force and exclusion of above a hundred Members in the year 1656 by which force also the purse was taken from the Commons by setling a revenue of thirteen hundred thousand pounds a year in perpetuity of the Command of the single person and the ruling Members of the Other House being most of them Officers of the Army and Courtiers which being allowed for Law the people would have been absolute slaves to their power and purse stollen from the Commons as aforesaid Whilest the temper of the House was thus tryed and they appeared sufficiently to be English men divers of the Members of Scotland and Ireland joyning with them in the same resolutions by the joynt advice of the Court and Army party the question of Transacting with the persons sitting in the Other House as an House of Parliament was set before them upon pretended grounds of Law and Necessity and by arguments of Force and Interposition from the Army and of Impossibility to proceed in any thing without the said Other House This Attempt was as stoutly opposed for fourteen dayes by the moderate honest Patriots of the House as the former the undoubted Right of the antient Peers asserted and all the said grounds and arguments confuted except that of Force which was not to take place with any thing like a free Parliament of English men But in the close of the fourteen dayes debate wherein much of the honesty ingenuity and courage of the English Nation did appear seeing all affairs at a stand till something were resolved in this point they came in a very fall House to this well qualified Resolution Resolved That this House will transact with the persons now sitting in the Other House as an House of Parliament during his present Parliament And that it is not hereby intended to exclude such Peers as have been faithful to the Parliament from their privilege of being duely summoned to be Members of that House The House of Commons between the Protector the Other House and the General Council of Ofâ—icers now summoned to meet at Wailingford house may well be conceived at this time to have had a Wolf by the ears and having shewed themselves English men and not Slaves had reason to entertain wary counsels having some of their own Members undermining them without dores and foreseeing a Disolution though not knowing whether they should die a violent or natural death or have a mint kind of decease as it fell out afterwards And therefore they resolved not to own them in the Other House as Lords but called them The persons now sitting in the other House as a House of Parliament Neither would they treat confer with them in the usual way as with the House of Peers and therefore found out the new word of Transacting and not intending to have to do with them but for a tryal they limited the time to be during this present Parliament which they foresaw would not be long and to muzzle the new inconsiderable Upstarts sufficiently if they should take too much upon them they asserted the Privilege of the antient Peers as a good reserve if the Parliament should by the Protector and Army be suffered upon second thoughts to sit longer than was at first intended And resolved also That they would receive no Message from those persons sitting in the Other House but by some of their own number The House of Commons by this time had also by a Saving in a Vote concerning the Fleet asserted their interest in the Milâ—tia and had under consideration an Act for taking away all Laws Statutes and Ordinances concerning the Excise and New Impost and concerning Customes Tunnage and Poundage after thâ—ee years And had vindicated the Peoples Liberties by setting Major General Overton and Mr. Portman and divers others illegally committed by the late Protector at liberty without paying Fees and declaring their imprisonments and detention illegal and unjust and had their new Lord Jailor â—arkstead others at their Bar under question for the same And had also a high resentment of the illegal sending freeborn English men against their wills to the Barbadoes and other forein Plantations to the Isles of Guernsay and Jersey out of the reach of the Writ of Habeas corpus and had appointed a strict Bill to be prepared for remedy thereof And had examined and discovered many other Grievances brought upon the People by the Officers and Farmers of Excise and others And by Major Generals amongst which Butler was for his insolent actings and high alfronts to the Law and Courts of Justice put out of the Commission of the Peace and a Committee appointed to draw up an Impeachment against him The Committee also for Inspection before mentioned had brought in and reported to the House the state of the Accounts and Publick and of the Martial and Civil Lists in the three Nations by which it did appear That the yearly incomes of England Scotland and Ireland came to Eighteen hundred sixty eight thousand seven hundred and seventeen pounds And the yearly Issues to Two millions two hundred and one thousand five hundred and forty pounds So that Three hundred thirty two thousand eight hundred twenty three pounds of debt incurred yearly by the ill management of double the Revenue that ever King of England enjoyed And to maintain the unjust Conquest of Scotland cost us yearly One hundred sixty three thousand six hundred and nineteen pounds more than the Revenue it yields Many other particulars were under their consideration as to the Religion and Civil Rights of the People too long now to be mentioned but in short to give them their due they did some good whilest they sate both to the Publick and particulars and intended much more and did no hurt gave no Offices nor Gratuities to themselves out of the Publick Treasure nor granted any money from the People which is more than can be said of any Parliament in our memory Proceeding thus successfully and hopefully to the general satisfaction of the People in the three Nations who chose them the Protector and chief Officers of the Army who were jealous of one another before and Competitors for Government grew now jealous of the House of Commons also who being the Representatives of the People were become also their Mâ—nions and Favourites It was therefore now thought seasonable to contend among themselves for the Power before the People should recover it from them both In order to which the General Council of Officers kept their constant Meetings at Wallingford-house and the Protector with his party countermined them at Whitehall The Result of the Officers assembling was a Representation to the Prâ—â—â—ctor which was published by the Officers own order the seventh of April and the day after a Copy thereof sent inclosed by the Protector in a Letter to the Speaker of the House This Representation was like Lightning before Thunder both to the Protector and the House for though it hath some seeming fair
ENGLANDS CONFVSION OR A True and Impartial Relation of the late Traverses of the State in England With the Counsels leading thereunto TOGETHER WITH A Description of the present Power ruling there by the name of a Parliament under the Mask of The Good old Cause Written by One of the Few English men that are left in ENGLAND Judg. 19. 30. And it was so that all that saw it said There was no such deed done nor seen from the day that the children of Israel came up out of the Land of Egypt unto this day Consider of iâ— take advice and speak your mind Rom. 2. 1 c. Therefore thou art inexcusable O man whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemnest thy self for thou that judgest dost the same things 2 Tim. 3. 1 2 3 4 5. This know also that in the last dayes perillous times shall come For men shall be lovers of their own selves covetous boasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankful unholy Without natural affection truce-breakers false accusers incontinent fierce despisers of those that are good Traitors heady high-minded lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away Gal. 2. 18. If I build again the things which I destroyed I make my self a transgressor The third Impression with new Additions London Printed in the Year of our Lord 1659. A True and Impartial Relation of the present Actings at Westminster under the mask of The Good old Cause IT is not unknown to any that have not been wilfully blind wiâ—h what a high hand of Arbitrary Power the late Protector Oliver Cromwell swayed the Scepter of these three Nations for the space of five years and laid the best foundations his short and troublesome Reign would give leave to have continued his posterity in the same unlimited dominion declaring when death summoned him to account if we may credit the greatest of our present Rulers hâ—s eldest Son Richard his Successor in his usurped dominion and leaving his Son Henry Lord Lieutenant or Viceroy of Ireland and his Daughter Fleetwood married to the Commander in chief under him of the Army which they had very far new modelled for their turn and the most probable competitor for succession in the Protectorship Now that subtle Lambert was upon discovery his active undermining spirit removed from all places of trust and opportunities of doing mischief In this posture of affairs was England and the dominions thereof when the Lyon was forced to quit his prey of whom I will say no more because he is gone to his own place and where I can speak no good of the dead I hold it almost a duty to say no evil The Protector being interred among the Kings and Queens at Westminster at a vaster charge than had been used upon like occasions in the richest times death giving him that honour which he had aspired to but durst not embrace in his life time his Son Richard an honest private Gentleman well beloved in Hampshire the Country where he lived ascended the throne by the invitation and incouragement of Fleetwood D. shorough Sydâ—nham the two Jones's Thurloe and others the Relations and Confidents of his Father and by the contrivance of the Court received congratulations prepated at VVhiteâ—all from most of the Counties Cities and chief Townes of England and from the Armies of England Scotland and Ireland with ingagements to live and die with him Addresses from the Independent Churches by Doctor Goodwill and Nye their Metropolitans and was indeed worshipped by many as the rising sun in our Horizon This introduction being made to the transferring the Government of these Nations from the Stewarts to the Cromwells it was conceived by those who had proceeded thus far that a General convention or 〈…〉 â—isely chosen by influences from Court would easily swallow what had been so well prepared to their hands And accordingly it 〈…〉 by the Junio before mentioned that a Parâ—â—â—ment should be called to meet the twenty seventh of January last and by pretence of restoâ—ing the people to their ancient way of Elections but really that the Court might command the more votes the Burroughs had Writs also sent to them and the Elections were all made in the antient way only thirty members were called by Wâ—iâ—s from Scotland and as many from Ireland according to the late combination of the three Nations into one Commonwealth This new kind of Parliament being met at the time and place appointed God had so well ordered the Elections notwithstanding the practices of men that their English Spirit quickly appeared both against Impositions from Court and Army And though their Counsels were at first interrupted with an Act of Recognition of the Protector prepared and brought in by the Court which took up the first fortnight of their time upon the very point of Recognition yeâ— they were at length extricated from that difficulty by the Expedient of an honest Gentleman in passing these votes on Monday the fourteenth of February 16â—8 without any division or negative Resolved That it be part of this Bill to Recognize and declare his Hignesse Richard Lord Protector and chief magistrate of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the dominions and territories thereunto belonging Resolved That before this Bill be committed the House do declare such additional clauses to be part of this Bill as may bound the power of the Chief Magistrate and fully secure the rights and privileges of Parliament and the liberties and rights of the people And that neither this nor any other previous vote that is or shall be passed in order to this Bill shall be of force or binding to the people untill the whole Bill be passed Their next work was to appoint a Committee for Inspection into the Accounts and revenue of the Commonwealth which had been lamentably squandred and wasted ever since 1648 when the major part of the Parliament called in 17 Caroli was forceably imprisoned and secluded by the Army and their follow-members and twelve Members versed in matters of Account whereof Mr. Scowen was in the Chair were selected for this work and fully impowered for the work they had in hand in order to the retrenching and lessening the charge of the Common-wealth On Saturday the nineteenth of February they proceeded in the Act of Recognition and resolved That it shall be part of this Bill to declare the Parliament to consist of Two Houses And had afterwards several dayes debate by order concerning the bounding of the Chief Magistrates Power and the Bounds and Powers of another House in relation to the former votes but could come to no resolution thereupon the Court Party stickling hard for the Powers given them by the Petition and Advice and the honest Patriots of the House whose weighty reasons then convinced the Common-wealth party now ruling to go along with them denying it to be a Law being obtained by
Professions intermixed it is written in such a canting aequivocating language whereof the Sword was like to be Interpreter that the sting was easily visible through the honey and their former actions and suitable continuing honesty better credited than their words Hereupon the Protector begins too late to think of securing himself from being surprized with their complements and stands upon his guard And the Commons house as became Englishmen wisely and couragiously resolved to let the Officers know that they took them still to be their Servants though they had for too many years ill deserved their wages rebelling and usurping the Government at their pleasure and intending to try what they meant by the Good Old Cause which as they seemed to represent it smelt of Gunpowder and ball and whether the repentance held forth in their said Representation were real or Military passed these votes on Monday April the 18. Resolved That during the sitting of the Parliament there shall be no General Council or Meeting of the Officers of the Army without direction leave and Authority of his Hignesse the Lord Protector and both Houses of Parliament Resolved That no person shall have or continue any Command or Trust in any of the Armies or Navies of England Scotland or Ireland or any the dominions and territories thereto belonging who shall refuse to subscribe That he will not disturb or interrupt the free-meetings in Parliament of any the Members of either House of Parliament or their Freedom in their debates and counsels And the same time to shew their care of the Army and to prevent jealousies they passed the following votes Resolved That the House do presently take into consideration the wayes and means for satisfaction of the Arrears of the Armies and providing present pay for them Resolved That Serjeant Maynard the Attorney General and Sollicitor General do forthwith prepare an Act of Indemprity for all such as have acted under the Parliament and Common-wealth Whilest the House spent the rest of their time in considering how to Provide money without laying new burthens on the people great contests grew between the Protector and the opposite Officers of the Army both sides keeping guards night and day against one another the Protector having in pursuance of the votes of the house forbidden the meetings of the Officers In this divided posture affairs continued till Friday the 22. of April on which morning early Fleetwood the Protectors Brother Desborough his Uncle and the rest of the mutinous Officers carrying the greater part of the Army after them and the Protectors party flinching the Conquest was made without one drop of blood which was strange in so antient hereditary just and undoubted a Title and the Protector forced to consent to a Commission and Proclamation ready prepared giving Desborough and others power to disolve the Parliament contrary to the best advice and his own Interess and Promise And accordingly the same day The Black Rod was sent twice to the House of Commons from Fiâ—nnes Speaker of the Other House for them to come thither but they admitted him not in and much scorned the motion having ever looked upon that Mushrum House as the Lower House and their own creature the language being to send down to the Other House when they sent the Declaration for a Fast for a trial of transacting with them And therefore understanding there were guards of Horse and Foot in the Pallaceyard after some motions made by Mr. Knightly Sir Arthur Haslerigge and others wherein Sir Arthur exceeding That the House should first declare it Treason for any persons whatsoever to put force upon any Members of the House and next that all Votes Acts and Resolutions passed by any Members of Parliament when the rest were detained from or taken out of the House by force should be null and void and other motions becoming Englishmen to that end judging themselves under a force and finding they were very unanimous though near four hundred in the House in the things proposed they resolved no question but adjourned till Monday morning the twenty fifth of April and attended the Speaker in order through Westminster-Hall to his Coach in face of the Souldiery Now the Court according to the guise of the world in like accidents shrunk out of Whitâ—hall into Wallingford House And Fleetwood D shorow the rest of the Officers great and small took the Government into their own hands the House of Commons being shut up and entrance denied to the Members when they came on Monday even to Sir Henry Vane and Sir Artbur Haslerig themselves according to adjournment the Court of Requests and all avenues being full of Souldiers who told the Members they must sit no more After the Officers had new model'd themselves cashiering Whaley Ingolsby Goffe and divers others of the Protectors party and restoring Lambert Haslerig Okey and others displaced by Protector Oliver and played with the Government for a few dayes grew weary of it the inferior officers and the Pamphlets that now flew about daily without controul carrying things beyond the intention of the Chief Officers who would have left the Protector a Duke of Venice for his Fathers sake who raised them and their relation to him which they had forgotten till now they sent to some of their old hackney drudges of the Long Parliament then in London who they knew would do any thing so they might be suffered to sit and on the fifth and sixth days of May had conference with them the last of which was at their never failing Speaker the Master of the Rolles House in Chancery-Lane where both Officers viz. Lambert who had already gotten his old place and others with him and Members viz. Sir Henry Vane Sir Arthur Haslerigge Ludlow John Jones Mr. Chaloner Mr. Scot and others to the number of twenty solicited William Lenthal Esquire to sit Speaker again but be objected scruples in judgement and conscience which are not yet answered nor never will nevertheless Fifteen Articles between the Officers and some of the Members who it seems over-confidently undertook for the rest being first agreed on at some of their meetings they resolved to meet in the House on Saturday the 7 of May yet that they might do it by surprise they gave out that they would not sit till Tuesday the tenth of May But the itch of ambition and Lording it over the people giving them no quiet on Saturday the seventh of May early they met in the Painted Chamber at Westminster and to make up their number sent for the two chast Cock-Sparrows the Lord Manson and Mr. Henry Martin out of Prison where they were in Execution for Debt and honest Whitlock and Lisle of the Chancery Bench and with this addition being two and forty in number the Chancery Mace for hast being carried before them William Lâ—nthall Esquire their tender conscienced Speaker together with the said Lord Munson Henry Martin Mr. Whitlock Mr. Lisle Temperate Mr. Chaloner Wise Alderman
depending against Vane and Hazilrig and if they rule on as well as they did when Oliver turned them out of doors with the braod of Knaves Whoremasters and Drunkards to the general rejoycing of the people no doubt we shall be a happy Nation And what esteem the people had of them appears by the elections to the last Parliament wherein though none but persons well affected to Parliaments had Votes and the persons now sitting laboured hard to be chosen very few of them were elected the people generally looking upon them as apostares from the Good Old Cause and therefore no wonder they would have that Parliament to which only they were chosen never dissolved I have now little more to do at present honest and learned Mr. Pryane having saved much of my labour but to let the world see how they go about by the example of the Army whose Apes they are to cozen the people of their Religion Laws Liberties Parliaments and Money with a Raâ—â—le called the Good old Cause which is a very cheat as you may see by the ensuing penitential Letter of one better skilled in their Cheats than I am Mr. Hugh Peters Letter written to a chief Officer of the Army SIR VVHereas the late transactions of the Army have very sore afflicted me and with Heman Psal. 88. ver. 15. have exceed ugly troubled me because of my love to my Native Countrey and the concernments thereof I thought it my duty being under much bodily weaknesse to desire you to take and give notice unto others of these my apprehensions ensuing 1. Though call'd to speak to the Officers I knew not their further intentions 2. When I heard of his Highnesse distasting their meetings I went to Three of the Chief and beg'd as for a penny that they would not proceed in any meeting and did the same to other Officers I met withall The dangers I conceive are these because the Protector and the two Houses as they were Set was the hopefullest way in the whole world to settle these Nations and the crossing thereof most dangerous as now it appears both in the sin and sorrow of it As 1. All the Armies addresses to his Highness to live and die with him are broken and their proclaiming of him everywhere slighted 2. His Family Himself and Lady being truly godly yea such a Family of godlinesse and sobriety not known in the Christian world now broken and the son of Jerubaal not regarded 3. The Authority of the best Parliament and most freely chosen trampled upon yea such a sort of men gathered together as would have been a Defence and establishment against all evils 4. Nothing set up in their place an Enemy at the door a peâ—uâ—ious souldiery thousands of poor perishing that by this time might have been paid Widows and Orphants already dying in the streets Trade gone Private souldiers grown Masters Law and Gospel dying the whole Protestant cause in the whole world overâ—ottering how much animosity discontent and self ends have prevailed herein I know not but if the least encouragement was taken by any word of mine who was a stranger to any design I do here professe my sorrow and grief for the least occasion of it and look upon the whole businesse as very sinful and ruining of which the Child unborn and after Ages will be sensible and this I write from the saddest spirit of a sick man and Your Loving friend Hugh Peters I know but one expedient which is That his Highnesse may be in the same condition with his House and Family and that he be desired to call in as many of the late Parliament as are at hand to make up a House and Councel and Indempâ—ity to passe and so forthwith to settle things And for that which they call the Good Old Cause I look upon it as a Cheat by the Jesuits put upon the Army the which we enjoyed it being Liberty and Peace VVhitehall May 10. 1659. Thus far Mr. Peters But for a further discovery of the Cheat obâ—â—uled upon the people by putting of the Good old Cause I shall to avoid large recicals of Remonstrances Votes and Declarations of Parliament state the true Good old Cause in the House of Commons own words briefly out of their Declaration of the 17th of April 1646. At the end of the War when they were full and free which they caused to be affixed in all the Churches of England to call God and Man to witnesse their sincerity therein And because the title of it is very significant and comprehensive take that at large viz. Die veneris April 17. 1646. A Declaration of the Commons of England assembled in Parliament of their true intentions concerning the Antient and Fundamental Government of the Realm the Goverment of the Church The present peace securing the people against all arbitrary Government and maintaining a right understanding between the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland according to the Covenant and Treaties The Preamble recites how their good intentions had been misrepresented by divers Declarations and Suggestions of the King and thereby and by other practices the minds of many possessed with a belief that there was no just Cause of the War And that now they had succeeded in the War they desired to exceed or swarve from their first Aims and Principles in the undertaking the War and to recede from the solemn League and Covenant and treaties between the two Kingdoms and that they would prolong these uncomfortable troubles and bleeding distractions in order to alter the fundamental constitution and frame of this Kingdom To leave all Government in the Church loose and unsetled and themselves to exercise the same arbitrary power over the persons and estates of the subjects which that Parliament had thought fit to abolish by taking away The Star Chamber High Commission and other arbitrary Courts and the exorbitant power of the Councel Table Then they declare in General that they will settle Religion in purity according to the Covenant maintain the antient and fundamental Government of this Kingdom preserve the rights and liberties of the subject lay hold on the first opportunity of procuring a safe and well grounded peace in the three Kingdomes and to keep a good understanding between the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland according to the Covenant and Treaties Then to give fuller satisfaction they declare particularly concerning Church Government that they are for the Presbiterial Government with a due regard that tender consciences which differ not in any fundamentals of Religion may be so provided for as may stand with the word of God and the peace of the Kingdom Then they declare that there was nothing they had more earnestly desired nor more constantly laboured after than a safe and good peace with the King which is the just end of a just War and â—here they assert the fundamental constitution and Government of this Kingdome to be by King Lords and Commons which they will not alter Then
they conclude that the first and chiefest grounds of the Parliaments taking up Armes in this cause was to suppress attempts of introducing an arbitrary Government over this Nation and Protecting Delinquents enemies of our Religion and liberties by force from the Justice of Parliament and declare that they will not interrupt the ordinary course of Justice in the several Courts and Judicatories of this Kingdome This is the good old Cause the Parliament owned And therefore let all that fear God in the three Nations consider whence they are fallen even from the Good old Cause held forth in the Votes Remonstrances Declarations Protestations Vows and oaths of the Parliament published in maintenance of our Ancient and well tempered setled Government by King Lords and Commons to a sneaking Oligarchical Tyranny under the bare name of The Good Old Cause which is as changeable as the addle heads that contrive it as oppressive as the corrupt wâ—â—ls of licentious men can make it must be as arbitrary as the Army will have it and shall be more fully deciphered if they persist in it which they never dare do if the people who yet seem to be in a Lethargy remember their first works and be as resolute to assert their Religion Lawes and Liberties as these desperaâ—e men of lost fortunes and reputations are bold to trample them under foot and make this great people once famous is through the world for valour wisdom and Religion a scorn and derision to all that are round about us and themselves Monsters of men by their Aâ—heism Apostacy and Inconstancy I shall conclude with some advice now it 's seasonable To the Army To the people of all sorts and degrees and to the members sitting at Westminster 1. Faithful aduice to the Army First remember the ends for which you were raised for defence of king Parliament Religion and Liberties that you were servants to them and received their wages and were 〈◊〉 by oathes to them 2. Remember how in 1647 you were fiâ—st by some of your ambitious Officers most whereof are since dead seduced to Rebel against and betray your masters whom you accused falsely and to refuse to disband when the War was ended whereby you are become Oppressers and Robbers ever since And meer 〈…〉 3. Remember how in December 1648. you rebelled the second time against your masters and forceably and traitâ—rously as well as perjuriously bâ—oak the Parliament imprisoning and driving away most of the faithful members keeping only a few that prostituted themselves and the rights and liberties of the Kingdome with the lives of the King Nobles and Commons to their own ambition and to your lusts and wills as your pentioners in the house till April 1643. when you rebelled against them and for their self seeking and notorious crimes and miscarriages printed then at large in your Declaration you absolutely dissolved them to the general satisfaction of the people 4. Remember how giddily and impiously your ambitious wicked Officers have lead you through horrid Murders Treasons and breach of Oathes from a happy settled Government under a King and Parliament First to a Ridiculous Commonwealth thence to a new kind of Protector thence To Prayse God Bare-bones little Parliament thence to a Protector with an instrument of Lamberts making but never in tune thence to Tyrannical Major Generals thence to a new Crochet called The Petition and Advice thence to a New Protector and two Houses of Parliament whereof one was still-born thence To build up the things which you destroyed whereby you have made your selves transgressors Gal. 2. 18. Thus have you marched so fast from one Government to another ' that the poor people wearied out are fain to return home and sit still in a maze abhorring your unstable ungodly ways and crying to God in secret that he will at length restore unto England Our Kings and Nobles as at the first and our Judges as at the beginning making it a quiet habitation which by your ungodly courses hath been so long a howling wildernesse full of birds of prey and beasts that do devoure I have no moâ—e to say to you but that if your mistâ—ading Officers can reconcile your actings since 1646 to the Scripture rule which you find Luke 3. 14. By which all Christian souldiers much more then Heathen are to walk viz. Do violence to no man neither accuse any falsly and be content with your wages then leâ— them go for honest men and count me mistaken But if this discourse of mine by God's blessing becomes instrumental for the awakening your Drowzie consciences to see your Long course of Sins and Provocations and to repent Then let me tell you your Work is short to make your Selves and the Kingdome happy for as you have lately gone Six yeares backward at one Step viz. from this time to April 1653. So if your Officers and You will but make one Step more viz. from April 1653 to December 1648 to our Ancient Long-experienced and fundamental Constitution of Government by KING LORDS and COMMONS you will justifie your Repentance to be sincere and render it famous to all the World and deserve and have Rewards from your Countrey instead of Indempnity which you now beg from every Power that Sits 2. Advise to the People of all sorts and degrees Delirant Reges plectuntur Achivi your rulers doâ—e and go astray but you suffer by it as well as they Therefore strive to set them right though they forget their Oaths and Promises do you remember yours Have you ever seen quiet or settlement since the King was inhumanely murdâ—ed this own Gate and our ancient Government by King Lords and Commons changed since our Covenant was counted an Almenack out of date this was one in 1648. shall I perswade you to return whence you are fallen I need not I know you are ready for it and watch your opportunity Let me only tell you the time is now come for having tryed all other ways insomuch that we are going round again where we first turned aside you see no Foundation to build upon but our Ancient one strive therefore for the restoring of King Lords and Commons that you may enjoy them and be happy Remember how the Ministers and others of London Essex Suffolk Northamptonshire Lancashire and other Counties gave their Testimony against the King's death in 1648 and repent for that Bloud with which the land is defiled Let those who so boldly in their late mutinous Representation to the Protector moved for a Justification of the Kings death and all acts done in pursuance thereof know that they may as soon pull the Stars out of God's right hand as make those that fear his name in England justifie such a horrid impiety for which God hath made us an unsetled people ever since and hath given them and the Kingdome no rest ever since nor will till they repent and do their first works and call all the Members of the Long-Parliament together to sit