MY serious eyeing and beholding for divers months together, your most unjust, partial, and visible combining way of proceedings a­gainst some of my nighest relations, hath filled me with so much detestation and indignation against your injustice, that my heart hath even b [...]end within me, and I have with my self had much ado to forbear thus long to speak more plainly to you by my pen, then was safe for me to do at your barre (although I have there, as you all very well know, been very free.) But yet to avoyd if it were possible, by all rational and ingenuous [Page 2]men, to be judged turbulent, and irrational. I have rather bridled my pas­sion, and indignation, and in a quiet, sober and moderate way, endeavour­ed by Petitions to the Parliament to ease and redress the grievances of my self and my relations: but some of you with violence, reproaches, and much falshoods interposing to hinder our just expected remedy (the particulars of which, by and by I shall more fully [...]int unto you) which hath had too great an influence to retard our just proceedings: so that although my self, and others have done what in us lyes, for divers days by-past, to get two pe­titions full of justice and truth read against you, yet cannot: and although you your selves directed, and bid me petition against you, yet finding that you are to the purpose netled at my putting in execution your own desires, and withall behinde my back to the purpose reproach me, and do what in you lies to bereave me of all ordinary and legal means to help my self, and my relations, and thereby force me to betake my self to extraordinary, which is my pen, my last and unwilling refuge. In the name, strength, and power of the Lord God Almighty, have at you, and if, I perish, I perish: and there­fore before I come to the main combat, give me leave to send out these For­lornes.

First, That I plead against Sir Arthur Haslerigge (a man unto whom, as to me by your actions you seem to have sold your selves to be his slaves, and vassals in all cases whatever) who I do over, hath endeavoured for these se­veral years together, the extirpation and total destruction of my whole Fa­mily, and al those in the County where they live that have wisht them wel, and that for no other cause but for their honesty and integrity, and because they will not be his professed slaves as other people are, all which I shall to you and the world endeavor to demonstrate thus;

First my Father Richard Lilburn, and my Unkle, George Lilburn, Esquires, with all their sons, have been well affected to the Parliament, and all of them that have been fit for souldiers, freely and faithfully adventured their lives for the Parliament, without spot on blemish, save my unfortunate youngest brother, Henry Lilburn, who yet visibly was honest enough in the eies of his chief Commanders, till he came under the command of Sir Arthur Haselrig; and my Father and Uncle in the Kings time before the Parliament, were the onely two Gentlemen in all the County of Durham that ever I could hear of, that durst oppose the Kings Will and Pleasure in the point of ship­money; and the Bishop of Durham and his under Priests called Deans and Chapters will and pleasure, in point of innovations; and when the Parlia­ment came with all their strength adhered to them, and were not willing to be rid upon, nor implicitly led against their understandings by the power of any great ones whatsoever, that under the Parliament had the chief Go­vernment of the County of Durham, it being a Bastard as it were to all the Counties of the Nation: having yet never enjoyed that right and privi­ledge to send either Knights or Burgesses to Parliament, to represent it or speak for it, and therefore was subject always to have some great one or o­ther to domineer over it: And upon the late contest betwixt the Parlia­ment and Army, my eldest brother Col. Robert Lilburn, was thought the fittest by the chief Officers of the Army, to be sent down into his own [Page 3]Countrey to secure New Castle for the interest of the Army, which he did effectually and honorably like a Soldier; and whilst he staid there, governed it in Justice, honesty and peace; but was in short time privatly undermi­ned and worm-eaten out of his governmentship by Sir Arthur Haselrig, who as may be easily demonstrated, had itching fingers after some poor A­habs Vineyard or other, and it may be in his own thoughts could neither by Law nor equity come by it, unless he could attain to be governour of that Town, and in pomp and glory with his Soldiers round about him, sit as Judge and party in his own case, to over awe thereby if it were possible, both Jury and Judge; that so by interest and power he might get that, which before neither by Law nor equity he could obtain; all or the most part of which, was to the purpose shortly manifested in poor Mr. Collinwoods case divers hundred pounds per-annum thick, and then to disinable him and his posterity for ever, to lift up their heads against Sir Arthur. when times as to him shall mend, to recover their Inheritance again, he got him put in­to the Act for sale of Delinquents estates, for all the rest behind; but as to me it seems, being by my self and Mr. John Musgrave's pens pursued for his injustice, he thought it pollicy to be the means of getting him out again, least it might be made use of by either of us to his suine, but yet in the words of the Order there is such a clause as may be a sufficient rod over the Collinwoods back to keep him in awe, for so much as talking of Sir Arthurs unjust proceedings with him; I say in order to this and the like my bro­ther unawares, was by Sir Arthur undermined, and thrust out of his go­vernment without (as he hath often told me) as ever having so much as a complement from Sir Arthur for it; and my brother like a soft and quiet spirited man gives way unto it, without so much as one Ruffle.

And my Father and Uncle having had former acquaintance with Sir Ar­thur, and judged him so Godly, just and honest, as the like could scarce be found in England, and my Uncle having high obligations upon him to Sir Arthur for being so zealous for him in 1641. in delivering his Petition to the then House of Commons for reparations for his foresaid sufferings, they did not regard the aforesaid affront done to my eldest brother, but bless themselves in the happiness they were like to enjoy, by having so good a man as they then reputed Sir Arthur to be, to be their Governor; and so made it their work to be serviceable (with all respect) to him and the pub­lick interest, which they conceived to be concerned in him, and having an extraordinary fair visible Correspondency with him, they took the opportu­nity some years ago, to write a Letter to him for a zealous Parliamentiet (which is something rate in that county) and to intreat him to fix his eie up­on him for such a place, but upon the reading the Letter, it seems Sir Ar­thur sweld, and told him to this effect, that if he expected good from him, he must not be so fixed to the two Lilburns, for saith he, they are stiff obsti­nate men, and opposed old Sir Henry Vane, and Sir William Armin, and in time will oppose me: But the man being understanding, kept this many months in his own breast, from my Father and Uncle, till now of late by accident it was told to the one of them; but they not knowing the ranker of Sir Arthurs heart against them, went on in their old honest blunt way [Page 4](for so I shall call it till I see something fairly proved against them) in do­ing their duty without favour or affection, and being something rigid, and not ensie to be byased in their imployment, Sir Arthur had a minde to have my Uncle George as he was a Surveyer of Bishops lands, to make him some reprisals for his great Lordship of Bishop Auckland, which in conscience he could not say Amen unto; upon which grew he first clear demonstration of a visible grudge betwixt them: and the second was occasioned by Sir Arthurs Steward one Mr. Colson, who was also a Surveyer of the same lands, who counterfeting my Uncles hand, upon which my Uncle complained against him as a forgerer; whereupon the said Colson arrested him in an acti­on of some thousands of pounds, and cast him into the Counter prison at London, supposing he could not have got bail for such a sum; in which he was mistaken but never durst to this day declare against my Uncle, lest in the conclusion it should have cost the said Colson his ears for his said For­gery. The third visible occasion was about the coming in of Hamilton, Sir. Arthur endeavoured to get my Uncle to joyn with him in laying on 4 s. per Chaldron Excise upon coals, and for that purpose sent for him from Sunder­land, a coal town, where my Uncle had a little power, as well as Sir Ar­thur had at New-Castle a great one, and prest him to do the one at one place, as he did intend to do the other at the other place; but my Uncle be­ing a warie understanding old man, he could not nor would not do it, un­less Sir Arthur could shew him the Parliaments commands for so doing, say­ing that if he did it without Authority, it might be the ruin of him and all his; but Sir Arthur replied to this effect, The Parliament was a base wicked Parliament, and he would do it though he died for it; and when he went about to lay it on, the seamen demanding the sight of his Commission, he clapt his hand upon the hilt of his sword, and told them that was his Commission, and with that he would justifie it. Thus much for my for­lorns: Now to the main and close joyning of the battel of Sir Arthurs clear and visible discovery of himself against my Uncle.

The fourth visible heart-burning within my cognisance arises from this oc­casion, that Mr. John Blackston late a Parliament man, being a Prebends son, and being allied to divers of the great Malignants in our Countrey, as Dr. Cosens his brother in Law, and several others like him: he very much en­deavours to protect them from Sequestration; and he finding my Father and Uncle (who were both Committee men made by Ordinance of Parlia­ment dated April 1643. as well as himself) to be somewhat stiff, and that they would not sell their souls and consciences for greatness sake and relations sake; therefore did Mr. Thomas Shadforth, the said Mr. Blackstons brother in Law, pick a hole in my Uncles coat, for signing two Warrant at New Castle in 1642. when he was under force and power, on purpose to save himself from Sequestration, he being then charged, and it proved against him for a Cavalier in the first Warr, all which my Uncle in his printed Re­monstrance to the Parliament, dated March 18. 1649, hath set forth; and Mr. John Blackston all that while sufficiently and groundlesly reproaching my Uncle in the then House of Commons for a notorious Delinquent Cava­lier; and thereby gradually got him turned out of those places of trust [Page 5]the Parliament had reposed in him, that thereby he might the easilyer tram­ple upon him: and was not onely content to pay my Uncle, but also fell up­on me, as I have punctually declared in my Epistle o [...] the seave [...] of April 1651. Writ to Master John Price, Sir Arthurs P [...]n-A­gent; which he durst never answer to this day; to which Epistle for this particular, I refer you and the inquisitive Reader, where you and he shall finde sufficient foul play offered by Sir Arthur. But this business at the last coming to a Committee of Parliament, Sir Arthur it may bee finding it was advantageous to him to joyn with the said Mr Blakiston to crush my Vncle, that so he might be rid of him and his opposition, and thereby to the boot ove aw (if it were possible) my Eather, to a slavish and beastly complyance with him, he did more then ordinary (being Chairman to the said Committee) appear against my said Vncle; but I did to his face sufficiently tell him of his unworthy doings in the Country in the said case: but being my self committed to the Tower about that time, viz. upon the 28. of March, 1649. although then Sir Ar­thur could not fully have his will of my said Vncle at that time, for the Committee voted him a clear and honest man, and ordered to Report him so to the House; yet I being so in prison, Sir Arthur then thought to the purpose to crush to pieces, and root up by the roots our whole Family, and in order to that fell upon my bones to the purpose, to seek my total distruction, which is particularly touched in that Book proved at my Tryall to be mine, saving the Printers Errata's which were many, called A preparative to an Hue and Cry after Sir Arthur Haselrig. pag, 4, 5 7, 8. and particularly in the case of my money, which was mine by di­vers Votes, Orders, and Ordinances of Parliament; yet although the Councel of State imprisoned me for Treason, and the Parliament approved thereof, yet they were so just and righteous, as not to or­der my estate to be seised upon, till I was convicted of some crime; yet Sir Arthur Haselrig did assume that power to himself, as without authority, either from Parliament or Councel of State, to sease upon, or stop and destroy the current of my Ordinance of Parliament, so that I could not get a penny of almost 2500 l. in the day of my adversity, to buy me, my wife and three little babes a bit of bread; of which doings of his being certified by my Father, I confess it did not drive me into a little rage and passion, and put those provocations upon me, that had like to have been my ruin and destruction, and I think Sir Ar­thur exposed me to as sad a condition as any man in the world could be exposed to, by his being instrumentall to get me into prison for Trea­son, and then close imprisoned, and my Friends and relations kept from me, and no allowance then from any: And besides all this, to keep all my own Estate from me, and call me Traytor and Villain to my Father, when he demanded some of my Mony for the supportation of me, my wife and children, then in the greatest distress that it was possible for any people in the world to be in: O the height of cruelty and bloodi­ness [Page 6]in this Sir Arthur! Nay, to add to this, that thus to provoke and necessitate me, and then at Durham to threaten and tell my Father, Hee would come up to London to get me hanged for crying out of that which really and truly arose from his unsufferable oppressing of me; yea, and I have from good hands been told, such an influence Sir Arthur had up­on my tryall for my Life, That after the Scaffolds were begun to bee built in Guildhall, my Tryall was delayed a week for his comming to Town, and [...]o lay his modell for my ruine. And after that by the special providence of God I was freed from his bloodthirstinesse, he kept my Money in his, and his Treasurers hands so long, without letting me have a penny of it to support me, being then at liberty, and thereby exposed to the utmost extremity in a manner that could bee, that I was in my own spirit compelled to tell his Clerk, Mr Pearson, at the George in Chanell-Row, That his Master (Sir Arthur) had exposed me, by keep­ing my Mony from me, to the utmost extremity, and have it from him I must and would, although it cost me my heart blood; and so I desired him before witness to tell him; And that if he thought to keep it while I sued him at Law, or complained to the House of him, it was a vain thing for him to think so, for he was too great for me that way to en­counter with, and I too much under a cloud in such a way to expect any remedy from him; and besides, I neither had Money nor time to spend upon him; and therefore as he loved his Masters life and welfare, I intreated him to tell him, I wore a good Dagger by my right side, and a good Rapier by my left side, and if within 8 days he did not send me all my Money, or give me some rationall satisfaction, let him look to himself, for after that day, wherever I met him, I would pay him for all together, though I were cut in a thousand pieces on the very place: For if against a thief that sets upon me upon the Highway to rob me of a little Mony, it was lawfull for me to draw my sword, and in the de­fence of my propriety to kill him; much more was it lawfull for me to doe the like to him that would (most arbitrarily and tyrannically with­out all shadow or colour of Law) take al that ever I had, and therby ex­pose me, my wife and children to famish and perish: And in case by my fair dealing with him, by telling him before hand of my intention, he got me committed to prison, and thereby thought to disenable mee to deal with him, he would be very much mistaken, for thereby the hand would only be changed: Whereupon, within the time limited, (to the best of my remembrance) I had, & received a Paper or Warrant, signed by Sir Arthur and Colonel George Fenwick to the Treasurer at Newcastle, to pay me or my Assignes about 800 l. which I accordingly received: And at the Lord Generall Cromwels coming out of Ireland, he was Nobly pleased to get me a grant of selling Lands upon Me for the residue of my Money; for which most noble favour I must and doe heartily declare and acknowledg my self highly obliged to him.

[Page 7]But I must acquaint you that when Sir Arthur had got me to prison, and robbed me of my estate, for no better I can call it, although he should tell me my father was one of the Committee, where it was dispo­sed of; yet I must tell him, his will was, and is a Law to all the Com­mittees in the North, and so absolute he is amongst them, that some of them have told me, he will neither suffer them to vote, nor stare a que­stion, but resolve all himself, and bid the Clark enter it, for so it must be; I say, when he had got me fast, (as is before declared) he then thought all was his own, and finding my Uncle the heaviest man left, he falls point blank upon him, about the Colliery at Harraton, and thinks to do two works at once. viz. 1. Sufficiently to disgrace and impoverish my Uncle thereby. And then 2. To invest Wray a Popish Delinquent in the title of it, that so from him he might either purchase it for a song; or if that could not be, get him put into the Act for sale, as he hath done some others, and so get his own surveyers put in to survey it, and by his agents either drown the Colliery, that it might be esteemed but little worth at the surveying it, or else over awe them to make what re­prizals he pleased, (as in the like he hath partly done already) that so it might be his for a toy; for I beleeve scarce all the Lands and Collie­ries in the County of Durham will satisfie his greedy appetite; and there­fore in order to the accomplishment of both his foresaid ends, he doth with force and violence, in the most tyranicallest way, that ever was done in England, sequester the said Colliery, in or about Sept. 1649.

And in process of time, Mr. Primate Landlord to my uncle, &c. Ap­peals to the Commissioners at Haberdashers-hall, in these words.

Upon the Reading of which Petition, the Commissioners made an Order, the copy of which thus followeth:

A copy of which Order, being (it seems) sent to Durham, an answer is returned unto it, the copy of which thus followeth:

Which enclosed certificare, or state of Harraton Colliery, being one of the notorious false ones, that I think can be made, and contains in it the sum of the ranker of Sir Arthur's heart, and the ultimate of what can be said by him against my Uncle; I shall here insert the copy of it, which thus followeth;

Now I shall desire you to take notice, that the chief title here set up, is Wray's own bare averments, who is a Delinquent Papist, and one of the basest of that sect, being a common procurer of affidavit men; and a fellow that will swear any thing in the world, it being his com­mon habit, in his common discourse, as you your selves very well know, for which you lately reproved him in open Court, though he was too much your friend to be punished therfore by you: but in counter-ballance to his lying averments before mentioned, I could produce you he oaths of my Uncle and Mr. Grey, two men of honor, conscience, and repute; but they being much both at one, and my Uncle a party, and Mr. Grey none, al­though you lately made him one, against all reason and justice. I shall onely insert Mr. Greys; The Copy of whose oath thus followeth.

UPon which foresaid Order of yours, or some of you, and others of the Commissioners, Mr. Reading perfected his report, the first of Februa­ry 1650. & the later end of that month, viz. the 27. day, we came to a hearing upon it, where Sir A thu [...] appeared as the Prosecuter, and so be­haved himselfe with sweating, foaming, and dominiering, as, if he had had a priviledge to ingrosse all the discourse where ever he comes, and none else had a power to contradict what he saith: But you (as I will say) unjustly o­ver-ruling our chiefest Depositions, (although our case in my judgement both as to possession and Title, was made as clear as the Sunne by Mr. Rea­dings Report) for which I have been severall times told he was sufficiently chid, for that he durst be so honest:) upon which your over-ruling our said Depositions, we let that petition fall, having liberty of right as also by your Order, we preferred a new one; and upon your Order thereupon, I rode almost fourscore miles a day towards the county of Durham to fetch up new witnesses, in such weather that the wind and haile-stones had like to have beat out both my eyes (one of which to this very day I could never since per­fectly recover) and there I found our claim to be so clearly able to be made forth, both to title & an uninterrupted possession and that the 5 and 9 quar­ter Seams of coals were never in this world in Wrayes sole possession, nor ne­ver sequestred in 1644 for his delinquency, both of which is most falsly suggested in the foresaid certificate of Sir Arthur, and the pretended Com­mittee of Durham, that I judged it a case so just and honest, as that I might have comfort in it to venture both my life and estate in the defence of it, which I have since done, and to the death shall by Gods assistance still doe; and what injustice you have since offered us in that case, cannot better in my judgement briefly be set forth, then by the inserting Mr. Primats Petition to the Parliament upon Tuesday being the 22 of this present July 1691. the copy of which as it was in print delivered at the Parliament doore, thus followeth,

And to make it further appear, that it was not the nine and five quar­ter seams of cole that was under the pretence of sequestrations in 1644. but only the half yard and three quarter seams of coles; take a copy of an Order, made at Durham, the 13 of August, 1649. the Original I have by me, all writ with Master Gilpin the Clerks own hand.

And because by a Member of Parliament, that was by in the Speakers Chamber the other day, I am credibly informed that Master Winslow was with the Speaker there, and endeavored very much to render my Unckle and M. George Grey to be two base fellows, according to the contents of the said false and unjust Certificate of the foresaid pretended Com­mittee of Durham; and said what else of him he pleased, and indeavo­red very much to reprorch me by accasing me of indeavouring [Page 22]to divide the Army amongst themselves, and the Parliament amongst themselves; and now the Commissioners amongst themselves, by setting three against four, and that it was a false averment of us, to say there was publication in the case. I shall therefore disprove that fully, only I de­sire this may be observed, that Master Cary your Examinor upon our last Petition, examined all our witnesses upon interrogatories, and it was your Order that commanded our depositions out of his hands; which Order compared with your other Orders for three several days of hearing, is sufficient with another that either is, or ought in your Books to be en­tred to prove there was publication in the case: but before I come to that, let me tell you it is but a poor guilty shift to put off the reading of Master Primates Petition, because either George Lilburn, George Grey, or Iohn Lilburn, is so and so; therefore it is not [...]t to read Master Primats Petition, and to do him justice and right: for Master Primats Petition is either true or false, and you have either do [...]e him injustice, or you have not; however let us come to a fair and equal hearing. And I do here aver, I dare ingage my life to prove the whole Petition against you, but see­ing you have by your daily reproaches put me to it, by calling my Vnckle cheat, &c. at your open Table upon Thursday last in the case of the Lady Tong; I do aver that you are four of the most unjustest, and unworthiest men, that ever the Parliament made in one place Judges in England; and that you are fit for nothing but to be spewed out of all humane society, by all ingenious rational men; and that for the injustice you have acted, and the dishonour you have done the Parliament in your places, you de­serve a sharper and severer punishment from them then King Alfred gave to those forty four Judges he hanged in one year for their injustice, whose petty crimes in comparison of yours, are recorded at the latter end of the Law Book, called the Mirror of Iustice; you deserving for example sake, (all circumstances considered) rather to have your skins flead over your ears, and stopt full of straw, and hung up in some publique place, to de­ter others from doing that multiplied grosse wickedness that you have committed in a short time; and so now I come to your forementioned Order, the copy of which thus followeth.

The forementioned Orders for hearing the cause thus followeth.

But to return back, the said Sir Arthur Hasterig fell upon my Vnkle, a­bout the Land he farms at Ford, as if he had cozened and cheated the State there, and hath put him to a great deale of trouble and charge thereby, although he justly farmd it of those that had a right to Le [...] it. [Page 24]the main drift of sir Arthur, to my understanding, being to get al that land of Ford, with all other lands of the late Baron Hiltons that he gave to the poor of London, &c. invested in the present Col. Hilton a delinquent, that so he might by himself, ragents, get him put into the Bil of Sale, being a gallant and fit parcel of Land (lying close by Esq Hedworths) for Sir Arthur to purchase at the hands of the State, after the Rate of his owne surveying, and add M. Hallimans Ballast key and Land at Munckwarmouth near Sunderland, if Sir Arthur could get that made to be (as he strongly endeavours it) Pudseys, the Delinquents, it would be fit for the Bil of sale also: And so Sir Arthur in time might have a fo [...]ing even from the spring of the River Wear, to its going into the [...], for I am sure lately Sir Arthur came to plead his cause against poor Halliman which hee did with that violence that I never heard man in life do, & he declared him­self in my hearing, that the land claimd by Halliman was just and fit to be put into the Bill of sale.

Another of Sir Arthurs unjust dealings with my Vncle, is his going about to make him a deceiver, and the cheater of the State about the Colliery of Lamton, in which I am confident he dealt as justly and as ho­nestly as any Tenant in England could doe that took such a thing of any man for a valuable consideration, that had a right to let it.

Another piece of sir Arthurs dealing with my Vnkle, was in his seque­string that Land he had in mortgage from the Lady Tonge for 600 l. in redy money to pay her sons Composition, as if he had by so doing com­mitted the horriblest cheat against the State that possibly could be but M. B [...]eretons Report, and your own Order made upon Thursday last, be­ing the 24 July, 1651. hath sufficiently cleared my Vnkle for an honest man in that particular, although M. Mollins at the beginning of the caus could with open mouth in the Court call it a notorious cheat, which was reproved by Major Wildman, by demanding of him if he were not ashamed to condemn a thing before he heard it, or understood it; but it seems Sir Arthur had said it, and left his commands with him so to cal it: and therefore right or wrong he must believe it and obey it: and M Winsloe, and M. Squib both did their parts to that purpose, but truth and the reason of M. Moyer was too strong for you all three.

Another piece of Sir Arthur Haselrig most false and wicked dealing with my Uncle, was at Haberdashers hall, not long since, when he and I had the tug for 5 or 6 houres together hand to hand, where he would have had you to have past sentence upon my Vncle upon 3, or 4 verball charges of his, prosecuted with that heat by him, as if it had laid upon his life, which were all falshoods and lyes in themselves, and for a taste of one for all give me leave to whet up your memories, that when Sir Arthur came to tax my Uncle for cheating of the State of the profits of the land of Harraton, as wel as of the coliery, which was sequestred only for the Delinquency of the foresaid Thomas Wray, as he aver'd, being all [Page 25]of it his and he or you the Commissioners demanded my Vncles answer unto it, which I gave to this purpose, that we denyed every thing that Sir Arthur said there, being nothing but falshoods and untruths in all his averments; and put it upon him to prove what he said: at which he being very mad, that such a man of his rank and quality as he was, & one who had from the Parliament so great a trust upon him, should be so affronted as he was, by such a man as I was; unto which I replyed to this purpose, That setting aside his authority, with which I would make no comparisons, I judg my self as honest and as good a man as himself, and come of as good parentage as he; and if he or the greatest man in England durst go about in my hearing to make my Father and his gene­ration a company of knaves and cheaters (as he that day had done) in things or for things, for which my conscience told me they had don no­thing but justly & honestly, I should not judg my self worthy to be ac­counted to com from the loyns of so honest & just a man as my Father was, if I should hear him so basely abused to his face, as he had abused him, and suffer it in silence; for he hinted as if my Father and Vncle had defrauded or lost unto the State 12000. a year of sequestred lands; and that my Father had made himself rich by medling with sequestred lands, and therfore if he durst abuse my Father in things I knew to be false, I durst tell him he spoke falsly in any place in England; and therefore if he would not by me bee told of his falshoods, let him speak truth But Sir Arthur at that time began to lift up his eyes and hands, and call for ven­geance from Heaven, averring upon his soul, his conscience & honor, & calling the grear Lord God of heaven and earth to bear witness, that he spoke nothing but Truth; and that as ever he expected to appear with comfort before the Lord, the land of Harraton, which Esq Hedworth lays claim to, was M, Wrays, and was sequestred for his delinquency, and his only and alone; and this I know, saith he; you have a Certificate of from your own sworn commissioners, who are men of honor and conscience, and therefore desired it might be read; Of which Certificate, and all o­thers about that land, I was totally ignorant of, and had never seen not heard read before, to my knowledg; and M. Baily the Clerk being com­manded to read it, he read a Certificate, the copy of which thus follows

[Page 27]At the reading of which you may remember Sir Arthur was full of rage at the Cleark, but I helpt to stop his mouth a little, by appealing to you to be Judges whether there was either conscience, honor, faith or truth in Sir Arthur Haselrig, or that there was any credit to be given to any thing he had said or sworn, seeing he had so solemnly averred, protested, and impre­cated, and cal'd God to witness, that the land was sequestred onely and a­lone for Mr. Wrays Delinquency; and his own Record that he first produ­ced to prove his assertion, saith the quite contrary; but although I then plyd him with hot cloaths, and made him in the face as read as a Turkey­cock, yet he was not totally dasht out of Countenance; but to mend the matter, called for another Certificate, saying he was sure there was such a Certificate as he spake of; which being before the Gleark, it was read: The Copie of which thus followeth.

After the reading which, you may remember I told you to this purpose, that Sir Arthur had mended the matter wel; for he had now made his Com­missioners as bad as himselfe: nay, he had made them knaves and forsworn men upon Record; Forasmuch as they are upon their Oathes, and yet re­turn certificates point blank crosse to one another. I then desired you to consider whether there were any truth in those Commissioners, or any faith or credit to be given to any thing they say or sweare. And yet notwithstan­ding all this, I will shew you the copy of a third certificate or Order in the same thing, various from both the former, which thus followeth.

And if any observations upon their contradictions be not authentick e­nough to declare them contradictions to you, take the copie of your owne Order made that very day in the case, which thus followeth.

Which Order having been served upon the Commissioners of the county of Durham with severall others about the lands of the said Harraton, yet they wil obey none of them, but keep the said lands from the right owner of them Esquire John Hedworth, although he hath proved that he was in possession when they sequestred it, sometimes for ones delinquency, sometimes for ano­thers And that he was in possession, take these proofs.

Some of the Copies of the forementioned Orders for his land thus followeth.

But before I insert any more copies of your Orders, I shall here give you two of Mr. Hedworths Affidavits in the case, the copies of which thus follows.

The Copy of his said second Affidavit thus folleweth:

Vpon this last Affidavit, another Order was procured, the copy of which followeth.

But nothing being done upon this order, I upon the 5 Feb. last, mo­ved for our possession, upon which they made another Order; the copy of which thus followeth.

Now unto your dealings with us about the colyery of Harraton, and to the land there, add to them your dealings with us about the Esquires Cat­tel, and it will I think clearly appear to any rational man that you have sold or given up your selves to be Sir Arthurs vassals and slaves, and that we shall have no effectual justice at your hands in any cases, wherein he is concerned as he is in all these, because it is against his will and plea­sure, and because by his crushing, and do as much as in him lieth, grinding to pieces poor Esquire Hedworth, he will sufficiently (as he may imagine) terrifie and affright any man in the county of Durham, to be familiar with a Lilburn, yea or so much as by buying or selling with him, and what your dealing with us hath been in the case of Esquire Hedworths Cattel, may be briefly given you in the copy of his Petition, which he and I caused to be delivered in print at the Parliament door to the Mem­bers thereof the very next day after M. Primat delivered his fore recited Petition, which copy thus followeth.

These foregoing are the copies of 2 orders mentioned in the foregoing Petition, that were read in open Court, to prove the cattel taken away, to be the proper goods of John Hedworth Esquire, and these two following papers are Copies of Affidavits produced in open Court, to prove the Sub-Com­missioners slighting and contemning the Orders served upon them from the Commissioners sitting at Haberdashers Hall.

Now laying these few things together, (which yet are but a part of what I have to complain of) let me appeale to your consciences (as not long since I did at your open B [...]) whether Sir Arthur Haselrig, and his under Commissioners, or petty slaves in the Countrey, have not dealt worse with us then ever wicked Ahab dealt with poor Naboth, who scorned to take away his vineyard from him, before he had proffered him a better for it, or the value in money? but Sir Arthur &c. hath taken away our poffession by force and violence, without so much as ever proffering us one peny of consideration therefore, or ever so much as setting up a man of straw by way of title against us; and hath dealt with us so, that as I then told you, so I aver now, it had been a happiness for us when we fell into Sir Arthur's hands, we had fallen into the hands of theeves and robbers upon the high way; for then we could have raised the hue and cry after them, and have had some sport (at least) for our money and goods; or if it had been done in the day time, we could at law have recovered our money of the Hundred where the robbery was committed; whereas now, God knows, we are by Sir Arthur, (Strafford like) expresly denied the benefit of the Law, our inheritance and birthright; and by you, whom the Parliament hath appointed in all such cases, as now I complain of, to do us justice and right, denied all the rules of justice, conscience, and equity; and by you our blood-suck'd, and exposed to pining by little and little, and made by you ten times worse, and not better, by a constant attendance upon you for your Orders, and then when they are got to ride above 200 miles to serve them in the Countrey, and there dance attendance for their answers; and then post up above 200. miles again to make Affidavit of the serving of them, and then to wait up­on you till your leisure pleaseth to vouchsafe to be told of your Under-Commissioners contempts of your publick Orders, upon the private in­structions you send them; and then upon the motion to struggle for a new Order, like horses in a mill, you will just go round, and give only in effect what was in the former, after a moneths attendance to our vast ex­pence, and then make us stay a week, or ten dayes sometimes, before you will vouchsafe to set four of your hands to it, some of your four selves ha­ving got a trick to carp and pick quarrels at any orders you like not, though made according to the publick Vote that you are at the debate of; yea som­times, when three hands are to an Order, a fourth of you will except against [Page 37]it, and make a new one to be drawn; and then in case of rubs when it comes to be spoken unto, an answer is ready, that you are full of businesse, and things must come in course: and so there is delay upon delay ad insini­tum; by means of which your Court is become a greater torment and pur­gatory than the Pope's.

Nay, this is not all, for as I once averr'd at your Bar, so I do the same now, that by Sir Arthur's dealing (so arbitrarily and tyrannically) with us, to rob us of our Lands, Goods, Estates, and Inheritances at his will and pleasure, he commits higher treason then Strafford did, (if destruction and levelling of properties, subversion of laws, and exercising of an arbitrary tyrannicall power be treason.) For alas! poor Strafford did what he did, to Richard Earl of Corck, and to the Lord Mount Norris, and to Thomas Lord Dillon, and to Adam Viscount Loftus, and to George Earl of Kildare, &c. in a Prerogative time, when there was little hopes or expectation of seeing a Parliament to redresse the peoples grievances; and yet for all that Strafford in those times did, he had the then common received countenance of Authority, viz. the Kings Commissions, who was then commonly reputed and stiled the Fountain of Law and Justice. But Sir Arthur Haslerig and his Associats hath destroyed and levelled our proprieties, and in our case subverted the Laws and Liberties of En­land, and exercised an arbitrary and tyrannicall power over us, against and without law; and that after he himself was one of the Judges to condemn Strafford, as a Traitor, to have his head chop'd off for the like or lesse things; and during the sitting of a Parliament, the people of Englands hopes for the redresse of all their grievances, hath this been done by him; nay, after the Parliament hath raised and maintained a bloody War for the preservati­on of the lawes, proprieties and liberties of the people: and after the Par­liament hath chop'd off the Kings head for violation of the laws and liber­ties of England; and after the Parliament hath forc'd the people to take many Oathes, and after themselves have put forth many Declarations to maintain the lawes and liberties of England, with all things incident and belonging to the lives, liberties and properties of the people, hath Sir Ar­thur Hasterig done this transcendent wickednesse, without any shadow or colour from Order, Ordinances, or Act of Parliament; to the unsufferable and unspeakable indignity and dishonour of the Parliament, and to the apparant hazard of their ruine and destruction, by alienating (as much as in him lyes) the peoples hearts and affections from them; yea, the hearts of their cordiallest friends. And therefore I hope in due time to see the ag­grieved, oppressed, and suffering people in the four Northern Counties, that have suffered by him and his Officers, as one man petition the Parlia­ment to have their just complaints against him, and upon proof thereof to confiscate his vast, suddenly but ill got estate, to make them satisfaction for the wrongs he hath done them; and for the overplus of his estate, to bestow it upon the four Northern wasted and oppressed Counties, to be kept as an annuall revenue to help to pay their publick Taxes; for it is impossible that so vast an estate, as in so short a time he hath got his together, should be come by honestly and justly: And in Henry the Eighth's time it was [Page 38]esteemed an high crime in Cardinal Wolsey and his servants to grow so rich of a sudden; as appears by the Articles preferred against him to the King, by the then Lords of the privie Councel, recorded in the fourth part of the Lord Cook's Institutes, fol. 89. 90. 91. 92. 95. See Article 21. 22. and in Article 44. Their words are, ‘That by his unsatiable avarice, and ravenous appetite to have riches and treasure without measure, he hath so grievously oppressed your poor subjects with so manifold crafts of bribery and extortion, that the Common-wealth of this your Graces Realm is thereby greatly decayed and impoverished. And also his cruelty, iniqui­ty, affection and partiality hath subverted the due course and order of your Graces Laws, to the undoing of a great number of your loving people: And therefore they humbly pray of the King, That such a punishment may be inflicted upon him, as may be to the terrible example of others, to be­ware so to offend your Grace, and your Lawes hereafter.’

Gentlemen, I might further go on to illustrate, and shew the further de­signes of Sir Arthur to undermine and ruine my Family; but this Epistle is swell'd already to a greater bigness then I intended, and my shortnesse of time by reason of an intended long journey, will not permit me further at large to proceed; and therefore I shall reserve what is behinde for ano­ther encounter, or a second part to the same tune; where I shall pretty fully open the great mystery and designe of Sir ARTHUR by his specious pretences to the Parliament, to get them to overthrow all the old Com­mittees of Sequestration. In short, he could never in the Northern parts have put out all those faithfull men that would never bow their knees to Baal (I mean, his will and pleasure) if he had not accomplish'd that, and with his huge zealous long speeches and pretences have blinded the House, to make them judg him a fit man to be one of the two to name the seven principall Commissioners; amongst which, though there was a mixture of honest men, yet the major part of you being his vassals, hee had there­by an opportunity to get you to place in to be under-Commissioners in the North, the basest of men, that would soly captivate their reasons and con­sciences to his lust and will; and there being in that County enough of all the three sizes, that are fit for a tyrants use, viz. fools, knaves, or beg­gers, he in the County of Durham, as I lately told you at your Barrs, having put us in two men to govern our Country, viz. Collonel Fran. Wren, and Master Thomas Dalavall, that by reason of their baseness are fit for nothing but to be kick'd out of a Common-wealth; for besides their gross partiality and injustice in their places, the one of them, viz. Col. Wren was, as I then told you, casheered at the head of his army or Regimant, at his first expediti­on into Scotland for the basest plundering fellow that ever march'd at the heeles of a man of honour; and this I told you to be true and I would make it good: and now I further tel you, that at the Generals coming back for En­gland, at Barnard Castle in the County of Durham he was pleased to give un­to my Father, and some other well affected Gantlemen, a narrative of his basenes, and the danger by his unworthy cariage he put his army into: and for the other, viz. M^r Tho. Dalavall, it was well known he was a constant adhe­ [...]er to, and liver in the Earle of New-castles quarters, and never in times [Page 39]by past so much as reputed a private well wisher to the Parliameur or their welfare, but rather strongly judged to be a commissionated Captain for the Earl of Newcastle in the Garrison of Newcastle; and therefore ha­ving, it may be, guilt enough in his own conscience, and peradventure suffi­ciently known to Sir Arthur, he is a fi [...]man for him to hold a rod over his shoulders, thereby right or wrong to do as he would have him, as that Jury of Cavaliers did for Sir Arthur in one Master Fenwicks case, about seven miles from Newcastle, who at my last being in the North, came to my brother Gors to me, and freely told me to this effect, that Sir Arthur ha­ving a mind to his land (Ahab like) having the High-Sheriffe and the Un­der-Sheriffe at his beck and command, whom he caused to pannell a Jury of Delinquents to passe upon it, who being Master Fenwicks Neighbours, came all, or the most part to him, and told him they were his neighbours, and in their consciences knew well enough he had a good right and title to his land; but, said they, Master Fenwick, you know we have been in enmity against the State, and under the lash and indignation of Sir Arthur to destroy us at his will and pleasure, with our wives, and children, and he hath put us on purpose upon your Jury, and been with us, &c. and we must either go against our consciences, and do as he will have us to find your land for him, or else you know he will destroy both us, our wives, and children, and therefore say they to him, We beg of you for Gods sake to advise with your Councell to finde out some clause in the Law to except against us, having been Cavaliers, as unfit to be of your Jury, or else if you get us not put off, we must find against you, although it be against our owne knowledge and conscience.

But the man fully knowing the integrity of his cause, and believing they knew it as well as himself, he said, If they would damn their souls let them; and so was overthrowne, and now is like, as he himself told me and others, totally thereby to be ruined. And the truth of it is, Sir Arthur can in our County find no man so fit for his purpose, as these that have guilt enough upon their shoulders; and therefore it is that he hath under him Master Tho­mas Shadford for our high Sheriffe, a strongly reputed Cavalier in both the warrs, and approved one in the first, but yet never sequestred. But besides, Sir Arthur hath not onely the command over our bodies and estates there, but also he is turned the Arch-bishop of our soules, having Master Wels un­der him for his officiating Bishop or commissary, by whom he hath almost made sure of all the Pulpits and tithes in the country: So that truly and in­geniously, Sir Arthur Haslerig there hath reduced us to that nighnesse of af­finity to French Peasants, that can call nothing they buy or work for their own, longer then their Lords and Masters please to let them injoy it; that in good earnest, I speak it from my very soul and conscience, that I verily be­leeve, if I, or some body else should not rise up against him, to indeavour to bring him to a just account for his unjust actions, all the land that I have in that country, which the Parliament (as the price of my blood, for my Epis­copal and Star-chamber sorrows) have (by the Honourable and Noble mediation of the present Lord Generall) settled upon me and my heires, in one year or two more, would not be (as yet I will justifie it, it hath not been) worth unto me one groat, the tenants rebelling both against the [Page 40]State and me, and telling my agents they have powerfull backers: and be­ing it is the price of my blood, and the product of so many piercing sorrows as I have undergone for it, I am resolved through the strength of God, that never a private or particular man in England shall deprive me of it, or of the priviledges that belong unto me by it, unless his sword be so long and strong that it is able to cut mine in peices, and the hand that holds it, and also the tongue that useth to plead cheerfully without amazement for my life and liberty.

There is much more of your juggling and unjust dealing about my Un­cle George's delinquency behind, in your sending down private commissi­ons, to examine witnesses against him, without his knowledge, with such instructions as that you are so ashamed to have seen, that when I bid Master Baily your clark five peices of gold to let Master Hugh Peters then with us, to read them, or twenty peices to give me a copy of them, he ingeniously told Master Peters and my self, he durst not: and being ask'd by him, Why? he was by his Masters commanded to the contrary; and being ask'd by which of them, he told us, he durst not tell us, but they sat at the table, and if he pleas'd, he might go and discourse with themselves, and see if he could find it out himself; for truly he was but a servant and durst say no more, and ther­fore desired to be prest no further. Upon which Master Peters with open mouth coming to the table, cryed shame of you to the purpose: and you may remember honest Master Moyer told you he knew not of it, nor had no fin­ger in it, and it was an abominable shame any such thing should be done, and promised me a copy of it; but to this day I could never set my eyes upon it. But the full discoursing of this with much more must remaine for a second part. And so at present I bid you farwel, and rest,