IF Truth and Peace, Zacharies two Companions, had met in you, aswell as us, this Con­troversie had never been. The severring of these two, hath caused this ill-composed a­spersion upon us, which we could bear and put up, yea burie in oblivion, but that zeal for the truth of Religion and our own defence, commands the contrarie.

God knowes how unwillingly we put our hands to this unkinde quarrell. Nothing so much abates [Page]the courage of Christians, as to call their brethren in Christ, adversaries; yet we must do it as forced, W [...] be unto those who have been the occasion, and by whom this offence commeth: Yet by how much the insultation of a brotherly enemy are intollerable, being not onely privately, but in publike print: so much the more cause we see, to answer directly their fictionate (Resolution concerning us.) And since onely for necessary defence and Religious cause, this task is undertaken, we crave nothing of the Rea­ders but Patience and Justice; of God, victory to the Truth. As for favour, we wish for none more then an enemy against himself. And with this confidence, we enter the Lists, and turn my pen to an Adversarie, God knowes whether more proud, or weak.

Whereas, you whose self-conceited witty ex­pressions, without all conscience have branded us with the ignominious title of a seditious and ma­lignant head (ignorance and obstinancie being your own phrases, and therefore best beseeming your selves) shew but the ardent flames of your cancred spleen towards us, intending to hang us up on the hornes of the Altar of your Superstition, which you do well in conceiving them to be too weak in bear­ing so heavie a burthen, or we too wise to be in­tercepted by them. To exhort and perswade in zea­lous manner is to no purpose, you being already by your own confession past edification, your va­rieties being Brothels in stead of Broths, and Cur­ses instead of Custards, these being your luxurious [Page]fare, wherein you offend God to please the Divell, I could leave you in that case, but that my conscience moves me further.

As for your learning and wits, for which you study long to little purpose, we affect it not, neither any way disparage: wee resolve rather to embrace with sincerity of affection, what blessings shall be confer'd upon us, through divine inspiration, that we may speak when the spirit moves, you may call us Round­heads, 'tis true, I must confesse yours are a great deale more in fashion, being set upon the square block of flat simplicity, as for Prickears, I do not admire at your expression therein, your fortune being the Jack­dawes, who envied the Peacocks for having such fea­thers as he wanted, I fear me 'tis too many of your cases, by this the Proverb is proved true, one Jack must imitate another.

But deare Brethten, think you it is acceptable to God, to jear us by Scripture: is it not the Apostles own expression concerning the adding to the Elect, that their bowels did earn to multiply the true church 'tis even our cases, wee do the like by their example. I rather resolve out of zeale, to move you to repen­tance, then to touch too hard upon this your pro­phanenesse. As for Smell-feasts, I make no question, but you are very well skil'd therein, being better nosed, then any Butchers Dogge in the Cittie. As for your habit, it is correspondent to your person, and conditions, your hat that sits hollow like a bee­pot to receive the foggie vapours of bottle Ale and [Page]Tobacco, your doublet with a short waste, shews your thrift, who think (the truth) [...]ll waste that is bestowed upon you: your goodly long breeches so narrow, and strait to your buttocks, like an Arse-case, may chance to make a paire of sleeves in the reversion. So that generally wherein we exceed in antiquity you go be­yond us far in simplicity, and for our faith you do well to speak little of that, having none your self.

And forasmuch as you have composed out of your obstupufied and dulled fancy, certain tenents, we will likewise prescribe to you the like number, though differing in the matter, being rather good counsell, instead of your malevolent and invective aspersions.

• I. THat your Scribes or rather Duces omnium malo­rum, in the next of their witty indeavours, com­posed according to Reason, Learning, Divinity, Or­der, Discipline, Morality, Piety, and humanity, a penitentiary Petition to God; as also to acknowledge the wrongs done unto us.
• II. That hereafter you be not so forward and ready to judge and pray into, to condemne faults in others, before the first perusall of your own.
• III. That whilst you are in this world, you provide by [Page]repentance, fasting, and prayer, to prepare for the world to come, and the Salvation of your soules.
• IV. That you keepe your selves continent and chaste from the Cobler and Feltmakers wives, unlesse the one make you pay too dear for selling your bever on your block-head, and the other cause your pride to have a fall by the losse of a Lunsfords heele.
• V. That you change your name of Cavalier by alte­ring your profession of evill into good, unlesse brave­ry and knavery bring on raggerie and beggery.
• VI. That you fast and pray for your sins past, giving thanks unto God for moving us to be the Agents to perswade you to repentance.