without any Order of the Houses the Lords House being then adjourned during pleasure where the Generall was set in a Chaire of State and received speciall thanks for this service from the Speakers in both Houses names who made him Generalissimo of all the Forces and Forts of the Kingdome to dispose of them at his pleasure made him Constable of the Tower Voted the common Souldiers one moneths gratuity for this service besides their pay left all their Guards to his disposing and to mock God as well as men Voted a publike day of Thankesgiving to be kept both in the City and throughout the Kingdome for their restoring the Parliament to its Honour and Freedome in this forcible and dishonourable manner not to be patterned in any age After which the Generall and his whole Army marched through the City in greater triumph and State then ever William the Conquerour or any of his successors did takes possession of the Tower turnes out the honest Lievtenant there who royally entertained him without any cause assigned displaceth most Governours in other Forts and Garrisons though setled by Ordinance and speciall Votes of both Houses alters the Militia of the City sets up a new Militia in Westminster and Southwark divided from that of London contrary to severall Ordinances and the Articles of the Treaty causeth the Line and Works about the City to be demolished drives away most of the Members by menacing Declarations procures an Ordinance by meere force and violence to passe the Houses declaring all the Votes Orders and Ordinances of one or both Houses from the 26. of Iuly to the 6. of August to be null and void which the Commons had foure or five times laid aside and refused to passe upon the question and then by confederacy with the fugitive Members procured the Lord Mayor and divers Aldermen and Citizens of London who had shewed themselves most faithfull and active for the Parliament all these Wars and done more service for them then any in the Army to be impeached of High Treason and shut up Prisoners in the Tower procures the Recorder Sir Iohn Maynard and Commissary Copley without any legall hearing or examination to be suddenly thrust out of the House and some other Members to be suspended and all those questioned who fate or Voted in the Speakers absence and no lesse then seven Lords viz. Theoâ—hylus Earle of Lincolne Iames Earle of Suffolke Iames Earle of Middlesex George Lord Berkly Francis Lord Willoughby Iohn Lord Hunsdon and William Lord Maynard who had ever adhered to the Parliament to be impeached of High Treason sequestred the House and committed to the black Rod who sate and Voted in the House in the Speakers absence by colour of a speciall Order made before their departure that every Member of the Lords House should there attend upon pretext that they had levyed Warre against the King Parliament and Kingdome When as they acted nothing but in the House or at the Committee of Safety and the Militia by expresse Order and Authority of both Houses for the Parliaments and Cities just defence against a mutinous and rebellious Army then marching up hostilely against them contrary to both Houses Votes and Orders without any authority but their owne This is the true state of the case of the impeached Lords Commons and Citizens who have been eagerly prosecuted by the Army and their Confederates in the House when those Malignant Lords who levied actuall warre against King Parliament and Kingdome exempted from all pardon heretofore by votes and Ordinances of both Houses as Traitors and publike Enemies to the Kingdome are suffered to go unprosecuted yea pleaded for in the Houses and permitted to walk freely about the City and repaire to the King in the Armies Quarters while these faithfull Lords Members and Citizens are shut up prisoners and prosecuted day by day without any proof or guilt to make good the Charge The sole question then will be who are the reall Traytors and actuall endeavourers or raisers of a new Warre against the King Parliament and Kingdome in this case whether the impeached Lords Members and Citizens or the Army and their Confederates and fugitive Members who excited them to march up thus to London against both Houses and the City without any Authority from the King Parliament Kingdome and Contrary to both Houses expresse Orders Letters and Commands Certainely if indifferent disinterested Members and Persons may be Iudges or Umpires in this case or the consciences of the accusers themselves may be Judges those Lords Members and Citizens listing and raising forces onely for their owne just and necessary defence by expresse Ordinances Votes and Orders of both Houses of Parliament was so farre from being high Treason or levying of a new Warre in them that it was a just necessary and lawfull in them both by the Law of Nature Scripture the Statutes of the Realme the practice and resolutions of both Houses and of the Army it selfe in their defensive warres against the King and his assailing forces and a duty to which their Covenant and publike Trust ingaged them unto under the paine of Perjury and Treachery both to the King taken violently by a commanded party out of both Houses custody and detained prisoner from them in the Army against their Votes and Commands and to the Kingdome Parliament and City to whose preservation and defence they had so many Obligations against a mutinous and rebellious Army marching up thus hostilely against them without any just ground or Authority at all but the executing of their owne treasonable plots and designes both upon the King Kingdome Parliament and City as their subsequent proceedings manifest And every Thiefe may as justly accuse each honest man of Treaand levying a new Warre if he both but provide and weare a Sword or Pistoll to resist him when he comes to take his purse or breake open his house as the Army and their Confederates may those Lords Members and Citizens of Treason and levying a new Warre by this provision of Forces and Armes to defend themselves in case the Army should violently affault the Houses or the City in a rebellious and hostile manner without shedding one drop of blood or marching out of their Lines to fight with them though they gave them just occasion and therefore Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Army in their Remonstrance of August 18. 1647. p. 19. 20. confesse ingenuously That if those pretended Votes Orders and Ordinances whereby War was levyed against those Members of both Houses who fled to the Army were then good when as they were made and valid though they should now be repealed yet WE with the SPEAKERS and those Members aforesaid in opposing of them while they were of force must needs remaine Transgressors still and yet God and wee are thanked for it To avoid which dangerous worke they forced the Houses by a more horried force then that of the Apprentices and this menacing Treasonable Remonstrance to passe an
THE CASE Of the Impeached LORDS COMMONS AND CITIZENS Truely Stated PSAL. 75. 5 6. 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 judgement as the noon day ACTS 16. 35 36 37 38 39. And when it was day the Magistrates sent the Sergeants saying Let those men go And the Keeper of the prison told this saying unto Paul the Magistrates have sent to let you go now therefore depart and go in Peace But Paul said unto them they have beaten us openly uncondemned being Romans and have cast us into prison and now do they thrust us out privily nay verily but let them come themselves and fetch us out And the Sergeants told these words unto the Magistrates and they feared when they heard that they were Romans And they came and besought them and brought them out and desired them to depart out of the City The Case of the Impeached Lords Commons and Citizens truly stated THe Lords and Commons in Parliament in the moneths of March and April and May last taking into their serious Consideration the * absolute necessity of disbanding the greatest part of the Army after the total Reducement of the Kingdom for the present ease of the people from Taxes and Free-quarter and the speedier relief of Ireland then in danger to be irrecoverably lost did thereupon pass some Votes and Declarations for disbanding the Foot and some Regiments of Horse of the Army and sending them into Ireland under the Commands of two Major Generals Skippon and Massey and imployed Commissioners from both Houses to the Army for that purpose where they * engâ—ged many Officers and Souldiers for that expedition But by the under-hand practises of Leiutenant General Cromwel and his Confederate Officers and Agitators the relief of Ireland was not only obstructed but wholly frustrated and the Major part of the Army animated to enter into a solemn Engagement not to disband upon any terms till they had obtained satisfaction from both Houses to certain high Proposals and Demands which the Houses for quietness sake and Irelands better Accomodation though with some disparagement to their Honor and Power condescended unto But the concession of all their first Demands was so far from satisfying those restlesse Spirits who had other designs to carry on since visible to all men that they encouraged them to greater Insolencies and higher Demands then ever comprised in their * Letters Proposals Remonstranses and Manifestoes in Iune and Iuly following of purpose to pick new quarrels with the Houses and City too and to keep themselves in an intire body to carry on their dangeraus Plots against all opposition In pursuance whereof they first with a party of Horse commanded by Cornet Ioyce forcibly and traiterously * seized on the Kings own royal person at Holdenby upon false pretences and removed him thence into the Armies quarters contrary to his own and the Commissioners of both Houses Protestations refused to resign him up or dispose of his Person according to the Houses Votes removed the Guards appointed by both Houses from him put new Guards of their own upon him who excluded the Scots Commissioners from any access to his presence against the Law of Nations and Votes of both Houses and yet then granted free access for all Malignants to him and admitted Malignant Chaplains to attend him with the Book of Common prayer and all Episcopal Ceremonies which they so much decried heretofore as Anti-christian Neither rest they here but refusing to disband even after all their Arrears were promised to be payd or secured by the Houses they mutinously and rebelliously against the express Votes and Commands of both Houses and desires of the City march up in a warlike manner towards London threatning to force the Houses and plunder the City if they had adhered to them in case they granted not their unreasonable desires by the short time prefixed to them approaching within few miles of the City with their whole body seizing the block-Block-houses on the River by violence quartering their Forces round about it and sending their Warrants for provisions to Constables within the very lines of Communication Whereupon the Houses to provide for their own safety and the Cities if the Army should invade them by open force both Houses on the 11. of Iune by Ordinance appointed a Committee of Lords and Commons to joyn with the Militia of London to consult advise and put in execution all wayes and means which in their judgments might be necessary for the safety and defence of the Kingdom Parliament and City and to rayse horse and foot for that purpose c Of which Committee some of the afterwaâ—â—â— impeached Commons and now imprisoned and impeached Lords were Members which Committee after some few meetings in hope of a final pacification was discontinued and the Houses by the Armies dayly approaches enforced to repeal sundry of their just Votes Remanstrances and Ordinances to quiet their distempers After which condescention the Army did not only publikely censure them for it in pâ—int but likewise declare their dis-satisfaction by all the Houses had done or promised unless the Commons would presently purge their House from all Members disaffected to these their mutionous Practises and suspend no less then eleven of their Emmentest Presbyterian Members at once from sitting in the House before any particular proofs or impeachments against them upon a meer general and illegal Charge sent from St Albons then the head quarters Iune 14. Upon which though the House after full debate resolved Iune 25. That by the Laws of the Land no iudgment could be given for their suspention upon that general Charge before particulars produced and proofs made yet the Army threatned to march up to Westminster in case they were not removed from sitting or voting in the House Whereupon the Members voluntarily withdrew themselves and afterwards put in their Answers to the false and scandalous particular Articles the Army afterwards sent up against them of purpose to wound their Reputations without any intention to bring them to their Legal Tryals being never able to prove the least Title of those Articles of which the whole House and Kingdom know them to be guiltless Upon this their voluntary withdrawing though the Army and their Instruments took occasion to traduce them as guilty yet they began to draw their quarters and disperse themselves further off from London but with a Resolution to take the first occasion of returning thither before they were sent for the gaining of the City and Tower of London into their Custody and placing of their own Guards upon both Houses and mould them to their own pleasures being the main design of their first approaches towards it And no occasion of returning being given by the Houses or City who complyed with them in all their unreasonable desires they thereupon projected to make one unreasonable
demand more which might in all probability occasion it and they divide the City and both Houses one from another and that was to desire the Houses to repeal the Ordinance for the New Militia of London which no ways concerned the Army in point of interest or right and to restore the old without any exceptions to their persons or any cause alleadged or once acquanting the City therewith to whom both Houses and the Army too were most deeply engaged Hereupon Sir * Thomas Fairfax sends a Letter to the Speaker of the House of Commons intimating the Officers and Armies desires that the New Militia of London might be altered and the Old revived without ever acquainting the City or their Commissioners in the Army therewith Upon which Letter alone the House being very thin and most Members driven away by the menaces on Iuly 22 in the afternoon the Ordinance for the New Militia made by unanimous consent of both Houses when full and free May 4. to continue for a full year was suddenly voted in the House of Commons by some few casting voyces to be repealed before 3 moneths expired and a New Ordinance for reviving the Old Militia drawn up passed transmitted to the Lords House about 7 a clock at night when the House was empty and then presently passed without out any debate though moved to be put off by some till the City to whom they were so much obliged and whose sâ—fety and priviledges it so highly concerned were acquainted therewith and heard what they could objâ—ct against it who never had the least intimation of it till it was past The pretence for this hasty passing was to prevent the the Armies-speedy march to Westminster if the Houses refused to pass it and the Cities opposition against it if not passed before their Notice of it but the real design was to discontent the City and enforce them to some act or other as might give the Army occasion to march rather against them then against the Houses and engage them and their party in the Houses against the City and their Friends This Ordinance of Repeal being made known to the City the next day being Saturday Iune 24. they were much discontented at it and meeting at a Common Councel voted unanimonsly against it as a great injury and astront unto them both because the Houses and Army never acquainted them therewith but did it on a sudden in a thin House without their privity or any reason alleaged or just exceptions to the New Militia in the Ordinance for such an alteration which so highly concerned their safety and priviledges and because the Repeal of this Ordinance upon no other grounds but the Armies desire might justly shake all other Ordinances for securing the vast sums they had lent and advanced upon the Excise and Sale of Bishops Lands and for their Indempnity and make them repealable at the Armies pleasure as wel as this to their utter undoing Whereupon they resolved to Petition the Houses on Monday morning for the Repeal of this hastty injurious Ordinance of Iuly 23. for selling the New Militia and drew up a Petition then for that purpose which the Sheriâ—s and Common-Counsel presented to the Houses on Monday the 26. of Iuly After which about a thousand Apprentices and young men of the City without any armes at all came with another Petition of their own to both Houses wherein they Remonstrated that they were heirs apparant to the City whose Rights and Priviledges they were sworn to defend and the Houses had of times promised to maintain That the ordering of the Cities Militia was the Cities Birth-right belonging to them by Charters confirmed in Parliaments for defence where of they had advenâ—ured their lives and fortunes as far forth as the Army and therefore desired it might be returned into those hands in which it was put by the whole Cities consent by the Ordinance of the 4. of May Upon reading these Petitions in the Lords House they were pleased to revoke the Ordinance of Iuly 23. and resume that of May 4. by a new Ordinance of Iuly 26. which they sent down to the Commons where some Apprentices were over-earnest and urgent to get the Ordinance passed refusing to suffer some Members to go out of the House till they had passed the new Ordinance sent from the Lords or to come out of the House into the Lâ—bby when they were divided upon the Vote about it which at last they passed about 3 of the clock Whereupon most of the Apprentices departed quietly into the City without any further disturbance After which some disorderly persons most of them Malignants disbanded Souldiers not Apprentices by the instigation of some Masignant Sectaries and Friends of the Army gathered about the Commons door and grew very outragious enforcing the Speaker to take the Chair after the House had adjourned not suffering him or the Members to depart the House till they had voted That the King should come to London to treat with the Houses about a peace With which violence the Common-Councel of London being acquainted as they were sitting in the Guild Hall they presently sent the Sheriffs with such assistance as was ready at hand the Militia then being in an unsetled condition by the Houses own act and contradicting Ordinances to suppress the tumult and rescue the Members who thereupon hasting to Westminster did their best endeavours to effect it and at last pacified the unruly rout and conducted the Speaker in safety to his Coach and lodging about nine of the clock at night which was as much as could be expected from the City in this interval of their Militia's unsettlement The Lords adjourned their House till Fryday morning the Commons only till the next morning being Tuesday against which time the New established Militia provided a strong Guard for the House it self Whether the Speaker and Members repaired about 10 of the clock safely without any interruption and there sate securely till they agreed to adjourn the House till Friday morning following upon this ground that the Lords had adjourned their House till that time and had made a peremptory Order for all their Members then to attend the House notwithstanding any former leave granted to be absent The next day being the monthly fast the Speakers and Members met at Margarets Church in Westminster and there kept the solemn Fast without disturbance Where Mr Speaker in the Church complained Publikely to Sr Ralph Ashton and other Members setting near him to this effect That there was a great scandal raised on him in the City which did much trouble him as that he had left the House and was run away privatly to the Army or intended to do it Thaâ— he had no such thought and scoâ—ned to do such a base unjust and dishonorable action and would rather die in the House and Chair then desert them for fear of any tumults Which being spoken in the Church and presence of God on the solemne
Ordinance 20 August 1647 for declaring all votes Orders and Ordinances passed in one or both Houses since the force on both Houses July 26 untill the sixt of this present August to be null and void Of purpose to excuse themselves from this very guilt of High Treason in leying warre against the King Kingdome and Parliament which they would most injuriously fasten upon others who are innocent to evade their owne guiltinesse But neither God nor man will be long thus mocked or deluded by them and this present Age and all future Generations will conclude at last in despite of all opposite Powers and Evasions That the Generalls and Armies refusing to disband upon the Votes and Ordinances of both Houses seizing the King and rescuing him from the Commissioners of both Houses with an armed party marching up forcibly to London against the Houses expresse commands surprizing the Block-houses at Gravesend by force with the slaughter of some of the Garison there settled by the Houses falling violently upon Sir Robert Pyes men in their quarters and wounding some of them neer Greenwich where they were billetted by the Houses Order without any provocation impeaching and seizing on some Members of the Houses and carrying them Prisoners to the Head-quarters against their wills enforcing the Houses to null and repeal their owne just Votes and Ordinances recruiting the Army with many thousands of new Souldiers raising the Train-bands of the Countries marching up to London in a body seizing the Forts in Southwarke and Westminster coming in arms to the very Houses with the fugitive Speakers and Members putting a Guard of Horse and Foot of the Army upon both Houses threatning by force to keep divers Members out of the House and pull them out by head and shoulders if they presumed to intrude into them forcing away most of the Members from the Houses marching through the City in triumph throwing downe their lines and works seizing upon the Tower of London and the Isle of Wight beleagring the City and both Houses of Parliament of purpose to enforce them at their pleasure sending strange and treasonable Remonstrances and Papers to the Houses to passe contrary to their Votes and judgements and utterly ruining the Countrey with Taxes Free-quartering upon them against the Peoples wills and listing twice the number allowed by the Establishment when there is no apparent Enemy in the Kingdome nor Order of the House for such strange recruits their violent impeaching of these innocent Lords Members and Citizens and saying publikely in the Army and Houses That the longest sword must carry it and the Army will have this or that whether the Houses will or not and that we are all but their conquered Slaves and Vassalls and all we have is theirs having wonne it by the sword and the Speakers and Engaged Members Confederacy and Engagement to live and die with the Army in these their Treasonable proceedings is no lesse then High Treason in good earnest in them all and an actuall Levying of Warre against King Kingdome Parliament and City for which God and men will one day bring them to exemplary punishment if they unfainedly repent not of it and give some Honourable publike reparation to those Innocent Faithfull Lords Members and Citizens they have most falsly and injuriously impeached and imprisoned for those very Treasons and practises of which themselves are only culpable This being the true state of the impeached and imprisoned persons case we may justly stand amazed at the strange insolency and impudency of the Councel of the Army in their late Humble alias most arrogant Representation presented by some of them to the Houses of Parliament Decemb. 7. 1647. Who though in most of their former Remonstrances they had pleaded this to be the Hereditary Freedome of all Subjects since Voted by both Houses freely to Petition the Parliament without restraint as some of their fraternity have frequently done of late in a most seditious manner yet they fall pel-mel upon the Common Councell of London only for Petitioning the Houses for relief of their imprisoned fellow Citizens and on the Commons House and Members too in this most saucy language pag. 21. 23. And now also we must earnestly desire that the proceedings against those Citizens and others lately impeacht may be hastned and out of their fines and confiscations some part of reparation may be made to the Countries adjacent for the aforesaid damages which the crimes of those persons and others in the City did 1 first bring upon them And indeed without something done against those persons for example to others we do not see when it shall withdraw with what safety or freedome the Parliament can sit longer at Westminster especially when we find the Common Councell through the Parliaments and 2 Armies lenity to take the boldness already in the face of both to intercede for the relief and acquittall or rather justification of those impeached persons who indeed are but fellow-delinquents we doubt to most of that Councell as if that so actuall immediate and 3 horrid a force upon both and the whole Houses of Parliament and the levying of War in abetment and prosecution thereof and of that concurrent 4 Treasonable engagement were already forgotten by them to have been any crime the consideration whereof and of the renewed confidence of Master Gewen and some other Members of Parliament known to have been partakers if not principalls in the same things who yet 5 presume and are suffered to appear again in the House as in those things there had not been so much fault as to render them lesse worthy of continuing in that highest trust makes us begin to fear that while so much of the same leven through lenity and moderation is left behind is may shortly spread till even the 6 worst of the eleven Members notwithstanding their double crimes be again called for in unlesse the House by some exclusive resolutions and proceedings do timely prevent the same we hope therefore the Parliament will weigh these things and speedily ere it be too late consult at least their own safety and the Kingdomes if not ours and the Armies their poor servants and something concerned with 7 them especially in that affaire By this printed Passage the whole world may plainly discover the unparalled insolency malice injustice of the Saints and Councel of the Army who * exceed the very deeds of the wicked against the wrongfully impeached Citizens and Members whose principall Prosecutors and Accusers they are this Representation being sent of purpose to promote the Lords impeachment in the Commons House just when it was there debating though since laid aside for want of proofs and matter to make up a charge against them and yet they with the impeached Aldermen and Citizens must be still prosecuted imprisoned and not released nor the falsly impeached and suspended Lords and Commons re-admitted into the Houses for fear of displeasing the Generall and
Fast day when he would not dissemble makes most men conclude his secret departure to the Army the very next day proceeded not from his own judgment or inclination but from some strong invitations or menaces sent from the Army by those who contrived this desperate plot to divide the City Houses and bring up the Army to inthrall them both On Thursday Morning early the new renewed Militia of London to prevent all future disturbances to the Houses made publike Proclamation throughout the City Suburbs set up printed tickets at Westminster other usuall places within the Line that if any person or persons should offer to disturb either of the Houses or their Members the Guards should apprehend them and in case of resistance kil or shoot them Yet not withstanding the Speaker in the evening stole away through Hide Parke in his Coach to the Army and went to Windsore to the Head-quarters accompanied with Sir Ar. Hasterig other Members who met him by the way On Friday morning about 140. Members or more met at the Commons House expecting the Speakers coming whither the Serjeant coming without his Mace being demanded where the Speaker was answered he knew not very well and that he did not see him that morning and was told he went a little way out of town last night but he thought he would return expected to meet him at the House After which being somwhat strictly interrogated by some Members about the Speaker he suddenly withdrew himself and could not be found till the House had chosen a new Speaker Serjeant and procured a Mace and then he returned with the Mace carried after him under his mans cloke which he said he had been seeking out all the time of his absence The House after two houres attendance sent 4 of their Members to the Speakers house to inquire what was become of him who returning reported from his servants that he was gone forth of town the evening before was not likely to return that day and that they conceived he was gone to the Army whereupon they resolved to chuse a new Speaker after some debate and called Mr. Henry Pelham to the Chaire after which they chose a new Serjeant in the absence of the old In the meane time the Lords assembling in their House upon speciall Order and Summons received a Letter of excuse from the Earle of Manchester for his absence by reason of some indisposition befallen whereupon they chose the Lord Willoughby of Parham their Speaker in his roome having frequently changed their Speaker this Parliament as they saw occasion And about three of the clock that day the Commons presented their new Speaker to the Lords sitting in their Robes after the accustomed manner who approved to their choice to prevent a discontinuance and faler of the Parliament for want of Speakers to adjourne and continue it and prevent all scruples which might arise thereupon This done they proceeded to vote and act as a Parliament which they might lawfully doe First they voted in the eleven wrongfully impeached Members and others unjustly questioned by Cromwells and his confederates practise in the Armies name to take away their Votes to attend the seruice of the House which they accordingly did Next they revive and set up the Committee for the Safety by an Ordinance of both Houses authorizing them to joyne with the Committee of the restored City Militia and by severall Votes Ordinances gave power to these Committees for the listing and raising of Forces appointing chiefe Commanders and Officers issuing out arms and ammunition for the safety and defence of both Houses and the City against all such who should forcibly invade them which Votes Ordinances for their self-defence warranted by the very Law of nature as the Armies Declarations assent were not passed nor put in execution till the Army under Sir Tho. Fairfax recruited extraordinarily every day without against the Houses Orders were on their march towards London most contemptuously disobeyed the Votes and Letter of both Houses inhibiting them to come within 30. miles of the City which Letter Sir Thomas out of his great humility refused to much as to answer or take notice of whereupon the Army drawing near the Houses and City in a warlike manner with a resolution to force assault them by violence thereupon the Committee of Safety and the Militia of London by Ordinance and speciall command of both Houses raised new Forces of Horse Foot mounted some of their Cannons manned some of their Works and made preparations only for their own defence as they might lawfully do and had done formerly by vertue of that supreme power of both Houses which first raised and after voted down this perfidious Army who now refused to obey their Masters commands and marched up against them with much rage and fury as enemies To countenance this their trechery and rebellion the more they draw the Speakers fugitive Members of both Houses to sit in Counsell with them in the Army in nature of a Parliament and to signe an Ingagement to live and die with Sir T. Fairfax and the Army in this quarrell Whereby they were so animated that Sir Th. Fairfax raised the Traine-Bands of Hertfordshire and other Counties to joyn with the Army and march up against the Houses and City who were so desirous of peace that they sent Commissioners Agents sundry times one after another to mediate an accord and keep off the Army from approaching neare the City who were exceedingly sleighted could obtain no termes of peace or agreement from them unlesse they would unworthily yeeld to desert both Houses the impeached Members contrary to their Ingagement Covenant and duty renounce and call in their own Declaration then newly published relinquish their Militia and deliver up all the Forts and Line on the Westside of the City next to Westminster into the Armies hands together with the Tower of London and Magazines in it disband all their Forces put all the Reformados out of the Line withdraw all their Guards from the Houses and receive a Guard of such Horse Foot within the Line as the Army should appoint toward the Houses demolish their Works and suffer the whole Army to march in triumph through the City as absolute Conquerours of it and both Houses too To all which dishonourable and base conditions worse then any the King or Cavaliers would or could have put upon them in the condition and posture of defence they then were the Aldermen and Common Councell to their eternall dishonour and infamy suddenly and unexpectedly condescended Whereupon a Party of the Army entred the Line seized the Forts agreed upon and on the 6. of August the Generall brought the fugitive Speakers Members to the House with a strong party who might have returned at their pleasure before without any Guard had they pleased placed the Speakers in their Chaires out of which they were justly voted
Grand Councel of the Army who are really guilty of all the * Crimes and Treasons which they would falsly charge on these to excuse themselves and of Cornet Ioyce his matchlesse Treason in plundering the King out of the Parliaments possession whom yet they never questioned nor impeached for it If this be the justice and charity of those Saints the Generall and Councel of War who have not yet learned that lesson and common rule of justice from our Saviour Whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you even so do unto them for this is the Law and the Prophets Mat. 7. 12. Nor that lesson of Iohn Baptist a burning and shining light but yet no new one even to Soldiers themselves Do violence to no man neither accuse any man falsly Luke 3. 14. God deliver all honest and innocent Persons from such malicious prosecutors such unrighteous Judges and * men of violence But let this be these restrained Innocents cordiall and their Persecutors terror * Evill shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him His mischief shall return upon his own head and his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate God hath spoken it in his word and it shall most certainly come to passe in his due time if they can but with faith and patience wait upon him till its accomplishment without fainting or despair Now because the Generall Councell and Army are so eager in pressing for justice upon some Members and the imprisoned Aldermen and Citizens pretending them guilty of the Apprentices force upon the Houses of which there is no evident proof to requite their kindnesses we shall evidently demonstrate there is greater cause for the Houses and City to crave justice against them as being far more guilty of forcing the Houses in a horrid and desperate manner then the Apprentices who so far they exceeded in these respects First they and the Army marched up in an intire body from their quarters towards London to force the Houses against their expresse Votes Orders and the Cities desires The Apprentices did not so having no command from either House not to repair to Westminster nor no Members sent to them as Commissioners to stay their march as the Army had whom no doubt they would have better obeyed then the Army did the Houses Commissioners Secondly the Apprentices were all unarmed without Swords or sticks in their hands and not above one thousand or two at most whereas the Army were all furnished with Swords Muskets Pikes pistols Armes Staves and a train of Artillery and marched up with Banners displaied in a body of fifteen thousand fighting men or more Thirdly the Armies force and violence proceeded from their own mutinous disposition and the personall malice of some of their chief Officers against the xj eminent Members and others who crossed their private designes without any just provocation or preceding president of such a force and rebellion in any other of the Parliaments Armies But the Apprentices force as it was successive too so it was encouraged and occasioned by the Armies to revive the Ordinance for the Cities New Militia passed by unanimous consent of both Houses when full and free which the Generall and Army had forced the Houses to repeal when thin and under their power and terror against the rules of Honour and Iustice before one quarter of the time for which they setled it was expired without any notice given to the City or new Militia or charge or exceptions against them to which they might make answer Fourthly the Generall Councel and Army in a forcible manner impeached divers eminent Members forced their withdrawing suspention and expulsion from the House and never desired till they had driven them out of the House and Kingdome which done they pressed a new purging of the Houses from many other Members under pretence of Malignancy and their compliance with the King and His Malignant party even when and whiles themselves were complying and holding Treaties with the Apprentices never impeached nor pressed the suspention or exclusion of any Members nor kept any one Member forcibly out of the Houses but onely kept most of them in till they had granted their Petition and repealed the Ordinances and Votes which the Army had forced from them some three daies before Fiftly the Army menaced and forced the Houses in and by sundry printed Treasonable Declarations Remonstrances Manifestoes Letters and Representations published to withdraw the City and Country from and animate them against the Houses and Members for divers weeks and monthes together and when their first Demands as Soldiers were all granted yet still they insist on new and Higher Demands as Subjects and Statesmen Whereas the Apprentices force was soon ended and they did no such thing and desired nothing but what immediately concerned the City and themselves Sixtly the Army and their Grandees by Letters and menaces induced and forced the Speakers and some Members contrary to their trust and duty to desert the Houses and repaire to the Head quarters and there to enter into a strange Engagement to live and die with them in their quarrel against the impeached Members and others who deserted not but continued in the Houses and the Citizens who adhered to them And by a Treasonable Declaration August 18. they declared all the Votes Orders and Ordinances made in both Houses without any force from Iuly 26. to August 6. to be null and void and by putting their own two armed Guards upon the Houses by a party of 1000 Horse drawn up to Hide Parke and with Cromwells Iretons and other Officers menacing high Speeches in the House they enforced the Houses against their former resolutions to passe an Ordinance to declare them null and voide threatning to take all the Members of both Houses that sate and voted in the Speakers absence as Prisoners of War to try them by Martiall Law and pull them out of the Houses by head and shoulders if they Presumed to intrude into the Houses c. By which occasion they forced away many of the remaining Members and by force obtained their desires The Apprentices never did any thing half so forcible and Treasonable as these matchlesse affronts and insolencies of the Army Seventhly the chief Contrivers and Abetters of the Armies violence and force against the Houses and Members were perfidious degenerated Members both of the Army and Commons House who acted and plaid their parts in both for their best advantage as Cromwell Ireton Rainsborough Harrison Fleetwood with other officers who received their Commissions and wages too from the Parliament and therefore were obliged more then others to obey and not thus openly to force affront and rebell against them Whereas none of the Apprentices were Members nor any of them in Commission or pay as Mercenaries or Servants to both Houses Their force therefore upon the Houses in these and many other respects being far more horrid and treasonable then the Apprentices and the occasion of theirs they ought in Law and Iustice to be first and most exemplarily punished the rather because they still persist therein even in this their last Representation of December 7. as high and treasonable as any of their former Papers whereas the Apprentices ended in few howers and was never since revived In brief their own dear friend Mr. Oliver St. John His Majesties Sollicitor Generall in his Argument of Law concerning the Act of Attainder of High Treason of Thomas Earle of Strafford at a Conference in a Committee of both Houses of Parliament published by Order of the Commons An. 1641. directly proves the General Lieutenant Generall Councel and Army more guilty of High Treason in levying war against the King Kingdome Parliament and now listing and quartering and sessing Soldiers upon the people in their own Houses against their wills since the Votes for their disbanding then ever Strafford was his Argument being an expresse Arraignment and Attainder of them and these their late proceedings ex post facto as those who shall review it will at first discern And if his Argument passe such a sentence against them the whole Kingdome cannot but judge them guilty FINIS * See their Declaration for disbanding the Army 28. May 1647. * The XI Accused Members Answer to the particular Charge of the Army p. 10. 11 12 13. A Vindication of 167 Officers come off from the Army The Agitators Letter to L. G. Cromwell March 30. The Armies Engagement * Of Iune 8. 10. 14. 17. 20. 23. 27. Iuly 1. * The Lord Mountagues Letter Narrative Iune 8 Mr Rymes his Narration to the House of Peers Iune 17. 1647. * See the Letâ—…r and Reâ—…onstrance â—…om his Exâ—…llency and â—…e Army p. 9. 1 Rather the Armies Rebâ—…lion against the Houses 2 It seems the Army nâ—… rank themselves in equipâ—… with the Parliament and iâ—… their lenity not justice tâ—… we enjoy our lives and estâ—tâ—… 3 Your force upon the Hâ—â—ses and their Members was more horrid then the Apprâ—â—tices yet continued even and in this Treasonable I presentation 4 Your Engagements no 〈…〉 disband c. were far mâ—â—â— Treasonable 5 It is more presumptioâ—… you and your Cromwell Ire 〈…〉 thus to tax the House Members then for these toâ—… in the House being not â—…peached and no such Tâ—…tors as these your Grandeeâ—… 6 The worst of them is betand honester then Cromwell Ireton or the best of you Putâ—cy projects be true 7 Onely the Speakers and â—embers who signed the Enâ—â—gement are concerned in 〈…〉 s affâ—ire as well as you not 〈◊〉 Houses * â—…er 5. 28. * â—…ee the Puâ—â—… projects 〈◊〉 a word to 〈◊〉 G. Cromwell â—â—ich fully deâ—â—nstrate it * Psal. 140. 1. * Psal. 140. 11. Psal. 7. 16.