HE hath not the heart of an Engliſh-man, or of a Chriſtian in his breſt, whoſe bowells do not rowl within him, when he conſi­dereth the miſerable Diſtractions of this divided Kingdom, threatning a Germane deſolation thereof, and of the Church of God therein. I have therefore much won­dered to ſee ſo many religious men, and good Patriots, more ready to bring Fuell and Breath to the kindling and encreaſing, then tears to the quenching, or hands to the putting out of that fire, which in a ſhort time, hath al­ready ſeized on all the Parts of the Kingdom; and if it burn a while after the rate it hath begun, is like ſoon to make us the ſcorn, as we have long been the envy of all our Neighbours. But I was altogether aſtoniſhed to finde the ſheet of the ſpeci­all Paſſages of the other week, to begin with theſe words; This Week hath produced matters much conducing to the Peace and Safety of the Kingdom; A Petition againſt an Accommodation (unleſſe the King come to the Parliament) from divers well-affected Citizens of LONDON. And yet I would not be thought to differ from men ſo well-affected in this judgement, That the Kings return to that his great, and moſt faithfull Counſell were not the moſt ſure and ſpeedy way to recover a right underſtanding between His Majeſtie and His Parliament; and that happy­neſſe of a well eſtabliſhed Peace throughout the whole King­dom, which no man without breach of Charity, can ſuſpect His Majeſty doth not moſt ſincerely affect, and ſo much more then any one of His Subjects, as His intereſt therein is grea­ter. But becauſe I conceive it as hard to induce His Majeſty thereunto, as to perſwade the Parliament to adjourn to ano­ther place, till thoſe vehement, though groundleſſe Jealouſies4 which either of them hath of each other, be extinguiſhed, or at leaſt allayed: I can therefore by no means approve of the counſell for good, being, as I doubt, impracticable, though I believe as much as another of the good intentions of the per­ſons that gave it. For if there be cauſe to fear, That the King will never be drawn to agree to any reaſonable tearms of Ac­commodation, while His Majeſty is impriſoned by the Ca­valiers, and encircled by thoſe wicked Counſellors, who by this Writer are preſumed to be about him, and to have power to ſeduce Him: Can it be reaſonably thought, That the Ca­valiers will be leſſe vigilant to keep His Majeſty from making an eſcape, Or thoſe Counſellors to charm Him from ſtirring from them, though it be for the Peace of the Kingdom, till their own be firſt made with the Parliament? But the Petitio­ners advice is, To have thoſe Cavaliers and Councellors pur­ſued, and His Majeſty freed from them by that means; per­haps this may prove a thing eaſier to ſay then to do, as expe­rience hath ſhewed. Let us not ſo ſoon forget what we have lately learned, at our great charge. His Majeſty had erected His Standard at Nottingham, to which there was no ſuch mighty nor haſty confluence as was expected. The Cavaliers (which tearm I would not conſent to abuſe, if it were not at the preſent impoſſible to reduce it to the right uſe again) had attempted Warwick and Coventry, and failed in both. They had marched againſt the Forces of the Parliament neer South­am, in no very unequall ſtrength, though the numbers were ſomewhat unequall, and had fallen off in a diſorderly Re­treat, without ſtriking ſtroke. This was likely to give ſo much diſcouragement to the Kings Party (not too forward to ſhew it ſelf before) that it was thought a matter of much difficulty, if not impoſſibility, for His Majeſty to raiſe His Forces, then very weak, to a compleat Army, in time to op­poſe that of the Parliament, then ready to march, and a­bundantly provided of all neceſſaries for the War. Hereup­on5 the Parliament rejected a reiterated Offer of His Majeſties to treat, and with high Wiſedom, as then in hope the King might have been neceſſitated to have abandoned certain De­linquents, or they the Kingdom, beſides the weighty Reaſons expreſſed in their Anſwers. But whether by Gods bleſſing upon the ſincerity of His Majeſties Proteſtation, moſt ſo­lemnly renewed neer Wellington, with a neceſſary Exception thereunto; Or by the Induſtry and courage of ſome perſons active enough before, but then quickned by their deſperate Condition; Or by what other more ſecret providence or means I know not; ſure I am, That in a very ſhort ſpace of time, the Scale was ſo far turned, even beyond the expectation of Cavaliers and Counſellors, as may be ſhewed under their hands, that His Majeſties Army gave Battell to that of the Parliament, fought it ſo well, that it is not yet agreed who had the Victory. But if the Cavaliers were defeated, they marched within ſeven miles of the Parliament after their Defeat, there ſtood in Battell again, and thence made one of the moſt reſo­lute, if not the moſt ſouldierly Retreats hath been heard of in our Age; ſo improſperous is the exceſſe of confidence in the ſucceſſe of War, as well as of Duells: and let us therefore be­ware of ſtumbling again at that ſtone, as the Petitioners might have obſerved the Parliament to be. Why His Majeſty hath no Money; and without the ſtrength of that ſinew of War, His Cavaliers, as gallant as they are, can have but paralitique Arms. A vain conceit, That ſilver and gold ſhould not ſoon be brought under the power of Braſſe and Iron; Or that he that is grown well-nigh Maſter of the Field, ſhould not in humane reaſon ſoon become Maſter of this whole Kingdom for want of Money or Ammunition: I forbear to ſay by what means, leſt I ſhould be thought to have a minde to give crafty coun­ſell to the wicked Counſellors, of which they have no need, nor I any diſpoſition, if I had ability, to help them. And6 beſides, may it not be feared, That the Parliament may ere long have no ſuperfluity of that all-working Engine, when the Petitioners, who have born the greateſt part of the charge of the Warre, and whoſe Purſes have been ſo open hither­to, upon the ſecurity of the publike Faith onely, are now fallen ſo much from their former ſpeed, that the Parliament hath found it neceſſary to promiſe a ſpeedy re-emburſement of the Monies now deſired to be advanced, out of the firſt that ſhall come in upon the Ordinance of Aſſeſſement; of which, what the effect will be, upon that generation of men that were not forward to ſet up their reſt upon this War, when the Game was much fairer then now it is, peradventure there may be ſome little queſtion. O but if we ſhould chance to need any help, the Petitioners have been aſſured it is ready to come from Forraign parts: For the Penner of the Paſſages had told them, before he told us, in the beginning of his ſecond half Sheet, That the States of Holland and Zealand, and the States generall, have unanimouſly agreed on a Declaration to be ſent into England, deſiring to joyn with this Kingdom in mutuall aſſiſtance each of other, and with Scotland likewiſe. Then which (underſtanding it (as this Writer doth) of thoſe States, ſo joyning with the Parliament, ſtanding in the tearms it doth with the King) I had rather ſee any tolerable Accommodati­on of the differences between the Parliament and His Majeſty; and yet I wiſh His Majeſty, by advice of His Parliament, were in ſuch a League with thoſe States, as much as any other man doth, that hath an eye therein to the publike Intereſt onely. So much is the maſter of the Paſſages above the reach of my underſtanding in Affairs of State, if he have not over-reached his own, when he conceived of this Production of this Week, as of a thing much conducing to the Peace and Safety of this King­dom: of which ſtretches (the Iſſue of partiality and a good wit) I preſume every intelligent Reader hath obſerved many7 in his former weekly Accounts, which is all I know of him, not having the leaſt imagination who the man is. But the beſt is, that he hath been abuſed by his Intelligencer on the other ſide, as well in the News, as in the goodnes of it; which I would not ſo confidently affirm, having my ſelf no Corre­ſpondent there, if it were a thing unknown to any man that knoweth the Fundamentall Conſtitution of that State, and the preſent temper thereof, That an unanimous concurrence in any matter of this nature among any of thoſe States, againſt the minde of the Prince of Orange, is a thing only not impoſſible. And howſoever the wiſedom of the Parliament of England is too great to be caught with the Bait of ſuch an Overture, which under the ſhew of helping us to bear our burthens, would ſhuffile an incomparable heavier of their own upon our ſhoulders, of which we ſhould quickly come to bear more then our part. I will therefore here pray the Petitioners to beware of believing all they reade in Print hereafter; and ſo I leave them, I hope not ill ſatisfied with me, when I have here publikely profeſſed my ſincere concurrence with them in the main matter of the chief of their former Petitions, though I cannot ſubſcribe to this.

The unadviſedneſſe of this Petition, and it may be the ſeem­ing inequality, between being aſſeſſed and forced to pay Monies in a great proportion, towards the maintenance of this War, without any hope of re-payment (for ought can be diſ­cerned by the Ordinance) and the Loan of like, or it may be leſſe ſums, upon engagement of the publike Faith for re-emburſe­ment with Intereſt, ſeemeth to have ſtirred up a great multi­tude of diſ-affected perſons (as they are ſtiled by the Contri­ver of the Paſſages) to ſubſcribe a Petition for Peace in more abſolute tearms then it may be was altogether fit, yet may bet­ter be excuſed, then the petitioning againſt Peace in the moſt complying Language can be deviſed.

8And the direct contradiction of theſe two exorbitant Peti­tions, and the high Conteſtation of the Petitioners about them, ſeemeth to have moved the wiſe Senate, and Common-Counſell of the City to enter into a deliberation about the fra­ming of of a third (mentioned in the Paſſages of this laſt week) which I would not be thought to have the preſumption to cenſure further then this, That (knowing what I know) I do much doubt, the infuſion of the grievances annexed thereunto, may make it too ſtrong a Medicine for our diſeaſe, conſidering his ſtomack from which it muſt receive all the operation it can have towards our cure.

The News of theſe three divers Petitions all on foot at the ſame time, in the ſame City, hath ſtirred thoughts in me of the danger of a City divided in it ſelf, and of another of greater conſequence, particularly and inſeparably involved in the diviſion of the City of London, that being ſuch an Epi­tome of the whole Kingdom of England, That out of the Hi­ſtory of what is doing there, whether good or evill, a wiſe man may ever write an infallible Propheſie of what will ere long be in agitation in the whole Land. And the conſidera­tion of the aforeſaid dangers, joyned to the hope I have, That in contemplation of them, the City will think it no preſum­ption in us good people of the poor plundered Country, in ſuch an over-grown ſtorm as this, to deſire to be allowed an Oar in the rowing of that Boat to ſhore, in which we, and all that we have, are imbarked, as well as they, have raiſed up my ſpirits to make an Eſſay whether it may be poſſible to project ſuch a way, tending to the bringing of the King and Parlia­ment together again, as may be ſutable to the ſeverall Intenti­ons of the reſpective Petitioners of the City; and ſo by Gods bleſſing, a means to reduce them, and by them, the whole Bo­dy of the Kingdome to that Unity, which if I might but live to ſee, I ſhould then cheerfully ſing by Nunc dimittis. 9And becauſe experience hath taught me, that the rarity and greatneſſe of affaires and accidents of State, doth I know not how dazle the eyes of men unaccuſtomed, and unacquainted with the judging and handling of them, and that the beſt way to diſpell this miſt, is to looke on ſuch things and courſes which are uſuall in common life, and by them to take the right pro­portions, and meaſure, and way of managing of the other leſſe knowne, my firſt indeavours ſhall be to finde out ſuch a para­lell for that buſineſſe now in hand. And as I know no compa­riſon doth run better, or more fit then that of a man and his wife with the King and his Parliament, ſo I would our preſent di­ſtempers were not too like the condition of a Woman and her Husband firſt parted upon Jealouſy, and other diſcontents be­tweene them, and then not knowing how with credit to come together againe, when the great encreaſe of both their diſcom­forts, occaſioned by their ſeparation, hath ſufficiently diſpoſed them unto it. For in this caſe, which is of too common know­ledge if through the working of their owne good nature, or the ſolicitation of others, they ſhall take a reſolution to make haſte to meet againe at one great ſtop by paſſing over all that hath paſſed betweene them in ſilence, (which ſeemeth to be the way on which the oppoſite Petitioners are yet agreed) it is a hun­dred to one, that once within a moneth, or a yeare or two, ſome new falling out upon old reckonings will happen betweene them, and then this ſecond breach will be harder to make up then the former. On the otherſide, if they ſhall reſolve to live aſunder till ſatisfaction ſhall be given for every cauſe of diſtaſte, and till every ground of difference between them ſhall be fully reconciled, by the going of friends, or ſending of Papers between them (which is the way of the third Petition) the adventure is no leſſe, that pick-thanke tale-bearers, and ſuch other perſons, as either are gainers by their being at odds, or in danger by their reconcilement, will give ſo many cunning interruptions to the10 length of ſuch a Negotiation, that one of their lives will be ended before the Treaty be concluded; in this caſe therefore it hath e­ver beene found beſt to goe a middle way by compounding all the principall grounds of their ſeparation before their returne into the ſame houſe, and to leave the reſt to be agreed betweene themſelves, which after they have had a new taſte of the con­tentment of living as they ought together, will eaſily be done in that field where all quarrells betweene Husband and Wife ſhould be fought out. In imitation of which proceeding appro­ved by many experiments, let us firſt enquire after the Originall grounds of the preſent wide differences betweene the King and his Parliament, and then, after the moſt probable expedients, to agree them. And if I be not miſtaken, this great inundation, which in a ſhort time hath almoſt overwhelmed the whole Kingdome, hath ariſen from theree ſo ſmall ſprings, that a man, who hath not obſerved the times, and places, at wch other rivers and torrents fell into their channells, would be aſtoniſhed to behold the height of the deluge they are now riſen to. They were the miſ-underſtanding between his Majeſty and the Parli­ament touching the perpetuation, and freedome thereof, and about the Protection of reputed delinquents on the one ſide and on the other. And in the preſent conjuncture of affayres, I can imagine no poſſible meanes of overcoming theſe three Funda­mentall and mother poynts of difference, before the whole Kingdom be over-run with plundering, but by paſſing three new Acts of Parliament: The firſt of them may be drawne up two wayes, either in the forme of a generall Amneſtie from the be­ginning of the world without any exception of any perſons. Or elſe if this motion ſhall be rejected on both ſides (as it may be it will) then to inſert a limitation of time from which the Am­neſtie ſhall begin, and to which it ſhall extend, as to certaine crimes to be particularly ſpecified, and excepted in the Act, as it uſeth to be done in generall pardons, and the tryall of perſons11 that may happen to be charged with them, to bee therein alſo particularly referred to ſuch Judges to whom by Law it doth appertain, which in appearance can bee no new, nor moot caſe. For in the preſent equality of Forces; I deſpaire of agreement, if any perſons ſhall be excepted by name.

The ſecond is an act for the ſecuring of the Parliament, and all the Members thereof, as wel againſt all tumultuary Aſſem­blies of the people, as from all attempts by way of force, though under pretence of authority from the King. In which act it muſt bee remembred to bee particularly ſpecified, that the perſon of the King, for the time being is, and ever ſhall be taken as a part of the Parliament, as indeed it ought to be taken in, whenſoever the Parliament is ſpoken of as an entire body, which muſt have a head, though as the head and body may be contradiſtinguiſhed at other times, ſo may the King and Parliament be alſo by the ſame reaſon.

The third is an act for the aſſurance of an Annuall Parlia­ment in the ſame manner that a Trienniall is now aſſured, but with two additions: One for the ſecurity of the Members of both Houſes to bee conducted to the place appointed for the holding of the Parliament, and for their ſafe remaining there by the Sherifes of the reſpective Counties through which they are to paſſe, and in which the Parliament ſhall happen to be kept, or by ſuch other Officers as may be thought more fit, which un­der correction was an omiſſion in the act for the Trienniall Par­liament. And another, as well for the prevention of the unſea­ſonable diſſolution of Parliaments, without the conſent of both Houſes, as for the aſſurance of the diſſolution of every Parlia­ment within the ſpace of one yeare, in which there may be two Seſſions thereof at ſuch times, and of ſuch length as ſhall be judged moſt convenient. I do expect, that this overture ſhould be abominated by ſome on both ſides, and that is an argument to me, that it is the moſt equitable propoſition can be made for the agreeing of this ſupreme point of difference to the benefit12 of His Majeſty, of the Parliament, and people of this King­dome, as will be found upon a juſt calculation of the convenien­cies thereof in relation to the inconveniences of preſent conſti­tutions. For as all the incommodities which the King & King­dome have felt by the too long intermiſſion, and abrupt break­ing up of Parliaments, will be prevented by this order for the frequency, and continuance of them; ſo the determining of them at a certain time, and the making of two Seſſions in each of them, may by Gods bleſſing prove an effectuall Antidote againſt thoſe high diſtempers, of which the King, and Parlia­ment, and Kingdome doe all complain now, whoſoever hath been in the fault, or whatſoever hath been the true cauſe of them. And I cannot conceive why His Majeſties voluntary yeel­ding to this abridgement of the Right of the Crown, in the point of diſſolving of Parliaments, for the good of his people, ſhould be eſteemed more diſhonourable to him, then it was to his moſt famous Progenitors, to aſſent to ſeverall Laws for the yearly calling of Parliaments, and other Regulatings of their power for the ſame reaſon.

After the paſſing of theſe three Acts to the purpoſe afore­ſaid, I doe with all humble ſubmiſſion propound to conſidera­tion, Whether His Majeſty and the Parliament may not with Honour ſecurely meet to eſtabliſh the purity of Religion, and of the true Worſhip of God, and right Government of his Church in ſuch a manner as may be moſt for his glory, and the peace of his people: To ſettle the Rights of the Crown, the Priviledges of Parliament, the Freedome of Elections thereun­to, and of proceeding therein, and all other the Liberties of the Subject in ſuch a manner, that there may never hereafter be any more ſuch miſtakings about them, as we groan under at preſent. And at the ſame time hand in hand to ſettle ſuch a conſtant, Royall Revenue upon the Crown, as hath been often promiſed by this Parliament, and to deliberate, and reſolve upon the moſt eaſie, ready, and equall way to raiſe ſuch ſummes of money up­on emergent occaſions as may be for the ſecurity of all the pro­feſſors13 of the Proteſtant Religion againſt all Antichriſtian Power, &c. Which are matters of ſuch difficultie, and length, that if the Armies now on foot ſhall be maintained till they bee all agreed by Treaty, the whole Kingdome is in danger of being ruined before it be concluded.

You have the raving thoughts of a ſimple Countryman wed­ded to a ſolitaty life in a deſert, which he hath long and often there revolved in his own minde, and at length conferred them with divers wiſer men, whoſe having approved of them upon their ſecond thoughts, more then at the firſt, hath much confir­med him that he is in the right, and that encouraged him to take the preſent occaſion, humbly to recommend them to the ſerious, and mature conſideration of the Honourable City of London, which hath hitherto ever had the honour to ſettle the troubles of this Kingdome on that ſide to which it hath enclined; but he is very jealous it may be in danger to loſe now, unleſſe it be re­duced to unity in it ſelfe. And if peradventure any part of that he hath written ſhould have the happineſſe to receive ſuch ap­probation of ſo wiſe a Senate, that they ſhould think of convey­ing it higher, he doth then further humbly propound, Whether the Petitioning for a day of moſt ſolemne Faſt to bee ſpecially deſigned for the ſeeking of Gods face in the behalf of this King­dome (which it hath been ſtrange to him we have hitherto been content to do, by the voluntary devotion of private men upon the Monthly Faſts, without any publique direction from King, Church or State, as if this Kingdome were an Appendixe of Ireland, and not that of England) and a Declaration that the monthly Faſt is alſo joyntly intended to be kept for the purpoſe any other requeſt may be made for the procuring of a ſpeedy and aforeſaid, may not bee a fit addition to laſting peace.

For concluſion, ſince it is the part of wiſe men, in every buſi­neſſe of great concernment, to fore caſt the contrary events may fall out, and the reſpective iſſues of them: I ſhall onely humbly beſeech my Lord Major, and the ſage Court of Aldermen, firſt14 to anticipate in their thoughts upon the one hand, that it is not more impoſſible the Kings Forces ſhould ere long obtain the re­mainder of thoſe advantages towards the ſeverall Seas, and upon the ſeverall Rivers of this Kingdome, or thoſe other within the Land, which it is apparent they aime at, then it was for them a while ſince, to prevaile in any of thoſe they have already gotten; and then to ask themſelves what the conſequence is like to be, if the body of the City or Country ſhould grow weary of this war before ſuch a peace be made, as is deſired by all good men, and in reaſon may be attained while the affairs ſtand yet in ballance by their meanes, who by bearing the greateſt purſe in this State, may ever have the lowdeſt voyce in all Counſels to which they ſhall be admitted. And then upon the other hand to figure to themſelves by ſtrength of imagination, That the Forces of the Parliament have freed the King from the reſtraint he is ſuppo­ſed to be in now, and to have him ſo freed in their power, and then to put this queſtion to themſelves, What uſe they can make of this Victory, if his Majeſty (who by all that know him, is known to be the moſt intelligent, and moſt reſolved King this day living in the whole Chriſtian world) ſhould by the power of his own underſtanding continue as fixed in his reſolution, not to make any greater or other alteration in Legibus Angliae, concer­ning Church or State, then hee hath already declared himſelfe willing to do in his ſeverall Anſwers and Declarations ſet forth before, and ſince the beginning of theſe troubles, and particular­ly in His Majeſties Anſwer to the Nineteen Propoſitions, when he was environed with Evill Counſellors, and Cavalliers; And yet more particularly to put theſe two queſtions to themſelves, How His Majeſty imagined to bee in the hands of the Parlia­ments Forces, ſhall bee gotten to London againſt his will: And whether it bee for the good of their City, that His Majeſty ſhould for ever make his reſidence other where, eſpecially if he ſhould do it upon any alienation of his affection from the Inha­bitants thereof, or any ſort of them. After the debating of which15 matters within themſelves, I ſhall onely take the boldneſſe to exhort them to carry themſelves like wiſe men; which ſhort word is enough to the wiſe.

And yet I would not have the Counſellors or Cavaliers grow inſolent by running away too faſt in their phancies with any of the things I have mentioned. For if the deſigne or hope of any of them be at laſt to introduce an Arbitrary Government, by diſſolving this Parliament by force, without the conſent of the Houſes, which is Treaſon by the knowne Law of the Land, and a Treaſon infinitely aggravated by the many publicke, and I doubt not moſt ſincere Proteſtations of his Majeſty made to the contrary, they may read their deſtiny in the Lord Straffords fortune. Or if there be any of them, who perchance having as much care as another to preſerve the temporall Liberties of the Subject intire, may yet have a miſchievous machination in his head either to re-introduce a great part of the doctrine and pra­ctice of Popery into this Church under the name of the Prote­ſtant profeſſion: or but to hinder ſuch a further Reformation as is yet neceſſary for the ſetting up of the power of Godlineſſe in the hearts of the people of this Land and of the Kingdome anne­xed therunto, which is to undermine his Throne who is King of kings, and Lord of lords: let them remember what King David a truly brave Cavalier ſung to his Harpe in the firſt Pſalm of his making, He that ſitteth in Heaven ſhall laugh them to ſcorne, the Lord ſhall have them in deriſion! and that which Solomon his ſon, the wiſeſt Counſellor that ever was on earth, hath left us upon record in his Proverbs, There is no wiſdome, nor underſtanding, nor councell againſt the Lord. The Horſe is prepared againſt the day of battaile; but ſafety is of the Lord.

My humble adviſe therefore to them ſhall be, that while it is yet time they would lay the prudent adviſe of the wiſe Gamaliel to heart. And now I ſay unto you, Refraine from theſe men, and let them alone. For if this Counſellor this worke be of men, in will come to naught; but if it be of God, yee cannot overthrow it, leaſt happily yee be found even to fight againſt God.