THere hath been much discourse about you and I, that is, about the Commission of Array and the Mali­tia, and you have by the Parliament been formerly adjudged illegall and unlawfull.

Can that be unlawfull which is under­taken for the defence of the King? to whom should the military strength of the Kingdome be subject if not to the King.

I allow all this, and my desire as well as yours is, to sacrifice my bloud in maintaining the Kings right, against all such as would have him invade the priviledges of the Subject, and such as seek the dissolution of the Parliament. In a word, I stand for the King and the Parliament, you on­ly for the King as he is carried away by the evill counsell of Malignants.

These Malignants indeed have been sufficiently railed upon, and under that title have [Page 4]been comprised many well affected Subjects; for if every one led only a loyall subjection, did but afar off appeare to encline to the Kings designes, he was branded with the marke of a malignant spirit, so that many have by vulgar opinion been undeservedly included under that appellation.

Though I know Array, that you are a thing created by Regall Authority, and doe en­deavour to affront the Militia, I will shew you your first beginning and originall, which we spread a blush upon your cheeke, or rather con­science, if you have any grace or Religion, while in a briefe Narration I doe give you an account of your owne Pedigree, for you are an upstart peece of the military strength of this King­dome.

Tis false, I can derive my antiquity from the raignes of many former Kings, wherein I have done very good service, and such hath my valour been, that I have in many Battels crushed the insolent Commons, and brought a glorious victory to the Kings Standard.

You brag on wrong grounds. It is the end of any action that doth merit honour, your confiding in doing service for the King in oppo­sing the Parliament, is an argument built on false grounds; but you are conformable in your words to your purposes and beginning: For when the King through the instigation of the [Page 5]malignant party consisting of Papists, prelaticall Clergy, Delinquents, and part of the Nobility and Gentry, who serving the Court, had combi­ned to bury the happinesse of this Kingdome in the ruine of this Parliament, and to cut up the freedome of Parliaments by the root, and to erect in this Kingdome an arbitrary govern­ment, then you the Commission of Array were presently thought upon, and away you were car­ried into severall Countries by divers Noblemen, there by an illegall power to raise an Army for the protection of Delinquents from the hands of Iustice, first under colour of a Guard for the King, you and your Commission of Array over-run­ning severall Counties, compelling the Trained Bands by force to come in and joyne with you, or disarming them and putting their Armes into the hands of lewde and desperate persons, there­by turned the Armes of the Kingdome against it selfe, and this was your intention.

I had no such purpose but was for the safety of the kingdome, and the honour of the King: For it was alwayes thought fit and requi­site that the King should have the ordering and disposing of the Militia of the kingdome; but when you were setled and ordered by the Parli­ament against the Kings desire, and put into such hands as they would confide in then the Com­mission of Array issued out not to disturbe the [Page 6]peace of the kingdome, but to defend it as well as you or any other Militia.

How comes it then to passe, that when the designe which had bin so long carryed on to alter the frame and constitution of this govern­ment both in Church and State, was now come to ripenesse, and the conteiners thereof conceived themselves arrived to that condition of strength, that they should be able to put it in present exe­cution, they have now made the K. raise a great army, this was your doings, commission of Aray.

I was sent abroad indeed to use the ut­most force I could to compell and summon them in, but more came in voluntarily then by vertue of my commission; the Gentry and Cavaliers freely engaging themselves in that service, and such a great confluence of severall persons floc­king unto the King, that they needed no compas­sion, Horse, Armes and Amunition being daily brought, and besides the Royall Standard which had a glorious presence in the field, drew more unto it then the commission of Array.

If you disdaine the matter already, tis likely you knew that your power was illegall, standing alwayes in defiance of the Parliament, and of the Militia, but I hope to make you know your errour in time. It is fit that Militia being a faithfull subject to the King and Parliament, and standing for both against those malignants, [Page 7]wherewith the King is now environed, should be better esteemed than nothing of yesterday. I meane the commission of Array.

Tis false, and I will make, thee know thou malicious Militia, thou leader on of leatherne Coates and City Round-heads, that you are but a crac­king noise to me, what doe boyes but waste powder in the streets? and so are you nothing but an invention to make away powder, carrying a faire shew of a con­cealed affection to your King and Countrey, but are led on by the instigation of weekly pay, and a love you beare to opposition, speake no more, for Array is accounted with a sword, which as I weare by my side, so I dare man age for my King and Countrey.

I regard not your sword (Array) nor can your threatening language strike a terrour into me, the goodnesse of my designe in defending the King and Parliament, doth give me boldnesse to appeare in the field against you and your swaggering Troops of Ca­valiers, who having engaged themselves against their Countrey, would now upon cooler bloud be glad with safety to retire. I must tell you that the name of Array is odious to the people, and therefore your best refuge is the countrey, for here in London you would by the common sort be cut into peeces, for they under­stand you as a direct enemy to the Common-wealth; One that would intrench upon the liberty of the sub­jects, so that by the authority of your tyrannicall po­wer, all whatsoever they possessed should be subject [Page 8]unto your mercy, and upon any present humour, if you send for their goods or for money, they must deliver them up, and be glad to be undone, and that this could stand with Iustice was a strange opinion brought up by the malignant party under whose colors you serve.

You are deceived, my desire is to save the kingdome from ruine, and preserve the king in a free Monarchy; for the King is resolved that he will not see Religion, the Basis and foundation of a Common-wealth defaced, and that he will maintaine the rights and liberties of the subject, and the priviledges of Par­liament; and he doth solely claime this power, as being the Defender of the faith; and therefore seeing all his actions doe reflect on the good of the Common-wealth, whereunto they ought to be directed, and while the King doth beare this resolution all true sub­jects are bound to ayd His Majesty.

But if the King may force his Parliament, they may bid farwell to all Parliaments, and all their Laws wil be cut in sunder, with the same sword now drawn for the destruction of the Parl. therefore let the Militia and Array now agree, and stand for God, our K. & Parl. I am not far from you under the command of the E. of Essex, but should be glad of this reconcilement.

If the King were so pleased, I should be glad also of such an agreement.