YOurs of the 2 present from Durham, about Sir Arthur Hoslerig and my Money, I have received: In answer unto which, I cannot chuse but acquaint you, that the Law of England ‘is the Birth [...]ght and Inheritance of the people of England, yea, of the meanest as well as [...] richest: 1 Part Parliaments Book of Declarat. pag. 459. 660.’ And though the Law of England be not so good, and so exact in every particular, espe­cially [...] [Page 3] manifestly proved; First, that before indictment the goods or other things of any of­fendor cannot be searched, inventoried, or in any sort seised, nor after judgement seised and removed, or taken away before conviction or Attainder.

Secondly, That the begging of the goods or state of any delinquent, accused or indi­cted of any Treason, felony, or any other offence, before he be convicted and attainted, is utterly unlawfull; because before conviction or attainder, as hath been said, nothing is forfeited to the King, nor grantable by him; and besides it either makes the prosecution against the delinquent more precipitate, violent, and undue, then the quiet and equall proceeding of law and justice wouldSee notably to this purpose in the 2 p. instit. fol. 48.permit, or else by some underhand composition and agreement, stop and hinder the due course of justice, for exemplary punishment of the offender; And lastly, when the Delinquent is beg­ged, it discourageth, both Judge, Juror and Witnesse to do their duty. Therefore (saith he there) let such as beg the delinquent, and prosecute against him be terrified by the villanous judgment against conspirators, which you may read before, cap. 1. Judgment and execution, fol. 122. as also fol. 143 163, 164. and 1 par. fol. 269. and 2 par. fol. 130. 237, 238. 562. which are most excellent peeces, and well worth the reading. Therefore considering what is before expressed, I cannnot but wonder upon whatPeruse carefully I intreat you the quotations in the 6 and 8 pa­ges of my forementioned impeachment of high Treason against Cromwel, as also the 12 and 15 pages of the 2 edition of my fore­mentioned Book, dated the 8 of June 1649. Intituled The Le­gall fundamentall liberties, &c. pretence Sir Arthur Haslerig, Col. George Fenwick, and the rest of their Committee at New­castle, can seize upon my e­state in the hands of Sir Henry Belli [...]gham, and Master Thomas Bowes, and stopping my rents du [...] [...]rom Sir Henry Gibs his hands, to the full value of betwixt twenty four and twenty five hundred pounds.

For first, though the late Parliament in the height of wars, a little outstript the bounds and rules of the law, as themselves confesse in their notabl. Declaration of the 17 of Apr. 1646. printed in the 2 part of the Book of Declarations, pag. 879 in sequestring of mens estates, in another manner and forme the law requires delinquents estates to be seised up­on, because their persons by reason of the raging of the sword could not be come by, nor were all the Courts of Justice open, nor the wants of the common-wealth to maintaine the wars, could not well permit so great delays, as the regular course of the law requires, which when the wars are over (as in England now they are) they promise to amend and to proceed according to the forme of the law, as fully appeares in their last foremen­tioned Declaration, add severall others, as particularly the Declaration of this present Juncto against Kingship, Dated the 17 of March 1648.

Yet I am sure by the Parliaments own Ordinances, ‘no man in times of wars ought to be sequestred, till it be judicially upon Oath proved, that he hath been in arms against them, all voluntarily contributed horse, mony or plate to the King against them;’ none of all which in the least can be so much as be pretended against me, or ever was; and therefore no cause to pretend to deal with me, as with a Cavalier Delin­quent in the least; and therefore if I have transgressed, I must upon their own principles, he dealt with according to law and the forme thereof; And therefore I have not tra [...]s­gressed the law, but am an innocent man clearly appears by their own particular dealing with me, in that they never let me see, either Prosecutor, Informer or witnesse, agai [...]st me, nor never shewed me my Indictment, Charge or impeachment, no nor so much as face to face ever laid any manner of crime to my charge; See my narrative of their originall wicked Tyrannicall dealing with me, laid down in my Second Edition of the picture of [Page 4] the Councel of State in the [...]6 pag. of which, the Copy of their mittimus is recorded, which yet layes noAnd their warrants since for my close impri­sonment, runs thus (without any cause or crime expressed in them Die Mercurij 9 of May 1649. Ordered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, that there be re­straint upon all persons from comming to Lieu Col. John Lilburne, M. Thomas Prince, M. William Walwin, and M. Richard Overton, except their wives and children and necessary servants, Hen. Scobel Cler. Parlie. and then the 12 of May 1649. It is Ordered and Resolved that we all four be restrained a [...] close Prisoners, apart one from another in severall lodgings in the Tower, but he were wise that knew wherefore. crime to my charge, for it only commits me (Sir Arthur being one of the makers of it) for suspition of treason, and names no par­ticular act, and generals in law are nothing as appears in 2 par. instit. fol. 52. 53. 590. 591. 615. 616. and by the 1 par. Parl. book of Dec. pa. 38. 39. 77. 66 67 101. 123. 162. 201. 203. 277. 278. 845. see also the Armies Book of Declarations, pag. 70. and my Plea before the Judges of the Kings Bench the 8 of May 1648. called the Laws funerall pag. 8. 16, 17. 11. At which tryal by strength of arguments, I forced the Judges openly to confesse, that generals are nothing in law; see also the 2 Edition of my Book of the 8 of June 1649. Inti­tuled, The legall fundamentall liberties of the people of England, revived, asserted and vindica­ted, pag. 5 21. all which rightly considered, it cleerly appears, I am an innocent man, in the eyes of those very men that committed me, who never laid crimes in their lives to my charge to this present houre; And therefore I can stile it no better then Robbery and Felony in Sir Arthur Haslerig, Colonel George Fenwicke, &c, seizing upon my estate with a Felonious intent, to deprive me of it, without any pretence, shadow or colour of law, and not only felony, but Treason it selfe in subverting our fundamentall lawes, higher then ever the Earle of Straffords was for which he lost his head, who in his large additionall Im­peachment, 1640. in the preamble of it, recorded in Speeches and passages of Parliament pag. 120. 121. 122. to 143. is impeached as a Traitor, for procuring instructions or commis­sion from the King, to him in the North of England, as Lord President to heare and de­termine causes, according to the arbitrary course of the Star-Chamber, in pursuance of which he the said Earl in the month of May, in the 8 year of the said King, and divers years following did put in practice the said Commission and Instructions, and did direct and exercise, an exorbitant and un­lawfull power and jurisdiction, on the persons and estates of his Majesties subjects in those parts, and did disinherit divers of his Majesties subjects in those parts, of their inheritances, sequestred their possessions, and did fine, ransome, punish and imprison them and caused them to be fined, ransomed, punished and imprisoned, to their ruine and destruction, and namely, Sir Conyer Darcy, Sir Iohn Boucher and divers others, against the lawes, and in subversion of the same; and that by virtue of the said illegall Commission he did most Traiterously stop the efficacy of all prohibitions, and habeas corpus [...]es, and would not suffer any party to be discharged, till the party performed the Arbitrary De [...]ce: and Orders of him and his associates; and Traiterously to the subversion of the fundamentall lawe of ENGLAND, and to the terrour of those that administred them; did the 21 of March in the fo [...] ▪ 18 yeare at the open assises at Yorke say, that some of the Justices were all for Law, but they should finde that the King▪ little finger, should be heavier then the loynes of the Law; but the said Sir ARTHUR HASLERIG, &c. more arbitrartly and more trayterously then Strafford, having no pretence of REGAL, Legall or Parliamentary-Commission or Authority (no no [...] so much as from the present nothing or illegall JƲNCTO, or the present illegall thing called The [...]ouncel of state, that ever he produced or shewed) hath Feloniously and trayte [...]ously seised upon my estate, meerly by his own will and of set purpose, to starve me and my family thereby, without any manner of, colourable pretence, and therefore abound­antly [...]h in law and reason more deserve to dye then the Earl of STRAFFORD did, especially considering he was one of his Judges, that in terrour and example to others se­riously [Page 5] and judiciously condemned him to the Scaffold for these very things; and this Arbitrary Power exercised in England by the Earle of Strafford, is not only condemned & judgedSee the Act of his Attainder which saith, that he is impeached of high treason for endeavouring to subvert the ancient and fundamentall lawes and government of his Majesties Realmes of England and Ireland, and to in­troduce an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall government against law in the said Kingdomes and for exercising a tyrannous and exorbitant power over and a­gainst the lawes of the said Kingdoms, over the Liberties, estates and lives of his Majesties Subjects, for which he is adjudged and attainted of high Treason, and shall therefore suffer the paines of death, and losse of his estate. See this at large in the peoples Prerogative, pag 29. Trea­son, but also the like in Ireland, as appears in the 3 article of his Impeachment; for that (as the arti­cle saith) it was go­verned by the same Lawes, where the Earle being Lord Deputy, and inten­ding the subversion of the fundamentall lawes there, did upon the 30 day of Septem. in the ninth year of the late King, in a publick Speech at Dublin, declare and publish that Ireland, Which very language is now growne so common a­mongst them, that their little Beagles commonly yelp it out; See Master Prinnes Book, called a legall vindica­tion of the Liberties of England against illegall taxes and pretended Acts of Parliament, lately enforced on the peo­ple, pag. 1. was a conquered Nation (and so say our great o [...]es here England now is) and that the King might do with it what he pleased, (as Oliver &c. say they may do with this) And in his 4 Article he is impeached as a Traytor, ‘for arbitrarily stopping and prohibiting Richard Earl of Corke the benefit of the Law, for recovery of his possession, from which he was put by co­lour of an Order made by the said Earl of S [...]rafford, and the Councel Table there, whom upon the 20 of Feb. in the 11 yeare of the late King, upon a paper petition, without a legall proceeding, he threatned to imprison him unlesse he would surceae his suit, and said, that he would have neither Law nor Lawyers dispute or question any of his Orders, and further said he would make the the Earl and all Ireland know so long as he had the government there; any act of State there made, or to be made, should be as binding to the sub [...]ects of that Kingdom, a an act of Parliament, and upon sundry other occasi­ons ( [...]ust Host [...]ig like) by his words and speeches, did arrogate to himselfe a power a­bove the fundamental [...] Lawes, and established government of that Kingdom, and scorned the said Laws and established government.’

And in Article 6. he is impeached as a Traitor, ‘in that without any legall proceed­ings, and upon a paper petition of Richard Ralstone, he did cause the said Lord Mo [...]n [...] Norris to be disseised, and put out of posses­sion’ (as the Trustees for Bishops Lands hath lately, but more un­justly, done my self and my LandlordWhose legal interest thereunto is thus: Nicholas Young E­squire, had a Patent from Bishop Montague, about 30 yeers since, confirmed by the Dean and Chapter of Winchester, (which is unquestionably good in Law) for the keeping of the Manor of Winchester House in Southwark: and not only so, but also for his life to enjoy all the profits, benefits, &c. of the said Ma­nor house, gardens, orchards, and all things thereunto belong­ing, as is largely set forth in the said Patent: All which, upon speciall view of Youngs Evidence by a select Committee of Par­liament, hath been since solemnly confirmed by an Ordinance of a full, free and unquestionable Parliament about five yeers agoe; which Ordinance forced Devenish to pay Young as his te­nant, for his un [...]estionable, legal and confirmed right in the said house 52 l. per [...]nun for the bare Manor House; reserving unto the said Young as much besides, as was worth about as much more per annum: all which right the said Devenish bought for money of him, and M. John Cook drew up the conveyances; who hath often told me, Devenish his right was as good as either Law or Ordinance could make it: of which Devenish I took a Lease for three yeers, in case Young lives so long, for as much as I am to pay 13 l. per annum: and yet by force of arms, without any man­ner of proceedings at Law, by the command and wil of the said T [...]uftees &c. we are dispossessed of our just and legall pos­sessions by the hands of the Sheriff of Surrey, who (if we could enjoy any Law, as in the least we cannot) is liable to repay all our wrongs &c. But for my part, seeing I live in a Land where Law and Justice is in words professed, I am resolved as soon to part with my heart blood, as in silence, slave and vassal-like, part with my legal and unquestionable right and possession, although the Trustees have lately sold it (as it is said) to M. Walker of Newington; which they have no more right to do, then so many theeves have to sel the clothes of my back Ob [...]ave Independent Justice! more abominable in their ways and doings, then all the currupt Interest that pretendedly for tyranny they have pulled down. Deve­nish at Winchester house) of his free-hold and inheritance of his Ma­nor of TYMORE in the County of AR­MAGH, after he had two yeers quiet posses­sion. In the 7 and 8 [Page 6] Articles of which, are severall other cases of the like nature; as of Thomas Lord Dillons, Adam Viscount Losius and George Earl of Kil­dare, and the Lady Mary Hibbots; which eighth Article conclu­deth in these words, ‘That the Earl in like manner did imprison divers others of his Majesties subjects up­on pretence of disobe­dience to his Orders, Decrees, and other il­legall commands by him made for preten­ded Debts, titles of Lands, and other cau­ses, in an arbitrary and extrajudiciall course upon paper Petitions to him preferred, and no other cause legally depending.’ For aggravation of whose offences, in treasonably subverting the fundamen­tall Laws and Liberties of England and Ireland, read the Masculine speech of Mr. John Py [...] against him, and the Argument of Solicitor S. John (now the pretended Lord chief Justice of the Common Pleas) against him, who toward the last end of his argument, by way of aggravation of Straffords crime in setting up an arbitrary Government, in the overthrow of the Law, saith,

‘The Parliament is the representation of the whole Kingdom, wherein the King as Head, your Lordships as the more noble, and the Commons the other members are knit together in one body politick; this crime of Straffords dissolves the arteries and ligaments that hold the bo [...]y together (viz) the Lawes: he that takes away the Laws, takes not away the allegeance of one s [...]bject alone, but of the whole kingdom.’

‘It was (saith he) made treason by the Statute of the 13 Eliz, for her time, to affirm, That the Laws of the Land do not binde the descent of the Crown; No Law, no de­scent at all. No Laws, no PEERAGE, no ranks or degrees of men; the same conditi­on to all.’

Its Treason to kill a Judge upon the Bench: ‘This kils not only the Judge, but the Judgment.’

Its Felony to imbezell any one of the judiciall Records of the Kingdom: ‘This at once sweeps them all away, and from all.’

Its treason to counterfeit a twenty shillings Piece: ‘Here's a counterfeiting of the Law; we can neither call the counterfeit nor true Coin our own.’

Its Treason to counterfeit the Great Seal for an Acre of Land: ‘No property here­by is left to anyIt was well said in a Speech against the Ship mony Judges, Take from us (as the said Judges by that Judgment had done) the propriety of our estates, our subsistence, and we are no more a people: Speeches and Passages of Parliament pag. 271. land at all. Nothing Treason now, neither against King, NOR KINGDOM, no Law to punish it.’ And therefore he concludes, in aggravation [Page 7] against Strafford, or any thing by way of Plea, advantage or excuse that can be said for him; ‘He that would not have others to have Law, why should he have any himself? why should not that be done to him, that himself would have done to others?’

Its true, (saith he) ‘We give law to Hares and Deers, because they be beasts of chase: but it was never accounted cruelty or foul play TO KNOCK FOXES AND WOLVES ON THE HEAD AS THEY CAN BE FOUND, because these be beasts of prey.’ Out of thine own mouth (saith Christ) thou wicked servant, will I judge thee Luke 19 21. And saith Paul, Tit. 1.12, 13. One of themselves, even one of their own prophets said, The Cretians are alwa [...]es Lyars, evill beasts, flow bellies. This witnesse is true. Therefore, I desire Sir ARTHUR HASLERIG to consider, that if he deserves death that steals a sheep or an o [...], &c. because it is a transgression of a Law, (which Law, I say, in it self is unjust, for putting men to death for theft) what doth he deserve that breaks not only that Law by theft, (as he hath done in stealing my goods) but breaks all the Laws of humane society, by murder, plots and conspiracies to take away the innocents lives? all which he hath done to me;

First, By endavouring to murder me by cruell and illegall imprisonment, and close and barbarous imprisonment; for he was one of my unjust Judges, that for nothing com­mitted me.

Secondly, By conspiracyThe punishment of Conspirators saies Cook in his 3 Part Inst. f. 222 is five fold, 1. That their bodies shall be imprisoned in the Common Goal. 2. Their Wives and children amoved out of their houses. Thirdly, that all their Hou­ses and Lands shall be seized into the Kings hands, and the House wasted, and the Trees extir­pated. Fourthly, All their goods and chattels forfeited to the King. Fiftly, That they shall lose the freedom and franchise of the Law. That is, 1. They shall never be of any jury, or recognitors of assize. 2. Nor ever be received for a witnesse in any case That they shall never come into any of the King Courts, but make Atturneys if they have any thing to do there; do this is called a villanous indictment (in the 24. E. 3. f. 33 & 27. ass. 53.) because of the villany & infamy, which they deserve against whom it is given, and all is inflicted by the Common Law. See also f. 143. 163. See also more to this purpose, 1 part. Inst. fol. 294. and 2. part Instit. f. 130, 237, 238, 562. to take a­way my life which is manifested by his in­deavouring (in an extraordinary manner) by bribes to hire false witnes against me (as his mother Jezabel did against innocent Naboth tor his vineyard) to take away my life, and when the party would not consent to his wicked and damnable conspiracy, hee &c. hath caused him to bee most horribly whipped with scars and hundreds of stripes, by running the Gantlop from S. Iames al­most to Charing crosse although he was no Souldier, without so much as ever convict­ing him of any crime, yea or so much as e­ver bringing him before, either pretended Marshall or civill judicature, but meerly did it in a higher, Arbitrary, tyrannicall, trai­terly manner, then ever the Earl of Straf­ford acting any of his treasons, for which he lost his head; all which the said Haslerig and his Associats hath most barbarously acted and done with, and upon the body of Mr. William Blanke of Colemanstreet Lon­don, as he himself in Print notably declares, whose remarkable Narrative is already printed in Mercurius Militaris, numb. 3. which thus followeth.

Thirdly, Haslerig and Bradshaw &c. by false witness, by Blanks means could not effect the ta­king away of my life; then do they or one of them imployYea an Agent of the said Haslerigs and Crowwels called Richard Arnold a Hopman at the Blue Anchor in Thames Street neer Billinsgate, and a Member of the Knavish Conspi­racy called Mr. John Goodwins Congregation, upon the Ex­change about the time that the Juncto's new Treason trap came out, gave his Instruction to Justice Cooper in Southwark, under pretence of friendship to come and visit us on purpose by discourse to insnare us, and so to bear witnesse against us, of which one that heard the Instructions given, out of consci­ence of our integrity against his particular Interest, came to the Tower and told us all, how and by whom, Major, or Ju­stice Cooper was appointed to come, the time when, and also the Subject and manner of his discourse, who accordingly the next day came accompanied with our quondam friend Justice Hill once of Southwark, &c. and Cooper especially demeaned himself exactly according to his Instructions foretold to us; but being forewarned of his intended villany, and Arnolds plot to take away our lives, we were fitted for them, and within a few dayes after, we sent for Cooper, and before divers honest people, opened to his face all Arnolds bloody designe upon us, to both their infamy and shame. one Tho [...] Verney a qu [...]ndam Cavalier, and give him a Commission to plot and contrive yea (and justifie him therein) the taking away my life, as app [...]ars by his follow­ing Letters.

But returning a considering answer to this, judging the Author at the first view a Knave, I enquired of a Presbiterian friend of Sir Iohn Maynards, whether he knew the man or no, who told me that a quondam fellow prisoner of mine had lately sent word out of the Low-Countries that this man was empl [...]yed by those of Darby-House, to lay a Trap to ship the Prince and send him over unto them to England to destroy him; but the next day being made a kinde of a close prisoner by the restraint of my friends and inhabitants of the Tower upon my stayers stopt the originall of these following lines in my hand.

Upon receeipt of this I was more confirm'd in my own mind he was a Cheat, but having not absolute proofs of my thoughts, I judg'd it the most safe way for me to sit still and return no written answer, nor yet much reveal him: So with­in two dayes after he sent me a third Letter, the Copy of which thus followeth.

Upon the receipt of which third Letter, I was absolutely of opinion, he was a perfect Knave and Cheat, and especially by reason of the afore mentioned Parkins, who to my knowledge, is a Man I never saw nor heard of before. But with the Letter I received a Message,

That at such a ho [...]s [...] in the Tower, there was a Gentleman must needs speak with me about earnest businesse; which I presently judged to be the fore-mentioned Thomas Ver­ney: and as I was going to him, I met accidentally a Gentleman formerly of the Kings party, and enquired of him if he knew one M. Tho. Verney a Knights Son or no: And he [Page 13] told me, ‘that a Knight of the Kings party had lately told him, that Sir Edward Verney the Kings Standard-bearer had a son lately come from the Hague, which was looked upon to be a very odd, strange, light kinde of fellow; but yet to the Cavaliers pretended to be some kind of Agent from the Prince.’ Whereupon I told the Gentleman the grounds and reasons wherefore I asked him. But this Reply increased more jealousie in me, that this VERNEY was a perfect Rogue indeed: and so to VERNEY himself I went; who upon discourse told me, he had formerly five yeers agoe been of the Kings party, and "that his Father was slain at Edg-hill, being the Kings Standard-bearer. So I told him, I had read three Letters from him, which he confessed he had sent to me. But I also told him (having Mr. Walwyn and Mr. Overton with me) ‘I wondred how he durst write such lines to me as he did: But he asked, wherefore? I told him, "Because he was a meer stranger unto me; and there were such lines, as if were he not one of DERBY-HOUSE Agents, might cost him his life’ But he said, he kn [...]w me to be so honest I durst do him no mischief: And for being one of DERBY-HOUSE Agents, he as much abhorred them as I did: and I wonder, said he, I having been in Arms for the King, how you should imagine they would be so silly to trust me with any of their se­crets; which they must do if I were their Agent. ‘Sir (said I) It is no wonder that wicked men make use of any instruments to accomplish their base ends; and you having been for the King are the more likely to deceive other men, and the more unsuspected to work their ends: and money, we all know, is so tempting a thing, that it will make men of b [...]se spirits change their principles; yet, though it be to the destruction of their Fathers, and nighest Relations: and why you may not be such a one, I have too plain de­monstrations to beleeve.’ And for that part of the irrationability of their trusting you, having been a Cavalier, ‘Why may they not as well trust and imploy you as their A­gent, as Parson KEM, who now is their active and hired Agent, as from very good hand, I fully know: although its notorious he was an active man last yeer in the rebel­lion of Kent, and a notable Agent in the revolt of the Ships.’ But Sir, to be plain with you, I tell you, You are a jaggling Knave, and I could finde in my heart to lay hold on you for a knave, and carry you pre [...]ently before the Lieutenant of the Tower with your own Letters. And that you are a Knave. I have these informations to beleeve: ‘You were lately at the Hague at the Princes Court (which he confessed) and there you were im­ployed by some belonging to the Committee of DERBY-HOUSE, to lay a designe to get the PRINCE a ship-board, and send him for England to lose his head: And this was sent over by some exiled Presbyter Gentleman to his friends in London.’ A Citi­zen of London and a Colonel told me this the other day: and a Gentlemen Cavalier bid me beware of you for a Knave: At which the Gentleman (with the impudentest face and undaunted countenance that I have seen) denyed all; but ‘confessed he knew Par­son KEM, and did beleeve him to be a Derby House Agent; and meeting with him the other day in Westminster Hall, he did confesse that KEM told him.’ Men reported as­much of him as I now told him to his face. But with his much reasoning with my self, Mr. Walwyn, and Mr. Overton (who went on purpose with me to him, as fearing he came either to stab or poyson me in a cup of wine, or the like,) he justified his integritie; ho­ping I would not so violate the Rules of societie and man-hood, as to betray him, and so undo him and his friends, especially my friend Sir JOHN MAYNARD, who he often pretended, was bound in grea [...] bonds for him, before he could get his liberty, and to this day so continued. So telling him his own to the purpose, I left him for a Knave; al­though Mr. Walwyn especially pressed hard to have him laid hold of: But being desirous yet to trace him a little further, for many reasons I can give, I let him alone. But yet, [Page 14] for my own safety, the next day before all my three fellow-Prisoners, I fully informed the Lieutenant of the Tower of the businesse, before an Officer of the Army then Captain of the Guard, and desired him to acquaint the Committee of State with that, for I had the Letters and told him I would produce and avouch them; and another time the Lieute­nant of the Tower (since I was close) being in my Chamber I told him again of it, and proffered him the Originall Letters which he seemed not willing to meddle with, so I have [...]ested since till the 29 of June last; upon which day I wrote a Letter to Master Hunt of Whitehall, and sent him an exact Copie of Verneys foregoing Letters, and my foregoing Observations upon them, which Letter of Mr. Hunts I intreat you seriously to read in p. 8. of my Impeachment of High Treason against Oliver Cromwell &c.

And not many daies after, Captain Den [...]y Serjeant at Armes to the thing called the Councel of State, came with a pretended Warrant to search my Chamber, by whose hands (for a token I sent an Exact Copie (of all I had sent to Master Hunt of Verney [...]) to his Master Mr. John Bradshaw &c. which although I have long since, as before you see, a­gain and again acquainted Bradshaw and other of Haslerig. Associates with VER­NEYS Letters, &c. Yet the said VERNEY continues as great with Brad­shaw and others, at the thing called the COUNCIL OF STATE to this very day, as if he were their ALPHA and OMEGA, which is a clear proof of their de­signingly setting him at worke whom they a little before sent out by expresse Com­mission in a Man of War to [...]; where at his coming to the Hague, he had present­ly (as groundedly it is sa [...]) got something like a Commission from the Prince: but be­ing at his Court discovered for a Traytor to him, he in haste took his leave there; and at his departure shook hands with an a [...]quaintance of his, and [...]id him farewell, he was in haste, for he was betrayd. So coming into England, Hasleri [...], &c. having tempted by offered bribes the foresaid honest M Blank to swear fasly against me, he and Bradshaw, or other of then brethren in evill, commissionated the said villanous Thomas Verney to write Let­ters to me, the which, if under my hand I had answered, or sent a friend, as he desired, to treat with him; then might they easily have searched his chamber, and there found some kind of Commission from the Prince to the said Verney, to authorise him to be his Agent in England, for which Verney might have been in some seeming danger, and pre­tendingly to save himself, might have produced my Letter, and also swore, according to the largeness of his conscience, what he had pleased against me; which might have been look'd upon by Haslerig and Bradshaw &c. as crime enough to have hanged me up without any more adoe, for corresponding with their declared Traytor the PRINCE, seeing they could not (as they earnestly desired) murder me any other way: and this act of Verney's should have, to the eyes of the world, been merit enough to have saved Verney's life, and also procured him his liberty from his Lords and Masters Haslerig and Bradshaw &c. who for his traiterous and good services done them, protect him against all the complaints of cheating, perjury, forgery, and all manner of knavery that my intelligence tels on daily is brought in against him. Which Verny, a few dayes ago (as I am from extraordinary good hands informed) had the impudence, for all the high complaints against him, to petition (or otherwise to sue for) an annuall Pension for his good services done them, in forsaking his Interest in the PRINCE, and adhering to Them in any thing they put him upon (though never so wicked)

Fourthly, Haslerigs design in endeavouring to murther me is not only evident, in his Associats imprisoning me for nothing, and so robbing me of my trade and credit, but also in close imprisoning me from the society of all my friends, and denying me the just [Page 15] and legall allowance due to me in my case and condition, (not one penny of which I have received to this day) but also in taking away compleatly betwixt 24 and 2500 l. that so I may not have a penny left to buy me my wife, or family a bit of bread.

But to [...]eturne, I would fain have HASLERIG to consider seriously from his friend S. Johns words, and the rest foregoing what he deserves, that not only by theft of mur­ther breaks one of the Laws of England, but endeavours to destroy, and actually plucks up by the roots the whole Fabrick of the Laws of England? and so destroyes HU­MANE SOCIETY, by bringing all things into the originall Chaos of confusion, and when he hath so done doubly and trebly, protects and secures himself by force of the sa [...]d and other tyrannicall Priviledges, from all manner of Process of Law or Ju­stice truely he deserves whereever he be found, to be dealt with as Felton did with the Duke of Backingham; which for my part I protest seriously, I judge to be more juster both before God and man a thousand times over, then Haslerigs dealing with me, and the last and ultimate refuge and remedie that all such men have in such cases, and a thou­sand times more just then for a man to murder himself by fami [...]hing in silence, by such mens oppressive and tyrannicall de [...]ling with him And if Strafford upon S. Johns fore­mentioned principles were A FOX and A WOLF for arbitrarily subverting the Law, and taking away mens prop [...]ties and estates by proceedings upon Paper petitions; then abun­dantly [...] is Haslerig a FOX and a WOLF in arbitrarily subverting the Law, and taking away my estate, with wi [...]e much as any proceedings at all, or any Paper Petition against me, [...] so much as receiving and producing any pretended Commission from any Legall, or pretended Magistracy so to doe.

And therefore undeniably [...]rom S. Johns and his own grounds may as a POLCAT, a FOX and a WOLF, yea and as a Destroyer of the society of mankind he knockt on the Read carefully for il­lustration hereof my Law-quotations in the Marginall note of the sixt page of the late Impeachment of High Treason against Oliver Cromwel and his Son in law Henry Ireton. head where ever he is found [...] he had; which peradventure before much time may be expired may be for his portion, and that justifiably both before God and man, seeing no law in the world can be said against him in the least, or take hold of him: And therefore as in a Speech made, one thousand six hundred and forty it is said against the Ship-money Judges, Speeches and passages of Parliament page 275. Much more truly may I say now, when our Liberties are violated, our Fundamentall Laws abrogated, our Modern Laws already obsoleted, the pro­pertie of our Estates alienated, nothing left us we can call our own, but our mi­sery and our patience, if ever any Nation might justifiably, this certainly may now, most properly, most seasonably, cry out, and cry aloud, VEL SACRA REGNAT JUSTITIA, VEL RUAT CAELUM, that is, Either let the Hea­vens fall, or let Sacred Justice reign. But if he should deny that that which at New­castle he hath seized upon is none of mine, I prove my Legall right thus.

1. Admit I had in the eye of the law illegally come by it, yet being in possession of it, he hath no pretence in the world to dispossess me of it, of his owne head, and by his own will; but 2ly I answer that against the law of equity, reason and Justice, yea, and the law of England. I was in the year 1637, 1638. 1639. 1640. most illegally and tyrannically dealt with by the High-Commission, Councel-Board and Star-Chamber; by Doctor Guinne, Doctor Lambe, Doctor Ali [...], and the Lord Keeper Coventry, Lord Privy Seal Manchester Lord Newberg, Old Sir Henry Vane, Lord Chief Justice Bramston, and Judge Jones; And by the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, Lord Keeper againe, Lord Treasurer Bishop of London, Lord Privy-Seal [Page 16] again, Earl of Arundel, Earl of Salisbury, Lord Cottington, Secretary Cook and Se­cretary Windebank and the Warden of the Fleet, who gagged me upon the Pillo [...] without order in writing: Of which, the 3. of Novemb. 164 [...]. being the first day the late dissolved Par­liament sate, I according to Law and Justice preferred my Petition and Complaint to to them; who upon the reading of my Petit [...]on, immediately ordered me my Liberty, being, as I remember, the first prisoner in England set at liberty by them] to foll [...]w my Petition, and according to the legall custom of Parliaments make i [...] good by proof before a select Com­mittee appointed by them to that purpose, Mr. Francis Reuse having the hai [...]; before whom many particular dayes one after another [...] I appeared with my Councel [being Mr. Robert Gurden brother to Mr. John Gurdon now Member of the p [...]es [...]nt J [...]ncto, or preten­ded House of Commons] and my Witnesses, and fully proved all my Petition. Upon the report of all which by Mr Reus the Chairman, the House of Commons the fourth of May 164 [...] [being the very same day that the King himself caused me to be arraigned for high Treason at the Ba [...]r of the House of Pee [...]s] voted and resolved upon the Question,

After which Votes (being in a full, free, un [...]avisht, or inforc'd, legall, and unquestionable Parliament (after a full, o­pen, free Where, I very well remember, Sir Arthur Hosle [...]ig was one of my zealous and forward Judges; and when War­ned James Ingram came to the B [...] of the Court of Wards, and brought Master Herne [...]h C [...]uncellor to plead for the Lords, and in excuse of himself [...], who st [...]sly insisted in a high manner upon the orders and decrees of Star-Cham­ber, upon which I very well remember Sir Arthur with a great deale of indignation said unto Herne, I value not a Decree of the Lords in Star-Chamber a rush, if it be not expresly according to the tenor of their commission the Law, and I further tell you it is a ridiculous thing Sir to summon Parliaments to meet together to make Laws, if the Lords decrees in Star-Chamber against law should be bind [...]ng; and therefore, although you have proved for your Clyant Master Ingram that the Lords in open Court (the Court sitting) commanded him on the Pillory to gagg Master Lilburn [...] yet for speaking against them, I tell you by law that order ought to have been in writing ac­cording to the custom of the Court, which you confesse it was not, and therefore Master Ingram must smart for his executing of orders on M. Lilburne made illegally. and fan hear­ing, and examining of all my foresaid sufferings and complaints) troubles and the warres came on, and being in my own consci­ence, folly satisfied of the justness [...] of the Parlia­ments then cause, in the height of zeale accompa­nied with judgment and conscience, upon the principles I have largely laid down in the 26. 27. 75. 76 pages of my book of the 8th of June 1649. intituled Englands le­gal, fundamentall, &c. I took up Armes for them, and fought heartily and faithfully in their quarrel, [Page 17] (for maintaining of which I had like to have been hanged at Oxford, while during my in prisonnment there, I lost 5 or 600 l. out of my estate at London,) till the p [...]esent Earle of Manchester, had like to have hanged me, for being a little to quick in taking in Tikell Castle, which spoyled a souldier of me ever since; after which in the year 1648. I followed the House of Commons close to transmit my foresaid votes to the Lords; which with much difficulty (occasioned chiefly by Mr, William Prinne, and other his zealous Presbyterian frien [...]s) I got by peice-meales transmitted, where by reason of Manchesters interest I might have expected long delay, yet I found quick dispatch, and upon the 1 of December 1645 by specially decree, they took off the fine set upon me by the Starchamber; and afterwards I got the whole vote transmitted, who at their open Barre, Judicially upon the 13 of February 1645. ap­pointed me a solemn hearing de novo of the whole matter, and assigned Mr. John Bradshaw and Mr. John Cook for my counsell; who with abundance of witnesses accordingly appeared, where Mr. Bradshaw did most notably open the Starchamber injustice towards me, but especially theirWhose very words all are recorded by M. John Cook in his printed Relation of that dayes proceedings before the Lords, who in the 3 page thereof upon the reading of the Star-chamber sen­tence against me, most truly recites Mr. Bradshaws observations in these very words; viz. that the said sentence was felo de se, guilty of its own death, the ground whereof being because Mr Lilburne refused to take an oath, to answer to all such que­stions as should be demanded of him; It being so contrary to the Lawes of God, Nature, and the Kingdom, for any man to be his own accuser, and yet the same Mr. Bradshaw after he hath most illegally taken away the Kings life and drenched his hands in his blood: commits me then to prison for suspition of Treason, meerely for refusing to answer to a question that he himself de­manded of me, as fully appears in the 2 edition of my picture of the Councell of state pag 10. 11. 16. ex officio or interogatogatory proceed­ings with me and produced my witnesses upon oath punctually to prove every head of his argument Upon which full hearing the Lords made a notable decree; and adjudg­ed, and declared tho said proceed­ings of the said Star chamber, against the said John Lilburn, to be illegall and most unjust and against the Liberty of the Sub­ject, and Law of the Land, and Magna Charta, and unfit to continue upon record.

But not assigning me any reparations in that Decree (the doing of which the House of Commons left unto them, and the Lords according to former custome looked upon to be their right in law to do,) whereupon I got Mr. John Cook to draw me up that dayes work with most pregnant and notable aggravations, which I printed and presented a few dayes after to every one of the Lords; praying their assigning me particular reparations according to Law and Justice out of the Estates of my unjust Judges, that had done me so much wrong; upon which new addresse to them they did upon the fifth of March 1645. order and decree; and assign­ed to be paid unto the said John Lilburne the summe of ten thousand pounds for his Repa­rations which for many reasons (as there being ayding in the warres to the King &c.) they fixed upon the Estates reall and personall of Francis Lord Cottington, Sir Francis Windebank, and James Ingram late Deputy Warden of the Fleet, and afterwards by an other Decree for the present levying thereof out of their lands at eight yeers purchase (as they were before the Warres,) with the allowance of Interest at 8 l▪ per centum, per annum; in case of obstruction; for all or any part of it; and to this purchase caused an Ordinance to be drawn up which fully passed their House the 15 20 and 27. of Aprill 1646. and after­wards transmitted it to the House of Commons, where by reason of my bloody adversary old Sir Henry Vains Interests and of my imprisonment by Manchesters means in the Tow­er of London it lay asleep till the 1. of August 1648 at which time 7. or 8000. of my [Page 18] true friends in London, signed and caused to be delivered a Petition to the House of Commons for my Liberty, and the passing of the said Ordinance: which Petition is since printed, with the Speech of my true Friend Sir John Maynard upon it. And in reference to which Ordinance the House made this Order:

Upon which Order I got the Committee to meet, and preferred a Petition to them, the true copy of which followeth in my addresse to every individuall Member, daied 4 of Septem­ber 1648. Upon which Petition, at my discourse with them, the Parliament having disposed of all that part of the Lord COTTINGTONS estate that I should have had, unto the Lord SEY, and also compounded with Sir FRANCIS WINDEBANK'S heir; the said Committee were pleased (seeing they judged it a difficult piece of work for me to get it proportionably from all or most part of my unjust Judges) to fix it intirely upon the Lord Keepers estate, as the principal guilty man: of which, when the young Lord COVENTRY his Son and Heir heard thereof in France, he came posting to England as in a maze, fearing what such a precedent might bring upon him, if his Fathers estate [then dead] should be compell'd to make me satisfaction; he being so capitall in injustice, that if that course should be taken, his estate left him by his Father [if it were trebled] would not satisfie for his Fathers palpable injustice committed in his life time. And Manchester being in the same Bryers with his Father, being as unjust as the other, and having a Brother (viz. George Montague) and other considerable Interests in the House of Com­mons, so plyed their friends there, that they put a stop to the second reading of the afore­said Ordinance. Which I first fully understood by the Speakers means, then my great pre­tended friend, who one day began to reason with a Member of the House [and my special Friend] about the unreasonablenesse to fix my Reparations upon the estate of the decea­sed Lord COVENTRY; nay, or to give me any Reparations at all out of the estates of those persons that did me wrong, for fear the precedent in time might reach to them­selves; ‘for Sir, said the Speaker, [as the Member told me] if my Son and Heir should be liable in law to make satisfaction to all those men [out of that Estate I should leave him] that I have in the eye of the Law wronged [by signing Warrants, Orders and Decrees by the Command of my Superiours] he would soon be a begger, although I should leave him 5 or 6000 l. per annum; and therefore desired, as it were, the said Members concurrence with them; who see a necessity, both in justice, and for the cla­morous importunity [as they called it] of me and my friends, to give me reparations; but yet to do it in such a way, that the Precedent might not in future make themselves smart for their injustice to particular men.’ Of which, when the said Member told me, and withall told me, they were resolved to make the Common wealth my Pay-Master out of the publick Treasury, and colour over the justness of it with this pretence, ‘That Cotting­tons estate &c. formerly assigned me, they had since disposed of for the Common-wealths use, to the Lord Sey; and therefore now it would be no injustice to the Com­mon-wealth [although in the Star-chamber it never wronged me] to pay me my repa­ration.’ [Page 19] Of all which, when I understood their designe, I was not a little troubled and perplexed in my spirit (although I was grown much into debt by reason of my long and chargeable sufferings and large losses) to see that my sufferings should produce no benefit at all to the Common-wealth; which I must, as before God, in the sincerity of my heart aver, was much in mine eye, no earthly Treasure in the world being of that value to me, to make me undergo those sorrows and distresses that I underwent in the Bishops time: nei­ther had I undertaken any hazards (and continued in them) out of any other conside­ration. but out of conscience and duty to God, and my native Country, I was much perplexed and raised up in my spirit, seeing the main end of my struglings was like to be frustrated, which was, That the Nation might have good by it, by the creating of Precedents, and ter­rour for the future to Tyrants and Knaves; that so the people hereafter might live more in freedom and peace, in the enjoyment of their Laws and Liberties; the consideration of which made me something fearlesse of my own particular welfare; and in my dis­course at their door, to set all my expectation on the Tenter-hooks: and a little re­collecting my thoughts, I modellized the fore-mentioned Addresse of the 4 of Sebtember, 1648, and printed it, and the next day (as I remember) with my own hands presented it to every Member that would receive it, as they went into the House: The true copy of which thus followeth;

Upon the presenting of which, my Ordinance was called for to be read the second time, which Elsynge the Clerke pretended he had laid ready upon the table before him; but what betwixt his knavery, old Henry Vanes, the Speakers, and young Mountagues, my Ordinance was stoln, and could never after be found: so that I was sent to out of the House to get another fair copie writ over presently, which being long in doing, my friends went away, not expecting it would any more be medled with that day; so that when most of them were gone, my adversaries took the advantage to call for it, and in a thin House read it the second time, and upon debate threw it out of doors, and at pre­sent to stop my mouth, voted me 300.l. ready money (as they pretended) out of Sir Charls Kemish his Composition, to inable me for present subsistence, and to follow my businesse, and also made this further Order,

Of which when I fully understood, I was troubled, but knew not how to help myself, and having already met with so many difficulties, and received so manie baffles, as I had done, I thought it was better (being almost wearied out with strugling) to take half a loaf, then go away without any bread at all: so I addressed my selfe to the Com­mittee, who left me to my choice to fix my reparations upon what Delinquents I thought fittest, that were not already disposed of, and some of them told me of an Order the House had made against Sir Henry Gibbs (who had a good estate in the County of Durham) upon an information M. Ashurst, and the rest of their Commissioners from Scotland, had brought them; upon which they made this Order.

Upon consideration of which, and my Fathers and Ʋncles being Committee-men in the said County of Durham, I then judged it most fittest for me, for the speedy dispatch of my businesse (without any more baffles, delayes, or cheats) to fix in that County, and accordingly I got my foresaid Committee to write a Letter to them; the copy of which thus followeth:

[Page 28]With which Letter, I immediately took a long, tedious, and chargeable journey into the North, and brought back an answer; the copy of which thus followeth:

After I came to London with this, and delivered it to the Committee, they were wil­ling I should fix upon Sir Henry Gibbs his Land at Jarroe, to make over to me, and to my heirs for ever, for my 3000. l. allotted, and accordingly drew up an Ordinance, and truly what with the personall Treaties vigorous going on, which rendred the making over such lands to be very dubious in the possessing of them, and the taking away his estate for ever, without visibly declaring any particular cause, or ever so much as summoning him to answer, for the Crimes the Parliament Commissioners (privately in their house) laid to his charge, upon which they sequestred him, (though I confesse I my selfe before rid [...]nto Scotland to inquire of him, and had enough to sequester him) or in default of ap­pearance legally to outlaw him; all which laid together, with other things following, I [Page 29] had no stomack to his, or any other Delinquents Lands, knowing no reason why Sir Henry Vane, &c. should shift off from themselves my reperations, for the transcendent injustice they had done me, and lay it upon the shoulders of those in an extraordinary manner, that never particularly had done me wrong, (and besides force me to put it to a dubious hazard, whether I should injoy it or no) and understanding that Sir Henry Gibbs had an impropriation in the said County, amounting to about 70. or 80. l. per an. besides a legall and just right in a great deal of wood in Bransboth Park, some part of which was ready feld, and so would make ready money, upon all which considerations, &c. in as plausable a manner as I could, I drew up a Petition to the foresaid Committee to avoid the setling upon me the said Lands, the copy of which followeth.

W [...]ich Petition of mine the Committee granted, and caused an Ordinance accor­dingly to be drawn up very fully, on [...]ly my back friend John Blaxston and my unkle M George Lilburne being sorely falled out, the man indeavoured to revenge himselfe of me, and busled so hard against me in the House, as that he got all consideration for the fu [...]u [...]e forbearance of my money dasht out: which I was fain to beare with patience at the present, being not able to help my self; and as I remember it was read and past the second time, but the streame of the House running after the personall Treaty, with the supposition or jealousie of divers of my acquaintance (and former friends amongst those men) that I had too deep a hand in the late London Petition of 11. September 1648. which seemed to them to be a choak peare to the Treaty, and they conceiving that I still pursued the same ends, made the chariot wheels of the finishing of my Ordinance to got heavier then they used to do; so that for my blood I totally could not get fit to passe the House of Commons in October 1648. and other businesse of the Army coming on, I left looking after my Ordinance, and visibly and totally, devoted my self to an industri­ous indeavour to see if I with any other nicknamed levelling friends, could prevent ano­ther cheat by the Army (who promised faire in their large Remonstrance from S. Albans of 16. Novemb. 1648. pag. 66, 67, 68. but especially in their most remarkable Declarati­on, shewing the reasons of their last advance to London) the true narrative of my pro­ceedings with them and their friends you may read in the 2. edition of my book of the 8. of June 1649. intituled The legall fundamentall Liberties of the People of England received, asserted and vindicated, pag. 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38. which pages I intreat you seriously to read; and with them I continued very diligently and closely following them, to see if it were possible to get them consent to the setling of the Kingdome upon the ba­ses and foundations of the prin­ciples of true freedom and ju­stice, by an The speedy doing of which they both publikely and privately, as solemnly promised and ingaged to perform as almost it was possible for men to doe, as clearly you may fully read in their two last fore­mentioned Declarations, but especially that of the reasons of their last advance to London, which be­ing but short I have herewith sent you, and intreat you most seriously to peruse, as a cleare and ever­lasting testimony against their present wretched and apostatized basenesse. Agreement of the People that had not fought a­gainst their Freedoms; the onely and alone just cure of all Eng­lands maladies, not onely in my thoughts then, but still at this present day; but when I appa­rently and visibly saw their jug­ling and cheating, of which I with out feare told them, as you may read in pag. 39, 40. of my last named books. I say at the perceiving of their base­nesse, [Page 31] I judged it Impossible for me ever to get my Ordinance fully passe, unlesse I would be their slave and vassall, which Harrison, Sir William Constable, and Sir Hardresse Wader at their first coming to Whitehall laboured to get me to be, and to ingage my pen for them; but my positive answer to them all three face to face (in their chamber) was, That I would as soon ingage for the Turk as for them, unlesse they would come to a righteous center where they would fixedly acquiesce, before they so much as attempted the medling with those great things they intended, as the breaking the House, and ta­king off the Kings hea [...]: I say, perceiving they were resolved to be knaves in the highest, and to go through with their intended resolutions what ever it cost, I thought it best for me to stir before all their fears and troubles were over, to get my Ordinance fully to passe before they fully got up into the throne, being confident if I staid till they had got their [...] businesse about the King over, I should never get it passe then, but upon implicit ingagements to be their slave, which I us much abhorred as I did the cutting of my own [...], and therefore I put pen to paper and write a netling Letter to the Speaker about it, being resolved to lay my bones at their door in the pursuit of it, and its effect it had, for as I remember the next day my Ordinance was transmitted to the Lords, the copy of which Letter thus followeth.

So when my Ordinance came to the Lords, they disinabled me to cut down any more timber trees, then what was already fell'd, which I judged fitter for me to content my self with, then to struggle any longer to get it passe, as the House of Commons had sent it up, so, the Lords in two or three daies dispatched it, and sent it down to the House of Commons for their concurrence, according to those abridgements they had made in it, and taking my opportunity to speak to those in the House of Commons, I had interest in, I intreated them to dispute it no more, but passe it as the Lords had gelded it, and accordingly they did, the copy of which thus followeth.

With which Ordinance I posted away to you of the Committee of Durham, where as you may remember, I found Sir Arthur Haslerig amongst you, continually sitting with you, not onely as a Member of your Committee of Militia, and of Sequestra­tions, but also Chair-man to them both; and not only that, but also Lord paramount over you all, doing even what himselfe pleased by meere will, tearing your Orders, rasing, cancelling, and putting in what he pleased; of the most of which I then being an eye-witnesse, I very seriously (as you may well remember) inquired of my Father, Colonell Midford, M. Bra [...], and your selfe, whether by Ordinance of Parliament Sir Arthur was a Member of your Committees? and you all told me no, he was not of either of them; at which I wondered, and stood amazed, that he durst do that which he constantly did, and that you were men of such low and meane spirits, as to suffer him, yea, or to permit him so much as to sit amongst you; but it was replyed to me, as you may remember, how could you help it? for your County was more in slavery then all the Counties of England, never having either Knights, or Burgesses in Parlia­ment, to speak and act there for the welfare of your County, or any that belong to it, and wish'd it well, and besides, Sir Arthur was a great and a powerfull man both in Parliament and Army, and had souldiers enough at his heels: upon all which he bears himselfe so high, that he presumes to do even what he pleaseth, and who dare to con­troule him? for, hath he not meerly by his will, and of his own Authority laid foure shil­lings a chaldern Sir Arthurs very excize of coles alone in the two Ports of Newcastle and Sunderland, being commonly by the knowingest Ship-masters, &c. computed to be worth wel nigh a hundred thousand pounds per annum. Excize up­on coles? (which at the dea­rest [Page 34] with you are sold under twenty shillings the chaldern) in which arbitrary taxation not onely all London is concerned, but almost all the Sea and great Townes in the South of England, &c. and yet the City of London it selfe never prosecuted him therfore, no nor so much as complained of him, and therefore much more may he doe what he pleaseth amongst you, who rationally have scarce any means afforded you so much as to complaine of him, much lesse to help your selves aganst him, and therefore you ad­vised me then to heare, and see, and say nothing, but look after my owne businesse, to get that dispatched, which you very well know I fully acquainted your Committee with at Durham, while Sir Arthur Haslerig was there, before whom my Ordinance was read, and approved of without the least exceptions, and the originalls delivered to your Clerke to record in your Journall, and with whose consent and approbation (I meane Sir Arthur [...]) your Committee made this following Order.

By vertue of which Order, my Father and my self went to the Tenants of the three forementioned Delinquents, as also to the foresaid Young and Hodgson, which Young and Hudgson according to the aforesaid order appeared at Gateside before Sir Ar­thur Haslerig, and your said Committee of Sequestrations unto whom I punctually gave an ex [...]ct account of Mr. Bowes his [...]oles at Karterthorn, and his Iron Mill and Forge at Hunwick and Witton, upon which the foresaid Stewards were examined what they conceived M [...]. Bowe [...] interest in the said Colepits and Iron Mill to be worth, and after they had given in their Verdict and opinion, the said Committee of Sequestration sold (with my good liking) the said Bowes his interest to Sir Arthur Haslerig, for 400. l present money, upon his ingagement to pay it me at London, (which he did) within the compasse of about a moneth after, as part of my 3000. l. and I also received then in the Countrey of the respective Tenants & [...]. of the foresaid three Gentlemen, be­twixt 100. and 200. l. ready money, all which I certified your Committee of at Dur­ham, and by [...] speciall order, delivered to their Clark and A [...]itor copies of all the discharges I had given the severall Tenants, who comparing them with the respective rentalls and deductions for assessements and free-quarter (the originalls of which they had by them) did audit my accounts, and gave me a discharge under b [...] [...] hands upon the eighth day of February, 1648. si [...]ned Isaac Gilpin Cler. Com Ex [...] per Ca [...]hl [...]t Haw [...] ▪ Auditor, so that now I have from step to step shewed you my right and ti [...]e to my 3000. l. which is not ab [...]ne o [...] gratuity given me, [...]as some men ima­gine by the Parliament, but the issue and product of severall legall Parliamentary judge­ments judicially given me for damage sustained in body, estate, and losse of time and trade, by illegall unjust decrees made and given against me, which Parliamentary judg­ments and decrees of mine, and some of them of eight years standing, before any warrs or [...]ar [...] betwixt the King and Parliament, others of 5 and 4. years standing, while the Lords and Commons were a free, just and unquestionable Parliament, in the [...] opinion of all the Parliamenteers in England, others of my decrees and judge­ments meerly in confirmations of the former, of 3. and 2. years standing, while [...]th Houses were commonly received and owned for an unforc [...]d, unpurged, and unravished Parliament; and the very last passing of my Ordinance was, by both Houses before the Lords dissolution, or the Kings beheading, whose death in Law unquestionably put a period to the Parliament.

In most of which judgements,For full pre [...]se of which as­sertion, read my arguments [...] the second edition of my book of the 8. of June 1649. in [...] ­ted, The legall F [...] [...] [...]ill Liberties of the people of Eng­land revived, pag. 55. 56 57. and Mr. William P [...]ins a [...] ­ments in his late book, [...] the illegall tax of 90. thousand pounds per annum. pag. 3. 46 47. Sir Arthur Hasle­rig was one of the [...]udges, I am sure of it eminently in some of them, and who was one of those that was active in putting me into a quiet, just, and legall pos­session (for so it was eminently up in his own princi­ples) of my long strugled for, and dear bought right, unto which in the strictest eye of God or man, I have as true a judiciall legall right unto, as either he or you have, or ever had, to any cloaths you wore in your lives, and therefore Sir I may well call it theft in him, in stealing my goods or moneys from me by will and force, just like a cutter upon the high way, yea and by his own and the late Parliaments principles, treason it self, in disp [...]ssessing me of my le­gall and just come by estate, without any manner of proceedings is Law; yea or so [Page 36] [...] [Page 37] [...] [Page 36] much as upon any proceedings upon a paper Petition, or so much as ever summoning [...] to answer for my self, or to know what he had to lay to my charge, as a colourable pre­tence to take it away from me: it is impossible for him to plead ignorance of my right, he having as is before truly declared, been privy to all the circumstances of my just pro­ceedings, yea as I understand, my Father did not a little plead my right with him, and produced my Ordinance &c. to his face to maintain it, when he took it away, which notwithstanding he valued not, but most maliciously, premiditately, and in despite and contempt of the Law of England, and most trayterously in subversion thereof, hath exer­cised an arbitrary and tyrannicall power over and above the Law, in his taking it away, for which felonious and trayte [...]ous Action of his, by Gods assistance I will stick as close to him, as ever his shirt did to his back, or as ever I did to the Bishop of Canterbury, who for lesse villanies then his, I saw lose his head as a Traytor upon Tower Hill.

Sir, the late King hath lost his head by Sir Arthur and his associates for tyranny, in advancing his will above the Law of England, as in his impeachment, printed at the last end of my late Impeachment of Cromwell, you may read pag. 57. 58. And yet I am sure he formerly, and (for any thing I groundedly know to the contrary) legally impeached Haslerig of high Treason, and yet never pretended any right to a penny of his estate be­fore conviction, but Haslerig nor any body else never laid any crime in the world to my charge, either of Treason particularly, or of Felony, or Misdemeanour, or any thing else, and yet hath seized upon my estate, without any pretence or shadow, or colour of Law.

And that the King impeached him, you may read in 1. part Parliament. book Decla. pag. 34. 35. which verbatim thus followeth.

[Page 37]And therefore the premisses duly considered, Haslerig hath dealt more unjustly, more illegal [...]y and more unrighteously with me, then ever the King dealt with him, or his Associates, and therefore as a Tyrant and a Traitour he ought to die therefore upon his own practised and declared principles. But moreover, although the King formally and for any thing I know to the contrary, Parliamentarily impeached him as a Traitour, and yet for all that never sought for or challenged any of his money, Lands, or Goods, untill he were Legally convicted: and yet by the Parliament it self it was looked upon for such a violation of the Law (because it was not as they pretended formall in every punctilio according to the Law) as occasioned the highest Declarations against the King that their pens could invent, with aggravation upon aggravation, and no personall recantatation from the King himself could serve their [...]rn ( [...]he illustration of which you may notably and fully read in the 2 Edition of my book of the 8 of June 1649 pag. 12. 13. 14. 15. 18. 19. 20. 21. 'till they had made it the first declared occasion to ki [...]dle the flames of all the 'late eight yeers cruell warres in England: yea and for it, and such like as it, at the con­clusion they took off the Kings head as a Tyr [...]nt, 'for that he had set his will above the law [...]y which he ought to have governed, as appears in the first Article of his impeach­ment, Therefore let Haslerig look to himself; for I do b [...]leeve if he or hi [...] bloodthirsty associates should murder me, yet God out of my ashes, would raise up some vigorously to endeavour to bring h [...]s neck to the gallows, or his head to the block for his Tyrannies and A [...]bitrary dealing with me, and for my part so long as I have bre [...]th (by the graci­ous assistance of God) I shall not bate him an [...]ce although I perish in the prosecution of him, let him and all his associates do the worst they dare or can.

And therefore Sir, I most earnestly beg of you, to intreat my Father to pluck up so much courage, as truly and exactly to state the present condition of my bu­sinesse with Haslerig, and send me an exact Narrative of it from the beginning of Haslerigs medling with it: and also I intreat you your self, to certifie me (if you dare) under your hand, the manner and particulars of all his arbitrary dealings with your particular self, and your Committees &c.

And whether that he himself were not the absolute and single Instrument, that caused you and my Father for your publike and known good affection to the Common­wealth and nothing else, to be turned out of the Commission of the Peace, &c. And when he had so done, whether he alone by his meer Will and Prerogative did not name Master Henry Draper, and caused him to be made a Justice of the Peace, &c. although as I am credibly and certainly informed, he was a notable Cavalier, and had a Commission from the Earle of Newcastle, and not three months before HA­SLERIGS making him a Justice of Peace, he had paid part of his Composition to HASLERIGS own particular hands or his Treasurer by his order and appointment

And whether he did not also lately name, and by his Prerogative will put in Sir Richard B [...]ll [...]s for another Justice of Peace for your County, who to my own knowledge was about my last being in your County found and proved a Delinquent; Sir Arthur him­selfe being one of his chiefest Prosecutors, and stands sequestred as a Delinquent Ca­valier to this day?

And whether he did not lately the same to Sir George Vane, who you may remember at the Committee betwixt you and John Blaston, and his Cavalier brother in Law, Mr. Shadforth, where Sir Arthur (at Westminster in Febr. last) sate Chairman? I offered be­fore Sir Arthurs face, and all the rest of his fellow Members to prove Sir Georg [...] Vane a Cavalier; and to have been actually in Arms with the King at Edge hill and also ope­ned to Haslerigs face, and the whole Committees, Haslerigs base and partiall dealings in [Page 38] the North, in contradicting the Orders of your Committe of Sequestration, and racing out of their Orders what he pleased in the case of Shadforth and your self, and putting in what he pleased, yea and against the Order and mind of the Committee would have i [...] in his pa [...]ticular Order to passe for your and Shadforths drawing stakes (to the great intentionall cheating and cozening of the Common wealth, after Shadforth was ful­ly proved a Delinquent upon the 14. Articles, and to save himself had impeached you (who desired nothing but a fair and judiciall triall) to be another; of which false Charge, since as I understand, for all Haslerigs and John Blastons power and malice; The present Jancto hath fully [...] you, which Shadforth by his meere will as I understand he hath since made a justic [...] of peace &c. as also Colonell Francis Wren: who he him­self knowes, was most basely and vildly, in the head of his Regiment in Scotland, cashie­red, by his friend Cromwell for a desperate plunderer &c. And all th [...]s he hath done as to me clearly appears, that he may rule and govern you by his will and pleasure, and have none in power that shall dare to controul him, or to tell tales of him: of which rather then he will faile, hee will against his owne declared Principles, and the 'Ordinances of Lords and Commons, yea the acts of the present Juncto make use of the notablest Cavaliers amongst you to be your principall governours, and more especiall Rulers and yet lately would have hanged me for but appearing corresponding with the Princes Agents, of wh [...]ch he was so zealous to take away my life for that rather then he would fail, he &c. attempted to bribe and hire false witnesse to swear against me: declaring bare correspondency with the Prince his Agents to be crime enough to take away my life, as is truly noted and declared be­fore pag. 7. 8. 9. 10. 'O brave Arthur; whom for his base and villanous wicked deal­ings with me &c. I hope not onely to scare but also really to scourge, and thereby put him into a greater fright, then he was in when the Earle of Stamford (a lesser man then himself) tamed him as he was going to his house nigh Islington, although he had his sword by his side; of which a few days after like a poor cowardly School boy, with little bet­ter then his finger in his eye, he complained of to his Masters or Associates in the House of Commons.

And as for your desire in your letter, for me a few dayes to come downe, to look after my owne businesse my selfe.: I cannot but return you this answer. First, If I would I cannot, for I am not absolutely at liberty as you suppose, onely I have liberty upon the day time to go see my distressed wife and family, which I procured not upon a petition to the house '(as their Friday Newes-monger Henry Walker that lying and base fellow with other falshoods about me hath lately printed) but upon a letter the Copy of which thus followeth.

[Page 40]Upon the delivery of which said Letter to Col. Henry Martin, (the other three which it was directed to, being out of Town) he procured this following Order.

Secondly, Being as I am, although my not coming down would lose me six times as much as Haslerig hath a ready seised upon; yet could I not be free in my own spirit (against the dictates of which I will not go for all the world) to addresse my self to those men for liberty to come down; no, nor so much as give my consent that any other shall do it for me.

But thirdly, If I were absolutely at liberty, I should scarce judge it either wisdom or discretion, to come immediately under the armed power of a man that hath so thirsted after my blood, and dealt so illegally and barbarously with me as Haslerig hath done, in the face of the throng of my friends: and without all question he that at London (where I have more friends then Haslerig himself) will not stick to run the hazards of going so many indirect wayes to work, to take away my innocent life, will make no bones (himself) to knock my brains out, could he catch me in the remote clutches of his armed mercenary power at New-castle, far off from the throng of my friends. So with my true and ob­liged love and respect presented to your self, and my Ant your second self, I heartily com­mit you to God, and rest: