I Dayly hear the Groanes of some of you Perishing , others Despairing , all Languishing ; Yet , methinks , I cannot afford you such Pity as the sadness of your Condition might seem to challenge . Can we pity one , who being tormented with a sharp Gout , will not forbear French Wine and saltmeats ? Such , if I have sense , is your Case : Your disease cannot well be subdued by strong Physick , but may soon be starved : Diet is your onely medicine : Keep , in Gods name , your hands from your mouths , and expect his blessing upon your sobriety and Patience . Your mony is your Poyson : Therefore forbear contributing against your selves . Do this , Or you do nothing , Without it , your Addresses are ridiculous , your declaring is preposterous , And your Arming will be , most of all , pernicious ; What care they for your words , so long as they have your Purses still open ? Stop that source , and they will soon feel it , though they cannot resent it , to your Prejudice ; The worst they can do , is to distrain , perhaps risse some few , for terrour , who , suffering in a common cause , ought , in Equity and prudence , to be reimbursed from a Common Stock : And , if you must be assessed , that way , let it go . What means can you propound to redeem your selves , so cheap , so safe , so certain ? If , yet , you will not pursue this wholsom and necessary advice , I call God to witness , You are not worthy of Liberty , or Peace ; And pity it were , you should be relieved with the heart-blood of honest , and brave men , who will not venture the Paring of your own Nayles .

Trie now , whether the Red-Coats will yet add to their insolencies , that of universal Rapine . Possibly , they may beware , possibly they may relent : Whether any Judge or Jury will assert so lame an Authority , Where the tenth Part of a Parliament , ( owning the Exclusion of the other nine , by meer force , without cause shewn , or pretended , ) assumes not onely the Authority of an Entire Parliament , but a power to act above all Law , or precedent , and against common Right , rather as absolute Lords , then Representatives , and trustees of the people ; Whereas , it is the grand fundamental of ours , and , indeed , of all Laws , That the forcible exclusion of any one Member vacates all proceedings , during the force , As doth appear by the case of the Excluded Members , lately published at large , To which I referre you , for full satisfaction in the premisses .

Of Juries , I am very Confident , And of the Reverend Judges , methinks , I cannot but hope well , Their wisdom seeming , every way , equally concerned with their Justice , They will , I doubt not , remember the Cases of Tressilian , and Shipmoney , both infinitely short of this . However , the worst that can be feared , is but for a few to loose that in gross , which , else , they , and all of us must look in a short time to part with by retaile , The Gangreen Poverty creeping apace from joynt to joynt .

Our Grandees will , perhaps , endevour to amuse you , by filling up their house , their own Way ; Yer so , as to make sure of continuing their own Power , and your grievances . For do not think , their Interest can consist with your Ease ; But , for Gods sake , Is it not the same Oppression , Whether by these alone , Or these with others , constituted , qualified , limited , and finally awed by them ? Is this a free Parliament , to command your purses , or a mist cast before your eyes , whilst your pockets are picked ? I trust , After so many experiences , your understandings are , by this time , more refined , then to be so grossely imposed upon .

In five Moneths time ( for , so long their last Session continued , ) they swallowed a whole Years Assessement of 50000 l. Monethly , Besides the project of the Militia , which , under another name , ( a stale imposture ) amounted to a full Tax ; Yet , as Pharach's Iean Kine , having devoured the fat , did not thrive , so , all this being disposed of , in a trice , and the Exchequer left empty , During the late Interregnum , the Army , being unpay'd , lay upon Free-quatter , as if no Taxes had been levyed , And the Souldiers , in many places , excorted what they pleased from the Countrey , with all the Licentiousness of an Actual war ; Yet , now ( their years Assessement not expiring these four moneths , ) they have , it seems , the Confidence already , to double our files , ( for the Bill , I hear , is engrossed , ) with a monethly Tax of a 100000 l. for six moneths ; But , withal , I suppose , they will have the Modesty , not to tell us , When this Vast burthen shall cease , Or that the next shall not yet advance , as their Occasions , ( the Rule and measure of our property ) probably may . A hopeful , and comfortable Introduction of our freedom .

Some Hotspurs will , perhaps , incite you to assert your Liberties by Tumults ; But , believe it , this advice comes from Westminster , where they long , and lie at lurch for such advantages , that , hitting the blots you make , they may support themselves with your spoyles , ( the onely hope of subsisting now left them : ) Consult not therefore with your Enemies , Consider the Ruinous fate of Plots and Insurrections , Remember Mr. Gerard , Sir Henry Slingsby , Dr. Hewet , and Sir George Booth , most of them , evidently trepanned . Your Game is sure , if you lift your selves , And will you venture it at Dice , among the Rookes ? Be advised , Hold your Parsestrings , ( A Counsel , one would think , to most men plausible enough ) Nothing can so certainly , safely , and suddenly , relieve you .

And you my friends , The Assessors , Collectors , &c. to whom is committed the Charge of Assessing and Levying such 〈◊〉 legal Taxes , upon your Neighbours and fellow-subjects , ( For , without your Ayd , God knows , the Red-Coats are not able to force contribution , perhaps , from one single County , ) Beware how ye act against the Law of the Land , the Liberty of your Countrey , the sense of the whole Nation : No Law compels you to so mean a Drudgery , No Salary tempts you . And will you , then , to curry favour with times , which may alter to morrow , undertake so barren , and thankless , so guilty , and Odious an employment ? Have you Estates sufficient to answer the infinite Actions , to which you will be lyable in Law ? Remember , That , Contribution payed to the Cavaliers was , indeed , purged from delinquency , by pleading the force , But to have Assessed , or collected for them , proved alwayes matter of sequestration , that being construed as a Voluntary Act ; Consider the scandal , which ( already , even in these times ) Committee-men , Sequestrators , Excise-men , &c. have contracted , perhaps , to descend to their posterities ; Read in stories , To what fury of the people , and rigour of Laws , publicanes , and other Ministers of Violence have been alwayes exposed , when the powers , by which they acted , ceased . Believe it , Freedom will soon break forth , the sooner , if you Obstruct it not , All things , by the special hand of providence , tend that way , And though other means should fail , Common exigence will prove a sure Card : Methinks you are not very safe , even as things now stand , The Collection of Taxes , not imposed by common consent in Parliament , ( which , sure , you will not affirm to be , in this Case ) being , ( from a high Misdemeanour , branded by former Laws , ) made the highest Treason , by a late solemn , and severe Act of their own : But , if times should alter , think , What will become of you ? Will it not be your best refuge , to run your Countrey ? Accursed be that future power , which protects , or indempnifies you . And now , I hope , enough is said for warning : If not , Mark the end , and take what comes of it .