A DECLARATION of Captaine John Muſgrave Priſoner in Newgate.

THat the Fidelity of the moſt e­minent and faithfull in the late Service for the Parliament have run under the laſh of notorious ſcandals and reproaches, is evi­dent enough beyond the neceſ­ſity of my atteſtation; under which diſgrace as my preſent Condition hath made mee an Acceſſary, ſo I cannot doubt but when my Integrity is truly manifeſted, that generall Opinion (which in the Ignorant has abuſed me) will, in the judicious find that Conſtruction may plauſibly free mee from all the dan­gers of their calumny, and I muſt confeſſe I were a Baſtard to my name, an infamy to all that love mee, and a reprobate to the Cauſe I am under; if (after a generall traduction of both the Houſes, and the parti­cular abuſes of ſome Pamphletiers,) I did not in ſome meaſure indeavour to give the prejudicate world ſome punctuall aſſurance, what Rule I have followed in all my concernments, from the firſt of my ſervice unto this minute of my commitment, not that I itch after a printed credit, or expect an Eulogy from the cryer; but finding the folly of the Preſſe ſo Epidemicall,2 my••gul•rity ſhall not hinder my progreſſe in that•••quity.

To this purpoſe I might run over a Catalogue of particulars from the very Originall of the Service; but in regard the generality of the Officers, (with whom I have ſerved) and the Impreſſe of the Houſe upon mee, in reſpect of that ſmall pay which upon the peruſall of ſeverall Certificates was (in order) al­lotted mee, may anticipate a part of ſatisfaction to thoſe who were ignorant of mee; and for ſuch as tru­ly knew mee, I need no prevention, ſince for the moſt part wee marched hand in hand together, in the joy­full accompliſhment of our Commands.

Ʋpon the point. The Crime I am accus'd of, doth onely prove a more then common conſtancy in the adherence to thoſe Principles, which at firſt gave life and beeing to our Armes; in the maintainance of which if my blood or my paines had been too deare, the cenſure I am under had been too calme; but when the iſſue of our toyle and ſweat returned us home, and that expected Salary (which hath rare­ly been awanting either to ſucceſſe or perſeverance) was not onely delayed us, but wee were alſo ingag'd, in our attendance unto ſuch patience and extremity; That it was the onely wonder the ſtones were mute; which had they been ſenſible had been leſſe pardonable then the inſurrection of the Apprentices.

Of whom ſince it is my occaſion to be a mentioner, and with whom I am accuſed to be a partaker, I muſt neceſſarily here proteſt againſt my moſt envious and ſerious obſerver, For my preſence in their company3 will prove neither my intention or action, then my con­dition〈◊〉divers reſpects may admit of a contrary con­ſtruction.

The more ſerious Traduction (if ſo I may call it) once formerly my joy, now made my Scandall. For if thoſe invitations of the Prerogative, the Prote­ſtant Religion, the Priviledges of Parliament, the Li­berty of the Subject, &c. Were out of their ſeveral­ties moulded into an unity of the Covenant, and the impoſition of that, not onely made Nationall, but Sa­cra•e•tall: Why ſhould an adherency be my Crime, ſince the various hazzard of my life upon it, abetted by the ſtampe of your legallity) did make it apparantly Religious, as alſo Conſcionable. If this ſuffice not, but there needs muſt bee a neceſſity for ſome expiation by a Preſident. Why in the Speakers abſence, ſince the ſitting was declared no Parliament, in caſe of any•••ont or aſſault, muſt it then bee made high Trea­ſon, and why taken from the Shrubs and not the Oake, from the ſprig and not the root, ſince the in­gagement beeing imputed notorious, and of eminence, it requires an Annalogy in the puniſhment; unleſſe ac­cording to the Fable, as Dogs have been beaten in the preſence of Lyons, onely for the abatement of their naturall fierceneſſe; and as boyes have been whipt to intimate a duty to the youthfulneſſe of Princes: So am I probably to bee diſciplin'd out of a life, meerely for a rule of Obedience to ſuch, whom in the height, of Magiſtracy, endeavouring my incouragement among thouſand others in conjunction with them; they4 muſt be taught a dutifull Retractation of their errors by the ſubordination of my ſufferance.

For my accuſation of a power in the diſpoſition of Offices and Commands within the Tower, is onely an allegation from the frivolous vanity of thoſe who are ſimply pretenders to my perſecution; for Places of that nature, and conſideration, are rarely diſpen­ſible to other perſons then of ſuch eminence and tran­ſcendency, that could hardly in juſtice admit mee ſerviceable upon the ſmalleſt reſentment of my diſabili­ties; and therefore my accuſer, was ſo farre from the ſence of an abuſe in this; that inſtead of my ſhame, hee did ignorantly indeavour the advancement of my power and credit.

As for ſpreading of papers in Churches, it was ne­ver my Crime nor the tearing of them; in which place to my beſt underſtanding, I have endeavoured to ſhun Superſtition, and to expreſſe true devotion, as I con­ceived might bee moſt acceptable to God, and inoffen­ſive to man.

As for my beeing in that bloody buſineſſe at Guild­hall, I was not there, neither can I bee juſtly taxed for having any hand in that buſineſſe, as by many thouſands do juſtly appeare.

For other accuſations (as I want them not) they are ill applyed; in regard beeing no way conſcious of them, they might have had reference to ſuch a creature, whoſe patience and loynes had received pre­paration for ſuch an injury; ſeeing the affliction of my bondage, and the want of livelyhood ſo prevaile up­on5 mee, that that advancement of griefe might better have ſtayed with the contrivers of it to abate the exorbi­tancies of their jollity.

To conclude, For a teſtimony to thoſe that may be ignorant (for thoſe that know mee theſe are imper­tinent) I deſire this ſatisfaction bee duely pondered. That in all the Traductions that ayme at my life (if either their verity or weight could juſtly touch me) the continuance of it would bee a vanity to my ſelfe; But ſince the uprightneſſe of my Conſcience, and the recollections of my heart, aſſure of an intenſive inno­cence; I ſhall henceforth with leſſe trouble and more liberty, imbrace that thraldome, which in concluſion can admit of no other reſolution, then either preſent Martyrdome or freedome.

By the Committee of the Militia for the City of London, &c.

WHereas there have been divers tumultuous and diſorderly Aſſemblies within the Cities of London, and Weſtminſter, to the endangering the Parlia­ment and City, and parts adjacent: For prevention ther­of, we the Committee of the Militia aforeſaid, accor­ding to the duty of the truſt repoſed in us, do hereby ſtrictly charge and command, That no Inhabitants, In­dwellers,6 or Strangers, either on Houſe or on Foot, ſhall come to­gether in any Aſſemblies whatſoever, with Arms or without Arms, except ſuch as the Committee of Lords and Commons for ſafety, or this Committee ſhall raiſe for the ſafety of the King, Parliament, and City. Now if after publication hereof, any Perſons ſhall preſume to aſſemble, or come together in any tumultuous way, under any pretence whatſoever; That then, and in ſuch caſe all Colonells, Captaines, and other Officers and Souldiers are hereby required, according to their Commiſſions, to ſuppreſſe and diſperſe the ſame, and in caſe of reſiſtance, them to ſight with, kill and ſlay at Enemies to the King, Parliament, and City, and di­ſturbers of the Peace of the whole Kingdome. A••to avoid effuſion of blood, all Houſe-keepers and•­thers in caſe of ſuch…lts as aforeſaid〈…〉comm•nded by〈…〉

And that all foot Souldiers that will〈…〉•••­ſervation of the King, Parliament, and City, let t•••••pair•to the New-Artillery ground where they ſhall b•e Liſted, Armed, and paid ſev•n ſhillings per w••k.