NEither your slight Answer to our last Letter, nor your no Answer to our for­mer, (in which wee sent you a Copie of our Commission) nor your neglect of the knowne Lawes, in leavying Armes without his Majesties leave, nor your imploying those Armes to the de­struction [Page] of His Majesties good Subjects, and such as proceed by His [...] have that effect upon our minds, as to make us with His Majesties usuall mercy and clemency any wayes contracted with you; And therefore [...] we may satisfie all goodmen, not onely of the Justice and Equity of our proceedings, but also of that charity, and compassion, (of which there scarce can be any accesse in cases of blood) These are to require you once more in His Ma­jesties Name (by vertue of our Commission) to lay downe your unlawfull Armes, and to conforme your selves to the duties of your Al­legiance, and to be no more a cause (by your obstinacie) of drawing those calamities upon your Country, which even the hearts of stran­gers bleed to see, and foresee, in case you shall thinke it fit to accept of your owne safety, and the quiet of your Country, at no greater price, then your returning to the Lawes; These are to assure your City, and every person in it of im­dempnity for our part, but in case you shall still continue in Armes without his Majesties Autho­rity, and against it, These are to call God and man to witnesse, that it is you, which have broke these Lawes, which have hitherto kept this King­dome in Peace, and cannot but expect the bitter fruits of your owne planting.

As for us, so may God blesse us in our procee­dings, as wee have been farre from giving occa­sion [Page] to this unnaturall Warre, and as wee are, and ever have been ready to embrace all just wayes, of composing it, in which way wee are ready to approve, our selves,

YOu had no Answer to your first Letter, because your Commissi­on, whereof you sent me a Copie, I conceive, had no relation to our City. To the second Le [...]ter, sig­ned by Collonell Ashburnham, I thought it not fit to give a serious Answer, the contents be­ing as farre from my beliefe, as your intenti­on, for I cannot be perswaded to find those friendly in this City, that have invaded the County of Devon. with an Army, and used the Inhabitants as Enemies; And besides, this Ci­ty being committed (under our most gratious Soveraigne) to my charge, and government, I should falsifie that trust very much, if I should receiue into it numbers of Power, to master both it, and me.

For our taking of Armes for our defence, even your approach in the manner you came, is a sufficient reason, if there were no more, But the defence of those Lawes, and that Govern­ment by Parliaments, which hath so long kept [Page] this Kingdome in happy Peace, is the cause of our Arming, no more doubting of the lawful­nesse of the Authority, then I do of my humble Duty, and faithfull Allegiance to his Majesty, the Oath whereof I have often taken, and ever will keepe.

To the Authors of this unnaturall Warre, all Evill is wished by all good men; I doe not impute the beginning of it to you, because I know it not, I wish I could acquit you of the prosecution, while we pray for a blessed recon­cilliation between his Majesty, and this Par­liament, and doe our best to defend both; There are some that have most unfaithfully perswaded his Majesty to bend his Royall face against that Court, to the destruction of the fundamentall Lawes, and ruine of the Kingdome: That you are a partner in the execution at least of that Designe, is my confident beliefe, being mani­fest by your practise; your discerting this un­naturall and destructive Warre, and joyning with us of this City in prayers to God, and Pe­titions to his sacred Majesty, to vouchsafe a con­currence with his faithfull Lordes and Com­mons in Parliament, to give a speedy remedy to these bleeding miseries, would cause me real­ly to signe my selfe,