speech In the time of Moses Law Aaron the great Bishop and High Priest had written in a Tablet before his Breast Doctrin and Truth not only Learning but also Truth whereby was meant that neither ought to be without the other For as Learning is dangerous and hurtfull in some cases without Religion So is Religion unable to defend it self to convince the Gain-sayers without Learning For this cause the Heathen when they erected Temples in honour of their Gods they did also build Libraries that is places to keep Books that by such means their Priests might grow in Knowledge and be better able to perswade others to their Religion Strabo of the Sinprincians that they built a Temple in honour of Homer and joyned thereto a Library Augustus the Emperor built a Temple and also a Library in the honour of Apollo Trajanus in like manner built a Library and called it Vlpia after his own name At Rome in the Capitol where all the Gods had a Solemn place for to be worshipped in there was also placed a Library Athens was a famous Universitie and had many Colleges and Schools of Learning Academia Stoa Lycaeum Canopus Prytanneum Tempe Cynosura in which places were divers Sects of Philosophers Such were in Persia the Wisemen whom they called Magi in Babylon the Chaldees in India Brachmanes in Aethiopia Gymnosophistae in France and England Druides and others in other Countries In all times the Kings and Princes which did set forth Religion were also Builders of Schools and Colleges and Advancers of Learning The people of Israel were never in better state as P. Phagius a learned man noteth out of their Story than when they had in every Town and Village Bathe chenesioth and Bathe medraschoth that is Synogogues wherein they assembled together and places to preach in The same Phagius relateth of Hierusalem that there were in it more than four hundred common Schools and Synagogues wherein the Law of God was taught The Patriarch Jacob was called A Minister of the House of Learning because he applyed himself to the knowledge of the Law of God and to Godliness The Prophets of God had their Schools to breed up under them such as might after their death draw the people from Idolatry and resist the false Prophets They which were so taught by them were called the Sons of the Prophets Samuel taught in such sort at Rama Elias and Elizeus the Prophets taught the Law of God besides Jericho St. John the Evangelist taught at Ephesus and Eusebius reporteth out of Philo that St. Mark had at Alexandria sundry Scholars which gave themselves to reading and reasoning and expounding of the Scriptures Others did the like at Antioch and at other places Out of such Schools it pleased God to take many excellent men and place them in his Church as Origen Tertullian Cyprian Lactantius Arnobius Basilius Nazianzenus Chrysostomus Hieronimus Ambrosius Augustinus c. who were brought up in all kind of Learning and became shining Stars and brought Lights in the House of God notable Defenders of Religion Over-throwers of Idols and Confounders of Hereticks Christian Princes herein have witnessed their Zeal in setting forth the Glory of God After Charles the Great had made his notable Conquests let our Conquerors remember it he erected five famous Universities one at Paris another at Tolouse another at Papia another at Padua and another at Prague to which our King Alfred founder of out famous Universitie of Oxford with the founders of all the Colleges therein and of the Universities of Cambridge Dublin and those in Scotland to omit those Universities in Germany Spain Portugall Poland Denmarke Sweden Hungary and other Parts of Italy and France mentioned by Heylen and others might be added Suidas reporteth of Leo the Emperour That when Leâ— on a time commanded Eulogius a Philosopher should have his Princely reward a Noble man of the Court sayd as some do now of our Universities and Colleges Lands and Revenues that that money would be better imployed for the maintenance of Souldiers Nay saith he and so all wise men now I would rather it might be brought to pass in my time that the wages which are now bestowed upon Souldiers might be given to maintain Philosophers Alexander Severus so highly esteemed that notable famous Lawyer Vlpian that when certain of his Soldiers â—an feircely upon Vlpian to slay him the Emperor stept forth and set himself between the body of Vlpian and the fury of his Souldiers and covered him with his own Robes that the Souldiers might know how carefull he was for the good estate of Vlpian Let our Souldiers who hate and study to suppress Philosophers Scholars Lawyers consider these two last Stories And also for the contrary such as have practised cruelty upon learned men and have hated knowledge were worthily discommended in the Stories of all ages He instanceth in the wicked Apostates Julian and Licinius forecited examples The like is reported of Caligula Caracalla and Domitianus that either they utterly hated all manner of Learning or had some special malice against the writings of some one notable man and therefore sought to destroy them Such was the policy of Satan so thought he to get the upper hand and to restore again his wicked Iericho And were these the Practices of Heathen Princes only may not we remember the like attempts wrought in our dayes who will call â—o mind the time that is not far past shall find that this ignorant Iericho had many friends and hath it not now as many and the same who by all means drew men from knowledge they gave Liberty rather to do any thing than to seek understanding and yet suffered rather the use and reading of fabulous and unclean writers than of the Holy Scripture and Books which carried fruitfull instruction Good Letters to increase knowledge are not to be neglected Such as presume of Gods Spirit over-boldly that without endeavour to use the wholsome means which God hath left unto his Church they shall and doe by special inspiration understand his will do tempt God He adds much more In brief learning knowledge in Arts Tongues Histories of all sorts and in the Laws Governments of former ages are so absolutely necessary for the right understanding and interpretation of the Scriptures and good Government of all Common-wealths and Kingdoms that without them there neither will nor can be any true Religion sound Knowledge of God his word or works nor orderly Government Humanity Civility Navigation or Commerce almost in the world and men deprived of it will be little different from Beasts as appears by the brutish Sottishnesse Barbarousnesse Savagenesse ignorance of the illiterate Indians in America and of some other African and Northern Nations voyd both of Religion Government and Humanity it self because destitute of Learning as Purchas his Pilgrimage Mr. Hackluits voyages Peter Martyrs Indian History Mercator and others record Hereupon our antient Ancestors were so carefull of
ye not what is right in paying your just Dues and Debts to all you owe them without sute or coercion as the next words literally import When thou goest with thine adversary to the Magistrate as thou art in the way give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him lest he bale thee to the judge and the Iudge deliver thee to the Officer and the Officer cast thee into prison Verily I say unto thee thou shalt by no means come out thence till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing or very last mite Here is a Gospel resolution of our Saviour in two Evangelists ratified with a verily I say unto thee That all those who will not pay their Ministers Tithes and Dues as well as other mens Debts may be lawfully brought and haled perforce before the Magistrate and by the Magistrate and Judge condemned in double Dammages â—ast into Prison and not suffered to come out thence till he have paid the utmost farthing not only of his detained Tithes and Dues but of his fine forfeiture and costs of sute prescribed by our Laws And let all our Swordmen and other oppugners of our coercive Laws against detainers of Ministers Tithes and Dues give our Saviour himself the Title of a Tyrant and Oppressor a Lyar if they dare and that such proceedings are not sufferable under the Gospel 4ly There is nothing so free and voluntary in the world that I know as Almes and Charity to poor distressed Saints and Christians Yet the Gospel accompts this a due Debt and all able to give them Debtors Rom. 15 27. And if any refuse to render them out of their Hard-heartedness and want of Charity the Christian Magistrates under the Gospel may not only rate and assesse them according to their Estates towards the Poors relief as they do in all Christian Republicks and Realms but by Distresses sale of Goods and other coercive wayes compel them to render them and that both by the Common law of England and the Statutes of 22 H. 8. c. 12. 27 H. 8. c. 25. 1 Edw. 6. c. 3. 5 E. 6 c 2. 7 E. 6. c. 11. 1 Phil. Mar. c. 6. 5 Eliz. c. 3. 14 Eliz. c. 3. 18 Eliz c. 3. 22 Eliz. c. 11. 23 Eliz. c. 3. 3 1 Eliz. c. 10. 35 Eliz. c. 7. 43 Eliz. c. 2. as Dalton and other Justices of Peace Tit. Poor Maimed Souldiers Therefore admit Tithes mere Alms as some would have them yet when and where detained they may be as justly levyed and recovered by coercive Laws and Statutes as Alms to the Poor and those who condemn coercive Laws for Tithes as unbeseeming the Gospel must Tax and Repeal all Laws for the Poor and for Maimed Souldiers too as such which I presume they will not do 5ly I suppose neither Canne himself who receives pay as a Chaplain to the Army out of publick Contributions from the people not from voluntary contributions of the Souldiers and all other Officers and Swordmen oppugning the coercive Maintenance of our Ministers by Tithes or otherwise will maintain even unto death that the People even against their wills and Consciences too may be enforced to pay Monthly Taxes and Excises amounting to twenty times more each year than all the Ministers Tithes in England by coercive Orders and Ordinances though not made in a full free or old English Parliament nor warranted by so many indisputable Acts of Parliament as Ministers Tithes and Dues and levyed by Imprisonments Distresses Forfeitures armed violence and free quartering of Souldiers on the people though adjudged High Treason in Straffords Case in full Parliament for which he lost his Head our Ministers therefore being real Spiritual Souldiers of Jesus Christ even by the Gospels Resolution and not to go a warfare at any time on their own free cost but upon the Peoples pay wages as due to them as any Souldiers which I have formerly proved they must by the self same reason acknowledge the levying enforcing of the payment of their less Burdensom and more legal necessarie Tithes for the defence and preservation of the very Gospel Religion Gods Glory and Mans Salvation once a year by penalties forfeitures imprisonments or distresses when obstinately detained or else disclaim their own coercive Contribution first to maintain unchristian bloodie wars between Christians of the same Religion in firm unity and amity with us which are not so necessarie or commendable amongst Christians who should live peaceably with all men not make a last Trade of war Love as Brethren Lay down their Lives one for another Yea love and pray for their Enemies not murder or destroy them and beat all their Swords into Plowshares and their spears into Pruning Hooks not lifting up Sword Nation against Nation as now they do to the peril of the Gospel reproach and slaunder and learn war no more as is the Spiritual warfare of our Ministers against the World Flesh Sin Devil and all Errors Blasphemies Corruptions for the eternal Salvation not Destruction of mens Souls and Bodies too 6ly We find it long since prophecied in the Old Testament in relation to the calling to the Gentiles by and under the Gospel Isay 49. 23. That the KINGS of the Gentiles should become Nursing-Fathers and their Queens Nursing-Mothers to the Church Isay 60. 9 10. Surely the Isles shall wait for me and the Ships of Tarshish first to bring my Sons from far their Silver and their Gold with them And the Sons of Strangers shall build up the walls and their Kings shall minister unto thee Psal 72. 10 11. The Kings of Tarshish and of the Isles shall bring Presents the Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer Gifts yea all Kings shall down before him and then all Nations shall serve him Thus seconded in the New Testament Rev 21. 24. where it is prophecied of the Heavenly Jerusalem the Church of Christ the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory unto it Which Prophecies concerning Kings and likewise Kings of Isles in particular and no other sorts of Governors which is observable have been most eminently verified of the Kings and Queens of this Isle and Realm of Britain beyond all the Kings Queens Regions Isles and Kingdoms in the world besides to the eternal Honour of that late rejected abjured form of Kingly Government derived from Gods own form of Kingly Government over the whole world and of Christs Royal Government over his Church both Militant and Triumphant and of this our Isle where God blessed our Church and Kingdom 1. with three such worthy Heathen Kings in Succession Arviragus Marius and Coylus who though they embraced not the Christian Faith here preached soon after our Saviours Ascension by James the Son of Zeâ—edee Simon Zelotes Peter Paul Aristobulus and Philips twelve Disciples wherof Joseph of Aramathaea who honourably interred our Saviour was chief yet they courteously entertained them permitted them freely to preach the Gospel to their people gave
publick entertainment to the persecuted Christians resorting hither as to a safe and peaceable Sanctuary when they were forcibly expelled out of all other Kingdoms and Countries throughout the world and Roman Empire by bloody Persecutors bestewed Lands and a comfortable Maintenance on the Preachers of the Gospel at Glastonbury where they built the first Christian Church in the world and were the first Kings and Kingdoms in the world who gave publique Reception Protection Countenance Maintenance to the Preachers and Professers of the Gospel as not only our own Historians but two forein Writers namely Polydore Virgil Hist Angl. l. 2. and Cardinal Baronius himself Annal. Tom. 1. An. 95. n. 5. with Spondanus in his Epitome of him records 2ly With the first Christian King we read of publickly baptised professing and establishing the Christian Faith builded endowed Churches and Ministers with Glebes and other Maintenance to wit our famous King Lucius who about the year 187. as Matthew Paris Matthew Westminster the History of Rochester and others record Possessiones et Territoria Ecclestis et viris Ecclesiasticis abundanter conferens Chartis Munimentis omnia communivit Ecclesias vero cum suis Coemiteriis ita constituit esse Liberas ut quicunque Malefactor ad illa confugeret illaesus ab omnibus remaneret a good Policy at that time to draw Pagans to frequent the Church and hear the word to convert them both from their Paganism and evil Lives He not only giving all the Lands and Possessions belonging to the Pagan Temples and Priests to the Churches and Ministers of the Christians Seâ— quia majorem honorem illis impendere debuerat augmentavit illas amplioribus agris et mansis omnique libertate sublimavit as Galfridus Monmuniensis and Gervasius Tilburiensis affirm Here was a true Nursing Father indeed to Gods Church and Ministers 3ly With the first Christian Queen we read of in all the world to wit Queen Helena Daughter and Heir to King â—oel and Mother to Constantine the Great who was a carefull Nursing Mother and Bountifull Benefactor to the Church and Ministers of Christ as Eusebius in the life of Constantine Ambrose Oratiâ— in Obitum Theodosii Baronius in his Annals and Speed in his History of Great Britain p. 156. record Whence she was stiled in antient Inscriptions Venerabilis ET PIISSIMA AUGUSTA both for her extraordinary Piety and her converting of Constantius her Husband to the love and protection of the Christian Religion and the Professors of it who by her means creeping out of the Dens and Caves where in they were hid began to exercise their Devotions publickly and TO REEDIFIE THE OLD RUINATE CHURCHES which Dioclesian the persecuting Emperour had levelled to the very ground in all places and TO ERECT NEW She herself at her own cost erecting a Stately Church over our Saviours Sepulchre at Jerusalem famous till this very day 4ly With the first Christian Emperor in the world even that famous Constantine the Great born and elected Emperour in this Island educated in the Christian Faith by his pious Mother the best the Greatest Nursing Father the Church of God ever yet enjoyed in the world For first He destroyed the two Grand Persecutors of the Christian Religion Maxentius and Licinius with their Adherents and demolished all the Idol-Gods and Monuments of Idolatry throughout his Dominions 2ly He reduced all the exiled Christians driven out of their Countries into desolate Islands Caves Dens Desarts restored them their lost Possessions established Christian Magistrates throughout his Empire encouraged protected the Christians in all places in the publick Profession of their Religion and suppressed the Heresies and Schismes that sprung up amongst them by Councils and publick Edicts 3ly He caused all the Churches in this Isle and elsewhere which by the Decrees of Dioclesian were levelled in all places to the very ground which some Atheistial Anabaptists and Jesuitical Incendiaries even in these pretended glorious times of Piety and Reformation endeavour to do again to be re-edified and new ones to be founded throughout his Dominions himself erecting most Magnificent Temples to Gods honour as King David did out of holy zeal and love to God not Popish superstition as some now censure it 2 Chron. 22 5. c. 29. 1 2 3. both in Rome it self Ierusalem Hostia Neapolis Hirapolis Constantinople and other Cities endowing them with ample possessions and all other Churches with convenient Glebes Mansions and Revenues 4ly He encouraged protected advanced Godly Ministers Learning and Religion by setling a competent maintenance on them both for their livelihood and encouragement most preferring esteeming rewarding the best deserving of them And by this means so laid the soundation of the Christians security and the Churches maintenance that the same hath stood under the Protection of Christian Kings and Princes ever since And albeit many Caesars his Successors have often attempted to shake it by their Authorities and the sharp Instruments of Heretiques have dangerously undermined it yet hath it born out the storms of all their boisterous assayes and stood in the sirength that this Emperor first laid it as Speed and others observe And for these blessed fruits of this prime Nursing Father of Gods Church he had then and ever after these most Glorious Titles conferred on him by the Christians and Ecclesiastical Writers Most Blessed Emperour most Pious Sacred Divine Most happy Redeemer and Restorer of Romes City and the whole World from Paganism Tyranny Persecution and founder of the Churches Peace Which those shall never enjoy who labour to demolish and extirpate what hâ— thus founded and established 5ly God hath blessed our Church and Isle as Io. Capgrave in his Prologue Sir Hen. Spelman in his Epist Dedicatory to his Councils and the Author of Fasciculus Temporum record with more Kings Queens who for their extraordinary Piety incredible Zeal liberal Alms manifold works of Mercy incomparable Humility and contempt of the World their munificent magnificent and admirable Bounty to the Ministers and Saints of God and in building adorning endowing Churches with Tithes and Glebes and some of them for suffering Martyrdome for defence of Religion by Pagan Invaders were justly Reputed and Kalendred in the Church of God for Saints though infected with some superstititions of those blinder times which the age wherein they lived may excuse and their other vertues over-ballance and delete than any other Isle Region or Kingdom throughout the world how Great or Populous soever There being no less than Twelve of our antient Saxon Kings Crowned with Martyrdom by Infidels and Ten of them Canonized for Saints for their transcendent Holiness and no less than thirty Kings and Queens within 200 years space who laying down the Height of their worldly Power Crowns and Glory that they might gain beaven by force betook themselves to a devout retired religious Life according to the devotion of those times in some private Monasteries for the most part builded and
of the Tithes of some Thousands of our best Benefices unto Abbies and Monasteries and robbing the Ministers of them to whom only they were given by God himself and the first Donors for their Maintenance to the great prejudice both of the Ministers and People was one principal cause that by a Divine Judgement and Providence beyond all mens expectation the Pope and they were both suppressed together on a suddain even by him who not long before had justified his usurped Supremacy against Luther and for which he had received this ominous Title from the Pope DEFENDER OF THE FAITH God grant our New Defenders of the Faith do not as ill â—â— quite those Persons Powers who first commissioned them with their Arms to defend our Faith Church Religion against Iesuites Papists and their Confederates in the Field as King Henry did the Pope after this new Moâ—â—o 7ly That ouâ— God blessed honoured us with the first incomparable Protestant King in the world no Papist but a REAL SAINT beyond any of his years in this or former Ages even young KING EDWARD THE SIXT the first King I read of who by publick Laws and Statutes suppressed banished all Popish Pictures Ceremonies Superstitious Monuments Practices Abuses throughout his Dominions and established the true worship Service Sacraments Ministers and Ministry and Gospel of Christ throughout his Dominions for which all Ages shall call him blessed no waies embesselling or diminishing the Churches Glebes Tithes or Revenues and enacting a New excellent Law for Tithes recovery when detained But God taking him suddenly from hence to a better Kingdom and his Successor Queen Mary defacing deforming his blessed Reformation and restoring both the Pope and Popery again almost to its former height except in point of Monkery which the defacing of the Monasteries prevented 8ly God then blessed our Church and Kingdom with an unparallel'd Protestant Princesse Queen Elizabeth a Nursing Mother to the Church who demolished the whole Body of Popery with the Popes revived usurpations again by publick Acts established the reformed Religion again in greater beauty and purity than at first banishing all Jesuites and Seminary Priests as Traytors restored the exiled Ministers of the Gospel suffering for Religion rewarding them with the rechest Bishopricks and Church-Preferments and planting a faithfull painfull preaching Ministry by degrees in most dark corners of her Dominions endowed them with a setled competent maintenance which our subsequent Protestant Kings continued to them and their Successors without diminution All which considered we of this Isle may with much thankfulnesse to God and honour to our Princes without flattery averr before all the world That the forecited Prophecies of Kings being Nursing Fathers and Queens Nursing-Mothers to the Church and specially Kings and Queens of this Isle have been more really accomplished in the Kings and Queens of this our Island than in the Kings and Queens of any other Isle Kingdom or Nation whatsoever throughout the world and God grant that those who shall succeed them in any other New modelled-form of Government may not prove such Step-Fathers and Step-Mothers to our Churches and Ministers as to demolish the one and strip the other quite naked of all that former Livelihood and remaining small Revenues which they yet enjoy by our Princes Grants Gists Charters Laws and Favours only and thereby give all Godly Ministers and people too in our Nation just cause to cry out with wringed hands weeping eyes and bleeding hearts in the Prophets words Hosea 10. 3 4. For now they shall say We have no King because we feared not the Lord What then should a King do to us or amongst us They have spoken words Swearing falsely in making a Covenant Thus Iudgement springeth up as Hemlock one of the deadliest Poysons to destroy men in the fields Or else to speak in Solomons language to the same effect Prov. 28. 2. For the transgression of a Land many are the Princes thereof as our Land had never so many Transgressions and Princes too as now But by a Man of Vnderstanding and Knowledge and where is such a one to be found to stand up in a Gap the state thereof shall be prolonged Now the Lord raise up such a Man or Men lest God say to our Nation and all Grandees in Power as he did once to the prophane wicked Prince of Israel whose day was come Ezech. 21. 25 26 27. Remove the Diadem and take off the Crown this shall not be the same Exalt him that is Low and abase him that is High I will overturn overturn overturn Church State Laws and it shall be no more untill he come whose Right it is and I will give it him To prevent these treble fatal over-turnings with the wiping and turning of our Jerusalem UPSIDE DOWN like a Dish a certain Fore-runner of a Churches Nations ruine 2 Kings 21. 13. Psal 146. 9. I shall now in the last place present the whole Nation with a brief Catalogue of those manifold Laws Statutes which our Kings have successively made in their Great Councils and Parliaments almost from the very first establishment of Religion in our Island for the due payment of Ministers Tithes by coercive Means Forfeitures Penalties in case of willfull detaining or neglect in paying all or any part of them at the times appointed which those who please may peruse in Câ—ronicon Johannis Brompton Mr. Lambards Archaiâ—n Sir Henry Spelmans Councils Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments John Bridges his Defence of the Government of the Church of England Book 16. p. 1350. Our Statutes at large and Mr. Rastals Abridgement of Statutes Title Tithes which Laws being well known to most learned men are therefore needlesse fully to transcribe The first of them is the forecited Law Decree of the Council of Calcuth under King Oswald and Oâ—â—a An. 787. of famous King Alfred Anno 787. of King Alfred and Gutburn the Dane cap. 9. De Decimis Deo Debiâ—u about the year 890. of King Edward the elder and Gutburn Anno 905. or 906. as some Cap. 6. in some c. 9. DE DECIMIS ET CENSU ECCLISLE RETENTIS of King Aethelstan made in the famous Council of Gratelean An 928. cap. 1. DE DECIMIS REDDENDIS tam ex Animalibus quam de fructibus terrae which this King himself duly paid and then enjoyned all his great Officers and People duly to render of King Edmond An. 944. c. 2. concluding Qui non solverit ANATHEMA ESTO Of famous King Edgar Anno 967. c. 3. DE DECIMIS Canon 54. of the Kings and Presbyters of Northumberlana made a little after that time Lex 51. of King Aetâ—elred An. 1012. c. 1 4. of King Knute the Dane An. 1032. c. 8. but 15. in some Copies De Decimis reddendis c. 11 17. and a Statute law against obstinate Detainers of Tithes there stiled JURA ET DEBITIONES DIVINAE of King Edward the Confessor about the year 1060. confirmed verbatim by William the
Parliaments Churches that have at first pitched upon and so long continued established by successive Laws and Edicts this way of Maintenance as most equal rich and poor paying a Tenth alike according to the greatness oâ— smallness of their Estates and the poor Farmer and Tenant paying them out of his Landlords Estate as allowed in his Rent or Fine not out of his own private purse alone being more equal than any Taxes or Excises for the Armies pay As least troublesom to the Ministers at least who were only at the cost and trouble to carry in their Tithes at Harvest when cut and severed from the Crop to their hands to prevent the trouble of plowing sowing weeding mowing reaping gathering which might divert them from their Studies and Ministry And as little troublesom or not over-troublesom at least it is to the Husbandman who sows cuts and makes it up together with his own and then only severs it out and is not now bound to carry it into his Ministers Barn much less to thresh cleanse and sever his Corn Wine or Oyl and other Tithes and carry it to Hierusalem and the Treasuries of the Priests and Levites at his own cost as the Israelites were obliged by God to do which these Officers had they lived amongst them and payed a second Tenth as well as a first and first-fruits besides would have petitioned God himself to abolish as a troublesome way of Maintenance which they could not brook though the godly Israelites and Jews repined not against it but chearfully brought up their Tithes to the Priests Treasuries as they were enjoyned And as no waies contentious or litigious in it self were people as just and conscionable to pay their Tithes there being many Parishes in England and that wherein I live one wherein I never heard of any sute or quarrel betwixt the Ministers and Parishioners for Tithes there being farre more sutes and contentions for just Rents Annuities and Debts throughout the Nation than for Tithes at least ten for one in proportion before these late contentious Lawless times when many unconscionable unrighteous Wretches pretending Religion to cover their fraud covetousness and oppression will pretend Conscience for not paying their very Rents and Debts as well as Tithes And such who have so little grace or fear of God as to contend with their Ministers for their just Tithes will be altogether Litigious towards them for any other Annuity or setled way of Maintenance that can be devised in lieu of Tithes seeing nothing will content such perverse and contentious Wretches but a Liberty to pay their Ministers only what they please and that in conclusion shall be just nothing as their subsequent Petitions and present Practices now manifest to God Angels and men And I doubt the Change of this antient known long approved certain Maintenance by Tithes to any other certain or uncertain way will create more sutes and troubles among people than ever our Tithes did since their first institution This was my subiâ—â—n opinion of their Proposition when I first read it and shall serve for a publick answer to it now if any insist upon it to prove Tithes inconvenient and burdensom to the People and therefore sit to be totally abolished The main Objection I ever yet read or heard against Tithes is this That Tithes are a great discouragement and hindrance to Husbandmens industry and improvements since Ministers must have not only the Tenths of their Lands as they found them but likewise of their Crop Labour Industry and Improvements which is now writes Canne and others more largely one of the sorest Burthens and greatest Oppressions and Tyranny that lies upon them and discourages many from improving the Lands to the publick prejudice I answer 1. That this Objection no waies concerns Soldiers Weavers Tailors Tradesmen Townsmen and other Mechanicks who are the most and greatest Sticklers and Petitioners against Tithes but only Husbandmen and Countrey Gentlemen and Farmers living upon Tillage very few of which not one of a thousand ever yet petitioned against Tithes as such a grievous Oppression at leastwise as a Farmer for the burdensomness of Tithes but only as an Anabaptist or other Sectary out of hatred and opposition to our Ministers Callings or Persons And till the Generality or Major part of the Gentry Yeomanry and Country Farmers in each County Petition and declare against their Predial Tithes as such an intollerable Grievance no Officers Soldiers Citizens Anabaptistical Mechanicks and busie-bodies in other mens Callings and Grievances which concern them not are no waies to be heard countenanced or credited in this particular by any Powers whatsoever in point of Justice or Prudence 2ly The payment of Tithes never yet discouraged any Person either in the Land of Canaan England or other Countreys at least not any considerable number of men or any that had either true Wisdome grace honesty or love to God and the Ministrey from any sort of Tillage or improvement whatsoever out of which Tithes are paid the gain by the good husbandry and improvement being abundantly recompenced in the nine Parts over and above the Tithes And therefore till the Objectors can make good their allegation by presidents of considerable number of wise godly men and others discouraged from Tillage and Improvements meerly by the payment of Predial Tithes out of them in all former ages or of late years to the real prejudice of the Publick which they can never do this grand Objection against Tithes must be decried both as Fabulous and Ridiculous yea as Scandalous The late Petition of the Cornish Gentlemen Farmers and Yeomen where such improvements are most made to their great Charge for the continuance of Tithes being a sufficient Evidence to prove it such 3ly It is observable that the Petitioners against Tithes upon this ground are as eager Writers and Petitioners against all antient Customs Tonnage Poundage and usual moderate Impositions upon Merchandize imported or exported for the necessary defence of the Sea and Trading amounting to as much upon every pound of Merchandize as Tithes do upon Husbandmens Tillage and Improvements the charges of the Fraight Transportation and Customs in forein pares considered and to far more and that as a very great discouragement to Merchandize and Trading Which as all wise men know to be a mere fabulous untruth contrary to the experience of all States Kingdoms Republicks in the World and of Holland it self subsisting by Merchandize where they pay â—â— high Customs or higher than our antient Legal Merchants Duties to the State amount to which never made any Merchants to give over trading So if when and where rightly imposed managed they are the greatest encouragements of Trade and Merchandize by Guarding the Seas and securing Traders against Enemies and Pirates the only encouragement to Merchant-Adventurers who must and will all give over trading when they cannot safely put to Sea without apparent losse of all they trade for by Enemies or
Pirates And therefore this clamourous Objection against Tithes should have no more weight with Wisemen to suppress them than their idle clamour against all old Legal Customs Rates and Duties for the necessary defence of the Sea and Trade to abrogate them altogether to the ruine both of our Traffique Navy and Merchants too that pay them 4ly This Objection is directly made against the providence wisdom and policy of God himself who prescribed Tithes amongst his own people out of all their Tillage and Improvements and knew it would be no impediment to them his Blessing promised to their payment of Tithes being a greater improvement to them in their Crops than all their extraordinary cost and pains amounted to Wherefore it can be no impediment or discouragement to any real Saints good Husbandry or Improvement now who deserves to reap no benefit by his Labour or Improvements if God himself shall have no share or portion out of them for the maintenance of his publick worship and Ministers 5ly If there were any truth or strength in this Objection yet it extends not unto all tithes but only to such as are paid out of extraordinary chargeable Improvements as to make mere barren Heath Ling and Sands out of which no former profitâ— naturally grew manurable for Corn or Pasture Tillage and Meadows Woods out of which most predial Tithes arise So there is a sufficient remedy against this pretended Mischief already provided in the best and strictest Statute made by the best of our Protestant Kings for the true payment of Tithes at the beginning our Reformation when Popery was banished in the Parliament of 2 E. 6. c. 13. which provides That all such harren Heath or waste Grounds which before that time have lyen barren and paid no Tithes by reason of the said barrenness and now be or hereafter shall be improved or converted into ar able Ground or Meadow shall from henceforth after the term and end of seven years next after such Improvement fully ended and determined pay Tithe of the Corn and Hay growing on the same and be discharged in the interim as the words import and our Judges have expounded it All which considered this Objection must be henceforth exploded and LEVELLED to the ground Now because I find a clear Design and Endeavour in sundry Anabaptists Officers Souldiers if they cannot prevail to put down Tithes upon other pretexts yet to rob the Ministers of them at present if not in perpetuity upon this pretence to sequester and convert them to the use of the Army for the pretended ease of the people in their future taxes I shal for the cloze of this Proposition and prevention of this detestable impious Sacrilegious plot against our Ministers and Religion too propound and answer all such specious Arguments Pretences as may be produced by them to delude the people veil over the execrable Impiety and take off the odium of this prodigious Villany First they may and will suggest that they have some antient punctual Presidents to warrant countenance justifie this their Project As namely the practical example of Charles Martel King of France who about the year of our Lord 730. as the Marginal Authors report having perpetual wars and seldom or never peace in his Kingdom Ideo res Ecclesiarum suis Militibus in stipendium contulit maxima ex parte did thereupon bestow the Lands Revenues Rents and Tithes too as the Act of Restitution with others prove of Parish-Churches Monasteries Bishops Deans and Chapters upon his Souldiers for their Pay and Arrears for the greatest part And surely upon a very Godly and just reason as John Canne and some Army-Officers will swear thus expressed in his Decree recorded in Goldastus and Mr. Selden ut subveniatur necessitatibus Publicis et Salariis Militum pro Dei Ecclesiae bono statu Reipublicae uniuscujusque propria pace pugnantium That he might relieve the Publick Necessities and pay and reward the Souldiers fighting for the Church of God and the good of the State of the Common-wealth and the proper peace of every one as our Officers and Souldiers now say they do And is it not then most just they should have all the Lands Glebes and Tithes of the Church King Common-wealth and of every particular Person too who have fought all this while for them and their defence To this they may chance to adde the President of the Templers and Hospitalers who being no part of the Clergy but Religious Souldiers imployed only to fight in the defence of the Church were by special Bulls and Grants of several Popes exempted from paying any Tithes at all to any Ministers out of the Lands belonging to their several Orders Because they fought for the Church against her Enemies as Turks Saracens and other Infidels Therefore there is great reason equity all our Officers and Souldiers who have lately fought or are now or hereafter fighting for the Church against her Enemies and Malignants should be totally and finally discharged from paying any Tithes at all out of their Old or New Purchased Lands Leases Cattel Estates Spoyls Pay or other increase Besides most of our Army Officers and very many of the Souldiers are extraordinarily gifted inspired from Heaven and constant Speakers or Preachers transcending all Black-coated Ministers yea the undoubted new Ministers and Priests of Jesus Christ as many deem them So as they may be truly stiled a chosen Generation a Royâ—â— Priesthood yea Army of Priests being made Kings and Priests by Christ himself to God the Father as John Canne hath published in his Voyce p. 24 27 28 29. Therefore they may not only enter into our Ministers Churches Pulpits and dispossess them of them as he there asserts and presseth them to put in execution but be capable in right equity justice to receive all their Tithes to their own use Nay one step more John Canne in his Voyce p. 27. thus peremptorily concludes I will affirm and abide by it since it hath pleased the Lord to draw out the hearts of some Souldiers and others who were never brought up at Universities to learning publickly to preach which is not above 10 or 12. years the People of this Common-wealth have had more true Light and glorious Discoveries of Christ and his Kingdom than all the Nations Ministers ever before made known to them since first they took their calling from the Sea of Rome till this Day On the contrary the greatest Heresies and Blasphemies which have been in the world have been broached by Ministers and Scholars whereas Lay-men at the same time have been sound in the Faith and zealously earnest against such abominable Doctrines Therefore there is just ground that both our Vniversities and all Colleges for Advancement of Learning should be suppressed as the very poyson bane subversion of Religion Church and Common-wealths as some Souldiers and the Anabaptists generally deem them and their Lands as well as Bishops Deans
they proceed as Canne would have them to usurp our Ministers Office Rectories Glebes Tithes Churches to themselves and Suppresse our Ministers Churches Parishes as Antichristian I shall then justly suspect and others will confidently conclude they are the very Army of Priests prophecied of by Pope Gregory who shall forcibly usher and bring in Antichrist the King of Pride who exalteth himself above all that is called God or Worshipped that is above Kings Lords Parliaments and all Civil and Ecclesiastical Powers whatsoever as Expositors resolve into our Church and re-establish him in his Throne 8ly I never read in the Old Testament or New that Christ Authorized Commissioned or sent out any Captains or Souldiers to preach the Gospel or made choyce of such to be his Apostles and Ministers of the Gospel Surely had this been a part of their duty as Christian Officers and Souldiers John Baptist Christs forerunner would have instructed those Souldiers who came purposely to and demanded of him what shall we do in another manner than he did and said unto them Go and preach the Gospel and instruct the ignorant Souldiers and people publickly where ever you quarter in the first place and then Do violence to no man and accuse no man falsly and be content with your wages The only precepts he gave them Which our Army-Officers and Souldiers since they turned Preachers have much forgotten and neglected I read of 2. devout Centurions in the New Testament eminent for their faith piety Charity and of one devout Souldier yet neither of them a publick Preacher The first of these Colonels or Centurions built a Synagogue for the Jews and others to meet and preach in who were Priests and Ministers but I read not he ever preached in it publickly himself The latter Centurion is thus characterized Acts 10. 1 2. That he was a devout man and one that feared God with all his House which gave much Alms to the people and prayed to God continually but doubtlesse he never preached for then it would have been there recorded that he preached continually as well aâ— prayed Yea he was so far from this that when the Angel of God came to him in a vision he sayd Thy Prâ—yers and thine Alms not thy preaching therefore he preached not at all or if he did God accepted it not but disliked it as against his word and will are come into remembrance before God And now send men to Joppa and call for Simon Peter he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do Whereupon he presently sent two of his Servants and a devout Souldier continually waiting on him but not on preaching for the Apostle Peter to preach to him his Friends and Family who repairing to him Cornelius goeth forth to meet him falls down at his feet worshippeth him talks with him brings him into his House where many were come together relates his vision to Peter mentioning again his Prayers and Alms but not his preaching concluding thus Now therefore are we all here present before God TO HEAR not preach all thingâ— that are COMMANDED THEE of God Whereas some Centurions Colonels Captains and Souldiers of this Age if Peter himself should come to their Assemblies or Quarters would be readier to teach and preach to him than to hear him and apter to be his Teachers than Auditors as these only were After which Peter preached to him and his company I find another sort of Captains and Souldiers in the New Testament Who went out and apprehended our Saviour Jesus Christ mocked him derided crowned his Head with Thorns stripped him of his Rayment put him on a purple Robe bowed their Knees before him in scorn saying Hayl King of the Iews blindfolded and then strook him with their hands and bade him prophecy who smote him guarded him to his Tryal carried and nayled him to his Crosse crucisied him between two Theeves pierced his side with a Spear gave him Gall and Vinegar to drink parted his Garments amongst them cast lots upon his Vesture and would have broke his Legs but that he was dead After which they watched and guarded his Sepulchre took large Mony of the Priests to smother the truth of Christs Resurrection by reporting a Lye that his Disciples came and stole him away whiles they were asleep who TOOK the mony and did as they were taught and are branded for ever with this Epiphomena These things therefore the Souldiers did After which some of this rank of Officers and Souldiers by Herods command killed James the Brother of John with the Sword apprehended imprisoned chained and most strictly garded the Apostle Peter in order to put him to death the next day but that the Angel of God miraculously delivered him Others of them apprehended bound and would have scourged Paul garded and carried him from prison to prison and when he was sent Prisoner to Rome when the ship was wracked and their lives saved only for Pauls sake they gave the Centurion counsel to kill Paul and all the other Prisoners lest they should escape from them by that wrack These Souldiers no doubt were truly Antichristian and if the Tree may be judged and known by its Fruits and Souldiers by their Actions and Intentions I doubt there are far more of this later sort than of the first in this Age and if John Cannes Voyce from the Temple be imbraced for Gospel in every point by the whole Army no doubt they will then be all of this later rank not the Ministers and Soldiers of Jesus Christ but of Antichrist alone and the Crucisiers of Christ again in his faithfull Ministers and Members which I desire them all sadly to consider 9ly Admit them to be made Kings and Priests to God the Father by Christ in a spiritual sence as all the Elect Saints of God are will it thereupon follow that they may all lawfully preach in publick administer Sacraments and exercise the proper Function of Priests and Ministers If so then by the self-same reason they may all lawfully exercise the office and power of Kings as well as of Priests as some of them do in the highest degree beyond all Presidents of any our Kings before them and so under pretext of suppressing our Monarchy and one sole King as dangerous and pernicious we shall have now no less than an whole Army of Kings to rule and reign over us and to engross not only all the old Kings Lands and Revenues but the greatest part of the Peoples far surmounting of a Million or two each year in Contributions and Excise to support their new Royal State and Dignity as well as an Army of Priests who have and would swallow up our whole Churches Revenues Glebes Tithes Patrimony and our Ministry too for to support their new Evangelical Priesthood that so they may resemble both Christ and Melchisedec in their Kingly and Priestly Offices united in one Person though not in the Title of their Kingdom as
divided by upholding the weakest party that the other might not make it self too powerfull Reducing the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland to be divided by one of these two means or both either by nominating new Kings or by reducting them to a Common-wealth Yet with this Caution that when they are reduced to a Common-wealth So to order it that it may not be intirely one but divided For Republiques ever enemies to Poteut Neighbours and Iealous of their Liberties ought to be Suspected by the State of France How punctually this advice hath been pursued by the French as well as Parsons and Campanellaes Plots of like nature by the Spaniards those who please to peruse the Lord George Digbies Cabinet Letters printed in the Collection of all the Publique Orders Ordinances and Declaration of Parliament in folio by the Commons Order 1646. p. 849 858 862 863 866 867. and my Speech in Parliament p. 118. 106 to 114. may read at leisure and every mans observing experience can sufficiently attest The Lord now at last give us hearts to be deeply sensible of it and grace zeal courage to make timely use of it for the Preservation of our Kingdoms Nations Churches Ministers Religion from impendent ruine Having given the world this brief Accompt of the principal Promoters Prosecutors of the present Grand Plot against our Ministers their Tithes and Rectories I cannot upon serious consideration of it but foresee and divine that if all or any of these Projectors through Gods heavy Judgment on us for our sins and detestable violations of all Oaths Vows Covenants Trusts Protestations Promises Declarations Divine and Human Laws should by power fraud policy or armed force so far prevail with our present Legifers or Swaying Grandees as totally to take away and abolish the Rectories Tithes and present setled Maintenance of our Ministry for the Souldiers pay or other ends or else secretly to bring them all into a Common Treasury and reduce all our Ministers to set arbitrary Stipends out of them to dispossess them of the future actual possession of them and make them wholy dependent on the arbitrary discretions of new intruding Land-Lords into their Churches Patrimonies Freeholds from whom they never received them at first as it would inevitably produce a world of mischiefs and Inconveniences both to all Patrons and Parishioners throughout the Nation without the least Ease or Benefit to the People so it would certainly either totally ruine our Ministers making them all poor Fryers Mendicants neglecting their Callings Studies to get their living by begging from door to door and as Peter Martyr observes to be ventris potius quam Ecclesiae Ministros ostiatim validè Mendicare non Mendicantes sed Manducantes appellari and thereby subvert our Church and Religion with them in very few years space open such a wide door for the Pope and whole body of Popery to flow in upon us again with an impetuous irresistable Deluge that we should no waies be able to resist their progress till they were re-estated in their former Supremacy and Prevalency amongst us And then rhose very Romish Factors who are now so violent against Tithes and Rectories of purpose to starve our Ministers out of them and their Ministry for the present will not only forthwith resume as they did in Queen Maries daies their pristine abolished Pontifical Power and set up their Ecclesiastical Consistories High Commissions and bloudy Inquisitions amongst us higher than ever they were in former ages to the utter extirpation of our Protestant Ministers and Professors too but likewise presently resume into their hands all those Rectories Tithes and antient Dues whereof they now endeavour to deprive our Ministers with all our late Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans Chapters Cathedrals Lands and Revenues as Sacrilegiously alienated from the Church against the Lawes both of God and Man as well as against their Popish Canons by those who had no right to dispose of them if they proceed to resume all Abby Lands too in Protestant hands at least And then all late or antient Purchasers of such Lands now confederating with them out of Covetousness Ambition Rapine or other respects will repent too late of their inconsiderable unrighteous unchristian complyance with them against our Ministers Glebes and Tithes and have as ill a Bargain in conclusion as divers old Projectors had in the purchase of our Crown Revenues when resumed or setled in the Crown again by many special Acts of Resumption for the publick weal and ease of the people in their Taxes as being the constant standing Revenue of the whole Kingdom to defray its ordinary publick Expences which none can or ought to Alien or purchase from the Republick to enrich themselves by the publick Losse Wherefore I shall now refer it to their saddest thoughts to consider whether it will not be far safer for all such Army-Officers and others who have purchased Church Lands to joyn together with all such zealous Protestants who desire the continuance of our Ministers antient Tithes and Maintenance more aimed at than Impropriators Tithes against these Jesuites and Romish Emissaries now oppugning them and to us their utmost endeavours to detect apprehend prosecute execute all our former good Laws against them to prevent their mischievous present and future Designs against our Ministry Church Religion Nation than ignorantly or wittingly to confederate with and assist them to accomplish their present Sacrilegious Projects to ruine us and themselves with their Posterities in conclusion and thereby incur the self-same Crime Charge of High Treason which themselves and the whole Parliament of England so lately prosecuted against Canterbury in the 7 8 9 11 12 13 14. Articles of his original Charge for which he lost his head on Tower Hill To draw to a cloze of this Proposition I shall desire all truly fearing God throughout the Nation and Army too sadly to consider these particulars 1. That those who are the chiefest Sticklers against Tithes and our Ministers setled coâ—rcive Maintenance especially Jesuites and Anabaptists are the greatest professed open Adversaries to our Ministery Church Religion of all others desiring nothing but their utter ruine as their late printed Pamphlets and Petitions manifest Therefore to gratify them in their Designs herein is to ruine all at once for whose defence we have spent so much Christian Bloud Treasure pains of late years against the Common Enemy and Jesuited Popish Party 2. That many of those who in their printed Papers have decryed our Ministers Tithes and coercive Maintenance as inconsistent with the Peoples Liberties and a great Bondage to them have as earnestly declaimed against all Inclosures Coppy hold Tenures Land-Lords old Rents Services antient Customes Imposts which being not so antient nor ratified by so many Statutes Charters Muniments of all sorts as Tithes are will not be able to stand before their Opposition and Arguments against them if our Tithes and Ministers Glebes should once fall before
violently take any thing from Churches he should lose his head And Alaricus the Gothish King though an Arrian when he took Rome by force of Armes and his Souldiers had taken the Sacred Vessels out of St. Peters Church there and brought them to him commanded them to carry them back again to the Church with their own hands which took them thence ut cupiditas quae depraedationis ambitu admiserat scelus devotione largissima deleret excessum as Cassiodor relates l. 12. Epist 20. Among the Friseans Laws made by their wisemen Tit. 12. De Honore Templorum this is one He who shall break a Church and take away the holy things thence let him be carried to the Sea and in the Sand which the Tide is wont to cover let his eares be slit and he be gelt and then let him be sacrisiced to the Gods whose Temples hâ— hath violated The Neopolitan Laws l. 1. Tit. 5. enact That whosoever shall violently break open a Church and take away any Gifts or consecrated Vessels thence shall be punished as a Capital Offâ—nder and lose his life Charles the Great and Lewes the Godly enacted That if any person violently took from any Church Priest or Minister any thing belonging to them and were convicted thereof or confessed the same he should have sentence of death given against him as guilty of Sacrilege and that it should be not only lawfull but commendable to prosecute and avenge this Sacrilege and Injury done to the Church Priests and Ministers as a publique Crime deserving punishment and that if any did Sacrilegiously invade or molest the Possessions and Lands of the Church he should be perpetually banished for it Capit. Caroli Ludovici l. 6. Tit. 113 125. And Tit. 305. they thus determine All things that are offered to the Lord are without all doubt consecrated to the Lord and not only the Sacrifices which by the Priests are consecrated upon the Altar to the Lord are called the Oblations of the faithfull but what things soever are offred to him by the faithfull whether in Sacrifices or in Fields Vineyards Woods Medowes Waters Water-streams Artifices Books Utenâ—ils Stones Buildings Vestments Wools Garments Cattel Parchments Moveables and Immoveables or whatsoever which of these things are made to the praise of God or the Supplement of the holy Church of God and his Priests and which may give ornament unto them whether they be freely offered by any one to the Lord and his Church are undoubtedly consecrated to the Lord and belong to the Priests Right And because we truly acknowledge the Lord and his Church to be one person what ever things are the Churches are Christs and whatsoever is offered to the Church either in the aforesaid things or in any other Kinds oâ— by promises or pledges or writings or in corporal things are offered unto Christ and what things by any devise are alienated or taken from his Church either by alienating or by wasting or invading or by diminishing or by rapine are taken from Christ And if it be Robbery to take any thing from a friend it is Sacrilege to take away alienate substract or waste any thing especially from Christ who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords For all Robbers of the Church are most apparently Sacrilegious persons and no Sacrilegious person unlesse by pure approved and publique Repentance and by satisfaction to the Church and by imposition of the Bishops hands and reconciliation according to the Canonical Sanctions shall Inherit the Kingdom of God and shall not only be secluded the Kingdom of God but likewise be shut out of the limits of the Church especially of the Church he hath ruined and shall be excommunicated thence until the foresaid Satisfaction given And the perpetrators of such wickednesses ought to have no Communion at all either with the living oâ— dead till after such Satisfaction given Because who ever violently takes away his Neighbours money commits Iniquity but Sacrilegious persons are not only Thèeâ—es but likewise Wolves and Man-stayers and Murderers of the poor and accursed damned persons before God and his Saints And if so as these two pious Emperors by their Lawes with many Protestant Writers as well as Papists resolve and all Sacrilegious Persons taking any Vessel or Vâ—ensil out of a Church though of small value by our own Lawes too as well as theirs be Sacrilegious Persons worthy to suffer pains of death as Felons those who shall openly Sacrilegiously Rob or attempt to Rob and spoyl all the Godly painfull Ministers of our Nation of all their Tithes Rectories Glebes Churches and Church-yards too at once are doubtlesse Sacrilegious Persons in the highest degree deserving to suffer a temporal infamous death and execution better than any High-way Theeves or Robbers at Tiburn or to be eternally banished the Nation excommunicated all Christian Society and had in perpetual execration for this Sacrilegious Rapine both by God himself and all good men unlesse they repent and make full publique Restitution Satisfaction for this their detestable Sacrilege Lastly If any Officers or Souldiers pretend we are now a Conquered Nation that Conquest makes all sacred things prophane and common to the Conquerors and that Churches may be justly spoyled of their Materials Vessels Glebes Tithes in such a case for the pay and benefit of the Conquering Souldiers as some affirm Therefore they may now justly deprive our Ministers of their Tithes Glebes Rectories Churches Church-yards to pay maintain themselves and the Conquering Army yea alter change our Laws at present as they now attempt and divers of them openly professe they intend to doe I Answer 1. That the Lords and Commons the very last Parliament when they first raised the Army in their Petition to the late King sent to his Excellency the Earl of Essex to the Army and by him presented to his Majestie Sept. 24. 1642. or soon after used this expression That the prevailing Popish party with his Majestie who by many wicked Plots and Conspiracies have attempted the Alteration of the true Religion and the antient Government of the Kingdom the introducing of Popish Idolatry and Superstition into the Church and tyranny and confusion into the State and by corrupting his Councels abusing his Power and sudden and untimely dissolving of former Parliaments had often hindered the Reformation and Prevention of those Mischiefs And in prosecution of those wicked Designs had as the most Mischievous and Bloudy Designe of all drawn his Majestie to make War against his Parliament and good Subjects of this Kingdom and to lead in person an Army against them as if he intended by Conquest mark the word to establish an absolute and unlimited power over them And in their Remonstrance Nov. 2. 1642. in Reply to his Majesties Answer to their Remonstrance of May 26. 1642. they charge this as the last Doctrin and Position of the Contrivers of his Majesties Answer That the Representative body of
the whole Kingdom is a Faction of Malignant Schismatical and ambitious persons whose designes is and alwaies hath béen to alter the whole frame of Government both of Church and State and to subject both King and People to their own lawlesse arbitrary Power and Government and that they design the ruine of his Majesties Person and of Monarchy it self and consequently that they are Traytors and all the Kingdom with them for their Act is the Act of the whole Kingdom And whether their Punishment and Ruine may not also involve the whole Kingdom in conclusion and reduce it into the condition of a Conquered Nation mark the words no man can tell hut experience sheweth us as now it doth in good earnest more than ever that Successe often carries men not only beyond their Profession but also many times beyond their first Intentions For an Army Officers then professing themselves true born English men eminent Godly Saints preservers of our Nations Liberties against Regal Tyranny and Enchroachments originally raysed Commissioned by both Houses to protect our Lawes Liberties Religion Church Government Parliament Nation from an intended Conquest by the late Kings Army to establish an absolute unlimited power over us and from being reduced into the condition of a Conquered Nation after the total routing of the Kings Army Power now at last to plead to averr we are now a conquered Nation in respect of themselves and thereupon to endeavour to establish an absolute unlimited power over us by altering the whole frame of Government both in Church and State changing the body of our Lawes yea antient constitution of our Parliaments abolishing our very Ministers Rectories Tithes Dues or diverting them to pay maintain themselves yea now to act over the very self-same things which both Houses then charged upon the late beheaded King and his Malignant Popish Councel thereby verifying these his Predictions of their forementioned designs in every Punctilio then utterly disclaimed by both Houses as the Highest Scandal to them and their sincere loyal Intentions and making him a truer Prophet than their new Merlin Lilly will not be only most scandalous dishonourable to them but monstrous treacherous perfidious if insisted on or persisted in both in the Judgement of God Angels Men and their own Consciences too Wherefore I presume on second thoughts they will disclaim this Plea both in words and Actions 2ly They were all raysed waged Commissioned by the late Parliament and well-affected People not to sight against conquer or subdue themselves but to preserve them their Lawes Liberties Privileges Estates our Churches and Religion against the Common Enemies and Invaders of them Therefore they cannot stile themselves Conquerors of those Persons things they never fought against but only for unlesse they will now declare their secret intentions were ever crosse and contradictory to their open Commissions Vowes Covenants Protestations Words and printed Declarations to God and those that raised waged them for their safety and defence alone and thereby proclaim themselves the Greatest Hypocrites under heaven and therein as treacherous to their own Native Country and those who trusted them as the Mamalukes of Egypt the Pretorian Soldiers of Rome were to their Lords and Masters of Old which I hope they will disclaim 3ly It is a resolved case by the Law of Nature Nations and War it self as Grotius proves at large De Jure Belli l. 3. c. 6. sect 8 9 10 c. That things gained by Conquest in a War ought to redound not to the Officers Souldiers Generals who manage the War but to the Kingdom Nation whose servants they are and both Commission and pay them their wages as the Servants Apprentices gains redound to their Masters Cosfers not to them Qui sentit Onus sentire debet Commodum being both a Principle in the Law of Nature Reason and in our Common Law too Hence all the Roman Generals and Military Officers brought all the Silver Gold Treasures Spoyls of War into the publique Treasury putting none of it into their private purses and all the Lands Countries they gat by Conquest were the Republiques only which bore the charges of the War not the victorious Conquering Generals or Souldiers Therefore the Officers and Army being Commissioned raised only for and constantly paied by the Parliament people for the ends aforesaid never warring on their own free cost what ever Treasures Lands Powers Spoyls they have gained by their victories Conquests are of Right the Parliaments Nations Peoples only not their own Therefore the Parliament Nation people cannot must not be over-awed used reputed by them as their meer Conquered Vassals but as their Soveraign Lords and true Proprietors of all the Territories Lands Treasures Powers they have gained by their Conquests 4ly That Conquest is no just or Lawful Title was long since resolved by the greatest Conqueror ever England yet bred even our famous British Conquering King Arthur in the greatest Parliamentary Councel ever yet held within this Isle whereat were present no lesse then 12. Kings besides King Arthur and an innumerable company of Princes Dukes Nobles Prelates of the British and most other Neighbor Nations as Geoffry Monmouth Hist. Regum Brit. l. 9. c. 12 13 14 15 16 18 19 20. records All these when Lucius Procurator of the Roman Republique came to demand that antient Tribute reserved by Julius Caesar from this Isle of Britain when first Conquered by him then in arrear and threatned to levy is by force of Arms if denied Meeting together in a great Councel or Parliament specially assembled for that end resolved That the said Rent pretended to be due to the Romans from the Britons because Caesar by reason of the Britons divisions being invited hither with his forces enforced them their Countrie being then shaken with domestique troubles to submit themselves to him by force and violence could not in Justice be demanded of them because this Tribute being gained in this manner was unjustly received Nihil enim quod vi violentia acquiritur Iuste ab ullo possidetur qui violentiam intulit For nothing which is gained by force and vâ—olence is justly possessed by any who hath offered and done the violence Irrationabilem igitur causam praetendiâ— qua nos Jure sibi Tributarios esse arbitratur Therefore he pretends an Irrational cause whereby he supposeth we are of Right Tributaries unto him And because he presumes to exact from us id quod injustum est that which is unjust by the like reason let us demand a Tribute of Rome from him and he who shall prove the stronger let him carry away what he desires to have For if because Julius Caesar and other Roman Kings heretofore Conquered Britain he determines Tribute is now due unto him for this cause I now also think that Rome ought to render Tribute unto me because my Ancestors heretofore got it by Conquest Whereupon they all resolved to assist King Arthur with their Armes against this unrighteous Tribute