AS I am in duty bound in the first place, to ren­der most hearty thanks to God Almighty, for his great goodnesse towards your Majesty, in blessing and preserving you and yours so gra­ciously in these wofull dayes of distraction: So I cannot but esteem it a great mercy of God, and a most infal­lible signe of his favour towards me your poor Subject, that he hath alwaies given me a heart, so constant and loyal to­wards your Sacred Majesty, as I may boldly say, that nei­ther my hand, or tongue, or thought hath agreed to any thing conducible to the beginning, or fostering of this most unnatural Rebellion; For when your Majesty sent forth Writs for the summoning of this late Parliament, your Sub­ject dwelling upon the Confines of Suff. and hearing what in­direct [Page 21] and unlawfull means was used in the election of the Knights there, (Ignorance and Affectation ambitiously striving to be the principal Electors) did begin suddenly to smell a savour of some worse intentions; and thereupon when some of his Neighbours requested his company to Chelmsford in Essex, to give a voyce to the electing of the Knights of the Shire there; your Subject made this Answer, That he would not stir a foot upon that occasion, because he verily believed that the Parliament would never come to good. It was a rash Speech, I confesse, but I have thought since, that surely I spake It by some Prophetical inspiration; and God knows, I have many times wished, that I had not guessed so right. And afterwards when your Majesty had granted to an Act, that the Parliament should not be dissolved, without the consent of both Houses, your Subject soon after being at a Publick meeting in the Town where he lived, where was then pre­sent one that was a Justice of the Peace, and a Lawyer, who told it your Subject for good News. That your Maj [...]sty had condescended to such an Act, and that now the Parliament would go on very confidently without any obstacles or fears: Your Sub­ject made him hereupon this subitain Answer, That indeed if your Majesty had granted to such an Act, it might possibly conduce to some good end: if it pleased God to give to the Parliament the Spi­rit of Grace and Wisedome, that they went on in a legal and mode­rate way: but if they digress [...]d from that method, it might then be a means to introduce great Inconveniences and Distractions; for that your Majesty would perhaps depart from them, and so their Expecta­tions would be frustrated: For we that have read the Law (said I) do know, that both Houses of Parliament, cannot make, nor alter Lawes, without the Kings Royal assent. Yes (quoth he) they will make Ordinances. Whereat your Subject smiling, did again smell some dangerous Project to be in agitation, and believed the said Party was one of their Fraternity, and that he had sure intelligence of their indirect intentions of pro­ceeding. In which your Subject was likewise a remarkable Presager of the event of things; for the said Party is since proved one of those good instruments, called a Committee­man. And in the year 1642. your Subject being come down from Easter Term, hapned in Whits [...]n-week after to be at a Meeting in his Parish, where the said Justice of [Page 20] [...] [Page 21] [...] [Page 22] Peace was present, and all the Chief Inhabitants thereof, and much inquiring there was of Newes, concerning the setling of the Militia; and your Subject told them, That he had heard of your Majesties Proclamation touching the same, but had not yet seen it. To which one of the Company made an­swer, That he was at London the last week, and had both seen the Proclamation, and also an Ordinance of Parliament to the con­trary; and that he had them both there to shew. Whereupon the Party pulling them forth, your Subject took them and read them before the whole Assembly, with an audible voyce; then they asked your Subject what he thought thereof, and what he intended to do therein. To which your Subject, remem­bring his natural and legal Allegiance to your Sacred Majesty, boldly answered, That he was soon resolved what course to take in that business, without any study; for that he would by no means diso­bey your Majesties Proclamation, in submitting his Arms to the Par­liaments devotion: and besides, informed them all openly, That by the Common and Statute Lawes of this Kingdom, it was High Treason to levy Armes against the King. Which assertion of the Truth they little esteemed; but affirmed notwithstand­ing, that they would all send their Armes, and that it would fall heavy upon your Subject, if he refused to do the like. But your Subject knowing a good Conscience in Adversity, to be more pleasant, than a treacherous heart in Prosperity, little regarding their Judgements, but resolved, if the will of God were so, to suffer rather for well doing, than for evil do­ing. And though your subject thinks himself unworthy to take in hand the legal defence of your Majesties Right, yet when he heard their irreligious, and undutifull Discourse, tending to the slighting and undervaluing of your Majesties Proclamati­on, and the applauding only of the Parliaments Designs; your Subject was so jealous of your Majesties Just Royalties, Pre­rogatives, and Reputation, that he freely reprehended their folly, and told them they were too confident in their conceits, That the Parliament were many of them but weak men, and might fall into grosse errors: That it was not to be imagined, that all the wisedome in the Kingdome, was now ingrossed to the House of Commons; for it was able to afford many thousand Assemblies as wise as they: That Truth onely must be the square of Christian mens acti­ons, [Page 23] and not the fantastical and factious opinions of men: and among other Passages also said unto them, That they professed themselves to be haters of Idolatry, and yet it appeared they were much infected with Superstition, a grand limme thereof; for they had as Reverend a conceit of their Parliament, as the Papists have of the Pope, which is, that he cannot possibly erre in his Function.

Within a few dayes after came Warrants to Town, to command all our Armes compleat, to beat Colchester the next morning. The Constable came presently to warn me, to send my Armes accordingly. I asked him to see his War­rant, which he shewed me; and when I had read it, I told him, That he knew my mind already, for I had declared it sufficiently at the last Town meeting He confessed, that I had so done, yet he must come to do his Office. Then I asked him, If his Authority concerning this matter were derived from under your Majesties Great Seal. He answe­red, No, it was from the Parliament. Then I asked him whose [...]o [...]stable he was. He replyed, That I was a merry Gentleman to ask him such a Question, and that I my self knew better than he whose Constable he was, and what be­longed to his Office. I answered him, That indeed I have thought I had known something, but now the Lawes are so strangely refin'd, that my Learning is almost out of date: But I prethee, said I, tell me in good earnest whose Constable thou art? He answered, The Kings. Then quoth I to him, Thou art a very Foole; for the word of God sayth, His Servants ye are to whom ye obey; and therefore you having no Authority from the King, but doing the contrary to his Royal command, are surely the Parliaments Constable, and none of the Kings: Whereat his Constableship was at a Nonplus. Then I told him, that I intended to certifie to the Captain, the Reasons under my hand, why I refused to send my Armes: That if I offended the Law therein, they should then have my own hand-writing for a Witness against me. The next morning I wrote to the Captain to this ef­fect, That such a Warrant had been shewen unto me, but withall, that I had formerly seen your Majesties Proclamati­on, and further intimated, that I should be heartily sor [...]y to infringe the Allegiance I owed to my Soveraign, or to [Page 24] give a just occasion of offence to others that were in subor­dinate power: but I remembred that long since I had taken the Oath of Allegeance, and therefore (were it but in that regard) how I could dispence with my self in Disobeying His Majesties Royal Proclamation I did not yet well under­stand, but my Armes and Bodie were ever ready to defend his Majesties Royal Person and Honour. This Letter was delivered him in the open Field amongst the Trained bands, where were present divers Parliament men, which I dare say had a sight of it: but I heard little thereof; only the next week I going to London, Newes was brought home, that so soon as I came at my Chamber, I was apprehended, by Order from the Parliament, and laid in Prison, and should be fined as much as my Estate was worth; one­ly because I refused to send my Armes at the last Traine­ing: But it was but a false Fire to terrifie my Wife and Children, and to affright others from their duty and allegeance. Then at my return home, the Parson of the Parish told me, That he heard I was like to fall into trouble, and that he was sorry I had not done as my Neigh­bours did: I answered him, That I was not sorry at all, for I had done as my Conscience, and the Law directed me: But, quoth he, there will come danger of it: Gods will be done, said I, for I am resolved to be constant, and never to turn Re­bell, for I shall ever account it an honour to suffer in my Princes Quarrell; and would fain see the face of that man, that durst call me in Question for shewing my true allegeance to my Soveraign. Afterwards I was threatned to have my house pulled down, and all my goods taken away by Riflers, who said they had an Order so to do, because I would lend no money to the Parliament. Soon after I went upon occasi­on to the house of a Parliament man, none of the meanestSt. Rober [...] Crane, Knight and Ba­conet. [...]ank, and he asked me, What was the reason that I was threatned to be rifled? I told him, Because I would lend no money to the Parliament; Then belike, quoth he, you lent none? No, said I, for I have no moneys to lend; but had I never so much, yet I think I am able to make it appear to you, or any man that is of an impartial Judgement, why I ought not to lend money to such a design; but now a dayes, said I, men must not speak the truth, what they think: [Page 25] whereat he clapped his hand upon his breast, and said thus, Before God I dare not speak what I think my self. After, he asked What means was used to procure money in our Country? I told him, The Ministers perswaded much; but, said I, every thing that Parsons now speak in the Pulpit, doth not work upon honest mens Consciences, that smell of Loyalty and Discretion. After this I was too often troubled with their Warrants, either about lending of moneys, send­ing of Armes, or their nugatory politick Association, still roaring in my ears with an Ordinance of Parliament; and still I told them, That these doings at length would make the Ordinance roar in the Field. And I thank God I was so far from obeying any of their Warrants, that I still gave them this answer, That by Gods grace I would never do my self or posterity that wrong, to live or dye a Rebell; and that all their projects would surely come to nought, and tend to nothing but mischief in the end; ever Harping upon this string, That it was without all question High Treason to levy Armes against the King, &c. and sundry times I have labou­red to convince them by Gods word, and also read to them the Statutes and other Reports of the Law, and Histories, which I did think most fit to rectifie their Judgements; and though it did them little good, yet I trust that therein I did discharge my Conscience and duty towards God and your Majestie. And soon after the Battle at Edgehill, when your Majesties Forces came towards London, the Constable of our Parish came late in an evening, and charged me to send away my Armes the next morning, with a months pay; I asked to see his Warrant, wherein it was specified, that we should send our Armes to oppose your Majesties Army; whereat I told him, That his Warrant was somewhat too plain, for there was no mention of Cavaliers or Malignants, but pe­remptorily his Majesties Army: Then quoth he, sure that word is mistaken; Yes, said I, you run too much upon mistakes, but you might have spared the labour of comming to me, for you know my mind well enough. But, quoth he, a man is not alwayes of one mind, 'tis not fitting he should: Yes, said I, if a man be an honest man it is not fitting he should turn Knave; and for my part I will never meddle in this Rebellion, for if I should, my Conscience would accuse [Page 26] me for an arrant Traytor: But, said he, what Answer shall I make to the Deputy Lieutenants: Why, quoth I, you may tell them, that I have ever been a true Subject to my Prince, and so I am resolved to continue; and I will also be obedient to all subordinate powers under the King, so long as they hold their Allegiance to his Majestie, but if they waive their Obedience to the King, then must they give me leave to forsake them; for Armes or Money I will never send, to oppose his Majestie, or any that take his part, al­though I be chopt in pieces for it, and that is mine Answer. Not long after came another of the Constables to my house, with a Warrant to search all houses for Armour, which I perusing, said unto him, That his Warrant was generall, but I believed that my self was the only man in the Parish that he aimed at; Yet, said I, as the Case standeth, I am not bound by Law to obey this Warrant, neither will I: Never­thelesse because I have heard that some idle people have re­ported, that I have great store of Armes in my house, there­fore to take away those fears and jealousies from you. I will (though not in obedience to your Warrant, yet in point of Neighbourhood) let you see what Armes I have, and there­upon I carried him into every room in my house, and suffer­ed him to search where he pleased, but nothing he could find to take any exceptions at, for indeed I had no Armour at all, but that I was formerly charged to find: Notwithstand­ing this Treacherous Villain went soon after to the pretend­ed Lieutenants of the Shire, and certified them that I was a most dangerous man, and had Armes in my house for at least 20▪ men, and that if my Armes were not taken from me, I would be ready upon any occasion to do much mischief. Whereupon Order was given that a Trained band should be raised to disarm me; who soon after Christmass 1642. in [...] morning before day-light, beset my house, and the said Constable who was their conductor, when day appeared, knocked at my Gate, and asked to speak with me; And he was answered at a Window, that I was not up, and requested to come some other time; Yet he continued knocking, whereupon I arose, and went into my study opening against the Gate, and asked him what his will was? He told me that he was come again to search for Armes; Why so? said I, [Page 27] you have done that already; Ay but, quoth he, we have a Warrant to apprehend your body; Nay then, quoth I, take it if thou canst get it; With that a Parliament Captain that was hidden behind the Pales, shewed himself, and said, Sir open your doors, for we must have ye: Sir, quoth I, thou art like to tarry a while: Upon which denyal, the Souldiers that were Ambuscadoed about the house, began to appear, and cryed, Give fire; whereat there rattled such a peal of Musquets against the house, as were alone enough to have converted a Coward to the Round Religion; whereat my little Boyes starting out of their beds to dresse themselves, the Bullets peircing into their Chambers, did beat the mate­rials of the walls about their faces, insomuch that the Eldest, but 14. years of age, came running to me, and said, O Father they shoot Bullets, let us shoot at them again, although we die for it every one of us; But the Father had no considera­ble Force, to equal the Childs Valour, and therefore thought it no policy to provoke such obstinate hare-braind Rebells, and it was Gods great mercy that I was so patient, for they reported themselves afterwards, that if we had but shot off a Gun, we had been all killed, and the house pulled down. Again I went to the Window, and askt them what they intended? They presented their Musquets and Pistols at the very face of me, and charged me to open the doors: I replyed, That if they had any Authority from the King, I would; They said, No, but they had order from the Parli­ament; To that, quoth I, I will not yield; Then they said they would break the house: I wished them to be advised, for my house was my [...]astle, and I was in the Kings peace, and if they did any more then Law would justifie, they must look one day to hear of it: Then as fast as they could they broke open all the doors, seized upon me, searched every Trunk and Chest in my house to find Plate, tumbled about my Bedding and Apparell, with their Musquets in their hands, and Matches light, took away all my Armour and Weapons, leaving me not so much as a Rapier, and forcibly carried me away, saying, that for ought they knew I might be charged with Treason; for these sots think every man a Traytor, that abhorreth to be so As we rode along the Captain wished me to submit: I said that I had not offend­ed [Page 28] the Law, and therefore would make no submission: For these riotous Rebells, said I, that have abused me and my house, have greater reason to make a submission then my self. When we came at the place where these Deputy Lieutenants were, much people was assembled on a Green before the house, to see what should become of this horrible Malignant; then issued they out to examine me, before the multitude, where it was laid to my charge, that I refused to send my Armes to the Trainings; 'Tis well known, said I, that I have ever been as sedulous to send them as any man, till now of late: But there is now most need, said they; I answered, That his Majesties Proclamation commanded the contrary, and when there is an Order for it under his Majesties Great Seal, then will I send my Armes, before I will not: Then was I charged for not contributing to the Parliament; I an­swered, That your Majestie had declared that none of his true Subjects should furnish the Parliament with Horse, Armes, or Money, and that I had rather offend all men living, then the King of England, or my own Conscience: Then it was urged, That I said I would march to the King; Why, said I, if my own house grow too hot for me, whither should I go for pro­tection but to my Soveraign. But, quoth one, there be a great many of Rascalls with the King; Sir, said I, take heed what you say, for you call in question the best and wisest men in England, for I am sure they are with the King. Then one cried out, That I had said the then Earl of Essex was a Traytor: I replied, His Majestie had proclaimed him so, and as my Learn­ing taught me, I doubted that he would hardly answer his do­ings. Then said one, that I had called the Ministers Pulpit-Knaves: I answered, that I did in my heart reverence all ho­nest Divines, but such as now a daies came up to preach Sedi­tion, and to abuse the King and his Liege people, I knew ano­ther place more fit for them then a Pulpit. Then said one in the crowd, You are in the way to Hell: But I having a better testimony within me, laughed at him, and said, I hoped better things: But, said I, (standing close by the Deputy Lieute­nants, the Captain and Souldiers hemming me in) here is a brave Company about me, what do all these people intend to guard me thither? at which some could not refrain from [Page 29] laughing; and so the terrible Examination ended. Then the Gentlemen requested me in, and used me civilly, (though some of the Rascalls had much abused me) and after much discourse, they wished me whatsoever I thought, yet to be spa­ring of my Speech, for they saw my Neighbours were maliti­ou [...], and so dismissed me. But I knowing my own resolutions, and thereupon dreading a worse mischief too soon to ensue, within a few daies after forsook my house, and have ever since lived a Lawyer itinerant, and yet I trust that I have observed the Law justly, and also used a very good Conscience, for now I am sure that I did not take a Fee for divers months after, but many times in my Travells, for speaking in your Majesties behalf, I have been soon after driven to take a thick Wood for a refuge. Since my departure they have taken away some of my Goods, s [...]questred my Rents, and seized my little Estate, so as my poor Wife and Children can hardly get any means to subsist withall, whilst I am an exile from them, beset with many Crosses, but hardly one Crosse of Silver to relieve me. As God hath given me a Loyal heart towards your Ma­jestie, so I have often grieved, that I had not abilities equiva­lent to testifie the same; bu [...] I know your Grace will pardo [...] involuntary neglects, since by my pen and tongue, which are a Lawyers best Weapon [...], I have endeavoured alwaies to do your Majestie the best service I could; and I doubt not but your Sacred Majestie will be graciously pleased to take these things into your Princely consideration, and to afford your loyal and true Subjects that have been thus unlawfully abused, a happy re [...]resse in due time, for these intollerable wrongs and oppressions, which goodnesse of your Majestie towards us, shall for ever engage us (if possible) in a more reciprocal bond of Duty, Love, and Allegiance to your Majestie and yours, and so I heartily beseech Almighty God to preserve and blesse your Majestie, your Gratious Queen, and your most hopefull, Royal Issue and Alliance, with all prosperity in this life, and eternal happinesse by Christ Jesus in Heaven.

Amen.

MAy it please your sacred Majesty in your royal Clemency, to take further notice, that within a few dayes after, that the aforesaid barbarous Injuries and unlawfull Violences were put upon your said Subject in his dwelling House, his apprehension and carrying away as a Pri­soner, and return home again; the said pestiferous Con­stable, [Page 30] formerly mentioned, being horribly vexed in his re­bellious Stomack, because he could not obtain his malitious Will, and villanous Intention against your said Subject, which was to have him sent to some Gaol, or Ship at Sea, to be kept in hold as a Prisoner, during their pleasures, did there­fore repair to a Justice of the Peace, a man in all probabili­ty, as well qualified then, and of as good discretion for that Office, as the other was to be a Constable, where he made a most untrue Complaint against your Subject, infor­ming the said Justice, That he went in fear of his Life, and believed that your Subject would either kill him, or burn his Houses, and also offered to take his Corporal Oath to that effect. Whereupon the said Justice, in his grave indiscreti­on, very little, or not at all (as it seems) regarding the professi­on of the Law, or the Law it self, in the compass of Discretion; nor yet common Civilities to be expected and used amongst Gentlemen, would not vouchsafe to send for your said Sub­ject in a gentile & neighborly way to confer with him, therby to hear and observe what your Subject was able to alledge in his own defence, against the Complaints of such a paltry Fel­low, but immediately suffered the said Party, without any further examination of the matter, to make a most false and wicked Oath against your said Subject, and thereupon grant­ed a Warrant of the Peace against him, directed to the other Constable of Langham aforesaid, peremptorily to apprehend your Majesties said Subject, and to bring his Body before him; And hereupon the said other Constable did forthwith repair unto your Subjects dwelling House, and there made relation of the occasion of his comming at that time. Where­upon your Subject did fairly request the said Constable to shew him his Warrant; which he presently delivered into your Subjects hand, who perusing the same over did inform the Constable, That he much marvelled, That the Justice would permit such an Oath to be made against him, before the matter were better examined on both Partes, and that he also understood what excusatory Arguments might be al­ledged on your Subjects behalf: For, said I, if the Justice had refused to take the Parties Oath for a while, untill the Cause had received a further examination, yet no danger or prejudice could have accrewed to the Justice, for his not [Page 32] accepting the said Oath, unlesse that my self, against whom the Oath was tendered, had in the interim committed some vio­lent and unlawfull Act against the Kings Majesties Peace, which a Magistrate methinks, in point of Charitie and dis­cretion, should not very fearfully expect to be perpetrated by a Counsellour at Law that was not as yet voted, and declared to be Non compos mentis; but that odious name and censure of a Malignant, never so incongruouslie imposed, yet (as the vio­lence of the stream did then ru [...]) must of necessity be a sufficient motive, and pretence to patronize all manner of Rigors and Incivilitles. And further, your said Majesties Subject did then inform the Constable, that he had some good cause to believe, that the said Warrant was not intended against himself, be­cause thereby it was commanded to bring the Body of Mr. Wenlock of Langh [...]m, and said I, there be some others in the Town, that may well passe by that appellation; and therefore in regard, that the usual Addition that i [...] commonly given unto me, in all Writings, is not inserted, neither my Christian name therein specif [...]ed, I am not bound to take notice of such an ambiguous warrant, or to yield obedience thereunto; for cer­tainly there is some grand misprision therin committed, either by the Justice of the Peac [...], or his Clerk, or else the Informer. Why Sir? quoth the Constable, without doubt you are the Man, that is intended by the Warrant. If you think so, said, I then neither my self, nor any of my Family shall make oppo­sition against it: but if thou wilt provide me a Horse, and se [...] me gently upon his back, and lead him by the bridle, then will I passe along with you without offering the least violence, but upon mine own free and voluntarie motion; I will not goe (for the Reasons aforesaid) untill thou dost bring a wiser Warrant. And hereupon his Reply was (as I remember) That he would not meddle with me upon such terms, and so departed. And yet, before that I had thus edoctrinated his Intelligibles, he was so zealous for the Cause, (he knew not what) as he was very urgent to have me goe away with him to the Justice at that time, although it was then a deep snow, very bitter weather, and altogether unfit for travell, unlesse it had been upon a far more necessitous occasion. But within a day or two after, (if it please your Majesty) the former Con­stable [Page 33] stable which had taken the Oath, and procured the VVarrant against me, was about repairing towards my House, and per­chance I espied him before he entered my Gate, and went out and met him, and fairly said unto him, Come on Neigh­bour, what News? or to that effect. VVhereupon he an­swered, that he was come to tell me, That my self was the verie man that he had made Oathe against. If it be so, said I, indeed I am sorry for thee, for thou art a vile VVretch, and knowest not what great wrong thou hast done unto thy sel [...]; for God he knowes that I never intended thee any hurt, either in thy Person or Estate, for God be praised I have more Grace to rectifie my Conscience, and Conversation, and a better Knowledge and Judgement in the Laws of my native Countrey, than weakly to expose my self to shame and danger, by fouling my hands about such a Varlet, as thou art: but if the Lord spare my life, untill the Laws run in the right Channell, I shall then endeavour by the course of Justice, to right my self against thee, and such others of thy Tribe, as have so grossely abused me, and sought my disgrace, and imminent destruction: in the mean time I shall humbly crave at the hands of my most mercifull M [...]ker, such a portion of Patience as may enable me with courage and constancie, to endure such crosses as his providential Wisdom shall think fit to afflict me withall, for his glorie, and mine own eternal good: and speaking unto him after this manner, or to the same substance in effect, me thought the Partie did look with a turbulent, and somewhat dejected countenance, as if his conscience did accuse him, and so turning his back like himself, he went his way: and to the best of my remembrance, I did never see him after; for it pleased God, that within a very few daies following he fell dangerously sick, in which time of his sickness (as I was afterwards informed) he did of­tentimes murmure and cry out, that he had wronged Mr. Wenlock; and I hope that the Lord did give him grace to re­pent, in some measure, for his sinfull errors in that behalf: but the sad event was, that the Partie lay miserably sick, and languishing, for the space of near a quarter of a year toge­ther, and so departed this life; when your Subject was many miles distant from home, and wandering about on fo [...]t, as privately as he could, to save and secure his libertie and life▪ [Page 34] for the truth is, may it please your Majesty, that the malici­ous and false Oath taken against your Subject as aforesaid, was one of the first, and none of the least Motives, that indu­ced him to depart from his Wife and Family. Which in­tollerable and most infest Injury offered to your Subject, be­ing also seconded, and aggravated, by the bitter and barba­rous expressions of some others of the seditious Rabble, re­viling his young Children as they went in the Fields near his House, and a [...]king them if the Cavalier their Father was not yet dispatched, together with the remisnesse and pitti­full pusilanimity of the Magistrates thereabouts, who were as timorous to act according to Law and Justice, as the vul­gar multifarious Monster was obnoxious, and prone at that time to all manner of mischief; did something abate, and al­most terrifie your Subjects courage, and confidence, being loth to render himself a Sacrifice to the inhumane cruelty of Madness, Ignorance and Rebellion; and likewise desirous (if it pleased God) to prolong his life, in hope to meet with some better opportunity of making a further manifestation of his true and faithfull Loyaltie to his Soveraign, and sin­cere love and affection to his native Country; and therefore he did think it none of the worst Policy, for himself to with­draw, a while from his Mansion house, that so he might not remain so continual an eye sore to his aemulous and hare­brain'd Antagonists, believing, that as his absence would ex­tenuate his own danger, so it might possibly occasion some mitigation of their Malice: and hoping also, that their out­ragio [...]s phrensie would prove but a Meteor and vanish soon­er than a Nine daies wonder, or at least begin to waine, when that moon of madnesse was at the full; which Conjecture and imagination of mine, I do verily believe, would not have proved frustrate, had not the righteous God as a just punish­ment for all our sinnes, permitted that infernal Prince Apol­lyon, and his Chaplain, in ordinary, mutually to be the banefull bellows and brands, both to blow and kindle the fatal fire of Sedition in the hearts and affections of that gros­ly ignorant, dis-ingenuous and inconstant multitude, and which unhappily made them to be so instrumental, not only to themselves, but also such real auxiliaries, to the long con­tinuate sad distractions, and ever to be lamented miseries, of [Page 35] these late so wilfully distressed Nations. And in truth your Majesties Subject might have just cause to fear, that some or other of his Neighbours, so notoriously envious, might be drawn by some Diabolical instigation, to make an Oath a­gainst his Life, as well as his Libertie; for he had good reason to misdoubt the worse, in regard he was so palpa­bly guiltie of such high Crimes as true intelligent legal Loyaltie, and just Integritie were then esteemed to be: and also because his place and station was under a Climate where the farr major part of the people, were so prodigi-Ously zealous and fanatical: and where but very few of any note or qualitie thereabouts, had the happinesse or honour of a just occasion to be put into the Catalogue of Sufferers, with that eminently Loyal, and ever to Honoured Knight of St. Johns in Colchester, now the Right Honourable the Lord Lucas, and that most Noble and Loyal Baronet Sir Ben­jamin Ayloffe, and that worthy to be remembred, and dis­creet Knight, Sir Thomas Wiseman the Elder, deceased; and therefore your Majesties Subject well considering, that his so constant opposition, to the violent force and torrent of Re­bellion, would every day more and more stir up the sto­machs, and provoke, and sharpen the edge of his pernitious and inveterate Enemies, so cruelly bent against him; and that such also of his Neighbours as he esteemed to be his Friends, durst not make any manifestation or testimony thereof, for fear of being marked with the brand of Malig­nancy, and so in danger likewise to be exposed to the fury and madnesse of the multitude for his sake, and knowing for certainty, that his own Conscience in point of Religion, and his knowledge and judgement in the municipall Laws of his Country, would never permit him in the least tittle to alter his resolution, in the progresse of truth and Loyalty, did hereupon conceive and believe as aforesaid, that a pri­vate departure from his house for a time, would prove his best visible posture of defence. And so towards the latter end of the year 1642. your Subject with some reluctancy, God knows, did depart from his dwelling place, leaving his dear Wife, and small Children (as the fate and face of the Tyrannical times did then appear) in a Forrest or Wilder­nesse, amongst Bruitish and Barbarous animals, and yet with [Page 36] a competent and sufficient estate, for their comfort support and maintenance, in my absence, if their innocencies had not been injuriously deprived and violently robbed thereof, within a short time after my departure. And so it was if it please your Majesty, that the change of aire, did never breed the least change, or alteration in your subjects minde and affections, but wheresoever he came, and upon all occasions his discourse was still pathetical on your Majesties most glo­rious Fathers behalf, very freely reproving the crosse halluci­nations, perversities and rebellion of the times; and vindi­cating his Majesties regall rights, and just and lawfull Prero­gatives, to the uttermost of his power; in so much as many times he found that he gave offence to some, and made others of a more honest condition, somewhat timorous to enter­tain him for fear of the Bugg-bear and his r [...]mbling ubiqui­tarie spirits, that then kept the bewitched Countrey in so much awe, for alas the most part of the people thereabouts, were so sottish, as to idolize meer shaddows, and yet fondly to neglect the Almighty God that made them, and ready to offend and grieve his good spirit, by their irreverent despi­sing and horrible rebelling against his most perfect and spe­cifical Image, that then was upon the face of the earth; which profane impiety your subject could not pass by, with­out ministring some reproof, although some that pretended to be his friends, did divers times tell him, that he did pro­cure his own wrong, and prejudice thereby; yet your sub­ject having a more assured regard and a more firme and vigi­lant eye, upon the future, then the present time, could not upon any occasion refrain in a Christian and moderate man­ner, to declare himself, and in despite of all opposition, still persisted in that religious and heroical resolution of loyalty, and the discharging of his own conscience before God and the World; and thus after many sore rubs, dangers and affronts your subject approached unto the village of Dalham in Suffolk the Thomas Dalton now Dr. in Divi­nity. Rector whereof being my kinsman, and one that I may well affirm to be a very loyal learned and ortho­dox Divine, did give me most free and noble entertainment; and where by the means of the great love and especiall re­gard both of himself, and his vertuous wife, expressed to­wards [Page 37] me, being in that distressed condition, and whom in truth of nobleness, they esteemed as their Kings friend above their own kinsman, and together with the civil courtesies and generous respects of another noble Gentleman then Lord of that town; and others of his worthy family at Dalham Hall, your subject did receive, and enjoy a comfortable rest and residence, for many weeks together, being linked in a pleasant and sweet society, with some royal bird of his own feather, and where quotidian and frequent discourses, did pass amongst us, concerning his late Sacred Majesty and his affairs at Oxford, whither your subject [...] said kinsman, intend­ed suddainly to repair, and also offered to my self a friendly and fair means of conduction thither, which I did thankfully imbrace, and approve of, yet before I undertook so long and dangerous a journey, I was very solicitous to see my wife and children, and to take my leave of them, not knowing what had success I might meet with (as the times then were) nor whether I should ever live to see them again, in this world, or not; after which resolution thus taken, without delay I began to ma [...]ch, and did beat upon the [...]oof homewards, (as I was driven to fetch my compass) I beleeve above four miles at the least, but when I approached the territories of my own unhappy Countrey, that profest stage of rebellion, mine ear [...]s were sa [...]ly saluted and summoned, with the beat­ing of drums, and thundring of guns, for indeed the most part of the people in that quarter, were so much holy mad that their most continual practice, and greatest endeavour was, to seek occasions, and prepare materials to macerate themselves, and to muster up the ruin and confusion of these once so happy, and late most flourishing nations: And fur­ther to trie my patience, when I came within a flight shot of mine own house, I was casually met withall and discover­ed by a man that dwelled in the same Town of Dedham, where the rebells were then a training up themselves to work mischeif, which party I durst not well trust, in regard that some of his neighbours, but a short time praeceding, had so barbarously endangered the lives of my self and my whole family, and so forcibly broke open my house, and stollen a­way my goods: which entering presently into my confide­ration, [Page 38] I thought it not safe to tarry at my own House, mis­doubting that the Party would give notice of my being a­bout home, and that so I might be lyable to a second sur­prise; for I knew well that the meer fury and madnesse of the multitude, was in truth as legal as any Warrant▪ they could obtain against me, from such seditious Simpletons, as then pretended to be in lawfull Authority thereabouts; and therefore to eschew the present danger, within the space of an hour, as I remember, I departed from my House, and went to a poor Tenants of mine in a Village near adjacent, where in a little close room, I did anchorise my self for that day, and at Evening my Wife came unto me, there in the poor mans bed we lodged together for that night; in the Morning I soon prepared my self for my retraiting foot march to Dalham again, whither my God in his mercy did safely conduct me, with a setled resolution to have gone to Oxford with my said Kinsman: but in the interim of my absence, which was not many daies, the aire there also did begin to overcast, & the Country to smell so strong of Rebels and Gunpowder, that my Kinsman being of a Sound stomack, and an honest Divine, that could not dissemble, knew not at all how to rellish or disgest such poysonous Vapours, as the infectious stinch of Rebellion, did daily cast forth and pre­sent before him, and therefore as an Antidote against fur­ther danger, and a Preservative for his health, liberty, and safety, he was enforced to change the aire, and so departing from his House, went immediately to Oxford, before that your Subject could make his return to Dalham. Notwith­standing whose absence, (that was the nearest to me in relati­on there,) yet I still found as much nobleness at that place, as might in reason or civility be expected; and therefore finding my self to be welcome, and well at ease, I continued there the longer, for indeed Journeys were not very plea­sant unto me, in regard that I travelled for the most part on foot, which I commonly used to do at that time, because I did find that kind of passage, to be more free from suspiti­on, and danger, and also lesse chargeable to those, that were willing to give me a friendly entertainment. But my Fates were such as my quiet repose and felicity at Dalham afore­said, must not admit of any long continuance there, for to [Page 39] the intent and end that I might be made truly sensible of my former sinnes, and present sufferings, and least I should be lulled asleep in security, or vainly puft up with a false vision, and shadow of Prosperity, it pleased God, that a Messenger of Satan was sent to buffet me▪ and th [...]s it hapen­ed: There lived in that Town a mean mechanical fellow, a Blacksmith by his Trade, that was a daily Workman and Reteyner to the Parsonage, where my chiefest abode then was; and this Partie was reported and taken to be a dange­rous stubborn and rebellious Roundhead, and by some that well knew his Conditions, I was oftentimes advised to be­ware of him, and not to discourse or utter my minde in his hearing: But this Fellow, set on surely by the Devil, the first Father and cunning Contriver of all Rebellion, Malice and Mischief, and a sworn Enemy to all Truth, had a fervent desire, (as the sequele declared, to work me a Mischance) when he once understood me to be a constant Maintainer thereof; And yet he presented himself unto me in a more subtle specious and angelical Garbe and Posture, than o­thers of his Brethren, of a far more cleanlier Profession, had done before him, for he ever endeavoured by fair words, and submisse Demeano [...]r, to infinuate himself into my re­spect and favour, alwayes expressing more signes of Service towards me, then either I expected or desi [...]ed at his hands; and sometimes when he did espy me walking alone in the Fields, he would repai [...]e unto me with the pretence of much observancy, and an ardent desire to conser with me; telling me, that he had heard, and also perceived, that I was a man of much knowledge, and therefore he thought him­self happy, when he had any opportunity of Discourse with me, whereby his Judgement might be the better informed in the truth of many things, concerning the troubles and divisions of these times, intreating me still to exouse his boldnesse of accesse unto me, and protesting that whats [...] ­ever his Opinion had formerly been, yet he had now a great desire and love to learn the truth: and also assu­ring me, that I need not misdoubt or fear to speak [...]y minde unto him freely, for he would be faithfull un [...]o me, and would never be an Instrument to procure to so honest and loving a Gentleman as I was, the least hurt or [...]n­jury in the world: And after many such meetings and ex­pressions, [Page 40] your Majesties subject being of an open heart, and free from all deceit, did hope and imagine that such others as spak [...] fai [...]ly, were of his own nature and disposition, and that their reall intentions, were corre­spondent to their verball expre [...]ons, and therefore he be­gan to b [...]leeve, that this late so vip [...]rou [...] a Vulcan, was now capable of conversion; and hereupon in truth of cha­rity, towards the poor seduced wretch, and [...]o preserve his body from the hands of the hangman, and his so [...]l from the danger of the devil; I did oftentimes very freely converse with him, alwayes endeavouring to evince, and rectifie his depraved judgement, to molifie his minde, and by Scripture, law and reason, to convince him of his errors, and ever pre­senting to the view of his apprehension, that ugly monster of Rebellion, in as hideous and horrible a shape, as I was able to limne it out▪ or blaze forth the pedigree thereof, tel­ling him that the Devil was [...]he first father of Rebellion, and that all others, that were infected with that witchcraft, were his own undoubted children, and the very proper souldiers that fought under the devils b [...]nner; and informing him at large of the loyalty of that holy Prophet David, towards his Soveraign, notwithstanding that he was his enemy, and sought his life, and was a man in some manner forsaken of God; and how benignly and mercifully the Lord likewise dealt with David for his uprightness, and pious and just de­meanour in that behalf: and also relating unto him at sundry times many other passages, presidents and precepts out of holy Scripture, and several authentick Authors and Hi­stories, which did declare and make manifest the religious necessity, of the subjects true obedience, and loyalty to their lawfull Sovereign; and withall shewing him how great and honourable the rewards have been, that truth and loyalty hath received, both in antient and modern times: and how prodigiously fatal and fearfull, that desperate condition and period of rebells and traitors had ever been; and how odi­ous their memorie in all succ [...]ssions of ages: and such or to the same effect, was the most part of your subjects continual conference with Barnard the Blacksmith, for so was he cal­led, but he being then an instrument of h [...]ll, and so not ca­pable [Page 41] of good Counsell, but one of those Fools that hated Instruction, and having the fire of Envy and Sedition kindled in his putrified stomack, could not rest long in quiet, with­out the working of some manner of wickednesse; and there­fore he went to the Committees, those rurall nutritious In­struments of Rebellion, and there he made his complaint against a Noble Gentleman then living in the Town, and that was your Subjects loving Friend, and antient acquaintance, whereat I was much moles [...]ed and grieved, and therefore soon after, upon a Sunday at night when the said Barnard came to the Parsonage, where I then was, I did begin some­what sharply to expostulate the matter with him, and said that I was heartily sorry to see him still continue so turbu­lent and factious a fellow, as to run about with such triviall complaints, against honest and worthy Gentlemen, to whom he was so much beholding, and by whose means he had ob­tained his principall maintenance and livelihood, telling him, that if I had thought this grosse humours would still have fed upon the leaven of malitiousnesse and peevishnesse, I would never have utter [...]d my mind unto him so freely as I had done, for I now believed that he would prove [...] kind o [...] [...] Judas in the conclusion; But the greatest hurt and injury, said I, will ever redound upon thy self, for by such false and perfidious dealing, thou wilt draw the wrath of God upo [...] thee and thine, and make thy self odious and abhorred of all honest men, or words to that effect: And he returning me crosse answers, I confesse I did bitterly reprove him for his seditious sawcinesse, the issue whereof was, that the next morning very early one of the Maid Servants in the house ca [...]e running up into my Chamber in an extafie, and with tears in her eyes, [...]uefully told me that we were all undone, for Barnard had raised the Town, and beset the house, and that he would presently carry me away Prisoner to Cam­bridge; and that her Mistris was in a most fearfull affright at the hearing thereof. Whereupon according to my usuall courage and confidence, I began to smile, and wished the Maid to pacifie her self, for I was not affraid of such Rascalls, but would suddenly rise, and come down amongst them, and perhaps give some allay to their fury; and so with all expedition I dressed my self, and came down into the Par­sonag [...] [Page 42] Hall, where the said Barnard then was, accompanied with such a rusticall rabble of meer animals, as his Impu­dence could command, or their own ignorance would per­mit, to dance after the mad Musick of his pernicious Pipe, and there at first casting mine eyes upon the tenebrous object of a Black-smith, I did thus encounter him: Ha, how now Barnard, what news this morning? to which he made an­swer, That I must go with him to Cambridge before the Committees; What must I go with thee, quoth I, upon what Authority? let me see thy Warrant: Whereunto his reply was, That he had no Warrant to shew me, but that himself was Authority and Warrant sufficient, for he could tell of his own knowledge, that I was a Malignant, and therefore it was lawfull enough for him to apprehend me, and also to carry me away without any further Order; and indeed, although the wicked wretch did not rightly un­derstand what he said, yet I knew well, that his Authority was equivalent to the Committees, and as legall to an inch, (as the case then stood) yet I thought it no policy to ac­knowledge so much to him, least he should be too proud of his power, and so the more rude and violent against me▪ wherefore I still harped upon this string, That without some colour of lawfull Authority, I would not stir a foot; for I had then no businesse at Cambridge, and if a man of my Qua­lity and Profession should submit himself to travell about the Country with such a Company of Idle fellows and upon [...]o frivolous an occasion, without the command of a W [...]r­rant, it must needs redound much to the blemish of my judgement and reputation, and therefore I plainly told them, that I was resolved not to go along with them, unless it were upon other terms; and hereupon the vile Vulcan, believing that all his Rebellious retinue were ready at his command, did cry out to the Constable to do his Office, and to lay hold of me, for I was the Malignant and only man that he intended to take; And upon this I turned my self towards the party to whom he directed his Speech, as I per­ceived, and said unto him, Art thou a Constable? who an­swered, Yes Sir: Then quoth I, Friend I charge thee in the Kings Majesties name to see the peace kept, for I have done no man wrong, but was at quiet in my bed, untill this riot­ous [Page 43] Assembly did thus disturbe me, and therefore I counsell thee to be wary, and well advised, for if thy self, or any of thy Company here, do offer any violence to me, without a lawfull Warrant so to do, you were better bite off your nails, and leave scratching for ever; but certainly that which is done already will not be forgotten, when time shall serve, for I shall hazzard to make you all smart for it; And it is probable that this animosity of mine, and heroick man­ner of demeanour, did so much abash or pacifie the Pea­sants, as not one of them durst offer to lay hands upon me; But it was reported afterwards, that this Barnard had sent to Cambridge in Post-hast for a Warrant against me, that ve­ry morning, and that the intention of their comming so soon to the Parsonage, was but to protract time, and to stay me with wrangling discourse, untill the Messenger was re­turned with his tackling; and the truth is, I had been gone from thence within a few hours, if these unlucky Fellows had not thus Treacherously sought to prevent me, but as it happened they did but hasten my [...]ourney, for the Gentle­woman of the house, being wonderfull solicitous that I might be delivered from the danger & torment of this Vul­cans Hammer & Anvill, knowing that he and his Trayterou [...] adherents might bruise me into pieces, but never could fa­shion me into any other form or shape, did quickly endea­vour to prepare a passage for my departure, and escape from amongst them. And thus it was, she sent up to Dalham Hall for some Gentlemen that were there, intreating them to come down presently to the Parsonage which they did, and whilst that some of them were in hot dispute with this Bar­nard, and reproving him for his thus acting the part of an Impudent, and Trecherous wretch, the Gentlewoman did whisper in my ear, and told me, that she wished with all her heart, that I were out of their fingers, for quoth she, if they have once gotten you to Cambridge, God knows how cruelly the Villains there may deal with you, because you have al­wayes spoken so much against their Treasons, and are known to be so stout and true a Subject to the King, and therefore she most earnestly advised me to get away if I could, and told me that her Maid should presently unlock a back-door out of the Parlour into the Garden, and a back-gate out of the [Page 44] Garden into a back yard, and so I might soon escape into the fields: and accordingly this door and gate were quickly set open, and a sign given me thereof, that so I might take my fittest opportunitie: but I confesse it went much against the heighth of my stomach, to run away as it were from such Rascals; but the Gentlewomans importunitie, and the love of mine own libertie, did a little work upon me, and there­fore when I did observe the whole company to be most bu [...]ie, violent and full of discourse, I suddenly slipped into the par­lour, as if I went to look for something, and without taking my leave of any body in the hall, or elsewhere in the house, I nimbly glided away thorough the garden into the back­yard, and so getting over a pale, I soon obtained the wide fields, where I made my march, as if I ran for a wager, and endeavoured to flie as swift as Pegasus, towards a great wood not far off, for like a subtil fox, when I had formerly ramb­led about the fields for my recreation, I well observed where the best covert was for my safeguard, if I should chance at any time to be hunted. I was got but a little way from the house, before I met with some that knew me well, because I had ordinarily frequented the Parish Church: I only intrea­ted their silence, and made haste toward my desired port, and soon I attained the wood, and brustled into the thickest part thereof as near as I could, and being almost quite out of breath, I rested my panting limbs upon an old stub there, and first giving thanks to my God for my good deliverance, I then began to ruminate what course I were best to take for my safety, for I well knew that I must not dwell there long, although it was a musicall place, for indeed the Choristers of the wood, did sweetly chaunt their melodie to my soli­cude, but above all a Robin-red-breast was so courteous to court me so nearly, as I began to beleeve that her pure inno­cencie, was ambitious of my company; but presently, to di­sturb the least of my comforts, I was alarum'd with the noise and hallow of the Hunters, that endeavoured to rowse their Game ag [...]in; but I was lodged close and said squat: and yet I beleeve that if they had entred the Wood they might possibly have made a second surprise of me: but although that day immediately before was very clear, yet it pleased the providence of God upon the sudden, to send a most violent and raging shower of rain, which so soundly wet [Page 45] the wood and timber trees, that it spoiled their sport, and I heard no more noise of them: and yet I continued a good while after in my harbour, for fear of some secret ambuscado; but at length I began to move, as soon as the shower was o­ver, but the rain that had dropped upon me in the wood, to­gether with my brus [...]ling amongst the trees and bushes to get out, did make me as grievously wet, as if I had been drench [...] over head and ears in a river, but in that pitifull case I wa [...], yet I ventured out, and knew not well whither to bend my course, but soon I resolved my self for a Gentlemans house about a mile off, with whom I was acquainted since my be­ing at Dal [...]am: and when I drew near the house, I quickly espied the Gentleman in his yard, looking upon a workman that was there at work, which partie dwelled in Dalham, where I had met with my late surprisal, and before I came, had related to him the manner thereof, and so soon as the Gen­tleman did discover my approach, he came towards me with a smiling countenance, and said he was sorry to see me in such a wet condition, but heartily glad that I had escaped out of mine Enemies hands, and intreated me to walk in; I returned him thanks, but said unto him, That his house was no place for me, as the case stood, I must not tarry there: No, quo [...]h h [...], but I wish you might tarry, if it were without danger, for it is to be feared that they will suspect this house, and therefore it is no policy to stay long, but you may venture to go in a while, and dry your cloaths against the fire, and take some refreshment; and indeed his curteous offer came very seasonably, for besides the need which I had of a fire to dry me, I had taken no sustenance all the day before, by reason o [...] my former disturbance. Well, in I went, and there a sweet & loving Gentlewoman his Sister, did presently prepare me the best repast that the house could afford, & whilst I was taking the same in hast, I desired the Gentleman to send out some spies, to discover whether the Coast were clear or not, for I did misdoubt that my Hunters might still be upon their chase, to smell me out. And withall requested him to draw on a pair of Boots, that would sence water, for indeed mine own were sufficiently liquored, being as wet within as without: these things being soon dispatcht, out we went together on [Page 46] the back [...]ide into the Fields: and then I told him whether I did intend to travell, and take my repose for that night ensuing, and the next Morning to depart out of the Country, but quoth I, the way to the house I know not, and loth I am to make inquiry about the way leading thereunto, least by that means I should be suspected, and so be discovered, and besides if the Gentleman himself be from home none of his Family doth know me, and then perchance I may misse of my enter­tainment, and so lie all night in the Feilds: Well, quoth he, let not that trouble you, for I will not leave you thus, but if it please God, I will see you safely arrived there, and I will war­rant you wellcome, for the Gentlewomen is as Royal as h [...]r Husband, I was glad to hear of that, and most thankfully em­braced his curtesie, and so very chearfully we marched along, the most private way thorough the standing Corn Fields, and long grasse, it being on Midsummer day and our Journey near five miles: yet in a short time with many a wet and weary step we arrived at the place we so much desired, where my Comrade and my self boldly entring, we soon understood that the Gentleman of the house was not at home, but the Party we first saw there did conduct us into the Parlour, where the Gentlewomen the Mistris of the House, did soon after appear and gave us a very kind wellcome, and instantly in a few words, I related my Condition unto her, and what a Danger I had escaped that day: she rejoyced greatly at it, and said that she was heartily glad of my safe Arrivall there, for she had heard much of me, but was never before so happy as to see me, and casting her eyes towards the Chimney, which was then adorned with Summer-like Ornaments, as green Boughs, green Rushes, and Flowers, she meerily said, Sir, though you be a stranger, yet I believe at this time you have more need of a good fire then of green Rushes, and forthwith she commanded her Servants to disrobe the chim­ney of all those Ornaments, and quickly to make a good fi [...]e, which together with a bottle of Sack and other good cates she presented us with, did much refresh us after our wet Jour­ney, and there we both reposed our selves together for that night, and in the morning betimes my loving fellow Travel­ler departed, and wen [...] and certified my Friends, with whom [Page 47] I had formerly been, how well I was got off, and how far I was on ward on my Journey; and soon after that he was gone, I did arise my self, and took some good refreshing, and with much thankfulnesse to the house, I went away, and ben [...] my course towards the other side of Suffolk; and it was well that I made so much has [...]e, for within an hour after that I was gone from thence, (as I was not long after informed) the bold Black-smith and his ragged Regiment were come to that Town, with an Hue and Cry to search after me, but they came a little too late, God be thanked. And yet further also, if it please your Majestie, about a year or two after, I did hear to my great comfort, that this Black-smith was become a con­vert, for whether he was convinced in his conscience, to see the gracious deliverance that God gave me out of his hands, and thereby was occasioned to consider the better of me, and the good Counsell I had given him, or whether he was utter­ly ashamed of the base Treachery that he had practised against me, true it is, that he removed from Dalham to another Town some 7, or 8 Miles off, and there fell quietly to his work, deserted the Rebellion, and never medled any more therein. Now I was upon another foot March, to find out new adventures, and glad to accept of the meanest entertain­ment I could meet withall, being enforced sometimes to lye in a Lowsie Al [...]-house; but in short time I did happily arrive at a Mansion place of good Hospitality, being the refidence of two most Worthy The La­dy Jermy, and the Lady Walde­grave. Ladies, the Mother and the Daughter, being both of them Widdows, and there I met with some Gentlemen that were in mine own predicament, where by these Ladies Noble favour, and free entertainment, together with our own Royal I discourse, we did much revigerate our spirits: And here we had Noble and Free Quarter, for a good time, and yet ever and anon we were Alarumd with those Trooping Spirits, that continually haunted the Country both night and day; for there and at other places where I had formerly been, many times a Messenger would come to the house, and inform the Servants, that if any Gentlemen were there, that loved the King, it were best for them to look to themselves well, for there were Troopers at hand, and upon such warning given, my custome was still to walk out into [Page 48] the Fields, and ruminate; and yet once at a place where I was, being above in a Chamber a reading, the house was fil­led with Troopers before I was aware of it, and I fearing that if they should search the house, and find me there shut up a­lone, they might suspect me, and take me for a prey, did come down confidently amongst them, and talked so boldly, and yet warllie, that the fellows not finding him they looked for, went very fairly away, and had not me in suspition, for ought that I perceived. But now the goodnesse of these Ladies, was a main motive, to make me fearfull of being the least Instru­ment, to occasion them any trouble, and this I feared more then any danger, that could accrew to my self, wherefore I though [...] i [...] not fit to [...]arry there too long at that time, least greater notice should be taken of me, then my private Conditi­on was then ambitious of. And upon this confideration my self and a Divine of good note that was there with me, did soon withdraw our selves to an honest Gentlewomans, that lived very privately, where allowing something for our Die [...]. we lived like to Recluses, allmost as Anchorites: but in a few weeks I was weary of that, and thought it better to live like a Prisoner in my Wifes Custody, then any where else: and therefore I drew towards home, yet not without some ill fa­voured affronts and dangers, too tedious here to relate. Well in the night time I vvent home, and there continued about 3. Months in a little Chamber, never going dovvn, unlesse it vvere in the night, and then my Wife vvould not suffer me to go out neither, untill she had sent some discovering Scout [...] a­broad before me, for indeed sometimes they had espied some good Instruments sculking about my Yards and Orchards, to [...]y surely if they could hear any noise of me, and therefore I vvas driven to speak vvith a more submisse voice then I had formerly used, vvhen I pleaded at the Barr, and yet alas I vvas not afraid of such Wretches at all, but very loth to be a means to encrease their condemnation, by their treacherous murde­ring of me, for othervvise I feared not the face of the proudest Rebell in England, had it been his Oxcellence himself. But I vvas of a stirring Spirit, if it please your Majesty: & could not abide to be alvvayes mued up, and therefore out I vvent again, to venture another voyage, and presented my self to some, [Page 49] that I had good confidence in, and that were sufficiently able to have afforded me good comfort, but alas I did find their looks to be downward, and their courage cold, pretending much fear to entertain such as were in my condition, and this was most irksome to my Genius, to see people of quality more cautious of giving offence to the Devil, and his instru­ments, then they were of shewing any fear towards God, or any love to their King and his Friends, and so this journey of mine producing but little effect, besides mine own grief, tra­vell, and trouble, within a fortnight or thereabouts, I re­turned home again to mine old Cabine, and was then again in danger to have been discovered: for being near my house, it being late in the evening, I met in the High-way with a Cart, and 2, or 3. men therein, and one of them bad me Goodnight, and when they were a little past, I heard one of them say, sure this same was Mr. Wenlock, and another an­swered him, perhaps in good will to me, pish, no, it is not he, for he is quick enough of his tongue, but this man hath been at the Oven lately, meaning I think, that my tongue was ba­ked, and so I could not speak at all; but I knew them well e­nough by their speech, and smiling at it, I passed away in si­lence as whist as a Mouse; and then I continued at home, shut up in solitarinesse for the space of about sixteen weeks, untill the dead time of Winter, and then we had a new ala­rum, that a great number of Troopers were come into the Country very near us, and because no man thereabouts was in any danger then, but my self, therefore my poor Wise be­lieved and was very fearfull that they came to catch or kill m [...], and said, that without doubt they would search the house, and if they found me there, perhaps destroy her, and her Children for my sake, or to that effect; and therefore she did intreat me to depart for a time, and to shift for my self: To [...]id her therefore of these fears, about 4 of the clock in a cold morning, I did march out, going almost up to the knees in Snow, (a good medicine for an antient man, that had kept so long in a close Chamber, by a good fire) yet I went with a constant courage, to keep my Loyalty, and save my Life, and by the mercy of God this Voyage proved more fortu­nate then the former, for I now met with courteous accom­modation [Page 50] where I came. And still my mind did run upon going to Oxford, yet oftentimes I was informed that the New [...] books thundred out Sequestrations against the Estates of all such as were with his Majestie there, or should afterwards re­pair thither; and this I confesse gave an occasion to a strong combate in my soul, desirous I was to do his Majestie the best service I was able, and yet the bowells of compassion towards my Wife and Children, did make me loth to expose them to present ruine, and utter undoing; but ere long I under­stood, that my not repairing to Oxford would not preserve my Family from danger, unlesse I went presently home, and took the Scotch Covenant, paid Taxes, and gave my consent to such other Rebellions actions; but God in his mercy to­wards me, would not suffer my soul to be infected with the leaven of such Poysoned Treacheries, and hereupon I had news too soon, that my Lands and Goods were Sequestred, and my Wife and Children brought into a most distressed and lamentable condition; and now were our miseries almost at the full tide, for I was not able to relieve them, nor they to send me any help at all, upon the greatest need that could happen unto me; for the truth is, that the smell Estate I had, was befallen me not much above 3, or 4. years before these troubles did begin, and the same having been in the hands of a Tenant for term of life, was in a manner forlorne, and in want of much reparation, which to rectifie and make decent for my turn, I had put my self to great costs, in respect whereof I was left very bare of Money at that time, and yet the pittifull pinch was, that I was driven to forsake my new dressed up Nest, before I was well warm therein; and for all this, my chiefest trust and confidence was still in the never fail­ing mercies of my God, and because my case was lawfull and just, I was not affraid also to plead the same before men, that were my greatest Persecutors, and therefore I did write and send to the Committee of Essex, these lines following.

But this Epistle could operate no effect upon the hearts and consciences of these kind of Christians, that were so soundly seasoned with the rage and malice of the first Rebell, and their true and undoubted Father the Devil, and therefore my self and poor Family, could not find the least pity at their hands: And most certain it is, if it please your Majestie, that by some secret instinct from Heaven, and the Observati­ons that I have noted in my reading, I have had the hap in these times to fore-tell many events, that afterwards came to passe, according to my conceit and imagination; and I pray God that this Proverb, Impunitas semper ad deteriora invitat, as I have touched before, be not too truly verified in some of these men; for notwithstanding, that they have so evidently seen the most admirable mercy of God towards your Majestie and these Kingdoms, now so lately made manifest, by the most happy and peaceable conduction of your Majestie to your Royal Throne, and lawfull, and most just indubitable Right; and by the most miraculous preserving of your Princely Person, in the middest & labyrinth of such ineffable dangers, as scarce ever any Prince before your time was in­volved in; yet many of them are not yet sufficiently convin­ced in their Consciences, of the odious crime of their late Rebellion; neither be they truly humbled for their sins, nor strucken with a due remorse of conscience, for their prophane [Page 52] perjuries, and most bloody and horrible impieties, cruelties, and injustice by them committed; neither doth there as yet appear in them the least sparke of grace, to kindle their cha­rity, and quicken them up to those good desires which Gods word, and the truth of Religion doth require at their hands, which i [...], to deal by others as they would be dealt withall themselves, and to make some amends and satisfaction, where they have committed an offence, and wrought an injury: But there is a Generation yet, that think they be in a very se­cure condition, and still look up aloft in place, who together with their perverse complices and adherents, do make as it were a meer mock of Loyalty, that it is not looked upon, nor such as have suffered in that behalf, and do slight and under­value those whom they have for a long while, by their unjust power, pressed down, who notwithstanding if their merits were once truly known, have in reality of truth deserved far better credit and respect in the Kingdom, then any of them­selves: And now that the Wind and Tide is so happily chan­ged, this sort of people, howsoever they did formerly so much contemn, and to speak with reverence, even revile and vilifie your Sacred Majestie, yet now with a false shadow, to serve their own turns, they seem so highly to honour, and superlatively to adore the same, as their carriage and demea­nour doth demonstrate their belief to be, that your Majesties Generall Pardon, with an Act of Indempnity, will be availe­able for them in another World, and pleadable at the High Tribunall, before the most Just and Almighty Judge both of Heaven and Earth, without any Repentance towards God, for their sin, or satisfaction to their Neighbours, whom they have so wickedly and villanously injured, and undone; and this will prove their most dolefull and deadly errour in the conclusion. I beseech the Lord to humble their stout sto­macks, and to mollifie and open their hard stonie hearts, that they may yet understand those things that belong to their eternall peace. And still again in despight of all their Ty­ranny, your Subjects affection stood for Oxford, and I much entreated a Gentleman, whom I knew to have a Son in the Kings Army, to give me the best direction how I might in the safest manner get thither, for if I were taken by the way, [Page 53] and bereaved of that little money which I had, and far re­mote from all my acquaintance, I might hazzard to lie in a Gaol and be starved; and he certified me, that the Journey then was very difficult, but quoth he, I do know of a very good Guide, that knoweth all the shallow Fords in the Rivers, and the best wayes through the Woods, and private places, and if any man help you thither, that I know, it must be he, and when the party comes again into the Country, I will give you notice thereof, and not long after I received a message from this Gentleman, intimating unto me, that the party he told me of would very suddenly be thereabouts, and therefore he wish­ed me to come over, for he believed that I might soon speak with him: I was at that time, as I remember, somewhat re­mote off, but with as much expedition as conveniently might be, I made repair to this Gentlemans house, where I then had newes, that my intended Guide was surprized, and taken prisoner, and so my sport was at a non-plus for that: and further to dishearten me, I had very sad tydings from Oxford, that my Wives most dear and loving brother, and one of the best friends I had, was there departed this life: and likewise within a while after, my eldest son then but a lit­tle youth came trotting alone, about the country to find me out, and to certifie me of the poor and distressed condition that his mother remained in, and thus unda gignit undam, for one miserie succeeded in the neck of another, and yet my comfort was, that God almighty was still the same, and continued in his full power, and to his mercie in the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ, I did still commend the sad condi­tion of my poor Wife and children: indeed their case was much to be lamented, and the rather in regard that my wife was a Gentlewoman, well and tenderly brought up, and now in such extremity of want, as she must turn away all her ser­vants, being not able to keep so much as a maid, to do the ordinary work about the house, but enforced to do all her self, and indeed far more then the weaknesse of her nature was able to passe thorough: for by the means of this her great labour and pains taking, she hath gotten such infirmi­ties, as God he knowes she must of necessitie carry with her to the grave: and when she endeavoured to hire for wages [Page 54] a poor woman to help her, at her greatest need, she could seldome get any, for some of the blind besotted wretches in the town, would still disswade them from comming at her, and cry out, Why, what will you help a Malignant? you'l be soundly punisht for't, or such like words: this was the cha­rity of these deformers, but I believe their religion they had not yet made choice of: Now was my Wife also thorough want compelled to keep her children from the School, that were prompt enough for learning, and this was to her, and to my self especially, who had tasted the fruits of knowledge, a tormenting grief, and to them a losse irreparable, she was also enforced, to sell away a great part of the houshold stuff, she had yet left her, at a mean rate, for money to buy her self and her poor children some bread: and in a short time her small stock being exhausted and spent, they were all so humbled and brought low, as they did almost forget their former condition of life, and what they had beene: and according to the manner of the poor people in that Countrie, and to preserve themselves from starving altogether, they were contented to learn to handle the Wheel and Cardes, such greasie Instruments, as they had never before in their lifes time, med­dled with, and I have often much marvelled how they could ever fadge withall: but necessity had then no law to help it self; Venter non habet aures, for alas hunger is a sharp saw [...]e: & thus by the Instruction and aid of an honest poor woman, that dwelled very near them, they did begin by this their unusu­al and hard labour, to earn something towards a poor living, and in this so mean and dejected an Estate, they did continue for a long time: and yet my Wife having still good Clothes to put on, would sometimes on the Sundaies trim up her self, and some of her Children, and go to the Parish Church: where one day as she drew near the same, instead of Christian and Neighbourly comforts, fit to be tendred to a G [...]ntlewo­man in her distress, there was a couple of the wise Townsmen, that met her upon the Church green, and told her, that they had order from the Committees, to warn her to depart out of her house: whereunto she answered, that the house was part of her jointure, and she would for no mans pleasure depart out of it, upon such terms, unlesse she were pulled [Page 55] out by force, and hereupon one of them replyed, that's well, and said to his Fellow, she will ere it be long, prove as bad a Malignant as her Husband: and most strange it is, if it please your Majesty, to consider and observe the more then barbarous baseness, that the Country thereabouts was then bewitched with, and that the cursed maintaining of a trea­cherous and rebellious fa [...]tion, should make them so blind, as to bereave them of all sense of Religion, Rea [...]on, and Hu­manity: for true enough it is, that although my Wife had then lived with me in that Town and at [...]h [...]ster, for the time of about twenty years before: and that envy it self could not alledge against her, but that she had ever appro­ved her selfe to be a most harmlesse quiet, loving and kind Neighbour to all sort [...] of People wha [...]soever, and was like­wise well known to be none of the meanest breed, being the daughter of an antient Esqui [...]e of good [...]ank, who had servedMichaell Dalton, Esq and Sir J [...]hn Dalton, Knight. his Prince and Country in the place and [...]ffice of a Justice of the Peace and Q [...]orum, for the space of fifty years together, and one of the Masters of the high Court of Chancery, and also Sister unto a noble, learned and courtly accomplished Knight, who was his late Majesties Servant in Ordinary, and died at Oxford in the prime of his flourishing years, by whose means if these distractions had not happened, your Subject, his Wife and Children might well have [...]eaped the benefit, of some thousand [...] of p [...]unds, as he is well able to make ma­nifest: and yet neither the goodnesse and innocency of my Wife, nor the worth and quality of her [...]riends, would pro­cure her the least [...]espect▪ in this time of her dejection; for there was neither Knight, Esqui [...]e, Gentleman, or others of any quality in all that Quarter, that would take any notice of her sad and helpl [...]sse Condition, o [...] vouchsafe so much as to look upon he [...] in the way of afford [...]ng her the least comfort or curtesie, in this time of her want, & great Extremity; and this was enough to kill the heart of her, that formerly had the enjoyments of so many worthy Friends, and Allies with pleasure and plenty▪ and yet by [...]he mercy of God she is still alive and [...] sho [...]ld heartily rejoyce to live a while longer with her, if it shall [...] please God, that I may prove an Instru­ment to make her some amends, for these her great suffer­ings and afflictions; and I hope that my Countrymen of all [Page 56] sorts, will in time be truly sensible of their errors and fail­ings, and learn to know their duties towards God, their King, and their Neighbours, in remembring the good Example of Zach [...]us in the Gospell: and I most heartily wish, that they were but so willing to acknowledge and be sorry for their follies, as I am ready to embrace them in the Armes of my Charity, for I have learned, that I must render good for evil, and I thank God I am so much a Christian, as I would much rejoyce, in doing a true curtesie for the worst enemy that ever I had; for alas it was then a most lamentably besotted, and blindly zealous corner, and the symptomes of that Sick­ness do still cleave so close to some of them, as they be scarce as yet sanae memoriae: besides I was then a notorious Ma­lignant in their reputation, but vulgaris reputatio non est ve­ritas, and their conceits alone, unlesse they now rellish of some Repentance, will hardly render them excusable ano­ther day. But some may conjecture that there had been some grand misprision or miscarriage in my behaviour, in former times, because the Country was now so generally [...]et against us, and so regardless of all our ruines: I shall therefore most humbly present your Majesty with a brief Relation and true accompt, of the Ordinary course of my life, and habituall conversation from my Youth; (yet ever imploring the mercies of God in the merits of my Jesus for the pardon of my humane frailties) and then let Envy it self disprove me if it can; So soon as I had any know­ledge in the Scripture and Law of God, I did much trem­ble thereat, and was not bold to break and infringe the same; and when I had attained some taste of understanding in the municipall Laws of my native Country, I did endea­vour to frame unto myself a method of obedience and con­formity thereunto, and also to the Church Government, not for fashion, but for Conscience sake: I did alwayes con­tend to be just and righteous in my profession, and I may say to my comfort, that I never wilfully betrayed any mans case, or craftily deluded or abused any Client, but [...]as ever constant and carefull to keep my Faith, and credit with all such as have reposed any confidence in me: and some can tell, that my Integrity therein, hath procured me more losse then gain; and considering the little practise [Page 57] that I have met with, I may comparatively, and yet without offence, speak it, that for little or no Fees, I have done as many Friendly offices, especially for the poorest sort of peo­ple, as some others of my time: And besides that, I was other­wise liberall, free-hearted, and open-handed to the poor and needy, rather beyond and above my ability, then under it; and I dare say, that in love and charity towards my poor Neighbours, in the good time of Christmass, I have frequent­ly spent at my house in one day, more good meat and drink, then my Wife and Children since these times of trouble, have been partaker [...] of in a whole year. And to my Superiors and Equall [...], I was ever respectfull and serviceable enough, where I found t [...]e least good countenance; and to the Vulgar I wanted no courtesie, but was rather too open and familiar to them, then otherwise: But I must confesse to your Majestie, that I wa [...] yet inf [...]cted with a notorious and insufferable in­firmity, in any man of Art, that intended to flourish, or at least to keep himself secure from danger, in these late corrup­ted times; for I confesse that all the Grammer and Learning I had, was not able to make a good Construction of that old Rule, that hath been lately so much practised by too many, Qui nescit dissimulare, nescit vivere; for still I thought the sen­tence was imperfect, and that malè, or injustè, or some such Adverb of the like signification, must be added in the end thereof, to make it up a true and perfect sentence, and there­fore being so weak a Schollar in this point, and altogether destitute of the facultie, or rather frensie of dissimulation in that nature, I still continued my constant and common course, in the pathetical reproving of those Epidemical vice [...] of Schism, Sedition, and Rebellion, in all places and persons without exception, and very seldome spared any man; and this was the cause I conjecture, that the restie and galled jades, when they had once gotten their teeth and heel [...] at liberty, did bite so venemously, and kick so sorely against me and my distressed Family, for my sake: For as they were still in con­tempt and penury at home, so was not my self oftentimes out of danger and vexation abroad, for in many places where I came, I did perceive that although they loved my Person, and the cause for which I suffered, very well, yet they were still [Page 58] affraid of being Plundered forsooth, or to fall into some other danger, for giving me entertainment, if my condition were once discovered; and this sometimes did enforce me to a little more silence, then I did believe my cause and duty re­quired: And that was difficult and irksome enough to my Genius, and made me many times depart soon from some houses, where I could otherwise have been contented to tarry longer: At length I came into some parts of high Suffolk, where I had divers Kindred and Acquaintance, and indeed there I found very courteous and free entertainment, for a long time, and yet I must still meet with some rubs, for being at a Kinsmans house in the Borough of Eye, and that wasHenry Whitcroft Gent. one of the Aldermen there, upon a time another Gentleman that was an Alderman there also, did request me in kindnesse to walk with him to an Inn [...], to take some little chearfull refreshing, and we being there together in a room, wit [...] some others, after a while in comes a Trooper, who being [...]d and born in that Town, was known to the parties, and therefore some of them did invite him to sit down; and some discourse then happening amongst us, concerning the times, I did stoutly vindicate and maintain his Majesties right, and the justnesse of his cause, and much inveighed a­gainst the schism and rebellion, which had so foully infected the Nation, and bewitched so many: and thereupon my self, and this Trooper grew at some difference in word, and yet I confesse I was not fearfull of any danger from him, in regard he was known to those that were then about me, and whom he might well perceive to be my Friends, and yet thus it chanced, that I having some occasion to walk out into the yard, this wretch sone followed me, and drawing his Sword, did ran full at me, when I had not so much as [...] stick in my hand, and he might easily have killed me, if God in his mer­cy had not given me the courage, and agility presently to put by his thrust with my hand, and then nimbly getting within him, we were soon espied by some that were near, and so were parted: and as foolish hare braind and mad as this fellow then was, yet not long after it pleased God (to whom be the praise) so mercifully to open his eyes, and convert him, that he laid down his armes, utterly deserting the Rebellion, [Page 59] and fell to his wonted work and labour again; and (as I have been many times told) cryes out against their villanous do­ings to this very day: But within a while after that I had escaped the danger of this late event, my Kinsman was sent for by his Brethren, to come to their Moothall, and there they did much question with him, what Gentleman it was that then kept at his house, and what was the occasion that he tar­ried there so long: and he gave them answer in truth, that I was his near Kinsman, and also told them my name, and in­deed he needed not to be very chary thereof, for most of them did already know me well enough, but quoth he, how it com­meth to passe, that I have so much the fruition or enjoyment of his good company at this time, I do not certainly know, neither is it evill for me to demand a reason of my Friend, why he doth [...]arry so long at my house; but very soon after there came a kind of a scurvy Captain to my Kinsmans house, and made an inquiry for me, and said, that if I continued thereabout, I would suddenly be had, and this was only to drive me away from my friends, and so to expose me to more vexation, travell, and trouble, for sure enough they would have laid hands upon me, and kept me as a Prisoner, if they had known how to have gotten any thing by the bargain, but they had heard that all was taken from me already, and so there was nothing more to be got; and this was the principal Antidote, next to the mercy of God, that preserved my body from the fury of their greedy and ravenous jaws: But I took this fellows words as a fair warning, and therefore finding my self to be thus ferritted, the next morning being Sunday, in the most private way that I could, I soon bolted out of that Borough, and by the means of a Gentleman of mine acquain­tance, I was conducted to the house of an honest substantial, and Gentile Tenant, belonging to that Honourable Knight of Now the Right Honou­rable the Ld. Corn­wallis. Brome hall; where although I had no acquaintance, yet my condition being once understood by him and his wise, I was as lovingly used and made wellcome, as if I had been their own Brother; and here in quiet I refreshed my self for divers dayes together, at that time, and afterwards when I came into those parts again, I did repair to the same house, and alwayes received there the like loving and comfortable entertainment. And now from this house I marched into [Page 60] Norfolk, and there at a * Kinsmans house called Little Thorp Rebert Bog [...], Gent. Hall, that stood somewhat privately from Neighbours, I re­ceived much comfort, and very good free Quarter for a long time, and I do truly acknowledge, that I was much beholding to himself, and his good Wife, and Family, and to some o­ther Gentlemen at Dickleborough, and thereabouts: And then also I was much engaged unto a vertu [...]us and generous Wid­dow, the Relict of George Gawdie, Esq and to others of her worthy alliance; And further, by the means of this my Kinsman, I was brought into acquaintance with divers other honest Gentlemen of Quality, from whose hands I received much curtesie, and respect; And yet ere long, if it please your Majestie, I must undertake another venture and voyage; for being at Blofield Parsonage beyond Norwich, where I found the Gentlewoman of the house in desolation and danger, in re­gard her Husband was departed from her, and gone to Oxford for his safety, and yet she had still good means to subsist with­all; but I observing some passages of discontent and trouble to be amongst them, the same did the more lively and sharply represent to my understanding and thoughts, the sad and more miserable condition of my poor wife and children, who had very little or nothing at all, wherewith to help them­selves: and yet I think that a while before, the Committees for very shame had laid them out a fifth part, but alas it was little benefit to them, because they had no means to manage & stock the same. And now having not seen my wife nor a­ny of hers, but my eldest Son for the space of a whole year and more, I was not able any longer to absent my self: and yet to go home amongst them, was danger enough to me: and as their indigent condition then stood, it was but cold comfort sufficient to kill the heart of us all, to meet together and to see that unwonted want, and never-before known povertie and miserie of one another. But God be praised for it, I had still the testimonie of mine own conscience to comfort me, in the midst of these our sad calamities, that I had wilfully done no wrong to any man: For indeed that very thing for which the people esteemed me to be their worst enemy, was the tru­est manifestation and most infallible sign of my sincere love, best affection, and faithfull friendship towards them, in the [Page 61] reproving of their grosse errors: and I may truly say, that as mine innocencie was bold, so was mine affliction bitter; and yet all the sufferings that ever I tasted of, had they been far greater, could never so much vex and torment my soul, as it grieved me to see my [...] seduced Countrimen and neigh­bours, so madly to run on hea [...]long to their own ruin [...], de­struction and damnation: But I still prayed to the God of Heaven, desiring their tru [...] conversion; and that my self and mine might obtain the grace with faith, and patience to con­sider and say, with holy Job; Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked shall I return again, the Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away, and blessed be the name of the Lord: and shall we receive good from the hands of God and not evill: remembring also that it hath been the portion of my betters and superi­ours in all successions of ages, to be vilified and persecuted for speaking of the truth, and yet God grant that I and all mine may evermore be mindfull of this Adage, Strive for the truth unto the death, and the Lord shall give thee life. Now if it please your Majestie, having formerly sent a Letter to my wife in­treating her to use the best means, that she was able, to give me a meeting in Cambridgeshire, at the house of a nobly bred Gentlewoman, that was her mother-in-law, and a widdow, where I was confident we could not fail of a free, cordial and kind welcome, it was therefore at that present my chiefest care and task how to conveigh my self thither, and to be o [...] the place appointed within the time limited, according to my promise: I was then divers miles beyond Norwich, and the journey I had to take in hand, I beleeve extended to three­score miles at the least, I had no horse, and my whole stock of money which I then had, was but only a pair of single two-pences, yet the heighth of my courage and confidence, would not permit me to make manifest my necessities at that time, which if I had done, I well know that there were some in the house, from whence I was then to begin my journey, that would willingly to their power have furnished me with monie, although they were like enough afterwards to want it themselves as the world went: for some of them long before had afforded me friendship in that kind, upon their own ac­cord, without any request of mine, but now providence [Page 62] would not permit them to offer me any such curtesie, perhaps because the Lord was intended to let me see, how a­bundantly he was able to make provision for me some other wayes beyond my expectation: well, when I was about to depart, there being a young Scholar in the house which in the Doctors absence was Curate of the Parrish, he most kind­ly proffered his service, to go with me 2 or 3. miles onwards of my Journey, and Sir, quoth he, if it please you to ride so far as the Ferry, you shall have my nagg, it will ease you a little, and I will walk thither on foot, and see you ferried over and so return, I thankfully accepted of his love, and thus we went away together, and anon we passed the ferry, & the Schollar generously paid the ferriman, or else the moiety of my small stock had been in hazard, and past recovery, and then also he spent a groat more upon me, at the house near the fer [...]y, and [...]o we lovingly parted. Away I marched to a Gentlemans house of good quality which had been mine acquaintance from my youth, who had seen me lately in that Country, and invited me to his hou [...]e, but now when I came there, the hardnesse of my happ was such, as the Gentleman and his wife were both from home, and I being unknown to the se [...]vants, must be content to passe away with a cup of beer, and a few good words: and yet before night I did well arrive at an honest Vicars house near Norwich, where I found good quarter, for as long time as I pleased to tarry, and then he lent me a horse, and conducted me himself to a Gentle­mans house about 8. miles further, and there we parted, from thence I marched on foot a while after, and there was a Gen­tleman then living there, that was so kinde as to walk a mile or two with me, and as we went together he asked me, if I were well monified to passe thorough my journey, I answer­ed him, that I had but very little money, and yet a good courage still, for to tell you the truth, quoth I, there is but one groat about me: alas he replyed, that he was sorry that my want was not knowen before I came from the house, for if it had, there would have been a supply made; but he told me that he had but little money about him at that time, but Sir quoth he, here is a sh [...]lling if you please to accept of it, this will give you a bait as you travel; I had put up worse wrongs be­fore, but seldom so small a fee, & yet for the augmentation of [Page 63] my little stock, I was well contented to take it and put it up, and [...]o after a little further walk and discourse, we two in loving manner did part asunder. And soon after this I did well arrive, at my said Kinsmans house called Thorp Hall: and there resting my self for some few dayes, by the love and kindnesse of him, and one Mr. Cartwright a Divine, that li­ved near, I was freely furnished with an able horse to travell some part of my journey, and also with other good accom­modations that were very expedient for me, at that time, and to avoid further prolixity in the relation of the severall par­ticulars and passages of that my Voyage; so it was that it pleased God to procure me so much favour and friendship at the hands of divers Gentlemen, as I passed along the Country, that I was then never destitute of a good Horse to carry me from one Stage to another, no [...] yet of any other necessaries that were requisite for mine use: for just upon the very day that long before I had appointed with my Wife to give her this meeting, I came riding up the Town towards t [...]e place in this postu [...]e; I was bravely mounted upon an excellent good N [...]g, with money jingling in my Pocket, and a compleat Foot-man in his Coat well accom­plished [...]unning by my Horse side; in this manner I approa­ched the house, and I dare say that I was more truly well­come, then some Lords would have been at that time, as the case stood, and yet no Wife of mine appeared that night: the next day I went to visit the Vicar of the Parish, which had joyned us together in Holy Matrimony above twenty years before; and then I presented him with a brief Relati­on of my late Voyage, and that the principall occasion of my coming thither at that time was to meet with my Wife, tel­ling him also, that I feared she was not well, in regard I did not hear of her according to the intent & direction of my last let­ter sent unto her; surely quoth he, there i [...] some obstacle in the way that hinders much, but if you please to be content Sir, you shall soon know what the matter is, for my Brother hath a good Horse, and I will send him over to your house, and he shall bring you notice how things are there at the present, and what is the reason that Mrs. W [...]nlock doth not come as yet: I was much glad of his kind offer, & so not long after the Messenger was sent accordingly, & returning the next day he [Page 64] did certifie me, that my Wife and Children were in good health, and that the Cause that she came not, was for that she could not procure Horses as yet to bring her thither, and alas she was not then so much as worth one her self, being very loth also to trouble her Friends in Cambridgeshire so much, as to send so far for Horses to convey her thither, but she ho­ped that ere it were long, she should find a means to come and see me, and the residue of her good Friends there, and accordingly within a week or two after she did come, and there by the large and loving respect of that noble Gentlewo­man her mother-in-law, and another good Lady the relict of my wives brother before mentioned, we did enjoy a free and cordial entertainment, with much solace and com [...]ort: but this our glimpse of happinesse if it please your Majesty, did admit but of a very short continuance, and must soon suffer an eclipse, for we had not been thus together much above a week, but some that I fear resolved to work us mis­chief, were as evidently envious that any other should do us any good, for there was a Letter conveyed unto me, which came from my wives own Nephew, her deceased elder bro­thers Son, who was then a Deputy Lieutenant of the Shire, a Justice of the Peace, and one of the Grandees of the Com­mittee, or English Inquisition, intimating unto me, That he well understood, in what place my abiding was at that time, and also how violent my ordinary and constant discourse was against their proceedings, and therefore I must not be suffer­ed by any means to rest any longer in that Country; But an Order should presently be taken to apprehend and secure me, or to this effect, with some other passages therein very abusive and scandal [...] us to my credit: a notable Nephew and sincere Saint in the interim, thus to offer me such a reform­ing curte [...]e in this case of my calamity, and so Iudas-like to go about to betray, and aff [...]ight his loving & harmlesse Aunt, (after so many bitter pills of affliction, as she had formerly swallowed) and only upon this occasion, because she had a Husband that durst speak the truth; a coarse complement from a true Christian, or a generous Gentleman; and yet we were in doubt that he might prove a man of his word, and therefore to avoid our own danger, and the detriment that might arise to the house thereby, the next day with [Page 73] sorrowfull hearts we went away from thence, to shift about as well as we could; But so soon as I was gotten out of his purlieu, I saluted his worship with a thundring Epistle, enough to startl [...] and rowse his conscience, if he had any▪ and I do hope that my reproof and good Counsell, did work something upon him, for after this, I ventured divers times to come into that Country again, and yet I never heard of him any more in this kind: And the truth is, as I have been credibly informed, that upon the most barbarous assassnati­on, and more then hideous and horrible Murdering of his late Sacred Majestie, this grosly seduced young Gentleman was strucken with such terrour and amazement in his soul, that he presently deserted and gave over all his Offices and places of trust and command, and was never after that any agent or instrument in that devillish Rebellion: and here­upon within a while following he was in great danger him­self, and had surely been sequestred, had it not pleased God in his mercy to take him away from his Wordly Estate here, that was fair and great, and to give him I hope upon his true Repentance, a farr more Blessed and Glorious habitation i [...] the Heavens to all Eternity. And so I trust that for our Eternal good, the Lord was pleased to lay out for us the bitter portion to be such pitifull pilgrims; but my Wifes condition could not long endure this manner of misery, for she of necessity must go home again to her poor Children, where alass there was little left but the bare walls, and their own weak labours and endeavours, to sustain themselves withall; and I must still travell about I knew not well whi­ther, and my successe and fortune was very various, some­times fair and pleasant, and soon again stormy and trouble­some, and yet I confesse and praise the goodnesse of God, I did meet with many good Friends, whose names and chari­table deeds towards me and mine, were too tedious here to be related, but I hope they shall not be forgotten in Heave [...]; and yet I should think my self guilty of ingratitude, if I should not make mention of the many good respects and great kindnesse which I received at the hands of a Noble hearted Gentlewoman then dwelling at Hit [...]am in Suffolk, who was a deep sufferer her own self; namely Mris. Bing, the Wife of Henry Bing Esq then a Captain in his Majesties [Page 74] Armie, and the Grandchild unto that honourable and famous Father of the Law Sir Edw. Coke Knight, late Lord Chief Justice, &c. and also from the hands of another worthy Gentlewoman in the same parish, who was likewise a great sufferer, namely Mistris Breton, the wife of Mr. Lawrence Bre­ton Batchelour in Divinitie, a learned orthodox and wor­shipfull Divine. Neither must I omit the remembrance of the good love and favour of my noble and old acquaintance Sir William Denny of Norfolk Baronett, nor the great kind­nesse of Thomas Jermy of Me [...]field in Sussex Esq Son and Heir of Sir Thomas Jermy Knight of the B [...]h, and of John Ris­by of Tho [...]p Esq Nor the kind love of my Reverend and worthy Friends Doctor Pierse of Wangford, Mr. Thomas Greek Rector of Carl [...]on, whose Grandfather I take it was one of the Barons of the Exchequer; M [...]. Sendall R [...]ctor of Brin [...]kley, and Mr. Ʋnderwood Rector of Cheving [...]on: and although they bee l [...]st here mentioned, yet meriting of me as much respect as any two friends that I found in all my travels; viz. my loving Kinsman Mr. James Floid then of Weston in Cambridgeshire, and Mr. Tho. Ward of Abington. Thus after a long and tedi­ous perigrination I came at length by the mercie of God to the Mansion-house again of the two good Ladies before men­tioned, and having heard that his late Majestie had deserted Oxford and rendred himself to the Scots, it was verily thought and expected by manie, that they would have proved more honest men then the sequ [...]le declared them to be, and that by their means the▪ vast differences in the kingdom might possibly have met with some mild and reasonable reconciliation: and hereupon, and in respect of these hopes, your Majesties Sub­ject after his so long absence, had animum revertendi, a minde homewards, and therefore intreated the good Ladies that he might s [...]d for his wife to have some conference with her, whereby he might understand how the pass [...]g [...] went in hiw own Countrie, how the people were still inclined and af­fected, and what was like to be the worst proof or hazard of that his dangerous design of returning home: to this the La­dies most lovingly accorded and agreed, and forthwith a means was made to fetch my Wife thither unto me, where being together, I soon perceived by her discourse, that the [Page 75] people having been so long pinched with payments, and their purses so sore exhausted, were not altogether so hot and vio­lent in their mad humours, nor so malitiously bent against those that did oppose their doing [...], as formerly they had been, when the fire of sedition was first blown up and kindled amongst them: And after much questioning and discourse between us, whereby I did soon perceive the great want and penury that both her self and my poor Children then lived in, my heart was much melted thereat, and I told her, that the bowells of my compassion were so much moved, as that I could no longer absent my self from amongst them, but if God gave me leave I would very suddenly return home, what­soever became of me; Alas, quoth she, I fear that will not be the best way, for if they do lay you in Prison, where can you get means to find your self sustenance? and if they do let you alone at home in quiet with us, yet how can we possibly make any shi [...]t to maintain you? for all that we have or can earn, is too little to buy our selves Victuals, and no body thereabouts will trust us for so much as a loaf of bread: Well, said I, let us be yet contented, and wait still upon God; thou knowest that I have a faculty to help my self, and if it be once known that I am come home again, I believe that some will repair unto me for Counsell, or to make Conveyances▪ and other Writings, and so perhaps I may get something to help to support you and my self: Alas, answered she, I doubt that the most part of the people thereabout do still so hate you for so strongly opposing their doing [...], as they will hard­ly come at you upon any occasion, to do you any good: Ye [...], quoth I, they will be willing enough, to serve their own turn [...]; and I thank God I have the testimony of mine own conscience, that I have deserved no man [...] hatred, in the way of my profession, for I was alwaye [...] diligent to deal honestly therein, and if they be not stone-blind, my present suffering [...] will give them a greater proof and experiment of my integri­ty, then ever they had before. And thus committing my self and my case to the mercy of my God, within a few dayes after that my Wife was gone home, I my self followed, and with confidence went openly home to mine own house, after sundry years absence; and the Sunday after I repaired to the [Page 76] Parish Church, where I had not been in almost four years be­fore, and therefore might expect the welcom of a great stran­ger: after the Sermon ended the Parson with admiration lif­ting up his hands did salute me, and congratulated my safe and happie return to mine own home; I thanked him, and said that I trusted in God that my return would not redound to my detriment, in the conclusion, for I was not in the least degree perverted in my judgement, but in the same mind that I travelled abroad in the same I was now come home again: I could not dissemble at the first, neither will I at the last, and howsoever this my assertion was then rellished I know not, but both the Parson and his Curate, returned me thi [...] fair answer, That it was a good resolution not to dissemble: and yet neither of them had faith and courage enough to follow my steps, although I had chalked them out the way: Well in this condition I continued freely uttering my mind in the truth of my heart, to all men upon everie fit occasion: and soon after I sent my Son with a Letter to a Knight in Essex that was then able to have done us a favour, but he was very rigid, and told my Son that he had heard before; how I was c [...]me home, and that a course would be taken with me ere it were long, and that he vvould by no means have any confe­rence vvith me, unlesse it vvere at the C [...]mmittee Table, vvhi­ther I disdained to go, except I vvere carried perforce; yet after a serious consideration vvith my self of the great and pressing extremities, that vve groaned under, and of the true and just equitie of my cause, I did deem it not unlavvfull to re­lieve my self vvith mine ovvn, if vvith any conveniencie I could effect the same; and therefore not fearing the face of their ty­rannie, I resolved to look upon them, and to hear vvhat they were able to alledge against me, and by Scrip [...]ure, Law and Reason to justifie my doings: but first I set forth in a Paper a Summarie Relation of our lamentable Wants and miseries, and then desired that I might have my land in mine own pos­session, paying out a tribute although it were more then the assessments did amount unto: and this I would truly have paid with a [...] good affection and devotion, as ever I should have paid it to the Turk, if his forces had over-run this Na­tion: and upon the day which the Knight had appointed to [Page 77] my Son, that I should come to Colchester, thither I trotted on foot: and being become a stranger there also, by the mean [...] of my long absence, I was not much ashamed boldly to in­quire for the Committees, but none I could find out, perhaps they were affraid to meet that day, lest I should trouble their pati [...]nce with some parables of truth. Yet at length I found ou [...] where on [...] of them wa [...], but my businesse was out of his way, for he came only to receive mo [...]ie, which t [...]e Under Publican [...] did bring in without fear or wit, and when he heard that I was in the house, he sent me word that he would come and wait upon me; No quoth I to the Messenger, I must wait up­on him a [...] the case standeth: in troth the Gentleman had been my old acquaintance and my client, and I was not jealous at all of being bold with him, but up I went where I found him in the midst of his treasure, with mani [...] Countrimen about him with their hats off, and purses [...]mptie, for he was a man of a quick receipt, and verie good acceptance, and truly he re­ceived me with more fair curtesie then I could ever have ex­pected from any man in so soul a function: We two with­drew a while and had some conference, I shewed my paper a­foresaid and left it with him, intreating him to communicate it to the rest of his brethren the Committees when they met, and desire them to consider of it, and that I might soon know the result of their considerations therein: all this he promi­sed me faithfully to perform, but I heard no more of the Com­mittees, nor they of me for 3. or 4. years after. And being thus left destitute of all manner of relief from these Religious Rebels, although I desired n [...]t so much of them as was duly and truly mine own both in Law, Reason and Religion, yet their wretched and perverse wills most vvickedly contradict­ing all the sound and perfect rules both of divinitie and hu­manitie, therefore my poor distressed companie must still con­tinue in that irksom and greafie trade of carding and spinning, to my no little grief and vexation, and yet oftentimes I did encourage them to wait upon God with patience, and to re­member how their Fathers Loyaltie was the occasion of their present miserie: and although that the root which they now tasted of were bitter, yet it might produce and bring forth some better and more pleasant fruit in the [Page 78] end: and I did oftentimes merrily tell them, that upon the matter, they were in truth the Kings Spinners, and therefore people of a farr better rank and quality then the base World esteemed them to be, and thus with as much alacrity as I could, I waded thorough a sea of miseries, continuing still in my discourse, and otherwise as true stout and high a Roy­alist I beleeve, as ever breathed in England: insomuch that divers of the blind beetles would say, that I was as bad still as ever I had been, and that it was pity that I was suffered, but I little regarded their censure, knowing that it was my duty to speak aloud, when the Glory of my God, the Honour and Safety of my King, and the good and quiet of my Native Country, was in so great hazard or j [...]opardy. One Sunday a [...] I came walking with the Minister from Church and many others following of u [...] close at the Heels, I said unto him, that above all men I did much wonder at those of his Coat, which had so grossely forgotten themselves; for I beleeve said I, that if it pleased God to permit the Devill himself, to assume the shape of a man, and to put on a Parsons Gowne, and come up into a Pulpit to preach, yet he is so knowing a Spirit, and doth so tremble at the Judgement to come, as he never durst entertain the impudence to utter so much Blas­phemy and Treason as some of yo [...] have ventured upon: A­nother time I told him that it behoved him to be very cauti­ous of medling in such matters, for if he chanced to offend i [...] that nature, his offence would be greater then other men [...], he asked me why so? and I made him answer, the reason was a­parent, for there be many shuttle braind Fellow [...] that have lately come into a Pulpit, who trusting to a confused memo­ry and the volubility of the tongue, do often times ex impr [...] ­vis [...], and without any premeditation, presume to vent and ut­ter some und [...]cent and irreligious absurditie [...], whose rashness [...]s to be pitied, and doth somewhat extenuate though not ex­cuse their presumptuous folly and prophanesse: but you it is well known do study and write down every word in your Sermon, and make a constant use of your papers in the Pulpit, and therefore if any vain impertinent or [...]rronious doctrine doth proceed from you, it must of necessity be after your pre­meditations, and so upon malice prepensed, which is a sin with [Page 79] a witness and much aggravates your offence and makes it the more unpardonable; and certainly my plain dealing did the man no harmor prejudice, for he waxed still more and more moderate, but I could not endure to come at his Mock fasts and Thankgivings, but ever diswaded him therefrom, with the best reasons I could remember either out of the Scrip­ture, or other Learned or Historicall Authors; and once I told him that I much feared I should forsake his Church, I hope not so quoth he, yes truly said I, for I do seldome come there but I see that which doth much offend me, I pray Sir what is that quoth the Parson? I answered him, that when­soever I stood up in my Pew being so near the Pulpit, I could not chuse but espy his Directory, or Devils story lie still in his Desk, and I could not endure to behold such an uggly and deformed Imp of schisme and sedition: and then he re­plyed unto me, that if it offended me I might take it away if I pleased; not so quoth I, for it is a parcell of your Chur­ches goods, and so I may be questioned for committing of Sacrilege, I will by no means soul my hands by medling with it, but if it lies there long, I will not come at the Church: the next time I went, the bable was gone, and departed down I think to the place of darknesse where it was first hat­ched, for I never saw any more of it. Now about the time that his late Majesty was brought from Holmby to Newmarket, there was news spread about that the sad affairs of the Nati­on would soon be drawn to a better passe, and that his Gra­tious Majesty should be restored to his Regal rights: and we that were sufferers to our lands again, with some recom­pence for our former losses; and upon these reports the Se­questrators and their Adherents, that seldome or never thought upon God, did begin yet to be afraid of the law and the Lawyer, and thereupon they presently deserted and wholly gave over the possession of my Lands: and soon af­ter without any application to the Committees, or any of their great Masters that set them on work; I made an entry upon the most part of my Estate, and held the same untill some were so venturous as to hire some part of the Land of me to farm, and the rest I kept in my hands and made hay in my Meadowes, and got money for it, and took in Cattle to pasture upon my ground, for I had not▪ moneys enough to [Page 80] buy anie my self, neither durst I procure anie means to have cattel of mine own, lest the seditious should drive them away. But now by the help of a little Countrie practice in my pro­fession, and these monies taken for hay and pasture, our con­dition was much amended and our hearts so well refreshed, as we did a little remember our selves, and so we did totally de­sert the cards and the wheel, and began to appear and shew our selves in a gentile garbe again, in hope that the most part of the storm had been over, but alas the worst was yet to come. But my courage being high, and remembring the cruelties that my poor wife had sustained, and undergone by these vil­lains, in the time of my absence, for one of them that had hi­red some of my land of the Sequestrators, and had been a ser­vant and retainer to my house near fortie years, and had also received many benefits and favours at my hands, did notwith­standing denie and forbid my Wife, to take any fewell for her own use, out of the lands of her own joynture, but selled and took what he listed for himself: and therefore I had a great mind to [...]kar [...] such wretche [...], and commenced divers actions at Law against them, for the recovering of the mean profit [...] of my Land, and for other wrongs which I had received by them, not doubting, that the Judges who were sworn to do Justice, could either in Law or conscience direct a Jurie to find against me, being there was no obstacle or obstruction in my way, but only an Ordinance made by a rent piece, or patch of a prodigious Parliament, and yet I had heard that their Cou [...] of injust indempnitie, would surely stop my proceedings at Law, and neverthelesse I had a strong Zeal to be still an in­strument to open mens ei [...], and to let the people see and learn what the Law was, although my self [...]aped no other benefit by the bargain: and indeed there was one which had poss [...]ss­ [...]d the most part of my Land, and who not long before I had seriously reproved for his so doing, and said that I much mar­velled at him above others, for I had conceived a better opi­nion of him in former times, and his excuse was only this, that if he had not hired my Land somebody else would; ala [...] quoth I if another will do wickedly, is that a sufficient war­rant for you to do the like? No surely, for if there were no receivers, there would be but fevv Theeves, and if there had [Page 73] been no such Creatures as you to hire our Lands, and to buy and embezle our goods, there would hardly have been any such impudent and impious Wretches to deprive and rob us of the same; and certain said I, there is a time when you shall come to a strict and bitter accompt for these things, and if you chance to die soon and so escape Justice and Pu­ishment in this World, yet you shall be sure to hear of it hereafter; he asked me when; and I told him at the day of Judgement: well quoth he if I may tarry so long I do not greatly care, I was sorry to hear him speak so like an Atheist, and said unto him, alas poor man, that time may come before thou art aware of it, for as Death doth leave thee, so Judgement shall find thee, and therefore repent in time, this man was a pure Pretender to Religion, a frequent hearer of Sermons at home and Lectures abroad: and this was the only Party that after his arrest at my suite, did apply himself to their Court of Indempnity, and there getting an Order against me, did upon a Sunday serve it upon me in the Church-porch, I looked on it, and when I perceived the Contents thereof, I cast it on the ground at my feet, before the face of him that gave it into my hands: and surely I had been soundly cate­chis'd for this contempt of their usurping proud Luciferian Authority, (esteemed of me as much as a Lowse, one of the Plagues of Aegipt) if Providence had not presently brought those Noble Lords, together with our Valiant and Beloved Country man Sir Charles Lucas into Essex in armes, and that for a time did mittigate my Martyrdome, and I was trium­umphantly glad to hear of their Approach: and I dare swear it for a truth, that if I had been Master of as many men as ever X [...]rxes commanded, and as much Treasure as ever Croesus enjoyed, all had been suddenly sent to their succour and assistance; but alas I had then, but one Jewell of any worth that was fit for service, and this was my Eldest Son, a Youth of about eighteen years of Age, whom I loved dearly, and was very loth to loose him, and yet willing to venture him upon so good and honourable a design, and he well per­ceiving my disposition, did freely offer himself, and was so ready to embrace the occasion, as I rejoyced thereat with admiration, to see the sparkes of Loyalty so soon kindled [...] his Youthfull breast: and both he and my self endeav [...]ed [Page 74] the best we could to procure some others to go along with him, and with all expedition I furnished him for the Journey, as well as I was then able, and away he marched on foot, with two lusty Fellows with him, and I charged them to go the most private way, and to have a vigilant eye to keep themselves as much as might be from being discovered and surprised by Scout [...], for I beleeved the Country was full of evill Spirits, but they had not marched many miles, be­fore that unluckily they fell into a Party of the Rebells, that soon robbed them of all their Moneys and let them go, yet for all this first check my Son would on still, and not long af­ter they fell into another part of the Enemies, where there was a Lievetenant then a Rebell, but now I hope an honest man, that knew my Son well, and much perswaded him to return home to his [...]ather, and not expose himself to any further danger, and as I think did procure him a Ticket for his convoy homewards, and this notwithstanding so soon as my Son was gotten clear from him, he went still on his inten­ded Voyage, and with much labour and travell at length he fell in amongst Sir Charles Lucas his companies, and so came along with them to Colchester, where by the means of some Gentlemen of his acquaintance, he was soon furnished with Horse and A [...]mes, and there continued all the time of that [...]edious and troublesome Siege, and had the hap to make a­way 3. Horses there, one was killed under him in fight at a [...]alley made out at the East gate, another was stollen out of pasture, and the third himself and his Comrades did provide a Sepulture for in their hungry and half starved Bellie [...]; and one time he was in danger to have been most cowardly killed by the Rebells, for being in an out-quarter of the Town, and much wearied with watching, he like a young Souldier ven­tured to go to bed, and in the interim the Guards were bea­ten up by the Enemy, who entred the house where he was, and running up the stairs to search for Cavaliers, the people of the house cried out and said, that there was no body aloft but a Maid sick in bed, and they looking in at the Chamber door and seeing one in the bed with a clout o [...] kerchief on the head, and no hair on the face did take it to be a wench in­deed, and so by Gods mercy they departed without doing him any harm at that time, and once as he told me a Bullet [Page 75] was shot quite thorough the Hat upon his head, and yet he received no hurt, but surely he did happily escape many won­derfull danger [...], for I know he was valiant and venturous e­nough, and when the Town was yeilded he was barbarously stripped of all, and put in Prison, and had the honour to be counted a considerable Prisoner, as being the son of the great­est Malignant in the Country, and in truth I much feared, that he would be the more cruelly used for my sake for there was a report that he with divers other young Gent. should be sold as slaves, and sent into the Islands beyond sea, we knew not whither, and yet I had a f [...]m hope that God Almightie would still provide for him, and yet his poor mo­ther was [...] perplexed at it, for can a woman forget her own [...], or not have compassion upon the sonne of her womb? Away therefore she travels to that unhappie Town of [...], venturing her self amongst that hellish r [...]t of roaring and rampant rebells, being desirous once more to be­hold though with tears in her eyes and a bleeding heart, that her dearly beloved and captivated sonne: and so happie was the successe of her journie, that by the means which the mer­cie of God provided for her, in a few dayes she got him off, and brought him home with her, with a world of joy to us all. But I must not pa [...]se over some passages that befell us at home during the time of that unfortunate siege, for about the beginning thereof before the Town was begirt, there came towards my house a great troup of horsemen, who made such a thundring upon the ground that my wife quaked for fear, before that ever they came in her sight: I intreated her [...] pluck up a courage, and to be of good comfort and fear God, and all would be well: and so our I went amongst them, and demanded what their desire was; They answered, that they wanted quarter for themselves and their horses. Alas Gen­tlemen quoth I, you have taken your marks amisse in coming hither, for I am a poor sequestred man, and have but mean quarter for my self, whereat they seemed to be sortie, and told me how they were Sir Charls Lucas his men, & did wish well to all that were of my mind, and then I called for the best Beer I had and drank unto them, which they kindly accepted, and then I inquired of them concerning Fairfax his forces, and [Page 76] they told me that some of them were come down near the Town, but had a sound blow given them alreadie, and we, said they, doubt not but to deal well enough with the residue; then they asked me where anie Oats were to be had, and I told them of some Farmers houses near, where I beleeved there was the most probabilitie for them to speed, and amongst others I did nominate a Gent. then dwelling at a Mannor house be­longing to the late Countesse and wife of the Right honou­rable the Earl of Oxf [...] and then one of them asked me if that man were a Round [...]ead or no, and I answered that he did seem to be so, but I thought it was more for fear then for love, and this I said with an intent to procure him some fa­vour at their hands, but it fell out otherwise, for soon after they went to his house and there took from him both arms & some corn: But divers of them did desire me much to send thē to some of the worst Roundheads in the Country; for said they, we have a great minde to deal with them: in truth replied [...], so soon as you be gone from hence, you can hardly go amisse for that, for here be Roundhead [...] bad enough, to be found in everie corner, the countrie is too full of such; but I will accuse none of mine enemies to you that are martial men, lest you should chance to offer them any unlawfull violence, for which I would be heartily sorrie, and w [...]ll it was that I had the care to be so cautious, for within a day after I learned and found out that these were false brethren of the R [...]b [...]lla partie, and then I conjectured how they came to my house upon a meere stratagem to intrap me: Others also came the same day, and inquired if such a troup had not been thereabouts and seemed to be somewhat vigilant and warie of themselves, and still I discoursed with them to feel what I could find out. Not long after a companie of Foot Rascals raised in the Parish, and thereabouts, came to my House upon pretence to search for Cavaleers and arms, but it was chiefly to vex and molest us, and to filch something out of my House: and many times I was troubled with Foot souldiers that came from the Lea­guer, and rambled about the Countrie, but indeed most of them were more civil to me, then many of my neighbours had formerly been, and did me lesse mischief, as I might instance in many particulars, if the relation thereof were not too te­dious▪ [Page 77] yet one day being in my studie I heard my Maid give a sudden shrike in the porch, and down I went in all haste to see what the matter meant, and there I found near half a score Foot souldiers with muskets in their hands & matches light, Why how now Sirs, said I, what is the reason that you come hither in such a boisterous and uncivill manner, for I have not hardly had such an affront put upon me ever since the soul­diers came into the Countrie; their answer was, How they were informed that I was a most dangerous man, and kept many Cavaliers in my House, and they were sent to see, if it were so or not, and also advised to come strong, and well provided, or else their lives were like to be in danger: I was grieved at the follie and falsitie of these reports, and said, that my house was not strong enough for Garison I thought, and therefore they need not fear any great harm there; and further I told them, if they would be quiet and civil, they should soon see how that both my self and they likewise had been abused with loud lies: and then I asked them whether they were any souldiers of the Army or of the Traind-bands, they answered, we are Traind-men, then I demanded the place of their dwelling, and they told me in Suffo [...]k near unto Cam­bridgshire, and specified the Towns where: and upon this I did mention divers of the chief Gentlemen thereabouts, a [...] ­king if they knew any such, whereat one of them replyed, Sir, I see that you are vvell acquainted in our Country, yes said I that I am, and there is reason for it, because I did marry my Wi [...] from a place not [...]arr remote from thence, I pray Sir said some of them vvhose D [...]u [...]hter vvas she, I told them, then said one of the Souldiers I knovv that Wor: Gentleman vvell, and I did once ask his advice vvhether it vvere my best vvay to go for a Parliament Souldier or not, and his opinion vvas, that it vvere better for me to li [...] in the G [...]ole then to venture upon that occasion; vvell said I he knovv [...] the lavv very vvell yes quoth the party vve beleeve that, and therefore I never vvent, but being novv in the Trained-armes I vvas enforced to come upon this service: and upon a little more discourse I found that I knevv divers of their Masters, vvhose Armes they served in, and thereupon the Souldiers seemed to be sorry, that it vvas their unhappiness to come to trouble me in this [Page 78] sort, well quoth I, it is my portion to be thus dealt withall, but I pray tell me in good earnest who it was that sent you hither, and they told me an old Woman, that dwelt above a mile off, and by their description of her, I knew it was the Wise of him that had possessed the most part of my land by colour of Sequestration, and perhapps she was content I should have been killed, lest I should live to call her Husband to an accompt for his Knavery: Well, now I did invite them to come in, and gave them some curteous accomodation, and being in discourse according to my usuall manner, I chanced to speak something against their Generall, whereat one of them took great Exceptions against me, and began to prate very sawcily, and hereupon a Corporall that was the chief amongst them, started up and wished him to be quiet, [...], he sware that he would slash him soundly, for th [...] quoth he, is an honest worthy Gentleman that we are much beholding unto, and most of us here will dye at his feet, before he shall suffer the least wrong, and thus the Rascall was glad to put up his pipes and be silent: and I have thought since that God was offended at him, for as they went back to Colch [...]ster, this fellow fell sick, and went into a Barn and there died the next day; within a while after, one of these Souldiers came alone to my house, and being in talk with me, desired seri­ously to know my opinion, what I thought of their Siege, and what was like to be the issue and success thereof: Alas said I, the sins of this Kingdome are very great, and God on­ly knowes what dolefull events may ensue upon these trou­bles, but howsoever your Country was ill advised in sending their Armes against their King; your Master knowes me, and what I am, and tell him that I say, that whensoever the Wind and the Tide turns, he may fairly be hanged for sending of thee, and thou for comming, if you meet not with the more mercy. About this time some of their [...]smen came to my gate upon a Sunday, when we were sate at dinner, and being discovered our went I amongst them: and when they demanded quarter I presently put in this plea to their action, but I had been a great sufferer, and almost un­ [...] by the times, and was unable to afford them that they desired, in regard I had been so hardly used: then one of them who undertook to be the Prolocutor said, If you have been [Page 79] hardly used, it is but according to your desert, for you are a Malign [...]t; How do you know that, said I? Yes very well, quoth he, for you have a So [...] in Colchester, to which I replied I hope that I had a Sonne there, [...] he were yet living: Well, said he, that is enough to make you to be wo [...]se used, then ever you were yet; Gods will be do [...]e f [...]r that said I, [...]or in­d [...]ed I shall never be ashamed of my So [...]nes being there, and [...]elping to maintain so go [...]d and just a cause, in the behalf of God, [...] King, and his Country, and I am glad that you have no worse matter to l [...]y to my [...], for I hope to fare the better for that in the [...]: and Friend, said I, be it known unto thee, [...] if I [...] thousand Sour, and [...] to give to [...] would I venture them all [...], Religious, and Honourable a Quarrell; and th [...]s I [...] to far out-face this [...], that suddenly he turned his [...], and gal­ [...] away, and the rest of his Fellows sate still a while, and laughed [...]eartily at his repuls [...]. S [...]on after some of the Offi­cers in the Town were at me to buy some Hay, which I had in my [...] I asked them [...] what use? They answered, to send it to [...]; Y [...], marry said I, if it were there I should be glad, and think it well bestowed, fa [...] I believe that I have Friends within the Town that are in need enough of it; Y [...] s [...]ely, said they, but we must carry it to those that are [...] Town; I believe so indeed, quoth I, and you are well imployed in the mean time, and therefore if you buy it for them, you shall pay sweetly for it: Sir, said they, you [...] to let us have it a good penny worth, and we will pay y [...]u for it, but if the Souldiers once know of it, perchance they will take it away for nothing. Well, said I, if it hap­pen tha [...] [...] ro [...]bed of it, you shall not see my countenance much change at the matter, I shall take it as patiently as I have done losses of greater value, but if I do sell it, I will have my price for it, as I think it to be worth: And soon after there came to my Gate one of the Constables, and a Trooper with his Pole-axe in his hand, and asked for me, and I went out unto them; the Fellow was civill enough, and told me that he understood that I had Hay to sell, and if it were good, they would buy it of me, and desired to see it, [Page 80] and so they did, and liked it very well, and asked me the price of it, which I soon set them, it is somewhat dear said the Trooper, well said I, so much I will have for it, if I sell it, but if you will talk any more about the businesse, let us go in, and you may there taste a cup of sequestred liquor if you please, is it sequestred beer, said the Tropper? yes surely, said I, it hath been so for many years: Well, in we went, and a­mongst other discourse, the Trooper said, that he did believe their case was good, because God did suffer them to prosper so long in it: Alas Friend, quoth I, that is no good argu­ment on your side, for we know that God doth many times permit wicked men to prosper in their wayes, to their own destruction; and if you were an Historian, you would know that God hath suffered the Turks so to prevail against the Christians, for many hundred years, because of their sins; and which do you esteem to be the best Religion, either that of a Turk, or that of a Christian? Certainl [...] said the Troo­per, the Christian Religion is the best; You say very true, said I, and therefore consider well with your self, and do not believe that you are better Servants of God then we, or that the Religion of a Round-head is more pure then that of a Cavalier, because God for our sins hath suffered you thus a while to over top us; for the Turks have had far greater suc­ [...]esse against the Christians, and are still in possession of the prime seat of the greatest Christian Emperours that ever lived in the World and yet by your own confession, and true assertion, the Christian Religion is the best, and is indeed being rightly professed, the only true Religion that is upon the face of all the Earth, and therefore presume not to make your prevalencie a pattern of your pi [...]ty, for these you will find to be fallacious arguments in the end: and then I pro­tested unto him, that if I could possibly be made sure (by being a Rebell) to enjoy to my self, and the Heires of my body untill dooms day, as much land as all the whole King­dome of England contained, yet I would be tor [...] in places Limb from Limb, before I would hol [...] up my hand against my King, or any that take his part, for surely said I, the end of all Rebells will be naught, [...]d if we look seriously in [...]o all Records, either Holy or Historicall, we shall find that their [Page 81] portion hath ever been according to their practise, and that the Wrath and Vengeance of God, hath seldome ceased to prosecute all such and their posterities, as have been Enemies & Traitors to their Prince, and the Peace of their Country▪ yet for all this the Trooper and I did agree for the Hay, and so parted in a very civill manner: Some few daies after came the Constable with his carts, to fetch away the bargain, and when it was [...] loaded, very honestly according to his pro­mise, [...]e paid me the monie for it: but then he pulled a paper out of his pocket, and said that he had a rate there for me to pay. What is that said I? And then he replied it was for contribution to maintain the Armie; Ha, quoth I, why thou knowest that I never p [...]id any of these rates, since the troubles did begin, but have been robbed of all my means, for my refu­sal, and a [...] likewise as loth now to yeeld contribution to mine enemies, that are still so readie to destroy me and mine. That is not the matter quoth he, you must pay it, there is no remedie; I doubt thou art deceived, said I, for I will not, then I must return your name replied he, for I know not else, what to do or say in the business: I will then tell you said I what you shall say, but I prethee do not spoil the message, or errand in the delivery thereof, I would have you certifie such as shall be concern'd therein, that I am King Charles his Subject, and If I had but one great in the world, it were at his service, but as for Sir Tho. Fairfox I desire to have nothing to do with him, for I am loth to be his slave, neither monie will I send him upon any terms, and if he or any of his be so cruel as to take away any thing I have, yet I shall pray for patience and so rest contented, until it shall please God to send a remedie, and that is the sum of my resolution. Soon after this there came to my house in a morning next my hea [...] a creature [...] ­ped a Quarter master, but I rather think a fiend of Phlege [...]hon, and yet I had the courage and cunning to conjure him sound­ly: this fellow at [...] began to prate like a proud [...]bell as he was, you quoth he, as I hear will send no contribution to the Army, no marry will I said [...], you will [...] a [...] q [...]oth he, to be of another mind, and I wonder what is the Reason than you seem to be so stubborn; my reply was, that the Army and their Complices had undone me already▪ and [...] that [Page 82] both Religion, the King, and the laws commanded me not to assist them; here is much ado with a King said he, but ere long there will be a course taken with the King and you and all such, &c. speaking such horri [...]le and villainous word [...], as my heart abhorreth to think, and my pen is ashamed to make mention of: Wretch quoth I, thou doest me too much ho­nour, thus ignorantly & rashly, to couple and make me equi­valent with my King; and I much admire in what be [...]t [...]all Kennel thou we [...]t brought up, for thou dost savour neither of Divinity, Humanity, or good manner [...], but the W [...]a [...]h of God will meet with such cursed Shimeies as thou art: and in­deed he put me into so great a passion, that I could not well re­member all that I said unto him, but sure I am that we parted upon very bitter termes. About three or four dayes after, I did espie this Traytor at my gate again all alone, but before he had a Trooper with him: Out I marched presently and thus encountered him, How now said I, are you come again▪ are you of the same mind you were, when you were last here? I come quoth he, to see whether you be the same man or not▪ Yes surely said I, the same mind that you left me in when you last did see me, doth still continue constant, for I cannot en­dure to be counted a Turn-coat or Changling, but if it be your mid to exchange a few words, you may come in if you will, here is no body shall hurt you▪ the man alighted, and in we came together, and there fell into deep discourse that was sometimes fair, and by and by foul enoug, yet still I most highly maintained the justnesse of the Kings case, and did diswade the Party from Rebellion▪ with all the reasons and arguments that I could then excogitate, telling him the Histo­ry and Fate of that seditious Earl of Leicester in the time of H [...]n: the 3. and of that valiant but inconstant Ea [...]l of Warwick in the dayes of Edw. the 4. and shewing him also, as briesly as I could, how fearfull and dismall the destruction of traitors had been in all ages, and countries whatsoever: but the sad result of all our conference was, that ere it were long he must come again, either for my bodie or goods: M [...] bodie said I, will do you but little good, but rather vex you much, for you see the manner of my discourse, and so it will continue unlesse you kill me: and for my goods, I have nothing sit for your turn, [Page 83] but a little corn to make us bread, and it were harsh crueltie to deprive us of that, besides I have very little monie at the present, having got nothing a great while because of the trou­bles in the countrie; for the Law is silent within the verge of the Camp, and therefore if you fetch me away as a prisoner, I shall be in danger to be starved, for want of means to main­tain me; it were pitie said he that a man of your spirit should starve, and if you be my prisoner you shall not want victuals so long as I have any for my self: Gramercie Friend said I, if you be so charitable, your comming for me will be the lesse formidable, but I intreat you before that you come, either for me or my goods, to goe to God Almightie by fervent and unfeigned prayer, and to seek his grace and direction, that you may do nothing, but what you may well answer, both in this world and the world to come, and then on Gods name come as soon as thou wilt: and in this sort we civilly parted at this time, and I never heard of my Chapman after. But at divers other times I had been formerly plagued with troopers, de­manding of ass [...]ssments and the like, and still I made them an answer, that I had nothing for them, for I was undone alrea­dy, and then their ordinarie replie was, that they must have their pay, Yes would I say to them it is fit you should, but then you must take it of those that set you on work, and I was none of that turbulent tribe, and then their common answer was, that the Countrie set them on work and thither they must come for their wages: No said I the principal that set you at work was the D [...]vil, and he will pay you all your due wages and just arrears in the conclusion. I cannot passe over a passage without remembrance, which happened between my self and the Parson of my Parish, during the time of the siege: I had a small field of corn growing, and upon the day that it was a reaping, the Parson came to demand tithe of it: in­deed said I, my opiaion ever was that tithes were justly and lawfully due [...]o the Church, so long as Churchmen did truly perform their duties, but now most of them hereabouts have most foully forgo [...]ten themselves, and are much out of rule and order, and since they have been a means to make others suffer, it is no matter if they lick a little [...] the same sawce; for you know that this little co [...] is the chiefest stock that wee [Page 84] have to help our selves withall, and seeing that you and such as you are have preached up these distractions amongst us, and so have been the instruments to bring honest men to a low [...]b, I think that with a safe conscience and lege talionis, vvee may withdraw your tithes until you deserve them better, and surely none you shall have here as yet, unlesse you claw for it: Whilst we were thus in discourse, off thundred the Ordinance at Colchester▪ List yonder Parson quoth I, what do you think of this, the Sword hath raged all the Kingdome over, and it is now come home to your door, and are ye not yet penitent for your peevishnesse? his answer was, that he hoped to meet with a m [...]rcifull King▪ yes certain said I, you will find I beleeve, more mercy then you e [...]pect, I am sure more then you deserve; for although the King be Gods Dep [...]y upon Earth, and therefore we ought to honour him above all Cre­atures living, yet he is but a man, and his goodnesse may per­swa'e him to peace and to pardon offences; but have you lived so long and is your Divinity no better, then to teach you that the making of your peace with the King will be suffi­cient for you, I tell you nay, for you have offended the Maje­stie of an eternal God, by preaching of blasphemie and trea­cherie, and thus abusing the King, and seducing his Majesties liege people into errors, and grosse mistakes: and as your of­fence hath been publick, so your contrition and satisfaction must be the same, for as you have preached the people into errors and absurdities, so you must endeavour to preach them out again, and to reduce them into the right way, and so seek to make your peace with God for your great aberrations; or else you may go to the devill at the last for all the making of your peace with the King. Not long after the si [...]ge broke up, & left an odious stink behind it, by the base & barbarous bloody assassination of those two most loyal and valiant Knights Sir Charles Lucas and Sir George Lisle, the report whereof did much afflict our minds, but whether with more grief and horror, or terror of amazement, is a question: and soon after [...] report was spread abroad, that a [...]l such young Gentlemen as had been for the King in that siege, should soon again be laid hold upon, and sent beyond the seas no man knew whither and this enforced my poor son, not yet recovered of his siege [Page 85] surfet, to depart from my house, and for his saseties sake to follow his fathers pattern of perigrination about the Coun­trie, continuing in that pitiout posture untill after that most horrible, hideous, and for ever to be lamented murdering of his late Sacred Majestie, and then he presented me with a letter enough to melt my heart into a floud of sad tears, and where­in after many sorrowfull sad expressions and fears of his dear Fathers danger, he uttered this, Oh Sir [...] if they have had the execrable impudence and crueltie to cut down the high Ce­da [...] how may the low and si [...]lie Shrubs expect to be trampled upon. But he being gone aside and so escaped out of their pinching pawes, my self alone must therefore suffer the [...]ull force of their furie: for about some two moneths after the siege ended there came near twentie Troopers to my house upon a Saturday towards night, and there violently entred to search for me, but I was gone to a neighbours house n [...] long before, and they were informed for certain that I was not in or about the house at that time, notwithstanding they searched for me very narrowly, and went into my barn and tumbled about my hay and corn with candles lighted in their hand [...], and with danger enough to have set my whole house on a fire, and when they could not yet find me, they said a­loud that all this while I was shut up in my studie, and if that door were not opened they would break it open; and then my Wife protested unto them that I was not there, neither could she open it, because I had the key in my pocket, but ye [...] to satissie your selves said she, you may have a ladder and so look in at the window, and easily discover that he is not there; and for all this with a strong iron they reaved open my studie door, and there rifled and stole from me divers books and p [...]pers, which I am sure could do them but little pleasure, and yet I would not wi [...]lingly have lost the same, for twentie times more then they were worth, and also they plundered away divers parc [...]ls of my linnen and other goods, and did strike and abuse my children, and took meat out of the powdering [...]b▪ and broiled it upon the coals, and after mary such prettie prancks there played, away they went. So soon as they were gone, my Wife sent unto m [...], and certified me how the matter was, and I came presently home, [...]t [Page 86] some wished mee not to lodge in the house that night, Yes but I will, said I, if it please God, and yet I beleeve that I shall hear of them again before the morning, but I fear them not, for had I known of there being here before, I would have come home amongst them; well we committed our selves to God, and so went to bed: and soon after mid­ [...]ight we were awaked with a great rumbling at the doors, and I did presently speak and asked who was there, telling them, that if they were the Troopers, that were here lately, I would rise and come down unto them, if they will be qui­et but a little while, and then I called up a Servant in all hast, to light a Candle, but before it could be lighted, these blind Zealots had broke down a wall, and yet could not see the way to get in, but my Servant opening the doors, they rushed in, and followed the Candle up to the Chamber▪ door, which I perceiving said, why Sirs, I hope you will not be so uncivil, to come into a Gentlewomans Chamber, where she is in bed: but I pray go down into the Hall, and so soon as I can rise, I will come unto you; And upon this, they did return down very fairly, and my self presently followed, and when they saw my face, and heard me speak, they were civil enough, and shewed me their Warrant, then I asked them what their will wa [...], and how they intended to dispose of me for the present, it being in the dead time of the night, then they told me that their Commander in chief, and the rest of their companie were at an Inne about two miles off, and de­sired me to go thither; T [...]en I must go on foot, said I, for I have no horse; Then answered they, We came up hither on foot, and so we shall bear you company, and requested me to make my self ready as fast [...] conveniently I could, and [...]o I called for clean linnen and dressed my self, and being thus ready, they said that now they hoped I would quickly goe a [...]ong with them; Yes said I, but you must excuse me a­while, for howsoever you think of us Cavaliers, yet we have so much Religion, as to commend our selves to God twice a day in publick prayer, whatsoever we do in private; but now I have more reason then ordinary to pray with my fa­mily, being ready to depart from them, and God knowes whether I shall ever live to see them again, or not, and you may joyn with us in prayer if you please, and they seemed [Page 87] to be contented so to do; But, said I, the truth is that I do use the prayers of the Church, for I esteem those to be of the best form for publick use; Then they answered, you may use your Prayers by your selves as you think fit; then I cal­led mine own Company into another room, and did make use of the Book of Common-prayer, and prayed for the Kings Majesty, the Queen, the Royall Progeny and others, as my accustomed course and manner was; and I perceived they did [...]isten to what I said, but made no disturbance at all, when I had done I called my wife a side in private, and between her and my self, I did equally part that little stock of money that I had, which was very small God knowes, and she did earnestly desire me to take it all with me: No said I, thou shalt have half of it howsoever, for I trust that God will provide still for me, whithersoever they carried me, and so advising her to cast her confidence upon God alone, with a Christian courage and comfort I departed away with my Jailors, taking one of my little Sonnes along with me for company, so far as the said I [...]e; when I came there amongst the c [...]e of them, I was as chearfull as discretion could ad­mit a man in my condition to be, insomuch as they did all marvell at it, and said, They had seldome met with such a prisoner: I answered my cause was good, and I was not a­shamed of that I had said or done in this matter, and though affliction were bitter, yet innocencie was bold, for a good conscience did cause a chearfull countenance: and thus the time passed untill it was day light, and then we must march for all it was Sunday▪ the businesse forsooth was so urgent, that no delay must be admitted, either in reverence to God, or charitie to Man [...] but I wanted a horse, and some of the wretches were then so base as to say that if I could not get a horse, they would make me ride behind one of them: No surely, said I that shall not be, for I will chuse rather to go on foot; Then replyed a sawcie fellow amongst them, you must trott apace then or else we must drive ye on; But some of the more civil sort of them said, That if I would send my Sonne to some neighbours, they beleeved I might borrow one upon such an occasion, yet I was loth to send him about upon that day, yet lest I should exasperate these [...]ellowes whose prisoner I then was, I did let my Son go, and after [Page 88] some 2▪ or 3. hours running about he brought me a little Nag upon which being mounted▪ I was c [...]rried away thoroug [...] the street of the Town, wi [...]h the sound of Trumpet in ser­vice time, and rodd so cheerly and upright, as some cold me afterwards, who took notice of it, that I could not have rid­den more comely, if I had been travelling to my Wedding, when we came near the Towns end, my little Son and I must part, and then I craved Gods blessing upon him, and also gave him Counsell with a Fatherly charge to remember his Crea­tor in the dayes of his youth, and to be obedient and help­full to his poor Mother that bare him, and in so doing, it would go well with him, in the conclusion, for God in his mercy would at length remember his, and all the rest of our afflictions: then I pulled forth a sh [...]lling out of my little stock and gave it him saying, dear Child keep this for thy Fathers sake, perhaps it is all the portion I shall be able to give thee; yet be not discouraged at all, but remember that the whole World is at the command and disposing of God Almighty. Thus away these Fellowes carried me I knew not whether, nor for what intent, yet their Warrant inti­mated for Chelmsford, but it was muttered by some that when I came there, I should be sent to Windsor Castle; and so they made me travell the most part of the Sunday, untill dark night, but the dayes b [...]ing then but short, they could not fairly get me so far as they intended, and therefore we were all driven to lodge by the way; and indeed they led me to a very good lodging, where the people of the house knew me very well, and could not heartily bid me wellcome, comming in that posture, and upon so sad an occasion; But here in ear­nest the Troopers that lodged at the same house with me, and which were of the more civill sort of them, (whom their Commander did pick out on purpose, as he told me) did de­mean themselves very fairly towards me, and yet my discourse continued as really Royal as ever it had been, but with some discreet moderation, and alwayes when I gave thanks a [...] meat amongst them, I still remembred to pray for the Church, and my Soveraign, and his Royal Consort and Progeny; and so it was that one of these Fellows, pretending some smack of Schollarship, would sometimes seem in his discourse to [Page 89] contradict some of my assertions, and to utter his mind ac­cording to the then humour of the times, but he would pre­sently cast his eyes upon me with a smile, and say, Cujus con­trarium verum est Domine, the residue of his Company knew not what he meant, but his free confession gave me so much satisfaction, as the concertation between us two was very mild and moderate, and in truth they were favourable unto me in my expences, for I still did intimate unto them, that I would be generous enough if I had wherewithall, but had not the faculty as then, to spend money before I had it, and sure they were something sensible of my afflictions, for allwayes when the reckoning came to be paid, they would civilly ac­cept of that which I laid down, and paid the residue them­selves, and when I pleased they permitted me to go to bed, where having a quiet Conscience within me, I slept soundly without fear of danger, but some of them watched me all night, as I well perceived the next morning; And then they made hast to convey me to Chelmsford, where they entred the Town in triumph, with the sounding of the Trumpet, and the discharging of their Pistols: And some that knew me did in derision rejoyce at my misery, but others of a more wise and sober temperature, did hang down their Heads, as being grieved to see honest Gentlemen so exposed to the i [...] ­solency of Treachery and Rebellion; but to that [...]nn I was carried, which was ordinarily the Common Gaol for Male­actors at the Assizes, and here I was kept with a guard untill night, and when I went to bed, I was locked up in the Cham­ber, and I beleeve a sufficient guard was not farr off from me; Well, here I rested very quietly untill the morning, when the door being opened, I presently arose, and having notice given me, that I must be carried before those Creatures called the Committees, I did very chearfully prepare my self, and when I was ready, then the chiefest of the Troopers which had brought me to Town, was my Gentleman Usher to conduct me before them, where severall Objections and Allegations were framed against me, namely that i [...] p [...]eading of my Clients case, I had sometimes spoken in the derogation of Parliament Ordinances and the like, I answered, that I did not use to plead for any Client, but for my Fee, and having received [Page 90] that, I was bound in conscience not to betraie his case, but to urge on his behalf what I did conceive was most availeable for him, so far as Law or equitie did warrant me; and that it was a rare thing to hear of, that a Counsellor at Law should be called in question for his care and industrie in the lawfull and honest pleading of his Clients businesse, which is the true performance of the trust reposed in him: and thus that Ob­jection as it seemed was passed over, but the main matter which they infisted upon, was my sonnes being in armes in Colchest­er, charging me that I had furnished him with horse, armes and monie, to go upon that design. I answered, that indeed he had gotten a little monie at a place, where it was due unto me, but it was all taken from him, long before that he came at Colchester, and with arms I could not furnish him, for they were all taken from me, at the time when my house was first plundered; and horse I had none of mine own, neither durst I keep anie for divers years before: and so at length after much discourse and altercation the result and sum of the bu­sinesse was, that I must enter into a bond of 500 l. to leave off and discontinue all such actions as I had commenced a­gainst those, that had taken the profits of my lands by force and colour of sequestration: and this volens aut nolens, I was enforced to yield unto, or else I must still abide in prison, and there starve, for ought that I then knew: and when I had sea­led the Bond, after some consultation amongst themselves, some of them said unto me, that now if I would pay the troo­pers that had fetched me thither, I might go home for that time, so as I would not refuse to appear upon a new sum­mons. I answered, that I had not monie to pay the troopers, but you Gent. said I, that did set them at the work have a large purse, and therefore I hope that you will pay them their wages: at last with much adoe I got off, but I beleeve the reason was because they could not possibly got that from me, which then I had not for my self: and so by the mercie of God, I came well home again, to the great comfort of my poor familie, being all full glad that I had thus escaped the tirants hands, although it were upon hard terms: and for a while after we remained in reasonable quiet, and having by our in­dustrie gathered together a little monie, we ventured to pur­chase [Page 91] chase a Cow, which long we had not enjoyed, but there came Troopers and took her away, for non-payment of As­sessements, for indeed I had not paid any as yet during all the time of the then fore-passed Rebellion; and now the driving away of this Cow, which had been so hardly obtain­ed, and so long time a purchasing, was a sad disaster, and did more vex us then the losse of a hundred times as much be­fore, when we had plenty, and truly it made my little Daughter to weep bitterly, and that cut my heart, to see that I could keep nothing for the sustenance of my poor Children, and especially was I grieved for her sake whom not long be­fore I had reproved, for endeavouring to learn to spin, tel­ling her, that I would not have her to dirty and defile her self with such greasie work; and her answer was as well as she could, being scarce old enough to speak aright, that she had rather spin then starve; and these things I remembred to my grief, but knew not how to help my self, untill it pleased God to send a remedy: And now also the Troopers threat­ned to come again, and fetch away our Houshold stuff that was left, if they could find no other distresse. These sad troubles, and imminent dangers did much perplex me, and I was almost at a stand how to dispose of my self, and my af­fairs; my Loyalty and Courage did still prompt me to ven­ture all hazzards, but my tender compassion towards my dear Wife and Children, did work wonders upon my reall, and al­most Royal-resolution, and they earnestly intreated me, that if I would by no means meddle in the matter my self, yet to give them leave to use some means to pay the rates, for without payment thereof, they well perceived they could never enjoy any thing in quiet; and hereupon I sadly consi­dered with my self, that for our sins our Princely Pilot was then taken away, and we all in danger of imminent shipwrack, and little likelihood left of that relief which we so long had hoped for and expected; and therefore though with much reluctation, I yielded my consent unto them, to do what they thought best; and upon this my Wife and my Son did seek a way to redeem their Cow, but by the occasion of di­vers arrears incurred since I had last entred upon my Land, the redemption of the Cow did cost them more then she was worth 3, or 4. times over. And now the people about [Page 92] us believed that we should rest in quiet, without any further trouble, so long as we paid the Assessements; and so as fast as we could we got some more stock upon the ground, and lived a little more comfortably then we had done for a while before, and yet ever and anon some would be carping at me, and wishing me to get off the Sequestration from my Lands, telling me, that it was the only way for us to obtain security from danger, as the case then stood: and still my answer was to this effect, that the Devil and his Instruments brought it on, and I was very loth to seek to any of them to be my At­tornies or Solicitors to take it off, but resolved to submit to the good will and pleasure of God, and chea [...]fully to wait for a better opportunity; and thus for a year or two we continued, without any great trouble, and then having by mine own industry, and the help of some Friends, attained a small quantity of money, I did begin to intend the reparati­on of my houses, being very ruinous, and in great decay; but I had not far proceeded in this so necessary a work, but there was a new Alarum in the Diurnals of an Act made to fell away my Estate, and the common report was, that I had now no remedy at all to help my self, but was then past all recovery, for my Estate must be sold away, and all my com­pany left Beggars: Hereat my Wife did much reluct, and wished that I had never laid out any money about the re­paring of my houses, for quoth she, they were too good for the Rebells before; Be content, Sweet heart, said I, it is for my credit to keep my houses in a gentile manner, and those that shall enjoy them will have the better conceit of me, and I hope without doubt to see some better dayes be­fore I dye. Soon after there came three men from London to my house to survey my Estate, and these took notice how many Rooms there were in the house, and how many Trees were growing upon my ground, and among much discourse, they asked me if I had not been a Captain in the Kings Army, and rid in a Buff-coat with many tall Fellows following me; I answered, That my fate had not been so hitherto, but I verily believed that my mind and courage was as high, and as prompt to embrace such a design, as some others, but that the vigour of my youth was past many years before that occasion presented it self: Then they replied, that if I had [Page 93] not been in actual Armes against the Parliament, as they cal­led it, then there was a Proviso in the Act for Sale that might do me some good, and so in a civill sort they departed from me; and it is very probable, that this mischief was hastned upon me by the practise of the Sequestrators, who pretend­ed friendship unto me, but intended otherwise; for although the Assessements were paid in the Country, yet they being called upon for the Rents of my Land above, and being also ashamed, as I think, (after such horrible wrongs as I had for­merly suffered) again to take away that little stock which I had so hardly gotten together, did therefore to salve them­selves, return into their Office above, that I was Lunatick, and that all my Lands lay waste; and sure it is there was some subtle drift, and villanous intention towards me there­in; but the prime of their Trade was to invent lyes, for the ruine and disgrace of honest men, that opposed the wicked­nesse of their doings. And now there was no remedy, but to London I must travell, where I had not been for many years before, for at the first beginning of the Rebellion, I did whol­ly give over my practise there, deserted my Chamber, and could not endure to be seen amongst them; yet now I must venture again, or loose all my Estate for the present, and alass I knew not the face of any of those men that I was then enfor­ced to make my application unto, yet the Providence of God did bring me into some little acquaintance with one of the Commissioners at Haberdashers Hall, who was in shew a moderate man, and had some power and influence among the residue, and by his means after long waiting and expence of money, I obtained a hearing of my case, where none of them seemed to be so much an Enemy against me, as one that was of mine own profession, but his expressions there had lit­tle affinity either with Law or Conscienoe, and the whole re­sult of this my hearing, was to referre my case back again to the rigorous Rump of that unlucky Parliament, and then I thought my self to be in as bad, or a worse condition then I was before, and yet still I desired to put my trust in God, by whose mercy I did continually meet with many comforts; and thus home I came again to mine own house, where I had not continued a week, but I heard newes that the Rump was turn'd out of doors by the Souldiery, and indeed I did [Page 94] not grieve much at it, but took the same for a good Omen, that such hideous Beastials began to kick and scratch so sore­ly one at another, and some hope I did entertain, that now the Rump was so dispatched, we should rest in the better quiet; but not long after there came unto me an Agent for the State, as he term'd himself, and he said that his Errand was to take an Inventory of all the Goods which were in my possession, that so they might be forth-comming and respon­sible to the use of the State. I did know this party well, and said unto him, Your Parliament is now quite out of date, and shall these oppressions continue still? And he answered, That there was yet a Council of State, and that matters would passe on in the same manner as they did before: Well, said I, the will of God must take place, and I am heartily sorry to see thee employed upon such an occasion; Then he answered me again, that he must do those things that be­longed to his Office; Why quoth I, if Satan sends thee upon a Message, art thou so fit for his turn to run pre­sently? Alas Friend, said I then to him, I did know thy Father, and he was an honest and a Zealous Preacher in this Country, and if he were now living, I believe he would more willingly see thee come to a shamefull end, then send thee on such an errand as thou now commest about, whereat he hang­ed down his head and looked ill favouredly, yet did his work, and so departed with cold entertainment; With many such Messages and severall summons to appear and to pay rent for mine own Land, I was divers times after sore vexed and put to much trouble and charge: But at length by Gods mercy, and the meanes of one Mr. Jannyson of Col­chester, an old Sea Captain, that had antient acquaintance with one Mr. Winslow a Commissioner for the compounding of Sequestrations, and did freely also without my seeking, most friendly offer me his Love and Service in that behalf; I obtained after long suit, and twice paying for it, a full dis­charge from that Office: and who would not think, but that I had then been safe enough from that danger? and yet my Genius did still misdoubt the worst, and could never be truly apprehensive of Security, so long as such Hypocrites were in Power, as made the pretence of Religion and de­votion, a Cloak to cover all their Villany and Oppression; [Page 95] And so unhappily it fell out, that I took not my marks amiss, for notwithstanding my discharge aforesaid, being as com­pleat as they could make any, yet still I was called upon to bring in the Arrearages of Rents for my Lands, that were due to the State forsooth as they pretended, and when this my discharge was shewed sorth, and pleaded in the Country before their Auditors and Receivers, they could take very little or no exceptions against it, only they said that the Rents and Profits of my Lands would still be called in questi­on, neither could they surcease or forbear so doing, untill such time as my said discharges were sent up, and inrolled before the Commissioners at Worcester house: And hereup­on my self being then in Prison, by force and colour of their unjust power, I was enforced to procure a Friend, to convey it up thither, where instead of inrolling of the fame, they took it quite away from me, and left me only a Copy thereof, that one of my Sons had formerly written out: and afterwards when the Rump recovered their peevish power a­gain, they made a sale and graunt of all my Estate, notwith­standing, the discharge which I had so hardly obtained, and all the wofull miseries, that they and their fore-runners had formerly so long imposed upon me, and my poor Family, only in the despite of our Loyall Faithfullness to his late Ma­jesty, and because we refused to passe in the rank of Rebells: Such was the Charity and Justice of these wretched Miscre­ants, and yet for all their raging and prodigious projects a­gainst us, we had the good hapand courage to keep the pos­session of our house, during all the time of the late distracti­ons, and this I think may be put in Chronicle for a kind of Miracle, and if I should make a punctuall Relation of all the Travels and Troubles, that we endured and passed thorough, in and about this last recited affliction of ours, it would pro­duce a large volume of it self: And yet I was as much vex­ed and tormented with another Hobgoblin hatcht in Hell, but called an Engagement, and for the Non-subscribing of this, I was reputed an out-law, and no man that owed me any thing, would pay me a penny (unlesse it were some Con­scientious soul that feared God) for they knew that I was disabled, to bring any action against them: And besides I had openly declared divers times, that I would hazard to [Page 95] starve, before that I would seek the help and relief of such Law-lesse Authority as was then in use; And hereupon some perverse and ignorant Wretches did deride me, and were the more prompt to work me a mischief, and sticked not to say, that if any man killed me, there was no pun­ishment to be inflicted for so doing; Neither could I be permitted to plead so much as in a Corporation Court, and upon this sad occasion, I continued close and retired at home for a good while, being loth to expose my self to dis­grace or danger as the violence of the stream did then run, [...]or I did then evidently perceive, that those hypocrites were not contented to captivate our bodies and estates only, but that also they endeavoured, so far as their power could extend, to inthrall our souls to eternal perdition: and I soon found likewise that my recesse from a little publick imploiment, was an occasion of the greater want of means amongst us: the consideration whereof did minister a fair opportunitie unto me, to flie unto God for counsel and comfort, in this so great an exigencie; and having implored my Creator for his mer­cie and direction herein, I began to ruminate, and resolve to venture upon a design, whereby in probabilitie I might be ex­posed, either to more eminent and notorious sufferings, then I had formerly met withall, or else by some fair and irrepre­hensible evasion to help, and quit my self out of the trapp of that treacherous engagement, for I did conceive that few or none of the Countrie Magistrates would seem to be so grosly impudent and ir [...]eligious, as to make refusal of that which I intended to present and proffer unto them: and so it fell out soon after, that there was much businesse at a Corporation Court near me, and where I had frequently been in practise for above 20. years before, and thereupon divers came unto m [...]; with a purpose to retain me for their counsel at that time, and offered me Fees, which I had need enough then to accept of, though formerly I had refused many that were offered me in some cases, and my memory presenting that old Verse unto me, ‘Quis nisi mentis inops oblatum respuat anrum.’ I now entertained their kind offer, but withall told them, that I feared, that I should not be suffered to plead, but yet I [Page 97] vvould endeavour to do them the best service I could, or else return their Fees again: Hereupon I took a fit opportunitie to rapair to one of the chief Magistrates, that vvere to sit at that Court, and vvhom I never took for a Machiavilian of the deepest die, and did inform him, hovv I vvas retained to come to his Court, but beleeved, that I should not be heard, because I had not taken the Engagement: His ansvver vvas, that he intended not to hinder me, but that I might speak as freely there, as ever I had done before; Well said I, but if those I shall plead against, or any paltrie fellovv in court vvill but urge the exception against mee, I doubt you dare not but enjoyne me silence: You say true, quoth he, and therefore it were well that you would subscribe it, whereunto I replied thus, I hope that you vvill not impose anie thing upon me, that is contrarie to the Word of God, or the Lavves of the Kingdom. No no quoth he, not by any means; Then said I, vvith a reservation to that effect, I vvill subscribe it; and so vve vvent together to the house of another Magistrate not of capacitie enough to prac­tise much mischief, and there before them tvvo, I did sub­scribe it, vvith this protestation, so far as it vvas not contra­dictorie and repugnant to the vvord of God, and the fun­damental Lavves of the Kingdom, and this device of mine did passe for currant, though certainly I vvas not thereby any more engaged then I vvas before: and yet I continued faith­full unto them in some sort, for I dare say, that both before and after this, I did ever as freely reprove their villanies, as any man that lived in England: yet I most humbly crave your Majesties pardon for this my seeming, in the least degree to yeeld unto them, I could hardly have done so, had I not learn­ed the rule, Sicut subditus tene [...]ur ad obedientiam, ita Rex teneturad protectionem: and that safeguard I vvas unhappily bereaved of, my conscience likevvise relucted, lest through [...], or fear of danger, I should offend God, but I believed that in case of extremitie, it were better to fall into the hands of God the fountain of all mercie, then into the power of wicked men, who had shewed themselves almost as void of humanitie as the verie bruit beasts. Not long after this I was summoned up to be decimated, and there it was ordered again, that I should [Page 98] enter another Bond of five hundred pounds, but upon what condition or cause I knew not, yet by the meanes of some there that pretended some friendship unto me, the pe­nalty was drawn down to three hundred pounds, and such a Bond I was ordered to enter into at Colchester before some of their Complices, but I had the good hap to shufle it over, and so escaped that bondage. But notwithstanding all these my Troubles and Perplexities, or their pretences of kind­nesse towards me, yet I could never be drawn or daunted from the defence of the truth, and the bold and free utter­ance of my mind therein, upon every fit occasion. Once as I was pleading in a Court for my Client, the cheif Magistrate there, and my self began to clash a little, whereupon I chan­ced to say, that some courses would never be left, untill the Kingdome were quite undone, to which, he answered me thus, you to be sure will be undone in the mean time, whereat I clapped my hand upon my Breast, and said, Gods will be fullfilled, but if I be undone, yet I shall have an advantage a­bove some others, for I shall fall with Majesty, and a good Conscience, and that too many will miss of, at which some of the standers by were not displeased, for I heard them whisper and say, here is a man of a rare Spirit. And when I was in the deepest danger for the sale of my Lands, this Ma­gistrate last mentioned, had a Son that was interessed about Sequestrations and Sales, and I remembred that St. Paul had taken hold of the Law of an Heathen Emperour to save him­self from the lash, and so I thought it lawfull for me to use the best means I could, to preserve my Wife and Children, from being turned out of doors: To this man therefore I repaired, and desired him to speak to his Son on my behalf, and he presently called for his Son, and charged him before my face, to shew me all the curtesie and service that lay in his power, and then the old man and I walked together into the Fields, where being in discourse, he said that he was sorry that it was so with me, for if you quoth he, would have gone the way that other Learned men did, you should never have had need to crave a curtesie at any mans hand, for you might have been able to do favours for all your Friends and acquaintance, for you might have been a man of great rule and command in the Country, and gotten what [Page 99] Estate you had pleased; Yes sure, was my Answer, I might have got the Devil and all; Then replyed he to me, you will never leave these manner of expressions, but they do you no good; Yes said I, there will be a time when the speak­ing of truth may stand me in some sted; and Sir, said I, you must give me leave to tell you, that if I had gone otherwise then I have done, I had been as arrant a stinking Knave as ever pissed against a Wall; whereat the man started, and said, why I hope you will not say that we are all so: No sure, said I, my modesty will not suffer me to tell you on it so plainly, but my self had been so howsoever; And why you quoth he, more then other men? The reason, said I, is appa­rent, for I had then gone against my Conscience in point of Religion, and my Judgement in point of Law, and he that doeth so, I say is an arrant Knave: But Conscience, said he, must be rectified; Very true, said I, but how? it must be rectified indeed by the Law of God and Man, and not by the opinions and humours of a few factious Schismaticks. This man had been a Magistrate near 30▪ years, and I believed that the stream of the Times, rather then the strength of his Judgement, had now caused him to run the course he did, and therefore I think that I gave his Worship such a pestilent rub as he had seldome met withall before, but my intent therein was to do him good. In the late Tyrants time, an Attorney told me of a Lawyer which I knew, that was then called up to be a Judge in one of the Courts at Westminster, whereunto I answered, that I was sorry for him because I feared that he had forgot both his Law and Religion too, but alasse said I, the pride of the heart is so great, that some will hunt after, and accept of preferment, although it be upon never so evil termes, but sure such men are quite out of their wits: I wonder you will say so, said he, why if the Protector should send you a Commission to be a Judge, would you not accept of it? no surely, said I, and verily I hope that thou hast not so bad a conceit on me, as to believe that I would once entertain such an offer; and though I re­membred the old Adage, which saith, That he that speaks the truth may have his head broken, yet I proceeded on fur­ther, and said, that I should rather chuse to dye at mine own Gate, then take a place under such a power, for if ever I be [Page 100] either Judge or Justice, I hope at shall be in Gods name, and not in the Devils, for all Rebells are of the Devil, and only from him they had their first original. Once again in that time my patience was pitiously put to it, for having occasion to be at a Sessions, amongst other stingie stuff of cruell conse­quence, I heard it given in charge to the Grand inquest, that it was High Treason to say that the Government was Usurpt; in truth my heart did rise against such Doctrine, and mine eares tingled to hear the people so poysoned, and their Judgements abused, and depraved with such Devillish dissi­mulation, and as soon as I could I got my self away thorough the croud, and going out at the door, an Officer of the Court espyed me, and said, Sir, whither do you go so fast? Away said I, what should I do here? Why quoth he, I hope you will tarry and dine with the Justices: no surely said I, for such doctrine I have already heard amongst them, as I am re­solved neither to eat nor drink with them this day: But I hope now such popular Temporisers will truly see their Er­rors, ere it be too late, for every such Proteus or Protogenes that intends to participate of Eternal felicity, and to be as well capable of Gods mercy, as of their Princes pardon, must not think it sufficient to turn a new leaf with the times, but they must be seriously sorrowfull, and repentant for their former failings, and corrupt conversations: One of the holy Fathers used to pray unto God to forgive him his other mens sins, that is, the sins which he had occasioned others to fall into and commit; and most heartily I do beseech Al­mighty God, that the whole body of [...] may ob­tain the grace to be truly penitent, and pathetically pious in the reforming of what hath been amisse. God and the World too well knows who were incentively the first foun­ders and fomenters of the late Rebellion, and so consequently it is to be feared of all the horrible Murders, Rapines, and other grosse and Atheistical absurdities and Deviations, both in Church and Common-wealth, which upon the same so sadly ensued: Have not some lately brought to a condign punishment, pretended as an excuse for their so wicked an [...] ▪ unparallel'd Treacheries, that they were Commissioned Offi­cers under such a man? and who had he all his own Com­missions from? and were there not Votes passed for Non-Addresses [Page 101] to his late Majesty? and was not the clause for preservation of his Majesties person quite left out in some of their Commissions? Alas I touch not upon these things with a desire to rub or renew the sore, but to give a charitable admonition, as a Christian salve to the soul, that such as are any wayes guilty thereof, may be drawen to abhorre them­selves, and to repent in dust and ashes. It is most true, if it please your Majesty, that I was ever a sore detester of Rebelli­on, but I was as well pleased to endure the yoak of a single Tyrant, as of a multitude of the same stamp, and yet I could not forbear inveighing against him, sometimes in the pre­sence of such as had near relation to him; and it is very strange, that I was not destroyed amongst some others, for many silly seditious So [...]s would cry out upon me, with a why you speak against the Government, but these Rurals were [...]oth to trouble themselves, or travel up so far to ac­cuse me, and certainly next to Gods mercy, my so seldome comming at London, was an Antidote to preserve me out of his clutches: For indeed, my constant discourse concerning that Tyrant was, that God had raised him up as he did Pharaoh, to plague his People for their sins, and to the in­ [...]ent, that the Lord might shew his Power upon him in the conclusion: For I never looked upon the late Rebells, and all their Complices and Adherents, but as upon the Aegyp­tian vermine of Frogs, Lice, and Caterpillers, sent and suf­fered to torment this Nation, for their rebellious offences, and therefore I did every day continually expect their ru­ine; For if the Nation repented not, then I knew that God was able to punish us some other wayes; but I could never doubt, but that the Lord in his due time, would vindicate his own glorie, and truth against such wicked wretches, and suddenly send some strong favonian Wind, to disperse and drive them all into the red Sea of ruine and utter destructi­on. I have often wondred at the strange Hipocrisie, or strong delusions of some reputed wise ones in this Nation, for their first pretence of taking up Armes (as they held it forth to the People) was to depresse and beat down Po­pery forsooth, and yet some of themselves afterwards, when successe did seem to favour their factions, did put in prac­tise and strive to maintain the opposing, deposing, and mur­der [Page 102] of Kings, the absolute merit of their own Works, and the infallibility of their own dirty decretalls, such desperate and dangerous Tenets, as no moderate Romanist will now allow of, or yield any approbation unto; Nay, the very written Word of God, his ten Commandements, the Lords Prayer, the Holy Epistles and Gospels, and the true Christian Catholick Beleefe, &c. are by some sacrilegiously thrust out at the Church doors, to the end, that ignorance and pervers­ness may yet be nourished, and their own weak and neer non­sensicall inventions only applauded amongst the people, and for the pleasing and feeding the idle and obstinate humours of a few factious schismaticks. And yet whosoever in the late times, durst but once open his mouth, to speak against such ethnical practises, was presently branded with the odious name of a Malignant, & ill affected person to the state: but if all had been so blockish as to be silent, and not have spoken a word against such damnable doings, I think (as our Saviour saith in another case) the very stones would have cried out: & although too many were much offended at those that spake their minds in sinceritie, yet I beleeve it was happie for the whole Nation that there were some such persons to be offen­ded at, for had there been no righteous Lots therein to reprove the wickednesse of others, and that were continually vexed with the unjust conversation of such Sodomites, there might have been danger enough for fire and brimstone to have fallen from Heaven, upon such a grosse apostatizing King­dome; for I am sure that the sinnes of Sodome never moun­ted so high, nor cried so loud in the ears of Gods venge­ance, as the bewitched wickednesse of wretched England for many years of late hath certainly done, the Lord in his Christ be mercifully appeased with us for the same. In­deed for mine own particular I doe professe, and have divers times formerly said as much, that next to the great hopes, that I have for the saving of my poor soul, by the mercies of God, in the merits alone of Jesus Christ, I did never think that my God had afforded me a greater favour, then to preserve and keep me by his grace, from being an agent in, or adherent to the late rebellion: for if any thing had been amisse in the pra­ctise of religion, as was pretended by some, yet such as were not wholly given over to a reprobate sense, might easily have [Page 103] understood, that armed violence could never amend it, but ra­ther make all worse then it was before, it is grosse ignorance to imagine, that reformation in the Church, or Religion and Truth it self, can be setled in bloud, but only in the in­nocent and precious bloud of Jesus Christ▪ and where and whensoever any true reformation hath hapned, it was all­waies set on, and brought to passe by the means of a lawfull Magistrate, set up and authorised of God, and not by the dull endeavours, and injust power of a few bestial and serpentine spirits, raised and conjured up by the madnesse of the people. Such prodigious devices were not in use, untill the old dra­gon begun to rage, because his time waxed short: but all a­long the primitive times, notwithstanding those bloudie, heavie and horrible persecutions imposed upon Christians: yet those that were true godly Saints, did never so much as dream of rebelling against their Governours, for ever still in their strongest extremities, their sharpest weapons were preces & lachrimae, a sure symboll of a sacred heart: but all violent courses to protect themselves, they utterly disclaimed. There is a generation yet amongst us, that can never be so soundly sensible of their souls solace as they might be, if they were truly convinced of their late errors, and seriously sorrowfull and humbled for their former offences: but so long as they meet with pardon and preferment, they think all is well, but alas it is not so, for too many still fare the worse for these mens late unjust and impious practises: I wish them to remem­ber that God is a righteous Judge, and will render just mea­sure in due time; for oppression will ever cry to heaven for vengeance: there be many matters which they have had a shrewd hand in, that will be a bitter blemish in their armes, as long as they live: and as the vulgar saying is, may grieve them in their graves when they be dead, or at least stick sore at their souls hereafter, if they bring not forth better fruits and effects of true repentance, then can hitherto be seen or perceived in them by an impartial eye: Such as seek to cover their sinnes cannot prosper: and some there be I fear, whose sor­mer faults being now shadowed under a fair pretext, do still by their connivancie and countenance encourage others to be more stubborn and refractorie in the yeelding unto, and per­formance [Page 104] of such things as a good conscience will lowdly call for at their hands: and by this means also it is probable enough that some of your Ma [...] subject [...] that have evidently de­monstrated their love & loyaltie to their King & countrie are still kept under, and had in de [...]ision and contempt, being basely abused and discouraged by too many of the late stupidicies, to the dishonour and shame of this Kingdom, both at home and abroad, and clean contrary to your Maties good meaning, and most royal disposition, and sore against the reputation of a righteous Cause without question; and if old Gamesters begin once to belive and find, that there is now a dayes no difference at Dice, but that cogging and cheating may as well win the Game, and go away with the Garland as fairly as honest and square play, it may hereafter be a means to indu [...]e some to be cowardly, and loath again to venture themselves and their estates so valiantly, unless it were upon better terms, and at such an ill consequence or event, the enemies of the truth will be ready to rejoyce, but all your Majesties Well-wishers would be most heartily sorry for it. In truth it is now time, under royal favour, if it so please God and your Majesty, that your Graces poor suffer­ing friends should be a little looked upon, and considered of, who have been so couragiously constant in their saddest sufferings, abhorring to defile themselves, with the least tincture of Treason, but alwayes labouring to imprint Loy­alty in the hearts of others; and frequently and faithfully im­proving their best faculties for your Majesties service, and the good of their native Country. Some of my Opposites have said unto me, that they believed it was impossible to turn me from the way, that I walked in, and that although they were not of my mind, and that I was their enemy, and did them more hurt in their Cause, than many that fought against it, yet they could not chuse but honor the me­mory of me, in regard that I had ever stood so stoutly to my Principles. It was truly said of the Wiseman, that when a man is well proved, then is his faithfullness known; and certainly I may say to your Majesty with a safe conscience, that in the time of the late Anarchy, my fidelity to your Grace, was sufficiently tryed to the proof, for amongst all the revoluti­ons [Page 105] and alteration which happened in that slippery State, and wherewith the most part of the people being desirous of novelty, were well pleased in hope of some melioration thereby, yet the Doctrine that I did ever divulge amongst all such as I conversed withall, was still to this effect, that all those alterations could never conduce to any good, but only draw on more and more Confusion, untill all were ruined; for alwayes my saying was, that right must have right, and that there could never be the least expectation or sign of any security, or settlement of peace here amongst us, untill your Majesty were restored unto all your just, and lawfull rights and royalties; for whilst that came to pass, and was happily effected, the full wrath and vengeance both of God and man would continually prosecute these rebellious Nations. Some factious and seditious Ignorants, would now and then be carping at your Majesties title to the Crown of England, and affirm that it came in first by William the Conquerour, and being gotten by Conquest, it might as well in the same man­ner be lost: but my answer to this was, that the Case is not the same, for William the Conquerour was a forein Prince, and by the law of Armes might make a Conquest of this Na­tion, but no Subjects can ever conquer their Soveraign; for although they do over-powre him by force and violence, yet that is no Conquest, but a meer act of rebellion, and no wayes justifiable either by the laws of God or man: and be­sides I commonly said unto them, that if any of their Ance­stors had been sei [...]ed of an Estate in Lands for the time of a­bout 600. years, they would then think it to be more than a sufficient prescription to maintain a good and unquestionable Title thereunto. But [...] had a stronger argument than this to refute that Norman fallacy, for I was so good an Histori­an as to tell them, that within a few Discents after the Conquest, the antient royal race was again restored; and also such an apt Antiqua [...]y and Herauld as to derive your Majesties pedegree ab origant, and to shew them clearly how by Gods providence, and the policy and good successe of ma­ny happy and fortunate Marriages, your Majesty was now the true undoubted Heir, unto all those famous Princes, that ever had any lawfull colour of Competition, or right unto the royal Crownes of England and Scotland. And some­times [Page 106] I have related unto them an old story of the Abissines, who bragg that their black Imperial Prince is descended from a Childe, that Solomon begot upon the Queen of Sheba, and this they stand upon as a great and honourable Antiqui­tie for that Nation: but withall I did still inform these peo­ple, that your Majesties Title to England was full as antient, & far more authentical: And the chief scope and end of all these my Speeches, and Relations, was to inlighten their blind Eye [...], to inform their Judgements, to make them know and understand the Truth of your Majesties indubitable just and religious Rights and Authorities over this Nation, that therby they might be induced to have a more reverend regard and opinion of the same, and so in time become inclinable to yield their due obedience thereunto. On a time being at a Court Baron in a great and populous Town, divers of the Tenants there in open discourse, did ask me many Que­stions in Law, which I gave them my Opinion in to their sa­tisfaction: at the length a jolly fellow there, who was a Pres­byters lay elder, did say, that the tenants were much beholding to me, for I had told them a great deal of Law; but, quoth he, I have heard but little Gospel come from you. Friend, said I, thanks be given to God for it, I can speak Gospel too as well as Law, but Gospel now is not fit for your hearing, be­cause you have cast off the practise of it. No, sure, said he, I do make more account of the Gospel, than of your Law. You ought indeed to do so, said I, but you have forgot your Dutie then; for the Gospel enjoynes you to give Caesar his due, and that you have quite forgotten, and where are you now? Then I desired him to tell me, Whether he thought that St. Peters Epistles were Canonical Scripture or not? Yes, quoth he, they are. Then, said I, there you fail again, for there is in them a good Document, that you and others have slighted most shamefully. What is that? said he. It is this, said I, Fear God, and honour the King, and that I am sure you have quite forgotten, or little regarded these two seven years▪ Hereat the whole Auditorie fell into a loud laughter, and the Elder knew not what to say for himself. There was a rich Town not far from me, which at the first beginning of the late Rebellion, were liberal and very free to part with their [Page 107] Monies and Armes to that purpose, but their Purses being prettily well exhausted, and some of them not well willing, or able to spare any more Monie out of their Stocks, for the present; yet for a further ostentation, and to make their Zeal and Devotion, though blinde in it self, yet perspicuous and clear enough unto others: They consulted therefore, and a­greed together to borrow 1000 pound upon interest of a rich Usurer, and presently they lent the same to the Parliament, upon the Publick Faith, though alass they knew not where that Utopian or imaginarie Creature did then dwell, neither from that day to this could they ever find out the residence thereof, nor yet so happily meet with it, as to get their Mo­nies again. It was my chance a few years after to enter dis­course with one of the most solid Heads in that Parish, and I said unto him, that I had seldom or never read or heard of such a stupified, and blockish kind of people as most of them were. Why, quoth he, are we worse then all others? Tru­ly, said I, there be none that I know of, that have manifested more ignorance and perverseness than you have done; for when you had parted with all, and lent to the Rebels so much Monie of your own, as you listed to spare, then must you forsooth take up Monie at interest, to send the same way; and so purchase to your selves a stronger Title to the Triple­tree, for that will be your portion in the end, if you meet not with the more mercy: and was there ever known any people so sottish, as to borrow Monie upon use, to drive such a dangerous Trade; certainly a man that is not worse then mad, would have had so much Monie as he knew not what to do withall, before that ever he durst have ventured to lay it out upon so poor an advantage, as to buy himself a Bargain of such dead and desperate Ware. Indeed I believe that a­mongst all the Wrongs and Indignities, that were put upon me, and too tedious here to be related, there was nothing so much perplexive and vexatious unto me, as to see my na­tive Country-men so readily run on to their own ruine, and to be so secure and confident in the wayes of Error and De­struction: but still I told them, that Security was the Mo­ther of Danger; that they walked upon deceitfull grounds; for so soon as the Winde turned, their false Teachers would [Page 108] all forsake them, clap their tailes between their legs, and run away like a chidden Curre, and that those they most trusted in, would soonest forsake them, to serve their own turns. And yet allwayes when I took an occasion to declare my strong hopes, of your Majesties Restauration, many would seem to laugh at it, and wish me to set my heart at rest, for I should never live to see that day▪ to which I ever replied with a constant courage, that I trusted in God to live and see that happy day which I had so much prayed for, and so long expected, and continually hoped for so many years to­gether, and that their security was a sign, and strong Argu­ment to me of the more sudden approach thereof, for it would certainly come to passe when the most of men did least dream of it; and a time of the weakest probability in the eye of the world, is the fittest season for the Divine suc­cour, and the most glorious opportunity for God Almighty to bring his own purposes, and blessed decrees to the best ef­fect: for it was impossible for a real and true Christian to beleeve, that the divine justice could any longer suffer such usurping wretchednesse to have continuance, which had so basely and injuriously subverted the whole frame of Govern­ment, both in Church and Commonwealth, setting up such pandarising Magistrates as were content to submit themselves to be agents in the most heathenish and Mahometan absurdi­ties; and such idolatrizing Ministers, as for Balaams wages were content to idolize every usurping rebell, and perfidi­ously and perjuriously to defame, and cast off the Hierarchie of the Church, which they had formerly sworn to maintain, and yeeld their obedience unto, and stubbor [...]ly also to de­prave and disclaim the holy Liturgie thereof, the Book of Common-prayer, and administration of the Sacraments, and other rites and ceremonies of the Church of England, being in truth so holy and sacred in it self, and so consonant to Gods word, and the primitive institution of the true Catholick Church, founded upon the faith of the holy Apostles, and Prophets; as the most critical Phanatick can never be able to find the least just occasion of offence therein, unlesse it be be­cause it is guiltie of so much puritie, pietie and perfection: and if there were nothing else to speak or plead in the behalf of it, but only this, that it was lately abrogated by a sediti­ous [Page 109] Ordinance; that alone were argument sufficient, to prove it to be of God, for had it been antichristian and opposite to the truth, as some most ignorantly, malitiously, and fondly did affirm; then it had never been opposed by any that were inclinable to rebellion, but rather promoted by them, for as it is the fierce facultie and inseperable accident to all re­bells, to pat [...]onize, contend and fight for the defence of fal­sities, and [...]ies, so is it as meer natural unto them to impugne resist and depresse the truth, to the uttermost of their power, in regard they are, and ever were the instruments and oracles of hell, and the undoubted children of their first Father the Devil. And yet all these wholesom instructions, reasons and admonitions of mine did seldome or hardly work so well upon the fancies and affections of some of the seduced igno­rant and stubbo [...]nly conceited people, as I desired and in­tended: Indeed I know not better whereunto I may resem­ble most of them, then to a company of wilde apes that I have read of in a Morall, who rambling about in the night-time, to find out their prey, and being somewhat acold, at length they espied a gloeworm lying upon the ground, and taking it to be a coal of fire, they soon resolved to take a course to warm them elves, and hereupon some of them gathered sticks together, and laid them over the gloeworm, and ben­ding down upon their knees, and blowing stoutly, they used the means as they conceited, to make the sticks take fire, from that imaginary coal, others of them run up to the tops of great trees that grew near, and broke down feare boughs to increase the flame; and thus with their puffing, cracking or crackling, they awaked a poor Poppin Jay, which had ta­ken up his lodging amongst the branches of those trees, who was much amazed to hear so great a noise there, in the dead time of the night, and therefore he set himself to peep, and spy out what the matter meant; at the last he perceived how busie the poor Apes were, about nothing to the purpose, and how shamefully they wronged and abused themselves, by the means of their own ignorance; and this Bird being of an ingen [...]ous nature and good disposition, was sorry to see them thus labour in vain, and strive against the stream, and therefore to draw them out of their gross error, and friendly to inform their Judgements in the truth, he ventured him­self, [Page 110] & came down amongst them, and as the story tells me, said thus unto them, Good Apes you have awaked me with the great noise that you made, and since mine eyes were open, I have well observed your design, and what a pitious deal of pains you have taken, to no other end or effect, but vainly to weary your Bones, spend your Spirits, and make your selves ridiculous to the World, and being much grieved thereat, I am now come in Charity to tell you, wherein you are so grossely mistaken, for I conjecture, that your plot is, to kin­dle yourselves a fire, thereby to warm you, and so amend your cold Condition, but you may blow your nayles long enough, and puff till your hearts ake, before you bring your purposes to passe, for if ever you get a fire by this meanes, I dare warrant you, that it will soon burn you all to Ashes: But the Truth is, that this shining thing that you behold, is no fire at all, but a silly worm, whose nature it is, to shine and glister in the night, and so your sences are deluded with the glistering shew of a Bable, wherein there is no such sub­stance, as you do vainly conceive in your opinions; And therefore I counsell you to desist and give over, this your so foolish and fond attempt: Hereat the Apes were much of­fended, and began to storm and wax angry, and one of the principall ring-leaders amongst them, got up a stick in his pawes, and went furiously towards the poor Poppin Jay and said to this effect: Silly Bird, who made the [...] so bold as to come thus impudently to reprove us? art thou so mad or foolish as to think that we know not well enough what we do, or that we will be taught by thee, or have our Judge­ment informed, by a simple babling Bird? I tell thee no, for we are about our businesse, and that we will bring to passe, in spite of thy Teeth, and therefore it is madnesse in thee to admonish us, but I wish thee to give over thy prating, and get thee hence in time, for if thou dost tarry long here, and dwell upon such a discourse, we shall go near quickly to use a meanes to pull thy Skin quite over thy e [...]res; And in truth upon the matter, such or worse was the good entertain­ment, thanks, and reward, that my self and others ever reap­ed at the hand [...] of the late idiotis [...]d Rebells, for all the good Counsell and Exhortation we gave unto them, in sincerely seeking their Salvation, and in laying before their eyes, the [Page 111] dolefull consequences, that must needs ensue upon their im­pious vain and desperate designes: But they indeed did more then threaten us, for they rent our fleeces quite off from our Backs, and would soon have had the Skin and all too, if God had not been the more me [...]cifull to prevent it, and to stop the main stream of their malice against us: There be two small Treatises the one set forth in Queen Maryes, time and stiled An Exhortation against Rebellion, and the o­ther written in Queen Elizabeths dayes, and named Caesars Dialogue, they be both now allmost absolete and quite worn out of use, for to the best of my remembrance, I have seldome or never seen them in the hands of any man, but mine own: And I first found them amongst my Fathers old Books, who deceased when I was a little Infant, and before they came into my possession, they were somewhat lacerated, but I did diligently peruse them over, for I was ever studi­ous from my Childhood, especially of such things, as my Genius taught me, were very necessary to be known: And I am perswaded that through the Blessing of God, they were a principall meanes to imprint and sow the Seeds of Loyalty in my heart, so soon as I had the least Under­standing in any literature: And it is probable enough that if I had met with the Encouragement, that some others have, I might well have been able long ere this time, to per­form better services for my King and Country, then my trans­verse and crosse opportunities would hitherto permit me to accomplish, or bring to any such a good passe or effect as I desired; for my endeavours being deprived of their due nourishment, the want of that made me many times the more remiss in my studies, which I am now most heartily sor­ry for; But now I hope that hereafter all those that are tru­ly Religio [...]s, and lovers of virtue and Loyalty, will not suf­fer the light thereof to go out, and be quenched thorough negligence, or disrespect, or the vigour thereof to be utter­ly extinguished in Oblivion, but that they will lend a prin­cipal eye of regard thereunto, and justly and duly encou­rage and advance the same, both for the glory of God, and their own special interest and concernment; and in truth I do believe, under favour, that if those two little Books last mentioned were revised and reprinted by Order of Autho­rity, [Page 112] and so freshly exposed to the publick view, they would do much good, and operate very well upon the minds and affections of the youthfull and vulgar people of this king­dom, and indeed this Nation hath need enough of good and wholesom counsels and cautions to rectifie their so long de­praved judgements, and of such religious animadversions, as may totally deterr them, from the practise of that uggly, hor­rid and diabolical sinne of rebellion, and from the least hunt­ing after the▪ track, scent or savour of such seditious and schis­matical delusions as of late they were so grosly and abomina­bly infected withall, considering also the lamentable and fear­ful consequences that have ensued thereupon, both in Church and State, and the most horrible and prodigious tragedies, that have been acted upon the theatre of this Kingdom, by occasion thereof, being even more bloodie, vile and villanous, then the seditious Jewes that Josephus writes of▪ who wrought the ruine and utter subversion of their famous City and coun­trie, did ever enterprise or intend, as I could instance in some particular [...], which are so odious, and notorious to the world, as I shall not now need to d [...]file this paper ther [...]with. But in truth the carriage or d [...]meanour of some people still, is so p [...]evish and perverse, as my conscience doth urge me to relate some passages that concern my self, which I would willing­ly omit and passe over, were not my charitie, to reform their [...]rrors, greater then my desire to defame their actions: for certainly my self and others were of a blind belief, and stupid understanding, if we did not palpably perceive, the dolefull, and dangerous defect of contrition, and the crooked conver­sation that yet remains in these men, who seem to be of the Spiders nature, sucking poyson out of the same flower, from whence the harmlesse Bee doth gather honey: and it is to be feared that some acts of grace, which might well have served for their present advantage, will in the end by the bad influence of their corrupt nature, conduce and redound to their future and [...]verlasting overthrow: for in the very place where the constancie and integritie of my truth and loy­altie hath been eminent enough, and where the sufferings both of my self and family for the same have been such and so great, as many of mine enemies have had once a little com­passion [Page 113] upon us, yet even there have I found lately but few Samari [...]ans, to bind up my former wounds, but some passe by without regard thereof: and too many are prompt enough to make my sore the deeper, by their peevishnesse and malice: for but a little time before your Majesties most happy accesse to your royal government, I was required to pay some assess­ments, which for the present I did refuse to do, in regard the payment thereof was ordered by an illegal power, and for that I was in good hope of your Majesties sudden approach to right and protect us: and after that your Majestie was so happily landed, and come to London, the Collectors again did demand the same of me, and said that if it were no [...] presently paid, there must come troopers to [...]evie the same; To which I made answer, they might come if they would, but there was no need of any such trouble, for if I could have the least notice, or intimation, that your Majesty had commanded or con­sented to the payment thereof, it should then be very soon discharged, but otherwise I would not pay it as yet, untill I heard more, and were better satisfied in the matter: to which they had little to say, but went their way, and for divers weeks after, whilst I remained at home in the Countrie, I ne­ver heard any more of them: but the very next day after that I was come away towards London, to petition your Majesty about my former sufferings, these Collector [...] came to my house, with [...]bout a dozen, or more Foo [...]-souldiers, whereat my Wife in my absence was much affrighted, and yet they left half of them there to quarter, untill the money were paid, who behaved themselves basely enough, and would tar [...]y there in spite of her teeth, to her great disturbance, and she not ha­ving the money, was enforced to maintain them all, until she could procure the whole sum which they demanded: and at this the contemners of my loyaltie did laugh not a little and please themselves, to see my house thus abused, and so sudden­ly after my Kings comming, which I had so long hoped for, and so much rejoyced at, a [...] was sufficiently seen and made manifest, And since the sitting of the late Parliament, or Con­vention, and but a little time before your Majestie [...] most bles­sed accesse into England, there came a gallant Gentleman to my house, and desired to speak with me, and when we came [Page 114] together, he civilly requested me to excuse him, for he thought he had brought a Message that would not be very pleasing unto me, and yet he believe [...] that it would do me no great hurt, but a friend of his had earnestly enjoyned him to tell me of it, and to hear my answer thereunto: Well Sir, said I, what is the matter I pray? It is quoth he, a Rump businesse: How so, said I, is not the Rump Plag [...]e over yet? what is the news with them now? Why said he, this Gentle­man that intreated me to do this Errand, hath laid out mo­nies about the Purchasing of your Land, and I think that he would willingly learn how he may come in to his monies again: Yes marry, said I, that were well, for as yet there is a Fool and his money soon parted, for if it be laid out upon such termes as you do intimate, then your friend if he meets with his lawfull and due desert, may very fairly totter for his pains; for in truth had there not been such sottish and covetous Contractors, for the purchasing of honest mens Estates, there had never been such unjust and impious wret­ches, as would once have offered to make Sales of the same; But I pray tell me, said I, who is this your friend that hath made such a blind bargain for himself? he is, said the Gen­tleman, a Barrister at Law, and hath a place in the present Parliament, and he hath sent down Letters of Attorney to one here in the Country, to demand the Rents of your Lands, and to fore-warn your Tenants from paying you any more Rent; Indeed said I, he is a pretty Lawyer, and hath proceeded well; doth not he deserve to be degraded, or worse, that thinks Gentlemen can forfeit their Estates for re­fusing to be Traytors? the Law tells him, That it is the committing of Treason, and not the disclaiming or refusall thereof, that brings men within compasse of the forfeiture either of their Lives or Estates, and therefore surely his Learning in the Law, or rather ignorance therein, doth de­serve far more punishment, then preserment: Yet truly, quoth the Gentleman, he is an honest man, and was drawn in to lend money, and to obtain the same again, he was of­fered, and enforced to take a grant of your Lands, but he desires to do [...]ou no wrong, but will gladly accept of a rea­sonable composition: Then I asked him, how much money his friend had disbursed about the bargain, and his answer [Page 115] was with a specification of many hundred pounds: Well, I am sorry for him, said I, for the truth is, that I will never give him so much as the skin of a Lowse, and I much mar­vell that any man now dares be so impudent as to talk of any Rump businesses, considering that we hope the Kings Majesty will be amongst us, ere it be long: Yes, it may be so, said he, if this Parliament will allow of him: They allow of him, said I, why is that the chief point to the pur­pose? I trust these will approve themselves to be wiser then some of their Predecessors, or else they must look to find the like fortune, for his Majesties Motto is, Dieu & mon Droit, and that in Gods good time will bring him to his Crown, in spite of all opposition: Thus I so lectured my Gentleman, that he much commended of my resolution and discourse, and said that he was of my mind, and so we parted in a very friendly manner. And yet these and other numerous pranks of the like nature, that for so long a time together have been played upon me, were sufficient to penetrate the patience of a more patient, and lesse passionate man then my self, but it pleased God to make me remember, Qui patitur vincit, pati­entia sola triumphat. And I most humbly beseech your Maje­sty to believe, and be confident, that all your Loyal and Lo­ving Subjects, that have been constant sufferers in the late unhappy times, will never in the least degree go about to nourish or flatter themselves in the repining against that which is your Majesties good will and pleasure, for we are well content still to endure any thing that may truly tend to your Majesties safety and advantage; and we do fervently desire, and incessantly invocate the Almighty Majesty of Heaven, in whose hands the hearts of Kings are, that he will be pleased in his abundant mercy and goodnesse, so graci­ously to direct and dispose of your Majesties Councils and Affairs, as may be most requisite and pliant to the perfor­mance of his blessed will, revealed in his word; and for the maintenance and upholding of the true Doctrine and Disci­pline of the Orthodox Church of England, as the same was setled and established at the Reformation thereof, by regal lawfull Authority: And I doubt not but that your Majestie is well pleased with us, in these our good desires; for alas it is too manifest, that the late counterfeit, though specious [Page 116] shew of Reformation, and the crying down of the Church­government was a great instrument to beget and breed up that furious and giddy generation of Scismaticks, that have so long troubled, and almost confounded the whole Nation. And it is to be feared, that some will think it now scarce con­sonant to distributive Justice, that such as have been so much hindred and almost undone for their Loyalty▪ in the late times, should still be oppressed in their Purses, to help to beare out other Mens misprisions, and perversities: or that constant Loyaltie, and his inveterate opposite and antagonist, though in a changeable coloured Coat, should yet walk to­gether in aequipage, and be equivalent in countenance, and respect; And yet notwithstanding we are content, and do rejoyce only in submitting to your Majesties good will and pleasure therein; and though perhaps for some serious con­siderations of State, not yet well known or apprehended by us, we are at present debarred from something, which the benefit of the Law, our birth-right, might very fairly have afforded us, yet we gain this honour and satisfaction there­by, that it is now manifest to all the world, that can see, and will not be wilfully blind, that all the Rapines, Wrongs and Oppressions, so lately imposed upon us, were utterly illegal, and that we had a good and just right of recompence for the same, both in point of Law, Equity, Reason and Re­ligion, and especially such of us, as had been constantly loy­al, and wrought no detriment to others; or else to what purpose was there any new Law made to deprive us, but pro tempore, of that legal Legacy, and inherent Inheritance, which the great Charter of England, the continued will of so many famous Kings and Parliaments, for so many hun­dred years had in lawfull manner bequeathed to our Ance­stors, and in them to us, and our Posterities. But I touch not upon this string to any other end or intent, then only to restifie, how I do believe that some others as well as my self have met with occasion clad or dressed in a more discontent­ed habit, then was expected, for none of us, are so deficient in understanding, but that we are apprehensive enough, not only of the greatnesse of the grievances we have endured, but also of the smallnesse of the regard, and countenance, which at some mens hands we have received for the same: [Page 117] and yet as we cannot but be sorely sensible of our Suffer­ings, and slightings, and the slender notice that is taken thereof: So we will not at any time be emulous to accom­plish the right of our desires, not so much as in thought, o­therwise than the correspondent good will and pleasure of your Sacred Majesty, and the known Laws authorised by the same, shall give us free liberty and we are sufficiently confi­dent, that upon the true resenting of our Loyalty and Losses, and the due consideration of the nature, and of other passa­ges thereupon, now so fast knit to our Obedience, your roy­al Majesty will soon conceive, that in point of honour and conscience, your Grace is the more engaged to look upon us, and without that favourable aspect, we not only fear, but find it too evidently hitherto for a truth, that the Chame­lions of this age, who feed upon the Utopian aire of their own frothy inventions and conceits, will never come near us, and so be adapted to turn themselves into our colours and constitution, but rather with reproach abandon us, and so totally deprive themselves of that good, which our Councell and Conversation might minister amongst them: and were it not great pitty, that so worthy Qualities and Fa­culties as Loyalty, and Courage, should unhappily prove and become the Ushers in of Obloquy and Contempt; or that so rare and precious a prise as Vertue, for want of a few external Ornaments and Additaments, should be in the least danger to be despised in its own Country, or Family. In truth for my own part I have had the tryal, to meet with more abuses, and sarcasmical scoffs of late, then I intend to regard, or mean to mention; but as touching any kindnesse, favour or furtherance to refresh me, after my long oppressed and indigent Condition, I can gather up that but very thin­ly, although there is as much reason for me now to expect practise, and as much faithfull industry, and ability to per­form my undertakings, as there is in some others, that reap a more plentifull harvest of their endeavours, yet there is such an antipathy between most of the Country, where I live, and some of my best Qualities, as the greatest part of the people are much averse to be acquainted with me, remem­bring how sharply in former times I did reprove their Fol­lies, [Page 118] and laid open the deadly dangers they were in, of which esteming themselves now to be secure, and indempnified, they look still somewhat strange upon me, and will hardly come near me: manet alta mente rep [...]stum judicium Paridis: and there­fore I begin to believe, that it is my best thriving Physick, to change the aire, when I thought it would have best a­greed with my complexion; And yet if my fate were pro­pitious, and my fortune not a stepdame unto me, I am strong­ly perswaded, that by your Majesties indulgent grace, and favour, I might soon attain unto a very competent, and comfortable livelyhood by the means of my Profession; for there be three necessary incidents to the well being of a Lawyer, Favour, Learning, and Integrity; and if I were so happy but to attain a small portion of your Majesties fa­vour, I doubt not then to find as much of other mens, as shall well serve my turn; And for my Learning, though it be but little, yet with use and improvement, it may soon prove to be as much as some, that have met with better Fortunes and Preferments then my self, may with a safe Conscience confesse themselves to be guilty of; And for my Integrity, I dare venture to lay my Life to gage, without any haesitati­on, of which Integrity, Faithfulnesse, and Sincerity of mine, both toward my Soveraign and Fellow-Subjects, I hope this Treatise hath made some evident demonstration: and yet I may safely say, that the summe of all inserted herein, is but an Epitome of what I have done, said and suffered on the behalf of the Royal right and interest, and I pray God pre­serve your Majesty from reposing too much credit or confi­dence in such as have already been, and therefore may hazard again, to prove Praevaricators, whensoever the opportunity of their own advantage, or the fear of danger shall draw them thereunto. And now I must calculate to a Conclusion, most humbly imploring your Sacred Majesty to pardon my Zealous presumption, in thus adventuring and contending to expatiate, and make my selfknown to your Grace: it is the vigour of my Genius hath urged me, and without yield­ing thereunto, I could never subsist, tranquillo animo; for the prime intention thereof, is to minister good to others; and if by the means of your Majesties gracious acceptance, [Page 119] and benigne interpretation, any benefit shall befall to me or mine, the glory and praise be given to God alone, who hath already afforded me, the greatest temporal blessing, that e­ver so earnestly, I had longed after, I mean your Majesties most blessed accesse, to the rightfull possession of your Royal Crownes and Dignities; for as your absence was most i [...]ksome, so is your Princely power and presence, most acceptable, to all ingenuous Natures, and loyal and royal Dispositions: I was in the fresh flower of my dayes, when the bright star of your Majestie did first appear, and ha­ving now doubled mine age, yet when after so long dark and dismal aspects, I did so happily behold the illust [...]ious bright­nesse and glorious splendor of your Majesties [...]adiant sun­shine begin to shew it self upon the late lowring face of our Horison, I did seem to wax young again, I was in an exstasie of joy, beyond my self, and did believe the beak of my Mis­fortunes was fallen away, and that with the soa [...]ing Eagle, I should now renew both mine age, and strength; such plea­sant Phansies did possesse my Spirits: and yet still I cannot conceive, that I do truely live, unlesse I participate some better warmth and influence by those nutritious and ma­jestical Beams, then is expected from them naturally to descend and be infused upon the rural pecora campi: But I am far from doubt and despair, and will never so much fear the frustrating of my own hopes, as that your Majesties Royal fame, and honour, and Pious and Princely endow­ments, so highly renowned in forein parts, and so well ex­perimented here amongst our selves, should suffer the least eclipse, or aspersions, in permitting any of your Ma­jesties well-meriting Subjects, to be quite neglected and forgotten, to the future discouragement of Truth and Loyaltie in the least degree. But now the glorious and calme Ocean of your Majesties rare and transcendent Impe­rial Vertues and Graces, so replete with Royal Bounty and Benignity, is abundantly more than sufficient, not only to wash away the discontents, that have a little obnubilated the countenances of some honest and upright men, but also to quench and satisfie the thirst and appetite of all your l [...]y­al, loving, and reasonably disposed Subjects; and the Lord [Page 120] in his mercy ever defend and deliver your Grace, from wic­ked vain and unreasonable men; And I most humbly be­seech and invocate that Almighty Majesty and Power of Heaven, that for the advancement of his own glory, the good of his Church, and the felicity, peace and happynesse of these Kingdoms, he will be pleased graciously to grant your Ma­jesty so blessedly and religiously to reign, rule and govern; and your Subjects in general, so christianly, cordially and faithfully to submit and obey, as that after the many vicisli­tudes of this transitory life, we may altogether attain the most blessed habitation of glory and salvation, in the highest Heavens, to all eternity, by and thorough the merits alone of Jesus Christ, our only most blessed Lord and All-sufficient Saviour, to whom, with the Father and Holy Spirit be ren­dred all honour and glory, dominion, obedience, power and praise from henceforth, for ever and evermore. Amen.