had a desire as is pretended to perpetuate their power the hair-braind actions of the generality of the present Generation doth not treat a real occasion it not being safe to trust unskilful riders with such wild Asses 12. Whether if notwithstanding the present Parliament through the blessing of God shall attain the desired end of peace and freedom by the settlement of successive Representatives and make due provision for the equal distribution of Justice and having established this Nation upon a sure basis or form of Government as a Common-wealth shall in some convenient time dissolve themselves whether I say most persons in England will not have just cause to take shame to themselves for the Slanders Reproches Interruptions and hard Thoughts they have harboured against their faithful Patriots who maugre all difficulties have been supported in their spirits to prosecute their work resting upon the righteous judgment of God and not valuing the threats or tumultuary disturbances of contrary-minded men My Friends pardon my plainness I do not speak from a principle purchased by Reward that which swayes with me to assert the forementioned Premises is a reall knowledge of many of the Gentlemen and of their aym in the general and if the unbelief of England make not their Chariot wheels heavy I am confident that God will make them as great Instruments of good to this Nation as they have been examples of wonder and astonishment to their Enemies abroad and at home But if by Jealousies Murmurings and Repinings Plots Insurrections and Rebellions men will not onely interrupt them in their work but also necessitate them to act upon principles of safety and severity I refer it to all rational persons whether it be likely that they should ever be able to answer those ends which you so much desire and yet by all crooked endeavours hinder How can you expect peace when you design war How can you expect ease from your burthens while you create a necessity rather of encrease of an Army than of lessening it Certainly if men would but consider former Experiences and eye what different methods God hath observed in bringing about his great and unparallell'd dispensations in these Nations contrary to all the designs or expectations of men I say certainly were these things soberly considered it would teach men patiently to wait in hope for the good they expect in Gods own way and not take upon them to prescribe how and in what manner or by what Instruments it is convey'd His Arme is not shortned why then should any man despair of attaining his desires Is it not because he will confine God to such and such means and without it be done in such a way it is presently concluded it cannot be done Whereas both Experience and late Examples manifest that God hath transformed the hearts and judgments and turned the designs of the Great men of the World topsy-turvy beyond all expectation as in the very case of the present Parliament and without doubt when ever they shall cease from designing his glory and the publick good or render themselves unfit Instruments for the work which he is doing in the World then and not till then shall their Counsels fail and they shall be shattered and cast away as uselesse and unprofitable servants others better fitted shall be raised in their stead for God hath a succession of Providences and all his Councils are ordered and sure therefore wait patiently and you shall see the salvations of the Lord LAMBETH August 30. 1659. This is the assured hope and expectation of him that desires to manifest himself Friendly Reader thine in the advancement of his Countries peace J. H. A POST-SCRIPT to the Parliament and Council Right Honourable HAving in the foregoing Narrative taken the boldness to treat of you give me leave now in plainness of heart to speak a few words to you I confess you may justly demand How dares such a poor despicable obscure Creature as I am presume to paraphrase of or dictate to you that are the Princes of our little world I know by sad experience it many times falls out that Integrity is accounted Arrogancy and Singularity Flattery better pleases the eares of great men than plain dealing but I hope better from the greatest part of you however I have not learnt to flatter nor know how to fear therefore my Reward is with that God that knows the bent of my spirit and will in the latter end bear testimony that what I have done herein proceeds from a principle of affection not onely to your persons but to the publick Interest concentred in you Those Travellers that fear dangers or desire safety in their journeys use diligence in their enquiries and receive direction with thankfulnesse but if an unknown or unthought-of danger be discovered unask'd that doubles the obligation and 't is not an unusual thing in long and dangerous travels especially where Enemies are on all hands for such occasions to offer themselves It is an old but true Proverb Standers by see more sometimes than they that play and the reason is obvious high conceit doth usually occasion oversight and we are apter to discern other mens mistakes then our own Self-opinion and Self-love are two of the most dangerous Steers men that can possibly be employed at the Helm and if Captain Humility look not carefully to the Compasse 't is ten to one but the Ship will either be split upon the Rock of Ambition or swallowed up in the Quicksand of Oppression That you have a difficult I may say dangerous Journy to go as being incompassed with enemies abroad I wish I could not say at home too besides the clogs and remora's occasioned by domestick divisions flowing from the difference of Interest and Principles I think will not be disputed or denyed I might to the difficulty and danger adde the distance for if ever you arrive at your journeys end as you have set out from the Wildernesse of Tyranny and Slavery so you must never cease till you have attained the desired Canaan of justice and freedom You know it is said that none obtain the prize but they that run to the end of the Race and truly I may say to you in the same sense that it will not be sufficient for you to bring England to the borders or within the sight of the enjoyment of those promised ends you have so frequently declard for and they have so earnestly desired unless God shall deal with you as with Moses of old and for your transgressions suffer you onely to see the Land a far off but you must with Joshua conduct the people into the possession of your Promises and their Hopes maugre all opposition And though there be many Corah's that create fears and disparage the work both as to the matter and manner of it yet be not discouraged but proceed and consider that if the work was good when you first declared for and undertook it although the way to the
fresh in memory that I shall not need to stir those embers any further that have kindled such a fatall fire in the bowels of these divided and distracted Nations Onely give me leave to mention the method that was observed by the Catholick Caball then governing in Councill to introduce those troubles that have since been the necessary consequences of their then designments As to the King an unlimited Prerogative was made the sugred bait to allure him to a countenance of and compliance with them it being naturall for all men especially Princes not onely to admire but to reach at and covet the encrease of power and dominion especially when the attainement thereof seemes to be facile and the end advantageous Having brought him to their bent in that particular then they began to spring that mine which had for severall yeares lain hid viz. the introduction of Popery though not in its own name nor with its own face for as yet neitheir their Councils nor forces were ripe for so great a work and therefore the two factions Spanish and French being joyned to the Arminian part of the Clergy who at that time greatly over-powered those that were called Puritans set on foot the orders for conformity and uniformity in publick worship and imposed the publick Liturgy or Common Prayer setting the same above preaching c and this not out of any zeal to the Glory of God but in design to heat and perplex all such in the two Nations of England and Scotland as were conscientious to the intent that by that opposition which must consequently be made by them whose principles could not submit to those unwartantable innovations an occasion might be given them to incite the King to make use of his power by force to impose what otherwise his Proclamations and commands could not effect And this from reason and experience I alleadge to be the parent of the Scotch War begun under the command of that great Spanish Factor Arrundell Generall who indeed was the fittest to execute what had been so long hammering between him his brother Cottington and other the Cabalists of that faction And by the way it is worth remembring that while the King with all the power of the nation was engaged in the borders of Scotland by force to subject them to the designes both of his own and their enemies the Spaniard arrives in the Downes with a powerfull Fleet and Army the comming whereof was never so much as known by England or at least taken notice of untill seen although forraign preparations doe and ought generally occasion nay necessitate domestick provisions for security But the Dutch dissipating them diverted the storme and left England destitute of that proof of their designe which if it had taken we have cause to believe that pretended peace patcht up with the Scots had not been so soon made but being put upon new Councells and that forraign assistance failing they feared to rely upon the strength of their Army which though as to men gallant and numerous yet being somewhat divided and all England behinde them in feares the appearance of the Spaniard as aforesaid having put men upon consideration lest the designe should appeare both to the King and his people I say a peace is patcht up the Army disbanded and a Parliament called by the expectation whereof the people began a little to be quieted in hopes that by those Physitians the nation might be cured of all its distempers But such was the composition thereof by reason of the prevalency of the Court in point of Elections of the Commons and mixture of interests of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall that as little could be rationally expected from them as was effected by them at their meeting for as the intention of calling was only to justifie the Scotish War by a Law and to get money by a loane or subsidie to carry it on to which the Commons would by no meanes assent so all expectations became frustrate by their speedy dissolution and the setting on foot new Councells and designes to increase the flame and encite the King to make new leavies against the Scots imprison severall Members of the Parliament and Scotch Commissioners sent and attending to ratify the Treaty seize severall of the Ships and Goods of the Scotch and by all meanes endeavour to suppresse and destroy the Puritane party as they call them who they judged the onely great enemies to the King whereas they took the exactest course in the world to make them such all their designes and actings being clothed by his power and strengthened by his warrant and Commission And to the end the want of money might not retard or hinder the vigorous prosecution of the War the Bishops open their bags and raine showers of Gold thereby justly giving occasion for it to be called Bellum Episcopale but notwithstanding their haste the Scots who suspected foule play had formed an Army and were upon their march into England before they could raise and rendezvouz and maugre their speed after their routing of a party nigh Newborn engaged by the Earle of Strafford as is really believed upon designe to make the War certain the Scots enter Newcastle and possesse Durham and parts adjacent while the King retires to York neither Army proceeding any further to acts of hostility But by the way it is observable the Earle of Northumberland who a little before could not be suffered upon any termes to pass Trent being popular in the North and a moderate Protestant must be made Generall the better to colour the businesse and since the Spanish assistance failed a new forraign force must be made use of and the Catholick Irish His Majesties then pretended most loyall Subjects must be armed and engaged in this religious War contrary to reason common rules of prudence or safety and the consequences whereof did soon after visibly appeare in that horrid rebellion which ended in the sorrow and ruine of the designers The Scots being in England and necessities encreasing many of the Nobility and Gentry were summoned to attend upon the King at York where after mature consideration of the State of affaires a Paliament is agreed to be summoned and Writs issue out accordingly The Parliament being met and an account being taken of the necessities and demands of the King after many debates the Parliament resolve and declare That unlesse they might be secured to sit untill the grievances of the people were considered and redressed they would grant no supplies nor intermedle with the Scotch War but leave it as they found it or to that purpose This resolution was a bitter pill to the Court and hard of digestion but yet necessity has no Law down it must and therefore an antidote must be prepared and lie in readiness as a cure for this poyson For the case stands thus if the Parliament be not satisfyed then no supply there is an enemy in the Land and an Army ful of discontents for
want of pay the bishops bags either being emptied or shut up now if the Parliament pass an act for so many subsidies upon the confidence of their security then though the King continue them to sit by a Law yet may the Army or a considerable part thereof be by money hired to break them up upon pretence of necessity first created and then pleaded upon which resolution the King is wonne to passe that act so much pleaded as matter of his justification and concessions to the Parliament But whether he did really know or were privy to the after game that was to be plaid upon them after they had granted their supplies I shall forbear to censure onely leave it to the judgement of the Reader upon the consideration of subsequent transactions But this is evident to the knowledge and experience of the Author that accordingly both by Letters and Commissions under the hand and Seal of the King many endeavours were used to engage the Army to breake up the Parliament the forementioned Act for their continuance notwithstanding and upon discovery whereof the Parliament were constrained though by contracting great debts upon the publick to undertake to satisfy the Scots and to pay and disband that Army to prevent the designes that were hatched and carryed on under their covert And this I may call the first visible cause of the Parliaments jealousie that the King although he did seemingly comply with them yet under-hand did depend upon and was guided by other Councells It is not my businesse to give an account of the weekly proceeds of the Parliament onely by generall hints of things to lead you by a succession of some generalls unto the remembrance of such affaires as may be conducible unto the end proposed The business of Delinquents especially the Earle of Strafford and disposition of the Militia were the most considerable visible causes of difference between the King and Parliament other things might and did intervene as additionall fuell to increase that flame which since hath scorched if not burnt all on both sides that had a hand in the kindling of it but probably busie instruments in each party having designes retrograde to the grand end which should have been peace and unity viz. Souldiers of fortune that desired to fish in troubled waters and hoped to rise by others ruines animating the Court to extreames the greatest whereof was the illegall demand of the five Members and others as busie to take that advantage to abet the people in Petitioning with seeming violence for such things as could not but in that juncture of affaires create jealousies and feares in the King I say things being brought thus into a suddain hurry and the people which not many dayes before upon his return from Scotland had entertained him with acclamations of joy now declaiming against him upon pretence of the denyall of Justice And being seduced by the forementioned Counsellours he first sends the Queen for Holland and afterward leaves the Parliament and retires himself from place to place till he arrived at York to whom the Parliament sent an humble Petition praying his return and severall Members are Commissioned to give his Majesty satisfaction touching his demands But the designe for War was laid although peace was pretended and a seeming necessity for his departure pleaded upon pretence of tumults the Parliament was a burthen and must be removed and it is submitted to judgement whether the designe of the Queens going to the Spaw publishâ— long before any of these pretended tumults which never appeared untill the erection of the Guard of Cavalry against Whitehall to hinder the peoples recourse to Westminster though with peaceable Petitions according to their just liberty And his denyall of justice upon Strafford I say it is left to judgement whether the bottom of the business of that voyage was not to buy Armes and engage Orange and the Dutch to grant their assistance towards the carrying on of the intended War otherwise it is not probable that the Jewels of the Crown by her pawned and the money imployed for that purpose would have been hazarded in such a voyage But to proceed To initiate the War instead of returning to the Parliament although often Petitioned to that purpose a guard must be raised for the security of his Majesties person and accordingly is in the meane time severall Members of Parliament whether through fear of the event or hopes or promises of advantage or by what other allurements I shall not determine Betrayed their trusts left the Parliament and went to the King at York thereby not onely giving countenance to those proceedings but also much lessening the power of Parliament In the mean time Commissions were issued under-hand for leavies of men in order to form an Army against the Parliament and Provisions in hand for the erection of his Standard at Nottingham which was soon after put in execution These preparations put the Parliament upon new thoughts and seeing neither Messages nor Petitions could prevaile and that there was a necessity laid upon them either to betray the Liberties of the people that had trusted them and the Lawes of the Nation into the power of those evill Counsellours who had as aforesaid abused and betrayed the King and Kingdome into so many troubles or otherwise to cast themselves upon the affection of their Trustees and the justice of their cause and in defence thereof to raise an Army which they accordingly did and put the same under the Command of the Earl of Essex with Commission onely to defend their Authority and protect the people as much as might be from the force of the enemy I shall not enumerate the various successes of the Armies being unwilling to renew the teares of the Parents Widowes and Orphans made Husbandlesse Fatherlesse and Childlesse in that unhappy War onely in respect of some subsequent transactions I must give a hint or two of some remarkable passages upon the basis whereof a great part of the succeeding narrative depends The War being prosecuted with violence in all parts of the Nation an association of Essex and other Counties was made and a distinct Army raised under the Command of the Earl of Manchester others were on foot in other parts according to their respective necessities under Sir William Waller c. But Manchesters Army being moulded for the most part of sober serious Christians though of different judgements God was pleased signally to own them in their actings and successes more then any other force imployed at that time on the behalf of the Parliament and particularly in that engagement at Marston-Moore and the siege of York The defeat then given being the first considerable weakning that ever the Kings party received I confess there were joyned in the said engagement the Scots who had been called in to the Parliaments assistance But as to their merit in that engagement except some few of the Gentry I think it will become me to be silent the whole
debts were paid as well as the Armies and Navies so that in a short time England had probable hopes of great ease as to an abatement of their Taxes especially if an as honourable and advantageous peace had been made with the Dutch as this Power proposed insisted on and for denyal whereof they undertook that war But if you remember further there hath been a Spanish war set on foot without the consent of Parliament and therein not onely many mens lives lost but much Treasure hath been expended and not onely so but vast debts at home and arrears abroad contracted and owing both to the Armies and Navies besides the charge of a Court for the inferiour part of it more luxurious than the Kings By all which means great debts now lie upon the Parliament although you know what an exceeding great encrease of Excise was granted by one of his Conventions to the discouragement if not ruine of Trade now I say this was Englands nay give me leave to speak it to the shame of many it was even the fault of those who had most reason to assert the parliamentary interest had not we repined and like ignorant children eagerly desired a change in expectation of better things we had not in this manner met with worse neither had the General though his Army had been united to him which we know for the generality were surprized dared to have attempted their dissolution or his own usurpation but we like a company of weather-cocks are now so Frenchified that every new Fingle-fangle takes us and we are more ready to run with our flattering addresses to them that forge strong chains for our heels I might say hearts than those that endeavour to recover and secure our freedoms I need not mention the present occasion the charge is visible in your eyes Now pray how shall these debts be paid The decay of Trade which you all experience and complain of renders the Revenue of the Customs and Excise very inconsiderable and what other Incomes may happen is uncertain you see there be enemies at home and you have reason to suspect foes from abroad besides the visible necessity of a considerable strength to ballance the discontents of honest men who as the case stands are hardly to be trusted with the keeping of their own peace now I say upon all these considerations how can you charge the Parliament You would have a Protector and still strive for a King nothing but a single person will please you and yet although you lay all these foundations to contract debts you are loth to have any hand in the payment but soft and fair self do self have if you will have Princes you must maintain them and if your discontents endanger the peace it is a necessary duty incumbent upon the Parliament to keep an Army to prevent you Englishmen are almost turn'd Bedlamites and were not the Lash threatned Harmony would be turn'd to Discord Cain would slay poor Abel and all Parties like Sampson and the Philistines would dye together though probably their expectations may be otherwise I know to serious men I have said enough as to this Subject and for self-will'd persons all that can be said is too little because they are wedded to their own fancies Discontented persons desire no satisfaction and Malignant ones deserve none I shall therefore proceed to offer some few Quaeries to the consideration of all Parties that take themselves to be concerned in the peace and prosperity of England and submit all to the consideration of the unprejudiced Reader 1. Whether it be by any rational man supposed That the Kings of England as single persons had their power and magistracy by the immediate designation of God 2. Whether if not by Gods immediate appointment it was not attained by force or fraud or conferred upon them by mutual compact and agreement for society and safety sake 3. Whether if so conferred the people conferring was not the supreme Authority 4. Whether it can upon any principles of Reason be imagined That the people thus sensible of the benefit of Society and in order thereto making choice of such a form of command and subjection did not also by some equal rules ballance the power to prevent Tyranny in their King and Slavery to them and their posterities 5. Whether if the power were attained by force or fraud although for a time the people for necessity sake do submit may they not throw off that Yoke and recover their freedoms if by any means they can 6. Whether in case of compact the King taking upon him the Government upon Condition of performance and that upon oath solemnly taken in the presence of the people he shall notwithstanding act according to Will and not Law thereby rendring that which was intended for the common good a common mischief I say whether in this case the people are tied up to a slavish servile Obedience and left without all manner of remedy either of divesting him of that Authority or of calling him to an account or judging him by the said compact and agreement and if so upon what principles of Reason or Prudence could they submit to such a slavery 7. Whether if the people may call their King or supreme Magistrate to an account they may not elect another or choose and establish any other form of Government to them appearing most conducible to their safety 8. Whether any Government be more likely to answer the great ends of the people than when their Laws are made by their Representatives equally elected and limited as to the exercise of that power so that he that commands this year shall taste of subjection the next and therefore will be careful how he entails slavery upon himself and posterity the Law binding all alike and not saying Thou shalt not kill but I may but whosoever sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed and so in all other cases 9. Whether the present Parliament be not the most likely persons to establish a Government upon the most equal principles of Freedom that have so frequently declared for it so zealously contested against Tyranny even unto the bloud of the Tyrant and remain so solemnly engaged to God and man both by their own Declarations Promises and Principles according to the best of their judgments to accomplish it and that as a testimony of their thankfulness for the eminent deliverances that God hath given them in their endeavours to obtein it 10. Whether the discontents of the people and endeavouring to bring in a Family that it is to be feared God hath set his face against for evil may not onely provoke God to deal with England as with Israel of old and give them a King in his wrath but also bring a judgment of war upon this Nation with the miseries accrewing and then when it is too late men will wish for that peace which now is so irksome and troublesome 11. Whether if the present Parliament
brunt of the day lying upon the Forces of Fairfax and Manchester and indeed it may well be reputed a sharp engagement seeing all the Generalls on both sides left the Field not knowing the success In which dayes Exercise Col Cromwel then Manchesters Lieutenant Generall did eminently merit the praise of a prudent and valiant Leader Not to derogate from those many others in whose places respectively they valiantly and faithfully discharged their duties But by the way give me leave to mention a passage that hapned soon after that engagement during the second siege of York as I may call it The success of that battaile and daily expectation of the surrender of York then despairing of relief put the Army upon great expectation of a sudain alteration of affaires either by a totall conquest or speedy and effectuall treaty whereupon the Earl of Manchester and L G Cromwell discoursing concerning the regulating the exorbitancy of the Nobility L Generall Cromwell hastily replyed that it would never be well with England so long as the Title of a Lord remained by which it might have been judged that such a principle of ambition as afterward manifested it self had not lodged in his brest But we see all is not Gold that glisters opportunity makes theeves and therefore it is not safe to trust the most specious pretences if it may be avoided for fear of the like danger But as the Parliament gained in the North they lost in the West the different Commands creating different interests so that the work was not like to prosper unless there was a new model upon which the Gentleman last mentioned being a Member of the house and having gained to himself a considerable party upon the repute he had of honesty and gallantry He then seeming and I really believe at that time was a great lover of and encourager of godlinesse I say having gradually increased his interest and yet being unwilling it should appeare too considerable his design being not probably ripe for execution a self-denying ordinance was introduced I will not say by whom although the consequences thereof may and do speak handsomely to that purpopse For that being passed both Essex Manchester Waller and all the Members of Parliament whether Lords or Commons were out of Command and himself too So that as to the face of things no man could judge of any design in him more then the publick good But things remaining in this posture a Generall must be thought on and accordingly Sir Thomas Fairfax a Gentleman of unquestionable integrity and full fraught with gallantry but a person of a passive Spirit as to Councells was made Generall and the Forces put under his Conduct who no sooner was upon a march and drawing nigh to a possibility of engagement but he directs a letter to the Parliament therein desiring that Lieutenant Generall Cromwell might be sent to his assistance upon which the house by a resolve impower him thereto for I never yet heard of any other Commission upon this he repaires to the Army and in the quality of Lieutenant Generall manages the affaires and steeres the Councells thereof upon whom he had a mighty influence as having been the instrument of many of their advancements so that in effect what ever success attended that Army the Major part of the honour returned to the Lieutenant Generall besides the advantage by increase of interest and disposing of Commands he countenancing and discountenancing whom he pleased according as they were instruments fit to be imployed in his then growing designes I shall wave the various occurrences of the War and look forward till we find the War ended and the King delivered by the Scots for a summe much exceeding the salary of Judas where remaining under an honourable restraint at Holmby Commissioners were sent to treat with him upon an accommodation fit for the King to grant and the Parliament to require but as heretofore that treaty was rendred also successeless the reason thereof is not very obvious yet if the probable conjectures of some that in other things have not been mistaken may be believed the Kings obstinacy in that treaty had its rise from some encouragement given him of the division of the Army then set on foot by a party that called themselves Presbyterian at least seemed such on pretence of the relief of Ireland whereas in truth there was nothing less in design then to divide the Army and to draw off pretensively for Ireland such a party as they knew would joyne with them in their design against them they called Independents and to disband the rest and to bring in the King meerly upon the settlement of a Presbyterian interest which though I cannot but judge some of them godly men yet so far as they are rigidly acted upon that principle of coercive power over mens Consciences I think it would be madness to impower them by a Law who have a zeal but not according to knowledge and are led by a hot-braine party some whereof are Ministers who could not indure the exercise of that power in the Episcopall Clergy over themselves but cryed it down as Antichristian yet are ready to contest unto fire and fagot for the exercise of it over their brethren every way as learned pious laborious and faithfull as themselves though probably not so covetous as to have two or three Livings and Lectures But this by the way The treaty was dissolved and the Army refused to disband or be divided untill they had their Arreares secured and saw the ends proposed by the Parliament as the fruit of all that blood and treasure that had been exhausted in the War in some measure answered to the people of which they were a part as Englishmen as well as Souldiers The flame being thus kindled by the hot-spurres of the house Holis Prinne and the rest Major Generall Skippon and others more moderate must be imployed to quench the fire and in the meane time a new design is set on foot to remove the King from Holmby to some place of security and then in his name to declare against the Army and their abettors in the house and by that means to bring all the fury of the wearied people of the Nation upon the Souldiery that had been in the hand of God instruments of that peace they then injoyed and had it not been wisely foreseen and prevented the consequence thereof had been much worse to severall thousands of the godly people of this Nation then either the Bishops persecution or former War I confess I must call the work good though not the manner of it nor event to remove the King out of the hands of a party that intended to monopolize his power to the ruine of their brethren I think was not only fit but of absolute necessity But to deny the giving the Command and to call God publickly to witness a lye as did the L. G. in Parliament as I have been informed I look upon it if
are committed to the Tower and as Obstructers and Hinderers of that good work of Reformation by a resolve of both Houses are disabled to sit in Parliament neither did I ever hear or read that that Exclusion was deemed illegal The two Houses being by this time much lessened in number though not in power they transacted together in the management of the War against the King and his evil Council still in all their Declarations Propositions and Treaties insist upon the same Cause viz. The Reformation of abuses both in Church and State and offer several suitable expedients for redress thereof The war being ended they that in the wildernesse were united being in Canaan in peace began to divide as to the manner of doing what both parties agreed convenient to be done These divisions made the Chariot-wheels go heavily and what Reason could not prevail in Faction must a corrupt party as aforesaid in both Houses endeavouring for by-ends to prevaricate and after all the bloud and treasure spent to obtain the forementioned ends they endeavour to bring in the King meerly to gratifie their own particular interests wholly waving the publick cause so much before contended for and in order to the accomplishmēt of the said end because they could not obtain it by Vote they bring a force upon the Parliament and necessitate the Speaker and other the Members of the House that opposed their proceedings to flye to the Army for protection and not onely so but in all their future actings and debates in the House endeavour to divide the Army and introduce the King by a clandestine Treaty set on foot in the Isle of Wight after Hamiltons invasion by the Kings Commission whereby he had not onely rendred himself an implacable enemy but also a person not to be trusted having made and broke such solemn engagements to the hazard of the Nations peace and great expence of bloud and treasure thereby justly engaging both Parliament and Army to a resolution of proceeding against him according to Justice which being for the reasons aforesaid opposed by the said corrupt royal party and all their actings being diametrically opposite to the peace of the Nation and priviledge of Parliament they were kept out by a party of the Army appointed for that purpose and that Exclusion confirmed by the Parliament who certainly are the judges of their own Members and may exclude as many or whom they please if any just cause appear to them for so doing And as to the five or six Lords remaining in the Upper House who it s from good reason believed had never staid with the Parliament so long if they had judged their interest as considerable on the Kings party If either the principles upon which they were established viz. The will of the King or their frequent actings not onely to ballance but overtop the interest of the people in their Representatives by denial to pass many other good Laws proposed by Parliament as well as the Act against Kingship but also their challenging and exercising an arbitrary jurisdiction over the lives and liberties of Commoners over whom by Law they had no power or cognizance even to the subversion of that Government by the which they pretended to stand as Peers I say if these things be considered it cannot be denyed to be as legal an Act as ever the Parliament did when they voted them useless and unnecessary and reduced the Power to its first principle viz. To the supreme Authority the people in their Representatives the Parliament neither can it by Reason or Law be alledged that all or any these Mutations Changes and Interruptions should take away or destroy their legal power if there remained but Two and forty although it be evident that there remaineth a far greater number and such too as in all the Nations Troubles have been most eminent for Piety Integrity and Stability in principles tending to Freedom and Security I might hereto adde the signal blessing of God upon all their Councils and Actings in so much that not one weapon formed or design set on foot against them hath prospered but they have had cause of rejoycing while their Enemies have been ashamed But I find another Objection and that is newly sprung up viz. That they were not onely dissolved by their General but submitted to the power of the Protector owned and acted under the Government as Members in his Parliaments as they call them and as Justices of the peace and the like and therefore their power of sitting as a Parliament must needs cease To which I answer That their Servant might and did by force interrupt them but could not dissolve them because he had not power to repeal that law made for their Continuance and it is worth observance how he and his Accomplices were infatuated in that in all his Conventions in some of which he had power enough he never attempted the repeal of that Statute which although such a repeal could not have been legal yet it would have given some color to this Objection but the Law being continued they could not be legally dissolved And as to the other part of the Objection it is fit to distinguish between Generals and Individuals I do believe that some particular Members might and did act under his power as John or Thomas c. but not as a Parliament the actions of one or some few not being to be applied to the whole I confess had the Parliament as now constituted of such and so many Members acted in order to the support of his Tyranny or submitted to his Authority by transacting with him the case had been clear but their actings as Individuals while under a force and that being upon principles of necessity submitted to onely to gain an opportunity to struggle for recovery of their freedom I would fain know upon what principles of Law or Reason this can be judged a Dissolution but it s no news for discontented persons to create cavils and then disperse them as material principles of Reason whereas if they were but duly considered they would appear to be but vain Chymira's vented on purpose to occasion disputes and foment troubles and divisions But the former is backt by another considerable plea against this Power and that 's the encrease of Taxes and this seems to make an exceeding great noise catches every ear furnishes discourse for every busy tongue that otherwise would be at a loss for news to tell in a Tavern or Alehouse As to the increase of Taxes you may thank your selves and not the Parliament for pray remember in what condition you were when they had that force put upon them as to peace trade at home and credit abroad nothing lying upon you but an ordinary Tax and moderate Excise and yet then as certain a charge lay upon the State in respect of the Dutch war powerful Navies being exceeding chargeable as ever the late Powers could pretend to and yet still some publick