the Ship-mony Iudges and others not new Delinquents since not then dreamed of 2ly Before publick Grievances redressed those then complained of not others arising afterwards 3ly Before a firm peace between the two Nations of England and Scotland concluded by reason of the former not subsequent breaches between them and the King 4ly Before sufficient provision to be made for the repayment of the said monies to be raised not for the Parliaments subsequent Armyes and occasions but for his Maiesties Army and people in the North the preventing the then imminent danger of this Kingdom not of our new Common-wealth or dangers since arising and for supply of other his Maiesties present not future and urgent occasions But none of these four particulars could be accomplished by the Lords or Commons alone after his Majesties death but by the King alone or by his concurrence with them whiles living Yea they were all actually accomplished in his life time long before his death The first by the Executions of Strafford and Canterbury the impeachments censures of the Shipmony-Judges and other Delinquents both in Scotland Ireland The 2d by the Acts abolishing Shipmony the taking of tonnage poundage and other Taxes without Act of Parliament the Acts for the preventing of Inconveniences happening by the long intermissions of Parliament For regulating of the Privy-Counsel taking away the Court of Star-Chamber and High-Commission against divers Incroachments and oppressions in the Stannary court For the certainty of Forests and their meets and bounds for the better ordering and regulating the Office of the Clerk of the Market for reformation of false Weights and Measures for preventtng vexatious proceedings touching the order of Knightship for the abbreviation of Michaelmas Term and for the free importation of Gunpowder and Salt-peter from forein parts and making of them in England By all these good Acts passed freely by the King soon after or before this Act he fully redressed all Grievances then complained of or intended within this Law The 3d. by the Act of Confirmation of the Treaty of pacification between the two kingdomes of England and Scotland The 4th by the several Acts passed for the Relief of his Majesties army And the Northern parts of this kingdom For the better raising and levying of Mariners and others for the present guarding of the Sea and necessary defence of the Realm not Republike For the Subsidies of Tonnage and poundage granted to the King for the speedy provision of money for disbanding the Armies and setling the peace of the two kingdoms of England and Scotland For securing such monies as are due to the Inhabitants of the Northern Counties where his Majesties Army have been billetted And for securing by publike faith the remainder of the friendly assistance and relief promised to our Brethren of Scotland all passed and published by the King himself Anno 16 17 Caroli 1640. 1641. at least 7. years before his beheading It is most certain that all these ends of making this Law as the Prologue thereof and the word THEREFORE in the Commons prayer infallibly declare were fully accomplished by the King in his life so long before his untimely death Therfore none of theÌ„ now remaining to be performed all acted â—ince their accomplishment by those now sitting being diametrically contrary to this Act these ends and occasions of it this Parliament must of necessity be beheaded expired with the King and cannot survive his death 4ly The words That this present Parliament assembled shall not be dissolved unlesse it be by Act of Parliament to be passed for that purpose nor shall at any time or times during the continuance thereof twice recited in the subsequent clauses be prorogued or adjourned unlesse it be by Act of Parliament to be passed for that purpose can be intended of no other but that present Parliament which passed this Act which consisted of The Kings Maiesty our Soveraign Lord by whom this and all other Acts passed or to be passed was declared and enacted and this intended Act likewise not of his heir or successor after his death and of the Lords and Commons House then in being not any new House of Lords or Commons succeeding after their deaths then sitting Therefore when the King was cut off by an untimely death and thereby an impossibility accruing to dissolve it by an Act of Parliament within the words or intent of this Act it must of necessity be dissolved by his beheading Impossibilities making Acts of Parliament to perform them meerly void as our Lawe makes Impossible conditions 5ly This Act and those who made it must have and had a retrospect to the Writs whereby it and they were summoned and the ends things therein expressed But they all determined and became Impossible after the Kings beheading Therefore the Parliament must be destroyed with him since cessante causa cessat effectus cessante primativo cessat derivativum as all our Lawyers Law-books and natural reason resolve 6ly The last Clause of this Act Thaâ— every thing and things whatsoever done or to be done to wit by the King or any other for the Adjournment proroguing or dissolving of this present Parliament contrary to this Act shall be utterly void and of none effect do clearly explain the meaning of this Act to be this That it extends only to things done or to be done by the Kings will and power as to his Commissions Proclamations Writs Warrants Precepts to adjourn prorogue or dissolve this Parliament as he had done others heretofore here declared to be utterly null and void not to his death wherein he was only passive being forcible against his will and the Parliaments too which death no Parliament can make null and void in respect of the Act it self so as to restore him to life though the whole Parliament and our three Kingdomes may and ought to null it in respect of the illegal manner of his Execution not to be paralel'd in any Age. 7ly The Commons themselves in their Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom 15 Decemb. 1641. Declared That the abrupt dissolution of this Parliament is prevented by another this Bill by which it is provided it shall not be dissolved adjourned without the consent of both Houses Yea the Lords Commons in their Declaration of May 19. 1642. declare That excellent Bill for the continuance of this Parliament was so necessary that without it we could not have raised so great sums of monies for his Majesties service and Common wealth as we have done and without which the ruine and destruction of the Kingdome must needs have followed as since of the Kingdom and Parliaments too by pretext thereof And we are resolved the Gracious favour of his Majesty expressed in that Bill and the advantage and security which thereby we have from being dissolved by him shall not encourage us to do any thing which otherwise had not been fit to have done Which whether
the whole Parliment to remain in the hands of certain Persons which themselves approved of who exceeded their Commission and acted generally as a Parliment And if this was a grand derogation of the state of the Parliament a great damage to the whole Realm and pernitious example for posterity for which in the very next Parliament they impeached deposed him and nulled all these proceedings for ever Then questionless their former sitting acting in the Commons House from December 7 1648. till Apr. 20. 1653. and now again without yea against the consents Votes of the Parliament 3 Estates secluded Members their repealing altering the very Acts Ordinances of the Lords and Commons concerning the Treaty with the King and sundry others their nulling the Act for Trienial Parliments the continuance sitting of the Lords in this Parlament their declaring themselves alone to be the Parliament of England beheading the King himself their dis-inheriting the whole House of Lords and their Heirs for ever of their Parliamentary Session Judicature Privileges as much as in them lyeth and thousands more of their real and personal Estates their forcible secluding securing the greatest part of their Felow-Members then and now again by the Armies power and sitting under their force which by their own Declaration of August 6 and the Armies in pursuit thereof August 8. the Speakers Letter Iuly 29. 1648. yea Sir Arthur Haslerigges own Speech and others of them the very two last dayes they sate in the last Convention nulls all they voted or ordered must needs be a more execrable transcendent crime by thousands of degreees a greater derogation to the state of the Parliament and its Privileges of more fatal consequence to the whole Kingdom and of far more pernicious example than this Act of his eternally to be exploded declared null void to all intents in it self and demeriting the Highest censures that the Justice of Parliament can inflict being a more superlative Treason and High Misdemeanour than this Kings or Canterburies impeached by the whole House of Commons and many of them thus acting sitting That to preserve himself from being questioned for his Trayterous courses he hath laboured to subvert the rights of Parliaments and the antient course of Parliamentary proceedings this being the last Article of his impeachment for which amongst others he lost his head Which Presidents Mr. Prynne would have pressed them viva voce seriously to consider at which they must needs stand mute and astonished not having one syllable to reply 4ly He would have propounded That when all the Members met together They should in the first place debate this point whether the old Parliament were not actually dissolved in point of Law by their beheading the King notwithstanding the Statute of 17 Caroli c. 7 which though themselves by their former and present sitting by pretext thereof the Army-Officers heretofore and now again deny and many secluded Members hold still to be in being yet for his own opinion he held and had published it to be dissolved notwithstanding this Act and to be Casus omissus out of it which he was ready to maintain against all Opponents by these reasons 1. Because it hath been frequently resolved by Parliaments themselves the Reverend Judges and our Law-books as 1 H 4 rot Parl. n. 1 2 3 1 H. 5. Rot. Parl. n. 16.4 E. 4. f. 44. Cooks 4. Instit. p. 44. by King Charles own Declaration 13 Iunii 3 Caroli and his Judges and Counsel then that the deposition and death of the King doth actually dissolve the Parliament and that the new King cannot hold and continue the old Parliament sitting or prorogued at his Ancestors death the Parliament of 22 R 2. being dissolved by his resignation of his Crown and the Parliaments of 14 H. 4. 24. Iacobi by the deaths of these two Kings and by like reason the last Parliament of 16 Caroli by his violent death 2ly Because the Parliament is no standing Court sitting at certain seasons by positive Laws but summoned constituted by the Kings writs of summons and royal Prerogative when and where he pleaseth and adjourned prorogued dissolved by his writ alone in point of Law and practise in all ages at his pleasure sitting sometimes longer sometimes shorter and sometimes prorogued to another day place or countermanded after summons upon just occasions as the Parliament Clause Rolls the Act of 16 Caroli c. 1. and other Statutes resolve Now all writs of summons being actually abated by the Kings death which made them as well as all Commissions Patents of all Judges Justices Sheriffs whatsoever and other writs informations in the Kings name and behalf as the Statute of E. 6. c. 7. Cooks 7 Report f. 29 30. Crookes 1 Part. p 1 2.10.11.97.98 and other Lawbooks collected by Asb Discontinuance de Prâ—ces 16. and Reattachment 7. determine The writs of summons and likewise of Parliament must needs abate likewise And the Lords being made Judges and the Commons Members of that particular Parliament only by the Kings writ his death must determine their Parliamentary Judicature or Authority sitting during the Kings pleasure as well as the Judges Justices Sheriffs Patents and all other Commissions whatsoever 3ly Because every Parliament heretofore in the reign of K. Charls by the very recitals of the Writs is called 1. In the name and by the authoriâ—y only of the King regnant in his natural capacity accompanied with his politick by his Christian name Carolus Dei gratia Rex c. expressed in it not generally by the Office King but Carolus Rex 2ly It recites it to be called De aâ—isamento Consilii nostri 3ly It stiles it quoddam Parliamentum nostrum 4ly That the occasion of calling it was about certain arduous businesses Nos et defensionem Regni nostri Iura coronae nostrae c. in many antient writs contingentibus 5ly That his intention in calling it is Quia cum Praelatis Magnatibus et Proceribus dicti regni nostri or nostris Colloquium habere volumus et Tractatum 6ly It summons them thus Vobis mandamus c. quod personaliter intersitis Nobiscum or ad Nos such a day and place Nobiscom et cum caeteris Praelatis Magnatibus et proceribus praedictis tractaturi vestrumque Consilium impensuri super negotiis antedictis 7ly The Knights Citizens Burgesses and Barons of ports in the Commons House are summoned to doe and consent to those things which shall happen by Gods favour to be then ordained De Communi Consilio supeâ— Negotiis antedictis in sundry Writs stiled by the King Negotia Nostra Negotiorum nostrorum c which clause is thus explained in Claus 36 E. 3. d. 16. cl 37 â— 3 d. 22 cl 38 E. 3. d. 3. cl 39 E 3. d. 2. cl 42 E. 3 d. 22. cl 47 E. 3. d. 29. ad consentiendum biis quae per Nos ac dictos Magnates et Proceres orâ—inati contigerit
Objection For if the King never dies Then by their own confession and our Lawes we are still a Kingdom not a Republike yea Charles Steward as heir to his beheaded Father was and is still de Iure de facto the lawfull King of England and supreme Lord and Governour of our Church Kingdom there being no Interregnum ever since his Fathers death and then what becomes of all their absurd illegal Knacks against his Regality and Kingship it self of which they are forced now to pray in ayd to make themselvs a Parliamen of their Mock-Parliament without King and House of Lords of their perfidious treacherous Engagements against both and Supreme Authority of the Nation which they have tyrannically usurped 2ly Though the King in genere or rather Kingship it self never dies yet the King in Individuo may and doth oft times die and if the successive deaths of all our Kings since we were a kingdom be not a sufficient proof thereof the very Objectors and Iohn Bradshawes beheading the late King and putting him to such a shamefull publike death as no Pagan nor Christian lawfull King of England ever formerly suffered by perfidious perjurious treacherous Subjects since it was an Island against our Laws and Votes of Parliament in the Highest Court of Injustice created by them for that end is a sufficient evidence that the King of England dieth as well as other men as they all must likewise doe in Gods due time unless they will make the World believe to expiate their Treason that they did not kill the King in cutting off his head but that he is still alive because some others as is reported did reunite and sow it to his bodie when severed from it by them But of this enough since M. P. presumes they will henceforth rather renounce their Parliaments being than bottom its present existence upon this bloudy foundation and their exploded Kingship The 2d Objection is from the words of the Statute of 17 Caroli c. 7. which declareth enacteth That this present Parliament now assembled shall not be dissolved unless it be by Act of Parliament In the Negative Ergo It shall not be dissolved by the Kings death being no Act of Parliament nor any Act of Parliament yet made for its dissolution Whereunto Mr. Prynne answers 1. That the sole end scope of this Act was not to provide against the dissolution of the Parliament by the Kings natural or violent untimely death not then thought of he being in perfect health likely to live many years by the course of nature and to survive all the ends for which this Act was made but to raise credit for the Parliament to provide monies by this Act to prevent the untimely dissolution proroguing adjourning of this Parliament by the Kings own regal power He having prorogued dissolved all former Parliaments during his Reign in discontent by his Regal power not death against the Lords and Commons wills 2ly This is intituled An Act to prevent Inconveniences which may happen by the untimely adjourning proroguing or dissolving of this present Parliament and the Prologue Body of the Act provide joyntly and severally against all three to wit the untimely proroguing or adjourning as well as dissolving of this Parliament But no Parliament ever was is or possibly can be untimely prorogued or adjourned by the Kings death but only by his actual Regal will and power Therfore the dissolving of it intended by this Act must be only an untimely dissolution by his actual will Commission writ and regal power alone by which his former Parliaments were prorogued dissolved against the Lords and Commons assents not by his death whether natural or violent being against his will and no part of his Regal Supremacy but only of his human frailty 3ly The Inconveniences the Commons feared would ensue by the untimely dissolution of this Parliament and endeavoured to prevent by this Act are thus expressed in the Prologue Where as great sums of mony must of necessity be suddainly advanced and provided for relief of his Majesties Army people of the Nothern parts of this Realm and to prevent the imminent danger this Kingdome is in and for supplying of other his Majesties present and urgent occasions which cannot be so timely effected as is requisite without credit for raysing the said mony which credit cannot be obtained untiil such Obstacles he first removed as are occasioned by Fears Iealousies Apprehensions of divers of his Majesties Subjects that this present Parliament may be adjourned prorogued or dissolved 1. before Iustice shall be executed upon Delinquents 2ly publike grievances redressed 3ly a firm peace between the two Nations of England and Scotland concluded 4ly and before sufficient provision be made for the repayment of the said monies so to be raysed all which the Commons in this present Parliament assembled having duly considered do therefore humbly beseech your most excellent Majesty that it may be declared and enacted And be it therefore declared and enacted by the King our Soveraign Lord with the assent of the Lords and Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by authority of the same That this present Parliament now assembled shall not be dissolved unless it be by Act of Parliament to be passed for that purpose c. By which it is undenyable 1. That the Commons when they petitioned for the King when he declared enacted the Lords and Commons when they assented to this Act did never think of or intend to provide against a dissolution of this Parliament by the Kings untimely death nor of a future dissolving it by an Act of Parliament by his Successors or others after his decease but on the contrary presupposed the continuance of his life and of this Parliament thereby till all the inconveniences they recite were prevented and a new Act passed by him and them jointly to dissolve this Parliament when these Inconveniences were prevented and things effected Which is irrefragable 1. Because they declare in Terminis The speedy advancing and providing of monies for the relief of his Majesties Armies and people of the Northern parts not their subsequent Armies and the supply of his Maiesties present and urgent occasions not their own and the Fears Jealousies and Apprehensions of divers his Maiesties Loyal Subiects c. o be the only ground of their humbly beseeching his Maiesty for this Act. All which presuppose his life being preservation and the Commons great care of complying with him as their Soveraign Lord without the least thought of his untimely death since happening or secluding the King or his Poûeritie out of this and all future Parliaments by colour of this Act as those now fitting have done point-blanck against it 2ly The Fears Jealousies and Apprehensions they had occasioning this Act were only these That this Parliament might be adjourned prorogued dissolved 1. Before Justice shall be duly executed upon Delinquents then in being and complained of as Strafford Canterbâ—ry
and protesting engaging against them both as no Members of it Neither can they pursue any one of those ends for which this Parliament was continued Therefore they are doubtlesse beyond dispute no Parliament at all within the words or intention thereof their own Consciences Reason being Judges whatever they pretend nor yet by their own Republican principles a free and equal Representative of the people 6 ly By the Law and Custom of all Nations Nature Reason Justice Equitie the laws of England and of all publick or private Ecclesiastical Civil or Militarie Councils or Corporations the Majority of persons Members Voyces Votes are alwayes reputed the Parliament Council Synod Corporation and do yea ought of right to bind the lesser part as well in making Laws Ordinances as Elections and all else that concerns the publick Yea the General and General Counsel of the Army-Officers in their Petition to those and others now sitting in Parliament and draught of an Agreement of the people for a secure and present peace framed prepared and presented to them to be established and subscribed by the people Ianuary 20. 1649. not onlie subscribed thereto but proposed That 150 Members at least be alwayes present in each sitting of the Representative at the passing of any Law or doing of any Act whereby the People are to be bound saving that the Number of sixty may make the House for Debates or Resolutions that are preparatory thereunto Therefore the 42 Members secretlie skipping into the House secluding the rest May 7 9. being not the 10th part of the Members of the old Parl. now surviving by all Nations Laws Consents can be no Parliament nor House of Commons within this Act nor pass anie thing to bind the Majoritie of the Members or people in anie kind whatsoever what ever anie imprudent illiterate shameless namelesse Scriblers or themselves against their own Reasons Consciences Iudgements principles resolutions pretend to the contrarie but dare not once affirm in good earnest It being a received Maxime in all Ages Populi minor pars Populum non obligit 6 ly It is a rule our Lawbooks That all Statutes ought to be interpreted according to Reason and the true mind meaning intention of those that made them but it is most certain That it is against all reason and the true intents minds meaning of the Makers of this law to make a Parliament without a King or House of Lords or Majoritie of the Commons House Or that all or anie of them when they made this Act did ever dream of such a Iuncto as this now sitting Or to seclude themselves and resign up their own interests freedoms privileges right of sitting in Parliament with them to constitute them the onlie Parliament of England as everie line syllable throughout the Act demonstrates Therefore they neither are nor can be a Parliament within it neither can the Bedlam Turkish Bruitish unreasonable Argument of the longest Sword or Armie-logick nor the petitions addresses of any Crack-brain'd Sectaries and vulgar Rabble of inconfiderable illiterate people nor the presence of anie Lawyers sitting with or acting under them as a Parliament to their own and their Professions dishonour make them so in their own or any Wisemens or Iudicious honest Lawyers Iudgement whatsoever And therefore out of Conscience shame justice prudence and real Christianitie have they anie left they must needs disclaim themselves to be a Parliament and no longer abuse the Nation or others under their disguise All whith Mr. Prynne if admitted would viva Voce have pressed home upon them but being forcibly secluded by their Gards because unable to answer or contradict his Law or Reason he now tenders to their view and the Judgement Resolution of the whole English Nation to whom he appeals with this publick Protestation That if they will freely call in all the surviving Members of the Lords and Commons House sitting till December 1648. without secluding anie by force or new unparliamentarie Impositions or seclusive Engagements which they have no power to impose If they upon a free and full debate shall resolve the old parliament to be still in being and not actually dissolved by the Kings beheading notwithstanding his premised Reasons to the contrarie He will then submit his private Iudgement to their Majority of Voyces in this as well as in all other Parliamentary debates and contribute his best assistance and advice as a Fellow-Member to heal the manifold breaches prevent the approaching ruines of our indangered Church Realms Parliaments Laws Liberties Peace and establish them upon better foundations than those now sitting to promote their own and the Armies interests rather than the peoples or Nations are ever likely to lay Who if they can prove themselves a true and lawfull English Parliament within this Act without either King or House of Lords or this their clandestine forcible entry into and seclusion of their Fellow-Members out of the Honse and Actings in it to be lawfull equitable righteous honorable parliamentarie Christian and such as well becomes either Saints Members or true good Englishmen by anie Records Parliament Rolls Acts Presidents of like kind in former Ages Law-books Customes Common or Civil-law Scripture Divinitie Reason Ethicks Policks except Machiavils and the sole Argument of the longest Sword the most bruitish unjust unchristian Turkish of all others Mr. Prynne will then publicklie declare them to be that in truth which as yet he neither can nor dares to acknowledge them to be so much as in appellation either a Member of the Old Parliament a Covenanter a Protester a Lawyer a Scholar a Man an Englishman or a Christian. And hopes that upon the perusal hereof they will as much disown themselves to be the Parliament within this Act or anie lawfull Parliament of England even in their Judgments consciences much more in actings for the premised Reasons as he or anie other secluded Members do not out of anie spirit of contradiction but Conscience and common dutie to themselves and their native Country That which principallie elevated yea inflamed Mr. Prynnes zeal both now and heretofore with all his might to oppose all late publick Innovations changes of our antient Government Parliaments Laws was this sad and serious consideration which he shall with all earnest importunitie intreat advise all Army Officers Souldiers sitting or secluded Members of the Lords or Commons House with all well-affected persons to the safetie settlement of our Religion Church State throughout our three Nations most seriouslie to lay to heart and engrave upon their Spirits not to read it as they do News-books only to talk of them for a day or two but as they read the evidences of their Inheritances whereby they hold all their earthlie yea heavenly possessions that they may remember act according to it all their lives That William Watson a secular Priest of Rome in his Dialogue between a Secular Priest and a Lay Gentleman printed at Rhemes 1601. in his
2. resolve there was none at all in King Iames or King Charles did thereupon by this special Act and a strict Oath declare aad establish the surety title or succession of the Grown of England in him and his Heirs for ever upon which dependeth all our joy and wealth as they more at large expresse 13ly God himself in direct terms declares that it is a matter and badge of honour and prosperity for any Nation to be advanced from a Commonwealth or Principality into a Kingdom Ezech. 15.13 14. Thou didst prosper into a Kingdom And thy renown went forth among the Heathen for thy beauty for it was perfect through my comelynesse which I put upou thee saith the Lord which compared with Rom. 13.1 Let every Soul be subject to the Higher Powers for there is no Power but of God the Powers that are are ordained of God Col. 1.16 For by him are all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible or invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalities all were created by him and for him Tit. 3.1 Put them in mind to be subject to Principalityes and Powers to obey Magistrates 1 Pet. 2. 13 17. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of Man for the Lords sake whether to the King as Supream Fear God Honour the King are infallible demonstrations That as kingdomes and Kings are of Divine institution and planting so they are reputed instituted by God and Jesus Christ as the most prosperous happyest divinest honourablest supreamest of all other forms of Government and Governors whatsoever created by and for Iesus Christ and have been the very Governments and Governors alone in and by which he hath precisely promised declared that he will most advance his own Spiritual Kingdom Church and Glory as is undenyable by Ps. 68.29.31.32 Ps. 102.22 2 Kings 19.19 Isay. 37.20 Rev. 11.15 Psal. 2.10 11. Psal. 68.29 Psal. 72 10 11. Psal. 102. 15. Psal. 138.4 Ps. 144.10 Ps. 148.11 Ps. 149.8 Isay 49.7 13. c. 52.15 c. 60.3 10 11 16. c. 62.2 Rev. 21 24. the expresse lively Images of Christs own Spi-Spiritual Kingdom Kingship on whose Throne alone they sit as his Vicegerents 2 Chron. 9.8 Col. 1.16 and therefore are stiled Kings Kingdoms not Optimacies or Republicks yea not only Kings but Gods and Gods Anointed as well as Christ himself Exod. 22.8 Iosh. 22 22. Ps. 82 1 6. Iohn 10.34 1 Cor. 8.5 2 Sam. 12.3 5. c. 22 52. Psal. 20.6 Isay 45.1 Lam. 4.20 1 Sam. 16.6 c. 24.6 10 c. 26.9 11 1 23 2 Sam. 19.21 14ly God himself in sundry Scriptures positively declares and denounceth the plucking up or rooting out of a Kingdom and making it no Kingdom or a base or viler Kingdom than it was before and the leaving of an antient Kingdom without a King or hereditary Successor or Heir to sway the Scepter to be a most severe sad grievous Iudgement and Punishment on them for their crying hainous offences and Sinnes against him yea an immediate concomitant or Forerunner of their utter desoiation a matter of present and future lamentation not of a mercy blessing or cause of rejoycing as our seduced Bedlam-Republicans Army-Saints and Pseudo-Politicians repute it as all these Texts infallibly resolve Judg. 17.6 c. c. 18.1 c. c. 17.1 c. c. 21.25 Hos. 3.4 c. 10.3.7.15 a notable Scripture Is. 9.2 11 12. c. 7.16 Amos 1.8.10.13 14 15. c. 2 2.5 c. Mich. 4.9.10 Jer. 17.25.27 c. 22.5 to 30. c. 25.8 to 38. Ezech. 19.14 15. a signal Text c. 17.12 13 14. c. 29.14 15. Lam. 1.6 c. 2.6.9 c. 4.20 c. 5.16 Hab. 1.10.14 15. Nah. 3.17 18 19. Hag. 2.22 Ezech. 21.26 27. Against which Scriptures worthie your particular perusal no one Text can be produced to prove it a blessing benefit honor to any kingdom or Nation whatsoever 15ly As for your new magnified Common-wealth and Aristocracie preferred by you before our Kings and Monarchie 1. Consider that of Prov. 28.2 For the Transgression of a Land many are the Princes or Governors thereof but by a man of understanding and knowledge the State thereof shall be prolonged And compare it with Hosea 10.3 For now they shall say We have no King because we feared not the Lord what then should a King do to us Lam 5.16.8 The Crown of our head to wit our King c. 4.20 is fallen wo unto us that we have sinned Servants have ruled over us there is none that delivereth us out of their hand And then you must needs confess that your subversion of our Kingly Government by one single person to set up a Polarchie and New Republike under many Servants Governors is in Gods own his Churches peoples account an heavie judgement vassallage bondage on them for their transgressions sinnes and a matter of great lamentation woe Ezech. 19.12 13 14. not a blessing ease libertie means of their happiness or establishment 2. Consider that you cannot derive the Pattern of your New Commonwealth from the Scripture Gospel Church or presidents of God and Jesus Christ but only from the Old Heathen bloudie Romans after their Regifugium who were alwaies altering their Government from one new form to another continuing not long in anie one condition till setled in an Emperor and Empire and at last in a Regal Roman Pontiff in which state it hath continued almost 1700. years and the new Jesuitical models of Parsons Campanella Richelieu Mazarine Spain France recommended to you from Antichristian Rome to work our ruine Or at leastwise from the old seditious Graecians and Athenians who are thus branded in Historians Omnino ad commutandos Reipublicae Status erant versatiles et omnium propensissimi ad vicissitudines as you and the Army-Officers now are which proved their utter ruine and caused endless wars and tumults between themselves till they were subdued enslaved by the Macedonians Persians Romans and other foreign Kings as you may read at leisure in Thucidides Diodorus Siculus Xenophon Plutarch Arrianâ—â— Iustin Bp. Vshers Annales Veteris Testamenti whence Heniochus an antient Greek Comaedian compares Aristocracie and Popularitie unto two scolding Women who coming amongst the Greek Cities put all things into tumult and disorder making them bedlam mad against each other to their utter desolation Tum geminae ad illas accesserunt Mulieres Quae cuncta conturbarunt Optimatitas Est nomen alteri alteri Popularitas Quarum incitatu pridem externatae furunt And have they not produced the self-same Madness Furie and sad effects among the Armie yea and our 3. kingdoms How then can you or anie wise men but only TOM OF BEDLAMS be anie longer in love with either of them and preferr them before Kings and Kingship when as your selves as well as other Members declared resolved in two Declarations of 12 April 1646. of 17 Decemb. and in the Votes of Novemb 9. 23. 1647. That the Agreement of the People for a Representative and Republike without
against the Earl of Strafford printed by the Commons house special Order p. 64. In this I shall not labour to prove That the endeavouring By Words Counsels and Actions to subvert the fundamental Lawes and Government of the Kingdom is Treason by the Common Law If there be any Common Law Treasons left nothing Treason if this be not to make a Kingdom no Kingdom And then consider Sir Edward Cooks memorable Observation published by the Commons Order 3 Instit. c. 2. p. 35 36. It appeareth in the holy Scripture That TRAYTORS never prospered what good soever they pretended but were most severely and exemplarily punished in conclusion which he proves by the examples of Corah Dathan and Abiram Num. 16.31 32. c. 27. 3. Athaliah 2 Kings 1.1.16 Bigthan and Teresh Esth. 2.21.23 c. 6.2 Absolom 2 Sam. 18.9.14 Abiathar 1 King 2.26 27. Shimei 2 Sam. 6.5 6. 1 Kings 2.8.46 Zimri 1 Kings 16 9.18 Theudas Acts 5.36 37. and Iudas Iscariot the Traytor of Traytors Acts 1.18 Mat. 27.5 Peruse over all our Books Records Hisâ—ories and you shall finde a principle in Law a rule in Reason and a trial in experience That Treason doth ever produce fatal and final destruction to the Offender and never attaineth to the desired end two incidents inseparable thereunto And therefore let all men abandon it as the most poisonous Bait of the Devil of Hell and follow the precept in holy scripture Fear God honor the King and have no company with the Seditious Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum So he Now because Mâ— P. finds some Grandees of his own Profession sitting in the House to countenance and make up this Vnparliamentary Iuncto he shall desire them in the first place seriously to consider how much they have formerly and now again dishonoured themselves and the whole profession of the Law in sitting in complying with acting under such illegal Anti-Parliamentary Conventicles Powers Changes Changers yea crying them up for legal English Parliaments Powers obeying executing all their illegal new Knacks Orders Ordinances as Acts of Parliament in civil criminal real or personal Causes against all Records Law-books Presidents of former Ages their own Judgments Oaths Science Consciences to the intollerable scandal of their Robe the injurie abuse of the whole Nation the prejudice of all their lawfull Superiours and the Publick the encouragement of usurping Traytors Tyrants Oppressors in their waies of wickedness the ill example of most others and their own just reproach 2ly To observe How God in his retaliating Justice hath recompensed this their wilfull prevarication upon their own heads by turning many of them out of their respective places of Judicature honor profit the ground of this their sinfull complyance with infamy dishonour reproach even by the very Persons with whom they unworthily complyed and those especially in present power who had neither been an House of Commons much lesse a mock Parliament without their presence and complyance 3ly That the base unworthy unchristian complyance of the Lawyers and Clergy of England with our late trayterous Innovators Usurpers out of base fear sordid covetousnesse ambition self-saving or self-seeking to the prejudice ruine of King Kingdom Parliament Lords Law hath brought an universal odium upon them with those with whom they most complyed as well as others the Army Officers and present Iuncto under a pretext of Reformation designing both their ruines through the Jesuites Politicks who now bear greatest sway having turned many of them with scorn and contempt out of their former places of Judicature beyond their expectations and reviled both their persons and professions to their faces as a Generation of sordid Temporizers and useless faithless persons not fit to be entrusted any more but discarded out of their new lawlesse Republick which hates both Law and Gospel as warranted by neither and repugnant unto both 4ly That the only way now to regain their lost Honour and preserve both our Laws Liberties Religion establish future peace settlement and prevent impendent ruine is to endeavour to restore our antient hereditary just legal Kingship Kings Governors Government with all their necessary invaded Prerogatives Lands Revenues Rights Jurisdictions and inviolably to preserve them with their lives and estates against all conspiracies of Popes Jesuits and foreign enemies to subvert and undermine them in any kind as the several memorable Parliaments and Statutes of 29 H. 6. c. 1.31 H. 6. c. 1.39 H. 6. c. 1.25 H. 8. c. 22.2 E. 6. c. 26.7 E. 6. c. 12. 1 Eliz. c. 3.4.20 5 Eliz. c. 1.29.30 1 Eliz. c. 1.2 23.24 18 Eliz. c. 21.22 23 Eliz. c. 1.13.14 27 Eliz. c. 1.2.28.21 29 Eliz. c. 7 8. 31 Eliz. c. 14 15. 35 Eliz. c. 2.12 13.39 Eliz. c. 26 27. 43 Eliz c. 17 18. 1 Jac. c. 1. 3 Jac. c. 1 2 4 5 25 26. 7 Jac. 6 22 23. 21 Jac. c. 32 33. 3 Car. c. 5 6. in their respective preambles and bodies worthy our most serious review in the Statutes at large resolve being more to be credited pursued than all the rash Jesuitical suggestions votes and inconsiderable resolutions of any unparliamentarie Conventicle or upstart Pseudo-Polititians advancing themselves to the helm of our new Republick by colour of the Statute of 17 Car. 7. Which Bill by the Commons House resolution in their Remonstrance of 15 Dec. 1641. seems to be some restraint of the Regal power in dissolving of Parliaments not to take it out of the Crown but to suspend the execution of it for the time and occasion only which was so necessary for the Kings own security and the Publick peace that without it they could not have undertaken any of those great things but must have left both the Armies to disorder and confusion and the whole Kingdome to blood and rapine Therefore the Parliament must needs determine by the Kings death as he hath infalliby evidenced beyond contradiction In the last place Mr. Prynne shall most importunately beseech all the antient Nobility secluded Members well-affected Gentry Clergy Commonalty of the English Nation which had never so many effeminate false heads and hearts as now many Jesuite Priest Monk lurking under the disguise of womanish Perewigges brought into fashion by them as they now tender their own private or the publick safety weal settlement and preservation of our endangered Church Religion Kingdom Parliament Laws Privileges Properties and prevention of their impendent ruine First of all seriously to consider lament cast off reform their own late present monstrous sottish stupidity sleepinesse self saving self-seeking Spirits and most unworthy un-manly un English unchristian pusillanimity cowardize fear of a few contemptible Mercinary mortal men who shall shortly dye and become as dung upon the earth and their grosse breach of all publick Oaths Protestations Leagues Covenants in not opposing resisting them manfully in their several places and callings Which hath been the principal cause of all the publick Changes Innovations Oppressions Grievances
dissipated House of Commons elected impowred only by the Army not People to act what they prescribe to extirpate King Lords Monarchy Magistracy Ministry Laws Liberties Properties and reduce them all under Jesuitisme at first and our forein Enemies Vassallage in conclusion Mr. Prynne then being most clearly convinced thereof by what he formerly published as a Member in his Speech and Memento and since in his Epistle to a New Discovery of Free State tyranny his Ius Patronatus his historical and legal Vindication of the fundamental Laws Liberties Rights Properties of all English Freemen A new Discovery of Romish Emissaries his Quakers unmasked and in his Republicans Good Old Cause truly and fully anatomised wherin he infallibly demonstrates their converting of our late English Monarchy into a new Common-wealth or elective Protectorship to be the antient projected moddles of Father Parsons and other Jesuites and Tho. Campanella the Italian Frier specially recommended by them to the pursuite of the King of Spain who prosecuted it all he could to promote his universal Monarchy and so much rejoyced at it that he was the first foreign King who presently sent an extraordinary Ambassador to congratulate the accomplishment applaud the constitution of enter into a League of Friendship with it whose flattering panygerick in his Great Catholique Kings name in prayse thereof and what an honour it was to them that he was the first forein Prince that owned them for a Common wealth made the Commons House so intoxicated that they gratified him in all his requests and pursued all his designs only to ruine us and the Netherlands layd down by Campanella De Monarchia Hispanica c. 25 27. by furnishing him with many thousands of Irish forces quarrelling with the Hollanders maintaining above three years bloody wars with them with infinite losse and expence to both Nations taking the French Kings Fleet provisions merely designed for the reliefe of Dunkirk whereby he presently regained it to our prejudice And on the other hand Cardinall Richlieu of France the great Incendiary of Christendome and fomenter of all our Domestick wars in his life the French King and Mazarine by his instructions in writing after his death vigorously pursued this very design His instructions to this purpose recorded by Conte de Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato an excellent Italian Historian are very memorable who relates That Cardinal Richelieu Anno 1642. after he had involved the King Parliament and Ireland in a bloody Civil war being near his death delivered these politick instructions for the King his Master to pursue for carrying on his designs in relation to England with successe That above all other things he should endeavour to keep the Government of Great Britain divided and dis-united by ayding the weaker party that the other might not make it self too powerfull By causing the three Kingdomes of England Scotland and Ireland to be divided either by nominating other Kings elective of another family accomplished by erecting an elective Protector or by moulding them into a Common-wealth as our Republicans have formerly and now done again Yet with this caution That when they are reduced into a Common-wealth so to order the matter That it may not be united into one but divided How punctually Cardinal Mazarine prosecuted these instructions ever since and accomplished them at last the Letters taken in the Lord Digbyes Cabinet printed by the Parliaments order 1646. and O. Cromwels late intimate correspondency with Mazarine discover And how much the Iesuites and Catholicks in France in November 1648. approved applauded the turning of our hereditary Monarchy which they irreconcilably hated envyed as well as the late King and turning the Old Parliament into a new Republican Representative and that all their hopes to effect it were in the Army to whom they wished all prosperity therein you may read in a Letter sent from thence by the Armies Agent to a fitting Republican Member soon after published by Mr. Prynne who got the original Mr. Prynne knowing all this and clearly discovering a fresh combination between the Sectaries Republican Anabaptistical Iesuitical levelling party to pursue their designs afresh and accomplish what they formerly attempted in the short Mock-Parliament of their own election creation Anno 1653. and what was then passionately recommended to them by Iohn Canne the Anabaptist in his Voyce from the Temple dedicated to them as their Generation work which God and all his people then expected and required from them even to extirpate the Church Ministry of England Advowsons Glebes Tithes and demolish all Parish Churches as Antichristian to extirpate the Law root and branch under pretext of reforming and new-moulding it to sell all Corporation and College lands and set up a popular Anarchy or tyrannical Oligarchy among us under the disguise of the Old Dissolved Parliament sitting from 1648. till April 20. 1653. after six years violent ejection of them with highest scorn and reproach yet now invited by them to sit again to effect these Romish designs to our utter Confusion but secluding all those who were like to obstruct or defeat them Upon this consideration Mr. Prynne as a secluded Member of the old Parliamemt wherein he detected oppugned all these Treasonable Designs heretofore and since its dissolution by the Kings beheading held it his bounden duty to prevent defeat them now and nip them in the bud whereupon so soon as those now sitting entred the House he assayed to go into it with as many old secluded Members as he could there being 80 of them in London For although his judgement be that this Parliament is quite dissolved by the Kings beheading as he oft declared in print yet since the Army Officers and those now sitting with sundry others pretend it still in being and under that pretext alone have acted all their publick Tragedies and Innovations he conceived himself bound in Conscience upon their Concessions to endeavour to prevent these mischiefs and do all Publick good he might with better warrant and reason than most Ministers Lawyers Justices Magistrates Members of late Parliaments as they style them have prayed for complyed with acted in under those late Governors Governments mock Parliaments as he is confident some now sitting among them in this new Convention believe it dissolved and yet go in only to prevent and allay those mischiefs which others violently pursue which their own Consciences and our laws resolve them without scruple to be utterly illegal whereas this old Parliament whereof he was a Member was most legallie summoned and convened beyond dispute and hath the colour of a legal Act of Parliament for its continuance which those since have wanted of which Act the greatest part of those now sitting taking advantage notwithstanding their new Instruments Declarations Petitions Advises Addresses and Sessions in other new Parliaments since and it being a great dispute now among most secluded Members whether that Parliament was not yet alive though
favente Domino From all which particular clauses in the very writs of summons it is undeniable that the Parliament of 16 Caroli was ipso facto dissolved by the Kings death 1. Because this Parliament was summoned particularly by King Charles in his natural as well as politick capacity not in his politick alone nor yet by or for him his heirs successors who ceased to be both Charles and a King of this Realm by his death 2ly The Counsel by whose advice it was summoned was his not his heirs and successors Counsel 3ly The Parliament convened his Parliament alone not his heirs or successors both of them ceasing to be his Counsel or Parliament by his decease 4ly The subject matter for which it was summoned Divers urgent and arduous businesses concerning Us not our heirs or successors and the defence of Our not their Realm of England who was no more Us and the kingdom no more his kingdom so soon as he lost his life 5ly The end of summoning this Parliament was only this for the King himself to have a conference and Treaty with the Prelates and Nobles and for them to be personally present with Us not our heirs or successors to give Us their Counsel c. not our heirs and successors All frustrate made impossible and absolutely ceasing by his death because when once dead they can neither parlie conferr nor treat with the King himself nor the King with them nor be personally present with Him for that purpose unlesse they will averr that a meer dead headlesse King can really confer treat parly consult advise with his living Prelats Lords Parliament and they with him be Parliamentally present with each other in the Lords House neither of which they dare admit into it for fear the King if living and Lords too should afright them out of it as the Kings ghost yea the memorial of it though dead might justly do 6ly The mandatory part being in the Kings name alone to summon them to treat with and give their Counsel unto Us concerning the foresaid businesses relating to Us and the defence of Our Realm Our Businesses aforesaid not our heirs and successors He and his businesses all ending when he expires the Parliament must of necessity determine 7ly The Parliament ceasing to be the Common counsel of the King and his kingdom and nothing possible to be ordained BY US the King not his heirs and successors Prelates Nobles in Parliament without his concurrent Vote or when he is dead unless a dead King can give counsel make Ordinances give his royal assent to Bills when deceased It must inevitably follow that all the Authority causes grounds ends for which the Members of this Parliament were all summoned to treat consult and give their advice to the King himself determining and becoming impossible to be performed by his death the Parliament must of necessity expire and be dissolved even as the natural body ceaseth to be and remain a living man when the Head is quite cut off If then those now sitting who cut off the Kings Head the Head of the Parliament and thereby destroyed that temporary body politick will have their Conventicle revived by this Act they must set on his head again raise him alive out of his Grave and bring him back into the House to impeach condemn decapitate them in this true High Court of Justice for this their beheading him in their Court of Highest Injustice Which Mr. Prynne presumes they dare not doe least his revived Ghost should scare them thence or justly retaliate their transcendent Treachery 4ly If any man by his will deed the King by his Commissions the Parliament by a special Act or Order shall authorize impower any 3. persons joyntly to sell lands give livery and seisin execute any Commission as Iudges Iustices Commissioners Auditors or Committees of Parliament if any one of them die both the survivors joyntly or severally can doe nothing because their authority trust was joynt not several and joyntly nor seperately to be exercised If there be not 40 Commoners in the House they cannot sit or acts as an House nor dispatch the least affair no more can any Committee of either House unless their Number be sufficient to make up a Committee as the orders and custom of Parliament appoint Therfore the Parliament of England being a Corporation compacted joyntly of the King Lords and Commons House and three estates The death of the King necessarily dissolves the Parliament notwithstanding this Act which did not alter the Parliaments Old constitution but establish it The Kings personal absence from his Parliament heretofore and of late was reputed very prejudicial to it and his calling away some Lords Great Offiâ—ers and other Members from it a high way to its present dissolution in his life Therefore it must much more be dissolved by his death and the Lords and Commons forcible seclusion both before and since it by the Army and sitting Members they having Vocem locum in quolibet Parliamento Angliae as our Law-books Statutes and their Patents resolve 5ly The principal end of calling Parliaments is to enact new and necessary Laws and alter repeal such as are ill or inconvenient as the Prologues of our printed Statutes our writs of Summons Law-books attest and all accord But no new Act of Parliament can be made nor no former Acts altered repealed but by the Kings royal assent who hath a Negative voice to deny as well as Affirmative to assent to them as well as the Lords and Commons as all our Parliaments Iudges Law-books Parliament Records Treatises of Parliaments the printed Statutes in each Kings reign more particularly the Statutes of 33 H. 8. c. 21. 1 Jac. c. 1. in the close resolve Yea both Houses acknowledged it in all contests with the late King our Kings Coronation Oaths and all our antient Saxon Kings Lawes attest it Therefore his death must needs dissolve the Parliament notwithstanding this Act because it could make no Act for its dissolution nor declare alter repeal any other Law without his royal assent There are but 2. Objections made by any sitting or secluded Members against these Reasons that his death should not dissolve the Parliament The 1. is this which the Republicans themselves formerly and now insist on That the King doth never die in judgement of Law and that there is no Interregnum because the Crown immediately descends to his right heir who by Law is forthwith King de jure and de facto before his actual Proclamation or Coronation as the Statute of 1 Iacobi ch 1. Cooks 7 Rep. f. 10 11. Calvins case and other Books resolve To which Mr. Prynne Answers 1. That this argument is but an Axe to chop off their own heads and supremacy as they did the Kings and the Objectors now sitting must either renounce their sitting acting Knacks Declaration against the late King Kingship and the House of Lords or quite disclaim the
Quodlibets printed 1602 and William Clerk a Secular Priest in his Answer to Father Parsons Libel 1604. p. 75. c. then best acquainted with the Iesuites designs against England of all others did in precise terms publish to the English Nation in these their printed Books a That Father Parsons the English Iesuite the most active professed enemie to our English Kingship Kings Realm Church Religion his Confederate Iesuitical Society did so long since give out and prophesied That they have it by Revelation and special command from God that their order and Society was miraculously instituted for this end to work a dismal change amongst us wherein all Laws Customes and Orders must be altered and all things turned upside down and that they being the only men who have the name Title and authority of Iesus by them it is that this marvelous change and alteration shall be wrought in such sort as from the beginning of the world was the like never heard of before to this present That this Iesuite Father Parsons in his Book Of the Reformation of all the States of England as he prescribes a Reformation of the Prince Court Counsellors Noblemen Bishops Prelates Pastors Universities Lawyers and Laws in all which he will have strange Metamorphoses so he will have the Court of Parliament it self brought to better order to effect all these dismal changes That the way whereby he they intended to bring about all these changes was to bring all England into an uprore for common Souldiers to examine their Soveraigns what Titles they hold by and by infusing this their Iesuitical principle into the Souldiers and people That every Pecope or Tartarian multitudâ— getting once the title and stile of a publick State or Helvetian Common wealth may alter change innovate the Course Inheritance and Succession of the Crown and Lands under them to make the Island a Iaponian Island of Iesuites and infeoff themselves by hook or crook in the whole imperial dominion of Great Britain putting all the whole Blood-Royal of England to the Formidon as but Heirs general in one Predicament For their better accomplishment whereof this William Watson subjoyns his own opinion in these words I verilie think that all the Puritans and Anabaptists will joyn with the Iesuites to effect these changes at length how far soever they seem to be and yet are in external profession of Religion there being at least half an hundred principles and odde Tricks concerning Government Authority Tyranny Popularity Conspiracy c. wherein they jump as just together as if both were made of one mould But when they shall thus joyn together he predicts That the Iesuites having more singular fine wits amongst them and manie learned men on their side whereas the Puritans and Anabaptisâ—s have none but grossum Caputs the Iesuites manie Gentiles Nobles and some Princes to side with them the Puritans but few of the first rare to have anie of the second and none of the last on their side By consequence if matters come to hammering between the Iesuites and Puritans the latter are sure to be ridden like Fools and come to wrack He superaddes to this That Father Parsons and his Companie have laid a plot as most consonant and fitting for their other Designments That the Common law of the Realm of England must be forsooth utterly abolished or else bear no greater sway in the Realm than the Civil law doth And the chief Reason is for that the State of the Crown and Kingdome by the Common laws is so strongly setled as whilst they continue the Iesuites see nor how they can work their wills Secondly the said good Father hath set down a Course how every man may shake off all Authority at their pleasures as if he would become a new Anabaptist or Iohn of Leydon to draw all the World into a Mutiny Rebellion and Combustion And the Stratagem is how the common People and Souldiers must be inveigled and seduced to conceit to themselves such a Liberty or Prerogative as that it may be lawfull for them when they think fit to place and displace Kings and Princes as men do their Tenants at will Hirelings or ordinary Servants Which Anabaptistical and abominable Doctrine proceeding from a turbulent Tribe of trayterous Puritans and other Hereticks this treacherous Iesuite would now foist into the Chatholick Church as a ground of his corrupt Divinitie Mr. Prynne having some year since diligently observed all these passages with sundrie others of this nature in those Secular Priest-books and comparing them with Campanella de Monarchia Hyspanica c. 25. 27. Cardinal Richlieues Instructions forecited having likewise read in the Iesuites own printed Books That they had no lesse than 931 Colleges and Seminaries of Iesuites erected in several parts of the World within the space of 120 years and no fewer than 15 Colleges and Seminaries in Provincia Anglicana in the English Province in the year 1640. wherein they had 267. Socii Societatis Fellows of their own Societie besides Novices and 4 Colleges more of English Iesuites beyond the Seas and no less than eight Colleges of Irish and several Residenciaries of Scotish Iesuites in Ireland Scotland and other places And being assured by the publick Speeches of Oliver Cromwell himself first to an Assemblie of Divines and others at Whitehall 1653. and after to his new modelled Parliament at Westminster September 4. 1654. published in print p. 16 17. That he knew verie well that Emissaries of the Iesuites never came over in such swarms as they have done since our late wars and changes were on foot and that divers Gentlemen can bear Witness with him That they have a Consistory and Counsel that rules all the Affairs of the things of England and had fixed in England in the Circuit of most Cathedrals of which he was able to produce the particular Instrument an Episcopal power with Archdeacons and other persons to pervert and seduce the people And being most certainlie informed That the Arch-Iesuite Sir Toby Mathew though banished by both Houses Sir Kenelme Digby a Jesuited papist whose Father had a chief hand in the old Gunpowder Treason and was himself particularlie imployed to Rome by the Queen to procure men and monies from the Pope against the Parliament where he expected to receive a Cardinals Cap Sir Iohn Winter a person excepted from pardon Mr. Walter Mountague two notorious Jesuited Papists who conspired with the Popes Nuncio and College of Jesuites in Longacre to destroy the King and alter the Government of the Kingdome if he refused to turn Roman Catholick and repeal all Laws against Romish Priests Iesuites Papists and for that very end raised the first Scotish wars and which is most observable that Orelly the Popes own Nuncio in Ireland who promoted the late horrid Irish Rebellion and massacre of the Protestants sate President in the General Counsel of the Popish Rebels there for
little insist on because of a present design against our Laws now eagerly pursued The late Parliament in above one hundred Declarations Ordinances Orders Votes made this their principal Charge against the Kings Iesuitical Counsellors and the Popish Forces raised by him against the Parliament that they endeauoured the subvexsion and extirpation of our antient fundamental Laws Government and that one of the chiefest causes of their taking up arms and raising Armies against them was for the necessary defence and preservation of these antient Good old Laws and Liberties the Inheritance and Birthright of every English Freeman whereby not only his Maiesties Regal Authority but the Peoples security of Lives Lands Livings Privileges Liberty both in general and particular are preserved and maintained and by the abolishing innovating or alteration of which it is impossible but that present confusion will fall upon the whole State and Frame of this Kingdom as the whole Parliament of 1 Iacobi ch 2. expresly declared long since in the Prologue of that Act the late long Parliament in sundry Declarations Yea King Charls himself in his Declaration by advice of his Council to all his Subjects Dec. 15. 1641. Exact Collect p. 28 29. his Answer to the Lords and Commons Petition April 9. 1642. Ibid. p. 140. to their Declaration May 4. 1642. p. 163 164. and elswhere the Defence whereof against invasion subversion he made the ground of raising Forces against an Anabaptistical party faction in the Parliament intending to subvertand extirpate them root and branch as you may read at large Ib. p. 326 443 451 514 515 555 556 561 562 579 619. A Collection of Ordinances p. 28 38 39 116 117. Yet notwithstanding all these Parliament Declarations and Commissions in pursuance of them the Army-Officers Souldiers by the Iesuits suggestions have been so farr intoxicated as to attempt the utter subversion and extirpation both of our Laws and Lawyers too for whose defence they were principally raised in pursute of Father Parsons forementioned design under pretext of reforming them though the bare indirect attempt to subvert them in a farr inferiour degree was adjudged HIGH TREASON in Straffords and Canterburies cases for which they both lost their Heads AS TRAYTORS and in the Case of the Ship-mony Judges in the long Parliament That they have prosecuted this design in England to subvert our Fundamental Common Lawes and Great Charter of our Liberties is most apparent by their proceedings in their Mock Parliament and printed Vote 20 August 1653. Ordered there should be a Committee selected To consider of a New Body of the Law and the Government of this Commonwealth Compared with A True state of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland c. printed 1654. p. 15 16 17 18. which assures us That there was a strong prevailing party in that Assembly whom nothing would satisfie But a total eradication of the whole Body of the Good Old Laws of England the Gardians of our Lives and Fortunes to the utter subversion of Civil Right and Propriety c. And our two Jesuitical Prognosticators were so confident of it as if the Stars in heaven had concurred herein with the Iesuites and Anabaptistical Conventicle then on earth that in their scurrillous Prognostications they predicted the downfall not only of all our Ministers and their Tithes but of our Laws and Lawyers Prognosticating in the moneths of Ianuary February September October and December 1654. That the Lawes Lawyers of the Nation should be pulled down to the ground That the Great Charter it self should be called into question with other Liberties as not suting with English mens brains at this time That the Crabtree of the Law should be plucked up by the roots to hinder the future growth thereof There being no reason we should now be governed by the Norman Law since the Norman Race is taken away by the same instrument the sword of Conquest which brought it in They are the very words of these false Prognosticators who have many such like passages in them both before and since Which compared with the late speeches of many Common Souldiers That there should be no more Terms in Westminster Hall That they hoped very speedily to see not only the Lawyers gowns but the Lawyers themselves hanged vp over the Courts in Westminster Hall where the decayed Scots coulours hung to supply their vacant places That it would be a goodly sight to see all the Trees in St. Iames's Park hung with Lawyers and their gownes with sundry such like speeches since May 6. 1659. All these compared together with what Mr. Prynne hath frequently heard the Soldiers say during his neer 3. years close Imprisonment under them and their New Republike in Dunster Taunton and Pendennys Castles That they hoped ere long to see and leave neither one Lawyer nor Parish Priest throughout England Nor yet steeple steeple-house or Bells which they would sell or cast into Ordinance to fight against the Dutch c. with some Petitions and Pamphlets now on foot to the like tune and the Army-Officers fresh Proposal to those now sitting and their Votes thereon for the reformation of our Laws c. Are an infallible evidence to him that all our former late and present cbanges of this Nature for which this formerly eiected Republican Conventicle is now reassembled are the meer proiections of the All-swaying Iesuits to work our Laws speedy ruine It being their professed practice even in other forein Popish kingdoms to subvert their fundamental Lawes especially those which concern the inheritance succession of the Crown and Liberties of the Subjects for which take these two Testimonies even from forein Papists themselves The 1. in that memorable Peece Consilium de recuperanda et in posterium stabilienda Pace Regni Poloniae per Iesuitarum ejectionem presented to the Parl. of Poland An. 1607. out of which they were soon after banished Hic autem vos notare velim ejusdem pestis Iesuitici non minorem efficatiam esse in oppugnanda et expugnanda Republica atterendis Legibus quoties nempe sentiunt se ab his in instituta sua venatione impediri Et quod ad Leges attinet hae politicae tineae Illas praecipue arrodere consueverunt et exedere quibus jus successionis in regno continetur Liberiasque et Pax publica firmatur Which he proves by several presidents of their shaking abolishing the very fundamental Laws of this Nature in France Hungary Styria Austria Câ—rinthia and elsewhere and that with such success ut obtritis legibus praedictarum Nationum libertas nitebatur partem earum penitus oppresserint partem ad extremam desperationem adigererint In praedictis Provinciis alicubi Illustribus et Antiquissimae Nobilitatis Familiis publice diem dictum esse intra quem se aut coram Iesuitarum Tribunali sistant aut relictis patriis sedibus alio migrent And is not this the sad desperate condition of
many antient Noble Protestant Families Knights Gentlemen and others both in England Ireland Scotland and of the Royal Protestant Family since our late Warrs Changes of Government Parliaments and extirpation of all our Fundamental Laws Liberties Properties by the Iesuits and their Instruments O let our whole Nation and Republican Members too once shamefully ejected by those now calling them in consider consider consider this over and over and lay it close to heart least closing with the Iesuites now again in this New Convention as they assuredly did in the Old since December 1648. till April 1653. they incurr that sad fate of u King Henry the 4th of France who after the execution of some and banishment of all Iesuites out of France upon Iohn Castles one of their disciples stabbing him in the cheek with an intent to murder him and afterwards recalling favouring flattering them by building a stately College for them entertaining one of them for his Confessor and bequeathing his very heart unto them to be interred with them after his death together with a very large Legacy of Plate and Lands yet they soon after procured their desperat Assassinate and Disciple Ravilliac to stabb him to the heart in the open street in Paris An. 1610. A Just reward for his neglect contempt of his Parliaments timely admonitions in sundry Remonstrances presented to him never to trust or recall them more and the notable Epigram against the Iesuits tendred to him by a true Philopater Anno 1603. wherein there is this memorable passage in relation to their subversion of all antient Fundamental Laws Cuinam Hominum ignotum est Iesuitas nocte dieque Nil meditari aliud quam qua ratione modove Prisca Statuta queant Patriasque evertere Leges Inque locum Antiquis totum in contraria Nobis Iura dare sanctos privata ad commoda Ritus Flâ—ctere nulli unquam quod post mutare licebit c. M. Prynne considering all these particulars and knowing that this sodain re-assembly of the old eiected Republican Members now sitting originally proceeded from the Jesuits projection sollicitation and Anabaptistical Sectarian party formerly combining with them in all their proceedings against the late King at whose execution the Queens own Confâ—ssor was present in a Soldiers habit flourishing his sword when his head was off as well as other Iesuits Popish Priests overjoyed with that spectacle the secluded Members the House of Lords and transformation of our Kingdom into a Commonwealth to accomplish their remaining designs left unfinished proâ—ected in terminis by Father Parsons and the Jesuites and violently pursued in the short Mock-Parliament nominated at Whitehall by the Army-Officers themselves 1653. viz To eradicate the National Church Ministers Ministry of England Advowsons Tithes Glebes with Parochial Churches Chapels as Antichristian and leave not one stone of them upon another Which Iohn Canne the new-voted Diurnall-man in his Voice from the Temple then dedicated to them particularly excited them to with all speed and earnestness as their Generation-work expected required of them by God and all the Saints of the Land To sell all the Crown Colleges Vniversities and Corporations lands yet remaining to support and pay the Iesuited Army kept up so long on purpose to ruine eat us out M. Prynne thereupon held it his bounden duty both as a Mâ—mber Lawyer Englishman and former Patriot of his Countries Liberties against all Iesuitical Vnderminers of them and our Protestant Religion truly fully to discover the same to the whole English Nation Army and those now sitting and to press it home upon their Consciences by this his Narrative whether they will hearkeâ— to believe obey it or not since he was forcibly secluded from doing it by Speech having sufficient warrant encouragement and protection for it as he apprehends from God himself Ezech. 2.4 5 6. and Jer. 1.18 19. For they are hard of face and stiff hearted Therefore Son of man I do send thee unto them and thou shalt say unto them thus saith the Lord. And they whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are a rebellious House yet shall know that there hath been a Prophet among them And thou Son of man be not afraid of them neither be afraid of their words though briers and thorns be with thee and thou doest dwell among Scorpions Be not afraid of their Faces nor be dismayed at their Looks though they be a Rebellious House And thou shalt speak my words unto them whether they will hear or whether they will forbear But thou Son of man hear what I say unto thee and O that all the seduced Army Republican Members and their confederates would now hear and obey it too Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious House For behold I have made thee this day a defenced City and an iron pillar and brazen walls against the whole Land against the Princes thereof and the Priests thereof and against all the people of the Land engaged against thee and thy true Good Old Cause And they shall fight against thee by sundry scurrillous Pasquils Petitions Slanders Reproaches and armed secluding Guards but they shall not prevail against thee For I am with thee saith the Lord as well now as in all former Engagements Trials for this Good cause to deliver thée The assurance whereof hath made him so resolute as singly by himself to encounter an whole armed Host and House at once and throuh Gods blessing to rout them in a manner by his bare presence and their Good Old Cause in a great measure by his single Opposition The sole praise whereof he desires to render wholly and solely to the Lord of Hosts and God of the Spirits of all Flesh and not in any kind or part to himself a meer worm and not a man an earthen Vessel yea one of the weak base despised things of the world and a thing that am not whom yet God can and may make use of to confound the things that are mighty and to bring to nought things that are that no Flesh shall glory in his presence and that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of him who hâ—th promised that One of his faithfull people shall chase a thousand and two put ten thousand to flight in a true Good Old Cause and Quarrel for the Lord their God he it is that fighteth for them as he hath promised What then might all the secluded Members and old Lords House do and all the well affected Orthodox Protestants in our three Nations had they but hearts wisedoms courage to joyn their Counsels and endeavours together according to their Solemn League and Covenant to vindicate their true Old Cause and Parliamentary privileges against all inconsiderable Oppugners and Subverters of them Mr. Prynne having neither Wife nor Child to provide for not much to care for and never yet desiring any New Office Advancement or Employment in this present