A preter-plvperfect spick and span new nocturnall, or Mercuries weekly night-newes wherein the publique faith is published and the banquet of Oxford mice described.

Wednesday Night.

THis Night there were Pamphlets scattered, one of them was concerning Squares and Rounds, the Authour of Square-dealing was one Homo Quadratus, the other was Non Angulus Rotundus, wherein some worthy Citizens of Oxford were both taxed and vindicated, namely, T. Gol. Iacke of all Trades, W. G. a diligent zealous brother in warning and mee∣ting at holy Conventicles, with many others meritorious brethren and sisters, who have forsaken Oxford, and their King, Religion, and Alleageance, who now suffer worthily for their holy Rebellion, as the Book of Homo Quadratus, doth most abusively and truly deliver and lay open.

Also there came from the Presse A New Learned Weake Description of Weekly Newes; it was so acute that it did cut and curry the Cavaliers, in such fearfull fashion, that a deafe man would rejoyce to hear it, this Volume of one sheet was called Mercurius Civicus, the Authour never wrote before that time, and died in his first Week of his Travels; it is said by the Malignants, that he was most unfortunately choaked with seventeen neat and palpable Lyes, which he had carefully invented, and incerted in the said Book for the credit of our Armie, he is worse than dead, for his reputation is buried with this Epitaph, Here Mercurius Civicus lyes in his throat; for we are resolved to believe any thing that makes for the advancing of our Cause, and likewise we suppresse and politiquely give no credit to such Newes or Losses as do make against us; in briefe, we have lost a profitable Member by the death of this painfull Authour, but hang him, it is re∣ported, that he is alive again, or the Devill in his likenesse; however, it is to be conjectured, that he that was so nimble

to abuse and tell the Malignant partieso roundly in one week, no doubt but if he had lived longer he would have bang'd them backe and side, beyond all beliefe and credit.

It it (almost) certain, that Bruno Combertus the High and Mightie Emperour of Aethiopia, and Quoba Cond••na Pheodor∣wich the puissant King of the large Territories of the invinci∣ble and invisible Utopia, it is said, that they are both in our Narrow Seas with a thousand shippes, gallies, sloopes, and other Vessels for the War, they have brought two thousand Tunnes of Gold, Silver, pretious stones, and some Hangings, they are come to aid us against the Rebels that obey the King, they have brought five thousand Pieces of wooden Ordnance, powder more than can be counted, or to be spo∣ken of, and shot beyond reckoning, with all other necessaries for War or Peace, they were feasted bravely aboord our Ad∣mirall; and they will be ready to give Battail at Bruming∣ham, as soon as ever the waters are high enough to bring the shippes thither.

Newes came this Night, that the Authour of a seditious Pamphlet was taken at Lewis in Sussex, It was a Book wherein was declared the goodnesse and happinesse of the King, that (beyond all example or record) in 15 yeares Raigne had not any Nobleman, Gentleman, or any Subject that arose against him in any way of opposition or Rebellion, so that the Sword of Justice had no occasion to be drawn to cut of Treason (a blessing unparallel'd in this Kingdom or any other for so long time) till now; & the Book said further, that when Augustus Caesar raigned, our Saviour was borne, and that the Emperour was Monarch of all the discovered Kingdomes of the World, and that Peace was then over the face of the whole Earth, which whole Earth Augustus commanded to be taxed, Luke 2.1. Shortly after there was raised a Rebelli∣on in Spain, (by an Armie of Thieves) under the command of one Crocotus (a mad, hare-brain'd, desperate, ambitious

fellow) This Crocotus with his crew troubled Caesar, and com∣mitted many outrages upon peaceable people; and to sup∣presse the Rebellion the Emperour caused Proclamations to be set forth, that whosoever could vanquish the Rebels, or take their Generall Crocotus and bring him alive or dead, should have twenty five thousand Crownes for his service, and pardon withall for any former faults committed: as soon as Crocotus heard of this Proclamation, he began to fear that some of his own Souldiers would cut his throat, or sur∣prise and deliver him to Caesar, for so great a reward as was proclaimed; upon which consideration, he wisely disgui∣sed himselfe, ran away from his Armie, and fell at Caesars feet, claiming the benefit of the Proclamation, for he had brought Crocotus alive, and so revealed himselfe, and was received into grace and favour, mending his manners con∣trary to all expectation.

The application of this storie was, that it was desired that every offender would imitate Crocotus.