their armies abroad, for what he did, while he refided among them in the Senate.

Among the Romans the practice was fo contrary, that fome inferior Officers in the army, far from the city, having been fentenced by their General, or Commander in chief, as deserving death, by their discipline of war, having nevertheless (because they were Senators)' appealed thither: and the caufe has received a new hearing in the Senate. Not to use more words, to perfuade you to take heed that you wound not yourfelves through my fides, in violating the privileges beJonging to your own perfons: I shall humbly defire you to contider likewife the nature of my offence; not but that I fhould be much afhamed to fay any thing in diminution thereof: Gon knows it is horrid enough, for the evil it might have occafioned! But, if you look near it, it may perhaps appear to be rather a civil, than a martial, crime; and fo to have title to a Trial at the common law of the land: there may juftly be fome difference put between me, and others, in this bufinefs.

I have had nothing to do with the other army; or any intention to begin the offer of violence to any body. It was only a civil pretence to that which I then foolishly conceived to be the Right of the fubject. I humbly refer it to your confiderations, and to your confciences. I know you will take care not to shed the blood of war in peace; that blood, by the law of war, which hath a right to be tried by the law of peace.

For fo much as concerns myself, and my part in this bufinefs, (if I were worthy to have any thing fpoken, or patiently heard in my behalf) this might truly be faid, that I made not this bufinefs, but found it it was in other men's hands long before it was brought to me and when it came, I extended it not, but reftrained it. For the propofitions of letting in part of the King's army, or offering violence to the members of this Houfe, I ever difallowed, and utterly rejected them.

What it was that moved me to entertain difcourfe of this business so far as I did, I will tell you ingenuously :

and

and that, rather as a warning for others, than that it makes any thing for myfelf. It was only an impatience of the inconveniences of the prefent war; looking on things with a carnal eye; and not minding that which chiefly (if not only) ought to have been confidered, the inestimable value of the caufe you have in hand, the cause of GOD, and of religion: and the neceffities you are forced upon for the maintenance of the fame. As a juft punishment for this neglect, it pleafed GOD to defert and fuffer me, (with a fatal blindness !) to be led on, and engaged in fuch counfels as were wholly dif proportioned to the reft of my life! This, Sir, my own confcience tells me was the caufe of my failing; and not malice, or any ill habit of mind, or difpofition, toward the commonwealth, or to the Parliament. For from whence fhould I have it? if you look on my birth, you will not find it in my blood: I am of a stock which hath born you better fruit: if you look on my education, it hath been almost from my childhood in this Houfe, and among the beft fort of men and for the whole practice of my life, 'till this time!If another were to speak for me, he might reasonably say that neither ny actions out of Parliament, nor my expreffions in it, have favoured of difaffection, or malice, to the liberties of the people, or privileges of Parlia

ment.

Thus, Sir, I have fet before your eyes, both my perfon, and my cafe: wherein I fhall make no fuch defenfe by denying, or extenuating, any thing I have done, as ordinary delinquents do. My address to you, and all my plea, fhall only be such as children use to their parents, I have offended; I confefs it; I never did and thing like it before; it is a paffage unfuitable to the whole courfe of my life beside and for the time to come, as GOD (that can bring light out of darkness) hath made this bufinefs in the event ufeful to you, fo alfo bath he to me: you have by it made an happy difcovery of your enemies; and I of my felf, and the evil principles I walked by: fo that if you look either on what I have been heretofore, or what I now am,

:

and

and (by GOD's grace affifting me!) fhall always continue to be, you may perhaps think me fit to be an example of your compaffion and clemency.

Sir, I fhall no fooner leave you, but my life will depend on your breath; and not that alone, but the fubfiftence of some that are more innocent. I might therefore fhew you my children, whom the rigor of your juftice would make complete orphans, being already motherlefs: I might fhew you a family, wherein there are fome unworthy to have their fhare in that mark of infamy which now threatens us: but, fomething there is, which I could fhew you, would move you more than all this :--it is my heart; which abhors what I have done, and is more fevere to itself, than the severest judge can be. A heart! Mr. Speaker, fo awakened by this affliction, and fo entirely devoted to the cause you maintain, that I earnestly defire of GOD to incline you foto difpofe of me, (whether for life, or for death!) as may moft conduce to the advancement thereof.

Sir, not to trouble you any longer, if I die, I fhall die praying for you; if I live, I fhall live ferving you, and render you back the use and imployment of all thofe days you fhall add to my life.

"After this, having withdrawn himself, he was called "in again, (and being by the Speaker required "thereto) gave them an exact account how he came "first to the knowledge of this bufinefs, as alfo what "Lords were acquainted therewith, or had engaged "themselves therein."

To

TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE

THE EARL OF PORTLAND.

H

MY LORD,

AVING obtained leave to write to your Lordship, and having but a very little time to perform it in, I shall not make any apology to fatisfy You (as I might do) of the way I proceed in; which if it were to be tried by the rules of Neceffity and Honor (even in the common acceptation thereof) if you knew all circumstances, I doubt not but I fhould be justified therein. My Lord, I beseech You know that this bufinefs was never meant for Your knowledge, either by the Lord Conway, or Sir Hugh Pollard. The only reafon I imparted it to Your Lordship was, that by You (in whom I had fo great confidence both for Your jugment, and friendship towards me) I might be inftructed how far that Lord Conway might be trufted, with whom Sir Hugh so often urged me to speak. This You might perceive by fome ftrangeness towards you when we first met at Pollard's chamber, and often after, when that Lord whifpered to me a-part, which for the most part he did when he mentioned the Earl of Northumberland; fo that, but for me, I think (nay, I am confident) you had never known any thing of this bufinefs, which was by Them prepared for another. And therefore I cannot imagine why you should wed it so far as to contract your own ruin by concealing it, and perfifting unreasonably to hide that truth, which without You already is, and will every day be made more manifeft. Can You imagine Yourself obliged in honor to keep that fecret which is already revealed by another; or poffible, it should still be a fecret, which is known to one of the other Sex? (though for a time deny'd.) No, my Lord! Be moft affured that if You ftill perfift to be cruel to Yourself for others fakes that deferve it not, it will nevertheless be made appear appear e'erlong, I fear, to Your ruin. Sure if I had the happi

nefs to wait on You I could move You to compaffionate both Your felf and me, who (as defperate as my cafe is !) am defirous to die with the honor of being known to have declared the truth; which God knows I have in every circumftance to the uttermoft of my remembrance. And once more I befeech You for GOD's fake (the fountain of truth) to do the like. Much more I have to fay (if I might be permitted to confer with Your Lordship about it) whereby I can demonstrate, that You have no reason in the confideration of honor, profit or friendship, vainly to contend to hide what is already revealed, and fhall at last be made moft manifeft, inconfiderately to throw Yourself away for the intereft of others, and fuch to whom You are lefs obliged than You are aware of; and to them to make a facrifice of Your noble family (and as much as in you lies) of the life and fortune of him that has ever been moft unfeignedly, and never more thewed it than the humble and hearty advice he now gives You,

Your LORDSHIP'S

moft humble, and most faithful

Servant, and Kinfman,

EDM. WALLER.

May God in time direct Your heart to that which is moft pleafing to him, and the only way to preferve' Yourself before it be too late!

To my Lady LUCY SIDNEY.* upon the Marriage of my Lady DOROTHY, her Sifter, to my Lord SPENCER.

MADAM,

IN

N this common joy at Penfhurft I know none to whom complaints may come lefs unfeasonable than to your Ladyfhip; the Lofs of a bed-fellow being almoft equal to that of a mistress: and therefore you ought, at least They were married at Penshurst, July, 11, 1639.

to