Iames was no King at all before his Coronation and that therefore they might by force of Arms lawfully surprise his person and Prince Henry his Son and imprison them in the Tower of London or Dover-Castle till they inforced them by duress to grant a free toleration of their Catholike Religion to remove some evil counsellors from about them and to grant them a free Pardon for this violence or else they would put some further Project in execution against them to their destruction But this Conspiricy being discovered The Traytors were apprehended arraigned condemned and Watson and Clerk two Iesuited Priests who had drawn them into this Conspiracy upon the aforesaid Pretext with some others executed as Traytors all the Iudges of England resolving that King Iames being right Heir to the Crown by descent was immediately upon the death of Queen Elizabeth actually possessed of the Crown and lawful King of England before any Proclamation or Coronation of him which are but Ceremonies as was formerly adjudged in the case of Queen Mary and Queen Iane 1 Mariae there being no Interregnum by the Law of England as is adjudged declared by Act of Parliament 1 Iac. c. 1. worthy serious perusal 8. By their horrid Gun-powder Treason Plot contrived fomented by Garnet Superiour of the English Iesuites Gerard Tesmond and other Iesuites who by their Apostolical Power did not onely commend but absolve from all sin the other Iesuited Popish Conspirators and Faux THE SOULDIER who were their instruments to effect it Yea the Iesuitical Priests were so Atheistical as that they usually concluded their Masses with Prayers for the good success of this Hellish plot which was suddenly with no less then 36 Barrels of Gunpowder placed in a secret Vault under the House of Lords to have blown up and destroyed at once King Iames himself the Queen Prince Lords Spiritual and Temporal with the Commons assembled together in the Upper-House of Parliament upon the 5 of November Anno Dom. 1605. and then to have forcibly seised with armed men prepared for that purpose the persons of our late beheaded King then Duke of York and the Lady Elizabeth his Sister if absent from the Parliament and not there destroyed with the rest that so there might be none of the Royal Line left to inherit the Crown of England Scotland and Ireland to the utter overthrow and subversion of the whole Royal Family Parliament State and Government of this Realm Which unparallel'd inhumane bloody Plot being miraculously discovered prevented the very day before the execution in perpetual detestation of it and of the Iesuits and their traiterous Romish Religion which both contrived and approved it the 5 day of November by the Statute of 3 Iacobi ch 1. was enacted to be had IN PERPETUAL REMEMBRANCE that ALL AGES TO COME might thereon meet together publickly throughout the whole Nation to render publick praises unto God for preventing this infernal Iesuitical Design and keep in memory THIS JOYFUL DAY OF DELIVERANCE for which special forms of publick Prayers and Thankesgivings were then appointed and that day ever since more or less annually observed till this present And it is worthy special observation that had this Plot taken effect it was agreed by the Iesuites and Popish Conspirators before-hand THAT THE IMPUTATION OF THIS TREASON SHOULD BE CAST UPON THE PURITANS TO MAKE THEM MORE ODIOUS as now they father all their Powder-Plots of this kinde which they have not onely laid but fully accomplished of late yeers against the King Prince Royal Posterity the Lords and Commons House our Englishâ—Parliaments and Government upon those Independents and Anabaptistical Sword-men reputed PURITANS who were in truth but their meer under Instruments to effect them When as they originally laid the Plots as is clear by Campanella's Book De Monarchia Hisp c. 25. and Cardinal Richelieu his Instructions at his death to the King of France And it is very observable that as Courtney the Jesuite Rector of the English Jesuits Colledge at Rome did in the yeer 1641. when the name of Independent was scarce heard of in England openly affirm to some English Gentlemen and a Reverend Minister of late in Cornwal from whom I had this Relation then and there feasted by the English Jesuites in their Colledge That they now at last after all their former Plots had miscarried they had found out a sure way to subvert and ruine the Church of England which was most formidable to them of all others BY THE INDEPENDENTS who immediately after infinitely increased supplanted the Prebyterians by degrees got the whole power of the Army and by it of the Kingdom into their hands and then subverted both the Parliament King and his Posterity So some Independent Ministers Sectaries and Anabaptists ever since 1648. have neglected the observation of the 5 of November as I am credibly informed and refused to render publick thanks to God for the deliverance thereon contrary to the Act for this very reason which some of them have rendred That they would not mock God in publick by praising him for delivering the late King Royal Posterity and House of Lords from destruction then by Jesuites and Papists whenas themselves have since destroyed and subverted them through Gods providence and repute it a special mercy and deliverance to the Nation from Tyranny and Bondage for which they have cause to bless the Lord Peforming that for the Jesuites and Powder-Traytors which themselves could not effect The Lord give them grace and hearts to consider how much they acted the Jesuites and promoted their very worst designes against us therein what infamy and scandal they have thereby drawn upon all zealous Professors of our Protestant Religion and what they will do in the end thereof 9. To omit all other forraign instances cited in Speculum Jesuiticum p. 124. to 130. where you may peruse them at leisure By their poysoning King James himself in conclusion as some of them have boasted 10. By the Popes Nuntio and Conclave of Jesuites Conspiracy at London Anno 1640. to poyson our late King Charles himself as they had poysoned his Father with a poysoned Indian Nut kept by the Jesuites and shewed often by Conne the Popes Nuncio to the Discoverer of that Plot or else to destroy him by the Scotish wars and troubles raised for that very end by the Jesuites in case he refused to grant them a universal liberty of exercising their Popish Religion throughout his Realms and Dominions and then to train up his Son under them in the Popish Religion To which not onely heretofore but now likewise they strenuously endeavour by all possible means to seduce him as appears more especially by Monsieur Militierre his late book dedicated to him for that purpose Surely all these premised instances compared together will sufficiently inform the world that the late unparellel'd capital Proceedings against our Protestant King Parliament Members Peers House and forced
THE SECOND PART OF A SEASONABLE LEGAL and HISTORICAL VINDICATION and CHRONOLOGICAL COLLECTION Of the Good old Fundamental Liberties Franchises Rights Lawes Government of all English Freemen their best Inheritance and onely Security against all Arbitrary Tyranny and Aegyptian Taxes Wherein the extraordinary Zeal Courage Care Vigilancy Civill Military and Parliamentary Consultations Contests to preserve establish perpetuate them to Posterity against all Tyrants Vsurpers Enemies Invaders both under the ancient Pagan and Christian Britons Romans Saxons The Laws and Parliamentall Great Councils of the Britons Saxons With some Generall Presidents concerning the limited Powers and Prerogatives of our British and first Saxon Kings the Fundamental Rights Liberties Franchises Laws of their Subjects the severe punishments of their Tyrannicall Princes on the one side and of unrighteous Vsurpers Traytors Regicides Treason Perfidiousnesse and Disloyalty on the other recorded in our Historians are Chronologically Epitomized and presented to publick View for the benefit of the whole English Nation By WILLIAM PRYNNE of Swainswick Esquire Prov. 22. 28. Remove not the Ancient Land-markes which thy Fathers have set 2 Sam. 10. 12. Be of GOOD COURAGE AND LET US PLAY THE MEN FOR OUR PEOPLE and for the Cities of our God and the Lord do that which seemeth him good Dan. 7. 25 26. And he shall think TO CHANGE TIMES AND LAWS and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of times But the Judgement shall sit and they shall take away his Dominion to consume and to destroy it unto the end London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Edward Thomas dwelling in Green Arbour 1655. ERRATA IN the Epistle p. 2 l 38. r. 1540. p. 5. l. 10. r. secure p. 9. l. 2. 5. r. s. p. 10. l 37. r. Kings Queenes p. 16. l 3. dele they p. 19. l. 2. 1502. r. 1602. p. 22. l. 1. proceeding p. 24. l. 20. Oath of Supremacy p. 25. l 24. for this p 27. l 4. r. 1653. p. 35. l. 20. r. and our religion from c. p 47 l 18 Constantius l 26 for if p 51 l 2 p 52 l 37 twenty four r. fourty two Margin p. 20. l. 1. whether In the Book p. 2. l. 19 20. r. each single p. 39. l. 19. Dubricius p. 41. l. 11. quod p. 47. l. 13. Christianismum p. 53. l. 29. reservations p. 62. l. 9. by r. of p. 64 l. 20. Subditos p 67 l 23 dat r eat p. 71. l. 31. r. Schoole p. 72. l. 27. dele a. Margin p. 55. l. 29. r. Eventibus To all truely Christian Free-men of England Patrons of Religion Freedom Parliaments who shall peruse this Treatise Christian Reader IT hath been one of the most detestable Crimes and highest Impeachments against the Antichristian Popes of Rome that under a Saint-like Religious Pretext of advancing the Church Cause Kingdom of Jesus Christ they have for some hundred yeers by-past usurped to themselves as sole Monarchs of the world in the Right of Christ whose Vicars they pretend themselves to be both by Doctrinal Positions and Treasonable Practises an absolute Soveraign Tyrannical Power over all Christian Emperours Kings Princes of the World who must derive and hold their Crowns from them alone upon their good behaviours at their pleasures not onely to Excommunicate Censure Judge Depose Murder Destroy their sacred Persons but likewise to dispose of their Crowns Scepters Kingdomâ— and translate them to whom they please In pursuance whereof they have most traiterously wickedly seditiously atheistically presumed to absolve their Subjects from all their sacred Oaths Homages natural Allegiance and due Obedience to them instigated encouraged yea expresly enjoyned under pain of interdiction excommunication and other censures their own Subjects yea own sons sometimes both by their Bulls and Agents to revolt from rebel war against depose dethrone murder stab poyson destroy them by open force or secret conspiracies and stirred up one Christian King Realm State to invade infest destroy usurp upon another onely to advance their own antichristian Soveraignties Usurpations Ambition Rapines worldly Pompe and Ends as you may read at leisure in the Statutes of 25 H. 8. c. 22. 28 H. 8. c. 10. 37 H. 8. c. 17. 13 Eliz. c. 2. 23 Eliz. c. 1. 35 Eliz. c. 2. 3 Jacob. c. 1 2 4 5. 7 Jacob. c. 6. the Emperour Frederick his Epistles against Pope Gregory the 9. and Innocent the 4. recorded in Matthew Paris and others Aventinus Annalium Boiorum Mr. Tyndal's Practice of Popish Prelates the second Homily upon Whitsunday the Homilies against Disobedience and wilful Rebellion Bishop Jewels view of a seditious Bull John Bale in his lives of the Roman Pontiffs Doctor Thomas Bilson in his true difference between Christian subjection and unchristian Rebellion Doctor John White his Sermon at Paul's Cross March 24. 1625. and Defence of the Way c. 6 10. Doctor Crakenthorpe of the Popes temporal Monarchy Bishop Morton's Protestants Apology Doctor Beard 's Theater of Gods Judgements l. 1. c. 27 28. Doctor Squire of Antichrist John Bodin his Common-wealth l. 1. c. 9. The learned Morney Lord du Plessy his Mystery of Iniquity and History of the Papacy The Grimston's Imperial History Matthew Paris Holinshed Speed Cambden and others in the lives of Henry the 3. Queen Elizabeth and other of our Kings and hundreds of printed Sermons on the 5 of November The principal Instruments the Popes imployed of late years in these their unchristian Treasonable Designes have been pragmatical furious active Jesuites whose Society was first erected by Ignatius Loyola a Spaniard by Birth but A SOULDIER by Profession and confirmed by Pope Paul the 3. Anno 1640 which Order consisting onely of ten persons at first and confined onely to sixty by this Pope hath so monstrously increased by the Popes and Spaniards favours and assistance whose chief Janizaries Factors Intelligencers they are that in the year 1626. they caused the picture of Ignatius their Founder to be cut in Brass with a goodly Olive Tree growing like Jesses root out of his side spreading its branches into all Kingdoms and Provinces of the World where the Jesuites have any Colledges and Seminaries with the name of the Province at the foot of the branch which hath as many leaves as they have Colledges and Residencies in that Province in which leaves are the names of the Towns and Villages where these Colledges are situated round about the Tree are the Pictures of all the illustrious Persons of their Order and in Ignatius his right hand there is a Paper wherein these words are ingraven Ego sicut Oliva fructifera in domo Dei taken out of Ps 52. 8. which pourtraictures they then printed and published to the World wherein they set forth the number of their Colledges and Seminaries to be no less then 777. increased to 155 more by the year 1640. in all 932. as they published in like Pictures Pageants printed at
Antwerp 1640. In these Colledges and Seminaries of theirs they had then as they print 15591 Fellows of their society of Jesus besides the Novices Scholars and Lay-brethren of their Order amounting to neer ten times that number So infinitely did this evil Weed grow and spread it self within one hundred years after its first planting What the chief imployments of Ignatius and his numerous swarms of Disciples are in the World his own Society at the time of his Canonization for a Romish Saint sufficiently discovered in their painted Pageants then shewed to the people wherein they pourtraied this new Saint holding the whole world in his hand and fire streaming out forth of his heart rather to set the whole World on fire by Combustions Wars Treasons Powder-plots Schismes new State and old Church-Heresies then to enlighten it with this Motto VENI IGNEM MITTERE I came to send fire into the world which the University of Cracow in Poland objected amongst other Articles against them Anno 1622. Their number being so infinite and the Pope and Spaniard too having long since by Campanella's advice erected many Colledges in Rome Italy Spain the Netherlands and elsewhere for English Scotish Irish Jesuites as well as for such secular Priests Friers Nuns of purpose to promote their designs against the Protestant Princes Realms Churches Parliaments of England Scotland Ireland and to reduce them under their long prosecuted UNIVERSAL MONARCHY over them by Fraud Policy Treason intestine Divisions and Wars being unable to effect it by their own Power no doubt of late yeers many hundreds if not thousands of this Society have crept into England Scotland and Ireland lurking under several Disguises yea an whole Colledge of them sate weekly in counsel in or neer Westminster some few yeers since under Conne the Popes Nuntio of purpose to embroyle England and Scotland in bloody civil wars thereby to endanger shake subvert these Realms and destroy the late King as you may read at large in my Romes Master-piece published by the Commons special Order An. 1643. who occasioned excited fomented the first and second intended but happily prevented wars between England and Scotland and after that the unhappy Differences Wars between the King Parliament and our three Protestant Kingdoms to bring them to utter desolation and extirpate our reformed Religion The Kings Forces in which many of them were Souldiers after some yeers Wars being defeated thereupon their Father Ignatius being a SOULDIER and they his Military sons not a few of them secretly insinuated themselves as Souldiers into the Parliaments Army and Forces as they had formerly done into the Kings where they so cunningly acted their parts as extraordinary illuminated gifted brethren and grand States-men that they soon leavened many of the Officers Troopers and common Souldiers with their dangerous Jesuitical State-Politicks and Practises put them upon sundry strange designes to new-mould the old Monarchical Government Parliaments Church Ministers Laws of England erecting a New General Councel of Army-Officers and Agitators for that purpose acting more like a Parliament then Souldidiers And at last instigated the Army by open force against their Commissions Duties Oaths Protestations and Solemne League and Covenant to Impeach Imprison Seclude first eleven Commoners then some six or seven Lords after that to seclude seclude the Majority of the Commons House suppress the whole House of Lords destroy the King Parliament Government Priviledges Liberties of the Kingdom and Nation for whose defence they were first raised which by no other adverse power they could effect This produced new bloody divisions animosities wars in and between our three Protestant Realms and Nations and after with our Protestant Allies of the Netherlands with sundry heavy monthly Taxes Excises Oppressions Sales of the Churches Crownes and of many Nobles and Gentlemens Lands Estates to their undoing our whole Nations impoverishing and discontent an infinite profuse expence of Treasure of Protestant blood both by Land Sea decay of Trade with other sad effects in all our three Kingdoms yea sundry successive New changes of our publique Government made by the Army-Officers who are still ringing the changes according to Campanella's and Parsons Platforms So that if fire may be certainly discerned by the smoke or the tree commonly known by its fruit as the Truth it self resolves Matâ—h 12. 33. we may truly cry out to all our Rulers as the Jews did once to the Rulers of Thessaâ—onica in another case Act. 17. 6. THOSE Jesuites WHO HAVE TURNED THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN ARE COME HITHER ALSO and have turned our Kingdoms Kings Peers Monarchy Parliaments Government Laws Liberties yea and our Church and Religion too in a great measure UPSIDE DOWNE even by those very Persons who were purposely raised commissioned waged engaged by Protestations Covenants Vows Oathes Laws Allegiance and Duty to protect them from these Jesuitical Innovations and subversions Those who will take the pains to peruse all or any of these several printed Books most of them very well worth their reading written against the Jesuites and their Practises as well by Papists as Protestants as namely Fides Jesu Jesuitarum printed 1573. Doctrinae Jesuiticae praecipua capita Delph 1589. Aphorismi Doctrinae Jesuiticae 1608. Cambitonius De Studiis Jesuitarum abstrusioribus Anno 1609. Jacobus Thuanus Passages of the Jesuites Hist l. 69 79 83 94 95 96 108 110 114 116 119 121 124 126 129 131 132 134 136 137 138. Emanuel Meteranus his Passages of them Belgicae Hist l. 9 17 18 19 21 23 26 to 34. Willielmus Baudartius Continuation Meterani l. 37 38 39 40. Donatus Wesagus Fides Jesu Jesuitarum 1610. Characteres Jesuiticae in several Tomes Elias Husenmullerus Historia Jesuitici Ordinis Anno 1605. Speculum sive Theoria Doctrinae Jesuiticae necnon Praxis Jesuitaram 1608. Pasquier his Jesuite displayed Petrus de Wangen Physiognomia Jesuitica 1610. Christopherus Pelargus his Novus Jesuitismus Franciscus de Verone his Jesuitismus Sicarius 1611. Narratio de proditione Iesuitarum in Magnae Brit. Regem 1607. Consilium de Jesuitis Regno Poloniae ejiciendis The Acts of the States of Rhetia Anno 1561 and 1612. for banishing the Jesuites wholly out of their Territories NE STATUS POLITICUS TURBARETUR c. mentioned by Fortunatus Sprecherus Palladis Rheticae l. 6. p. 251 273. Melchior Valcius his Furiae Gretzero c. remissae 1611. Censura Jesuitarum Articuli Jesuitarum cum commonefactione illis opposita Anti-Jesuites au Roy par 1611. Variae Doctorum Theologorum Theses adversus quaedam Jesuitica Dogmata The Remonstrance of the Parliament of Paris to Henry the Great against the Re-establishment of the Jesuites And their Censure of Mariana his Book to be publickly burnt printed in French 1610. recited in the General History of France in Lewis 13. his life and Peter Matthew l. 6. par 3. Historia Franciae Variae Facultatis Theologiae Curiae Parisiensis quam aliorum opuscula decreta
Jesuitical and Anabaptistical Combination of a predominant party amongst us to carry on this ancient Plot of the Jesuites related by Watson against the great Charter of our Liberties the whole body of our Laws And truely when I seriously consider the late great Revolutions Changes both of our Government Parliaments Laws and the manifold extravagant publick Innovations changes Proceedings originally contrived by the Jesuites but visibly acted avowed by Anabaptists Independents and some Pseudo-Presbyterians in the Army and elsewhere formerly reputed Puritans it puts me in minde of 3 memorable Prophetical Passages of William Watson in his Quodlibets printed 52 yeers since Anno 1602. which I have frequently thought on of late yeers as now experimentally accomplished I shall beseech our late and present Grandees and New State-Mint-Masters seriously to consider them which I shall here relate in his very printed words 1. I make no question of it if the Jesuites prevail in England THEY INTEND AND WILL TURN ALL THINGS TOPSY-TURVIE UPSIDE DOWN Cinq shall up Size shall under In Parsons High Counsel of Reformation ALL THE WHOLE STATE MUST BE CHANGED and the Lands and Seignories of CLERGY AND NOBILITY Universities Colledges and what not must be ALTERED ABRIDGED AND TAKEN AWAY And is not all this visibly effected already for the most part and the rest projected and ne'er accomplished 2. I verily think that ALL THE PURITANS WILL JOYNE WHOLLY WITH THE JESUITES AT LENGTH how far off soever they seem to be and are yet in external profession of Religion there being at least half an hundred Principles and odd Tricks concerning GOVERNMENT AUTHORITY TYRANNY POPULARITY CONSPIRACY c. which THEY JUMPE AS JUST TOGETHER IN AS IF BOTH WERE MADE OF ONE MOULD And is not this really verified of by sundry Puritan Anabaptists Independents some temporizing Presbyterians and by many Army-Officers Souldiers in late or present Power if they will but compare their last six yeers actions with the Jesuites O let them consider it seriously in the fear of God and lament it with the greatest grief of heart 3. The Jesuites without all question are more dangerous pernicicus and noysome to the Commonwealth of England and Scotland then the Puritans as having more singular fine wits amongst them and many learned men on their side whereas the Puritans have none but Grossum Caputs they many Gentiles Nobles and some Princes to side with them the Puritans but few of the first rare to have any of the second and none at all unless it be one of the last on their side And so by consequent IF MATTERS COME TO HEARING HAMMERING AND HANDLING BETWIXT THE JESUITES AND PURITANS THE LATER ARE SURE TO BE RIDDEN LIKE FOOLS AND COME TO WRACK And whether they have not been ridden outwitted wracked by the Jesuites plots wits wiles instruments both in their late Councels Innovations of Government Forcible dissolutions subversions of Parliaments Laws Liberties Anomalous Proceedings Designs let our late dis-housed dis-mounted Puritan Grandees and Statizers of all sorts determine at their leisure and let those in present Power take heed they be not ridden by them too like fools as well as their Predecessors yea wracked by them at the last when they have served those turns for which they set them up on horse-back for to ride to death our Kings Parliaments Kingdomes and utterly consume devour them with our Ministers Tythes Glebes Universitie Colledge Lands by Monthly endless Taxes Excises and a perpetual Law Tythe-oppugning Army It is worthy observation that Thomas Campanella prescribed the sowing and continual nourishing of Divisions Dissentions Discords Sects and Schismes among us both in State and Church by the Machavilian Plots and Policies he suggests punctually prosecuted among us of late yeers as the principal means to weaken ruine both our Nation and Religion and bring us under the Spanish and Popish yokes at last witness his JAM VERO AD ENERVANDOS ANGLOS NIHIL TAM CONDUCIT â—UAM DISSENTIO ET DISCORDIA INTER ILLOS EXCITATA PERPETUOQUE NUTRITA Quod cito meliores occasiones suppeditabit and that principally by instigating the Nobles and chief Men of the Parliament of England UT ANGLIAM IN FORMAM REIPUBLICAE REDUCANT AD IMITATIONEM HOLLANDORUM which our Reipublicans lately did by the power of the Army Officers or by sowing the seeds of an inexplicable war between England and Scotland BY MAKING IT AN ELECTIVE KINGDOM as some now endeavour under another Notion or by setting up OTHER KINGS of another Race or by dividing us into many Kingdoms or Reipublicks distinct one from another and by sowing the seeds of Schismes and making alterations and innovations in all Arts Sciences and our Religion The old Plots of Campanella Parsons and late designs of Cardinal Richelieu and the Pope Spaniard Jesuites to undo subvert our Churches Kings Kingdoms and Religion as the marginal Authors irrefragably evidence all visibly set on foot yea openly pursued and in a great measure accomplished by some late nay present Grandees and Army-Officers who cry up themselves for our greatest Patrons Preservers Deliverers and Anti-Jesuites when they have rather been but the Jesuites Popes Spaniards and other Forraign enemies instruments and factors in all the late changes new-models of our Government Parliaments pretended reformations of our laws and Religion through inadvertency circumvention or self-ended respects as many wise and godly men justly fear Certainly whoever shall seriously ponder the premises with these passages in William Watsons Quodlibets concerning the Jesuites 1. That some of the Jesuites society have insinuated themselves into all the Princes Courts of Christendom where some of their Intelligencers reside and set up a secret counsel of purpose to receive and give intelligence to their General at Rome of the secrets of their Soveraignes and of all occurrents in those parts of the world which they dispatch to and fro by such cyphers which are to themselves best but commonly onely to themselves known SO THAT NOTHING IS DONE IN ENGLAND BUT IT IS KNOWN AT ROME WITHIN A MONTH AFTER AT LEAST AND REPLY MADE BACK AS OCCASION IS OFFERED to the consequent overthrow of their own natural Country of England and their native Prince and Realms by their unnatural Treasons against them that so the Jesuites might be those long gownes which should reign and govern the Island of Great Brittain 2. That the Jesuites hope and endeavour to have England Scotland and Ireland under them to make these Northern Islands a JAPONIAN ISLAND OF JESUITES and one JESUITICAL MONARCHY and to infeoffe themselves by hook or by crook IN THE WHOLE IMPERIAL DOMIMIONS OF GRAT BRITAIN with the remainder over TO THEIR CORPORATION or puni-Fathers succeeding them as heirs specially in their society by a state of perpetuity PUTTING ALL THE WHOLE BLOOD ROYAL OE ENGLAND TO THE FORMIDON AS BUT HEIRS GENERAL IN ONE PREDICAMENT together 3. That the Jesuites have Magistracy Kings Magistrates Ministers Priesthood
Representative body of the whole Kingdome since dissolved by the Army is a Faction of Malignant Schismaticall ambitious Persons whose DESIGNE IS AND ALWAYES HATH BEEN TO ALTER THE WHOLE FRAME OF GOVERNMENT BOTH OF CHURCH AND STATE AND TO SUBJECT BOTH KING AND PEOPLE TO THEIR OWN LAWâ—ESSE â—â—BITRARY POWER AND GOVERNMENT and that they DESIGNE THE RUINE OF HIS MAJESTIES PERSON and OF MONARCHY IT SELF and consequently that they are TRAITORS â—nd all the Kingdome with them for 〈◊〉 act is the act of the whole Kingdome And whether their punishment and ruine may not also INVOLVE THE WHOLE KINGDOME IN CONCLUSION AND REDUâ—â—â— INTO THE CONDITION OF A CONQUERED NATION as some ARMY-OFFICERS and SOULDIERS openly averred we are now reduced to by and under them NO MAN CAN TELL BVT EXPERIENCE SHEWETH Vâ— and now we finde it most true in the ARMY-OFFICERS COUNCELL SOULDIERS THAT SVCCESSE OFTEN DRAWS MEN NOT ONELY BEYOND THEIR PROFESSION but also many times beyond their first intentions Surely as the Armies and their Confederates late proceedings in relation to themselves though not unto the forced dismembred dissolved Parliament and secured Members have fully verified this charge in every particular then reputed most false and scandalous which I thus press upon their consciences at this time and so largely insist on not to defame or asperse them to the world but to vindicate the Innocency Integrity of the Majority and secluded Members of both Houses against the scandalous printed aspersions of Militiere and other Papists to preserve and justifie the Honour of our Reformed Religion and of the most zealous Professors thereof to restore re-establish if possible the Priviledges the Freedom of all Future Parliaments much impaired endangered by their heady violent Proceedings to convince them by what Jesuitical Popish old Court-Principles Counsels Practises they have hitherto been mis-guided and to reclaim them as much as in me lieth for the future from the like destructive Practises for the publick Safety Peace Settlement of our distracted Kingdoms and do most earnestly beseech them as they are English men Souldiers Christians seriously to repent of and lay to heart lest they perish eternally for them at last So the Army-Officers Souldiers Great Successes in all their Wars Designs and forcible Proceedings against the King Parliament Kingdom Government Laws and Liberties as it hath caused them not onely beyond their Professions but also beyond their first Intentions Commissions Protestations to forget that Gospel-Precept given to Souldiers Luke 3. 14. to advance themselves to a more absolute Soveraign arbitrary Power over them then ever any Kings of England claimed or pretended to as their late Proceedings Remonstrances and transcendent Instrument of the Government of the three Kingdoms manifest so it hath been the principal Ground whereby they have justified all their unpresidented forementioned Exhoâ—bitances as lawful commendable Christian and that which hath struck such a stupyfying pannick fear such a stupendious cowardize baseness sottishness into the Generality of the Nobility Gentry Ministery and Commons of our late most heroick English Nation that there is scarce a man to be found throughout the Realm of any Eminency though we should seek after him like Diogenes with a Candle that dares freely open his mouth against the most irregular illegal violent destructive arbitrary Proceedings Usurpations Innovations Oppressions Taxes Projects to the shaking and utter subverting of our ancient Fundamental Laws Liberties Rights Properties Parliaments Parliamentary Priviledges Government and taking away of the very Lives of some and thereby endangering the Lives of all other English Freemen of all Degrees in mischristened High Courts of Justice Such a strange Charm is there in Success alone to metamorphise Men into meer temporizing slavish sordid sotts and beasts yea to cause not onely persons truly honourable but the very Devil himself and the worst of beasts to be wondred after applauded adored not onely as Saints but Gods We read Rev. 13. of a Monstrous deformed BEAST to whom the Dragon the Devil gave his Power Seat and Great Authority whereupon all the world wondred after the Beast and worshipped not onely the Dragon that gave him power but the Beast likewise saying Who is like unto the Beast WHO IS ABLE TO MAKE WAR WITH HIM And there was given unto him a Mouth speaking Great things and blasphemies and power was given him to continue and make war forty and two months And power was given unto him to make war with the SAINTS AND TO OVERCOME THEM and power was given him over all Kindreds and Tongues and Nations And HEREUPON IT FOLLOWS all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him whose names are not written in the Lambes Book of Life And another Beast under him caused the earth and all that dwell therein to set up the Image of this Beast and to worship it and he caused all both small and great rich and poor free and bond to receive the mark of the Beast in their right hand and in their foreheads and none might buy or sell but he that had this mark and as many as would not worship this Beasts Image were ordered to be killed Yet this Blasphemous Beasts reign and power continued but twenty four Months Rev. 13. 5. This Beast in the height of his Power and Victories was by God himself threatned to go into captivity and be killed with the Sword as he had led others into captivity and killed them with the Sword ver 10. All his followers and worshippers shall soon after drink of the wine of Gods wrath and be tormented with fire and brimstone c. Rev. 14 9 10 11. The Saints at last shall get this victory over the Beast Rev. 15. 2. And the Beast himself notwithstanding all his former Victories Friends and great Armies was at last taken and his false Prophet with him and were both cast alive into a lake burning with fire and brimstone and all his Forces were slain with the Sword and the fowls were filled with their flesh Rev. 19. 19 20 21. From which Texts I have frequently silenced confounded some of our conquering Army-Officers and Souldiers whiles prisoner under them when they were vapouring of their Great Victories Successes and concluding from thence both their Saintship and the Goodness of their Actions saying oft-times like the Beasts followers here Who is able to make war with us And that with these genuine deductions from these Texts which they could not reply against worthy all Souldiers their saddest meditations 1. That God may nay oft-times doth give great power to the very worst and most blasphemous of all Men and Beasts that not only over one or two but many Tongues Nations as in this Text and Dan. 7. 3 to 29. c. 8. 4. to 27. 2. That such Beasts many times may and do not onely make war with but even overcome the very Saints themselves in battel as the Babylonians Assyrians and other ungodly Beasts did the Israelites Gods own Saints and People Psa
Prynne A Legall and Historicall Vindication of the Fundamentall Rights and Laws of England CHAP. III. I Have in the two precedent Chapters fully proved That the Kingdome and Freemen of England have some antient hereditary just Rights Liberties Franchises Laws and Customes properly called Fundamentall together with a Fundamentall Government no wayes to bealtered undermined subverted directly or indirectly to the publick prejudice underpain of high Treason in those who shall attempt it especially by fraud force or armed power and given you likewise the heads of the chiefest of them in X brief Propositions I shall now in the third place proceed in a Chronologicall way to present you with a large Historicall Catalogue of the severall Nationall Parliamentall Legall Martiall publick and private contests great Charters Lawes Statutes Votes Declarations Remonstrances Claimes Records Evidences Writs Oathes Vowes Protestations Covenants Excommunications Confirmations Judgments Resolutions and principall Authorities in all ages both under the antient Britons Saxons Danes Normans and English Kings till our present times plentifully undeniably evidencing declaring vindicating asserting establishing perpetuating these Fundamentall Hereditary Rights Liberties Priviledges Franchises Customes Lawes and abundantly manifesting the extraordinary zeal courage wisdome and vigilancie of our Ancestors to defend preserve and perpetuate them to posterity without the least violation or diminâ—tion I shall begin with the highest Antiquities extant in our Histories pertinent to my Theame and so descend to those of punier times relating all of them for the most part except here and there where the identity of the subject matter and desire of brevity occasion me to vary somewhat from this intended method according to their Antiquity and Chronologicall series of time referring such particulars of them as relate to each of the forementioned X. Propositions in the second Chapter only with figures in the margin designing the severall Propositions unto which they have more immediate reference without reducing these Historicall Collections to distinct heads under every Proposition in order as I have proposed them which course would have interrupted my Chronologicall Method and caused a frequent repetition of sundry passages Charters Acts Oathes Records relating to severall of these Propositions for the most part not to one of them alone which I shall now avoid by affixing the number of single Proposition whereunto they refer in the margin eachwherewith the Reader may easily compare them with more delight and as much satisfaction as if I had marshalled them all in rank and file under those distinct Propositions whereunto they have relation As for those Historicall passages which contain the severall publick Parliamentall or Martiall contests of our Ancestors with their Kings and other invading Nations for their Liberties Rights Laws Customes and great Charters in the generall I have annexed no figures unto them every of them for the most part referring to all or most of these Propositions in grosse though not particularly specified in these contestations for them And because I intend for the better confirmation of our antient Fundamentall Liberties Priviledges Freedomes Rights Lawes Government and greater benefit of Posterity briefly to passe through the severall successive Reigns and Dominions of the Britons Romans Saxons Danes Normans as well as of our English Kings since the Conquest as we usually style it whereon I shall principally insist as of greatest nearest concernment to us of this generation I shall for order sake divide this Chapter into distinct Sections the rather because the largenesse of it may occasion the Stationer to publish it as he did the two first Chapters in severall parts as they shall be Printed the compleating of the whole requiring longer time in respect of my remotenesse from the Presse and the largenesse thereof then the present usefulnesse of each part and the longing desires of some Readers after it would willingly allow for its publication in one whole volume which every mans purse who desires it cannot so easily purchase in these necessitous times as it may do in parcels SECTION I. Concerning the Ancient Britons contests for their Liberties and Lawes against Tyrants and Invaders of their Fundamentall Government Rights and of their great Councels till the Romans Couquest IT is agreed by all our Historians that the Britons were the originall known Inhabitants of this Iland from whom it was stiled Britain but from what forrain Nations the Britons descended our Antiquaries differ in opinion our later writers herein dissenting from those of former ages with whom I must begin Most of our antient Historians and the whole famous Parliament held at Lincolne Anno 28 E. 1. in the learned Letter therein compiled and agreed to be sent by the King to Pope Boniface to prove the subjection and homage of the Kingdome and Kings of Scotland from time to time to the Kings of England Iure Dominii as Supreme Lords thereof by Historicall precedents in former ages collected out of all Histories and Records then extant unanimously record That the Britons originally descended from the Trojans that they arrived here in Britain about the dayes of Ely the Priest under Brute their first King who divided it at his death into three distinct parts and Kingdomes between his three Sons leaving that part thereof now called England then Loegria to Loerinus his eldest Son and his Heirs as an hereditary not elective Kingdome according to the custome of the Trojans Petebal enim Troana consuetudo ut dignitas Hereditatis primogenito perbeniâ—et as our Historians and that whole Parliament of 28 E. 1. resolve So that an Hereditary Kingdome and Monarchicall Government by Kings was the originall Fundamentall Government setled in this Iland by Brute and that as well in those parts thereof since called Scotland and Wales as England which all our Historians asserting this originall of the Britons unanimously attest with that answer which Diana gave unto Brute before his arrivall in Britain when she directed him to come and seat himself therein further evidenceth if we may give any credit hereunto Brute sub occasu Solis trans Gallica Regna Insula in Oceano est undique clausa mari Insula in Oceano est habitata Gigantibus olim Nunc deserta quidem Gentibus apta tuis Hanc pete namque tibi sedes erit illa perennis Hic fiet natis altera Troja tuis Hic de prole tua reges nascentur ipsis Totius terrae subditus orbis erit With this concurreth the more authentick testimony of Cornelius Tacitus The Britons heretofore were governed by Kings now they are divided by petty Princes into Parties and Factions with that of Pomponius Mela Britain bringeth forth Nations and Kings of Nations The very first act that made their first King Brute most famous before his arrivall in Britain was his delivering of 7000 Trojans his native Countrymen with their wives and children from their Servitude and Bondage under King Pandrasus and the Graecians whom he vanquished and took Prisoner in Battle
COMMON-WEALTH lest perhaps he might infect others or by his example or command turn them from the faith And that the Kingdom of such an Heretick or Prince is to be bestowed at the pleasure of the Pope with whom the people UPON PAIN OF DAMNATION ARE TO TAKE PART AND FIGHT AGAINST THEIR SOVERAIGN Out of which detestable treasonable Conclusions most Treasons and Rebellions of late times have risen in the Christian World and the first smoke of the Gunpowder Treason too as Iohn Speed observes in his History of Great Britaine p. 1250. 2. That the Iesuites have frequently put these treasonable Seditious Antimonarchical Jesuitical damnable Doctrines into practice as well against some Popish as against Protestant King Queen Princes States which they manifest 1. By their poysoning Ione Queen of Navarre with a pair of deadly perfumed Gloves onely for favouring the Protestants in France Anno 1572. 2. By their suborning and animating Iames Clement a Dominical Frier to stab King Henry the 3 of France in the belly with a poysoned Knife whereof he presently died Anno 1589. for which they promised this Traytor a Saintship in heaven 3. By Cammoles the Jesuites publick justification of this Clement in a Sermon at Paris Anno 1593. wherein he not onely extolled him above all the Saints for his Treason against and murder of Henry the 3. but broke out likewise into this further Exclamation to the people We ought to have some Ehud whether it be A MONKE or A SOULDIER or a Varlet or at least a Câ—w-herd For it is necessary that at least we should have some Ehud This ONE THING ONELY YET REMAINS BEHINDE FOR THEN WE SHALL COMPOSE ALL OUR AFFAIRS VERY WELL AND AT LAST BRING THEM TO A DESIRED END Whereupon by the Jesuites instigation the same year 1593. one Peter Bariere undertook the assasination of King Henry the 4 of France which being prevented and he executed thereupon they suborned and enjoyned one of their own Jesuitical Disciples John Castle a youth of 19 yeers old to destroy this King who on the 27 of December 1594. intending to stab him to the heart missing his aim wounded him onely in the cheek and stroke out one of his Teeth for which Treasonable Act he was justified applauded as a renowned Saint and Martyr by the Jesuites in a printed Book or two published in commendation of this his undertaking Yea Alexander Hay a Jesuite privy to Castle 's villany used to say That if King Henry the 4. should pass by their Colledge which he built for them he would willingly cast himself out of his window headlong upon him so as he might break the King's neck though thereby he brake his own Yet was he punished onely with perpetual banishment After which Jesuitical conspiracies detected and prevented notwithstanding this King Henry before these two attempts to murder him had by their sollicitations renounced the Protestant Religion professed himself a zealous Romanist recalled the Iesuites formerly banished for the murther of Henry the 3. against his Parliament and Counsels advice reversed all the Decrees of Parliament against them razed the publick Pillar set up in Paris as a lasting Monument of their Treasons and Conspiracies built them a magnificent Colledge in Paris endowed it with a very large revenue entertained Pere Cotton one of their Society for his Confessor who revealed all his Secrets to the King of Spain bequeathed a large Legacy of Plate and Lands to their Society by his will and was extraordinary bountiful and favourable towards them yet these bloody ingrateful villains animated that desperate wretch Ravilliac to stab him to death in the open street in Paris Anno 1610. Albigni the Iesuite being privy to this murder before it was perpetrated 4. By their suborning instigating sundry bloody instruments one after another to murder William Prince of Orange prevented in their attempts by Gods providence till at last they procured one Balthasar Gerard to shoot him to death with a Pistol charged with three Bullets the Iesuites promising him no less then HEAVEN AND A CANONIZATION AMONG THE SAINTS AND MARTYRS for this bloody Treason as they did to Iames Clement before for murdering the French King 5. By their poysoning of Stephen Botzkay Prince of Transylvania for opposing their bloody persecutions 6. By their manifold bloody Plots and Attempts from time to time to depose murder stab poyson destroy our famous Protestant Queen Elizabeth by open Insurrections Rebellions Invasions Wars raised against her both in England and Ireland and by intestine clandestine Conjurations from which Gods ever-waking Providence did preserve her Amongst other Conspiracies that of Patrik Cullen an Irish Frier hired by the Iesuits and their Agents to kill the Queen is observable Holt the Iesuite who perswaded him to undertake the murdering of her told him that it was not onely Lawful by the Laws but THAT HE SHOULD MERIT GODS FAVOUR AND HEAVEN BY IT and thereupon gave him remission of all his sins and the Eucharist to encourage him in this Treason the chief ground whereof and of all their other Treasons against this Queen was thus openly expressed by Iaquis Francis for Cullens further encouragement THAT THE REALM OF ENGLAND THEN WAS AND WOULD BE SO WELL SETLED that unless Mistris Elizabeth so he termed his Dread Soveraign though but a base Landress Son were suddenly taken away ALL THE DEVILS IN HELL WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PREVAIL TO SHAKE AND OVETURN IT Which then it seems they principally endeavoured and oft times since attempted and have now at last effected by those who conceit they demerit the Title of Saints though not in a Romish Calender and no less then Heaven for shaking overturning and making it No Kingdom 7. By their Conspiracy against King Iames to deprive him of his Right to the Crown of England imprison or destroy his person raise Rebellion alter Religion and SUBVERT THE STATE AND GOVERNMENT by vertue of Pope Clement the 8. his Bull directed to Henry Garnet Superiour of the Iesuites in England whereby he commanded all the Archpriests Priests Popish Clergy Peers Nobles and Catholikes of England That after the death of Queen Elizabeth by the course of Nature or otherwise whosoever should lay claim or title to the Crown of England though never so directly or neerly interessed by descent should not be admitted unto the Throne unless he would first tolerate the Romish Religion and by his best endeavours promote the Catholick cause unto which by his Solemn and Sacred Oath he should religiously subscribe after the death of that miserable woman as he stiled Queen Elizabeth By vertue of which Bull the Iesuites after her decease disswaded the Romish-minded Subjects from yielding in any wise obedience to King Iames as their Soveraign and entred into a Treasonable Conspiracy with the Lord Cobham Lord Gray and others against him to imprison him for the ends aforesaid or destroy him pretending that King
COMMON LAW MUST BE WHOLLY ANNIHILATED ABOLISHED AND TRODEN DOWN UNDER FOOT and Caesars civil Imperials brought amongst us and sway for a time in their places All whatsoever England yields being but base barbarous and void of all sence knowledge or discretion shewed in the first Founders and Legifers and on the other side ALL WHATSOEVER IS OR SHALL BE BROUGHT IN BY THESE Out-casts of Moses stain of Solon and refuse of Lycurgus must be reputed for METAPHYSICAL SEMI-DIVINE AND OF MORE EXCELLENCY THEN THE OTHER WERE Which he thus seconds Quodlibet 9. Artic. 2. p. 286. First it is plain that Father Parsons and his Company divide it amongst them how they list HAVE LAID A PLOT as being most consonant and fitting for their other Designments THAT THE COMMON LAWS OF THE REALM OF ENGLAND MUST BE forsooth EITHER ABOLISHED UTTERLY or else BEAR NO GREATER SWAY IN THE REALM THEN THE CIVIL LAW DOTH And THE CHIEF REASON IS FOR THAT THE STATE OF THE CROWN AND KINGDOM BY THE COMMON LAWS IS SO STRONGLY SETLED AS WHILST THEY CONTINUE THE JESUITES SEE NOT HOW THEY CAN WORK THEIR WILLS And on the other side in the civil Laws they think they have some shreds whereby they may patch a cloke together to cover a bloody shew of their Treasons for the present from the eyes of the vulgar people Secondly the said good Father hath set down a course how every Man MAY SHAKE OFF ALL AUTHORITY AT THEIR PLEASURES as if he would become A NEW ANABAPTIST or KING JOHN OF LEYDON to draw all the World into Mutiny Rebellion and Combustion And the Stratagem is how the Common people may be inveigled and seduced TO CONCEIT TO THEMSELVES SUCH A LIBERTY OR PREROGATIVE AS THAT IT MAY BE LAWFUL FOR THEM WHEN THEY THINK MEET TO PLACE AND DISPLACE KINGS AND PRINCES as men do their Tenants at will hirelings or ordinary Servants Which ANABAPTISTICAL AND ABOMINABLE DOCTRINE proceeded from a turbulent Tribe of Trayterous Puritanes and other Hereticks this TREACHEROUS JESUITE WOULD NOW FOIST INTO THE CATHOLICK CHURCH as a ground of his corrupt Divinity And p. 330 332. He intends TO ALTER AND CHANGE ALL LAWS CUSTOMES AND ORDERS of this noble Isle He hath prejudiced the Law of Property in instituting Government Governours and Hereditary Princes to be AD BENE-PLACITUM POPULI and all other private possessions AD BENE-PLACITUM SUI c. Whether any such new deep Jesuitical Court of Parliament and high Court of Reformation for England to carry on this old Design of the Jesuites against our Laws hath been of late yeers sitting amongst us in or neer Westminster or elsewhere in secret Counsel every week as divers intelligent Protestants have informed me Hugh Peters reported to divers on his own knowledge being well acquainted with their Persons and Practises of late yeers it concerns others neerer to them and more able then I to examine Sure I am a Greater man by far then Hugh Peters in an Assembly of Divines and others for reconciling all dissenting parties not long since averred to them on his own knowledge That during our late innovations distractions subversions in Church State and overturning of Laws and Government the Common adversary hath taken many advantages to effect his designs thereby IN CIVIL AND SPIRITUAL RESPECTS That HE KNEW VERY WELL that EMISSARIES OF THE JESUITES NEVER CAME OVER IN THOSE SWARMES AS THEY HAVE DONE SINCE THESE THINGS WERE SET ON FOOT That DIVERS GENTLEMEN COULD BEAR WITNESS WITH HIM That they had a CONSISTORY AND COUNCIL ABROAD THAT RULES ALL THE AFFAIRS OF THE THINGS IN ENGLAND That they had fixed in England in the limits of most Cathedrals of which he was able to produce the PARTICULAR INSTRUMENT an Episcopal power with Archdeacons and other persons to pervert and deceive the people And all this whiles we were in this sad and deplorable distracted condition Yea most certain it is that many hundreds if not some thousands of them within these few yeers have been sent over from Forraign Seminaries into England under the disguises of converted Jews Physitians Chirurgions Mechanicks of all sorts Merchants Factors Travellers Souldiers and some of them particularly into the Army as appears by the late printed Examination of Ramsey the Anabaptized New-dipped Jesuite under the mask of a Jewish convert taken at New-Castle in June 1653. and by sundry several instances I could name To pretermit all instances of particular Jesuites within these few yeers yea months come over and discovered in England by persons of credit I shall for brevity acquaint you onely with one discovering what swarms are now amongst us under other disguises An English Protestant Nobleman a person of honour whose Ancestors were Papists being courteously entertained within these two yeers in the Jesuites chief Colledge at Rome by some eminent Jesuites was brought by them into a Gallery having Chambers round about it with Titles written over every door for several Kingdoms and Provinces and amongst the rest one for ENGLAND Upon which he enquiring of the Jesuites what these titles signified was answered by them That they were the Chambers of the Provincial Jesuites of each kingdom and Province written over the respective doors wherein they had any members and Emissaries of their society now residing who received all Letters of intelligence from their Agents in those places every week and gave account of them to the General of their Order That the Provincial for England lodged in the Chamber over which the title ENGLAND was written who could shew him the last news from England if he desired to see it Upon which they knocked at the door which was presently opened the Provincial being informed who and what he was read the last news from England to them Hereupon the Nobleman demanded of them Whether any of their society were now in England how they could stay there with safety or support themselves seeing most of the English Nobility Gentry and Families that were Papists were ruined in their states or sequestred by the late wars and troubles so as they could neither harbour conceal or maintain them as they had done heretofore They answered It was true but the greater the dangers and difficulties of those of their society now in England were the greater was their merit And that THEY HAD THEN ABOVE FIFTEEN HUNDRED OF THEIR SOCIETY IN ENGLAND ABLE TO WORK IN SEVERAL PROFESSIONS AND TRADES which they HAD THERE TAKEN UPON THEM THE BETTER TO SUPPORT AND SECURE THEMSELVES FROM BEING DISCOVERED This Relation I have heard from the mouth of a Reverend Divine more then once to whom this Noble Lord upon his return into England not many Months since seriously related the Premises averring the truth of them upon his Honour Yet for all this since the stupendious pretended repeals and annihilations of the Oaths and Allegiance and that of Abjuration of Popery consented to by the late King in the Isle of Wihgt purposely made for the better
of late here objected against the Kings Jesuiticall and Popish ill Counsellors And whosoever will peruse the severall Speeches and Declarations made upon the breaking up of former Parliaments since the beginning of his Majesties Raign will find the pretences of those unjust and illegall Dissolutions to be grounded upon the exceptions against some particular Members under the name of A few factious and seditious persons so that the aspersing and wounding of the Parliament through the sides of a few Members is no new invention And hath not this been the very Army officers practice since the first year of their reigne till now to wound the last real parliament yea their own lare dissolved Mock parliaments since though the sides of a few corrupt Members or a corrupt Maiority in the House as all their printed Declarations upon their dissolutions attest And is this then no crime or no Jesuiticall practise in them though such in the late King and his ill Counsellors And for the satisfaction of all indifferent men that this war is raised against the parliament wee shall refer them to former Declarations issued out in his Maiesties name being so many invectives and groundless accusations not against particular Members only but against the Vote and proceedings of both Houses And are not many of the Armies Declarations in 1647. and 16â—â— yea the late pamphlet of some present Grandees 〈◊〉 A True State of the Case of the Commonwealth of England printed 1654. Such let them now then see whence they took their pattern even from the beheaded Kings Iesuited evill Counsellors whose steps they exactly trace in this But if the truth were as that Declaration seems to imply That this Army is raised to force some particular Members of this parliament to be delivered up yet upon that ground would it follow that the same is levied against the Parliament For it cannot be denyed by any ingenious man but that the Parliament by their inherent rights and priviledges hath the power to judge and punish their own Members yet the Army officers took upon them to secure seclude them without charge and their future new minded parliament Members though only elected by the people must be trye à iudged by the new Whitehall Members ere they can be admitted to sit Article 21. of the New Government And we have often declared to his his Majestie and the world That we are alwaies ready to receive any evidence or accusations against any of them and to judge and punish them according to their demerits yet hitherto no evidence produced no Accuser appearing And yet notwithstanding to raise an Army to compel the parliament to expose those Members to the fury of those wicked Counsellors that thirst for nothing more then the ruin of them and the Commonwealth What can be more evident then that the same is levied against the Parliament For did they prevaile in this then by the same reason pray observe it They might demand twenty more and never rest satisfied until their malice and Tyrany did devour all those Members they found cross and opposite to their lewd and wicked designs And was not this the practice of the Army-officers who levied a reall actuall Warre against the parliament They first impeached secluded XI Members of the Commons house and some Lords soon after An 1647. then they secured imprisoned my self with 44. Members more and secluded the greatest part of the Commons House leaving not above 50. or 60. at first sitting who confederated with them in December 1648. within two moneths after this they beheaded the King then suppressed the whole Lords House to carry on their designs since acted At last they dissolved their own Mock Parliaments when they crossed their ambitious aspires What they did in September last since this was first penned to those now sitting is fresh in memory Touching the priviledges of Parliament which the contrivers of that Declaration in his Majesties name and the Contrivers of sundry Declarations since in the armies name who imitated them herein seem to be so tender of and to profess all conformity unto and deny this army to be raised in any degree to violate we shall appeale to the judgment of any indifferent man how little truth is contained in this their assertion or in the Army Officers printed papers to the same effect The Parliament is to be considered in three severall respects First as a Council to advise Secondly As a Court to judg 3. As it is the body representative of the whole kingdome to make repeal or alter lawes whether the Paarliament hath enjoyed its priviledges in any of these respects under the Army Officers and powers as wel as late King let any that hath eyes open judg For the first Wee dare appeal even to the Consciences of the Contrivers themselves and to the consciences of the Army-Officers Souldiers and Whitehall men themselves whether matters of the highest importance witness all the publike proceedings against the late Parliament King Peers Government the warrs with Scotland Holland their new Magna Charta repealing the old entituled The Government of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland wherein they take upon upon them such an Omnipotent Soveraign power as To pass a decree upon the waveting humors of the people and to say to this nation yea to Scotland and Ireland too As the almighty himself said once to the unruly Sea Here shall be thy bounds hitherto shalt thou come and no further as ome most arrogantly if not blasphemously publish in print to all the world in their True State of the Case of the Common-wealth p. 34. Their making of new binding Laws and Ordinances repealing old Laws and Statutes in and by pretext of this Instrument out of Parliament as their manifold VVhit-hal Folio new Edicts amounting to near 700 pages attest have not been agitated and determined in and by the Armie-Officers General-Councel and other unparliamentary Juncto's not onely without but even contrary to their Advice and Votes too and whether Private unknown Councels in the Army VVhite-hall and elswhere have not been hearkned unto approved and followed when the Faithfull and wholsome advice of the great Counsel hath been scorned and neglected by the Army Officers and their Confederates And 〈◊〉 can deny but it is one of the Principle ends why a 〈◊〉 called To Consult the great Affairs of the Church and State And what miserable effects and 〈…〉 neglect of the great Councell and preferring of unknown and private Councels before it hath proved let the present Distractions of this Kingdome bear witnesse with all the bloody unchristian VVars Taxes Oppressions Distractions since the Armies force upon the King Members Houses Anno 1647. and 1648. to this present time Concerning the Second it sufficiently appears by the making the Kings Court by the Force and Power of the Kings Army the Sanctuary and reâ—uge of All sorts of Delinquents against the Parliament and Kingdome and protecting
and defending them from the Justice thereof and by admitting such to bear places of great trust in the Army and to stand in defiance of the Parliament and the Authority thereof and it is not a far greater crime to make the Parliaments Army it self a Delinquent against the Parliament and Kingdome the fanctuary of such Delinquents against both and to continue such Officers in places of greatest trust in the Army who have levied actual war against the Parliament secluded secured members of Parliament kept divers years under their armed guards in defiance of the Parliament refusing to release them even when the Serjeant was sent from the House it self to demand the Members seised By all which it is apparent how our Priviledges have been torn from us by piece-meals from time to time And we might mention many passages whereby they were endeavoured to be pulled up by the root and totally subverted As the attempt to bring up the late Army from the North to force Conditions upon the Parliament His Majesties Letters and Commands to the Members of both Houses which found obedience in a great many to attend him at York and so By depriving the Parliament of their Members destroy the whole body And was not the actuall twice bringing up of the Parliaments own Army by the Army Officers against the Parliament it self to impeach secure some principall members of both Houses seclude the Majority of the Commons House suppresse the whole house of Lords break off the Preaty behead the King the Head of the Parliament against the Parliaments Votes alter the government force conditions on the Parliament it self to omit the 12 21 24 32 37 38 39. Articles of their New government with the secluding of all the Members lately admitted by Armed Souldiers till they took a New Engagement and keeping out all others a taking of the Priviledges of the Parliament from them all by whole-sale and a more desperate pulling up by the Roots and totall subversion of all the Priviledges and whole body of the Parliament then this objected against the Northern Army or the Kings Jesuiticall ill Councel VVhich is enough to prove the vanity of the Contrivers of that Declaration and of the Army Officers too to feed themselves with hope of beliefe That the Priviledges of Parliament are not Violated but intended to be preserved with all due observance Concerning the Allegation That the Army raised by the Parliament is to murder the KING oft alledged by the King and his Party in many printed PROCLAMATIONS Declarations before and after this here mentioned VVe hoped the Contrivers of that Declaration or any that professed but the name of a Christian could not have so little charity as to raise such a SCANDALL especially when they must needs know the Protestation taken by every member of both Houses and Army Officers too whereby they promise in the presence of Almighty God TO DEFEND HIS MAJESTIES PERSON The Promise and Protestation made by the Members of both Houses upon the nomination of the Earl of Essex to be Generall and to live and die with him wherein is expressed THAT THIS ARMY WAS RAISED FOR DEFENCE OF THE KINGS PERSON Our oft earnest and most humble Addresse to his Majesty to leave that desperate and dangerous Army c. A request inconsistent with any purpose to offer the least violence to His Person which hath and ever shall be dear unto us And concerning the imputation laid to our Charge of Raising this Army to Alter the whole Frame of Government and Established Laws of the Land which the King and his party frequently objected in print we shall need give no other Answer but this That the Army Raised by the Parliament is to no other end but for the Preservation of his Majesties Person to Defend themselves the Laws of the Land and the true Protestant Religion After which they there and elswhere conclude And by this time we doubt not but every man doth plainly discern through the Mask and Visard of their Hypocrisie what their the Kings ill Counsels design is To Subject both King and Parliament and Kingdome to their needy Ambitious and Avaritious Spirits and to the violent Laws Martial law of Governing the People by guards and by the Souldiers But alas for greife how superlatively have many of the Army Officers and their confederate members though parties to these Declarations and Protestations violated them and both Houses Faiths Trusts intentions ends in raising the Army in every of these particulars How have they verified justified the Kings Declarations Jealousies concerning the Parliaments Army in every point here and elswhere disclaimed by both Houses How have they exceeded out acted the Kings Jesuiticall Counsellers and most desperate Popish army in violating subverting both the Parliaments Priviledges Members and Parliaments themselves together with our Fundamentall Laws Liberties Government for whose preservation they were onely raised paid How have they pursued the Kings and his worst Counsellorsâ—ootsteps â—ootsteps in all the charges here objected against them by both Houses in relation to the Parliaments priviledges Members Constitution Rights Lawes to their utter Subversion dissolution and waged warre against them And doth not every man plainly discern through the Mask and Visard of their Hypocrisie to use both houses expressions that their designe is just the same with that here objected by the Parliament to the Kings ill Jesuited Counsellers and Popish army even to subject both King Parliament and Kingdome to their needy ambitious avaritious spirits and to the violent Laws marshall Law of Governing the people yea parliaments themselves by guards and by the Souldiers and By Conquest to establish an absolute and unlimited power over the Parliament and good subjects of this Kingdome as the Houses elsewhere thrice objected against the late King his Army and party being the very designe as many wisemen fear of the 27 Article of their new Government to settle a constant Annuall revenue for the maintenance of 20000 foot and 10000 Horse and Dragoones for the Defence and Security of England Scotland and Ireland O that they would now in the name and fear of God as they tender the eternal salvation of their souls the honour and priviledges of all future Parliaments the ease welfare settlement of our Nation Lay all this most seriously to their Hearts and make it a matter of their greatest lamentation and repentance Besides this have they not falsified that memorable late Declaration of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament Novemb. 2. 1642. in Answer to his Majesties well worthy perusall now and made good both for the time past and all succeeding Parliaments whiles there shal be any standing Army in England able to over power them all the odious scandalous positions in relation to the English Parliament its Members and priviledges deduced from the Kings Declaration onely by inference but disclaimed by the King summed up by them in the close
of that Remonstrance and published in these ensuing terms as will evidently appear if applied to the Army and their Generall Counsel of Officers by adding or exchanging their names onely for the Kings in a parenthesis 1. That the King the Army General and their Generall Councell of Officers when he pleaseth may declare the Major part of both Houses a faction of Malignant Schismatical and ambitious Persons so that all Parliaments that have been heretofore and SHALL BE HEREAFTER AND ALL LAWS MADE IN THEM may by this means be called in question at pleasure yea nulled and repealed for ever as some former parliaments have been when held and over-awed by armed power or unduly elected packed summoned without Lawfull Authority or some of the Members forcibly secluded as you may read at large in the Statutes of 21. R. 2 c. 11 12. 16 17 18. 1. H. 4. c. 3. 1 H. 4. Rot. Parl. n. 22 23 36 48 66 70 39 H. 6. c. 1. and 17 E. 4. c. 7. worthy the serious perusal of our present Grandees and all illegitimate Parliaments where they may read the fatall end of all new unparliamentary projects laws devices wherein many now so much glory as if they would continue firm for ever when as in a few years space they will all probably prove nullities be for ever reversed yea branded to posterity as most pernicious presidents 2. That his Majesty the Army and their Generall Councell may declare what is the known Law of the Land against the judgement of the Highest Court and consequently of all his Courts So that the safety and right of King and people and THE LAW IT SELF must deupon his Majesties the Armie Generall and their Councels pleasure 4. That as the King hath a property in his Town Forts and Kingdomes so he the Army and their Generall Councell may dispose of them as he pleaseth and the Representative body of the whole Kingdome may not intermedle in discharge of his Majesties the Armies Generalls Councels trust though by the advice of evill Councellers they see it diverted to the hazard of the publique peace and safety of the Kingdome 5. That his Majesty the Army General and their Councell or any other person may upon suggestions and prâ—tences of Treason Felony or breach of peace or of their Trusts a fourth Army new minted cause Take the Members of Parliament without giving satisfaction to the House whereof they are Members of the grounds of such suggestion or accusation and without and against their consent as in the case of the late secured secluded Members and their two Juncto's since so they may Dismember a Parliament when they please and make it what they will when they will 6. That whosoever shall follow the King Army Generall and their Councell in the wars against the Parliament though it were to destroy Laws Liberty Religion the Parliament it self and the whole kingdome yet he shall be free from all crime or punishment And that on the other side to oppose by force any such force though in the most legall way and by authority of the representative body of the whole kingdome is to leavy war against the King Army Generall and TREASON with in the Letter of 25. E. 3. or of their new Knacks since So our Lands Liberties Lives Religion and Laws themselves Whereby all the Rights both of King and people are due to them and preserved for them shall be at the sole will and pleasure of the Prince Army General and General Councel of Officers in their new High Courts of Injustice or other martiall Judicatories O consider consider seriously by these particulars to what a sad low despicable condition all English parliaments are now for ever reduced by the late Army practises violences and rebellions insolencies against them never to be parallel'd in any age which hath really verified this clause in the Declaration of both Houses Aug. 4. 1642. objected against the King and his popish Army in relation to themselves That if the King by his army may force this Parliament as the parliaments army both forced and dissolved it they may bid farewell to all Parliaments for ever receiving good by them and if parliaments be lost they the people are lost their Laws are lost as well those lately made as in former times All which will be cut in sunder with the same sword now drawn for the Distruction of this Parliament Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria about the year of our Lord 340. objected this as a great crime barbarisme cruelty and violation of the priviledges of Councels to the Arrian Emperour Constantine That whensoever he called a Councel or Assembly of Bishops it was but for a shew For he would not permit them to be guided by the ecclesiasticall Canont but his will alone must be their onely Canon And when they advised him not to subvert the ecclesiasticall order nor bring the Arrian Heresie into the Church of God he would neither hear nor permit them to speak freely but grievously bending his brows for they had spoken crosse to his designes and shaking his sword at them commanded them to be taken away Whereupon he thus infers What Liberty for perswasion or place for advice is there left when he that contradicteth shal for his labour lose either his life or his Country VVhy hath the Emperour gathered so great a number of Bishops partly terrified with threats partly inticed with promises to condescend that they will not communicate with Athanasius And Hilary Bishop of Poictou An. 360. in his first Book against this Tyrannical Arrian Emperours Constantius thus censures his violent proceedings of this kinde to the subversion of the freedom and priviledge of Councils and their members Thou gatherest COVNCILS and when they be shut up together in one City thou TERRIFIEST THEM WITH THREATS as the Army Officers did the secluded members 6 and 7 Decemb. 1648 when they shut them up all night in Hell on the bare boards without beds in the cold and kept them fasting all the next day at Whit-Hall till 7 a clock at night thou pinest them with hunger thou lamest them with cold thou depravest them with Dissembling O thou wicked one what a mockery dost thou make of the Church and Councels Onely Dogs return to their vomit and thou compellest the priests of Christ to sup up those things which they have disgorged and commandest them in their confessions to allow that WHICH BEFORE THEY CONDEMNED what Bishops hand hast thou left innocent What tongue hast thou not forced to falshood Whose heart hast thou not brought to the condemning of his former opinion Thou hast subjected all to thy will yea to thy violence And have not some swaying Army Officers by their frowns menaces frauds open force upon the Parliament and its members beyond all the presidents in any ages done the like and exceeded this Arrian Tyrant And is it not then high time for all friends to Parliaments to protest and provide
against such detestable treasonable violences for the future destructive to all Parliaments if permitted or silently pretermitted without question censure righting of the imprisoned members or any provision to redresse it for the future Our prudent Ancestors were so carefull to prevent all violence force arms and armed men in or near any places where Parliaments were held to terrifie over Qaw or disturb their proceedings or members That in the Parliament of 7 E. 1. as you may read in Rastals Abridgement Armour 1. Provision was made by the King by common consent of the Prelates Earls and Barons by a geciall act That in all Parliaments Treaties and other Assemblies which should be made in the Realm of England FOR EVER every man shall come without Force and withour Armour well and Peaceably to the honour of the King and of the peace of him and of his Realm and they together with the Commonalty of the Realm upon solemne advise declared That it belonged to the King and his part it is by his Royal Signiory strictly to defend wearing of Armour and all other Force against his peace at all time when it shall please him especially at such times and in places where such Parliaments Treaties and Assemblies are held and to punish them which shall do contrary according to the Laws and usage of the Realm And hereunto they are bound to old the King as their Soveraign Lord at all seasons when need shall be Hereupon our Kings ever since this statute by virtue thereof and by the Law and Custome of the PARLIAMENT as Sr. Edward Cook in his 4 Institutes c. 1. p. 14. informs us did at the beginning of every Parliament make a speciall Proclamation prohibiting the bearing of arms or weapons in or neere the places where the Parliament sat under pain of forfeiting all they had Of which there are sundry presidents cited by St. Edward Cook in his Margin whereof I shall transcribe but one which he omits and that is 6. E. 3. Rot. Parliament n. 2. 3. Because that before these dayes at the Parliaments and Councels of our Lord the King Debates Riots and commotions have risen been moved for that people have come to the places where Parliaments have been summoned and Assembled Armed with privy cotes of plate spears swords long knives or daggers and other sort of arms by which the businesses of our Lord the King and his Realm have been impeached and the great men which have come thither by his Command have been affrighted Our Lord the King willing to provide remedy against such mischiefs defendeth that no man of what estate or condition soever he be upon pain of Forfeiting all that he may forfeit to the King shall be seen armed with a Coat of Male nor yet of plate nor with an Halberd nor with a speare nor sword nor long knife nor any other suspicious arms within the City of LONDON nor within the Suburbs thereof nor any place neer the said City nor yet within the Palace of WESTMINSTER or any place neere the said Palace by Land or Water under the foresaid pain except onely such of the kings men as he shall depute or by his command shall be deputed to keep the peace within the said places and also except the Kings servants according to the Staâ—ute of Northampton And it is not the intention of our Lord the King that any Earle or Baron may not have his Lance brought to him in any place but onely in the Kings Presence and in the place of Councell The like Proclamations were made in the beginning of the Parliaments of 9. 13 17 18 20 25. Ed 3. and sundry others more necessary to be revived in all succeeding English Parliaments now then ever heretofore since the unpresidented forces upon the late Members of both Houses and the Parliament it self by the Army-Officers and souldiers raised to defend them from violence The Treasonablenesse and Transcendency whereof being at large related in my Epistle to the Reader before my Speech in Parliament 4 December 1648. I shall not here criminally presse or insist on but referre them thereunto However for the future security and freedome of our Parliaments from violence I must crave liberty to imform these Army Parliament-drivers forcers dissolves habituated to this trade That if the late Kings march to the House of Commons accompanied onely with some of his Pensioners and others armed with Pistols and Swords meerly to demand but five Members thereof to be delivered up to Justice particularly impeached by him of High-Treason some dayes before to wit That they had traterously endeavoured to Subvert the Fundamentall Laws and Government of this Kingdome To deprive the King of his Royall power To place over the subjects an Arbitrary and Tyrannicall power To Subvert the very Rights and being of Parliaments and by force and terrour to compell the Parliament to joyn with them in their designs for which end they had actually raised and countenanced Tumults against the King and Parliament Or if the Kings bare tampering with some Officers of his own Northern Army to draw a Petition from them to the Houses or march towards London from their quarters not to seise upon force or dissolve the Parliament or its Members but only to overaw them and impeach the freedome of their debates Votes touching Episcopacy Church-Government and the Kings Revenews were such high transcendent violations of the Priviledges and Freedome of Parliament and unsufferable injuries as both Houses of Parliament seperatly and joyntly proclaimed them to all the world in severall Declarations during his life Or such capitall crimes as those who condemned and executed him for a Traytor and Tyrant have published in the Declaration of 17. March 1648. touching the grounds of their proceedings against him and setling the Government in the way of a Free State without King or House of Lords since his beheading in these very words But above all the English Army was laboured by the King to be engaged against the English Parliament a thing of that strange impiety and unnaturalnesse for the King of England that nothing can answer it but his being a Forraigner neither could it have easily purchased belief but by his succeeding visible actions in full pursuance of the same as the Kings comming in Person to the House of Commons to seise the five Members whether he was followed with some hundreds of unworthy debauched persons armed with swords and pistols and other arms and they attending him at the door of the House ready to execute what the Leader should command them This they charged against the King as the highest of his unparralleld Offences for which they appeal to all the world of indifferent men to judge whether they had not sufficient cause to bring him to Justice Though neither he nor his followers then seised secured secluded injured any one Member when they thus went to the Commons House Yea presently retracted and offered all satisfaction that should
be desired by the House for this breach of Privilege and though the Northern Army nor their Officers ever advanced towards or offered the least violence to the Houses or their priviledges by Petition or otherwise Then certainly the Parliaments own Army Officers Counsels manifold â—high printed Declarations of Aug. 18. 1647. Sept. 6. 1648. â—and others before and since their professed open Oppositions Impeachments against the very Proceedings Votes Orders Ordinances Members of both Houses of Parliament which first raised them principally for their defence b See their Impeachments printed in their Books of Declarations The History of Indepency and my Speech in Parliament their Impeachment of eleven Members of the House of Commons and sundry Lords at once their securing of above 40. and secluding of above five parts of six of the whole House of Commons at once their avowed marches with the whole Body of the Army in Battalia severall times to force the Houses seise their Members overaw affright dismember dissolve the Parliament it self and their own new erected Junctoes since and justification of it to all the world in print See their humble Answer touching the secured and secluded Members Jan. 3. 1648. The free state of the life of the Common-wealth of England 1654. and their Declarations concerning their dissolution of their two Jun after these Misdemeanours of the King without the least repentance for them must needs bee farre more execrable unwarrantable and criminall than the Kings and deserve a severer censure than his Peccadilioes in respect of their crimes And if by the whole armies printed Remonstrance August 18. 1647. the tumult of some unarmed London Apprentices who offered some small force to the Houses to the violation of their Priviledges without securing or secluding any one Member deserved a speedy and exemplary capitall proceeding against the principall contrivers and Actors in it as they then declared and vehemently urged again and again in that Remonstrance Nay if by their own late printed Instrument of the Government of the Common-wealth of England c. Articles 14. 16. all and every person and persons who have aided advised assisted or abetted in any war against the Parliament since the first day of January 1641. unlesse they have since been in the Service of the Parliament and given â—ignal testimony of their good affections thereunto shall be disabled and be uncapable to be elected or to give any Vote in the Election of any Member to serve in the next or in the three succeeding trienniall Parliaments and all Votes and Elections given to the contrary shall be null and void And if any person so made uncapable shall forfeit one full years value of his reall estate and one full third part of his personall estate in case he shall give his Vote for election of Members to serve in Parliament as they there adjudge though such persons as they intend thus to disable never waged any actual war against the Parliament it self or its Members immediately but onely against the Forces raised by the Parliament and so mediately and indirectly only against the Parliament the case of all the late Kings adherents and assistants not within the letter but meaning of these Articles then doubtlesse those Army Officers souldiers and their Confederates who advised aided assisted abetted in one or more warres against the Parliament Houses and Parliament Members themselves whom they immediately assaulted forced secured secluded dissipated dissolved destroyed and have justified it severall times in print without giving signall testimony of their good affections to the Parliament and in this their Instrument have laid many Chains clogs restraints on all new future Parliaments of their own framing inconsistent with the Honour freedome priviledges and being of real Parliaments are by their own verdict and Instrument totally disabled as much as the archest Malignants and Cavaliers by the very letter of these Articles to be elected or give any vote for the election of Members in the four next succeeding Parliaments and those who have given their Votes in the late Elections have thereby forfeited at least one full years value of their reall and one full third part of their personall estates and deserve as high if not an higher censure as any sequestered or other Delinquents condemned formerly by them for bearing arms levying and abetting any war but onely mediately against the Parliament and as high an uncapacity to be put not onely on themselves but their Heir males to serve in Parliament as the Statute of 21 R. 2. c. 6 imposed heretofore on others for a farre lesse offence to secure the Members and Priviledges of all succeeding Parliaments from such unpresidented forcible violences ruptures dismembrings and dissolutions as the last Parliament sustained by the Armies outrage and confederacy against them of which I desire onely to make them truly sensible And farther to convince the Army-Officers souldiers of their late great injustice to and affronts contempts against the Parliament which raised them in relation to our ancient fundamentall Government and chief Members of the Parliament I shall desire them and all their confederates in cold blood seriously to consider whether they have not by their undutifull violent proceedings against them contrary to the Votes Declarations Remonstrances of the PARLIAMENT endeavoured as much as in them is to falsifie this clause in in both Houses Declaration Nov. 2. 1642. Although they would perswade his Majesty That there is little confidence to be placed in our Modesty and Duty yet AS GOD IS WITNESSE OF OUR THOUGHTS SO SHALL OUR ACTIONS WITNESSE TO ALL THE WORLD that TO THE HONOR OF OUR RELIGION and OF THOSE WHO ARE MOST ZEALOUS IN IT so much strucken at by the contrivers of that Declaration under odious names we shall suffer more for and from our Soveraign then we hope God will ever permit the malice of evill Councellers to put us to And although the happinesse of this and all Kingdomes dependeth chiefly upon God Yet WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT IT DOTH SO MAINLY DEPEND UPON HIS MAJESTY and THE ROYALL BRANCHES OF THAT ROOT that as WEE HAVE HERETOFORE SO WE SHALL HEREAFTER esteem no hazard too great no reproach too vile but that we shall willingly go through the one and undergo the other That we and the WHOLE KINGDOME MAY ENJOY THAT HAPPINESSE which we cannot in an ordinary way of providence expect FROM ANY OTHER FOVNTAIN OR STREAM then those from whence were the poison of evill Councels once removed from about them no doubt but we and THE WHOLE KINGDOME SHOVLD BE SATISFIED MOST ABOUNDANTLY And on the contrary have they not fully and actually verified in respect of themselves and their Confederates in the Houses this Odious aspersion then only in prediction cast by the KING on the PARLIAMENT but by them at that time renounced with greatest detestation and drawn those sad consequences on the whole Kingdome wherewith both HOUSES conclude that Declaration in these words 7. That the
79. 1 2 c. Dan. 7. 21 23 24 25. Isa 10. 5 c. c. 14. 16 17. Jer. 26. 6 7 8. c. 25. 9 c. yet they were but blasphemous Beasts and wretches still not Saints 3. That if such Beasts have but Great Power and Success in their Wars Enterprises against their Enemies or the Saints themselves though their mouths utter blasphemies against the God of Heaven his Name Tabernacle Saints though their Actions Designs be never so impious atheistical treasonable detestable their Power but short and fading yet whiles they are in Power and Prosperity the whole world will wonder run after worship flatter Saint Deifie and Adore them for Gods as Alexander the Great and Julius Caesars friends flatterers did them and some wicked Popes Favourites them too yea set up and worship their very Images receive their marks in their hands foreheads and extol them to the skies saying Who is like unto the Beast who is able to make war with him 4. That such adulatious Speeches Vaunts Practises as these and such Arguments of Saintship or the Goodness of mens causes undertakings actions onely from their present Power Victories and Successes are the arguments practises of worldly earthly beastly men of worshippers of the Beast and Dragon of Assyrians Turkes Popes not of the Elect real Saints of God whose names are written in the Lambes book of life who will neither flatter worship nor adore such Beasts nor receive their marks in their hands or foreheads though they be prohibited to buy or sell or slain for refusing it by their instruments Rev. 13. 8 15 17. Dan. 3. 12. to 29. 5. That such Beasts in power will never want under-Beasts and Instruments nor yet false Prophets to perswade or enforce Obedience Subjection to them even by disfranchisements death lying wonders flattering Prophecies Speeches Sermons c. 6. That the Power and Dominion of such Beasts is given and derived to them immediately by the Dragon the Prince of the power of the air onely by Gods permission not his approbation Rev. 13. 2. Hos 8. 4. 2 Thess 2. 4 8 9. And that in wrath for the punishment of the peoples sins and destruction of the beasts themselves at last Hos 13. 11. Rev. 13 and 14 and 19. Psal 64. 23. Jer. 51. 24 c. c. 52. throughout Hab. 2. 6 7 8. 7. That this their Dominion Raign and Triumph is commonly very short like this Beasts here for twenty four Months Rev. 13. 5. which is but three yeers and an half Julius Caesar that great first Conqueror of this Island and a great part of the World usurping the Supream Power over the Roman Senate and changing the Government lived onely FIVE MONTHS A SOVERAIGN LORD IN PEACE and then was suddenly stabbed to death in the Senate-House by those friends in whom he reposed greatest trust for his Tyrannical Usurpations and alteration of their former Government for endeavouring as was suspected to make himself KING OF THE ROMANS though he rejected the Title of King when offered unto him by M. Antonius saying That Jove was onely King of the Romans that so he might seem to be compelled to receive it by the people being their King in deed though not in name and for saying That the Commonwealth was but a Voice or Name without a Body or Substance Nullum violentum est diuturnum See Isa 10 and 14. Job 20. 4 5 c. Psal 37. and 73. Psal 92. 6 7. Isa 17. 13 14. 2 Chron. 23. and Sir Waâ—ter Rawlies Preface to his History of the World worth serious perusal by the Grandees of these times 8. That in conclusion such Conquering Usurping Beasts notwithstanding all their Power Friend Followers Confederates Armies Poliâ—ies are usually conquered taken slain on earth and cast into the lake burning with fire and brimstone for ever for their Tyrannies Blasphemies Bloodsheds Oppressions of the People and Gods Saints and their Confederates Armâ—es false Prophets followers adorers destroyed with them even on earth and then made to drink the cup of Gods wrath fury and torments for ever in hell Isa 10 and 14. Jer. 50 and 51. Rev. 19. 12 20 21. 9 That though they continue Conquerors and victorious for many yeers and conquer not onely one two or three but many Kings and Kingdoms cut off not onely the thumbs of their Kings that they might not lift up a Sword against them and their great toes that they may not run from them but their Heads too Yet God at last in his retaliating Justice doth usually pay them home in their own coyne as is eâ—ident not onely by Bajazet the Turkish Emperour our King Penda and others in prophane Stories but by that memorable History of Adoni-bezekâ— who after his Conquest of no less then seventy Kings who ever in this later age conquered one quarter so many and tyrannizing over their persons was by a small party of Judah and Simeon fought with on his own dung-hil his victorious old Army totally routed ten thousand of them slain himself forced to fly pursued and taken prisoner by these contemptible Enemies who cut off his thumbs and his great toes Whereupon Adoni-bezek though an idolatrous Canaanite used these memorable words worthy all Conquerors and Tyrants memorial recorded by God himself to all Posterity Judg. 1. 7. Threescore and ten Kings having their thumbs and their great toes cut off have gathered their meat under my table like so many Dogs rather then Kings AS I HAVE DONE SO GOD HATH REWARDED ME and they brought him Prisoner to Jerusalem and there he died See the like retaliation threatned inflicted Hab. 2. 6 7 8. Isa 31. 1. Dan. 7. 23 to 27. Obad. 15. Ezech. 35. 5 6 15. Rev. 16. 5 6. Jer. 51 and 52. Nah. 3. 1 c. Rev. 13. 10. Joel 3. 6 7 8. 2 Chron. 22. 10. compared with c. 23. 12. to the end 10. That the Elect Saints of God do by faith in the Word of God and upon consideration of the usual Providence and Justice of God towards such Beasts and bloody Conquerors most assuredly foresee their downfal and with patience expect it Rev. 13. 9 10. If any man have an ear let him hear HE THAT LEADETH INTO CAPTIVITY SHALL GO INTO CAPTIVITY HE THAT KILLETH WITH THE SWORD MUST BE KILLED WITH THE SWORD Here is THE PATIENCE AND THE FAITH OF THE SAINTS O that we had this Faith and Patience within us now 11. That upon this Faith and Assurance the true Elect Saints of God neither will nor do nor dare to admire after follow worship or adore such Beasts or their Image nor receive their marks in their hands or foreheads though all the world else readily do it without opposition enduring patiently rather to be warred upon killed secluded from buying or selling any thing then unchristianly to adore subject or enslave themselves unto them Rev. 13. 2 15 17. Esther 3. 1 to 7. 2 Kings 3. 13
and thereby restored them to their lost Liberty After which Victory Brute majorâ—â— naâ—u convocavit assembling the Elders of the People in nature of a Parliament demanded their advice what he should do with Pandrasus and what things and conditions he should for their benefit demand of him which he would willingly grant being in their power Whereupon some advised him to demand a part of his Kingdome for them freely to inhabit others counselled rather to demand of him free liberty for them all to depart thence with accommodations for their voyage to seek another habitation elsewhere others advised to bring Pandrasus forth aâ—d to put him to death and seise upon his Realme in case he refused to grant their demands At last Mempritius a great Counsellor standing up said Regem interficere cupiditate Dominandi nefas mihi videtur cum omnibus licitum sit pro patria pugnade To slay a King out of a desire of reigning in his stead seemes a wickednesse unto me seeing it is lawfull to all men to fight for their Country this was the Divinity and Morality of the very Pagan Britons in that age Whereupon I rather advise that we should demand his eldest daughter from him as a Wife for our Captain Brute and a good sum of Gold and Silver with her for her dowry with Ships and all other necessaries for our jouruey and free license to transport our selves to some other Country because we can never hope to live peaceablely there seeing the Children and Nephewes of those which we have newly slain in these Warres would meditate revenge To the which Tota Multiâ—udo acquievit all the Multitude assented and Pandrasus to save his life and gain his inlargement willingly condescended to furnishing them with Ships and Provisions With which Brute and all his associates arriving at Totnes in Albion seating themselves there Brute from his name styled this Iland Britain and his Companions Britons destroying those few Gyants which formerly possessed it and then building a City which he styled Troy-Novant now London dedicavit eam civibus jure victuris deditque legem qua pacifice tractarentur In this History of our first British King Brute we have these 5. remarkable particulars 1. A Warre to shake off Slavery and recover publick Liberty 2. A kinde of Generall Parliamentary Councell summoned by Brute of all the Elders of the Britons to advise of Peace Warre and of their common safety and affaires 3. A resolution against killing even a Tyrannicall oppressing King taken in the field in Battle out of Covetousnesse to enjoy his Crown and Dominions as a most wicked act 4. A setling of an hereditary Kingly Government in this Isle upon the very first plantation of the Britons in it 5. Lawes made and given to the people whereby they might live peaceably without injury or oppression This Kingdome descended in lineall succession from Brute and his Posterity to Leir Son of King Bladud who reigning 60. years and having only three Daughters Consilio procerum Regni by the Counsell of the Nobles of the Realme assembled in Parliament gave two of his Daughters in marriage to the Dukes of Cornwall and Albania with one Moiety only of the Iland whiles he lived and the whole Monarchy of Britain after his death After this Porrex slaying his elder Brother Ferrex to get the Crown was slain by his own Mother and her maids for his Treason and Fratricide whereupon civill discord arising a long time the Kingdome thereby was subjected to five severall Kings who infested one another with mutuall slaughters till Dunwallo Molmutius succeeding his Father Clotho King of Cornwall in the Crown slaying the usurping Kings of Loegria Wales and Albania reigned alone over them about the time of Nehemiah After which he enacted certain Laws called Molmutine Laws which for many ages after were very famous and generally observed among the Britons yea used commended by the Saxons and English and inserted into Edward the Confessors Lawes being famous till William the Conquerours time What these Lawes were in particular in relation to the Liberty and Property of the Subject appeares not but the issue proves that they tended to publick peace and preservation of the Subjects persons and estates from violence For in his Reign after these Lawes published for confirmation whereof he built the Temple of Concord in Troynovant where he was afterwards buried Latronum mucrones cessabant Raptorum saevitiae obturabantur nec lâ—erat usquam qui violentiam alicui ingereret The swords of theeves ceased the cruelties of Plunderers and violent takers of mens Goods and possessions were prevented neither was there any to be found in any place who would offer violence to any man Moreover he ordained That the Temples of the Gods and Cities and the wayes leading to them and the Ploughs of Husbandmen should enjoy the priviledges of Sanctuaries so as every person who fled unto them through guilt or otherwise might depart quietly with leave and without arrest before his enemy After his death about 400. yeares before our Saviours Nativity his two Sons Brennus and Belinus by consent divided his Kingdome between them till Brennus the younger Son aspiring after the Monarchy of the whole Iland was vanquished and expelled by his Brother into France In which Warre Gurthlac King of Denmarke ayding Brennus was taken Prisoner by Belinus Qui convocavit omnes Regni proceres c. who called together all the Nobles of the Realme to Yorke consilio eorum tractaturus to debate by their Councell in nature of a Parliament what he should do with Gurthlac who proffered to submit himself with his Kingdome of Denmarke to him to pay him an annuall Tribute and to ratifie this agreement by his Oath and sureties for his inlargement and ransome Whereupon the Nobles Resolved that he should be enlarged upon this condition which was done accordingly Convocatis proceribus cum id judicatum fuisset assensum prebuerunt cuncti that he should be enlarged upon these conditions as the Marginall Authors record After which King Belinus obtaining the Government of the whole Iland Confirmed his Father Molmutines Laws commanding upright and stable Justice to be done throughout the Land and the wayes to the Temples to be marked out in all places with stones that they might not be ambiguous being priviledged from arrests and violence This King addicting himself constantly to Justice the people thereby became more wealthy in few years then ever they had been in former times After this Brennus arriving with an Army out of France to recover his right Belinus being ready to encounter him in a set Battaile their Mother mediated a Peace between them whereupon they lovingly embraced each other and going to Troinovant inito concilio quid agerent having there hold a Councell what they should do they Resolved to send a common Army to conquer France and other Forain parts which they put in execution Here we have matters of Warre
and Peace and Lawes concluded and ratified in and by a Parliament of Nobles in this age King Guithelin to whom the Crown lineally descended from Belinus married Martia a Noble woman learned in all arts who invented the Law which the Britons called Martiana which King Alfred approving translated into the Saxon tongue and called it Marchen Leage King Edward the Confessor making use of it in the collection and compiling of his Lawes hereafter mentioned Though this Queen first invented this Law no doubt it was ratified by publick consent of the King her Husband and the Nobles in their generall Councell in that age else it could not have the force of a Law by her bare penning of it Gorbonius grandchild to Guithelin and Martia coming to the Crown by descent governed his people most justly according to these forecited Lawes it being his continuall custome to give due honour to the Gods in the first place and then to administer right justice to the people He encouraged Husbandmen in their tillage and defended them from the injuries of their Lords and he inriched his Souldiers with gold and silver so as none of them had need to do any injury or violence to any other Archigallo his Brother succeeding degenerated from him in all his actions for he endevoured every where Nobiles quosque deprimere to depresse all that were Noble and to advance ignoble persons to take away rich mens goods and mony by violence thereby heaping up infinite treasures which the Nobles of the Realm refusing to endure any longer rose up against and deposed him from his royall Throne creating his brother Elidurus King in his stead He after five years reign meeting his deposed brother in a wood as he was hunting ran to him imbraced kissed and brought him to his own royall Bedchamber privately and then summoned Proceres omnes et principes all the Nobles and Princes of the Realm to come speedily to his City of Alclud who repairing thither he saigning himselfe to be very sick commanded every of them one by one to come into his Bedchamber to visite him which they thus doing he threatned presently to cut off all their heads as they entred singly unlesse they would consent to submit themselves again to Archigallo as their Soveraign which they through fear of death assenting to he made an agreement between them and then carrying him to Yorke took the Crown from his own head and set it on his brothers Archigallo For which memorable self-denying pious act to his brother he was styled Elidurus pius Archigallo upon his restitution corrected his former errors deposed all ignoble persons advanced the Nobility permitted every man to enjoy what was his own and administred right justice to his people Ennianus his Son King after him treating his Subjects ill was deposed by them from the Throne of the Kingdome because he contrarying justice preferred Tyranny Edwallo being made King in his place who instructed by his Predecessors oversights Jus atque rectitudinem colebat followed Law and rectitude as did others of his successors Our Histories record that about 54. years before our Saviours birth Julius Caesar having conquered France espying Britain from thence having learned the name of the I le and Nation sent messengers thence to Cassibelan King of Britain exacting with threats an annuall Tribute from him and the Britons to be paid to the Roman Senate as well as from other Naiions else he should be enforced to transport his Army and shed their bloud Whereupon Cassibelan returned this answer to him in writing Cassibelanus King of the Britons to Cajus Julius Caesar Marvellous O Caesar is the covetuousnes of the Roman people who thirsting after gold and silver in all places cannot suffer us placed beyond the World within the perils of the Ocean to be quiet but presume to affect our Tribute and Revenues which we have hitherto peaceably possessed Neither verily will this suffice unlesse renouncing our Libertie we shall make subjection to him and thereby undergoe perpetuall servitude therefore Caesar thou hast demanded A shamefull thing seeing the vein of common Nobility flowes from Aeneas both to the Britons and Romans and one and the same bond of kindred lives still in both whereby they ought to be knit together in firme amity This therefore should have been required of us not servitude because we have learned rather to give this then to bear the yoake of Servitude For we have been so much accustomed to inioy Liberty that we are altogether ignorant what it is to obey Servitude Which Liberty if the Gods themselves should endeavour to take from us verily we would strive with all our might to resist them that we might retain it Be it known therefore to thee Caesar That we are prepared and resolved to fight for it and for our Realm if as thou hast threatned thou shall begin to come upon the Isle of Britain Hereupon Câ—sar preparing his Navy and Forces arrived with his army at the mouth of Thames the Britons though at civill warres among themselves before upon this necessity united themselves together to oppose the Romans and communi consilio as Caesar himself and others write by common advice and assent in a Parliament of that age elected Cassibelan for their Generall and committed the managing of the Warres to him who gathering the whole strength of the Britons together consilium querens a Principibue Regni as some and a proceribus suis as others record taking councell with the Princes of the Realme and his Nobles how to reâ—â—e the enemies they resolved to resist their Landing and to assault them in their tents before they had fortified themselves or taken any Towne and so to repell them Which advice they pursuing opposed their landing and forced the Romans that were landed to their ships and compelled Caesar to returne into France as our British Historians assert though Caesar in his Commentaries to cover his dishonour relates the contrary The year following Caesar recruiting his Army landed again in Cornwall and was repulsed by Cassibelan the second time with great losse Whereupon Cassibelan joyfull of his victory returning to Troinovant Edictum fecit ut omnes proceres Britannie Convenirent made an Edict that all the Nobles of Britain should assemble together at Troinovant to offer publick prayses and Sacrifices to his Gods who had made him to triumph over so great an Emperor as Caesar At this assembly Evelin Nephew to Androgeus Duke of Trionovant playing with Herelgas Nephew to Cassibelan upon a sudain quarrell between them cut of Herelgas head at which the King being very angry commanded Evelin to be brought before his presence and to be ready sententiam quam proceres Dictarent or talem sententiam quam proceres Regni judicarent subire to undergoe such a sentence and judgment as the Nobles and Peers of the Realme should pronounce that Herelgas might net remain unrevenged in case he were unjustly slain Androgeus
suspecting the Kings minde towards his Nephew answered Seâ—e suam curiam habere et in illa diffiniri debere quicquid aliquis in homines suos clamaret Si ergo rectitudinem Evelino decrevisset appetere ipsum in urbe Troinovanto ex veterum traditione recepisset That he had his own Court and that in it what ever any one complained of against his men ought to be determined therefore if he decreed to desire justice against Evelin he might receive it in the City Troinovant according to the custome of the Ancients Upon this answer they departing discontented one from another Cassibelan threatned to invade and waste Androgeus his Country withfire and sword unlesse he delivered up his Nephew to justice which he peremptorily refusing Cassibelan wasted his Country accordingly notwithstanding all his entreaties by his kindred and friends to divert him from it Hereupon Androgeus sent messengers to Caesar complaining of this ingrate and injurious violence and craving assistance from him against Cassibelan who endeavoured to disinherit him of his Country by whose meanes he had inherited his own and gotten the victory over the Romans promised to joyne his forces with him and so make him Lord of all Britain if he would by his power restore him to his former dignity and possessions for which he giving Hostages to Caesar he thereupon returning into Britain routed Cassibelan and his whole Army by Androgeus his means and besieged him in a steep mountain to which he fled where he was very likely to be taken prisoner in a few dayes by famine Cassibelan thus destressed sent to Androgeus to remit the former injuries he had done him and to make his peace with Caesar Upon which he returning to himself taking pity on his own nation and Soveraign though he had done him so much injury repaired and used these memorable words to Caesar Behold thou hast sufficienily revenged thy self upon Cassibelan and subjected Britain to thee by my assistance Noluerunt dii omnipotentes nostri ut Dominum meum morte turpissima condemnnari aut vinculis patiar irretiri Habeto igitur misericordiam de eo Quia me vivente ipse periolitari non poterit cui auxilium meum reddere non erubescam nisi consilio meo parueris For our omnipotent Gods will not that I should suffer my Lord and King to be condemned to a most shamefull death or to be bound in Chaines Have mercy therefore upon him because whiles I live he shall not be in danger to whom I will not be ashamed to contribute my aide unlesse thou wilt obey my counsell O the memorable faith and Loyalty of this much oppressed injured Noble Pagan Briton to his Soveraign in his distresses notwithstanding all his former injuries and oppressions worthy all heroick Saints and true Christian Loyall English Subjects imitation and shaming some strange extravagant contrary practises of late times Upon which speech Caesar being pacified made this agreement with Cassibelan That he should promise to render to Caesar and the Romans three thousand pounds of silver every year by way of Tribute And so being made friends they bestowed mutuall gifts on each other After which Caesar wintering in the Island returned in the Spring with his Army into France and from thence marched towards Rome against Pompey From these few passages of the antient Britons before and till the Roman Conquest it is apparent 1. That the ancient Fundamentall Government of the Britons in this Island was only an Hereditary Kingship and Dominion And although about Caesars time they had many petty Kings and Kingdomes yet those Kings had the style honor power of Kings within their respective Kingdomes and were hereditary as Tacitus Dion and others cited by Mr. Camden attest as well as our British stories 2. That the British Kings were obliged to governe their subjects justly and righteously according to the established Lawes of those times which secured their Liberties Properties Goods Lives against all violence and arbitrary Tyranny Rapines Taxes 3. That the Britons had their nationall Councels or Parliaments consisting of their Kings Princes and Nobles wherein they consulted of all weighty affaires concluded of Warre and Peace and enacted and confirmed publick Lawes And the rarity of these Common-Councels by reason of their intestine discords was the greatest help and advantage the Romans had to conquer them as Tacitus observes in the life of Agricola 4. That they had Legall and proper Courts for trying all differences and malefactors according to their Lawes and ancient Customes and tryals by their Peers 5. That they were very zealous carefull and couragious to defend their Liberties Properties Laws against all Tyrannicall oppressing Kings Usurpatioâ—s and forain Invaders and to spend their lives in their defence not induring Slavery Bondage or Tributes 6. That their Nobles were persons of greatest power had in great respect and consulted with by their Kings upon all occasions as their Great Councell they doing nothing of moment but by their advice and consent 7. That though they were stout opposers of Tyrannicall oppressing Princes yet they were very Loyall and obedient to those who were just and never offered violence to any of their persons whom they deposed for misgovernment And so much concerning the ancient Britons before and till their begun Conquest by Julius Caesar before our Saviours Nativity 54. years SECTION II. Concerning the Britons Contests and Warres against Tyrants and forain Invaders for their Liberties Couutry Lawes and their Great Councels or Parliaments from Caesars Conquests during the Romans Dominion and untill the Saxons supplanted them and succeeded in their places AFter the death of Caesar and Cassibelan the Britons continuing for a time under the Government of their own hereditary Kings Tennancius the next succeeding King though he was warlike yet vigorem Justitiae colebat he executed Justice vigorously Kymbelinus his Son succeding him being educated by Augustus Caesar fell into so great friendship with the Romans ut cum possit Tributum eorum detinere gratis impendebat that he freely bestowed their Tribute on them when as he might have detained it being imposed on Cassibelan only by power of the invading sword of Caesar without right which bound neither him nor the Britons in Justice or conscience both Caesar and Cassibelan being dead In the 5. year of his Reign our Saviour Christ was borne In the 22 year of our Saviours Nativity Guiderius succeeding his Father Kymbelinus refused to render the accustomed tribute to the Romans which none of his Ancestors from the time of Julius Caesar durst to refuse Hereupon Anno Christi 44. the Emperor â—laudius with a great Army invaded the Island to conquer and reduce it under Tribute who was encountred and routed by Guiderius at the first but he being afterwards slain by the policy of Laelius Hamo the Britons being likely to lose the field Arviragus the slain Kings brother putting on his Armes encouraged the Britons so that they forced the
Iceni famous for his riches which he had been a long time gathering by his will made Claudius and his own two daughters his heir thinking by his flattery to make his Kingdom and house sufficiently secure from Injurie which fell out quite contrary for his Kingdome by the Roman Centurions and his house by Slaves was seised on and spoyled as lawfull booty his wife Boadicia whipped his Daughters deflowred the chiefest persons of that Province dispossessed of their lawfull Inheritance and the Kings kindred reputed and used as slaves Hereupon the Icenians began seriously to discourse of their present bondage and miseries made subject to a Lieutenant which sucked their bloud and to a Procurator that sought their substance whiles with a servile fear they yealded to please the meanest Souldier as though the Heavens had framed them only for servitude and the earth appointed to bear their injuries unrevenged and meeting together in secret consultations they ripped up their wrongs and oppressions and aggravated them to the highest saying that no other good was to be looked for by their sufferance but that more grievous burdens should be imposed upon them still as men ready to bear all willingly c. That the Roman Souldiers from whose unsatiable avarice and unbridled lust nothing was free were but a handfull in respect of the Britons that if they would but endevour to follow the prowess and valour of their Ancestors and not be dismayed with the doubtfull successe of one skirmish or two they would soon enforce them to recede out of the Island c. In fine they resolved That Liberty was to be preferred though bought with their lives and Bondage to be avoided if not otherwise then by their deaths Whereupon chusing Boadicea for their Leader they suriously fell upon the insulting oppressing Romans slew no lesse then seventy thousand of them and their confederates sacked and plundered their free Town Verolamium resolving to extirpate and drive them out of the Island Upon this Suetonius the Roman Governor collecting all the Forces he could raise against her She made a most gallant encouraging Oration to her Britons thus aggravating their oppressions What abuse can be so vile that we have not suffered or indignity so contemptible that we have not borne my stripes yet felt and seen against their own Laws do witnesse well what Government they intend Your wealth is consumed by their wastfull wantonnesse your painfull travels upholding their idlenesse do seal the issues of our succeeding miseries if not timely prevented by one joynt endevour You that have known the Freedome of life will with me confesse I am sure that Liberty though in a poor estate is better then fetters of gold and yet this comparison hath no correspondency in us for we now enjoy no estate at all nothing being ours but what they will leave us and nothing left us that they can take away having not so much as our very heads tole free Other subdued Nations by death are quit from Bondage but we after death must live servile and pay tribute even in our graves Have the heavens made us the ends of the world and have not assigned us the ends of our wrongs Or hath nature among all her free works created us only Britons for bondage Why what are the Romans are they more then men or immortall Their slain carcasses sacrificed by us tell us they are no Gods But you will say they are our Conquerors Indeed overcome we are but by our selves our own factions still giving way to their invasions Our dissersions have been their only rising and our designes been weakned by homebred Conspiracies We have as much to keep as birthright can give us that is our Island possessed by our Ancestors from all antiquity ours by inheritance theirs by intrusion claimes so different in the scale of Justice that the Gods themselves must needs redresse Whereupon the Britons fighting valiantly lost eighty thousand of their lives to redeem their Liberties and Boadicea seeing her Army routed chose rather out of a noble spirit to end her life and miseries together by poyson then to live under the Roman bondage and see her Country languish under their intolerable oppressions About the year of our Lord 179. or rather 185. Lucius King of Britain who succeeded his Father Coillus by descent being converted to the Christian faith with most of his Nobles and Subjects the first Christian King and Kingdom in the world petitioned Pope Eleutherius as the marginall Authors testifie Ad Petitionem Regis et procerum Regni Britannie assembled no doubt in a general Councell when they made and sent this Petition to send a copy of the Imperial Roman Laws to govern the people by who returned the King this answer in writing You have requested from us that the Laws of Rome and Caesar might be sent over which you desire to use in the Realm of Britain The Roman and Caesars Laws we may alwayes reject but the Law of God in no wise You have received of late through Gods mercy in the Realm of Britain the law and faith of Christ yâ—u have with you in the Realm both Testaments out of them by Gods grace per consilium Regni vestri sume â—egem by the Councell of your Realm take a Law and by it through the patience of God govern your Realm of Britain For you are Gods Vicar in the Realm c. The Kings children are the Christian Nations who live and consist in the Realm under your protection and peace according to that in the Gospell As the hen gathereth the chickens under her wings the Nations and people of the Realm are yours which being divided you ought to congregrate into one tâ— reduce to concord and peace and to the faith and Law of Christ and to the holy Church to foster maintain protect governe and always to defend from injurious and malicious persons and from enemies Woe to the Realm whose King is a childe and whose Princes eat in the morning I call not a King a child from his Nonage but for his folâ—y iniquity and madnesse according to the royall Prophet Bloudy and deceitfull men shall not live out half their dayes c. A King is denominated from ruling not from a Kingdome Thou shalt be a King while thou rulest well which unlesse thou shalt do the name of a King shall not appear in thee and thou shalt lose the name of a King which God forbid Almighty God grant you so to rule the Realm of Britain that you may reign for ever with him whose Vicar you are in the Realm aforesaid This Epistle shewes that the power of making Laws was vested only at that time in this Popes judgment in the King and his great Councel of the Realm and that Kings only ought to rule and govern their people righteously according to the Laws of God and the Realm as Gods Vicars upon earth and to protect them from all violence wrong and enemies
solitarinesse utterly repugnant to the nature of men they may return again to their most beloved friends And whereas they have lived a long time in a filthy sordid and odious condition having obtained a returne as a sudain and unexpected booty and being freed from cares and troubles they may hereafter live a life void of fear under our Empire In the year of grace 376. Octavius King of the Britons dying without issue male leaving one only daughter there fell out a difference among the Britons to whom they should marry her with the Kingdome at last in the year 379. Magnates Britannie the Nobles of Britain that they might obtain a firme Peace concluded no doubt in a generall Councell to send Embassadors to Rome to tender the Lady with the Crown to Maximian a Roman Senator Son of Leolin aâ—Briton Unkle to Constantine the Great Geoffry of Monmouth and his Epitomizer Ponticus Virunnius thus relate the story That King Octavius being old and having one only Daughter quesivit a consiliariis suis demanded of his Counsellors whom they desired to advance to be King after his decease Whereupon some of them advised that he should bestow his daughter together with the Realm on some of the Noble Romans to procure a firme peace Others advised that Conon his Nephew should be installed in the royall Throne of the Realm and his Daughter with gold and silver married to some forain Prince Whiles these things were debating Caradoc Duke of Cornwall came in and gave his advice that they should invite Maximinian the Senator descended of British and Roman as well as royall bloud to come into Britain to marry the Kings Daughter and with her the Realm whereby they should enjoy perpetuall Peace Which Conan for his own interest opposed but major pars Laudabat the major part of the Nobles approved it and consented thereunto Whereupon Caradoc sent his Son Maurice to Maximinian who related to him that Octavius being aged and sick desired nothing more then to finde out such a person of honour on whom he might bestow his Kingdome with his daughter consiliumque a proccribus suis quesivit and that he had demanded counsell from his Nobles to whom he might marry his only daughter with the Crown That the Nobles in obedience to his command Decreverunt ut tibi Regnum et puella concederetur had decreed that the Kingdom with the Damsel should be granted to him that they had decreed he should come and give him notice thereof Whereupon Maximinian imbracing the offer came into Britain and landed at Hampton with a great train of Souldiers the King suppofing them to be an Army of Enemies commanded all the forces of the Kingdome to be assembled and march against them under Conan which Maximinian admiring at and unable to resist them sent Embassadors to Conan with olive branches telling him they were sent from Rome to the King and required peace till they knew his pleasure And when Conan doubted whether to give them Peace or Battaile Caradoc Duke of Cornwall and the rest of the Nobles disswaded Conan from fighting with them and advised him to grant them Peace which he did who being brought to London to the King he communi consensu by common consent of his Nobles gave his Daughter with the Kingdome to Maximinian By which it is apparent that the King without consent of his Nobles in Parliament could not dispose of his Daughter nd â—heir to the Crown nor of his Kingdome to another That the Nobles in that age were the Kings great Councell and Parliament of the Nation and that the major part of them swayed all businesses in their Councels by the majority of voices the ends for which I relate it In the year 390. Maximus the Tyrant King of Britain invading Armoricâ— in France caried such a multitude of Souldiers with him out of Britain that he left almost all Britain empty of Souldiers and Forces to defend it carrying all the Souldiers and Warlike young men with him leaving none but unmanly and country people behinde him and having subdued all Armorica that year he styled it little Britain The next year he sent for one hundred thousand Britons more to people it and thirty thousand Souldiers out of Britain to garrison the Townes and the next year he sent for eleven thousand Virgins and sixtie thousand other persons to be transported into little Britain whereby old Britain was almost quite dispeopled and left destitute of all defence Hereupon the Huns and Picts invaded and infested the Britons very much slaying the Britons and wasting their Cities and Towns the Britons sending to Maximus for assistance he sent Gratianus a Senator with two Legions to aide them who slew many of the enemies and chased the rest into Islands Anno 392. Maximus being slain at Rome thereupon Gratianus taking upon him the Crown of Britain made himself King thereof after which he exercised so great Tyranny towards the Britons that the common geople gathering together slew him Whereupon the former expulsed enemies returning oppressed and afflicted the Britons very much for a long time Upon this the Britons Anno 420 and 421. sent to the Roman Emperors for aide to expell these invaders which they sent accordingly but in small proportion who chasing away the enemies for the present then encouraging and teaching the Britons how to defend themselves and make wals and Fortifications to resist their invasions returned back again by reason of other Warres Upon this their former enemies infested them more then formerly As last Anno 434. in the 8. year of Theodosius the younger the Romans by occasion of other Warres withdrew all their Souldiers out of Britain leaving the Britons destitute like so many sheep without a Shepherd exposed to the Wolvish cruelty aud depredations of the Picts Scots Norwegians Danes who forced them to flie from their Cities and Houses into Woods Mountains Caves Rockes and there to hide themselves from their bloudy fury In this distresse they sent Messengers to Rome with this short mournfull relation of their lamentable condition Agitio ter Consuli Gemitus Britonum salutem Nos mare ad Barbaros Barbari ad mare propellunt Inter haec autem duo funerum genera oriuntur aut enim submergimur aut jugulamur The Messengers returning without any aid from Rome which was denied them and relating to their Country-men their sad repulse the Britons taking counsell together how to redeem themselves in this forlorne estate withheld the payment of their ancient Tribute to the Romans which they had a long time paid them and sent Guithelin Archbishop of London to their Brethen in little Britain for aid where being honorably received by King Androenus he acquainted him with the cause of his coming and the great miseries and distresses of his Countrymen pressing him with many arguments to goe and receive the Kingdome of Britain which of right belonged to him and
expelling the Barbarians to dispose of it at his pleasure and restore his Country to it pristine estate which had formerly subdued to it Kingdomes far remote To which the King answered I formerly would have accepted of this offer of the Kingdome of Britain but in respect of its present misfortunes it is made more contemptible to me and odious to my Princes But above all other evils the Roman power hath so much prejudiced it that no man can enjoy a stable dignity within it but be must lose his liberty and be burdened with a yoake of servitude and who would not possesse lesse elsewhere with liberty then enjoy the wealth of Britain under a yoak of bondage Notwithstanding because my Grandfather and great Grandfather have enjoyed that Island I will deliver to you my Brother Constantine with 2000. Souldiers which by Gods permission will free the Country from enemies and being there crowned King shall possesse the Kingdome with glory and honour Whereupon Constantine undertaking the expedition the Archbishop used these words to him Christ hath conqueted Christ reigneth Christ commandeth let the grace of Christ be therefore present with our King of Britain who is our defence our hope our joy that he may restore the miserable Island to its pristine liberty Constantine taking shipping arrived at Totnes with 2000. Souldiers to whom the dispersed Britons creeping forth of their holes and dens where they hid themselves repaired from all parts and fighting with their enemies obtained a great victory over them by the diligence and valour of their new King After which facta in Cicestria concione calling an assembly at Chichester they made Constantine King and gave him a wife extracted out of the linage of the noble Romans educated by Guithelin Anno 445. King Constantine being slain by a Pict suborned by Vortigerne as he was hunting there arose a dissension among the Nobles which of them should be made King for Aurelius Ambrosius and Vther the Kings Sons were sent over into little Britain to be educated and if they had been present they could not reign by reason of their childhood Whereupon Vortigerne Consull of the Gewisâ—i who aspired after the Crown with all his endevour going to Winchester and taking Constans a Monk Son of Constantine out of his Cloister brought him to London and there made him King the people scarce consenting to it because he was a Moâ—k and acting the part of a Bishop Guithelin being dead he set the Crown on the Kings head with his own hands The King thus crowned referred the managing of all affaires to Vortigerne alone who craftily committed all the Castles and Forts of the Realm to his own Souldiers and having gotten all the Forts and Power of the Realm into his own hands he cunningly devised how he might destroy the King and get the Crown for himself Whereupon he seised upon the Kings treasures augmented the number of his Soldiers and servants and perswaded the King to intertain a Guard of one hundred Picts who were at his own command and ready to execute any Treason and treachery he should prescribe them to guard his person day and night from enemies The King at his perswasion entertaining these Picts Vortigerne so inriched them with stipends and feasted them with most delicate meats that they did in a manner adore him and aryed openly through the streets that he was worthy to Reign When he had thus highly ingratiated himself in the favour of them all he made them all drunk on a certain day and then told them with tears that he would depart out of Britain seeing he had not enough of his own to maintain 50. Souldiers After which departing as it were sorrowfull to his lodging he left them drinking in the hall which the Picts hearing of murmured one to another saying Why do not we slay the Monke that Vortigerne may enjoy the throne of the Kingdome Rising up therefore being drunke they made an assault upon the King and slew him and brought the Kings head to Vortigerne Which when Vortigerne understood he feigning himself to be very sorrowfull brake forth into a weeping that he might palliate the treason committed under the vaile of tears Then calling the Citizens of London together he acquainted them what had hapned and commanded those Picts to be slain and beheaded that he might render his own fraud exeused from this wicked act At last when he saw no man equall to himself he set the Crown of Britain on his own head and overwent al the Princes He being thus advanced the contagion of all wickednesse began to increase scurrilous wickednesse hatred of truth contempt of God wrangling contention riot villany grew outragious so as Vortigerne alone might seem to be a vessell of all wickednesse and that which is most contrary to royall honesty Nobiles Deprimens depressing the Nobles and advancing ignoble persons both for manners and bloud he became odious to God and Men. Anno 447. When the iniquity and levity of minde of King Vortigerne was divulged to all Nations round about the Scots and the Picts one hundred of whose fellow Citizens Vortigerne had slain for that Treason which he suborned them to act that he might get the Crown rose up against him and most grievously infested him and impunged the Realm of Britain for consuming all things with the sword fire preyes and rapines they ground to powder the sinfull Nation because it favored this Vsurpers royall estate and thus the common people contaminated together with the King communi percellitur ultione is pierced through with a common revenge And as the sword devoured many on the one hand so the Pestilence did more on the other so as the living were not sufficient to bury the dead The King therefore with the desolated people tyred out with warlike incursions not knowing what he might do against the irruptions of their enemies inclined to desolation for Vortigerne hereupon awaked with the cryes of the people assembled a Councell or Parliament to consult what they should do in this publick distresse requiring the advice of his Nobles therein Which our Historians thus relate Super statu publico in medium consulit sententias magnatum suorum explorans So William of Malmesbury Britanni injerunt consiium quid agendum so Henry Huntington and Ethelwerdus placuit omnibus cum rege suo Vortigermo or as Ethelwardus records it Concessit tota Nobilitas c. At last they all agreed and all the Nobility together with King Vortigerne granted and resolved that they should call in the Saxons and English out of Germany to their aid being valiant in armes and then fixed in no setled place by which they conceived they should reape a double benefit for being invincible in armes they would easily repulse their enemies and being unsetled they would reckon it for a very great benefit if they might receive some barren squalid soile and cliffs to inhabit and that they would never attempt
any thing against them or their Country because the memory of benefits would mollifie the genuine fiercenesse of their manners Which advice appeares to be ordered by divine providence write Mathew Westminster and others that evill might come upon these evill Britons and their bloudy Vsurper This Counsell being approved by all they sent eminent men Embassadors into Germany who might worthily represent the person of their Country The Germans hearing the businesse which they of their own accords desired requested from them with a thousand intreaties presently sent over Hengist and Horsa with three Ships fraighted with Souldiers and Armes Explentes petitionem Regis Senatusque The King upon their arrivall meets them bestowes rewards and the people large favours on them then giving them their faith they received the Isle of Tanoth to inhabit This agreement likewise was made between them That the English and Saxons with invincible labours should defend the Country against their enemies and that the Britons should pay them their military stipends for whose safety they pretended to watch And thus they received pay and Lands from the Britons Quasi pro patria pugnaturi re autem vera expugnaturi susceperunt as some of their profession and progeny have done of latter years These English and Saxons who arrived Ann. 449. soon vanquished and drove the Scots and Picts out of the Realme and then taking notice of the Kings and Britons idlenesse leudnesse and the riches of the Isle Hengist acquainting the rest of his Countrymen therewith sent over for more forces by degrees and for his daughter Rowena a very beautifull maide but a Pagan whom he maried to Vortigerne whereby he incurred the enmity of his Nobles and Sons and thereupon favoured the Saxons who promised to establish him in his Throne against his enemies more then the Britons bestowing all Kent and Northumberland on the English and Saxons Upon this the Britons growing jealous lest their new Gardians and Protectors should utterly supplant extirpate and disinherit them of their native Country by degrees as they did in the conclusion they all petitioned Vortigerne to banish them out of the Realme being Pagans who ought not to communicate with Christians but he contemning suorum consiliis acquiescere to follow the advise of his Nobles and native Subjects thereupon Magnates Britannie the Nobles of Britaine Anno 454. deserting and then depriving Vortigerne of his Royall Power made his Sonne Vortimer King Qui consiliis suorum in omnibus acquiescens who following their Counsels in all things began to expell the Saxons and to restore the Britons to their possessions which the Saxons had invaded repairing likewise the Churches and Christian Religion which they had almost quite ruined till at last he was poysoned by Rowena his Mother in Law Anno 460. cum quo simul spes victoria Brtionum est extincta retro fluxerint Such an incomparable losse is a good King to a Nation Vortimer being thus poysoned Vortigerne reassuming the Crown sends privately to Henâ—ist into Germany to come over to him with a small train lest coming otherwise the Britons should resist him with their united forces Hengist An. 461. lands with 4000 armed men which being related to Vortigerne and THE NOBLES OF Tâ—E REAâ—M they were very angry at it resolving to give him battle of which Hengist being informed by Roâ—ena excused the matter that he came with so great a force for fear of Vortiâ—er whom he thought to be alive but being now 〈◊〉 of his death he would commit himself and his pâ—ople to the Kings disposall to return or send away to 〈…〉 then as he should direct desiring him to appoint 〈…〉 and place UT HAEC 〈…〉 CONSENSU that these 〈…〉 by common consent Whereupon the 〈…〉 appointed a meeting at 〈…〉 for the 〈◊〉 and Saxons to treat Hengist 〈…〉 all the Saxons that went to the Treaty to 〈…〉 under their Garments and upon a Signall given 〈◊〉 that every one of them should kill the Briâ—on that 〈◊〉 next him Whiles they were treating Hengist took hold of Varâ—â—igerâ—â—es cloke which was the signall upon which the Saxons drawing out their Knives suddainly slâ—w about 460 of the 〈◊〉 NOBLES BARONS and CONSUâ—S being unarmed and suspecting no such thing but Consul Elâ—â—â— beholding the Treachery took up a Stakâ— which he there found by chance and with it slew 70. Saxons till his Stakâ— was quite spent and then saved himself by flight The King they took Prisoner enforcing him to grant them Kent Sussex Suffolke and Norfolke which he confirmed to them with an Oath and then they releâ—sed him After which they wastâ—d most of the Kiâ—gdom with fire and sword pulled down Churches slew the Prâ—â—sts burned up the Bookes of the holy Scâ—ipture leaving nothing undone that Tyranny could effect and forced Vortigerne with mâ—st of the Britons to retire into Wales for shelter in the Mâ—â—â—taines The Britons thus distressed by the Saxons under this bloudy Usurper who first called them in and under hand encouraged them against the Natives Anno 464. sent Messengers into Little Brittain to Aurelius Ambrosius and Vtâ—r Pendragon then of full age and right heires to the Crown to come speedily over to them with what forces they could raise to expell the Saxons and the Vsurper Vortigerne and receive the Crown and Kingdome of Brittain of right belonging to them Who thereupon arriving with great forces Anno 466 the Britons repair'd from all parts to Aurelius Ambrosius the elder Brother and assembling the Clergy forthwith crowned him for their King Which done the Britons exhorting him in the first place to assault the Saxons the King mindfull of the Treason done to his Father and Brother by Vortigerne refused to doe it till he had first destroyed this bloudy Traytor Whereupon marching with his Army to Genâ—rium a Castle in Wales wherein Vortigerne was he spake thus to his Captaines Consider most noble Captaines if these walls of this Tower can prâ—tect Vortigerne who hath wasted a fertile Country destroyed holy Churches almost deleted Christianity from Sea to Sea and that which I think is more to be lamented HATH BETRAYED MY FATHER and BROTHER Now most Noble Countrymen play the Men and in the first place revenge your selves on him by whom all these things have come to passe and after that turn your armes upon your Saxon Enemies Presently upon these words they endeavoured to throw down the Walls with divers Engines At last when other things failed they put fire to the wooden Walls which taking hold on them burnt both the Tower and Vortigerne to ashes as some record whereas others write it was done with fire and lightning then sent from heaven by God upon him The bloudy Usurper being thus destroyed this King and the Britons valiantly encountred the Saxons slew many thousands of them in sundry battles against Hengist and Ella whom they routed and chased throughout the Realm This King in his march finding the Churches every
Gorlois Duke of Cornwall was present The King not long after being taken with a great sicknesse Octae and Osa the Saxon Generals bribing their Keepers efcaped out of Prison and then collecting all their forces resolved to extirpate the Britons and Christian Religion out of the Island in pursuance whereof they wasted the Land from Sea to Sea sparing neither Bishops nor Churches overruning all places without resistance The Britons deserting their sick King fled into Woods and Caves refusing to follow the Counsel and Conduct of Consul Lotho a most valiant man whom the King had made Generall of his Forces Hereupon King Vther being much grieved for the Subversion of the Realm the Oppression of the Church the Desolation of the Nobles and Dispersion of the People Anno 512. CONVOCATIS OMNIBVS REGNI SVI MAGNATIBVS calling together all the Nobles of his Realm in a General Parliamentary Councel sharply reproved them both for their Pride and Sâ—othfulnesse and casting out many bitter words with reproaches against them informed them that he himself would lead them against the Enemies that so he might reduce the minds of them all to their pristine state and audacity And commanding himself to be carried in his sick bed in a Litter into the Camp his infirmity not permitting him to be carried otherwise he marched therein with all the strength of the Kingdome against the Enemies who scorned to fight with him being sick in his Litter and at last forcing them to fight after many bloudy encounters utterly routed their forces and slew Octa and Osa their Generals Anno 516. The Saxons treacherously poysoning this Noble King the Bishops Clergy and People of the Realm assembling together buried him honourably at Ambri within the Quire of Giants The funeral being ended Dubricus the Arch-Bishop SOCIATIS SIBI EPISCOPIS ET MAGNATIBVS associting the Bishops and Nobles to him magnificently advanced his Son Arthur a youth but sixteen yeares old to be King to which Solemnity CONVENERVNT EX DIVERSIS PROVINCIIS PROCERES BRITTANNORUM the Nobles of the Britons assembled out of divers Provinces to Caâ—rleon and there crowned King Arthur who having routed the Saxons in twelve severall Battles afterwards if we believe our British Fables as Malmesbury stiles them conquered all France and keeping his Court at Paris CONVOCATIS CLERO ET POPVLO STATVM REGNI PACE ET LEGE CONFIRMAVIT Whence returning into Britain in triumph about the year 536 Pentecost aproaching he resolved to keep that Solemnity at Caer-â—eon and there to be new Crowned Whereupon he sent Messengers into all the Kingdomes and Countries subject to him inviting ALL THE KINGS DUKES and NOBLES SUBJECT TO HIM TO COME TOGETHER TO THAT SOLEMNITY that he might renâ—e a most firm Peace between them Whereupon no lesse than thirteen Kings three Arch-Bishops with sundry PRINCES DUKES CONSULS EARLES and NOBLES there assembled whose names you may read at large in Geoffry Monmouth The King being solemnly crowned by Dâ—bricius Arch-Bishop of 〈◊〉 in the midst of the Feasts Sports and 〈…〉 at this Coronation behold twelve men of mature age of reverend countenance bringing Olive branches in their right hands in token of their Embassy with grave paces came to the King and having saluted him presented him with 〈…〉 Luciu Tiberius Procurator of the Roman Râ—publiâ—k to this effect I exceedingly admire the frowardnesse of thy Tyranny aâ—d the Injâ—ry thou hast done to Rome that going out of thy self thou refusest to acknowledge her neither dost thou consider what it is to offend the Senate by unjust actions to whom thou art not ignorant the whole 〈…〉 Service For thou hast presumed to detain THE TRIBUTE OF BRITAIN which THE SENATE COMMANDED THEE TO PAY because Caius Julius and other Romane Emperours have injoyed it for a long time neglecting the command of so great an Order Thou hast taken away from them the Province of the Switzers and all the Isles of the Ocean whose Kings whiles the Roman power pâ—evailed in those parts paiâ— Tribâ—te to our Ancestors Now because the Senate hath diverced to demand Justice concerning so great heapes of thy injuries I command thee to repâ—ir to Rome to answer them on the midst of August the year following the time prâ—fixed to thee that satisfying thy Lords thou maist submit to that sentence which their Justice shall pronounce But if thou refusest I my self will come in person into thy Quarters and will endeavour to restore by the Sword what ever thy frenzy hath taken away from the Republick This Letter being read in the presence of all the Kings and Nobles present King Arthur went apart with them to consult concerning this businesse where craving their unanimous advise and sense conceâ—ning these Mandates He said That he thought the inquietation of Lucius was not much to be feared since ex irrationabile causa from an unreasonable cause he exacted the Tribute which he desired to have out of Britain For he saith that it ought to be given to him because it was paid to Julius Caesar and the rest of his Successors who invited by the divisions of the old Britons arrived with an Army in Britain and BY FORCE and VIOLENCE SUBJECTED THE COUNTRY TO THEIR POWER SHAKEN WITH DOMESTICK COMMOTIONS Now because they obtained it is in this manner Vectigal ex ea INIVSTE RECEPERVNT They RECEIVED TRIBUTE CUT OF IT unjustly Nihil enimu od vi violentia acquiritur juste ab ullo prossidetur qui violentiam intulit Irrationabilem ergo causam pretendit qua nos jure sibi tributarios arbitratur c. FOR NOTHING WHICH IS ACQUIRED BY FORCE and VIOLENCE IS JUSTLY POSSESSED BY ANY MAN WHO HATH OFFERED THE VIOLENCE Therefore he pretends AN UNREASONABLE CAUSE whereby he supposeth us of right to he Tributaries to him Now because he presumes to exact from us id quod injustum est THAT WHICH IS UNJUST by the same reason let us demand Tribute of Rome from him and he which shall become strongest let him carry away that he desires to have For if because Julius Caesar and the rest of the Roman Emperours have in times past subdued Britain he determines that Tribute ought now to be rendred to him out of it in like manner I think that Rome ought now to render Tribute unto us because my Ancestors have in ancient times obtained it For Belinus that most noble King of the Britons using the assistance of his Brother Brennus Duke of the Allobroges having hanged up four and twenty of the most Noble Romans in the midst of the market place took the City and being taken possessed it a long time Moreover Constantine the sonne of Helen and Maximianus both of them my neer Kinsmen both of them Kings of Britain one after the other obtained the Throne of the Roman Empire Doe yee think therefore that Tribute is to be demanded by the Romans Concerning France or the Collaterall Islands of the Ocean I am not to answer to
serpentem odiens CIVILIAQUE BELLA CREBRAS INJUSTE PRAEDAS SITIENS animae tuae caelestes portas pacis ac refrigerii praecludis Quid tu etiam insularis Draco MULTORUM TYRANNORUM DEPULSOR TAM REGNO QUAM ETIAM VITA snpradictorum novissime in nostro stylo prime in malo major multis potentia simulque malitia Largior in dando profusior in peccato robuste armis sed animae fortiâ—r excidiis Maglocune in tam vetusto scelerum aâ—ramento stolide volutaris Quare tantas peccaminum regiae cervici sponte ut ita dicam ineluctabiles celsorum seu Montium innectis moles Nonne in primis adolescentiae tuae annis avunculum Regem cum fortissimis propemodum militibus acerrime ense hasta igni oppressisti Parum cogitans propheticum dictum Viri inquiens sanguinum doli non dimidiabunt dies suos Quid pro hoc solo retributionis a justo judice sperares si non talia sequerentur quae secuta sunt itidem dicente per prophetam Vae tibi qui praedaris nonne ipse praedaberis qui occidis nonne ipse occideris cum dâ—siveris praedari tunc cades These sinnes brought the ancient British Kings with their Kingdomes and People to ruine Legitur in Libro Gildoe Sapientissimi Britonum Quod ijdem Britones propter Avaritiam rapinam Principum propter iniquitatem injuriam Judicum propter desidiam praedicationis Episcoporum propter luxuriam malos mores populi Patriam perdiderunt write Alcuinus and Malmesbury The Lord grant they may not bring our Kingdomes and Nations to like ruine and desolation now How many bloudy Warres and battles the Brotons after they were driven out of their Country into the Welsh Mountaines by the Saâ—ons fought with them for the defence of their Country Rights Liberties under the conduct of valient Cadâ—in who after twenty four yeares civill Dissention amongst the Britons and so long an Inter-regnum was by the UNANIMOUS CONSENT OF ALL THE PRINCES and NOBLES OF THE BRITONS ASSEMBLED TOGETHER in a great Parliamentary Councill AT LEGECESTER ELECTED and MADE 〈◊〉 OF THE BRITONS Which Nobles and Counsellor would not permit him to give way that Edwin the Saxon by his permission should be crowned King of Northamberland Aiebant enim CONTRA IVS VETERVMQVE TRADITIONEM ESSE Insulam unius CORONAE DVOBVS CORONATIS SVBMITTI DEBERE And after his decease under Cadwallo his Son who succeeded him in the Crown and under famous Cadwallader succeeding Cadwallo his Father in the Kingly Government by lineall dâ—scent by whose death both the royall blond with the Government of the Britons and the very name of Britain it self expired you may read at large in Geoffry Monmouth Bâ—da Gildas Maelmesbury Huntindon Mathew Westminster Fabian Holinshed Grafton Speed and others being over tedious to relate The divisions and discords amongst the British Nobility during Cadwalladers sicknesse seconded with eleven yeares sere pâ—stilence famine and all sorts of miseries whereby the land became desolate enforced them to forsake their native Country and to seek relief in forraign parts Whereupon the Saxons sending for more of their Countrymen into Britain replenished and planted the vacant Country dispossessing the Britons totally of their ancient rightfull Inheritance which they never since regained after they had possessed it from Brute to Cadwallader for two thousand seventy six yeares under one hundred and two Kings as John Brompton records in the beginning of his History col 725. And this shall suffice concerning the Britons Contests and Wars for their Liberties Laws Government Country Religion against the Romans Saxons and touching their Great Parliamentary Councils Proceedings in them from Julius Caesars to the Saxons Conquest and total supplantation of them by Treachery Violence and the Sword of which violent Intrusion Laeland our famous Antiquary and Archbishop Parker in his Antiquitâ—tes Ecclesiae Britannicae p. 12. give their Censure in point of Conscience who writing of Pope Gregories conversion of the Pagan Saxons who expelled the Britons to the Christian Faith conclude thus Debuerat Gregorius admonuisse Saxones GENTEM PERFIDAM ut si syncere Christiaâ—issimâ—m admittere vellent BRITANNIAE IMPERIVM QVOD CONTRA SACRAMENTVM MILITIAE PER TYRANNIDEM OCCVPAVERANT IVSTIS DOMINIS AC POSSESSORIBVS RESTITVERENT That is Gregory ought to have admonished the Saxons a PERFIDIOUS NATION that if they would sincerely embrace Christianity they then ought to restore the Kingdome of Britain which they had seised upon by Tyranny against the Oath of their Militia to the just Lords and Possessors thereof a Doctrine fit to be pressed on others now by all our Ministers which because they neglected to doe you may read what a divine retaliation their Postetity received from the Pagan Danes in the insuing Sections CHAP. III. SECT III. Comprising some remarkable Generall Historicall Collections proving the limited Power and Prerogative of the first Saxons Kings of England disabled to make any Lawes Warre Peace alienate their Crown Lands impose any Taxes Tributes in any Necessity or kind whatsoever but in and by common consent in the Generall Parliamentary Councils of their Nobles and Wisemen which they were obliged to summon upon all occasions when there was need and to govern their people justy according to Law The Saxons proceedings against their Tyrannicall oppressing Kings and the severe Judgements of God upon some Saxon Subjects for their Perjury Treachery disloyalty Rebellion against expulsions murders of their lawfull Soveraignes and unrighteous violent disinheriting the Christian Britons by the sword of their Native Country THe British Kings and Britons being for their Tyranny Perjury Treachery Injustice and other sinnes related reprehended by Gildas driven out and dispossessed of their Royalty and Country by the Saxons they about the year of our Lord 576. divided it into seven Kingdomes and set up seven Kings in severall parts of the Island who soon after waged civill Warres and more than civill Warres one with another These Kings all agreed utterly to delete the name of Britain and the memory of the Britons Whereupon they by common consent ordained That the Island should not be called Britain from Brute but England These Kings were at first elected by the Saxon Nobles and People to reign over them to govern the people of God and TO MAINTAIN and DEFEND THEIR PERSONS and GOODS IN PEACE BY THE RULES OF RIGHT And at the beginning so soon as they turned Christians they made their Kings to swear that they should maintain the Christian faith with all their power and GOVERN THEIR PEOPLE BY RIGHT without respect to any person and should be SUBJECT TO SUFFER RIGHT AS WELL AS OTHERS OF THE PEOPLE And although the King ought not to have any Peer in his Land for as much if he did wrong or offended against any of his people he or any of his Commissioners should not be both Judge and party it behoved of RIGHT THAT THE KING SHOULD
the Abby of Croyland the same year and to the Abby of Malmesbury Anno 974. with many other Charters of our Saxon Kings to Abbies Bishops and Churches recorded in Ingulphus Malmesbury Spelman and others all which were made and confirmed by these Kings with the consent and approbation of their Bishops Abbots and Nobles assembled in their Great Parliamentary Councils and ratified confirmed by them being else void in Law and repeaâ—lable as appeares by the Generall Council of Kingston Anno 838. Wherein the Manor of Mallings in Kent which King Baldred had formerly given to Christs Church in Canterbury being afterwards revoked and substracted from it because the Nobles offended with the King would not ratifie that donation nor suffer it to remain firm was resetled and confirmed to this Church in and by this Council specially summoned for that purpose by King Egbert and his Son Athelwelfe CONSENTI ENTIBVS DEMVM MAGNATIBVS the Nobles now at last consenting to it in this Council which they refused formerly to doe A clear Evidence of the Noble-mens Negative and Affirmative Voyces to the Saxon Kings grants of their Lands and Charters to pious uses and of their invalidity without their concurrent assents thereto In most of these forecited Charters of our Kings to these Churches and Monasteries it is observable that they exempted them and their Lands AB OMNIBVS PVBLICIS VECTIGALIBVS ONERIBVS REGIIS EXACTIONIBVS ET OPERIBVS nisi in structionibus Arcium vel Pontium quae nunquam ullâ—s possint Laxari From which notwithstanding King Ive exempted the Abby of Glastonbury and King Aethulwulfe and Beorred the Abby of Croyland ab expeditione militari And therefore as they could not thus exempt them from publick Tributes Burdens Regal Exactions and Services without common consent in Parliamentary Councils so they could not impose any publick Tributes Burdens Exactions or Services on them without common grant and consent in such Councils unless by special referrations as I shall by ensuing Presidents most fully evidence How carefull the Saxon Nobles and Subjects were from the first erection of their Kings and Kingdomes in England to preserve their Priviledges Liberties Properties Lawes from the usurpations Invasions and arbitrary power of Tyrannical Kings or Usurpers and how unâ—nimous magnanimous they shewed themselves in their just defence will appear by these few Presidents of their Proceedings against their Tyrannicall Oppressing Kings which I shall muster up together in their Chronologicall Order Anno Dom. 756. Sigebert King of the West-Saxons growing insolent and proud by the Successes of his Predecessors in their Warres became intolerable to his People treating them very ill by all kind of meanes LEGESQVE ANTECESSORVM SVORVM PROPTER COMMODVM SVVM VEL DEPRAVARET VEL MVTARET endeavouring to dâ—prave or change the Laws of his Ancestors for his own private luchre and using EXACTIONS CRUELTIES UPON HIS SUBJECTS setting asidâ—â— ALL LAWES Whereupon his most Noble and Faithful Counseller Earle Cumbra lovingly intimating to him the complaints of all the people perswaded the King to govern the people committed to his Charge more mildly and to lay aside his inhumanity that so he might become amiable to God and man he thereupon soon after commanded him to be wickedly slain and becoming afterwards more cruell to the people augmented his Tyranny Vpon which the rest of the Pâ—ers seeing their State and Lives were every day in danger and the Common Subjects WHOSE LAWES WERE THUS VIOLATED being incensed into fury all the Nobles and People of his Realm assembling together rose up against him and upon provident mature deliberation AND UNANIMOUS CONSENT OF ALL they before he had reigned full two yeares expelled him out of the Kingdom and elected and made Kenulphus sprung from the bloud royall King in his stead Whereupon flying into the Woods like a forlorn person for shelter he was there slain by Cumbra his Swineherd in revenge of his Masters death Ita crâ—delitas Regis omnem pene Nobilitatem pervagata in homine ultimae sortis stetit writes Malmesbury To which Henry Huntindon addes this memorable observation Ecce manifestum Domini Judicium ecce quomodo Domini justitia nonsolum in futuro seculo verum etiam in isto digna meritis recompensat Eligens namque Reges improbos ad contritionem promeritam subjectorum alium diu insanire permittit ut populus pravus diu vexetur Rex pravior in aeternum acrius crucietur veluti Edâ—lboldum regem Merce praesatum alium vero cita disterminatione praeoccupat ne populus suus nimia Tyrannide oppressus non respiret immoderata Principis requitia citissimas ultionis aeternae debito paenas incurrat veluti Sigebertum hunc de quo tractamus Qui quanto nequior extitit tanto vilius a Subulco interfâ—ctus a dâ—lore in dolorem transiit Vnde Domini justitiae aeternae laus gloria nunc semper In the year of our Lord 758. the people of the Kingdome of Mercia rising up against their King Beornred pro eo quod populum non EQVIS LEGIBVS sed PER TYRANNIDEM GVBERNARET because he governed his people not by their JUST LAWES but by arbitrary Tyranny they all of them as well NOBLES as IGNOBLE assembled together in one and Offa a most valiant young man being their Generall they expelled him out of the Realm which being accomplished BY THE UNANIMOUS CONSENT OF ALL as well Clergy as People they crowned the said Offa King This Beornred treacherously murdered King Ethelbald his Soveraign whose Captain he was and then usurped his Crown but was himself deprived of it and slain soon after by Offa who succeeded him by divine retaliation So Edwin King of Mercia in the year 857. for his Misgovernment his despising the Wise-men and Nobles of the Realm who hated his vicious and oppressive courses affecting and fostering ignorant and unrighteous persons his forcible expelling the Monkes and others out of their possessions by armed men his banishing Dunstan into France for reprehending his vices and other injurious and Tyrannicall Actions against Law and Right was utterly forsaken and rejected by all his Subjects and by the unanimous consent of all dejected deposed from his royall Dignity and his Brother Edgar Elected King in his place Deo dictante annuente populo by the dictate of God himself and the peoples consent AB OMNI POPVLO ELECTVS as our Historians write By these Presidents pretermitting others it is apparent that the ancient Saxons held their Kings Supremacy to be bounded within the rules of Law and Justice and that they esteemed their Kings to lose both the name and office of Kings when they ceased to Govern them according to Law and Justice or exalted themselves above their Lawes and Liberties which was not onely the ancient Divinity of those former times as appeares by Pope Eleutherius his forecited Letter to King Lucius but the received Law amongst the Saxons as
is evident by the Lawes of King Edward the Confessor Lex 15. hereafter cited The Law was the sole Umpire between these Kings and their people which Law as no Great man nor any other in the whole Kingdome might violate or abolish as Ive the great Saxon King confesseth in his Lawes So the Kings themselves were to submit thereto in all things as well as their Subjects Whence Aethelstan the Saxon King in his Prologue to his Lawes made at the Great Councill of Gratâ—ley Anno Dom. 928. by the advice of the Arch Bishops Bishops Nobles and Wise men of the Realm used this memorable expression as the Law of that age between King and people Ea mihi vos tantum modo comparatis velim QVAE JVSTE AC LIGITIME PARARE POSSITIS Neque enim mihi ad vitae usum QVICQVAM INJVSTE ACQVIRI CVPIVERIM Etenim cum ea ego vobis LEGE VESTRA omnia benigne largitus sum ut MEA MIHI VOS ITIDEM CONCEDATIS prospicitote sedulo ne quis vestrum neve â—â—rum aliquis qui vobis paruerit offensiâ—nâ—m aut divinam aut nostram concitâ—tis Indeed some of the Saxons being too much addicted to Faction Treason Sedition and Rebellion against their Kings abused their just Liberties and Priviledges to the unjust murther and destâ—â—ction of their Kings especially those of the Kingdome of Northumberland to prevent which excessâ—s in the famous Council of Calchuth Anno 787. held 〈…〉 of Northumberland his Bishops and Nobles and Ofâ— King of Mercians and his Bishops and Nâ—lles there 〈…〉 memorable Lawes and 〈◊〉 both for the Security Immunity of King and people which they with all their Subjects assented to and with all devotion of mind to the uttermost possibility of their power vowed through Gods assistance to observe in every point Cap. XI Of the Duty and Office of Kings Vndecimus Sermo fuit ad Reges Principes ut Regimen suum cum magna cautela disciplina peragant cum Justitia judicent ut scriptum est Apprehendite disciplinam ne quando irascatur Dominus pereatis c. Habentque Reges Consiliarios prudentes Dominum timentes moribus honâ—stos ut populos bonis exemplis Regum Principum eruditus confirmatus proficient in laudem gloriam omnipotentis Dei Cap. XII De Ordinatione Honore Regum who were then generally Hereditary not Elective We decree that in the Ordination of Kings none may permit the assent of evill men to prevail but KINGS SHALL BE LAWFULLY ELECTED BY THE PRIESTS and ELDERS OF THE PEOPLE and those not begotten of Adultery or Incest for as in our times by the Lawes a Bastard cannot be admitted to the Priesthood so neither can he be able to be the Lords annointed and he who shall be born out of lawfull Wedlock shall not be King of the whole Realm and Heire of his Country the Prophet saying Know yee that the Lord ruleth in the Kingdom of men and the Kingdome is his and he will give it to whomsoever he will Therefore we admonish all in generall that they would with a unanimous voice and heart intreat the Lord that he who electeth him to the Kingdome would himself give unto him the regiment of his holy discipline to govern his people Likewise honour is to be rendred to them by all men the Apostle saying Honour the King and in another place Whether it be to the King as Supream or to Governours as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of Malefactors but to the praise of them that doe well Likewise the Apostle Let every Soul be subject to the higher Powers for there is no power given but of God And the powers that are are ordained of God Therefore who ever resisteth the power resisteth the Ordinance of God and those who resist acquire damnation to themselves Let no man detract from the King for Solomon saith Thou shalt not detract from the King in thy mouth neither shalt thou curse the Prince in thy heart because the birds of the air shall carry the voyce and that which hath wings shall tell the word LET NO MAN DARE TO COMMUNICATE IN or conspire THE KINGS DEATH BECAUSE HE IS THE LORDS ANOINTED and if any shall have adhered to such a Wickednesse or Treason if he be a Bishop or any of the Priestly Order let him be thrust out of it and cast out of the holy inheritance as Judas was ejected from his Apostolicall degree and every one whosoever he be who shall assent to such a Sacriledge shall perish in the eternall bond of an Anathema and being associated to JVDAS THE TRAITOR shall be burnt in sempiternal burnings as it is written Not onely those who doe such things but those also who consent to such who doe them shall not escape the Judgement of God For the two Eunuches consenting to slay Ahasuerus were hanged on a Gallowes Consider what David said to the Captaines when the Lord had said unto him I will deliver Saul into thy hands when he found him sleeping and was exhorted by the Souldiers to slay him Let this sin be farre from me that I should stretch forth my hand against the Lords anointed Yea he cut off the head of that Souldier who after his death came unto him protesting that he had slain Saul and it was reputed unto him for righteousnesse and to his seed after him And it is often proved among you by examples that WHOEVER HAVE HAD A HAND IN THE MURDER OF THEIR KINGS HAVE ENDED THEIR LIFE IN A SHORT SPACE utroque Jure caruerunt it should be corruerunt and have perished by both Lawes civill and sacred Cap. 13. De Judiciis Justis ferendis Let Great and Rich men execute just Judgements neither let them accept the Person of the Rich nor contemn the Poor nor swerve from the rectitude of Judgement or Law nor receive gifts against the innocent but judge in righteousnesse and truth the Prophet saying Judge justly yee sons of men Also elsewhere Thou shalt not doe that which is unjust nor judge unjustly thou shalt not stand against the bloud of thy neighbour Likewise Isaiah Seek Judgement releive the Oppressed judge the Fatherlesse defend the Widow then come and let us reason together saith the Lord. Also elsewhere Vndoe every bond of iniquity undoe the heavy burdens let those who are oppressed goe free and break every yoak Then shall thy light break forth as the morning and thy health shall spring forth speedily The Lord saith in the Gospel For with whatsoever judgement yee judge you shall be judged and whatsoever measure you meet it shall be measured to you again Neither shall you take BY FORCE FROM ANY ONE THAT WHICH IS HIS OWN as it is said Thou shalt not covet the thing which is thy Neighbours Thou shalt not covet thy Neighbours wife nor his house nor his oxe
nor his sheep nor his field nor any thing that is his For the Prophet threatneth saying Wo to you who joyn house to house and lay field to field till there be no place that you may be placed alone in the midst of the earth These things are in my eares saith the Lord of Hosts Again the Prophet crieth Deliver the poor and needy rid them out of the hand of the wicked Remember what he deserveth who shall offend one of these little ones but whosoever shall receive one of these receiveth Christ from whom he shall deserve to hear in the day of Judgement Come yee blessed inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world Cap. XIV De cohibendis Fraude RAPINIS ET TRIBVTIS ecclesiae INJVSTE IMPOSITIS Let Fraâ—d VIOLENCE AND RAPINE BE FEARED AND NO UNJUST OR GREATER TRIBUTES IMPOSED ON THE CHURCHES OF GOD then by the Roman Law and THE ANCIENT CUSTOMES OF FORMER EMPEROURS AND PRINCES HATH BEEN USED He who desires to communicate with the holy Roman Church and St. Peter the chief of the Apostles let him study to keep himself free from this vice of VIOLENCE So concord and unanimity shall be every where between Kings and Bishops Ecclesiasticks and Laicks and all Christian people that there may be unity every where in the Churches of God and peace in one Church concurring in one faith hope and charity holding the Head which is Christ whose Members ought to help one another and to love one another with continuall Charity as he himself hath said By this shall all men know that ye are my Disciples if you shall love one another These old established Saxon Lawes and Canons backed with sacred Scriptures manifest the Duty of our old Saxon Kings and their Officers towards their Subjects whom they could not injure oppresse or tax in any kind against their ancient Lawes Customes Priviledges as likewise what Loyalty and Obedience the people owed to their Kings which bounds when their Kings exceeded in an exorbitant manner you have seen how they proceeded with them and when the people exceeded them on the other hand against their Loyalty and Duties they did not escape unpunished Take but one memorable general president in this kind in the Seditious factious rebellious Saxons of the Kingdom of Northumberland who were infamous for their Insurrections and Rebellions against and Expulsions and Murders of their Kings William Malmesbury and Huntindow give us this Abbreviation of their Rebellions Treasons Regecides Osulf son of Egbrick reigned one year and was betrayed and slain by his Subjects and made way for Mollo who reigning diligently for two yeares was compelled to lay down his Regality and slain by Alred who succeeding him reigned eight yeares and then was chased out of his Realm and deposed by his people from the Throne he had invaded Adelred Son of Mollo succeeding him reigned three yeares and then was driven out of his Kingdome and forced to fly from the face of his Rebellious Dukes and Captaines Then Celwold alias Alfwold being cried up King after ten yeares reign mourned under the Treachery of his Subjects being slain without fault by the Treason of Duke Sigga Osred his Nephew the next King reigned scarce one year and then was chased by his Subjects out of the Realm and afterwards slain Adelred Son of Mollo reigned again four yeares taking severe vengeance against those Rebellious Dukes and others who first expelled and deposed him and then was slain by his alwayes most wicked people being unable to avoid the fate of his Predecessors Ardulf his Successor reigned twelve yeares and then was chased out of his Realm by his rebellious Subjects And Oswold after him holding the Title of King onely for twenty eight dayes was forced to save his life by flight unto the King of Picts After which the Northumbrians preoccupated with the madnesse of their folly continued divers yeares without a King For many Natives and Nobles being offended with these Rebellions and Murders of their Kings fled out of their Country as fearing some heavy plague to befall it Alcuinus that Country-man then in France with Charles the great being ready to return to his Country with gifts to King Offa from Charles the Emperor thought best to continue where he was writing thus to Offa That he knew not what to doe amongst his Country men amongst whom no man could be secure or doe any good in giving wholesome Counsell to them their holy places being wasted by Pagans their Altars defiled with perjuries terra SANGVINE DOMINORVM ET PRINCIPVM FAEDATA and their very land it self polluted with the bloud of their Lords and Princes and the raining of bloud then at York in the Lent time where their Religion first took its beginning in that Nation presaged that bloud should come from the Northern parts upon that BLOUDY LAND and Realm of Northumberland almost brought to desolation for its intestine dissentions bloud-sheds and fallacious Oathes which they violated to their Soveraignes The Emperour Charles himself having prepared divers Presents and Letters to be sent by Alcuinus and others to King Offa and King Ethelred and the Bishops of their respective Realmes after his Presents and Letters delivered into the hands of the Messengers hearing of the murther of King Ethelred and the Treachery of this Nation to their Kings by Messengers returning through Scotland from King Offa recalled all his Presents and Gifts and was so farre incensed against that NATION which he called PERFIDIOUS AND PERVERSE AND MURDERERS OF THEIR KINGS ESTIMATING THEM WORSE THAN PAGANS that unlesse Alcuinus had interceded for them he had presently substracted all the good he could from them and have done them all the hurt that possibly he could devise Malmesbury records that after Ethelred no man durst ascend to the Kingdome whiles every one feared in particular lest the chance of these foregoing Kings should befall himself and would rather live safe in inglorious idlenesse then reign pendulus in doubtfull danger Seeing most of the Kings of Northumberland departed out of this life by the Treachery and destruction by their Subjects Whereupon they having no King for thirty three yeares THAT PROVINCE WAS EXPOSED TO THE DERISION AND PREY OF THEIR NEXT NEIGHBOURS and the Barbarous Danes speedily in great Numbers invaded spoiled and possessed it all that time slew most of their Nobility and people till at last they were enforced to subject themselves to the power and pleasure of the West-Saxon Kings to defend them from the Danes who infested invaded and miserably slew wasted destroyed these Seditious Treacherous King-deposing King-murdering Northumberlanders Henry Huntindon and Mathew Westminster record that the year before the Northumberlanders trayterously slew their King Ethelred there were fiery Dragons seen flying through the air after which followed a very great famine which destroyed many of them soon after the Pagan Nations from Norwey and Denmark invaded and miserably
extant certain whereas the other is but conjecturall yet made by common grant and assent of the King and his Barons and People if there were any such After this Councill of Calchuth I find very many Lawes confirming continuing establishing in all successions of ages till this day this charge and payment of Tythes all made by Common Consent in Generall Councils or Parliaments both before and since the Conquest which because they are all extant in John Bromptons Chronicle printed at London 1652. Mr. Lambards Archaion Sir Henry Spelmans Councils Rastals Abridgement of Statutes and accurately collected in a Chronological order by Mr. Selden in his History of Tythes ch 8. where all may peruse them I shall wholly pretermit them here and referre the Reader to these Authors All which Lawes are clear Evidences of the first Propositions verity The third General ancient Saxon Tax and Charge occurring in our Histories imposed on the People was that of Rome-scot or Peter Pence to wit one penny out of every House each year paid on the Feast of St. Peter ad vincula for and towards the maintenance of the English School and Schollars at Râ—me from the payment whereof all the Lands belonging to the Abby of St. Alâ—anes were exempted by King Offa by whom this Tax or Almes was first granted for the maintenance of the English Schollars at Rome and that by the UNANIMOUS antecedent and subsequent CONSENT of Arch-Bishop Humbert and his Suffragans ET PRIMATIBVIS SVS VNIVERSIS and of all his Nobles or chief Men assembled in a PROVINCIAL COUNCIL at Verolam in the year of our Lord 793. This School as Malmesbury De Gestis Regum Angliae l. 2 c. 1. and Balaeus Cent. 1. c. 15. record was first founded by King Offa before his going to Rome which Sir Henry Spelman proves out of Brompton and others But it appeares by Mathew Westminster that this School was there first built and endowed with Peter-pence by King Ive 66. yeares before King Offâ—aes grant and endowment For he writes that King Ive going to Rome Anno 727. built a House in that City by the consent and will of Pope Gregory which he caused to be called the School of the English To which the Kings of England and the royall Stock with the Bishops Elders and Clergy-men might come to be instructed in the Catholick doctrine and faith and so being stedfastly confirmed in the faith might return home again For the Doctrine and Schooles of the English from the time of St. Augustine were interdicted by the Roman Bishops by reason of the daily Herisies which had sprung up by the coming of the English into Britain whiles the Pagans intermixed with the Christians corrupted both the grace of holy conversation and the Christian Faith He likewise built a Church dedicated to the Honour of the Virgin Mary near to this School where the English coming to Rome might celebrate divine Mysteries and be likewise buried if they died there Then he addes ET HAEC OMNIA VT PERPETVAE FIRMITATIS ROBVR OBTINERENT STATVTVM EST GENERALI DECRETO made in General Council of the Realm PER TOTVM REGNVM OCCIDENTALIVM SAXONUM in quo praedictus Ina regnabat ut singulis annis de singulis familiis denarius unus qui anglice ROME-SCOT appellatur beato Petro Ecclesiae Romanae mitteretur VT ANGLI IBIDEM COMMORANTES VITALE SVBSIDIVM INDE HABERENT Which grant Offa King of Mercians first inlarged and granted in his Kingdome distinct from that of Ive 66. yeares after this as aforesaid This Annuall Contribution towards this Schooles maintenance was afterwards confirmed and the due payment thereof prescribed under penalties by the successive Lawes of King Edgar King Ethelred Canutus Edward the Confessor and William the Conquerour made in successive GREAT COUNCILS held in their times BY AND WITH THE ADVICE AND ASSENT OF THEIR ARCH-BISHOPS BISHOPS WISEMEN NOBLES AND SENATORS in the years of our Lord 967 1009 1012 1032 1060. or thereabouts and 1070. By vertue of which Lawes this Tax was duly paid every year in all succeeding ages till it was finally abolished and taken away by name by the Statute of 25. H. 8. c. 21. being perverted from its primitive intended use and made a constant Revenue by and for the Popes themselves against the Donors mindes and their Successors who so long continued it for the foresaid uses of the English schoolings These three most ancient Taxes and Charges originally granted imposed and afterwards continued onely by Common grant and Consent of the King Nobles People in Generall Councils and Parliaments are a most pregnant proof of the first Proposition and of the Peoples most ancient Originall Fundamentall Right of Property in their Goods and Estates exempt from all Impositions and Tallages whatsoever but onely by their free Grants and Consents in Parliament For if our ancientest Christian Saxon Kings and greatest Monarchs could not by their Prerogatives or absolute Power alone but onely with and by the free and common consent and grant of their Nobles Wise-men Prelates and People in the Great Parliamentary Councils of their Realmes impose the Payment of First Fruits and Tithes upon their Subjects though due by the very Law of God towards the Maintenance of Gods Worship and Ministers for the publick good instruction salvation of all their Soules nor yet the Payment of Peter-pence for the Maintenance of Learning and Schollars to supply the Ministry and furnish the Realm with able learned Men for the common benefit both of Church and State being things of greatest Concernment for the Peoples Kingdomes Happinesse Government and Prosperity much lesse then could they lay on them any other Tax Tribute Aid or Assessement whatsoever of lesse necessity and concernment for any inferior uses or for Defence of the Realm by Land or Sea against Enemies or Rovers by their own absolute Authority but onely by and with their voluntary Grants and Consents in Generall Parliamentary Councils of the Realm as every rationall man must acknowledge The fourth Publick Tax or Imposition on the people in point of time is that of Danegeld the first Civill Tax we everread of whereof there was two sorts The first paid to the Danes themselves by way of Composition as to a prevailing Conquering Enemies to prevent their Plunders Rapines Incursions The second paid for the maintenance of valient Souldiers and Mariners to defend the Sea Coasts and Seas against the Invasions Piracies of the Danes and other Enemies The first Payment I find of any monies to the Danes by way of Composition was in the year of our Lord 871. When Bernredus King of Mercians compounding friendly with them Pecuniis Inducias impetravit obtained a Truce with them for money as Mathew Westminster records After this Anno 873. Merciarum Gentes dato munere appeased those Pagans with a Gift What the sum of Money or Gift was is not expressed nor how it was raised nor yet
upon whom but the words imply that it was done by common consent of the Nobles in a Generall Council for their Common Preservation from Plunder not imposed or raised by the Kings Prerogative without their free consents in a General Council or Parliamentary Assembly for so it was assessed and levied in succeeding times Anno Dom. 983. The Danes infesting all the Parts of the Realm and the people not knowing where or how to resist them DECRETVM EST A VIRIS PRVDENTIBVS It was decreed by the Wise-men no doubt in a Generall Councill assembled for that end not by the Kings absolute Authority that they should be overcome with Money who could not be vanquished with the Sword Wherefore they satisfied the Covetousnesse of the Danes with the payment of ten thousand pounds Anno 991. A Tribute of 10000 l. was given them BY THE ADVICE OF SIRICIVS DUKE ETHELWARD AND OTHER NOBLES OF THE REALM that they should cease their frequent Rapines Burnings and Slaughters of men which they used about the Sea Coasts Anno 994. King Aethelred CONSILIO PROCERVM SVORVM by the Counsell of his Nobles no doubt in a Parliamentary Assembly gave them a pension of 16000 l. collected of all England that they should cease from the Rapines and Slaughters of innocent men And Anno 1002. the same King HABITO CONCILIO CVM REGNI SVI PRIMATIBVS utile duxit a Danis dextras accipere c. And CONSILIO PRIMATVM SVORVM by the Counsell of his Nobles or Chief men gave them 24000 l. and Anno 1007. CONSILIO PRIMATVM SVORVM BY THE COUNSEL OF HIS NOBLES he gave them 30000 l. gathered out of all England that they should desist from Rapines and hold a firm Peace with him Anno 1012. Duke Edric and ALL THE NOBLES OF ENGLAND OF BOTH ORDERS to wit the Lords Spirituall and Temporall were assembled together at London before Easter no doubt in a Great Council and continued there so long till the Tribute promised to the Danes should be paid which was 48000 l. All which is recorded in these expresse termes by Mathew Westminster Florentius Wigorniensis and Simeon Dunelmensis in their Chronicles and Histories of these respective years and by Polychronicon Fabian Holinshed Grafton Speed and other late Historians out of them So as this Tax or Tribute paid to the Danes was undoubtedly imposed and levied by common Consent in the Parliamentary Councils of those times not by the Kings own Power and Prerogative alone True it is King Suanus the Dane having conquered most of the Land exacted it from the people and levied it perforce against their wills for the payment of his Souldiers But the Inhabitants of St. Edmonds-bury refused to pay it Whereupon he threatned by force to spoile and destroy the Town but in the midst of his Jollity and Nobles he suddainly cryed out that he was struck through by St. Edmond with a Sword or Speare no man seeing the hand that smote him and so with great horrour and torment died three dayes after at Theâ—ford as Hoveden Annal. pars prior Simeon Dunelmensis de Gestis Regum Angliae Anno 1014. col 170. Math. Westminster Anno 1014 p. 394. Ranulsus de Diceto Abbreviationes Chronicorum col 465. Johann Brompton Chron. col 892. Fabian part 6. c. 200 Polychronicon l. 6. c 16. Speed in his History l. 7 p. 420. with others relate A memorable Punishment for this his illegal Exaction and Oppression As for the Tax of Danegeld imposed on the People to wit 12 d. as some or 2 s as others to be annually paid out of every Hyde or Plowland throughout the Realm except the Lands of the Church and some others exempted from it by special Charters it was imposed by Authority and Acts of Generall Councils onely not by royall Prerogative for Defence of the Kingdome by Land and Sea against the Danes and other Enemies and Pirates as is evident by the Lawes of King Edward the Confessor cap. 12. The Black Book of the Eschequer l. 1. c. 11. Sir Henry Spelman and William Sonmer their respective Glossarium Tit. Danegeld p 200 201. Mr. â—elden his Marâ— Claâ—sum l 2 as I have irrefragably proved at large in My Humble Remonstrance against the Illegal Tax of Ship-mony p 19. to 25 to which I refer you for fuller satisfaction Anno 1051 this unsupportable Tax of Daneâ—elâ— was â—â—leased for ever to the People of England by King Edward the Confessor 〈…〉 towards his oppressed People to wit in the 38. year from the time that Suanus King of the Danes commanded it to be yearly paid to his Army in the reign of King Ethelbert Father to this King Edward Which Abbot Ingulph in his History p 897. Iohn Brompton in his Chronicle col 938 9â—3 Simeon Dunâ—lmensis De Gest Reg Angl col 184. Ailredus Abbas Rievalus de Vita miraculis Edwardi Confess col 383. Radulfus de Diceto Abbrev. Chron col 475 Henry de Knyghton de Eventibus Angl l 1 c. 9. col 2331. Mr Selden in his Marc Clausum l 2 Sir Henry Spelman in his Gâ—ossary Title Dâ—â—egâ—ld and others thus relate in Ingulphus words TRIBUTUM GRAVISSIMUM quod DANEGELD dicebatur OMNI ANGLIAE IN PERPETUUM RELAXAVIT DE TAM FERA EXACTIONE NE IOTA UNVM VOLVIT RETINERE reâ—oring to the People all the mony then collected and brought into his Bed-chamber by his Officers and there laid in heaps upon which this most holy King as some of these record saw a Devil dancing and triumphing with over much Ioy and calling it HIS MONY QUIA INJUSTE ADQUISITA EST DE SUBSTANTIA PAUPERUM because it was unjustly gotten out of the substance of the poor Subjects though by coulour of former Grants by common consent in Parliamentary Councils upon which occasion this good King forthwith restâ— red all that was collected and perpetually released for the future this great and heavy Tribute which had continued near fourty years to the English-men for ever so that after that day it was no more gathered as Roger Hovedon Annal pars prior p 447. Hygden in his Polychron l 6. c 24. Capgrave Surius Ribadenicra Holinshed in the life of Edward the Confessorâ—Math Westm Simeon Dunâ—lmâ—nsis and Florent Wigorniensis An 1051. Grafton in his Chronicle p. 180. Speed in his History of Great Britain l 8. c 6 Sect 7 p 419. Fabian in his Chron part 6. c 210 p 282 with the other forementioned Authors joyntly attest By these four first Generall Taxes and publick charges thus imposed on the ancient Saxons and English onely by common grant and consent in the great Parliamentary generall Councils of the Realm both for the maintetenance of Gods Worship Ministers Religion Learning and defence of the Realm against forraign Enemies and Invasions the truth of the first fundamentall Proposition in the precedent Chapter is abundantly confirmed during all our Saxons Kings Reignes which I shall confirm in subsequent Sections by Presidents in all succeeding ages to