says another to his gown. Come, my girl, let me embrace thy lovely corps; dost think I am good for nothing but to preach, &c. ? These rare divines would preach against spiritual whoredom, yet be arrant monkies at the other; that was, when their precise parishioners, termed round heads, would seek out for some spiritual comforts, because they could have none at home, sometimes not in a month together, yet must be excommunicated, derided by uncivil names, and termed puritans, round-heads, spiritual whoremongers, &c. Was not this excellent sport indeed ? And surely, such priests, such people, though, God be blessed, not all. These Basilisks could suffer the sabbath to be profaned, by drunkards, players, wakes, morrice-dancers, May-poles, and what not, and by authority too; much more might be spoken on this subject; but enough of these vipers, and too much too: I have others as bad to shew you, and will leave these to the justice and prudence of the parliament. Take them, Derrick.

The next we present you, are a crew of flying dragons, that have many wings, right wings, and left wings, and double faces, that can soon face about, be here and there, and every where to do mischief, plunder, ravish, fire, and the like.

Cryer. Call Prince Rupert to the bar: Thou hast been a right flying dragon prince, and hast flew strangely up and down in this island, and hast stung to death those that formerly preserved thy life. O ungrateful viper, far worse than that in the fable! Dost not thou think to be sainted for this? Yes, thou shalt in this black calendar: the commons of England will remember thee, thou flap-dragon, thou butter-box; whose impieties draw, like the powerful load-stone. Speedy vengeance on thy cursed head? How many towns hast thou fired? How many virgins hast thou defloured? How many godly ministers hast thou killed? How many hast thou plundered from his Majesty's best and most obedient subjects? How many innocents hast thou slain? How many cursed oaths hast thou belched out against God and his people? How hast thou surfeited with the good things of our land, and undone whole counties? Why camest thou hither? Could not thy uncle's evil counsel infect our kingdom enough, unless thou hadst a share in it? Thou hadst a dukedom already, and wouldest thou have a kingdom too? It is that thou aimest at? King of Ireland, or King of his Majesty's best subjects the Irish rebels, the papists, jesuits, and others : Yes thou shalt have a kingdom, and pimps instead of preachers, wenches for thy privy counsellors, a black pot for thy scepter, or a white pot for thy crown; and shalt make laws accordingly, wholesome laws I'll warrant you. Thou hast had but scurvy luck lately, I cannot pity thee, at Marston Moor, where thy highness was soundly cudgelled into the bean-field, and hadst time to write the elegy of thy dog in direful tears, curses, and execrations; Prince, have a care, thou mayest be next, ingratitude never speeds better, and so farewell, and be-Take him, Garret.

Call Prince Maurice to the bar, a dancing dragon, that hath danced fairly after the lewd measures of his ungodly brother, in firing houses, and killing of godly ministers, deflouring of virgins, murdering his Majesty's best subjects, and plundering and undoing the kingdom:

these jiggs are now become court dances; though 'tis an unusual thing to use jiggs and dances in tragedies, yet now 'tis the court-fashion, which makes Inigo Jones fret himself into a consumption, and wish thy highness might dance in a halter, or dance thy head from thy shoulders, that hast thus altered the property, and turned the scene into sin, and such horrid sin, that it can scarce be paralleled in any story, except in the highest story. Take him, Garret.

Call Marquis Hartford to the bar, one that has more wit, than to fight for the protestant religion: Does not Endymion Porter fight for the protestant religion? Does not Digby fight for the protestant religion? Yes, papists do fight for the protestant religion, the privileges of parliament, and the liberty of the subject; they fight for all these, as our's, to fight them away from us, as they fight away our estates, or as the thief fights for the true man's purse. Did the cabinet-council invent this fighting? And would not they have King Charles fight thus? Does not Brainsford fight thus? Cottington, Hopton, Hurrey, and the rest fight thus? and Legge and Lumford fight thus, with Capel, Hastings, and all that godless crew? And this is the war these men maintain, withal, to preserve their persons and estates from the justice of the law, when themselves are above religion, or the law either.

Call the Duke of Richmond to the bar. His father was truly noble, and loved parliaments, though he was unfortunately stung to death by one of these poisonous vipers, because he did so; but the son loves the murderers the better, and hates the parliament he should love, and hath in exchange a living lady for a dead father. Take him, Greg.

Call Littleton to the bar, lord keeper. His predecessor, Finch, paid a good large sum for the place, and had more reason to run away with the great seal, than Littleton, that paid nothing for it: little honesty in that, to deal so dishonestly, and fly from them that had dealt so well with him; little justice too, to steal away and divorce that spouse, that had been so long married to the parliament, and hath put that great council to no little trouble in making a new one; therefore expect as little mercy from me. Take him, Derrick.

Lindsey, stand to the bar. Thou understandest already what it is to fight against the true protestant religion, the parliament's privileges, and the subject's rights, under a feigned pretence of maintaining them; Edgehill put the period to thy days; and, though thou wert valiant, yet, in that cause, thy valour was but a crime, a valiant crime; and so is the valour of all rebels valiant crimes; but thou hast thy reward.

Huntington, hold up thy hand. Thou art one of these valiants too, valiant in a bad cause, that differ much from David's valiants; there be many such valiants, that are valiant to do mischief, valiant to undo your country, though you undo yourselves. A list of these valiants followeth, viz. The Earls of Cumberland, Bath, Southampton, Dorset, Northampton, Devonshire, Bristol, Berkshire, Monmouth, Rivers, Newcastle, Dover, Newport, Caernarvon, Mowbray, and Montravers; Lords Rich, Newark, Paget, Chandois, Faulconbridge, Paulet, LoveJace, Saville, Mohun, Dunsmore, Seymour, Hopton, Capell, Jermyn, Faulkland, Banks, Nicolas, Gardiner, comptroller, chancellor of the

exchequer, &c. enough of all conscience, besides Irish rebels. These all fight valiantly for the prosestant religion, as it stood established in the reign of Queen Elisabeth's sister.

trust, every true protestant sees this, and acknowledgeth parliaments the finest expounders of the law, and judges of offenders, either to acquit, or condemn them; and will, so soon as it shall please God to deliver up these vipers into their hands, pull out their infectious stings, and deliver them up to the justice of the law, that thus vilely have betrayed religion, and law both.

Call the cockatrice to the bar, the old French madam: nay, and the young one too, little inferior. Who went with Jermyn into Holland, because England was so unworthy of her, as Digby says? Who went to the brokers with the jewels of the crown, and the cup-board of gold plate ? Who bought pocket-pistols, barrels of powder, and many such pretty toys to destroy the protestants? Was it Queen Mary? The very same who is gone into France to do the like? Queen Mary, a happy intrument to destroy the protestants! There is another cockatrice, I forget her name, a kind of harlotry belonging to the cabinetcouncil, one that married the fox-headed Irish rebel, and was once Duchess of Buckingham; a prime piece of mortality, and worthy sainting in our calendar; her faults would make a whole volume. Take her, Devil.

The next are curled winding snakes, court-parasites, and corrupt judges, that could make his Majesty believe any thing, and screw and wind themselves, as they do the law, into his Majesty's favour, and tell him fine tales to little purpose: Such were Noy, Windebank, Hyde, Mallet, Bartlet, &c. a brood of dangerous vipers, with baneful stings, to poor England's cost.

The last are dangerous adders; and those are the commissioners of Array, that would arm the subjects to kill themselves, or those whom themselves have chosen and intrusted with their religion, laws, and hereditary rights, and the King acknowledged to be his great and faithful council: Surely, they ought then to defend his royal person, as well as their own rights, or their own persons, being all in apparent danger. The law allows rather to kill, than to be killed; David was not restrained to defend himself against Saul, much less against his evil counsel; if Saul would obstinately thrust himself into danger amongst his evil counsellors, and wilfully perish, David is guiltless. David took up arms in his own defence, the parliament and kingdom in defence of the true religion, and to rescue the King from traitors and rebels, not against the King: God forbid. If we make choice of men, and trust them with our rights (the King acknowledging them his great council) it questionless behoves them, according to that trust, to defend his person and posterity equal with their own rights. With what unwearied labours, even to the loss of lives and estates, the parliament hath discharged this trust, no eye can be so blind, but must needs see and confess, with a thankful heart, that they have done as much, as in them lay, to redeem his Majesty from evil counsellors, to preserve the true and pure gospel, and to rescue our laws and hereditary rights

from the violence of malignants, delinquents, papists, and others; and ingenuously confess, that we stand justly bound by conscience, religion, and law, to assist them with our estates and lives; which with all willingness let us resolve to do, and rather chuse to die like men, than live like slaves.

TWO ORDINANCES

OF THE

LORDS AND COMMONS ASSEMBLED IN PARLIAMENT,

For the speedy demolishing of all organs, images, and all manner of superstitious monuments in all cathedral or parish churches and chapels, throughout the kingdom of England and dominion of Wales, the better to accomplish the blessed reformation so happily begun, and to remove all offences and things illegal in the worship of God.

Die Jovis, 9 Maii, 1644.

Ordered by the Lords in parliament assembled, that these ordinances shall be forthwith printed and published,

Jo. BROWN, Cler. Parliamentorum.

London, Printed for John Wright in the Old-Baily, May 11, 1644. Quarto, containing eight pages.

Die Jovis, 9 Maii, 1644.

An ordinance for the further demolishing of monuments of idolatry and

THE

superstition.

HE lords and commons assembled in parliament, the better to accomplish the blessed reformation so happily begun, and to remove all offences and things illegal in the worship of God, do ordain, that all representations of any of the persons of the trinity, or of any angel or saint, in or about any cathedral, collegiate, or parish-church, or chapel, or in any open place within this kingdom, shall be taken away, defaced, and utterly demolished, and that no such shall hereafter be set up. And that the chancel-ground of every such church or chapel, raised for any altar or communion-table to stand upon, shall be laid down and levelled. And that no copes, surplices, superstitious vestments, hoods, or roodlofts, or holy-water fonts, shall be, or be any more used, in any church or chapel within this realm; and that no

cross, crucifix, picture, or representation of any of the persons of the trinity, or of any angel or saint, shall be or continue upon any plate, or other thing, used or to be used in or about the worship of God; and that all organs, and the frames or cases wherein they stand in all churches and chapels aforesaid, shall be taken away, and utterly defaced, and none other hereafter set up in their places: And that all copes, surplices, superstitious vestments, roods, and fonts aforesaid, be likewise utterly defaced; whereunto all persons within this kingdom, whom it may concern, are hereby required, at their peril, to yield due obedience.

Provided that this ordinance, or any thing therein contained, shall not extend to any image, picture, or coat of arms, in glass, stone, or otherwise, in any church, chapel, church-yard, or place of publick prayer, as aforesaid, set up or graven only for a monument of any King, prince, or nobleman, or other dead person, which hath not been commonly reputed or taken for a saint; but that all such images, pictures, and coats of arms, may stand and continue in like manner and form as if this ordinance had never been made; and the several churchwardens, or overseers of the poor, of the said several churches and chapels respectively, and the next adjoining justice of the peace, or deputy lieutenant, are hereby required to see the due performance hereof; and that the repairing of the walls, windows, grounds, and other places, which shall be broken or impaired by any the means aforesaid, shall be done and performed by such person and persons, as are for the same end and purpose nominated and appointed by a former ordinance of parliament, of the eight-and-twentieth of August, 1643, For the utter demolishing of monuments of superstition or idolatry.

Die Lunæ, 28 Augusti, 1643.

7

An ordinance of the Lords and Commons assembled in parliament, for the utter demolishing, removing, and taking away of all monuments of superstition and idolatry.

THE lords and commons in parliament, taking into their serious considerations how well-pleasing it is to God, and conducible to the blessed reformation in his worship, so much desired by both houses of parliament, that all monuments of superstition or idolatry should be removed and demolished, do ordain, That, in all and every the churches and chapels, as well cathedral and collegiate, as other churches and chapels, and other usual places of publick prayer, authorised by law within this realm of England and dominion of Wales, all altars and tables of stone shall, before the first day of November, in the year of our Lord God 1648, be utterly taken away and demolished; and also all communion-tables removed from the east-end of every such church, chapel, or place of publick prayer, and chancel of the same, and shall be placed in some other fit and convenient place or places of the body of the said church, chapel, or other such p'ace of publick prayer, or of the body