Hidden Works of Darkness Brought to Public Light, To the reader (1 of 2)
To the READER.
CURTEOUS READER, I here present thee with a new Discovery of sundry Plots and Workes of Darknesse, as a necessary Introduction to the Relation of the Arch-bishop of Canterburies Tryall; collected out of severall Instructions, Articles, Letters, Petitions, Intelli…ences, and many thousand scattered Papers, which Gods Providence brought unto my view; most of which never saw the publike Light before; and will give thee true information of many Passages, Policie, Negotiations with Rome, to Vsher Popery into all our Dominions by inperceptible steps, undermine our Protestant Religion, & ingulfe … in those Wars, Miseries, under which our whole three Kingdoms now smart and languish almost unto death. I prese…ted thee formerly with some Collections and Discoverie… of this nature in my Romes Master-piece and Royall Popish Favourite, which will adde some light and lustre unto these; but these farre more illustration unto them, and will give a satisfactory Answer to that namelesse Answerer of my Royall Popish Favourite, who (in his Loyall Vindication) confesseth all the matters of Fact, Letters, Warrants, discharges of Priests, Jesuites, & suspensions of Lawes against Recusants, therein comprized, not …inding me tardy so much as in one of them, (the recitall whereof is the farre greatest part of his Booke) but onelyonly shifting them off with poore slight Evasions, not worth the answering, which are here refuted by reall, undeniable Evidence…, out of Originall Letters, Records, Warrants, or faithfull Transcripts belonging to such Counsellours or Secretaries of State, as were imployed in, or privy to the Negotiations herein recorded, so as none can justly question, suspect their Reality or Verity.
For my selfe, I can with good conscience protest, I have neither feigned nor al…ered ought in any the Papers herein published, but presented the full and naked truth of all things to thee, as I found them, without the least Sophistication. If the Republike, Church, Religion, or thou (Curteous Reader) shall reap any advantage, usefull Information, or God any glory by these Publications (as I trust they will) I have all I ayme at; If any thing be not so methodically digested, connected, or so polite as thou couldest desire, I hope my daily publike Avocations, interloping occasions, distractions in the contexture of them, (collected for the most part when I should have been taking my naturall rest) will be a sufficient Apology to gaine thy Pardon. As for the particular Articles, Treasons & other high Crimes charged against the Arch-bishop (for which he was justly executed with far more mercy, favour, indulgence, then himself ever shewed to any pious Christian that came under his heavy hands) thou must expect an account of most of them hereafter in the History of his Tryall▪ yet here thou mayest scatteringly behold such evidences of his guilt (especially in the Scottish busines & Popish Alterations in their Liturgy) as will sufficiently re…ute the bold pretences of his Innocency on the Scaffold at his death, apparently contradicted by sundry pregnant evidences at the Lords … d…ring his Tryal, & by the whole tenour of his persecuting, oppressing, turbulent Life, especially since his greatnesse: And so without further preface, I humbly submit these Lucubrations to thy perusall and most serious consideration,