AN ANSWER To a scandalous LETTER WRITTEN By Hammond, the Head-Gaoler in the Isle of Wight, to Mr. Lenthall, Speaker of the House of Commons.  
By a Friend of Master Osbornes, and a Lover of Truth.  
LONDON, Printed in the year, 1648.   

An Answer to a scandalous Letter, written by Hammond in the Isle of Wight, to Mr. Lenthall, Speaker of the House of Commons.  
THe last weeks occurrences gave me the sight of a Letter from mayor general Hammond, to the Speaker, stuffed with no less bombasted protestations in his own defence, then with unworthy Clamours against Mr. Osborne. To this, It was expected M. Osbourne himself should ere this have given Answer; but I believe it was omitted as a trivial thing not worth his notice, who will make the worthy Gentlemans Treason appear in a larger character then can be contained in so small a volume. For the same reason, and those others that M. Hammond is pleased to give in his own Letter, not to have written in his own defence, I might have spared this small pains, and have let him pass to time, to shane, whither no doubt the principles he hath set down to himself will bring him. It would not have been believed( were it not now visible) that an endeavour to free the King from poison, should be held such a wretched principle of unlimited wickedness, as Hammond is pleased to call it; but you may easily discern whereabouts the Jade was galled by wincing: You indeed M. Hammond are not yet Accused to have consented to the poisoning,( a fault M. Rolph lays to your Charge;) you have the same reason with the Silversmith, to cry out, Great is Diana of the Ephesians. For were the King out of the way, a great part of your profit were lost. Nor can any man think, that looks upon your principles,( for that he insists much upon) that he could be drawn to such villainy. For to set by that which he holds in Capite, and which is so ordinarily talked of by his own chaplain, asserted in their vulgar writings: [ That the King is the chief Murderer, and ought therefore to die by the same means] he hath long since professed and divulged under his hand, that he will at any time readily perform any thing that the Houses shall Command him against his own sense and honour. Excellent and safe principles. But Hammond sent up Rolph( certainly to good purpose) to be examined; a very pretty way to clear the business, and give the world satisfaction: For if Traytors have their answers taken for truth, could any man doubt but their Innocence would soon be manifested? Yet so it had been, had not the providence of God preserved M. Osborne out of their hands; and he for attempting to deliver the King had been the traitor, not Rolph for endeavouring to destroy him. O the strange impudence that such villains put on, that in the midst of their execrable actions dare call God to witness! wherein, see if their own mouths condemn them not. Hammonds words are these, [ For my own part, I should have left the clearing of my integrity to the righteous God, who, if with patience men can wait upon, and trust in him, 
As I doubt not we shall shortly see made good upon himself by Gods mercy in delivering the King, and such a Truth.  will certainly confounded and destroy that structure whose foundation is laid in Lies, with shane and sorrow to its wicked Builders.] Such a truth, that if he had not sold himself to work wickedness, he could not possibly utter without trembling, no more then he could( as in the next Lines) boast of the Kings Justice, and yet continue His gaoler. But for this, he is nothing to blame, if ye will believe him, for he would fain be rid of the employment; but that the providence of God hath cast it upon him: Alas good man, what fault had he committed, if he had poisoned the King, had not that too been brought to pass by the providence of God? Sure I am, and all good people will aclowledge it, His deliverance was by His onely means effected. But look to M. Hammonds last and grand Argument, so full of reason, as he thinks, that every man might see, though he had not said it, that M. Osbournes private interest having failed in his design of freeing the King, must needs force him to these addresses to the House. Very well argued if we could find where that interest lay: M. Osborne was free, and at liberty to go whither he would, before he gave this notice to the Houses, he is now no otherwise. Most men are of opinion that the Houses will hardly bestow any reward upon him for his Intelligence, at least it hath not hitherto appeared. So that I cannot see that any thing but the public interest, wherein every loyal Subject is concerned, The preservation of His Maj. could have drawn Him to this; and upon this ground, God, I hope, will still assist Him. And now M. Hammond,( poor weak man indeed, except in villainy and Treason) I shall join with you in your request,( notwithstanding the singular art you have shewed, in serving God and Mammon, obeying the Houses, and yet paying all due observance to His Majesty) that the King may be removed out of your charge, and that our petition may be granted, I shall show some farther reason of your weakness: For if the scale should turn,( and tis not impossible but it may) you will to your old trade of fawning, and tell such tales of your several masters, as will prove much to their dishonour. So true an Idolater you have always been to the golden Calf, that you can never fail to make your Sacrifice upon that Altar. Herein to give the devil his due, you have been ever true to your principles, lying, and tale-bearing, an excellent art you had of playing the ear-wig, witness the ghost of your old Master Sir Simon Harcourt, and if the poor honour of a Colours, though too high for you, could draw you to this baseness, what may the reward of a King bring to pass? Hang him that envies you, so it be your due, though 'twere the gallows.  
FINIS.