NOble Sir, y'are welcome, more, and most welcome all the degrees of welcome, thrice welcome you have beene, and shall to my house, and to the best enter­tainment I may or can afford you.

Deserving friend, you have really shewed it, and I have experimentally found it; for which, I must ingenuously acknowledge, that I am deeply engaged in the debt-booke of your love, and so farre [...]nae in arrerage upon the score of your favour, that for the present, though I am your obliged debtor, yet for the future I shall endeavor by all faire and civill respects to demeane my selfe as your vowed, devoted, and most gratefull servant; for to you I may well say, as sometimes Aeschines said to Alexander, Debeotibi meipsum, I owe you my very selfe.

Sir, you transcend the spheare of my deservings, and assure your selfe, I am all yours.

You are all goodnesse, the cord of whose fidelity hath so firme­ly tyed me unto you, that I am yours soly, and yours inseperably, yours perpetually, upon all occasions, wheresoever, whensoever, or in what­soever you shall vouchsafe to command me.

Sir, all the favour that at this time I shall request of you is onely that you would be pleased to impart unto me the late passages and occur­rances which have beene in agitation at Oxford, where His Majesty hath been and is now resident: The state of the whole Kingdome is concerned therein; and we Londoners are of the Athenians humor and disposition, desirous and inquisitive to heare newes.

Indeed, 'tis the demand of all men now a dayes in all places wheresoever they come, what novelty is abroad: harke in your eare, the times are now growne so perilous, that to be an honest man its a dangerous matter, and who is truly religious in these destracted daies, (wherein most men have a forme of godlinesse, but deny the power thereof) its a diffi­cult question to determine. There are so many Sectaries sprung up a­mongst us, that more for number, and the like to these for nature, was ne­ver knowne in the memory of man. Hence it is, that so many men, so ma­ny townes, Cities, nay whole Counties are divided. Some are for the [Page]King, others altogether for his great Councell, the Parliament. Wiltshire, and the County of Salop are wholy for the King, as by their ingage­ment and resolution doth appeare: Hartfordshire and Buckinghamshire, (cum multis altis) are as much for the Parliament, and are fully resolved to hazard their lives in the Parliaments cause.

'Tis strange that such divisions should bee amongst such loyall subjects under so royall a Soveraign; for though Prince and people have been happy a long time, (to the admiration of other Nations) yet never did the King and Kingdom suffer more then both these have done of late.

'Tis not so strange as true: Ile tell you the ground of it. Harke in your eare. In these our present distractions, when forraigne forces threa­ten, and probably invited, and a Malignant Party at home offended: The Envious one, that grand Impostor hath cast a bone, & raised a contestation between the King and his two Houses of Parliament touching the Militia. His Majesty claimes the disposing of it to be in him by right of Law; the Parliament sayth, rebus sio stantibus and nolente Rege, the ordering of it is in them. That ordinance of the Militia without the Kings consent, hath been a fomenter of his Malitia, and was one of the bones of our unhappy division.

I am of your mind, that that was the first fuell to the fire of this unnaturall warre.

There was not wanting other matter to encrease this flame: List­en, and Ile tell you, the keeping the King out of Hull, and taking his Armes and Ammunition from him.

But with your favour Sir, these were not taken from the King, but for the King: and good ground is there for it; for the high and honou­rable Court of Parliament is His Majesties just and faithfull Councell, and what soever they doe, or have at any time done, is upon grave advice, and in mature deliberation, and doth undoubtedly tend to the good and benefit of the King and the whole Kingdome.

You say well, yet give me leave to tell you that the Kings Coun­cellours at Oxford are of another opinion: They confesse it is so preten­ded, but the quere is, whether is he so intended: If it be, why is his Navy at sea imployed against him? why have they made an ordinance for set­ling Customes without an Act of Parliament? when an act of this Parlia­ment declares, that no Custome is due without an Act & all such persons as receive the same▪ incurre the forfeiture of a premunire. Hereupon His Majesty hath set forth a Proclamation at his Court at Oxford the 16. day of this present moneth, prohibiting the payment and receit of Customes, and other maritime duties upon that late ordinance of both Houses of Par­liament. [Page]In the Proclamation His Majesty doth relate, that the monyes arising from these duties, are to support an unnatural rebellion against him, and to foment an intestine and civill dissention; and doth thereby de­clare to all his people of what sort soever, that whosoever henceforward shall by vertue of the pretended Ordinance of Parliament, pay any mo­nyes for custome or other duties therein mentioned, other then to his proper ministers, what is due to him by the knowne Lawes of the King­dom, that he will proceed against him or them in due time, as an ilaffected person or persons to the peace of this Kingdome.

'Tis impossible that such an aggregate body as the Parliament is, can or should do any injury either to the King, or his three Kingdomes.

I assent to you in that. It is not the Parliament, (for that assem­bly is, Fens Iustitiae) but some Malignant members of the representative body, which have been taxed by the King, in his severall Declarations.

The King stands for his Prerogative, the Parliament for their priviledge, about these there are a great distance, and greivous difference between them both, insomuch that both are displeased, and 'its much feared that nothing but the sword can decide their controversie; I would to God it were once sheathed; I am sure so long as it is brandished over our heads, 'tis a sad Omen of fatall destruction, and doth menace ruine and desolation to the Kingdome of England. Warre is the way to destroy all, and of all warre a Civill warre is the worst, and at this time our land is so fruitfull of such monsters who like so many Neroes, are ready to destroy their owne mother. How many Myriads of barbarous men are there a­mongst us, who delight in nothing more then in the effusion of bloud: These are the hot-spurres of the times, whose spirits have no spirit at all to peace. All are not well-affected unto peace: But it is, and shall be my prayer to the God of peace, that the wounds of this distractive warre may be healed, that our peace may be, as formerly it hath beene, againe re­stored; and to this end, I pray God amend all those that are malevolently disposed.

Amen say I.

And further, may it please God to take away the wicked from the King, that his throne may be established in righteousnesse.

You wish well, but who (I pray you) are those wicked ones▪

Why, the malignant party, and they are the Cavaliers, and evill Councellors that have bin, and are still about his Majesty, who have sedu­ced our good King, and withdrawn him from his great and best Councell.

I wish that all who have been engines in withdrawing, or maine actors of withdrawing the King from his Pallace at Whitehall and from [Page]his Parliament at Westminster, [...] labour and invention. For had not His Majesty [...] from us, there had not beene such an unhappy [...] his present there is.

That I verily beleeve; but I pray, Sir [...]elolve m [...] who those mayne Ropes are (a rope take 'em) in withdrawing the King.

Harke in your eare, for feare one of 'em may overheare me: Though my brain [...] be muddy, I would be lo [...] to have them washt in the kennell, by those rude, unruly, headstrong, and gl [...]diheaded Schismaticks. They are rable of [...]rownists, and Anabaptists, who have beeene and continew still the chiefe disturbers of the peace both of the Church and Commonwealth. By their factious meetings and illegall tumules, they have driven His Majesty from us: The King himselfe professeth no lesse in these words, No other reason induced [...] [...]ve our City of London, but that with honour and safety We could not stay there, and it was in regard of them; therefore they are a most dangerous and mischievous generation: They are li [...] [...]he Divell himself, Legion multitudes of them are now resident in the City of London, in every Parish round about us.

I cannot confide in all that you averre.

(Harke in your eare) There are a great many of [...]ese waspes now at this instant in the Countries, and in the Parliaments Army.

Say you so: Pray Sir what have they done?

What have they done? nay what have they not done? Their barbarous and sacrilegious inhumanity hath beene of late exercised in Churches, as in Canterbury, Worcester, Oxford, and other places, where they have perpetrated [...] commited such horrid and unheard of outra­ges, as Jewes and Atheists never practised before.

I am sorry whi [...] my h [...]o heare it.

I would [...] had no [...] [...]e it. At Canterbury in Kent, they no sooner entred the Church [...], but [...]i [...]nt-like, they began a fight with God himselfe; overthrew the Communion Table, tore the velvet cloth from before it, defaced the goodly [...]eene, violated the monu­ments of the dead, spoiled the Organs, broke downe the rarest windowes in all Christendome, with the antient railes and seates, and the brazen Eagle that did support the Bi [...], forced open the cupbords of the sing­ingmen, rent some of their Surp [...]s, gownes and bibles, and carried away others, mangled all the Service bookes and bookes of Common Prayer, bestrowing the whole pavement with the leaves thereof.

If such an outrage was committed, may they answer for it that did it.

Nay this was not all: For as if all this had beene too too little to satisfie the funy and madnesse of these miscreants, they further encrea­sed their malice and cruely upon the Arras hangings in the Quire, repre­senting the whole story of our Saviour, wherein observing divers figures of Christ I tr [...]ble to expresse their blasphemy one said here is Christ; swore that he would stab him; another said here is Christ, swore that he would rip up his bowells, which they did accordingly, so farre as the figures were capable thereof; besides many other never the like heard of villanies: And not content therewith, finding another statue of Christ in the frontispiece of the South gate, they discharged against it forty shot at least, triumphing much when they hit it in the head or face, as if they were resolved to Crucifie againe the Lord of life. They threatned the ruine of the whole [...]a [...]rick and would have done more mischiefe, had not Colonel Sandis with some others come to the reliefe and rescue.

I pray God amend all that is amisse.

The times are grown so bad that better they may be, but worse they cannot be. We heard lately at Oxford that many of your Citizens have petitioned to the Parliament for peace; their Apprentices likewise, and divers well affected yong men of London have supplicated to the two honourable Houses for a blessed Accomodation.

'Tis true, there are some for it, and some against it.

Sir Robert Heath sometimes Lord chiefe Iustice of the Com­monpleas, after glad to have the favor to plead as a Common Serjeant, now Lord cheife Justice of the Kings bench, is in great fame and favour, with his Majestie.

So are many more at this present, but the Parliament are fully resolved to proceed against two persons, (Delinquents) as the maine pro­moters and fomentors of this unnaturall warre upon the Subjects, thereby to give satisfaction to the world in an example of Justice to be excuted upon them.

Who are they.

The one is the Lord Digby, whom fame taxes to be the adviser of his Majesty to come in person to the House of Commons in a hostile manner, to accuse the five members of high Treason. This Lord fayling of his end in that designe, advised a warre upon the Parliament, as it evi­dently appeares by his actions and preparations both beyond sea and here in England, and by severall letters which have been intercepted. The other person demanded to be proceeded against, is the Earle or Newcastle, who hath put the sword into the Papists hands, who hath in a most rigo­rous manner tyrannised over the Kings good Subjects in Yorkeshire, im­posing [Page]upon divers, men great and greivous taxes as upon some, 2000, [...] upon others 3000 [...]

This is one ground [...] Marquesse of Hartford hath of late, declined the service his [...] him in, for that the King [...]ath not [...] given way to the [...]ling of a Popish army in the North, but hath granted Commission to the Marquesse of Worcester a knowne Papist to be Generall of the Forces in those parts where he is, whose Army consiste most of profest Papists.

Have you heard yet of Colonel Go [...]es late landing at New­castle?

I have. 'Tis for certaine that that faithlesse Colonel, once Go­verner of Port smouth, who afterwards desired banishment, and promised never more to serve against the Parliament is yet for all his vowe and pro­mise come over againe, and hath taken [...]es contrary to his faith. He is landed with a regiment of a thousand old experienced souldiers, eighty brave Commanders, and twenty peeces of Ordnance, with all Ammu­nition and equipage promotionable: besides he hath bro [...]ht with him armes for tenne thousand men, and her Majesties Standard, which is to be the blazon of her army, and erected at the head of it (called the Catholicke Army) under the command of the Earle of Newcastle.

They say there are three Regiments more comming from the Northerne Counties to the said Earle of Newcastle, which army of Papists come compleated will prove more formidable to this Kingdome then is at present imagined.

'Tis credibly reported likewise, that in Nottinghamshire the Cavaliers doe make a p [...]y, having possessed themselves of Newarke up­on Trent, and put 400. men into the Castle, and command the passage there over the River.

But Ile tell you of a strange thing, the like you never heard of; 'Tis of a Pamphlet that was on Saturday last published and printed, enti­tuled, A complaint to both [...] of Parliament. The author and pub­lisher of it hath scattered man [...] of them in divers places, as in Pauls Church-yard, in Westminster-Hall, and Westminster-Abey. The afore­said Pamplet is stuffed with intollerable language, full or bitternesse and invectives against the Parliament, and their legall proceedings: therein that great Councell of the King and Kingdome is called a corporation of Projectors, and most unjustly [...]ed for doing nothing these two yeares past tending to the good of the Republique.

In that the Pamphleteer (or rather scandalous Libeller) is most injurious to our grave Senate; for the world knowes, and we can all suffi­ciently [Page]relate what memorable acts, and never to be forgotten things, the indefatigable labours and endeavours of those Worthies have effected, and brought to passe for the publicke good (against all opposition whatso­ever) ever since their first Session, to this present day.

Blessed be God for it, and I pray God still blesse and prosper them in their determinations and consultations.

And as that scandalous Pamphlet is condemned to be burnt by the hand of the hang man, to may the malignant author, contriver, &c pub­lisher thereof be stigmatized and branded with the perpetuall marke of infamy for defaming so renowned an Assembly in that false and infa­mous and libellous Pamphlet. At Oxford lately at the Councell Table, the Earle of Bristol made a speech, the effect whereof was to animate His Majesty not to lay downe Armes, but to prosecute the Parliament with all vigor: And at the same time the Earle of Dorset rose up, and spake bravely for a happy agreement and concurrence betweene the King and his Parliament.

Pray Sir, how stands His Majesty affected?

Our gratious King desires it, and would willingly upon honoura­ble tearmes, embrace it with all his heart So doth his Nephew Prince Ru­pert, if we may beleeve that speech which he lately spake to His Majesty and the Lords of His Privy Councell, at his returne from Redding to Ox­ford.

I shall love Prince Rupert the better for this, and am now perswa­ded that he hath suffered more by the obloquie and detraction of factious spirits then ever he deserved.

That I verily beleeve. For my part I thinke there's no good man but desires peace.

May peace bee within our walls, and plenty a [...]ine within our dwellings.

May the clouds of discord, discontent, d [...] and difference be all dissipated, that there may bee a cleere and right understanding be­tween the King and the parliament. Then, come [...] or warre, life or death, it is, and shall be our prayer, God save the K [...]g.

And preserve the Parliament.