and their own destruction therein By all which passages it is apparent That this act provided against every thing or things done or to be done by the Kings Will or Prerogative without the Houses consent for the dissolution of this Parl. not against its dissolution by his death 8ly The King and his party too did thus interpret it more than once in these passages In his Majesties own Answer to the Declaration of the Lords and Commons of 19 May 1642. We expressed a great trust in our Houses of Parliament when We devested our Self of the power of dissolving this Parliament which was a Iust Necessary and proper Prerogative to wit when done by vertue of his Prerogative which this Act devests him of not by a Natural much less a Violent death No part at all of this Prerogative but highest Act against it to its and his dissolution In his Answer to the Petition and Propositions of both Houses 2. June 1642. We were willingly contented to oblige our Self for the present exigent to raise monies and avoid the pressure no less grievous to us than them the people must have suffered by a long continuance of so vast a charge as two great Armies and for the greater certainty of having sufficient time to remedy the Inconveniences when during so long an absence of Parliaments as for the punishment of the Causers and Ministers of them We yielded up our Right of dissolving our Parliament expecting an extraordinary moderation from it in gratitude for so unexpected a Grace and little looking that any Malignant party should have been encouraged or enabled to have perswaded them First to countenance the Injustices and Indignities we have endured and that by a new way of satisfaction for what was taken from us to demand of us at once to confirm what was so taken and to give up almost all and now more than all the rest And in his Answer to their Petition of 10 June 1642. For that part of the Petition which seemed to accuse his Majesty of a purpose to dissolve this Parliament contrary to the Act for the continuance by commanding away the Lords and Great Officers whose attendance is necessary which his Majesty knows to be a new Calumny by which the grand Contrivers of ruine for the State hope to seduce the minds of the people from their affection to and jealousies of his Majesty as if he meant this way to bring his Parliament which may be the case of all Parliaments to nothing It is not possible for his Majesty more to express himself thereunto and his resolution for the Freedom Liberties and frequency frequency of Parliaments than he hath done And who now considers how visible it must be to his Majesty that it is impossible for him to subsist without the affections of his people and that these affections cannot possibly be preserved or made use of but by Parliaments cannot give the least credit or have the least suspition that his Majesty would choose any other way to the happiness he desires to himself and his posterity but by Parliament From all which premises it is apparent That the King himself and both Houses of Parliament did never intend by this Act to prevent the dissolution of this Parliament by the Kings natural death the Act of God they could not prevent nor yet by his violent beheading which then they neither intended nor foresaw but by his own voluntarie Act and Royal prerogative by which he formerly adjourned prorogued dissolved Parliaments at it his pleasure 9 ly It is resolved in our Law-books That if an Act of Parliament refer to or confirm a thing which is not or a thing which is utterly against Common law Reason Justice as for a man to be a Judge or Witnesse in his own case or a thing that is mis-recited or repugnant or impossible to be performed there the Common-law shall controll and adjudge such an Act to be meerly void Plowdon f. 398 399 400. Cook 8 Reports f. 118. a. b. Ash Parliament 13. Hobards Reports p. 85.86 87. But it is repugnant to Reason Justice Nature the intention of the Writs of Summons yea a thing impossible that the King should treat and confer with his Parliament after his death or the Parliament not determine by it Therefore were it particularlie provided for by this Act it had been void in Law as if this Act of Parliament had declared That a mariage between man and wife shall not be dissolved by the death of either of them but continue indissolvable by death against Nature experience Scripture Rom 7.1 2 3. much more then when not expressed nor intended by this Act as the premises evidence Xly. Admit the Parliament still continuing by this Act yet those now sitting neither are nor can be so much as an House of Commons much less the Parliament within that Act for these unanswerable Reasons 1. The House of Commons within this Act were a full and compleat House consisting of above 500 Members those now fitting in May 7 9. but 42. viz. Mr Will. Lenthal Quondam Speaker Henry Martin Lord Monson Mr. Chaloner Mr. Heningham Alderman Atkins Alderman Penington Th. Scot Corn. Holland Sir Arthur Haslerigge Sir Henry Vane Sir James Harrington Mr. Whitlock Mr. Prydeaux Mr. Lisle Col. Ludlow Mich. Oldsworth John Jones Wil. Purefoye Col. White Henry Nevil Mr. Say Mr. Meston Mr. Brewster Col. Bennet Serjeant Wilde Mr. Goodwin Mr. Lechmore Col. Ingoldesby Mr. Blagrave Mr. Gold Col. Sydenbam Col. Byngham Col. Ayre Mr. Smith Augustine Skinner Mr. Down Mr. Dove Iohn Lenthal Rich. Salaway Iohn Corbet Col. Walton there being 300. Members more of the old Parliament yet living besides those who are dead 2ly Those then sitting went in openlie like a House upon 40 daies general Summons by Writs setting without Gards secluding none of their Fellow-Members by force Those now sitting stole sodenlie into the House in a surreptitious manner without any notice given to the people of the Nation or to those for whom they formerly served or to the absent Members or those then in London or Westminster-Hall who were not of their combination setting Gards of Army-Officers at the Door who conducted them thither and presently secluded Mr. Prynne and the other Members who upon the first notice of their sitting came to know upon what account they sate taking forcible possession with Souldiers and strong hand of the Commons House and keeping themselves in possession thereof by force against the secluded Members majority of the House contrary to the Statutes of 5 R. 2. c. 7.15 R. 2. c. 2. 8 H. 6. c. 9. 31 Eliz c. 11. against forcible entries and deteiners the Statute of 7 E. 1. the Libertie Privilege Rights and Usage of Parliaments A practice utterlie unseeming such transcendent Saints Patriots of publick Liberty as they boast themselves that Honor Justice Honestie Synceritie Gravity Wisedom which becomes all Members of a Parliament and Reformers of all publick Grievances
kingdom so soon as he lost his life 5ly The end of summoning this Parliament was only this for the King himself to have a conference and Treaty with the Prelates and Nobles and for them to be personally present with Vs not our heirs or successors to give Vs their Counsel c. not our heirs and successors All frustrate made impossible and absolutely ceasing by his death because when once dead they can neither parlie conferr nor treat with the King himself nor the King with them nor be personally present with Him for that purpose unlesse they will averr that a meer dead headlesse King can really confer treat parly consult advise with his living Prelats Lords Parliament and they with him be Parliamentally present with each other in the Lords House neither of which they dare admit into it for fear the King if living and Lords too should afright them out of it as the Kings ghost yea the memorial of it though dead might justly do 6ly The mandatory part being in the Kings name alone to summon them to treat with and give their Counsel unto Vs concerning the foresaid businesses relating to Vs and the defence of Our Realm Our Businesses aforesaid not our heirs and successors He and his businesses all ending when he expires the Parliament must of necessity determine 7ly The Parliament ceasing to be the Common counsel of the King and his kingdom and nothing possible to be ordained BY US the King not his heirs and successors Prelates Nobles in Parliament without his concurrent Vote or when he is dead unless a dead King can give counsel make Ordinances give his royal assent to Bills when deceased It must inevitably follow that all the Authority causes grounds ends for which the Members of this Parliament were all summoned to treat consult and give their advice to the King himself determining and becoming impossible to be performed by his death the Parliament must of necessity expire and be dissolved even as the natural body ceaseth to be and remain a living man when the Head is quite cut off If then those now sitting who cut off the Kings Head the Head of the Parliament and thereby destroyed that temporary body politick will have their Conventicle revived by this Act they must set on his head again raise him alive out of his Grave and bring him back into the House to impeach condemn decapitate them in this true High Court of Justice for this their beheading him in their Court of Highest Injustice Which Mr. Prynne presumes they dare not doe least his revived Ghost should scare them thence or justly retaliate their transcendent Treachery 4ly If any man by his will deed the King by his Commissions the Parliament by a special Act or Order shall authorize impower any 3. persons joyntly to sell lands give livery and seisin execute any Commission as Judges Justices Commissioners Auditors or Committees of Parliament if any one of them die both the survivors joyntly or severally can doe nothing because their authority trust was joynt not several and joyntly nor seperately to be exercised If there be not 40 Commoners in the House they cannot sit or act as an House nor dispatch the least affair no more can any Committee of either House unless their Number be sufficient to make up a Committee as the orders and custom of Parliament appoint Therfore the Parliament of England being a Corporation compacted joyntly of the King Lords and Commons House and three estates The death of the King necessarily dissolves the Parliament notwithstanding this Act which did not alter the Parliaments Old constitution but establish it The Kings personal absence from his Parliament heretofore and of late was reputed very prejudicial to it and his calling away some Lords Great Officers and other Members from it a high way to its present dissolution in his life Therefore it must much more be dissolved by his death and the Lords and Commons forcible seclusion both before and since it by the Army and sitting Members they having Vocem locum in quolibet Parliamento Angliae as our Law-books Statutes and their Patents resolve 5ly The principal end of calling Parliaments is to enact new and necessary Laws and alter repeal such as are ill or inconvenient as the Prologues of our printed Statutes our writs of Summons Law-books attest and all accord But no new Act of Parliament can be made nor no former Acts altered repealed but by the Kings royal assent who hath a Negative voice to deny as well as Affirmative to assent to them as well as the Lords and Commons as all our Parliaments Judges Law-books Parliament Records Treatises of Parliaments the printed Statutes in each Kings reign more particularly the Statutes of 33 H. 8. c. 21. 1 Jac. c. 1. in the close resolve Yea both Houses acknowledged it in all contests with the late King our Kings Coronation Oaths and all our antient Saxon Kings Lawes attest it Therefore his death must needs dissolve the Parliament notwithstanding this Act because it could make no Act for its dissolution nor declare alter repeal any other Law without his royal assent There are but 2. Objections made by any sitting or secluded Members against these Reasons that his death should not dissolve the Parliament The 1. is this which the Republicans themselves formerly and now insist on That the King doth never die in judgement of Law and that there is no Interregnum because the Crown immediately descends to his right heir who by Law is forthwith King de jure and de facto before his actual Proclamation or Coronation as the Statute of 1 Jacobi ch 1. Cooks 7 Rep. f. 10 11. Calvins case and other Books resolve To which Mr. Prynne Answers 1. That this argument is but an Axe to chop off their own heads and supremacy as they did the Kings and the Objectors now sitting must either renounce their sitting acting Knacks Declarations against the late King Kingship and the House of Lords or quite disclaim the Objection For if the King never dies Then by their own confession and our Lawes we are still a Kingdom not a Republike yea Charles Steward as heir to his beheaded Father was and is still de Jure de facto the lawfull King of England and supreme Lord and Governour of our Church Kingdom there being no Interregnum ever since his Fathers death and then what becomes of all their absurd illegal Knacks against his Regality and Kingship it self of which they are forced now to pray in ayd to make themselvs a Parliament of their Mock-Parliament without King and House of Lords of their perfidious treacherous Engagements against both and Supreme Authority of the Nation which they have tyrannically usurped 2ly Though the King in genere or rather Kingship it self never dies yet the King in Individuo may and doth oft times die and if the successive deaths of all our Kings since we were a
in his life time long before his death The first by the Executions of Strafford and Canterbury the impeachments censures of the Shipmony-Judges and other Delinquents both in Scotland Iâ—eland The 2d by the Acts abolishing Shipmony the taking of tonnage poundage and other Taxes without Act of Parliament the Acts for the preventing of Inconveniences happening by the long intermissions of Parliament For regulating of the Privy-Counsel taking away the Court of Star-Chamber and High-Commission against divers Incroachments and oppressions in the Stannary court For the certainty of Forests and their meets and bounds for the better ordering and regulating the Office of the Clerk of the Market for reformation of false Weights and Measures for preventing vexatious proceedings touching the order of Knightship for the abbreviation of Michaeâ—mas Term and for the free importation of Gunpowder and Salt-peter from forein parts and making of them in England By all these good Acts passed fâ—eely by the King soon after or before this Act he fully redressed all Grievances then complained of or intended within this Law The 3d. by the Act of Confirmation of the Treaty of pacification between the two kingdomes of England and Scotland The 4th by the several Acts passed for the Relief of his Majesties army And the Northern parts of this kingdom For the better raising and levying of Mariners and others for the present guarding of the Sea and necessary defence of the Realm not Republike For the Subsidies of Tonnage and poundage granted to the King for the speedy provision of money for disbanding the Armies and setling the peace of the two kingdoms of England and Scotland For securing such monies as are due to the Inhabitants of the Northern Counties where his Majesties Army have been billetted And for securing by publike faith the remainder of the friendly assistance and relief promised to our Brethren of Scotland all passed and published by the King himself Anno 16 17 Caroli 1640. 1641. at least 7. years before his beheading It is most certain that all these ends of making this Law as the Prologue thereof and the word THEREFORE in the Commons prayer infallibly declare were fully accomplished by the King in his life so long before his untimely death Therfore none of theÌ„ now remaining to be performed all acted since their accomplishment by those now sitting being diametrically contrary to this Act these ends and occasions of it this Parliament must of necessity be beheaded expired with the King and cannot survive his death 4ly The words That this present Parliament assembled shall not be dissolved unlesse it be by Act of Parliament to be passed for that purpose nor shall at any time or times during the continuance thereof twice recited in the subsequent clauses be prorogued or adjourned unlesse it be by Act of Parliament to be passed for that purpose can be intended of no other but that present Parliament which passed this Act which consisted of The Kings Maiesty our Soveraign Lord by whom this and all other Acts passed or to be passed was declared and enacted and this intended Act likewise not of his heir or successor after his death and of the Lords and Commons House then in being not any new House of Lords or Commons succeeding after their deaths then sitting Therefore when the King was cut off by an untimely death and thereby an impossibility accruing to dissolve it by an Act of Parliament within the words or intent of this Act it must of necessity be dissolved by his beheading Impossibilities making Acts of Parliament to perform them meerly void as our Lawe makes Impossible conditions 5ly This Act and those who made it must have and had a retrospect to the Writs whereby it and they were summoned and the ends things therein expressed But they all determined and became Impossible after the Kings beheading Therefore the Parliament must be destroyed with him since cessante causa cessat effectus cessante primativo cessat derivativum as all our Lawyers Law-books and natural reason resolve 6ly The last Clause of this Act That every thing and things whatsoever done or to be done to wit by the King or any other for the Adjournment proroguing or dissolving of this present Parliament contrary to this Act shall be utterly void and of none effect do clearly exâ—lain the meaning of this Act to be this That it extends only to things done or to be done by the Kings will and power as to his Commissions Proclamations Writs Warrants Precepts to adjourn prorogue or dissolve this Parliament as he had done others heretofore here declared to be utterly null and void not to his death wherein he was only passive being forcible against his will and the Parliaments too which death no Parliament can make null and void in respect of the Act it self so as to restore him to life though the whole Parliament and our three Kingdomes may and ought to null it in respect of the illegal manner of his Execution not to be paralel'd in any Age. 7ly The Commons themselves in their Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom 15 Decemb. 1641. Declared That the abrupt dissolution of this Parliament is prevented by another this Bill by which it is provided it shall not be dissolved adjourned without the consent of both Houses Yea the Lords Commons in their Declaration of May 19. 1642. declare That excellent Bill for the continuance of this Parliament was so necessary that without it we could not have raised so great sums of monies for his Majesties service and Common wealth as we have done and without which the ruine and destruction of the Kingdome must needs have followed as since of the Kingdom and Parliaments too by pretext thereof And we are resolved the Gracious favour of his Majesty expressed in that Bill and the advantage and security which thereby we have from being dissolved by him shall not encourage us to do any thing which otherwise had not been fit to have done Which whether these formerly now sitting have performed let their own Consciences resolve After which the Lords and Commons in their humble Petition to his Majesty Jun. 17. 1642. desire That your Majesty having passed an Act That this Parliament shall not be dissolved but by Act of Parliament your Majestie would not do any thing tending thereunto by commanding away the Lords and great Officers whose attendance is necessary thereunto Therefore the sitting Members abolishing the whole House of Lords and their secluding most of the Commons Members by this Petitions concession must dissolve it Both Lords and Commons in their Declaration 26th Maii 1642. adde We hope the people will never be carryed away with a noyse of words against the Parliament to make any such equitable construction of the Act for the continuance of this Parliament as may tend to the dissolution thereof by the Declaration of the King which they Answer in this
sitting in Parliament and draught of an Agreement of the people for a secure and present peace framed prepared and presented to them to be established and subscribed by the people January 20. 1649. not onlie subscribed thereto but proposed That 150 Members at least be alwayes present in each sitting of the Representative at the passing of any Law or doing of any Act whereby the People are to be bound saving that the Number of sixty may make the House for Debate or Resolutions that are preparatory thereunto Therefore the 42 Members secretlie skipping into the House secluding the rest May 7 9 being not the 10th part of the Members of the old Parl. now surviving by all Nations Laws Consents can be no Parliament nor House of Commons within this Act nor pass anie thing to bind the Majoritie of the Members or people in anie kind whatsoever what ever anie imprudent illiterate shameless namelesse Scriblers or themselves against their own Reasons Consciences Iudgements principles resolutions pretend to the contrarie but dare not once affirm in good earnest It being a received Maxime in all Ages Populi minor pars Populum non obligit 6 ly It is a rule in our Lawbooks That all Statutes ought to be interpreted according to Reason and the true mind meaning intention of those that made them but it is most certain That it is against all reason and the true intents minds meaning of the Makers of this law to make a Parliament without a King or House of Lords or Majoritie of the Commons-House Or that all or anie of them when they made this Act did ever dream of such a Juncto as this now sitting Or to seclude themselves and resign up their own interests freedoms privileges right of sitting in Parliament with them to constitute them the onlie Parliament of England as everie line syllable throughout the Act demonstrates Therefore they neither are nor can be a Parliament within it neither can the Bedlam Turkish Bruitish unreasonable Argument of the longest Sword or Armie-logick nor the petitions addresses of any Crack-brain'd Sectaries and vulgar Rabble of inconsiderable illiterate people nor the presence of anie Lawyers sitting with or acting under them as a Parliament to their own and their Professions dishonour make them so in their own or any Wisemens or Judicious honest Lawyers Judgement whatsoever And therefore out of Conscience shame justice prudence and real Christianitie have they anie left they must needs disclaim themselves to be a Parliament and no longer abuse the Nation or others under their disguise All with Mr. Prynne if admitted would viva Voce have pressed home upon them but being forcibly secluded by their Gards because unable to answer or contradict his Law or Reason he now tenders to their view and the Judgement Resolution of the whole English Nation to whom he appeals with this publick Protestation That if they will freely call in all the surviving Members of the Lords and Commons House sitting till December 1648. without secluding anie by force or new unparliamentarie Impositions or seclusive Engagements which they have no power to impose If they upon a free and full debate shall resolve the old parliament to be still in being and not actually dissolved by the Kings beheading notwithstanding his premised Reasons to the contrarie He will then submit his private Iudgement to their Majority of Voyces in this as well as in all other Parliamentary debates and contribute his best assistance and advice as a Fellow-Member to heal the manifold breaches prevent the approaching ruines of our indangered Church Realms Parliaments Laws Liberties Peace and establish them upon better foundations than those now sitting to promote their own and the Armies interests rather than the peoples or Nations are ever likely to lay Who if they can prove themselves a true and lawfull English Parliament within this Act without either King or House of Lords or this their clandestine forcible entry into and seclusion of their Fellow-Members out of the House and Actings in it to be lawfull equitable righteous honorable parliamentarie Christian and such as well becomes either Saints Members or true good Englishmen by anie Records Parliament Rolls Acts Presidents of like kind in former Ages Law-books Customes Common or Civil-law Scripture Divinitie Reason Ethicks Policks except Machiavils and the sole Argument of the longest Sword the most bruitish unjust unchristian Turkish of all others Mr. Prynne will then publicklie declare them to be that in truth which as yet he neither can nor dares to acknowledge them to be so much as in appellation either as a Member of the Old Parliament a Covenanter a Protester a Lawyer a Scholar a Man an Englishman or a Christian And hopes that upon the perusal hereof they will as much disown themselves to be the Parliament within this Act or anie lawfull Parliament of England even in their Judgments consciences much more in actings for the premised Reasons as he or anie other secluded Members do not out of anie spirit of contradiction but Conscience and common dutie to themselves and their native Country That which principallie elevated yea inflamed Mr. Prynnes zeal both now and heretofore with all his might to oppose all late publick Innovations changes of our antient Government Parliaments Laws was this sad and serious consideration which he shall with all earnest importunitie intreat advise all Army-Officers Souldiers sitting or secluded Members of the Lords or Commons House with all well-affected persons to the safetie settlement of our Religion Church State throughout our three Nations most seriouslie to lay to heart and engrave upon their Spirits not to read it as they do News-broks only to talk of them for a day or two but as they read the evidences of their Inheritances whereby they hold all their earthlie yea heavenly possessions that they may remember act according to it all their lives That William Watson a secular Priest of Rome in his Dialogue between a Secular Priest and a Lay Gentleman printed at Rhemes 1601. in his Quodlibets printed 1602. and William Clerk a Secular Priest in his Answer to Father Parsons Libel 1604. p. 75. c. then best acquainted with the Iesuites designs against England of all others did in precise terms publish to the English Nation in these their printed Books a That Father Parsons the English Jesuite the most active professed enemie to our English Kingship Kings Realm Church Religion his Consederate Iesuitical Society did so long since give out and prophesied That they have it by Revelation and special command from God that their order and Society was miraculously instituted for this end to work a dismal change amongst us wherein all Laws Customes and Orders must be altered and all things turned upside down and that they being the only men who have the name Title and authority of Jesus by them it is that this marvelous change and alteration shall be wrought in such sort as
A true and perfect NARRATIVE OF What was done spoken by and between Mr. Prynne the old and newly Forcibly late secluded Members the Army Officers and those now sitting both in the Commons Lobby House and elswhere on Saturday and Monday last the 7. and 9. of this instant May with the true Reasons Ends inducing Mr. PRYNNE a Member of the old Parliament thus earnestly to press for entry to go and keep in the House as he did And what proposals he intended there to make for publike peace settlement and preservation of the Parliaments privileges Put in writing and published by the said William Prynne of Lincolns Inne Esq to rectifie the various Reports Censures of this Action and give publike satisfaction to all Members of the old Parliament the whole English Nation especially those Vianders and free Burgesses of the Borough of Newpart in Cornwal who without his Privitie Sollicitation or good liking unanimously elected him for their Burgess An. 1648. though soon after forcibly secluded secured now twice re-secluded in like manner by the Army-Officers Of his sincere Endevors to the uttermost of his power to preserve OUR RELIGION LAWS LIBERTIES the Essential Rights Privileges Freâ—dom of Parliament and all we yet enjoy according to his Oaths Covenant Trust as a Parliament Member against the utter Subverters of them by meer armed force arbitrary will and tyrannical power through the apparent Plots Seductions of our professed foreign Popish Adversaries and their Instruments Psal 3.6 I will not be afraid often Thousands of men who have set themselves against me round about Psal 27.3 Though an Host should encamp against me my heart shall not fear though war should rise against me in this will I be confident Printed in 〈…〉 1659. A true and full Narrative of what was done and spoken by and between Mr. Prynne other secluded Members Army Officers c. ON the 7th day of this instant May Mr. Prynne walking to Westminster-Hall where he had not been six daies before meeting with some old secured and secluded Members of Parliament summoned by King Charles his Writ and Authority for these only ends expressed in all writs of Summons to the Lords and of Elections issued to Sheriffs of Counties for electing Knights Citizens and Burgesses of Parliament and in the Indentures themselves by which they were retorned Members To confer and treat of certain great and arduous affairs concerning the defence of the King Kingdom and Church of England and to do and consent to those things which shall happen to be therein ordained by Common counsel of the King Lords and Commons touching the aforesaid businesses which Parliament began at Westminster the third day of November 1640. They shewed him a Declaration of the Officers and Counsel of the Army made in such hast and confusion that they mistook the Month wherein they made it dating it April 6. instead of May 6. published by them that morning which Declaration the day before was presented to the Speaker of the said Parliament at the Rolls by divers Officers of the Army in the name of Col Fleetwood and the Counsel of officers of the Army in presence of many Members of the said Parliament containing their earnest desire That those Members who continued to sit since the year 1648. untill the 20 th of April 1653. would return to the exercise and discharge of their trust expressed in the foresaid Writs and Indentures alone by those who impowred elected and entrusted them as their Representatives without any other new trust whatsoever inconsistent with or repugnant to it Promising their readiness in their places as became them to yield their utmost Assistance to them to sit in safety for improving the present opportunity for setling and securing the peace and freedom of this Common-wealth praying for the presence and blessing of God upon their endeavours who after they had sate many years in performance of the trust reposed in them by the people and being in the prosecution of that Duty assembled in Parliament at Westminster upon the 20 th day of April 1653. were then interrupted and forced out of the House from that time untill this very day Of which force they seeme in their Declaration unfeinedly to repent by an actual restitution of the Members formerly forced thence much more then of that greater and more apparent force of whole Regiments of Horse and Foot drawn up to the house it self in a violent manner where they seised secured Mr. Prynne with above forty and secluded forced away above 2 hundred Members more of the Commons House only for the faithfull discharge of their Trusts and Duties therein according to their Oaths Protestations Vows Covenants Consciences wherin most think they first turned out of the way by wandring into other wayes from righteous equal paths which Members though they do not particularly invite to sit again yet they having proved no breach of trust against them do not in the least measure intimate that they would forcibly seclude them from sitting if that Parliament should be publickly voted still in being by vertue of the Statute of 17 Caroli c. 7. as they in their Counsel of the Army have actually resolved by their invitation of the Members thereof to sit again as Mr. P. those Members who shewed it to him conceived upon their perusal thereof Mr. P. being after informed that the Old Speaker and sundry Members of the long Parliament were then met in the painted Chamber to consult together in order to their meeting again in the House was moved to go thither to them which he refused because it was no place where the House of Commons ever used to meet or sit as an House but only as a Committe upon conferences with the Lords Soon after Mr. P. heard by some Members and others that the old Speaker and about forty Members more with the Mace carried before them were gon from the Lords House into the House of Commons there sate as an House by vertue of the Statute and their old Elections by the Kings Writs Vpon which there being then above 30 of the old secluded Members in Decemb. 1648. in the Hall they did think fit and agree that to avoid Tumult about 12. or 14. of them in the name of the rest if freely admitted without any seclusion or engagement in a friendly manner should desire to know of them Upon what account they did now sit there thus sodainly and unexpectedly without giving any convenient notice or summons to all the rest of the Members to sit with them If only by vertue of the Act of 17 Caroli ch 7. thus penned Be it enacted and declared by the King our Soveraign Lord with the Assent of the Lords Commons That this present Parl. now assembled shall not be dissolved unless it be by Act of Parliament to be passed for that purpose Nor shall any time or times during the continuance thereof be prorogued or adjourned unless it be by
Act of Parliament to be likewise passed for that purpose And that the House of Péers shall not at any time or times during this present Parliament be adjourned unless it be by themselves or their own Order And in like manner That the House of Commons shall not at any time or times during this present Parliament be adjourned unless it be by their own Order And that all and every thing or things whatsoever done or to be done for the adjournment proroguing or dissolving of this present Parliament shall be utterly void and of none effect Then they intended to send for the rest of the Members walking in the Hall to come in unto them and to move that all surviving Members of this Parliament might by joynt consent particularly be sent to and invited to meet and sit in the House at a convenient day before any Vote or Order passed by thē then sitting thus sodainly convened without any notice which would be interpreted rather a surprize and un-Parliamentary practice both by the absent Members and the whole Nation than any obliging Parliamentary Vote or Order of the House and more discontent than invite or unite the absent unsummoned Members than unite them making the rent greater than before And when they were there assembled that in the first place they might freely fully debate this Question wherein there were different Opinions between the Members themselves and other learned Lawyers Whether this Parliament was not actually dissolved by the late Kings forcible death which is clearly Mr. P. his opinion formerly published Or Whether it was not still in being by vertue of this Act notwithstanding the Kings death or any other thing or things done already by the Army-Officers or others for the adjourning proroguing or dissolving thereof If it should upon such debate be Voted by the Majority of the House to be really and legally dissolved they held it their duties and theirs now sitting to acquiesce therein and act no farther as a Parl. But if voted still in being they all held it their duty to sit and joyn their best Counsels and Endeavours to settle the Government Peace Safety of our distracted Church and Nations now more shaken unsetled endangered in their apprehensions than ever and would submit their private contrary Opinions in this as in all other Votes to the over-ruling Judgement of the whole House as the only hopefull way to revive the antient Constitution Rights Privileges of Parliament and resettle us upon lasting foundations of Peace and Prosperity Upon these Resolutions alone none other which Mr. P. intended to propose to those then sitting he went to the Lobby door of the Commons House accompanied with Sir George Booth Mr. Arthur Annesley Sir John Evelyn Mr. Th. Gewen Mr. Charles Rich Mr. Mountague Mr. Ri. Knightly Mr. Hungerford and one or two more which being shut to keep out the people crowding on the stairs to get in through whom they could hardly pas Mr. P. knocked twice or thrice but could get no admittance till the door being opened to let out M. Nye som other Ministers Mr. P. with Sir Geo. Booth and Mr. Annesly being formost pressed into the Lobby and then the door being shut bolted again Mr. P. unbolted held it open till the rest came in where they finding Mr. John and Mr. James Herbert standing in the Lobby acquainted them with their intentions to go then into the House who resolved to go in with them Coming all up towards the House door which was shut and kept Guarded as it presently appeared by som Officers of the army Mr. P. required them to open the door to let them in being all Members of the old Parliament who thereupon demanded Whether they had continued sitting in it since 1648. to 1653 M. P. the rest all answered That being Members of the old Parliament they would give no account to thē or any others of their sitting but only to the House it self wherof they were Members being contrary to the Privilege of Parliament which they others were obliged inviolably to maintain Upon which demanding their names they said that if they would send in a Note of their names to the House and they ordered them to come in they should be admitted Whereto Mr. P. replied We yet knew not who were within the House nor whether they were yet sitting nor upon what account they sate nor was it agreeable with the Custom or Privilege of Parliament for one Member to send tickets to his fellow Members for free admission into the House being all equals and having an equal right freely to enter into it at all times as well as they nor was it their duty thus to capitulate with Members but obey their just commands in opening the door Which they still refusing Mr. P. demanded Who and what they were being all strangers to them and by whose authority or order they thus forcibly kept them out They answered they were Officers of the army and had sufficient Authority to keep thē out if they had not sate since 1648. till 1653. Mr. P. demanded From whom they had their warrant since they could have none from those within being but newly entred and none else could give thē such a warrant nor they within before they heard them and gave good reason for it demanding them to produce their Order if they had any in writing that they might know by whose authority they were thus forcibly kept out demanding their several names twice or thrice wherwith they refused to acquaint them Upon this M. P. told them They doubted of their Authority Orders thus to seclude thē because they were either ashamed or afraid to tell thē their names when as they told them theirs That they knew not whether they were Officers of the Army or not unless they knew their names that so they might inquire the truth of it or saw their Commissions And if they were Army-Officers indeed they had published a printed Decl. in all their names that morning inviting as they conceiv'd all Members they formerly secluded to return sit again in the Hous to discharge their trusts wherin they professed their former force upon seclusion of them to be a Backsliding and wandring into UNRIGHTEOUS PATHS which they seemingly repented of promising to yield their utmost assistance to them to sit in safety and praying for the presence and blessing of God upon their endeavours And if now within few hours after this Remonstrance published they thus highly and publikely violated it in the view of all there present by returning to their former Backslidings and Unrighteous paths in secluding those who were Members afresh and violating their own Declaration none would henceforth credit them or it Upon which one of them told M. P. He knew he was none of them who sate since 1648 till 1653. therfore they were not bound to let him in being not within their Declaration Who retorted he thought their repentance had been
universal not partial of all their forces upon the House and Members especially of their greatest Dec. 6. 1648. when they not only secluded but secured and imprisoned him and 40 more in Hell and other places forced away 3 times as many more for discharging their trusts asserting the true GOOD OLD CAUSE against their Commissions trusts Protestations and printed Remonstrances which if they would look back upon and well consider as they proclaim they had don in their New Decl. they would find to be one of their greatest Backslidings where they first turned out of the way which caused God to withdraw his presence and GOOD SPIRIT FROM THEM ever since and give them up to the prosecution of a New Romish GOOD OLD CAVSE which had brought us into that posture and occasioned those vicissitudes of dangers and caused God in his Providence to make all Essaies to settle us utterly ineffectual to convince them of and reclaim them from their Error which they now pursued afresh as vigorously as ever That for his own part after his Impisonment by them against both Lawe and Privilege in 1648. in sundry places he was again forcibly seised by some of the Army in his House in 1650. and kept a close Prisoner near 3. years under armed guards of Souldiers in 3. remote Castles farr distant froÌ„ those then sitting Therfore they could not make their unrighteous Imprìsonment of him then without any cause or hearing a just ground to seclude him from sitting now But all these expostulations of M. P. and others not prevailing they desired all present to take notice and bear witnes of this high affront and breach of Privilege in this their forcible seclusion And so departing Mr. Knightly meeting Major General Lambert in the Lobby complained to him of this Forcible seclusion who gave him a civil Answer to this effect That things were now in an hurrie and their entring at this time into the House might cause some disturbance but doubted not such course would be taken by the Officers of the Army in few daies that none should be forcibly secluded and so they went from the Lobby into the Hall from whence they came acquainting those Members they left there with the premises After some conference with one another it was thought fit they should meet about 4. a clock in the Evening under Lincolns Inne Chappel and in the mean time that every one should inquire what old secluded or secured Members were now in town and how many Members of the long Parliament were yet living chosen or sitting before December 6. 1648. when they were first forcibly secluded by the Army Some met accordingly and upon conference found there were about 80 secluded Members now in London and Westminster being near double the number of those sitting that day and above 300 Members of all sorts yet living chosen or sitting in the Commons House before Decemb. 1648. over and above those that now sate all which they conceived ought in justice to be summoned by the Speakers Letter freely to meet and sit in the House at a convenient time to be agreed upon In order whereunto some ten of them met in the Counsel-Chamber of Lincolns Inne where the old Speaker used to sit in Counsel as a Bencher with the rest of the Benchers concerning the affairs of the Society as the fittest place to write down a Catalogue of all the surviving Members names by the help of their Memories and the printed list of them which having finished they departed agreeing to meet in Westminster Hall about 9 of the clock on Monday morning whither M. P. carried the list of the names formerly written digested into an Alphabetical order to communicate it to other Members Those that sate meeting on the Lords day adjourned their House till ten of the clock Monday morning But the Courts not sitting in VVestminster-Hall that day Mr. P. found the Hall very thin few Members in it whiles he was standing in the Hall expecting those who promised to meet there he was twice informed one after another that there were no Guards at all at the House Door that any person might freely go into it without examination there being but few Members within and the Doors standing open Whereupon he spake to 4 or 5 Members there met to go along with him into the House and if they were freely admitted to give notice of it to the rest to follow after if they pleased Some of them were unwilling to go being formerly repulsed thinking it better to make a Narrative of their former forcible seclusion on Saturday and to signifie it by a Letter directed to the Speaker subscribed with their names which Mr P. conceived superfluous since the Door now stood feeely open to all without any Guards to seclude any and that as he apprehended in pursute of Major General Lamberts promise to Mr. Knightly And it would be idle to complain of that force by Letter wherewith they might now acquaint those then sitting by their own mouthes if there were cause Vpon which ground M. Prynne Mr. Annesly and Mr. Hungerford about ten of the clock went to the House where the doors of the Lobby House were at first knock opened to them by the ordinary Door-keepers upon their telling theÌ„ they were Members there being no Guard at either door who delivered to each of them as Members a printed Paper intitled A Declaration of the Parliament assembled at Westminster Saturday 7. May 1659. They found not about 9. of 10. of those who sate within the House who courteously saluted them After some short discourses Mr. Annesly and Mr. Hungerford leaving Mr. Prynne in the House out of which he resolved not to stir upon any occasion for fear of a new forcible seclusion went back into the Hall to acquaint the Members in it they might freely enter if they pleasâ—d Mr. Annesly returning was forcibly kept out from re-entring by some Soldiers sent thither as he conceited for that purpose Wherwith he acquainted Mr. P. by a Note desiring to speak with him at the House door which being opened Mr. Annesly pressed to go in to speak with him but was denied entrance unless he would give his paroll presently to come out again and not stay in whereupon he said Though they had often broken their parolls with them yet he would not break his parol but would come forth so soon as he had spoken with M. P. which he accordingly performed After this Mr. P. had conference with divers Members as they came in who said they were glad to see him in health and meet him there again The House being thin M. P. turned to the Statute of 17 Caroli c. 7. reading it to himself and after that to two other Members telling them it was a doubt whether the old Parliament was not determined by the Kings death notwithstanding that Act which was fit to be first freely debated in a full House before ought else was done Upon which they
substance of what passed between Mr. P. the Army Officers and those now fitting on the 7th and 9th of this instant May both in the Lobby House and elsewhere Mr. Prynne being since necessitated to publish it to prevent and rectifie the various misreports thereof He shall now relate as a Corollary thereunto the true and only reasons then inducing him after earnest Prayer to God for direction and protection in this Grand Affair to press the admission of himself and other Members into the House to correct the manifold contradictory censures of what he then did and spoke Some have been staggared and amazed at it as if he were now turned an Apostate from his former principles acting both against his Judgement and Conscience to cry up and make himself a Member of that old Parliament which he publickly printed to be dissolved above ten years since by the Kings death Others have censured it for a rash foolish and desperate attempt A third sort condemn it as a seditious tumultuous if not treasonable Action prejudicial to the publick peace and settlement deserving severe exemplary punishments A fourth Classis doome it as a scandalous Act dishonorable destructive to our Religion A fifth sort cry it up as a most necessary heroick rational zealous Action deserving everlasting honor prayse thanks from the whole English Nation and a necessary incumbent duty as a Member of the old Parliament though legally dissolved being pretentionally now revived against Law Truth by those very Army Officers who six years past ipso facto dissolved and declared it to be dissolved yea have held many new Mock-Parliaments of their own modelling since all proving abortive by forcible ruptures as the long Parliament did It is not in Mr. Prynnes power to reconcile or controll these contradictory censures neither was he ever yet so foolish or vain-glorious as to be any wayes moved with the censures opinions or applauses of other men nor so ambitious covetous as to pursue any private interest of honor profit revenge c. under the notion of publick Liberty Law Reformation as many have done nor so Sycophantical as to connive at others destructive exorbitances guilded over with specious Titles this being his constant rule to keep a good Conscience in all things both towards God and man Acts 24.16 to discharge his publick trust duty towards God and his Native Country though with the probable hazard of his life liberty estate friends what else may be precious to other men to trust God alone with the success reward of his endeavors to let others censure him as they please to fear no Mortal or power whatsoever in the discharge of his duty who can but kill the Body Mat. 10.23 nor yet do that but by Gods permission being utterly unable to touch the Soul but to fear him alone who can cast both Soul and Body into Hell The only ground end motive inducing Mr. Prynne thus earnestly and timely to get into the House was no wayes to countenance any unparliamentary Conventicle or proceedings whatsoever nor to own those then sitting to be the old true Commons House of Parliament whereof he was formerly a Member as now constituted much less to be the Parliament it self then sitting but to discharge the trust to which he was once unvoluntarily called without his privity or solicitation by an unanimous election a little before the last Treaty with the King having refused many Burgesships freely tendred to him with importunity both before his election at Newport and since being never ambitious of any publick preserments which he might have easily obtained had he but modestly demanded or signified his willingness to accept them After his election against his will and inclination he came not into the House till the Treaty was almost concluded and that at the request of divers eminent Members only with a sincere desire to do that cordial service for preservation of the King Kingdom Church Parliament Laws Liberties of England and prevention of those manifold Plots of forein-Popish Adversaries Priests Jesuites Sectaries seduced Members Army-Officers and Agitators utterly to subvert them which other Members overmuch or totally neglected coldly opposed or were totally ignorant of What good service he did in the House during that little space he continued in it is fitter for others then himself to relate How fully he then discovered to them the true original Plotters fomenters of that Goad Old Cause now so much cryed up and revived how strenuously he oppugned how truly he predicted the dangerous consequences of it since experimentally verified beyond contradiction his printed Speech Decemb. 4. 1648. can attest and his Memento whiles he was a prisoner For this Speech good service of his in discovering oppugning the New Gunpower-Treason then plotted and ripened to perfection to blow up the King Parliament Lords Laws Liberties Religion at once violently prosecuted by the force Remonstrance and disobedient practises of the rebellious Army Officers and Souldiers he was on the 6th of December 1648. forcibly seised on at the Lobby-Door as he was going to discharge his trust and caried away thence by Col. Pride and others How unhumanly unchristianly Mr. Prynne seised with other Members at the House door Decemb. 6. was used by the Army-Officers who lodged him them in bell on the bare boards all that cold night almost starved him and them with hunger and cold at Whitehall the next day imprisoned him many weeks in the Strand and after seised kept him by a new Free-state warrant a strict close Prisoner in three remote Castles nigh three years for his Speech in the House against their most detestable Treasons and Jesuitical proceedings against the King Parliament Privileges and Members of it is elsewhere at large related This being all he gained by being a Member and for asserting that true Good Old Cause against the new Imposture now cryed up afresh to turn our antient Kingdom into a New Republick and our Parliament of King Lords and Commons into a select unparliamentary juncto or forty or fifty Members of the old dissipated House of Commons elected impowred only by the Army not People to act what they prescribe to extirpate King Lords Monarchy Magistracy Ministry Laws Liberties Properties and reduce them all under Jesuit â—â—oe at first and our forein Enemies Vassallage in conclusion Mr. Pryâ—â—e then being most clearly convinced thereof by what he formerly published as a Member in his Speech and Memento and since in his Epistle to a New Discovery of Free-State tyranny his Jus Patronatus his historical and legal Vindication of the fundamental Laws Liberties Rights Properties of all English Freemen A new Discovery of Romish Emissaries his Quakers unmasked and in his Republicans Good Old Cause truly and fully anatomised wherin he infallibly demonstrates their converting of our late English Monarchy into a new Common-wealth or elective Protectorship to be the antient projected moddles of Father Parsons and other Jesuites and Tho. Campanella the
were engaged therein by any Votes or Actions if he could but gain audience or patience to hear them pressed on their Consciences Viva Voce But their unparliamentary adjourning on purpose to prevent it when he was in and forcibly resecluding him by armed Gards when once out he held himself bound in Conscience to publish that to them and the the world in print which he was not permitted libertie to speak as he formerlie did when forcibly imprisoned and kept from the House by the Armie as now upon the like account in his Brief Mememto to the present unparliamentary Juncto from his Pison-Chamber at the Kings Head which they soon after took of Jan. 1. 1648. 2ly He intended to propose That all armed Gards of Souldiers in or near the Cities of London or Westminster might by publick Proclamation be removed to a convenient distance thence according to the antient Custome Presidents and Privileges of Parliament prohibiting not only all armed forces but the very bearing of any Arms or weapons in or near the place where the Parliament did sit under severest penalties lest they should over-awe the Members or any way interrupt their proceedings which the undutifull mutinous Officers Souldiers now in and near the City though raysed purposely to protect the Parliament and its Members from all force whatsoever have frequently done nay forcibly secluded imprisoned ejected the Members themselves sundry times yea turned the now sitting Members out of Doors and now again on Saturday last and this very Morning secluded him and sundry Members when they came to enter in 3ly That all the Lords all secured secluded Members of the old Parliament not sitting after Decemb. 8. 1648. now about the City being double in number to those now sitting might presently be called and freely admitted into the House And all living Members of the old Commons House elected or sitting at or before that time might by the Speakers Letter be desired in all their names to meet together in the Commons House forty daies after the ordinary time limited in most writs of Summons or Resummons of Parliament and nothing acted or voted in the interval as a House of Commons till they were all assembled after their ten years seclusion dissipation by the Armies force and war upon them This suddain unexpected Clandestine stealing into the Commons House of about 41 or 42. Members alone without any general notice given thereof to all the other surviving absent Members or places which elected them sitting presently as an House of Parliament accompanied with a present forcible seclusion of all but their own Confederates being a most unparliamentary practice conspiracy surprise unworthy Saints or persons of Honour destructive to the very being Privileges of Parliament injurious to the whole Nation as well as absent and secluded Members yea contrary to their own Republican Votes Principles That the Supream Authority of the Nation resides only in the Generality of the people That it cannot be transferred from them to any others in or out of Parliament but by their free consents and elections That their Representatives in Parliament ought to be equally distributed throughout the Nation No Member to be secluded when duly elected and all things to be carryed only by majority of Voyces Contrary to the principles of Law Equity common Justice Reason which resolve that publick Acts of Parliament bind all men because they all are Parties and Assenters to them by their election of Knights Citizens and Burgesses impowred intrusted by them and present when they passed by their common assent Which they cannot be when the farre greater number are absent secluded and have no notice of their present sitting Contrary to common Right and that just Maxime inserted into some antient Parliament Writs of Summons and elections to Sheriffs quod omnes tangit ab omnibus approbetur that which concerns all ought to be approved by all And not only so but this their surreptitious fraudulent suddain sitting and acting by themselves as a Parliament if they proceeded would make them far more criminal and guilty of highest Treason than King Richard the 2d of old impeached and dethroned in the Parliament of 1 H. 4. amongst other Articles for this That the said King in his last Parliament at Salop purposing to oppress his people subtlely procured and caused to be granted That the Power of the Parliament by the consent of all the States of his Realm should remain with certain Persons to determine after the Parliament dissolved certain Petitions delivered in the same Parliament at that time not dispatched By colour of which Concession the persons so deputed proceeded to other things generally touching that Parliament and that by the Kings will In derogationem status Parliamenti in magnum incommodum totius Regni pernitiosum exemplum In derogation of the State of the Parliament and to the great disprofit prejudice of the whole Realm and permitious example And that they might seem to have some kind of colour Authority for this kind of their proceedings the King caused the Rolls of the Parliament according to his Vote to be changed and deleted contrary to the effect of the foresaid Concession which is likewise mentioned in the printed Act of 1 H. 4. c. 3 and thus amplyfied That a certain power was committed by authority of Parliament to certain persons to proceed upon certain Articles comprised in the Rolls of the Parliament thereof made and by authority aforesaid divers Statutes Judgements Ordinances and Stablishments were made ordained and given erroneously and dolefully in great disherison and final destruction and undoing of many honourable Lords and Liege-people of the Realm and their Heirs forever wherupon that whole Pariament of 21 R. 2. with all the circumstances and dependents thereupon were wholy reversed revoked voyded undone repealed and annulled for ever If this then were so high a crime and breach of royal Trust in King R. 2. even by consent and authority of the whole Parliament and three Estates subtilly to procure the power of the whole Parliment to remain in the hands of certain Persons which themselves approved of who exceeded their Commission and acted generally as a Parliment And if this was a grand derogation of the state of the Parliament a great damage to the whole Realm and permitious example for posterity for which in the very next Parliament they impeached deposed him and nulled all these proceedings for ever Then questionless their former sitting acting in the Commons House from December 7 1648. till Apr. 20. 1653. and now again without yea against the consents Votes of the Parliament 3 Estates secluded Members their repealing altering the very Acts Ordinances of the Lords and Commons concerning the Treaty with the King and sundry others their nulling the Act for Trienial Parliments the continuance sitting of the Lords in this Parlament their â—eclaring themselves alone to be the Parliament of England beheading the King himself their
kingdom be not a sufficient proof thereof the very Objectors and John Bradshawes beheading the late King and putting him to such a shamefull publike death as no Pagan nor Christian lawfull King of England ever formerly suffered by perfidious perjurious treacherous Subjects since it was an Island against our Laws and Votes of Parliament in the Highest Court of Injustice created by them for that end is a sufficient evidence that the King of England dieth as well as other men as they all must likewise doe in Gods due time unless they will make the World believe to expiate their Treason that they did not kill the King in cutting off his head but that he is still alive because some others as is reported did reunite and sow it to his bodie when severed from it by them But of this enough since M. P. presumes they will henceforth rather renounce their Parliaments being than bottom its present existence upon this bloudy foundation and their exploded Kingship The 2d Objection is from the words of the Statute of 17 Caroli c. 7. which declareth enacteth That this present Parliament now assembled shall not be dissolved unless it be by Act of Parliament In the Negative Ergo It shall not be dissolved by the Kings death being no Act of Parliament nor any Act of Parliament yet made for its dissolution Whereunto Mr. Prynne answers 1. That the sole end scope of this Act was not to provide against the dissolution of the Parliament by the Kings natural or violent untimely death not then thought of he being in perfect health likely to live many years by the course of nature and to survive all the ends for which this Act was made but to raise credit for the Parliament to provide monies by this Act to prevent the untimely dissolution proroguing adjourning of this Parliament by the Kings own regal power He having prorogued dissolved all former Parliaments during his Reign in discontent by his Regal power not death against the Lords and Commons wills 2ly This is intituled An Act to prevent Inconveniences which may happen by the untimely adjourning proroguing or dissolving of this present Parliament and the Prologue Body of the Act provide joyntly and severally against all three to wit the untimely proroguing or adjourning as well as dissolving of this Parliament But no Parliament ever was is or possibly can be untimely prorogued or adjourned by the Kings death but only by his actual Regal will and power Therfore the dissolving of it intended by this Act must be only an untimely dissolution by his actual will Commission writ and regal power alone by which his former Parliaments were prorogued dissolved against the Lords and Commons assents not by his death whether natural or violent being against his will and no part of his Regal Supremacy but only of his human frailty 3ly The Inconveniences the Commons feared would ensue by the untimely dissolution of this Parliament and endeavoured to prevent by this Act are thus expressed in the Prologue Where as great sums of mony must of necessity be suddainly advanced and provided for relief of his Majesties Army people of the Nothern parts of this Realm and to prevent the imminent danger this Kingdome is in and for supplying of other his Majesties present and urgent occasions which cannot be so timely effected as is requisite without credit for raysing the said mony which credit cannot be obtained untiil such Obstacles he first removed as are occasioned by Fears Jealousies Apprehensions of divers of his Majesties Subjects that this present Parliament may be adjourned prorogued or dissolved 1. before Justice shall be executed upon Delinquents 2ly publike grievances redressed 3ly a firm peace between the two Nations of England and Scotland concluded 4ly and before sufficient provision be made for the repayment of the said monies so to be raysed all which the Commons in this present Parliament assembled having duly considered do therefore humbly beseech your most excellent Majesty that it may be declared and enacted And be it therefore declared and enacted by the King our Soveraign Lord with the assent of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by authority of the same That this present Parliament now assembled shall not be dissolved unless it be by Act of Parliament to be passed for that purpose c. By which it is undenyable 1. That the Commons when they petitioned for the King when he declared enacted the Lords and Commons when they assented to this Act did never think of or intend to provide against a dissolution of this Parliament by the Kings untimely death nor of a future dissolving it by an Act of Parliament by his Successors or others after his decease but on the contrary presupposed the continuance of his life and of this Parliament thereby till all the inconveniences they recite were prevented and a new Act passed by him and them jointly to dissolve this Parliament when these Inconveniences were prevented and things effected Which is irrefragable 1. Because they declare in Terminis The speedy advancing and providing of monies for the relief of his Majesties Armies and people of the Nothern parts not their subsequent Armies and the supply of his Maiesties present and urgent occasions not their own and the Fears Jealousies and Appâ—ehensions of divers his Maiesties Loyal Subiects c. â—o be the only ground of their humbly beseeching his Maiesty for this Act. All which presuppose his life being preservation and the Commons great care of complying with him as their Soveraign Lord without the least thought of his untimely death since happening or secluding the King or his Poûeritie out of this and all future Parliaments by colour of this Act as those now sitting have done point-blanck against it 2ly The Fears Jealousies and Apprehensions they had occasioning this Act were only these That this Parliament might be adjourned pâ—orogued dissolved 1. Before Justice shall be duly executed upon Delinquents then in being and complained of as Strafford Canterbâ—ry the Ship-mony Judges and others not new Delinquents since not then dreamed of 2ly Before publick Grievances redressed hose then complained of not others arising afterwards 3ly Before a firm peace between the two Nations of England and Scotland concluded by reason of the former not subsequent breaches between them and the King 4ly Before sufficient provision to be made for the repayment of the said monies to be raised not for the Parliaments subsequent Armyes and occasions but for his Maiesties Army and people in the North the preventing the then imminent danger of this Kingdom not of our new Common-wealth or dangers since arising and for supply of other his Maiesties present not future and urgent occasions But none of these four particulars could be accomplished by the Lords or Commons alone afâ—er his Majesties death but by the King alone or by his concurrence with them whiles living Yea they were all actually accomplished
Frauds and indirect practises in others 3ly That old House of Commons had a special care of providing for the Kings Armie his urgent and present occasions professed themselves his loyal Subjects and him to be their King and Soveraign Lord humblie besought his most Excellent Majesty that it might be declared and enacted by him that this Parliament might not be dissolved prorogued or adjourned but by Act of Parliament acknowledging they could make no such Act without his Majesties Royal assent and that both the King and Lords House were essential Members of the Parliament within this Act. But those sitting since 1648. till 1653. and now again thus entring the House by pretext of this Act have renounced abjured and professedlie engaged against all this to which they are direct Antipodes Therefore no Commons House within this Act. 4ly The Commons House within this Act was that House which was then in being when this Act passed dulie elected by the people by the Kings Writs not the Armie-Officers and pursued the self-same ends recited in the preamble for which this Act was made and assented to by the King and Lords But this New House was created constituted not by the Kings writs or peoples election but the Armies swords and conspiracie 7 years after this Act first passed then disowned and turned out of Doors above 6 years by the Army and now re-inducted into it by their armed Votes and force to serve their ends not to pursue those mentioned in the Act accomplished many years since and now becoming impossible Therefore they are not so much as an House of Commons within this Act and the Armie-Officers and Souldiers who formerly thrust them out now recall them may do well to consider that Gospel-Text Gal. 2.18 If I build again the thing I destroyed I make my self a Transgressor even against this very Law as well as the law of God and other laws of the Land XI If they are not so much as a Commons House of Parliament much less then are they the lawfull Parliament of England in anie sense within the letter or meaning of this Act no more than so manie of the old Gunpowder Popish-Traitors had their Treason taken so good effect in blowing up King Iames the Lords whole House and majoritie of the Commons House there assembled as their late new Powder-plot hath done had been the onlie lawfull Parliament of 3 Iac. they destroyed in case they had entred then into the Commons House with the Mace before them and created stiled themselves alone the Parliament of England as a right devolved unto them by Conquest or Succession which had they presumed to do no doubt the whole English Nation would have risen up against them as one man and never have so far dishonored themselves their Religion or Countrie as to own and submit to those Jesuitical Romish-Traitors only for destroying of their lawfull King Lords House and English Parliament it self as the onlie true old English Parliament then re-assembled The Reasons are unanswerable 1. Because the whole House of Commons then sitting in its primitive splendor fullnesse freedome was by its own quadruple acknowledgement in it no more but the Commons House and one Member of this Parliament not the Parliament it self never owning owning but professedlie disclaiming it self to be the Parliament or present Parliament within this Act. 2 ly Because this Act was made not by the Commons alone without the King or Lords concurrence but by the King as their Soveraign Lord declaring and enacting and the Lords and Commons as jointlie assenting thereunto 3 ly Because it is most absurd to conceive that the King and Lords by passing this Act to continue this Parliament as then constituted till dissolved by Act of Parliament did ever intend to seclude themselves quite out of it or to make the Commons House alone an absolute independent Parliament without both or either of them though five times speciallie providing by name for their Parliamentarie interests Or that they or the Commons intended to make each of themselves a distinct Parliament without the other and so to erect three New Parliaments at once by providing against the untimelie proroguing adjourning or dissolving of one The King and Lords both jointlie and severallie having the self-same Arguments from this Act to prove each of them a several or joint Parliament without the Commons by the Commons own intention in passing this law as the Commons have to justifie themselves to be a Parliament now they have secluded and engaged against them both and will admit of neither as Members of their Parliament when as this verie Act preciselie prohibits the King to dissolve prorogue or adjourn the Parliament or either House therof or the Lords to prorogue or adjourn much less dissolve the Commons House or the Commons to prorogue or adjourn much lesse dissolve the Lords House declaring and enacting That at any time or times during the continuance of this Parliament the Lords House shall not be adjourned nor yet the Commons House but onlie by their own respective Orders and by themselves alone declaring enacting everie thing and things whatsoever done or to be done to the contrarie to be utterly void and of none effect 4 ly Because this Act both in the Title prologue and body prevents onlie the untimely proroguing adjourning and dissolving of this present Parliament at any time or times during the continuance of it but by Act of Parliament or themselves stiling it 8. several times this present Parliament and giving it no other Title yea it preciselie describes it to be a Parliament onlie of King Lords and Commons as it was when this Act was made and so to continue till its dissolution But the Parliament now sitting was not this present Parliament being not then known heard of nor imagined ever to start up in After-ages by any who made or consented to this Law it being created onlie by the Armie 7 years after this Act and now revived full 18 years after it without anie King or House of Lords and protesting engaging against them both as no Members of it Neither can they pursue any one of those ends for which this Parliament was continued Therefore they are doubtlesse beyond dispute no Parliament at all within the words or intention thereof their own Consciences Reason being Judges whatever they pretend nor yet by their own Republican principles a free and equal Representative of the people 6 ly By the Law and Custom of all Nations Nature Reason Justice Equitie the laws of England and of all publick or private Ecclesiastical Civil or Militarie Councils or Corporations the Majority of persons Members Voyces Votes are alwayes reputed the Parliament Council Synod Corporation and do yea ought of right to bind the lesser part as well in making Laws Ordinances as Elections and all else that concerns the publick Yea the General and General Counsel of the Army-Officers in their Petition to those and others now
Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance as unlawfull Oaths which themselves took and ought to take before they sate or could sit as Members in the Commons House by the Statutes of 5 El. c. 2. 7 Iac. c. 6. which Oaths were specially made by the great wisedom care and piety of our Protestant Parliaments purposely to detect the persons and prevent the plots conspiracies Assasinations Treasons Vsurpations and new Gun-powder plots of the Romish Jesuites popish Priests Papists and their Instruments against the Lives Crowns Prerogatives of our Protestant Kings Princes their Royal posterity Realms Parliaments our protestant Church and Religion as the Statutes of 1 Eliz. c. 1. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 3 Jac. c. 4. 7 Iac. c. 6. and other Acts with King Iames his Apology for the Oath of Allegiance and sundry learned Treatises in defence of these Oaths declare at large Which Oaths were refused opposed only by the most Iesuited and desperate Papists at home and abroad but approved by the moderatest and loyallest Priests and Lay-Papists who writ in justification of them and repealed to their greatest joy and advantage by our Jesuitized zealous Republicans 3ly They discharged absolved themselves and all other Members Subjects Officers who had taken these Oaths as most had frequently done from the future Observation of them and of their Solemn Protestation Vow League National Covenant made in pursuance of them contrary to this expresse Clause in the Oath of Allegiance I do believe and in Conscience am resolved That neither the Pope nor any Person whatsoever hath Power to absolve me of this Oath or any part thereof which I acknowledge by good and full Authority to be lawfully administred to me and do renounce all Pardons and Dispensations to the contrary And all these things I do plainly and sincerely acknowledge and swear according to the expresse words by me spoken and plain and common sense of the said words without any equivocation or mental reservation And I do make this recognition and acknowledgement Heartily Willingly and Truly upon the Faith of a Christian Yet these faithlesse Republicans who took this Oath as Members and several times else upon other occasions thus atheistically like so many absolute Popes against all Laws of Nations Nature absolved themselves and all others from it and set it with the Oath of Supremacy Covenant Protestation quite aside like old Almanacks out of date 4ly Not content herewith they imposed a new Engagement diametrically contrary to these Oaths the Protestation Vow Solemn League and Covenant which every one must subscribe with his hand To be true and faithfull to their New Common-wealth as established by them without a King or House of Lords putting all English Freemen whatsoever into a New-praemunire upon a bare suggestion only before proof or conviction and disabling them to sue in any Court of their Republick or to receive or enjoy any degree office augmentation or preferment whatsoever Spiritual Ecclesiastical Civil or Military or sit as Members then and now again unless they would publickly subscribe it Which Engagement thousands of our Godly protestant Ministers Gentry Freemen refusing to subscribe were thereupon barred of their Actions Executions Iudgements to recover their just Debts Rights Inheritances Goods Offices denyed their degrees of Learning ejected out of their Benefices Headships Fellowships Vice-Chancelorships Augmentations Offices Freeholds Callings against all rules of Law Conscience Iustice Equity Religion the Fundamental Laws and Liberties of the Land their Native Birth-Rights after all their Contests Wats Contributions Prayers Fasts endeavours for their defence And all by these Free-State-Men A Tyranny Treachery Perjury Apostacy transcending any since the Creation yet most eagerly pursued by them all their Reign to the utter ruine of many consciencious honest Protestants and great rejoycing of all Iesuites and Popish Enemies both at home and abroad 5ly The very first Act of Iustice they did by the first Commission of the peace they passed under their New Republican Great Seal for Middlesex at the first Sessions held under them at Hix-hall Febr. 1628. was the enlarging of a dangerous Jesuits and another old seducing Papist formerly imprisoned in the New prison the only Acts done in this first Session as thâ—se present then informed Mr. Prynne with much regret Which was seconded with the subsequent enlargement of other Jesuites Priests Papists elsewhere imprisoned whereas on the contrary they shut up Sir William Waller Sir Will. Lewes Sir John Clotworthy Major General Brown Comissary Coply Mr. Prynne Mr. Clement Walker close prisoners in sundry remote Castles divers years together without any cause expressed and Mr. Gewen with other Members several Monthes and sundry Godly Ministers Protestants of all sorts throughout the Land as well Paliamenteers as former Cavaliers yea beheaded Mr. Love an eminent Protestant Minister and other Protestants but not one Papist in their illegal High-Courts of Justice erected by them against all our Laws whiles these Romish Locusts were thus enlarged unprosecuted and had free liberty to wander up and down our three Nations and act what they pleased to work our Kingdoms Churches and Religions ruine 6ly The first who publikely owned them for a Common-wealth congratulated this their glorious change atchievement and entred into a League with them was the most Catholick K. of Spain the Popes Jesuites chief Patron and Propagator of their Catholick Faith and designs whose interests they prosecuted during all their Republican domination 7ly They entted into a bloodie invasive war against their Brethren of Scotland onlie for owning their rightfull Soveraign King CHARLES after his Fathers beheading according to their Laws Oathes Duties and Solemn League and Covenant invaded their Country without any provocaion slew many thousands of them with furie and cruelty in the Field starved destroyed hundreds of them taken prisoners by them and sold others of them into forein plantations for Slaves imprisoned sequestred banished most of their zealous Godly Protestant Ministers Nobles Gentry took all their Cities Castles Forts Amunition Arms conquered inthralled their whole Kingdom put them under intollerable Taxes Tributes and Iron-yokes of armed Governors Garrisons still continued amongst them to our cost destroyed their presbyterial and civil Government and for an everlasting Monument of this their barbarous unbrotherly kindnesse and gratitude towards them for their former assistances not only kept Solemn publick Thanksgiving-Dayes throughout their Republicke for their Slaughters of and Victories over them but hanged up all their Ensigns in Westminster Hall and transported all their Records close prisoners to the Tower of London where they yet continue 8ly They instigated the Dutch to set aside the Prince of Orange his Family and put them out of the superiour Commands places of Trust they formerly merited and enjoyed out of malice to the beheaded Kings Progeny mutined the States against each other and then entted into a most costly bloody dangerous unchristian War with those our old Protestant Friends and Allyes continuing all
Scripture in your sense and never yet read of in the militant or triumphant Church of Christ Let Mr. Prynne a little expostulate the case with you not as a Lawyer but as a Christian Do you indeed believe the Scripture to be the very will and word of the Great King the Soveraign Lord and Iudge of all the Earth and of Jesus Christ the King of Kings the Lord of Lords and King of Saints which you are bound in Conscience under pain of eternal damnation to believe and obey If not proclaim it as loud to the world with your Voyces as you do by your Swords Actions and then all will know you in your Native colours to be no Saints but real Atheists and all reasonings with you will be in vain But having better perswasions of you That you believe the Scripure to be the only rule of your Consciences Iudgements Lives both as Souldiers and Christians Then answer clearlie to these interrogations The Lord of Hosts himself most peremptorilie and preciselie commands you To fear God honour the King 1 Pet. 2.17 Rom. 13.7 Yea to fear the Lord and the King coupling both these together as unseperable and not to meddle with those who are given to change Prov. 24.21 How can how dare you then dishonour vilitie reproach destroy both your natural Kings and Kingship too without the least fear at all of God or the King and change them into a New Republican Conventicle He commands you to subject your selves to the King as Supream both by the Ordinance of God and man and that for the Lords sake and avoiding scandal to Religion 1 Pet. 2.12 13. To be subject to the Higher Powers and amongst them more especiallie to Kings and Principalities and that not only for fear of wrath but for Conscience sake for these Reasons clearlie expressed Because they are of God and ordained by God Because they are the Ministers of God for your good Because they are Gods Avengers to punish you if you disobey resist or do evil Because they who resist them resist the Ordinance of God and shall receive to themselves damnation Rom. 13.1 to 8. Tit. 3.1 2. VVith what face heart confidence conscience then can or dare you not onlie not submit subject your selves to but exalt your selves above against your lawfull Soveraign Kings and Higher powers so far as not onlie to resist but destroy their Persons Powers Kingships Principalities themselves though Gods own Ordinance and that out of pretended Zeal and Conscience too and hope to receive a Crown on Earth or in Heaven for it when as God himself denounceth Damnation to you for your verie unwarrantable resistance of them alone and much more for their destruction God requires you to make Prayers Supplications Intercessions and giving of thanks first of all FOR KINGS that YOU may live a peaceable and quiet life under them in all Godliness and honestie for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour To make prayers to the God of Heaven FOR THE LIFE OF THE KING AND OF THE KINGS SONS Ezra 6.12 13. To pray with all the primitive Church and Saints of Cod Psal 72.1 Give the King thy Judgement O God and thy Righteousness unto the Kings Sun How can how dare you then not onlie neglect these Duties but prohibit condemn punish them as no lesse than High Treason in others and not onlie fight but curse revile pray against the King and the Kings Sons too and take away their lives livelihoods instead of praying for them reputing it both your godlynesse honesty yea a Duty acceptable and well pleasing unto God Hear O Heavens and tremble O Earth at this great impietie God commands you Eccles 8.2 To keep the Kings Commandement and that in regard of the Oath of God And dare you against all your Oaths of Fealty Homage Supremacy Allegiance Protestation League Covenant printed Declarations and your own Propositions 1 August 1647. That the Kings Person and Royal issue may be restored to a condition of safety honor and freedom in this Nation without diminution of their personal Rights doth abjure eradicate King Kingship and the Royal Posterity that you may no more keep nor obey anie of their Superior Commands and prefer the Commands of anie undutifull Army-Officers raised onlie to defend the King and Parliament from all force and violences before both their Ordinances Proclamations Commissions Votes to both their ruines God injoyns you not to Curse the King no not in your thoughts not to revile or speak evil of the Ruler of your People Eccles 10.20 Exod. 22.28 Acts 23.5 Tit. 32. And can you like those wicked Idolators Isay 8.21 Curse your King and your God and look upward and like those unjust carnal bruitish Beasts made to be destroyed and reserved to the day of Judgement to be punished despise Dominion speak evil of Dignities Kings Kingship 2 Pet. 9. to 14. Jude 8.9 10. for which the Cospel it self denounceth Woe unto you perishing in the gain-saying of Core Jude 11 that you shall utterly perish in your own Corruption and receive the reward of unrighteousnesse 2 Pet. 2.12 13. Christ himself more tha◠once enjoyns you in the Cospel To render to Caesar the things that are Caesars to wit all his Dues Tributes Custom Fear Honor Mat. 22.17 21. Mar. 12.16 17. Lu. 20.22 24 25. Rom. 13.7 how can or dare you then wrongfully forciblie take away and detain from your rightfull King Caesar not onlie all these his Dues and Crown-lands too but his verie Crown life to boot instead of making restitution of them to his Son when he came to demand the fruits of his Fathers Vineyard do and say with those wicked Husbandmen in the Gospel Mat. 21.38 39. Lu. 20.14 this is the Heir come let us kill him and the Inheritance shall be ours and cast him out of the Vineyard O remember the sad doom which Christ himself and all his Auditors have denounced against you for it in these Texts Luke 19. 27. then tremble at it If all these Precepts will not affect nor reform you Consider That it hath been the general constant importunate desire of all Nations and Gods own People too wherin God himself hath gratified them to set up Kings to judge rule them and fight their battels Deut. 17.14 15. 1 Sam. 8.5.19 20 22. Jer. 25.18 to 27. For all the people unanimouslie to rejoyce and expresse their gladnesse contentment satisfaction delight triumph at their Kings solemn inaugurations with Trumpets Feasts Shouts Acclamations to eccho out this unanimous publick Ovation again and again God save the King Let the King live O King live for ever and to use the self-same expressions in all their private and publick Addresses 1 Sam. 11.24 2 Sam. 16.16 1 Kings 1.25.34 39. 2 Kings 11.12 2 Chron. 23 11. Ezra 6.10 Psal 72.10 15. Dan. 2.4 c. 3.9 c. 6.6.21 Mat. 21·5 9 And
will you be Antipodes to all other Nations yea to Gods own people in all Ages and cry out still with united shouts O do not save but destroy crucifie behead extirpate King and Kingship too away with them away with them from the earth let them never live but die die and that for evermore What madnesse what frenzie is this When the wicked Jews cryed out to Pilate against our Saviour Jesus Christ who was born King of the Iews Mat. 2.2 away with him away with him crucifie him crucifie him Pilate himself used this Argument to represse their furie Behold your King shall I crucifie your King At which they were so non-plussed that their Chief Priests had no other Answer but this to evade it We have no King but Caesar If thou let this Man go thou art not Caesars Friend whosoever maketh himself a King speaketh against Caesar upon which he deliâ—â—â—ed him over to them to be crucified And when Pilate put this Title on his Crosse Jesus of Nazareth King of the IEWS the Chief Priests were angry at it and said to Pilate write not King of the IEWS but that he said I am King of the Jews being all convinced that it was a most barbarous shamefull inhuman worse than Jewish act for any Subjects or people to crucifie their lawfull King though in a way of Publick Justice whence the Apostle thus reasons 1 Cor. 2.8 That had the Princes of this world and Iews themselves known or believed Christ to be their King they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory And shall you not prove then far more transcendently impious treacherous than the worst of Jew of Mortals not only in your former crucifying beheading your undoubted known lawfull hereditary King which they abhorred to do but his Kingly Office and Posterity too if you cry still away with them away with them wittingly wilfully uncessantly their blood be on us and our Children after us And will not the wrath of God come upon you and yours to the uttermost for this your high provocation as it did upon these Jews if you do not speedily repent of it 1 Thes 2.15 16. It was the loyalty piety of David a Man after Gods own heart a gallanter Commander Souldier Conqueror than the best greatest of you when he was persecuted in the Field by his Soveraign King Saul and his Army hunted as a Partridge from place to place to take away his life and had several opportunities to destroy him without danger put into his hands and was twice importuned by his rude Souldiers to slay him or permit them to do it that he rebuked this evil spirit and counsell in them and gave them this Answer The Lord forbid that I should do this thing unto my Master that I should stretch forth my Hand against the Lords Anointed seeing he is the anointed of the Lord destroy him not FOR WHO CAN stretch forth his hand against the Lords anointed AND BE INNOGENT And when the Amalekite brought tydings to him of Sauls death telling him that he had slain him by Sauls own command and presented him with his Crown and bracelets expecting a great reward from him for those good tydings being formerly anointed by God to succeed him He gave him no other answer nor reward but this How wa st thou not afraid to stretch forth thy hand to destroy the Lords anointed Thy bloud be upon thy head for thy mouth hath testifyed against thee saying I HAVE SLAIN THE LORDS ANOINTED And he called one of the young men and said Go near and fall upon him And he smote him that he died And David and all the men that were with him â—ent their clothes and lamented with a most pathetical lamentation over Saul recorded for ever in sacred writ 2 Sam. 1.12 to the end The like reward he gave to the murderers of Ishbosheth his competitor 2 Sam. 4.10 11 12. And can you then conceit you were guided by the holy Spirit of God which dwelt in David Or that you deserve the Title of men after Gods own heart of Saints of honorable pious Commanders Soldiers for speaking declaring acting against your K. diametrically contrary to him in all these particulars and glorying in it as your highest praise valour Saintship His tender heart smote him to the quick for cutting off only the skirt of King Sauls garment privily when he refused to offer the least violence to his person as his Soldiers counselled him because he had cut off Saul skirt and will not your Adamantine hearts harder than the nether Milstone yet smite you with the least compunction for cutting off KING CHARLES HIS HEAD publickly and parting not only his Garments amongst you as the Souldiers did our Saviours when they crucified him but his Crown and Kingdoms too After David succeded Saul in his Throne his Captains Souldiers People were so carefull to preserve his life from the least appearance of danger That when he would have gone out to Battel against his rebellious Son Absolom who usurped the Crown They answered him Thou shalt not go forth for if we flye away or half of us dye they will not set their hearts on us but now thou art as ten thousand of us yea they swore to him at another time Thou shalt no more go out with us to Battel least thou quench the light of Israel 2 Sam. 21.17 And when Absolom was slain All the People were at strife through all the Tribes of Israel saying Absolom whom we anointed over us is dead in Battel Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the King back Whereupon they earnestly contended who should be the fiâ—st that should bring back the King 2 Sam. 19.9 10 14 15 41 42 43. And can you then not only professedly go out to Battel against the King himself and Parliament too against all Parliament-Votes Oâ—dinances Declarations Commissions by which you weâ—e raised â—or their mutual defence but destroy and slay them both in cold blood after the Battel ended by a Friendly Treaty to prevent all accord between them and instead of bringing the King again to his Royal City Parliament Throne in peace and safety from the Isle of Wight not speak one word theâ—eof but bring him only back again to a most disloyal illegal bloody execution not repent of but persevere in this unparallel'd treachery against his son even after your anoynted Absolom who engaged you in these unsaintly unsoldierly Un-English Treasons by the stroke of God himself is dead and his Son set aside by your selves through divine retaliation In few words can it ever be your honor glory a Saintâ— to be the Instrumentâ— Executioners of Gods wrath and vengeance upon your own Native Kings Kingdoms Churches Countrie to oppresse consume and eat out all their publick private Wealth Revenues and burthen them with endlesse Taxes Excises to maintain your needlesse uselesse forces only to over-awe overturn them all
as his Ministers Officers Viceroyes Deputies and are appointed commissioned accountable to judged removed by him alone as subordinate Kings were by the Emperors Kings of Babylon Assyria Parthia and our Edgar who were stiled King of Kings because Kings were Subjects to them held their Crowns by from and under them and did homage to them as their Subjects as you may read at large in Mr. Seldens Titles of Honour part 1. ch 3. sect 2. and Dan 2.21.37 38.47 c. 4.17.25 many of these Kings losing this Title of King of Kings when their subordinate Kings and kingdoms revolted ceased or escheated into their own hands In relation to these Titles of Christ it is expresly prophecied Ps 72.10.11 The KINGS of Tarshish and OF THE ISLES shall bring presents principally intended veâ—ified of this our Island of Great Britain which had the fiâ—st Christian King we read of in all the world Lucius the first Christian Queen Helena the first and most glorious Christian Emperor Constantine the Great the first Christian King who opposed abolished the Popes Supremacie Henrie the 8. the first Protestant King who by publike Acts of Parliament abolished both the Pope and Poperie and established the reformed Protestant Religion the first Protestant Queen who did the like to wit King Edward the 6. and Queen Elizabeth and more devout pious Kings Queens martyred for religion canonized for SAINTS and reputed such in the Churches of Christ and Kalendars of Saints than anie other Kingdom or Countrie in the world how great or populous soever as our own and forein Histories record to our immortal Honor. It then follows the Kings of Sheba Seba shall offer gifts yea ALL KINGS shall fall down before him in way of adoration by their president and leading example all Nations under them shall serve him How can how dare you then abolish Kings Kingship Lords especially in our Island without committing the highest Treason not only against our Kings and Lords but the Lord Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Since REGNUM ANGLIAE EST REGNUM DEI IPSE SIBI REGES PROVIDEBIT as our Historians inform us And can you resist his power with all your armed forces are you stronger than he when he shall enter into judgment with you for depriving him of these Title 2ly Consider It is Gods special promise covenant made to Abraham the Fatâ—er of the Faithfull Gen 17.6 I will make thee exceeding fruitful I will make Nations of thee Kings shall come out of thee And his extraordinarie blessing on Sara v 16. I will bless her she shall be a Mother of Nations Kings of People shall be of her 3ly It was Judah his blessing Prerogative Gen. 49.8.10 Thy Fathers children shall bow down before thâ—e The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come 4ly When Balaam prophecied of the happiness prosperity of Israel he useth these as the highest expressions thereof Nâ—m 23.21 c. 24.7 The shoâ—t of a KING is among them and his KING shall be higher than Agag and his Kingdoms shall be exalted 5ly It is recorded by the Spirit of God 2 Sam. 5.12 David perceived that the Lord had established him King over Israel and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Israels sake And when God after he made him King over them had promised by the mouth of the Prophet Nathan 2 Sam 7.10 Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel and will plant them that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them as before time under their Judges How did God effect this promise but by establishing an hereditarie kingdom amongst them in David during his life whom he caused to rest from all his Enemies round about And when thy dayes be fulfilled and thou shalt sleep with thy Fathers I will set up thy seed after thee which shall proceed out of thy bowels and will establish his Kingdom And thine House and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee and thy Throne shall be established forever Ver 11 12 16. How much holy David was transported yea ravished with this News from heaven and with what enlargement of Spirit he blâ—ssâ—d God for and prayed for the accomplishment of it as the greatest blessing and confirmation of his people Israel by God himself v 23 24 and the highest honor blessing to his own house you may read to the end of the Chapter Thus again amplified by him in his Speech to his Princes to his Captains of thousands of hundreds Officers and other mighty men 1 Chron 28.4 to 10. The Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my Father to be King over Israel for ever and he hath chosen Iudah to be Ruler of the house of Jâ—dah the house of my Father and among the sons of my Father he liked me to make me King over all Israel and of all my sons he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the Throne of the Kingdom of the Lord over Israel And he said unto me I will be his Father Moreover I will establish his kingdom for ever if he be constant to doe my commandements and my judgements as at this day Now therefore in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord and in the audience of our God keep and seek for all the commandements of the Lord your God that you may possess this good Land and leave it for an Inheritance for your children after you for ever An hereditarie Kingdom being the chiefest means and blessing under God to preserve the inheritances not only of the Princes Nobles and mightie men but even of Colonels Captaines and Souldiers themselves in Gods and Davids computation who lost all they had by â—orsaking their lawful Hereditarie Kings and were carried into captivitie 6ly The accomplishment of this Promise to David his seed was reputed an extraordinarie blessing to the Israelites not only by King David Solomon God himself the people oâ— Jerusalem and the whole Land as you may read in the 1 of Kings 1.36 37 38 39 40 45 46 47 48. c. 2.4.12 c. 3.6 to 15. c. 8.20 25 26 27. worthy perusal but even by foreign Kings and Queens Witness that memorable Letter of Hiram King of Tyre to Solomon 2 Chron. 2.11 12. Because the Lord hath loved his people he hath made thee King over them Blâ—ssâ—d be the Lord God of Israel that hath made heaven and earth who hath given to David the King a wise son endued with prudence and understanding that might build an House for the Lord and an house for his kingdom And that speech of the Queen of Sheba to him 1 Kingâ— 10.9 2 Chron 9.8 Blessed be the Lord thy God which delighteth in thee to set thee on his Throne to be King for the Lord thy God Because
after that they had slain Athaliah with the Sword 2 Kings 11.4 c. 2 Chron. 23. This Ioash being afterwards slain by the conspiracy of his Servants against him Amaziah his Son reigned in his stead by hereditarie Succession who when he was established in the kingdoÌ„ slew his Servants that had slain the King his Father but not their Children according to the Law of Moses After this Ammon the Son of Manasses succeeding his father worshipping his Idols following his Sinnes and trespassing more and more without humbling himself his Servants conspired against him and slew him in his own House But the People of the Land slew all that had conspired against King Ammon and made Josiah his Son King in his stead not disinherited him for his Fathers and Grand-Fathers crying Sinner as the only means ordained by God for their safety peace and settlement Which sacred Presidents of Gods own registring and his peculiar peoples making in obedience to his Commands for our imitation in like cases are a more real sacred means to our present peace safety establishment than any the Army-Saints Sectaries Iesuites and Westminster Conclave can prescribe and the Parliament Statute of 27 Eliz. c. 1. have declared enactâ—diit to be legal as well as scriptural 11ly When God himself promised restitution from Captivity and resettlement re-establishment to his people he doth it by promising the restitution of their lawfull hereditary King and kingdom to them and the re-uniting of their kingdoms formerly divided by rebellion against and revolt from the House of David and hereditary Royal line into one Mich. 213. c. 4.8 Their King shall pass before them and the Lord on the head of them even the first Dominion the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Jerusalem Zech. 9.9 c. Rejoyce greatly Oh Daughter of Zion behold thy King cometh unto thee be is just and having Salvation c. and his Dominion shall be from Sea to Sea and to the end of the Earth Isaiah 32.1 2. Behoâ—d a King shall reign in Righteousnesse and Princes shall rule in Judgement And he shall be as a hiding place from the wind and a Covert from the Tempest as Rivers of Water in a dry place as the shadow of a great Rock in a weary Land Ezech. 37.22 24. And I will make them one Nation in the Land upon the Mountain of Israel and one King shall be King to them all and they shall be no more two Nations neither thall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more And David my Servant shall be KING over them they shall all have one Shepheard over them they shall also walk in my Judgements and keep my Statutes and do them And they shall dwell in the Land that I have given to Iacob my Servant even they and their Children and their Childrens Children FOR EVER and my Servant David shall be their Prince for ever Which is likewise repeated and amplyfied Ezech. 39.23 24 Zeph. 3.13 14. Jer. 23.4 5 c. 33.14 15 16. Which Texts though mistically meant of our King and Saviour Jesus Christ hereditary Son of David according to the flesh sitting upon his Fathers Throne and ruling for ever over his mystical Kingdom and Church as is evident by comparing them with Isay 9.6 7 18. Dan. 7.27 Lu. 1.32 33. yet since King David Solomon and other pious Kings of Israel and their hereditary kingdom were types of our Spiritual King Iesus and of his everlasting spiritual kingdom And Christ Jesus under the very Title Name Notion of an hereditary King alone not of an Optimacy Oligarchy Popularity Democracy or elective King is thus prophesied to be a Saviour Redeemer Restorer Establisher Preserver Defender of his captivated oppressed inthralled dissipated divided unreformed Subjects Kingdom Church People and his perpetual presence with and reign over them is made the only ground of the restauration unity felicity prosperity safety perpetuity of his kingdom and people as David Solomon and other good Kings of Israel were to their Subjects during their successiive Reigns and seeing Christs mistical Church and Saints are alwaies thus stiled his Kingdom a Kingdom but never a Free-State or Common wealth at least but once Eph. 2.12 the only Text throughout the whole Bible where this word is mentioned in any kind and that not in opposition or contradistinction to a Kingdom but as the very same thing with it as our Kingdom in some Statutes is stiled a Common wealth as being the excellentest honourablest durablest freest happiest of all other forms of Republick under which general name it is comprised It thence infallibly follows that an hereditary Kingship kingdome is the best happiest durablest securest honourablest desireablest of all other Governments whatsoever being the verie Government of Jesus Christ himself who according to the flesh was born King of the Iews and sits upon the Throne of David his Father Mat. 2.2 Lu. 1.32 33. and was not chosen King by his Saints like an Elective King but elected them to be his Subjects as he expreslie resolves Iohn 15.16 1 Pet. 1 2.9 Rev. 17.14 And that the restitution of this our antient Kingly Government not of a new Jesuitical Spanish Outlandish Republick is the true and only way to our restauration redemption peace settlement safetie and future prosperity as the Parliament and most excellent preamble of the Statute of 25 H. 8. c. 22 worthy perusal resolves Wherin after many long intestine civil wars for the Title succession of the Crown and Soveraigntie of our Realm The Nobles and Commons assembled in Parliament calling to mind That the unity peace and wealth of this Realm and the Succession and Inheritance of the Subjects in the same most specially and principally above all worldly things let our Republicans and Westminster Juncto observe it well consisteth and resteth in the certainty and surety of the procreation and posterity of the Kings Highness in whose most Royal person at this present time is no manner of doubt nor question as the Statutes of 1 Jac. c. 1 2. resolve there was none at all in King Iames or King Charles did thereupon by this special Act and a strict Oath declare aad establish the surety title or succession of the Crown of England in him and his Heirs for ever upon which dependeth all our joy and wealth as they more at large expresse 13ly God himself in direct terms declares that it is a matter and badge of honour and prosperity for any Nation to be advanced from a Commonwealth or Principality into a Kingdom Ezech. 15.13 14. Thou didst prosper into a Kingdom And thy renown went forth among the Heathen for thy beauty for it was perfect through my comelynesse which I put upon thee saith the Lord which compared with Rom. 13.1 Let every Soul be subject to the Higher Powers for there is no Power but of God the Powers that are ordained of God Col. 1.16 For by him are all things created that are in Heaven and
in good hopes that all these undenyable unanswerable Scriptural considerations will fully convince and convert our Republican Conventicle and Army-Officers too from their Jesuitical destructive modle of A Common-wealth unto the love and restitution of our antient hereditary Kings Kingship as the only Divine Saint-like Gospel safe probable way to our future lasting peace and settlement which he intended to have propounded to them Finally if you are resolved notwithstanding the premises to Act as a Parliament without your secluded fellow Members King or House of Lords then follow the Presidents of all your Protestant Predecessors in these particulars 1. Take into your saddest considerations the great increase disguises of dangerous Jesuits and other Romish vipers now amongst us which A. B. a Jesuite in his Mutatus Polemo Or The Horrible Stratagems of the JESUITS lately practised in England during the Civil Wars and now discovered by him a RECLAIMED ROMANIST imployed before as a Workman of the Mission from his Holiness dedicated by him to your own President Bradshaw published by SPECIAL COMMAND of your New Republike London Printed for Rob. White 1650. thus relates to your selves and the world p. 3 4. That he could bring in to your COUNSEL-TABLE a horrible long Catalogue of more perniciously damnable Actors of JESUITICAL Devils in mens shapes yea in MINISTERS too crept in from forein Seminaries to undermine our Church and State then was in the yeer 1605. in that infernal Powder-plot That there was one Regiment or more of them under Sir John Kempsfield a Commander of the Horse in the late Kings Armie who discerning the Kings inclination to close with the Scots and Presbytâ—rians and expecting no advantage to their Cause by siding with him held their private Conventicles and Councels at Oxford wherein they resolved to desert and draw off all their own and all his other Forces from him and close with the prevailing Parliament partie which they accordingly effected That upon the Kings departing to the Scots Armie and surrender of Oxford the Jesuits Priests and Popish partie under him not only changed the habits of their minds but bodies also turning from upside Cavaliers and High Royalists and God-dammees holie Converts and Parliamenteers nothing but the Holy Covenant being heard in their mouthes For our bodies Proteus is lesse than a fiction to us He that ere while was a Commander in a ranting equipage is now slinking into a Coblers stall or Weavers loom or Tapsters Apron or Coachmans box or Beggars weed or Horsemans frock or Serving-mans liverie or Tailors shop or Pulpit-thumping Presbyters Gippo into what not It is not unknown what trade we drive beyond Sea when no Trade comes amisse to us To make this good our Governors the States of this Commonwealth if they will deign to hear me now their true Servant shall bee eâ—tsoon able to call out manie a sheep-clothed-wolf from their stations stalls looms aprons weeds liveries shops yea and Bust coats what say you to Pulpiâ—s too Let not Engl. now like a bird ah me pursued by several fierce flying Falcons and too too near the intended hard gripes of their cruely sharp tallons either out of a dull or drowsie sottishness or a phantastical humour of contradiction suppose I â—peak what I know not if I should tell them I can and now being about to do it will but privately before Authoritie produce a Catalogue of Catholicks Fathers so we will be called of several Orders and others that are Natives gone into remote Counties who duly go to Church too and of an incredible number now living in this Commonwealth under several Notions whcih I my self can point at with a drie singer I tell thee in general there is scarce a Town or Citie but in few miles of it I can furnish the Reader to thy Amazement be it spoken with some who have lived in England 1 2 3 4 5 6 10 20 40 50 years I. B. of Ne. in Es unknown unsuspected but taken for clean contrarie let them avoid me if they can They are his own words Page 26. to 37. he shews how Mons Mintril the French agent trepand the poor Cavaliers of the Kings partie in transporting them out of Scotland into France how they were there butchered by the French Such is their love to the Royal party of England what endeavours were used by Card Mazarine Father D. and le M. to seduce and corrupt Prince Charls in his Religion both before and after his Fathers death and what promises were made both by the French and Spaniard that all Catholick Princes should be invited and consulted with for an unanimous invasion of England if he would turn Catholick Page 32 33. hee hath this memorable passage During these Sollicitations news comes aloft upon the wings of the wind That the People and State of England had summoned his Father to an High Court of Judicature to bring him to a trial for all the innocent bloud he had spilt and the hideous devastations he had caused This was no little good News to the Cardinalitical party I mean the Iesuitical this Jesuit himself being then at the French and Princes Court in Paris For in my next I shall satisfie thee concerning their cunning workings how even those who pretend so much charitie to the Son did seek by all Machinations to expedite and accelerate this high piece of Iustice upon the Father And now say his Tutors to him If they proceed to death with your Father it will prove the better for you for it shall utterly alien the hearts affections of the people from them and you shall finde them to be more eagerlie violent for your reinvestment not considering the change of your Religion which by anie means shall not be known but to your good Catholick Subjects of England till such time as you have vested power enough into your own hands to protect it and your self in it But indeed the Lad had somewhat of his Fathers astutiousnesse in him and presently asked the CARDINAL the same question as his Father once did the King of Spaine when he was almost easilie intreated to have turned to the Faith Catholick How shall I said he ever expect to be King of England if once the English should understand I have turned Catholick To which they easilie gave a satiâ—factorie resolution telling him That as the case now stood he must never look to be admitted but by fire and sword the main force of Armes must make way for him neither could he in the least atchieve that or put it in execution without the ayde of Catholike Princes which they will never be brought to act in without a firm assurance of your real and faithfull conuersion What impressions the News of his Fathers decollatioÌ„ made upon him what use the Cardinal and Jesuits made of it to induce him and others to Poperie and what endeavors were used by the Jesuits to make up a peace between the Spanish and French to invade England
and make it their prey if he would turn Papist under pretext of restoring him to his Crown you may read in this Jesuit p. 33 34 35 36. and in Militiere his Victorie of Truth dedicated to King Charles after his Fathers death to pervert him in his Religion as the only means of his restitution These Passages of this Jesuit who stiles himself p. 39. The faithful Servant of the Common-wealth of England â— dedicated to President Bradshaw himself and printed by his SPECIAL COMMAND and our Republican Governours now sitting Ann. 1650. when Mr. Prynne was committed close Prisoner by them without hearing or accusation will justifie the truth of all his former Discoveries That your beheading the King and degrading our Kingdom into a New Free-State was the verie French Cardinals Spaniards Popes and Jesuits plot to ruin both our Protestant Kings Kingdom Church Religion even by your own confessions and that it gave unto them strong arguments to perswade the Kings posteritie and partie for ever to abominate our Religion as manie of them have done upon this very account though the King himself and his Brothers yet continue constant through Gods mercie against all provocations to their eternal honour but your perpetual infamie who have put them upon such direfull Temptations 2. Before you engage in any other Business peruse all former Acts and Petitions of our Protestant Parliaments since 1 Eliz. to this present against Jesuits Seminarie Priests Papists Poperie the manifold mischiefs dangers accrewing by their increase toleration and sâ—speâ—sion of our Lawes against them the causes of their growth amongst us and remedies to prevent the same Then put them all with the Oath of Abjuration and 5. Bills against them assented to by the late King in the last Treatie into immediate impartial vigorous execution 3. Imploy faithfull knowing stout active persons with sufficient power and encouragements to discover detect apprehend them under what ever disguise and shelter they now secure themselves Especially take diligent care to ferret these Romish Vermin and Troublers of our Israel out of all your Armies Garrisons Camps and all Sectarian separate Congregations the Boroughs wherein now they lurk securely by putting them all to the Test of the Oaths of Abjuration Supremacie and Allegiance 4. Permit no Seminarie Priests Friers Romish Emissaries of any Nation but especially no Jesuits of any their 4. ranks to remain in our Realms or Dominions it being impossible to enjoy any peace settlement in Church or State or to expect anie dutifull obedience quiet in or from the Armie whiles these firebrands of Sedition Treason remain within our coasts upon which account they have been by sundrie Proclamations of Queen Elizabeth King James and King Charles not only banished out of England Scotland Ireland and all their Dominions but likewise out of France Germanie Poland Bohemia Austria Mâ—ravia Transilvania Hungarie Venice and other Popish Kingdomes States as well as out of the Netherlands Denmark Sweden and Protestants Territories as the Authors of all their Wars Troubles Tumults Insurrections Rebellions Treasons Regicides and the publike Pâ—sts of Church and State 5. Put no arms into Anabaptists or Quakers hands formerly decrying them as unlawful lest London become another Munster and England another Germanie in few moneths space 6. Since Christ Jesus who is truth it self hath laid down these 3. Gospel-maxims of infallible veritie Mat 7.15 to 21. Lu. 6.43 c. That Ravencus wolves in sheeeps clothing as well as trees are and shall be known by their fruits John 8.44 You are of your Father the Devil for his works ye doe Rom. 6.16 That to whom ye yield your selves servants to obey his servants ye are to whom ye obey If all the premises infallibly convince your Consciences Judgements as they will and must do That all the forementioned fruits you have produced since December 4. 1648. are the proper fruits of Jesuits and Romish wolves in sheeps clothing yea the very worst sowrest of all their Fruits and Powder Treasons That the workes you have done in murdring our Protestant King destroying our Parliaments Kingdoms Government Laws secluding your fellow-Mâ—mbers and Lords House by force erecting your New Republike and Parliamentarie Conventicle c. are the Works of the Jesuites and Devil That you have yielded up your selves as obedient servants unto them in everie of these against your own former Oaths Protestations Vows Covenants Declarations Commissions Principles Professions Judgments rightly informed consciences the Votes Obsecrations Disswasions of your Fellow Members and most indeared Protestant Friends Ministers Relations the Indentures Desires of those Counties Burroughs you represent And that the very Principles by which you have acted since Dec. 1648 and now again aâ—e the very Jesuits principles as you may read at leisure in Johannis Mariana De Rege Regum Institutione l. 1. c. 6. Creswels Philopater Franciscus Verona Constantini Apologia pro Johanne Castellio et Jesuitis Jesuitae Reinaldi liber De Iusta Reipublicae Christianae in Reges Impios et Haereticos authoritate c. published under the name of William Rosse in Ludovicus Lucius Historia Jesuitica l. 2. c. 3. Hospinian Hist Jesuitica l. 3. 4. Speculum Jesuiticum printed 1644. wherein you may truly view your Jesuitical Physiognomies heads perrewigs instead of your old genuine Protestant complexions brains notions hair And if the present fresh Addressâ—s Petitions of Anabaptists Quakers Sectaries from Southwark Warminster Hertfordshire Kent and other places to the Army-Officers and your selves with their late listings in the Army affronts to Ministers in their Churches ejection of some of them to intrude themselves alreadie budding forth sufficiently discover whose Servants you are and whose drudgerie you must execute O then immediately abjure rescinde and null them all with highest indignation and persist no longer in any such destructive waies counsels projects under any pretext consideration interest or perswasions whatsoever But rather remember Mr. Oliver Saint-Johns words now sitting amongst you in his Argument at Law against the Earl of Strafford printed by the Commons house special Order p. 64. In this I shall not labour to prove That the endeavouring By Words Counsels and Actions to subvert the fundamental Lawes and Government of the Kingdom is Treason by the Common Law If there be any Common Law Treasons left nothing Treason if this he not to make a Kingdom no Kingdom And then consider Sir Edward Cooks memorable Observation published by the Commons Order 3 Instit c. 2. p. 35 36. It appeareth in the holy Scripture That TRAYTORS never prospered what good soever they pretended but were most severely and exemplarily punished in conclusion which he proves by the examples of Corah Dathan and Abiram Num. 16.31 32. c. 27.3 Athaliah 2 Kings 1.1.16 Bigthan and Teresh Esth 2.21.23 c. 6.2 Absolom 2 Sam. 18.9.14 Abiathar 1 King 2.26 27. Shimei 2 Sam. 6.5 6. 1 Kings 2.8.46 Zimri 1 Kings 16 9.18 Theudas Acts 5.36 37. and Judas Iscariot
Fortunes the Reformed Religion Worship Doctrine of the Churches the Rights and Privileges of the Parliaments the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland and the Kings Majesties Person Authority and Posterity in the defence and reformation of the true Religion and Liberties of these Kingdoms And with all faith fulnesse endeavour the discovery of all such as have been are or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evil Instruments by hindring the Reformation of Religion dividing the King from his People or one of the Kingdoms from the other making any factions or parties among the People contrary to this League and Covenant that they may be brought to publick Tryal and receive condign punishment assisting defending each other in the maintenance and pursuit thereof without any division withdrawing defection or detestable indifferency or neutrality whatever For which end in a brotherly friendly christian yet stout and resolute manner demand publickly of the General Counsel of Army Officers and their Westminster Conventicle 1. By what lawfull Commission Authority or Warrant from God our Laws or the generality of the people of England whom they have voted the Supream Authority and whose Servants they pretend themselves they have formerly and now again forcibly secluded the whole House of Lords and Majority of the Commons House from sitting in our Parliamentary Counsels or the Old Parliament if yet in being and made themselves not only a Commons house but absolute Parliament without a King or them contrary to the very Letter scope of the Act of 17 Car. c. 7. by which they pretend to sit 2ly By what Authority they presume to turn our most antient glorious famous honourable first Christian Kingdom into an infant base ignoble contemptible Sectarian Free-State or Commonwealth and disinherit our hereditary Kings and their Posterity against all our Laws Statutes Declarations Remonstrances Oaths Vows Protestations Leagues Covenants Customs Prescription time out of minde Liturgies Collects Canons Articles Homilies Records Writs Writers and their own manifold obligations to the contrary for their inviolable defence support and preservation only in pursuit of the Jesuites Popes Spaniards and French-Cardinals forecited plots And who gave you this Authority The rather because the whole English-Nation and High Court of Parliament wherein the whole Body of the Realm is and every particular Member thereof either in person or representation by their own Free-elections are deemed to be present by the Laws of the Realm did by an expresse Act 1 Jacobi c. 1. worthy most serious consideration with all possible publick joy and acclamation from the bottom of their hearts recognize and acknowledg as being thereunto obliged both by the Laws of God and Man that the imperial Crown of this Realm with all the Kingdoms Dominions and Rights belonging to them immediately after the death of Queen Elizabeth did by inherent birth-right and lawfull and undoubted Succession descend come to King Iames as next and sole Heir of the Blood-Royal of this Realm And therunto by this publick Act of Parliament to remain to all Posterity they did humbly and faithfully submit and oblige themselves their Heirs and Posterity for ever untill the last drop of their bloods be spent as the First fruits of this of this High Court of Parliament and the whole Nations Loyalty and Faith to his Majesty and his Royal Posterjty for ever upon the bended knees of their hearts agnizing their most constant Faith Obedience and Loyalty to his Majesty and his Royal Posterity for ever After which the whole English Nation and all Parliaments Members of the Commons House ever since and particularly all Members of the Parliament of 16 Caroli continued by the Statute of 17 Car. c. 7. pretended to be still in being did by their respective Oaths of Allegiance Fealty Homage and Supremacy containing only such Duty as every true and well-affected Subject not only by his duty of Allegiance but also by the com-mandement of Almighty God ought to bear to his Majesty his Heirs and Successors as the Parliament and Statute of 7 Iac. c. 6. declares joyntly and severally oblige themselves 'To bear Faith and true Allegiance not only to his Majesty but his Heirs and Successors and him and them to defend to the uttermost of their power against all Attempts and conspiracies whatsoever which shall be made against his or their Persons their Crown and Dignity or any of them and to maintain all Iurisdictions Preheminences Authorityes justly belonging united or annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm Which all Members of the long Parl. those now sitting ratified not only by hundreds of printed Declarations Remonstrances Ordinances but likewise by a Religious Protestation Vow and Solemn National League and Covenant publickly sworn and subscribed with all their hands in the presence of God himself and by all the well-affected in these three Kingdoms but by all our ordinary publick Liturgies Collects Directory Articles Homilies Prayers before Sermons in all or most of their Families Closet-Prayers yea Graces before and after meat wherein they constantly prayed to God according to the practise of the Saints in the Old and new Testaments the Primitive Church of God and Heathen Nations of the Church Parliaments of England themselves in all Ages not only for the health life wealth safety prosperity preservation salvation of our Kings and their Realms but likewise of their Royal Issue and Posterity That there might not want a man of that Race to sway the Scepter of these Realm so long as the Sun and Moon shall endure or to the like effect And if they cannot sufficientlie satisfie your judgements consciences in this particular nor answer the precedent reasons in defence of our hereditary Kings Kingship against their Vtopian Republick Then take up the peremptory resolution of all the Elders and Tribes of Israel when oppressed by Samuels Sonnes Mis Government turning aside after filthy lucre and perverting Judgement 1 Sam 8. and say resolutely to them We will have no New Common-wealth nor Vnparliamentary Conventicle to rule over oppresse ruine us Nay But we will have a KING our own lawfull hereditary King to reign over us that We also may be like all other Nations yea like our selves and our Ancestors in all former Ages and that our King may judge us and go out before us and so put a speedy end to all our present future Changes Wars Troubles Fears Dangers Oppressions Taxes and restore us to our pristine Peace settlement unitie amitie securitie prosperitie felicitie upon the Propositions assented to by his beheaded Father in the Isle of Wight whose Concessions the Ho of Commons without division after 3. daies and one whole Nights debate 4 Dec. 1648. notwithstanding all the Armies menaces Resolved upon the Question to be a sufficient Ground for the House to proceed upon for the settlement of the Peace of the Kingdom upon better terms and greater advantages than ever they have yet enjoyed or can
Lilburn affirms c Grotius de Jure Belli l. 2. c. 15. sect 3.16 d Plowdons Comentaries f. 10.107 108 350 364. 4 E. 4.4 a Watsons Quodlibets P. 144 332. b Quodlibâ—ts p. 322 323 333 334 3â—â— 209.305 30â— 306 307 309. b Quodlibâ—ts p. 322 323 333 334 3â—â— 209.305 30â— 306 307 309. Nota. c Quodlibets p. 27 28 169. d Quodlibet 9. p. 285 430 332. Nota. e Here p. 19. f ImaginuÌ„ Antwerp an 1940. Speculum Jesuiticum p. 210. g See his Epistle before his Historical and legal Vindication c. An. 1655. h Romes Master piece Hidden works of Darknesse c. A Collection of Ordinances p. 245. i A Collect. of Ordinances p. 245. k A Collect. p. 151 852 858 Vid. Wekye of Durb A Collect p. 906. l Romes Masterpiece m A Collect. p. 267. The History of Independency part 2. n The History of Independency p. 2. o See Mr. Prynnes Speech Memento Epistle to his Historical legal Vindication Ludovicus Lucius Hist Iesuitica p. 144 156 170. p See the false Iew and his examination printed 1653. q See his Epistle before his printed Book 1652. * See his Iustice oÌ„ the Armies Remonstrance 1649. a See the Prositions to the King and Mr. Prynnes Speech p. 57 58. His Discovery of Free-state tyranny p. 18. b See their Votes in Feb. 1648. And Act for taking the Engagement Sep. 6. 1649. c 7 Iac. c. 6. Ro. Bellar. Responsio ad Apol. pro Iuramento Fidelitatis d See the Lord William Hewards and Prestons books in defence of the Oath Mr. Rushworths Historical Collections p. 347. f 3 Iac. c. 4. e See the 2d part of the History of Independancy g See Grorius De Iure Belli l. 2. c. 13. Dr. Sanderson of Oaths h See their Knack Sept. 6. 1649. l Speculum Iesuit p. 40.217 218. Ludovicus Lucius Hist Iesuit l. 3 c. 2 p. 237 243 288.300 329. * Near two hundred thousand pounds a year more than all the Rovenues and Taxes amount to such good husbands are we k See the Diurnals and Almanacks from 1648. to 1653. v See Mr. Prynnes discovery of Free state Tyranny p. 19 20. * See Prynnes Epistle before his Legal and Historical Collections c. 1655. l See the 2d part of tbe History of Independancy n See his Book and Description of the West-Indies o See Romes Master-piece and Hidden works of Darkness brought to publick light * Here p. 19. p See Mr. Prynnes 3d. parr of his Legal Historical Vindication Collection c. p. 343. to 397. q Ibid. p. 391 392. Flor. Wigorn. Sim. Dunelm Hoveden Mat. Westm Mat. Paris Bromton Anno 1066 1067. r Malm. de Gest Reg. l. 3. p. 103. Å¿ Malm. ibid. Sim. Dunelm Col. 213. Brompton Col. 976. t Flor. Wigom p. 556. Sim. Dunelm Col. 216 217. u Flor. Wigorn p. 464. Sim Dunelm Col. 223. Hov. Annal pars 1. p. 466. * Malm. de Gestis Reg. l. 3. p. 103. * Mat. 25.41 42 42. * See August Tom 10. Ser. 21. * 1 Pet. 4.18 z Epistola 44. Tom. 2. See Homil. 50. ser 21. Tom. 10. Peter Lumbard sent l. 4. dist 16. and the schoolmen on him Alex. Alensis sum Theol. pars 4. quaest 24. mem 6. * Sodainly takeÌ„ froÌ„ his Son by his nearest Relations and Army-Officers notwithstanding their proclaiming him his Successor and all Addresses to live and dye with him and that without one drawn sword * August Ep. 44. * First 〈…〉 Iâ—â—â—â—â—tor subegii Aâ—â—ciâ—â—â— Soaem 〈◊〉 â—oratiâ—◠〈◊〉 â—ungarum Pâ—latiâ—â—tam ut â—â— que vâ—tisquâ— Hae 〈…〉 Huliâ—â—â— REâ—BILIONUM PAâ—ES CALVINISTAS expolit peâ—â—ligâ—vi Aâ— to principâ—â— grâ—â—tod pergit◠〈…〉 opâ—eloe â—cibos â—d eo auspici â—caeptom confiâ—ire pitidos â—â—di REBELLEM CALVINI AFRESIN paeâ—â— vaâ—um Sâ—Iâ—PIâ—US UBI Iâ—â—â— EX DICATE aâ— pâ—rtâ—dio 〈…〉 revelâ—sâ—â—t◠〈◊〉 que viâ—eto◠〈◊〉 quâ—â—e câ—lliâ—â—o c. Cenollu Caeâ—lâ— selâ—â—â— Praeâ—â— 2 1. 〈…〉 Pâ—opâ—eâ—â—â— praeâ—â— Sâ—â— M. 〈…〉 or Truth * Rom. 3. â— a De Monarchia Hisp c. 25 20 27. b See his Instructions c Paulus Windeck de Extirpandis Haeresibus Antid 10.11 p 408.412.580 244. Hospinian Hist Jesuit l. 3. l 4. p. 212 213 214. Lud. Lucius Hâ—st Jesuit l. 1. p. 175. l. 2. p 186 187 188. Johan Cambilhonus de Rebus Jesuitarum Abstrusioribus An. 1608. d See my 1. 2. Demurrer to the Jews long discontinued Remitter into England * see hete p. 42 43. e My Quakers Vnmasked 1655 And New Discovery of Romish Emistaries 1656. f See his Whitehall Ordinances for Excise and Taxes 14 Decemb 17 March 1653. May 4. June 8. 1654. The 1. Part of my Legal and Historical Vindication c. p. 66. to 90. a Exact Collection p. 7.10 267 268 340 342.376.459.491 to 495.503.573 575 660.665 666 825.832.839.907 to 916.932.951 b A Collection of Ordinances p. 13.30.34.42 43.98 99.161.167 168 169.185.199.203 204 211.227.275.282.294.305.313.317.340.363 371.380.417.420 423 425.432.451 to 460.504.513.537 539.616.623.666.679.877 878. Appendix P. 4.15 * Here p. 42. c See their impeachments Trials The Act Ordinance for their Attainders Mr. Pyms speech Mr. St. Iohns Declaration Argument against them and first part of my Legal and Historical Vindication c. * Lilly and Culpepper Nota. t See Hospinian Hist Iesuitica l. 3. 4. speculum Iesuiticum p. 119. Ludovicus Lucius Histor Iesuit l. 4 c 5 where it is printed at large Thuanus Hist l 138 k Hist Gallica Belgica l â— f. 151 152. Speculum Iesuiticum p. 75.80 The general History of France in H. 4. and Lewis 13 Hospinian Historia Iesuit l. 3.153 to 159. Lud. Lucius Histor Iesuit l. 3. c 2. * Nota. * Watsons Quodlibets p. 92 94 95. Dialogue p. 95. a Ps 115.1 b Is 46.7 11. Ps 27.1 6 c Num. 16.22 c. 27.16 d Ps 22.6 e 2 Cor. 4.7 1 Cor. 1.27 28 29. Deut. 32.30 g Jer. 46.16 c. 50.16 h Calipine Holioke summa Angelica Tit. Seditio Cicero de Repub l. 6. Lu. 23.19 k See the Appendix to Mr Rushworths Historical Col p. 30. to 40 41 42. i Luke 6 22. l Polit. l. 3. Ethic. l. 8. n Summa Angelica Tit. Seditio o See the Soveraign Power of Parliaments paâ—t 4. p. 187 188.192 m Secunda secundae Artic 12. Quâ—â—t a Ps 68.21 b Ps 24.7 8 9 10. c Rev. 15.3 d Mat. 4.23 c. 9.35 c. 13.19 c. 14.24 e Mat. 10.7 c. 12.28 c. 21.43 c. 4.43 c. 8.1 10. c. 16.16 Acts 20.25 f 1 Cor. 15.24 Col. 1.13 Rev. 12.10 g Eph. 2.12 h Aristot Polit. l. 3. c. 12. l. 4. c. 2. i Mat. 13 38. k Rev. 1.9 l Exod 19.6 Rev. 1.6 c. 5.10 c. 20.6 1 Pet. 2 5. m Mat. 5.3.19 c. 7.21 c. 8.11 n 2 Pet. 1.11 2 Tim. 4.18 o Heb. 12.28 p Dan. 7.27 Lu. 1.33 Is 9.1 q 2 Tim. 4.8 1 Pet. 5.4 Ps 45 9. Mat. 19.28 Rev. 3 21. c. 20.4 c. 9.11 c. 7.9.13 14.
the Traytor of Traytors Acts 1.18 Mat. 27.5 Peruse over all our Books Records Histories and you shall finde a principle in Law a rule in Reason and a trial in experience That Treason doth ever produce fatal and final destruction to the Offender and never attaineth to the desired end two incidents inseparable thereunto And therefore let all men abandon it as the most poisonous Bait of the Devil of Hell and follow the precept in holy scripture Fear God honor the King and have no company with the Seditious Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum So he Now because M.P. finds some Grandees of his own Profession sitting in the House to countenance and make up this Vnparliamentary Juncto he shall desire them in the first place seriously to consider how much they have formerly and now again dishonoured themselves and the whole profession of the Law in sitting in complying with acting under such illegal Anti-Parliamentary Conventicles Powers Changes Changers yea crying them up for legal English Parliaments Powers obeying executing all their illegal new Knacks Orders Ordinances as Acts of Parliament in civil criminal real or personal Causes against all Records Law-books presidents of former Ages their own Judgments Oaths Science Consciences to the intollerable scandal of their Robe the injurie abuse of the whole Nation the prejudice of all their lawfull Superiours and the Publick the encouragement of usurping Traytors Tyrants Oppressors in their waies of wickedness the ill example of most others and their own just reproach 2ly To observe How God in his retaliating Justice hath recompensed this their wilfull prevarication upon their own heads by turning many of them out of their respective places of Judicature honor profit the ground of this their sinfull complyance with infamy dishonour reproach even by the very Persons with whom they unworthily complyed and those especially in present power who had neither been an House of Commons much lesse a mock Parliament without their presence and complyance 3ly That the base unworthy unchristian complyance of the Lawyers and Clergy of England with our late trayterous Innovators Usurpers out of base fear sordid covetousnesse ambition self-saving or self-seeking to the prejudice ruine of King Kingdom Parliament Lords Law hath brought an universal odium upon them with those with whom they most complyed as well as others the Army Officers and present Juncto under a pretext of Reformaâ—ion designing both their ruines through the Jesuites Politicks who now bear greatest sway having turned many of them with scorn and contempt out of their former places of Judicature beyond their expectations and reviled both their persons and professions to their faces as a Generation of sordid Temporizers and useless faithless persons not fit to be entrusted any more but discarded out of their new lawlesse Republick which hates both Law and Gospel as warranted by neither and repugnant unto both 4ly That the only way now to regain their lost Honour and preserve both our Laws Liberties Religion establish future peace settlement and prevent impendent ruine is to endeavour to restore our antient hereditary just legal Kingship Kings Governors Government with all their necessary invaded Prerogatives Lands Revenues Rights Jurisdictions and inviolably to preserve them with their lives and estates against all conspiracies of Popes Jesuits and foreign enemies to subvert and undermine them in any kind as the several memorable Parliaments and Statutes of 29 H. 6. c. 1. 31 H. 6. c. 1. 39 H. 6. c. 1. 25 H. 8. c. 22. 2 E. 6. c. 26. 7 E. 6. c. 12. 1 Eliz. c. 3.4.20 5 Eliz. c. 1.29.30 13 Eliz. c. 1.2 23 24 18 Eliz. c. 21.22 23 Eliz. c. 1.13.14 27 Eliz. c. 1 2.28.21 29 Eliz. c. 7 8. 31 Eliz. c. 14 15. 35 Eliz. c. 2.12 13. 39 Eliz. c. 26 27. 43 Eliz c. 17 18. 1 Jac. c. 1. 3 Jac. c. 1 2 4 5 25 26. 7 Jac. 6 22 23. 21 Jac. c. 32 33. 3 Car. c. 5 6. in their respective preambles and bodies worthy our most serious review in the Statutes at large resolve being more to be credited pursued than all the rash Jesuitical suggestions votes and inconsiderable resolutions of any unparliamentarie Conventicle or upstart Pseudo-Polititians advancing themselves to the helm of our new Republick by colour of the Statute of 17 Car. 7. Which Bill by the Commons House resolution in their Remonstrances of 15 Dec. 1641. seems to be some restraint of the Regal power in dissolving of Parliaments not to take it out of the Crown but to suspend the execution of it for the time and occasion only which was so necessary for the Kings own security and the Publick peace that without it they could not have undertaken any of those great things but must have left both the Armies to disorder and confusion and the whole Kingdome to blood and rapine Therefore the Parliament must needs determine by the Kings death as he hath infalliby evidenced beyond contradiction In the last place Mr. Prynne shall most importunately beseech all the antient Nobility secluded Members well-affected Gentry Clergy Commonalty of the English Nation which had never so many effeminate false heads and hearts as now many Jesuite Priest Monk lurking under the disguise of womanish Perewigges brought into fashion by them as they now tender their own private or the publick safety weal settlement and preservation of our endangered Church Religion Kingdom Parliament Laws Privileges Properties and prevention of their impendent ruine First of all seriously to consider lament cast off reform their own late present monstrous sottish stupidity sleepinesse self saving self-seeking Spirits and most unworthy un-manly un English unchristian pusillanimity cowardize fear of a few contemptible Mercinary mortal men who shall shortly dye and become as dung upon the earth and their grosse breach of all publick Oaths Protestations Leagues Covenants in not opposing resisting them manfully in their several places and callings Which hath been the principal cause of all the publick Changes Innovatons Oppressions Grievances Exorbitances Insolencies they have hitherto suffered by their own armed hirelings and are the saddest symptomes of our approaching imminent desolation if not speedily repented redressed redressed ere it be over late 2ly To pursue these Gospel advises 1 Cor. 16.13 Watch ye stand fast in the Faith quit ye like men be strong Gal. 5.1 Phil. 1.27 28. Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free and be not intangled again with the yoke of Bondage in one Spirit striving together with one mind for the Faith of the Gospel the fundamental Laws Liberties Government Privileges of the Nation And in nothing terrified by your Adversaries which will be to them an evident token of perdition but to you of salvation and that of God 3ly Do you all now publickly resolutely constantly unanimously according to the tenor of the Solemn League and Covenant claim assert vindicate and endeavour to preserve with your Lives and