[Page 5] THis Letter will need no Interpreter, onely the Reader may please to observe what is now the chiefe taske of the Rebels Armie [To secure the Parliament and Citie of Lon­don.] for as that wretched Citie hath been both Midwife and Nurse of this Rebellion, which some desperate Male-contents had cunningly begotten; so now their Generall must so order his businesse, that neither the one nor the other be brought to an accompt: for if the Members be distur­bed, the Contrivance would cease, and not to protect their Citizens would stop Contribution, and so their Armie (and this bloudie Civill War) would melt and dissolve into our former happie peace.

Next, consider in what case their Armie now apprehends it selfe, who foreseeing Her Majestie would advance out of the North, Declared it was not in their power to prevent Her, but that (maugre all they could do to the contrary) The Queenes Forces would suddenly be joyned to the Kings: which accordingly was done, Her Majestie meeting her Lord and Soveraigne in Keinton Field, and thereby manifested that She valued their Forces no more than their lies and slanders.

Again, you may observe what excellent good Masters the Authours of this Rebellion have still approved themselves, that their Generall the Earle of Essex (whose repute in the world had cast some credit on these mens designes) should now be rewarded with so slight and cheap an estimation, as if he had been a common stander by. For though in the be­ginning they smooth'd and courted him to undertake their Cause; and (after to continue him) passed a fine Vote, That Robert Earle of Essex had deserved so highly, that He and his House should be recorded to all Posteritie for their service done to the Common-wealth: whereby they heaved Him up to such a value among the people, that a meer Letter of his to Isaak Pennington from Northampton was able to command an hun­dred [Page 6] thousand pounds in foure dayes; yet now is he sunke to so low a rate in their affections, that He is fain to complain, and (as here He doth) beg not onely for Men, Money, and Horses, but for Saddles, and such other particulars as were not wont to finde room in his Excellencies Letters: nay, and Isaak Pennington's own Chaplain (one that for stealing a Gown and his good abilitie in Learning was fain to leave the Uni­versitie) doth now preach against Him, and whether it will stay at a meer neglect, themselves best know. Nor is it their Generall's case alone, Sir Iohn Hotham, Colonell Essex, with others (too many now to mention) have as amply been re­warded; the Colonell imprisoned because he was too fair a Rebell, and not so vile an Enemie as that bloudie Coward Nathaniel Fines; and Hotham (with his Son and Familie) imprisoned, wounded, pillaged of all his vast Treasure, though he was the first great Stickler in their Cause, and if he opened not the first mouth, yet he held up the first hand against His Majestie; for without Hotham they might have Voted and gnashed their teeth against the King, but gone no farther, he being then possessour of His Majesties Maga­zine. But Hotham was rich, which (as their case stands) is against the Priviledges of Parliament, they being resolved (as Suetonius sayes of Vespasian) to make their Agents Sponges to suck in all they can, In vità Fl. Vespasiant. and after squeeze them for their own use.

The next thing observable is an ingenuous confession (of him that knowes best) who is now Master of the Field; The Enemie (sayes the Earle) is so strong in Horse, and this Armie being neither recrewted with Horses, Armes, &c. it is impossible to keep the Countrey, &c. nor to fight with them but when and where they list, We being forced when we move, to march with the whole Armie, to keep our selves from being broken. Nor can the Earle confide in those few Forces he hath, for he com­plaines in his late Letter to the Countie of Essex, of the loos­nesse [Page 7] and inconstancie of his Souldiers; by loosnesse he meanes running away from him, and by inconstancie running away from before Us, when we offer to charge them. But the words themselves are full and home.

And I cannot passe that the Earle is troubled at those horri­ble outrages done to the Countries; and I confesse I am glad to see Him returned to so much sense of his Honour, that He findes himselfe aggrieved at these desperate villanies. For (as He here saith) The cries of the poore people are infinite; but who have been the Authours, or are the Actours in these common robberies, shall be recorded to Posteritie, to the lasting infamie of these bloudy Hypocrites, who cut our throats in courtesie, and are not satisfied with our Money, unlesse they have our lives. And it is no wonder if my Lord be weary of such as these.

Now if you take notice that the Earle desires them, to send to His Majestie to have Peace, with the settling of Religion, the Lawes and Liberties of the Subject, and to bring unto just triall those chiefe Delinquents that have brought all this mischiefe upon both Kingdomes. I must needs tell you they are no new words; for His Majestie made this motion too often now to menti­on; nay, (upon an exact survay) this very thing hath been called upon by His Majestie above sixscore severall times in His Declarations and Messages; that (if possible) He might have stopped this issue of bloud, which since hath run so freely in all parts of this Kingdome. But whether the Earles motion for Peace, be as reall and cleare as His Majesties was heretofore, will not easily be evinced; onely it is manifest, the Earles thoughts did not so farre abhorre the very name of Peace as others of his Faction, for on the reading of this Letter among the remnant in the Lower House, such a noise was made, and such a dust raised, both in the House, and among their Faction in the Citie, as if the Earle had [Page 8] now perswaded them to remember themselves, & submit to His Majestie, which (you will say) would quickly have been Voted for another new and horrible Plot. And for bringing Delinquents to a Legall triall, let them consider those they have tried already, and those they Voted should never be Tried; the Earle of Strafford, Master Tomkins, Master Cha­loner, Master Yeomans, Master Bouchier, these (to say but so) received their Trials: and the Lord Kimbolton, Master Hollis, S^r Arthur Hasterig, (M. Hampden) M. Pym, and M. Strode, were Declared too innocent to be stained with a purgation. Re­member for what end the former died, and the later lived, I say no more.

And it is worth your notice how he quoats the Earle of Bristol for words spoken by His Lordship in Parliament; the words are in that excellent and seasonable Speech made by his Lordship for Accommodation, May 20. 1642. which (because they are excellent words) I shall repeat them; The greatest difficultie (sayes my Lord) of Accommodation may seem to be, how that which is agreed upon, may be secured for the future; this is commonly the last point in Treaties betwixt Prin­ces, and of greatest nicenesse; but much more betwext a King and his Subjects, where that confidence and beleefe which should be be­twixt them, is once lost; and to speak clearly, I feare, that this may be our case, for it is much easier to compose differences arising from Reason (yea even from wrongs) then it is to satisfie Jealousies, which arising out of diffidence and distrust, grow and are varied upon every occasion. Which Speech the Earle of Essex is pleased now to take up, ingenuously confessing, it was prudent sober counsell, for indeed it foretold them what since we all have felt, as any that peruse it may evidently perceive.

Once more you may observe, that the Earle in this His Motion for a Treatie, would exclude all Officers of his Armie from being of the Committee; for my Lord sees too many de­cayed [Page 9] Members have Voted themselves to be Colonels and great Officers, who being their own Carvers have found sweet and frequent Pay-dayes, and would therefore be un­willing to recurre into a beggarly Peace.

But (to trouble you with no more) the Earle hath recei­ved so small encouragement from His ingratefull Patrons, that He wishes a dispatch whether by War or Peace, and therefore tels them here, that if they have no minde to com­pose these unhappy distractions fairly, that there might be a day set down to give a period to all by a Battaile; which if it be a­greed upon, he sayes, He shall performe that dutie which he owes unto them: but what that dutie he owes unto them is (for he speakes indefinitely and comes not to particulars) lies con­cealed in his own breast. And sure I should believe it were not much, considering he hath ventured his life and fortune in their service, and yet hath arrived at no greater estimate in their eyes, than to be next to Mistresse Ven, farre inferiour to my Ladie Waller, who expects every houre (by partici­pation with her Husband) to be Ladie Generall.