The Eye Clear'd, OR A PRESERVATIƲE FOR THE SIGHT.
WHat's here! another paire of Spectacles? No, it ſhall not need, the world's well amended; ſuch as of late appear'd to be meer Barbarians both in their carriage and expreſſions are now recovered, come home, and grown penitent! their ſights are cleer'd already, and the miſtak's diſcovered, as will appeare by this their voluntarie recantation in honeſt Engliſh, their owne Countrey language.
Why how have wee beene couzened, how blinded, how inchanted? when we conſider how unreaſonably our reaſons have miſcarried, we cannot but doubt that ther's more Art then honeſty at Oxford; Is this England? Is this our own Countrey? Were we bred and borne here? Had our Parents and Kindred of whom wee deſcended, their births and buriall here? and is't poſſible we ſhould forget all this, or remember〈◊〉without infinite love and affection to this deare mother of us all? But we have been baſely deluded, and have had villanous conceits conjured into us; we have not onely neglected our duties, but contrary to reaſon, and in contempt of all Lawes Divine and humane, we have either in words or actions, or both, ſhew'd our ſelves agents in, or furtherers of the moſt horrid deſigne againſt our own Countrie, that ever the devill put his. Inſtruments upon: from which we have nothing to cleer us, but that that condemnes us, our3 ignorance. But we are now become ſencible of our faults and follies, and willing to confeſſe them with ſhame and ſorrow.
When Conſideration our new Pilate had diſcovered the Rocks we were running upon, we preſently alter'd our courſe, and ſteer'd for the Ile of Securitie, for upon notiſe taken of the lading, the fraight was found to be of no leſſe value then the proſperity of three Kingdomes, beſides our own lives, 'twas time to look about us: and now we have ſcap'd the danger, we cannot but thinke it our dueties to expreſſe as well our ſorrow for our errours, as joy for our deliverance, that we may once againe be held worthy the ſociety of Chriſtians.
We are not the firſt that have been miſtaken, but we muſt confeſſe ingeniouſly that we are the firſt that ever were ſo fowlie miſtaken, and led (by Will with a Wiſpe) ſo farre out of the way. It had been much for one of us to have plotted the death of his own Father, to have ſet a Town or two on fire, or (by the Popes advice) have indeavoured to poyſon a Prince for being a Proteſtant, the leaſt of theſe had been enough to have brought a black day, and a blacker night upon him, but we have been favourers of a hell-bred conſpiracie, wherein Religion, Lawes, Liberties, Father, Mother, Prince, people and all were to ſuffer, a buſineſſe of ſo ſtrange a nature that no Heathen Chronicle can fit it with a name. Thus had ignorance brought us ſo neer the brink of confuſion that providence ſeem'd to have much adoe to recover us. All our crie was wont to be, Shall wee not fight for our King! ſhall wee fight againſt our King? When allas wee knew not what we ſaid; but now our eyes are open we cannot but confeſſe that we have abus'd the King, abus'd the State, and abus'd our ſelves all this while; wee acknowledge that wee have deſeru'd the reproachfull name of Malignants, and may be aſham'd to ſay, Wee have had either eyes or underſtandings, wee have made ſo ill an uſe of them. VVee have cryed up the Papiſts, and cry downe the Proteſtants, we have dignified the Court, and vilified the Parliament, we have exalted the King in his Title, and pulled him down in his power, we have extoll'd the Prerogatiue and ſlighted the lawes; and in all this we have aſſiſted his Majeſtie in a quarrell againſt himſelf, been his enemies in taking his part, and in ſtanding for him betraid him. Allas what durſt the Papiſt have undertaken, if we had not countenanc'd 'em, and what could they have effected if we had not aſſiſted them? when the Plot was throughly digeſted, and the intelligence diſpearc'd, that the poiſon newly taken began to worke; when the name Round-head became odious to it's own God-fathers and God-mothers, and when we were made to beleeve that all the beſt people in England were4 Annabaptiſts and Browniſts, then the Catholikes began to be couragious and cry Vive la Roy. Then they began to fall to worke for themſelves that had ſerv'd out their times with the Devill, and wee forſooth muſt be their journey-men that we might afterward become ſharers in their flame and ru•ne: In all their damnable proiects (by our compliance with 'em) their worke has been promoted, and their crime leſſen'd, ſuch has been their ſubtilitie, and our ſimplicitie; ſo that though they are before us in villanie, we are before them in infamie: They have their old and well beloved Rom•n Ca••oick Religion to plead for the, but allas we (many of us) have no Religion at all to excuſe us; indeed wee have ſtood moſt for Popery bec•••e that has ſtood moſt for ignorance, and wee have ma•e li••e doubt of ſalvation, becauſe wee have beene alwayes furniſh'd with a pleaſant conceit, that 'tis an eaſie matter to goe to heaven blinde-fold. Thus wee have indeavour'd to wrong our owne ſoules, inſure the State, and diſhonour his Majeſtie; VVas it like that wee ſhould be friends to the King, when we were enemies to the Kingdome? is't poſſible that men ſhould be ſo blinde, ſo ſtupid, ſo mad as to conceive that the moſt horrid murthers and maſſackers that ever were heard of, could be begun, countenanc'd and continu'd for the honour of his Majeſtie, can wee without ſhame confeſſe that we thought it faire play for the baſeſt Rebells i'th world to kill the beſt Subjects by Authoritie (for they have ſo publiſined it, and were never yet repreved for ſaying ſo) who would have thought that the broade Seale had been ſo broad as to reach into Ireland for ſuch a purpoſe? But we were ſtill kept to our Byas, by Declarrations and Proclamations (O remembor bleeding Ireland) by reading of which our eyes became ſo daz•• 'd, that 'twas long before wee could diſcerne truth from ſelfhood; And then againe we were intoxicated with whimſies of (this they ſay, and that they ſay,) They ſay the King fights for the Proteſtant Religion; they ſay he will goe over himſelf, and quell the Rebells in Ireland: They ſay he would faine come to London, and complie with his Parliament, but his wicked Counſell will not ſuffer him, and a hundred more ſaies, That ſeem'd to be pretty ſtuffe, and to have a good colour, ſo that we were mightily taken with 'em for a long time; but at laſt wee heard of other Saies, Northerne Saies, and VVeſterne Saies. They ſaid, The King is comming up with an Armie to London, to break up the Parliament: they ſay, Hee was loth to have his good Subjects of Ireland any longer proclaim'd Rebells, who have murdered about 200000. Proteſtants. They ſay he hath ſent for them to come over hither to waſh off that blood with as much more here; and many other Saies of the ſame weaving, and the ſame colour, crimſon5 Saies, or ſcarlet Saies, ſtuffs of ſo deep a dye, that 'twill hardly be waſh'd out withall the raine will fall betwixt this and Domes-day. Now theſe Saies we lik'd not ſo well, but as the former had inveagl'd us to be conſtant hunters, ſo theſe ſpoil'd all the ſport, and utterly frighted us out of the Forreſt of fooles. Indeed theſe bloody Saies were the firſt motives that drew us into a conſideration of our fearfull condition, and ſo by degrees to become Reformadoes in Colonell Round-heads Regiment. In which we doubt not but to make it appeare by our valours, that wee are friends to our King in fighting for our Countrie. And our hearty deſires are, and ſhall ever be, that his Maieſtie would ſeriouſly conſider (ſince he will fight) whether it be not better to fight to make his enemies his friends, then his friends his enemies, and to protect and preſerve his people that would preſerve His glory, then to ſet good and bad both together by the eares, till there be none left but a few fatherleſſe children, that when they ſhall come to pray for him, will be put out with the ſad remembrance of their Fathers death.
But ſince wee muſt fight, let us (if it be poſſible) mix reaſon with our rage, at leaſt in our controverſie of words, what ever wee doe in our blowes. Is it not madneſſe for a man to ſay, He fights for his King, that fights againſt his Countrie; is not the King a man? and what makes a man a King; if a King cannot be King without a Kingdom, then whether is hee more friend to the King, that fights for the Kingdom that makes him ſo, or he that fights to deſtroy it? Are your eyes open yet? you that ſay ye fight for the King, when ye fight to take away the Inheritance with the Title? But when you have granted this Trueth (which cannot be dem'd, then you fall upon his command, his will and pleaſure, which you call his Prerogative; this muſt be granted him, and ſo if his will and pleaſure be to have his People deſtroy one another, his Prerogative that ſhould preſerve his Power muſt bring it to nothing, and then you have done him good ſervice. Fie, fie, you are blinde ſtill, if Spectacles will not helpe you, the fault's not in your fight; y'are wilfull and obſtinate, you have not diſcretion enough left to inform you, that the houſe y'are pulling downe will beat your own braines out. VVe that have been in the fire, are glad we have ſcap'd with ſinging, and if we come there againe, we deſerve to be burn'd; but our reſolutions are now not ſo much to ſhun the flame, as to quench it, not to leave it burning, but to put it out, he that help's not now, does but hinder, and hee that ſhewes not himſelf a friend, muſt needs be taken for an enemie. VVe are now in a Purgatory from whence we ſhall never be redeem'd with ſleepe and ſilence, (and the onely prevalent Praiers of the Papiſts will hardly be6 purchaſed) wee muſt pray to the King of Kings (for here we are diſpiſed) to ſtand for us, if we humble our ſelves, and pray as we ought, hee'l heare and helpe us, if we can once get into his favour, we ſhall not need to feare the Plotts of the Papiſt, the rage of the Rebell, nor the might of any Monarch: If we will be content to be rul'd by him, ſerve and follow him, hee'l put us into ſuch a poſture, that if the Prince of Darkneſſe ſhall bring up all his reſerve, and joyne 'em with thoſe already in armes in his ſervice, they ſhall never prevaile againſt the Goſpel, and then we ſhall march againſt our enemie with courage, and fight without fear, if we loſe our lives, then wee are ſure to get well by the bargaine; not a man that dies in ſuch a cauſe, in ſuch a quarrell, in ſuch a condition, but gaines a better Kingdome for himſelf, then that he redeems with loſſe of his life for another.
Are not theſe good incouragements my maſters? who would not fight for a Kingdome? Come, you that are behinde hand with the Covenant (or have taken it with an ill reſolution) lift up your eyes a little, ſee how gloriouſly the heavens look, and conſider their Maker, yee have ſworne many thouſands of Oathes, enough (indeed) to damne you (i•God ſhould be as harſh with you, as you have been with him) ſpare one now for a good purpoſe, doe as your betters have done, enter into Covenant with your Maker, and then ioyne with thoſe that had rather looſe their lives, then live to ſee the King loſe his Kingdomes through the malitious practiſes of the Known enemies to God and Religion; this is the only way for ye to ſhew that ye love the King, and to bring you into favour with God, that ſets up, and pulls down at his pleaſure.
If you have honours, this is the way to increaſe 'em, if you have eſtates, by this meanes ye may preſerve them, if you have honeſt friends, this is the way to keep 'em; but if ye want all or either of theſe, this is the way to purchaſe 'em: Is't not wonderfull that all men generally ſhould be ſo apt and active with hazard of their lives to purchaſe gold and glory, and that now there ſhould be a generation of men living, that will hardly be intreated with the gaine of both, to procure their owne ſafeties? how many of us have already paid deerly for our obſtinacy? and hazarded our ſouls by looſing our eſtates, an unparral'd marke of mallice. VVe have given to help on out ruines willingly, and by that meanes, have been forc'd to give againe for our preſervations againſt our wills: wee have parted with a great part of our eſtates, for the hurt of the Kingdom, and a ſmall part given for the preſervation of it has undone us; O miſerable wretches! we have ſtuddied Objections againſt the preſent taxes by the Parliament, and defences againſt the former by the King; unlawfull Monopolies, then to pick our purſes for7 ever, and keep us without Parliaments we talke of with content, but legall impoſitions now, to help put an end to our miſeries, and to end with them, we cannot indure. This has been our beſt condition, and (indeed) the condition of the beſt of us; For many of us have run our ſelves by worſe practiſes into greater perills, we have had ſtrange hopes to become gainers by changing our conſtant ſecurities for apparent dangers; wee have left our houſes in the City, where we might have liv'd ſafely, and gone to our loving friends at Oxford, that we might be undone quickly; we have been alwayes forward to receive the Cavalieres into our habitations, and they have been alwayes as forward to carry away that we had at parting. How many houſes, how many Townes, how many Cities, hovv many Counties have by our favouring that party, been brought to miſery; looke upon Yorke the fountaine of that River of calamity, that keepes ſtill the vvinding current through Lincolnſhire, Lancaſhire, Cheſhire, Darbiſhire, Staffordſhire, Nottinghamſhire, Warwickſhire, Leceſter-ſhire, Northamptonſhire, Buckinghamſhire, Barkſhire and Oxfordſhire; (vvhere it hath ſo overflovvn, it has almoſt ſpoil'd the whole Countrey) from whence he runnes on in his Malignant courſe tovvard Briſtow, Tanton, and Exeter, and by the vvay conſider vvhat a multitude of people in all theſe parts have been guilty of their ovvn undoings, and therefore deſerve no pitty, but hovv many thouſands of Innocents (beſides) have they been the deſtruction of, for which they are to anſwer? Allas poor York, thou haſt ſuffered wonderfully in thy own perſon, thank thy Malignants; theſe unnaturall warres were firſt bred in thee, and now thou art like to be buried in them. Thou art full of Souldiers within, and begirt with Souldiers without, thou wer't the firſt City that raiſed them, and art like to be the firſt razed by them; how ever thy affrightments are great, and thy inward diſtractions no doubt are worſe then thy outward allarmes, who are our friends ſaies one, they that are our enemies ſaies another, who fights for us, they that fight againſt us, our enemies are within, and our friends are without, what ſhift ſhall we make to be conquer'd? wee periſh if we proſper; theſe are ſtrange words, and they muſt needs be ſtrange warres, when the City is in more danger by them that defend it, then by thoſe that raiſe Batteries againſt it.
When you have ſeen enough herein to make you ſorrowfull, conveigh your thoughts to Redding, there you ſhall finde all quiet enough now, (at leaſt in outward appearance) but the poore people have a warre ſtill within them, they grieve at their povertie, yet a number of them have gained by their loſſes, for humilitie's better then riches, there's a great deal leſſe pride8 (now) then there was, and a great deale more repentance, but all the Countrey cries out, we are undone by 't, and Redding muſt not onely beare his owne blame and loſſe, but be ſubiect to a perpetuall reproach for undoing his neighbours, this 'tis to be drunke with Maligo. Then ſurveigh Briſtoll, and conſider their bargaine, they have got the purchaſe they long'd for, and that ſome of their great ones (before) hang'd for, whoſe example could not fright the reſt out of their humours, but made them more eager in perſuit of the gaine and honour they dream's of; O how fearfull they were of being preſerv'd; many that had hardly praid of a moneth before, fell now to their devotions, with ſuch zeale, that God heard their prayers, granted their requeſts, and made 'em ſlaves and beggars: and now they have nothing to ſay, but that they are miſerable, and have deſerved it: But that that heightens their callamitie, is the proſperous condition of glorious Gloceſter, in whoſe ſtory they read ſuch fidelity, and valour, ſo much honeſtie and honour, that they are aſham'd to looke upon their owne.
But to make an end with Thee Worceſter, (that haſt taken a courſe to make an end of thy ſelfe) in former ages, a Citie, now (to thy owne people) a priſon; thou wer't wont to looke beautifully, be clad richly, fear daintily, and trade freely, now thou look'ſt ugly, goeſt beggerly, feareſt hardly, and liveſt ſlaviſhly; it ſeemes Obſtmacie hath ſo bewitch'd thee, that miſery and infamy are thy choice familiars; But 'tis pittie thou ſhouldeſt be ſuffered to periſh, though thou deſireſt it: no doubt the Parliament will conſider what thou haſt been, and be a meanes ſhortly to recover thee thy auncient Immunities, and make thee a Citie againe, whether thou wilt or no.