A check to the checker of Britannicus: or, The honour and integrity of Collonel Fiennes, revived, re-estated, and cleared from certain prejudices and mistakes, occasioned by late mis-reports.: The proceedings of the honourable Councell of War, according to the article of war justified. The pardon of his Excellencie the Lord Generall Essex asserted, and the grounds of it declared, and presented to the consideration of all. With certain considerable queries of publike concernement. Britannicus for his eminent service to this cause, Parliament, and kingdome, encouraged and vindicated from a late aspertion, in this occasion by a grose, seditious, and abusive pamphlet, called, a check.

Argument III.

I Am further assured from such his constant care, & vi∣gilancy to the field and outside of it being always pro∣vident to prevent dāgers afar off, by cleering the coasts & parts about; contributing not a little to the taking of Ma∣lignant Insurrections in the very bud at severall times & in several places of Wiltshire, Somersetshire, Dorsetshire, with the Isle of Portland; with the relief of Glocester too, at his first comming to Bristoll, and to all these his furnishing Sir Wil. Waller from time to time with large supplies of men, moneys, and Ammunition, having recruted him with above two thousand foot, foure hundred horse, eight thousand pound in money; and about a hundred barrels of powder, with bullet and match proportiona∣ble; and to all this I must adde his resolutions at that extreme exigencie, when God was pleased to give the forces of that Noble Commander Sir Wil. Waller up to

a discomfiture; which exposed Bristoll at that very time to so much danger, and such an unavoidable hazard; that the Gentlemen themselves which had lost the field, gave in Bristoll to the sad Catalogue of being lost too, and thought it not tenible after such a sinew was cut, and these were men of so much judgment, honour, and un∣derstanding, the very naming them is enough with mee: Sir William Waller, and Sir Arthur Hastelrigg in a Letter under their owne hands; yet Colonel Fiennes though thus devested, and deserted, on all sides, first by that un∣fortunate defeat, than by a totall declining of the Coun∣ties, and many of the Deputy Lievtenants, and princi∣pall Gentlemen thereof gathered up his resolutions, care∣fully collected the remayning sparks of that dying City, and of the whole West, striving to blow life againe into them; hazarding his own person day and night, and lay∣ing out himself in places of greatest danger, as some of the Gentlemen in the Catalogue have witnessed, ingage∣ing likewise his estate and credit for the taking up great sums of money, for raising and arming souldiers; that if he had thought it possible, he might have preserved that City, which was of so great importance to the Parlia∣ment.