Colchester's Teares

COLCHESTERS TEARES:

Affecting and Afflicting City & Country,

Dropping from the sad face of a New Warr threatning to bury in her own
Ashes that woful Town.

FAITHFUILY COLLECTED, DRAWN OUT INTO A MODERATE RELATION
AND DEBATE, HUMBLY PRESENTED TO ALL FREE-BORN ENGLISHMEN.

BY SEVERAL PERSONS OF QUALITY;

Who much doubted and desired to see
the Truth in the mist of various relations obscuring the
same, but now convinced by their own eyes, do conceive themselves
bound to give out this briefe Narrative to satisfy all unprepossessed, civil,
and moderate men, and good Christians, who truly love Jesus Christ,
their King, City, and Country, and sincerely desire
the settlement of Peace and Truth.

Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends, for the hand of the Lord hath touched
me. - Job. 19c. 21v.
Is it nothing to you all ye that pass by, behold and see if there be any sorrow like to my
sorrow which is done unto me, wherewith the Lord hath afflicted me in the day of his fierce
anger. - Lament. 1c. 12v.

LONDON: Printed for JOHN BELLAMY, at the Three Golden Lions, in
Cornhill, near the Royall Exchange, 1648.

COLCHESTER:
Re-printed for WILLIAM WIRE, by JOHN BAWTREE HARVEY, No. 95, High Street.
1843.

        We are neither unwilling to look back upon all our former doubts and dissatisfactions, nor willingly are we unmindful to look forward upon any thing that may cleare our Judgments in the right understanding of truth, and the true state and carriage of the cause of this wofully divided and if God in mercy prevents not (like to be) undone kingdome; and though with all the understanding God has given us we have laboured to judge of things as they have lien before us in their natural grounds and in order unto their proper ends, yet wee finde ourselves so farre Christians, that wee are drawne and enforced oftentimes to judge many things eviIl by reason of the miscarriages therein, which in themselves simply considered we have judged good and had entertained good thoughts of before.

        LOVING FRIENDS AND ALL YOU FREEBORNE ENGLISHMEN,
        Give us leave to propose and offer to all unprepossessed moderate men a few of our most serious renewed thoughts. Do we not all desire the same thing? Peace, a happy peace, pacem te poscimus omnes, and the Lord grant it. But God forbid that any of us should embrace sinfull securitie instead thereof, dote upon or rather dreame of our owne peace one with another, whilst God is not at peace with us, and whilst the proper foundations of peace and love, God's truth rightly understood, Scripture truth, is not advanced. We judged our Government to be good, but shall we say it cannot be mended? our King to bee wise, but shall we say he needs no counsell? our Laws to be just, but are they perfect? our Church to bee reformed, but have we no blemishes? our Nation to bee strong, but are we not divided? our Armie to be valiant, but are they invincible? our City to be rich, but are they not proud? our Countrie to be populous, but am they religious? Ah, sirs, if any thing bee amisse, shall no hand go about to mend, but all to marre, ravel, and make it worse? Is there none to plead with God, no balme in Gilead, no kissing of the Sonne lest he be angry? or are men become more implacable than God, and eartb more unreconcileable than heaven? where are the specious pretences of enemies, when their designes and actings, Boatman-like, row another way than they looke? where is the faith of friends when there is so little love? where is the old English honour, memorable in the subduing of forain foes, whilst England makes a prey of itself? and when is our former ancient renown again to be settled, when every man even in disorderly wayes risea against another, and all labouring to dig a grave for the kingdome, and to bury poore England in her own sod-ashes and wofull ruines? Have we no hearts to mourne for our distractions, no eyes to see our approaching destruction? what no heads to contrive nor hands to help in time of need? are our hearts so hard that they will never melt? are our eyes so big swollen, or rather blinded, that we caunot, or which is worse, will not see the flames kindled ready to seize on our own houses? hath either Divine Justice so blasted, Satan bewitched, or wee perverted our own judgements, that we should now grow weary of being longer happy, and bee content to sit down and quietly embrace our own misery.
        Wee moderate minded judge heretofore the frame of our church to be very far out of order, and her constitution diseased, when the most unpolished stones were laid nearest to the foundation, the strongest pillars and helpers of the building were struck down, the windows bedaubed with paint to hinder not help the light, the dresse more regarded than the complexion, and the lome on the walls more affected than the bread of life. But we judge it now too bastardly to spit in her face, too Cham-like to call her whore, to mock at her nakednesse, and abuse her sons and best children, invade her patrimony, spend her portion unthriftly, and cast off all her first love.
        Wee did judge the body of religion by the greatnesse of the shadowes formerly, and yet wee know the bigger the shadows grew our sun was the lower, night the nearer, and have found the beasts of the field the fiercer after their prey. But yet (Pan-like) wee would not, whilst we have either grace or wit left us, bee content to embrace bulrushes, lest the dirt they grow in stick to our fingers; and not the body of Holiness, but the darke shadowes and formes of religion, and not the power under the bare notion of light, be our portion. Wee have ever judged it our duty to obey our King first in God and then for God, and God knowes our consciences are the same they were; but no honest man nor wise subject can in wisdom make him a God, nor good christian give him that which belongs to God. If the King acts as a man, and discovers any infirmity, he mends tbe matter when he acts as a king, for that wraps up and includes power quà King; but when he would put forth regall powers, and yet mixes infirmitie therewith, will any judicious man affirme that infirmity to be his power.
        Wee have ever judged the laws of the land to the defence of our just liberties, and our libertie to be supported by those just and prudent foundations of the law. But wee were heretofore in some measure, and now better satisfied, that there are laws of higher concernment that must not bee neg1ected, and liberties more to be valued than those pent up within the straits of the creature here below. Modest men have seen many pretend making conscience of the lawes of men, that make none of the lawes of God; and those that pretend conscience in order unto God's lawe, whom no tie will hold to render them just towards men; wee look then to see men square when they are both pious and just, their consciences being answerable to those ru1es, and that each of those rules hath according to its excellency the prioritie or prehemencie in the dictates of conseience.
        Though we some of us heretofore could not so fully close with every branch of the nationall covenant yet we ever judged, and in reason could not deny, but it was in many respects not onely lawfull, but very requisite and safe, for any man to wrap himself up in Covenant with God, and the rather in respect of those two golden rules, that seem upon a review and second thoughts had thereon, to line out a man's path to keep him from error and danger, viz., according to the word of God and according to my calling; but as we cannot on the one side (in our weaknesse) apprehend how any with saftie can take it with reservation, explications, and mental reservations of his owne, or refuse it in the true grammaticall plaine sense thereoff, without strong inclinations to some degree of suspition, or at least indifferency in religion, or more prudential reservations than (as wee now judge since God opened our eyes a little better) will well consist with true zeale, and sincere affection to God, who, as hee hath voluntarily entered covenant with us, infinitely redargues our folly in rejecting him.
        Wee have ever had loyal and religious thoughts in obeying of and praying for our King, and therefore his Majesty might expect us in all dutie, and in all due and safe wayes, to beg and humbly to pray his Majesties restoration to those rights which are properly and truely his own, in all due, safe, and honourable wayes, from the hands of men, who have often begged mercy and favour for him at the hand of God; but we could never make it out, that those rights which God for the present hath deprived him of, rather by the evill counsils and unrighteous ways of his loyaltie-pretending friends, than by any undue violence of his loyall subjects not enemies, that those rights, we say, were ever designed by him to be recovered by the infirmity of them who had lost their power; and without authoritie, because without his commission, or at least without clearly legall commission and authority, that they should take upon them to invade the undoubted, and to the King and his liege people well known both legall and regall powers of his Parliament, and under colour of saving the King to destroy his people, and to lift up his throne upon the ashes and ruins of the houses, habitations, and safties of his Majesties loyall subjects. This is that which we humbly hope and pray that all moderate men will a little look into, and by the sad example of mournful and much-lamented Colchester, take warning in time.
        Wee profess, in the presence of God, wee have with both our eyes and serious second thoughts, reviewed to the lowest stone this new raised war, breaking out under colour of defence of his Majestie and our own right of petitioning. And some of us have told some of the ringleaders in this sad cause, that if they would lie the ground so as honest and civill men might go upon it with them; if they would cast their platforme and make answerable declaration thereof to the moderate partie of the kingdome; if they would give use some assurance that his majestie would govern (if once advanced by conquest) by parliamentary and not by absolute soveraignty, and that (since as it was alledged that the army and our citie, country, councels, King and Kingdome) that there might be some expedient found out, as of necessitie there must be to satisfie not fight them, lest we should but fight the sword out of one hand into another; how we might be satisfied that the souldier would lay down the sword at his Majesties feet, and submit to his will, and his will be kept within the proper bounds of faith by protection, we should, these things being done, freely have closes on that side.
        But when to our great amazement the ring-leaders of that great designe confessed themselves uncertain in their grounds, doubtful in the persons that acted, disavowed the ende clearly by the greatest of them designed conquest; and when we begun by the persons acting, and those that were for them the most active in this new war, to goe higher to look into their designes, we cleerly saw the too rigid, angry and undone spirits of the kings old souldiers reaching further than we profess our hopes could follow in the pursuance of the kingdomes peace thereby. And when we saw their heat and haste to be doing, prevent their wisdomes and counsels, their parties (though considerable) appear so disorderly by reason of their haste, their disorder not backt with answerable valour, and their want of valour produce no other effect but ruin to themselves, and sorrow to the poor country, hoping some ease and reliefe by them who have been hereto for Egypts staffe a staffe of reed to his majestie and his poor undone partie, when we saw their sinceritie produced no better a cause, their cause was accompanied with no more courage, and their courage failed them to engage their enemies sometimes upon equal terms, sometimes upon great odds on tbeir side; we have an old proverb, one true man will beat three thieves, we will not apply to offend any but labouring our own and satisfaction given to moderate men; we professe we could not see (being standers by) but they had been right in their cause, courage, and good consciences, they being brave-bred Englishmen, but that they might with mere valour and success by the blessing of God have somewhere engaged their enemies, and yet
        How came 4 or 5000 in Wales to rout 10 or 11 or 12000? How came 2 or 300 about Bury in Suffolk to drive out of that strongly barricaded town 4 or 500? How came as they said 20000 in Kent to be routed, stormed, and beaten by 3 or 4000? How came Langdale to refuse engagement with Lambert im the north, and draw away? How were Pomfret forragers snapt, the partie at Hounsloe Heath and St. Needs taken in part, and the rest dispersed? and that which we mainly drive at, how was that numerous heap of men of 7 or 8000 themselves sad driven into Colchester by 4 or 5000, for that number we believe at the uttermost was the General's army at that time. Nay and to admiration, how came that strong party of 1000 men besides horses issuing the other day out of Colchester upon Sir Thomas Barnardistons regimemt, to be beaten in again by a small party of green souldiers but about 200 men, and they as well as all the rest taken in great disorder too? We profess we cannot but see something to our admiration in these things.
        And though we have been so far men as weakly to stand in doubt, and much to question rather than resolve ourselves what to do or say almost hitherto, yet we are so far Christians (though we will not judge causes by the events infallibly, or designes always by their successes) that we profess ourselves bound in conscience to publish to others a brief narrative thereof, what we have seen and found working convictions upon us.
        We shall first give you the narration of things seen, and then of that which credible reports from eye-witnesses and ear-witnesses coming out of the Towne doe testifie, wherein we must humbly crave leave, in the detestation of such horrid things as our English nation abhorrs to heare, and in hope it may make them blush that had hands therin, and others to beware of beleeving any thing but what they have from those that are moderate in opinions, yet as much misliking baseness as any other, we crave leave therefore to shew ourselves offended because we have been too moderate, wee feare, and indifferent formerly, and have been too much given to be carried away with deceits and delusions put upon us by that lying spirit which now runs through the kingdome, and no greater reason make us abhor more than because we would not be of the number of those who beleeve lies, and will receive no truth but that which is agreeable to their desires or opinions; many instances whereof some of us had in our travaile North and South very lately, where sometimes if any of that angry party that wee were to submit to, beleeve formerly did report any thing against our sight or knowledg, we must neither beleeve our own ears nor our eyes, before their relations, without offence. And this we professe in Gods presence we found too true in many places, but most of all, to our griefe we speak it, we found this most in the City, and the good Lord pardon and pity it in our near and deare friends.
        And this gave us the greatest satisfaction we have received, and humbly offereth to you as followeth.
        What specious pretences, guilded shows, and fair varnishes, this now sad tragedy had laid over it to colour the same, wee need not relate, what promises and strong engagements of Protection during their abode at Colchester, what hopes they gave of passing speedily away without molesting or wronging any man we shall not trouble you to relate, calling God and their own consciences to witnesse, who approved their entrance and laboured therein. But alas, alas, we tremble to mention or think of that which was presently acted by those unkind guests amongst their then seeming joyfull friends; soon was it brought about to make the persons, houses, families, and estates a prey of some five or six who did visibly oppose their entrance (for so few God knows were sensible of this new-felt danger, and so generall was that wofull error, which all were surprised by in that strait): and then they must needs make enemies, roundheads, rogues, and what not of any other that was too civill for their company or too rich to go unplundered: it was not a matter of any great difficultie to bring on the Townsmen to act in this common calamity who were before so generally corrupted in tbeir judgments, and ready to act that way of their own accords. What sad hearts and dejected countenances, and bitter sighes may we imagine some godly minister, gracious women, and humble-hearted trembling Christians, expressed their griefe by in this heavy and dolorous day of affliction now laid upon them; yet this now poor place for seven years last past in other wants having abounded, and it is to be feared grown rich, lifted up and too much forgetting her sad condition, the Lord humble their hearts and bring them to their states, and affect all us with it who have through the goodness of our God escaped this heavy rod: they many of them staid some for wives, some for children, some for parents, some for masters, some for trades, estates, and other interests, and relations, untill the Lord brought the sword nearer, first by cutting of that passage towards the Suffolk quarters, who took the Bridge and the East Gate Street with a partie who kept the Church over against the Hith: then the Suffolk forces on one side entered the Hith Towne and Church, and my Lord Generals forces on the other, and striking down towards that street leading from the Town to the Hith took all to Eastgate, then they entered Sir John Lucas his house, couraigiously beat out Gorings forces, and the next day in the evening the Lord Generals men to admiration of us standers by, with very little loss and much gallantry, took that strong place called the Gate-house with the fort and church, and so my Lord Gorings party was driven and cooped up in the high Town, and presently began that fearful fight and woeful spectacles of firing all round the walls, the streets on both sides being by my Lord Gorings party set on fire, and from the time of taking the Gate-house all that night for about a mile in length continued burning and flaming, that some of us being a mile distance had light almost to read a letter so far, and a terrible red duskye bloody cloud seamed to hang over the Town all night, and so furious was the fire by reason such stately and goodly buildings were burnt thereby, that many times the flashes mounted aloft far above house, church, or any buildings, and continued with such horror, cracklings heard a mile or two from the town, and with such lamentable outcries of men women and children, that it is beyond expression to relate how much more to moderate men standing by it was more than merciless crueltie to act.
        And not herewith contented, the next night afterwards set fire on the North street needlessly, which so enraged thc Auxiliaries of Suffolke, at well as the firing had angered the trained men, that any ingenous may easily judge that they have so far taken the firing of their neighbours houses to heart, that if ever they come to try them it is very likely they in the Towne have so hardened their hearts against them that they will find them no more green souldiers than they found the trained men green souldiers, upon their sad sally at the Turnpike, as are likely to find as little favour from them as they found at their hands whose houses they fired and turned them and theirs (without so much as letting them have time to take their goods and wares) a begging to the wide world, and on Wednesday night after, which was the fift night, several good houses were turned into ashes with the goods therein. In all which three things seem to trumpet forth their cruelty, and by these flames do offer light whereby the dim sight of all men that will see may behold the grizly face of woful desolation looking assuredly into those houses where strugglings of two armies doe happen: First, their burning needlessly, whereas there is a greater question whether for a mans own defence a man may burn at all, by a mans defence hee escapes but the evill of punishment, but by burning and without consideration well giving is the eville of sinne to burn, and so more to be avoided than the former. Secondly, their not giving warning before they burne usually, unless they can get something of the masters of the houses to save them, and then presently to set fire to them and run into the town and cry out that the round heads fire the Town, and we think that he that is the master of crueltie is the very father of lies. Thirdly, they have entered covenant with severall in East Street not to fire, and taken money some say �14 some l5 and some �40 into their hands and then presently have fired the same houses themselves and lay the fault upon the round heads, nay they were demanded whether they would fire or no, and did promise if so to discover it, and were offended that the man should aske any more when they had promised him warning thereof, and yet did fire it presently without warning notwithstanding. They come out and plunder every day as farr as they dare those people who stay in their houses in hopes to prevent firing, they force many to swear that they have no more money, or else they will kill them within, &c. Nay they seized on one Mr. Hughes, took his money, and swore God dam me the rogue hath more mony, and swore again that if he would not swear by the same oath God dam that he had no more mony, that he would presently kill him, and so Mr. Hughes denying in a trembling troubled state, still would not sweare, the souldier drew his sword and Mr. Hughes went mad thereupon. They come out of the Towne, fain themselves round heads, get what will be had by fair or foul means, take persons or goods that may be serviceable to them and fire the rest, and these things and many more of this nature, are acted daily before the eyes of hundreds against hundreds of families to the undoing and disinhabiting of above six hundred families in the suburbs of that woful Town, for so many were given in to be ruinated at the least, besides many thousands in the suburbs and county dis-inabled, yea and in the city damnified and having estates there are almost undone by loss already sustained in that place, and the Lord knows when the fire of his wrath and their burnings shal cease too. As for those outrages committed in the Town we have them by credible report, yet because divers agree in the reports we think fitt to name them but only thus. The inhabitants are much straightened in their provisions, as it may be a twopenny or threepenny loaf in a family of coarse bread per diem, and if any complain for want, they are checkt, and are told that they must not complaine until horse-flesh be worth ninepence or tenpence the pound, and reply was made by one hearing a woman complain for food for herself and child, God dam me that child would make a great deal of good meat well boyld.
        First, much filthinesse might be named of women, attempted sometimes, forced others, shreeking, crying, flying, and sometimes scapring sending their husbands out forcibly and fall on their wives in their absence. Secondly, all persons and sorts seem to be tainted till it come to their ministers, one of them breaking three or four locks to come by a woman and shee no way to escape but by shreking and crying out, nay Sir Charles Lucas himself had insnared a woman if my Lord Goring had not come in and cald upon him to go to one of the forts, as a fitter place for him than there, for said he your gunner has prove false, he went away and the woman came away, fled over the wall, told her neighbour this story, and that if this providence had not happily fallen in, shee could not have escaped his hands but with dishonesty or death: the most memorable is the answer of a gentlewoman who if she did not yeeld had a pistoll set to her breast, yes, saies shee, I shall cheerfully imbrace your pistoll and my death, but not you. Thirdly, as for violence in their temporal rights, their guests are masters and masters of families, in all they have are their slaves, and are at their disposing, so that if any stir, presently a word and a flash, nay inhumanely a maid seeing some injury offered to the person and goods of her Mistris, in defending her mistris had her fingers tyed, light matches put to them and burnt her fingers to the stumps. All which and more if wee took delight in this element are daily acted, beside those heavy trials laid on women with child and others newly brought to bed, they and their children and all they have driven into some field or backsides or streets, where they lye open to bullets to dash them and theirs in pieces every moment.
        How sad a spectacle it is to see goodly buildings, well furnished houses, and whole streets, to be nothing but ruinous heaps of ashes, and both poor and rich now brought almost to the same wofull state, to see such people scarce able to stand upon their legges, and women some presently upun their delivery, some ready to be delivered. Infants in their mothers lappes and some hanging on their mother's breasts, all turned out of harbour and left helplesse to lie on the cold ground, to see poor and rich men, late of good quality, now equal to the meanest, toyling and sweating in carrying some mean bed or other away, or some inconsiderable household stuffs out of the burning, all of them with wailing weaping gastly countenances and meager thin faces, shifting and flying in distraction of mind they scarce know whither, to heare the lamentable cries of people comming from the Towne, old and young women, children poore and rich, lying before and crying unto the Generalls guards to passe, and bewailing their folly in entertaining such guests as now will be sure to provide for themselves and leave the Town people especially (if there be the face of religion or civility on them) to shift for themselves; we professe we have heard some souldiers in their returns from the guard rejoicing to bee out of the mournfull citty, of people desireing to pass the guards but not permitted, because then the souldiers would easily drive away the Inhabitants from their own houses and support themselves the longer by that provision which is left.
        The Lord make their hearts sensible of that smart whose hands are so fild with cruelty to others; for God knowes the worst we wish to those that are our adversaries, if not inplacable foes to Jesus Christ, is that God would change their minds, humble their hearts and save their souls from (the certain issue of this their rage) wrath to come: the Loxd also bring the hearts of that people in and about the Towne to a true sight of the cause wherefor this great wrath is come upon them; we judge not, but remember 2 Chr. 36. 16., that amidst the many other provocations that the immediate cause of Jerusalems ruine was mocking the messengers of God, despising his word and misusing his Prophets, till there was no remedy: and the good Lord work all these sad providences upon all our hearts, who are the grieved and woful spectators of the miseries they feel, and we feare because we doe deserve as well as they. And now O you in the Towne whose design we had great expectations of, and whose manifestors rendred you formerly to us the moderate party of the kingdome, formerly under a farre other notion than those flames and desolations discover now; give us leave to bespeak you and give us to understand what was the cause of your flying into a walled town when (if your cause, courage, and consciences, had been right as we then hoped) you might have fought it out with the choise of the advantage of your own ground, and being then as many as your enemies, have trusted God the just judge of heaven and earth for successe, why did you suffer yourselves to be coopt up by those you seem (in your answer unto) so much to contemn, and never but once in almost two moneths to look out upon your besiegers, and then by a great party upon terms of advantage, taken, make a poore flourish, run in again with loss and shame from an unprovided party, not past a quarter soe many as yourselves, why do you use that poor Towne so hardly and your enemies so gently, as if you would now tell us your cause or courage were not so good as before, or else only intended to be first revenged of your sad friends in Colchester for entertaining you, and then bury the Town itselfe in the same grave you have digged for the suburbs. Ah Sirs, why did you kindle those flames, which have (as a Limbeck set up in sad Colchester) drained the eyes of all the moderate party of the kingdome, by this deep unkindness! Perhaps you will say your own desire inforct it, what? were you inforct, before ever you had tried your own strength? who would have had a hand in that which the child that is yet unborne shall curse the hand that acted it to all posterity? or if your feare did enforce you to make such a distance 'twixt your walls and the remaining houses, how did you overcome your feares to steal out to burne and ruin houses and persons, three or four days after the great burning was by God's mercy to our admiration quenched, as if you took delight to exercise your crueltie on the houses of them you had first undone without necessity? Ah unkind friends, whom we are grieved to complain against and yet enforced to be angry with for such bitterness and unnatural dealings, we had hope that you would (like those old ministers of our sick state) first have brought a necessity upon yourselves for want of courage, and then made that necessity to usher in your great discourtesie to your best friends. How can you look us (moderate men well affected to you heretofore) in the face, when you have made us blush and hide our heads as we hear these things, how can we speak or doe for you who have undone yourselves and us in undoing your best friends? Why did you and we complain heretofore against the armies violence, when your deeds justified them and strengthen their hands to take revenge on all that have sided with you? if the eye of the moderate part of the kingdome lookt on them as enemies, can they looke on you now as friends? if an odium ia the kingdome and city was grown upon the army, doth not this course take it off of them and set it upon you? if they had done more evill than this and lesse service than you have done for the king and kingdomes deliverance, they might expect heavens just guerdon in due time; but what good can be in these cruelties or desolations, or what wages can be the crowne thereof in the issue? If they were low in the kingdomes eye 'tis true but you tell the kingdome now, and let them see in the flames a necessity for their service if they will not make you their masters. Many of them are blamed (perhaps much blamable) for their opinions in points of religion, but are your judgements sound whilst these spots are found in your present conversation? Some were offended for some of them arrogating to themselves to be our saviours, and do not you think more will be angry with you for being our destroyers?
        How should you think, and what fools we think now were we to imagine, that they should by Almighty God be used for our king and kingdomes salvation, that they could scarce many of them to our knowledge (until under your command) keep themselves from the gallowes? and that they should set the people free who were well known to be more willing to prey upon than to pray for or act for the people of Englands freedom? what honour did our prudent King see you could doe him, who hath not given you so much as commission to act by? what honour could you add to his crowne by putting fire stones instead of pearls thereunto, and inforcing as wee now see loyall subjects to take it away for a time from his use, lest it should be prostrate to your violence? what strength can be contributed to us by your infirmities? or what stability to our religion, his throne, or our tottering state, by such wretched ignoble and weak props, as we now feare the hand of heaven never cut out for that end? wee profess ourselves so filled with astonishment that we find it true durum esse satyram non scribere; and amongst other things we much admire at four things. First that Colchester should entertaine a partie whilst pursued by an enemy, bring war to their dores, and might have easily been seen neither able to defend themselves against their friends nor enemies. Secondly, that the Kings party should be so weake as to think that because the Parliament army as some judg'd lookt to be their masters therefore they would give themselves up into their hand to become profest slaves. Thirdly, that Presbyterians and Independents should endanger to lose the substance of religion for the shadow of a name, and in making out a platforme of goverment, upon which the devil hath mounted so many ordinances of men or rather engines of the devil (divisions we mean) as threaten not only the battery but the demolishment also of the strongest hold of truth and true love, which Jesus Christ by grace hath fortified the hearts of beleevers his saints by. Fourthly, that the City who must needs aime at two things chiefly, the advancement of their honour peace and safety and the ending of these broiles 'twixt King and people, by party rather than victory, lest he that conquers finding his adversaries purse empty should at last make himself amends out of their treasures, and that they should not so much as labour to preserve Gods interest as their own, to preserve the Parliament as the King, and to avoid tumults amongst themselves rather than to take sides one against another, thereby to make the flames of the kingdome to seize on the metropolis of the kingdome, which God prevent for his mercies sake.
        The Church it's clear mist it when her fathers turned tyrants and rob'd her children of their bread, and her nurses became step dames to rule in the Fathers house at their pleasure and turn the best and quietest children out of his doors, and now God hath taken away their power and ceased their hatred, are not our infirmities and the childrens want of love found as dangerous prognosticks of God dishonour and our ruin now as before.
        The King mist it he denyes not in many things, which he was ill advised unto by former bad ministers of state, who when questioned had nothing to flee to but the Kings power to cover those infirmities of theirs, a thing therefore inexcusable because it hath so mixed infirmity with power tbat ever since that which properly was and is power is made subject to be questioned to bee infimity; and are all ministers of state now better pincipled, or all that are better principled, rightly in order to pious and prudent ends rightly acted now?
        The Parliament mist it wee think when they suffered too much of the old frame in church and commonwealth to be pulled down at once before a new platforme (far easier then (we think) to have been contrived than now) was provided, and shall any be so bad members now as to conclude because they did not then what they could, being mistaken in the mixture of time for the fitnesse thereof, that therefore they will never do us any good as some (striving to fell the bough of the subjects priviledge whereon they themselves doe also stand) doe affirme and so weakly conclude because the Parliament did not then that good which they have perhaps unduely hoped, therefore they will strive to undoe it and themselves against that which they in honesty have covenanted should see performed.
        The Army, say some, mist it in bringing on the sword to interfeer with the counsells of the kingdome, but have they not as conscientiously submitted, are they not now in the midst of many discouragements diligently imployed? and if their necks were on the block for that fault, if it be concluded to be a fault, shall all their former good services be forgotten and that never be remitted; the City was in fault (many affirme) at first, and now at last for striving both times by tumults to disturb the kingdomes councells; and in so full a body 'tis no wonder if there be many bad humors if once stirred dangerous tumults and swellings. But have they been alwaies well used, hath not the kingdome needed their purses and been supplied? come come, he that hath money must have friends or else our friends may bee to seek when we have need of them and mony too; away away we say with all these particular accusations and exceptions one against another, and all those apologies defences and justifications of ourselves. We must live together. O let us love one another; let the strong bear with the weake and the weake not despise the strong; let the aged instruct the young and the young honour the aged; the poor give respect unto the rich and the rich love and relieve the poor: the minister more care for the flock than the fleece, and the labourer not be denied his nor reverence due for his work sake; let gentlemen keep hospitality for their poor neighbours, and poor neighbours give them honour that they may encourage them to dwel amongst them; let all strive to give encouragement to the husbandmans labor who provides bread, to the shepheards vigilance who provides clothing, the Seamans hazzards who brings in wealth, the Tradesmans industry who improves our commodities, the merchants care who feeds on treasures, and in a word to every mans serviceablenesse to the whole body politique. Let the country maintain the Parliaments Priviledges, the parliament defend the Countreys liberties, let both and all support the honour of the king, and the king strive to secure and defend them both, and all both king and people, lest the great interests of the kingdomes, the Gospell, servants and ordinances of Jesus Christ: let every one in his place indeavour to do his own duty, every man sweep his own dore, and throw the first stone at his brother who can find himselfe innocent. We have al of us many infirmities, the Lord cover them, all of us wandering from the way, let us pitty one another, help one another, advise one another, comfort one another, and pray for one another, and
        Let that man suspect he carries within his breast a heart of stone, that he hath no English blood within his veins, and that he hath not remaining so much as the common affections of a Christian, but hath lost all his bowells, who hath no compassion, compunction, and affliction of soul, for the Mournfull, disconsolate, desolate state, of mistaken, misled, misused, dolorous, dying, and undone Colchester.

FINIS.

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