A LETTER FROM Sir Henry Vane TO Sir ARTHVR HASILRIG. Dated 23 February, 1659.  
LONDON: Printed for John Frost, 1659.   

A LETTER from Sir Henry Vane to Sir Arthur Hasilrig.  
Sir Henry to Sir Arthur sends greeting.  
IF you are diseased in your mind (as thanks to the Devil I am at the writing hereof) I am very glad. These are to give you notice, that I am safely arrived at my House of Bellew, (praised be the Rump) my Daughter is something distempered with such a tedious journey, but more afflicted at the breaking off the match with young Lambert. You would do me a great favour therefore in sending down Dr. Chamberlain, or if he cannot be spared from his Synagogue, to pleasure me with the assistance of Dr. Dun; he's a Man-midwife, and will serve the turn.  
But now, good Sir, give me leave to tell you, that I take your la●e doings against me very unkindly. Come! had not you better have been under the misrule of a Committee of Safety, that courted your compliance with all the respect imaginable, and had designed you for a Titulado upon that account? You may remember how secure you were during the Tyrannous Arbitrary reign of Oliver, and how cautiously he demeaned himself towards you, and that not out of dread of your honesty (for he knew you and I were as arrant Rogues as himself) but because he was sensible the least Division or difference amongst Rebels would be the ruin of him and his Design: And as the Devil will have it, it hath through your hare-brained impudence, just so fallen out.  
Nevertheless, I hope I may, on have occasion to thank you too, for your intended injury to me; for if I were not fit company for you and your Knavish Gang, than I am fit for honester company, and I may return to the discharge of my Trust (with the same mind and willingness as Richard Cromwell doth his father's Funeral Debt) upon the Accounts of a Secluded Member: And I know no reason why I may not be readmitted, for I have deserved well of this Parliament; for had not my extravagant Counsel● introduced and quickened these Commotions, they had been out of Doors as well as myself.  
I give you warning therefore that I am coming to town, and I will sit there in spite of your teeth, and promote a Vote to send you farther than Raby, even to Jamaica; and I believe you will return me my thanks again, for on my seared conscience you know not whither to run, or where to hide your impudent head.  
But what think you Sir of a Volunteer for Dunkirk? get you with a horsepox to Portsmouth, and take shipping there, if you can tell how to be let in; do but see, Sir Arthur, with half an eye, the Transitory Pomp of this wicked world, I dare warrant you, they would turn tail to you, and tell you that you are a Rumper, and highly entertain and caress your Worship with Turnip tops; and send you going with Troops of Curses to another gheffe Holl than Westminster's.  
But yet I have so much respect for you, in my personal reflections upon your Merit, that I could wish your. Portsmouth-acquired Authority had stood: for than I could have opposed my single Head-piece against all the Plots, and the most cunning Devices, the best Wits among you could have contrived against me; now I know not how to deal with these Gamesters, that have stood by so long, and I am afraid have seen so much more than we, that we must mend our sight by the Spectacles of a Grate, and wish we had had eyes in our Arse.  
Well Sir Arthur, we must be fellows in misery, as well as we have been in Mischief; put in Lambert— and three merry boys are we, though questionless there are more of us in the same pickle; but we three are not only dipped, but soused over head and ears in it. Pray remember my best Respects to my Lord Whitlock: You may, if you please, acquaint Alderman Tichborne, Ireton, and Praise-God bare-bone with this. I think Fleetwood and Disbrow not worth remembering, but do what you think fit. Pray excuse the trouble I have put you to by the prolixity of this; for I could not choose but open myself to You, as the Earth did for Abiram. If these Lines be not strong enough, let all the hemp in London make one for you. Fare ye well.  
Your unlucky Complice, HENRY VANE. Bellew this 23 of February, 1659.  
FINIS.