Clievelandi Vindiciæ, or, Clieveland's genuine poems, orations, epistles, &c. purged from the many false and spurious ones which had usurped his name, and from innumerable errours and corruptions in the true copies : to which are added many never printed before, with an account of the author's life.

To the Protector after long and vile Durance in Prison.

May it please Your Highness;

RUlers within the Circle of their Go∣vernment have a Claim to that which is said of the Deity; they have their Cen∣ter every where, and their Circumference no where. It is in this Confidence that I address to your Highness, knowing that no place in the Nation is so remote, as not to share in the Ubiquity of your Care; no Prison so close as to shut me up from par∣taking of your Influence. My Lord, it is my Misfortune, that after ten years Re∣tirement from being engaged in the Dif∣ferences of the State, having wound up

my self in private Recess, and my Com∣portment to the Publick so inoffensive, that in all this time, neither Fears nor Jea∣lousies have scrupled at my Actions. Being about three Months since at Norwich. I was fetch'd by a Guard before the Commissio∣ners, and sent Prisoner to Yarmouth, and if it be not a new offence to make an en∣quiry wherein I offended (for hitherto my Fault was kept as close as my Person) I am in¦duced to believe that next to my adherence to the Royal Party, the Cause of my Con∣finement is the Narrowness of my Estate; for none stand Committed whose Estate can bail them. I only am the Prisoner who have no Acres to be my Hostage. Now if my Poverty be Criminal (with Reverence be it spo∣ken) I implead your Highness, whose Vi∣ctorious Arms have reduced me to it, as Accessary to my Guilt. Let it suffice, my Lord, that the Calamity of the War hath made us poor, do not punish us for it. Who ever did Penance for being Ravish∣ed? Is it not enough that we are stripp'd so bare, but it must be made in order to a severer Lash? Must our Sores be engraven with our Wounds? Must we first be made Creeples▪ and then beaten with our own Crutches? Poverty, if it be a Fault 'tis its own Punishment, who pays more for it,

pays use upon use. I beseech your Highness put some Bounds to the Overthrow, and do not pursue the chase to the other World. Can your Thunder be levell'd so low, as our Groveling Condition? Can your Towr∣ing Spirit, which hath quarried upon King∣doms, make a stoop at us, who are the Rubbish of these Ruines. Methinks I hear your former Atchievements interceding with you, not to fully your Glories with trampling upon the prostrate, nor clog the Wheel of your Chariot with so dege∣nerous a Triumph. The most renown∣ed Hero's have ever with such Tenderness cherished their Captives, that their Swords did but cut out work for their Courtesies. Those that fell by their Prowess sprung by their Favour, as if they had struck them down only to make them rebound the higher. I hope your Highness, as you are the Rival of their Fame, will be no less of their Virtues. The Noblest Trophie that you can erect to your Honour is to raise the Afflicted; and since you have subdued all O••p••••ition, it now remains that you attack your self, and with Acts of Mildness vanquish your Victory. It is not long since, my Lord▪ that you knock'd off the Shackles from most of our Party, and by a grand Release did spread your Clemency as far as

your Territories. Let not new Prescripti∣ons interrupt your Jubilee. Let not that your Lenity be slandered as the Ambush of your farther Rigour. For the Service of his Majesty (if it be objected) I am so far from excusing it, that I am ready to alledge it in my Vindication. I cannot conceit that my Fidelity to my Prince should ••aint me in your Opinion, I should rather ex∣pect it should recommend me to your Fa∣vour. Had we not been Faithful to our King, we could not have given our selves to be so to your Highness; you had then trusted us gratis, whereas now we have our former Loyalty to vouch us. You see my Lord, how much I presume upon the Greatness of your Spirit, that dare pre∣vent my Indictment with so frank a Con∣fession, especially in this which I may so safely deny, that it is almost Arrogancy in me to own it: for the Truth is, I was not qualified enough to serve Him; all I could do was to bear a part in his Sufferings, and to give my self to be Crushed with his Fall. Thus my Charge is doubled; my Obedi∣ence to my Soveraign, and what is the Re∣sult of that, my want of Fortune. Now whatever reflection I have upon the for∣mer, I am a true Penitent for the latter. My Lord, you see my Crimes; as to my de∣fence,

you bear it about you. I shall plead nothing in my Justification, but your Highness's Clemency, which as it is the constant Inmate of a valiant Breast, if you graciously be pleased to extend it to your Suppliant in taking me out of this withering Durance, your Highness will find, that Mercy will establish you more than Power, though all the days of your Life, were as pregnant with Victories as your twice au∣spicious third of September.

Your Highness's Humble and Submissive Petitioner J. C.