MAIOR LINDESY'S legacy. April 25. 1645.  
Bequeathed to his countrymen, the Scottish-Commanders, and his fellow-soldiers and Sufferers in this terrestrial Warrfare.  
It being found in his trunk after his Death, in the form of a Letter; with this SUPERSCRIPTION following:  
For his noble worthy Friends and countrymen, the Scottish-Commanders in the Parliament service.  
Deliver not this Letter till i be in my Grave, and then i pray You convene these gentlemen together, and deliver it unto them as my last WILL: And here-with present my LOVE unto them ALL.  

MArs never met upon Parnassus' hill  
At Randevouse; nor did he dip his quill  
In Helicon, thence to extract that Art  
Which Poets need, his Offpring to impart.  
Expect not then, expressions from my pen  
To please the critic, nor those curiousmen  
Who love to carp; I only leave to thee  
That all I have by way of legacy,  
It is not Gold, nor treasure evil got.  
My just designs, such shadows followed not,  
But 'tis experience fetched from a far,  
Bought with my life and blood in foreign war.  
I spent the prime time of my age abroad  
In serving Kings, but still observing God  
I spared no pains, but spent my dearest blood  
To learn knowledge, for my Countries good,  
Nor did I lose the labour I bestowed,  
Such as employed me paid me what they owed:  
Rewarding me with what I could desire,  
The workman being worthy of his hire.  
Thus being fraught with knowledge and reward;  
Returned here in conscience and regard  
Into this kingdom joining heart and hand  
To do them service by my best command:  
Which I performed; unchallenged for offence,  
Not wronging any on the least pretence.  
Remembering still, the duty of that Oath,  
Wherein the kingdoms are united both;  
To save our sovereign, and maintain the laws,  
The Subjects freedom, and the public cause,  
For this I fought, enduring to the death,  
Am hated therefore with a world of wrath,  
Would fast a week, have neither meat nor drink,  
But all was for the cause than you must think.  
Dear country Men in this, let me advise you,  
Let neither wrongs, nor want of Pay entice you  
But suffer still though ye be scourged and scant  
Your neighbours have enough, though ye may want;  
Yet you must not envy, that were a sin  
We suffer for the cause we did begin:  
Go on, endure, have patience, Fast and Pray,  
And be not wearied doing well I say,  
The cause is God's, good brethren be not sorry,  
Ye know this life's but vain and transetory,  
What then, although you have not meat, nor drink?  
Nor Money, What? you must not always think  
To have those things, ye know the poor and Lame  
Shall have reward, God only thinks on them.  
Forsake your countries, household, Wives, and friends  
And be not always for your Private ends,  
And though they chide you; they are not angtie ever  
'Tis but to try if you will still persever,  
They correct them whom they love and chasten too  
Their dearest child Indulgent friends so do;  
Yet dare I not condemn you for your fear  
To see me lie and starve for hunger here  
For I protest, I thought my sufferings good,  
Till I had pawned my very Clothes for food;  
But being Naked, hungry, sick, and poor,  
I could not then for shame go to the door.  
Do not therefore as I did, lie not still  
Until ye starve, but labour to fulfil  
The Scripture, saying pray; they bid you too  
To use the means, as well as prayer allow:  
The Scripture bids you, Knock, and seek, and ask,  
And you shall have, this is an easy task,  
I know ye ask but then you ask amiss.  
Ye ask not all in faith you fail in this  
Are not your Judges just? why do ye than  
Not speak in time; they're Gods as well as men,  
Then God forbid that men should be debated,  
The Just will ever give the Just reward,  
But tell them this, the will of him that's dead,  
That what they mind to give, they give with speed:  
And that they send you not to seek debentures.  
The Auditors, are tedious Male-Contenters.  
My fatal hour prevented my desire  
If I had lived, I had had all my hire:  
But as I do assign you to those things,  
Which woeful time, and my experience brings.  
Even so I bid you be not slack to send  
And seek your due; they swore for to defend  
Each one the other suffering for the cause,  
They will not break their Covenant, and their laws,  
But if you wait, and wait as I did do,  
Ye cannot tell what may befall you too,  
Thus have I run my race, and writ my will  
I pray you then be careful to fulfil,  
Those things you came for Brethren; So I end,  
And humbly do my Spirit recommend  
Unto its Maker, and prays you if you can  
To bury me, Even like an honest man.   

And so farewell, remember what I said,  
Ye'ill live and die the better, that ye'er paid   
Lindesy's last farewell.   

Printed by T. Paine, 1645.