THE Lord LAMBERT'S LETTER TO THE SPEAKER  
LONDON: Printed in the Year of our Lord. 1659.   

THE Lord LAMBERT ▪ S LETTER To the SPEAKER.  
Mr. Speaker,  
I Have heard, to the great grief and sorrow of my heart, God knows, how that the Lord hath once again restored you, and the rest of the Old Members, to the Exercise of your Trust, for all my Lord Fleetwood and I so often fasted and prayed, and so fervently entreated him to the contrary. Truly you have as much reason to thank God as any men I know in the world, and I have as little, unless I should thank him for nothing. For you may talk what you will of Gods afflicting his own children, and that it is good to be in affliction: truly, Mr. Speaker, if you and the rest of the Members like it so well, even take it among ye, and be you as you were, and let me be as I would be. Truly, Mr. Speaker, I am in a Pound, the Lord in his good time Replevin me out of it. I confess I did turn you and the rest of the Members now sitting out of the House, but I did it with a good intent; for it was to take the burden of the Commonwealth off from your shoulders: but they themselves have taken it upon them again, therefore let them not blame me if ever it oppress them. Now then seeing that they are by the Divine Providence of God, and their own policy, leaped again into the Saddle,( for you must know that God never assists any but those that are very cunning, and therefore he assisted the Old Protector, being more cunning then they, and for these two moneths he hath assisted me, because I was too cunning for them likewise, and now he assisteth them as being too politic for me) I say therefore, as I said before, that seeing they are by the assistance of God, and their own policy, leaped again into the Saddle, I have here taken an occasion to writ unto you, earnestly entreating you to speak a good word for me.  
Truly, Master Speaker, if you will be friends with me, and pardon past Injuries and Affronts, your son, if you have ever a one undisposed of, shall mary my daughter; neither will I any more cause Brick-bats to be thrown at your Coach, for which I do now repent from the bottom of my heart.  
Sir, I am willing to comform, for I see there is no good to be done this 'bout; and therefore I have set down some few Articles, which it the Parliament will approve of, I shall with all readiness subscribe myself their Humble Servant, as I did in my Letters out of Cheshire.  
I. That I may have Liberty of Conscience allowed me to break any Oath or Protestation that I shall make to them, when it shall be convenient for me to lay hold of another opportunity.  
II. That Sir Arthur Hesilrig may be confined to Carisbrook Castle, and thence be brought to Windsor, from thence to Westminster Hall, thence to the banqueting-house, and that he be before one of the Windows of that place removed out of my sight.  
III. That Colonel Morley be bound over to the next Quarter-Sessions, for offering to lift up his Pistol at me.  
IV. That I may have another Jewel sent me, for the good service I did in the day that I turned away your Excellencies Coach, and for the great pains I have taken ever since.  
V. That the Debts which I have contracted in the Management of this New Design, may be all put upon the public account, to be paid when the Protectors Funeral is paid for.  
VI. That there may be as many Commanders to welcome me home, as there were to take their leaves of me when I departed from Wallingford House.  
VII. And lastly, That I may have liberty to carry on another Design, to turn them out again when the Lord shall enable me.  
Sir, If these Conditions will not be accepted, I desire you to sand me word what they would have me to do; for considering the condition I am in, I am very willing to Treat, and I shall yield to any thing in reason; but to loose a Head, and a Wimbleton House, onely for going into the North, and Quartering about Newcastle, I profess, Master Speaker, it were a very hard case. Sir, I shall rely not onely on your courtesy, but upon your compassion; Therefore be pleased to use your utmost endeavour for me, and it shall thankfully be acknowledged for a whole week together by,  
SIR, Your most unfortunate Servant, J. Lambert.   

Post-script.  
SIR,  
BE pleased to acquaint my Lady, That I have some extraordinary Occasions lately fallen out here in the country, so that I shall be forced to tarry a fortnight longer then I expected.   
FINIS.