AN ANSWER TO PRINCE RUPERTS DECLARATION.  
Printed in the Year, 1643. February 16.   

THe wonder is not great to have your Highness' name in Print, when no cause can be so bad, nor dictate so unlikely, but may (for a small hope where you are) find a pen suitable to them.  
Neither can there be any great prudence discovered in suffering yourself to be held out to the people, as the chiefest Instrument that hath caused this cruel, and unheard of calamity, no more then in casting this general aspersion upon the Nation, as if it did not deserve to be governed by so good a King as His Majesty; the belief of which may be the cause His Majesty hath communicated so much of his power to your Highness, and the rest of his bad Counselors, who are able to overbalance more piety and goodness, than ever could be found in any one man living; Therefore it is against you and your adherents (forerunners in Religion and nature) that we take up Arms, and not against His sacred majesty, as you are pleased to upbraid us.  
And yet your Highness so fare forgets your own natural disposition, as to lay falsehood at the door of my Lord Wharton, who may ignorantly err, yet can never be charged with so much impiety, as the calling heaven and earth to witness it, a dyalect too well known amongst you; besides I have met with divers that are able to take up as much belief upon their bare words, as your Highness, who have justified this Relation in every particular.  
That a great part of your Cavelry left the Battle to plunder the baggage, your own men confess; And we cannot but acknowledge it with thanks to God. But whether your Highness were so near danger yourself, or some other more valiant Prince Rupert besides, is hard to affirm, because about that time, Rupert made your Army very fruitful in those did personate that title. How fast your Highness may be bound in Honour I know not, this I am sure of, Love, Religion, or Charity can take little hold on you, else you would not plunder, spoil, and bring to such misery, those that have ventured their lives to restore your Family, and have freely given from their own children, to pay for your nursing; Therefore your gratitude to His Majesty is barely pretended, He only gave you power to ask and receive, but the people's goodness alone made them give to the Queen of Bohemiah, so many great and free contributions, and now you have not only taken away their wills, but their means of ever doing the like; having brought us to so wretched a condition ourselves, that we shall never hereafter have leisure to pity her, but rather consider her as the Mother of our Calamity.  
It asketh no great credulity to believe the Standard was taken, for I have not yet met a man so partial as to doubt it; but such as hold no truth is to be observed, which is in any thing can be done or spoken, as appeared by your demeanour at Brainford.  
Now here your Highness gins to shuffle your matters as if you meant to show us a trick, and make us believe contrary to our own sense, that we lost more men than you at Keinton, though double the number we want, were found slain with stolen Mutton, Hens, and Turkeys, in their mouths, hands, or snap-sacks, the known mark of your Highness' Hospitality, and of men of note you want forty for one, and might have done more, but that they saved themselves by turning High-landers, as you call them, being not furnished with a spirit of extempore fight, though your Highness is pleased to charge them with that gift, which may give some cause to think you are turned Brownist, as likely a thing as that the Parliament should employ Papists: Now you cannot wonder if your common Soldiers be not missed, consisting for the most part of arrant Rogues and Strangers, which had never no certain being, till now in their graves, nor will they be looked after till the day of judgement; when you shall be ashamed of being seen in the Head of so many Popish Recusants, not only of this Nation, but fetched from Ireland, Wales, and Denmark, And yet we must believe your Highness doth it to defend the Protestant Religion, Liberty of the Subject, and Privilege of Parliament.  
And here you bestow your Courtship upon the Citizens, who might be abused to some purpose, my Lord Wharton never intended they should suffer you and your Cavalieers to enter London upon your Highness' word: For sure your Army that could not hold from plundering the poor lousy Blanckets and Beds at Brainford, Redding, Malborrow, and where not, would hardly spare the rich Petticoats in London; I say no more for making your Highness' blush, only I believe the hope of this booty, rather than the conscience you talk of, or the goodness of your cause, makes you continue your running valour. Your Highness, they say, love women well enough that are for your turn, though it should seem at Keinton your valour exceeded your lust, so fare together with the women to kill children and dogs; which may be better excused then the hanging of Boyse in cold blood for being of a contrary Religion to the Governor, and for having more honesty than would trouble the stock of your Highness' best Regiment.  
I dare not accept the brave challenge you make, because I number no Kings amongst my Ancestors; yet this I will promise you on the word of a Gentleman, If I meet you in the field, before this is composed, I shall endeavour to send your Highness into another Kingdom, where there is no plundering.  
I know not who you mean that was used so cruelly, unless Savage, Layton, Lilborne, Pim, etc. who were punished beyond the cruelty of Infidels: And if it were that time of government, that seems to your Highness too good for this Nation, I think the Palatinate happier now, than it would have been, had you succeeded your Father.  
You ask, whose money have you taken, which may be answered by whose you have spared, nay was there not a Warrant under his Majesties own hand, where the materials of my Lord Says House is given to any that shall pull it down.  
Besides, It were strange, Soldiers daily paid, should do more mischief than those who have nothing to live on, but the spoil of the Kingdom. For profaning of Churches, you know at Kingston your Horses stood in the Chancel, and the whores lay in the body of the Church, which was too immodest to be done before the picture of our Lady, therefore the Soldiers are the less to be blamed that removed it.  
The Parliament hath restrained many, but none against safe conduct, whereas you have committed those that had his Majesty's hand and seal, making that sacred word of none effect, which was all the Persians had to show for their lives and fortunes.  
I will not charge your Highness for doing any thing unworthy your condition, which in charity I desire were not so suitable to these courses, yet I wonder you should so much forget yourself, and your Father, as to brand our Army with the name of Traitors, who cannot but have as just a claim to our Liberties, as he had to the Crown of Bohemiah, and may by as just reasons take up Arms against His Majesty's ill Counsel, as he and yourself, did against the person of the Emperor.  
Neither can your Highness think any so simple, to believe the Parliament can employ with confidence any Papists to fight for them, no more than they can in discretion or safety send you, with your Cavaliers, to oppose them in Ireland.  
I do not find after you had by your good conduct lost your brother's Army in Germany, that your restraint was very hard, because your next dispatch was for your hawks and dogs.  
I am glad your Highness is so godly, as to think of praying; for it hath been said, you are very seldom upon your knees, but when you drink to the confusion of the Roundheads, and the Parliament.  
And now I cannot conclude better, than your Highness doth, He that hath a Design against the Protestant Religion, the Laws of England, or hopes to plunder London, let him be accursed; And God bless the KING, and this Parliament, and send us peace and truth to perform what we promise. Which are the prayers of  
Your Highness' humble SERVANT.  
FINIS.