I Was very opposite to publish my self to the world a fool in print, resolving ra­ther to wait the determination of the Supreme Authority of England, by whō (and not by railing invectives) we must be tryed, than to have expressed so much indifferency as to have carped unseason­ably at the proceeding of these inhuman, ingratefull, and blood-sucking Sectaries, which mention God in their lips, but their hearts are farre from him; but that I see daily a broaching of lyes, one confederating and in the neck of another, which begets belief amongst many, and car­ries a vulgar applause along with their action, the only way these people ever pitched on to effect their designs, and the ra­ther are they credited by our silence.

We desire to satisfie every man, and especially our worthy friends the noble Virginians in England, (for in Virginia they are sufficiently informed) and that by their unbyast discour­ses and relations they may undeceive such as the hypocricies of these fellows hath deluded.

This, and the inward vexation which perplexeth me to read what they write, to hear what's reported, awakes me, as knowing more of their deceits and proceedings than any man living. I have at this present written, lying by me an Histori­call relation of the transactions of Virginia and Maryland, [Page 2] under the Government and Tyranny of Richard Bennet and Colonel Claiborn, with many remarkable passages of such State-policies as they and their creatures used; but will for a while forbeare to publish, as rather desiring this pen-jarring may cease; but if any of this rout shall any more disturbe the world (for us they cannot do) with their seeming-sanctified lies, I will then not spare to acquaint the world what they are, and how they live, and give each of their Characters to open view, which now lyes masked under the hood of holi­nesse and good disposition, in which I shall somewhat more largely answer Leonard Strongs Babylons fall, the Book of Vir­ginia and Maryland, and other objections and allegations of theirs, being all full of impudence and ignorance.

But that Heamans should dare to write amazes me, know­ing his imbecillity, his villany, and therefore I shall in my an­swer to him, briefly and in his own tone anatomize and lay him open to the world a fool, to the State a Knave, to God a notorious offender, whose unfeigned repentance I cordially wish, and that his future portion of Grace may over-ballance his former talents of wit and honesty, in the want of which the poor man hath been too too unhappy. But to the matter.

Roger Heamans gives a great account in his whole relati­on of his extraordinary vigilancy and diligence in mannaging of his charge, and the trust imposed on him by his owners, but omits to insert what a disordered Ship and company he had, how mutinous and quarrelsome they were amongst them­selves, and how upon every drunken bout they had, what Swords were drawn, what challenges made between the Sea­men and their great Commander, insomuch that the Inha­bitants observing their carraiges, with derision and detestati­on reported of the fantasticknesse of Heamans and his rude ungoverned Ships Company.

The insolencie of these were such towards the Inhabi­tants, (observing the licentiousnesse of those parts) and taking occasion thereby, that they would sell commodities to whom they list, and lighting on greater prices, would of their own accords (after delivery made) repossesse themselves again, [Page 3] scoffing at any pretence of Law or Justice, saying, (as it af­ter proved too true) that their Ship was of force enough to awe the whole Countrey, inflicting punishments on the Planters, and robbing houses as they went, all which is suf­ficiently proved by Depositions already taken.

He relates how civilly he entreated Captain Stone, former­ly Governour Stone, who refused the title of Governour from him, informing him that one Captain Fuller was Go­vernor of the Province, and intimates, that from that relati­on he bends to Fuller, as Governour ever after. How discon­sonant to reason this is, let any judge that know reason, that know the passages, that know Captain Stones temper.

At such time as Bennet and Claiborn came into Maryland, and had compacted to take the Government out of the hands of Captain Stone, after he had notice of the power they had gathered, he likewise impowered himself for defence, and was in possibility to have cut Bennet and Claiborn and all off, but those few Papists that were in Maryland (for indeed they are but few) importunatly perswaded Governour Stone not to fight, left the cry against the Papists (if any hurt were done) would be so great, that many mischiefs would ensue, wholly referring themselves to the will of God, and the Lord Protectors determination; & although the Protestant party with indignation to be so fooled, submitted to what their Governour was perswaded to do, yet could not but complaine in that particular against the cowardize of the Papists.

After they had dispossest Governour Stone of his Autho­rity, and had by promises to dis-bandon their party, perswa­ded him to do the like, they presented him with a draught for resignation under his hand, which when he refused, their whole party upon notice given, on a sudden returned, to the astonishment of himself, and affrightment of his wife and chil­dren, and required perenitorily to subscribe to what they had written, which he did, saying, It matters not what it is, I will, being thus enforced, write what ye will have me, it can­not be binding nor valid; Lo here the observance of Bennet and Claiborns promises, and after this they would have im­powered [Page 4] him as Governour from them, which with scorn he refused; nor did Governour Stone ever in his own esteem, nor in the eyes of those that had been faithfull to his Govern­ment, look on himself as lesse or otherwise than Governour, nor ever received other title, how be it he ceased to act un­till he heard further from England; yet in Heamans his hear­ing and aboard that Ship which he calls himself Commander of, Governour Stone, and Secretary Hatton both, had some words with Mr. Preston the new-made Commander, complain­ing of their injurious assuming of the Government, and taking away of the Records, threatning, that unlesse they would re­turn them again, they would compell them away. How then did he dis-own his Government? and for him to point to Fuller as Governour, had not only been base, but ridiculous; for neither Fuller himself (untill after their murtherous assa­sinations) nor the Commission he had from Bennet and Clai­born, did own or make him so; for after Governour Stone refused to derive or meddle with power from Bennet and Claiborn, they erected no Governour at all, but gave Com­mission to ten men, Fuller being first in that Commission, to be conservators of the peace, untill further order; then how is Heamans relation true?

He next after some frivolous relations prosecutes his feigned narration of what his Governour Fuller (for untill Heamans made him one he was never any) had done in his absence, what Messages he had received frō his Governor, how obedi­ent he was to the supreme command of Fuller, how carefull to follow his Merchants businesses, and yet how charitable and relenting to those poor-distressed souls that begged his assist­ance. — Hear this O ye Heavens!

At such time as Captain Samuel Tilman, (a man ever to be honoured) arrived into Maryland, he repaired to Governour Stone, acquainting him, that the Lord Baltemore had not lost his Countrey as was bruted abroad, and brought him some instructions and certainties of his Highnesses owning him the said Stone for Governour, and when he was reproved by one Captain John Smith, then High Sheriff, for giving Captaine Stone the frequent appellation of Governour, he replyed, I [Page 5] must and shall own him and no other for Governour of these parts, for seeing my Lord Protector so stiles him, and by that title writes to him, I neither can nor dare call him otherwise, and his example is my warrant.

Upon this the said Smith (as a man affrighted) hies him home, repaires to Fuller and the rest, they treat with Hea­mans to assist their opposition, compound with him for a great quantity of Tobacco, and so prepare to oppose all power that should controle theirs.

Governour Stone sent me, not knowing of the compact of Heamans and the rest, to Patuxent to fetch the Records; I went unarmed amongst these Sons of Thunder, onely three or four to row me, and despite of all their braves of raising the Country, calling in his Servants to apprehend me, threatned me with the severity of their new-made Law; my selfe alone seized and carried away the Records in defiance; at which time, what ever Heamans pretends of compacts with Heathens and Papists to destroy them, Richard Preston their great but then quaking-Commander, shewed me a Letter from Hea­mans, wherein he promised the Ship, Ammunition and Men, should be at their service if occasion were, and incouraged them not to think of yeelding to Governour Stone, nor any power from the Lord Baltemore, and this was the first disco­very that ever was made by Governour Stone, and not a man in armes, nor intended to be at that time, and yet before this, meerly upon Captaine Tilmans words, and their own jealousies, had Heamans confederated with, and hired himself to them, and yet this fellow must not onely justifie his Judas-like dealings, but as it were, challenge applause and me­rit.

After this, my self again unarmed proclamed a Procla­mation amongst them, put in a new Commander in the face of the whole County met, who as people over-joyed to re­turn to their former just Gouernment, as in their voluntary and humble Petitions, they presenting acknowledged the Lord Protector as Supreme was prayed for, and Pardons were as freely consented to, as intreated for.

But those poor-oppressed souls of Severn, as Heamans [Page 6] stiles them, being of another temper and County, & more re­mote, having Heamans and his company their assured Janiza­ [...], rather choosing to lose their lives than their Lordings; sent peremtory Messengers to the Governour, (not such as Heamans relates & sets down,) which we all here know to be invented, and rather kept and contrived to be published in England, than intended for their Governour, who zealously affected peace, and twice before had suffered himself rather to be fooled out of his Government, than to hazard the shedding of blood.

But how comes it that their little Agent Strong, nor the impudent Author of Virginia and Maryland, in either of their whisking Treatises mention these so specious propositions inserted in Heamans his works? Heamans you do it scurvi­ly, and we shall yet further discover you. The joyning with Heathens, the plundering of houses, the intent to fire your Ship, the hyring of Abraham Hely, and the horrid treacheries you load us with, will more particularly be questioned and answered in another place than here; we have your Book for evidence of your charge, we only fear you will turn Jack Lilborn, and put us to prove it to be yours, which if you do, we have other reckonings to put on your score.

You can in nothing deal truly, the Letter you pretend you received, my self writ, I procured another, now happily arri­ved, to transcribe it, which the Governour signed, the contents whereof were, That he had been informed upon sight of a Letter pretended to come from you, that you intended some disturbance in the Province, and had promised Mr. Pre­ston the assistance of your Ship, Ammunition and Men, he ra­ther conceived it was a forgery, and you abused, than that any such things really were, and hoped you came for a peaceable Trade, and to follow your imployers businesse, and not to meddle with the differences of the Country, promising you all encouragement and justice that could possibly be expect­ed, and earnestly intreating, that if you had any such resolu­tion you would declare it, which had you done, and not treacherously coloured it over with promises to wait on the Governour, he had retired, no blood had been spilt.

[Page 7]The Warrants you so croud in your Book, in the name of the Lord Protector, you imagine peradventure will bear you out, had you not been hired the jugling had been handsome, but now 'tis foolish, nor can any Rebellion ever bear bulk, un­lesse it passe on in the name of Supreme Authority. For the Letter you pretend you writ, you confesse you did it by ad­vice of your Severn imployers; yet in that you affirm a mon­strous untruth in saying the Government setled in Captain Fuller was since established by the Lord Protector, you shall by and by see how all such pretended powers are by His Highnesses absolute Commands null, but never be able nor no stickler of you all to prove any confirmation, had you had any such thing, although you talk much of it, you would have posted it and published it to the World in Capitall Letters.

You great Merchant Richard Owen, and his best penn'd-Letter, if it be his, that ever came from him, was not a mat­ter materiall for the Presse, we knew him a year or two since a Planter of little credit, and now a very sorry Merchant, yet any stuff will serve such as yee are.

Concerning the firing of your Ship (I speak to the abused World, not to Heamans) he knows already what I writ is true, that at tryall of the Governour and Councell, one Cap­tain Findall upon examination did acknowledge, that after Heamans Treachery to shoot at them having discovered him­self an enemy, he undantedly told them that himself, could he have compassed it, would have fired his Ship.

But how prettily do they forge? Fuller he sayes informed him that Captain Stone intended to fire his Ship, and this di­spute between the Hireling and the Master must be taken as a truth, and come likewise to the Presse, and yet Heamans and they bargained before: Here, if it had been truth, you again shew your self a fool, to ingage because Fuller affrighted you.

And why should Captain Stone think of firing your Ship, had you not been a declared enemy? or if he had such an in­tent, why did he by Letter addresse himself to you to stand Newter? before this addresse Fuller and yee fomented these [Page 8] jealousies amongst the people, which by that after addresse, was clearly manifest it was never intended, therefore being in its own reason only a fiction, wherefore did you print it? The cause of your Seaman Helies running away, I know not, but have been informed the Fellow was of an honest temper, and that your fantastick domineerings was the cause he rather chose to lose his Voyage, than longer to continue under you. In your whole relation of commands and arguments between you and your imployers, you so impudently juggle, that you raise both laughter and anger in me; I shall not swell this to descant on each frivolous passage.

The delivery of your Benefactors of Ann Arundel Country, is indeed a demy-miracle as you deliver it, but let a true in­formation be received, it will appear otherwise; first, to be treacherously dispersed and hurried a shore, as our men were by Heamans firing at them.

Next, to be pursued by an other Vessell, commanding at a distance, and so seizing on our Boats and Ammunition; what a great matter did ye? it is and hath been ordinary for a hundred men to surprize and take prisoners two hundred, but ye had more, ours not so many as I mention, and the diffe­rence was, ours came with a resolution rather to treat than fight, yours resolved to have the Government or nothing, and therefore would not suffer any Declaration to be publi­shed, but surprized the Messenger, and what was most mon­strous, after free-quarter giver, to adjudge, condemn, and ex­ecute, as ye did, your self Heamans sitting in consultation, and being of their Counsell of War, and most active to have all executed, none reprieved, no not the Governour him­self; It was the first time that ever Heamans had power of condemnation, and therefore thought to grow glorious by his unsampled severity. Take a little view of these oaths, and then judge of this, and these fellowes.

This was pretended a forgery, and Mr. Barber put to prove it to be the Lord Protectors, but he must prove it in that place, no appeale could lie good, and the Gentleman as I have often heard him protest, was so over-awed, that at last he durst not affirmatively maintain it came from His High­nesse, but answered doubtfully and distractedly. A strange impudence when a Mandate so sacred as under His Highnesses Hand and Seal, must not only be disputed, but to require a further evidence then himself, witnessing what shall issue out from himself, this is the greatest spurning against, and over­throwing Authority, that ever was heard of or suffered.

[Page 14]His Highnesse having notice of the proceedings of Bennet, Claiborn, and these people, notwithstanding the sweet Letter [...] to Bennet, requiring him to cherish peace in the Plan­tation, now further declares himself as followeth.

[Page 15]By this it appeares how great care hath been by His Highnesse used to prevent blood-shed, yet nothing will prevaile, and although by this in appeares that Bennets pretended power ceased, and any derived from him, yet will not Leo▪ Strong, the Munkle-Agent of Providence (as he calls himself) cease to be an Agent, but will justle this high command and revocation; he peradventure at last will pretend his deafnesse, that he never heard it, but cannot alleage blindnesse, for he had and shall again see what it is.

Were not their actions very justifiable when they shold keep men in prison untill they should submit to an Oath imposed on them, never to write for England, or to the Lord Baltamore, what had been done? and suffer none to depart for England but what got away by stealth? my self being proscribed by Proclamation, and a great reward for him that should bring in my head, yet was I never in armes, nor never was an Instigator against any of them in all these hurliburlies. We have many authentick te­stimonies discovering all their actions and proceedings, which are too voluminous to be inserted into an Answer to such an Ideot as the Commander of the Golden Lion; we hereby endeavour to give you onely a hint that Hea­mans hath abused the World with his Pamphlet, not a sil­lable whereof is truth; how he hath deluded his owners with pretence of his care; how he hath spurned at and belied the Supreme Authority; how he hath intruded himself without any lawfull call, into the Seat of Justice, and there acted the part of a bloody and aggravating Murtherer, condemning Innocents and trampling on the souls of them he hath betrayed to death, for without his combination nothing of this had happened, and our selves had without rigor, without blood-shed, com­pelled Obedience to the Supreme Command of His High­nesse under the Lord Baltamore, whom we with all so­lemnity proclamed, and under whose protection we re­joyced, [Page 16] as our Soveraign Lord; issuing out generall Pardons in commemoration of that great and happy So­lemnity.

And therefore we do and shall justly charge this Hea­mans with all the blood spilt in our Province, as the im­mediate Author, with all the ruines, the banishments, the sequestrations of Estates, and the heart-breaking griefs he hath yeelded our Wifes and Children, to whom if ever we return again, it is through many dangers and haz­zards.

For the cry of Hey for St. Maries, hey for two Wives, if any rude Souldier in those of any other termes were abusive, it must not colour your matchination, it pro­ceeded by no order of the Governours, nor from the mouthes of any of quality, themselves were civill and atractive, nor was ever any party afoot without some absurd expression, or disordered language; but these are weak flourishes, and will only bear you out in weak e­steemes.

Your observation of Captain Stones dejection, and his renunciation of the Lord Baltamore, the dead-heartedness of the Prisoners, being onely affirmed by your self, is of as little credit as any thing else you have related; nor are you and your compacted theevish Ships company, to be evidences one for another, and no better than Theeves and Murtherers, to justifie you you have none; the reli­gious rejoycing you mention, is no otherwise than such prayers and rejoycings as Theeves and Gamsters at or after their enterprises use, and as acceptable to God; but seeing Heamans was a Judge to condemn, and now is be­come a Writer, I shall no longer dwell on Heamans pa­pers, I shall conclude with that fearful wo denounced by the Prophet Isaiah, against such as you are,