The New Query and Determination Upon It, Postscript
A Poſtſcript, or after-reckoning with the Moderate Intelligencer, and Mercurius Britanicus.
THe pace of a Booke at the Preſſe, proceeding flowly, (as Guicciardine ſaith of the Italian Ordinance drawn with oxen,) hath afforded this advantage to theſe poſting News-men, that they have had a ſecond turne to tell their owne tale unto the people, before the confutation of their calumnies againſt the Petitions of the Common Councell, and Miniſters of London, be once preſented to publique acceptance; which Inconvenience hath yet brought with it this recompence; I am by the delay ſomewhat better acquainted with their ſpirits, and thence find cauſe to conceive more hope of the one, and to obſerve leſſe ingenuitie in the other, then I did apprehend, when I put in my defenſive plea for the Petitioners, againſt their traducements; and in this Poſtſcript or afterreckoning I ſhall entertaine them accordingly.
1. For the Intelligencer, wee have from him ſome previous diſpoſitions to repentance for his printed reproaches, ſomewhat towards attrition, though farre ſhort of ſuch Chriſtian contrition as is a neceſſary preparative for the obtainment of a pardon. His words in his Thurſdayes accompt are theſe; There paſt us laſt weeke ſomething that was displeaſing both to the Common Councell, and likewiſe to the Clergie; to neither of which we intended the leaſt diſplènſure; what was inſerted, we received, and conceived from a good Author; and finding the Houſe of Commons to be very much affected with what came from both, as that which might be of evill conſequence; we therefore were the readyer to believe it might amount to ſo much as we were told, but underſtanding now from others, that the Petitions had no ſuch words, nor contained any ſuch thing as was expreſſed; we are heartily ſory, and doe freely acknowledge the ſame, profeſſing that we hold it an high offence to wrong the po…reſt particular man, ye…, if … enemie; nor ever durſt wee publiſh that againſt the Parliament… and Kingdomes preſent enemie (much more againſt their Friends) which we did not receive from any good hands, as truth.
Whereby we may perceive the perplexity of his mind, which makes him recant, and recant, in both ſenſes of this ambiguous terme; for he recants, that is, he confeſſeth his errour thus, Ʋnderſtanding now from others that the Petitions had no ſuch words, ner contained any ſuch thing as was expreſſed, we are heartily ſory, and do freely acknowledge the ſame: where is one kind of recantation; and withall he recants in another kind, that is, he ſings over againe the ſame harſh note, wherein he was far out of time from the tenour of truth, telling the Reader thus much in way of Iuſtification, What was inſerted we received from a good Author, and ſtuding the Houſe of Commons to be … affected with what came from both, as that which might be of evill conſequence, w… therefore were the readier to believe it might amount to ſo much as we were told; which is to make your ſ…der of the petitioners the ſenſe of the Houſe of Commons, and the hand that brought that ſenſe a good hand; and if ſo, you have handled the matter very ill, both in reſpect of conſcience and diſ…retion; for either the Houſe of Comm… thought ſo ill of the Petitioners, as you have now the ſecond time aſſerted, or not; if they did not, (as no wiſe man will believe that ſo many wiſe men as ſhould denominate the whole Houſe, could ſo much miſ-judge ſo humble, and faire dealing an addreſſe …nto them) then you wrong them as well as the Petitioners, in calling that a good h…d, which brought you ſuch a ſcandalous miſm…erpretation of them both; and ſo in ſtead of clearing your owne conſcience, you corrupt i… againe with a new guilt.
If the Houſe of Commons did ſo conceive of the Petitioners, as you have publiſhed before, you have indiſcre…tly deſerted the true information you had from them by a good hand, as you call it twice, (but how good ſoever you take it to be, there be ſome falſe fingers in it, i… it wrote that to you, which you have written to others) and have m… your ſelf an offender above the degree of your … for though the tale you were told were mat…rially an untruth, it was not fo…mally a ſlander in you, while you did but publiſh it, not as any thing made or … by you, …ot as received by report from an … with yourſelfe of much … for his truſty Intelligence. And yet I conceive it had been a part of good manners, to have forborne the divulging of ſuch newes, of ſo great moment, wherein not only the integ…y of the Common Councell, and Miniſters of London, but the prudence of the Honourable Houſe of Commons, was highly concerned, unleſſe they had given you warrant to proclaim to the world, that which in ſuch caſes is, or ſhould be kept within the compaſſe of their owne walls.
You conclude, as you began, with commendation of your ſelfe, for the innocency of your intentions, and charitableneſſe of your affection; ſaying in your firſt lines, There paſt us the laſt weeke ſomething that was diſpleaſing both to the Common Councell, and likewiſe to the Clergie, to neither of which we intended the leaſt diſpleaſure; and you end with the ſame ſelfe conceit wherein you began, for you tell us in the cloſe of your ſpeech that you hold it … high offence to wrong the pooreſt particular man, yea, if an enemy; nor durſt we (ſay you) ever publiſh that againſt the Parliaments and Kingdomes preſent enemie, much more (much leſſe you ſhould ſay) againſt their friends, which we did not receive from very good hands as truth.
If you ſay this in ſinceritie, we ſhall ſee ſome clearer evidence of your conſcientious acknowledgement (then that contradictory confeſſion can be accompted, which is like an Iliaca paſſie in the belly, and bowels of your retractation, though the head and loot of it be ſutably qualified) of your wronging, not of a ſingle, or a private enemy, but of a numerous ſociety of the moſt publique, Honourable, and venerable Friends and Votaries of the Parliament in the Kingdome; which if you ſeriouſly conſider, you cannot ſatisfie your ſelfe, much leſſe can you expect that they ſhould reſt ſatisfied with ſuch a recanting recantation, as you have now made; if other wiſe, this Paper will aſſure the Intelligent Reader, that as Belſhazzars government, ſo your repentance, is weighted in the ballan…e, and found wanting, Dan. 5.27. But untill I know the worſt, my charitie diſpoſeth me to hope the beſt, and my hope is that you are on the mending hand, and ſo fare you well.
Now for the bold Britain…, who brags of his daring ſpirit, and would have every man to turne coward in a good Cauſe, for … of his courage in a …; yet it ſeemeth ſome body … the … to tell him of his miſcarriage towards the Magiſtrates, and Miniſters of the Citie, in ſuch ſort, that (as Saluſt ſaid to Cicero) *Si quam voluptatem male dicendo cepisti, eam male audiend… amittas. Orat. Saluſt. in Ciceron. Cicer. Orat. p. 671.If he tooke any delight in ſpeaking what he ought not, he may loſe it againe by hearing what he would not; and I muſt now doe it the ſecond time, by giving him another check for his vanitie in magnifying himſelfe, and his injurie in vilifying ſuch as he cannot ſufficiently honour.
For himſelfe, he makes as if he were a man of ſuch high elevation, that it is a ſtooping below his genius. to have any thing to doe (though by way of reproofe) with ſuch a deſpicable company, as the Court of Common Councell, and the Miniſters of the City; whom he would not meddle with, were it not to ſerve the Parliament; and ſerve them I dare, ſaith he, in as high a nature as any man, and ſhall in all things comply with their proceedings, and endeavour to make this compliance univerſall.
Were it not to ſerve the Parliament? For your ſervice to the Parliament, Mr. Brit. I would not have you to be confident either in your owne performances, or of their acceptance, or of the good effects it hath brought forth among the people of the Kingdome; there are ſome, who (though they doe not bragge of wit as you doe) have a great deale more wiſdome then you have, and they ſay, you have begotten much malignitie in many againſt the Parliament, and confirmed it in others, and have much weakened the hands of their moſt conſcionable friends, by the licentious extravangancie of your Pen beyond all bounds of grace, or modeſty; and they further adde, (which honeſt men will lay hold on as a promiſe, but you perhaps will take as a threatning) that they will trace your irregular ſteps from the firſt page of your firſt Pamphlet, to this preſent of the number 945. and repreſent you ſo in one entire delineation, and diſcovery, as (if you be not a man of impenetrable impudence) will make you aſhamed of your owne reſemblance.
And for your particular ſervice you pretend to doe unto the Parliament, in abuſing the Petitioners. I beleeve they will have little cauſe to give you thanks, much leſſe any reall reward for your painer; ſince it will ſcarce lye in your power to doe them a greater diſhonour, then to make good men beleeve, and Malignants inſult, that their moſt potent, and beneficent, I may ſay munificent Aſſiſtants, the Citizens, and their moſt faithfull (and not altogether impotent or unuſefull ſervants) the Miniſters of the Citie of London, either give, or take ſuch offence at each other, as may tend to a rupture; but the hope is there will be preſent helpe, and an effectuall Antidote againſt this ſcandall, in the Apologeticall Narrative of the Petitions, as now it is preſented to publique view; which will be the more expedite and prevalent in its operation, by the little credit you have with all ſuch as read your papers as the dictates of a Poet, not of an Hiſtorian; and you are like Sir to have leſſe credit hereafter, and to doe the Parliament leſſe ſervice then you have done (if ever you did any worthy acceptance) becauſe you profeſſe you will in all things comply with their proceedings: For,
1. No body will beleeve you will be ſo regular in you writing, as they are in their Parliamentary paſſages.
2. When you ſay, you will in all things comply with their proceedings, you muſt either ſuppoſe that they cannot erre (which is farre from their thoughts, for they know it is a pitifull, and perillous ignorance, or perverſeneſſe, not to acknowledge their humanitie, Pſal. 9.20. and that it is the preſumption of the Papall Conclave, not a Priviledge of Parliament, to aſſume an infallible guidance in their determinations) or that they may erre, and then we muſt think, that though they doe ſo, you reſolve to be on their ſide, be it right or wrong; if ſo, doe you not tell the world that your complyance with them, hath more of policy in it, then of conſcience? and will it not readily follow, that ſuch a Mercurius at Weſtminſter, would eaſily turne to an Aulicus at Oxford, if (which God forbid) the Royall Prerogative ſhould ſo farre advance, as to plunder the Parliament of their ancient and Honourable Priviledges.
The other Animadverſion upon Britanicus this weeke concerneth the vilifying of the Petitioners, whom Lucian like he fals upon in this ſcornfull and jeering manner: It is a fine humour in any to cry, We will have this, we will have that done, Come let's petition, he ſhould have ſaid, we would have this or that done; for we will have this or that done are termes rather of the Imperative, then the Optative Mood, fitter for Commanders, then Petitioners. Beſides Sir, you know there be a ſort of men, who have taken upon them, without petitioning to the Parliament, or Authoritie from the Parliament, to ſet up a Government of themſelves; which the Petitioners dare not attempt without warrant from the Parliament; this is a humour indeed, a fine humour of a new impreſſion; but when did you beſtow a jeere or a taunt upon them? in this ſurely you bewray your partialitie, and ſomewhat worſe which you may heare of hereafter; but ſay on.
Yes I warrant you we are wiſe Stateſmen, know the due times and ſeaſons well enough, and though we lye under the decke, are able to diſcerne as well as they that ſit at the ſterne. Did the Petitioners take upon them to be Stateſmen? did they not profeſſedly diſclaime ſo vaine a conceit, when in a modeſt and humble way they came to the Parliament, as to Stateſmen, the Fathers and Phyſicians of the State, to receive from their prudent reſolutions preſent remedies againſt the maladies wherewith the Citie is dangerouſly infected, and infeſted? and was it not time to complain, when they perceived the ſubtle inſinuations of Schiſme creepe into their families, and found it had ſtolne their wives from their boſomes, their children and ſervants from Oeconomicall communion in their families, and from hearing Orthodoxe Divines in the publique Churches of the Citie, to ſort themſelves under erroneous, and hereticall Teachers in private Conventicles?
And whereas you would degrade the Petitioners ſitting at the ſt…rne to lying under the d…cke, though you (for feare or ſhame) may have occaſion to play leaſt in ſight, and to lurke under the hatches to ſecure your ſelfe, the Petitioners are (for the chiefe p…t of them) eminently conſpicuous; divers of the one ſort ſit upon the Tribunall of Authoritie, and all of the other weekly appeare viſible to common view in their Pulpits; and have ſo much advantage ground for diſcovery of the evils of the times, and places they live in, that it can be no diſparagement to the Parliaments prudence, in many particulars to receive informations from them.
But they goe beyond their bounds, as Britanicus chargeth them, for their duty leads them … further (ſaith he) then to preſent matter of grievance in things already eſtabliſhed, not to demand the establiſment of any thing …; this muſt be left in the Parliament, who (it is preſumed, and we muſt hold to this ma…ime) will neglect nothing neceſſary or convenient.
Now he takes upon him to play the Caſuiſt, and to reſolve both poſitively, and negatively, how farre men may proceed to petition, how farre not; they may (ſaith he) preſent matter of grievance in things already eſtabliſhed, not demand the eſtabliſhment of any new thing: This Aphoriſme is framed of purpoſe for the pulling downe of the Prelacy, and againſt the ſetting up of the Preſbytery, that Independencie (and under that Title all Sects of what ſort ſoever) may be ſet up, and ſpread abroad without reſtraint; but a man would think it more reaſonable, that when things are eſtabliſhed, they ſhould command either aſſent or ſilence, but in the want of neceſſary things, the preſenting of requeſts for ſupply to thoſe that are able to grant them, hath no affinitie with a fault, but rather hath the nature of a dutie, and therefore they who petitioned the Parliament for Ordination of Miniſters in a new way, without Biſhops, (new to this State, though moſt ancient in the Church of Chriſt) were never blamed, but approved by the Parliament, and accordingly an Ordinance paſſed both the Honourable Houſes, for enabling a certaine number of Divines to put it in practiſe; much more cauſe is there to approve the Petitioners, who received a command for the choice of Church Governours, whereto without further direction, and warrant, they could not performe compleat obedience as they deſired.
And for that he ſaith of leaving all to the Parliament, in confidence of their univerſall care, neglecting nothing which may be neceſſary and convenient, it hath a pretence of reſpect to the Parliament, but the drift of it is to make all thoſe (who deſire a deliverance out of dangerous confuſion, by a ſetting up, and ſettling a regular Government) remiſſe in their mediation for it, while Independents intentively beſtirre themſelves in ſeverall Counties to make choice of ſuch for Knights and Burgeſſes, as favour their faction, and quicken their Patrons with unceſſant importunitie to expedite their deſigne in Parliament, in Committees, in the Army; and ſome of them are ſuch ubiquitaries, within the Kingdome, and without, (to worke themſelves up to a capitulating partie) that none but that great Peripatetick, 1 Pet. 5.8. goeth beyond them for ſedulitie in proſecution of a plot. And yet whatſoever he aimeth at in this diverſion or prohibition of Petitions, the Parliament may have need of them and may make good uſe of them, (yea and as ſome Antipresbyterians bragge, aThe moſt and best things that ever this Parliament did, were first m…tioned by private men, and then authoriſed and establiſhed by them. The Postſcript of the Libellous Pamphlet called Lilburnes Englands birthright.have done ſo) and may be very well pleaſed therewith.
For inſtance, having a purpoſe to ordaine the Presbyteriall Government which (as the bThe Copy of the Remonſtrance lately delivered to the Aſſembly by T.G.I.B. &c.Independents confeſſe) they have voted already, it may be matter of much incouragement to them to perfect their purpoſe in that behalfe, ſince they ſee ſuch a generall accord of the Common Councell, and Miniſtery of the Citie petitioning together for the eſtabliſhment thereof.
This may ſuffice for the ſecond Edition of this ſcandalous contumely againſt the Petitions, and Petitioners of London; for whoſe ſakes (they being ſo many in number, and ſo eminent in ranke, and order,) and for the good Cauſe wherein they, and many more are ſo much engaged, I have taken the opportunity that was caſt in my way to make this Apologie, otherwiſe I ſhould not think it meete to beſtow my moſt idle minutes upon ſo meane an imployment, as a conflict, or conteſtation with ſuch Antagoniſts as now I have anſwered. Who if they appeare againe with any degree of folly, or offence in this Cauſe, above that which diſcretion may diſdaine, or Religion muſt pardon, though I be ſilent (which yet I doe not promiſe) there will be a courſe taken to make ſome more ſenſible of their unſufferable exceſſes, and others more circumſpect, and cautelous, then to runne the hazard of their deſerved reward.
FINIS.
End of the text · John Ley, The New Query and Determination Upon It (1646)