For every individuall Member of the Honourable House of Commons. Concerning the Major, Magstracy, and Officers of Dover.
ACcording to what is mentioned in the Letter, one of my services to my Native Countrey, Parliament, and City of my birth; was the serveing an Order from Grocers Hall, when the Parliament retired thither for safety upon the breach of Parliament priviledges, and the demand of five of their Members: and I beleeve M. Corbets hand to it, which Order I served upon Sir John Byron L. of the Tower, when none would readily attempt it, but my selfe, as some Citizens which yet are living can testifie; and then amongst the rest I watched the Tower, both by Land, and Water, as Order was given, least Irish men should be let in for a guarde, and it should be victualled also, and proved the dismounting the Cannons then moun [...]ed in Terrorem, both to Parliament and City.
1. The gaining Mr. Willoughby of wapping a Commission, and discyplineing himselfe and others for Officers, and about 140. volonteeres, souldiers for any present Parliamentary service, in which I was L. to Cap. Willoughby, and was with him, and these my fellow souldiers at the securing of Gravesend, and Essex Block-houses, when Kent opposed (many of them) the Parliament, as Col. Dean can testifie, who I believed belongs now to the Navy as an Admirall, and was then imployed in Gravesend Fort, for and by my Cap. Willoughby; but whither or no Col. Deane remembers I had no pay in this service, can I not tell, as in my other I am sure I had none at all.
Then I was with Cap. Willoughby to secure the Royall Soveraigne, a ship so called, lay at Gillingham, which it was feared the Kentish men should fortifie, at another time, and I set a Guard and Watch upon it, till afterward the Guns, Tackle and Officers were removed, and yet nothing paid to me.
Sirs, you may plainly see how Willoughby may well be rich, and I poor, he received money.
Amongst my many services I went to Chichester in Sussex, I speak something now in part of Col. Mor [...]ies knowledge, and spent neere 4. moneths time before I returned, whiles the Forces were raising, proceeding to Arundel, and had taken in Chichester, wherein I was promised Captains pay for my assistance therin, as some yet surely remember: And I was paid with a witnesse; for after we had by Gods blessing possesed our selves as of Arundel, so of Chichester, my place I had served in under L. Col. Roberts, Col. Stapely not being present by reason he was sick, was by him either sold or given away for some reward to a Lawyer of Lewis, who had not at all ingaged, or some one advanced to make way for him: and I was colourably confined to my Chamber, and set before a Councell of Warre, where my Adversary was my Judge, when Sir William Waller was departed, and he wanting matter of charge to lay on me, made me prove how I came by money to maintain my self while I was imployed in that service, which being proved by Cap. Temple of Essex Block House, a Sussex Gent. since a Col. who at first perswaded me to go into that Countrey, knowing I had received money of my Col. Sir William Brookes at Graves End, who had disbanded by Order not only for my pay, as his Cap. L. But also for the Trophies of Armes for his Regiment, for which I ingaged my self to one Master Webster in Milk street London, an Armourer, or such like, which moneys I carried along with me also, and out of which moneys I paid Cap. Temple at his own house in Sussex, where he lodged me the first night, for a Bay nagg he sold me, which was lost in the said service, for which entertainment I thank Cap. Temple, but I do not thank him for keeping Sir Richard Lashfords sword, I tooke when I commanded a party to the Lady Shellies at Michell Grove, by Col. Morleyes Order, and others, to search her house, where I took Sir Richard Lashford; and some Letters then come from Oxford, which was a great furtherance to our taking in of Chichester; and upon Cap. Temples knowledge of this truth, and others testimony, I was quitted at the Councell of Warr, and L. Col. Roberts gave me his passe under his hand and seal, which I believe I can yet produce, which was as though I had leave given me to visite my family for some time, and then to return to the said service again; and I did not onely here spend a summe of money of my own, and M. Websters, which is since satisfied, but was also cosened and defrauded of my promised pay, and yet never received any pay at all for Sussex service, one thing I had like to have forgotten, I was sent out from Lewis in Sussex, with a party and a Commission, or warrant to feize upon the man supposed, which since was made Lord Culpepper, but remanded back, by a Letter which was written, must be burnt by me at my return, which Letter, and Warrant, or Commission, I believe I have still, and because I then disliked it I was after that abused; as before related, as I conceive in part, both before and after this, I had, and and was faithfull and vigilant to discover Armes brought by water, and to seize them when I had warrants, as will appear under many of the Lords and Commons hands; and all gratis, without either bribe, pay or part datained, or converted to, or for my own use; (which is enough to spend a vast estate, which I am sure my deare wife and daughter, and other my friends have found by woefull experience.) After this I yet helped my Cap. Willoughby again, hoping he would be honester, the times requiring it, England growing into a lower condi [...]ion, and hee amongst divers others had vowed to Almighty God, so to be by Covenant: This made me accept of a Captains place under his Government; he to be the superior Officer, and to command the said Regiment which indeed I should have been the Major of the said Regiment, for I was the first Cap. and the instrument to disperse the severall Commissions, and to raise and forme the said Regiment: And though I lost my right of Majorship, I did not then desert the said service, as I beleeve M. Bradshaw one of the Committee at Salters Hal, doth or may remember, which is since Lord President, who then laboured with me to deny my selfe, and refer my place and self to the said Committee, which I then did: but preferment goes by favour, more then true and reall deservings, but how the said Willoughby abused me and defrauded me againe, I have sufficiently set forth in my protest made against him, printed and posted upon the Royall Exchange, and other places, Anno 1644. For which afterwards I was imprisoned in Mayden lane Prison compleat 4. moneths; because forsooth I had expressed therein that the then Militia Committee of London, after so long debate and report made thereupon, kept my report from me, and would not do me Justice, which is truth: after these my losses and imprisonments, and trialls by two severall Councells of Warre, and severall suits by this caused, and by combination of some was cosened of my lease of the Hermit of Wapping in my low estate, being beaten out of trading which cost me about 230 l. besides other houshold goods: And I went L. to sea, with one Cap. Hodges in the Lorne Frigot, no purchase, no pay, and after 5. moneths service being possessed with purchase, yet never had any shares, though they did amount to neere 150. l. upon this I set up to work at Dover: and you that read this my Epistle, It was not for riches and honour, or favour of men onely, that I engaged in this cause, but for the honour and favour of God in [...]hrist, which saith, 8. Mark 35.36. But whosoever shall lose his life for my sake, and the Gospell, he shall find it. For what shall it profit a man, though he should win the whole world if he lose his soule? Thus I have truly related some part of my services, and sufferings: yet never received any advance money, place, profit, assistance in trouble, justice upon complaining, or reward when others have been provided for by place, or rewarded that have not done or suffered. 100. fold, what I have done, but my reward is with Jehovah.
BEing incouraged by former presidents to you severally presented, and by your favourable receiving thereof and prosecution therein for divers of my Brethren, fellow-souldiers, and Citizens; It hath likewise imboldened me who am a free-borne English-man, and free Denizon, who am thereby intituled unto equall priviledge with any of my rank, or discent, by which the Freedome and Liberties of the Lawes of England are intailed to me and mine, borne in England, or to be hereafter borne: besides, the right that I have by right of Conquest, and as 23. October, 1642. 1 part of your Book of Declar. pag. 660. and our Trustees in Parliament then declared, they were ready to lay downe their lives to preserve, affirming our Laws and Liberties the greatest earthly treasure we could or can here possesse, and likewise adjudged those who would not help in the day of their straights prophane Esaus, who would sell their birth-rights, and vassallage [...]heir posterity. Now before this time God stirred me [...]p to stand and act for Englands freedome, and Parliaments Priviledge, who had inabled me to withstand the [...]llegality of Ship-money, and other abuses offered my [...]eare Countrey-men, and fellow-Citizens, as also in the [...]ower of London to withstand hainous things of a de [...]tructive nature to the Subjects Priviledge, where I lived Anno 1638. and were by some there practised, and be [...]ause I would not consent thereunto, I lost my Tower-place, and profits, as I have in other places done seve [...]all times since, and am like now to lose my Lease of [...]7. years to come, and benefit of my Trade by those mens oppression and violence in Dover; also God made me [...]ctive and couragious both at home and abroad, in those Martiall abilities I was blest withall of, or from him, as [Page] Mr. Corbet and many others may yet please to remember.
I am confident some hundreds yet can testifie what time the House removed to Grocers-hall, in which services (for my native Countreyes Liberty, and Countreymens safety, and Priviledges of Parliament) I have spent and lost a faire estate, which London the place of my birth and kindred, is sensible of; yet God hath been pleased to keep me faithfull, and to uphold my spirit through all tyrannicall defrauding, oppressions and illegall imprisonments I have seen, felt, and been under, both in London and many other places, indeed rather the subject of a book then a letter, and I never was rewarded or gratified with any place to restore my losses, neither have I pursued the same, but have laboured honestly for bread for my wife and daughter, whom in the worlds eyes are undone by my zeale for my Countreyes good, rather then to live on the Nations losse, which good I have alwaies promoted before my owne interest, or earthly profits, as Jehovah knoweth, and having read your Declaration also Die Sabbati, 17. Martii 1648. wherein you expresse the grounds of your late proceedings, and setling the present Government in the way of a free State, wherein you declare pag. 5. you are authorized for the common good, having contended against Tyranny, and to procure the well-being of those people for whom you serve, to remove oppression, arbitrary power, and all opposition to the peace and freedome of the Nation, and to prevent their power to revive Tyrany, Injustice, War, and all our former evills; this hath very much incouraged me to protest against Mr. Day, as Mayor, and other Justices, and Common-Councell-men of Dover, and others, Constables, and grand Jury-men thereof, about 24, in number, who yet continue in places unsequestred, though they have been as active as any of those which have been sequestred for those open rebellions, and Insurrections in Wales, Surrey, and Kent, as is set forth in your Act for Thanksgiving, with the reason and grounds thereof, die Veneris, 1 Junii, 1649. that you and the Army had not been [Page] thereby destroyed by the revolt of divers Castles at once, and the defection of a great part of the Navy; these men many of them continue at this time in place, who are mentioned before, and protested against by me for their hypocrisie and injustice, these are termes in the said Act by you expressed, pag. 275. 276. these promoted that perfidious Ingagement by such an Authority, which might denominate the breach Nationall, who yet corruptly side and combine together, ruling according to their wills, and not Law, they upholding a Monopoly in Dover, called the Leather-Corporation, which was never granted by Parliament, for which they in my sight at one time received six pound of money in Dover-Court, taking their goods away by force, or otherwayes, which will not obey thereunto, and imprisoning and prosecuting all those to destroy them by illegall and delaying Suits in Law, who oppose their arbitrary wills, yet they exact it expressely against Law, which things you declare to be against that excellent Law of the Petition of Right done in the Person of the late King, who was tried for the same, and why should not these also be tried, as Declar. 17. Martii, pag. 7. & 14. and these Anti-Magistraticall, Anti-Justiciaries, hold only the place, ruling by power and policy, not by reason and honesty, they being tyrannicall creatures, though to the world pretend otherwise, according as their linsey-woolsey Priest John Dix hath in his Negative Oath plainly discovered to all judicious and impartiall judgements, yet these Ordinances of Parliament are against their choice or sitting, if chosen, or their Voice to chuse, they being uncapable by some of these Ordinances of Parliament, die Junii, 9. Septemb. 1647. 4, Octobris, 1647. by which these men outed their neighbours of Dover both from Voice and Choice, as they outed Edward Ranger June the 8. 1648. by Act of Common-Councell from the Foot-Posts place of Dover, for that he bare Armes in the Ingagement 1648. for which he hath been sequestred and hath agreed it, yet many of them have done the same which are here charged, a faire president for themselves. Againe, Londons President, a rule sure for the whole Land where Corporations are to choose Officers, die Lunae, 18. Decemb. 1648. for the choosing of Common-Councell-men for the yeer insuing, and other Officers within the City of London, and the Liberties thereof; and die Mercurii, 20. Decemb. 1648. the Lords and [Page] Commons doe ordain, that no person whatsoever that subscribed, promoted, or abetted any Ingagement in the years 1648. or the treasonable Ingagement 1647. or relating to a personall Treaty with the King at London, shall be chosen Mayor, Alderman, or put into any of the offices or places expressed upon the penalty of two hundred pound, by which Ordinances London is made obedient, though these Dover-men presume to sit Mayor, Jurats, or Justices, Common-Councell-men, Constables, and other Officers, contrary to all these Parliament-Ordinances, and other presidents of London, Yarmouth, and Weymouth, they being sequestrable as well as other their neighbours before specified, in that they have been aiding some of them, by subscribing the Petitions, others promoting and abetting the Ingagement, 1648. for which your humble Suppliant being a free Commoner of England, besides his protest he made against them in the Sessions at Dover, May 24. 1649. in the name of all free-borne English-men, which have not forfeited it, and in the name of the Supreme Authority of this Nation, and since hath petitioned also the honourable Committee of Indempnity against them and their proceedings against Parliament-Ordinances, and London, and other Presidents; yet still these continue their places of trust, and upon your Petitioners Protest ut supra, these men on the 29. of May, 1649. with the assistance of some other, ordered your Petitioner to be committed to Dover-Castle without Baile or Maine-prize, perswading Capt. Dixall (a Member of this House, then at Dover, he being the Burgesse thereof) that I was a Mutineere; but I suspecting their malicious and illegall practises, came away from Dover about foure houres before the Castle-Souldiers came to my house to take me into their custody, having been strongly urged by others so to do. Now I appeal to you, whether I am a Mutineere for labouring to do the Nation and you faithfull service and right: What, because I claime the Law of the Land? which as Sir Edward Cook in his Exposition of 29. Cap. of Magna Charta, distinction 3. Law (saith he) is called right, because it is the best right the Subject hath, for thereby his goods, lands, wife, children, his body, life, honour, and estimation are protected from injuries and wrong, it being (as he saith) the surest sanctuary that a man can take, and the strongest fortresse to protect the weakest of all, to every one of us there comes a greater [Page] inheritance by right and the law, then by our Parents; and for pleading this Law for my right and protection, and for standing for my legall-Liberties given me by the Law of the Land, and your Declarations, Ordinances and Acts; these men of Dover which sit as Magistrates, yet act Anti-Magistraticall, they make their wills a Law against me, become Judges in their own causes, making me fly from my house, family and trade, for protection from their exorbitant wills, they living in a Sea-Port Towne, where no habeas Corpus they will suffer to be granted, though themselves would have the benefit of the Law, so that no Law can or shal take place against their lusts & corrupt wils, for they hinder any copie of Indictment, or any els to be taken out to advise on, and the Lawyers there as well as the Priests are joyned in the work of their corrupt interest the better to vassallage the minds of the ignorant, or fearfull people to uphold their own dignity and wealth, which must be of all the people Idolized through cringing, and readily believing, honouring and obeying to them in their corrupt interests to inrich themselves and destroy the people; as the leane and evill favoured kine did devoure the seven fat kine, and it could not be knowne they were so evill favoured, Gen. 41.20, 21. though they had eaten them up, so these juggle and dissemble with the people, and say, they have not done them wrong, but many of us are sensible these of Dover, as well as others, do such things and do wrong, which further to illustrate that they might keep the Inhabitants thereof in fear, July 13. being Friday, they sent for me to come to them to their Court at Dover, by one Walter Smith that then attended them, which I refused, telling the said Smith that they ought first to appeare to my Complaint against them in the honorable Committee of Indempnity at Westminster, I having summoned them so to do above fourteen daies since, and I then going away to attend my tryall there, which message Smith having returned, they presently send one John Filly, who said he was a Constable, and pretended he had a Warrant from Court to bring me before them, who was accompanied with about six persons more, and two of them, if not three, Constables, who had borne Armes in the Ingagement 1648. in that Rebellion and Insurrection, Dover-Castle being kept by the Parliament Forces, and straightned and besieged by the County and Townesmen of [Page] Dover, of which force some of these men are part now charged in the Committee in the Inner Court of Wards, to which they have appeared unto, though eleven of the twelve charged never yet was sequestred. Now I was forced to complaine here because of the great hypocrisie, partiality, and injustice I saw used by these men and their friends, in the said Towne and County, and most of the Town of Dover being actors in the said open Rebellion, howsoever they would conceale it or hypocritically cover it, most of them being of kin, or cemented by some selfe-interest, or profit, and trade, and so loath to discover one another, least they should lose the friendship of this world, which is enmity with God and goodnesse; thus men live by sense more then by faith: Now the reason Filly with his guard of incapable Constables took me not by force, was because my door being shut, which was as a hatch very low, though Filly told the assistants to him, if they would assist him therein he would break open my door, and fetch me out with a witnesse, I then stood in my defence, and so I told them, and would not yeeld my selfe, but withall I pulled out the honorable Order of the Committe under M. Miles Corbets hand, then Chair-man, dated June 11. 1649. which Filly had heard on sufficiently, yet Filly would not respect or obey it, saying, what if this be M. Corbets hand, I know him well enough, but what is M. Corbets hand worth in this place? saying, he would make me obey his Warrant, but would not let me see it neere enough to read it; at length Filly departed, and bid the other stay of his assistants, saying, he would go and fetch, or receive other Orders, upon which it was rumoured by the Towne people, that these roaring Lyons or ravening Wolves, would break my bones e're evening, as Zeph. 3.3, for said they, shift for your self, or els they of the Town-Hall will procure a Squadron of Souldies from Dover-Castle to take you, that they might have their wills of you, thus they would use any means to satisfie their envy, they invite the abusive souldiery against me, or possesse the people they would, upon which I caused my shop to be quite shut up, and retired my selfe private for my more security and peace, knowing too well how my respective friend M. Henry Teddyman was abused by the rude Souldiery then in Dover-Castle, who came downe some number about September last to him, to have him up to the Castle upon some [Page] conceited affront, for which they would be their owne Judges, whereof see the effect, M. Teddyman would not render himselfe, but told them he would be answerable by Law, these giddy, bloody, unreasonable souldiers shoot in at his shut doors, and shot his wife big with child, and killed his daughter [...]bout thirteen yeers of age by shot, and then went up to the Castle againe without the man; a lamentable story to tell, but very true, though few of Dover would lay it to heart, but shuffled it off I now not how, though the Mayor, which usurps the place, M. Day knew it too well; for he was Mrs. Teddymans Chyrurgion till she was recovered, and for this blood no body sufferen, either by Law Common, or Martiall, which mischiefe of warre to prevent, and malice of my adversaries, I was forced to fly to London againe the second time, and for the [...]afety of my deere wife and daughter, which is all the children I have left of ten, since I have been contending in the field for freedome, right, and liberty, as invited by your Declar. 23. O [...]tober, before specified, yet must I now fly or die, it may be my wife and daughter too as M. Teddymans child before spoken of, or lie in prison to satisfie the corrupt wills and ravenous affections of my covetous, tyrannicall, oppressing Judges at Dover, who amongst them have sought my ruine ever since I came among them, because I would not joyne with them to work unrighteousnesse, to rob and oppresse free-born English-men, who have not forfeited their freedomes, some of them being of a forraigne blood or line, and favour a forraigner more then an English-man, but that almost al should do so, makes me much admire, and yet no man calleth for Justice, no man contendeth for truth, as the Prophet complaines, Isa. 59.4. and the Apostle saith, rather reprove the works of darknesse, then have fellowship with them, Eph. 5.11. but it is no new thing to be hated therefore, for it was so of old, Amos 5.10. they have ha [...]ed him that rebuked in the gates, and they have abhorred him that speaketh uprightly; and this forraigne kindred or Inhabitants, meddles not with men, but for their corrupt interest, neither know they English-mens priviledges, yea [too few English-men now do yet know it] why, saith our Saviour, when he was on the earth, Iohn 3.20, 21. He that doth evill hateth the light least his deeds should be reproved; but he that doth truth cometh to the light to manifest that they are wrought according to God.
I would ask mine oppressors and the peoples, why by force or fraud, injustice or connivance, they seek to destroy me, as by their power of Judicature and Councell though usurped, and yet (say they beleeve) I will answer them, and all who sit in power and place and do so. First from Psal. 94. v. 23. Hath the throne of iniquity fellowship with thee. Secondly, wirh one of your own Declar. 1. part Book Decla. pag. 150. Magistrates are appointed for the protection and preservation, but not ruine or destruction of the people, and the Mayor yet threatneth to lay me fast enough at Dover; and by the Lawes of this Land, no man is to be Judge in his own case. 8. H. 6. fol. 21. &. 5. Eliz. Dicr. 220. and Doctor Bonhams case, eight part of Cooks reports. But could these Dover men, of usurped place and power have gotten me to their Guild-Hall, or by their power and policy, have gotten me into their Goale; or Dover Castle, They would then, and their having all power in their hands, as a seaport Town: and the Burgesse, and souldiers their friends, have been complaynants, persecutors, witenesses, Jury and Judges of me as of Edward Ranger, and Hedge his man, and of Edward Chambers lately they have been: then you may easily discern, what would have become of me amongst them, when some of them were so audacious, unchristian, and unmannerly, as to give me scurrilous and sore threatning language, on Wednesday and Thursday the 26. and 27. of July last past in and about the Court of Wardes, as M. Day, M. Dell, M. Lawrence Knot, and M. Henry Hart, as John Filly and John Kenton had done, July the 24. when Filly sware a negative oath, or told an untruth, at which time some Officers of Court, viz. M. Kerke, M. Leichman, and M. Danet reproved them, and caused Filly and Kenton to go out of their room for their uncivill affronts in language: Now the case depending in the inner Court of Wardes, and much proved against most of them, all but one, though nine witnesses are not yet appeared, 12. by me is charged, as by the Articles and the Examinations taken, will appear upon hearing, wherefore, I humbly intreat you to take it into your serious consideration, against Friday the 10. of August instant, which is appointed by consent (if the witnesses fail not) that so the case may be looked on without respect of persons, either the Plantifs or Defendants, power or meaness: Ye shall do no unrighteousnesse in Judgement. Thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the Mighty, but in righteousnesse shalt thou judge thy neighbour. Levit. 19.15. Ye shall not respect persons in Judgement; but you shall heare the small, as well as the great; you shall not be afraid of the face of man, for the Judgement is Gods.
Thus I commit my cause and my selfe, to your examination and tryall; which by your own Ordinances and Declarations named, appears to be the Nations and Peoples, who hath entrusted you, and you, and the People of the Nation into the hand of Jehovah, the faithfull Creator, blessed for Evermore, and rest,