I do therefore absolutely deny that I affirm any Matters of Fact positively in that Book , which are easily or authentically ( or at all ) to be disproved .

Or that from those Matters of Fact , grosly mistaken , it deduces Consequences , raises Inferences , and scatters Glances injurious to the memory of the dead , and the Honour of some living ; among which your Grace finds your self worst treated .

This being so , your Graces unjust Inferences from the time of its Writing , and the misjudging the design of the Author , give no countenance or occasion to your Graces Rhetorical Character of the Times , though I joyn in all , but the Opinion your Grace seems to have taken up that there is a Plot , ( other than that of the Papists ) to destroy the Crown and Church ; a Discovery worthy the making , if your Grace knows , and believes what you write ; but how I am concerned to have it mentioned to me , I know not , your Grace can best tell what you intend to ●nsinuate thereby .

These are your Graces Reasons why you were not wiling to believe that Book to be of my Composing ; yet you cannot leave me without a sting , in your expressing ●he hopes which succeeded them , viz. That some of the ●uborned Libellers of the Age had endeavoured to imi●ate me , and not I them .

Whether I should imitate suborned Libellers , or they ●e , would be all one for my Reputation ; because I were ●rosly criminal in the first , and must have been so be●re in your Graces Opinion , or they could not imitate me in the second : Your Grace will want Instances in both , except this of your own making ; and therefore there must be some other reason why your Grace did not believe ( if really you did not ) that Discourse to be of my composure .

But this admitted ●●r truth ( as it is undoubtedly ) , your Grace in the next place calls the World to judge whether Pen , Ink and Paper are not dangerous Tools in my hands .

I remember the Times , when they were serviceable to the Kings Restoration , and constant Service of the Crown , or craved in aid by your Grace , that you did not account them so ; and it is much to my safety that they are not so in your Graces Hands , though I find them as sharp there as in any mans alive .

Your Grace being at length assured I was the Author , your next care was to spend some thoughts to vindicate Truth , the late King , your self , your Actions and Family , all reflected upon , and traduced ( as your Grace is pleased to fancy ) by that Pamphlet .

But your Grace had no cause to trouble your thoughts with such Vindications , unless you could shew where in that Book they are reflected upon and traduced , no such thing occurring to me ( upon the strictest revisal ) nor ever shall be objected to me with Justice and Truth .

After your Grace hath brought it to the Coffee-Houses , ( where I believe it never was till your Grace prefered it to that Office ) and where you have doomed it to expire , as Writings of that nature and force use ( you say ) to do ( for which I shall not be at all concerned ) you rested without troubling your self or any body else with Animadversions upon my mistakes , which your Grace is pleased to say are so many and so obvious ( though you name none , nor do they occur to others ) that you wonder how I could fall into them .

If your Grace believe your self in this , you seem to have forgot the long time you spent in considering and animadverting upon that despicable Pamphlet , with your Labours whereon I was threatned by some of your Graces Relations for many months ; and your Grace hath redeemed the delay , by the virulent general Reflections you have now sent me , which yet I doubt not will evaporate or shrink to nothing , when your Grace shall seek for Instances to back them , whereof if you can find any , I claim in Justice they may be sent me .

Your Grace adds , that you have been in expectation that by this time my compleat History would have come forth ; wherein ( if you may judge by the pattern ) your Grace saith , you have just cause to suspect , that neither the Subject nor your self will be more justly dealt with than in that occasional Essay ; and therefore offer me all the helps of Authentick Commissions , Transactions and Papers your Grace is possessed of , whereof you inform me none hath more .

This is an anticipating Jealousie , which no man living can have ground for ; and when my History shall be compleated ( which is now delayed for those Assistances your Grace is so well able , and so freely offers to afford me ) tho' my Weakness may be exposed , my Integrity and Impartiality shall appear , and your unjust suspicion will , I doubt not , cease , if Truth may be welcome to you , and not accounted one of the dangerous Instruments in my Hand ; by which having incurred your Anger and Enmity in the first Essay ; I have slender hopes to be more acceptable in the second ; though I resolve to hold to the first approved Law of a good and faithful Historian , which is , That he should not dare to say any thing that is false ; and that he dare not but say any thing that is true , that there be not so much as suspicion of favour or hatred in his Writing .

And this might give a Supersedeas to your Graces unseasonable Appeal , before a Gravamen ; though I never intended , by relating the truth of things past , to become a Judge of your Graces or any other mans actions , but barely Res gestas narrare , for the information , correction , and instruction of this Age and Posterity .

Your Grace desiring to know to what particular parts of my History I would have Information , I shall at present only mention these .

The Intrigues of the Cessation , and Commissions for them and the two Peaces of 1646. and 1648. forced upon the King by the Rebellious Irish.

The grounds and transactions about depriving Sir William Parsons from being one of the Lords Justices , and then dismissing him , Sir Adam Loftus Vice-Treasurer , Sir John Temple Master of the Rolls , Sir Robert Meredith Chancellor of the Exchequer , &c. from the Council-Table .

The Mystery of Glamorgan's Peace , and his Punishment .