statesman in his Polit. tels us The same Last will not fit an English and a Scottish foot The English must be ruled more by love Now if two nations so neer in one Iland are not alike free but must be differently governed then certainly Nations remote from one another are not alike free Besides to particular persons yea bodies of people many providences accidents may fal out to make one and the same people and particular persons not so free as sometimes they have been there are some Parents who were free but having incurred the Law are tainted in bloud so their children also some are taken captivs or have sold themselves for a necessity and so their children are servants to A nation having bin saved by some Prince from ruine though before a free state may now make him and his Heirs according to such Lawes King over them nay Amesius in his Cases of Conscience saith It cannot be denied but that a people forced by necessity may sell themselves to a King to be all his servants Gen. 47. 23. 5. T is apparent that in one and the same Nation as England all the subjects have not the same priviledges and freedoms but some have more then others some are not liable to be pressed to war to bare such Offices serve in Juries c. as others are some have voices viz. Freeholders to chuse Knights of Shires others have not some Cities Towns have Charters and large priviledges in severall particulars to send Burgesses to Parliament which other Towns have not and certainly the Peerage of England have priviledges and liberties which every Jack-straw hath not 6. I demand of the Sectaries whether in their Pamphlets speaking of election and consent they meane an immediate present choyce and consent of the present men now to be governed or else an election consent in the first constitution of this Kingdom and Government by our Ancestors many hundred yeers ago Now if they mean this last how do they know but that this Government wherein the King and Lords have such a power was by consent and agreement it being consented such a man should be King and such persons Nobles who by birth should have such power and then such people according to such agreements should have power to chuse some men who together with King and Nobles should make Laws by which the Nation governed the King should have such power Nobles such priviledges and people such liberties but now if they meane the first an immediate election of the present peopl that they are to obey none but so chosen 't is most false and a principle destructive to the sundamentall government of this Kingdom and destroying the House of Commons as well as the King and Lords and for the clearing of that I would propound two things 1. That in this Common-wealth of England none have any power of Government at all either in a lower or higher Sphere either by election of the whole body of the people for all chuse not but some onely or founded upon election as the sole cause and ground for none of the people can chuse neither are men capable to be chosen till according to Lawes Writs are granted forth or Charters given by Princes and Lawes to such Corporations and yet then the peopl must go in chusing not according to their wills but to such rules agreed on by Laws and after men are chosen some conditions also and rules must be observed before the persons so chosen have power of government these chosen Commons must be returned and sworne take such oaths before they can â—it or if they do their election is ipso factâ— nul and they made uncapable ever to fit again so that t is evident that election of some part of the people not the whole is only a partiall cause not the totall and plenary cause or rather the true cause is because such a man according to Lawes and Customes of this Kingdome is now in such a place whereof one of the conditions for such a place is election so and so determined by former Lawes but now in many Officers of this Kingdome who have power of government to heare judge and do many Acts no sort of the common people have any power at all to chuse as in Justices of Peace they have been alwayes and still are made without any such election so the Judges of the Land Sheriffs with divers other Officers and therefore much more may the King and Peers who by the fundamentall Lawes of the Land have an heredâ—tary power in Parliament to which the Kingdom hath agreed and yeelded obedience so many hundred yeers exercise their power without any electon of the people 2. That certainly people are bound and tied to Lawes Rules as well as Kings and Nobles and that Covenants Compacts Oaths of Allegiance c. made on their part bind them as well as Princes oaths I ever took it for granted that Princes had not been bound and their people left at liberty and freedome to do what they pleased I alwayes thought fundamentall constitutions of Government made many hundred yeers before and ancient bounds set by Lawes with birth-right inheritance having gone through an uninterrupted succession of many Pâ—ogenitors had been a right and interest to Princes which the meer will and pleasure of common people could not have taken from them and I conceive that according to the conssitution and Lawes of this Kingdome which gives all sorts their rights though some more some lesse 't is agreed on that the Peers of this Land should have a Legislative and judiciall power and they and their heirs be in such ranck born with such and such priviledges over others 7. This Position of the Sectaries the Universal people having such a power without whose election all Government is void their Dagon and great Image which they fall down before and worship is a meer Chimâ—ra a monstrum horrendum a Babell which I could shatter and break so to peeces as not one stone should be left of it nor so much as the stump but I may not now give all my thoughts for feare of being too voluminous only I will hint a few things in this place by way of Question and referre the Reader to what I further say in page 154 155. c. 1. I Desire to know of these Sectaries what or who is this state Universall whether all the men women and children born in England men-servants maid-servants poore people and beggars together with those of the better sort and whether if all these or the greater part of these taken one equally as well as th' other be the state universall have they the like Soveraigne power over the King and Parliament 2. Whether in what this state Uuniversall will do with the King Lords and their owne House of Commons it must be carried by the most voices of this state universall so that if all the beggars poor people servants children be a
142. pages of this Book I might fill a Book in relating the passages in Discourses Sermons and printed Books spoken in way of boasting of this Army and of particular persons belonging to it of the Independent way calling one Infallible the Saviour of three Kingcomes a second the Terrible a third whom God hath especially fitted for Sea or Land one whom foraigne States would be proud of having such a servant and so of others but I will only point at some expressions in a late Book of Master Burtons called Conformities Deformity wherein the Army is in a sort deified page 17 18. speaking of pressing the Parliament for an Ordinance against Heresies and Schismes he speaks what this Ordinance would do against those men who have prodigally poured their dearest bloud viz. trample upon them and not suffer them to breath in their native aire and thereupon runs out in the extolling of that sort of men in the Army that by them we yet breath that they have beene the preservers of the Land that many glorious victories have made them admirable to the neighbour Nations yea to the whole world and terrible to their professed enemies and ours yea and to pretended freinds too who would master us at home were not these masters of the feild God hath made them the great instruments of the preservation and deliverance of our Country and City from the most desperate bloudy and beastiall enemies that ever the earth bred or hell hatched God hath vouchsafed to cast great favour and honour upon them and as he hath crowned them with so much glory and they have â—ast their crownes at the feet of the Lamb that sits upon the Throne So should we come and first giving all the glory to God gather up those crownes and set them upon the heads of those our Preservers and Deliverers and put chains about their necks so far off should we be from trampling such Pearles under foot or casting them out of our Gates and Ports 8. The Sectaries are guilty of unsufferable Insolencies horrible affronts to Authority and of strange outrages having done those things that all things considered no story of former ages can paralell and here I have so large a feild that I might write a Book in Folio upon this head but I will only give a touch upon the particulars and referre the Reader for further satisfaction to their owne Books 1. Some of the Sectaries have spoken and written that against the Lawes of the Land both Common and Statute as I beleeve neither Papists nor any English men ever did before them I have read divers passages of this kind in divers Pamphlets within these two last yeers as in some books written against Master Pryn but above all Leiutenant Colonell Lilburne in his Just mans Justification page 11 12 13 14 15. and A Remonstrance to their owne House of Commons page 13. 15. 19. damns the Common Law as coming from the Devill and being the great bondage of England the Norman Yoake as the Reader may easily see by these words That which is the greatest mischeife of all and the oppressing bondage of England ever since the Norman Yoak is this I must be tried before you by a Law call'd the Common Law that I know not nor I thinke no man else neither do I know where to finde it or read it and how I can in such a â—asâ— be punished by it I know not such an unfathomable gulâ—e have I by a little search found the Law practises in Westminster Hall to be that seriously I thinke there is neither end nor bottome of them so many uncertainties formalilities puncâ—ilios and that which is worse all the enâ—ries and proceedings in Latine a Language I understand not nor one of a thousand of my native Country-men so that when I read the Scripture it makes me thinke that the practises in the Courts at Westminster flow not from God nor from his Law nor the Law of Nature and Reason no nor yet from the understanding of any righteous just or honest men but from the Devill and the will of Tyrants The Kings Writs that summons a Parliament implying the establishment of Religion showes that we remaine under the Norman yoake of an unlawfull power from which we ought to free our selves Ye know the Lawes of this Nation are unworthy a free people and deserve from first to last to be considered and seriously debated and reduced to an agreement with common equity and right reason which ought to be the forme and life of every Government Magna Charta it selfe being but a beggerly thing containing many marks of intolerable bondage and the Lawes that have beene made since by Parliaments have in very many particulars made our Government much more oppressive and intolerable The Conquerer erected a trade of Judges and Lawyers to sell justice and injustice at his owne unconscionable rate and in what time he pleased the corruption whereof is yet upon us from which we thought you should have delivered us we cannot but expect to be delivered from the Norman bondage and from all unreasonable Lawes made ever since that unhappy conquest By which passages t is evident the Sectaries aime at a totall change of the Laws and Customs of this Kingdom 2. They have spoken and written much against the King speaking of him as a Delinquent terming him the great Delinquent and that he should not come in but as a Delinquent when news hath beene of messages and gracious offers from the King and when his late Letter to the City was spoken of they have slighted all saying we can have them without him and what can he do for us he is a Delinquent They have taken one of his titles from him and given it to that unworthy mean man Lilburne stiling him Defendor of the Faith they have taken other of his Titles as Soveraign Leige Lord Majesty Kingship Regality and given them to the H. of Commons and to the common people making the Universall people to be the King Creator and the King their meer creature servant and vassal and as they have taken from him his Titles so his power denying him all Legislative power and to be one of the Estates of Parliament yea they have pleaded for the King to be deposed and justice to be done upon him as the grand murtherer of England and not only that he should bee beheaded but the Kingdome also viz. this Kingdome deprived of a King for ever and Monarchie turned into Democracie And as they have endeavoured to strip him of all his Titles and power as a King so to take from him all priviledges as a man and a Christian speaking against Ministers praying for him and that he should be excommunicated from all Christian society For proofe of which particulars let the Reader read over the late Remonstrance of many thousand Citiznes to their owne House of Commons and among other passages that in page 6. It is high time we be
but many not only one page but divers pages prove these Errors the whole scope of many books and pamphlets being to maintain these eight or nine Positions last mentâ—oned and for the Readers satisfaction I referre him to these Pamphlets hereafter named An Alarum to the House of Lords against their insolent usurpation of the Commons Liberties A Remonstrance of many thousand Citizens and other free-borne People of England to their own House of Commons A Defiance against all Arbitrary usurpations and encroachments either of the House of Lords or any other The just mans justification A Pearle in a dunghill or Leiutenant Colonell Lilburne in Newgate An Arrow against all Tyrants and Tyranny The free mans Freedom vindicated The just man in Bonds or Leiutenant Colonell Lilburne in Newgate Arguments proving we ought not to part with the Militia to any other but to the Honourable House of Commons A Petition and Appeale of Overton to the High and Mighty States the Knights and Burgesses in Parliament assembled A Petition of Leiutenant Colonell Lilburns wife to the chosen and betrusted Knights The Copy of a Letter sent by Leituenant Col. Lilburne to Master Wollaston keeper of Newgate Queries to find out who t is that holds out against the state of England The last warning to all the inhabitants of London In which and divers others he shall read Principles so destructive to all Government whatsoever Democraticall as well as Monarchicall and Aristoâ—taticall that the like are not to be found in the writings of the old Anabaptists neither ever did the old Anabaptists when they were in the power of Princes and States and brought before their bars ever carry themselves with that scorn and height of contempt towards them as Lilburne Overton and other Sectaries have done to that High and Supreame Court of Judicature the House of Peers And certainly if these Assertions and Positions about Magistracy and Civill Government were true and necessary then all the Acts Lawes Proceedings Processes of former Parliaments and of this present Parliament with the proceedings of all kind of Magistrates and Inferiour Courts are uncertain questionable yea unlawfull void and Null all who have suffered by Sentences of Courts of Justice have suffered unjustly all who possesse any thing as Lands Houses Debts by judgements of Courts have no Title to them all men who exercise any power of Rule and Government over others are usurperâ— intruders and they may say I never chose the men that made these Lawes upon which I was proceeded against and such verdicts given I never gave my consent that such men should be Judges Justices of Peace Sheriffs Juries or that such Courts should be erected yea these principles do bring in to this Kingdom and all other Nations all kind of confusion and Anarchy overthrow all ancient bounds rancks orders differences of persons and things as rich and poor Magistrats and people servants and masters bound and free and reduce all things back to unsetlement uncertainties perplexities and that as often as mens humours please and indeed keep all things from a possibility of being otherwise and all rationall wise men who understand the nature of Government and Common-wealths must needs confesse as much and that I may even to weak men deceived with specious pretences discover the weaknesse and folly of divers of the later Positions I commend these following particulars to the Readers serious consideration 1. These men who deny to the Peers of this Kingdom the Title of Lords and say 'T is not proper to Christians but a mark of the Gentiles yet they give to the Commons greater Titles as High and Mighty the Titles of Emperours and Monarchies and to the common people Majesty Kingship Soveraigne Lord yea give Gods Title calling the people Creators and Kings Lords their meer creatures 2. Instead of Legall Rights and the Lawes and Customes of this Nation the Sectaries talk of and plead for naturall Rights and Liberties such as men have from Adam by birth and in many of their Pamphlets they still speak of being governed by Right reason so that look now as they do in matters of Religion and Conscience they fly from the Scriptures and from supernaturall truths revealed there that a man may not be questioned for going against them but only for Errors against the light of nature and right reason So they do also in Civill Government and things of this life they go from the Lawes and Constitutions of Kingdoms and will be governed by rules according to nature and right reason and though the Lawes and Customes of a Kingdom be never so plain and cleer against their wayes yet they will not submit but cry out for naturall Rights derived from Adam and right reason 3. According to all principles of Justice and Right reason who is fittest to judge in such and such cases what is according to right reason whether every Delinquent and ignorant Mechanick cald in question for if that may be allowed farewell all justice none shall be punished nor innocent righted or the Rulers Judges and setled Authority of a Land Is it not rationally to be supposed that those Ancestors who founded a Government for such a Nation and those who have followed in a Succession having yeelded to and setled such Lawes could better judge of right reason what was for the good of such a Nation and accordingly made Lawes then every mean man who knows no reason of Lawes and States nor is capable of Government and the true nature of it neither conceives the Government of Nations in reference to other Nations nor in reference to the body of the people but Ship passengers and all might be split upon many rocks if such unskilful Pilots had the steering 4. T is certain all Nations and people though all came from Adam have not the same Lawes Customes Constitutions of Government and so are not nor cannot be alike â—ree There is a liberty left in Commonwealths to frame and mould them as shall be judged most convenient and all are not tied to one Rule this the Independents grant when they deny it in the Government of the Church and seeing men are borne and live in different Climates Countries and are of severall Manners Dispositions Constitutions Educations the same Lawes Customes kind of Government would not be for the good of all but what would fit one and be usefull would not serve another some are of a more servile Disposition some of a harsher stubborner nature some of a gentler freer nature some people are situated in Islands some upon the Continent some have such neighbours of such a temper others have not some Countries wholly subsists on such commodities others subsist in another way and so many such differences might be given now whether Customes and Laws necessary for such a people founded on the proper reason and nature of such a place and people be proper for all I leave to wise men to judge M. Peters that great Sectarian
plaine with you we are not nor shall not be so contented that you lie ready with open Armes to receive the King and to make him a great and a glorious King Have you shooke this Nation like an Earth-quake to produce no more then this for us We do expect according to reason that you should in the first place declare and set forth King Charles his wickednesse open before the world and withall to show the intolerable inconveniencies of having a Kingly Government from the constant evill practises of those of this Nation and so to declare King Charles an en 〈…〉 my and to publish your resolution never to have any more but to acquit us of so great a charge and trouble for ever and to convert the great rev 〈…〉 w of the Crowne to the publike treasure to make good the injuries and injustices done heretofore and of late by those that have possessed the same and that we expected long since at your hands and untill this be done we shall not thinke our selves well dealt withall in this originall of all oppressions to wit Kings The Just mans Justification page 10. I wish with all my soule the Parliament would seriously consider upon that Law Who so sheddeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud be shed that so wilfull murtherers might not escape the hand of Justice but especially that they would thinke upon the grand murtherer of England for by this impartiall Law of God there is no exemption of Kings Princes Dukes Earles more then of fishermen c. The Arrow against all Tyrants page 11 12. Soveraignity challenged by the King is usurpation illegitimate and illegall c. The power of the King cannot be Legislative but only Executive So Overtons Defiance to the House of Lords Overtons Petition and Appeale to the High and mighty States the Knights and Burgesset in Parliament Assembled Englands Legall Soveraignâ— power The last warning to the Inhabitants of London with divers such like 3. The Sectaries have spoken written done much against the House of Peeres the supreme Judicature of this Kingdome that House which gives to the Parliaments of England the denomination of the High Court of Parliament as t is a Court of Record and having power of judiciall triall by oath c. of the greatest subjects of this Kingdome in the greatest matters as life estates liberty whose Tribunall and Power hath ever beene acknowledged and dreaded in this Kingdom in all times by the greatest Peeres and persons of the Land and when questioned by them have given all high respect and humble submission as we see that great Favorite the Earle of Strafford did yet this Supreme Court hath beene by word and deed so used by base unworthy sonnes of the earth as the 〈…〉 st Court in England or p 〈…〉 iest Constable never was till these times and certainly the ages to come who shall read the History of these times and the Books of the Sectaries written this last yeere against the House of Lords will wonder at our times and inquire what exemplary punishment was done upon them The facts of some Sectaries abetted and pleaded for also by other of their fellows have been these 1. Refusing upon the Summons Warrants of the House of Peeres to appeare before them and resisting to the utmost so that the Officers have been necessitated to drag them and bring them by force as Overton who in print is not ashamed to relate it 〈◊〉 When they have beene committed and under custody refusing to be brought by their Keepers to the House of Peeres upon command of the House to answer to their charge as Lilburne did keeping his chamber shut refusing to come forth and resisting to the utmost so that glad to carry him by power to the House of Lords which relation also Lilburne hath printed 3. In refusing to answer any questions put them by the House of Peeres 4. In refusing to kneele at the Barre in token of any submission to the House or to be uncovered 5. In appealing from and protesting against the House of Peeres and any power they have over them both by word of mouth and writing drawn up and thrown into the House 6. In stopping their eares in a contemptuous manner that they would not heare their charge read 7. In reproving sawcie taking up and reproaching the House of Peeres to their faces in the House 8. In Petitioning the House of Commons for justice against the House of Peeres and for reparations of dammages using many reproachfull words of that Right Honourable House even in their Petitions as is to be seene in Overtons John Lilburnes and Elizabeth Lilburnes Petitions 9. Threatning the House of Peeres what they will do against them if they maintaine their power and honour and what the house of Commons will do 10. Stirring up and inciting the common People also to fall upon them to pull them downe and overthrow that House The Speeches and writings of the Sectaries against the House of Peeres within this last sixe moneths or thereabouts ever since the commitment of Learner about The last warning to the inhabitants of London are fearfull and strange many Pamphlets having beene written in that time tending apparently to the totall overthrow of the House of Peeres and of having any Lords in this Kingdome denying them all Legislative and Judiciall Power and giving it all to the House of Commons or rather to that Beast of many heads the common People allowing the Commons only so much as they please and for so long making them their meer deputies and servants at will I shall give the Reader a few passages out of their Books and referre for further satisfaction to the Books themselves A Pamphlet entituled The Just man in Bonds writes thus pag. 1. The power of the House of Lords is like a shallow uneven water more in noyse then substance no naturall issues of Lawes but the extubâ—rances and mushromes of Prerogative the wens of Just Government putting the body of the people into pain as well as occasioning deformity Sons of conquest they are and usurpation not of choyce and election intruded upon us by power not constituted by consent not made by the people from whom all power place and office that is just in this Kingdome ought only to arise A Pamphlet call'd A Pearle in a Dung-hill pag. 3 4. speaks thus And why presume ye thus O ye Lords Set forth your merit before the people and say For this good it is that we will raigne over you Remember your selves or shall we remember ye Which of you before this Parliament minded any thing so much as your pleasures Playes Masques Feastings Gaming 's Dancings c. What good have you done since this Parliament and since the expulsion of the Popish Lords and Bishops where will you begin It was wont to be said when a thing was spoyl'd that the Bishops foot had been in it and if the Lords mend not it will be
vindication of the just Legall power of the King the House of Lords yea and of the Commons undertaking to make it good that according to the Sectarian Principles now vented in so many Books daily and so much countenanced by too many the power and priviledge of the House of Commons would be overthrowne and cut short as well as the Kings and Lords For instance to say nothing of that that the Commons power is not only by being chosen by the severall Counties and Townes but by the vertue of Writs under the Great Seal and by vertue of Lawes and Rules according to which the severall Electors must goe or else their Elections give them no power at all If this Principle were true the House of Commons should have no power over me nor over many thousands more in the Kingdome and we might all say the same things to the House of Commons which Lilburne Overton and all the Sectaries say to the House of Lords for we never chose them had no voyces in their Elections they are not our chosen ones as the Sectaries say of the Lords I and many Ministers of the Kingdome with hundred thousands of people who have not so much free land per annum are excluded from election of Knights of the Shires and not being free-men of Towns have no voyces in choyce of Burgesses and so may refuse subjection to their Orders resist their Officers who come with their Warrants and refuse to live by the Lawes they make as not being chosen by us who no question are the greatest number of persons in the Kingdom I beleeve there are more men of years of understanding without so much free land per annum then there are those who have so much Besides if this Principle were true That all subjection and obedience to persons and their Lawes stood by vertue of electing them then besides all non-free-holders exempted from the Jurisdiction of the House of Commons all women at once were exempt from being under Government and all youths who were under age at the beginning of this Parliament six years ago though now men and had no voyces in the choyce of Parliament men yea if this Parliament sit many years longer all those who were boyes and children when they come to years of understanding must be exempt too as having had no voyces in election nay yet further so weak a Principle this is upon which the Sectaries would overthrow all the power of the King and Lords and give all power to the Commons that if it were true none were bound to any obedience of those Knights and Burgesses whom they chose not but opposed with all their might so that by this rule all Free-holders in each County who dissented from him that was chosen should not submit to that man but set him up whom they have chosen and though there be four hundred Members in the Com. House yet they who have voyces in chusing and they whose voyces carry it for such a man because they chuse but one or two viz. in that County where they live and have estates therefore they should be subject only to the determinations of those two men but for all the rest they chuse them no more then they do the House of Lords And yet further if this Principle were good that subjection and obedience is due from none and to none but those who are chosen and represent all strangers who come into or live for a time in a Kingdome when sent for upon suspitions or reall crimes may answer the House of Commons What have they to do with them they chose them not they gave them no power over them they are not their Representors And last of all upon this Principle all we who are born within this fifty sixty or seventy years may refuse obedience and subjection to all the Lawes made by Parliaments before we were born or by such Parliaments whereof we chose not the Members and when men clip money and counterfeit coyn or men steal horses and are sent for by Justices and brought to the Bars they may with as much reason and more appeal from those Courts of Justice because they never chose these men that made such Lawes nor ever consented to them as Lilburne Overton Larner c. did from the Lords to the present House of Commons their Representors their chosen ones c. and I dare undertake to shew that all those seeming Arguments and rambling Discourses in Overtons and Lilburnes Books have as much strength for justifying all Delinquents appeals from those Lawes made so many years agoe and Judges going according to them as for their declining the House of Lords Many other instances I could give of those who have by the Lawes of England and other Kingdomes power of Government and that most justly without any immediate election of the people and persons to be governed by them so that we must look for some other foundations and grounds of giving one man or more power in Government over all besides this immediate Election and Representation which will be found firm and strong and which indeed give the force to Election and which in severall cases without any immediate Election of the present persons to be governed binds them before God and men to obedience and subjection in all lawfull things and according to the Lawes but I must deâ—errre the giving of more Instances about Election with the Reasons thereof and of laying downe the just grounds of lawfull Authority and Power of one man or many and of one and many without any immediate Election either of a part or of the whole present people till the Fourth Part of Gangraena only I will adde two things First to shew the Witnesses do not agree but the great Leaders of the Sectaries diâ—fer among themselves in this point yea the same men as Lilburn and the Authors of those Pamphlets Englands Birth-right c. Secondly propound some Queres to Lilburne Overton Larner and the rest of that generation to consider of in the mean time For the first However that Lilburne Overton and the Sectaries use the House of Lords thus denying them power over Commoners and a Legislative power with an Interest in saving the Kingdome and put all the whole Supreme power upon the Commons making the House of Lords stand for a Cypher because not chosen by the common people as the Knights and Burgesses yet till witâ— in this year and an half they in writings and actions declared the contrary viz. before the recruit of the House of Commons with new Members and the successe of the new Modell as is evident by many Pamphlets written before wherein they abused the House of Commons and particular Members crying out of them for making the free subjects slaves and for ruling in an arbitrary way as much as they do now of the House of Lords yea the Lords are pleaded for and cryed up above the House of Commons for their justice and their
readinesse to hear the grievanâ—s of the subjects and their power pleaded for and that by Lilburne himself pag. 74 75. of his Pamphlet call'd â—nnocency and â—ruth justified where pleading to have his businesse of his sentence in Star-Chamber to be transmitted up to the Lords from the He use of Commons by way of Answer to Objections against it he hath these words If I be transmitted up to the Lords I confidently beleeve I shall get forward out of the former experiences of that Justice that I have found there and I will instance two particulars first when I was Prisoner in the Fleet c. but that 's too long for me to write down and I shall rather refâ—rre the Reader to the Book pag. 74. Secondly May 4. 1641. the King accused me of high Treason and before the Lords Barre was I brought for my life where although one Litleton servant to the Prince swore point blanck against me yet had I free liberty to speak for my selfe in the open House and upon my desire that Master Andrewes also might declare upon his Oath what he knew about my businesse it was done and his Oath being absolutely contradictory to Master Litletons I was both freed from Litletons malice and the Kings accusation at the Barre of the whole House and for my part I am resolved to speak well of those that have done me justice and not to doubt they will deny it me till such time as by experience I find they doe it And in pag. 56. of Lilburnes Innocency and Truth justified he writes thus Againe I say a Commiâ—tee of the House of Commons is not the whole Parliament no nor the whole House of Commons it selfe according to their owne Principles and therefore in my judgement they are not to act contrary to a known and received Law and therefore cannot justly imprison any man contrary thereunto neither by a Committee of theirs nor by the whole House of Commons it self they being not according to their own Principles the whole Parliament but a part of it and therefore that which is established by the whole as a Law is by 3. Estates and 〈◊〉 Ordinance by 2. Estates cannot justly be contradicted by a part namely the H. of Com. but one Estate much lesse by one of their Committees which is but a branch of that one Estate and therefore for my part I judge a Law to be a Law untill it be made voide by all the three Estates that made it or at least by the two Estates joyntly that takes vpon them to make Ordinances in this time of necessity to make voide a Law at present c. And therefore I am absâ—lutely of this minde that neither a Committee of the House of Commons nor the whole House of Commons together can justly imprison me or any other contrary to law against which at present there is not some Ordinance made both by them and the Peers publike at present to overthrow it But I have severall times been imprisoned both by Committees and by vote of the House of Commons it self contrary to a known Law made this present Parliament by themselves against which there is at present no Ordinance published and declared by them and the Peers for the cognizance Ergo I say they are tyed in justice according to the tenor of this Law to give me reparations against those persons that were cheife instruments either in Committees or in the House of Commons it self to vote and take away my liberty from me contrary to this Lâ—w and for my part I do accordingly expect my reparations for my late causelesse molestations and imprisonments And as Lilburne in these passages gives the House of Lords an equall legislative power with the Commons making them one of the three Estates as well as the Commons and expresly saith the Commons are but a part of the Parliament and that the Commons cannot make void a Law unlesse it be by the two Estates joyntly viz. the Lords and Commons all which are contrary to the many wicked Pamphlets printed in this year 1646. by which the Reader may observe what difference there is between the same Sectaries in the year 1645. and the year 1646. such new light hath the successe of the new Modell and the recruit of the House of Commons brought to the Sectaries so Lilburne and the Sectaries by many actions of theirs have owned and established the power of the House of Lords as well as of the Commons as In their severall Petitions to the Lords House as well as Commons for abolishing Episcopacy and in severall other particulars which clearly proves the legislative power of the Lords as well as Commons for is not that a part of legislative power to repeale former Lawes Statutes as wel as to make new and if the Lords had not a power over Commoners that of Judicature why was Lilburne so earnest with the House of Commons and in print expresses to the great and high abuse of the House of Commons their delaying of having their votes transmitted concerning his sentence in Sar-chamber yea and that against some Members of the House of Commons by name Again if all the power were in the House of Commons why did he not rest contented with their votes but desire the Lords concurrance and that for the punishing even of Members of the House of Commons as in page 75. pressing the Commons to transmit their votes by way of answer to an objection What justice can you expect from the Lords seeing Master Smart hath spent foure or five hundred pounds he shewes his cause to be different from Master Smarts in that he is to have justice upon those whose estates are not sequestred as Master Smarts Adversaries were but some of them still sit in both Houses And lastly if the House of Lords have no power to try or judge Lilburne a Commoner but their offering so to do be a high usurpation invasion of the Commons rights why did not Lilburne when he was accused of high treason before the Lords Barre upon his life as himself makes the relation page 74. appeale then from the House of Lords to the House of Commons And as Lilburne himself the head of the Sectaries in these Anti-Parliamentary principles owned the power of the Lords equall with the Commons and prefer'd their justice before that of the House of Commons though not chosen by the people so Cretensis alias * Master John Goodwin brings Arguments from the House of Commons being chosen by the people against their power of making Lawes in matters Ecclesiasticall and the peoples submitting to them because they are chosen by the riffe raffe of the Land all sorts of men worldly men drunkards c. having a right of nominating persons to a Parliamentary trust and power These are a secular root out of which Cretensis conceives an impossibility that a spirituall extraction should be made For who can bring a cleane thing out of an
Majors any otherwise but as a Member of that Honourable Court concurring with the rest and then whereas this Libeller calls it an unjust Remonstrance 't is a most just and equall Remonstrance as hath been fully proved by Master Bellamie in his Justification and Vindication of the City Remonstrance and in that Book entituled the Sectaries Anatomized and if I would give liberty to my pen I could further justifie not only the justnesse of it but the necessity of it and show demonstratively that it will never be well with this Kingdome whilst Sectaries are in places of publike trust and that the subjects of this Kingdome can never expect justice nor right whilst men of other Religions then what is established by Law are in places of power and I wonder that the Anabaptists and Sectaries should be so offended at that part of the Remonstrance when as 't is their dayly practise not by faire and just wayes God knowes but by undermining watching for iniquity laying snares for men yea going against all principles Military and Civill of Honour and of Justice to put men from places of Trust and Command of which there are many remarkable unparalleld instances and the world in due time may have a true account of them And lastly whereas 't is said presenting a Remonstrance for procuring Licence and Authority to suppresse all such as have good principles and grounds for their practises that 's most false for in the same Remonstrance against Hereticks Blasphemers Anabaptists c. they petition for the setling of Religion and Church-government according to the word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches which Religion Church-government so built hath certainly good ground for its practise For the second I desire the Reader to observe a few things upon some of the expressions in this Pamphlet that he calls the Anabaptists and Sectaries the meek and quiet of the Land as Master Peters doth the harmlesse Anabaptists then which that there are not a more turbulent unquiet people in the world made of Salt-Peter let this Book witnesse and the language in it given the cheif Magistrate of the City with the railing seditious Libells put out dayly against the King House of Lords Assembly yea and the House of Commons too The Anabaptists of old calld themselves the meek of the Earth and said that now the promise must be fulfilled the meek shall inherite the Earth when they by bloud Rapine cruel Warrs seased on the possessions of others Secondly that these Sectaries will take things for granted and therupon passe desperate censures upon Magistrates Ministers and all when as there is no such thing but quite contrary as going on to aggravate things against my Lord Major and resemble him to wicked Ahaz c. for breaking his promise when as he performed it most punctually and conscientiously considering himself both as a Christian and as a Magistrate in such an eminent place Thirdly that these new Anabaptists as well as the old are guilty of speaking evill of dignities and bringing railing accusation in print against Powers branding the Lord Major with that brand set by God himself on wicked Ahaz this is that Lord Major of London Thomas Adams by name c. A Citizen a freind of mine having been this last summer in Cheshire and divers other Countries upon his occasions heard many Malignants say they would turne Independents for then they should not take the Covenant nor be forced to any thing but be at their liberty June the 11. I was told by a godly Citizen and a cordiall friend to the Publike that some of the Independents have said they will have their way yet whatsoever it cost them In some of the weekly news-Books I have observed passages inserted of the great love and unity in the Army between the souldiers Presbytery and Independency making no breach and in the Perfect Occurrences of the Week calld the two and twentieth Week ending the 29. of May 1646. the Pamphleter tells us 't is very observable to consider the love and unity which is among the souldiers Now I asked about that time a Chaplaine of the Army a moderate Presbyterian whether it was so and how it came about he gave me this answer through the great forbearance of the Presbyterians who suffered them to have their wills and crossed them not took all patiently and said he if the Presbyterians should not have done so but stood upon things as the Independents it had been impossible but the Army had been broken in twenty peeces many a time before this for the Sectaries are of such a proud high spirit that if they had not had their wills there would have been no peace and indeed both in Armies Assembly City there hath been that forbearing yeelding on the Presbyterian party in reference to the publike that the Independents and Sectaries if they had been in their place would never have done though it had cost the totall losse of three Kingdomes I beleeve no age nor story can parallell all things considered the Love Patience long-suffering of the Presbyterians yea the passing by and putting up so many provocations and unsufferable abuses as they have done and that from a contemptible handfull of men in comparison but that 's our comfort That the patient expectation of the poore shall not be forgotten for ever and that God will save the afflicted people but will bring downe high looks I have been assured from divers good hands as Citizens and others that the greatest thing in the City Remonstrance that the Sectaries are offended at is that about places of publike trust they take that most hainously that Sectaries should not have places of honour profit and power which clearly shewes to all the world 't is not a bare Toleration of their consciences of enjoying their own personall Estates in the Land that they seek or which would content them but they look for Preferment Rewards power to have others under them so that 't is a Domination and to be in such a condition that others may seek to them to be Tolerated that they aime at a Toleration and liberty of conscience contents them not but a Liberty of Offices and a power of great places both in Military and civill affaires they stand for Master Burroughs in the yeare 1645. both preached and printed even in that Tractate where he pleades for a Toleration That the Magistrate may to men who differ from the State in greater Errors at least deprive them of the benefits and priviledges of the State notwithstanding their pleas of conscience and in evills of lesse moment put them to some trouble in those wayes of evill so farre as to take off the wantonesse of their spirits and the neglect of meanes some trouble may be layed in the way so that men shall see there is something to be suffered in that way and there is no reason why any should be offended at this yea Master Burroughs
Person and Authority and to maintain His just power and greatnesse the Independent replyed presently what was his just power suppose saith this Independent there were a theife and you should make a Covenant with him to maintaine his just priviledges what of that might you not for all that bring him to punishment labouring to bring him to the Gallows were his just priviledges and no breach of Covenant whereupon said this Citizen Is this your interpretation of the Covenant I would never have taken it whilst the world stood in that sense and further said this Citizen when this Covenant was made and sworne what ever you can say against the King as raising Wars against the Parliament and what ever else you imagine It was before this Covenant was taken you knew as much of him before as now so that t is strange you should speak so And then this Citizen reasoned with this Independent against punishing the King David was guilty of Murther and Adultery and there were then Elders of the people Princes and Judges in Israel as well as now and yet none of them offered to question David upon his life or inflict punishment neither do we find that God by the prophets gave any such direction to punish David though by the Law death was due for Murther to other men we know God sent the prophet Nathan to reprove him and to bring him to repentance for his great sinne but not to stirre up the Princes Judges and Elders of the people to proceed against him as they did against Malefactors A Relation and Discovery of the Libertinisme and Atheisme horrible fearfull uncleannesses of severall kinds Drunkunnesse generall Loosenesse and licentiousnesse of living Cosening and Deceiving both of particular persons and of the State and Kingdome fearfull Lying Jugling and falsifying of promises abominable Pride and boasting in the Arms of flesh unsufferable Insolencies and horrible misdemeanors of many Sectaries of these times particularly their Insolencies against the Lawes of the Land the King the House of Lords House of Commons some particular worthy Members by name of both Houses Committees of both Houses both Houses of Parliament as conjunct in their Authority and Ordinances against our Brethren of Scotland the Kingdom of Ireland the City of London the Assembly the whole Ministery of this Kingdom and all the Reformed Churches against inferior Magistrates and Courts as the Judges Justices of Peace Majors of Cities Committes and all sorts of Officers of Justice THe Particulars in all these kinds are so many and so infinite that particularly to reckon them up and give their story would fill a great volume and I have already in the foregoing part of the Book given some instances in most of them and therefore I shall but breifly point at and give hints only upon these severall heads referring the Reader for further satisfaction to many Pamphlets and Books daily printed and openly sold and to his own observation of things 1. The great Libertinisme and Atheisme of many Sectaries appears by their violent and feirce pleading for by word and writing a free Liberty and Toleration of all kind of Religions and Consciences whatsoever and that not only in lesser points of Doctrine but in the most fundamentall Articles of Faith yea and of denying the Scriptures and that there is a God and by the pleading for Liberty in such away and by such mediums viz. that no man is infallible and certaine in any thing he holds that t is possible he may be mistaken c. as do necessarily overthrow all Religion whatsoever There have been within these few yeers some scores of Books written wholly for Toleration and pretended Liberty and some hundred of Books wherein that 's pleaded for together with other things and so farre are the Sectaries gone in Libertinisme * that all true love piety Religion conscience is placed in a generall allowance of what mens corrupted and defiled consciences like and the greatest sinne wickednesse evill that men can commit or be capable of is placed in the using of good means and the power God hath given to hinder and restraine this Liberty There is a Book called Toleration justified printed 1646. asserteth t is not safe to put any bounds to Toleration or to restraine in any thing whatsoever no not in denying the Scriptures and a Deity There is a Pamphlet A Demurre to the Bill for preventing the growth and spreading of Heresie that came out lately since that Ordinance against Heresies was brought in to the H. of Commons that pleads page 3. with many Libertine Arguments against all punishing of those that maintaine there is no God as among others with this We beseech you let not God and the truth of his being be so excessively dispâ—raged as not to be judged sufficient to maintaine it against all gainsayers without the helpe of any earthly power to maintaine it Let Turks and those that beleeve in strange gods which are 〈…〉 gods make use of such power and infirme supporters of their supposed d 〈…〉 s but let the truth of our God the only God the omnipotent God be judged abundantly able to support it self t is a tacit imputation of in 〈…〉 s to imagine it hath need of our weake and impotent assistance There are Queres concerning a printed Paper entituted An Ordinane for the preventing and growing of Heresies c. where among many Libertine questions the second proclaims it self to be Scepticall and Athâ—isticall supposing except men make themselves infallible that the preaching printing and maintaining contrary to these Doctrines That God is that God is present in all places that God is Almighty that God is eternall perfectly holy c. may be the sacred truths of God for ought any man knowes There have beene and are daily many strange speeches uttered wholly tending to Libertinisme and Atheisme A Reverend godly Minister told me July the fourth 1646. he heard and Independent say what if I should worship the Sunne or the Moone as the Persians did or that Pewter Pot standing by what hath any man to do with my conscience A great Sectary pleaded in the hearing of persons of worth from whom I immediately had it for a Toleration of Stage-playes and that the Players might be set up againe I heard a Sectary plead for a Toleration of Witches and I urging that argument that Witches might say they in their conscience hold the Devill for their God and thereupon worship him it was answered that precept against not suffering Wirches was spoken to the Israelites not to us and will you because Witches deale with a familiar spirit therefore send them to the Devill by taking away their lives Many Sectaries often say that all the judgements of God upon us are because we will not receive the Government of of Christ suffer it to be set up among us viz. to let every one beleeve what he will and serve God according to his conscience as also they say if ever
Commons the Knights and Burgesses assembled in Parliament by the voluntary choyce and free election of the people thereof with whom and in whose just defence I le live and die maugre the malice of the House of Lords and in page 18. he in way of deâ—ision calls the Lords House the Superlative House and speaking of the Lords laughing at his answers he saith of that House such carriage such a Court For indeed Comedies Tragedies Masks and Playes are more fit for such idle kind of men And above all other Demonstrations of the outragious insolencies of the Sectaries against the House of Peeres let the Reader peruse that Pamphlet entituled An Anatomy of the Lords tyranny and injustice exercised upon Lieutenant Colonel Lilburne which is throughout insolent both for matter and manner particularly page 12 13. Lilburne writes that he being in the painted Chamber desired Master Brisco one of his Keepers to go and tell the Lords from him that seeing they had the impudencie and boldnesse to tread the Lawes and Liberties of England under their feet and did so contemne and undervalue the authority of the Honorable House of Commons to whom he had appealed as yet to go on in their illegall courses with him with whom by Law they had nothing to doe that he must be forced in the highest nature he could to contemne and despise their proceedings and therefore was resolved not to come to their Bar without a forcible compulsion and to come in with his hat on his head and to stop his eares when they read his charge in detestation and bearing witnesse against their usurpations and injustice page 14 15. Lilburne writes he thus spake to the Lords And my Lords I tell you to your faces that by right the House of Commons are your Judges as well as mine in this case and I doe not doubt but to live to see the day that they will make you to know whether you will or no that they are so and of their justice and protection I doe not in the least doubt And therefore my Lords seeing you have dealt so illegally and tyrannically with me as you have done I now bid defiance to your power and malice to doe the worst you can And therefore my Lords I protest here before the God of Heaven and earth if you shall be so unworthy as to persevere in endeavouring the destruction of the fundamentall Lawes and Liberties of England as at present you doe I will venture my life and bloud against you to oppose you with as much zeale and courage as ever I did any of the Kings party that you set us together by the eares with page 21. Lilburne saith all his catriage and expressions before the House of Lords in the case now betwixt them to be as justifiable by the Law of this Kingdome and in the eyes of all understanding men as for a true and just man to draw his sword and cut the theif or rogue that sets upon him upon the high-way on purpose to rob him of his life and goods and in page 23. hee earnestly beseeches the Honorable Committee to remember the Commoners and improve all their interest to punish or at least effectually to curb the Lords House Thus the Sectaries in their Petitions and all their Pamphlets printed speaking of the Lords House and of their proceedings they give such kind of termes as these Barbarous Tyrannicall Arbitrary Illegall unjust dealings worse then the unjust Stat-chamber it selfe Insolent unheard of usurpations intrusions and many such like And in divers Pamphlets now of late the Parliament being spoken of is understood only the Commons of England they call'd the Parliament by way of exclusion of and opposition to the H. of Peers and Books written on purpose and dispersed given freely to stir up the people to adhere to the Comons as considered apart and distinct in interest power from the Lords with unworthy reflections upon the Lords as The last warning to all the Inhabitants of London p. 7. Mind your own good and cleave fast to the House of Commons let no sorcery or sophistry divide you from them the Lords are not to go before the Commons in determining what concerns the Nations their large answer to your last City Petition for Church-government and suppression of Conventicles insinuates they would allure you from the Commons therefore observe them watchfully and trust them accordingly So A word in season to all sorts of well-minded people in this distracted Nation with Answers to the City Remonstrance and divers other Pamphlets 4. The Sectaries have been guilty of and daily are of abusing contemning and taking away the power of the House of Commons given it by the Lawes Constitutions and Customes of this Kingdome and though in many Pamphlets especially this last yeere they cry up the House of Commons and seeme to give them not only their owne power but the power of the King and House of Lords making both them meere ciphers yet it will be found by many of their principles laid downe they have destroyed the House of Commons and doe break their Priviledges speak their pleasure of them both by words and writing as often as they please Many Pamphlets and whole Books have beene written by Sectaries against the House of Commons it selfe and not only against Committees or particular Members charging the House with tyranny injustice oppression horrible pride seeking of particular interests Arbitrary Governm 〈…〉 breaking of Magna Charta and going against the Liberties of the subject resembling them to the Star-chamber High Commission Court to Strafford and Canterbury refusing to answer any questions upon the command of the House scorning to Petition the Commons either to sue for their favour or to acknowledge their justice and after such favour shown as to release without petitioning yet taxing them with dishonesty and demanding reparations for imprisonment for the abundant proofe of which I referre the Reader to many Pamphlets written by Sectaries as Englands Birthright The Copie of a Letter from Lieutenant Colonel Lilburne to a friend Lilburnes Innocency and truth justified Englands lamentable slavery with other Letters printed about that time Another word to the wise written by M. John Musgrave A Pamphlet entituled An exact collection of the Parliaments Remonstrances Declarations c. A Remonstrance of many thousand Citizens and other free borne people of England to their owne House of Commons out of which I shall faithfully transcribe some passages that the insolencies of the Sectaries against the House of Commons may be observed Lilburn in his Letter to his freind writes thus page 1 2. That Master Corbit being in the chaire and telling him he was commanded by the House to demand a question of him Lilburn instead of answering him desired to know the cause of his commitment and M. Corbit replying the House was not bound to declare unto him the cause of his commitment thereupon Lilburne answered Then I have beene a long
time mistaken for had I thought that the Parliament had had no rule but their owne will to have walked by I should never have drawne my sword for them and for my part I knw no difference betwixt tyranny and such proceedings therfore I pray read the Petition of Right and the Act made this present Parliament that condemned the Star-chamber and High Commission Page 5. hee writes as followes Time was when the Parliament had to doe with the King and had the Bishops Star-chamber and High Commission to pull downe they would owne me and doe me justice c. but having served their owne turnes of me I never could have justice from them since though I think I have beene as faithfull a servant to the Common-wealth as any they ever imployed and whereas Magna Charta saith justice and right we will deny to 〈…〉 or we will defer to none yet have I waited these foure yeeres upon them at great expences and cannot get them to put their owne Votes in execution and if this be according to Magna Charta let the world judge And p. 10. speaking of the H. of Commons committing him saith O brave times and brave justice and yet for all this I say my resolution is to stand fast in the liberty and freedome wherewith Magna Charta and the Petition of Right and severall Acts made this present Parliament as also divers late Declarations have made me free and not to be intangled againe with any yoake of bondage that shall be hung about my neck by any kind of Tyrant by what name or title soever he be dignified or distinguished Master Musgrave a great Separatist as he shows himself in many passages of his Book entituled Another word to the wise writes thus of the House of Commons Courteous Reader thou maist very much wonder at the delatory and slow proceedings of the House of Commons in doing justice and right from whom the Commons of England may justly expect more then from any Judicatory being they are immediatly chosen by them and to speak properly are no more but their Stewards and servants for whose good and benefit all their actions ought to be extended Yet by their poceedings daily we see t is in vaine to expect justice from them so long as they are linked and glued in factions each to other by their private interests in their great places which ties all such amongst them to maintaine one another in all their unjust wayes and to oppresse and crush us as much as they are able all the prosecutors of just and righteous things and so to barre and stop justice that it shall have little or no progresse divers of them and their creatures Sonnes Brothers Uncles and Kinsmen and Allies in the sub-Committees having already committed so much unjustice that they are undone in their blazed honour and ill-gotten estates if justice should runne in its native luster and full current and of necessity they and their great places would quickly be destroyed O therefore that the Free-men of England had but their eyes open to see the mischeife of Members of the House of Commons men of their owne election and chusing to sit in the supreme Court of England to be entangled themselves or intermeddle with any other place whatsoever then that whereunto their Countrey have chosen them what a shame is it to see the mercinary long gown-men of the House of Commons to runne up and down like so many â—ackney Petty-â—oggers from Bar to Bar in Westminster Hall to plead before inferiour Judges and besides how can such great practisers chuse but mercinarily be engaged to help their clients over a stile in case that ever they have to doe with any of their owne Committees and besides what is this else but to sell justice for money Besides what a snare is it to the new Judges who are placed in the roome of those that have bought sold and betraied the lives liberties estates of all the free Deniâ—ons of England to see three or foure eminent Lawyers Members of the House of Commons come before them â—n an unjust cause when they consider that if they should displease them it partly lies in their power to turne them out of their places being they are as it were wholly made Judges by the House of Commons and nominated by the Lawyers therein we profesâ—e seriously that to pull the gownes over these mercinary mens eares and for ever to throw them out of the House of Commons as men unfit to â—it there or to plead at any Bar in England is too little a punishment for them and the same we conceive doe they deserve that are Members of the House and take upon them to sit as Judges in inferior Courts by means of which they rob the free-men of England of the benefit of any appeale in case of injustice because they have no where to appeale to but the Parliament where they sit as Judges in their owne cause which is a most wicked intolerable and unjust thing in any Judge whatsoever we hope shortly that if these men be not ashamed of their evill herein some honest and resolute hearted English man will be so bold as publickly to post up their names as destroyers of the Kingdome And as great an evill 't is to the Kingdome for Members of the House of Commons to take upon them to bee fingerers and Treasurers of the publick money of the Kingdome because they are thereby in a condition to fill their owne coffers and do what wrong they please or else how comes it to passe that so many of their children are so richly married of late that were but meane before and no man knowes how to call them to account unlesse they deale with them as the Romans sometimes dealt with their Senators or as the Switzers dealt with their Tyrants for the money is the Kingdomes and not the Members of the House of Commons and the Kingdome ought in justice reason and right to have a publick punctuall and particular account of it and therefore it ought not to be in the hands or fingers of those that are able to make so great a faction as are able to protect them from justice and an exact account O that that gallant man Lieut. Generall Cromwell to whom the Kingdome for their preservation under God oweth so much would a little more deny himselfe and cease to be a stalking horse and a dangerous president of most dangerous consequence to these wicked mercinary Pluralists Non residentary great place men for whom an Hospitall of any great consequence cannot fall but they must be Governors of it nor a petty place in the petty bag office but they must get into it which men if the Kingdome would rightly consider it have just cause to disclaime as none of their Patrons but proclaime as their enemies and destroyers being pecuniary self-seekers For so long as Parliament men can get into their hands the riches and treasures of
the Kingdome and live like Kings and Emperors and like lawlesse men none such being of Gods creation there will never be an end of this Parliament which by its everlasting continuance by the abuses of lawlesse and rotten-hearted men will become the most absolute burthen and greatest oppression that ever was upon the people when as in times by past it used to be their only remedy from their oppression and oppressors In a Pamphlet entituled Yet another word to the wise there 's a Letter directed To Master John Musgrave chosen to present the Countries greivances to the House of Commons which Letter speaks thus But the House of Commons instead of hearing and redressing your greivances have added new greivances unto those which formerly you have suffered in their owne quarrell against the common enemy they have unjustly imprisoned you these last twelve moneths protected Traytors among themselves from the Law c. Yet we shall rather with tears seek their repentance then their persisting in such courses seeing they are placed in lawfull authority and have a good Cause though they seeke too much their owne c. And as for their lamentable submission to the Bishops servants the Presbyterian Synodians in establishing that wil-worship and Popish maintenance which now themselves doe well know to be jure diabolico through these blind guides their Diviners and Southsayers inability to answer their Queres whereby to prove themselves jure divino surely if they will notwithstanding obstinatly persist in such wilfull dangerous and unwarrantable courses they will doubtlesse show themselves to be fighters against God his truth and people to their owne destruction without speedy conversion In a Pamphlet entituled Liberty against Slavery there 's a Letter written by a Sectary call'd An eâ—cellent Letter written by a prisoner to a worthy Member of the House of Commons where are these passages O where is justice may not these royall plunderers as well justifie all their Robberies and Depraedations as either our House of Commons or the House of Peeres these kinds of imprisonments and commitments Nay is it not the greatest injustice when done under the colour of justice Sir I assure you it were lesse greivous unto us to die at once then to be thus inslaved and famiâ—hed in your cruell prison houses where we are exposed to all misery contempt obloquie and scorne of the worst men and thereby the hearts of our wives and aged Parents broken with greif Sir be pleased to consider how by these and the like doings the affections of many thousands of people is estranged from you who have formerly adventured all to uphold you in your authorities and if this course be continued we shall not we cannot thinke and say lesse then that the Parliament and not the Prerogative makes us a bondage and miserable people And some already do not spare to say that the Parliament is now become the burthen of the Kingdome You were intrusted by the people for their good and not for the continuation of their thraldome let us then have justice which without showing your selves to be most unjust men you cannot any longer deny us The Pamphlet entituled Englands Birth-right page 33. speaking of the Commons in Parliament saith By which manifest abusing negligent and not true using the Lawes oppressions mischeifes greivances are no lesse if not far more increased then they were before the Parliament began and many times by the powerfull interest of a faction in the Parliament to save some one two or three of their Members undeserving credits they so violate the knowne unrepealed and declared Law of the Land yea and their owne Votes Ordinances Declarations and Protestations as if they had never made them I say all these things considered ought not the free men of England who have laboured in these destroying times both to preserve the Parliament and their owne native freedomes and birth-rights not only to chuse new Members where they are wanting once every yeer but also to renew and inquire once a yeere after the behaviour and carriage of those they have chosen Lilburne in that Pamphlet of his call'd Innocency and Truth justified page 75. speakâ— thus of the House of Commons But it may be you will say the House of Commons is not at leasure by reason of publick I answer lesse then an hours time will serve my turne in this particular and t is very strange in 5. yeers space so much time cannot be found from the publick to transmit my busines sure I am they can find time enough to settle great rich placâ— upon some of themselves and to enjoy them for al their owne Ordinances to the contrary yea and I know some of them hath plurality of places and I say the thing I desire of them is more justly my due then any of their great places are theirs and therefore I hope they have no true cause to be angry with me for craving justice at their hands And page 37. I am absolutely of this mind that neither a Committee of the House of Commons nor the whole House of Commons together can justly imprison me or any other contrary to a Law which at present there is not some Ordinance made both by them and the Peers publick at present to overthrow it But I have severall times been imprisoned by the Committees and by Vote of the House of Commons it selfe contrary to a knowne Law made this present Parliament by themselves against which there is at present no Ordinance published and declared by them and the Peeres for the Cognizance of Ergo I say they are tied in justice according to tenor of this Law to give me reparations against those persons that were cheife instruments either in Committees or in the House of Commons it selfe to Vote and take away my Liberty from me contrary to this Law and for my part I doe accordingly expect my reparations for my late causelesse molestations and imprisonments A pamphlet entituled A Remonstance to their owne House of Commons page 11. speakes thus to the Honorable Commons For we must deale plainly with you ye have long time acted more like the House of Peers then the House of Commons we can scarcely approach your doore with a request or motion though by way of Petition but ye hold long debates whether we break not your Priviledges The King or the Lords pretended Prerogatives never made a greater noise nor was made more dreadfull then the name of Priviledge of the House of Commons Your Members in all Impositions must not be taxed in the places where they live like other men Your servants have their priviledges too To accuse or prosecute any of you is become dangerous to the prosecutors â—e have imprisonments as frequently for either witnesses or prosecutors as ever the Star-chamber had and ye are furnished with new devised arguments to prove that ye only may justly doe those grosse injustices which the Star chamber High
prophane persons ignorant c. who having no knowledge in Religion and so likely to chuse such as themselves were unfit for such a work and afterwards in print being charged with it by Master Prynne as proved against him before the Committee of plundered Ministers he justifies his Preaching of which the Reader may see more in those Answers and Replyes that passed betwixt Mr. Goodwin and Mr. Pryn and particularly in Mr. Pryns Truth triumphing over falshood Epist Dedicat. and in the Book pag 106 107 108. The Author of the last warning to all the inhabitants of London pag. 5. saith That the betrusted Commons have not permitted this liberty in policie of every one worshipping God as they will but in Justice and upon mature knowledge that they neither are nor can be betrusted to make Lawes to rule men in the practice of Religion The Sectaries Remonstrance to their own House of Commons as they call the Honorable House pag. 12 13. speaking of matters that concern the worship of God denys the Commons any power at aâ— to conclude the people in such things It is not for you to assume a power to controule and force Religion or to force a way of Church-Government upon the people because former Parliaments have so done and affirms the Commons could not have such a power justly entrusted upon them by the people that trusted them And what need any further witnesse The House of Commons to their faces in the last 〈…〉 a st Sermon before them heard enough by Master Dell a famous Sectary and the Generalls Chaplaine against their power and authority to meddle in things of this kind Fifthly the Sectaries have written publikely and spoken openly against many particular Members of both Houses by name yea against the Honourable Speakers of both Houses by name and divers other prime eminent Members of note as well for their estates and ranks out of the Houses as power in the Houses calling by name some of them Traitors Achanâ— accusing them of treason and wilfull betraying of their Countries and Trusts as the Religious Earl of Manchester Sir Henry Vane Senior Master Barwis charging others by their severall names with other crimes as injustice oppression protecting of Delinquents sending many thousand pounds to the King at Oxford procuring by their publike places in the House contrary to the Self-denying Ordinances private and profitable places to themselves pride and loftinesse of carriage breach of promises giving out of the Scots that they have a wicked design tending to the prejudice of the State It would fill up many pages to relate all the passages in Lilburns Overtons Master Musgraâ—es Books Englands Birth-right and such like Pamphlets of Sectaries against some of the Peers by name as thâ—â— thrice Noble and Worthy Earl of Essexâ—â—tely â—â—tely deceased the Earl of Stamford Lord Hâ—â—sden and divers of the Commons as Sir Arthur Hazelrig Master Lilsle Master Glyn Master Blackstone Master Gorbet Master Whitaker Master Allen Master Tâ—et Master Bâ—â—on yea they fall foule upon Sir Henry Vanâ— the younger Master Sollicitor Lievâ—enant Generall Cromwell Sir Henry Mildmay Master Holland c. and would have them turned out of their places as being Nonrefidentiaries Pluralists strengthening others in those wayes by their examples telling them these other places distinct from their Memberships of Parliament prejudices greatly the Common-wealth sowes up their lips makes them they dare neither speak nor doe what they should and without which 't is hoped they would but I must not enlarge more on this head and therefore referre the Reader to the Books themselves to peruse the particulars at large Sixthly The Sectaries have spoken written publikely against contested with the Committees of Parliament the Committees of each House both of the House of Commons and Lords How Lilburne carried himself to the Committee of Examinations his pamphlet entituled The copy of a Letter from Liâ—â—t Col. Lilburne 〈◊〉 a Friend shewes at large what Master Musgraves carriage was to a Committee of the House of Commons of which Master Liâ—ts was the Chair-man himselfe relates in his pamphlet entituled Another word to the wiâ—e and in that Book he speaks against the proceedings of that Committee and in that of all the Committees of the House of Commons shewing his reasons why he declined that Committee and the answering of their Interrogatories Now his words are as followes I am blamed because I decline the Committee how should I expect any good from them when they dare not or will not suffer our cause to be publikely heard and debated but doe shut their doores against both our friends and also against strangers contrary to Law yet suffer they our adversaries whom we accuse to sit with their hats on as Judges in the cause both permitting them and they taking upon them to examine us And how can I assent unto the Committes demands to bring witnesses to be examined before such a Committee as cannot or is not authorised to administer an oath and so consequently cannot determine or give any judgement for or against the party accused for that all matters of fact and causes criminall are to be tried and determined by the verdict of twelue men upon solemne oaths and deposition of witnesses And how can I without incurring the hainous sinne of perjury submit unto the Arbitrary proceedings and determinations of any Committee being bound by solemne oath and protestation to maintaine the Lawes and just liberties of the people and that the Proceeding Orders and Results of the Committees be Arbitrary and not regulated by the Law I need no further proofe then that exorbitant and unlimiâ—ted power they take upon them and daily exercise in seazing on free mens goods and imprisoning their bodies contrary to Law for which if they should as they ought pay 500. li. a peice and trebble dommages to every party greived according to the Statute of 17. Carol. made for the abolishing of the Star-chamber I beleeve they would not adventure so boldly to transgresse Overton in his Pamphlet call'd A Deâ—â—ance against all Arbitrary usurpations either of the House of Lords or any other p 14. 13. declares his contemptâ—os insolent carriag towards a Committee of the Lords House how when he was asked by the Earle of Essex two severall times whether he were a printer or no he answered that he would not answer any questions or Interrogatories whatsoever but would stand to the rights and properties of the people of this Nation as also that he asked the Committee some questions talked sawcily to them as to know where or before whom he was What is a Committee of Lords the most supreme Court of Judicature in the Land Gentlemen if you be a Committee of Lords then I appeale from you Seventhly the Sectaries have carried themselves in word and deed insolently against the Parliament of England not only as I have fully proved abusing apart the House of Lords the House of the Commons Commit of each House and
the Inhabitants of London page 7. saith the Assembly are only to advise the House of Commons when they requiâ—r them and have not dealt fairely to side with the Scots or to sway with the City or to 〈…〉 ge the Parliament in the least Twelfthly the Sectaries have carried themselves wickedly and insolently toward the whole Ministry in this Kingdome and that both in City and Country reproaching them and 〈◊〉 against them in Pulpits Presses and in all places threatning them to send them packing to Rome that they will leave never a Preist in England distuâ—bing them in their owne Churches and Pulpits in giving them the lie calling them by disgracefull names as foole knave false Prophet Antichrist Frog in the Revelation pulling them out of the Pulpits keeping them by force from preaching invading their Pulpits against their wills drawing swords against them assaulting them in their houses with weapons of war and driving them from their habitations and laying their Churches wast A large book would not containe all the stories of the Sectaries misusing the godly Ministers in this kind I have many instances with the proofes by me of the Sectaries insolent carriages in these kinds in Oxfordshire Glostershire Summersetshire Wiltshire Bedfordshire Northamptonshire Warwickeshire Lestershire Devonshire it would be too much to particularize all the wicked facts done in this kind by Col. Heuson Major Axton Leiut Webb Capt. Paul Hobson and divers others as also to repeat all the wicked reproachfull names given the godly Ministers of the Kingdom in the printed pamphlets of the Sectaries as the Devils Agents The professed â—nemies of Christ The sworne enemies of Christ Persecuting Presbyters Croaking Frâ—gs and twenty such names and worse Thirteenthly the Sectaries have spoken wickedly against all the Reformed Churches scoffing at their Synods Classes Ordination c. Let their books be looked into and they will be found to have written more scoffingly and reproachfully aganst those Churches then ever the Papists or Prelates did yea they have blasphemed those Churches the eminent servants of God among them and the truth of Christ taught in them What should I speak of the Arraignment of Persecution and his fellowes belching out blasphemies against the reformed Churches many other pamphlets besides that sort are extremely faulty as The compassionate S 〈…〉 riâ—â—ne Divine Light c. The Reformed Churches are ranged by some of the Sectaries with Papists and Turks and Calvin that worthy Instrument of Reformation and one of the Stars of the first magnitude is evill spoken of and â—ancked with the Romanists Fourteenthly The Sectaries have inveighed against inferior Magistrates Courts as Judges Justices of peace Majors of Cities Committees and all sorts of Officers of Justice and have offered severall affronts unto these and t is no wonder that they who with so high a hand dare affront heaven and earth God his truth Ministers and Ordinances the higher powers and the supremest Court of Judicature as I have showed the Sectaries have done should not be afraid of speaking against and carrying themselves uncivilly towards Magistrates in lower places The Courts of Justice in Westminster Hall and all their proceedings have been reviled by Lilburne and other Sectarian pamphlets All the Lawyers have beene cryed downe and reproached in Englands Birth-right and other pamphlets some of the Judges have beene affronted in their Circuits at the last Assizes by some Sectaries as at Hartford and other places Some Justices of Peace for executing Ordinances of Parliament upon Sectaries as that of Tyths and Committing upon blasphemies have beene arrested and sued by Sectaries as on Southwark â—ide as also abused and reproached to their faces and books written against them for discharge of their office besides Constables and Officers who have distrained and served their Warrants have beene molested and sued Majors of Cities Sheriffs Aldermen have beene branded for arbitrary tyrannicall prerogative Aldermen Sheriffs and miscalled at pleasure as in Lilburnes late pamphlets The Lord Majors farewell to his Maioralty Committees in the Countries have beene affronted by Sectaries putting on their hats when brought before them as in Bedfordshire and in one word all sorts of officers of Justice have one way or other by word or deed beene abused by Sectaries either by disobeying the Warrants they have brought or by miscalling them or by branding them in print as Lilburn hath done in severall pamphlets severall officers the Sergeant at Arms of the House of Commons the Keepers of Newgate he being more insolent and clomineering in prison over all kind of officers then his Keepers over him but above all the Sectaries insolencies towards that faithfull Gentleman Colonel Francis West and other officers under him appears by Lilburnes late libellous pamphlets and by the threatning speeches of some Sectaries comming to see Lilburn in the Tower who being by the Warders spoken unto to give their names and where they dwelt told them they should answer the prohibiting of them from going to Leiutenant Colonel Lilburne and that the time was at hand when they would come in whether the Leiutenant of the Tower would or no. And thus I have given a touch upon severall heads of the Sectaries tumultuous insolent unsufferable carriages but among all their wickednesses and abomiuable courses which may make them justly abhorred of all good men and of these Kingdomes the Reader may observe these following 1. That they make it their work and businesse to corrupt destroy and overthrow all Religion and godlinesse to lay all wast and to set open a wide gate to all error and licentiousnesse of living for the effecting of which they doe not only use all means and wayes for a Universall Toleration of all Heresies Blasphemies Atheisme which may happen to arise that there being such they may be tolerated go unpunished which Toleration alone would cause growth of Heresies fast enough and the ruine of Religion and godlinesse but they plot all wayes and take all courses under heaven that all Heresies and Errors may grow and increase that there may be both abundance of Errors and persons holding them and therefore they use all their power and interest to hinder all things which might prevent the growth of Heresies aâ—d Errors as the settling of Church-government and peace in Church and Common-wealth as the bringing in of Orthodox godly zealous Ministers into places with the establishing of maintenance upon them as the publishing of such Books as might keep men from Errors having suppressed some Books so which have come from New-England as a Tractate against Toleration c. And on the contrary doe any thing though never so unreasonable though never so much against their owne principles though never so wicked and abominable so it will but advance Errors hence they suffer many Emissaries to go from Country to Country from place to place to broach and vent among people all kinds of Errors and that by force of Arms against the will of the Ministers and people