KINGS are Gods Vice-gerents; who doe imme­diately present the Person, and exercise the power of God upon Earth: and every evill act committed against the KING, is a loud-spea­king Blasphemy against the divine majesty of God; forasmuch as from thence, the majesty of Kings is derived. As it is required both by Law and Reason, that Children should honour and reverence their Parents: so it is re­quisite and necessary, that Subjects should performe their duty of Honour and Allegiance to their Kings. Where the word of a King is, there is Power, And who may say unto him what dost thou? saith the Spirit of God by the mouth of Solomon. Rebellion is as the sinne of witch-craft, that is, is as abominable in Gods sight as witch-craft. For demonstration of which truth, I shall present you with a view of Gods Justice, manifested in the world upon Rebels and Traytors, both in elder and latter times; and shew both out of sacred and profane Histories, how the tempest of Gods wrath hath been degrandinated upon the heads of the mighty ones of this world, that have been disobedient, and Rebellious against their Princes: And how his vengeance hath pursued those Malefactors to their shame and confusion.

The dismall and unparalleld Judgement of God upon Corah, Dathan and Abiram, and the Rebels under their Command, who set themselves against Moses and Aaron; is not unknown to any who have been conversant in the Book of God. Numbers 26. Likewise the Children of Israel, who slandred and mutined against Moses, their [Page 2] Soveraigne Magistate and Conductor, that so meekly had brought them out of the Land of Aegypt, by the speciall command of God; and charged him with conspiring the murder of those Rebels, whom not he, but God for their pride and stubbornnesse, had rooted out and destroyed. Felt the fury of Gods displeasure for this their fact, who scourged them with a most grievous plague, whereof dyed about fourteen thousand, and seaven hundred persons.

Strange was the malice of Absolom in rebelling so furiously against his Father and Soveraign Lord King David, and as strange was his punishment: for having in Battle lost the day, and being in flight from the pursute of his Enemies, 2 Sam. 18. was overtaken by Gods Judgement, from which he could not flie; for riding along the forrest to save himself, his Mule carrying him under a thick Oake, left him hanging by the Haire upon a bough, betwixt Heaven and Earth, untill being found by Joab, he was wounded to death. An accident strange and wonderfull, yet such an one, as God himselfe provided to punish this Rebellious wretch; which fearfull spectacle of Gods Judgement may serve to terrifie the most impu­dent Rebell from this horrible sinne.

Achitophell, who forsook his Soveraigne Leige Lord, and anoin­ted King, and with his counsell and presence aided Absolom in his Rebellion; God in anger, suffered him to be his own executi­oner, for he fell into dispaire, and hanged himselfe.

Shimei, 2 Sam. 16. who in the time of Absoloms Rebellion, in his wick­ed and perverse humour, instead of Service due unto his Sove­raigne in that extremity; presented himselfe not as a Subject, but as a Railer, cursing him with most reproachfull tearmes, and throwing stones at him, and his followers in most Trayterous manner: for which Rebellious act, though David did not question him, yet God would not exempt him from punishment; for in the end, his wickednesse fell upon his own head, and destructi­on overtook him by desert of another fault, at the command of King Solomon. 1 Kings 2.

The punishment of Shiba, 2 Sam. 20. the sonne of Bichri tarryed not so long, who with a proud and audacious heart stirred up the grea­test part of Israel to Rebell against David, when he thought to have been most at quiet; for he enjoyed not long his disloyall enterprise, for being speedily pursued by Davids servants, and [Page 3]besieged in the City Abell, his head was cut off by the Citizens, and throwne over the wall, as a just reward for his Rebellious Act.

But to let passe these sacred Histories, and come to prophane, yet probable and more neer examples. Theodorick, Albert Crautz. King of France, and Irminfride, King of Thuringia, being profest Foes, after many cruell Battels fought, Irminfride was conquered by King Theodorick, who being subdued, sued for pardon and re­lease at the Conquerours hand, who was so farre from pittying his estate, that he corrupted one Iringus a noble man, and Irmin­frides Subject to murder his Soveraigne, which he performed knee­ling before Theodorick, running him through with his sword at his back: which traiterous deed being finished, King Theodorick though the promoter of it, yet so abhorred the Actor, that he commanded him forthwith to avoid his presence, for he could not put any trust in him, that had betrayed his owne Master. At which words Iringus (mad with anger and rage) ran at Theo­dorick also, with purpose to have slaine him; but his hand missing the mark, returned his sword into his owne Bowels, so that he fell down dead upon his Masters Carcasse. A notable and wonderfull Judge­ment, and an example worthy to be written in golden letters, and to be read and remembred of every one, to teach menallegeance and obe­dience to their Princes, lest more sudden destruction then this fall upon them.

After the death of Jeronimus, King of Siracusa, Andronodorus and Themistius provoked by their Wives descending of the Bloud Royall, affected an usurpation of the Crowne, Titus Livius. and wrought much hurt to the Common-wealth; but their practises being dis­covered, the Pretors (by the consent of the Senators) slew them both in the Market-place, as rotten members of their common body, and therefore fit to be cut off. And when they understood how their Wives, Damarata and Harmonia were the incensers of this mis­chief, they sent to kill them also: yea, and Heraclia, Harmoniaes sister, guiltlesse of the crime, (for no other cause but because she was her Sister) was pluckt from the Altar, and slaine in the tumult with two of her Daughters that were Virgins. Thus is Treason plauged, not onely in Traytors themselves, but also in those that are linked unto them in friendship, and affinity.

What notable Treasons did Hadrian the fourth, Pope of Rome, practice against the Emperour, Frederick Barbarossa, yet all was frustrate, For the Lord protected the Emperour, and punished the Traytour with a sudden and strange death; for he was choaked with a Flie which went down his throat, and stopped his breath, and could by no meanes be pull'd out till it made an end of him. Besides, many others that went about the same practice, were brought to notable Destructions: as that counterfeit fool whom the Italians set on to murder Frederick in his chamber, which had been performed, had he not leaped out of a window into a River, and so saved his life: for the foole being taken, was throwne headlong out of the same window, and so broke his neck. As also an Arabian Doctor, a grand poysoner, who going about to infect with poyson his Bridle, Saddle, Spurs, and Stirrops, that as soone as he should but touch them he might be poysoned, was dis­covered and hanged for his labour.

When Emanuel, Otto Frisingensis de rebus Freder. Prin. lib. 1. c. 47 Emperour of Constantinople, lay about Antioch with an Army prepared against the Turk, one of his chiefest Officers, namely his Chancellour, put in practise this notable piece of Trea­son against him: he waged three desperate young men with an in­finite summe of money to kill him upon an appointed day, and then with a band of Souldiers determined to possesse himself of the Crown, and the City, and to slay all that any way crossed his purpose. But the Treason being discovered secretly to the Empresse, she acquainted her Lord with it, who took the three Traytors, and put them all to cruell deaths: and as for the Chancellour, he first bored out his eyes, and plucking his tongue through his throat, tormented him to death with a most rigorous and miserable punishment.

Scribonianus, Lanquet Chron. a Captaine of the Romans in Dalmatia, rebelled against the Emperour Claudius, and named himselfe Emperour in the Army; but his Rebellion was miraculously punished, for though the whole Army favoured him very much, yet they could not by any meanes spread their Banners, or remove their Standards out of their places, as long as he was called by the name of Emperour, with which miracle being moved they turned their Loves into hatred, and their liking into loathing, so that whom lately they saluted as Emperour, him now they murdered as a Traytor.

To rehearse all the Traytors that have conspired against their Kings from the Conquest to this present Age, were unnecessary, and almost impossible: yet that their destructi­on may be our instruction; and the curse of God upon Tray­tors be made more manifest, I will cite some of the chiefest of them.

In the year 1264 Simon Montford Earl of Leicester, with di­verse other Earls and Barons, upon diverse faire and specious pretences, for Religion, and the common good, raised a Rebellion against their Soveraigne Lord King Henry the Third; and in a Battle near Lewes in Sussex, became masters of the Field, took prisoners the King, Prince, the Earl of Cornwall, Brother to the King, and his Sonne, together with the Earls of Arundell, and Hereford, and diverse Scottish Lords, had them in possession a year and a half, at length, by the providence of God, the Prince made an escape from the Castle of Hereford, where he was Pri­soner, gathered an Army, and at Evesham, neer Worcester, over­threw the Rebels Army, redeemed the King his Father, slew the Earl of Liecester their Ring-leader, and an eleven other Lords, the ensuing Parliament dis-inherited all their adherents, and the Lon­doners, who in all Ages were either the parents, or nurses of Rebellion, lost their Liberties, the Family of the Montfords were expell'd the Kingdome, and driven to seek their fortunes elsewhere; so just is God in revenging himselfe on those, that Rebell against his Vice-gerents.

In the year 1275. Lewlin, Prince of Wales Rebelled against King Edward the First, and after much adoe was taken by Sir Roger Mortimer, and his Head set upon the Tower of London. After the same manner was his Brother David served, Ries and Madock had the same reward for stirring up the Welshmen to a Rebellion, No better measure had the Scots, who having of their own ac­cord committed the Government of their Kingdome to King Edward, after the death of Alexander, (who broke his neck with a fall from his Horse, and left no issue male) and sworn fealty unto him: yet dispenced with their Oath, by the Popes Com­mission, and the Frenchmens incitement, and rebelled diverse times against King Edward: for he overcame them sundry times, and slew at one time 32000. and took diverse of their nobility prisoners.

In the Raigne of King Henry the Fourth there Rebelled at one time against him, John Holland, Duke of Excester, with the Dukes of Aumerl, Surrey, Salisbury, and Glocester; and at another time Thomas Percy Earl of Worcester, and Henry Lord Percy, sonne to the Earl of Northumberland, at another time Richard Scroop, Arch-bishop of Yorke, and diverse others of the house of the Lord Newbray; at another time Henry Earl of Northumberland, and the Lord Bardolph: and lastly, Rice ap Dee, and Owen Glen­dour two Welchmen: all which were either slaine as Henry Lord Percy, or beheaded as the rest of these (though by Birth Noble, yet by practice Ignoble) Rebels; or starved to death as Owen Glendour was in the Mountaines of Wales, after he had devoured his own Flesh.

In the Raigne of Henry the Fifth, Richard Earl of Cambridge, Sir Richard Scroop, Lord high Treasurer of England, and Sir Tho­mas Gray were beheaded for Treason.

To passe over the time of the residue of the Kings, wherein many examples of Treasons, and punishments upon them are extant, and come nearer unto our owne Age, let us consider the wonderfull providence of God, in discovering the notorious Trea­sons, which were so often contrived against Q. Eliz: of happy me­mory, and protecting her so violently from the violence of them all. First, to begin with the Earles of Northumberland and Westmer­land, who in the eleven year of her Raigne, began a Rebellion in the North, pretending sometimes their purpose to be to defend the Queenes Person and Government from the invasion of Strangers, and sometimes for Conscience sake to seek Reformation and Reli­gion; under colour whereof, they got together an Army of men, to the number of six thousand Souldiers: against whom marched the Earl of Sussex Lieutenant of the North, and the Earl of War­wick sent by the Queen to his aide: whose approach struck such a terrour into their hearts, that the two Earles, with diverse of the Arch-rebels, fled into Scotland, leaving the rest of their com­pany a prey unto their Enemies, whereof threescore and six, or thereabout, were hanged at Durham. As for the Earles, Nor­thumberland was after taken in Scotland, and beheaded at Yorke. Westmerland fled into another Country, and left his House and Family destroyed, and undone by his Folly.

Not long after John Throgmorton, Thomas Brooke, George Red­man, and diverse other Gentlemen at Norwich pretended a Re­bellion under colour of suppressing Strangers, being discovered by one of their own conspiracy, Tho. Ket, were executed at Nor­wich for their paines: To the same end came Francis Throgmorton, whose Treacheries, as they were abominable, and touching the Queenes own Person, so were they disclosed not without the speciall providence of God.

But above all, that vile and ungratefull Traytor William Parry, upon whom the Queen had plentifully powred her liberality, deserveth to have his shame written in an indeleable Character: whose horrible Treason being discovered, he justly pay'd the tri­bute of his life in recompence thereof. The justice of God did likewise appear in the end of a second Earl of Northumberland, who being attainted for Treason, became his owne executioner, and slew himselfe in prison.

Notorious were the conspiracies of those Arch traytors, Ballard, Babington, Savadge, and Tilney, yet God brought them downe, and made them spectacles to the world of his justice. Likewise Dr. Lopus (the Queenes Physitian) that treacherous villaine, who a long time had not onely been an Intelligencer to the Pope, and King of Spaine, of our English Counsailes, but also had poysoned many Noble Men, and went about also to poyson the Queen her selfe, being surprised in his Treachery, was brought to sudden de­struction.

As it is not lawfull for Children to rebell against their Parents, though they be cruell and unnaturall, so also it is unlawfull for subjects to withstand their Princes, though they be burdensome unto them: for no subject ought to shake off the yoke of subjection and obedience due unto his Prince, or exempt himselfe from any Tax by that Authority imposed. And generally in all actions we ought with all patience to endure what burden is laid upon us, without so much as discontent: for those that have other­wise behaved themselves, these following examples will set forth their reward.

In the year of our Lord 1304. Nich. Gil. after that Guy Earl of Flanders having rebelled against Philip the Faire, his Soveraigne, was by strength of Armes reduced into subjection, and constrained to deli­ver [Page 8]himselfe, and his two sonnes prisoners into his hands: the Fle­mings made an insurrection against the King, because of a Tax which he had set upon their Ships that arrived at certain Havens: upon this occasion grew a Warre, wherein were fought diverse Battels, and sundry overthrowes on either side, yet at last the King remained Conquerour; and the Flemings (for a reward of their Rebellion) lost in the Battle six and thirty thousand men, be­sides Prisoners.

Two years after this Flemish stir, Nich. Gil. vol. 1 there arose a hurlyburly of the rascall and basest sort of people at Paris, because of the alteration of their Coyns, who not satisfied with the pillage of their houses, whom they supposed to be causers of the said alteration, came in great numbers before the Kings Pallace at his lodging in the Temple, with such an hideous noise and outrage, that all the day after, neither the King, nor any of his Officers durst stirre forth; and they grew further to that overflow of pride and insolency, that the pro­vision which was prepared for the Kings Table, was by them shamefully throwne under feet, and trampled upon in disdaine: But three or four dayes after this Tumult was appeased, many of them for their paines were hanged before their owne doores, and in the City Gates.

In the time of Charles the sixt, Froiss. vol. 2. cap. 97. King of France, the Flandrians and Inhabitants of Gaunt made an insurrection against Lewes, Earl of Flanders, their Lord, for diverse Taxes and Tributes which he had lay'd upon them. The matter came to be decided by blowes, much bloud was shed, and many losses endured on both sides; as a meanes appointed by God to chastise as well the one as the other. The Gaunts overthrew the Earls Army, and in pur­suite of their Victory took Burges, whither the Earl was gone for safety; and lying in a poor womans house was constrained (in the habit of a beggar) to flie the City. Till at length Charles the sixt sent an Army to his succour, by whose support he overcame those Rebels in a Battle at Rose Bee, to the number of fourty thousand: and the body of Philip Artevill, their Grand Ryoter slaine in the throng, he caused to be hanged on a tree; And this was the end of the cruell Tragedy, the Country being brought againe to the obe­dience of their Old Lord.

Anno Dom. 1525. certaine Husbandman of Sovabey began to [Page 9]stand in resistance against the Earl of Lupsfen, Sleid. lib. 4. by reason of cer­taine burdens, wherewith they complained themselves to be over­laid; their neighbours seeing this, enterprised the like against their Lords: And so upon this small beginning, there grew a most dangerous commotion, that spread it selfe over all Almaine; the Sedition thus increasing in all quarters, and the Swaines be­ing fourty thousand strong, making their owne Liberty, and the Gospels a cloake to cover their Treason and Rebellion, did not on­ly fight with the Romane Catholicks, but with all other without respect, as well in Sovabe as in Franconia, they destroyed the greater part of the Nobility, sacked, and burnt many Castles and Fortresses, to the number of two hundred, and put to death the Earl of Helfestin, whom they made to passe through the pikes. But at length their strength was broken, and themselves discomfitted and torne in pieces, with a most horrible massacre of more then eighteen thousand. During this Sedition there were slaine on each side, fifty thousand men. Geismer the Captaine of the Sovabian Swaines, having betaken himselfe to flight, got over the Moun­taines to Padua, where for Treason he was made away.

Anno Dom. 1381. in the Raigne of King Richard the Second, Stow. Chron. the Commons of England, (and especially of Kent and Essex) by reason of a Tax that was set upon them, assembled in Rebellion on Black-heath, to the number of threescore thousand and upwards: which Rebellious rout had none but base mechanick Fellowes for their Captaines, as Wat Tylour, Jack Straw, and Tom Miller, but yet they were the cause of much trouble and disquietnesse in the Realme, and chiefly about the City of London, where they com­mitted many outrages in destroying the Savoy, and other places, and behaved themselves in Smithfield most proudly, and irreverent­ly towards the King: but by the Heroick spirit of Will. Walworth, then Lord Mayor of London, (who arrested their chief Captaine in the midst of them) that rude company was dicomfitted, and the Ring-leaders of them received condigne punishment.

In the Raigne of Henry the Seventh, King of England, Stow. Chron. A great commotion was stirred up in England, by the Commons of the North, by reason of a Tax which was levyed of the tenth penny of all mens Lands and Goods within the Land, in the which the Earl of Northumberland was slaine: But their rash attempt was [Page 10]soone broken, and Chamberlaine their Captaine, with diverse others slaine at Yorke for the same.

In the same Kings Raigne the Cornishmen Rebelled, under the conduct of the Lord Audley, and by wofull experience felt the same Scourge; for the King met them upon Black-heath, and discomfitting their Troupes, took their Captains and Ring-leaders, and put them to most deserved Deaths.

It is worthy of observation, that throughout the holy Histories of sacred Scripture ever after any Treason, the holy Ghost presently sets downe the punishments of Traytors, as it were purposely to signifie how God hates those Rebells that resist his owne Ordinance: and al­though God may for a time deferre his punishments, yet at last they shall assuredly fall heavy upon them.

Edward the Second, King of England, by the procurement of Isabell his Wife, and Roger Mortimer, Earl of March, being un­justly deposed from his Crowne and Dignities, Edward his Eldest sonne as next Heire, tooke upon him the Regall State: Mortimer was afterwards beheaded for Treason, and King Edward himself, though he were but fourteen yeares of Age when his Father was deposed, and had no hand in that Trayterous Act, and was so farre from approving of it, that when he came to Age he puni­shed the Actors; yet God, to manifest his wrath against Treason, though he inflicted no personall punishment upon the King. yet not one of his Children, though be had a very numerous Issue, ever sate in the Throne of England; And his Grand-child that succee­ded him, was likewise unjustly deposed.

Henry the Fourth, who contrary to all Right and Equity, by force of Armes deposed King Richard the Second, and took upon himself the Regall Title, was continnally plauged with a troubled Conscience, and violent Traytors, had a turbulent Raign, a riatous Sonne, and his Crowne taken from him before he dyed: For upon his Death-bed falling into a trance, he lay as though all his spirits had forsaken him, insomuch that all there present imagined him dead, and covered his face. The Prince, his Sonne, having notice thereof, came and took away the Crown, and departed. The King not long after reviving, asked for the Crown, and hearing the Prince had taken it, sends for him, and in an angry dialect de­mands the reason of that his presumption: to whom the Prince with [Page 11]a confident brow made answer, That in his, and all mens Judgement there present he was dead, and then I being next Heire apparent to the same, took it as my indubitate Right, not as yours, but mine; well said the King, and fighed, Fair Sonne, what Right I had to it God knoweth. An undoubted token of Gods Judgement, that as he had Rebelliously snatched the Crown from his Soveraigne Leige Lord, and Trayterously caused him to be murdered; so his own Son should take it frō him while he was yet alive, to perplex his mind, and fill his guilty soul with horrours at the hour of his death, and send him with an unquiet Conscience to his Grave: Nor did the pu­nishment rest here, for revenge prosecuted his Childrens Chil­dren, and their Issue, even King Henry the Sixt, who though a most Gracious, Just, and Religious King, yet as his before-named Grand-father had snatched the Scepter from his Soveraignes hand, so was he most contemptibly pluckt from his Imperiall Throne in the Parliament House, deposed and Imprisoned: and though he was againe restored, yet he was afterward Deposed, Imprisoned, and Murdered, his Queen, as a vagabond, thrust forth of the Kingdome, and the Prince, his Sonne, stab'd in Twexbury, so just is God in revenging Treason, and Regicide upon the Actors, and their Posterity.

What reward Richard the Third, King of England, had for his Rebellious usurpation of his true Soveraignes Crowne; those who have but any acquaintance with our English Histories cannot be ignorant. Who, contrary to the principles of Humanity, Loyalty, and Honesty, Murdered his Soveraign Lord King Edward the Fifth, and Richard, Duke of York, his Brother, and seated himselfe in the Throne Royall of England, but small Joy had he of his Kingdom, and little glory in his Kingly Majesty, the splendour of whose rayes was clouded by the strict and just edict of the King of Kings, who fixed upon him the Markes of his heavy displeasure, for he was continually affrighted with the perplexities of a guilty Consci­ence: for during the time of his short and turbulent Raign, which continued not much above two years he scarce enjoyed one houres quiet, not daring to trust any, & suspecting for false his most trusty Friends, even those that were his partners in Rebellion and Mur­der: and as his Life, so was his Death, rufull, for he was most cruelly slaine in the Battel of Bosworth field neer Leicester: his [Page 12]Body without any Royall pomp being stark naked, all mangled and be­smeared with bloud and dust, without so much as the least rag to cover his privities, was trussed behind Bryan Senigleer his owne Pur­sevant at Armes, like a calfe, his head and armes hanging on one side of the horse, his legs on the other, and so was brought to Leicester, where for a spectacle of hate and scorne, by the space of two dayes he lay bare and un-interred: At last by the charity of the Gray Fryers there, without any Funerall Pomp, scarce with ordinary solemnity, he was inhumed in their monastery there.

I might proceed with the Gowries conspiracy, and the Gun­powder Treason, and the most apparent testimonies of Gods wrath upon the contrivers, but those as the rest beforementioned, being but weak and veniall crimes in respect of that which is to follow, I will let them passe, and conclude with the most horrid, monstrous, and bloudy Rebellion, the most unheard of Tragick, and damnable piece of Treason, Acted by the most perfidious, perjured, and execrable Tray­tors that ever trod upon the face of the Earth. In the Year one thousand six hundred and fourty, A Year of most wofull and unhappy memory began the present Parliament, which is the greatest and most destroying Plague, with which God ever visited this Nation: For they not having God before their eyes, studyed their own ad­vancement, not the Glory of God, and Honour of their Soveraigne, and pursued (not the preservation, but) ruine of State and Church. And that they might manifest their arrogarcy to the whole world, they presumed to demand that of their Soveraigne, which was neither fit for Subjects to aske, nor a King to grant, which was, that the continuance of this Parliament might be limited to the wills of the Members thereof, and it not to be dissolved with­out the consent of both Houses: And although it hath in all Ages been the indisputed right, and indubitate power of the Kings of England, to Call and Dissolve Parliaments at their plea­sure: Yet His late Majesty, CHARLES the First, of most Glorious and blessed Memory; willing (if possible) to have satis­fied His insatiable People, granted their request, and ratified his Grant by an Act of Parliament: & now the Sword being put into mad mens hands, both God and the King having given them up to their own hearts lusts, like bloudy Caniballs they eagerly pursued their intended Spoile, laying the foundation of their cursed refor­mation, [Page 13]in the Innocent Bloud of the Earl of Strafford, thereby robbing His Majesty of a most faithfull and Loyall Subject, and the Common-wealth of a most grave and carefull Patriot; and as they began to lay their foundation in Bloud and Wickednesse, so they have still continued their Building: and to shew how large a pro­gresse they were resolved to make into the paths of Impiety, they forced His Majesty (now with God) to passe an Act for the perpetuall excluding Bishops from having any Votes in Parlia­ment; thereby robbing the Bishops, those holy Fathers, of their Ancient and indubitate Right, and not enduring God to have any portion among them. Anno Dom. 1642. they raised an Army against King CHARLES the First, under the Command of Robert Earl of Essex and Ewe, of ignominious and loathed me­mory, which Army proceeded to many great and Bloudy Battels against that Kings own Person, Children and Subjects. Anno Dom. 1643. they caused two Innocent Gentlemen, Mr. Tompkins, and Mr. Challoner to be Murdered, for no other cause but their Loyalty to their Soveraigne; and for the same cause they Impriso­ned, Sequestred, and Plundred all His Majesties Loyall Subjects within their Quarters, to their utter Ruine and Destruction. Anno Dom. 1644. they Murdered that most blessed Martyr of ever Glorious Memory, William Land, late Lord Arch-bishop of Canter­bury, for no other cause but his Zeal, for the maintenance of the true Protestant Religion in the purity thereof, as it is Established by the Law of this Land, and hath continued since the blessed Re­formation in Queen Elizabeths dayes, according to the 39. Articles, and his faithfull endeavour to preserve a decent uniformity of Publique Service in the Church. And that their wicked and Trayterous Designe might not fall, they Silenced, Sequestred, and Imprisoned all the Honest, Pious, and Learned Clergy of the Land, and placed in their roomes a Peevish, Ignorant, and Factious Clergie, who preached nothing but Rebellion and Sedition. And for the further maintenance of this their most horrible and unparallelled Rebellion, they have continually imposed, to the extream grief of the Subject, the Excise, Meal-money, fitfth and twentieth part, and many other insupportable Taxes and Burdens which our fore-fathers never heard of, and much beyond all the Taxes, Subsidies and Loanes that ever were pay'd by our Ancestours to all [Page 14]the Kings of England since the Norman Conquest: so dear a rate have the mad and giddy people of England pay'd for their intolle­rable Slavery: and beyond all this, our great Task-masters have subverted Religior, robbed the Church of its Patrimony, Mur­dred thousands of His Majesties good Subjects, countenanced and maintained Schismes, Heresies, Blasphemies, both against the Lord, and his Anointed; Sacriledge, Rebellion, Murder, Perjury, Theft, Oppression, Tyranny, and thousands of other most execrable enormities, the fourth part whereof would fill a volume. And I would to God I could have ended here, but I must goe yet further, for after they had prosecuted their Bloudy Warres, and gotten His late Majesty into their hands, contrary to all their solemne Oathes, Covenants, Protestations and Declarations, their engines of deceit, and Rebellion, instead of making Him a great and glorious King, they made Him a vile and despicable Prisoner, hurrying Him about from one prison to another, and instead of setling Him in His Throne with Glory and Honour, with scorne and contempt the perfidious Jewes brought their King and Saviour to the Crosse instead of the Crowne, they bring His Majesty to the Scaffold, the bed of Death, putting Him to death as a Malefactour, who was a King, most Religious in His profession, most innocent from wrong, and clear in His Conscience from doing the least injury to the worst of His Sub­jects: Ʋpon the Stage (the Scaffold) on the 30. of January, Anno Dom. 1648. they acted a most fearfull and bloudy Tragedy upon the Person of King CHARLES the First, their Soveraigne Lord; after they had passed the faith of the Kingdome, and given the secu­rity of the Houses for His security during their Treaty with Him; wherein of His benigne goodnesse, He had granted them such free Concessions of grace and favour, such, and so many, as were never given, not onely by all the Kings of England, but by all the Kings of the world in all Ages thereof: nor were so much as thought of, or desired by the most haughty or audacious People. Thus care­lesly did they throw away the blessing of such a King, of such ex­cellent, delectable, and unimaginable endowments, as no Age or Kingdom of the world ever enjoyed. And after all this can we hope to be free from Judgements? no, here is Judgement enough if we were plagued with no more, to be bereft of such a King, but to bereave our selves of such a King, is an exalcation of that. But if [Page 15]we will open our eyes, and not be wilfully blinde, we may see Judgements thick and three-fold follow the Actors of this Rebellion: The Presbyterians, who were the first fomenters thereof, who once made honest men Malignants to them, are now made Ma­lignants to worse Rebels themselves; the Lords, who were once so forward to Vote Bishops out of their House, are now thrown out of their House by their Companions in Rebellion, and said aside as unusefull Members, having been hither to made use on but as Close-stooles for the necessity, and pandours to the lusts of the Common-people. Those Members that at first were so active in the cause, and were lookt upon as the Glorious workers of Reforma­tion, the Pillars of the Common-wealth, and Fathers of their Country; are now droven out of the verge of the House, and throwne away as Rotten Members; Waller, Massey, Browne, and others the great Champions of Reformation, are now lookt upon as Enemies to the Common-wealth, byassed men, Imprisoned, and to be proceeded against as Traytours; Essex their magnani­mous Herod, was at best but carryed to his Grave with a few Complements, where he lies forgotten, scarce worth an Epitaph; The Hathams received the reward of their Rebellion upon Tower­hill from the hands of their fellow Traytors; the Covenant, the stalking-horse of Rebellion, is cast into the fire as an Almanack out of Date: The new modelled Assembly with their Calvinian Le­vites, those bawling Rabshekaes, who stretch their Consciences upon the centers of HILL, breathing from their Pulpits bla­sphemy against God and his Anointed, roaring Rebellion, Bloud and Sedition, and possessing the People with spirits of madnesse; now are look'd upon with envy and contempt, as those Caterpillars and Locusts, that devoure not onely the substance, but the Soules of the People: The City, that Parliament-prop, the Refuge and Sanctuary of them, and their Adherents, the Grand Artillery, and Ma­gazine of confiding men, the Inne and Hospitall of all their maimed Souldiers, and the common Purse and Exchequer together, and heape up money for their Service, now is look'd upon as the onely Re­mora to Reformation, a dis-affected place, and filled with their Enemies: that Army which they raised, and sent into the bowels of the Kingdome for the destruction of Monarchy, is now crept into their own entralls, threatning and reputing their ruine and [Page 16] devastation, the onely warrant of their security: That City which could not live contentedly under the prosperous Government of Kings, who gave them their Charter, must live patiently in Sla­very and Bondage to those Tyrants that will take it from them, and levell their freedome and immunities to a miserable community. Nor must any of the Authors or Cherishers of this Rebellion expect to have their punishments end here: For as they walked in untrodden paths of Rebellion, so they must expect to be plagued with un­known Judgements: Nor must the present Tragedians think to go free, for as they have acted a more Bloudy sceane, so must they expect to drink deeper of the Cup of more dire revenge, for God is just, and will not suffer Bloud, especially Royall Bloud to goe un­revenged, but will assuredly make strict inquisition for the Bloud of the King, of Strafford, Canterbury, Hamilton, Holland, Capell, Lucas, Lisle, and thousands of others, that have already, or shall here­after be Murdred by these Bloudy Caniballs. For undoubtedly the Bloud of Innocents, the Bloud of Martyrs, the Teares of Widdowes, Orphans, and Oppressed men and Women, now ready to starve through their meanes, have filled Heaven and Earth with cryes for Vengeance. And no doubt but the just God to whom Vengeance belongs, will in his good time shew himselfe in Vengeance, hurling it down upon their Heads, and pouring forth the full Vyalls of his Indignation upon these Disturbers of this poor Kingdomes Peace.

God in his mercy settle King CHARLES the Second in Peace, and either speedily convert, or confound his Enemies; to which, let all Loyall hearted English-men say Amen.