The Discoverer Part 2, Title page – Dedication 1
The Diſcoverer.
Being an Anſwer to a Book entituled, ENGLANDS NEW CHAIN, The Second Part, Diſcovered.
SHEWING In what part the ſayd Book is falſe, ſcandalous, and reproachfull; in what deſtructive to the preſent Government; in what particulars it tends to diviſion and mutiny in the Army, and the rayſing of a new Warre; a…d wherein it hinders the releife of Ireland, and continuing of free-Quarter; according to the Parliaments cenſure upon the ſayd Booke.
Alſo the Generall Officers of the Army are here cleared from ſundry Falſhoods, and Slanders charged upon them: With a further Diſcovery of many dangerous and deſtruct…ve D…ſignes ſtill carryed on by …he Levelling Party, againſt the peace, ſafety, and freedome of the people.
The Second Part.
PRO. 18.6, 7. & 19.19.
A Fooles lips enter into contention, and his mouth calleth for ſtripes,
A Fooles mouth is his deſtruction, and his lips are the ſnare of his ſoule.
A falſe witneſſe ſhall not be unpuniſhed, and be that ſpeaketh lyes ſhall periſh.
LONDON; Printed by Matthew Simmons, 1649.
TO The Right Honourable, the Commons of England, aſſembled IN PARLIAMENT.
SIRS,
SINCE the Impriſonment of Mr. Lilburne, and the other three; There is publiſhed a Book under Mr. Walwins Name, wherein he manifeſteth a great deſire, that the Parliament had been pleaſed for the ſatisfaction of all thoſe their faithfull Friends who are concerned in it, and of the whole Nation in generall, to have expreſly applyed each part of the Book to each cenſure upon it, as to have ſhewed in what part it was falſe, ſcandalous, and reproachfull, in what deſtructive to the preſent Government, alſo to have ſhewed what part, ſentence, or matter therein rended to diviſion and mutiny in the Army, and the rayſing of a new Warre in the Common wealth; or wherein to hinder the reliefe of Ireland, and continuing of Free-Quarter.
For what end he writes thus, it may eaſily be conjectur'd: And therefore to wipe of the aſperſion and reproach from your Honourable Houſe, we have undertaken the Juſtification of your Cenſure upon that Booke and according to the ſevereſt crimes and guilt Expreſſed in your Act, have here manifeſted the ſayd Booke to deſerve no leſſe in every particular.
Now from this anſwer, we are occaſioned to put you in minde, how dangerous and deſtructive to all formes and kinds of Government, are Trayterous, Mutinous, and Reproachfull Libels, and Paſquils, In truth the wiſeſt of the Gentiles underſtood ſo much, and accordingly preſcribed and provided remedies againſt it in their republicks. We have alſo obſerved the wiſedome and ſingular care of Magiſtrates in forraine parts: For howſoever there are perſons amongſt them, as ill affected to their State as any herewith us, yet they know how, and doe, ſtop the paſſage and prevent the danger of ſuch things by the due execution of good lawes.
It is true, in our Lawes there are helps provided: notwithſtanding the miſcheif and miſerie remaines. And why? As fooliſh Birds frighted a little at firſt with the Huſbandmans Scarerow, and after a while obſerving that it ſtirre not, are bold to ſit it upon it and defile it. So when Authority either revives ſome former ſtatute or makes a new act againſt the aſperſers of the preſent Government, at firſt the Libellers and Raylers are a little frighted: But ſeeing there is not that mooving, acting, proſecuting as they fear… at firſt, they take ſo much boldneſſe as to come neere you, even to your very faces, ſet upon you, and defile you, and not onelyonly in your reputation and name, but your power and Government and in the vileſt and baſeſt manner as ever was known in any Common-wealth, (Sirs) we ſpeake this out of a tender reſpect unto you, and to ſhew how much we deſire that the Fac…s of our Elders may be honoured, and their Authoritie not blaſted by ſuch a baſe Generation of men. Neither truely know we any cauſe why ſuch Peſts and Plagues in a commonwealth may not as well be ſuppreſſed in England as in other parts, If the like ſtrict and exact courſe be taken here as … elſewhere. Now the Lord give you that wiſedome, both in this and other things, as may be for the Nations proſperity, peace, libertie: and your own comfort Crown and honour.