THE Kingdom's Key, TO LOCK OUT, OR LET IN AN ENEMY: OR, Certain Parliamentary Proceed, concerning the Peninsula of Lovingland, in the County of SUFFOLK.  Nec propter vitam vivendi perdere causam. Juven. 
By JOHN VFFLET.  
LONDON, Printed in the Year. 1646.   

TO The worthily Honoured SPEAKER, of the Honourable House of COMMONS William Lenthall Esquire.  
HONOURED SIR,  
WHat you once vouchsafed to entertain, and promote, I beseech you now maintain & vindicate: God his glory, and the Public safety is concerned in it, and calls for it. My Innocence seeks protection under your integrity: if oppression, or temptation, could have driven, or drawn me to the Enemy, I might with others have enjoyed a slippery felicity: But I praise GOD, He hath given me a courage to maintain my honest resolutions, for my dear, but distressed Countries Welfare, against high, and powerful Adversaries. The ordinary ways of my address, for redress of mischiefs, and inconveniencies, being blocked up; I am enforced to take this extraordinary course. If what you find here, proceed from a faithful heart; the Covenant warrants me you will protect me: if from a foolish, it being an error of love, you will admonish me: but, if from a false one, severely punish it in  
Your humblest servant, JOHN UFFLET.   

To all True-Lovers of England's Prosperity.  
GENTLEMEN,  
I Never was ambitious of being a man in Print, thereby to publish my imperfections: But this subject is of that concernment for the common preservation of England, that I shall most willingly expose my life, and fame, to all hazard, and contempt, for the welfare of my Country. I have observed all the wind and turn of the Jesuited Serpent, in his obstructing of this places security, ever since the beginning of these sad divided times: and if I may have an impartial hearing, shall discover them. Dunkirk is now in possession of the French, by reason of the Netherlands corresponding with them, in the archieving of it. Sovereign favours tend principally to the enlargement of their own Interests; what this place may prove in a foreign possession, which is not only an Inlet to a future Conquest, but shall at present contribute most (of any particular place in the Kingdom) to the subversion of the whole Nation, and also engross all Northern Traffic. It will not be vast sums, and multitude of lives, that will regain it, if once lost: It may be supposed by some, that these cautions to our friends, may be an instruction to our enemies. Let such know, that the only obstruction of this business, hath proceeded frdm our enemies too much knowledge, and our friends to little, which yet they may improve, and prevent their mischievous designs, and provide for our safety. If the Parliament will yet be pleased, to send down an upright and judicious Commander, one of quick eyes, patiented ears, and clean hands, to view the place and report to them; they may secure themselves, awe their enemies, and help their friends, and confederates. And if what is here suggested, be not fully proved and performed, but that I have caused the State to send their Commissioner upon impertinencies, the Briars of Oppression have n●t so bared me, but let the charge be defrayed out of the remainder of my poor estate, rather than the Commonwealth should suffer one penny, by my folly. This is all I can do; if more I could, I would: but it comforts me, that I have in this fulfilled the Covenant; That what I am notable of myself to suppress, or overcome, I shall reveal, and make known, that it may be timely prevented, or removed, which shall be the earnest prayer, and utmost endeavours, of  
Your Countryman, JOHN UFFLET.   


Sol doth no sooner rise from's Eastern bed,  
But by Aurora, is first welcomed,  
In Lovinglands' fair Isle, The only place  
That Art and Nature by their soft embrace  
Blest have, with profit and delight; A Soil  
Proud Foreigners, with bloodied soul would toil;  
To master Englishmen, most thankful be  
To him, that lets you peace, and peril see.   
John Ashe.   

The Description of Lovingland.  
THE Peninsula of Lovingland in the County of Suffolk, in Longitude extends itself 7 mi●es, in Latitude 4. It contains 16. Parishes, abounding with all things requirable, either by necessity, or delight, by way of sustentation, or recreation: It's blest with a heal●● full A●re: situated for a general accommodation of Trade, having the Sea bordering upon a fourth part of it; the o●her parts being begirt with the great Rivers of You're, and Waurney, by which, the Country commodities are brought unto it, and from thence transported to all transmarine parts.  

Strength.  
To survey it in its natural strength; the whole Peninsula is (as it were) raised into one entire Hi●●: defended towards the Sea with Cliffs and Sands, and on all parts by Land, surrounded with a spacious level of low grounds, amidst which level runs the forenamed Rivers, discharging themselves (with a third) into the Sea through the said Island, by which they are all commanded: So that it is in accessib●● by Land, four passages excepted, and one by Sea, called New●on Gap: which plac●, not improperly, for its heal●●, fertility, strength, and pleasure, hath anciently been termed, little, or Low-England, God having in a smaller character contracted his blessings to the whole Island in this Peninsula.   

Inhabitants.  
For the disposition of its Inhabitants, their affections may be easily read in this; That since the beginning of these sad times, there hath not been one voluntary horse or foot soldier sent out of the whole Island into the Parliaments service; and at this present, the posture of Defence marches but lamely on there.   

Endeavours.  
This place and people in these distracted times, have been taken into consideration by both parties: The Parliament at the instance of Yarmouth, August. 1643. passed an Ordinance in the House of Commons for the fortifying of it, Major Knights (by command) came to view it, the Bailiffs of great Yarmouth were solicitors, and importunate, to have it put in such a posture, as might render it defensible, both to itself, and them. Sir John Hobart (at Norwich, moved the Earl of Manchester, that he would stir up a person of estate (in the said Peninsula) whom he conceived to be too remiss in a matter of such concernment as he (at that time) apprehended it to be. After which, Mr. Miles Corbet (a Member of the House) sent a Captain into it with a Company of Soldiers: The Earl of Manchester most providently sent up to the Parliament, and Committee of both Kingdoms about it: And being sensible of the danger or welfare, the whole Kingdom would be in, either by the loss, or preservation of it, was contented to part with a large proportion, of what was allowed him, for maintenance of the Associated Army.  
It is most worthy of a serious deliberation, for what ends all these endeavours have been all these times obstructed, and to recollect by what byways, and under-hand-dealing it hath hitherto been retarded. First, for the Commanders (entrusted with it by the Earl of Manchester) neither envy, nor malice could throw any aspersion upon them (that would leave a blemish behind it) but their Officers were traduced: yet they were such as ventured both their lives and estates first, in the service of the Parliament, in the Association. Then were the soldiers sent by the aforesaid Mr. Corbet branded with strange opinions (purposely to render them odious.) Yet I believe they will hardly be paralleled for their patience, and integrity: for, from March till August, they received little or no pay; and yet I could never hear, that the Country could charge any one among them, for violently taking any thing, to the value of a chicken.   

Attempts.  
For the Attempts that have been in it, I shall offer such as come to mind. First, Allen landed many warlike provisions in it, after the Commission of Array should have been set up in it, by divers Knights and Gentlemen assembled in it for that end; but prevented by Lieut-Gen. Cromwell, by whom the aforesaid Allen was then amongst others taker, and committed to custody, and those entrusted with authority promised a care should be taken both of the place, and Alien, which how observed, would be examined. All Papists and Malignants have, and still do resort to it, either for flight, or refuge: many of the most expert Pilots, and Seamen, have withdrawn themselves into Dunkirk, and continually rob upon the Coasts.   

Examples.  
How ancient times have esteemed of this place, the ruins of Burrow-Castle, will inform us: For hither the Romans transplanted their Colonies, and bridled the whole East of England by it. And of late days, the Remainders of the Fortifications raised in Anno 1588. will read a sufficient lecture to us of our noble Predecessors circumspection: So that by our enemies, it hath been esteemed the only place of these parts, worthy of their surprise to defend themselves, and to subdue us: and our own State hath considered of it, as the principal place of these parts, to be secured against all foreign attempts, lest to our irreparable loss it should happen to be violenced from us.   

Conjctures.  
Let it be considered whether lying so conveniently, to subsist of itself, and to defend itself, and to offend the whole Kingdom (it commanding the whole Trade from the North to London) especially of Fish, and Fuel, if it be not of more importance to France, or Spain, than the Isles of Rhee and Cales could formerly have been to the English in case they could have surprised either of them; Is it not more worthy of France and Spain's endeavours? being so short a cut as 20. hours' Sail from Dunkirk, where many of our chief Seamen, and Pilot of these Coasts, are now resident: so as if it should be surprised by them, it is more impregnable than Dunkirk, and wou●● prove more obnoxious to the English.  
History hath recorded it as the grand oversight of the Duke De Alva his neglect of the porces adjacent to the Searby which error he irrecoverably lost his Mister the dominion of the Netherlands.  
Now it is as worthy consideration, whether it be not likely, as well, as possible, that in these times; our English fugitives, may not surprise the said Pene-Insula with two thousand men, who in three hours may cut through the Isthmus; to let in the Sea, and drown the Level, till such time as they shall most sufficiently fortify themselves, and receive all homebred Malignants unto them, and by sea take in continual supplies of foreign Aids, and being accommodated with Dunkirk Frigates, and other pyraiticall Vessels of which the fugitives have a ready a considerable number under their command, whether they having joined these places of Lovingland and Dunkirk (in a recipre call correspondency of each others mutual assistance) shall not only infest (but as it were) block up this part of the Ocean, and then what sad consequents it will be accompanied with, as the destruction of the Eastern Association and the straightening of the City of London; will soon appear.   

Remedi●s.  
Much more may be declated, to illustrate and demonstrate the danger and necessity, to prevent all these imminent dangers: four hundred foot Soldiers maytained will be a sufficient remedy against ensuing dangers, which Garrison would be continued in the most Halcyon days (if duly prepended) for the conservation of Peace and Trade.  
For the defraying of which charge, I ascertain myself I can open away, that the burden shall be so light, that I am confident none (but lovers of themselves and the world) will repine at. (the meaner sort these hard times being altogether freed.)  
Lastly, I submit to all understanding, and upright Judgements and Consciences, whether these motives and inducements were not sufficient (the time and advantages considered) to incite, and stir up our adversaries to attempt it, or to move France or Spain to retaliate our erterprises of Rhee, and Ca●es.  
From these poor sparks; better judgements may raise a greater light, both to direct our friends out of that obscurity, they have been so long in: and to detect our adversaries in their darkest corners.  
These proceed, and reasons I presented to the Honourable Speaker upon the seventeenth of February, Anno. 1644. by which; his zealous affections for his Country's good were moved to obtain this ensuing Order to pass the House of Commons the 19 of the same month.  
Die Mercurii. 19 Feb. 1644.  
IT is this day Ordered by the Commons assembled in Parliament, that it be referred to the Committee of both Kingdoms, to consider of the Pene-Insula of Lovingland, and whether it may be for the advantage of the Public, to secure it by fortifications: and in what manner it may best be done, and what will he the necessary charge thereof.  
H. Elsing Cler. Parl. Do. Com.  
Upon the passing of this Order, the day after being the twentieth of February; I drew up this following Petition, and the same day preferred it to the Committee of both Kingdoms.    

To the Right Honourable Committee of safety of both Kingdoms.  
The humble Petition of john Vfflet Gentleman.  
HUMBLY SHOWETH,  
THat whereas the Honourable House of Commons upon information received, concerning the danger (and necessity of securing) of the Pene-Insula of Lovingland, which hath been too long neglected, have by their order bearing d●te the ninteenth of this instant February referred it to this Honourable Committee, to consider o●●●, to the advantage of the Public, and to secure it by fortification, and in what manner it may best be done, and what will be the necessary charge thereof.  
May it therefore please this most Honourable Committee to take into your serious consideration accordingly, the present condition of the said Pene-●nsula, and after ye are truly, and fully informed by this annexed declaration, which I hope will give such ample satisfaction, that your Honours will be pleased to dispose of it, to the Kingdoms good, and to the frustrating of our adversaries plots, which have had too long and great an influence to obstruct so noble and necessary a work; and I shall in all humble duty be bound to pray, etc.  
Upon this Petition, I attended from the delivery of it, till the eight of March, was then dismissed upon the engagement of some of that Country that it should be provided for, which, how performed, if examined; would be found very foul.  
I returned home, where for my good intentions, I have been loaden with reproach, contempt, and oppression, yet could not be discouraged, having been formerly employed in it, and having an eye to all the indirect proceed that were and are still used to delude the State, and to satisfy the most unworthy desires of such whose ends are chief Ambition, and avarice, who have since the beginning of these times been the prime hinderers of it, I being acquainted with the subtle and false practices of the chief opponents in the affair, was solicitous how I might make it appear to the State the incertain condition we were in, upon which I drew up a Petition, & certain propositions which I intended to deliver to the Speaker, but by the way I was imprisoned by some Committee men of Bury, and all my papers which were sealed up and superscribed to the Honourable Speaker of the House of Commons broken open by them, and delivered into the hands of Sir I. W. the State● close enemy and my professed, oppressing adversary, so that they have left me the subject of his malice and hatred; What those Papers were, I sent a List of to Mr. William Ryley, with a Petition to the House of Commons, in a Letter; but never received any account in his proceed therein. I shall here publish the Letter, Petition, and List, that I may be judged by my Country, for the evil that is in them; because some Caterpillars of the Commonwealth, would render me odious to my country, for my poor endeavours used herein.   

To Mr. William Riley.  
Noble friend,  
I According to your desire, and in discharge of my own engagement to you, shall give you an account of our Islands estate, and in it of my own sad condition: After I left you, I the day following, being the 2 of July, appeared before the Bury Committee, where I had not so much as a word of rep●o●f● spoke unto me, though formerly reputed for a vild and unworthy person, but am now by them cleared, and enlarged: yet to be abused, reproached, my life endangered, my body imprisoned, my estate by unnecessary charges consumed; and after travelling so many miles at my own charge, and having so powerful an Adversary, as Sir J.W. who boasts of his Party he hath in the house, which he deludes, and the Committee he hath p●●ssess●d with misinformations, these are great discouragements: and row this last exceeds all the rest; for he is become master of all those poor endeavours that I had used for my Country's welfare. I would fain have avoided his gaining of them, and thereupon I presumed to enclose them in a sheet of paper, sealed them up, and directed them to the Speaker. The Committee-men might have trusted ●im wi●h them, when they had imprisoned my person, which was liable to any punishment, which the State should have censured me to have ●e●●rved. I have here enclosed, sent you a List of all the Writing, that were in the Packet, directed to the Speaker. Let them, I beseech you, be demanded; and if there be any thing contained in them, unbeseeming a true lover of his Country, let severe punishment be inflicted upon m●. After all these troubles and vexations, I could be well content to sit still, and bewail my Country's calamities; but that my conscience dictates to me, that GOD (who in his providence, hath reserved me to these times) enjoins me, not to bind my Talon in a Napkin. You have known me above 20. years; yet I hope could never perceive me to be of a factious inclination. Good friend, I cannot at present, but look upon these vast expenses of blood, and treasure, but as the only means to give a foreign Foe, that which his own virtue would never obtain: our own divisions will be the inlet of our miseries; in consideration whereof, I have always had a vigilant eye upon this Peninsula, it being one of the Ardua Arcana Regni, and am confiden, can make it out to the Speaker, that this place is the principal in the Kingdom, either for the French, Spanish, or Netherlands, to begin an invasion. Let the whole Association belast; this k●p●, may regain it: this, in an enemy's possession, draws the whole Association with it: besides, straightens the City of London. My grief would be the less●, did I not know so mue●● When onese●s his friend contracting his limbs, his eyes staring, and his mouth soming; he may conclude with pity, that he hath the Falling-sickness: It is not discretion, to prescribe a aure, but to repair ●●sie sk●full Physitiah, I perceive sad Symptoms in the Body political, God in mercy enable our State Physicians, to discharge their duties: Where Justice is not by man executed, God will come with Judgement. Sweer Sir, you in some part were a means for my access to the Speaker, and gave mecoragement to go on in this cause: Suffer nor 〈…〉 me to fall, it will, I doubt not, be for God his glory, and this Kingdoms good Present this enclosed Petition to the Speaker, and stand on longer b● me, than I stand for Truth, and my Country's welfree.  
On the 6, of this instant month, divers Pirates of Dunkirk aken by u●, and freed, did take a Boat, and are gone: We are in that security, that to the Sea we have not a common Watch kept. Be but a means, that the Speaker may tak● notice, who moved to have the Ordinance pass in the H●use of Commons, August 1643 and why it hath be so opposed. There is not way to discover the Juggling of our Adversaries, but by the eye of judgement. Let but a Commissioner that is upright be sent down, and he will discover add the falsehoods and misinformations that have hindered it, to let in our ruin. I know, worthy friend, I am much censured, and maliced for my perseverance in this action, but my encouragements arise from what I have laid my foundation on, which are Truth, Reason, and Experience. I pray press ●n respects to Mr. Cole, who will give you all the furtherance that may be in this business, to the Speaker. Kind friend, my love to my ensnared country, hath made me to enlarge myself unto you, not doubting in the least, to find your reciprocal affections to move for the common-good, and to be helpful to  
Your true friend to serve you, J. V.   

A Note of such Papers, which were sealed up, and directed to the Speaker, but intercepted by some Committee-men of Bury.  

A Plot of the Peninsula of Lovingland.  
Two Declarations concerning the said Peninsula.  
A Letter of Mr. Wil Ryleyes.  
A Letter of Sir john hobart's unto me.  
A Letter of Nich. Pacies'.  
A Petition to have been presented to the House.  
A Warrant of the E. of manchester's to me, which speaks my first employment in this affair.  
Two Warrants more under the E. of Manchesters' hand and seal, that enabled me to demand four Pieces of Artillery from Yarmouth, & two from Dunwich, to be employed for defence of the Island.  
An accusation under my own hand, against Sir I. W.  
A Captain's accusation against Sir I. W.  
Mr. H.B. signior, his examination against Sir I. W. attested by his Son H.B. junior, G.I.W.K.G.A.  
A Commission from Col. C.F. unto me.    

To the Right Honourable the Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, assembled in the Commons House of Parliament.  
The humble Petition of JOHN UFFLET, Gemleman.  
Humbly showeth;  
THat your Petitioner, who hath been formerly employed in the business of the Peninsula of Lovingland, by the Earl of Manchester, being confident of his own good intentions toward his country, and being an Inhabitant in the said Peninsula, hath been a constant observer of the place & of all passages that have been used both for, and against securing of it, in these times of danger and necessity; and finding, that his unworthiness, and disability, for a matter of such weight, did concur with the misprision of others to render it (the 8. of March last) to the Honourable Committee of both Kingdoms as a place not fit to be secured.  
May it therefore please this most Honourable House to be moved with the ancient practices of the Romans, by the Judgement of the State in Anno. 1588. and the wisdom of this Honourable House, who both by your Ordinance, and Order, have with the rest looked upon it as the chief place in all the Fast parts, that may be a means to preserve, or endanger the whole Kingdom, to send down an upright, and judicious Commander, to take an exact survey of the place, danger, and necessity, and to certify this Honourable House thereof, whereby you may come to the implicit truth, and discover the self ends, which have all this time been the only cause of obstructing this work, and  
Your Petitioner shall be ever bound to pray, etc.   

The Charge of the Garrison will be defrayed with what the Earl of Manchester did formerly allot towards it, if the State shall be pleased to allow of it, which was the monthly payments of East, and West Fleg, great Yarmouth, and the half hundred of L●vingland, with the benefit of so much of thesequestration, issuing out of the forenamed places, as was assigned to the Earl of M●nchester.  
And for present securing of it, and putting it into a posture of defence, if the State will be pleased to allow four hundred pounds (beside Ammunition) with the voluntary contributions of the Inhabitants, and that the benefit of 6. days works elapsed, and to come appointed by Statute for repairing high ways, be converted to the work of the fortifications, the Island standing in no great need of repairing high ways: and what shall want, may be supplied out of the fines of Malignants, and disaffected to the Parliament, as, if Justice may have her due course, there may be many discovered, and some, no means ones.  
Here I have faithfully imparted, what I have at any time made known concerning this place: somewhat more remains collected by observation; That as yet my heart never made my tongue acquainted with. Oh let not the great trusties of Engand be displeased if I do hearty pray, that they would be pleased speedily, for a short time to spare the Right Honourable the Earl of Northumberland, and Lieutenant General Cromw●ll to review this place, that they both have formerly had a sight of, and been in. These are persons of dignity, honour, integrity, a●d ability, without exceptions, and they must be great and good that give you a right understanding of this place. If I had any thing in the world to prise above my despised life, I would willingly engage i●, that neither ye, not themselves will look upon it as a fruitless peace, but esteem of it as one of the prime Jewels of the Kingdom. Whether doth my affection transportane? Pardon, o pardon (ye great ones) the presumption; of your meanest,  
VFFLET.  
FINIS