Common-wealth to a Watch which they had taken in pieces and advised them to keep every piece and pin safe and put all in their right places again but now all the principal pieces are either broken or lost God grant them to number their houres better hereafter and to cloze well with our Master Work-man for though this Kingdom hath alwaies been Ruled by King Lords and Commons yet by the KING architectonicè and by the other Two organicè the King as the Architect the Lords and Commons as His Instruments each in his proper sphere of Activity without interfering and till this again come in use look for no peace The Independent Grandees of the Parliament and Army are much offended with the City and their adherents 107. The Armies Aspect upon the City and personal Treaty in Petitioning for a Personal Treaty with the King and give out That when they have done with Colchester they will humble the City and bring it to better obedience for which purpose they have already taken all the Block-houses upon the River East of the City Windsor-Castle West of the City and are now fortifying Gyddy-tall neer Rumford in Essex South from the City the like they intend at Hampton Court and to build a Fort upon the Isle of Dogs to keep under the Sea-men whereby possessing the principall ways and Avenues to the City they shall neither feed nor Trade but at the discretion of the Army In the mean time the Cities desires of a Personal Treaty are delayed and made frustrate by a tedious Conference between a Committee of Parliament and a Committee of Common-Council And Counter-Petitions against a Personal Treaty are sent about by Alderman Gybs Foukes Estwicke Wollaston Andrewes Nye the Independent Priest and others who hold rich Offices by favour of the Grandees to be subscribed even by Apprentice Boyes whereby it appears the Independents have no intent to make peace with the King but to engage in a new War thereby to contiune their Army and our Slavery The yearly Income they raise upon the people under colour of this War besides the Kings Revenue Sequestrations and Compositions amounts to three Millions sterling per annum being six times as much as ever the most greedy and burdensom of our Kings raised where our Stewards hide these our Talents publick Debts and Arrears being unpaid were worth finding out if any but the Devil could give an Account thereof But this is an unsoundable Gulf here my plumb-line faileth me 108. Major Gen. Skippon's complaint The 10. of July Major General Skippon complained in the House of Commons of a printed Paper called A Motive to all loyal Subjects to endeavour the preservation of his Majasties Person wherein he pretended he was falsly and scandalously slandered for speaking some words in the House to divert the Examination of Mr. Osborn's Charge against Rolf. The House that is the Independents were as diligent to become his Compurgators and vindicate his credit by passing and Printing 5. Votes for him as they had formerly been to ruine the KING'S Honour by passing a Declaration against Him This fellow Skippon was heretofore Waggoner in the Low-Countries to Sir Francis Vere after that came over into England a poor forlorn Commander and obtained of the King his Letters of Commendation to keep a kinde of Fencing School in the City Military yard and teach the Citizens the postures of the Pike and Musket and Train them where he wore the mask of Religion so handsomly that he soon insinuated into their favours and found them very bountifull Patrons to him there he got his fat belly and full purse from the City he became Major Generall to the new-modelled Army and observing some discontents arising between the City and Army and being willing to keep two strings to his bow that he might uphold his credit with the City he voluntarily submitted himself to some affronts purposely and politickly put upon him in the Army and yet that the Army might understand him to be their creature he marched with the Army in their Triumph through the City still carrying himself as a moderate reconciling man and sweetning the insolencies of the Army by making milde and fair interpretations of their Actions yet still so much magnified the power of the Army as if he would perswade the City they were beholding to the Army for making no worse use of their strength against them Thus as many other moderate prudential men do he lay a good while undescried in the bosome of the City and there as a Spie and Intelligencer kept Centry for the Army untill such time as the City petitioning the Commons for restoring of their own Militia to them again the Council of the Army to mock them with an uneffectuall Militia by their engaged party in the House and the Committee of Derby-house of which Cabal Skippon is one caused their confiding man Skippon not only to be named of the Committee of the Militia although no Citizen but to be obtruded upon the City as their Major General Commander in Chief of all their Forces without whom nothing is to be acted This being resented and opposed as contrary to the Cities Charter and Liberties Skippon found he was discovered and then taking advantage of the Earle of Holland's going forth into Arms upon a Report from the Committee of Derby-house the Commons ordered that a Party of Horse should be raised and listed under Skippon Skippon by vertue of this Order granted Commissions to divers schismaticall Apprentices to raise men underhand and authorized the said Commissioned Apprentices to grant Sub-commmissions again to other Apprentices under them for the like purpose This was pretended to prevent Tumults and Insurrections but indeed it was to joyne with the Independent party of the City and the army when they have done their work at Colchester in purging the Presbyterians out of the common-Common-Council and Parliament in reference whereto the Army have resolved not to march Northwards against the Scots untill they have brought this City to more absolute obedience or laid it in the dust according to Cromwel's advice as a preparative to which design the prevailing party in the House Yet they knew they came in by Authority of the Parl. of Scotland July 15. hand over head Voted All such Scots as are come into England in hostile manner without consent of both Houses of Parliament of England Enemies to the State and all such English as do or shall adhere to aid or assist them Traitors and the next day following Weaver oâ—enly in the House affirmed that the Scotish design of D. Hamilton the Colchester design and that of the Earl of Holland were all begun and carried on in the City of London to which Ven the two Ashes Harvy Scot Miles Corbet Blackstone Sir Peter Wentworth and others gave applause loe here a foundation laid for a new Charge against the City when the Army are at leasure to make use of it This Hypocrite
examine the Leases that have been made and the fines that have been paid thereupon and how disposed and by what authority with power to give reliefe and allowance to the said poor Knights and other poor people not exceeding their former allowance Oh take heed of too much charity and also to take a Catalogue of all Hospitalls within this Common-wealth and the revenewes of them they are sure to mind that And that the Masters and Governours do return to this Committee the constitution of the respective hospitalls and how the profits thereof have been and are disposed of and by what authority before the first of December 1659. And to report the whole matter to the house Ordered That all Masters and Governours of hospitalls be and are hereby prohibited to grant or renew any Leases of any Lands Tenements and hereditaments belonging unto any of the said respective hospitalls untill this house take further Order Notice of which is to be given to the respective concerned persons by the Councill of State See here how greedy is the zeal of these devouring Statists which yet is clothed in the garbe of a seeming Sanctimonious care but this hypocrisie must not go long unpunished neither does it for now begins to appear the result of Lamberts designments abroad in a remonstrative address from the Army at the very first newes whereof the Parliament is so startled that fearing to be whipped with their own rod they ordered Col. Ashfield Col. Cobbet and Lieutenant Col. Duckenfield Armies remonstrate the Juncto send for â—ome Officers three of the chief promoters of it to bring to them the original paper intended to be presented upon notice of which order given immediately a letter was delivered into the house signed by many persons of the Army superscribed to the said three summoned persons by whose hands they desired the inclosed paper might be presented to the Lord Fleetwood and after to the generall Councill which inclosed paper was intituled to the supream authority of these Nations the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England The humble Petition and proposalls of the Officers under the Command of the Right Honourable the Lord Lambert in the late Northern expedition the manner and method of which paper the Juncto so highly resented as supposing it to strike at their very root that they presentely voted That this house doth declare Observe this crack that to have any more Generall Officers in the Army than are already setled by Parliament is needless chargeable and dangerous to the Common-wealth Here was the first step to that division which afterwards grew into a flame but the Army Officers finding their design was not yet ripe enough by a dissembled acquiescency seemed to lay aside their proposalls by signifying to the Parliament that they would adhere to their authority in opposition to the common Enemy and that they would stand by them in the settlement of the Common-wealth against all disturbances whatsoever which lulled the Juncto into a kind of security the City also at this time seeming to claw them by an invitation to a Thanksgiving dinner whereat the field Officers of the Army were also to be present Thanksgiving dinner in the City so that now being in a manner rid of their fear they fall upon sequestring the Gentry about Sir George Booths business settle the Excise and revive the Assessements for the Militia using all their skill and power for amassing together the wealth of the Nation into their private purses concluding with the Epicureans ede lude bibe post mortem nulla voluptas so sottishly stupid were they grown in their high flown ambition But now least they should forget their duty the Officers of the Army present a new address requiring answer thereto Armies new address which made them take it into the several pieces wherein it was proposed wherein among other things to shew you the harmony that was then between them they give to their third proposall this answer Juncto angry there with Viz. The Parliament declares that every Member of the Army as free Men of England have a right of petitioning the Parliament but withall thinks fit to let them know that the Petitioners ought to be very carefull both in the manner and in the matter of what they desire that the way of promoting and presenting the same may be peaceable and the things petitioned for not tending to the disturbance of the Common-wealth nor to the dishonour of the Parliament And that it is the duty of petitioners to submit their desires to the Parliament and acquiesce in the judgment thereof By this Declaration they intended to curb the Wallingford party by teaching them manners and to know their distance but they being Men of another spirit and knowing they had the power of the sword in their own hands would not be so put off which the Juncto perceiving and beginning to grow jealous of their own safety and satisfyed that the Army could not subsist without money which is the Nerve of War to engage the People to themselves and to dis-inable the Officers from raising any money in case they should which they now much doubted interrupt them in their sitting they passed an Act against raising of monies upon the people without their consent in Parliament Part whereof take as followeth Be it enacted c. That all Orders Act against raising money without consent of Parliament makes the Souldiery mad Ordinances and Acts made by any single person and his Councill or both or either of them or otherwise or by any assembly or convention pretending to have Authority of Parliament from and after the 19th Day of April 1653. and before the 7th of May 1659. And which have not been or shall not be enacted allowed or confirmed by this present Parliament be and are hereby declared deemed taken and adjudged to be of no force and effect from and after the said seventh day of May 1659. And be it further enacted that no person or persons shall after the eleventh of October 1659. Assess Levy Collect gather or receive any Custom Impost Excise Assessment contribution Tax Tallage or any summe or summs of money or other imposition whatsoever upon the people of this Common-wealth without their consent in Parliament or as by law might have been done before the third of November 1640. And that every person offending contrary to this Act shall be and is hereby adjudged to be guilty of high Treason and shall forfeit and suffer as in case of high Treason When the Juncto had thrown abroad this killing thunderbolt to shew that they durst own the power which they yet conceived themselves Masters off they took into consideration a Letter dated October the 5th and signed by diverse Officers of the Army and directed to Col. Okey and also a printed paper called the humble representation and Petition of the Officers of the Army to the Parliament c. Upon the reading of which two
facinorous persons who comply with them to keep up this Army for their own security against publick justice Having thus courted and cheated all the publick and just Interests of the Kingdom they deceived the people so far as to make them Issachar-like patiently to bear the burden of free-quarter and to make addresses to the Army for themselves by Petitions to which they gave plausible answers That this and this was the sense of the Army As if the sense of the Army had been the supreme Law of the Land and to make addresses to the Parliament for the Army not to be disbanded for which purpose their Agitators carried Petitions ready penned to be subscribed in most Counties The Peoâ—le being thus lulled asleep 22. A quarrel against the City invented they now cast about how to make benefit of a joynt quarrel both against the Parliament and City since they could not separate them or at least against the Presbyterian party in both they had withdrawn their quarters in a seeming obedience to Parliaments commands 30 miles from London of which they often brag in their Papers and presumed the suspension of the 11. Members had struck such an awfulness into the Houses that most of the Presbyterian Members would either absent themselves as too many indeed did or turn Renegadoes from their own principles to them but found themselves notwithstanding opposed and their desires retarded beyond their expectation by the remainder of that party 23. The Army demand the City Militia to be changed into other hands They must therefore find out a quarrel to march against the City and give the Houses another Purge stronger than the former The Army being principled and put into a posture sutable to Cromwels desire and the Country charmed into a dull sleep now was his time to pick a quarrel with the City that what he could not obtain by fair means he might obtain by foul to make them desert and divide from the Parliament and leave it to be modelled according to the discretion of the Souldiery He could not think it agreeable to policy that the City which had slaiâ— his Compeer and fellow Prince Wat Tyler the Idol of the Commons in Richard the seconds time and routed his followers four times as many in number as this Army should be trusted with their own Militia the City being now greater more populous and powerfull than in his days In a full and free Parliament upon mature debate both Houses by Ordinance dated 4 May 1647. had established the Militia of the City of London for a year in the hands of such Citizens as by their Authority and approbation were nominated by the Lord Mayor Aldermen and common-Common-Council and though the Army had recruted it self without Authority and had got themselves invested with the whole power of all the Land forces of the Kingdom in pay of the Parliam so that there was nothing left that could be formidable to them but their own crimes and that it was expected they should go roundly to work upon those publick remedies they had so often held forth to the people in their popular Printed Papers See the Letter and Remonstrance from Sir Tho. Fairfax and the Army p. 8. 9. Yet the Army contrary to what they promised to the City in their Letter 10. June and their Declaration or Representation 14 June 1647. That they would not go beyond their desires at that time expressed and for other particulars would acquiesce in the Justice and wisdom of the Parliament behold their modesty by a Letter and Remonstrance from Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Army with unresisted boldness demanded the Militia of the City of London to be returned into other hands without acquainting the City of their Commissioners then resident in the Army to keep a good correspondency with them therewith upon which Letter alone the House of Commons being very thin and many Members driven away by menaces upon July 22. Voted the repealing the said Vote of 4 May and a new Ordinance for reviving the old Militia presently passed and transmitted to the Lords the same day about seven of the clock at night and there presently passed without debate though moved by some to be put off until the City whose safety and privileges it highly concerned were heard what they could say to it Observe that neither by the said Paper from the Army nor by any man in the two Houses any thing was objected against any of the new Militia And indeed formerly the Parliament never made choice of enlarged or changed the City Militia but they were still pleased fiâ—st to communicate the same to the Common-Council a Resâ—ect justly shewed to that City which had been such good friends to them but of late since the Parliament have shifted their old Pâ—inciâ—les and Interests they have learned to lay by their old Friends The pretence for this hasty passing the Ordinance was to prevent the Armies so much theatned march to London if the Houses refused to pass it and the Cities opposition if not passed before their notice of it But the real design was to strike a discontent and jealousie into the City thereby to force them to some act of self-defence which might give a colour to the Army to march up against them and their friends in the Houses The unexpected news of this changing their Militia 24. The City troubled at the change of their Militia caused the City June 24. being Saturday to meet in Common-Council where for some reasons already expressed and because the repealing this Ordinance upon no other grounds than the Armies imperious desires might justly be suspected to shake all other Ordinances for security of Money sale of Bishops Lands I appeal to Colonel Harvy whether this did not fright him by making them repealable at the Armies pleasure they resolve to Petition the House upon Monday morning following being 26. July which they did by the Sheriffs and some Common-Council men But so it hapned that about one thousand Apprentices wholly unarmed 25. The City Petition the Houses for their Militia again came down two or three hours after with another Petition of their own to the Houses Therein complaining that to Order the Cities Militia was the Cities Birth-right belonging to them by Charters confirmed in Parliament for defence whereof they had adventured their lives as far as the Army And desired the Militia might be put again into the same hands in which it was put with the Parliaments and Cities consent by Ordinance May 4. 26. The tumult of Apprentices 26. July Upon reading these Petitions the Lords were pleased to revoke the Ordinance of July 23. and revive that of May 4. by a new Ordinance of July 26. which they presently sent down to the Commons for their consents where some of the Apprentices presuming they might have as good an influence upon the House to obtain their due as the Army in pay of the Parliament had to
the Army and diverse other Symptomes of danger but especially Skippons secret Liâ—ting of Schismatiques in the City amongst the Congregations of Mr. Goodwin Mr. Patience and others with power given him to kill and slay his listing servants against their Masters and setting up a Power against a Power had provoked that dull beast the City to know their own strength to look into their Charter and the Customes of the City and to Counter-list in their own defence for which purpose they passed an Act of Common Council dated 27. July 1648. which was soon complained of in the House of Commons by Ven Harvey Pennington and other ill Birds of that Corporation who usually defile their own nests after many aggravations that after they had fought with the King for the Militia any power out of the Parliament should presume to exercise it a Committee was appointed to Treate with a Committee of the common-Common-Council to hear what they could say for themselves and by what authority they claimed the use of their own Militia The Committees met and amongst other things the said question was asked By what authority they listed men To which was answered That they did it by the Law of Self-defence warranted by the Law of God of nature and of the Land and by a farther Authority to question which would make lirtle for the advantage of the Parliament This mysterious Answer stopped the mouthes of the Parliament Committee If London should plead their Charter and usages other places might doe the like so this businesse was shut up in silence Note that many Sectaries of Westminster Southwark and the Hamlets have been invited and countenanced to petition the House of Commons against uniting their Militia's with London upon pretended cavils As that they desired to have equal number of Voices in the Militia with London But since London beareth 7. parts of 9. in the charge it is an unreasonable demand By Orders as is thought from Derby-house 115 The Governor of Dublyn seizeth and sendeth over Prisoners the Presbyterian Commanders Colonel Jones Governour of Dublyn hath seized upon most of the Presbyterian Commanders thereabouts and sent them Prisoners to Westchester as Sir Maurice Eustace Sir John Gyford Col. Willoughby Colonel Flower Major Stephens Major Capron c. to make room for Independent Officers in his Army that the Saints only may possesse the good things of this world but chiefly that his Army being Commanded by Antimonarchical Schismaticks may the better sympathize and unite with the Antimonarchical Papists in Owen Roe Oneal's Army against the Lord Inchiquin whereof the said Lord hath given some hint as I have aforesaid You see the predominant Principle is Antimonarchy which easily overswayes Religion on both sides 116. A Frigot of the Princes taken with many Letters and Commissions Sir Milles Levesey having casually taken a little Frigot of the Princes called the Chistopher manned with one Captain Green and 8. men took divers Commissions in her and a Letter of Mart granted to the said Captain to make prize of Rebels and Enemies Goods and a Paper of Instructions prohibiting Green to use any Hostility untill the Prince had published his Declaration and untill it were designed who were His Enemies other writings were then taken which were referred to a Committee of the House of Commons to peruse and report Mr. Lechmore reported from the said Committee That some of those writings were not fit to be published in the House hereby you see that the House is already divested of that Power and Authority which the People have Trusted only them with all is now usurped by confiding Sectary Committees so Mr. Lechmore reported That there was an Adjudication out of the Princes Admiralty held in the Isle of Jersey whereby a ship belonging to one Tucknell was adjudged against him upon this ground given in the Adjudication That Tucknell had taken that damnable Oath called The National Covenant I appeal to any man that doth not hastily beleeve all he hears whether it be probable the Prince in such a conjuncture of time when the Parliament it self says That the Prince invited the Scots to invade England and had declared for them would hazard the losing of the Scots by inserting such a clause in the Adjudication All is not Gold that glisters these Letters may be St. Martins ware counterfeit stuff 117. A design to seize on divers Presbyterian Aldermen Lords and Commons About this time it is reported by some that professe to know it there was a design for Skippon's new listed-men to seize upon Alderman Langham Alderman Bunce and some of the Lords and Members of the House of Commons in the night whereof notice being given some of the Members knowing that Treachery like the Basilisk dies if it be first seen to shew that it was discovered caused one of their Party in the House to move That Skippon might be Ordered not to seize on kill or slay any Member of either House An order passed the House of Commons for the Earl of Warwick to fight the Prince at Sea It was sent up to the Lords 118. An Ordinance for the Earl of Warwick to fight the Prince at Sea and passed that House too whereby it became an Ordinance Yet some of the Lords entred a protestation against it as the Earls of Lincoln Suffolk Lord North. 2. Of August The Zealots of the House of Commons fell again upon the businesse of Rolf 119. More endeavours of the Independents in favour of Rolf. at an unseasonable hour of the day and in a thin House They ordered a Conference with the Lords about him and that the Lords be desired to joyn with the Commons in Bayling of him and yet for Treason a man is not Baylable by Law I cannot hear that Mr. Osburn's time of staying with Freedom and Safety to prosecute Rolf is renewed by the Commons although it be expired you see the Iron-bound Saints of the Army are impregnable even against High Treason if this Puny Saint be so inviolable what hope have Major Huntington and John Lilbourn to be heard against Cromwell For if the man such freedom have What then must he that keeps the Knave Yet if Rolf had but bastinadoed Sir Henry Mildmay and that 's no great matter peradventure he had been prosecuted in earnest Thursday 3. August 120. A Letter from the Earl of Warwick for Martial Law at Sea a Letter from the Earl of Warwick was read in the House of Commons complaining of the Refractorinesse of the Sea-men and that he could not govern them without a Commission for Martial Law which was readily assented to as any thing that cries up Arbitrary power above the known Laws usually is But how this will agree with the discipline of the Sea and how they will fight being so yoaked I know not The same day a Letter passed the House of Commons 121. A Letter from the Parliament to the Assembly of the Kirk of
seeming Saints who have made the solemn League and Covenant intended for preservation of Religion His Majesties Honour and the just Liberties of the Subject to be the ruine of Religion the dishonour so far as in them lieth of His Majesty and the most absolute enslaving of all free Subjects not to Kings or Princes to Great men or Good men but to the very scum and off-scouring of both Kingdoms it being noâ— small grief to all that truly feared God that so many of the reputed honest Presbyterian party should out of base fear or other by-respects comply so long with these Stare-Juglers the Clergy being most active hastning thereby their own and the Kingdoms misery for they may be well assured if these Saints prevail they must as some of them have done already turn their Coats once more and become the Hirelings and tongue-tied Tenants at will to their Brethren of the Independency or be kicked out of their fat Benefices and possibly out of the Kingdom to prevent new Insurrections against them which they are cunning to procure having the power in their hand to repress all that dare appear against them may be ruined others by their example terrified and their Saints may enjoy the fatness of England but I would ask these violent Clergy-men of the Presbyterian Party that are unwilling His Majesty should be brought speedily to a Personal Treaty what their Assemblies of Divines have been doing for if that Confession of Faith set out in England approved of in Scotland be agreeable to the truth of Gods word as I know nothing to the contrary why should the chief Magistrate our dread Soveraign be any longer debard of his just dues is He worse than Infidel that you will assist those that deny His sacred Majesty that which they allow to Infidel Magistrates blush for shame and repent in time lest as they change their Votes every day according as the tide of their power ebbs and flows so they may soon force you to repeal that Article concerning the chief Magistrate or like the gloss of Orleans put an exposition upon it which destroyeth the text God send us peace and truth and preserve His sacred Majesty and his Posterity and confound the wicked counsels of all such as are enemies to Peace Truth and Monarchy Si quid novistirectius istis Candidus imperti Si non his utere mecum THE END ANARCHIA ANGLICANA OR THE HISTORY OF Independency THE SECOND PART BEING A Continuation of Relations and Observations Historicall and Politique upon this present PARLIAMENT Begun Anno 16. CAROLI PRIMI By THEODORUS VERAX PSAL. 8.8 Virum sanguinum dolosum abominabitur Dominus Printed in the Year M.DC.XL IX THE PROTESTATION AND DECLARATION THe premises considered I do hereby in the name and behalf of my selfe and of all the Free People of England Declare and protest That the Generall Councel of Warre and officers of the Army by their said violent and treasonable force upon the farre major more honest and moderate part of the House of Commons being above 250. and leaving only 50. or 60. Schismaticks of their own engaged party sitting and voting under their Command and almost all of them such as have and do make a prey of the Commonwealth to enrich themselves and their Faction have broken discontinued and waged War against this Parliament have forfeited their Commissions And the remaining Faction in the House of Commons by abetting aiding and concurring with the said Councel of War in the said rebellious Force by setting up new illegal and arbitrary Courts of Judicature to murder King Charles the First our Lawful King and Governour who by his Writ according to the Law summoned and authorized this Parliament to meet sit Principium Caput finis Parliamenti Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and Advise with Him and was the Fountain Head and Conclusion or consummatory End of the Parliament and Supreme Governour over all Persons and in all Causes of this Kingdom and by Abolishing the House of Peers and the Kingly Office and dis-inheriting the Kings Children and Usurping to themselves the Supreme Authority and Legislative Power of this Nation in order to make and establish themselves a Councel of State Hogen Mogens or Lords States General and translate the said Supreme Power and Authority into the said Councel of State and then Dissolve this Parliament and perpetuate their said Tyranny and this Army and Govern Arbitrarily by the power of the Sword and raise what illegal Taxes they please and eat out consume and destroy whosoever will not basely submit to their Domination See 1. part sect 105 106. and the Conclusions 15 16 17 18. and returne to sect 79 109 110. Stat. of Recognition 1. Iac. Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy have by the aforesaid ways and means totally subverted this Kingdome and destroyed the fundamental Laws Authority and Government thereof Dissolved and Abolished this and all future Parliaments so that there is now no visible lawful Authority left in England but the Authority of King CHARLS the Second who is actually KING of all his Dominions presently upon the Decease of the King his Father before any Proclamation made or Coronation solemnized notwithstanding that by his unjust Banishment causâ—d by the interposition of the said traiterous combined Antimonarchical Faction He be eclipsed for the present and not suffered to perform any Acts of Government to his three Kingdoms and restore peace plenty justice mercy Religion Laws and Liberties to them again which no Hand but his own can bestow and therefore in vain do the people long for expect Figs from thistles Grapes from thornes This Kingdom of the Brambles now set up being only able to Scratch and Tear not to Protect and Govern them I farther Declare and Protest That this combined traiterous Faction have forced an Interregnum and a Justitium upon us an utter suspension of all lawful Government Magistracy Lawes and Judicatories so that we have not de jure any Laws in force to be executed any Magistrates or Judges lawfully constituted to execute them any Court of Justice wherin they can be judicially executed any such Instrument of the Law as a lawful Great Seal nor any Authority in England that can lawfully Condemn and Execute a Thief Murderer or other Offender without being themselves called Murderers by the Law all legal proceedings being now coram non Judice nor can this remaining Faction in the House of Commons shew any one President Law Reason or Authority whatsoever for their aforesaid doing but only their own irrational tyrannical Votes and the Swords of their Army Wherefore I do further Declare and Protest before God and the World That all free-born subjects of the Kingdom of England and Ireland are bound by the Stat. of Recognition 1. Jac. and by all our Lawes and Statutes By their Oathes of Allegiance Obedience and Supremacy the Protestation and National Covenant by very many Declarations Remonstrances Petitions and Votes
a Castle or two in Kent were not yet reduced the people in Wales Kent Essex the North not yet setled in such a calme but that a new storme might arise a considerable party of the Scots yet unbroken in England and fronting Cromwell and Lambert under the Command of Monroe a daring knowing and uncorrupted Commander Scotland it selfe not yet assured to them and above all the Prince of Wales with a strong Fleet at Sea likely to raise new tempests at Land had he landed some men â—n Kent or Essex to gather up the male-contents there but newly scâ—â—tered and broken and ready to adhere to any Party to defend themselves from the fury and rapines of their Committee Warwick but a fresh-water Admiral lying in the Thames under Protection of the Block-houses and relying upon Land-souldiers to awe the Mariners from mutinying a cloud arising in Ireland ready to break into a storme upon these considerations the Cabal or close Junto of Grandees thought fit to dally on the Treaty the better to keep the Prince quiet in expectation thereof and gain time to work upon his Seamen already corrupted with want of work and pay and to gull and pacifie the rest of the Members and People not patient of a sharper remedy until Oliver had quite finished his Northerne work aâ—d marched nearer London Colchester reduced and the Princes Fleet retired to Harbour to avoid Winter and then to break off the Treaty and purge the House of those Members that sought Peace by an accord with the King under the notion of the Kings corrupt party to blinde their eyes therefore the Speaker Lenthall though at this time the Fore-man of Olivers shop when it was debated in the House Whether a Treaty should be had with the King in the Isle of Wight upon the Propositions of Hampton-Court The Question much opposed and at last put the Noes and the Yeas were equal 57. to 57. insomuch that the Speakers voice was put in to turn the Scales he gave his voice in the affirmative that time following his conscience against his Interest and my Lord Say openly in the House of Lords said God forbid that any man should take advantage of this Victory to break off the Treaty and the Armies Scout from Tuesday Novemb. 14. to Novemb. 21. 1648. propounds three Riddles to the Reader 1. Why the Grandees of the Junto that use to rule the Army are the most active Solicitors for an Agreement of the Parliament with His Majesty when then the Army are acting to the contrary 2. Why His Majesty stumbles only at the matters wherein the Presbyterian Interest are concerned when that Faction is the only visible prop to His Life Crown Dignity and dying Interest 3. Why the Souldiers Petitions for Justice upon his Majesty were ill resented and they thought worthy to be tried by a Councel of Warre as Offendors yet a Remonstrance was then framing by the Grandee-Officers to the same purpose and much more against the present Authority and in this the Generall concurres 6. New Instructions to Hammond in order to the Treaty sect 132. The next thing taken into consideration in relation to the Treaty was the giving new instructions to Hammond the Head-Goaler how to demeane himself in the Treaty which had formerly been Voted to be in the Isle of Wight with honour freedome and safety to his Majesty The Instructions were 1. That the King should enjoy the same liberty during this Treaty that He had at Hampton-Court 2. That no person excepted out of mercy none now Imprisoned by the Parliament nor none now in actuall Armes against the Parliament should be admitted to come to the King 3. That no forreign Agent should make any Addresse to him without leave of both Houses Against these Instructions it was argued That some of them contradicted the former Votes That the King should Treat in Honour and Freedome and that He should enjoy the same Liberty He had at Hampton-Court which could not be so long as He was denyed to correspond with other Princes His Allyes with whom He was in league and amity by their Ambassadors and Agents a Royalty inseparable from the Crowne allowed Him at Hampton-Court and to deny it was implicitely to dethrone Him To which was answered That this was true of a King in actuall exercise of his Regall power which this King neither is nor ought to be untill He hath given satisfaction to His Parliament That it was a great condescention in them and below the Dignity of a Parliament to recal their Votes of Non-Addresse and put the businesse of the Treaty thus forward and if He would not accept of a Treaty upon such conditions as the Parliament thought fit then things would be but where they were The peaceable moderate Party perceiving what operation the Scotish Victory had already upon the fancies of those hot-headed Men knew they must speak mannerly and modestly for feare of correction and must take what they could since they could not have what they would 4. That the King should give His Royall word not to remove out of the Island during the Treaty nor in 20. daies after without consent of the two Houses this was to make his chaines a linke or two longer 7. The Earle of Warwicks Letter to Derby-ho complaining of his Sea-men yet the King did give His Royall word accordingly Thursday Aug. 24. a Letter came to the Committee of Safety at Derby-House from the Earle of Warwicke complaining of the perversnesse of his owne Sea-men and that those with the Prince would not yet stoop to the Gods of Gold his owne words That some other way must be thought of besides force to undermine the Prince that since they had subdued their Enemies by Land it would be a good preparative to work upon their Enemies by Sea with the same Engine You see these Saints having gotten a publique Purse into their hands are at the peoples cost and charges bountifull Corrupters of other mens faith having none of their owne About this time a new kind of pick-lock was invented to open the iron Chests and Counter-Boards of the City 8. A Committee to make effectuall the Sale of Bishops Lands and cajole the City and invite them to throw more money after that they had cast away already in purchase of Bishops Lands namely a Committee to consider of a way to secure unto the Purchasers the Mony they had already disbursed upon the said Lands and to remove all impediments in the Sale for time to come To which Col. Harvy said That he had experience in the late defection of the City when the Men most backwards in the Parliaments service were such of the Presbyterians as had no engagement upon Bishops Lands wheras others of the same Party that have interest in the same Lands are as forward as any the best affected Here you see what it is that chaines the affections of the City to this Parliament and what it is that
let the Saints now voting in the House examine their pockets for I am confident their consciences had no hand in the businesse Resolved c. That the matters contained in these Papers are destructive to the beings of Parliaments and to the fundamental Government of the Kingdome Resolved c. That a Letter should be sent to the General and those Papers inclosed together with the Vote of this House upon them and that he be desired to examine the proceedings of this businesse in the Army and returne an Account thereof to this House The General and Councel of Warre in pursuance of this Vote 37. The said Agreement damned by the General and Councel of War and a Souldier shot by sentence for promoting it condemned one of the Agitators who promoted it and shot him to death at Ware you see what it is to do a thing unseasonably this Designe of the Army and their Party was not yet ripe wherewith they acquainted the House yet they kept in the same fire in the City still where some of their Confederates 23. of the same Novem. sent the same Agreement c. inclosed in a Letter with a Petition into the House of Commons whereupon the House giving thanks to the General for the execution done at Ware and desiring him to examine that businesse to the bottome unanimously passed these Votes Die Martis 23. Nov. 1647. A Petition directed to the Supreme Authority of England 38. The said Agreement condemned by the House a second time 23. Nov. 1647. the Commons in Parliament assembled and entituled The humble Petition of many Free-borne People of England sent in a Letter directed to Mr. Speaker and opened by a Committee thereunto appointed was read the first and second time Resolved c. That this Petition is a seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecution of a former Petition and Paper annexed stiled An Agreement of the People formerly adjudged by this House to be destructive to the being of Parliaments and fundamentall Government of the Kingdome c. Resolved c. That Tho. Prince Cheese-monger and Sam. Chidley be forthwith committed Prisoners to the Prison of the Gate-house there to remaine Prisoners during the pleasure of this House for a seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecution of a former Petition and Paper annexed stiled An Agreement of the People formerly adjudged by this House destructive to the being of Parliaments and fundamental Government of the Kingdome Resolved c. That Jeremy Ives Tho. Taylor and Will Larner be forthwith committed Prisoners to the Prison at New-gate c. as last aforesaid in Terminis Afterwards by an Ordinance Decemb. 17. 1647. for Electing Common-Councel-men and other Officers in London they expresly ordained That no Person who hath contrived abetted perswaded or entred into that engagement entituled The Agreement of the People declared to be destructive to the being of Parliaments and fundamental Government of the Kingdome be elected chosen or put into the Office of the Lord Major of the City of London Sheriffe Alderman Deputy of a Ward or Common-Councel-man of the said City or shall have any voice in the election of any such Officers for the space of one whole yeare and be uncapable of any of the said Places yet now these petty Fellowes keep the whole City in awe 39. Yet this Agreement since inserted into the Remonstrance of the Army owned by the Generall and Councell of Warre and Nov. 20. 1648. obtruded upon the House These multiplied Votes and Ordinance laid this Agreement of the People asleep until the beginning of November 1648. when to hinder the peace of this Kingdome and reliefe of Ireland the Jesuits and Agitators prosecuted it againe in the Army and inserted it againe verbatim in the Remonstrance of the Army Novemb 20. 1648. to break off the Treaty with the King bring him to capitall punishment and cast the odium of all upon the Parliament And the General and his Councel of Officers though they had formerly shot a Souldier to death for prosecuting it unanimously approved it at Saint Albons November 16. 1648. and obtruded it upon the House the 20. Novemb. and when they found the House so resolute in the Treaty as to proceed they first seized the Person of the King and carried Him to Hurst-Castle as aforesaid and when the House at last closed up the Treaty with this Vote That the Kings Answers to the Propositions of both Houses were a ground for the Houses to proceed upon towards a settlement 40. Why they purged the House They seized upon 41. Members of Parliament secured them and villanously treated them secluded above 160. and frighted away at least 40. or 50. more leaving onely their owne Somerset-house Junto of 40. or 50. thriving Members sitting to unvote in a thin House under a force what had been voted in a full and free House To vote down the Kingly Office and House of Peers to vote the Supreme Authority to be in the People and in the House of Commons as their Representative clean contrary to their three last recited Votes To bring the King to capital punishment before a new invented illegal mixed Court consisting of engaged persons erected for that purpose that hath neither foundation by Prescription nor Law and to erect a Councel or Committee of States out of their number in the nature of Lords States General or Hogen Mogens with an unknown and therefore unlimited Authority to continue in being after the dissolution of this Parllament So farewel Kings Lords and Commons Religion Laws and Liberties and all Votes Declarations Remonstrances Protestation and Covenant made heretofore onely to gull the People and carry on their designe About 19. Decemb. 41. Diverse Lords doe homage to the General and wave their honours divers Lords went to do homage to the General to expresse their good affections to him and their concurrence with him for the Common good and their readinesse to wave their priviledges and Titles if they shall be found burdensome to the liberty of the People and had a gracious nod for their paines About this time the Lords and Commons passed an Ordinance for electing Common-Councel-men and Officers in London for the yeare following to this effect 42. An Ordinance to curb the City in electing Officers That no Person that hath been imprisoned or sequestred rightfully or wrongfully or hath assisted the King against the Parliament in the first or second Warre or hath been aiding or assisting in bringing in the Scots Army to invade this Kingdome or did subscribe or abett the treasonable Engagement 1647. or that did ayde assist or abett the late Tumult within the Cities of London and Westminster or the Counties of Kent Essex Middlesex or Surrey shall be elected chosen or put into the Office or Place of Lord Mayor of London Alderman Aldermans Deputy Common-Councel-man or into any office or place of trust within the City for the yeare ensuing or be capable to give
could not be carried on by any private designe in Conventicles and corners as are all the bloudy Petitions for justice justice against capital Delinquents and the most High which being penned and solicited by the Army or sectary Committee-men 48. Somersetshire encouraged by the House to associate all the wel-affected i. e. all the Anarchists and Cheaters and subscribed and prosecuted by some few beggerly Schismaticks without Cloaks in the Names of whole Counties whom they had the impudence to belie were entertained in state and they and that wel-affected County though they abhorred the villany thanked for their paines * 25. Decemb. The House voted a Letter to be sent by way of encouragement to the County of Somerset to go on with setling their association with the wel-affected and forces of the Counties adjacent this is to associate and Arme all the Schismaticks Committee-men guilty and desperate Persons Antimonarchists and Anarchists against all the peaceable and honest men of the Kingdome 26. Decemb. Mr. Pryn sent a Letter to the General 49. Mr. Pryns Letter to the General demanding his liberty demanding his liberty and seconded it with a Declaration as followeth Mr. Pryn's Demand of his Liberty to the Generall Decemb. 26. 1648. with his Answer thereto And his Declaration and Protestation thereupon For the Honourable Lord Fairfax Generall of the present Army THese are to acquaint your Lordship 50. Mr. Pryns Declaration seconding his said Letter That I being a Member of the Commons House of Parliament a Free-man of England a great Sufferer for and an Assertor of the Subjects Liberties against all Regal and Prelatical tyranny and no way subject to your owne your Councel of Warrs or Officers military power or jurisdiction going to the House to discharge my duty on the 6 of this instant December was on the staires next the Commons House door forcibly kept back entring the House seized on and carried away thence without any pretext of Lawfull Authority therto assigned by Colonel Pride and other Officers and Souldiers of the Army under your Command And notwithstanding the Houses demand of my enlargement both by their Sergeant and otherwise ever since unjustly detained under your Marshals custody and tossed from place to place contrary to the known Priviledges of Parliament the Liberty of the Subject and fundamental Laws of the Land which you are engaged to maintaine against all violation And therefore do hereby demand from your Lordship my present enlargement and just liberty with your Answer hereunto From the Kings-head in the Strand Decemb. 26. 1648. William Pryn. This was delivered to the Generals own hands at his House in Queen-street about three of the clock the same day it beares date by Doctor Bastwijcke VVho returned this Answer by him upon the reading therof THat he knew not but Mr. Pryn was already released and that he would send to his Officers to know what they had against him VVho it seems act all things without his privity and steer all the Armies present counsels and designes according to their absolute wills The Publique Declaration and Protestation of William Pryn of Lincolnes Inne Esquire Against his present Restraint and the present destructive Councels and Jesuiticall proceedings of the Generall Officers and Army I VVilliam Pryn a Member of the House of Commons and Freeman of England who have formerly suffer'd 8. years Imprisonment four of them close three in exile three Pillories the losse of my Ears Calling Estate for the vindicating of the Subjects just Rights and Liberties against the arbitrary tyranny injustice of King and Prelats and defence of the Protestant Religion here established spent most of my strength and studies in asserting the Peoples just freedom and the power and priviledges of Parliament against all Opposers and never received one farthing by way of damages gift or recompence or the smallest benefit or preferment whatsoever for all my sufferings and publicke services Do here solemnly declare before the most just and righteous God of Heaven and Earth the Searcher of all hearts the whole Kingdome English Nation and the World that having according to the best of my skill and judgment faithfully discharged my trust and duty in the Commons House upon real grounds of Religion Conscience Justice Law prudence and right reason for the speedy and effectual setlement of the peace and safety of our three distracted bleeding dying Kingdoms on Monday Dec. 4. I was on Wednesday morning following the 6 of this instant going to the House to discharoe my duty on the Parliament staires next the Commons door forcibly seized upon by Col. Pride Sir Hardress VValler and other Officers of the Army who had then beset the House with strong Guards and whole Reg of Horse and Foote haled violently thence into Queens Court notwithstanding my Protestation of breach of priviledge both as a Member and a Freeman by a meere usurped tyrannicall power without any lawfull Authority or cause assigned and there forceibly detained Prisoner with other Members there restrained by them notwithstanding the Houses double demand of my present enlargement to attend its service by the Sergeant and that night contrary to faith and promise carried Prisoner to Hell and there shut up all night with 40. other Members without any lodging or any other accommodations contrary to the known Priviledges of Parl. the fundamental Laws of the Realm and Liberty of the subject which both Houses the 3. Kingdoms the General with all Officers and Soldiers of the Army are by solemn Covenant and duty obliged inviolably to maintain Since which I have without any lawful power or authority bin removed and kept prisoner in several places put to great expences debar'd the liberty of my person calling denied that hereditary freedom which belongs to me of right both as a Freeman a Member an eminent sufferer for the publick and a Christian by these who have not the least shadow of authority or justice to restrain me and never yet objected the least cause for this my unjust restraint I do therfore hereby publickly protest against all these their proceedings as the highest usurpation of an arbitrary and tyrannical power the greatest breach of faith trust Covenant priviledges of Parl. and most dangerous encroachment on the Subjects liberties and Laws of the Land ever practised in this Kingdome by any King or Tyrant especially by pretended Saints who hold forth nothing but justice righteousnesse liberty of conscience and publick freedom in all their Remonstrances whils they are triumphantly trampling them all under their armed iron feet And do further herby appeal to summon them before all the Tribunals and powers in heaven and earth for exemplary justice against them who cry out so much for it against others less tyrannical oppressive unjust and fedifragus to God and men than themselves And do moreover remonstrat that all their present exorbitant actings against the King Parl. present Government and their new modled representative are nothing else
People or else by the power of Courtiers stopping the course of Justice at the Councel Table and in other Arbitrary Courts both which are taken away by the Kings Concessions 1. That the Nomination of Judges and Officers be in the Parliament 2. That the King make no new Parliament Lords for the future to Vote there For this you must take the faith of the misty brained Penman who had this as well as many other gross Lies by Revelation The Army had had the King in hâ—ir power and had the Parliament adjourned the sole power of the Kingdom had been left in the Army which is a thing aimed at by them Another Objection is That they had intelligence that had they been suffered to meet all in the House once more it was designed to have passed some higher Resolutions to lay farther foundations of a new quarrel so as to carry therein the name and countenance of Parliamentary Authoriâ—y together with the Kings upon an acceptable pretence of Peace to draw men in and then to have adjourned the Parliament for a long time excluding all remedy in this case but by another War To this we say the House immediately upon passing the Vote 5. Decemb sent a Committee to the General to confer with him and his Officers and keep a good correspondency with them To which the General promised his readiness howsoever it was hindred afterwards And then they seized upon one of the Commissioners appointed to Treat affronted another and left no way free for a Conference which shews they were resolved to doe what they had designed The last Obj. is That those Members that are yet detained in Custodie are either such as have been formerly Impeached and in part judged by the House for Treason and other Crimes and never acquitted and against whom they can and very shortly will produce new matter of no less crime or else such who have appeared most active and united in Councels with them against whom also they are preparing and shall shortly give matter of particular Impeachment To this we say that when it appears what those crimes are and what persons are charged with them we doubt not but they will sufficiently acquit themselves if things may be legally carried in a judicial way by competent Judges not preingaged In the mean time we conclude That Souldiers whose advantages arise by War are not fit to judge of the Peace of the Nation 74. A Declaration by Mr. Walker and Mr. Pryn The 19. Jan. 1648. Mr. Pryn and Mr. Walker two of the secured Members published in print their Declaration and Protestation against the actings and proceedings of the Army and their Faction now remaining in the House of Commons as followeth A Declaration and Protestation of Will Pryn and Clem Walker Esquires Members of the House of Commons Against the present Actings and Proceedings of the Generall and Generall Councell of the Army and their Election now remaining and sitting in the said House WHereas long since for ease of the People both Houses in a full and free Parliament Voted the Disbanding of this Army in opposition to which some great Officers of the said Army to continue their rich Commands with some Members of the House of Commons who daily inrich themselves by the troubles of the times secretly mutinied the Army against the Parliament And whereas lately the farre major part of the House of Commons pittying the bleeding condition and tears of the oppressed People Voted and entred into a Personall Treaty with the King without which by the Armies own confession in their Remonstrance at Saint Albons p. 64. there can be no peace which the Army interrupted by obtruding upon the Commons a treasonable Remonstrance 20. Novemb. 1648. tending to destroy the King and His Posterity and wholly to subvert all Parliaments Religion Laws and Liberties for ever whereby the Commons in Parliament found it absolutely necessary to prevent such pernitious innovations by concluding a safe peace with His Majesty whereupon after mature debate the House of Commons the 5. Decemb. 1648. Voted That the Kings Answer to the Propositions of both Houses upon the Treaty were a ground for the Houses to proceed to the settlement of a safe and well-grounded Peace Upon which the Generall and Councell of Warre Wednesday morning 6. December 1648. Seized and Imprisoned 41 of the Members going to the House of Commons to do their Duty secluded above 160. other Members besidss 40. or 50. Members who voluntarily withdrew themselves to avoid their violence leaving onely their own engaged party of 40. or 50. Members sitting who now pass Acts of Parliament of the House of Commons as they call them without the Lords and comply with the said Councell of Warre to carry on the said Remonstrance To which purpose this present remnant of the Commons have unvoted in a thin House under the force of the Army what was deliberately Voted in a full and free House whereas by their own Ordinance passed upon the Tumult of Apprentices 20. August 1647. to null and make void ab initio all Acts Orders Votes c. passed under the said force This remaining Party ought not to sit act nor take upon them the style of a House under so visible actuall and horrid a Force The premises considered We whose names are hereunto subscribed Members of the House of Commons do declare and protest That the said Generall Commissioned Officers and Generall Councell of the Army by the said act of violence upon the major part of the House which legally and virtually is the whole House have waged War and Rebelled against the Parliament their Masters who raised them to defend the Priviledges of Parliament and the Kings Person and Authority in defence of Religion Laws and Liberties and have thereby forfeited their Commissions and have broken and dis-continued this Parliament so that untill this force be removed punished the Honour of the Parliament and their wronged Members vindicated and all the Members resummoned all the Votes Orders and Actings passed and to be passed by this nominall House of Commons are and will be void ab initio and all such as do or shall obey them are and will be punishable both by the Armies own judgment in their Remonstrance August 18. and by the Houses Declaration and the said Ordinance 20. August 1647. We do farther declare and protest against this present House of Commons illegall Acts Order or Ordinance for erecting a High Court of Justice and usurping a power without any Law or president to Trie Depose and bring to capitall punishment the King and to Dis-inherit His Posterity or any of them and against the said Generall Councell of Officers aiding and abetting them therein as highly impious against the Law of God Nations and the Protestant Profession Traitors against the Stat. of Treason 25. Edw. 3. and against all Laws and our Statutes perjurious and perfidious against the Oaths of Allegiance Supremacy Nationall Covenant and Protestation
Jurisdiction of the Kingdome they have declared That it is notorious that the matter of the charge is true as it is in truth my Lord as cleare as crystall and as the Sun that shines at noone-day which if your Lordship and the Court be not satisfied in I have notwithstanding on the Peoples behalf severall Witnesses to produce and therefore I do humbly pray and yet I do confesse it is not so much I as the Innocent bloud that hath been shed the cry whereof is very great for Justice and Judgement and therefore I do humbly pray that speedy Judgment be pronounced against the Prisoner at the Bar. Bradshaw Sir You have heard what is moved by the Councel on behalfe of the Kingdome against you you were told over and over againe That it was not for you nor any other man to dispute the Jurisdiction of the Supreme and highest Authority of England from which there is no appeal and touching which there must be no dispute yet you did persist in such carriage as you have no manner of obedience nor did you acknowledge any authority in them nor the high Court that constituted this high Court of Justice Sir I must let you know from the Court that they are very sensible of these delaies of Yours and that they ought not being thus Authorized by the Supreme Court of England be thus trifled withall and that they might in Justice and according to the rules of Justice take advantage of these delayes and proceed to pronounce Judgment against you yet neverthelesse they are pleased to give direction and on their behalf I do require you That You make a positive Answer unto this charge that is against you in plaine Tearmes for Justice knowes no respect of Persons you are to give your positive and finall Answer in plaine English whether you be guilty or not guilty of these Treasons laid to your charge King When I was here Yesterday I did desire to speak for the Liberties of the people of England I was interrupted I desire to know yet whether I may speak freely or not Bradsh Sir You have had the resolution of the Court upon the like question the last day and you were told that having such a charge of so high a nature against you Your work was that you ought to acknowledge the Jurisdiction of the Court and to answer to your charge when you have once Answered you shall be heard at large make the best defence You can But Sir I must let you know from the Court as their commands That You are not to be permitted to Issue out into any other diâ—â—â—â—â—ses till such time as You have given a positive answer concerning the matter charg'd upon you King For the charge I value it not a Rush it is the Liberty of the people of England that I stand for for Me to acknowledge a new Court that I never heard of before I that am your KING that should be an example to all the people of England to uphold Justice to maintaine the old Lawes Indeed I do not know how to do it you spoke well the first day that I came here on Saturday of the Obligations that I had laid upon me by God to the maintenance of the Liberties of my people the same Obligation you spake of I do acknowledge to God that I owe to him and to My people to defend as much as in Me lies the antient Laws of the Kingdome therefore untill that I may know that this is not against the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome I can put in no particular Answer if you will give Me time I will shew you My Reasons and this here being interrupted the King said again Whether these breaches and interruptions were made by Bradshaw or whether they are omissions and expunctions of some material parts of the King's Speech which this licenced Pen man durst not let downe I Know not I hear much of the King's Argument is omitted and much depraved none but Licenced-men being suffered to take Notes By your favour you ought not to interrupt Me How I came here I know not there 's no Law for it to make your King your Prisoner I was in a Treaty upon the publique Faith of the Kingdom that was the known two Houses of Parliament that was the Representative of the Kingdome and when I had almost made an end of the Treaty then I was hurried away and brought hither and therfore Bradsh Sir You must know the pleasure of the Court. King By your favour Sir Bradsh Nay Sir by your favour You may not be permitted to fall into those Discourses You appear as a Delinquent You have not acknowledged the Authority of the Court the Court craves it not of You but once more they command You to give your positive Answer Clerke do your Duty King Duty Sir The Clerke reads Charles Stuart King of England You are accused in behalfe of the Commons of England of diverse high Crimes and Treasons which Charge hath been Read unto You The Court now requires You to give Your positive and finall Answer by way of confession or deniall of the Charge King Sir I say againe to you so that I may give satisfaction to the People of England of the clearnesse of My proceedings not by way of answer not in this way but to satisfie them that I have done nothing against that Trust that hath been committed to Me I would do it but to acknowledge a New Court against their Priviledges to alter the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome Sir you must excuse me Bradsh Sir This is the third time that You have publiquely disavowed this Court and put an affront upon it how far You have preserved the priviledges of the people Your actions have spoken but truly Sir mens intentions ought to be known by their actions You have written Your meaning in bloudy Characters throughout the whole Kingdome but Sir you understand the pleasure of the Court Clerke Record the default and Gentlemen you that took charge of the Prisoner take Him back againe So the King went forth with His Guards and the Court adjourned to the Painted Chamber the Cryer as at other times crying God blesse the Kingdome of England 83. The fourth and last dayes Triall of His Majesty Saturday 27. Jan. 1648. The Court sate again in Westminster-hall the President was in his Scarlet Robes after him 67. Commissioners answered to their Names The King came in in His wonted posture with his Hat on a Company of Souldiers and Schismaticks placed about the Court to cry for Justice Judgement and Execution The people not daring to cry God blesse Him for fear of being againe beaten by the Souldiers Bradsh Gentlemen it is well knowne to all or most of you here present that the Prisonâ—r at the Bar hath been severall times convented and brought before this Court to make Answer to a charge of High Treason and other high crimes exhibited against Him in the Name
onely in the Lords and Peers of the Realme being by Inheritance custome and Law in such case the Kings and Kingdoms great Councel to whose lawfull commands all other Subjects ought to yeeld ready Obedience 6. That every professed actuall endeavour by force or otherwise to alter the fundamentall Monarchicall Government Laws and legall Style and proceedings of this Realme and to introduce any new Government or Arbitrary proceedings contrary thereunto is no lesse then High Treason and so declared and resolved by the last Parliament in the cases of Strafford and Canterbury the losse of whose Heads yet fresh in memory should deterre all others from pursuing their pernitious courses and out-stripping them therein they being as great potent and as farre out of the reach of danger and justice in humane probability as any of our present Grandees 111. A New Stamp for Coyne That no Act of Rebellion and Treason might be unattempted by this Conventicle no part of the Regalities of the King or peoples Liberties unviolated they considered of a New Stamp to be given to all Coyne for the future of this Nation 112. Instructions for the Councel of State 13. Febr. They considered of Instructions and Power to be given by way of Commission to the said Committee or Councel of State 1. For the Government of the two Nations of England and Ireland appointing a Committee to bring in the Names of these Hogens Mogens and to perfect their Instructions for 1 Ordering the Militia 2 Governing the People they were wont to be Governed by knowne Lawes not by Arbitrary Instructions and by one King not by forty Tyrants most of them base Mechanicks whose education never taught them to aspire to more knowledge then the Office of a Constable 3 Setling of Trade most of them have driven a rich Trade in the work of Reformation for themselves 4 Execution of Lawes this was wont to be done by legall sworne Judges Juries and Officers 113. Powers given to the Councel of State 14. Eebr The Committee reported to the House the Names of the Committee of State or Lords States Generall Also the Power they were to have viz 1. Power to command and settle the Militia of England and Ireland 2. Power to set forth Ships and such a considerable Navy as they should think fit 3. Power to appoint Magazines and Stores for the Kingdoms of England and Ireland and dispose of them from time to time for the service of both Nations as they shall think fit 4. Power to fit and execute the severall powers given for the space of one whole yeare with many other powers not yet revealed and daily increased besides what improvements of Power they are able to make hereafter having the Militia of an Army that formidable Hob-goblin at their command They have two Seales appointed a Great Seale and a Signet Patents for Sheriffs and Commissions for Justices and Oaths for both were reformed according to the Godly cut When the Committtee of State was nominated in the House 114. An expurgatory Oath put upon the Councel of State scrupled by some of the Members and moderated by Cromwell â—n opposition of the Levelâ—ers divers Gentlemen of the best quality were named whom they could not omit because they had sat with them and concurred in all their great debates although they had more confidence in those petty Fellows who had or would sell their soules for gain to make themselves Gentlemen to debarre the said Gentlemen of quality therefore and make them forbear they invented an expurgatory Oath or Shibeleth to be taken by every Member before his initiation whereby they should declare That they approved of what the House of Commons and their High Court of Justice had done against the KING and of their abolishing of Kingly Government and of the House of Peers and that the Legislative and Supreme power was wholly in the House of Commons 22. Febr. Cromwell Chairman of that Committee of State reported to the Commons That according to the Order of that House 19. of the said Members had subscribed to that forme of the Oath as it was originally penned but 22. of them scrupled it whereof all the Lords were part not but that they confessed except one The Commons of England to be the Supreme power of the Nation or that they would not live and die with them in what they should do for the future but could not confirm what they had done in relation to the King and Lords so it was referred to a Committee to consider of an expedient Cromwell having made use of the Levellers 115. Cromwells usurped power When the House of Commons opposed Cromwels and Iretâ—ns designes they cried up the Libertie of the People and decried the Authority of Parliament until they had made use of the Levellers to purge the House of Commons and make it subservient to their ends and abolish the House of Lords and then they cried up the Supreme Auâ—horitie of their House of Commons and decried the Liberty of the people and the Levellers who upheld it So Charles the 5. first made use of the Popes Authority to subdue the Protestâ—nts of Germany and then used an Army of Protestants to subdue and imprison â—he Pope Assertors of publique Liberty to purge the House of Commons and abolish the Lords House doth now endeavour to cast down the Levellers once more finding himself raised to so great an height that he cannot endure to think of a levelling equality he overswayes the Councel of Warre over-awes the House of Commons and is Chairman and Ring-leader of the Councel of State so that he hath engrossed all the power of England into his own hands and is become the Triple-King or Lord Paramount over all the Tyrants of England in opposition therefore to the Levelling party and for the upholding his own more Lordly Interest he procured an expedient to Alter and Reforme the said Oath which at last passed in this forme following February the 22. 1648. 116. The forme of the said reformed Oath I A. B. being nominated a Member of the Councel of State by this present Parliament do testify that I do adhere to this present Parliament in the maintenance and defence of the publique liberty and freedome of this Nation as it is now Declared by this Parliament by whose Authority I am constituted a Member of the said Councel and in the maintenance and defence of their resolutions concerning the setling of the Government of this Nation for the future in way of a Republique without King or House of Peers and I do promise in the sight of God that through his Grace I will be faithfull in performance of the trust committed to me as aforesaid and therin faithfully pursue the Instructions given to the said Councel by this present Parliament Mere you see a curtain drawn between the eyes of the people and the clandestine machinations and actings of this Councell and not reveale or
be given of any Subject Tried but by Bill of Attainder in Parliament or by a Jury But all was but to charme a deaf Adder He was a gallant Gentleman and they durst not let him live The KING'S Library at St. James's was given I hear to that ignorant Stage player Hugh Peters 123. The Kings Library at Saint James's given to Hugh Peters 26. Febr. John Lylburne delivered to the Commons by the name of the Supreme Authority of England A Petition in the name of many thousand wel-affected with a Book annexed entituled Englands new Chaines discovered The most material points thereof are 124. L. C. Lylburnes Petition to the House with Englands new Chaines annexed See the Hunting the Foxes c. pag. 8. that they find fault with The Agreement of the People presented to the House by Lieu. Gen. Hammond from the Officers of the Army because 1. They like not there should be any intervals between the end of this Representative now sitting and the beginning of the next whereby during the said Intervall the Supreme power will be left in the new erected Councel of State a constitution of a new and unexperienced nature which may designe to perpetuate their power and keep off Parliaments and Representatives for ever 2. They conceive no lesse danger in that it is provided that Parliaments for the future are to continue but 6. months and the Councel of State 18. Months in which time having command of all the Forces by Sea and Land they will have great opportunities to make themselves absolute and unaccountable 3. They are not satisfied with that Clause in the said Agreement That the Representative shall extend to the erecting and abolishing Courts of Justice since the alteration of the usuall way of Trialls by 12. sworne men of the Neighbour-hood may be included therin as hath lately been done by erecting a new High Court of Justice criminall under a President and Commissioners or Tryers picked and chosen in an unusuall way all liberty of exceptions against them being over-ruled 4. They are not satisfied with that Clause in the Agreement That the Representative have the Highest finall Judgment since their Authority is onely to make Generall Laws Rules and Directions for Courts and Persons assigned by Law to execute them unto which the Representatives themselves are to be subject it being a great partiality and vexation to the People that the Law-makers should be Law-executors 5. They finde fault with the Excise calling it The great obstructor of all Trade farre surmounting Ship-money and all Patents Projects and Monopolies before this Parliament 6. The Act for Pressing of Sea-men 7. The General and Officers obstructing the Presse 8. The Chancery and Courts of Justice not regulated Hunting the Foxes p 8. sayes it was Iretons invention 9. They complaine That a Councel of State is hastily chosen as Guardians of the Peoples liberties with a vast and exorbitant power 1. To command order and dispose of all Forces by Sea and Land and all Magazines of Store in England and Ireland 2. To dispose all publique Treasure 3. To command any Person whatsoever before them to give Oath for discovery of Truth 4. To Imprison any that shall disobey their Commands and such as they shall Judge contumacious what now is become of Magna Charta and the Liberties of the People That no Mans Person shall be Attached or Imprisoned or Disseised of his Free-hold or Free-customes but by lawfull Judgement of his Equalls This Councel of State hath got all power into their hands a project long laboured and now their next motion will be pretending ease to the People to Dissolve this Parliament 10. The Petitioners complaine that in order to settle their Tyranny the Councel of Officers insisted upon it That a motion should be made to the House of Commons to enable them to put to death by Martial Law all such as they shall judge by Petitions or otherwise to disturbe the present proceedings whether Members of the Army or not And when it was urged That the Civil Magistrate should do it it was answered * The saying of Col. Hewson the one-eyed Cobler See Hunting the Foxes p. 10. They could hang twenty ere the Magistrate could hang one The prayer of their Petition is 1. That the Self-denying Ordinance be observed 2. That they would consider how dangerous it is to continue the Highest Military Commands so long in the same Persons especially acting so long distinct and of themselves as those now in being have done and in such extraordinary waies whereunto they have accustomed themselves which was the original of most Tyrannies 3. That they would appoint a Committee of Parliament-men to hear and determine all controversies between Officers and Officers Officers and Souldiers to mitigate the rigour of Martiall Law and to provide it be not executed upon any not Members of the Army 4. That they will open the Presses 5. That they will dissolve this Councel of State threatning so manifest Tyranny 6. That they will severely punish all such as acting upon any Order Ordinance or Act of Parliament shall exceed the power conferred on them After this came forth a second part of Englands new Chaines discovered 125. A second part of Englands New Chains setting forth the hypocrisie and perfidiousnesse of the Councel of the Army and the Grandees in cheating all Interests King Parliament People Souldiers City Agitators Levellers c. which tells you That the Grandees walk by no principles of Honesty or Conscience but as meer Polititians are governed altogether by occasion as they see a possibility of making progress to their Designs which course of theirs they ever termed A waiting upon Providence that under colour of Religion they might deceive the more securely It tells you their intent is to Garrison all great Towns to break the spirits of the People with oppression and poverty It farther Declares that these Grandees judge themselves loose when other men are bound all Obligations are to them Transitory and Ceremonial and that every thing is good and just as it conduceth to their Interests That the Grandees never intended an Agreement of the People but onely to amuse that party whilest they hastily set up a Councell of State to establish their Tyranny that to prepare the way to this they broke the House of Commons took away the House of Lords removed the King by an extrajudiciall way of proceedings and erected such a Court of Justice as had no place in the English Government That the remainder of the House of Commons is become a meer channell through which is conveyed all the Decrees and Determinations of a private Councell of some few Officers All these and the Votes That the Supreme power is in the people and the Supreme Authority in the Commons their Representative were onely in order to their Interests of will and power That they place their security in the divisions of the People That if the present House of
it his interest to incroach upon the just freedom and liberty of the people and to promote the setting up of their own will and power above the Laws that so they might enslave these Kingdoms to their own Lust * * But in a Councel of State of forty Tyrants sitting under the protection and awe of Oliver Be it therefore Enacted and Ordained by this present Parliament and by Authority of the same That the Office of a King in this Nation shall not henceforth reside in or be exercised by any one single Person and that no one person whatsoever shall or may have or hold the Office Stile Dignity Power or Authority of King of the said Kingdoms and Dominions or any of them or of the Prince of Wales Any Law Statute Vsage or Custome to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding And it is hereby Enacted That if any person or persons shall endeavour to attempt by force of Armes or otherwise or be aiding assisting câ—mforting or abetting unto any person or persons that shall by any wayes or means whatsoever endeavour or attempt the reviving or setting up again of any pretended Right of the said Charles eldest Son to the said late King James called Duke of York or of any other the Issue and Posterity of the said late King or of any person or persons claiming under him or them to the said Regal Office Stile Dignity or Authority or to be Prince of Wales or the promoting of any one person whatsoever to the Name Stile Dignity Power Prerogative or Authority of King of England and Ireland and Dominions aforesaid or any of them That then every such offence shall be deemed and adjudged High-Treason High Treason is what these Legislative Thieves list to make it an Arbitary crime notwithstanding the Stat. 25 Ed. 3. for limiting and ascertaining of Treasons for security of the people Tiberius and Nero's days are fallen upon us Of which Tacitus Ingens crimen divitiae complementum omnium accusationum laesa majestas and the Offenders therein their Counsellors Procurers Aiders and Abettors being convicted of the said offence or any of them shall be deemed and adjudged Traytors against the Parliament and People of England and shall suffer lose and forfeit and have such like and the same pains forfeitures judgements and execution as is used in case of High Treason And whereas by the abolition of the Kingly Office provided for in this Act a most happy way is made for this Nation if God see it good to return to its just and antient right of being Governed by its own Representatives or National meetings in Councel * * When was England governed by their own Representative or had any other regliment then Kings But what the Legislative Conventicle declares we must believe though contrary to our knowledge They will lead our Faith and Reason in a string or have our necks in a halter A period to this Parliament and leave the Supream power in the Councel of State a design long since attempted See First and Second Part of Englands New Chains and the Hunting of the Foxes No obedience is due by Law to them which takes no notice of this form of Government from time to time chosen and entrusted for that purpose by the People It is therefore Resolved and Declared by the Commons assembled in Parliament that they will put a period to the sitting of this present Parliament and dissolve the same so soon as may possibly stand with the safety of the people that hath betrusted them and with what is absolutely necessary for the preserving and upholding the Government now setled in the way of a Common-wealth and that they will carefully provide for the certain chusing meeting and sitting of the next and future Representatives with such other circumstances of freedom in choice and equality in distribution of Members to be elected thereunto as shall most conduce to the lasting freedom and good of this Common-wealth And it is hereby further Enacted and Declared notwithstanding any thing contained in this Act no person or persons of what condition and quality soever within the Common-wealth of England and Ireland Dominion of Wales the Islands of Guernsey and Jersey and Town of Berwick upon Tweed shall be discharged from the obedience and subjection which he and they owe to the Government of this Nation as it is now Declared but all and every of them shall in all things render and perform the same as of right is due unto the Supreme Authority hereby declared to reside in this and the successive Representatives of the People of this Nation and in them onely 132. An Act for abolishing the House of Peers More New lights new discoveries made by forty or fifty Ignis satui gross fiery Meteors remaining in the House of Commons About the same time they passed another Act for Abolishing the House of Peers to this purpose THe Commons of England assembled in Parliam nt finding by too long experience that the House of Lords is useless and dangerous to the People of England to be continued have thought fit to Ordain and Enact and be it Ordained and Enacted by this present Parliament and by the Authority of the same That from henceforth the House of Lords in Parliament shall be and is hereby wholly abolished and taken away and that the Lords shall not from henceforth meet or sit in the said House called the Lords House or iâ— any other House or place whatsoever as a House of Lords nor shall sit vote advise adjudge or determine of any matter or thing whatsoever as a House of Lords in Parliament Nevertheless it is hereby Declared That neither such Lords as have demeaned themselves with honour courage Fidelity to the Common wealth nor their Posterities who shall so continue shall be excluded from the publike Councels of the Nation but shall be admitted thereunto and have their free Vote in Parliament if they shall be thereunto elected as other persons of Interest elected and qualified thereunto ought to have And be it further Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that no Peer of this Land not being elected qualified and sitting in Parliament as aforesaid shall claim have or make use of any Priviledge of Parliament either in relation to his person quality or estate any Laws Vsage or Custome to the contrary notwithstanding And to lessen the amazement of the People the same day they passed and ordered to be printed * 133. A Declaration of the Commons to shew the Reasons of their said proceedings The State is Free but the people Slaves as a Galley is free but the Rowers Slaves 1 part 72 73. See these Books A full Answer to an Infamous Pamphlet Intituled A Declaration of the Commons of England The Charge against the King discharged The Royal and Royalists Plea King Charles vindicated c. And his Majesties last Book or Pourtraicture and His Maj. Gracious Messages for
fancy for their owne vindication and the Commons must Father the Bastard and set the stamp of their Authority and priviledge upon it least any man should confute it and beat back the Authors lies into their throats But this is no new invention for formerly when the Councel of Officers set forth their Answer to the House of Commons Demands concerning their secured Members Ireton penned this scandalous Answer of the said Officers Cromwell and Ireton caused their Journey-men of that Conventicle to Vote That the House did approve the matter of the said Answer therby owning all the grosse lies therin contained to deterre the imprisoned Members from replying to it and so by a tacite confession to acknowledge themselves guilty About this time appeared out of the East a New Light in our Horizon 156. The Turkish Alchoran taught to speak English the Alchoran of Mahomet Predecessor to Cromwell and of Sergius forerunner of Hugh Peters naturalized and turned English Now the Jewes Professed Enemies to Christ which Mahomet is not are accepted of it is beleived that their Thalmude and Caball will shortly be made English too that this Island may be rendred a compleat Pantheon a Temple and Oracle for all Gods and all Religions our light-headed innovating People being like Reeds as apt to be shaken by and bend unto every wind every breath of pretended Inspiration as the antient Arabians were May 1. 1649. The frighted Conventicle of Commons considered of an Act forsooth to fortifie themselves and their usurpations with a Scar-crow of new-declared Treasons 157. New-declared Treasons to defend tyranny and usurpation and ensnare the People to the purpose following 1. If any man shall malitiously this is a word of qualification a back-door to let out such as they shall think fit Affirme the present Government to be tyrannical usurped or unlawfull or that the Commons in Parliament are not the supreme Authority of the Nation or endeavour to alter the present Government 2. If any affirme the Councel of State or Parliament to be Tyrannicall or unlawfull or endeavour to subvert them or stirre up sedition against them For Souldiers of the Army to contrive the death of the Generall or Lieutenant Generall or endeavour to raise mutinies in the Army Quere whether Cromwell be Lieutenant Generall or no or to leavy Warre against the Parliament to joyne with any to invade England or Ireland counterfeit the Great Seale kill any Member of Parliament or Judge or Minister of Justice in their duty All these several cases to be Declared Treason You see the terrors of Caine pursue these guilty Cowards This Fools Bolt is chiefly aymed at the honest Levellers this Junto of Commons have made themselves legall Traytors already and would now make all the Kingdome legislative Traytors but I hope none of those that arrogate the Reverend Title of Judges of the Law although against Law will be so lawlesse as to give Sentence of Death upon any such illegal Act of the House of Commons nay this very Act denounceth slavery and bondage to the Nation and therefore is an Act of the highest tyranny and a snare 158. The Levellers Randezvouz in Oxfordshire May 6. 1649. The honest Levellers of the Army for that is the Nick-name which Cromwell falsly and unchristianly hath christned them withal Enemies to Arbitrary Government tyranny and oppression whether they finde it in the Government of one or many whether in a Councel of Officers a Councel of State or a fag end of a House of Commons whether it vaile it selfe with the Title of a Supreme Authority or a Legislative power drew together to a Randezvouz about Banbury in Oxfordshire to the number of 4000 or 5000. others resorting to them dayly from other parts This gave an Alarme to our Grandees fearing the downfall of their domination Cromwell not knowing what Party to draw out against them that would be stedfast to him shunned the danger and put his property the General upon it to oppose the Randezvouz and looking as wan as the guilles of a sick Turkey-cock marched forth himself Westward to intercept such as drew to the Randezvouz In the meane time the said Levellers printed and published this ensuing Paper entituled Englands Standard advanced or A Declaration from Mr. Will. Thompson and the oppressed People of this Nation now under his conduct in Oxfordshire Dated at their Randezvouz May 6. 1649. WHereas it is notorious to the whole world that neither the Faith of the Parliament nor yet the Faith of the Army formerly made to the people of this Nation in behalf of their Common Right Freedom and Safety hath bin at all observed or made good but both absolutely declined and broken and the people only served with bare words and faire promising Papers and left utterly destitute of all help or delivery And that this hath principally been by the prevalency and treachery of some eminent persons now domineering over the people is most evident The Solemn Engagement of the Army at New-market and Triploe-heaths by them destroyed the Councel of Agitators dissolved the blood of Warr shed in time of Peace Petitioners for Common Freedom suppressed by force of Arms and Petitioners abused and terrified the lawful Trial by 12. sworn men of the Neighbourhood subverted and denied bloody and tyrannical Courts called an High Court of Justice and a Council of State erected the power of the Sword advanced and set in the Seat of the Magistrates the Civil Lawes stopt and subverted and the Military Introduced even to the hostile seizure imprisonment triall sentence and execution of death upon divers of the Free people of this Nation leaving no visible Authority devolving all into a Factious Juncto and Councel of State usurping and assuming the name stamp and authority of Parliament to oppresse torment and vex the People whereby all the lives liberties and estates are all subdued to the Wills of those Men no Law no Justice no Right or Freedome no Case of Grievances no removal of unjust barbarous Taxes no regard to the cries and groans of the poore to be had while utter beggery and famine like a mighty terrent hath broken in upon us and already seized upon several parts of the Nation Wherefore through an inavoidable necessity no other meanes left under Heaven we are enforced to betake our selves to the Law of Nature to defend and preserve our selves and Native Rights and therefore are resolved as one Man even to the hazard and expence of our Lives and Fortunes to endeavour the Redemption of the Magistracy of England from under the force of the Sword to vindicate the Petition of Right to set the unjustly imprisoned free to relieve the poore and settle this Common-wealth upon the grounds of Common Right Freedome and Safety Be it therefore known to all the free people of England and to the whole world that chusing rather to die for Freedome then live as Slaves We are gathered and associated together
what Spirit Haslerigge is known That some Northern Counties having petitioned the Commons for relief against the miserable famine raging there Haslerigge opposed their request saying The want of food would best defend those Counties from Scottish Invasions What man that had any sense of Christianity Courage Honesty or Iustice would have been the Authour of so barbarous and unjust a motion That six Gentlemen no way conscious nor privie to the fact should be offered up a sacrifice to revenge and malice nay to guilty fears and base cowardicâ— to keep off the like attempts from Haslerigge and his Party I wish this Gentleman would reade the Alcharon or new Independent Bible of the new Translation and from thence gather precepts of more Humanity Justice Honesty and Courage since he hath Read the Old and New Testament of Moses and Christ to so little purpose Yet the House 18. of May passed a Declaration That if more Acts of the like nature happened hereafter it should be retaliated upon such Gentlemen of the Kings Party as had not yet Compounded But this is but a device to fright them to Compound unlesse it be a forerunner to a Massacre heretofore taken into consideration at a Councell of Warre See Sect. 117. 161. An act declaring more new Treasons About this time came forth that prodigious Act declaring four new Treasons with many complicated Treasons in their bellies the like never heard of before in our Law nor in any Kingdom or Republike of Christendom Because I have formerly spoken of it the Act it self printed publisht and dreadfully notorious throughout the whole Kingdom I will refer you to the printed Copie onely one clause formerly debated was omitted in the Act viz. That to kill the Generall Lieuten Gen. any Members of this present Parl. or Counsel of State to be declared Treason this would have discovered their guilty cowardize so much they were ashamed of it besides it was thought fit to make the People take a new Oath of Allegiance to the new State First I will only give you some few Observations thereupon This Act declares to be Treason unto death and confiscation of Lands all Deeds Plots and Words 1. Against this present fagge end of a Parliament and against their never before heard-of Supream Authority and Government for when was this Kingdome ever governed by a Parliament or by any power constituted by them 2. All endeavours to subvert the Keepers of the Liberty of England and Councell of State constituted and to be from time to time constituted by Authority of Parliament who are to be under the said Representatives in Parliament if they please and not otherwise for the Sword and the Purse trusted in the power of the Councell of State yet the Keepers of the Liberties of England and the Councell of State of England to be hereafter constituted by Parliament are Individua vaga ayrie notions not yet named nor known and when they are known we owe them no Allegiance without which no Treason by the known Lawes of the Land which is onely due to the King His lawfull Heires and Successours thereto sworn nor any the particular Powers and Authorities granted to this Parliament by the said Keepers of the Liberties of England and Councell of State yet any where authentically published and made known to us by any one avowed Act unlesse we shall account their Licensed New Books to be such and therefore they may usurp what powers they please So that these men who involved us in a miserable Warre against the late Murdered KING pretending He would enslave us and they would set us free have brought us so far below the condition of the basest Slaves that they abuse us like brute Beasts and having deprived us of our Religion Lawes and Liberties and drawn from us our money and bloud they now deny us the use of reason and common sence belonging to us as Men and Govern us by Arbitrary irrationall Votes with which they bait Traps to catch us Woe be to that people whose Rulers set snares to catch them and are amari venatores contra Dominum Men-hunters against God nay to move any Person to stir up the People against their Authority is hereby declared Treason mark the ambiguity of these words like the Devils Oracles which he that hath Power and the Sword in his hands will interpret as he please If the Keeper of the Liberties of England or Councell of State shall extend too farre or abuse their Authority never so much contrary to the Lawes of the Land Reason Justice or the Lawes of God as hath been lately done in this Case of Lylburne Walwyn c. no Lawyer no Friend shall dare to performe that Christian duty of giving councell or help to the oppressed here Fathers and Children Husbands and Wives Brothers and all relations must forsake nay betray one another lest these Tyrants interpret these duties to be A moving of them to stirre up the People against their Authority 3. All endeavours to withdraw any Souldier or Officer from their obedience to their Superior Officer or from the present Government as aforesaid By which words it is Treason First if any mans Child or Servant be inticed into this Army and the Father or Master endeavour to withdraw him from so plundering and roguing a kinde of life back to his profession Secondly If any Commander or Officer shall command his Souldiers to violate wrong or rob any man for the party so aymed at or some wel-meaning Friend to set before the said Souldiers the sinne and shame of such actions and disswade them from obeying such unlawfull commands 4. If any man shall presume to counterfeit their counterfeit Great Seale It is declared Treason I wonder it is not Treason to counterfeit their counterfeit coyne Behold here new minted Treasons current in no time and place but this afflicted Age and Nation Edw. 3. anno 25. regni ch 2. passed an excellent Act to secure the People by reducing Treasons to a certainty as our New Legislative Tyrants labour to ensnare the People by making Treasons uncertaine and arbitrary Sic volo sic ju beo it shall be Treason be cause they will call and Vote it so what they please to call Treason shall be Treason though our knowne Lawes call it otherwise we have long held our Estates and Liberties and must now hold our Lives at the will of those Grand Seigniours one Vote of 40. or 50. factious Commons Servants and Members of the Army vacates all our Lawes Liberties Properties and destroys our Lives Behold here a short veiw of that Act which hath no Additions by any Act subsequent See stat 1. Mariae c. 10. Whereas diverse opinions have been before this time in what cases Treason shall be said and in what not The King at the request of the Lords and Commons Declares See 1. H. 4. c. 10. 11. H. 7. c. 1. 1. That to compasse or imagine the Death of the KING how
much more to act it Queen or their eldest Son and Heyre 2. To violate the KING'S Companion eldest Daughter unmarried or the Wife of the KING' 's eldest Son and Heyre 3. To leavy War against the King or adhere to his Enemies in his Realm and thereof be proveably attained of open deed by people of their condition 4. To counterfeit the King 's Great or Privy Seal 5. Or his M ney 6. To slay the King's Chancellor Treasurer Justices of one Bench or other Justices in Eyre Justices in Assize and all other Justices assigned to hear and determine being in their Places doing their Offices If any other case supposed Treason which is not above specified So the four Lords ought to have been Tried not by a new shambles of Justice doth happen before any Justices the Justices shall tarry without any going to Judgement of the Treason till the Cause be shewed and declared before the King and his Parliament not before the House of Commons only or before both Houses without the King whether it ought to be adjudged Treason You see how few in number these Treasons specified are and that they must be attained of open deed by their Peers our words were free under Monarchy though not free under our Free-State so were they under the Romans Tacitus An. 1. sub finem seaking of Treasons facia arguebantut dicta impune erant These horrible tyrannies considered and being destitute of all other less desperate relief I do here solemnly declare and protest before that God that hath made mee a Man and not a Beast a Free-man and not a Slave that if any man whatsoever that taketh upon him the reverend name and title of a Judge or Justice shall give Sentence of Death upon any friend of mine upon this or any other illegal Act of this piece of a House of Commons I will and lawfully may the enslaving scar-crow doctrine of all time-serving State-flattering Priests and Ministers notwithstanding follow the examples of Sampson Judith Jael and Ehud and by Ponyard Pistol Poyson or any other means whatsoever secret or open prosecute to the Death the said Judge and Justice and all their principal Abettors And I do here invite and exhort all generous free-born English-men to the like resolutions and to enter into Leagues defensive and offensive and sacramental associations seven or eight in a company or as many as can well confide in one another to defend and revenge mutually one anothers Persons Lives Limbs and Liberties as aforesaid against this and all other illegal and tyrannous Usurpations 162. A motion to inlarge Sir Will. Waller c. And the Generals Answer intimating the securing of the Members to be done by confederacy with the Army-party in the House About this time or a little before the General was moved to enlarge Sir William Waller and the other Members illegally kept Prisoners in Windsor He answered They were no longer his but the Parliaments prisoners It should seem the Brute hath made a private deed of gift of them to his Journy-men of the House The Generals Warrant seized and imprisoned them and notwithstanding the Councel of Officers declared in Print that they were preparing a Charge against them yet the Knaves lyed like Saints they were then so far from having matter to accuse them of that they have ever since hunted after a Charge against them and endeavoured to suborn Witnesses but after 24 weeks restraint whereas by the Law no man ought to be committed without an accusation they have found nothing against them This turning over of these Prisoners to the House of Commons proves what I formerly asserted in Sect. 24. That the violence of the Army in securing and secluding the Members was by consent of their Somerset-house Junto now sitting in the House of Commons 163 The General sends forth Warrants to all Justices of the Peace to attach those Levellers that he had routed The honest Levellers most of them Country-men endeavouring to draw to a Randezvouz about 600. or 700. of them marched from Banbury to Burford in Oxfordshire where lying securely because they were upon treaty with the Enemy their Quarters were beaten up and about 180. of them taken Prisoners which their enemies according to their usual custome to gain reputation by lying reported to be so many Hundreds And the General as if they had been all routed sent forth his Warrants to all Justices of the Peace in the adjacent Counties requiring them to apprehend and secure all such of them as shall be found I desire to know by what Authority the General takes upon him to command Justices of the Peace who are not under his Power and what tame Animals these Justices are that will submit to his commands and whether he thinks the Civil Magistrate to be obnoxious to the Power of the Sword and the Councel of Officers See the Vote and Act for abolishing the Kingly office 164. and his single self the Supreme Magistrate or Tyrant Paramount notwitstanding the Vote of his Journey-men Commons That no single Man should be trusted with the Supreme Power The Levellers having possessed themselves of Northampton the General it is said thought fit to take hold of the Horns of the Altar The General sends to the City for additional Forces and wrote to his vassals of the City to send their Trained Bands to his relief that he might the better domineer over them and continue their slavery hereafter But if the Citizens have no more wit I wish their Horns may be as visible in their fore-heads as the Nose in Olivers face To cozen the honest Levellers 165. The Commons colourably debate to dissolve this Parl. and settle a succeeding Representative the Commons in order to the ending this present Parliament are debating how to pack a succeeding Representative as wicked as themselves and of the same leaven whose Election shall not be free but bounded with such Orders of limitation and restriction as shall shut out all men from electing or being elected as are not precisely of the same principles and practices and as deep engaged in their tyrannical trayterous cheating bloody designs as themselves guilty Committee-men and Accountants to the State shall be the next Representative and for the better lengthening of the businesse that they may see what success in the mean time the Levellers will have they wire-draw it through a Committee and refer it to be debated by a Committee of the whole House And at last if they must dissolve having packed themselves into a Councel of State they will usurp the Supreme Authority there to prepare the way to which design they have passed another Act May 19. That the People shall be Governed as a Free-state by Representatives and by such as they shall constitute and then consider what kind of Representatives we are like to have Great care is taken that the State or rather our States-mens private pockets might not be prejudiced by Judgments
their Obligations to God and Man violated all the Laws of this Land their own Protestations Covenants the Oaths of Allegiance Supremacy which themselves caused the People to take and their own Votes Declarations c. The illegality of their late erected High Court of Justice and their unjust proceedings therein the tyranny and usurpation of the Councel of State and Officers of the Army And proveth that Col. Prides new purged new packâ—d House is neither a House of Commons nor Parliament their usurped Supreme Authority to be a meer nullity or fiction and especially That this Parliament is cleerly dissolved and ended which he proveth by the Death of the King and by many other solid Arguments and therefore all their Actings to be void and null with many other cosiderable passages where he ingeniously confesseth that being the Kings Prisoner at Oxford with many other of the Parliament Party the King did strictly observe the Laws of the Land in His proceedings against them which this Parliament doth not do in any their most legal proceedings for all their pretended Engagements Declarations Votes Protestations and Covenants to maintain and defend the Laws and Liberties of the People Ergo the King really the Faction in Parliament but pretendedly fought for our Laws and Liberties 186. Tythes to be Sequestred for the State The Faction are now contriving to seize all the Tythes of the Kingdome into their own hands yet they are the Ministers Freehold and to make all the Ministers their stipendiary Lecturers that they may preach and teach onely such Doctrine to the people as may bring them under a blinde and slavish obedience to our forty Tyrants of the new Councel of State presuming that all our Ministers carry their Consciences in their purses because the Independents do so Look to your wayes Christian Brethren you are likely hereafter to have Oracles of State obtruded upon you instead of the Oracles of God If the Ministers will not parret forth the new States Doctrine to you they shall be starved out of their Pulpits 187. An Adjournment of this pretended Parliament considered of The thing called a Parliament is now likely to have so general a purge as will leave neither life nor soul dung nor guts in the belly of it K. Oliver unwilling to go for Ireland and leave them fitting who may unvote all he hath compelled them to vote hath commanded his Journey-men to think of an Adjournment for some good time that they may take the air and grow wholesome again and then without some dire mischance they never meet more but this Supreme thing hath learned to use so much modesty to their Superiors as to refer it to the Hogens Mogens or Councel of State to consider what Votes and Acts they shall pass beforehand for establishing their Highnesses in their new Dominion And when out of their usurped Supreme Authority they have conferred as much upon the Councel of State as their ambitions aim at they good Boys shall have leave to break up School and go into the Country to see their Friends and visit their Foes that is all such as have full purses to be squeezed Thus you see the method of Divine vengeance observes a Degradation 1. Down went the King and His Authority lapsed into the two Houses 2. Down went the Peers House and all Authority fell down into the Commons House 3. Down goes the House of Commons and the Supreme Authority translates it self into a Councel of State And if my conjecture fail me not 4. Down will go the Councel of State and all Authority be grasped into the iron hands of Campson Gaurus and his Mamaluchy his Councel of War when they shall think fit to Act bare-faced without using a packt peece of a Parliament or Councel of State as a screen or vizard to cozen and befool the people In order to which Government by the Sword 188. Cromwel voted for Ireland with full power Civil and Military Cromwel is voted to go into Ireland with his own confiding Officers and Army with all power Civil and Military for three years what doth this import less than that he is to be K. of Ireland there to practise the first rudiments of Kings-craft and when he hath inured those Semi-barbarians to a Military Government he shall return with his Janisaries and subdue the English to the like obedience In the mean time his property Fairfax shall be under the observation of the Councel of State here and be beleagured both in his own house and Army with Olivers Creatures and in this dishonourable fickle condition he shall have the vain honour to keep Olivers Regalia the Crown sitting upon one side like a Fools Cap upon his head until he return and shall then be called to account for all odious and unfortunate accidents that shall happen for it is not for the Majesty of Oliver to bear the blame although they fall out by Cromwell's own oversights or Gods anger upon him thus Cromwell's shadow being removed himself may take substantial and actual possession of the Throne which he already enjoyes in all things but the Title And then let all true Saints and Subjects cry out with me God save K. Oliver and his brewing Vessels The Junto of Titular Supremists at Westminster especially so many as have not packt themselves into the Councel of State are very unwilling to quit their long-held Dominion 189. 13 Bills injoyned to be passed by the Commons before Adjournment and submit to their own Bastard-brood The Lords States at White-hall but there is no remedy Oliver is resolved to unyoke his Cattel and turn them to grass he knows they may unvote all they have voted at his Command if during his absence in Ireland or Scotland rather a new emergent power should overawe them the present fear being alwaies most terrible to Cowards But the Councel of State hath set them their task which they must speedily perform before they Adjourn consisting of 13 Points 1. That all Acts concerning the Loans of Monies Excise Sequestrations Goldsmiths-hall Haberdashers-hall Assesments for England and Ireland be passed These reprobate Saints will sooner forget their God than their Mammon money You see they mean to perpetuate our burthens as well as their own Army and domineer over us with an arbitrary military tyranny for ever 2. That an Act be passed for setling the Militia of the Nation This amounts to a new-invented Commission of Array lawful for usurping Saints though not for a lawful King by vertue of which the scum and dregs of the people base enough to associate with the Army shall be Armed all men of quality and fortunes unless such as owe their fortunes to their crimes dis-armed 3. Against exporting Wooll and Fullers Earth Unless it be for the benefit of the Saints 4. To prohibit exportation of Gold and Silver The Saints have exported all our Gold already and most of our Silver and will never give over the Trade
themselves though they prohibit others But Gold and Silver are drawn out of Mines Royal and belong to the Saints by their Prerogative 5. An Act to be passed for punishment of Revolted Sea-men and Mariners None against traiterous tyrannous theevish Saints 6. An Act for relief of wel-affected Tenants against Malignant Land-lords who have compounded for their Estates rack their Tenants Rents or turn them out of doors This is a device First to make work for such Members as not being of the Councel of State would become as contemptible as they are hateful being devested of all power to play the Tyrants after Adjournment And secondly to stir up all the Tenants of England especially Schismaticks to combine with them against their Land-lords and deprive them of the legal use of their Estates and the benefit of their Compositions for to what purpose shall Gentlemen compound for their Estates when they must let and set them at the discretion of domineering Committees or Commissioners conspiring with the high Shoos to oppress make a prey of enslave and unspirit all the Nobility and Gentry of England here aimed at under the general Title of Malignants Oh perfidious Tyrants keep your money Gentlemen or turn it into Iron and Gun-powder 7. An Act to suppress Malignant Pamphlets aspersing the present proceedings of the Parliament Councel of State and the Army and prevent Printing as much as may be This is to set truth in the pillory whilst her counterfeit impudent lying and slandering sits in state in Parliament Councel of State and Councel of Officers and rides triumphantly Coached into the City to Thansgiving Devotions and Dinners 8. That the Pulpits being as scandalous as the Press against their proceedings they enjoyn that a more strict course be taken to stop the mouthes of the Preachers hereafter You see how Ahab-like these Subverters of Church and Common-wealth 1 King 18.17 accuse our Prophets for troubling our Israel being their own sin and seek occasion to bring a spiritual as well as a corporal famine upon the Land cutting off the staff of bread as well from our souls as bodies by stopping the mouths of Gods Ministers But I hope they will remember the duty they owe to the honour of him that sent them upon his Embassage to his people and fearing God more than Man every man cry out to his own soul and conscience with S. Paul 1 Cor. 9.16 Vae mihi si non praedicavero Woe be to me if I do not Preach 9. That an Act be passed that that clause of the Stat. 23. Eliz. 25. Eliz. 1 Jac. against Sectaries should be repealed that none may be questioned thereby in the vacancy of Parl. What is this but to pray in aid of Turks Jewes Anabaptists of Munster nay the Devil himself to joyn with them as they have already joyned with Owen Roe Oneale and his bloody massacring Irish Papists against the Protestant Religion which was part of the designe of the schismatical Party in Parliament in waging war against the King from the beginning See Sect. 184. the Marginal notes there This impious Liberty of Conscience to destroy the Protestant Religion is all the liberty we are like to enjoy under the Kingdom of these bloody cheating Saints in all things else we are meer and absolute slaves 10. That an Act for a General Pardon be passed to all Persons except such as are particularly named therein and declaring no Pardon to any that shall for the future raise War in this Nation against the present Authority thereof This is a project 1. To pardon themselves and their Party for their transcendent villanies and to stop the mouthes of the Countrey from complaining of them after their Adjournment and this shall be effectually done 2. To befool silly weak-spirited people with general words of a Pardon which shall be made ineffectual by many exceptions and limitations 3. This is principally intended to fright men from attempting any thing against the usurped Supremacy and Tyranny of the Councel of State and therefore all Pardons to such Attemptors are before-hand declared against This with them is as a sin against the Holy Ghost unpardonable to deny their Supreme Arbitrary Authority 11. That the Act for relief of poor Prisoners for Debt may be passed Though I can with as much Charity as any Man wish a relief to them yet I like not that Charity should be made a cloak to ambitious Knavery and all the Creditors of the Kingdom be made liable to the vexation of a covetous Committee who under colour of Charity shall raise up all the indebted Men of the Kingdom against all the monied Men if they will not sacrifice their purses to the Foh-Gods of the new State and be bountiful to the Committee which is the full scope of this Proposition 12. That the Souldiers may be secured their Arreares out of the late Kings Lands This is to tie all the Souldiery by the purse-strings which is Saints Tenure to make good that horrid trayterous Murther 13. That an Act be passed for Probate of Wills Granting Administrations and investing of Ministers presented These lunatique Saints should have thought upon a new way to be set up before they throw down the old one and not have left men in an uncertainty how to dispose of their Estates and a Justitium a vacancy of Justice upon the Kingdom you see what Mountebanks our new State-Juglers are The good Boyes began to learn these Lessons upon Monday 25. June 190. Things undertaken by the Councel of State during the Recess The Councel of State likewise reported to their said Free-School of Commons several things which they in order to their future greatness would put into a way during the Recess against the Houses next meeting when two Sundays come together 1. That Commissioners be appointed in every County to make an estimate of all Tythes to the end they may be taken away for the future and some other provision designed for Ministers This is a whip and a Bell to lash Ministers to Preach State-Divinity 2. That the Councel of State consider of setling future Parliaments and the constant time of their calling sitting and ending after this Parliament shal think fit to dissolve themselves If they are not dissolved already which is the constant opinion of many great learned Lawyers well-affected to the Parl. they will never be dissolved without the help of a Hangman But I would gladly know by what Authority a Pack of forty Knaves calling themselves a Councel of State and usurping Regal power shall take upon them to abolish our ancient form of Parliaments contrary to the fundamental Laws of the Land their own Declarations Protestations and Covenants and to pack and shuffle new Parliaments to dispose of our Religion Laws Liberties Lives and Estates against the consent of the far major part of the people 3. That they shall consider of an Act for regulating proceedings in Law and prevent tediousness of Suits There are too many
Lawyers in the Councel of State to do any thing effectual that way but it may be they will consider how to make the Lawes of the Land more sutable to an Olygarchical tyranny and lesse agreeing with Monarchy 4. That they will consider what Lawes are fit to be repealed That is all Lawes enjoyning uniformity in Gods Worship all Monarchical Lawes and all Lawes allowing more civil Liberty and Priviledges to the People and to several Degrees of men than squares with the Designes of our new upstart State So many men have been cheated with Publique Faith 191. Dean and Chapters Lands purchased by the Godly Irish Adventures and Bishops Lands that the Market is spoiled for sale of Dean and Chapters Lands wherefore the Saints being the onely monied men left in the Kingdome have now agreed to buy them themselves considering that since they hold their Heads and all that they have in Capite of their Lords Paramount the Councel of Officers they may as well buy dog-cheap and hold Deanes Lands by the same Tenure For which purpose they have their Broakers abroad to buy in Souldiers and Officers Debentures for Arrears at 5 s. and 6 s. in the pound though they are allowed the whole summ of the Debentures in the Purchase which doubling in ready money they purchase upon such easie particulars as brings it down from ten years purchase to two or three years purchase They are not seen in the business themselves but buy them in other mens names and to the secret use of their Wives and Children The Lord Munson Humpâ—rey Edwards and Sir Greg. Norton who hath sold his own Land to purchase new upon this Title and many other Saints have lately trod this obscure path 192. Souldiers insolencies remediless Great complaints are made by the Countrey of the Souldiers insolency amongst many other things in putting their Horses into mowing Grasse The General hath ordered the next Officer in chief to cause double damages to be given by the Souldier and if the said Officer neglect he is to answer it at a Councel of War at the Head Quarters This remedy is worse than the disease and as meer a gullery as the Act for taking off Free quarter The chief Officer will laugh at the Complainant the Head Quarters are far off and the Councel of War will tire him with delays and expose him to more injuries of the angry Souldiers The Officers will not nor dare not keep a strict discipline 193. The Earl of Denbigh and Henry Martin referred to Committees The Earl of Denbigh referred to the Committee of the Revenue to consider the Arreares of his Embassie in Italy and of his 1000. Marks per ann pension bestowed upon him by the late King If his deserts had been better his Reward had been worse and worse paid Also Henry Martins Losses and Arreares referred to the consideration of a Committee If the Committee would know what Harry hath lost they must examine his Barber-Surgeon Rowland Wilsons Arrears and Losses and the L. Gray's Charges and Arreares to be considered and reported you see charity begins at home and the Members exercise it for the most part in their own House 194. The Councel of State authorized to grant Letters of Marque June 25. An Act passed to enable the Councel of State with absolute power to grant special and particular Letters of Marque or Reprisal in the name of the Keepers of the Liberties of England by Authority of Parliament what is this but to empower the Councel of State to make War at Sea with all Princes and States at their discretion they have already so far decayed all the Trade of this Nation that ere long Traffique will be totally destroyed whereby our Sea-men with their Ships will be necessitated for want of employment to revolt to the PRINCE to prevent which inconvenience they will find work for them by granting so many particular Letters of Marque to all such as shall but pretend themselves wronged by Foreign Nations as will amount to a General practice and profession of Pyracy and turn England into a second Argires whereby all Princes and States will be provoked to make a Pyratical War upon England as against a Den of Theeves and Robbers Common Enemies to Traffick and humane Society as the Romans did under the Conduct of Pompey against the Cilician and other Asiatick Pyrats Captain Younge hath blown up with Gun-powder a Ship of the Princes called the Antilope 195. Cap. Yongue's blowing up the Antilope in Helversluce with a Caution lying at Anchor in Helversluce under the protection of the States of Holland whereby the Chamber of Holland and the honour of their Inland Sea is ravished from them By this and by some former actions of the like insolency as the firing upon their Ships and killing their men for not striking Sail to them you may see what good Neighbourhood the Dutch are like to have of their younger brother State when they are once setled and confirmed in their yet infant Government even the very same which the Carthaginians found after the new erected Commonwealth of Rome grew up to maturity which proved so dangerous a Competitor in point of power profit and honour as buried the more antient Free-State of Carthage in its Ruines Free-states especially Aristocracies are very quarrelsome with their Neighbours and never want many of their Patrician most potent Families ambitious to increase their own power and glory by Wars and therefore seek occasions of quarrel with their Neighbours such was the whole Family of the Barchines at Carthage the Scipio's Fabii Camilli Crassi Pompeii Casares and many more at Rome Thus was Greece torn in pieces by its Free-states The Commons have bestowed St. Crosses Hospital upon Cooke for acting the part of an Attorney General against the late King It is fit every Judas should have his reward 196. More Gifts to the Godly the New Park in Surry bestowed upon the City in reward of their Thanksgiving Dinner that the new-packed Court of Aldermen and Common-councel may not want Venyson to fill their Wives Bellies nor they Brow Antlers to hang their Hats on 197. Order 9. June 1649. referring all secured and secluded Members to be examined before a Committee The 9. June the Commons about 46 in number had passed an Order concerning their secured secluded and absented Members and referred all such as had not already entred their dissent to the Vote 5. Decem. 1648. to a Committee to give such satisfaction to them as the House should approve of before the 30. of June instant or else the House would take order for New Elections This was to bring the said Members 300 in number at least to the winnowing that they might admit such as were for their turn to recruit their thin House and expel the rest few repaired to them and of those very few were chosen the Speakers Son Sir John Treavor who hath a Monopoly of 1500 l. per
annum out of Newcastle Coles for which he was many Months kept out of the House and at last admitted onely to comply with the Faction and his said Monopoly continued Sir Henry Haymonde and two Sons of the Earl of Pembroke were received This was thought very unreasonable that so many Gentlemen either kept out or driven away by force should by a far less number sitting and acting under the same force be sent to attend a Committee to stand with their Hatts off to Holland Scott c. and be examined and expelled for giving their Votes Yea or No in the House according to their Consciences This was to subvert the Liberty of all Parliaments for the future and to make this House which calls it self a Parliament a meer packed Junto to carry on forelaid Designs Besides to expect they should approve all that the sitting Party in the House had done in the absence of these non-sitting Members who neither heard the Debate nor reasons whereupon they grounded their Votes against the King and House of Peers nor for the abolishing Monarchy and turning it into a Free-state erecting a Councel of State for that purpose voting the Supreme Authority to be in themselves and many other matters of the like high nature which have no place in the Laws of England was such an imposition as neither agreed with the known Parliament Priviledges Liberty of Conscience so loudly professed by these sanctified Members which sit nor with humane reason and sense And at last to sit under those Armed Guards that put a force upon them the 6. Decemb. before promised as little of safety unless they would renounce their own Consciences and Act the wills of their Janisaries and their Party and would render them contemptible to all the world especially to those men who put this insolency upon them I formerly told you how unwilling the Members were to adjourn and resign their more than Kingly Power to the Councel of State 168. Articles of Impeachment against the Speaker wherefore Cromwel finding he could not obtain that of them by a Vote projected another way to work his Design not the old way of a violent purge by securing and secluding the Members with his Myrmidons that is already infamous Note that Oliver before he left the Town erected a Committee of Officers of the Army to prosecute and bring to punishment grand Delinquents This is a new kinde of Star-Chamber oâ— military Nobles held like a Rod over the Mock-Parliament Councel of State and the General in case they shall oppose Olivers Designs and would savour too grosly of the Power of the Sword and would shew Oliver to be rather a Quack-salving Doctor of Physick than a Doctor of the Civil Law He caused the Officers therefore to frame certain Articles of Impeachment against Mr. Lenthal their Spearker as followeth 1. FOr releasing out of New-gate three of the Queens Priests and Jesuits by his Warrant 2. For maintaining and protecting several Spies and Agents for the late King within the Line of Communication during the late War 3. For conveying divers remarkable prisoners of War out of the Line of Communication unto the late King 4. For assisting and protecting several Plotters on the behalf of the late King to destroy the City of London 5. For suffering above 30000 l. to be conveyed to the late King out of the Line of Communication wittingly and willingly 6. For sending Horses of War with Men and Arms to the late King 7. For holding an intercourse of Letters with the late King 8. For maintaining and keeping an Agent in the Garrison of Oxford for expediting the foregoing Treacheries 9. For corrupting many Members of the Parliament some lately excluded and some now sitting in the House to conceal and smother the foreging Treacheries 10. For endeavouring to take away the Lives of several the Prosecutors and Witnesses unto the foregoing Treacheries You see there is not one word in them of Cousening the Commonwealth which is now become the Private wealth of every particular Saint because this would have broken universally the whole communion of Saints and would have set them all together by the ears to defend themselves by recriminating one another The device was by taking off the Speaker to Dissolve them since they cannot by the Priviledges of the House chuse themselves a new Speaker without the consent of a power higher than their own to wit the Kings and though they will be so much Masters of their own Priviledges as to coyn new every day upon emergent occasions yet those irregularities are alwayes done under the power and protection of the Sword which they could not expect against their own Visier Basha Oliver This trick being smelt out was so highly resented that it perished in the birth only I hear the Speaker bled in private 15000 l. towards Olivers expedition 199. 50000 l Adâ—nce mony â—r Cromwels â—xpedition All the sinks of tyranny and oppression about the Town the Committee of the Revenue Goldsmiths hall Haberdashers hall the Excise Office c. are all emptied into that Common-Sewer Olivers expedition into Ireland or rather Scotland or engaged as a security to furnish him with 150000. part whereof onely he is accountable for the residue is left to his discretion and conscience to buy Towns and Victories with and to be offered upon an Altar to be erected Deo ignoto At Olivers request the House admitted Sir Edward Ford to compound upon the Articles of Oxon notwithstanding his lapse of time Forde married Ireton's Sister and the Lord Culpepper's Son married Forde's Daughter Observe how the General is lessened to advance Cromwel 1. The Command oâ—â—e Irish Forces taken from him and Cromwel sent with a Higher power than ever any went with into that Nation 2. All Souldiers that will are enabled to leave their Regiments and List under Cromwel so that the discontented and Levelling Party onely are left under the command of Fairfax Col. Martin's Accounts brought into the House 3. July 200. More Gifts to the Godly 1649. his Arrears came to 25000 l. and 1000 l. per ann Land ordered to be setled upon him and his Heirs The Lord Gray of Grooby's Arrears for the last Summer only against Duke Hamilton 1500 l. These things considered I cannot wonder at the Petition presented to the General by Captain Jubbs in the name of Col. Husâ—n's Regiment about July 6. wherein amongst other things they complain The Moderate from July 3. to July 10. 1649. That the House doe weekly bestow 1000 l. per an upon themselves out of the publique Treasury of the Nation when as the Souldiers wants are great and all the people are in great necessity As if the dividing of the Army 201. Endeavors to lessen the General and putting the most confiding men under Cromwel the taking the whole command of Ireland from the General and conferring it upon Cromwel the drawing dry all Treasuries of Money to furnish Cromwel
Part. 2. chap. 5. pag. 735. Seconded by Cooks 4. Instit pag. 1 4 5 46 47 49. As he should admit those to be lawful Members so he should assent to ex post facto some particulars against his Knowledge and against the Oathes of Allegiance Supremacy Protestation Solemn League and Covenant taken in the presence of God with a sincere heart and real intention to perform the same and persevere therein all the dayes of his life without suffering himself directly or indirectly by whatsoever Combination Perswasion or Terrour to be withdrawn therefrom As for example he should thereby acknowledge contrary to his knowledge and the said Oathes and Covenant 1. That there may be and now is a lawful Parliament of England actually in being and legally continuing after the Kings Death consisting only of a few late Members of the Commons House without either King Lords or most of their fellow Members 2. That this Parliament sitting under a force and so unduly Constituted and packed by power of an Army combining with them hath just and lawful Authority 1. To violate the Priviledges Rights Freedomes Customes and alter the Constitution of our Parliaments themselves 2. To Imprison Seclude and Expel most of their fellow Members the far major part of the House for Voting and according to their Consciences in favour of Peace and settlement of the Commonwealth 3. To Repeal all Votes Ordinances and Acts of Parliament they please 4. To Erect new Arbitrary Courts of War and Justice 5. To Arrain Condemn and Execute the King himself with the Peers and Commons of this Realm by a new kinde of Martial Law contrary to Magna Charta The Petition of Right 3. Car. and the known Laws of the Land 6. To Dis-inherit the Kings Posterity of the Crown 7. To extirpate Monarchy and the whole House of Peers 8. To Change and Subvert the Ancient Government Seals Laws Writs Legal proceedings Courts and Coyn of the Kingdome 9. To Sell and Dispose of all the Lands Revenues Jewels Goods of the Crown with the Lands of Deans and Chapters for thir own advantage not the easing of the people from Taxes 10. To absolve themselves by a Papal kinde of power and all the Subjects of England and Ireland from all the Oaths and Engagements they have made to the Kings Majesty His Heirs and Successours yea from the very Oath of Allegiance notwithstanding this express Clause in it fit to be laid to heart by all conscientious Christians I do beleeve 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 Ministred to me and do renounce all Pardons and Dispensations to the contrary 11. To dispence with our Protestation and Covenant so Zealously enjoyned by both Houses on all sorts of people 12. To dispose of the Forts Ships Forces Offices and places of Honour Power Trust or Profit to whom they please to their own party 13. To Displace and Remove whom they please from their Offices Trusts Pensions Callings and Franchises at their pleasures without any Legal cause or Trial. 14. To make what New Acts Laws and Reverse what Old ones they think meet to insnare and inthral our Consciences Estates Liberties and Lives 15. To create new monstrous Treasons never heard of before and to declare Real Treasons against the King Kingdome and Parliament to be no Treasons and Loyalty Allegiance due obedience to our known Laws and a conscientious observing our Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and the Covenant to be no less than High Treason for which they may take away our Lives and confiscate our Estates to their new Exchequer Thereby at once repealing Magna Charta c. 29. 5 Edw. 3. c. 6. 25 Edw. 3. c. 4. 28 Edw. 3. c. 3. 37 Edw. 3. c. 18. 42 Edw. 3. c. 3. 25 Edw. 3 c. 2. 11 Rich. 2. c. 4. 1 Hen. 4. c. 10. 2 Hen. 4. Rot. Parl. 11. n. 60. 1 Edw. 6. c. 12. 1 M. c. 1. The Petition of Right 3 Car. So much commended this Parliament and laying all our Laws Liberties Estates and Lives waste after they have drawn so much Blood and Treasure from us in defence of them 16. To raise and keep up what forces by Land and Sea they please and impose what Taxes they please and renew increase and perpetuate them to support their more than Regal or Parliamentary power 17. To pack and shuffle themselves into a Councel of Lords This 17. is added by the Abridger States General without any provincial States forty Hogens Mogens with Supream Regal and Arbitrary power in absence of Parliaments which are Abolished by these Usurpations as well as Monarchy 4. The principal ends proposed in the pretended Act for imposing this 90000 l. a months Tax oblige all men not to pay it viz. The keeping up this Army under the Lord Fairfax 1. Because this Army by rebelling against their Masters the Parliament and waging War upon them and by conspiring with their own party of the sitting Commons have occasioned all the Mischiefs last mentioned to the ruine of King Parliament and Kingdome Religion Laws Liberty and Property and daily threaten an utter dissolution both in their Deeds and Words Both Officers and Souldiers Boasting That the whole Kingdome and all we have is theirs by Conquest That we are but their conquered Slaves and Vassals and they Lords of the Kingdome That our Lives are at their Mercy and Courtesie That when they have gotten all we have from us by Taxes and Free-quarter they will seize our Lands and turn Vs and our Families out of Doors That there is no Law in England but the Sword as Hugh Peters the Rebels Apostle saith The present power must be obeyed saith parasitical John Goodwin that is the power of the Sword still More hath been raised by Taxes these last eight years than in all the Kings Reigns since the Conquest and no account given 2. No Tax ought to be imposed but upon necessity for good of the people 25 Edw. 1. chap. 6. Cooks 2. Instit pag. 528. But the keeping up this Army is the Bane of the people 1. Because they are already exhausted with war Plunder Taxes Free-quarter c. 2. Because the Souldiers have decayed Trade and brought a Dearth upon the Land 3. This Tax of 90000 l. a month destroyed Trade by Forestalling and Engrossing most of the Money now left in the Kingdome 4. There is no Enemy in the Kingdome visible nor no fear of any if we will beleeve our Grandees 5. When the King had two Armies in the Field and many Garrisons this whole Army consisted but of 22000. Men and had an Established pay but of 45000 l. a month See Ordinances 15. Feb. 1644. and 6. April 1646. Exact Collect. pag. 599 876. But when the Army by confederacy with their party in the House took the boldness to increase their number
Birkhead by Dures of Imprisonment with the connivance of the Commons Col. Bromfield Hooker Cox and Baynes Citizens who the last year were committed upon suspition of High Treason to which every offence against this new Babel-state is now wrested notwithstanding the Stat. 25 Edw. 3. for limitation of Treasons as in an infectious season all diseases turn to the plague and were then discharged for want of matter to make good the Charge are now again imprisoned in the first year of Englands Liberty at the request of Birkhead Sergeant at Armes to the Commons until they pay such unreasonable Fees as he pleases to exact from them This had been great Extortion and Tyranny in the KINGS time when this Nation enjoyed so much freedome as to call a Spade a Spade an Extortioner an Extortioner and a Tyrant a Tyrant And reason good for if such Fees be legally due Birkhead hath Legal means to recover them if not Legally due it is Extortion in him to demand them in so violent a way and Tyranny in his Masters the Commons to maintain him in it Sir Henry Mildmay lately coming to the Tower and perceiving the Countess of Carlisles window had some prospect to Col. Lilborns Grates out of his parasitical diligence told the Lievtenant of the Tower 219. Sir Har. Mildmay's Politick Observations Chaste Conversation and first initiation at Court That notwithstanding the distance was such as they could not communicate by speech yet they might signifie their intentions by signs upon their fingers to the prejudice of the tender infant State and accompanying this admonition with some grave and politick Nods hasted away to the Councel of State and being both out of breath and sense unloaded himself of his Observations there and was seconded by Tho. Scot the Demolisher of old Palaces and Deflowrer of young Mayden-heads before they are ripe who much aggravated the danger and applauded the Observator Sure Sir Henry hath not yet forgot the bawdy Language of the hand and fingers since he first in Court began to be Ambassadour of Love Procuror Pimp or Pandor to the Duke of Buckingham and laboured to betray the honour of a fair Lady his nearest Ally to his Lust had not she been as Vertuous as he is Vitious if it be possible for any Woman to be so and did actually betray others to him I can tell you that very lately Sir Harry pretending himself taken with the Wind-collick got an opportunity to insinuate himself into a Citizens house in Cheapside and tempted his Wife but had a shameful repulse but more of this I will not speak lest his Wife beat him and give an ill example to other Women to the prejudice of our other New States-men 220. Felons fetched out of Newgate to inform against Merchants for not paying Customes and their New erected Sodomes and Spintries at the Mulbury-garden at St. Jamses Master Gybs Master of a Ship having caused three fellows to be committed to New-gate upon Felony for Robbing him These Fellows sent to Col. Harvey That if he would procure their Liberty they would discover to him several Merchants who had lately stoln Customes Whereupon Harvey sends for those Rogues out of New-gate hears their Accusation approves it prosecutes the Merchants upon the Information of those Villains discharges them of their Imprisonment by his own power and recommends them to Col. Deane to be imployed in the Navy And one Master Lovel a Silk-man in Saint Lawrence-lane is committed to the Gate-house Prisoner because he refuseth to swear how many Bayl 's of Silk he hath come over If the first year of our Liberty make such presidents what Monsters will the Sixth and Seventh year produce All Princes begin with moderation The Elders gave good Councel to Rehoboam Serve the People one day and they will serve thee for ever hereafter Nero had a commendable Quinquennium But our Novice Statists are Tyrants ab incunabilis Oppressors with shels upon their heads from the Nest before they are fledge what will they be hereafter 221. Sommer-hill given to Bradshaw A sop for Cerberus Sommerhil a pleasant Seat worth 1000 l. a year belonging to the Earle of Saint Albans is given by the Juncto to their Blood-hound Bradshaw so he hath warned the Countess of Leicester who formerly had it in possession to raise a Debt of 3000 l. pretended due to her from the said Earle which she hath already raised four-fold to quit the possession against our Lady-day next The Protestation and Declaration THe Premises considered I do hereby in the name and behalf of my self and of all the Free people of England Declare and Protest That the General Councel of War and Officers of the Army by their said violent and treasonable force upon the far major more honest and moderate part of the House of Commons being above 250. and leaving only fifty or sixty Schimaticks of their own engaged Party sitting and voting under their Command and almost all of them such as have and do make a prey of the Commonwealth to enrich themselves and their Faction have broken discontinued and waged War against this Parliament and have forfeited their Commissions And the remaining Faction in the House of Commons by abetting ayding and concurring with the said Councel of War in the said rebellious Force and by setting up new illegal and arbitrary Courts of Judicature to Murther King CHARLES the First our lawful King and Governour who by his Writ according to the Law summoned and authorised this Parliament to meet sit Principium Caput finiâ— Parliamenti Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy and advise with him and was the Fountain Head and conclusion or suâ—matory end of the Parliament and Supreme Governour over all Persons and in all Causes of this Kingdome and by Abolishing the House of Peers and the Kingly Office and Dis-inheriting the Kings Children and Vsurping to themselves the Supreme Authority and Legislative Pâ—wer of this Nation in order to make and establish themselves a Councel of State Hogen Mogens or Lords States General and translate the said Supreme Power and Authority into the said Councel of State and then Dissolve this Parliament and perpetute their said Tyranny and this Army and Govern Arbitrarily by the Power of the Sword and raise what illegal Taxes they please and eat out consume and destroy whosoever will not basely submit to their Domination See 1. part sect 105 106. and the Conclusions 15 16 17 18. and return to sect 79 109 110. Stat. of Recognition 1 Jac. Oaths of Algiance and Supremacy Have by the aforesaid wayes and means totally subverted this Common-wealth and destroyed the fundamental Laws Authority and Government thereof Dissolved and Abolished this and all future Parliaments so that there is now no visible lawful Authority left in England but the Authority of King CHARLES the Second who is actually KING of all his Dominions presently upon the Decease of the King his Father before any Proclamation made
spoken lyes your tongues have muttered perversness None calleth for Justice nor any pleadeth for truth they trust in vanity and speak lies they conceive Mischief and bring forth Iniquity Vers 7. Their feet run to evil and they make haste to shed innocent blood their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity wasting and destruction are in their pathes The way of peace they know not and there is no judgement in their goings Vers 11. We look for Judgement but there is none For Salvation but it is far from us Vers 14. Judgement is turned away backward and Justice standeth afar off For truth is fallen in the streets and Equity cannot enter THat every thing is kept and maintained by the same wayes and means it was got and obtained Vnumquodque conservatur eodem modo quo fit is a rule true both in Philosophy and Policy And therefore Dominion gotten by fraud and force must by fraud and force be preserved Things impiously got must be impiously kept When usurped Tyranny layes its foundation in blood the whole Superstruction must be built with Mortar tempered with blood One sin must defend and make good another And hence ariseth a Necessity upon Ambitious men to flanke and fortifie one Crime with another But to plead this Necessity which they have so wilfully drawn upon themselves in justification of their wicked Courses To expect submission obedience and an equal engagement from men uninterressed therein and to entitle the Divine Providence and unrevealed Will of God thereto in opposition to His Will revealed and declared in the Scriptures as is now a dayes used is to accuse the Holy Ghost of our Sins and an Hypocrisie so impudently sinful and damnable that I doubt no Age but this the Dregs and Lees of time ever gave an example of the like TO illustrate my first Maxime by some forreign Examples before I lay the Bastard at our own Doors Sylla at Rome by the power of the Sword proclaimed or voted himself Dictator to make good which usurpation with a Mask of Authority he compelled the Senate or Parliament to approve of all his forepassed Villanies Murthers and illegal Acts and to confer a power upon him To kill whom he pleased and confiscate their Estates To build and destroy Cities Dispose Kingdomes And exercise an Arbitrary Supreme Authority and then to establish himself in his self-created power he posted up at Rome and in most Cities of Italy Bills of Proscription or Outlawry containing the names of such persons as without any form of Law or Justice he appointed to be slain by his Souldiers These Proscribed men were for the most part such as having some sparks of Roman vertue in them durst love the antient Government Laws and Liberties of Rome and were therefore thought fit to be weeded out as Malignants against his Innovations and arbitrary courses Yet many mean spirited fellows were proscriscribed and murdered partly for confiscation of their Estates and partly to gratifie the malice and hatred of particular friends who in that carnage prayed in aid of Syllas sword to rid them of their Enemies After this Augustus Caesar at Rome having by terror of Arms made himself Consul and finding himself not strong enough singly to subjugate his Country he called Antonius and Lepidus to joyn with him with whom entring into confederacy to subvert the fundamental Government and usurp the Supreme Authority they divide that vast Empire between them and passed a Decree amongst themselves that they should be called the Triumvirate for Reforming and Re-establishing the Commonwealth well enough before if they had let it alone with Supreme Authority to give Estates and Offices to whom they thought fit without asking the advice of Senate or people They appointed what Consuls Magistrates officers they pleased They designed rich donatives and 18 of the Chief Cities of Italy to be given to their Souldiers if by their valour they should obtain victory over Brutus and Cassius They fixed publick lists or Tables of Proscription naming such persons as they exposed to slaughter They proscribed at one time 130 Senators at another time 150 and 2000 Knights Whereby the best men for understanding Conduct Resolution and Affection beeng cut of the rest terrified by their example became but Terra Maledicta as Chymicks call it dull liveless Ashes or clods of Earth without power or vertue to quicken them or make them productive After some revolutions wherein Augustus and Antonius had discarded the dull and stupid Lepidus and at last Augustus had subdued Antonius Augustus usurped the Title of Tribune of the People whereby his Person became sacred and inviolable and humouring the irrational Animals took upon him the special Protection of that Brutish Herd the Rascal Multitude the Tribunes of the people having been originally instituted to Protect the people His next step was to make himself Perpetual Dictator whereby he arrogated to himself a vast unlimited power above all Lawes The Tribuneship was his Buckler The Dictatroship was his Sword And last of all for Ornament only He having already full power of an absolute Monarch although he forbore the Title of King because it was hateful to the people and against the Laws evea since the Regifugium he took upon him the Title of Princeps Senatus or President of the Senate to keep a corresponding power over that great Counsel or Parliament And finally usurped the Title and Office of Imperator or Generalissimo of all Forces by Land and Sea Garrisons c. Philip King of Spain Lord of the 17. Belgick Provinces by several Titles and under several limitations Priviledges Exemptions and Fundamental Laws according to which he was to govern and they to obey In nevum regnum vi armisque partum redigere atque aliis Novis legibus domare ac guhernare Belgium Meteran in anno 1567. Roidan in an 1566. John Fraunces Petit Thuanus Resolving to subvert the Fundamentall Lawes and Government and reduce those 17. petty Signiories into one meer absolute Monarchy sent the Duke D' Alva thither a Warriour of a resolute stern nature Governour with a powerful Army Who taking advantage of some rude Commotions formerly raised by the Protestants in throwing down Images and Sacrilegiously plundering Churches erected a New Tribunal Criminal or to speak in our modern uncouth Language A High Court of Justice consisting of 12 Commissioners or Judges purposely chosen most of them hangers by of the Law of mean fortunes practice birth and breeding Covetous Ambitious and slavishly addicted to the Spanish Faction To these was given by special Commission full Power and Authority to enquire into and judge or to hear and determine the forepassed Commotions whereupon they stiled this Court Concilium Turbarum but the multitude called it Concilium Sanguinis or the Bloody Conventicle This Councel or Inquisition did supersede or extinguish the Authority of all other Courts of Judicature and make void all Laws Constitutions Jurisdictions and Priviledges of the Nation as to the
Christendome with vast summes raised by publick Theft and Rapines Pressings and Leavying of Souldiers Sequestrations Plundering of Houses and Horse and many other oppressions more than the Turke Russe or Tartar ever heard of of all which our Grandees are free and lay them upon others as partially as they please purposely to consume them To make Religion but a stalking horse to their Designs and the Ministers thereof but Hostlers to rub down curry and dress it for their riding to whom they send Commands what they shall and shall not preach to the people as if preaching were the Ordinance of man not of God At last by way of preparative to their machinations they pass these following Votes 1. That all Supreme power is in the people 2. That the Supreme Authority under them is in the peoples Representatives or delegates in Parliament assembled Meaning themselves you may be sure the Quintessence and Elixar of the House of Commons extracted by those learned Chimcks Doctour Fairfax Doctour Cromwel and the rest graduated at that degraded University of Oxford Here note they voted the Supreme power to be in the people that they might use those Gulles as Conduit pipes or Trunks to convey the Supreme Authority into themselves the better to enslave the people And tickle them whilest they fasten about their necks the Iron yoke of a Military Oligarchy wearing the Mask of a perpetual Parliament 3. That whatsoever the Commons in Parliament shall enact shall have the power and force of an Act of Parliament or Law without the consent of the House of Lords or the Kings Royal Assent any statute law custome or usage to the contrary notwithstanding they might have said all our statutes laws customes c. notwithstanding This one vote hath more of Dissolution and more of Vsurpation and Innovation in it than any I yet ever read of This is universally Arbitrary and layes the Ax to the root of all our Laws Liberties Lives and properties at once What these men will they vote What they vote is Law Therefore what they will is Law 4. That to wage war or to bear Arms against the Representative body of the People or Parliament is high Treason By the Law all Treasons are committed against the King his Crown and Dignity 5. That the King hath taken up Arms against this Parliament and is therefore guilty of all the blood shed this War and should expiate those crimes with his blood If the King were not guilty these men are And therefore they passed this Vote Se defendendo Yet observe that herein they became Judges in their own cause and forejudged his Majesty before his Trial if that may be called a Trial that was carried on by men who were both Accusers Prosecuters parties and Judges and had neither Law president formality of proceedings nor any other foundation of Justice or Reason to warrant them nor were delegated by any lawful Authority These Votes thus passed and by this kinde of men were the foundation upon which they built their great Engine to destroy the King and Kingly Government together with the Religion Laws Liberties Lives and properties of the people all condemned in that deadly sentence given against the King For having as aforesaid created by their own Votes themselves as absolute a power as they pleased and cast the people and all they have into that bottomless Chaos of their Arbitrary Domination They erect an Extrajudicial unpresidented High Court of Justice to Try or rather to condemn without Trial the King consisting of 150. Commissioners Souldiers Parliament men Trades men the most violent engaged and factious incendiaries of all the Antimonarchical faction Amongst whom were many low conditioned Mechanicks and Banquerouts whose Fortunes are since repaired out of the Kings Estate and other publick Lands Goods and Offices See Stat. Recognition 1 Jac. The Oaths of Algiance Obedience and Supremacy and all our Law-books as a reward for that Royal Blood they spilt The King the Fountain of Law Justice Mercy Honour War and Peace the Head of the Parliament and Supreme Governour over all persons and in all causes thus violently removed presently as if the Mounds and banks of the Sea had been overturned an impetuous inundation of bloody thievish Tyranny and Oppression brake in upon us So that no man can call his life liberty house lands goods or any other his Rights or Franchises his own longer than the gracious aspect of some of our Grandees shine favourably upon him In the next place contrary to their own Declarations of the 9. Feb. and 17. March 1648. Wherein they promise that in all things concerning the lives liberties and properties of the people they will observe the known laws of the Land with all things incident thereto They pass misbegotten Acts of Parliament This Stat. 25 Ed. 3. c. 2. S. Johns against Strafford cals the security of the people And the Stat. 1 Hen. 4. cap. 10. Ed. 6. cap. 12. 1. Mariae 1. ratifie and highly commend one of the 14. of May another of the 17. of July 1649. whereby in derogation and annihilation of that excellent Stat. 25 Ed. 3. Chap. 2. Ascertaining Treasons and reducing them to a small number and leaving nothing to the interpretation of the Judges that the people might not be ensnared they exceeding by multiplying Treasons bringing bare words as well as deeds within the compass of that offence and making many duties to which the laws of God the land the Protestation Covenant the oaths of allegiance obedience supremacy oblige us to be high treason these new acts of treason penned in obscure ambiguous terms purposely to leave a latitude of Interpretation in their own creatures the Judges that the People may be ensnared The King thus taken out of their way They passe pretended Acts. 1. To Disinherit his Children 2. To abolish Kingly Government for ever 3. To convert our ancient well-tempered Monarchy into that which they call a Common-wealth They have converted our ancient Monarchy into a Free-state and tell us they are the State They tell us they have bestowed Liberty upon the people but they and their faction onely are the people All the rest of the English Nation are annihilated and reduced to nothing that these fellows may become all things Meer ciphers serving onely to make them of more account And this gross fallacy must not be disputed against lest their New Acts of Parliament call it Treason or Free-State although nothing be therein free but their lusts nor hath it any form or face of Civil and just Government wherein a confused Multitude rule by their own Wills without Law and for their own benefit no consideration being had of the good and happinesse of the people in general 4. They Constitute a Senate or Councel of State of 40 men amongst which some Trades-men Souldiers illiterate Lawyers Parliament-Members men already engaged over head and eares in sin therefore to be confided in to these
papers the house was so highly incensed and flew into such a sudden heat of passion that without any more adoe they resolved That the severall Commissions of 9. great Officers displâ—ced and voted out of commission Col. John Lambert Col. John Desborow Col. James Berry Col. Thomas Kelsey Col. Richard Ashfield Col. Ralfe Cobbet Major Richard Creed Col. William Packer and Col. Rob. Barrow were null and void and every of them discharged from military imployment And that the Army should be governed by seven Commissioners Commissioners to govern the Army Viz. L. G. Charles Fleetwood L. G. Edm. Ludlow Generall George Monck Sir Arthur Haslelrig Barronet Col Valentine Walton Col. Harb Morley and Col. Robert Overton or any three or more of them which said Commissioners were to give notice to the said nine Officers of the discharge of their Commissions which being accordingly communicated now might you have seen the smoaking embers of dissembled friendship break out into an open flame of violent enmity this great and so long domineering faction being divided in it self and each side prepairing for its own The feud betwixt the rump and the Souldiery breaks out both defence and elevation for now a Quorum of the Commissioners which were appointed to govern the army being gotten together and sitting all night in the Speakers chamber which was within rhe Parliament house to issue forth orders part of the army with most of the discharged Principall Officers presently drew down to Westminster in a warlike order where they possessed themselves of the great Hall the Palace yard and all avenues and passages leading thereunto having before given out that they found it absolutely necessary for the good of the Nation to break up this Parliament for the maintaining whereof another part of the army were as active in drawing together the same night also marching down to Westminster and planting themselves in Kingstreet and in and about the Abbey Church and Yard This unusuall assembly at such an unaccustomed hour caused a generall terrour in the hearts and minds of the Inhabitants who dreaded some greater mischief than they were sensible of but the night being past in the morning the Speaker Mr. W. Lenthall at his usuall time came along Kingstreet and had passage through the ranks of Souldiers till he came to the new Palace gate The Rump turned out of doors where his Coach was stopped and himself compelled to return home as wise as he went whereby the house was interrupted from sitting which was the chief thing that Lambert aimed at yet though he had thus wrought his purpose he durst not withdraw but make good his station against the other faction the greatest part of the day each of the Phanatick leaders for so indeed they were both expecting who should give the first blow of which meekness the then council of State taking notice required both to draw off to their quarters which motion was willingly accepted on all hands and so both sides marched away Observe Thus have we seen that rump of pretended authority which in May was with much solliciting many intreaties and not a few specious pretences courted to come into play now again in October with as great scorn and malice laid a side and trampled on Nec lex est justior ulla quam necis artifices arte perire sua It hath been a generall Observation that Treason is alwayes the greatest punishment to it self like the Viper it breeds young with her own destruction and as the Poet speaketh of envy sit licet injustus livor so may I say of it though it be unjust to others yet is it very just to destroy them first that would destroy others The Councill of Officers having thus seized the Government into their hands Officers meet played with it for certain dayes till with the old Philosopher in the question about God finding the more they studyed the less they understood and that they were led by an Ignis fatuus which only trained them to the sight but would never bring them to the certenty of a settlement and pondering their own many weaknesses and infirmities with the exigency of affairs they fell into consideration of what was fit to be done In the debate whereof after many frivolous essayes they agreed at length among themselves to nominate some persons to be a Councill of State which device being applauded and a new name devised for them for they will be called forsooth the Committee of safety these following persons were pitch'd upon They erect a Committee of safety their names and characters Viz. Fleetwood whose folly would have exempted but they were affraid he would have cryed Knowing also that the best play ever hath a fool in it Lambert a seeming Saint but chief Engenier of the modell Desborow a drunken Clown skill'd in Harrassing the land steel once a sneaking petty fogger now Lord Chancellour of Ireland and a Traytor Whitlock a lump of ingratitude and deceit Sir Henry Vane chief secretary to the seven deadly sins Ludlow once a Gentleman but since by himself Levelled into the plebeyan rank Sydenham nothing good in him but his name Upstart Saloway Strickland once a rumper after a Lord of Nolls edition then a convert to the good old cause Berry pedum nequissimus the wickedst villain among 10000. Lawrence once an upstart privy Counceller now scarce a Gentleman Sir James Harrington Per risum multum possis cognoscere Wareston a mickle knave geud faw Sir Ireton and Tichborn two of the City Puckfoists who lye leger in the Common Council to discover plots for the getting of money Henry Brandrith fit for mischief else he had not been here Thompson a dull fellow but a soaking Committee-man Hewson the Common-wealths upright setter Sniveling Col. Clarke Factious Col. Lilburn preaching Col. Bennet and Cornelius Holland a most damnable Apostate both to God and his King To these fellowes thus fitly accoutred is the Government committed Com safety their power and not only so but they have power to call Delinquents to account to oppose and suppress all insurrections to treat with forreign States and Princes to raise the militia's in the severall Counties To dispose of all places of trust with many other things by which may be seen what an unlimited arbitrary power they assumed to themselves over the lives and estates of all Englishmen And that all England might take notice hereof they send out a Declaration in print Armies declaration entitled a Declaration of the General Council of the Officers of the Army wherein they say they have lodged the civil and executive part of Government in the Committee of safety whom they have obliged to prepare such a form of Government as may best sute with a Free-State without a single person Kingship or house of Peers with many equivocating though Saint-like expressions to the like effect with which they hoped to delude the World and continnue their usurpation but Sera