COLCHESTERS' TEARS: Affecting and Afflicting CITY and COUNTRY; DROPPING From the sad face of a new War, threatening to bury in her own Ashes that woeful TOWN.  
Faithfully collected, drawn out into a moderate Relation and Debate, humbly presented to all Freeborn Englishmen;  
By several persons of Quality.  
Who much doubted and desired to see the Truth in the mist of various relations obscuring the same, but now convinced by their own eyes, do conceive themselves bound to give out this brief Narrative, to satisfy all unprepossessed civil and moderate men, and good Christians, who truly love Jesus Christ, their King, City, and Country, and sincerely desire the settlement of Peace and Truth.  
Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends; for the hand of the Lord hath touched me,  Job 19.21. 
Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? Behold and see, if there be any sorrow like to my sorrow which is done unto me; wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me, in the day of his fierce anger,  Lament. 1.12. 
London, Printed for John Bellamy at the three Golden Lions in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange, 1648.   

A brief Narrative of the woeful state of distressed COLCHESTER.  
We are neither unwilling to look bacl upon all our former doubts and dissatisfactions, nor willingly are we unmindful to look forward upon any thing that may clear our judgements in the right understanding of truth, and the true state and carriage of the cause of this woefully divided, and if God in mercy prevent not (like to be) undone kingdom: And though with all the understandings God hath given us, we have laboured to judge of things as they have lain before us in their nature, grounds and in order unto their proper ends, yet we find ourselves so fare Christians, that we are drawn and enforced oftentimes to judge many things evil by reason of the miscarriages therein, which in themselves simply considered, we have judged good, and had entertained good thoughts of before.  
Loving Friends, and all you freeborn Englishmen, Give us leave to propose and offer to all unprepossessed moderate men a few of our most serious renewed thoughts: Do we not all desne the same thing? Peace, a happy peace? pacem te poscimus omnes, and the Lord grant it. But God forbidden that any of us should embrace sinful security in stead thereof, dote upon or rather dream of our own peace one with another whilst God is not at peace with us, and whilst the proper foundations of peace and love, God's truth rightly understood, Scripture truth is not advanced. We judged our government to be good, but shall we say it cannot be mended? our King to be wise, but shall we say he needs no counsel? our Laws to be just, but are they perfect? our Church to be reform, but have we no blemishes? our nation to be strong, but are we not divided? our Army to be valiant, but are they invincible? our City to be rich, but are they not proud? our countries to be populous, but are they religious? Ah sirs, if any thing be amiss, shall no hand go about to mend, but all to mar, ravel and make it worse, is there none to plead with God, no balm in Gilead, no kissing of the Son lest he be angry? or are men become more implacable than God, and earth more unreconcilable than heaven? where are the specious pretences of enemies, when their designs and actings Boatman-like row another way, than they look? where is the faith of friends when there is so little love? where is the old English honour memorable in the subduing of foreign foes, whilst England makes a prey of itself? And when is our former ancient renown again to be settled, when every man even in disorderly ways rises against another, and all labouring to dig a grave for the Kingdom, and to bury poor England in her own sad ashes and woeful ruins? Have we no hearts to mourn for our distractions, no eyes to see our approaching destruction? what no heads to contrive, nor hands to help in a time of need? are our hearts so hard that they will never melt? are our eyes so big swollen, or rather blinded, that we cannot, or which is worse, will not see the flames kindled ready to seize on our own houses? hath either divine justice so blasted, Satan bewitched, or we perverted our own judgements, that we should now grow weary of being longer happy, and be content to sit down and quietly embrace our own misery?  
We moderate men did judge heretofore the frame of our Church to be very far out of order, and her constitution diseased, when the most unpolished stones were laid nearest to the foundation; the strongest pillars and helpers of the building were struck down, the windows bedawbed with paint to hinder, not help the light, the dress more regarded than the complexion, and the lome on the walls more affected than the bread of life. But we judge it now too bastardly to spit in her face, too Cham-like to call her whore, to mock at her nakedness, and abuse her sons and best children, invade her patrimony, spend her portion unthriftily, and cast off all her first love.  
We did judge the body of Religion by the greatness of the shadows formerly, and yet we know, the bigger the shadows grew our Sun was the lower, night the nearer, and have found the beast of the field the fiercer after their prey; But yet (Pan-like) we would not whilst we have either grace or wit left us be content to embrace Bulrushes, lest the dirt they grow in stick to our fingers; and not the body of holiness, but the dark shadows and forms of Religion, and not the power under the bare notion of light be our portion; we have ever judged it our duty to obey our King first in God, and then for God, and God knows our consciences are the same they were. But no honest man nor wise subject can in wisdom make him a God, nor good Christian give him that which belongs to God; if the King act as a man, and discover any infirmity, he mends the matter when he acts as a King, for that wraps up and includes power quà King; but when he would put forth regal power and yet mixes infirmity therewith, will any judicious man affirm that infirmity to be his power?  
We have ever judged the Laws of the Land to the defence of our just liberties, and our liberty to be supported by those just and prudent foundations of the Law: But were were heretofore in some measure, and now better satisfied that there are Laws of higher concernment that must not be neglected, and liberties more to be valued then those penned up within the straits of the creature here below; modest men have seen many pretend, making conscience of the Laws of men, that make none of the Law of God; and those that pretend conscience in order unto God's Law, whom no tie will hold to render them just towards men; we look then to see men square when they are both pious and just, their consciences being answerable to those rules, and that each of those rules hath according to its excellency the priority or prehemencie in the dictates of conscience.  
Though we, some of us heretofore could not so fully close with every branch of the national covenant, yet we ever judged, and in reason could not deny but it was in many respects not only lawful, but very requisite, and safe for any man to wrap himself up in Covenant with God, and the rather in respect of those two golden rules that seem upon a review and second thoughts had thereon, to line out a man's path to keep him from error, and danger, viz. According to the word of God, and according to my calling; but as we cannot on the one side (in our weakness) apprehend how any with safety can take it with reservations, explications and meant all reservations of his own, or resuse it in the true grammatical plain sense thereof, without strong inclinations to some degrees of suspicion, or at least indifferency in Religion, or more prudential reservations, than (as we now judge since God opened our eyes a little better) will well consist with true zeal, and sincere affection to God, who as he hath voluntarily entered Covenant with us infinitely redargues our folly in rejecting him.  
We have ever had loyal and religious thoughts in obeying of and praying for our King, and therefore his Majesty might expect us in all duty, and in all due and safe ways to beg and humbly to pray his Majesty's restoration to those rights which are properly and truly his own in all due, safe and honourable ways from the hands of men, who have often begged mercy and favour for him at the hand of God; but we could never make it out that those rights which God for the present hath deprived him of rather by the evil counsels and unrighteous ways of his loyaltie-pretending friends, then by any undue violence of his loyal subjects not enemies, that those rights we say were ever designed by him to be recovered by the infirmity of them who had lost their power; and without authority, because without his Commission, or at least without clearly legal Commission and authority, that they should take upon them to invade the undoubted, and to the King and his liege people well known both legal and regal power of his Parliament, and under colour of saving the King to destroy his people, and to lift up his Throne upon the ashes and ruins of the Houses habitations, and safeties of his Majesty's loyal subjects; this is that which we humbly hope and pray that all moderate men will a little look into, and by the sad example of mournful and much lamented Colchester take warning in time.  
We profess in the presence of God, we have with both our eyes and serious second thoughts, reviewed to the lowest stone this new raised war, breaking out under colour of defence of his Majesty, and our own rights of petitioning. And some of us have told some of the ringleaders in this sad cause, that if they would lay the ground so as honest and civil men might go upon it with them; if they would cast their platform, and make answerable declaration thereof to the moderate party of the kingdom; if they would give us some assurance that his Majesty would govern (if once advanced by conquest) by Parliamentary and not by absolute Sovereignty, and that (since as it was alleged that the Army did awe City, Country, Counsels, King and Kingdom) that there might be some expedient found out, as of necessity there must be to satisfy not fight them, lest we should but fight the Sword out of one hand into another. How we might be satisfied that these Soldiers would lay down the Sword at his Majesty's foot, and submit to his will, and his will be kept within the proper bounds of faith by protection, we should, these things being done, freely have closed on that side.  
But when to our great amazement the ringleaders of that great design confessed themselves uncertain in their grounds, doubtful in the persons they acted, disavowed the end clearly by the greatest of them designed conquest: and when we begun by the persons acting, and those that were for them the most active in this new war, to go higher to look into their designs, we clearly saw the too rigid, angry and undone spirits of the King's old Soldiers reaching further than we profess our hopes could follow in the pursuance of this kingdom's peace thereby. And when we saw their heat and haste to be doing, prevent their wisdoms and counsels; their parties (though considerable) appear so disorderly by reason of their haste, their disorder not backed with answerable valour, and their want of valour produce no other effect but ruin to themselves, and sorrow to the poor Country, hoping some ease and relief by them who have been hitherto Egypt's staff, a staff of Reed to his Majesty, and his poor undone party, when we say their sincerity produced no better a cause, their cause was accompanied with no more courage, and their courage failed them to engage their enemies sometimes upon equal terms, sometimes upon great odds on their side; we have an old proverb, one true man will beat three thiefs, we will not apply to offend any, but labouring our own, and satisfaction giving to moderate men; we profess, we could not see (being standers by) but they had been right in their cause, courage and good consciences, they being brave bred English men, but that they might with more valour and success by the blessing of God have somewhere engaged their enemies. And yet,  
How came 4. or 5000. in Wales to rout 10. or 11. or 12000? How came 2. or 300. about Bury in Suffolk to drive out of that strongly Barricadoed town 4. or 500? How came as they said 20000. in Kent to be routed, stormed and beaten by 3. or 4000? How came Langdale to refuse engagement with Lambert in the North, and draw away? How were Pomfret foragers snapped, the party at Hounslow Heath and St. Needs taken in part, and the rest dispersed; and that which we mainly drive at, how was that numerous heap of men of 7. or 8000. themselves said driven into Colchester by 4. or 5000? for that number we believe at the uttermost was the General's Army at that time. Nay, and to admiration, how came that strong party of 1000 men besides horse issuing the other day out of Colchester upon Sir Thomas Barnardistons' regiment to be beaten in again by a small party of green Soldiers, but about 200. men, and they as well as all the rest taken in great disorder too? We profess we cannot but see something to our admiration in these things. And though we have been so fare men as weakly to stand in doubt, and much to question rather than resolve ourselves what to do or say almost hitherto, yet we are so fare Christians (though we will not judge causes by the events infallibly, or designs always by their successes) that we profess ourselves bound in conscience to publish to others a brief Narrative hereof what we have seen and found working convictions upon us.  
We shall first give you the narration of things seen, and then of that which credible reports from eye-witnesses and eare-witnesses coming out of the town do testify, wherein we must humbly crave leave in the detestation of such horrid things as our English Nation abhors to hear, and in hope it may make them blush that had ●ands therein, and others to beware of believing any thing but what they have from those that are moderate in opinions, yet as much misliking baseness as any other, we crave leave therefore to show ourselves offended because we have been too moderate, we fear, and indifferent formerly, and have been too much given to be carried away with deceits and delusions put upon us by that lying spirit which now runs through the kingdom, and no greater reason makes us to abhor more then because we would not be of the number of those that believe lies, and will receive no truth, but that which is agreeable to their desires or opinions; many instances whereof some of us had in our travail North and South very lately, where sometimes if any of that angry party that we were to submit to, believe formerly did report any against our sight or knowledge, we must neither believe our own ears, nor our eyes before their relations without offence. And this we profess in God's presence we found too true in many places, but most of all, to our grief we speak it, we found this most in the City, and the good Lord pardon and pity it in our near and dear friends. And this gave us the greatest satisfaction we have received, and humbly offer to you as followeth.  
What specious pretentences, guilded shows, and fair varnishes this now sad tragedy had laid over it to colour the same, we need not relate, what promises & strong engagements of Protection during their abode at Colchester, what hopes they gave of passing speedily away without molesting or wronging any man, we shall not trouble you to relate, calling God and their own consciences to witness, who approved their entrance and laboured therein; But alas, alas, we tremble to mention or think of that which was presently acted by those unkind guests amongst their then seeming joyful friends; soon was it brought about to make the persons, houses, families and estates a prey of some five or six who did visibly oppose their entrance, (for so few God knows were sensible of this new felt danger, and so general was that woeful error, which all were surprised by in that straight): And then they must needs make enemies, roundheads, rogues, and what not, of any other that was too civil for their company, or too rich to go unplundered; It was not a matter of any great difficulty to bring on the Townsmen to act in this common calamity, who were before so generally corrupted in their judgements, and ready to act that way of their own accords. What sad hearts and dejected countenances, and bitter sighs may we imagine some godly Minister, gracious women and humble hearted trembling Christians expressed their grief by in this heavy and dolorous day of affliction now laid upon them! yet this now poor place for seven years last passed in others wants having abounded, and it is to be feared grown rich, lifted up, and too much forgetting her said condition, the Lord humble their hearts and bring them to their ●ates, and affect all us with it, who have through the goodness of our God escaped this heavy rod; they many of them stayed some for husbands, some for wives, some for children, some for parents, some for masters, some for trades, estates, and other interests, and relations; until the Lord brought the sword nearer, first by cutting off that passage towards the Suffolk quarters, who took the bridge and the East gate street with a party who kept the Church over against the Heath: then the Suffolk Forces on one side entered the Heath, Town, and Church, and my Lord General's Forces on the other, and striking down towards that street leading from the Town to the Heath took all to East-gate, than they entered Sir John Lucas his house couraigiously, beat out goring Forces, and the next day in the Evening, the Lord General's men to admiration of us standers by with very little loss and much Gallantry took that strong place, called the Gate house, with the Fort and Church, & so my Lord goring party was driven and cooped up in the high Town, and presently began that fearful sight and and woeful spectacle of firing all round the walls, the streets on both sides being by my Lord goring party set on fire, and from the time of the taking the Gate house all that night for about a mile in length continued burning and flaming, that some of us being a mile distance had light almost to read a letter so far, and a terrible red dusky bloody Cloud seemed to hang over the Town all night, and so furious was the fire by reason such stately and goodly buildings were burnt thereby; that many times the flashes mounted aloft, far above house, Churches, or any buildings, and continued with such horror, cracklings heard a mile or two from the town, & with such lamentable out-cries of men, women and children, that it is beyond expression to relate, how much more to moderate men standing by, it was more than merciless cruelty to act.  
And not herewith contented the next night after set fire on the Northstreet needlessely, which so enraged the Auxiliaries of Suffolk, as well as the firing had angered the Trained men, That any ingenuous may easily judge that they have so far taken the firing of their neighbour's houses to heart that if ever they come to try them, it is very likely they in the Town have so hardened their hearts against them, that they will find them no more green Soldiers than they found the Trained men green soldiers upon their sad sally at the Turnpike, and are like to find as little favour from them, as they found at their hands whose houses they fired and turned them and theirs (without so much as letting them have time to take their goods and wares) a begging to the wide world. And on Wednesday night after, which was the fift night, several good houses were turned into ashes with the goods therein; In all which, three things seem to trumpet forth their cruelty, and by these flames do offer light whereby the dim sight of all men that will see may behold the grizly face of woeful desolation, looking assuredly into those houses where struggle of two Armies do happen: First, their burning needlessly, where as there is a greater question, whether for a man's own defence, a man may burn at all; by a man's defence he escapes but the evil of punishment, but by burning and without consideration giving, is the evil of sin, to burn, and so more to be avoided then the former. Secondly, their not giving warning before they burn usually, unless they can get some thing of the Masters of the houses to save them, and then presently to set fire to them, and run into the Town, and cry out that the round heads fire the Town, and we think that he that is the Master of cruelty is the very father of lies. Thirdly, they have entered Covenant with several in East-street not to fire, and taken money, some say 14. l. some 15. and some 40. l. into their hands, and then presently have fired the same houses themselves, and lay the fault upon the roundheads, nay they were demanded whether they would fire or no, and did promise if so, to discover it, and were offended that the man should ask any more when they had promised him warning thereof, and yet did fire it presently without warning, notwithstanding. They come out and plunder every day, as far as they dare, those people who stay in their houses, in hope to prevent firing, they force many to swear that they have no more money or else they will kill them within, etc. Nay they seized on one Mr. Hughes, took his money, and swore God damn me, the rogue hath more money, and swore again, that if he would not swear by the same oath God damn me that he had no more money, that he would presently kill him, and so Mr. Hughes denying in a trembling troubled state, still would not swear, the Soldier drew his sword, and Mr. Hughes went mad thereupon. They come out of the town, fain themselves Roundheads, get what will be had by fair or foul means, take persons or goods, that may be serviceable to them, and fire the rest, and these things & many more of this nature, are acted daily before the eyes of hundreds, against hundreds of families to the undoing and the disinhabiting of above six hundred Families, in the suburbs of that woeful Town, for so many were given in to be ruinated, at the least, besides many thousands in the Suburbs and Country disenabled, yea and in the City damnified and having Estates there, are almost undone, by loss already sustained in that place; and the Lord knows when the fire of his wrath and their burn shall cease too; As for those outrages committed in the Town, we have them but by credible report, yet because divers agree in the reports we think fit to name them, but only thus; the Inhabitants are much straightened in their provisions, as it may be a two penny or three penny loaf in a family of course bread per diem, and if any complain for want, they are checked, and told that they must not complain until horse flesh be worth nine pence or ten pence the pound, & reply was made by one, hearing awoman complain for food for herself and her child, God damn me, That child would make a great deal of good meat well boiled.  
First, Much filthiness might be named of women, attempted some, forced others, shrieking, crying, flying, and sometime scapeing; sending their husbands out forcibly, and fall on their wives in their absence: Secondly, all persons and sorts, seem to be tainted till it come to their Ministers, one of them breaking three or four locks to come by a woman, and she no way to escape but by shrieking and crying out, nay Sir Charles Lucas himself had ensnared a woman, if my Lord Goring had not come in, and called upon him to go to one of the Forts, as a fit place for him then there, for said he your Gunner is proved false, he went away, and the woman came away, fled over the wall, told her neighbour this story, and that if this providence had not happily fallen in, she could not have escaped his hands, but with dishonesty or death: the most memorable is the answer of a gentlewoman, who if she did not yield had a Pistol set to her breast, yes says she, I shall cheerfully embrace your Pistol and my death, but not you. Thirdly, as for violence in their temporal rights, their guests are Masters and Masters of Families in all they have are their slaves, and are at their disposing, so that if any stir, presently a word and a slash, nay inhumanely a maid seeing some injury offered to the person and goods of her Mistress, in defending her Mistress, hath her fingers tied, light matches put to them, and burned her fingers to the stumps, All which and more if we took delight in this element, are daily acted, beside those heavy trials laid on women with child, and others newly brought a bed, they and their children and all they have driven into some field or backsides, or streets, where they lie open to bullets to dash them & theirs in pieces every moment. How sad a spectacle it is to see goodly buildings, well furnished houses, and whole streets to be nothing but ruinous heaps of ashes, and both poor and rich now brought almost to the same woeful state, to see sick people scarce able to stand upon their legs, and women, some presently upon their delivery, some ready to be delivered, Infants in their Mother's laps, and some hanging on their Mother's breasts, all turned out of harbour, and left helpless to lie on the cold ground; to see poor and rich men late of good quality now equal to the meanest, toiling and sweeting in carrying some mean bed or other away, or some inconsiderable household stuff out of the burning, all of them with wailing, weeping, ghastly countenances, and meager thin faces, shifting and flying in distraction of mind they scarce know whither, to hear the lamentable cries of people, coming from the Town, old, young, women, children, poor and rich, lying before, and crying unto the General's guards to pass, and bewailing their folly in entertaining such guests, as now will be sure to provide for themselves, and leave the Town, People, especially (if there be the face of Religion, or civility on them) to shift for themselves; we profess we have heard some soldiers in their returns from the Guards, rejoicing to be out of the mournful ditty of people, desiring to pass the Guards, but not permitted, because then the soldiers would easily drive away the Inhabitants from their own houses, and support themselves the longer by that provision which is left.  
The Lord make their hearts sensible of that smart, whose hands are so filled with cruelty to others; for God knows, the worst we wish to those that are our adversaries, if not implacable foes to Jesus Christ, is, that God would change their minds, humble their hearts, and save their souls from (the certain issue of this their rage) wrath to come: The Lord also bring the hearts of that people in and about the Town, to a true sight of the cause wherefore this great wrath is come upon them; we judge not, but remember 2 Chr. 36.16. that amidst the many other provocations, that the immediate cause of Jerusalem's ruin, was mocking the Messengers of God, despising his words, and misusing his Prophets, till there was no remedy: And the good Lord work all these sad providences upon all our hearts, who are the grieved and woeful spectators of the miseries they feel, and we fear, because we do deserve as well as they: And now O you in the Town, whose designs we had great expectation of, and whose manifestors rendered you formerly to us the moderate party of the Kingdom, formerly under a fare other notion than those flames and desolations discover now; give us leave to bespeak you, and give us to understand, what was the cause of your flying into a walled Town, when (if your cause, courage, and consciences had been right, as we then hoped) you might have fought it out with the choice of the advantage of your own ground, and being then as many as your enemies, have trusted God the just judge of heaven and earth for success? why did you suffer yourselves to be cooped up by those you seem (in your answers unto) so much to contemn, and never but once in almost two months to look out upon your besiegers, and then by a great party upon terms of advantage taken, make a poor flourish, run in again with loss and shame, from an unprovided party, not past a quarter so many as yourselves? why do you use that poor Town so hardly, and your enemies so gently, as if you would now tell us your cause or courage were not so good as before, or else only intended to be first revenged of your sad friends in Colchester for entertaining you, and then bury the Town itself in the same grave that you have digged for the Suburbs. Ah sirs! why did you kindle those flames which have (as a Limbeck set up in sad Colchester) drarned the eves of all the moderate party of the Kingdom, by this de●p●nkindn●ss●. Perhaps you will say your own desire enforced it; wh●t? w●●… you enforced before ever you had tried your own strength? who would have had a hand in that which the child that is yet unborn shall curse the hand that acted it to all posterity? or if your fear did enforce you to make such a distance 'twixt your walls and the remaining houses; how did you overcome your fears to steal cut to burn and ruin houses and persons, three or four days after the great burning was by God's mercy to our admiration quenched, as if you took delight to exercise your cruelty on the houses of them you had first undone without necessity? Ah unkind friends, whom we are grieved to complain against, and yet enforced to be angry with for such bitterness and unnatural deal, we had hope that you would (like those old Ministers of our sick State) first have brought a necessity upon yourselves for want of courage, and then made that necessity to usher in your great discourtesy to your best friends; how can you look us (moderate men, well affected to you heretofore) in the face, when you have made us blush and hid our heads as we hear these things? how can we speak or dye for you, who have undone yourselves and us in undoing your best friends? why did you and we complain here to fore against the Army's violence, when your deeds justify them, and strengthen their hands to take revenge on all that have sided with you? if the eye of the moderate part of the Kingdom looked on them as enemies, can they look on you now as friends? if an odium in the Kingdom and City was grown upon the Army, doth not this course take it off of them and set it upon you? if they had done more evil than this, and less service than you have done for the King and Kingdom's deliverance, they might expect heavens just guerdon in due time; but what good can be in theses cruelties or desolations, or what wages can be the crown thereof in the issue? they were low in the kingdom's eye, 'tis true, but you tell the Kingdom now, and let them see in these flames a necessity of their service, if they will not make you their masters: Many of them are blamed (perhaps much blamable) for their opinions in points of religion, but are your judgements sound whilst these spots are found in your present conversation? Some were offended for some of them arrogating to themselves to be our saviors, & do not you think more will be angry with you for being our destroyers?  
How should you think, and what fools we think now were we to imagine, that they should by Almighty God be used for our King and Kingdom's salvation, that could scarce many of them to our knowledge (until under your command) keep themselves from the gallows? and that they should set the people free, who were well known to be more willing to pray upon, then to pray for, or act for the people of England's freedom? What honour did our prudent King see you could do him, who hath not given you so much as Commission to act by? what honour could you add to his crown, by putting fire stones in stead of pearls thereinto, and enforcing as we now see loyal subjects, to take it away for a time from his use, lest it should be prostrate to your violence? what strength can be contributed to us by your infirmities? or what stability be added to our Religion, his throne or our tottering state, by such wretched, ignoble, and weak props, as we now fear the hand of heaven never cut out for that end? We profess ourselves so filled with astonishment, that we find it true, durum esse satyram non seribere; and amongst other things we much admire at four things. First, That Cholchester should entertain a party whilst pursued by an enemy, bring war to their doors, and might have easily been seen neither able to defend themselves against their friends nor enemies. Secondly, That the King's party should be so weak as to think, that because the Parliaments Army, as some judged, looked to be their Masters, therefore they would give themselves up into their hands to become professed slaves. Thirdly, That Presbyterians and Independents should endanger to lose the substance of Religion for the shadow of a name, and in making out a platform of government, upon which the devil hath mounted so many Ordinances of men, or rather engines of the devil (divisions we mean) as threaten not only the battery, but the demolishment also of the strongest holds of truth and true love, which Jesus Christ by grace hath fortified the hearts of believers his saints by. Fourthly, That the City, who must needs aim at two things chief, the advancement of their honour, peace, and safety, and the ending of these broils 'twixt King and people, by parley rather than victory, lest he that conquers finding his adversaries purse empty, should at last make himself amends out of their treasures; that they should not as much labour to preserve God's interests as their own, to preserve the Parliament as the King, and to avoid tumults amongst themselves, rather than to take sides one against another, thereby to make the flame of the Kingdom, to seize on the metropolis of the Kingdom, which God prevent for his mercy's sake.  
The Church it's clear mist it, when her Fathers turned Tyrants and robbed her children of their bread, and her Nurses became stepdames to rule in the Father's house at their pleasure, and turn the best & quietest children out of his doors; and now God hath taken away their power, and ceased their hatred, are not our infirmities, and the children's want of love found as dangerous prognostics of God's dishonour, and our ruin now as before?  
The King missed it, he denies not in many things, which he was ill advised unto by former bad Ministers of State, who when questioned, had nothing to fly to but the King's power, to cover those infirmities of theirs, a thing therefore inexcusable, because it hath so mixed infirmity with power, that ever since that, which properly was and is power, is made subject to be questioned to be infirmity; and are all Ministers of State now better principled? or all that are better principled rightly in order to pious and prudent ends, rightly acted now? The Parliament missed it we think, when they suffered too much of the old frame in Church and Commonwealth to be pulled down at once, before a new Platform (far easier than (we think) to have been contrived then now) was provided; and shall any be so bad Members now as to conclude, because they did not then what they could, being mistaken in the mixture of time for the fitness thereof, that therefore they will never do us any good, as some (striving to fell the bough of the subjects privilege, whereon they themselves do also stand) do affirm, and so weakly conclude, because the Parliament did not then that good which they have perhaps unduly hoped, therefore they will strive to undo it, and themselves against that which they in honesty have covenanted should see performed. The Army say some mist it in bringing on the sword to enterfeer with the Counsels of the Kingdom; but have they not as conscientiously submitted, are they not not now in midst of many discouragements diligently employed? and if their necks where on the block for that fault, if it be concluded to be a fault, shall all their former good services be forgotten, and that never be remitted? the City was in fault (many affirm) at first, and now at last, for striving both times by tumults to disturb the Kingdom's Counsels; and in so full a body 'tis no wonder if there be many bad humours, if once stirred, dangerous tumults and swell. But have they been always well used, hath not the Kingdom needed their purses and been supplied? come come; he that hath money must have friends, or else our friends may be to seek when we have need of them and money too; away away, we say, with all these particular accusations and exceptions one against another, and all those apologies, defences, and justifications of ourselves. We must live together, O let us love one another, let the strong bear with the weak, and the weak not despise the strong; let the aged instruct the young, and the young honour the aged; the poor give respect to the rich, and the rich love & relieve the poor; the Minister more care for the flock then the fleece; and the labourer not be denied his, nor reverence due for his work sake; let Gentlemen keep hospitality for their poor neighbours, and poor neighbours give them that honour that may encourage them to dwell amongst them; let all strive to give encouragement to the husbandman's labour who provides bread, to the shepherd's vigilance who provides clothing, the Scamans' hazards who brings in wealth, the Tradesman's industry who improves our commodities, the Merchant's care who seeds our treasures, and in a word, to every man's serviceableness to the whole body politic: Let the Country maintain the Parliaments privileges, the Parliament defend the countries' liberties; let both and all support the honour of the King, and the King strive to secure and defend them both, and all both King and people lift up the great interest of Kingdoms, the Gospel's servants and Ordinances of Jesus Christ: Let every one in his place endeavour to do his own duty, every man sweep his own door, and throw the first stone at his brother who can find himself innocent we have all of us many infirmity the Lord cover them, all of us wand'ring from the way, let us pity one another, help one another, advise one another, comfort one another, and pray one for another. And  
Let that man suspect he carries within his breast a heart of stone, that he hath no English blood within his veins, and that he hath not remaining so much as the common affections of a Christian, but hath lost all his bowels, who hath no compassion, compunction, and affliction of soul, for the mournful, disconsolate, desolate state of mistaken, misled, misused, dolorous, dying and undone Colchester.  
FINIS.