The Copy of a Letter, &c.

THe weekly Pamphlets, intituled, A perfect Diurnal, and The Moderate Intelligencer, for two or three wee•s paſt have blared a ſtory of a Trooper, who was lately complained of to the General, by a Miniſter about Northampton, for Preaching in a private houſe on the Faſt-day, and other miſ­demeanours. Now becauſe the Diurnal ſaith, this buſin•ſſe made ſuch a noiſe in London; and becauſe both he, and his brother the Intelligencer, according to their wonted favour to the Sectaries, labou•ing to vindicate the Trooper, have related this buſineſſe very falſly, and ſought to caſt an aſperſion on the Miniſter, and his honeſt neighbour who made compl•in•: I was deſired by divers of the Miniſters and other friends, to give you true information of thoſe things which thoſe Pamphlets have falſified; that if you judge it needfull, you may publiſh it, or com­municate it to ſuch as you find to be miſ-informed.

The Moderate Intelligencer (as he calls himſelf) having pro­miſed a further relation of the buſineſſe, the Week before; relates (Num. 97.) that the great charge againſt the Trooper was, That he exp•••••…d〈…〉as houſe. And the Imperfect Diurnel (Num. 181) undertakes to give a true account, which he received (as he ſaith) from one well knowing the whole buſineſſe. Where it is confeſſed that 8 Articles were exhibited againſt him to the Councel of War, containing a greater Charge then the Moderate Intelligencer ſpeaks of, as appeare•by the Articles themſelves, which are there recited〈◊〉.

3That he ſaid,

• 1. That the Parſon was a Miniſter of Antichriſt, and not of Chriſt.
• 2. That he thought he was bound to unſold the minde of Scrip­ture, as it was revealed to him.
• 3. That he had preached, not long before, in two Tubs in Oxford-ſhire, meaning (as they ſay) the Pulpits.
• 4. That he would preach the next Sunday in the Steeple-houſe Yard.
• 5. That he hoped to ſee the Shop-windowes open on the Sabbath-day.
• 6. That he fought for Half-crowns; and that he would ſight, for Papiſts, if he might have his Liberty.
• 7. That he ſaid, the Pſalms of David were no Scripture.
• 8. That he did not deny but that he was an Anabaptiſt.

Yet he ſaith in the concluſion, pleading for this Sectarie, — Here was no falſe Doctrine taught that might give offence. Sure, the 7. Article contains falſe Doctrine: and the words he is accuſed of in the 5. Article, amount to teaching of falſe Doctrine, implying that he denies the Morality of the Sabbath. And the Moderate Intelligencer alſo ſaith, The great charge was, that he preached in a private houſe: It ſeems, with him to deny the Scripture, is no great charge; For as for the Morality of the Sabbath, I knew his mind before, that he counts it an Holyday appointed by the State, as (Num. 96) he ſpeaks of it.

But to let go their opinions of the Troopers Doctrine; the Diurnal makes a very falſe relation of matters of fact in this buſi­neſſe. Firſt, where he ſaith, the Councel of War reſolved that none of the Articles belonged to their cogniſance by the laws of war, but the firſt only, where the Trooper is accuſed of reproachful ſpeeches; and that, for this, they ordered him to make acknow­ledgment to the Parſon. This is not denied. But ſecondly, where he ſaith, that for further ſatisfaction, they examined the particulars of the other Articles, of which (ſaith he) few could be proved: This is related both doubtf•lly and falſly. For, firſt, they did not examine the Witneſſes upon all the Articles, as that relation ſeems to imply, but only upon two more, namely the 6, and 7. And4 ſecondly thoſe 3 articles were fully proved upon oath: and thirdly all the reſt could have been proved, if the Witneſſes which were attending for that purpoſe might have been examined; and may yet be proved, if any good may come of it, with divers circum­ſtances not expreſſed in the articles, tending much to the aggra­vation of the charge.

• 3. Where he ſaith, the Trooper made a ſatisfactory declaration concerning what he had publiſhed, (and what not?) It may be his Declaration might be ſatisfactory to ſome of his own way and opinions: but I am ſure there were ſome preſent that were not ſatisfied, of which I can tell you more then at preſent I am willing to write.
• 4. Where he ſaith, the Councel of war committed him to priſon for one night: I hear he ſupped at the CROWN that night with Mr. Quatermain (a man well known in the City) and ſo it may be he had the cuſtody of him for a night; and I think that was all his impriſonment: And if he was committed for any thing contained in the Articles, it is more then any of his Accuſers knew; and yet I am told by a Captain, who might know, That the cauſe of his commitment was, his miſ­demeanour towards one of his Judges in the Councel of war, who ſpake againſt him.
• 5. Where he ſaith, the Councel of War left the Parſon to accuſe him of the other Articles elſwhere, if he thought ſit: It is true. And to encourage him to complain of the miſdemeanours of Souldiers, there were two ſouldiers ſoon after ſent to his houſe to be Quartered, when the Town had their Number before, and he had his full proportion with them: And theſe were not ſent to the Conſtable as the uſe is, but ſent imme­diately to the Parſon, (he knows well by whoſe direction) and though he ſought redreſſe of this inequality, it was above a Week, and much a do before he could obtain it.
• 6. Where he concludes triumphing in the innocencie of the man, and his party in the Army, ſaying, Here was no houſe broken open, nor any perſon hurt: I can tell him where perſons have been hurt, and houſes broken open by Souldiers in the Army, and men afraid to tarry in their houſes with­in 20 miles of the Generals quarters, though neer his head quarter they are more civil.

But I will tell you a ſtory, which was told the Councel of war, of this John Gregory, when he was tried upon thoſe articles: How he had confeſſed the killing of a Gentlewoman, after this manner:

5Being asked at his quarter neer Northampton how he came to wear ſuch fine linnen, he told this ſtory; How after Nasby fight, he overtook a Gentlewoman upon the way beyond Harborough, and ſearching her, found much fine linnen about her, which he took away, and 40. s. in money which ſhe had hidden about her very privily. (as he expreſſed more plainly:) and as he was newly gone from her, the Gentlewoman being thus ſpoiled and uncivilly ſearched, gave him ſome angry language, whereupon he turned back and killed her: Now I have known the time when this had been robbery and murther; and I beleive if the Parſon, or any of the witneſſes who accuſed him had told ſuch a ſtory of himſelf, he had ſpoken it againſt his own life; and the Councel of Warre would have taken notice of it, and the Weekly Pamphleters had been ſent to, to publiſh it all the Kingdom over. But we find by experience, that the profeſſion of ſouldiers and Sectariſme are the common ſanctuaries of all obnoxious men: And if a man will pro­feſſe himſelf a Separatiſt, and contrary minded to the Doctrine of the Church, and the Diſcipline eſtabliſhed by Parliament; and will cry up Liberty of Conſcience the great Diana of the Sectaries, he ſhall have liberty to do ſuch things as no man elſe may do with­out being queſtioned. Now is not this Gregory a ſit man to preach not only in houſes, but in Churches and Church-yards, and to revile the Miniſtry of the Kingdom, and the Diſcipline authorized by the Parliament? a man that boaſts of h•s own wickedneſſe? yet the Councel of War took no notice of this: but all of them (two or three excepted) approve his preaching in the houſe as commend­able.

The Diurnall hath filled a page and half with this ſtory and ano­ther of a Trooper that Preached at Buckingham. And there is ſome Tavern-Poet, as I judge him, hath extended them to the quantity of a ſheet in wide lines, though he leave out two of the Articles a­gainſt Gregory of purpoſe, when he might as well have tranſcribed them from the Divrnall, as he did almoſt all the reſt of the ſtory: and he wanted not roome. It is ſold by the title of A Bloody Plot againſt the Independents. Sure the Printer wanted work, that would print ſo ridiculous a piece: but I hope he did not give much for the Copy, and then his pains was not great, if he did not loſe his paper.

There was another ſtory in the Moder•t•I•tellig••••••bout Three weeks ſince, how a Report was〈◊〉that M•••••…Saltm•rſh Preached in ſome Churches at Northampton without the conſent of the Miniſter. And he ſaith thereupon, It is deſired that it be aſ­ſured that he Preached not but with the conſent of the Miniſter, or at his deſire. Now who deſired him to give the Kingdom this aſ­ſurance, he doth not ſay ▪ But I can aſſure you, that Maſter Salt­marſh did Preach uſually at Alhallowes, without the conſent of Maſter Ball the Miniſter there: for when ſome neighbours did ex­poſtulate with Maſter R•ll both before and after this was printed why he would ſuffer ſuch a man to Preach, whoſe Errors were ſ•open, and came hither before him by credible intelligence: Maſter Ball did divers times in my hearing, and in the hearing of many more, profeſſe that he never gave conſent. There came indeed ſome Gentlemen from the Generall to him, to deſire Maſter Salt­marſh might Preach: to whom his anſwer was, That for juſt rea­ſons he could by no means conſent; but if the General would com­mand the Pulpit, he could not hinder, neither would he make any tumult to diſturbe him.

And no other leave had Maſter D•ll, who preached the laſt Lords day in the morning January 24. in the ſame Church: where he magnified the Army, and in a manner deified it in his prayer, calling it, The Ark of Gods ſtrength. And in his Sermon on Epheſ. 6.10. among other things he delivered this, That the power by which Chriſtians muſt do and ſuffer all, was the Almighty power of God, the ſame power that was in Chriſt: and that all true be­leivers may do the ſame works which Chriſt did, (adding this) when it is the good will and pleaſure of God: quoting to this purpoſe Mark 16.17, 18. expounding it as a promiſe made to all beleevers, that they ſhall ſhew theſe ſignes, namely, caſt out de­vils, ſpeak with new tongues, take up ſerpents, and drink deadly things without harme, lay hands on the ſick and recover them; (adding) not that they ſhall do thoſe things as often as they will, but when God will: for Chriſt did no miracle at his own will, but at the Fathers will. He ſpake alſo many other things very doubt­fully, which being taken favourably were the ſame for ſubſtance which are ordinarily preached among us; but delivered in ſuch tearms as were very apt to receive a bad conſtruction among men that look for new light.

7By this year may ſee what credit is to be given to thoſe Two Weekly Pamp•lets, eſpecially where the Sectaries are concerned in the relation. It is an uſuall thing with them, eſpecially the Mo­derate Intelligencer, to have a ſnip at all men that ſtand firm to the Covenant: The man is ſo pragmatical, that he thinks he can teach the Parliament how to order Snake-affairs, the Miniſtry how to frame their prayers and begin their Sermons. He hath many times cauſeleſly aſp••ſed the Scots, the City of London, the Aſſembly, par­ticular Counties, as this of Northampton, Numb. 94. branding them for a ſloathfull people, who if they had a Mine of gold and ſilver in the Country, would not beſtow digging of it: becauſe they do not make the River Navigable to Northampton. He would be thought not only a deep politician, and divine, but a mathematician too. But I would have him know, the County of Northampton need not ſend for him to be Surveyour of this work, if they would go about it. There are as wiſe men as he who have well conſidered of the poſſibility and difficulty of that work, and of the advantage and diſ-advantage it would bring if〈◊〉•ee effected: and are able to de­monſtrate upon thoſe grounds h•underſtands not, how bootleſſe a project it would prove, and that the Commodity would not re­compen•e the Tenth part of the•••…ge and diſ-commodity which would come thereby. The truth is, the County of Northampton are too much Presbyterian to be well ſpoken of in his books: few of them get by theſe troubles, o•like to be governed by an Army. Yet I have heard ſome men ſay, That if the Presbyterians had as great Revenues by the preſent troubles, and could wear as good clothes, they might be as gallant men with him as ſome are.

He tels us this Week of ſome exeellent Orders made by a Coun­cell of War about the Quarter of the Army: As that the Souldi­ers ſhould pay their quartering at the rate of 4^d. a footman, and 10^d a horſman by the day, &c. if they cannot provide them cheaper: and that they ſhall concern th•mſelves with ſuch diet as they find or as may be afforded at thoſe•ates. It were well ſuch Orders might be put in execution, for it is a rare thing here for Souldiers to pay quarters, or to be content with diet after that rate. Colo­nel Wh•leyes Souldiers of horſe when they quartered with us the laſt month told us, we could not quarter them under 2. s. a day, and would have a hand in our Aſſeſ•ments about it: and ſome Towns6〈1 page duplicate〉7〈1 page duplicate〉8were fain to aſſeſſe〈…〉a day for〈…〉If a Souldier went out of the〈…〉of his Landlord, th••gh he paid nothing〈…〉quarter. Some Officers of that Regiment Taxed〈…〉, and made the Conſtables pay it for ſome Souldiers which were abſent from their quarters. At this time within 10. mil••of Northampton part­ly through ſcarcity of proviſion, and partly the imperiouſnes〈◊〉•he ſouldiers, ſuch as want lodging in their own houſes for them, or deſire to ſerve God, and govern their families in quietneſſe, are fain to pay 7. s. a Week and more to board a footman, and can hardly get them entertained. No man knows what a bondage it is to be u•der the power of an Army but they that feel it God ſend a ſpeedy concluſion of Peace, that we may have no further uſe of an Army: And that the Moderate Intelligencer may return to his trade, which I fear he hath almoſt forgotten.