Speaker of the House of Commons worth 2000 l. per an besides rewards for courtesies not to say Bribes Master of the Rolls worth 3000 l. per an beside the sale of Offices Chamberlain of Chester in the Earl of Darbies place And until of late Chancellor of the Dutchey of Lancaster worth 1230 l. per an and one of the Commissioners of their great Seal worth 1500 l. per an and had 6000 l. given him at one time by the House 2. Bulstrode Whitlock Commissioner of the great Seal worth 1500 l. per an and had 2000 l. given him out of Mr George Minn's estate 3. Edmund Prideaux formerly a Commissioner for the great Seal worth 1500 l. per an Now by Ordinance practices within the Bar as one of the Kings Councel worth 500 l. per an and is Postmaster for all Inland Letters worth 100 l. every Tuesday night beside his supper and it was thus got The Lord Stanhop the Postmasters and Carriers of England complained in Parliament against Mr. Witherings and others touching the carrying of Letters whereupon the benefit of forein Letters were given to the Earl of Warwick worth 5000 l. per an and the Inland Letters to Mr. Prideaux good Parliament Justice 4. Roger Hill a Barrester of the Temple in no practice nor of a considerable estate till this Parliament hath now from the House the Bishop of Winchesters Mannor of Taunton Dean being the best of England and worth 1200 l. per an when the estates for lives determine 5. Humphrey Salway the Kings Remembrancer in Mr. Fanshaw's place worth 200 l. per an 6. Francis Rous Provost of Eaton in Dr. Stewards place worth 600 l. per annum and hath got a College Lease worth 600 l. per annum 7. John Lisle Barrester of the Temple Master of St. Crosses in Dr. Lewes his place being a place for a Divine and worth 800 l. per annum 8. Oliver St. John by Ordinance both Attorney and Solicitor to the King worth what he please to make it and hath the passing of all Pardons upon Commissions worth 40000 l. 9. Sir William Allison Alderman of York Clerk of the Hamper worth 1000 per an he hath Crabb-Castle worth 600 l. per an Sometimes the Bishop of Yorks in York-shire 10. Thomas Hoile Alderman of York Treasurers Remembrancer in the Exchequer in Sir Peter Osburn's place worth 1200 l. per annum 11. Thomas Pury Senior first a Weaver in Glocester then an ignorant Countrey Solicitor had 3000 l. given him and Mr. Gerrards place in the Petty-bag worth 400 l. per an 12. Thomas Pury Junior Son to the Elder Receiver of the Kings Rents in Glocester and Wilts Clerk of the Peace of Glocester-shire worth 200 l. per an and Captain of Foot and Horse the first year of this Parliament servant to Mr. Towneshead an Attorney of Staple Inne 13. William Ellis Steward of Stepney worth 200 l. per an and by him sold to one of the Temple 14. Miles Corbet at the beginning of the Parliament 3000 l. in debt for himself and his Mother more than he was worth now one of the Registers in Chancery worth 700 l. per an besides Chair-man for scandalous Ministers worth 1000 l. per an And hath money in his purse 15. John Goodwyne the other Register in Chancery worth 700 l. per annum 16. Sir Thomas Widdrington a Commissioner of the great Seal worth 1500 l. per. an 17. Edward Bishe Garter Herauld in Sir Edward Walkers place worth 600 l. per an 18. * Walter Strickland Agent in Holland for the two Houses of Parliament worth to him 5000 l. 19. Nicholas Love Mr. Speakers Chamber-fellow one of the six Clerks in Chancery in Mr. Penruddocks place worth 2000 l. per annum 20. Sir Gilbert Gerrard much in debt before the Parliament pay-master to the Army and had 3d. per pound allowed besides Gratuities worth 60000 l. and now Chancellor of the Dutchey worth 1200. per an 21. Gilbert Gerrard his second son Clerk of the Dutchey and for whose benefit the Clerk-ship of the Assize in Norfolk is granted to Mr. Edward Garret his Cozen by the procurement of Sir Gilbert and is worth 500 l. per an 22. John Selden had given him 5000 l. of which he received 2500 l. pound 23. * John Bond Son to Dennis Bond a Parliament man made Master of Trinity-Hall in Cambridge which Mr. Selden refused to accept of 24. Sir Benjamin Rudiard given him 5000 l. And hath he not deserved it 25. * Lucas Hodges Customer of Bristol 26. Sir John Hipsley hath the keeping of three of the Kings Parks Mary-bone-Park that was Mr. Carewes Hampton-Park and Bushy-Park and given him 2000 l. in Money 27. Sir Thomas Walsingham the Honour of Eltham that was the Earl of Dorsets the middle-Park and house which was Master Whines and hath cut down 4000. Timber Trees 28. Benjamine Valentine given him 5000 l. 29. * Sir Henry Heyman given him 5000 l. 30. Denzell Hollis given him 5000 l. 31 * Nath. Bacon given him 3000 l. 32. * John Steevens given him out of the Lord Astley's Composition 1000 l. 33. * Henry Smith made one of the six Clerks worth 2000 l. per annum 34. Robert Renolds had 2000 l. given him Besides Abingdon-Hall and the Lands worth 400 l. per annum Hath bought a good penny-worth of Bishops Lands hath 20000 l. beyond Sea as he made appear upon his Mariage 35. Sir John Clotworthy Treasurer for Ireland and by the Army charged with defrauding of the State of 40000 l. which may be one reason the King could never get an Account of the monies raiâ—ed for the Irish though he desired it 36 â—ohn Ashe given him out of Mr. John Coventry's Composition 4â—00 l. out of Sir Edward Mosely's 1000 l. out of Mr. Edw. Phâ—â—'s 1200 l. out of Sir John Powel's estate 8000 l. And which is wâ—â—ll this is the great Chairman at Goldsmiths Hall Is not this better than cloathing 37. * John Lenthall son to the Speaker made one of the six Clerks worth 2000 l. per annum 38. * Francis Allen a poor Goldsmith at St. Danstans in Fleetstreet now made a Customer for London In honour of whom clipped moneys are called Allens 39. Giles Green the Reciver of York-shire being put out of his place got it for his Son-in-Law is Chair-man for the Navy and for Sir Thomas Daws his estate and what it was worth to him Sir Thomas Daws his Creditors will tell you for they got nothing 40. Francis Pierpoint hath the Arch-bishop of York's Lands lying in Nottingham-shire 41. William Pierpoint hath 7000 l. given him and all the Earl of Kingston's personal Estate worth 40000 l. 42. * John Palmer Mr. of All-Souls in Oxford in Doctor Shelden's place a Divine 43. * John Blackeston a poor shop-keeper in New Castle was Executor to the Executor of Sir John Fenner trusted with 6000 l. for Charitable uses and was sued in Chancery to perform the trust but got himself returned a
Burgess for New-Castle by the Scots Garrison there had 3000 l. given him out of one Gentlemans Composition and out of others as much as made it up 12000 l. as was made appear at a Committee before Mr. Sandis of the Temple Chair-man hath also a Cole-meeter's place worth 200 l. per annum and the Bishop of Durham's Castle at Durham and Lands of great value 44. Tho. Ceely long a Prisoner for debt helped out by the Parliament and made Recorder of Bridgewater 45. * Thomas Moor an Officer in the Custom-house and his brother Governor of Ludlow 46. * Scawine given him 2000 l. 47. Isaac Pennington twice broke once Lieutenant of the Tower a year and a half Lord Mayor of London before his time had 7000 l. given him and hath store of Bishops Lands 48. Samuel Vassel given him 1000 l. 49. Oliver Cromwel Leiut Gen. hath 2500 l. per an given him out of the Marquess of Worcesters Estate for which 4000 l. per an is set out at the rate of 2500 l. 50. Sir Wil. Brereton Col. Gen. for the Cheshire Forces hath Cashobery and other Lands of the L. Capels worth 2000 l. per an and the Archbishops house and Lands at Croiden where he hath turned the Chappel into a Kitchin A goodly Reformation and fits with his stomack as well as his Religion 51. * Thomas Waite Collonel Governour of Burley where he thrives so well as he is now buying 500 l. per an who before was not able to buy 5 l. a year 52. Sir Oliver Luke decayed in his Estate Collonel of H rse 53. Sir Samuel Luke his Son Collonel and scout-Scout-master for the Counties of Bedford c. 54. * Thomas Gell Leiut Col. to Sir John Gell made Recorder of Derby in Mr. Allistrie's place 55. Valentine Walton Collonel and Governour of Lin Regis 36. * Richard Norton Collonel Governour of Southampton 57. * Edward Harvy late a poor Silk-man now Col. and hath got the Bishop of London's House and Mannor of Fulham 58. Edward Rossiter Collonel and Generall of all the Lincolnshire Forces and Governour of Belvory Castle 59. * Sir Michael Livesey Col. Sequestrator and plunder-Plunder-master General of Kent 60. * Henry Ireton son in Law to Lieutenant General Cromwel Colonel and Commissary General 61. * Richard Salway Col. formerly a Grocer's man 62. * John Birch formerly a Carrier now a Colonel 63. * Thomas Rainsborough a Skipper of Lin Col. Governour of Woodstock and Vice-Admiral of England 64. * Robert Black Col. Governour of Taunton 65. * Francis Russel Colonel 66. * Rowland Wilson Colonel 67. * Robert Harley Col. son to Sir Robert Harley 68. * Richard Brown Major General and Governour of Abingdon 69. * Peter Temple Captain of a Troop of Horse 70. * John Ven Colonel Governour of Windsor had 4000 l. given him 71. * Algernon Sidney Governour of Dover-Castle 72. * Richard Ingolsby Colonel Governour of Oxford 73. * John Hutchinson Colonel Governour of Nottingham 74. * Sir John Palgrave Col. at the siege of Newark 75. * Edmund Ludlow Governour of 76. * Cornelius Holland renteth as much of the Kings Grounds for 200 l. per an as is worth 1600 l. or 1800 l. per an 77. * Philip Skippon Sergeant-Major-General of the Army Major-Gen of London and Governoor of Bristol had 1000 l. per an lands of inheritance given him 78. * Charls Fleetwood Colonel 79. * Thomas Westrow Capt. under Sir Michael Livesey was nothing worth until a Captain and a Parliament man and now hath gotten the Bishop of Worcesters Manor of Hartlerow which proves he hath two good and beneficial offices 80. Henry Martyn Col. of a Regiment of Horse and a Regiment of Whores 81. Nathaniel Fiennes Col. once Governour of Bristol Thereby hangs a Tail 82. Anthony Stapley Col. Governour of Chichester 83. Alexander Rigby Col. and Governour of Bolton 84. Charls Pym Captain of a Troop of Horse 85. Sir Arthur Haslerig Colonel Governour of New-Castle and hath the Bishop of Durham's house Park and Manor of Aukland and 6500 l. in money given him 86. William Jepson Colonel 87. Sir Thomas Middleton Major-General for Denbigh and five other Counties 88. Godfrey Boswell Colonel 89. The Lord Gray of Grooby son to the E. of Stamford Col. and hath given to him the Queens Manor house Park and Lands at Holdenby and ther 's a great fall of the Woods 90. Sir Will. Constable Col. Governour of Glocester he sold his lands to Sir Marmaduke Langdale for 25000 l. and is restored to it again by Parliament 91. Sir Will. Purefoy Col. and Governour of Coventry fought resolutely against the Crosse in the Market place at Warwick and against the Ancient Monuments in the Earls Chappel in St. Maries Church there for which he had 1500 l. given him but when he should have fought with the Enemy hid himself in a Barley-field for which a Water-man at Temple stairs that had been his souldier refused to carry him 92. Sir Edward Hungerford Col. famous for plundering Warder Castle hath the Lands of the Countesse Dowager of Rutland worth 1500 l. per an and she allowed but 500 l. 93. Harbert Morley Col. Plunder-master of Surrey 94. John Moor Col. of the Guards and for some time had the benefit of Passes out of London 95. Walter Long Col. had 5000 l. and the Office of Register for 4. years 96. Sir Will. Waller General and lost two Armies yet a gainer by the employment 97. John Allured Col. 98. Michael Oldsworth no Col. but Governour of Pembroke and Mountgomery and hath a share with his Lord out of Sir Henry Comptons Office worth 3000 l. per an and is Keeper of Windsor Park 99. Tho. Scot a Brewers Clerk formerly hath the Bishops house at Lambeth 100. Master Ashhurst when he went Commissioner into Scotland had the Clerk of the Peaces place for Lancashire and 1000 l. in money given him Besides these Offices Commands and Gratuities every Member of the House of Commons being in all 516. are by their own Order allowed 4 l. per Week a man which amounts to 110000 l. per annum By the Ordinance for sequestring Delinquents 1 April 1643. it was declared That their Estates should go for maintenance of the Publick Affairs and several Ordinances designed Bishops Lands for pay of 200000 l. Publick debt Yet by this and the following Centuries thou shalt see how both Delinquents Estates and Bishops Lands are by Members of Parliament shared amongst themselves whilest the 200000 l. is unpaid the publick affairs supported by unsupportable Taxes and that Dutch Devil Excise that insensibly devours the poor and will impoverish the rich These are they that with Hananiah break the wooden yoke from our necks 28 Jeremiah and put on one of Iron free us from a little Ship-money paid thrice in an Age and impose as much at once for a Monthly Taxe quit us of the Monopolies of Tobacco and set up Excise on Bread and Beer The first easeth the wanton rich man and the
deserted or never taken the Covenant to carry on new designs for their own advantage do now mis-apply the title of Malignant and Rebell to those which fight for the Covenant because they will not change their principles with them for Company And upon this ground onely were the four Aldermen seven Lords Sir John Maynard c. impeached and imprisoned onely for such actions as the Covenant which they took by authority of Parliament bound them in conscience unto and for which they had a special Ordinance of Parliament made this very Sessions and not to raise a new War as was scandalously and violently enforced upon them Had it come to a new War it must have been laid at their doores that subvert the Principles in the Covenant Many have taken the Covenant in obedience to you and are bound up by it and now to leave other men at large not to take it and accuse them of Treason for endeavouring to keep it is very unjust You have lately promised the Scots you will adhere to the Covenant How can they believe this unlesse you injoyn all to take it And so long as you put all the Arms Garrisons and ships of the Kingdom and all places of power profit and preferment into the hands of Schismaticks and Antimonarchists whose principles and actings run counter to the Covenant and such as talk much of your service but have done onely their own in order to which they refused to obey you and Disband ravished the King from you at Holdenby kept you in wardship ever-since and dishonoured and brought you low 〈◊〉 treasonable scandalous threatning Engagements Declarati◠〈◊〉 Remonstrances and other Papers But those that would have had the Covenant current could not get the question put 96. Oâ—burn's information concerning a design to murder the King See The Independents loyalty a Book so called Upon Saturday 17 June 1648 about one of the clock afternoon most of the House being gone to dinner and very few Presbyterians left the Speaker of the House of Commons stood up and told the House that he had received Letters from Richard Osburn he that projected to deliver the King out of the custody of Colonel Hammond at Carisbrook-Castle that he conceived the Letters tended only to the setting of us altogether by the Ears and propounded whether they should be read or no some were against the reading of them but the Major part called to have them read which was doâ—e accordingly The Letter to the said Speaker had a copy of another Letter enclosed in it to the Lord Wharton which bore date 1 June 1648. to this purpose Giving his Lordship to understand That upon private conference with Captain ROLF a man very intimate with Colonel Hammond and high in the esteem of the Army the said Captain Rolf told him the said Osburn that to his knowledge Hammond had received several Letters from the Army advising him to remove the KING out of the way by Poyson or any other means for it would much conduce to their affairs But said Rolf Hammond had a good allowance for keeping the KING and is therefore unwilling to lose so beneficial an imployment But saith Rolf if you will joyn with me we will endeavour to convey away the KING to some secret place and we may then do what we will with Him Osburn offers in his said Letter That if he may come and go with safety he would come and justifie the same upon Oath He likewise writ to the Speaker of the Lords House about it Then was read Osburn's Letter to Mr. Lenthall Speaker dated 10. June 1648. containing the same Narration with an offer to appear and make it good upon Oath if he might come and go with safety and freedom The Clerk had no sooner done reading this Letter but with a slight neglect and the laughter of some Members the businesse was passed over without debate and Mr. Scawen stood up to propound a new businesse from the Army when presently Mr. Walker interrupting Scawen desired to speak a 〈◊〉 to the late businesse and asked Mr. Speaker from whence 〈◊〉 Letter came and who brought it the Speaker called upon the Sergeant of the Mace who Answered The Letter was given him at the door by a man that he knew not that he had many Letters and Papers thrust upon him of which he could give no account but he would endeavour to find the Messenger Then Mr. Walker urged that such an information coming to the House ought not to be neglected whether true or false but to be examined and sifted to the bottom If the KING should die a naturall death or any mischance befall him the People calling to mind how little care we had taken of his safety would never be satisfied with our protestation and moved that a Committee might be named to examine Osburn Rolf Hammond and such others whose names should occur in the Examination This was seconded by Sir Simond Dewes Mr. Henry Hungerford Mr. Edward Stevens and some others who pressed it farther but received a slight Answer That those that desired to examine the businesse knew not where to find Osburn That Osburn was a Malignant and had attempted to set the KING at liberty To which Mr. Walker replied That the other day we had named a Committee to examine the businesse concerning the Foot-boy that strook Sir Henry Mildmay and yet we neither knew then where to find the Foot-boy or what his name was If we do but publish that Osburn shall with freedom and safety come and go in case he appear to make good his Charge either he will appear or we shall declare him an Impostor and punish him when we take him and clear the reputation of those upon whom this Letter seems to reflect Consider how vast a difference there is between beating a Subject and Killing a King And if Osburn whom I know not be a Malignant yet unlesse you can prove him a Nullifidian or a person convict of Perjury both according to the Rules of Christian Charity and in the charitable intendment of our Laws his Oath is valid and good Then Tho. Scot stood up and said That this pressing for a Committee to examine this businesse was but a device to draw Colonel Hammond and Rolf up to Town to be examined that the KING might the easier make an escape And Sir John Evelin of Wilts alleged that he conceived this was an invention of Osburns to bring the King to Town with Honour Freedom and Safety Then Walker stood up again but was interrupted by Master Hill and not suffered to speak having already spoken twice At the end of almost every motion made for a Committee to examine the businesse either Mr. Scawen or Major General Skippon stood up and offered to divert the businesse by new matter concerning the Army which usually beareth all other businesses down before it At last those few that moved for an Examination of this Information having spoken as often as the
the Independent Faction whose interest it is to keep themselves rich and all men else poor argued the case meerly upon point of profit and conveniency and neglected the right and jus of the businesse They alleged That men of desperate resolutions would not reward the losse of their own lives so as they might preserve their Wives and Children That the State as they pleased to stile it would lose much by such an example they could not therefore approve of the lenity of the Lords and Commons used in Walls case many had been Sequestred after death and so arguing à facto ad jus alleged that in case of Monopolies satisfaction had been awarded out of dead mens Estates But they forgot that out of Sequestrations no satisfaction is given to the parties wronged the Committees and Sequestrators imbezelling the profits of them to increase their own gains not bestowing them to repair injured mens losses and so the equity upon which this President is founded faileth in case of Sequestrations Thus you see these greedy Canibal Saints like the hungry dogs that ate Jesabel will devour carrion or any thing that will make them fat and full yet they declared They were willing this Sequestration should be bestowed upon Master Copley as a Gratuity not as a Right for fear of the example Observe that if Master Copley had waived his Title by Composition and accepted this Wardship as a Gift they would presently have published it in their News books and Gilbert Mabbot should have proclaimed to all the world that Presbyterians and Independents might be thought alike guilty of impoverishing the Kingdom for the Faction labours nothing more than to have Companions in their sins and shames At last it was passed That Mr. Copley should have the Wardship restored to him but great care taken it should not be drawn into example hereafter that a man may not be Sequestred for Delinquency after his death Cavete vobis mortui atque sepulti dead mens graves are not secure from these Lycanthropi these Lou-garons 129. The Messengers to the King Report their Message in the House of Commons Monday 14. August Master Bulkeley in the name of himself and his fellow-Commissioner Sir I. Hippesly sent to the King to acquaint him with the Vote of the two Houses That they desired a Treaty with the King upon the Propositions of Hampton-Court in what place of the Island of Wight He should think fit and that the Treaty shall be with Honour Freedom and Safety to His Majesty Reported to the House of Commons all the circumstances and emergencies of their imployment the Kings Letter of Answer being carried to the Lords by the Earl of Middlesex and therefore not delivered to the Commons for the present which with much candor were related as followeth That the KING bad them welcom saying they came about a welcom businesse PEACE which no man desired with more earnestnesse than Himself and if there did not ensue a Peace the fault should not lie at his dore and that He feared no obstructions from any but those who gained by the War He farther said that His Majesty desired immediatly after the delivery of the Votes to speak a word with them in private which they modestly excused for want of Commission That about two days after his Majesty seeing the said Commissioners of the Parliament standing in the Presence Chamber first beckoned the Earl of Middlesex to him and had some short discourse singly with him and then with Sir John Hippesly and Master Bulkeley one after another These three Gentlemen afterwards comparing their notes found the Kings discourse to every of them to be all to one effect viz. Expressing His desires of a good peace and importuning them to do all good Offices conducing thereto He farther related that when they took leave of His Majesty He delivered His Answer in writng to them unsealed telling them He doubted not their fidelity though ill use had been made of His last Answer which he sent open it having been debated in private and a prejudice put upon it before it was presented to the Houses This free and unpartial Report shewing how earnest his Majesty is for Peace did the King so much Right that the Antimonarchical Faction looked upon it as done to their wrong and Herbert Morley presently spit out his Venom to this purpose Mr. Speaker These Gentlemen have delivered all to you but what they should deliver that is the Kings Answer which they have suffered first to be carried to the Lords they might have delivered you at least a Copy thereof it should seem Morley had forgot that the House proceeds not upon Copies My motion is that since these Gentlemen have exceeded their Commission by conferring privatly with the King the House may do well either to question them therefore or give them an Act of Oblivion for their good service This was cried upon a long time by the whole kennell of the Faction and at last put off till the next day when the Lords sending down the Kings Letter the House should have the whole businesse before them The next day being Tuesday 15. August 130. The aforesaid Messengers again the Kings aforesaid Letter of Answer with divers Votes thereupon were sent down from the Lords to the House of Commons when presently the Beagles of the Faction spent their mouths freely against the said Commissioners again for lending the KING the civility of an eare in private as abovesaid After a long debate at last this Objection stopped the Mouths of Malice it self That if these Gentlemen had reported an aversnesse in the King to Peace and aggravated His Words as other Messengers had formerly done whereof the King seem'd to complain it would have proved a welcome discovery and have been rewarded with Thanks instead of an Act of Oblivion So with much adoe Thanks were given to the said Gentlemen with approbation of their proceedings The same day the Militia of London were called into the House of Commons 131. The Militia of London Concerning private Listing by Skippon and the Militia of the City where Alderman Gybs in the name of the Common-Council and Militia not by Petition but in a set Speech delivered the fears and jealousies of the City even of the gravest wisest and best affected occasioned by Skippon's underhand Listing of Schismaticks Antimonarchists his setting up thereby a power against a power to the endangering of a civil War within the Bowels of the City weakning of the Trained Bands deboshing Servants from their Masters Children from their Parents That under colour of Skippon's private Listings other private Listings were carried on by Malignants the Magistrates of the City not being able to question either and distingush one from the other That fear was a violent passion and was now grown so universal that the Common Council knew not how to give satisfaction therein the Citizens usually clamouring that if the Houses did not give them leave to look to
both Houses and now into Orders of a remaining Faction of one House 1. That the People that is their own faction according to their said Principle are under God the originall of all just power 2. That the Commons of England in Parliament assembled being chosen by and representing the People have the supreme power of this Nation 3. That whatsoever is enacted or declared for Law by the House of Commons assembled in Parliament hath the force of Law and all the People of this Nation are concluded therby although the consent or concurrence of the King or House of Peers be not had thereunto This chain-shot sweeps away King Lords Laws Liberties property and fundamentall Government of this Nation at once and deposites all that is or can be neer or deare unto us in scrinio pectoris in the bosomes and consciences of 50. or 60. factious covetous Saints the dregs and lees of the House of Commons sitting and acting under the power of an Army and yet the House of Commons never had any Power of Iudicature nor can legally administer an Oath but this in pursuance of their aforesaid Principle That they may pass through any form of Government to carry on their Design The Diurnall tells you there was not a Negative Voice this shews under what a terror they sit when in things so apparently untrue no man durst say No so the said Declaratory Vote and Ordinance for Triall of His Majesty by a Court Martiall if the Diurnall speak true and yet the King no Prisoner of War was passed onely in the name and by the Authority of the Commons Notwithstanding the Order of the House That the Clerk should not deliver a Copy of the said Ordinance to any man I here present the Reader with a Copy thereof * An Act of Parliament of the House of Commons for Tryall of Charls Stuart King of England 59. The Act for Triall of the King VVHeras it is notorious that Charles Stuart the now King of England was not content with the many incroachments which his Predecessors had made upon the People in their Rights and Freedom hath had a wicked Design to subvert the ancient and foundamentall Laws and Liberties of this Nation and in their place to introduce an Arbytrary and Tyrannicall Government Quaere Whether the Faction do not translate these Crimes from themselves to the King with many others and that besides all evil waies to bring His Design to pass He hath prosecuted it with fire and sword levied and maintained a Civill Warre in the Land against the Parliament and Kingdom whereby this Countrie hath been miserablie wasted the publique Treasure exhausted Trade decayed thousands of People murdered and infinite of other mischiefs committed for all which high offences the said Charls Stuart might long since have been brought to exemplary and condigne punishment Whereas also the Parliament well hoping that the restraint and imprisonment of His Person after it had pleased God to deliver Him into their hands would have quieted the distempers of the Kingdom did forbear to proceed judicially against Him but found by sad experience that such their remissness served onely to encourage Him and His Complices in the continuance of their evil practices and raising new Commotions Rebellions and Invasions For prevention of the like and greater inconveniences and to the end no chief Officer or Magistrate may hereafter presume Traiterously and maliciously to imagine or contrive the enslaving or destroying of the English Nation and to expect impunity Be it enacted and ordained by the Commons in this present Parliament assembled and it is hereby enacted and ordained that Thomas Ld. Fairfax Generall Oliver cromwel Lieu. Generall Com. Gen. Ireton Major Gen. Skippon Sir Hardresse Waller Col. Valentine Walton Col. Thomas Harrison Col. Edward Whalley Col. Thomas Pride Col. Isaac Ewer Col. Rich Ingolsby Sir Henry Mildmay Sir Tho Honywood Thomas Lord Grey Philip Lord Lisle Will Lord Munson Sir John Danvers Sir Tho Maleverer Sir Iohn Bowcher Sir Iames Harington Sir William Brereton Robert Wallop Esquire Will Henningham Es Isaas Pennington Alderman Thomas Atkins Ald Col. Rowland VVilson Sir Peter VVentworth Col. Henry Martyn Col. William Purefoy Col. Godfrey Bosvill Iohn Trencherd Esq Col. Harbottle Morley Col. Iohn Berkstead Col. Mat. Tomblinson Iohn Blackstone Esq Gilb Millington Esq Sir Will Cunstable Col Edward Ludlow Col. Iohn Lambert Col. Io. Hutchingson Sir Arth Hazlerigge Sir Michael Livesley Rich Saloway Esq Humph Saloway Esq Col. Rob Titchburn Col. Owen Roe Col. Rob Manwaring Col. Robert Lilburn Col. Adrian Scroop Col. Richard Dean Col. Iohn Okey Col. Robert Overton Col. Iohn Harrison Col. Iohn Desborough Col. William Goffe Col. Rob Dukenfield Cornelius Holland Esq Iohn Carne Esq Sir Will Armine Iohn Iones Esq Miles Corbet Esq Francis Allen Esq Thomas Lister Esq Ben Weston Esq Peregrin Pelham Esq Iohn Gourdon Esq Serj. Francis Thorp Iohn Nut Esq Tho Challoner Esq Col. Algern Sidney Iohn Anlaby Esq Col. Iohn Moore Richard Darley Esq William Saye Esq Iohn Aldred Esq Iohn Fagge Esq Iames Nelthrop Esq Sir Will Roberts Col. Francis Lassels Col. Alex Rixby Henry Smith Esq Edmond Wilde Esq Iames Chaloner Esq Iosias Barnes Esq Dennis Bond Esq Humph Edwards Esq Greg Clement Esq Iohn Fray Esq Tho Wogan Esq Sir Greg Norton Serj. Iohn Bradshaw Col. Edm Harvey Iohn Dove Esq Col. Iohn Venn Iohn Foulks Ald. Thomas Scot Alder. Tho Andrews Ald William Cawley Esq Abraham Burrell Esq Col Anthony Stapley Roger Gratwicke Esq Iohn Downs Esq Col. Thomas Horton Col. Tho Hammond Col. George Fenwick Serj. Robert Nichols Rohert Reynolds Esq Iohn Lisl Esq Nicholas Love Esq Vincent Potter Sir Gilbert Pickering Iohn Weaver Eq. Iohn Lenthall Esq Sir Edward Baynton Iohn Corbet Esq Thomas Blunt Esq Thomas Boone Esq Augustin Garland Esq Augustin Skinner Esq Iohn Dickswell Esq Col. George Fleetwood Simon Maine Esq Col. Iames Temple Col. Peter Temple Daniel Blagrave Esq Sir Peter Temple Col. Thomas Wayte Iohn Brown Esq Iohn Lowry Esq Mr. Bradshaw nominated President Counsellors assistant to this Court and to draw up the Charge against the KING are Doctor Dorislau Master Steel Master Aske Master Cooke Serjeant Dandy Serjeant at Arms. Mr. Philips Clerk to the Court. Messengers and door-keepers are Master Walford Master Radley Master Paine Master Powel Master Hull And Mr. King Crier shall be and are hereby appointed Commissioners and Judges for the hearing trying and Judging of the said Charles Stuart and the said Commissioners or any 20 or more of them shall be and are hereby Authorized and Constituted an High Court of Justice to meet at such convenient times and place as by the said Commissioners or the major part or 20. or more of them under their hand and seals shall be appointed and notified by publick Proclamation in the great Hall or Palace-yard of Westminster and to adjourn from time to time and from place to place as the said High Court or the major part thereof meeting shall hold fit
out of the way the King the first and most visible legall Authority they will now put downe the Parliament the second visible Authority of England who are now the onely Bulwarke against the Tyranny of the Sword and then as Major White said at Putney long since there will be no visible Authority left in England but the power of the Sword which will introduce a new Parliament or rather fantastical new invented Representative destructive to Parliaments all of their owne Creatures as appeares by their next Proposition concerning succession of Parliaments 2. That nâ—ne shall be capable of Electing This is so explained by the Moderate one of the raling Pen-men of the Faction who hath a large share in the 500. or 600. a year allowed to these Pamphletires for divulging State-lies and slanders amongst the People who from Novemb. 14. to Novemb. 21. 1648. Number 19. defineth the People of England to be onely such as have not engaged for the King and such as shall sign to the Agreement of the People which is to be above Law and all the rest are to be Disfranchised or being Elected that have engaged against the publique Interest that is the Interest of them and their Party as appeares by their 5. Anarchical Principles in the beginning of this Paragraph nor any that oppose this Agreement By what Authority but the arbitrary sway of the Sword shall Freemen be Disfranchised and lose their Birth-rights for not changing the fundamentals of Parliaments Government and Law and yeilding them up to the lusts of an Army of Rebels that bragge they have Conquered the Kingdome and we are their Slaves 3. That Elections may be so distributed as to render the House of Commons a Representative of the whole People that is tagge and ragge and Canting Beggers who have nothing to give or lose as well as Free-holders so farewel Writs of Summons and all orderly legal formes if all men without any distinction may Elect and be Elected all will fall into confusion the Rabble will never agree all things will tend to Riots and Tumults so that the better and soberer fort will and must forbeare and leave all in the hands of the Rascallity and at last no Representative will be chosen or such an one as the People will be ashamed to owne and will desert them and leave them to be ordered at the pleasure of the Army 4. Prop. That our Kings hereafter may be Elective and disclaime a Negative Voice how frequent Civil Warres are in all Elective Kingdomes during the interregnum or space between the death of the old and choice of the new King how obnoxious to the Souldiery let the old Emperours of Rome those later of Germany the Kingdome of Poland and heretofore Bohemia and Hungary tell all Histories are full of examples yet if our elective Kings shall have neither the Militia nor a Negative Voice in Councels and the Crowne Revenues be otherwise disposed of as is inferred and their Heads exposed to the humours of the People or their Representative the Office will be so unworthy of any wise man that I do by these presents freely give my voice to the Lord Fairfax and so unfit for any honest Gentleman that I do hereby give my voice to Cromwell the perfidious Brewer catch who catch can let them agree amongst themselves I care not which of the two shall be set up for the new States Scar-Crow This Remonstrance was about a Week after seconded with a most insolent threatning Declaration composed altogether to terror it was occasioned as followeth About the latter end of November the Parliament was informed the Army was upon their march to London whereupon not without great opposition by the Armies Party in the House and with great caution it should be mannerly phrased for feare of angring his insolency a Letter was Voted to be sent the Generall forbidding his neerer approach In contempt whereof the Army immediatly printed the said Declaration accusing the Parliament of Breach of Trust Lightnesse Inconstancy Indiscretion saying They would appeale from them to the People that is still themselves you see they hold one and the same Rod over King and Parliament and threatning to advance presently to Westminster to doe what God should enable them unto The same night they came to Hyde-Parke-corner and kept Guards there Hereupon it was put to the Question That the Armies approach was prejudiciall to the freedome of Parliament but through the cowardice of some whose hearts now began to melt and the impudent restlesse bawling of those cheating Saints that comply with the Army to keep themselves from giving Accounts it passed in the Negative 19. The Kings Concessions debated and young S. Hen Vanes insolency Decemb. 2. The Kings Answer was debated and as a prologue to it young Sir Henry Vane a Whelpe of the Old Curre spake thus Mr. Speaker By this Debate we shall know who are our Friends and who are our Foes or to speak more plainly We shall discover who are the Kings Party in the House and who the Peoples To which was Answered That since this Gentlemen were so bold to deale thus by way of prevention in a threatning manner and had fore-judged and divided the House into two parts I hope it is as lawfull for me who am no Grandee nor no Gainer by our troubles to put you in minde of another Division of the House Sir you will find some desirous of peace and they are Losers by the Warre Others are against peace and those are Gainers by the Warre My humble motion is that the Gainers may contribute to the Losers that we may all stand upon equall feete for till then the Ballance of the Common-wealth will never stand right towards a settlement True jests bite sore He and his Syre oppose peace lest the Kings Revenue being restored they should lose a good Trade there the old Dogge is Chair-man of that Committee the young one is a principal Publican and Treasurer they get constantly above 6000 l. per annum between them besides private cheats by paying half Debts and taking Acquittances for the whole and then discounting for the whole buying in old sleeping Pensions for trifles that have not been payed in many yeares and paying themselves all Arreares Cornelius Holland is Servant to them both and hath gotten as much wealth as makes him sawcy enough to hire William Lilly and other Pamphletiers to derive his Pedigree from John Holland Duke of Exeter although it be knowne he was originally a Link-boy but he is now one of the New Lights an illuminated Brother Master Pryn moved the debate of the Kings Answer might be laid aside until it was a free Parliament not environed by the Army but said Mr. Rich. Norton Take heed what you say against the Army for they are resolved to have a free Parliament to Debate the Kings Answer if we refuse This day the General took possession of White-Hall for his Quarters 20. The Generall
and to take order for the charging of Him the said Charles Stuart with the Crimes above mentioned and for the receiving His Personall Answer thereunto These wise men of Gotham could not tell whâ— her Witnesses upon oâ—th were necessary upon Trials of life and death But I confess that upon the defensive part upon Indictments Witnesses upoâ— oath were not to be heard against the King much more Accusers of the King and for examination of Witnesses upon oath if need be concerning the same and thereupon or in default of such Answer to proceed to finall Sentence according to justice and the merit of the Cause to be executed speedily and impartially And the said Court is hereby Authorized and required to chuse and appoint all such Officers Attendants and other circumstances as they or the major part of them shall in any sort judge necessary or usefull for the orderly and good managing of the premises and Thomas Lord Fairfâ—x * * The Generall is no Officer of justice All well affected Persons tag and rag inv ted to assist in a Tumultuaty way to destroy the King if need had been that is all Antimonarchists the Generall with all Officers of justice and other wel-affected Persons are hereby authorized and required to be aiding and assisting unto the said Commissioners in the due execution of the trust hereby committed unto them provided that this Ordinance and the Authority hereby granted do continue for the space of one Moneth from the Date of the making hereof and no longer 60. A new Great Seal to be made But at last they stumbled at a rub not foreseen they could not use the old Great Seal against Him because it was the Kings Great Seal no more could they use any of our Laws Courts or Judges against Him because they are all the Kings the Sculpture upon it is Carolus Dei Gratia neither would the Grace of God square with their proceedings they must therefore make a new Great Seal but that was long a making and their fingers were in the fire they therefore proceeded without any Commission under Seal onely upon the said Ordinance and every Commissioner set his own hand and seal to the publique instruments of their proceedings what need ceremonies when men are resolved upon the substance 61. The Iews petition the Councell of War to have the Stat of their banishment repealed About this time the Hebrew Jews presented a Petition to the uncircumcised Jews of the Councell of Warre That the Statute of Banishment against them may be repealed and they re-admitted to a Synagogue and Trade amongst us They offer for their re-admission S. Pauls Church and the Library at Oxford 500000 l. but 700000 l. is demanced Hugh Peters and Harry Martin solicite the business Upon this occasion was published this Paper ensuing * The last damnable Design of Cromwel and Ireton 62. A Paper published upon occasion of the Jews Petition and their Junto or Cabal intended to be carried on in their General Councel of the Army and by their journey-men in the House of Commons when they have engaged them dede perately in sin past all hope of Retreat by murthering the King MAjor White a Member of the Army long since at Putney foretold That shortly there would be no other power in England but the power of the Sword and Will. Sedgwick in his Book called Justice upon the Armies Remonstrance saith The Principle of this Army is To break the Powers of the Earth to pieces and John Lilburn in his Plea for Common Right p. 6. saith The Army by these extraordinary proceedings have overturned all the visible Supreme Authority of this Nation that is they have and will by seizing upon the Members of Parl. dissolving it and setting up a new invented Representative and bringing the King to capital punishment and dis-inheriting his Posterity subvert the Monarchical Government and Parliaments of this Kingdome the Laws and Liberties of the People and so by bringing all to Anarchy and confusion put the whole Government of the Land under the Arbitrary power of the Sword In order to which they have and will overturn the Government of the City of London by a Lord Mayor and Aldermen and govern it by Commissioners and a schismatical Common Councel of Anabaptists illegally chosen and deprive them of their Charter of Incorporation and Franchises and this shall be a leading case to all the Corporations of England Their next Design is to plunder and disarm the City of London and all the Country round about thereby to disable them to rise when the Armie removes but not to the use of the Souldiers although they greedily expect the first Week in February the time appointed from whom they will redeem the plunder at an easie rate and so sell it in bulk to the Jews whom they have lately admitted to set up their banks and magazines of Trade amongst us contrary to an Act of Parliament for their banishment and these shall be their Merchants to buy off for ready money to maintain such Warrs as their violent proceedings will inevitably bring upon them not onely all Sequestred and plundred goods but also the very bodies of Men Women and Children whole Families taken Prisoners for sale of whom these Jewish Merchants shall keep a constant traffick with the Turks Moors and other Mahometans the Barbadus and other English Plantations being already cloyed with Welch Scottish Colchester and other Prisoners imposed by way of Sale upon the Adventurers and this is the meaning of Hugh Peters threat to the London Ministers That if another War followed they will spare neither Man Woman nor Child For the better carrying on of which Design the said Cabal or Junto keep a strict correspondency with Owen Roe Oneale the bloodie Popish Antimonarchical Rebel in Ireland and the Popes Nuntio there The Antimonarchical Marquess of Argyle in Scotland the Parisian Norman and Picardie Rebels in France and the Rebel King of Portugal If danger be not held so close to your eies that you cannot discern it look about you English But this Kingdome is not to be saved by men that will save themselves nothing but a private band and a publike spirit can redeem it 63. Master Pryns second Letter to the General The 3. Jan. 1648. Master Pryn sent a Letter to the General demanding what kind of Prisoner and whose he was as followeth * To the Honourable Thomas Lord Fairfax General of the present Army these present My Lord IT is now a full Months space since I with other Members of the Commons House have been forcibly apprehended and kept Prisoner by some of your Officers and Marshal against the Priviledges of Parliament the Liberty of the Subject the Laws and Statutes of the Realm and all Rules of justice conscience and right reason without the least shadow of Authority or any cause at all yet made known to me of which were there any neither God nor man ever yet made
166. A debate how to defeat Judgments Extents c. upon Delinquents lands sect Extents c. lying upon Delinquents Estates you see notwithstanding their Declaratory Vote That in things concerning the Lives Liberties and Propâ—rties of the People they would maintain the known Laws of the Land yet this Vote as well as all others hath a condition implied that is do no wayes hinder the Gains of our godly Grandees otherwise they would not consider how to defeat Creditors of their legal assurance John Lilburne being ordered a close Prisoner in the Tower by the Commons without Pen Ink or Paper 167. John Lilburne starving imprisonment in the Tower which was tyranny under King Charls but not under K. Oliver a Petition was presented to the Commons by many well-affected that John might have the allowance usually and legally due to Prisoners in the like case for his support The allowance is 4 l. a Week as I conceive which was rejected insomuch that John was kept 3 whole dayes with one half meales meat this is to condemn men unheard to be murdered by famine in their private slaughter-houses when they cannot or dare not murder them in their pretended Courts of Judicature or publick shambles yet afterwards when the drawing together of the Levellers and discontents of Newcastle affrighted the Commons they Voted him the short allowance of 20 s. a week Thus you see nothing but feares and dangers can kindle the least spark of goodness and compassion in their woolvish breasts wherefore Lord I beseech thee heap fears and terrors upon their guilty pates till with Judas Iscariot they cry out We have sinned in that we have betrayed innocent blood 168. Why Ireton laid down his Commission Cromwel being to march against the Levellers left Ireton behind him like a hobby daring of larks to over-awe the Conventicle at Westminster and see they chaunt no tune but of their setting the better to keep himself in a neutral reconciling posture Ireton laid down his Commission which he can take up again at pleasure whereby he puts off all addresses to him from the levelling party for the present This poor fellow now keepeth his golden Coach which cost 200 l. and 4 gallant Horses The world is well altered with such petty Companions and hereby the Souldiers may see what becomes of their Arrears There hath been a seeming falling out between Cromwel and Ireton 169. Hugh Peters â—isits J. Lilâ—urne in the Tower and â—he sum of â—heir Conseâ—ence Witness his â—ampering with Hamilâ—on c. John Lilburne being a close Prisoner in the Tower as hath been said Hugh Peters Chaplain in Ordinary to-two great Potentates Lucifer and Oliver came about dinner-time May 25. 1649. to visit him and though admittance be denied to other men yet to him the Gates flew open as sure as Saint Peter keeps the keyes of Heaven Hugh Peters keeps the keyes of our Hell and our Grandees Consciences and openeth and shutteth at pleasure he is Confessor at Tyburn and hath a great power over damned Spirits or rather over such Spirits as not submitting basely to the tyranny of our State-Mountebanks incur their condemnation in this world by Gods permission in order to their salvation in the next world the tyranny of these Usurpers implying at once their cruelties over our bodies and Gods mercy to our souls Hugh's first salute was That he came meerly to give John a visit without any design his guilty conscience prompting him to a voluntary Apology John answered I know you wel enough you are one of the setting Dogs of the great Men of the Army with fair and plausible pretences to intimate into men when they have done them wrong and to workout their designs when they are in a strait and cover over the blots that they have made Then John complained of the ‖ Compare this Act of the Kings with the violent act of those Traytors and Tyrants Fairfax and his Councel of War in imprisoning and secluding above 200. Members at once without cause shewn and leaving only 40 or 50 of their cheating Faction in the House to carry on their bloody Anarchical designs some of which secured Members with barbarous usage were almost brought to death and their murder since attempted by Souldiers illegal and violent seizing upon him by Souldiers and carrying him before that new erected thing called A Councel of State who committed him without any Accusor Accusation Prosecutor or Witness or any due process of Law and yet when the King impeached the five Members and preferred a Charge of high Treason against them Recorded 1. part Book of Decl. p. 35. and only failed in a single punctilio of due process of Law they cryed outs it was an invasion of the Peoples Liberties so that four or five Recantations from him recorded in their own Declarations would not serve his turn Peters half out of countenance if so prostituted a Villain that practises impudence amongst common Whores and whose Pulpit is more shameful than another mans Pillory can be out of countenance takes up one of Coke's Institutions and pofessed Lilburn was meerly gulled in reading or trusting to those Books for there were no Laws in England John answered he did beleeve him for that his great Masters Cromwel Fairfax c. had destroyed them all Nay quoth Hugh there never were any in England with that John shewed him the Petition of Right asking him whether that were Law which Peters had the impudence to deny asking what Law was John replied * The Law is now taken away and all things in confusion by turning our Monarchy without or consent into a Free-State of Slaves governed by Tyrants out of the Parliaments own Declarations The Law is that which puts a difference betwixt good and evil just and unjust If you take away the Law all things will fall into confusion every man will become a law unto himself which in the depraved condition of humane nature must needs produce great enormities Lust will become a law Envy a law Covetousness and Ambition will become laws and what dictates what decisions such laws will produce may easily be discerned This Mr. Peters is a Definition of Law by the Parliament in the dayes of their primitive purity before they had corrupted themselves with the Commonwealths money And elsewhere the Law is called The safeguard the custody of all private Interests your honours lives liberties and estates are all in the keeping of the Law without this every man hath a like Right to any thing It is the best birth-right the Subject hath It is a miserable servitude or bondage where the Law is uncertain or unknown To this the Comick Priest replied I tell you for all this there is no Law in this Nation but the Sword and what it gives neither was there any Law or Government in the world This doctrine of Devils that it is lawful to submit to any present power that is strongest is
broached in a Pamphlet by old Rowse the illiterate Jew of Eaton-Colledge And by John Goodwin the sophistical Divine which is fully conâ—uted in A Religious Demurrer concerning submission to the present power an excellent peece but what the Sword gave To this the honest Lievtenant Colonel answered Mr. Peters You are one of the Guides of the Army used by the chief Leaders to trumpet their Principles and Tenents and if your reasoning be good then if six Theeves meet three or four honest men and rob them that act is righteous because they are the stronger Party And if any power be a just power that is uppermost I wonder how the Army and Parliament can acquit themselves of being Rebels and Traytors before God and man in resisting and fighting against a just power in the King who was a power up and visible fenced about with abundance of Laws so reputed in the common acceptation of Men by the express letter of which all thâ—se that fought against him are ipso facto Traytors and if it were not for the preservation of our Laws and Liberties why did the Parliament fight against Him a present power in being and if there be no Laws in England nor never was then you and your great Mâ—sters Cromwel Fairfax and the Parliament are a pack of bloody Rogues and Villains to set the People to murder one anâ—ther in fighting for preservation of their Laws in which their Liberties were included which was the principal declared Cause of the War from the beginning to the end I thought quoth the Lievtenant Colonel I had been safe when I made the known Laws the rules of my actions which you have all sworn and declared to Defend and make as the standard and touchstone between you and the People * The Laws are now no protection to us nor the rule of our actions but the arbitrary wills and lusts of the Grandees I but replied Hugh I will shew that your safety lyes not therein their minds may change and then where are you I but quoth the Lievtenant Colonel I cannot take notice of what is in their minds to obey that but the constant Declaration of their minds never contradicted in any of their Declarations as That they will maintain the Petition of Right and Laws of the Land c. This was the substance of their discourse saving that John pinched upon his great Masters large fingring of the Common-wealths money calling it Theft and State-Robbery and saying That Cromwel and Ireton pissed both in one quill though they seem sometime to go one against another yet it is but that they may the more easily carry on their main design To enslave the People Reader I was the more willing to present the summ of this Debate to thee that by comparing their doctrine and principles with their daily practices thou mayst perfectly see to what condition of slavery these beggarly upstart Tyrants and Traytors have reduced us by cheating us into a War against our lawful Soveraign under pretence of defending our Laws and Liberties and the Priviledges of Parliament which themselves onely with a concurring faction in the House have now openly and in the face of the Sun pulled up by the roots and now they stop our mouths and silence our just complaints with horrid Sect. 162. illegal and bloody Acts Declaring words and deeds against their usurpations and tyranny to be High Treason nothing is now Treason but what the remaining faction of the House of Commons please to call so To murder the King break the Parliament by hostile force put down the House of Lords erect extrajudicial High Courts of Justice to murder Men without Trial by Peers or Jury or any legal proceeding to subvert the fundamental Government by Monarchy and dispossess the right Heir of the Crown and to usurp his Supreme Authority in a factious fagg-end of the House of Commons to put the Kingly Government into a packed Junto of forty Tyrants called A Councel of State to exercise Martial Law in times of peace and upon persons no Members of the Army to raise what unnecessary illegal Taxes they please and share them and the Crown Lands and Revenues amongst themselves leaving the Souldiers unpaid to live upon Free-quarter whilst they abuse the People with pretended Orders against Free-quarter to alter the Styles of Commissions Patents Processe and all Legal proceedings and intoduce a forraign Jurisdiction to Counterfeit the Great Seal and Coin of the Kingdome and to keep up Armies of Rebels to make good these and other Tyrannies and Treasons is High Treason by the known Lawes but now by the Votes of the Conventicle of Commons it is High Treason to speak against these crimes Good God! how long will thy patience suffer these Fools to say in their hearts there is no God and yet profess thee with their mouths to break all Oathes Covenants and Protestations made in thy Name to cloak and promote their Designes with dayes of impious fasting and thanksgiving how often have thy Thunderbolts rived sensless Trees and torn brute Beasts that serve thee according to their Creation yet thou passest over these men who contemn thee contrary to their knowledge and professions Scatter the People that delight in War Turn the Councels of the wise into folly let the crafty be taken in their own net and now at last let the Oppressed taste of thy mercies and the Oppressor of thy justice throw thy rod into the fire and let it no longer be a bundle bound together in thy right hand They appeal to thee as Author of their prosperous sins become Lord Author of their just punishments bestow upon them the rewards of Hypocrites and teach them to know the difference between the saving strength of Magistrates and the destroying violence of Hang-men But what am I that argue against thy long-suffering whereof my self stand in need and seek to ripen thy vengeance before thy time Shall the Pot ask the Potter what he doth I beheld the prosperity of the wicked and my feet had slipped Lord amend all in thy good time and teach us heartily to pray Thy will be done in Earth as it is in Heaven 170. The Act for Abolishing Monarchy proclaimed in London May 30. 1649. The aforesaid Trayterous Act for abolishing Kingly Government and converting England into a Free-State consisting of forty Tyrants and many millions of slaves was proclaimed in London by the newly intruded illegal Lord Mayor Andrewes accompanied with 14 Aldermen of the same pack the People in great abundance crying out Away with it away with it GOD save King CHARLES the Second and bitterly reviling and cursing it and them until some Troops of Horse ready prepared in secret were sent to disperse beat and wound them and yet the Trial of the King and the subverting of our well-formed Monarchy under which we lived so happily heretofore with all other Acts of the like high nature was done in the name of the People of