Selected quad for the lemma: kingdom_n
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A95953
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A vindication of the army under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax, with an answer to several objections made against them, &c.
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England and Wales. Parliament. House of Lords.
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1647
(1647)
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Wing V500; Thomason 669.f.11[44]; ESTC R210556
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4,355
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1
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they ought to be let out of prison and to have their estates again and enjoy as much liberty as others as for the Beshops our mind is not changed concerning their calling and persecution and had they not troubled us we had not petitioned against them you know the Independents principle is that Bishops and Presbyters should have as much liberty as themselves let each take his way and be content to be quiet and let others alone and do as we would be done to al men cannot be of one mind and until men who differ in opinion may enjoy their estates and live quietly this Kingdom can have no peace Obj. The Army speak well but they are not to be beleeved Answ Then we may not beleeve any they are Englands tryed friends who have long endured the hardship and extremities of war and often hazarded their lives for the safety of this nation such as condemn and distrust them do ill require them Obj. Many yea the Priests say they will kill and plunder us Answ they are full of delusions and lyes have the Army ever done so have they not been at Cambridge Berry Ipswich c. where there is much treasure yet did they not kill nor plunder any Obj. It s not reasonable to resist authority and that with their Armes Answ They resist not authoritie but tyranny the Armes are not theirs but the Kingdoms who paid for them Obj. If the Army be friends to England why do they not what they intend quickly Answ I am credibly inform'd the Army cannot hasten more then they do they doe more then you are aware on do you judge them idle because you do not see what they do they are not ignorant that our oppessions are great and that the Kingdom is almost undone and that our necessities will admit of no delay Rest satisfied they prefer the Kingdoms safety welfare before their own lives so that Gods command Reason Religion Conscience their friends welfare and happines their own honour and safety all calls upon them to be harmlesse and active they have caused the Parl. to reform somthing already we trust God will preserve them and effect great things by them and cause them to be as they have been a blessing and comfort to this Nation Obj. But the Country is oppressed with them c. Answ Then let the Country help and put the work to an end and if the common souldiers will not be ruled the Country must help the Commanders to do it who I hope as they have cause so they will have a great care to see that none be oppressed and abused Let not the Army be all blamed for the fault of a few and perhaps un-avoidable if any of this Army commit a fault the Kingdom is like to ring of it which will be a great grief to good men O England England what art thou asleep or willing to be undone and inslaved with your wives and children and posterity can ye sit still and see that ye are deluded betrayed oppressed burdened killed do you not consider how many of you suffer languish in misery is not the kingdom almost undone and yet the Scots are sent for the priests endeavour a new war against the Army that have been a means to preserve you have you not had war enough that cost deer enough would you have England like Germany if we have more wars this Kingdom will be quite undone if you must fight fight against them who are your enemies not against your good friends I trust you will not nor cannot in reason nor conscience justice and honour fight against them who have sacrificed their lives for you and endeavour the Kingdomes good do you not see the Parl. refâ—se to remove your grievances how long wilt thou suffer thy self to be charmed cheated with fair words and promises of treacherous and deceitful men why then do you not remove them your selves ye may be free if ye will be free now and ever now or never this is the seventh year the year of Iubilie such as refuse freedom now deserve to have their ears bored and to be slaves for ever Rise quickly and it will be quickly done or else your liberties are quite gon and iron chains locked on wil ye suffer your selves to be so abused as ye are the next time ye chuse Parliament-men in many places they had need chuse men more wise and faithfull and not as some have done chuse fooles and knaves becauâ—e they are great ones they are not aware of the wrong they do to themselves and the Kingdom by it Quest Resolved That the Parl. did secretly by their proceedings bid the army not disband that the Parl. hath sleighted more of their votes then the Army and that when necessity requires the souldiers ought to keepe their ranks and follow their leaders that the Parl. practises contradict their pretences that they keep not their oaths vowes protestations and promises and therefore are not to be regarded much lesse trusted unto that many of them deserve to bee thrust out of the house with contempt as unworthy for ever to sit there more for their theft treachery perjury betraying their trust is it not better for the Kingdome to have a Parl. every year that may sit but 6 moneths So much for this time Farewell It is desired that this be Set up in Parish Churches and Publick places throughout this Kingdom and dominion of Wales for their Information c. The second Edition corrected and enlarged 1647.
A VINDICATION of the Army under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax with an answer to several Objections made against them c. INasmuch as God did sharply reprove and correct his for keeping divers Statute and Commandments yea of kings as appears Mica 6. 16. 15. Hos 5. 11. we learn that unlawfull Commands are not to be obeyed and that they who are to obey them are to judge of the lawfulnes of them So that if the Magistrates Law or Command bee contrary to God or against the safety and welfare of the people the command is unreasonable ought not to be obeyed but the command of disbanding the Army at that time was against the walfare and safety of the kingdom appears by these Reasons 1. Because it was not for the safety of the Kingdom it being divided into 3. parts and unsatisfied and ready to fall one upon another to preserve themselves 2. The burdens and oppressions of the kingdom were not removed 3. Many wel-affected in several Counties have Petitioned them not to diâ—band 4. The great expence of men time treasuer yea al their Victories should have come to nothing if they had disbanded 5. Their Commission required them to protect his Majesties subjects from violence and oppression 6. The Parl. could not or would not preserve the Army from ruine destruction although they had preserved their lives nor secure them their Arrears nature teacheth to preserve it self especially when none else wil. 7. The whole Army were slighted although they were the means of saving the Kingdom from ruine destruction yet they were judged enemies 8. They suffered some of them to be hanged for obeying their Commands may they not expect the same when disbanded 9. There was no safety in trusting to the Parliaments words and votes seeing they so differ from the laws of the Medes and Persians if they would they could not keep them because they have lost the love of the people 10. The wel-affected were put out of place of trust il-affected put in which is a bad presage 11. Al means with patience have been used and nothing prevails we have petitioned for our rights liberties they are so far from granting them that they condemn them to be burnt by the Hangman some of us they imprison by which they fully declare that they intend not the welfare and prosperity of this nation but to rule over-rule the people according to their wils and pleasures which they call the Prerogative power or priviledge of Parliament 12. Their principles are destructive they say they may do what they please their wills are Laws none may call them to account 13. They are not wise enough to preserve themselves much lesse the Kingdom 14. They have betrayed their trust turned theeves and robbers 15. They act contrary to the end intent of a Parl they consider not the sighings of the prisoners they refuse to hear the complaints of the oppressed and crys of the poor 16. Their votes hasten our destruction by one Vote they would free us from all we have make us absolute slaves Iniquitie runs down like a mighty stream and they judge them rebels traitours that would stop it 17. They redresse not our grievances instead of removing them they increase them 18. If the army had disbanded the Parl. might have given them the same mercy they did the Kings party having them at advantage stripped them of their estates and imprisoned them leaving many who were rich not enough to procure them horse bread and water a practise most inhumane and to be abhorred of Heathens the mercies of the wicked are cruel 19. Although they have sate this 6. years we are not the better in respect of our oppression 20. They abuse the whole kingdom what great sums have been raised by Pole-mony Lenâ—…ing Lone diverse kinde of cesments the twentieth and fifth part Fortification mony Weekly meal Free quarter Plundering Composition Customs Excise Bishops lands Kings revennues some say half of the Land rents and revennues of the Kingdom have beene sequestered and yet the Souldiers are not paid nor the publick debts Maimed Souldiers Widdows and Fatherlesse by war are not taken care for and Recompenced It 's conceived the State is cheated of more then 200000. l. yea and 100. times as much the mony there is so much of it gone beyond the seas that they want mony and must think of new ways for more yet give no accompt of that they have had I condemn not all in the House there are some good men in the Parl. who are to be prised Obj. The Armies demands are unreasonable Ans None judge them so but ignorant corrupt men Obj. Their demands are contrary to Law and are a breach of the priviledge of Parl. Ans They seek to remove our oppressions and for justice against evil Members and which nature Religion requires if there be any Statute that is against the welfare safety of the people it s better broke then kept is it a priviledge of Parl. to protect evil men that so they may be preserved to do us more mischief and destroy us we know not how the Parl. came to have a priviledge to destroy us are ye sure that these be the Parl. -men that when the Parl. began did speak for the priviledge of the people and now are all for priviledge of Parl Is it their priviledge to preserve in authoritie and places of trust tyrants theeves oppressours if the Parl. and people differ concerning their priviledges t is pitty the sword should deside it let it rather be put to vote and let the biggest vote carry it the Parliaments vote you know people speak what say you Answ We will not allow it for we judge it unreasonable to allow them to have a priviledge to destroy us corrupt men will shelter themselves from tryal and under the notion of priviledge of Parl. Gentlemen ye see it s concluded by the major votes that it s no priviledge Obj. The Army and the rest of the Independents can turne for their own ends they were against the King and his party and the Bishops and now they are for them all Answ We were not against him but against his proceedings wee hate tyranny and oppression in all men the late act of the King in refusing his liberty yea Crown rather then to act contrary to his Conscience hath got him much credit and love it appears he dislike oppression for matter of Conscience he shewed more wisdom and Conscience in it then all they did who knew his judgement and yet would urge him this his act makes us think he was not so bad as the priests c. reported or else he is better then he was as for his party its apparent they are wronged and are not like to be righted by them who have abused them they have suffered enough for their mistake for my part though I am none of them yet I think