justice righteousnesse and safety in it that we hope it will in a very short time levell all self interests before it make it clearly appear to him that claims the greatest persmall share in the government of this Nation that there iâ—no way to obtain the â—â—eâ—â—ve of the understanding English people without which he will never obtain his desired Crown but by a cheerefull hearty and reall promotion of such principles therein â—â—â—ained as doe sufficiently tye hâ—s hands from cutting the peoples throats at his will and pleasure the endeavoring of which exposed his father to that faâ—all end that beâ—ell him which may be a seasonable caveat to all Princes c. to take heed of thaâ— dâ—sâ—crate rock viz. the attempting to govern the people by will and not by Law by force and not by love the onely and alone durable and permaâ—â—â—â—â—ie or bond amongst the sons of men We say that expedient of an Agreement of the free people appears to us to have so much equity righteousnesse and common safety in it that we are resolved to bury all by past DISTASTS at the greatest of English-men that shall heartâ—ly and cordially signe and put forth their power and interest to promote the establishment of the principalls therein contained and in the ADHERING TO AND STANDING BY all such as shall be â—n any danger for walking in such paths we shall through the strength of the Lord God Omnipoâ—ent to the uttermost of our power and abilities resolvedly hazard our lives and all that is dear to us For the effectuall promotion of which said Agreement we are necessiously compeld to resolve in close upon to joyn our selves or our Commissioneâ—s chosen for that end in Counsel with our foresaid Burford friends or their Commissioners and to resolve to run all hazards to methodize all our honest fellow Prentises in all the Wards of London and the out-Pâ—rishes to chuse our their Agents to joyn with us or ours to write Exhortative Epistles to all the honest hearted freemen of England in all the particular Countries thereof to erect severall Councels amongst themselves out of which we shall desire and exhort them to chuse Agâ—â—â— or Commissioners impowered and intrusted by them speedily to meet us and the Agâ—â—â—â— of all ours and the Agreement of the People adherents at London resolvedly to consider of a speedy and effectuall method and way how to promote the Election of a new and eâ—â—all Representative or Parliament by the Agreement of the fâ—ee People seeing those men that now 〈◊〉 at Westminster and pretendedly stile themselves the Parliament of England and who are as they say although most falsly in the Declaration for a Free State dated March 17. 1648 p. â—â— intrusted aund authorizedly the consent of all the People of England whose Representative◠〈◊〉 make it their chiefest and principallest work continually to part and share amongst themselves all the great rich and profitablest places of the Nation as also the Nations publike treasure 〈◊〉 Lands and wil not ease our intolerable oppressions no nor so much as of late receive our Poâ—â—lar Petitions having upon Thursday last August 23. 1649. rejected that most excellent of Petitions reâ—dy at their door to be presented to them by divers honest men our true heaâ—â—â— neighbours of Surrey the true Copie of which for the worth of it although it be at large â—â—ready printed in Friday Occurences and the Tuesday Moderate we desire here to inâ—â—â— To the supreme Authority of this Nation the Commons of England assembled in Parliament The humble Petition of the oppressed of the County of Surrey which have cast in their Mite into the Treasury of this Common-wealth SHEWETH THat as the Oppressions of this Nation in time foregoing this Parliament were so numeroâ—â— aâ—â— burdensome as will never be forgotten so were the hopes of our deliverance by this Parliament exceeding great and full of confidence which as they were strengthened by many Acts of yours i◠〈◊〉 beginning especially towards conscientious people without respect unto their judgments or opiniâ—◠〈◊〉 did the gratitude of the wel-minded people exceed all presidents or example sparing neither estate 〈◊〉 liberty or life to make good the authority of this honorable house as the foundation and root of all 〈◊〉 Freedom although we many times observed to our grief some proceedings holding resemble ceâ—â—â— with our former bondage yet did we impute the same to the troublesomness of the times of Waâ—â—â—â—ntly and silently passing them over as undoubtedly hoping a perfect remedy so soon as the Wanâ—â—â—â— ended But perceiving our expectations in some particulars frustrated and considering some 〈◊〉 dealings with some of our friends c. the consideration of which lies so heavy on our spiâ—â—â— that for prevention thereof we conceive our selves bound in conscience and duâ—y to God to set befâ—â—â— you once more the generall grievances of the Commonwealth and the earnest desires of the ingâ—â—â—â—â—â—s and well-minded people First That the Petition of the Eleventh of September last and the Agreement of 〈◊〉 People may be reassumed and the particulars thereof speedily established Secondly we most earnestly beg with many other of your faithfull friends in all the Counties England that that most irksome and intolerable oppression of Tythes which is retained in 〈◊〉 formed Church neverthelesse more firmly established then ever by your Ordinance forâ—â—â—â— dammages made in the Parliaments corruption and yet no Act against it which causes our 〈◊〉 to be discouraged and brought into much fear and doubt of the removall of these and other bâ—â—â—â—â— by this Representative Wherefore we cannot passe it by but again intreat that the Ordinâ—â—â—â— for Tythes may be speedly revoked and that a more equall way of maintenance be provided 〈◊〉 publique Ministery Thirdly That all proceedings in law may be in English that a short time may be inserted for the try all of all causes and that by Twelve men of the Nâ—â—ghâ—â—rbood and that none may be debarred of Freedom to plead his own or his Nâ—â—ghbors Cause as by Law any man may and ought to doe as clearly appears by the Statute of 28 Eâ— 1 ch 11. before any court of Justice â—â—bough no Lawyer And that no member of your House be suffered to plead as a Lawyer whilst a â—â—â—ber thereof Fouâ—â—â— That some course may be taken for the future to parâ—hâ— Army not laâ—ing such intolerable Brown and â—axes on the people which we are not alâ—e to hâ—at And so we shall for ever hand by you â—â—ill Representative fâ—â— the 〈…〉 oâ—â—hu Nâ—â—â—on is formery Destring that we may obtain speedily a neâ— and equal Represen aâ—â—ve We say considering what is before premâ—â—ed we are necessitated and compeld to doe the utâ—ost we can for our owne preservations and for the preservation of the Land of our Nativity and never by popular petitions addresse our selves to the men sitting at Westminster any â—oâ—e oâ— to take anâ— notice of them then is of so many syâ—ant and Vsurâ—â—erâ—
The Young-mens and the Apprentices Outcry OR An Inquisition after the lost Fundamentall Lawes and Liberties of ENGLAND Directed August 29. 1649. in an Epistle to the private Souldiery of the Army especially all those that signed the solemne Ingagement at Newmarket-Heath the fifth of Iune 1647. But more especially to the private souldiers of the Generalls Regiment of Horse that helped to plunder and destroy the honest and true-hearted English-men trayterously defeated at Burford the 15. of May 1649. By Charles Collins Anthony Bristlebolt William Trabret Stephen Smith Edward Waldgrave Thomas Frisby Edward Stanley VVilliam VVhite Nicolas Blowd John Floyd in the name and behalf of themselves and the Yovng men and Apprentices of the City of London Who are cordiall approvers of the Paper called The Agreement of the free people dated May 1. 1649. and the defeated Burford-mens late Vindication dated the 20. of August 1649. LAMENT 2.11 12. Mine eyes do faile with tears my bowells are troubled my liver is powred upon the earth for the destruction of the daughter of my people because the children and the sucklings swoon in the streets of the City They say to their mothers Where is corne and wine when they swooned as the wounded in the streets of the City when their soule was powred out into their mothers bosome Gentlemen VVE are all of one Nation and People it is the sword only that differeth but how just a title that is over us your owne private thoughts surely are our determiners however your actions import For it is not imaginable except amongst Bears Wolves and Lions that brethren of one cause one Nation and family can without remorse and secret check of conscience impose such Iâ—on yokes of cruelty and oppression upon their fellowes as by the awe and force of your Sword ramâ—ant is imposed upon the people of this Nation you see it we are at best but your hewers of wood and drawers of water our very persons our lives and properties are all over-awed to the supportation only of the raging lawlesse Sword drench't in the precious blood of the people the ancient and famous Magistracy of this Nation the Petition of Right the great Charter of England above thirty times confirmed in open and free Parliament with all other the fundamentall laws safeties and securities of the people which our Ancestors at an extraordinary dear rate as with abundance of their â—lood and treasure purchased for the inheritance of us and of the Generations after us and for which â—ou pretendedly took up arms against the late King and his party are now all subverted broken down â—nd laid wast the Military Power being thrust into the very office and seat of the Civil Authority The King not onely most illegally put to death by a strange monstrous illegall â—rbitrary Court such as England neverknew Monarchy extirpated not rectifâ—â—d without and besides the consent of the people though the actors of that bloody Scene have owned and declared them to be the original of all iust humane Authority â—ut even our Parliaments the very interest marrow and soule of all the native rights of the people â—ut downe and the name and power thereof transmitted to a pick'd party of your forcible selecting â—nd such as your Officers our Lords and Riders have often and frequently stiled no better then a mock-Parliament a shadow of a Parliament a seeming-Authority or the like pretending the continuance thereof but till a new and equall Representative by 〈◊〉 mutuall Agreement of the free People of England could be elected although now for subserviency to their exaltation and Kingship they prorogue and perpetrate the same in the name and under colour thereof introducing a Privy Counsell or as they call it a Counsell of State of superintendency and suppression to all future successive Parliaments for ever erecting a martiall Government by blood and violence impulsed upon us making souldiers to be executioners of Orders and VVarrants pretending to the Civill Authority and in every particular notwithstanding all your famous and glorious Declarations of Freedom and Liberty dealing with us as an absolute conquered and inslaved People The Law being nothing but a mock protection to our lives liberties and properties the Judges set apart for the excutors of it a meer delusion our Sheriffs Mayors Justices of Peace Constables c. being laid by or made no better then ciphers the choise of them by will without right appropriated to a few factious men while the right owners the people are rob'd of their free and popular elections of them as not daring to execute Justice upon the rudest or meanest souldier in England although the Law sufficiently warrants them thereunto but contrarywise Commoners are forceably convented and tryed before a Councell of VVarr and some sentenced even unto death others by a private verball order made to run the gantlop and whipt most barbarously for refusing to take false and illegall oaths and the blood of war expresly against the Petition of right and for which amongst other crimes the Earle of Strafford lost his head as a Traytor shed in times of Peace as the blood of Mr. Richard Arnell upon the 15. November 1647. near Ware of Mr. Robert Lockier the 27. of April 1649. so much bewailed and lamented at London of Col. Poyer of Cornet Thompson Mr. Perkins and Mr. Church upon the 16. of May 1649 at Burford contrary to promises and solemn ingagements at the taking of them as their friends lately defeated with them in their vindication of the 20. of August 1649. fully declare pag. 6.7 and others yet fresh in our memory doth witnesse parties of horse and foot contrary and in direct defiance of the due course and processe of Law sent at unseasonable houres to hale and pull people out of their beds and houses from their wives and children without so much as ever summoning of them and without any crime or accusation showne or accuser appearing or the least pretence or shadow of Law produced some sent into remote Garrisons where they have been most barbarously used and indeavoured to be starved and toâ—â— from Garrison to Garrison others lock'd up close prisoners with centinels night and day upon their doors and all due tryalls and help at Law stoop'd and denyed and no remedy to be obtained yeâ— free men most barbarously put out of their legall possessions by force of arms without any manner 〈◊〉 triall at Law yea the Law damn'd and stoopt up against them for recovering of their legall right and they threatned severely to be punished if they desist not their suits at Law yea and free-mens estates never pretended to be within the compasse of the Ordinances of sequestrations seized on to 〈◊〉 great value by some great mens wills protected by their swords to do even what they lift without controul without any manner of tryall or conviction or any shadow of legall pretence or ever so much as laying any pretended crime to the parties charge all which are the
in the same Declaration spending the 42 and 43 pages in most excellent expressions of the excellency and benefit of frequent and successive Parliaments 〈◊〉 new and the mischief bondage and vassallage of the long continuance of any Parliament 〈◊〉 pa. 44. you say Aâ—d thus a firm foundation being laid in the authority and constitution of Parliaments for the hopes at least of common and equitable Right and Freedom to our selvs and all the free born people of this Land we shall for our parts freely and cheerfully coâ—â—â— our stock or share of interest in this Kingdom into this common bottom of Parliaments 〈◊〉 though it may for our particulars go ill with us in one voyage yet we shall thus hope 〈◊〉 right be with us to fare better â—n another And in the last end of that transcendent Declaration pag. 46. you conclude thus We have thus freely and clearly declared the depth and bottom of our heart and desires in orderâ— the Rights Liberties and peace of the Kingdom wherin we appeal to all mâ—n whether 〈◊〉 seek any thing of advantage to our selves or any particular party what-ever or to the pâ—â—â—dice of the whâ—le and whether the things we wish and seek for do noâ— equally concern 〈◊〉 conduce to the good â—â—oth 〈◊〉 common with oâ—t selves according to 〈…〉 â—â—â—sires and intentions wherein as we have already found the concurrent sense of 〈◊〉 people in divers Countâ—ies by their petitions to the General expressing their â—â—resentment of these things and pressing us to stanâ— for the in eâ—est of the Kingdoms therein so we shall â—ishâ—nd expect he unanimous concurrence of all otheâ—â— who are equally concerned with us in these things and wish well to he â—â—lick And in p. 52. being writing to the Lord Mayor Aldermen and Commons of the Câ—â—â—â— London in Common Councel assembled it is thus said To conâ—â—â—d We say fâ—mou beauâ—â—â— our especiall ends are the glory of God and the good of this whole Land so 〈◊〉 deavouâ— shall be to 〈◊〉 utâ— the â—amâ— without 〈…〉 the being 〈◊〉 well being of Parliamenâ—â— generall the maintenance whereof we value above our own lives or as we 〈◊〉 formerly said oâ— thâ—â— Parliament in paâ—â—câ—â—aâ— but 〈◊〉 together â—n order to the gâ—od and Peace of Nation and with a most â—ender regard to your City And in page 57 58. its said that In our last Representation it may appear wheâ—â—â— desires are as Members of the Common-wealth in behalf of our selves and all other the cleering feeling and securing of the rights liberties and Peace of the Kingdom for justnesse reasonableness necessity and common concernment whereof unto all we dâ—â—peal to the whole Kingdom and to the world And in page 76 to the Lord Mayor of London c. it is said That it is a sudden and substantial settlement of the whole we destro in a generall safe and well grounded peace and the establishment of such good Laws as may duly and readily render to every man their iust rights liberties and for the obtaining of these not only our intentions had led us in but we think that all the blood treasure and labour spent in this War was for the accomplishing those very things which are of that concernment both to our selvs and posteritie that neither we nor they can live comfortably without them and therefore their help is mâ—ch pressed for to bring things to a happy concâ—â—â—en to the satisfaction of all hoâ—â—â— mens expectation and that in all our undertakings we shall be â—â—und men of truth fully and singly answering the things we have held forth to the Kingdom in our severall Declarations and Papers without by or base respects to any private end or interest whatsoever And in page 97. is recorded a notable Proposall to the Parliament from Redâ—ing July 1â— 1647. which doth sufficiently condem your late tyrannicall dealing with some of the very parties therein mentioned The Proposall thus followeth ' Wee doe earnestly desiâ—e That all persons imprisoned in England or Dominion of Wales not for Delinquency in relation to the 〈◊〉 Warre but fuâ—â— pretended misdeameanouâ—â— and whose imprisonment is not by the regulated course of Law but by Order from either Houses of Parliament or of Committees flowing from them may be put into a speedy regular and equitable way of Triall or if the â—â—â—ssâ—â— oâ—â—etâ—ing the generall affairs of the Kingdom 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 present â—â—talâ— then theâ— may have pâ—â—sâ—â—◠〈◊〉 upon reason â—â—le sâ—â—uâ—iâ—â—e oâ— their appearance at aâ—e taâ—â— day to answer wâ—â—t shall be charged against them in a Legall way and that when they should be tryed if they appear wrongfully or unduly imprisoned they may have reparation according to their sufferings In particular we desire this may be done in behalfe of L. Colonel Iohn Lilburn Master Iohn Musgrave Master Overton and others in their condition imprisoned in 〈…〉 London Read also more â—ully to this purpose p. 101. 105. 110. 112 118. 128. 132 137. as also the large Remonstrance from Saint Albones of the 16. of November 1648. pag 6. 8 9 12. 14 15. 22. 23 29. 43. 45. 47. 48. 57. 62. but especially 65. 66. 67. 68. â—9 But after this large but yet profitable and necessary digression let us seriously expostulate with you and â—ut you in mind of your most wicked and grosse apostacy such as the world never see nor read of before from men that professe God and godlinesse in a strict manner and would be reputed the CHOICEST SAINTS in England and cry out unto you with astonishment and admiration and thus interrogate your very consciences where God alone ought to sit King Do heare you not the blood of our dear fellow Apprentices and of the rest of thâ— good People of England spilt for the redemption of this inthraled Nation especially since your first contest with the Parliament cry aloud in your cars and hearts where ever you goe for vengeance upon you the peoples perfidious abusers be trayers and destroyers Oh â—o not you hear them cry out unto your very conscences O give our Fathers our Mothers our Brothers our Sisters and others of our neer and dear relations the full and speedy accomplishment of all your forementioned inravishing promises and engagement by vertue of the power and efficacy of which you stole away their heart and spirits from all tâ—â—â—r relations and maâ—â— them with willingnesse and cheerfullnesse become sacrifices for your assistance for that end principally if not only that they that survived might enjoy the full and ample fruition of all your gloriou â—â—â—â—ses and engagements for common Freedom distributive Iustice and righteousnesse upon the earth Oh do you not hear their blood cry unto you O mock not nor dally with God any longer but without delay give our friends and country-men the promised price of all our blood by the full and speedy paying of all your vows and engagements made unto God for that end lest for all your perjury apostacy and