painted paper „ what jealous heart could have imagined „ that these promiseing Patriots were only sweet mouthed dissemblers „ Who could have harboured the leasts suspition that these seeming visible starrs of heaven „ were but blazing Comets „ that would quickly turne their backs as they have perfectly done upon all these glorious promises and declarations and prove the vilest apostates that ever the earth bore and have made it their worke „ to imprison arreigne condemne shoot and murder men that have but put them in mind of their owne serious promises and ingagements in which the present General himselfe hath bin the cheif ringleader And I wish that you and many of those that „ outwardly profess godlynes and honesty in England „ were free from a zealous countenanceing of him in it Although both they and hee cannot out know that the righteous god of Heaven and earth brought a desperate famine upon Israel for three yeares together because Saul had broke and violated that solemne contract and engagement that the Israelites had made with the heathen Gibeonites although it was not voluntary but obteined by fraud and deceit Yet nothing would appease the wrath of God and satisfie the Gibeonites but the hanging up of seven of the sonns of Saul before the Lord who was the man that had broken and violated the contract with them At the doeing of which „ the anger of God was turned away from Israel „ All which appeares by Joshua 9 3 4 5 16 17. and 2 Sam 21 1 2 3 4 5 6 14. And though it were that god prospered IEHV while he was doeing his worke in cutting of the „ wicked house of Ahabs „ made him prosperous and victorious in all his encountres wherby his heart was so elevated and lifted up that he cried out Come see my zeale for the Lord yet when he turned his back upon God and the waies of Justice and righteousnes „ god then cut him and Israel short and gave them up with a mighty slaughter to their Enemies „ the 2 Kings Chap. 10. Therfore as a man that intirely loves my native Countrey I shall request you to commend unto the serious and hearty consideration of the LORD GENERALL and his Confederates the Advice of their valiant and learned Champion MR. MILTON who haveing much spent his eloquence to rout the forces of SALMASIVS in the Epilogue of his Latin booke „ called a Defense of the People of England „ turnes his speech to his Masters that had set him on worke whom he with much faithfullnes and Freedome bespeakes on this manner One thing is remaineing and that haply of the greatest moment that you o my Countrymen and Fellow-Cityzens should your owne selves undertake the refutation of this your adversary which I doe not see how you can otherwise possibly effect save by endeavouring with tooth and naile to make your gallant actings the eternall confutation of all your Enemies raileings God did graciously give care to your Vowes and most ardent petitions when being oppressed with more then a single bondage you fled to him for succour You in the first place among all Nations has he gloriously delivered from Tyranny and Superstition the greatest plagues donbtles of humane life and most prejudiciall to all virtue and true Gallantry Into you it is that he hath insused that height of courage as that you have not doubted to be the first of Mankind that have by a famous judgement tryed a King and punnished him being condemned after that you had by your Armes procur'd his Conquest and surrender After which so glorious a transaction you ought not now to thinke much less to act any thing that is Mean and Low Which that it may be your commendation you have no more to doe but to take this course namely to make it appeare to all the World that you are as well able in the middest of peace and disarmed most valiantly to conquer Ambition Avarice Mammon and those corruptions of manners that attend prosperity wich are wont to conquer other Nations and generations of men as you have bin to vaquish your Enemies in a time of Warr and to shew forth as much Iustice Temperance and Moderation in the preservation of your Liberties as ever you have manifested courage in casting the yoake of bondage from of your necks By these arguments and these alone by such testimonies as these alone you will be able to evince that you are none of those public Enemies Traitors Theives Murderers Parricides Fantastic Enthusiasts whom this man railes upon that you have not moved with ambition or a desire to invade anothers right nor pricked and spurred on with sedition any base lusts madnes or sury murdered a King but that you have being inflamed with the love of liberty religion justice common honesty and your native Countrey punished a tyrant But if which I beseech thee o good God may never come to pass your minds shall be otherwise enclined if haveing bin valiant in warr you shall in time of peace prove base and unworthy you who have had manifest experience of Gods fighting in such a manner for you and against your enemies if casting behind your backs so â—are and never to be for gotten an example of divine Presence you shall forget to seare God and execute Righteousnes for my part I shall certainly grant and consess for it will be past all denial that all those things are true which malignant liers and railers have at any time most ignonimiously thought or said of you and that you shall in a short time find God more incensed with wrath against you then ever yet your enemies have found him averse or you have felt him benigne favourable „ and fatherly-affected unto you more then to all the Nations at this time inhabiting the face of the whole earth and soe far for Mr. Miltons excellent and faithfull advice to them And therefor now to goe on Is it not true Sir that successive or new Parliaments equally chosen by the People of England are confessed on all hands to be the very soul and life of all their Freedomes and doe not the Law-bookes of England shew that a Parliament which in its owne constitution is excellent good physick but never was intended nor ever safely can be used for constant diet because it has allwaies bin pretended by the members thereof to be unlimited and arbitrary was called and held fresh and fresh some times twice a yeare and that even before the Conquest as is declared by Lambert in his collection of Lawes before the conquest amongst the Lawes of King Edgar chapter the 5 and by Sir Edward Cooke in his margent in the 9 page of his 4 part of Institutes in the Chapter of High-Court of Parliament which with other of the liberties of England being by force of armes subdued by the Norman Conqueror although the people of England forced him three severall times to take his oath after his being owned for King to
knave to be a spy at Middelborow who now is forced to fly to Westminster for Shelter and render him uncapable to receive any more bills of exchange from Mr. Thomas Scot for the paying him his sallery to inable him to drinke drunke night and day to feast whore it swear rant it and domineer rather like a bedlam then a man or to send one of his sluts over to give Mr. Scot if he want it a tast of hir which kind of flesh is notoriously at Westminster knowne he loves as well as Oxford doth as well as to convey his intelligence over and to solicet him if he ly not in sicke of the French Pox to procure him a passe to come over and to meet him at Graves-end or Dover c. and to discourse with him for setling all his affairs And yet my Lord this is not all but that which is the highest of aggrevations is that all this that is done unto me and principally by your selfe is inflicted upon me without I doe avow it and upon my life dare ingage to make it good all shaddow of ground cause provocation or cullour of law or Justice For alas my Lord I was at most upon your owne principles but an accessarie and not principal And to inflict a higher and greater punishment upon me then upon Mr. Primat the principall and now to set him at liberty from his imprisonment and to keepe me still in my banishment and under the lash of my foresaid extraordinary great fine where is in England either the Law equity or justice to avow and warrant it And my LORD admit Mr. Primates Petition about which I am banished had bin all false and not proved which yet I avow to the contrary and admit it conteines in it so high things against Sr. ARTHVR HASELRIGE as if proved would have occasioned as great a sentence to him as you have given to me and therefore per legem talionis you have done by me as you have done Truly MY LORD I will joyne yssue with you there if that be your ground as by some of your members while I was in England I understood it was one of your principallest Yet remember you say in your Declarations that the Law of England is the Inheritance and birth-right of the MEANEST MAN therof as well as of the GREATEST and that you are bound in duty and conscience both to God and Man to dispense it EQUALLY to all WITHOUT FAVOUR OR AFFECTION and therfore be but just to me my Lord and I have done with you For your Attorney Generall PRIDEAUX that unbrac't Drum that makes a great sound noyse without any tune or harmony accused INDICTED me of high-treason and had 〈◊〉 tryed before about 40 judges at Guildhall London in October 1649 for my life therefore and if he had proved it against me I must have died therfore as a traytor and have forfeited all my estate And therfore by your owne rule and your owne Law of proceedings with me in my present case because he accused me could not prove it „ he ought to be hanged therefore and to forfeit 4 parts of 7 of his estate to me „ which when I was at London by common repute he was judged by his Land Postmaster-Generall-ship attorney Generall-ship and the most vast fees that he being a Parliament man OF AN UNACCOUNTABLE PARLIAMENT and thereby so great takes to plead all manner of base Causes to the threatening OUT FACEING overaweing both JUDGES Iurors and Lawyers to have incomeing thereby annually about twenty thousand pounds Although a few yeares agoe since this eternall Parliaments first sitting I could never heare he was judged to be worth two hundred Pounds per annum Now I say my Lord performe this to me I will pay you my seven-thousand-pound fine without any more to doe But besides remember also were not you My Lord at Darby-house in Cheynel-row with the Councel of State upon the 28 of March 1649 the cheife man to mannage an accusation of high-treason against me and got me committed therefore The Narrative of which in breife is conteined in the 8 9 10 11 12 pages of the second edition of the Picture of the Councel of State printed at London 1649. and yet when it came to the yssue there could never one word of it be proved all though I lay prisoner in the Tower almost a yeare there upon and therfore by your owne rule and law of proceedings with me ought not you your selfe my Lord to be HANGED therefore and to forfeit 4 parts of seven of your great estate to me therefore For shame my LORD once in your life learne to be just and remember what you said against Mr. Herbert the Kings attorney Generall in the Case of the LORD KIMBOLTON and the 5 MEMBERS 1 part of the booke of the Parliaments Declarations page 52 53 101 123 201 203 208 210 278 459 660 and give me not too much cause to picture-draw you so that all the artificial or pensil-limners in the world SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO COMPARE WITH IT You know I have a quick sharpe pen My Lord and therefore give me not cause to challenge you or any of your Champions to draw into a short Epitomy or into a larger charge all that evill that in your owne thoughts you can colourably imagine the Buyshops Starr-chamber Counsell-table High-commission or any persons therein were guilty of nay or any persons since their downe-fall by you executed for the highest of treasons tyrannyes oppressions were guilty of yet comparatis comparandis for me to aver that you outstrip them all and in particulars to undertake upon my life to make it good and that those sayings of God by the Prophet Ezekiel chap 16 48 51 52 mentioned on the Title-page may as truly and as justly be verified of you as they were of Iudah or Ierusalem that you have outstrip't comparatis comparandis all those whome you your selfe count the most wicked men that you have pulled downe „ and thereby have done in actions as much as in you lies to justifie all their wickednes „ that in words you have condemned And besides my Lord what faith what truth what honesty can be imagined to be in that man or that generation of men that by a constant series of his or their actions visiby and apparently declare he or they hold it lawfull to commit any manner of wickednes basenes whatsoever that can be named under the sunn for the accomplishment of his or their proposed end whether in it selfe it be wicked or righteous yea to cheat breake faith with and murther the nighest relations a man can converse with when they cross his ends Yea for that end onely to raise warrs upon warrs to the devastation of Kingdomes Nations The gulled cheated abused peoples lives really truly being of no more value with him or them then so many dead doggs serving him or them for no
other end but to be his foote-steps to climbe up to the top of absolute and arbitrary Power pretended Authority or unlimited unbounded Kingship And that you my Lord particularly are the man that is guiltie of all this in my judgement and apprehension your owne quondam darling „ and heart-indeared heart secret-knowing Freind the Major of your owne Regiment of Horse Robert Huntington „ in his printed impeachment of you delivered to both house of Parliament against you the 2 of August 1648 hath punctually declared it which impeachment is reprinted in the 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 pages of that Booke for makeing of which I was arraigned for a Traitor at Guildhall October 1649 being intituled An Impeachment of high-Treason against Oliver Cromwell c. and for which Impeachment of his I could never heare that you endeavoured so much as publicly to question him therfore or to put forth a vindication against it Which may well get beleife in un-biased men that you acknowledge all that he hath there said against you to be true And as much as I have said of him and his Impeachment may be said of the Authors of those thre notable bookes and of the bookes themselves called PUTNEY-PROIECTS The LEVELLERS vindicated being the stated case of the late TREACHEROUSLY defeated BVRFORD troopes and the HVE-AND-CRIE of the young men apprentises of London after the lost fundamentall laws liberties of England Vnto which three bookes a great many mens names are set as the avowers justifiers of them and to my knowledge the most of their names are true for I particularly know the most of the men my selfe yet I could never heare that any one of them was so much as questioned for decyfering you there as they have done Although to my knowledge you know some of the men as well as I doe and might severall times since those bookes were writ published as easily have laid your hands upon them to have called them to an account therefore as I can take up the pen inke that I write here with I say laying the forementioned Bookes or discourses together with what followes in this discourse page 13 14 15 to 24 compareing them with your practise I thinke they sufficiently prove you to be the man above mentioned that walks by the Principles of ATHEISME MACHIAVELLSME and holds it lawful to doe any thing in the world that comes in your way that will most serve your turne for the accomplishment of your owne ends be they never so bloodie wicked or tyrannicall But MY LORD you have forced me when I was quiet to come upon the stage againe much against my will and studious indeavours And yet when I did I fairely sought peace with you and sent you in writeing my propositions for peace grounded only upon your owne promises neglecting to insist upon any thing of concernement to my selfe and gave you or your true Freind Mr. William Kiffen to whom I sent it twentie one dayes to returne me an answer at least of his receit thereof all which appeares in the following discourse page 29 30 31. But heareing nothing at all from him and feareing that it is intecepted I am forced to print it The Copie whereof with some small additions thus followeth For my loveing Freind Mr. WILLIAM KIFFIN merchant at his House in Dukes-place London these with hast post hast to be communicated to his Excellency the Lord Generall Cromwell c. Mr. KIFFIN YOu and I have bin long acquainted ād have had much converse together although you were in my late troubles before my triall at GVILD-HALL my adversary in print yet not lookeing upon you by your opposition as a man that out of malice designedly laboured to take away my life but rather at a man surprised in your understanding and thereby induced to beleive the plausible arguments of my pretended Religious adversaries as though by my contest with them an undeniable gap was opened to let in them that are commonly called the public adversaries to devoure all and so were against the then season as unfit and dangerous in your apprehension but not against the things themselves held forth by me and my Camerades which you judged just and righteous and sit to be established in due time when that feare was over In which regard that opposition of yours to me I judged most fit to be buryed in the grave and not with any disgust of mind to be remembred And therfore it is that of late some part of that former familiarity that was betwixt us hath bin renewed and since my banishment I find by several Letters from my wife that you have bin very civil and respectfull to her for which I returne you many AND MY HE ARTIEST thankes ONE OF HER LETTERS dated the 2. of Feb last I have answered in print and caused that answer to be published here as well in DVTCH as ENGLISH which I hope before the date herof is reprinted at London againe since which I have received two Letters more from her the maine substance of both of which are to presume with all the mournfull arguments that possibly thee can use to be quiet and to abstaine from printing and Withall she tells me it is the advice of all my Freindes in generall who come continually to her to gather to write to me about it But haveing in my aforesaid printed Epistle given her undeniable reasons WHY I AM COMPELLED TO PRINT which I hope with my former Letters to her will so qualifie and season her Spirit that I may presume now that both my feares are over which were first that I was afraid through sorrow about me and her owne distressed condition as she calls it the should either miscarry of her childe or else secondly that she should be overwhelmed with greife and so her burthen should become too heavie for her to beare But hopeing that both of these dangers are over I must now confess unto you that that little trouble which used formerly to accompany me thorough the hopes hereof is as good as at an end And therfore to you shall I judge it convenient for me and 1 hope no way mischevous to your selfe to answer freindly and resolutely some other clauses in her latter Letters and some clauses in other Letters of some of my Freindes which I have lately received and then positively to tell you without deceit or flattery my future resolutions by the assistance of God on purpose because I know you are great with the GENERALL and I thinke with the NOW LORD-DEPVTY OF YRELAND LAMBERT but I am sure of it with LENTENANT-GENERALL FLEETWOOD and MAIOR-GENERALL HARRISON that you may shew this Letter unto them all being the great sword men of England that so they may lay their heads together obout it if they please and then let God worke his pleasure In a large Letter to my wise of the 13 of February last I told her and
now with comfort and rejoiceing tell you that I bless God that I have this testimony in mine owne Conscience that the Cause for mannageing of which I am bannished did at the first and all along to this very houre doth appeare to my understanding judgement upon the strictest scrutinie betwixt God and mine owne soule that I am able to make to be as righteous and as just a cause as ever was in the World and all so however Mr. HILL THE CHAIR-MAN reported it to the house yet Mr. PRIMATES PETITION was as fully proved before him and the Committee of Parliament in every circumstance of it so far as its capable of proofe saveing that single clause of SIR ARTHVR HASILRIGS holding private correspondence with some of the Commissioners as any puition in the world need to be proved but it was no wonder it went as it did when SIR ARTHVR HASILRIG WITH Mr. HIL THE CHAIRMAN WITHOVT A THIRD MAN DREW VP THE GREATEST PART OF THE REPORT IN THE SPEAKERS CHAMBER WHILE THE HOVSE WAS SITTING as one that tooke them at it told we with his owne tongue Which report we were never permitted to see nor none for us nor to heare red although we earnestly intreated for it and by importunity endeavoured it And besides I am confident of it there was not three men that judged the cause in the House that ever at the Committee were constant hearers of it from the beginning to the end And by what I have heard from Parliament men that were at the Committee severall daies Mr. HILL NEVER REPORTED TO THE HOVSE ONE TENTH PART OF OVR EVIDENCES AS WEE LAID THEM DOWNE BEFORE THE COMMITTEE AND THE SAID Mr. HILL WAS OPENLY IN THE HOVSE TAXED WITH SEVERALL MATERIALL OMISSIONS BY A PERSON OR PERSONS THAT HEARD NOT ONE HALFE OF IT AT THE COMMITTEE And besides when the GENERALL HIMSELFE set his shoulders to the worke with all the might he had in the World to have the sentence so pass and goe on it is unimaginable it could goe otherwise then it did for one THAT IS FAMILIAR WITH HIM AND THAT WISHETH ME WELL TOLD ME IT WAS IN THE GENERALLS HOVSE BY HIM AND A CABAL OF PARLIAMENT MEN AGREED OF TWO OR THREE DAIES BEFORE IT WAS VOTED OR DECLARED IN THE PARLIAMENT And some dayes after it was passed the GENERALL HIMSELFE IN THE OPEN HOVSE as one that heard him told me IN ASPEECH OF HIS DID AVERR AND DECLARE VPON HIS CONSCIENCE THAT THE SENTENCE IT SELFE PASSED AGAINST ME WAS AS HONEST AND AS JVST A SENTENCE AS WAS EVER PASSED BY THAT HOVSE But I doubt not through the assistance of God in a short time to make it clearly and evidently to appeare in every circumstance that it is the MOST VNJVST ILLEGAL AND VNRIGHTEOVS SENTENCE THAT EVER WAS passed by any authority or power in the World that ever professed to governe by Lawe As in abundance of their declarations they have professed before God and the World they ought and would doe But at the present I shall only trouble you with one instance and that in a short Declaration of theirs intitled a Declaration of the Parliament of England for maintainning the fundamental Lawes of this Nation dated Feb. 9. 1648. made by them since they tooke of the Kings head declaredly for Tyrannie Oppression and and exerciseing an Arbitrary power in which they positively declare that they are fully resolved to maintaine shall will uphold preserve and keepe the fundamentale Lawes of this Nation for and concerning the preservation of the lives properties and Liberties of the people with all things incident thereunto with the alterations touching Kings and House of Lords allready resolved in this present Parliament for the good of the People Which short declaration of theirs is fully backed by them with a larger delaration made the 17 of March after And although there be an absolute necessity that lies upon me as speedily as I can to goe to the press with such a thing yet in what I write or print by the assistance of God all mighty I shall keepe within the bounds of a Christian THAT VALVES HIS PEACE WITH GOD ABOVE ALL EARTHLY TREASVRES IN THE WORLD and of a rationall man THAT HATH PRINCIPLES OF FREEDOME AND JVSTICE INGRAFTED IN HIM THAT HE WILL NOT BALKE OR CHANGE FOR ALL THE FEARES OF ALL THE DEATHS IN THE EARTH and of an English-man THAT LOVES HIS NATIVE COVNTRIE ABOVE ALL OTHER COVNTRIES IN THE WORLD and in a great measure hath the sense of his duty in acting towards its Freedome and wellfare INGRAVEN VPON HIS VERY HEART and as a discreet man THAT WILL NOT MEDDLE WITH THE NATIONS AFFAIRES OR GOVERNMENT WHERE HE SOIOURNES OR DOE ANY THING TO THE UTMOST OF HIS POWER THAT MAY GIVE THE LEAST DISCONTENT TO THOSE MAGISTRATES UNDER WHOSE PROTECTION IN HIS BANNISHMENT HE LIVES And besides I bless God I have both publicly and privately walked in all peace quietues and uprigtnes towards the General and Parliament since I owned their authority and neither directly nor indirestly medled with them to give them the least offence or to occasion in them the least cause of jealousy of me for undermineing or endeavouring to undermine their power and authority and therfore can I the more glorie and rejoyce under their harsh and cruell dealeing with me BUT THE LORD IS RIGHTOUS AND I AM CONFIDENT WILL SPEEDILY RETURNE IT SEVENFOLD INTO THE BOSOMES of those who were the principal causers of it Judges 1 6 7 and 2 Sam 21 1 2 5 6 14 and 2 Sam 12 31 compared with the 11 of Judges 17 18 19 20 23 27 Ester 7 9 10 and 8 11. and 9 2 3 4 5 15. Isaiah 10 12 13 18. Mat 7 2. Marke 4 24. Luke 6 37 38. Rom 2 3. James 2 12. Revelations 18 6 7 8. But to returne back by my wives Letters I perceive the LORD GENERALL gives a verie unworthy and strange kind of character of me which seemes to worke beleife upon the Spirits of some of my Freinds and further saith that I may thinke my sentence greater then my offence if they did not feare other things by me of which also it seemes some of my Freinds are satisfied In Answer to all which I say its true upon the 28 of March 1649 the present Lord Generall caused me to be fetched out of my bed by a multitude of armed horse and foote and got me sent to the tower for a traitor yet when I came to my triall for my life there was never any thing of that laid unto my charge for which at first I was imprisoned but only actions pretended to be done by me many moneths after my imprisonment when I lay under so many barbarous provocations put upon me by the Generall and his confederates AS HAD BIN SVFFICIENT according to Solomons saying TO MAKE A WISE MAN MAD. But how just it was to goe about to take away my life upon that score I leave you
any private Interest were most solemnly dis-avowed and disclaimed Yea when the Parliament unvoted and expunged at their desire from their journal Booke those votes wherby the Soldiers were declared enemies for petitioning in order to their satisfaction yet these men professed such principles of Freedome and common good that they slighted that particular reparation given them in that great case of common concernement And in their Remonstrance of the 23 of June 1647 declared that they did not value or regard their owne injuries or reparations in comparison to the consequence of the one or prejudice of the other videlicet „ the future security of common right and Freedome in the Nation Nay how did these pretended heroic patriots seeme to disdeigne selfish private Interests or advantages they seemed to thinke it too base sordid and unworthy for their pure Spirits to be a mercenary Armie to serve the Arbitrary power of a state for money or gold and therfore they disavowed their standing as such an Armie and declared that they tooke up Armes in judgement and conscience as called forth by the Parliaments Declarations to the defence of their owne and the Peoples rights Freedomes and Liberties and were not their avowed Principles as purely free as thus truly public for they declared the equitable sense of the Law to be supreme to the Letter and to dispense with it when the Safety of the People is concerned And likewise That all authority is fundamentally seated in the Office and but ministerially in the persons Were ever clearer principle of Freedome planted in any heroic hearts then proceded from these mens mouthes and they penned even by Ireton himselfe the present Generall his sonn in Law and apeece of his heart and soule die not every discerning eye see the tendency of these gallant pure principles to be perfect Freedome and common justice Were not the hearts of the oppressed people by the sight of these declared principles and ingagements upon them Filled with liveing hopes of perfect Freedome from all Kinds of tyrannie and oppression though sheltred under never so visible and specious formes of Parliamentary power c. did not every unprejudiced and truly English heart expect that the crooked wills of men should no more have bin the measure of Englands Freedome But only the streightest rule of Nature Thirdly what fiery zeale and burning Indignation did these our seeming saviours breath forth against those they judged the invaders of our native Freedomes and obstructers of their speedy settlement Were not their words speares and swords and hot burning coales against Sir Philip Stapleton and the rest of that faction Did not these our hopefull and seeming Patriots teach the tongues of the whole Soldiery to cry aloud at New-market and Triploe heaths justice justice justice against those invaders of Englands Freedomes Was it not the first borne of their desires yea were they not so transported with zeale for the removall of those membres whom they called apostates that in their said remonstrance of June 23 1646 dated at St. Albans they pręfixed a certaine day to the Parliament for their suspension from the house menaceing and threatning them to take an extraordinary way unless that by the preęfixed day they were suspended And appearingly so sollicitous were they of purgeing the house from all obstructers of justice common good and Freedome that when the Parliaments commissioners on July the 7 1647 incited them to hasten the treaty betweene the Armie and Parliament for a settlement they answered that no comfortable effect of a trealy could be expected so long as the Parliament was constituted of some persons whose Interests were contrary to common good booke of their Declarations page 78 thus they presented themselven even jealous for the peoples sake and industrious even to emulation for „ freedome and justice Fourthly how tedious irkesome to these our seeming deliverers were the delaies in clearing and secureing the peoples liberties when the hopes of the People deferred made their very hearts sick page 77 How did they profess the nearest and dearest sympathy with the peoples oppressions in their said Declaration of June 14 And did they not upon July 23 declare that their respect to the peoples safety inforced them to admit of no longer delayes and that they could allow the house not above four or 5 daies wherein they might give assurance and security to them and to the People of a safe and speedy proceeding to settle the Armies and Nations Rights and Freedomes Thus the speedy settleing of common right and Freedome was visibly and declaredly the choycest object of all their actions and intentions that was seemingly the golden ball of all their contention „ the fruit that their soules so exceedingly seemed to lust „ after and the ultimate pretended end of all their painfull and hazardous race Whatsoever they desired for themselves was professed to be insisted upon onely in relation to the public ends asore said Did not their Hearts seeme so far inflam'd with desire of the settlement of the peoples right and Freedomes that no quiet rest content or satisfaction of mind could possess them so long as the People groaned under tyranie and oppression yea they seemed so far to preferr the peoples good before their owne advantage that they declared they would never have entred into so hot a contest with the Parliament for reparations for their private wrongs and abuses suffered from them or their incroachments upon their particular Freedomes had not their suffering those particular wrongs bin prejudicial to common and universal right and Freedome Now Sir Behold these your great commanders and seemingly Religious Freinds thus cloathed with the glorious garment of their owne Declarations of such a curious texture thus adorned with variety of the fairest promises as so many „ bright oriental pearles „ and doe they not appeare like „ Absolom without spot or blemith from head to foote „ 2 Samuel 14 25 „ are they not like to Saul higher by the head then all the people 1 Sam 9 2. „ can you forbeare to cry there is none in the world like unto them „ Did ever more hopefull sonns spring from Englands fruitfull wombe Did ever more lightsome starrs arise in this Horizon Did not their hearts seeme to be the thrones of righteousnes and their brests the habitation of goodnes and compassion to the oppressed and afflicted was not justice as a robe to them and mercy as a diademe did they not appeare to goe forth in the strength of the Lord To breake the Jawes of the wicked and oppressors to pluck the spoile out of their teeth Did they not then give such hopes of deliverance to those who were bound in chaines of tyrranie and of releife to the poore afflicted who had none to helpe them that the cares that heard their words rejoyced and the blessing of many which were ready to perish came upon them And what Egle-eye could at first discerne „ that this glorious cloathing was but
maintaine the English peoples Lawes and liberties as being not able nor judgeing his conquest so good just and secure a plea to hold his new-gat crowne by „ as an after mutuall compact or Agreement with the People or their representatives „ over whom he was to rule And therfore as the Lord Cooke in the foresaid Chapter page the 12 declares „ a Parliament or a kind of one was held even in the Conquerors time „ See also to this purpoose the Lawbooke of the 21 of Edward the 3 solio the 60 and „ the first part of the Lord Cookes Institutes „ lib 2. Chap. 10. Section 164. fol 110. a. and came to be more Frequently used in his Successors time „ yea even to be once in two yeares in Edward the 1 or 2 his time „ at which notwithstanding the people then grumbled as being an absolute abridgement of their ancient and undoubted libertie ‚ to meet more frequently in their nationall and public assemblies „ to treat and conclude of things for their weale better being The want of which in ancient time ‚ lost the Island of Brittanie to the Romans „ as the said Lord Cooke declares in the said 4 part of his Institutes folio 9 out of Tacitus in the life of Agricola page 306. whereupon it was enacted in full Parliament in Edward the third his time that the King who was the Peoples Officer of trust „ should assemble call the People together in Parliament once every yeare or oftner if need required „ as appeares by the statute of the 4 of Edward the 3 Chapter the 14. But because this was not constantly used by that King but that sometimes he made intervalls of three or sower yeares betwixt Parliament Parliament which was still a diminution of the very Soule and Life of all the Peoples liberties vide â—icet Frequent Often new Parliaments therfore in the 36 yeare of his raigne annuall Parliaments are provided In these very words Item for maintenance of the said articles statutes and redress of divers mischeifs greivances whieh daily happen a Parliament shall be holden every yeare as another time was ordained by a statute of the fourth of Edward the third Chapter the 14. and though in after ages it hath many times bin otherwise practised yet the statutes being still in force the parliaments answer to the King in the booke of Declarations pag 709 holds good that the practise is noe argument against the right But the late King Charles exceedingly faileing to put these Lawes in execution in the Frequent calling of Parliaments also when he had called them dissolved them at his pleasure so made them useles to the Nation Both which the Parliament most notably declared was against his trust in their Declaration of November the 2 1642. first part of the booke of their Declarations page 70 702 709 c. of which the Parliament most bitterly complained in their first Remonstrance Booke of Declarations Part 1 page 5 6 11 in page 10 11 ibidem they positively declare that his destroying of those two grand Freedomes of the People videlicet frequent new successive Parliaments free debates therein had corrupted and distempered the whole frame government of the Nation brought in nothing but destruction waies of tyranny For the preventing of which for the future the Parliament got an Act to pass in the 16 yeare of the late King which was the first yeare of this long-lived Parliament to confirme every tittle of the two fore mentioned acts for annuall Parliaments further in that act they say thus that whereas it is by experience found that the not holding of Parliaments according to the two forementioned acts hath produced sundry great mischeifes inconveniencyes to the Kings Majesty the Church comment weale for the prevention of the like mischeifs inconveniencyes for the time to come be it enacted by the Kings most excellent Majesty with the consent of the Lords Spirituall and temporall and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled that the said last Forementioned Lawes statutes be from henceforth duly keps and observed And most excellent worthy to be written in Letters of gold were and are those arguments that the Lord George Digby though since a Cavalier used in his public speech in the house of Commons January 19 1640 at and for the passing of the last forementioned Law which speech of his is recorded in a printed booke called speeches passages of Parliament page 12 13 to page 21. And hath not the PRESENT GENERALL in his verball expressions confirmed all these things as most righteous and just for was it not hee or his sonn in law IRETON lately deceased that drew that excellent declaration of the Army dated Iune the 14 1647 printed and published in the booke of their Declarations page 41 42 43 where they positively declare that they were so farr from designeing or complying to have an arbitary power fixed or setled for continuance in any persons whatsoever as that say they if we might be sure to obteine it we cannot wish to have it so in the persons of any whom we could most confide in or who should appeare most of our owne opinions and principles or whom we might have most personal assurance of or Interest in but we doe shall much rather wish that the authority of this Nation in Parliaments rightly constituted that is „ freely equally successively chosen „ according to their originall intention may ever stand have its course therfore we shall applie our selves cheifly to such things as by haveing Parliaments settled in such a right constitution may give most hopes of justice righteousnes to flow downe equally to all in that its ancient channel without any overtures tending either to overthrow that foundation of order government in this Kingdome or to engross that power for perpetuity into the hands of any particular persons or partie whatsoever And for that purpose though as we have found it doubted by many men minding sincerely the public good but not weighing so sully all consequences of things it may and is not unlike to prove that upon the ending of this ParliameÌ„t the election of a new the Constitution of succeeding Parliaments as to the persons elected may prove for the worse many waies yet since neither in the present purgeing of this Parliament nor in the Election of new we cannot promise to our selves or the Kingdome an assurance of justice or other positive good from the hands of men but those who for the present appeare most righteous most for common good „ haveing an unlimited power fixed in them for life or pleasure „ in time may become corrupt or settle into parties or factions „ or on the other side in case of new Elections those that should so succeed may prove as bad or worse then the former „ We therfore humbly conceive that „
in December 1648 which expresseth the reasons of their then advance with their Army to London to purge OR RATHER PLVCK VP BY THE ROOTES the Parliament and doe they not in that Declaration positively declare that the Parliaments treating with the King and rejecting all better wholsomer counsells given them IS NO LESS THEN A TREACHEROVS OR CORRVPT NEGLECT OR AN APOST ATIZING FROM THE PVBLIC TRVST REPOSED IN THEM Yet not ASSVMING to themselves as there in words they say a standing power of judgement AS OF RIGHT OR TRVST to conclude others thereby acknowledging that to lie most properly in those whom the people DVLY CHOOSE AND TRVST TO IVDGE FOR THEM But considering that such power where ever it is IS COMMITTED BVT IN TRVST and that neither this Nation nor any other people DID EVER GIVE VP THEIR NATVRALL CAPACITIES OF COMMON SENSE OR REASON as to the ends fundamentalls of that trust And as for the Parliaments breach of trust there being no formal power of man in beeing to appeale to in the present case they positively declare They cannot but exercise that common judgement which in their NATVRALL CAPACITY is left to them and therfore considering that the Parliaments then BREACH OF TRVST was so transcendently great as that it was an hazard of totall destruction to that Interest to those people for which especially they say the trust was reposed And seeing there is no orderly open way left for a just succession of another formal and proper judicature to bee appealed unto in due time therfore they there renounced the then Parliament AS NO PARLIAMENT AT ALL with confidence APPEALED TO THE COMMON IVDGEMENTS OF INDIFFERENT AND VNCORRVPTED MEN exciteing all those that yet were faithfull to their trust in the Parliament to COME OVT joyne with them and in such a case of extremity they promise to looke upon them not as a Parliament but as persons materially haveing the cheife trust of the Kingdome remaining in them THOVGH NOT A FORM ALL STANDING POWER to be continued in them or drawne into ordinary president yet the best and most rightfull that can be had as the present State and exigency of affaires then stood and wee shall say they accordingly owne them adhere to them be guided by them in their FAITHFVLL PROSECVTION OF THEIR TRVST which they there declare to be onely in order unto MARKE IT WELL and VNTILL THE INTRODVCEING OF A MORE FVLL AND FORMALL POWER IN A JVST REPRESENTATIVE TO BE SPEEDILY INDEAVOVRED AND RATIFIED BY AN AGREEMENT AND SVBSCRIPTION OF THE PEOPLE THEREVNTO And did not the present Generall for upon him I principally looke and judge him in a manner to be all in all and not only one man but his word in England to be more then ten thousand lay it as an act of treason to the late King Charles charge his in his for so I may truly call it late impeachment of him dated the 20 of January 1648 that he had KEPT OF FREQVENT AND SVCCESSIVE PARLIAMENTS OR NATIONAL MEETINGS IN COVNCEL which as before is averred ought to be once every yeare or oftner if need require And did not the Generalls then two principall agents to wit the LORD PRESIDENT BRADSHAW and Mr. JOHN COOKE now Lord cheife justice in Ireland notably with all their Eloquence and Rhetoric aggravate that against the King as a most transcendent crime see the 11 page of the Lord Bradshawes last speech against the King being upon the 27 of January 1648 and Mr. Iohn Cooke his State of the Kings Case page 7 11 14 17 18 20. in the last of which Mr. JOHN COOKE averrs THAT THE PEOPLE OF ENGLAND NOT ONLY BY SEVERAL STATVTE LAWES OVGHT TO HAVE A PARLIAMENT ONCE A YEARE OR OFTNER IF NEED REQVIRE BVT ALLSO OF COMMON RIGHT THEY OVGHT TO HAVE IT and that the Kings makeing of Parliaments when he called them VSELES to the END for which they were instituted was a crime in him EQVALL to his not calling them for nine or ten yeares together And I wish the present Generall were not much more guiltie then ever the King was of all those tamperings juggleings machiavilian devices that he speakes of in his 17 18 and 20 pages to make a Parliament useles in any thing BVT TO SERVE HIS OWNE LVSTS AND OPPRESS THE PEOPLE THEREBY So that then by Mr. Iohn Cookes conclusion to speake in his owne words the Generall may throw the gauntles challenge all the MACHIAVELS IN the world to invent such an EXQVISITE PLATFORME of tyrannicall domination such a PERFECT TYRANNIE without MAIME or BLEMMISH as he is Prince or Emperour of and that by a Law which saith Mr. JOHN COOKE is worst of all And did not the present Generall before the late battel at Worcester ingage and promise before God several Officers of his Armie of the good people of England that if God blessed him with that victorie he would immediately be the effectual instrument to procure unto the people of England their naturall common legal and undoubted birth-right TO ELECT AND CHOOSE A NEW PARLIAMENT and did he not after the battaile engage the same and did he not come up to London and in the Parliament House immediately after his comeing up express himselfe full of zeale for the immediate calling a new-Parliament „ As that which they were bound in Conscience and duty both to God and Man forthwith to call „ And were not the Spirits and Hearts of thousands and ten thousands of the honest people of England refreshed thereby and cried him up as their earthly Saviour Redeemer therfore yet was his carriage therein any other then A PERFECT CHEAT AND DECEIT on purpose in peace quietnes to get disbanded scatterd all those forces that in their hearts longed for it and in their words expressed so much and it may be he feared were at Worcestor twice so many as hee all those that durst then joyne with him against it which necessitated him to give them good woords and faire promises till he got all the „ new-raised forces who were full of Life for a new Parliament disbanded „ all his owne Regiments that he was jealous of disperst scattered into small companies abroad in the Nation¿ and under the pretence of case of the Peoples taxes ordered hee not his Officers to disband a certaine number our of their troopes companies of the most choycest men that he was afraid were Possessed with such principles and did he not to the saddening of the Vniversality of honest mens hearts in England when hee imagined he had done his worke to his hearts desire vote declare the Parliament should after they had sate almost twelve yeares sit three yeares longer if they pleased and at three yeares end they may sit as long as they or hee lives if he please So that the people shall never have a New Parliament And upon this did not you and divers other honest men