THat hitherto you have delt with your Petitioners by many of your Votes and Orders, as by Children that have had Rattels given them to quiet them, who not finding what they expect renew their Cry; So your Petitioners, not having their Publique Faith Money, which they have so long Petitioned you for, many Hun­dreds of them being in a perishing condition do renew their sute, resolving till they have it not to keepe silence; yet ere they print a Narrative to the whole World, will once more prove, whether the Word of the Lord or Your own sayings, will prevaile more with You, then their wants or Cries have done. In September, 1642. You promise the People, That the charge and damage wherewithall the Common-wealth hath been burdened, (chiefly the well-affected their Cessers taking notice of their former forwardnesse &c.) should bee borne by the Del [...]nquents, Malignants and dis-affected per­sons; And for the incouragement of Lenders, the 29.^th of the same, you say That the Lenders on the Publike Faith should be repayed their Money with Interest of 8. l. per Cent. and should be taken into Consideration for a farther recompence for their so forward and pious act. January the 7th You declare the senciblenesse of the Peoples forwardnesse, and are [Page 2] resolved to bee as carefull of their safety, welfare, and re­imbursment with Interest, as of your owne, &c. (why not as timely provision made for the Poorer sort as was for your selves, and other Rich men.) The 30.th of Jan. 43. You de­clare, that besides those who have the Publique Faith inga­ged to them for their security, and have delt faithfully in this Cause &c. and shall continue constant, &c. should be taken into Publique notice and considered, their Losses repai­red, and themselves honourably rewarded and not neglected or sleighted. (Oh who more) but one way or other should be thankfully remembred to his owne honour and good of his Posterity, (excellent Insitements) and those that came not in by the time limited, their Estates reall and personall, &c. should be forfeited and imployed for payment of Publike Debts, relieving of the Common burdens (but how little hath gone that way) and repayring particular Losses. The 27.th of Octob. 1643. That those who lent without being compelled should bee first payed, &c. (but the Poorer sort have found no such thing)

That wee are thus plaine with You, is from your owne acknowledgements of your Rise or Constitution; for the 22.th of March, 1648. You say, you were Elected by the People whom you represent, and by them trusted for the Com­mon good (then not for hurt) against Tyrannie, to procure the well-being of those whom you serve, and to remove Oppres­sion, Arbitrary power, and all opposition to the peace and free­dome of the Nation &c. And in Common-wealths you say it's found that Justice is duly administred and great ones not able to oppresse the Poore, and the poore sufficiently provi­ded for, and freedome of Estates injoyed by all sorts of men, &c. (but is not the contrary found) Is Justice duly admi­nistred doe not Greatones oppresse the Poore and therein14 Prov. 31 reproach their Maker; may th [...]y with freedome speake to You (which when you had need of their counsell and Purses they might doe with seeming acceptation) for their [Page 3] owne without brow-betting; though Salomon sayth,22 Prov. 7 The borrower is servant to the lender; and moreover it were to bee wished it could not be said, you are so farre from pro­viding sufficiently for the Poore, that by your unparalell de­layes (of paying them that they lent you in your great need) you have made hundreds of poore Families more then there would have been; You promise to take away Corruption and abusive delayes, vexations, unnecessary travels and ex­pences, and what shall be found really burdensome to the Peo­ple, &c. How is it then that many hundreds have bin ruined in their Estates by their long attendance on▪ You for honou­rable and just things; Nay, how many's blood have you had on that accompt, and their businesse not dispatch­ed; not to speake any thing of the delayes in those Places, commonly called your Courts of Justice, they being too apparent. You promise to endeavour vigorously the punish­ing of Cruell Murtherers in Jceland, and the restoring of the honest Protestants and this Common-wealth to their Rights there, and the full satisfaction of all Ingagements for that worke, &c. (yet how retarded) and to punish the Evill and reward the Good, (but see wee not those that workeMalac. 3, 15 wickednesse set up, and those that tempt GOD delive­red.) And to order the Revenue in such a way, that the Publique charge might be defrayed the Souldier pay Justly and duly setled and the Debts of the Common-wealth just­ly satisfied, and to remove, all Grievances and Oppressions of the People, (why then our Monethly assessements conti­nued) And to establish Peace and Righteousnesse in the land, and this You say you declare not in Word only, but really and speedily you intend to effect (yet above three yeares and a half since and not done) and this you affirme to bee your only [...]nd and accordingly you expect GODS blessing on your proceedings, &c.

Now then let us see our Nehemiah's, that are so farre from oppressing by way of exacting Money, &c. from their [Page 4] Brethren, that with him according to their ability Redeeme their Brethren5. Nehem. [...], and not suffer them to bee starved to death for wan [...] of their owne, which you for many yeares have detayned from them, though you speedily promised them repayment (not conditionally, if they would hereafter Double what they lent.) Where are our Davids, that de­lay not or prolong the time but makes119 Psal. 60 hast to keepe Gods righteous Judgments; now that of the Apostle is none of the least,11 Rom. 8 to Owe nothing to any man but Love, and saith the Lord, with-hold not good3 Prov. 27 from them to whom it is due, &c. For if you bee willing and obedient, you sh [...]ll eate the good of the Land, but if you refuse and Rebell1 Isa [...], 20 you sh [...]ll bee devoured by the Sword, for the Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. And Salomon gives you this advice, That what your hand finds out that you effect with all your5 Eccles. 10 might; Surely if those of the long Robe understood the sence of the Holy Ghost in those words, they would not bee such Remoraes in our way; for David makes it the Character of a37 Psal. 21 wicked man, to Borrow and not to pay. Oh how many of you can stand forth with good1. Sam. 12, 13 Samuell and say, whose Oxe or Asse have I ta­ken, or whom have I defrauded or Oppressed, or of whom have I received any Bribe to blind my eyes, and I will re­store it, &c. But wee feare the God of this world hath blin­ded many of your Eyes, that you have not regarded our Cries, nor our wan and pale Cheekes all this while; Oh! have you no regard to your Trust but bring so great a shame on your selves and them that have Intrusted you, to let their chiefest Jemme the PUBLIQVE FAITH to lye so long till it bee out-paun'd; or if future need should be, have you a better pledge to Ingage, if not, redeeme it time­ly, and let not others take your Crowne; for GOD is o­verturning, overturning, overturning, hee is casting downe one and setting up another; witnesse the late King upon the losse of the Peoples affections.

Now their affections being Your chiefest Strength, retaine it, for God will not alwayes keepe silence; For if you af­flict the Widow22 Exod. 22 and Fatherlesse in any wise, and they Cry at all unto him hee will surely heare their cry, and his Wroth wax hot against you, &c. Wee could give You sad Instances, but wee feare we have been too tedious already. [...] that Command, of Feeding and Clothing your12 Rom. 20 Enemies, that detaine from your most cordiall Friends, that which should administer Food and Rayment to them, and put them off to be last satisfied out of the Refuse of all; that in Conscience and according to your owne Promises should have been first; doe you show your selves Mercifull as our heavenly6 Luke 36 Father is merci­full, that thus shut up your bowels of Compassion from your needy Brethren; Or resemble you our Saviour, that became Poore to make many2 Cor. 8, 9 Rich, when you make many Poore to make your selves Rich; for is there not with you the wages of the Hireling,3 Isa. 13. and the spoyle of the Poore in your houses. viz. The Estates of them that undid themselves and Families to preserve you.

Now if the Lord will call every Rich man to an ac­compt how hee hath imployed that substance hee hath, (though honestly goten) for the good of the Poore, then surely those of You that have spoyled the Poore and pluc­ked their skin from off them3 Micha 3. and eaten their Flesh shall not escape his Judgement; for Pharoh and his Task-masters oppressing the poore Israelites, brought Judgements not on­ly upon themselves▪ but upon all Aegypt; Exod. 12 so except you repent you shall likewise perish Temporally, if not Eter­nally; for saith the Wise man, Hee that oppresseth the Poore22 Prov. 16 to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the Rich shall surely come to want; and CHRIST makes it a great quaerie,16 Math 22 What will it profit you to gaine the whole World and lose your owne Soule, or what will you give in exchange for your Soules, that hazard a Spirituall estate [Page 6] for a Temporall; for be sure, if you walk thus contrary un­to the Lord,26 Lev. 27, 28 he will walk (u) contrary unto you and plague you Seaven-fold worse for your sinnes, as hee did Isra [...]ll of old, and raise you up yet many more Adversaries, till hee hath consumed you; for till a mans wayes please the Lord, his Enemies will never bee at peace with him, or how will he retayne his Friends.

Now that wee are thus plaine with You, is out of Con­science of our duty, and in obedience to a Command, that saith, Thou shalt not hate thy Brother in thy heart but re­buke him19 Levit. 17 sharply, and not suffer sinne to rest upon him; now that of Oppression is none of the least, so that in Gods acceptation, wee manifest our hatred to you, if wee doe not admonish you; for publique Offences must have publique Reproofes, them that sinne rebuke before all, and the reason is given that others may feare; and for being our Brethren wee hope you will not deny.1 Tim. 5, 20. But if after all this, you will shew your selves to bee Scripture proof [...], Promise proofe, and heart-proofe, and not have any bow­els of Pitty yearning towards us for speedy Reliefe, what remaines but Prayers and Teares to him that shall come, will come, and will not tarry. &c.