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, 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 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 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▪ 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 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 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 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, 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 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, 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 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 • 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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 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 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, 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 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 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 ſerved Michaell 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 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 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 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 was Henry 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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▪ 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 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 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, 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 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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; 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, & 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 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, 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 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 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 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 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: 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, 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, 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 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.