exploit at sea betwixt the Hollander and Dankerker, or else betwixt the Hollander and Spaniard at the Cape or the straights of Magellan, and vsually they conclude with this Phrase-The Admirail or ViceAdmirall of our side, gaue a broad side to the utter ouer throw of the Spaniard, with so many men hurt, such a Rich prize taken, such a ship sunke or fired. Being faithfully translated out of the Dutch copy with the first and second Part, like Ballads. And these are all conceites ordinarily, which their owne idle braine, or busie fancies vpon the blockes in Paules, or in their Chambers inuented. They haue vsed this Trade so long, that now euery one can say, its euen as true as a Currantee, meaning that it's all false. Now Sweedens and the Emperors War in Germany is their Store-house, with how Lubecke, Hamburgh, Leipsich, Breame and the other Hans-Townes affect the Kings Maiesties proceedings: If a Towne be Beleagured, or taken, then they neuer take care, but how they may send their Leyes fast enough, and far enough: Well, they are politicke, not to be descried, for they are asham'd to put their names to their Books. If they write good Newes of our side, it is seldome true; but if it be bad, it's alwayes almost too true. I wish them eyther to write not at all, or lesse, or more true; the best newes is when we heare no newes. FINIS. THE MYSTERY Of the Good Old GausF Briefly unfolded. In a Catalogue of such Members of the late Long Parliament, that held Places, both Civil and The Sums of Money and Lands which they divided among themselves during their sitting (at least such as were disposed of by them publicly.) Quò non mortalia pectora cogit, Auri sacra fames! LONDON: Printed in the first year of England's Liberty, after almost "You, O Books, are the golden vessels of the Temple; burning lamps to be ever D Introduction. URING the rule of Cromwell political satire and caricature seldom appeared in print. When they did find utterance, they issued from a secret press, without name of author or publisher. Nothwithstanding these precautions, Royalists, and the other enemies to the Commonwealth, who could not restrain their tastes for lampooning, were occasionally caught and punished with the loss of their ears, a flogging, or a fine. At the Restoration matters were changed; the jokes, the sly humour, the mistakes and misfortunes of enemies that had been smothered and hushed up for twenty years, were then allowed to be told in the street, in the newspaper-anywhere. The best friends to Charles the Second were those who laughed the loudest at the old Roundhead party, and taught the mob to jeer and hoot its members as they passed through the streets. Amongst the many publications that appeared to ridicule the late Government are a few of considerable historical interest, satirical in the argument and application, but with allusions and facts of very great importance to the student who wishes to understand how it was that his country at one period cried, "Away with the King," and then, after he had been put to death, with equal ardour welcomed back the gay son to be his successor. The present REPRINT is one of the most curious of these satirical tractates. In its sly hits at the members of the Long Parliament who passed the "Self-denying Ordinance," we may frequently find particulars, true and exceedingly descriptive, that sober history or biography does not afford. All caricature abounds in truth. The dashing pencil of Gilray, and the pages of our own Punch, will carry down to posterity a thousand circumstances that would otherwise have been lost to the historian in fact, they are history of the most interesting and impressive kind. At the Restoration the Roundheads found themselves without any redress in the Law Courts, in the case of libel uttered by the Royalists. They were too much afraid of their lives to be choice in the matter of words, or even statements. The exulting Satirist who penned The Mystery of the Good Old Cause often throws in positive untruths; but these must be allowed for, or, indeed, they may now and then be easily picked out. The rarity of this tract is very great, only two copies being known. In reprinting it the editor thought that another contribution to the historical "Lists" of the country would not be unacceptable to those who take an interest in the great Civil War, which lasted ten years, did a great deal of good and a great deal of harm. It forms a suitable “pendant” to No. I. of the AUNGERVYLE REPRINTS, "Flagellum Parliamentarium."* J. C. Hotten reprinted a few copies of this tract in 1863, and the above remarks are from his preface. |