The said Assessment to be Levy'd by Distress and Sale and in Case of Refusal the Parties to be Emprison'd pag. 767. With further Authority Feb. 3. 42. p. 777. to Break open any Chests Trunks Boxes Dores with Power to Seize such Chests with Money or Goods for the Satisfaction of the Sums Assess'd And the same Power Amplifi'd they granted to Commissioners for Levying of Money by a Weekly Assessment upon London and Westminster and every County and City in England and Wales the City of London being Rated the Weekly Sum of 10000 l. and Others in Proportion You have here from their own Publique Acts for I cite none of their Pamphlets a Breviate of the Powers they assumed to themselves over King and People And this so Early in the War too that the Faction was not as yet sure in the Saddle For This was all before 1643. You shall now see the Execution of these Arbitrary Principles by the Covenanters of Both Kingdoms in their Turns and you shall Confess that tho' the Rigours of the Kirk may serve as a Foil to any Other Tyranny the English have yet had the Honour to out-strip their Masters According to the Common Method of Innovatours their First Work was by Press and Pulpit to Defame the Government their Next was by Popular Artifice to stir up the Multitude by Tumults to Reform it and Lastly if they found their Party strong enough to Depend upon to Enter into a Confederacy and Set up for themselves This was the Course that Knox Willock and their Followers took in Scotland under the Queen Regent in 1555. and afterward under King James VI. And Cartwright with his Complices went the same way to Work also under Queen Elizabeth only the Conspiracy of Arthington Hacket Coppinger Wigginton c. was Discover'd and the Plot Disappointed But the Libels and Tumults in Scotland 1637. which led to that Impious Bond and Covenant in 1638. had better success See his Late Majesties Large Declaration upon That Subject And after their Pattern so had the Practices in England in 1641. when the Parliament was so Over-aw'd by Tumults that the Vote of the Two Houses was no other in Effect than the Sense of the Rabble in the Lobby It was but their Bawling for Justice upon the Noble Earl of Strafford their Crying down of Bishops and Popish Lords and the thing is Done The Riots were so Great that the Lords press'd the Commons at a Conference to Joyn with them in a Declaration for the Suppressing of them But it was Answer'd saying We must not Discourage our Friends This being a time we must make use of All our Friends God forbid says Mr. Pim that the House of Commons should proceed in any way to Dishearten People to obtain their just Desires in such a way Exact Collections pag. 532. The Kirk would have said that they did not know with what Spirit they were Over-Rul'd as they told King James in the Case of Gibson and Black for delivering Treason in the Pulpit The next thing that follow'd in Course was a Combination and That shall be the first Point we 'l handle in the Common Practices of the Party which in One Word amounts to no less than the Dissolution of a Legal and the Setting up of a Tyrannical Government The Practices and Usurpations of the Presbyterians upon the Civil Government TO be as Clear now in their Practices as I have been in their Positions you shall have as good Evidence for their Proceedings as you have had already for their Principles And I 'le begin with the Foundation of their Empire their Audacious and Mysterious Covenant Not with the Matter or the Design of it but only to shew you that Covenanting is the Method of the Party The First Covenant of Scotland bears Date Decemb. 3. 1557. at Edinburgh The Second at Perth May 31. 1559. The Third at Sterling Aug. 1. And a Fourth at Leith Apr. 27. 1560. They Enter'd also into Another Covenant at Ayr Sept. 4. 1562. which Knox calls a New Covenant In England 1583. they Subscrib'd their Discipline and Enter'd into a League both by Promise and Writing to do their Parts toward the Establishing of it In Scotland 1638. so soon as ever they had settled their Tables of Advice the First Act of those Tables was their Solemn Covenant And so likewise in England the Commons Impos'd a Protestation and then went on to Covenants and Othes without End Here 's an Vsurpation upon Sovereignty the very first step they set in the Exacting of an Oth without due Authority beside that all Leagues of Subjects among themselves are in the Eye of the Law no better than Seditious Conspiracies Wee 'l come now to the Pretence of these Covenants which is only an Artifice of Inveigling the Silly People into a Confederacy against the Government under the Notion of Promoting the Common Good The End of the First Scottish Covenant above-mention'd at Edinburgh is said to be the Defence of Christs Gospel and his Congregation and of every Member of it against all Opposers to the Death The Second at Perth goes further and Extends to all Persons that shall trouble them upon what Pretence soever In the Third at Sterling they bind themselves from any Correspondence with the Queen either by Word or Writing In their Fourth at Leith they Covenant a Direct Revolt and the reducing of all men by Force that are not of their Opinion In their Last Bond at Ayr they declare against all men as Enemies that shall not submit to their Government And upon the Whole Matter they Found all their subsequent Proceedings upon the Obligation of the First Covenant for the Defence of Christ's Gospel The Pretext of the Scottish Covenant in 1638. was the Defence of the King's Majesty his Person and Authority in the Defence and Preservation of the True-Religion Liberties and Laws of the Kingdom As also the Mutual Defence one of another against all sorts of Persons whatsoever And the English Protestation of 1641. looks the very same way viz. for the Maintenance of the Doctrine of the Church of England the Power and Privileges of the Parliament and Liberty of the Subject And what 's the very Title of their Solemn League and Covenant in 1643. but Reformation and Defence of Religion the Honour and Happiness of the King the Peace and Safety of the Three Kingdoms So soon as ever they had by these specious Appearances decoy'd an Inconsiderate Part of the Nation into the Net they Emprov'd the Fraud by Expounding upon all their Bonds and Covenants quite Contrary to the Common Intent and Acceptation of the same And made way thereby to the Destruction of all those Interests which the People thought they had Sworn to Preserve But the Subject was so hamper'd betwixt the Dread of the Othe among those that did not understand the Nullity of the Obligation and the Forfeiture of Life Fortune and Estate if they should not persue it
as the Presbytery superintends the Parochial Session In this Judicatory the Leading men of the Faction lay their Heads together form their Projects and when the Commissioners return from hence to their several Presbyteries they intimate to the Particular Ministers what Points they are to Preach upon for the Advancement of those Designs The General Assembly is Sovereign and Independent Hither lies the Last Appeal and the Jurisdiction of it is Universal in what concerns Ecclesiastical Matters and Persons or Temporals in Order to Spirituals They look upon themselves as immediately Entrusted by Christ and to Him only do they hold themselves Accomptable Whosoever does not obey this Sovereignty tho' the King himself he is to be Excommunicate and the Nobility Gentry Collective Body nay every Individual Person is to assist to the Compelling Censuring and Punishing of him to the Utmost of his Power So that the King himself is at their Command and to order the Execution of their Censures in Estate Body Life and Death To This Judicatory Two Preaching Elders and a Lay-Elder are sent as Commissioners from every Presbytery in the Kingdome so that the Clergy have thus far Two to One but then reckoning that every Borough and Corporation sends One Commissioner and the Universities and Colledges their Commissioners too which are most of them Lay-men this Assembly of the Kirk is turn'd into a Council of State The King himself is also a Member of this Assembly either Personally by Himself or Virtually by his Commissioner but without a Negative Voice or any Power there beyond that of a Lay-Elder The Major Part carries it and whatsoever They Vote tho' against the Kings Opinion and Conscience he is bound to see it put in Execution upon pain of being Excommunicate and Depos'd from his Government And if any thing be propos'd in this Assembly as Spiritual tho' never so hazzardous to the Crown if they tell you that it is for Christ's Glory there 's no opposing of it in favour of the Publick Peace or State The Proper President is a Preaching Elder and this Judicatory they accempt as Christ's highest Tribunal upon Earth from whence there lies no Appeal They are oblig'd to meet once a year and they Indict and Adjourn themselves by their own Power without allowing the King to appoint either the Time or the Place only if there be any Occasion of meeting before the time set their Commissioners give an Accompt of it to the King The steps by which they mounted to this Arbitrary Jurisdiction were A Dislike First Of the Church-Government Secondly Of the Church-Governours Thirdly They propos'd a Reformation after the Geneva-Copy which not being admitted Fourthly They fram'd a Model of their Own And lastly by Fraud Violence and Rebellion they Impos'd it upon the Nation The English Presbytery THis was the Method also and the Design of the English Disciplinarians under Queen Elizabeth as appears by the Records of those times tho' many particulars of the Conspiracy were never brought to Light The Examples of Geneva and Scotland were at every turn press'd upon the English and a Confederacy was carry'd on in Both Nations for the Erecting of the same Platform of Presbyterial Discipline which one Davison a Scotch-man affirms to have no less Warrant to be continu'd perpetually within the Church under this Precept Feed my Sheep than hath the Preaching of the Word or the Administration of the Sacraments From 1560 to 1572 they vented their Spleen only in Libels and Conventicles In Novemb. 72. they Erected a Presbytery at Wandesworth in Surry and from that time to 1583 their Design was agitated in secret Meetings which they call'd Conferences wherein at a London-Meeting they came to This Conclusion That the Present Government of the Church by Arch-Bishops and Bishops is Anti-Christian and that the only Discipline and Government of Christ that is by Pastors Doctors Elders and Deacons shall be Establish'd in Place of the Other In 1583 Their Book of Discipline is Drawn up which they call'd the Synodicall Discipline and an Assembly being held upon it among other Decrees it was order'd That the Comitial Assemblies are to be monished to make Collections for Relief of the Poor and of Scholars but especially for Relief of such Ministers here as are put out for not Subscribing to the Articles tender'd by the Bishops also for Relief of Scottish Ministers c. These Scottish Ministers were they that Justify'd the Rebellious Act of making King James a Prisoner in 1583. and took Sanctuary in England upon the Parliaments Declaring it Treason And who so proper Instruments as They for the Promoting of another Rebellion in England Their Book of Discipline was review'd and put in Practice in 1587. In 1589 it was Perfected and in the Year following the Conspiracy was detected when upon Examinations of Littleton Edmunds Johnson Barbon Holms Brown c. it appear'd that the Discipline was Fram'd Subscrib'd and Carry'd on in all Respects after the Scottish Project and Model By Publique Justice upon some of the Principal Incendiaries and King James his Vigilance and Care afterwards the Consistorians were for a long time kept within some tolerable Compass Their Mouths were stopt upon the Conference at Hampton-Court Anno 1603 with a strict Proclamation for the Observing of an Vniformity in the Church Episcopacy was restor'd in Scotland in 1610 and an Act pass'd in a General Assembly at Aberdeen in 1616 Authorizing the Compiling and Framing a Publique Form of Liturgy or Book of Common Prayer to be first presented to the King and after his Approbation to be Universally receiv'd throughout the Kingdome Which Book pursuant to the Act was by the Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews sent up to his Majesty and by himself and his Order Examin'd Corrected and Return'd But his Majesty dy'd before it could be put in Practice And this was the Book which with very little Alteration and That too in favour of their pretended Scruples was by the late King's Proclamation in 1637 commanded to be publickly Us'd in all Counties of that Kingdome There were also diverse of the English Rites and Ceremonies settled in 1618 by Five Articles that pass'd the Assembly at Perth Which Articles cost King James an Expensive Journey into Scotland the Year before where he was forc'd to tell them plainly in a Speech at St. Andrews That it was a Power belonging to all Christian Princes to order Matters in the Church and that he would never regard what they Approv'd or Disapprov'd except they brought him a Reason which he could not Answer To which upon Consideration they made his Majesty this Return That if he would grant them a Free Assembly they would therein satisfie his Majesty in all the Points he had propounded The King depending upon it return'd into England and the day of the Assembly being come and nothing done according to their Promise his Majesty went a short way to Work with them and took away their Augmentations that he had formerly
allow'd them out of the Exchequer which brought down their Stomacks and made Way for the passing of the aforesaid Articles It is not my Intent to write any thing more of the History of the Times than what I find pertinent to my present purpose so that passing over the Grumblings and Mutinous Dispositions that appear'd in the Remainder of King James and the First Seaven or Eight Years of King Charles his Reign I shall only tell you by way of Introduction to what follows that the late King having before-hand order'd a Convention of the Estates upon the 13th of May 1633. began his Journey towards Scotland in order to his Personal Coronation where he was receiv'd with a Pomp and Acclamation befitting the Dignity and the Solemnity of the Occasion His first Work was to ratifie the Laws and Statutes of his Predecessour in Relation to Church Government which pass'd not without some Opposition but the Commission of Surrenders went yet nearer them tho' both the Owners of Lands and the Ministers were so abundantly satisfi'd that the Former as the King himself says in his large Declaration pag. 9. acknowledg'd it as a Deliverance from an Intolerable Bondage under which They and their Ancestours ever since the Reformation of Religion had grievously Groan'd and the Other with Infinite Gratitude Celebrated his Majesty as the Father and Founder of their Churches The Case was this as Heylin renders it in his Cyprianus Anglicus pag. 224. In the Minority of King James the Lands of all Cathedral Churches and Religious Houses which had been settl'd on the Crown by Act of Parliament were shar'd among the Lords and Great Men of that Kingdom by the Connivance of the Earl of Murray and some other of the Regents to make them sure unto that side and They being thus possess'd of the Lands with the Regalities and Tithes belonging to these Ecclesiastical Corporations held the Clergy to small Stipends and the peasanâ—â—y in Vassallage His Majesty was advis'd by Council to take them into his own hand the present Oecupants having no other Title to them than the Vnjust Vsurpation of their Predecessors And this was carri'd in such a Manner too that the very Nobility and Lay-Patrons could not open their Mouths against it for they were satisfi'd for their Tithes to the Uttermost Farthing only they lost the Dependency of the Clergy and Laity upon them by Virtue of these Tithes and Consequently the Power of making a Party to Embroil the Government They contented themselves within the Bounds of Libels and Clamours till that Rebellious Outrage in the great Church of Edinburgh on the 23 of July 1637. Which was no more than the Emprovement of an Occasion to put the Principles of the Consistory in Execution I 'le make some amends for the length of this Digression by Contracting my self upon the Discipline which was afterward Erected in England after the Scotch Pattern It will be a hard matter to pass from 1637 to 1648 without taking some Notice of the Horrid Distempers in that Interval I shall only tell you that after three or four Years spent in Dissolving the Legal Government and Debating what we should have in the Place of it Out comes the Directory Jan. 3. 1644. with an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons for the Authorizing of it And afterward Aug. 23. 1645. another Ordinance for the more effectual Execution of it which was follow'd Jun. 5. with an Ordinance for the present Settling of it without further Delay and Aug. 19. 1646. with Directions for the Chusing of Ruling-Elders in all the Congregations and in the Classical Assemblies for the Cities of London and Westminster and the several Counties of that Kingdom in order to the Speedy settling of the Presbyterial Government There pass'd also an Ordinance for the manner of Ordination of Misters with Rules for Examination and Suspension from the Holy Supper c. And Another of January 29.1647 for the speedy dividing and settling the several Counties of this Kingdom into Distinct Classical Presbyteries and Congregational Elderships and they came at last Aug. 29. 1648. to The Form of Church Government to be us'd in the Church of England and Ireland agreed upon by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament after Advice had with the Assembly of Divines And all This toward the Promoting of an Union with the Kirk of Scotland I should have told you of the Ordinance of Jun. 12. 1643. for the calling an Assembly of Learned and Godly Divines to be consulted with by the Parliament for the settling of the Government of the Church The Knights of every Shire to make Choice of Two that should serve as Members for That County and These in Conjunction with so many of the Members of Both Houses as might serve to inspect their Actions took upon them the Powers and Authothority of a Convocation The Form of their Government was the same with That of Scotland They had their Congregational Classical Provincial and National Assemblies with the same degrees of Subordination and Vested in Proportion with the same Powers They had their Expectants too and the Constitution of their several Judicatories was the very same only the Lords and Commons under the Notion of a Committee for judging of Scandal were so wise as to reserve the Last Appeal to Themselves which was formerly lodg'd in the General Assembly by which Device the Schism was made subservient to the Rebellion whereas in Scotland it was the clear contrary And they had also another Hank upon them in appointing that the National Assembly should meet upon a Summons by Parliament and then sit and continue as the Parliament should order and not Otherwise for they were not able to consent they said in a Declaration of the House of Commons Apr. 17. 1646. to their Granting of an Arbitrary and Unlimited Power and Jurisdiction to near ten thousand Judicatories to be Erected in the Kingdom which could not be consistent with the Fundamental Laws and Government of it and which by necessary Consequence did Exclude the Parliament from having any thing to do in That Jurisdiction But the Nation is never the better yet for This Caution so long as the Tyranny and the Slavery is still the same From this View of their Brotherly Agreement in Government we shall now proceed to their Harmony in Positions and our Brethren of Scotland shall lead the Way The Positions of the Kirk under the Queen Regent and James VI. THe Punishment of such Crimes says Knox as touch the Majesty of God doth not appertain to Kings and Chief Rulers only but to the whole Body of the People and to every Member of it as Occasion Calling and Ability shall serve Nay they are bound by Othe to God to Revenge the Injury done to his Majesty If Princes be Tyrants against God and his Truth their Subjects are discharg'd from their Othes of Obedience The Nobility and Commonalty ought indeed to Reform Religion and in that Case may
remove from Honour and Punish such as God has Condemn'd of what Estate Condition or Degree soever It is not Birth-Right only nor Nearness of Bloud that maketh a King Lawfully to Reign over a People professing Christ Jesus but Princes for Just Causes may be Depos'd Kings Princes and Governours have their Authority of the People and upon Occasion the People may take it away again Thus far Knox Now for Buchanan The People says he have the same Power over the King which He has over any One Man They are Better than the King and of Greater Authority and may bestow the Crown at Pleasure The making of Laws belongs to Them They may Arraign their Prince The Ministers may Excommunicate him and He that by Excommunication is cast into Hell is not worthy to Enjoy any Life upon Earth It were Good says he that Rewards were appointed by the People for such as should Kill Tyrants as there are for those that Kill Wolves or Bears or take their Whelps The Seizing and Emprisoning of King James in Aug. 1582. being Adjudg'd Treason by the Three Estates in Decemb. 18. 1583. and some of the Criminals Executed an Assembly of Ministers and Elders at Edinburgh in 1585. did not only Authorize and Avow the Action but also ordain'd all people to be Excommunicated that would not Subscribe to their Judgment And Andrew Melvil being Cited to Answer for Treason deliver'd in a Sermon declin'd the King's Authority Affirming that what was spoken in the Pulpit ought first to be try'd by the Presbytery and that neither King nor Council might in the first Instance meddle therewith although the Speech were Treasonable Upon King James his Coming to the Crown of England he order'd the Proroguing of the Assembly at Aberdeen which was to have met in 1604. to a longer day But thirteen or fourteen of them for all this met formally at the day appointed The Lords of Council discharg'd their Meeting Whereupon they Protested That in Conscience and in Duty to Almighty God they were bound to preserve the Churches Right and neither Could nor Would give way to that Power the King had Sacrilegiously Vsurp'd over it Hereupon they were Convented and Appeal'd from the King's Council to the next General Assembly I had almost forgotten the Determination of Wilcock and Knox who Positively gave their Judgments That it was Lawful to Depose the Queen Regent Whereupon she was solemnly Process'd Sentenc'd and Depriv'd The Positions of the Presbyterians under Queen Elizabeth THe Church sayes Cartwright wherein any Magistrate King or Emperour is a Member is Divided into some that are to Govern as Pastors Doctors and Elders and into such as are to Obey as Magistrates of all sorts and the People The Admonitour holds it sit That he and his Companions may be deliver'd by Act of Parliament from the Authority of the Civil Magistrates As Justices and Others from their Indictings and Finings Every Fault says Cartwright that tendeth either to the Hurt of a Man's Neighbour or to the Hindrance of the Glory of God is to be Examin'd and Dealt in by the Order of the Holy Church Nay the very Suspicion of Avarice Pride Superfluities in Meat or Clothing falls under their Lash All men says Goodman are bound to see the Laws of God kept and to Suppress and Resist Idolatry by Force Nor is it sufficient for Subjects not to Obey the Wicked Commands of Princes but they must Resist them and Deliver the Children of God out of the hands of their Enemies as we would deliver a Sheep that is in danger to be devour'd by a Wolf If the Magistrate shall refuse to put Mass-Mongers and false Preachers to Death the People in seeing it perform'd shew that Zeal of God which was commended in Phineas Subjects do promise Obedidience that the Magistrate might Help them which if he does not they are discharg'd of their Obedience If Magistrates without Fear transgress God's Laws themselves and Command others to do the like they are no more to be taken for Migistrates but to be Examin'd Accus'd Condemn'd and Punish'd as Private Transgressors Evil Princes ought by the Law of God to be Depos'd and Inferiour Magistrates ought chiefly to do it And now hear Gilby to the same Tune Kings Princes and Governours have their Authority of the People and upon Occasion the People may take it away again as men may revoke their Proxyes and Letters of Atturney It is Lawful sayes he to kill wicked Kings and Tyrants the Subjects did kill the Queen's Highness Athalia Jehu kill'd the Queens Majesty Jesabel Elias being no Magistrate kill'd the Queen's Majesty's Chaplains Baal's Priests These Examples are left for our Instruction where Justice is not Executed the State is most Corrupt If neither the Inferiour Magistrates says he nor the greatest part of the People will do their Offices in Punishing Deposing or Killing of Princes then the Ministers must Excommunicate such a King It would be Endless to follow these Instances as far as they would carry me so that I 'le back now again into Scotland and you will find them much of the same Opinion under Charles I. as they had been under his Royal Father The Positions of the Kirk under the Late King IN their Protestation of September 22. 1638. against the King's Declaration they say First That what Subjects do of their own heads is much better than what they do in Obedience to Authority the One Savouring of Constraint but the Other being Voluntary and Chearful Obedience Secondly That the Parliaments Power does no more reach to the Placing of Officers Originally in the Church than the Church has Power to make States-men in the Common-wealth Thirdly The Parliament can make no Law at all concerning the Church but only Ratifie what the Church Decrees And after it has Ratify'd it yet if the Assembly of the Church shall Prohibit it and Repeal that Decree of the Church all the Subjects are discharg'd from yielding Obedience to the Act of Parliament Fourthly The Assembly has Power to discharge all Subscriptions to the Confession of Faith commanded to be Subscrib'd by his Majesty and as it is Interpreted by Him or his Commissioner Fifthly The Assembly without the King is the Church and the only Judge Competent fit to Interpret and Explain all Doubts arising upon the Confession of Faith Commanded by his Majesty Sixthly Tho' the Law be Interpreted yet if the Interpretation be dislik'd by Most of the Kingdom the Body of the Kingdom for whose Good the Law was made may crave the lawful Redress of Grievances sustained by that Law Take Notice here that they had already Actually trangress'd the Law without staying for Leave and Justifi'd the Doing of it Seaventhly The Assembly is Independent either from King or Parliament in Matters Ecclesiastical Eighthly That the King is to Receive all the Determinations of an Assembly as a Son of the Church tho' they be not matters of Faith but only of Government and concluded by
same time his Majesties Proclamations and Declarations are said to be Contrary to Law pag. 449. And all Officers are forbidden any way to Publish or to Proclaim the same The King's Commissions of Array are Declar'd July 20. to be against Law the Liberty and Property of the Subject And the Actors in it to be Esteem'd Disturbers of the Peace of the Kingdom pag. 478. And again pag. 576. All such Persons as shall upon any Pretence whatsoever Assist his Majesty in this War with Horse Arms Plate or Monies are declar'd Traytors to his Majesty the Parlialiament and the Kingdom and to be brought to condign Punishment The Poyson of their Artificial Delusions you will find Maliciously enough Defus'd in their Remonstrance of May the 26. 1642. pag. 263. And the Doctrine of That Declaration summ'd up with great Exactness in his Majesties Answer to it contracting the Venome of it into These Six Positions First That they have an Absolute Power of Declaring the Law And that whatsoever they declare to be so ought not to be question'd either by King or People so that all the Right and Safety of the Prince and Subject depends upon their Pleasure Secondly That no Presidents can be Limits to Bound their Proceedings which If so The Government of the Turk Himself is not so Arbitrary Thirdly That a Parliament may dispose of any thing wherein the King or Subject hath a right for the Publique Good speaking all this While of the Remnant of the Two Houses That they without the King are This Parliament and Judge of This Publique Good and that the King's Consent is not Necessary So that the Life and Liberty of the Subject and all the Good Laws made for their Security may be dispos'd of and Repeal'd by the Major Part of Both Houses at any time present and by any Wayes and Means Procured so to be and his Majesty has no Power to Protect them Fourthly That a Member of either House ought not to be troubled or meddled with for Treason Felony or any Other Crime without the Cause first brought before Them that they may judge of the Fact and their Leave obtained to Proceed Fifthly That the Sovereign Power resides in Both Houses of Parliament The King has no Negative Voice and becomes Subject to their Commands Lastly That the Levying of Forces against the Personal Commands of the King tho' accompany'd with his Presence is not Levying War against the King But to Levy War against his Laws and Authority which they have Power to Declare and Signifie is Levying War against the King And that Treason cannot be Committed against his Person otherwise than as he is Entrusted with the Kingdom and Discharging that Trust and that they have a Power to judge whether he discharges it or no. And to justifie their Usurpations they do maintain pag. 270. That the Kings of This Realm are Oblig'd to pass all such Bills as are Offer'd unto them by Both Houses of Parliament It would be superfluous to tell you of their Proclaiming Fasts and Assuming to themselves other Rights of Sovereignty under the specious Pretence of a Parliament But to shew you that it was All an Imposture If the King will not Agree the Two Houses they say may Act without him If the Two Houses Differ the Sovereignty rests in the House of Commons As in the Case of a Bill they sent up to the Lords for Directing a Protestation which they had Fram'd to be generally taken throughout England This Bill the Lords Rejected Whereupon the Commons pass'd this Vote That That House did conceive that the Protestation made by them is fit to be taken by every Person that is well Affected in Religion and to the Good of the Common-Wealth and therefore doth declare That what Person soever shall not take the Protestation is Vnfit to bear Office in the Church or Common-Wealth And so they order'd the Knights Citizens and Burgesses to send down to the several Places for which they serv'd Copies of that Vote of the House concerning the Protestation and that the Vote should be Printed They began with a Contempt of the Lords they Lay'd them quite Aside at last and in the Conclusion they Themselves were upon their Own Arguments Confounded by the Rabble You see the Dominion these People Challenge over their Master and it cannot be expected that they should give any better Quarter to their Fellow Subjects But it is Their Way of making Kings Glorious and Patronizing the Liberty of the People The Positions of the English-Covenanters as to the Liberty and Propriety of the Subject IN May 1641. they enter'd upon their Design with the Protestation above-mention'd in these Words I A. B. do in the Presence of Almighty God Promise Vow and Protest to Maintain and Defend as far as Lawfully I may with my Life Power and Estate the true Reformed Protestant Religion express'd in the Doctrine of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovations within this Realm contrary to the same Doctrine and according to the Duty of my Allegiance to his Majesties Royal Person Honour and Estate as also the Power and Privileges of Parliament the Lawful Rights and Liberties of the Subjects c. Here was First an Vsurpation in the Imposing of it and Secondly an Abominable Fraud in the Construction of it The Matter of it was so Plausible that it went down without much Enquiring into the Authority of it but upon the Commons declaring that the Doctrine of the Church of England had no Regard to the Maintaining of the Descipline and Government of it And Afterward that the Sovereignty was Virtually in the Two Houses and that by This Protestation they were Oblig'd to serve That Interest Mens Eyes came then to be Open'd and they saw their Errour For they were call'd upon according to their Solemn Vow and Protestation to Subscribe for Money and Plate pag. 340. and to Maintain Horse Horse-men and Arms for the Defence of the King and Both Houses of Parliament In York-shire there was a Neutrality Propounded by some Persons of Eminent Condition in the County but the Lords and Commons Declar'd against it pag. 629. as a Contradiction to the Tye of their General Protestation And it went so high that they past a Vote Oct. 15. 42. That such Persons as shall not Contribute to the Charge of the Common-wealth in This Time of Imminent Necessity shall be held fit to be Disarm'd And the same day they Voted the Sequestring of Church-Lands Delinquents Estates and Revenues of the Crown They Order'd Victuals and other Necessaries for the Army to be taken up upon Publique Faith Nov. 29. 42. pag. 763. and where any thing was Refused to Force it And likewise they appointed a Committee of Six Citizens of London or any Four of them for the Assessing all such to the twentiâ—th Part of their Estates as had not contributed upon the Propositions of raising Money Plate Horse c. in Proportion to their Abilities