AMong all the Exorbitancies of this last age, there is none hath stained the Glory of this Nation more then the multitude of licentious and abusive Pam­phlets that continually fly abroad like Atomes in the Air, whereby the Press is made a common Strumpet to conceive and bring forth the froth of every idle and wanton fancy, or to vent the malice and venom of every discontented and debaucht spirit: and Books, that were wont to be monuments of the industry and seriousness of mens spirits, and records of the vertues and noble acts of brave men, adorn­ed with Reason and Judgment, and ordained to be as embalmings to their names, are now turned into Pasquils and Libels, stuft with the rancor and rage of these men, who know no way to recruit their own lost reputation, but by defacing the names of their betters. But of all the Pamphlets that I have yet seen, there are none that express such a dangerous and unworthy spirit, as those that go under the name of Lievt. Colonel John Lilburn. Some Pamphlets, though they have little of truth, yet have nothing of falshood: Others, though of little con­cernment, [Page 2] yet may serve to divert a studious head from the continual pressures of more serious thoughts. Others are pretty essays, and done on purpose to engage better pens in manifesting Truth; and the conti­nual writing, or rather scribling of the most, demonstrates that men are not idle, but that the Nation is big with something that will be brought forth at last in form and beauty. In Diurnals (those lean and miserable sheets) you have some things true, among many mistakes, and lyes but probably reported; and you may know how the days pass away by them, though there be little else. In Pragmaticus and the Man in the Moon, with the rest of that bauling Crue, you have some wit, with their malice; But this man (especially in his two last Pamphlets) breaking all the bonds of Religion, Civility, Humanity, professing open defiance to the Laws of Grace and Nature,) hath devoted himself to slander, reproach, defame, rack, and crucifie the names of all sorts of men that have the face of honesty, or that cannot comply with him in his Levelling Designs; swelling up his Title-pages with horrid and nasty expressions, as Polecat, Foxes, Wolves, and such like, as if he had been newly come out of the Desarts of Arabia, or been conversing with Nebuchadnezzar seven years at grass, interlining his sentences with barbarous and cruel Invectives against men in Authority, calling them Murtherers, Theeves, Robbers, threatning them with the worst of deaths; quoting himself and his own Pamphlets as often as others do the most learned and orthodox Authors, with such like expressions as these, P. 2. See to this purpose my Impeachment of High Treason, &c. See my Arguments or Reasons in the second Edition of my Book of the 8. of June, 1649. intituled, The Legal and Fundamental Liberties of England, &c. P. 3. Peruse carefully, I entreat you, the 6. & 8. pages of my Impeachment, &c. as also the 12. and 16. pages of the second Edition of my forementioned Book. So P. 4. See my second Edition of my Picture of the Councel of State. Making bold and daring Titles, that men may expect great things from; and when they are engaged to look after the proofs, finde nothing but a heap of Impertinencies, and a Catalogue of his Petitions, and Letters, and Conferences, and Refer­ences to his other Pamphlets for satisfaction; but satis est repetere. He that loves the smell, may have enough of these noisom weeds almost in every line or sentence. As for sober and serious men, I know their stom­acks rise at first sight: But my intent, in this Discourse, is not to run through all his Volumes, by which he hath defiled the Press, and brought himself into a labyrinth of just Troubles and Miseries, lest, in raking [Page 3] such a Dunghil, I should raise too great a stink in the nostrils of my self and Reader; I shall follow his own request, and refer it to any, who have patience enough, and are not subject to fall into the same distem­pers, unto the perusing of them: But shall view him in his last works, which should be his best and most solemn manifestations of himself, e­specially seeing he thinks he is so nigh his death.

I have read, of late, two Pamphlets under his name and authority, and by them you may probably guess of the rest; The Title of the first being An Impeachment of High Treason against Mr OLIVER CROMWEL and his Son in Law HENRY IRETON, (for so he is pleased to stile them;) and the last A Preparative to a Hue and Cry against Sir ARTHƲR HASLERIG: At the reading of the Titles I was much amazed, the accusations being so high, and affirmations so positive, and the language so terrible, that I began to reflect on the Gentlemen with strange apprehensions, and to won­der that such men should live, and be so much in the eyes of honest men, and yet be guilty of such Crimes, that all the Villains and Tray­tors in this Nation never equalled them; and was impatient to be in the midst of his Pamphlets, to hear their Charge, expecting the Titles to be but a shadow and a name onely to that substance of proof I should finde against them; not dreaming that any man could be so impudent, and carry such a face of brass and wickedness, as to abuse not onely o­thers, but himself so demonstratively, if he had not much against them, and that by the evidence of noon day: But, contrary to all this, when I looked for to have seen the horrible Crimes written with a Sun beam, and terrifying my spirit at the first appearance, I could finde little else but the Copies of Letters and Petitions, empty and foolish gloryings in himself, railing upon other men, and the whole Parliament equal with them, which made me much more to wonder what was become of the Religion, Conscience, Modesty, and Sobriety of the man; and to conclude, that certainly he was either drunk, or in a dream, when he writ these sheets.

But, that all honest men may know him for the future, I shall take so much pains as to consider his Charge against these two Gentlemen, viz. against Lievt. Gen. Cromwel, now Lord Governor of Ireland, and Sir Arthur Haslerig, now Governor of Newcastle on Tine, men of such integrity and honor, that John Lilburn could not pitch on two less capable of his malice and reproach then they, and that (though a­gainst his will) his calumnies will be but foils to set off their honesty [Page 4] and innocency with greater grace to all ingenuous and sober men.

To his Impeachment of High Treason (of Mr Oliver Cromwel, as he calls him,) the first question, by any man that reads the Charge, wil be, Where are the Articles? I have looked over the Pamphlet with as much diligence and observance as his method would permit me, and I finde not one distinct Article of any misdemeanors that hath the sha­dow of a Charge, much less of High Treason, and the Highest Treason, but onely a Letter to Mr Holland, and a Challenge, and a Prayer where­in he abuseth the blessed Name of the most High God, and invocates him to destroy and root out the name of Cromwel and his posterity, with such hideous imprecations, that any Christian tongue would fail and stammer but to repeat, much less to urge to God as a Prayer; and some loose expressions about Cromwels complying with the King, and his shedding the blood of War in the time of Peace: but it may be this he intended as the Charge, for which he calls him a Murtherer and a Traytor, and says, He deserves to dye rather then the late King, or, then all the Judges and Villains that have been condemned ever since the Conquest: And if his meaning be so, (for there is nothing else that looks like it) let the World be judg of the Treason.

For the first, His compliance with the late King, I shall say no more to it but this;

First, If there were any such compliance or engagement, doubtless the King would have made advantage enough of it, especially would have manifested something of it to the world, or given some hint of it that might have reflected on Cromwel, while he lived; and most espe­cially when he saw what was like to be done with him by the Power of the Parliament and Army: But the King neither by word, nor in that Book which goes under his name, doth give an intimation of any such compliance: And secondly, He hath manifested the contrary by his practise and constant opposition to him, and his party, ever since; and of late, by his strenuous endeavors to bring him to Justice; by which all honest men may well be satisfied, that it was but a slander, and a whelp of John Lilburns malice.

Were John Lilburns compliance with Malignants in the Tower, and other where, printed, we should soon have cause to sequester him from his 3000 l. in the Bishoprick of Durham: It's well known, besides his trading in Cooks Institutes, what Malignant converse he & Judg Jenkins have had together, some fruits of it we see in his Pamphlets, but I will not impeach him; you see, Reader, what his first Article amounts unto.

His second Charge, whereby he calls him a wilful murtherer, is, For that he, about the 15 of Novemb. 1647. near Ware in Hartford-shire, wilfully and of set malice murthered Rich. Arnell, and so shed the blood of War in the time of Peace.

That you may see the malice of this man, and his unexpressible rage, he taxeth Cromwel with that which was done by the whole Councel of War, and by the General, rather then by him, who was but a Mem­ber, and had only a single vote; and he might rather say, that the Ge­neral and Councel of War murthered him, then of Lieutenant General Cromwel; yea, he may as well say, That it's murther to shoot a Souldier to death for any Mutiny or enormious crime whatever, as for that; and whereas he thinks to make up his Treason by this expression, That it was the blood of War in the time of Peace. Can he call it a time of Peace, when an Enemy is but newly subdued, and an Army kept up, and an Enemy feared? However (that he may have his desire) grant it to be a time of Peace, that is, that no visible Enemy appears; yet doth not he deserve to dye that shall begin a new War in a time of Peace? And shall, when there is no common Enemy, raise a Mutiny among the Souldiers, which is the first principle of a War? Nay, is not he rather to be adjudged to death, that, when an Army hath conquered a common Enemy, will begin a new War among themselves? This is Richard Arnels cause, who was a Ring-leader in that first Mutiny, which was the first discovery of the levelling Agitators, and their wicked intentions; and had John Lilburn his due (who was then coming to the Army, but durst not appear among them) he had not had the opportunity to have burthened the world with his scandalous Libels, as now he hath. Thus you have John Lilburns Impeachment, and these his horrid crimes of Treason, for which Lieut. Gen. Cromwel deserves to dye so many thousand deaths, according to his Law: Can any man believe, this man ever consulted so much as with his sensus communis, much less either with God or Nature, when he writ this Pamphlet? Or that ever he re­viewed his expressions after they dropt from the fury of his spirit? Or can any man imagine, that this man is not more fit for Bedlam, then for the drawing up fundamental Principles of Government? But I pity him, for certainly he never thought any man of understanding or seriousness would ever read his Pamphlets: It hath been a just judgment of God on him, since he left off conversing with the Principles of Religion, to let an unclean spirit possess him, wherby, that he might follow the devils art ex­actly, he hath ever opposed those, & delighted to cast dirt in the faces of [Page 6] those that have been most publique Instruments, and God from heaven hath most honoured to do service to his people. But I have done with his Impeachment, and only add this, The Gentleman who he thus slan­ders, hath that character of respect in the hearts of all that love the good of this Nation, that no such Momus can deface by the blackest slanders he can lay on him. For me to make encomiums of his vertues and de­serts from this Nation, were but to set paint on burnisht marble, he is now gone to do more work in another Nation, and may he do as faith­ful and gallant service there as he hath done in England, while John Lilburn swells up himself in rage and malice, vomits nothing but Trea­son and Murther against him, and other true-hearted Englishmen.

I am now come to his preparative to a Hue and Cry after Sir Arthur Hasterig, (for the Gentleman you see is big with more wrath,) and because Cromwel is gone, and he cannot follow him to Ireland, that he may not be out of action, Sir Arthur must be the next subject of his envy and wrath, as if railing and lying were his element; he is so en­deared to it, that he is resolved to hazard his very life in the acting of it. I dare not repeat his Title, with all the expressions of it, lest I trouble the Reader again with the ill savour of them, he that reads them, would think Sir Arthur had been a monster, and no man, that he was not fit to breathe in a common air. But that now at last the world may see what a man of discontent and unhappiness this Iohn Lilburn is, before the end of the story, you shall find him a perfect Lyar, one that cares not what he says, so he may say something to disgrace.

I confess I have had but little personal acquaintance with Sir Arthur Haslerig (or with the other Gentleman) and know not what invisible and particular infirmities, common to mankind, he may labour under: I am not of that opinion, but that the best of men have their Errata's, as well as Lieut. Col. Iohn Lilburn.

But for his publique transactions in the North, I have followed this Hue and Cry throughout the four Northern Counties, the publique stage of his actions, and find his name exceeding precious among honest men, and I can say with the vote of all but Malignants (unto whom he hath been a just terror) that they bless God that ever he came to the North, and do think it was as seasonable and prudential an act to send him to be Governor of Newcastle, as any act of a like nature done by the Parliament, and could heartily wish every Garison had such a Go­vernor, and every Regiment such a Colonel: But Iohn Lilburn, as if he were the Epitome of all Freedom and Liberty, the Centre of all Oppres­sions, [Page 7] the publique and great person against whom onely Treason and Murther can be committed, Presidium, & dulce decus, the safeguard and glory of the Nation, complains, and cries out on Sir Arthur, for but a common, an ordinary act (which yet is most falsly reported) as a Felon, a Murtherer, &c. though all the North rejoyce, and bless God for his presence, and honesty.

But his diligence and industry, his vigilance and interest the last year, when the Scots came in, may well be printed as one great cause of the Preservation of the North, notwithstanding his brother Henry Lil­burn, at the same time, betrayed Tinmouth Castle: His fair and equal carriage and respect to all honest men, though of several judgments, his discountenancing Malignants, his severe and careful improvement of Sequestrations for the use of the State, make his name more precious to honest men, then all, or any, or a thousand like expressions can to render it unsavory.

But let us follow the Hue and Cry, and see more particularly what the man storms so much for: The Reader may see that the ground of this Hue and Cry is a Letter written from George Lilburn, whom he calls Esquire, that the World may beleeve he hath a Gentleman to his Uncle, though it's well known, before these times, he never had the birth, breeding, nor estate of a Gentleman; his carriage in the Parlia­ment service will be shortly discovered, that if you consider but the Letter à quo, and the Letter ad quem, you will be pretty well satisfied of the ground of the Pamphlet; a suspected and guilty Uncle writes to a discontented and malicious Nephew, and between them both they bring forth a Monster called A Hue and Cry: The Uncle is under exa­mination, and like to have strange things proved against him, viz. That he hath been a Malignant formerly, and since he hath profest to be a Parliamenteer, hath cheated the State: And hath now no way left him to make the world beleeve he is honest, but by defaming Sir Ar­thur, before whom most of his Knaveries are already, and are to be heard: And no fitter Instrument for to do it, but John Lilburn, a man of a desperate and lost fortune: Two things he lays to Sir Arthurs Charge, as heinous and unpardonable Crimes; First, That he hath Feloniously robbed him of between twenty four and twenty five hundred pounds. Secondly, That he hath brib'd false witnesses to take away his life. For proof of the first, page 3. he saith, He cannot but won­der upon what pretence Sir Arthur Haslerig and Colonel George Fen­wick, and the rest of the Committee at Newcastle, can seize upon his [Page 8] Estate in the hands of Sir Henry Bellingham and Thomas Bowes, and stop his Rents due from Sir Henry Gibb his hands, to the full value of betwixt twenty four and twenty five hundred pounds: So that it is most apparent by his own exprrssion, That if any thing was done, it was not by Sir Arthur alone, but by the whole Committee: He saith, That they have stopped Rents, due to him from Sir Hen: Gibb his hands, to the value of about twenty four or twenty five hundred pounds.

In answer to that, the Order of Parliament commanded, That all Delinquents Rents, not excepted from Pardon, and Papists, should be stayed in the Tenants hands till the first of September last; and this Letter of Lilburns bears date the 18. of August: So that then both Bellinghams, Bowes, and Gibbs Rents were all stayd by Authority of Parliament, and not by Sir Arthurs arbitrary tyrannical will and pow­er; But to obey Orders of Parliament is Felony in John Lilburns Law: And for Lilburns estate, seized by Sir Arthur, in the hands of Sir Henry Bellingham and Thomas Bowes, they have both made their Compositions; the Moyety of Bowes Fine came to Two hundred pounds, which was payd into the Treasury; the Moyety of Sir Henry Bellinghams Composition, for his Lands in Bishoprick (which did onely concern John Lilburn) was about One pound; and his chief Estate being in Westmerland, Mr Richard Lilburn, Father to John, and one of the Committee, gave his free consent, and was very well contented, that the Committee of Westmerland should receive that first Moyety due to his Son John, and that Sir Henry Bellingham should pay the Moyety of his whole Fine to the Committee of Westmerland, for the speedy disbanding of their Horse; So that there was but onely Thomas Bowes Two hundred pounds, either of Rent or Composition-money, due to John Lilburn, that came into the Treasury; and Mr Richard Lilburn complaining to the Committee of his Sons great wants, and necessities, and desiring maintenance for him, being in prison, and re­lating his sad affliction by the sickness of his Wife, and death of some of his Children, and infection amongst the rest, the Committee gave an Order to his Father for the receiving of that Two hundred pounds, which accordingly was payd him, and no doubt John Lilburn received it long since, the Order being granted before his Letter bears date: And thus you see, not one penny, either of Rents or Composition-mo­neys belonging to John Lilburn, was before the 18. of August remain­ing in the Treasury, neither is there, as yet, one penny of his money payd in; Let all honest men therefore judg whether Sir Arthur Haslerig has [Page 9] robbed John Lilburn of between Twenty four and Twenty five hun­dred pounds, and whether Sir Arthur Haslerig deserves, or, as John Lilburn prints, may, or ought, to be knocked in the head, as a Polecat, Fox, Wolf. What humor and desperate fury possest the man that he thus foams out his own shame? You see he hath perfectly learnt Ma­chiavils great Principle of wickedness, Calumniare audacter aliquid haerebit; Slander to purpose, something will stick: But enough of that.

For the proofs of Lilburns second Charge of Sir Arthur, bribing false witnesses to take away his life, and to murther him, it is in pag. 7. because he was one of his unjust Judges that, for nothing, committed him: This needs no large Answer; It is notoriously known the Par­liament committed him for High Treason, and his Pamphlets do suffi­ciently declare their grounds; and surely such stuff was never written and published against any State, or Supream Authority of any Nation, and the Author most audaciously to justifie it.

For his second proof he prints a story of one William Blank, this William Blank, about the 13. of April last, came to the door, where the Councel of State then sate, and delivered a Paper to Mr Frost the Secretary, wherein he informed, That one Sir Peter Rocket a French­man was in London, and contriving a most dangerous Design against the Publique, and that the said Sir Peter Rocket had been in London the year before, stirring up the Citizens to rise in arms about the time of the siege at Colchester, and that divers Citizens and Apprentices were combined with him. After the Information was read, the Coun­cel of State appointed Lievt. General Cromwel and Sir Arthur Hasle­rig to speak with Blank, from time to time, for discovery of that de­sign, and before that day Sir Arthur never saw him, nor heard of him: Blank thereupon went to the Lievt. Generals house, and finding his employments so great that he could not often speak with him, went to Sir Arthur Haslerig, and told him, that two of Mr Rushworths, the Lord Generals Secretaries servants were in the Plot against the State, and named divers Merchants of quality in the City, and told of their Meetings, Debates and Resolutions in several places, both in City and Country, and that himself was present at their Meetings, and heard their Debates, and saw such & such men at those Meetings, and at last, that the Resolution was the surprizing the General, the taking of the President of the Councel of State, the Speaker of the Parliament, L. Gen. Crom­wel, & divers of the chief Officers of the Army, and to destroy them and others; And that this way was carryed on by a Committee, half of John [Page 10] Lilburns party, and half of the Kings party, and that they were all under an engagement by oath, and named some members of one Mr Lambs Church, and then told the appointed day when it should be put in execution, which was about the 24 of April: Blank spoke not a word to Sir Arthur, but he made him to set it down with his own hand, and put his name to it, and kept a Diary of all his Informations, from the time he came first to the Councel of State, to the 24. of April, the time when the Plot should have been acted; and Blank gave the rea­son why that 24. day should be the day, because that then such Offi­cers were to be both at the Lord Generals house, and upon the Guards, as were privy to the Designs: Then Sir Arthur, with the advice of the Lievt. General, acquainted Commissary General Ireton with it, the day growing very neer when the Plot should be effected; and that very night, as Blank informed, the Malignants should rise upon the winding of a Horn. Sir Arthur carryed Blank to Commissary General Ireton at S. James's, and He, and Colonel Pride, and some other Officers, marvelling at Blanks confident speeches concerning the Design, and examining him in all his Papers, he affirming that these things were true, they presently apprehended two of Mr Rushworths Servants, and they were brought to S. James's face to face before Blank, they denyed their ever seeing him, or being at any such place as he mentioned, and he affirmed, and they denyed; Commissary Ge­neral Ireton and Colonel Pride then took care of the chief Officers of the Guard, and sent some Officers with Blank to apprehend some of the Citizens, viz. George Almoner, William Seubal, John Arrow­smith, James, Eddington, whom they found in their houses, and in bed; and they brought them about one a clock in the night to S. Iames's: when they came, it appeared they were the Parliaments very good friends, and all the Informations that Blank had given, were all false, and had not the least colour or shadow of truth in them; and Blank did before their faces acknowledg, that what he had set under his hand was false, and that he had never seen them at any such Meetings: The Gentlemen having seen the Reason, why they were sent for, and say­ing that Blank was a very naughty young fellow, and they knew both him and his Father, returned to their houses, and the Commissary General and Colonel Pride kept Blank and the said Eddington, which Blank said was Sir Peter Rockets Servant, for a further discovery of the truth: Then it being between two or three in the morning, Sir Arthur Haslerig went from S. James's to his Lodging, and never since that time ever saw Blank, or heard from him; neither did he, at [Page 11] any time, give him any money, or promise of money; But about two or three days after, speaking with the Commissary General, he told Sir Arthur, that what ever Blank had said or written, were lyes, and that Blank was adjudged to run the Gantlope, and surely if he were not well whipt, the Souldiers deserve to be blamed; and whereas Lilburn says, he was no Souldier, it will be affirmed on Oath, that Blank confest to an Officer of the Army, that he was of Col. Hortons Regiment of Horse, and that of the Colonels own Troop, and that his horse stood at Sawpots the Kings-head in Grays-in-lane, and desired a Certificate to Col: Horton to excuse his absence from the Troop: Then Sir Arthur hearing that after he had run the Gantlope, he went to the Tower to Iohn Lilburn, and thereupon Lilburn began to blazon these false re­ports that he hath since printed. Sir Arthur being to go into the North, delivered all Blanks Informations, with his own hand, and signed with his own name, to Mr Iohn Price at the Exchange, entreating him to publish the truth of that story, if need required: And thus you see how guilty Sir Arthur is of murther, in conspiring to take away his life; but the man hath got Cains spirit, and is afraid that every man that sees him will destroy him; see what it is to have a guilty conscience.

But his fear yet encreases, and page 9. relates a long story of one Tho­mas Varney, which Sir Arthur imployed to entrap him, and so to take away his life.

As for this Varney Sir Arthur verily thinks he never saw him, unless it should be one Varney that was son to the Marshal that was killed at Edg-hill, that was a Trooper under him, and ran to the Enemy when he was in the West; if that be the man, he hath not seen him, nor spoke with him, nor heard from him this five or six years; if it be not the man, he knows neither first nor last any thing of him, nor the design, be­fore he saw it in Lilburns Pamphlet. Parturiunt montes; What is become of all these high and great expressions? Do not you think, Rea­ders, that Sir Arthur Haslerig is a man not fit for humane society, that he deserves death more then the Earl of Strafford, and may be knocked in the head, like a Polecat? &c. I need make no Application.

There is one additional Charge yet which I will but name, that is, That Sir Arthur was none of the Committee, and his Uncle George thinks the same, whereas Sir Arthur Haslerig was authorized by the Parliament to sit in all Commissions and Committees in the four Nor­thern Counties, and it's happy for the Bishoprick he is one, else his Uncle would play as mad pranks there as Iohn doth above.

You now see, Reader, the picture of Iohn Lilburn, what a fair and [Page 12] lovely aspect he casts upon honest men, what a precious savour flows from his Pen, how worthy this man is to live among humane society, or to model States and Governments, that makes no conscience of tra­ducing, scandalizing, lying; what desperate and dangerous principles he acts upon, holding private murther, in revenge, to be lawful, esteeming the life of an honest man, if but dissenting from him, or doing him any particular wrong, to be no more then the life of a beast of prey; and if these be his serious thoughts in cold blood (if you can imagine him to be at any time in a cool & sober temper) what may he not attempt to do in his raging raptures? It maybe very probably expected, that he which hath given such a licence to his Pen to vent his malice, may let loose his hands to do some such horrible act as private, and wilful murther, that he may confirm by his practise what he entertains as his principle; and it's just with God that these which make lyes their refuge, should make destruction their end.

But to come more specially to a review of the great Charge, and con­sider the damages between Sir Arthur and Iohn Lilburn, he chargeth him with robbing of him of 24 or 2500 l. which you see is every word of it false, with endeavouring to take away his life, which you see is a lye: But what recompence may Sir Arthur Haslerig demand? nay, what recompence can Iohn Lilburn give to him, and the other Gentle­man, (considering the disproportion of the persons,) who hath endea­voured to stretch the utmost limits of malice, to blast their reputations, and take their good names from them, which Solomon professeth in Prov. 22.1. is better, and rather to be chosen then great riches? What is rob'd and stoln from me, may be made up again seven-fold; but my name, that, is like a glass, that holds some precious liquor, once broken, can hardly ever be made up again in that beauty and firmness as it was before: A good name it's the perfume of noble spirits and actions, without which men stink as they walk in the world, and is the only re­ward in this world of vertue and prowess, by this men live when they dye, and are famous to eternity. What a Cannibal is this Lilburn then? And what a ravenous spirit hath he, that nothing but the ruine of the honour and good names of the most deserving men can content his ma­lice? What is Lilburns 24 or 2500 l. to make up such a breach? But the man is sensible of no dishonour himself, his person or fortunes being never yet capable of any.

The Romans were so sensible of the names of the Citizens or Free­men of Rome, that they made special Laws, with most severe punish­ments, against Libellers, or any that should write Pamphlets to defame [Page 13] any Free-man, or take away his good report, Cicero lib. 4. de repub: flagitium capital esto, Let it be a capital offence, that is as he ex­pounds it, quod capitis poena luitur, which shall endanger a mans head, but publikely to defame any man, without legal conviction.

And in paudectis ex ulpiano, he that shall write to defame and scan­dalize a Citizen, whether without name, or in the name of another, or by his own name, Intestabilis ex lege esse jubetur, that was the character the Law gave him, (that is) qui nec testamentum facere potest, nec ad testimonium adheberi testis, was never to be beleeved more in what­ever he said, nor his testimony ever more to be credited: And Horace observing the same Law and Sentence, Intestabilis dixit pro detestabili, a man detestible, and to be abominated by all men of any honesty or in­tegrity; and that the world may further see the hainousness of this Crime, the Graecians (as Budeus observes in his Commentaries) were wont to call the same men ( [...]) velut fortunis omnibus aversi, civi­lia jura non retinebant, men forsaken of all fortunes, that keep to no civil Rule or Law, as banished, and dissolute men, that enjoy nothing, and care to live by no rule but their lust, presidii legum exortes, out of protection of Law and Justice, and yet he gives a further description in the same place of those men, ( [...]) dicti fuerunt, [...], men of dishonour, that act wickedly, and talk wickedly, to whom no respect, nor esteem is to be given on any terms. You see how libelling was resented among the wisest and best governed States and King­doms; and doubtless the Laws of England are not defective, as to this offence. Murther and slander seem of a like hainous nature; yea, slan­der to an ingenious and raised spirit, seems the greater misery; many would rather choose to dye, then to live basely: Murther to an honest man, is rather the sin of the murtherer, then the hurt of the person, he being better provided for; but slander kills the man, while he lives, and without any hope of reparation; the death it self of the libeller cannot make up the loss, for when he is gone, the man that lives under that re­proach, suffers a dayly Martyrdom, and lives as a forlorn and dead man, without love or respect, telluris inutile pondus, as the burthen and mi­sery of the earth.

What a sentence then of Condemnation would be past on this man, if he had his due? How will his name rot to posterity, who hath so unchristianlike and unworthily slandered these two Gentlemen? As I dare say, never any were by the most horrid and wretched tongue in the world, yea the very language of Bedlam and Billingsgate is smooth and comely to his expressions.

But I cannot wonder that his rage is so much against them, seeing the very Churches of Christ (those sacred Bodies and Pillars of Glory) are the butt of his fury, calling Mr John Goodwins Congregation, A knavish Conspiracy: and in other Pamphlets doing the like to other Churches: What will this man come unto? Where will his malice centre? Will it not at last end in trampling on the Gospel, and the Name of Iesus Christ, who doubtless stands in diametrical opposition to his spirit and actions.

And that he may prove himself to be a perfect Ishmaelite, to have his hand against every man, and satisfie his envy at once, he slanders the whole Parliament, Councel of State, Army, calling them Col: Prides Iunto, a mock Parliament, a company of Theeves, Robbers, with a thou­sand such like Monsters, and, which is intolerable, glories in this his shame; never was any State so publikely affronted by such a pedantique Pamphleter, and yet so patient and indulgent to him; yet though he denies their Authority, and professeth contempt against them, as no Parliament, this Gentleman, upon an Agreement of the People (that grant Idol of the Levellers) though it were but of the thousand part of them, and consisting only of a few Apprentices, and Bankrupts, and men of inconsiderable interest in the Commonwealth, could be content­ed not only to purge but dissolve this Parliament, and choose whom they pleased, and have put the stamp of the Supream Authority of this Nation on it. It's well known, that there are far more of all sorts that have heartily and freely consented to this present Authority, then ever would have done on such an Agreement of the People, (according to his model,) in which there was such Popular Principles, such a loose and licentious Liberty, to be given to all sorts of wicked Blasphemies and Opinions, that all godly and consciencious men abominate; if the Army would have agreed with him, and two or three more Mechanick Levellers, though neither Presbyterian nor Independent, neither one party nor other, but themselves had consented to it, they would have (if they had power) subjected all mens judgments and consciences to it, and have cry'd it up for the first Parliament of Freedom & Liberty that ever England enjoyed: And had that party prevailed against the Army, which mutinied of late, and gathered a Head at Burford and Oxford, we should have soon seen what a Parliament and Councel of State we should have been blessed with: And this very Parliament, in its illegal estate, yea, the Councel of State it self, if it had but Iohn Lil­burns hands layd on it, should be the Supream Authority in a moment. But what need all this spending of paper and words on him, who is re­solved [Page 15] to dy a royal death with the King, and end his days like a Ma­lignant, denying the authority of these, who found a just power of con­demning him. The Government is now happily changed, both by the Principles of Reason, Necessity, and Conveniency: If guilty persons hate the Authority by which they must be condemned, I shall not won­der: For Iohn Lilburn, I know his nature is onely disposed to opposi­tion, and no Government whatever shall be appointed, without that wherein he might be Supream, but he would cry it down as illegal and tyrannical. But if he thinks to dye a Martyr, in opposing this present Government, I shall not envy him the glory to be canoniz'd with King Charls in the Malignant and Popish Kalender. I shall say no more as to this, but leave him to the righteous execution of their Power, whom he denies to have Authority.

And whereas he still pleads to be tryed by the known Laws of the Land, you may see he is put to his shifts; when he fought against the King, he could finde a distinction between the sence of the Law, and intent of it, and the letter; and now he is come to be tryed by the Parliament, he flies to the letter of these Laws, by which he could not, without Treason, fight against the King; but any thing to scape the Gallows: Had he stood to every Statute Law formerly, where had John Lilburn been? Nay, did not John Lilburn justly deserve all those whips and scourges, by the letter of some Laws then in force? Parti­cular Laws are made according to particular occasions & conveniencies, and bind not ad semper, especially no occasional Statutes can binde up the hands of the Legislators; the Parliament being the Representa­tive of the People, are the Supream Authority, and what they enact, or do, in the time of their Session, is to be accounted as absolute a Law (at least as long as they shall think fit to continue it) as any other Law made by former Parliaments; and to tye the Supream Authority to former presidents, is all one as to give Laws to the Legislators. And whereas John Lilburn will have the Parliament, both now, and for­merly, to follow the form of every common Statute in making an Or­der for his imprisonment, it is as much as to say, that the Parliament hath not power to repeal, or, as they see occasion, to suspend the exe­cution, or alter the form of any Statute; or that their Orders, in the time of their Session, though but occasionally made, and pro tempore, according as they see necessity or conveniency, are not as legal and just, and to be obeyed, as these Statutes which other Parliaments made on the sight of the same convenience, or reason: But there is no doubt but they have Laws enough to prove John Lilburn a Traytor, and a man [Page 16] which deserves the last punishment; But if there should be a defect of any express President, or Law, whereby he may be punished, it's be­cause he hath gone beyond the common strain of former offendors, and is without president and example in his miscarriages; and no Parlia­ment could ever imagine, there would any man be so quite destitute of the Law of Nature, as to abuse himself, and affront Authority so im­pudently, as he hath done; But new sins must have new punishments: Some must be made examples now, as well as others formerly. It was the Earl of Straffords plea, there was no Law and president for his cen­sure, who acted it better then John Lilburn, and yet Iohn was one of the Apprentices that cried out for Justice, which was legally executed then; And the King denyed the Authority of the High Court of Iustice, and yet justly lost his Head: Let Iohn Lilburn take heed next, The Parli­ament hath made a Law, and it's published, That who ever shall speak against the present Government, or for the title of Prince Charls to the Crown, shall be punished as a Traytor; How far the Gentleman hath sin'd against this known Law, he may shortly know.

I have now done with his terrible and hyperbolical Charges, though it seems he means never to have done, for he stiles his last Pamphlet but A Preparative to a Hue and Cry, and in the latter end of his Prepa­rative, calls for more fuel to the fire, commanding his Uncle (as if he were the god of this world) to send up to him intelligence what Sir Arthur Haslerig doth, and Let me know, saith he, if he do not this, and that, professing he will not abate him an ace, be it true or false, which he can but scrape out of any Malignant Letters concerning him; But I hope by this time all sober and honest men know what use to put his Pamphlets unto hereafter: And to those that have a minde to buy a shillingworth of lyes to carry in their pockets against they shall finde use of them, or would learn the art of railing and slandering most exactly, I shall commend the buying of Lievt. Col. John Lilburns Pamphlets, and reading of them with the most care and diligence that they can afford; For my part, my stomack is full, I shall onely desire these two Gentlemen, that are thus the objects of his revenge, That though your Names and Honors are untainted, and shine clear through the cloud of his Calumnies, yet you would make this advantage of it, and so honestly cheat him of his hopes, to spur you on to more gallant and brave actions, and to improve your Interest for the advancing Re­ligion, and the Power of Godliness in this Nation, as well as Civil Freedom and Liberty, then shall your names be written in Brass or Marble, to posterity, as they are, and will be, in the hearts of godly and consciencious men, when John Lilburns shall be written in the dust.

I expect another Hue and Cry after me shortly; But I intend to foul my hands no more with him; but leave the discreet Reader to judg, and bestow what Faith and Charity he hath to spare upon his former and ensuing Pamphlets.