excitato impulsa est Anglia Scotia quae Regna cum antea externorum hostium impetum depulerunt Nunc domesticis dissidijs debiltata et ad interitum jam inclinata sunt Id verò totum acceptum referrendum est istis sanctissimis patribus Gabaonitis Jesuiticis Which he ushers in with this precedent Observation concerning their carriage in America to subject it to the Spanish vassallage Eisdem artibus et hoc Religionis Nomine illas Provincias Hispanico Regi potentissimo subjicerunt à quo illi emissi Ut exploratores eo consilia omnia retulerunt Ut primum domestica dissidia excitarent deinde Hispanicos exercius in regna convulsa dissidiis domesticis debilitata adducerent Quod assecuti sunt omnia caedibus sanguine ita replent ut non solum Consilij Capiendi sed etiam Ne respirandi quidem spacium relinquant illis a quibus amanter humaniter fuerant excepti All which particulars being likewise more largly justified demonstrated in that elegant Solid Oration of the Parliament of Paris to King Henry 4. Anno. 1603. against the Jesuites restitution contrary to the former Parliamentary Arrest for their perpetual banishment out of France which they therein predicted would prove fatall to him as it did in truth by their manifold attempts against not only against the French Kings lives Crownes but also against the Lawes and Liberties both of the Realme and Church of France thus poetically expressed in an Epigram presented to King Henry the fourth the same year upon the same occasion by a true French Philopater Cui nam hominum ignotum est ' Jesuita nocte dieque ' Nil meditari aliud quam qua ratione modove ' Prisca statuta queant patriasque evertere Lege Inque locum ' antiquis totum in contraria nobis ' Jura dare sanctos privata ad commoda Ritus Flectere nulli unquam quod post mutare licebit ' Antique deflet proh libertatis honorem ' Auria libertas sic sic calcabere Sione ' Illa tibi fraenum injiciet Jesuitica pestis Vltima Fex hominum Satanaeque Excrementum Quo nil terra tulit pejus necfaedius unquam Mortem norant animare Et Tumultos Suscitare Hi submittant Proditores Hi subornant Percussores Excitant Seditiones Nutriunt Rebelliones Modo jubeat Romanus Vel sic postulat Hispanus Servit his Cor Sermo Manus Adds another In Officinam Jesuiticam I now referre it to the consciences of all my late Imprisoners and all other Subvertors Underminers New-Modellers of our ancient Fundamentall Lawes Liberties Parliaments Governments Kings and hereditary Regall Succession contrary to their former Oathes Protestations Covenants Declarations Remonstrances Professions Principles Resolves Commissions Trusts Advices Votes of the Majority of both Houses of Parliament and our three Kingdomes sadly to consider without passion or partiallity whether all our late intestine bloudy warres with their strange unparalleld Proceedings and Changes of this Nature which I opposed to my power proceeded not originally from the Jesuites projection suggestion and solicitation to ruine our Protestant Kings Kingdomes Lawes Liberties Churches Parliaments and whether they were not the very Jesuites reall though deluded circumvented Instruments in promoting accomplishing them with all earnestnesse violence zeal fury against the votes of the secluded majority of both Houses and of our three Protestant Nations to the Jesuites and Papist great content the grief of most Zealous Protestants the intollerable Scandall Infamy Dishonour of the most Zealous professors of the Protestant Religion and the exiting of many late and present bloudy persecutions against them by Popish Princes in Bohemia Austria Styria Savoy and other parts as a generation of Seditious Factious Antimonarchicall turbulent perfidious disloyall treacherous spirits and dangerous Regicides as they now repute them and publish us be in printed bookes and hereupon let them now resolve their own consciences and the world with what colour of Christianity Law Justice they could so illegally maliciously despitefully close imprison restrain my person seise all my Papers Records c. only to debar me from detecting opposing these their Jesuiticall Journey workers with my pen and indeavouring to translate the Odium of these their true originall Architects the Jesuites who are so impudent and malicious Vt etiam sua suorumque FACINORA AC PARRICIDIA EV ANGELICIS TRANSCRIBERE NON VERANTVR as Ludovicus Lucius proves by severall instances to render the Doctrine and Persons of the Protestants odious and detestable to the whole world And whose principall scope and designe is by severall stratagems to engage all Protestant Princes Kingdomes States Churches in unchristian divisions tumults warres between themselves and against each other Vt continuis se vonficient et atterent viribus ut COMMUNI MOX SUPER VENTVRO HOSTI RESISTERE NEQUEANT Sub nomine et praetextu Religionis Catholicae praesidioque authoritate Papae Hispaniarum Regis ubique locorum sese insinuare OMNIA DE NOVO PRO ARBITRIO SUO INSTITUERE ET AD JESUITICUM FUSORIUM CONFORMARE omnes Evangelicos igne ferro veneno pulvere tormentario BELLIS alijs Machinationibus opprimere viriliter extirpare Sicque SEIPSOS DOMINOS AC MAGISTROS TOTIUS MUNDI EFFICERE as those who please may read at large in Johannis Cambilhonus De abstrusioribus Jesuitarum artibus studijs in Hasenmullerus Hospinian Ludovicus Lucius their Historia Jesuitica Speculum Jesuiticum Watsons Quodlibets with others our New Statizers may do well most seriously to peruse and study the better to countermine the Jesuites pernicious plots against us for the future which have wrought such strange confusions warres alterations various Revolutions in Church and State amongst us in few years last past as all former ages can not parallel If any of my imprisoners or others demand why I did not during all the time of my close Restraints sue out an Habeas Corpus to procure my Liberty in a Legall way or why upon my Enlargement I brought not an action of false Imprisonment against my Committers or their under-Goalers to recover Dammages for my illegall Restrains or a Writt of Restitution to re-invest me in my Recordership of Bath of which I was injuriously dispossessed without cause or hearing by a Whitehall Letter and another time-serving Member introduced during my restraint I Answere 1. That the want of a true Legal Power Jurisdiction and Court of Justice from whom to demand sue and before whom to prosecute these Legal Writts disabled me to pursue them And to demand them from or prosecute them under those illegall Usurped New self-created Powers and Jurisdictions of the Jesuites projection which illegally committed and ejected me from my Recordership had been a reall acknowledgment of and submission to them on record as Lawfull against my Science Conscience Judgement Oathes Protestation Vow League Covenant our known Lawes Statutes and Parliamentary Declarations which I durst not in conscience or prudence violate to
the Sâ—eriffs and Justices only are to suâ—presse all force and sumults if there be any need by the Posse Comitatus in which cases Souldiers are only to assist them as auxil ariâ—s not as sole as princible Officers or Executioners as in and by your Warrants they are now usually made against Law and the practices of all former ages Which late illegall Vsage of imploying Souldiers in this kind to arest mens Persons break up and search their Houses reputed High Treason and a levying of Warr against the King and his People in Straffords case the very last Parliament as it hath allready occasioned many Barbarous Murders dangerous Burglares and Roberies in sundry places and in the very heart of of London it self by Souldiers and others pretending Warrants from your New Council of State or others in present power to apprehend Delinquents or search for Armes Papers c. so it is like to produce many more sad Tragedies and outrages of this kind to the endangering of all mens Persons lives estates thus prostituted to the violence rapine of every Rogue Thief Villain who shall but counterfeit himself a Souldier and pretend your Warrant for search of any mans house study or apprehension of any mans Person he hath a design to rob or murther Which common mischief can be no otherwise prevented but by directing all warrants only to known Officers according to Law â— publick Declaration to all the Kingdom that no Souldiers or others under Pain of death shall dare presume to execute or counterfeit any such Warrants for the future it being no part of their calling or imployment and a great oppression and terror to the People contrary to the expresse clause of the Commissions of the Peace and of Oyer and Terminer against such who ride armed in companies to the Terrror of the Kings people who cannot easily distinguish who are Souldiers really imployed and who are Counterfeits and have sometimes been affrighted not only to sicknesse and great distempers of spirit but even to death it self by the sudden violent Attachments and searches of Souldiers of whose rudeness and incivility in their executions others have much complained though those who seised me were as respective towards me as your warrant would permit transgressing only in the unseasonablenesse of the time and illegalities you injoyned them 2. Your warrant is directly contrary to Law and the Subjects Liberty in that it commits me Prisoner yea close Prisoner â—efore without the least Accusation conviction of any particular Crime any hearing â—xaminingâ— what I can say for my self and so a meer forejudging of me going to â—xecution before the fact examined contrary to all forms of Legal proceedings in all criminal causes whatsoever where the accused Persons for any Trespasse Felony or Treason are first sent for examined in the presence of their Accusers before they be committed Contrary to the very proceedings of the most exorbitant High Commisioners who at first only summoned not attached me for my Perpetuity after that for my Cosens cozening Devotions to appear answer the same before them Contrary to the proceeding of the Lords atthe Councill Table it self for my Histriomast ix suggested to be Seditious and Scandalous in the Superlative degree to the King Queen Court Councill Kingdome Government who yet thereupon only summoned me by a single sworn Messenger to appear in the Inner Star-chamber before them to answer such things as should be there objected against me for that Book but never once seized or Committed my Person untill after they had examined and heard me concerning iâ— such was their Iustice and moderation towards me in their first Processe whereas you now commit me close Prisoner at a great distance before yea without any Summons hearing or examination I know not for what pretended writings So much do you now out-strip them in violence injustice Whereas if you had ought against me you might have summoned me to appear before you whiles I was in London the last Term in commons or since that residing openly constantly at my country House without absenting my self or being ever yet a fugitive and examined me as they did before you thus rashly committed me hand over head in such a notorious way of violence in the face of all the County and Kingdome who cannot but conclude you are more Tyrannically exorbitant herein than ever the King or Prelates were against me and have hereby most notoriously infringed Magna Charta c. 29. the Statutes of 25. E. 1. c. 1. 2. 28. E. 1. c. 1. 5. E. 3. c. 4. 37. and 42. E. 3. With other Acts collected by Rastall in his Abridgment tittle accusation the Petition of Right the Resolation of the three last Parliaments and all our Law-books which directly enact adjudge and declare That no Freeman ought to be attached or imprisoned upon any Accusation or suggestion made to the King or his Councell much less then unto you unlesse it be by Inditement impeachment of his good and lawfull Neighbours or by Processe made by a writ originall at the common Law And if any thing be dâ—ne against the same it shall be reversed and holden for none Which Laws you have sworn professed covenanted to observe and are bound to do it as a Lawyer much more as a Christian it being the very Law of the Pagan Romans Acts. 25. 16. and of the very Jews themselves Iohn 7. 44 c. whose Officerâ— refuse to apprehend our saviours Person upon the High Priests warrant because never man spake as he did and their Law judged not any man to be apprehended much lesse imprisoned before it heard him and knew what he doth Wherefore you cannot but recalâ— and condemn this Warrant and its execution as most repugnant to these Statutes and the very Law of Nature of Nations and Gods own Proceedings with the worst of men 3. Every Warrant of Attachment Sr. Edward Cook proves at large in his 2 Institutes On Magna Charta c. 29. ought to be to summon or bring the parties to be examined before they be committed and every Mittimus after examination ought to expresse the cause justly and time for which they are to be imprisoned as during pleasure or till further order or till they shall put in bayl or be delivered by Law as likewise the manner how they shall be tryed for what they are accused and not be absolute as a Iudgement or sentence after hearing But your Warrant is a meer Iudgement before hearing or examination without any such causes committing me close Prisoner without any limitation of time and so for ought I know during life or ever intending to bring me to any legall examination or Tryall Therefore altogether illegall in this respect 4. The Statutes of 5. E. 3 c 8. 23. H. 8. c. 2 and 5. H. 4. cap. 10. enact That the Prisons to which evill doors shall be committed for their evil offences shall be in the most eminent
Warre-ingendring Land-desolating Soul condemning sins of all others which have utterly destroyed subverted extirpated and brought to nought not only many potent Kings Princes Potentates Nobles Grandees of all sorts with their posterities but even whole Kingdomes States Republicks beyond all humane probability as the Histories of all former ages and recent Presidents of your immediate Whitehall Predecessors experimentally confirm whose injurious oppressive proceedings Sentences against him causelesse long imprisonments ofâ—this Remonstrant were one principall occasion of their downfall and of that very Star-chamber Court wherein they censured him And because God hath likewise positively resolved Isa 58. 6 7 8. That this is the chiefest the only fast which he hath chosen and appointed to pacifie his wrath avert his judgements cease all Warres restore establish Wealth Peace Setlement and prosperity the proper effects fruites of Righteousnesse and true Justice to an afflicted Realm or Nation to loose the bonds of wickednesse and such are all injurious illegall Warrants close Imprisonments Restraints and his fore-remonstrated in the highest degreen to undoe the heavy burdens and are not his and the other long continued unwarrantable publick Taxes Excises extraordinary Prison expences and grievouâ— unredressed pressures imposâ—d by you such to let the oppressed go free and is not he such an one in the highest degree as well now as heretoâ—ore in his person freedome calling estate friends and all earthly comforts by your forain close imprisonments so long continued on him after all his ancient oppressions and that ye break every yoak and are not his present restraints from all free private or publick converse with any rankes of men by word or writing by muing him up in forâ—in Prisons under armed Guards Centinels debarring him from all Gods own Ordinances all legall wayes or writs for his enlargement yoaks nay iron yoaks to him Your keeping oâ— him and the whole Nation so many years together when the King and both Houses would and might have setled a most desired blessed Peace without further armes or bloud-shed under the overâ—wing Parliament-subverting Law-oppressing Sword Power Discipline of a disobedient Army subverting those very ends powers persons for whose preservation and defence they were professedly raised waged continuing them still in extraordinary pay both Winter and Summer with little or no diminution of their number to the totall consumption of all the Lands Rents Revenues of Archbishops Bishops Deanes Chapters King Queen Prince of many thousands of Delinquents the undoing of some thousands of well affected persons the generall impoverishing of most men throughout the Nation and threatning a speedy consumption of all yet remaining if longer continued and that rather to enslave then enfranchise us to promote their own Officers and others private Wealth Greatnesse then our reall publick weal liberty safety or our Religion The maintaining of many superfluous Garisons Castles more to imprison secure him and the other causelesse Prisoners in them then defend the Nation by them the usefullest of them even at the entrance of our chiefest Harbours being experimentally found to be meer Scare-crowes to fright cowardly unexperienced Seamen only but unable with all their mounted Canons discharged suddenly if there be occasion only one by one at Rovers and great uncertain distance and that but once or twice at most with round bals by none of the skilfulest Gunners unable to hit unlesse by chance much lesse to stop hurt spoyle strike any single Ship or Vessell passing in or out of the Harbors when as old late and present experience in our latest Sea fights prove that 10 20 30 40 50 100 whole broad sides and greater better tyres of Ordinance then any in our Forts discharged together at one stout ship by skilfullest Gunners at nearest distance with better aime with key or crosse chain shot will hardly split or sink it which no Fort no Castle that we read of ever yet did nor stay take any resisting Vessell without grappling with and boarding her which Forts cannot do much lesse can they hinder the ingresse egresse or regresse of any considerable Squadron of Ships or a whole Navie or impeach the landing of an Army by or under their very noses or in places out of their Guns command as ignorant people dream as the forcible landings of your forces though small in the late reduced Islands of Silly Jersie the Barbadoes under their very Forts and Canons without the losse of any one Ship or Vessell by their Canons and Blockhouses and of the losse of very few Mariners or Land Souldiers with the taking of Cadez and many fortified Towns in the Indies heretofore by Sir Francis Drake and others without the losse of any one ship by Canon-shot manifest beyond all contradiction such Forts serving only in truth to maintain many â—asie Gunners and Montrosses at 8 10 12 l. pay a week or more in many Forts meerly to shoot away vast proportions in a year of Powder and Bullet in meer complement and salutes of men of war and other Ships who waste more Powder Bullet in saluting resaluting Ships and in other idle frolicks upon Visitants and Newes of good successes then their salaries amount to and to maintain many thousands of lasie idle Souldiers whose labour would be far more profitable to the Nation then their service at 5 s. 10 d. pay each week and their Officers at double treble 4 6 or 8. times as much more only to burn Match to take Tobacco stand Centinel to walke or look about them some two or three houres in three or four whole dayes space or more which they call Duty and exercise once in two or three months time for so many houres to shoot away their powder when as poor Labouring men of all sorts must work hard all the week long for lesser gain and wages then these idlebees receive for this their lasie uselesse duty and yet pay heavy weekly Taxes duly under pain of plundering to maintain these Lurdánes to so little purpose Are not these think you yoaks nay heavy unsupportable Iron yoaks far heavier then those wooden ones of a little Shipmony only once a year under which we formerly groaned till we brake them fit now to be broaken on your Fast-day after so long a continuance of them by you on our Nations galled wearied necks There is yet a second part of that Fast which God now cals for from you to deal your bread to the hungry and are there not now many such amongst us by your unrighteous depriving them of their Liberties Callings Imployments Revenues Husbands Servants Children Estates publick Offices and the benefit of our very Lawes to regain their own and detaining their publick debts as you do his To satisfie the afflicted soul and is not his soul such by your remonstrated pressures and thousands of souls more by other grievances To bring the poor that is cast out as he is by you from his House Liberty Calling Family Kindred Friends all
who professed himself a Lawyer or ware a Gown upon his back durst affirme That about 50 or 60 members only of the late Commons house confederating with the Army-officers to destroy condemn and behead the King the * head of the Parliament abolish the whole house of Lords the ancientest honorablest chiefest of branch our English Parliaments Wherein the judiciall power of Parliaments wholly or principally resided and secure seclude the majority or five parts of four of the whole Commons house only for voting according to their consciences and endevouring to settle the Peace of the Kingdome after eight years bloudy wars and to subvert all future reall English Parliaments contrary to their trusts and duties the very expresse words of the writs and retornes of those by whom they were made and elected members contrary to the direct tenor of the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance which they took and must take before they could sit or vote as Members contrary to the Solemn Protestation Vow League and Covenant which they all made and took after they were Members contrary to their manifold printed Declarations Remonstrances Ordinances Votes whiles there was a reall Parliament and they actuall Members of it contrary to the Desires Petitions of those who intrusted them yea contrary to the principles of the Protestant Religion the Priviledges Rights of Parliaments the fundamentall Lawes of the Land which they professed covenanted ingaged inviolably to maintain as they were Members should be a true and unquestionable Parliament of England of themselves alone without either King or House of Peers or the mainity of the secured and secluded Members especially after the Kings beheading which actually dissolved the Parliament and sitting still under the over-awing guards and force of the Army demanding of him in an earnest manner by what Parliamentary or Legall Records Histories Law-books resolutions of our Judges or Courts of Justice he could prove that unparliamentary Juncto to be a lawfull English Parliament when as his own science and conscience must attest that they all declare and resolve them to be no Parliament at all Whereunto he replyed he must needs confesse that all Records Histories and Law books were clear against him that they were no legall Parliament but yet yet in this case of extremity wherein we then were It was lawfull for the minor part of the Commons Houses to seclude the King and house of Lords with the major part of their fellow-commoners when they would have endangered the ship of the Common-wealth to preserve it from drowning as I my self granted in one of my Books that the Mariners might secure the master of the Sip and thrust him from the sterne in case he would wilfully split it against a Rock or Quick-sands to preserve the ship and themselves from perishing to which I rejoyned that the similitude suited not with the case in question For the secluded majority of the Commons and Lords house according to their trusts duties at the earnest desires of the generality of our three Kingdomes endevoured to preserve and secure the ship of the Common-wealths of England Scotland and Ireland and bring it into a safe harbour by a happy close with the late King upon far more honourable terms and propositions for the subjects benefit liberty weal security to which the King consented then ever we or our ancestors enjoyed or our posterities can hereafter hope for and laboured to their power to prevent those bloudy intestine wars between our Protestant Realms and Allies and that prodigall expences of many millions of treasure which this viâ—lence upon the King Peers and Commons house have since produced and is still likely to occasion by these few Members confederacy with the Army who in stead of saving have quite wracked the ship both of our true ancient Parliaments and Republicks and of their new infant Common wealth too and left us in a more desperate distracted unsetled condition then they then found us which he conâ—essed to be true Therefore he could no wayes justifie this their violence much lesse infer from thence that they were an undoubted true English Parliamâ—nt for by like reason he might make the Army or Generall Councell of Army Officers the chief authors and actors in this violence only to perpetuate their own armed power and our intestine wars for their own private ends as now all clearly see a true English Parliament as well as that Fag end of the house of Commons confederating with them who now too late repented of this their folly treachery and heartily wish they had joyned with us in our really endevoured and neer accomplished settlement upon the Kings confessions which now they despair of more then ever to enjoy under any New Government To the second I replyed that admit them to be a true English Parliament which I could not grant yet certainly they neither would nor could grant him or his Whitehall associates any such unlimited arbitrary instructions and Tyrannicall power to close-imprison me or others in remote Castles under Souldiers to break open ransack our houses studies seize our writings records deny us liberty of Gods Oâ—dinances or free commerce with others by conference or Letters which the whole Parliament and themselves so lately condemned sentenced and publickly voted declared against as repugnant to the great Charter Lawes Liberties properties of the Nation in my own and others cases and made new acts against And if any such exorbitant tyrannicall power had been granted them upon any pretence yet the Statutes of 25 E. 1. c 1 2. E. 3. c. 1. declare them to be null and void and himself knowing them to be such in law could neither in justice nor conscience pursue them to mine or others prejudice To the third I subjoyned That the many desperate plots and conspiracies against the true reall Common-wealth of England were on his and his associates part who subverted our old Fundamentall Laws Government Monarchy Parliaments and the free course of justice by arbitrary power force and Courts of highest injustice not on mine or the secured and secluded Lords and Commons who detested opposed all their apparent late plots aâ—d conspiracies against them and that now by Gods retaliating Justice they poor infant Commonwealth founded in Treachery Perjury Violence Injustice Bloud Tyranny was suddenly subverted destroyed by that very armed power which first erected and engaged to support it still But admit the allegation true yet this was very ill Logick and worse Law and Policy because there were many plots and conspiracies against their new infant Republick by others Ergo he and his Whitehal associates might close-imprison me after all my sufferings and services for the publick and all else they pleased in remotest Castles without cause or hearing though guilty of no reall crime plot or conspiracy which strange exorbitancy in my judgment was our principal cause of their new Commonwealths and Whitehall Councels suddenunexpected downfals However I being a Member of Parliament
Saints and Servants Rev. 2 16. And further assures us That Christ at the last Judgement will say to those who did but only not feed cloth and visit the least of his Saints when they were in Prison Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the â—evil and his Angels What an heavy Doom then will he passe against those who against all Rules of Law and Justice cast them into Prison and will there neither feed cloth nor visit but starvâ— their bodies and souls too as much as in them lyeth by depriving them of Gods Ordinances and all means of livelihood as you do me after all my former great losses and long-continued suffrings I cannot as yet be so uncharitable as to believe you design the ruine of my soul body and wasted Estate but if you de facto do it by this injurious restraint your sinne is as great as if you did design it If you think to justifie or excuse these Irregularities and unjust violent Proceedings against me by pretext of Necessity and publike Danger the only thing in Justification I yet hear alleged by your Instruments As this will be no Plea at all before Christs Tribunal in the great day of Judgment who prohibits all kind of violonce injustice oppression injury upon any Pretence what soever and will severely punish it their Damnation being most just who do evill upon this unrighteous ground that good may come of it So it will not hold water before mans Tribunal being resolved declared by the Judgement of both Houses and an Act of Parliament in cases of Shipmony Excise Loans to be no cause nor Justification of a Distresse much lesse of an Imprisonment And it being a Necessity and Danger of your own making not mine the Rule of Law is That noman shall take advantage of his own wrong to the prejudice of another The late Beheaded King in his Answer to the Petition of both Houses 26 Martii 1 642. is so ingenious as to confesse That the violating of Laws by his Ministers and the mischief that then grew by Arbitrary Power was made plausible to Us by the suggestion of Necessity and Imminent danger and thereupon he gave both Houses this caution And take you heed you fall not into the same Error upon the same suggestions which in his Answer to the Remonstrance of the Lords and Commons of the 9th of May 1642. he thus seconds And therefore we had good cause to bestow that Admonition for we assure you it was an Admonition of our own upon both Houses of Parliament to take heed of inclining under the specious shews of Necessity and Danger to the exercise of such an arbitrary Power they before complained of The Admonition will do no harm and we shall be glad to see it followed And therefore for you or those now acting after these two serious Admonitions to pretend Necessity and Imminent Danger for these with other Arbitrary courses Proceedings condemned in and by the King himself and the whole Parliament must be the hight of Oppression Injustice and will render you more detestable to the Nation and World than ever they did the King or his Evil Counsellors To trouble you no further at present I shall only inform you That the Commons in their Remenstrance of the State of the Kingdom Decemb. 15. 1641. Yea both Lords and Commonâ— in their Declaration of 4 August 1642. among other Designs Practices of the Malignant Party and Counsellors about the King complained of this as one of the most dangerous That they endeavoured to make those odious under the name of Puritans who sought to maintain the Religion Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and such men were sure to be weeded out of the Commission of the Peace and out of all other imployments of Power and Authority in the Government of the Country Many Noble Personages were Counsellors in name but the Power and Authority remained in a â—ew of such as were most addicted to this Pâ—rty whose Resolutions and Determinationâ— were brought to the Table for countenance and execution and not for Debate and Deliberation and no man could offer to oppose them without disgrace and hazard to himself Nay those that did not wholly concurr and actually contribute to the furtherance of their Designs though otherwise Persons of never so great honour and abilities were so far from being imployed in any Place of Trust and Power that they were neglected discountenanced and upon all occasions injured and oppressed The Laws were no Defence or Protection to any Mans Right all was subject to Will and Power which imposed what payments they thought sit to drain the Subjects purses and to supply those Necessities which their ill Counsels had brought upon the King and gratifie such as were Instruments in promoting these illegal and oppressive Courses They who yielded and complyed were countenanced and advanced all others disgraced and kept under that so Mens minds made poor and base and their Liberties lost and gone they might be ready to let go their Religion and submit to the subversion and alteration of the Laws and Government which they designed And whether your Proceedings in the self-same kind against my self others who have suffered and stood so much for Religion Laws and publike Liberties in the worst of former times thus complained against and securing restraining us to boot in a more more violent way than the King and his evill Counsellors proceeded against us heretofore will not draw a greater guilt disreputation heavier judgement upon you and your Associates then they complained of did upon them if you persevere impenitently in such execrable Machiavilian carnal Practices I leave to your own Consciences to determine Sir I was never yet a flatterer of any Person or pâ—rsons how great soever in arbitrary and illegal wâ—ys and my present extremities will be a sufficient Apology for this my boldnesse and plain dealing with you as well as others heretofore in like cases wherein the whole Nâ—tions Liberties are concerned as much as mine own wherefore I do once more upon the premised Votes and Groâ—nds of right demand my present â—nlargement the restitution of my seised Papers Writings Records Books Trâ—â—â—ks from you and your Associates with reparations for these injurious proceedings against me from your selves 〈◊〉 the Originâ—l Authors and Principal Actors in them And so expâ—cting your undelayed Answer to my former and present Demands who amidst your manifold imployments may spare as much time to doe me right as wrong that so I may know how to steer my course I must and shall till then remain Your unjustly close restrained Captive WILL. PRYNNE For his quodam kind Friend Mr. Serjeant Iohn Bradshaw at Whitehall these Dunster Castle 16 July An. Dom. 1650. The third Letter to Mr. Bradshaw SIR I And my Servant attending on me have for above 6 weeks space against all Rules of Law Justice and the
Heaven And that by a few of our meer fellow-Subjects who have not the least shadow of any lawfull jurisdiction over us from God or Man much lesse of any such absolute arbitrary Tyrannical Domination over our Persons Estates Liberties Lives as they now dayly exercise which the beheaded King yea the most oppressive of his Royal Predecessors never exercised nor pretended to but absolutely disclaimed and protested against as both illegal and tyrannical And must we still be constrained to pay heavy monthly Contributions Excises only to maintain Souldiers to support such an oppressing Self-created Authority power over us and execute all their iregal Warrants to break up search command our Houses ransack our Studies writings seise in prison our persons plunder our goods disseise us of our Freeholds take away our lives and make us more absolute Vassals to our new Supremacie than the most Slavish Turks are to their Grand Seignior Did ever the free people of England voted by the Army and those at Westminster the only Supreme Authority of the Nation next under God and the only fountain of all lawfull Authority ever transferr such an exorbitant Iurisdiction as this over themselves or me to those at White-hall or any other who stile themselves their Representatives or authorize them to do the least Action contrary to Magna Charta the Statutes of 25. E. 3. c. 4 42. E. 3. c. 3. the Petition of Right the Statutes of 25. E. 1. c. 5 6. 28. E. 1. c. 1. 34. E. 1. De Tallagio non concedendo 1 2 3 4. 14 E 3. Stat. 2. c. 1. 1. R. 3. c. 2. 35 E. 1. De Aspâ—rtatis Religiosorum and other Acts but lately made and assented to by the late be-headed King An. 1640 And if not as is most certain then how can or dare you thus illegally abâ—se imprison close imprison mâ— and sundry others as you have done and to levy illegall Contributions and Taxes on me since my chargable imprisonmeâ—t not granted nor imposed by the Common Consent of the Earls Barons Great men and Commons of the Realm in full Parliament by Act of Parliament only to maintain Souldiers to apprehend securâ— imprisoâ— my self and th' other free-men of England and Lord it â—ver us by colour of your unlawfull warrants contrary to the expresse Letter of all these Acts and Resolutions of our two last Parliaments Yet this is not all the Oppression I now groan under but as if the former had not been sufficient some Malitia rather then Militia Gentlemen of our County the originall Contrivers of my present Commitment if I be not mis-informea in the prosecution of their further malice towards me on Tuesday night last sent a Warrant by the Constable to my house I know not by what new pretended Authority to send in an horse and man such as they should approve of compleatly furnished to their worships at Wells 17. miles from my house the very next morning without fail To whom my Sister returned this answer that I was a close Prisoner fifty miles off that I had neither â—orse nor Arms to send and it was impossible to provide any at so short warning neither would my estate bear such an heavy new Charge being not chargable with an horse by their late instructions He replyeth that no excuse would serve but and horse and man must be sent under I know not what heavy penalâ—yâ— none beingsent upon these Grounds I daily expect to hear of their utmost Exâ—remitys against this my pretended Default being encouraged thereto by my present restraint The illegallity and dangerousnesse of which new Arbitrary Authority in these Commissioners of the Militia arraigning Assessing men with Arms imprisoning fining men at their arbitrary Discretion without any legal tryal being largely argued vored resolved 〈…〉 to the Kingdom by the Declaration of the Lords Commons concerning the Distractions of the Kingdome 1 2. Iuly 1642. By the Petition of both Houses 20. Iuly 1642. By his Majesties Declaration to all his Subjects Aug. 12. 1642. and by the Lords and Commons 2. Declaration against the Commission of Array 12. Ian 1642. I shall not dispute it here but referr you thereunto And for their present practice in dis-arming many well affected Gentlemen and Yeomen of best rank and Quality puiting their arms into Mercinaries hands and not trusting them with their own or the Kingdomes Defence as it is against all Presidents in former ages cited either by the late King or Parliament concerning the Array or Militia so it was thus publickly declared against by the Lords and Commons in Parliament in case of the King and his party in their Printed Declaration of 18. August 1642. A third observation is this That Arms were taken from the honest Gentlemen Yeomen and Townsmen and put into the hands of such desperate Persons as cannot live but by rapinâ— and spoyl A fourth That not withstanding all the Vows and Protestations to Govern according to Law which have been dispersed throughout the Kingdome to blind and deceive the People THE MOST MISCHEIVOUS PRINCIPLFS OF TYRANNY ARE PRACTISED THAT EVER WERE INVENTED that is TO DISARM THE MIDDLE SORT OF PEOPLE who are the body of the Kingdomâ— AND TO MAINTAIN SOULDIERS BY FORCED CONTRIBVTION TO CREATE A PROVINTIALL GOVERMENT IN THE NORTH but now throughout the Kingdom CLEARLY AGAINST THE COMMON LAW AND THE JUDGEMENT GIVEN THIS PARLIAMENT for taking away the Court at York That the Contrivers and Instruments of â—hâ—se mischiefs for thâ—ir better strengthning in these Designs are about to joyn themselves in Association with other Counties That Directions are given that such as shall oppose and â—ot joyn with them shall be violently plundred and pillaged of their horses and Arâ—â—es at least if not of their goods and estates Vpon all which considerations and unjust Oppressions now imposed on or threatned to me be reason of my present restraint I do once more of meer common right Demand my unconditioned present Enlargement that â—o my imprisonment may not survive my now Demolishing new Prison where there are neer 300. Pioners at work to level not only the Castle Walls but â—â—â—â—lling house it self to the very ground by pretext of your fresh warrant though the best Seat in the County yea the antient habitation of an Eminent Gentleman and his Ancestors who have been always cordial to sustained many thousand pounds losse for the Parliament who yet without any Notice or 3 days warning must have his house puâ—led down over his head before yea without any veiw hearing or recompence himself his Wife and Family turned out into the Streets having no other habitation for the present instead of receiving recompence for his former Six thousand pound losses or more be rewarded with neer ten thousand pound new Dammages for his fidelity toward you to the great rejoycing and triumph of all the Malignants in the County who laugh in their sleeves to see how gratefully and
and Monitors to inform you of your extravagances First whether these exorbitant Proceedings against me contrary to all the forementioned Laws Statutes Declarations Parliamentary Votes and Resolutions of both Houses in my very Case be an inviolable maintaning upholding preserving of the fundamental Laws of the Land Liberty and property of the people according to the Solemn Protestation Vow Covenant you have made subscribed in the presence of the everliving God with a real intention to perform the same as you shall answer the contrary at the great day of Iudgement or of your own former late printed Declarations published to this Kingdom Nation and the whole world And by what authority derived to you from God or men you can justifie or excuse this extream violation of all these Laws and Premises contrary to the very Letter of your Protestations Covenants and publike Declarations in this second year of Englands pretended Redemption from Tyranny and Slavery which never felt nor complained so much of both of them as now under you 2ly How you who professe your selves such Eminent Saints yea Patrons of publique Liberty and Piety and justifie the casting detaining of Saints in Prison which is the proper work of the Devil and his Instruments R 〈…〉 Isay 14. 17. Acts 5. 18. c. 12. 3 4 5. Mat. 14. 〈…〉 17 18 21. but the opening of Prison doors the loosing releasing Prisoners the proper office work of God Jesus Christ and all good Angels Psal 146. 7. Isay 61. 1. Acts 5. 18 19. c. 12. 5. to 20. â—he debarring me and my Servant above three moneths space from all Gods publike Ordinances on Lords days and week days and denyal of me so much freedom Liberty under your New Gaolers and Free-State Government in Christian England as St. Paul though accused for a Pestilent Fellow and a stirrer up of sedit ion amongst the Jews throughout the world enjoyed under the Pagan bloody persecuting Tyrant Nero in Heathen Rome it self Acts 28. 15. to the end Yea as all publike Traytors Malefactors whatsoever by the Laws of the Kingdom 〈◊〉 enjoy and all late restrained Cavalliers in Armes have enjoyed And how you will at last escape that heavy Doom denounced against such as do but only not visit Christs imprisoned Members or such as trouble and oppresse without imprisoning them recorded Mat. 25. 41. to the end 2 Thes 1. 4. to 10. if you thus close imprison starve undoe me without any just or real cause only because you have present power in your hands and the longest sword against which practice and ground of present power there is an heavy woe and judgement particularly denounced Mich. 2. 1 2 3 c. Which I desire you will seriously read and consider 3ly Whether it will not be esteemed an argument of extraordinary Cowardice Guiltinesse in you who have all the Militia and power of the Kingdom both by Land Sea in your hands and such great successes as you publish to stand in fear of such a mean unarmed despicable Person as my self and thereupon only to mue me up close Prisoner as you doe in a remote private Castle against all Rules of Iustice Law and Christianity 4ly Whether if you pursue equal exceed the Injustice oppressions Tyranny greatest Exorbitances of beheaded Canterbury Strafford the suppressed Star-Chamber Council Table or late King condemned executed by you so freshly for a Tyrant must you not in all justice reason expect and in gods due time undergo the self same or far worse Tragical fatal ends as they have done with eternal Damnation to boot notwithstanding your present power Greatnesse not half so well settled bottomed backed by Law or otherwise as theirs was when they sare and acted in State where you doe now For which I intreat you advisedly to peruse with sincere hearts Rom. 2. 1 2 3 5 6 8 9 21 22 23 24. Ezech. 18. 12 13 24. and Isay 14. 4. to 24. These Proposals premised I have only as ma ny Demands to make unto you to which I desire your undelayâ—d answer not out of any favour but meer right and Justice First that if you have anâ— â—riminal or Capital Charge against me by any known Laws or Statutes of this Realm as I am sure you have none you will then bring me to a speedy Just and Legall Tryall for it upon an Inditement or Presentmâ—nt of the good and Lawful People of the Neighbourhood where my pretended Offence was câ—mmitted before a Lawâ—ull Tribunal and Legal Iudges if there be any such now in being and that I may be tryed by the Lawfull Judgement of my Peers according to the good old Laws of the Land and have all just exceptions and challenges allowed me and not to be murdered destroyed as some lately have been by Tyrannical and Arbitrary Courts Marshal or miâ—-named New Courts of high Iustice set up in direct opposition subversion and destruction of the very Common Law of England the Highest Liberty of the Subjects the very safety preservation of their Lives their câ—iefâ—st Bulworks against all Arbitrary Powers which are all now prostituted to the Lawless wils of others the expresse Statutes of Magna Charta c. 14. 29. 25 E. 1. c. 1 2 3. 28 E. 1. c. 1. 1 E. 3. c. 19. 2 E. 3. c. 1. 4 E. 3. c. 1. 5 E. 3. c. 1. 9. 10 E. 3. c. 1. 14. E. 3. c. 1. 15 E. 3. c. 1 2 3. 20 E. 3. c. 1. 3. 28 E. 3. c. 2 4. 28 E 3. c. 1. 31 E. 3. c. 1. 37 E. 3. c. 1. 18. 38 E. â—3 c 1. 9. 42 E. 3. c. 1. 3. 45 E. 3. c. 1. 50 E. 3. c. 2. 1 R. 2. c. 1 2 R 2. c. 1. 3 R. 2. c. 1. 5. R. 2. c. 1. 5. 6 R. 2. c. 1. 7 R. 2. c. 2 3. 8 R. 2. c. 1. 9 R. 2. c. 1. 12 R. 2. c. 1 13 R. 2. c. 2. 5. 14 R. 2. c. 1. 12. 1 H. 4. c. 1. 10. 2 H. 4. c. 1. 11. 19. and Rot. Parl. n. 60. 4 H. 4. c. 1. 7 H. 4. c. 1. 9 H. 4 c. 1. 13 H. 4. c. 1. 2 H. 5. c. 6. 8 9. 2 H. 5. Stat. 2. c. 3. 3 H. 5. c. 1. 7. 4 H. 5. c. 1. 7 H. 5. c. 1. 2 H. 6. c. 1. 6 H. 6. c. 1. 8 H. 6. c. 10. 29. 9 H. 6. c. 3. 10 H. 6. c. â—0 14 H 6. c. 1. 15 H. â— c. 5. 18 H. 6. c. 12. 20 H. 6. c. 9. 31 H. 6. c. 1. 33 H. 6. c. 2. 1 R. 3. c. 3 4. 11 H. 7. c. 1. 11 H. 7. c. 21. 4 H. 8. c. 2. 6 H. 8. c. 6. 22 H. 8. c. 2. 14. 23 H. 8. c. 3. 13. 25 H. 8. c. 6. 22. 26 H. 8. c. 5. 6. 13. 27 H. 8. c. 4. 24. 26. 28 H. 8. c. 1. 7. 15. 32 H. 8. c. 4. 33 H. 8. c. 12. 20. 23 24. 35 H. 8. c. 26. 35 H. 8. c. 1. 2.
37 H. 8. c. 5. 6. 8. 1 E 6. c. 1. 10. 12. 2 and 3 E. 6. cap. 1. 2. â—4 â— 6 E6 c. 4. 9. 〈◊〉 11. 14. 1 Mar. c. 3. 6. 1 2 Phil. Mar. c. 10. 4 5 Phil. Mar. c. 3. 4. 1 E. c. 1. 2. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 4 10. 11. 15. 21 Eliz. c. 3. 4. 13 El. â— 1. 2. 14 Eliz. c. 1. 2 3 18. Eliz. c. 1. 2â— Eliz. c. 1. 2. 27 Eliz. c. 1. 2. 29 Eliz. c. 1. 35 Eliz. c 1â— 39 El. c. 15. 43 El. c. 13. 1 â—ac c. 28. 11. 12. 27. 31. 3 Jac. c. 2. 4. 5. 13. 4 Jac. c. 1. 7 Jac. c. 1. 6 10. 13. 21 Jac. c. 4. with sundry other Acts and the very Letter of the Petition of Right so highly magnified foâ— the most excellent most just free and equal of any other Laws in the World by those now sitting at Westminster in their Declaration of March 17. 1648. for setling the present Government in way of a Free State wherein they solemnly engage inviolably to maintain them and yet now trample them all under feet by these illegal arbitrary â—udicatories so much declaimed against heretofore of purpose to destroy all sorts degrees of Subjects and Freemen of England Though no Souldiers under Military Discipline contrary to all these Laws and Franchises of the Land when and where no Legal Iury nor Court of Iustice will or can condemn them adjuâ—ged wilfull murder hereâ—ofore and so resolved in Pâ—rliament as Sir Edward Cook informes us in his 3. Institutes printed by Order of the House of Commons and so esteemed by Gâ—d himself though coloured by a â—reâ—ext of Law Psal 94. 20 21. 1 Kings 21 â—â—o 2 5. Iohn 19. 7. 16. 18. compared with Acts 2. 23. c. 3. 14 15. c. 7. 52. yea a more transcendent publickly avowed Act of absolute Arbitrary Power and Tyranny than ever the late King or any of his Predecessers were guilty off which endangers every mans life and chopps off every mans head in taking off any ones yea such as in conclusion may prove a new Perillus his Bull to torture destroy the first â—uveâ—tors by Gods just judgements the Heathen Poet â—viâ— observing Nâ—c â—nim Lex justioâ— ulla Quam necis artifices Arte perire sua Whereof we have a memorable Scripture President in that Tyrant Adonibezek Judg. 1. 6 7. and in the shedders of the blood of Saints Rev. 16. 5 6. seconded with four formidable Comminations both in the old new Testament Gâ—n 9. 6. Ezech. 35. 5 6. Obad. 10. 15. c. Jam. 2. 13. Rom. 2. 1 2 3. and with a most observable example in Thomas Lord Cromwell recorded by Hall and Sir Edward Cook in his 4 Institutes p. 37 38. who in the height of his greatness power endeavouring to procure an Act of Parliament to take away some other mâ—ns lives without any Lawful Inditement Tryal by their Peers contrary to the forementioned Laws by the meer Legislative power of the Parliament was the first and only man that suffered and lâ—st his head wiâ—hout any Legall Tryal by a bare Act of Parliament 31. H. 8. c. 3. which kind of illegal taking away mens lives being next degree very near of kindred to a private Assasination or Publick Massacre of those we fear or â—ate and in one respect worse than either of them because disguised with a pretended shew of Justice is for ever to be abominated and exploded by all Pretenders to Piety and Publick Freedome and not to be tolerated in any free Monarchy or Republick upon any pretence of necessity or Publick safety whatsoever and so much the rather because the blood of such so murthered and destroyed will cry loud to God for exemplary Vengeance as Nabothâ— did 1. Kings 21. 10. to 25. And if he that only hateth his Brother be a Murderer and hath not â—ternall life abiding in him 1 John 3. 15. Then certainly those who thus not only hate but illegally destroy and execute their Christian English Brethren yea sâ—ay their Bâ—ethren in Covenant by thousands with a rage reaching up to Heaven 2. Chron. 28. 9. 13. must much more be bloody Murderers in Gods accoutnt and shaâ—â— never inherit eternal Life unlesse they seriously repent and abandon all such Barbarons Cruelty and new Butcheries of men which every Heroick Christian and true English Spirit cannot but with highest indignation pâ—otest against out of zeal to Gods Honor his Native Countrys hereditary Liberties his own and posterities safety which I desire you to â—ay close unto your spirits as you will answer the contrarie before Christs Tribunal at the last upon the seasonable information and admonition of him who hath suffered so much for his Countries Freedome and would rather dye ten thousand de aths than see it after so much expence of Treasure blood in defence of the for ecited Laws and publick Freedome enthralled to such a strange new Butchery and Tyranny as this and that in Westminster Hall it â—elf in the highest Court of Law and Justice in former times under the monstrous contradictory Title of High or Highest Iustice true only in the Proverbs sence Summum jus summa Injuria 2. If you have no particular Charge or Crime for which by Law you can thus restrain me that you will then immediatly enlarge me without any limitations or conditions whatsoever and render me full Dammages for my false Imprisonments past and not thus moâ—est and oppresâ—e me for the future against all Rules of Iustice and Piety 3. That you will presently restore all my seised Trunks Books Records Papers Writings being most of them my own peculiar the rest the only Iustification and Defence I haveâ— if ever I should be hereafter questioned for any Treatises I have published concerning the late King Canterbury or others out of my sâ—ised Originals or Transcripts for the Common good which certainly deserve a far more honourable reward and gratefull requital than such a violent publique search of my house studies seisure of my Truncks Papers by Souldiers and so long strict chargeable a close imprisonment of my Person as I have sustained 4ly That if you will still close imprison me against Law Conscience you will then either defray the charges of my imprisonment or else cause the Treasurers of Bishops Lands immediatly to pay me the 800 pounds salary due unto me as a Contractor for which I never yet received one cue and should never have desired any thing but upon this extraordinary occasion of expence and the Committee for your Army to pay me all such moneys as are or shall be certified to be due unto me for free quartering of your Souldiers to help support me in Prison and defray those Debts which your present oppression the losse of my Calling thereby and your illegal heavy Taxes have contracted in stead of receiving any recompense for my former illegal sufferings damages and manifold
is your new Free-State Whitehall transcendent Iustice worthy to be registred for your Honour to all Posterity towards this Remonstrant instead of recompencing his former voted Dammages Losses Services for the publick to his extraordinary Prejudice and Oppression the exceeding grief of his kinred friends and most religious truly publique spirited men to the great rejoycing of his Iesuitical and Prelatical Malignant Enemies and no great honour to your Iustice or Government And that only as most conjecture in imitation of the Prelates heretofore of purpose to disable and â—inder him from writing or publishing any thing more in Defence or vindication of our endangered invaded Religion Government Laws Liberties Franchises Properties Freeholds Lives against the manifold new encrochments on them and subversions of them under pretext of their support or making any frâ—sh discoveries of the Jesuites Papists and their confederates various plots and practises now very rife and visible to undermine them and engage our own and all other Protestant Kingdomes States Churches in destru ctiveunreconcilable Wars and differences agreeth either to their mutuall and the Protestants Religions ruine or to countermine these their designes as he hath done formerly to his power Or else as others conceive to force him by tedious uncomfortable imprisonments and extreame penury to turn a practicall Apostate and perjured abjurer of all his former Orthodox loyall Principles Writings Books Oaths Covenants Protestations concerning King Kingdome Lawes Liberties Properties Taxes Parliaments Government Lords hereditary just right to sit vote judge in our Parliaments as Peers and thereby to verifie all the Prelates malicious Aspersions upon all Puritans in generall and himself in particular in their two late Star-chamber Bils and Speeches there exhibited against him and render him really guilty of beheaded Canterburies Treasons in an higher degree then he after his injoyned printing and publication of his Charge Tryall and Condemnation for them by the Commons House speciall Order to his eternall infamy here and damnation hereafter neither of which through the assistance of heaven no Prisons Tortures Powers on earth shall ever compell or perswade him to do or in case of his resolved Non-compliance herein under seigned Machivilian pretexts of his wilfull obstinacy and contempt of your new-created authority whose legality it must be no lesse then High Treason for him to dispute in law or conscience being now as absolutely to be submitted to by all men as the Popes it self in Rome by an implicit faith and blinde obedience even to break his heart with grief if possible by depriving him of the comfort of his Friends Kindred Books Calling all free converse with men by Letters or conference all publick Trusts and private usefull imployments to passe away his solitary houres laying him quite aside like a broken uselesse vessell restraining him under strictest Gards as the most dangerous enemy instrument to his Countries weal after all his reall losses studies sufferings for its benefit whose truest welfare he hath ever cordially studied to his private prejudice whiles others under pretext thereof have wholly sought their own particular emoluments to its irreparable dammage if Vox Populi be truth and by such ingratefull usage ill requitals of all his former merits by his very late pretended friends to hasten his passage from these strong earthly purgatives to a better world Or else if this plot prevail not through Gods supporting power as hither it hath not to starve or kill him outright in forain incommodious prisons for want of legall matter or proof to take away his head after your Whitehall Predecessors double cropping off his ears as some of his friends conceive You having of late refused as he is informed to receive any more Petitions in his behalfe from his own Sister or any others or to release or remove him from his ill winter prison or to pay his publick debt allow him diet or do him any common right or justice which though due Ex officio mero from all Kings Powers Governments Magistrates whatsoever by the Lawes of God Nature Nations and Oaths to their meanest subjects and particularly by our own Kings Judges Justices and great Officers usuall Oathes the great Charters and other Statutes resolutions to every English freeman upon their respective demands of or motions for it yea upon bare information from others without any suit or motion by for or from the oppressed injured parties in such cases as his is without any formall Petition to them for it as the Formes of most legall Writs sued forth of course and most Plaints and Declarations manifest every reall demand of right by word or writing being in truth a reall Petition for it and every Petition of Right but a more bashfull demand thereof as all Dictionaries in the words Peto Petitio the usuall Law phrases Petere Debitum Petere Judicium c. the ordinary motions of the Councell or Parties in all our Courts of Justice for Law or Right without written or verball Petitions for them and the Scripture it self resolve yet such is your unparalleld injustice toward him that unlesse he will present a submissive Petition to you after the new mode wherewith he is unacquainted subscribed with his own hand you will neither release nor right him in any kind Which as it seems very strange unto him he desiring not meer grace or mercy from you but only common known right and Justice against undeniable oppressions by your selves and instruments so all his former Letters and his friends addresses to you being reall legall though not formall Petitions for right and justice yet denied him and formall Petitions even for right it self by the resolution of our Law-books the Records of our ancient Parliaments and late Petition of Right Petitions of this nature being originally due to our English Kings alone as their unseparable regall prerogative not to any Subjects whatsoever nor yet to the very House of Lords Commons or any other Courts of Justice Councell Judges Justices Great Officers or Grandees whatsoever being no King but Subjects which anciently were but the inferiour peoples hands or Masters of Requests to receive and present their formall Petitions to our Kings both in and out of Parliament and had no other Bils of Parliaments but meer Petitions of Right or Grace to the King whose Royall answer to them by way of concession made them Acts Lawes and his disassent meer Nullities as our old Parliament Records and the late Petition of Right 3. Caroli resolve Which transcendent Prerogative of our Kings alone by Law of meer Right incommunicable to any other Subjects he hopes you will not now arrogate to your selves by enforcing him through duresse to a formall submissive Petition to you as his Soveraignes before you will enlarge or do him common right or justice having both abolished and publickly engaged your selves and also others to your power against
Kings and Kingship as Tyrannicall and overmajesticall and with them as he conceives both exploded and engaged against this their sublime Prerogative of suing only by Petition even for common right and that you will not still detain him close Prisoner upon this account alone for not suing to you by Petition for what is due to him ex officio mero as his birthright without any suit at all by all Laws of God and the Land before any new Law or Statute made justly intitling you to this old regall preheminence The rather because the Heathen Magistrates of Philippi when upon the peoples bare accusation of Paul and Silas as Disturbers of their City and teachers of customes contrary to their Government had taken and cast them into Prison and commanded the Jaylor to keep them safely without any legall Indictment or tryal but for one single night were so just and reasonable as the very next morning without their Petitioning for liberty to send their Sergeants voluntarily to the prison to release and tell them that they might depart their City in peace And when as Paul like a true magnanimous Christian carefull to preserve his own liberty yea and all the Romans too invaded by this injurious proceeding thereupon replyed thus to their Sergeants They have beaten us openly being Romans and UNCONDEMNED and CAST US INTO PRISON and now do they thrust us out privately without reparation of this our indignity and shamefull usage Nay verily but let them come themselves aud fetch us out with honour and confession of their injustice as they have cast us in with shame Whereupon the Sergeants relating his words to these Magistrates they feared when they heard they were Romans and in stead of expecting a Petition from them by reason of their high Magistraticall authority they came presently to the Prison AND BESOUGHT or petitioned THEM to pardon and passe by this great injustice AND BROUGHT THEM OUT OF PRISON AND DESIRED not imperiously commanded them to depart out of the City And hereupon they went out of the Prison and entred into the house of Lydia visited and comforted the Brethren there and then departed Act. 16. 12 to the end And should not you then who professe your selves Saints of the highest forme after your injurious searches apprehensions and other indignities offered to an English Freeman Parliament-man an eminent Servant too and Martyr for the publick a Christian a Patron of Religion a Bencher of an Inne of Court as honorable in each respect as any ancient Roman and as much priviledged by our Lawes and that not for one night onely but two whole years and three months close imprisonment of him even under stricter Gards then they in three severall Garisons now incite and engage you voluntarily to send your Officers hither then enforce him to send to you to set him free and because you have so much oppressed him being better then a meer Roman and so long cast him into Prison unheard and uncondemned that you should not now privily release nor extort an unworthy Petition from him before you set him free but out of a conscientious consideration of your apparent injuries and injustice to him and a true Christian fear of a strict account for it both to God and Man if unrepented or unrepaired by you imitate these Heathen Philippian Magistrates whose president is recorded in the very Gospell for this end and now at last come your selves in person and in stead of expecting his petition to you who have done him so much injury and more invaded the whole English Nations Priviledges Liberties in his unrighteous sufferings under you then the Philippians did the Romans or St. Paul under them beseech and petition him to pardon and not to persecute these your illegall extravagances upon your unfeigned sorrow for and publick acknowledgement and reparation of them and then to bring him out of his present Prison with as much publick joy and honour into London as he was formerly brought in thither by some of your selves and thousands more from his long close imprisonment by your Lordly Whitehall Predecessors to all honest mens rejoycing and the whole discontented Nations satisfaction as well now as then and Reparation of all violations of their common Rights and Liberties by the dangerous president of his late restraints your yet unrevoked uncancelled illegall warrants deserving as heavy a Parliamentary censure of condemnation as any of your Predecessors illegall Warrants and Sentences against him unanimously condemned and for ever vacated as repugnant to the forecited Lawes Statutes and destructive to the Subjects common Liberty by the Votes of all the Commons House and concurrent judgement of the House of Lords Upon serious consideration whereof as he cannot in prudence or conscience submit to any such extorted Petition to you as you by plain duresse against Law and Justice would enforce from him to the betraying of his own and the whole Nations Franchises and Birth-rights by so ill a president so being injuriously deprived of all other legall means of Relief by Habeas Corpus or other writ or action of Law of which common inherent Birthright of all English freemen he and all conscientious non-engagers after all their late Losses Sufferings Writings Fightings expences of their Estates Treasures Blood Fasts Prayers and still continued incessant heavy contributions for the pretended just preservation and defence thereof by a new invented MONSTROUS PREMUNIRE transcending in his judgement all unrighteous Acts Edicts Encroachments of regall Tyranny and injustice upon the peoples Rights and Franchises by beheadâ—d King Charles or any other of our English Kings are most wrongfully disinherited and of the benefit protection of all our Lawes in all Courts of justice at one blow by you and others in power against the expresse Letter of Magna Charta the Petition of Right assented to and ratified even by decapitated King Charles himself the usuall Oaths of all our Kings Judges Justices Chancellers and great Officers heretofore the late solemn Protestation Vow Covenant all printed Declarations and Ordinances concerning the Army or Monies the last Parliament your own Remonstrance for altering our Kingly Government into a Free State March 17. 1648. and sundry other your publications since and that without any hearing Tryall Crime Conviction or just forfeiture thereof upon Record as if he and they were now meer alien enemies in their Native Countrie new villains in grosse or regardant only to you their fellow subjects in present power even in your new-erected Free State though never such to or under their cashiered Kings Whereupon he is now necessitated for regaining preserving his own and all other Freeborn Englishmens just rights and Liberties transcendently violated by these his illegalrestraints who hath written suffered most of any man for their maintenance which otherwise might and would be made a leading president to oppresse all or any others in the self same kind by way of finall addresse to present
that had then a being neither he nor his Whitehal associates could thus imprison and secure me by any generall instructions without a special order of Parliament without thâ— highest breach of Parliamentary Priviledges and if there were no reall Parliament in being which gave them their usurped authority as in truth there was not they were then but a company of private men destitute of all legall authority and had no more lawfull authority to restrain or imprison me upon any pretext then I had to imprison him or them since Par in parem non habet imperium as he well knew without some speciall law authorizing him To the fourth I related that if he knew not the particular grounds of my Imprisonment then he could not positively resolve that it was in order to the publick safety That to injure and oppresse me who had written acted and suffered so much for the publick safety heretofore was the high way to occasion hasten not prevent their publick damages and must certainly favour of much private causelesse malice of some men towards me rather then of publick safety or their private respects towards me That I was so conscious of my own innocency that I neither feared nor declined but oft desired a publick legall Tryall for any thing he or his associates could object against me which I could not attain and to say now at last that all they did was only out of tender respects and favour-towards me was a very absurd and pitifull excuse especially seeing he professed he knew no ground nor reason for it That Canterbury and the Prelates might have made the same absurd allegation for my former close restraints as well as he and that if himself should be so long close imprisoned in three remote Castles under such armed guards and unchristian restraints as I sustained under him by me or any other his pretended friends without any legall cause hearing tryall I doubted not but he would interpret it as an act of highest malice Tyranny and injustice not as a speciall favour and tender respect towards him That himself well knew in the cases of many late Delinquents illegall commands and commissions too from the King Councell or any others had been frequently resolved in Parliament and elsewhere to be no excuse nor justification at all for those who obeyed or executed them and therefore his pretended counsels illegall commands to him in relation to me could neither extenuate nor justifie his illegall warrants and restraints in the least degree That he was sorry to hear such poor excuses from a Lawyer and that he should be so far overseen as to expose himself alone to answer and satisfie all the illegall actions and exorbitant Warrants he issued by their unjusâ— commands bâ—th against me and others which they now totally disclaimed and so lest him in the lurch to bear both the odium and dammage of them In brief after near two hours discourse being unable to reply to my premised answers he promised to make a dilâ—gent speedy search after the particulars that were suggested against me and to give me an undelayed account thereof if there were any at all extant as I presumed there were none Whereupon we departing and I hearing not from him in five weeks space I thereupon sent this ensuing Letter to him SIR I Presume by this time according to your former promise you have made an exact search and discovery both of the Informers name and particular Informators upon which you committed me close priâ—oner near three years space to three remote Castles without any hearing or tryall against all rules of Law or Justice of which I desire to be presently informed that so I may know how to steer my course in righting my self against this publick injury lest it prove presidentiall to prejudice posterity in such sort as may most redound to my own vindication and the common good of all English Freemen which shall be the endevour of Your Quondam close Prisoner William Prynne Since which I never receiving the least account or answer from him I take this long silence for a satisfactory evidence of my innocence and his injustice in committing and injuring me as aforesaid without any particular cause at all yet discovered or declared after so long a respite whereupon to right my self the best I may at present in point of reputation till a time of future reparation in some other kind shal offer it self I thought it both just and necessary for me to publish all the premises to the world supporting and solacing my self in the mean time with these old Christian Cordials of which I have had frequent experience Psal 37. 5 6 37 38 39 40. Commit thy way unto the Lord trust also in him and he shall bring it to passe And he shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy judgment as the noonday Marke the perfect man and behold the upright for the end of that man is peace But the transgressours shall be destroyed together the end of the wicked shall be cut off But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord he is their strengâ—h in the time of trouble And the Lord shall help them and deliver them he shall deliver them from the wicked and save them because they trust in him Mich. 7. 8 9 10. Rejoyce not against me O mine enemy when I fall I shall arise when I sit in darknesse the Lord shall be a light unto me He will plead my cause and execute judgment for me he will bring me forth to the light I shall behold his Righteousnesse Then he that is mine enemy shall see it and shame shall cover him which said unto me Where is the Lord thy God mine eyes shall behold him and now shall he be troden down as the mire of the streets FINIS A Usefull Seasonable Corollary to and from the Premises WHen I seriously contemplate with deepost greife of Heart and confusion of Spirit how my late Imprisoners with other of their Confederates who made the greatest Profession of transcendent Piety Justice Uprightnes Clemency Humility Selfe-deniall cordiall affection transcendent Zeal to the Fundamentall Lawes Liberties Franchises Priviledges Ease Weal Establishment of their Native Country published so many large Declarations Remonstrances to the world in print asserting the same and declaring their utter detestation and totall extirpation of all arbitrary Government Tyrany Injustice Oppression Violence illegall Proceedings Imprisonments Restraints Seisures of Papers ransacking of Houses Executions Taxes Excises Imposts Arrayes exercised by the late King Strafford Canterbury whom they impeached condemned beheaded as the Greatest Tyrants and by the old Councell Table Star-chamber High Commission and House of Lordâ— which they totally suppressed as intollerable Greivances to the people No sooner ingrossed into their owne hands by force and fraud the Supream Power over their fellow-brethren and our Realmes but they presently degenerated by degrees in to more absolute Tyrants greater Oppressors Self-seekers Invaders underminers
Subverters of the Lawes Liberties Properties of the Subject the Rights priviledges freedome of Parliaments then the very worst of their condemned Predecessoâ—s transcending them in all kindes of unrighteous Exorbitances and actâ— of Injustice Cruelty Oppression and that not only towards their declared common Enemies but fellow-members and most indeared best respected meritorious Christian freinds notwithstanding all sacred Oaths Protestations Vows Leagues Covenants Christian civill Obligations to the contrary and that only for their constant Loyalâ—y Fidelity and adhesion to their first Principles Oathes Protestations Covenants Trusts Duties without the least Apostacy for which they deserved their highest respects and for opposing them in disswading them from those violent unrighteous Proceedings and destructive publique Changes which have occasioned so much effusion of Christian bloud such vast expences of Treasure and produced so many sad calamities to our 3 whole Nations only as yet to make them more unsetled more enthralled to all sorts of illegall Pressures then ever heretofore It experimentally instructs both me and all others capable of any good instructions First of the infallible verity of these sacred Oracles Jer. 17. 9. The heart of man is deceitfull above all things and desperately wicked who can know it Ps 62. 9. Surely men of Low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lye to be layd in the ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity Secondly of the sad tragicall dangerous fruites of ambitious affectations of Soveraignty greatnes which instigates men oft times to violate all Oaths Laws Trusts Obligations Relations naturall civill sacred publike private transforming them into savage beasts yea Saints themselves in external shew into incarnate Divels and monsters of iniquity treachery cruelty Witnesse Judg. 9. 5. to 57. 1 Kings 15. 27 28 29. c. 16. 9. 11 12. to 21. 2 Kings 8 13. 15. c. 10. 1. to 15. c. 11. 1. c. 15. 10. 13 14. 25. 30 The Barbarus trechery cruelty ingratitude of Cassander and other Captaines to Alexander the great who notwithstanding all their oathes obligations and pretended affections towards him as their soveraign generall advancer first trayterously destroyed him with a poysoned potion then murdred his own Mother Wives Children Brother Kindred interfectis etiam omnibus quicunque Alexandrum etiam longinqua cognationâ— c the better to secure his dominions and treasures to themselves which they devideth between them After which they falling out between themselves Warred upon and betrayed each other till they were all slaine and destroyed by one another With sundry other forraign and domestick presidents recorded in histories many whereof are collected by Sr. Walter Rawleigh in his Preface to the History of the worâ—d and Dr. Beard in his Theatre of Gods judgments Booke 2. c. 3 4 5 10. 17. 41. where all who are guilty of this sinne or really deteâ—t it may profitably peruse-them at their leisure with this observation of Justin Hist â— 16. touching Gods retaliation upon such perfidious traitors and their families Atque ita universa Cassandri domus Alexandro magno seu necis ipsius seu stirpis extinctae paenas partim caede partim supplicio luit Sufficiently refuting that received Parodox of the Tragaedian Imperia quolibet precio constant benè Thirdly of the extraodinary dangerous sinful poysonful leaven usually attending grand powers offices Preferments whcih frequently transforme not onely proud ambitioÌ„s carnal persons but even the most humble mortified meeke just upright pious self-denying Saints and greatest Patrons of Religion Laws justice publique liberty without Gods extraordinary restraining grace into the very worst of tyrants oppressors Extortioners especially when sodainly advanced by unlawfull meanes or from an inferiour condition to the highest pinnacle of soveraignty or Empire This Claudian a heathen Poet long since observed and thus elegantly expresseth Asperius humili nihil est cum surgit in Altum Cuncta ferit dum cuncta timet desaevit in omnes Ut se posse putent nec Bellua tetrior ulla Quam servi rabies in libera colla furentis Yea such a strange corrupting transforming venom usually is there in Soveraign powers and dignities which ought really to make men Like to God himselfe whose Deputies Ministers all lawfull Kings and Magistrates are in justice righteousnesse Clemency Goodnesse and zeale for their subjects wellfare that they frequently produce such strange alterations in mens mindes actions and so wonderfully metamorphise them from what they formerly were and thought themselves to be that if God himselfe by a special Prophet from Heaven should predict such a mutation to and in them they would not believe him Of which we have a memorable Scripture president 2. Kings 8. 11 12 13. Hazael a Servant to the King of Syria being sent to Elisha by the Kiâ—g to enquire whether he should recover of his disease the Prophet setting his countenance on him till he was ashamed Wept Whereupon Hazael said Why weepeth my Lord and he answered Because I know the evill that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel their strong holds wilt thou set on fire and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword and wilt dash their Children against the stones and rip up their Women with child Hazael said BUT WHAT IS THY SERVANT A DOG THAT HE SHOULD DO THIS GREAT or strang cruel THING And Elisha answered only this The Lord hath shewed me THAT THOU SHALT BE KING OVER SYRIA Intimating that his unexpected advancement to and aspiring after the soveraign Power should worke such an incredible alteration as this in him And so it did For presently after he smothered and murdered his owne sick Soveraign in his bed then invaded his Crown and reigned in his stead v. 15. and not long after he invaded the Israelites with an army slaying cuting them short burning their Cities oppressing tyrannizing over them as Elisha predicted in all the coasts of Israel 2 Kings 10. 32 33. â— 13. 3. 22. 25. Should Elisha himselfe have risen again from the dead and foretold to Mr. Bradshaw and his confederates at Whitehall Westminster and in the Army but three or four yeares before their advancements to their New self created Supream Powers that they should so farre degenerate from their first Principles professions Practises within few yeares space by unexpected advancements and Suâ—cesâ—es that contrary to all their former Oaths Protestations Vows covenants Leagues Declarations Remonstrances Commissions Trusts Obligations Relations Judgements Resolutions and all bonds oâ— Loyalty Duty Friendship Law Justice they should forcibly undermine subvert the Fundamentals of the Kingdom the Rights Priviledges Freedome yea being of parliaments and their members more avowedly and desperately then ever beheaded Strafford Canterbury or others had done in any former age That they should engage the parliaments own Officers and Army against the Houses Members Priviledges and constitution of Parliaments themselves forcibly secure seclude asperse in print imprison close imprison not only sundry Noble Lords but
Edgar going to the holy warres into Apulia with many Ships and Souldiers he was in returne from thence courteously entertained and had many benefits bestowed on him by the Emperors of Greece and Germany who disired to retain him in their Courts Which Courtesie he refusing out of love to his Native Country returned again into England where he lived quietly all his Reigne And although William Rufus his Sonne upon some differences arising between them amounting to a competition to the Crowne banished him into Scotland for a time Yet at lâ—st he received him both into his favour and Court too and in the 7. year of his reign sent him Cheife Commander with an Army into Scotland to establish his Cosen Edgar Son of King Malcombe King in the Throne and to expell his Uncle Dufenald who had usurped it by violence Such was the Noblenesse of these successive Kings to this-right Heire to their Crowns That yet â—hey notwithstanding should contrary to these Gospel Precepts and this domestick memorable president contrary to the resolution of a very Heathen Nihil est iniquius quam aliquem Heredem paterni odii Fieri To Gods own resolution Ezec. 18. 17 2 Chron. 21. 6. 7. c. 28. 27. c. 33. 20. c. and of our English Nobles and Nation in the case of K. Hen. 3. whom they crowned for their K. notwithstanding his Father K. Johns faults Quia propria patris iniquitas ut CUNCTIS VIDEBATUR Filio non debuit imputari be so unchristian uncharitable towards their beheaded Kings Royall Posterity and Right Heire to the Crown though Protestants as not only to prohibit all publique Prayers unto God for them under pain of High Treason and severest Penalties to banish them out of all their Realmes and Dominious to which they were borne Heires under pain of High Treason and death it selfe if ever they set footing in them not to allow any of them the least breathing place therein nor the least standing Pension for their necessary support in other Climates out of their owne Hereditary large Revenues which they have seised on to prohibit any other within their Territories publiquely or secretly to ayde or relieve them under paine of High Treason losse of Liberty Life Estate But likewise to treat with other forraign Protestant States and Princes to banish both them and their Protestant Adherents out of their Territories thereby to necessitate them â—o the intollerable Scandall of our Religion and Nation to live upon the meer Almes of Popish Princes and Forâ—aig ners like distressed Exiles to the great peril of their Soules and apparent hazards of their seduction from our Religion by exposing them to so manifold temptations provocations to renounce it Of which the Jesuits and Papists make great advantage to draw others from us to their Romish Superstitions And not content herewith to treat with those Popish Princes Stats where now they are entertained to remove them out of their Dominions and withdraw all Charitable Supplies for their relief that so they may inevitably perish and have neither being nor subsistance in this world nor place to râ—st their heads in Which transcendent unparalleld Proceedings as many intelligent Protestants conceive have been the principle inpulsive cause and argument the Jesuites have made use of to incite the Emperor of Germany to banish all the Protestants by severest Edicts out of Bohemia Austria Styria and other his Hereditary Dominions and incensed the Duke of Savoy by severe Proclamation and by a bloody Army of Irish and other Papists to massacre many thousands of them and endeavour their utter extirpation out of his Territories and will probably instigate all Popish Princes States of Christendome to unite their forces together to extirpate us and all other Protestants out of the world for these premised unchristian Exorbitances which Militiere and other Papists in late printed Bookes impute to the Principles of the Reformed Religion Should Elisha himselfe I say have predicted all or any of these particulars to them before they were acted by them and that they should publikely justifie them before all â—he World in many Printed Papers and most Christian Righteous Just Heroicall Actions without the least remoâ—se or shame as they have done I appeal to their owne consciences whether they would not have bin as incredulous therof nay more discontented with the Prophet for medling in them as Hazael was and would not have returned him the self same Answer as he did or a worse What are thy Servants Dogs nâ—y Devils incarnate and the Monsters of men that we should do all these great strange incredible things And yet since they have acted them all over and pursued them with eagernes instead of repenting of them and esteem all such their Capitall Enemies yea little lesse then greatest Tratyors to them and their New Republike who out of cordiall Love to their Soules meere Conscience towards God and duty to their Native Country shall dare presume to disswade them from reprehend them for oppose them in or move them to sincere repentance for the same Which I beseech them now in the fear of God seriously to reveiw retract reform if ever they expect grace or pardon before any Tribunal of God or Men where they must sooner or latter be called to accompt for them notwithstanding all their present Power or armed forces to secure them from humane Justice unable to resist divine From this perillous corrupting transforming leaven usually accompanying Empire and great Honors the very Heathen Philosophers and others deduced these three Proverbs Honores mutant Mores Magistratus virum indicat vis nosse virum committee imperium And Huldricus Zuinglius renders this reason of it Adeo late vastâ—t hominum mentes rei gloriaeque â—upidâ— tametsi interim pulchre celet omnia non alia res est quae latentes cupiditates magis exulcerat QVAM IMPERIVM tunc enim occasionem se invenire arbitrantur qua maxime grassari possunt Caeterum ubi jam via patet nemo retrahere potest ut vel moderate videantur concupivisse c. He instanceth in two examples to prove what strange alterations Empire and power operate in mens minds and manners First in King Saul next in Pythagoras the Phylosopher who although whiles a private person he was such an extraordinary humble meek pittifull mortified self denying and cynical a person that he would neither kill nor eat any living creature whatsoever nor any pulse or thing that had red spots or colour of bloud upon it renounced all worldly honours pleasures profits pompe pride would seldome converse with men or utter any word in any company injoyning almost perpetuall silence to himself and five years taciturnity to all his Schollers ere they should presume to speak in publike yet no sooner was he made a King by the people for his transcendent vertues seemingly against his will but he became a transcendent bloody Tyrant OMNIVM ingurgitavit haud
aliter at que ii qui vino adobruuntur ebrius esset IN INNOXIOS FVRERET c. Vnde PERICV LOSSISSIMA RES EST QVIQVAM COMMITTERE IMPERIVM To pretermit all other forraign presidents of like nature enough to fill whole Volumes I shall instance only in one domestick one not unseasonable for and very parallel to our times related by sundry of our Historians William Langchamp being advanced from an inferiour condition by King Richard the first to be Bishop of Ely Popes Legate Lord Chancellor Chiefe Justice and Protector of England the first who enjoyed that title to my remembrance during the Kings absence in the holy Wars Ann. 1191 c. Was so strangely infatuated intoxicated metamorphosed by these his new honours and powers that he acted many things not onely indiscreetly and untowardly but also most arrogantly insolently tyranically unconscionably covetuously and cruelly tyrannizing beyond all measure over his Fellow Commissioners the Kings own Brethren all the Nobility Clergy Gentry and Commonalty of the Râ—aâ—me whom he perpetually greived oppressed with manifold continual and needlesse illegal exactions pressures proud insolent Speeches and behaviour purveyances proling Officers Troopers Guards Garrisons who by some means or other got all the wealth of the kingdome into his and their hands by placing displacing all Officers and disposing all Offices preferments in the Realme at his pleasure by imprisoning crushing trampling under feet all such who durst oppose or appeal against his Tyrannicall Exactions Procedings Usurpations against their ancient Liberties Priviledges Rights Laws AS GUILTY OF HIGH TREASON OR SEDITION And to keep the Nobility Clergy People in this servile condition under him he kept a perpetuall Guard of Frenchmen and Flemings about him never riding abroad with lesse then 1500. Horse to guard him and commanded all the Nobility and their Sonnes to attend upon him and matched his Neeces and kinswomen to them the better to secure and strengthen himself Yea he displaced all the Officers appointed by the King and under pretext of suppressing Thieves and tumults placed garrisons of his own creatures rather to destroy then govern it who kept great troops of cruel and barbarous Souldiers which rode about armed in every place to terrifie the people and be the most wicked executioners of his Violence rapine coveteousnes Exactions sparing neither Clergy man Monke nor Layman and committing many outrages and cruelties in all places without punishment And not contented herewith being sensible of the Nobilities Clergies and peoples indignation against him for these his Exorbitances and Oppressions he sent for divâ—rs forraigne forces of his Friends and Confederates placing them in the Castles and Garrisons of the Kingdome for his greater security By which Tyranicall courses Multis Terrorem incussit Siluit Regnum Angliae à facie ejus nec fuit qui obmurmuraret â—um sibi in Anglia nihil ad exâ—vgnandum restaret writes Mathew Paris In briefe Nuâ—rigensts records That the Laity oâ— England experimentally found him MORE THEN A KING And the Clergie MORE THEN A POPE but both of them AN INTOLLERABLE TYRANT Solis complicibus et copriâ—toribus suis innoxius caeteris indifferentur non tantum PECVNIARVM AMBITV verum etiam DOMINANDI VOLVPTATE ERAT INFESTVS For by reason of HIS DOVBLE POWER or rather treble civill Ecclesiastical Military he usurping the Militia into his own hands alone HE PUT ON THE PERSON OF A DOUBLE TYRANT most arrogâ—ntly domineering both over the Clergie and people making use of both his powers the more easily to accomplish his designes and crushiug those with his Military and royall power whom he could not subdue with his Ecclesiasticall Authority Non erat qui se absoonderet à calore ejus cum secularis in eo virgam vel GLADIVM Apostolicae potestatis timeret His pompe and pride was more then royall almost in all things Yet such was his secret fear in the midst of his greatness That Clericorum stipatus Catervis MILITVMQVE VALLATVS AGMINIâ—VS Orientalium more Regum TANQVAM IN EXPEDITIONE JVGITER POSITVS ARMATORVM CIRCA CVBICVLVM SVVM HABERE EXCVBIAS VOLVIT keeping great armed guards about him day and night wheresoever he was or went Hereupon the Nobility and People unable to suffer his intollerable insolencies and oppressions any longer complained most greivously of them â—o the King who thereupon writ to some Nobles to examine and redresse these Greivances And upon the instigation of Earl John the Kings Brother the Nobles of England raysing great forces to suppresse and eject this Tyrant met in a kinde of Parliament the Saturday after Michaelmas Anno. 1191. at Lâ—don Bridge between Reading and Windsâ—r and after that in Pauls Church and on the East part of the Tower of London where all the Archbishops Bishops Earls and Barons there assembled agreed and resolved the unanimous conscent of all Vt talis de caetero in Regno Angliae non dominaretur per quem Ecclesia Dei ad ignominiam et POPVâ—VS AD INOPIAM TRAHEBAâ—VR Ipse enim Cancellarius et satellitâ—s ejus OMNES REGNI DIVITIAS IT A EXHAVSERANT Vt nec viri Baltheum argento redimitum ne faeminae monile nec viri nobili annulum vel Judaeo relinquerent the saurum vel quidlibet precioâ—i The sauruÌ„ quoque domini regis adeo evacua verant ut in scriniis auâ—â—litâ—llis Nihil praeter câ—aves et vasa vacua possent de elapsa Biennio inveniri Provisum est etiam Vt oâ—â—ia castella quae pro libitu suo idem cancellarius cuâ—todiae satellitum suorum commisserat redderentur in primis Ipsa turris Londinensis This insolent Oppressor now finding himselfe unable to resist the nobles most of his Freinds rebellious forces deserting him in his distresses fled to the Tower of London refusing to appear before the Lords for fear of violence notwithstanding security tendered to him but at last being necessitated thereunto he sware to perform whatsoever the Lords had Decreed giving sureties to surrender up all the Castles to them and to depart the Realm Whereupon laying down his Offices and Legates Crosse he came to Dover thinking in a clandestine manner to passe the Seas and the better to deceive the Marriners eyes he disguised himself in womens apparel virum in faeminum convertit dum vestem Sacerdotis in meretricis habitum commutavit tunica virida faeminea indutus But being casually discovered by a Mariner to be a man who desired to make use of him as his strumpet and that hatefull Chancellour whom so many had cursed and feared a company of women and vulgar people in great despite threw him to the ground spit upon and beat him very sorely dragged him by the heeles along the Sands and would no doubt have torn him in pieces had not some of the Burgesses of the Town rescued him out of their hands and thrust him into a Seller where he was detained prisoner till they knew the Lords pleasure concerning him Thus he who but a
few moneths before was honoured and feared by all men like a demy-god attended with so many Officers Nobles Guards and pretended Friends being once down and standing in need of his Friends help had no man to defend or speak for him no man that moved a tongue or finger to rid him out of his present calamity lying long in this sad pickle till at last being set at liberty by some Bishops means he passed with scorn and contempt into Normandy his native Country Let those who now imitate him in his Tyrannies Oppressions Insolencies Rapines and imposing armed Guards and Garrisons on the Nation to enslave them take heed they follow him not in his sudain shamefull downfall From these and infinite other Presidents of mens strange Degeneracies Transmutations by their high Honours Powers in all ages we may well cry out with godly Zuinglius Quis nunc tuto cuiquam committat Imperium cum simplicissimos sapientissimos videamus imperio immutatos esse And let all consciencious Christians truly fearing God learne these profitable Instructions from the serious contemplation of them 1. Not over severely to aggravate censure the Exorbitances of our late or former Kings or their Officers Counsellors Courts since other late Reformers who have most eagerly declaimed against censured condemned and totally suppressed them as the greatest Grievances and Tyrants have farre transcended them ever since in their very worst Exorbitances and degenerated into more absolute Tyrants Oppressors Grievances in most kinds then they were hertofore as their late Acts Edicts Actions and Speeches proclaim to all the world 2. Not greedily or ambitiously to seek after Empire Soveraignty Power Magistracy great Offices or Preferments being so full of perils cares feares especially by violent fraudulent corrupt unlawfull meaneâ— but rather modestly and carefully to decline them for fear of being depraved altered and brought if not to temporall yet to eternall ruine by them as thousands have been Thirdly in case they be lawfully called urged and in a manner enforced against their wils without their solicitation to any places of great Power Trust or Honor to be very cautious how they undertake them to examine their owne abilities faithfully to discharge them with the strength of their Christian graces to resist conquer those manifold temptations unto sinne and grosse Corruptions which usually attâ—nd them and earnestly to seeke to God by prayer for speciall direction in the acceptance or rejection of them Fourthly If God and their own Consciences upon warrantable grounds encline them to embrace such Powers or preferments then to make it their earnest prayer to God as Solomon did to bestow upon them an extraordinary measure of Grace Wisdom Knowledg Courage Diligence and sincerity to mannage them rightly to Gods glory the peoples weal happinesse and to avoid all those corruptions temptations to Opprâ—ssion Injustice Pride Violence c. which usually attend them Fifâ—hly To engrave these sacred scriptures alwayeâ— in their hearts and memories 2 Sam. 23. 3 4. He that ruleth over men must be just ruling in the fear of God with 2 Chron. 19. 6 7. Rom. 13. 3 4. 2 Chron. 9. 8. Jer. 7. 5. 8. c. 23. 5 6. Zech. 7. 9 10. Execute true Judgment throughly for ye judge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the judgment take heed what you do and shew mercy and compassion every man to his Brother And oppresse not the widdow nor fatherlesse the stranger nor the poor and let none of you imagine evill against his brother in his heart Matth. 7. 12. All things whatsoever you would that men should do unto you do yee even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets As likewise Rom. 11. 21. Be not high minded but fear For if God spared not the natural branches take heed left he also spare not thee 1 Cor. 10. 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall And withall to imitate our pious Saxon King Edelwolf of whom Abbot Ethelred gives this Encomium Hiâ— in Regno terreno semper meditabatur câ—leste ut manifeste daretur intelligi eum non victum cupiditate sed charitate provocatum alienae necessitati regnando consulere non suae voluntati dominando satisfacerâ— Sixthly To beware how they give the least way to any unjust or unrighteons Project Judgment Commitment Imposition action contrary to the known Laws of God or the Land to the prejudice of any private Person or the whole Nation upon any pretended Necessity Extremity Conveniency publique advantage or to satisfie the unjust desires or commands of anâ— Powers or Persons whatsoever least it prove an inlet and leading president to far more worse greater Exorbitances Injuries Oppressions Sins and necessitate them at last to defend one wickednesse or act of Injustice by another till they plung themselves over head and ears beyond recovery in sin and damnation to their temporal and eternal ruine Principiis obsta is the best resolution in such cases Seventhly Diligently to examine by the rules of law conscience and right Reason every Action Project Designe proposed to or imposed on them by these three notable Interrogatories of Saint Bernard Whether it be Lawfull Decent Expedient And if upon due confideration it faile in any of these three circumstances then peremptorily to reject it proceed no further in the execution but rather willingly to quit their Offices Honors Powers then their Justice Honesty Consciences in such cases according to our Saviours advice Matt. 16. 26. and the Apostles resolution Acts 4. 19 20. and c. 5. 29. We ought to obey God and the Laws too rather then men Eighthly To listen with a willing ear and thankfull heart to the informations admonitions oppositions reprehensions of their reallest Christian friends and eminentest sincerest Patrons of their Countries Laws Rights Liberties in all cases of publick concernment rather then to meer creatures dependents of their own or to the suggestions of projecting self-seekers And when they are opposed by such in any of their designes to consider that excellent saying of Seneca which will not only mitigate their anger against such but reclaim them from such injurious prosecutions and designes Quidam verò non tantuÌ„ JUSTAS CAUSAS standi contra nos sed etiam Honestas habent Alius Patrem alius Fratrem alius Patruum alius amicum alius Patriam His tamen non ignoscimus id facientibus quod nisi facerent improbaremus Immo quod est incredibilâ— Saepe de facto bene existimamus de faciente male At me hircule vir magnus justus fortissimum quemque ex hostibus ' suis Et pro libertate ac salute Patriae pertinacissimum suspicit Talem sibi civem talem militem contingere optat turpe est odisse quem laudes c. Which had my injurious imprisoners duly considered before they committed me close prisoner they would have been more ashamed to commit
attainder * Witnesse M. Lemot aad others near the â—xchange and Sir Edward Hales in White-Fryers * See Daltons Cromptons Justice of Peace Poulton and others 2 and 3. Phil. and Mac 10. 11. H. 7. c. 7. * Deut. 13. 12 13 14 15. Iosh 22. 12. to 34. * Gen. 11. 5 6 7. c. 18 21 22. * As the Duke of Gloucester was at Calis and Hunny the Martyr was in Lollards Tower * See Rastals Abridgement Gaol and Gaolers * A New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny p. 137. 138. c. 165. to 179. * Joan Ang Wondenhagen Polit. Synopt l. 2. c. 1. sect 10 where the various acceptionsof the word Common-wealth are spâ—cified * Sperots case 7. Report f. 57 58. * A new discovery of the Prelates Tyranny p. 9. 142. * Ibidem p. 15 16. 139. 140. * Ibidâ—m p. 85 86 87 137. 138. 141. 142. * And so declared by the whole House of Commons in their Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdom 15 Dâ—cemb 1641. Exact Coll. p. 6. 8. 11 12 confessed by the King himself in his Declaration of Aug. 12. 1642. Exact Collect. P 518. * Acts 24. 6. * See A New Discovery of the Prelates Tyranny p. 170 to 181. where this point is fully debated †2 Sam. 1. 20. * See Mr. St. Johns Speâ—ch concerning it at the Judges Impeachment And the Kings Answer to the Petition of both Houses Exact Coll. p. 127. 518. 586. 879. 858 882. * Whence the King in his Answer to the Declaration of the Lords and Commons of the 19 of May 1641. Exact Collection p. 252. thus adviseth boâ—h Houses To take heed of inclining under the specious shew of Necessity Danger to the exercise of such an Arbitrary power they before complained of The advice saith he will do no harm and we shall be glad to see it followed * 2. Châ—on 28 6. to â—6 Ezech 18. 7. 12. 13. 16 17 18. Isay 58. 6 7 8. Obad 10 to 17. Mic. 2. 1 2 3. Lu. 19. 8. Acts. 16. 33 34. * An exact Collection p. 6. 11 12. 31. 37 38. 156. 500. A New Discoveoy of the Prelates Tyranny p. 15. 138. 140. in the cases of Dr. Bastwick and Mr. Burton * Exâ—ct Câ—llection p. 6. 11 12. 35. 37 38. and 156 157 * The true custody and safeguard of all publick and private Interests The inheritance of every Subject and the secâ—ty he can have both of his lâ—fe liberty or estate and the which being dis-esteemed or neglected under what specious shews soever a very great measure of infelicity if not of irreparable confusion must without doubt fall upon them as the King himself and both Houses declare Exact Collection p. 28 29. 267. 284. 491 492. 494. 503 694. * The deniall whereof is charged by the Commons as a great illegal Grievance and evill Exact Collection p. 6. * Magna Charta c. 29. a And thinkest thou this O man that judgest them which do such things and dost the same that thou shalt escape the judgement of God Rom. 2. 3. b A new Dâ—svery of the Prelates Tyranny p. 15 16 120 121 128 132 137 140 225. c A new Discovery c. p. 137 138 139. Nota d See Exact Collection p. 558. 559. Witnesse Excise Tonnage and Poundage Monthly Contributions Quarteâ—ing of Souldiers new Oaths and Judicatures without and against Law taâ—ing away mens Armes breaking open mens housâ—s imprisoning and confiniâ—g their Persons e Exact Collection p. 8. f Exact Collection p. 35. g Exact Col. p. 38 39 41. Nota. Nota h Exact Collection p. 77 78 156 157 458 483. i â—xâ—ct Coll. p. 6. k Matth. 25. 41. to 46. l Lev. 25. 14. Ez c. 18. 12 13 Psal 10. 14 18. 1 Cor. 6. 8 9. Col. 3. 25. Mich. 2. 1 2 3 m Rom. 3. 3. n Exact Collection p. 518 838 879 882 885 886. o Little on Chap. Remitter p Exact Collection p. 127. q Exact Collection p. 252. r Rom. 2. 3. 16. to 25. Å¿ Exact Colle ction p. 10 492. t And is not this the present case of most of the Nobility the late sâ—eluded secured Members and all conscientious Presbyterians throughout the Realm whâ— dare not violate their former Oathes Covenants Protestations Declarations Remonstrances publâ—shed to all the world of my self t And is not this the present case of most of the Nobility the late sâ—eluded secured Members and all conscientious Presbyterians throughout the Realm whâ— dare not violate their former Oathes Covenants Protestations Declarations Remonstrances publâ—shed to all the world of my self v Is not this your very practice now witness the Proceedings against the Râ—fusers of the Engagement who are thrust out of all publike Offices â—laces â—f trust deprived of their Callings Augmentations Sequestrations all present and futuâ—e Preferments and Degrees in the Church Universities Innes of Court c. yea deprived of the Law it self their Inheritance and Birth-right like Outlaws the hight of Tyranny and Injustice x For that which is my Case to day may be many or any others tomorrow b Psal 123. 8. Esay 57. 15. 1 Tim. 6. 16. b 1 Tim. 6. 15. Psal 47. 2 7. c Ephes 2. 10. c. 3. 12. d Ps 34. 15. e Psal f Luke 18. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. g Plutarâ—â—i Apothegmatâ— h A New discoveâ—y of the Prelatâ—s Tyranny p. 142. Resolved upon the Qâ—estion that the Warâ—ant dated 27 of August 13 Caroli made for the Transportation of Mr. Pâ—ynne from Carnarvan Castle to the Isle of Jersey and his Imprisonment there other restraints therein mentioâ—ed are against the Law and Liberty of the Subjâ—ct and that he ought to be discharged of that imprisonment and to have reparations for his damages susteined thereby i Condemned by the Declaration and Judgement of both Houses Exact Collection p. 853 854 855 8 87. k Exact Collâ—ction p. 242 28 29 267 500. l Hab. 17. m Jan. 4. 1648. n See my vâ—ndâ—cation of the Subjâ—cts Lâ—â—eâ—ty against â—llegall Tâ—xes Exact Collâ—ctâ—oâ— p. 882 883 884 885 886. o Exact Colâ—etion p. 380 442 462 485. 469. 478. 550 551 850 to 890. p Exact Collectioâ— â— 575. q And are not they sopractised now in the very self-samâ— or a â—â—rr more dangerous in this and others Particulars r By an expresâ—e warrant of the new rash inconsiderate Militia grounded on yours at White hall a Contrary to 2 and 3 Phil. and Mar. c. 10. â—nd the common â—aw Cook 2 Instituâ—es p. 51 52 53 54. b Acts 12. 3 4 5 6. c Exact Collection â— 8 11 12 13. 312 322 666 364 462 466 470 472 483 550 551 767 to 773 812 813. 845. 846 851 852 854 855 887. A Collection p. 424 425. 877 879. d a Nâ—w Discov ry of the B shops Tyranny p. 139. to 179. e Declaration of thâ— 17 March 1648. Adulatio perperuum mâ—lum Regum Qu. Curtius â— hiâ—l l. 8. f Exact Collection p. 663. 666. A Collection