TO satisfie you concerning my Lord Say, be­cause I perceive you to be so prudent, as not willingly to forfeit your discretion by running with the giddy multitude into those distem­pers of heats and colds, but would receive in­formation from those that know more then your selfe before you will judge. It becomes every wise man to be constant to the principles which he hath laid down to himselfe upon the most mature deliberation: and this, as to things, so to persons, otherwise I should without prejudice to him, call both his Reason and Religion into question. And therefore concerning that Lord give me leave to be confident (and I think you will beleeve me) that I know him much bet­ter then those that talk so much against him, having had 28 yeares experience of him; in which time hee hath passed through very many various conditions, the times at sometime courting him with their smiles, at other times falling foule upon him with their frownes; yet hath he beene the same in all: for if hopes or promises of promotion on the one hand, or threatning and imprisonment on the other, would have altered him from a Patriot to a Courtier, he had beene one long ago. To passe over his suffering imprisonment nine months together in the nineteenth or twentieth year of King Iames, for discountenancing a benevolence in the County of Oxford, when the Court began first to runne extravagant courses to get money, that so they might rule in an arbitrary [Page 2]way without Parliaments. And that in the following Parlia­ment in the one and twentieth yeare of King Iames, when the now King, then Prince, and the Duke of Buckingham were returned from Spaine, hee was as much courted with offers of preferment by him that had them at his dispose as he was before discountenanced with imprisonment and o­ther pressures which I could more fully declare unto you, but that I would not be tedious; And how it cost him some hundreds of pounds in opposing the ship-money, and his re­fusing that dangerous oath at Yorke; but I will not trouble you with too large a discourse, onely this let me bee bold to say in the generall. That as he hath had a repute of being famous both for Religion, and Reason, I that have had the happiness to live near unto him for many years have alwayes observed him in all the various changes he hath met withall, never to vary from his principles, but how ever things have gone abroad or at home, whether he hath had applause and encouragement from men on the one hand, or hard measure on the other (for he hath had experience of both) hee hath beene the same still, walked as closely with God, and done his duty as faithfully towards men, it being alwayes a setled principle in him, That want of successe from God, or finding un­thankefulnesse from men must not hinder a pious man from doing his duty to both. And whereas you gave me a touch that many men, yea, honest and godly men, question whe­ther he be right for Religion or no, beleeve me Sir, I speake it from my heart, and in the uprightnesse of my spirit, I doe not know a man in this Kingdome right and sound for the power and truth of Religion if he be not. And I would have you beleeve me, that I know him well, as having had the ad­vantage of a long time of experience.

Againe, they charge upon him, that he favours Papists and Malignants, because he protects two of their houses; will they not allow him a house or two instead of three houses of his, [Page 3]and 2000 l per annum land, which is kept from him for doing them service, and yet they doe not that, for he is to pay such Rent for that house in the Countrey which is allowed him to refresh himselfe sometimes with fresh ayre, as the Commit­tee for Sequestrations shall lay upon it.

Another instance by which they would prove he favours Papists is a report from one of the Captaines at Windsor, that he wrote a Letter to Colonell Venne on the behalfe of two Popish women, who had Popish Trinkets and some mo­ney taken from them there, that it might be restored unto them; now to shew you that this is most false, I will shew you upon what foundation this slander was built: one of those wo­men came to his LP^s Secretary with a Petition expressing how their money and Truncks were taken from them by some of Colonell Vennes souldiers. as they were travelling into Wiltshire, whither they had a Passe, and desired him to procure my Lord Say to get their Petition read at the Committee for the safety of the Kingdom; but he knowing the multitudes of busines his Lord had stil upon him, told her he would write himself to Col. Venn, having intimate acquaintance with him, to desire him to examine the businesse, and doe them right, which he did upon his own interest and acquaintenance onely, in his owne name, not thinking that either of them had been Papists till he received Colonell Vennes answer, which signified so much, and then he stirred no further for them.

And for the great summe of money, hundreds of thousands pounds charged upon him, though it be ridiculous to think that any man could get such vaste sums, & convert to his own use without being discovered to many, yet I dare assure you, having heard it confidently affirmed by him that receiveth and issueth out all moneyes for him, that hee never con­verted a hundred pounds, or a hundred pence to his owne particular use, for it so passes through his hands, that hee could not be ignorant of this business, he receiving and disbur­sing [Page 4]all that he hath had from the State, save onely what hath bin paid upon bils of Exchange to some Bristow men, which he had orders for, and can give full satisfaction for upon ac­compt; and for what money hee received during the short time he was Colonell, the account lyes upon his Secretary, and not upon my Lord, who medled not with a penny of that money: Nay, I will adde this further, that hee hath lent, be­sides 1000. l. which he lent upon the propositions, sometimes 200. l. sometimes 300. l. somtimes more out of his own purse, and hath borrowd somtimes to lend for the service of the State. And for Sir William VVallers businesse, me thinks they should give a Peere of the Lords House liberty to use his reason, what he did in that he did onely concurre with others in both Houses, and by the same reason they charge it upon his Lord­ship, they charge it upon the Houses; and if so, they appeale to themselvs, and place the Judgement not in the Parliament (which they pretend too) but in the People; This let mee adde, that in my weak opinion, that Commission (in which though power was derived to Sir William from his Excellen­cie, yet his Instructions were to issue from the Parliament, and at this rate how could his Excellencie command Sir William VValler, and how was his Commission consistent with this desired Expedition: Besides, two Generalls in one Expedi­tion speake too much consusion. Another thing is, that this Lord was the occasion of Mr. Nyes going into Scotland, and that he went purposely to hinder the Scots from comming in because they would hinder the setting up of an independent Government in Churches; the falsity of that appeares (be­sides what he hath said to Gentlemen of trust, of the necessity of the Scots comming in) by the effects, for the Scots doe come in, and both Mr Nye and that Lord have taken the Co­venant, and are forward instruments in furthering that work all they can: And as for Accommodations of peace which he is charged to be forward in; he was never further for it then [Page 5]what Religion and Reason calls for at every mans hand, that is, if that could be obtained peaceably, which we labour for with so much effusion of blood and hazzard of all, he rather desires it, and so I hope do you and every honest man: Others say he hath made his peace at Court, but give no reason of this their beliefe, and I am confident can procure none by all their Arts; the wiser of men know, that if the Court could have tempted him and violated his principles, hee need not have been so much wanting to himselfe, as now to have his peace to be made up, he might have maintained it at an ea­sier rate then now he could (if any such thought could enter into him) regaine it.

But who can imagine that a prudent man should run the hazzard of his honour, estate, and every thing, and this in pure opposition to the Court, and yet with design to comply with it: why should the Court inveigh against him more then any man, charge him again and again with treason, and yet he a friend to them? When the Parliament affaires were at the lowest, why did not he runne to Court as others have done? Why hath both his Excellency and this Lord suffered with so much patience the peoples calumnies from passions, surmizes, jealousies, (or I know not what to call them) but onely their integrity to this cause hath supported their en­deavours (notwithstanding) for the publike interest which they make their owne; and as it hath pleased God to take away the mist from the peoples eyes touching my Lord Ge­nerall by his last expedition, so I doubt not but God in his good time will disperse the clouds as to that good Lord al­so, at least to disabuse the honest party: This as to reason. But then in point of Religion, can any Christian be so un­charitable as (upon a very surmise) to question that founda­tion of piety which God hath laid in him, and de facto, main­tain that doctrine, which in his understanding [...]e ha [...]s (fal­ling from grace) and so by practice contradict his own prin­ciples; [Page 6]surely if most deliberately I have once judged a man in the condition of grace, I am not (but upon most weighty Reasons) to call that happy case into question; I would say to you and every honest heart, make this Lords case your own throughout the whole story of it: I will not abuse your patience longer, this let me beg of you and every good man that you would not so easily take upon trust such Reports, either of that Noble Lord, or any other Lord or Gentleman (intrusted by the State) as you meet with in every high way (and most likely given out at first by some Iesuited Malig­nant out of design) lest you become guilty of wounding the innocent in their good names and Honour, which is as great a sinne as wounding their bodies, but I hope better things of you: and I could wish, that as to this Lord when you meet with any thing that makes you doubt either his Religion or Reason for any act he doth in order to the Commonwealth (where the question now unhappily rests with some) addresse your selfe to him, and if he doth not satisfie you or any rea­sonable man, I will forfeit my reason, and question whether there be an honest man to be found: Thus you may see my confidence (and I trust not unreasonable, considering my many yeeres uninterrupted experience.) I say no more, onely this I confesse, it is a wise mans part to be suspitious in these evill times, but to be jealous without reasonable grounds, becomes no prudent man. I have unbottomed my heart to you, that I might give you satisfaction, and doe professe unto you, that there is no one assertory passage herein, but my conscience beares me witnesse I have spoke the truth in it. I rest,