AN ANATOMY OF Lievt. Col. JOHN LILBVRN'S SPIRIT and PAMPHLETS.  
OR, A VINDICATION Of these Two Honourable PATRIOTS Oliver Cromwell, Ld Governor of Ireland, AND Sir Arthur Haslerig, Knight Baronet, FROM THE Unworthy and false Aspersions by him cast on them in two LIBELS; The one entitled, An Jmpeachment of High Treason against OLIVER CROMWELL, etc.  
The Other, A Preparative to a Hue and Cry against Sir ARTHUR HASLERIG: Wherein the said LILBURN is demonstratively proved to be a common Liar, and unworthy of civil Converse.  Prov. 10.31. The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. Prov. 4.16. They sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, except they have caused some to fall. Judas, vers. 9 The Lord rebuke thee. 
LONDON, Printed by John Macock for Francis Titan, and are to be sold at his shop at the three Daggers near the Inner-Temple, Fleetstreet. 1649.   

To the Right Honourable House of Commons THE Supreme Authority OF ENGLAND.  
Noble Senators,  
I Need not make my Apology, if I dedicate this little Discourse to You, because it most concerns You, not only for that the Dishonour of Your own Members reflects on You all, but also for that You are first struck at, and these are but sparks of that fire, that have been first kindled (if possible) to consume You. As I have with much joy and admiration, in my solitary and private conversation, viewed the eminent actings of providences among You; so I have, with almost as much lamentation and wonder, bewailed the unhandsome and unsuitable deportments of men's spirits and actions, opposing of You; But most of all the exceeding boldness and impudence, together with the transcendent rage and venom of that generation of men which are truly called LEVELLERS, a Faction grown out of Your own Bowels, whom I know not what to call, but the putrefaction of GOD'S Mercies and Your Indulgencies, whose Principles, as they are begotten by the corruptions of Persons and Governments, so they are maintained and only thrive by Tumults and Confusions; a People who have as many Governments as Religions, and as little of the true Religion, as they have of Estates and Fortunes in this Nation; men of no more reputation, than what they get among discontented and bank-rooted persons, by holding forth taking and seeming Propositions of Levelling and Licentiousness: And yet these men are suffered (in perpetuum nostri seculi infamium) to scandalise Your Supreme Authority, to raise Mutinies and Tumults against You, to slander Your most public and active Instruments, and tolerated, yea, by many countenanced, as if they were the most useful Instruments, or had some mysterious glory in their Persons and Pamphlets, that it were Blasphemy for any sober man to speak against. But, among all this popular and seditious Gange, there is none hath more dishonoured this Nation, and contemned Your Authority, than Lieutenant Colonel John Lilburn, their desperate and wretched Instrument, who thinks he can attain to no higher reputation, then to deny Your Authority: He hath called You once and again, a Junto, Colonel Pride's Junto, a Mock-Parliament, a company of Thiefs, and Murderers, and Felons; made public Libels against the Council of State, the Army, General, Lieutenant General, all Your Officers; slighted all Your Orders, Ordinances, Acts, and glories in it to Your very faces; What a Reproach is this to Your Government? What a Weakening to Your Cause, and Discouragement to Your Friends? What an emboldening Your Enemies, that John Lilburn, a man of such an inconsiderable Interest, one who could hardly ever challenge more Land in England then might Geometrically serve to make his grave, should be suffered thus publicly, and upon Record, to defame not only Your Persons singly, but scorn Your very Government and Authority, as honest men do tyranny and inhumanity, without any signal punishment to the terror of the rest? And, if I may speak vox populi, the Vulgar think, Your Gild is the cause of Your Patience, and his Innocency of his Boldness: and what arcanum imperii there may be in Your breasts, I know not; But You little know, how these foolish Papers do Gangrene the most of men, and according to their different tempers and affections, have their divers and ominous operations: The worse sort of men rejoice, and take heart, and feed their Malignant humours and discontents by them; The indifferent and moderate ones know not what to say, but think enough; The better sort, and Your Friends, are much disheartened, and staggered, and have cause to think You are doubtful of Your own Authority, since You are so cold in maintaining it. Pardon me, if I, out of the abundant sense of Your Honours and the Nations Happiness, be somewhat zealous in stirring You up to look about You. England hath been a stage of Glory and divine Manifestations: You have been carried on, by a wonder of Providence, through many Difficulties, and have been made Instruments of gallant actions, among all which, that Act of Justice, done by You on the late King, renders You a Glory to This, and a Terror to all other Nations: And shall the Honour of these transactions (wherein the finger of the Almighty himself hath been demonstrable) be undermined by the discontents of a few Mechanic Levellers? or be suffered to be blasted by the puny pen of a distracted Humorist? What will after ages say? What will other Nations think? Either maintain Your Government, or give Commission to all men to affront You: It's Equity and Justice that some should be made Examples to others, now, as others have been made to them heretofore: If You give way to this, You shall not want abuses, and all Your Friends.  
It is the opinion and serious judgement of many sober and wise, yea godly men, that bless GOD for this Change, and lament the miseries of the times, that one great occasion, if it be not a cause of this sort of men's opposition to you, flows from that unlimited Toleration of RELIGION which is yet granted in this Nation, and think that there is somewhat divine and judicial in it, that the first fruits of their new Opinions and Principles should be the abusing your Authority and Government, that you may see betimes what the end of such a Toleration will be, and prevent it. For it's most observable, that as it was the great and fundamental Principle in their Agreement of the People, (without which all other civil Grants was nothing,) so it may be almost mathematically demonstrated, that all that turn Levellers, first leave the Principles of Scripture-Religion, that they may be without check of conscience for any civil disorder. Religion is a sacred bond and tye on men's spirits, as well to Civil, as to Spiritual Rules, and when once men forsake these Principles, no hearty or cordial obedience can be expected: As Tyrants and Politicians first strive to enslave men's consciences, and then they are sure of their persons; so when men mean to levelly all things to their lusts and humours, they first make shipwreck of a good conscience. And it's not to be wondered, that men should deny the common and ordinary Rules of Civil Government, who have professedly denied all Rules and Institutions both of Law and Gospel; for though Religion and Civil Government be of different natures, yet they are commonly inter-woven together, as to the flourishing of each other; that Government shall never thrive where Religion is not advanced, nor will Religion much flourish in the midst of Factions or Schisms, or under Popular or Tyrannical Governments of States; yet commonly the one is blessed by the other, God's design being to advance himself first, to set up his own Name, and then to prosper Nations.  
I am constrained (Honourable Worthies) to represent this Consideration to you, that you would vindicate your own names in advancing Christ's, and expect no hearty conjunction of any with you, in this Government, but honest and conscientious men, who can only be engaged by Principles of Religion, and Civil Freedom; for men that have left the Principles of the Scripture, the Rule of Religion, expect nothing else but they shall, as they find their l●st act, soon oppose the most fundamental Maxims you can lay down as a basis to your Government. It is the fear of this unlimited Toleration makes many honest Presbyterians stand at such a distance, and so unwilling to submit to this change; yea, that makes you lose many a godly heart, which else would rejoice in former acts done by you, while they see no more signal Character of favour and respect professedly set on the Principles of the Gospel, then on Heathenism, or Judaisme, and continually hear Blasphemies spoken cum privilegio, at least without punishment. Is our Religion so uncertain, or doubtful, that it need to have false Religions to try it by? Is Blasphemy a less sin than it was? or, is God's honour fallen in its worth and excellency, that it should not be as much preserved as ever? God forbidden. Liberty of Conscience must be given only to men that can be supposed conscientiously to differ, not only from Religion, but some external way of practising the same Principle. But I leave it to Your wise and serious Consideration, only present You with this Vindication of two of Your faithful and active Agents of this Nation, You have Power enough to vindicate Your own Authority; I can do no more than witness against the false and wicked aspersions of Lievt. Col. John Lilburn against them, and submit it to Your judgements, as those who ought to take the prime cognizance of it, that You may know what Servants You, and this State hath, and what an evil and intolerable person this John Lilburn is to live under the favour and smiling aspect of such a State, or, which he makes the only Butt of his madness and malice.  
Your Honour's most humble Servant, T. M.   

AN ANATOMY OF Lievt. Colonel John Lilburn's SPIRIT and PAMPHLETS.  
AMong all the Exorbitancies of this last age, there is none hath stained the Glory of this Nation more than the multitude of licentious and abusive Pamphlets that continually fly abroad like Atoms in the Air, whereby the Press is made a common Strumpet to conceive and bring forth the froth of every idle and wanton fancy, or to vent the malice and venom of every discontented and debauched spirit: and Books, that were wont to be monuments of the industry and seriousness of men's spirits, and records of the virtues and noble acts of brave men, adorned with Reason and Judgement, and ordained to be as embalmings to their names, are now turned into Pasquil's and Libels, stuffed with the rancour and rage of these men, who know no way to recruit their own lost reputation, but by defacing the names of their betters. But of all the Pamphlets that I have yet seen, there are none that express such a dangerous and unworthy spirit, as those that go under the name of Lievt. Colonel John Lilburn. Some Pamphlets, though they have little of truth, yet have nothing of falsehood: Others, though of little concernment, yet may serve to divert a studious head from the continual pressures of more serious thoughts. Others are pretty essays, and done on purpose to engage better pens in manifesting Truth; and the continual writing, or rather scribbling of the most, demonstrates that men are not idle, but that the Nation is big with something that will be brought forth at last in form and beauty. In Diurnals (those lean and miserable sheets) you have some things true, among many mistakes, and lies but probably reported; and you may know how the days pass away by them, though there be little else. In Pragmaticus and the Man in the Moon, with the rest of that bawling Crew, you have some wit, with their malice; But this man (especially in his two last Pamphlets) breaking all the bonds of Religion, Civility, Humanity, professing open defiance to the Laws of Grace and Nature,) hath devoted himself to slander, reproach, defame, rack, and crucify the names of all sorts of men that have the face of honesty, or that cannot comply with him in his Levelling Designs; swelling up his Title-pages with horrid and nasty expressions, as Polecat, Foxes, Wolves, and such like, as if he had been newly come out of the Deserts of Arabia, or been conversing with Nabuchadnezzar seven years at grass, interlining his sentences with barbarous and cruel Invectives against men in Authority, calling them Murderers, Thiefs, Robbers, threatening them with the worst of deaths; quoting himself and his own Pamphlets as often as others do the most learned and orthodox Authors, with such like expressions as these, P. 2. See to this purpose my Impeachment of High Treason, etc. See my Arguments or Reasons in the second Edition of my Book of the 8. of June, 1649. entitled, The Legal and Fundamental Liberties of England, etc. P. 3. Peruse carefully, I entreat you, the 6. & 8. pages of my Impeachment, etc. as also the 12. and 16. pages of the second Edition of my forementioned Book. So P. 4. See my second Edition of my Picture of the Council of State. Making bold and daring Titles, that men may expect great things from; and when they are engaged to look after the proofs, find nothing but a heap of Impertinencies, and a Catalogue of his Petitions, and Letters, and Conferences, and References to his other Pamphlets for satisfaction; but satis est repetere. He that loves the smell, may have enough of these noisome weeds almost in every line or sentence. As for sober and serious men, I know their stomaches rise at first sight: But my intent, in this Discourse, is not to run through all his Volumes, by which he hath defiled the Press, and brought himself into a labyrinth of just Troubles and Miseries, lest, in raking such a Dunghill, I should raise too great a stink in the nostrils of myself and Reader; I shall follow his own request, and refer it to any, who have patience enough, and are not subject to fall into the same distempers, unto the perusing of them: But shall view him in his last works, which should be his best and most solemn manifestations of himself, especially seeing he thinks he is so nigh his death.  
I have read, of late, two Pamphlets under his name and authority, and by them you may probably guests of the rest; The Title of the first being An Impeachment of High Treason against Mr OLIVER CROMWELL and his Son in Law HENRY IRETON, (for so he is pleased to style them;) and the last A Preparative to a Hue and Cry against Sir ARTHUR HASLERIG: At the reading of the Titles I was much amazed, the accusations being so high, and affirmations so positive, and the language so terrible, that I began to reflect on the Gentlemen with strange apprehensions, and to wonder that such men should live, and be so much in the eyes of honest men, and yet be guilty of such Crimes, that all the Villains and Traitors in this Nation never equalled them; and was impatient to be in the midst of his Pamphlets, to hear their Charge, expecting the Titles to be but a shadow and a name only to that substance of proof I should find against them; not dreaming that any man could be so impudent, and carry such a face of brass and wickedness, as to abuse not only others, but himself so demonstratively, if he had not much against them, and that by the evidence of noon day: But, contrary to all this, when I looked for to have seen the horrible Crimes written with a Sun beam, and terrifying my spirit at the first appearance, I could find little else but the Copies of Letters and Petitions, empty and foolish gloryings in himself, railing upon other men, and the whole Parliament equal with them, which made me much more to wonder what was become of the Religion, Conscience, Modesty, and Sobriety of the man; and to conclude, that certainly he was either drunk, or in a dream, when he writ these sheets.  
But, that all honest men may know him for the future, I shall take so much pains as to consider his Charge against these two Gentlemen, viz. against Lievt. Gen. Cromwell, now Lord Governor of Ireland, and Sir Arthur Haslerig, now Governor of Newcastle on Tine, men of such integrity and honour, that John Lilburn could not pitch on two less capable of his malice and reproach than they, and that (though against his will) his calumnies will be but foils to set off their honesty and innocency with greater grace to all ingenuous and sober men.  
To his Impeachment of High Treason (of Mr Oliver Cromwell, as he calls him,) the first question, by any man that reads the Charge, will be, Where are the Articles? I have looked over the Pamphlet with as much diligence and observance as his method would permit me, and I find not one distinct Article of any misdemeanours that hath the shadow of a Charge, much less of High Treason, and the Highest Treason, but only a Letter to Mr Holland, and a Challenge, and a Prayer wherein he abuseth the blessed Name of the most High God, and invocates him to destroy and root out the name of Cromwell and his posterity, with such hideous imprecations, that any Christian tongue would fail and stammer but to repeat, much less to urge to God as a Prayer; and some lose expressions about Cromwel's complying with the King, and his shedding the blood of War in the time of Peace: but it may be this he intended as the Charge, for which he calls him a Murderer and a Traitor, and says, He deserves to die rather than the late King, or, than all the Judges and Villains that have been condemned ever since the Conquest: And if his meaning be so, (for there is nothing else that looks like it) let the World be judge of the Treason.  
For the first, His compliance with the late King, I shall say no more to it but this;  
First, If there were any such compliance or engagement, doubtless the King would have made advantage enough of it, especially would have manifested something of it to the world, or given some hint of it that might have reflected on Cromwell, while he lived; and most especially when he saw what was like to be done with him by the Power of the Parliament and Army: But the King neither by word, nor in that Book which goes under his name, doth give an intimation of any such compliance: And secondly, He hath manifested the contrary by his practice and constant opposition to him, and his party, ever since; and of late, by his strenuous endeavours to bring him to Justice; by which all honest men may well be satisfied, that it was but a slander, and a whelp of John lilburn's malice.  
Were John lilburn's compliance with Malignants in the Tower, and other where, printed, we should soon have cause to sequester him from his 3000 l. in the Bishopric of Durham: It's well known, besides his trading in Cooks Institutes, what Malignant converse he & Judge Jenkins have had together, some fruits of it we see in his Pamphlets, but I will not impeach him; you see, Reader, what his first Article amounts unto.  
His second Charge, whereby he calls him a wilful murderer, is, For that he, about the 15 of Novemb. 1647. near Ware in Hartford-shire, wilfully and of set malice murdered Rich. Arnell, and so shed the blood of War in the time of Peace.  
That you may see the malice of this man, and his unexpressible rage, he taxeth Cromwell with that which was done by the whole Council of War, and by the General, rather than by him, who was but a Member, and had only a single vote; and he might rather say, that the General and Council of War murdered him, then of Lieutenant General Cromwell; yea, he may as well say, That its murder to shoot a Soldier to death for any Mutiny or enormous crime whatever, as for that; and whereas he thinks to make up his Treason by this expression, That it was the blood of War in the time of Peace. Can he call it a time of Peace, when an Enemy is but newly subdued, and an Army kept up, and an Enemy feared? However (that he may have his desire) grant it to be a time of Peace, that is, that no visible Enemy appears; yet doth not he deserve to die that shall begin a new War in a time of Peace? And shall, when there is no common Enemy, raise a Mutiny among the Soldiers, which is the first principle of a War? Nay, is not he rather to be adjudged to death, that, when an Army hath conquered a common Enemy, will begin a new War among themselves? This is Richard Arnels cause, who was a Ringleader in that first Mutiny, which was the first discovery of the levelling Agitators, and their wicked intentions; and had John Lilburn his due (who was then coming to the Army, but durst not appear among them) he had not had the opportunity to have burdened the world with his scandalous Libels, as now he hath. Thus you have John lilburn's Impeachment, and these his horrid crimes of Treason, for which Lieut. Gen. Cromwell deserves to die so many thousand deaths, according to his Law: Can any man believe, this man ever consulted so much as with his sensus communis, much less either with God or Nature, when he writ this Pamphlet? Or that ever he reviewed his expressions after they dropped from the fury of his spirit? Or can any man imagine, that this man is not more fit for Bedlam, then for the drawing up fundamental Principles of Government? But I pity him, for certainly he never thought any man of understanding or seriousness would ever read his Pamphlets: It hath been a just judgement of God on him, since he left off conversing with the Principles of Religion, to let an unclean spirit possess him, whereby, that he might follow the devils art exactly, he hath ever opposed those, & delighted to cast dirt in the faces of those that have been most public Instruments, and God from heaven hath most honoured to do service to his people. But I have done with his Impeachment, and only add this, The Gentleman who he thus slanders, hath that character of respect in the hearts of all that love the good of this Nation, that no such Momus can deface by the blackest slanders he can lay on him. For me to make encomiums of his virtues and deserts from this Nation, were but to set paint on burnished marble, he is now gone to do more work in another Nation, and may he do as faithful and gallant service there as he hath done in England, while John Lilburn swells up himself in rage and malice, vomits nothing but Treason and Murder against him, and other truehearted Englishmen.  
I am now come to his preparative to a Hue and Cry after Sir Arthur Hasterig, (for the Gentleman you see is big with more wrath,) and because Cromwell is gone, and he cannot follow him to Ireland, that he may not be out of action, Sir Arthur must be the next subject of his envy and wrath, as if railing and lying were his element; he is so endeared to it, that he is resolved to hazard his very life in the acting of it. I dare not repeat his Title, with all the expressions of it, lest I trouble the Reader again with the ill savour of them, he that reads them, would think Sir Arthur had been a monster, and no man, that he was not fit to breathe in a common air. But that now at last the world may see what a man of discontent and unhappiness this john Lilburn is, before the end of the story, you shall find him a perfect Liar, one that cares not what he says, so he may say something to disgrace.  
I confess I have had but little personal acquaintance with Sir Arthur Haslerig (or with the other Gentleman) and know not what invisible and particular infirmities, common to mankind, he may labour under: I am not of that opinion, but that the best of men have their Erratas, as well as Lieut. Col. john Lilburn.  
But for his public transactions in the North, I have followed this Hue and Cry throughout the four Northern Counties, the public stage of his actions, and find his name exceeding precious among honest men, and I can say with the vote of all but Malignants (unto whom he hath been a just terror) that they bless God that ever he came to the North, and do think it was as seasonable and prudential an act to send him to be Governor of Newcastle, as any act of a like nature done by the Parliament, and could hearty wish every Garrison had such a Governor, and every Regiment such a Colonel: But john Lilburn, as if he were the Epitome of all Freedom and Liberty, the Centre of all Oppressions, the public and great person against whom only Treason and Murder can be committed, Presidium, & dulce decus, the safeguard and glory of the Nation, complains, and cries out on Sir Arthur, for but a common, an ordinary act (which yet is most falsely reported) as a Felon, a Murderer, etc. though all the North rejoice, and bless God for his presence, and honesty.  
But his diligence and industry, his vigilance and interest the last year, when the Scots came in, may well be printed as one great cause of the Preservation of the North, notwithstanding his brother Henry Lilburn, at the same time, betrayed Tinmouth Castle: His fair and equal carriage and respect to all honest men, though of several judgements, his discountenancing Malignants, his severe and careful improvement of Sequestrations for the use of the State, make his name more precious to honest men, than all, or any, or a thousand like expressions can to render it unsavoury.  
But let us follow the Hue and Cry, and see more particularly what the man storms so much for: The Reader may see that the ground of this Hue and Cry is a Letter written from George Lilburn, whom he calls Esquire, that the World may believe he hath a Gentleman to his Uncle, though it's well known, before these times, he never had the birth, breeding, nor estate of a Gentleman; his carriage in the Parliament service will be shortly discovered, that if you consider but the Letter à quo, and the Letter ad quem, you will be pretty well satisfied of the ground of the Pamphlet; a suspected and guilty Uncle writes to a discontented and malicious Nephew, and between them both they bring forth a Monster called A Hue and Cry: The Uncle is under examination, and like to have strange things proved against him, viz. That he hath been a Malignant formerly, and since he hath professed to be a Parliamenteer, hath cheated the State: And hath now no way left him to make the world believe he is honest, but by defaming Sir Arthur, before whom most of his Knaveries are already, and are to be heard: And no fit Instrument for to do it, but John Lilburn, a man of a desperate and lost fortune: Two things he lays to Sir Arthur's Charge, as heinous and unpardonable Crimes; First, That he hath Feloniously rob him of between twenty four and twenty five hundred pounds. Secondly, That he hath bribed false witnesses to take away his life. For proof of the first, page 3. he saith, He cannot but wonder upon what pretence Sir Arthur Haslerig and Colonel George Fenwick, and the rest of the Committee at Newcastle, can seize upon his Estate in the hands of Sir Henry Bellingham and Thomas Bowes, and stop his Rents due from Sir Henry Gibb his hands, to the full value of betwixt twenty four and twenty five hundred pounds: So that it is most apparent by his own exprrssion, That if any thing was done, it was not by Sir Arthur alone, but by the whole Committee: He saith, That they have stopped Rents, due to him from Sir Hen: Gibb his hands, to the value of about twenty four or twenty five hundred pounds.  
In answer to that, the Order of Parliament commanded, That all Delinquents Rents, not excepted from Pardon, and Papists, should be stayed in the Tenants hands till the first of September last; and this Letter of lilburn's bears date the 18. of August: So that then both Bellinghams', Bowes, and Gibbs Rents were all stayed by Authority of Parliament, and not by Sir Arthur's arbitrary tyrannical will and power; But to obey Orders of Parliament is Felony in John lilburn's Law: And for lilburn's estate, seized by Sir Arthur, in the hands of Sir Henry Bellingham and Thomas Bowes, they have both made their Compositions; the Moiety of Bows Fine came to Two hundred pounds, which was paid into the Treasury; the Moiety of Sir Henry Bellinghams' Composition, for his Lands in Bishopric (which did only concern John Lilburn) was about One pound; and his chief Estate being in Westmoreland, Mr Richard Lilburn, Father to John, and one of the Committee, gave his free consent, and was very well contented, that the Committee of Westmoreland should receive that first Moiety due to his Son John, and that Sir Henry Bellingham should pay the Moiety of his whole Fine to the Committee of Westmoreland, for the speedy disbanding of their Horse; So that there was but only Thomas Bows Two hundred pounds, either of Rent or Composition-money, due to John Lilburn, that came into the Treasury; and Mr Richard Lilburn complaining to the Committee of his Sons great wants, and necessities, and desiring maintenance for him, being in prison, and relating his sad affliction by the sickness of his Wife, and death of some of his Children, and infection amongst the rest, the Committee gave an Order to his Father for the receiving of that Two hundred pounds, which accordingly was paid him, and no doubt John Lilburn received it long since, the Order being granted before his Letter bears date: And thus you see, not one penny, either of Rents or Composition-monies belonging to John Lilburn, was before the 18. of August remaining in the Treasury, neither is there, as yet, one penny of his money paid in; Let all honest men therefore judge whether Sir Arthur Haslerig has rob John Lilburn of between Twenty four and Twenty five hundred pounds, and whether Sir Arthur Haslerig deserves, or, as John Lilburn prints, may, or aught, to be knocked in the head, as a Polecat, Fox, Wolf. What humour and desperate fury possessed the man that he thus foams out his own shame? You see he hath perfectly learned Machiavils great Principle of wickedness, Calumniare audacter aliquid haerebit; Slander to purpose, something will stick: But enough of that.  
For the proofs of lilburn's second Charge of Sir Arthur, bribing false witnesses to take away his life, and to murder him, it is in pag. 7. because he was one of his unjust Judges that, for nothing, committed him: This needs no large Answer; It is notoriously known the Parliament committed him for High Treason, and his Pamphlets do sufficiently declare their grounds; and surely such stuff was never written and published against any State, or Supreme Authority of any Nation, and the Author most audaciously to justify it.  
For his second proof he prints a story of one William Blank, this William Blank, about the 13. of April last, came to the door, where the Council of State than sat, and delivered a Paper to Mr Frost the Secretary, wherein he informed, That one Sir Peter Rocket a Frenchman was in London, and contriving a most dangerous Design against the Public, and that the said Sir Peter Rocket had been in London the year before, stirring up the Citizens to rise in arms about the time of the siege at Colchester, and that divers Citizens and Apprentices were combined with him. After the Information was read, the Council of State appointed Lieut. General Cromwell and Sir Arthur Haslerig to speak with Blank, from time to time, for discovery of that design, and before that day Sir Arthur never saw him, nor heard of him: Blank thereupon went to the Lieut. General's house, and finding his employments so great that he could not often speak with him, went to Sir Arthur Haslerig, and told him, that two of Mr rushworth's, the Lord General's Secretaries servants were in the Plot against the State, and named divers Merchants of quality in the City, and told of their Meetings, Debates and Resolutions in several places, both in City and Country, and that himself was present at their Meetings, and heard their Debates, and saw such & such men at those Meetings, and at last, that the Resolution was the surprising the General, the taking of the Precedent of the Council of State, the Speaker of the Parliament, L. Gen. Cromwell, & divers of the chief Officers of the Army, and to destroy them and others; And that this way was carried on by a Committee, half of John lilburn's party, and half of the King's party, and that they were all under an engagement by oath, and named some members of one Mr Lambs Church, and then told the appointed day when it should be put in execution, which was about the 24 of April: Blank spoke not a word to Sir Arthur, but he made him to set it down with his own hand, and put his name to it, and kept a Diary of all his Informations, from the time he came first to the Council of State, to the 24. of April, the time when the Plot should have been acted; and Blank gave the reason why that 24. day should be the day, because that then such Officers were to be both at the Lord General's house, and upon the Guards, as were privy to the Designs: Then Sir Arthur, with the advice of the Lieut. General, acquainted Commissary General Ireton with it, the day growing very near when the Plot should be effected; and that very night, as Blank informed, the Malignants should rise upon the winding of a Horn. Sir Arthur carried Blank to Commissary General Ireton at S. James', and He, and Colonel Pride, and some other Officers, marveling at Blanks confident speeches concerning the Design, and examining him in all his Papers, he affirming that these things were true, they presently apprehended two of Mr rushworth's Servants, and they were brought to S. James' face to face before Blank, they denied their ever seeing him, or being at any such place as he mentioned, and he affirmed, and they denied; Commissary General Ireton and Colonel Pride then took care of the chief Officers of the Guard, and sent some Officers with Blank to apprehend some of the Citizens, viz. George Almoner, William Seubal, John Arrowsmith, James, Eddington, whom they found in their houses, and in bed; and they brought them about one a clock in the night to S. James': when they came, it appeared they were the Parliaments very good friends, and all the Informations that Blank had given, were all false, and had not the least colour or shadow of truth in them; and Blank did before their faces acknowledge, that what he had set under his hand was false, and that he had never seen them at any such Meetings: The Gentlemen having seen the Reason, why they were sent for, and saying that Blank was a very naughty young fellow, and they knew both him and his Father, returned to their houses, and the Commissary General and Colonel Pride kept Blank and the said Eddington, which Blank said was Sir Peter Rockets Servant, for a further discovery of the truth: Then it being between two or three in the morning, Sir Arthur Haslerig went from S. James' to his Lodging, and never since that time ever saw Blank, or heard from him; neither did he, at any time, give him any money, or promise of money; But about two or three days after, speaking with the Commissary General, he told Sir Arthur, that what ever Blank had said or written, were lies, and that Blank was adjudged to run the Gantlope, and surely if he were not well whipped, the Soldiers deserve to be blamed; and whereas Lilburn says, he was no Soldier, it will be affirmed on Oath, that Blank confessed to an Officer of the Army, that he was of Col. Hortons' Regiment of Horse, and that of the Colonels own Troop, and that his horse stood at Sawpots the Kings-head in Grays-in-lane, and desired a Certificate to Col: Horton to excuse his absence from the Troop: Then Sir Arthur hearing that after he had run the Gantlope, he went to the Tower to john Lilburn, and thereupon Lilburn began to blazon these false reports that he hath since printed. Sir Arthur being to go into the North, delivered all Blanks Informations, with his own hand, and signed with his own name, to Mr john Price at the Exchange, entreating him to publish the truth of that story, if need required: And thus you see how guilty Sir Arthur is of murder, in conspiring to take away his life; but the man hath got cain's spirit, and is afraid that every man that sees him will destroy him; see what it is to have a guilty conscience.  
But his fear yet increases, and page 9 relates a long story of one Thomas Varney, which Sir Arthur employed to entrap him, and so to take away his life.  
As for this Varney Sir Arthur verily thinks he never saw him, unless it should be one Varney that was son to the Marshal that was killed at Edg-hill, that was a Trooper under him, and ran to the Enemy when he was in the West; if that be the man, he hath not seen him, nor spoke with him, nor heard from him this five or six years; if it be not the man, he knows neither first nor last any thing of him, nor the design, before he saw it in lilburn's Pamphlet. Parturiunt montes; What is become of all these high and great expressions? Do not you think, Readers, that Sir Arthur Haslerig is a man not fit for humane society, that he deserves death more than the Earl of Strafford, and may be knocked in the head, like a Polecat? etc. I need make no Application.  
There is one additional Charge yet which I will but name, that is, That Sir Arthur was none of the Committee, and his Uncle George thinks the same, whereas Sir Arthur Haslerig was authorized by the Parliament to sit in all Commissions and Committees in the four Northern Counties, and it's happy for the Bishopric he is one, else his Uncle would play as mad pranks there as john doth above.  
You now see, Reader, the picture of john Lilburn, what a fair and lovely aspect he casts upon honest men, what a precious savour flows from his Pen, how worthy this man is to live among humane society, or to model States and Governments, that makes no conscience of traducing, scandalising, lying; what desperate and dangerous principles he acts upon, holding private murder, in revenge, to be lawful, esteeming the life of an honest man, if but dissenting from him, or doing him any particular wrong, to be no more than the life of a beast of prey; and if these be his serious thoughts in cold blood (if you can imagine him to be at any time in a cool & sober temper) what may he not attempt to do in his raging raptures? It maybe very probably expected, that he which hath given such a licence to his Pen to vent his malice, may let lose his hands to do some such horrible act as private, and wilful murder, that he may confirm by his practice what he entertains as his principle; and it's just with God that these which make lies their refuge, should make destruction their end.  
But to come more specially to a review of the great Charge, and consider the damages between Sir Arthur and john Lilburn, he chargeth him with robbing of him of 24 or 2500 l. which you see is every word of it false, with endeavouring to take away his life, which you see is a lie: But what recompense may Sir Arthur Haslerig demand? nay, what recompense can john Lilburn give to him, and the other Gentleman, (considering the disproportion of the persons,) who hath endeavoured to stretch the utmost limits of malice, to blast their reputations, and take their good names from them, which Solomon professeth in Prov. 22.1. is better, and rather to be chosen then great riches? What is robbed and stolen from me, may be made up again sevenfold; but my name, that, is like a glass, that holds some precious liquor, once broken, can hardly ever be made up again in that beauty and firmness as it was before: A good name it's the perfume of noble spirits and actions, without which men stink as they walk in the world, and is the only reward in this world of virtue and prowess, by this men live when they die, and are famous to eternity. What a Cannibal is this Lilburn then? And what a ravenous spirit hath he, that nothing but the ruin of the honour and good names of the most deserving men can content his malice? What is lilburn's 24 or 2500 l. to make up such a breach? But the man is sensible of no dishonour himself, his person or fortunes being never yet capable of any.  
The Romans were so sensible of the names of the Citizens or Freemen of Rome, that they made special Laws, with most severe punishments, against Libelers, or any that should write Pamphlets to defame any Freeman, or take away his good report, Cicero lib. 4. de repub: flagitium capital esto, Let it be a capital offence, that is as he expounds it, quod capitis poena luitur, which shall endanger a man's head, but publicly to defame any man, without legal conviction.  
And in paudectis ex ulpiano, he that shall write to defame and scandalise a Citizen, whether without name, or in the name of another, or by his own name, Intestabilis ex lege esse jubetur, that was the character the Law gave him, (that is) qui nec testamentum facere potest, nec ad testimonium adheberi testis, was never to be believed more in whatever he said, nor his testimony ever more to be credited: And Horace observing the same Law and Sentence, Intestabilis dixit pro detestabili, a man detestible, and to be abominated by all men of any honesty or integrity; and that the world may further see the heinousness of this Crime, the Grecians (as Budeus observes in his Commentaries) were wont to call the same men (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) velut fortunis omnibus aversi, civilia jura non retinebant, men forsaken of all fortunes, that keep to no civil Rule or Law, as banished, and dissolute men, that enjoy nothing, and care to live by no rule but their lust, presidii legum exortes, out of protection of Law and Justice, and yet he gives a further description in the same place of those men, (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) dicti fuerunt, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, men of dishonour, that act wickedly, and talk wickedly, to whom no respect, nor esteem is to be given on any terms. You see how libelling was resented among the wisest and best governed States and Kingdoms; and doubtless the Laws of England are not defective, as to this offence. Murder and slander seem of a like heinous nature; yea, slander to an ingenious and raised spirit, seems the greater misery; many would rather choose to die, then to live basely: Murder to an honest man, is rather the sin of the murderer, than the hurt of the person, he being better provided for; but slander kills the man, while he lives, and without any hope of reparation; the death itself of the libeler cannot make up the loss, for when he is gone, the man that lives under that reproach, suffers a daily Martyrdom, and lives as a forlorn and dead man, without love or respect, telluris inutile pondus, as the burden and misery of the earth.  
What a sentence then of Condemnation would be passed on this man, if he had his due? How will his name rot to posterity, who hath so unchristianlike and unworthily slandered these two Gentlemen? As I dare say, never any were by the most horrid and wretched tongue in the world, yea the very language of Bedlam and Billingsgate is smooth and comely to his expressions.  
But I cannot wonder that his rage is so much against them, seeing the very Churches of Christ (those sacred Bodies and Pillars of Glory) are the butt of his fury, calling Mr John goodwin's Congregation, A knavish Conspiracy: and in other Pamphlets doing the like to other Churches: What will this man come unto? Where will his malice centre? Will it not at last end in trampling on the Gospel, and the Name of jesus Christ, who doubtless stands in diametrical opposition to his spirit and actions.  
And that he may prove himself to be a perfect Ishmaelite, to have his hand against every man, and satisfy his envy at once, he slanders the whole Parliament, Council of State, Army, calling them Col: Prides junto, a mock Parliament, a company of Thiefs, Robbers, with a thousand such like Monsters, and, which is intolerable, glories in this his shame; never was any State so publicly affronted by such a pedantic Pamphleter, and yet so patiented and indulgent to him; yet though he denies their Authority, and professeth contempt against them, as no Parliament, this Gentleman, upon an Agreement of the People (that grant Idol of the Levellers) though it were but of the thousand part of them, and consisting only of a few Apprentices, and Bankrupts, and men of inconsiderable interest in the Commonwealth, could be contented not only to purge but dissolve this Parliament, and choose whom they pleased, and have put the stamp of the Supreme Authority of this Nation on it. It's well known, that there are far more of all sorts that have hearty and freely consented to this present Authority, than ever would have done on such an Agreement of the People, (according to his model,) in which there was such Popular Principles, such a lose and licentious Liberty, to be given to all sorts of wicked Blasphemies and Opinions, that all godly and conscientious men abominate; if the Army would have agreed with him, and two or three more Mechanic Levellers, though neither Presbyterian nor Independent, neither one party nor other, but themselves had consented to it, they would have (if they had power) subjected all men's judgements and consciences to it, and have cried it up for the first Parliament of Freedom & Liberty that ever England enjoyed: And had that party prevailed against the Army, which mutinied of late, and gathered a Head at Burford and Oxford, we should have soon seen what a Parliament and Council of State we should have been blessed with: And this very Parliament, in its illegal estate, yea, the Council of State itself, if it had but john lilburn's hands laid on it, should be the Supreme Authority in a moment. But what need all this spending of paper and words on him, who is resolved to die a royal death with the King, and end his days like a Malignant, denying the authority of these, who found a just power of condemning him. The Government is now happily changed, both by the Principles of Reason, Necessity, and Conveniency: If guilty persons hate the Authority by which they must be condemned, I shall not wonder: For john Lilburn, I know his nature is only disposed to opposition, and no Government whatever shall be appointed, without that wherein he might be Supreme, but he would cry it down as illegal and tyrannical. But if he thinks to die a Martyr, in opposing this present Government, I shall not envy him the glory to be canonised with King Charles in the Malignant and Popish Calendar. I shall say no more as to this, but leave him to the righteous execution of their Power, whom he denies to have Authority.  
And whereas he still pleads to be tried by the known Laws of the Land, you may see he is put to his shifts; when he fought against the King, he could find a distinction between the sense of the Law, and intent of it, and the letter; and now he is come to be tried by the Parliament, he flies to the letter of these Laws, by which he could not, without Treason, fight against the King; but any thing to scape the Gallows: Had he stood to every Statute Law formerly, where had John Lilburn been? Nay, did not John Lilburn justly deserve all those whips and scourges, by the letter of some Laws then in force? Particular Laws are made according to particular occasions & conveniencies, and bind not ad semper, especially not occasional Statutes can bind up the hands of the Legislators; the Parliament being the Representative of the People, are the Supreme Authority, and what they enact, or do, in the time of their Session, is to be accounted as absolute a Law (at least as long as they shall think fit to continue it) as any other Law made by former Parliaments; and to tie the Supreme Authority to former precedents, is all one as to give Laws to the Legislators. And whereas John Lilburn will have the Parliament, both now, and formerly, to follow the form of every common Statute in making an Order for his imprisonment, it is as much as to say, that the Parliament hath not power to repeal, or, as they see occasion, to suspend the execution, or alter the form of any Statute; or that their Orders, in the time of their Session, though but occasionally made, and pro tempore, according as they see necessity or conveniency, are not as legal and just, and to be obeyed, as these Statutes which other Parliaments made on the sight of the same convenience, or reason: But there is no doubt but they have Laws enough to prove John Lilburn a Traitor, and a man which deserves the last punishment; But if there should be a defect of any express Precedent, or Law, whereby he may be punished, it's because he hath gone beyond the common strain of former offenders, and is without precedent and example in his miscarriages; and no Parliament could ever imagine, there would any man be so quite destitute of the Law of Nature, as to abuse himself, and affront Authority so impudently, as he hath done; But new sins must have new punishments: Some must be made examples now, as well as others formerly. It was the Earl of strafford's plea, there was no Law and precedent for his censure, who acted it better than John Lilburn, and yet john was one of the Apprentices that cried out for Justice, which was legally executed then; And the King denied the Authority of the High Court of justice, and yet justly lost his Head: Let john Lilburn take heed next, The Parliament hath made a Law, and it's published, That who ever shall speak against the present Government, or for the title of Prince Charles to the Crown, shall be punished as a Traitor; How far the Gentleman hath sinned against this known Law, he may shortly know.  
I have now done with his terrible and hyperbolical Charges, though it seems he means never to have done, for he styles his last Pamphlet but A Preparative to a Hue and Cry, and in the latter end of his Preparative, calls for more fuel to the fire, commanding his Uncle (as if he were the god of this world) to send up to him intelligence what Sir Arthur Haslerig doth, and Let me know, saith he, if he do not this, and that, professing he will not abate him an ace, be it true or false, which he can but scrape out of any Malignant Letters concerning him; But I hope by this time all sober and honest men know what use to put his Pamphlets unto hereafter: And to those that have a mind to buy a shillingworth of lies to carry in their pockets against they shall find use of them, or would learn the art of railing and slandering most exactly, I shall commend the buying of Lievt. Col. John lilburn's Pamphlets, and reading of them with the most care and diligence that they can afford; For my part, my stomach is full, I shall only desire these two Gentlemen, that are thus the objects of his revenge, That though your Names and Honours are untainted, and shine clear through the cloud of his Calumnies, yet you would make this advantage of it, and so honestly cheat him of his hopes, to spur you on to more gallant and brave actions, and to improve your Interest for the advancing Religion, and the Power of Godliness in this Nation, as well as Civil Freedom and Liberty, then shall your names be written in Brass or Marble, to posterity, as they are, and will be, in the hearts of godly and conscientious men, when John lilburn's shall be written in the dust.  
I expect another Hue and Cry after me shortly; But I intent to foul my hands no more with him; but leave the discreet Reader to judge, and bestow what Faith and Charity he hath to spare upon his former and ensuing Pamphlets.  
FINIS.