A LETTER from the NORTH.  

L●… 〈◊〉 friends, as this ensuing Letter accidentally came to my hands, so I could not but take notice of it; and finding it a Declaration 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 world) of that birth which sticks in the womb, having not power to come forth, I was constrained in spirit to give it a being a●… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of men, assuring myself that the dictator thereof had given it Reason, with its innocency to defend itself against Pharaohand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Egyptian taskmasters, it being the way of the eternal God, thereby to establish his Throne on earth in Justice, Righteousness and judgements by which means the destroyer shall be destroyed, and the oppressor oppressed; then shall his captives go free, and his prisoners be set at liberty.   

Honoured friend,  
THe serious consideration of our former Parliaments solemn Vows, Protestations, and Oaths (to maintain the Liberties, Freedoms, and privileges of us the free born people of England) hath made so deep an impression in our hearts, that it can never be blotted out, nor yet can we let go out of our minds, the Angel-like Declarations from the Army, in vindication of our said Laws and Liberties; and we also well remember the present Parliaments first Declaration, wherein they told us, and also engaged, to tender our Lives, Liberties, and Estates, as much as their own, or the nearest and dearest relations they had; yet notwithstanding, we apparently see them turn their backs upon their promises and engagements, as visibly appears in your case; so that we have cause to cry out with the late Parliament, in their primitive being, Oh how apparently do we see our Laws, Liberties, and privileges (so much contended for, and for which so much treasure, precious lives, blood, and time hath been spilled and spent) forced and torn from us (p. 657. B. Decl.) and yet we can obtain no favour, remedy, or redress; or any Petition received on the behalf thereof, though we have sought as much after it, as the woman to the unjust Judge, therefore we have just cause to complain with the Prophet, Ier. 22. 3. Even the Dragons draw forth their breasts and give suck to their young, but the daughters of my people are cruel, as the ostrich in the wilderness, and our persecutors are swifter than the Eagles of the heavens, they pursue upon the mountains, and lay baits for us in the wilderness; therefore we a●e resolved, come life, come death, to carry on a testimony against such unrighteousness and injustice of men, very well knowing it to be one witness of God on earth, and so acknowledged by the Army (p. 40. B. Dec.)  
And we do also, in the names of ourselves and many of our friends in Hartford-shire, salute you: it was no small joy to us when we heard that the Lord had by your Jury cleared you, whereupon in several places of our County, your godly friends did upon Wednesday last set themselves solemnly to give thanks to the Lord, who had heard our Prayers, when men in power rejected both us and them: for we went to them a hundred of us, and waited two days upon them, with our Petition on your behalf, but could get no Answer, but that at present they could do nothing in it, one Reason was, as we were informed, the paper that was printed that morning, called, Divers informations, that was sent to them to consider of, on purpose as we verily believe, from some great person to obstruct our business; do the Authors thereof think that the Lord searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins, and that he will bring every work, and every secret thing to judgement? so we returned home with sad hearts, being astonished to think that these men of whom we had such choice hopes, should deal so unworthily with us and you; we waited till the session's week came again, to see if they would remember themselves, and do us right, but to our heart's grief, we saw they would do nothing: we drew up another Petition, and chose out five men from several parts of the County, sent it up signed with many hundred hands of the honest men of the County, as before; and we dare aver, they were both as honest sober Petitions, as ever were presented to a Parliament; but than were our friends more slighted then before, for though they waited with Bedford-shire men, and your poor wife, three days with their three Petitions, they would not so much as look upon them, but no marvel, for it is evident by what hath since fallen out, that they were resolved to lay the foundation of their power in blood, for they have slain you already in their hearts, and are guilty in the sight of God, of shedding your blood; and yet this is not sufficient, unless they can have you actually slain, as appears, that beyond all precedents, you being cleared by a Jury according to Law, they still keep you in prison, and call into question both Judge and Jury, a thing they would not do, we are confident, to the veriest rogue in England: Oh woeful cruelty, beyond example! we are persuaded that the blessed name of God was never so profaned by any generation of men in the world, nor his enemies such occasion given them to blaspheme, in as much as no men in power before them, did ever pretend to such a degree of holiness and piety, and to make it only a cloak to cover over their cruel and bloody ends, this fills our souls with trouble, and our hearts with grief; especially when we consider what an opportunity was put into the hand of these men, to have made both you and all the honest men in England their own, whereas now we submit to them, even as the Turkish slaves do to their tyrant masters, in as much as they endeavoured at once to expose all our lives, liberties, freedoms and estates, to be taken away at pleasure, in case their actings be drawn into precedents; if any of us do but anger Sir Arthur or any men in favour with the General or Parliament, all must go for it; nay if any of us should give you a cup of cold water in the name of a Disciple, we are as much felons as you were, and they had as much ground to try us for our lives, and in case a Jury could not find us guilty, they might detain us in slavery as they do you, against all Right and Justice. Good Lord! what do these men think? can they imagine that your blood will be pleasant to them? will it not be bitter in the end? yea doubtless; but the Lord forgive them, though we cannot say, They know not what they do: it is true we judge not thus of all, for we know that there are many precious souls among them, the Lord deliver them from the snare of the wicked, and the Lord give you and us hearts to wait patiently upon him till he work deliverance for us; to whose gracious protection we shall constantly commit you and yours.  
And so we conclude with the Armies own words, Oh when shall we see Justice dispersed without partiality? or when shall the weal of the public be singly sought after and endeavoured? we hoped to have put an end to all tyranny and oppression, so that Justice and Equity should have been done, and the meanest subject to have enjoyed his right, liberty and propriety in all things, upon this ground have we gone through all difficulties and dangers, that we might purchase to the people of this Nation with ourselves, a plentiful crop and harvest of liberty and peace; but instead thereof, to the great grief of our hearts, we see that oppression is as great here, if not greater than ever, p. 8, 9 B. Decl.   
FINIS.