BEsides my sorrowes (which pressed me very sore, and remaineth still upon me) the troubles and griefe that fell upon me for the lamentable breaches in the Church and State, and for your sacred Majestie and hopefull off-spring filled up my sorrowes: and in my thoughts I was grieved that those fears and desolations fell out in your daies; I confesse, charity suspects not, and the best mindes thinks the least hurt, and the freer a man is from vice in himself, the more chari­table he is of others; and this is that which hath proved (former­ly) prejudiciall to your Majestie. But had your Majestie been the first, or the best, that had been misled, misinformed, or ill reward­ed; it would be an hard thing to command patience, but grief is asswaged either by precedents, or examples. It is true of late dayes, your Majestie being misinformed against some of your best Sub­jects, your Majestie thought to have dealt with them, as Joseph thought to have dealt with Marie, and so put them away farre from you, but with Marie, they travelling as it were with childe, and that that which they travelled withall might not appear an il­legitimate, but remain innocent, the onely wise God, sent as it were an Angell unto you, (I mean your late Petitioners at York) to let you see, that like Marie, they being contracted unto you in love, they have not as yet defiled their marriage-bed, but remaine [Page 4] like Marie faithfull to their head and Soveraigne. And your Ma­jestie having been formerly seduced by false opinions from others against them, I hope you will now be reduced unto them (and by them) by true perswasions, and that you may be so, the onely wise God, that gave your Majestie your being, and so knew you better than your self, hath dealt wit your Majestie as he did with Adam in parodice, and so hath provided you a meet helper, when with Adam you thought no need of it, nor desired it, and your Majestie yeelding as Adam did (in sparing a superfluous rib, for to make him a meet helper) will become a great gainer, for your Majestie shall not onely lose those who may be well spared, but you will gain to your self, and your posterity, a meet helper, that will indea­vour by all lawfull means to ease you of many burthens that other­wise might have laine heavy upon you & this helper is many mem­ber of that body whereof your Majestie is become the head, and considering their pains and labour in love, you should do them inju­stice if you hould suffer any to accuse them. I hope their is none (or will be none) near you (if near you yet dares not) to ingrosse your favours any more to their own advantage wherby your good Sub­jects may be bereaved of those benefits that ought to be common to all; as for your Commons, they go not about to steal your sa­vours, but to purchase them legally; and are become unto you as Abrahams servant was to his Master, who would nor either eat or drink, untill he had done his Masters busines; and I dare say, if your Commons (as your late Monopolists and others) had, or did seek themselves, or their own advantages (more then the good of King and Kingdom) they would have been wearied (after so much labour.) Before now but me thinks, I see your Commons following the counsell of God, Gen. 3.23, 24. and God having brought your Majestie and them together, they now say as Adam said, Let us be but one, and that it may be so they are willing (not onely for a time to be separated from their lawfull and domestick imployments but even) to forsake all and run many hazards, to cleave onely to your Majestie in a solemne contract, wherefore to make up the contract, me thinks, I see you to them as Rebecca was to the servant of Abraham, who asking water, made haste and drew water for his Camels also: It may be to make up this march, [Page 5] you must with Isaac part with something that was formerly neare unto you, and who will not be contented to spare a part to save the rest: being done, it will prove to your Majestie as comfortable and welcome as Rebecca was into Isaacs tent, and the Text saith, And Isaac brought her into his Mother Sarahs tent, and took Re­becca and she became his wife, and he loved her, and Isaac was com­forted after his Mothers death. This happy match being made, it would not only refresh your people, but make glad your heart in time of fears and dangers. It is true, there are many that have brought your Majestie into troubles and feared dangers, (and the more too blame they, for leaving your Majestie, having brought you into them.) It is true there are many with Orpha seeing your troubles have left you; but your Commons like Ruth are re­solved to stick close unto you, and will endeavour to help you out of them, if with David you will be advised by them (who blessed God for the seasonable counsell of a woman when he was upon a designe) Judge then of their loves and affections to your Majestie, by yours to them, and then tell me whether they do not truly love you; doubtles, yes, accounting their lives not dear unto them, so that they may but finish their work with joy, and so accomplish their good ends concerning you, and I doubt not, but that I speak it in the name of many, and in truth by your late yeelding and free expression, you have stollen me from my self, yea and am now wounded within me and like Moses, who was wounded in him­self and could hardly indure to look upon God when he descend­ed in mercy. It is true there is nothing engageth a soul to God, or a subject to a King, as the appearance of love; this made Moses to say, H [...]w dreadfull is thy place O God! and this is that which hath stollen me from my self, so that now I am no more my own but yours; yea, by this returne of yours to your people you will winne them to obedience with kindnesse; and by doing so, you will make good that which you were sent for, whose care ought to be im­ployed for the good of your Subjects, knowing that their love is your greatest safetie and their prosperity your greatest honour and felicitie: and this is that which will make your bed easie when you shall possesse the just title to the Crowne with the love of your [Page 6] people, and the continuance of it with the willing applause of the Subject, is the highest way to a blessing; and the hopes of this is that which hath brought me to renue and confirme the covenant that your Majestie made with me from your first entrance to the Crowne, and because you could not swear by no greater, swore by the Eternall God that you would defend me, and at the first of one contract we made but one, your power and all that you had was mine to defend me, and to do me good but there have been some of late, that have set your Majestie against me (I speak it in the name of many) and have perswaded you to beat me, and to force to obedience, though of my self willing to obey, being of a nature sooner wonne than compelled, and this is that which hath sore trou­bled me, yet this is not all, but when an oath with an &c. was put upon me, it wounded me; for, by the oath that I had taken alrea­dy, I was bound fast enough but the truth is when these things be­fell me, I was afraid that some evill minded men like Potiphers wife seeing mine innocency, and more faithfull to you my hus­band than themselves, had complained against me without cause: and this I could hardly bear; for, by this means our great Adver­saries, Devill and Pope, have laboured to sow contentions and jea­lousies between us, and this is that which will be a means to undo us both, when your Majestie (which is become my head and hus­band) speaks kindly unto me, and is ruled by those that love us both, my heart is inflamed with a love unto you, but when your Ministers abuse your Majesties kindnesse, and become tyrants to their fellow servants; yea, when they shall go about to justifie themselves, and men like themselves and lay all their villany upon your Majestie: this I can hardly bear; for, by this means, I am de­prived of my marriage-bed, and of my wonted society and am trou­bled in my self, when I see your Majestie (which is become my head and husband) strange unto me, but I hope every former breach, will unite love the stronger, knowing that a little shaking of the tree will preferre the growth of it: wherefore being now reconci­led to your Commons, feast, live, love and die together, and be more firme in your neare union, than ever divided in your hearty unkind­nesse so shall you meet in the end, and never part: But be like Ra­chell [Page 7] and Leah, which two built up the house of Israel. You are now in the way and it is said, Gen. 24.27. That whilest the servant of Abraham was in the way, God blessed him; the same God blesse you; and for your comfort and incouragement know, by so much shal you grow to perfection by how much you draw neer to unity, I confesse had the Balaacks & Balaams of our times bin so evil as they would have bin & intended to have bin, the world had bin overrun with evill, but such is the wisdom of God, that oft-times he hides from evill men those times and seasons that might prove prejudi­ciall to his people: so when Saul sought for David. It is true, the good God might have destroyed the Balaams and wicked Sauls of our times, but many times he will not, for God hath something more for them to do; and it is not so much glory to God to take away wicked men, as to use their evill to his own holy purposes, and gaineth many times more glory by working good by evill in­struments, than by destroying of them presently in their wicked purposes: and this use I make of it, that it sufficeth a good man, that he resisteth the evil actions of the wicked whilst they love their per­sons. I confesse, our Balaams, and our Sauls, had gone very farre, but in some things God permits in indignation, not for that he gives leave to the act, but that he gives a man over to the sin in the act; and yet this sufferance implyes not favour but judgement, and God is contented the devill should winne himself credit (some­times) where he means to judge. I confesse, our Sauls and our Balaams, like Sisera trusted in their strength, but like Sisera many of them run away, yet in spight of them all the Lord hath made a sea­sonable and hopefull provision for his people; and to that purpose the wise God (in spight of our Sauls) have brought your Majestie and Commons together. It is too true by the means of our Sauls, your Majestie became to your Commons as the Angel was to Gi­deon, and so made them afraid, but like the Angel that made Gide­on afraid, your Majestie hath returned to their comfort; and as God, as he useth where he loves, he imployes, & like Christ himself, you are now willing to enjoy them by a willing contract, and not by a ravishment; and by this means you appear now to your peo­ple like Moses, who had more glory by his vale than by his face; and I do not doubt but when all things shall be made manifest, but that one faithfull David will be in more account with your Majestie, than either the Sauls or Balaams whatsoever. It is true, [Page 8] by the means of our Sauls, the Crowne is become full of cares, and your Majestie having been almost even wearied by them, would faine now take some rest; and that your Majestie may rest, I will take unto me that large promise, Isa. 45.11. (and with Jacob will give God no rest untill he have blessed you.)

Thus saith the Lord the holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Aske me of things to come concerning my sonnes, and concerning the work of my hands, command ye me, nay; that is not all that I will do for you but I will commend you to the Honourable House of Commons, and tell them; Right Wise, Right Worthy, you see with Abraham his Majestie is willing to resigne, to winne the af­fectons of his people by his justice in his government; the thing that I shall desire of you (for his Majestie) is but this, that your Soveraigne which is become your head, being full of care and trou­bles that you would make his bed easie for him that (notwithstand­ing your care in removing some that are about him) if there should still remain any about him that should go about to trouble him, a­gain the thoughts of you when he wakes may make him lye down again, and take another nap. And the the doing of this for him, will bring him from Marah to Elim and you will become as sweet and pleasant to the Church, and the three Kingdoms, as the tree that God shewed to Moses (which when he cast into the waters the wa­ters were made sweet, which formerly were bitter) and then shall the Church of God sing the song of Moses, Exod. 15. I know that thankfulnesse and love, can do more with good men, than merit or necessitie; and me thinks, I see you like our Saviour, who thirsted after the salvation of mankinde: and I beleeve it was not so much out of drinesse as out of love; Go you and do so likewise, knowing, that modest beginnings and hopefull proceedings makes happy end­ings. And for your comfort know that God whose battels you fight, will provide a due reward of your patience: and for my own part, I shall do with you as Jeptha did with his sword, and whilst he used it trusted to God: and with Job, will be willing to wait the appoin­ted time, for the accomplishing of those things that concernes both the good of Church and Common-wealth; and so I commend the saving of Salomon unto you Eccle. 9.10. Whatsoever thy hand find­eth to do, do it with thy might; for there is no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom in the grave, whither thou goest.