The Reasons of Lieu Col. Lilbournes sending his Letter to Mr. Prin, humbly presented to the Honourable Committee of Examinations.  
Making my appearance (upon Summons) before this Honourable Committee, To Answer, to the Complaint of Mr. Prin, for publishing in Print a Letter which I had sent unto him.  
And having upon demand, acknowledged the publishing thereof, I humbly entreated that I might have the favour, to render the Reasons of my so doing: which you were pleased to grant, and to enjoin me to bring them in writing; For which I esteem myself farther obliged unto this Honourable Committee.  
Unto whose grave Considerations I humbly present my said Reasons as followeth.  
Wherein I humbly entreat I may not appear arrogant or vainglorious, though I enlarge myself in Relation of my own condition and actions, it being a necessity enforced upon me by my accuser Mr. Prinne.  
MAy it please You then to remember, and seriously to consider, the manifold afflictions I suffered for many years under the tyrannical power of the Bishops, and Star Chamber: having for defence of the common and just Freedom of this Nation, in opposition to the Oath Ex Officio, and other exorbitances in things civil and religious; suffered a most cruel and reproachful sentence, and had at least 200 stripes: and after that a most noisome and painful close imprisonment, and ten weeks lying in Irons; being in continual and real danger of my life by attempts of secret poison, open violence, and famishing, to the extreme impairing of my health long after my deliverance.  
That this Parliament (the hope of the oppressed) no sooner sat, but as being most sensible of grievances of that nature, they made it their principal work (as most acceptable unto God) to deliver the Captives, and to set the oppressed free, especially those that had been oppressed for Conscience sake: Amongst whom (which I shall never forget) this Honourable Parliament were pleased to take me into their first and most compassionate thoughts; and delivered me out of all my troubles.  
And as this their tender compassion wrought in all sorts of conscientious people a thankful acknowledgement of their piety and goodness towards tender consciences, so more especially in me as I was a more large partaker of their immediate goodness; insomuch that I with thousands more were instantly ready on all occasions to adventure our lives in defence of so just, and pious an Authority: which we frequently and successfully testified at Westminster in the most dangerous and doubtful times, to the terror of their enemies.  
Nor did our affections or gratitude cool within us; but as the necessities of the Parliament increased, and the malice of their enemies introducing new; we forsook all that was dear unto us, and voluntarily betook ourselves to Arms in their just defence. And first at Kienton Field gave proof of our Constancy and Resolution: Secondly, at Brainsford, where for 5 or 6 hours such a fight was maintained with a handful of men against the King's Army, as gave check to their fury, and time to further provision, and made way to a fair and great opportunity for the Parliaments party, as hath been seen since the war. In which action many precious friends lost their lives; and wherein it was my lot to be taken prisoner: in which condition I suffered so many reproachful scoffs from both great and small in that Army, the insolences, inhuman revile, and unheard usages that villainy could invent, and malice inflict, until I was brought to Oxford: where after I had, through the assistance of God, withstood the temptations of 4 Lords making the largest offers of profit and honour, if I would forsake the Parliaments service, and serve the King: I was instantly thrown into Irons, threatened with death; and arraigned before Judge Heath in a most reproachful and irksome manner (in all which I bless God I stood firm and unshaken in my faith, and thankfulness to the Honourable 
* Although I lost by my lying in prison 6 or 700 l. in my estate that I left at London.  Parliament) expecting no other than a shameful death: And then also was not the Parliament unmindful of me their Servant and Soldier; but made an Order in my behalf that restrained the malice of their proceeding towards me, and exchanged me I most thankfully acknowledge upon odds; and in my return I received a large supply and real encouragement from my Honoured Lord General Essex.  
All which endeared me still farther to do them the best service I was able; whereupon I engaged myself under the Right Honourable my Lord of Manchester in his Northern expeditions; wherein, what service so performed in taking of Sir Fra. Wortleys' Garrison, and Tickell Castle, as also how I succoured my wounded Soldiers, being wounded myself; and myself disbursed almost 30 l. to cure them, when we had neither Chirurgeon nor money from the State: and how I have behaved myself all along in that war I wish might be testified by my most worthy Lieutenant General Cromwell, who was a daily witness of my actions 
* For which Service there is about 600 l. owing me. .  
And when opportunity gave leave I resolved to visit my friends at Westminster and London, expecting a joyful and cheerful entertainment, and good acceptation both of myself and all other the like conscientious persons; as being well assured that neither I nor they had ever shamed ourselves either by treachery, covetousness, plundering or mutiny, etc. But to my exceeding grief and astonishment, I found a very sad and frowning countenance from most of those that formerly had had us in great and good esteem; I found all sorts of conscientious people, excepting one sort only, altogether discountenanced and discouraged; and as towards others, so also towards myself: the City being filled with daily relations of strange and very hard usage towards them in all quarters; as that some upon pretence of law had been violently carried before Magistrates for not hearing Common Prayer, and though known to be neither Papists nor Malignants, have been sent to prisons and common jails, Bail being refused many, access of friends denied, also the benefit of writing, kept amongst thiefs and murderers; not planks to lie upon, nor food allowed; wives, children, and families perishing by such occasions. The like hard usage for meeting together in private houses to worship God: Some have been Indicted and adjudged to be banished, or not obeying to be hanged to death, upon Statutes made in the Prelatical times of ignorance, superstition, and persecution; which was hoped would have abolished with the Bishops.  
That others had been as hardly dealt withal upon pretence of Authority of Parliament, as violently surprised and affrighted, many dragged before Officers and Magistrates, and thence hurried to prison, and used as aforesaid: others set in the stocks, excluded garrison Towns, thrust from their habitations, threatened with banishment out of Counties, examined Ex Officio against themselves and dearest friends, and imprisoned for refusing to answer.  
That the Covenant was as earnestly pressed upon tender consciences, though their faithfulness were no whit doubtful, as upon Neutrals and Malignants, and refusing because of some expressions, put from offices of trust and public employments.  
That rude ignorant people frequently took boldness to break and spoil their houses, threatening to fire them, and to stone the people to death; that some had been beaten and sore bruised; one had been killed in the place where he was worshipping God: and many women so abused as they miscarried of their children; All which usages so full of hazard and mischief to good men, can be testified by witnesses.  
These and the like Discourses, may it please this Honourable Committee, being the hourly complaints of a faithful religious people, ever dear and precious to my affections, for their unfeigned zeal to God, and sincerity to the Parliament, made very sad and deep impressions upon my spirit: so as considering with myself whence so great evils should again arise (the Bishops, High Commission, and Star-chamber being all suppressed) the Parliament having ever shown good respect towards them, as having had their real and cordial assistance in the most doubtful times: I concluded within myself, that they were the issues of sundry invective and provoking language divulged both from the Pulpit and Press. Wherein I found none to exceed or to come near unto my old fellow-sufferer Mr. Prinne, from whom I least expected such bitter expressions, yea so bitter, that truly when I considered them, and rightly apprehended the dangers thereof, I was so fare from wondering, at the miserable sufferings of conscientious people, that I rather wondered that any of us walked the streets in safety. For though the power of God force him to confess in the first page of his Epistle to the Parliament, in his book entitled, Truth triumphing over Falsehood, that we, for the most part are really cordial in our affections, actions to the Parliament and Church of England (for which, and for our piety we are (as he saith) to be highly honoured) yet immediately after he endeavours to make us, our actions and tenants to be destructive to the very fundamental power and being of Parliaments, and as bad or worse than the Popish Gunpowder-plot to blow up the Authority of this high Court, in all succeeding ages. Being confident (as he saith) that no age, nor History can ever parallel us in the least measure, the very malignant Prelates and Anti-parliamentary Cavaliers being not so bad as we. And a little after saith, that we contemn and despite Authority and all humane power whatsoever. And in his Epistle to the Reader, page the second, he saith, that we are destructive to all Christian and humane societies, and bring in mere confusion and flat Atheism amongst the people. And a little after saith, that we dissolve all relations, subordinations, and humane society itself, being as bad as the Popish Monks, Hermit's, Anchorites, Nuns, and Jesuits, with infinite other most desperate, monstrous, provoking, unjust, and unsufferable expressions which all his books are filled full of. In all which there appeared to my understanding so unchristian a spirit, and tending so much to the prejudice and utter destruction of a most faithful, precious, godly people; and being conscientious of my own integrity and uprightness, and also of all the rest of my friends that are as Soldiers in your service, being pressed above measure in my very conscience by all the premised reasons and motives, I could do no less than what I did, both in duty towards God, in love to my (poor, afflicted, despised, yet innocent) brethren, and to my native Country, then endeavour to take off those vile, inhuman, unsufferable scandals he laboured to cast upon us, tending so much to our utter ruin and destruction, and the damage of the Parliament and Kingdom.  
Also I was moved to write my Letter to Mr. Prinne, not only because of his bitter, invective, slanderous language; but because he not only endeavours to incense the Parliament and people of England against myself, and all such as I am in the Army and elsewhere, but likewise eagerly presseth them to destroy us, and cut us off. Epistle to the Parliament, page 5, and at the conclusion of his book entitled, Independency examined, etc. there he presseth the cutting us of ●y the Sword: yea, and in the conclusion of his Full Reply, he presseth the Parliament upon pain of contracting the guilt of highest perjury to execute wrath and vengeance upon us, by means of all which he became, as I conceived, guilty of being an Incendiary betwixt the Parliament and their faithful friends and Servants; which actions and practices of his tended to no better end but to the utmost of his ability, at least to make us to be slighted and contemned (of those that formerly had honoured us, and given us no small cause to love and honour them) that we a faithful, conscientious, and considerable party in the Army and Kingdom might be disengaged; which endeavour of his to cause them to lay down their Arms, I conceived would be an advantage to none but the common Enemy, but a great disadvantage and loss to the Parliament and Commonwealth.  
The serious consideration of which, exceedingly pressed me out of that real love I bear to my Country, in a few lines to Mr. Prinne, to discover unto him his unworthy and uncharitable dealing towards those he falsely calumniateth; and the great dis-service his bloody lines is likely to do to the whole Kingdom in general. In dividing the affections of those that formerly were one, till such bitter dividing spirits as his kindled a blazing fire of discord and dissension amongst us.  
Now I appeal to every true hearted Englishmen that desires a speedy end of these wars, of what evil consequence it would be to the Parliament and Kingdom, to have so faithful and considerable a party as Mr. Prinne calumniateth, and reproacheth as bad if not worse than ever the Bishop of Canterbury did, should be causelessly cut off with the Sword, or be disengaged by his means (especially seeing the Kingdom's necessities is such that they stand in need of the help of foreigners) of all which people whom he reproacheth as Independents, Brownists, Anabaptists, I am confident he is not able to tax any one of them with unfaithfulness to the Parliament, nor with cowardliness, or any other baseness in the Service. And for my part I profess, I know not one of that generation in England that ever drew his Sword one hour for the King or his party against the Parliament and theirs: and if Mr. Prinne know any, I desire him to declare it.  
Now most Noble and worthy Senators, is it not a sad thing that it should be a crime in that man who being sensible of these bloody, unchristian and dividing practices in Mr. Prinne, used means to inform him thereof, and endeavoured by a free debate with him (which I offered him in my letter) to convince and reclaim him from making further progress in incensing Magistracy against those that are faithful and successful instruments of their preservation, to leave the public Service as in the prelatical time for oppression of conscience, in so much as I could not forbear.  
These are the Reasons which moved me to send my Letter to Mr. Prinne, which I humbly offer and submit to the grave Judgement of this Honourable Committee, being resolved that no provocations from any man shall slack my wont faithfulness to my distressed Country.  
Besides the foresaid afflictions of the poor Saints, others increase daily; as that of Mr. Knowles, who being lately at a meeting with a company of Christians, and being preaching the Word of God, had divers Bullets shot at him out of a Crossbow, of purpose to slay him: the party is since apprehended.  
John Lilburne Lieut. Coll. Printed 13. June. 1645.  Acts 13.8. & 16.19, 20, 21, 22. & 17.5, 6, 7. & 19.23, 24, 25. & 21.27, 28. 
But the Jews which believed not, moved with envy, took unto them certain lewd fellows of the base sort, and gathered a company, and set all the City on an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. And when they found them not, they drew Jason, and certain brethren unto the Rulers of the City, crying, These that have turned the world upside down, are come hither also, whom Jason hath received, and these do all contrary to the Decree of Cesar, saying, that there is another King, one Jesus.  Act. 28.22. 
But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest: for as concerning this Sect, we know that every where it is spoken against.  
FINIS.