A CONFERENCE Held in the Tower of London, Between two Aldermen of the City, PRAISE-GOD LEAN-BONE, And the LORD LAMBERT, Upon their occaſion of viſiting his Lordſhip. MƲNDAY, MARCH the 13th, 1660. Concerning the King of Scots And the preſent PARLIAMENT.
LONDON, Printed in the Year, 1660.
MY Lord, We are come to viſit your Lordſhip, and alſo to take a view of your Lodgings, for if the Tide turn not, we are like to come and inhabite with Col. Morley; for we acted ſo high for your Lordſhips and our own Intereſt, that we are confident we may be bold to believe that we are mortally hated ſo far as we are known.
Your viſitation is acceptable and ſeaſonable in this juncture of time: but they were far better dayes with us when we met in counſel at Wallingford houſe. O that wicked Monk, and that unhappy Northern Expedition, laid all our honours in the duſt.
Truly, my Lord, our good City, and her young fry of Apprentices were very inſtrumental in our ruines: but there may come a time wherein we may make them amends for their courteſie.
Truely Gentlemen, I cannot think well of this kind of conſinement, for here are no pleaſures wherein a man can delight himſelf; and though I love ſouldiers and men in arms as well as the ſtouteſt Prince or Hero in the world, yet my delight was to command them, and not to be commanded by them.
It was my ſad fortune, only for preſenting the Rump with one impudent Petition, to get the ill will both of Monk and his Souldiers, the Parliament now in being, the City, and the whole Nation.
'Tis true, Mr. Lean-Bone; but had I attained to the Mayrolty for this year, as the plot was laid, we had altered the Scene, and though perhaps their Gates might have eſcaped the miſchief, yet their Charter and their Purſes ſhould have made us full ſatisfaction.
You ſay very true, brother I. And I am5 ſure it had been much better for the Vine that bears my Grapes, had the City been a City of Redcoats, and not a City of ſuch Croſs-grain'd and ſtiff-necked Varlets.
I am now cooped up in a Priſon (a place of no Intelligence) how do the people relliſh my confinement?
With very much ſeeming joy and ſatisfaction; and well approve the violent and high Actions of this Parliament, and delight in our Commitments. Nay, they have again advanced the Old decayed Covenant, than which the people believe there is nothing ſpeaks more plainly for the King.
It is a long time ſince I ſwore it, and having taken divers Oaths to the contrary ſince, have almoſt forgot the contents thereof: But I think there is a Clauſe that highly mentions the ſafety of the Kings Perſon, and the Advancement of his Honour.
There is ſo, my Lord; but if his honour be advanced, ours muſt needs be laid in the duſt, as your Lordſhip ſaid even now.
I never taſted what honour was, but whilſt I ſate a little in a ſhort Parliament, and promoted the Act for Marriage, and other wiſe Acts not now regarded: For my Controllers place6 I think that would have had more of Profit then Honour in it, if I could have kept it.
If things goe on at this rate, we muſt neither look to hold or injoy either places of Truſt, Honour, or Profit.
It is a ſad thing to live under the Government of a Parliament that ſeek to do juſt things, and ſuch as may beſt pleaſe and beſt profit the People. If they bring in the King, hee'l bring us to a fatal period; But Heavens forbid it!
I finde then an impoſſibility for me to ſcape their fury; for if the Power be given into His hand, it is not for me to expect mercy: The People being inſenced againſt me, they muſt be ſatisfied with a Sacrifice or two to their fancied Juſtice, or they will never ſit down in obedience to the Goverment.
It is ſo long ſince the King hath had any occaſion to gratifie his People, that he will not imagine one or two ſufficient to abate their fury. I wiſh every County in England be not bound to find one State-Martyr, beſides what they will pleaſe to Aſſeſſe upon the City of London, who as they alwayes found more money, ſo in this caſe, I am afraid, they muſt finde more men.
Then truly Brother T. I am in doubt you and I, ſhall hardly be permitted to caſt Dice for our lives, we being both ſo notoriouſly known, and ſo generally hated.
I am too lean for a Sacrifice, and when the King comes to ſee me, he will ſay I am not worth the Hanging, I have a good mind to face about, and try if I can get a place of imployment under Monarchy,7 to try if it be all one with that I had in your Lordſhips reign.
But my Lord, What defence does your Lordſhip intend to make to your impeachment?
Ile plead my Commiſſion, and my then preſent Power.
True, my Lord a good defence, would they have but the Grace to acknowledge us a ſufficient Power to grant a Commiſſion for theſe things, which is the thing I onely fear if I be queſtioned my ſelf.
Why am I thus hated? though I miſcarried in this buſineſs, yet the People know I have done good ſervice in my time,
You ſee, my Lord, they have no reſpect of perſons or ſervices, for there is Sir A. H. (a man that oppoſed your Power and Deſigns with all his might) is now brought into the ſame predicament.
I have ſeen and helpt forward many a Turn in this Nation, but a worſe then this (for us) I think our times can hardly parallel: For in all the others, I have kept my Spoke in the Wheel, but in this it is caſt clear out.
We muſt all expect to have plentifull portions of affliction; for in ſcripture we read, that the Lord will overturn, overturn, overturn; but we have doubled theſe overturnings in the Government of theſe Nations.
That overturning that I had a hand in, is hardly worth the taking notice of; and I hope all the World will think me ſo too.
I, Comptroller, had I no more to anſwer8 for then you have, it would hardly be a minutes contrivance to gain my releaſe, but I acted high, too high I am afraid!
Were any of our party either in Power or Favour, then there might be a poſſibility of doing good for your Lordſtip; but we are ſo generally laid aſide and hated, that we dare not appear ſo much as by Petition.
Petition! Ile meddle no more with Petitions, were I to be Hanged; I have enough of that already.
There is nothing to be done, but a reliance upon their mercy: If they take me off, you muſt impute it to the neceſſity they are put upon to pleaſe the People. There are noble Preſidents gone before me.
Heavens releaſe your Lordſhip, and ſend you better Fortune.
(EEBO-TCP ; phase 2, no. A80310)
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