Mr. Peter's Last Report of the ENGLISH wars, Occasioned by the importunity of a Friend Pressing an Answer to Seven Quaeres.  

Viz.  
I. Why he was silent at the Surrender of Oxford.  
II. What he observed at Worcester it being the last town in the King's hand.  
III. What were best to do with the Army.  
IV. If he had any expedient for the present difference.  
V. What his Thoughts were in relation to foreign States.  
VI. How these late Mercies and Conquests might be preserved and improved.  
VII. Why his name appears in so many books not without blots, and he never wipe them off.   
Published by Authority.  
LONDON, Printed by M. S. for Henry Overton, and are to be sold at his Shop in Popes-Head Alley. 1646.   

Mr. Peter's Last Report of the English wars.  
SIR,  
YOur importunity hath prevailed, and I could wish my Answers to your Quaeres might gain this with you that they are rather sent to please you then myself, whose knowledge lies rather in the Hyssop on the wall than the Cedars of Lebanon: I assure you I would now go home and know myself, and study it throughly, name miser ille qui notus nimis omnibus ignotus moritur sibi.  
First, In that you heard not from me upon the surrender of Oxford, I hear so much of it on both ears, and the distance was so little from London, that I forbore to report that to you, which you might have been an eyewitness of at so little charge and trouble: only let me be your true informer, that you had nothing committed then by ours, that had not its rise from integrity and faithfulness to the State, accompanied with such skill, as the Lord was pleased to dispense; and let me tell you, men upon the place (in such case) can better judge, than lookers on afar off, I hope you will not lose by that bargain in the end, though it seem for present an ill pennyworth.  
Secondly, For Worcester, I am sorry so little is spoken of it, where so much worth and gallantry appeared, and indeed I cannot remember where I have seen so much done in so short a time; where, when that valiant Commander of Horse colonel Whaley had done his duty, and with the help of country forces had blocked up part of the town; four Regiments of foot under the command of colonel Rainborow came, and raised works within pistol shot of their royal Sconce and the City, the Enemy playing upon them with Case-shot out of Sakers all the time, wherein Lieutenant colonel Pride, and Lieut. Colonel Ewers had a chief share; whereupon the Enemy accepts of those Propositions you have seen: Master Richard Salwey a Member of the House who was of our council in this work deserves well of his country and the kingdom for his wisdom and faithfulness many ways: and truly I wish colonel Rainborow a suitable employment by Sea or Land, for both which God hath especially fitted him, foreign States would be proud of such a Servant: I Preached at Worcester at our coming in, and afterwards, and did observe a door open to the gospel.  
I am now fully satisfied with the Answer of my many many Petitions that I might live to see this day, this blessed day, and the last town of the Enemies taken: I am thinking whether to go a few days more in this Vale to admire what I have seen upon Earth, and then die, that I may praise him as he would be praised, who hath founded mercies for his servants, and brought forth deliverance to miracle through Jesus Christ. I find our soldiers generally in the old form, rather wondering then boasting, admired by the Enemy for their gallantry and Conduct.  
Thirdly, Your demand about the disposing the Army, is not so proper for a private Pen to engage in; yet this I may say, that other Nations in our condition would think, if they looked round about them and within them, the disbanding an Army (if trusty) ought not to be a work of haste: when the seas are down in England, I think the passage unto Ireland will be easier, and if we can maintain a defensive war this Winter, I trust the Spring will invite many over thither: only I wish the English a good Magazine of all things, and that they would attend two things in the Irish war besides, viz. not to spend time about Castles and Forts, but to become Master of the Field: and secondly, to burn up the enemy's provisions everywhere. The wild Irish and the Indian do not much differ, and therefore would be handled alike: yet I could tell you a more excellent way; In the mean, if these faithful Commanders were in Garrisons (without any design be it spoken) you have always an Army ready, the private soldier will still run to his honest and well-known Commander; yea, so firm they are, that if their Officer should be changed, I believe those soldiers must be pressed to stay with others.  
Briefly, this I say to your Question, that this Army was hardly gotten, and I wish it may be as hardly disbanded; if you have no present employment, were I persuaded that foreign threatenings were in earnest; I wish this Army might be sent to encounter them, and teach Peasants to understand liberty, and I would not doubt but to see good fruit of it soon, I would rather our men should live upon their wine, than they upon our beer: It is one of the great interests of this State to keep war at distance: fear not that Army whose Commanders (like Samuel) can ask any County or town where they have been whose, ox or ass they have taken? never fewer complaints, not many men of such quality, whose design is only to obey their Masters: viz. The Parliament, the slighting the Army is their money, triumphant chariots would have broke our necks.  
Fourthly, Whereas you desire some expedient to the difference: I assure you the question in hand: and the Lord walking in the clouds towards us, it is no wonder we walk in the dark among ourselves. And truly it wounds my soul, when I think Ireland would perish, and England continue her misery through the disagreement of ten or 20. learned men: but if you will pardon and pity my folly, I will state the disease, and then we have half, won the cure. To omit the three common enemies that befool learned and unlearned, noble and ignoble, Gentleman and Peasant, I mean the flesh, the world, and the devil. You shall find our; First and main mischief lies in our spirits, which are now made so keen and thorny, that they cannot be touched but by a pair of iron gloves, could we but conquer each others' spirit, we should soon befool the devil, and his Instruments: to which end I could wish we that are Ministers might pray together, if that cannot be, let us speak together, eat and drink together, because if I mistake not, estrangement hath boiled us up to jealousy and hatred.  
2. Let us much study, hold forth, and rejoice in what we agree, as please ourselves, and grieve others in what we differ, our animosities may content ourselves, but wrong the gospel.  
3. Let us remember England, as it was never conquered but by faction, so it can never be ruled but by love; the same Last will not fit an English and a Scotish foot, they come not suddenly to what they enjoy, and therefore should give England a little breathing over what is propounded, It will be their mercy to keep what they have, and our to be growing up to what we desire.  
4. An evil lies in this, that we unwillingly drive on our enemy's designs: Barnevelsh laid his project upon an Arminian bottom, and so made Religion a stalking horse to his politic ends.  
5. Let the present Church-government go on, and walk softly and tenderly, let those that longed for it improve it, & valeat quantum valere potest: Let others that are godly know it may help, at least to hew stone, and square timber for a more glorious building, to bring from one extremity to another, God useth his own media only, violence becometh not Saints: In Popish times the clergy had not the coercive power, but subjected the civil magistrate to do their work; I wish the State keep a good bolt upon that door: I am confident the chief means to greater an error will be by violence and opposition, when slighted it dies. Coals blown get heat and strength, neglected grow cold. I wish every one might be severely punished that spoke against either Presbytery or independency till they could define that aright, and distinguished about them and their ways, them I believe we stole hvee altum silentium.  
Lastly, men are not in their proper work, which eccentric motions produce many things uncoucht: I need not particularize, but when I see the languishing perishing conditions of many Counties, through want of preaching I must be bold to say to wrangling is none of our proper work; I think we might do God more service in study and Pulpits, then in waiting at great men's doors, and working them up to their selvish interests. I could add that we take causam pro non causa, we put our troubles upon schismatics, and opinionists, and never attend the true cause: There may shortly be a great change in the Netherlands, but you shall find the cause not in the harmless Anabaptists, whereof there are swarms, but in some Hispaniolized Statesmen.  
Fifthly, Your demand of my thoughts of England in order to foreign States, I answer with a wish, viz. That forthwith we might have some choice agents sent out as two to Sweden, two to the Cantons our good friends, two to the Netherlands, and so to other parts as we see cause, and these accompanied with a Manifest of God's gracious dealings with this State, letting them to know we omitted this work in our misery lest our friends might fear us for beggars, but now being upon an even foot with them, we let them know our condition, and how ready we are to own them against a common enemy: every man in this Nation pretending to soldiery upon good experience. This being done, and our Navey in its true English beauty, I would not doubt but others may be as glad to know an English man, as we desire acquaintance with them. And if our backdoor were well shut at home, how might Euphrates be dried up; I mean the West Indies and the East too offer themselves to our devotion. Let us still remember the support of Trade is the strength of this Island, discountenance the Merchant, and take beggary by the hand. This is the misery of England whilst others are beat into slavery, they are apt to be complemented into it.  
Other kingdoms and Countries are therefore terrible to us, because we are so little terrible to them: Were we not more effeminate than our Predecessors in Queen Elizabeth's time, I know not why three kingdoms should do less than one; you see we can fight if we must, I dare undertake if you can find work abroad, it will not be hard to find men: nay it were easy to find both, if we were agreed at home: What you hear of a conjunction between the Prince of Wales and his Lieutenant general the Duke of Lorraine with some promises from his Uncle Bavaria need not trouble you, the Danes and Saxons never mastered this Island by power, but by our homebred distempers. To prevent those fears let English men keep to their proper Interests, and Scots to theirs, and I know not why we might not march into Bavaria and Lorraine before they come unto us, and make them pay all old arrears. I must confess I am divided between Ireland and the Palatinate, only I quiet myself in this that we may do both.  
Sixthly, Touching the preserving and improving the Conquests and mercies: I only commend unto you these few rules.  
1. By the same means the mercy is gained it may be preserved, if men, yea good men were instrumental in the one, they must be in the other; confide when you see reason to confide: thy friend and thy father's friend put price upon, he that loves you and your country may be trusted to conserve what is won: to which add praying, and believing, for in all these God hath appeared: I would as soon credit a garrison to a known honest godly English man, differing from me in his opinion, as all France being most Catholic trust itself to their Protestant Leaders.  
2. Walk plainly in your counsels, God needs no man's lies to carry on his work. Commonly these Arcana Imperii and ruina populi, let your yea be yea, and your nay nay. God preserveth the simple: do but observe the history of Europe, and you shall find those admired deep set counsels of men mingled with so much flesh, have proved but grass.  
3. If England be now a conquered kingdom, we cannot have much to beg of a conquered enemy, and therefore I could wish all marks of slavery might be taken off, and since God hath invested us with our almost lost liberty, let it be our care that after ages may not say we conquered ourselves into a new slavery.  
4. Because not only ourselves, but also the wisest of our late enemies confess the influence of the City is such, that we could not have wanted it, and therefore their highest design now is to make it royal, you may remember how willing I was once to have made a match, my weakness was such that I did not study whether both parties were well agreed, and my simplicity kept me from thinking of a corrival, yet now I pray improve your Interests, and let London know that if they think a Parliament sits the quieter by being so near them, so 〈◊〉 think when the Parliament doors are shut up 〈◊〉 Westminster, their shops will hardly stand open at London: If the clashing of swords cannot be heard, yet death clinching up their windows by the increase of the plague calls for something.  
5. Justice will exalt and maintain a Nation, I wish they might be first sharers in it, that first adventured their estates and lives; had the Citizens remonstrated more about their debts due, and less about their wills, they might had more thanks, and (it may be) by this time some might have kept orphans from their doors, that cry for the money lent to supply the state's use, he that will ride a free horse to death, may in time be spurring a dull Jade to no purpose. And for distributive Justice, let it be impartial. Two things may break the axletree of any State, viz. First, Opposition to known truths, or slighting that Religion in the purity of it, which we own in mixtures, and innocent blood not wiped off by the hand of Justice. A State may stand upon any frame of Government, if fastened together with Justice, Charity, and Industry, the only upholders of that flourishing Neighbour-Nation the Netherlands.  
Lastly, Because England is devout, and Religion of one kind or another carries most prevalency, and that this Nation acts generally upon religious apprehensions, above any I know, therefore that which hath been our wound must be our cure (preaching and Preachers I mean) the Gentry must be base, and so the Parliament unsupplied of good members; the common-people will worship any dunghill-god, the City is full of black iniquity, if preaching be neglected: how long therefore shall I entreat some three or four Itinerary Ministers in a County? Evangelists went out before Churches were settled, how easily might the Land be (in some measure) reduced to God, and their own civil Interests, if provision was laid in of this kind? but you will object we have above nine thousand parishes, and not a thousand able men: I answer, you see the need of Itinerants, and secondly, Why may we not follow the practice of other Reformed Churches? and gather up godly youths out of shops, and send them for improvement somewhere, why not a college of Oxford set apart to that use? and if men cannot answer the narrow examen of an Assembly, why might there not be a Committee to judge of some competency in some men for the present to send out, though they should fall short of Arts and Tongues? John Alasco was a Baron, yet in Edward the sixt's time, you may see what Church work he did: why not learned godly Gentry, Lawyers, that might be spared some of them, physicians, &c. employed this way? teaching their tenants were a better Trade, than racking of Rents by some of our Gentry. How ripe have I found Herefordshire and Worcestershire for the gospel, and many other Counties? Help Lord!  
To the Question concerning myself; I answer, I am at present upon a good Study, ever how to want what the Lord is not willing to give: I am turning my cheek to the smiter: I have been thinking to answer six or seven Pamphlets that name me either enviously or disgracefully, but yet remain doubting. The Lord rebuke Satan. I see (with Jeremy) though I neither borrow nor lend, &c. yet this may be my portion. This I must say, if either in Doctrine or practice I have failed, the time is not yet wherein any Brother in a way of God hath dealt with me: and if my different judgement offend any, my Answer is, that with much expense of money and time, with diligent inquiry into reformed Churches, I have taken pains to satisfy myself, and remain now where I was for substance fifteen years since, resolving by that experience to keep a window open to more light and truth, though scoffed and slighted; my care hath been to acquaint myself with the most learned and godly in the country where I travel, first I lived about six years near that famous Scotchman Mr. John Forbes, with whom I traveled into Germany, & enjoyed him in much love and sweetness constantly, from whom I never had but encouragement though we differed in the way of our Churches. Learned Amesius breathed his last breath into my bosom, who left his professorship in Friezland to live with me because of my church's Independency at Rotterdam, and charged me often, even to his death, so to look to it, and if there were a way of public worship in the world, that God would own it was that: he was my Colleague and chosen Brother to the Church where I was an unworthy Pastor: and I thank the Lord such a Church it continues to this day; that truly I sli●●tly took up nothing in that kind, nor did I los●●●● my seven years being in New England, amongst those faithful, learned, godly brethren, whose way of worship if we profess, it will not be groundless when their Writings are examined. But to those Printed Scribles against me I may provide shortly a more satisfactory Answer, where I may plainly charge home untrue and unworthy passages upon the Authors; though I know, Et facere & pati fortia Christianorum est. Now the good Lord who hath led Captivity captive for us, suodue us to himself, and grant that in these tossing, tumbling, foaming Seas we depart not from our Principles of Reason, Honour, Liberty, much less Religion; which is the Prayer of  
SIR, Your Friend sine fuco, Hugh peter's.  
FINIS.