A DECLARATION of Captain JOHN MUSGRAVE Prisoner in NEWGATE.  
Vindicating him against the misprisians and imputed reasons of his s●● imprisonment for high Treason against the STATE.  
With an Order, or Proclamation: By the Committee of the City of London, with the Committee of Lords and Commons for safety: for Listing in the late engagement, etc.  
8ber: 23 LONDON, Printed for John Musgrave, and are to be sold in Newgate-market, 1647.   

A DECLARATION of Captain John Musgrave Prisoner in Newgate.  
THat the Fidelity of the most eminent and faithful in the late Service for the Parliament have run under the lash of notorious scandals and reproaches, is evident enough beyond the necessity of my attestation; under which disgrace as my present Condition hath made me an Accessary, so I cannot doubt but when my Integrity is truly manifested, that general Opinion (which in the Ignorant has abused me) will, in the judicious find that Construction may plausibly free me from all the dangers of their calumny, and I must confess I were a Bastard to my name, an infamy to all that love me, and a reprobate to the Cause I am under; if (after a general traduction of both the Houses, and the particular abuses of some Pamphletiers,) I did not in some measure endeavour to give the prejudicated world some punctual assurance, what Rule I have followed in all my concernments, from the first of my service unto this minute of my commitment, not that I itch after a printed credit, or expect an Eulogy from the crier; but finding the folly of the Press so Epidemical, my ●●gul●rity shall not hinder my progress in that ●●●quity.  
To this purpose I might run over a Catalogue of particulars from the very Original of the Service; but in regard the generality of the Officers, (with whom I have served) and the Impress of the House upon me, in respect of that small pay which upon the perusal of several Certificates was (in order) allotted me, may anticipate a part of satisfaction to those who were ignorant of me; and for such as truly knew me, I need no prevention, since for the most part we marched hand in hand together, in the joyful accomplishment of our Commands.  
Upon the point. The Crime I am accused of, doth only prove a more than common constancy in the adherence to those Principles, which at first gave life and being to our Arms; in the maintenance of which if my blood or my pains had been too dear, the censure I am under had been too calm; but when the issue of our toil and sweat returned us home, and that expected Salary (which hath rarely been wanting either to success or perseverance) was not only delayed us, but we were also engaged, in our attendance unto such patience and extremity; That it was the only wonder the stones were mute; which had they been sensible had been less pardonable than the insurrection of the Apprentices.  
Of whom since it is my occasion to be a mentioner, and with whom I am accused to be a partaker, I must necessarily here protest against my most envious and serious observer, For my presence in their company will prove neither my intention or action, than my condition 〈◊〉 divers respects may admit of a contrary construction.  
The more serious Traduction (if so I may call it) once formerly my joy, now made my Scandal. For if those invitations of the Prerogative, the Protestant Religion, the Privileges of Parliament, the Liberty of the Subject, etc. Were out of their severalties moulded into an unity of the Covenant, and the imposition of that, not only made Nationall, but Sacramental: Why should an adherency be my Crime, since the various hazard of my life upon it, abetted by the stamp of your legality) did make it apparently Religious, as also Conscionable. If this suffice not, but there needs must be a necessity for some expiation by a Precedent. Why in the Speakers absence, since the sitting was declared no Parliament, in case of any ●●●ont or assault, must it then be made high Treason, and why taken from the Shrubs and not the Oak, from the sprig and not the root, since the engagement being imputed notorious, and of eminence, it requires an Annalogy in the punishment; unless according to the Fable, as Dogs have been beaten in the presence of Lions, only for the abatement of their natural fierceness; and as boys have been whipped to intimate a duty to the youthfulness of Princes: So am I probably to be disciplined out of a life, merely for a rule of Obedience to such, whom in the height, of Magistracy, endeavouring my encouragement among thousand others in conjunction with them; they must be taught a dutiful Retractation of their errors by the subordination of my sufferance.  
For my accusation of a power in the disposition of Offices and Commands within the Tower, is only an allegation from the frivolous vanity of those who are simply pretenders to my persecution; for Places of that nature, and consideration, are rarely dispensible to other persons then of such eminence and transcendency, that could hardly in justice admit me serviceable upon the smallest resentment of my disabilities; and therefore my accuser, was so fare from the sense of an abuse in this; that instead of my shame, he did ignorantly endeavour the advancement of my power and credit.  
As for spreading of papers in Churches, it was never my Crime nor the tearing of them; in which place to my best understanding, I have endeavoured to shun Superstition, and to express true devotion, as I conceived might be most acceptable to God, and inoffensive to man.  
As for my being in that bloody business at Guildhall, I was not there, neither can I be justly taxed for having any hand in that business, as by many thousands do justly appear.  
For other accusations (as I want them not) they are ill applied; in regard being no way conscious of them, they might have had reference to such a creature, whose patience and loins had received preparation for such an injury; seeing the affliction of my bondage, and the want of livelihood so prevail upon me, that that advancement of grief might better have stayed with the contrivers of it to abate the exorbitancies of their jollity.  
To conclude, For a testimony to those that may be ignorant (for those that know me these are impertinent) I desire this satisfaction be duly pondered. That in all the Traductions that aim at my life (if either their verity or weight could justly touch me) the continuance of it would be a vanity to myself; But since the uprightness of my Conscience, and the recollections of my heart, assure of an intensive innocence; I shall henceforth with less trouble and more liberty, embrace that thraldom, which in conclusion can admit of no other resolution, than either present Martyrdom or freedom.  
JOHN MUSGRAVE.   

3 Augusti, 164.  
By the Committee of the Militia for the City of London, etc.  
WHereas there have been divers tumultuous and disorderly Assemblies within the Cities of London, and Westminster, to the endangering the Parliament and City, and parts adjacent: For prevention thereof, we the Committee of the Militia aforesaid, according to the duty of the trust reposed in us, do hereby strictly charge and command, That no Inhabitants, Indwellers, or Strangers, either on House or on Foot, shall come together in any Assemblies whatsoever, with Arms or without Arms, except such as the Committee of Lords and Commons for safety, or this Committee shall raise for the safety of the King, Parliament, and City. Now if after publication hereof, any Persons shall presume to assemble, or come together in any tumultuous way, under any pretence whatsoever; That then, and in such case all Colonels, Captains, and other Officers and Soldiers are hereby required, according to their Commissions, to suppress and disperse the same, and in case of resistance, them to sight with, kill and slay at Enemies to the King, Parliament, and City, and disturbers of the Peace of the whole Kingdom. A●● to avoid effusion of blood, all Housekeepers and others in case of such … lts as aforesaid 〈…〉 comm●nded by 〈…〉  
And that all foot Soldiers that will 〈…〉 ●●●servation of the King, Parliament, and City, let t●●●●●pair● to the New-Artillery ground where they shall b●e Listed, Armed, and paid sev●n shillings per w●●k.   

Ordered that this Proclamation be forthwith Printed and published, and Proclaimed by the Provost M●●shall by soun● of Trumpet.  
Tho. Pa●ing●●r, Clerk to the said Committee.   

Lo●●●n Pri●●●d by Ri●●●rd C●●●s.