IT hath pleased God in these latter dayes (whether in mercy, to Confirm the good; or judgement to harden the wicked) to draw us down so low and neer the very dregs and lees of impiety; that for ought I observe, those men think themselves, most merito­rious and politick▪ who (far from the blushes of a modest brow) can with greatest impudencie and daringnesse defame, traduce and scandalize all such, who either out of Conscience towards God, as Christians, or the scene of honour as Englishmen, cannot commit those their iniquities with greedinesse, or at last connive or joyn with them in those villanies and false actions: which being but once shined on by a true light, would grow abominable not onely to Christians, but meaner tempers: who acting but little a­bove the beast, barely preserve humane society.

Were not this an approved truth, men would take heed how they call'd good evil, and evil good, how they sharpned their tongues like rasors, and with envenom'd quils, dart at those, who dare question or discover their wickednesse.

[Page 2]This as to mine own particular, appears largely by a late scurri­lous libel, the conception and issue whereof bespeaks the Fathers, both dictator and scribe to be men of a beggarly and needy inven­tion, of little breeding or judgement, language or honesty, other­wise they would not, (under that common cheate and cover to in­famous persons) like the Panther, cover their heads, and conceal their names while they seek to swallow up their neighbours quick, and eat and devour the reputes of those who in the end wil be found to deserve better then themselves.

When I first read my name therein, and observ'd it but the sick­lie and false product of some spurious fancie, I esteem'd contempt thereof the most suitable revenge, but when the judgement of some friends above answer'd, that some thing in point of honour ought to bee opposed, I submitted, and was willing to rip up that thread­bare-peece, which indeed is fitter for the kennell, then a modest pen conteining as many falshoods as lines.

And to begin with the first, it enters the stage with an apparant deceit, as if Collonel Massey were the first, who began these pranks in the Forrest of Deane, and to that purpose insinuates, that Coll. Kyrle and Captain Phillips, about a year since, bought that Bar­gaine which neither Massey nor his assignes, could or would make good, with the Committee of Revenue, and how Captaine Pury to hedge in a marriage portion, bought that again by retaile. But whether some persons to fetch in desperate portions, might drive on desperate designes, sure I am tis notoriously known, that six yeares since, long before Colonell Massey enter'd upon that busines, both Collonel Kyrle and Captain Brayne, cut down great sums of wood, engrost great store of iron, and for that end truckt with those who had to doe with neither, (not the Committee of Reve­nue but) some Committee men of Gloucester. And whereas tis said Collonel Kyrle let out two iron works, I would likewise know, how he came by them? and if they put a queritur, what offence it was for Captain Pury to secure himself, by such collusive bargains there may be another queritur, by what power the one could let, or the other take, what was ravish't & still kept by force and fraud from the right owners. Yet the libeller takes the privi­ledge to say, that the iron workes were enjoyed quietly without the least exception, three or four yeeres together if any thing of this be true what was the reason in the beginning they were so carefull, to nominate such Commissioners, as knew nothing of their jugglings, [Page 3] or scarce what belonged to the Forrest, and was not Captain Pury, a very fit Commissioner, to sit and sell the wood, who must have a share of the profit? They knew full well, if they had suffer'd some other men to be nominated, they did and would have opposed it from the beginning, as well as the whole Country Complained thereof.

But it is strictly objected, pag. 2 & 3. That Master Pury could be none of those destructive offenders, for wonderfull weighty rea­sons. Because the profit of good and bad timber, or wood, is alike to him, and it being referr'd to Captain Philips he could be but a passive offendor; that he gave order to the woodcutters, in publick, not to Cut downe the good trees; that he good man was at Par­liament, and therefore could know nothing, and very much stuffe to this tune. Whereas 'tis replyed, there is much difference betwixt sound and smooth timber, and knotty and decayed wood, both in the Coarding wages, and the Coal that proceeds thereof; Besides it being the custome of the iron Masters (to whom the former Of­ficers were not servants, but slaves) to have particular assignations for their severall Felletts, can any man beleeve Master Pury should send up and down the Forrest for decayd trees, when once his allot­ment is made amongst good Timber? will any man of reason be convinced, that his zeal of preserving could be so serious being at his own liberty, when afterwards, notwithstanding orders of re­straynt, he Commanded 400. trees to be destroyed, not onely in a neglecting, but a Contemptuous manner? A very ill example to others who were not Parliament men aswell as himselfe. But for his referrence of the mannagery of the wood to Captain Philips, 'tis all one as if the Grand Signior did refer a busines to one of his Mutes after his pleasure were once known.

Tis a cheap and easie way of requitall, when a man hath stoln a goose to stick down a feather, and when Master Pury hath been not only assenting to, but active in the spoile of so brave a Forrest, to give afterward a chill and flegmatick charge, that no trees should for­sooth be cut down, but what the preservators allotted, is an excel­lent satisfaction to the state, and if they please to be paid with such Copper-Coyne, I will undertake they shall have chap-men by the dozens, the true English of that charge being no more but this, that he left command to (the Yeoman of his guard) the of­ficers of the Forrest, they should take especiall heed, that onely the well grown and goodly Oaks and Beeches should be hewn down [Page 4] for the future preservation thereof; It being now grown a stale pro­verbe, of five years standing let us cut down the best first, and the rest will follow, which is so well observed, that those men who knew the goodly plot of timber in 88, and consider it now, and doth but cast up the spoiles done within these six years, will almost joyn with the usuall and bold assertion made by the iron Masters, when they Come for contracts, that the Committee need not now stand so nice upon termes of preservation, for that there is scarce a tree left fit for shipping in the whole Forrest.

For his being above at Parliament, I do aver it, that its happy God hath sent us other manner of members, who take Care of this Nation; For while a person of that society should indeed be above, and carefully assistant in the preservation of his Countrey his neigh­bours and their just interests, to be then terrifying and tampering, to be skaring and affrighting almost all sorts and sizes, who will not comply with the sordid gaines and reaches of wicked men, is a thing which makes the poor people, even faint, and beleeve that the mem­bers which they have chosen are but like the bramble in a storm, to which while the poor sheep flies for succour, he doth but lose his wooll. Though the more knowing sort, are not yet grown such wofull zanies, or of so implicite a faith, but they beleeve Master Pury might have shewn more of his duty at London, then in that Forrest. And as I am perswaded the Parliament never obliged the hearts of Englishmen more in these parts, then by those excellent and seasonable Votes of Januar. 1. Last past, and afterwards mannaged with so much prudence and Care by the Councell of State, so they never suffer'd a greater alienation and distaste in the hearts and affe­ctions of well minded people, then by the Collusive and mean juglings of some persons in the bargains of the Forrest. And much more is brought to light and discovered in this busines then the par­ties themselves Concern'd do think or imagine.

But to go along with this libell, we must for their methods fake, chop it into their own Sections. And in the first place it is by all meanes desired to consider the persons prosecuted, that is to say like to be discovered, and there are 1. Collonel Kyrle, who sayes the libeller was in arms for the Parliament, and I say he was in armes for the King, wherein we are neither of us lyars. But the Par­liament owes him and his foure Brothers 3000. pound (I hope Col. Kyrle doth not cut down the Forrest because the House owes other men mony) But pray lets see the Bill of Debt, and if it shall [Page 5] be made appear that this noble Collonell owes the State six thou­sand, I hope some eminency of merit, or great disbursments of mony must be produced, else how will he cut skoares for the other three? That his brother receiv'd a wound at a Battail with Prince Rupert in the North may be true, yet possibly it may be as true that himself might give it him, aswell as lately he bestowed the like fa­vour upon Collonel Cromwells quarter-master, as a pledge of his good affection to the Parliament. That busines with a few other pretty small transgressions, deserves the armies consideration, that they may know what a trusty and divine champion they are like to have, if ever a just occasion should be given. But what conside­ration he deserves, for one of his Brothers vouchsafing to ride in the Life-Guard, or because his Father died of a Feaver in Gloucester, I leave to better judgements, as I doe the man and his merits to God, but am affraid to write those abominations which he hath with confidence acted upon the house-top, and in the sight of the people.

I confesse for Captaine Griffantius Phillips (by the way that's a cruell hard name and scarce given by his British God-fathers) I ne­ver heard of his imprisonment in Oxford till now, but do know that that gentleman very well deserves it in Gloucester, If Col. Walton was in the first place a testimony of the one, the rest of the members of the house may happily think it fit to adjudge him to the other: if this Welsh Don-Quixott were the pen-man of this libell (as by the excellency of the style and strength of the Syllogismes is ima­gined) he cryes out much of his body being once taken in executi­on▪ let him take heed; if he be once dissected to the Parliament, in his true colours it may be deliver'd to execution once more with­out a reprival, I dare say did his honest Mother, the good Ale-wife, know how her Son (descended of so lofty and great a progeny) doth discommend drunkards she would give him but slender en­tertainment, at her pallace at Mercatt O Waene. And however he be now pleased to throw such indignities in my face, undeser­vedly; yet within these few yeares, I thought my self in a condition, fit to have receiv'd better language from him. Neither would this nimble squire have offer'd it, when he was humbly pleas'd to foot it, in his Irish stockings and Battoone in Querpo.

It will, I take it, be easily admitted, that this man hath, like a Mushrom, suddainly sprunge up by his pretences of publique ser­vice, yet if it should be proved, that (had it not been for the Lieute­nant [Page 6] Generals army in his way) he would have run into Pembrok to his deare Countryman Monsieur Poyer, the Parliament cannot but thinke him trayterous and ingratefull. Though it be no news, when such gallants, get on horse-back, for an ordinary man (without witchcraft) to tell you whether they will ride; By that time he hath answer'd the State for his feates in the Forrest, and some other very fine pranks, as ordinary a person may hold his stirrup.

No desire or desert of mine could produce that ill opinion of Master Pury which his late actions hath wrought against him, my apprehensions of his ingenuity exceeding my judgement of his ava­rice. Neither when I was usually told of his abuses behind my back, was I so much moved at him, as when I observed him deli­ver'd up to that fatall passion, I thought my self concerned to de­cline him. What his services have been, let those who know them cry them up, I confesse I live so far off, being near a bow-Shot, that I have not heard of them. Sure I am; he hath been extraordinarily well paid for his long marches, and hard labours. But of his storm­ings and dangerous adventures, his continuall hot and close fights and skirmishes, I hope there are some who live in and about the Deanery can give a readier account. As for us, who are more remote, we dare confidently beleeve and say, there is not a person of the ma­sculine gender, will ever rise up in judgement for the bloodshed of that pretty manslayer.

T'was very ill done, I must acknowledge, of the Commander in cheife, to destine him to so many and desperate on-flattes, yet, being at least for two years together preserv'd from harm, as the writer confesseth, by the Lord of Hostes, it argued a great want of faith and remembrance of former deliverances, when after­wards, at the sight of the enemy, he made such unreasonable haste, and in so much distemper. But what is this to the case of these 3. Gentlemen the libeller saith, the Iron-works were set up by autho­rity of Parliament; I say no, they were set up too long before, and repair'd by authority of their own, But must to the joy of all men, be pull'd down by authority of Parliament; and for selling of wood at reasonable rates we know the meaning of that; the tricke is not forgotten, nor the meanes by whom t'was procured. That command hath been well obeyed, otherwise they could not brag they could, and had bought as much wood for a groate a cord, as they pleas'd, and others that they might sell cheaper their iron then others, for that their wood cost them little or nothing. Heere went the Hare a­way, [Page 7] and from these persons tis not hard to finde what is become of the Forrest; yet for such people to make it such a haynous busines for one of them to be imprisn'd, when he deserv'd something else, and the other for his lands to be question'd, when it ought to be extended by the law, is so foolish an apology, that it deserves, nothing but contempt from wise or honest men.

Now to winde up the first part of the libell, into one Bottome, we must once more consider, the good affection, services, and hard­ship of these 3. Gentlemen, (certainly Master Phllipps is one upon the welsh account) how they have adventur'd their lives (one or two of them may do it once more) their great estates, and which is more then all their families and fortunes too besides, what the Parliament truly owes them.

Me thinks tis a shame, to read this effrontery, look upon these men, but 5. yeares since, in their full equipage and furniture, take away these destructive gaines of the Forrest from some, the large concessions, blessings, and donatives of the Parliament from the o­ther, and what the hazards of their families, fortunes, and estates were, may be cast up without great insight in Arithmetick. And for such men to prate what the Parliament owes them, when they owe all they have and more to them▪ is so bold an impudence, that it deserves a sharp inquisition and a sharper punishment, and what the demerits of some of them are, may shortly and sooner be made known to the world, then they do imagine.

But leaving a little, the tragicall part of their high atchievements and sufferings for them, their great losses and crosses, let us look to the Comicall progresse of the libell, and observe, with what kindnesse it visits the Commissioners of enquiry, who are said by a Commission ex parte, to be in the generall but meere prosecutors, of those just, quiet, and harmlesse people, in comparison of whom, we are made in our persons and conditions as the vilest and most mean creatures, a pack of mischeivous and partiall wicked people, that seek only our own ends, and what not? Yet a little before I go to the persons. I would ask what they mean by a commission ex parte? is it lawfull for a theif, when he is arraigned, to accuse the justice of the judge and jury, because he likewise hath not a Com­mission to examine negative witnesses on his side? our Commission was to inquire what spoiles were committed in the Forrest, and not what was not committed, severall witnesses come and depose, that Master Kyrle and Philips cut down above ten thousand timber [Page 8] trees; and were it usuall or handsome for them, to have commissio­ners to examine that they cut down none? Did the kings former commissions run in this sort, or what non-sense is it this foolish li­beller drives at? If we enforced or skrew'd out what was not true, let several depositions be read to the same thing, or else at least let the interests be discover'd we did drive at. But if for our acting accord­ing to duty, to trust, to our cōscience & country, we shalbe stiled pro­secutors, if by lyes and reproaches we shall be scandaliz'd, and by underhand threats and combinations be overawed and menaced, to be no lesse forsooth then totally ruin'd, if we must be told by some of our friends, we must give off in time, to search the grosse injuries done to the state, though commanded▪ or lesse we shall be undone; That tis not our integrity or innocency shall be our pro­tection, but the meere power of our opponents in this businesse of the Forrest, that shall destroy us if the Commission under the great seal, and Commissioners shall be bafled and comemned, so far that they were like to have fallen into force, and that by a member of the house styling it in the face of the Country a hedge Commission. I would fayne know what person of honour or fortune will engage in the Commands of State? or will not their authority by degrees grow cold and neglected, and so their affairs grow waste and deso­late? certainly these things being well consider'd, the Encourage­ment seemes to be very small.

And now to the persons of the Commissioners, to these the li­beller sayes, Master Bromwich and Master Borrow (nominall Co­lonels) with some Citizens of Bristol (good men and true I hope) are the prosecutors, and procured (as may forsooth be concei­ved only) themselves to be Commissioners (the airy figment of the libeller) to their own great costs and charges and to be believed by none but such a pragmatick fellow as the scribler, and so fully and substantially answered by that honest Gentleman Captain Bishop, my fellow labourer and Commissioner, that I hate to trouble my pen with so improbable a vanity. Only let me say this for my own part (and I really beleeve the rest may say as much)▪ that as I ne­ver saw the faces of many of the Commissioners before they met, So I knew no more of my name being used, till casually I heard thereof, then I did that the libeller was a very honest and a faith­full Gentleman to the Common-wealth!

But why nominall Collonels I pray? Neither of them but had their Commissions long before Master Kyrle turn'd to the Parlia­ment, [Page 9] and some of their friends stick not to say, they kept to their trust, and ever hated dishonorable plundring, robbing, stealing, ta­king away other mens estates by horrid force and violence, and ne­ver murder'd any of the poor Parliament Souldiers in cold blood; are these Gentle-men, so quoted for presidents, free from these, 'twere well for them if they were.

For Collonel Berrow, 'tis well known he had a Command in his Country, and had for Officers and Souldiers, (one officer or two in Master Kyrles regiment excepted) another manner of regiment then he had. For my own part, after I had entertained Officers in London, I might easily have raysed my regiment in the Country, and was desired by Coll. Massey, but it pleased God the trouble­some weather beginning to break, up I saw it needlesse. And I can without vanity say, I was never fond (as some men are & have bin) by my own advance to put my Countrey to an unnecessary expece.

Touching my debauch't behaviour toward the Lord Generall, I wish my heart towards that Lord, were written in my forehead, but lest I should be thought, to flatter a person, whose power and me­rit is so far above me, (which I detest) I will take the liberty onely to say this; my education and birth I hope will render me so much a civiliz'd man, and above that we call ingratefull, as to give the Generall his due, whom upon severall applications and addresses, I found regardfull to me and my businesse beyond my desert or ex­pectation; and for the Election at Cyrencester, I appeale to my Lord Generall himself, what my humble intreaties and severall of­fers to him have been in that busines; In short I do heer openly defie that man, Souldier or else, who upon a good ground, should dare act more for him, or in defence of his repute & known worth then my self; whom I professe I have ever honoured:

For my opposition of Coll. Rich, he being a meer stranger to the relations and severall interests of this Country, I understand not what law, reason, or Parliamentary practice could or may condemn me▪ But tis very well known, the fansie and knack of that Election, proceeded out of the same shop as the Election of Gloucester; if Collonel Rich sits in the house duly return'd and duly chosen, I am satisfied I wish in this busines of the Forrest he may shew himself as forward and faithfull as the other members, that the Country may take Some Comfort in his sitting there. But for any proof a­gainst me at the Committee of Elections, that ever I heard, or was guilty of, or call'd to answer, I say tis a notorious lye, aswell as that [Page 10] of Coll. Birch, and sticks in the throat of him, that spake it, and him that writ it; and for the abuse I suffer'd from Birch, I question not but in due time, and in another opportunity to have reparation from him. What this libeller meanes by the Committee of Coven­try, I know not, but this I must say of those Gentle-men of that Committee, with whom I was an unworthy associate, that, as I was a stranger to them, so I never receiv'd more regards from any, and in all their actings they were the only people ever I sate with, that carried their business with authority, honour, and justice, and with whom as I have shared in some difficulties, So I never receiv'd any Command from them, which I did not undergo, I thank God, with readinesse & cheerfull submission, if any contest appear'd in a transitory point of judgement, it was meerely temporary and no way, as to me, disobliging, and of so little consequence, that I shall love and honour them while I am able to regard my self.

If he meanes the City of Coventry, truly for 3. years and above al my estate and meanes of subsistance, was seized on and kept from me by the Kings party, and for all that time, they let me want no­thing. And I do acknowledge I was constrain'd to borrow even my bread; drink, and cloathing from them, which they freely lent me in as free a measure, as if I had possessed ten times my estate neither did my self or family want any thing in that City, and I hope I did honestly requite it, and as a token of gratitude, I shall be very forward, to do any respect or service for those people, and am con­fident shall be lovingly treated, where this scandalous libeller must not shew his face.

That I protect Papists, delinquents, and scandalous Ministers, (titles which they put upon most sufficient men, who will not bring their tooles to the Philistines Grindstone) is a delusive falshood; how can I protect where any three will condemne? Neither did I to my knowledge ever do that thing in a Committee for any by re­spects but for justice, and this I dare make good with my life or for­tune, and if some of those will do so tis something beyond expecta­tion. But shall every member of the house that sayes No be term'd a protector of delinquents. I have indeed many times put a check and stop to the impetuous and beastly rage of avaritious men, when by the plottings of Cabinet and dishonorable jugglers I have observed, the ruin and desolation of families intended, who never de­serv'd it, and this meerly to satisfie the rapinous and devouring eye of some men, who by the laws and acts of this very Parliament have [Page 11] deserv'd the justice, rather then the countenance or compliance of a Committee. And when I have satisfied my conscience towards God, and my trust to the state (which hath commanded me to do no wrong) I valew not a rush what this scurrilous fellow, or the proudest of his abettors can say against me. Tis known what my sufferings have been both in my purse at Coventry (where Master Knightly, Master Pim and my self lost at and immediatly after the siege of Coventry above 7000. pounds) and my estate in the coun­trey for almost foure years which was wholly lost to an inconsider­able sum: I will not speak of arreares and moneys lent (when God knows then how ill I could spare them) though I might and must with far more justice, and truth, then the others named in the libel. Yet I never clamoured the House as most men do, who lie cursing and banning, to puzzle the House and businesse of the Kingdome; I have waited with patience and will, till a conveniencie, and a tem­perate opportunity shew themselves. If my self or sufferings may be thought worthy of any regard, I shall be thankfull, and desire to be usefull, if not I will sit down with a manly patience, and relie on that God which hitherto hath been mercyfull to me, and hath not utterly forsaken me, and hope to be preserved from that rancor and discontent, which have thrown imprudent and hair-brain'd men upon contrary violencies. That this committee ever refused to act with me, is a falshood of that nature, that I perceive the libeller cares not what he writes, how many times have I been sent to both of late and heretofore, is well known, and the thing is so no­torious, that when the libeller shall come to Gloucester and be known, the stones and timber of the houses will declare what he is; & for any drunken behaviour, I can say, as my constitution, so my judgment abominats that unmanly sin, and there is much difference betwixt civil converse & society▪ and the meaness of that condition; I live here open to the censure and view of this city, both Souldiers and others, and I beleeve children will rectifie the libeller and his falshoods. If some of those the scribler voucheth as patterns of me­rit be as free, let the example left in Gloucester, Bathe, Bristol, London, Hereford, Mounmouth, Rosse be judges, and then 'twill be seen, who is, or hath been guilty of that fault they would so fain pin upon the shoulders of honester men.

I do a little wonder at the libeller, when I observe whom he com­mends, how he dares venture upon the irreligion, scandall, and dis­affection of Collonel Berrow, that gentleman is able to answer for [Page 12] himself, and I question not but he will and to the purpose, but this I will say, take only one out of the three forenamed persons, and for the other two, there are those besides my self, who will go neare to prove it, that if all the evil and wickednes in Europe were contracted into England, and all the impiety in England concenter'd into one place, it would be found seminally in intention, or fruitfully in a­ction, in those two men; for he that shall read that bed role of their continued and multiplied exorbitances, and converse with the story of their lives, will find the vvickednesse of their heart and practice, and the principles by vvhich both are managed, to be as dangerous and investigable as the head of Nilus, vvhich River by the unpar­rallel'd conflux, and multitude of thirsty Animals shaped in such a diversity of formes and qualities, it is no mervell, if every year it becomes the fruitfull mother of strange births and monstrous pro­ductions. Tis nothing for those men to stamp vices and make it currant by being theirs, to commit such prodigious and exotick im­pieties, that a man vvould hearken to them rather as paradoxes of iniquity, then the actions of men who bear Gods image about them; who carry with them, not only in their faces, but their day­ly practices such terrour and slavish awe amongst the poor people, as thinking them supported by some in Parliament (the last and ut­most refuge to timorous wretches) who seem'd to be sold to a last­ing slavery, that it is the usuall word of Command, do this or that, let me have such or such a bargain at such or such rates, or take it perforce, and threaten the owners or refusers with death, they say what need we care for the whyning of the women, so we may gain one hundred pound a week by the iron works.

If these men were truly scann'd, and their high insolencies de­tected, Nero, Donitian, Caesar Borgia, or Johannes Vesilowich will seem the Fathers of the Country. These are they which make their miserable neighbours like Spaniels lick their feet; and as Mu­les and Camels kneele down to take up their burdens, at the beck of whose terrour they offer up their estates, as the poore Indians sacrifice to the Devill not for love or Devotion, but for fear he should hurt them. And yet these good souls with Solomons strumpet, wipe their mouthes and ask what have they done? Whilst like un­gratefull sieves they let out and conceal the flower and goodnesse of Gentlemen their neighbours, and retain nothing but the bran and skurffe to throw in their faces.

It seemes his quarrell must end where he was affraid to begin, [Page 13] with the Commissioners of Bristoll, and is very angry that they wil not leave trading at Sea for iron, and run a more short and lesse hazardous voyage into the Forrest or Can-Wood, (as I take it they might have made their Choyce) for their Merchandise. Master Li­beller, I must tell you, I have converst with those Gentlemen, and do finde that they do out-honest and out wit-you, Twas not the cleanly tempering of your Noune Relatives, could disoblige them from their duty, or the search of your knavery, They who Com­merce with the Princes of Christendom, are not that sort of Sea-fish to be Catch't in the net of such a gull as you are; if it be an offence to you, to go to Sea for Iron, t'will appear a crime to others, to make it at home of Shipping Timber.

Those Gentlemen have done their duty upon my knowledge like discreet men, and impartiall, who by their sedulity and faithfullnes have fixt such a feather in your Cap, that where ever you come, you will carry it as a badge of a knave or a fool; One of them hath pra­ctiz'd so far upō you with his pen, & advanced so honestly & stoutly upon your faults, that he will endanger to bring you and your a­bettors to the stocks, and then we shall have some whipping chear. You belie them fearfully in their vast quantities of Iron, I have with some diligence inquir'd, and for ought I hear, all that any of the Commissioners have to spare you, is onely that they were by their sides.

But supposing all you have said to be true, may you because the Commissioners are faulty, cut down, destroy and ruine! O learned argument, certainly you have learnt the Mood and figures of your Logick no farther then Radner.

For the long tale of Sir John Winter, and those who long since cut down trees in Avenhall, it was before the Parliament sate, and they were fined 40. thousand pound, and for what is cut down since, is chargeable onely upon those whō this libell would defend, who have Committed such notable spoil and devastation, as is not to be parralell'd in any age, let the offences and offenders be exa­min'd and brought to punishment, who by studying their own grandure and profit, have dishonour'd the Nation, cheated the State, and almost ruind the goodliest plot of shipping timber in the world, and what good or vertue can there be in riches or estate thus basely gotten? for my own part, as I was courted, and indeed intended a share till I discovered the falshood and dammage, so I thank God, from the beginning I have ever opposed it, & observed w ^th some wise [Page 14] men, that those who roasted their meat by the Forrest fire, were lightly choaked afterward with the bones.

For it will be proved within the space of 6. years they have cut that quantity of wood and timber, which Sir John Winter contra­cted for at 120. thousand pound, and pay'd 20. thousand in earn­est, and what account is given to the State must be sought after in the vaine and lavish expences of some immoderate iron Masters. Commonly ill gotten greatnes, though men may roll it under their tounges as a sweet morsell, yet it will turn to gall and bitternesse in the end, and while it pleaseth the palat, it becommeth gravell and rottenesse in the belly.

The Devils themselves have Thrones, Principalities, and domini­ons (as a gallant Patriot observed) but wanting true goodnes they must for ever want all true honour and happines. A false heart is abominable before God, and they who Crooke publike trusts to private and sinister ends, are and ought to be abominable before just and good men. And seeing the Parliament hath so gratified the Country, in their just and sensible apprehensions of their destructi­ons, I confesse I am hearty in the cause and justice of the Parliament (which my soul loves above all that is mortal:) And for advance­ment whereof, I dare suffer as much as he deserves who shall en­deavour by force or fraud to oppose them in it.