maintaine the English peoples Lawes and liberties as being not able nor judgeing his conquest so good just and secure a plea to hold his new-gat crowne by „ as an after mutuall compact or Agreement with the People or their representatives „ over whom he was to rule And therfore as the Lord Cooke in the foresaid Chapter page the 12 declares „ a Parliament or a kind of one was held even in the Conquerors time „ See also to this purpoose the Lawbooke of the 21 of Edward the 3 solio the 60 and „ the first part of the Lord Cookes Institutes „ lib 2. Chap. 10. Section 164. fol 110. a. and came to be more Frequently used in his Successors time „ yea even to be once in two yeares in Edward the 1 or 2 his time „ at which notwithstanding the people then grumbled as being an absolute abridgement of their ancient and undoubted libertie ‚ to meet more frequently in their nationall and public assemblies „ to treat and conclude of things for their weale better being The want of which in ancient time ‚ lost the Island of Brittanie to the Romans „ as the said Lord Cooke declares in the said 4 part of his Institutes folio 9 out of Tacitus in the life of Agricola page 306. whereupon it was enacted in full Parliament in Edward the third his time that the King who was the Peoples Officer of trust „ should assemble call the People together in Parliament once every yeare or oftner if need required „ as appeares by the statute of the 4 of Edward the 3 Chapter the 14. But because this was not constantly used by that King but that sometimes he made intervalls of three or sower yeares betwixt Parliament Parliament which was still a diminution of the very Soule and Life of all the Peoples liberties vide â—icet Frequent Often new Parliaments therfore in the 36 yeare of his raigne annuall Parliaments are provided In these very words Item for maintenance of the said articles statutes and redress of divers mischeifs greivances whieh daily happen a Parliament shall be holden every yeare as another time was ordained by a statute of the fourth of Edward the third Chapter the 14. and though in after ages it hath many times bin otherwise practised yet the statutes being still in force the parliaments answer to the King in the booke of Declarations pag 709 holds good that the practise is noe argument against the right But the late King Charles exceedingly faileing to put these Lawes in execution in the Frequent calling of Parliaments also when he had called them dissolved them at his pleasure so made them useles to the Nation Both which the Parliament most notably declared was against his trust in their Declaration of November the 2 1642. first part of the booke of their Declarations page 70 702 709 c. of which the Parliament most bitterly complained in their first Remonstrance Booke of Declarations Part 1 page 5 6 11 in page 10 11 ibidem they positively declare that his destroying of those two grand Freedomes of the People videlicet frequent new successive Parliaments free debates therein had corrupted and distempered the whole frame government of the Nation brought in nothing but destruction waies of tyranny For the preventing of which for the future the Parliament got an Act to pass in the 16 yeare of the late King which was the first yeare of this long-lived Parliament to confirme every tittle of the two fore mentioned acts for annuall Parliaments further in that act they say thus that whereas it is by experience found that the not holding of Parliaments according to the two forementioned acts hath produced sundry great mischeifes inconveniencyes to the Kings Majesty the Church comment weale for the prevention of the like mischeifs inconveniencyes for the time to come be it enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty with the consent of the Lords Spirituall and temporall and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled that the said last Forementioned Lawes statutes be from henceforth duly keps and observed And most excellent worthy to be written in Letters of gold were and are those arguments that the Lord George Digby though since a Cavalier used in his public speech in the house of Commons January 19 1640 at and for the passing of the last forementioned Law which speech of his is recorded in a printed booke called speeches passages of Parliament page 12 13 to page 21. And hath not the PRESENT GENERALL in his verball expressions confirmed all these things as most righteous and just for was it not hee or his sonn in law IRETON lately deceased that drew that excellent declaration of the Army dated Iune the 14 1647 printed and published in the booke of their Declarations page 41 42 43 where they positively declare that they were so farr from designeing or complying to have an arbitary power fixed or setled for continuance in any persons whatsoever as that say they if we might be sure to obteine it we cannot wish to have it so in the persons of any whom we could most confide in or who should appeare most of our owne opinions and principles or whom we might have most personal assurance of or Interest in but we doe shall much rather wish that the authority of this Nation in Parliaments rightly constituted that is „ freely equally successively chosen „ according to their originall intention may ever stand have its course therfore we shall applie our selves cheifly to such things as by haveing Parliaments settled in such a right constitution may give most hopes of justice righteousnes to flow downe equally to all in that its ancient channel without any overtures tending either to overthrow that foundation of order government in this Kingdome or to engross that power for perpetuity into the hands of any particular persons or partie whatsoever And for that purpose though as we have found it doubted by many men minding sincerely the public good but not weighing so sully all consequences of things it may and is not unlike to prove that upon the ending of this ParliameÌ„t the election of a new the Constitution of succeeding Parliaments as to the persons elected may prove for the worse many waies yet since neither in the present purgeing of this Parliament nor in the Election of new we cannot promise to our selves or the Kingdome an assurance of justice or other positive good from the hands of men but those who for the present appeare most righteous most for common good „ haveing an unlimited power fixed in them for life or pleasure „ in time may become corrupt or settle into parties or factions „ or on the other side in case of new Elections those that should so succeed may prove as bad or worse then the former „ We therfore humbly conceive that „
knave to be a spy at Middelborow who now is forced to fly to Westminster for Shelter and render him uncapable to receive any more bills of exchange from Mr. Thomas Scot for the paying him his sallery to inable him to drinke drunke night and day to feast whore it swear rant it and domineer rather like a bedlam then a man or to send one of his sluts over to give Mr. Scot if he want it a tast of hir which kind of flesh is notoriously at Westminster knowne he loves as well as Oxford doth as well as to convey his intelligence over and to solicet him if he ly not in sicke of the French Pox to procure him a passe to come over and to meet him at Graves-end or Dover c. and to discourse with him for setling all his affairs And yet my Lord this is not all but that which is the highest of aggrevations is that all this that is done unto me and principally by your selfe is inflicted upon me without I doe avow it and upon my life dare ingage to make it good all shaddow of ground cause provocation or cullour of law or Justice For alas my Lord I was at most upon your owne principles but an accessarie and not principal And to inflict a higher and greater punishment upon me then upon Mr. Primat the principall and now to set him at liberty from his imprisonment and to keepe me still in my banishment and under the lash of my foresaid extraordinary great fine where is in England either the Law equity or justice to avow and warrant it And my LORD admit Mr. Primates Petition about which I am banished had bin all false and not proved which yet I avow to the contrary and admit it conteines in it so high things against Sr. ARTHVR HASELRIGE as if proved would have occasioned as great a sentence to him as you have given to me and therefore per legem talionis you have done by me as you have done Truly MY LORD I will joyne yssue with you there if that be your ground as by some of your members while I was in England I understood it was one of your principallest Yet remember you say in your Declarations that the Law of England is the Inheritance and birth-right of the MEANEST MAN therof as well as of the GREATEST and that you are bound in duty and conscience both to God and Man to dispense it EQUALLY to all WITHOUT FAVOUR OR AFFECTION and therfore be but just to me my Lord and I have done with you For your Attorney Generall PRIDEAUX that unbrac't Drum that makes a great sound noyse without any tune or harmony accused INDICTED me of high-treason and had 〈◊〉 tryed before about 40 judges at Guildhall London in October 1649 for my life therefore and if he had proved it against me I must have died therfore as a traytor and have forfeited all my estate And therfore by your owne rule and your owne Law of proceedings with me in my present case because he accused me could not prove it „ he ought to be hanged therefore and to forfeit 4 parts of 7 of his estate to me „ which when I was at London by common repute he was judged by his Land Postmaster-Generall-ship attorney Generall-ship and the most vast fees that he being a Parliament man OF AN UNACCOUNTABLE PARLIAMENT and thereby so great takes to plead all manner of base Causes to the threatening OUT FACEING overaweing both JUDGES Iurors and Lawyers to have incomeing thereby annually about twenty thousand pounds Although a few yeares agoe since this eternall Parliaments first sitting I could never heare he was judged to be worth two hundred Pounds per annum Now I say my Lord performe this to me I will pay you my seven-thousand-pound fine without any more to doe But besides remember also were not you My Lord at Darby-house in Cheynel-row with the Councel of State upon the 28 of March 1649 the cheife man to mannage an accusation of high-treason against me and got me committed therefore The Narrative of which in breife is conteined in the 8 9 10 11 12 pages of the second edition of the Picture of the Councel of State printed at London 1649. and yet when it came to the yssue there could never one word of it be proved all though I lay prisoner in the Tower almost a yeare there upon and therfore by your owne rule and law of proceedings with me ought not you your selfe my Lord to be HANGED therefore and to forfeit 4 parts of seven of your great estate to me therefore For shame my LORD once in your life learne to be just and remember what you said against Mr. Herbert the Kings attorney Generall in the Case of the LORD KIMBOLTON and the 5 MEMBERS 1 part of the booke of the Parliaments Declarations page 52 53 101 123 201 203 208 210 278 459 660 and give me not too much cause to picture-draw you so that all the artificial or pensil-limners in the world SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO COMPARE WITH IT You know I have a quick sharpe pen My Lord and therefore give me not cause to challenge you or any of your Champions to draw into a short Epitomy or into a larger charge all that evill that in your owne thoughts you can colourably imagine the Buyshops Starr-chamber Counsell-table High-commission or any persons therein were guilty of nay or any persons since their downe-fall by you executed for the highest of treasons tyrannyes oppressions were guilty of yet comparatis comparandis for me to aver that you outstrip them all and in particulars to undertake upon my life to make it good and that those sayings of God by the Prophet Ezekiel chap 16 48 51 52 mentioned on the Title-page may as truly and as justly be verified of you as they were of Iudah or Ierusalem that you have outstrip't comparatis comparandis all those whome you your selfe count the most wicked men that you have pulled downe „ and thereby have done in actions as much as in you lies to justifie all their wickednes „ that in words you have condemned And besides my Lord what faith what truth what honesty can be imagined to be in that man or that generation of men that by a constant series of his or their actions visiby and apparently declare he or they hold it lawfull to commit any manner of wickednes basenes whatsoever that can be named under the sunn for the accomplishment of his or their proposed end whether in it selfe it be wicked or righteous yea to cheat breake faith with and murther the nighest relations a man can converse with when they cross his ends Yea for that end onely to raise warrs upon warrs to the devastation of Kingdomes Nations The gulled cheated abused peoples lives really truly being of no more value with him or them then so many dead doggs serving him or them for no
other end but to be his foote-steps to climbe up to the top of absolute and arbitrary Power pretended Authority or unlimited unbounded Kingship And that you my Lord particularly are the man that is guiltie of all this in my judgement and apprehension your owne quondam darling „ and heart-indeared heart secret-knowing Freind the Major of your owne Regiment of Horse Robert Huntington „ in his printed impeachment of you delivered to both house of Parliament against you the 2 of August 1648 hath punctually declared it which impeachment is reprinted in the 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 pages of that Booke for makeing of which I was arraigned for a Traitor at Guildhall October 1649 being intituled An Impeachment of high-Treason against Oliver Cromwell c. and for which Impeachment of his I could never heare that you endeavoured so much as publicly to question him therfore or to put forth a vindication against it Which may well get beleife in un-biased men that you acknowledge all that he hath there said against you to be true And as much as I have said of him and his Impeachment may be said of the Authors of those thre notable bookes and of the bookes themselves called PUTNEY-PROIECTS The LEVELLERS vindicated being the stated case of the late TREACHEROUSLY defeated BVRFORD troopes and the HVE-AND-CRIE of the young men apprentises of London after the lost fundamentall laws liberties of England Vnto which three bookes a great many mens names are set as the avowers justifiers of them and to my knowledge the most of their names are true for I particularly know the most of the men my selfe yet I could never heare that any one of them was so much as questioned for decyfering you there as they have done Although to my knowledge you know some of the men as well as I doe and might severall times since those bookes were writ published as easily have laid your hands upon them to have called them to an account therefore as I can take up the pen inke that I write here with I say laying the forementioned Bookes or discourses together with what followes in this discourse page 13 14 15 to 24 compareing them with your practise I thinke they sufficiently prove you to be the man above mentioned that walks by the Principles of ATHEISME MACHIAVELLSME and holds it lawful to doe any thing in the world that comes in your way that will most serve your turne for the accomplishment of your owne ends be they never so bloodie wicked or tyrannicall But MY LORD you have forced me when I was quiet to come upon the stage againe much against my will and studious indeavours And yet when I did I fairely sought peace with you and sent you in writeing my propositions for peace grounded only upon your owne promises neglecting to insist upon any thing of concernement to my selfe and gave you or your true Freind Mr. William Kiffen to whom I sent it twentie one dayes to returne me an answer at least of his receit thereof all which appeares in the following discourse page 29 30 31. But heareing nothing at all from him and feareing that it is intecepted I am forced to print it The Copie whereof with some small additions thus followeth For my loveing Freind Mr. WILLIAM KIFFIN merchant at his House in Dukes-place London these with hast post hast to be communicated to his Excellency the Lord Generall Cromwell c. Mr. KIFFIN YOu and I have bin long acquainted ād have had much converse together although you were in my late troubles before my triall at GVILD-HALL my adversary in print yet not lookeing upon you by your opposition as a man that out of malice designedly laboured to take away my life but rather at a man surprised in your understanding and thereby induced to beleive the plausible arguments of my pretended Religious adversaries as though by my contest with them an undeniable gap was opened to let in them that are commonly called the public adversaries to devoure all and so were against the then season as unfit and dangerous in your apprehension but not against the things themselves held forth by me and my Camerades which you judged just and righteous and sit to be established in due time when that feare was over In which regard that opposition of yours to me I judged most fit to be buryed in the grave and not with any disgust of mind to be remembred And therfore it is that of late some part of that former familiarity that was betwixt us hath bin renewed and since my banishment I find by several Letters from my wife that you have bin very civil and respectfull to her for which I returne you many AND MY HE ARTIEST thankes ONE OF HER LETTERS dated the 2. of Feb last I have answered in print and caused that answer to be published here as well in DVTCH as ENGLISH which I hope before the date herof is reprinted at London againe since which I have received two Letters more from her the maine substance of both of which are to presume with all the mournfull arguments that possibly thee can use to be quiet and to abstaine from printing and Withall she tells me it is the advice of all my Freindes in generall who come continually to her to gather to write to me about it But haveing in my aforesaid printed Epistle given her undeniable reasons WHY I AM COMPELLED TO PRINT which I hope with my former Letters to her will so qualifie and season her Spirit that I may presume now that both my feares are over which were first that I was afraid through sorrow about me and her owne distressed condition as she calls it the should either miscarry of her childe or else secondly that she should be overwhelmed with greife and so her burthen should become too heavie for her to beare But hopeing that both of these dangers are over I must now confess unto you that that little trouble which used formerly to accompany me thorough the hopes hereof is as good as at an end And therfore to you shall I judge it convenient for me and 1 hope no way mischevous to your selfe to answer freindly and resolutely some other clauses in her latter Letters and some clauses in other Letters of some of my Freindes which I have lately received and then positively to tell you without deceit or flattery my future resolutions by the assistance of God on purpose because I know you are great with the GENERALL and I thinke with the NOW LORD-DEPVTY OF YRELAND LAMBERT but I am sure of it with LENTENANT-GENERALL FLEETWOOD and MAIOR-GENERALL HARRISON that you may shew this Letter unto them all being the great sword men of England that so they may lay their heads together obout it if they please and then let God worke his pleasure In a large Letter to my wise of the 13 of February last I told her and
now with comfort and rejoiceing tell you that I bless God that I have this testimony in mine owne Conscience that the Cause for mannageing of which I am bannished did at the first and all along to this very houre doth appeare to my understanding judgement upon the strictest scrutinie betwixt God and mine owne soule that I am able to make to be as righteous and as just a cause as ever was in the World and all so however Mr. HILL THE CHAIR-MAN reported it to the house yet Mr. PRIMATES PETITION was as fully proved before him and the Committee of Parliament in every circumstance of it so far as its capable of proofe saveing that single clause of SIR ARTHVR HASILRIGS holding private correspondence with some of the Commissioners as any puition in the world need to be proved but it was no wonder it went as it did when SIR ARTHVR HASILRIG WITH Mr. HIL THE CHAIRMAN WITHOVT A THIRD MAN DREW VP THE GREATEST PART OF THE REPORT IN THE SPEAKERS CHAMBER WHILE THE HOVSE WAS SITTING as one that tooke them at it told we with his owne tongue Which report we were never permitted to see nor none for us nor to heare red although we earnestly intreated for it and by importunity endeavoured it And besides I am confident of it there was not three men that judged the cause in the House that ever at the Committee were constant hearers of it from the beginning to the end And by what I have heard from Parliament men that were at the Committee severall daies Mr. HILL NEVER REPORTED TO THE HOVSE ONE TENTH PART OF OVR EVIDENCES AS WEE LAID THEM DOWNE BEFORE THE COMMITTEE AND THE SAID Mr. HILL WAS OPENLY IN THE HOVSE TAXED WITH SEVERALL MATERIALL OMISSIONS BY A PERSON OR PERSONS THAT HEARD NOT ONE HALFE OF IT AT THE COMMITTEE And besides when the GENERALL HIMSELFE set his shoulders to the worke with all the might he had in the World to have the sentence so pass and goe on it is unimaginable it could goe otherwise then it did for one THAT IS FAMILIAR WITH HIM AND THAT WISHETH ME WELL TOLD ME IT WAS IN THE GENERALLS HOVSE BY HIM AND A CABAL OF PARLIAMENT MEN AGREED OF TWO OR THREE DAIES BEFORE IT WAS VOTED OR DECLARED IN THE PARLIAMENT And some dayes after it was passed the GENERALL HIMSELFE IN THE OPEN HOVSE as one that heard him told me IN ASPEECH OF HIS DID AVERR AND DECLARE VPON HIS CONSCIENCE THAT THE SENTENCE IT SELFE PASSED AGAINST ME WAS AS HONEST AND AS JVST A SENTENCE AS WAS EVER PASSED BY THAT HOVSE But I doubt not through the assistance of God in a short time to make it clearly and evidently to appeare in every circumstance that it is the MOST VNJVST ILLEGAL AND VNRIGHTEOVS SENTENCE THAT EVER WAS passed by any authority or power in the World that ever professed to governe by Lawe As in abundance of their declarations they have professed before God and the World they ought and would doe But at the present I shall only trouble you with one instance and that in a short Declaration of theirs intitled a Declaration of the Parliament of England for maintainning the fundamental Lawes of this Nation dated Feb. 9. 1648. made by them since they tooke of the Kings head declaredly for Tyrannie Oppression and and exerciseing an Arbitrary power in which they positively declare that they are fully resolved to maintaine shall will uphold preserve and keepe the fundamentale Lawes of this Nation for and concerning the preservation of the lives properties and Liberties of the people with all things incident thereunto with the alterations touching Kings and House of Lords allready resolved in this present Parliament for the good of the People Which short declaration of theirs is fully backed by them with a larger delaration made the 17 of March after And although there be an absolute necessity that lies upon me as speedily as I can to goe to the press with such a thing yet in what I write or print by the assistance of God all mighty I shall keepe within the bounds of a Christian THAT VALVES HIS PEACE WITH GOD ABOVE ALL EARTHLY TREASVRES IN THE WORLD and of a rationall man THAT HATH PRINCIPLES OF FREEDOME AND JVSTICE INGRAFTED IN HIM THAT HE WILL NOT BALKE OR CHANGE FOR ALL THE FEARES OF ALL THE DEATHS IN THE EARTH and of an English-man THAT LOVES HIS NATIVE COVNTRIE ABOVE ALL OTHER COVNTRIES IN THE WORLD and in a great measure hath the sense of his duty in acting towards its Freedome and wellfare INGRAVEN VPON HIS VERY HEART and as a discreet man THAT WILL NOT MEDDLE WITH THE NATIONS AFFAIRES OR GOVERNMENT WHERE HE SOIOURNES OR DOE ANY THING TO THE UTMOST OF HIS POWER THAT MAY GIVE THE LEAST DISCONTENT TO THOSE MAGISTRATES UNDER WHOSE PROTECTION IN HIS BANNISHMENT HE LIVES And besides I bless God I have both publicly and privately walked in all peace quietues and uprigtnes towards the General and Parliament since I owned their authority and neither directly nor indirestly medled with them to give them the least offence or to occasion in them the least cause of jealousy of me for undermineing or endeavouring to undermine their power and authority and therfore can I the more glorie and rejoyce under their harsh and cruell dealeing with me BUT THE LORD IS RIGHTOUS AND I AM CONFIDENT WILL SPEEDILY RETURNE IT SEVENFOLD INTO THE BOSOMES of those who were the principal causers of it Judges 1 6 7 and 2 Sam 21 1 2 5 6 14 and 2 Sam 12 31 compared with the 11 of Judges 17 18 19 20 23 27 Ester 7 9 10 and 8 11. and 9 2 3 4 5 15. Isaiah 10 12 13 18. Mat 7 2. Marke 4 24. Luke 6 37 38. Rom 2 3. James 2 12. Revelations 18 6 7 8. But to returne back by my wives Letters I perceive the LORD GENERALL gives a verie unworthy and strange kind of character of me which seemes to worke beleife upon the Spirits of some of my Freinds and further saith that I may thinke my sentence greater then my offence if they did not feare other things by me of which also it seemes some of my Freinds are satisfied In Answer to all which I say its true upon the 28 of March 1649 the present Lord Generall caused me to be fetched out of my bed by a multitude of armed horse and foote and got me sent to the tower for a traitor yet when I came to my triall for my life there was never any thing of that laid unto my charge for which at first I was imprisoned but only actions pretended to be done by me many moneths after my imprisonment when I lay under so many barbarous provocations put upon me by the Generall and his confederates AS HAD BIN SVFFICIENT according to Solomons saying TO MAKE A WISE MAN MAD. But how just it was to goe about to take away my life upon that score I leave you
as they have measured unto others Judges 1 6 7. Matth 7 2 Marke 4 24. Luke 6 37 38. Rom 2 1. and therfore upon the Principles of Machiavel they count it necessary to bespatter me and load me with that which though in it selfe never so false yet they beleive and hope may make me loose mine Interest in England which I have in the affections of thousands of mine honest and indeared Freinds there Who I know doe looke upon me as a single-hearted honest just plaine-spoken English-man that hath bin valiaunt and couragious for the regaining and preserveing their Freedomes and liberties though accompanied with frailties and infirmities which all yea the best of the sonns of men are subject to And if they could make me loose mine Interest with mine honest Freinds I were then but single Iohn Lilburne nothing at all considerable either to be loved or feared in hopes and confidence to preserve which I further say If Mr. REYNOLDS by my corresponding with the Prince meane that I did it at any time in the least before I was banished I bid defiance to him and challenge him to instance if he can averring that his accusation is most false Or secondly if he meane that I have corresponded with him since I was bannished then I desire him to explaine what he calls corresponding or else I know not fully how to answer him But this at present I shall say and that in truth and faithfullnes as before the Lord allmighty that knowes my heart and beares witnes to me that I lie not that since the day the Parliament voted my bannishment I have neither writ Letter line or sillabe to the Prince or any about him nor received Letter line or sillabe from him or any about him Neither have I dicttated any Letter or any part of a Letter to him or any about him or appertaineing to him Neither have I heard any Letter red to this very houre that hath bin writt or pretended to be writt to him or any about him It s true since I came to Amsterdam I have bin very much threatened by some of the rudest sort of the Cavaliers first by three of them that came to the lodgeing where I lay the first night where they were very uncivil and debaucht as I am informed and very probably might have done me a mischeif had I then bin there and secondly since that one more of them hath to some English people whom I have cause to trust threatened to ruine and destroy me and others of them and they of some port and quality in the presence of some that are no meane ones and that I know love me intirely have sworne within these few daies most bitterly that I am a spie from CROMWELL and a rogue that deserve to be knockt on the head Laying all which together and those many and strong invitations that I have had to come into some of their companies I have judged the hand and finger of MR. THOMAS SCOT that fellow all most starke rotten with the French-poâ—e and some of his agents or spies have absolutely bin at the bottome of this which to me appears thus I know my walkings as to man are and have bin so upright and just as to man that all my adversaries in England are not able to blemish them and I beleive my adversaries know as much being I know they have allready searched as with a candle into the bottome and secretest of my actions and wayes and therfore know that unless they can in the thoughts of my Freinds blemish me in reference to the Prince whom they have declared a traitor and therfore would be glad they had the least ground in the world to averre me to my Freinds to be apostatised from my principles by corresponding with him or his partie knowing they can have no plausible way in their owne thoughts to keepe my darts of from them and to disenable me to worke out mine owne restauration to the full enjoyment of my native English birth rights but this For if they could but colourably hold out this they would casily by virtue of severall of their acts declare all those traitors that write but a Letter to me or receive but a Letter from me And therfore I beleive MR. SCOT hath by speciall instructions from HIS MASTER THE GENERALL ordered some of his spies that lie in the bosome of the Cavaliers to provoke them to speake big words against me yea and it may be to endeavour to take away my life on purpose to necessitate me through feare to keepe company with them and to grow familiar with them that so they might have some ground to write over to him thereof and therby erne their promised salary from him and write their secrets to him betwixt their inkie lines eather with SACK or the JUICE OF A LIMON according to his common instructions which by holding betwixt him the FIRE he can easily read although a stranger that should intercept his Letters AS PERADVENTURE I OR SOME FOR ME HAVE ALLREADY DONE that knows not his devices could not doe it But Sir not to put a cloake upon things I 'll deale plainly and freely with you I judgeing there was and is such a designe upon me as is before expressed and haveing many invitations to talke with some of the Kings partie least a constant deniall so to doe should give cause to them to conclude and judge me infallibly to be a spie indeed or to be as base and vile as some of them doe imagine me to bee therfore in order to mine owne preservation and that I might not be intrapped nor destroid before I did that in reference to my bannishment that my braine hath allready modellised unto my selfe I have beene of late in severall of their companies and talked my mind rationally and freely to them in justification of MINE OWNE PRINCIPLES and I am consident of it have made as much advantage to my selfe of their discourses with me as any of them can doe of mine And I must consess unto you had I bin formerley addicted to set up the present Scottish Kings Interest yet by my discourseing with them I did find so much ground and reason as quite to discourage me for the future so much as to thinke of any such thing in their way First because I find the KING by their discourse although a man judged by them of parts yet is he not of that Depth of judgement and soliditie as that he dare trust his owne judgement and understanding in the mannagement of any great designe And I am confident that if he trust to the multitude of his Councellours there are some of them men that will talke their minds freely especially to company in a Taverne by meanes of which it is impossible but the Parliaments gold and silver with the helpe of MR. THOMAS SCOTS agents or spies which he hath in all Nations of Europe BUT ESPECIALLY NEARE UNTO THE PRINCE by their intelligence will
be to hard for them all and therby know the bottome of their greatest designes before they be a quarter ripe for execution Secondly because by my discourse with some of them I find that not only the Prince himselfe but his cheisest Councellours are for his comeing in by force and conquest which is a principle I as much hate as any man in the World doth and have given as cleare testimonie against such a Principle and practise in any person what soever as any man upon the face of the earth ever did or durst doe I am confident of it But besides I have professed to be a man of Conscience and one that could die for his principles and never could be threatned from them nor courted out of them by anie persons in the World what soever And it hath bin one of my maine principles and so declared by the constant series of my practise that evil must not be done by any that good may come thereby The Apostle by the Spirit of God haveing concluded the damnation of sach practisers to be just Romanes 3 8. but if I should out of Machiavel or any other Politic Author learne such Principles as to joine with the Prince or any other Interest whatsoever out of a designe of being revenged of my adversaries to conquer the People of England that therby he or any else might rule over them by his will and pleasure I should not only account my selfe one of the greatest murtherers in the World but also one of the basest fellowes that ever breathed upon the face of the earth Knowing very well that none is to rule over the sonns of men by will and pleasure but God only and alone But truly I am afraid my LORD GENERALL CROMWELL HIMSELFE hath really that latitude in his Principles that will easily lead him out and permit him to act such a practise as I dare pawne my head by his actions for many yeares together clearly to evince and Manifest And it may without a speedy reconciliation in short time prove the subject of my pen. And therfore he haveing such Principles within himselfe may judge thereby that I have the like and thereby may be left to as large an elbow-roome as himselfe takes But for disputacions sake at present admit that I am so Yet truly I must tell you I have red Machiavil and the History of the Kings of Israel and of Iudah contained in the Scripture and many other Histories and also within this 15 yeares have seene aboundance of experince even in England it selfe out of all which I cannot see the least ground to draw any manner of inference to induce me to side with a man or Interest of men that are beaten out of all and totally to forsake mine owne Interest among those that live under those that are in possesion of all manner of power and strength or to thinke that ever by a forreign Arme or power of force he can ever probably overturne them Especially considering experience teacheth me assuredly to knowe that his bare attempting and endeavouring of it joines them in England all together in one against him although in many other things they are much divided amongst themselves I am sure of it in Scripture I read that when Absalom had a mind to be King of Israel he did not presently goe about to raise force to obtaine it although he nor none of his interest were ever beaten before but he courted the People and stole away their hearts by observeing to them his Fathers negligence to doe the people right when they came to complaine and handsomely reproveing of it in him by telling the People there was no man deputed by the King to heare them and therfore before the People he wished O THAT HE WERE MADE A JUDGE IN THE LAND that every man that had a suit or cause might come unto him and he would doe them justice and when any man came nigh to doe him obeysance he complemented to the purpose with them and put forth his hand and tooke them and kissed them by meanes of which he rivetted himselfe in the Peoples hearts and affections and in process of time therby he made his Father King David to flie before him 2 Sam 15 1 2 3 4 c. So likewise JEHV for his owne ends could cry out come with me and see my zeale for the Lord 2 Kings 10 16. And as I have red the Scripture so I have seene much experience in England and first I have observed the Parliament by their curious oylie and sweet declarations in reference to the People out-courted and out bid the King who in his stood upon the punctillioes of his prerogative and therby won the hearts of the people from him which proved his ruine And afterward in process of time the independent party or the great men of the Armie served the Presbyter or the Parliament the same trick and therfore Sir had I nothing of God in me but only a graine or two of reason left me I should never side with anie partie in the World in endeavouring the overturning the men that rule in England unles it were a partie that in boones and priviledges did in reference to the People outbid all parties that ever went before them in Just and rationall things and soe to ty their hands that if they would they should not without the apparēt running the hazard of there owne ruine doe any mischeef ād therfore it is that by all the honest and industrious meanes that a laborious or studious man can invent or take will I by the assistance of God preserve my Interest in their owne bowells amongst those honest and gallant men that live amongst them which have held forth that in worth and exellency that in it selfe is good and profitable for all sorts of reasonable men that are not sotts and brute beasts in their understandings that never any held out before them videlicet THE AGREEMENT OF the people DATED MAY THE 1. 1649. And this Interest I shall Increase widen and strenghten as much as possible I can with all persons what soever that will embrace it not doubting but that in the conclusion it will prove like Aarons rod that devoured the rods of all the Egiptian conjurers Exodus the 7 and the 20 „ Swallowing up all Interests into it selfe „ And you may remember when I was indited for my life at Guildhall October 1649 that it was laid unto my charge in the said Inditement as an act of treason that I had held out in print the same thing to the Prince by name the words of which as they were conteined in the inditement yow may read in the first part of the historie of my said tryall page 58 59 60. And I must now acknowledge unto yow that a learned and I am sure of it as honest a judge as ever I knew in England videlicet BARON RIGBY upon a serious discourse with him told me in these verse words that if
would engage if SIR ARTHVR would doe the like THAT MY FREINDS SHOULD ENGAGE THEMSELVES IN A BOND OF 20 THOUSAND POUND FINALLY TO STAND TO HIS JUDGEMENT AND THEREIN TO ACQUIESCE WITHOUT FURTHER STRUGGLEING But he told me his occasions were great many and would not permit him time fully to heare so large a busynes as he was afraid it was Vnto which I replied My Lord Then in the 2d place if your Lordship please to propound this unto Sir Arthur that if he please to choose any two Officers in your Armie of those that hee leaves wee will choose two more Or 3dly if he like better to choose two Members of Parliament wee will choose two more and I will engage my Freinds shall bind themselves in the foresaid bonds to stand to their final judgement provided that wherein they cannot agree that so we may have an end your Lordship shall decide it Vnto which he replied it was so faire as fairer could not be offered by any man in the world and most solemnly engaged himselfe unto me to use his owne words to speake effectually to Arthur about it and at that time tooke of me my printed Booke against SIR ARTHVR and the „ fower unjust commissioners at Haberdashers Hall And promised me seriously to peruse it But although I was often in his way on purpose to waite upon him to receive his commands about it yet I never heard more of it from him although this discourse betwixt him and me was many weekes before Mr. Primates appeale to the Parliament Therfore I say considering all these things I must have a care how I trust a twice reconciled Enemy especially one that hath made so many and so glorious transcendent promises to the Nation of England and all sorts of honest Men contained in it as hee hath allready done severall times over as is before truly repeated AND MAKES NO CONSCIENCE AT ALL TO PERFORME ANY ONE OF THEM Yet for peace sake for affections sake to my endeared and poore wise I will the third time now goe as low in my propositions as possible with any safety or imaginable security I can upon the granting of which I will ingage to sit still and write no more against him unless he breake the engagement first And therfore in order to a third reconcilement I propose in the first place that seeing by Common right severall ancient and moderne statute Lawes yet in force the Parliaments and Armies fore-cited Declarations and the Vnanimous confession of all Interests and parties whatsoever a new and successive Parliament once a yeare is the undoubted birthright of the people of England seeing by the GENERALLS owne forementioned Declarations this Parliament THAT NOW IS IS NO PARLIAMENT AT ALL nor upon „ his owne principles never was since he declared and avowed they were traitors to their trust „ which in the yeare 1648 he did as has bin truly before recited and seeing by his and his Armies owne confession as is before truly mentioned there is no other Safe Secure Honest or Iust way to provide for the calling of future parliaments in England but by a „ Popular Agreement signed amongst and by the people that therfore he would immediately declare and give good Cautionary security that within three soure or 5 Moneths time the people of England shall choose and have sitting a new Parliament either upon the principles of our Agreement dated at the Tower of London May 1 1649 or upon the principles of their owne forementioned Agreement delivered by them to the House of Commons upon these conditions I will wave all things concerning my selfe or the Collierie of Harraton or my Freinds related therunto And further to manifest to all the world that my present necessitated and compelled struggleing is not to appropriate to my selfe either Government Rule Domination Riches or Greatnes I will be willing to give my full consent unto it under my hand and seale that an act shall be passed by this present Parliament to make me by name uncapable of being chosen of the next Parliament or bearing any Office in the Common-wealth of England dureing its sitting or comeing into England till it bee sate Now Sir it may be the Generall may be full of Indignation and scorne that such a nothing as my selfe should dare to make such a proposition to him of whom it may truly by reason of his greatnes be said as it is said in the 41 of Job of the LEVIATHAN that when he raiseth up himselfe the mighty are afraid the sword of him that layeth at him cannot hold the speare the dart nor the habergeon He esteemeth iron as straw brass as rotten wood the arrow cannot make him flee sling stones are turned with him into stubble darts are counted as stubble he laugheth at the shakeing of a speare upon earth there is not his like who is made without feare But if the Generall doe rage and scorne at what I say In calmnes I answer him In the first-place with the words of himselfe and his Armie as they are written in the 70 and last page of their grand Remonstrance from St. Albans 16 Novemb 1648 which thus sollowes Wee hope say they that in Age of so much light mere will or resolution will not be held forth or pursued against what has bin said But that what reason or righteousnes there is in the things which we have said will be considered folowed nor let it find prejudice with you meaneing the Parliament from any disdaigne towards those from whom it comes being in the condition of an Armie looked upon as servants under you since servants may speake to their Masters and ought to be heard regarded even when they speake for their owne right only rather when they speake for the good and safety of them they serve but much more when they speake of that wherein they have some joint Interest with them and yet more when those their immediate Masters being themselves also servants and trustees for the benefit of others they speake for the Interest of those for whom they are employed But if the Generall shall hold forth nothing but mere will and resolution against what I have heere said then in the Second place Let me tell both you him I am confident of it very speedily in one Kind or another he will meet with one way or another as bad a portion as hee or they did against whom that Remonstrance was made But thirdly I answeer him in the words of the Scripture Samuel 2. 22 26 27 28 and Chapter 23 2 3. where David speaking of God saith With the mercyfull thou wilt shew they selfe mercyfull with the upright man thou wilt shew thy selfe upright with the pure thou wilt shew thy selfe pure and „ with the froward thou wilt shew thy selfe unsavoury „ and the afflicted people thou wilt save „ but thine eyes are upon the haughtie „ that thou maiest bring them downe And David
build me a wide house and large chambers and cutteth him out windores and it is seeled with cedar and painted with vermilion Shalt thou reigne because thou clothest thy selfe in Cedar did not thy Father eat and drinke and doe judgment and justice and then it was well with him he judged the cause of the poore and the needie then it was well with him was not this to know me saith THE LORD But thine eyes and thine heart are not but for thy Coveteousnes and FOR TO SHED INNOCENT BLOOD and for oppression and for violence to doe it therfore saith the Lord thou shalt be buryed with the buryal of an Asse without lamentation saying AH MY BROTER or AH LORD or AH HIS GLORY Therfore let not the Generall for all his greatnes despise the day of small things For who would have beleived or immagined 10 yeares agoe that Oliver Cromwell a meane private inconsiderable man in comparison should by this day have had 3 Nations at his becke and command for I am sure of it when he I about 10 yeares agoe by the Parliaments authoritie were first made captains my particular Interest in England was soe far beyond his that I could then have easily raised a hundred volenteers to have followed my banner for his one and injoy really a greater power in them then ever any of there most Absolute Kings this 500 yeares had Fiftly I answere that I have heard from travellers that the ELEPHANT which of all the beasts in the world is the most warlike one carrying a Castle able to secure many men upon it's backe and being in many places in the East-Indies soe expert in warr that if an Iron chaine be tyed to its trunke it will with it mowe downe whole rows of men and yet for all this of all the creatures in the world is the most affraid of the little silly contemptible pismire the which if it Creepe up it's trunke and git into it's brains as some tyms they doe the little creature will more mad that great furious strong beast then the shakings of multitudes of speares and the powring of shewers of warlike darts and arrows upon it I wish my LORD GENERALL for his owne sake haveing done soe great things in England as he hath done may seriously consider what he will git at my hands when he hath done the worst he can to me for if I fall I can as I have often through the goodnes of God rise againe but soe can not he for his fall if it come will bee soe great it will breake his necke and I looke upon him as my grand adversary and against great nor small must I now not fight nor contest with to the purpos saveing only himselfe And truly I am apt to thinke how contemptable soever he may Judge me to be that if he force me to it to the utmost nesessitie I shal be able through the strength of almighty God to trouble him as bad as the greatest Army of Cavileers that ever he fought with in his life did and to make his very hartstrings to ake for skin for skin yea all that a man hath will he give for his life But peace with him not only for my owne good but the good and benifit of the whole Nation is the thing I desire from my hart and soule Therefor I will heere presume to advice him as Joab advises David when he had like to have taken in the City of Rabbath and therefore advised him to gather his people together take it in himselfe least he tooke it and it should be called by his name even soe say I a New Parliament is the people of Englands right and the obtaineing of one for them is even at the very doore I am sure of it therfore let my Lord Generall arise and gather his Army about him and effectually and in good earnest revive his or our Agreement and speedily procure thereby a New Parliament for the people which I dare avow infalliby to demonstrate he may as easily freely and safely doe it if he will but say the word as kiss his owne hand I will maintaine it he hath no real dureable safety in the world but in the doeing of it but I thinke Politicus in his notable preambles to his thursday newes-bookes hath already sufficiently cleared that point I say therfore if he will in the hearts of the honest and understanding people of England be esteemed and bee really their darling let him arise and doe it with all his might quickly least I or some other contemptible or unthought of instrument or instruments doe it for the people in despight of him and so run away with the honour of it and have it called by our name For let him remember when the Scots first invaded England in the yeare 1639 by their declareing they came in for to procure the English people their liberties and that they might enjoy a Parliament which they had bin without ten or eleven yeares together they tied the Kings hands behind his back therby and won the Zealous stout English peoples hearts away from him and thereby procured for the English People a Parliament in spight of the teeth of all that opposed it Nay and thereby made the Kings owne Soldiers knock their commanders on the head that were leading them against the said Scots I say no more at present but bid himselfe make the farther application only adding that I am consident of it that hee will be the highlyest esteemed man to the people of England that is in the world that can or shall be an Instrument upon the principles aforesaid to procure a New Parliament for them thereby rationally probably to free deliver them from their unsupportable and un-imaginable oppression bondage and slavery which they are under worse and greater by a thousand degrees then ever it was in the worst of the late Kings times For now I will maintaine it there is no man in England that can rationally or upon any probable grounds call either his land his trade his Estate his life his wife or his children his owne or be sure to enjoy them free from violence one single day to an end And in the multitude of instances I need to give you no more then mine owne which is now upon me For have I done the Generall or the Nation or any particular man in it any wrong oppression or injustice if it be said I have I challenge the sight of my whole charge and a particular declaration that I shall enjoy the benefit of the Petition of right and the Parliaments and Generalls pass freely to come into England „ and there to stay for a time and returne back againe without let or molestation and I doe hereby engage with speed to meet by Gods assistance the greatest and stoutest adversary that I have in England there at the barr of iustice And I am sure if they can legally prove me guilty of any wickednes or oppression
acted upon but the meanest man in England my reputation is gone and then all my Interest in that nation is not worth a groat So that afterward the Generall need not in the least to be afraid of any thing that I can say or doe against him For then it would signifie no more then the wind that blowes Sir to draw towards a Conclusion As the Generall used to give his earthly Lords Masiers Creators the Parliament a few and set number of dayes viz 4 or 5 at most to answer his demands in so from the date hereof I give you three weekes or one and twenty daies exclusive to returne me what answer you please about this Letter promissing till they be past not to print and publish it provided by the very first post after this you write me word you have received it or else I shall judge Mr. Thomas Scot hath catcht it „ as I am informed from London he hath allready done some other of my Letters for which and for setting his spies upon me in these Countries which I have very visibly found out and for all his old roguery exercised towards me and plotted against me I must be forced when I am a little at leisure in print to pay him and particularly for all his notorious codpeice Simony that I know of in attempting to lie with two of my female Freinds at one time and in one bed in the same chamber at the sugar-loafe neare the Muse by Charing-cross being one of those many Lecherous houses he haunts and hath the command of Which COLONEL THOMAS PRIDE now a Member of the Armie many moneths agoe at the Parliament doore TOLD Mr. SCOT partly of to his face but he the said Scot durst never question him therfore nor the two woemen that as I remember the Story from Colonel Prides mouth were then mentioned to him to be the parties and for his strong attempting to hire one of my quondam Freinds with the guift of two hundred pound land a yeare firmely to be setled upon him and his heirs for ever to sweare against me at Guild-hall at my late tryall to take away my life I say if it come into his hands I beleive the Generall shall never see this Letter till he see it in print which I desire to avoid if it be possible It may be at the sight of this the Generall will be mad and revenge himselfe on my Estate and my Wife and poore Children But let him take heed what he doth for it is the Judgement of Christ that the same measure a man meats should be measured to him againe And the truth of it is if my sentence to morrow WERE TAKEN OF 1500 POVND would not all things considered in my worldly busynes set me in so good a condition as I was in the day before it passed against me For being in many intanglements in the world haveing scarce recovered to stand upright upon mine owne leggs it hath allready as good as broke my back with reference to the world And in my absence I heare every unworthy man that can but pretend any thing against me to reach me or my poore wife takes his advantage of my absence to abuse her and trample upon her And SIR ARTHUR HASILRIG I heare must be doeing againe with his gross Knave William Huntington of Billingham in the County of Durham against both of whose base and lying dealeings with me preferred to the Parliament in November last against me I made my particular and cleare defence to the then silenceing of them both in a sheet and an halfe of paper and presented it in print to the Parliament the 28 of November 1651 being incitled to every individuall Member of the supreme Authority the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England The humble Address of Lieutenant Colonel Iohn Lilburne by way of answer to a most false and scandalous printed Petition delivered at the House doore against him by one William Huntington upon Weddensday the 26 of November 1651. In which I am confident I have made as cleare rational and just a defence for my selfe as any man in the World can make to any accusation laid unto his charge unto which to this very day I never saw any thing by way of reply neither doe I beleive its possible rationally and justly to reply any thing yet unto it And I hereby bid defiance to him all my adversaryes I have in England to lay a farthing tokens-worth of basenes justly to my charge for 15 yeares together And I wish with all my soule you would seriously read my said defence my wife being able to furnish you therwith But further if I have wronged the man which I absolutely deny in the leaâ—â— that I have done it to the value of a single pin I proffered him many times faire enough as in the said defence you may read but he would never accept thereof and besides the Law was open for him when I was in England and still is and is his inheritance as well as mine and though I be heere beyond the seas so that he cannot arrest me yet let him put in his Declaration in a legal Court in England as its commonly there reputed and send me a Copie thereof I will give Authority to a Freind to answer it legally for the Law is yet my inheritance and the heart of the greatest and stoutest man in England I will make to ake if possibly I can that shall endeavour to deprive me of the benefit thereof allthough I die at his feet therfore But let not Sr. ARTHUR HASILRIG take upon him arbitrarily to arbitrate my estate as I heare he is about to doe when I give him no power and authority so to doe If he persevere in it it will but ad unto that great guilt of his that I am perswaded in time will justly carry him to the Scaffold at Tower-hill or else where which I beleive I shall live to see with mine owne eyes Sir if towards peace I receive not a satisfactory answer to this Epistle I must deale truly with you my condition already is such that it will force me with all the Eloquence Rethoric that I have to cry out aloud as the Parliament in the day of their distrese did when they required and desired all those that had any sense of piety honour or compassion to come forth and helpe a distressed state part 1 of the Booke of their Declarations page 498. so must and shall I by Gods assistance with the mournfullest dittyes and bleeding teares of oppression cry out for helpe supply that my soule is able to powre out either to God to Men or Woemen of all Nations relations and conditions and publish it as farras English Dutch French or Latine wil carry them especially to all truehearted English-men that have fought for their Liberties and Freedomes or stood by the stuff whiles others did it who ought to have as good a share in the liberties
contended for as those sonns of wickednes and Belial as David calls them 1 Sam 30.22 that would now ingross all to themselves Who though Christians in name may yet infinitely be condemned and reproved by the Righteousnes and justice OF NEHEMIAH though a jew in the like case Who although he 12 yeares together was Governour over his Countreymen in martial and civil affaires in the daies of their distress yet neither he nor his Brethren all that time did eat the bread of the Government nor bought any land but provided for strangers at his owne cost and at his owne table because of the reproach of the heathen their Enemies because of the feare of God Nehem 5.9 14 15 16. Nay he would not suffer the rich men in that day to exact usury of the poore men and righteous Abraham though not so full of religious pretences as the Lord Generall Cromwel when he had redeemed from Captivity by force of Armes the People of the wicked Citty Sodome whose King would have given him for his paines all the goods he had redeemed with them yet he scorned it and would not take any thing that was his or theirs noe not to the value of a show-latchet least the heathen should say he had made Abraham rich Genesis 14 15 22 23. I say I must be forced to all sorts of people to cry out bitterly for helpe and assistance to enable me to print thousands and ten thousands of my mournfull ditties and lamentations and to beare the charges of my messengers and agents by whom I must send them gratis into all the parts coasts of England Scotland Ireland and all the Isles thereunto belonging that possibly I can get them conveighed unto and I doubt not but allthough the Magistrates of Amsterdam have allready seazed upon some of my Apologies and thereby stopt the public sale of them being almost ten-sheets of paper in ENGEISH AND DUTCH yet that I shall either beg or borrow mony enough to inable me within a little time to give them and ten thousands of other printed papers away gratis For I doubt not but the Spirit of magnanimity zeale conscience will worke so powerfully in some of my rich Countreymen c. that now have no assurance by reason of that arbitrary and tyrannicall power they are under of keepeing what they possess and enjoy nor of their lives nor of their Liberties wives nor children to find out wayes and meanes to send me a supply of money to inable me like a man of mettle courage and industry to struggle for the obtaineing of a New Parliament for them and my selfe to bind up heale and cure all the breaches of our greatly distressed and distempered Nation thereby to secure unto them and my selfe the Free enjoyment of our ancient ond undoubted birth-right liberties that so in peace and quietnes with rejoyceing and praising of God for all his Fatherly goodnes and loveing kindnes manifested to poore England we may sit downe in security peace tranquillity of mind under our owne vines So committing you as my owne soule to the sweet and gracious protection of the Lord God allmighty the rock Reâ—uge of all those that truly have a portion in him I rest From my Study at Mrs. BEZARS HOUSE in Sheepes-alley in the Holy-way-street IN AMSTERDAM this present Fryâ—â—â— being the 2 April 1652. old Style Yours and Englands true and through-pac 't Friend JO LILBURNE SEMPER IDEM MY LORD I Doe assure you I tooke all the care that possibly I could that this foregoeing Letter written to your fast and real Freind Mr. William Kiffen might be delivered to your Lordship but seeing I have staid the outrunning of the time I did prefix in the 30 page foregoeing and have not heard one word as yet from any body in the world what is become of it Although I writ divers Letters to severall persons signifieing that I had sent such an Epistle over yea also gave a hint of it to your Lordship in my Letter to your selfe sent by the Post the Copie of which thus foloweth For his Excellency the LORD GENERALL CROMWELL these persent MY LORD AT my discourse with you in your Gallery about 4 or 5 Moneths agoe I had thought I had given your Lordship so full satisfaction in every thing that might remove all jealousies from you of my disserveing you in any Kind that of all men in the Parliament I little imagined to have found your honour to be the principall man to bannish me into a strange Countrie where for the Safety of my Life I am forced to print an Apologie And because you are named in it I judge it but manlike to send you a Copie of it And if I had not bin travailing last post day I had sent it to you then And I have also by this post sent to a Freind three sheeres of Paper in writing to communicate to your Lordship the which if you please to read them you will find that you are deeply concerned in them I have no more to say to your honour but to desire God for you if it be his pleasure to make you speedily as righteous in actions as you were some yeares agoe in Declarations and to take leave to say I am yet as much honest Amsterdam April 2 1652 Old style JOHN LILBURNE as ever I was in my life that neither loves Flattery nor feares Greatnes or Threatning ANd now my Lord besides that Apologie which I sent your Honour I have also here in Dutch and English printed the reasons wherefore I was necessitated to print that Apologie and they are dated they 4 of March last old style and in the said Apologie to the People of the Netherlands pag 71 I promised them speedily to print in Dutch the manifestation Agreement of the 1 of May 1649 therein named which being two sheets I have accordingly prepared for them with about as much more additions by way of appendix to my Apologie But seeing that upon the Magistrates stopping the public selling my said Apologie and by the „ cheife Scout or high-Sherif of Amsterdam „ giveing me some reasons therefore which begot from me this Replication that I was a man commonly reputed to have some stock of reason in me but being but a private individual man and also a stranger of another Nation and banished from thence and come here to take up sanctuary and therfore in mine owne understanding I should judge my selfe totally void of reason or judgement if I should press to enjoy that at their hands which they themselves judged prÄ™judicial to their whole nation or any part of it they themselves alone and not I in the least being the only and proper Judges of their owne good and well fare and therfore with all respect to them must acquiesce in their pleasure In this regard I say my Lord to avoid offence I judge it not fit to publish the said Appendix till such time as one where or an other I can freely obtaine licence to print avowedly what in that kind I have to say Now my Lord it may be severall of my Freinds in England may wonder why all this time I have not published the full state of the case betwixt Sr. Arthur Hasilrig Mr. Primate and my selfe But I must Apologize for my selfe that to secure my person and reputation hath taken me up much time as also the Magistrates stopping my Apologetical Narration hath forced me to spend much money and time to travell and looke out for my selfe where Safely to abide and print without offence Besides that busynes is a long worke although I brought over with me above 150 sheetes of written paper of that busynes as it was taken at the said committee in short-hand yet for a long time I have wanted some part of the beginning and latter end of it as also copies of severall orders and of depositions I could not for want thereof goe on with it but now by Gods assistance I shall apply my selfe unto it with all the vigour that possibly I can And this before I conclude give me leave further to aver unto your Lordship I am an English-man borne and bred to breath in the ayre of England is as much my right as yours I have contested fought with my sword in my hand for the enjoyment of my share in the Lawes Liberties thereof never was convicted of doeing any action that forseited my portion therein And therfore by the assistance of God I will turne all the stones in the world that it is possible for a resolute man an industrious man a man of braines to turne to make way for my comeing to England againe for my liveing there in a rational security although in the indeavouring thereof I run the hazard of being exposed to all the miseryes and deaths that it is possible for a man to be exposed to And yet I hope through the strength of God I shall undertake nothing but righteous and honest wayes for the procureing thereof But this I assure you my Lord I groundedly thinke that I or any man else that will not be your absolute slave can never live in a rational probable Safety in England so long as your will is an absolute Law there Therefore My Lord sit as fast as you can In the strength of the Lord God almighty have at you and if I perish I perish But if you will let us have in England new and annuall Parliaments upon the termes before premised I have done in your doeing thereof shall rest Yours to serve you therein JOHN LILBVRNE From my lodgeing at that pleasant City of much refuge that little Zoar commonly called VIANEN May 1652. POSTSCRIPT My Lord if you set any of your Champions to write against me be sure they set their Names to their discourses or else truly my Lord I shall take you your selfe for the Author of every paper that comes out against me so nominally reply upon you FINIS