Religion is made a Covering  
For every wicked and rebellious thing,  
Errors are hid here on the right and left  
Rebelion, Idolitry, and Theft,  
Plunders, and rapines, Whordoms, Fornications,  
Dissimulations, Flatteries, and Invasions,  
By Time, this Cloak is worn from of their Back  
So their's discovered many a Knavish Knack.   
Religion  
〈…〉  
persecution  
〈◊〉  
Disasimulatio  
Discord Mutiny  
Robelion  
Plunder  
Rapine  
Fornication  
Whordomes  
Cruelty  
Invasion  
Intrusion  
A good Contone welths Man  
To the Hon house of Commons. the high court of Parliament   woodcut   

The Dissembling SCOT Set forth in his COLOURS OR A VINDICATION OF Lieu. Col. John Lilburn and Others.  
From those Aspersions cast upon them by David Brown in his idle pamphlet directed to the Supreme Authority of England the Parliament assembled, and presented to curry favour with them when Lilburn was fined in 7000 li. and sentenced to be banished out of Enland, Scotland and Ireland, etc.  Deuteronom. 25.17, 18, 19 
Remember what Amalek did unto thee by the way, when ye were come out of Egypt.  
How he met thee by the way, and smote the hindmost of you, all that were feeble behind thee, when thou wast fainted and weary, and be feared not God.  
Therefore, etc.  
Written by SAMVEL CHIDLEY.  
AND Printed to satisfy all his Friends. 1652.   

A VINDICATION OF Lieut. Col. JOHN LILBURNE, and others.  
DAvid Browne the Pamphleteer, who undertaketh to teach men to write in six hours, is one whom LIEUT. COL. JOHN LILBORN, and myself, with divers others whom he maliciously inveighs against, have relieved, or else he and his Family might have perished (for aught I know,) And since he was delivered unto Satan, for his wicked and notorious lies, and dissimulations, the devil in whose hands he is, hath stirred him up to be more envious and malicious then ever, that he may be transformed more perfectly in to his own image, Who walketh to and fro like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may devour, and persecuting the Church who is clothed with the Sun of Righteousness, and unto whose feet the Law of God is a light, making war with the remnant of her seed who keep the testimony of God, and the faith of Jesus. And his malice is principally bend against those who are most conscientious and precious in the eyes of the Lord, as may appear in the story of holy Job, who was greatly afflicted on every side, both in his Person, Name and Estate, but in due time God vindicated his reputation before all men, and did bless his latter end more than his beginning, and so if we mark the end of such perfect and upright persons, behold it is peace, but the wicked is like the raging Sea foaming out mire and dirt, mere mire and dirt; somewhat like to the dirty Pamphlet of David Brown the Scottishman, the Frontispiece whereof, seemeth to insinuate to the simple honest Reader, as if LIEUT. COL. JOHN LILBORNE, myself, and Mr. Musgrave were prodigious Conspirators, and bloody Petitioners, but he that reads the Pamphlet may perceive that he hath no such thing against us, blessed be God: But the sum of it is, A remembrance to put the Parliament in mind of the discovery which he made of a Malignant Petition, wherein he complaineth that he was not rewarded for the said Discovery, and styleth himself and his Family, the Parliaments Remembrancers, so his whole Petitionary Remonstrance is a begging business for maintenance, and protection from Arrests.  
Surely he thought that now, now was the time for him to strike while the iron was hot, and that now the Parliament were necessitated to hear and receive his counsel and to regard him, and reward him, seeing he had taken upon him now, in the heat of all the business to be their Advocate, and to plead their cause against poor Lilborne who was down, and therefore according to the Proverb, down with him, but it's well that neither the Parliament nor Sir Arthur Hesilrige stand in need of the untempered mortar, of such unskilful Daubers, to maintain their Bulwarks against the Levellers, I hope rather than they will countenance such revengeful spirits, they will feed their Enemy when he is hungry, and give him drink when he is thirsty; for the Parliament of themselves are very mild to their Enemies, if not provoked against them by some others.  
It may be that this Pamphleteir thought that rather than he would want work, he would set himself on work, if the Devil will find him tools: but as Christ would not have such Advocates to confess that he was the Son of God, but commanded the Devils to hold their peace; So it's better for the Parliament to silence such Babblers, then to suffer themselves to be so disgraced, by having their praise set forth in scurrilous Pamplets, such as this Authors, who not knowing which way to be revenged of me, for doing my duty in the Church of which I am (and he was) a Member, he laboureth to make me as odious as he can to the world, and to the State, and at the time of Lilbornes' sad sentence, chargeth me in chief, with him and divers others in general in his Pamphlet to the Parliament, with falseness, manifold calumniations, corrupt practices, unjust deal, deceit, fraud, ambition, covetousness, and self-seeking, and unjust Levelling; and though he chargeth divers others with me, yet he hath not named them, no more doth he come to particulars to show wherein we are as he chargeth us. And truly though I hope well for my Neighbours, yet I believe for myself: And if I thought it expedient to Vindicate myself from the title of Leveller, I would tell this false Accuser, that if I am a Leveller, I am no Leveller of the Valleys, but a Leveller of the MOUNTAINS, that the way of Jesus Christ may be prepared, that all flesh may see the salvation of our God, and this was the design of John the Baptist, and I hope no honest man will be offended with me for this manner of Levelling, nor account it unjust, But Herod heard John the Baptist gladly, but at last he cut off his head, and so he leveled the honest Leveller. Moreover I am so far from levelling the Laws, That if the Parliament would put in practice their Legislative power, and cast aside all the Laws of the Land, the Laws excepted which they have no power to abolish, and yield obedience to those good Laws and none but such, they may sit long enough for me, I would not be forward to seek a new Representative, but a true Representative; But oh! Where shall we find men of courage, fearing God and hating covetousness? therefore my opinion is, it's better to have and to hold these that we have, then have worse, the Proverb is, Seldom comes a better, But when the Land doth mend, I would have this Parliament end, and not till then. So far am I from unjust Levelling, that I would not pull an old house over mine head, but prepare sufficient materials to build up another, that should be rather better then worse than the former, and to have a care what I do, for Solomon saith, He that rolleth a stone it shall fall upon him, and he that breaketh a hedge, a Serpent shall by't him. Concerning LIEU. COL. JOHN LILBURNE, I have known the man a long time, even from the time of his sufferings by the bloody Bishops, and as he was an instrumental means to pull them from their seats, so was he the main Instrument to rend in pieces Regal Tyranny, and the whole House of Lords, which works were long attempted, and many onsets and repulses before the business could be brought to that desirable perfection which was long sought for, with labour and watching, and weariness, and hazard of life, and expense of blood and treasure, and at length the business was accomplished by the Army and Parliament.  
And now I must say this on the behalf of Lieu. Col. 
Chidley's charity to Lilburn.  Lilburn, that whatsoever the matter is now, unless he be much altered from what he was, his nature is so good that he is not a man given to complain, but where the shoe wringeth him; if men will let him alone, he will let them alone, and in his deal in the world he hath been very punctual, neither can I tax him with any corrupt practices, or unjust deal, I have found him a plain, blunt, down right honest man; he will play above board, and he that playeth with him shall have fair quarter: He is not of such a revengeful spirit to take his Adversary at advantages, and when he is down and at the weakest to tread upon him: And concerning ambition, doubtless, he hath seemed to me as if he were prodigal of his own life, and blood, and strength, and liberty, and all that was dear to him for the good of this Commonwealth: He was an instrument under God, that kept the Parliament from immediate destruction, for he defended them with his sword from Lunsfords' Crew, 
Lilburnes ambition.  so it seems to me all along as if he had been ambitious for Knocks, for a Prison, a Dungeon, a Pillory, a Whip, a Gag, yea, and death itself, and yet he is alive at this day, though he hath sought to lose it, yet hath he found it: And touching covetousness, I hope he is free, I have known him to be liberal, and to be willing to spend and be spent for others when he hath wanted it himself, and I am sure he is no Churl, but ready to do good to his ability; And had he been as Mr. Brown chargeth him, a Selfe-Seeker, crafty and deceitful, he might have feathered his nest ten times better than he hath done, but he was like a candle lighted, accommodating others, and consuming himself: Yea, he who declareth himself in Print against Lilburn, hath received of him divers great sums of money, but Lilburn complained that he could not get Brown to come to an account with him, though he often desired it, so false was he to him, as he was to the poor of our Church, and I know not that he hath preferred any of us to any estate, much less a great estate, as he braggeth.  
Indeed once I employed him to copy out a Letter, because it should be in his hand-writing, and not in mine, and an ordinary Scrivener would have done it for six pence, but I thought it was better to employ a brother in fellowship, than a stranger to write for me, and the truth is, I have done him no wrong, unless it were dropping in his hands pieces of gold & silver, which wrong he could, and did pocket up, and I could never get it to this day; no more could my mother get hers, which he came in a deceitful way, and borrowed, and never paid, and it may be she is the woman he speaks of in his Pamphlet, though he chargeth her with nothing; and if so, I must say that she hath done more good for the Commonwealth in one quarter of a year, than he hath done, or, it may be, will do all his life time, for God hath made her an instrument to destroy the Forlorn hope, and totally to rout all the forces of Mr. Edward's, that great Champion for the Church of England, as may appear by her works extant in Print.  
And concerning Mr. MUSGRAVE, he is known to be a very honest Gentleman, and one that was an Agent for his County, and performed his trust with diligence, and faithfulness, and stood to his tackle to the last, and though he were imprisoned wrongfully, in due time God released him by means of the Army, when they came to London. The man is a man of good parts, having been bred up in the Law from his youth, and also he is versed in the Scripture, which is best of all; and had he but the abilities of Lilburne in expressing himself, and that strength of memory withal, he would confound the Lawyers. But indeed, I have thought him somewhat too harsh to the Parliament men, and thought that if he dealt more mildly with them, and with more humility, his words would be more acceptable unto them; but I have known it a frequent thing with him when I have walked with him in the streets, he would make no more to reprove a Parliament man, or an Officer of the Army, than I would of reproving my servant.  
As concerning the rest of the persons whom Mr. Brown inveighes against, though he name no man, yet I partly guess whom he means, and what it is that distastes him, because that they would not give him money for printing the whimses of his own brain, and such crotchets as they were ashamed of. Indeed if he had kept to their rules, and directions, and printed nothing, nor no more of a sort than they gave him order to print, nor foisted in his own tedious stuff to the disparagement of that party of which he was a wise one, in his own conceit, than he might have expected wages for his work. But when LIEU. COL. LILBURNE had written a matter, and delivered it to him to print, and money to discharge the Printers; he would be stealing and foisting in some mad stuff or other, of his own, that would make honest Lilburne very much vex and chafe, and then he would put it out again, and send him again to undo what he had inserted.  
And as touching the private contributions, the Accuser speaks of charging me to be their Treasurer, I neither did unjustly dispose thereof, nor enrich myself thereby, but am out of purse, and had I the money in my hand again, I would not pay it out contrary to the order of those who entrusted me, who were moral honest men, and so long as they did the things that were right, I joined with them, and wherein I thought they were wrong, I would not sign to any of their Petitions, till I were satisfied, much less print any idle projects, as this Pamphleteer allegeth; and so when they made inquisition for the blood of one that was shot to death at Ware, I would not subscribe it; because I disowned the Title; but I told the House when I was examined at the Bar, that although I subscribed not the Petition, yet I owned the Petition, so fare as FROM THE LATTER END OF THE TITLE, TO THE END OF THE PETITION. The Title was THE SUPREME AUTHORITY, and at that time, THE PARLIAMENT owned THE KING, and HOUSE OF LORDS, and were distasted at such as styled them, The Supreme Authority, as savouring of levelling, yet notwithstanding I was committed to the Gatehouse, but afterwards when the Army had conquered the King and his party, purged the House, and owned THE PARLIAMENT for the SUPREME AUTHORITY, and that the House of Commons threw down the House of Lords, than I knew that they were the Supreme Authority, and have owned them ever since, and have done them faithful service, and offices of love in endeavouring to make reconciliation betwixt party and party; and to persuade them that they may sit down quietly under this present Government, and it is well known what pains and labour I bestowed to make a handsome composure, and I did not altogether fail of my desires and expectation. But in this business of Sir. Arthur Hesleriges I meddled not having had matters of more public concernment to be exercised in, and thinking that Lilburne had such to assist him who were more skilful in the Law of England then myself.  
Whereas the accuser saith, that Printing hath been our chiefest weapon, and by that occasion, that we have great correspondency with Printers, and some of us ready to print what we please against them.  
I answer, that my judgement is not for printing of heresy or blasphemy, or matter of scandal, or a lie, but only the truth, and I hold it one of the greatest abuses of the Commonwealth, that so many lying foolish Pamphlets have been, and are suffered to go abroad; surely the Printers have much to answer for at the day of judgement, seeing for every idle word which a man shall speak, he must answer for at the day of Judgement, so fare am I from holding a correspondence with them, that I pronounce the judgements of God against them, saying, Woe unto you Printers, for you have much to answer for: I have been more careful what I print, than what I writ or speak, because if a man print an Impression of fifteen hundred books, peradventure they may be spread to 15000. persons, and leven them all, and its (in a manner) impossible to recall them; Now whosoever readeth the last lease of this our Accusers Pamphlet, will have occasion to think the man not to be of very deep judgement, for though the Press is free for all men both knaves and fools, as well as wise men, provided they put their names to it, and the Printer his name, which is too large a latitude (as I humbly conceive) Yet our Accuser would have the Parliaments order to print against us, and layeth down a positive Law, as if he and his family were a high Commission; or Spanish Inquisition, yea and worse; viz. that whatsoever Queries they shall propound to us, if we answer them not within the space of three months and a day, shall be held thenceforth as confessed; But if the Parliament should condescend to his base proposition, we would not enslave ourselves to such a tyrannical Law, for we have learned of a wiser, not to answer a fool according to his folly; nevertheless our Accuser before he knew whether we would enslave ourselves to his base proposition, he promised with his family the like base conditions against themselves, so they have made themselves slaves by promise, but he craveth the equal benefit of the Press, competent means of subsistence, and moneys to Printers, but I hope the Parliament will not put, but rather wrest the sword out of such mad men's hands, and will not afford the like benefit to slaves by promise, as to those who have not made any such obligation, nor cast away the Commonwealths money to them, or their Printers, unless it were for a better purpose then to propagate that hateful sin of sowing strife amongst brethren.  
But above all persons, this Accuser hath a great fling at me, and yet his sling-stones are but as stubble, but his madness is because he was cast out of the Church, as may appear by his Pamphlet; herein he acteth the Dragon's part, who was exceeding wrath after he saw he was cast out of Heaven, and therefore though the Heavens are called to rejoice, yet a woe is pronounced to the Earth and the Inhabitants thereof, For the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth he hath but a short time.  
Whereas he saith I was most justly by the direction of the trusties, expulsed both from my Office and lodgings at Worcester house, for deceitful dealing and unjust Levelling in Civil matters there, against many both poor and rich; I deny that there was, or is any such thing against me, surely, if there had been any such thing the trusties would have told me so; I deny not, but through their unadvisedness there was very many complaints, which is a usual thing with the poorer sort, to murmur against those who have deal with them, For their debts, not being paid by the trusties according to their Bonds, caused poverty, and their poverty murmuring, But the Lord stilleth the raging Seas, and troublous murmur of the people. Who can say since I came into Worcester house, that I have done the thing that is unjust, and prove it? if the trusties had been as forward to have protected me, as I them, from the Clamours of the rude People, things would have been carried well: And I know not that the trusties have given any such directions, as he saith, to expulse me from my Office and Lodgings. Indeed I did departed from my Lodgings for another cause, and touching my Office, I was Receiver of all the Debenters, and the time was expired which is limited by the last Act. And ever since I have faithfully followed the business of the Commonwealth, for which I deserve my Salary still; and if the trusties pay it not, I have so much confidence in their Superiors, that I shall have every penny. I have been a faithful servant to the Commonwealth from the beginning, and have performed my place without extorting of Bribes, according to the universal disease that is inbred amongst almost all Clerks, that make not the Word of God their rule.  
But the hardest measures of reproaches I have received from Religious persons, who differ from me in matters fundamental, they hoping that the reproaches which they heap upon me, will cause my spiritual testimony concerning the truth of God, wherein I am their opposer, not to be received or believed; and this is Satan's policy: I could name men but I reserve it for another time, and one in special, a superior servant of the trusties, whose mouth against me is like a GRAVE, and his throat an open Sepulchre; and it risen from a controversy concerning the term Our Lord God, which I would not put in my Conveyances, but the Lord Christ, for said I, How old do you make your Lord God, but 1650! whereas my Lord God hath been from all eternity, and he is the Head of Christ, so I being called in question by his means by the trusties for putting in Christ instead of our Lord in the new Debenters, I made Answer, that I had not derogated from the Act, and I cleared myself from those aspersions, which he that informed against me cast upon me, and professed my faith in the eternal God, and in his son Jesus Christ my Lord, and after sent them for further resolution some of my Printed Papers which are as followeth.  

From the Office of the Register for Debenters, at Worcester-house.  
WHereas divers persons have at sundry times questioned what is my meaning to write these words Errors excepted in their duplicates signed in this Office: Hereby is meant not only all miscasting of the Sums, Overchargings and Under-chargings, either on the one hand, or on the other, tending to the prejudice of the Debtor or Creditor, loss of the benefit of their Arrears, by any unjust sentence, Oversights in Receipts, if any be, Unequal deductions of, or unjust chargings with Freequarter, Mistakes in Letters of Attorney, Debenters, and Assignments, in the date, names or sums, Sergeant Debenters, and Assignments; all which the Auditor is to see to rectify, but also all profane, and vain babble, & misapplications of the grace of God, Defender of the Faith, &c, and such like phrases, frequent in Letters of Administration and Assignments, contradictory to the principal parts of the late Engagement.  
But whereas it may be objected; why I receive such things wherein are errors I answer, I except against all the errors, and receive them in to cancel them, according to Order, that the Owners of them may have new Debenters, for the old, in the nature of Bonds and Bills, not for any errors, but for that sum or those sums of money due unto them excepting against the maintaining of chaplains, as they are chaplains; as I have frequently expressed and given under my hand, a considerable scruple of a cautious conscience.  
But because many who know not what the power of godliness is, will count me too captious and curious, and always finding fault, will say, I have some exceptions against the new Debenters, delivered from this Office, I answer, that setting the idolatrous impressions in the Seals a side, I have none at all, unless it be the Printers mistake in some part of them, omitting a word, and putting the year of our Lord 1651. instead of the year of Christ 1651. For in humility it is conceived, that this word [our Lord] is too high and too holy for all to whom the new Debenters do belong: For it is questionable, whether they have an interest in the Lord, whom they call their Lord, but rather many of them are of their Father the Devil, whose works they do; yet they have their portion in this life; and in equity, what is due upon Debenters, must be paid off to the Original Creditors, as the State's Servants, and not as the Lords Servants without a visible demonstration thereof; for a believing Master may have an unbelieving Servant, and he is not to oppress him by keeping bacl his wages, for that is a cursed thing; and it is the note of a wicked man, to borrow and not to pay, but righteous men are merciful men, and so full of rationality as to love their enemies, to bless them that curse them, to pray for them that persecute them and dispightfully use them, and to owe nothing to any man, but love: If Christians own any thing to a Heathen, or a Jew, or any other who acknowledgeth not Christ to be his Lord, yet I see no reason, that that Jew, Heathen or Unbeliever should be deprived of his right by any man whatsoever.  
Yet I could wish that this whole Army might expel their dross. and in respect of sanctification be made as white as snow in Salmon, than we might well expect the Almighty to scatter Kings by it, their hattels would be still victorious and their end glorious. As touching the victory which God hath given them in subduing the common enemy, it is not for their righteousness, but because of the wickedness of those profane, bloodthirsty, implacable enemies of his, whom he hath subdued before them; therefore the Lord putteth them away as dross, as it's feared be will do these after a while, unless they cease to do evil, and learn to do well, till which time Christ is not visibly and properly their Lord, neither are they his people, notwithstanding their victories, for God's prerogative Royal is sometimes to go beyond his ordinary dispensations: but my advice unto them is, to lead sanctified lives, so they may truly say, the Lord is their Lord.  
Ye Soldiers, Omit not your duty, do violence to no man, be content with your wages, and my endeavours and prayers shall be for you, And truly Sirs, my heart's desire is, that you may have your Arrears, Why should you not? you have dearly earned it, it's the price of your blood. As for those who have perished already for want of what was their due, which should have supported them, the rich men must answer for it, who are called to weep and howl for the miseries which are coming upon them, for the bread of the needy is the life of the poor, and he that defraudeth him of it, is a murderer, and the Lord saith, thou shalt take no ransom for the life of him who is guilty of death, but he shall surely be put to death at the mouth of two or three witnesses. What I have said in conscience to God, and in love to you, I desire you to take it in good part, for I am  
Your real friend and servant, SAMUEL CHIDLEY. To all persons herein concerned particularly.   
FINIS.