Tcwksbury, March 17.
Dear friend, I know you are sensible of the grievances of the times, and therefore
I think it not amiss to acquaint you with some passages which are of generall
concernment.
The well-affected in this County of Glocester are generally discontented, because
nothing to purpose is effected: They have been fed with promises long, of
having their burthens taken off, common freedom held our, and upright men put
into publique places, but we finde no performance of any of these but rather an encrease
of those sad grievances. For by a Vote the last week we perceive, that it is so
far from those in Authority to take off, or ease us of our burthens, that like
the cruel Taskmasters over the children of Israel, they lay more upon us, and at
such a time, when we are almost famished, having not bread to put in our mouthes
and many of our wives and children go a begging from door to door; if we had
brick and straw as formerly, we should be willing (because of our good affectionate
Parliament and Army) to submit to the utmost of our ability. But blessed be our
God, that hath given us a promised Land, and though he may harden Pharaohs
heart, to use this severity against us, yet we know he will perform his promise with us,
as he did to his children of Israel, in working our seasonable and speedy deliverance;
have we engagad for this Cause so long, both in purse and
person, and now be undone by those we have preserved, and been as dear unto
us as our own souls? and especially after so much mercy in our great deliverances,
and victories, whereby we are made possessors of all the Revenews of our
Enemies, viz. The King, Queen, Prince, Deans and Chapters, Forrests, Chases,
Parks, &c. besides Excise, Compositions, Rents of sequestred Estates, Customs,
and many more, which I shall not now mention per annum, (if honest men were imployed
in the receipt of them) and if but one of them sold, viz. (Deane and
Chapters Lands) could not (at ten years purchase) come to so little as two
Millions (which at 120000 l. per mensem, for maintenance of the Souldiery of
both Nations) would ease the people, for twelve Moneths at least, of all burdens,
and defray all other incident charges; And if so many of them were sold as are vendible,
and all publique receivers called to accompt, how might the people be eased
of this unsupportable burthen, not for one, or two, but (for any thing we know)
for twenty years together, without charging one penny upon them. If they would
tell us, that they intend not to make sale of these Trophies of victories, for the
ease of the poor people, or give us reasons against it (which we conceive, cannot
be found or satisfactory) we might acquiesse in our dolefull misery. Surely if we
had nothing (as indeed but very little) left, they would then finde out another
way for advance of money, but by these proceedings, we perceive they intend no
other while we are worth one penny. Is the people the supream Authority, and
the originall of all just powers in the Nation? And must they be still made slaves
in such a time of Reformation? by such, who were by them, and the late
King, and his tyrannicall predecessors, the originall of that Authority that
impose it on them; Is it not as easie to be slaves to one Tyrant, as many