purpose was spoken at Kingstons and upon debate it was found no way fit and many reasons were given to shew how unsafe dangerous and inconvenient it was to have it so whereupon some of the proposers yeelded and were satisfyed in the thing wee could set downe the reasons here what they were if it were usefull and no doubt every rationall man if he heard them would say they were forceable and strong and necessary to be followed Now let the Reader judge if these men had not just cause to call the Commanders Tyrants and to publish to the World such horrid and perfidious things For thus it was in regard of many desperate plots and designes known then to be working against the State and the unfitnesse of the Inhabitants having there Trades and other things to looke after and the capacitie the Souldiers were in to mannage the thing better it was ordered for the present that the keeping of some places should be by Souldiers for the more safetie and security thereof And this is all the b Noâ—e that it is false which they speake of dismissing the Proposers with Reproaches some were blamed for medling too much in things which as it little concerned them so they understood them lesse and withall for being intemperate in their speeches matter for which so much faction and treachery is exprest The law of Retaliation is wel known both the c Exod. 21.24 Levit. 24.20 Deuâ— 29 11. Scriptures and d Cic. Pro. Caec Justin Instit l. 4. Tit. 4 pag. 364. Humane Writers mention it Eye for eye tooth for tooth but to take away a mans good e Here is more then taking a good Name away it is to take the life away that they conspire about name and reputation is more then the losse of an eye or tooth and therefore such wrongfull doers deserve the greater punishment 3. We come now to a more large discourse and thus it begins And as before upon their first great successe against the City when now againe it justly was expected they should have made use of so notable and unexpected blessings to the benefit and advantage of the Common wealth as their late repentances promises and pretences gave men cause to hope the event proved they intended another use thereof for having now subdued all their enemies they proceed with greater confidence to their former purposes of making themselves absolute Masters of the Common wealth It is the wisedome of Souldiers to learne with what weapon and strength their enemies will come against them and accordingly to provide themselveâ— we are by this time wel acquainted with these mens Weapons reasons and proofe they bring none neither is the same to be expected from them they having none so that if we provide our selves against their spears and arrows of a fals tongue it is f Note that there is one who stiles himselfe Lapis a State or rather a Black the simplician undertakes to discover the Discoverer but speakes never a word to the matter nor understands it For whereas the Levelling faction hath aspersed the Parliament Councell of State and Councell of Warre the Discoverer denies the things layd to their change Now 〈◊〉 stâ—â—d of proving them whiâ—h hee should have done undertâ—â—ing the justification of them the â—â—ck speakes a parcell of nonsâ—â—â—ce but for their aâ—â—ussations he meddles not withall although had he not beene as senslesse as a Stone hee might have soon it was the â—â—â—e thing he had 〈◊〉 doe suffiâ—â—ent and we shall doe well enough It was not without cause that the Parliament voted their Booke seditious and destructive to the present Government for what can be more For first So farre are our Governours from being absolute Masters as that the Common-wealth never enjoyed the like g Wâ—â—n had Gods people in this Land the like freedome to serve God as now they have Had our Fore-fathers lived 〈◊〉 â—â—ch Magistrates they would not have thought them Tyrants absolute Masters c. But as he sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hom. Odyss sâ— libertie thesâ— many hundred Yeares As for taxes and rates they are not with as any point of bondage but rather as a preservative and meanes to keepe us from it and to uphold the just freedome and rights of the Nation Secondly For the late repentances and promises they speake of what they report we know is untrue but what is true we know the accomplishment of them by them to be dayly made good neither can it be justly imputed unto them that other things are not likewise performed 3. Concerning the agreement of the People a short answer will serve to their many words first It is false that they employed their Agents to get meâ—tings and Treaties thereby to keepe quiet the busie watchfull partie whilst they went on with other peices of their worke For herein they can appeale to God who is the searcher of all hearts as they spake of Union and reconciliation so they would gladly have seen it and doe still desirouslie desire an h Pax optima rerum Quas homini novisse datum est pax una triumphis innumeris potior pax custodite salutem cives aequare potens Silius Italic lib. 11. Beâ— Pun. Agreement not onely with this busie partie but with all other parties provided it may not be prejudiciall and hurtfull to the Nation Secondly we take notice of their words busie watchfull party now in truth as fitlie spoken and well applied as a thing could be some write of a stone called Siderites if it be brought amongst a people already at variance it will occasion a continuance and increase of contention and strife between them so did this busie partie by their unseasonable prepostorous rash and heady proceedings as i Or the fire Fly that leaps and skips in the fire flys in the sore they made the wound worse and the difference wider and greater then before How doth it appeare that the thing before they left it was so obscurd and perplext in the sence so short of what was intended and so corrupted c. that k It would be inquired who are meant by Those we suppose none but the Busie party those most loathed it that most desired it It seems this must be true because they say it but others of better judgement say otherwise and we could easily make it l See a Booke entituled The Agreement of the people not that subscribed by the four Prisoners but another so appear but not being proper to this place we let it passe onely whereas they turne againe to their former vomit of false accusing saying whilst they had fixt good mens eyes and thoughts upon that worke they secretly and swiftly prosecute their other designes We answer As we know of no designe prosecuted since by them either swiftly or slowly but what hath been honourable just lawfull so for the particular things which themselves set downe a little after as to bee their
they never tooke them for Levellers Principles much lesse ever stil'd them by that name Thirdly It is also false that it should be acknowledged that they had discountenanced honest men and set up a party What was acknowledged then it was only in relation to the King as some oversight or miscarriage that way so that the truth is what was said at the same time m It was not without some crâ—ft that they forbore to relate what was confessed for had they done so they could not so handsomely have reported many things which they have done concerning the King howbeit not as â—â—ely in any one as wee shall shew in its place they have left out and brought in other things which were never spoken nor thought of 5. They say n Englands new Chaine pag. 15. It hath been by their procurement that the Judges their creatures have a thousand pound a yeare allowed to every one of them above the ordinarie Fees which were ever esteemed a heavy oppression in themselves Answ o Senex tardus est ad audiendum velâ—x ad loquendum vituperat modernos commendat praeterita quia omnia membra in sene deficiunt exceptâ linguâ qua nunquam in ipso quiescit Wolfang Franzius hist Animal tract 4. Cap. 2. p. 726. 727. The Aspe in her old age hath all her members to decay onely her tongue is as bad as ever We shall find in those men no abatement of scandall and reproach their tongues are still their owne although Reason and Proofe for what they say they never produce any But to answer First To call the reverend Judges of the Land their creatures is not onely a disgracefull aspersion put upon them but a dishonour and blot on the Parliament Secondly whatsoever hath been done this way the Army Officers procur'd it not neither have they spoken any thing therein but as their place and calling gave occasion to deliver their own opinion Thirdly there is nothing procured for them but what hath been allowed unto Judges formerlie and well known to be fit and necessary and therefore the scandall is the greater to publish to the World as if the Parliament brought in some new burden and charge upon the Land Fourthly That their ordinary Fees are esteemed a heavy oppression in themselves it may be so to some for such as would have * Discoverer p. 12.14 no Termes or Lawes no Judge or Justice of Peace no Mayors Bayliffs Aldermen Common-Councell men no Corporations Patents Charters Records no buying nor selling nor any civill trading at all no man to call any thing his nor any man to be put to death for murder or any unrighteous crime whatsoever as the p It is not likely the Ruling Officers should say That if ever the Nation be happy it must be by a conjunction in the Levellers Principles Levellers Principles are No marvaile if they complaine against such Fees and esteeme them a heavy oppression But for others who hold the Principles of Reason aâ—d Justice never thought them so for they know their ordinary Fees amount not to so much as they got by their practice before they were Judges Even a Foole when hee holdeth his peace is counted wise 6. They complaine against the Councell of Warre for q Englands new Chaine p. 8. sentencing Master William Thomson to deatâ— at Whitehall Of this man we have spoken something already but because he was a None such among that party we shall give the Reader some further account of him and so wipe off their reproach and scandall from the Army After hee had received severall Orders to depart the Quarters for his lewd and vicious life he in a peremptory manner refused to submit whereupon there was a new charge exhibited against him for mutinous words and delivering seditious Papers to the Souldiers some in writing others Printeâ— unto which he pressed them to subscribe and laboured what he could to make division between the Officers and the Souldiers this and much more being proved against him he was apprehended and brought Prisoner to Windsor from whence contrary to his promise he made an escape and being afterward apprehended at Westminster and sent Prisoner to VVhite Hall he there made an escape the r Note that before this second escape he had the sentence of death pronounced against him that according to Law But the Generall was pleased to shew him mercy and reprieved him from the present execution yet so as to continue in Prison ceâ— Sd Book entituled The Justice of the Army p. 8 9. second time and within a while after * Without any Order or Commission gathered a company of men in armes whom he Quartered upon the Countrey calling them his Troop and they him Captaine with these he marched to a Gentlemans house in Essex who had a Suit depending in Law with another about a Title of Land whom he by force and violence dispossest taking his Tenants and Servants prisoners driving them before him in the night through mire and dirt and pricking them forward with his Swords point in a most inhumane and barbarous †He was for this brought Prisoner to White Hall and by the Court Marshall sent to the Civill Magistrate who for his appearance at the Assises tooke bayl manner After this he stab'd one Master Heyden with his Dagger without any cause or provocation of which wound he is since dead and within a few dayes after this was againe s He was at this time likewise brought Prisoner to White Hall and from thence sent againe to the Civill Magistrate but bayled by Leivtenant Colonell John Lilburne taken on the Road with other men whom he had drawne to his wicked courses and there was found about him a great black Periwig and a false Beard for the rest of his actions and his t As a Traytor he dyed in his blood Thus the wicked shall fall by his owne wickednesse Prov. 11.5 end the same are so notorious as the memory of him is hatefull and his name rots As for such as turne aside to their crooked wayes the Lord shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity Loe this iâ— the man that made not God his strength 7. To goe on u Englands new Chaine p. 8. Their next worke was to new mould the City and make it theirs for which purpose they brought c. Answ As the grating of a Saw sets the teeth an edge so their calumniations are irkesome and distastfull to us here are heapes upon heapes But first It is not true that the Ruling Officers brought Souldiers to white hall and the Mews to the and they might make the Cittie theirs for they had no such purpose nor thought but what they did was by the appointment and order of the Parliament and there was great reason and cause it should be so both for the preservation of the House y When the Prentises rose and expected the Watermen to
joyne with them honest men then would have suffered not a little had not the Souldiers seasonably come into the City and supprest them and to x Witnesse the comming of many to the house from Essex Surrey c. with Petitions had not the Souldiers been there it is probable the Parliament would have been abused prevent severall inconveniences Secondly To the extreme discontent of the Cittie say they the which also is false unlesse by Cittie they mean Malignants and Incendiaries for to our knowledge the wel-affected every where were exceedingly glad thereof and indeed well they might for they were a wall unto them both by day and night and under God a meanes of their safety and preservation Thirdly Would not the Commanders of the Army admit the Lord Maior and the Aldermen to a legall triall so they say but to use their owne words what notorious dissimulation is this for they know otherwise that they moved often that the things charged against them might be prosecuted to the full Fourthly Was there ever any thing spoken more falsely then to impute their releasment without any tryall to the Officers a It is storied of Cardinall Wolsies Foole that whosoever did the fault he would alwayes beat Will Sommers for it just so do these men use the Army who never consented to it but alwayes manifested a great dislike thereof 5. That their end was not the terrour of the Cittie is manifest by the carriage and behaviour of the Soldiers which was so inoffensive and harmlesse as they were lov'd and not fear'd 6. Whereas they speake of changing the Magistrates thereby to flatter the Malignants and to creep into their favour it is to be observed that none were more violent this way then they Note it well to have the Lord Maior and Aldermen displaced the busiest and forwardst men that acted for it were that partie heare what Mr Lilburne saith b The Juglers discovered pag. 11. Therefore say I immediately presse vigorously for the totall purging the House of all that sate with Mr Pellam that so there may be way made for the exemplarie punishing of the Lord Maier of London and all the cheife ring-leaders actors in the late desperate and traiterous ingagement this he speaks to the private Souldiers and calls it his c If the Lord Maior and the rest have acted so desperately and trayterously why was not this thing expressed in their Sad Representation and Justice required is this to bee Semper idem Advice But see how they wheel about to scandalize the Army and to comply with Cavaleirs they complain against the changing of the Magistrates saying it was to serve there designes as if they would say there was no just cause of their Imprisonment but done onely for some base and by end not regarding in the meane time what they themselves have spoken against the same persons as to be cheif ring-leaders actors in the late desperate and trayterous ingagement and to have exemplary punishment for it if they should finde but halfe such flattery dissimulation contradiction apostacie in other men they would make Bookes of it and set over head THE JUGLERS DISCOVERED HOCUS POCUS but some People are like Lamia in the Poet who put on her eyes when she went abroad but layd them aside when shee came home or like a foolish man that runs to quench another mans house whiles his owne flames about his eares 7. Pliny saith of the d Si quis alest auduâ— lusâ—iniae pius animus quam cantus deficiet l. 10. c. 29. Nightingale if any will give her the hearing she will sooner sing her selfe out of breath then out of tune we are resolved to hear them out yet so as takeing no delight at all either in their tune or songâ— many reproachfull and scandalous passages they have of some powerfull and â—ver ruling influences in the Army e Englands new Chaine pag 4. As First That they labour by all possible meanes to convert the honest indeavours of good men in the Army and elsewhere and the happy successe God had blessed them withall to the advantage of their lusts pride and domination Ans Mr Walwin tels us f The Fountaine of slander discovered pag. 2. when Art and sophistry will not seem to vanish truth and reason aspertion generally wil do the deed howsoever in some cases there is nothing like to this speaking by experience yet here it will not doe the deed for both g Calumniatores fratrum detractores infaines censentur Caus 6. Qu. 1. C. Infames the Law h Pro. 25.23 Psal 101.5 7. and commandement of God forbid us to receive the testimonie of slanderous tongues As for that which they speake they have quite mistooke the thing for they should have sayd they have converted the honest indeavours of good men c. leaving out â—â—sts pride domination to the suppressing of Incencidiaries and therby preseru'd the nation from ruine and destruction and speaking so they had sayd the truth as is well known and we blesse God for it Againe for such as are i Ambitiosi aliquot homines qui privatim degeneres in publicum exitiosi per discordias habent Lips Polit. l. 6. c. 4 p. 266. ambitious and would be great being otherwise obscure and of no worth to asperce well deserving men and such as have served the State best and are in authority thinking by false reports to worke themselves into the affection and favour of the people is an * Machiavels discourses l. 1. c. 8. old stratagem and so well knowne now to us as it will never k Detractor libens auditor uterque diaboluÌ„ in portat lingua Si pauper es vilem abjectum te reputat Si dives ambitiosum avarum cupidum Si affabilis dissolutum si praedicator vel doctor honoris humani favoris quasitorem si tacens inutilem si Jejunus hypocritam si comedens voratorem Ber. in Ser. doe the deed 8. But what followes As time came on it more and more appeared that they intended meerly the establishment of themselves in power and greatnes without any regard to the performance of their promises and engagements or any respect to the faith and credit of the Army or to the peace or prosperity of the common-wealth and that they walked by no rules or principles either of honesty or conscience Answ There is a kinde of Serpent the nature of whose venome is such that if it enter into the body it provokes to vomit and causeth the person to bring up whatsoever is in the stomack in thick and filthy fleame The Serpents sting being entred into these mens toungs no marvaile they vomit but First we finde not any where in their papers of any just and lawfull promise from which they are departed but stand to it and doe indeavour to performe the same so farre as it is in their power But if there have beene any promises or engagements
formerly made which in themselves were l Vota inconsiderate suscepta non modo nihil obligant sed necessario sunt rescindenda Calv. Inst l. 4. c. 13. Sect. 20. unlawfull or not in the engagere m Tyrannicum est ad res improssibiles alior adstringere Pareus Comment in Gen. 24. ver 8. Si factum sit juramentum de Rebus quae non sunt nostrae potestatis nullam prisus habet vim obligandi Asted Theolog. Cas Cap. 15. pag. 288. power to performe or which cannot afterward be perform'd but to the n Non est servandum juramentum cujus executio cum salute publica c. Pugnafet Rivet Ex. licat Decalog 3. Prae. pag. 90. publick damage and prejudice of the Nation in this cause such promises and engagements are not binding neyther may they be kept but broken And the consideration of this thing would be usefull many times when promises and engagements without distinction are hotly prest to examine then whether they were justlie made whether in the promisâ—s power to performe them and whether the prosecuting of such engagements would not be against the welfare safety and peace of the common wealth 2. For the credit of the Army here we cannot speake without greife how honourable they have ever been in the eyes of other o Viros naios militiae factis magnos ad verboruÌ„ linguaeque â—â—rtamina Liv. 9. Nations belov'd of freinds admired of enemies not onely for the good successe God hath blest them withall but for there justnesse piety obedience patience c. till of late through the conspiraces and sedition of some bad Instruments a part was occasioned to make an unhappy and scandalous revoult As for the General Officers the Fountaine of slander can not blast their p Virtutes imperatoris praecipâ—ae labor in negorijs fortitudo in periculis industria in agendo celeritos in conficiendo concilium in providendo Cic. proleg Manil. reputation and name the Lord hath made them so eminent for worth parts and excellencie as they are the Crowne and Ornament of the souldirie 3. To let passe that expression without q Their accusations are like the ruins of Babel which a farre off seem high and great but neere by appeare otherwise so theirs upon examination will be found onely rude and vanity ANY regard at all what regard they have had to the peace and prosperity of the common-wealth their owne workes praise them in the gates And at this time their love and watchfulnesse is largely shewed in taking care to prevent the destructive and dangerous designes of those men It is true they cannot effect that good they would and desire to doe for the Nation because this party with others joyning with them hath been and still is a barre and let in their way 4. Whereas they say They walked by no Rules or Principles either of honesty or conscience here is a defect or want of words and to be supplyed thus They walked by no levelling Principles that is the one to wit the Generall Officers of the Army will have Order and Government in the Land the other an Anarchy and confusion the one are for a setling of Religion and to advance the glory of God in the practice of Gospell-worship the other for letting in all blasphemy heresie atheisme the one will have Law Courts Freedome peace propriety the other not walking by no such Rules or Principles of honesty or conscience 3. It followes But Å¿ Meere Potitians and wayting upo Providence are inconsistent as meer Polititians were governed altogether by occasion and as they saw a possibility of making progresse to their designes which course of theirs they t Be sure to make good measure pressed down and running away ever tearmed a waiting upon Providence that with colour of Religion they might deceive the more securely Answ First if we take notice of their accusations all along we shall find that the designes here spoken against are such as have tended to publique good and whereby their seditious designes have been broken to the great safety of the Common wealth Secondly howsoever waiting upon Providence be not their Principle and therefore the practice is here jeer'd at neverthelesse good men will observe it as knowing it is the way to have their actions u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Niceph Greg. lib. 7. blest when the other shall find them x As hasty and forward Children get many knocks and falls so rash and heady men attempting things before a fit opportunity is offered bring shame and dishonour on their owne heads Temeritas praterquam quod stulta est etiam infelix hostibus iquidem opportum nâ—â—ia vero maxinne amicis Liv. 22. curst under their hands Thirdly for deceiving with colour of Râ—ligion it is a fault we confesse which they are not guilty of and therfore they may the more freely apply it home to others as knowing the like cannot be returned back upon their heads or layd to their charge And thus much of the second particular from what is false and scandalous we come now to things reproachfull First We shall take notice how they say y Englands new Chaine p. 1. What was more incredible then that a Parliament trusted by the people to deliver them from all kinds of oppression and who made so liberall effusion of their blood and waste of their estates upon pretense of doing thereof which yet as soon as they were in power oppresse with the same kind of oppressions Answ First howsoever in their Pamphlet they usually asperse a Faction of Officers and hope that the Parliament will conscionably performe that supreme trust which is really and essentially residing in them and free the betrayed and enslaved Common-wealth c. Yet here not the Officers but the Parliament it selfe is charged with the Crimes and Abuses the which is not onely a Reproach but grosse dissimulation as one while to insinuate as if some few and onely a party were the Tyrants Traytors Oppressors c. and at another time to take off the aspersion from those few and a Hâ—â—â— ever 〈◊〉 would â—â—ke division between the Parliament Aâ—â—â—y by â—aising false repâ—â—â—â— against thâ— Generall Officers yet iâ— it be well obsâ—â—ved they doe as much asperse the Parliament as the others seeke alike â—o ruine both lay it upon the whole Parliament 2. That the Parliament hath been so liberall in shedding blood it is a most reproachful expression a practice indeed more beseeming Canibals then Christians yea beasts rather then men to say the truth there is no b In all Histories where Tyrants are described this is set downe as a speciall Character of one namely Liberall effusâ—â—n of bâ—â—â—â— See S Walter Halâ—ighs of Hen. 8. in his â—ill p. â—1 fairer marke of a Tyranous unrighteous and cruel State then to make liberall effusion of blood but the falsehood of this reproach and slander is well knowne to wit
cloâ—â— is enough to please Children and so in a legall capacity to claime the utmost Pâ—â—â—titie benefit and priviledge that the Lawes and liberties of England will allow to any man in the whole Nation Why thou must it be as a few factions inconsiderable and busie headed men doe expresse But the truth is here we see their inside they would be the * Maâ— vale ser cabeca de Râ—ton 〈◊〉 â—â—la de Laâ—â— Lords and Masters lay downe Models platformeâ— and agreements for the People and because their way and course is justly x In Aâ—â—â—â—phels hanging of himselfe a man may see what a vexation 〈…〉 Conspirator when his sedition Counsell is rejected rejected they make all the disturbance and trouble they can in the Common-wealth And this hath been the constant practice of former Conspirators as Historicâ— are full of examples when they could not attaine their ambitious ends out of hatred then to the present Government and envying the y Macâ—râ—â— invidia 〈…〉 illum esse pâ—tentem illum aspectari clâ—râ— qui incedit honore Ipsi intenebris volus câ—noâ—ue â—â—â—â—â—â—tur Lucreâ— Governours by disturbing the one and aspersing the other to seeke the overthrow and ruine of both And this shall serve in what destructive to the present Government Now we come to the particulars tending to Mutiny and division in the Army Whiles the River rune entire withall his waâ—er in one bed his oâ—â—â—ent is the swifter and his force the greater and dauâ—teth the most hardy to adventure passage but being divided into severall streames it proves so slow and shallow as it may with safety and ease be waded over This party is not ignorant how much the agreement of the Souldiary and their fastnesse together is for the safety of the Land neither have they any hope to see their designes effected unlesse there be a disjuncture and breach among them the which thing besides severall other seditious wayes * Here Lâ—â—is mores like himselfe in p. 6. he repeats some words of the Discoverer Viz. How they have been busie to rayse Sedition and Mutiny amongst the Souldiers and speakes not a wise word to it But that the young man might not be discouraged other wise we would aske him whether hee were not entised to step in between us and the Levellers through reading the Story how the Asse tooke upon him to judge betweene the Cuckow and the Nightingale now of all others the Asse might worse doe it shewed elsewhere they have strangely attempted by raysing many false and scandalous reports against the Generall Officers and Councell of War As 1. a Englands new Chaine pag. 8. Upon pretence of easing the charge of the common-wealth the lifeguard must be disbanded because consisting of discerning men faithfull to their Countrey and former promises and many others of like principles were b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philemon pickt out of every Regiment the designe being by weeding the choisest and best resolved men to make the Arâ—y c In the words of Lapis Now Reader recollect thy thoughts and seriously consider whether they who are so vaine so false in their tongue and so notorious make bates may be heard and not answered reproved pag. 20. But he will say if hee keep his Logick We have not proved this wholly mercinary and slavish and the Executioners of a few mens lusts and lawlesse pleasures Answ 1 It was no pretense but a thing truely meant and done wherein the Generall shewed the largenesse of his love and affection to the Land and how farre he could deny himselfe in point of honour and other respects for the peoples d We could give the Reader many other reasons wherefore the Life-Guard was Disbanded ease and accommodation Secondly It is not true that either they or any others were disbanded because faithfull to their Countrey c. For it is well knowne it hath beene their care and practice from the begining to this day to promote such upon all occasions and commit matters of greatest trust to them 3. It is likewise false that there were any pickt out of every Regiment for eyther they were dismis'd upon their owne desire or what else was don it was in such an impartiall way as there was no cause given at any time for such a base aspersion Fourthly No lesse is it a falsehood and slander to say it was done to make the Army wholly mercinary c. the condition e Quae tanta insonia cives creditis avectos hosteis aut ulla putatis dona carere doliâ— Danaum sic notus Vlisses Virg. Aeneld l. 12. and behaviour of the Army ever since is sufficient to prove their accusation to be most fals But Fifthly we know their meaning well enough disceraing men faithfull to their Countrey and many others of like Principles that is f Pellicalam veterem retinens fronâ— politus estutam vâ—â—idâ— servans suâ— pectore vulpem Perâ—us Satyr 5. busie seditious and mutinous as they are tâ—emselves The Turkes call their converts from Christianity g There is more of Christ and righteousnesse in the Turks Alcoran then in the Levellers Creed musul manem servati as if they were fav'd then not before even â—o unlesse the Souldiers turn Levellers resist authoritie rayse mutine in the Army reproach the Officers they are wholly mercinary slavish and the executioners of a few mens lusts and lawlesse pleasures h Gregarius miles procan lingua like Thomson But let them Tâ—rne Turkes Musulmanim then they are deserving men honest and worthy Souldiers the good men in the Army i Nam etiam tum Legato à centurionibus optimo qâ—oque manipularium parebatur Tac. Annal. l. 1. p. 12. men most conscientious and cordially acting for common good c. But as one saith of the rebellion caused by Percennius amongst the Souldiers in Pannony even then the Centurions and the better sort of the Souldiers were obedient to the Lievtenant k Ducis in concilio posita est virtus miâ—itum Valer. Max. lib. 4. So it hath ever been with us 2. To make division in the Army they say At the first Randezvous neere Ware they shot a Souldier to death for l London Printed in the grand yeare of hypocriticall and abominable dissimulation It very wel fits as to that Book where the words are so with their Englands New Chaine pursuing the ends of the engagement at New-market and for insisting upon the agreement of the People unworthily abused Maior Skott a Member of this House sent him up a Prisoner and accused him and Col. Rainsborough for appearing in behalfe of the agreement and therewithall sent Col. Ayres Major Cobbat Captaine Bray and many others after Prisoners to Windsor Mr Lilburne in a Booke lately published speaking of m The Legall fundamentall Liberties of the people of England pag. 74. the first and second part of Englands New Chains discovered saith the truth of every line
perswade them they desire peace and seeke to have greviances and burdens remooved whereas the truth is and so much we shall here further demonstrate like the Wolfe this tickling and soft rubbing is but a Levelling designe of meer advantage to destroy them We know not of any superioritie that one person takes above another either in Parliament or Councell of State but as equals in respect of place so are their actings all alike in point of power 2. For Marshall power it never tooke any thing from the Civil nor hâ—th it at any time beene exercised but in matters proper and peculiar thereunto 3. That they doe not see any counsells tending to peace it may well be so for a man that is blinde or shuts his eyes sees not the brightnesse and beautie of the sun shining at noone day Nicomachus in Plutarch very fitlie answered an Jdeot that could see no beautie in the famous Helena Painted by Zeuxis take my eyes sayd Nichomachus and you shall thinke her to be a Goddesse If this partie had the eyes of sober discreete peaceable honest and wel affected people they would see in our high Court and great Councell sometâ—ing don every day tending to peace but beeing b Protinus invidia nigra sâ—â—alentia tabo tecta perit domus est imis in vallibus antri abdita sole carens non ulli pervia vento tristis ignavi plenissima frigoris quae igne vacet semper caligine semper abundet Ovid. lib. 2. Metamorph. blinded through mallice pride prejudice selfe-seeking c. no wonder like Batts or Owles they see nothing in the light 4. to insinuate as if the supreame Officers of the Army would make Warr their trade is a base aspersion their former actions have ever testifyed the contrarie But observe the craft of these men they would make the people beleeve that the Officers continue the War whereas themselves by trayterous designes and c Many have thought long agone that Lilburn would at last shew himselfe a professed Malignant which is now come to passe so that how his pretences of freedome and liberty will deceive honest people no more and truly we must acknowledge it as a singular mercy of God that so dangerous a Person to the Common wealth should with his owne mouth discover himselfe as he hath done closing with the greatest enymies that the Nation hath are still seeking to d Of such persons the Law saith Reus est laesae majestatis qui seditionem in Rep. concitat eam hostibus patriave Religionem aut Resp hostibus nomen dat aut aliud quidvis ad Reip. statum evertendum molitur L. 1. 10. 11. Hic L. 5. eod vult Althus D. locis Vid. Damhoud C. 63. diss aliqui per. l. 25. §. 1. de Cap. Postl And how Conspirators against the publique pâ—ace ought to be punished the Law likewise sets it downe Frequentius vivi sectione in partes eminentioribus locis suspendendus Glar d. Num 8. Damhoud C. 62. Againe Transfugas etiam proditores perduellium instar a quovis impune occidi posse Argum. l. 234. de V. 5. l. 3. §. ult ad L. Corn. de siccar Gothost ad l. 7. hic Clar. d. loc in fin Cujar Observ 33. rayse commotions and so necessarilie constraine the State to keep up their forces for to suppresse their conspiracies 2. We finde them propounding many Questions to which wee shall breifly answer 1. Touching their charge against the excluded Members there hath something already been done herein and what is further to doe as there shal be opportunity and a fit occasion for it so they will proceede 2. For Offices conferred upon their creatures and relations whatsoever hath been done this way there was just cause for it and no more but according to the merits of the receivers 3. It will be time enough to discountenance those who have betrayed the trust of feofees for Bishops and delinquents lands or have unjustly purchased it themselves when the offence is known and prov'd 4. That the Lord chiefe Justice and Lord cheife Barron should keepe their places conferd upon them it was fit and requisite being men of great worth and well deserving and continually faithfull to the common-wealth 5. When those perfidious persons that have made no conscience of breaking the selfe-denying Ordinance are found out and known to be such there wil be that done no doubt which shall be just and satisfactorie But to what end are those demands you shal know in the words following Oh wretched England that seeth and yet suffereth such intollerable Masters what can be expected from such Officers who frequently manifest a thirst after the blood of the People and Souldiers as are most active for the common freedome peace and prosperity of the common-wealth and against whom they have nothing else to object or what can be expected from such a councell in the Army as shall e Lilburne reports that he had gotten diverse thousands of hands to this Pamphlet Legall fundamentall c. pag. 74. If this be true but we much question it for we know his vapouring observe what a generation of men those were to set their hands to such things as they know not what they were was it not a sin and a shame to them to owne that under their hands of which they were altogether ignorant These were like his Tenants who would say What is it Master Say and we will sweare it agree that the supreame authoritie should be moved to make a law that the councell of Officers may have power to put to death all such persons though not of the Army as they should judg were disturbers of the Army There are certaine Idolators in India when they sacrifice to their Zemes or Idol that their Offring may be the more acceptable thrust a stick into their throat even to their weasel and so bring up whatsoever lieth in their stomack These men have taken some paines here and streined hard to bring all this up at once if Satan therefore like it not what will he have as for sedition treason falsehood what more can be uttered vomitted But 1. Are yee in earnest would yee not have the people remaine any longer under the present Government but raise a new warr we beleeve you you mean as you speake those Masters yee would willinglie have out and be your selves the f Nec decrant qui crederent utramque sèditionem fraude Antonii captum ut solus bello frueretur Tac. Hist l. 3. p. 4â—7 tyrants which so often you speake of and then we should have cause enough to say Oh wretched England g Hor. Epod. 16. Barbarus beu cineres insistit victor et urbem Eques sonante verberabit ungula The victor rude upon our Grave doth tread Our Cittie is with trampling Horse or'e layd 2. In speaking so often that the h As true as that 1 Sam. 22.8 Officers thirst after such people and Souldiers blood as