II. As to the second point of the late War, it's unseasonable here to say any more but this, 1. The King hath said so much for the Act of Oblivion that it's no sign of Loyalty and peace to violate it. 2. Though false reporters say, that the Papists were the Kings party, and the Presbyterians the Parliaments at the beginning of the English war, (not meddling with Scotland and Ireland) the contrary is so well known to men yet living, that the Reporters can hope to seduce none but young men and strangers. I again desire him that would know the truth, but to read Rushworths Collections and Heylins life of Laud, and the names of the Parliament and Lord Lieutenants and Commanders, and ask those what they were that knew them: Heylin will convince you that the quarrel was long growing up between two parties of the Episcopal Church: of which he maketh in Ireland Arch-Bishop Usher the Head, and the Convocation there to follow him; and in England, Arch-Bishop Abbot to be the Head, and Bishop Laud to be the Head of the other party, and a very few Bishops at first to follow him; so that the Church of England and Ireland (if the Convocation be the Church) were on the side that Laud dissented from; And the Parliaments went the way of the Church as then they called it, and one after another continued accusing the other side, 1. as promoting popery, 2. and Arminianism, 3. and arbitrary absoluteness; against Law, privileges, Liberty and property: And where former Parliaments left, that of 1640. began, and between these two parties of the Church of England it was that the war began, and not between Papists and Presbyterians, (though the Presbyterians in Scotland, and the Papists in Ireland began there). The Papists were but Auxiliaries to the King, and most of the Presbyterians Auxiliaries to the Parliament, long after the beginning of the war. By God great mercy there are yet living the truly ⟨image 6⟩worthy and Right Honourable Lords, the Earl of Bedford first General of the Horse, and the Earl of Radnor, Lord President of his Majesties Council, a Colonel then in the Earl of Essex's Army, and the Lord Wharton (and the Lord Hollis is but lately dead) Ask these faithful Lords yet living whether the Earl of Essex, or any four or five of all his Colonels were Nonconformists, or any two of them Presbyterians; But of this elsewhere.
II. As to the second point of the late War, it's unseasonable here to say any more but this, 1. The King hath said so much for the Act of Oblivion that it's no sign of Loyalty and peace to violate it. 2. Though false reporters say, that the Papists were the Kings party, and the Presbyterians the Parliaments at the beginning of the English war, (not medling with Scotland and Ireland) the contrary is so well known to men yet living, that the Reporters can hope to seduce none but young men and strangers. I again desire him that would know the truth, but to read Rushworths Collections and Heylins life of Laud, and the names of the Parliament and Lord Lieutenants and Commanders, and ask those what they were that knew them: Heylin will convince you that the quarrel was long growing up between two parties of the Episcopal Church: of which he maketh in Ireland Arch-Bishop Usher the Head, and the Convocation there to follow him; and in England, Arch-Bishop Abbot to be the Head, and Bishop Laud to be the Head of the other party, and a very few Bishops at first to follow him; so that the Church of England and Ireland (if the Convocation be the Church) were on the side that Laud dissented from; And the Parliaments went the way of the Church as then they called it, and one after another continued accusing the other side, 1. as promoting popery, 2. and Arminianism, 3. and arbitrary absoluteness; against Law, priviledges, Liberty and property: And where former Parliaments left, that of 1640. began, and between these two parties of the Church of England it was that the war began, and not between Papists and Presbyterians, (though the Presbyterians in Scotland, and the Papists in Ireland began there). The Papists were but Auxiliaries to the King, and most of the Presbyterians Auxiliaries to the Parliament, long after the beginning of the war. By God great mercy there are yet living the truly ⟨image 6⟩worthy and Right Honourable Lords, the Earl of Bedford first General of the Horse, and the Earl of Radnor, Lord President of his Majesties Council, a Colonel then in the Earl of Essex's Army, and the Lord Wharton (and the Lord Hollis is but lately dead) Ask these faithful Lords yet living whether the Earl of Essex, or any four or five of all his Colonels were Nonconformists, or any two of them Presbyterians; But of this elsewhere.
