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possession, but being I will avoid (at this time especially) provocations as much as I can, I will name no person by whose Power and Will it hath been done, although he be notoriously known, but the Gentleman that took it away by his pleasure, without all rules of Law or justice, told my Father to this purpose, that I was a Traitor and under the Parliaments displeasure, and therefore he would secure it from me, although I were not in the least convicted of any crime, neither in Law, then, or for many months after, had I the least pretence of crime laid unto my charge: And although my own estate by force against Law was taken from me, yet was I also denyed in my close imprisonment that Legall allowance that should have kept me alive; for in all this miserable condition I never yet received a penny of my Legall allowance, but was positively denyed that restimony and Legall Right that the late King constantly allowed to all the Members of the Parliament that were committed in the third of his Reign, and severall other times; unto whom for their diet he allowed three, four, and five pounds a week, according to their quality, although they had great and large estates peaceably in their possession: And one of them that is now beyond the Seas, a Colonell, I have forgot his name, (but it was Colonnel Long) confessed in the Lieutenant of the Tower’s own Chamber the last year, that the King was so bountifull to him and the rest of his fellow Prisoners, that he let them injoy the allowance of about four or five pounds a week for diet, and that while he was Prisoner in the Tower, he spent the King about 1500l. for his own particular self in provision; but notwithstanding I was denyed all this, and to fill up the height of the insufferable provocations put upon me, abundance of my own and ancient acquaintance were set upon me to callumniate, bespatter, and reproach me; yea, and to indeavour to become instruments to take away my life, some of them confessing they were underhand set on by some Parliament men; all whose base and wicked petitions, papers, and books preferred and published against me, were hugged and imbraced, althongh for my own part I do not know of any man in this world that can justly tax me with any action, or maintaining any principles of tenents but that what doth becom a man that doth believe all that is contained in the Law and the Gospel, and does believe the Resurrection of the dead and life Eternal; nay, that does believe that I my selfe shall arise and go to the Lord of Glory: Yet notwithstanding all these unparaleld provocations put upon me, especially by divers of my old acquaintance, whom I had upon all occasions faithfully served, but never wronged, injured, nor provoked; being instigated (as they themselves confesse in some oftheir
