YOU will expect that I should give you a true accompt, of passages relating to the choosing of Members to sit in Parliament for this County of Wilts; The truth is, the matter was most con­fusedly and unworthily carried with­out any order or discretion; As for the Clergie they exceedingly bestirred themselves, making their par­ty as strong as ever they could, that so they might promote and carry on their Scottish Interest.

The Ringleaders of this faction were Dr. Cham­bers, Mr. Byfield, Strickland, these with the rest of their Brethren of the Association (and 'tis more then pro­bable that the same designe is carried on by the Cler­gy in other Counties) gathered together a great number of people, & taught them their lesson before hand to cry up only those ten men named in their List, and to brand others, as namely Lievt. Gen. Lud­low, Col. Eyre, &c. (who were nominated by appro­ved faithfull men in the County) with the names of Anabaptists, Levellers, to render them odious to the generality of the injudicious people, by these false [Page 2] and malitious imputations. Thus honest Publique spirited men are most unworthily dealt withall, and trampled upon by a Time serving Generation.

Sir, I am very confident that some hundreds gave their Voyces who were either Cavileers, or else of inconsiderable Estates, not worth 100. l. and there­fore uncapable of choosing, by the Modell of the Established Government.

It was agreed on at length, that the severall Lists should be called one by one, and so put to the Yea's and Noe's, without naming any other in competition with the former. But this order was violated by the Clergies party, by which means through the insti­gation of this Scottish faction, Lievt. Gen. Ludlow was put by, to the great disparagement of this Coun­try, where he hath been more serviceable to the true interest of the State, then all the men that are cho­sen, put them all together, and the Parsons too: nay they were so far from giving their Voyces for this faithfull valiant self-denying man, that the leading man among them, & their chief Counsellour, whom I shall forbear to name, refused to appeare for the Lievt. Gen. intimating that he was not fit to sit in the next Parl.

Ye are so considerate Sir, I doubt it not, as to ob­serve that there is a designe generally carried on by the Clergie of this Nation, to bring us againe into E­gyptian bondage, to keep up and maintain the oppres­sion of Tithes, and to set up themselves and their Clas­sicall Diana by Civill Sanction; in order whereunto they have endeavoured to procure a considerable number of Members that may Vote in the next Parl. for an Assembly or Convention of Ministers, to make Cannons for inthralling the consciences of good men, [Page 3] where Adoniram may be one of the Scribes, who in­deed was an exceeding busie man, and acted like a Pha­risee at the Election, his carriage not becoming a Mi­nister of Christ. But why should we wonder at him and others, their busie intermedling, and more then ordinary diligence and activity? alas poor men, they are afraid they shall loose their fat Parsonages, worth 3 or 400. l. per ann. a peece. These Politique State Parsons, neglected the Preaching of their Lecture at Sarum, that they might bawle and cry with open mouth, No Ludlow, no Ludlow, till they were even hoarse again; they chose rather to spend their breath in decrying honest men, then in preaching the Gos­pel of the Lord Jesus. Nor is it sufficient for these men that they have present encouragement, equall with or above other men more deserving, unles they may also impose upon, & domineer over their brethren, they will not be contented. I doe plainly see they will rather joyn with the vilest men, then with such as crosse their carnall interest, and dissent from them, though never so godly.

What shall I say of the impudency of these men? one Stone a Factor for them, and Vassall to them, went up and down at the Election like a madd man, crying out, Now friends appear for the Church of God, or never; poore man, can he put no difference be­tween appearing for the lusts of men, and the Church of Christ? between the Classicall Ʋsurpations of the self-seeking Parsons, and the truth and Gospel of Christ?

Sir, By this dayes work ye may judge of the issue and fruit of the Ministers Association in this County, which may rather be called a subtill Combination, then a Christian spirituall Communion as they manage it; [Page 4] you will hear of the like proceedings in other Coun­ties, especially where this Association is carried on, the same being devised as a shelter upon a politique ac­compt, against an approaching storme.

The Lord direct his Highnesse in this Juncture of Affaires, and make him truly sensible of the danger­ous plots of these men that would thus rigidly im­pose upon their Brethren.

There will be I am confident a necessity of taking a strict review of these Elections, having been carri­ed on in such a turbulent confused manner, by the vio­lent motions of the corrupt Clergy, all joyning toge­ther to uphold their Diana.

But as it was with the Prelates, in entring their Pro­testation in the former Parliament, they prepared a Rodd to whipp themselves with, and digged a pit wherein they themselves did fall: so will these men doe, that which they have designed for upholding their corrupt Interest, will be the ruine thereof. His Highnesse and his Army cannot but call to mind the late broyles both in this Nation, and Scotland, caused by this sort of men, who will not cease plotting and combining till they imbroyle the Nations againe in blood, if the Lord in mercy prevent not.

Sir, I had the sight of a Letter writ by one Burgess a Parson of the Confedracy, sent to one of his Bre­thren in this County: his words are as followeth. Sir, I hope you will be active to ingage all that ever you can to appear with us for such men as will be valiant for the truth, and be ready to meet Dr. Chambers, Mr. By­field, Strickland, Ince, &c. And that we may not be divided, there shall then be a List of the ten to be chosen, given to every one that appeareth for the best interest. Let us not be accessary to our owne ruine, and give occasion to [Page 5] the succeeding Generation to curse us, by not putting forth our interest to the utmost, for choosing right men. If we remember the last men that met at Westminst: what they were Voting for, and withall how the Monster of their ma­lice was even brought to the birth, it will make us actiue for a better Choyce.

Besides what this Parson writ in his Letter, he told the party before one Mr. Dyer, that there was a Com­mission coming out for ejecting Ministers, and that he would be in danger of being outed his Living, that should not appear with the Ministers at the Election.

Thus you see Sir, they make lies their refuge, and have recourse to Carnall weapons, the Instruments of a foolish Shepheard, as his Highnesse expresseth it in one of his Letters to the Clergy of Scotland.

Well, though these rigid foolish men will not see the hand of God which is gone out against them, but goe on in their vain wayes of opposition, notwith­standing they have been so often disappointed yet the work of the Lord shall prosper, and God will ere long separate his faithfull Ministers and Servants, from this corrupt selfe seeking Generation of men, who will not cease from busie intermeddling in state mat­ters and raising Factions, till the Maintenance for the Ministry be brought into one Treasury, and equally divided. In Holland (you know) where the Magistrate takes a stricter course, the Ministers dare not busie themselves thus in State affaires. God forgive these men, for they cause the Ministry of Christ to be evil spoken of, and to stink in the nostrills of people, who doe but deride them as a company of vain busibodys.

Sir, It cannot but grieve and afflict the Spirits of honest men, to see a company of time-serving Cava­leers, and corrupt Parsons carry on things as they do, [Page 6] without controll; and in the mean while such men as are most faithfull to the Publique Interest, for which so much Blood hath been spilt, and Treasure spent, such as have been valiant in the field, and ventured their lives in the high places for the liberties of the people, such as have all along in the greatest Revo­lutions and dangers (when this Generation of men durst not show their faces unles it was at Oxon, where some of them sate and acted) appeared in their pur­ses and persons for the true interest of the Nation, such as have poured out floods of Tears and Prayers for the cause of Christ, that these honest men should be thus slighted, undermined, scorned, discountenan­ced, and a company of unworthy Time-serving men preferred and advanced, such as never did the State any faithful service, such as doe unworthily & vain-gloriously in them own persons, hunt after worldly honour, and popular applause, and doe even hate and ab­hor the poor despised Saints. Certainly though good men should be silent & sit still, yet the Lord himself will shortly avenge the cause of his people, & bring deliverance in a way w^ch we think not of, which wil make the ears of some to tingle, and their hearts to ake; we have yet the Christian weapons of Faith, Hope, Patience, Prayers and tears remaining with us, which will in due time prevaile against this cor­rupt party, and the lesse there is of man the more will God be seen. Let us sit still and see the Salvation of the Lord.

July 13. 1654.