all the Parliaments Declarations and Remonstrances held forth to the world their Treaties and promises made to the Scots when they delivered the Kings Person into our hands against our promises made to the Hollanders and other Nations and against all the Professions Declarations Remonstrances and Proposals made by this Army when they made their Addresses to the King at New-market Hampton-Court and other places William Pryn. Clem Walker January 19. 1648. 75. The Coun of Officers order 2. Petitions for the Commons House against Tythes 2. against the Stat. for Banishing the Jews Aout this time the Generall Councell of Officers at White-Hall ordered That two Petitions or mandates rather should be drawn and presented to their House of Commons One against Payment of Tythes the other for Repealing the Act for Banishment of the Jews Hear you see they shake hands with the Jews and crucifie Christ in his Ministers as well as in his Anointed the King About this time Col Tichburn and some schismaticall Common-Councell-men 57. Col Tichburns Petition and complaint against the Lord Mayor and their Orders thereupon The like Petitions were invited from most Counties where a dozen Schismâ—ticks and two or three Cloaks represented a whole Country presented a Petition to the supreme Authority the Commons in Parliament demanding justice against all grand and capitall Actors in the late Warres against the Parliament from the highest to the lowest the Militia Navy and all Places of power to be in faithfull hands that is in their own Faction all others being displaced under the generall notion of disaffected to settle the Votes That the supreme Authority is in the Commons in Parliament assembled They complained That the Lord Mayor and some Aldermen denied to put their Petition to the Question at the Common Councell and departed the Court with the Sergeant and Town-Clerke That the Court afterwards passed it Nemine contradicente The Commons thanked the Petitioners for the tender of their assistance and Ordered That the Petition should be entered amongst the Acts of the Common Councell and owned them for a Common Councell notwithstanding the departure of the Lord Mayor c. And about four or five daies after the Commons Ordered * See a just and solemn Protest of the free Citâ—zens of London against the Ordinance 17. Decemb. 1647. disabling such as had any hand in the City Engagment to bear Office That any six of the Commons Councell upon eme gent occasions might send for the Lord Mayor to call a Common Councell themselves and any forty of them to have power to Act as a Common Councell without the Lord Mayor any thing in their Charter to the contrary notwithstanding Thus you see the Votes of this supreme thing the House of Commons are now become the onely Laws and Reason of all our actions 77 An Act passed for adjournment of part of Hillary Term and the Lords concurrence rejected The 16 Jan. 1648. was passed an Act of the Commons for adjournment of Hillary Term for fourty daies This was in order to the Kings Triall but the Commissioners of the Great Seal declared That they could not agree to seal Writs of Adjournment without the Lords concurrence the assent of one Lord being requisite their tame Lordships sent down to the Commons to offer their readiness to joyn therein But the Commons having formerly Voted The Supreme Power to be in themselves as the Peoples Representative and that the Commons in every Committee should be empowered to Act without the Lords The Question was put Whether the House would concurre with the Lords therein which passed in the Negative so the Lords were not owned Afterwards they ordered that the Commoners Commissioners for the Great Seal should issue forth Writs without the Lords 78. The Agreement of the People presented to the House of Commons by the Officers the Army Diurnall from Jan. 15. 10. 22. 1648. nu 286. 20. January Lieut. Generall Hammond with many Officers of the Army presented to the Commons from the Generall and Councell of the Army a thing like a Petition with The Agreement of the People annexed Mr. Speaker thanking them desired them to return the hearty thanks of the House to the Generall and all his Army for their gallant services to the Nation and desired the Petition and Agreement should be forthwith printed to shew the good affection between the Parliament and Army I cannot blame them to brag of this affection being the best string to their bowe About this time some wel-meaning man that durst think truth in private published his thoughts under the Title of Six serious Quaeries concerning the Kings Triall by the High Court of Justice .. 79. 6. Queries concerning the Kings Triall by the new High Court of Justice 1. Whether a King of three distinct Kingdoms can be condemned and executed by one Kingdom alone without the concurrent consent or against the judgement of the other two 2. Whether if the King be indicted or arraignd of high Treason he ought not to be tried by his Peers whether those who are now nominated to trie him or any others in the Kingd be his Peers 3. Whether if the King be triable in any Court for any Treason against the Kiâ—gdom He ought not to be tried onely in full Parliament in the most solemn and publike manner before all the Members of both Houses in as honourable a way as Strafford was in the beginning of this Parliament And whether He ought not to have liberty and time to make His full defence and the benefit of his learned Counsel in all matters of Law that may arise in or about his Trial or in demurring to the jurisdiction of this illegal new Court as Strafford and Canterbury had 4. Whether one eighth part only of the Members of the Commons House meeting in the House under the Armies force when all the rest of the Members are forcibly restrained secluded or scared away by the Armies violence and representing not above one eighth part of the Counties Cities Boroughs of the Kingdom without the consent and against the Vote of the majority of the Members excluded and chased away and of the House of Peers by any pretext of Authority Law or Justice can erect a New great Court of Justice to try the King in whom all the rest of the Members Peers and Kingdom being far the Major part have a greater interest then they Whether such an High Court can be erected without an Act of Parl. or at least an Ordin of both Houses and a Commission under the Great Seal of England And if not whether this can be properly called a Court of Justice and whether it be superiour or inferiour to those who erected it who either cannot or dare not try and condemn the King in the Com. House though they now stile it The Supreme Authority of the Kingdom and whether all who shall sit as Judges or act as Officers in it towards the
about the thirtieth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and two at Beverley in the County of York and upon or about the thirtieth day of July in the year aforesaid in the County of the City of York and upon or about the twenty fourth day of August in the same year at the County of the Town of Nottingham when and where he set up his Standard of War and also on or about the twenty third day of October in the same year at Edgehill and Keinton-field in the County of Warwick and upon or about the thirtieth day of November in the same year at Brainford in the County of Middlesex and upon or about the thirtieth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred fourty and three at Cavesham-bridge neer Reading in the County of Berks and upon or about the thirtieth day of October in the year last mentioned at or neer the City of Gloucester And upon or about the thirtieth day of November in the year last mentioned at Newbury in the County of Berks And upon or about the one and thirtieth day of July in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and four at Cropredy-bridge in the County of Oxon And upon or about the thirtieth day of September in the year last mentioned at Bodmin and other places neer adjacent in the County of Cornwall And upon or about the thirtieth day of November in the year last mentioned at Newbury aforesaid And upon or about the eighth day of June in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and five at the Towne of Leicester And also upon the fourteenth day of the same moneth in the same year at Naseby-field in the County of Northampton At which several times and places or most of them and at many other places in this Land at several other times within the years aforementioned And in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred forty and six He the said Charles Stuart hath caused and procured many thousands of the free-people of the Nation to be slaine and by Divisions Parties and Insurrections within this Land by invasions from forraigne parts endeavoured and procured by Him and by many other evill waies and meanes He the said Charles Stuart hath not only maintained and carried on the said Warre both by Land and Sea during the years before mentioned but also hath renewed or caused to be renewed the said Warre against the Parliament and good people of this Nation in this present yeare one thousand six hundred forty and eight in the Counties of Kent Essex Surrey Sussex Middlesex and many other Counties and places in England and Wales and also by Sea And particularly He the said Charles Stuart hath for that purpose given Commissions to his Sonne the Prince and others whereby besides multitudes of other Persons many such as were by the Parliament intrusted and employed for the safety of the Nation being by Him or his Agents corrupted to the betraying of their Trust and revolting from the Parliament have had entertainement and commission for the continuing and renewing of Warre and Hostility against the said Parliament and People as aforesaid By which cruell and unnaturall Warres by Him the said Charles Stuart levyed continued and renewed as aforesaid much Innocent bloud of the Free-people of this Nation hath been spilt many Families have been undone the Publique Treasury wasted and exhausted Trade obstructed and miserably decayed vast expence and damage to the Nation incurred and many parts of the Land spoyled some of them even to desolation And for further prosecution of His said evill Designes He the said Charles Stuart doth still continue his Commissions to the said Prince and other Rebels and Revolters both English and Forraigners and to the Earle of Ormond and to the Irish Rebels and Revolters associated with him from whom further Invasions upon this Land are threatned upon the procurement and on the behalf of the said Charles Stuart All which wicked Designes Warrs and evill practises of Him the said Charles Stuart have been and are carried on for the advancing and upholding of the Personall Interest of Will and Power and pretended prerogative to Himself and his Family against the publique Interest Common Right Liberty Justice and Peace of the people of this Nation by and for whom He was entrusted as aforesaid By all which it appeareth that He the said Charles Stuart hath been and is the Occasioner Author and Contriver of the said unnaturall cruell and bloudy Warrs and therein guilty of all the treasons murthers rapines burnings spoiles desolations damage and mischief to this Nation acted or committed in the said Warrs or occasioned therby And the said John Cook by Protestation saving on the behalfe of the people of England the liberty of Exhibiting at any time hereafter any other Charge against the said Charles Stuart and also of replying to the Answers which the said Charles Stuart shall make to the premises or any of them or any other Charge that shall be so exhibited doth for the said treasons and crimes on the behalf of the said people of England Impeach the said Charles Stuart as a Tyrant Traytor Murtherer and a publique and implacable Enemy to the Common-wealth of England And pray that the said Charles Stuart King of England may be put to answer all and every the premises That such Proceedings Examinations Tryals Sentence and Judgment may be thereupon had or shall be agreeable to Justice The King smiled often during the reading of the Charge especially at these words Tyrant Traytor Murderer and publique Enemy of the Commonwealth President Sir you have now heard your Charge you finde that in the close of it it is prayed to the Court in behalfe of the Commons of England that you answer to your Charge which the Court expects King I would know by what power I am called hither I was not long ago in the Isle of Wight how I came there is a longer story then I think fit at this time for me to speak But there I entred into a Treaty with both Houses of Parliament with as much faith as is possible to be had of any People in the World I Treated there with a number of Honourable Lords and Gentlemen and treated honestly and uprightly I cannot say but that they did very nobly with Me We were upon a Conclusion of the Treaty Now I would know by what lawful Authority there are many unlawfull Authorities Thieves and Robbers on the High-way I was brought from thence and carried from place to place and I know not what and when I know by what lawfull Authority I shall Answer Remember I am your King your lawfull King and what sinns you bring upon your own heads and the judgment of God upon this Land think well upon it think well upon it I say before you go on from one sinne to a greater therefore let me know by what
England although I dare say at least five hundred to one if they were free from the terrour of an Army would disavow these horrid Acts so little are the People pleased with these doings notwithstanding the new Title the Conventicle of Commons have gulled them withall Voting the People of England to be The Supreme Power and the Commons representing them in Parliament the Supreme Power of the Nation under them This was purposely so contrived to ingage the whole City and make them as desperately and impardonably guilty as themselves and certainly if this Tumult of the People amounting to a publick disclamour of the Act had not happened the whole City had been guilty by way of connivance as well as these Aldermen and the illegal Common Councel newly packed by the remaining Faction of Commons contrary to the Cities Charters to carry on these and such like Designs and intangle the whole City in their Crimes and Punishments * The Names of the Lord Mayor and Aldermen of the City of London that personally proclaimed the Act for abolishing Kingly Government Alderman Andrews Lord Mayor Alderman Pennington Ald. Wollaston Ald. Foulkes Ald. Kenrick Ald. Byde Ald. Edmonds Ald. Pack Alderman Bateman Ald. Atkins Ald. Viner Ald. Avery Ald. Wilson Ald. Dethick Ald. Foot The Pharisaical House of Commons voted an Act June 1. 171. A Thanks-giving Dinner in the City for the General c. for a day of Thanks-giving to set off K. Olivers Victory over the Levellers with the more lustre and to sing Hosanna to him for bringing the grand Delinquent to punishment The wise Lord Mayor and his Brethren in imitation invited the Parliament Councel of State the General and his Officers to a Thanks-giving Dinner upon that day The Commons appointed a Committee under pretence of drawing more money from Adventurers for the Relief of Ireland to ingage the City farther to them Cromwel had the Chair in that Committee the device was that the Common Councel should invite the Parliament Councel of State and Officers of the Army to Dinner and feast them as a Free-State and then move the Supplies for Ireland But if the Levellers had prevailed the Thanks-giving white-broth and custard had been bestowed upon those free-spirited Blades whom Oliver raised into a mutiny with one hand and by advantage of his Spies cast down with another for the glory of his own Name and that he might have occasion to purge the Army as he had done the Parliament of all free-born humours 172. The Councel of State sit in pomp at White-hall White-hall is now become the Palace of a Hydra of Tyrants instead of one King where our Hogens Mogens or Councel of State sit in as much state and splendour with their Rooms as richly hanged I wish they were so too and furnished if you will believe their licenced News-books as any Lords States in Europe yet many of these Mushromes of Majeâ—ty were but Mâ—chanicks Gold-smiths Brewers Weavers Clothiers Brewers Clerks c. whom scornful Fortune in a spiteful merriment brought upon the Stage and promoted to act the parts of Kings to shew that Men are but her Tennis-balls and when she is weary with laughing at their disguises will turn them into the Tyring Room out of their borrowed cases and shew us that our Lions are but her Asses The Kings poor Creditors and Servants may gape long enough like Camelions to see the aforesaid Ordinance executed for sale of the Kings Goods to pay their Debts they poor Souls are left to starve while these Saints Triumphant revel in their Masters Goods and Houses 173. A general survey to be taken of the whole Kingdome that every mans Estate both real and personal may be taxed Orders about this time were sent forth into London and the Counties adjacent for certain Committees to enquire upon Oath and certifie the improved value and revenue of every mans estate real and personal wherein good progress hath been made already the like is to go forth throughout the Kingdome That our forty mechanick Kings now sitting in White-hall and the self-created supreme Authority of the Nation may take an exact survey in imitation of William the Conquerors Book of Survey called Domes-day remaining in the Exchequer of their new conquered Kingdome and know what they are like to get by their villanies and how to load us with Taxes and Free-quarter and what the value of their Estates are when they have compleated their Design of Sequestring the Presbyterians as they have done the Royalists The faction in the House are this beginning of June 174. An Act enabling Committees to give Oaths 1649. sitting abrood upon an Act to inable Committees to give Oaths in some cases and yet the House of Commons never had nor pretended to have power to give Oathes themselves though every Court of Py-p wders hath because the House of Commons is no Court of Judicature but only the Grand Inquest of the Kingdome to present to the King the grievance and the necessities of the People by way of humble Petition as appears by the Law-books and Statutes and therefore the Commons can grant no more than they have themselves But now the remaining faction of the House have voted themselves to be the supreme Authority of the Nation and have a Sword to maintain it they and we must be what they please yet I must affirm that to take illegal Oaths is never justifiable before God nor Man and no less than damnable But it may be that by accustoming the People to take these new-imposed illegal Oaths they hope to make them the more easily swallow their intended new Oath of Allegiance to their new State and their own Damnation together hereafter All the Scrivenors about the Town are commanded by the Supreme thing to produce their Shop-books 175. Scrivenors commanded to shew shop-books that notice may be taken who are guilty of having money in their purses that the fattest and fullest may be culled out and sequestred for Delinquents now that their almighty Saint-ships have occasion to use it for defence of their Free-State if they would but search one anothers private pockets they would finde money enough The like attempt onely in the Kings time was cried out upon as a high piece of tyranny but nothing can be tyranny under a Free-State The Supreme Authority being so full a Representative-glass of the People that it takes our very substance into it self and leaves us onely the shadow whilst we wander up and down like our own Ghosts who having lived under the Monarchy of Good King CHARLES are now dead and descended like shades into the Kingdome of Pluto The 7. June 176. The aforesaid Thanksgiving solemnized 1649. the Thanks-giving spoken of Sect. 172. was solemnized in the City The Lord Mayor meeting the Speaker resigned to him as formerly was used to the King the Sword of State as had been ordered by the House the day before and received it again from
and I pray God that all the mischiefs of the remaining Achitophel's Shimei's and Rabshakeh's may fall upon their own heads but peace happiness and prosperity may waite on our Solomon that he may be blessed and his throne be established before the Lord for ever To Conclude As your Loyalty in the worst oftentimes hath been signal if in nothing else yet in sufferings so dispise not to read this tractate wherein I dare presume you will find something which before you knew not the work ' its true is short but will not I hope want substance inest enim sua gratia parvis and to remember these things certainly cannot be irksome Saepe recordari medicamine melius omni to see and escape danger causeth not only admiration but pleasure which that you may receive with content by the perusall hereof is desired I shall only add one word in particular first to the Nobility You are Right Honourable Princes in the Congregation of our Israel Men of renown exemplarily both in your names and honours Be as eminent in service for your Prince as obliged to him for favours that it may be recorded of you as it is of Davids Worthies These are the mighty men which David had who strengthened themselves with him in his Kingdom according to the word of the Lord. 2. To the Gentry You are they whom Jethro counselled Moses to provide out of all the people to assist him and be mediatours between Prince and People approve your selves according to that counsel to be able men such as fear God men of truth and hating covetousness so shall the Lord give a blessing as he hath promised 3. To the Clergy God hath made you as a Beacon upon an hill that you might forewarn Israel of her sins ye are the salt of the Earth while you preach to others be not your selves cast away but in season and out of season labour labour to declare Christ not of contention and strife but sowe the word to effect that fruit may grow thereby And lastly to the Commons who are tumidum instabile vulgus I shall only wish that they will labour for peace and according to their Royal Princes dictate in his late Declaration concerning Ecclesiasticall affairs acquiesce in his condescentions concerning the differences which have so much disquieted the Sate by which endeavour all good Subjects will by Gods blessing enjoy as great a measure of felicity as this Nation hath ever done which is the earnest prayer of No. 2. 1660. Your c. T. M. THE HISTORY OF Independency The Fourth and Last part THE former parts of this Book having traced the prevalent and strong Factions of Presbyterian and Independent The Proeme through the several devious pathes wherein they marched and with what devillish cunning they did each endeavour to be greatest by surprising or at least undermining the other until at last they unriveted the very foundations of Government by the execrable murther of their undoubtedly lawful Soveraign a crime so abhorred that it is even inexpiable not to be purged with sacrifice for ever I say these things having received so lively a delineation in the former parts shall need no new recitalls I shall then begin at the end thereof which was when the sacred Reliques of betrayed Majesty specie justitiae received a fatal stroke from blood-thirsty hands neither able to protect it self or be a shadow and Asylum for rejected Truth and unspotted Loyalty Thus in an unsetled and confused posture stood poor England when the Sceptre departed from Israel and the Royal Lyon was not only robbed of his prey but his Life which Barbarism once committed what did the Independent Faction now grown chief ever after stick at Having tasted Royal Blood the Blood of Nobles seemed but a small thing to which end and to heighten and perfect their begun villanies they erect another High Court of Justice Lords H. H. C. tryed for the Tryal of James Earl of Cambridge Henry Earl of Holland George Lord Goring Arthur Lord Capell and Sir John Owen Knight whereof that Horsleech of Hell John Bradshaw was also President who with sixty two more as honest men as himself by a Warrant under the hands of Luke Robinson Nicholas Love and J. Sarland summoned for that purpose did accordingly appear upon Munday the fifth day of February 1648. for the putting in Execution an Act of Parliament as they called it for the erecting of an High Court of Justice for the trying and adjudging the Earls and Lords aforesaid with whom according to their fore-settled resolution making short work for they would admit of no plea of the five they presently condemned three to lose their heads on a scaffold in the Pallace-yard at Westminster Lords condemned on Friday the ninth day of March which day being come about ten of the clock that Morning Lieutenant Collonel Beecher came with his Order to the several Prisoners at S. James's requiring them to come away from whence they were immediately hurried in Sedans with a strong guard to Sir Thomas Cottons house at Westminster where they continued about two hours spending the whole time in holy devotion and religious exercises After which the Earl of Cambridge preparing first for the Scaffold after mutual embraces and some short parting expressions to and for his fellow-sufferers he took his leave and went along with the Officers attended on by Dr. Sibbalds whom he had chosen for his Comforter in his sad condition Being arrived at the Scaffold and seeing several Regiments both of horse and foot drawn up in the place after he had waited a little while with a fruitless hope and expectation of receiving some comfortable news from the Earl of Denbigh who was his Brother having sent for his Servant who being returned and having delivered his Message to the Earl of Cambridge privately he said So It is done now Hamiltons speech at his death and turning to the front of the Scaffold he spake to this effect That he desired not to speak much but being by providence brought to that place he declared to the Sheriff that the matter he suffered for as being a Traytor to the kingdom of England he was not guilty of having done what he did by the command of the Parliament of his own Countrey whom he durst not disobey they being satisfyed with tbe justnesse of their procedure and himself by the commands by them laid upon him and acknowledging that he had many wayes deserved a worldly punishment yet he hoped through Christ to obtain remission of his sins That he had from his Infancy professed the same Religion established by Law in the land That whereas he had been aspersed for evil intents towards the King all his actions being hypocritically disguised to advance his own self-interest hereto he protested his innocency professing he had reason to love the King as he was his King and had been his Master with other words to the same effect That as to the
he supposed would be a full and a free Parliament upon whose resolves as himself so he doubted not but the whole Nation would acquiesce he told them the house was open for them to enter and prayed for their good success The secluded members being thus admitted How they begin and wherein proceed fall immediately to work where they were abruptly forced to break of in December 1648. Confirming their Vote made then by another now that the concessions of the late King were a sufficient ground to proceed on for setling the peace of the Kingdom hereby not only vindicating themselves but as it were at once disanulling all that had been done as dissonant thereto during the whole time of their recess This began to infuse a new spirit of life into the Kingdom in whom at this springing season of the year began a new to bud and peep out the bloomes of a too long frost-nipped loyalty so that one now might have seen what twenty years before could never shew countenances that lately were dejected through the cruell tyranny of their Aegipitian task masters now gather cheerfull looks and like fresh blown roses yield a fragant savour The Parliament thus sitting freely vote his Excellency Lord Generall of all the forces in England Scotland and Ireland by vertue of which Commission he disarmes all the Phanatick party both in City and Country the Parliament in the mean time providing to secure the Nation by two seasonable Acts the one of Assessment and the other of the Militia the last impowering and arming Gentlemen and Men of worth and power to stand up for their Liberties and Priviledges and put the Country into a posture of defence against all encroaching pretenders whatsoever and the former enabling them to raise moneyes which are the sineues of war for maintaining of the forces so raised to assert their and our rights Thus setling the ancient Government of the City and vacating the Phanatick power in the Country they commend the establishment of the Nation to a full and free Parliament to be called the 25th of Aprill 1660. Issuing out writs to that purpose in the name of the keepers of the Liberty of England by authority of Parliament and setling a Councell of State of most discreet and moderate men to whom the affairs of the three Nations in the intervall and untill the meeting of the Parliament on the aforesaid 25th of Aprill was committed who with much discretion managed their power to the satisfaction of all sober minded men and so saving to the house of Lords their rights notwithstanding the Commons were in this Juncture of time put upon necessity to act without them commending the Souldiery once more to his Excellency upon the sixteenth day of March in the year of our Lord 1659. a day worthy to be remembred they dissolved themselves Lorg P. legally ended and so at last put a legall period to that fatall long-Parliament which could not be dissolved by any but by it self And thus we see Independency laid in the dust and ready to give up the ghost and indeed not long after we shall see fully to expire the Prodromi of whose miserable end might be these and the like The Councel of State in this intervall of power The intervall with very great caution and wariness manage their affairs turning neither to the right hand nor to the left but keeping a direct course as knowing in medio ibunt tutissimi they set out a Proclamation against all disturbers of the peace under what pretence or name soever sparing none that in a time of such hopes durst either move a hand or tongue to work a disturbance taking care also that the order of the last Parliament touching elections should be duly and punctually observed as considering that the peace or ruine of the Nation would lye in their hands Elections for a new Parl. His Excellency the Lord Generall in this interregnum accepts of severall invitations and treatments in the City by several of the worthy companies yet still having an eye to the main he keeps close to his Officers who were not yet fully resolved and often confers with them in a more familiar manner than ordinary whereby he so wrought on them that at last he brought them to declare that they would acquiesce in the resolves of the approaching Parliament and indeed this was a shrewd forerunner of the fall of Independency as I said before whose only hope was builded on the averseness of these men to lawfull power which when they saw frustrated they might well depair yet endeavour once more to endeavour a confusion which being observed by the Councell and that a discontented Spirit possessed some of the old Officers and Grandees according to the power given them to that purpose they send for all suspected persons confining them unless they subscribed an engagement to demean themselves quietly and peaceably under the present Government and acquiesce submissively in the determination of the Parliament next ensuing which reasonable engagment Lambert and some others refusing were carefully confined to several prisons by which means the peace was wonderfully preserved but notwitstanding all this care such were the restless endeavours of that divellish faction that whether by the neglect or treachery of his keepers is not yet known Lambert gets out of prison cuningly who being a man of loose principles and desperate fortunes so encouraged the Phanatick party and stirred up their drooping Spirits that they began to threaten great matters and for perfecting their wicked design begin to gather to an head near Edg-hill which they hoped would prove to them an auspicious Omen for the beginning of a Second war but Heaven would no longer wink at such intollerable villanies for the sins of these Amorites were fully ripe for judgment so that they were discovered and quickly nipped in the bud Lambert and his accomplices being so eagerly pursued by Col. R. Ingoldsby that they were suddenly forc'd to scatter and shift for themselves by flight Taken and sent to the Tower neither was that so swift or secure but that Lambert was taken prisoner by the said Col. Ingoldsby and sent prisoner up to London at which time passing by Hide park on the twenty fourth of Ayril he saw all the City Regiments both of horse and foot Trayned Band and Auxiliaries complered armed and trayned and ready to hazard their Lives and Fortunes against all seditious and factious Traitors to their King and Country The news of this first appearance of armed loyalty being spred abroad into the Countreys The first loyal muster did so animate and encourage the old oppressed that casting off their fetters and fears together they begin to appear in their wonted guise and because they were by the Phanaticks traduced as men of blood and full of revenge not to be satisfied but with the utter ruine of their adversaries thereupon to undeceive the vulgar who might possibly have been misled by such
submit to the power of the Sword the hilt and handle whereof they hold They turn out the Lieutenant of the Tower without cause shewn The consequences of these two actions were that immediately the City decayed in Trade above 200000 l. a week and no more bullion came to the Mint They displace all our Governours though placed by Ordinance of Parliament and put in men of their own party for this encroching faction will have all in their own hands they alter and divide the Militia of London setting up paâ—ticular Militia's at Westminster Southwark and the Hamblets of the Tower that being so divided they may be the weaker Demolish the Lines of Communication that the City and Parliament may lie open to Invasion when they please and fright many more Members from the Houses with threats and fear of false impeachments The 11. impeached Members having leave by order of the House and license of the Speaker some to go beyond Sea and Anthony Nichols to go into his own Country to settle his Affairs Some of them as Sir William Waller and M. Den Hollis were attacht upon the Sea Nichols arrested upon the way into Cornwall by the Army and despightfully used And when the General was inclined to free him Cromwel whose malice is known to be as unquenchable as his Nose told him he was a Traitor to the Army You see now upon whom they meant to fix the peoples allegiance for where no allegiance is due there can be no Treason and to what purpose they have since by their 4 Votes first debated between the Independent Grandees of the Houses and Army laid aside the King and as much as in them is taken off our Allegiance from him Col. Birch formerly imployed for Ireland by the Parliament was imprisoned and his men mutinied against him by the Army and Sir Sam. Luke resting quietly in his own house was there seized upon and carried Prisoner into the Army All these Acts of terror were but so many scarecrowes set up to fright more Presbyterians from the Houses and make the Army masters of their Votes 38. Proceedings of both Houses under the power of the Army I must in the next place fall upon the Proceeding in both Houses acted under the power and influence of this all-inslaving all-devouring Army and their engaged party to attain the knowledge whereof I have used my utmost industry and interest with many my near friends and kinsmen sitting within those Walls heretofore when Kings 39. Ordinance to Nul and Void all Acts passed in absence of the 2 runagado Speakers not Brewers and Draymen were in power the walls of publick Liberty The Lords that sate in absence of the two Speakers all but the Earl of Pembrook whose easie disposition made him fit for all companies found it their safest course to forbear the House leaving it to be possessed by those few Lords that went to and engaged with the Army which ingaged Lords sent to the Commons for their concurrence to an Ordinance To make all Acts Orders and Ordinances passed from the 26 July when the tumult was upon the Houses to the 6 of August following being the day of the fugitive Members return Void and Null ab initio This was five or six several days severally and fully debated as often put to the question and carried in the Negative every time Yet the Lords still renewed the same message to them beating back their Votes into their throats and would not acquiesce but upon every denial put them again to roll the same stone contrary to the privileges of the Commons The chief Arguments used by the engaged party were all grounded upon the Common places of fear and necessity 40. Menaces used by the engaged party in the House Mr. Solicitor threatning if they did not concur the Lords were resolved to vindicate the Honour of their House and sit no more they must have recourse to the power of the Sword The longest Sword take all That they were all engaged to live and die with the Army They should have a sad time of it Haslerigge used the like language farther saying Some heads must flie off and he feared the Parliament of England would not save the Kingdom of England they must look another way for safety They could not satisfie the Army but by declaring all void ab initio and the Lords were so far engaged that no middle way would serve To this was answered That this was an appeal from the Parliament to the Army And when these and many more threats of as high nature were complained of as destructive to the liberty and beings of Parliaments the Speaker would take no notice of it Sir Henry Vane junior Sir John Evelin junior Prideaux Gourdon Mildmay Thomas Scot Cornelius Holland and many more used the like threats Upon the last Negative being the fifth or sixth the Speaker perceiving greater enforcements must be used pulled a Letter out of his pocket 41. A threatning Remonstrance from the Army to the House From the General and General Council of the Army for that was now their stile pretending he then received it But it was conceived he received it over night with directions to conceal it if the question had passed the affirmative It was accompanied with a Remonstrance full of villanous language and threats against those Members that sate while the two Speakers were with the Army calling them pretended Members charging them in general with Treason Treachery and breach of Trust and protested if they shall presume to stir before they have cleared themselveâ— that they did not give their assents to such and such Votes they should sit at their peril and he would take them as prisoners of War and try them at a Council of War What King of England ever offered so great a violence to the fundamental Privileges of Parliament as to deny them the Liberty of Voting I and No freely Certainly the little finger of a Jack Cade or a Wat Tyler is far heavier than the loynes of any King Many Members were amazed at this Letter and it was moved That the Speaker should command all the Members to meet at the House the next day and should declare That they should be secured from danger And that it might be ordered That no more but the ordinary Guards should attend the house But these two motions were violently opposed with vollies of threats by the aforesaid Parties and others And after more than two hours debate the Speaker refused to put any question upon them or any of them and so adjourned to the next morning leaving the Presbyterian Members to meet at their Peril The next day being Friday the 20. August there was a very thin Assembly in the House of Commons the House having with so much violence denyed protection to their Members the day before made most of the Presbyterian party absent Some went over to the Independent party others sate mute At last a Committee was appointed presently
they fell through pride and ambition as most conceive became the very foulest Devils in Hell so the most resplendent seeming hypocriticall Saints when they fall through the like sins and have power in their hands become the most incarnate Devils and Monsters of treachery and tyranny upon earth exceeding Turks and Pagans therein of which we have now sad experience in our Army-Saints who every day aggravate and yet justifie their impieties and exorbitances 2 Chron. 28.11 Now hear me therefore and deliver the Captives again which ye have taken Captives of your Brethren for the fierce wrath of God is upon you Will Pryn. 64. Another forg'd Letter endeavoured to be fastned upon Sheriff Brown The Saints having nothing to say against Major Gen. Brown unless they should accuse him for being true to King Parliament City and Kingdom and to all the first declared Principles of this Parliament fell to their old trick to fasten another counterfeit Letter upon him wherefore a Man coming to S. Jame's where he was then imprisoned desired in the hearing of all present to speak with him in private Major Gen. Brown told him He was not for private conference and bade him speak openly then the Fellow presented a Letter to him saying It was from the Prince but Major Gen. Brown remembring the like trick put upon him before called for the Guard to apprehend him when presently the Messenger threw the Letters into the fire and the Marshall catching them out halfe burnt affirmeth He saw Charles Prince written upon them Sanctified eyes may see through the spectacles of their own fantasie what they please to accomplish their Design and therefore they have a new principle or light which as the 7. May be added to the aforesaid 6. that though they have no proofs nor evidence against a man yet if in their consciences they think him guilty they may condemn him upon the testimony of their own consciences this is to condemn by Revelation such whose bloud they desire to suck This supposed Messenger from the Prince was seized by the Guard but no proceedings against him heard of which argues it was but a snare set to catch the Major About this time to second this device a man gallantly clothed and mounted comes to the Beare in the Strand 65. Another more general forgery to endanger whom the Faction please It will be proved that divers Witnesses have bin practised and tampered with against Mr. Brown and others gives the Hostler a Peece and bids him have a care of his Horse then goes into the City and the Plot being forelaid was taken there with Letters subscribed with the Princes name to divers Citizens and Members against whom they want matter of accusation I hear no more of this matter yet this is a device dormanâ— to be awakened hereafter if any shall oppose the present actings of the Army and their Parliament Cromwell Ireton and Hugh Peters have several times made it their errand to go into the City and visit the Ministers giving them threatning Admonitions not to preach any thing against the Actings of the Army and their Parliament 66. London-Ministers threatned See the Ministers of Londons Letter to the General called A serious Representation Dated Jan. 18. 1648. But Hugh acted his part above them all he took some Musketiers with him to the house of Mr. Calamy and knocking at the door a Maid asked whom he would speak with he told her with her Master she asked his name he replied Mr Hugh Peters the Maid going up the stairs to acquaint her Master who was above-stairs in conference with some 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 General to warne him to come before him Mr. Calamy leaving Peters vapouring and canting Religion and non-sense to the rest of the Divines slipt down staires and went to the General to know his pleasure telling him He had bin summoned before him by Hugh Peters the General said Peters was a Knave and had no such directions from him Since this 67. The C. of War consider how to shut up the Churches doors the Council of Warr finding it difficult to stop the Ministers mouths have sundry times debated How to shut up the Churches doors in the City for Reformation of the Church and propagation of the Gospel they have imprisoned Mr. Canton a worthy Minister for praying for King CHARLES and threaten to try 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 Câ—mmons for their concurrence Jan. 9. The Lords sate again and passed some Ordinances which they sent down to the Commons for their concurrence to feel their pulse wâ—ether they would vouchsafe to take so much notice of them the Commons laid them aside after some expresâ—ions of disdain 69. Sergeant Dandy proclaimeth the sitting of the new H Court of Justice This day Sergeant Dandie Sergeant at Arms to the Comissioners for Triall of His Majesty rode into Westminster-hall with the Mace belonging to the House of Commons upon his shoulder and some Officers attending him all bare and 6. Trumpeters on horsback before him Guards of Horse and Foot attending in both the Palace-yards the 6. Trumpeters sounded on horseback in the middle of the Hall and 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 tomorrow 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 Great Seal voted to be broken This day the remainder of the House voted their Great Seal to be broken in order to the making of a new one justly putting the same affront upon their own Seal which they had formerly put upon the Kings 71. Mr. Pryns Memento to the unparliamentary Junto 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 speak his mind to them freely in or as the House of Commons yet he would write his thoughts to them as private Persons onelie under
it his interest to incroach upon the just freedom and liberty of the people and to promote the setting up of their own will and power above the Laws that so they might enslave these Kingdoms to their own Lust * * But in a Councel of State of forty Tyrants sitting under the protection and awe of Oliver Be it therefore Enacted and Ordained by this present Parliament and by Authority of the same That the Office of a King in this Nation shall not henceforth reside in or be exercised by any one single Person and that no one person whatsoever shall or may have or hold the Office Stile Dignity Power or Authority of King of the said Kingdoms and Dominions or any of them or of the Prince of Wales Any Law Statute Vsage or Custome to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding And it is hereby Enacted That if any person or persons shall endeavour to attempt by force of Armes or otherwise or be aiding assisting câ—mforting or abetting unto any person or persons that shall by any wayes or means whatsoever endeavour or attempt the reviving or setting up again of any pretended Right of the said Charles eldest Son to the said late King James called Duke of York or of any other the Issue and Posterity of the said late King or of any person or persons claiming under him or them to the said Regal Office Stile Dignity or Authority or to be Prince of Wales or the promoting of any one person whatsoever to the Name Stile Dignity Power Prerogative or Authority of King of England and Ireland and Dominions aforesaid or any of them That then every such offence shall be deemed and adjudged High-Treason High Treason is what these Legislative Thieves list to make it an Arbitary crime notwithstanding the Stat. 25 Ed. 3. for limiting and ascertaining of Treasons for security of the people Tiberius and Nero's days are fallen upon us Of which Tacitus Ingens crimen divitiae complementum omnium accusationum laesa majestas and the Offenders therein their Counsellors Procurers Aiders and Abettors being convicted of the said offence or any of them shall be deemed and adjudged Traytors against the Parliament and People of England and shall suffer lose and forfeit and have such like and the same pains forfeitures judgements and execution as is used in case of High Treason And whereas by the abolition of the Kingly Office provided for in this Act a most happy way is made for this Nation if God see it good to return to its just and antient right of being Governed by its own Representatives or National meetings in Councel * * When was England governed by their own Representative or had any other regliment then Kings But what the Legislative Conventicle declares we must believe though contrary to our knowledge They will lead our Faith and Reason in a string or have our necks in a halter A period to this Parliament and leave the Supream power in the Councel of State a design long since attempted See First and Second Part of Englands New Chains and the Hunting of the Foxes No obedience is due by Law to them which takes no notice of this form 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 and 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 freedom 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 and Town 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 perform 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 132. An Act for abolishing the House of Peers More New lights new discoveries made by forty or fifty Ignis satui gross fiery Meteors remaining in the House of Commons About the same time they passed another Act for Abolishing the House of Peers to this purpose THe Commons of England assembled in Parliam nt finding by too long experience that the House of Lords is useless and dangerous to the People of England to be continued have thought fit to Ordain 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 iâ— 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 Nevertheless it is 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 publike 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 further Ordained and Enacted by the Authority aforesaid that no Peer of this Land not being elected qualified and sitting in Parliament as aforesaid shall claim have or make use of any Priviledge of Parliament either in relation to his person quality or estate any Laws Vsage or Custome to the contrary notwithstanding And to lessen the amazement of the People the same day they passed and ordered to be printed * 133. A Declaration of the Commons to shew the Reasons of their said proceedings The State is Free but the people Slaves as a Galley is free but the Rowers Slaves 1 part 72 73. See these Books A full Answer to an Infamous Pamphlet Intituled A Declaration of the Commons of England The Charge against the King discharged The Royal and Royalists Plea King Charles vindicated c. And his Majesties last Book or Pourtraicture and His Maj. Gracious Messages for
their Thanksgiving Devotions and Dinner to be celebrated together in and with the City upon Thursday ensuing the 7. of June and lest it should dishearten more secluded Members from comming to sit in the House with them again knowing that Tyrants are followed for their fortunes not for themselves wherefore upon Tuesday following being the 5. Jun Popham made another kinde of Report to the Plebeians of the Commons House who must not be trusted with the truth of State-mysteries but like Wood-cocks must be led in a mist That he had left Kingsale blocked up with ten Ships and the Seas secured in peace and quietness and the better to adorn the fable and suppress the truth from approaching the ears of the people the House that day 15. June passed an Order That for this remarkable additional mercy bestowed upon them in the prosperous success given to their Fleet at Sea upon Thursday next 7. June the day set apart for publick Thanksgiving the Ministers should praise God Lord since there audacious Saints are so thankful to thee for one beating bestow many more beatings upon there for they stand in need of all thy corrections The like attempt hath been upon Scilly with the like success Scout from June the 8. to 15. 1649. 179. Gifts given amongst the Faction since which time forty sail of Ships are pressed in the Thames to recruit the shattered Navy given forth to be a Winter Guard at Midsummer John Blackiston is packed away to the other world and the House upon 6. June voted to Wife and Children 3000 l. out of the Earle of Newcastle's and Lord Wytherington's Estates in compensation of the loss of his Pedlery Ware in his Shop at Newcastle he had formerly given to him 14000 l. you see the insatiate hunger of Gold and Silver survives in the very Ghost of a Saint after he is dead 500 l. more was given to Johns Brother an Estate out of the Rectory and Demesnes of Burford was setled upon the Speaker 400 l. per ann Lands are be setled upon the General out of the Duke of Buckinghams and his Brother the Lord Francis Villers Estates 400 l. per ann out of Claringdon Park upon the Earle of Pembroke 1000 l. was bestowed upon an eminent Member of Parliament for his many good Services 4868 l. to the Lord Lisle out of the Monthly Assesment for Ireland for his penny-worth of good service done there you see to what purpose we pay Taxes 2000 l. Land per an and 1000 l. Money given to Bradshaw the price of Bood And 400 l. more given to the Poor of the City to stop their mouths from cursing upon the Thanksgiving-day out of the 2000 l. Fine set upon the Lord Mayor Reynoldson for not proclaiming the Act for abolishing Kingly Government this is according to the Spanish Proverb To steal a Sheep and give away the Trotters for Gods sake You see the Saints can finde Money to give Gifts though not to pay Debts although the Publick Faith lye at pawn for them A Committee is appointed to consider how to prefer Mr. Tho. Goodwin and Mr. Owen to he Heads of Colledges in Oxford as a Reward for asserting the late proceedings of Parliament upon the aforesaid thanksgiving-Thanksgiving-day It is not fit such men should serve God for nothing in the times of S. Peter and S. Paul Godliness was great Gain but in the daies of our modern Saints Gain is great Godliness The thing that miscalls its self a Parliament 180. The Kxcise enlarged upon Salt hath set an Excise of 1 d. the Gallon upon all forraign salt imported which is in effect upon all the salt we use our home-made salt being inconsiderable you see our Cups our Spits our powdring-Tubs our washing-bowles our Kettles our Hats Dublets Breeches Stockings Shooes nothing we use eat drink or wear is free from being devoured by these sanctified Locusts of the Free-State who complained of the King for that petty inconsiderable Tax of Ship-mâ—ney which His Majesty spent in maintaining Guards of Ships upon our Seas so much to the Honour of our Nation that the King of Spain trusted all those vast summs of Bullion he sent to the Low-Câ—untries to be Coined in our Mint and above a third part yearly to be laid out here in English Cloth and Commodities which with the residue of the Spanish Treasure was afterwards wafted over into Flaunders in English Bottomes for which they were liberally payed whereby every mans estate was increased 10 l. in the hundred England infinitely abounded with Coin and Plate as appeares by those many vast summs that have been constantly extorted from the People since the beginning of these Wars more I dare say than all our Kings since the Conquest excluding William the Conqueror and Henry the Eighth ever raised upon the People and by those many vast summs our seeming Saints have sent into banks beyond Sea and buried in their private Coffers Reader let me admonish thee 181. A Vindication of the Levellers in some things and a further design to garble and enslave the Army That the Levellers for so they are mis-called onely for endeavouring to Level the exorbitant usurpations of the Councel of Officers and Councel of State are much abused by some Books lately printed and published in their names much differing from their declared Principles Tenets and Practices but forged in Cromwâ—ls and Irâ—tons shops to cast an odium upon them These State-wolves by such forgeries endeavour to make the Sheep forsake and betray the Dogs that faithfully guard them that they may with more security fleece them flay them and eat them hereafter Ireton Hâ—slerig and Postmaster-Attorney Prideaux by themselves and their Blood-hounds Spies and Intelligencers have been very diligent to draw dry-foot after Mr. Lilburne Walwine c. and suborn witnesses against them but not having yet quite extinguished all sparks of truth and honesty unless it be in their own breasts failed of their purposes Yet they go on to purge the Army as they have done the Parliament and Conventicle of State of all free-born humours in order to their destruction that the Army may consist of meer mercenary brutish spirits such as will so far neglect the duties of men and Christians as to execute all their tyrannous bloody illegal Commands with a blind obedience and implicite faith without asking a question for Conscience sake the better to enslave both the Kingdom and Common Souldiers In farther prosecution of this Design they have projected to levy seven new Regiments which by way of Gullery they call Presbyterian Regiments and shall be raised by Presbyterian Commanders but those Commanders shall only be imployed to countenance the work for a time and then for pretended offences be purged out of the Army if not out of this world by the Councel of Officers and more confiding men put in their rooms and then shall these new Officers and Regiments be used as Catch-poles and Hangmen contrary to the honour of Souldiers