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.

I 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 superstition.

THE

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.

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 1643, 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 place of publick prayer, or of the body

of the chancel of every such church, chapel, or other such place of publick prayer: And that all rails whatsoever, which have beert erected near to, before, or about any altar, or communion-table, in any of the said churches or chapels, or other such place of publick prayer as aforesaid, shall, before the said day, be likewise taken away; and the chancel-ground of every such church or chapel, or other place of publick prayer, which hath been, within twenty years last past, raised for any altar or communion-table to stand upon, shall, before the said day, be laid down and levelled, as the same was before the said twenty years last past: And that all tapers, candlesticks, and basons shall, before the said day, be removed and taken away from the com munion-table, in every such church, chapel, or other place of publick prayer; and neither the same nor any such like shall be used about the same, at any time after the said day: And that all crucifixes, crosses, and all images and pictures of any one or more persons of the trinity, or of the virgin Mary, and all other images and pictures of saints, or superstitious inscriptions in or upon all and every the said churches or chapels, or other places of publick prayer; church-yards, or other places to any the said churches and chapels, or other place of publick prayer belonging, or in any other open place, shall, before the said first day of November, be taken away and defaced, and none of the like hereafter permitted in any such church, or chapel, or other places, as aforesaid.

And be it further ordained, That all and every such removal of the said altars, tables of stone, communion-tables, tapers, candlesticks and basons, crucifixes and crosses, images and pictures, as aforesaid, taking away of the said rails, and levelling of the said grounds shall be done and performed; and the walls, windows, grounds, and other places, which shall be broken, impaired, or altered by any the means aforesaid, shall be made up and repaired in good and sufficient manner, in all and every of the said parish-churches or chapels, or usual places of publick prayer belonging to any parish, by the church-warden or church-wardens of every such parish, for the time being, respectively; and, in any cathedral or collegiate church or chapel, by the dean or sub-dean, or other chief officer of every such church or chapel, for the time being; and, in the universities, by the several heads and governors of every college or hall respectively; and, in the several inns of court, by the benchers and readers of every of the same respectively, at the cost and charges of all and every such person or persons, body politick or corporate, or parishioners of every parish respectively, to whom the charge of the repair of any such church, chapel, chancel, or place of publick prayer, or other part of such church or chapel, or place of publick prayer, doth or shall belong. And, in case default be made in any of the premisses, by any of the person or persons thereunto appointed by this ordinance, from and after the said first day of November, which shall be in the year of our Lord God 1643, that then every such person or persons, so making default; shall for every such neglect or default, by the space of twenty days, forfeit and lose forty shillings, to the use of the poor of the said parish, wherein such default shall be made: Or, if it be out of any parish, then to the use of the poor of such parish,

whose church is or shall be nearest to the church, or chapel, or other place of publick prayer, where such default shall be made. And, if default shall be made after the first day of December, which shall be in the said year 1643, than any one justice of the peace of the county, city, or town, where such default shall be made, upon information thereof to him to be given, shall cause or procure the premisses to be performed, according to the tenour of this ordinance, at the cost and charges of such person or persons, bodies politick or corporate, or inhabitants in every parish, who are appointed by this ordinance to bear the same.

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.

JOH. BROWN, Cler. Parliamentorum.

ENGLAND'S TEARS,

For the present wars, which, for the nature of the quarrel, the quality of strength, the diversity of battles, skirmishes, encounters, and sieges, happened in so short a compass of time, cannot be paralleled by ang precedent age.

Hei mihi, quàm miserè rugit Leo, Lilia languent,

Heu, Lyra, quàm mæstos pulsat Hiberna sonos.

Printed at London, according to order, by Richard Heron, 1644. Quarto, containing twenty-two pages.

To my Imperial Chamber, the City of London.

Renowned City,

IF any showers of adversity fall on me, some of the drops thereof must needs dash on thy streets. It is not a shower, but a furious storm, that pours upon me now, accompanied with thunder, and unusual fulgurations. The fatal cloud, wherein this storm lay long ingendering, though, when it began to condense first, it appeared but as big as a hand, yet by degrees it hath spread to such a vast expansion,