My Lord,

THough I cannot but imagin I ſtand ſo highly condemned in your Lordſhips and many perſons thoughts, that any thing of vindication from me muſt come with all the diſadvantage and prejudice that may be; yet (my Lord) being conſcious of my owne integrity, and confident that I ſhall bee judged by your Lordſhip by no other Rules but thoſe of juſtice and reaſon, I cannot doubt but when I have diſcovered the grounds and reaſons of my Actions, that it will appeare to your Lordſhip, that what I have done hath been agreeable to the ſeveral duties I ſtand ingaged in, as I am ſuppoſed to have acted contrary before I am heard.

Not to detaine your Lordſhip in circumſtances, I ſhall make this Proteſtation, that as no other thing but the danger of the Kings life, could in reaſon excuſe ſuch attempt: So I doe proteſt that no inferiour conſiderations did or could have moved to ſuch an action: But my Lord having had ſuch particular and well grounded information, that ſo horrid a deſign was intended and moved from thoſe that could when they pleaſed have had the power to put it in execution; I hope I ſhal not be cenſured for having poſt poſed all other conſiderations to that Loyalty which cannot be queſtioned but I owe to the King.

But not to leave your Lordſhip unſatisfied with the generall account, the intelligence I ſpeak of, concerning this deſigne, I received from Captain Rolfe, a perſon very intimate with the Governour, privy to all Conncells, and one that is very high in the eſteem of the Army; he my Lord informed me, that to his knowledge the Governour had received ſeverrll Letters from the Army, intimating they deſired the King might by any meanes be removed out of the way, either by poyſon or otherwiſe, And that another time the ſame perſon perſwaded me to joyne with him in a deſigne to remove the King out of that Caſtle to a place of more ſecrefie, proffering to take an Oath with me, and to doe it without the Governours privity, who he ſaid would not conſent for loſing the allowance of the Houſe, his pretence to this attempt was, that the King was in too publique a place, from whence he might be reſcued, but if he might be conveyed into ſome place of ſecreſy, he ſaid we might diſpoſe of his perſon upon all occaſions as wee thought fit; and this he was confident we could effect without the Governours privity. My Lord conſidering all theſe pregnant circumſtances, I think it will appear that there were, if there are no ſuch intentions concerning his Majeſties perſon, as may well juſtifie my indeavours that have been made for his remove from ſo much danger: and for my owne part, my Lord, I muſt be ſo plain as to declare concerning my owne actings in relation to this buſineſſe, that had I done this (having ſuch grounds) I muſt beleeve I had then verified all thoſe aſperſions of diſloyalty and breach of Truſt, which I am contented to ſuffer from thoſe whoſe intereſt is perchance oppoſed to my indeavors to prevent ſuch damnable deſignes.

My Lord, I have ſpoken nothing here but what I ſhall be ready to teſtifie upon Oath In his Letter to the Houſe of Commons, he deſires time for 40 days. when ever I ſhall be called to it, with promiſe of Freedome and ſecurity, till then I muſt be content to ſupport all cenſures and ſatisfie my ſelfe with the vindication I receive from my owne conſcience.

I am your Lordſhips humble Servant, Rich. Osburne.

Right Honourable,

I Did by a Letter of the firſt of June acquaint my Lord Wharton with what I ſend here incloſed, expecting it would before this have been communicated to both Houſes: what ſhould be the reaſon of concealing a buſineſſe of this nature I know not, except it bee to give thoſe time that are concerned in it, better to thinke of ſome ſtratagem to evade this diſcovery,

I humbly deſire your Lordſhip upon ſight of this relation, to communicate it to the Houſe of Peeres; which I ſhall be ready to atteſt upon Oath in every particular, when ever your Lordſhip ſhall pleaſe to allow me that freedome and ſecurity which ought to be afforded to any Gentleman and Chriſtian, in witneſſing a truth.

My Lord I am, Your Lordſhips moſt humble Servant, Rich. Osburne. June 16, 1648. For the Right Honourable the Lord Mancheſter Speaker of &c.

An Anſwer to Mr. Richard Osburns Letter.

HEre is two things which Mr. Osburne aimes at in this Letter, (as is very clear and manifeſt) concerning himſelf, rather then any intention of good to the King.

1 His own vindication, concerning that foul perfidious fact of betraying the truſt repoſed in him by the Parliament, the Lord Generall and the Governour, in joyning with their enemies (ſecretly) to carry away his Majeſty, to the great danger of his perſon, God knows whither.

2. To gain freedome and ſecurity (to ſerve him as a protection, who is now fled from the face of Juſtice.)

Should there be ſuch a defigne in any, as to murther or poyſon the King, it were Treaſon in the higheſt degree, even to (know it, and) conceale it.

But this information of Mr. Osburnes, alledged to daub up thoſe breaches which he hath made in his reputation, by perfideouſneſſe to the Parliament, is ſo improbable; that inſtead of clearing him, it makes him appear full of levity (if not treachery) both to the King and Parliament.

The Intelligence of this deſigne (againſt the King) he ſaith he received from Captain Rolfs: And it ſeems he had not a ſudden, but ſeverall informations of if, (as himſelf ſaith) whereas, according to the Laws of the Kingdom, he ought to have, the firſt time, made it known and for not ſo doing, if that be true which he ſaith, he is guilty of Treaſon, for concealing it ſo long.

And in all his Charge he perſonates none in Capt. Rolfs intelligence, but himſelf, and what he ſayes of himſelf, gives juſt grounds of ſuſpition, that his deſigne to have carryed away the King, was very dangerous to his Majeſties perſon, and the peace of the Kingdome.

He confeſſeth himſelf to be guilty of a confederaſie, and to have had ſeverall Treaties to remove his Majeſty, he demonſtrateth theſe ſeverall deſignes againſt the King.

1. That the King might be removed out of the Caſtle where he is, to a place of more ſtrength. [That Mr. Osburn went on in this deſigne, it is clear, and by himſelf confeſt; but neither the Army, the Governour, nor Mr. Rolfs privy to it, but active to prevent it.]

2 That an Oath might be taken, of ſecreſie, to each other [He ſaith that Captain Rolf proffered to take it; but it ſeems he did not, and was therefore, not thought fit to be further truſted in this deſigne,] But the Souldiers which they drew in, diſcovered the Plot, for all the Oath, which they could not bear, and ſo the Deſigne was prevented by the care of the Governour.

3. That by any means the King might be removed out of the way, either by poyſon, or other wayes. [Had this been true, Osburn is a Traytor in high degree, for concealing it, though he had had no hand at all in it, more then to know of the deſigne.

But if ſuch a deſigne was (by all reaſon) Osburn was himſelfe, the chiefeſt Actor for accompliſhing of this cruell and horrid murthering of the King, prevented by the care of Collonell Hammond. As may appear, by theſe circumſtances, from his own confeſſion.

1 Though he knew that Collonell Hammond, the Governour, would not conſent to this horrid deſign, yet (during the time of all theſe Treaties; the managing of the deſign, the bringing of Mercury water, and eating the Iron barre of the Window. The providing of boats and horſes) Osburn would not let it be diſcovered, either to the Governour, or to the Parliament, but all kept ſecret till now, that he is fled from the preſence of Juſtice.

2 Osburne (without the privity of the Army, the Governour, or Captain Rolph, with other confederates did thus far act what he chargeth Captain Rolph with, in a treaty with him, that the King had like to have been conveyed into ſome place of ſecrefie: And what was the intent herein:

Why probably it was to have reſcued His Majeſty from the power of the Parliament, and to have done with him what the Cavaliers had pleaſed.

The Deſigne by Osburns owne words was intended thus, to the end, They might diſpoſe of His Majeſties perſon, upon all occaſions as they thought fit.

Now let any rationall man (that reads this Letter of Mr. Osburns) deal clearly with his own heart; and he cannot but confeſſe, that the deſigne to have carryed away the King from the Iſle of Wight by Osburn, and his confederates, was dangerous not onely to the Parliament and Kingdome, but to the hazzard of his Majeſties perſon, And by the wonderfull providence of God prevented. And that his Majeſties perſon, as well as the Kingdome, is more ſecure by the protection of the Parliament then by the Cavaliers. The Parliament will heare either Mr. Osburne or any other that will come and bring in any particular Charge againſt any perſons whatſoever, guilty of any ſuch Deſigne againſt the King.

Weſtminiſter the 21th of June 1648.