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
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
Land or without any thing should lose or forfeit for doing their duty or service of Allegiance It be therefore ordained enacted and established by the King our Soveraigne Lord by the advice and assent of the Lords spiritual and temporall and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and by authority of the same that from henceforth no manner of person or persons whatsoever he or they be that attend upoâ— the King and Soveraigne Lord of this Land for the time being in his person and doe him true and faithfull service of allegiance in the same or be in other places by his commandement in his wars within this Land or without that for the said deed and true duty of allegiance he or they be in no wise convict or attaint of high treason nor of other offences for that cause by act of Parliament or otherwise by any processe of Law whereby hee or any of them shall lose or forfeit life lands tenements rents possessions hereditaments goods chattels or any other things but to be for that deed and service utterly discharged of any vexation trouble or losse And if any act or acts or other processe of the Law hereafter thereupon for the same happen to be made contrary to this Ordinance that then that act or acts or other processe of the Law whatsoever they shall be stand and be utterly void Provided alwaies that no person or persons shall take any benefit or advantage by this Act which shall hereafter decline from his or their said allegiance Cap. 24. In the Statute of 27. H. 8. It is enacted that no person or persons of what estate or degree soever they be of shall have any power or authority to pardon or remit any treason murders man-slaughters or any kinde of Fellonies c. but that the King shall have the sole and whole power and authority thereof united and knit to the Imperiall Crowne as of right it appertaineth c. And in the same it is enacted further that none shall have power of what estate degree or condition soever they be to make Justices of Eyre Justices of Assize Justices of the Peace c. but all such officers and Ministers shall be made by Letters Patents under the Kings great Seale in the name and by the authority of the King and his Heires and Successors Kings of this Realme In the first yeare of Queen Mary and the first Chapter It is enacted by the Queen with the consent of the Lords and Commons That no deed or offence by Act of Parliament made treason shall be taken deemed or adjudged to be high treason but only such as be declared and expressed to be treason by the Act of Parliament made 25. Ed. 3. cap. 2. before mentioned A Declaration of M. David Ienkins now Prisoner in the Tower of London one of His Majesties Iudges in Wales for tryalls of Treasons Murthers Felonies and all other capitall crimes that they ought only to be by Iuries and not otherwise unlesse it be by Act of Parliament THe common Law of this Land is That every freeman is subject to a tryall by bill of Attainder in Parliament wherein His Majesty and both Houses must necessarily concurre for that tryall and attainder is an Act of Parliament to which all men are subject to a Mag. Chart. cap. 29. 2 part instit fol. 28 29.46.48 49 50. composed by Sir Ed. Cooke and published by the Order of the House of Commons in May 1641. No man shall otherwise be destroyed c but by the lawfull judgement of his Peers or by the common Law of the Land Peers to Noblemen are Noblemen Peers to the Commons are Knights Gentlemen c. Judgement of Peers refers to Peers those words The Law of the Land refers to the Commons the Law of the Land is for the tryall of the life of a free Commoner by Indictment Presentment of good and lawfull men where the deed is done or by Writ originall of the common Law all this is declared in Magna Charta c. 29. and by 25. Ed. 3. c. 4. 28. Ed. 3. c. 3. 37. Ed. 3. c. 8. 42. Ed. 3. c. 3. If the Lords will try any man by an Ordinance they destroy that excellent Act of Magna Charta and all those other good Lawes Sir Simon de Bereford a free Commoner of England was condemned by the Lords to death by an Ordinance which after the Lords better considering the matter that they might be acquitted of that sentence became suters to the King that what they had so done in future time might not be drawn into president because that which they had so done was against the Law b Rot. Par. 1. roule 4. E. 3. Num. 2. part inst page 50. with this 〈◊〉 grees Sir Joâ—n Lees case Rot. Par. 42. E. 3. Num. 22.23 2. inst fol. 50. with this agrees the practice and usage of all times in this Land all the free Commoners of this Kingdome have alwayes been tryed and acquitted or condemned in capitall causes by Jurers of their equalls An Ordinance bindeth not in Law at all c See 4. part inst fol. 23.48.292 2. part inst f. 47 48. and but pro tempore as the two Houses now affirme a mans life cannot be tryed by that which is not binding and to continue for all times for a life lost cannot be restored By an Act of Parliament of the 1. and 2. of Philip and Mary chap. 10. It is enacted that aâ—â— tryalls for Treason hereafter to be had shall be according to the course of the common-law If the crime charged upon any be treason against the two Houses against the Parliament it cannot be for there is no Parliament without the King that is no Treason in Law as appeares by 25. Ed. 3. chap. 2. 11. R. 2. chap. 3. 1 Hen. 4. cha 10. 1. and 2. Philip and Mary chap. 10. 3 part of the institutes Page 23. An Act of Parliament to make any a Judge where he is party is a void act d Dr â—oâ—ams case 8. part of Cooks reports for none can be a Judge and party in the same cause and therefore the House of Peers being a party touching the crime charged upon any man whom they would try by an Ordinance for Treason against both Houses cannot be a Judge By the Petition of Right e Petition of Right 3. Car. Regis if any man deserve death he ought to suffer the same according to the Lawes of the Land established and not otherwise but an Ordinance of the Lords is no established law The Protestation the Vow and Covenant the solemne League and Covenant the Declarations of both Houses had made and published sithence this unnaturall Warre are amongst other things sworne and set downe to be for the maintenance of the Lawes the people of this land ought to enjoy the benefit of their Birth-right the Law of the Land and the making good of the said Protestation Vow and Covenant League and Covenant and
Impossibility The death of His Majesty whose life God prolong dissolves it necessarily For the Writ of summons is Carolus Rex in hoc individuo and Carolus Rex is in this particular Habiturus colloquium tractatum cum Prelatis proceribus c. 2 H. 5. Cooke Title Parliam 3. pars King Charles being to have Conference and Treaty with his Prelates and Peeres Carolus Rex cannot have Colloquium tractatum Conference and Treaty when he is deceased and therefore it is impossible for any Parliament to continue as long as they please as for a Parliament to make a dead man alive For Repugnancie That which is but for a time cannot be affirmed to have continuance for ever it is repugnant The end of the Act of 17. Caroli Regis which is to continue at pleasure is in the said Act expressed to be to raise credit for money for these three purposes First for reliefe of his Majesties Army and people in the North. Secondly for preventing the iminent danger of the Kingdome Thirdly for supply of other His Majesties present and urgent occasions These ends are ended the reliefe of that Army the iminent danger supposed was sixe yeares agoe the supply of His Majestie hath beene a supply against him take away the end the meanes thereto are to no purpose take away the cause the effect ceaseth and therefore the three ends of this Act being determined it agreeth with Law and Reason the Act should end Sir Anthony Mayns case 5. pars 1. H. 4.6 Littl. cap. Villen the Law rejects things unprofitable and uselesse A perpetuall Parliament besides that it incites men to selfe-ends destructive of the publique of which the whole Kingdome hath had sufficient experience wil be a constant charge to the Kingdome for that every County and Borough who send Members to the Parliament are by the Law to pay wages to their Parliament men which to many Counties will amount above some Subsidies Yearely There are many poore Borough-Townes in each County of this Kingdome who being to maintaine two Burgesses in Parliament will be quickly begger'd if the Parliament have no end for all which reasons it is cleare that such long continuance of Parliaments will instead of a remedy which is and ought to be the proper and true end of Parliaments become an insufferable grievance and oppression to all the People of the Land The Writ of Summons this Parliament is the basis and foundation of the Parliament If the Foundation be destroyed the Parliament falls The Assembly of Parliament if for three purposes Rex est habiturus colloquium et tractatum cum praelatis magnatibus et proceribus super arduis negotijs concernentibus 1. Nos 2 Defensionem regni nostri 3. Defensionem Ecclesiae Anglicanae This Parliament hath overthrowne this Foundation in all 3 parts 1. Nos the King they have chased him away and imprisoned him they have voted no prelats and a number of other Lords about 40. in the City must not come to the House and about 40 more are out of Towne the colloquium et tractatus are made void therby For the King cannot consult and treat there with men removed from thence 2. Defensionem regni nostri that is gone they have made it their Kingdome not His for they have usurped all His Soveraigntie 3. Defensionem Ecclesiae Anglicanae that is gone that Ecclesia Anglicana trust be understood necessarily that Church that at the test of the Writ was Ecclesia Anglicana they have destroyed that too So now these men would be called a Parliament having abated quashed and made nothing of the Writ whereby they were Summoned and Assembled If the Writ be made void all the processe is void also that House must needs fall where the Foundation is overthrowne Sublato fundamento opus cadit the Foundation being taken away the worke falls is both a maxime in Law and Reason For some yeares past there is no crime from Treason to Trespasse but they are guilty of all Treason Felonies Robberies trespasses are contra pacem coronam et dignitatem Regis against the Peace Crowne and Dignitie of the King as appeares by all Indictments in all Ages Pax Regis the Kings Peace Corona Regis the Kings Crowne Dignitas Regis the Kings Dignitie are all trod under foot and made nothing Pax Regis the Peace of the King is become a Warre against the King His Dignitie put into prison and the Crowne put upon their owne heads All the Judges of England have resolved Nevills ease 7. part 34. 2. Jacobi that Noblemen committing Treason have forfeited their Office and Dignitie their Officeiâ—s to councell the King in time of Peace to defend him in time of Warre and therefore those men against the duty and end of their Dignitie taking not onely Councell but Armes also to destroy Him and being thereof attaint by due course of Law by a racite condition annexed to the estate of their Dignitie have forfeited the same they are the words of the Law and therefore they have made themselves incapable to be Members of the upper House The Oppressions of the People Briberies Extortions Monopolies ought to be inquired after by the House of Commons and complained of to the King and Lords what have they done The House of Commons cannot by the Law commit any man to prison who is not of the said House for Treason Murder or Felony or any thing but for the disturbance of the publique Peace by the priviledge of the whole body They have no power by the Writ which the King issueth to elect and returne Members of that House so to doe For the Writ for them is onely ad faciendum et consentiendum to those things whereof His Majestie shall consult and treat with his Prelates and Nobles et de communi consilio Regni shall be there ordained as appeares by the Writ Here is no separate power given over the Kings people to them but onely ad faciendum et consentiendum 4 Pars. institut 23.24.25 and in all times this hath beene expounded and restrained to that which concerned their owne Members in Relation to the publique Service as he is a Member of the corporate body of the Parliament wherof the King is the Head But that the House of Commons have committed any man for Treason Murder or Felony or for any offence that had no relation to a Member of the House of Commons as it is against Law and Reason so no instance can be given till this Parliament 19 H. 6.43 22. E. 4.22 5 H. 4. cap. 8. 3 H. 6.46 All Questions and trials where witnesse are examined the examination is upon oath by the Law by all our Bookes Statutes every dayes practice Examination without an Oath is but a loose discourse therefore the House of Commons not claiming power to give an Oath have no power to examine any man No man shall bee imprisoned by the King or His Councell unlesse it be
facto but not de jure Ed. 4. c. â— but not de jure as appeares by the Acts of Parliament declaring them so And by all our Law-Bookes and the fundamentall constitution of the Land Regall power is hereditarie and not elective For the words vulgus-elegerit if vulgus be applyed to the House of Commons 1 H. 7. they of themselves can make no Lawes The Peeres were never yet tearmed vulgus but allowing they be so called the Lawes to be made must be just and who is fit to judge thereof is before made evident Customes cannot referre to future time â—5 Ob. and both are conpled Lawes and Customes Princes have beene deposed and may be by the two Houfes go. The deposers were Traytors Sol. as appeares by the resolution of all the Judges of England Coke Chap. Treason in the second part of the Institutes And never was King deposed but in tumultuous and mad times and by the power of Armies and they who were to be the succeeding Kings in the head of them as Edward the third and Henry the fourth The appeale to the Parliament for errors in judgements in all Courts 16 Ob. is frequent go. This is onely to the House of Lords Sol. and that is not the Parliament the House of Commons have nothing to doe therewith and in the House of Peeres if a Writ of Error be brought to reverse any judgement there is first a petition to the King for the allowance thereof and the reason of the Law in this case is for that the Judges of the Land all of them the Kings Councell and twelve Masters of the Chancerie assist there by whose advice erroneous judgements are redressed The Parliaments have determined of the rights of Kings 17 Ob. as in Henry the sixts time and others and Parliaments have bound the succession of Kings as appeares by the Statute of the thirteenth of Q. Elizab. Chapter the first and the discent of the Crowne is guided rather by a Parliamentarie Title then by Common Law go. If this Objection be true Sol. that the Title to the Crowne is by Parliament then we had no Usurpers for they all had Parliaments to back them yea Richard the third that Monster All cur Bookes of Law say they have the Crowne by discent and the Statutes of the Land declare that they have the same by inherent birth-right And the Statute of the thirteenth of Elizabeth the first Chapter was made to secure Q Elizabeth against the Qu. of Scaâ—â— then in the kingdome clayming the Grown of England and having many adherent◠〈…〉 〈…〉 〈…〉 And that Statute to that end a firmes no such power in the two Homfor which is the Question but in Q Elizabeth and the two Houses which makes against the pretence of this time Master Prynne fol. 104. of his booke intituled The Parliaments supreme power c. Objecting the Statute of the first of Queen Elizabeth and his own Oath that the king is the onely supreme Governour of this Realme Answers The Parliament is the supreme power and the king supreme Governour And yet there he allowes him a Negative Voyce and fol. 107. confesseth that Acts of Parliament translated the Crowne from the right Heires at Common-law to others who had no good Title then the Parliamentary Title makes not the king so powerfull in truth that it escapes from a man unawares To make a distinction betweene Supreme Governour and Supreme power is very strange for who can Governe without power The king assembles the Parliament by His Writ adjourns Vide Speed 645.4 par Instit 27. 1. prorogues and dissolves the Parliament by the law at his pleasure as is evident by constant practise the House of Commons never sate after an adjournment of the Parliament by the kings command Where is the supreme Power The king by his Oath 1â—â— Ob. is bound to deny no man right much lesse the Parliament to agree to all just and necessary lawes proposed by them to the king This is the substance of the discourse against the kings Negative Voyce The king is so bound as is set downe in the Objection but who shall judge whether the Bill proposed be just and necessary Sol. For all that they doe propose are so pretended and carried in either House sometimes by one or two Voyces or some few as aforesaid and certainly as hath been shewn the king his Councell of State his Judges Sargeants Attorney Sollicitor and twelve Masters of the Chatcery can better judge of them then two or three or few more Mr. Pryn fol. 45. In his book of the Parliaments interest to nominate Privie-Councellors calleth the opinion of the Spencers to divide the Person of the King from his Crowne a strange opinion Calvins case 7. pars fol. 11. and cites Calvins Case but leaves out the conclusions there in mentioned fol. 15. Master Prynne saith there But let this opinion bee what it will without the Kings Grace and Pardon it will goe very far and two Acts of Parliament there mentioned are beyond an opinion And in his Book of the opening of the Great Scale fol. 17. The Parliament hath no jurisdiction to use the Great Seale for Pardons Generall or Particular Where is the Supreme power Mr. â—9 Ob. Prynnes opening of the Seale pag. 19. saith The Noblemen and State the day after the Funerall of King Henry the third King Edward the first his sonne being in the Holy Land made a new Great Seale and Keepers of the same And in Henry the sixts time in the first yeere of his Reigne the like was done in Parliament A facto Sol. ad jus is no good Argument for that in Edward the firsts time it was no Parliament for King Henry the 3. was dead which dissolved the Parliament if called in his time and it could be no Parliament of Edward the firsts time for no Writ issued to summon a Parliament in his Name nor could issue but under that New Seale it was so sodainly done after Henry the thirds death King Edward the first being then in the Holy Land it was the first yeere of his Reign and no Parliament was held that yeere nor the second yeere of his Reigne The first Parliament that was in his Reigne was in the third yeere of his Reigne as appeares by the Printed Acts. Also the making of that Seale was by some Lords then present What hand had the Commons in it Concerning the Seale made in Henry the sixths time the Protector was Vice-Roy according to the course of Law and so the making of that Seal was by the Protector in the Kings name and that Protector Humphrey Duke of Gloucester as Protector in the kings Name summoned that Parliament and was Protector made by the Lords and not in Parliament as appeareth plainely for that Parliament was in the first of Henry the sixth and the first holden in his time and power given by Commission to the
said Duke then Protector to summon that Parliament Prynne ibid. fol. 19. â—â—t the new count câ—fe it Seale was made when the King was at Gâ—xford in his own kingdome and not in the holy Land Mâ— Prynne in his Book of the two Houses power to impose Taxes restraines Malignants against any Habeas Corpus 20. Ob. c. saith that the Parliament is above Magna Charta and fol. 15. ibid. The Parliament hath power over Magna Charta to repeale the same when there is Cause This Argument supposeth that they have the kings power Sol. which hath appeared formerly they have not But suppose they had Magna Charta containes many morall Lawes which by the Law of the Land a Parliament cannot alter 21 H. 7.2 D. Student 2. Dialogue For example it saith cap 18 Justice shall not be sold delayed noâ— denyed to any man but by this Argument the Parliament may make law to delay deny and to sell Justice which surely is a very ill position to maintaine What they would have doth now by the Propositions sent to Nâ—â—â— castlâ— to his Majesty appeare whereby they would have him divest himselfe and settle in them all his kingly power by Sea and land and of themselves â—o have power without him today upon the people of this land what taxes they think meet to abolish the Common prayer booke to abolish Episcopacie and to introduce a Church Government not yet agreed but such as they shall agree on His Majesâ—y finding 〈◊〉 prevailing pâ—rty in both Houses to 〈…〉 and being chased away with Tumults from London leaves the Houses for these Reasons 〈◊〉 First because to 〈◊〉 the Government for Religion in against the king 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against their Oathes For every of them hath sworne in this Parliament That His Mâ—jâ—sty is the 〈◊〉 supreme Governour in all Causes Ecclesiasticall and over all persons Thirdly This course is against Magna Charta the 1. chap. and the last Salvae suis Episcopis omnes libertates suae Confirmed by thirty two Acts of Parliament and in the two and fortieth of Edward the third in the first Chapter enacts If any Statute be made to the contrary it shall be holden for none and so it is for Judgements at Law in the 25. of Edward the 1. chap. 1 2. The Great Charter is declared to bee the Common Law of the Land Fourthly they endeavour to take away by their Propositions the Government of Bishops which is as ancient as Christianity in this Land and the Book of Common-Prayer setled by five Acts of Parliament and compiled by the Reformers and Martyrs and practised in the time of foure Princes Fifthly these Propositions taking away from His Majesty all his power by land and Sea rob him of that which all his Ancestours kings of this Realme have enjoyed That Enjoyment and Usage makes the Law and a Right by the same to His Majesty They are against their owne Protestation made this Parliament viz. to maintaine His Royall person Honour and Estate They are against their Covenant which doth say that they will not diminish His Just Power and Greatnesse For these Reasons His Majesty hath left them and as iâ— beleeved will refuse to agree to the said Propositions as by the Fundamentall Law of the land hee may having a Negative Voyce to any Bills proposed The result of all is upon the whole matter That the king thus leaving of the Houses and his Denyall to passe the said Propositions are so farre from making him a Tyrant or not in a condition to Governe at the present That thereby hee is rendred a Just Magnanimous and pious Prince so that by this it appeares clearly to whom the Miseries of these Times are to be imputed The remedy for all is an Act of Oblivion and a Generall pardon God save the KING DAVID JENKINS now Prisoner in the Tower 28 Aprilis 1647. THE CORDIALL OF JVDGE JENKINS For the good People of LONDON In Reply to a thing called AN Answer to the Poysonous Seditious Paper of Mr David Jenkins By H.P. Barrester of Lincolns-Inne Printed in the Yeare 1647. The Cordial of Judge Jenkings for the good People of London c. After the said Mr H.P. hath made a recitall of the Heads of my Vindication hee deduceth his Answer unto these eight Particulars which follow verbatum 1. It cannot be denyed but the Parliament sits by the Kings Writ â—ay if Statute Law be greater then the Kings Writ it cannot be denyed but the Parliament sits or ought to sit by something greater then the Kings Writ And if it be confessed that the Parliament sits by the Kings Writ but does not Act by the Kings Writ then it must follow that the Parliament is a void vaine Court and sits to no purpose nay it must also follow that the Parliament is of lesse authority and of lesse use then any other inferiour Court forasmuch as it is not in the Kings power to controule other Courts or to prevent them from sitting or Acting 2. This is a grosse non sequitur the Kings power is in himself Ergo it is not derived to nor does reside virtually in the Parliament For the light of the Sun remaines imbodied and unexhausted in the Globe of the Sun at the same time as it is diffused and displayed through all the body of the â—yre and who sees not that the King without emptying himselfe gives commissions daily of Oyer and Terminer to others which yet he himselfe can neither frustrate nor clude but for my part I conceive it is a great errour to inferre that the Parliament has onely the Kings power because it has the Kings power in it for it seemes to me that the Parliament does both sit and act by concurrent power devolved both from the King and Kingdom And this in some things is more obvious and apparent then in others For by what power does the Parliament grant Subsidies to the King if only by the power which the King gives then the King may take Subsidies without any grant from the Parliament and if it be so by a power which the people give to the Parliament Then it will follow the Parliament has a power given both by King and Kingdome 3. The sending Propositions to the King and desiring his concurrence is scarce worth an Answer for Subjects may humbly petition for that which is their strict right and property Nay it may sometimes beseeme a superiour to preferre suite to an inferiour for matters in themselves duâ— God himselfe has not utterly disdained to beseech his own miserable impious unworthy creatures besides t is not our Tenet that the King has no power because he has not all power nor that the King cannot at all promote our happinesse because hee has no just claime to procure our ruine 4. We affirm not that the Kings power is separated from his Person so as the two Spencers affirmed neither doe we frame conclusions out of that separation as the two