and us to the general content and safety of all honest men and so end the old and begin the new year with peace Whereas if we now break off and let go all the King hath granted I see no end of our Wars and miseries nor any probable means of peace and settlement in many years at least if ever in this or the succeeding Generation And the speediest remedy in this case especially considering the kingdom is so far exhausted that we know neither how to pay our publike debts our Fleet or Army their present Arrears much lesse their future must needs bee the best and be preferred before all others that will require more time and expence and be more hazardous and contingent in the event Thirdly As it is the speediest so the best and legallest safest and certainest way of all others First there is no danger nor hazard at all in it nor any expence of mony or effusion of bloud 't is but accept and then confirm by Acts and Oaths and the work is presently done If we think of settlement in any other way we must fight again and that will be both costly hazardous and when all is done we must Treat again perchance upon worse terms else there will be no peace nor settlement Secondly This is the way we have ever formerly pitched upon the way all parties have consented to and approved but those alone who desire neither peace nor settlement Therefore best safest and durablest Thirdly It is the legallest certainest because a peace and settlement by Acts of Parliament the highest security to English men under heaven to which King Lord Commons in them the whole kingdom consent wil all acquiesce in what is done without question or future dispute What peace soever is settled otherwise either by a bare Order or Ordinance of the Houses or by the Sword power alone will neither be sure safe nor lasting no longer then maintained by the Sword every man will be sure to question and unsettle all again upon the least advantage given The highest security that England ever had was Magna Charta and the Charter of the Forrest these were gained by the Sword but not held by it That which hath kept perpetuated these since their making was those Acts of Parliament which confirmed them These are only security for what ever we enjoy which will survive all other we can think of Nullum violentum est diuturnum Whereas priviledges kept and held by publike Acts will last for ever and be entailed to us and our posterities with peace and happiness attending them This was the way of settling peace between Kings and Subjects heretofore in Henry the 3. Edward the 2. Richard the 2. Henry the 6. Raigns and an Act of Pacification and Oblivion was the only safe and usuall way the Parliaments both of England and Scotland lately fixed on to settle a firm and lasting peace between both Nations kingdoms All other settlements will be but like an ulâ—â—r skinned over which will soone break out again with greater pain and danger then before 2dly For the new way proposed by the Army for a firm peace settlement it is certainly the most desperate dishonourable dangerous and destructive that can possibly be imagined and such as we can neither in honour justice conscience nor prudence imbrace To examine it a little by parts The first way to peace and settlement propounded by them is presently to break off the Treaty and that contrary to our publike faith to the King and kingdom yea to our own votes before the Treaty was fully ended this is the drift of their whole Remonstrance Which as it will totally if not finally deprive us of the fruit benefit of all the K. Concessions in the Treaty all which are by mutuall agreement no wayes obligatory to either party in any particular unless all be agreed being all that we can possibly think of for our safety and advantage and more then any Nation under heaven yet injoied so it wil inevitably cast us upon present wayes of new distractions confusions and civill wars now we are quite exhausted and end at last in our absolute destruction instead of a wel-grounded peace and those blessings we may forth with enjoy for the very accepting without further charge or trouble But if God beyond our hopes should after any new embroylments give us peace yet it must be upon a new Treaty and that perchance upon far worse terms then now are offered Therefore it must needs be dangerous to reject a safe way to follow a hazardous or destructive one The next thing proposed by them for a speedy peace and settlement is the bringing of the King to speedy justice for all his treasons and bloodshed in the late wars and then to depose and execute him as the greatest capitall malefactor in the kingdomâ— This certainly is a very dangerous aund unlikely way to peace and settlement First of all The smiting of the Shepheard is the way to scatter not unite the sheep The slaying of the King or Generall in the field scatters and dissolves the Army not secures them To cut off an aking head is the next way to destroy not cure a diseased body such kind of State policy may destroy or disturb but never settle us in perfect peace The Prince his next heir the Queen the Duke of York all his Children and Allies both at home and abroad will certainly meditate revenge and all Kings in Christendom will assist them even for their own interest and safety lest it should become a president for themselves And will this then secure or be a likely way to peace or settlement 2. The greatest part of the Members in both Houses the Lords Gentlemen and all sorts of people throughout the kingdome the whole kingdomes of Scotland and Ireland who have as great an interest in the Kings person being their lawfull King as we have and are obliged by Allegiance and Covenant to protect his person and Crown from violence will unanimously as one man oppose and protest against it and by force of Arms endeavour to bring those to execution who shall presume to advise or attempt to depose or destroy the King in any kinde contrary to their Allegiance and solemne Covenant Yea all Protestant Realms Churches States in forraign parts will abhorre both the fact and adjudge it contrary to their principles and Religion and that which may irritate Popish Kings and Princes to take up arms to ruine them lest they should fall into the like Jesuiticall practice And can this be a safe or speedy way to peace and settlement especially when we know not what Government shall succeed upon it and can expect nothing but bloody consequences from such a bloody Jesuiticall advice Thirdly I never read of any peace or settlement in any kingdom where King-killing was practised or approved When the Roman Armies began once to kill their Emperours and cut off their
heads they were scarce ever free from civill warres One Army set up one Emperour another Army another the Senate a third who alwayes warred till they had cut off one anothers heads Most of those Emperours had very short reigns few of them above a year or two and some of them scarce two months but most of them untimely deaths In Sclavonia and Norway where they had a Law that he that slew a Tyrant King should suceed him in the Throne They had almost every year a new King perpetuall wars and discords and not one of all their Kings for above one hundred years together ever came to a natural death but was murthered as a Tyrant and succeeded by a worse and greater tyrant as Saxo grammaticus and Nubrigensis testifie And in the sacred story it selfe it is very observable that after the ten Tribes revolted from Rehoboam though by Gods Iustice and approbation for Solomons sinnes they had never any peace or settlement but perpetuall Wars with one Kingdome or another or between themselves Their Kings or most of them were all Tyrants and Idolaters and by the just hand of God for the most part tumultuously slaine and murthered one of and by another who succeeded them he that murthered his Predecessor being usually slain by his Successor or his Predecessors Sons Servants or by the People of the Land in a tumltuous way In the 2 Kings 15. We read in that one Chapter of no lesse then 4 of those Kings slain one by another and as for the people under these Kings they had never any rest peace settlement or freedome but lived under the greatest misery and oppression that ever any Subjects under Heaven did as the sacred History records This King-killing certainly can be then no probable way at all to peace safety settlement freedome but the Jesuits pollicy to deprive us eternally of all these and of God and Religion to boot as it did the ten Tribes heretofore Fourthly this way to peace and settlement is directly contrary to all the former Engagements Oaths and severall Petitions Declarations Remonstrances Protestations and professions of both Houses of Parliament to the King Kingdomeâ— people wherein were have alwaies protested and held forth unto them both before and since the Wars That we will preserve and protect the Kings person from danger support his Royall estate with honour and plenty at home with power and reputation abroad and by our loyall affections actions and advice lay a sure and lasting foundation of the greatnesse and prosperity of his Majesty and his Royall posterity in future times That we are still resolved to keep our selves within we bounds of faithfulnesse and allegiance to His sacred Person and Crown That we will with our lives fortunes estates and with the last drop of our blood endeavour to support His Majesty and his just Soveraignty and power over usâ— and to prevent all dangers to His Majesties Person That wee tooke up armes as well for Defence of His Majesty to protectâ— His Person as the Kingdome and Parliament without any intent to burt or injure His Majesties person or power professing in the presence of Almighty God That we would receive Him with all honour yeeld him all due obedience and subjection and faithfully endeavour to secure His person and estate from all danger and to uttermost of our power to procure and establish to Him and His People all the blessings of a glorious and happy reign which both Houses severall times profest and remonstrated to the world That the allegation that the Army raised by the Parliament was TO MURDER and DEPOSE THE KING was such a scandall as any that professed the name of a Christian could not have so little charity as to raise it especially when they must needs know the Protestation taken by every Member of both Houses whereby they promise in the presence of Almighty God to defend His Majesties person and all their addresses and Petitions to him expressing the contrary That they never suffered it to enter into their thoughts to depose the KING abhorring the very thought of it much more the intent That they never suffered the word DEPOSING the King to goe out of their mouthes nor the thing to enter into their thoughts That they rest assured both God and Man will abominate that monstrous and most injurious Charge layed upon the Representative Body of this whole Kingdome by the Malignant party against the KINGâ— as designing not onely the ruine of His MAIESTIES person but of MONARCHY it selfe The Authors of which malicious horrid scandall they professe to make the Instances of their Exemplary Iustice so soon as they shall be discovered Now for Us after all these multiplyed reiterated Protestations Promises Engagements Declarations Remonstrances to all the World from the beginning of the differences and wars till now to think or talk of deposing and destroying of the King and altering the Government as the only safe and speedy way to peace and settlement as the Army-Remonstrants prescribe would be such a most detestable breach of Publike Faith such a most perfidious treacherous unrighteous and wicked act as not only God Angels and good men but the very worst of Turks and Devils would abhor and therefore it s a miracle to me that these precious Saints should thus impudently before all the World propose to the House and force you to pursue it to staine your reputation and make you exerable to God and Men. Fifthly the very Oath of Allegiance which every one of us hath taken upon our first admission to be Members engageth us in positive terms Not to offer any violence or hurt-to His MAIESTIES Royall Person State or Government to beare faith and true Allegiance to His MAIESTY His Heirs and Successors and Him and Them to defend to the uttermost of our power against all Conspiracies and attempts whatsoever which shall be made against His or Their PERSONS CROWNE or DIGNITY And from our hearts to abhorre detest and abjure as impious and hereticall this Jesuiticall and Popish Doctrine That Princes excommunicated or deprived by the Pope as it seems the KINGS is now for extirpating Episcopacy Popery Mass and Prelacy out of His Dominions by His present Concessions without any possibility or hopes of replanting may be deposed or murthered by their Subjects or any other whatsoever Which Jesuiticall contrivance and practise as our whole State and Parliament in the Statutes of 3â— Iaâ— cap. 1â— 4 5 35. Eliz. cap. 1. and other Acts resolve is the only way to unsettle ruine and subvert not to settle and establish the Peace and government of our Realme And both Houses since this Parliament have by a Solemne Protestation first and by a Solemne League and Covenant since with Hands listed up to the most High God engaged both themselves and the three kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland by a most sacred and serious vow and protestation purposely made and prescribed by them For the Honour and Happinesse of the King and his Posterity and the true publike Liberty safety and peace of the three Kingdoms as
Counties Cities and Burroughs for which we serve the only contradictory wayes to peace and settlement which they prescribed in their long-winded Remonstrance and the only good intentions though the worst that ever entred into the hearts of Saints to justifie their unparalleld force upon our persons and our false imprisonment ever since which they confesse in it self to be irregular and not Justifiable 1 doâ— therefore here in my owne behalf there being nothing case that can be objected against me but this Speech and vote which was carried clearly in the House without any Division at all and by 140. voices to 104. that the question should be then put though I bee not obliged to render any accompt or reason of anything I spake or voted in the House to any mortalls but the House alone appeal to the great and righteous judg of Heaven and Earth to whom the Army and Officers have so oft appealed in this cause to the Burrough of New-port in Cornwal and all the free Burgesses in it who without any privity or desire elected mee for their Trustee and Burgesse to all the Counties Cities Burroughs and Freemen of England and Wales to the united Kingdomes of Scotland and Ireland to all the Protestant Churches Kingdomes and States in forraigne parts yea to the Judgements and Consciences of the Generall Officers and Souldiers of the Army and to all the rest of the world who shall peruse this Speech and the Reasons inducing me cordially to consent to the former Vote and dissent from the Armies Remonstrance whether I and the rest of the secured or secluded Members whom they so oft term THE CORRVPT MAIORITY OF THE HOVSE or the GARBLED MINORITY who dissented from us and the Generall and Generall Councell of Officers in the Army be the greatest Apostates and Renegadoes from our publick trust and duties the greatest Betrayers and Renowncers of the Law and doctrine of the peoples Liberties and Freedome the greatest boils and plague-sores of the Kingdome the greatest mad-men struck with a Pestilentiall Phrensy the greatest self-seekers of our own particular corrupt interests the reallest re-imbroylers of this miserable wasted Nation in war blood oppression and Tyranny And whether we or they bee most guilty all those Calumnies and Censures they have thus rashly and censoriously published and cast upon us before any proof hearing or conviction of us to wound us and render us odious to the present and all future ages And whether our dâ—ryed Vote till the passing whereof they affirm they said or acted nothing in relation to the Parliament or any Member of it as if their Remonstrance of Nov. 20. their High Declaration full of Menaest against the dissenting numbers Novemb. 30. their removing the Houses former guards and marching up to London against the Houses command Decemb. 1. to over-awe the Members in their debate before the Vote passed were nothing to the House or any Member or their undutifull Remonstrance Novemb. 20. be the more honourable safe just conscientious speedy and certain way to settle a firme and lasting Peace in all three Kingdomes with most security and advantage to the Kingdomes and all honest mens publick interest both for the present and all succeeding Generations And if upon the serious perusall and consideration of the intire Treaty and of this my ensuing Speech comprehending the principall graunds and reasons of that Vote though much more was spoken by many worthy and more able Members in that most solemne debate which I leave to them to publish if they please the Burrough for which I serve and all others to whom I have here appealed shall give up their verdict for me and the other secured and secluded Members that I and they have herein faithfully discharged our Trusts and duties to God and Man to the King Kingdoms Church people and Army too as we have sincerely done it to our owne consciences in the uprightnesse of our hearts and spirits wee shall then hope that all these rayling accusations against us and their violence offered to our persons and priviledges will vanish into smoke and returne upon their owne pates with highest infamy and dishonâ—ur as being most really guilty themselves of all these false Calumnies against us and that wee shall appeare spotlesse and innocent from these great pretended transgressions both before God and Men. Howsoever seeing our owne consciences pronounce us innocent we shall cheare up our hearts with this sacred Cordiall Matth. 5. 10 11 13. Blessed shall you be when men revile you AND SEPARATE YOU FROM THEIR COMPANY and say all manner of evill against you falsely for my name sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you till God in his owne due time and way shall bring forth our righteousnesse as the light and our judgement as the noon day in this present world or acquit us of them at his owne tribunall in the world to come at the great day of judgement when the secrets of all learis shall be revealed and every man condemned or absolved before the Angels and all mankind by Christ himselfe according to his workes not good or evill intentions or Hypocriticall pretentions which may delude the world for a time but never God nor Christ before whose all-seeing eyes all things are bare and unridged appearing in their proper colours In the mean time Christian Reader I submit this plaine-dealing Rude speech to thine impartiall censure by which I desire to be acquitted or condemned justified or impeached of the good or evill of the forementioned Vote the only crime I am guilty of against all these calumnies and the Armies violence to my person who have only two pleas to justifie their treasonable violence upon the secured and secluded Members which I shall here briefly examine The first is their honest intentions of publique good To which I answer First that no pious nor â—onest intentions can justifie or excuse any irregular actions though neither scandalous nor prejudiciall unto men but seemingly pious and devout as is cleare by the examples of the Bethsheemites Vzza Saul and others much lesse can they excuse or justifie any treasonable scandalous and flagitious acts of violence and oppression as yours are both against the King and Members against your Oaths Trusts Covenants which are morall sinnes and evils against many expresse Scriptures and that very devine charge to Souldiers Luke 3. 14. Doe violence to no man c. 2 That Christians must in no case doe evill that good may come of it Rom 3. 8. their damnation being just that doe it Therefore not so great an evill so many complicated evils as you now act upon any intents of publike good Thirdly Christians must abstaine from all appearance of evill provide things honest in the fight of all men and give no offence to the Gentiles Churches of Christ or
expressing his approbation of it being gotten into the Generalls owne life Guard and the next man to him when he came to bring the Speaker unto the House of Commons August 6. 1647. He was afterward very active to perswade the Staffordshire supernumerarie forces not to disband and prevailed so much with them that there were severall orders from the house General ere they wovld obay therefore its propable he and they perswaded the Army at first not to disband or to goe for Ireland After which he was taken this summer at a meeting in Ramme-alley to raise a new Warre and being carried prisoner to the Committee of safety made an escape from thence by bribing his Keepers as is conceived having offered fifty peeces to a Captaine to suffer him to escape This Petition and Agreement of the People thus presented by the Agitators and this Jesuite Upou reading and debate thereof this House passed these Votes against it Die Martis 9. Novemb. 1647. A paper directed To the supream authority of the Nation The Commons in Parliament assembeld and stiled The just and earnest Petition of those whose names are subscribed in behalfe of themselves and all the free born people of England together with a printed paper annexed intituled All Agreement of the People for future and present peace upon grounds of common right avowed Resolved c. That the matters contained in these papers ARE DESTRUCTIVE TO THE BEING OF PARLIAMENTS and TO THE FUNDAMENTALL GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM Resolved c. That a letter should be sent to the Generall and those papers inclosed together with the Vote of this house upon them and that he be desired to examine the proceeding of this businesse in the Army and returne an account hereof to this House By which Votes is apparant That the house then deemed this Agreement of the people a second Gunpouder Treason Destructive to the being of Parliaments That some Iesuites or ill affected persons in the Army had put these Agitators upon it and therfore desired the Generall to examine and give them an account of it The Generall and Councell of Warre in pursuance of this vote condemned one of the Agitators who fomented it and shot him to death at Ware wherewith they acquainted the house and by this meanes this Iesuites brat and Engin to blow up this and future Parliaments was no further prosecuted in the Army but some of their confederates in the City on the 23. of the same November most audatiously sent it into the house to the Speaker inclosed in a Letter with a petition wherupō the House unanimously passed these votes concerning this agreement for the committing and prosecuting those who presented it giving the Generall thankes for the Execution done at Ware desiring him to prosecute the businesse further to the bottome where they thought they should find a litter of Iesuites and a Garnet a Catesby and Faux together in the Vault Die Martis 23. Novemberis 1647. A Petition directed to the Supreame Authority of England The Commons in Parliament assembled and intituled The numble Petition of many free borne People of England sent in a Letter directed to Mr. Speaker and opened by a Commitee thereunto appointed was read the first and second time Resolved vpon the question That this Petition is a seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecution of a former Petition and paper annexed stiled an Agreement of the people formerly adjudged by the House to be distructive to the being of Parliaments and fundamentall government of the Kingdoms Resolved c. That Thomas Prince Cheesemonger and Samuel Chidly be forthwith commtted prisoners to the prison of the Gate-house there to remaine prisoners during the pleasure of this House for a seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecution of a former petition and paper annexed stiled An Agreement of the people formerly adjudged by this House to be Distructive to the being of Parliaments and fundamentall Government of the Kingdome Resolved c. That Jeremy Ives Thomas Taylor ani William Larner be forthwith committed to the prison at Newgate there to remaine prisoners during the pleasure of this House for a seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecution of a former petition and paper annexed stiled An Agreement of the People formerly adjudged by this House to be Destructive to the being of Parliaments and fundamentall Government of the Kingdome Resolved c. That a letter be prepared and sent to the Generall taking notice of his proceedings in the execution according to the rules of War of a mutinous person at their Randezvouze neare Ware and to give him thanks for it and to desire him to prosecute the examination of that businesse to the bottome and to bring such guilty persons as he shall think fit to condigne and exemplary punishment Resolved c. That the Vots upon the former Petition and Agreement annexed and likewise the Vots and proceedings upon this Petition be forthwith printed and published Yea the houses were so sensible of the treasonablenes and danger of this agreement that in an Ordinance of the 17. of Decem. 1647. For electing of Common Councell men and other Officers in London they expresly ordained that person who hath contrived abetted perswaded or entred into that engagement intituled The agreement of the people declared to BE DESTRUCTIVE TO THE BEING OF PARLIAMENTS AND FUNDAMENTALL GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM be elected chosen or put into the Office or place of the Lord Mayor of the City of London Sheriffe or Alderman Deputie of a Ward or Common Councell man of the said City nor shall have any voice in the electing of any such Officers for the spase af one whole year and be made uncapable of any of the said places Vpon this treable sentence of condemnation that passed against this Agreement of the people by these Votes Ordinances this stratagem of the Iesuits to blow up this and future Parliaments by putting a certanperiod to this Parlaments dissolution on the last of Sept. 1648. and setling a more equal Representative for the future with a fixed time for its beginning and ending and of a new Parliament of Commons alone without King or Lord◠the substance of this whol agreement was for that year trustrated and totally laid aside till the beginning of Novem. last At which time the Iesuits and the Agitators to hinder Irelands reliefe and our settlement prosecuted it againe a fresh in the Army the better to disguise carry it on more closely they inserted it verbatim into their Remonstrance to break off the Treaty with the King prevailed so far with the General and his generall Councell of Officers who formerly condemned it and shot one to death for abetting it but in Novemb. before as unanimously to approve it at St Albans the sixtenth of November 1648. and sent it to this House the twentieth of that moneth to break of the Treaty presently and to be forthwith considered and confirmed and which is most
The Substance of a SPEECH Made in the House of Commons BY WIL. PRYNN of LINCOLNS-INN Esquire On Munday the Fourth of December 1648 TOUCHING The Kings ANSWER to the Propositions of both Houses upon the whole TREATY Whether they were satisfactory or not satisfactory Wherein the Satisfactorinesse of the Kings Answers to the Propositions for settlement of a firm lasting Peace and future security of the Subjects against all feared Regall Invasions and encroachments whatsoever is clearly demonstrated As likewise That there is no other probable or possible way to settle a speedy firm and lasting Peace but by the Houses embracing and proceeding upon the large extraordinary Concessions of the King in this Treaty for the Kingdoms present weal and future Security And that the Armies Remonstrance Nov. 20. is a way to speedy and certain ruine and a meer Plot of the Jesuites to defame and destroy us Put into Writing and Published by him at the importunate request of divers Members for the satisfaction of the whole Kingdome touching the Houses Vote upon this Debate The third Edition MATTHEVV 5. 9. Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God PSALM 68. 30. Rebuke the company of Spearmen scatter thou the people that delight in War London Printed for Mich Spark at the blew-bible in Green-arbor 1649. All flesh is Grass the best men vanity This but a shadow here before thine eye Of him whose wondrous changes clearly show That GOD not men swayes all things here below TO THE Christian Reader Courteous Reader THE importunity of divers eminent Members of the House and the multitude of false and scandalous Aspersions publickly cast upon my self and other secluded Members not only in common Discourses and News-books but in sundry Libellous pamphlets published by the Officers of the Army and their Confederates since their late Treasonable unparalleld violence to our persons and the Houses and our priviledges and freedome without the least pretext of Authority have necessitated me to put this Speech into writing and publish it to the whole Kingdom and world which else had expired within those walls where it was spokâ—n with that breath that uttered it The scandals wherewith they have publickly aspersed the secured and secluded Members in print are these That wee are a corrupt Majority and apostatizing party selfe-seeking men old Royalists New-malignants Neuters Traitors Men byassed from the common Cause powerfully carrying on their own designes to secure themselves and work their own advantage by a corrupt closure with the King and by subtill endeavours making way for the bringing him in on TERMS DESTRUCTIVE to the Publick a corrupt Majority designing the establishment of a lasting Dominion between the King and themselves in a perpetuall Parliament No wonder those Saints dâ—generated so far to act the Devills part as to carry and cast us prisoners into hell it selfe and there keep us waking upon the bare boards all night without any accommodations when they seized us were wee such persidious Judasses or incarnate Devills as they would render us to the Kingdome and those for whom wee serve before ever they vouchsafed particularly thus to charge us or bear our just defence either as Members or Freemen of England However were we every way as vile as they would make us yet it is as clear as the Noon-day Sun That these very Officers and the Army being not our Masters but Servants particularly raised waged and engaged by solemn Leacue and Covenant among other things to protect and defend the Parliaments and Members Rights priviledges and persons from all Force and violence whatsoever in such manner as both Houses and the Committee of both Kingdomes should approve cannot pretend the least shadow of reason or authority from the Law of God or man thus traiterously to seized imprison and seclude us without the Houses license before any particular charge against us it being a far more detestable and inexcusable Treason and Rebellion then Jermins or Percies attempt to bring up the Northern Army to over awe the Houses or the Kings comming to the Commons House to demand the five Members only formerly impeached of High-Treason without seizing or secluding them the Hause or any other Members or Wallers Tompkins and Chaloners Treason to seize severall Members of both Houses and bring them to a legall Tryall as they pretended and to awe and master the Parliament for which they were condâ—mned and executed as Traitors though never actually attempted or the Reformadoes or Apprentices unarmed violence for a few hours without seizing or secluding any Member which yet the Generall Officers and Army in their Remonstrances Letters and papers declared to be Treasonable and pressed for speedy and exemplary Iustice against the chief Actors and Abettors of it to prevent the like attempts and force for the future But what is the true and onely ground of all this outcry Surely the Generall Conncell of the Oâ—ffiâ—rs of the Army in their Answer of Ian. 3 1648. Pag. 7 8. 9 10. ingenuvsly confâ—ss 〈◊〉 it was noâ—hinâ— but our vote upon the long nights debate on the fisth of December last That the Answers of the King to the Propositions of both Houses were a ground for the House to proceed upon for the setâ—lement of the peace of the Kingdome being the largest the safest and benefioiallest ever yet granted by any King to his Subjects since the Creation and that we resolved to settle a speedy and well grounded peace upon most honourable and secure termes for the Kingdomes publike interest and felicity not our owne particular advantages after seven years bloody expensive wars and refused to follow the pâ—rnicious treasonable Iesuiticall advice of these Enemies of peace who intend to make a lasting trade of war in breaking off the Treaty with the King upon the first tender of their Treasonable Remonstrance Nâ—vemb 20. some few dayes before the Treaty expired contrary to our publick Engagement both to the King and Kingdome and would not directly contrary to our Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance our Solemn Protestation League and Covenant our multiplyed Remonstrances Declarations ' Petitions Propositions and Engagements to the King Kingdom People Scotland Ireland all forraigne Protestant States and the World immediately imprison arraigne condemn depose and execute the King dis-inherit and banish the Prince and Royall line as Traitors dispose of all the Crown revenues towards their arrears dissolve the present Parliament forthwith subvert all future Parliaments and the ancient Government of the Kingdome by King Lords Knights Citizens and Burgesses duly elected and alter all the fundamentall Lawes and Statutes of the Realme set up a new Utopian Representative and supream Anarchicall Tyranny of the people to destroy both â— Magistracy Ministery Government Peace Religion and Liberty at once betray bleeding dying Ireland then near its ruine to the bloody Popish Irish Rebells and bring speedy inevitable destruction on our three Kingdomes and those respective
of Peace who in his own due time iâ— despite of all the Devills in hell and Iesuites Forces or Armies upon Earth will create peace for and settle it amongst us to our own hearts content The speedy accomplishment whereof as it alwayes hath been so it ever shall be the constant prayer and endeavour of Thine and his Countryes wel-wisher and the Armies Captive William Prynne From the sign of the Kings-head Iune 22. 1648. Mr. PRYNNES LETTER To The Borough of NEWPORT in Cornwall for which he serves in PARLIAMENT GENTLEMEN BEING freely and unanimously elected by you without my privity or seeking to serve as one of your Purgesies in this Parliament I have since my entrance into the Commons House the 7 th of Nevem last endeavoured to the best of my skill and judgment faithfully to discharge that trust and duty you reposed in me according to my Conscience to put a speedy and happy period to our unnaturall long-lasting bloody Wars and settle a firm well-grounded peace upon such terms of honor freedome safety and advantage as no Subjects under Heaven ever yet enjoyed from the Creation till this present What my indefatigable endeavours were herein in drawing up all the Bils upon the Kings Concessions in thellate Treaty is wel known to most of the Members then sitting and what I delivered in the House upon the Debate of the Kings Answers to our Propesitions upon the whole Treaty with a sincere and publique spirit aiming at nothing but yours and the whole Kingdoms felicity and prosperity not any private interest of mine own I have sent you here in print being falsly charged by a new erected Generall Councell of Officers of the Army who have traiterously usurped to themselves the supream Authority of the Kingdom and against the known Priviledges of Parlia the Liberty of the Subjects and the Law of the Land forcibly seised on my self and divers other eminent Members going to the House to discharge our duties on the 6 th and 7 th of Decemb. last in pursuance of the Treaty and secluded me and them from sitting there ever since to yours and the whole kingdoms prejudice among other secured Members in the gross for an Apostate from the publike trust which you reposed in me only for this SPEECH and the VOTE of the whole House for the settlement of the kingdomâ— peace made in pursuance of it they having no particular matter â—else to charge me with had they any just power to impeach or seclude-me which they have not but this alone How perfidiously and injuriously they have dealt with and how scandalously they have traduced and libelled against me and the other restrained Members in print upon this occasion only you may read in the Epistle to the Reader though mine and the other Members innocency be so perspicuous that they confesse they have yet no particular matters of impeachment against us after above 7 weeks imprisonment but promise shortly to produce some if they can whereas their owne Treasonable Rebellions violences perjuries and crimes written with Sun-beams in their very forcheads are visible to all the world and need no witnesses to prove their guilt their late unparallel'd exorbitances and proceedings both against the King Parliament Lords Members City and Country being known and apparent unto all I shall therefore appeal from these usurpers who have no more Authority to question or restrain me for any reall or pretended breach of my Trust as a Member were I guilty of it then the meanest servant hath to call his Master to account for mis-governing his family or to shut him out of doores unto you alone who elected me and are best able to know and judge of your owne Trust desiring your speedy resolution of this question Whether in that herein spoken or voted by me I have any wayes violated the trust or faith which you and every of you reposed in me For which Speech and Vote though I am judicially accountable only to the Commons House which knowes the true grounds upon which I went and can only truly judge of what was there spoken and voted none being fit to judge any thing but those who know and hear it too the majority of which House concurred with me in the vote without any division yet I hold my selfe in some sort ministerially accompâ—able unto you for whom I serve as the properest Iudges without the House doores of what I spake or voted in your behalfe From whom I shall humbly request so much right and justice upon the perusall of the inclosed Speech and papers which I desire may be read openly before all my Electors at your next publique meeting as to testifie to the world under your hands and seais which you set to the returne of my Election your own judgments and opinions whether I have betraid or broken the Trust you reposed in me or not by what I spake or voted in this debate and what sense you have of the Armies forcible secluding and imprisoning me your Burgesse from the House among other Members above seven weeks space together contrary to mine and your undoubted Priviledge how far you conceive your selves obliged by ought that hath been or shall be concluded or voted in the House during the Armies force upon it and your Burgesses and most other Members violent seclusion thence against all Law and President and what reparations you expect for this high Injustice to your selves and me With what else you-think fit to determine touching the premises And if you deeme it necessary to returne your results herein to me with all convenient speed who shall make the best advantage thereof for yours mine own and the kingdoms benefit whose peace by Gods blessing had beene fully settled to your hearts content before this time had not the Enemies of Peace who gain their livings by the Warres interrupted our proceedings by imprisoning and sâ—â—luding the greatest part of the Members and particularly From the Kings Head in the Strand Ian. 26. 1648. Your most affectionate Friend and faithfull Servant and Burgesse WILLIAM PRYNNE To his honoured Friends the Vianders and free Burgesses of the Borough of Newport in Cornwall these present The substance of a Speech made in the House of Commons by William Prynne of Lincolns Inne Esquire on Munday the 4th of Decemb. 1648. touching the Kings Answers to the Propositions of both Houses upon the whole Treaty whether they were satisfactory or not satisfactory Mr. Speaker BEing called to be a Member of this House without my privity or seeking and against my judgment having formerly refused many places freely tendered to me by the unanimous election without one dissenting voice of that Borough for which I serve and by a divine providence entring within these doors in this great conjuncture of the highest publique affairs that ever came within these wals wherein the very life or death the weal or ruine of this Kingdom if not of Scotland and Ireland too consist in our Ay or No upon
being more then was ever thought of or desired in the Treaty of Peace in February and March 1642. The second Proposition fully granted by the King for the setling and securing of the State and Religion too against the Kings armed power is the setling of the whole Militia by Sea and Land and Navy of England Ireland and the Isles and Dominions thereunto belonging by Act of Parliament in the hands and disposall of both Houses and such as they shall appoint for the space of twenty years with power to raise moneys for all forces raised by them for Land or Sea service during that space or time which forces are authorised to suppresse all forces raised or to be raised in or any forraigne forces which shall invade the Realms of Engl. Ireland or the Dominions and Isles thereunto belonging without Authority and consent of the Lords and Commons in Parliament And it further provides that after the expiration of the said 20. years neither the King his heirs and successors nor any person or persons by colour or pretence of any Commission power Deputation or Authority to be derived from the King his Heirs or Successors or any of them shall raise array train imploy or dispose of any of the forces by Sea or Land of the Kingdomes of England and Ireland the Dominion of Wales Isles of Gâ—ernsep and Iersey or of Barwick upon Tweed nor execute any power or authority touching the same invested in the two Houses during the space of twenty years nor do any thing or Act concerning the execution thereof without the consent of the Lords and Commons first had and obtained And that after the expiration of the said twenty years in all cases wherein the Lords and Commons shall declare the safety of the Kingdome to be concerned and shall thereupon paffe any Bill for the raising arming training and disposing of the forces by Sea and Land of the Kingdomes Dominions Isles and places aforesaid or concerning the leavying of moneys for the same if the King his Heirs and successors shall not give the Royall assent thereto within such time as both Houses should think conveent that then such Bil or Bills after Declaration made by the Lords Commons in that behalf shall have the force and strength of an Act or Acts of Parliament and be as valid to all intents and purposes as if the Royal assent had been given thereunto After which it disables any Sheriffe Justice of the Peace Majors or other Officers of Justice to leavy conduct and imploy any forces whatsoever by colour or pretence of any Commission of Array or extraordinary command from the King His Heirs or Successors without consent of both Houses And concludes That if any persons to the numberâ— of 30 shall be gathered together in warlike manner or otherwise and not forthwith disband themselves being thereunto required by the Lords and Commons or command from them or any other specially authorized by them that then such person or persons not so disbanding shall be guilty and incur the pains of High Treason any Commission under the great Seal or other Warrant to the contrary notwithstanding and be uncapable of any pardon from His Majesty His Heirs and Successors and their estates disposed of as the Lords and Commons shall think fit To all this new grand principle security of our present and future peace and settlement the King hath given his full and free consent in terminis And what greater security then this wee can imagine or demand against the Kings armed power and sword of War transcends my capacity to imagin Therefore if we have not lost our brains and consciences too we cannot but vote and conclude it satisfactory and restabundantly contented with yea exceeding thankful for it And that upon all these ensuing considerations First both Houses in their Treaty with the King in February and March 1642. demanded only the Militia of England not of Ireland yet so as they did leave the Nomination and disposing of the chiefe Commanders Officers and Governors of the Militia Forts and Navy of the Kingdome to the King provided only they might be such persons of honor and trust as both Houses might confide in and likewise promise restitution of all Moneys Forts Garrisons Arms and Ammunition of the Kings which they had seized upon or to give him present satisfaction for the same which being granted and performed they professed it should bee their hopefull endeavour that His Majesty and His people might enjoy the blessing of Peace c. and be derived to Him and to His Royall Posterity and the future Generations in this Kingdome for ever Whereas in this Treaty the King denudeth himselfe of the Militia of England and Ireland too and of the Nomination and approbation of all Officers Commanders Governors of the Militia or forces by Sea or Land and leaves all the Forts Navy and Magazines only to the Houses disposall without any compensation for his Magazines or Armes formerly seized by them And if far lesse was deemed sufficient for our settlement and security then much more will all this be thought so now Secondly Because the King hath wholly stript Himself His Heirs and Successors for ever of all that power and interest which His Predecessors alwaies enjoyned in the Militia forces forts Navy not only of England but Ireland Wales Iersey Garnsey and Berwick too so as He and they can neitherâ— raise nor arm one man nor introduce any forraign forces into any of them by vertue of any Commission Deputation or authority without consent of both Houses of Parliament and hath vested the sole power and disposition of the Militia Forts and Navy of all these in both Houses in such ample manner that they shall never part with it to any King of England unlesse they please themselves So as the King and His Heirs have no military power or authority at all left to injure or oppresse the meanest Subject much lesse the whole Kingdome or Houses of Parliament had they wills to doe it and the Houses having all the Militia by Land and Sea not only of England but even of Ireland Wales Garnsey Iersey and Berwick to assist and secure them in case He or His Heirs should attempt to raise any domestick or introduce any forraign force against them is so grand so firm a security in all probability for insuring and preserving of our Peace Religion Lawes Liberties Lives and Estates against regall force and tyranny that none of our Ancestors ever demanded or enjoyed the like nor no other Kingdome whatsoever since the Creation for ought that I can find in Histories or Republicks who have perused most now extant to do you service and such a selfe-denying condâ—sconsion in the King to His People in this particular as no age can president In the 17 year of King Iohn the Barons having by force of Armes compelled him to confirm the great Charter at Runningmead near Windsor thought this their greatest
Seal against the Parliament to publick Justice who cannot plead it in Barre or excuse in any Court after it shall be nulled and repealed by an Act. Fifthly a great disparagement dishonour and disadvantage to the English Cavaliers Irish Rebels and their cause and proceedings with a future disingaging of them and al their Party from the King and his interest who hath so far dishonoured deserted and disclaimed them as thus to null and repeal all Honours Titles Grants of Offices Lands or Tenements bestowed on any of them for any services done or Assistance given by them to the King in his Warres against the Parliament A very high point of humiliation and self-deniall in the King and such a blow to his Popish and Malignant party that I dare presume they will never engage in his behalfe nor trust him for the future which will much conduce to the settlement of a firm and lasting peace and prevent new VVars if accepted of 6ly Indempnity and security for all the Commissioners of the new Great Seale against all scruples which may arise upon the Statute of 25. E. 3. for using and sealing with it if ever the times alter which every prudent man will readily embrace where it is freely offered and not peevishly reject in such an age of danger and incertainty as this in which no man is secure of his life liberty or estate on either side The next Concession of the King in this Treaty is this That by Act of Parliament all Peeres made since Edward Lord Littleton deserted the Parliament and conveyâ—d away the Great Seale on the one and twentieth day of May 1642. shall be Vn-Peer'd and set by And all other titles of honour and precedency as Lordship Knighthood and the like conferred on any without consent of both Houses of Parliament since the twentieth of May 1642. shall be revoked and declared null and void to all intents and never hereafter put in use And that no Peere who shall be hereafter made by the King his heirs or successors shall sit or vote in the Parliament of England without consent of both Houses of Parliament This Concession of the Kings is of great concernment to the Kingdome and I conceive without president or example in any age or King in the Christian world First it secures us from our formerly feared danger of a designe in the King by new created Peers to make an over-ruling party at any time in the Lords House wherein the Iudicatory of the Parliament principally consists which danger and inconvenience by secluding the Bishops out of that House by an Act already passed and by this disabling all new Peers hereafter to be made to sit in that House without consent of both Houses is for ever totally prevented Secondly It gives such an extraordinary new power to the House of Commons as they never formerly enjoyed or pretended to to wit that no Peer created by the King himselfe or by the King or Lords in Parliament who usually created Peers in Parliament without the Commons privity or consent in former times shall be henceforth inaabled to sit or vote as Peers of Parliament but by consent of the House of Commons as well as of the King and Lords By which provision the Commons are made not only in some sense the Judges of Peers themselves which they could not try or judge beforeby the expresse letter of Magna Charta chap. 29. and the Common Law but seven their very Creators too Thirdly It is an extraordinary prejudice and blemish on the Kings cause and an extream dishonour dissatisfaction disengagement upon his own party then which a greater cannot be imagined For what higher affront or disgrace could the King put upon those Nobles Gent. others who have spent their estates lost their blood limbs and adventured their very lives in this cause against the Parliament and received no other reward for it but an empty title of honour perchance a Kightship Lordship or the bare title of a Marquesse Earl or Viscount which they have enjoyed but a year or two with little benefit and lesse content to be thus by Act of Parliament with the Kings owne Royall assent who conferred those titles on them for their gallant services in his behalfe thus suddenly degraded and divested of them all as if they had never been A perpetuall brand to them their posterity who must be inforced to give place to such of whom they have had precedency place by vertue of these dignities Which high affront and scorne I am verely perswaded will pierce and break many of their own at least their Ladies hearts and for ever disoblige them in the highest degree 4thly It will make all the ancient and new Nobility and Peers of England lesse dependent on the King lesse complying to serve his ends upon all occasions being never able to gratisie or reward them though never so ambitious with any new Honours or Peerships without consent of both Houses of Parliament whom they dare not displease or disoblige for fear of crossing them in their desired dignities and titles as well as in their great Offices which are both now in their disposall not in the Kings alone In brief the King in his Concession hath manifested the greatest humiliation and self-deniall that any King since there was a Kingdome in the world hath done It is and hath been the ancient and undoubted prerogative of all Kings in the world but especially of the Kings of England to conferre honours dignities of all sorts especially Knighthood on whom they shall think meet and more principally on those who have merited it by their gallantry in the field as Mr. Selden proves at large in his Titles of honour and others who have written of that Subject Now for the King out of a desire only of a happy peace and settlement not onely to part with much of the Royall Prerogative which all other Kings in the world enjoy for the future but to repeal the Honours and Titles conferred by him on his adherents for reward of their services in times past during all these wars is such a miracle and high degree of selfe-deniall as no age hath produced the like and that which most of this house had the King prevailed would have rather lost their lives had they conferred any such Titles on their Generalls and Commanders then have condescended to should the King require it And therefore I cannot agree with those over-censorious Gentlemen who so oft inculcate this that they can see no humiliation at al or change of heart in the King when I find so great a change and deep a humiliation in Him in this and all other forementioned free Concessions without any or little hesitation and I heartily wish their owne hearts were as much humbled as his and then I doubt on but they would thankfully embrace rest fully satisfied with his concessions for their owne and the Kingdomes benefit The next proposition tending
to the peace and settlement of the Kingdome is this That the King do give his Royall assent to such Act or Acts for the raising of moneys for the Parliament satisfying of the publique Debts and Damages of the Kingdome and other publique uses as shal hereafter be agreed on by both Houses of Parliament And if the King do not give his assent thereto then it being done by both Houses the same shall be as valid to all intents and purposes as if the Royall assent had been given thereunto To this Proposition the King hath condescended so as those Acts be passed within two years after the Treaty ended which the Houses have now voted to be satisfactory This Proposition secures all moneys lent upon the publike faith all arrears due to Officers souldiers yea all moneys advanced by any who have purchas'd Bishops lands for their losses by reversions after 99 years or any present rents to be reserved to the Crowne for the use of the Church with which those Members who have purchased such lands or advanced moneys upon them declare themselves most unsatisfied all those who have sustained publique losses Yea if the King denies his royall assent thereto it enables both Houses to make a valid Act of Parliament without the King in this case and in case of the Militia likewise which was never challenged by nor granted to both Houses in any Kings Reign before takes away the Kings Negative voice as to these particulars which those who conclude the Kings answers unsatisfatory have so much contended for yet now stand in their own light in not accepting of these Concessions as satisfactory and striking at the Negative voice The next Concession of the Kings for the settlement of the State is the taking away of the Court of Words and of all Wardships and Tenures in Capite or by Knights service which draw on Wardships Primer seisures liveries and such like incombrances to the intolerable vassalage and prejudice of the Nobility and Gentry of England and great landed persons and that only upon giving the King and his successors one hundred thousand pounds yearly for compensations being one principall part of his Royall Revenue This Concession is of so vast consequence to the Kingdome to enfranchise the Subjects from the Norman yoak of bondage as some stile VVardships and Tenures in Capite though others deem them more ancient then William the Conqueror that our Ancestors never enjoyed the like It exempts mens heits under age and their estates from being made a prey for hungry Courtiers or over-reaching Committees of them their estates It exempts them from being married to any against their free consents without any single or double forfeiture of the values of their marriages to which they were formerly liable from marriages to persons of small or no or broken fortunes and different dispositions which have ruined many families from many chargeable suits expences excessive fees gratuities to Escheators Feodaries all sorts of griping Officers in the Court of Wards and from vast expences and extraordinary vexation in finding and traversing Offices suing out Liveries c. and many suits and questions arising thereupon which have undone too many And it deprives the King of such an over-awing Prerogative over the persons and Eâ—tates of the Nobility and Gentry which usually fell into his custody after every Tenants decease as will very much weaken his interest in and their over much dependence on him and make them lesse subject to engage for or with him against the Parliaments or Kingdomes common interest The next Proposition relating to the Kingdomes safety and settlement not so immediately and directly as any of the former is that which concernes Delinquents in which alone as to the State the Kings answers are pretended unsatisfactory not in all but only in some particulars of no extraordinary concernment in my apprehension though so much insisted on by many as to vote all the Treaty unsatisfactory In opening the state of the Kings Answers to this proposition I shall doe these 3. things First I shall shew how far the King and you are both agreed 2dly In what particulars you really or seemingly differ 3dly I shall examine whether these differences herein be of any such moment as to induce the House to vote the answers to this and the other Propositions upon the whole Treaty unsatisfactory and so reject and lose whatever the King hath granted in the rest because he hath not satisfied our demands in this one and two others concerning the Church For the first both Houses by their Votes have thought this Proposition touching Delinquents so needless to beinfisted on in every punctilio for the publick settlement which will certainly more obstruct then promote it merey moderation being the nearest way to peace and union that you have reduced since the Treaty the persons excepted in the first qualification both from life composition from 37 to 7 only six of those are beyond the Seas quite out of your power the 7th aged scarce worth your Execution The King consents that they should be banished during the pleasure of both Houses which is a civill death banishment being next to death the severest punishment and to some men more grievous then present Execution But if that will not satisfie then he leaves them wholly to your justice to proceed against them if you please according to Law and promiseth not to interpose nor pardon any of them if legally condemned only he adds ex abundanti that he cannot in justice or honor assent to any Act to take away their lives by a meer Legislative Power ex post facto if they have done nothing that was formerly capital by the known Laws of the Land by which Hee leaves them to be tryed This Answer many Gentlemen who have spoken have coucluded very unsatisfactory and made many large descants on it because they did not rightly weigh nor understand it when as in truth it Answers the very Proposition in terminis as I shall clearly manifest to all who understand what Law is First it is apparent that one of the first quarrels and cause of taking up Arms on our parts was to bring Delinquents to condign punishent according to the Laws and Statutes of the Realm as you have declared to the Kingdom in many printed Declarations and in your Petitions to the King you alwayes desired him to leave Delinquents to the course of Iustice not to cut them off by a meer Legislative Power when as you could not doe it by any known Law Secondly you have professed to all the World and to the King and Delinquents themselves that you have taken up Armes to defend and preserve the Ancient fundamentall Laws and Liberties of the Kingdom and to oppose the introduction of any Arbitrary and Tyrannicall Power Yea your selves and the Army likewise have declared against all extraordinary proceedings and tryals in the Lords House to
not the Armies pleasure to follow our own consciences and judgments not their imperious dictates to satisfie the whole Kingdom and those who have intrusted and sent us hither whose Representatives and servants we are not the Armies by pitching upon that which is most conducing to their welfare and our own too not to satisfie the Army in all their unreasonable extravagant demands who are but ours and the Kingdoms servants not Masters to the Kingdoms Peoples our own ruine and the Armies too And so much the rather because I have observed a dangerous practice in some Officers and Members only of the Army to make use of the whole Armies name without their privity or consents forcibly to drive on their own private pernicious Designs in the House and to fright and cudgell us into Votes as some say we were cudgelled into a Treaty with the very name of the Army without any reason at all and if that will not doe the feat then they presently mutiny and bring up the Army it self to or neer the Houses doors against them contrary to our expresse commands as heretofore and now they have done to force us to Vote against our judgements consciences reason and the publique safety what ever they shall dictate be it never so absurd dishonorable to our selves or destructive to the Kingdom and though the Army and those who usurp their name be not present at our debates as they seldom are though some of them are Members yet if they suit not with their foreplotted Designs they will presently censure them and those that passe them without hearing or weighing of their reasons And though they contend most earnestly for Libertie of Conscience for themselves and all others of their confederacy out of the House and for a Liberty for their own Party to enter their particular Protestations and Dissents to the House to any Vote they like not yet they will admit no Liberty of Conscience nor Freedom of dissenting unto us nor us to be Masters of our own reason Votes or discretions in the House it self where wee should have most freedom as is evident by sundry Magisteriall over-ruling censorious Passages in their late Remonstrance November 20. and if we vote not fully with them they presently take us for Apostates and violaters of our trust fit not only to be secluded the House for the present but not to be entrusted for the future to such an height of insolency are they grown Therefore for any Members to make their pleasing or displeasing of the Army whom they thus abuse the sole or principall reason of their Ay or No is such a Solecism and breach of Priviledge as ought not now to be named much lesse pressed as a reason without some severe censure or exclusion from the House especially in this instant debate for the settlement of our Peacè to which those who make a Trade of War will certainly be most averse having little else to live on or support their present greatnesse if the wars be ended Yea but they further object That if we discontent the Army by voting the Answers satisfactory we are undone they will all lay down their Arme as one Commander of eminency hath here openly told you he must do and serve us no longer and then what will become of us and all our faithfull friends I Answer That I hope the Army will not be so sullen as to desert or turn against us for voting what our consciences and judgments prompt us is most for theirs ours and the Kingdoms safety and that without hearing or scanning our debates If they be I shall not much value the protection of such unconstant mutinous and unreasonable servants and I doubt not but if they desert us on so sleight a ground God himselfe and the whole Kingdome will stand by us who else I fear will both unanimously rise up against us to ours and the Armies destruction And if the King and we shall happily close upon this Treaty I hope we shall have no great need of their future service However fiat justitia ruat coelum Let us do our duty and leave the issue to God It is better for us to perish doing our own duties then to be justly destroyed by following other mens wills against our duties and consciences too He that thinks to save himself or the Kingdom by such a sinful and unworthy compliance shall be certain to lose both himself and it in conclusion However both the Arguments of displeasing the Army and the ill consequents of it are altogether extraneous and impertinent to the question and amount but to this Non sequitur The Army will not have us proceed further upon the Treaty to settle peace Ergo the Kings Answers are unsatisfactory What will all wise men what will the Kingdom what will Scotland Ireland and our friends abroad whose eyes are all intent upon the result of the Treaty and must be satisfied in the reasons of our breach upon it lest they all fall foul upon us think of such absurd Nonsense as this Had the Treaty been only between the King and the Army not him and the Houses this reason might have contented some men without expressing any grounds of their dissatisfaction of which they think the Army more competent Judges then the Parliament but the Treaty being only between the King and both Houses not the Army that we who are the only Parties to the Treaty and Judges of the satisfactorinesse thereof should set aside our own reasons consciences judgements and make the Armies absolute peremptory will the only principall reason of our dissatisfactorinesse with the Kings Concessions which I am confident not ten men in the Army ever heard of but by report alone and never seriously scanned as we have done is such an absurdity as will render us for ever both ridiculousand odious to all our friends and foes to present to future Ages For shame therefore let us no more insist upon such extravagancies Having answered these two Iron Arguments against the unsatisfactorinesse of the Kings Answers and all others hitherto insisted on I humbly conceive I have fully satisfied every rationall mans conscience that the King hath granted us all we have demanded that is really necessary or conducing to the speedy settlement of a lasting and well-grounded Peace and the future security of our State Kingdom Church Religion against all feared dangers from the King or any others and I shall challenge and put it to the conscience of any Gentleman dissenting from me whether he can propound any one thing more except an Oath which is intended when all is concluded essentiall for the fuller and firmer setling of our Laws Liberties Priviledges Lives Estates Religion Kingdoms Parliaments Army and satisfying of all publike interests then what have been already propounded and the King compleatly granted in this Treaty If then the King hath granted us every thing our selves during seven years advice and consultation could possibly think of
Rights quiet and immunity of his Majesties royall Family and his late partakers And herein we think that tender and equitable dealing as supposing their cause had been ours a spirit of common love and justice diffusing it self to the good and preservation of al will make up the most glorious conquest over their hearts if God in mercy see it good to make them and the whole people of the land lasting friends And in the Representation of the Army June 14 1647. there are the like expressions of their judgments in relation to the King and his party too In a Letter of St. T. Fairfax to both Houses of Parliament giving an account of some transactions between his Majesty and the Army dated from Redding July 6. 1647. there is this passage which he there declares to be the generall sense of all or most part of the Officers in the Army In general we humbly conceive that to avoid all harshâ—ness and afford all kind usage to his Majesties person in things consisting with the peace and safety of the kingdom is the most Christian honorable and prudent way and in all things we think that tender equitable and moderate dealing both toward his Majesty and his Royal family and late party so far as may stand with the safety of the kingdom and security to our common rights liberties is the most hopefull course to take away the seeds of war or future seeds amongst us for posterity and to procure a lasting peace and a government in this distracted Nation Since this the Officers and Army in their proposals 1 Aug. 1647. for the settlement of a firm peace have this for one That His Majesties person Queene and Royall issue may be restored to a condition of safety honor and freedome in this Nation without diminution of their personall Rights or further limitation to the exercise of the regall power then according to the particulars aforegoing These proposals of the Army were so pleasing to His Majesty that in his answer to the propositions presented to him at Hampton Court the 7 of Septemb. 1647. by the Commissioners of both Houses and of the kingdome of Scotland he refused to grant the Propositions by them tendred as being destructive to many principall interests of the Army and of all those whose affections concurred with them And he gave this further answer to them That his Majesty having seen the proposals of the Army to the Commissioners from his 2 Houses residing with them and with them to be treated in order to the clearing and securing the Rights liberties of the kingdom as to the settling of a just lasting peace To which proposals as he conceives his two Houses not to be strangers so he beleeves they will think with him that theymore conduce to the satisfaction of all interests may be a fitter foundation for a lasting peace then the propositions which at this time are tendred to him He therefore propounds as the best way in his judgement in order to peace that his two Houses would instantly take into consideration those proposals upon which there may be a personal Treaty with his Majesty such other proposals as his Majesty shall make hoping that the said proposals may be so moderated in the said Treaty as to render them the more capable of his Majesties full concessions wherein he resolves to give ful satisfaction to his people for whatsoever shall concern the settling of the Protestant profession with liberty to tender consciences the securing of the laws liberties and properties of all his subjects and the just priviledges of Parliament for the future c. In which Treaty his Majesty will be pleased if it be thought sit that Commissioners from the Army whose the proposals are may likewise be admitted â—oe here we have the General Officers and Army it self so zealous of a personal Treaty with the King for settlement of this kingdoms peace and the carrying on of their owne interests that themselves draw up proposals for a Treaty with him without the Houses privity yea prevail with him to lay aside the Houses Propositions to treat upon theirs as more advantagious to him and his and less beneficiall to the kingdoms interest In which Treaty he desires that Commissioners from the Army whose the proposals were might likewise be admitted yet these Zealots for a Treaty then are most furious to break off our Treaty now even by open force and violence almost upon the very close though they never made any opposition against it during all its Agitation perchance to bring on another Treaty with the King upon their own proposals wherein the King and they will be the only Treatours and the Houses but idle Spectators to rob them of the honor and benefit expected by our present Treaty and of settling of the kingdoms peace on so good terms for the publike interest In fine the Generall and Army under his command in their Remonstrance of the 18 of August 1647. approved and printed by Order of the House of Peers p. 14. do thus expresse their readinesse and desire for the Parliaments closing with the King upon good grounds and his bringing up to LONDON though now they cry out for nothing buâ— Justice and execution to be done upon him as their capital Enemy For our parts we shall rejoice as much as any to see the King brought back to his Parliament and that not so much in place as in affection and agreement on such found terms and grounds as may render both him and the kingdom safe quiet and happy And shall be as ready as they to bring his Majesty to LONDON when his being there may be likely to produce not greater disturbances or distractions but a peace indeed and that such as may not with the Shipwrack of the publike interest be shaped and moulded only to the private advantages of a particular party or faction but bottom'd chiefly on grounds of common and publike welfare and security The General Officers and Army therefore being so zealous for a Treaty and close with the King in all these severall Remonstrances Papers and Proposalls as the only hopefull way of settling and securing the kingdoms peace cannot without the highest injury and most detestable jugling Hypocrisie and Apostasie from their own ingagements principles wherewith they do now falsly charge the House dislike our present proceedings in the selt same way upon his Majesties Concessions in this Treaty which by all these particular resolutions and the Armies own acknowledgments is the only way of Peace and settlement Secondly As it is the only so the speediest way of all other if we now accept of these Concessions the most whereof I have turned into Bils already and shall turn all the rest into Bils by our next sitting I see no reason but we may in one fortnight at least by the first of Ian. next have fully settled and concluded all things in difference between the King
for which sin seventy thousand of his Subjects lost their lives yet was hee not arraigned nor deposed for it and God who is Soveraignly just though David was the principall malefactor in this case iâ— not the sole and thereupon when hee saw the Angell that smote the people cryed out Lo I have sinned and done wickedly but these Sheep what have they done Let thy hand bee against mee and my Fathers house Yet God spared him and his houshold though the principalls and punished the people only with death for this sin of his After him Solomon his son a man eminent for wisdome and piety at first apostatized to most grosse Idolatry of all sorts to please his idolatrous Wives and became a great oppressor of his people making their burthens very heavy yet his Subjects or Souldiers did neither impeach nor depose him for it and though he were the principall offendor yet God spared him for Davids sake in not taking the ten Tribes from him for these sins during his life though he rent them from his son Rhehoboam who was at most but accessory for his Fathers sins not his True it is some of the Idolatrous Kings of Israel by the just avenging hand of God were slain by private conspiracies and popular tumults in an illegall way but not deposed nor arraigned by their Sanhedrins or Generall Congregations and those who slew them were sometimes stain by others who aspired to the Crown or by the people of the Land or by their children who succeeded them and came to untimely tragicall ends 9. Though there be some Presidents of Popish States and Parliaments deposing their Popish Kings and Emperors at home and in forraign parts in an extraordinary way by power of an armed party Yet there is no president of any one Protestant Kingdom or State that did ever yet judicially depose or bring to execution any of their Kings and Princes though never so bad whether Protestants or Papists and the Protestants in France though some of their Kings when they had invested them in their Thrones became Apostates to Popery and persecuters of their people albeit they resisted them by force of arms in the field to preserve their lives did never once attempt to pull them from their Thrones or bring their persons unto Justice And I hope our Protestant Parliament will never make the first president in this kind nor stain their Honor or Religion with the blood of a Protestant King against so many Oathes Protestations Covenants Declarations and Remonstrances made and published by them to the contrary 10. For the presidents of Edward the Second and Richard the Second in times of Popery they were rather forcible resignations by power of an Army then judiciall deprivations neither of them being ever legally arraigned and brought to tryall in Parliament And Mortimer who had the chief hand in deposing King Edward the Second in the Parliament of 1 E. 3. was in the Parliament of 4 E. 3. impeached condemned and executed as a Traitor and guilty of high Treason for murthering Edward the second after he was deposed at Berkley-castle and Sir Simon Bereford together with Thomas Gurney and William Ocle were adjudged Traitors for assisting him therein one of them executed and great rewards promised to the apprehenders of the other two And as for Richard the second though he was deposed after Henry the Fourth was crowned by pretence in Parliament yet this deposition after his resignation only not before it and without any formall tryall or arraignment or any capitall judgement of death against him for which I find no president in any Parliament of England Scotland France nor yet in Denmark it self though an elective Kingdome who though they justly deposed Christiern the second for his most abominable Tyrannies and Cruelties yet they never adjudged or pâ—t him to death but only restrained him as a prisoner I shall only add this that though the elective Kingdoms of Hungary Bohemia Poland Denmark and Sweden have in their Parliaments and Diets deposed sundry of their Kings for their wickednesses and tyranny yet they never judicially condemned any one of them to death though Papists And for a Protestant Parliament to please an Army only acted by Jesuites in this particular to render both Parliament Army and our Religion too for ever execrable throughout the world and set all mens pens and hands against them to their ruine to begin such a bloody president as this upon a most false pretext of setling peace contrary to the express command of God himself who commands Christians To pray for Kings and all in authority that they may live a quiet and peaceable life under them in all godlinesse and honesty not to depose or cut of their heads as the only way to peace and settlement will not only be scandalous but monstrous The next thing they propose for a present peace and settlement it the executing of the Prince if hee come not over upon summons at a short day and give not satisfaction to the Houses or else to declare him and the Duke of York if they appear not upon summons to bee uncapable of any Trust or Government in this Kingdom or any Dominions thereunto belonging and thence to stand exiled for ever as Enemies and Traitors to die without mercy if ever taken or found therein A Jesuiticall inevitable way to civill Wars and ruine For the King being deposed and cut off the Prince no doubt is next heir to the Crown both by the common Law and the statute of 1. Iacobi cap. 1. to which I doubt a Vote or Ordinance of both Houses only will be no such legall barre in any Lawyers or Wisemans Judgement but that hee will claim his right and the generallity of the Kingdome at least ten thousand to one proclaim and embrace him for their lawfull King and assist him with their lives and fortunes both to regain and retain his right being bound by their Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance and their Solemn League and Covenant so to do And must not this of necessity beget a present lasting War in stead of a speedy setled peace undoubtedly it will But consider further that the Prince is not only Heir apparent to the Crown of England but of Scotland and Ireland too and though we reject yet undoubtedly Scotland and Ireland will readily imbrace him as their lawfull King notwithstanding any Votes of ours and will both unanimously assist him with their lives and fortunes to recover his right to the Crown of England and those two Kingdoms falling off wholly from us and proclaiming Warre against us and joining with that potent party here which certainly will appear in his behalfe out of a naturall inclination to the right undoubted Heir or hopes of favour and preferment since Plures solem orientem quam occidentem adorantur and with all his friends and allies Forces from abroad whether this wil not be an unavoidable occasion not only of a present war but of
certain destructions and desolation to this poor Kingdome and more especially to the Army and their adherents in this desperate advice who must stand or fall upon their own bottome without the least aid or contribution from any other I desire them and all others who have either eyes or brains in their heads most seriously to consider But that which makes me most of all detest this desperate advice is this That it is the only way that can be thought upon to accomplish the Popes and Jesuites designs to set up Popery and subvert the Protestant Religion and professors of it in all our three Kingdoms and in all forraign Realms beyond the Seas For if this reforming Parliament which hath pretended so much to the extirpation of Popery shall so far play the Popes and Jesuites the undoubted contrivers of this Armys New-model of our peace and settlement as to depose and behead the King his father and forever disinherit him of the Crown bring him as a Traitor to die without mercy if he come hither It wil so far provoke and exasperate him the Duke being both young and of generous spirits not throughly grounded in our Religion and under the Queens tuition and in the power of this popish party abroad who will aggravate these high affronts and injuries put upon them to the utmost and on whose protection they will be in this case necessitated to cast themselves that there is great fear and probability they will immediately renounce such a bloody and detestable Religion as shall insâ—igate us to such horrid actions and Councels and abominate all the professors of it so as totally to abandon them and turn Roman Catholicks in good earnest and then match themselves to great potent popish Alliances and by their purses forces and assistance and of the Popes and all his Catholick sonnes in Forraigne parts for the advancement of the Catholick cause and of the popish Malignants and discontented parties in England Scotland and Ireland which will questionlesse receive and assist the Prince as their Soveraign Lord and King invade our poore impoverished divided and distressed kingdom with such a power as in all humane probability would speedily over-runne and destroy this mutinous Army and the Houses too put them with their adherents to the Sword without mercy or quarter and disinherit them and their heirs for ever to revenge their Fathers blood and their dis-inherison of the Crown c. And then Popery and Prelacy will both return with greater authority power approbation then ever over-spread our whole three kingdoms and extirpate our Religion the professors of it as the most anti-Monarchical treacherous and perfidious bloody Miscreants under heaven excite all other forraign States and kingdoms to do the like to prevent the springing up of a new generation of treacherous King-killing State-subverting Agitators and Hypocritical perfidious Army-Saints and engage all Protestant kingdoms Churches and States for their own security and vindication to disclaim and declare against us This questionlesse will be the sad inevitable issue of this Jesuiticall advice if ever the Houses or Army shall put it into actuall execution and not speedily prevent it it being long since fore-plotted by the Jesuites as I shall prove anon at the beginning of the late Warre against the Scots But if the Prince and Duke be set aside I would gladly learn of these Statists who and what King they would set up Not any of the Kings posterity certainly since they dis-inherit two at a blow and the blood being corrupted by the Kings and their attainders no other heir can inherit it by descent it must escheat to the Houses or Armies disposal and become no kingdom at all but an Elective one if any And is this the next way to peace and settlement If so I have certainly lost my reason and senses too No it will be a seminary of lasting Wars of which few elective Kingdoms are long free every new election producing commonly a new Warre where there is no pretence of an hereditary succession much more where a right heir is forcibly and unjustly dis-inherited I shall give you but one instance though I could name you divers and that is a memorable one at home in our owne kingdom King Henry the first having one onely daughter Maud to reserve the Crown unto her after his death caused her to be crowned and made all the Prelates and Nobles swear to receive her as their Queen and Princesse after his decease But she marrying afterwards to the Emperour and being out of the Realme when King Henry died The Archbishop of Canterbury with the rest of the Prelates and Nobles contrary to their Oath and agreement elected Stephen Earle of Bloyes for their King and put by Maud the right heir Stephen taking an Oath to grant and confirm those Laws and Liberties for the kingdoms peace and settlement as they propounded to him before his Coronation A very likely means to settle Peace and prosperity as they imagined But was the event answerable No verily this cursed perjury and pollicy brought all the chiefe contrivers of it to great calamity and miserable ends and engendred a bloody civill Warre in the bowels of this kingdom which continued no lesse then seventeene years together with interchangeable successes till the whole kingdom was laid waste and desolate most Houses Towns and Villages burned to the ground their Gardens and Orchards quite destroyed their monies and estates exhausted and plundered their Cattle and flocks consumed and eaten up their Fields over grown with weeds in stead of Corne most of the people devoured by the Sword Famine and Pestilence and eleven hundred Castles Holds and Garrisons erected which were no other but dens of Theeves and Plunderers This was the peace and settlement this policy produced At last both Parties weary of the Wars out of pure necessity came to a Personall Treaty and in conclusion made this agreement That Stephen having no issue of his body should enjoy the Crowne during his life and Henry son and heir to Maud and next heir also to Stephen should succeed him after his death and in some sort officiate with him in the kingdoms Govenment during his life And so these long lasting Warres concluded after which there were at least eleven hundred Castles demolished by order of Parliament crected during these wars to the Countreys utter undoing But if we dis-inherit the Prince and Duke for ought I discern if they suddainly recover not their possession of the Crown of England after one seven years of Warre already elapsed we may have seventeen years more and seventeen after that again and be reduced to a more miserable condition then our Ancestors were in King Stephens dayes And that upon these two grounds First the contest then was onely between two Competitors for this one kingdom who had no other kingdoms of their own to side with them But the Prince and Duke being successively heirs as well to
it seems a miracle to me that they should be now so virtiginous rash and audacious as to tander this to the House againe with such post-hast and violence as the readiest safest and speedyest course to settle peace and safety and set aside the onely meanes of settlement the Treaty O the inconstancy and strange intoxications of these new Saints and Statists who would make the Houses as unconstant as themselves Since then I have cleerly manifested that all these Proposals of peace and settlement in the Army 's late Remonstrance are all and every of them most apparent precipices Jesuiticall contrivances and labyrinthes of speedy imminent unavoidable ruine and confusion to our King Prince Kingdomes Magistracy Ministry Church Religion Lawes Liberties Government the present and all succeeding Parliaments and the Army too it must needs be the very extremity of madnesse to let go that speedy safe and sure way to certain peace security and settlement I have propounded by accepting of the Kings Concessions to catch at such a false deceitfull shadow of settlement as this which will engâ—lâ—e us in endlesse wars and miseries It is a Rule in Policy and Divinity Ex duobus malis minimum eligendum But of these one being a most certain destructive evill and the other a certaine good and advantage of the highest nature it can admit of no deliberation which of them to embrace And so much the rather if we sadly consider of our deplorable almost desperate condition both at home and abroad pertinent to the point in hand We are all weary of a long and costly Warre and yet God hath so infatuated many that though in words they desire yet in deeds they reject alwayes of Peace and cast them out of their hands when put into them as if they delighted to have our Warres spun out like Amaleck's from generation to generation Wee are unable any longer to maintain a Warre and yet are unwilling to give it over But I beseech you now seriously to consider into what great straights and difficulties you are already brought and how the true state of your Affairs stands in relation to your Forces and Friends both at home and abroad There are many thousands of Reformadoes who have formerly served you in your Warres who lie dayly clamouring at your doores for Arrears complaining they are ready to starve and some of them to â—ot in prison desiring but some inconsiderable Summe to satisfie their present necessities and you returne them answer you are unable to raise it and after many debates upon their generall Ordinance you cannot in diverse months pich upon any probable meanes to secure their Arreares amounting as is conceived to above two hundred thousand pounds The Arreares alledged to be due to the Army who now take free quarter and eat up the Countries where they lye amount to above three hundred thousand pounds and how to raise money to discharge this debt or so much as to disband the supernumeraries and reduce the Army into their Winter Quarters hath put you to a stand for many weeks and as yet you know not how to doe it So as free quarter must still continue to ruine us on the one hand and your debts and arrears be dayly multiplied to undoe us on the other hand Your Navie is now comming in to harbors and your Mariners expect a present considerable Sum amounting to many thousands to pay them off and you have not yet one peny in your Treasury to satisfie their arrears and can pitch upon no way to raise any present monies but onely by the Earle of Arundels Composition amounting in all but to six thousand pounds and the moity of it not to be paid till three months end at least What your other debts of the Navy are and how many thousand pounds you owe to Mariners Masters and Tradesmen the Committee of the Navie can best informe you Your debts to your Artificers Waggonars and such who have advanced monies upon the Publick Faith amount to two or three Millions at least Besides your debts to Plimmouth and other Garrisons are so great that they are all ready to mutiny and disband for want of pay Your Debts to the Souldiers and Officers in Ireland are vaste and if speedy and large supplies of Men Provision and Monies arrive not there within one month Colonell Iones and your other Officers there professe the whole Kingdome will be utterly lost and you for ought I sinde have no possible means to supply them with either If then your Debts are already so great to Reformadoes Tradesmen the Army Navie Garisons and those who have lent you Monies that you know not how to satisfie any one of them If you have not money to pay your Army or Navie at the present nor to maintaine them for the future why doe you now refuse that Peace which is tendered you upon such great advantages and chuse a Warre which you know not how to maintaine and must needs break yours and the Kingdoms backs in few months more Your credits are quite lost and broken in all places in City Country and the Houses too You cannot now borrow ten thousand pounds for ought I know upon any suddain occasion were it to serve the Kingdome Your breaches of Faith and security heretofore and clashes with the City have made you almost Bankrupts if not altogether Gold-smiths Hall the Excise Cambâ—en-House and Custom-house are already charged with more Debts then are likely to be paid in many yeares Compositions are almost at a stand or end Sequestrations generally disposed of to each particular County or other uses Bishops Lands engaged for farre more then they are really worth You have nothing of your owne or the Publick's left to raisâ— either present monies or credit whereonâ— to borrow themâ— Besides the City Country and whole Kingdome are how quite exhausted and almost as poore as naked Iob was Many Countries of the Kingdome are so impoverished and exhausted with the last Warres especially the foure Northern Shires next to Scotland that as their Knights and Burgesses assure you they are so farre unable to pay any Taxes that they already starve and perish in most places for want of food and are petitioners to you for some reparation towards their great losses and present support to keep them from starving The rich Associated Counties have beene harressed and undone by the last Summers Warres that they are growne poore unable to lend or contribute to you any more force or assistance The excessive dearth of corn and provisions the last year the great destruction of corn by unseasonable weather this present year which makes that which is wholesome exceeding deer The extraordinary rot among sheep and murraine among cattle which should raise monies 〈◊〉 Counties the generall scarcity and decay of Trade by Land of Merchandize by sea and apparent probability of their decaying every day more and more by reason of the revolted Ships and Irish Men-of-warre and the Sequestrations of the
which both Houses have since approved and made use of in severall Declarations and Remonstrance And therefore I may with greater confidence and better grounds adventure on this discovery of which most here present who are little acquainted with mysteries of State or Politicks ' and trouble not their heads with such inquiries after them as I have done are utterly ignorant and so apt to be deluded and easily over-reached the plainest open-hearted men being easiest to be over-witted by Jesuites and their Instruments especially when they transform themselves into Angels of Light or become new lights to broach new strange opinions or revive old errors under the notion of New-light as they have lately done to lead captive silly people To make out this discovery so cleerly evident that none can rationally deny but be sufficiently convinced of its truth I must minde you of these particulars of undoubted truth and certainty which this House and the House of Lords have joyntly and severally published and remonstrated to the whole Kingdom King and World in severall Declarations and Remonstrances and other printed papers 1. That the Iesuites and other Engineeres and Factors for Rome for the alreration of Religion the setting up of Popery and Tyranny in this Kingdom and subversion of the fundamentall Lawes and Government of it did long before the beginning of this Parliament compose and set up a corrupt malignant ill-affected party consisting of corrupt Bishops and Clergy-men some great Officers and Counsellours of State and others of trust and neernesse about the King his Children and Court to carry on these their designes who were acted by their subtill practises and that by this means those Iesuites and Romish Engineers had a very powerfull operation upon his Majesties Counsells and the most important Affaires and proceedings of his Government both in Church and State 2. That the most dangerous divisions preparations and Armies to make a War between England and Scotland were made and carried on by the practise and counsel of the Iesuites Papists and their Confederates 〈◊〉 Scottish Iesuites being sent from London into Scotland not foment the divisions there and a Generall Convention of all the principall Roman Catholicks in this Kingdom and of sundry Priests and Iesuites whereof Con the Popes Nuncio was President being held in London wherein great Sums of mony were granted towards the raising of the Army against the Scots Treasurers and Collectors appointed by them in every County and Popish Commanders sent for over and imployed in that Service as was apparently proved before a Committee and reported to this House soon after the beginning of this Parliament as your own Journal manifests And it furthers appears by one who was privy to that plot sent from Rome as an assistant to Con who out of conscience revealed all the secrets of it to Andreas ab Habernfeld Physitian to the Queen of Bohemia at the Hague under an Oath of secrecy and he to Sir William Boswel and the King the Originals whereof are in my custody and published by me at your appointment in my Romes Master-Piece that the â—end of he Scottish Wars was to engage the King to cast himself wholly on the Papists and their party the Puritans and Protestant party being averse to this War and inclining to the Scots who would not engage to assist him unlesse hee would condition with them to grant an universall toleration of Popery and free exercise of that Religion to the Papists if their party prevailed To which if he should shew himself unwilling or averse then they would presently dispatch him out of the way and poyson him with an Indian nut which they had prepared kept in Con's custody as they had poysoned his Father King Iames And the Prince being next Heir to the Crown educated neer his Mother accustomed to the Popish party and easie to be perverted in his Religion being but young and under age they would get him into their power educate him in their Religion and match him to a Papist so all their work accomplished Popery set up the Protestants and their Religion so 〈◊〉 extirpated both in England Scotland and Irelands In which dâ—scovery he further relates that there were under the command of Cardinal Barbarino the Popes Nephew protector of the English Catholicks and Con the Nuncio resident in London four severall Orders of Jasuites most active in these designs and wars disturbers of Christian kingdoms The first Ecclesiasticks whose office it is to take care of things promoting Religion The second polititians whose imployment it is by any meanes whatsoever to shake troube reforme and alter the state of Kingdoms and Republiks The third Seculars whose property it is to intrude themselves into offices places about Kings and Princes and to insinuate and thrust themselves into civill affaires bargains contracts and such like civill businesse The and fourth Spyes or Intilligencers men of inferior condition who submit and become houshold servants to Princes Barons Noblemen Great men Gentlemen Citizens and others of all protessions to discover their minds and make use of them to promâ—te their designes That these Jesuites usually met at one Captaine Reads a Scotch-man a Souldier and Lay Jesuit â—â—ing in Long Acre in the habits Gentlemenâ— Souldiers and Laymen and many of them followed the Camp as Souldiers in those intended Wars That there were neere as many of all these severall Sorts of Jesuits residing and lurking privily in and about London in September 1640. where were then above 50 Scottish Jesuiâ—sâ—as were in al Spain Frat. c Italy who have ever since been promoting the same designes and devisions among us all these Wars as that which followes will demonstrate 3 dly That the dissolving and breaking up al the Parliaments in this Kings Reigne in discontent proceeded from the councels and practises of the Jesuits and their Popish confederats to disaffect the King against them and prevent the calling of Parliaments for the future the principall obstacle to prevent and counter-worke all their designes to promote Popry and subvert our Religion laws and Government 4thly That the Jesuits Popish Priests Papists and their Confederats ever since this Parliament have by pollicy power endeavoured to dissolve and put an end to this present Parliament as the onely basis and support of our Religion and Libertie the onely Bulwarke betweene and Tyranny Popery and superstition ready to over-run the three Kingdomes the dissolution whereof would not onely deprive us and our posterities of the present but of the hopes and capacity of any future Parliament and that they have indefatigably used and left no means unattempted to dissolve this Parliament the continuance and close whereof with the King in a happy Peace settelment would frustrate all their hopes and Popish-designes as the Lords Commons both have most fully declared in their Remonstrance of Mâ—y 19. and 26. 1642. in their Declaration of March 23. 1643. in their propositions of
the Crowns of Scotland and Ireland as England will have their aid and assistance and of their forraign Friends too to carry on the wars till they have got possession of the Crowne of England upon better terms then ever they are like to enjoy it if we accept of the K. Concessions which we can never expect from them if we depose and kil the King and dis-inherit banish them for Traitors Secondly Stephen the actuall King then had no issue at all and Henry was next heir to the Crown both to Maud and him so as both Titles meeting in him the controversie and wars must needs cease But if we shall now set up a new King by Election either of the Kings line or otherwise as long as there is either an Elective King or hereditary to exclude this Prince or Duke or either of their heirs to whom the inheritance of the Crown belongs of right we can neither hope for nor expect either peace or settlement in this kingdom as the bloody and long lived wars between the two Houses of Lancaster and York will inform us which never ended till they were both united in King Henry the seventh The Armies next proposall to settle the kingdoms peace is as bad as any of the former to wit the speedy dissolving of this present Parliament which if not presently consented to for ought I discerne by their last Declaration they are resolved to dissolve it by open violence on the Houses which they threaten A Tempest certainly of the Jesuites raising to blow down this Parliament as they would have blown up that of 3 Iacobi with Gun-powder But is this a way to safety and settlement to dissolve the onely visible meanes of both If the King Prince Duke Parliament be all dissolved and quite laid aside what meanes or hopes at all of peace of safety of settlement can any man in his right senses rationally see or imagine Is the overturning of the very Foundations and Pillars of our Church and Kingdom the best and safest way to settle and preserve them Is it not the onely certain way to subvert and ruine them Such wayes of peace and settlement aâ— these are fitter for Bedlam then a Parliament house Yea but they have one infallible way more to which all the rest are but preparatory to settle peace and safety in our Kingdoms which they idolize almost to wit A new Representative or moâ—k-Parliament to be immediately subscribed to and set up in post haste constituted neither of King nor Lords the brats of Tyranny and the Norman Conquest as some of themselves pretend as this Representative is of the Armies nor yet of Knights Citizens and Burgesses duly elected but of a selected company of politick Mechanicks pragmaticall Levellers and Statesmen of the General Councel of the Army as they stile themselves by what Commissiom I know not who have usurped the whole Power both of King Parliament Assembly and all Courts of Iustice before their Representative be setled as a true pattern of it which they are to imitate A meer Whimsicall Vtopia and Babel of confusion invented by the Iesuites to please the vulgar rabhle and stir them up to mutinies against King Lords Commons Gentlemen and their Superiours of all ranks that they alone may possesse and sway the reins of Government Magistracy and Ministry to which they have now prepared their tumultuous spirits Much might be said against it but I shall contract my self because nothing can be so much as probably pretended for it First It is a new Jesuiticall popish Gunpowder Treason with a witnesse which blowes up and destroyes at once the King Prince Duke Lords Knights of Shires Citizens Burgesses this present and all future Parliaments and noblest ancientest Cities and Boroughs of England It not this a blessed invention to settle peace and safety Secondly It blows up both our Magistracy Ministry Laws Liberties Judges and Courts of Justice at one crack and breaks them all in pieces to raise up this new Babâ—â— out of all their ruines And is not this a blessed new invention of Jesuites and Saints to settle peace Thirdly It blows up all our Oaths of Supremacy and Allegeance Protestations solemn Leagues and Covenants all former numerous Declarations Remonstrances Votes and Resolutions of one or both Houses of Parliament not to alter the present form of Government by King Lords Commons and other ordinary Magistrates and ministers of publick Iustice orâ—â—eâ— loose the golden reins of government to Blasphemies Heresies Errors Libertinisme Prâ—phanenesse Schisme all sorts of Religions It unsettles all things to settle that which is worse then nothing And is this the way to safety tranquillity or settlement Fourthly it enforceth aâ— Subscription more unjust unreasonable illegall tyrannicall and penall then ever the Bishops or Pope invented invents and sets up the very worst of Monopolies a Monopoly of Electors of Elections and of Representatives elected engrossing all mens ancient Rights Liberties priviledges of election without consent or title into the hands of those who never had a right unto them the people who are no Free-holders no Free-Burgesses free-Citizens or men capable of Votes by Law and these people no other then the Army themselves and some of their levelling Confederates who must possesse judge rule usurp the Rights and Priviledges of the whole Kingdome in point of electing Parliament Members without Charter or Title A cursed Monopoly which will discontent all men who are thus injuriously deprived of their Rights and produce nought else but infinite animosities factions fractions and tumuls throughout the Kingdome and discontent all wise all honest men who will rather die then not oppose it unto death as carrying the death aâ—d funerall of al peace settlement Parliaments the Kingdome in its bowels And is this a fit tool to peece and unite our shattred Kingdome and settle peace amongst us Fifthly It no way extends to Ireland or our Islands but to England onely it will require many years time and triall to settle and secure its own being priviledge power and gain any general obedience to its new erected Soveraignty so that our Church and State will be sunk and drowned and Ireland inevitably lost before this Ark will or can be prepared for their safety Sixthly This Newâ— Representative in this new Remonstrance is in terminis nought else but the very Agreement of the people presented to the House by the Agitators accompanied with some Iesuites on the 9. of Novemb. 1647. then and in that very month twice by two expresse Votes upon solemn debate and an Ordinance of both Houses in December following resolved to be destructive to the being of Parliaments and to the fundamentall Government of the Kingdome and a signall brand of disability and imprisonment imposed on the contrivers and presenters of it and then condemned by the Generall and his Councell of Warre who shot one White to death for abetting it of which more a non Therefore