A VINDICATION from colonel SANDS: Being the true copy of a Letter sent from colonel SANDS to His Excellence the Earl of ESEEX from Worcester the 8. of October.  
Wherein colonel SANDS doth declare his Resolution to maintain the Cause he hath begun, with the hazard of his Life and Fortunes.  
Also manifesting to the world, that those reports of his being slain, with the contents of the Lord Faulkland's Letter, to be false and scandalous.  
With his humble desire to his Excellence, that the copy of his Resolution might be presented to the Parliament, that they might be satisfied concerning his fidelity.  
Read in the audience of both Houses of Parliament, and by them approved of.  
Whereunto is annexed seven Articles of impeachment of high Treason, Exhibited in Parliament, against Sir Edward Heron, High sheriff of the County of Lincoln.  
London, Printed for T. faucet, Octob. 14. 1642.   

A VINDICATION FROM colonel Sands.  
TUesday the 7th day of this instant October, was read in the House of Commons, the copy of a Letter, directed from Col●onell Sands to his Excellency the Lord general, who is now resident with his Army near Shrewsbury, the effect whereof is as followeth.  
By which is made mainfest, the most scandalous Aspersion raised upon the said colonel, by the ill-affected party, of his recantation and sorrow before his death (who is yet living) for taking up arms on the Parliaments side against the King.  
THE LETTER.  
SIR,  
MAy it please Your Excellency to pardon my presumption in writing these few lines of the condition I am in, and how i have continued since your excellency's departure from Worcester: The wounds i received are dangerous, but the chirurgeons put me in comfort, not mortal, but within some time of rest; i may again recover my strength, I have been in much anguish and pain, but am of the mending hand, thanks be to God. (Sir) i am emboldened to inform your Excellency of my resolution, (if it please God to restore me to my former Health) to do the King my Liege Lord and sovereign, and his great council of Parliament, representing the whole State of the kingdom, the best service i shall be able to perform, to the loss of my Life, or that i see peace in this our Israel settled, this expression of my Resolution, is to vindicate a most scandalous aspersion of late raised and cast upon me, by the wicked and envious party, that i should be dead, and before my death did much repent me of taking up arms against his Majesty, on the Parliaments side, which if I should have done directly against his Majesty, it would repent me, but in that it was by order from both Houses, and for the preservation of the Peace, Religion and laws of this kingdom, and of his Majesties own royal person, with his Kingly Of spring, i never had a thought of changing my resolution to persist in maintenance of that cause your Excellency hath undertaken, to the loss of Life and fortunes, (Sir) i most humbly desire that this my Resolution may be presented to the Parliament, that they having good testimony of my fidelity towards them, may not be drawn to conceive the contrary of me and my actions, and not believe the false and scandalous aspersions raised against me.  
Your Excellencies in 〈…〉 SANDS.   

Articles exhibited in Parliament, against Sir Edward Heron, High sheriff of the County of Lincoln.  
AFter the reading of this Letter in the Lord's house, it was sent down to the Commons and in their House read, and after some debate of the same, the House fell into consideration of the many abuses of Printing scandalous and libellous Pamphlets against many Gentlemen of good worth employed by the Parliament in the service of the State, to the disheartening and discouraging of them and other well-affected to proceed in preservation of the Peace of the kingdom, and procuring the punishment of Delinquents. Now many Pamphlets are and have been printed against the Proceedings of Parliament, as a Paper entitled The King's vindication, & c and against the proceedings of our Army, as the Paper entitled A Letter from the Lord Faulk land of the Fight at Worcester, and many other of the like nature, and after the House had debated thereupon, they appointed a Committee to sit every afternoon, to receive information against the Authors of such Pamphlets, and the Printers and sellers thereof, and to report the sense of them to the House, that they may receive condign punishment according to their deserts.  
Then the committee appointed for the drawing up the charge of Treason against Sir Edward Heron, high sheriff of Lincoln, Presented the same to the House, containing these Articles.  

1. That the said Sir Edward Heron, upon three several summons of both Houses of Parliament, refused to make his appearance before them, but in a slight and scornful manner returned answer; he had a countermand from his Majesty, and could not obey the Orders of the House.  
2. That in a traitorous manner the said Sir Edward Heron procured many of the Gentry of that County to subscribe to a seaitious and scandalous Petition, by his direction framed against the proceedings of Parliament, in defence of his majesty's proceedings, and sent the same by his man to the Parliament.  
3. That being sent for by Messengers from the House of Commons as a Delinquent, to answer the framing of t●● said Petition to the House, he refused not only so t●●●…, but Apprehended and arrested the Messengers 〈◊〉 committed them to Prison.  
4. That in a traitorous and Rebellious manner he hath raised about one hundred men of the Inhabitants of that Country, and actually levied war upon the King's good subjects apprehending, fining, and Imprisoning all such as he could, which endeavoured to oppose his traitorous actions and d●signes.  
5. That being commanded by a Warrant from the Lord and Deputy-Lieutenants of the County of Lincoln, to lay down his arms and make his Appearance before them, and answer his Contempt in not obeying the summons of the House, he returned a slight answer and retired with his Company to his house, where he fortified himself with arms and Ammunition, and stood out against the Parliament.  
6. That he hath bought of Recusants, and ill-affected persons of that County, armour, and privately convaid to his House their arms of professed Papists, because they should not be disarmed, fostering and maintaining Priests and Papists in his house.  
7. That he procured a cartload of arms more to be brought to his house on Tuesday the fourth of this instant month, and the same being seized upon by the Parliaments Forces, he in a traitorous manner, with about fifty persons issued out of his house armed, and assaulted those that had seized the said armour, and being demanded to yield himself, and go with them to the Parliament, he refused and stood upon his guard till he was taken by force, and borough to the Parliament.   
These Articles being read in the House of Commons, and some debate upon the same, they were appointed to be read again the next morning the second time.  
FINIS.