with their feet foremost and so slipt their skins as a snake doth at Midsummer to the great astonishment of the beholders, and many of them were so ingenious that they crept through places where a cat could not go through: but that which is most pleasant of all: B. our old Consul who I am Informd began the Riot crept into a four Gallon Cask to save his life, thus you see what reputation our young Prince hath in other Countrys bot the best ont is they are all Hereticks.
And for England, people of all sorts shere are most scandalously abusive by undecent Expressions: some say he is a millers son: some, a Gardiners son, and others a Carpenters son, but all conclude he is a son of a whore, they also say that as the Queen was goeing to Mass news was brought to her that the Child was come and therefore she most he brought to bed presently, others tell it for a positive truth that there was a Coachman swearing in St. James's court a bout nine of the Clock in the morning and being asked what was the matter with him: he swore dam him he had brought two old Bardes with a Bastard in a basket and they were gon and had given him but a shilling and he had almost kild his horses to make hast. And they also talk of the Queens Ap∣plying plaisters and takeing medecines to stop—but you know en of of that al∣ready, These and abundance more of such reports is the Common talk and beleef both of City and Country, and the lon∣ger the worse, and yet Brother Lob, Brother Alsop, Brother Cox and many of our friends the Anabaptists take a great deal of Pains in their pulpits to pray for him, and preach up the great blessing that god in him hath bestowed upon the nation; and yet poor Gent∣lemen they are by the people counted Rogues for their pains which is very hard.
It is the advise and Council of most of our Catholick peers and other well wishers to the cause not to make to much hast, but Father Peters says it must be hastened for we do not know how little time we have to work and when the King dyes [which we fear] the work is at an End: Therefore it is Resolved to Cite the Bishops before the Eclesia∣stical Comissioners againe and to proceed against them with all the force possible, and also to turn out the greatest part of the Clergy for disobedience and in their Roms to put in Non Conformist, and if they do not answer our Ends, or as soon as we see occasion we will turn out them and put in Roman Catholick priests, it was debated whither we should fol∣low the advice or not: to cut them all of at once, but upon Examining our Army and fleet, we do not think our selves strong enof nor the work yet fit for that Issue. And therefore we will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 talk of a Parliament in November, to which End we have our Trumpeters in all parts of the towne and some of them pardoned Rebels: these are to pro∣pound ways to the people for an Equi∣valent to their Test: and as one of them very well says take away the palisado and build a brick wall; which notion takes with many, but if things should not do to have a Parliament in November we shall by that time perhaps be able to come to the great work, and to that purpose in the mean time we will Entertaine all the popish officiers and souldiers we can get.
We also resolve to get in to the work such as have been pretended Enemies to the King formerly and these will do our work to our hearts content, for we have picked out a select number of them that Gape after honor and profit, and this they shall not want so long as we have need of their service: these are to take their degrees in preferment and rise as they deserve: the boldest follow riseth first, and he that can with sword, pen,