MY Lords, For as much as the Most High God hath guided me with a Spi­rit of Truth, and that I have had no by-ends, but I have been sincere for the good of Kings and Kingdom; therefore I desire Your Lordships nei­ther to despise me nor reject me. Let me be like Balaam's Ass, to turn away a Curse, for although Balaam was a Wise Man and a Prophet, yet he would have Cursed Israel, that they might have been destroyed, to promote himself, and was ignorant of the Angel that stood to destroy him, had not the Ass seen and turned aside; so God made the Ass an Instrument, to save his Master and prevent a Curse: Let me I pray you be like this Ass, for to turn away Wrath and De­struction: for he has invested Your Lordships with Power, to take care of the Grandure of his Kingdom. And King David was wise when he came into Gover­ment, he taught Israel to bemoan the Death of Saul and Jonathan, and the reason why? because he Clothed them with Scarlet and Gold, and other delicate things; so I see it is for the Kings Honour, as well as his Profit, for the Ladies to go in Rich Garments, for God made all the Treasure of the Earth to adorn the Saints, and to incourage them to serve him, and while they do so, they are Blessings.

I was not willing East-India Goods should be Prohibited, because it will make no Advantage to the Weaver, by reason it will twist about, so that it will be but our own-loss, and other Peoples gain; and it is pity to lay any Tax, upon East-India Goods, for Trading is bad enough already, by reason Men saves their Mo­ney to serve the Goverment, so they have the less for Trade.

I humbly beseech Your Lordships seriously to consider, the great Advantage there is by supporting of Justice, for she supports the Kingdom, and if you let her fall, you will all fall; for no Man shall know what is his, for it is Justice that keeps you in Peace and safety: Therefore Our Blessed Saviour Exhorts, To do unto all Men, as you would have them do unto you, this is the Foundation of the Law and the Prophets.

And all Men is apt to say, that the Old Company hath been hardly dealt with­al, but I am apt to think it was through a mistake; but now it is in your Lord­ships Power, to do them Right and Justice, and the God of Justice assist you, that you may be able to do that which is Just and Right in his sight: For Covetous­ness is hateful; therefore God hath forbid, that any Man should covet what ano­ther Man hath; and God is angry with them that breaks his Laws, and many a time a Kingdom is punished for it, as the Children of Israel could not withstand their Adversaries, neither would God fight their Battle, till the Offender was found out, that stole the Cursed things, the Silver, the Gold, and the Babyloni­ous Garment: so Achan was ingenuous, for he confessed he had sinned and sub­mitted to the Punishment, and so the anger of the Lord ceased. I wish that the New Company may be so ingenious for the good of their own Souls, to acknow­ledge the Breach of Gods Laws, and especially Mr. Sheppard, because he was the Head and Ringleader; I should be glad if he would repent, and I do not doubt but that God will Pardon him, and all the rest for I do not love Men should bring Punishments upon their own Heads, but if they presist in having their Bar­gain, and will not submit to have their Money returned them, God will find out a way to Punish them as he has disappointed their Expectations, in having five or six Chests filled with Billets for Silks; which I think should be a means to o­pen their Eyes to be weary of their Bargain, for they do not know what Misfor­tunes they may have, for the Seas are dangerous, therefore there is a necessity to undoe what your Lordships have done, and in so doing you may do them good: For what harm can it be for them to have their Money, for to Trade in other things, that they may have a greater Blessing? And to have Eight per Cent. is In­terest enough, for they cannot complain they have injury done them: And to Esta­blish the Old East-India Company, will be an act of Goodness, and Justice; and I do not doubt but that your Lordships will receive Honour by so doing; and there is some of the New ones that are wise and moderate, may do well to be United, and so the Old Company may be rightly Established, which will be an Honour to the Kingdom; so it may be the occasion of a happy Unity, and prevent Gods Judg­ments amongst us, and the Generations that are to come, may praise you, for ser­ting them such an Example of Justice: And God may inable the Old ones to dis­charge the New ones, that are not joyned, so all Men may be pleased.