VVHen I looke back upon ray promise, I am at a doubt whether I should be still your debtor, or make payment with Coyne lesse current by clipping, or allay; of which there is an unavoydable necessitie, the shortnesse of time not sorting with a liberty to write much, and the greatnesse of the subject requiring to write nothing but what may abide the Test: But [Page 4]having a confidence that your goodnesse will bury my errours by a kind suppression, I can the better adventure upon your judgement, which will com­municate nothing that may be of no farther use then the reproofe of the Writer.

It is a Chrysis of time wherein each man labours of expectation, and before the maine Birth (which we hope will be specious) be produced, there is a production of Monsters, according as the various size of mens understandings, the condition, and inte­rest of many, and the feares and guilt of not a few doe frame suggestions. It is and must be never­thelesse the glory of that Army, (which now makes businesse for every thought) to be pious in, and con­stant to prepensed Principles, that accident (which will be encountred) make no visible Mutation in the maine Designe, of the contexure of which your yesterday Discourse seconding his Excellencies De­claration, begot in me a very wealthy Opinion; And to the progresse, and value of which, I hope the scandals and pretences scattered will be neither a Re­mora, nor an Allay.

The cure of every Malady is then most easie when the Disease it selfe is throughliest; knowne. This Common-wealth was six yeares fithence pretended to be sicke, and was committed into the hands of Physicians, who have practised upon the body by Purgings, and Phlebotomie, till if before it aboun­ded with ill humours, it is now deficient in good bloud and spirits, and rather put into a condition to be still wrought upon untill destroyed, then in [Page 5]any way of health, or renewed strength after so long a languishing. Certainly it is now high time to change its Doctors, and finde out such who will apply some cordials and restauratives to a worne-out body, and recover it by degrees; towards which they may make advantage of the past Errours com­mitted by such who have pretended to operate for its health, viz. an Eradication of the Kings Prero­rogative, while they pretended onely a circumscrip­tion, or modest limitation; A Monopolising of power by pretence of Law, against Law, and con­founding all freedome in Notionall and Phantastick, at least unascertained, Priviledges; An unbounded Liberty given at first to the Plebs, while it conduced to ends, and at last a shortning of Liberty, and Pro­perty into a Vassalage and slavery; And in all a to­tall defection wrought in the Government and Countenance both of Church and State, and a shuf­ling of order, and Discipline, into rudenesse and In­distinction.

The Publique-Faith (the Kingdomes reputation) hackneyed upon all occasions, and forfeited at last, and the Souldiers (after having served a purpose so farre as that it was able to walke alone without so costly supporters) neglected, and affronted in pay, and credit; In so farre, that if the Land were, or in­vaded by a Forraine, or embroyled with an inte­stine Enemy, those Mannagers could neither finde Coine nor Hands to officiate to its preservation, or defence; And albeit we have not Lawes to the Let­ter of which these misdemeanors are applyable by the names of Treasons, yet taking their own liberty [Page 6]of supposing constructive Treasons, their reduction of this distempered Kingdome in these years past to its present condition will carry a sence of a compli­cate crime, not lesse then for what they have sought, and taken the blouds of some, and those no obscure persons.

No man will therefore reprove your Armies Demand of those Members, who are conceived guil­ty of these heights of Impiety, but each moderate man will hope that they shall not be denied (though it were just to them if they were) the Liberties of a legall triall, though themselves and partie give out, that a triall by the Law Martiall is onely intended for them; yet, the Common Lawes will bee found sharpe enough to correct them, and doubtlesse God will bee better pleased with the sacrificing of such men by the hand of Iustice, then with their familiar Solemnities, and Celebrations of Fasts, by which they have upheld a reverence in opinion to their godlesse actions.

You have a great Worke to doe, to restore Reli­gion and Law, upon which depends the Kings re-enthronement, and re-investure with his just rights, the Parliaments ascertainment of their just power and equall Priviledges, and the peoples re­storement to their known Liberties and Properties, as to their limitted and fitting obedience and subje­ction, which all are so concatenate, as that an omissi­on of either makes the whole worke ineffectuall, and leaves the Common-wealth in a condition prepared for new and bad impressions, and subjected to chan­ges as occasion which will not be long unoffered shal [Page 7]be administred to its innovation. What influence, ho­nor or comfort can be derivable from a King meerly nominall? what converse can there be with a people impoverisht and embased? and what Peace with a people uncircumscribed and irregulate? what ex­pectation of Iustice from an aggregate number of men entrusted with a Kingdomes concernment, who will pretend to have no boundaries for their Privi­ledges but an involution of all dispository power of the peoples lives and fortunes, which the free condi­tion I meane the antient freedome of this Nation (not yet extinct in the English breasts) will no more rellish, then Kings will Rebellion, or then Subjects Tyranny?

If you come therefore (as I will untill otherwise convinced believe) prepared to state the case of the Kingdom, and to stand by as Protectors to Justice, while it dispenceth equally to King, Parl. and People, your swords will be the honour'd propagators, & the whole Kingdom the happy partakers of a lasting Peaces; but if a defection be in advancing any of those great concernes we shall have but a seeming quiet or Cessation, meerly to take breath for a new Em­broilment; and have found away by a slight skin­ning of a sore to fit it for exulceration, and by preter­mitting a part of the remedy prescribed, to render the disease incurable.