A COPPY OF A LETTER Writ from Serjeant Major KIRLE, to a friend in Windsor.

YOu were pleased to command a constant account from me, as the onely requitall you would receive for admitting me an Officer in the Parliament Army; and though divers things have come from us, which have been either doubted or contradicted, and seeme to have no other credit then the close Committee; yet what I am now about to tell you, shall run none of those dangers, but that with a great deale of confidence you may report, both in publique to the House, and in private to my friends that I am now at Oxford; nor shall your wonder last long for by that time I have declared upon what grounds at first I undertooke that service, and upon what reasons I have since deserted it, I shall without doubt (where there is charity or reason) free my selfe from the imputation of di∣shonour, and undeceive others that are as I was, seduced.

About the time these distempers began here, I returned from serving the Swede in Germany, and the States in Holland, in both which Countries; I can without vanity say, I did nothing to the dishonour of my owne, as this absence made me ignorant of the condition of the Kingdome; so it rendred me more inclinable to receive an imployment from the Parliament: for though neither my youth, nor this profession are curious after the affaires of State; yet so common were the grievances in that unhappy concture of time, when I went abroad, that I retain'd the same impressions in me at my com∣ming home, especially when I saw the complaints remaine, but did not know that the causes were taken away: thus possessed with prejudice, it was no hard thing for me to believe, that the pretences of the warre (in themselves so specious) and the imployment therein, to be full of Honour, Justice and Page  2Piety; and that there needed not the importunity of my neerest friends, or an argument from the necessity their former severity had cast upon me, nor an invitation from your selfe, to seeke for the preferment you speedily procured me.

How have I behaved my selfe, while I was of your minde, and in that ser∣vice will be best judged by those, that know that from a Lievtenant I was soon preferred to be Captaine of a Troop raysed to my hand: and shortly after, to be Serjeant Major to the Earle of Stamfords Regiment of horse: what pri∣soners I took, what contribution I brought in, what places and Townes I se∣cured, appeares by the testimony given of me, and the thanks I received from you. It is not therefore Necessity has made me leave you to goe to the King, from whom you have taken not onely his revenues which should give him bread, but the benevolences (as farre as in you lies) of his People that should maintaine his Army. It is not ambition, to forsake a certaine benefit for an uncertaine imployment, and (in justice) as doubtfull a pardon: It is not ma∣lice for any particuler neglect or injury, for I must confesse no man recieved greater kindnesse from his superiour Officers, or more ample thanks from your selves then I hrve done; nocivill humane respect, but a perfect dis∣covery of those false lights, that have hithetto misled me, and the deep appre∣hension of the horrour which attends the persevering in such errors.

I must confesse (though you would little thinke it) that Master Sedgwicke Chaplaine to that Regiment, first opened my Eyes, and moved me to that re∣fliction upon my self, which set me since in the right way; not by his perswa∣sions or conversion, (for I can assure you, you may still confide in him) but by the spirit (not that pretended to of meeknesse and peace but) of fury and madnesse; he revealed the misery of this warre, and in his inspired rage, brake the shell (Religion, safety of the King, Liberty and Propriety) and shewed us the kernell (Atheisme, Anarchy, arbytrary government and confu∣sion) what was meant else by his sawcy and impertinent talking to God Al∣mighty, whom he seemed rather to command then intreat? what was meant else by his traducing the King, and cursing him, while he seemed to pray for him; and presently with a tone as gentle as his language magnifie the Wor∣thies, the Estates assembled in Parliament; what was meant else by incoura∣ging violence, and sharing in things plundered? not had one man given me a just prejudice of the cause, but that I saw the whole lump of these pseu∣do-clergy, seasoned with the same leaven, who hate (and so instruct the people) an innocent ceremony, but thirst after blood, who abhorre learning and Bishops, but adore ignorance and devision, who while they are severe (and therein they doe well) against drunkennesse and adultery, and they make robbery rebellion sacriledge and murder, become vertues, because they are in order to effect their designes; and truely I had not trusted my eares, if the Page  3same and much more had not beene confirmed by my eyes; for those few Re∣gements then with us, were a perfect modell of the whole Army; and most certaine I am, that all the Officers of no one▪ Company were all of the same opinion what Religion they fought for: Some loved the book of Common Prayer and Bishops, others were zealous for extemporary prayers and Elders, another thought Bishops so many Elders, and Elders so many Bishops, and therefore they fought to set Jesus Christ in his throne (meaning) indepen∣dency: Some liked the Chaplaine of the Regement, another thought his Corporall preached better; some had so much of the spirit they wanted cou∣rage, and when they should fight, thought it better to pray, or else declared it was revealed unto them they should be beaten, and to fulfill the prophecy, threw downe their Armes; and one would thinke, that every Company had beene raised out of the severall Congregations of Amsterdam, who wanted not Scripture for every mutiny, who plunder and call it Gods providence who if they cannot prove any of quality to be a Papist, yet as he is a Gentleman he shall want grace; and that is title enough to possesse the estates of all that are more richer then themselves: and in truth had it not beene for this per∣swasion, you might have made riots but not a warre; for under the promise of Malignants estates, are included, not only those that directly take part with the King but all those too that shall not concurre with you in all things; hence it is that those were thought meritorious, who voted Bishops out of the House of Peeres, but are become Malignants, because they will not put them out of the Church; hence some that contributed with a large hand to this warre, received markes of favour, but are become Malignants, because they wil not give all that they are worth; hence those that in tumults creid for justice were worthy of thanks, but are become Malignants, because they will helpe to depose the King: I shall not need to tell what dishonorable and indi∣rect meanes have been used to these ends, what burthens have been laid upon weake consciences of some men by Divines, what preferment have been promised to some, what threatnings have been used to others; the sending of Horses, money, plate, shall expiate for past sinnes, or cover others which by their busie emissaries they havē found out, and will otherwise discover▪ he that has power in his Country and will use it for you may oppresse his neighbour, who must not sue him because he is in their service, and if he would be revenged it is no hard thing, to procure a warrant and the Serjeants man, and lay him up till he finde an accusation, or produce one he never meanes to prove. I could instance in divers, who have been by these alure∣ments, invited to this warre, and so to the ruine both of themselves and fa∣milies; nor can I forget that more obvious artifice, which has made the presse the fruitfull Mother of many Bastards; when the taking three scouts in an Ale-house, has been made at London, a Castle and the defeat of a Regiment, and Page  4Cler. Parl. has made the pamphlet sell for a truth, when a defeat has beene voted a victory, and to muse the people an Order has beene made, that God should be thanked for it; and indeed the Officers at last found that to tell truth when they had the worst; sometimes endangered their casheering, alwayes procured them an ill opinion; and when they saved the labour of doing the contrary, they were the better used and therefore of late have justly wracked betwixt this Scylla and Charibdis, while they rather complyed with their humour then obeyed Truth, so that Religion is but the reverent name for blood and ruine; and it is most evident, it was onely used as a disguise, that we might with the more case devoure one another, which nature other∣wise would forbid us to doe.

Next to this, nothing wrought more upon me, then that strange mistery, that fighting for the safety of the King, was shooting at him, as at Edgehill and else where, where I thank God I was not; for sure the apprehension is •o horrid unto me, that had. I been in that action, the wounds of my consci∣ence could never have been healed; I am told the Lawes are very severe, not •ot onely against those that raise Armes against the Crown, and after violence •o the person of the King, but extend even to the intentions, words and thoughts; certaine I am Religion and Nature, ranke treason and rebellion among the fowlest sinnes, and followes them with the worst of punishments, and doubts Ravailla might as well have excused his bloody fact, by saying the King was in his way, when he stabbed him; as those that justifie these late actions, by saying His Majesty was among their enemies, when he was on his owne ground, and amongst his owne Servants: And who ever shall consider what His Majesty has done before this watre began, in reparation of these errors past, what calumnies and reproaches he hath suffered since (in∣juries not to be born by private spirits) how beyond hope and expectation His Army rise from being despised to be justly feared; and lastly, what royall promises, sacred protestations he has so often and so solemnly made, cannot but renounce Charity and Honour, or else he must believe and trust His Ma∣jesty, ressent His sufferings, and acknowledge the miraculous hand of God in His preservation.

But I must confesse the reason of complaining against you for using the King no better, seemes to grow lesse, whilest the Subject is in a much worse con∣dition. Lawes we have indeed, but they are so little exercised, that shortly they will be buried in the places of those late risen Fundamentalls, which no man yet could ere discover where they lay; when for the liberty of the Subject, there is such good provision made that whereas one Gaole was enough for a whole County, now there is more then one almost in every Parish; when the superscription of a letter (and may be that fained too) the information of a malitious neighbour: a feare, a jealousie, deprives many of their liberty, some of Page  5their lives, most of their healths and fortunes; when the petitioning for Laws established, and for peace (without which we can enjoy neither Lawes nor Truth) are become (with the crime of Loyalty) the onely things punished; and with such a severity that as no condition so spares, no age is spared; the youth entring into the world and having undergone the labour of a prenti∣ship, instead of being made free of the City, are to serve againe in a prison; and those reverend Aldermen who have gone through the severall Offices of London with honour, stooping under the weight of many yeers, and the in∣firmities thereof, have been drawne from their hospitable houses, (and some from their beds, where extreame age had kept them many yeers before) to lothsome prisons, from thence at midnight in cold and stormy we•ther, in a little boat to Gravesend, and from thence to the unwholsome ayre of some port Towne, that they might not live long, to bewayle that banishment from their deare wives and children.

And herein I acknowledge the greatest justice, for Propriety has no prive∣ledge above Liberty; for being lately at London I found Prisons and plunde∣ring went hand in hand and it is worth the observing how these disbursments like hasty weeds, grew on a sudden to so great a height; as first a gentle be∣nevolence, then subscription, then sending in plate, next taxations by an order, at last the twentieth part by an Ordinance, besides those smaller diversions of under writing for Ireland, and spending it in this warre, of gathering for the distressed Protestants of that Nation, and bestowing that charity upon the Ministers of our own, whose seditious Sermons, had brought a just pover∣ty upon them; of sequestring estates and benefices, of taking Portions and keeping the Orphans upon publique Faith, of seazing the Stocks of Churches, till by the same publique Faith, they build or repaire the same; and doubt∣lesse were not my thoughts more for the generall, then my private interest, I might easily and by authority grow rich with the spoyles of that propriety you seeme to defend, and as others, be gallant with the overplus taken for the twentieth part; vvho likewise by an Order take the Coach Horses of per∣sons of quality, and use them afterwards in their visits and to Tavernes for the service of the Common-wealth.

I had not made instance in so many particulars, but to justifie my selfe thereby to all the vvorld for vvhat I have now done, vvhich upon these con∣siderations vvill be rather approved then condemned, by any that have not vvholly given up their reason unto faction; for doubtlesse dishonour is fixt upon levity, ambition, cowardize, upon the persisting in that course vvhich by conscience is declared unjust and irreligious. The breach of Ar∣ticles renders void all Covenants, much more vvhen that vvhich is contra∣cted for, is not onely altered but subverted. They vvere but pretences not realities I have hitherto served under, and Justice and Honour com∣mands Page  6me to leave them. Some Souldiers take Honour in so large a sence, that if they tooke pay under the Turke they would not desert him: The comparison is not amisse; but sure where there is such an indifferency, as to serve any for pay, Religion is no part of their Honour; but if they be of the Mahometan perswasion, I shall not blame them to be true to that service, no more then I doe those here, if their consciences tell them de∣cency and order is Antichristian, and Authority and Magistracy Heathenish: for certaine I am, there is nothing more base and unworthy a Gentleman and a Christian then to forsake the dictates of his owne reason and consci∣ence to persist in an erroneous way, because he has already entred into it: If this false opinion of Honour should be received as Orthodox, it will be in the power of every subtile Sophister and cheating Mountabanke, to ingage men for ever in ignoble actions, because they brought them since to an opinion that conduced thereunto. And lastly, whereas the end of war is peace, what hope can there be of a reconciliation, or that those that have got the Regall and supreme power into their hands, should ever leave that which they have userped, to resume that which they were borne to, or that the Officers of that Army should consent to a peace as long as they can have supplies of mo∣ney; since that then a great part from being Colonels and Captaines, must againe betake themselves to their aprons and shops, and instead of receiving pay, must bethink themselves how to satisfie their beguiled Creditors: for my part, I am borne to no inconsiderable fortune, and as I abhorre my name should be branded with treason, or that forfeited by a confiscation, so am I as loth we should ever be reduced to have a parity in either (which is aymed at) or have both buried in the ruines of this miserable Nation.

I doe protest had none of these promises wrought upon me, yet the very sight of His Najesties Army, the discipline, unanimity, and exact obedience, thereof, the excellent conversation of so many gallant, and noble personages who know no other emulation then that of honour, who dare doe any thing but what is base, and (on my soule) daily expresse hearty desires of peace (not out of any defect in the Army) but to prevent the ruine and procure the hap∣pinesse of their Country: to conclude, what English Gentlemen that ever heard of the ancient honour of this Kingdome, or would preserve that of himselfe and family, can tamely see our courage (terrible sometime to for∣raigne Nations) basely degenerate into a rebellion against our naturall Prince, to whom malice it selfe can object no crime, and therefore casts upon him the faults of others, and since it cannot touch His Person, quarrels at His Crowne: you see Him powerfull at the head of His Army, and may see him glorious in his throne of peace, you ought not to doubt his justice, (and if you wlir) you may (as I have done) obtaine his mercy.

Page  7 Sir, I have freely told you my sense, if it have any proportion to yours, and so incline you to that effect it hath wrought in me, I shall take it (next to the condition I am in) as the greatest happinesse, and if I be so fortunate, since in these dangerous times you cannot safely convey it by letters, let me know it, by your publishing this, whereby also you may happily benefit others, and certainely oblige.