RUlers within the Circle of their Government have a claim to that which is said of the Deity, They have their Center every where, and their Cir­cumference no where. It is in this confi­dence that I address to your Highness, as knowing no place in the Nation is so remote, as not to share in the ubiquity of your care; no Prison so close, as [Page 2] to shut me up from partaking of your influence. My Lord, it is my misfortune, that after ten years of retirement from being ingaged in the difference of the State, having wound my selfe up in a private recess, and my comportment to the publique, being so inoffensive, that in all this time, neither feares nor jea­lousies have scrupled at my Actions: Being about three moneths since at Nor­wich, I was fetched with a guard before the Commissioners, and sent Prisoner to Yarmouth, and if it be not a new of­fence to make inquiry wherein I offend­ed (for hitherto my faults are kept as close as my Person,) I am induced to believe, that next to the adherence to the Royal party, the cause of my con­finement is the narrowness of my estate; for none stand committed whose estate can bail them; I onely am the Prisoner, who have no Acres to be my hostage. Now if my poverty be Criminal (with Reve­rence be it spoken,) I must implead your [Page 3] Highness, whose victorious Arms have reduc'd me to it, as accessary to my guilt. Let it suffice my Lord, that the calamity of the War hath made us poor; do not punish us for it! Who ever did Penance for being ravished? Is it not e­nough that we are stript so bare, but it must be made in order to a severer Lash? must our skars be engraven with new wounds? must we first be made Crip­ples, then beaten with our own Crutch­es? Poverty! if it be a fault, it is its own punishment; Who suffers for it more, pays Use upon use. I beseech your Highness put some bounds to our over­throw, and do not pursue the chase to the other World; Can your thunder be levelled so low as our groveling Con­ditions? Can that towering Spirit that hath quarried upon Kingdoms make a stoop at us, who are the rubbish of those ruines? Methinks! I hear your former Atchievments interceding with you not to sully your glories, with trampling on [Page 4] the prostrate, nor Clog the wheels of your Chariot with so degenerous a Tri­umph. The most renowned Heroes have ever with such tenderness cherished their Captives, That their Swords did but cut out work for their courtesie; Those that fell by their prowess, sprung up by their favours, as if they had struck them down only to make them rebound the Higher. I hope your Highness as you are the Ri­val of their fame, will be no less of their vertues; the noblest Trophy that you can erect to your Honour is to raise the afflicted. And since you have subdued all opposition, it now remaines that you attach your selfe, and with Acts of Mildenesse vanquish your victory. It is not long since, my Lord, that you knock­ed off the Shackles from most of our party, and by a grand release did spread your clemency as large as your territo­ries. Let not new proscriptions inter­rupt our Jubile. Let not that your le­nity be slandered as the Ambush of your [Page 5] further rigour. For the service of his Majesty (if it be objected) I am so far from excusing it, that I am ready to al­ledge it in my vindication: I cannot con­ceive that my fidelity to my Prince should taint me in your opinion; I should rather expect it should recom­mend me to your favour; Had not we been faithfull to our King, we could not have given our selves to be so to your Highness; you had then trusted us gra­tis, whereas now we have our former Loyalty to vouch us. You see my Lord, how much I presume upon the greatness of your Spirit, that dare prevent my Indictment with so frank a Confession, especially in this, which I may so justly deny, that it is almost arrogancy in me to own it; for the truth is, I was not qualifi'd enough to serve him; all that I could doe, was to bear a part in his sufferings, and give my selfe up to be crushed with his fall; thus my charge is double (my obedience to my Sove­raign, [Page 6] and what is the result of that, my want of a fortune;) Now what ever re­flections I have on the former, I am a true penitent for the latter; My Lord you see my crimes! As to my defence you bear it about you; I shall plead no­thing in my justification, but your Highness Clemency, which as it is the constant inmate of a valiant breast, (If you graciously please to extend it to your Suppliant in taking me out of this withering durance,) your Highness will finde that mercy will establish you more than power; though all the days of your life were as pregnant with victories, as your twice auspicious third of Sep­tember.