THe City of London, before these Civil, or rather Uncivil Wars, was accounted richer then ei­ther Amsterdam, Paris, Venice, or any other City of Christendom: How much it is drai­ned since these Wars, in glory, power, and wealth, I do leave it to all judicious men to judge. It had the glory and honour of Christendom, for its faithfulnesse to the Cause of God, and redeeming of the decay­ing Liberties of the Kingdom; yet retaining their loyalty to their King, and affection to the Kingdom, nay unto all three Kingdoms; of which, ample testimony hath been given. But how much it hath suffered by giving too much credit unto fair pretences of those, who have not onely deceived it, but also Parliament and Kingdom; nay, have enslaved all three King­doms in a perpetual War, if not by the providence of Al­mighty God timely prevented, and a speedy resolution both of [Page 2] both of Parliament and City to resume their virgine Princi­ples; all being acted by the Grandees, under pretence of Re­ligion; which indeed is not onely now, but long ago disco­vered to be nothing else but Pride, and Covetousnesse, to sub­vert the Fundamental Government of the Kingdom, and bring all the wealth and power into a few mens hands, which will make a perpetual War between England and Scotland, and bring all Nations into this Kingdom upon the King's in­terest, and his Posterity; leave Ireland to it self, whereby the Pope and Spanish Councel will there prevail, the old native Irish naturally loving both Pope and Spaniard; which made the Lord Inchequin draw unto him the Lord Taaf and his par­ty (being of the British Irish) from the Oneals and mac Carta's and the rest, who are for the Pope and Spaniard▪ one­ly. These Grandees will bring confusion upon all three King­doms, and destroy the whole Protestant Cause of Christen­dom. For prevention of this, London may have a great share in the deliverance of this Kingdom, if it will stand stoutly to its first Principles, and intended Reformation, and not be cheated out of its Religion, Allegiance, Power, and Liberty. London hath done well of late; the great providence of God having discovered many plots for its ruine, as well as against the King, Monarchy, the three Kingdoms, and subversion of the Fundamental Laws of the Land, which all subjects are sworn unto, and bound to observe, all being hatched by the traiterous Grandees. London being now the on [...]ly place that must be subdued by them, having already subdued both Par­liament and Kingdom to their traiterous commands: And if the Scots enter not the Kingdom, which undoubtedly they will do, and it may be sooner then we think for, London must be brought to better obedience, or laid in the dust, as Cromwel hath often said: an act so bad, as to be abhorred in any traiter­ous thoughts, unlesse in such great ones as Cromwel and his complices are. But if London doth no better, they must drink of the dregs of their fury. The Grandees seeing there is no reconciliation with them, therefore they have changed much Silver into Gold, and sent great store beyond the Seas against [Page 3] their slight, if their pr [...]j [...]cts do not take; having no hopes to reconcile with the King, who will be tampered with no more, nor cheated by them. No hopes to cheat or buy out the Scots; no hopes to reconcile with the Parliament if once it cometh again to its virgine constitution; no hopes to be re­conciled to the Kingdom, having laid such unjust and forced Impositions upon the subjects thereof, especially in time of Peace, when no enemy appear th, unlesse such as oppose their treason and unjust commands; the Army being voted to dis­band in time of a free Parliament: no hopes to have any re­conciliation for the Protestant blood they have caused to be shed in obstructing Irelands relief, and the distressed members of Christ in that Kingdom: no hopes of reconciliation with the Levellers, Cromwel having so often changed his principles. The Grandees knowing they cannot fight with the Scots, and leave London on their backs, having for this end increased their Army to such a number, that the new Establishment will not maintain them; nay, in stead of Six and twenty thousand which they enforced the House to vote, have made them fifty thousand: therefore they must come up to London with such a Plot as the last was, to raise a million of money, or else plunder them: Also seeing themselves apparently ruined upon the coming in of the Scots, if they leave London in its freedom behinde them, the Kingdom rising about them; and if once they receive a foil, they know there is no recruting again; therefore, as Cromwel said, London must be brought to better obedience, or laid in the dust. Therefore honourable, valiant, and dear City of London, be not cheated: Will you fight your selves into Slavery, and not stand for your Freedom? You relieved Cloucester under the Command of that most excellent and valiant General the Earl of Essex, whose memory▪ will be ever precious to the Kingdom; and fought with the Kings Royal Army, when not onely yours, but the whole Kingdoms Liberty depended upon that valiant, faithful, and never to be forgotten Commander, Major▪ General Mass [...]y; and will you not maintain your selves against these traitors to God, the King, and three Kingdoms, which are far worse then the former [Page 4] Spanish faction that abused the King, and made him serve their lusts, pride and ambition. You can never have Peace by yeelding unto them; their reconciliation is onely to enslave you, and bring you into a perpetual War, destroying Religi­on, Laws, and Government, and bring in all Christendom upon you; and in this very time if you stand not to it both wisely and stoutly, the House being full, having made an Or­der for their Members not to depart for fourteen or fifteen days; and before that time is expired, you may hear of some news may affright these Grandees, and traitors to City and Kingdom. Remember what that shitten fool Atkins said in the Common Councel of London on munday night last. En­quire what news the Maior of Barwick sent to the House, desi­ring their direction therein: Enquire also what that bloody villain Sir Arthur Haslerigg sent to the House, or Committee at Derby-house, from Newcastle. All the Kingdom is ready to help you, for setling of Religion, Laws, and just Liberties. You have had some thoughts of Major-General Skippon to be your Major General; he will meerly cheat and gull you, and bring in a second Trojan-horse amongst you, as he was acces­sary in bringing in the former, and marching thorow your City in triumph with the Grandees and Rebels of the Army; who deceived not onely the Kingdom, but their own Souldi­ers, being willing to disband, and willing to obey the Parlia­ment that set them up, but that Crumwel and his complices seduced them. But I hope in God those honest Christian souls, I mean the Souldiers, will no more be deceived by their traiterous Commanders, who are traitors in the highest form; when the Souldiers may have an Act of Oblivion for what is past, and all their Arreres paid and ensured them by the Parlia­ment, City, and Kingdom; as hath been formerly offered them, and will be willingly made good unto them upon their dis­banding, setling of, Peace and all just Interests, and relieving of Ireland with such as will go, and those that have no minde to that service, may have their Arreres paid and ensured them, to follow their Trades and Callings. Skippon is the very picture of Synon, who brought in the Grecian horse to Troy, [Page 5] causing the Trojans to break down part of their walls, that the horse might enter, saying, Synon, who I, the gods do know that Synon cannot lie. Skippon hath said many times, that Crom­wel's ways are not the ways of God. When Adjutant-Gene­ral Grey was questioned for his life, knowing his cause to be good and honest, onely for reading and countenancing the Ci­ty-Remonstrance. Skippon hath often said, that any man, let him be never so deserving, or unblameable in his life, unlesse that he complyed with Cromwel and his faction, he must be blasted in his reputation, and expelled the Army. His appear­ance in Gray's businesse (knowing the innocency of his cause) was onely because he hoped the Parliament would have been able to make good their thanks they gave the City for their Remonstrance; for which continuing a little while in that opinion (as he is very subject to change) he was sequestred the Army, but not expelled, because Cromwel thought that would too much displease the City, being in a good and couragious temper at that time. But Skippon seeing Cromwel's side to be most profitable, collogued again with him, and was restored to his many gainful places in the Army, whereby he hath got many thousands out of the ruines of the Kingdom, having three or four places in the said Army, and enjoyed them ever since the Army should have been disbanded by order of free Parliament. But still the City having a good opinion of him, desired the House that he and that faithful and valiant Com­mander, who hath not a whit started from his honest princi­ples neither in fair or foul weather, I mean Major-General Massey, to be chosen for Ireland, which was done according­ly; Massey telling Skippon several times, that he would be as observant of him and his commands, for the publike good, as any Commander or Officer in the Army should be. Where­upon Skippon and Massey were sent down to the Army with the Committee of Parliament, to draw it off for Ireland; wherein Massey did most faithfully, but Skippon most coldly delivered the Commands of Parliament, and did not heartily presse the Commanders and Souldiers to the obedience of Par­liament, who set them up; but upon his return and account [Page 6] to the House, seemed to comply with Cromwels designe in the businesse, on purpose to keep the Army up, to enslave the King­dom, having got the Scots by fair and false pretences to return into Scotland; who were willing to have both Armies dis­banded together, whereby the charge of both Kingdoms might be taken off, and a just Peace setled between King and People, as you see they still maintain it in their Papers and Desires de­livered unto the Parliament, standing stiffly for a personal Treaty with the King. And now Skippon is Cromwe [...]'s soul and body, until a stronger side appeareth, having declared him­self that he will fight against the Scots, if they come against the Parliament and Army (as our new Government is called) for which last week they gave him a thousand pounds per an­num; the Scots being enforced to come into England again, to redeem Religion, King, Parliament and Kingdom from the Lord Say's, Cromwel's and their accomplices cruelties, who would subvert Religion, Monarchy, Laws, and our just and well-established Government, onely for their own pride and covetousnesse. Now if you will have Skippon, take him; you have a good morsel of him. Major-General Browne is your fittest man, I suppose a Citizen born, but I am sure a Citizen bred, and one that loveth the City heartily, and that in consci­ence too: he is faithful, able, and valiant, of a dexterous body and spirit, and one that loveth Government and Order, and not with too much ceremony neither; one that hath given a sufficient testimony of his valour and parts, and one that did not indent with you as Skippon did when he was made Major-General of the City, who would have a great salary, and a great house to live in; a good house would not serve his turn: But Major-General Browne went out freely, of his own ac­cord, and at his own charge, to suppresse the rising in Kent and other places: no man in the City so fit as he, and one that hath done more personal service for the Publike since these unhap­pie Wars then Major-General Skippon. Colonel West is the fittest man to be Lieutenant of the Tower, where now that peevish Sectary Lieutenant-Colonel Tichburn is, alias Crom­wel's sirreverence, or a n [...]w confiding light; I will not pro­fane [Page 7] the word Saint: I will not call him Colonel, his Com­mission being illegal, and he fitter for a warm bed then to com­mand a Regiment or Citadel; one that not above a month before he was chosen Li [...]utenant of the Tower, held an opi­nion that it was not lawful for men to fight or kill men, think­ing that fighting would be in fashion again. And indeed, when he was first made Lieutenant-Colonel of the Auxiliaries in London, if he durst have marched down onely for a Guard of three or four Pieces of Battery to Bazing house before it was fortified, he had saved many a thousand mens lives: but he loved then nothing tending to fighting, and therefore he discouraged his Souldiers, and took a journey himself under a colour to Brainford, and then came home in triumph, that he might pray that the walls of B [...]zing house might fall down like the walls of Jericho. And truely, until the w [...]lls fall down that support this milk-sop, no Merchant either at home or abroad will trust his Bullion within the Tower-walls; so that the Mint-anvils grow quite rusty, trade being never so decayed, as since he came into his preaching Government. But Colonel West is faithful, honest and valiant, and one that stood as well to his Regiment, as he hath done since to his Principles: witnesse Gloucester-Expedition, where if the Newbery-ground could speak, it would say his body was turn­ed into a rock in the face of his enemy: upon whose fidelity both Merchants at home and abroad will venture their trea­sure. Therefore, most famous, valiant, and dear City, for the Cause of God, yours and the three Kingdoms Cause, nay the whole Protestant Cause of Christendom, be not gulled nor cheated; trust nothing that cometh from the Lord Say, Crom­wel, or their complices; they will onely deceive and enslave you: and knowing themselves lost men, their ills are so great, they cannot be safe without doing greater. They are lost with the King, with England, Scotland, Ireland, nay all Christen­dom. Never trust counseit Skippon, nor apostate Marshal, he is Say's Factor: know your faithful men and Commanders: keep your Arms, secure your estates, when the whole ship is sinking: let not every man look to his own cabbin; in pre­serving [Page 8] the ship, you preserve your cabbins: suppresse unlaw­ful tumults your selves; defend your selves against all traitors and rebels whatsoever: be faithful unto God, the King, the Parliament, the three Kingdoms, and the Protestant Cause of Christendom: down with the Grandees that enslave King and Parliament: stand to your Allegiance, Protestations, So­lemn League and Covenant: be wise and valiant; it will be but a brush, you will afterwards have power of conscience, comfort and renown for it: the raising of your spirits in a just and resolved way, maketh your enemies fall. The law of Na­ture teacheth you to defend your selves: you have power e­nough among your selves, if you will use it. If your silly Maior will not stand for the safety of the City, he is a traitor: your Sheriffs have the Posse Comitatus by an established Law. The way to make a just Peace, is to have power, and equally to dispute the justnesse of your Cause against Rebels, else your ene­mies will break both Laws, Conscience, and all just Treaties. Trust none of your new lights, as Fowk, Gibbs, Wollaston, An­drews, Estwick, Noel, Player, and the like; they are onely new cheats. I say again, Be wise and valiant, and the Lord of heaven and earth bestow his blessings from heaven upon your courage and resolution, whereby a just and well-grounded Peace may be setled. And so I heartily pray for you, and bid you farewel.