GENERAL LESLEYS SPEECH ●n the Parliament of Scotland, the 25. of October, 1641. In defence of himself upon certain slanders which are reported of him.  
Wherein be expresseth his affection to the King and Kingdom of England.  
Also concerning the Traitors of Scotland which did lay a plot to take away his life.   General Lesley, richly dressed, on a rearing horse  

General Lesley's SPEECH IN PARLIAMENT.  
My Lords,  
TO purge myself of some slanderous accusations, I have presumed to present myself before your honours, thereby to stop the mouths of my enemies, and to revive the former good opinion which true and loyal subjects have had of me: There have been some lately my Lords, which have not been ashamed to say, that whatsoever of late I attempted in the defence of piety and truth, were all for my own ends, not for the good of my Country.  
Whereas God is my true and best of witnesses, that all my intents were real and for the good of both Kingdoms.  
My Noble Lords, it is unknown to very few of you that I have exercised arms these many years, almost from my childhood, and yet did I never take part with the Church of Rome, but have always been a sworn foe against it.  
Many battles have I fought since fortune was my friend to make me a Commander; but (I praise God) not speaking in a boasting way, as yet I never left the field but was crowned with victory.  
I was your General against England, and yet not against it but for it, as it hath now happened by the most happy pacification.  
Ye see my Lords now, that nature doth claim its due, old age overcommeth the strongest, but yet were there occasion in England for to employ me against a foreign foe, my service should attend the King's command, I would make use of my best of skill to overthrow his foes: I know my Lords that I have been censured hard of abroad, but I hope that my truth and loyalty to my Sovereign, shall stop the lying tongue of flying same; a long time was I branded with that accursed title of traitor which my soul abhors, and to defend my innocency, my heart at all times is ready.  
My Lords, give me licence to make use of a doleful expression, which is for the ingratitude of those for whom I feared not to venture my dearest blood, yet these deceitful judases have agreed together to betray me and snatch away my short breathing life.  
How many days when they have been sporting and taking their pleasures, have I been taking pains, and studying for to preserve both them and their families? How many nights have I watched, when they have been mantled in their silks, and prostrated upon their down beds, taking their sweet, silent and quiet rest: And yet for all this my Lords, am I the mark they have chiefly shot at to destroy, for which the great God forgive them, for my own part I freely do appealing to their consciences which I know can truly tell them, whether I have deserved their hate or no.  
But yet my Lords, give me leave to speak both pro and con, although I freely forgive them the particular injury which they thought to have wrought upon me, yet must the Law have its proceeding against them for they which will go about to rob the King of his true and loyal subjects, will not be afraid in time to try their utmost skill to destroy the King himself.  
O Ambition, Ambition! How loftily dost thou soar? For it is thee and none but thee which doth steer the actions of each disloyal traitor for being great, yet because they do not daily arise to be greater, they will strive to swim to their intents through a sea of blood: What honour would these Lords have got to take away my life? O but they had greater prizes which they did aim at, but God did hinder them, who always hath been and always will be the defender of those which put their trust in him the living God.  
In what a miserable estate are these men in now? They have gained themselves the everlasting hate of all good men, they have lost their honours, stained their Ancestors same, and prejudicated their own lives: Oh did a traitor but think before what he went about when his mind is first hampering upon treachery! he would change his wicked resolution; for first, let him think of the danger which will follow, and then of ten hundred thousand times much more in the world to come.  
My Lords, may I find the joys of heaven, but as truly as I mean faithfully both to my King and Country, and then were I certain of an everlasting, most happy, joyful and heavenly estate: That God would always bless King Charles our lawful native King and Governor, & his true subjects shall always be my prayer, and so is it I know of all those which wish well unto Zion.  
FINIS.