Heaven And that by a few of our meer fellow-Subjects who have not the least shadow of any lawfull jurisdiction over us from God or Man much lesse of any such absolute arbitrary Tyrannical Domination over our Persons Estates Liberties Lives as they now dayly exercise which the beheaded King yea the most oppressive of his Royal Predecessors never exercised nor pretended to but absolutely disclaimed and protested against as both illegal and tyrannical And must we still be constrained to pay heavy monthly Contributions Excises only to maintain Souldiers to support such an oppressing Self-created Authority power over us and execute all their iregal Warrants to break up search command our Houses ransack our Studies writings seise in prison our persons plunder our goods disseise us of our Freeholds take away our lives and make us more absolute Vassals to our new Supremacie than the most Slavish Turks are to their Grand Seignior Did ever the free people of England voted by the Army and those at Westminster the only Supreme Authority of the Nation next under God and the only fountain of all lawfull Authority ever transferr such an exorbitant Iurisdiction as this over themselves or me to those at White-hall or any other who stile themselves their Representatives or authorize them to do the least Action contrary to Magna Charta the Statutes of 25. E. 3. c. 4 42. E. 3. c. 3. the Petition of Right the Statutes of 25. E. 1. c. 5 6. 28. E. 1. c. 1. 34. E. 1. De Tallagio non concedendo 1 2 3 4. 14 E 3. Stat. 2. c. 1. 1. R. 3. c. 2. 35 E. 1. De Aspâ—rtatis Religiosorum and other Acts but lately made and assented to by the late be-headed King An. 1640 And if not as is most certain then how can or dare you thus illegally abâ—se imprison close imprison mâ— and sundry others as you have done and to levy illegall Contributions and Taxes on me since my chargable imprisonmeâ—t not granted nor imposed by the Common Consent of the Earls Barons Great men and Commons of the Realm in full Parliament by Act of Parliament only to maintain Souldiers to apprehend securâ— imprisoâ— my self and th' other free-men of England and Lord it â—ver us by colour of your unlawfull warrants contrary to the expresse Letter of all these Acts and Resolutions of our two last Parliaments Yet this is not all the Oppression I now groan under but as if the former had not been sufficient some Malitia rather then Militia Gentlemen of our County the originall Contrivers of my present Commitment if I be not mis-informea in the prosecution of their further malice towards me on Tuesday night last sent a Warrant by the Constable to my house I know not by what new pretended Authority to send in an horse and man such as they should approve of compleatly furnished to their worships at Wells 17. miles from my house the very next morning without fail To whom my Sister returned this answer that I was a close Prisoner fifty miles off that I had neither â—orse nor Arms to send and it was impossible to provide any at so short warning neither would my estate bear such an heavy new Charge being not chargable with an horse by their late instructions He replyeth that no excuse would serve but and horse and man must be sent under I know not what heavy penalâ—yâ— none beingsent upon these Grounds I daily expect to hear of their utmost Exâ—remitys against this my pretended Default being encouraged thereto by my present restraint The illegallity and dangerousnesse of which new Arbitrary Authority in these Commissioners of the Militia arraigning Assessing men with Arms imprisoning fining men at their arbitrary Discretion without any legal tryal being largely argued vored resolved 〈…〉 to the Kingdom by the Declaration of the Lords Commons concerning the Distractions of the Kingdome 1 2. Iuly 1642. By the Petition of both Houses 20. Iuly 1642. By his Majesties Declaration to all his Subjects Aug. 12. 1642. and by the Lords and Commons 2. Declaration against the Commission of Array 12. Ian 1642. I shall not dispute it here but referr you thereunto And for their present practice in dis-arming many well affected Gentlemen and Yeomen of best rank and Quality puiting their arms into Mercinaries hands and not trusting them with their own or the Kingdomes Defence as it is against all Presidents in former ages cited either by the late King or Parliament concerning the Array or Militia so it was thus publickly declared against by the Lords and Commons in Parliament in case of the King and his party in their Printed Declaration of 18. August 1642. A third observation is this That Arms were taken from the honest Gentlemen Yeomen and Townsmen and put into the hands of such desperate Persons as cannot live but by rapinâ— and spoyl A fourth That not withstanding all the Vows and Protestations to Govern according to Law which have been dispersed throughout the Kingdome to blind and deceive the People THE MOST MISCHEIVOUS PRINCIPLFS OF TYRANNY ARE PRACTISED THAT EVER WERE INVENTED that is TO DISARM THE MIDDLE SORT OF PEOPLE who are the body of the Kingdomâ— AND TO MAINTAIN SOULDIERS BY FORCED CONTRIBVTION TO CREATE A PROVINTIALL GOVERMENT IN THE NORTH but now throughout the Kingdom CLEARLY AGAINST THE COMMON LAW AND THE JUDGEMENT GIVEN THIS PARLIAMENT for taking away the Court at York That the Contrivers and Instruments of â—hâ—se mischiefs for thâ—ir better strengthning in these Designs are about to joyn themselves in Association with other Counties That Directions are given that such as shall oppose and â—ot joyn with them shall be violently plundred and pillaged of their horses and Arâ—â—es at least if not of their goods and estates Vpon all which considerations and unjust Oppressions now imposed on or threatned to me be reason of my present restraint I do once more of meer common right Demand my unconditioned present Enlargement that â—o my imprisonment may not survive my now Demolishing new Prison where there are neer 300. Pioners at work to level not only the Castle Walls but â—â—â—â—lling house it self to the very ground by pretext of your fresh warrant though the best Seat in the County yea the antient habitation of an Eminent Gentleman and his Ancestors who have been always cordial to sustained many thousand pounds losse for the Parliament who yet without any Notice or 3 days warning must have his house puâ—led down over his head before yea without any veiw hearing or recompence himself his Wife and Family turned out into the Streets having no other habitation for the present instead of receiving recompence for his former Six thousand pound losses or more be rewarded with neer ten thousand pound new Dammages for his fidelity toward you to the great rejoycing and triumph of all the Malignants in the County who laugh in their sleeves to see how gratefully and
bountifully you reward your best deserving friends for all their losses and Services for the publick with greater Injuries Dammages Affronts Oppressions and restraiâ— is than ever they received from the worst and cruelest of their Enemies Which is the present condition oâ— Mr. George Lutterell the owner of my Demolishing Prison of Dunster Castle and of Your much oppressed close Impriprisoned Vassall WILL. PRYNNE From my Demolishing Prison in Dunster Castle The fourth Letter to Mr. Bradshaw and his Assocîates Gentlemen THese are to mind you that after all my heavy sufferings of three Pillories a double losse of my ears stigmatâ—zing on both Cheeks two Fines of 5000 l. apiece expulsion out of the University of Oxford and Lincolns Inn degradation in both the seisure of my Papers Books Estate near 9 years losse of my Calling above 8 years imprisonment in the Tower of London Fleet Carnarvan and Mount Orgueil Castle in Jersey through the Tyranny of the late Prelates Starchamber and Council Table only for my publike Defence of the Protestant Religion Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom against Popery and Tyranny in the worst of times when few durst openly stand up on their behalf to my Damage of ten thousand pounds at least After above 8 years faithfull painfull services since my enlargement in maintenance of the Kingdoms Parliaments just Rights Privileges Liberties against all opposers and other publike employments for the Common good with the almost total neglect and losse of my Practice and expence of many hundred pounds out of my purse After 3 Months costly most injurious imprisonment by the Army for discharging my duty and speaking my Conscience in the Commons House whereof I was then a Member and am so still if that House be yet in being as you affirm and so not subject to your New Whitâ—hal Jurisdiction contrary to Law and the Privileges of Parliament After sundry other Affronts Injuries Pressures for my sincerity fidelity to my Native Country for all or any of which unjust sufferings losses meritorions services by which our Religion Republick Parliament Nation received many great advantages I never yet received one farthing recompense nor the least advantage or preferment of which I was never ambitious I have to augment my former damages oppressions in stead of repairing them received this great accumulation to them by colour of your illegal Warrants under Mr. Braâ—sbaws hand who lately professed your selves my Friends and lamented my former injurious sufferings though senceless of my present before without the least notice summons examination or legal accusation even a forcible infringement search rifling of my Studies Trunks Writings Papers in Lincolns Inn house at Swainswick by a company of armed Souldiers who â—eâ—sed sundry of my Writings Papers Boâ—ks 〈◊〉 Records against Law and sent them Whitehall together with a violent Attachment of my own Person though no Fugitive nor person in Armes not by any known sworn lawfull Officers but a strong Party of unknown Troops in my own house and Bedchamber about eleven of the clock at night on the Lords day the 30 of June last who carryed me through the County in triumph as their Prisoner to Dunster Castle no ordinary Prison but a private Garrison 50 miles distant from my habitation where I have been kept close Prisoner with my Servant who attends me by more than four Quaternions of Souldiers as Peter was under persecuting Herod above 3 moneths space though the walls thereof be demolished of late by your Order to my â—xtraordinary expenâ—e and great damage through my absence from my Family all the Harvest during all which time neither I nor my Servant have been permitted the least accesse to Gods publike Ordinances on Lords-days or Lecture dayes nor to stir out of the Castle where are no provisions at all to be had for any thing I want nor to speak with any Person but in the Governours presence or hearing nor to receive or write any Letters upon any occasion but what he must first peruse And although I have written at the least Seven Lettâ—rs to Mr. Bradshaw and others of you my late iâ—timate fâ—iends â—omol ining of this unparalleld Injusticâ— and Tyranny answering all Pretences of necessity and publick Danger to justifie or excuse it and manifesting it to be contrary to MAGNA CHARTA c. 29. 25 E. 1. c. 12. 28 E. 3. c. 1. 5 E. 3. c 9. 25 E. 3. c. 4. â—8 E. â— c. 3 37. E. 3 c. 18. 38 E. 3 c. 9. 42 E. 3. c. 3. 17. R. 2. c 6. 2 H. 4. Rot. Parl. n. 60. the Petition of Right other Statutes the very Common Law of England the Liberty of the Subject the Law s of God and Nature the Resolutions and printed Declarations of the 3 last Parliamenâ—s the expressed Votes of the Commons Iudgement of the Lords House in my own particular Case and my Fellow Sufferers yea a Greater Cruelty and Tyin some respects than ever the late King Star-Chamber or be headed Canterbury â—â—flicted on me who at first only summoned me by a Messenger to appear before them but never attached me by armed Officers or Souldiers accused me of a particular bock upon which they examinâ—d heard before they restrained me and never committed me close Prisoner at first nor laid any such restraints upon me or my servant as you do now for above 4 years space permitting me free accesse to Gods publick Ordinances free conference in publick and Private with whom and Liberty to write to and receive Letters from whom I pleased without any over-hearing or Jutervising and to send my Servant abroad upon all occasions A Liberty which the Laws of England allow to all Traytors and Fellons whatsoever and which beheaded Strafford and Cantâ—rbury enjoyed though impeached of the Highest Treasons by the whole Commons House and yet deuyed unto me by you such Great Pretenders to Publick Liberty both of Person and Conscience though hitherto accused impeached of no Crime yet notwithstanding I can hitherto receive no relief nor satisfactory answer to my just Demands from any of you Whereupon I have been necessitated to addresse this brief precedent Narrative of your harsh proceedings against me to you all in general to leave you without excuse and thereupon as a Free born English man who as you well know hath written suffered more than any or all of you for the publick Liberty of the Nation without the least reward upon which account I may Justly challenge as great an Interest in the Laws and Liberty of the Nation as any man this day breathing I shall make bold being thus inforced by you thereunto to make some Proposals unto you who have Declared an unaccountable Power or Officer in any State to be A MONSTER both in Nature and Politicks for the publike and your own particular good and my better relief which I beseech you sadly to consider because I fear you now meet with more * Sycophants than Faithfull Friends
for the future act any thing to the prejudice of the Common-wealth and the present Government thereof The Councell have thought fit that the taking of his Bond should be left to your care and do therefore desire you to see the same entred into by the said Mr. Prynne according to usuall forme and the condition above mentioned which Bond when the said Mr. Prynne hath entred into accordingly as is hereby directed you are to return the Bond to the Councell and to set Mr. William Prynne at Liberty Whitehall Feb. 2. 1652. JOHN BRADSHAW President To the Governour of Pendennis Castle These Signed in the name and by Order of the Councell of State appointed by authority of Parliament Exam. John Thurlo Clerk of the Councell Upon reading of this Order and Warrant brought me by the Deputy Governour I peremptorily resused to enter into any Bond at all upon any termes the Illegality and Tyranny of which Bond and Condition I at length expressed in a Letter to a Member of Whitehall that sent them resolving rather to die a Prisoner then live a Bondman in my Native Country where I was borne a Freeman Whereupon they sent this absolute Order for my enlargement without any Bond or limitation whatsoever upon which I was thence released THese are to will and require you forthwith upon sight hereof to discharge and fet at liberty the body of Mr. William Prynne from his Imprisonment if he be under restraint with you for no other cause then that is expressed by the Order of the Councell for his Commitment of which you are not to fail and for which this shall be your Warrant Given at the Councell of State at Whitehall this 18. day of February 1652. To the Governour or Commander of the Castle of Pendennis JOHN BRADSHAW President Signed in the name and by Order of the Councell of State appointed by authority of Parliament Exam. Jo. Thurlo Cler. Concil Upon my repair to London in November last I writ and sent this ensuing Letter to Mr. Bradshaw SIR UNderstanding you are now returned to Westminster I thought meet to minde you that by sundry illegall Warrants under your hand during your cashiered Whitehall superlative power my study in Lincolnes Inne and house study at Swainswick were searched my Records Writings Papers taken away my person forcibly seized by and close Imprisoned in three severall remote Castles under Souldiers for two years and eight months space my Prison-chamber and very Pockets ransacked my notes tables to the Books I read in prison violently taken from me all persons prohibitâ—d to speak with me but in the presence and hearing of my Gardians all Letters to or from me inteâ—cepted peâ—used the liberty of sending Letters to demand my freedome debarred accesse to Gods tublick Ordinances denyed me my Laundresse Brother in Law Servant with some others imprisoned and examined extrajudicially against me and that before without the least legall accusation hearing tryall or any particular crime or cause objected against or hitherto signified unto me contrary to all rules of Law Justice the great Charters of England the Peâ—ition of Right and the Votes of both Houses of Parliament in my very case as you well know and I then informed you at large by severall Letters to the prejudice of my health decay of my estate and extraordinary dammage after all my former unrecompensed great losses and martyrdomes for our Religion Laws Liberties under the beheaded King Prelates and old exorbitant Councell table The true cause of whose Tyrannicall proceedings against me being yet unknown even to such of your late Whitehall associates as I have hitherto met with who are ashamed of these Barbarismes and remit me wholly to your self for the true reason of them of which they professe themselves ignorant I thereupon held it necessary and just now at last to demand from you by writing the true reall cause of these irregular restraints and proceedings against me together with full damages for the same in private before I demand them in such a publick manner if necessitated thereunto as may expose you to greater obloquy and infamy then ever beheaded Canterbury sustayned for his â—xorbitances against me For my own part I was never of a revengefull spirit yet I cannot be so stupid as to put up these transcendent iujuries and illegall oppressions I sustained under you because I underwent them not as a private person but as A MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT and that in and for the publick cause of the whole English Nation I then supported whereupon I must noâ— passe them by in silence without publick satisfaction even for the present and future benefit of the Nation and vindication of the liberties and pâ—iviledges of Parliament according to the Tenor oâ— the Covenant lest by my silâ—nce they should prove dangerous presidents to prejudice posterity I bâ—ing then a Member of Parliament iâ— the former Parliament continued in being as you affirmed it did in your very Warrants for my restraints Wherefore seeing we are once more become fellow commoners again I do hereby in justice require and expect from you an undelayâ—d â—ccount both of the grounds of my forementioned illegall unchristian injuries and restraints with full reparations for the same as I did from Canterbury and my quondam Lordly Whitehall unjust censurers which I presume you will not disdain to render to him who through Gods mercy maugre all mens Tyranny still continues to be what you ever found him Your long oppressed yet still unconquered Tyranno-mastix William Prynne From my Chamber at Lincolnes Inne Nov. 24. 1654. To this Letter Mr. Bradshaw returning a long unsatisfactory answer in writing dated the 1 of of December I thereupon sent him this Reply thereto SIR UPon my return late last night to my Chamber I found your answer to my former lines under my door which by reason of company I had no time to peruse till now wherein as I finde not the least satisfaction touching the particular grounds of these illegall proceedings against me I informed you of justifiable as you well know by no Lawes of God or Man so your hand alone being to the Warrants prescribing and occasioning them contrary to the presidents in former times and all my commitments by the old Whitehall councell to which all my committers subscribed their hands or had their names superscribed by the Cleâ—k of the Councell as you may see in my New discovery of the Prelates Tyranny I could resort to none but your selfe both for satisfaction and reparation being wholly ignorant who else concurred with you therein For any pretended mercy shewed to me by you or others of your associates in my restraints under you I must yet account them such mercies only as Solomon defines them Prov. 12. 10. and you such friends alone as Job and David complain of Job 19. 13 14 19 to 24. 6. 14 15. Psal 41. 9. 55. 13 c. As for the surmised benefit you did me at last by your casting voice
aliter at que ii qui vino adobruuntur ebrius esset IN INNOXIOS FVRERET c. Vnde PERICV LOSSISSIMA RES EST QVIQVAM COMMITTERE IMPERIVM To pretermit all other forraign presidents of like nature enough to fill whole Volumes I shall instance only in one domestick one not unseasonable for and very parallel to our times related by sundry of our Historians William Langchamp being advanced from an inferiour condition by King Richard the first to be Bishop of Ely Popes Legate Lord Chancellor Chiefe Justice and Protector of England the first who enjoyed that title to my remembrance during the Kings absence in the holy Wars Ann. 1191 c. Was so strangely infatuated intoxicated metamorphosed by these his new honours and powers that he acted many things not onely indiscreetly and untowardly but also most arrogantly insolently tyranically unconscionably covetuously and cruelly tyrannizing beyond all measure over his Fellow Commissioners the Kings own Brethren all the Nobility Clergy Gentry and Commonalty of the Râ—aâ—me whom he perpetually greived oppressed with manifold continual and needlesse illegal exactions pressures proud insolent Speeches and behaviour purveyances proling Officers Troopers Guards Garrisons who by some means or other got all the wealth of the kingdome into his and their hands by placing displacing all Officers and disposing all Offices preferments in the Realme at his pleasure by imprisoning crushing trampling under feet all such who durst oppose or appeal against his Tyrannicall Exactions Procedings Usurpations against their ancient Liberties Priviledges Rights Laws AS GUILTY OF HIGH TREASON OR SEDITION And to keep the Nobility Clergy People in this servile condition under him he kept a perpetuall Guard of Frenchmen and Flemings about him never riding abroad with lesse then 1500. Horse to guard him and commanded all the Nobility and their Sonnes to attend upon him and matched his Neeces and kinswomen to them the better to secure and strengthen himself Yea he displaced all the Officers appointed by the King and under pretext of suppressing Thieves and tumults placed garrisons of his own creatures rather to destroy then govern it who kept great troops of cruel and barbarous Souldiers which rode about armed in every place to terrifie the people and be the most wicked executioners of his Violence rapine coveteousnes Exactions sparing neither Clergy man Monke nor Layman and committing many outrages and cruelties in all places without punishment And not contented herewith being sensible of the Nobilities Clergies and peoples indignation against him for these his Exorbitances and Oppressions he sent for divâ—rs forraigne forces of his Friends and Confederates placing them in the Castles and Garrisons of the Kingdome for his greater security By which Tyranicall courses Multis Terrorem incussit Siluit Regnum Angliae à facie ejus nec fuit qui obmurmuraret â—um sibi in Anglia nihil ad exâ—vgnandum restaret writes Mathew Paris In briefe Nuâ—rigensts records That the Laity oâ— England experimentally found him MORE THEN A KING And the Clergie MORE THEN A POPE but both of them AN INTOLLERABLE TYRANT Solis complicibus et copriâ—toribus suis innoxius caeteris indifferentur non tantum PECVNIARVM AMBITV verum etiam DOMINANDI VOLVPTATE ERAT INFESTVS For by reason of HIS DOVBLE POWER or rather treble civill Ecclesiastical Military he usurping the Militia into his own hands alone HE PUT ON THE PERSON OF A DOUBLE TYRANT most arrogâ—ntly domineering both over the Clergie and people making use of both his powers the more easily to accomplish his designes and crushiug those with his Military and royall power whom he could not subdue with his Ecclesiasticall Authority Non erat qui se absoonderet à calore ejus cum secularis in eo virgam vel GLADIVM Apostolicae potestatis timeret His pompe and pride was more then royall almost in all things Yet such was his secret fear in the midst of his greatness That Clericorum stipatus Catervis MILITVMQVE VALLATVS AGMINIâ—VS Orientalium more Regum TANQVAM IN EXPEDITIONE JVGITER POSITVS ARMATORVM CIRCA CVBICVLVM SVVM HABERE EXCVBIAS VOLVIT keeping great armed guards about him day and night wheresoever he was or went Hereupon the Nobility and People unable to suffer his intollerable insolencies and oppressions any longer complained most greivously of them â—o the King who thereupon writ to some Nobles to examine and redresse these Greivances And upon the instigation of Earl John the Kings Brother the Nobles of England raysing great forces to suppresse and eject this Tyrant met in a kinde of Parliament the Saturday after Michaelmas Anno. 1191. at Lâ—don Bridge between Reading and Windsâ—r and after that in Pauls Church and on the East part of the Tower of London where all the Archbishops Bishops Earls and Barons there assembled agreed and resolved the unanimous conscent of all Vt talis de caetero in Regno Angliae non dominaretur per quem Ecclesia Dei ad ignominiam et POPVâ—VS AD INOPIAM TRAHEBAâ—VR Ipse enim Cancellarius et satellitâ—s ejus OMNES REGNI DIVITIAS IT A EXHAVSERANT Vt nec viri Baltheum argento redimitum ne faeminae monile nec viri nobili annulum vel Judaeo relinquerent the saurum vel quidlibet precioâ—i The sauruÌ„ quoque domini regis adeo evacua verant ut in scriniis auâ—â—litâ—llis Nihil praeter câ—aves et vasa vacua possent de elapsa Biennio inveniri Provisum est etiam Vt oâ—â—ia castella quae pro libitu suo idem cancellarius cuâ—todiae satellitum suorum commisserat redderentur in primis Ipsa turris Londinensis This insolent Oppressor now finding himselfe unable to resist the nobles most of his Freinds rebellious forces deserting him in his distresses fled to the Tower of London refusing to appear before the Lords for fear of violence notwithstanding security tendered to him but at last being necessitated thereunto he sware to perform whatsoever the Lords had Decreed giving sureties to surrender up all the Castles to them and to depart the Realm Whereupon laying down his Offices and Legates Crosse he came to Dover thinking in a clandestine manner to passe the Seas and the better to deceive the Marriners eyes he disguised himself in womens apparel virum in faeminum convertit dum vestem Sacerdotis in meretricis habitum commutavit tunica virida faeminea indutus But being casually discovered by a Mariner to be a man who desired to make use of him as his strumpet and that hatefull Chancellour whom so many had cursed and feared a company of women and vulgar people in great despite threw him to the ground spit upon and beat him very sorely dragged him by the heeles along the Sands and would no doubt have torn him in pieces had not some of the Burgesses of the Town rescued him out of their hands and thrust him into a Seller where he was detained prisoner till they knew the Lords pleasure concerning him Thus he who but a
secret treasonable plots practises had any hand in my last close restraints I cannot certainly resolve seeing my Imprisoners themselves have protested to me they know not by whose or upon what information I was Imprisoned But this some of my Restrainers have confessed to me and my friends That they believe the chief reason of my long close Restraints was to hinder me from writing any thing against their late proceedings and publique Alterations Lawes Liberties which I formerly averred in my Speech in Parliament and Memento when they were first put them in execution to be originally contrived and secretly fomented by the Jesuites to destroy our King Kingdome and Religion That Speech of the Parliament of Paris to King Henry the fourth of France Anno 1603. when he resolved to restore the banished Jesuites against his Parliaments arrest and advise being then my constant asseveration Faxit Deus ut sim falsus vates sed prospicio animo tandem HOC REGNVM OPERA JESUITARUM IN CINERES ABITURUM and that I verily feared and believed the vissible Instruments most active in those dismall Proceedings Changes Subversions then intended and since effected were but the Jesuites deluded seduced Instruments in reality And that which may now at last convince them thereof beyond contradiction is not only the irrefragable evidences lately published in my Epistle to A Seasonable Legal an Historical Vindication of the good old Fundamentall Liberties Rights Lawes Governments of England compared with the excellent Proclamations of Queen Elizabeth and King James against Jesuites but likewise that memorable Piece presented to the states and Nobility of Poland assembled in Parliament 1607. to prevent the Seditious practises tumults of the Jesuites in that Realm intitutled Consilium derecuperonda in posteram stabilienda Paâ—a Regni Poloniae per IESVITARVM ELECTIONEM Which clearly demonstrated That the Jesuites Society was purposely instituted by the Pope and Spaniard to advance their intended universall Monarchies and to be their principle Spies Intelligencers Instruments for this purpose the generall of the Jesuites being alwayes a Spaniard by birth or Allegiance and keeping his constant residence at Rome and their Order a most dangerous sharpe active sword whose blade secretly heathed in the bowels of all other Realmes States but the bilt thereof alwayes held in the Popes and Spaniards hands who weild it at their pleasure That the Jesuites instill this Treasonable Principle into their Schollers and Auditors That all Christian Kings and Princes as well Papists as Protestants who shall by any meanes whatsoever fall under the Popes indignation or Sentence or in any sort hinder the Jesuites Projects or not obey them in all things ARE HERETICKS and TYRANTS that thereby their Subjects are actually absolved from all Oathes Obedience and future Subjection to them Whereupon not only the people in generall but any particular person MAY LAWFULLY KILL and DESTROY THEM not without punishmemt only but likewise with GREATEST APPLAVSE and MERIT even of a CANONIZATION FOR A SAINT By which Jesuiticall Decree THE LIFE and DEâ—TH OF ALL KINGS and ALL THE CIVIL MAGISTRATES OF EVROPE IS SUSPENDED ON THE IESVITES PLEASURE If they favour them they may live and prosper If not THEY MUST PERISH Which the Jesuites proclaiming of the State of Venice through all Italy for most PESTILENT HERETICKS ABOMINABLE TYRANTS only for making lawes to bridle their covetousnes and banishing them for their disobedience and Treachery to the State though professed Roman Catholickes Their fury against Henry the 3. of France in stabbing him to deathâ— though never accused of Heresy and continuing till his death in the Roman Communion only for this reason Quod Seeptrum Regium non ei tradere volebat quem sibi Hi Socij tanquam idoneum mâ—litiâ—num suarum administrum gallicae Regem destinaveránt branding him both for an HEREâ—ICKE TYRANT for this cause alone after his death in severall Bookes REGIS BRITANNIAE PERPETVA PERICVLA the perpetual dangers of the King of great Britain by the Jesuites and the feare of all others who finde this Order offended with them aboundantly testifie After which ensues this considerable Passage touching the Jesuites restlesse eâ—deavours to subvert all Christian States and the Fundamentall Lawes of all Kingdomes crosse to their Designes especially such as concernc the Succession of their Kings or the Peace and Liberty of their Kingdomes and People which I desire the Newmâ—dellers of our Lawes Government and Subverters of our liberties sadly to consider DIXI quanta vis sit Aculei Jesuitici contrareges statumque regium quoties hunc molitionibus suis obstare inte Higunt Hic autem vos notare velim EJVSDEM PESTIS non minorem efficaciam esse IN OPPUGNANDA EXPUGNANDA REPVBLICA ATTERENDIS LEGIBVS quoties nempe sentiunt se ab his in institu◠â suâ venatione impediri Et quod AD LEGES attinet Hae politicae tineae illas praecipue arrodere consueverunt et exedere quibus jus successionis in regno continetur libertasque et pax publica confirmatur Qualem in Galliis praecipue invererunt Legem illam Salicam matriculam et Fundamentum illius regni perquam stirpis regiae mascula proles exclusis femeles ad Regnum sola admittitur Cujus Legis vigore successio Regni post interfectum Henricum 3. ad Henricum 4. Regem tunc Navarrae devolvebatur Quod ipsum cum SECTA JESVITICA suam interitum interpretaretur Tantum efficere potuit ut Galli hoc reipublicae suae fundamentum ipsimet subruere conarentur ascitâ contra hanc legem Philippi 2. Hispaniarum Regis Filia quam ex Henrici 2. Galliarum Regis filia susceperat in Regni sui haeredem Operis totius promotoribus internuntiis Jesuitis Quod autem Gallis Lex Salica praestat hoc Polonis ad huc Regum Juramenta conferunt per quae hactenus Reipublicae Liberae electionis jus conservatur quam periculose vero Hoc etiam libertatis nostrae fulcimentum ab his cetineisarrosum sit egomet dicere nolo necpublicum dedecus ipsomet divulgabo Ejusdem virtutiâ— illustre specimen coram oculis nostris in vicina Hungaria Austria Styria Carinthia c. ediderunt eo nimirum successu Vt obtritis legibus quibus praedictarum nationum libertas nitebatur partemearum Penitus oppresserint partem ad Extremam desperationem adegirint Hoc quidem rumor publicus hactenus constanter affirmat in praedictis Provincijs alicubi Illustribus et antiquissimae nobilitatis familiis publicè diem dictum esse intra quem se aut coram Jesuitarum tribunali sistant aut relictis patriis sedibus alio migrent Which a Noble Polonian Knight in his Oration against the Jesuites seconded in that Parliament of Polonia who relating the bloudy warres and tumults raysed by these Gibeanites throughout the Christian world India hath this memorable Passage concerning England Scotland Eodem motuab istis Jesuiticis Gabaonitis
populous Towns of the County where the Assises or Sessions are usuâ—lly kept and where is most resort and repair of People that they may be the oftner visited the better relieved by their Friends and others and THAT NONE SHALL BE IMPRISONED IN PRIVATE CASES And the Book of 21. E. 4. 71 Brook Imprisonment 80 is express That no Court can imprison any but in their proper prisons belonging to them and that the Fleet is the proper Prison to the Star-chamber and Palace whither they ought to commit them else men through malice and Power might be sent to obscure Castles and remote Prisons and there starved or destroyed for want of necessaries or purposely murthered out of malice or design be private Persons which they cannot so easily be in in common Goals where are store of Company and the common Goalers themselves sworn and bound by Law to treat their Prisoners well may be indited and punished for abusing them Vpon which Statutes and grounds the whole House of Common resolved it thrice upon the Question afterwards the whole House of Lords thrice voted and adjudged my imprisonment in Carnarvan and Mount Orguâ—il Castles Dr. Bastwicks in Lanceston and Syllye Castles and Mr. Burtons in Lancaster and Gernsey Castles both by sentence of Star-chamber the old Council tables warrants to be contrary to the Law and Liberty of the Subject Your warrant therefore for my imprisonment in Dunster Castle never yet a Prison under the Custody of Souldiers only not of a Lawfull Gaoler especially being no Prisoner of war nor ever in arms is diametrically contrary to these Statutes Votes Resolutions the Law of the Land and Subjects Liberties And so much the rather because tho there be good Ayr and prospect in the Castle yet there are no Provisions at all within it for the body or soul No meat to be had dressed but at great distance from the Castle which is very chargeable and inconvenient to a close Prisoner and no preaching Minister setled either in Castle or Town to comfort or feed the soul or to which by your Warrant I may resort and it is above 50 miles distant from my house where I have no Friend nor accquaintance near to visit or supply my wants And so parallel to my close imprisonment in Carnarvan and Mount-Orgueil Castles yea worse in one respect â—hey being after a kind of publick hearing and sentence in a Court of Iustice and this onely by a privâ—te warrant before any hearing examination or accusation that I hear of by those who have been my friends and for ought I yet know have no legal power to commit me in any case as that Court had in some cases though not in such a manner or to such Prisons as then or now 5. Your warrant is defective and illegal in the very grounds of my commitment which are meerly generâ—ll and uncertain viz. For his seditious writings and practices against the common-wealth without particularizing what these writings or practices are or when or where published committed or by whom or in what manner suggâ—sted or proved before you or against what Common-wealth or fâ—rm of Common-wealth in particular whether of England Scotland Ireland or of any particular County Corporation or Society within them which are reall Common-wealths within themselves Which generall uncertain charge and slander against me so great an advocate for the true interâ—st and Republick of England as all my writings evidence imports just nothing but either maliciâ—us suggestions groundless suspicions or feigned pretences against me to deprive me of my Liberty and were long since voted and adjudged in the Parliaments of 3 4 and 16. Caroli in the cases of Sr. John Eliot and others committed prisoners to the Tower Fleet and Gate-house by the Lords of the Councill by the Kings speciall command for stirring up sedition and sâ—ditions Practices against the state the very same your warrant suggests against me to be too generall and illâ—gal and no grounds at all for a commitment no more then schismatious inveteratus resolved to be too generall a cause of a clerkâ— refusall by the ordinary in Cooks Reports 6. Your Warrant chargeth the Governour to imprison me in the Castle and not to suffer mâ— to have conferencâ— with any but in his presence and bearing nor to send or receive any Letters but such as he shall peruse A clause of the highest restraint and oppression I ever yet suffered or met with For if the Governour voluntarily or necessarily absent himself I must neither speak with nor write to any man upon what urgent occasion soever nor receive any Letter of whatso ever importance be shut up a close Prisoner night and day alwayes guarded when I take the air in the Castle as now I am and not repair to any Church or meeting to hear fast pray receive the Sacrament nor send my own Servant out of my Chamber or the Castle as now I cannot for any necessaries for fear of infringing this strict formidable Warrant which puts me into the self same condition I was in at Carnarvan and Mount Orgueil Castles and will prove as fatal to my own and all Freemens liberties of England if not recalled and exploded with highest indignation as those my Râ—straints and close Imprisonments were with my Brother Bastwicks and Burtons too by the Votes and Judgement of both Houses whereof I think meet to give you this full account When I was first committed to the Tower by the Lords of the Council for my Histriomastix suggested to be seditious and scandalous in the highest degree the words of the Lords Warrant to the Lieutenant were to require him to keep me safe Prisoner in the Tower without giving free accesse unto me until he should receive farther Order yet this warrant though all my friends had present free accesse to and conference with me in publick and private without any restraint or perusal of Letters to or from me not expressing any particular cause for my commitment was by the unanimous Vote of the whole House of Commons 20 Aprilis 1631. in these words resolved to be illegal Resolved upon the question That the imprisonment of Mr. Prynne in the Tower by a warrant under the hand of Thomas Lord Coventry and others therein named IS UNJUST and ILLEGAL And that they ought to give Mr. Prynne satisfaction for his damages sustained by that Imprisonment And in my Brother Burtons case â— committed close Prisoner to the Fleet by the Lords for preaching and publishing a seditious Sermon and Book as they termed it intituled For God and the King the House of Commons the 12 of March 1640. passed this Vote Resolved upon the Qâ—estion That the Warrant from the Council Boord d ted at White-hall Febr. 2. 1636. for the committing of Mr. Burton close Prisoner and the commitment thereupon IS ILLEGAL AND CONTRARY TO THE LIBERTY OF THE SUBJECT And that he ought to have reparations for his dammages
sustained by this Imprisonment And whereas we both with Dr. Bastwick for pretended seditâ—ous Books and Practices were after a kind of heaâ—ing in Sâ—archamber sentenced and ordered To be kept close Prisoners in 3 remote Castle and after that by Order and Warrant of the old Council Table removed into 3 Castles in the Ifles of Jersy Gerxsey and Silly and there for preventing the danger of spreading our pretended schismatical and seditious opinions ordered to be kept close Prisoners and none to be permitted to have free conference with or accesse unto us but only such faithful and discreet persons as should be appointed to attend us and that no Letters or Writings should be permitted to be brought to us or sent from us to any person or persons and if there should be any such brought or sent that the same should be opened by the Governors or their Deputies and if they contained any thing material or considerable that the same should be sent to one of his Majesties principle Secretaries the substance of your present Warrant which seems but the Copy of it in this particular the whole House of Commons three several times upon the question resolved and the Lords upon our three distinct hearings thrice adjudged Those Sentences Orders Warrants and restraâ—nts therein contâ—ined TO BE AGAINST THE LAW AND LIBERTY OF THE SVBIECT the Great Charter of England and other fore-cited Statutes and that we ought to receive Dammages for the same from those who had a vote or hand therein Which illegal Sentences Warrants of Restraint and Exile as you and your associates well know were the principal occasion of Suppressing both the High Commission Starchamber and Council Tables exceâ—ses by two special Acts of Parliament and one principle charge against beheaded Canterbury Wherefore I cannot but stand amazed to find you not only imitating but in some sort exceeding them in this your Warrant being privy to these Votes and of Counsel to some of us declaiming as bitterly against such illegal restraints and the Authors of them as any which yet now you practice with an high hand against all these Votes in my very case which will fall heavy on you I beseech you therefore sadly to consider what all my Friends yea your best Friends and Enemies too will think report of you for the present and register to posterity and what our whole 3 Kingdoms and Forein Nations will judge of you and your Associates for this your warrant and close restraint of me thereby Will they not report publish to all the world that you are more cruel tyrannical extravagant unjust than the beheaded King condemned by your own Sentence for a Tyrant or than Canterbury Strafford the High Commission Star-chamber or old Council Table and that your little singer is now grown heavier than their whole loyns not only to your Enemies but Friends Yea that you deal worse with me than the most bloudy Tyrant Nero did with Paul when Prisoner under him at Rome though charged for a pestilent fellow stirrer up of Sedition among the Jews throughout the World who yet had there free liberty without the least restraint publikely and privately to confer with send for yea preach to whom he pleased and to receive all persons and Letters too that came unto him no man forbidding him Acts 28. 14. to the end Nay worse than men by Law can deal with their Trespassers or ill-Tenants Beasts which ought to be kept in â—n overt open Pound where the Owners and all others may freely visit feed relieve replevy them at their pleasures without restraint and not shut up in a close room where none may see or feed them but by the oversight and leave of others as the Statute of 1 2 Phil. Mary c. 12. 5 H. 7. 9. with other Law-books resolve Nay worse than the late Parliament dealt with Strafford or Canterbury when impeached of High Treasons of the greatest magnitude against the King and Kingdom by all the Commons of England who had no such restraints of Conference or Letters on them as you now lay upon me but absolute freedom of both and full liberty of the Tower till Strafford endeavoured an escape from thence And will you deal more rigorously with me than the Parliament did with these Arch-Traytors Let not such an oppression an exorbitancy as this be ever heard of in Askelon or published of you in Gath lest all your and my Enemies should rejoyce thereat If you pretend necessity of State or the publike Peace and safety for these Illegal Proceâ—dings it is but the very same Plea the Prelates pretended for my close Imprisonment and banishment heretofore the King for the Loans Excise Shipmoney and the Army for my last restraint violence to both Houses and their secured secluded Members A plea which soon resolveâ— into Scelera sceleribus tuenda and necessitates men at last to commit one violence sin wickednesse after another till they perish in their villanies and sink down quick into Hell and is at this day the greatest Argument Instrument the Devil hath to precipitate men formerly moderate mercifull just religious into most â—xorbitant scandalous violent unrighteous Actions Designs and to induce them to proceed impenitently from one extremity to another which they formerly most severely censured sentenced in others yet now approve and justifie in themselves when they find their own interest concerned or their carnal fâ—ars or jealousies of others really Innocent suggesting any thoughts of some close designs against their wayes of violence and publike desolation instead of sincere repentance confession and reformation of what their own consciences inform them secretly to be evill and unjust Wherefore I desire you in this case to beware of this most dangerous snarâ— of the Devill and that maxim now in many mens mouths unworthy men or Christians Over shooâ—s over Boots We are engaged and therefore can neither with honor safety nor prudence recede from what we have done amisse When as all our honor safety prudence and eternall salvation too consists only in our retreating actuall repentance and satisfaction to the parties injurâ—d in suh c ases by our unrighteous dealings aâ—d oppressions because we have onely present power in our hands to oppresse and injure them 6. Your warrant orders them to search all my Chambers ' studies and places in my house for Papers Writings Records and before any accusation or conviction the highest strain of Regall Prelaticall high-Commission and councill-Table Tyranny râ—solved by the two late Parliaments and whole house of Câ—mmons to be an high intrenchment upon the Subjeâ—ts Liberties and property contrary to Magna Chartâ— the Petition of Right the Judgment in Sâ—maiâ—s case much censured by Sir Edward Cook in his 4th Institutes in the Chapter of Justices of the Peace and in the cases of Mr. Creâ— Mr. Pym and other members oâ— Parliament â— and such a one I yet am if the former Parliament
hath a being since the Kings beheading the Lords suppression and most Commonâ—â—eclusion as you hold it hath an high infringâ—â—nt of the Priviledges of Pâ—rliament of which whosoever are or shall be guilty they are by several Orders votes aâ—d Ordinances of Parliamâ—â—t declared to be Enâ—mies both to thâ— Parliament and Coâ—mon wealâ—h of England â—nd to be apprâ—â—ended and procâ—â—ded against as such In all which respects your present Warrant and the execution of it being so diametrically contrary to the known Laws and Statutes of the Realm the votes and Declarations of both Houses of the Parliament in mine own and others cases and the late Declarations of Febr. the 11. and March 17. 1648. of those now acting I shall of meer Right not any grace or favour demand and expect from your self and your Assâ—ciates of the long Robe my quondam speciall Friends who know all the premises to be Law and this Warrant most illegall a present revocation and condemnation â—hereof as such and my present absolute inlargement without any condition restriction caution or engagement whatsoever which I resolved never to enter into being liable only to punishment when and if I do amisse and am legally convicted of it that so I may follow my Country affairs this harvest time without any such future interruption and vexation And withall to send me the names of my Accusers and their particular Accusation if there be any such that so I may recâ—ive reparations from them or you for this most injurious restraint to my great trouble cost and prejudice which I am confident you neither will nor can in Iustice or honor deny me But if this will not be granted as this my unjust restraint may then prove as prejudiciall to you as my former Imprisonments did to the Canterbury the Prâ—lates and Star-chamber and will cry as lowd to heaven against you as they did against them till God himself delivered me by some other means I shall then request this Justice only at your hands First that you would take care that my soul be not starved for want of spirituall food or free accesse unto it when there are any sermons in the Town where there is yet no setled Minister but a Lecture at some times and days A Libertâ— enjoyed during my former Imprisonments 2. That you will allow and take care for my dyet during my close restraint if you will needs keep me up a close Prisoner my estate being exhausted by my former suffrings the losse of my calling publick Taxes Free quarter and scarce able to support my family at home now left like sheep without a shepheard 3. That if you will not be so just and charitable that at least you will cause the 800 l. due unto me as contractor for which I never received oâ—e farthing though it cost and lost me double the value and I should never have demanded it but upon this extraordinary occasion of expence with all the free quarter certified to be due unto me for the last year under 〈◊〉 Commissioners hands and yet not satisfied to be forthwith paid to help sustain me during this my present extremity which I hope you will not delay or deny I shall till then remain Yours illegally restrained close Prisoner WILL. PRYNNE Dunster-Castle July 5. 1650. Mr. Prynnes second Letter to Mr. Bradshaw SIR I Informed you by my Letter the 5 of this instant Iuly of the forcible breaking and searching of my house and Study at Swainswick seising and carrying away my Person and Papers about Midnight on the Lords Day by a Party of Horse and my close imprisonment ever since in Dunster Castle by pretext of a Warrant signed with your hand the illegality whereof and of its execution I therein undeniably demonstrated by Acts Votes Resolutions of Parliament in my very case and proved them more exorbitant then the worst first proceedings of the Prelates High Commission Council Table or Star-chamber against me under the late King whom you your self condemned to have his head severed from his shoulders for a Tyrant demanding thereupon of meer right my present Enlargement from this unjust imprisonment with reparations for the same To which as yet receiving no answer after above a fortnights restraint contrary to expectation and Magna Charta it self Nulli negabimus nulli differemus justitiam aut rectum and hearing that by a like illegal Warrant under your hand made to Souldiers not sworn Officers they have broken open my Study seised all my writings Trunkes at Lincolns Inn carryed them to White-Hall contrary to the Law of the Land and Liberty and property of the Subject I am thereupon necessitated for the Defence of mine own and the Nations Liberties for which I have so deeply suffered in Defence whereof we have of late years spent so many Millions of Treasure and Tuns of Gallant English blood to make this solemn Protestation to you and all the world That these Warrants and Proceedings of yours against me are altogether illegal tyrannical and exorbitant contrary to Magna Charta the Petition of Right the Resolutions of the 3 last Parliaments the votes of both Houses in my very Case and the Cases of my Brother Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton the Law of the Land the Subjects Liberties and Property and many Declarations of the last Parliament published to the World To begin with the breaking up of my House Study seising of my writings and Papers Records and imprisoning my Person before any hearing examining or legal accusation against me by colour of your illegal Warrant the revived Exorbitances of the High Commission and old Council Table under which the Freemen of England formerly groaned and most sadly complained I shall desire you and the whole Kingdom by way of supplement to my former Letter to take notice 1. First That in the cases of my Brother Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton whose Houses Studies were broken open searched and their Writings Books Persons seised by colour of a Warrant from the High Commis old Council-Table the whole House of Commons upon the report of their Cases passed these two Votes Feb. 24. 1640. Resolved upon the Question That the Precept made by the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and other high Commissioners for causes Ecclesiastical within the Realm of England for apprehending the body of Doctor Bastwick and for searching for and seising of his Books and the making and issuing thereof and likewise the Messengers Act in searching Dr. Bastwicks House and Study and searching and taking away his Books and Papers by that Precept ARE AGAINST LAW AND THE LIBERTY OF THE SUBJECT And March 12. 1640. Resolved upon the Question That the breaking open of Mr. Burtons House and arresting his person before any cause depending against him in the Star-Chamber and his close imprisonment thereupon are against the Law and Liberty of the Subject That Iohn Wragge hath offended in searching and faising thâ— Books and Papers of Mr. Henry Burton
37 H. 8. c. 5. 6. 8. 1 E 6. c. 1. 10. 12. 2 and 3 E. 6. cap. 1. 2. â—4 â— 6 E6 c. 4. 9. 〈◊〉 11. 14. 1 Mar. c. 3. 6. 1 2 Phil. Mar. c. 10. 4 5 Phil. Mar. c. 3. 4. 1 E. c. 1. 2. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 4 10. 11. 15. 21 Eliz. c. 3. 4. 13 El. â— 1. 2. 14 Eliz. c. 1. 2 3 18. Eliz. c. 1. 2â— Eliz. c. 1. 2. 27 Eliz. c. 1. 2. 29 Eliz. c. 1. 35 Eliz. c 1â— 39 El. c. 15. 43 El. c. 13. 1 â—ac c. 28. 11. 12. 27. 31. 3 Jac. c. 2. 4. 5. 13. 4 Jac. c. 1. 7 Jac. c. 1. 6 10. 13. 21 Jac. c. 4. with sundry other Acts and the very Letter of the Petition of Right so highly magnified foâ— the most excellent most just free and equal of any other Laws in the World by those now sitting at Westminster in their Declaration of March 17. 1648. for setling the present Government in way of a Free State wherein they solemnly engage inviolably to maintain them and yet now trample them all under feet by these illegal arbitrary â—udicatories so much declaimed against heretofore of purpose to destroy all sorts degrees of Subjects and Freemen of England Though no Souldiers under Military Discipline contrary to all these Laws and Franchises of the Land when and where no Legal Iury nor Court of Iustice will or can condemn them adjuâ—ged wilfull murder hereâ—ofore and so resolved in Pâ—rliament as Sir Edward Cook informes us in his 3. Institutes printed by Order of the House of Commons and so esteemed by Gâ—d himself though coloured by a â—reâ—ext of Law Psal 94. 20 21. 1 Kings 21 â—â—o 2 5. Iohn 19. 7. 16. 18. compared with Acts 2. 23. c. 3. 14 15. c. 7. 52. yea a more transcendent publickly avowed Act of absolute Arbitrary Power and Tyranny than ever the late King or any of his Predecessers were guilty off which endangers every mans life and chopps off every mans head in taking off any ones yea such as in conclusion may prove a new Perillus his Bull to torture destroy the first â—uveâ—tors by Gods just judgements the Heathen Poet â—viâ— observing Nâ—c â—nim Lex justioâ— ulla Quam necis artifices Arte perire sua Whereof we have a memorable Scripture President in that Tyrant Adonibezek Judg. 1. 6 7. and in the shedders of the blood of Saints Rev. 16. 5 6. seconded with four formidable Comminations both in the old new Testament Gâ—n 9. 6. Ezech. 35. 5 6. Obad. 10. 15. c. Jam. 2. 13. Rom. 2. 1 2 3. and with a most observable example in Thomas Lord Cromwell recorded by Hall and Sir Edward Cook in his 4 Institutes p. 37 38. who in the height of his greatness power endeavouring to procure an Act of Parliament to take away some other mâ—ns lives without any Lawful Inditement Tryal by their Peers contrary to the forementioned Laws by the meer Legislative power of the Parliament was the first and only man that suffered and lâ—st his head wiâ—hout any Legall Tryal by a bare Act of Parliament 31. H. 8. c. 3. which kind of illegal taking away mens lives being next degree very near of kindred to a private Assasination or Publick Massacre of those we fear or â—ate and in one respect worse than either of them because disguised with a pretended shew of Justice is for ever to be abominated and exploded by all Pretenders to Piety and Publick Freedome and not to be tolerated in any free Monarchy or Republick upon any pretence of necessity or Publick safety whatsoever and so much the rather because the blood of such so murthered and destroyed will cry loud to God for exemplary Vengeance as Nabothâ— did 1. Kings 21. 10. to 25. And if he that only hateth his Brother be a Murderer and hath not â—ternall life abiding in him 1 John 3. 15. Then certainly those who thus not only hate but illegally destroy and execute their Christian English Brethren yea sâ—ay their Bâ—ethren in Covenant by thousands with a rage reaching up to Heaven 2. Chron. 28. 9. 13. must much more be bloody Murderers in Gods accoutnt and shaâ—â— never inherit eternal Life unlesse they seriously repent and abandon all such Barbarons Cruelty and new Butcheries of men which every Heroick Christian and true English Spirit cannot but with highest indignation pâ—otest against out of zeal to Gods Honor his Native Countrys hereditary Liberties his own and posterities safety which I desire you to â—ay close unto your spirits as you will answer the contrarie before Christs Tribunal at the last upon the seasonable information and admonition of him who hath suffered so much for his Countries Freedome and would rather dye ten thousand de aths than see it after so much expence of Treasure blood in defence of the for ecited Laws and publick Freedome enthralled to such a strange new Butchery and Tyranny as this and that in Westminster Hall it â—elf in the highest Court of Law and Justice in former times under the monstrous contradictory Title of High or Highest Iustice true only in the Proverbs sence Summum jus summa Injuria 2. If you have no particular Charge or Crime for which by Law you can thus restrain me that you will then immediatly enlarge me without any limitations or conditions whatsoever and render me full Dammages for my false Imprisonments past and not thus moâ—est and oppresâ—e me for the future against all Rules of Iustice and Piety 3. That you will presently restore all my seised Trunks Books Records Papers Writings being most of them my own peculiar the rest the only Iustification and Defence I haveâ— if ever I should be hereafter questioned for any Treatises I have published concerning the late King Canterbury or others out of my sâ—ised Originals or Transcripts for the Common good which certainly deserve a far more honourable reward and gratefull requital than such a violent publique search of my house studies seisure of my Truncks Papers by Souldiers and so long strict chargeable a close imprisonment of my Person as I have sustained 4ly That if you will still close imprison me against Law Conscience you will then either defray the charges of my imprisonment or else cause the Treasurers of Bishops Lands immediatly to pay me the 800 pounds salary due unto me as a Contractor for which I never yet received one cue and should never have desired any thing but upon this extraordinary occasion of expence and the Committee for your Army to pay me all such moneys as are or shall be certified to be due unto me for free quartering of your Souldiers to help support me in Prison and defray those Debts which your present oppression the losse of my Calling thereby and your illegal heavy Taxes have contracted in stead of receiving any recompense for my former illegal sufferings damages and manifold
faithfull Services for the publique according to former publique Engagements and Votes And so expecting your undeferred positive answer to all these just demands I shall till then remain Your over-oppressed close Prisoner and Captive WILL. PRYNNE To Mr. Iohn Bradshaw Serjeant at Law and the rest of his Assessors at Whitehall present these Dunster Castle Octob. 30. 1650. TO Mr. IOHN BRADSHAW AND HIS ASSOCIATES AT WHITEHALL Stiling themselves the The Councel of State his Imprisoners The Remonstrance of several Grievances and Demands of Common Right by William Prynne Esq their 2 years and 3 moneths Close Prisoner under Souldiers in the remote Castles of Dunster Taunton and Pendennys in Cornwall before any Legal Accusation Examination Indictment Tryal Conviction or Objection of any particular Crime after above 8 years former Imprisonments and unrecompensed great sufferings Losses for the Publike and Religion under their White-hall Predecessors and all his Faithfull Unmercenary Services for the Publike Laws Rights Privileges of the English Nation Shewing THat although he be a Freeman of England both by Birthright and Dear-bought Purchase having formerlysustained above 8 years imprisonments and more heavy Sufferings in his Person Calling Estate than any of this Nation meerly for writing in Defence of the â—ust Laws Liberties Franchises of the Land and true Protestant Religion in the worst of former times against the Invaders thereof and spent the greatest part of his life and estate in painful studies Sâ—rvices Sufferings Duresses for the Publike without the least Recompence Reward or Self advantage our of a sincere Publike Spirit unbiassed with private ends And hath in all his Relations as a Lawyer Magistrate Committee-man Member of Parliament of this Kingdom and a Christian diligently endeavoured to keep a good Conscience always in all things void of offence towardâ— God and Men never to his knowledge perpetrating any Crime deserving Bonds or close Restraint by any known Law of this Land nor acting or writing any thing but what his own deliberate Judgement Science Conscience clearly resolved him to be agreeable to and warranted by the sacred Oracles of God the Principles of our Reformed Religion the Fundamental Common Statute-Laws Franchiscs of England the Resolutions Judgements Declarations of our ancient and late best Parliaments and Bâ—oks Printed by their Authority and those solemn serious Oaths Protestations Covenants imposed on and oft taken by him by Parliamentary Authority which still lye as immnutable inviolable divine obligations on his Soul till otherwise convinced of his total and final Absolution from them by the brutish Arguments of the longest Sword and long illegal close imprisonments under Sword-men in pursuance of his bounden duty to God his Lawfull Superiour Powers and beloved Native Country whose truest greatest weal Peace Settlement he hath ever studied advanced to his utmost power by all Christian honourable just and righteous means though incountred therein with many Discouragements and ingrate requitals from most sorts of men That although by the expresse provisions of the Common Law the Great Charter of England ch 29. confirmed in about 40 several Parliaments the Statutes of 25 E. 1 c. 2. 28 E. 1. c. 1 2. 1 E. 3. c. 5. 5 E. 3. c. 8 9. 25 E. 3. c. 4. 28 E. 3. c. 3. 35 E. 3. rot Parl. n. 20. 37 E. 3. c. 18. 42 E. 3. c. 1 2 3 rot Parl. n. 42. 2 H. 4. rot Parl. n. 10. 4 H. 4. c. 13. 5 H. 4. c. 10. 23 H. 8. c. 2. The Petition of Right 3. Caroli The Act for In pressing Souldiers 17. Caroli with sundry other Statutes the printed Declâ—rations Remonstrances Iudgements Votes of all our late Parliaments and the known Rules of Common Iustice no English Freeman may or ought to be arrested imprisoned exiled outlawed or deprived of his Liberty Freehold Writings Papers Members Life Franchises without due Processe of Law Indictment or Presentment by his Lawfull Peers executed by known Lawfull responsible sworn Officers of Justice after a Legal Accusation Examination or Conviction of â—ome particâ—lar Offence nor enforced to goe out of his own Country against his will or imprisoned in any private or forein Castles but only in Common usual Prisons under sworn Gaeolers without debarring free Accesse of Friends and Letters to or from him or searching his House Study Truncks Pockâ—ts for Writings Letters Books to pick out matter of Accusation against him or examining himself or others Ex officio to that end in an extrajudicial manner before any Legal Charge exhibited Nor yet translated from one unusual Prison to another without hearing or bringing him to any just lawfull Tribunal the next General Assizes or Sâ—ssions held within the Country wherein he is imprisoned or releasing him the next Goal delivery if not then indicted and Legally prosecuted for what he is imprisoned That albeit his former professed oppressing Enemies the old Councel Table Star Chamber High Commission Lords and Prelates condemned suppressed and some of them executed by most of your concurrent suffrages as the greatest Tyrants the last Parliament for their extravagant unjust Censures and some exorbitant Proceedings against him and others were even then so candid and honourable towards him at first though accused of pretended scandalous seditious Passages in his Histriomastix against the King Queen Court State Government Prelates as not violently to attach by Troopers in the night and close imprison him in remote unusual Castles without hearing but only summoned him by a single nâ—armed known sworn Messenger to appear before them the next day and upon his appearance charged him for writing a particular pretended offensive Book then produced and heard him concerning it before they committed him and after sent him Prisoner at large to their usual Prison the Tower of London under an honourable Gardian near his then residence and friends who with all others had free accesse to and conference with him both in publike and private without restraint or any Evesdroppers appointed to over-hear their discourses with hâ—m and supervise all Letters Writings Papers to and from him which Liberty he there enjoyed even after his first severe Sentence till the second Bill against him And when after they caused his Study and Chamber to be searched imployed only Mr. Noy then the Kings Attorney and two Clerks of the Councel Responsible Persons of eminency learning judge ment able to judge of Books and writings fit for leisure not rude illiterate Souldiers in that service who never finally ransaked his Pockets nor seised any Notes writings Letters Books not relating to his Charge which they speedily prosecuted in a usual Court of Iustice continuing him even after their first Sentence a Prisoner at large in the Tower After which they exhibited a second Bill against him Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton in Star-chamber concerning particular Books thereto annexed and heard them in a sat at the Barre before they sentenced them to be kept close Prisoners in remote Castles and
the purity of Gods publick Ordinances and sending of Letters when first approved by himself such a Ward and School boy is he yet to this very hour under your Free-State even after the Court of Wards quite voted down And whereas all Collonels and Gentlemen heretofore in actual Arms against the Parliament here or elsewhere secured in their proper Counties only not in foraign in the late times of danger were a full year since enlarged from their far more favourable restraints than his by your general Order and many Theeves Felons legally deserving death both pardoned and set free without any Petitions to you from them and not only diverse Popish Recusants in Aâ—mes but some Popish Prâ—ests and Jesuites imprisoned before your Government absolutely released under it yea exempted from the very Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance specially provided prescribed by the wisdom of many pious Parliaments for the detection and prevention of their manifold treasonable practices against our Realms Princes Parliaments Government Laws Liberties and Religion from some if not all old penal Laws formerly made and those 5 new excellent Bills and Oaths of Abjuration for their better speedier discovery aâ—d suppression so earnestly pressed by our late zealous Parliaments and consented too by the late King so much taxed by you for indulgence towards them in the last Treaty without scruple yet since quite buried with â—im in oblivion and some of them unwittingly as is conceived entertained as Troopers Souldiers in pay in your very Guards for want of such strict inquiries after them and such meanes to prevent their coming over and to detect them as formerly and not one of them for ougâ—t he can hear close imprisoned if imprisoned at all in remote Castles under such Guards Centinels Restraints as his forementioned though in near one hundred printed Declarations of Parliament remonstrated to the World to be the Original Contrivers the chief Incendiaries Fomentors Promoters of the first late Warres between Scotland and England and the late King and Parliament of purpose thereby to subvert the Protestant Religion both at home and abâ—oad destroy that last and all future Parliaments our Lawes Liberties and former setled Government and introduce Popery Anarchy Slavery and Military Tyrâ—â—y in their plâ—câ—s Whereupon they are grown so audacious as not only secretly to infuse their Jesuitical Tenents Practâ—ces Poliâ—icks of most dangerous consequence exprâ—ssed in sundry former Acts of Pâ—rliament purposely enacted to prevent them into the Souldiery aâ—d Peâ—ple now much infected with them but likewise by their instruments to translate print and vend publiquely throughout the Nation without Inhibition or Punishment their Jesuitical Books even in folio professedly assâ—rting both thâ— Popes Supâ—emacy praâ—ing to Saints and Angels Purgatory Masse Transubstantiation and all other points of grossest Popery for undoubted Truths necessary to Salvation and also positively maintaining our true Protestant Religion to be grosse Heresie and our late famous Queen Elizabeth with all true professors thereof to be damnable Hereticks Witnesse the Jesuite Edmond Causin his Holy Court printed in several folio Tomes in London it self translated into English by Papists Jesuiâ—es and dedicated to the two greatest Female Papists Queen Mary and the Dutchesse of Buckingham sold publikely under your Noses and elsewhere with the very Jesuites badge S. I. Sâ—cietatis Iesis in Capitals in the Title Page and this bold subscription Printed at London by William Bently Anno 1650. since his close imprisonment by you and are to be sold by Iohn Williams in Pauls Churchyard where all these Popish Tenents are largely maintained to the great Scandal and Offence of all true Protestants as you may read at leisure Tom. 1. p. 30 to 38 63 64 68 74 75 Tom. 2. p. 168. Tom. 3. p. 425 to 430. 461 462. Tom. 5. p. 173 174. 304 to 319 The Angel of Peace to all Christian Princes p. 10 11 and elsewhere to omit all other Iesuiâ—ical Arminian Popish Erroneous Books against our Religion now publikely written printed vended by thousands under you with impunity though so lately charged pressed by the whole House of Commons against Canterbury as an Article of High Treason for which amongst others he lost his head by Iudgement of Parliament and your own concurrent Votes and Approbations Yet he who out of pure love zeal to his God true Religion Country Parliaments hath constantly stuck unto and written most of any man in times of greatest need and danger in defence of the just Power Rights Privileges of our true English Parliaments and Nation against all Opponents against all late introduced Arminian Popish Iesuitical Errours Doctrines Ceremonies Innovations Books and made the first the fullest discoveries of and Oppositions in print of any man with no little pains cost losse danger against their manifold dangerous Books Practices Plots Conspiracies to undermine our Religion Parliaments Laws Liberties Government and involve all Protestant Kingdoms States Churches in bloody intestine wars to their own mutual destruction but these Iesuites insultation exulâ—ation and that by approbation authority of Parliament and most of your applauses And hath particularly informed some of you by Letters since his restraints of admired indulgences towards Priests â—esuites of one particular noted Iesuite who for a fortnights space together disputed with a friend of his at St. Omers with 5 other Iesuites more about August 1649 since listed a Trooper in your Guards and of this late printed Iesuites folio Book without any reformation or suppression of either upon his complaints thereof during this their licentious Liberty and Freedom to their grand Rejoycing Advantage and the great Grief Offence of most really affected to our Religion or the publike weal without any cause hearing or release must be shut up and continued close Prisoner by you year after year and sent from one remote Castle to another remoter and worser than it and there kept under strictest Guards Centinels Restraints and most injurious Duresses as aforesaid without any hopes of release notwithstanding his manifold Letters and Addresses to you joyntly and severally in such a way as becomes him though not by unworthy complyances in submission to the self-created new Powers and Titles complaining of these fore-remonstrated Proceedings Searches Imprisonments Translations and Restraints in forraign Counties Castles under Souldiers without any precedent Indictment Tryal and Crime yet specified and undeniably manifesting them to you to be coâ—trary to all Laws of God Nature Nations the Common Lâ—w and Great Charter of England and other forecited known Statuteâ— Iudgementâ— Declarations Resolutions Râ—monstrances of all our late Parliaments the expresse Votes and Resolves of both Houses of Parliament in his own late particular case and others the indubitable Birthright Franchises of eve y English Freeman of very dangerous President Conseqâ—ence to Posterity and in sundry respects far more exorbitantly unrighteous than his former Grievances and Imprisonments under the worst of your discarded condemned decapitated
which you say brought me out of Prison when as your hand alone cast me into it Let Seneca the Philosopher resolve you what it is De beneficiis l. 6. c. 26. NEQVITIA EST ut extrahas mergere evertere ut suscites VT EMITTAS INCLVDERE Non est BENEFICIVM INJVRIAE FINIS Nec unquam id detraxisse MERITVM EST quod ipse qui detraxit intuberat Non vulneres me malo quam sanes Potes inire gratiam si quia vulneratus sum sanas non si vulneras ut sanandus sum c. That others joyned with you in the injury c. was but Canterburies old exploded plea and and rather aggravates then mitigates your offence by Gods own resolution Exod. 33. 2 7. Yet notwithstanding I am not so vindictive or implacable as to deal with you as you did with me to surprise you without the least notice to begin with execution without any precedent processe or parle as my former lines attest Neither shall I take advantage of the present season by way of revenge which others perchance would do but only endâ—vour to right my self in a just and Christian way for the damages sustained in my estate and person to prevent the like future injuries and to advance publick liberty so far that my illegall restraints under you may become no presidents to prejudice but benefit posterity And seeing I finde you inclined to a friendly conference when and where I shall appoint which would have done better before my commitment then now if you nominate any Chamber in any of the four Innes of Court where me may meet to morrow or Thursday morning about ten of the clock I shall God willing then and there expect such further satisfaction from you as is due in justice and conscience to Your injured oppressed quondam Friend and Martyr for the publick William Prynne Lincolnes Inne 5. Decemb 1654. To this Letter I received a large impertinent answer dated the 6. of December giving no account of the cause or justice of my Restraints but proffering me a meeting at Mr. Ellys his chamber in Grayes Inne the Saterday following about 8. of the clock in the morning freely to debate the businesse in a friendly manner without prejudice to either side Where I meeting Mr. Bradshaw accordingly he seriously protested to me That he neither knew nor remembred the Informers names nor any perticular informations given in against me whereupon I was thus imprisoned restrained but he would peruse all his own papers and the Books at Whitehall with all possible speed and if he could finde any particulars relating to my commitment in them he would give me a speedy account thereof After which he said That he had sundry things in the generall to alleadge for himself in relation to the proceedings against me which did quiet his conscience the sum whereof which he amplified with many words was this alone 1. That he and the Councell at Whitehall as he styled them had their authority derived to them from a true and unquestionable Parliament of England 2. That this Parliament gave them particular instructions to pursue for the preservation of the Peace and safety of their new Common-wealth which they accordingly pursued according to their judgments and consciences without malice or partiality 3. That there were many desperate plots and conspiracies set on foot against this poor infant Common-wealth by the enemies thereof threatning utter ruin thereunto had they not been carefully prevented about and during the time of my commitment which enforced them to extraordinary proceedings 4. That though he knew not the particular grounds or cause of my restraints yet he was perswaded that it was done in order only to publick safety and not out of any malice but rather out of a tender respect of the Councell towards me and that he did nought therein but only by the Councels command which he was bound to obey To which I presently returned him this answer That I much wondered with what face or confidence he could condemn the late King for a Tyrant and yet soon after become more arbitrary unrighteous and Tyrannicall himself in his proceeding against me his late speciall friend then ever the King or his Councell were For first of all they only sommoned me in the day time to appear before them by a single sworn Messenger the next day without any attachment of my person But he at the very first attached me neer midnight in my own house by a party of horse without any sworn legall Officer 2. They summoned me to appear before them to answer such things as should be objected against me but he attached and sent me as far off from him as possible to remotest Castles without bringing me ever before him as being afraid or ashamed to see my face 3. They when I appeared before them objected a particular book to my charge as scandalous and offensive and heard me concerning it before they committed me But he at first objected no particular crime or Book against me nor would he afterwards during my long restraints signifie any speciall cause of my close imprisonâ—ent though oft importuned by my Letters which he would have done for his own reputation and my own or the worlds satisfaction had there been any And now at last he protests That be neither knows nor remembers any particular informations given in against me for which I was so long committed my papers records writings seized and my very pockets as well as my House studies and Prison-chamber ransacked But he will seek if he can find out any particulars which would have been found out long ere this had there been any such even since my first Letter to him in November last 4. They committed me only a prisoner at large as first to the Tower of London their usuall Prison neer my friends and place of residence without any restraints of Letters or conference with any Bâ—t he sent me to three remote Castles one after another every one worse then another the last near 150 miles distant from my house and friends and there kept me under the strictest restraints and armed gards contrary to sundry expresse Statutes and the Votes of both Houses of Parliament in my former case debarring me for a long time the liberty of Gods publick Ordinances which I enjoyed under them In all which respects after the Parliaments censures against the old Councell-table Prelates Canterbury and his own sentence against the King he had manifested himself a worser Tyrant then they and might therefore justly expect as heavy or a far worse censure as any of them sustained in case he repented not of and gave not satisfaction for these transcendent injuries As for the generall grounds he alleadged to excuse or justifie his exorbitant proceedings against me I told him they were frivolous and would rather aggravate then mitigate his offence before any Legall Tribunall To the first of them I then immediately answered that I much admired how any man
who professed himself a Lawyer or ware a Gown upon his back durst affirme That about 50 or 60 members only of the late Commons house confederating with the Army-officers to destroy condemn and behead the King the * head of the Parliament abolish the whole house of Lords the ancientest honorablest chiefest of branch our English Parliaments Wherein the judiciall power of Parliaments wholly or principally resided and secure seclude the majority or five parts of four of the whole Commons house only for voting according to their consciences and endevouring to settle the Peace of the Kingdome after eight years bloudy wars and to subvert all future reall English Parliaments contrary to their trusts and duties the very expresse words of the writs and retornes of those by whom they were made and elected members contrary to the direct tenor of the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance which they took and must take before they could sit or vote as Members contrary to the Solemn Protestation Vow League and Covenant which they all made and took after they were Members contrary to their manifold printed Declarations Remonstrances Ordinances Votes whiles there was a reall Parliament and they actuall Members of it contrary to the Desires Petitions of those who intrusted them yea contrary to the principles of the Protestant Religion the Priviledges Rights of Parliaments the fundamentall Lawes of the Land which they professed covenanted ingaged inviolably to maintain as they were Members should be a true and unquestionable Parliament of England of themselves alone without either King or House of Peers or the mainity of the secured and secluded Members especially after the Kings beheading which actually dissolved the Parliament and sitting still under the over-awing guards and force of the Army demanding of him in an earnest manner by what Parliamentary or Legall Records Histories Law-books resolutions of our Judges or Courts of Justice he could prove that unparliamentary Juncto to be a lawfull English Parliament when as his own science and conscience must attest that they all declare and resolve them to be no Parliament at all Whereunto he replyed he must needs confesse that all Records Histories and Law books were clear against him that they were no legall Parliament but yet yet in this case of extremity wherein we then were It was lawfull for the minor part of the Commons Houses to seclude the King and house of Lords with the major part of their fellow-commoners when they would have endangered the ship of the Common-wealth to preserve it from drowning as I my self granted in one of my Books that the Mariners might secure the master of the Sip and thrust him from the sterne in case he would wilfully split it against a Rock or Quick-sands to preserve the ship and themselves from perishing to which I rejoyned that the similitude suited not with the case in question For the secluded majority of the Commons and Lords house according to their trusts duties at the earnest desires of the generality of our three Kingdomes endevoured to preserve and secure the ship of the Common-wealths of England Scotland and Ireland and bring it into a safe harbour by a happy close with the late King upon far more honourable terms and propositions for the subjects benefit liberty weal security to which the King consented then ever we or our ancestors enjoyed or our posterities can hereafter hope for and laboured to their power to prevent those bloudy intestine wars between our Protestant Realms and Allies and that prodigall expences of many millions of treasure which this viâ—lence upon the King Peers and Commons house have since produced and is still likely to occasion by these few Members confederacy with the Army who in stead of saving have quite wracked the ship both of our true ancient Parliaments and Republicks and of their new infant Common wealth too and left us in a more desperate distracted unsetled condition then they then found us which he conâ—essed to be true Therefore he could no wayes justifie this their violence much lesse infer from thence that they were an undoubted true English Parliamâ—nt for by like reason he might make the Army or Generall Councell of Army Officers the chief authors and actors in this violence only to perpetuate their own armed power and our intestine wars for their own private ends as now all clearly see a true English Parliament as well as that Fag end of the house of Commons confederating with them who now too late repented of this their folly treachery and heartily wish they had joyned with us in our really endevoured and neer accomplished settlement upon the Kings confessions which now they despair of more then ever to enjoy under any New Government To the second I replyed that admit them to be a true English Parliament which I could not grant yet certainly they neither would nor could grant him or his Whitehall associates any such unlimited arbitrary instructions and Tyrannicall power to close-imprison me or others in remote Castles under Souldiers to break open ransack our houses studies seize our writings records deny us liberty of Gods Oâ—dinances or free commerce with others by conference or Letters which the whole Parliament and themselves so lately condemned sentenced and publickly voted declared against as repugnant to the great Charter Lawes Liberties properties of the Nation in my own and others cases and made new acts against And if any such exorbitant tyrannicall power had been granted them upon any pretence yet the Statutes of 25 E. 1. c 1 2. E. 3. c. 1. declare them to be null and void and himself knowing them to be such in law could neither in justice nor conscience pursue them to mine or others prejudice To the third I subjoyned That the many desperate plots and conspiracies against the true reall Common-wealth of England were on his and his associates part who subverted our old Fundamentall Laws Government Monarchy Parliaments and the free course of justice by arbitrary power force and Courts of highest injustice not on mine or the secured and secluded Lords and Commons who detested opposed all their apparent late plots aâ—d conspiracies against them and that now by Gods retaliating Justice they poor infant Commonwealth founded in Treachery Perjury Violence Injustice Bloud Tyranny was suddenly subverted destroyed by that very armed power which first erected and engaged to support it still But admit the allegation true yet this was very ill Logick and worse Law and Policy because there were many plots and conspiracies against their new infant Republick by others Ergo he and his Whitehal associates might close-imprison me after all my sufferings and services for the publick and all else they pleased in remotest Castles without cause or hearing though guilty of no reall crime plot or conspiracy which strange exorbitancy in my judgment was our principal cause of their new Commonwealths and Whitehall Councels suddenunexpected downfals However I being a Member of Parliament
7. Jam. 5. 14. 15. s Rom. 12. 20 Mat 5. 44 45. Luke 6. 27. Prov. 25. 21. 2. Chr. 28. 15. t Acts. 28. 8 9. 30. v Luke 9. 1. 6. Acts. 10. 38. x Luke 22. 50 51 54. y Ephe. 4. 31 32. c. 5. 1 2. z A new Discovery c. p. 84. 86. a 1 Eliz c. 2. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 3 Jac. c. 4 5. 7 Jac. c. 6. 17 Caroli The Act for Triennial Parliaments b See the printed Pâ—oposiâ—ions sent to the King the last Treaty mâ— Speech in Parl. p. 57 58. c Exact Collâ—ction p. 20. 208. 309. 9 8 909 911. d Exact Col. p. 1 4 5 12 13. 665 669. e Exact Col. p. 1 to 21. 91 98. 106 108 145 199. 206 207. 308 310. 461 to 465. 490 491 492. 508 516 567 570 574. 616 625 628 637 639 640 648 651 to 656 659 to 754 755 764 769 786. 813 814 816 827 832 834 845 861 890 891 896 902 904 907 to 919 932. A Collection of Oâ—dinances p. 23. 30 39. 95 96 97 98. 167 169 185 187. 203 204 210 217 218 227 249 to 267 275 283 309 310 314 360 363 371 379. 412 413 417 424 432 457 458 470 483. 514 517 537 548 576. 616 623 624 666. 704 705 706 724 761 to 829 834 to 870 872 880 883. Appendix p. 1. 15 f 5 El. c. 1 13 El. c. 1. 23 El. c. 1. 27 Elâ—â— c. 2. * See the Stationers Reacoâ— fired * See Canterburies Doom p. 26 27. 178 to 350. g In his Soveraign power of Parliaments and Kingdoms h In his Peâ—petuity of a Regenerate mans estate Anti-Aâ—mâ—anisme c. i In his Breviate Cosens cozening Devotions Quench coal Lame Giles his Haltings A Pleasant Purge for a Roman Catholike Romes Master-Pâ—ece The Popish Royal Favourite Hidden works of Darknesse brought to publique Light Antipathy of the English Prelacy Cant. Doom Speech in Parliament k A New Dâ—scovery of the Prelates Tyranny p. 141 142. * In the Declaration of 17 Martii 1648 and others l 2 Sam. 19. 43. m Magna Cha ta c. 29. and Câ—â—ks Institutes thereon 1 Sam. 8. 4 19 20 22. 2 Sam. 19. 41 42 43. c. 16. 18. 2 Kâ—ngs 2. 23 24. 2 Chr. 23 tâ—â—oughout c. 26. 1. 23 24. 25. c. 36. 1. The Lords and Commâ—â—s Declaration 23 Octâ—b 1642. Exact Collect p. 660. We must own it AS OUR DUTY that the meanest of the Commonalty may enjoy their own Birth-right Freedom and Liberty of the Laws of the Land BEING EQUALLY INTITULED THEREUNTO WITH THE GREATEST SUBJECT n A New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny P. 86 87 88. o Maintained in his Soveraign power of Parliaments licenced by the Commons His plea for the Lords The Levellers Levelled Antiquity triumphing over Novelty A brief Historicall Collection of the ancient Parliaments of England and Prynne the Member reconciled to Prynne the Barrister IreÌ„arches Redivivus p No Bishop no King c. Conference of Hampton Court The Bishop of Downes Sermon The antipathy of the English Prelacy to Unity and Monarchy Epistle Dedicatory to the Parliament q Câ—nterburies Doome Written and Printed by their speciall Order r Psal 69. 19 20. Å¿ Psal 31. 12. t Phil. 2. 20 21 22. u Psal 55. 12 13 14. x 2 Cor. 1. 4 5 6 9 10. C. 4 8 9 10. y Rex Omnibus singulis Regni sui Justiâ—iae est debitor Register of Writs and the Prologues of our ancient Statutes Exact Collection p. 494 498 712 713 714 660. z 1 Sam. 8. 5 20. 2 Sam. 23. 3. 1 King 16. 9. Chap. 10. 9. 2 Chron. 8 9. Chap 10 5 6 7. 2 Sam. 8. 15. Chap 15. 2 5. Psal 82 3. Prov. 8. 15. Jer. 7. 5. Chap. 23. 5. Chap. 33. 15. a Exact Collection p. 268 269 290 291 36â— 370 706 to 716. 18 20. E. 3. Rastall Justices Totelâ— Magna Charta b Brookes Office des Court Job 29. 12 to 18. Isa 65. 1. c Questus est Nobis I. S. ex gravi querela I. S. occepimus Petit Judicium c. Register of Writs and Natura Brevium d Calâ—pine Holiâ—kâ— Rider Eliot Calvini Lexicon Medicum e Register of Writs Natura Brevium Old and new Books of Entries and all Declarations c. f Luk. 18. 1 2 3 c. Mat. 7. 7 to 13. 1 Joh. 5. 15. g Fitzherbert Brooke Ash Title Petition and Prerogative h See the beginning of most ancient Parliament Rols Title Receivers of Petitions to the King only not them and the Kings Answers to the Petitions of the Lords and Commons i 1 Jac. c. 1. Cokes 4. Instit c. 1. Brooke Title Parliaments Cromptons Jurisdiction of Courts Title Parliaments Sir Tho. Smith De Republica Angl. l 2. c. 2 3 4. Mr. Hackwels manner of passing Bils in Parliament The Petition of Right 3. Car. Exact Collection p. 163 164 250 310 311 317 319 320 468 477 764 768 794 872 873. A Collection of Ordinances 221 222 c. 110 111 756 757. k Exact Collection p. 660 459 28 29 852 854. l 1 Thess 2. 2. m The like we read of the Centurion who beat and imprisoned him mentioned Act. 22. 24 to 30. n A new Discovery c. p. 113 114 115. o Ibidem p. 141 142. p Coke Instit on Magna Charta c. 29. Brooke Habeas Corpus q Exact Collect p. 8 20 28 29 450 660 652 894. r Exact Collection pag. 252 278 285 289 869 871 883 885 866 559 560. t Mat. 5. 15. Luk. 8. 16. Chap. 10. 35. s A new Discovery p. 86 87 88. u Psal 31. 12. y A new Discovery pag. 137 to 143. z 2 Cor. 5. 10. Read Master Strongs his Printed Sermon thereon a Mat. 25. 31 32. 2 Thess 1 7 8 9 Jude 14 15. Jer. 51. 6 11. b Isa 26. 9 11. c Psal 94. 1 2 c. Rom. 12. 19. d Exod. 15. 3. Isa 45. 7. e Psal 59. 10. 17. f Rom. 15. 33. 16. 20. 2 Cor. 13. 11. g Psal 12. 5. 72 4. Isa 49 26. Jer. 6. 6. 22. 15 to 20. 51 35 36. Ezek. 7 11 to 25. 8 17 18 12. 19 20. 21. 6 7 8 9 12 13 20 21 29 30 45 9. Isa 33. 1 2. Jer. 22. Job 20. 15 to 29. Amos 2. 1 2 3 c 3. throughout Hab. 2. 7 8 â—oel 3. 19. Obad. 8. 9 10 to 21. Zeph. 3. 5 6. Lâ—k 3. 19 20 Act. 12 1 to 10. Exod. 3 7 8. 2. 23 24 25. Mat. 25 41 42 43. h See Exact Collection p. 917 918. An Ordinance of the Lords and Commons â—xhorting all to Repentance Confession and Humiliation for our enormous sins procuring Gods wrath i A New Discovery of the Prelates tyranny p. 115 116. k Isa 32. 17. l See the Vindication of the secured and secluded Members and my Speech in Parliament m Jer 46. 16. 50. 16. n Jer. 28. â—3 14. 27. â— Ezech. 30. 18. 34. 27.
o 2 Chron. 10. 10 14. q Hos 7 14. r Isa 58. 4. Like Aâ—abs to take away Naboths Vineyard 1 King 21. 9 12. s See Exact Collection p. 21. 310. 634 to 638. t Rom. 12. 10. 13. 8 to 12. Gal. 5. 13 14. Ephes 1. 15. 4 2. 5. 2. Col. 2. 2. 1 Thess 3. 12. 4. 9. Heb. 10. 24. 13 1. 1 Pet. 1. 22 2. 17. 3. 8. 1 Joh. â— 11 to 24. 4. 7 11 12. u Ephes 4. 9. x 2 Cor. 13. 11. 1. Thess 5 13. Heb. 12. 14. 1 Pet. 3. 11 y Phil. 2 2 4. z 1 Joh. 3. 16. a 1 Thesâ— 4. 11. b 1 Tim. 2. 2. c 1 Cor. 10. 32. 2 Cor. 6. 3. 1 Cor. 8. 13. Rom. 13. 10. d Isa 2. 4. Mica 3. 3 4. e Mat. 26. 5â— f Gal. 5. 15. g Jam. 4. 1. 3. 13 14 15 16. h Luk. 18. 2 to 9. a Modus Tenendi Parliamentum Cokes 4. Instit ch 1. b See my Plea for the Lords and Collection of the ancient Councels and Parliaments of England c 1 Eliz. c. 1. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 3 Jac. c. 4 5. 7 Jac. c. 6. 16 Caroli The Act for Trienniall Parliaments d See my Plea for the Lords My legall Vindication against illegall Taxes Prynne the Member reconciled to Prynne the Barrister * See An Exact Colâ—ction of them in quar to and another in Folio with an other of their new Knacks since and their Declarations of Febr. 10. and April 17. 1648. * Quintus Curtius Hist l. 10. Justin Hâ—st l. 12. 13. 14. 15 16. 17. 18. Arrianus Hist Alexandri Jacobus usserius Annales veâ—eris Testamenti Plutarchi Cassander Eumâ—nes Diodorus Siculus and others * Seneca * Psal 73. 6. to 12. â— Isay 14. 5. to 18 * In â—utropium l. r. See Roger Houeden Annal pars posterior p. 680. * 2. Sam. 23. 3. 4. 2 Chrâ—n 9 8. c. 10. 5. 6. Isay 32. 1. 2. Rom. 13. 3. 4. 6. Psal 78. 71. 72. 2. Sam. 5. 12. c. â— 15. * 2 Chrâ—n 28. 9. * Exact Collection P. 927. 928. * Judg. 21. 1. to 18. 2. Sam. 1. 12. to 20. 2. 2. Chron. 28. 5. 1. John 3. 10. 11. 12. 1. Cor. 12. 25. 26. * Judg. 21. 1. to 18. 2. Sam. 1. 12. to 20. 2. 2. Chron. 28. 5. 1. John 3. 10. 11. 12. 1. Cor. 12. 25. 26. * 1 Tim. 2. 1 2. Math. 5. 43 to the end Rom 12. 20. 21. * Receptus ergâ— Edgarus et magno donativo donatus est pluresque annos in Caria mancus liber am A genti quotidie in stipendiâ— accepiâ—bat Will. Malmesburiensis De Gâ—stis Regum Angliae l. 3. â— 103. Math. Paris Hist Angl. p 6. Speeds History p. 442 Hiero. de Knyethâ—on de Eventibus Angliae l. 2. c. 3 col 2350. * Simcon Dunelmensis Hist An 1086. 1091 1097. Col. 213 216. 223. Chroâ— Joannis Bromton Col. 973. * Seneca de Ira. l. 2. c. 3 4. * See 1 Jac. c. 1. 2. * Sâ— Militiere his Victory of Truth * As severalâ— printed Diurnals c. An 1653. 1654. 165â— relate Merchants Letters thence * In his Victory of Truth * 2. Cor. 5. 10. 11. Rev. 6. 15. 16. 17. c. 20. 12. 13. 14. * See Erasmi Adagia * De Vera â—t falsa Religio ne cap. De Magistratu * See Plutarch Diogenes Laertius Diodorus Siâ—ulus and others in his Life * Math. Paris Hist Angliae p. 151 155. 156. 160 161. Gul. Nubrigensis Rerum Angl. Hist l. 4. c. 14. to 19. Roger Hoveden pars posterior p. 687 700. to 708. 718 719. 720. 735 c. Fox Acts and Monuments p. 114 123. 124. Holinshed p. 121. 129. 130. 131. 132. Godwins Catalogue of Bishops p. 247. to 261. Speeds History p. 531. and My Antipathy of the English Lordly Prelacy to Regall Monarchy and Civil unity p. 202 to 211. * Necesse est ut multos timeat quem multi timent It a natuâ— ra constituit ut quod alâ—enâ— mâ—tu magnum est à suo non vacet Quicquid terret et trepidat Seneca de Ira l. 2. c. 11. * Seâ— Godwin in his Life * De vera et falsa Religione cap. De Magistratu * Gal. 6. 1. 2. * Miserimam ergo necesse est non tantum brevissimam vit am eorum esse qui magno parant labore quod majore possideant operose assequuntur quae volunt anxij tenent quae asscutâ sunt maximae quaeque boxae sollicite sunt neculli fortunae minus bene quam optimae creditur Aliae faelicitate ad tuendam faelicitatemopus est et pro ipsis quae successarunt votis vota facienda sunt Seneca De Brevitate vitae c. 17. * 2 chroâ— 1. 8. 9. * De Geneâ—logia Regum Anglorum Col. 351. * See 2. E. 3. c 8 20. E 3. c. 1. 2 and 18 E. 3 Oath of the Justâ—ces * Ovid. De Râ—medio Amâ—ris * De Considerationâ— lib 1. * Psal 141. 5. 6. Prov. 19. 20. 25. c. 9. 8. 1 Sam. 25. 18. to 36. * De Jra l. 3. c. 28. 29. * See Justin Hist l. 12. to 18 Qu. Curtius Hist l. 10. Plutarâ—hi Alexander Antigonus Eumenes Dr. Vsher Annales veteris Testamenti pars 1. * Plutarch in his Life Justin Hist l. 12. 12 14. * Plutarchi Eumenes