A
LETTER
TO
A
FRIEND
,
&c.
SIR
,
THE
last
Night
I
received
the
Narrative
,
of
the
late
Election
at
Chelmsford
,
you
so
kindly
sent
me
;
and
since
your
desires
are
so
pressing
,
I
cannot
but
comply
with
them
;
in
first
giving
my
Opinion
of
that
Paper
,
and
next
,
in
making
you
a
true
and
faithful
Relation
of
what
I
,
and
others
of
your
Acquaintance
,
were
Eye
and
Ear
Witnesses
of
upon
the
spot
.
To
speak
truth
,
I
was
more
offended
at
reading
the
Paper
,
than
at
all
the
Passages
I
observed
at
the
Election
;
considering
that
a
great
difference
should
be
allowed
betwixt
what
men
say
and
do
when
their
Passions
are
disturbed
,
and
their
Spirits
raised
by
men
skilled
in
moving
the
Multitude
,
and
what
they
write
in
cool
blood
,
with
deliberation
,
and
(
as
they
pretend
)
for
the
Glory
of
God
and
the
Publick
Good
.
I
am
very
confident
,
should
other
Counties
be
perswaded
(
as
the
Pen-man
there
exhorts
)
to
follow
the
Example
of
the
Free-holders
of
this
,
it
would
be
of
infinitely
mischievous
consequence
,
both
to
his
Majesty's
Government
,
and
the
Protestant
Religion
.
And
what
a
Reproach
and
Scandal
is
it
to
see
Christians
and
Protestants
admired
and
applauded
for
saying
,
upon
this
occasion
,
that
,
They
had
rather
trust
God
with
their
Corn
,
than
the
Devil
with
chusing
their
Parliament
men
:
Makeing
the
Duke
,
Knights
,
Gentlemen
and
Clergy
of
this
County
,
(
of
all
which
there
was
a
great
and
most
solemn
Appearance
)
so
many
Agents
for
the
Devil
.
Whose
only
Crime
was
,
That
they
appeared
for
two
Gentlemen
,
that
were
never
suspected
to
be
other
than
hearty
Protestants
,
and
are
known
to
be
of
sober
and
moderate
,
as
well
as
Loyal
Principles
;
and
one
of
them
thought
worthy
,
the
last
year
,
by
these
men
themselves
,
to
be
their
Representative
in
Parliament
.
Can
any
thing
in
the
World
be
more
uncivil
,
uncharitable
,
and
inhumane
than
this
?
I
hope
the
Gentleman
himself
,
for
whose
sake
these
vile
words
were
uttered
and
applauded
,
is
of
another
Spirit
,
and
that
when
he
comes
to
his
place
in
Parliament
,
he
'll
make
it
his
care
to
stop
such
wicked
Mouths
and
Pens
,
which
,
in
a
short
time
,
may
otherwise
bury
his
Honour
,
as
they
have
endeavour'd
to
do
his
betters
.
I
wish
I
were
able
to
confute
our
Author
in
his
accusing
former
Elections
of
being
managed
too
much
by
Drinking
and
Revelling
;
but
what
can
tend
to
the
reproach
of
our
Country
like
this
,
that
this
last
was
begun
and
carryed
on
(
as
you
shall
see
anon
)
by
most
barbarous
and
most
outragious
Revilings
?
Whereas
our
Author
is
pleased
to
say
,
that
,
It
is
a
thousand
times
more
honourable
to
be
called
Fanaticks
,
(
by
those
,
he
means
,
of
the
Duke
of
Albemarle's
Party
)
than
good
Christians
,
he
speaks
himself
in
the
mean
time
to
be
a
very
special
Christian
,
and
a
man
of
marvellous
Charity
towards
those
who
are
not
of
his
own
Party
,
unless
he
really
thinks
Fanatick
to
be
a
more
Honourable
Title
than
Good
Christian
.
But
that
good
Christians
and
Fanaticks
are
a
two
very
different
sort
of
people
,
no
man
can
doubt
,
that
shall
take
a
measure
of
the
latter
by
the
Spirit
and
temper
of
this
man
,
and
the
behaviour
of
not
a
few
of
them
at
this
Election
.
But
what
hath
our
poor
Clergy
done
?
What
Wrongs
and
Oppressions
,
or
Wicked
Practices
,
have
they
,
above
all
other
men
,
been
guilty
of
?
that
such
Reflections
should
be
past
upon
them
in
that
Paper
,
as
might
speak
them
the
vilest
of
all
Mortals
,
and
not
fit
to
live
.
Sir
,
I
will
assert
nothing
but
the
truth
,
I
know
very
many
of
those
Divines
which
were
present
at
the
Election
,
whom
I
really
judge
to
be
Men
of
as
upright
Conversations
,
and
Consciences
as
void
of
Offence
towards
God
and
man
,
as
any
whatsoever
of
the
different
Parties
;
Men
truly
diligent
and
painful
in
their
places
,
that
study
all
Methods
of
gaining
upon
their
Flocks
,
in
spight
of
all
manner
of
Vexatious
,
Discouragements
,
and
that
would
teach
this
person
better
than
to
bely
or
rail
on
any
(
much
less
Divines
)
for
God's
and
his
Countries
sake
.
This
Testimony
,
I
dare
undertake
,
all
honest
and
sober
people
,
in
their
own
Parishes
,
will
give
them
;
and
that
they
shall
defie
the
worst
of
their
Enemies
to
do
any
thing
like
proving
the
contrary
.
I
know
them
to
be
true
men
,
true
to
the
King
and
Church
,
most
firm
to
the
Protestant
Profession
and
Interest
,
Men
that
will
venture
as
deep
in
the
defence
of
both
as
any
men
in
the
whole
Kingdom
besides
,
and
whose
Knowledge
and
Abilities
are
answerable
to
their
Zeal
:
And
if
these
things
be
their
Guilt
,
I
assure
you
they
promise
themselves
more
comfort
in
their
Sufferings
,
than
their
fiercest
Adversaries
can
have
pleasure
in
venting
their
spight
and
rage
against
them
.
But
what
if
some
one
,
or
more
,
among
two
hundred
(
who
are
men
compos'd
of
Flesh
and
Blood
as
others
,
and
subject
to
like
Temptations
with
others
)
should
have
been
too
weak
to
withstand
Temptations
,
doth
not
our
Christianity
oblige
us
to
pity
and
hide
,
and
not
,
like
cursed
Chams
,
to
expose
and
sport
our selves
with
our
Fathers
or
Brethrens
Nakedness
?
A
poor
and
pitiful
boast
!
while
men
,
perhaps
of
greater
Guilt
,
shall
insult
over
their
Fellows
,
if
not
their
Betters
,
because
they
have
less
cunning
to
disguise
it
to
the
World
.
If
some
of
the
Clergy
were
overtaken
,
(
as
our
Narrator
most
spightfully
suggests
)
why
doth
he
not
name
any
of
them
,
or
give
some
hints
whereby
they
may
be
guessed
at
,
which
is
manifest
he
would
most
gladly
have
done
,
had
it
lain
in
his
power
:
In
the
name
of
God
let
the
faulty
bear
their
own
shame
,
and
not
a
whole
Order
be
reviled
,
threatned
,
and
exposed
to
the
Rabble
of
mad
Zealots
,
for
the
sake
of
a
very
few
.
I
should
not
take
notice
of
the
passage
relating
to
the
publick
Notary
,
but
to
do
some
right
to
Esquire
Wroth
,
whom
the
Print
most
rudely
terms
A
wrathful
Fellow
.
The
Notary
was
severely
reproved
,
in
my
hearing
,
by
this
Justice
,
for
saying
,
That
none
(
he
thought
)
but
Priests
gave
their
Voices
for
Sir
Thomas
Middleton
:
Whereupon
the
Justice
called
for
the
Bayliff
to
carry
him
away
,
but
upon
his
refusing
to
leave
his
Papers
behind
him
,
there
was
no
more
done
:
As
for
Blows
I
saw
none
,
except
his
being
pulled
by
the
Cravat
could
be
called
striking
.
Sir
,
You
know
the
Title
of
Priest
was
heretofore
the
Glory
of
Princes
;
nor
is
our
Blessed
Saviour
ashamed
of
it
now
in
his
Glory
;
and
therefore
't
is
a
most
impious
and
profane
thing
to
give
that
Title
to
Clergy-men
in
Contempt
,
and
to
use
it
as
a
name
of
Reproach
.
It
will
be
excused
,
I
know
,
by
saying
,
That
those
who
use
it
as
such
,
mean
Popish
Priests
,
but
do
they
not
know
that
so
to
term
Protestant
Ministers
,
and
such
as
with
their
Souls
abhor
Popery
,
is
wickedly
to
revile
and
calumniate
,
and
infinitely
unbecoming
Professors
of
Christianity
?
Now
this
so
publick
dirty
Reflection
upon
Ministers
of
the
Church
of
England
(
who
are
well
known
to
be
the
Champions
for
the
Reformed
Religion
,
whom
,
above
all
men
,
the
Papists
most
hate
and
fear
)
might
well
provoke
any
one
to
be
angry
,
who
bears
them
a
Reverence
.
At
the
same
time
,
and
upon
the
same
occasion
,
I
heard
the
Esquire
protest
his
sincere
and
hearty
wishes
for
a
Free
Election
,
but
he
said
,
this
was
not
the
way
to
it
,
for
persons
intrusted
to
express
so
much
partiality
and
prejudice
.
And
this
Notary
is
belyed
,
if
this
were
the
only
Expression
of
his
partiality
,
but
I
will
chuse
to
be
silent
,
where
I
am
not
in
Circumstances
(
as
at
present
I
am
not
)
to
make
good
proof
.
As
for
Mr.
Mildmay's
being
taken
by
the
Nose
by
one
,
who
was
by
His
Majesty
and
not
by
himself
(
as
the
Narrator
suggests
)
made
a
Knight
,
I
will
not
endeavour
to
justifie
it
,
(
if
it
were
so
)
but
withal
't
is
fit
the
Story
should
be
made
publick
,
as
to
that
part
also
which
reflects
on
Mr.
Mildmay
,
namely
,
That
the
Knight
was
provoked
by
being
given
the
Lye
in
open
Court
.
But
I
wonder
at
nothing
more
,
than
how
a
Gentleman
of
that
Spirit
and
Perswasion
,
that
our
Narrator
is
manifestly
of
,
should
so
forget
the
year
Forty
one
,
as
so
to
fall
foul
at
the
first
dash
upon
Long
Parliaments
,
as
being
the
great
mischief
and
ruine
of
the
Free-born
English
mens
Liberty
,
even
to
the
utter
overthrow
of
almost
all
Property
and
Priviledges
,
as
well
as
Religion
:
As
if
he
thought
the
first
Invasion
of
the
peoples
Liberties
,
and
Properties
and
Religion
too
,
did
in
truth
begin
at
that
self-perpetuating
Parliament
,
and
that
these
Mischiefs
were
continued
to
these
distressed
Kingdoms
,
by
that
other
Long
Parliament
,
after
his
Majesty's
happy
Restauration
.
I
come
now
,
Sir
,
to
give
you
a
true
and
faithful
Relation
of
what
I
,
and
others
of
your
Acquaintance
,
saw
and
heard
at
that
Election
.
Before
the
Duke
of
Albemarle
rode
a
Trumpeter
in
very
rich
Attire
,
after
whom
followed
four
or
six
Pages
on
foot
,
in
the
same
Livery
,
then
came
the
Duke
himself
in
very
plain
Habit
,
without
any
such
thing
as
Sword
by
his
side
,
or
Pistols
before
him
,
having
only
a
slender
Cane
which
hung
by
a
Chain
to
his
Wrist
.
This
I
observe
,
to
shew
he
came
like
one
resolved
before-hand
not
to
fight
nor
Quarrel
.
On
his
left
hand
rode
Sir
Thomas
Middleton
,
and
after
him
most
of
the
Knights
and
Gentlemen
throughout
the
County
;
together
with
above
two
hundred
(
as
is
acknowledged
by
the
Narrator
)
of
the
Clergy
.
And
indeed
it
was
the
most
pleasant
Conjunction
,
and
most
solemn
Appearance
of
Nobility
,
Gentry
and
Clergy
,
that
ever
I
beheld
.
When
the
Duke
came
near
the
Town
he
flourished
his
Hat
,
and
cryed
,
SILENCE
,
which
accordingly
was
sent
through
the
whole
Body
,
of
above
(
as
I
was
told
by
such
as
I
thought
could
guess
best
)
two
thousand
Horse
.
As
we
rode
into
the
Town
,
we
were
saluted
with
most
barbarous
Outcries
and
shoutings
from
every
Quarter
:
They
cryed
a
Mildmay
,
a
Mildmay
,
no
Dukes
,
no
Crosses
,
(
which
related
,
I
suppose
,
to
the
Star
the
Duke
wore
on
his
Arm
or
Breast
)
no
Semstress's
Son
,
to
his
very
Face
,
no
Courtier
,
no
Pensioner
,
no
Black-Coat
,
and
all
the
while
the
Duke's
Party
rode
by
in
silence
.
Then
I
saw
the
Clergy
abused
by
such
Incivilities
and
Affronts
as
I
hope
are
not
to
be
parallel'd
,
and
the
tenth
part
of
which
I
am
not
able
to
give
you
account
of
.
Among
others
,
these
were
some
of
the
Civil
Titles
and
Christian
Language
they
bestowed
upon
them
,
viz.
Dumb
Dogs
,
Jesuitical
Dogs
,
Dark
Lanthorns
,
Baal's
Priests
,
Damned
Rogues
,
Jacks
and
Villains
,
the
Black
Guard
,
the
black
Regiment
of
Hell
,
the
Devil
sent
them
,
and
to
the
Devil
they
would
go
.
And
one
of
them
uttered
this
piece
of
profane
folly
,
I
have
heard
of
three
persons
and
one
God
,
but
here
are
an
hundred
Parsons
and
never
a
God
.
And
for
the
space
of
many
days
after
,
they
boasted
how
they
had
used
them
of
the
Long
Robe
.
One
gloried
in
having
thrown
Dirt
in
a
Parsons
Face
;
another
,
that
he
tore
their
Gowns
;
another
,
that
he
knocked
a
Parson
off
his
Horse
;
another
,
that
he
gave
a
Parson
a
good
punch
,
with
his
Knee
,
in
his
Belly
;
adding
,
that
he
thought
with
himself
that
he
should
not
come
there
for
nothing
:
This
was
done
in
the
Croud
at
Polling
.
And
one
Divine
told
me
that
he
had
like
to
have
lost
his
life
among
them
.
An
Eminent
Clergy-man
that
lives
out
of
the
County
,
being
at
Chelmsford
at
that
time
,
and
observing
how
rudely
his
Brethren
were
treated
,
procured
a
Coat
to
disguise
himself
in
when
he
rode
out
of
Town
,
but
for
all
that
(
as
he
said
)
he
could
not
escape
their
Flouts
and
Jeers
.
Nor
did
they
stick
to
boast
in
open
Markets
,
That
they
dressed
the
Rogues
(
meaning
the
Clergy
)
so
at
Chelmsford
,
as
they
were
never
dressed
in
their
lives
.
I
cannot
but
believe
that
some
,
even
of
that
Party
blushed
and
were
heartily
grieved
to
see
such
doings
:
One
of
them
told
a
very
worthy
person
,
of
your
particular
acquaintance
,
that
he
never
heard
or
saw
more
rude
doings
than
that
side
he
was
on
was
guilty
of
,
and
instanced
in
several
of
the
particulars
.
But
all
this
(
thanks
be
to
God
)
the
Clergy
bore
with
an
incomparable
patience
,
not
in
the
least
reviling
again
,
but
encouraged
one
another
to
meekness
,
and
not
to
suffer
themselves
to
be
overcome
of
evil
.
This
occasioned
some
passages
in
a
Letter
from
a
very
Religious
and
Excellent
person
,
that
is
no
Clergy-man
,
which
I
think
worth
the
transcribing
.
I
find
that
the
Spirit
and
Temper
of
the
Church
of
England
best
corresponds
with
the
ancient
and
best
Christians
,
who
not
only
bore
patiently
the
malice
of
the
Tongue
,
but
Torture
and
death
.
It
joys
my
heart
to
find
a
Party
in
this
Kingdom
,
who
repine
not
at
their
hard
Fate
,
but
compassionate
a
bewildred
Multitude
,
who
know
not
what
they
do
,
but
are
led
by
some
secret
Machine
to
fight
against
their
own
Securities
.
Oh
how
ill-favoured
a
sight
is
it
,
to
see
imperious
ignorant
Guides
smile
and
thank
God
for
their
Disciples
Courage
?
Are
these
sure
Pilots
to
the
New
Jerusalem
,
where
all
is
Love
and
Obedience
?
We
may
easily
perceive
the
effect
that
talking
so
contemptuously
of
Morality
hath
upon
the
Separatists
.
As
for
the
Duke
,
I
must
be
so
just
to
his
Grace
as
to
declare
,
that
he
behaved
himself
with
such
perfect
composure
in
his
Countenance
,
which
argued
a
like
composure
in
his
Mind
,
as
I
never
saw
under
such
high
indignities
in
my
life
,
in
a
great
person
.
And
in
all
that
appearance
,
I
profess
I
neither
saw
Noble-man
,
Gentleman
,
or
Clergy-man
in
the
least
disordered
by
drinking
;
nor
did
I
hear
the
least
Oath
from
any
of
their
Mouths
,
so
far
were
they
at
that
time
from
being
in
the
number
of
the
Damme's
our
Author
speaks
of
.
I
say
,
all
the
time
I
was
there
,
I
saw
no
one
person
of
either
Party
that
was
drunk
,
and
much
less
any
Clergy-man
.
I
heard
indeed
since
of
two
,
on
whom
this
Report
was
fastened
with
the
most
probability
of
proving
true
,
but
,
upon
my
strictest
enquiry
;
I
am
able
to
prove
it
was
a
Slander
at
that
time
upon
both
.
To
be
short
,
Sir
,
had
you
been
there
,
to
have
heard
the
Language
,
to
have
seen
the
Carriage
and
the
Looks
of
those
of
that
Party
,
(
I
speak
of
the
Multitude
)
you
might
expect
as
much
Civility
from
Turks
and
Barbarians
,
and
hope
to
find
(
if
times
serve
them
)
as
much
Mercy
from
a
Popish
Inquisition
,
as
from
this
sort
of
Zealots
,
as
much
as
they
now
cry
out
against
Persecution
,
and
cry
up
Toleration
.
Upon
this
occasion
I
cannot
forbear
to
set
down
what
King
James
saith
to
his
Son
,
in
his
{αβγδ}
,
p.
41
,
42.
concerning
this
kind
of
Pretenders
to
Purity
in
Scotland
.
Saith
he
,
They
are
the
very
Pests
in
the
Church
and
Common-weale
,
whom
no
deserts
can
oblige
,
neither
Oaths
or
Promises
bind
;
breathing
nothing
but
Sedition
and
Calumnies
,
aspiring
without
measure
,
railing
without
Reason
,
and
making
their
own
Imagination
(
without
any
warrant
of
the
Word
)
the
Square
of
their
Conscience
.
I
protest
,
before
the
great
God
,
(
and
since
I
am
here
upon
my
Testament
,
it
is
no
place
for
me
to
lye
)
that
you
shall
never
find
with
any
High-land
or
Border
Thieves
,
greater
Ingratitude
,
and
more
Lyes
,
and
vile
Perjuries
,
than
with
these
Fanatick
Spirits
.
(
They
are
the
King's
own
words
.
)
And
suffer
not
(
as
he
there
goes
on
)
the
Principles
of
them
to
brook
your
Land
,
if
you
like
to
sit
at
rest
;
except
you
would
keep
them
for
trying
your
patience
,
as
Socrates
did
an
evil
Wife
.
Sir
,
I
have
now
,
no
doubt
,
tyred
your
patience
with
this
long
Scribble
,
I
draw
therefore
to
a
close
:
Did
I
at
all
delight
in
Recriminations
,
I
would
style
a
Pamphlet
,
by
way
of
Reply
,
Essex's
Insolency
,
for
Essex's
Excellency
;
and
the
Base
Brutish
,
for
the
Brave
British
Behaviour
,
&c.
But
I
rather
chuse
,
after
a
better
Example
,
to
say
,
Good
Lord
forgive
them
,
for
they
know
not
what
they
do
.
Sir
,
It
grieves
me
that
I
am
constrained
thus
to
employ
my
Pen
,
now
we
are
all
of
us
in
such
danger
of
a
Common
Enemy
;
but
the
heady
Separatists
will
not
consider
it
,
and
will
still
write
and
act
,
as
if
they
had
no
sense
of
the
least
danger
.
Witness
one
Gulielmus
Jenkinus
his
late
Clamorous
Celeusma
,
which
may
be
eminently
serviceable
to
the
Romanists
;
but
as
for
its
Author
,
it
hath
and
will
more
expose
him
for
a
strangely
weak
and
imprudent
(
not
to
say
proud
and
ill-spirited
)
man
,
than
his
Duo
putidi
Literatores
,
(
as
he
most
scornfully
calls
two
Excellent
Scholars
)
or
those
sad
Hereticks
his
Novatores
,
will
ever
be
able
to
expose
him
.
Had
the
poor
man
no
one
wise
Friend
to
advise
him
not
to
publish
such
Latin
,
and
much
less
such
Matter
and
Sense
?
I
say
,
I
am
grieved
at
thus
employing
my
Pen
at
such
a
time
as
this
,
but
there
is
a
necessity
in
the
Case
,
as
we
would
not
be
run
down
by
the
other
Extreme
,
if
God
in
his
Infinite
Mercy
should
put
an
end
to
our
fears
of
Popery
.
Aug.
28th
.
1679.
I
am
,
SIR
,
Your
Affectionate
Servant
,
&c.
FINIS
.