Col: Lilburnes LETTER TO A FRIEND: PUBLISHED To Vindicate his Aspersed REPUTATION.  
Published by Authority.  
LONDON: Printed for Peter Cole, and are to be sold at his Shop, at the Sign of the Printing-Presse in Cornhill, near the Royal Exchange, Sept. 23. 1645.   

SIR,  
I Kindly salute you in the Lord, and wisheth you sweet incomes of his love daily more and more: I cannot but acknowledge your respects to me, in giving me notice of that false Scandal raised upon my Regiment, to be the beginners of Mutinies, who hath always carried fair towards their Officers, towards the Country, and had the least complaints against them of any in the Army, enduring hardship with abundance of content, receiving but one week's pay from my Lord FAIRFAX or the Committee this year and quarter, only for the last winter (for about three months) they had 13. pence per diem, and paid their quarters out of it; by reason of which hardship, falling into want, they have with tears in their eyes come to me to make their case known, with desire to do what service they were able, if they might have but any subsistence to keep them from lousiness, and doing injury and wrong to others, or otherwise, that I would give them a Discharge, that they might go home and work for their live, never offering to Mutiny or stir, till others had shown them that Example, and sent parties to their quarters to invite them to join with the rest of the Army, and told them, they were Fools that they did not seek relief as they did, using many provocations to tempt them. And further, when all the rest of the Army had ten shillings a piece given them to supply present wants, they had not a groat given them, nor could have promise of any, which gave just cause unto them, more than any, yet was content to march after the King, so long as our Army continued the pursuit; which being ended, and the Scots and we Retreating for Yorkshire, suddenly a Council of War was called and agreed, that four Regiments of outs should march back into the South, and the rest go on to secure Yorkshire; the Lot falling upon my Regiment to go Southward, did much rejoice me; and my own Troops that I raised myself was willing to march, but two Yorkshire Troops that were added to me begun to cry out they wanted the ten shillings the rest of the Army had got, and had neither Shirts to their backs, nor Boots, nor Stockings to their legs, and knew not how long they should stay abroad in that extreme want, desired either ten shillings to buy them some necessaries or otherways to march towards Yorkshire to get some moneys to supply their wants, and then they would go any where, which could not be had; whereupon many of them with tears in their eyes, asked what they could do in such a condition: but before this, all or most of the Regiments resolved for Yorkshire till they got some pay, and were more forward than mine, some of my Troops following of me Southward, when all the horse marched Northward, by all which and much more that I could truly say, it may appear mine was no ways the beginners of these several mutinies. As for myself I defy all men to accuse me of the least thought of countenancing any mutiny whatsoever in Officers or Soldiers, but can bring many of quality to witness with me how exceedingly I suffered in my spirit, in beholding those things I saw in the Army, which rise through a neglect of those that should have provided better for the Army; and I am confident both the best in the Army and Country will witness, that my men were under as good command, and as little offensive to the Country as any whatsoever, and constantly ever since they were a Regiment upon as hard duty as any: I hope these will satisfy reasonable men, for others that backbites me, I value them not: I crave excuse for my tediousness, and rest,  
Your assured loving friend, Robert Lilburne.  
For the rest of your Letter I shall be mindful of the particulars.  
FINIS.