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A Letter directed to M. BRIDGEMAN, the fourth of Ianuary, and a Letter inclosed in it to one M. ANDERTON, were this day read and ordered to be entred.
To the worshipfull and my much honoured friend, Orlando Bridgeman Esquier, and a Burgesse of the Parl. at his Chamber at the Inner Temple, these present.
SIR, we are your friends: These are to advise you to look to your self, and to advise others of my Lord of STRAFFORDS friends to take heed, lest they be involved in the common cala∣mitie: Our advise is, to be gone, to pretend busines, till the great Hubub be passed: with∣draw, least you suffer among the Puritans. We entreat you to send away this inclosed Letter to M. ANDERTON, inclosed to some trusty friend, that it may be carried safely without suspition, for it concernes the common safety; So desire your friends in Coven-Garden. Jan. 4.
To the worshipfull and my much honoured friend, Master Anderton, these present.
SIR, although many designes have been defeated, yet that of IRELAND holds well. And now our last plot workes as hopefully as that of IRELAND, we must beare with something in the Man, his wil is strong enough, as long as he is fed with hopes, the Woman is true to us, and real, Her Councel about Her is very good: I doubt not but to send you by the next very joyful newes, for the present, our rich Enemies, PYM, HAMPDEN, STROUD, HOLLIS, and HASLERIG, are blemisht, challenged for no lesse then Treason: before I writ next we doubt not but to have them in the Tower, or their heads from their shoulders.
The SOLICITOR, and FYNES, and EARLE we must serve with the same sauce: And in the House of the Lords, MANDEVIL is touched, but ESSEX, WARWICK, SAY, BROOK, and PAGET must follow, or else we shal not be quiet. FAULKLAND, and CULPEPPER, are friends to our side, at leastwise they wil doe us no hurt. The Protestants and Puritants are so divided, that we need not fear them, the Protestants in a greater part wil joyne with us, or stand Neuters, while the Puritan is suppressed. If we can bring them under; the Protestant wil either fall in with us ge∣nerally, or else, if they doe not, they are so indifferent, that either by fair, or foule meanes, we shal be able to command them. The mischievous Londoners, and Apprentices, may doe us some hurt for present; but we need not much feare them; they doe nothing orderly, but tumultuously: Therefore we doubt not but to have them under command after one brunt, for our party is strong in the City, especially HOLBORNE, the new Buildings, and WESTMINSTER: We are a∣fraid of nothing, but the SCOTS appearing againe: But we have made a Party there, at the Kings last being there, which wil hold their hands behinde them, while we act our parts at home; Let us acquite our selves like men, for our Religion and Countrey, now or never. The Kings heart is Protestant, but our friends can perswade Him, and make him beleeve any thing. He hates the Pu∣ritane party, and is made irreconcileable to that side; so that the Sunne, the Moone, and Starres, are for us. There are no lesse then twenty thousand Ministers in ENGLAND, the greater halfe wil in their places, be our friends, to avenge the Bishops dishonour. Let our friends be incouraged, the worke is more then halfe done.
Your servant. R. E.