THE VINDICATION OF Colonel General POYNTZ, AGAINST The false and malicious Slanders secretly cast forth against him; As in a Letter to a Friend of his, and a Servant to the State, doth appear.  
LONDON: Printed for Edward Husband, Printer to the Honourable House of Commons. February 3. 1645.   

SIR,  
I Received your Letter, wherein you have shown not only love, but fidelity to your Kinsman, in that your freedom of advice and information, in both which I cannot say whether I have the greater occasion of thanks for your goodness, or sorrow for other men's malice, in aspersing him, who by an unfeigned heart and diligence hath sought to serve them. Yet me thinks when I consider what personages of fidelity and honour have been abused by secret Emulations, and the unworthy Scandals of weak and light spirits; I begin to question with myself, Who am I, that I should be thus troubled at this fatal vanity, and in such a time, when even the community of all things at present seems to suffer under it.  
Indeed, were not the tyranny of envious and depraving tongues become almost universal, I had not wanted all reason for complaint; but seeing the Disease is grown so Epidemical, too much sense thereof in me a particular person, would render me not only too partial, but even ridiculous, which invites me to be as patiented of the affront, as I am hopeless of reparation; That alone which sticks with me, beyond the strength of removal, is, That these false whisperers have insinuated these palpable untruths into the ears of divers in the Parliament, this very Parliament under whom I serve, from whom I have received such testimonies of trust and favour, the actions of whom I do not alone honour but admire, And for whom I shall with all quietness and resolution submit me to the extremest sufferings of life and fortune: When therefore I consider myself presented to them in so rude and false a vizard, without any pretence of merit, this I confess cuts me deep, even to the very soul, and compels me to stoop so much to the importunities of truth and mine own conscience, as to think it no misexpence of time, to give a true answer to the particulars of those reproaches cast upon me.  
I observe the first wedge by which these discreet Engineers have sought to rend me, is matter of Religion; as though I neither were religious myself, or respected it in other men; wherein, to challenge to myself perfection, were more than Pharisaical, yet I may take the leave not only to say, but truly to aver this, That I ever did, and trust ever shall sincerely love and honour both Religion and religious men, and do profess, that generally I have and do value honesty beyond mere abilities, even in my own element as a Soldier, and should acknowledge myself truly convicted, might but one Example be produced, of that honest man whom I have not countenanced and loved against all opposition. Truly it hath been my grief, that for public duties sake as well as private helps and conveniency, I never had a chaplain allowed me to my Regiment, since I was honoured with the service of the Parliament, although I have solicited and entreated the same from eminent and worthy Members of the House; yet I never was (I thank God) without one, although in three month's time be scarce ever rested from a march on the Sabbath day, the necessity of the public Service, and the just regards I owed to the Enemy's motions and endeavours compelling me thereunto. I have given so much obedience to advantage and opportunity, that many times the exigency of Action requiring much dispatch, I have been censured as rash by some who pretend to more Soldiery, than their Experience can make them capable of: Certainly, if any necessities are to be yielded unto, those of a Soldier may challenge place, where the obligations of life and fortune run on equal hazards, and in the action itself, I rather care to serve the State then to please men's fancies, wherein I may say, that had I not neglected Objections and Scruples, but been guided by the safe contemplations of some, the King's army of horse had been yet unfought withal by this under my command. I know very well how useless an army is without care and providence, yet when action shall be converted into speculation, and to be then counselling when we should be doing, is but indeed to undo all; For the loss of time is a mistake of such a nature, as many times to fail once, is to be undone for ever.  
For the other Objection, That I am an oppressor of the country; This is a falsehood so notorious, that I call to witness the Gentlemen of all Committees in my march from Yorkshire throughout the greatest part of England; nay I call the people themselves to witness, Whether ever I assessed the country for Six pence; and Whether I have not even before them in the head of an army given strict order to the contrary, letting them know, my coming to them was for their preservation, and that I was bound by my trust to see no injury should be offered them; all that was desired, was no more but a night's quarter upon our march, which with abundant cheerfulness and love they offered; neither knew I how to spare this, unless I knew how to compound with the nature of men and beasts, who must have food for their present subsistence: That some Offences may have been committed, I will not take upon me to deny, but yet as much against my Orders and Desires as any man's living; yet when I consider the tedious marches, accompanied with continual and hard duty, and comparing the pay with the pains of these Forces, me thinks it deserves admiration as much as censure; and how I endeavour here to prevent disorders, that all armies labour under, and which the want of pay doth produce, I refer to the judgement and report of the Gentlemen in these parts residing with me.  
There is yet a more blasting and spiteful report, not so weak as purely false, which is, That I should assume the Title of Excellency, on purpose to draw the Curtain of Envy upon me; this I do with all openness disclaim and protest, I have been, am and will be, so far from the vanity of such Ambition, that whenever it shall please the Parliament to command me, I will with as much faithfulness as alacrity trail a Pike under that honoured and gallant Gentleman, Sir Thomas Fairfax, where that Title meets with proportionable merit: And as my conversation is plain and open, so my Accusers shall since neither my heart or actions incline to so much pride, as once to own so vain a Contemplation.  
I observe where the tongue hath once broken the limits of its own Sphere, like parallel lines it runs on for ever, else how can any man  himself with so much and so brazen impudence, as to report me a debauched person, for besides that reverence I own to God, I cannot as a Gentleman of quality, & that honour the Parliament hath thought me worthy of, stoop to any meanness that way; for if they mean by drink, I must acknowledge the constitution of my body will not allow it, as being much accustomed to another climate, that very seldom or never admits it, besides my disposition by nature (I will say nothing of my continual & restless employments) doth oppose it; & if they mean by women, I believe he that knows I have not been in a bed these 4 months, unless in my sickness at Nottingham, would easily excuse me should I be so unjust to my own Innocency as not to deny it; and moreover the daily Alarms and restless pains I undergo, may be thought a sufficient cooling card for such folly, for all those that know my custom and propension, let it be by any creature living made appear, that ever I used the least incivility or behaviour that might not square with the strict rules of temper and honour, and will acknowledge myself guilty of what ever the malice of these people can invent against me; and here I take God to witness who knows my thoughts as well as actions, that even herein I am as clear and innocent as any man that lives, and when the Reporter shallbe found out, I dare appeal to him to give judgement of his own falsehood; for seeing I am seldom (I may say never alone) I must challenge all or any usually with or about me to vindicat or accuse me of this Scandal, which I do not more deny then scorn and abhor: Yet as if these were not sufficient, I am like to be racked betwixt two contrarieties, for I perceive some there are who dislike me, as over civil to the adverse party, when as the Enemy themselves have bound their companions under severe execrations, never to give me quarter if they can take me; in either sense I speak it with confidence, I never did any thing which became not a Gentleman, and a Soldier of trust. Harshness and cruelty to an enemy under mercy and power, favours as much of a mean disposition, as overmuch courting and fawning doth of lenity and baseness; I hold a military lawfulness in that which suits with the honour, as well as the advantage of those to whom I am a servant. Nevertheless it seems my courtesy runs not throughout my actions, for by some I am censured as over severe to those under my command, whilst others are pleased to throw their criticisms upon my familiarity, as proceeding from too much easiness, and how a man may serve these contradictory judgements, I should be glad to learn, especially seeing I am representd to a third man in as several Colours as the Glasses of opposite fancies can discover. I shall confess, that being accustomed to a formal discipline so long beyond Sea, I may seem hard to those who know no better; yet seeing it hath pleased God to prosper the Force under my guidance, I may say, that unless discipline were sometimes used, I am too sensible what the issue of those actions had long since been, which hath in some measure rendered themselves acceptible.  
There is yet one great mystery more concerning me revealed, which is, that I am a Papist. Of all the rest I am least troubled at this Rumour, it being in the power of so many thousands to Vindicate me, who have been witnesses of my constant Profession, which from my first years, according to the Instructions of this my Native Country, have been in the Reformed Protestant Religion, and accordingly have for many years been an Elder of the Dutch Church, as is very well known. Neither indeed could I devise the reason of this suspicion, till of late I find it to be, because I served the Emperor against the Duke of Saxony, and for my Service was Knighted in the Field; wherein I must say, That Duke carried Himself so distasteful in that Quarrel to divers Protestant Princes; that were I again a mere Soldier of Fortune, and to choose sides, I should fight against so much falsehood as the Duke showed in the prosecution of that Quarrel; and of what Religion the Duke of Saxony was, or whether of any, is to me as yet unrevealed, however the world might style him; for indeed his fight was point of Interest, not Religion. In all Wars there are and will be Factions, and even in this, mine ears have heard several Contests managed with more height and ferver than became the merits of the Argument: For mine own part, I came with an intent to fight, not to dispute for the State, and so the Profession of Religion be rectified, and the means of Salvation clear and open, for the forms of external Discipline; I am prepared to observe the Directions and Commands of the Parliament, without interessing myself unnecessarily in such Contestations. And however it hath pleased the fancy of these Defamers in such gross untruths, thus to Scandalise an honest man; yet according to your Council, I will go on in this Service with all cheerfulness, and though I have received such discouragements from my very first entering into this Command, as will hardly be equalled, yet when I observe the judgement of the Parliament to be right towards me, I am resolved to break through all difficulties to advance their Service: For as the Justice of that Cause they maintain is a sufficient spur to all honest intentions, to put all to the last hazard; so their particular favours and obligations to me, shall force me through these petty obstructions to approve myself, what you know me, an Englishman and a Gentleman. For my care and fidelity, the Lord look upon me according to the honesty of my intentions and poor endeavours, and discover truth from falsehood; and then I question not but the time will come, when an honest man may be thought upon answerable to his trust; and these Back biters and unprofitable Slanders receive their merits. For your love and faithfulness in this business, I desire you to persuade yourself, there is none who shall more thankfully acknowledge it upon the advantage of all occasions, than  
Stoake, Jan. 20. 1645. Your assured loving Kinsman and faithful Servant, Sydnham Poyntz.