IT will seeme strange to you, considering the miserable condition of my present for­tune, and the strictnesse of my imprison­ment, to receive any notice from me of my affaires; but God having blest me with the opportunity of this treaty, and convenient messenger, I thought it fit to give you the true intelligence how things stand with me at this instant time of my writing. I am thanks be to God in very good health, though in as strict imprisonment as can be possible unlesse I should be in a dungeon; and since Judge Heath, whom God forgive, pronounced sentence of death against me, I have been loden with Irons; but those either by direct command from His Majesty, or out of his owne cle­mency or by the mediation of some about him, are now ta­ken o [...] from me. The report was here immediately after my condemnation, that I should suffer an ignominious death but [Page 4] since the Honourable the High Court of Parliament, in my favour put out their Declaration that rumour hath been quite dashed, so that I must confesse I owe my life more to their bounty, then to the gentlenesse of my enemies, who went about as much as possible in them lay to deprive me of it and truly I should very cheerfully have received my f [...]eath, being secured by the innocence of my owne conscience, that I should have dyed Gods true religious, and my Countries Martyr, for whose sake I put on Armes. And not my impri­sonment, nor death, would have so much afflicted me, as doe the thoughts, that by my restraint I am deprived of doing my best endeavour, according to my poore abilities, in ser­ving the affaires of that strength of this kingdome, and champion of true Religion, the Honourable the High Court of Parliament: In whose service, if I had dyed valiantly in the field in the face of those enemies to all goodnesse and humanity, the Cavaliers, it would have been a more wel­come benefit to me then this imprisonment, wherein I lye and languish under a daily death; the griefe whereof would certainly take away my life, did not the goodnesse of the cause for which I suffer, like an Angell of light, come and comfort me in this darknesse, and make me not onely scorne my afflictions, but even rejoyce that I am held worthy for Gods cause, and my Countries, to undergoe these bonds; and should they never so long imprison my body, it should not a jot inthrall the liberty of my minde, which is above the unhappinesse of my fortune; and I doe still serve the State and Parliament as much in the integrity of my heart, and wishes, as I did when I had my freedome, and converse as familiarly with you in my understanding, as when I was at London with you; marry the greatest crosse that hath be­fallen in this my durance, is, that the barbarousnesse of my Gaolers and visitants, the Cavaliers, who never cease revi­ling me, calling me Round-head, Parliament-dog, and termes of the like villany and disgrace, never suffering me to enjoy the quiet of being alone, but when they are weary [Page 5] of tormenting me; so that sometimes, as I am a man, I am not enough fortified against their reproaches; which to a couragious mind, breed more torments then to have ones body cut into a thousand peeces; and certainly, I should unarmed as I am divers times fly in the faces of these adver­saries to God and all good men, did not my reason tell me it were an act of desperate cowardise, rather then truly valour in any man to seeke his owne death; For no more mercy would they shew to me in such a case, then Turks would, nay perhaps, not so much; the Turks themselves being surely better civilized, then these monsters of Christi­anitie, who neither respected the Divine or Humane Lawes, but make whatsoever their wicked desires guide them to, that onely is a Law to them, nor is it in the power of the King or his Officers to restraine them from any outrage they have a will to commit: they keeping his Mayestie and those Noble-men that are with them, scarcely in any condition better then that of im­prisonment, or as hostages for their owne safetie; so that in my duty to his Majesty, to whom I told the Cavaliers to their teeth, I was as loyall a Subject as the best of them. I doe much pity the misery of his present mis­fortune, being inforced to doe nothing contrary to their de­sires, not having liberty to dispose of his owne intenti­ons or Person: but these Cavaliers have their powerfull agents in his Councells, and, as it were, their spies upon his Person, lest Hee should (as I doe verily believe His Highnesse would, if it were possible) make an escape from them, (of whose behaviour His goodnesse must needs be weary) to London, to His high Court of Parliament, as I was informed from an old friend of mine at Court, a Yeoman of the Guard, one very well affected to the King and Parliament, who hath given mee divers visits since my imprisonment: hee further more avowing, that the Cavaliers insult so much over His Majesties meniall servants, that they with their domineering, and the want [Page 6] of their salaries, are so much oppressed, that they would, if it were possible withdraw themselves from Court to London to their houses; but if any one of them should but attempt his escape, the Cavaliers would cut his throat. And surely, this man whom you all know, hath beene next to my owne innocence, the greatest comfort I have had in my imprisonment: and hee that hath given mee to understand (for I am never suffered to goe abroad, or to speake with any body else that will informe me any thing truely) that his Majesty intends certainly to make His aboad at Oxford during this Winter, and hath for that cause bought up, or taken upon trust, all the corne and other provision could be possible procured in the Countrey thereabouts; that they are in great want of powder and ammunition in the Kings Army, and that ther souldiers steale away daily for want of pay; and that all the hopes his Majesty hath of supplies, is from the Earle of Newcastle, who should receive them from beyond sea: that the towne of Oxford is not so well fortified as is reported; and that the Kings Army there is nothing so strong as they report it, and this was all the newes which he would relate to me for truth. And this I thought good to certifie unto you; and as con­cerning mine owne affaires, you may imagine, my deare friends, how heavie a burthen it is for mee to groane under the weight of this imprisonment, which surely is as grievous to mee as that was of the Prophets commit­ted by Ahab, to be fed with the bread and water of af­fliction; for Gentlemen, doe but consider with your selves, if it were any of your owne cases to be as I am at this instant, bereaved of your libertie, and by that meanes de­prived of the societie of your friends and kindred, robb'd of all that is either pleasant or delightfull to mankind; I doe believe (though the cause of your sufferings were as noble as mine is, which is as noble and honest as ever cause was, or can be, your humane frailties wearied with [Page 7] the afflictions of your present misfortune, and considera­tion of your past happinesse (would as I doe now) de­sire liberty, to be freed from the griefes you are oppressed with, and be restored to the happinesse you have beene so long deprived of. I wish, I professe to you not my liberty so much for these ends though, as that by it I ought have occasion to bestow my selfe in the quarrell of the Common-wealth against these divellish Cavaliers, who have vilified mee as much as it is possible for such traducers of God and all good men to doe; nor should I ever receive so much comfort from any worldly bles­sing, as to see my selfe once more in the field in com­pleat harnesse against those Malignants to the Common-wealth, they should then quickly perceive I should with Gods Grace, be able to right my selfe of part of the a­buses they have with so much despight cast upon me▪

I would therefore desire you, deare and truly friends, to use all the meanes in your possibilities that may pro­cure my liberty. I know the honourable the high Court of Parliament wil not be wanting to the effecting of my freedome; and I doe believe his Excellency the Earle of Essex, might by the commutation or exchange of ano­ther Captaine of their side for mee, worke my restitu­tion to libertie: his Excellencies owne noble disposition and the affection hee beares naturally to his Souldiers and Commanders, will be as forward in any treaty of that nature as you will desire hee should be; let me there­fore injoyne you, as you have ever respected the good of your unfortunate friend, or ever will give a testimony of the reallitie of your u [...]faigned affections to mee, to omit no occasion, either by this meanes or any other, which to you may appeare better for the sudden restitu­tion of my libertie, which is not more precious to mee then my ardent desires of expressing in the most ample manner my affections to the common-wealth, my zeale to Gods true Religion; and last of all, my love to you [Page 8] Gentlemen, whom I esteeme as deare as my selfe, and wish none of you may ever have so much misfortunes as to fall into the hands of these inhumane Butchers, the Cavaliers. I shall not need with any further inducements or circumstances to ingage you to a forwardnesse in my behalfe, I should then in that, abuse the integritie of your honest friendship, I know I cannot be more ready to desire your paines in this kind then you will be to im­ply them; and so the God of mercy and peace blesse, sanctifie and preserve you all, and send the light of his countenance, his best of blessing downe on the honou­rable the High Court of Parliament, that they may pro­ceed cheerefully as they have begun for the glory of God and all our goods in the great businesse of the Com­mon-wealth, And if I be never ransomed, but die in my imprisonment, I shall joyfully take my lot, and thinke I fell happy in suffering for my Religion and Countrey, the Common-wealths true servant, and your entire friend,