AN HONEST LETETR TO A DOUBTFUL FRIEND, ABOUT The rifling of the Twentieth part of his Estate.  
Printed at York by Stephen Bulkley, 1642.  
By special Command.   

TO HIS MUCH ESTEEMED FRIEND and Kinsman Sir H. W. at his House in Westminster.  
THe indisposition of my body hath confined me to my Chamber, we must now therefore discourse by letters: your Petition for peace I see is not so happy as to find success in Parliament, at which while I wondered I began to consider the reasons, which are divers as the persons opposing it, Therefore you must first observe the opposers, and then the reasons will be evident. It is not fit the Houses of Parliament should deny the obedient Citizens of London any thing, for that may be distasteful to the City; nor yet grant the request of the Petition, for that may be destructive to the Profit of many Members of both Houses, and to some even of the City itself. It was therefore wisely done of my abortive Lord Major and his Zealous Sectaries to attempt the strangling of it in the birth, by Committing some that were active about it; their Reasons are Reformation of Religion, that is, abolishing the Book of Common-prayer as Popish, though justified by the Composers Martyrdom imder the Popish tyranny, but that will make way for their new doctrines and extemporary babble; next the dissolving of Bishoprics and Deaneries will rep●y the money lent upon the public faith, for advancing the Lords Wa●r, (for so they miscall Treason) and conclude, that being the Lords debt, it is fittest to be p●id out of the Lords inheritance: then Bishop being eradicated Elders may grow up and flourish as in Susannaes' days. And 'tis Considerable, that the estates of Malignants will be just rewards for the godly laborers in this harvest, all which will be lost by a beggarly accommodation.  
Touching the Houses of Parliament, which consists of about 140 Lords, and 500 Commoners, of which not a fifth part do attend in their several Houses, some being voted out, others committed for not conforming their Consciences to the sense of the House; and very many, disliking the proceed and tumults, left the House and repaired to the King, with whom a greater part I am sure is, then attend both Houses, being come to preserve their oaths of Allegiance which is personal to the King.  
Take (Sir) but a view of such as sit and act the business in the Houses of Parliament, observe who among them have Commands and places of profit in and about this war; then examine their small estate, with their great debt and charge; the rich profit of their command with their poor Revenue. You may find the Earls of Northumberland, Pembroke, Rutland, Salisbury, Holland, sitting in the Lord's House; and in the House of Commons Sir Edward Hales, Sir George Stonehouse, Sir Alexander Denton M. Edw, Waller, M. Maynard, M. Thomas Cook, Sir Thomas Hutchinson, M. Phillips, M. Ellis, and others, all voting for Peace, to preserve the Estates they have, not find them in the list of Officers to get maintenance. All men know my misled Lord of Essex lost the best of his estate in lost Ireland, and his whole debt, and great Account to his Nephew Shirley is to be paid out of a small Remainder; hath not my Lord of Warwick sold all he can, but yet his creditors take new promises for old debts, though he be responsal for 400000 pound prout per account? are the Lords of Peterborough, Stamford, Say, and Brook, necessitous? their debts and charges pressing? then their commands are double; both horse and foot. The Lords Hastings, Rachford, wharton Sr. john Mandevill, Peelding, Grey of Grooby, Sir Hugh Chamley, Sir Samuel Luke, S●r john Merick, M. Nathaniel Fines, M. Martin. Master Wingate, M. Walton, M. Cromwell, Colonel Venne, M. john More, and others, are men whose credit (as appears by Screveners' books) is as great as their estates, not invited to Commands by the profit of their places, but by their Conscientious zeal to the Cause; others of the Houses (lest any water should run beside their Mill) prefer their Sons, Brothers, and near friends, to places and employments of profit about this war, as M. Pym is son Alexander, Sir H. Mildemay his brother Anthony, my Lord Say his son, john, and others other friends, while some men of the House have confessed that the pay made them undertake the cause; and which of all these, save Sir John Merick, knows aught of his place but the profit? Nay many of them for the better service fight by their Lieutenants, as they pay debts by their sureties, and how many of them, save two or three which are taken prisoners, received a wound, or struck one blow in the late battles of Edge and Brainceford, what hopes then these men will give their Votes and 12 or 1500 l per ann. for a barren peace? Will my Lord Major subscribe a Petition that shall take away his toll, 12 d for passes out of London? or Colonel Mannering, the crazed Mercer, Captain Basse the Lace-man, Captain Mason, the Button-maker, Captain Witherly the Pewterer, Captain Capcote the Broker, Captain Lee the Vintner, with the Cunnyskin Captain in Southwark, and divers other Debt-compounding-Citizens their pay and protections against Creditors, and leave themselves nought but a Goal to live in? What can you hope for by your Petition that these men, and the like, can hinder?  
Now survey the Popish and beggarly Lords and Cavaliers for and about the King, as the Duke of Richmond, the marquis Hartford, Earls of Cumberland, Derby, Lindsey, Bath, Dorset, Bridgwater, Danby, Leicester, Devonshire, North-Hampton, Chesterfield, Bristol, Westmoreland, Berkshire, Newcastle, Carnarvan, Kingston and Thanet. The Lords Mowbray, Montague of Baughton, Dainecourt, Shandoys, Spencer, Grace, Mohume, Dunsmore, Newarke, Seymore, Capell, and others; Then of the House of Commons, Sir Christop. Hatton, Sr. Jarvas Clifton, S. Guy Palms, S. james Thin, M. john Coventry, M. Henry and M. john Bellassey, Sir Tho: Fanshaw, Sir Richard Lewson, Sir Thomas: Danby, Sir joh. Packington, Sir Ric. Lee, Sir Charles le Grosse, Mast: Catline, Mast: Holborn, Mr: Bridgeman, Mr Chadwell, Sir john Strangewayes & his son, M. john Dighy, Sir Edw: Derring, Sir Will: Widdrington, M. Venables, Baron of Kinnerton, M. Rogers, M. Newport, Sir Edw: Alford, M● Whitmore, Mr Chitchley, M. Edgcomhe, M. Tho: Fanshaw, M. Crook, M. Nowell, M. Sutton, Sir Will. Oagle, Sir Will. Poole, & one hundred more than my paper will hold, men of understanding and known integrity, & which of all these whose age and health would permit, adventured not their lives and estates in this war with the King? Now let's examinine their Religion, and you shall find them daily at Sermons and service with the King, hearing and practising the same Protestant Religion and Lithergy, that saved our Father, and hath been in our Church ever since the Reformation, and which we have volved by the late Protestation to maintain, than (not doubt) neither the King nor they are likely to bring in Popery, nor be Separatists.  
That they are men of Estates the Counties that elected them (if not the Kingdom) knows, and which of them hath any profit by the war? which of them goes not himself and servants to the war at his own charge? Nay, which of them hath not otherwise in a large manner contributed to the maintenance of the King's Army, and that without any Command of any Ordinance; yet even against the Declaration of the Houses? what would they and others then have done, had an Order of the Houses directed it as on the other side? By this than you see they are neither Popishly nor beggarly; Nor can have any reward or hopes of repair out of the estate of the adverse party.  
But they would induce arbitrary government: I pray what proof is there of that? what one ●ct hath the King done since the Commence of the Parliament that savoures of arbitrary justice? whom hath be distrained, committed, or turned out of the Town for not lending? nay what hath he not done to assure us the contrary? Read His Declarations, observe his regal promises and protestations, and then tell me what Christian (that hath charity) or what man (that would be believed) will not believe him; Hath he not regulated the Council-table; damned the Shipwrits; suppressed the high-Commission and Martiall-Court: Nay, hath he not left all things to be tried by strict proceed of Law?  
Whom can arbitrary justice more prejudice, than those now about and with the King, the Rich and wealthy men? surely than they will not be a means to induce that law that shall undo, & enslave them, their children, families and estates. Yet must we lend money, send horses, and raise Arms against these popish and beggarly Cavaliers, For it is not against the King, that were Treason, and breach of our late protestation, which is to defend His Majesty, yet was the King; Person in danger at Edge-Hill Battle, when the undistinguishing shot took some persons even about the King; but God did then, and I hope always will cover His hoadlin the day of Battle.  
Upon these Considerations, Sir I cannot believe or fear the reducement of Popery or arbitrary justice; nor think my conscience, person, or estate, tied by the necessitous Ordinance of both Houses (for want of an act of Parliament) to pay or let the twentieth part of my estate (which you know may come to three or four hundred pound) be taken to support a war, wherein the Person of the King (which God forbidden) may be hurt.  
I am sure that while God promised the Sceptre to Juda, he put the Lawgiver between this feet, to let us know, That the legislative power is neither above, nor without the King. And I know the King by His Writs, doth call them to advise with him, not to resolve without him. I will therefore keep my hands from giving and so preserve my conscience; I will fast bolt my doors, and so preserve my person and estate, until a stronger than I come. For I had rather others committed trespass in taking, than I treason in giving. And I am sure that both Armies are not on the right side, but one, with all their voluntary maintainers and a betters, must, without God's infinite mercy, be guilty of the blood of all the men slain on either side. I shall therefore, for my particular, believe and follow the rule of the Apostle, to obey the King, for He is set over us by God; rather than run with the new opinions and contrary doctrine of our militant Evangelists, Dr Burges, Dr Downing, Mr. Martial, and Sedgwick, whose consciences start out of the way at a white Surplice, but never boggle at garments rolled in blood. There are other things considerable with us Citizens also, as the return of Sir Faithful Fortescue, Lieutenant Colonel Wagstaffe, and my L. Essex favourite, Captain Scrimpshaw, unto the King; next the danger and jealousy we are in, that even some of the great ones will follow, for these are but harbingers,) and rather than come empty handed to their King, will make us their peace-offering.  
Let's consider the event of War, wherein we can yet boast nothing but our success at winchester. But had we had the day at Edge-hill, and totally routed the Cavaliers, would that have determined the war? I fear rather have called in all the Monarches of Christendom to maintain Monarchy; and then were we engaged, like the low Countries, in perpetual blood. How great then is our strait, for if we succeed we undo ourselves. If the King by victory, (or treachery of our Commanders) the labour's saved us then, for having refused his mercy, we must expect his justice.  
I have now, Sir, unbosomed myself to you my friend, let therefore my errors find a friendly reproof, rectifying my mistakes by your advice, which I shall take as Commands, return you the thankful acknowledgement of  
Read and burn.  
Your friend and Kinsman T. R. Milkestreet London, 28, Decemb. 1642.