Certain reasons (by way of reply to some Objections generally urged and in more particular to a paper styled the case of JOHN GIFFORD Gentleman, presented to the Members of Parliament) why those Iron-works in the Forest of Deane should be in honour and justice of the House, speedily demolished, tendered by the preservators of the said Forest of Deane.  
1. IT is very remarkable that this Parliament in the first Remonstrance of the grievances of this Nation, Dec. 15. 1641. amongst many others, did insist upon this with much resentment that there was a general destruction of the King's timber, especially that of the Forest of Deane, sold to Papists, which they then declared to be the best Storehouse in this Kingdom for the maintenance of Shipping. Now after nine years sitting, when it pleaseth God to divolve the Power and remedy thereof into their own hands, and after much contest and serious debate, upon contrary objections, Petitions and overtures tendered to them, did so positively vote, that the Iron-works within the Forest of Deane should be demolished, to keep them standing by another vote, will seem strange to them who with infinite satisfaction and content perused and served them in the votes of the 1. of Jan. last past.  
2. It will be construed (with all submission nevertheless to better judgements) an act of very great injustice, that when other works which were built upon the inheritance of private Gentlemen, and none of them (Bishops-wood furnace only excepted) comparably so consumptive to the Forest timber, that they should be demolished, and those which were the works of the King & Sir John Winter (built upon the Forest ground and without all contradiction originally intended by the votes aforementioned) kept standing only, when nothing of reason, but pretences and allegations are offered to the Parliament and Committee of Revenue, as in the scaning of Captain Giffords' Paper will be showed.  
3. This work hath been (by our Progenitors, who were men of public spirits) intended and drove on for these 50. years and upwards, and in the Queens and the two last Kings reign several hopes and overtures were granted, but by the potency of the Court faction, or some eminent interest of private persons) always crossed. But now (having order for the positive demolition, and the work being in so good a forwardness of perfection) to grant new orders for the continuance thereof, will utterly and for ever dash the hopes, and hearty resolutions of thousands who have been as zealous for, and, proportionably to their estates, greater sufferers for the Parliament than Captain Gifford.  
4. It is visible that what the Parliament hath done or shall in altering their resolutions is in a charitable gratification to the insinuations of a private man; now if it shall be made appear that they are pretensions rather than real truths, it is humbly desired they may be examined, before a report of that nature be made, or the judgement of the House abused in procurement of a contrary order; yet whether it may be said to be charitable or honourable, to gratify the desires of one man for his profit or gain to the apparent loss of the State, and disadvantage of so well deserving a People, is humbly submitted.  
5. The Votes of the first of Jan. last past will be rendered of no consequence; for whereas other works already demolished are disputable whether or no they are comprehended within the order; for these alone to stand, which are (past dispute) clearly meant, will so much make for the Ironmasters, that it will be construed, they now must be kept up by order of the House, But his reasons in his Paper being truly answered, we hope all question of this matter will be laid aside.  

The Paper holds forth to consideration several reasons contained in these particulars.  
1. FIrst he acknowledgeth that in all his contracts, timber was excepted, and the greater part of what he hath coald was timber, as is proved by the Commission returned in the Exchequer, whereby he hath utterly made void the Contract; and what hopes the state may have of his future dealing, is left to judgement.  
2. He said he hath two thousand pounds worth of Coal made of the Forest wood; it is humbly entreated that may be made appear as well as said; It will be proved that this is a notable collusion, for while he seemingly begs of the Parliament in humility, he seemingly begs of the Parliament in humility, he brags in the Country of his policy, making daily contracts for more Coal and wood of private men, while he keeps his small remainder of the Forest stock unspent, because he will have something to say for himself, to make his cause seem reasonable.  
3. Whereas 'tis alleged his stock of five thousand pound will become wholly useless; there is a two fold answer, first he hath no such stock of the state, and therefore they are no way obliged to suffer loss for another man's bargains, secondly the assertion is untrue, for he may have money for his Wood, Coale or sow-Iron to make him a saver, and for his Oar and Cinders he may have the same vent for them which the Miners themselves have, either by water or the works, of neighbours who usually do and will buy them.  
4. He seems to take care that those works (which have been proved by long experience, to the House, to be the ruin of shipping) shall continnue after the stock spent, whereby it must follow that either, the Informations by Commission or otherwise given to the Parliament have been false, or else the Votes of the House were so ill grounded that they must, for his sake, admit of a contradiction, and for the prizes of Foreign iron, there are those who will undertake to serve this Nation with as good and as cheap iron as now they have, without consumption of their own Timber.  
5, For his giving security, that is found to be of no value, for when the Contracts have always run that timber should be excepted, yet the goodliest Trees in Europe have fallen to make Coal, and when complaint hath been made, 'tis a fallacy very usual to answer, you must prove who cut them, and we do confidently aver, that as long as the works stand, those poor Families he seems to pity (though they are the most envenomed and bitter enemies to the Parliament, witness the several recruits of Sir Jo. Winter's Garrisons) will destroy the timber, which he knows to be true, even while we were acting in the Commission, and if the Cause be not taken away, 'tis improbable the effect should cease: and who shall the State sue when they cannot prove who cut down their timber.  
6, But for the sadness of his condition, and his and his friends being ruined, and made prisoners, we say that this is a mere pretence, it will be proved by as able men as Mr. Gifford, that he hath gained many a thousand pound within these few years, and how he should for the future be a loser, when he may be made a saver by his pretended stock, would be inquired, and it is humbly and earnestly entreated, that the truth of this may be looked into, and those who stand barely for the good of the State may be heard herein, as well as he who solely intends his own profit, and in this particular doth providently account that to be his loss, which he might by this means gain, though to the damage and dishonour of the State.  
7. And to join issue with him, it is humbly referred to every individual Member of the House, what the progress of these insinuations may effect; For first it is humbly entreated and granted, that the works may stand till March 25. next for a year, and then for ever, as is hinted in his Paper, and then every thing return to its old and wont way of destruction. The wise Spaniard that knew before 88 that there was not so goodly a plot of shipping timber in the known world, would a little admire at the policy of this Nation, to see it now almost destroyed upon no other account then the enriching of a few papists and private men, who by their power and pretences have always been able to produce reasons to destroy that Country; the consequence and nature whereof was so much heretofore envied by the Mortal enemies of this Nation.  
8 That Mr. Gifford might lose three thousand pounds at Cyrencester would be controverted, though not denied, but if he hath gained 6. thousand in the Forest, we believe he is not so much to be pitied as those who having lost an hundred thousand in those parts, did never receive that pay which he and his son hath, and yet their losses are so far from being audited or stated, that they are out of all hopes of reparation, though their hearty affections to the Parliament were as eminent as his. Neither is it a good argument of his affection to them, to insist so urgently upon the standing of those works, which his private judgement must needs inform him, is so much inconsistent with their profit or honour.  
All which we most humbly submit to the House, and every Member thereof, praying to God that they may so providently weigh and manage this business as may be for their own safety, and the advantage of this Commonwealth. Jo. Berrow, Jo. Wade, John Adeane, Henry Rudge, Preservators of the said Forest.