Malice detected, In Printing certain INFORMATIONS And EXAMINATIONS CONCERNING Lieut. Col. JOHN LILBURN, The morning of his TRIAL; AND Which were not at all brought into his INDICTMENT.  
Printed at LONDON, 1653.   

Good men of England,  
YOu cannot but take notice with what bitterness of spirit, and malice, altogether unbecoming the profession of Christianity, my life is prosecuted: no stone hath been left unturned, no stratagem unattempted, to render me odious, and fit for death, in the esteem of my friends, my Jury, and the Parliament. My weaknesses and infirmities (which God knows are many, whose wisdom I have often implored by his divine assistance to lessen) not only these, I say, are by Agents of the basest of men purposely sent abroad aggravated to the highest extremity, but they do also lay to my charge things that I know not, and that my soul abhors. This very morning of my Trial, they have printed a Book full of the most abominable falsities that ever proceeded from the wicked heart of the falsest man. They know how I am on every hand beset with subtle, crafty, and bloody-minded Prosecutors, whom at my Trial I have to deal withal; how I have been wearied and spent in my spirits since my coming over, having had hardly any leisure to sleep or eat; how I am at this time straitened, my Trial being upon me, and it being therefore almost impossible that I should give any answer to that malicious Paper. They have confidently dispersed it, supposing that its poison will insinuate itself into the understandings of men, without any possibility of an Antidote. I do therefore desire all good men, who love Truth above Fiction, and whose hearts are not tainted with the desire of Blood, to consider these Particulars, offered, to show the falsity and malice of these informations, being yet not the hundredth part of what I could say, were I not so oppressed with multitude of cogitations.  
First, be pleased to take notice, that before and about the time of my Trial at Guildhall, there were in the same manner many Rumours dispersed of my correspondency with the King, and the mouths of many of my friends stopped, by telling them that they had matters of that nature so notorious against me, evidently showing my tampering with the King, the which they would produce under my own hand at my Trial, that when they should see them, they would be ashamed to own me: yet when my Trial came, not the least syllable of that nature was produced; so that then it appeared all was feigning and falsity, to bias the People and my Jury, and make me fit for slaughter.  
Secondly, the particular of greatest weight in these informations, is, That I should offer the Duke of Buckingham, Sir Ralph Hopton, and other Cavaliers abroad, upon the procurement of ten thousand pounds to destroy the Lord General, the Parliament, and Council of State, and that (as Captain Titus informs) in half an hour. To this I answer, That never any words of this nature passed from my mouth, or any such thoughts ever entered into my heart, the Lord, the Almighty God, is my witness: and those persons to whom these words are pretended to be spoken, will (I am well assured) attest as much: though besides, I do judge the folly of the speeches , and the ridiculous impossibility therein contained, will sufficiently manifest that they are the officious coinage of Spies and Intelligencers, some whereof are no better than Knights of the Post; who, to gain repute with their Masters, have basely forged those suggestions, knowing well how great a means it is likely to prove, to bring them into favour.  
Thirdly, as to that acquaintance I have had with the Duke, I have spoken thereunto largely in my Declaration printed since my coming over; wherein I manifest, that it was only in order to his coming into England upon such terms as should be acceptable to the General and Parliament.  
Fourthly, and lastly, it is a stratagem of a new nature, and far unsuitable to the way of true Christians, to print against the prisoner under Trial, such particulars as are altogether foreign, and nothing relating to the way of his Indictment: I believe, it is a malice that can scarcely be paralleled: I am sure I find no such course taken by the bloodthirsty prosecutors of our blessed Saviour and his Apostles. Doubtless, if there were any thing of truth material in these informations, which they could have proved, they would have brought them into my Indictment, and have given me liberty, fairly, and in open Court, to have made my defence: But it was sufficient to their end, that they should the morning of my Trial (against which time they were particularly provided) work their effect in corrupting the understanding of those into whose hands my life is entrusted, little expecting that I should have this opportunity to speak this little in my own defence, leaving the further clearing of these particulars to a time of better leisure, if it shall please God to afford it unto me; though I am not over-solicitous for the matter, if at least my death may be of greater advantage to the undeceiving of the People, and recovery of their Liberties, than my preservation. Into the hands of God I commit myself: Death or Life (as shall seem good to him) shall be alike welcome.  
John Lilburne.  
FINIS.