In this year I published Annas Tenebrosus, which book I did not so entitle, because of the great obscurity of the solar eclipse, by so many prattled of to no purpose, but because of those underhand and clandestine counsels held in England by the soldiery, of which I would never, but in generals, give any knowledge unto any Parliament man.  I had wrote publickly in 1650, that the Parliament should not continue, but a new government should arise, &c.

In my next year’s Anglicus, upon rational grounds in astrology, I was so bold as to aver therein, that the Parliament stood upon a tottering foundation, and that the commonalty and soldiery would join together against them.

My Anglicus was for a whole week every day in the Parliament House, peeped into by the Presbyterians, one disliking this sentence, another finds another fault, others misliked the whole; so in the end a motion was made, that Anglicus should be inspected by the Committee for plundered ministers; which being done, they were to return them to the House, viz. report its errors.

A messenger attached me by a warrant from that Committee; I had private notice ere the messenger came, and hasted unto Mr. Speaker Lenthall, ever my friend.  He was exceeding glad to see me, told me what was done; called for Anglicus, marked the passages which tormented the Presbyterians so highly.  I presently sent for Mr. Warren the printer, an assured Cavalier, obliterated what was most offensive, put in other more significant words, and desired only to have six amended against next morning, which very honestly he brought me.  I told him my design was to deny the book found fault with, to own only the six books.  I told him, I doubted he would be examined.  ‘Hang them,’ said he, ’they are all rogues.  I’ll swear myself to the devil ere they shall have an advantage against you by my oath.’

The day after, I appeared before the Committee, being thirty-six in number that day; whereas it was observed, at other times, it was very difficult to get five of them together.  At first they shewed me the true Anglicus, and asked if I wrote and printed it.  I took the book and inspected it very heedfully; and when I had done so, said thus: 

’This is none of my book, some malicious Presbyterian hath wrote it, who are my mortal enemies; I disown it.’  The Committee looked upon one another like distracted men, not imagining what I presently did; for I presently pulled out of my pocket six books, and said, ’These I own, the others are counterfeits, published purposely to ruin me.’  The Committee were now more vexed than before:  not one word was spoke a good while; at last, many of them, or the greatest number of them, were of opinion to imprison me.  Some were for Newgate, others for the Gate-House; but then one Brown of Sussex, called the Presbyterian beadle, whom the Company of Stationers had bribed to be my friend, by giving him a new Book of Martyrs; he, I say, preached unto the Committee this doctrine, that neither Newgate or the Gate-House were prisons unto which at any time the Parliament sent their prisoners:  it was most convenient for the Serjeant at Arms to take me in custody.