HOnest Rowland, well met in England once again; I doubted much we should never have had this happi­nesse to tread upon English ground, for I gave my self for lost, as many others have been already.

Well Noble heart, and fellow Cavalier, as I am glad to see thee, so my heart leaps for joy that I have this li­berty to live at home again; but since we are met, let's not part with dry lips, 'twas our custome (thou knowest) to take off our taplash, though we have been lash'd for't, and I have half a Crown left still in my pocket; let's not part without fur­ther discourse, since we are met so happily.

With all my heart, for my Cash is not yet all gone; on­ly let's put into some house, that we may speak our minds freely, in some that favours the Cause of C. R. thou knowest what I mean Blade.

Wee'l take a house as it falls out, let's to this next, the sign of the Black Boy, is't agreed?

I am at your dispose; now being here, from whence came you last, from France, or Flanders, I pray tell.

Ha! I have been wandering up and down, tost from Post to Pillar ever since Colchester was given up; I went into Ireland amongst the bogs, and woods, and wild Irish; and when we were soundly beaten there, I made a hard shift and got into Scotland, just out of the frying pan into the fire, amongst the Crags and Rocks, with a great deale of hunger, cold, and lice, (where I found more cold then gold;) and when we were routed there, I made for the Low-Countreys, where I found but small hopes to do any thing to advance my fortunes: words went high, and promises, but there were no performances, and so [Page 2]I got into France, to Paris, but there I perceived was no stay without pay, many things were in agitation, but all fail'd in the execution; the old Stallion decayed Courtiers looked like old rotten Mountebanks, or Quacksalvers, or Rat-catchers, and findling that I should starve if I stayed, I resolved to sub­mit to a Composition at home, rather than lose all for I know not what purpose; home is home, though it be never so home­ly, and so got over into England, and have finished my Com­position pretty easily; which had I been as wise then, as I am since, I might have kept my state and my skin both sound, but 'tis too late to call again yesterday, but assure thy self, for time to come, they shall not find me at Dunbar or Worcester for their young bonny Scotch King; if he be so mad after a Crown, let him take heed of a crack'd crown, for I'le tell thee, here are Lads that will not spare to strike home, and to lay on, take it off who will, or dare.

I perceive then that you are resolved to fight no more for that cause: well, should I tell you my sufferings, and tra­vells and marchings, and journeys from Countrey to Coun­trey, and what miseries of hunger and cold, with wounds and imprisonment I have undergone, 'twould be past belief, I was so hasty, that I morgaged most of my estate to be furnished with moneys: Oh how I bestirred my self, to undo my self, my wife, and children, to procure horses, and Armes, and Ammu­nition, for those which never gave me thanks, but help'd to devoure that which was left, in drunkennesse, whoredome, and rioting, (the common use and custome of our Cavaliers:) I tell thee that I made more hast then good speed, and travers'd from one Garrison to another, and rode from one fight to a­nother, and was wounded, and hack'd, and hued, and cut, and flashed, and yet for all this J never could be looked upon, nor Knighted, but rather slighted, which though if I had been, a Knight of Post had been almost as good as my selfe, but I thought over shoes, over boots, and at last I was after the bat­tell at York resolved to steal out of the Land, and so I went with other Widgeons as wise as Woodcocks to cry up the Cause in Denmark, and to sollicit for relief; but finding their [Page 3]spirits dull and flegmatique, and not apt to take fire, I went with that money which I could procure, too too much to be spent in such an unjust design, to Sweden, where I met with some of the old Stamp, but they all looked as though they had suffered shipwrack of faith, and a good conscience, for a dozen of them could scarce furnish a man with sixpence, they ap­pear'd like birds that had been pull'd out of their feathers, or like bald Coots, or new shorn sheep; it made me begin to shrink in my shoulders, and to think with my self, that if I fol­lowed them, I should expect the like preferment, to wear rags & rottennesse, instead of robes or riches; J began to suspect the justnes of the cause, which produced none but beggers & banke­rupts, if it found them not so, it made them so, if not worse; yet I was got in, and so must for Scotland with the crowd of Desperadoes and Renegadoes, where when we had done what we could to set up a King of beggers; we were all-well pelted and pillaged, and scattered like Jews into all quarters (as we deserved) but 'twas my shift to come to Worcester, from whence J made a poor shift to escape, and so am here in this condition as thou seest, it's a poor Hare has but one Muse.

Well, let's not be tedious in telling our own mise­ries, what good news is now stirring?

All that is on foot now is of the Generall par­don, 'tis extant for certain.

May one rely upon it think you; well 'tis come out in as good a season as could be, it's wonderfull that they should be so gracious to us, who have been so bitter against them; I'le lay hold on it I promise you, and if ever they catch me a fighting for C. S. or C. R. again, let them hang me outright in the Isle of Dogs, or at Cuckolds Haven.

I am glad to heare your disposition so altered, for I did at first intend to doe what I could to dis­swade you from that service and company, and learne [Page 4]to be wise e're it be too late. I my selfe was stiffe for the Cause, and was conceited that it was just, and as too many others, who had more wealth then wit, and were richer in Coyne then in Conscience, did neither spare life or limb, nor gold and silver to advance it; but now let them fight for it; who list, they shall not find me there I'le warrant thee, for no wise man will make hast to that Market where there's nothing to be had but blowes; of any that ever fought for it, none that came off, but with disgrace, and ruine to their whole Families, such onely excepted, whom it hath pleased the Parliament to pardon and for­give.

You have said what's truth, and I am suffici­ently convinced in that particular, and shall draw off as far as I can from their bloudy imployment, for I perswade my selfe, there's many of them doe what they doe in ignorance, some out of hopes of pre­ferment, and others of gaines (though most of malice) and desire of revenge: for a Gentleman with­out meanes, is like a bag-pudding without suet; but their honors are most laid in the dust, and themselves in the dirt; and for their preferments, they are like those the Popes were wont to bestow great Titleson, but no Revenues, for a Feather is enough for a foole, and for their gaines they have got them over the left shoul­ders, the cleane contrary way; pounds laid out, and wounds brought home, tattered rags, and a torne skin; they may truely say, most of them have come home by weeping crosse, if they came home at all.

I deale plainly with thee, that I am sorry for what I have done upon that account; and I advise thee, since we are met, to let's resolve to accept of mer­cy, while 'tis so graciously and freely offered, be sure to add no new trespasses against our Magistrates, and to be so far from fighting against them, that we will be ready to venture our lives for them; and if C. S. be so mad for a Crowne, let him if he can get thither, go to the Rocks and Mountaines in Highland, and not skip to Worcester againe, where he durst not stay, be­cause of the fray, and where he trusted more to his heels, then his hands. Row. You say right, where he left all there, his Earls and new Knights to be spitlers, and Goal-birds; as once Queen Elizabeth told the Earle of Essex, when he had made so many Knights at Cadize, that he should have done well first to have built Hospi­talls for them, for most of them came to beggery; and though I escaped there, yet now I dare not own, nor do I care for his pretended preferments and promises made to me, and to others, for I'le trust to them no more then to the man in the Moone, one Parliament pardon is worth all his promised Pensions, for words are but wind, 'tis money that buyes Lands, and I hope to get my Lands againe before he gets his longed for Crowne; he may look after it, and yet never find it.

Pray what's become of all those great Earles and Nobles which were made by Charles Stuart since the warre?

I tell thee, the most of them would be glad of a three penny Ordinary, they are not loaden so much with Jewells, and Chaines of Gold, as with Irons, and [Page 6]we say to them, as once 'twas said to those Dutch Lords and Heres, who left the State and followed the King of Spain, farewell ye great Lords without Lands or Heads; and so as it befell, it hath come to passe to many of his upstart Favorites.

I'le assure thee we have been misled long en­ough, but to our comfort, long looked for is come at last, the Generall pardon; large enough if we embrace it, an ounce of peace is worth a pound of warre: I intend to come in, and once in againe, never out: I have hi­therto fought for a thing called his Standard, til I could not stand my selfe, and defended his Lions till I have made my selfe an Asse, and if I had followed them should have made my selfe a begger, but actum est, let him and his look to themselves, for I'le go buy the Ge­nerall Pardon, and look to my selfe, and thank my bet­teas for granting it to me.

Well, let's pay our reckoning and depart, and freely submit our selves to this Government, that God may blesse our Parliament who established it, and all those who will live under it.

Honest heart adieu; if you fight against the Par­liament thou wilt perish, live under it, and prosper.

'Tis resolved, I'le go home and hang up my sword and my self too, if ever I draw it against the Par­liament any more while I live.