AN ABRIDGMENT Of the late REMONSTRANCE OF THE ARMY VVith some Marginall Attestations for the better Understanding Remembrance and Judgement of the PEOPLE Collected by speciall Order for more publique satisfaction and to undeceive the Kingdome as to the false Glosses by some put upon the said REMONSTRANCE Printed By the Appointment of the Lord Generall and his Generall Councell of Officers Decem. 27. 1648. Signed JO RUSHWORTH LONDON Printed for Laurence Blaiklocke and are to be sold in the Old-Baily 1648. An Abridgment of the late Remonstrance of the Army with some Marginall Attestations both for the better understanding remembrance and judgment of the People To the Right Honourable the Commons of England assembled in Parliament the humble Remonstrance of his Excellency Lord Generall Fairfax and his Generall Councell of Officers held at Saint Albanes Thursday November 16. 1648. OVr tender reguard to the Freedome of Parliament and the offence taken at our least interposing in any thing of Civill consideration to the Parliament have made us attend in silence the Councels of Parliament But finding you upon those transactions whereupon the life or death of all our Civill interest doth depend and a seeing no effectuall helpe from elsewhere to appeare we cannot be wanting in ought we can honestly say or do to hold off impending ruine b from an honest people and a good cause We are not ignorant that the rule Salus Populi suprema Lex is most apt to be misapplyed some men framing pretences of publike extremity Therefore though we are full of sad apprehensions of the extremity at hand yet c we shall first with all sobernesse and clearnesse as God shall enable us remonstrate to you our apprehensions both of the danger at hand and of the remedy with our grounds in both We must first mind you of your votes once past concerning no more addresses to the King and our engagement to adhere to you therein In this none can say you were acted beyond your owne free judgements we are sure by no impulsion from the Army the juster resolutions of the House did in this reclaime us it pleased God instantly to lead you into such order whereby the burthen of free quarter was taken off supernumerary forces disbanded the rest put into an established way of pay but when the house being called on purpose for a settlement began to entertaine motions tending to the unsettlement of what they had resolved the minds of men without also became proporâ—ionably unsetled in expectations which way things would bend seeing such uncertainty of any end of troubles upon the Parliamentary account alone then began your Enemies to hope and work your trouble and their owne advantages and in all the disturbances so to execute all the other interests pretended that at last they might set up that of the King and their owne above all others Thus the Army which would not be won to disert the Parliamentary and publique interest to serve their turnes was by them rendred the only common Enemy and this new formed party at first professe for a full and free Parliament and to free it from the force of an Army d Whereas the latest quarrell against it was that it would not force the Parliament to comply with the interest of the King They likewise pretended to be for the easing of the people of taxes to an Army whereas indeed their workings did necessitate the Parliament to continue an Army and taxes for it They also pretended for the Covenant against an Army of Sectaries and for all these ends a Personall Treaty with the King must be held forth as the only Soveraigne salve And thus the People were taught mainly to depend upon the King for all and to Petition for these things and in pretence of them to levy Warre against the Parliament on the Kings behalfe and his partie is brought into the manage of it Yet they drive on the whilst the Treaty to deceive you by old Malignants and a late discontented party in City and Parliament the Lords closeing readily with the desires of them and the Prinâ—e though in the Warre for your and the Kingdomes defence or in declaring with you against the Scotch Army and others they would neither lead nor follow And when in any thing of the Treaty concerning the very life of your Cause you made som stick clamorous Petitions with Menaces come thick upon you and forces listed daily about you the City neither taking course nor suffering their Major Generall to do it And thus you were at their mercy whiles your Armie was ingaged at distance against your enemies in Armes Therefore we cannot conceive that in those resolutions for a Treaty the judgement of Parliament was with due and former freedome And we wish you to consider the evills of this Treaty in laying designes for the Kings escape and settling future correspondencies and further whether it can be just or safe in relation to publique interest The summe of publique interest of a Nation in relation to common Right and in opposition to tyrrany of Kings or others is that for all matters concerning the whole they have a Parliament consisting of Deputyes or Representers freelly chosen and with as much equality as may be And that the power of making or altering Lawes and of finall judgment be in them and that it may not be left in the will of the King or any other particular persons to make voyd their determinations or proceedings And where the offence is in publique Officers against their trust this same Counsell may call to account and punish such offenders either according to the Law or where it hath not provided e according to their own judgment Against these matters of publique interest this King hath all along his Raigne opposed to uphold the interest of his and his Posterities Will and Power First that there might be no such Common councell to restrain him but that all things of Supreame trust concerning safety might rest in his breast alone without limit from any or account to any on earth And for this he raised his first and second Armes against his people in both Kingdomes then he fell to play lower that none of those things of Supreame and absolute trust might be exercised by any others without him no not by all the Trustees of the Land nor in any case though never so necessary for releife or saving of the People and for this he raised his third Armes and when these his other claimes so farre failed he would make you know that neither Parliament nor any power on earth what ever ills he had done might meddle with his sacred person no not so much as to secure him from doing more evill and for this last part of his Interest his fourth Armes were raised There have also fallen in other particulars with these interests as on the Parliaments part to protect Religious men and to give Freedome to the Gospell
and take away those corrupt formes by which snares were laid for such conscientious men But on the Kings part the interest was to doe contrary So that the Parliamentary and publique interests hath been made very much one with the interest of the Godly and the King interest one with their greatest opposites now wee suppose that where a person trusted f with limited power to rule according to Lawes shall not only pervert that trust but assume also hurtfull powers never committed to him and take away foundations of liberty and redresse such a person so doing forfeits all that power and trust he had and g absolving the people from the bonds betweene him and them doth set them free to take their best advantage and proceed in judgement against Him Much more when hee on these termes shall maintaine a war and by division within and invasions from abroad lengthen it well to uphold the interest of his will and power against the Common interest of his people such a person we may justly say is Guilty of the highest treason against the h highest law amongst men now we may conclude that this King hath beene the Author and contriver of an unjust Warre and so is Guilty of all the blood and mischeife to the Kingdome and then how can the publike justice of the kingdom be satisfyed the blood avenged i the wrath of God for the same appeased without judgment executed against him and consequently how far can an accomodation with him when God hath given him so clearly into your power to do justice can be just before god or good men without somuch as a judiciall tryall or evident remorse for his fault he hath so long in word and practice denyed it never k confessed it till all other wayes of force fraud had failed him now confesseth it conditionally so as you satifie him in other things which is great l Hypocrisie and while he thus in word confesseth it yet in m practise he denyes it by continuing Commissions to the Prince and other English Rebells and Revolters yea to Ormond and his associate Irish And what publique benefit can be from reunion of such contrary principles of Tyranny and liberty godlinesse and superstition Concerning the safety of such an agreement for his restitution especially supposing no reall remorse or change but the same principles and affections first how apt are princes in such case to take advantages for a breath and secondly how easily may they do it after such agreement For the former how apt it such a prince to doe it when the n bonds once accepted by him with unquestioned freedome at his admission to the Throne and the Oath of God betwixt him and his people would not hold him but of his owne mind have been all violated by him and to justify the same the law of force set up to the utmost how can it be expected that the bonds of new concessions and agreements imposed by force and vincible necessity should be of more power to hold him when an advantage to recover what he lost doth offer it selfe for the faith keeping of this King his Accords with the Scottish Nation do witnesse for his revengefullnes these petty revenges after severall parliaments which were taken against such patriots as had appeared for Common liberty against his INTEREST Next for o facillity of Princes finding occasion and quarrell after such agreement and yet with some coâ—lerable saving to his honour we know the Court maximes concerning some Crowne Rights which a King cannot give away nor oblige his Heirs in besides some matters of supreme trust are in the propositions barganed for with and taken as by Lease from the King so as to confirme his claime of Right but from the force or necessity lying upon the King in this Treaty there is a ground of evasion from the whole agreement as not obligeing him what soever is drawne from him and this is avowed publikely by the Prince and his Councell in answer to the Earle of Warwick where the Prince clearly sayes the King in truth is still in prison And consider the Prince as heire it serves to acquit himselfe and as the next visible head of the Kings party the King being in durance it may serve on behalfe of the King and his heires and party as a protestation against any conclusion by his Treaty and the King himself hath insinuated the same sence of the Treaty and that not without grounds to gaine beleef he being still confined within your Garrisons and guards and upon his paroll so that if you proceed upon so rotten a foundation and be cousened ye cousen your selves and cannot blame him or his And the King comming in thus may rest secure and wayte his advantage having go your hands bound till he finding it shall strike the first stroak which 't is like he will make a sure one if he can To proceed the King comes thus in with reputation of having long sought peace and that in a Personall Treaty which you after a long denyall at last granting are rendred by his freinds as refusers of peace so long in that the Kings way he comes also with the reputation of having granted for peace sake all that stood you upon although it will apeare nothing at all to the publick interest And if after this accomodation to satisfye the people you shall disband your forces you are at the Kings p courtesie still and are but where you were at first But the King in much fairer possibility to reviâ—e the old quarrell and carry it without fighting for after so much blood and trouble for no thing t is not like you 'le find a competent party for the opposing of him if you continue a sufficient strength taxes they will be the more grevous because deemed unnecessary the King having granted what your selves did aske we might reflect upon his numerous party ingaged by interest or necessity to serve him so long as he remaines in possibillity to head them while hee by his supposed impunity whatsoever he does hath encouragement to make all possible tryall of them and they hope if he ever prevaile he may make them amends whereas this being once confuted by an example of justice upon him for such attempts they would not be feared in relation to his posterities heeding of them besides these we cannot but consider the vast possibilities after his restitution to make or use factions amongst your selves and your adherents and doe not all men acknowledge him most exquisite at it and if he had that faculty to availe at distance much more in your bosomes each party will be apt to strive which shall most and first comply with him of which you and we have seene sad experiences already yet we refused ought of private contract or trust with him and his and all was with saving for the publike interest yet in that degree of our
complyance with him we find matter of acknowledgement before the Lord concerning our error therein and we blesse him that preserved us from worse And if from the divisions we have such complyances have beene with and such advantages given to the Kings party while acknowledged enemies what worse may we not expect when by a Peace made they shall have the reputation of friends To conclude this wee confesse our feares from the act of this Parliaments unlimited continuance If he forme q a ballancing party in the house of Commons for his interest that which should be our conservative would be our baine and yet we should be debarred from change of medicine or if a period be set to this Parliament and no provision for certaine succession and sitting of Parliaments without dependance on the Kings wil or if no provision for a more due constitution by more equall Elections then the successe will be lesse hopefull and safe then the present and you have not in this Treaty made any provision for any of these things But to proceed to shew the certain insecurity to publike interest in an accommodation with a restitution of the King For you the supreame Judicatory of the Kingdome when he is in your power to doe justice upon to decline that way and instead thereof to seek to him your Prisoner in way of Treaty what speakes it lesse then that he is indeed above all humane r justice not accountable to or s punishable do any power on earth what ever he does that kings cannot erre or doe wrong whereas one example in this kind made would be of more terror and availe then the execution of his whole party yea then all satisfaction you can imagine If our King claime by t conquest God hath given you the same against him to fix your justice first upon the head and thereby let his successors see what themselves may expect if that they attempt the like This may hopefully discourage them from heading any more what Instruments they might find in the like quarrell but to punish only Instruments and let the head go free leads u to endlesse trouble besides it seemes a most unequall w and partiall way of justice and the same principles that exempt Kings from justice would x absolve their inferiour Ministers for what they doe in pursuance of such commands If any object the Covenant as obliging us to perpetuall addresses to the King as being the onely way consistent with the preservation of his person and authority We answer the Covenant engageth to matters of publike interests primarily and absolutely without limitation and after that to the preservation of the Kings person and authority with the restriction to wit in the preservation of the true Religion and liberties of the Kingdomes so that it obligeth thereto no further nor in any other way then shall be consistent with this restriction yea this obligation to preserve his person and authority should be fulfilled in the preservation and defence of Religion and Liberty otherwise the whole proceedings of both Kingdoms in s making warre against him for preservation of Religion or liberties were questionable for breach of Covenant since that way of preserving them did tend probably to the destruction and was not with any safe provision for his person or that authority which is in conjunction with it also where severall persons joyning in Covenant for the good and union of themselves who are present and parties to it doe withall make a clause to the benefit of another person to the end he might joyne with them in the agreement and pertake the benefit thereof if the absent party doe not accept but refuse the agreement as he keepes himselfe free from it so he excludes himself from claime to any benefit there from Upon all the reasons and considerations aforegoing we propound First that it may be expressely declared and provided by you that notwithstanding any thing concluded in the Treaty the person of the y King may and shall be proceeded against in way of justice for the bloud spilt and other evils and mischiefes done by him or by his Commission or procurement and in order thereto shall be kept in safe custody as formerly Secondly that for other Delinquents you would lay aside that particular barganing proposition and declare that all Delinquents shall submit to the judiciall power of the Parliament to be thereby proceeded against according to justice or mercy as cause shall appeare and that none shall be exempt therefrom nor pardonable by any other power then that of the Kingdom in Parliament The power of Justice and mercy being thus saved we proceed in order to the actuall dispensing thereof in relation to the late wars and to peace with God and quiet amongst men to propound as followeth First that the z Capitall and grand Authour of our troubles the person of the King by whose procurement and for whose interest onely of will and power all our wars have been may be brought to Justice for the Treason Bloud and mischiefe he is therein a guilty of Secondly that a timely day may be set for the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Yorke to come in by which time if they doe not that then they may be immediately declared incapable of any government or trust in this Kingdom or its Dominions thence to stand exild for ever as Enemies and Traytors to die without mercy if ever after found and taken therein Or if by the time limited they doe render themselves that then the Prince be proceeded with as on his appearance he shall give satisfaction or not And the Duke as he shall give satisfaction may be considered as to future trust or not But however that the Revenue of the Crown saving necessary allowances for the Children and for Servants and Creditors to the Crown be sequestred And the costly pompe suspended for a good number of yeeres and that this Revenue be for that time disposed toward publique Charges Debts and dammages for the easing of the people so as the estates neither of friends to publique interest nor alone of inferiour enemies thereto may bear wholly the burden of that losse and charge which by and for that Family the Kingdome hath been put unto Thirdly that capitall punishment be speedily executed upon a competent number of his chiefe instruments also both in former and latter wars and that some of both sorts be pitcht upon as are really in your hands or reach Fourthly that the rest of the Delinquents English may upon rendring themselves to justice have mercy for their lives and that onely Fines be set upon them and their persons declared incapable of any publique trust or having any voyce in elections thereto at least for a good number of yeers And that a short day be set by which all such Delinquents may come in and for those who come not in by that day that their estates be