TO THE MAN WHOM GOD HATH honoured, and will further honour, if he continue honouring him, Lieu. Generall Cromwell at his houſe in Drury Lane, neare the red-Lion this preſent.

IT is the ſaying of the wiſe man, That he that rewardeth evill for good, evill ſhall never depart from his houſe, the juſtneſſe of which divine ſentence ingraven in na­ture, hath even ingaged morall Heathens to a gratefull acknowledgement of favours re­ceived, and hath been a ſufficient obligation conſcientiouſly to ty them, to acts of retri­bution2 to thoſe for whom they have received them; and therefore (not only below a Chriſtian, but a very morall Heathen, and Pagan ſhould I judge my ſelfe if I ſhould bee forgetfull of your ſeaſonable favours, much more if I ſhould returne contrary effects unto you, which with all thankfullneſſe I muſt acknowledge, tooke compaſſion••mee in my bonds and chaines even when I was at deaths doore, and was principally inſtrumentall in de­livering me from the very gates of death, in Anno 1640. and ſetting me free from the long and heavy Tyranny of the Biſhops and Starchamber, even at that time when I was almoſt ſpent, which to me is ſo large an Obligation that I thinke while I live it will be engraven upon my heart as with the point of a Diamond, many particular reſpects ſince then, I muſt inge­niouſly confeſſe I have cauſ•to take notice of from you; and one large one of late ſince I came into preſent capti•ies, which was for that large token you ſent me, for which now in writing I returne you many thanks.

Sir I dare not now by way of boaſting take upon me to enumerate my hazardous acti­ons, which hath flowed from the truth of my affections to you in doing you reall and faithfull ſervice, in maintaining the honour of your perſon, and your juſt intereſt, which was all the retrabution, that I in my poore condition, could anſwer all your kindeneſſes with, and truly if I be not miſtaken I thinke I have been faithfull, cordiall, harty, ſincere and hazardious, in diſchaging my ingaged affection and duty to you, and the more high hath my thoughts been towards you, for that I have apprehended in you, in your ſervice abroad, an affectionate, cordiall, and free hearted ſpirit to the poore people of God: unto whom in times by paſt you have been as a Sanctuary, and hiding place, and God hath honoured you ſufficiently for it, not only in giving you extraordinary large•oome in the affections of thouſands, and ten thouſands of his choſen ones, but in hang­ing upon your ba•k the glory of all their atcheivements, by meanes of which you have been made mighty and great, formidable and dreadfull in the eyes of the great ones of the world, and truly my ſelfe and all others of my mind that I could ſpeak with, have looked upon you as the moſt abſolute ſingle hearted great man in England, untainted or unbiaſed with ends of your owne. But deare Sir, give him leave that preſumeth to ſay and that without flatery, he honoureth you as he doth his owne life and being, that look­ing as a dilligent ſpectator upon your actions and carriages, for this many moneths toge­ther, It hath ſtruck him into an amaſe, and filled his ſpirit as full of boylings and turmoyl­ings as ever Jeremiahs was, when he ſaid thy word is within me like a burning fire, ſhut up in my bones, and I am weary with forbearing, and I could not ſtay Jer. 20.9. and truly Sir I was in paines and travell how to behave my ſelfe towards you, and faine I would have writ my minde freely and plainly unto you, but truly unto my owne ſhame I muſt re­ally acknowledge, I have been like Jonah who fled from the preſence of God and the Errand he had to imploy him upon. Jonah, 1.3. &c. and I have withſtood thoſe many pricking moti­tions, which I beleeve flowed from his ſpirit, and have either too much preferred my own ends, or my baſe carnall reaſons, before the Dictates of God, but now am not able for all the world to forbeare any longer, being lately forced, nolens volens, without reſt or ſleep, moſt ſeriouſly to meditate upon theſe following ſayings of God, Exodus 23.6.7.8. Thou ſhalt not wreſt the judgement of the poore in his cauſe. Keep thee farre from a falſe matter, and the innocent and the righteous ſlay thou not: For I will not juſtifie the wicked. Thou ſhalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wiſe, and perverteth the words of the righte­ous. O deere Cromwell, the Lord open thy eyes, and make thy heart ſenſible of thoſe ſnares that are laid for thee in that vote of the Houſe of Commons of two thouſand five hundred pounds per annum.

And Deut. 16.19. God ſaith expreſly, Thou ſhalt not wreſt judgement, thou ſhalt not re­ſpect perſons, neither take a gift: For a gift doth blind the eyes of the wiſe, and pervert the words of the righteous. And truly being very fearfull and jealous in my own ſoule, that ſome of my true friends, with whom I have talked of your ſelfe very freely of late, ſhould ſhortly hit me in the teeth by reaſon of my ſilence to you, and too juſtly upbrayd me with that ſaying of Eccleſiaſticus, chap. 20 verſ, 29. Preſents and gifts bl•nd the eyes of the wiſe, and ſtop his mouth that he cannot reprove. And therefore, Sir, give me leave to ſay un­to you in the wards of Iob, chap 32.21, 22. Let me not, pray you, accept any mans perſon, neither let me give flattering titles unto man, for I know not to give flatering titles; in ſo doing my maker would ſoon take me away. Now deer Sir, knowing that you cannot but know, that it is a ſaying of the Spirit of God, That faithfull are the wounds of a Friend, but deceitfull are the k•ſſes of an Enemy. I come now downright to unbowell my mind unto you and truly to tell you, that in my thoughts I look upon the redeemed ones of Ieſus Chriſt in England, in as low and ſad a condition, almoſt as the Iews were in the third of Eſther, when Haman upon this falſe ſuggeſtion to K Haſhueroſh, [That there is a certain people ſcattered abroad, and diſperſed amongſt the people in all the provinces of the Kingdome, and their lawes are divers from all people, neither keep they the Kings lawes, therefore it is not for the Kings profit to ſuffer them] had obtained a Decree to deſtroy them all; and therefore as poore Mordicai in the bitterneſſe of his ſpirit in the fourth chapter, ſayd unto Queen Eſther, ſo ſay I to thee, thou great man Cromwell, Think not with thyſelf, that thou ſhalt eſcape in the Parliament Houſe, more then all the reſt of the Lambs poore deſpiſed redeemed ones, and therefore, O Cromwell, if thou altoge­ther holdeſt thy peace, (or ſtoppeſt or undermineſt as thou doſt, our and the Armies pe­titions) at this time then ſhall enlargement and deliverance ariſe to us poore afflicted ones, (that have hithertoo doted too much upon thee, O Cromwell) from another place then from you ſilken Independents, the broken reeds of Egypt in the Houſe and Army) but thou and thy Fathers Houſe ſhall be deſtroyed: but who knoweth whether thou art come out of thy ſickneſſe, and to ſuch a height in the kingdome, for ſuch a time as this ▪

And therefore if thou wilt pluck up thy reſolutions, like a man that will perſevere to be a man for God, and goe on bravely in the feare and name of God, and ſay with Eſther, If I periſh I periſh; but if thou would not, know that here before God I arraigne thee at his dreadfull Barre, and there accuſe thee of deluſions and faire words, deceitfully, for be­traying us, our wives and children into the Haman-like tyrannicall clutches of Ho••is and Stapleton (both now impeached): and the reſt of that bloody and devouring faction, that hath deſigned us to utter ruine and deſtruction, and this land and kingdome to vaſſalage and ſlavery againſt whom we are ſufficiently able to perſevere our ſelves, if it were nor for thee, O Cromwell, that art led by the noſe by two unworthy covetous earth­wormes, Vaine and St. Iohn (I mean young Sir Henry Vaine, and Sollicitor St. Iohn) whoſe baſeneſſe I ſufficiently anatomized unto thee in thy bed above a yeare agoe in Colonel Mountagues houſe in the Pears, as thou canſt not but very well remember, and which I am reſolved to the purpoſe ſhortly to print. ^**See the laſt page of the Out­cries of the oppreſſed Commons, and the Reſolved mans Reſolution. p. 6. 7, 8 9, 10.O Cromwell, I am informed this day by an Officer out of the Ar­my, and by another knowing man yeſterday, that came a purpoſe to me out of the Army, That you and your Agents are likely to daſh in pee­ces the hopes of our outward preſervation, Their petition to the Houſe, and will not ſuffer them to petition till they have laid down their Armes, becauſe forſooth you have enga­ged4 to the Houſe they ſhall lay down their Armes whenſoever they ſhall command them, although I ſay no credit can be given to the Houſes Oathes and engagements, to make good what they have promiſed. And if this be true, as I am too much afraid it is; then I ſay, Accurſed be the day that ever you had that influence among them; and accurſed be the day that ever the Houſe of Commons bribed you with a vote of 2500. l. per annum, to betray and deſtroy us. Sir, I am jealous over you with the hight of godly jealouſie, that you like Epheſus have forſaken your firſt love and zeale^**Which is very probable: for Peter to ſave himſelfe forſwore and denyed his Maſter, Matth. 26.72.73. yea, and for feare playd alſo the hypocrite and diſſem­bler, for which Paul repro­ved, and blamed him to his face, Galat. 2., for which I am moſt heartily ſorry, and ſhould be very glad I were miſtaken, and upon manifeſtation of which from you, I ſhould very gladly cry you peccavi for my preſent heat: But Sir, if theſe Army newes be true, I muſt bid you for ever Farewell, and muſt hereby declare my ſelfe an avowed enemy to your ſelfe-pecuniary intereſt, and all your copartners, and ſhall with more zeale bend all my abilities againſt you all, and un­mask you to my friends, then my adverſaries the tyranni­call and arbitrary Lords, doe the worſt you can to my throat, which you uſed jeſtingly to ſay, you would cut ſo ſoon as ever I fell out with you.

Sir, I have but a life to loſe, and know that to die to me is gaine, being now crucifi•d to the world and it to me, and being now ſufficiently able to truſt God with my Wife and Chil­dren; but by the ſtrength of God I am reſolved Sampſon like, to ſell my life at as deare a rate as I can, to my Philiſtine Adverſaries, that ſhall either by force without law, ende­vour to deſtroy me, or by treachery to undoe me. And if the Army doe disband before they petition, I, and all ſuch as I am, muſt truly lay the whole blame upon you, and truly declare the Houſe of Commons bribe Cromwel to betray the liberties of England into their tyrannicall fingers Sir, is it not the Generals Commiſſion to preſerve the lawes and liberties of England? And how can he & thoſe with him, without being eſteemed by all men (that are not bribed, or preferre their own baſe intereſt before the common ſafety) the baſeſt of men, to lay down their Armes upon any conditions in the world, before they ſee the lawes and univerſall well known liberties of England firmly ſetled; eſpecially ſee­ing, as I will undertake publickly, and I hope ſhort­ly to prove, the Parliament tyrannizeth ten times more over us then ever the King did^**See my printed Epiſtle to Colo­nel Martin, of the 31. of May, 1647. page 6, 7, 8, 36, 37, 38, & 48, 49, to 56. And ſee the firſt part of the juſtification of the Kings Govern­ment againſt the Parliament, page 3, 4, 5, to the end. And Mr. Richard Overtons Appeale, dated Iuly 1647.: and I will maintain it, that by the law of this Kingdome, it is ten times eaſier to prove it lawfull for us to take up Armes againſt them in the wayes they now go, then it was for them to take up Arms when they did, againſt the King. And I profeſſe I would doe it, if I were rationably able to doe it to mor­row. For, if, as they have often ſaid, That tyranny be reſiſtable, then it is reſiſtable in a Parliament as well as a King. Sir, I am not mad, nor out of my wits, but full of apprehenſions of ſlaviſh conſequences, reaſon and zeale, and ſhould bee glad it could ſpeedily and iuſtly be cooled by you, before it flame too high, which you will further underſtand I have grounded cauſe to make it, if you ſeriouſly read and ponder this incloſed Letter ſent to Mr. Iohn Goodwin, which with this, I have ſent by the graveſt, wiſeſt, and fitteſt meſſenger I could think of, and though a Feminine, yet of a gallant and true maſculine Spirit.

5And ſo I commit you to the wiſeſt diſpoſing of our wiſe God, and ſhall reſt till I heare from you.

To his much honoured and much reſpected friend, Mr. John Goodwin, at his Houſe in Swan-Alley, in Cole­manſtreet, theſe.

I Am neceſſitated to write a few lines unto you, about a buſineſſe that doth very much concerne mee, but in the firſt place, I deſire to make my engaged acknow­ledgement unto you, and your congregation for your large kindeſſes manifeſted unto me in this my preſent impriſonment in ſupplying my neceſſities: in which par­ticular I muſt ingeniouſly confeſſe I am more obliged to you ſingly, then to all the Con­gregations in and about London, and yet notwithſtanding, have in ſome other things juſt cauſe to think my ſelfe more injured by ſome of your congregation then by all the avow­ed and profeſſed adverſaries I have in England; for againſt them I have a defence, but a­gainſt a ſecret adverſary (being a pretended friend) I have none, but am thereby ſubject to an unapprehended deſtruction. That which I have to lay to the charge of ſome of your members, is, That they have improved all their power, intereſt, and ability, to hinder all effectuall meanes (whatſoever) that tended to procure my deliverance from a tyrannicall captivity, and not only mine, but all the reſt of my afflicted fellow-Commoners that are in the ſame affliction with me, (as Mr Richard Overton, his wife and brother, Mr. Iohn Muſgrave, Mr. Larners ſervant, &c.) for beſides what they have done in London to cruſh all Petitions that tended to my juſt deliverance, they have improved their intereſt to deſtroy the Petition of Buckingham ſhire, and Hartford Shire, which was principally in­tended for the good of the prerogative Priſoners, my ſelfe, Mr. Overton, &c. for upon Munday laſt Lieut. Collonell Sadler came to the Randevous at Saint Albones, and there­in the name of diverſe knowing men of Mr. John Goodwines Congregation, improved all his intereſt utterly to deſtroy the Petitioner, ſo that what he did then, and Mr. Fe•ke an Independant Miniſter, who lives at or about Hartford, who being lately at London, brought downe ſuch diſcouraging newes, that ſome of eminent quality of the Petitioners told me in theſe words, That if it had not been for the baſe, unworthy, undermining dealing of ſome of Mr. John Goodwins Congregation, they had had a thouſand ſubſcriptions for an hundred they have now, and a thouſand to have come in perſon with the Petitioner for every hundred they had.

Sir, I cannot but ſtand amazed to thinke with my ſelfe, what ſhould be the ground and reaſon of theſe mens prepoſterous actings, point blanke deſtructive to the welfare of every6 honeſt man in the Kingdom, and particularly the deſtruction of^**Who hath never beene out of the clutches of tyrants this ten years, who have ſeverall times made me ſpend my ſelfe to my very ſhirt. me and my poor diſtreſſed Fami­ly and truly in my own thoughts, I think I could eaſily fix upon thoſe worldly wiſe prudentiall men in the Parliament,^**The chief of which I conceived to be you & Sir Hen. Van•and Soliciter St. John, whoſe aims I conceived are to be Lord Treaſurer & Lord Keeper, or if they miſſe of the titles, yet to en­joy the power and profit thereof, or elſe to be as neare it as may be. that ſet them at work on purpoſe to keepe the people from ſeeking for their owne liberties and freedomes, that ſo they may not be diſturbed in the enjoyment of their great and rich places, which I am afraid they priſe above the welfare of all the godly men in England, and the Lawes, liberties and freedomes thereof for all their great and g•lded profeſſions, and truly as much cauſe have I adminiſtred to me, particularly and publiquely to fall foule upon them, and their proud, imperious, unjuſt; and ſelfe intereſts, as they under-hand have fallen upon me, my liberty and welfare, but by reaſon of thoſe many engagements, by which I ſtand obliged to your ſelfe, for your ſo ſtout & deep engagement for the publick welfare of all thoſe that thirſt after either mor­rall, or religious righteouſneſſe: I could do no leſſe but write theſe lines unto you, before I put my neceſſitated reſolution unto reall action, and earneſtly to entreat you to ſpare ſo much time from your weighty emploiments, as to do mee the favour to let me ſpeake a few words with you, and if you pleaſe to bring Mr. Price along with you

So with my trueſt reſpect preſented to you, I commit you to the protection of the moſt High, and reſt,

A ſecond letter to Leiu. Generall Cromwel, to preſſe home the former.

I writ a large letter to you of late, and by the bearer of it I received a verball anſwer from you, & by an other freind of Briſtow at a diſtance I underſtood a litle from you, but neither of them ſatisfactory to me, nor any thing elſe that I have lately heard from you, or any of your over wiſe friends, that are not able to truſt God with three halfe pen•e; ſo that my ſpirit is as high as it was when I laſt writ to you, and altogether unſatisfied. But in regard my ſoul earnes towards you I cannot but once again by this true friend write two lines unto you, to tell you that I cānot ſit ſtill though I dy for it, and ſee you that are reputed honeſt conſcientious men be the betrayers and deſtroyers of your poore native Countrey, and the lawes and liberties thereof^**For while you ſit in the Houſe in ſilence, and publiſh nothing to the publike view, of your diſlike of the baſe things that are continually Acted in the Houſe, you are in the ſight of men approvers of them all, yea, and treacherous be­trayers of your Friends and Country. Who think all is well, becauſe that you are reputed honeſt men ſit there, and they ſee nothing of your diſlike of any thing done there, and7 therefore are ſubject to be held aſleepe with ſecurity till deſtruction be even at their dores, and ready to ſeale vpon them, whereas if ye plaid the faithfull watchmen to your native Country as you ought to doe, to warne them betimes of the danger they are in, by the ty­rannicall treacherous vilians amongſt you, they would eaſily be awakned and provide for their own ſafety, by the ſpeedy deſtruction of thoſe that would deſtroy them which is but juſt and reaſonable. 1 part book Declarations page 150.

I can now ſay no more at preſent, but that I was yours, and ſtill am Englands Cor­diall Freind,

For the Honorable Lieutenant Generall CROMWELL, this preſent at St. Albons.

NOthing indears my heart ſo much to any man, or men in the world, as honeſtie, integritie, and juſtice: the contrarie of which makes me abhor thoſe in whom I find it, although never ſo great and potent Sir, I ſhall without much com­plement, return you many and hearty thankes for your active paines, and upon thoſe repreſentations I have of your preſent courage, I doe aſſure you I would willingly be a Pioneer with you, and hazard, if I had them, a million of lives for you: But never was I ſo afraid of all mine enemies, as of divers of thoſe great ones I have looked upon as your chieife Councellors. Sir, your delay hath given extraordinarie heart to your ad­verſaries (who under hand make large preparations againſt you) and unexpreſsible ſad­ding of ſpirit to all your cordiall friends, inſomuch that I for my part, have even deſpai­red of any good from you: the which hath not in the leaſt quenched my reſolutions, but more fully fixed me with magnanimity flowing from the God of valour and courage, to die upon my own and my old principles: I am very confident that if you delay a few dayes longer, you unavoidably involve thi•k•ngdome in a large effuſi­on of blood^††For your adverſaries in Parlia­ment being ſo falſe and faithleſſe, as by their conſtant actions they have declared themſelves to bee, they will give you good words, & their faith and promiſes, to lull you aſleep, that ſo underhand in the time of your Treaty, they may themſelves to be able to cut your throats; which is the daily worke they ſecretly go about: And then have at you with a vengeance.. What I have to begge and intreat of you as for my life, is Firſt, immediatly to march with a Declaration of peace and love to the body of the Citie; the doing of which will enable your friends here, I confidently hope, to doe your worke for you in ſequeſtring the••. Members. As for juſtice at preſent you nor any〈◊◊〉cannot expect it. For the Iudges at Weſtminſte H••l by Law are no Iudges See the 27 H. 8. 2•. and〈◊〉Ordinance of Parliament by law can take away•o〈◊〉life, I am ſure of it. See the 2 part. inſtit. fol. 41 48. &•part. fol. 22. & 4. part. fol. 23 25. 48•0〈…〉Declaration. But if you ſhould ſay, it is but iuſt that an Ordinance ſhould take away the lives of thoſe that have made them take8 away the lives of others, yet I ſay the moſt of the members are ſo guilty, that they will ne­ver condemne thee.

The ſecond thing I begge of you, is, That with all candor you endevour to underſtand the King, and let him underſtand you, and deale with him as becomes honeſt men that play above boord, and doe their actions as in the ſight of God, for the good of all. I have in th•s particular fully by word of mouth, communicated my mind to Tim Tre­vers, to be communicated to you: And this if I were with you, upon my life I durſt diſ­pare againſt you all, that as things ſtand, both in point of policy, honeſty, and conſci­ence, you muſt apply to the King, without which the peace of the Kingdome can never be ſetled: and by Parliament having ſo tyrannized, that they are grown as hatefull to iuſt man, as the Divell. And doe confidently believe hee will grant any thing that is ra­tionall, that you or the Kingdome can deſire at his hands, for their future good, ſecurity and preſervation.

Now one thing I ſhall prop•und to your conſideration, That you be not deceived by your Scout-maſter generall, Watſon who I am apt confidently to beleeve, will never ho­neſtly and uprightly adventure the•aking of his finger either for God, his Countrey, or the Army, further then he may be thereby of the ſtronger ſide, and be a gainer. As for Dr. Stanes, whatever you think of him, I averre he is a iuggling knave, the which I told you above two yeares agoe at Ilcheſter, and I will iuſtifie it, and am confident, will deceive you in the day of triall. And as for Nath Rich, you your ſelfe know him to be a iuggling paltry baſe fellow: Remember what you told him to his face in his own Chambers in Fleetſtreet before me and my wife, and two more, at the time Mancheſters treaſon was upon examination. And beſides, his own Captain Lieutenant in my chamber, ſome weekes ſince, ſhewed me ſuch letters of his to him, under his own hand, that gives mee cauſe to iudge him fully to be a iuggling, diſſembling, treacherous, He•- hearted baſe fel­low, which I deſire you and all the honeſt men in the Army to beware of, as of a plague and peſt. And if hee ſhall finde himſelfe aggrieved at it, I ſay, tell him I will to his teeth, with my ſword in my hand in any ground in England, iuſtifie what I ſay^**And this I ſay to you, that it is but iuſt and fit that thoſe that pretend to bee reformers, reforme firſt at home, leſt they render them ridiculous to all that ſe­tiouſly look upon their actions.,

Sir, in the way of iuſtice, and ſingle-hearted righteouſneſſe, in the midſt of all miſe­ries, I am

The Bearer by word of mouth hath from me more to ſay to you.

For Lieutenant Generall Cromwell this with ſpeed, preſent at Wickham.

MY thoughts about the procedings of ſome of your great ones in the Armie, have been exceedingly perplexed, which hath ſet my braines upon an unwearied ſtudy, which in an Epiſtle would be too large to expreſſe unto you, onely I cannot (for9 former engagements ſake, and the common good) but acquaint you with the〈…〉of them before I print them.

You cannot but know that you ſeverall times, in a forcible manner kept mee in Man­cheſters Army, when I would (for that baſeneſſe and treachery acted there) have deſer­ted it, and have betaken my ſelfe to travels; Remember our diſcourſe at Banbury, &c.

And you know when he and you came to conteſt, I ſtood cloſe to you, and to truth and Juſtice then on your ſide, without feare or double ends: Although both Watſon, your Scout­maſter Generall, and Staines your Muſter-maſter Generall, with Coll. Nat. Rich, your dar­ling, plaid the paltry Knaves, and jugled with you, of which in part you complained before me and my wife, to Rich his face, in your owne chamber at Dillinghams houſe, and called him be­fore us, baſe Raſcall, and cowardly and perfidious fellow, with much more I very well re­member.

You cannot but know that all my preſent ſorrowes are come upon me by Mancheſters meanes and his creatures, for my zeale to truth and juſtice, againſt him and all his trea­cherous confederates, who had (as I conceive) eare now got the gallowes, if you had fol­lowed him with as much vigour and ſtrength as you ſhould, and I was made beleeve you would. But you pluckt your head out of the^**Accurſed bee the vote of the Houſe of Commons, which voted you 2500 l per annum, which vote and no­thing elſe hath kept Man­cheſters head upon his ſhoul­ders. coller, and I was catched in the bryers, and have been expoſed to a thouſand deaths by my impriſonment, &c. moſt illegal­ly, barbarouſly and tyrannically, and the Houſe of Com­mons would do me no juſtice; though I turned (I think) as many ſtones to procure it, as any man whatſoever in England could. But was betrayed and unworthily diſſerted, both by your ſelfe, Henry Martin,^††Reade my late Epiſtle to him, page 1, 2, 3. 4, 5, 6, &c. now in Print. Dated 31. of May. 1647 and all my friends there, whoſe actions to me are nothing elſe but declara•ions of your ſelfe ſeekings, without purely eyeing either Truſt or Juſtice: for which God undoubtedly will laſh and ſcurge you. And when I ſaw that they wou•d not heare, regard, or receive, but burnt, or ſleighted all thoſe juſt Petitions; I ſet underhand on foot, for Juſtice and my liberty, I applyed my ſelfe vagarouſly unto the honeſt blades, the private Souldiers, I meane, of the Army, though I have nothing to ſpeake of your gallant Ge­nerall (to me in a manner a ſtranger) but prayſes.

And when by much induſt•y with much of poſition from your ſelfe and others of your fellow Grandees in the Army, I had been inſtrumentall with the expence of a great deale of money ▪ and with all the intereſt and induſtry I had in the world; acted both night and day to ſettle the Souldiers in a compleat and juſt poſture, by their faithfull agitators cho­ſen out by common conſent from amongſt themſelves, as reſolute, ſ••, and juſt inſtruments to effect my Liberty, to give a checke to tyranny, and ſettle the peace and juſtice of the Kingdome, not looking for any good at all from your ſelfe, and the reſt of your fellow great ones, that truly in my apprehenſion are tranſendently degenerated, & have bought and ſold, (and intend viſibly more fully to do it) the Lawes, Liberties and Juſtice of the Kingdom for your owne ends and greatneſſes, which opinion is every day confirmed and ſtrengthned in me, in that you have not only done it alreadie, but goe on ſtill and intend more fully to do it, in that in a manner you have rob'd, by your unjuſt ſubtiltie, and ſhif­ting trickes the honeſt and gallant agitators, of all their power and authority, and ſolely placed〈◊〉in a thing called a Counſell of Warre, or rather a Cabenet Junio of ſeven or eight proud ſelfe ended fellowes, that ſo you may without controule make up your owne ends;10-11 for I know your practiſes of old, which I am credibly informed is lately renued, and the chiefeſt of them before mentioned, whom I &c. have experience ſufficiently of, are as baſe as baſe can be; And will ſell Chriſt, their Country, friends, relations, and a good con­ſcience for a little money or worldly honour. And yet ſome of them muſt be the chiefe and only men to place and diſplace all Officers in the Armie.

And the aforeſaid two general Officers were as I am confidently informed from a good hand moved for by your ſelfe at a Councell of Warre, to be the mannagers of the charge againſt the eleven Members, although your ſelfe, I dare aver it, believes, That put them both together, they have not ſo much courage as to encounter with a Weſell or a Poulecat, much leſſe with ſuch ſons of Anak, as the eleven Members are, and I am ſure both of them put together hath not ſo much honeſtie, as will fill a Tailors thimble, much leſſe ſo much as will make them deny their lives, liberties and intereſts; which of neceſſitie they muſt have that reſolutely and faithfully undertake that imployment, yet, as I am tould, they had been the men, if your wiſe ſon Ireton had not been apprehenſive that the Councell of warre had loſt all their braines at their departure.

Sir, in ſhort, what I heare not once, twiſe, thriſe, nor a dozen times from you hath ſo per­plexed my ſpirit, and fil'd me with amazement, that thereby I muſt as a faithfull plaine dealer tel you, that I am neceſſitated wholly to withdraw my preſent good thoughts from you and others with you, and muſt and will print my conceptions to the view of the world, that ſo you may delude, and deſtroy honeſt ſimple hearted, plain dealing men no longer, coſt it what it will, I valew it not, being neceſſitively compelled either to remove every ſtone that lyes in my way, that hinders me, from obtaining my juſt ends, Juſtice and my juſt liberty; or elſe to power out my bowels upon them with lifting them, and I ſufficiently heare of the Jeeres, plottings and contrivings, of your favourites againſt me and all ſuch as I am.

Therefore doe you and they looke to your ſelves as well as you can, for the uttermoſt of my ſtrength and intereſt ſhall ſpeedily be amongſt you publiquely, unleſſe you ſpeedily and effectually, without complement take ſome ſpeedy courſe, that I face to face may ſpeake my mind to your ſelfe, of which I deſire a poſitive and ſatisfactory anſwer within foure dayes at the fartheſt: I deſire no favour from Lords or Commons &c. but if I have tranſ­greſſed the Law: let me fully be puniſhed by the Law,^**And by the Law of this Kingdom (which by all your oathes you your ſelfe have ſworn to main­taine) there ought to bee Gaole deliveries three times a yeare, and more oftner if need required, 4. Ed. 3. 2. ſee the oppreſ­ſed mans expreſſions de­clared. pag. 3. & 4. part. Iuſtit. cap. 30. pag. 168. 169. And all this is for that end, that the priſoner may have (according to the 29. chap. of Magna Charta, & the Kings Coronation oath) ſpeedy Juſtice, & not be deſtroy'd by a long lingring impriſonment, which the Law abhorres, and therefore the late impeached members in their own caſe, late­ly in their petition to the Houſe, tells them, That delayes of Iuſtice is equal­ly forbidden with the deniall of Iuſtice, and yet I have above a whole yeare been impriſoned by the Lords, and can come to no triall, though I have with ear­neſtneſſe ſought it, neither have I any accuſation or crime layd unto my charge, or ſo much as any witneſſe or informer to appeare againſt me, to the tranſcendent violation of all the lawes of the land, and contrary to all Rules of proceedings in the way of Juſtice, as the foreſaid petitioners averre, who although they bee im­peached of treaſon in the higheſt nature, and the particulars of their impeachment declared, and proſecuters with witneſſes upon oath ready avowedly to make it good, yet are they ſuffered to walk at liberty by the Parliament, contrary to the declared and known law of the land, and the univerſall practice of the lawes of the Kingdome in all Ages; yea and their own in the caſe of the Earle of Straf­ford, Biſhop of Canterbury, Judge Battlet, with many others, who they requi­red and cauſed immediatly to be ſecured and impriſoned upon a generall impeach­ment, without declaring any particulars in the leaſt. O brave iudging Parlia­ment, who have forgot to be iuſt, and viſibly mind and practice nothing but play­ing at Hocus Pocus, and the protecting of treaſon, cheating, knavery and roguery in each other, for which they deſerve the moſt tranſcendent puniſhment that ever amongſt men was inflicted vpon Villaines, Tyrants, and Traytors, to their truſt. but not deſtroyed in priſon without and againſt Law, which if I can help it, I will not be without a witneſſe; or if I have done no evill, which my adverſaries declare I have not, in that as yet they have layd nothing to my charge: then I require im­mediatly to be delivered with juſt reparations, and this I know lies in your power to effect in three dayes if you pleaſe ▪ And ſo deſiring the God of Councell to direct you, I reſt,

I ſhall conclude with the Copie of a letter I ſent Lieutenant Generall Cromwell into the Weſt, Decemb. 9. 1645.

THe endearedneſſe of my affections towards You, for thoſe excellencies that I have ſeene in you, and for thoſe reall reſpects that I have enjoyed from you (but eſpecial­ly in that God hath honoured you and counted you worthy to be a Patron to his people) ties me to have high and honourable thoughts of you, and by how much the more my eſteeme is of you, by ſo much the more do I judge it my duty to ſpeak my mind freely and plainly to you (although in the eye of the world, yea by thouſands of degrees below you) and I hope you will make no other conſtructions of my words, then that they are the cleare demonſtrations of the cordiall affections of a reall, plaine and ſingle hearted friend of yours, who you very well know was never skilfull in the wicked art of flattery, col­loging or d•ſſimulation.