A Letter from Will. Penn to Father la Chaise.

IT is not the least part of my trouble that I cannot enjoy the happines of they sweet conversation viva voce in these so pernicious days, whose Council and advice in things as well sacred as secular I value far above all the direction of Scripture and those who pretend to it; and thanks be to the Father of lights Page  [unnumbered] we walk by a more entering spirit thou those who doat upon that dead Letter, and make a noise about that man that was crucified at Jerusalem, I need not tell thee how useles the dead Letter is especially where there is the light within and miracles without; nor how foolish it is to beleeve three persons in the trinity; not how ignorant them people are that de∣pend on him they call Christ for their salvation, thou knowest these thing well and therefore they are to thee the less useful and indeed since I have so much to say to thee about other more weighty affaires I must omit these.

Notwithstanding our various disap∣poinments which we dayly meet with on every side, we keep as close to the Rule and method prescribed as any men in this great affair can do that must ingage with such opposition; the great point at present is that of our young Prince: which me thought would have done far better them of doth, for the Noblem•• that are Hereticks, laugh at it, the Gen∣try do not beleeve it, and the Common sort speak such scandalous words of him that I am ashamed to name them. By our last Letters from Holland we have, Received account that on July the 9th the M. d'Albeville our Envoy at the Hague made a great Entertainment there [for Joy of the young Prince's birth] but it unluckily proved but a small one; for he made provision for about three hundred persons and there did not ap∣pear above twenty: and by the account I have I question whither there had been any there [Except the French and Por∣tugal Ambassadors] had not some very honest Loyal Gentlemen been then in the Hague who were Intending for Eng∣land. Among these three hundred he Expected one hundred of them to be women; but the number fell short and unhappily proved to be but seven or eight; of which four of them were very honest women of their bodys haveing onely a whisk with their talles. As for the peo∣ple of quallity at that court there was none of them present at this Entertain∣ment: And should I but tell thee how Contemptibly they looked upon the whole matter, and the Ambasador also for doeing it, thou woulds Conclude that they had but a very Indifferent opinion of the young Prince, and what is more, the young Prince's health was not drunk at the pu∣blick table; which shews either a great weakness in our Envoy or Els the guests were more in love with the wine, then the cause and occasion of their Meeting: and besides I hear he is forbid to be prayed for there in the number of the Royal family which makes me think they do mistrust or have heard something of the matter; and therefore by the next I desive a word or two ofthy opinion and what is best to be done in the af∣fair.

But that which is more considerable and abusive to the Child was at Am∣sterdam the thursday following being July the 12th. O. S. where there was an ho∣nest fellow a Creature of ours that made an Entertainment with a supper wi∣ne, and fire works: which drew a great concourse of people to the place besides the Guests invited? the people were grumbling all the Evening and said [what must us have all this stir sor a Bastard, and such Expressions; but after supper they within the house offered some af∣front to the people, [the Mob, or Jan Hagel as they there callem] upon which the Mutiny began and the first attach was made by stones in at the windows, swearing they would pull the house downe for Joy the bastard was born: this put the Guests upon shifting for their lives, some crept into the Empty bottles, others got to the next houses and being night were taken for thieves, the good Catholicks puld out theire beads the three Kings of collen &c. and began to pray: the women went through holes Page  14 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, Page  [unnumbered] 〈◊◊◊◊〉 law and li∣berty is the bravest man: such are Ste∣ward, Williams and some new ones as faithful as they, whose names shall be published with their actions: it being to early to mention them yet, least they do as one of them hath done before, Run away for fear.

It is likewise resolved that in case this designe with the Non cons doth not take effect to get a Parliament for our purpose at the time appointed, to lay by all thoughts of smooth means and get in a good number of french privately and and so fall downe right to dragooning: for it is not thought convenient to dally any longer and in the mean time to take up all those we can have proof against, that speak treason against the Prince of Wales and whip hang or imprison them as we see Convenient for if we suffer the people to talk as we do: they will do the same when the Queen shall be brought to b•… again [should we see it needful to let t•… 〈1 line〉 for you know they must be all boys.

Tis further more resolved that toward the End of the year the King shall go againe to St. winifreds well and there pray and wash, and against his return the Queen shall prepare her vessel to try a second time how god will bless their Endeavors, and we doubt not but it will succeed well.

Tis also resolved that in case the King can not get the Test and penal lawes abbrogated to save his freinds harmles after his death, that there shall he always [under pretence of necessity for the na∣tions good] vessels of small burden ready to carry them away and save them from hanging: for we do Expect it if he dyes on a sudden.

I will not detaine thee longer least it may be troublesom to thee: and indeed my time will not permit me to stay longer for I am Just at the finishing of this to go and meet Brother Alsop: Cox: Jones, Nokokes, Lob, the King and some others where we go to Consider of some 〈◊〉 affaires relateing to the Kings bussines.