To the Reader.
HE must rise betimes (saith the proverb) who will please all, which may cease our wonder that the Common-wealth is so displeasant to some, which hath gotten up so late, yet better late than never. But though some dotarts square all by antiquity, supposing none so wise, which are not so old▪ and guesse at the understanding by the gray hairs, which in truth are rather a badge of imperfection, and the declension of nature, and which came into the world at the back doore, being a part of that fatall offspring begot between the Serpents craft, and our first Pa∣rents disobedience: I speak not this in scorn of age, which I honour when found in the way of righteousnesse and truth, nor in deniall of its ad∣vantage over youth by experience, but to oppose that errour spred amongst many that all wisdome deceased with their Grandsires, and they are onely to travell in their tracks, an opinion more agreeable to a pack horse, than a man endued with a rationall soul, which is not to lie idle, and which in∣deed the word of God, and universall experience which even make fools wise contradicts, the one infallibly declaring that in the latter dayes the Spirit of Truth shall more abundantly be poured forth into earthen ves∣sels; the other visibly informing us of the daily advantages we have a∣bove our ancestors to attain Knowledge; for admit they were such G•y ants in understanding, yet we poore dwarfes being upon their shoulders may see further than they: but I say though some doe thus, yet the sons of reason measure by another standard▪ as knowing that if worth should be prised by antiquity, the rotten would becom of more value than the ripe, to such therefore do I present this Discourse, who judge by reason, not passion, which so often makes the Crow seem white, the Bells to tink as the fools do think: and in confidence Reader that thy ingenuity is such that no byas of interest will wheel thee narrow, and thy capacity able to draw thee from running wide of reason, the only mark men in civil games should bowl at, I have taken the pains to present thee with a map of Englands con∣dition under her Monarchs, wherein thou mayst view how justly Magna Charta is cast in our Governours teeths to beget a belief of their being Page [unnumbered] more tyrannous than our Kings were: admit it be not observed in every tittle now, what are we the worse, when some fresher and more apposite re∣medy is applyed to heal us? let us consider that it was constituted under a∣nother Government, and so cannot square to the present, and that the makers of it were but men, nay and such as had not that roome to act in as we have, and so could not foresee or at best provide for all that now provi∣dence hath wrought amongst us: but I shall not detain thee with a long Preface from the Book, wherein an ingenuous and rationall spirit will discern, that if our present Governours had been bound up to for∣mer rules, we could never have attained that estate which now by Gods mercy and their prudence we enjoy, and may so still if our own perversnesse hinder us not. Truly that Fahle in Pliny of certain monstrous people in Africk which had one foot, and that so big, that they covered and shaded with it their whole body, may be a perfect embleme of our Kingly Govern∣ment, which being at first instituted for a firm basis and prop to the body politick, what by the fatall sloath and stupidity of the people, and the in∣dustrious craft, and activity of Monarchs was turned topsie turvie, and had got so between heaven and us, that it wholly deprived us of that free light and happinesse which God and nature held forth unto us; and thus in stead of a support was become a burden under the weight of which the whole groaned, nay was almost pressed to death; but thou being a member and sound, canst not but be as sensible of this as I, and for dead slesh and rot∣ten limbs, corrosives, and cuttings are onely proper, it will be weaknesse in me therefore to doubt of the plaudit to the Common wealth, so fare∣well till we meet in the book.
