SEVERALL PAPERS Lately VVritten and Published by IUDGE IENKINS Prisoner in the Tower viz. 1. His Vindication 2. The Armies indempnity with a Declaration shewing how every Subject ought to be tryed for Treasons Felonies and all other Capitall Crimes 3. Lex Terrae 4. A Cordiall for the good people of London 5. A Discourse touching the inconveniences of a long continued Parliament 6. An Apologie for the Army ANNO 1647. The Vindication of Iudge Jenkins Prisoner in the Tower the 29. of Apr. 1647. I Was convened upon Saturday the 10. of this moneth of Aprill before a Committee of the House of Commons wherein Master Corbet had the Chaire and I was there to be examined upon some questions then to be propounded to me to which questions I refused to give any other answer then that which was set down in a paper I then delivered to the said M. Corbet which followeth in these words Gentlemen I stand committed by the House of Commons for High Treason for not acknowledging nor obeying the power of the Two Houses by adhering to the King in this War I deny this to be Treason for the supreame and onely power by the Lawes of this Land is in the King If I should submit to any examination derived from your Power which by the Negative Oath stands in opposition to the Kings Power I should confesse the Power to be in you and so condemne my selfe for a Traitour which I neither ought nor will doe I am sworne to obey the King and the Laws of this Land you have not power to examine me by those Laws by the Kings Writ Patent or Commission if you can produce either thereof I will answer the questions you shall propound otherwise I cannot answer thereto without the breach of my Oath and the violation of the Lawes which I will not doe to save my life You your selves all of you this Parliament have sworne that the King is our onely and supreame Governour your Protestation your Vow and Covenant your solemne League and Covenant your Declarations all of them publish to the Kingdome that your scope is the maintenance of the Lawes those Lawes are and must be derived to us and enlivened by the only supreame Governour the Fountaine of justice and the life of the Law the King The Parliaments are called by his writs the Judges sit by his Pattents so of all other Officers the Cities and Towns corporate governe by the Kings Charters and therefore since by the Law I cannot be examin'd by you without a power derived by His Majesty I neither can nor will nor ought you to examine me upon any question But if as private Gentlemen you shall be pleased to aske me any questions I shall really and truly answer every such question as you shall demand Aprill 10. 1647. David Jenkins This paper hath been mis-represented to the good people of this Citie by a Printed one styling it my Recantation which I owne not and besides is in it selfe repugnant just like these times the Body falls out with the Head To vindicate my selfe from that Recantation and to publish to the world the realitie of the Paper then delivered to M. Corbet and the matter therein contained I have published this ensuing discourse No person who hath committed Treason Murder or Felony hath any assurance at all for so much as one houre of life Lands or Goods without the Kings gracious pardon 27. Hen. 8. Cap. 24. The King is not virtually in the two Houses at Westminster whereby they may give any assurance at all to any person in any thing for any such offence 1. The House of Commons hath declared to the Kingdome in their Declarations of the 28. of November last to the Scots Papers pag. 8. That the King at this time is not in a condition to governe No person or thing can derive a vertue to other men or things which it selfe hath not and therefore it is impossible that they should have a vertue from the King to governe which they declare he hath not himselfe to give 2. 5. Elizab. Cap. 1. The Law of the Land is That no person in any Parliament hath a voice in the House of Commons but that he stands a person to all intents and purposes as if he had never beene elected or returned if before he sit in the House he take not his Oath upon the holy Evangelists that the Kings Majestie is the only and supream Governour over all persons in all Causes All the Members of the said House have taken it and at all times as they are returned doe take it otherwise they have no colour to intermeddle with the publicke Affaires How doth this Solemne and Legall Oath agree with their said Declaration That the King is in no condition to governe By the one it is sworne He is the only supreame Governour by the other that he is not in a condition to governe 2. The Oath is not that the K. was or ought to be or had been before he was seduced by ill Councell our onely and supreame Governour in all Causes over all persons but in the present tense that he is our onely and supreame Governour at this present in all Causes and over all persons So they the same persons sweare one thing and declare to the Kingdom the contrary of the same thing at the same time in that which concerneth the weale of all this Nation 4. The Ministers in the Pulpits doe not say what they sweare in the House of Commons Whoever heard sâ—thence this unnaturall Warre any of their Presbyters attribute that to His Majestie which they sweare The reason is their Oath is taken at Westminster amongst themselves That which their Ministers pray and preach goes amongst the people To tell the people that the King is now their onely and supreame Governour in all Causes is contrary to that the Houses doe now practice and to all they act and maintaine They the two Houses forsooth are the onely and supreame Governours in default of the King for that he hath left his great Councell and will not come to them and yet the King desires to come but they will not suffer him but keepe him prisoner at Holmby so well doe their Actions and Oathes agree 5. They sweare now King CHARLES is their onely and supreme Governour but with a resolution at the time of the Oath taking and before and after that he shall not be onely or supreme Governour or onely and supreme but not any Governour at all For there is no point of Government but for some yeares past they have taken to themselves and used his name onely to abuse and deceive the people 6. That this virtuall power is a meere fiction their Propositions sent to Oxford to Newcastle to be signed by the King doe prove it so What needs this adoe if they have the virtuall power with them at Westminster 7. To affirme that the Kings power which is the virtue they talk of is
separable from his Person is High Treason by the Law of the Land which is so declared by that learned man of the Law Sir Edward Coke so much magnified by this present Parliament who in the 7. part of his Reports in Calv. Case fo 11. saith thus In the reigne of Edward the second the Spencers the Father and Son to cover the Treason hatched in their hearts invented this damnable and damned opinion that Homage and Oath of Ligeance was more by reason of the Kings Crowne that is of his politicke capacity then by reason of the person of the King upon which opinion they inferred 3. execrable and detestable consequences 1. If the King doe not demeane himselfe by reason in the right of his Crowne his lieges are bound by Oath to remove the King 2. seeing that the King could not be reformed by suit of Law that ought to be done per aspertee that is by force 3. That his lieges be bound to governe in aid of him and in default of him All which were condemned by two Parliaments one in the raigne of Edw 2. called exilium Hugonis le Spencer and the other in Anno 1. Edw. 3. cap. 2. And that the naturall body and politicke makes one indivisible body and that these two bodies incorporate in one person make one body and not divers is resolved as the Law of England 4. Eliz. Ploydon Com. fol. 213. by Sir Cobert Catlin Lord Chiefe Justice of England Sir James Dier Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas the Lord Sanders Lord Chiefe Baron of the Exchequer and by the rest of the Judges viz. Justice Rastall Justice Browne Justice Corbet Justice Weston Baron Frevyll Conne and Pewdrell Sergeant Gerrard Atturny Generall Carreâ— Atturny of the Dutch Plowdon the learnedst man of that age in the knowledge of the Law and Customes of the Realm 8. The Law in all ages without any controversie is and hath beene That no Act of Parliament bindes the Subjects of this Land without the assent of the King either for person Lands Goods or Fame No man can shew any sillable letter or line to the contrary in the bookes of the Law or printed Acts of Parliament in any age in this Land If the vertuall Power be in the Houses there needes no assent of the Kings The stiles of the Acts printed from 9. Hen. 3. to 1. Hen. 7. were either 9 Hen. 3. Magna Charta So in every age till this day and in every Kings time as appears by the Acts in Print 1 part of the Instit Sect. 234. in fine where many of the Law-Bookes are cited 7. H. 7.14.12 of Hen. 7.20 The King ordaines at his Parliament c. or the King ordaineth by the advice of his Prelats and Barons and at the humble Petition of the Commons c. In Hen. 7. his time the Stile altered and hath sithence continued thus It is ordained by the Kings Majesty and the Lords spirituall and temporall and Commons in this present Parliament assembled So that alwayes the Assent of the King giveth the life to all as the soule to the body and therefore our Law-Bookes call the King the Fountaine of Justice and the life of the Law 9. 2. H. 4. c. 22. 4 pars instit 42. M. Prin in his Treatise of the great Seale Fol. 17.27 Hen. 8. Chap. 24. Mercy as well as Justice belongs by the law of the Land only to the King This is confessed by Master Prynn and it is so without any quection The King can only pardon and never more cause to have sufficient pardons then in such troublesome times as these and God send us pardons and peace None can give any pardon but the King by the Law of the Land The whole and sole power of pardoning Treasons and Felonies belongs to the King are the words of the Law and it is a delusion to take it from any other and utterly invalid 27 Hen. 8. Cap 24. 10. Queene Elizabeth summoned her first Parliament to be held the 23. of January in the first yeare of Her Majesties Raigne The Lords and Commons assembled by force of the same writ the 23. day the Queen fell sick and could not appeare in her person in Parliament that day and therefore prorogued it untill the 25. of the same Month of January Resolved by all the Judges of England 3 Of Eliz. Dier 203. that the Parliament began not the day of the returne of the writ viz. the 23. of January when the Lords and Commons appeared but the 25. of the said moneth when the Queen came in person Which sheweth evidently that this virtuall presence is a meere deluding fiction that hath no ground in Law reason or sense They have the King now a prisoner at Holmby with guards upon him and yet they governe by the vertuall Power of their Prisoner These are some of the causes and reasons which moved me to deliver that paper to Master Corbet which I am ready to justifie with my life and should hold it a great honour to die for the honourable and holy Lawes of the Land That which will save this Land from destruction is an Act of Oblivion and His Majesties gracious generall pardon the Souldiers their Arears and every man his owne and Truth and Peace established in the Land and a favourable regard to the satisfaction of tender Consciences Aprill 29. 1647. David Jenkins THE ARMIES INDEMNITY With Addition Together With a Declaration shewing how every Subject of England ought to be tried for Treasons Felonies and all other Capitall Crimes as it is set down in the Lawes of the LAND By David Jenkins now Prisoner in the Tower of LONDON Printed in the Yeare 1647. The Armies Indemnity c. UPon the publishing of the Ordinance of the 22. of May last for the Indemnity of the Army certain Gentlemen well affected to the peace of the Kingdome and safety of the Army desired me to set downe in writing whether by the Law of the Land the said Ordinance did secure them from danger as to the matters therein mentioned For whose satisfaction in a businesse wherein the lives and fortunes of so many men were concerned and the Peace of the Kingdome involved I conceived I was bound in duty and conscience faithfully and truly to set downe what the Law of the Land therein is which accordingly I have with all sincerity expressed in this following discourse The danger of the Army by the Law of the Land is apparent to all men 25. Ed. 3. c. 11. 2 Ri. 2. cap. 3. 1 Hen. 4. c. 10. 1 and 2. Phil. and Mary c. 10 It is high Treason by the Law of the Land to leavy warre against the King to compasse or imagine his death or the death of his Queene or of his eldest Sonne to counterfeit his Money or his great Seale They are the words of the Law Other Treasons then are specified in that Act are declared to be no Treasons untill the King and
said King to allow them in the seventeenth of King Iohn the said Liberties were by King Iohn allowed and by his son Hen. the third after in the ninth yeere of his Reigne confirmed and are called Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta declared foure hundred twenty two yeeres sithhence by the said Charters Now rests to be considered after the Subjects had obtained their Rights and Liberties which wâ—nâ— no other then their ancient Customes and the fundamentall Rights of the King as Soveraigne are no other How the Rights of Soveraignty continued in practise from Henry the thirds time untill this present Parâ—â—ament of the third of November 1640. for before Henry the thirds time the Soveraignty had a very full Power Rex habet Potestatem jurisdictionem super omnes qui in Regnosuo sunt ea quae sunt jurisdictionis Pacis ad nullum pertinent nisi ad Regiam dignitatem â—reacton temps H. 3. lib. 4. cap. 24. Sect 1 habet etiam coeroionem ut Delinquentes puniat coerceat This proves where the supreame Power is A Delinquent is hee who adheres to the Kings Enemies Com Sur. Littl. 261. This shewes who are Delinquents Omnis sub Rege ipse sub nullo nisi tuntum Deo non est inferior sibi Subjectis Sect 5 Bractabid non parem habet in Regnosuo This shewes where the supreame power is Rex non habet superiorem nisi Deum satis habet ad poenam quod Deum expectat ultorem Bracton lib. 5. tract 3. de de saltis Cap. 3. Bracton Lib 3. Cap. 7. This shewes where the suprerme power iâ— Treasons Fellonies and other Pleas of the Crowne are propriâ— causa Regis This shewes the same power By these passages it doth appeare what the Custome was for the power of Soveraignty before that time the power of the Militia of coyning of Money of making Leagues with forreigne Princes the power of Pardoning of making of Officers c. All Kings had them the said Powers have no beginning Sexto Ed 1. Comsur Littl. 85. Liege Homage every Subject owes to the King viz Faith de Membre Ewd. 1. de vita de terrenâ— Honore the forme of the Oath inter vetera statuta is set down We read of no such or any Homage made to the two Houses but frequently of such made by them It is declared by the Prelates Earles Barrons and Commonalty of the Realm that it belongeth to the King and his Royall Segniory 7. Ed. 1. statuts at largeâ—â—l 42. straitly to defend force of Armour and all other force against the Kings peace at all times when it shall please him and to punish them that shall doe contrary according to the Law and Usage of the Realme and hereunto they are bound to ayde their Soveraigne Lord at all seasons when need shall be Here the supreame power in the time of Parliament by both Houses is declared to belong to the King At the beginning of every Parliament all Armes are or ought to be forbidden to be born in London 7. Ed. 2.4 pars instit 14. 1 Ed. 2. de Militibus Westminster or the Subburbs This condemnes the multitudes comming to Westminster and the Guards of armed men All who held by Knights-service and had twenty pounds per 〈◊〉 were distraynable ad Arma militaria suscipienda This agrees with the Records of ancient time continued cerâ—â—â—ntly in all Kings times but at this Parliament 3. November 1640. The King out of his grace discharged this duty which proves that the power of warre and preparation thereto belongs not to the two houses but only to the King The two Spencers in Ed. 2. Ed 3. Calvins Case Cook l. 7. fol. 1 time hatched to cover their Treason this damnable and damned opinion viz. That Ligeance was more by reason of the Kings politique capacity then of his person upon which they inferred these execrable and detestable consequences First if the King demeaned not himselfe by reason in the right of his Crown his Lieges are bound by Oath to remove him Secondly seeing the King could not be removed by suit of Law it was to be done by force Thirdly that his Lieges be bound to govern in default of him All which tenets were condemned by two Parliaments the one called exilium Hugonis in Ed. 2. time the other by 1. Ed. 3. cap. 2. All which Articles against the Spencers are confirmed by this last Statute the Articles are extant in the booke called vetera Statuta The separation of the Kings person from his power is the principall Article condemned and yet all these three damnable detestable and execrable consequents are the grounds whereupon this present time relies and the principles whereupon the two Houses found their Cause The Villeine of a Lord in the presence of the King Plowdon com 322 27. ass pl. 49. 33 Ed. 3â— ayde derâ—y 103 Fitz. 10 H. 7 16. cannot be seized for the presence of the King is a protection for that time to him This shewes what reverence the Law gives to the person of a King Reges sacro oleo uncti sunt capaces spirituallis jurisdictionis But the two Houses were never held capable of that power Rex est persona mixta cum sacerdote habet Ecclesiasticam spititualem jurisdictionem This shewes the Kings power in Ecclesiasticall Canses The lands of the King is caled in Law Patromonium sacrum Com. Sur Littl Sect 4. 3. Ed. 3. 19 The houses should not have meddled with that sacred Patrâ—â—â—â—y The King hath no Peere in his land and cannot be judged Ergo the two Houses are not above him The Parliament 15. Ed. 3 was repealed for that it was against the Kings Lawes and prerogative 4 pars instit fol. 52. this shewes cleerely the propositions sent to Newcastle ought not to have been presented to his Majesty for that they are contrary to the Lawes and his Prerogative The Lords and Commons cannot assent in Parliament to any thing that â—ends to the disinherision of the King and his Crowne 4 pars Cookes instit fol. 14 42. E. 3. Parliament Rol. num 7. Lex consuetudo Parliamenti to which they are sworn This condemnes the said Propositions likewise To depose the King to imprison him untill he assent to certaine demands A war to alter the Religion established by Law or any other Law or to remove Councellors to hold a Castle or Fort against the King are offences against that Law declared to be treason by the resolutions herein after mentioned by that Law men are bound to ayd the King when war is levied against him in his Realme 25. Ed. 3. cap. 2. King in this Statute must be intended in his naturall body and person that only can die for to compass his death and declare it by overt Act is declared thereby treason to incounter in fight such as come to ayd the King in his wars is treason Compassing of the
doe upon the knees of our hearts agâ—ze constant Faith Loyalty and Obedience to the King and his Royall progeny in this high Court of Parliament where all the body of the Realme is eyther in person or by representation We doe acknowledge that the true and sincere Religion of the Church is continued and established by the King And doe recognize as we are bound by the Law of God and Man the Realme of England and the Imperiall Crowne thereof doth belong to him by inherent byrth-right and lawfull and undoubted succession and submit our selves and our posterities for ever untill the last drop of our blood be spent to his rule and beseech the king to accept the same as the first fruits of our Loyalty and Faith to his Majesty and his posteritie for ever and for that this Act is not compleat nor perfect without his Majesties assent the same is humbly desired This proves that the Houses are not above the King that Kings have not their Titles to the Crowne by the two Houses but by inherent byrth-right and that there can bee no Statute without his expresse assent and destroyes the chymera of the Kings virtuall being in the Houses To promise obedience to the Pope or any other State Prince or Potentate 3 Jac. cap. 4 other then the King his Heires and Successors is Treason and therefore those persons who call the Houses the Estates offend this Lawe Such Bills as his Majesty is bound in Conscience and Justice to passe K. Charles Collection of Ordinances fo 727. 1 pars ib. fol. 728. are no Law without his assent To designe the ruine of the Kings person or of Monarchy is a monstrous and injurious charge Vbi Lex non distinguit ibid fol. 865. non est distinguendum all the aforesaid Acts and Lawes doe evidently prove the Militia to belong to the king that the king is not virtnally in the two Houses that the king is not considerable separately in relation to his politique capacity that the king is not a person trusted with a power but that it is his inherent byrth-right from God Nature and Lawe and that hee hath not his power from the people These Lawes have none of those distinctions of naturall and politique abstractum concretum power and person in Caesars time this Island had kings and ever since which is almost 17 hundred yeeres agoe No King can be named in any time made in this kingdom by the people A parliament never made king for they were kings before the Parliaments are summoned by the kings Writs which for Knights Citizens and Burgesses begins thus viz. Rex vic Wilis Saltem Quia Nos de avisamento assensu consilij nri pro quibus arduis urgentib negetiis nos statum defensionem Regninri Aug. Eccles Anglic. concernentibus quoddam Parliamentum urum apud B. teneri ordinavimus ibid cum Prelatis Magnatib proceribus dicti Regni uri Colloqui habere tractatum ipsi Vicecomiti precipimus firmiter injungendo qd facta Proclamatione in prox Comitatu tuo post receptionem ejusd Brevis dues Milites gladiis cinctos c. eligi facias ad faciendum consentiendum hiis quae tunc ibidem de Communi Concilio nro Angl faventi Deâ— contigerit ordinari super Negotiis antedictis ita quod pro defectis potestatis hujusmodi seu propter improvidam electionem Milium Civium Burgensium pred dicta negotia ura infecta non remanerent The King is Principium caput finis Parliamenti the body makes not the head 4 pars Instit fol. 3 4. nor that which is posterior that which is prior concilium non est Preceptum conciliarij non sunt Praeceptores for Counsell to compell a consent hath not beene heard of to this time in any age and the house of Commons by the writt are not called ad concilium the Writts to the twelve Judges Kings Councell twelve Masters of the Chancery are concilium impensuri and so of the Peeres The writts for the Cominalty Ad faciendum consentiendum Which shewes what power the representative body hath they have not power to give an oath neither do they claime it The Oath of the Justices 18 of E. 3. among Statutes of that yeere The King at all times when there is no parliament in Parliament is assisted with the advice of the Judges of the Lawe 12 in number for England at least hath 2 Sergeants when fewest an Attorny and Solicitor twelve Masters of the Chancery his Councell of State consisting of some great Prelates and other great Personages versed in State affaires when they are fewest to the number of twelve All these persons are alwaies of great substance which is not preserved but by the keeping of the Lawe The Prelates versed in divine Lawe the other Grandees in affaires of State managery of Government The Judges Kings Sergeants Attorny Sollicitor and Masters of the Chancery versed in the Lawe and Customes of the Realme All sworn to serve the King and his people justly truly the King is also sworn to observe the Laws and the Judges have in their Oath a clause That they shall do common right to the Kings people according to the established Laws not withstanding any command of the King to the contrary under the Great Seale or otherwise The people are safe by the Lawes in force without any new The Law finding the Kings of this Realme assisted with so many great men of Conscience Honour and skill in the rule of Common-wealth knowledge of the Lawes and bound by the high and holy bond of an Oath upon the Evangelists settles among other powers upon the King a power to refuse any Bill agreed upon by both Houses and power to pardon all offences to passe any Graunts in his Minority there are many great persons living hold many a thousand pound a yeare by Patents from Edward the sixt passed when he was but ten yeares of age not to be bound to any Law to his prejudice whereby he doth not binde himselfe power of warre and peace coyning of Money making all Officers c. The Lawe for the reasons aforesaid hath approved these powers to be unquestionable in the King and all Kings have enjoyed them till 3. Nov. 1640. It will bee said notwithstanding all this fence about the Lawes the Lawes have beene violated and therefore the said powers must not hold the two Houses will remedy this The answere to this is evident There is no time past nor time present nor will there bee time to come so long as men mannage the Lawe but the Lawes will be broken more or lesse as appeares by the story of every age All the pretended violations of this time were remedied by Acts to which the King consented before his departure 10. Jan. 1641. being then driven away by Tumults And the Houses for a yeere and almost three Moneths From 3. Nov. 1640 to 10
What credit is to be given to persons who make nothing of Oathes and contradict themselves How dâ—e the Covenant and the Oath of Supremacy agree How doth their Protestation and the Covenant agree How doe their Declarations and Oathes agree The Lord be mercifull to this Land for these Oaths It is a sad thing to consider that so many gentlemen who professe the lawes and so many worthy men in both Houses should be so transported as they are knowing that the Lawes of the Land from time to time and in all times are contrary to all their actions and that yet they should amuse themselves and the people with the word of Parliament without the King and with the Covenant whereas they know they are no Parliament without His Majestie and that English men throughout the Kingdome should sweare a Covenant to preserve the reformed Religion of Scotland in Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government which they no more know than the Doctrine Worship Discipline and Government of Prester Iohn in Ethiopia if they consider it they cannot but discerne that this is a high desperate and impious madnesse Be wise in time without the King and the Lawes you will never have one houre of safety for your Persons Wives Children or Estates Be good to your selves and to your Posterities apply your selves to be capable of an Act of Oblivion and of a generall Pardon and to be able and willing to pay the Souldiery and to allow a reasonable liberty for mâ—â—â— consciences and God will blesse your endeavours and the people to whom you are now very hatefull will have you in better estimation The third Quarie is thus answered You resemble the Army to Iacke Cade and his Complians and you cite the Act of Parliament of 31. Hen. 6. cap. 1. and that it may appeare who acts the Part of Iacke Cade you and that Party in the two Houses or the Army I thinke it necessary to set downe the said Act in words at large as followeth First Whereas the most abominable Tyrant horrible odious and arrant false Traytor Iohn Cade calling and naming himself sometime Mortimer sometime Cap. of Kent which name fame acts and feats are to be removed out of the speech and mind of every faithfull Christian man perpetually falsely and traiterously purposing and imagining the perpetuall destruction of the Kings said Person and finall subversion of this Realme taking upon him Royall power and gathering to him the Kings people in great numbers by false subtle imagined Language and seditiously making a stirring Rebellion and Insurrection under colour of justice for reformation of the Lawes of the said King robbing stealing and spoiling great part of his faithfull people Our said Soveraigne Lord the King considering the premises with many other which were more odious to remember by advise and consent of the Lords aforesaid and at the request of the said Commons and by authority aforesaid hath ordained and established that the said Iohn Cade shall be reputed had named and declared a false Traytour to our Soveraigne Lord the King and that all his tyranny acts feats and false opinions shall be voyded abated annulled destroyed put out of remembrance for ever and that all enditements and all things depending thereof had and made under the power of tyranny shall be like wise void annulled anated repealed and holden for none and that the bloud of 〈…〉 them be thereof defiled nor corrupted but by the authority of the said Parliament cleerely declared for even and that all enditements in times comming in like case under power of tyranny rebellion and stirring had shall be of no Record nor effect but void in Law and all the Petitions delivered to the said King in his last Parliament holden at VVestminster Noveb 6. in the 29. of his Raigne against his mind by him not agreed shall be taken and put in oblivion out of remembrance undone voyded annulled and destroyed for ever as a thing purposed against God and conscience and against His Royall Estate and preeminence and also dishonourable and unreasonable Now wee are to examine who hath trod in the stepâ— of Jack Cade you and the present prevailing party of the two Houses tooke upon them and doe take all the Royall Power in all things so did Jack Cade as appeares by the said Act the Army doe not so They who imprison the King purpose to destroy His Person our imprisoned Kings alwayes * Edward â— Henry 6. Richard 2. fared so Jack Cade did likewise so purpose but the Army doe not so The said party in the two Houses made a stirring under colour of Justice for Reformation of the Lawes so did Jack Cade The Army doe not so but desire that the Lawes should be observed Jack Cade levied Warre against the King the Army preserves Him Jack Cade dyed a Declared Traytor to his Soveraigne Lord the King this Army lives to have the glorious true Honour of being restorers of their King Simon Sudbury Archbishop of Canterbury was murtheted by Jack Cade iâ— William Laud Archbishop of Canterbury was likewise murthered by that party of the two Houses 25 Ed. 3.4 28 Ed. 3.3 Petition of Right 3 Car. for that an Ordinance by Law cannot take away any mans life his life was taken away by an Ordinance of the two Houses the Army had no hand in it Many misled by Jack Cade perceiving his Trayterous purposes fell from him and as that was lawfull just and Honourable so it is for this Army to adhere to their naturall King and to indeavour to settle the Kingdome againe in the just Lawes and Liberties thereof London did then right worthily adhere to the King and the Lawes and not to Iack Cade and his specious pretences and it is hoped they will now so doe By this it appeares that the Gentlemans Discourse touching Iack Cade fastens altogether on his party and cleareth the Army To the IV. which is solved thus The Arreares of the Army howbeit it is the least thing they looke after yet being not paid them it is by the Law of the Land a sufficient cause to leave and desert that party in the Houses A person who serves in any kinde and is not paid his wages the desertion of that service is warrantable by the Lawes of the Land Pitz. N. B. 25. 9 Ed. â— 20 38 H. 6.27 23 Eliz. Dier 369. You say the Houses will reforme all things when the Army doth disband who will beleeve it Will any beleeve that the setling of the Presbytery will doe it Will any beleeve that his Majesty will passe the Propositions sent to Him to Newcastle Will any man beleeve that this Kingdome will ever bee quiet without His Majesty and the ancient and just Lawes Can the Members of the Army conceive any of them to be safe in any thing without a Pardon from His Majesty Have they not seene some of their Fellows hanged before their eyes for actions done as Souldiers Shall the Kingdome
and the subversion of the Law and Land laying taxes on the people never heard of before in this Land devised new oathes to oppose forces ray fed by the King not to adhaere to him but to them in this Warre which they call the Negative Oath and the Vow and Covenant By severall wayes never used in this Kingdome they have raised monies to foment this warre and especially to inrich some among them namely first Excise secondly Contributions thirdly Sequestrations fourthly Fift parts fiftly Twentieth Parts fixtly Meale-money seventhly Sale of Plundered goods â—ightly Loanes ninthly Benevolences tenthly Collections upon their Fast-dayes eleventhly new Inpositions upon Merchandizes twelvethly Guards maintained upon the charge of private men thirteenthly Fifty Subsidies at one time fourteenthly Compositions with such as they call Delinquents fifteenthly Sale of Bishops lands c. From the Kings party meanes of subsistance are taken 1 R. 3. cap. 3. â—ract li. 3. c. 8. Stanford 192. Sir Ger. Fleetwoods Case 8. pars Cook 7. H. 4 last lease before any indictment their Lands seized their goods taken the Law allows a Traytor or Fellon attainted Necessaria sibi familie sua in victâ—â— vâ—stitu where is the Covenant where is the Petition of light where is the liberty of the subject First We have ayded the King in this warre contrary to the negative oath and other votes Our warrant is the twenty fifth of Edward the third the second Chapter and the said resolutions of all the Judges Secondly Wee have maintained the Commission of Array by the Kings Command contrary to their votes We are warranted by the statute of the fifth of Henry the fourth and the judgement of Sir Edward Cooke the Oracle of the Law as they call him Thirdly We maintained Arch-Bishops and Bishops whom they would suppresse Our warrant is Magna Charta and many statutes more Fourthly we have maintained the booke of Common prayer they suppresse it Our warrant is five acts of Parliament in Edward the sixt and Queene Elizabeths time 5. Peschâ— 35. Elizabeth inter placita Coronae in Banco Regis New booke of Entries sol 252. Penry for publishing two scandalous Libels against the Church government was indicted arraigned attainted and executed at Tyburne Fifthly We maintained the Militia of the Kingdome to belong to the King they the contrary Our warrant is the statute of the seventh of Edward the first and many statures sithence the practise of all times and the custome of the Realm Sixthly We maintained the counterfeiting of the great Seale to be high Treason and so of the usurpation of the Kings Forts Ports Shipping Castles and his Revenue and the Coyning of money against them We have our warrant by the said statute of the twenty fifth of Edward the third Chapter the second and divers others since and the practise of all times Seventhly We maintaine that the King is the only supreme govermour in all causes They that his Majesly is to be governed by them Our warrant is the statures of the first of Q. Eliza. Chapter the first and the fifth of Q. Elizabeth the first Eighthly 9. Ed. 4. sol 4. Wee maintaine that the King is King by an inhaerent birth-right by nature by Gods law and by the layâ— of the Land They say his Kingly right is an 〈…〉 Our warrant is the statute of the first of King Jaâ—â—â— Chapter the first And the resolution of all the Judges of England in Calvins case Ninthly We maintain that the politick capacity iâ— not to be severed from the naturall They hold the contrary Our warrant is two flatures viz. â—xilium Hugonis in Edward the seconds time and the first of Edward the third Chapter the second and their Oracle who hath published it to posterity that it is damnable detestable and execrable Treason Calvins case pars 7. fol. 11. Tenthly we maintain that who aids the King at home or abroad ought not to be molested or questioned for the same they hold and practise the contrary our warrant is the statute of the eleventh of Henry the seventh Chapter the first Eleventhly We maintain that the King hath power to disassent to any Bill agreed by the two Houses which they deny Our warrant is the Statute of the second of Henry the fift and the practise of all times the first of King Charles Chapter the seventh the first of King James Chapter the first Twelfthly We maintain that Parliaments ought to be holden in a grave and peaceable manner without â—â—ults They allowed multitudes of the meanest sort of people to come to Westminster to cry for Coll. of Ord. fol. 31. Justice when they could not have their will and keep guards of armed men to wait upon them Our warrant is the Statute of the seventh of Edward the second and their Oracle Thirteenthly We maintain that there is no state within this Kingdome but the Kings Majesty and that to adhere to any other State within this Kingdome is high treason our warrant is the Statute of the third of King James Chapter the fourth and the â—â—enty third of Queen Elizabeth Chapter the first Fourteenthly We maintain that to levy a warre to remove Councellours to alter religion or any Law established is high Treason They hold the contrary One warrant is the resolutions of all the judges of England in Queen Elisabeths time and their oracle agrees with the same Fifteenthly We maintain that no man should be imprisoned put out of his Lands but by due course of Law and that no man ought to be adjudged to death but by the Law established the customer of the Realm or by act of Parliament They practise the contrary in London Bristol Kent c. Our warrant is Magna Charta Chapter the twenty ninth the Petition of right the third of King Charles and divers Lawes there mentioned We of the Kings party did and do detest Monopolies and ship money and all the grievances of the people as much as any men living we do well know that our estates lives and fortunes are preserved by the Lawes and that the King is bound by his lawes we love Parliaments if the Kings Judges Counsell or Ministers have done amisse they had from the third of November 1640 to the tenth of Ianuary 1641 time to punish them being all left to Justice where is the Kings fault The law faith the King can do no wrong 11 pars Cooks Reports Magdalen Colledge Cale that he is medicus Regni pater patriae sponsus regni qui per annlum is espoused to his Realm at his Coronation The King is Gods Lieutenant and is not able to do an unjust thing these are the words of the Law One great matter is pretended that the people are not sure to enjoy the acts passed this Parliament A succeeding Parliament may repeal them The objection is very weak a Parliament succeeding to that may repeal that repealing Parliament That feare is endlesse and remedilesse for it is the
Court Plowd Com. 319. nor Statute Law to be a Court nor common usage they have no Iournall Book but since E. 6. time was there ever Fine by the House of Commons estreated into the Exchequer For murder or Felony they can imprison no man much lesse for Treason that House which cannot doe the lesse cannot doe the greater It is ordained 25. E. 3. c. 4.3 Car. Petition of Right that no man shall be imprisoned or put out of his Franchise by the King or his Councell but upon Indictment or presentment of his good and lawfull Neighbours where the deed is done or by originall Writ at the Common Law and so is Lex terrae the Law of the land mentioned in Magna Charta cap. 29. expounded and the said Magna Charta and Charta de Foresta are declared by the Stat. of 25. E. 1. c. 1. to be the Common Law of the Land All Iudges and Commissioners are to proceed Secundum legem consuetudinem Regni Anglia as appeares by all proceedings in all Courts and by all Commissions and therefore the House of Commons by themselves proceeding not by Indictment Presentment or Originall Writ have no power to imprison men or put them out of their Franchise This no way trenches upon the Parliament for it is in Law no Parliament without King and both Houses 4 pars Instit pag. 1. 3 Pars Instit p. 23. I have only in my Paper delivered to Mr Corbet applyed my selfe to that Committee that they had no power to examine me 12. â— 7.20 Princes case 8 Pars Cook 1 Pars Instit p. 159. 14. H. 8.3 Dier 38. H. 8.60 1 Pars Instit p. 19. b. but I never thought said or wrote that the Parliament had no power to examine me the Law and custome of this Land is that a Parliament hath power over my life liberty lands and goods and over every other subject but the House of Commons of it selfe hath no such power For the Lord Cooks relation that the House of Commons have imposed Fines and imprisoned men in Queen Elizabeth time and since Few facts of late time never questioned make no legall power nor Court 4 Pa. Instit ca. Parl. Ã facto ad jus is no good argument for the words of the Statute of 6. H. 8. c. 16. that a licence to depart from the House of Commons for any Member thereof is to be entred of Record in the Book of the Clark of the Parliament appointed or to be appointed for that House doth not conclude that the House of Commons is a Court of Record For first that Law of 6. H. 8. c. 26. handles no such question as that whether the House of Commons be a Court it is a maxime in all Lawes Lex aliud tranctans nil probat the word Record there mentioned is only a memoriall of what was done and entred in a Book A Plaint removed out of the County-Court to the Court of the Common-Pleas hath these words in the Writ of remove Fitzh Nat. Br. 70. Fitzh Nat. Br. 13. 12. H 4.23 34. H. 6.49 Recordari facias loquelam c. and yet the County-Court is no Court of Record and so for ancient Demesne in a Writ of false judgement the words are Recordari facias loquelam c. and yet the Court of ancient Demesne is no Court of Recoâ—d and so of a Court Baron the Law and custome of England must be preserved or England will be destroyed and have neither Law nor custome Let any man shew me that the Court of Lords or the House of Commons in any age hath made any man a Delinquent Rege dissentiente the King contradicting it under his Great Seale Sir Giles Mâ—mpessau Michell and others of late were condemned by the prosecution of the House of Commons in King James his time did King James ever contradict it And so of ancient times 4 Pars Inslit Tit. Parliam pag. 23. where the House of Peeres condemned the Lord Latimer in 50. E. 3. the Kings pardon freed him which shewes cleerly that the Kings expresse or implyed assent must of necessity be had to make a Delinquent The Geatleman saith That the Parliament sitâ— or ought to sit by something greater thâ—n the Kings Writ c. No Parliament did ever sit without the Kings Writ nor could ever Parliament begin without the Kings presence in person 4 Pars Instit pag. 4. 6. or by a Guardian of England by pacent under the Kings Great Seale the King being in reâ—â—tiâ— or by Commission under the Great Seale to certaine Lords representing the Kings person and it hath been thus in all Ages unto this Session of Parliament wherein his Majesty hath been pressed and hath passed two Acts of Parliament one for a Triennall Parliament and another for a perpeâ—uall if the Houses please to satisfie their desires â—ow these two Acts agree one with another and with the Statute in E. the thirds time where Parliaments are ordained to be holden every yeare 4 E. 3. c. 14. 36. E. 3. c. 10.21 Iac. the Act of Limitation of Actions cap. 26. and what mischiefes to the people of this Land such length of Parliaments will produce by protections and priviledges to free them and their meniall servants from all debts during their lives if they please to continue it so long and how destructive to mens actions against them by reason of the Statute of Limitations which confines their actions to certain years and many other inconveniences of greater importance is easie to understand How can any man affirm that the two Houses doe act now by the Kings Wrie which relates to Counsell and Treaty with the King concerning the King the defence of his Kingdome and of the Church of England 4 Pars Instit p. 14. these are the three points which it tends to as appeares by the Writ They keep their King prisosoner at Holnby and will not suffer him to consult and treat with them Vow and Covenant p. 11. They have made a Vow and Covenant to assist the Forces raised and continued by both Houses against the Forces raised by the King without their consent and to the same effect have devised the Oath which they call the Negative Oath Is this to to defend the Kings Kingdome or their Kingdome When by their Solemn League and Covonant they extirpate Bishops Deanes and Chapters root and branch is this to defend the Church of England that Church must necessarily be meant that was the Church of England when the said Writ bore test they were not summoned to defend a Church that was not in being 3 Pars Cookâ— Deane and Chapter of Norwich to destroy and defend the Church are very contrary things the Church is not desended when they take away and sell the Lands of the Church The Gentleman saith The King cannot contrâ—le other Courts of Justice or prevent them from sitting or acting and therefore not the
two Houses c. It is true the King cannot controle or prevent his other Courts for that they are his ordinary Courts of common Iustice to administer common right unto all men according to the fixed Lawes 14 H. 8.3 36 H. 8. Dier 60. The Houses make no Court without the King they are no body corporate without the King nor Parliament without the King they all make one corporate body one Court called the Parliament 4 Pars Instit pa. 1. whereof the King is the head and the Court is in the Lords House where the King is present and as a man is no man without a head so the Houses severed from the King as now they are have no power at all and they themselves by levying waâ— against the King and imprisoning of him have made the Statute for not dissolving adjourning or proroging this Parliament of no effect by the said Acts of their own they sit to no purpose without his assent to their Bills they will not suffer him to consult with them and treat and reason with them whereby he may discern what Bills are fit to passe and what not which in all Ages the Kings of this Land have enjoyed as their undoubted Rights and therefore they sit to no purpose by their own disobedience and fault For the ordinary Courts at Westminster 27 H. 8. c. 24. 28 H. 8.11 Dier the Iudges in all those Courts are Iudges by the Kings Patent or Writ otherwise they are no Iudge the Houses can make no Iudges they are no Iudges at all who are made by them the whole sole power of making Iudges belongs to the King the King cannot controule or prevent his own Iudges from sitting or acting but the Houses hee may for they are not the Kings Iudges but the Iudges of the two Houses 2 R. 3.11 In his other Courts the King commits his power to his Iudges by his Patent and they are sworn to doe common right to all men and the King is sworn not to let them from so doing the King cannot judge in those Courts nor controule but the King is both Iudge and Controller in the Court of Parliament Quoad Acts for his assent or dissent doth give life or death to all Bills Many Lawyers have much to answer to God this Kingdome and to pâ—sterity for puzling the poore of this Land with such Fancies as the Gentleman who wrote the Answer to my Paper and others have published in these Troubles which hath been none of the least causes of the raysing and continuing of them And so I have with the first part of his Answer AD. 2. For the Non sequitur in the second Section of the Gent. Answer the Antecedent and the Censequent are his own Quem recitas meus est ô Fidentine libellus Sed malè dum recitas incipit esse tuus My words are that the King is not virtually in the two Houses at Westminster to enable them to grant pardons for that whole and sole power by the Law belongs to the King My Paper hath no such thing 27 H. 8. c. 24. as that the Kings power cannot be derived to others or the vertue of his power For his power and the vertue of his power is in all Patents to his Iudges in Charters to Corporations in Commissions of all sorts and in the Parliament assembled by force of his Writ of Summons so long as they obey him but when they renounce that power and claime it not from the King and declare to the Kingdome that he is not in condition to govern and imprison him and usurp to themselves all Royall Authority as the two Houses now doe no reasonable man can affirm that they act by the power of their prisoner who hath no power to give them that by force of Armes take all the power to themselves The Gent. saith the King grants Commissions daily of Oyer and Terminer which he cannot frustrate nor â—lude 4 E. 4.39 5 F. 4.4 1 Eliz Dyer 165. 1 Mar. Brooks case 447. The King may revoke and discharge the Commission by his Writ as he may remove all Iudges and place other men in their roome and any Kings death determines all the Iudges Patents of Westminster Hall Commissions of Oyer and Terminer c. and so he might dissolve both Houses in all times by his Writ under the Great Seale untill that by this Parliament by his own concession the King of his goodnesse hath secluded himself which goodnesse hath been full ill requited The Gent affirms That the power the Parliament hath is concurrent from the King and Kingdome which he conceives is proved by the Grant of Subsidies to the King by the Parliament The mistaking of this word Parliament hath been mischievous in these times to this Land 4 Pars Instit pag 1. and it is affectedly mistaken which makes the sinne the greater for the two Houses are not the Parliament as before is declared and at this time so to inculcate it when all men know that of the 120 Peeres of the Kingdome who were Temporal Peeres before the Troubles there are not now above 30 in the Lords House and in the House of Commons about 200 of the principall Gent. of the Kingdome left the House and adhered to his Majesty who is imprisoned by them shewes no such candor as is to be desired It is true that no Tallage can be layd upon the people of this Land 25. E. 1. confirmatio chartarum cap. 6. 34. E. 1. cap. 1. de Tallagio non concedendo but by their consent in Parliament as appeareth by the Lawes mentioned in the Margent but you shall finde in Mr Sâ—ldâ—ns learned Book called Mare Clausum a number of Presidents in Henry the Thirds time for Ship-money justly condemned this Parliament to the which his Majesty assented and in truth that Ship-money was condemned before by the said two Statutes of 25. E. 1. 34. E. 1. de Tallagio non concedendo Danegelt Englitery and many grievous burthens were laid upon the people and born untill that memorable Princes time But I am of opinion that the Common Law of the Land did alwayes restraine Kings form all Subsidies and Tallages but by consent in Parliament which doth appear by Magna Charta the last chapter where the Prelates Lords and Communalty gave the King the fifteenth part of their moveables In truth it is no manner of consequence because the King cannot take what he pleaseth of the subâ—ects goods that therefore they have a concurrent power in Parliament there have been many Parliaments and no Subsidies granted Parliaments may be without Subsidies but Subsidies cannot be without Parliaments of ancient time Parliaments rarely granted any unlesse it were in the time of forraine Warres and in my time Qâ— Elizabeth refused a Subsidy granted in Parliament and in the Parliament of â— Jac. none were granted The Gent. should make a conscience of blinding the people with such untrue colours to
all persons this Oath is taken now in the Parliament time by all the Members of the House of Commons and is required by the Law to be taken in all Parliaments otherwise they have no power nor colour to meddle with the publike Affaires This Oath being taken in Parliament that the King is the only and Supreme Governour in all Causes then it followes in Parliament causes over all persons then over the two Houses let them keep this Oath and we shall be sure of peace in the Land and good Lawyers ought to desire peace both for the publike good and â—heir private and not dishonour that Noble profession as many doe in this miserable time The Gent. sayes We doe not sweare that the King iâ— above all Law nor above the safety of his people neither doe we so sweare but His Majesty and we will sweare to the contrary and have swom and have made good and will by Gods grace make good our Oath to the world that the King is not above the Law nor above the safety of his people the Law and the safery of his people are his safety his Honour and his Strength AD. 8. The Gent. concludes That Acts of Parliament are not formally binding nor compleat without the Kings assent yet the Houses have a virtuall power without the Kings particular assent to doe things in order to publike Iustice and Safety viz In setting up the Excise in raising and maintaining of Armies in taxing the peo-people at pleasure with Fifth and Twentieth part Fifty Subsidies Sequestrations Loanes Compositions imprisoning the King abolishing the Common-prayer-Book selling the Churches Lands c. all these are in order to the publike Justice and Safety Mr H.P. you are of my profession I beseech you for the good of your Countrey for the Honour of our Science perswade your selfe and others as much as in you lies to believe and follow the monition and Councell of that memorable reverend and profoundly learned in the Lawes and Customes of the Land the Lord Coke who writes as becomes a great and a learned Judge of the Law a person much magnified by the two Houses in these words Peruse over all Books Records and Histories and you shall finds a Principle in Law 3 Pars Instit p. 36. a Rule in Reason and a Tryall in Experience that Treason doth over producâ— futall and finall destruction to the offender and never attaines to the desired and two incidents inseparable thereunto and therefore lâ—t all men abandon it as the poysonous hait of the Devill and follow the Precept in holy Scripture SERVE GOD HONOVR THE KING AND HAVE NO COMPANY WITH THE SEDITIOVS CONCLUSION I Say againe that without an Act of Obliviow a gracious generall Pardon from His Majesty the Arreares of the Soulaiers paid a favorable regard had to tender Consciences there will be neither Truth nor Peace in this Land nor any man secure of any thing be hath By me David Jenkins Prisoner in the Tower The End A DISCOURSE Touching the Inconveniencies of a Long continued Parliament AND THE IVDGEMENT OF THE LAW OF THE LAND In that Behalfe By DAVID JENKINS now Prisoner in the Tower of LONDON Printed in the Yeare 1647. A DISCOURSE Touching the Inconveniencies of a Long continued Parliament 1. Aerpetuall Parliament is repugnant to the Act made this Parliament for a Trienniall Parliament for how can every three years a Parliament begin if this be perpetuall which may be so if the two Houses please 2. An adjournment of the Parliament makes no Session 4 Pars Institut fol. 27. Howbeit before the Adjournment the King gives His Royall assent to some Bills Cooke ibid. 3. There is no Session till a prorogation or dissolution of the Parliament 4. This Parliament as appeares by the Act for not dissolving thereof set downe in the Printed Statutes of this Parliament fol. 138. cannot be prorogued but by Act of Parliament There hath beene as yet no Act of Parliament present and therefore all the Acts of this Parliament are Acts of one Session 5. All the Aâ—â—â— of one Session relate to the first day of the Parliament Plow â— com 79 35 H. 8. Bro. relation 35. Bro. Parl. 86. Dier 1 Mariae 45. and all the Acts of such a Paâ—liament are Acts of one day so the Act for the Trienniall and the Act for this Perpetuall are two Acts of one day by the Law 6. 4 Ed. 3. cap. and 36 Ed. 3. cap. 10. A Parliament is to bee holden once every yeere and more often if need shall bee those Acts are confirmed by the Act for the Trienniall Parliament How doth a perpetuall Parliament agree with a Parliament once every yeere or with the intention of those Lawes How doth a Parliament every three yeers agree with a Parliament for ever which may be if the two Houses please 7. The result is this at one day in Law this Parliament two Acts have passed for howbeit the one was in 16â— Carol. and the other in 17. Carol. yet both in Law are Acts of one day the one saith there shall be a Trienniall Parliament after the end of the sitting of this Parliament The other this Parliament shall sit for ever if they please The one will have a Parliament with an end the other a Parliament without an end When an Act of Parliament is against common right or Reason 8 Pars Doct. Bonhams case fol. 118. 8 Ed. 3.30 33 E. 3. cessavit 32. 27. H. G. Annuity 11. 14 Eliz. Dier 313. or repugnant or impossible to bee performed the Common Law shall controle it and adjudge this Act to bee void they are the words of the Law An Act of Parliament that a man shall bee Judge in his owne cause is a void Act. Begin with Common Right It is against Common Right that indebted men should not pay their debts That if any Member of the House of Comons doe any Subject wrong by diffeising him of his land or dispossessing him of his goods or blasting of his fame or doing violence to his person that such persons during their lives should not bee questioned by a priviledge of Parliament and that extended also to many others besides themselves Common Right doth abhorre these enormities which a perpetuall Paliament doth beget besides the utter destruction of all mens actions reall personall or mixt who have to doe with Parliament men 21 Jac. by the Statute of Limitation which confines suits to certain yeares For Common Reason Parliaments were ordained for remedies to redresse publike grievances It is against Reason they should make publike and insufferable grievances The Law of the Land allowes no protection for any man imployed in the service of the Kingdome but for a yeare to be free from suits and in many suits none at all howbeit hee be in such service 39 H. 6.39 but a Parliament perpetuall may prove a protection not for a yeare but for ever which is against all manner of Reason For
have no account of the many Millions received of the Publike Money Will the Members of the Houses accuse themselves Shall private and publike Debts bee never paid Shall the Kingdome lye ever under burthens of Oppression and Tyranny There is no visible way to remedy all these enormities but the power of the Army To the V. which is solved thus The Kingdome hath better assurance of Reformation from the Army then from the Houses for that in their Military way they have bin just faithfull honorable they have kept their words That party of the Houses have bin constant to nothing but in dividing the publike Treasure among themselves and in laying burdens upon the people and in breaking all the Oathes Vowes and Promises they ever made 2 3 Ed. 6. cap. 2. 11 H 7. cap. 1. Calvins case 7. pars Cook fol. 11. As the Army hath power so now adhering to the King all the Lawes of God Nature and Man are for them their Armes are just and blessed and the King is bound in Justice to reward his Deliverers with Honour Profit and meet Liberty of Conscience To the VI. Quare All the sixth Quaere containes Calumnies cast upon the Armie the new elections are against all the Lawes mentioned in the Margin 11 H. 4. c. 1. 1 H. 5. c. 1. 8 H. 6. c. 7. 23 H. 6. c. 15. and are against the ejection of the old Members and by this it may be judged what a House of Commons we have By the said Lawes it appeares that if any undue returne be made the person returned is to continue a Member the Sherifes punishment is two hundred pounds one to the King and the other to the partie that is duly elected imprisonment for a yeare without Bayle or Mainprise and that person who is unduly returned shall serve at his owne charge and have no benefit at the end of the Parliament by the Writ de solutione feodorum Militum Civium Burgensium Parliament And the tryall of the falsitie of the returne is to be before the Justices of Assises in the proper Countie or by Action of Debt in any Court of Record This condemnes the Committee for undue elections which hath been practised but of late times for besides these Lawes it is a Maxime of the Common Law 3 Ed. 4.20 5 Ed. 4.42 an Averment is not receivable against the returne of the Sherife for his returne is upon Oath which Oath is to be credited in that suit wherein the returne is made The said Statutes condemne elections of such men which were not resiant and dwelt in the Countie or Boroughs for which they were returned and any abusive practise of late times to the contrary is against the Law and ought not to be allowed To the VII Quaere The Quaerist saith That the Votes of the Independents in the Houses were arbitrarie exorbitant and irregular and that they disposed and fingred more of the common Treasure then others That whole Quaere I believe is false and slanderous 37 E. 5. c. 17. and the Author ought to make it good or else to undergoe the Law of Taltonâ— which is to suffer such punishment failing of his proofe as the accured should in case of proofe made To the VIII Quaere This Quaere is all minatorie and threatning and the contrarie oâ— every part is true by the deliverance of the King and Kingdome from the bondage of that partie in the two Houses by the Army their renowne will be everlasting they secure themselves they content and please the Kingdome Citie and Countrey as appeares by their confluence to see his Majestie and the Armie and their acclamations for his Majesties safetie and restitution all which doth evidence to every one of the Armie how acceptable the intentions of the Armie are to the people of this Land who have been so long inthralled Sir Thomas Fairfax let your Worthinesse remember your extraction and your Ladies by the grace and favour of the Prince to be in the ranke of Nobilitie remember what honour and glory the present Age and all posteritie will justly give to the restorer of the King to his Throne of the Lawes to their strength and of the afflicted people of this Land to peace let the Colonels and Commanders under you and likewise your Souldierie rest assured that they shall not only share in the renowne of this action but also shall have such remuneration as their hautie courage and so high a vertue doth deserve This his Majestie can and will doe the Houses neither will nor can and God blesse you all and prosper you I conclude all as I have alwayes done Without an Act of Oblivion a generall Pardon the Arreares of the Souldierie payd and a regard to Libertie of Conscience this Kingdome will certainly be ruined FINIS