343 rather waited to see the cavaliers in arms aga'i nst him, and then thought it the hest time to anne for their owue defence, and either make a new conquest, or fall with swords in their hands. Therefore they all conniv'd at the cavaliers attemp'ts, and although they ioyn'd not with them, woul d not have been sorrie to have seene them up upon equal termes wi th the protector, that then a third patt y, which was ready both with a rms and men, when there was oppertunity, might have fallen in and capitulated with swords in their hands, fo r the settlement of the rights and liberties of the good peopl e: but God had otherwise determin'd of things; and now men began so to flatter with this ti rant, so to apostatize from all faith, honesty, relig ion, and English liberty, and there was such a devillish practise of trepanning growne in fashion, that it was n;t safe to speake to any man in those treacherous dayes. After Coll. Hutchinson had given F leetwood that caution, he was going into the country, when the protector sen t to sea rch him out with all the earnestnesse and haste that could possibly be, and the coilonell went to him; who melt him in one of the galleri~s, and receiv'd him with open armes and the kindest embraces that could be g iven, and complain'd that the collonell should be so unkind as never to give him a visitt, professing how wellcorne he should have bene, the most wellcome person in the land, and with these smooth insinuations led him allong to a private place, givi ng him thankes for the advertisement he had receiv'd from Flee twood, and using all his art to gett out of the collonell the knowledge of the persons engag'cl in the conspiracy against him. But none of his cunning, nor promises, nor flatteries, could preva{le wilh the collonell to inforrne him more then he thought necessary to prevent the execution of the designe, which when the protector perceiv'd, he gave him most infinite thankes for what he had told him, and acknowledg'd it open'd to him some misteries that had perplex t him, and agreed so with other intelligence he had, that he must owe his preservation to him : " But," says he," deare colloncll, why will not 3 A
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