NAWORTH Stript and whipt.

WIth your leave, Mr. Booker I mean to ſalute an acquaintance of yours whom I have perceived to walke abroad a pretty while unregarded, or not met with by you: For I am perſwaded had you in all this time ſeene him, you would not have let him paſſe the chaſtiſement of your Pen. George Naworth is come abroad againe in a new ſuit of Slander, moſt ſpeciouſly begirt with lies; but I will on button him for you to his Principles, and ſtrip his libellous ſoule ſtark naked and laſh him through the ſtreets of London back againe to Oxford, with ſuch Whip-cord lines, that all the Wit there ſhall be hardly able to recover him. I muſt put up this Malignant Chaldean in ſharpe pickle, that he may reliſh well, and ſo pouder him with my penny-worth of ſalt, that his infamous name may be preſerved to the eares of poſterity, as freſh in vil­lany, as it was the firſt day he came in Print.

I perceive the Divell will have his Agents in every profeſſion, to croſſe and calumniate the proceedings, and favourers of this moſt excellent and illuſtrious Parliament: The Court, the Pulpit, and the Countrey are all become Vaſſals to the deſignes of Ieſuites, and to the deſperate ſenſe of forlorne Incendiaries, eve­ry one ſtriving by tongue, or pen, to exerciſe his venome, and blaſt the glory of this hopefull Reformation. Among the reſt, Mr. G. N. is not the leaſt, one of the Egyptian Ptolomies Baſtards; for he never was of the true ſtraine of Aſtronomy, and were Kepler or Tycho living, they would loath ſuch an A­poſtate from their Profeſſion, which ſhould thus diſgrace them, leaving Alma­nacks to live by ſlanderous Pamphleting; but this hath happened ſince his Durham braines were referred to the Latitude of Oxford poore allowance, where their Almutens dominier for the moſt part, like their friends the Capuchins, in Aqua­rius and Piſces, and if they chance to plunder any better dyet, now and then in Virgo, with full Conjunction; yet a ſafer and honeſter way G. N. might have bin thought upon for maintenance, than in oppoſition to the bright ſtars in our firma­ment, ſtriving to ecclipſe their luſtre with thy malicious malignancy, or then by calculating treaſon againſt the State, to give the world occaſion of Prognoſtica­ting what will become of thee in the end, when Gregory will be predominant, and thou aſcendant in the Trine of Tiburne, where thy Influence will be choaked, and thou prove a falling Star.

G. Naworth gives us to underſtand, that within ſix dayes after Mr. Booker had printed his Mercurius Coelicus, it came to his hands in Oxford, and that in the ſpace of ſix hours he wrote the Anſwer to it. Neither of theſe G. N. is any won­der; for had it been never ſo worthleſſe, weak, and dull, you have ſo many faſt3 friends here, which will not let the leaſt parcel paſſe, but if it be poſſible they will cram it into their Intelligence, and ſend it to you; much more probable then it is, that ſo ſubtile, ſo well conſtitutioned a Mercurie as that was, of ſo much concern­ment againſt thee, ſhould come in that ſpace to thy hands. And as for thy an­ſwer to it in ſix hours, we leaſt of all wonder at that, for all of your partee are very ſufficient Raylers, even Naturallized into detraction and lying: ſuch ſtuffe flowes freely of it ſelfe, you need not ſtraine for it; It is the true temper of your Brains, the very conſtitution and complexion of the Court, Campe, and Vniver­ſity: Every one of you is as another Aulicus, a Rakehill, a ſtore-houſe of treache­ry and villany, full of miſchievous Plots and Machinations. But I would have thee, Naworth, with all thy Star-gazing, find out another man in the Moon, to mannage the next deviliſh Conſpiracy better, and then I prognoſticate unto thee at leaſt a Knight-hood: it were a more acceptable ſervice than Pamphleting, and the ready road to honour. What a rare ſight would it be to ſee your Wor­ſhip ſtrut in the ſtreets, like another Vrſa Major, ſwear in Taverns there is no Sun but Sack and Spaniſh gold, look ſcornfully upon your old friends the Planets, and bid defiance to all but Charle-waine. To leave the Zodiack, and all the Cele­ſtiall Circles, to ſwagger about in a Military Belt, from George Naworth to be­come Sir George, and as haughty as St. George for England.

You think to climbe even as Aulicus doth, and I think ſo too, one day we ſhall ſee it: for thou runneſt in the ſome villanous ſtraine with him, and I conceive, Iuſtice will not be impartiall. Thou ſaiſt, This is not the firſt time it hath been thy fortune to encounter with a Rebell. Rebels are your beſt friends, and I can calcu­late the truth hereof from the 23. of Octob. 1641. at which time the damnable Re­bellion in Ireland firſt brake forth, that they have been the greateſt friends to your Cauſe, and the chief pillars whereupon the maine of your Oxford deſigne reſted; and this is more than apparant by this which followeth, that having done their worke again in Ireland, they ſhould now be brought over hither to further the ruine of this Kingdome. But thou talkeſt of the incountring, and ſaiſt, it is not the firſt time. I hope it is not fighting you meane, you would not be accounted a Martiall trifle: I have calculated thy Nativity, and muſt tell thee, that Mars was under the Hatches when thou wert borne, Venus like a dirty ſlut was predomi­nant, and looked askew upon thee, ſo that ever ſince ſhe beſtowed a livery upon thee at thy birth, thou haſt worne her Colours, and followed her Camp, and art as I heare an arrant Craven, fit onely to briſtle among Hens, in plaine Engliſh, Dung-hill Iades, and very likely to live and dye in that ſervice, a ſworne Votary, Vaſſall, and Martyr to the Kerchiefe. There is another kind of incountring, and that is with the Pen, viz. Pamphleting, and in this thou haſt been a notable ſtick­ler to hold life and ſoule together, and to eclipſe our brighteſt ſtars in the Firma­ment; but thou knoweſt what I can prognoſticate from ſuch an Eclipſe, and Mr. Booker will tell thee, the world cannot be deluded in ſo evident a Prognoſtick, if thou hold on this courſe.

But G. Naworth will hold on that courſe ſtill; becauſe he, I perceive, is one of thoſe deluded wretches that builds his faith upon Mercurius Aulicus, and ſo is utterly ignorant of the excellent courſes taken here, and ſaies, what many Silly people among them do abſolutely beleeve, that we are fading here, and nothing now left to ſupport us but Feares and Iealouſies. Yes, you will allow us a little mo­ney too, I hope, and ſome Victuals, though you make your Oxford friends beleeve we have neither, but that we are almoſt ready to cut our own throats for want of both. I thought truth might be a little more common among you, but I ſee you put out the candle before your friends, and leave them in the Darke, leſt the light ſhould diſcover your baſeneſſe.

Thou ſayeſt we are here furniſhed with an Implicite Faith. It is well that we have ſome faith, you have not enough to keep you from being Infidels, and Atheiſts: your Romane Faith is to break Faith, and to break the necks of them which truſt you; and ſo Implicit, that it is a meer ſnare to an honeſt heart, and to be ab­horred by all that are truely Proteſtant.

Thou ſayeſt we miſtake groſſely, if we think to prevail at Oxford by intreaties. Firſt, we know you are mercileſſe; Secondly, we have no occaſion to intreat you, and ſcorne intreating as much as we hate your former treacherous treating. And thirdly, you will finde ſhortly by experience, that we do not think to prevail by intreating; for we mean to intreat, and handle you, as our valiant brethren of Scotland do Newcaſtle, ſo that if your ſelves do prevail at all, it muſt be by intrea­ting bagge and baggage.

Thou ſayeſt that thy infamous Chronologie is not at all aſhamed of its Deſcent, not fearfull Mr. Booker ſhould calculate its Nativity. Mr. Booker never intended to calculate either yours, or your Books; Yet I know that Saturn, or ſome ſuch Dull Planet had an influence upon your brains in the hatching, and he took the paines to calculate your death, though not the Deſcent of your book, which will be (that I may uſe my own words) by an Aſcent upon the Trine where Gregory is predominant.

Why doſt thou undervalue our Calculations for the Meridian of London? We can Calculate his Excellencies approach to Oxford, and Sir William Wallers jour­neying to the Weſt, and his baiting the Devon and Corniſh Brutes into a better ſence of Religion, and the Scots conqueſt in the North, their taking of New-castle, purging the Marqueſſe with a Pill againſt Popery, making the Goſpel ſhine all over the Northerne parts, and ſo dazle the Newarkers, that they will not put them to the trouble of Scaling the Workes: Many more ſuch exact Calculations as theſe are we can boaſt of, and even triumph before hand, not ſo much from ſence and reaſon, as by thoſe moſt excellent warlike Engines, Faith, Faſting and Prayer.

Thou bidſt us to know that Rebellion is as the Sin of Witch-craft; your Oxford Rebellion is indeed Witch-craft it ſelf; It were too tedious to number up thoſe many State-Conjurers there, which continually work with the Devill for the rai­ſing of more, and greater ſtormes to wrack this ſmall Veſſell of the Kingdom, wherein Wee, our Religion, and fortunes, are embarqued. I need not bid you labour for the Art, becauſe I hear you are in a very fair way already, and I ſup­poſe that ſhortly your Schollers will be admitted to Degrees in the profeſſion, it being all the way you have left for the maintenance of your Proteſtant Religion.

Thou bidſt us alſo remember what the Earl of Strafford told us at his death. We remember very well that he ſaid, There vvas a cloud hanging over this King­dom. He ſaw it, and it is apparent enough he was throughly acquainted with the Deſignes now in agitation, which if it be true, what an account could he give before the Celeſtiall Tribunall, for his ſilence at his death in ſuch a caſe! He could never have given greater glory to the Majeſtie of heaven, nor a better teſtimony of his repentance unto the world, then to have Diſcovered ſecrets of ſo high concern­ment, to the future happineſſe of the Religion, and Kingdom.

Thou confeſſeſt thy ſelf to grow Ambitious. Ambition is an Oxford diſeaſe, and why then not thou infected with that as well as the reſt?

Thou wouldeſt have us imitate thee in our extemporary prayers. We have ſo much Chriſtianity as to remember thee, and all that are in any deſperate eſtate in our prayers; And if ſo be it be poſſible ever to hear that you begin to pray, we may chance to imitate you, if your way be tolerable.

But what have we to do with thy Almanack for the yeer 1639. that thou ſhouldeſt bid us remember, there vvas ſomething in it which pointed at the Fire­brands vvhich kindled this unnaturall and bloody Warre, and a Memorandum like­vviſe of the Inſurrection, and intended invaſion of the Scots. I ſuppoſe thoſe whom thou meaneſt for the Firebrands, were the Lights of the Common-Wealth, which was then over-clowded with a generall Darkneſs. But I wonder thou couldeſt not be as quick-ſighted now upon the ſecond coming in of our brethren to help to reſcue us from our miſeries. I know thee of a more ambitious pretending ſpi­rit, than to ſay thou didſt not foreſee it by the Stars long before. How came it to paſſe then that thou and thy companion Aulicus ſhould bee ſo impudent, that when their advance forward was generally known, and confirmed, ye did continually deny it in that Raſcall Pamphlet, to keep the knowledge thereof from your own Partee, leaſt they ſhould be disheartned?

But hold, hold good George, be not ſo haſtie to make your ſelf famous, by ſcandalouſly abuſing Mr. Booker, as thou doſt; for I would have you take a little patience, whilſt I court you with your own language in his behalfe; I think thou art already as famous a Rebell, as any I knovv of thy ſtampe. I knovv it hath been thy daily practice, and Profeſſion (otherwiſe very likely to ſtarve) for a long time to delude the Ignorant vvith fopperies, and I ſuppoſe thou art become ridiculous enough to all ſuch as have had any dealing vvith thee, or ſo much as heard of the Name of Naworth.

Doe not for pities ſake rub an old ſore, and laſh out Sir Iohn Hotham, and call him Rebellious, nor ſay that he trayterouſly denyed his Majeſty entrance into Hull, whereas at laſt he intended to lay on ſo faire a plaiſter, ſuppoſedly to ſalve up his honour; Hee hath onely miſtaken the way to Court. I pray you good G. Naworth bee not angry with him, for hee-meant your cauſe no harme.

But what is the reaſon G. N. that one while you commend Mr. Booker, and tell us, that you are proud of jumping in the ſame opinion with him in the year 1639 concerning the Ecclipſe of the Sun: And now in the yeare 1644. you are as proud in being of a contrary opinion with him, and very ambitious in taking occaſion to thwart him in the buſineſſe concerning the grand Eclipſe of the Sun in our Firmament, by reaſon of ſo many Malignant bodies conjoyned, to hinder the Royall Influence from us. This is a ſigne that Mr. Booker is the beſt Aſtronomer of the two, and you now miſtaken in your Calculation: We have the clear Per­spective of a true Parliament, by the help whereof we can diſcerne through all your dark pretences, and behold thoſe many falſe deſtructive Clouds, which e­clipſe the Royall Splendour, and ſhowre downe a Deluge of miſchiefes, and mi­ſeries upon the Kingdom. But thou askeſt Mr. Booker what all this is for a Cave­at to the whole Kingdome. Yes very pertiment: And it is a moſt honeſt part to give people warning of the miſeries like to enſue, and by a timely Prognoſticati­on to anticipate thy vile and abhominable Calculation, and demonſtrate unto the world what indeed thou art; A counterfeit, pernicious, and lying Pamphleter.

Thou ſaiſt, that we ſtand more and more in need of the Scots, and that we had beſt provide money for them quickly; otherwiſe, No penny, no Pater noſter. What need they have money, G. N. from us, when the Northern Marqueſſe is like to beare their charges with his treaſure, Iewels, Coyne, and Coale-pits? I dare ſay, he wil pawne all his Popiſh Trinkets, and leave himſelfe very bare in Religion to pleaſure them. I am perſwaded (good kind ſoule) he will not deny them their Penny nor their Pater-noſter, nor the Pater noſter rovv of Diamonds, over which he rambles himſelfe quite out of breath a mornings to exerciſe his devotion in­to a meritorious poſture.

In the next place thou ſayſt, thou wilt come cloſer to Mr. Booker: yet (not to•cloſe I adviſe you for feare of hanging) And thou wouldeſt bee informed, upon vvhat grounds Mr. Booker deduced the ſignification of the putting in execution the illegall Commiſsion of Array: And alſo the ſetling of the Militia of the Kingdome by the Parliament, from the Conjunction of Mars and Jupiter, the 15. day of May 1643. A weaker Aſtronomer than Mr. Booker might have Prognoſticated this long before that time, with ſufficient grounds for the conjecture: for the put­ting in Execution the illegall Commiſsion of Array, was the effect of the Con­junction before mentioned, when Mars being ſurrounded with Malignant Con­ſtellations, and in a warlike poſture was cheriſhed with a favourable Aſpect from our Royall Iupiter, and radiated the fatall beames of Gunpowder to deſtroy us, And had deſtroyed us, had not the oppoſition of ſome more benign ſtars prevented it, by that provident Act of ſetling the Militia of the Kingdome.

But thou proceedeſt, and wouldeſt maintain, that both theſe being effects of a contrary nature, cannot both follow the ſame Coniunction; and demandeſt, How one and the ſame Poſition, at one and the ſame time, ſhould produce two ſuch contrary effects. I ſhould give thee ſatisfaction in this, but that thou puzzelſt me with Fran­ciſcus Iunctinus, Albohazen Haly, & other Pagan Malignants of thy acquaintance, ſuch as Iupiter Iunctus cum Malevolo, Planetae Vincentes (or rather Victae) preten­ded Parl•ament (with you at Oxford) dignities Eſſentiall and Accidentall (all as frivolous as your Great Seal) I tell thee it is evident enough, that from the ſame Coniunction aboveſaid, proceeded the Illegall Cōmiſsion of Array, & the ſettling of the Militia; that to offend & deſtroy, this to defend & preſerve the Kingdom.

Thou haſt another touch at Mr. Bookers Almanack, and denyeſt that the Sun and Mars were in Oppoſition on the ſame day the Battel was at Keynton field, Where our Invincible Army received ſuch a wound, which Weſtminſter Phyſick vvill never cure. Is not this a palpable falſhood? Was not our Royall Sun that day in oppoſition to Mars, and eclypſed too? If we grant it otherwiſe, we ſhould belie our ſelves, and we need not do it, Mr. G.N. when you are ſo nimble at it. For ſhame mention not Keynton, nor Edge-Hill any more, where your ſeduced Com­rades received more wounds in their Bodies, then you could ſupply with ordina­ry Phyſick; and the feſtred Malignity of your Cauſe was ſo bruiſed, that ever ſince to this day it remains incurable.

Now thou art on thy way as far as Edge-Hill in lying, thou wilt needs have us to be ſoundly beaten there, and that our truly valiant Generall vvas very tame the next morning. If he was ſo tame, why then did you not cage him? How hapned it he was not taken and impriſoned, for letting out ſo much of your noble, and baſe, degenerous and wilde blood? Let the conſideration of this be referred to any but of indifferent Iudgment; But there is little hope of your confeſsing truth, till the laſt Iudgement, where your conſciences muſt anſwer for the bloodſhed.

And here, Mr. G.N. you muſt give me leave to tell you, that though you ſay, You do not live by cheating and lying, yet you do by making of cheating and lying Pamphlets, and by Calculating of News for the Meridian of Oxford; for the truth of affairs muſt not walk abroad there, either naked, or in their own clothing, but muſt be tranſlated into ſuch a habit, as will be moſt pleaſing, and acceptable to the hearers; this you may confeſs in time, without equivocating, or mentall reſervatiō.

And whereas thou ſayeſt, Mr. Booker dares not go to Oxford, unleſſe it be for a Spie; I think even aſſoon as thou dareſt come to London for a mornings entertainment at the Exchange, where you may chance to curſe your Aſcendant too, and look with ſuch an Aſpect, that you never obſer­ved a worſe upon a Proteſtant at Court.

Thou wilt by no means yeeld that thou cameſt to Oxford by Sea; but ſayeſt, Tis well known thou cameſt by land. Whether by Sea, or by land, is no great matter; but I fear, your laſt journey will be by neither. And to fit thy ſelf the better for this laſt journey, here thou beginneſt the ſe­cond part of the Lamentation of Cheap-ſide Croſſe, well tuned with Blaſphemy: for thou ſayeſt, It was the onely thing whereby w•are diſ•inguiſhed, and known from Turks, Iew•, and Infidels. it being the true and onely badge of the•ame〈◊〉•rofeſſe. Thus thou makeſt Cheap-ſide Croſſe an eſſen­tiall part of Chriſtianity. Is this the fruit o•••ur Oxford ſtudies? I pray thee Naworth, tell us for what Meridian this Divinity was cal••l•t••, it is of too great a latitude for London.

Now becauſe of the ſeaſonable demolliſhing this Idoll of yours called Cheap-ſide Croſſe, thou meaneſt to pay us home with a competent ſumme of ſlander for our paines, and being to act the ſecond part of Aulicus, (whoſe yonger brother thou art) thou calleſt the honourable Parliament, which will remain a true Parliament, in ſpight of all the divelliſh calumnies you can vomit up againſt it, a Pretended Parliament: Our valiant true-hearted Colonels and Commanders thou reckoneſt up to be Wood mongers, Fell-mongers, Button makers, &c. (Thou calleſt them ſo, be­cauſe they fell and knock you downe ſo faſt, and teach your Breeches to make Buttons:) O••grave and religious Aſſembly of Divines, thou calleſt, A Schiſmaticall Aſſembly of Taylers, Mil­lers, Coblers, and Weavers, &c. (ſo they are to ſew up the rent which your Prelates and their ad­herents have made in the Church, and cobled it up with their owne ſuperſtitious tacklings, and wove into the garments of Chriſts Spouſe ſtrange ſtuffe;) And Millers, I hope they are likewiſe to grinde Popery to powder; and we wiſh them any thing; ſo they may hold the Popes Noſ•to the Grind-ſtone. Then thou calleſt the Scottiſh Commiſſioners, the Incendiaries between th•two Kingdomes of England and Scotland. (We will joyne with them to burne down the houſe o•Baal to the ground.) The Lord Major, Aldermen, and Common Councell men. Taxe-bearing Mules They are ſtill contented to beare your ſlanderous reproaches, and to beare any burthen but th•Popes: they are unwilling to be rode on by him, and the Cardinals with a Peter pence bridle.

Thou wonder'ſt we goe not about to alter the Coyn, there being ſo many Croſſes upon it. I t•••thee we will keep and embrace any Croſſe that will croſſe your deſigne of Idolizing the Croſſe ▪

Thou ſaiſt the Schollars long to ſee Mr. Booker, and diſpute with him, whether New-caſtle Coale be the Element of fire or not. There needs no diſpute in the matter, though the Mar­queſſe cannot reſolve you, the Coal-pits being out of his poſſeſſion, and his power quenched there; yet we can informe you, that he intended to create a Region of fire there, by ſetting th•pits on fire, and Phaeton-like to burne aſunder the Axell-tree of the Kingdome, that we•with himſelfe might all drop into ruine together.

I cannot believe but that thou art Aulicus his bed-fellow, his ſole Companion, for thou run­neſt altogether in the ſame ſtraine with him every way, and calleſt the Lord Say, late Lord Say, and his Chaplain a Miller. He hath ſerved an Apprentiſhip indeed, and hath learned to grind•Popiſh Trinkets too, et omnia ejuſdem farinae.

Next of all thou art troubled about Mariana his book, which was burnt at Paris for teachin•it lawfull for Subjects to kill their Kings and Princes quocunquo modo, &c. And wouldeſt have i•reprinted by Order of both Houſes. If your pretended Houſes at Oxford will not order the Prin­ting of it, you may have it done in Ireland: the Doctrine will take there, and I feare at Oxford too. In the meane time forbeare ſuch idle ſlandering that great Conjunction at Weſtminſter. Th•effects of it wil laſt many Februaries, in ſpight of your Malignant Oppoſition, and flouriſh when you and all your helliſh Stratagems doe fade and faile you. Call them not Opacous, darke and unweildy ſtars, which reject to be inlightned with the lively and wholſome Rayes of the Sun, (ou•Royall King Charles) For they are bright and ſhining ſtarres, which diſperſe reviving heate light, and comfort through all parts of this dying Kingdome, and will ſtill continue glorious in that excellent luſtre, which the Royall ſunne was pleaſed to beſtow upon them, though now he•cannot daigne them a favourable Aſpect, being clouded from them. And yet we hope once to breath in that happy time, when his Majeſty will recollect himſelfe, and call up thoſe ingrafted Principles of Nobleneſſe, Piety, true Religion, and Reaſon, which made him formerly admired and beloved by his People: Nay the very light of nature cannot but be ſufficient to diſpell t•a•d•rkneſſe wherein you and your friends walke blind fold to deſtruction, if you were not wholy beſotted and given up to a ſpirit of deluſion. Hence it is that we have ſo little hope of your con­verſion; and therefore I ſhall not ſpend many words, but leave that to God and his Miniſters. Onely give me leave to diſmiſſe thee with an Anagram, the Engliſh of thy name, GEORGIVS NAWORTH. 'TIS A WHORING ROGVE.

And this Engliſh agrees with the Calculation of thy Nativity I formerly gave thee. I adviſe you George Naworth, to amend your Calculation and your life in Oxford, if it be poſſible; for it〈◊〉ſuppoſed the Scots will fright you from returning to Durham; for if you came thither, the Sen­tence would be, that you muſt not return to the place from whence you came, but to the Gallows, againſt which there will be no Anti-caveat. So farewell.