next place after that they assaulted his Person seiz'd his Revenue and in the Conclusion most impiously took away his Sacred Life At which rate in proportion they treated the Church and the rest of his Friends and laid the Government in Confusion For the compassing of these accursed ends they still accommodated themselves to the matter they had to work upon They had their Plots and false allarms for the simple their Tumults for the fearful their Covenants was a Receptacle for all sorts of Libertines and Malecontents But the great difficulty was the gaining of the City which could not be effected but by embroyling the Legal and ancient Constitution of that Government For there was no good to be done upon the Imperial Monarchy of England without First confounding the Subordinate Monarchy of the City of London and creating a perfect Understanding betwixt the Caball and the Common-Council which was very much facilitated by casting out the Loyal and Orthodox Clergy and teaching all the Pulpits in London to speak the same Language with Margarets Westminster But let us consider the Government of the City of London First in the due and Regular Administration of it and then in its corruptions and by what means it come afterwards to be debauch'd The City of London was long before the Conquest Govern'd by Port-Reeves and so down to Richard the First who granted them several Priviledges in acknowledgment of the Good Offices they had render'd him But the First Charter they had for the Choice of their Own Mayor or Government was confer'd upon them by King John in these words Know ye that we have granted to our Barons or Freemen of our City of London that they may chuse unto themselves a Mayor of themselves And their following Charter of Henry the Third runs thus We grant also unto the said Citizens that they may yearly present to our Barons of the Exchequer we or our Heirs not being at Westminster every Mayor which they shall first chuse in the City of London to the end they may be by them admitted as Mayor In a following Charter of Ed. 2. That the Mayor and Sheriffs of the City aforesaid may be chosen by the Citizens of the said City according to the Tenour of the Charter of our Progenitors sometimes Kings of England to that end made and not otherwise The Charter of Hen. 8. runs to the Mayor Commonalty and Citizens of London Conjunctim The Charter of Ed. 3. is thus We have granted further for Us and our Heirs and by this our present Charter confirm'd to the Mayor and Aldermen of the City aforesaid that if any customs in the said City hitherto obtained and used be in any part Difficult or Defective or any thing in the same newly happening where before there was no remedy Ordained and have need of amending the said Mayor and Aldermen and their Successours with the assent of the Commanalty of the same City may add and ordain a remedy meet faithfull and consonant to reason for the Common profit of the Citizens of the same City as oft and at such time as to them shall be thought expedient We have the rather cited these clauses in favour of the Lawfull Government of the City in regard that they have been so often and so earnestly perverted another way The Charter we see is directed to the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City the Power is granted to them to propose the making or mending of Laws as they see occasion only by the affent or dissent of the Commons they are ratifyed or hindred And those Laws are only Acts of Common-Council that is to say not of the Commonalty alone but of the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Commons in concurrence Some there are that mistake the word Conjunctim and would have Jointly to be Equally as if one could not have a greater interest or Authority and another a lesse though in a Joint Commission The Power in short of summoning and Dissolving Common-Councils and of putting any thing to the question does legally reside only in the Lord Mayor And the Active Power in the Making of a Law and the Negative Voice in the Hindering of a Law have been by long Prescription and usage in the Lord Mayor and Aldermen And these being customs of the City every Freeman is to support and maintain them by the Obligation of his Oath And in farther proof that the Lord Mayor and Aldermen are by their Charter invested with the Powers aforesaid We shall need only to enform our selves who they are that in case of any publick Disorder are made answerable for the Misdemeanour Richard the Second granted a Commission to enquire of all and singular Errours Defects and Misprisions in the City of London for want of Good Government in the Mayor Sheriffs and Aldermen of the said City And for the Errours Defects and Misprisions in their Government sound they were fin'd 3000. Marks the Liberties of the City seiz'd into the Kings Lands and a Warden appointed to govern the City till in the end the Duke of Glocester prevail'd upon the King to reinstate them We have here given you a short view of the Orderly Government of this glorious City which is perchance one of the best qualify'd Establishments both for King and People under the cope of Heaven We are now coming to lay open by what Arts and Contrivances it came to be corrupted and in a manner to lay Violent hands upon it self Which is a story that may serve some for curiosity and others for Edification The People being extreamly discomposed in their minds upon the Apprehension of Popery and Arbitrary Power and shaken also in their Allegiance upon a strong Impression that it was a design in their Governours themselves to introduce it It was no hard matter to inveigle them into Petitions for Relief Protestations Associations and Covenants for the Common defence of themselves in the preservation of their Liberties and Religion and into a favourable Entertainment of any plausible pretext even for the Justification of Violence it self Especially the Sedition coming once to be Baptized Gods cause and supported by the Doctrine of Necessity and the unsearchable Instinct and Equity of the Law of Nature And all this too Recommended and Inculcated to them by the men of the whole World upon whose Conduct and Integrity they would venture their very Souls Bodies and Estates Being thus perswaded and possess'd the coming in of the Scots serv'd them both for a Confirmation of the ground of their fears and for an Authority to follow that Pattern in their Proceedings both causes being founded upon the same Bottom and both Parties united in the same Conspiracy So that this opportunity was likewise improved by all sorts of ayery Phantastical Plots frivolous and childish reports to cherish the Delusion And now was the time for Tumults and Out-rages upon publique Ministers and Bishops nay and upon the King himself till by Arms and Injuries they
some of the Aldermen Protested against them as having no thought of either shuting out the Mayor or making the Committee so absolute as they found the two Houses had done Whereupon it was mov'd that the Houses might be Petition'd to reverse the Order But that being carryed in the Negative Ven produces another Order for the adding of Skippon to the Committee for the Militia which was carry'd without much Difficulty The Court of Aldermen reflecting upon the Indignities cast upon the Mayor and Government of the City Petition'd the House apart from the Commons that the Mayor and Sheriffs might be nominated of the Committee but to no purpose For they knew Sir Richard Gourny was a person of two much Honour and Loyalty to comply with their Designes After this Repulse several of the most Eminent Citizens both for Worth and Estates Petition'd the Two Houses in their own Names for the Removall of That Scandal but there was no relief to be had and they were barbarously treated for their pains over and above Sir George Benyon to his Honour as the framer and chief Promoter of that most reasonable Petition was fin'd 3000l Disfranchiz'd in the City never to bear Office in the Kingdom to be Committed for two year to Colchester Goal and at the end of the Term to give security for his good Behaviour Methinks the bare Recital of This Inhumane Insolence should turn the Bloud of every honest Citizen This Committee was now becom the masters of the Militia they remov'd Sir Richard Gourny and put Pennington into his place they make Ordinances to pass for Laws and Rebellion to be a point of Conscience they persecute the Orthodox Clergy Oppress their Fellow Citizens and the whole Nation and where they have not Credit to borrow they make use of their Power to Take away living upon the Spoil without any regard to the Laws either of God or Man And to shew the world that as the Faction had subverted the Government of the City so they intended to perpetuate the slavery See as follows Vicesimo Octavo Februarii 1648. An Act of the Commons of England in Parliament Assembled For Removing Obstructions in the Proceedings of the Common-Council of the City of London THe Commons of England in Parliament assembled do Enact and Ordain and be it Enacted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid that in all times to come the Lord Mayor of the said City of London so often and at such time as any 10. or more of the Common-Council-men do by Writing under their hands request or desire him thereunto shall summon assemble and hold a Common-Council and if at any time being so required or desired he shall fail therein then the ten persons or more making such request or desire shall have Power and are hereby Authorized by Writing under their hand to summon or cause to be summoned to the said Council the Members belonging thereunto in as ample manner as the Lord Mayor himself usually hath done and that the Members appearing upon the same Summons being of the Number of 40. or more shall become a Common-Council And that each Officer whose duty it shall be to warn in and Summon the Members of the said Councill shall perform the same from time to time upon the Warrant or Command of ten persons or more so authorized as aforesaid And it is further Enacted and Ordained by the authority aforesaid that in every Common-Council hereafter to be assembled the Lord Mayor of the said City for the time being or in his absence such Locum tenens as he shall appoint and in default thereof the Eldest Alderman present if any be and for want of such Alderman or in case of his neglect or refusal therein then any other person Member of the said Council whom the Commons present in the said Council shall chuse shall be from time to time President or Chairman of the said Council and shall cause and suffer all things offered to or proposed in the said Council to be fairly and orderly debated Put to the Question Voted and Determined in and by the same Council as the Major part of the Members present in the said Council shall desire or think â—it and in every Vote which shall pass and in the other Proceedings of the said Council neither the Lord Major nor Aldermen joynt or Separate shall have any negative or distinct Voice or Vote otherwise then with and among and as part of the rest of the Members of the said Council and in the same manner as the other Members have and that the absence and withdrawing of the Lord Major or Aldermen from the said Council shall not stop or prejudice the proceedings of the said Council And that every Common-Council which shall be held in the City of London shall sit vnd continue so long as the Major part of the Council shall think sit and shall not be dissolved or adjourned but by and according to the Order or Consent of the Major part of the same Council And that all the Votes and Acts of the said Common-Council which was held 13 January last after the departure of the Lord Mayor from the same Council and also all Votes and acts of every Common Council hereafter to be held shall be from time to time duly registred as the Votes and Acts of the said Council have used to be done in time past And be it further Eâ—cted and Ordained by the Authority aforesaid that every Officer which shall sit in the said Council shall be from time to time chosen by the said Council and shall have such reasonable allowance or Salary for his pains and service therein as the Council shall think fit And that every such Officer shall attend the said Common-Council and that all Acts and Records and Register Books belonging to the said City shall be extant to be perused â—od searched into by every Citizen of the said City in the presence of the Officer who shall have the Charge of keeping thereof who is hereby required to attend for the same purpose Hen. Scobel Cler. Parliament Take notice that the Vote of Common-Council in the Act above-recited of Jan. 13. 1648. when the Lord Mayor went off and dismissed the Court was a Treasonous Vote for the speedy bringing of the King to Justice You have here the State of the New-Model'd Government of the City and effectually of the whole Nation together with the Methods of Hypocrisy and State that brought us into that miserable Condition And what were they but Canting Sermons Popular Petitions Tumults Associations Impostures and Disaffected Common-Councils We have likewise set forth how these Advantages were gain'd with their Natural Tendency to the Mischiefs they produc'd And who were they that promoted and brought all these Calamities upon us but men of desperate Fortunes and Principles Male-contents broken Tradesmen Coblers Thimble-makers Dray-men Ostlers and a world of this sort of People whose Names are every where up and down
in the History of our late Consusions Men of Ambition and Interest and agreeing in nothing else but an United Disaffection both to Church and State The contrivers of all these mischiefs says his Late Majesty know what overtures have been made by them and with what Importunity for Offices and Preferments what great Services should have been done for us and what other Undertakings were even to have sav'd the Life of the Earl of Strafford if we would confer such Offices upon them And Henry Martin very Honestly blurted it out Apox ô your snivling for Religion says he we fight for Liberty And all their bawling to put other people out of Employment was only to get themselves In. Thus they went on till the Government was made a Prey to the Faction and the deluded Multitude too late made sensible of their Errours Methinks the People of England after all this Experience should be both Wiser and Honester then by treading the same steps over again to re-engage themselves in the same Miseries and Crimes Or if both Conscience and Common Prudence should have quite forsaken us the very shame methinks of being fool'd over again the same way should move us to bethink our selves Or if that very shame were lost too it was so Base so Scandalous a Servitude we were Slaves to the Meanest of the Rabble And our Masters were a greater Infamy to us then our Fetters the very Ignominy cannot but work an Indignation in any thing that wears the Soul of an Englishman This Paper and occasion will not bear the tracing of their Ingratitudes and Tyrannies at length but in short how barbarously did they treat even their Idoliz'd House of Commons their Assembly nay their Covenanting Brethren the Scots when they follow'd them from Newark even to their Borders with a body of Horse at their Heels their Generall and the Army that set them up in a most Eminent manner the City of London though as the Faction order'd it the very Nurse and Supportesse of the Rebellion His Sacred Majesty can never forget by what means his Blessed Father was Murther'd nor the Bishops forget the abuse and Profanation of the Pulpits even to the Extirpating of the Holy Order the Nobility and Gentry can never forget the Illusions that were put upon them under the Appearancee of Religion and Duty by men that were void of both neither certainly can the Common people forget how they were conjur'd into a Circle by Sermons Petitions and Covenants whence there was no getting out again We 'l see a little of their Ingratitude now to the City of London and whether They far'd any better then other people First they stript them of the Militia then of their Charter and Priviliges they turn'd their Government Topsy Turvy Tax'd Disarm'd Imprison'd and Plunder'd at pleasure took down their Chaines and Posts Quarter'd Souldiers upon them Garrison'd the Tower and several other places of the City the Army Marching in Triumph through it for the aggravation of their Slavery they degraded the Lord Mayor Reynoldson Fin'd him 2000l and Committed him to the Tower April 21. 48. for refusing to publish the Proclamation for Abolishing the Kingly Office They threatned to set fire to the City and lay it in the Dust telling the Mayor and Aldermen in a Letter about the beginning of Aug. 1647. that they were unable to defend either the Parliament or themselves and demanding to have the City deliver'd into their hands which was submitted to upon Conditions of relinquishing the Militia and 11. Members delivering up the Forts and Tower of London and all Magazins and Arms therein to the Army disbanding their Forces turning out all Reformades and drawing off their Guards from the Parliament In Walkers Hist. of Independency these Particulars are to be seen at large It is remarkable that what other means soever were occasionally made use of the Plot was still driven on from First to Last mainly by PETITIONS but none were admitted on the Other side For so soon as ever any Petition appear'd that crost the Factions â—nterest as in several Cases from the Agitators or the City of London there was presently a strict enquiry after the Authours and Abettors of them and the Design immediately crusht They should have taken in the SUBSCRIBERS too and Issu'd out a Commission of Enquiry whether all the Marks and Subscriptions produced in the Names of so many thousand Petitioners were really the Acts and Attestations of the Persons so Named and what Arts and Menaces were made use of for their procurement No unnecessary caution even in our present Case to distinguish the Sober and well-meaning Subscribers from the Fierce and Bloody Fifth-Monarchy men and other Sects that hold affinity with them It being notoriously known that a Mark is set upon the Refusers by those Factions who are the violent sticklers in this proceeding which carries the face rather of an Intended Massacre then a Petition This will seem no uncharitable Construction when I shall tell you what a Noble Lord said in the House of Peers Dec. 19. 42. They chearfully undertook says he to serve against that Army wherein they knew their Own Fathers were and on my Conscience says he I speak it to their Honour had they met them alone 〈◊〉 would have sacrific'd them to the Commands of both Houses And now you shall see their Piety expounded in another part of the same Speech They says he who think that Human Laws can bind the Conscience and will examine the Oaths they have taken according to the Interpretations of Men will in time fall from us but such who Religiously consider that such Moral Preceps are fiâ—ter for Heathens then for Christians will not feint in their Duty To bring this Pamphlet to a Conclusion we shall only say this further in justification of it that it was written with a very Honest Intention that the matter of Fact is partly upon Certain Knowledg and partly upon the credit of very Warrantable Papers The principal Scope of it was to lay open the Mistery and Method of the Late Rebellion and so to expose it that the same Project and Model may not be made use of for Another The End The CONTENTS THe Liberties of Press and Pulpit Pag. 5 A Deduction of the Late Troubles P. 12 Of Popular Petitions P. 18 Of Tumults P. 22 Of Popular Oaths and Associations P. 23 Of Plots and Impostures P. 26 How the Faction gain'd the Common-Council P. 28 Errata PAge 15. line 11. after Covenants reade Associations for the Factious and in 〈◊〉 the Party Ibid. l. 29. for Government r. Governour p. 21. l. 16. for be kept r. keep p. 22. l. 16. for Garnets Garrets p. 27. l. 31. for Absession r. Obsession Beside other Literal Faults Escaped in haste The Schism led the way to the Sedition Emissaries in Corporations Seminaries of Novices Their Agents were upon 〈◊〉 their behaviour Their Lecturers are supply'd
by our Conventicles The People were poyson'd from the Pulpit The boast of their Num bers They grow upon the Government They squar their Consciences to their Interests Burton on Psal. 53. 7. 8. Jun. 20. 1641 Pa. 21. Case on Ezra 10. 2 3. pa. 33. Case on Isa. 43. 4. pa. 19. Ward on Deut 33. 16. pa. 18. Dispu against English Popish Ceremonies pa. 11 Smectymnuâ— pa. 58. Marshall â—efore the Commons Jun. 15. 43. pag. 25. Case of the Covenant 1643. pa. 47 Marshaâ— Penegyrique 1643. pa 21 Woodcock on Gen 4. 23. pa. 1â— Fairâ—loth on Josh. 7. 25. pa. 28 Case on 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. pa. 18. Calaâ— Sermon Dec. 25. 44. pa. 8. Case on the Covenant 1643. p. 65. Carylâ— Sermon at the taking the Covenant Oct. 6. 43. Bâ—idges on Revelations 4 8. Fair â—loth on Iâ—sh 7. 25. Pag. 29. Marshalls Sermon June 15. 43. Pag. 15 Cal ' s Speech at Guild-hall Oct. 6. 43. Herle Jan 15. on Psa. 95 1. Herle on Gen. 22. 5. pa. 23. Faircloth on Josh. 7. 25. Case on Dâ— 11. 32 44. Cal's Theses pa. 29. Case on the Covenant 43. Herle â—efore the Commons 44. Caâ—'s Theses in a Sermon Dec. 25. 44. Jenkins's Petition Herles Sermon before the Commons 1644. Paxters Holy Common-wealth Herle before the Commons Nov. 5. 44 Strickland's Thanksgiving Sermon Nov. 5. 44. Cockayns Sermon before the Commons Nov. 29. 48. The Kings Murther Encouraged 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before the Commons Dâ—c 26. 48 Jenkins ' Sermon â—efore the Commons Sept. 24 56. pa. 23. The Kings Murther Justified Baxters Holy Common-weaâ—th 486. Mr. Baxters Cases of Conscience Theses 1â—7 â—81 〈◊〉 The 〈◊〉 naticks did the Faction many good Offices The Pulpits only spâ—ke as the Caball dictated Their agreement in Method and dâ—signe A deduction of our Late Troubles Exact Collection pag. 4. Pag. 16. Exact Collections Six Treasonous and Seditious Poâ—ions Pag 297 298. Baits for all Parties The Legal Government of the City of London The Charter of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen In what manner the People were wrought upon The Artifice of Petitions EIK. BA Many Petition for they know not what The manner of Promoting Petitions Ex. Coll. 536. Fobb'd Petitions impos'd upon the Nation by the Faction The intent of Popular Petitions is to be Consider'd Consederate Petitions are but the Pro logue to Confederate Practises Never satisfy'd Ex. Coll. 〈◊〉 548. The Effect of Popular Petitions Upon what Terms they may be allow'd Let every man keep to his own post A Naturall Transiâ—ion from a Popu lar Petition to a Tumult EIK. BA upon tumults Eâ— Câ—ll 532. The Insolences of the Rabbâ—e upon the Parliament Pag. 533 Upon â—e City And upon the â—ing himseâ—f Pag. 538. The first Tumuâ—s punished by tumults EIK. BA Upon the Distraction of the Parliament Army and City Of â—aths Covenants and Associations The Leagues of Subjects among themselves are Conspiracies The delusions of 1641. The Protestation The Juggle of the Covenant The Protestation an Oath of Policy not Conscience EIK. BA Imposture upon the Peopâ—e 〈◊〉 Alarm The good women could not sâ—p for fear of the Tâ— guns A Tumuâ— fâ—r fear of a Peace Mr. Pyms Plague plaister A Taylor discovers a Plot against my Lord Sâ—y The people Impos'd upon by ridiculous Stories and Impostures No foresight wanting in the Faction The Faction could do nothing without the City The Practices of the Faction upon the Common-Council The Common Council impos'd upon by the Faction beyond president Ex. Col. 44. Ex. Col. 45. The King goes to the Common-Council The Commons adjourn and remove into the City The Committees Vote at Grocers-Hall The King withdraws from London They settle the Militia And strip the Mayor of his priviledges The Fiction Masters of the City The Commons Peâ—on about the Miâ—tia Ex Col. 61. A Trick put upon the Lord Mayor Aldermen The Government of the City affâ—onted The Tyranny of this Committee How we were destroved and By whom Ex. Col. 534. We must be mad to engage in New Troubles The Factions Ingratitude The Methods of our Late Troubles fresh in our Memories Ungrateful to the City The Plot driven on Principally by Petitions A way to discover Counterfeits Dutyful Children A Dispensation for perjury
forc'd him away from his Palace when yet they had the confidence to charge his Sacred Majesty with making War upon his Parliament But this would not yet do their business till they got Possession of the Militia which at length they did the Presses and the Pulpits all this while giving life and credit to their Proceedings Upon the tuning of mens minds for Innovations by making them sick of the present state of things the People were easily prevail'd upon to Petition for what they so much wish'd for and desir'd and this was the second step toward the Tyranny and Slavery that ensu'd upon it The Rude people says his Late Majesty in his Reflexions upon TUMULTS are taught first to Petition then to Protest then to Dictate and at last to Command The Faction made use of Petitions as common House-breakers do of screws they got in by little and little and without much noise and so Risled the Government Or they did rather like the counterfeit Glasiers that took down the Glasse at Noonday under colour of mending the Windows and then Robb'd the House To make a right Judgment upon a Popular Petition we should first consider the matter of it Secondly the wording of it Thirdly the manner of Promoting it Fourthly the Probable intent of it And Lastly we should do well to consult History and Experience to see what effects such Petitions have commonly produced As to the Subject-Matter of Popular Petitions it is either for publique concernment or private Generall or particular That is to say concerning the whole Body of the People or only some part of it It is either within the Petitioners Cognizance and Understanding or it is not It varies according to the Circumstances of Times Occasions and Parties and it often falls out especially where it treats of Reformation that the one half of it is a Petition and the other a Libell The Case of that is purely Private or Particular cannot properly be call'd Popular and so not to our purpose There are likewise Mixt Cases of Publick and Private as in the Calamities of War Pestilence Fires Inudations and the like where Numerous Subscriptions are matter of Attestation rather then Clamour on the behalf of such and such Known and Particular Sufferers Now there is a great heed to be given to the Petitions of men both that Understand what it is they ask and whom the Law has made Competent Judges of it But where the Question is the Redresse of Grievances in matter of State the Complaining part of the Petition makes it only a more Artificiall Scandall Besides the dangerous boldness of Intermeddling in points which they neither have any thing to do withall nor one jot Understand Such as the Petition of the Rabble in and about London in 1640. against Episcopacy Root and Branch the Porters Petition in 1641. about the Militia being told that it was only a Petition to Prohibit Watermen from carrying of Burthens That of the Stanford School-boys which their Masters made them Subscribe against Bishops Or the Scottish Petition in 1637. of Men Women Children and Servants in those very terms against the Service-Book These few instances may suffice to show the folly and worse of peoples stickllng for they know not what Next to the Matter of the Petition we should consider the wording of it For he that asks he knows not what may ask any thing in the World for ought he knows And it is not the humility of the Stile that can justify the publishing of a Reproach upon the Prince Did not Jacob take Amasa by the Beard with the Right hand to kiss him and yet at the same time strike him under the Fifth Rib that he dy'd It is no Breach of Charity when a Multitude are drawn into a Petition blindly to sollicite the Interests of Other men to take all ambiguities and Equivocalls in the worst sense And then the Manner of promoting these Petitions goes a great way It was a common practice in the Late Times for the confiding Members of several Countries to draw up Petitions to themselves and Lodg them in the hands of severall of their Factious Country-men here in the City to gather Subscriptions Where and how they plea'd in the Name of their respective Countiee Their Seditious Preachers says the Late King and Agents are by them and their speciall and particular Directions sent into the several Counties to infuse Fears and Jealousies into the minds of our Good Subjects with â—itions ready drawn by Them for the People to Sign which were yet many times by them changed three or four times before the delivery upon accidents or occurrences of either or both Houses And when many of our poor deceived People of our severall Counties have come to the City of London with a Petition so framed altered and Signed as aforesaid that Petition hath been Suppress'd and a New one ready drawn hath been put into their hands after their coming to Town insomuch as few of the Company have known what they â—tition'd for and hath been by them presented to One or Both our Houses of Parliamant as that of Bedfordsh and Buckinghamsh Witnesse those Petitions and amongst the rest that of Harfordshire which took notice of matter agreed on or dissented from the night before the delivery Which was hardly time enough to get so many thousand hands and to travel to London on that Errand These were not the Petitions of the Subscribers but of those that set them on who did in effect but Petition the People to Petition them again and that which was taken and imposed as the sense of the Nation was only the Project and Dictate of the Caball Only with the Porters they thought they had sign'd a Petition against the Watermen and it prov'd to be against the Government so innocent were the greater part of the Petitioners Now as to the Intent of those Petitions since we cannot enter into the hearts of men we are allow'd to judge of the Tree by the Fruit. And we must distinguish too betwixt the Intention of the Dictatours and that of the Subscribers the Former Contriving with an Ill Intention that which the Latter Executed with a Good One. Let the Matter of the Petition be never so fair yet as was said before if it be a business out of the Petitioners sphere and capacity either to Meddle in or to understand it is a suspitious way of Proceeding Such were the Confederate Petitions of England and Scotland for a Parliament in 1641. which were but a Prologue to the Opening of the Subsequent Confederacy against the Government When the Petitions that follow'd sufficiently expounded the meaning of the Former They Petition'd against Ecclesiastical Courts Ceremonies Scandalous Ministers Bishops Votes in Parliament and Episcopacy it self against evil Councellors Monopolies Corruptions of State Courts of Oppression and Innumerable Grievances Were they not gratify'd in all this and did not those very Concessions make
Holy League of France The people being now prepar'd for any mutinous Impressions poyson'd in their affections to the Government besotted into the apprehension of Remote and Invisible dangers and United in the Resolution of Defending their Rights against all Opposers the Designe would have been there at a stand for want of matter to work upon if the Caball had not fed and entertainâ—d their fears and Icalosies with stories of Plots and Discoveries nearer hand where still the Parliament and the City were in the greatest hazzard One while the Northern Army was coming up and strong Guards appointed upon all Passes within 20. miles of London and then comes a Letter to the Close Committee of a Conspiracy to seize the Earl of Argile and some other Lords in Edenburgh And upon This an Order is presently issu'd out to the Justices of Middlesex Surry and Southwark to secure the City by strong Watches because says the Order the mischievous Designs and Conspiracies lately discover'd in Scotland against some Principall and Great men there by some of the Popish Faction gives just occasion to suspect that they may maidtain Correspondency Here and practice the like mischief They had a Touch now and then at the mighty preparations of France and Denmark for the invading of the Nation and assisting the King to govern by an Arbitrary Power And then the Army under ground at Ragland Castle was a terrible thing and miraculously discovered by an Inn-keepers Servant at Rosse to Alderman Actons Coachman These whimses were but so many approaches toward the Militia and they are so extravagant that the man that was upon the place and can witness the effect of them has hardly the face yet to make the Report Upon Twelth Night 1641. the City was allarm'd at Mid-night with a Report of 1500 Horse that design'd to surprize the City Whereupon a matter of 50000 men were presently in Arms and the Women at work in the streets with Joynt-stools Empty Cask and other Lumber to interrupt their passage Upon the Kings making Sir Tho. Lâ—ford Lieutenant of the Tower the good women of the City could not sleep for fear of the Guns But yet without any Objection his Majesty presently puts in Siâ— John Byron They could make no exception against him till at last as my Authour has it Lieutenant Hooer the Aqua-Vita-man and Nieholson the Chandler enform the Common-Council that since he came to 〈◊〉 Lieutenant there was nothing to do at the Mint though it was made appear that the Mint had more business since this Gentleman was Lieutenant then ever it had in so short a time before But their Trade being in the Retail of Brooms Candles and Mustard their Ignorance in the other point might be the better excus'd In Aug. 1643. upon a Vote for sending Propositions of Peace to the King the very next day there were Papers scatter'd and posted up and down the City requiring all persons well-affected to rise as One man and come to the House of Commons next morning for that 20000 Irish Rebells were landed And this was the News of the Pulpits next day when though Sunday a Common-Council was call'd late at Night and a Petition there fram'd against Peace This Petition was next morning recommended to the Commons by Penington then Mayor with a Rabble at his heels declaring that the Lords Propositions for Peace would be destructive to Religion Laws and Liberties and that if they had not a good answer they would be there again the next day with double the Number We must not forget the design upon the Life of Mr. Pim by a Plague Plaister that was wrapt up in a Letter and sent him which Letter he put in his pocket for Evidence though he threw away the Plaister And there was another discovery that came as wonderfully to light a Taylor in a Ditch in Finsbury-Fields over-heard two men talking of a Plot upon the Life of my Lord Say and some other Eminent Members of both Houses and so the Design never took effect At this rate were the people guâ—'d from day to day with fresh and palpable Impostures never was any Nation certainly under such an Absession of Credulity and Blindness but as the Cause was founded in Hypocrisy so it was by Forgery to be supported And yet these Legendary Tales stood the Faction in very good stead by authorizing the People now and then to betake themselves to their Arms and to put themselves upon their Guard which did by degrees let them into the Command of the City Militia out of which Egg as one says came forth the Cockatrice of Rebellion Thus was poor England frighted out of a Dream of Dangers into cutting of Throats in Earnest Out of a fear of Popery into a prostitution even of Christianity and out of an apprehension of Tyranny into a most despicable state of Slavery The Change of Government now in agitation had been long in Project and no foresight wanting for the furtherance of the design None so diligent at the Military-Yard or Artillery-Garden as the zelots of the Faction and upon the Vacancy of any considerable Employment there who but they to put in for the Command Nor were they less industrious to screw themselves into the Bench of Aldermen and Common-Council insomuch that a Motion was made there with an Eye to two beggerly and Fanatical Captains that Honest men for that 's their Name when they are their own Godfathers might bear the Magistracy and the City the expence But what did all this amount to without a Fond of Mon Mony Arms and Amunition to carry on the Work So that their businesse was now to make sure of the CITY as the only means of their supply But that they found could never be brought about without a Lord Mayor for their Turns Or else reducing the Mayor and Aldermen to a Level with the Commons and establishing a firm correspondence betwixt Westminster and Guild-hall the One to Contrive and the Other to Execute So that this was the thing they pitch'd upon and the manner of their proceeding was as follows Having Pharisaically and Invidiously divided the people into Two Partys Themselves forsooth the Godly Party and the Friends of the Government the Papists a little before St. Thomas's day 1641. when the City chuses their Common-Council they calumniated the Old Common-Council men as men too much inclining to the Court sticklers for Episcopacy and the Common-prayer and not at all zealous for Religion just as we cry out against Papists and Pensioners now adays by this practice they worm'd out Honest men and chose Schismaticks into their places and instead of Sir George Benyon Mr. Drake Mr. Clark Mr. Gardiner Deputy Withers Mr. Cartwright and other Loyall and considerable Citizens they took in Foulk the Traytor Perkins my Lord Say's Taylor and Others of the same stamp and Value Now though the Election be on St. Thomas day they are never
Return'd yet before the Munday after Twelfth nor allow'd to Act as Common-Counsil men till the Indentures of their Election be Returned from the War 〈◊〉 Inquest to the Town-Clerk and a Warrant Issu'd from the Lord Mayâ—r to the Sâ—rjeant of the Chamber to Summon them But the Faction however made bold to dispence with these Puntillo's though the constant Rule and Custom of the City and a Common-Council being held December 31. 1641. by the Kings Express Order all that Gang of the New Choice thrust themselves in and took their places with the Old This Intrusion was opposed by several but out of respect to a Message from his Majesty which was then brought them by the Lord Newbourgh complaining of Tumults about White-hall and Westminster and recommending to the care of the City the preventing of any further disorders the question was let fall for the present and the Court apply'd themselves to dispatch an answer to his Majesty which was in effect an acknowledgment of his gracious Goodness exprest to the City the Courts disavowing of the Tumults their promise of doing their best for the future to prevent or suppress them and their humble desire that whosoever should be found guilty of them might be brought to condign punishment On the Last of December the House of Commons under pretence of finding themselves in danger sent to the King for a Guard but it must be a Guard out of the City of London and to be commanded by the Earl of Essex To which Message his Majesty offer'd them Jan 3. a Guard of his own appointment for their security But this Trick would not pass upon the King so that they were forc'd to do their business another way Upon the Fifth of Jan. another Common-Council was call'd by the Kings Order when his Majesty was pleased in person to acquaint the Court with the Reasons of his demanding the five Members the day before admonishing them not to harbour or protect those men in the City Fowke and his new Brethren contrary to all Right or President were got in again and there he most audaciously affronted his Majesty with a Discourse of fears and Jelousies Priviledges of Parliament c. the King only replying in effect that they were dangerous men and that they should have a Legal Tryal On the same day being Wednesday the House adjourned till the Tuesday following and Order'd a Committee to set next morning at Guildhall taking upon themselves little less then Soveraign Power The Committee met at Grocers Hall where the Five Members met under the Guard of the City-Train'd-stands where they past such Votes of Priviledge as never any Age heard of before extending it even to the Exempting and justifying 〈◊〉 Treason it self On Saturday Jan. 8. upon a Debate for the safe meeting of the Five Members at Westminster the Tuesday following the Result was That the Sheriffs of London should and might raise a Guard of the Train'd-Bands for the Defence of the King and Parliament and that they might warrantably march out of their Liberties A Rout of Sea-men offering their service by water as the Other by Land This Subject set all the Puritan Pulpits on work to inflame the People against their Soveraign in favour of the Five Members Upon the fatall 10th of January the King was forc'd to withdraw from London which was then left at the Mercy of the Faction and that very day the Indentures of the Election were Return'd Upon all Questions about These Elections the Decision was formerly in the Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen but by the Violence and Importunity of these New Intruders it is left to a Committee of the Common-Council being the Committee a so for the safety of the City so call'd This Committee was their first approach toward the Militia and then follow'd another for putting the City into a Posture of Defence consisting of Six Aldermen and Twelve Commoners most of them of the New Cutt and 300l per annum allow'd to Skippon as an assistant to the Committee Having already modell'd the Common-Council to their liking they furnish themselves with all sorts of Military Provisions augment the Train'd-Bands from 6000. to 8000. the Six Aldermen are made Colonels and the Committee for the Posture of Defence are to choose their Officers the authority of Summoning Common Councils is taken away from the Lord Mayor and lodg'd in people of the Faction and whensoever they 'l have One call'd the Lord Major must obey without so much as asking a Reason for 't They took away his Power also of Dissolving them and kept him to his seat till they thought fit to discharge him And again whereas all Proposals were formerly offer'd to the Court and all Questions put by the Recorder from the Lord-Mayor when the Faction had any thing to propound wherein the Lord Mayor would neither Command the Recorder nor the Recorder act without the Lord Mayor Ven Pennington and Vassel help'd them out at a dead lift with an Order from the House of Commons And finally they brought the Orderly Constitution of the City-Government to a Levell confounding Mayor Aldermen and Commons in the Blending of their Votes The Schismatiques have now got the Riches and the Strength of the City in a manner at their own Disposal For if the major part of the Common-Council may Call Continue and Dissolve the Court at pleasure put what Questions they list and Determine all things by a Plurality of Votes there needed little more then a Pack't Common-Council to do their business Let us consider now the Harmony betwixt the Two Junto's of Westminster and the City The Commons Jan. 26. Petition'd his Majesty about the Tower Forts and the Militia to which his Majesty returns them a Refusal Jan. 28. in the most obliging Terms imaginable telling them that he did not doubt that his having granted more then ever King had granted would ever perswade his House of Commons to ask more then ever Subjects had ask'd About the beginning of Feb. there was held a Common-Counâ—ll which sat till One in the Morning When the Couâ—t was quite weary and tir'd out Ven took that Opportunity of presenting an Order of the Commons desiring a return of the Names of those Persons whom the City intrusted with the Militia of London The Court was a little surpriz'd at it but yet being desirous to be gone and considering whatsoever past at One Council was in course to be debated at another sent the Names of the Committee for the Posture of Defence in return to the Houses Order By this fetch the Lord Mayor Sheriffs and Court of Aldermen were understood to have voluntarily relinquished their Own Interest and lodg'd the Power of the Militia in the Committee for the Posture of Defence whereof the Major Part was wholly at the Devotion of Ven and his complices At the next Common-Council upon reading the Orders of the last meeting