not need to fear a Civill war in England, nor the Power of any forraigne Foe; But otherwiſe if the King will ſtill hearken to theſe flattering Achitophels, proud Prelates and Papiſts, I feare they will doe this Kingdome more harme by their whiſperings of (Prerogative) and (honour) in Princes eares, than any enemie forraigne or domeſtique can doe by their weapons.
The Citie Troy which Agamemnon in ten whole yeares could not ſubdue, yet Sinon with his flatterie allured the mind of King Priamus, deceived the Nobles, and inticed the Citizens by his adulation, to their utter ruine and confuſion. Who could move Caeſar ſo much to any thing as Curio the Paraſite? Not Pompeius his Sonne in Law, nor his Daughter Julia, nor all the Senators of Rome might make Caeſar friend or foe ſo much as Curio. And who have for theſe 16 yeares and ſtill doe ſeeke the utter ruine and ſubverſion of this Nation? But Finches, Windebanks, Lands, &c. who ſpeaking againſt their Conſciences, to maintaine Poperie and ſuperſtition, perſwade his Majeſtie to remove from his4〈1 page duplicate〉5〈1 page duplicate〉6Great Councell into remote places of this Kingdome for the ſafetie of his Perſon, when as his Maieſtie would be more ſafe nere his Parliament with one man, than at Beverley with all his Cavaliers; and yet ſuch as theſe are ſooner beleeved than they. Alexanders followers bare their heads aſide as he did, and ſuch as flattered Dionyſius in his owne preſence, did run and iuſtle one another, and either ſtumble at, or overthrow what ever ſtood afore their feete, to inferre that they were as ſhort-ſighted and pur-blinde as he: And therefore Princes had need of other Councellours (beſides thoſe that are daily with them that would admoniſh them frankly, gravely, and ſincerely, and that would counſell them faithfully; for as much as there is ſcarce any one in their Courts that do not run after the ſplendour of their proſperitie, and regard his owne particular profit.
And what Councell can be more fit for Princes to harken too, than the great Councell of the Kingdome? What Councell ſo free from flattery, bribery, ayming at their owne ends as they? Who durſt have told his Majeſtie of the illegalitie of Ship-money, of the ſeverall grievances of Courts, of Starrechamber, High Commiſſion, Court of Honour? Who durſt have queſtioned the Delinquents that were corrupt Iudges in theſe ſeverall Courts? Who7 durſt have ſpoke for the iuſt Libertie of the Subiect, but he ſhould have beene called in queſtion for ſpeaking againſt his Maieſties Prerogative in Star-Chamber any time theſe ſixteene yeares? And who ſtand or ever ſtood more for his Maieſties iuſt Prerogative, honour, and ſafetie, than they have done? Certainly, no age can parallell their care, paines, and dangers, they have and doe undergoe for the ſafetie of King and Kingdome.
It then behoves the Gentry and Commons of this Kingdome to maintaine this Parliament againſt all oppoſers, and couragiouſly, if they (for the good of King and Kingdome command) hazard their deareſt lives, to arreſt theſe flattering Councellours, and bring them from the preſence of the King, that his Throne may be eſtabliſhed in Righteouſneſſe.
VVE are very much perplexed in our Countrey with divers fears and jealouſies; fain would many of the Gentrie and moſt of the Commons obey the Parliaments Ordinance of the Militia, but the Lord Strange doth ſo thunder amongſt us with his Commiſſions of Array, and out Papiſts grow ſo cunning, that moſt of them come to Church and take the Oath of Allegiance and Supremacie; That we are all at a ſtand, we are very fearfull of Iriſh Commanders8 to be landed at Farmby this next week to ioyn with theſe Church Papiſts I am ſure for no good; But to promote the faction about his Majeſtie: whereof, if his Majeſtie were truly informed, I beleeve that he would admit no ſuch perſons about him, There was a ſtrange Monſter taken neer Toxteth-Parke by Miles Mather and his man, about the bigneſſe of a child of foure yeers old, and like a child in ſhape from the head to the navell of the belly, but very hairie, his thighes, legs and feer were like braſſe as far as he could conceive: which the ſaid Mather taking into his armes, thinking it had been alive, and left upon the Seaſhore by ſome poore Traveller out of Ireland, covered it with his cloak, thinking to have carried it to Liverpoole, and as ſoon as it received the leaſt heat it wept and vaniſhed away to his great amazement and wonder. Since which time the ſaid Mather hath been frantique, and is now in cure at Orms kirke under Doctor Shaw. This is all the news and wonders we have for the preſent with us, God turn all to the beſt. Sir I am
ORdered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament that the Sheriffes of the County of York and Lincolne, and likewiſe the Lords Lieutenants of the ſaid Counties, and in their abſence, their Deputies allowed by Parliament, and the Juſtices of Peace, and all other his Majeſties Officers ſhall ſuppreſſe all forces that ſhall be raiſed, or gathered together in thoſe Counties, either to force the Town of Hall, to ſtop the paſſages to, and from the ſame; or in any other way to diſturbe the peace of the Kingdom.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A83973)
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