of that Brigade for you must believe Lambert had no hand in it found it upon their hearts to consult how they might improve this for the Glory of God you know what I mean then up comes this Paper for a Generall and generall Officers the onely means to effect their Designs but this with it may be some other particulars were too gross and had been grievously rebuked by the Parliament However this Design must not be layd aside for their Good old Cause would down if it did although Fleetwood had undertook great Matters to the Parliament to still this noise of the Waters and tumult of his People But after long Banding among the Generall Councell and rancor enough against the Parliament to the Parliament they came with a Petition and Representations full of sweet Expressions of Obedience and Duty to have drill'd out the Act of 100000 l. per mensem and the Custonics and Excise which was well enough understood but their Representation abusing the Information the House had received and their Petition calling for some things of dangerous consequence they could not then receive an Answer thereunto but had the thanks of the House for the good Expressions of their Affections In the mean while it must not sleep but the said Petition must be dispatched to every Regiment and Garrison as was said before the Parliament in the mean while go on to consider their Petition and resolve very honourably upon severall heads thereof during this Juncture the Parliament having certain assurance of the said Conspiracy of going about to engage all the Forces of this Common-wealth to side with them in their said unreasonable Desires and a Letter being produced with the Names of severall Officers wherein was inclosed one of the said Petitions to be subscribed by the Regiment to whom it was directed The Parliament also taking notice of the mischievousness of their Desire That no Officer might be Disbanded but by a Court Martiall whereby they would have been enabled to Cashire any Officer that was faithful to his Trust they having no other way to suppress that Conscience that was in many Commanders That they ought to be faithfull to them from whom they had received their Commissions Nor had they any other way to carry on their Design of a Senate the most horrid Vilany that ever was mentioned among us and there being no other Construction to be made of it but the Army by doing thus after their Petition was delivered and Debated intended to force their Desires their faithfull Servants going about to play REX the Parliament could not but finde it a Duty highly incumbent on them if they would be faithfull to the Interest of their Country to use their best Endeavours to stop this Carrier Hereupon it was with good reason resolved That no Money should be levied upon the people of England without their consent in Parliament and other things in that Act contained of very great prudence to the end forementioned and then with much Justice discharged the said Officers who had signed the said Letter from their Imployments The Parliament knowing how well some of the Army stood affected to them and how this would ripen and whet that violence that would nevertheless shortly have been acted upon them hoped well that Fleetwood would have been faithfull to his Trust whose Commssion was altogether or very neer of as long continuance as the Parliament had resolved the uttermost of their Session Viz. till May next but he then lost that Reputation of Faithfulness which he had with many men before and declined the securing of the Parliaments Priviledges and after acted against them Of which I hope he will repent one day The Parliament being at this loss Created seven Commissioners of which nevertheless he was one but this was below him forsooth Three whereof began to act for Guarding the Parliament expecting that a Force should be put upon the House which was soon endeavoured for it was not long before a considerable Party came into the Palace Yard for the same purpose but being prevented of taking possession of the House they intercepted the Speakker and after Affronts given him turned him back and so they say they have put a period to the Parliament I appeal whether this be the naked state of the Case and truth of the Matter yea or no to their own Consciences You will judge then they have well told thir own Tale the rest of the story every body knows and I hasten to the Press It remains now that I should make some Observations upon what they declare is upon their hearts to do but because what is upon their hearts to day or what they tell us is upon their hearts to day will be at their Heels to Morrow I hold it not at all worth my Labour but resolve henceforward never ot believe what they declare for the Good of the Nation till I see it done and then I shall never believe it and for what they resolve to do which tends onely to Ruine as some things they now have upon their Hearts look sturvily that way I shall heartily wish that some wiser men may take the WORK out of their Hands Or if I should take them a little to Task I should but make sport and I am loth to be a Foole in the Play Doth any body think that they will endeavour that a Due I do not understand what they mean by that Word Due I doubt it comes from a Root that signifies something else besides Just Liberty may be assured to all the Free-born People of these Nations Free-born People of the Nations who are they they must be twenty years old and upwards I think but if they were not born Fooles I am sure they are made Fooles what pretty Work are they like to make with the Reformation of the LAW sure no body doubts but you will do more hurt then good That a faithful godly and painful Gospel Preaching Ministry may be maintained a long story but not a word of Learning no that is superstitious He warrant you they can tell you the minde of Christ peremptorily enough without consulting the Originall not a Wise man among them at their Devotions in Whitehall And the truth is if they would make all of our Ministers Officers of the Army they might be maintained in a more certain and honourable way then that scurvy way of Tythes which will yet be more vexatious to the People ten thousand times when you can bring it into the Exchequer as I really believe that to be the Design But here comes a most certain Truth no body questions it Why do you trouble your selves about it We have no Aimes or Ends to set up a Military or Arbitrary Power but I hope Necessity may put you upon it if the People prove unruly and will not submit to those Principles you have agreed among your selves But have already provided you shall have no thanks for your paine that the Civill and Executive part of Government may be lodged in a Committee of Safety This is a fine new Name indeed this is no Military Government Whose Deputies are they trow if one should Carechise them Question Who made you Answer The Generall Councell of Officers Quest Who gave you your Name Answ The Generall Councell of Officers How many Colonels Generals and Lords of the Army are there among them what are they no Military Power because they are not all of the Generall Councell of Officers yet there is one Lawyer among them it seems and that makes them a Civill Power I think half of this Committee of Safety are of the Generall Councell of Officers and yet they have no Aimes to set up a Military Power and they obliged in a short time I thought it bad been just six weeks to prepare such a form of Government as may best sute with a Free State and Common-wealth that is wisely done He promise you I hope they have more wit then to be obliged to it can you tell what is that form that will best sute or will you take their words for it That what they prepare is the best if they should have so good a conceit of their own Contrivances as to promise you that it is such No It must be according to the Principles agreed upon at Wallingford House must it not wherein no doubt all that know you will say on your behalfs You are not sufficient for these things and will cry unto the Lord not to carry on the work in your hands no honest men dare do that That he will arise from his holy Habitation and judge the Cause of the oppressed of the Father less and the widow That he would judge between them that fear God and them that fear him not That he would make bare his holy Arme and witness against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of them even those that have made void his Law That he would scatter the people that delight in War And that they that take the Sword may perish by the Sword And that he would restore us Judges as at the first and Counsellors as at the beginning Men fearing God and hating Covetousness To be Repairers of our breaches and Restorers of Paths for us to dwell in That we may never want Parliaments to Rule over us least we become a Prey to the Teeth of unreasonable men whose tender mercies are cruelties And for you Soldiers that you may do no Violence but be content with your Wages and if for this we become your Enemies and you count us evill men because we cannot say as you say Let God the righteous God judge between US and YOU FINIS POSTSCRIPT REader Take notice there is two sheets of Paper Intituled A Parliamenters Petition to the Army which is verbatim the latter part of a late Book Intituled The Grand Concernments of England Ensured To which some body hath added one Page of Notes stoln out of a Sermon which I utterly disown and dislike All which is done without any knowledge of mine and I fear with no good design Besides some expressions of those prophetick Notes as they are styled were severely censured by learned and godly men as savouring of too much Levity and for his Sermon I think the Parliament gave him no thanks
THE ARMIES DECLARATION Examined and Compared WITH Their DECLARATION May 6. Their PETITION and ADDRESSE May 12. AND Their PETITION and REPRESENTATION Discovering some of their Contradictions Lies Calumnies Hypocrisie and Designes Well worthy Observation LONDON Printed 1659. THE ARMIES DECLARATION EXAMINED c. IT was the serious wish of some who were very careful for the reputation of the Army after they understood how well the Army had made good their most Christian Declaration of the Sixth of May past by forcing the Parliament a second time according to their wonted way of Exposition or doing clean contrary that now they would no more declare to make themselves and friends the scorne of Heathens for falsness and ficklenss but leave themselves a sufficient latitude and field to ramble in who could never yet be kept within the limits they had set out for themselves however they have pleased me better as it fals out for without peradventure many men who but the other day excused extenuated or at least respited their judgement upon the strange practice of the Army in keeping out the Parliament deamed that those worthy Persons had miserably violated their trust or had practised some unheard of mischief against the good people of this Nation that should necessitate this extravagant and indirect proceeding of the Army contrary to their own Declaration of a very late date and all Humanity and Christianity who by reading this New Declaration or at least by taking the Examination thereof along with me must needs be undeceived by little and little till they understand the naked reason of these Masters of misrule wherein the better to help thy observation take here verbatim their Declaration of May Sixth which will take up but little room which I re-print that you may see I mean to deal fairly and it will be of some use in the sequel It begins thus THE Publique concernments of this Common-wealth being through a Vicissitude of dangers deliverances and backslidings of 〈◊〉 brought into that state and posture wherein they now stand and our selves also contributing thereunto by wandering divers wayes from righteous and equal paths and although there hath been many essaies to obviate the dangers and to settle these Nations in Peace and Prosperity yet all have proved ineffectual the only wise God in the course of his providence disappointing all endeavours therein And also observing to our great grief that the good Spirit which formerly appeared amongst us in the carrying on of this great work did daily decline so as the Good old Cause it self became a reproach We have been led to look back and examine the cause of the Lords withdrawing his wonted presence from us and where we turned out of the way that through mercy we might return and give him the glory And amongst other things calling to minde that the long Parliament consisting of the members which continued there sitting untill the 20th of April 1653. were eminent Assertors of that Cause and had a special presence of God with them and were signally blessed in that work the desires of many good people concurring with ours therein we judge it our duty to invite the aforesaid Members to return to the exercise and discharge of their trust as before the said 20th of April 1653. And therefore we do hereby most earnestly desire the Parliament consisting of those Members who continued to sit since the year 1648 untill the 20th of April 1653. to return to the exercise and discharge of their Trust and we shall be ready in our places to yeeld them as becomes us our utmost Assistance to sit in safety for the improving the present opportunity for setling and securing the Peace and Freedom of this Common-wealth praying for the presence and blessing of God upon their endeavours Signed by direction of the Lord Fleetwood and the Council of Officers of the Army Tho. Sandford Secret 6. May 1659. I shall trouble your Memory but little to look further back having taken notice how apt your are to forget your selves Look you now whose was this Bracelet Was this the Armies Declaration or no surely that and this now to be examined never came from the same men or those men are not the same they were You begin with telling how unpleasing it is to you to be necessitated to justifie your selves or your Actings to these Nations we never yet found you backward to say all that could be sayd for your-selves but I think it will be a hard matter to justifie your selves or your Actings since 1652. and that may make it a little displeasing if you or any body for you can do that we will all go to School again when you can justifie your selves and actings In first turning out this Parliament then opening the Door for them again as you say you were bound in duty and now shutting them out again and setting up Three and twenty Persons unto whom you have delegated such Power as most honest men say is not yours to give I say when you can justifie your selves herein you shall be forgiven your former Trespasses and have as full Indempnity as your hearts can wish You go on to do our selves Right we must necessarily insist upon the Miscarriages of Others of which we hold our selves obliged to give the People an Acount and of our Proceedings verily the People are much beholding to you I doubt you would make a bad reckoning o' nt if the People were enabled to call you to account We see the ARMY to justifie themselves resolve as they are obliged by necessity to insist upon the Failings of the Parliament and let them not spare they have done their worst let every sober minded man be assured that the Parliament are free from any Imputations that malicious Tongues and Pens have uttered against them which are not found in this black Bill who are so sure to say all that could be sayd against them and all little enough to justifie themselves that they strain hard to charge them with some things that though they were true yet are of little consequence to justifie such a proceeding in the Army they turn every Stone to make Matter against them But I must not anticipate thy Judgment you shall see by and by what the Mountain brings forth and as you go along pray note how much they insist upon their own Miscarringes and Failings Having thus Prefaced you declare in these Words Before the recalling of the late PARLIAMENT Observe it was the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England the Fifth of October last as they style them in their Petition and Representation But now the late Parliament surely they are as much a Parliament now as then and if Six years force could not hinder them of being a Parliament much less can Three weeks force but the Jest is they are the supreme Authority of the Nation when the ARMY please to Christen them so if the Army have any hopes they will serve their turn then they are
the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England If they keep close to the good of the Nation then they are the late Parliament We had divers Consultations and Thoughts of heart in what way and manner we might provide for the Peace and good Government of this Common-wealth truth is you have been very busie all along you break our Heads and then think of Plaisters for us you broke this Parliament formerly and after six years when you found your own dirty Interests going down then you had many Consultations how to keep them up and when you could not go on your own way the way you are now agoing for the Clamours of the People and the interposing of your own inferiour Officers you had some Conferences with some of the late Parliament as you call them from whom it seems receiving some good hopes of doing your Journey-work you resolve to put it to the Tryall Whether they will be your Slaves or the faithfull Servants of the People Who having failed your Expectation can be a Parliament no lo longer at length calling to mind no sure it was put in your Heads much against your Mindes those many great Things that had been effected for the good of these Nations during the sitting of the sayd Parliament Look back upon the Declaration of May 6. and see how it is there expressed Calling to minde That the long Parliament consisting of the Members which continued there sitting untill the Twentieth of April 1653. were eminent Assertors of the GOOD OLD CAUSE and had a speciall presence of God with them and were signally blessed in that Work Read the very Words and observe a Juggle That may be done during their sitting that is not done by them Make your own Observations and being likewise fully perswaded that the Government of these Nations might be most happily placed upon the Foundations of a Common-wealth and that upon such Principles as was then agreed upon by us this is the Plague o' nt they that for the most part of them Viz. The General Councel of Officers must make a Mark for their Names think themselves so wise as to agree Principles among themselves which are best for the Government of this Common-wealth and what are these Principles You shall find them in their Petition and Address May 12. 1659. the chief Corner Stones whereof are these Article 12. We do unanimously acknowledge and own the Lord Charles Fleetwood to be Commander in chief of the Land Forces of this Common-wealth Article 13. That there be a select Senate Co-ordinate in Power with the Parliament Article 15. That all Debts contracted by his late Highness or his Father since the Fifteenth of December 1653. may be satisfied and that an honourable Revenue of Ten thousand pounds per annum with a convenient House may be setled upon him and his Heirs for ever and Ten thousand pounds more per annum during his life and upon his honourable Mother Eight thousand pound per annum during her life To the end that a mark of the high esteem this Nation hath of the good seruice done by his Father our ever renowned Generall may remain to Posterity It concludes thus These having been the thoughts and desires of our hearts unanimously agreed upon before your returning to sit c. You may judge whether these are not rare Principles to brag of A Senate to controul the Parliament And Ten thousand pound per annum and a convenient House for ever Ten thousand pound per annum for life for the Protector and Eight thousand pounds per annum for the old Dowager Upon my word I do not know who contrived this so rarely but 't is a good Reward for making bold to rule us by his Will and pleasure to pay his Son and his Wife so well for it besides what Rewards he took out of the Earle of Worcesters Estate and what besides he converted to his own Coffers If I were Lord Lambert I should venture hard to make my self some-body if when the worst came my Heirs and Wife should be so well rewarded If when I could keep my Kingdome no longer I should be so well cared for that my Son should live like a Prince These are brave Principles for a Common-wealth that the Council of Officers should boast of You proceed And hoping through their experience of Affairs of Government we might most safely deliver the Power and Trust of these Nations into their hands pardon me you have done all you can to keep both in your own hands and having those further encouragements that they having lyen under that rebuke for some years which God hath given them for their former miscarriages That is the Rebuke you had given them when you turned out of the way and turned them out of the House who you say your selves Decl. May 6. were such eminent Assertors of the GOOD OLD CAUSE and had such a speciall presence of God with them that you judged it your Duty to invite them again to discharge their Trust and really 't is their eminent asserting the GOOD OLD CAUSE and nothing else that are the miscarriages for which you so rudely rebuke them And also from some previous meetings with some worthy and leading Members of that House these were I hope none of those the Army is now so angry at who upon debate with us approved of the Principles aforesaid and communicated them to some of their Fellow-Members Mark here their debate and the agreement of some Members with them in their Principles of their Addresse is a grand argument to perswade them to readmit the Parliament You finde no such matter in Decl. May 6. But there it seems to be only conscience of their sin in disturbing the Parliament and wandring from equall and righteous paths together with a sense of their duty as bound to call them again being such eminent Assertors of the GOOD CAUSE This is strange prevarication It seems too they were not so unseigned in the shame they took to themselves for all the disfiguring of their faces that they durst trust God having done their duty but must feel the Pulse of some Members first and give them their Lessons or the Principles they meant to insist upon So that they can take shame to themselves and yet drive on their Design they are Masters of Art in Dissimulation and can make Religion a Nose of Waxe to serve their Interest We were like to have our businesse well managed by this praevious Meeting if the Parliament had had so little honesty as the other wit That not only old displeasures would have been forgotten so they were but that the single and setled Government of this Common-wealth would have been only aimed at So most men believe it was having understood nothing to the contrary but observed the Parliament very earnest in contending for it and had made a large progresse in it even to admiration though they had met with many Disturbances and not a few from your selves but
good acceptance exprest not only by their hearty thanks but by approving many things therein contained and referring the rest to Committees of their Members Mark 'T is most certain the Parliament did all man could doe to keep fair with them and did grant any thing they desired so farre as they might not enslave the people by a Senate or give away their Money against all reason to maintain them in Pomp who rose to such a height by the ruine of the Nation 'T is true they petitioned that a godly faithfull and painfull Ministery be every where encouraged countenanced and maintained but the Parliament could not presently finde a better maintenance then Tythes for that purpose neither did the Army petition to have Tythes taken away though now it seems they are resolved upon though I doubt they do not yet know which way to provide so well for them nor could the Parliament think taking away Tythes could be a likely means that every where such a Ministry be encouraged countenanced 〈◊〉 maintained But now comes on the Charge now it is that they justifie themselves by insisting upon the Miscarriages of the Parliament First and foremost the Act of Oblivion was long before it was passed and then most imperfect and ineffectuall for the Ends expected that it stuck long in hand is no great wonder for if it had easily passed it might have given too much encouragement for new Designs upon the Government but it came out at last that is sure enough but now 't is miserably imperfect and ineffectuall to the Ends expected though this were true yet 't is scurvy dealing on your side why did you not put the Parliament in mind of it in your Petition and Representation and desire its amendment you have had time enough to do it as doubtless you would have done if that Act had not done its business pretty well but we do not know what you mean by the Ends expected unless you would have had full Indempnity for what ever you have done or shall do amiss to your lives end Indempnity for keeping out the Parliament formerly and Indempnity for shutting them out now and Indempnity for turning out every Authority that shall not please you this would do wondrous well indeed to the Ends expected but I hope this Imperfection is only the opinion of those Learned and able men that perswaded you the Parliament was wholly dissolved notwithstanding which you made every body to own them for the supreme Authority and took the Money they levied for you as if they had been a Parliament and no question their Act of Indempnity will serve your turn one time or other one way or another and for what concerned our twelve Proposalls wherein we owned the Lord Fleetwood to be Commander i◠chief of the Land Forces of this Common-wealth and concerning which we had assurance given that the same should be granted in Parliament verily this is excellent who could give you assurance these Generalls signifie nothing was it Sir Henry Vaune who promised and vowed this thing in their Name you are hard put to it I perceive we were not less deceived in our Expectation very strange the Parliament durst do any otherwise then as you should direct them to what a pitch of Pride are these Men grown who but a while since a great many of them I should hardly have numbred with the Dogs of my Flock his Commission being restrained to England and Scotland verily this is a criticall piece we would have him Commander in chief of the Land Forces of the Common-wealth and his Commission is restrained to England and Scotland he should have been Commander in chief of Jamaica too one would think by the story upon my word you make hard shift to pick Quarrells Doth any body think if the Parliament had gone about to oppress the Nation in the least that they would have routed in such Holes as these to have found out the Sluts corner Verily I am much pleased to see them in these Straights his Commission was limited to the sixth day of May or to be revoked at pleasure was this ever til now thought to be such an hainous Crim what should tho Parliament give such a Power that they could not recall this would make the Commander in chief Cosm German to a single PROTECTOR What give a Sword into mad mens hands You have used the Sword so well formerly that 't is not good trusting you further then we can see you still 't is better and better you see the Miscarciages the Parliament were guilty of and the further to abridge him of his Authority necessarily belonging to him to keep the Army in good order that is to make them for his own interest and to make the Army wholly subservient to their Will I pray to whose Will should they be subservient to the Parliaments or my Lord Fleetwoods O gross Miscarriages of the Parliament they resolved that all Commissions should be given by Mr. Speaker this indeed is a grievous one but I think pretty well agreeing with the Principles of a Common-wealth which nevertheless was submitted unto by the Army for Peace sake not for Conscience sake it seems that is to say rather then lose their sweet Offices and Commands they submitted for Peace sake as no question they would to the Turk rather then fail though not a few of these Sparks made very learned Speeches and fair Promises of their faithfulness to the Parliament and seemed highly to resent the Parliaments Favour in thinking them worthy of such Imployments and yet after all this you see what 't is come to and a rare Principle you have introduced to be a Foundation for your Free State that I may take a Commission from you and receive your Pay and yet when I see my time turn your own Swords upon you If some men should deal thus with you they payd you in your own Coyn and you could not refuse to take it in currant payment What Factions hereupon grew up in the Army what new moulding changing and transforming thereof to the discomposure of the whole how Parties were made and headed and encouraged by divers Members sitting in Parliament This is excellent was that ever counted Faction before which is only Conscience of duty and honesty some of the Commanders of the Army having bewailed their Apostasy among the rest thought it too much smelling of hypocrisie to go over their old Lesson again and dictate a Government to the Parliament having been sensible of their little good speed before yea and bewailed it too in these very words Declar May 6. although there have been many Essayes that is they had made many Essayes since the disturbing of the Parliament as by the sense of that Declaration you must needs understand it to obviate dangers and settle these Nations in Peace and Prosperity yet all have proved ineffectuall the only wise GOD in the course of his Providence disappointing all Endeavours therein I say
particulars which till you have done I tell you You lie By which means the aforementioned design of a generall Insurrection took further incouragement spreeding it self into every part of this Nation and being now grown ripe though by the wonderfull goodnesse of God prevented in other places broke out in Cheshiere O malice maliced you had best say as some of your Sneaking Creatures have said That the Parliament had a hand in Sir George Booths Plot. It had been better for the security of the Nation if more of those seditious Officers and their Forces had been disposed into every Quarter of England and not kept loytering about London to have awed the Parliament and kept their Counsells to dictate to them This was that gave so much encouragement to the Plot the Officers of the Army lye plotting at London and neglect their Charge and in the mean time they took opportunity to plot in the Countrey And this must be laid at the Parliaments dore And whereas the Plot in most places was prevented this snith the Declaration was by the wounderfull goodnesse of God but never a word of the Parliaments or Council of States wisdome in disposing of our Forces so as thoy were almost every where in readinesse to attend them And if the Officers of the Army had been as they should be many of those Forces that lay at London might have been in Chesh ere and prevented that danger too For the suppression of which a convenient number of the Army were appointed to march under Lambert Who appointed them and through the Blessing of God c. were routed and subdued See here is never a word of the Parliaments or the Council of States quick and almost miraculous bringing over the Forces from Ireland and Dunkirk no their businesse now is not to commend the signall presence of God with the Parliament these are Brave Youths The sull seace of which Mercy put it into the hearts of some of the Officers of that part of the Army to meet and consider how the same might be improved to the glory of God c. This makes my hair stare that men dare speak after this rate but 't is the Old Chear with which we have been too long bewitched the Officers met to consider how they might improve their mercies to the glory of God and they roated this Parliament and did so again and called the Mock-Parliament and again too and routed them once more and made their Protector yes and they improved that to the glory of God too and made him Protector for ever thought fit for the glory of God that he should nominate his Successor yes and for the glory of God too set up the Other House and many of them were Members thereof Aie and for the glory of God too pulled down the Protector and both his one House and his other House and then for the GOOD OLD CAUSE and the glory of God who they say had withdrawn his wonted presence from them invite this Parliament to sit again because when they were turned out before the Army then thought and say they turned out of the way and now through mercy they return to give him the glory Very good and now the Northern Brigade for to improve the glory of God must improve the glory of their Great Commander must have a Generall and Lieutenant Generall and Major Generall c. Yes too and to improve the glory of God they must turn out the Parliament again vote all null and void that the Parliament did which displeased them yes and for the glory of God too they must have the sole power of placing and displacing their Officers yes and for the glory of God they must act without Commissions and against Commissions take the whole care of the Nation into their own hands make Flcetwood Commader in Chief that is in English Generall Lambert the next man to him and Desborough next to him yes and for the glory of God too it was set upon their Spirits after seeking of God to create a Council of State or Committee of Safety into whose hands they have given all power that whosoevers sins they remit shall be remitted and whatever they binde on earth shall be bound in heaven or among the Saints at Wallingford-house if they like it that must be alwayes understood And I dare lay odds that ere long for the glory of God it will be put upon their hearts to lay them aside too 't is for the glory of God too no doubt that it is now upon their spirits to finde a Better maintenance for the Ministry then Tythes to reform the Law or rather to be a Law to themselves But 't is no wonder if they mend the Law since the Articles of Warre it seems want some Reformation yes and 't is for the glory of God too out of all question that to justifie themselves they must not only insist upon the failings of others but make the World believe strange things when they cannot say one word to the purpose to condemn the Parliament or justifie themselves but in such a way of juggling dissembling and double meaning that no Christian durst declare at such a rate These are so notoriously the Products of your Consultations for the improvement of Gods glory that not a Childe in the Streets almost but will say Is the Army a fasting surely some mischief is a working and they have Prophesied for the most part For Gods sake either be more bonest or boast not so much of your Religion those things that have been done by you had been horrid Crimes in them that never heard or believed in a Jesus O this Religion these pretenses of yours wherein you are wonderous dexterous hath done your work hitherto and fooled many honest hearts to a compliance with you For which perhaps the next Age may fame you with The most infamous Crew of Munster Whereupon they resolved upon a Paper c. that is the Paper wherein they desire a Generall and other generall Officers This is for the glory of God but it will never be better as long as those busie bodies take so much upon them there is no doubt but as long as you essay to obviate dangers and settle the Nation by such Principles as you agree among your selves you will have ever now and then occasion to look back where you turned out of the way as long as you say to the Parliament You take too much upon you all the Congregation or Camp are holy we shall never see a better World 't is your medling hath done all our Mischief This Paper saith the Declaration was sent to Fleetwood and his Excellency desiring to put the same into such a way as might not savour of Offence to the Parliament Consulted with Sir Arthur Hasterigge thereupon as also with Vaune and Salway all which were to consult what was fit to be done Marke how fain they would have drawn in honest Sir Arthur who could never yet
being led like a blind man by a Dogg and a Bell when they agreed the foresaid Representation resolved then to the end that the true state of Affairs might be communicated to those of the Army who were equally concerned with them That Copies should be sent to every Regiment c. inviting them in case they were free to concur with them in their just desires See now if this be not a submissive way of Petitioning for as Monk and Overton very well write If your Representation be already delivered to what purpose is it that we subscribe to no purpose in the world but knowing that the Parliament would never yeild to this unreasonable Request they would feel the Pulse of all the Forces in England Scotland and Ireland to see what numbers they could engage for them and see who would not that they might have an eye upon them till they could turn them off and by this means if they could not fright the Parliament yet they could sorce them out when they saw their time that is to say As soon as they had setled the Monthly Assesment and surnished them with a legall course of gathering Money The Parliament upon the Tenth of October resolved That the Officers of the Army had received and should receive from time to time Marks of the Favour of the Parliament and Countenance answerable to their Merit A fair Answer I think but it seems very far short of what they meant in their first Proposall it is pity but the Parliament should be bound to answer them to an hair this is a gross fault indeed but it seems the next is worse Resolved That it is the duty of all persons especially Members of Parliament to inform the House of any thing which in their apprehension may concern the publick safety and that it is the undoubted right of the Parliament to receive and debate those Informations and resolve what they think sit thereupon a most incomparable generous and truly English Resolve and yet it seems being applied to the Armies second Proposall never were Parliament thus bound to humour a company of Mercenary Soldiers that they must have the length of their foot to a hair it asserts that it is the duty of all persons to inform the House of any thing be it never so frivolous and false and to resolve thereupon the ruine and destruction of persons and Families the Parliament should have Voted their Insormation frivolous and false and punished the honest Member that informed them and then they would never have complained of their Resolution It is a hard matter to please every fool Upon Tuesday the next day after a Bill was brought into the House and contrary to the usuall Orders of Parliament thrice read in one and the same day this is that Act that cuts them to the heart and if it had been read in the House two severall daies you may be sure an Order would have been taken it should not have been read a third time men must be quick in case of necessity there was no trisling now they had found out your Design and it was fit they should nip you a little and you must note that this was not done before they had notice of this Conspiracy of getting hands after the Petition was debated in the House There is no reason the Parliament should take care for them who take so little care for our Parliaments but call them and break them at their pleasure however you are not lest without remedy Parliaments may give you money when they please and I do not hold it reason you should have it any other way yes but by this means the godly Ministers will suffer Pray take no care for that you are resolved to take away their Tithes and then it matters not much who gets their places Many other mischiefs you reckon up but they will fall upon you own heads when you foresaw these dangers that would arise what made you such mad men as to break the Parliament if they had continued here had been none of all this difficulty But the Commissions of your nine Tories or Bandits for such they are having no Commissions are a valuable consideration for all this hazard yea this Nation must wallow in bloud rather then Lambert must not be Lord Lambert Could you think the Parliament were such Novices as to be only your Tools and Engines we should have laughed at them for their wisdome if they had been such Noddies they had experience of your faithfullnesse once before Concerning which we adde That had not strange precipitancy and design driven it on it could never have been imagined that any Supreme Authority would ever have exposed a people to such inconveniencies What do you now abuse them with the Supreme Authority It seems it was their design to be the Supreme Authority which they could never be while you were the Supreme power See how they are at it with Precipitancy again indeed I think they were too nimble for you and I am betten pleased you should spite them then pity them but I think it was your precipitancy that exposed us to all these inconveniencies and I believe if they had been ten times more you would have ventured them rather then part with the Supreme power Things being thus prepared the next day the Parliament hoping they had a great influence upon part of the Army and conceiving by their late Acts they had sufficiently perplexed them who they doubted might oppose them Mark you see by their own confession those acts were made only in defence and that the Government of the Nation was so sure in their own hands as in all probability things must run into consusion except managed by themselves as indeed by your own confession they did after you first forced them till you restored them again will in all probability still run into disorder till they are called back to settle them and although you scoffe at them while you tell them they thought the Government sure in their own hands yet I think any body that had nor been acquainted with your falsenesse would have thought it had been so indeed when they read in your Papers that you were their servants their faithfull servants that you were their Army that it was your Duty to obey their Commands who would have doubted but the Government had been sure in their hands till they could have secured the Rights of the Nation and fairly have delivered the power into other hands by the Sixth of May next But if you look back upon your Declar. May 6. and Petition and Addresse May 12. you your selves give them such high Characters as one would think they were the fittest men to have the Government in their hands Reader look back and ponder I will not repeat In the morning the dores of the Lobby by their appointment being fast shut and guarded that none might by any means come near the House or understand their proceedings And but
prank you are very towardly Babes of Grace And think our selves yet further obliged sure you do but think so to declare all Orders Acts pretended Acts or other Declarations or any of them made enacted or pass'd on Monday the 10 of October and on Tuesday and Wednesday following them and every of them null and void to all intents and purposes this would do very well if it were so easily done and do hereby declare them and every of them and every Clause and sentence of them invalid null and void to all intents and purposes and likewise all Acts and Orders and proceedings thereupon had or done in as full and ample manner at if the said Orders Acts pretended Acts or Declarations and every of them had never been done Very gallant and I Declare you and every of you stark mad in as full and ample manner as if you were of the Congregation of Bedlam or as any there are to all intents and purposes All which we thought fit to publish hoping all unprejudiced persons will acquiesce in the justice and necessity hereof I do not know what you hope but I dare say no unbyassed rational man can either approve the justice or dare justifie the necessity thereof upon my conscience you can no more justifie this action before indifferent judges then I can if I should break open my neighbours house and rob his chest Reader I leave thee free to judge you have seen what the Army say for themselves and how double tongued they are you have seen them compared with their former selves and how unlike themselves they look You have seen what they have said against the Honourable Parliament or any members thereof which is so far from any miscarriages that they have done the Parliament this kindness to let the Nation see a little how much they are indebted to them and generally men are well assured that the Parliament meant the Nation a very happy Government in the enjoyment of their ancient Birth-rights and who ever he be that can shew us wherein they have broke their Trust reposed in them in the least since they sate Let him cast the first stone at them and I will stand still and hold my peace they would have been sure to heare of it in this Declaration if any such thing had been true and let me tell you here which I forgot before for all what the Declaration sayth That the Parliament in the Act before mentioned did expresly take care of the Act of Oblivion and the Adventurers for Lands in Ireland excepting them particularly in the said Act that nothing in the sayd Act should be construed to the Impairing thereof I will onely now rightly state the Case between the Parliament and Army very briefly and impartially because you have seen how the Army faulter and mince the matter The Army having made a Rod for their own Breach by agreeing to the Protectors nominating his Successor as they had agreed him to be King if he had lived a little longer the old Man dying up starts his Son to Reign in his stead whom God made an honester man then his Father the Army soon finding him too carefull of the Liberties of England though Principled for Kingship an Epidemicall Disease among them at that time they were desirous to have Fleetwood their Generall fearing else their Kingdome would not last long but the Protector was perswaded it was better for him to be Generall and let Fleetwood be Protector I think so too but if a Generall he was as willing to trust Falconbridge as Fleetwood In this Juncture of Affairs the Protector hastens a Parliament as they called it which though it was thwacked with Officers of the Army and many Pensioners of his Highness yet could not endure to be Bearded by Wallingsord house nor will any Parliament ever eâ—…ure it till the Worlds end Hereupon followed those Votes for the discontinuing their Generall Councels which put them in such a Rage that nothing would serve them but its Dissolution which accordingly was effected now all the Power falls into the hands of Wallingford-house who had many thoughts of heart and Consultations how to settle the Nation in the way they are now agoing merning nothing less in the World then the recalling this Parliament but so it fell out that some honest Hearts set this Design a going among them which took so with the small Officers of a sudden that there was no way though enough against the mindes of some Grandees but this Parliament must be called The Great men seeing things thus run against them and their Interests were forced to each hold of this Twig to save themselves from drowning as they now tell us with is the truest word in all their Declaration to keep their Heads above water To this end they had the previous Meetings with some leading Members as they call them to Cog them into a subserviency of their Interest and hoping well that this Twig might keep their Interest from sinking a while They most Christian like dissemble their Repentance in their Declaration May 6. and invite the Parliament to return but 't is well known they did but lye in their hearts when they took shame to themselves unless they were convinced and converted in the very minute of penning that Declaration the Parliament being Assembled it was soon manifest by their Address of May 12. what Designes they drove at Viz. A Senate to check the Parliament and Eight and twenty thousand pounds per annum for the Protector and his Mother and to have Fleetwood Commander in chief of England Scotland and Ireland to say nothing of the Two latter The Honesty of the Parliament is for ever to be had in Memory that they did not agree for a Senate such a Temptation as hath hardly ever been resisted by men for by this means most or all of the Parliament might have been joyned with the Ringleaders of the Army and been a Senate for ever called Parliaments and made Fools of them having no Power left them to do any thing but by concurrence of the Senate thus they might have been an Everlasting Parliament and they and their good Servants have ruled for ever and ever this Proposition of the Army not being answered to their Expectation for this was the main of the matter together with their receiving Commissions from the Parliament which was put upon them to oblige their Consciences to that duty which they declared they owed unto the Parliament the Parliament finding them not altogether such humble Servants as they declared themselves which Commissions they accepted for Peace sake till they should finde an opportunity to turn over a new leaf Much regret was discovered against this by many Principall Blades and many thoughts of heart there were how to get their Necks out of this Yoke that they might the better go on for a Senate In the mean time Sir George Booth's Rebellion breaks out which being quelled some of the Officers