satisfactory to the purchasers of Bishops lands themselves who are most displeased with it As to that which hath been objected that some have purchased Reversions of Bishops Lands after 99 years in being who must absolutely lose their purchase money after this rate which is neither just nor honourable for the Parliament I answer that this is but the case of three or foure only that their purchases are of no considerable value nor bought fingly by themselves but jointly with Lands or Rents in possession of good value in which they had the cheaper purchase to take off the Reversion after so long a term which losse in the Reversion they may contentedly undergoe to purchase their owne and the Kingdomes peace and enjoy what they have purchased with these Reversions in possession without trouble or eviction by Act of Parliament for 99 years space or receive other satisfaction from the King and Parliament to their contentment in such manner as I shall presently inform you Sixtly To that concerning the present Rents which the Kingdemands out of Bishops Lands which sticks most with Purchasers many of them having purchased nothing but Rents and others more rents then Lands in possession which Rents must all be lost if they must pay their old rents over to the King to their undoing which would be both unjust unconscionable and dishonourable to the Houses upon whose assurance and engagement to enjoy their bargains they were induced both to lend money on and to purchase these Lands afterwards and would be no better then plain cheating and render them odious to all the world as some have objected I will not answer it with Caveat emptor but desire them to observe that the King in his answer doth not peremptorily require the Bishops old rents during the 99. years but only disjunctively either the old Rent or some other moderate Rent to be agreed on and if only a moderate proportion of the old rent be paid to the King the Purchaser is sure to enjoy the residue during the 99 yeares and so his purchase money not totally lost as is objected Besides the King will not reserve these Rents to the use of himselfe or the Crown but only to the Church and maintenance of the Ministers in such manner as He and his Houses shall agree in the Bill for setling these Lands in the way propounded by him Which offer opens this just and honourable way for the Houses to give all Purchasers of Bishops Land and Rents full satisfaction both for the losse of their reversions after 99 years and for the present rents which shall be reserved to the Crown out of Bishops Lands to the Churches use which I beleeve the King and Houses will readily consent to and that is to settle by Act of Parliament so much of the Dean and Chapters demein Lands and Rents upon the Purchasers as the losse of their Reversions after 99. years and present Rent to the Crowne shall amount unto upon a just computation By which means the Purchasers by way of Exchange of Deans and Chapters Lands and Rents for their Bishops shall have such full and satisfactory content even in kind as will cleare the Honour justice and Reputation of the Houses fair dealings in this particular throughout al the world and give the Ministers full satisfaction likewise for the augmentation of whose livings and maintenance the Deanes and Chapters Lands and Rents are designed by settling the reversion and Rents reserved to the Crown out of the Bishops Lands for the Churches use upon those who should have enjoyed the Deans and Chapters Lands thus settled on the Purchasers by exchange which being of equall value can be no losse nor prejudice to any This is such a visible and reall satisfaction to all purchasers as none of them can justly open their mouths against being both for their owne security and advantage and the Kingdomes settlement But if any of them dislike this reall satisfaction which the King no doubt will yeeld to there is an other means provided by this very Treaty for their satisfaction and that is by ready money for what ever they shall lose by Bishops Lands in possession or reversion by this Reservation to the Crown which I am sure they never will nor can refuse in Justice or equity they having the Bishops Lands conveyed to them only by way of Morgage or security for Moneys lent upon the publike faith And the houses by the 12th Article of this Treaty have time within two years space by Act or Acts to raise any summes of money for the payment of the publique debts of the Kingdome whereof the moneys lent upon Bishops Lands and the publique faith are a principall part and the same Justice of the Houses which hath already provided by severall Ordinances a sufficient recompence and satisfaction for purchasers of Bishops Lands in cases of eviction or of emergent charges and incumbrances discovered after the purchases made may be a sufficient assurance to them of the Houses Justice that they will give them as good or better satisfaction by one of these two wayes I have here propounded for any thing they shall part with to the King or Church for the settlement of the Kingdomes peace Seventhly it hath beene the solemn Protestation and Declaration of both Houses of Parliament in all their Remonstrances to the King Kingdome and forraigne States that they have taken up defensive Armes against the Kings Party onely for the maintenance of Religion Lawes Liberties c. and to bring Delinquents to condigne punishment Now Bishops Lands and Rents I am certaine are neither our Religion Lawers nor Liberties and I thinke they are no Delinquents though most Bishops are And shall we now after seven yeares Warres and sixty dayes Treaty make Bishops Lands which for five yeares time or more of our Warres were never thought of the sole or principall cause at least of our present breach with the King and the onely ground of a new Warre God forbid will not the world then justly censure us for notoriouÌ„s hypocrites and impostors pretendâ—ng one thing and intending another will they not then say that Bishops Palaces and Lands were the onely Religion and Liberty we have fought for the onely Delinquents we have brought to publick Justice and execution that we would never have suppressed Archbishops and Bishops nor entred into a solemne League and Covenant with bands listed up to heaven to endeavour to extirpate them as Antichristian but onely to gaine and retaine all their Lands and Revenues and never condemned their Functions but onely to seize on their Possessions And that we must now maintaine an Army upon their exhausted Purses and Estates only to defend these Parchasers Titles to the Bishops Inheritances If so for shame let us never break off this Treaty nor ruine two or three Kingdomes upon such an absurd dissatisfaction as this And if our Parchasers of Bishops Lands shall still refuse to rest satisfied with that twofold
inslave the City to our vassalage This is their present practise The Land-lordâ— Rich men in the Country are too potent for their Tenantâ— the poor Ergo we must by force of Armes out of extraordinary necessity now abate the Tenants Rents alter their Tenures and Customes share their Lands and wealth amongst our selves and the poore and if any poore man by forging an Act of Parliament or otherwise pretend a Title to any rich mans Lands turne the rich man out of possession and put the poore into it as some Levellers and Souldiers have lately done in Essex in the case between Sir Adam Littleton and one Pointz against all rules of righteousnesseâ— Law and conscience Such a Monster is this plea of necessity for publick good already grown unto through the Armies power and how soon it will proceed to draw the blood of many gallant Gentlemen Lords and Members now secluded for fear they should prove the stronger as well as the major number and therefore must lose their heads to prevent al future dangers revenge God only knows The second ground for the necessity of our seisure and seclusion is this that the pretended corrupt majority of the House would have closed with the King setled the Kingdomes peace before this time had they not been secured Ergâ— the Officers and Army were necessitated to secure them as Apostates from and infringers of their trusts I answer This is very ill Logick and worse Divinity For first is not the end of all just wars whatsoever nought else but peace 2. Is it not Gods command and every Saints and Christians duty to pray for peace to follow peace with al menâ— to seek peace and pursue it to study to be quiet and live in peace to live peaceably with all men as much as in us â—yeth And is not our God a God of Peace our Saviour Jesus Christ the Prince of peace the holy Ghost a Spirit of Peace the Gaspell it selfe a Gospell of peace and can or dareâ— any Saints then pretend a necessity to levy warre even against the Parliament and Members themselves which is high Treason onely upon this pretended necessity that they desire and indeavour to settle peace in our Kingdome Thirdly Is not peace the greatest Earthly blessing that God can bestow upon us and hath promised out of his love to give us as a most SIGNALL favour is it not the thing we have all payed for fasted for fought for paid for longed for and earnestly desirid for many yeares doe not all Counties Cities Villages Families yea every sort except those who make a trade of Warre to enrich themselves by the Kingdomes ruines but more especially distressed Ireland cry all out unto us with one unanimous cordiall and continuall clamar Peace Peace for the Lords sake No more Warres no more blood shed no more plundering no more free quarter no more taxes but Peace Peace or else we perish And if so the generality of the people and Kingdome being by the Armies principles the originall and fountaine of all just power there is an absolute necessity lyes upon us who are their trustees to make and setlle Peace but no necessity for the army to hinder or secure us from effecting it yes a necessity for them to assist us in it and release us to accomplish it which by Gods blessing we had done ere this Object All that they can object is That we would have made an unsafe and dishonourable peace with the King upon his owne termes to the peoples prejudice and enstaving Answ. To which I answer 1. It is the foulest falsest and most malicious scandall that ever man could invent which the ensuing Speech will abundantly refute to the shame of those who dare to aver it in print 2. Admit it true yet an unjust and unequall peace is better safer and more honourable for us now we are quite exhausted and can manage warre no longer and Ireland so neere its ruine then the justest Warre which ought not to be undertaken at first without absolute necessity and nes to continue one houre longer then that necessity endures especially if it be a Civill Warre between those of the same Nation blood Religion or a defensive Warre as our Warre is who have now no armed Enemies to encounter and so there can be no pretence of necessity to continue a Warre or so great a recruited Army unlesse it be to enslave us to martiall Law and Tyranny in stead of peace and Liberty 3. Neither God nor the Kingdome nor Majority of the people ever made the Army Iudges of the goodnesse or badnesse of the intended peace but the Parliament onely the onely proper Iudges likewise of the necessity of peace or Warre And therefore for them thus forcibly to wrest this Iudicatory out of the Houses bands without a lawfull calling to it and to imprison those who are Iudges of it is neither Christian nor warrantable but the highest insolency and Rebellion ever offered to any Parliament in any age And upon this account every Souldier who hath a cause depending in Parliament or in any Court of Iustice may by as good Iustice and reason pull all the Members out of the Houses and Iudges from the Benches that would not give Iudgement for him be his cause never so unjust and make himselfe or the Generall Councell of the Army his onely Iudges who may proceed to Iudgement on his side before any hearing or appearance before them by his adversary in such sort as they have proceeded against us But admit there were an extraordinary necessity for publick good as is pretended yet to make necessity a plea for to justifie any mâ—rall sinne or evill is monstrous in an Army of Saints Nulla est necessitas delinquendi quibus una est necessitas non delinquendi was the Primitive Christians Maxime who chose rather to die the cruellest deaths then commit the smallest sinne Had Hugh Peters John Goodwin and these Army-Counsellors lived in our Saviours dayes they could have taught St. Peter how to have denyed his Lord and Master thrice together with Oathes and curses as the Army have denyed and imprisoned their Lords and Masters and cast them into bell with Oathes and curses too and to have justified it in stead of going forth and weeping bitterly for it as he did because be did it onely out of necessity to save his life when he was in danger If these Army-Saints had lived in Iulian the Apostate's dayes they could have instructed his Souldiers how to have sacrificed to his Idols by throwing but a branch into the Fire out of necessity to sare many precious Souldiers lives rather then to be mariyred for refusing it And had Catesby Faux Winter and Piercy wanted an advocate or Ghostly father to encourage them to blow up the Parliament-House King Nobles and Commons at once and justifie it when they had done it the Generall
being more then was ever thought of or desired in the Treaty of Peace in February and March 1642. The second Proposition fully granted by the King for the setling and securing of the State and Religion too against the Kings armed power is the setling of the whole Militia by Sea and Land and Navy of England Ireland and the Isles and Dominions thereunto belonging by Act of Parliament in the hands and disposall of both Houses and such as they shall appoint for the space of twenty years with power to raise moneys for all forces raised by them for Land or Sea service during that space or time which forces are authorised to suppresse all forces raised or to be raised in or any forraigne forces which shall invade the Realms of Engl. Ireland or the Dominions and Isles thereunto belonging without Authority and consent of the Lords and Commons in Parliament And it further provides that after the expiration of the said 20. years neither the King his heirs and successors nor any person or persons by colour or pretence of any Commission power Deputation or Authority to be derived from the King his Heirs or Successors or any of them shall raise array train imploy or dispose of any of the forces by Sea or Land of the Kingdomes of England and Ireland the Dominion of Wales Isles of Gâ—ernsep and Iersey or of Barwick upon Tweed nor execute any power or authority touching the same invested in the two Houses during the space of twenty years nor do any thing or Act concerning the execution thereof without the consent of the Lords and Commons first had and obtained And that after the expiration of the said twenty years in all cases wherein the Lords and Commons shall declare the safety of the Kingdome to be concerned and shall thereupon paffe any Bill for the raising arming training and disposing of the forces by Sea and Land of the Kingdomes Dominions Isles and places aforesaid or concerning the leavying of moneys for the same if the King his Heirs and successors shall not give the Royall assent thereto within such time as both Houses should think conveent that then such Bil or Bills after Declaration made by the Lords Commons in that behalf shall have the force and strength of an Act or Acts of Parliament and be as valid to all intents and purposes as if the Royal assent had been given thereunto After which it disables any Sheriffe Justice of the Peace Majors or other Officers of Justice to leavy conduct and imploy any forces whatsoever by colour or pretence of any Commission of Array or extraordinary command from the King His Heirs or Successors without consent of both Houses And concludes That if any persons to the numberâ— of 30 shall be gathered together in warlike manner or otherwise and not forthwith disband themselves being thereunto required by the Lords and Commons or command from them or any other specially authorized by them that then such person or persons not so disbanding shall be guilty and incur the pains of High Treason any Commission under the great Seal or other Warrant to the contrary notwithstanding and be uncapable of any pardon from His Majesty His Heirs and Successors and their estates disposed of as the Lords and Commons shall think fit To all this new grand principle security of our present and future peace and settlement the King hath given his full and free consent in terminis And what greater security then this wee can imagine or demand against the Kings armed power and sword of War transcends my capacity to imagin Therefore if we have not lost our brains and consciences too we cannot but vote and conclude it satisfactory and restabundantly contented with yea exceeding thankful for it And that upon all these ensuing considerations First both Houses in their Treaty with the King in February and March 1642. demanded only the Militia of England not of Ireland yet so as they did leave the Nomination and disposing of the chiefe Commanders Officers and Governors of the Militia Forts and Navy of the Kingdome to the King provided only they might be such persons of honor and trust as both Houses might confide in and likewise promise restitution of all Moneys Forts Garrisons Arms and Ammunition of the Kings which they had seized upon or to give him present satisfaction for the same which being granted and performed they professed it should bee their hopefull endeavour that His Majesty and His people might enjoy the blessing of Peace c. and be derived to Him and to His Royall Posterity and the future Generations in this Kingdome for ever Whereas in this Treaty the King denudeth himselfe of the Militia of England and Ireland too and of the Nomination and approbation of all Officers Commanders Governors of the Militia or forces by Sea or Land and leaves all the Forts Navy and Magazines only to the Houses disposall without any compensation for his Magazines or Armes formerly seized by them And if far lesse was deemed sufficient for our settlement and security then much more will all this be thought so now Secondly Because the King hath wholly stript Himself His Heirs and Successors for ever of all that power and interest which His Predecessors alwaies enjoyned in the Militia forces forts Navy not only of England but Ireland Wales Iersey Garnsey and Berwick too so as He and they can neitherâ— raise nor arm one man nor introduce any forraign forces into any of them by vertue of any Commission Deputation or authority without consent of both Houses of Parliament and hath vested the sole power and disposition of the Militia Forts and Navy of all these in both Houses in such ample manner that they shall never part with it to any King of England unlesse they please themselves So as the King and His Heirs have no military power or authority at all left to injure or oppresse the meanest Subject much lesse the whole Kingdome or Houses of Parliament had they wills to doe it and the Houses having all the Militia by Land and Sea not only of England but even of Ireland Wales Garnsey Iersey and Berwick to assist and secure them in case He or His Heirs should attempt to raise any domestick or introduce any forraign force against them is so grand so firm a security in all probability for insuring and preserving of our Peace Religion Lawes Liberties Lives and Estates against regall force and tyranny that none of our Ancestors ever demanded or enjoyed the like nor no other Kingdome whatsoever since the Creation for ought that I can find in Histories or Republicks who have perused most now extant to do you service and such a selfe-denying condâ—sconsion in the King to His People in this particular as no age can president In the 17 year of King Iohn the Barons having by force of Armes compelled him to confirm the great Charter at Runningmead near Windsor thought this their greatest
to the peace and settlement of the Kingdome is this That the King do give his Royall assent to such Act or Acts for the raising of moneys for the Parliament satisfying of the publique Debts and Damages of the Kingdome and other publique uses as shal hereafter be agreed on by both Houses of Parliament And if the King do not give his assent thereto then it being done by both Houses the same shall be as valid to all intents and purposes as if the Royall assent had been given thereunto To this Proposition the King hath condescended so as those Acts be passed within two years after the Treaty ended which the Houses have now voted to be satisfactory This Proposition secures all moneys lent upon the publike faith all arrears due to Officers souldiers yea all moneys advanced by any who have purchas'd Bishops lands for their losses by reversions after 99 years or any present rents to be reserved to the Crowne for the use of the Church with which those Members who have purchased such lands or advanced moneys upon them declare themselves most unsatisfied all those who have sustained publique losses Yea if the King denies his royall assent thereto it enables both Houses to make a valid Act of Parliament without the King in this case and in case of the Militia likewise which was never challenged by nor granted to both Houses in any Kings Reign before takes away the Kings Negative voice as to these particulars which those who conclude the Kings answers unsatisfatory have so much contended for yet now stand in their own light in not accepting of these Concessions as satisfactory and striking at the Negative voice The next Concession of the Kings for the settlement of the State is the taking away of the Court of Words and of all Wardships and Tenures in Capite or by Knights service which draw on Wardships Primer seisures liveries and such like incombrances to the intolerable vassalage and prejudice of the Nobility and Gentry of England and great landed persons and that only upon giving the King and his successors one hundred thousand pounds yearly for compensations being one principall part of his Royall Revenue This Concession is of so vast consequence to the Kingdome to enfranchise the Subjects from the Norman yoak of bondage as some stile VVardships and Tenures in Capite though others deem them more ancient then William the Conqueror that our Ancestors never enjoyed the like It exempts mens heits under age and their estates from being made a prey for hungry Courtiers or over-reaching Committees of them their estates It exempts them from being married to any against their free consents without any single or double forfeiture of the values of their marriages to which they were formerly liable from marriages to persons of small or no or broken fortunes and different dispositions which have ruined many families from many chargeable suits expences excessive fees gratuities to Escheators Feodaries all sorts of griping Officers in the Court of Wards and from vast expences and extraordinary vexation in finding and traversing Offices suing out Liveries c. and many suits and questions arising thereupon which have undone too many And it deprives the King of such an over-awing Prerogative over the persons and Eâ—tates of the Nobility and Gentry which usually fell into his custody after every Tenants decease as will very much weaken his interest in and their over much dependence on him and make them lesse subject to engage for or with him against the Parliaments or Kingdomes common interest The next Proposition relating to the Kingdomes safety and settlement not so immediately and directly as any of the former is that which concernes Delinquents in which alone as to the State the Kings answers are pretended unsatisfactory not in all but only in some particulars of no extraordinary concernment in my apprehension though so much insisted on by many as to vote all the Treaty unsatisfactory In opening the state of the Kings Answers to this proposition I shall doe these 3. things First I shall shew how far the King and you are both agreed 2dly In what particulars you really or seemingly differ 3dly I shall examine whether these differences herein be of any such moment as to induce the House to vote the answers to this and the other Propositions upon the whole Treaty unsatisfactory and so reject and lose whatever the King hath granted in the rest because he hath not satisfied our demands in this one and two others concerning the Church For the first both Houses by their Votes have thought this Proposition touching Delinquents so needless to beinfisted on in every punctilio for the publick settlement which will certainly more obstruct then promote it merey moderation being the nearest way to peace and union that you have reduced since the Treaty the persons excepted in the first qualification both from life composition from 37 to 7 only six of those are beyond the Seas quite out of your power the 7th aged scarce worth your Execution The King consents that they should be banished during the pleasure of both Houses which is a civill death banishment being next to death the severest punishment and to some men more grievous then present Execution But if that will not satisfie then he leaves them wholly to your justice to proceed against them if you please according to Law and promiseth not to interpose nor pardon any of them if legally condemned only he adds ex abundanti that he cannot in justice or honor assent to any Act to take away their lives by a meer Legislative Power ex post facto if they have done nothing that was formerly capital by the known Laws of the Land by which Hee leaves them to be tryed This Answer many Gentlemen who have spoken have coucluded very unsatisfactory and made many large descants on it because they did not rightly weigh nor understand it when as in truth it Answers the very Proposition in terminis as I shall clearly manifest to all who understand what Law is First it is apparent that one of the first quarrels and cause of taking up Arms on our parts was to bring Delinquents to condign punishent according to the Laws and Statutes of the Realm as you have declared to the Kingdom in many printed Declarations and in your Petitions to the King you alwayes desired him to leave Delinquents to the course of Iustice not to cut them off by a meer Legislative Power when as you could not doe it by any known Law Secondly you have professed to all the World and to the King and Delinquents themselves that you have taken up Armes to defend and preserve the Ancient fundamentall Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and to oppose the introduction of any Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Power Yea your selves and the Army likewise have declared against all extraordinary proceedings and tryals in the Lords House to
growth and danger of Prophanenesse His Majesty hath condescended to an Act of Parliament as large as can be drawne against all Prophanations whatsoever of the Lords day with severe punishment for the prophaners of it in any kinde and against all such who shall write or preach against its morality and due observation And likewise to an Act to be framed and agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament for the reforming and regulating both Vniversities and of the Colledges of Westminster Winchester and Eaton the seminaries of Learning and Education of youth to serve and rule in our Church and State By which two Grants if duly executed all impiety and prophanenesse which can endanger our Church and Religion will easily be suppressed for the present and prevented for the future Thirdly Against the danger and revivall of Episcopacy and the appendances thereunto belonging the King hath clearly condescended to these particulars in terminis First to an Act for the abolition of all Archbishops Chancellors Commissaries Deanes and Sub-Deans Deans ard Chapters Arch-deacons Canons Prebendaries c. and all other Episcopall Cathedrall or Collegiate Officers both in England Wales and Ireland and to the disposall of all their Lands and Possessions for such uses as the Houses shall thinke meet So as there is no feare at all of their resurrection to disturb our Church All the question and difference now between the King and Houses is onely concerning the Office and power of Bishops and their Lands and Possessions in which two I finde most Members declare themselves to be unsatisfied especially those who have purchased Bishops Lands who are very zealous in that point for their own Interests For the clearing of these two scruples I shall examine and debate these two particulars First how far the K. hath consented to the Houses Propositions for the abolishing of the office jurisdiction of Bishops in the Church Secondly how far He hath condescended to the sale and disposal of their Lands and Possessions And whether his Concessions in both these be not sufficiently satisfactory in the sense I have stated the question in the beginning of my debate of it For the first of these It is clear that the King in his two last Papers hath abolished and extirpated that Episcopacy and Prelacy which we intended and have so earnestly contested against and contends now for no other but an Apostolicall Bishop which is but the same in all things with an ordinary Minister or Presbyter which Bishop being Apostolicall and of divine Institution we neither may nor can nor ever intended to abolish by our Covenant To make this evident to all mens consciences 1 The King hath yeelded to take away all the power and jurisdiction whatsoever exercised by our Bishops in point of censure or discipline in his former answer and contends for nothing now but their power of Ordination only and that not solely vested in the Bishop but in him and other Presbyters jointly yet so as the Bishop should have a negative Voice in Ordinations But the Houses voting this unsatisfactory because that the Bishops for three years during the continuance of the Presbyterian government should have the chief power of Ordination after those three years the sole power there being no others vested or intrusted with that power after the three years expired so as Bishops might by this means creep in and get up againe by degrees as high as ever Thereupon the King in his finall Answer hereunto though not fully satisfied in point of conscience but that the power of Ordination is principally vested onely in Bishops by Divine Authority hath yet for our satisfaction thus far condescended to us First that for three years next ensuing during the Presbyteriall Government no Bishops shall at all exercise this power of Ordination in the Church Secondly That if he can be satisfied in point of Conscience within that time upon conference with Divines That this power of Ordination so far as to have a Negative voice in it belongs not only unto Apostolical Bishops by a divine Right then he wil fully consent to the utter abolition even of this power of Ordination in the Bishops Thirdly That after the three yeares are expired if the King can neither satisfie his Houses in point of conscience nor they him upon debate That this power of Ordination belongs Iure Divino to Bishops that yet the exercise of that power shall be totally suspended in them till He and both Houses shall agree upon a Government and by Act of Parliament settle a Form of Ordination So as if both Houses never consent that Bishops shall hereafter have a hand or negative voice in Ordination this power of Bishops is perpetuaily suspended and as to the exercise of it perpetually abolished even by this Concession so as it can never be revived again without both Houses concurring assents And by this means Episcopacy is totally extirpated root and branch according to the Covenant which hath been so much pressed in this debate though the words of it have been somewhat mistaken that we therein absolutely covenant to extirpate Episcopacy when as the words are only That we shall endeavour the extirpation of Prelacy that is of Archbishops and Bishops c. And that certainly we have done and in a great measure accomplished so far as to satisfie both the words and intention of the Covenant though a concurrent power of Ordination be left in Bishops which yet is now totally suspended For as we covenant in the same clause to endeavour to root out Popery Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godlinesse in the extirpation of which I am certain we have not proceeded by an hundred degrees so farre as we have actually done in the extirpation of Episcopacy there being no Proposition at all in the Treaty for the extirpation of Heresie Schisme and Errors as there is of Episcopacy and yet the Gentlemen who are so zealous for the Covenant perswade themselves they and we have not violated it in these particulars therefore much less in the point of Prelacy and Bishops since we have left them nothing at all but a meer power of Ordination actually suspended from any future execution but by both Houses assents Fourthly the King by abolishing Archbishops and Deans and Chapters hath also therein actually abolished all Bishops too for the future except those who are already made For by the Laws and custome of the Realm No Bishop can be consecrated but by an Archbishop or some deputation from him in case of sicknesse nor any Bishop made or consecrated unlesse he be first elected by the Dean and Chapter upon a Conge deslier issued out to them to choose one Now there being no Deanes and Chapters left to elect nor Archbishop to consecrate any Bishop for the future there can be no Bishop at all hereafter made in England or Ireland and so the Bishop
recompence I have formerly mentioned and keep up an Army to maintaine their Purchases rather then yeeld to any reason I shall humbly move that not the whole Kingdome but themselves may defray the Armies Taxes and Quarters and then I am certaine they will have a dearer bargaine then what the King or I have proposed for their satisfaction And the better to perswade them to embrace this compensation I have onely this more to offer both to them and you That if you break off with the King upon this point or close with the Army they are most certaine to lose all for a bare Ordinance of both Houses in no legall Title nor good security aganst King or Bishops without the Kings concurrence and Royall assent unto it and valid no longer then maintained by the Sword the worst and most hazardous Title of all others which will quickly cost the Purchasers and Kingdome treble the value of all the Bishops Revenues and if they close with the Army to break the Treaty they tell them in direct termes in print in The Case of the Army truly stated presented to the Generall by the Agitators of the Army at Hampstead October 15. 1647. pag. 16. That whereas the times were wholly corrupt when persons were appointed to make sale of Bishops Lands and whereas Parliament-men Committee-men and Kinâ—folks were the onely buyers and much is sold and yet it 's presended that little or no money is received And whereas Lords Parliament-men and some other rich men have vast summes of Arrears allowed them in their Purchase and all their moneys lent to the State paid them while others are left in necessity to whom the State is much indebted and so present Money that might be for the equall advantage of all is not brought into the publike Treasury by those sales It s therefore to bea insisted on that the sale of Bishops Lands bee reviewed and that they may be sold to their worth and for present Moneys for the publike use and that the sale of all such be recalled as have not been sold to their worth or for present money This particular among others they professe they have entred into a solemne engagement to prosecute and are now marched up to London accordingly to pursue it as their late Remonstrance and Declaration intimates and themselves professe by word of mouth which I desire the Members who have purchased Bishops Lands who are generally most unsatisfied with the Kings answers especially in this particular seriously to consider and then to make their Election Whether they will now close with the Kings Concessions and what I have here propounded for satisfaction of their Reversions after 99. years and present Rents they may chance to part with and so secure their purchases for this terme by Act of Parliament and have full compensation for what they part with either in ready money or Deans and Chapters Lands and Rents and so be no losers but great gainers by the bargaine or else break with the King to please the Army and so be certaine to lose all between them not onely once but twice over for the Agitators in the Army tell them plainely That all their Purchases shall be reviewed and if they have purchased them to an under rate or not for ready Money which not one of them hath done but by Tickets of their owne or bought at very low values of others which 't is like they will also examine that then their sales shall be absolutely recalled and sold to others at full values for ready money and so all is lost in good earnest or else they must re-purchase them for ready moneys at higher values without any assurance from the King by Act of Parliament and so lose them againe the second time if ever He or his Prelaticall party should prevaile and yet be enforced to answer and restore all the meane Profits they have taken to boot A very hard chapter and bargain to digest if they advisedly consider it which by accepting the Kings offer is most certainly prevented Who perchance in shore time upon second thoughts and conference with learned men for the satisfaction of his conscience in the point of sacriledge if he should consent to the totall alienation of these Lands from the Church may come up fully to our desires and part with the very inheritance to the purchasers as amply aâ— they have purchased it rather then leave his owne and the Kingdomes interest wholly unsettled And for my part I make little question that had the Prelates and Clergy-men with the King at the Isle of Wight dealt candidly and cleerly with him in this particular of the sale of Bishops Lands that might have easily satisfied his conscience in this very thing as well as in others from these grounds and matters of fact which I shall but point at to satisfie others who perchance are scrupulous herein even in point of conscience as well as the King First the King in his last Paper 〈◊〉 in expresse terms protesseth That he hath abalished all but the Apostolicall Bishops invested with a Negative Vayâ—e or Power in point of Ordination And if so then I am certain he hath likewise abolished all Bishops Palaces Lordships Revenues Rents and Possessions it being most certaine that neither the Apoâ—ls themselves not any Apostolicall Bishops of their Ordination in their dayes or for above 300. yeers after had any Lands or Possessions annexed to their Apostleships or Bishopricks but lived meerely upon the aâ—ms and voluntary contributions of the people as Christ himselfe Paul and the other Apostles did as all Historiant accord If then his Majesty will retain none but Apostolicall Bishops he must necessarily take away their temporall Lands and possessions annexed to then Bishopricks to make them such if he hath not already done is by his finall Answer to this proposition as I conceive he hath Secondly it is generally agreed by Historians that Constantine the great our owne Country-man borne and first Crowned Emperour at York to the eternall honour of our Island he being the first Christian Emperour and greatest advancer of the Christian Religion and destroyer of Paganism was the first who endowed the Church and Bishops with any temporall Possessions about 350. yeers after Christ though his pretended donation to the Pope be but a meere fable as Doctor Crakenthorp and others have manifested at large Now Ioannes Parisiensis Nauclerus Polychronicon our English Apostle Iohn Wickliffe our noble Martyr the Lord Cobham Iohn Frith a Martyr learned Bishop Iewell and others out of them record That when Constantine endowed the Church and Bishops with temporall Lands and possessions the voice of an Angel was heard in the Ayre crying out Hodie venenum insunditur in Ecclesiam this day is poyson powred into the whele Church of God And from that time say they because of the great Riches the Church had she was made the more secular and had
which hath reversed Christs Ordinances and procreated Antichrist and that they were bound in conscience to take away their Lands and Temporalties from them which they had abused to Pride Ambition Discord c. His Disciples or noble Martyrs William Swinderby Iohn Purvey Sir Iohn Oldcastle and after them Pierce Plowman Geffrey Chaucer Mr. Tyndall Doctor Barnes Iohn Firth Sir Iohn Borthwike a Martyr the Author of a Supplication to King Henry the eight the Author of the Image of a very Christian Bishop and of a Counterfeit Bishop William VVraughton in his Hunting of the Remish Fox Mr. Fish in his Supplication of Beggers Henry Stalbridge in his exhortatory Epistle and others are of the like judgement and Roderick Mors in his Supplication to the Parliament in Henry the eight his Reigne to omit Penry and others in Queene Elizabeths Reigne And why there should be more Sacriledge in taking away Bishops Lands in England then in Scotland or Abbey Lands heretofore from Abbeys and Priories I cannot yet discerne All which considered I hope his Majesties conscience may and will be rectified in this particular before the Treaty be absolutely confirmed by Acts of Parliament so as this of Bishops Lands shall make no breach between us In clearing which I have beene the more prolix because it is most insisted on of any thing in point of dis-satisfaction both by the King and us As for all our other Propositions relating to the Peace and settlement of the Church the King hath fully assented to them interminis as namely to the Bill for the better advancement of the preaching of Gods word and setting godly Ministers in all parts of the Kingdome To a Bill against Pluralities and Non residencie To an Act of Confirmation for the calling and setling of the Assembly of Divines To an Act for the confirmation of the Directory and abolishing the Booke of Common-Prayer throughout the Kingdome and in the Kings owne Chappell too yeelded unto in the Kings finall answer though formerly stuck upon to an Act for taking the covenant throughout the Realme only the King sticks at it as yet unsatisfied in conscience as to the taking of it himselfe without some qualifications in it which a Committee were appointed to consider of but have not yet reported ought to the House Besides he hath approved the lesser Catechism as far as you desired who rest satisfied with his answer concerning it And as for the Presbyteriall Government he hath absolutely consented to settle it for three years But it hath been much insisted on by many That the Kings Grant of the Presbyterian Government is no wayesâ— satisfactory because only for three years And therefore they will break off the Treaty for this reason and vote the Kings answers upon the whole unsatisfactory because too short in this particular To which I answer That the King in terminis hath granted as much as we desired We desired its settlement but for three years and many who most pretend dissatisfaction in this point now did and do indeed desire no setled Government at all no not for three years space Therefore if there be any default in this it was in the Houses Proposition only not in the Kings answer who was not obliged to grant us in this particular or any other more than we desired Secondly after the three years expiration the Presbyterian Government must remain till a new be agreed upon by consent of the King and both Houses upon conference and advice with the Assembly of Divines or that further established if found best and most sutable in the interim So as now upon all the branches of this Treaty and the Kings answers thereunto I conceive the Kings answers to be compleatly satisfactory in that sense I have stated and debated the question as well for the safety and settlement of our Church and Religion as Kingdom though the Kings Answers come not up fully to the Propositions in some two or three particulars only It is storied of Alexander the Great that one demanding of him to give him a penny he returned him this answer That it was too little for Alexander to give Whereupon he demanded a Talent of him whereunto he replyed It was too much for a begger to receive We have demanded of the King in our own and the Kingdomes behalf in former Treaties but a penny in comparison and then the King refused to grant it though we would have been heartily contented with it or lesse But now we have in this Treatty demanded a Talent and the King hath not thought it overmuch for him to grant or for us to receive and if we shall now ungratefully reject it we know not why our selves unlesse it be that God hath infatuated and designed us unto speedy ruine for our sins I must needs take up our Saviours Lamentation over dying Ierussalem in relation unto England O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong unto thy Peace but now they are hid from thine eyes And I pray God they be not so far hid that we shall never live to see any peace or settlement at all in Church or State if we embrace not those Concessions now the best the largest the honourablest the safest and most beneficiall that ever was tendred to any People by a King and if we now reject we shall never have the moity of them granted us again no though we soek them carefully with tears as Esau did his last blessing when he had overslipt his time but a very little For mine own part I value no mens bare opinions in this debate but their reasons which inforce them and if I have not quite lost my reason and senses too I have not heard one solid reason given by any Gentleman that differs from me why the Kings Concessions upon the whole Treaty should be so unsatisfactory as utterly to reject them and proceed no further Most of the reasons to the contrary have been either cleer mistakes both of the question and Kings Answers or our Propositions and mistakes are no reasons but irrationall or a fear in some Purchasers of Bishops Lands of an ill bargain which I presume I have fully satisfied or that which is to me the most unreasonable though many Gentlemens chief and only reason the Armies discontent and dissatisfaction in case we vote it satisfactory to which I shall give this Answer That though I honour the Army for their good services heretofore in the Field and Wars and should as readily gratifie all their just desires as Souldiers as any man yet I must with just disdain and censure look upon their Magisteriall encroachments upon our Councels and prescriptions to us what to vote in our debates or else they will be incensed as the highest violation to the Freedom â— Honour and Priviledges of Parliament not to be Presidented in former times nor now to be endured We all sit here freely to speak our own Mindes