the Lawyers stink in our nostrils and bring forth vanities in some but righteousnesse and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost to his Saints and deliverance and sweet freedome and blessings to the Common-wealth In the meane time it is a shame that Ministers of Christ can see them live so in sinne and say nothing seeing those Agags that the indulgent eye of Sauls have spared and favoured must be met with by the two-edged Swords of the Samuels of God â— but so much to our Authority in the Legislative power for the advancing the Law of God as the only fundamentall Law of this Nation Secondly My word to the People is as a Remembrancer for when Cyrus King of Persia proclaimed liberty to the Jewes only those went out of captivity whose spirits God stirred up in Ezra 1. 5. This is the case we are freed from our Norman Captivity Now you whose spirits God hath stirred up why appeare for your Liberties and Rights returne home unto your owne it is high time be not longer Slaves to Norman Lawes or Lawyers This your liberty is Naturall and connaturall as Paul said Acts 22. 20. I am a free-borne Roman which was his Plea and unsuited his Adversaries and made them afraid which surely had never been had not this boâ—est man made use of his right and liberty and let his Judges and Governours know it Surely this liberty is more worth then all the Lands in the Nation to us and if we know it wee should not slight it so as we doe therefore honoured Ames cas l. 5. c. 22. tells us that this Libertas proxime accedit 〈◊〉 vitam ipsam Liberty a man counts next his life and will not loose it if it be possible but wil loose his estate yeaâ— the â—loâ—theâ— off his back first yea further for the Publick Liberty and common safety a faithfull man wil loose his very life and prizes it abundantly above his life as some honest hearts have done in England in most ages And if any wonder that I will â—rive thus against the streame seeing I cannot turne it I must tâ—ll them That the Fish which alwayes goes downe the streame we suspect for dead whilst the living Fish makes against the streame but the truth is as when Tides turne there is first a secret motion and turning at the bottome before it comes at top and so there is in the bottome of our hearts which wil ere long be more openly to all eyes in the meane time we must minde the People of the time of dâ—y and tell them what the Clock strikes for their liberty and deliverance is hard by And beleeve it Brethren the flaming Sword is in our sight turning hither and thither every way to drive out these Wretches that have lived so long upon forbidden fruits and although the bowles of Authority seemes to many to run Byass to a bad I was ready to say Mad Mistresse this wil be mended ere long when the Mistresse is removed but we must ballast our Ship before we put to saile therefore consider Country-men First of all No Governours are above the Peoples Lawes and Liberties hence it was that Kings could not De jure conclude or determine businesses according to their owne wills and Aristotle Alexanders Tutor tels us That absolute power in Governours is the next degree to plaine Tyranny yea had it not been for feare of offending Alexander I thinke he had called it absolute Tyranny and said true too Therefore are Kings and Magistrates the Organs or Instruments of executing the Peoples Lawes and must receive their Lawes from the People Hence it is that the Emperor King of France Kings of Spaine England Poland Hungarie or Princes of the house of Austria Dukes of Brabant Earles of Flanders or Holland before their Coronation or Creation to the Governments do ingage to keep the Laws of their Country and their breach of the Laws is or ought to be as punishable upon them as any others And to shew how the Laws and Liberties of People are above their Governors God alwaies gave Laws to such as should govern the people for the peoples good Deut. 17. which their Rulers ought not to alter vid. Brains New Earth Secondly All Rulers and Governors are bound to execute their Offices and Authorities for the peoples benefit and publick good and the greatest Treason is against the peoples Laws and Liberties And Caesar himselfe in his Commentaries tels us that Amblorix King of the Eburons confessed that such were the conditions of the Gaulish Empire that the people lawfully assembled had no lesse power over the King then the King had over the People but rather more So we find there how Vercingentorix gave an account of his actions before the people how they were for their good and freedom Thus in England Ireland and Scotland the Representative of the People have the greatest authority i. e. as from the People the like in Spaine especially in Aragon Valentia and Catalonia cum aliis c. There is a Justitia Major who stands for the Peoples Rights and Liberties hath more power then the King or his Councel and therefore at his Coronation the Lords of the Kingdome use these words in their own Language to the King p. 60. Nos qui valemos tanto como vos y pâ—demos mas que vos vos elegimos Rei con estas è y estas conditiones entra vos y nos un que mandamus que vos We who are in as much value as you and have more power then you yet have chosen you King upon conditions c. and there is between you and us one that commands both you and us i. e. the Justitia Major who is altogether for the peoples Laws Right and Liberties and to see that for this end the Kings and Princes govern But in case Governors doe not rule for the publick good then Thirdly The People may orderly declare against the dangerous Practises of their Rulers and make an orderly resistance for their owne Rights and Liberties Now let me not be mistaken for I fear this Doctrine will not please some selfish Rulers but this I say whilst I call upon the people to appear for their own freedome and rights I mean not by armes to fight or wage war against their Governors in a rash disorderly way O no! not for a world that we should bee guilty of so ungodly a Rebellion for really I would bee one that would spend my blood against them that so doe but this I say let them mildly declare against the mis-governments of such men as seek their owne private more then the publick good and let them use means to correct that mis-government to admonish the offenders to petition to the Parliament or to our Conqueror the Lord Generall with the same importunities the poor Widow used to the unjust Judge till she was answered and so continue untill the
those Lawes which have in their bowels freedome and honesty do owe their homage to the peoples choise A people rightly principled as before with Reason and Understanding are the proper originall in that sence that Origo is a re ad rem and rise of rationall Laws which are laid out altogether for the peoples rights and Liberties from hence we have these Observations 1 Obser. Reason and Judgement goes before to create a capacity Freedome and Honesty follows after to execute and fulfill it 2 Obser. Justice and Equity must be in men before they come to be in the Lawes of men 3 Observ. The rationall honest people in generall are the true originall or rise of those Laws which they are Governed by 4 Obser. The genuine intent of Lawes in their originall is to curbe and keep in principally the Princes not the People the rich not the poor Oppressors and Tyrants not others of the people To bridle Great ones who are most lawlesse and to keep Governours within their due Precincts of just and righteous Government 5. Obser. True Laws as they arise from their originall are not to burthen but to ease to grieve but to relieve to hurt but to helpe to insnare but to take care for peoples Liberties and Freedom 6 Obser. As Laws cannot be made but by the peoples voice so a Judgement cannot be rightly executed but by the peoples concurrence So that Sicut cogens aliquem ad aliquam legem non publicâ authoritate sancitam servandam injust è facit ita quis alium judicans non habens authoritatem vel usurpandâ— sibi judicandi potestatem graviter peccat As to compel one to keep such Laws as are against the Liberties of the People and have not their originall from the people is Tyranny and injustice So to passe Judgement upon any one of the free-born people by an Usurped power and not derived from the people this is no lesse Tyranny and Injustice But all this while I speake of a rightly principled people that are in their capacity Use 1 Where abouts are we then as to the Laws and Lawyers or whence had they their original by what Rules do they proceed And to the originall of the Lawes first we shall find them since the Norman Conquest that the Lawes were a Norman bondage an Iron Yoake and Coller about the necks of the free-borne people to this day For as Fortescue tels us c. 17. Regnum Angliae primo per Britones deinde per Romanos iterumque per Britones deinde per Saxones possessum extunc per Danos iterumque per Saxones sed finâ—liter per Normanos c. This Nation hath been under divers Conquests so that severall alterations have thereby been made of the Laws either in part or in the whole upon every Conquest and if at any time the Conqueror continued any Laws which the people allowed of it was for his own ends to ingratiate himselfe into the people thereby and yet to espouse his own Interest For as one saies ch 2. p. 6. of his Survey of English Laws so some noble and notable Theeves doe as Hinde the Robber return back again some part of the moneys they take from the poor Travellers to be the better thought of and the lesse pursued But this is certain the honest hearted Britains lost their Laws and Lands together though the Saxons and so the Normans after them allowed of some of their Laws after they were Saxonized for their own ends Now the reason of all is that the Conqueror was evermore carryed on by his own will and lust which he looked upon above the peoples Rights and Liberties and meere force being partial would never suffer a Jury of Freedome Thus Will. the Conqueror altered some and quite took away others of the Laws that were in Edward the Confessors time which Laws were so allowed of that Kent and other places would never have yeelded to him but on condition they should keep their own Lawes But notwithstanding his ingagement to them and his oath at his Coronation he takes away those Lawes that were the peoples Priviledges and at his own pleasure makes Lawes destructive to the peoples good and publick weale only to advantage his own Interest and promote Prerogative By him and the Saxons before him our English civill Laws were so barbarously razed up from their foundation principle and original that we were made and have so continued absolute Slaves to Great men and whereas before when the people were the rise of the Laws they were wont to curb and controle the exorbitancies of Great ones and were therefore principally intended but now they are changed and are made principally to enslave and oppresse the poore and commonalty or free-borne English and to make them Vassals and doe homage to great mens humors Thus Great men got a latitude ore the free-born people and could oppresse by law and by the proudest Principles of self-Interest and worldly Greatnesse stand upon the pinnacle of power and tyranny yea on tip-toes to be high enough for men to fall down and worship them in offering sacrifice to their lusts and in doing homage to their huge wils Thus great men were followed as consonants follow Vowels with obsequious flatteries and complacent compliances of the simple fellowes and servile spirits that have lived in the world before us who easily adored these golden Images and gave up their rights as they were the free-born people of England for a free will Oblation O these Prodigall and stupid white-livered people It is pitty they were Englishmen that would give that away for a word or good look from a King Courtier or Conqueror which will cost much time and labour to recover Obsequious and servile spirits are but faint and treacherous Guardians of Englands just Rights and Priviledges Upon this advantage hath great mens Interests gotten in and tip-toed it over the people when the poor silly people durst not but open the door at their knock they could not do lesse then enter in shut us all out for Fools And when once they had got the possession of the Law their first work was to secure themselves and their own Greatnesse by a guard of Laws against the Liberties and Freedom of the people in so much that our Cannon being thus turned upon us they charge us with thunderings threatning of us for Traytors and Rebels by the letter of their Lawes if we but stir a step towards our Freedome so that the Laws are forced to accuse kill and condemn their own Mother and the best Friends they have in the world Thus the Law became any thing or nothing at the commands and courtesie of great men for which I blame not such as were ravished of their Rights against their wils when all their â—ing and crying out for help in corrupt times could not save â—em from being deflowred But it is
make not the General as his peoples Conqueror faithful to them herein it will light sadly on some of this Generation but yet his people shall be delivered as Esther 4. 14. For it is one of our priviledges promised us that we should be restored unto in these latter dayes as Isa. 33. 19. among the most excellent priviledges Gods people must partake off as freedom from bribes oppressions blood c. Vers. 15. is Thou shalt not see a fierce people a people of a deeper speech then thou canst perceive of a stammering or ridiculous language as such is the Lawyers Latin and Norman that thou canst not understand Antichrist in the State hath kept the poor people in darkness too under an unknown language and made this ignorance the mother of their devotion to his Civil Worship and Ordinances But it is now high-time to tumble seeing Gods Israelites are to have his Laws viz. Political in their own language Deut. 30. and that for these ends First That they should be in the mouths of all the people whereas now they are onely in the mouths of Judges Lawyers Councellors who are indeed Concealers of the Law and lock 〈◊〉 up till a silverkey come to open Secondly That they might teach them to their children 〈◊〉 know them which they cannot do now the Laws are in an unknown language unless their children be brought up at Inns of Court or the like Thirdly That the Laws might be all writ upon Posts and Gates for the people generally to know them all but now they must go to the Records which lie at Westminstâ—â— or Inns of Court or Judges or Counsellors Chambers and give a good sum of money too before they can come at them so as to know them All this is tyranny and oppression diametrically in opposition to the Word of God the promises of these latter days and the liberties of the Subjects so that our expectations must not be frustrated of our freedom from this Norman bondage 3. Whereas the people had Justice and Law at their own doors in every County and Hundred in this Nation and their Law was plain and honest and Controversies soon decided in few dayes by their honest neighbors of the Hundred who making the case as their own administred justice presently were it for a thousand pounds it might have been recovered at the charge of a shilling or two for there were several Courts in every County but the Supream Court in the County was called Genâ—rale Placitum being to determine those differences which the Parish or the Hundred Courts could not decide and also to ordain Sheriffs and other County-Officers c. But the Conqueror William alters the Law in this takes away the peoples liberties herein and instead of this he sets up Courts and Terms at Westminster takes away all Law and Justice out of the Counties and to keep up his own Darling under his eye brings all up to him hither by a policy For he commanded nine men out of every County to be chosen to make a true report what their Laws were before the Conquest and after they had so done he changed the most of them and brought in the Customs of Normandy in their stead commanding causes to be pleaded and all Matters of Form to be dispatcht in French He revived again the Danish Custom he being a Kin to the Danes in Tryals of Rights by twelve men so that for his own ends and profits it appears all his Laws were established and the people 's pulled away from them to this hour Hence the peoples freedom in their Gemote or Monethly convention for Law and Justice at their own doors was rent away from them as appears in the History of three Norman Kings pag. 98. And William the Conqueror ordained says the History his Councel of State his Chancery his Exchequer his Courts of Justice c. These places he furnished with Officers and assigned four Terms in the year for determining of Controversies among the people whereas before all Suits were summarily heard and determined at home in their own Counties and in every hundred without Formalities or delays Now it is highly incumbent upon this present Power and his Excellency the Lord General to redeem the free-born oppressed people from this Tyranny and servitude and that it is such a tyranny and bondage will appear several ways 1. In that by this injury done the free Commoners they are forced to come up to London from all parts of England and to wait at Westminster at great charges and expences during the four Terms for Right and Justice or recovery of their own which attendance on the Lawyers is well known to be lamentably chargable For though the poor Commoner that lives threescore or a hundred miles off could before for a little matter in a day or two at furthest have had justice and right at home Now he must wait long and lamentably till he make himself poor and his Lawyer rich before he can recover his own and I know them that have been beggered and undone by it for they not onely carried up to Westminster full purses and brought home empty but they have been forced to borrow money at London besides that to suffice their Lawyers and to bear their charges home again with weeping eyes which brought them upon their knees and made them to work hard night and day with sweat and tears till their fingers ends aked again to get up some more money to fee their Lawyers for the next Term and to finde their long journeys to Westminster again and yet were compelled for all that to borrow again and again at London before they could get home and if this be not oppression and wrong to the people what is 2. The bondage of it is further for the delaying to do right when not a moneth nor twelve moneths nor twelve years sometimes will be enough for a Lawyer to remove actions out of one Court into another from one place to another to enrich himself and undo his Client nay threescore years have some been tormented and hurried out of one Court into another put to charges paying fees preferring Petitions retaining Counsellors and yet continue in that bondage and misery I know many who are in Law and some have been six others ten others twelve others twenty others thirty others forty others fifty years and yet as far from help relief and right as at first O what crying and complaining of this delay of Justice is in our streets notwithstanding many Statutes to the contrary as that of Edward the third An. 2. cap. 8. in these words That it shall not be commanded neither by the Great nor little Seal to disturb or delay doing right and although such commands come yet the Judges should not cease or delay to do right in any point So An. 20. of Edward the third cap. 1. That all Justices do
they can beare seeing that Subjects are not to bee dealt with as Slaves and Bondmen But God himselfe in his Law to Kings Deutr. 17. 15 20. calls his people his brethren and so David did own them for his Brethren 1 Chron. 20 2. and so one Bartolus a famous Lawyer in Tract de regim Civit. says Subjects are to be held and used by Kings and Governors in the quality and condition of Brethren and not of Slaves so that our Governors and the General must use and ease the free-born Englishman as their Brother Fiftly Wil. the Conqueror brought in another Iron Yoak which the people call for ease from and that appears in p. 99. of the History of the lives of the three Norman Kings That in all those Lands William the Conqueror gave to any man as he did much give away to the Normans yet this covetous Tyrant he reserved dominion in cheife to himselfe for the acknowledgement whereof a yearâ— rent he caused to be paid unto him and a Fine whensoever thâ— Tenement or Land did aliene or die these were bound as Clients to him by oath of fidelity and homaâ—e and if any died whoâ— Heir was in his minority the King Conqueror received the profits of the Land and was his Guardian til the age of one and twenty This bandage of slavery is great though it is in part taken awâ—â— by the fall of the Court of Wards yet there remaineth a very greâ— Tyranny under such as are called Lords of the Mannor for eveâ— since says Holinshed as Lords and Great ones have held this 〈◊〉 the King so also have inferior persons and the poorer sort of people held this of their Lords and in case of disobedience the proprâ—itâ—ly does revert Hence came Lords of the Manor Landlord Tenaâ—â— Holds Tenures c. which are all slavish ties and badges origâ—nally grounded upon mâ—er conquest and Power inslaving the people Now let us but consider the nature of this bondage foâ— when thou that art a free Commoner hast bought a peece of Copyhold-land and paid all to a penny for it of the Owner and toâ— farthing the full worth of it yet the Lord of the Mannor foâ— sooth must have his Fine or else you shall not have a foot of the Land but hee will ceize on it that never pald a penny for it Nay more if you leave it though it be presently another Fiâ—â— fals upon it or if you die your poor Widow or Fatherlesse chilâ— that is in need and comfortlesse must pay another Fine for it too oâ— a Herriot of the best goods left which the Lord of the Mannoâ— must have or else the Land be forfeited O these arbitrary tyrannous customes For as Jer. 5. 26 27. Among my people aâ—â— found wicked men they lay waite as one that sets snares thâ—â— set a trap to catch men As a cage is full of birds so are their houses full of deceit therefore they are become great and waxen rich These grievous Laws are snares indeed So that foâ— Fines and â—â—rriots they covet Fields Amos 4. 1. and take them by force and houses and take them away so they oppresse â— man and his house hear O yee kine of Bashan which oppresse the poor and which crush the needy Amos 8. 4. These as the Prophet Isa 59. Turn Judgment backward Equity cannot enter and he that refraineth maketh himselfe a prey These oppressors takes pledges of the poore which is forbid Joâ— 24 9 and they turne aside the needy from righteousnesse and take away the right of the poor that widows may be their prey and that they may rob the Fatherlesse Isa. 10. 2. Is it not time Fellow-Commoners to call for our freedome from this formality and lust of man what are these Lawes but the direct issue of Tyranny and the badges of our slavery shall rich men thus reign over us and contrary to all Reason or rule of Righteousnesse thus oppresse the poor and widows and fatherlesse and all with â—ealtieâ— Homages Oaths Fines c. What Law is this but Lust and Will Power and Custome which is insufferably corrupt and full of that Feminine which Juvinall speaks of Sic volo sic â—ubeo sic pro ratione voluntas This absolutenesse in some men over the persons and estates of others is plaine Tyranny and without Reason which the ravenous Conqueror brought in and will not our Religious and Rational Conqueror take it away then Shall men as the Psalmist says Psal. 94. forge wrong or frame mischief for a Law God says plainly they shall not oppress the poor and the widow c. Exod. 22. 22. Zach. 7. 10. and will not all the godly say so too Then surely this Supream Power so called i. e. the Parliament of England had need to arise and redeem the people who expect it from this arbitrariness and absoluteness of men who oppress the poor fatherless and widow with this iron yoke of fines rents and herriots to Lords of Mannors and the like which was brought in by the lust humor will pride and covetousness of a Tyrant Pure Religion visits the fatherless and the widow Sixthly and lastly There is another and that a most notorious servitude and misery which William the Conqueror brought the free-born people of England into which by Oliver the Conqueror the people expect deliverance from or else their lives will be but a burthen to them This bondage is by Lawyers for whereas before when the Law was delivered at our own doors every man was heard to plead his own cause without Sollicitors or Attorneys since that the Customs of Normandy were advanced by William the Conqueror the Courts set up at Westminster and the Laws commanded to be made and causes pleaded in French the poor Commoners must of necessity retain Norman Lawyers seeing they themselves understood neither the Law nor Language Thus the poor people were miserably abused and forced to buy their Law and come by their own at a dear rate whilest Lawyers pleaded their causes and at one tryal of a suit sucked up more money may hap then a poor man could get by his work and labor in half a year So that their rise may be ascribed first to the unknownness of the Law in a strange tongue secondly to the intricateness and fallacies of it whereby an honest plain man was rendred unable to extricate himself therefore he must have recourse to the shrine of the Lawyer unless he have learned State-Jesuitism tricks and quiddities in some of the Inns of Court and thirdly the Terms at Westminster whilest the Lawyer like the Roman sets up his god Terminus for all the Country round to fall down and adore The common sort of Lawyers carry a head full of Idea's of right or wrong and so can run on in a round oâ— formulary of words to couzen poor simple people I trust God will undeceive us But as yet in King Williams time the
all our Freedom and Liberty lost Now to conclude this Chapter know the poor oppressed people and free-born Commoners are passionately looking upon the Lord General for a restauration of their Rights and Liberties which they lost by William the Conqueror for these Reasons 1. William the Conqueror waâ—â—ed upon his own account and for his own Ends and fought meerly for himselfe and so robbed the people of all But our Generall Oliver the Conquerer went out to War and ingaged against the Normans and got the Garland through mercy upon the Peoples account and for the people to free them from tyranny and oppression and this he hath often and often declared to the Nation and Commonalty and for this next to the Interest of Christ he hath had the peoples prayers and purses and persons and hearts estates blood and all and upon this score have so many Battles been fought Towns taken and Victories obtained in these Nations Therefore as Austin speaking of the History of David and Goliah Serm. de temp saith nemo pugnavit in valle Terebinthi donec David veniret ad praelium no man ever fought in the valley of Elaâ— or Terebinth Turpentine trees till David came So no man did ever appear so openly so publickly so solemnly to act the part of so excellent chivalry in the peoples cause against the Goliah's and those that bid defiance to Israel as this our Generall did who is the peoples Champion The cheifest Oath the Athenians ever took was this Pugnabo pro sacris pro patria cum aliis solus I will fight for God and my Country whether I fight with my fellows or alone for it Wholesome meat breeds good blood so a good cause good courage in men this good Cause on the side of our Conqueror carryed him out and brought him off with good Successe and can it now be forgot or abandoned Tu pia tela feres saies the Poet. The Jewes never acquitted themselves so worthily nor fought so faithfully as when they fetched their Armour out of the Temple from the Priests hands nor could our Country men have been such Conquerors â—nder the Lord Generall had not the faithfull godly people of this Nation brought them armour and magazine out of the Temple of the Lord insomuch that they fought with consecrated weapons which were kept in their hands by the faith and prayers of Gods dearest and the Commonwealths faithfullest Servants and shall they now be left in the lurch God forbid when the Israelites went to war they first consulted with God and the Priests gave answer from God by the Ephod though in latter times says Josephus they guessed at the ovent by the glowing or duskishnesse of the Diamonds on the Breast-plate which if they shined bright shew good successe but if they looked dim and failed or changed into a pale Colour it portended ill successe all along these late Wars the precious Diamonds that are on Christs the High Priests Breast-plate did shine the most excellent and discerning Saints in England did confidently foreâ—ell and foreshew the good successe of these wars and they glowed to have Israel go and so they do now as much if not more to have the Army march on and to remember their work on the other side the water and not to rest on this side Jordan as wee said in the first Chapter although the Diamonds doe looke dimly as to some selfe-seeking Gaddites who are alwaies almost aâ— Worcester-house or Drury-house to have their portion allotted them here and to go no further But ah alas is all done is all done at home yet why doe not we follow the victory over the Norman Tyrants Hâ—nnibal said to his Souldiers Qui hostem vicerit mihi erit Cart haginensis so let my Lord General say come sirs we fought and have conquered for the people and upon their account now let us deliver them up their own Laws and Liberties and free them fully from these Norman Intruders and Intrusions and whosoever hath conquered shall carry the tryumph of an Englishman over all these Normans we will noâ— seek nor set up our own private Interests though power be in our hands because we ingaged all along for the Peoples and the publicks and for that end God hath given us power in our hands to deliver them and throw down the Normans As when Titus had taken the City of Jerusalem his Army saluted him Emperor and presented him with Crowns and Garlands by way of congratulations which he modestly refused saying He had done nothing more then lent his hands and help to God and his people who hath declared here by our Conquest his fiâ—rce wrath against this sinful people Thus should his Excellency say I have but lent my help to God and his poor people that were held in unsufferable slavery by the tyranny oppression and injustice robbery and wrongs which William the Conqueror brought upon them from all which we are to deliver them and against all which with all the Norman Lawyers and Oppressors God hath justly declared by our conquest of them in his fierce wrath against them This is the first Reason why the peoples eyes are so on his Excellency being their Conqueror 2. William the Conquerors Army were strangers and outlandish cruel Kites and therefore made all that was the peoples of England their prey without mercy but the case is now altered this Army were our own Countrymen and Fellow-members under the Norman tyranny with us so that the Law of Nature calls upon the Army of our Brethren for our deliverance and recovery from these alienâ—tions We finde this in France Anno 1483 1522 1531 1549 1560. by divers Decrees of Parliament the care they had to recover and wring the power out of the hands of strangers intruders invaders and usurpers So in the Assembly of the Estates at Toures where King Charls the Eighth was in person divers alienations made by Lewis the Eleventh were repealed and annihilated and divers great places of power and trust were taken away from strangers and given to their own Countrymen as from the Heirs of Tancred of Casthel c. So also they did in their last Assembly at Orleans What makes so much opposition now in France against their yong King and the old Queen about Mazarine but that he is an intruder and a stranger How can we then be content to have Usurpers Intruders and Out landish Normans to eat us up and possess our Estates Laws Liberties and all Charlemain sayes Paulus Aemilius lib. 3. did once endeavor to subject the Kingdom of France to German strangâ—rs but the free-born Frenchmen most stoutly withstood it to the face of their King and chose the Prince of Glasconny for their mouth most couragiously to declare against it that they would not suffer it that forrainers should rule over the subâ—ects of France and certainly had Charlemain proceeded in that business it had
godly people have their rights of a free choise of another Representative in their stead that will doe better and more righteous things for the People and this priviledge the people may freely seeke by peaceable means to enjoy and challenge as their right If these in this Representative should wrong or yet rob us of our Rights and Priviledges or act against the publicke good Seeing the People have the right and originall power as was declared in the last Parliaments Declaration after the cutting off of the King for his tyranny of chusing their own Rulers Thus the States or Princes of the people met at Mispah to chuse Saul 1 Sam. 20. 18. so 1 Sam. 11. 14. which was confirmed to him by the people at Jabesh-Gilead so was David first in Hebron and after in Judah by the generall suffrage of the people In this sence saies Hushai to Absolom 2 Sam. 16. 18. Nay but whom the Lord and this people and all the men of Israel shall chuse his will I be and with him will I abide Yea we read how the Heathen people had learned this lesson by the light of nature to chuse their own Governors Thus Cicero saies 1. de offic that Deioces from a Judge of private controversies was for his uprightnesse chosen by the whole people of the Medes for their Supream Governor and Livy tels us the like how their Governors and Senators were chosen by the people and upon their defaults how they set up others and put them out Hence Tarquinus Superbus was esteemed a Tyrant being neither chosen by the people nor the Senate but intruding And thus wee might goe on to show the people had ever the right of chusing their own Governors therefore they have the priviledge orderly to declare against their male-administrations and to use all means that may be to remove them that are retrograde to the publicke good that others may succeed who are more sensible of our bondage and tyranny And this I say that the people have a defensive force of armes to preserve their Rights and Liberties with from those tyrannies and oppressions of their Rulers as would wrong them of them and wring them from them yea moreover if it be by consent of the publick and not upon discontent of a few private hot-brain'd spirits the people generally concurring may decline obedience to those Governors that have or hold them in slavery under Laws against the publick good whether as in relation to liberty of Conscience or liberty of the Subject with reference to Gods Laws or the Peoples Thus Libna withdrew obedience from Jehoram King of Judah 1 Chron. 6. 17. 2 Chron. 21. 10. for abandoning the Laws of God and the People So when Antiochus by his tyrannicall Laws required the Jews to imbrace his Religion and thereby robbed them of all the Laws of God and their own Laws We finde Mattathias resolute to resist and he saies to the King We will not obey nor will we doe any thing contrary to our Religion But he took up armes got into the mountains gathered Troops and waged war against Antiochus for Religion and Laws and Liberties of the people the Jewes Yea we shall find Debora raise under the conduct of Barac an Army for the Laws and Liberties of Israel yea when many of the Tribes thought not of Liberty as Reuben Dan Asher Benjamin and Ephraim and were against it too and adhered to the Tyrant and tyrannies of Jabin by a few out of Zâ—bulon Nepthalie and Issachar they overthrew Sisera and restored the people to their just Rights and Priviledges Now these are so far from being Adversaries to the Publick that have a publick call thus to do that they are her faithfull Friends and Servants that seek to defend her Rights and Liberties though it be a disobedience to usurping or tyrannicall powers but be sure they have a clear call upon the publick account before they appear so then let them be on the defensive side too as for their own Fourthly Let our Countrymen know that this conquest hath been altogether upon the peoples account i. e. for their just Rights Laws and Liberties now is it not fit for them to demand their own will they loose their own for want of humble asking or honest acting The children of Sophocles would have impeached and impleaded their Father for an old Dotard but Sophocles brings forth a book of his own writing which was ful of Ingenuity Art and Reason and bids his Judges see by that whether he were a Dotard or no So let other Nations see by something or other that we are past children and fools to loose our Liberties and Rights any longer therefore for Christs sake and the Countries let us use all honest and lawfull means to take possession of our owne and pull them out of the hands of the Norman Tyrants and Intruders Where be the faithfull Commonwealths-men that call for their Liberties and Laws as was before William the Conqueror are any of them left alive The Host of Nola in the story being commanded by the Roman Censor to goe and call the good men of the City to appear before him went to the Church-yard and there called at the Graves of the dead Ho! O yee good men of Nola come away the Censor calls for your appearance for I know not where any good men are left alive I think we may go so to the graves of some faithfull Commonwealths-men and say O hasten out of your graves for we know not where to finde such faithfull ones for the Peoples Liberties left alive for where are they that will stand up for their Rights would we but joyn more magnanimously in a general issue herein some particular faithful ones would not be so much sufferers under the tyranny and cruelty of the Normans as they are whiles we sit still and say nothing O sad will not after ages blush at our folly doe we not say it is pitty but the prisoner should stay there and lye by it seeing he will not goe free when he may when his Irons are off and doors are open on purpose although it is true after a man hath his Reprive the dogged Keeper will make him wait and beg too long enough ere he sets him at liberty and lets his feet out of the Iron bolts and this I fear is our case too much but then le ts complain to the Supream Power of Heaven and sue them before him for our false imprisonments and bondage if they doe not deliver us and give us our Liberties upon our concurrent desires so to do Wherefore pluck up courage Countrymen and let us be no longer cheated with Lawyers or Oppressors Lastly Consider the daies entring in the fifth Chapter which will put a full period to all their Tyrannies and Usurpations CHAP. V. Of the FIFTH MONARCHY when and how and why with the alteration of all the LAWS and OFFICERS of the
FOURTH MONARCHY Improved with use to the PARLIAMENT and the PEOPLE THe consideration of the Fifth Monarchy now entering is very pregnant to our purpose For all the Laws and Ordinances Civill and Ecclesiastick of the Fourth Monarchy must tumble at the entrance of the fifth That there is such a Kingdom to come is obvious to all intelligent men by abundance of Scriptures as Dan. 2. 35 36 37. and 7. 17 23. 25. Rev. 11. 15. Isa. 9 6 7. Psal. 2. 5 6. Psal. 72. 8 9 11. Luk. 1. 32. 39. Rev. 17. 14. and 16. 11. 19. Jer. 15. 25 26. cum multis aliis and it is for this fifth Monarchy which must remaine for ever Isa. 9. 7. Dan. 2. 44. Luk. 1. 33. Psa. 72. 8. and 47. 2. Mic. 4. 7. Zach. 9. 10 c that all other Kings and Kingdoms Powers and Policies Laws and Lawyers in the fourth Monarchy must be shaken and broken into fitters and shivers like potsheards That there is such a mighty Monarchy a coming which must be universall all over the World is without doubt but to our matter we must examine First When it enters Secondly How it enters Thirdly Why it enters to the ruin of the other First As to the Time though men be of divers minds as to the precise time yet all concur in the nighnesse and swiftnesse of its coming upon us The graduall entrance of it as to us being just by although the universall discovery of it all over the world is like to be about forty years hence as appears in Chap. 3. of my Tabernacle for the Sun or Idea of Church Discipline But to clear the time as to us see Dan. 7. 17 22 23 26 c. The Prophet tels us there expresly of the foure Monarchies now the fourth Kingdome as he cals it ver 23. or earthly Monarchy he distinguishes from the three foregoing for its tyranny and extent ver 7. agreeing with Rev. 13. 2. c. and tels us that it had ten horns that is ten Kings Rev. 17. 12. which are enumerated by Mr. Cam in his voice from the Temple p. 12. but after this that Daniel had seen the ten hornes in the head of this fourth Beast or Monarchy ver 8. hee looked well and then saw what see v. 8. and behold there came up among them another little Horne before whom there were three of the first hornes pluckt up by the roots Pray note it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I considered saies he with great attention and serious intention i. e. to something very observable in this Vision and that is to the rise of this little horne that ravenously got up in the room of three hornes Some there be that interpret this of the Pope others of the Turke others of Julius Caesar so Calvin others of Antichrist So my friend Mr. Canne others to Antiochus Epiphanes so Polanus But I must differ from them all for that the Prophecy agrees with none of them all fully but though I may seem singular yet with much assurance and clear sight I assert it that William the Conqueror was this little horn and so all along the Line of William and the Norman Kings on our English Throne And that for these Reasons 1. This Little horne was unseen and none a while even after the ten horns were seen for he arose after them all and was at his first rising seen besides them and another vers 8. 20. which the Prophet makes observeable seeing hee saw him not before at his first rise he was the least and the last this was K. William the Norman who arose by usurpation over the other horns on the head and so his Line therefore 2. He rose up or thrust in among the rest i. e. as Will the Conqueror did by force and armes not by choyse and election not naturally with the rest of the horns by the suffrage of the people 3 He was as is in Dan. 11. 21. a vile person or base borne as we have it in p. 37. of the English Chronicles Robert Duke of Normandy the sixt in descent from Rollo riding through Fallis a Town in Normandy he spied certain Damsels dancing near the way among whom he fixed his eye upon one Arlote a fair Maid but of mean Parentage a Skinners Daughter whom he procured that night to be brought unto him of whom he begat a Son who afterward was named William c. So that this Will the Conqueror was the base Son of Robert the sixt Duke of that Dutchy This is the vile person who rose up so by usurpation of power whence all the Norman Kings that sat since upon the English Throne came 4 After the League made with him he shall work deceitfully c. Chap. 11. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or with fraudes and arts did not Will. the Conqueror thus See but the third Chapter how oft he broke his Oaths and Promises and contrary to all set up the Norman Interest and pulled down the peoples with the losse of all their Laws and Liberties to this day 5 This Little horne was to wax great and famous in time and to subdue three Kingdomes and get up the roome of three Hornes or Kings ver 8. 20. 24. as one more stout then all his other fellowes This was fulfilled by William the Conquerour and that Norman race in England and by none else this Line of William by degrees got up all the roome of three Kings in England Ireland and Scotland and took up those three hornes himselfe who was so little at first as a poor Skinners Girles Bastard In whom could this be fulfilled else not in Pope nor Turke nor Antichrist nor Caesar nor Antiochus but only in this English Horne usurping the place of the other three and plucking them up by the roots 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6 This little Horne shall speake great words against God ver 25. and as Chap. 11. shall doe according to his owne will ver 36. and exalt himselfe and magnifie himselfe above God and prosper untill the indignation be accomplished After Will. the Conqueror and his Race had made themselves great and gotten up all the Brittains wealth and riches their fattest fields and Meddows c. as Chap. 11. Ver. 24. he grew great in pride and Tyranny and Arbitrary power according to the lust of his heart as the Hebrew hath it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and this got up into such a height at last in the late Charles that he not only opposed God but refused to be accountable pretending no Mortals must question him and thus he magnified himselfe usque ad consummationem irae till his head was off which indignation was to begin with him first for his height of Arbitrary Will Lust and Tyranny in which as Chap. 7. 20. he was more stout then all his fellowes wherefore this horn must needs be the English by Will. the Conqueror 7 This little horne
Then shall new Preachers be sent to thee that shall not only rebuke the People but also thunder against the Priests and put to silence the lofty and swelling Masters and they shall so bruise the forehead of that lewd Whore that it shall be reputed Righteousnesse to them that rebuke thee Finally saies he chap. 30. the LORD shall not make an end till New things doe arise and that there come a Generation bringing forth good fruit and a full Reformation be Then Qui in tenebris ambularunt ad lucem redibunt quae erant divisa dispersa consolidabuntur c. Besides him we have anothers Judgment in a Prediction of long standing and that is one Cataldus Finius once Minister of Trent When Rome saies he begins to hear the loâ—d bellowing of the fat Cow I know not who that is unlesse the English Nation as seems by what followes Woe woe then be to thee O Flanders full of blood and Zealand and Holland full of treacheries as if this were the way of the war to Rome Alas alas weep thou unhappy Babylon thou damned pit of Priests for the dayes of affliction are come upon thee and like unripe corne thou shalt suffer a threshing for thine iniquities Many shall come against thee yea from the foure corners of the Earth the Holy ones of God shall bee gathered together against thee Over and above all these one Baptista Nazarus hath translated a prophecy out of Hebrew how in the sixth thousand years which is now shall begin great wars to vex Nations and they shall come into Spaine France and Germany and put the Romans to the edge of the sword and that the English shall combine with others and the Venetians shall enter into a holy league with the English I conceive that to be meant a league upon theaccount of Christ against Antichrist c. and they shal go on conquering and have the chief hand in vanquishing the Turks So that it seems long since it was foresâ—en what God would do in and by this Nation and how fast from them the Fifth Monarchy should goe on and grow up to the ruine of the fourth Monarchy in all Nations which appears to strike terrible strokes at the Ecclesiasticall and Civill Interest of Babylon I could heap up many more Prophesies and Predictions of this nature But I shall end them in one more of the Sibyls lib. 3. p. 268. 269. which saies that in the last daies after grievous and intestine wars shall be set up instead of the cruell Lawes and wils of men the most venerable Decrees Laws and Ordinances of the Lord and then shall the beloved People of God flourish again So that it seems the Sibyls fore-saw how sadly the poor people would be oppressed and enslaved by cursed and cruel Laws and Lusts of men all along the fourth Monarchy and what redemption herein the fifth Monarchy would bring them for as in Psal. 72. 3. 7. Christ the King shall reigne in those dayes and then the Mountains Kings Princes Parliaments Generals and the Hils viz. Judges Justices c. shall bring peace to the people by justice and thorough righteousnesse and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in those daies the righteous shall flourish and abundance of peace shall be so long as the Moon endures and Christ shall reign from Sea to Sea i. e. by degrees at first till it come to the ends of the Earth but thus for the first Reason Secondly This fifth Monarchy must enter a pace for that Christ hath of right the Supream Authority of the Nations therefore Dan. 7. 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the Kingdome i. e. the fifth Monarchy and the summa potestas Regni the Supreame authority of the Nation is his or the absolute Soveraignty is given him the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Heaven and in Earth Wherefore woe be to those Usurpers that trade and triumph with the title due to Christ alone who is now coming for his own No wonder Holland hath so hard a tug now to keep the title of I was going to say Almighty but High and Mighty which Christ has a Commission to take from them with a powder Doe but observe de Wits Letter to them dated 11 alias 1. Aug. 1653. lying before the Texel who ends it thus Which is the account sent to your High and Mighty and Noble Great and Mightinesses So ending I remaine Your High and Mighty and Noble and Great and Mightinesses faithfull Servant Cornelius de Withe Witte And he deserves the Withe for flattering men so This must not be endured ere long and it were well for us if we took not that Title which Christ alone must and will have ere long to himselfe as his by right Besides Christ alone must be the Law-giver and have the Legislative Power in this Monarchy Isa. 33. 22. Jekovah is our Law-giver So Gen. 49. 10. Shiloh should be their Lawgiver so Psa. 60. 7. Judah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Christ of the Tribe of Judah is my Lawgiver 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 t is as much as to say there is no stability in Government or Laws till Christs Fifth Monarchy till he come 〈◊〉 give it them He hath the Judicial Power too John 5. 22. 27. But although he doth delegate a Judiciall Power to his Servants Isa. 1. 27. 1 King 6. 12. and subordinate Officers Isa. 60. 17. Dan. 7. 27. Rev. 19. 14. which must all be Saints too yet he keeps the Legislative Power to himselfe and will not part with it nor can he to Princes or Parliaments He alone is to have the absolute Soveraignty as the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dan. 7. 14. So that his will his word or command is the Law and the Law ought to be none but his Word all grounded and fetched from the Word of God which is to be the Statute-Booke Psal. 147. 19. He sheweth HIS Statutes and HIS Judgements to Israel Then the ablest Lawyers wil be such as are most conversant with Christ his Scriptures and Ordinances O happy dayes then the Lawes will bee healing as Soveraigne Medicines and the Magistrates like Pâ—ysitians must apply them for these and divers other reasons we looke for the fifth Monarchy and doe continually cry Come Lord Jesus come quickly Let every one that longs for these new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwels righteousnesse 2 Pet. 3. 13. Pray Our Father thy Kingdome come that thy will may be done in earth as it is in heaven Matth. 6. 10. that we may have none but Christs Lawes Statutes and Government but forget all old Formes of Civil or Ecclesiasticke for which end Lord hasten this fifth Monarchy Vse My first word is full to our Governours in the Honourable Court of Parliament if so be the fifth Monarchy is so nigh us it concernes them to set upon their Generation-worke then in these dayes