Minstred to me and doe 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 Legall cause or Tryall 14. To make what New Acts Lawes and Reverse what Old ones they think meet to ensnare and inthrall our Consciences Estates Liberties and Lives 15. To create new monstrous Treasons never heard of before and to declare Reall Treasons against the King Kingdome and Parliament to be no Treasons and Loyalty Allegeance due obedience to our known Lawes and a Conscientious observing our Oathes of Allegance and Supremacy and the Covenant to be no lesse then 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 Lawes Liberties Estates and Lives waste after they have drawne so much Bloud 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 then Regall or Parliamentary power 17. To pack and shuffle themselves into a Councell of Lords This 17. is added by the Abridger States Generall without any provinciall States 40. Hogens Mogens with Supream Regall and Arbitrary power in absence of Parliaments which are Abolished by these Usurpations as well as Monarchy 4. The principall ends proposed in the pretend Act for imposing this 90000 l. a moneths 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 Warre upon them and by conspiring with their owe party of the sitting Commons have occasioned all the Mischiefs last mentioned to the ruine of King Parliament and Kingdome Religion Lawes 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 Conquests Tbat 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 turne Vs and our Families out of Dores That there is no Law in England but the Sword as Hugh Peters the Rebels Apostle saith The present power must be obeyed saith parasiticall Iohn Goodwin that is the power of the Sword still More hath been raised by Taxes these last eight years then in all the Kings Raignes 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 Cookes 2. Instit pag. 528. But the keeping up this Army is the Bane of the People 1. Because they are already exhausted with Warre 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 Moneth 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 believe 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 Moneth See Ordinances 15. Feb. 1644. and 6. Aprill 1646. Exact Collect. pag. 599. 876. But when the Army by confederacy with their Party in the House took the boldnesse to encrease their number without Order 60000 l. a Moneth was thought abundantly sufficient to pay the Army and take off Free-quarter and why this Tax should now be raised to 90000 l. a Moneth when sundry Regiments of it are Assigned for Ireland and yet Free-quarter continued is a mystery of Iniquity which fills the Saints Pockets with Money and all the World with Wonder 6. The Counties Militia so much contended for with the King would better defend the Kingdome from Forraign Invasions then a Mercinary Army Therefore there is neither necessity nor publique utility in keeping up this Army or raising Taxes to maintaine them or pay their pretended Arreares The Free-quarter they have taken in kind and leavyed in Money will treble their Arreeres and make them much indebted to the Country Thus farre and much farther Master Pryn whose whole Booke at large I commend to all mens serious perusall The Marquesse of Ormonds happy atchievements in Ireland beginning to look formidably 204. Cromwell sets sayle for Ireland had cooled the hcat of K. Olivers courage though not of his Liver insomuch that he and his intimate Friends began to project how without losse of reputation to take him off from so desperate an Engagement as at that time that seemed to be unnecessary delaies were used in Shipping his Men. Hasterigge and his Party reported great terrours from Scotland Oliver and his Bloud-hounds of the Faction made a shift to smell out a silly Plot in Dorset-shire for surprisall of Weymouth and Portland for the KING now laughed at and exploded by their owne New-books And the tender-conscienced Brethren were prompted to apprehend their owne dangers and put into a Petitioning posture That such a Worthy of Israel such a chosen Instrument of Gods mercy might not in a time of danger leave the Land of his Nativity the Habitation of the Saints to seeke foraigne adventures in a Heathen Land Whilst these preparations were making to withdraw Olivers stake he appeared not openly in them but making more shew of the Lyons skin than the Foxes had written to Col. Iones how heartlesse his Souldiers were and that unlesse Iones did by some successfull Sally lessen their terrour he should not be able to get them on Ship-board This was like the Monkey to rake Chesse-nuts out of the fire with the Catts foot to take a presage of his owne successe at Col. Iones hazard Iones makes an attempt with better luck than he expected though not with half so good successe as was reported Saturday 12. August when the newes first came to Towne the Lyon is not so terrible as he is painted it is a peculiar priviledge of the Saints to lie without sinne or at least without
attend his Majesâ—y in the Treaty The next thing debated vvas the List of such Gentlemen as vvere named to attend the King in this Treaty The moderate Party excepted against Ashburnham a great man vvith Cromvvell and Legge as being Prisoner to the Parliament The Independents excepted Dr. Shelden Hammond and Oldsworth for the same reason but the next day the Speaker moved that Legge and Ashburnham might go to the King and to satisfie such as had objected their Imprisonment against them the Independents alleaged they vvere unduly imprisond and moved a Committee might be appointed to examine the cause of their Restraint but the moderate alleaging the same reason for the said three Doctors and making the same motion for them there vvas no farther proceedings therein Thus farre I have briefly set dovvne the Preparations tovvards a Treaty 13. Master Pryns Speech in the House proving the Kings concessions to be a groud for a setlement the Treaty it selfe betvveen the King in the Isle of VVight and the Parliaments Commissioners their Reports of the Results to the Houses and the Houses Debates and Votes upon them tooke up almost all the time untill the 6. December 1648. some fevv businesses of no great moment intervening many imperfect and partiall Relations of them have been printed cum Privilegio but Mr. VVill Pryn in his excellent Speech made in the House of Commons 4. Decemb. 1648 and since printed hath set dovvn all the most materiall Arguments on both sides vvith great candor and ingenuity and hath confuted the Enemies to Peace and Accommodation if strength of Reason can confute those men that follovv onely thier ovvne Interests of povver and profit vvhose vvills and lusts have alvaies been their ovvne lavves and are novv become the onely Lavves of this Conquered Kingdome I love not actum agire I referre my Reader therefore to his Speech and vvill only trouble him vvith some Observations upon this Treaty I have said something of the Militia 14. The Militia and Negative Voice sect 62 63 64 106 and the Conclusions 15 16 17. and the Kings Negative Voice in the 1. part of this History especially in the Conclusions at the latter end I vvil onely say that vvithout them the King cannot be a Governing King but a bare Titular King a picture a shadovv because the protection of the People depens upon the povver of the Svvord He cannot protect them and their Lavves vvith the Scabbard The Authority of the Scepter follovves the povver of the Svvord vvherefore to give avvay one is to lose both nor can the Subjects be any longer His Majesties Subjects but Salves to their fellovv Subjects vvhen so many petty Kings not authorized by any lavv of God or Man to protect the People shall hold the Svvord over their Heads and distract them vvith different Opinions disagree in Commands according to the variety of their severall lusts factions and interests hovv can the King according to his Coronation Oath and duty to vvhich God hath called him Governe and protect his People 1. part sect 40 41 42. vvhen he hath given avvay his Svvord to a factious Parliament vvhere one Party tyrannizeth over the other and threatens the other vvith the longest Svvord hovv absurd and impossible it is for the Subject to expect protection from one hand and to svveare and pay Alleigannce to another hand that hath divested it self of all povver to protect them let our Lavves the practice of all Nations and times and the judgement of the learnedst Politicians tell you vvhose Maxime is Illa optima est Respublica ubi Princeps quà m maximum potest boni quà m minimum mali Primò ne nova Tributo indicere nova vectigalia constituere possit inconsultâ Republicâ Deinde legum condendarum anti quandarumque poenes Rempublicam non unum aliquem Magistratum esse debet potestas nulla enim in re gravius peccatum admittitur nusquam graviores turbae minantur quà m hisce de rebus That is the best forme of Gouvernment vvhere the King can doe most good and least evill 1. Let Him be disabled to raise nevv Taxes lay on nevv Tribute 2. Let Him not have the sole povver to make or repeale Lavves vvhich ought to belong to the Common-vvealth not any one Magistrate for no povver is more hurtfull to the People nor stirres more Commotions them these tvvo such is the Kingdome of England the King hath neither the povver of our purses nor the changing of our Lavves in His hands and if he give avvay his Svvord he vvill be such a King of clouts as can doe neither good nor evill like Rex Sacrificulis at Rome ea summa potestas dicitur quâ secundam Leges non est major neque par such vvas the Dictattor at Rome he had no equall there Papyp cursor dictator ad judged to death his Generall of the Horse Fabius for fighting against his command though prosperously and rejected all appeale to the Senate and Tribunes of the People yeilding at last onely to their prayers vvith this saying Vicit tandem imperii majestas such is the King of England the Common-vvealth cannot compâ—ll him to grant a Pardon or dispense justice or mercy as they please the Oath of Supremacy calls Him Supreme Governour in all Causes over all Persons so doe all our Statutes to vvhom in Parliament vvhich is his highest sphere of majestie i the last appeale by VVrit of Error vvho is Principium caput finis Parliamenti the beginning head and end of the Parliament and therefore he onely calls the Parliament to advise vvith him and dissolves it vvhen he is satisfied He makes VVarre Peace See the 1. part of this History Prolegomena 1. and is Protector of the Lavves and of all just Interests onely the policy of the Lavv disables him to make repeale or alter Lavves or raise Monies vvithout consent of both Houses by Bill passed vvhich is but an Embrio untill he quickens it by his Royall Assent because this vvay the King may doe most hurt and vvrong to his people as I have already said it being the vvisdome of our Lavves to keep the Svvord in one hand and the purse in another The 1. proemiall Proposition for justifying the Parliaments Cause and Quarrell and condemning His owne Cause and Party 15. The 1. Proposition for justifying the Parliaments and condemning His owne quarrell vvas a bitter pill but an earnest desire of peace svveetned it and guilded it over and invited him to svvallovv it vvithout chavving or ruminating upon it but hovv devilish unchristian and illegall a use the Faction have made of this extorted confession let God judge Their insisting upon it that the King should take the Convenant 16. The Covenant endevoured to be put upon the King vvas an errour in Policy vvhereof the rigid Presbyterians are guilty they supposing the King vvould take it at last stood upon it and intended thereby to joyne the King to their
consummated 2. That He might when He pleased inlarge cleer the truth with the reservednesse of His meaning herein by publique Declaration Now the Treaty being powerfully carried on without Debate or receiving any Proposition from the King as was capitulated and reciprocall Proposalls are of the Essence of all Treaties this Grant could never bind Him This Grant was a meer Preambulatory Proposition not of the Essence of the Treaty Philosophers and School-men tell us Proems to Laws are condemned by many Lawyers Polititians Est nihil frigidius Lege cum Prologo jubeat lex non suadet No valid proof can be drawn out of Proems and Introductions but out of the Body of the Text. So in the Lawes of England and in all Accusations and Charges Prefaces and Preambles are not pleadable They are the last in penning of Lawes least in account nor never had the force of Lawes There 's not a syllable in this Preface which Repeales any former Law inflicting a Penalty upon such Subjects as beare or raise Armes against their KING nor those Laws which è contrario exempts from punishment all Subjects adhering to the Person of the KING in any Cause or Quarrell Whereas the said Preface saith the two Houses were necessitated to make a Warre c. This may relate to a necessity à parte post not à parte ante self-defence is the universall Law of nature extending to all Creatures it is non Scripta sed nata Lex Therefore when the two Houses or rather a schismaticall Party in them had brought upon themselves a necessity of Self-defence By raising Tumults c. His Majesty was contented to acknowledge that necessity If one Man assault anothar upon the High-way and the Assailed furiously pursue the Assailant putting him to the defensive part the Assailant is now necessitated to fight in his owne defence although he drew that necessity upon himself yet is he now excusable à posteriori not à priori And as Civilians say of clandestine Marriages Quod fieri non debuit factum valet for multa sunt quae non nisi peracta approbantur Lewis the 13. of France had many Civill Warres with his own Subjects amongst other Treaties to compose them upon the Treaty of Lodun he was enforced to publish an Edict approving of all that had been done by his Opposites as done for his service The like Extenuations are not unusuall at the close of Civill Warres and the onely use made of them was never other than to make the adverse Party more capable of pardon to secure them against the brunt of the Lawes to salve their credits and pave the way for an Act of Oblivion and restore a setled peace Peace and Warre like Water and Ice being apt to beget one another But never was use made of such Grants to ruine the King that Granted them or His Party Thus having confuted that misprision That the King by Granting that Introductory Proposition had taken all the Bloud upon His score my Author having cleered his way to his farther Inquisition after Bloud proceeds and tells you Belw Cap was the first that opened the Issue of Bloud by entering England and shewing Subjects the way of representing Petitions to the King upon their Pikes points That the Irish took their rise from him And whereas occasion was taken to calumniate His Majesty for having a foreknowledge thereof amongst many other convincing Arguments to cleer him my Lord Macquire upon the Ladder and another upon the Scaffold did freely and cleerly acquit Him And in regard great use was made of the Irish Rebellion to imbitter the People against the King the Authour winds up the causes there of upon one bottome Telling you 1. They who complied with the Scots in their first and second Insurrection 2. They who dismissed the Irish Commissioners sent to present some grievances to the Parliament with a short unpolitique harsh Answer 3. They who tooke off Straffords Head the onely Obstructor of that Rebellion and afterwards retarded the Earle of Leicesters going into Ireland 4. They who hindered part of the Disbanded Army of 8000. Men raised by the Earle of Strafford being Solders of Fortune to go serve the Spaniard as His Majesty had promised the two Spanish Ambassadours the Marquesses of Velada and Maluezzi which cashiered discontented men first put fire to the Tumult They who did all this are guilty of the Irish Rebellion and of the Bloud of above 10000 Protestants who perished in that Warre Adde They who importuned the King contrary to His judgment to make the Irish desperate by passing an Act to confiscate their Estates and grant them away to such as should advance Monies upon Irish Adventures Touching the Warre kindled in England the Authour confesseth it was a fatall thing there should be a withdrawing of the Kings Person from the Parliament But averreth it was a barbarous thing that the King with above foure parts in five of the Lords and two parts in three of the Commons should be frighted away by Tumults raised by Ven and Burges and a Designe to seize the Kings Person yet its fit it should be remembred 1. What reiterated Messages His Majesty sent offering to returne if there might be a course taken to secure His Person with those Peeres and Commons rioted away 2. That there was not the least motion towards Warre untill Hotham shut the Gates of Hull against the King attended onely with some few of His houshold Servants which Act of his was approved of afterwards by the House of Commons Vote as if he had done it by their warrant 3. That a while after there was an Army of 16000. men effective inrolled about London to fetch Him to His Parliament and remove ill Counsellours under the Earl of Essex long before the King began to set up His Standard 4. That the same Army so raised to bring the King to His Parliament was continued two yeares after to keep Him from His Parliament 5. Who interdicted Trade first and brought in Forraigne Force to help them and whose Commissions of Warre were near upon two yeares date before the Kings 6. That in all His Declarations He alwayes protested He waged not Warre against the Parliament but against some Seditious Members against whom He could not obtaine Common Iustice 7. That upon all good Successes the King still courted the Parliament and City to an Accommodation 8. That upon the Treaty of Vxbridge The King moved that to prepare mens mindes to Peace there might be freedom of Trade from Town to Town Acessation of all Acts of Hostility for the time that the inflamation being allayed the wound might be cured the sooner 9. That this present Army remember how often in their Proposalls and Declarations they protested That their aime was to restore His Majesty with Honour Freedome and Safety whereunto they were formerly bound by their Protestation and Covenant and that the two Commanders in Cbief pawn'd their Souls to Him
after his Royall assent might have made themselves Masters of all the other Propositions vvithout his Consent so that this Treaty vvas but a flourish to dazle the eyes of the vvorld His Majesty therefore denied the 4. said Bills and thereby preserved the legall Interests of King Parliament People yet the Faction presently tooke a pretence and occasion thereupon to lay aside the King Ibidem sect 65 66 68 69 70 71 72 74 75. And my said Animadvers p. 10. And the 2 part of Englands new Ch by passing 4. Votes for no more Addresses to him and a Declaration against him vvhich vvere not passed vvithout many threats and more shevv of force then stood vvith the nature of a free Parliament the Army lying neere the Tovvne to back their Party the designe having been layd before hand betvveen Sir Henry Vane Iunior Sir Iohn â—velyn of VVilts Nath â—â—â—nnes Solicitor Saint Iohns and a select Committee of the Army I told you before the People had been throughly instructed formerly by the Army and their Agitators 2. part of England's new Ch discovered p. 4 5. That there could be no peace nor happinesse in England vvithout restoring the King to his just Rights and Prerogatives c. notvvithstanding vvhich the People novv found their hopes that vvay deluded by the Army and their Party vvho had cast off the King upon private discontents the true grounds vvhereof did not appeare and had obstructed all vvayes to Peace and Accommodation and made them dangerous and destructive to such as travailed peaceably in them vvitnesse the sad example of the Surrey-men Kent Essex and all to perpetuate their great Places of povver and profit The minds of the People therefore troubled vvith apprehension that our old Lavves and laudable forme of Government should be subverted and nevv obtruded by the povver of the Svvord sutable to the lusts and Intrests of these ambitious covetous Men and finding besides evident symptomes of a nevv VVarre approaching to consume that small Remainder vvhich the last VVarres had left grevv so impatient of vvhat they feared for the future and felt at present insupportable Taxes Free-quarter insolency of Souldiers Martiall Lavv Arbitrary Government by Committees and by Ordinances of Parliament changed and executed at the vvill and pleasure of the Grandees in stead of our setled and vvell approved Lavves that despaire thrust them head long into Armes in VVales Kent Essex Pontefract c and at the same time a cloud arising in Ireland a storme povvred in from Scotland and the Prince threatning a tempest from Sea these concurrences looked so black upon the Independent Grandees that they gave vvay to a second mock-Treaty in the Isle of VVight 2 Treaty in the Isle of VVight vvhich vvas the fruit of their covvardise and subtilty as appeares by Sergeant Nickolas a Creature of theirs vvho upon Saturday Octob. 28. 1648. moved in the House That the Lord Goring might be proceeded against as a new Delinquent out of mercy because he had Cudgelled them into a Treaty though novv they attribute all to the Kings corrupt Party in the tvvo Houses the Army likevvise kept a mock-fast or day of Humiliatîon at VVindsor to acknovvledge their sinnes and implore Gods mercy for their former disobedience to the Parliament in not Disbanding and their insolent Rebellion in Marching up in a Hostile and Triumphant posture against the Parliament and City August 6. 1647. promising more obedience hereafter and to acquiesce in the judgement of the Parliament and Declared Decl. Iune 14. 1647. That it was proper for them to act in their owne sphere as Souldiers and leave State affairs to the Parliament but this vvas done but to recover the good opinion of the people and City and to keep them from stirring and to stay the moderate Party of the tvvo Houses from Declaring the Army Enemies recalling and Voting their Commissions and established Pay voyde vvhich they might have done vvith ruine to the Army and their Party in that Conjuncture of Affaires and vvith safety to themselves and applause of all honest men of England that had taken part vvith the Parliament from the beginning had not some Grandees of the rigid Presbyterian party both vvithin and vvithout the Houses some cursed thing some Achans vvedge in their bosomes vvhich suggested Their sinnes vvere greater than could be forgiven and therefore they durst not cast dovvne the partition vvall betvveen them and the King this Army though it leane so hard upon them it is ready to overvvhelme them VVarre is necessary for some men of every Faction vvhose crying sinnes peace vvill lay open and naked to the scorne derision and detestation of the vvorld Hovv vvel these sanctimonious Svvord-players of the Army have observed the Duties Undertakings of their said Humiliation let the vvorld judge Have they not returned againe vvith the Dogge to the Vomit have they not cousened God and their ovvne Soules Sure they fasted from sinne then that they might sinne vvith the more greedy appetite novv and asked God forgivenesse of the old score that they might sinne againe upon a nevv score Thus you see the 2. Treaties in the Isle of VVight vvere begotten by feare and that Idol of the Independents to vvhich they offer up all their knaveries necessity They vvere Cocatrice Eggs layd by their Grandees vvhen they had been Crovv-trodden by Armies from abroad Tumults at home See my 1. part sect 65 66 105 106 107. and the Conclusions there Sect. 16 17 18 upon vvhich they sate abrood onely to hatch Scandals and nevv quarrels against the King Anarchy and confusion to the State and Tyranny and oppression of the People to set up the Olygarchy of the Saints or Councel of State the Kingdome of the Brambles vvhich since doth scratch the vvool from off the skin the skin from off the flesh the flesh from off the bones I. have been compelled to use some introductory Repetitions in this part of my discourse that I may give you the vvhole mystery of the 2. Treaties vvith the King in the Isle of VVight vvith the causes efficient and finall of them under one vievv lest some one link of the chaine escaping your observation it become a Chaine of errors to you My first part of the History of Independency ends vvith that vvhich vvas but an unlucky preface to a Treaty vvith the King 3. Hamilton overthrovvne See my 1. part sect 136. namely Cromwel's menacing Letters to the Speaker of the House of Commons dated August 20. 1648. Relating his easie purchase of a great Victory over Duke Hamilton and Lieut. Gen. Bayly vvherein he relates the number of the Scotish Forces farre differing from the former Report of Lieut. Col. Osborne a Scotish Gentleman made in the House of Commons Iuly 20. Sect. 110 111. vvhere of I have spocten in my first part vvho to take avvay the terror of them estimated Hamiltons and Langdales conjoyned Forces to be but 10000.
Representative have so unstable an authority vvhat shall the subordinate Magistrate acting under them have 7. It smels so much of the Iesuite that it tolerateth Popery in private Houses contrary to the knovvne Lavves of the Land Popery like the old Serpent if it once get in the head vvill soon insinuate the vvhole body being so vvell backed by potent Princes and Councels from beyond Sea And truly I knovv not vvhat to say against Popery vvhere Heresie Schisme Atheisme and Blasphemie are openly tolerated and exempted from the povver of the civill Magistrate as in this Agreement 8. It vvill lose Ireland the managing of the VVarre there being legally in this Parliament by Act passed not in this nevvfangled Representative 9. It divides us from Scotland 10. It destroyes the Cause for vvhich the Parliament so often Declared Voted Protested and Convenanted that they fought viz. Defence of Parliaments Religion Lawes and Liberties and bestovves the Cause upon the King as if He onely from the beginning had fought for them vvhich all men have reason to believe vvhen they shall see the Parliament make such ill use of their Victory as to root them all up And this and all other Parliament Armies vvere Commissioned to preserve this Parliament by this Authority they have their Pay and Indemnity vvithout vvhich they are Thieves Rebels and Murderers 11. It demands that there be no Lavvyers nor Lavves but nevv Rules in English to be made from time to time by the nevv Representative vvho are to be chosen and trusted onely by a small faction of Subscribers as hath been said according to vvhich justice shall be administred not by Mayors Sheriffs Iustices of the peace Officers alvvaies ready but by Hundred Courts vvho are to supply the roome off all the Iudges and Lavvyers of the Kingdome and all this to lie in the brests of 12 Men in every Hundred of the Tribe of the Godly be sure vvho peradventure can neither vvritte nor read nor have responsible Estates to satisfie vvrongs done these shall doe justice by providence and revelation 12. It destroyeth all great and publique Interests and therefore cannot stand Kings Lords Souldiers Magistrates Parliaments Lavvyers Ministers vvho vvill oppose it becaâ—se it confounds and destroies Religion and depriveth the Ministery of its lot Tythes stopping their mouthes vvith famine purposely to cast them off and generally all men of quality and discretion vvill vvithstand it because it gives no security for enjoyment of liberty and property nor for increase of learning civility and piety vvho then are left to ovvne and subscribe it but desperate forlorne Persons vvho because they cannot bring their actions under the protection of our present Lavvs and Government vvill bring the Lavvs and Government to their ovvn corrupt vvills and interests and therefore vvill signe this Agreement no obedience being given to this Representative but upon condition that they kept this Agreement and there being no other Iudges of their keeping it but the Subscribers vvho in the result of all have the Lavv in their ovvne VVills 36. This Agreement of the People was condemned by the House of Commons 9. Nov. 1647. This Agreement of the People is the same vvhich vvas subscribed by 9. Regiments of Horse and 7 of Foot and presented vvith a Petition to the House of Commons Novemb. 5. 1647. by the Agitators Gifforde the Iesuite being then in the Lobby vvith them and very active therein Vpon reading and debate hereof the House then declared their judgements against it by passing these Votes Die Martis 9. Nov. 1647. A Paper directed to the Supreme Authority of the Nation the Commons in Parliament assembled The just and earnest Petition of those whose Names are subscribed in behalfe of themselves and all the Free-borne people of England Together vvith a Paper annexed intituled An Agreement of the People for present and future peace upon grounds of Common Right avowed Hovv these Papers come novv to be ovvned those that opposed them violently secured by the Army by the connivence at least of the dregs of the House novv sitting let the Saints novv 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 fundamentall Government of the Kingdome Resolved c. That a Letter should be sent to the Generall 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 Generall and Councell of VVarre in pursuance of this Vote condemned one of the Agitators vvho promoted it 37. The said Agreement damned by the General Councell of VVarre and a Souldier shot by sentence for promoting it and shot him to death at VVare you see vvhat it is to doe a thing unseasonably this Designe of the Army and their Party vvas not yet ripe vvherevvith they acquainted the House yet they kept in the same fire in the City still vvhere some of their Confederates 23. of the same Novem. sent the same Agreement c. inclosed in a Letter vvith a Petition into the House of Commons vvhere-upon the House giving thanks to the Generall for the execution done at VVare 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. Novemb 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 vvas 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 fundamentall Government of the Kingdome Resolved c. That Ieremy Ives Tho Taylor and VVill Larner be forthvvith committed Prisoners to the Prison at Nevv-gate c. as last aforesaid in Terminis Aftervvards by an Ordinance Decemb. 17. 1647. for Electing Common-Councel-men and other Officers in London they expresly ordained That no Person vvho hath contrived abetted persvvaded or entred into that Engagement entituled The Agreement of the People declared to be destructive to the being of Parliaments
the Parliament well hoping that the restraint and imprisonment of His Person after it had pleased God to deliver Him into their hands would have quieted the distempers of the Kingdome did forbeare to proceed judicially against Him but found by sad experience that such their remissnesse served onely to encourage Him and His Complices in the continuance of their evill practices and in raising new Commotions Rebellions and Invasions For prevention of the like and greater inconveniences and to the end no chief Officer or Magistrate may hereafter presume Trayterously and malitiously to imagine or contrive the enslaving or destroying of the English Nation and to expect impunity Be it enacted and ordained by the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and it is hereby enacted and ordained that Thomas 〈◊〉 Fairfax Generall Oliver Cromwel Lieu. Generall Com. Gen. Ireton Major Gen. Skippon Sir Hardresse Waller Col. Valentine Walton Col. Thomas Harrison Col. Edward Whalley Col. Thomas Pride Col. Isaac Ewer Col. Rich Ingolsby Sir Henry Mildmay Sir Tho Honywood Thomas Lord Grey Philip. Lord Lisle Will Lord Munson Sir Iohn Danvers Sir Tho Maleverer Sir Iohn Bowcher Sir Iames Harrington Sir William Brereton Robert Wallop Esquire Will Henningham Es Isaac Pennington Alderman Thomas Atkins Ald Col. Rowland Wilson Sir Peter Wentworth Col. Henry Martyn Col. William Pureâ—oy Col. Godfrey Bosvill Iohn Trencherd Esq Col. Harbottle Morley Col. Iohn Berckslead Col. Mat. Tomblinson Iohn Blackston Esq Gilb Millington Esq Sir Will Cunstable Col. Edward Ludlow Col. Iohn Lambert Col. Io. Hutchingson Sir Arth Hazlerigge Sir Michael Lavesley Rich Saloway Esq Humph Saloway Esq Col. Rob Titchburne Col. Owen Roe Col. Rob Manwaring Col. Robert Lilburne Col. Adrian Scroope Col. Richard Deane Col. Iohn Okey Col. Robert Overton Col. Iohn Harrison Col. Ioh Desborough Col. William Goffe Col. Rob Dukenfield Cornelius Holland Es Iohn Carne Esq Sir Will Armine Iohn Iones Esq Miles Corbet Esq Francis Allen Esq Thomas Lister Esq Ben Weston Esq Iohn Gourdon Esq Serj. Francis Thorp Iohn Nut Esq Tho Challoner Esq Col. Algern Sidney Iohn Anlaby Esq Col. Iohn Moore Richard Darley Esq William Saye Esq Iohn Aldred Esq Iohn Fagge Esq Iames Nelthrop Eq. Sir Will Roberts Col. Francis Lassels Col. Alex Rixby Henry Smith Esq Edmond Wilde Esq Iames Chaloner Esq Iosias Barnes Esq Dennis Bond Esq Hump Edwards Esq Greg. Clement Esq Iohn Fray Esq Tho VVogan Esq Sir Greg Norton Serj. Iohn Bradsaw Col. Edm Harvey Iohn Dove Esq Col. Iohn Venn Iohn Foulks Alder Thomas Scot Alder Tho. Andrewes Ald VVilliam Cawley Esq Abraham Burrell Esq Col. Anthony Stapley Roger Gratwicke Esq Iohn Downes Esq Col. Thomas Horton Col. Tho. Hammond Col. George Fenwicke Serj. Robert Nichols Robert Reynolds Esq Iohn Lisle Esq Nicholas Love Esq Vincent Potter Sir Gilbert Pickering Iohn VVeaver Esq Iohn Lenthall Esq Sir Edward Baynton Iohn Corbet Esq Thomas Blunt Esq Thomas Boone Esq Augustin Garland Es Augustin Skinner Es Iohn Dickswell Esq Col. George Fleetwood Simon Maine Esq Col. Iames Temple Col. Peter Temple Daniel Blagrave Esq Sir Peter Temple Col. Thomas Wayte Iohn Browne Esq Iohn Lowrey Esq Mr. Bradshaw nominated President Counsellors assistant to this Court to draw up the Charge against the KING are Doctor Dorislow Master Steele Master Aske Master Cooke Serjeant Dandy Serjeant at Armes Mr. Philips Clerk to the Court. Messengers and dore-keepers are Master VValford Master Radley Master Paine Master Powel Master Hull And Mr. King Crier shall be and are hereby appointed Commissioners and Iudges for the hearing Trying and Iudging of the said Charles Stuart and the said Commissioners or any 20. or more of them shal be and are hereby Authorized and Constituted an High Court of Iustice to meet at such convenient times and place as by the said Commissioners or the major part or 20. or more of them under their hande and seales shall be appointed and notified by publick Proclamation in the great Hall or Palace-yard of VVestminster and to adjourne from time to time and from place to place as the said High Court or the major part thereof meeting shall hold fit and to take order for the charging of Him the said Charles Stuart with the Crimes above mentioned and for the receiving His Personall Answer thereunto These wise men of Gotham could not tell whether VVitnesses upon oath were necessary upon Trials of life and death But I confesse that upon the defensive part upon Indictments VVitnesses upon oath were not to be heard against the King much more Accusers of the King and for examination of VVitnesses upon oath if need be coneerning the same and thereupon or in default of such Answer to proceed to finall Sentence according to justice and the merit of the Cause to be executed speedily and impartially And the said Court is hereby Authorized and required to chuse and appoint all such Officers Attendants and other circumstances as they or the major part of them shall in any sort judge necessary or usefull for the orderly and good managing of the premises and Thomas Lord Fairfax * * The Generall is no Officer of justice All welaffected Persons tag and rag invited to assist in a Tumultuary way to destroy the King if need had been that is all Antimonarchists the Generall with all Officers of justice and other wel-affected Persons are hereby authorized and required to be aiding and assisting unto the said Commissioners in the due execution of the trust hereby committed unto them provided that this Ordinance and the Authority hereby granted doe continue for the space of one Month from the Date of the making hereof and no longer 60. A new Great Seale to be made But at last they stumbled at a rub not foreseen they could not use the old Great Seale against Him because it vvas the Kings Great Seale no more could they use any of our Lavves Courts or Iudges against Him because they are all the Kings the Sculpture upon it is Carolus Dei Gratia neither vvould the Grace of God square vvith their proceedings they must therefore make a nevv Great Seale but that vvas long a making and their fingers vvere in the fire they therefore proceeded vvithout any Commission under Seale onely upon the said Ordinance and every Commissioner set his ovvne hand and seale to the publique instruments of their proceedings vvhat need ceremonies vvhen men are resolved upon the substance 61. The Iews petition the Councell of VVar to have the Stat of their banishment repealed About this time the Hebrevv Ievves presented a Petition to the uncircumcised Ievves of the Councell of VVarre That the Statute of Banishment against them may be repealed and they readmitted to a Synagogue and Trade amongst us They offer for their re-admission S. Pauls Church and the Library at Oxford 500000 l. but 700000 l. is demanded Hugh Peters and Harry Martyn solicite the businesse Vpon this occasion vvas published this Paper ensuing 62. A Paper published upon occasion of
the Iewes Petition The last damnable Designe of Cromwel and Ireton and their junto or Caball intended to be carried on in their Generall Councell of the Army and by journey-men in the House of Commons vvhen they have engaged them desperately in sinne past all hope of retreat by murdering the King MAjor VVhite a Member of the Army long since at Putney fortetold That shortly there vvould be no other povver in England but the povver of tee Svvord and VVil Sedgvvick in his Booke called justice upon the Armies Remonstrance saith The Principle of this Army is To breake the Powers of the Earth to pieces and Iohn Lilburne in his Plea for Common Right pag. 6. saith The Army by these extraordinary proceedings have overturned all the visible Supreme Authority of this Nation that is they have and vvill by seizing upon the Members of Par dissolving it and setting up a nevv invented Representative and bring the King to capitall punishment and dis-inheriting His Posterity subvert the Monachicall Government and Parliaments of this Kingdome the Lavves and Liberties of the People and so by bringing all to Anarchy and confusion put the vvhole Government of the Land under the Arbitrary povver of the Svvord In order to vvhich they have and vvill overturne the Government of the City of London by a Lord Mayor and Aldermen and Governerne it by Commissioners and a schismaticall Common Councell of Anabaptists illegally chosen and deprive them of their Charter of Incorporation and Franchises and this shall be a leading case to all the Corporations of England Their next designe is to Plunder and Dis-arme the City of London and all the Country round about thereby to disable them to rise vvhen the Army removes but not to the use of the Souldiers although they greediâ—y expect the first VVeek in February the time appointed from vvhom they vvill reedeeme the Plunder at an easie rate and so sell it in bulk to the Ievves vvhom they have lately admitted to set up their banks and magazins of Trade amongst us contrary to an Act of Parliament for their banishment and these shall be their Merchants to buy off for ready money to maintaine such VVarres as their violent proceedings will inevitably bring upon them not onely all Sequestred and Plundred goods but also the very Bodies of Men VVomen and Children whole Families taken Prisoners for sale of whom these Iewish Merchants shall keep a constant traffique with the Turks Moores and other Mahometans the Barbadus and other English Plantations being already cloyed with VVelch Scottish Colchester and other Prisoners imposed by way of sale upon the Adventurers and this is the meaning of Hugh Peters threat to the London Ministers That if another VVarre followed they will spare neither Man VVoman nor Child For the better carrying on of which Designe the said Caball or Iunto keep a strict correspondency with Ovven Roe Oneale the bloudy Popish Antimonarchicall Rebell in Ireland and the Popes Nuntio there The Antimonarchicall Marquesse of Argyle in Scotland the Parisian Norman and Picarde Rebels in France and the Rebel King of Portugall If danger be not held so close to your eyes that you cannot discerne it looke about you English But this Kingdome is not to be saved by Men that will saue themselves Nothing but a Private hand and a Publique spirit can redeeme it 63. Master Pryns second Letter to the Generall The 3. Ian. 1648. Master Pryn sent a Letter to the Generall demanding vvhat kind of Prisoner and vvhose he vvas as follovveth * To the Honourable Thomas Lord Fairfax Generall of the present Army these present My Lord IT is novv a full Months space since I vvith other Members of the Commons House have been forcibly apprehended and kept Prisoner by some of your Officers and Marshall against the Priviledges of Parliament the Liberty of the Subject the Lavves and Statutes of the Realme and all rules of justice conscience and right reason vvithout the least shadovv of Authority or any cause at all yet made knovvne to me of vvhich vvere there any neither God nor man ever yet made your Lordship or your Officers Iudges I therefore desire to knovv from your Lordship vvhat kind of Prisoner I am and vvhose If a Prisoner of peace neither your Lordship nor your Officers are any Iustices of peace or Civill Magistrates in this place to restraine me for any civil crime vvere I guilty of it much lesse vvithout proof or hearing in case I vvere no Member but being neither guilty nor accused of any such crime and a Member too no Magistrate can nor ought to imprison me upon any pretext at least vvithout the Houses licence first obtained If a Prisonner of VVarre vvhich I cannot probably be being never in Arms and apprehended neer the Commons House dore going peaceably and unarmed thither to discharge my duty then you and your Officers thereby acknovvledge That you have levied VVarre against the Parliament and its Members and vvhat capitall offence this is and vvhat a punishment it deserves I need not informe your Lordship or your Councell vvho have for this very crime condemned and shot some to death as Traytours and demanded speedy justice and execution for it upon the King himselfe I have but one thing more to trouble your Lordship vvith and that is to demand vvhose Prisoner I am having yet seen no VVarrant nor Order from your selfe or your Officers for my restraint though I have oft demanded it of your Marshall If your Lordships Prisoner there appearing yet no legall Authority cause or VVarrant for my restraint I must then crave so much justice from your Lordship being but a Subject and not yet paramount all Lavves to order your Attourney to give an Appearance for you in the Kings bench the first returne of the next Tearme to an action of false Imprisonment for this my unjust restraint vvhich I intend by Gods assistance effectually to prosecute If your Officers Prisoner onely and not yours vvhich I conceive vvho yet abuse your name and authority herein though it be a rule in Lavv Divinity too Qui non prohibet malum quod potest jubet yet I shall be so just as to set the saddle upon the right horse and commence my action onely against such of your Officers vvho have been most active in my Imprisonment for damage and reparations vvhich if there be any justice remaining under Heaven I doubt not but I shall recover in Gods due time in this publique cause vvhich so highly concernes the honour fredome and Priviledges of Parliament and Subjects Liberties for defence and maintenance vvhereof as I have hitherto spent my strength adventured my life body liberty and estate so shall I novv againe engage them all and all the friends and interests I have in heaven and earth rather then they shall suffer the least diminution prejudice or eclipse by my stupid patience under this unjust captivity though I can as vvillingly forgive and put up private injuries
Army and their Parliament Cromwell Ireton and Hugh Peters have severall times made it their errand to go into the City and visit the Ministers 66. London Ministers threatned See the Ministers of Londons Letter to the Generall called A serious Representation dated Ian. 18. 1648. giving them threatning admonitions not to Preach any thing against the Actings of the Army and their Parliament But Hugh acted his part above them all he tooke some Musketiers with him to the house of Master Calamy knocking at the dore a Maid asked whom he would speake with he told her with her Master she asked his name he replied Mr. Hugh Peters the Maid going up the staires to acquaint her Master who was above-staires in Cōference with somes Divines over-heard Peters say to the Souldiers The very name of Peters will fright them all Peters being called up the staires told Mr. Calamy He was commanded by the Generall to warne him to come before him Mr. Calamy leaving Peters vapouring canting Religion and non-sense to the rest of the Divines slipt downe staires and went to the Generall to know his pleasure telling him He had been summoned before him by Hugh Peters the Generall said Peters was a Knave and had no such directions from him Since this the Councell of Warre finding it difficult to stop the Ministers mouths have sundry times debated 67. The C. of VVar consider hovv to shut up the Churches dores How to shut up the Churches dores in the City for Reformation of the Church and propagation of the Gospell they have imprisoned Mr. Canton a worthy Minister for praying for King CHARLES threaten to trie him for his life in the Upper Bench forsooth which all the Lawes call the Kings-bench and upon their new Acts of Parliament made by a ninth part of the Members the small remnant or Junto of the House of Commons notwithstanding by The Directory for Publique Worship established by both Houses the Ministers are enjoyned to pray for the King It is said that Monsieur Paux one of the Dutch Agents here hath advised Cromwell to stop the Ministers mouthes by hanging up a dozen of them and vouches a president for it in the Low Countries 68. The Lords sent some Votes to the Commons for their cōcurrence Ian. 9. The Lords sate againe and passed some Ordinances which they sent downe to the Commons for their concurrence to feel their pulse whether they would vouchsafe to take so much notice of them the Commons laid them aside after some expressions of disdaine 69. Sergeant Dandy proclaimeth the sitting of the nevv H Court of Iustice This day Sergeant Dandy Sergeant at Armes to the Comissioners for Triall of His Majesty rode into Westminster-hall with the Mace belonging to the House of Commons upon his shoulder some Officers attending him all bare and 6. Trumpetors on horsback before him Guards of Horse Foot attending in both the Palace-yards the 6. Trumpetors sounded on horseback in the middle of the Hall the Drums beat in the Palace-yards after which a Proclamation was read aloud by Mr. King one of the Messengers of the said High Court of Justice to this purpose To give notice that the Commissioners were to sit to morrow and that all those that had any thing to say against CHARLES STVART King of England might be heard The like was done in Cheapside and at the Old Exchange 70. The Gr Seale voted to be broken This day the remainder of the House voted their Great Seale to be broken in order to the making of a new one justly putting the same affront upon their owne Seale which they had formerly put upon the Kings 71. Mr. Pryns Memento to the unparliamentary Iunto Upon these occasions Mr. Pryn it is said published his Memento to the unparliamentary Junto therein telling the House That being forcibly secluded from the House by the Officers of the Armies violence whereby he could not speake his mind to them freely in or as the House of Commons yet he would write his thoughts to them as private Persons onely under a force consulting in the House without their fellow Members advice or concurrence about speedy Deposing and Executing CHARLES their lawfull Soveraigne to please the Generall Officers and Counsell of the Army who have usurped to themselves the Supreme Authority both of King and Parliament or rather the Iesuits and Popish Priests among them 1. By the Common Law the Stat. 25. Edw. 3. Cok. 5. Iusti 4. 1. Stamf. Pleas of the Crovvne l. 1. c 1 2. and all other Acts concerning Treason It is High Treason for any man by overt act to compasse the death of the King or his eldest Sonne though never executed and so adjudged by Parliament in the Earle of Arundels Case 21 Ric. 2. Plac. Coronae n. 4 6 7. 2. In the Oath of Allegiance which every man takes before he sits in Parliament you acknowledge Him to be lawfull and rightfull King of this Realme and that the Pope neither of himself nor by any authority of the See of Rome or by any other meanes with any other hath any Power or Authority to depose the King c. 3. Your selves amongst other Members Exact Collect p. 16. 19. 21. 59. 66. 83. 102. 103. 118. 123. 125. 141. 142. 143. 173. 180. 195. 219. 259. 281. 307. 380. 312. 360. 376. 457. A Collect c. p. 13. 18. 41. 43. 44. 49. 51. 61. 64. 96. 181. 182. 310. 321. 424. 425. 499. 599 623 696. 806. 807. 879. Appendix p. 15. in above one hundred Remonstrances Declarations Petitions Ordinances c. in the name of the Parliament have professed you never intended the least hurt injury or violence to the Kings Person Crowne Dignity or Posterity but intended to Him and His Posterity more Honour Happinesse Glory and Greatnesse than ever any of His Predecessors enjoyed That you would make good to the uttermost with jour lives and fortunes the Faith and Allegiance you have alwaies borne to him That all Contributions Loanes should be imployed onely to maintaine the Protestant Religion the Kings Authority Person Royall Dignity Lawes of the Land Peace of the Kingdome and Priviledges of Parliament That the Forces raised by the Parliament were for defence of the Kings Person and of both Houses That the Parliament will ever have a care to prevent any danger to His Person That they are resolved to expose their lives and fortunes for maintenance of the Kings Person Honour and Estate and the Power and Priviledges of Parliament when the King taxed the Houses for insinuating Exact Collect pag 298. 695. 696. 657. 658. 991. That if they should make the highest presidents of other Parliaments their patternes that is Depose the King there could be no cause to complain of them Both Houses by two Declarations protested against it saying That such thoughts never entred nor should enter into their Loyall hearts 4. By the Protestation Collect. of
thing I can see the higher House is totally excluded And for the House of Commons it is too well knowne that the major part of them are detained or deterr'd from sitting so as if I had no other this were sufficient for Me to protest against the lawfulnesse of your pretended Court. Besides all this the peace of the Kingdome is not the least in My thoughts and what hopes of setlement is there so long as power reigns without rule of Law changing the whole frame of that Government under which this Kingdom hath flourished for many hundred years nor will I say what will fall out in case this lawlesse unjust proceeding against Me doe go on believe it the Commons of England will not thank you for this change for they will remember how happy they have bin of late yeares under the Reigne of Queen Elizabeth the King my Father and My selfe untill the beginning of these unhappy troubles and will have cause to doubt that they shall never be so happy under any new And by this time it will be too sensibly evident that the Armes I took up were onely to defend the fundamentall Lawes of this Kingdome against those who have supposed My power hath totally changed the ancient Government Thus having shewed you briefly the Reasons why I cannot submit to your pretended Authority without violating the trust which I have from God for the welfare and liberty of My People I expect from you either cleare Reasons to convince My Judgement shewing Me that I am in an errour and then truely I will readily answer or that you will withdraw your proceedings This I intended to speake in Westminster-hall on Munday 22. Ianuary but against reason was hindered to shew My Reasons 87. Alteration of the formes and styles of VVrits and Legall proceedings The 27. Ian. The Commons read the Act for Altering the formes of Writs and other procedings in Courts of Iustice which according to all our knowne Lavvs the custome of all Ages and the fundamentall Government of this Kingdome ever ran in the King's Name This Act upon the Question vvas assented to and no concurrence of the Lords desired of this more hereafter 88. A Proclam to be brought in prohibiting the Pr of VVales or any of the Kings Issue to be proclaimed King of England The I unto of 50. or 60. Commons appointed a Committee to pen a Proclamation That if any man should go about to Proclaime Prince Charles or any of that line King of England after the removall of King Charles the Father out of this life as is usually ought to be done by all Mayors Bayliffs of Corporations High Sheriffs c. under high penalties of the Law for their neglect or shall proclaime any other vvithout the consent of the present Parliament the Commons declare it to be High Treason and that no man under paine of Imprisonment or such other arbitrary punishment as shall be thought sit to be inflicted on them shall speake or preach any thing contrary to the present proceedings of the Supreme Authority of this Nation the Commons of England assembled in Parliament Your hands feet liberties and consciences vvere long since tied up novv you are tongue-tied Upon motion the House ordered 89. The Bishop of London appointed by the Ho to administer spirituall comfort to the condemned King and the Kings usage by the Army See Mr. Io Geree's Book against Good-vvin called Might over-comming right And Mr. Pryn's Epistle to his Speech 6. Dec. 1648. That Doctor Iuxon Bishop of London should be permitted to be private vvith the King in His Chamber to preach and administer the Sacraments and other spirituall comforts to Him But notwithstanding their Masters of the Councell of Warre apointed that vveather-cocke Iohn Goodwin of Coleman-street the Balaam of the Army that curseth and blesseth for Hire to be Superintendent both over King and Bishop so that they could hardly speak a word together without being over-heard by the long-schismaticall-eares of black-mouthed Iohn Besides I heare that for some nights a Guard of Souldiers was kept within His Chamber who with talking clinking of pots opening and shutting of the dore and taking Tobacco there a thing very offensive to the Kings nature should keep Him watching that so by distempering amazing Him with want of sleep they might the easier bring Him to their bent 28. Ianuary being the last Sabbath the King kept in this life 90. A Paper-booke of Demands tendered to be Subscribed by the King the Sunday before He died See sect 94. some of the Grandees of the Army and Parliament tendered to the King a Paper-booke with promise of Life some shadow of Regality as I heare if He Subscribed it It contained many particulars destructive to the fundamentall Government Religion Lawes Liberties Property of the People One whereof was instanced to Me viz. That the KING should amongst many other demands passe an Act of Parliament for keeping on foot the Militia of this Army during the pleasure of the Grandees who should be trusted with that Militia and with power from time to time to recruit and continue them to the number of 40000. Horse and Foot under the same Generall and Officers with power notwithstanding in the Councell of Warre to chuse new Officers and Generals from time to time as occasion shall happen and they thinke fit and to settle a very great Tax upon the People by a Land Rate for an established pay for the Army to be collected and leavied by the Army themselves and a Court Martiall of an exorbitant extent and latitude His Majesty as I heare read some few of the Propositions throwing thē aside told them He would rather become a sacrifice for His People then betray their Lawes and Liberties Lives and Estates together with the Church and Common-wealth and the Honour of His Crowne to so intollerable a Bondage of an Armed faction Monday 29. Ianu. 1648. The legislative half-quarter of the House of Commons 91. The Stile and Title of Custodes libertatis Angliae voted to be used in legall proceedings instead of the style of the King These Goalers of the Liberties of England are Individuum vagum not yet named See a Continuation of this madnesse in an Act for better setling proceedings in 〈◊〉 of Iustice according to the present Government Dated 17. Feb. 1648. voted as followeth hearken with admiration Gentlemen be it enacted by this present Parliament and by Authority of the same that in all Courts of Law Justice equity and in all Writs Grants Patents Commissions Indictments Informations Suits Returnes of Writs and in all Fines Recoveries Exemplifications Recognizances Processe proceedings of Law Justice or Equity within the Kingdoms of England or Ireland Dominion of Wales c. instead of the Name Stile Teste or Title of the KING heretofore used that from henceforth the Name Stile Test or Title Custodes libertatis Angliae authoritate Parliamenti
shall contrary to this Act Proclaime c. Shall be deemed and adjudged a Traytor and suffer accordingly Notwithstanding which inhibition the 2. February 1648. 95. A Proclamation privately printed scattered proclaiming CHARLS the secōd was printed and scattered about London-streets this following Proclamation * A Proclamation proclaiming CHARLES Prince of Wales King of Great Britaine France and Ireland WEE the Noblemen Iudges Knights Lawyers Gentlemen Freeholders Merchants Citizens Yeomen Seamen and other freemen of England doe according to our Allegiance and Covenant by these presents heartily joyfully and unanimously acknowledge and proclaime the Jllustrious CHARLS Prince of Wales next heire of the blood Royall to his Father King CHARLS whose late wicked and trayterous murther we doe from our soules abominate and all parties and consenters thereunto to be by herditary Birthright and lawfull succession rightfull and undoubted King of Great Britaine France and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging And that we will faithfully constantly and sincerely in our severall places and callings defend and maintaine his Royall Person Crowne and Dignity with our Estates Lives and last drop of our Bloods against all Opposers thereof whom we doe hereby declare to be Traytours and Enemies to his Majesty and his Kingdoms In testimony whereof we have caused these to be published and proclaimed throughout all Counties and Corporations of this Realm the first day of February in the first yeare of His Majesties Reigne God save King CHARLES the Second The fag end of the House of Commons Febr. 1. 1648. 96. A Vote that such Members as had assented to the Vote 5. Dec. shall sit no more others to enter their dissēt and disapprovall passed a thing they call an Act That such Members as had assented to the Vote 5. Decemb. 1648. That the Kings Concessions were a ground for the House to proceed to a setlement should not be re-admitted to sit as Members such as were then in the House and voted in the negative should first enter thier dissent to the said Vote such as were absent should declare thier disabbrovall before they sit You see the cheating Godly are resolved to keep all to themselves This day thier tame Lordships sent a Message to the House of Commons but they were too surly to call the Messengers in the substance of the Message was That thier Lordships had appointed 7. 97. The Lords send a Message to the Comm but the messenger not called in of their House to joyne with a proportionable number of Commons to consider of a way how to settle this Nation Monday 5. Febr. 1648. The Commons debated whether they should continue the House of Lords as a Court Iudicatory or Consultory onely And the day following they put this Question Whether this House shall take the advice of the House of Lords in the exercise of the Legislative power of the Kingdome in pursuance of the Votes of this House 4. Iann last This was carried in the Negative by many Voices 98. The house of Lords voted downe in farther pursuance of which Vote they farther voted That the House of Peers in Parliament is uselesse and dangerous and ought to be abolished and that an Act be brought in for that purpose and voted downe their Priviledge of being exempt from Arrests yet they graciously condescended they shal be capable of being elected knights of Shires and Burgesses if any will be so mad as to chuse them yet my Lord of Pembroke is as much overjoyed with gay Priviledge as if they had bestowed a new Cap with a Bell and a Bable upon him who will not now conclude that the Votes of this Legislative this supreme piece of the House of Commons is the onely Law and reason of the Land which leads all our Lawes and reason captive and is almighty against all but the Councell of the Army The 8. Febr. 99. A Protestation of Peeres came forth A Declaration and Protestation of the Peeres Lords and Barons of this Realme against the late treasonable proceedings and tyrannicall usurpations of some Members of the Commons House who endeavour to subvert the fundamentall Lawes and Regall Government of this Kingdom and enslave the People to their boundlesse Tyranny in stead of Freedome The Protestation followeth VVE the Peers Lords and Barons of this Realme of England for the present necessary vindication of the undoubted Rights and Priviledges of Parliament and more particularly of the House of Peers the just Prerogatives and Personall safety of our Kings the known Lawes and Liberties of this Kingdome the Hereditary Freedome of all the Freemen of this Nation and our owne affronted and contemned Honours and Authority against the many late unparallel'd dangerous Invasions and treasonable Vsurpations of a few insolent mis-advised Members of the late House of Commons whiles the greatest and ablest part of that House were forcibly detained or deterr'd from thence wherewith we find our selves and the whole Kingdome unsufferably injured and deeply afflicted Doe after a long patient expectation of their owne ingenious Retractations of such unjustifiable Exorbitances which their owne judgments and consciences cannot but condemn whereof we now utterly despaire being thereto engaged in point of Honour Loyalty Conscience Oath and love to our Native Country as also by our Solemne League and Covenant publikely declare and protest to all the world That by the Lawes and Customes of this Realme and usage of Parliament time out of mind ever since there were Parliaments in this Island the principall Authority and Iudicatory of the Parliaments of England hath alwaies constantly resided and ought still to continue onely in the King and House of Peers wherein He alwaies sits and not in the Commons House who never had claimed nor ought to have any right or power to judge any Person or Cause civilly or criminally having no authority to examine any VVitnesses upon Oath and being no Court of Record but onely to accuse and impeach Delinquents in and before the House of Peers where they alwaies have used to stand bare-headed at their Barre but never yet to stand covered much lesse to sit vote or give Iudgement And that the House of Commons without the concurrent assent of the House of Peers and Kings of England never heretofore challenged nor enjoyed nor can of right pretend to any lawfull power or Iurisdiction to make or publish any forme or binding Ordinance Vote Act or Acts of Parliament whatsoever nor ever once presumed to passe any Act or Acts to erect a new High Court of Iustice to trie condemne or execute the meanest Subject least of all their owne Soveraigne Lord and King or any Peere of the Kingdome who by the Common and Statute Lawes of this Realme and Magna Charta ought to be tried onely by their Peers and not otherwise or to Dis-inherit the right Heire to the Crowne or to alter the fundamentall Government Lawes Great Seale or ancient formes of processe and legall proceedings of this Realme
Englands Nevv Chaines and the Hunting of the Foxes No obedience is due by Lavv to them vvhich takes no notice of this forme 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 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 freedome 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 Towne 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 performe 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 About the same time they passed another Act for Abolishing the House of Peers to this purpose 112. An Act for Abolishing the House of Peers More Nevv lights nevv di coveries made by forty or fifty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grosse fiery Meteors remaining in the H of Commons THe Commons of England assembled in Parliament finding by too long experience that the House of Lords is uselesse and dangerous to the People of England to be continued have thought sit to Ordaine 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 in 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 Neverthelesse it his 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 publique 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 farther Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that no Peere of this Land not being Elected qualified and sitting in parliament as aforesaid shall claime have or make use of any Priviledge of Parliament either in relation to his person quality or estate any Lawes Vsage or Custome to the contrary notwithstanding * * 133. A Declaration of the Commons to shevv the Reasons of their said proceedings The State is Free but the People Slaves as a Galley is free but the Rovvers Slaves 1 part 72. 73. See these Books A full Ansvver to an infamous Pamphlet entituled A Decl of the Commons of England The Charge against the King dis harged The Royall and Royalists Plea King Charles vindicated c. And His Maj last Book or Pourtraicture His Maj Gracious Messages for Peace And to lessen the amazement of the People the same day they passed and Ordered to be printed a Booke called A Declaration of the Parliament of England expressing the grounds of their late proceedings and of setling the present Government in the way of a Free-State when they formerly passed the 4. Votes for no more Addresses to our late King they seconded it with a Declaration to shew the Reasons of those Votes wherein they set forth no new matter but what they had formerly in parcels objected against Him and yet they have since that time made Addresses to him both taken caused others to take the Oaths of Allegiance Supremacy the Protestation Covenant to defend His Person and Authority c. And in this Declaration there is no new objection of moment but what is conteined in the former Declarations against Him and as I looked upon the first Declaration as a Prologue so I looke upon this last as the Epilogue to His Majesties Tragedy The whole matter of charge in both of them hath been sufficiently Answered in severall Books and either confuted or justified to which I refer the Reader whom I will only trouble with some few short ObservatioÌ„s of my owne upon it p. 5. The Parliament in imitation of their Masters the Councell of Officers pretend a necessity to change the fundamentall Government into a Free-State to prevent Tyranny Injustice and War c. I doubt rather to promote them It affirmeth pag. 15 16. That Offices of Inheritance are forfeited by Breach of Trust a condition annexed to every Office and seems to imply as much of the Kingly Office but this Pen-man had forgot that by the Lavv the Crowne takes away all defects and the King being Supreme Head and Governour over all Persons and in all Causes it vvere absurd to make Him accountable to any Authority for in such case that Authority vvould be Supreme to Him and so erect tvvo Supremes one jarring and interferring vvith the other vvhich in Lavv and Policy is as absurd as to suppose tvvo Almighties or Infinities in Divinity vvhich cannot be for that one Infinity vvould terminate another Impossibile esse plura Infinite See Greg Tholosâ—nus l. pol. 1. Keckerin Sistema pol. l. 1. Contzenii l politic 1. à cap. 17. ad c. 25 and many good Authors quoted by him Moecenalis orationem ad Augustum apud Dionem Cassium quoniam alterum esset in altero sinitum saith Cusanus pag. 16. The Declarers play the Orators in behalf of the felicity of Government by Free-States rather than by Kings and Princes This is a spacious field to vvalk in I vvill onely cite some learned Authors living in Republiques of a contrary opinion and send my Readers to them for their Arguments It applauds the prosperity and good Government of the Switz vvhich I think vvas never commended before a grosse-vvitted People living in a confused vvay of Government vvhere virtue and industry find no revvard the Rich become a daily pray to the Poore and their popular Tribunes vvho uphold their credits by calumniating the vvealthy and confiscating or sequestring their Estates the best vvealth of this Nation is Pensions
knowne Lawes of the Land which is onely due to the King His lawfull Heires Successours thereto we are sworne nor are the particular Powers Authorities granted by this Parliament to the said Keepers of the Liberties of England Councell of State yet any where authentically published made knowne to us by any avowed Act unlesse we shall account their Licenced 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 enstave us they would set us free have brought us so farre 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 drawne from us our money and bloud they now deny us the use of reason and common sense belonging to us as Men Governe us by arbitrary irrationall Votes with which they baite 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 stirre up the People against their Authority is hereby declared Treason marke 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 Keepers of the Liberties of England or Councell of State shal 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 the Case of Lilburne 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 Wives Brothers 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 the Father or Master endeavour to withdraw him from so plundering and roguing a kind 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 Soldiers the sinne and shame of such actions and disswade them from obeying such unlawfull commands 4. If any man shall presume to counterfeit their conterfeit 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 nor 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 jubeo it shall be Treason because they vvill 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 Liberties must now hold our Lives at the will of those Grand Seigniours one Vote of 40. or 50. factious Commons Servants Members of the Army vacates all our Lawes Liberties Properties and destroies our Lives Behold here a short view 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 See 1 H. 4. c. 10. â—1 H. 7. c. 1. Declares 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 leavie Warre against the KING or adhere to His Enemies in his Realm and thereof be proveably attainted of open deed by people of their condition 4. To counterfeit the KING' 's Great or Prive Seale 5. Or His Money 6 To stay the KING'S Chancellour Treasurer Iustices of one Bench or other Iustices in Oyre Iustices in Assize and all other Iustices assigned to heare and determine being in their Places doing their Offices If any other case supposed Treason which is not above specified So the 4 Lords ought to have been Tried not by a new shambles of justice doth happen before any Iustices the Iustices shall tarry without any going to Iudgment of the Treason till the Cause be shewed and declared before the KING and His Parliament not before the House of Commons onely or before both Houses without the KING whether it ought to be adjuged Treason You see how few in number these Treasons specified are and that they must be attainted of open deed by their Peeres our words were free under Monarchy though not free under our Free-State so were they under the Romans Tacitus An. 1. sub finem speaking of Treasons facta arguebantur dicta impune erant These horrible tyrannies considered and being destitute of all other lesse desperate reliefe I doe here solemnly declare and protest before that God that hath made me 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 Iudge or Iustice shall give Sentence of Death upon any Friend of mine upon this or any other illegall 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 exemples of Sampson Iudith Iaell and Ehud and by Ponyard Pistoll Poyson or any other meanes whatsoever secret or open prosecute to the Death the said Iudge and Iustice and all their principall Abettors and I doe hereby invite and exhort all generous free-borne English-men to the like resolutions and to enter into Leagues defensive and offensive and sacramentall 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 illegall and tyrannous Usurpations 162. A motion to enlarge Sr 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 Generall 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
damned Spirits or rather over such Spirits as not submitting basely to the tyranny of our State-Mountebanks Witnesse his tampering with Hamilton c. incurre their condemnation in this world by Gods permission in order to their salvation in the next world the tyranny of these Usurpers implying at once their cruelties over our bodies and Gods mercy to our soules Hughs first salute was That he came meerly to give John a visite without any designe his guilty Conscience prompting him to a voluntary Apology Iohn answered I know you well enough you are one of the setting Dogs of the great Men of the Army with faire and plausible pretences to insinuate into Men when they have done them wrong and to worke out their designes when they are in a strait and cover over the blots that they have made Then Iohn complained of the †Compare this Act of the Kings With the violent act of those Traytors and Tyrants Fiarfax his Councell of Warre in imprisoning and secluding above 200. Members at once without cause shewne leaving only 40. or 50. of their cheating Faction in the House to carry on their bloody Anarchicall designes some of which secured Members with barbarous usage were almost brought to death and their murder since attempted by Soldiers illegall and violent seizing upon him by Souldiers and carrying him before that new erected thing called A Councell of State who committed him without any Accusor accusation Prosecutor or Witnesse or any due processe of Law and yet when the King impeached the 5 Members and preferred a Charge of High Treason against them Recorded 1. part Booke of Decl. p. 35. and onely failed in a single punctilio of due processe of Law they cryed out it was an invasion of the Peoples Liberties so that foure or five Recantations from Him Recorded in their owne Declarations would not serve His turne Peters halfe out of countenance if so prostituted a Villaine that practises impudence amongst common Whores and whose Pulpit is more shamefull than another mans Pillory can be out of countenance takes up one of Coke's Institutions and professed Lilburne was meerly gulled in reading or trusting to those Books for there were no Lawes in England Iohn answered he did believe him for that bis great Masters Cromwell Fairfax c. had destroyed them all Nay quoth Hugb there never was any in England with that Iohn shewed him the Petition of Right asking him whether that were a Law which Peters had the impudence to deny asking what Law was Iohn replied * The Law is now taken away and all things in confusion by turning our Monarchy without our consent into a Free-State of Slaves govened by Tyrants out of the Parliaments owne Declarations Tbe Law is that which puts a difference betwixt good and evill just and unjust If you take away the Law all things will fall into confusion every man will become a law unto himselfe which in the depraved condition of humane nature must needs produce great enormities lust will become a law envie a law Covetousnesse and ambition will become lawes and what dictates what decisions such lawes will produce may easily be discerned Tbis Master Peters is a Definition of Law by the Parliament in the daies of their primitive purity before they had corrupted themselves with the Common-wealths money And elsewhere the Law is called The safeguard the custody of all private Interests your honors lives liberties and estates are all in the keeping of the Law without this every man hath a like Right to any thing It is the best birth-right the Subject hath it is a miserable servitude or bondage where the Law is uncertaine or unknowne To this the Comick Priest replied I tell you for all this there is no Law in this Nation but the Sword â—nd what it gives This doctrine of Devils that it is lawfull to submit to any present power that is strongest is broached in a Pamphlet by old Rowse the illiterate Iew of Eaton-Colledge And by Iohn Goodwin the sophistical Divine which is fully confuted in A Religious Demurrer concerning submission to the present power an excellent piece neither was there any Law or Government in the world but what the Sword gave To this the honest Lieutenant Colonel answered Master Peters You are one of the Guides of the Army used by the chief Leaders to trumpet their Principles and Tenents and if your reasoning be good then if six Theeves meet three or foure honest men and rob them that act is righteous because they are the stronger Party And if any power he a just power that is uppermost I wonder how the Army and Parliament can acquit themselves of being Rebels and Traytors before God and Man in resisting and fighting against a just power in the KING who was a power up and visible fenced about with abundance of Lawes so reputed in the common acceptation of all Men by the expresse letter of which all those that fought against Him are ipso facto Traytors And if it were not for preservation of our Lawes and Liberties why did the Parliament fight against Him a present power in being and if there be now no Lawes in England nor never was then you and your great Masters Cromwell Fairfax and the Parliament are a pack of Bloody Rogues and Villaines to set the People to murder one another in fighting for preservation of their Lawes in which their Liberties were included which was the principall declared Cause of the Warre from the beginning to the end I thought quoth the Lieutenant Colonel I had been safe when I made the knowne Lawes the rules of my Actions which you have all sworne and declared to Defend and make as the standard and Touchstone between you and the People * The Lawes are now no protection to us nor the rule of our actions but the arbitrary wills and lusts of the Grandees I but replied Hugh I will shew that your safety lies not therein their minds may change and then where are you I but quoth the Lieutenant Colonel I cannot take notice of what is in their minds to obey that but the constant Dâ—claration of their minds never contradicted in any of their Declarations as That they will maintaine the Petition of Right and Lawes of the Land c. This was the substance of their discourse saving that Iohn pinched upon his great Masters large fingering of the Common-wealths Money calling it Theft and State-Robbery and saying That Cromwell and Ireton pissed both in one quill though they seem sometime to go one against another yet it is but that they may the more easily carry on their main design To enslave the People Reader I was the more willing to present the summe of this Debate to thee that by comparing their doctrine and principles with their dayly practises thou mayest perfectly see to what condition of slavery these beggarly upstart Tyrants and Traytors have reduced us by cheating us into a
best to his most holy will and it is therefore good holy just because he willeth it His Divine pleasure being the rule and standard of goodnesse holinesse justice Mistake me not I doe not meane his bare providence or permissive will which no man can take notice of and Traytors Tyrants Thieves and Reprobate Saints execute and boast of to their owne assured damnation Therefore Gods employing wicked Instruments can be no president for our Alchimy Saints to doe the like unlesse Cromwells * Councell of Officiers of State and Parliament three Iuntoes and faction will usurp Gods prerogative as they have done the Kings 5. The 15. August the Letter saith that Coote called a Councell of Warre who resolved It was better to accept of the assistance of those who proclaimed themselves Friends to us and the Interest we fight for c. Here you see O Neale's bloody Party those Parliament Champions united and friendly conspiring to uphold one Common Interest which can be nothing but the downfall of Monarchy and Protestancy 6. The 15. August the Letter further saith that we Coote and his Councell of Warre added to the Articles this wary Proviso not to use their assistance longer then the approbation of the State of England should go a long with us therein c. It should seem by this warinesse that for the time they had used their help which was ever since the 22. of May last the approbation of the said State as they call it hath gone along therewith And for the time they meane to use their assistance hereafter it is left indefinite no longer then the approbation of the State shall goe along with us therein which may happily be untill Domes-day notwithstanding the Order Dated the 24. August 1649. voting That their Vote of the 10. August in the Case of Col. Monke be communicated to Sir Ch Coote as the Resolution of the House c. For who knowes whether the Copies of that Vote may miscarry or be stayed by the way either accidentally or purposely 7. The 14. August the Letter saith See Monke's Letter of Answer to Oneale Dated 26. April 1649. from Dondalke contained in the last foregoing Section but one See the said Paper entituled The Propositions of Owen Roe O Neale sent to C. Monk c. printed at Corke 1649. O Neale was pleased to communicate to him certaine Proposalls which he saith were long since transmitted into England to the Parliament by C. Monke and though for his owne part and the prime Officers with him these are privie to the secret carriage of the businesse and therefore may well be satisfied with what is done already they do not doubt but the Proposalls are already yeilded to by the State yet in regard their Army and Party in all other parts of the Kingdome these are ignorant of the juggle and causes thereof cannot be satisfied therewith untill the Parliament be pleased to declare themselves more publiquely therein it should seem they have done it privately already for satisfaction of O Neale and his said prime Officers he hath therefore desired me humbly to intreat your Lordships to declare your Resolution therein with as much speed as may be Here you see O Neale and his prime Officers who know the juggle satisfied already with a private confirmation of the Articles But to satisfie the rest of his Army and Party to whom this mystery is not yet revealed a publique Declaration thereof is desired that they may Vnanimously and cheerfully endeavour the preservation of the Parliaments Interest The Articles of Agreement between O Neale and Coote conclude clearly a League or Warre Offensive and Defensive against the Enemies of both or either untill a more absolute Agreement be made and condiscended unto by the Parliament of England This more absolute Agreement is now in agitation and private Directions sent to Coote how to behave himselfe in the Transaction thereof See the 1. Vote die veneris 24. August 1649. See the Relation of the Transactions between Sir Charles Coote and Own Roe O Neale printed by Order 28. Aug. 1649. The Votes upon these Letters and Articles were two Upon part in the first Vote I have observed something already in the 6. branch of this Section viz. that their Votes of the 10. Aug. in Case of Col. Monke be communicated to Coote and a Direction for him how to behave himselfe in the Transaction between him and Own Roe O Neale this Transaction is called in the Articles ut supra a more absolute Agreement These Letters Articles and Votes being Apologetically published for satisfaction of the Souldiery and People it had been fit to have communicated the said Directions also to their Trustors and Soveraigne Lords the People that they might have seen faire play above board and not to have sent clandestine Directions to Coote in so suspitious a busines how to behave himself in the Transaction with O Neale which implies the said Transaction shal be continued and may be compleated the rather for that their second Vote saith The House is well satisfied of the diligence faithfulnesse and integrity of Sir Charles Coote in preserving the Garrison of London Derry now it was preserved by his said Conjunction with O Neale who raised the Siege About this time came forth a Booke called 208. The Levellors vindicated or The Case of the twelve Troops c. The Levellors vindicated or The Case of the 12. Troops which by Treachery in a Treaty were lately surprized at Burford Subscribed by Six Officers in the name of many more Wherein p. 2. they say That under colour of the Armies solemne Engagement at New-market and Triplo-heath Iune 5. 1647. and many other their Declarations Promises and Protestations in pursuance thereof which Engagement they affirme against their Preaching Coronet Denne was never retracted by any Generall Councell of the Army nor upon any Petition of the Souldiers nor their Agitators ever by them recalled or dismissed The whole fabrik of this Common-wealth is fallen into the grossest and vilest Tyranny that ever English-men groaned under all their Laws Rights Lives Liberties and Proporties wholly subdued to the boundlesse wills of some deceitfull Persons having devolved the whole Magistracy of England into their Martiall Domination c. Pag. 7. They say That the Souldiers Paper-Debentures are good for nothing but to sell to Parliament-men for 3. or 4. in the pound which they are forced to sell them for to keep them from starving because they will not pay one penny Arreares to such as they put out of the Army any other waies that so they may rob the Souldiers of their Seven yeares Servìce and make themselves and their Adherents Purchasers of the Kings Lands for little or nothing and for ought appeares the Money they buy these Debentures with is the Money the Nation can have no Account of That they have dealt as basely with other Soldiers who never resisted their Commands 1. They turned them off with