READER HE Publisher of this following T Difcourfe, has thought fit to ob lige the World with a Piece of Curiofity; it was penn'd about forty Fears fince, by the Ingenious and Celebrated Author of Hudibras. The Libel which he answers, was the Labour of one John Cook, Master of GraysInn, a great Pains-taker in the Myfteries of Rebellion. To give you the Original of it, 'twas a studied Invective against the Perfon of King Charles I. before the High Court of Justice, (so called) of infamous Memory, but upon the Non-pleading of the Royal Marty, 'twas afterwards metamorphos'd into a Pamphlet, with the Specious Title of, King Charles's Cafe; or an Appeal to all Rational Men concerning his Trial. How How Rational this Appeal was, may be eafily difcover'd from thofe numerous Fallacies and notorious Falfhoods, which our Auther has detected in him, not only as to what concerns plain Matter of Fact, but alfo in the Pamphleteer's pretended way of Reajoning, the false Logick, and worfe Law. I shall not enter into the Merits of the Caufe, for I suppose the more Rational Part of Mankind, is abundantly fatisfed in the Innocence of that Great Man, as to any thing that was laid to his Charge; and upon that Account, indeed, there would have been little Occafion at this time of Day to pro.. duce fo great an Advocate for his Memory, but that there is rifen among us a new Rule of the Old Republican Stamp, who have reviv'd the Quarrel, and copied out the obfolete and almoft forgotten Scandal of our Libeller, and made it their own. The Author of Ludlow's Letter may be reckoned amongst the firft of thefe,one that always fet up for a Patron of Faction, and a Promoter of the Good Old Caufe, but she'd himfelf moft in that famous Year, when he was one of the Tribunes of the People. I should not have made fuch a Digreffion upon this Worthy Patriot, but that I find him to intrude amongst his Friends, Mr. Milton and our Libeller, and feems to be the very Copy of their Malice, at least, though not their Wit, and for that Reason, I must confefs, he feems to be the leaft pointed at by our Anfwerer. I fhall fay no more of him at prefent, but pass him by with the fame Contempt as the Government has wifely done; 'tis but unfeasonable Quarrelling with a Man that is arm'd with fo much Dirt, you'll be fure of that, if you have nothing else. I need not trouble the Reader with any Harangue upon our Author, or his Book; I fuppofe he is no Stranger to the Honefter and more Learned Part of the Kingdom; and as for the reft, 'twas their beft Security they were not known by him. I shall only add, that it was Mr. Butler's Defign to print the Dif courfe himself, had not Death prevented him, and fince it has fell into the Editor's Hands, 'tis but a Piece of fu ftice to his Memory, to let the World make their Advantage of it. 1 THE THE CASE OF King CHARLES I Truly Stated. Mr. Cook, H AVING lately feen a Book of yours, which you are plea fed to call King CHARLES's Cafe, or an Appeal to all Rational Men concerning his Tryal, I was much invited to read it, by the Ingenuity pro mifed in your Title. For having heard you file yourself Solicitor General for the the King'sDreadSovereignty,and your own Honourable Client, the People; I was much taken with your Impartiality, that not only exempts all Rational Men from being your Clients in this Cafe, in making them, by your Appeal, your Judges: For no Man, you know, can be Judge in his own Cafe, but acknowledge your High Court, from which you appeal to all Rational Men to confift of no fuch: But indeed I had not read many Lines before I found mine own Error,as well as yours,and your Proceedings nothing agreeable to the plain Dealing I expected from you, for you prefently fall to infult upon the Unhappiness of your undeferved Adverfary, and that with fo little Moderation, as if you ftrove to make it a Question whether his incomparable Patience, or your own ungoverned Paffion, thould be the greater Wonder of Men,prepofteroufly concluding him Guilty, before with one Syllable you had proved him fo: A ftrange way of doing Juftice! which you endeavour to make good by a ftrange infolent Railing, and more infolent Proceeding to the fecret Cougfell of Almighty God, from whence you |