GEntleman Souldier, you are well met, may I be so bold as to exchange a word or two with you?

Whereabout, or what is your will good sir?

You have been, I suppose, sometime in the Service of the State, have you not?

Truely sir, I have served the King and State these five years and upwards, I have been in all the fights ever since Keinton field, or the battle at Edgehill.

Very well: you are much to be honoured for your zeal to God, and to your Country. And now without offence, I would be much beholding unto you if I might propound a question or two unto you.

Good sir, speak and spare not: I shall give such answers as my poor Genius shall enable me. And if I fail in any materiall thing, I hope, of your Christian Charity you will bear with me, and give me good advice.

I shall do both most willingly: And first I pray you tell me were you imprest or went you a volunteer into the Service of the State?

I always scorned compulsion: I went out freely for my King and Countries good.

Blessed be God. But I pray you what enemies went you out against? What to fight against your King?

No forsooth, but against his Majesties and the Kingdoms enemies against those that have set the three Nations in combustion: They have committed many out-rages, and did patronize all under his Majesties authority: Had these been delivered up to justice, then all hostility on this part, had long since ceased, and so much Christian blood had not been spilt.

But with what good conscience could you take up Arms against the Kings party?

The Kings party is two wayes to be considered,

1. Either as his Majesties person may be engaged by meer su [...]pr­zall onely.

2. Or as he may engage himself by voluntary consent, whereby he may be said to be surprized in his judgement also.

1. For the first, the case is cleer, viz. That Armes may, nay must be taken up by all good subjects (alleigeance binding them therunto) to dis-ingage his Majesties person, howsoever, or by whomsoever it may be in danger of surprizing, or be actually surprized. Some­what to this purpose is Abishai his restoring Davids person from Ishbi-benob, when slaughter or surprizall was justly to be feared, 2 Sam. 21. 16. &c.

2. And for the second, though it were not his Majesties case di­rectly, (for no good subject judging of his Majesties waies, by the Law and rule of charity as things have stood, can suppose the same so to be) but grant it were so yet where this voluntary consent is not regulated in the judgement of the Grand Councell of the Kingdome (which ought to be judge next under God and his Word to examine and determine all queries in the State) In this case Armes might be taken up by the advice and authority of that grand Councell, rather then the whole should wrack and come to ruin. And this maketh the case cleer, That Armes were not taken up against the person of the King, not against his Politick power, nor against a Legall party; but against an unruly rout, that having surprized his Majesties person, or his judgement, or both, by force, or flattery, to work their own ends, and the Kingdomes wo. And his Majesty himself hath granted, That the Parliament hath more then power sufficient to take up Armes in their just defence, for the Kingdomes safety, and to bring Del [...]nquents unto justice, which is an unanswerable Argument to prove the legality of the Defensive War, and to justifie the Parlia­ment against all depravers, it being directly concluded a concessis.

But what think you, can the King and Parliament be se­vered?

Under correction, I think they cannot as the case now standeth, God and the Law hath conjoyned them, and what God and the Law have so happily conjoyned let no man go about to put asunder. Wheresoever the person of his Majesty is, where shall we seek his politick power, but in that place and with those faithfull Councellors, to which himself by a sacred law hath confirmed and [Page 5] confined it? For besides the Lawfull call of this present Parliament, which is common to this with precedent Parliaments: we are to consider the Solemn Confirmation of it, wherein it differeth from all Parliaments that have gone before. I say the confirmation of it in its full Authority, and with all its Rights, and Priviledges. This maketh the case strong and the Kingdomes Armies that have been all this time on foot, were at the first raised to maintain this Act, to defend this Title.

Sir, I perceive you are rightly stated in the case. I did not expect to hear so good an account from you: I am afraid there are not many more in all the Army, can give the like satisfaction.

Beleeve me Sr, I am the weakest of many thousands; there are many of most able parts, and can speak of this or of any other subject, humane or divine, to admiration. And I confesse I was a lit­tle principled before I went out, by hearing some good Divines as you are. And have been much confirmed by some of our Noble Commanders, and by some of my fellow Souldiers. Do you see, good Sir, in my head, face, and other Visible parts, the wounds I have re­ceived at York, Naseby, and other fights?

I see them well, I would not have you call them wounds, but glorious marks and characters of a valiant and undaunted mind: Blessed be God who hath preserved you, you sacrificed your life for his Glory, and he hath preserved it most miraculously as appeareth unto me.

But good sir, what is the matter now? much rumour is in the Country, and some cause of fears. Certainly there are some projects intended by the Souldery, witness both words and signs. A Cove­nant (it is said) is made by them; and what means the Red Ribbond on each souldiers left arm?

I make no question but you have heard of a Petition sent by us, and slighted by the Parliament; and the Ribbond sheweth that we will defend the equity of our Petition with our blood.

Slighted? I beleeve it not. It may be it was not humble enough, or not seasonable at this time; and I am to seek sufficient warrant for your defence thereof in that manner as you have said, and so I think are you. For where is your Commission, or by what authority shall you mannage that defence (as you call it?)

Have we not authority, think you?

No truly: you have neither King nor State to enable you [Page 6] to such an enterprize.

Then we wil have: for seeing our chief Commanders fail and fail off from us, we wil to his Majesty, and make him our General; and we are sure he will give us Commission.

You are not sure of that: And we hope his Majesty is in­clining to an accord: If otherwise; make his Majesty your Gene­ral? To what end? God hath blessed the State with most glorious succ [...]ss [...]s, that there is, in a manner, a full and perfect Conquest of all the old enemies of the Kingdom: and (in all likelyhood) the way is thereby layd open to a full period of the present Hostility, for which every Soldier deserveth the Laurel, an eternal, an immortal Trophie: And shal they now think of a means to blast their fore­past glory by blowing the coals again, and by kindling a new Com­bustion out of the embers of the old Distraction? God forbid. Wil this stand with conscience? Certainly it cannot: For subjection is peremptorily commanded by Saint Paul unto the Higher Powers, Rom. 13. 1, And where is the full politick Power now but in the King and Parliament conjunction? God and the Law hath con­joyned them &c. they are your own words. The Parliament doth nothing but by his Majesties authority conferred on them, or confir­med to them: and his Majesty can do nothing legally that concer­neth the Publick Interest without the advice of his great Councel conveened and confirmed for that purpose. This Kingdom, though a Monarchy, is not an absolute but a mixt Monarchy; of all Monar­chies the best. An absolute Monarchy doth easily degenerate into a tyranny, if not law, but will doe guide the Steerage: but a mixt Monarchy hath power in it self to keep out or to suppress Tyranny: And whatsoever is commanded by full authority of the Power must be obeyed for conscience sake, Rom. 13. 5. obeyed (I say) either by doing the thing commanded, if lawful: or by submitting unto punishment: And for this the case of the three children is very remarkable, Nebuchadnezzars command was unlawful, yet they made no resistance, but submitted to the censure and sentence of the King, Dan. 3. 16. And I would propound this thing unto Con­science, viz. By what right, either humane or divine, the Soldiers can either oppose that power which they have hitherto defended and upheld as lawful? Or side with and set up that power which til now they have resisted as illegal and unjust? Certainly it is not upon any new grounds and principles of Conscience, for it appeareth plainly [Page 7] to be meerly upon Discontents, which wil not bear them out at and before the great Tribunal. And good Souldier mark this, ei­ther all your undertakings hitherto in the service of the State have been unlawful, which none can prove: or your intended purpose (if it be really intended by you) is Illegal, and wil prove destructive unto Church and State, of which (I hope) you wil consider: and not hazzard the undoing of all that you have wel done, for indi­rect and sinister ends.

Sir, I thank you, I am sensible of what you have now say­ed. But I pray you resolve me in this; may not we Souldiers go and fetch his Majesty from Holmby, and carry him to his place in Parliament?

What vi & Armis? and without Authority? we do all wish wel to his Majesty. I know not one godly man that doth not wish his Majestie there, even in the height and summity of his Honnour. But where is the let, the main obstruction?

1. Is not the great Councel wise enough to frame the best condi­tions both of his Majesties, and of the Kingdomes safety, by his coming thither?

2. Hath not the Parliament been solicitous, obsequious enough to seek, and sue for his Majesties royal favour in this kind?

3. Are not both houses conscientious enough to provide for the honour of the King, and for the safety of the Kingdome?

What needeth then such indirect, and inconsiderate means? The Souldiers to bring his Majestie (if it be in their power) in a distempered Passion, cannot sound wel: it must of necessity, por­tend some intended, or accessory mischief. I pray you consider what the blessed Apostle saith. The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God, Iames. 1. 20.

Blessed be God for this your good, and sound advice. I have but one thing more to say. What if we have not all our A­reers?

I confess I admire and mourn to heare it, great words are spoken by many of the Souldery. But let me speak my mind freely. If that be the only, or the main ground work of the Souldiers inten­tions, then both in all the good that they have wel done: and in whatsoever they shal do il, they are but meerly mercenary, which (I confess) is but a base term, if deserved by Military men. It would appear that they aym only at self-ends, and intend not the [Page 8] common, the publick good; It is heartily wished by all men that the Soldiers had their full content: they have deserved wel, and no doubt but they shal be wel considered. But if full satisfaction cannot be given, or not so soon as is desired, let not the Soldiers run a hazzard of Rebellion, for that would eclips the glory of all their former valorous atchievements. Gentlemen Soldiers prize the common good above and before you own particular advantages; and make not another combustion to obtain your own ends, though never so just and honest. We praise God for what you have done for the pub­lick: The glory of your victories wil be recorded to after genera­tions to your eternal fame. And we pray for you, and withal entreat you in the name of Christ and in the behalf of the Christian Reli­gion to set yout eys upon the common good before your own parti­cular interests. If ye intend not good to bleeding Ireland by your personal undertakings, then sit down in quiet and hinder it not by distractions: take not off the Parliament from expediting Recruits thither, lest all the Protestant blood which shal be shed there cry to heaven against you. The State is wise, and sensible of your good ser­vices, and wil give satisfaction to their power, beyond which more cannot be expected much less exacted by men that are truly consci­entious, to whom the publick good is and ought to be more pretious then their own. What say you Gentleman have I not spoken reason?

Truly, Sr, you have spoken reason and Religion too: I am fully satisfied. I pray you make this discourse publick and no que­stion but it wil give us all content.

Say you so? I wil take pen and paper and write verbatim and send it for Impression.

Sir, I thank you, and I hope the whole Army wil praise God for your good councel and sit down in peace.