certain destructions and desolation to this poor Kingdome and more especially to the Army and their adherents in this desperate advice who must stand or fall upon their own bottome without the least aid or contribution from any other I desire them and all others who have either eyes or brains in their heads most seriously to consider But that which makes me most of all detest this desperate advice is this That it is the only way that can be thought upon to accomplish the Popes and Jesuites designs to set up Popery and subvert the Protestant Religion and professors of it in all our three Kingdoms and in all forraign Realms beyond the Seas For if this reforming Parliament which hath pretended so much to the extirpation of Popery shall so far play the Popes and Jesuites the undoubted contrivers of this Armys New-model of our peace and settlement as to depose and behead the King his father and forever disinherit him of the Crown bring him as a Traitor to die without mercy if he come hither It wil so far provoke and exasperate him the Duke being both young and of generous spirits not throughly grounded in our Religion and under the Queens tuition and in the power of this popish party abroad who will aggravate these high affronts and injuries put upon them to the utmost and on whose protection they will be in this case necessitated to cast themselves that there is great fear and probability they will immediately renounce such a bloody and detestable Religion as shall insâ—igate us to such horrid actions and Councels and abominate all the professors of it so as totally to abandon them and turn Roman Catholicks in good earnest and then match themselves to great potent popish Alliances and by their purses forces and assistance and of the Popes and all his Catholick sonnes in Forraigne parts for the advancement of the Catholick cause and of the popish Malignants and discontented parties in England Scotland and Ireland which will questionlesse receive and assist the Prince as their Soveraign Lord and King invade our poore impoverished divided and distressed kingdom with such a power as in all humane probability would speedily over-runne and destroy this mutinous Army and the Houses too put them with their adherents to the Sword without mercy or quarter and disinherit them and their heirs for ever to revenge their Fathers blood and their dis-inherison of the Crown c. And then Popery and Prelacy will both return with greater authority power approbation then ever over-spread our whole three kingdoms and extirpate our Religion the professors of it as the most anti-Monarchical treacherous and perfidious bloody Miscreants under heaven excite all other forraign States and kingdoms to do the like to prevent the springing up of a new generation of treacherous King-killing State-subverting Agitators and Hypocritical perfidious Army-Saints and engage all Protestant kingdoms Churches and States for their own security and vindication to disclaim and declare against us This questionlesse will be the sad inevitable issue of this Jesuiticall advice if ever the Houses or Army shall put it into actuall execution and not speedily prevent it it being long since fore-plotted by the Jesuites as I shall prove anon at the beginning of the late Warre against the Scots But if the Prince and Duke be set aside I would gladly learn of these Statists who and what King they would set up Not any of the Kings posterity certainly since they dis-inherit two at a blow and the blood being corrupted by the Kings and their attainders no other heir can inherit it by descent it must escheat to the Houses or Armies disposal and become no kingdom at all but an Elective one if any And is this the next way to peace and settlement If so I have certainly lost my reason and senses too No it will be a seminary of lasting Wars of which few elective Kingdoms are long free every new election producing commonly a new Warre where there is no pretence of an hereditary succession much more where a right heir is forcibly and unjustly dis-inherited I shall give you but one instance though I could name you divers and that is a memorable one at home in our owne kingdom King Henry the first having one onely daughter Maud to reserve the Crown unto her after his death caused her to be crowned and made all the Prelates and Nobles swear to receive her as their Queen and Princesse after his decease But she marrying afterwards to the Emperour and being out of the Realme when King Henry died The Archbishop of Canterbury with the rest of the Prelates and Nobles contrary to their Oath and agreement elected Stephen Earle of Bloyes for their King and put by Maud the right heir Stephen taking an Oath to grant and confirm those Laws and Liberties for the kingdoms peace and settlement as they propounded to him before his Coronation A very likely means to settle Peace and prosperity as they imagined But was the event answerable No verily this cursed perjury and pollicy brought all the chiefe contrivers of it to great calamity and miserable ends and engendred a bloody civill Warre in the bowels of this kingdom which continued no lesse then seventeene years together with interchangeable successes till the whole kingdom was laid waste and desolate most Houses Towns and Villages burned to the ground their Gardens and Orchards quite destroyed their monies and estates exhausted and plundered their Cattle and flocks consumed and eaten up their Fields over grown with weeds in stead of Corne most of the people devoured by the Sword Famine and Pestilence and eleven hundred Castles Holds and Garrisons erected which were no other but dens of Theeves and Plunderers This was the peace and settlement this policy produced At last both Parties weary of the Wars out of pure necessity came to a Personall Treaty and in conclusion made this agreement That Stephen having no issue of his body should enjoy the Crowne during his life and Henry son and heir to Maud and next heir also to Stephen should succeed him after his death and in some sort officiate with him in the kingdoms Govenment during his life And so these long lasting Warres concluded after which there were at least eleven hundred Castles demolished by order of Parliament crected during these wars to the Countreys utter undoing But if we dis-inherit the Prince and Duke for ought I discern if they suddainly recover not their possession of the Crown of England after one seven years of Warre already elapsed we may have seventeen years more and seventeen after that again and be reduced to a more miserable condition then our Ancestors were in King Stephens dayes And that upon these two grounds First the contest then was onely between two Competitors for this one kingdom who had no other kingdoms of their own to side with them But the Prince and Duke being successively heirs as well to
The Substance of a SPEECH Made in the House of Commons BY WIL. PRYNN of LINCOLNS-INN Esquire On Munday the Fourth of December 1648 TOUCHING The Kings ANSWER to the Propositions of both Houses upon the whole TREATY Whether they were satisfactory or not satisfactory Wherein the Satisfactorinesse of the Kings Answers to the Propositions for settlement of a firm lasting Peace and future security of the Subjects against all feared Regall Invasions and encroachments whatsoever is clearly demonstrated As likewise That there is no other probable or possible way to settle a speedy firm and lasting Peace but by the Houses embracing and proceeding upon the large extraordinary Concessions of the King in this Treaty for the Kingdoms present weal and future Security And that the Armies Remonstrance Nov. 20. is a way to speedy and certain ruine and a meer Plot of the Jesuites to defame and destroy us Put into Writing and Published by him at the importunate request of divers Members for the satisfaction of the whole Kingdome touching the Houses Vote upon this Debate The third Edition MATTHEVV 5. 9. Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God PSALM 68. 30. Rebuke the company of Spearmen scatter thou the people that delight in War London Printed for Mich Spark at the blew-bible in Green-arbor 1649. All flesh is Grass the best men vanity This but a shadow here before thine eye Of him whose wondrous changes clearly show That GOD not men swayes all things here below TO THE Christian Reader Courteous Reader THE importunity of divers eminent Members of the House and the multitude of false and scandalous Aspersions publickly cast upon my self and other secluded Members not only in common Discourses and News-books but in sundry Libellous pamphlets published by the Officers of the Army and their Confederates since their late Treasonable unparalleld violence to our persons and the Houses and our priviledges and freedome without the least pretext of Authority have necessitated me to put this Speech into writing and publish it to the whole Kingdom and world which else had expired within those walls where it was spokâ—n with that breath that uttered it The scandals wherewith they have publickly aspersed the secured and secluded Members in print are these That wee are a corrupt Majority and apostatizing party selfe-seeking men old Royalists New-malignants Neuters Traitors Men byassed from the common Cause powerfully carrying on their own designes to secure themselves and work their own advantage by a corrupt closure with the King and by subtill endeavours making way for the bringing him in on TERMS DESTRUCTIVE to the Publick a corrupt Majority designing the establishment of a lasting Dominion between the King and themselves in a perpetuall Parliament No wonder those Saints dâ—generated so far to act the Devills part as to carry and cast us prisoners into hell it selfe and there keep us waking upon the bare boards all night without any accommodations when they seized us were wee such persidious Judasses or incarnate Devills as they would render us to the Kingdome and those for whom wee serve before ever they vouchsafed particularly thus to charge us or bear our just defence either as Members or Freemen of England However were we every way as vile as they would make us yet it is as clear as the Noon-day Sun That these very Officers and the Army being not our Masters but Servants particularly raised waged and engaged by solemn Leacue and Covenant among other things to protect and defend the Parliaments and Members Rights priviledges and persons from all Force and violence whatsoever in such manner as both Houses and the Committee of both Kingdomes should approve cannot pretend the least shadow of reason or authority from the Law of God or man thus traiterously to seized imprison and seclude us without the Houses license before any particular charge against us it being a far more detestable and inexcusable Treason and Rebellion then Jermins or Percies attempt to bring up the Northern Army to over awe the Houses or the Kings comming to the Commons House to demand the five Members only formerly impeached of High-Treason without seizing or secluding them the Hause or any other Members or Wallers Tompkins and Chaloners Treason to seize severall Members of both Houses and bring them to a legall Tryall as they pretended and to awe and master the Parliament for which they were condâ—mned and executed as Traitors though never actually attempted or the Reformadoes or Apprentices unarmed violence for a few hours without seizing or secluding any Member which yet the Generall Officers and Army in their Remonstrances Letters and papers declared to be Treasonable and pressed for speedy and exemplary Iustice against the chief Actors and Abettors of it to prevent the like attempts and force for the future But what is the true and onely ground of all this outcry Surely the Generall Conncell of the Oâ—ffiâ—rs of the Army in their Answer of Ian. 3 1648. Pag. 7 8. 9 10. ingenuvsly confâ—ss 〈◊〉 it was noâ—hinâ— but our vote upon the long nights debate on the fisth of December last That the Answers of the King to the Propositions of both Houses were a ground for the House to proceed upon for the setâ—lement of the peace of the Kingdome being the largest the safest and benefioiallest ever yet granted by any King to his Subjects since the Creation and that we resolved to settle a speedy and well grounded peace upon most honourable and secure termes for the Kingdomes publike interest and felicity not our owne particular advantages after seven years bloody expensive wars and refused to follow the pâ—rnicious treasonable Iesuiticall advice of these Enemies of peace who intend to make a lasting trade of war in breaking off the Treaty with the King upon the first tender of their Treasonable Remonstrance Nâ—vemb 20. some few dayes before the Treaty expired contrary to our publick Engagement both to the King and Kingdome and would not directly contrary to our Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance our Solemn Protestation League and Covenant our multiplyed Remonstrances Declarations ' Petitions Propositions and Engagements to the King Kingdom People Scotland Ireland all forraigne Protestant States and the World immediately imprison arraigne condemn depose and execute the King dis-inherit and banish the Prince and Royall line as Traitors dispose of all the Crown revenues towards their arrears dissolve the present Parliament forthwith subvert all future Parliaments and the ancient Government of the Kingdome by King Lords Knights Citizens and Burgesses duly elected and alter all the fundamentall Lawes and Statutes of the Realme set up a new Utopian Representative and supream Anarchicall Tyranny of the people to destroy both â— Magistracy Ministery Government Peace Religion and Liberty at once betray bleeding dying Ireland then near its ruine to the bloody Popish Irish Rebells and bring speedy inevitable destruction on our three Kingdomes and those respective
being more then was ever thought of or desired in the Treaty of Peace in February and March 1642. The second Proposition fully granted by the King for the setling and securing of the State and Religion too against the Kings armed power is the setling of the whole Militia by Sea and Land and Navy of England Ireland and the Isles and Dominions thereunto belonging by Act of Parliament in the hands and disposall of both Houses and such as they shall appoint for the space of twenty years with power to raise moneys for all forces raised by them for Land or Sea service during that space or time which forces are authorised to suppresse all forces raised or to be raised in or any forraigne forces which shall invade the Realms of Engl. Ireland or the Dominions and Isles thereunto belonging without Authority and consent of the Lords and Commons in Parliament And it further provides that after the expiration of the said 20. years neither the King his heirs and successors nor any person or persons by colour or pretence of any Commission power Deputation or Authority to be derived from the King his Heirs or Successors or any of them shall raise array train imploy or dispose of any of the forces by Sea or Land of the Kingdomes of England and Ireland the Dominion of Wales Isles of Gâ—ernsep and Iersey or of Barwick upon Tweed nor execute any power or authority touching the same invested in the two Houses during the space of twenty years nor do any thing or Act concerning the execution thereof without the consent of the Lords and Commons first had and obtained And that after the expiration of the said twenty years in all cases wherein the Lords and Commons shall declare the safety of the Kingdome to be concerned and shall thereupon paffe any Bill for the raising arming training and disposing of the forces by Sea and Land of the Kingdomes Dominions Isles and places aforesaid or concerning the leavying of moneys for the same if the King his Heirs and successors shall not give the Royall assent thereto within such time as both Houses should think conveent that then such Bil or Bills after Declaration made by the Lords Commons in that behalf shall have the force and strength of an Act or Acts of Parliament and be as valid to all intents and purposes as if the Royal assent had been given thereunto After which it disables any Sheriffe Justice of the Peace Majors or other Officers of Justice to leavy conduct and imploy any forces whatsoever by colour or pretence of any Commission of Array or extraordinary command from the King His Heirs or Successors without consent of both Houses And concludes That if any persons to the numberâ— of 30 shall be gathered together in warlike manner or otherwise and not forthwith disband themselves being thereunto required by the Lords and Commons or command from them or any other specially authorized by them that then such person or persons not so disbanding shall be guilty and incur the pains of High Treason any Commission under the great Seal or other Warrant to the contrary notwithstanding and be uncapable of any pardon from His Majesty His Heirs and Successors and their estates disposed of as the Lords and Commons shall think fit To all this new grand principle security of our present and future peace and settlement the King hath given his full and free consent in terminis And what greater security then this wee can imagine or demand against the Kings armed power and sword of War transcends my capacity to imagin Therefore if we have not lost our brains and consciences too we cannot but vote and conclude it satisfactory and restabundantly contented with yea exceeding thankful for it And that upon all these ensuing considerations First both Houses in their Treaty with the King in February and March 1642. demanded only the Militia of England not of Ireland yet so as they did leave the Nomination and disposing of the chiefe Commanders Officers and Governors of the Militia Forts and Navy of the Kingdome to the King provided only they might be such persons of honor and trust as both Houses might confide in and likewise promise restitution of all Moneys Forts Garrisons Arms and Ammunition of the Kings which they had seized upon or to give him present satisfaction for the same which being granted and performed they professed it should bee their hopefull endeavour that His Majesty and His people might enjoy the blessing of Peace c. and be derived to Him and to His Royall Posterity and the future Generations in this Kingdome for ever Whereas in this Treaty the King denudeth himselfe of the Militia of England and Ireland too and of the Nomination and approbation of all Officers Commanders Governors of the Militia or forces by Sea or Land and leaves all the Forts Navy and Magazines only to the Houses disposall without any compensation for his Magazines or Armes formerly seized by them And if far lesse was deemed sufficient for our settlement and security then much more will all this be thought so now Secondly Because the King hath wholly stript Himself His Heirs and Successors for ever of all that power and interest which His Predecessors alwaies enjoyned in the Militia forces forts Navy not only of England but Ireland Wales Iersey Garnsey and Berwick too so as He and they can neitherâ— raise nor arm one man nor introduce any forraign forces into any of them by vertue of any Commission Deputation or authority without consent of both Houses of Parliament and hath vested the sole power and disposition of the Militia Forts and Navy of all these in both Houses in such ample manner that they shall never part with it to any King of England unlesse they please themselves So as the King and His Heirs have no military power or authority at all left to injure or oppresse the meanest Subject much lesse the whole Kingdome or Houses of Parliament had they wills to doe it and the Houses having all the Militia by Land and Sea not only of England but even of Ireland Wales Garnsey Iersey and Berwick to assist and secure them in case He or His Heirs should attempt to raise any domestick or introduce any forraign force against them is so grand so firm a security in all probability for insuring and preserving of our Peace Religion Lawes Liberties Lives and Estates against regall force and tyranny that none of our Ancestors ever demanded or enjoyed the like nor no other Kingdome whatsoever since the Creation for ought that I can find in Histories or Republicks who have perused most now extant to do you service and such a selfe-denying condâ—sconsion in the King to His People in this particular as no age can president In the 17 year of King Iohn the Barons having by force of Armes compelled him to confirm the great Charter at Runningmead near Windsor thought this their greatest
security that 25 of the eminentest Barons should be made Conservators of the Magna Char. and that all the rest of the Barons and people should take an Oath to be aiding and assisting to them in their preservation thereof and that the King should surrender into their hands his four principall Castles that so it he infringed his Charter they might compell him to observe it This was the highest Militia and security of that kind our Ancestors ever demanded or enjoyed which is nothing comparable unto that now granted us by the King who rested satisfied therewith 3. Because the King and his successors are hereby not only totally disabled to raise any forces to oppresse the people or disturb their peace and settlement but all persons discouraged from aiding or assisting them by any Commission or authority whatsoever under pain of high Treason and losse both of life and estate at the pleasure of both Houses without any benefit of pardon from the KING disabled for to grant it So great a discouragement for any persons of fortune or quality to appear for the King or his party in the Field for time to come that in all humane probability none ever will or dare to appear in arms hereafter for the King against the Parliament being sure to forfeit all without any hopes of pardon And if this Act had been passed as a Law before our Wars I dare presume not any one English Lord or Gentleman durst once to have appeared in the Field for the King and wee had never felt the miseries of a civill War Fourthly Because the Militia of Ireland Ierâ—y Guernsey and Wales as well as England is wholly transferred from the King to the Houses so as we need fear no danger thence and the Militia of Scotland being in their Parliaments disposall if wee hold a Brotherly correspondency with them I know no other enemies we need to fear for the Navy being in the Houses power wee need not fear any forraigne invasion that can hurt us if we can agree at home All which considered I dare assert we have now the greatest security of any people under Heaven against all armed regall force and power the King having given up all his Military power into the Houses actuall possission and resigned his Sword and Armes into their hands And if we refuse to accept it now he so freely resignes it we may fight till doomesday but never win nor hope for the like security or advantage yea the present age and all posterity will curse and abhor us for not embracing and resting satisfied with such unparalleld security But is this all the security the King hath granted us in this Treaty No verily there is yet much more behind which hath not yet been opened The Kings of England have alwaies held two swords in their hands which when ill managed have hurt destroyed their Subjects The first is the sword of Mars in times of War which is already sheathed and resigned into the Houses hands by the precedent concessions so as it can never wound them more The other is the sword of Iustice in times of Peace and this likewise the King hath wholly given up into the Houses power for twenty years as he hath the Militia so that it can never hurt them nor any English man or other Subject hereafter at least for twenty years This sword was formerly intrusted by the King in the Judges and great Officers handsâ— had they been so couragious so upright as they should the King could never have wounded or ruined the meanest of his Subjects with this Sword Shipmoney Kinghâ—hood with other Grievances Monoplies neither would nor could have been imposed on the people by the Kings Prerogative or power had the Judges according to Law and duty declared them illegall The Kingdome can do no injustice to any it his Judges be so just and stout as to do justice Whereupon this House impeached only the Judges not blamed the King for the project of Shipmony to which their opinions in Mr. Hampdens Case gave life vigor Now the King in this Treaty hath for twenty yeeres at least granted to both Houses the nomination and appointment of all the Great Officers Civill or Military and of all the Judges and Barons of his Courts and Exchequers within England and Ireland to continue in their places only quom diu bene se gesserint So as these great Officers Judges having now no dependence at all upon the King who can neither place nor displace any of them but wholly upon the Houses of Parliament and such as they shall appoint to nominate them in the Intervals of Parliament if the Houses have a care to make good Officers and Judges in all Courts at first and to displease and punish them as they may and ought to do when they degenerate or misdemean themselves the King with all his legall power now left him can neither injure nor oppresse the poorest Subject in body goods or Estate nor protect the greatest malefactor from justice And what more can we desire to expect for the security of our lives liberties or estates than this Besides as theâ— King hath intrusted you with the Sword and Courts of Justice and Revenue so hath he with his Conscience and Courts of Equity too You have the nomination of the Lord Chancellours Lord Keepers and Commissioners of his great Seals of England and Ireland of the Chancellours of the Exchequer and Dutchy and Masters of the Rolls as well in Ireland as England who are the Dispensers of his Equity Conscience to his Subjects the Issuers of al his Commissions Writs Patents and keepers of all his publique Records If this be not enough you have the disposall of his purse and Treasure too The nomination of the Lord Treasurers both of England and Ireland of the Chancellours and Barons of the Exchequers in both and of the Vice-Treasurer and Treasurer of Wars in Ireland Would you have yet more You have the nomination of the Lord Deputy and chief Governour of Ireland and of all the Presidents of the severall Provinces of that Kingdome for twenty years and of all other forenamed great Officers Judges and Treasurers there a great strength and reall addition to the Militia of that Kingdome which can never doe us harm if we accept of these concessions which invest us in such power there as no Parl. of England ever yet expected nor laid claim to What is there yet remaining for your safety Perchance you will suspect the King may have many secret designs and intercourses with forraign enemies and States and grand Malignants at home to undo all which we shall never discover without some further provisions then yet we have made Truly no you have a remedy already provided and granted for this The nomination and appointing of the Lord Warden of the Cinque-ports the principall gates to let in or keep out Forraign Enemies or Spies and of the Secretaries of State who will be
Seal against the Parliament to publick Justice who cannot plead it in Barre or excuse in any Court after it shall be nulled and repealed by an Act. Fifthly a great disparagement dishonour and disadvantage to the English Cavaliers Irish Rebels and their cause and proceedings with a future disingaging of them and al their Party from the King and his interest who hath so far dishonoured deserted and disclaimed them as thus to null and repeal all Honours Titles Grants of Offices Lands or Tenements bestowed on any of them for any services done or Assistance given by them to the King in his Warres against the Parliament A very high point of humiliation and self-deniall in the King and such a blow to his Popish and Malignant party that I dare presume they will never engage in his behalfe nor trust him for the future which will much conduce to the settlement of a firm and lasting peace and prevent new VVars if accepted of 6ly Indempnity and security for all the Commissioners of the new Great Seale against all scruples which may arise upon the Statute of 25. E. 3. for using and sealing with it if ever the times alter which every prudent man will readily embrace where it is freely offered and not peevishly reject in such an age of danger and incertainty as this in which no man is secure of his life liberty or estate on either side The next Concession of the King in this Treaty is this That by Act of Parliament all Peeres made since Edward Lord Littleton deserted the Parliament and conveyâ—d away the Great Seale on the one and twentieth day of May 1642. shall be Vn-Peer'd and set by And all other titles of honour and precedency as Lordship Knighthood and the like conferred on any without consent of both Houses of Parliament since the twentieth of May 1642. shall be revoked and declared null and void to all intents and never hereafter put in use And that no Peere who shall be hereafter made by the King his heirs or successors shall sit or vote in the Parliament of England without consent of both Houses of Parliament This Concession of the Kings is of great concernment to the Kingdome and I conceive without president or example in any age or King in the Christian world First it secures us from our formerly feared danger of a designe in the King by new created Peers to make an over-ruling party at any time in the Lords House wherein the Iudicatory of the Parliament principally consists which danger and inconvenience by secluding the Bishops out of that House by an Act already passed and by this disabling all new Peers hereafter to be made to sit in that House without consent of both Houses is for ever totally prevented Secondly It gives such an extraordinary new power to the House of Commons as they never formerly enjoyed or pretended to to wit that no Peer created by the King himselfe or by the King or Lords in Parliament who usually created Peers in Parliament without the Commons privity or consent in former times shall be henceforth inaabled to sit or vote as Peers of Parliament but by consent of the House of Commons as well as of the King and Lords By which provision the Commons are made not only in some sense the Judges of Peers themselves which they could not try or judge beforeby the expresse letter of Magna Charta chap. 29. and the Common Law but seven their very Creators too Thirdly It is an extraordinary prejudice and blemish on the Kings cause and an extream dishonour dissatisfaction disengagement upon his own party then which a greater cannot be imagined For what higher affront or disgrace could the King put upon those Nobles Gent. others who have spent their estates lost their blood limbs and adventured their very lives in this cause against the Parliament and received no other reward for it but an empty title of honour perchance a Kightship Lordship or the bare title of a Marquesse Earl or Viscount which they have enjoyed but a year or two with little benefit and lesse content to be thus by Act of Parliament with the Kings owne Royall assent who conferred those titles on them for their gallant services in his behalfe thus suddenly degraded and divested of them all as if they had never been A perpetuall brand to them their posterity who must be inforced to give place to such of whom they have had precedency place by vertue of these dignities Which high affront and scorne I am verely perswaded will pierce and break many of their own at least their Ladies hearts and for ever disoblige them in the highest degree 4thly It will make all the ancient and new Nobility and Peers of England lesse dependent on the King lesse complying to serve his ends upon all occasions being never able to gratisie or reward them though never so ambitious with any new Honours or Peerships without consent of both Houses of Parliament whom they dare not displease or disoblige for fear of crossing them in their desired dignities and titles as well as in their great Offices which are both now in their disposall not in the Kings alone In brief the King in his Concession hath manifested the greatest humiliation and self-deniall that any King since there was a Kingdome in the world hath done It is and hath been the ancient and undoubted prerogative of all Kings in the world but especially of the Kings of England to conferre honours dignities of all sorts especially Knighthood on whom they shall think meet and more principally on those who have merited it by their gallantry in the field as Mr. Selden proves at large in his Titles of honour and others who have written of that Subject Now for the King out of a desire only of a happy peace and settlement not onely to part with much of the Royall Prerogative which all other Kings in the world enjoy for the future but to repeal the Honours and Titles conferred by him on his adherents for reward of their services in times past during all these wars is such a miracle and high degree of selfe-deniall as no age hath produced the like and that which most of this house had the King prevailed would have rather lost their lives had they conferred any such Titles on their Generalls and Commanders then have condescended to should the King require it And therefore I cannot agree with those over-censorious Gentlemen who so oft inculcate this that they can see no humiliation at al or change of heart in the King when I find so great a change and deep a humiliation in Him in this and all other forementioned free Concessions without any or little hesitation and I heartily wish their owne hearts were as much humbled as his and then I doubt on but they would thankfully embrace rest fully satisfied with his concessions for their owne and the Kingdomes benefit The next proposition tending
enlargement and the Kingdomes settlement by a Treaty grants a Commission to Marquesse Ormond to unite the Irish forces then divided for the foresaid ends Extremities certainly put honest and wisemen too as the Armies friends grant upon hard shifts for self-preservation and this extremity put the King upon this of Ormond The King is flesh and blood as well as we and nature teacheth him to use the best means he may for his own preservation and deliverance in such a strait The Army the last Summer refused to disband or suffer any of their forces to go for Ireland to preserve and secure that Kingdome only from this ground of self-preservation upon which they would now enforce you by their REMONSTRANCE and marching up to your doors with their forces to break off the Treaty or vote it wholly unsatisfactoryâ— whence most Gent. that differ in opinion from me have made this their sole or chief argument that the Kings answers are unsatisfactory because the Army else will not be satisfied If then your own Army may thus disobey your votes and force your consents only upon a pretence of self-preservations and defence when they are in no visible danger the King by as good or better reason in this extremity of danger might justly make use of Ormonds endeavours for his better safety and enlargement And if some Members have affirmed in the House as hath been alleadged in this debate that they would joyn with Turks or the worst of Nations and call them in to their assistance rather then the King should come in by conquest then the King by like reason might joyn with Ormond and the Irish rather then be thus laid aside and destroyed And what we our selves would do in his or the like condition we cannot justly blame in him Thirdly The King did never absolutely deny the recalling of Ormonds Commission but only suspended it til the Treaty ended and if you then close with him you have his engagement presently to recall it if then you agree with him upon thisâ— Treaty your demand in this is granted and danger prevented but if you will not agree at all it is very hard measure to presse the King to a present disadvantage who is like to receive no advantage by you nothing being obligatory on either side til all be concluded In fine the King hath so far condescended to satisfie you in his finall answer as to write a letter to Ormond to suspend the Execution of his Commission for the present and engaged to revoke it so soon as you and he agree in future and more then this as the case stands wee cannot well in justice require and we should hardly grant so much were it our case as it is the Kings and seeing all our dangers may be prevented by our agreement with the King and this demand then fully granted there is no reason to vote this unsatisfactory when we may have all we desire if we please our selves However I see no such differences between the King and Us in this of ORMOND and that of Delinquents as to vote the finall answer to them and all the rest unsatisfactory and so to lose England distressed Ireland and all the former Concessions for an unconsiderable dissatisfaction in these two particulars The last Proposition relating to the security of the State is That the City of London shall enjoy all their Rights Liberties Franchises and usages in raysing and imploying the forces thereof for its defence in as full and ample manner as they used and enjoyed it heretofore That the Militia and City and Liberties thereof shall be in the Ordering and Government of the Lord Major Aldermen and Common-Councell or such as they shall appoint and be imployed and directed as both Houses shall direct so as no Citizen or forces of the City shall be compelled to go out of the City or Liberties for Military service without their own free consent That an Act shall be passed for the granting and confirming of the Cities Charters Customs and Franchises notwithstanding any Non-user Misuser or abuser and for confirmation of all by-Laws and Ordinances made or to be made by the Lord Major Aldermen and common-councell concerning the calling convening and regulating their Common-councell That the Tower of London may be in the Government of the City and the chief Governour thereof nominated and removeable by the Common-Councellâ— and all Propositions which shall be further made and approved by both Houses consent for the future welfare and Government of the City confirmed by Act of Parliament To all which the King hath fully confented so as his Answer thereto cannot be Voted unsatisfactory by any but such who envy the Cities weal and security that themselves may the better seize and trample on it to its enslaving and ruin This Concession is First A great Honour to and justification of your cause the City having beene more cordiall to active for and bountifull towards you upon all occasions and exigencies then all other parts of the Kingdome the harbourers and relievers of all who have fled from the Enemies tyranny thither for safety or reliefe yea the onely Treasury to advance monies upon all exigencies and those to whom under God you pricipally owe your victories and preservation Now for the King to honour the City with such concessions as these which hath beene most hurtfull to and deepest engaged against him in this Warre is almost as high and full if not a greater justification of and countenance to your cause as this consent to the first Proposition 2dly A great satisfaction to the City for all their services and expences and a firm security against all future feares and sufferings for ingaging so deeply in your Cause 3dly An extraordinary Engagement to the City faithfully to adhere to you and all succeeding Parliaments upon the like cause and occasion and to other Corporations to do the like 4thly A great security and advantage to the whole Kingdome whose weal and safety principally consists in Londons welfare its principall Magazine Mart Bulwarke Refuge and Military security both by Sea and Land wherewith the whole Kingdome stands or falls had the King once gained London in these Warres the Parliament and all England had been quickly lost without hope of recovery which will be in a secure or recoverable condition at all times if it be safe and true to the publique interest from which some have studied of late to disengage it to ruine it and the Parliament too which were alwayes free from eminent danger whiles cordially united and near to both their ruines being now disjointed I have thus as briefly as I could with discharge of my conscience and duty run through all the propositions which concerne the security and settlement of our State against the KINGS armed violence or Exorbitant civill Sword or Prerogative and other particulars relating to its peace and safety with the Kings respective Answers thereunto And for mine owne opinion I humbly conceive them
heads they were scarce ever free from civill warres One Army set up one Emperour another Army another the Senate a third who alwayes warred till they had cut off one anothers heads Most of those Emperours had very short reigns few of them above a year or two and some of them scarce two months but most of them untimely deaths In Sclavonia and Norway where they had a Law that he that slew a Tyrant King should suceed him in the Throne They had almost every year a new King perpetuall wars and discords and not one of all their Kings for above one hundred years together ever came to a natural death but was murthered as a Tyrant and succeeded by a worse and greater tyrant as Saxo grammaticus and Nubrigensis testifie And in the sacred story it selfe it is very observable that after the ten Tribes revolted from Rehoboam though by Gods Iustice and approbation for Solomons sinnes they had never any peace or settlement but perpetuall Wars with one Kingdome or another or between themselves Their Kings or most of them were all Tyrants and Idolaters and by the just hand of God for the most part tumultuously slaine and murthered one of and by another who succeeded them he that murthered his Predecessor being usually slain by his Successor or his Predecessors Sons Servants or by the People of the Land in a tumltuous way In the 2 Kings 15. We read in that one Chapter of no lesse then 4 of those Kings slain one by another and as for the people under these Kings they had never any rest peace settlement or freedome but lived under the greatest misery and oppression that ever any Subjects under Heaven did as the sacred History records This King-killing certainly can be then no probable way at all to peace safety settlement freedome but the Jesuits pollicy to deprive us eternally of all these and of God and Religion to boot as it did the ten Tribes heretofore Fourthly this way to peace and settlement is directly contrary to all the former Engagements Oaths and severall Petitions Declarations Remonstrances Protestations and professions of both Houses of Parliament to the King Kingdomeâ— people wherein were have alwaies protested and held forth unto them both before and since the Wars That we will preserve and protect the Kings person from danger support his Royall estate with honour and plenty at home with power and reputation abroad and by our loyall affections actions and advice lay a sure and lasting foundation of the greatnesse and prosperity of his Majesty and his Royall posterity in future times That we are still resolved to keep our selves within we bounds of faithfulnesse and allegiance to His sacred Person and Crown That we will with our lives fortunes estates and with the last drop of our blood endeavour to support His Majesty and his just Soveraignty and power over usâ— and to prevent all dangers to His Majesties Person That wee tooke up armes as well for Defence of His Majesty to protectâ— His Person as the Kingdome and Parliament without any intent to burt or injure His Majesties person or power professing in the presence of Almighty God That we would receive Him with all honour yeeld him all due obedience and subjection and faithfully endeavour to secure His person and estate from all danger and to uttermost of our power to procure and establish to Him and His People all the blessings of a glorious and happy reign which both Houses severall times profest and remonstrated to the world That the allegation that the Army raised by the Parliament was TO MURDER and DEPOSE THE KING was such a scandall as any that professed the name of a Christian could not have so little charity as to raise it especially when they must needs know the Protestation taken by every Member of both Houses whereby they promise in the presence of Almighty God to defend His Majesties person and all their addresses and Petitions to him expressing the contrary That they never suffered it to enter into their thoughts to depose the KING abhorring the very thought of it much more the intent That they never suffered the word DEPOSING the King to goe out of their mouthes nor the thing to enter into their thoughts That they rest assured both God and Man will abominate that monstrous and most injurious Charge layed upon the Representative Body of this whole Kingdome by the Malignant party against the KINGâ— as designing not onely the ruine of His MAIESTIES person but of MONARCHY it selfe The Authors of which malicious horrid scandall they professe to make the Instances of their Exemplary Iustice so soon as they shall be discovered Now for Us after all these multiplyed reiterated Protestations Promises Engagements Declarations Remonstrances to all the World from the beginning of the differences and wars till now to think or talk of deposing and destroying of the King and altering the Government as the only safe and speedy way to peace and settlement as the Army-Remonstrants prescribe would be such a most detestable breach of Publike Faith such a most perfidious treacherous unrighteous and wicked act as not only God Angels and good men but the very worst of Turks and Devils would abhor and therefore it s a miracle to me that these precious Saints should thus impudently before all the World propose to the House and force you to pursue it to staine your reputation and make you exerable to God and Men. Fifthly the very Oath of Allegiance which every one of us hath taken upon our first admission to be Members engageth us in positive terms Not to offer any violence or hurt-to His MAIESTIES Royall Person State or Government to beare faith and true Allegiance to His MAIESTY His Heirs and Successors and Him and Them to defend to the uttermost of our power against all Conspiracies and attempts whatsoever which shall be made against His or Their PERSONS CROWNE or DIGNITY And from our hearts to abhorre detest and abjure as impious and hereticall this Jesuiticall and Popish Doctrine That Princes excommunicated or deprived by the Pope as it seems the KINGS is now for extirpating Episcopacy Popery Mass and Prelacy out of His Dominions by His present Concessions without any possibility or hopes of replanting may be deposed or murthered by their Subjects or any other whatsoever Which Jesuiticall contrivance and practise as our whole State and Parliament in the Statutes of 3â— Iaâ— cap. 1â— 4 5 35. Eliz. cap. 1. and other Acts resolve is the only way to unsettle ruine and subvert not to settle and establish the Peace and government of our Realme And both Houses since this Parliament have by a Solemne Protestation first and by a Solemne League and Covenant since with Hands listed up to the most High God engaged both themselves and the three kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland by a most sacred and serious vow and protestation purposely made and prescribed by them For the
the Crowns of Scotland and Ireland as England will have their aid and assistance and of their forraign Friends too to carry on the wars till they have got possession of the Crowne of England upon better terms then ever they are like to enjoy it if we accept of the K. Concessions which we can never expect from them if we depose and kil the King and dis-inherit banish them for Traitors Secondly Stephen the actuall King then had no issue at all and Henry was next heir to the Crown both to Maud and him so as both Titles meeting in him the controversie and wars must needs cease But if we shall now set up a new King by Election either of the Kings line or otherwise as long as there is either an Elective King or hereditary to exclude this Prince or Duke or either of their heirs to whom the inheritance of the Crown belongs of right we can neither hope for nor expect either peace or settlement in this kingdom as the bloody and long lived wars between the two Houses of Lancaster and York will inform us which never ended till they were both united in King Henry the seventh The Armies next proposall to settle the kingdoms peace is as bad as any of the former to wit the speedy dissolving of this present Parliament which if not presently consented to for ought I discerne by their last Declaration they are resolved to dissolve it by open violence on the Houses which they threaten A Tempest certainly of the Jesuites raising to blow down this Parliament as they would have blown up that of 3 Iacobi with Gun-powder But is this a way to safety and settlement to dissolve the onely visible meanes of both If the King Prince Duke Parliament be all dissolved and quite laid aside what meanes or hopes at all of peace of safety of settlement can any man in his right senses rationally see or imagine Is the overturning of the very Foundations and Pillars of our Church and Kingdom the best and safest way to settle and preserve them Is it not the onely certain way to subvert and ruine them Such wayes of peace and settlement aâ— these are fitter for Bedlam then a Parliament house Yea but they have one infallible way more to which all the rest are but preparatory to settle peace and safety in our Kingdoms which they idolize almost to wit A new Representative or moâ—k-Parliament to be immediately subscribed to and set up in post haste constituted neither of King nor Lords the brats of Tyranny and the Norman Conquest as some of themselves pretend as this Representative is of the Armies nor yet of Knights Citizens and Burgesses duly elected but of a selected company of politick Mechanicks pragmaticall Levellers and Statesmen of the General Councel of the Army as they stile themselves by what Commissiom I know not who have usurped the whole Power both of King Parliament Assembly and all Courts of Iustice before their Representative be setled as a true pattern of it which they are to imitate A meer Whimsicall Vtopia and Babel of confusion invented by the Iesuites to please the vulgar rabhle and stir them up to mutinies against King Lords Commons Gentlemen and their Superiours of all ranks that they alone may possesse and sway the reins of Government Magistracy and Ministry to which they have now prepared their tumultuous spirits Much might be said against it but I shall contract my self because nothing can be so much as probably pretended for it First It is a new Jesuiticall popish Gunpowder Treason with a witnesse which blowes up and destroyes at once the King Prince Duke Lords Knights of Shires Citizens Burgesses this present and all future Parliaments and noblest ancientest Cities and Boroughs of England It not this a blessed invention to settle peace and safety Secondly It blows up both our Magistracy Ministry Laws Liberties Judges and Courts of Justice at one crack and breaks them all in pieces to raise up this new Babâ—â— out of all their ruines And is not this a blessed new invention of Jesuites and Saints to settle peace Thirdly It blows up all our Oaths of Supremacy and Allegeance Protestations solemn Leagues and Covenants all former numerous Declarations Remonstrances Votes and Resolutions of one or both Houses of Parliament not to alter the present form of Government by King Lords Commons and other ordinary Magistrates and ministers of publick Iustice orâ—â—eâ— loose the golden reins of government to Blasphemies Heresies Errors Libertinisme Prâ—phanenesse Schisme all sorts of Religions It unsettles all things to settle that which is worse then nothing And is this the way to safety tranquillity or settlement Fourthly it enforceth aâ— Subscription more unjust unreasonable illegall tyrannicall and penall then ever the Bishops or Pope invented invents and sets up the very worst of Monopolies a Monopoly of Electors of Elections and of Representatives elected engrossing all mens ancient Rights Liberties priviledges of election without consent or title into the hands of those who never had a right unto them the people who are no Free-holders no Free-Burgesses free-Citizens or men capable of Votes by Law and these people no other then the Army themselves and some of their levelling Confederates who must possesse judge rule usurp the Rights and Priviledges of the whole Kingdome in point of electing Parliament Members without Charter or Title A cursed Monopoly which will discontent all men who are thus injuriously deprived of their Rights and produce nought else but infinite animosities factions fractions and tumuls throughout the Kingdome and discontent all wise all honest men who will rather die then not oppose it unto death as carrying the death aâ—d funerall of al peace settlement Parliaments the Kingdome in its bowels And is this a fit tool to peece and unite our shattred Kingdome and settle peace amongst us Fifthly It no way extends to Ireland or our Islands but to England onely it will require many years time and triall to settle and secure its own being priviledge power and gain any general obedience to its new erected Soveraignty so that our Church and State will be sunk and drowned and Ireland inevitably lost before this Ark will or can be prepared for their safety Sixthly This Newâ— Representative in this new Remonstrance is in terminis nought else but the very Agreement of the people presented to the House by the Agitators accompanied with some Iesuites on the 9. of Novemb. 1647. then and in that very month twice by two expresse Votes upon solemn debate and an Ordinance of both Houses in December following resolved to be destructive to the being of Parliaments and to the fundamentall Government of the Kingdome and a signall brand of disability and imprisonment imposed on the contrivers and presenters of it and then condemned by the Generall and his Councell of Warre who shot one White to death for abetting it of which more a non Therefore