people throughout the Realm and by all or most Officers and Souldiers of the Army by their Authority We the Knights Citizens and Burgesses in the Commons House of Parliament finding to the great grief of our hearts that the designs of the Priests and Jesuites and other Adherents to the See of Rome have of late been * more boldly and frequently put in practise than formerly to the undermining and danger of the ruine of the true reformed Protestant Religion in his Majesties Dominions established And finding also that there have been and having just cause to suspect that there still are even during this sitting in Parliament * endeavours to subvert the Fundamental Laws of England and Ireland and to introduce the exercise of an Arbitrary and Tyranical Government by most pernicious and wicked Counsels Practises Plots and Conspiracies And that the long intermission and unhappy breach of Parliaments hath occasioned many illegal Taxations whereupon the Subject hath been prosecuted and grieved And that divers Innovations and Superstitions have been brought into the Church multitudes driven out of his Majesties Dominions jealousies raised and fomented betwixt the King and his people a Popish Army levyed in Ireland and two Armies brought into the bowels of this Kingdom to the hazard of his Majesties Royal Person the * consumpsion of the Revenues of the Crown and Treasure of this Kingdom And lastly finding a great cause of Jealousie that endeavours have been and are used to bring the English Army into a Mis-understanding of this Parliament thereby to * incline that Army with force to bring to passe those wicked Counsels have therefore thought good to joyn our selves in a Declaration of our united Affections and Resolutions and to make this ensuing Protestation 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 expressed 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 His Majesties Royal Person Honour and Estate as also the power and privilege of Parliament The lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subject and every person that maketh this Protestation in whatsoever he shall do in pursuance of the same And to my power and as far as lawfully I may I will oppose and by all good wayes and means endeavour to bring to condigne punishment all such as shall either by force practise counsels plots conspiracies or otherwise do any thing to the contrary in this present Protestation contained And further that I shall in all just and honourable waies endeavour to preserve the Vnion and Peace between the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland And neither for hope fear nor other respect shall relinquish this Promise Vow Protestation 7. The next in time is the Solemn League and Covenant taken in the most solemn manner with hands lifted up to heaven and subscribed by all Members of Parliament in England and Scotland by all Civil Military Officers Souldiers and well-affected persons in our three Kingdoms by f sundry special Ordinances of Parliament approving and ratifying the same A Solemn League and Covenant for Reformation and defence of Religion the Honour and Happiness of the King and the Peace and Safety of the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland WE Noblemen Barons Knights Gentlemen Citizens Burgesses Ministers of the Gospel and Commons of all sorts in the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland by the Providence of God living under one King and being of one Reformed Religion having before our eyes the glory of God and the advancement of the Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the honour and happiness of the Kings Majesty and his Posterity and the true Publique Liberty Safety and Peace of the Kingdoms wherein every ones private condition is included and calling to minde the treacherous and bloudy plots Conspiracies Attempts and practises of the Enemies of God against the true religion and professors thereof in all places especially in these three kingdoms ever since the reformation of Religion and how much their rage power and presumption are of late and at this time increased and exercised whereof the deplorable estate of the Church and kingdom of Ireland the distressed estate of the Church and Kingdom of England and the dangerous estate of the Church and Kingdom of Scotland are present and publike Testimonies We have now at last after other means of Supplication Remonstrance Protestations and sufferings for the preservation of our selves and our religion from utter ruine and destruction according to the commendable practice of these kingdoms in former times and the Example of Gods people in other Nations after mature deliberation resolved and determined to enter into a mutual and Solemn League and Covenant wherein we all subscribe and each one of us for himself with hands lifted up to the most high God do swear I. THat we shall sincerely really and constantly through the Grace of God endeavour in our several places and callings the preservation of the Reformed Religion in the Church of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government according to the Word of God and the Example of the best Reformed Churches And shall endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdoms to the nearest conjunction and uniformity in Religion Confession of Faith Form of Church-Government Directory for Worship and Catechising That we and our posterity after us may as Brethren live in Faith and Love and the Lord may delight to dwell in the midst of us II. That we shall in like manner without respect of persons indeavour the extirpation of Popery Prelacy that is Church-Government by Arch-Bishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons and all other Ecclesiastical Officers depending on that Hierarchy Superstition Heresie Schisme Profaneness and whatsoeuer shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godliness lest we partake in other mens sins and thereby be in danger to receive of their plagues and that the Lord may be one and his Name one in the three Kingdoms III. We shall with the same sincerity reality and constancy in our several Vocations endeavour with our estates and lives mutually to preserve the Rights and Privileges of the Parliaments and the Liberties of the Kingdoms and to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdoms that the world may bear witness with our consciences of our Loyalty and that we have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Majesties just power and greatness IV. We shall also with all faithfullness endeavour the discoverie of all such as have been or shall be Incendiaries Malignants or evil Instruments by hindering the reformation of
Protector over their Infant Common-wealth much against their wills the Mock-Parliament under him whiles above 150 Members duly elected most confided in by the Country were forcibly secluded by their Additional Petition and Addresse the 26th of June 1647. imposed this new Oath on all Counsellors of State and Members of Parliament I A. B. do in the presence of God Almighty promise and swear That to the uttermost of my Power I will uphold and maintain the true reformed Protestant Religion in the purity thereof as it is contained in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament and encourage the Profession and Professors of the same And that I will be true and faithfull to his Highnesse the Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging as chief Magistrate thereof And shall not contrive design or attempt any thing against the Person or lawfull Authority of the Lord Protector shall keep secret all matters that shall be treated of in Counsel and put under secrecy and not reveal them but by Command or consent of his Highnesse the Parliament or the Counsel and shall in all things faithfully perform the trust committed to me as a Counsellour according to the best of my understanding in order to the good Government peace and wellfare of these Natiions And shall endeavour as much as in me lyes as a Member of Parliament the preservation of the Rights and Liberties of the People These Oaths were sworn by many of those who had taken the premised Oaths Protestation Solemn League and Covenant and the Engagement too both to their Protector Oliver and his Son Richard with whom the Army-Officers Souldiers and sundry others in the name of most Counties and Corporations of England Scotland and Ireland in their special Addresses to Richard faithfully promised to live and die yet lo within few Months after notwithstanding these Oaths and Addresses by a miraculous Divine providence admirable in all considerate mens eyes they not only all deserted but degraded him from his Protectorship without one stroke or drop of blood spilt or Sword drawn in his quarrel after so much Christian bloud shed so many Millions of Treasure spent and many years travel care by his Father Oliver to establish his Posterity in this new-erected Supremacy Protectorship and that by his own Army-Officers and nearest most endeared Relations even in a moment beyond all probability or possibility in humane apprehension To accomplish this strange unexpected work the Army-Officers called in the old Vnparliamentary Iuncto sitting since the year 1648. till April 20. 1653. whom they formerly dissolved and unparliamented secluding all the rest of the old Parliament sitting till December 6. 1648. by force and armed guards with the whole House of Lords re-creating them alone for a Parliament who usurping to themselves the name and power of a Parliament against both Law Equity Reason dismounted his Son Richard from his Protectorship unlorded degraded his New other House of Mushrom Lords and new dubbed Knights cashiered some of the Army-Colonells and other Officers who helped to make them a Parliament him a Protector and may gratifie the rest in this kinde Commissioned some whom Oliver cashiered turned most of his Council Commissioners Judges Creatures out of their Offices and pulled down most of that he set up with force and blood Who now thinking themselves secure and forgetting all their former with these late sodain Revolutions Changes as the just rewards of perfidious breaches of Oaths Protestations Covenants to their lawfull Soveraigns they hav now afresh to make us a Freestate not only doubled our former Taxes in effect and more than trebled them by a most arbitrary new Militia on many but also by a New Bill appointed an Oath to be taken by their Iudges Iustices of the Peace and other Officers in form following You shall swear That you shall be true faithfull and constant to this Commonwealth without a single Person Kingship or House of Lords Which ‖ illegal Oath so diametrically contrary to the former it swallowed by their unarmed Judges Justices and other civil Officers out of fear will in time be imposed on the Army Officers Soldiers and all others as their former Ingagement was with as severe penalties Having presented you with these contradictory repugnant irreconcileable Oathes Protestations Covenants and Engagements I shall propose some few cases of conscience upon them in this age when Conscience is so much pretended and Liberty of Conscience so much pressed that tendernes of Conscience and Conscience it self are hardly to be found in the greatest pretenders to them 1. Whether all lawfull sacred Oaths Vowes Covenants Protestations doe not i firmly immutably inviolably bind the souls consciences of all that take them to an Absolute indispensible sincere faithful performance and strict observation of them to the uttermost of their power in all estates and conditions as is evident by Numb. 30. 2. to 14. Josh 9. 19 20. Gal. 3. 15. Deut. 23. 22 23. Judg. 11. 30. 39. Job 22. 27 Ps. 15. 4. Ps. 22. 25 Ps. 61. 8. Ps. 66. 13. Ps. 116 14 18. Ps. 132. 2 3 c. Eccles. 5. 4. Jer. 44. 25. Jonah 2 9. Isay 19. 21. Nah. 1. 15. Gen. 21. 23 24 31. c. 24. 3. to 10. 37. to 47. c 26. 3 31. c. 47. 31. c. 50. 5 6. Levit. 19. 12. Josh. 2. 12. 17. 20. Judg. 15. 12 13. Deut. 8. 12. Josh. 21. 43 44. 1 Kings 1. 13. 17. 29 30. 2 Chron. 36. 13. Ezra 10. 5. Neh. 13. 25. Jer. 4. 2. c 11. 5. Mat. 5. 33. 1 Kings 15. 3 4 5. 2 Chron. 21. 5 6 7. compared with Hebr 6. 16 17 18. An Oath for confirmation is to men an end of all strife wherfore God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his Counsel confirmed it with an Oath that by two Immutable things his Oath and Covenant in which it is impossible for God to lie we might have strong consolation Ps. 89. 3. 34. I have made a Covenant with my chosen I have sworn unto David my Servant My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lipps Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David Ps. 132. 11. The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David he will not turn from it Jer. 33. 20. 21. Thus saith the Lord If you can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night and that there should not be day and night in their season Then may also my Covenant be broken with David my Servant that he should not have a Son to reign upon his throne If Gods Oaths and Covenants to mortal sinful men be thus true constants sincere firme unalterable immutable then by like reason should mens Oaths and Covenants to God and their lawfull Kings be such as Psal. 15. 4. Eccles. 8. 2. Gal. 3. 15. Levit. 30. 2. to 14. and the
for it yet let them from this memorable President conclude for certain that God will sooner or later avenge it upon their Children and Posterity to their utter extirpation and on the whole Nation too as he hath done in a great measure already it may be 35 years after the Perjuries Treasons committed in this kind especially when not committed only once but perpetrated and acted over sundry times by a continued uninterrupted succession of New Perjuries Treasons and Violations of them in the highest degree from day to day without fear or shame as Exod. 20. 5. c 34. 7. Gen. 3. 14 15. 1 Kings 2. 33. 2 Kings 5. 27. Jer. 22. 30. c. 36. 31. Isay 14 20 21. Mich. 2. 2 3 4 5. Jer. 6. 15 c. 8. 12. may assure all our late and present Delinquents in this kind and their Posterity which texts they may do well most seriously to peruse with bleeding and relenting hearts 15. This their violation of their League Oath to the Gibeonites was never openly justified pleaded written preached printed for nor carried on with solemn Fasts and Humiliations most * detestable unto God when thus abused nor yet solemnly abjured by new contrary Oaths or Engagements forcibly imposed on all the Israelites by Saul and his Counsel of State to extirpate the Gibeonites yet it was thus severely punished by God himself on Sauls posterity and the Israelites O then what soarer overflowing desolating Judgements may our perjurious Fidifragus Grandees Saints Nations most justlie fear and expect will undoubtedly befall themselves their posterities and our Kingdoms now almost ripened for destruction in wise mens apprehensions who have not only infringed all our Oaths Covenants Protestations to our lawfull Kings their Heirs Successors and Posteritie over over in the highest degree but most impudently justified pleaded preached written for the lawfulness thereof yea kept manie Hypocritical Atheistical Mock-Fasts and Humiliations to promote our most detestable Perjuries Treacheries Abominations and publicklie abjured all our former loyal Oaths Protestations Covenants by new Treasonable enforced Oaths and Engagements diametrically repugnant to them Certainlie if this breach of Oath by Saul in slaying the Gibeonites could not be expiated nor the 〈◊〉 years famine inflicted on the whole Land for it removed by all King Davids and the Israelttes Fasts Prayers Tears Sacrifices till this sin of theirs was particularly be wailed repented removed and full satisfaction made to the murdered Gibeonites by David and his people by delivering up seven of Sauls Sonnes and Posteritie to be hanged up before the Lord in Gibeah of Saul for this perjurie and bloodshed committed so long before by Saul their Ancestor the principal Malefactor We may justlie fear and conclude that all our prayers tears fasts humiliations will never expiate the manifold open violations of these our Oaths Protestations Leagues Covenants by the murders of our late King and manie thousands of our Protestant Brethren of all sorts for adhering to him his heirs and posteritie the violations of the rights privileges of Parliament beyond all Presidents of former Ages and securing secluding the whole Peers House and Majoritie of the Commons heretofore and now again and trampling our fundamental Laws Liberties Properties Remonstrances Declarations as well as Oaths quite under foot by new Arbitrarie Tyranical Acts Impositions proceedings of all kinds exceeding the worst of our former Kings unlesse all these perjuries treacheries breaches of Oaths Protestations Covenants in this kind be particularly and publickly confessed bewayled reformed repented if not expiated with the like Justice and Executions upon the persons or Sons of some of the most capital Delinquents in this kind to appease Gods wrath and preserve our whole three Kingdomes from utter ruin our perjuries and breaches of all Oaths Faith Trusts being now so generallie and universally infamous throughout the world that FIDES ANGLICA is become as proverbial AS c FIDES PUNICA SCOTICA or HYBERNICA in former Ages to our perpetual infamie Which if this Publication may redresse reform for the future I shall bless God for it and have some hopes of better times things then yet we can possibly expect whiles under the guilt breach of so many contradictory Oathes Protestations Leagues Covenants Ingagements By the antient Oath of Fealty and Allegiance which both the Subjects of England and Kings Bishops Nobles and Subjects of Scotland made to the Kings of England and their heirs as supreme Lords of Scotland in these words Ero fidelis legalis fidemque legalitatem servabo Henrico Edwardo Regi Angliae et Haeredibus suis de vita membris terreno honore contra omnes qui possa it vivere mori Et nunquam pro aliquo portabo arma nec ero in consilio vel auxilio contra eum vel Haeredes suos in aliquo casu qui possit contingere sed fideliter recognoscam et fideliter faciam servitia quae pertinent ad tenementum quod de eo tenere clamito Sic me Deus adjuvet omnes Sanctos ejus Which Oath 1 William King of Scots and all his Nobles swore to King Henry the 2. et Haeredibus suis sicut ligio Domino suo And 2 Iohn Balliol Iohn Comyn with all the Nobles of Scotland to King Edward 1. and his heirs Anno 1293 1294 1297. they all in express terms obliged themselves and their heirs to be true and faithfull Subjects to the King and his heirs Which though valid obligatories in it self to our Kings postertie yet some of our Kings in their life-times made both the Scots and English Subjects to take a new Oath of Fealty and allegiance to their heir apparent and his heirs saving the fealty homage and allegiance done to themselves Thus c William King of Scots with all his Nobles Barons and Knights of Scotland did Fealty and Homage to king Henry the 2. and to Henry his son and his heirs as to his Liege Lords salva fide Domini Regis patris sui Anno 1175. Yea before this Anno 1128. by the commad of king Henry the 1. the Archbishops Bishos Abbots David King of Scots with all the Earls and Barons of England swore homage and sealtie to Maud his daughter and heir ut filiae suae Imperatrici Fide servata regnum Angliae Haereditario jure post dies suos sibi et haeredibus suis legitime procreatis servarent nisi sobolem virilis sexus ipse Rex in posterum procrearet The persidious violation of which Oath by them after King Henries death in crowning Stephen brought * exemplary judgements on the wilfull violaters therof and a bloudy long-lasting civil warr within the bowels of the Realm between Maud her son Henry and the Usurper Stephen to the great oppression devastation desolation of the publique peoples as our Historians observe all the good they hoped for by disinheriting Maud and crowning Stephen upon their own terms against his own and their Oathes becomming void
and null by his perfidiousness through divine Justice which will never permit any good things to spring out of such enormous evils as perjury and treachery which produced sundry judgments and civil wars never ceasing till Henry the right heir was restored to the Crown by a friendly agreement the only probable speedy way not now to end our present wars oppressions distractions Military Government and restore peace and prosperitie in our Nations After this An. 1191. upon the dejection of the insolent Bishop of Ely from his Vicegerentship under King Richard the first e all the Nobles of England assembling together swore Fealty to Richard King of England and to his heir against all men The Citizens of London swore the like Oath and that if King Richard should die without issue they would receive Earl John his Brother for their King and Lord juraverunt ei Fidelitatem contra omnes homines salva fidelitate Regis Richardi fratris sui as Hoveden relates In Claus. 24 H 3. m. 15. dorso soon after the birth of Edward the 1. son and heir apparent to King Henry the third I find this memorable writ issued to all the Sheriffes of England to summon all persons above 12. years old to swear Fealty to him as Heir to the King and to submit themselves faithfully to him as to their Liege Lord after his death Rex Vic. Eborum salutem Praecipimus tibi quod in fide qua nobis teneris et sicut teipsum et omnia tua diligis venire facias ad loca certa ad dies certos sicut commodius fiery potevit Omnes liberos homines de balliva tua aetatis 12. Annorum et supra et eos omnes coram te jurare facias ita quod haec sit forma juramenti sui scilicet Quod ipsi salvo Homagio et fidelitate nostra qua Nobis tenentur cui in vita nostra nullo mode renunciare volumus Fideles eritis Edwardo filio nostre primogenito ita quod side Nobis humanitus contigerit eidem tanquam hearedi nostro et Domino suo ligio erunt fideliter intendentes et eum pro Domino suo ligio habentes Et talem circa hoc exhibeas diligentiam ut inde merito debeatis commendari Teste meipso apud Westm. 24 die Febr. Ann. r. n. 24. Eodem modo scribitur omnibus Vicecomitibus and it appears by Dors. 12. they were summoned and sworn accordingly f In the Parliament of 5 H. 4. rot Parl. n. 13. 17. The Lords Spiritual and Temporal and Commons were sworn to bear faith and true allegiance to the King to the Prince and to his issue and to every one of his Sonnes severally sucéeding to the Crown of England and that of their own accord The like Oath was taken to the King Queen Prince Edward and the Heirs of the Kings body in the Parliament of 38 H. 6. rot Parl. n. 26. And to g Prince Edward Son and heir apparent to King Edward the 4th and his Heirs in the Parliament of 11 E. 4. entred in the Clause Roll of 11 E. 4. m. 1. dorso Yet in point of Law Conscience the first Oathes of Fealty and Allegiance to each of these Kings his heirs and successors * obliged all that took them as firmly to their heirs and successors as their Homages made by them to these Kings or other Lords which extend equally to their heires and shall not be h reiterated nor renewed to them upon this Account unless in some special cases and binde not only those that took them but their heirs and posteritie likewise although they never tooke these Oaths themselves at least to a religious conscientious observation though not to the actual legal penalties of Perjury as Angelus de Clavasio in his Summa Angelica tit. Juramentum 5. sect 24. 40. and other Canonists distinguish and the forecited Scriptures infallibly demonstrate especially being made for the publick good peace settlement of the Kingdom warranted by the policie presidents of all ages prescribed by our Lawes Parliaments for the safetie securitie settlement as well of our Religion Church Kingdoms Government as of our Kings and their posterities and so not o to be violated through fear menaces hopes of worldly gain or preferment nor dispensed with by any Papal or other human power whatsoever the i breach of Oaths Leagues Covenants being A GRAND VICKEDNESSE and high prophanation of the TRUTH FAITHFULNESSE NAME AND CONSTANCY OF GOD HIMSELF as well as transgression of his Law and Gospel deserving the highest temporal and Ecclesiastical censures in this world as well as eternal condemnation in the world to come Ezech. 17. 16 to 22. Jer. 34. Neh 5. 12. 13. 7. Whether the late illegal Oaths Ingagements to the New Republicans and Protectors enforced on the people against their Consciences without any lawfull Parliamentary Authority which only legally make prescribe impose new Oaths upon the Nation as the marginal k Statutes resolve past all dispute being directly contradictorie to their former lawfull Oaths to our Kings their Heirs and Successors be not absolutely void in conscience yea mere prophanings abuses of Gods sacred Name and if taken out of fear or weaknesse no wayes to be observed no more than Davids Oath resolution to slay Nabal with all his Family 1 Sam. 25. or Herods Oath to Herodias which he had more justly violated than observed in beheading John the Baptist Mat. 14. 6 to 13. or those Jews Vow who vowed they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed Paul Acts 23. 21. c. Which sinful Oaths Vows were no wayes to be observed by shedding innocent blood as both the Fathers Councils Canonists Casuists and Scoolmen resolve as you may read at large in Gratian Caus. 22. quest 4. Summa Angelica Tit. Juramentum sect. 3. 45. Peter Lombard Sent. l. 3. distinct 29. most Schoolmen on his Text whose definitive Doctrine is this Si quis alicui juraverit contra fidem charitatem officium quod observatū pejorem vergat in exitum potius est mutandum quam implendum Qui enim sic jurat vehementer peccat cum autem mutat benèfacit Qui autem non mutat dupliciter peccat Et quia injuste juravit et quia facit quod non debet And l that when a man hath once obliged himself by a legal Oath to God and his Soveraign any latter Oath repugnant to or inconsistent with it is unlawfull Upon which account our m Lawbooks and Laws resolve that when ever any man swears Fealty or doth Homage to his Landlord for the Lands held of him it shall be with this special exception saving the Faith which I owe to our Lord the King who is the Soveraign Lord of all his Subjects principally sworn unto and to be obeyed in the first place before all or any others Hereupon n Walter Bishop of Exeter Anno 6 E. 1. for omitting
CONCORDIA DISCORS OR THE DISSONANT HARMONY OF Sacred PUBLIqUE OATHES PROTESTATIONS LEAGUES COVENANTS INGAGEMENTS lately taken by many TIME-SERVING SAINTS Officers without scruple of Conscience making a very unpleasant Consort in the Ears of our most faithfull Oath-performing Covenant-keeping God and all Loyal consciencious Subjects sufficient to create a dolefull HELL and tormenting Horror in the awakned Consciences of all those who have taken and violated them too successively without any fear of God Men Devils or Hell By WILLIAM PRYNNE Esq a Bencher of Lincolns-Inne Numb. 30. 2. If a man vow a Vow unto the Lord or swear an Oath to bind his Soul with a Bond he shall not break his word he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his Mouth Gal. 3. 15. Brethren I speak after the manner of men though it be but a mans Covenant yet if it be confirmed no man disannulleth or addeth thereunto Jer. 23. 10. Because of Swearing the Land mourneth the pleasant places of the wilderness are dryed up their course is evil and their force is not right Augustin de verbis Apostoli Sermo 30. Falsa Juratio exitiosa est vera juratio periculosa est nulla iuratio secura est Tantum mali habet juratio ut qui lapides colunt timeant falsum jurare per lapides Tu non times Deum praesentem Deum viventem Deum sâ—ientem Deum movenâ—em Deum in contemptores vindicantem Vis ergò longè esse a perjurio Jurare noli Chrys. Hom. 12. in Mat. 5. Nisi juramentuÌ„ interdicatur non possunt amputari perjuria Nemo est enim qui frequenter jurat non aliquando perjuret London Printed for Edward Thomas at the Adam and Eve in Little Britain 1659. The dissonant Harmony or sacred publick Oaths Protestations Leagues Covenants Engagements lately taken c. MAny are the publick Oaths Protestations Leagues Covenants which all English Subjects especially Judges Justices Sheriffs Maiors Ministers Lawyers Graduates Members of the Commons House and all publick Officers whatsoever by the Laws and Statutes of the Land have formerly taken to their lawfull Hereditary Kings a their Heirs and Successors to bind their Souls Consciences to bear constant Faith Allegiance Obedience and dutifull subjection to them and to defend their Persons Crowns and just Royal Prerogatives with their Lives Members Fortunes against all Attempts Conspiracies and Innovations whatsoever Which being almost quite forgotten by those who have formerly taken and as frequently violated them over and over in the highest degree if not abjured them by contrary late Oaths and Ingagements I shall present them in order to their own and others view that they may conscienciously review consider them afresh and bewayle their perjurious atheistical violations of them to prevent those temporal and eternal Judgments which otherwise may and will most certainly fall upon them our Nation too for the same 1. I shall begin with the antient Oath of Fealty a which every Person above 14. years old and every Tithingman was obliged to take publickly at the Court Leet within which he lived and was antiently taken afresh every year by all the Subjects under Edward the Confessor and William the first in substance at least though not in precise words I A. B. do swear that from this day forwards I will be faithfull and loyal to our Lord the King and his Heirs and will bear * Faith and Allegiance to him of life and of Member and of terrene honour against all people which may live and die And that I shall neither know nor hear of any thing which may tend to their hurt or dammage which I shall not withstand to my power So God me help 2. The second is the antient usual b Oath of the Maiors of LONDON and other Cities and Townes throughout England and of Bayliffs or other Chief Officers where there were no Maiors You shall swear That you shall well and loyally serve the KING in the Office of Maior in the City of London and the same City shall keep surely and safely to the use of our Lord the KING of England and of his HEIRS Kings of England and that the profit of the KING you shall advance in all things which belong to you to do And shall loyally preserve the Rights of the King and whatsoever belongeth to the Crown in the said City and you shall not assent to the Distresse nor to the concealment of the Rights nor of the Franchises of the KING And where you shall know the Rights of the KING of his CROWN be it in Lands in Rents or in Franchises or in Sutes to be concealed or substracted you shall do your best endeavour to regain the same And that if you cannot do it you shall tell it to the King or to those of his Counsel of whom you are certain they will inform the KING thereof And that lawfully and rightfully you shall treat the People of your Bailywick and do right to every one as well to Strangers as to Prives as well to the Poor as to the Rich in that which appertains to you to do and that neither for Honour nor for Riches nor for Gift nor for Promise nor for favour nor for hatred you shall not do wrong to any one that you shall disturb no mans Right nor shall you take any thing by which the KING may suffer losse or any Right shall be disturbed And that in all things which appertain to the Maior of the said City so to do you shall well and lawfully demean your self So God you help c. The like c Oaths in substance were taken by all Privy Counsellors of State Sheriffs of Counties Recorders of Towns Escheators Constables and other publick Officers of Justice and by most Freemen of Corporations in relation to the King and his Heirs and the Rights of the Crown 3. The third is the d Oath of all the Judges Barons of the Exchequer and Justices of the Peace prescribed by several Acts thus formed Ye shall swear That well and lawfully ye shall serve our Soveraign Lord the King and his People in the Office of Justice and that lawfully ye shall counsell the King in his Business and that ye shall not counsel nor assent to any thing which may turn him to dammage or disherison by any manner way or colour and that ye shall not know the dammage or disherison of him whereof ye shall not do him to be warned by your self or by other and that ye shall do even Law and Execution of Right to all his Subjects Rich and Poor without having regard to any Person And that you take not by your self or by other privilie or apertly Gift or Reward of Gold or Silver nor of any other thing which may turn to your profit unlesse it be meat or drink and of small value of any man that shall have any Plea or Process hanging before you as long as the same Process shall be
Religion dividing the King from his people or one of the Kingdoms from another making any Faction or parties amongst the people contrary to this League and Covenant that they may be brought to publike trial and receive condigne punishment as the degree of their offences shall require or deserve or the Supreme Judicatories of both Kingdoms respectively or other having power from them for that effect shall judge convenient V. And whereas the happiness of a blessed Peace between these Kingdoms denied in former times to our Progenitors is by the good providence of God granted unto us and hath been lately concluded and setled by both Parliaments we shall each one of us according to our place and interest indeavour that they may remain conjoyned in a firm peace and union to all posteritie And that Justice may be done upon the willfull opposers thereof in manner expressed in the precedent Articles VI We shall also according to our places and callings in this common cause of Religion Liberty and peace of the Kingdoms assist and defend all those that enter into this League and Covenant in the maintaining and pursuing thereof and shall not suffer our selves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination perswasion or terror to be divided and withdrawn from this blessed union and conjunction whether to make defection to the contrary part or to give our selves to a detestable indifferency or neutrality in this cause which so much concexneth the glory of God the good of the Kingdoms and the honour of the King but shall all the dayes of our lives zealously and constantly continue therein against all opposition and promote the same according to our power against all Lets and Impediments whatsoever and what we are not able our selves to suppress or overcome we shall reveal and make known that it may be timely prevented or removed All which we shall doe as in the sight of God And because these Kingdoms are guilty of many sins and provocations against God and his Son Jesus Christ as is too manifest by our present distresses and dangers the fruits thereof we professe and declare before God and the World our unfeined desire to be humbled for our own sins and for the sins of these Kingdoms especially that we have not as we ought valued the inestimable benefit of the Gospel that we have not laboured for the purity and power thereof that we have not endeavoured to receive Christ in our hearts nor to walk worthy of him in our lives which are the causes of other sins and Transgressions so much abounding amongst us And our true and unfeigned purpose desire and indeauour for our selves and all others under our power and charge both in publique and private in all duties we owe to God and man to amend our lives and each one to go before another in the example of a real Reformation that the Lord may turn away his wrath and indignation and establish these Churches and Kingdomes in truth and peace And this Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God the Searcher of all hearts with a true intention to perform the same as we shall answer at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed Most humbly beseeching the Lord to strengthen us by his Holy Spirit for this end and to bless our desires and proceedings with such success as may be deliverance and safety to his people and encouragement to other Christian Churches groaning under or in danger of the yoke of Antichristian tyranny to joyn in the same or like Association and Covenant to the glory of God the enlargement of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ and the peace and Tranquility of Christian Kingdoms and Commonwealths Subscribed by William Lenthal Speaker Sir Henry Vane junior and most now sitting Yet notwithstanding all these most solemn sacred legal Oaths this Protestation Solemn League and Covenant sweetly according with and ratifying each other the remaining Fragment of the Commons House sitting under the power of the Army not only violated them all in the Highest degree by their proceedings against the late King his Heirs and Successors to the Imperial Crown the Royal posterity Kingship Kingdom Lords House and their secluded fellow Members but also took upon them to suppress and set aside these Oathes yea to brand and stigmatize them for Vnlawfull Oathes to absolve themselves with all others from them and to set up an Ingagement of their own framing in diametrical Opposition against all and every of them imposed on all the three Nations with strictest severity by their New Knack of 6. September 1649. disabling all Freemen of this Nation to sue in any Court of Justice whatsoever or to enjoy any Civil Ecclesiastical or Military Office benefice augmentation trust or degree of Learning in the Vniversities or Innes of Court and debarring all Lawyers Attornies from their practice by a new kinde of Praemunire who should not take and subscribe this Engagement which the whole House of Commons having not the least legal Power to g administer any usual Oath to Witnesses or any person whatsoever in any case or Age had neither Authority nor Power to impose upon the Nation were it consonant to the precedent Oaths Protestation Covenant much less then the Vnparliamentary Conventicle sitting after the Kings beheading the Lords and Majority of the Commons forcible seclusion and the h Parliaments actual dissolution thereby when diametrically repugnant to all these legal Oaths and to the Petition of Right it self 3 Caroli complaining providing against the future administring of any Oath not warrantable by the Laws and Statutes of this Realm in precise Terms and whether this Engagement be not such let all Lawyers Divines and consciencious Englishmen resolve I do declare and promise That I will be true and faithfull to the Common-wealth of England as it is now established without a King or House of Lords All the Officers Souldiers of the Army and Garrisons through England and Ireland were the first men who subscribed it and returned their Subscriptions in Parchment-Rolls to their Journey-men and Creatures at Westminster who thereupon thought themselves and their Government though founded upon Bloud Treachery Perjury as lasting and perpetual as if it had been founded on a Rock and the sincerest Principles of Piety Justice Righteousness and general publick National consent But those very first Engagers to them when they had done their Drudgery and oppressed the Nation with doubled and trebled Taxes to support their bloody wars by Land and Sea against their Protestant King and Brethren of Scotland the Netherlands on the 20th of April 1653. i sodenly turned them out of Doors and power with force and highest contempt as persons wholy perverting the ends of Parliament oppressing the people making Gain the main of their Business and utterly impossible in that corrupt estate in the judgements of the most moderate men to come the instruments of our long desired Establishment And then setting up a
drinke Wine nor build house nor sow seed nor plant nor have any vineyard but dwell in tents all their dayes held themselves bound in duty conscience to obey it which God himself commends records rewards for others imitation Jer. 35. 1. to 15. who might in like sort oblige them by his Oath and Covenant Is a convincing gument that as the * Warranties Covenants Bends Contracts Feofments Grants Reservations of Rents Services Tenures in see by the Laws of England and other Nations firmly oblige mens Heirs Posterity Assignees Executors Administrators on both sides in succession and perpetuity So likewise their Oaths Covenants Protestations to their here litarie Kings their Heirs and Successors oblige them equally to them in Perpetuity and succession 7ly Because it is most evident by Gen. 3. 14 15. c. 4 5. Exodus 17. 16. c. 20. 5. c. 43. 7. 1 Kings 2. 33. 2 Kings 5. 27. Jer. 22 30. c. 36. 31. That Parents by their iniquities and transgressions may draw down and entayl the curses the judgements of God on them and their Posterityes after them to their prejudice Therefore they may much more oblige them by their Oaths Covenants to Obedience Loyalty Subjection to their hereditary Kings and their Heirs for their own particular and the m Publick good safety as well as Freehold and Copyhold Tenents in Honors Manors may oblige themselves their Heirs and Successors for ever by Homage Fealty Tenures Contracts to their Landlords their Heirs and Assignees for ever by the Common Statute-laws of our own and other Realms though they be no Soveraign Lords and Kings over them 8ly Because the Saints and Churches of God in all Ages have held themselves and their posterity bound in Duty and Conscience to pray to God for the life safety prosperity of their Kings and their Sons and Royal Posterity in all hereditary Kingdoms as is apparent by Ezra 6. 10 11. Psal. 72 1 2 15. 1 Sam. 11. 14. 2 Sam. 16. 16. 1 Kings 1. 25. 34 39. 2 Kings 11. 12. 2 Chron. 23. 11. Psal. 149. 2. Ezech. 9. 9. Dan. 2. 4. c. 3. 9. c. 6. 6. 21. Mat. 21. 5. 9. John 12. 13 15. 1 Tim. 2. 1 2 3. by all the antient modern Liturgyes Collects Letanyes Canons of the Churches of England Scotland Ireland France Spain and other hereditary Kingdoms The Testimony of sundry Fathers Councils Historians and our own Clause Rolls in the Tower n elsewhere quoted Therefore they may lawfullie oblige themselves and their Posterity by Solemn Oaths Covenants Protestations to obey protect and defend their and their posterities Royal Persons Crowns and Royalties 9ly To put this out of further question I shall only prest one Scripture president and testimonie more wherewith I shall conclude this point and that is the Historie of the Gibeonites recorded Josh. 9. 10. and 2 Sam. 21. 1. to 13. The Gibeonites a remnant of the Amorites with whom the Israelites by Gods express command were to make no peace nor covenant nor shew any mercy to but smite with the edge of the sword and utterly destroy Deut. 7. 1 2 3. c. 20. 16 17 18. circumventing Joshua and the elders of Israel by a stratagem of old bottles shooes bread clothes and a lying information that they came from a farr country to make peace and a league with them by reason of the glorious victories God had given and the miracles he had wrought for them thereupon without asking any advice of God or the Congregation or examining the truth of their information Joshua and the Elders of the Congregation entred into a league with them to let them live and sware unto them in the name of the Lord Within three dayes after they heard they were their neighbours and dwelt amongst them and they came unto their Cities the third day * But the children of Israel smote them not Because the Princes of the Congregation had sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel Hereupon all the Congregation murmured against the Princes But all the Princes said unto the Congregation We have sworn unto them by the Lord God of Israel therefore we may not touch them This we will do unto them we will let them live lest wrath be upon us because of the Oath that we sware unto them And the Princes said unto them let them live as the Princes had promised them but let them be hewers of wood and drawers of water to all the congregation And Joshua called for them and spake unto them saying Wherefore have ye beguiled us saying We are very far from you when you dwell among us Now therefore ye are cursed and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen and bewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God And they answered Joshua and said because it was certainly told thy servants how the Lord thy God commanded his servant Moses to give you all the Land and to destroy all the Inhabitants of the Land before you therefore we were fore afraid of our lives because of you and have done this thing And now behold we are in thine hand as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us do And so did he unto them and delivered them out of the hand of the children of Israel that they slew them not And Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water for the congregation and for the Altar of the Lord even to this day in the place which he should chuse After this Oath and League the Princes and Congregation were so farr from slaying or suffering them to be slain by their enemies contrarie hereunto that when as 5. Kings soon after came up with all â—hâ—ir hosts and encamped against Gibeah to destroy is because they had made peace with Israel the Giheonite sending this message to Joshus the camp at Gilgal slack not thy hand from thy servants to come up to us quickly save us for all the Kings of the Amorites that dwell in the Mountains are gathered against us thereupon Ioshua and all the men of Warr with him went up from Gilgal all night and came upon their Enemies sodenly and smote destroyed them with a great slaughter delivering them from that danger About 395 years after this Solem Oath League King Saul out of his zeal to the children of Israel and Iudah sought to destroy all and slew some of those Gibeonites posterity contrary to this Oath and League For which 35 * years after its violation and 430 years after its first making God sent a famine in the Land for three years year after year upon this David inquiring of the Lord what was the true cause thereof The Lord answered him It was for Saul and for his bloudy house because they slew the Gibeonites who were not of the Israelites but of the remnant of the Amorites and the children of Israel had sworn unto them whereupon David called the Gibeonites and said unto