To every individual Member of the honourable House of COMMONS.  
The humble Remonstrance of George Lilburn, Esquire.  
SIR,  
AS I have studied nothing more than to be serviceable in my generation, by employing all my power to preserve the Nations interest, (as an evidence whereof in the worst of times I was not only an opposer, but one that suffered both in person and estate, for opposing Ship-money, Projects, Bishops, etc.) so it could never enter into my thoughts, that I who had been such an eminent assertor of the privileges of Parliament, and Liberties of the people, should have been (as now) necessitated to take this course to manifest my integrity, and blow off that dust which hath lately been cast upon me by Mr. John Blackston, a supposed member of your House, and some other his accomplices, whose slanderous suggestions, backed with his power and interest, seemingly hath gained so much credit, even with the best men, (who have been Strangers to my actions, (save only by report) that I find it a very hard matter, by private discourse to remove that prejudice by many conceived against men. To the end therefore that the whole Truth may be made manifest, and that you may not be guided by report, I have been bold in this way to represent unto you the true state of my case, together with the original rise and growth of Mr. John Blackstons' enmity, in which I shall not deviate in the least from the truth; neither shall it be in his power to contradict me in a syllable. Truth fears no colours, nor seeks corners. I shall declare it, and leave you to judge righteous judgement between my accusers and me.  
The Copy of Colonel Tho. Midfords' Certificate, with others given under their hands.  
THat about July, 1642. Thomas Midford and George Lilburn went on purpose to the House of Sir Henry Vane the elder, near Charing-Cross, and there acquainted him of the frequent meetings of the Papists and their adherents in the County of Durham, and that they did not only gather together most of the prime Horses of the said County, but did exercise them in Arms, and trained the said Horse, to the discouragement of all the truehearted Protestants of the said County: And that the Seaports of the said County were fit to be taken care of, which the said Sir Henry Vane promised to take timely care of, making show that he intended shortly to go down into the said County: In the mean time, desired the said George Lilburn, and the said Thomas Midford to go to the Deputy-lieutenants and acquaint them with the aforesaid information, and to tell them from him, that he could not then write to them concerning the same, but bid them take care thereof, till he gave further Order.  
The said Thomas Midford, about the end of the said month, coming into the said County, went to Durham, and did acquaint Sir Wil Darcy, being then high Sheriff of the said County, Sir John Conyers, and others at John Hals house in Durham, of the same, who returned the said Midford no other answer, but well, well, and seemed to make no great matter thereof.  
28 June, 1642. Tho. Midford  
Suddenly after I returned from London into the Country, where I remained till about the end of August 1642, where, at the general Assize held for the County of Durham, being a Justice of Peace for the said County, I was indicted upon the Statute of Recusancy for not coming to common Prayer, and put of the Bench, and turned out of Commission by Judge Heath.  
Suddenly after, the Earl of Newcastle beginning to Array men) I was invited by several Northern Gentlemen, viz. Mr. George Grace, Mr. Henry Lever, Mr. Robert Car, etc. to go into Scotland, to try if they could obtain force to oppose the Earl of Newcastle, and accordingly I with several other Gentlemen did wait upon Mr. John Pickering the State's Agent resident at Edinburgh, and informed him of the state of the Northern Counties, which he by Letter intimated to the Parliament, but received no answer thereto.  
Soon after I returned to Berwick, and thence to Anwick, where I received a Letter from my Wife, intimating, That if I would come home and be quiet, Sir William Lampton had promised to protect me.  
But coming home, I found that Capt. Sawkell was ordered to seize upon my house and goods, by order of the Earl of Newcastle; whereupon I was necessitated to go to the said Earl at Newcastle, to try if I could prevent the said seizure; where being come, I was seized on by Baron Lidall and others, and hurried to and fro, and put in danger of my life; but by the mercy of God, & through the favour of M. Francis Carnaby, at length I escaped & got home to my house, where I remained privately for about a fortnight, at which time there was to be a meeting at Durham by several Gentlemen of the Country, who endeavoured to put the Commission of Array in execution; to which meeting I was invited by several well-affected Gentlemen, viz. Captain Fulthorp, and Mr. Robert Hutton; to the end, that in the face of the Country we might oppose the said Commission which accordingly we did, first with words, showing the illegality thereof, afterward with swords and staves for some space, till being overpowered with armed men, I and the rest were forced to fly for our lives from Durham. From which time, there were many endeavours to take me prisoner; for prevention whereof, I removed to Stockton, and going from Stockton I heard that Captain Hotham was come to Darneton; so I endeavoured to get thither, but in my journey was taken, (having only one man) it being November 11. 1642. and brought to Durham Gaol; and my Horses, weapons and  taken from me, where, after many invitations, solicitations and threats to induce me to join and contribute, (all which I refused) I was carried to York pinioned, on foot, through water and dirt, where I lay in great misery for the space of 14 Months, in which time I was often solicited by Mr. Ralph Lambton but to send a horse, or give some small contrbution to the maintenance the Earl of Newcastles Army: All which proffers were scorned and refused, as will be attested by the said Ralph Lambton, and others.  
That being after fourteen months' imprisonment exchanged by the Parliament for one Captain Cock prisoner at Dover Castle, the Parliament were pleased by their Ordinance of April 1 1643, together with others, to appoint me to be one of the Committee for Sequestrations in the said County; the faithful discharge of which Trust, my most malicious adversaries (I am confident) cannot question.  
That about August 1647, John Husbands, the State's Agent for Sequestrations, preferred a Charge against one Thomas Shadford (Mr. Blackston's Brother in Law) a member of the said Committee, and produced me, with several others, for the proof of the said Charge.  The particulars of which Charge, because it is now depending before the honourable Committee for the Northern Association to be tried, I shall forbear to mention; although it be apparent, that my appearing against Mr. Blackstons' Brother in law (Mr. Shadford) hath been one of the original causes of Mr. Blackstons' envy, and my present trouble. For, 
Soon after the exhibition and proof of the said Charge, Mr. Shadford, in stead of answering the said Charge, preferred a Charge against me to the same Committee, but proved never a word of it; which Charge I answered the same month, and often solicited to have a fair trial, but never could obtain it: the cause of which, together with the reason of Mr. Blackston's envy, shall more at large appear.  
Mr. John Blackston having obtained an Order from the House of Commons for the settling of three orthodox Ministers, in stead whereof he would have settled three malignant disaffected Priests; viz. Lee, Mason, and a Scotishman; the doing whereof I opposed and prevented for that time, (there being good cause for the same:) however, Mr. John Blackston soon after made a party in the C●…itee in my absence, and placed them, and settled upon 〈◊〉 ●…em 120 pounds per annum.  
That when the Charge against Mr. Shadford was exhibited (in which I did, I confess, eminently appear, being convinced in conscience of the truth thereof;) and that Mr. Shadford had also brought a Charge against me, (I will not say, by Master Blackston's advice, although it be more than probable,) Mr. John Blackston by his power in the Committee caused an Order to be entered by the Clerk of the Committee to make all the proceed concerning the said two Charges, null; and likewise commanded the Clerk that he should not give copies thereof to any, as by the said Order may appear.  
That Mr. Blackston having got himself into the possession of the Lordship of Newton, which was part of the estate of Toby Blackston his Brother, a notorious Delinquent; which estate was protected by the said Mr. John Blackston, notwithstanding it was sequestrable, and endeavoured to be sequestered by John Husbands and myself: which estate lay nigh unto Frankland and Frankland Wood, part of the Lands belonging to the Bishop of Durham, which Land was at that time under the survey of Mr. George Grey, Mr. Thomas Sanders, Mr. John Husbands, and myself, who were chosen Surveighors of those Lands by the trusties for the sale of Bishop's Lands. We (having taken a view ourselves, and having called a Jury of fifteen Gentlemen and Yeomen of the said County, who with us surveighed the same upon oath, and examined all Writings and Records concerning the said Manor) were drawing up the survey to make return thereof to the trusties and Contractors; at which time Mistress Blackston, in the name of her Husband, came unto me, desiring my favour, that I would be a means that it might be certified in the Survey, that the Manor of Newton formerly had right for peranage, and mastage for hogs, and for house-boot, hedge-boot, and free-boot for the house, To which I replied, That either she must produce some evidence or writing for the title, or else the Surveighors could not make any such return: notwithstanding, she did once or twice solicit to the same purpose; and being told we could not do such an unjust act, she gave many upbraiding Speeche● 〈◊〉 ●…d the rest of the Surveighours: insomuch, that w● 〈◊〉 forced to leave her alone in the room.  
Soon after we had returned the Survey of the said Manor of Chester, under our hands and seals, to the trusties one part, and to the Contractors another, as just as ever was, as by our Oaths we are ready to aver, Mr. John Blackston took out a Particular, and purchased Durham Castle, and divers of of those Woods and Lands, to the value of about 5000 pound; after the purchase of which, the said Mr. John Blackston, or some other for him, dealt with one Edward Colston (who was a Surveighor, but never surveighed any of those Lands) together with the aforesaid Mr. Sanders, to make him some reprisals for Pannage and Mastage, and many other things, which ought not to be done, nor could be found by the Jury to be incident to any of the said Lands: by which he got an abatement of a thousand and odd pounds more than what was allowed by the former Jury, as by the reprisals doth appear. And because there was an Ordinance of Parliament that no certificate should be valid, unless it were under the hands of three Surveighours, the hand of one Mr. John Duncalfe was counterfeited to the said certificate, who then was out of the County, as he hath before witness affirmed; whereby the State was cheated of above a thousand pounds.  
Now because I have from time to time discovered the unjust and indirect deal of the said Mr. John Blackston and his accomplices, he hath from time to time endeavoured by Scandalous informations to the Parliament, and several Members thereof, to blast my repute by terming me a delinquent, etc. the very thought whereof I abhor, and desire no other favour for all my service, but to obtain a speedy and fair trial, by which I doubt not but that their envy and my innocency will plainly appear.  
To conclude,  
I desire you to observe in the first place, that these crimes I am accused of are crimes of almost seven years standing; and if true, by them concealed, and I suffered to act with them by authority of Parliament, which they ought not to have suffered, but rather to have sequestered me; but it seems when they found me opposite to their interest, and themselves like to be brought upon the stage, they sought for matter against me, and finding none, they were resolved they would frame something that they might found a slander upon, hoping thereby to prevent their further prosecution.  
Secondly, I pray observe that Mr. Shadfords' charge was exhibited, and the greatest part of it proved about August, 1647, but yet in all this time he hath not answered thereto, and that my charge was exhibited about September, 1647, and answered the same mouth, but never a word proved to this very day, although I have from time to time solicited to obtain a legal hearing, that by the law I might be justified or condemned.  
Thirdly, I appeal to all rational Gentlemen to be judges in this case, whether it be not a sufficient ground for me to except against Mr. John Blackstons being one of my Judges, being brother in law to my accuser, and a person who from time to time hath privately and publicly by slanderous suggestions endeavoured to destroy my repute, by which actions he hath apparently prejudged me a Delinquent without evidence or hearing, as is known to several Members of your House; by which means he hath (being indeed a party interested in the accusation) made himself incapable of being a Judge, no man being by Law or reason to be Judge in his own case.  
Nor do I this as fearing the Justice of my cause (for were my worst enemies my Judges herein, I could not fear) only reserving unto myself the benefit the law allows me as an Englishman. For my part (although I shall be careful to prevent a surprise, yet) not being conscious of guilt, I am not careful what to answer; truth needs no Sophistry, nor fidelity friends or supporters, I fear not the Justice of my Judges, and being innocent I shall not need their mercy; 'tis fit for Traitors and perfidious persons (not those whose deeds are done in the day) to fear a trial, and flatter a Judge. According to the utmost of my power I have been upright, and having betrothed the interest of the Nation; and in all things done unto others, as I would they should do unto me; am bold to say my innocency and fidelity will shine maugre the cloudy calumiations of Mr. Blackston and his accomplices.  
Sir, The nations interest hath engaged me on the one side, and my reputation (which to an Englishman should be dearer than life) hath engaged me on the other, for the preservation whereof I am resolved to hazard all my possibilities, interest and relations; In order whereunto in this way I press to obtain a fair and legal Trial, that Justice may take place, and the truth be manifest, which is the only desire of.  
March 18. 1649. Being the promised year of freedom. George Lilburn Esq  
FINIS.