Plaine truth vvithout feare, or, Flattery being a case of conscience tryed at Oxford

Plaine Truth, VVithout Feare, or Flattery. Being a Dialogue between Mr. Thrivewell a Citizen, and Mr. Sharpwit a Schollar, upon the Road between Oxford and London,

Sharpwit.

MAster Thrivewell well met this Frosty Morning, whether hath the desire of profit drawn you thus early, that you have left the security of your City, and exposed your selfe to the danger of an Enemy of such dangerous consequence.

Thrivewell.

Enemy Mr. Sharpwit, what Enemy? I am confident I cannot meet with so great an Enemy as J have left behind.

Sharpwit.

Thinke you so, suppose you should meet with a Company of Cavaliers, (as this Country is full of them) that should use you like the poor Publi∣can amongst Theeves, first Rob you, then wound you, and leave you in the field destitute of all comfort.

Thrivewell.

Truely Mr. Sharpwit J should thinke it very hard usage, but J cannot beleeve that any of the Cavaliers can be so cruell.

Sharpwit

Thinke you so, what thinke you then of their proceedings at Kingston upon Thames, Brainford, and Reading, where they were invited into the Towd by the Jnhabitants, where since their Arrivall they have disarmed the Townesmen, possessed themselves of their Houses, seized their Go••ds, imprisoned their Persons, and forced the rest to leave the Town, exposing

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them, their wives and children to take up their lodging in the open fields.

Thrivewell,

J have heard such a report, but J cannot beleeve it to be true, I conceive it to be a report formed by a sort of people which we have in London, which by such reports endeavour to make the Cavaliers odious in the sight of the world.

Sharpwit,

That is your Jmmagination, but by the way, what sort of People are those.

Thrivewell,

J will tell you, they are called Round-heads.

Sharpwit,

Why are they so called?

Thrivewell,

Nay that J 〈…〉〈…〉 J know no reason for if, but J have heard some say that they are called Roundheads because they cannot endure the Bishops, for Common prayer.

Sharpwit,

They are those that his Majestie mentions so oft in his Decla∣rations, under the notion of Brownists. And a••••ists and Seperatists.

Thrivewell,

The very same they are the onely Cavaliers in the Kingdome that I stand in feare of.

Sharpwit,

Why do you fear them? If they be true Roundheads they de∣fine to live peaceably and religiously with all men, which are the onely in∣struments of Reformation, Why should you feare them?

Thrivewell,

You coming from Oxford, cannot I know be ignorant of the great differences and distractions, which are fallen between his Majesty and the Parliament.

Sharpwit,

Sir to my great griefe they are very well known to me, but to your discourse.

Thrivewell,

These differences caused the Parliament to raise an Army, this Army caused an imposition on us Citizens, that we should contribute toward the maintenance of the said Army, which for a while was done voluntarily by the Roundheads, but when their springs were almost exhaust∣ed, then they began to looke more narrowly to us, and because that every man should beare an equall share there was an Ordinance made that every man should pay the twentieth part of their Estates, which being denyed, by the same power they come upon the Persons so refusing, and the goods of the said persons, to the vallue of the summe so assessed, for the purposes aforesaid, and this Ordinance being put in execution by these men which we call Roundheads, both to secure my person and my estate, I have left London, and am travailing toward Oxford, hoping to enjoy that liberty there, which is denyed me at London.

Sharpwit,

Truely Master Thrivewell I am affraid you have leapt out of the

Frying-pan, into the Fire, you have strove to avoid Sylla, and are like to fall into Caribdis, nay I may make a more effectuall and efficacious con∣struction of this your progression, you have left the Tents of Kedar, and are wandering toward the Wildernesse of the wicked, but pray stay a while, and since you have given me so free a relation of the estate of London, I wi••l discourse to you the true condition of Oxford.

Thrivewell,

I thinke my selfe much ingag'd to you for so great a courte••••e, pray proceed.

Sharpwit,

Sir you had a great Captain lately left London, and some other great ones, that is I have heard so, the same Cause left London, and went to Oxford.

Thrivewell,

Tis true Sir, I know them very well.

Sharpwit,

It will be a discourse sut••able to the season to declare unto you the manner of their arrivall and entertainment; Comming into Oxford, newes was immediately brought unto the Court that such men were pri∣vately come to the City, whereupon there was command given that a mes∣senger should be sent to fetch them to the Court, and to command them to attend his Majesties pleasure, where being come, the cause of their arrivall was demanded Answer was made, that they came to make a tender of their service to his Majesty, being convinced in their Consciences that their Al∣legiance bound them thereunto, hoping that his Majestie would pardon all their former actions, promising amendment for the future, which was ac∣cepted gratiously by his Majesty, and they for the present dismi•…•…, the next day a messenger was sent to them to demand the Loan of ten thousand pound a man, otherwise they were to leave the City, now judge whether, it be better to pay the Twentieth part of your estate, and live in security, or to part withall, otherwise to be exposed to the scorn and abuse of Welch and Irish Cavaliers, where you hall not walke the street but shall be called A Parliament Fugitive, with many other abuses of the like nature.

Thrivewell,

Sir I am satisfied in that particular, but pray resolve me, do not you thinke that his Maistie intends to maintain the Protestant Re∣ligion.

Sharpwit,

I should sinne if I should thinke the contrary.

Thrivewell,

why then should he be opposed, against whom do wee take up Armes, wherein lyes the danger which is so much feared.

Sharpwit.

I will satisfie you in that particular, Armes are taken up against a pack of knaves (alias Evill Councellours) who have combined together, to destroy the Religion and Lawes of the Land.

Thrivewell,

Pray Sir relate the circumstances in each particular.

There is (you know) a great party of Papists, which by all meanes en∣deavour to promote the warre, they being bound to endeavour to gain a freedome of Conscience which they have lost, by the same Law of Consci∣ence, by which we are bound to defend that freedome of Religion that we enjoy.

Thrivewell.

Sir, pray tell me a reason why the Papists may not be suffer∣ed to have freedome of Conscience.

Sharpwit,

J will answer you with a question, wherefore were the Israe∣lites commanded to purge the Land of Jdolatry.

Thrivewell,

J am satisfied in that Particular, pray proceed.

Sharpwit,

Next there is a great Party of Delinquents, which promote the warre, having no other way to secure themselves from the censure of the Law, but by fomenting and encreasing these distractions, those that are possest with malignant spirits, delight to bath themselves in troubled waters as may appeare by a great party now in this Kingdome, which take advan∣tage of the present distractions, and now live in defiance both of Religion & Law, seperating themselves from the Metropolis of England, and have took a Journey as farre as Newcastle—

Thrivewell,

Jndeed J have heard that Newcastle is full of Papists, nay the report goes that the Earl of Newcastle has a Popish Army under his com∣mand, but J am hard of beliefe.

Sharpwit,

Beleeve it Sir tis as frequent with the said Earl to go from his Army to Masse, as it formerly hath been with the Paulonian Singingmen, to reel from the Alehouse to the quire, and from thence to the Alehouse a∣gain, as if they had made a Covenant with the Devill and might be drunke by Pattent.

Thrivewell,

J must confesse J have seen much wickednesse in some of those Cathedrall-men, but because some are wicked we must not condemne all.

Sharpwit,

Jndeed its the part of a Christian to Judge charitably, but leav∣ing this discourse, pray tell me the oppinion of those men which you call by the name of Rounheads.

Thrivewell,

Why they are men that cry down the Common-prayer, E∣piscopacie, and the now established Chvrch Government, they are all for the maintenance of the purity of Religion, with many other new opinions, touching which J desire you to give me your opinion.

Sharpwit,

To my best power J shall, as touching the Common-prayer, there hath been many things of late dayes brought in, and incerted, which are absolute Popery, the particulaas therof J will sorbeare to mention, be∣cause

I hope ere long the Authority of the Law will purge the Land both of it, and the bringers in of those abominations. As touching the Bishops, (though it may seem strange that I should speak against them being a profest Schollar) but J must speake my Conscience without feare or flattery, they have been the Authors of all our present distractions, had they been suffered to raign but one three yeares longer, we had had Fire and Faggot, as in Queen Maries dayes for already Divines were instructed to preach, Prerogative, and Divine Jurisdiction, the power of the King over the Subject, nay J heard that on Fuller of affection to his King then of Loyalty to his Country, in a Court Sermon once, and in many Sermons to his Parishoers, taught o∣penly this Portion of Law, (for Divinity •…•…re it cannot be) that the goods and estates of the Subject were at the Kings disposall, if necessity re•…•…tred and that the King was sole judge of the said necessity, and now judge whe∣ther this be not the highest degree of Prerogative, had Ahab been possest of this rich Jewell he had not made murder the prize of Naboths Vi••e••ard, it hath been such false Doctrines which hath procured our present ••r••e••ling mi∣series, it hath been the Bishops, and their Creatures, (who like so many faw∣••ing Spaniels, can sooth and temporize and by Booke maintain to serve their ••uds, and glut their Godlesse gaine, that hath raysed this storme in the See of the Church, and distracted the Commonwealth, therefore it shall be my prayer that we may continue free from that Egiptian servitude, which wee have so long lived in.

Thrivewell,

Pray Sir resolve me how farre doth Prerogative extend, what is the Nature of it.

Sharpwit,

J shall be loth to medle with an edge tool, for feare J should cut my fingers, for such is Prerogative to be dealt withall, t••e••efore leaving this discourse J wil relate unto you the manner of the Government in France, Jn that Kingdome there are three degrees or ranks of People, the Prince, the Peeres, and Pesants, the Prince raignes like a Monarcke, the Peeres like pet∣ty Kings, and the poor Pesants like to many Tip••s of Egiptian slavery.

Thrivewell,

The manner pray relate.

Sharpwit,

As touching the King and his Nobles J will omit them, but for the poore Commons J shall discourse at large, the••e the Tennant or Fa•…•…er cannot say, (his rent being paid) that the overplus is his owne, as the reward of his tillage, the Labourer that hath wrought all day hard, and with the sweat of his Brow purchased a piece of silver, cannot say t••at is his owne neither, for happily while he is counting his Cards, an Edict comes from the King, and takes away a thirds of what he had gotten so hardly, and the questi∣on being made wherefore they do so answer is returned, the King must have it, and this is Prerogative Royall in France.

Thrivewell,

From which good Lord deliver us in England, but leaving this discourse pray resolve me one thing, heard you not that his Ma•…•…sty had lately a List of the names of all those persons of Eminencie that stand for the King in the City.

Sharpwit,

I can name some of them, the ringleader was one Blackmore, a•• very pursey Gentleman, but since J have heard that he was very poor, for having spent his estate in good House-keeping, he has shut up his shop like a broken Marchant, and is gone to Sea to ••ave his credit. The next was a ••a••d∣fore man with a Crispt Perriwig, his name J have quite forgot, but J and certain he was a franke Customer, then there was a Capring Just-asse, which (J believe) doth Foster a malignant Spirit, next there was one Baconface a •…•…ntner, which J heare say builds Castles in the Aire, then there was ano∣ther that was scarce able to say Bo•…•… to a Goose, with many other Bakers and Brewers, and inded of all Trades, so that J could not but wonder that so many men, seemingly wisemen, should be so blind as not to disern how they send aid to those that desire to destroy them.

Thrivewell,

Make that apparent.

Sharpwit,

Is not Religion the Foundation of the Lawes, and do not the Papists endeavour to subvert our Religion, and if the Religion of a Land be subverted, are not the Lawes infringed, and if the Law (which is the pro∣tection of the Subject) be infringed, do we not lye open to an arbitrary Go∣vernment, and so consequently that man that shall any way assist that Party in the promoting of the Designes which they have now on foot, (their in∣tentions being so apparent) doth as much as in him lyes, to destroy the Re∣ligion and Lawes of the Kingdome, and so consequently is his owne destroy∣er, for the bringing in of an arbitrary power, is the first step to destruction; Before the comming together of this Parliament you had a taste of an arbi∣trary Government, witnesse the Ship-money, with many other things, from which (next to God) this Parliament hath preserved us from, and there∣fore (considering the benefits we have received by them, with the continuall charge, care, and toyle which they undergo for the Generall Good, and how (notwithstanding the scandalous speeches of some wicked ones, that say they aime at Preferment) they might by joyning with his Majesty gain Honour with lesse charge and more security, if they did not aim only at the glory of God, and the good of the King and Kingdome) it is the best way in respect of God, to joyn with the Parliament in the defence of Religion, and in re∣spect of your own safety, to assist them in the maintaining of the Lawes, for if the Lawes be destroyed, the Liberty of the Subject cannot stand.

Thrivewell,

J am converted, and will hencforward practise to be an instru∣ment of Reformation.

FINIS.