Protestation or else they respect not their vows made to Almighty God and to break such a publike vow is an heavie and fearfu l crime God keep such guilt out of our souls for in the Protestation they do professe vow and protest before Almighty God as far as life power and estate to maintain and defend the power and priviledges of Parliament and every person c. in pursuance of the same c. Others finde fault with the committing of malignants to prison but they are used like men not as Smith the Provost Marshall useth them not as Captain Lilburn Captain Wingate Captain Walton c. are used like dogs rather then Christians almost pined to death for want of sustenance eaten with vermin for want of help and shifts of cloaths loaded with fetters of iron debarr'd of the company of their wives children or friends debarr'd of the charity that friends would relieve them with cannot have the favour which Chaistians have of Turks from those blood-thirsty Cavaliers who use them like Hackny-Jades nay worse like dogs for though it is true the King allows six peace a day But Smith detains four pence three farthings of it here is cruelty indeed unspeakable cruelty what would these men do if they should suduens we have cause indeed to complain of those that would by a pretence of Peace betray us into these blood-sucking hands Good Lord deliver us from them it is to be feared if we submit to them we shall be more persecuted then ever our Predecessors were in the bloody times of Queen Mary How publikely have they in their scandalous Pamphlets abused the high Court of Parliament the Honorable the Lord Major of London the City of London and Westminster belched forth their threatnings in the speedy execution of their devilish practises and terible threatnings of their resolved purposee And give God thanks that their Papists and Jesuits keepe in their heades I wonder that many will say seeming to be juditious men that they think the Malignants desire peace as well as pretend to desire it see how cunningly they have wrought against the Parliament first they covertly abuse them by the defaming of their proceedings in their Petition this being discovered their Petition was rejected then they send a company of prentice-boyes to Westminster and they make a vapouring shew of desire of peace And now at last of all they have brought forth the most rebellious treacherous Pamphlet that ever was writ stuffed with insufferable languages full of bitternesse and railing against the Parliament and in plain earnest desires the people to take up Arms to destroy the Parliament if this do not convince you of the poison of these viperous generation of damnable Malignants what will you do surely if you be not wedded to your own ruine you must needs abhor such things as these They disturbed Scotland they have almost over-run Ireland and they have gotten too much head in England if it please God to see it good that it might be otherwise and are English people so blinde thâ—t they cannot yet see Oh noble Senators we have great cause indeed to put up our Complaints against these Cerberusses that dare thus to come up barking to your very doors scattering their poysoned Pamphlets about your houses making Proclamation to all the Countries in England to assist them against the Parliament should we assist a company of Papists and wicked people of desperate fortunes to attempt such a damnable design it is very probable the next Project would be to murther us and all the Protestants in England Another envious fit they have of railing against the Honorable the Lord Major of the City of London an honest religious godly man one in whose brows is the very Emblem of Love chosen by the Votes of the City confirmed by the Authority of the High Court of Parliament and with great care and pains doth execute his office yet is scorned and contemned by some wicked debauched Shagamuffins whose words no wise man will regard such as Dudly that was hanged for robbery the last Sessions at Newgate will wise men be deluded by the examples of such as are fitter for the Gallows the Cage or the Whipping-post then to meddle in State-matters surely methinks it becomes not the gravity of the City to be so unwise thus to procure their own ruine Right Honorable Senators they have abused the whole City of London and Westminster a few Papists and factious people amongst us that have seduced others to set their hands to their Petition presume they will joyn with them in their so great and saucie malipertnesse against you nay they boast as if we would all joyn with them but we will not no we conceive it concerns us greatly to complain against them they have abused us we disclaim their fact and brand it with the desert of condign punishment amongst all the saucinesse that our Chronicles give report of we do not finde the like onely one of them now a great Commander a Papist to a Petition from Cheshire against Reformation forged hands for dead men mad men Sea men out of the land brought childrens hands and Papists and presented it in the name of all Cheshire so have these few rebellious elves belched forth their poyson against you in the name of all London and Westminster And they are very terrible in the threatning of the execution of their purposes Resolutions they have devillish Resolutions Resolutions for the overthrow of Religion Resolutions to destroy the Parliament and in them all the priviledges of the Subject Resolutions to set up Popery Oh most noble Senators we had never more cause to complain against a bastardly brood of Popish Traytors then now now they are grown 〈…〉 now they are every day plotting and practising all the mischief they can against us and such is the simplicity of many amongst us that for all this they believe these Incendiaries of mischief will do us no hurt they say is it possible that men should be so blinde and deluded by them They are very terrible in their threatning they protest to bring us suddenly to ruine to dissolve the Parliament suddenly and what do you think they would do next you that are well opinionated of them first they say they will defend themselves by Arms that is of Rebellion and then they will make use of what is next as themselves say in their calumnious Pamphlet Oh what cause have we to complain of these dangerous Malignants what will they spare nothing no they say they will make use of what is next make use of our goods by plundering and robbing us make use of our wives and daughters by ravishing them and murther us our wives and children as they have done in Germany and as they still do in Ireland shall we trust such as these Oh let us take heed how we admit of any peace or confederacie with them that thus despise the Parliament Religion and the people of God
A COMPLAINT TO THE House of Commons AND Resolution taken up by the free Protestant Subjects of the Cities of London and Westminster and the Counties adjacent OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD Printer to the Vniversity 1642. A Complaint to the House of COMMONS and Resolution taken up by the free Protestant Subjects of the Cities of London and Westminister and the Counties adjaceat LOosers may speake by authority of a Proverb and then we are sure we ought not to be silenced we have seen perused many Remonstrances Declarations Votes and Ordinances shewing how far we are obliged to complaine shall in few words be expressed that neither the Kings Majesty your honourable Assembly nor any man may think otherwise but that we have most just reason not to be silent in grievances so intollerable The priviledge of subjects which wee enjoy under you moves us to complaine yet that is not all which causes the breach of silence but the multiplied calumnies of Malignants upon you the two honourable Houses of Parliament and the sharpe invectives daily published against you and to beget and increase distrust and disaffection betweene the King and his Parliament and the people and like wicked spirits of division and under the false pretexts of the Law of the land and pretences of seeking peace have not only dared to defame but even to arraign your proceedings oh right Honourable have not we cause to complaine against such bold presumptions did ever subjects thus dare to abuse their Senators the Priests and Jesuits of Rome themselves durst never under a Protestant government divulge their actions to a publike view though by seducements they have now brought their complices to such treachery that as much as in them lies they labour with might and maine to misrepresent your worthy actions both to His Majesty and to the whole Kingdome was ever Parliament in all their actions more innocent yet was never any more abused was ever any more faithfull in the trust of the Church and Kingdome committed to them yet none so maligned surely had you betraid the trust committed to you and let the Prelats Papists and all Malignants have bin their owne executioners in defending the law and their owne liberties under their own false colours then they would have used you better till both have been destroyed What a wofull tragedy would then have been to be acted in this Kingdome when our lives liberties and estates should have been taken from us and resigned to them who can lay no other foundation of their owne greatnesse but upon the ruine of this and in it of all Parliaments anâ— them of the true religion and the freedome of this Nation and 〈◊〉 the men that would perswade the people that both Houses of Parliamenâ— containing all the Peeres and representing all the Commons of England would destroy the laws of the land and the peace of the Kingdome wheâ—â— in besides the trust of the whole who can be so blockish as not to knoâ— that you your selves noble Senators in your own particuler have so greâ—â— an intrest of honour and estate that we hope it will gaine little credit We and all that have but the least use of Reason cannot be ignoraâ—â— that if you intended any misery towards us your selves must needs haâ—â— the greatest share in it did you betray your trust to procure a Princes favour you might justly be suspected but your great paines have manifested how faithfull you have beene you have left your houses and â—states and neglected your owne affaires to labour together by your hâ—â— wisedomes to consummate all our grievances and settle us in peace a Parliaments have formerly done you have shewed a great deale of paâ—â—ence in using your endevour so long and still going on notwithstanding those many hazards you still have run both in your persons liberties anâ— estates And yet although God hath not yet accomplished that greâ—â— worke of Reformation and by it a true and setled peace yet God hath so far given both you and us such hopes thereof by the wonderfull things which he hath divers wayes wrought by you that we doubt not but thaâ— in his good time he will convince those that are yet blinded to see youâ— faithfulnesse when we shall see our desires upon your and our enemies that belch out their calumnies against those that stand for Jesus Christ You are the hopes under God with the King in the Lords good time that we fly to for we find that the fountaine of all Law is the Parliament the establishment of the King in his royall throne is firme and absolute by Act of Parliament that we are preserved from being murthered is by lawes established in Parliament that we are not slaves that theeves doe not openly robbe us and spoile us of our goods that we doe quietly enjoy that which we can say is mine and thine we are protected by the laws established in Parliament Parliaments have power given them to reconcile differences but some dangerous Malignants to the end wee might fall out more with our selves to make a way to feed their hopes are daily sowers of division to prevent that happy peace which you so labour for we grieve and our hearts bleed to see the sausinesse of your and all true Protestants enemies but be not discouraged God will strengthen you to make presidents for posterity on better grounds of reason and law then your predecessors have made for you for what law can limit your â—â—oceedings the fountains therof We doubt not but the monsters of these â—â—mes will move your wisdomes to prevent such future disasters It wounds us to the very heart and soule to se the noblest Senators that â—â—ver were chosen and intrusted with all that is dearest to us labouring at â—ou have done for our peace and safety to be affronted by such Androâ—acuses as never age before brought forth daring to attempt to disaffect â—he people from a Parliament when durst ever any bee knowne to harâ—our such a thought were there ever such practises to poyson the people with a misapprehension of the Parliament were there ever such imâ—utations and scandalls laid upon the proceedings of both Houses were â—here ever so many and such horrible breaches of priviledg of Parliament were there ever so many so cunning so venomous and so desperate designes of force and violence against the Parliament and the Members â—hereof did ever Parliament suffer as this hath done though they deserve better then all that went before them Should they have made some former Parliament patternes they had long since made the great incendiaries of all our mischiefe to know the power of a Parliament in revenging and freeing the subjects from all forraigne injuries done unto them according to the direction of King Iames of blessed memory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 55. Therefore saith he in another place if any do urge to imbrace their owne fancies in the place of Gods word c. Acknowledge them for
King James doth teach what respect should be had to such worthy Peers he saith eschew the extremity in slighting and contemning your Nobility Page 47. faithfull and diligent servants recompensed Page 71. The worthiest still preferred let the measure of your love to every one be according to the measure of his virtue Page 152. All subjects relieved and their oppressions helped be diligent to try and carefull to beate downe the hornes of our proud oppressors embrace the quarrells of the poor and distressed as your own◠particular Page 34. Lastly the fomentors of this Pamphlet give God thanks that their Papists and Jesuits keep in their heads These be the Malignants about us that make us believe they seek for peace but you may see it is that the Papists may be in peace not we that their Priests and Jesuits and Papists may hold in their heads that they may live without molestation that the Popes power may be advanced here but in 5. Eliz. 1. The maintaining and extolling the authority of the Bishop or See of Rome within any the Kings Dominions and the procurers counsellors aiders and maintainers thereof and every of them are guilty of high Treason This and other Statutes made at the beginning of Queen Elizabeths Raign were made saith Dalton For the preservation of the Queen her heirs and successors for the preservation of the dignity of the Imperiall Crowne of this Realm For the avoyding of the dishonours inconveniences and dangers growing to the whole estate c. We have just cruse to complain against these Traytors Right Honourable because they would expose to hazard the preservation of the King nay they do too much prevaile herein in joyning with the Pepish party in keeping them from his Parliament the fountain of his safety and preservation to endanger his sacred person amongst such desperate Papists and Malignants with whom he is 2. They hazard the preservation of the dignity of the imperiall Crown of this Realm by exposing it to that danger which by being ayders to and counsellors with the Papists it is in danger of for the Papists have their Bulls and writings from the Pope the effect whereof is to absolve and reconcile all those that will forsake their due obedience to the King and yield themselves to the Bishop of Rome Witnesse that Breve sent by Segnior Georgeo Persona and others and the domineering Chavilerios of our age and the Malignants about us are all guilty of high Traason if they be willingly perswaded withdrawn or reconciled to promise to joyne in any such obedience to the See of Rome their procurers ayders counsellors and maintainers except they submit themselves according to the Statute within six dayes c. 23. Eliz. 1.3 Jac. 4. P. Recus 49. P. Rom. 7 8. vide antea tit Recusants 3. Lastly these Statutes being also made for the avoyding of the dishonours inconveniences and dangers growing to the whole State herein they also appear guilty of high Treason in joyning with the Papists first to dishonour the State the High Court of Parliament by calumnious lyes and slanders layed upon them hoping thereby the better to bring in popery and to hold in their heads quietly as they say themselves they now begin to do They call the Parliament a company of projectors and such like dishonourable scandalls they cast upon those worthies whereby they appear Traytors against the State from the very intent of the Statute and therefore we complain against them as against open Traytors and Rebells 2. The inconveniences that arise by their malignancy to the King and State both is great It keeps the King and the Parliament at a distance it hazards the Kings person sent the Queen beyond the Seas and detaines her there hinders the great worke of Reformation encourages Delinquents projectors and all Papists exposeth us to danger of Forraign Nations hinders trading at home fill us with troubles and raised and detaines war in the bowells of our Kingdom and by their scandalous Pamphlet it plainly appeares how they strike at the very root of Parliaments which Rome could never endure but have ever scandalis'd and abused them as their sons now do because their cheare is advanced by Synods of prelates To conclude we complain to you Noble Senators of the dangers we are in by these men we know that the 〈◊〉 of the Law is your instruction and direction and our safety your end we yield obedience to his Majesties Authority signified by both Houses of Parliament knowing that sure ground wherein we walke thereby And though the deboycest Malignants have dar'd thus to affront and dishonour you we must confesse enough to have dissolved all the bands and sinnues of confidence betweene His Majesty and you yet we know that your endeavours have appeared most hearty and sincere for the maintenance of the true Protestant Religion the Kings just Prerogatives the Laws and Liberties of the Land and the Priviledges of Parliament in endeavours we desire you still to persist and we will perish with you in the worke rather then desert the cause for we are confident that if evill should befall you neither Religion Laws Liberties nor Parliaments can longer live therefore we are resolved to live and dye with you God so blesse us according to the innocency of our cause and integrity of our hearts FINIS