PREROGATIVE Anatomized OR AN EXACT EXAMINATION Of those Protestations and Professions whereby she hath attempted and indeavoured to preferre her selfe above the PARLIAMENT By a Lover of Truth Peace and Parliaments JOHN 7.24 Judge not according to the appearance but judge righteous judgement Multa videntur quae non sunt Published by Authority LONDON Printed for John Wright in the Old-Baily 1644. PREROGATIVE ANATOMIZED THE Disputes between the King and Parliament are so high the Declarations so numerous the Prerogative-Protestations and Pretences so plausible though tending to publike destruction the Parliament proceedings so slow so chargeable so new though just no Parliament heretofore having power or opportunitie to maintaine the Kingdomes Rights the rod of dissolution being perpetually held over them that the amazed People stand betwixt the King and Parliament like the sillie Popish Priest between the blessed Virgin and our Saviour Christ and know not which way to turn them or whence to expect their salvation I think it fit therefore to take the liberty of this scribling age in setting down my sense of Prerogative that the deceived people understanding the nature and end of it may see the necessitie that lies upon them now or never to lay hold upon this their day to un-inslave their soules persons and estates from Ecclesiasticall and Prerogative tyrannie by means of this present Parliament so wonderfully given and preserved to us by the divine providence and mercy Prerogative therefore in the native proper and originall acception and intention of it is nothing else but a necessarie just and innocent accommodation of the Prince to such a proportion of splendour honour and authoritie as may inable him without incroaâ—hment to ballance the other two Estates and beare himselfe in all things answerable unto his Office for they exceeding in number were to add weight to him to make a flourishing and sweet compliance but as it is distinguished from the onely end and bound of true Regality the good of the people is a tyrannicall power destructive to Religion Property and Liberty yea and to Regality it selfe by narrowing and shrinking up the heart of a publike person to selfe-will ends and aimes The truth of this description is evidenced by the miserable fruits of Prerogative before the Parliament which are now generally knowne though not generally acknowledged our Religion was over-grown with superstition and profanenesse Popish opinions were publikely defended in the Vniversities and preached in Pulpits Popes Nuntio's admitted into the Kingdome Covents of Friers erected publike Masse telerated preaching pictie godly Preachers supprest suspended banished As for our Property and Liberty they were quite lost and all the grievances that were singly introduced in the times of our predecessours did joyntly like a deluge overwhelme us For the redresse of these pressures was this Parliament called and cri'd up by the People I feare with as much too much confidence in it as the Jewes of old had in the Temple of the Lord when they cried Templum Domini Templum Domini and in the mean time rebelled against the God of the Temple and for this sin amongst others I doubt the peace made with Scotland proves but a change of our adversaries from them to our selves And yet though the continuance of our miserie be very grievous in my judgment the state of the warre is much better then it was before the Parliament For now whatsoever pretences are made we conflict with our true enemie the Popish partie and their adherents whereas before we should have beene led hood wink'd for the service of our enemies mutually to destroy our selves and our Protestant Friends And me thinks in this very thing which drawes the greatest odium upon the Parliament they deserve infinite commendations that since they could not keep off a war from the Kingdome they occasioned this happy divertion Yet hence the people complaine we hoped for help from the Parliament and we are now in worse condition then we were before So it fared with the children of Israel after Moses appeared for their deliverance their task was doubled and Moses their deliverer is charged by them to have put a sword into the hands of Pharaoh to slay them Thus all the evills that by the adversaries of the Parliament have been mischievously multiplied to hinder Reformation are unjustly laid upon the Parliament and thus God is dishonoured every way for when hopes of deliverance first appeare we idolize the meanes and when our deliverance proves not so sudden nor so easie as we expect then we despise the meanes By Gods goodnesse for his own glory the Parliament hath appeared as it is an arme of flesh unable to save and yet by the same goodnesse the major part continues faithfull to him and the Kingdome and God hath not left it without glorious testimony of his assistance and good assurance to us that God will give us the like successe he gave our Brethren the Scots if we would yet follow their zeale to 〈◊〉 glory and their unity amongst themselves neither is it altogether to be contemned that which is already effected by this Parliament the Popish and Prelaticall party are wholly discountenanced and resolutely opposed by the Parliament by whom faithfull Ministers are incouraged and the purity of the Gospell maintained and such Lawes past for the vindication of Property and Liberty as better cannot be devised and now the Scales are quite turn'd Prerogative pleads nothing but Law and conscience Papists and Prelates defend the Protestant Religion Delinquents the Law and Parliament And the Parliament cleane contrary destroyes Religion Property King Parliament and Kingdome and in a word the Lion is turn'd Lamb and the Lamb is turn'd Lion But this is no new thing we have an example of the first Psal 10. ver 9 10. He lieth in wait secretly as a Lion in his den he crowcheth and humbleth himselfe that the poore may fall by his strong ones Whatsoever pretence the Lion makes of humility his end is to devoure For the other we know there is no juster indignation then that which proceeds from patience abus'd or love contemn'd the meekest man upon the earth will be kindled into rage when an Idoll stands in competition with the God of all glory or when the being of a Kingdom and the Church of God are both indangered in such a case as this Moses tries what partie he can make in Israel and commands them every one to slay his brother if God or good men cause any to be troubled it is of very faithfullnesse and for their good But here it is objected what danger is our Religion Property or Libertie in 1. Prerogative will defend the true Protestant Profession as it was in the dayes of Q. Elizabeth 2 It will defend the Property and Liberty of the People according the old and new Lawes 3 It will defend the just Power and Priviledge of Parliament To the first Prerogative will defend the true Protestant Religion as it â—as in the
and now makes that crying a maine argument of deserting the Parliament and of bringing open force to destroy that and the Kingdome and indeed Prerogative had good reason to be incens'd against these officious Assemblies for thereby not only all her designes were made abortive but all hopes of effecting any thing against the Parliament in the Southern parts of the Kingdome wholly frustrate therefore she must retire to a place of strength where her servants Fugitives and Traytors to the Parliament and Kingdome may be avow'd and protected and then for the better effecting a division in the Kingdome Prerogative begins to withdraw her partie from the Parliament some by especiall Letters upon their Allegiance others for feare of being put out of their Offices and services under His Majesty In a word all the trees were wind-shaken and those that were not fast rooted fell who though they had stood out all the tumults without danger or hazard yet two moneths after they must withdraw themselves from the Parliament as Prerogative saith for feare of tumults though themselves being summoned to returne and give their attendance according to their dutie in Parliament alledge only His Majesties command for their absence After this a journey is pretended into Ireland that an Army may be rais'd with lesse suspition then His Majesty that in the greatest heat of discontent went through London hunted at New-market past through the whole Kingdome secure and dangerlesse alone in the midst of that dutifull Country of Yorkeshire proposed as a patterne of affection and loyalty to the Kingdome must have a guard which now by the assistance of Papists and Delinquents at home and by meanes of forraigne supplies from abroad is growne a royall Army not only avowing His Majesties Servants but open warre against that trayterous Faction in both Houses of Parliament and yet His Majesties soule abhorres the very thought of warre against his Parliament and yet the Parliament are now declared abettors of that Faction against which the warre is maintained and nothing that will or malice can devise held bad enough sufficiently to asperse and blast their proceedings Now after all this he that can think Prerogatives nature changed because of a few good words and faire Protestations let him think so and he that will be deceived let him be deceived but wisdome is justified of her children in vain shall we expect figs of thornes or grapes of thistles such as the tree is such the fruit will be Yet suppose that Prerogative should really intend to performe her Protestations and ingagements to the Kingdome when this present Faction of both Houses of Parliament is subdued though no man ought to question His Majesties personall goodnesse yet no man can doubt but that this Army thus composed when it hath mastered the Parliament will also give Law to His Majesty as the Roman Army did to the Emperours after the conquest of the Empire and then the question is not Whether we will trust His Majesty which no man will question but whether we will subject our selves with the most desired and best deserving Parliament that ever was to Papists and Delinquents But here it is objected The Parliament is as justly to be blamed and there lie as cleere and manifold Objections against it as against Prerogative 1 It endeavours unnecessarily to perpetuate it selfe 2 It seekes the alteration of the ancient frame of Government and the abolition of the fundamentall Lawes of the Kingdome 3 It destroyes Property and Liberty as much as ever Prerogative did 4 They are seduced by a few factious Members who are wholly transported with private ends and aimes 5 They seek the ruine of the King and his Posterity To the first This Parliament endeavours to perpetuate it selfe unnecessarily Answ I do not wonder that Prerogative is impatient of this check and that it endeavours therefore to cut this Gordian knot it cannot untie but why the Parliament should not be infinitely more desirous to be dissolv'd then continue if the Religion peace and prosperity of the Kingdome were once throughly setled no wise man can give a reason The Prelaticall Party proclaime every where That if the Revenue of the Church be taken away which is all they feare though no man endeavours it Religion and Learning will utterly decay their very godlinesse will not stand without gaine and why the Parliament should be so much in love with a gainlesse uncessant labour I cannot devise Oh but every man is ambitious of power Truly power in a multitude where all equally beare the burden but the most active carrie the most honour will never be valued by the major part whose private interests and care of their family and estates is nearer and dearer to them then any other thing whatsoever after their ingagements shall be discharged to God and the publike And therefore that the desired dissolution of this Parliament might be effected it were much the readier way to endeavour the setling the distractions of the Kingdome then by multiplying the dangers to necessitate the continuance of the Parliament But to the second Objection The Parliament seeks the alteration of the ancient frame of government and the abolition of the fundamentall Lawes of this Kingdome Answ Of the Ecclesiasticall Laws and Government it doth for the reasons given before and because it ought to obey God rather then man but for the authority of the civill Magistrate and the common Law and Justice of the Kingdome it hath alwayes conformed to them having never endeavoured any thing without the Kings consent but only to preserve it selfe and the Kingdome in such a case and I doubt not but this Position of theirs will be found very legall That the Kings Authority signified by his Courts especially by the high Court of Parliament the representative Body of the Kingdom is more obligatory to the Kingdom then his personall Commands out of his Courts though his personall Commands are alwayes to be reverenced when they contradict not those Courts and the Law and therefore I assure my selfe in conclusion the loyalty and duty of the Parliament and of that part of the Kingdome which obeyes the Parliament will be found unblemisht But to the third Objection The Parliament invades the Property and Liberty of the Subject as much as ever Prerogative did An. When I consider how often and with how much art Prerogative inculcates this to the people pretending great affection to them and much care of their sufferings together with much displeasure against the Parliament for their oppression I look upon this as the maine designe of Prerogative to multiply the dangers and miseries of the Kingdome thereby necessitating the Parliament to lay excessive charges upon the people that the present sense of evills which alwayes make deepest impressions in mens minds might induce the people whose love lies most in their purses to desert the Parliament but the wise will consider that the searching of a deep wound is more painfull then the
point of Discipline then with the Papists and it will beget a stronger mutuall confidence between us and them 2 They do and have declared against the pressing of indifferent Ceremonies though estabished by Law upon weake consciences And hereby let all the world judge whether their proceedings in all these things be not pious and moderate and such as may be expected from the representative Body of the Kindome of England And now O England why haltest thou between two opinions If Prerogative be turn'd thy friend cleave to Prerogative if the Parliament be turn'd thy enemy desert the Parliament nothing will sooner destroy thee then this thy neutrality I have declared unto thee my sense of both the judgement is thine resolve wisely and speedily which soever thou choosest it is either life or death God direct thee in thy choice as may be most for his glory for my part I think the Parliament may justly take up this insuing complaint against all those that withdraw their confidence from them Parl. We have forsaken father and mother wife and children houses and lands for the Gospells sake and yours we daily spend our selves decay our healths venture our lives for your service for your sakes we have walked craggie paths and not beene wearied the Lion hath roared against us and we have not been terrified mountaines of opposition have beene heaped one upon another in our way like Pelion upon Ossa and we have not beene discouraged For your sakes we are curs'd reproach'd kill'd all the day long and yet for all this we complain not That onely which breaks our heart is that you even you for whom we have done and suffered all these things that you I say should grudge to assist us murmure against us revile and hats us God knows we desire your good as our owne soules and all this unkindnesse of yours is not sufficient to turne our hearts from you but we stand still resolved to spend and be spent for you though the more we love you the lesse we be belov'd of you God knows we have no other intention but for your good to take away the drosse from the silver Tradition from the Church and wicked persons from the King that the Worship of God may be established in purity and the throne of the King in righteousnesse for the effecting whereof we know no other way but that His Majesty according to his own Proposition follow the example of Queen Elizabeth not in maintaining Prelates but in esteeming Parliaments She accounted them the Representative Body of the Kingdome not a Faction She sought their loves not their lives She called them often together onely to see her good people and to inquire of their grievances that she might redresse them and when returne was made Omnia bene and then Subsidies given she refused their thank-offering saying I seek not yours but you Then the blessing of God went along with the justice of the Prince and the dutifull obedience of the People waited as a handmaid upon the eye of her Mistris The love of Parliaments was that and that onely under God which made the times of Q. Elizabeth happy and the contempt of and opposition against Parliaments is that and that onely the secret judgements of God for our sinnes being left to God which is the visible cause of all our miseries Therefore O King and People if ye desire to attaine the happinesse of blessed Queen Elizabeth and her prosperous times observe but this one precept Confide in Parliaments FINIS
dayes of Queene Elizabeth How good a defender of the Pâ—otestaâ—â— Religion Prerogative was before the Parliament you had a little Breviat at the beginning and how good a defence she is like to make for the future we see by the instruments she chuseth to defend it Papists Enemies and Prelates Travtors to Religion but her solemn Protestations must be believed Well then let us admit the utmost of those Protestations and the result is this The same Religion and the same Ecclesiasticall Government that was in the daies of Queen Elizabeth is that pitch of Reformation which Prerogative will consent to and maintaine but one jot further it will not go and why should not this content the Parliament as well as the Kingdome were not the times of Queen Elizabeth the happiest that ever England saw To this the parliament and all good men answer that in the heginning of Queen Elizabeths reigne she chose such men to be Bishops for the most part as had suffered persecution for the telamonie of the Gospell in Queen Maries dayes and by such sufferings had both evidenced their fidelity to Christ their Master and learnt compassion toward the Church their Brethren the succeeding Bishops were somthing worse but civill authority was then so active to suppresse Popery and incourage good Ministers to do their duty that a slender and insufficient Ecclesiasticall Government might not be much taken notice of but now we have a Popish Queene that hath a great influence into the Civill State we have for the most part a dissolute and degenerate Clergy that hath once already betrayed and persecuted Religion and yet now we must have no better guard for Religion then the not unchast because untempted Prelacy in the time of Queen Elizabeth It 's hard usage because I need not any cloake when the Sun shines to keep it from me in a storme or because in time of peace I walke unarm'd to put me naked in the front of a Battell surely in this which is the greatest matter of all others the Parliament is to be justified that they seeke another manner of defence for Religion now then in the daies of Queen Elizabeth and in that they set not any times or persons to be a standard of Reformation but the Word of God which is and ought to be the rule of all Reformation of the Church both in Doctrine and Discipline and this I suppose is satisfactory to the first we will proceed to weigh the two other promises of Prerogative It will defend the Propertie and Libertie of the People according to the old and new Lawes and it will defend the just Priviledge of Parliament To satisfie for this we must alwaies direct our eyes and fix them upon Prerogatives selfe by considering what she is by nature rather then what she speakes by art and to discover the nature of Prerogative we must consider what her constant actions are how she carries her selfe when her motions proceed only from her own internall disposition when she is a free agent without any interposition of true necessity feare or danger for then and then onely she acts her selfe and how can you have a better and fuller discovery of her disposition then by her constant course of proceedings before this Parliament set downe at large in the Parliaments Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdome for the keeping of which from the peoples view there was so strong a partie made in the House of Commons consisting as we may well suppose of that Prerogative-party which have now deserted that House that the debate of publishing it was two severall times protracted â—ill midnight the resolution curried but by 11. voices and the printing of it 〈◊〉 protested against so dangerous a thing was it counted to let the people understand their danger and see the evills intended lest the should look out for redresse and indeavour for a remedy nothing could be more contrary to the designes of Prerogative who had formerly blinded their eys by suppressing preaching and the Law and Found their stands by taking away Property Liberty that thus blind fold and bound they might be carried at pleasure by their stand leaders till both fell into the ditch This opening the eys of the blind was the sedition and faction of Parliaments for this after their former dissolutions they were alwaies charged to be led by a few dangerously affected persons pests and vipers and for this they were dissolved because they also would not become a grievance by giving mony in the first place with out redresse or speech of their grievances Thus you see the nature of Prerogative but it is answered that the unparallel'd Acts of grace granted this Parliament may justly challenge not onely oblivion of these things past but confidence for the time to come that the very nature and judgement of Prerogative is changed From the good Laws granted this Parliament this conclusion followes verie naturally that it is happie for the Kingdome when the King concurs with the advise of his Parliament but I believe it will hardly follow from thence that Prerogative is regenerate there was somthing in the ballance of those gracious Grants besides good nature the presence of the Scotch Army which caus'd this Parliament made it act more vigorously whilst it was here then other Parliaments but that Army being returned and the Kingdome of Scotland setled it was conceiv'd that the tame Kingdome of England which only Per Antiperistasin had received a little heate from the North would quickly coole again and be reduc'd to its former malleablenesse For the better effecting whereof Prerogatives first act was notwithstanding the rebellion in Ireland and the just feare of Popish Assasinates to discharge the Guard of the Parliament and when they petitioned to have their Guard againe one was set upon them under a Commander they could not confide in so they chose rather to bee without The next act of Prerogative was to destroy the whole Parliament by breaking the bundle sticke after sticke and this was attempted by an assault made upon the House of Commons with an intent forcibly to have seized some of their Members under the pretence of an accusation of high Treason which was so much resented by the Kingdome that all the Counties of England though it necessary by numerous Petitions to present the pledges of their publick affections to the Parliament and to declare their unanimous resolutions to maintaine their Priviledges amongst which well-affected people very many that were neere hand appeared in good numbers voluntarily to guard the Parliament some of them with all importunity crying for Justice and against Bishops which last generall discontent occasioned the passing some more good Laws for publick satisfaction though now that Ebullition of publike affection is the pretended cause of all our misery under the name of tumults which are so mightily declaim'd against and so continually complain'd of by Prerogative who was contented to whip the Kingdome till it cri'd
making of it yet he that searcheth my wound to cure me is more my friend then he that makes it onely to abuse me and please himselfe This is the true state of the case Prerogative opprest the people before the Parliament for her own pleasure without any necessity and laid the foundation of these present evills the Parliament at the earnest desire of the people undertake the cure and whilest they might operate without interruption proceeded in the work though with much difficulty and charge yet with much good successe and generall satisfaction setling peace with Scotland and good Laws in England But the Jesuitish Adversary fearing thereby our happinesse and their own ruine stirre up that cruell and universall rebellion in Ireland which might very well put the Parliament into Feares and Jealousies making them expect whatsoeuer the malice of hell could inspire into their rage and fury who in cold bloud could contrive a powder-plot Yet for all this the Parliament could not obtaine a Guard but instead of that hath been assaulted and pursued with those continuall mischievous and wicked plots before recited And now for the Parliaments taxing the Kingdome to the twentieth part of their estates and imprisoning those that oppose is there not a cause a just a manifest and a necessary cause for it shall this be cal'd destruction of property and liberty If the Parliament intrusted for that purpose may not imploy the estates and persons of the Kingdome for the necessary defence of it selfe then let it be the wisdome of the Kingdome to preserve themselves a fat full and easie prey for their enemies but by no meanes to preserve themselves from their enemies Let the Physitian cure his patients but let not them observe the prescriptions and ordinances of the Physitian let ill humours be purged but let not the body be weakened put any impossibilities upon the Houses of Parliament let them be accused of infidelity if they doe not their best to deliver us and let them be accused of oppression if they do their best to deliver us The Parliament hath a very happy time of it to serve such humours and receive such incouragements but the blessing of the Saints on earth is upon them their way is with God and their reward in heaven As for those that repine at this charge Sodome and Gomorrah Rome and Antichrist at the last day shall rise up in judgment against them and shall condemne them For the Popish party spare for no cost stick at no danger venture all both estates and life for the Catholike cause but we had rather our Religion and all that 's deare unto us should be submitted to their cruell mercy then contribute the twentieth part of our estates for our own deliverance And thus much for the third Objection For the fourth Their factious leaders are carried with private ends and aimes Ans Certainly whatsoever their ends are they that accuse them are not so much of their counsell as to know their ends and as sure it is they might have attain'd their private aimes if they have any much more speedily by deserting the publick as others have done then by adhering to it as they doe but whatsoever their ends and aimes be we will leave that to God and their own consciences let their ends be what they will the Houses of Parliament have no relations to them or dependence upon them that they should serve their ends if at any time they consent to their opinion they are convinc'd by publike reasons and it very well beseems the honour of a Parliament that he who speakes most reason should rule the Parliament I never heard that it was any disparagement to the Apostles and Church assembled in the first Synod that they all submitted to the sentence of S. James and out of his opinion fram'd the first Canons of the Church The fifth objection is They seeke the ruine and destruction of the King and his Posterity To that the Parliament answers That the force they imploy to recover him and his children againe out of the hands of those wicked Counsellours who have seduced him away from his Parliament and Kingdome is a service to the King as dutifull and loving as it would be to indeavour the redemption of him by force if he and his children were taken prisoners by Turkish Pirats and detain'd by force And for the hazard of His Majesties Person and his Princely Children at Keinton Battell had it been in the power of the Parliaments forces to have kept them out of the danger of that Battell as it was in the power of that Army about the King they would not have suffered him or his children to have ventured an haire of their heads But perhaps the leaders of that Army will say the Kings resolutions were so strongly set and his commands so peremptory that they could not keep him from the Battell Fidelity never made such a plea. To compell the King for his safety is more loyaltie then to obey him for his destruction therefore the danger of the Kings life that day and of his childrens let it lie as it ought upon that destructively obedient Army which might have kept them from that hazard and would not But it is objected further 1. The Houses of Parliament are favourers of Brownists and Anabaptists 2. They have promised the Papists to repeale all the Laws-established against them if they will joyne on their side 3. Their reformation will be a deformation 4. They reject the Booke of Common Prayer 5. They differ so much amongst themselves that if they had their own minds they know not what they would have These Objections are with so much art and cunning interweav'd in the severall Declarations and Libells of the Prerogative-partie and with so much confidence affirm'd that a man who knowes assuredly the contrary must have a good resolution if he be not out-faced in his own knowledge yet take these Objections nakedly as they are sum'd up here together how contradictory are they in themselves how impossible some of them how scandalous all the very likeliest of them bare surmises and propheticall conjectures neverthelesse let the people be insnar'd by them and it is enough But certainly if the Prerogative pen-men did themselves believe them they would put it to an issue by procuring the Parliament their desired Synod and then it would evidently appeare what the persons are the Parliament affects what opinions they incline to and what reformation they intend But I feare their consciences misgive them the womb of this intended birth being declar'd to be the Word of God the fruit can be nothing but the childe of truth and therefore the surest way is to hinder the birth and in the mean time make the people believe the Parliament is in labour of a Moon-Calfe But the Houses declare their intentions cleerly enough to satisfie any honest man 1 They say it is safer for Religion that we concurre with other Protestant Churches in