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own Inftitution, before the Sabbath, which is of Divine. Against the Fifth, in declaring that Children of his Religion owe not Obedience to their Parents, which are not of the fame. Against the Sixth in maintaining the Lawfulness of robbing, plundering and endeavouring to ruin, by firing Houfes, or otherwise, all thofe that are not of his Opinion. Against the Seventh, in fetting up, and allowing of common Stews, &c. Against the Eighth, in bloody, and inhuman murthering and maffacring of Proteftants under the Names of Hereticks, and endeavouring to maintain the Lawfulness thereof. Againft the Ninth, in making Leagues with Princes for his own Advantage, and then breaking them, faying, Oaths may not be kept with Hereticks. Against the Tenth, in a greedy coveting of Gold, he pretending to give out Pardons to commit all manner of Villanies whatever. Befides, my Lord, there is fcarce one Commandment of the firft Table free from his Innovations; nevertheless he is not afhamed to fay, that a Man of his Religion may keep all the Commandments, contrary to the Word of God, which faith, that there is not a juft Man that livetb and finneth not, and also, that if we say we have no Sin, we deceive ourfelves, &c.

L. C. 7, Sir Naked Truth, What fayeft thou against the Prifoner at the Bar?

Sir N. T. My Lord, in the Year 110, Popery feeming as an univerfal Deluge to overfpread the whole Chriftian World, I, with Sir Conftant Patience, lived privately at Lyons in France; enjoying the glorious Gofpel, with many others of our honeft Friends and Neighbours: but Popery, the Prifoner at the Bar, there found us, maffacred and tortured many of us for confeffing the Caufe of Chrift; put us to most exquifite Torments, and exercised favage Cruelties upon us: from thence flying to Germany, paffing through Flanders, we faw Popery preparing a Fire to burn feveral of our Adherents, which clave to Chrift. One of our Friends there fuffering, I remember, before he went into the Fire, took two Stones in his Hands, faying, when I fhall eat these two Stones, our Religion fhall ceafe, not before. When we were come to Germany, we found no Reft there, for Popery purfued us thither, and he going thro' Bohemia, murdered many of the Peers of that Realm. In Germany he commanded all to be killed, that were fufpected; faying God knows who are his. From thence we fled into Spain, where we were taken by Popery's bloody Inquifition, in this manner. A Messenger came to us, and told us, that the Lord Inquifitors had fomething to fay to us, and therefore we must wait upon them. We being come, they enquired our Names, and fent us to Prifon. We having entered the first Gate, the Jaylor afked us, whether we had a Knife about us, and under Pretence to fearch for one, took from us all our Jewels and Money, and thereby left us nothing to help ourselves; then were we caft into a ftinking Dungeon, where we continued fix Months, then being brought forth, Popery, the Prifoner at the Bar, endeavoured by all means to extort from us a Confeffion, which we not doing, he faid we should be racked. Being brought to the Rack, Popery fitting on a Scaffold by the Rack, in come our Tormentor, and we being stripped, had our Hands bound with Cords; then they tied us to the Pully, and faftening Weights to our Heels, they hoifted us up by Degrees; thus hanging in great Torture, they bad us accufe all we knew of our Religion, which we denying,

they

they racked all our Bones out of Joint, and then fent us to Prifon again, and at laft difmiffed us. From thence we fled into England, but here was the like; and fo we fled again into France, where we lived quietly for fome Time, but at laft Popery pursued us, and disguised with a Vizard of Friendship invited us, with most of our Brethren, to a Marriage, but being come, he murdered in one Night above Twenty Thoufand. From thence we fled to Ireland, but Popery pursuing us thither, committed the most barbarous and execrable Murders, Villanies, fparing neither Man, Woman or Child, ripping up Women with Child, ravishing chafte Matrons, drowning, putting to the Sword, &c. many Thousands of innocent Proteftants; from thence we again fled into England, where we were foon pursued, and though here, he fet not upon us fo openly as before, yet his Will was to do us the moft Hurt. In the Year 1666, he burned down the famous City of London, and hath not ceafed to endeavour to perpetrate his Villanies only by many special Providences God of he hath been hindered; for we certainly hear he would here quite extirpate us to the utmost of his Power: Nay, I heard credibly, that he was refolved not to leave one Drop of Proteftant Blood; and like his other devillifh Policy, could be glad to caft these treasonable Confpiracies on the innocent Proteftants. My Lord, he is fo dangerous and fo wickedly fubtle, that we live in daily Hazard of our Lives, and when he may deftroy us all, God only knows, if timely Course be not taken.

"

L. C. J. Sir Conftant Patience, What can you fay against the Prisoner at the Bar?

Sir Con. Pat. My Lord, It would be too tedious for me to rehearse all that Sir Naked Truth hath fpoken: We were Companions together in all that he hath declared, and I aver the Truth of what he hath spoken.

L. C. J. Are there any more Witnesses ?

Cl. of C. Yes, my Lord, Light of Nature.

L. C. 7. Let him come up. What canft thou fay against the Prisoner at the Bar?

Li. of Na. My Lord, Popery did really combine with the Devil to promote his Defigns, and hath been guilty of great Conjurations; I have feen him in the Woods in the Shape of a Boar, he hath alfo been a cruel Murderer; for I faw a Pond of his cleanfing, and thence taken out fixty Childrens Skulls, and it is computed, that in about Fifty Years Time he hath maffacred fifteen Millions of Proteftants.

L. J. C. What fayeft thou Popery? Thou art now admitted to speak for thyfelf?

Popery. My Lord, The firft Witnefs, that is fuborned against me, is pretended Holy Scriptures, which if I go to disprove, you will fay that I fpeak against God's Word: Had I thought I should have had a just Tryal, I would have prepared my Witneffes, and made my Defence. But how can I expect Equity from thofe in my Adverfity, which were always barking at me in my Profperity?

L. C. J. You fhall not be fuffered to fcandalize the King's Court of Judicature.

Then my Lord proceeded and fpake as follows,

You Gent. of the Jury, you hear the Prifoner is indicted for contriving Herefy, contrary to the Word of God; and to gain Profelytes thereunto, he hath been guilty of Treafons, Murders, and Blafphemies; the firft Part of the Indictment hath been largely confirmed by a Peer of this Realm, whofe Name is Holy Scriptures. And the fecond, by two worthy Knights: Alfo we have had a fourth Witnefs, which as the other hath fairly laid upon his Villanies; and he for his Defence hath only caft foul Afperfions upon the Juftice of the Court: His Sins are great, and cry aloud for Vengeance; and if Justice be not executed against him, we may fear left we be Partakers with him of his Plagues. The Evidence is fo clear, I think you need not withdraw.

Cl. of Cr. Gentlemen, are you agreed upon your Verdict?

Omnes. Yes.

Cl. of C. Who fhall fpeak for you?

Omnes. The Foreman.

Cl. of Cr. Popery, Hold up thy Hand: Gentlemen of the Jury, look upon the Prifoner at the Bar, how fay ye, is he guilty of the Treafons, Murders, &c. whereof he ftands indicted, or not guilty?

Foreman. Guilty.

Cl. of Cr. Of all ?

Foreman. Yes, of all.

Cl. of Cr. What Goods or Chattels ?

Jury. He is made rich by the Kings of the Earth.

Cl. of Cr. Cryer, make Proclamation.

Cryer. O Yes: My Lord, the King's Chief Juftice, ftrictly charges and commands all manner of Perfons to keep Silence whilft Sentence is pronouncing against the Prifoner at the Bar.

L. C. J. Popery, Thou haft delighted thyfelf to make Bonfires of the Saints; and this thy devillifh Nature, if thou mighteft live here for ever, thou wouldst ftill retain, and still act thy abominable Villanies, thou hardeneft thy Heart, yea and now wouldft, if it lay in thy Power, commit as bad on me, and every one of us, as thou haft done heretofore againft our dear Friends. Therefore the Sentence of the Court is, Thou shalt go back to the Place from whence thou cameft, and from thence shalt be flain and caft into the Pit of Tophet, there to be tormented Day and Night, where the Smoak of thy Torment fall afcend up for ever, and ever, and all thy Riches and Pomp fhall with thee be burnt with Fire, and as thou haft filled to God's Saints, they shall fill unto thee double.

Then a great Shout and Acclamation of Joy made, the Trumpet founding, Babylon is fallen, Babylon is fallen, the Court arofe.

Vox

Vox Populi, Vox Dei: or, ENGLAND's general Lamentation for the Diffolution of the Parliament. Printed 1681.

N

O Popifb Succeffor, no Popish Succeffor, is now the Voice of the People, and if the Prayers of moft of the Nation be heard, it will be also the Voice of God, and England will be never fo unhappy, as to fee a Popish Idolater in the Throne. There is no Nation in the World fo jealous of their Liberties as the English, and yet there is no Right or Privilege fo dear to them, as their Religion. Their Confciences sway more with them, than their Purses or their Lives; and the Proteftant Religion, in which they and their Fathers have been fo many Years bred, and under which they have feen fo many happy Days, freed from the Tyranny and oppreffive Yoke of the Pope, is become fo dear to them, that the Apprehenfion only of the lofs of it, has of late put them into these dreadful Agonies, and apprehenfive Fears, by the plotting of Popish Traitors, to bring in their Idolatry, even by taking away the Life of the King, and fubverting the prefent Government; and by the Profpect they have, of all thofe fubfequent Evils, which are unevitably like to fall upon this Nation, by the means of a Popifh Succeffor. For this Reafon, the People feem to cry out with one Voice, No Popish Succeffor, no Idolater, no Queen Mary in Breeches, no Tyrant over the Confcience, no new Perfecutor of Proteftants in our Land. That thefe Fears and Troubles might be allayed, that our Hopes might be renewed, of fitting down every Man in Peace and Tranquility, being affured to enjoy our Religion undisturbed, and our Confciences unconftrained, and that Traitors, Malefactors, pernicious and evil Counsellors might be punished and removed, was all our Hopes in this Parliament, and that which made them fo dear in the Eyes of the People, who of late thought that they might have applied to themselves the Prophecy of Jeremiah, That God would turn our Mourning into Foy, that he would comfort us and make us rejoice from our Sorrow, Jer. xxxi. 13. For indeed, the drooping Spirits of most of the People of England, were fuddenly revived and railed from Trouble and Affliction, by the calling of this late Parliament, and they bleffed God, and gave Thanks for the great Care and Kindnefs of his Majefty, to and over his People: We were comforted, and we lifted up our Head with Rejoycing and Acclamations, to fee the comfortable Beginnings of the King and his Parliament; and we began to think, that God and the King bad wiped away Tears from all Faces.

But alas! how foon is our Day clouded! And how are we caft down in a Moment! Our Truft and our Confidence is broken, and God has turned our Feafts into Mourning, and all our Songs into Lamentation: Shall not for this the Land tremble, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? It is for our Sin and Iniquities that God fuffereth this Calamity, that he permitteth our Hopes to be broken, and our Parliament to be diffolved, and now, as if that Prophecy of Zechariah were fulfilled in us; (In that Day shall be great Mourning in Jerufalem, as the Mourning of Hadadrimmon, in the Valley of Megiddon, and the

Lane

Land fall mourn, every Family apart) all the Faces of the People are filled with Trouble and Confufion, and every one mourneth apart, and in fecret, and they cry out, What shall we do to be faved from the fearful Apprehenfions of the Evil to come? How dejected are all our Hearts! How troubled are all People at this Diffolution! How fenfible are they of this fo great Unhappiness to the Nation! And with what Confternation and Lamentation is it entertained! By what Counsel or Perfuafion this comes about, we know not: We know the Hearts of Kings are unfearchable, we queftion not the Wifdom and Power of his Majesty, we know that it is by God Kings reign, and that he turneth their Hearts as the Rivers of Waters; but however this cometh to pafs, we cannot but mourn and lament, to behold our Hopes fo fuddenly dafhed and confounded: It is for our Sins doubtlefs, that this Evil is come upon us, and therefore let us first proftrate ourselves humbly before the Lord, and then with one Confent fupplicate his Majefty to eafe us of the Burthen of our Fears, and to ftop the Mourning and Lamentation of his moft faithful Liege People.

Sure we have great Caufe to lament and to mourn, to fee England's most worthy Patriots who were affembled for the Good of the King and the Kingdom, to be fo foon fcattered and difperfed, before they had brought to Perfection their good Intentions, whilft they were endeavouring to eftablish the perpetual Happiness of the Nation, in fecuring our Religion, Rights and Privileges, and in taking away our Fears and Jealoufies: Such Patriots they were, as Jethro advised Mofes to choofe, to judge the People of Ifrael; Men fearing God, loving Truth, and bating Covetoufnefs. How happy was our gracious King in fuch a Council! How happy the People of England in fuch Reprefentatives! A Parliament that, had they fat, would in after Ages been called a bleffed Parliament, a Parliament noted for four requifite Vertues, Religion, Wisdom, Courage, and Industry. That they were religious, or Men fearing God, appears, that before all other Things they begun with the fecuring to this Nation, the true Proteftant Religion established by Law, and what in them lay, to prevent the rufhing in of Popery, which, like an Inundation, is like to break our Banks, and to bring a Deluge of Deftruction and Perfecution upon the Land. That they were Wife appears, because they were Men loving Truth; for Wisdom cannot stand without Truth. Honesty is the best Policy, though an old Saying, is a true one; for to deal freely and fincerely is a Sign of Wifdom. They were fuch as would take off the Vizard-Mafk of a moft deteftable Plot, as ever was hatched against a Nation, and that would have fhewn the Truth of all, that yet lies lurking at the Bottom. And at last, had they continued, we doubt not, but that the Nations round about us, would have been forced to have faid by us as Mofes prophefied thofe of Canaan fhould fay by the Ifraelites: Surely this Nation is a wife and understanding People: And if thofe many wife Laws and Statutes which were under the Confideration and Wisdom of the late Parliament, had been brought to Perfection, they would then also have taken up the other Part of that Prophecy of that Law-giver and Prophet, Deut. iv. What Nation is there fo great, that bath Statutes and Judgments fo righteous? That they were Men of Courage appears, by their being no Refpecters of Perfons, for that they fpared no Man for his Greatnefs and Might, nor despised any one for his Meannefs and Inability. They were bold Affertors of the Liberties of the People, and in the Ways

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