AN APPEALE TO THE WORLD IN THESE TIMES OF EXTREAME DANGER THe variety of dangers unto vvhich this Parliament and in it this Kingdome is now subject and the manifold distempers vvhich are the causes of these dangers together vvith the multiplicity of those evill influences vvhich are the causes of these distempers as also the great mischiefes and miserable destruction not only threatned but really intended and at this time attempted against this Parliament by the Manassites of the times hath necessarily occasioned this ensuing Appeale as vvell to generations to come as to those now present The common and Epidemicall disease wherein this Kingdome at this time lies now gasping under being filled with nothing but feares jealousies and perplexities as may be observed by the miserable complaints of all men whose hearts are tender of the good and welfare of the Common-wealth hath a Superiour and universall cause from the evill Counsels wicked designes of those who under his Majesty threaten to carry all before them against the Parliament and all others who will not stoope to the illegall demands of the King These evill influences hath been formerly the cause of the preparations for War wirh Scotland and the procuring a rebellion in Ireland and now is the cause of distractions and divisions betwixt the King and his faithfullest Subjects and of procuring preparations of War here in England by his Majesty seduced by wicked Counsell principally aiming first at Hull and then at London which are become the objects of the Kings hatred not excluding the Parliament The Parliament is the foundation and basis of Government and consequently of the peace and happinesse of the Kingdome as it creates the Law by which we are ruled and governed in peace and quietnesse so it preserves the Law in power and authority It hath not only power and authority to preserve good Lawes being made but also to create such new Lawes as by which the Kingdome may be ruled and governed in peace and also to repeal such Laws as are opposite to the peace and prosperity of the same all Laws lying at their feet to use them for the best advantage for the King and Kingdome First for the King to reduce him from that seduced condition wherein he is And secondly for the Kingdome to rescue and deliver it from those dangers and miseries it is liable to at this time by reason of his Majesty so seduced For all the power which Princes have is but derivative and secondary The fountaine and efficient cause is the people and from hence the inference is just The King though he be singulis major yet he is universis minor for if the people be the true efficient cause of power it is a rule in nature Quicquid efficit tale est magis tale And hence it appeares that at the founding of Authorities when the consent of societies convayes rule into such and such hands it may ordain what conditions and prefix what bounds it pleases and that no dissolution ought to be thereof but by the same power by which it had its constitution And as for the finall cause of Princes power or Regall Authority his Majesty doth not in any of his papers deny that the same people are the finall cause which is the efficient cause of it and indeed it were strange if the people in subjecting it self to command should aime at any thing but its own good in the first and last place Power originally being thus inherent in the people which is nothing else but that might and vigour which such or such a society of men containes in it self and when by such or such a Law of common consâ—nt and agreement it is derived into such such hands God confirmes that Law and so man is the free and voluntary Author the Law is the Instrument and God is the establisher of both Therefore not that Prince which Tyrannizeth over his Subjects but that Prince which ruleth and is most Poâ—ent in his Subjects is indeed most truly Potent Now if Kings are so inclinable to follow private advice rather then publike and to prefer that which closes with their naturall impotent ambition before that which crosses the same are without all limits Then they may destroy their best Subjects at pleasure and all Charters and Laws of publike safety and freedome are void and God hath not left humane nature any meanes of sufficient preservation But on the contrary if there be any benefit in Laws to limit Princes when they are seduced by vvicked counsells and vvill not hearken to the great Counsell of the Land doubtlesse there must be some Court to judge of that seducement and some Authority to inforce that judgement and that Court and Authority must be the Parliament or some higher Tribunall now none are so ignorant to affirm a King in his single person is a Court either in time of Parliament without his Parliament or out of Parliament in his own person alone to judge in any cause nor his meere fancy authority sufficient to inforce judgement in any cause much lesse nay altogether is he unfit either to judge of his own seducement or to inforce such a judgement by any Authority though he were not seduced for the King is not above the Law but in subjection to it his meere will being not the rule of the Law but the Law the rule of it therefore the will of a King is not an unlimited will and in case a King be seduced by wicked Counsell and vvill not rule by Law nor heathen to the Petitions of his three kingdomes then the Law is free to reduce him Now it is not unknown to all the vvorld how powerfull active the vvicked counsellors about his Majesty hath been and still are for the accomplishment of their own ends seeking to destroy and extinguish that power the true Religion the Liberty and Laws of the Kingdome by many traiterous endeavours from time to time First to keep off Parliaments then either to dissolve them vvhen they are gathered or to raise in his Majesty a disaffection to his Parliament and so at last to draw him into the Northern parts from them to prevent all their just and lawfull designes and now infusing into his minde such false reports as hath raised in him an inveterate hatred against them and all others vvho vvill not assist him in his demands and designes publishing in his name divers ignominious reproaches against the Parliament in king his Majesties Court a Sanctuary for all kinde of Delinquents against the justice and lawfull priviledge of Parliament and drawing to Torke by Letters and other meanes divers Members of both Houses vvhereby they set up a counterfeit imaginary visage of a Parliament to the great danger not only of the disturbance but even of the subversion of the fundamentall constitution and frame of this Kingdome Now vvhether this Parliament hath not to this day vvatched over our Religion the Liberty and Laws of this Kingdome
Protestant Religion c. How can that possibly be believed of any wise man seeing there is no other meanes so effectuall as to advise with His Parliament for if the Parliament would side with the King in whatsoever he vvould have them to do then there would be no greater argument to aggravate the sin of disobedience in any person then to disobey the Laws and Ordinances of the Parliament which now he so contemnes and villifies as is obvious to the sight of the world in Print But in stead of punishing offendors against his Parliament he causelesly departs from them and forbids any to obey them Now let the world judge whether his Majesties expressions which hee had often professed in his Papers and his practises or Actions are not different hee professeth to maintaine that Religion which is established by the Law of the Land and yeâ— hee is pleased to countenance and protect those against whom the Law is principall intended Lastly it appeares that the enemies to the peace of the Kingdome are the cause of hiâ—dering the proceedings of Parliament by provoking and instigating his Majestie to senseverall Papers in forme of declarations and messages and in them expressing bitter invective speeches against the Parliament to perplex them and ingage them in the expencâ— of time to answer those Declarations and Messages now let the World judge whether iâ— be not better to say lesse and doe more by a speedy proceeding according to Law against the offenders who or Whatsoever they are The world now is wearied out with reading of Declarations Remonstrances and Petetions from both Houses to the King and vvith Declarations and Messages from the King to them againe together with their replies to the King from time to time The Spirits of men begin now to languish considering the malignant partie daily increases and according to their strength such are their designes first cunningly to insinuate and infuse into the people by false colours and glosses an evill opinion and dislike to the Parliament and then Jehu-like in a hostile manner to rise against the Parliament and in it all other Parliaments to the ruining of them their wives and children Now let the World judge every mans conscience being appealed unto as the case now stands his Majesty being seduced by the wicked counsell of such desperat persons whose care study and industry is not onely to provoke his Majestie to be the head of their Rebellion but also to bring the King and Kingdome either to utter desolation or to an Arbitrary and Tirannicall Monarchy vvhether in these extreame distractions and distempers your lives and all you have being in continuall feare to be lost it be better to obey a Seduced King then the wise representative body of the vvhole Kingdome so constituted by the Lawes of the land to mannage the affaires of the Kingdome Judge yee vvhether it be not better and more sutable to a good conscience to stand or fall live or die vvith the Parliament according to your protestation and so with your hands upon your Swords bee ready at their command to performe your vowes to God and your oathes of fidelitie to his Majestie in rescuing him from his enemies by taking up armes to desend your selves against those false flattering Traytors who abuse his Majesties Royall favour intending under the glorious title of his name and Standard to fight against the peace and Honour of their Soveraigne against Religion and the Lawes and so make a prey and spoyle of three flourishing kingdomes at once Therefore quit your selves like men and strengthen your selves in the Lord your God rouze up your drooping spirits and strengthen your feeble knees and resolve to spend and be spent in the defence of the lives and liberties one of another a harmonious union in the cause of Jesus Christ is an astonishment to the enemy and halfe the victory is then obtained delaies prove dangerous and faint heartednesse gives strength and advantage to the adversary therefore now if ever stand fast and shew your selves friend for your King and Parliament Let it appear before God and all the Nations of the vvorld round about you that truâ— generous blood runs in all your veins consider the honour and cause of God the good and happy successe of this present Parliament your lives your laws and liberties your Temporall and Spirituall vvelfare lies all bleeding at your feet earnestly supplicating your besâ— assistance give your consciences leave a vvhile to expostulate with you vvill you live and the Parliâ—ment die can it possibly go vvell vvith you whilest it goeth ill with them O no rather purchase their life by your death so shall you be a good example to all generations yet to come being considently assured there was never a greater prize in your hands than at this time is in the Kingdome of England viz. The Gospell of Jesus Christ and the Peace of the Kingdome each of which in value and estimation in respect of injoyment far exceeds all the vvealth the vvhole vvorld can afford What comfort and contentment can you take in your health wealth houses lands wife children and friends vvhen in the enjoyment of these you are bereaved of peace and quietnesse with them vvhen on a sudden it may be before you expect it the enemy rusheth in upon you and presently makes your habitation desolate ravishing your wives and ripping them up before your faces using all violence and mischiefe upon you as they have done to our neighbour Nations Germany and Ireland and have attempted the like upon Scotland Therefore be intreated once more and that without delay letting no opportunity slip joyn your heads hearts and spirits together with one consent to present to his Majesty one Petition more not in the name of some particular County but in the name of the vvhole Kingdome of England that he vvould be pleased to vouchsafe the influence of his Royall presence to his great Counsell the high Court of Parliament that so the bleeding wounds of this distracted England may be prevented Let the Kingdom of Scotland and Irelands practise induce you to it but more especially you London Shew not your selves so backward in this main vvork you have shewed your selves most couragious and free in all other businesse slack not therefore in this great work seeing you O London are the chiefest object upon whom the eyes of all the Countries are sixed Now O England help the Lord against the mighty stand in your owâ—â— defence but strike not the first stroke in case it comes to such an exigency lest you kindle such a fire in England that vvill never be quenched but rather manifest vvith humble boldnesse your extream unwillingnesse unto such a streight that so the peace of God and the God of peace may dvvell amongst us FINIS
through the whole Kingdome of great Britaine for as much as at that time it was seared and that not without cause an intent was with the sword to cut in sunder this onely Band with ties and knits up King People together in one firme and indissolvable knot of Peace and Unity 5. Whether the Obstrucing the proceeding of the Parliament were not absolutely intended first by the Rebellion in Ireland to the consuming of that Kingdome the heads of which Rebellion many if not most of them were transported into Ireland by the Kings speciall Warrants the names of which Rebells may be seene in an Answer of both Houses to the Kings Message sent to him March 16. 1641. which Answer was set forth by their Authority to be Printed and published Secondly whether the hindering of the proceedings of Parliament were not absolutely intended by the distempers distractions and jealousies fomented here at home to teare out the bowells of this Kingdome the Parliament being by that meanes disabled from helping it witnesse that Master peece whence all the rest receive countenance and support viz. His Majesties absence from and not agreeing with his Parliament but withdrawing his influence whereby such remedies could not be applied as was necessary but what was done it was with infinite trouble to the Parliament and excessive charge to the Subject double and treble what otherwise would have served the turne So the Subject is grieved and oppressed with charge and the blame of all is laid upon the Parliament as being unjustly charged to be the cause of all those evills which the Authors of them have made 6. And last Appeale Whether the wicked practises of enemies at home and a broad are not the cause of hindering the Parliament from their Actings and Operatings towards the setling of the great Affaires both of Church and State and providing for the defence and safetie of his Majestie and his Kingdome both from forraigne Invasions abroad and secret stirrings of the discontented party at home Unto this last Appeale there are severall particulars as gradations to Confirme the same and left to the World to Judge 1. When the Parliament was in a faire way by the blessing of God to wade through and overcome those difficulties which lay in their way Then there was an Assay made by the Malignant party to weaken the proceedings and power of the Parliament utterly to subdue it first by his Majesties departing from his Parliament in such a manner as gives all his loving Subjects just occasion to suspect He intends not good to His three Kingdomes and then by gathering of Forces commanding a Garrison of souldiers to be put into New castle under the command of the Earle of New-castle who should have formorly seised upon Hull had he not by the providence of God giving vvisedome to the Parliament to prevent him and sundry Commissions granted by his Majestie for the raising of Horse and divers Officers being thereunto appointed likewise his Majestie upon a Munday morning being the fourth of July came to Beverly with an Army of a considerable number of horse and foote and some Regiment of Trained bands commanded to be raised amongst vvhich Souldiers in this Army are divers Papists and other persons of desperate fortunes ready to execute any rapine violence and opptession besides severall troopes of horse vvere sent into Lincolnshire to the great terror of the well affected people vvho are thereby forced either to forsake their dwellings or to keepe them with armed men Now in these and many more vvhich might be instanced here is an Appeale made to the vvorld vvhether his Majestie intends not the subversion of the Parliament together vvith the distuction of the vvhole Kingdome and hath not already begunne the vvarre 2. Consider under vvhat vaine pretences his Majestie is pleased to gather forces at Yorke viz. to have a Guard for his Person as if his ordinary Guard was not as sufficient to protect his person there as they vvere vvhen he was at White-Hall there being no other cause of feare then was here neer London unlesse himself produceth the causes For if there be any cause of feare it may rather arise from the Parliament lest his Cavaliers and his Counsellors there about him take away his Majesties life when they have accomplished their own ends by his means for feare lest he should not prove as faithfull to them hereafter as is feared he hath not to those now vvho have ever proved faithfull to him at all times and upon all occasions and never gave cause at any time why he should be so opposite to the Parliament and by a strong hand to support Delinquents in such a manner that no order of the Parliament can be obeyed but rather slighted and scorned Witnesse the Report of his Majesties Cavaliers upon Haworth Moore at York June 3. 1642. as may be seen in a Letter sent from York to a friend in London declaring that they vvere wholly for the King against the Parliament Whereupon the County of York being summoned by his Majesty to appear that day to propound some things to their considerations and nothing was then propounded to require their Answer they went away very much unsatisfied and discontented Yet before they departed in answer to those Cavaliers they declared unto them That they came not with any intent or resolution to divide the King and Parliament nor would they ever condeseend thereunto 3. When the Parliament understood by evident demonstrations that the King seduced by evill counsell intended to make War against the Parliament the doing whereof is enough to destroy both Himself and his posterity for ever from enjoying any of his three Kingdomes hereafter Then they petitioned his Majesty to disband all such forces as were by his command assembled and to rely for security upon the laws and affections of his People as his Predecessors have done before him c. notwithstanding it is evidently seen he proceedeth in his illegall courses against the Parliament making good every day more and more the expressions of his Cavaliers expressed upon Heworth-more and now hath set forth a Paper in form of a Declaration and printed at York and reprinted at London for Robert Young wherein is exprest that He will defend every one of them and all such as shall refuse any Commands whether they proceed from Votes and Orders of both Houses or any other way from all dangers and hazzards whatsoever and yet he further declares in the same Paper that He vvill not engage any in a War against the Parliament except it be for his necessary defence c. If this be not to delude the World as Himself is deluded let the World judge whether his intentions are not to hinder the preceedings of the Parliament in their Actings and Operatings towards the setling of peace and quietnesse in the Kingdome and principally intends nothing lesse then War against them and his Kingdome His Majesty saith likewise that He will defend the true