DAvid Browne the Pamphleteer, who under­taketh to teach men to write in six hours, is one whom LIEUT. COL. JOHN LILBORN, and my selfe, with divers o­thers whom hee maliciously inveighs a­gainst, have releived, or else he and his Family might have perished (for ought I know,) And since he was de­livered unto Satan, for his wicked and notorious lies, and dissimulations, the devill in whose hands he is, hath stirred him up to be more envious and malicious then e­ver, that he may be transformed more perfectly in to his own image, Who walketh to and fro like a roaring Lyon seeking whom he may devoure, and persecuting the Church who is cloathed with the Sun of Righteousnesse, and un­to whose feet the Law of God is a light, making warre with the remnant of her seed who keep the testimony of God, and the faith of Jesus. And his malice is principally bent against those who are most conscientious and preci­ous in the eyes of the Lord, as may appear in the story [Page 2]of holy Job, who was greatly afflicted on every side, both in his Person, Name and Estate, but in due time God vindicated his reputation before all men, and did blesse his latter end more then his beginning, and so if we mark the end of such perfect and upright persons, be­hold it is peace, but the wicked is like the raging Sea foa­ming out mire and dirt, meer mire and dirt; somewhat like to the dirty Pamphlet of David Brown the Scottish­man, the Frontis-peece whereof, seemeth to insinuate to the simple honest Reader, as if LIEUT. COL. JOHN LILBORNE, my selfe, and Mr. Musgrave were prodigious Conspirators, and bloody Petitioners, but he that reads the Pamphlet may perceive that he hath no such thing against us, blessed be God: But the sum of it is, A remembrance to put the Parliament in mind of the discovery which he made of a Malignant Petition, wherein he complaineth that he was not rewarded for the said Discovery, and stileth himselfe and his Family, the Parliaments Remembrancers, so his whole Petitiona­ry Remonstrance is a begging businesse for mainte­nance, and protection from Arrests.

Surely he thought that now, now was the time for him to strike while the iron was hot, and that now the Par­liament were necessitated to hear and receive his counsel and to regard him, and reward him, seeing he had taken upon him now, in the heat of all the businesse to be their Advocate, and to plead their cause against poor Lilborne who was down, and therefore according to the Proverb, downe with him, but its well that neither the Parliament nor Sir Arthur Hesilrige stand in need of the untempered morter, of such unskilfull Daubers, to main­tain their Bulwarks against the Levellers, I hope rather then they will countenance such revengefull spirits, they [Page 3]will feed their Enemy when he is hungry, and give him drink when he is thirsty; for the Parliament of them­selves are very milde to their Enemies, if not provoked against them by some others.

It may be that this Pamphleteir thought that rather then he would want worke, he would set himselfe on work, if the Devill will find him tooles: but as Christ would not have such Advocates to confesse that he was the Son of God, but commanded the Devills to hold their peace; So its better for the Parliament to silence such Babblers, then to suffer themselves to be so disgra­ced, by having their praise set forth in scurrillous Pam­plets, such as this Authours, who not knowing which way to be revenged of me, for doing my duty in the Church of which I am (and he was) a Member, he labo­reth to make me as odious as he can to the world, and to the State, and at the time of Lilbornes sad sentence, char­geth me in chiefe, with him and divers others in general in his Pamphlet to the Parliament, with falsenesse, mani­fold calumniations, corrupt practises, unjust dealings, de­ceit, fraud, ambition, covetousnes, and selfe-seeking, and unjust Levelling; and though he chargeth divers others with me, yet he hath not named them, no more doth he come to particulars to shew wherein we are as he charg­eth us. And truly though I hope well for my Neigh­bours, yet I beleeve for my selfe: And if I thought it expedient to Vindicate my selfe from the title of Level­ler, I would tell this false Accuser, that if I am a Level­ler, I am no Leveller of the Vallies, but a Leveller of the MOUNTAINS, that the way of Jesus Christ may be pre­pared, that all flesh may see the salvation of our God, and this was the designe of John the Baptist, and I hope no honest man will be offended with me for this manner of [Page 4]Levelling, nor account it unjust, But Herod heard John the Baptist gladly, but at last he cut off his head, and so he levelled the honest Leveller. Moreover I am so far from levelling the Lawes, That if the Parliament would put in practice their Legislative power, and cast aside all the Lawes of the Land, the Lawes excepted which they have no power to abolish, and yeeld obedience to those good Laws and none but such, they may sit long enough for me, I would not be forward to seek a new Representa­tive, but a true Representative; But oh! Where shall we find men of courage, fearing God and hating cove­tousnesse? therefore my opinion is, its better to have and to hold these that we have, then have worse, the Pro­verb is, Seldome comes a better, But when the Land doth mend, I would have this Parliament end, and not till then. So far am I from unjust Levelling, that I would not pull an old house over mine head, but prepare suf­ficient materialls to build up another, that should be ra­ther better then worse then the former, and to have a care what I doe, for Salomon saith, He that rolleth a stone it shal fal upon him, and he that breaketh a hedge, a Serpent shall bite him. Concerning LIEU.COL. JOHN LILBURNE, I have known the man a long time, even from the time of his sufferings by the blody Bishops, and as hee was an instrumental means to pul them from their seats, so was he the main Instrument to rent in peeces Regall Tyranny, and the whole House of Lords, which works were long attempted, and many onsets and repulses be­fore the businesse could be brought to that desirable per­fection which was long sought for, with labour and watching, and wearinesse, and hazzard of life, and expence of blood and treasure, and at length the businesse was ac­complished by the Army and Parliament.

And now I must say this on the behalfe of Lieu. Col. Chidley's charity to Lilburn. Lilburn, that whatsoever the matter is now, unlesse he bee much altered from what he was, his nature is so good that hee is not a man given to complaine, but where the shooe wringeth him; if men will let him a­lone, he will let them alone, and in his dealings in the world he hath been very punctuall, neither can I tax him with any corrupt practises, or unjust dealings, I have found him a plain, blunt, down right honest man; he wil play above board, and he that playeth with him shall have faire quarter: He is not of such a revengefull spi­rit to take his Adversarie at advantages, and when he is down and at the weakest to tread upon him: And con­cerning ambition, doubtlesse, he hath seemed to me as if he were prodigall of his owne life, and blood, and strength, and liberty, and all that was dear to him for the good of this Commonwealth: He was an instru­ment under God, that kept the Parliament from imme­diate destruction, for he defended them with his sword from Lunsfords Crew, Lilburnes ambition. so it seems to me all along as if he had been ambitious for Knocks, for a Prison, a Dunge­on, a Pillory, a Whip, a Gagge, yea, and death it selfe, and yet he is alive at this day, though he hath sought to loose it, yet hath he found it: And touching covetous­nesse, I hope he is free, I have known him to be liberall, and to be willing to spend and be spent for others when he hath wanted it himself, and I am sure he is no Churle, but ready to do good to his ability; And had he been as Mr. Brown chargeth him, a Selfe-Seeker, crafty and de­ceitful, he might have feathered his nest ten times better then he hath done, but he was like a candle lighted, ac­commodating others, and consuming himself: Yea, hee who declareth himselfe in Print against Lilburn, hath [Page 6]received of him divers great sums of money, but Lilburn complained that he could not get Brown to come to an ac­count with him, though he often desired it, so false was he to him, as he was to the poore of our Church, and I know not that he hath preferred any of us to any estate, much lesse a great estate, as he braggeth.

Indeed once I imployed him to copy out a Letter, because it should be in his hand-writing, and not in mine, and an ordinary Scrivener would have done it for six pence, but I thought it was better to imploy a brother in fellowship, then a stranger to write for me, and the truth is, I have done him no wrong, unlesse it were dropping in his hands peeces of gold & silver, which wrong he could, and did pocket up, and I could never get it to this day; no more could my mother get hers, which he came in a deceitfull way, and borrowed, and never paid, and it may be shee is the woman he speakes of in his Pamphlet, though he chargeth her with no­thing; and if so, I must say that she hath done more good for the Commonwealth in one quarter of a yeare, then he hath done, or, it may be, will doe all his life time, for God hath made her an instrument to destroy the Forelorne hope, and totally to rout all the forces of Mr. Edwards, that great Champion for the Church of England, as may appeare by her workes extant in Print.

And concerning Mr. MUSGRAVE, he is knowne to be a very honest Gentleman, and one that was an Agent for his County, and performed his trust with di­ligence, and faithfulnesse, and stood to his tacklings to the last, and though he were imprisoned wrongfully, in due time God released him by meanes of the Army, when they came to London. The man is a man of good parts, having been bred up in the Law from his youth, [Page 7]and also he is versed in the Scripture, which is best of all; and had he but the abilities of Lilburne in expressing himselfe, and that strength of memory withall, hee would confound the Lawyers. But indeed, I have thought him somewhat too harsh to the Parliament men, and thought that if he dealt more mildly with them, and with more humility, his words would bee more acceptable unto them; but I have knowne it a frequent thing with him when I have walked with him in the streets, he would make no more to reprove a Parliament man, or an Officer of the Army, then I would of reproving my servant.

As concerning the rest of the persons whom Mr. Brown inveighes against, though he name no man, yet I partly guesse whom he meanes, and what it is that di­stastes him, because that they would not give him money for printing the whimses of his owne braine, and such crotchets as they were ashamed of. Indeed if he had kept to their rules, and directions, and printed nothing, nor no more of a sort then they gave him order to print, nor foysted in his own tedious stuffe to the dispa­ragement of that party of which he was a wise one, in his owne conceit, then he might have expected wages for his work. But when LIEU. COL. LILBURNE had writen a matter, and delivered it to him to print, and money to discharge the Printers; he would be stea­ling and foysting in some mad stuffe or other, of his own, that would make honest Lilburne very much vexe and chafe, and then he would put it out againe, and send him againe to undoe what he had inserted.

And as touching the private contributions, the Accu­ser speakes of charging me to be their Treasurer, I nei­ther did unjustly dispose thereof, nor inrich my selfe thereby, but am out of purse, and had I the money in [Page 8]my hand againe, I would not pay it out contrary to the order of those who intrusted me, who were morall ho­nest men, and so long as they did the things that were right, I joyned with them, and wherein I thought they were wrong, I would not signe to any of their Petiti­ons, till I were satisfied, much lesse print any idle pro­jects, as this Pamphleteer alleadgeth; and so when they made inquisition for the blood of one that was shot to death at Ware, I would not subscribe it; because I dis­owned the Title; but I told the House when I was ex­amined at the Bar, that although I subscribed not the Petition, yet I owned the Petition, so farre as FROM THE LATTER END OF THE TITLE, TO THE END OF THE PETITION. The Title was THE SUPREAME AUTHORITY, and at that time, THE PARLIAMENT owned THE KING, and HOUSE OF LORDS, and were distasted at such as stiled them, The Supream Authority, as savouring of levelling, yet notwithstanding I was committed to the Gate-house, but afterwards when the Army had conquered the King and his party, purged the House, and owned THE PARLIAMENT for the SUPREAM AUTHORITY, and that the House of Commons threw downe the House of Lords, then I knew that they were the Su­pream Authority, and have owned them ever since, and have done them faithfull service, and offices of love in endeavouring to make reconciliation betwixt party and party; and to perswade them that they may sit downe quietly under this present Government, and it is well knowne what paines and labour I bestowed to make a handsome composure, and I did not altogether faile of my desires and expectation. But in this busines of Sir. Ar­thur Hesleriges I medled not having had matters of more [Page 9]publike concernment to be exercised in, and thinking that Lilburne had such to assist him who were more skilfull in the Law of England then my selfe.

Whereas the accuser saith, that Printing hath beene our chiefest weapon, and by that occasion, that wee have great correspondency with Printers, and some of us ready to print what we please against them.

I answer, that my judgement is not for printing of heresie or blasphemy, or matter of scandall, or a lye, but onely the truth, and I hold it one of the greatest abuses of the Commonwealth, that so many lying foo­lish Pamphlets have been, and are suffered to go abroad; surely the Printers have much to answer for at the day of judgement, seeing for every idle word which a man shall speak, he must answer for at the day of Judgement, so farre am I from holding a correspondence with them, that I pronounce the judgements of God against them, saying, Woe unto you Printers, for you have much to answer for: I have been more carefull what I print, then what I write or speak, because if a man print an Impression of fifteen hundred books, peradventure they may be spread to 15000. persons, and leven them all, and its (in a maner) impossible to recal them; Now who­soever readeth the last lease of this our Accusers Pam­phlet, will have occasion to think the man not to bee of very deep judgement, for though the Presse is free for all men both knaves and fooles, as well as wise men, pro­vided they put their names to it, and the Printer his name, which is too large a latitude (as I humbly con­ceive) Yet our Accuser would have the Parliaments order to print against us, and layeth downe a positive Law, as if he and his family were a high Commission; or Spanish Inquisition, yea and worse; viz. that whatsoever [Page 10]Queries they shall propound to us, if we answer them not within the space of three months and a day, shall be held thenceforth as confessed; But if the Parliament should condiscend to his base proposition, wee would not enslave our selves to such a tyrannicall Law, for we have learned of a wiser, not to answer a foole according to his folly; neverthelesse our Accuser before he knew whether we would inslave our selves to his base propo­sition, he promised with his family the like base con­ditions against themselves, so they have made them­selves slaves by promise, but he craveth the equall be­nefit of the Presse, competent meanes of subsistance, and monies to Printers, but I hope the Parliament will not put, but rather wrest the sword out of such mad mens hands, and will not afford the like benefit to slaves by promise, as to those who have not made any such obligation, nor cast away the Commonwealths mo­ney to them, or their Printers, unlesse it were for a better purpose then to propagate that hatefull sinne of sowing strife amongst brethren.

But above all persons, this Accuser hath a great fling at me, and yet his sling-stones are but as stubble, but his madnesse is because he was cast out of the Church, as may appear by his Pamphlet; herein he acteth the Dragons part, who was exceeding wrath after hee saw he was cast out of Heaven, and therefore though the Heavens are called to rejoyce, yet a woe is pronoun­ced to the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof, For the de­vill is come downe unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth he hath but a short time.

Whereas he saith I was most justly by the direction of the Trustees, expulsed both from my Office and lodg­ings at Worcester house, for deceitfull dealing and unjust [Page 11]Levelling in Civill matters there, against many both poore and rich; I deny that there was, or is any such thing against me, surely, if there had been any such thing the Trustees would have told me so; I deny not, but through their unadvisednes there was very many com­plaints, which is a usuall thing with the poorer sort, to murmur against those who have dealings with them, For their debts, not being paid by the Trustees accord­ing to their Bonds, caused poverty, and their poverty murmuring, But the Lord stilleth the raging Seas, and trou­blous murmurings of the people. Who can say since I came into Worcester house, that I have done the thing that is unjust, and prove it? if the Trustees had been as forward to have protected me, as I them, from the Clamours of the rude People, things would have been carried well: And I know not that the Trustees have given any such directions, as he saith, to expulse me from my Office and Lodgings. Indeed I did depart from my Lodgings for another cause, and touching my Office, I was Receiver of all the Debenters, and the time was ex­pired which is limited by the last Act. And ever since I have faithfully followed the businesse of the Common­wealth, for which I deserve my Salary still; and if the Trustees pay it not, I have so much confidence in their Superiours, that I shall have every penny. I have been a faithfull servant to the Commonwealth from the be­ginning, and have performed my place without extort­ing of Bribes, according to the universall disease that is inbred amongst almost all Clerks, that make not the Word of God their rule.

But the hardest measures of reproaches I have received from Religious persons, who differ from me in matters fundamentall, they hopeing that the reproaches which [Page 13]they heape upon mee, will cause my spirituall testi­mony concerning the truth of God, wherein I am their opposer, not to be received or beleived; and this is Sa­tans policy: I could name men but I reserve it for ano­ther time, and one in special, a superiour servant of the Trustees, whose mouth against me is like a GRAVE, and his throat an open Sepulcher; and it rose from a contro­versie concerning the term Our Lord God, which I would not put in my Conveyances, but the Lord Christ, for said I, How old do you make your Lord God, but 1650! whereas my Lord God hath been from all eternity, and he is the Head of Christ, so I being called in question by his means by the Trustees for putting in Christ instead of our Lord in the new Debenters, I made Answer, that I had not derogated from the Act, and I cleared my selfe from those aspersions, which he that informed a­gainst me cast upon me, and professed my faith in the e­ternal God, and in his son Jesus Christ my Lord, and after sent them for further resolution some of my Printed Pa­pers which are as followeth.