A short Comment upon the Grounds and Reasons of Poyers taking up arms in these second Insurrections, which Reasons are most falsely and abusively represented to the great advantage of the said Poyer, and to the dishonour and prejudice of the well-affected Gentry of the County of pembroke, who have always stood firm, and right to the Parliament and Army.  
Published to no other end but to undeceive the Reader, and to declare the truth in the vindication of the welaffected Gentry herein mentioned. And a word in his Character.  
IT is very well known to those that have been long since acquainted with the life and principles of the said Poyer, that it was not his affection to the Parliament, their Declarations, Religion, Liberty of the Subject, which the Writer pretends induced Poyer to take up arms, but being a notorious lewd liver, a hater of all Religion and godly persons, did beat most cruelly two godly Ministers, Master Cradooke, and Mr. Roberts, a common Drunkard, a great Swearer and civiler, born to nothing, sprung up from a Turn-spit to a Glover, from thence with a rabble of Fellowes loose as himself, took the advantage of the unsettledness of the time, wrested the possession of the Castle of pembroke from captain Cuney the owner thereof, and nominated Poyer their captain, this being about a year before any enemy came into the County of pembroke, seized upon the arms in the town, and fortified himself in the said Castle, free-boted into the Country, Plundering Mr. Roger Lort, and others well-affected to the Parliament, shortly after he and his companions seized upon two Ships in Milford Haven of great value, one of three hundred Tun, the other about two hundred Tun laden with Tobacco, Salt, and other commodities, the said Shipping and their Lading being adjudged to be of no less value then six thousand pounds, which he pursed up to his own use, and being no lawful Prizes, but taken from well affencted men to the Parliament, and never yet by him accounted for; he took away the Goods of several well-affected people that ●●ed from the Rebels in Ireland for refuge here, divers of them having petitioned here for releef●, and having by these means and many other Out-rages by him committed gotten moneys into his hands, he raised a Company of Foot, and a Troop of Horse, which he took away by violence from the Inhabitants of the County without Commission, and having thus acted the part of an Outlaw, in this desperate guilty condition with this force he had raised, he was resolved to stand on his Guard in opposition to all force that appeared against him, without regard or affection to the King or Parliament, or to any interest but his own, and to protect himself against all force with his fellow Free-boters, and their ill gotten goods in the strong Castle of pembroke; and it fortuned that the Kings Forces appeared first against him, and coming to a Parley with them he contracted, That he would keep the town and Castle of pembroke for the King against all such as should claim it in the name of the Parliament; he caused the townsmen to subscribe with himself an instrument to the effect aforesaid, and signed it with the town seal, which was afterwards printed and published at Oxford, after this he was received into La●ghornes favour, but had no Commission from him until in 1646. all Garrisons in those parts being then reduced to the obedience of the Parliament, and in August 1647. he gave the first Rice to the late Insurrections, by opposing the Generalls Letters and Orders, and so proceeded until he was proclaimed traitor by Ordinance of Parliament, and taken Prisoner at pembroke. This is impartially the true History and Character of Poyer.   

The Grounds and Reasons of colonel Payers taking arms in this second difference, &c.  
HE was called forth by several Declarations of Parliament 
Those whom he calle● Enemies are the onely men proved firm to the Parliament, and were serviceable to lieutenant general▪ cronwell in the last Insurrections, and at the siege of pembroke, he was never put out of Command by the Parliament, but still had a party in the House kept him in command, until he revolted and opposed the Lord Gene●als Forces.  to the defence of his own and kingdoms just rights and Liberties: To these ends he took up arms, and so continued for the space of six yeares, to his great charge and trouble: his Enemies by their malice and false information( after they had long endeavoured) brought him in dislike with the Parliament and Army; and by their procurement his Commands were taken from him, before the least proof made, that he had in any way endeavoured to betray the Trust for which he first engaged.  
Notwithstanding the several Plots, which his Enemies 
What was attemped was by warrant from the Lord general.  laid, to murder him in the Church at Sermon time, upon the Sabbath day, and at other times, As by their Letters and sufficient Testimony may appear.  
For safety of his life, he was forced to betake himself to 
Col. Fleming had the Lord Generalls Commission  the Castle of Pembroke, wherein the same day he was besieged by his Enemies, they having no Commission, either form the Parliament or general, to warrant them in that Action.  
The next night following, he speedily by a Messenger, made his address to the Parliament and general, with Relation of the former Passages, desiring speedy Relief. His Enemies having thus blocked him up, find a fit time by help of powerful friends, and their false Information, that his just Requests were set by, and a Commission granted to colonel Fleming, to take the Castle and his Commands from him: Upon the first Summons sent by Col. Fleming, he proffered to surrender the Castle, and all there unto belonging, desiring his Disbursements, arrears, and indemnity, to discharge his engagements, wherein he stood indebted, for the service of the Parliament, with Assurance of indemnity, for himself and Souldiers, for without it he was assured, there was no abiding for him in that country, by reason of the great power, and Commands his Enemies were entrusted with in that, and other associate Counties, and their inveterate malice, which they carried against him & his friends, for reducing them, and several Garrisons by them erected in that County of Pembroke, 
Those he calls Enemies were never opposite to him, but in endeavouring to preserve the Parliaments Interest. He was not proclaimed traitor until he had several times refused to deliver the town and Castle of pembroke, according to the Lord Generalls Letters and orders. The Committee did offer him above 200. li. if he would ●ender, but he refused.  to the obedience of the Parliament. Col. Fleming persuaded by his Enemies, refused to treat upon the desires aforesaid, proclaims him Rebel, and straightly besiges the Castle for the space of seven weeks, during which time, or before, he never received any Person of the contrary party, into the said Castle, or declared against the Parliament or Army.  
After Fleming had proclaimed him rebel two Gentlemen, the one a Parliament man, the other belonging to the Army, spake with Poyer in the Castle, concerning the surrender of the same, Poyer proffers if 200 pounds were given him by the Committees in part of his disbursements, to satisfy the Souldiers,( then with him in the Castle) with assurance, that he might safely go to the Head-quarters, there to make known his Condition, he would when demanded, deliver the Castle, and all that was therein.  
This profier not accepted, by the Committee, but much 
Mr. Eliot could not judge Poyer deserved indemnity being proclaimed traitor by Ordinanance of Parliament, the word quarter is false.  slighted, shortly after it happened, that a soldier belonging to the Castle, found Letters that were directed to the Committee from their Agitator eliot then in London: These Letters were brought to Poyer, amongst other things, mentioned in these Letters, that in case Poyer would deliver the Castle, they should be careful that Poyer should not have Quarter or indemnity granted him, Poyer hereby finding how his life is sought after by his Treachero●s Enemies, was of mere necessity forced to stand upon his defence.  
All these particulars he is able to make good.  
Upon a sally forth of the Castle, takes several of Colle. 
The Souldiers and Officers went off upon Articles, with Col. butler from the Church of Pulc●ohon when Poyer was in his Castle 4 miles off.  Flemings Officers and Souldiers, with the Surgeon & some Sailors, Belonging to the Ship Providence, which besieged the Castle by Sea: all the same Prisoners he released, the same day, giving them moneys, and passes for England, and sent the Surgeon and S●ilors aboard, and suffered Captain Jordane Commander of the said Ship, to draw her off, with 
The sailors neither captain Jordon nor his Ship were ever under Poyers power.  her Ordnance, Ammunition, and Furniture, which at that time lay all in his hand to a forced her to have yielded, sunk, or ●ired, as the Company then aboard can testify.  
He hoping thereby that the Parliament in time might be 
Here he mutters against the Liev●. Gen. and his Forces, he would never give an account though he was served with a warrant from the Committee of accounts, but run out of this town upon service.  informed of his former faithful services, his present sufferings, and the malice of his enemies.  
But the active Solicitations, and false Informations, now again set on foot by his Enemies. with assistance of their potent friends, prevail, that a powerful party was Ordered to force him to deliver the said Cas●le, before he was called to give an account of the former Passages, or the reasons that had induced him thereto.  
Its conceived, that too much credit was given to his 
Its conceived that to much credit was given to such a bloudhound as Poyer and to his friends, or he had not continued so long in command to the Prejudice of the Parliament, and the well affencted in those parts whom he hath undone by plundering them.  bloody enemies, whose endeavours were more to drive on their own designs, then to benefit the public.  
His Enemies disperse abroad several lying Pamphlets, to strengthen themselves in the opinion of the people, to defame and make him as odions to the Parliament and Army, as possible they could device.  
Pembroke yielded upon Articles, and himself and some others, rendered unto the mercy of the Parliament▪ the 11. July, 1648. since when he hath continued a close Prisoner, 
It is to be wondered with what impudence it can be urged as a greevance the continuing of him prisoner, when in justice he should have been adjudged first according to the height of his crime, for he rebelled before any part of this Common-wealth stirred, That he had the eldest of those Children before he was married, and itis commonly spoken in Pembrock he is not married.  having nothing left to maintain himself, his wife, & sour poor Children, but the charity of his fellow Prisoners.  
In the mean time his Enemies cry out for Justice, and 
That the gentlemen he means have been and still continues faithful servants to the state & it can never be made appear that they have injured the sta●e the value of a farthing, but have suffered in their own estate, for their good affection to the Parliament at least 12000 pounds by Poyer and the Kings party. Those Gen●. which had their Houses bu●ned and goods plundered by the Kings party, ●●● Mr. Lort▪ Mr. White and Mr. Eliot, those whom Poyer calls his Enemies, but never any of Poyers party suffered any thing considerable by the Kings party, and for Poyer himself he owned nothing but what he took by violence from others. Those Gentlemen have acted most faithfully according to their trust in all the said places for the Parliament, but as for the Commission of Array, it is most false for they never saw any such commission, neither was there ever any Commission of Array sate upon or executed in the County of pembroke and indeed on of Poyers prime friends is sequestered for sitting in the Jun●o at Oxford, for suing out his pardon there under seal, and continuing in the Kings Quarters, &c. this being proved by the oaths of several witnesses against Sir Hugh Owe● Baronet.  themselves that were the causers of all these troubles, go scotfree, have procured themselves to be made Committee men, Justices of the Peace, and Sequestrators, and have not paid one farthing for their Compositions, and they have kept back Sequestrations from themselves, and from other Grand Delinquents whereby they have hindered the State of one hundred thousand pounds.  
Such persons that in the beginning of difference between King and Parliament, which took part with the Party in the County of Pembroke, had their houses burnt, their cattle and Goods plundered, and their persons imprisoned by the Kings party, they have long expected some satisfaction from the Parliament forth of Malignants Estates in that country, which were the chief Actors of their ruins and Troubles, are now by the conveyance and malice of their Enemies sequestered and totally ruined and generally all the Malignant party in the Country, which were Commissioners of Array Collectors, Treasurers, Sheriffs, Justices of the Peace, and chief Actors against the Parliament, by sinister means, have gained themselves, and their party, to be Commissioners: Committees, Sequestrators, Justices of Peace, Vice-Admirall, to the great oppression and utter undoing of all those, which hath faithfully served the Parliament. All which he is able to make appear, if a reasonable time be granted him.   

Services done the PARLIAMENT by colonel Poyer.  
1. THat colonel Poyer was one of the first that declared in 
1. His Character in the beginning shows like a Free-booter, he took up Arms for himself and none other. 2. That he never was out of the town of pembroke to take any. 3. The taking of such a Ship of three hundred ●●● in manner expressed is, most false, he took such a Ship laden with Tobacco in Milford as aforesaid, and is accountable to divers well-affected Merchants in London for it. 4. He never took any Ship but in Milford-Haven▪ and the last he took from under the power of the Parliaments Ships then in the harbour. 5. That he was never able to fortify town, or Castle to the value of four pence of his own goods, but what he raised from the Country. 6. That amongst all his untruths this is the most false and scandalous, for not one of those Gentlemen ever appeared against any Garrison of his. 7. He never raised a quarter part of the Forces pretended, but observe in the beginning how he raised them. 8. That he most basely lost the Castle of Langho●●e to the Kings Forces, and about one thousand pounds worth of provisions, and never struck stroke for it, and in like manner the Castle of Carew on Gerrads last being there; that he never was able to give corn of his own, but he hath imbeziled and sold away the Parliaments provisions several times.  arms for the Parliament in South-wales.  
2. That he took three Irish Merchants that were going beyond the seas, employed by the Irish Rebells to bring over Arme● and A●●●●itions.  
3. That he took colonel Christopher Beling, captain Thomas Darsey, Capt. Edw. Darsey, Capt. Kelegrew, and Mologa friar, all Irish Papists that came from France, and bound for Ireland, to assist the Irish Rebells.  
4. That be took a Ship of three hundred tons, twenty six Guns, Commissioned by the marquis of Ormond, for a Man of war against the Parliament.  
5. That he took a Ship of sixty tons, four Guns, Commissioned by Sir John Penington for a Man of war, and bound for Ireland to bring souldiers for England against the Parliament.  
6. That he fortified the town and Castle of pembroke, with Lunsey-house, and Cary-Castle, and furnished the Garrisins with Ordnance, arms, Men, Victual, and Ammunitions for the Parliament against the earl of Carbury, Col. Roger Lort, samson Lort, John Lort, John eliot, Henry White, Herbert Perot, Thomas Bowen, Gentlemen, and others.  
7. That he raised one Troop of Horse, two Troops of Dragoons, and three Foot Companies, all armed in the service of the Parliament.  
8. That be furnished the Protestants in Dublin and Youghall in Ireland, with great quantites of corn and victuals in their great extremity, forced on them by the Irish Rebells. 〈…〉, Cary-Castle, and 〈…〉 of the 〈…〉 liament 
〈…〉 with 〈…〉 se were in 〈…〉 Na●by Bat●●ll, and his Forces were drawn off long before from Pembreakstire. 10. That and a●●●sted them better at the Fight at St. Faggons when they were rou●ed, for at the first taking in of Cannarthen he sheltered himself under an old wall during the Skirmish, 11. That he was in pembroke when the Fight was at Colby-Moore, he never was in person at taking in but La●ghorne, and Carew, both which he lost again most basely. 12. He would fain put a Colonell-ship upon Master Lort, who never yet had Commission, or raised Man ●● Horse but for the Parliament. A great untruth of the Hue and Cry.  against general Gerrard, and detained him and his F●●ces from joining with the King at the ●●●●ell of Naseby.  
10. That he assisted mayor general Laughorne, and colonel powel in routing of Col. Price and his Party before the Town of Carmarthen.  
11. That he assisted mayor general Laughorne in ●●●ing of Egerton, Broad bushel, and others in Colby-M●●re, and taking of Stuckepoll, the House of colonel Roger Lort, Tre●lyon-House, Harreston-House, a strong Fort at the Pill; the town and Castle of Carmarthen, the town and Castle of Harford, the town and Castle of Tenby, the town and Castle of Cardigan, the Castles of Langhorne, carry, Mannerby, Ro●ch, and Embling, all Garrisons fortified against the Parliament.  
12. What Jealousies, mispresentations, and suspi●ions have been cast upon him by colonel Lort and his party, for these four yeares past is not unknown, procuring themselves to be made Committeemen, and other Officers, notwithstanding their malignancy, how they pursued him with Hue and Cry when be was going to the Generalls Head-quarters.   
FINIS.