for the subversion of the true Protestant Religion and the Liberty of the Subject And that in pursuance thereof c. This is the first Credendum set foorth to usher in our Jurandum this we must believe therefore thus and thus we must sweare But why must we believe this because the Lords and Common have Declared it I ow the Lords and Commons my obedience in a subordinate way next and immediatly under my King but I do not yet know that I owe them my Faith in that supreme way as to believe whatsoever they declare Nay I know the contrary and therfore I will be bold to examine the truth of this credendum so far as I am able before I give up my faith unto it That there hath been in this Kingdome a Popish and trayterous plot for the subversion of the true Protestant Reformed Religion is recorded to us and to our posterities with an Act of Parliament for an Anniversary commemoration of our deliverance from the same And I doubt not but there have beene many other plots since to the same purpose by the same faction though God of his mercy hath disappointed them ere they came to any visible maturity Neither will I altogether free the late potent Faction from intending some such mischiefe Nay further I am not very slow of heart to beleeve that there is now at this present in this Kingdome a traiterous plot for the same purpose which may as well be called a Popish as an Anabaptisticall Brownisticall or Separatisticall plot the Papists as well as the Anabaptists Brownists and other Separatists contriving and contributing what they can thereunto and all meeting and consenting in the same positions and doctrines for the effecting thereof For what Luther said of the Anabaptists and Papists we find by wofull experience true of them all Fratres sunt caudis conjuncta sunt vulpes sed capitibus diversa singunt sese foris magnos hostes esse cum tamen intus vere idem sentiant deceant ac defendant they are all brethren and they are crafty foxes linked together by the tales though their heads looke divers waies they outwardly feigne themselves to be great enemies each to other but inwardly they doe verily think teach and maintaine one and the same thing And all these though they pretend too much the liberty of the Subject yet the truth iâ— they intend only to inlarge their owne liberty and licentiousnesse and to destroy the just liberty and property as well as the duty and loyalty of all Subjects whatsoever Thus farre it is no difficult matter to beleeve that there hath been and now is a plot for the subversion of the true reformed Protestant Religion and the liberty of the Subject and to the lawfull defence of the same thus plotted against I conceive my selfe already sufficiently bound not only by my duty as I am a Protestant and a Subject but also by my late Oath or Protestation as I am thereby a new sworne Protestant and Subject And therefore if that be the true cause why I should take an oath I have very lately for the same cause already taken one and I humbly conceive that having made the former oath so lately for their satisfaction who require this they ought to rest satisfied with the former without urging any other it being a ruled case in Law Date jurejarundâ— non aliud quaritur quam an juratum sit remissa quastiom an debentur quast fatis probatum sit jurejurandâ— when once an oath is given no further question is to be made then whether the oath be taken or not all other questions of the proofe of what is controverted are to be remitted as being proved sufficiently by the very making oath thereof and you well know what the Apostles rule in that case is Heb. 6.16 an oath for confirmation is at least ought to be to them to those who require the oath an end of all strife And the multiplying of oaths is perillous as well to the imposers as to the takers But to goe on with the first reason That in pursuance of such oâ— such a Popish plot c. a Popish army hath been raised and is now on foot in divers parts of this Kingdome here my faith so staggers that I cannot possibly keep it up to this assertion and that for these Reasons First because that an Army cannot truly be called a Popish Army wherein not five of an hundred are Papists unlesse we take Papists in that latitude as to involve all those that imbrace adhere to and maintain the established Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England And if five of an hundred in an Army being Papists may give the name of Popish to that Army what name can we thinke of for that Army wherein there are besides Papists Anabaptists Brownists Familists and other Sectaries an hundred for five true Reformed Protestants T is not denied but that there are now in the Kings Army too many that are Papists and yet there are no more Papists in that army then ought to be there for being Subjects as well as Papists they are bound both by the Lawes of God and of this Nation to assist their King in his warres both against forreign enemies and against native rebels and usurpers and the King is bound to protect them against spoile rapine and other oppression aswell as his other Subjects It is I solemnly professe a sore greefee to my soul and so I am confident t is to all really religious Protestant souls besides that ever our King who hath beene so long and still is so eminent a Defender of the true Protestant Religion should neede the assistance of Papists to defend his Royall person honour and estate as t is a shame to our Religion it self that Papists should shew their Loyalty and Allegiance to their King in such a defence when so many that would be reputed the onely true Protestants either take up or maintaine the taking up armes against him This scandall to the Protestant Religion would scarce ever bee wiped of were there not blessed bee God for it forty Protestants to one Papist that cheerefully and valiantly assist the King in these present warres with their lives and estates Secondly if the army raised by his Majesty and now on foot in divers parts of this Kingdome bee a popish army it were worth the knowing when it became so or when at least it became to be so reputed For that magnanimous and royall army which hath ever attended his sacred person I find severall Declarations of both Houses of Parliament wherein they who levied those forces and they that were levied have beene called ill affected persons Cavaleers Delinquents Malignants and the like but scarce the name of Papists was for a long time mentioned in any of them Since that I finde Papists a Jesuiticall faction prelaticall Clergy and discontented persons added to the former and all called Assistants in and to the Forces prepared but as yet
all such designes And for the further clearing of His intentions in that particular He desired all His Nobility and Councell then attending Him to witnesse with Him whether they did see any colour of preparations or counsells that might reasonably beget a beliefe of any such designe and whether they were not fully perswaded to the contrary c whereupon the Nobility and Councell then present at yorke being in number above forty made a Declaration and Profession in these words We whose names are under written in obedience to His Majesties desire and out of the duty which we owe to His Majesties Honour and to truth being here upon the place and witnesses of His Majesties frequent and earnest Declarations and Professions of His abhorring all designes of making war upon His Parliament and not seeing any colour of preparations or counsels that might reasonably beget the beliefe of any such designe Do professe before God and testifie to all the world that we are fully perswaded that His Majesty hath no such intention but that all His indeavours tend to the firm and constant setlement of the true Protestant Religion the just priviledges of Parliament the liberty of the Subject the Law Peace and Prosperity of this Kingdome This solemne Profession was made by the King and attested by His Nobility and Councell June 15. 1642. which was five dayes after that the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament had made certaine propositions and orders for the bringing in of Money Plate or Horse c. for the maintaining an Army for their defence So that as I said before if feares and jealousies of the Kings intentions of raising and leavying War against His Parliament were a just cause or ground for his Parliament actually to raise or leavy forces against him and if we could also in our consciences believe that such feares and jealousies did really and truly possesse both Houses yet when it appeares by such evidence as greater and better could not be given that those feares and jealousies were not just it is strange to thinke what conscience or faith I might adde what hope or charity that man hath that can answer or declare in the presence of Almighty God that he beleeveth in his conscience that the forces raised by the Parliament upon that unjust ground or cause were raised for their just defence 3. Quar. How can any man sweare in Judgement and in Truth that he doth in his conscience believe that the forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament were raised and are continued for the defence of the true Protestant Religion when as first if by the true Protestant Religion be meant that Protestant Religion which is now established so far as ought can be said to be established in the Church of England as that must be meant or otherwise we know not what the true Protestant Religion is and so cannot take this oath in judgement it hath been found by lamentable experience that the true Protestant Religion hath been more invaded impugned and blasphemed by the forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament and their assistants and adherents in those parts where they have had the power then ever it was since Queene Maries dayes witnesse the many uncivill unhumane unchristian attempts assaults and outrages that have been committed by Anabaptists Brownists and other Sectaries upon our established Doctrine upon our established worship and service of God upon Gods holy Ordinances and upon those sacred places wherein all these were wont to meet and present themselves to us in such beauty and excellencie to our unspeakable benefit and comfort I must not forget how the most pious painfull and orthodoxall Protestant Divines they that in former times when the Protestant Religion suffered most by another faction bare the heat and burden of the opposition and stood in the gap against Arminianisme and other innovations have been since the raising of forces by the Parliament and by the power thereof abused imprisoned and cruelly handled when others that then deserted their stations have been magnified and extolled nay when drunken debauched innovating drones that have contributed towards the maintenance of the Parliaments forces have been connived at and favoured and if by chance apprehended speedily dismissed and set at liberty He must have a strong faith and a stretching conscience that can beleeve in his conscience that these are markes or signes of defending the true Protestant Religion If this be their defending of it God send us our old Defendor thereof once againe restablished in His Throne and let these new defenders defend themselves Secondly the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament did no longer since then in March last declare and publish to the world in that Ordinance of theirs for the speedy raising and leavying of money for the maintainance of the Army raised by the Parliament that the only Causes for which they had raised and did then continue an Army and Forces were first for the necessary defence of themselves which may be somewhat more easily believed then for their just defence Seconly for the necessary defence of this Kingdome from forraigne invasions a defence not now mentioned And thirdly for the bringing of notorious offenders to condigne punishment a thing also as was before hinted altogether forgotten in this new oath And if the Lords and Commons themselves have so lately declared and acknowleded that these were the only causes for which they raised and then continued their army and forces they have no cause to take offence at any that shall not believe that the same forces were raised and continued for the defence of the true Protestant Religion I praise God I have no such moon-Moon-faith 4. Quar. How can any man sweare in truth That he doth in his conscience believe that the forces raised by the two Houses are raised and continued for the defence of the liberties of the Subject when by the raising and continuing of these Forces first the liberty of enjoying their owne goods chattells or lands Secondly the liberty of their trading and traffiquing Thirdly the liberty of their persons Fourthly the liberty their consciences towards God their King and their fellow-brethren Fifthly the liberty of their very lives is dayly and hourely either taken or endeavoured to be taken from the best of Subjects and all these contrary to the liberty of the established knowne Lawes of this Land Indeed to Bankrupts and Spendthrifts to Rogues Theeves Murtherers and such like there is such politick liberty of spoyling robbing plundering and killing yeelded to Anabaptists Brownists and other Sectaries such Ecclesiasticall liberty of Conventicle prating and printing permitted and to all sorts of factious seditious rebellious Miscreants such liberty of lying rayling and blaspheming indulged as the like was never heard of much lesse tollerated and countenanced in any Christian Common-wealth And though we had such faith as that we could beleeve that the forces raised by the two Houses of Parliament were raised for the defence of
the liberties of the Subject yet when we poore oppressed spoyled and almost ruined Subjects see feele and complaine that the fruits and effects thereof are so destructively contrary thereunto we cannot possibly believe that they are still continued for the defence of our liberties and therefore it is but just to desire that they and only they be required to sweat they do believe this who have hitherto enjoyed their liberties 5. Quar. How can any man sweare in Judgement and Truth that he doth in his conscience beleeve that the forces raised by the two Houses c. were raised and are continued for the just defence of these three things named in this oath when that which should justifie the defence of them or any of them if ought could possibly justifie it in those wayes practised by them I meane the knowne established Law of this Land is not only violated and justled out of place and power but also quite left out of all defence and protection now they come to sweare or declare before the Lord that those things are which they intend to defend What may bee the reason thinke you why in former Declarations and Ordinances of the Lords and Commons it hath beene often professed that one maine end of their raising forces was for the defence of the Lawes of this Land and yet now in this new oath when they reckon up the main ends of raysing and continuing the very same forces the Laws of the Land are not once named Certainly we might as safely sweare that we doe in our consciences believe that the sayd forces were raysed and are continued for the defence of the Lawes of the Land notwithstanding that the whole Land knowes that by those forces the Lawes of the Land have beene and are quite silenced and null'd as we can sweare that we doe in our consciences believe that they were raysed and are continued for the just defence of the Parliament and are for the defence of the true Protestant Religion and liberties of the Subject Only the Lawes of the Land are likely to bring in such an heavy accusation and sore judgement against those that have taken up Armes in this cause on the Parliament side notwithstanding all the specious pretences of fair seeming ends and are so Diametrically or point blank to all Arbitrary power that the beleeving that those forces raised by the Parliament were raised and are continued for the defence of those Lawes might well be spared 6. Quar. How can any man sweare either in Judgement or in Righteousnesse or in Truth That he doth in his conscience beleeve that the forces raised by the two Houses c. were raised and are continued for their owne just defence and for the defence of the true Protestant Religion and liberties of the Subject against the forces raised by the King when the King hath not only often and often professed and declared but at sundry times most solemnly and deeply vowed protested and sworne his Nobility and Councell in number above forty and in estate honour and worth not to be paralled throughout the Kingdome attesting and professing the same as you heard before that he ever intended the safety and preservation of all three and when he did raise any forces that he raised them to make good those intentions and to Gods glory His Majesties honour and his Subjects comfort and benefit be it published hath to his utmost made them all good in all places where his forces have been quartered since the first raising them to this present as both his Armies and many thousands more are ready to depose it if that would satisfie For my part I ascribe so much to the word of a King and in particular to the word of pious Religious King Charles that what he declares in point of Truth especially concerning his Royall Intentions I think my selfe bound in conscience to beleeve before all the Declarations of all others in the world how much more when so pious and religious a King as he is hath so often vowed and sworne such and such things ought all His Subjects especially having all sworne to maintaine His Honour against all that shall doe ought to the prejudice thereof so to honour Him as to credit and beleeve his Vow and Oath before the Declaration of a few of His Subjects who have strained to say the least and with the most modesty and reverence their former oaths made to their Sovereigne both by raising forces against Him and by entring into this present vow and covenant against Him and the forces raised by Him as will be further demonstrated by and by It is well knowne to all knowing and understanding men that a King is not capable of having those by aimes and ends in making or taking an Oath or of those many temptations of breaking or violating an oath when it is made or taken that some of His Subjects may have And though it should be granted by all as we know it is not that the Lords and Commons remaining in the two Houses of Parliament are the representative Body of the Kingdome to doe for them as well as to consult yet certainly no sober man will grant that every body in the Kingdome is bound to act and doe whatsoever they injoyne be it good or evill much lesse that they ought to swear that they doe in their consciences beleeve whatsoever they do declare or swear and although it were acknowledged that they are the representative Body of the Kingdome and so representative that the whole Kingdom were bound either to doe or suffer for not doing whatsoever they enjoyne as t is knowne we are not unlesse our Head did consent and joyne with them yet still I hope none thinke them the representative Soule of the Kingdome so that whatsoever they believe or sweare they believe our souls are bound to beleeve the same Nay further had the Lords and Commons sworne expresly and punctually that the forces raised by the two Houses c. were raised and continued for those three forementioned ends yet still for the reasons before alledged I cannot see why we should swear that we doe believe the same But when the Lords and Commons themselves that were the raisers of those forces swear only that they do in their consciences believe that those forces were raised and are continued for those ends as being it seems fully perswaded so either by the close Committee or by some others that knew the certainty thereof One would thinke it were an act of charity and faith sufficient for others to be their compurgators so far as to swear that they doe believe that those Lords and Commons doe believe so and that it is too great a presumption to swear that they do in their consciences believe that it was and is so indeed Believe me in any other case if any other persons whose truth and integrity is best knowne to us had acknowledged that they themselves had done this or that and