Apology Against a Pretended Calumny

A Moderate Apology AGAINST A pretended Calumny.

T Hou shalt not raise a false report, nor put thy hand with the wicked to be an unrighteous Judge, Exod. 23. 1. is a divine precept of such Justice and Equity, as should bind all Tongues, and Pens to the good behavior, and engage every man to be as tender of his Brothers reputation as his own. A good name is better thee precious ointment, Eccles. 7. 1. and rather to be chosen then great riches, Prov. 22. 1. therefore not rashly to be blasted, traduced with slanderous defamations.

Being then publicly taxed by Master James Howell, though in a modest candid manner, in his Preeminence and Pedegree of Parliaments, pag. 10. 11. &c. (newly printed,) as criminal of offering him very hard measure, nay, of doing him apparent wrong, in styling him in a Book entitled, The Popish Royal Favorite, p. 42. NO FRIEND TO PARLIAMENTS, AND A MALIGNANT; a character which (he saith) he deserves not, and disdains; I shall give both himself and the world this brief account of these harsh expressions, not any ways to traduce this learned Gentleman (whose excellent parts I highly honor) but to acquit myself from pretended guilt, of a malicious or groundless Calumny.

The title of a Malignant, since the late deplorable differences between his Majesty and the Parliament, is grown into such common and universal use, that none but Neuters, and Ambodexters (if they) either do or can evade it. The Cavaliers and Royalists on the one side, the two Houses of Parliament and their Adherents on the other side, both in their Discourses and Writings style all such who are opposite, or not professedly cordial to either of them, MALIGNANTS; a truth so experimentally evident, as needs no demonstration. It was Mr Howels disaster among others (as himself ingenuously confesseth, page 13.) to fall so heavily under the displeasure of the highest Court of Parliament; that he was, upon some informations given in against him, by its Authority and direction apprehended and committed to the Fleet, (where he hath continued Prisoner sundry months, and yet remains) his Papers seised, his Letters intercepted, for this cause especially (as I was credibly informed from some Members of Parliament, who had the perusal of his Papers) that he had been in arms against the Parliament, and was a dangerous MALIGNANT, MUCH DISAFFECTED TO THE PRESENT PARLIAMENT, who by reason of his Abilities, and acquaintance with Malignants, might probably do much mischief, and very ill offices against the Parliament, if not restrained. Receiving therefore such a Character of his unknown person and disposition, from so good Authority, and meeting with sundry Satyrical Passages in his Vocal Forest, and in his Parley between Patricius and Peregrine against this and former Parliaments, (discovering a more then ordinary Malignity in him against such Assemblies;) having occasion to transcribe some passages out of him, touching the Kings voyage into Spain, and some occurrences during his abode there, (to satisfy Malignants, and Opposites to the present Parliaments proceedings) in some Letters and Complements then passed between the Pope and King; I imagined with myself that I could not probably so clearly convince, and resolve them in this particular by any printed authorities whatsoever as by this of Mr Howels, reputed one of that party by the Parliament, and most who knew him; and that other Malignant Readers unacquainted with his person or inclination, might take notice of him, as one addicted to the Kings party (without any thought to injure or defame the Gentleman more then any other of the Kings adherents) I used these expressions of him; Now that such Letters really passed between the King and Pope during his abode in Spain, appears not only by divers ancient printed copies of them in sundry Languages, but is also thus expressly attested by Mr James Howell (an attendant upon his Majesty in that expedition) NO FRIEND TO PARLIAMENTS, BUT A MALIGNANT NOW IN CUSTODY, in his Vocall Forest, &c. If Mr Howell be so great a Royalist, as this Book of his proclaims, and most repute him; I presume he will esteem it no Calumny, nor dishonor in this age to be styled, No friend to Parliaments, but a Malignant: this being the chief ground of his present Dures in the Fleet, and that title wherein most Cavaliers now glory: But if his imprisonment hath made him, as much a friend, and as real an affectionate humble servant and Votary to the Parliament as possibly I can be, and that he will live and die with these affections about him, as he now professeth in print, I shall rejoice at his conversion, and readily retract my censure of him upon his reconciliation to this Parliament; and his Retractation of these Anti-parliamentary Passages in his Vocall Forest, that have given great offense, (which he seems tacitly to confess, pag. 18.)

When this Gentleman, I say, shall have fully recanted these bitter passages against a former Parliament, with all his violent Invectives in his late Discourse or Parley between Patricius and Peregrine (upon their landing in France,) touching the Civil Wars of England and Ireland, suppressed at the Press; the most Malignant invective Satyr I have hitherto met with, against the Sovereign Jurisdiction of all our Parliaments, and the proceedings of the present Parliament, against which (as I was credibly informed) he had taken up offensive Arms, being in the battle of Egde hill; I shall then cordially retract my Censure of him; till then I must appeal to his own conscience and the world, whether I have slandered or misreported him in the least degree.

Now whereas Mr Howell endeavors to excuse his Majesty's compliances with the Pope during his residence in Spain; averring, that the Dispensation for this Marriage, and capitulations stipulated in favor of the Romish Catholics in England, were negotiated only by the King of Spain's Ministers, because his Majesty would have nothing to do with Rome: I must inform both him and others, that though by the Articles of the Spanish Match, the Popes Dispensation for it was to be procured by the King of Spain's Negotiation, yet King James himself writ Letters and sent Agents to Rome to expedite it, as is evident by this ensuing Letter of George Gage to King James from Rome An. 1623, the copy whereof (with others of this kind) was found among Secretary Windebanks own papers.

This Letter, with our late entercouse with Rome by sending Mr Walter Montague and others, extraordinary Agents thither, maintaining Sir William Hamilton a constant Leger there, and receiving three Popes Nuncio • s successively (Panzam, Con, and Rosetti) as constant Residentiaries here in London to reduce us back to Rome, to omit all other particulars, are a most pregnant testimony, that King James, and some of his great Ministers of State (as I shall God willing manifest by undeniable testimonies) have had overmuch commerce with Rome, which is now no time to palliate.

I shall therefore conclude with the same Request in effect to Mr Howell, which he makes to me in the close of his new Pamphlet, That having unpassionatly perused what I have here written, in penning whereof my conscience, quill, and hand have concurred, he would be pleased to be so charitable and just; as to conceive, I had probable if not real grounds for what I formerly published, without the least intention to defame or misreport him, or any other personated in that Treatise.