his most faithfull Councell and Highest Court And Who are they that set up other rules for themselves to walk by then such as are according to Law but they that will make other Judges of the Law then the Law hath appointed and so dispence with their obedience to that which the Law calleth authority and to their determinations and resolutions to whom the judgement doth appertain by Law for when private persons shall make the Law to be their rule according to their own understandings contrary to the judgement of those that are the competent Judges thereof they set up to themselves other â—â—les then the law doth acknowledge Surely if the Priests Jesuits and the power of papists were removed from amongst us one great part of the work were done towards an happy peace a religious peace a godly peace Oh down with them most noble Senatours doe not let them domineere as they doe you shall have our hands our purses our hearts our lives to assist you they are too bold nay even those in prison have their Confessions Absolutions weare their Beads and their Crucifixes Sing and roare and dance day and night at the Tavern with their company and doe very evill offices in the hinderance of peace nay there are some of their Priests will openly affront protestant prisoners and quarrell with them for their religion How backward are the Monopolists to this day to doe any good for the Kingdome And how do the Prelates labour to keep back all the means of an happy peace Oh how hath your Clemency appeared Right Honourable towards these incendiaries of mischief who would ruin both you and us the City and the whole Kingdome forgetting that old counsell which one of them D. Hall by name gave to Canterbury before they came to be Prelates If you love Peace without truth saith he keep peace to your self Let us have truth if it may be Peace too How many still are there who are as mad after Innovation as ever they were when the Popes Nuntio put his Arch grace in hopes either of a Cardinalls Har or a Patriarkes place And as for those desperate fortunes who long to fish in troubled waters because they have no better hopes to rest upon We doubt not but your Honours will find out a way to pievent the bloudy Tragedie of their desires Do damned Cavaliers sweare and dâ—maâ— themselves with all the fearfull oaths that can be imagined nay there was one of them not long since offerâ—d to give 3 l. to any one that could invert a new oath and shall such as these be suffered to revile a Parliament We have great complaint about the City some cry out of these wars would we had peace again as we had before not considering the miserable condition of bleeding Ireland intended first to have been performed against us nay to come to our own doors as it were in our own Land what is the condition of all the Country places where the Cavaliers come the Battell at Worster Keynton Brainford if these murmurers had seen the blood that was shed at the sight at Edge-hill c. What would they then have said they would it seems have peace with the enemies of God and Religion the enemies of the PARLIAMENT of the City of the Gospell alas what good will such peace do us Oh Noble Senators have not we cause to complaine against these men as against madmen that do so desperately seek to move you to betray your honours us and them yea Religion Lives Estates wives lands goods and all that we have into the hands of those that continue wars against us in hopes to plunder our houses ravish our wives spoile our goods and bring the City to ruine then say they shall the Borough of Southwark be our stables Others complain for want of trading but how would such complaine if their living was out of the Coales at Newcastle or if they had a shipp there to fraught therewith hither to be under tax of 30.40 or 50. pounds as it is imposed on them there before they can passe what a case are they like to be in about twelve thousand people that live only upon Coales there how are they like to be deprived of their trade alas the want of trade in the City is nothing to that it is in the Country in many places Oh Right Honorable what cause have we to complaine of the poor ignorant people that do not know what freedom they enjoy by being protected by you to enjoy a quiet and peaceable Trade though little Some there are again that cry our of the Sectaries amongst us and the many opinions that are between man and man But they do not consider the armies of Papists that are raised against us and the Standard sent the Earl of Newcastle from the Queen for their army to which army is brought over armes for ten thousand men by Colonell Goring Oh what cause have we to complain against those that would have an agreement with these cruell Papists that were ever bloody and treacherous to Protestants that they might the more freely chide with those that do not meddle with them at home I pray God reconcile all the differences both in Church and State but certainly a Papist army cannot but be expected a dangerous reconcild enemy to all true hearted Protestants and we have a just cause to complaine against them that desire it Others are agreed to pay any thing as they are taxed for the assisting of the Parliament in their defence of Religion and the Laws of the Land one complaines he is taxt 20. s. another 40. s. c. Look downe to the rigorous manner whereby the Earl of Newcastle doth tax men in Yorkshire 1000. l. a man 2000. l. and 3000. pounds a man Mr. Savill of Medbor by name 3000 pounds c. You will say you are forced to pay this mony and that the gatherers have power to sell your goods for it if you will not pay it Oh But how cruell did the Earl of Newcastle use Mr. Wentworth sent for him and after he was condemned to be shot to death for not coming to pay the mony he was unreasonably seas'd and was brought to the stake the place of execution and had he not payed what they would have he had bin shot to death How many Religious Ministers have been plundered and all that they have taken from them our Briefs we have so often read in Churches can testifie and yet many foolish drones amongst us would have us to beleeve a covenant of peace with such desperate Cavaliers to betray our own power and give our enemies leave to cut our throats oh noble Senators we must needs complain of these that are unwilling to help you by Loan upon the publike Faith according to their power yea and beyond their ability in such an extremity surely they that deny this it must needs be granted either that they are old enemies to the Parliament and never took the
A COMPLAINT TO THE House of Commons AND Resolution taken up by the free Protestant Subjects of the Cities of London and Westminster and the Counties adjacent OXFORD Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD Printer to the Vniversity 1642. A Complaint to the House of COMMONS and Resolution taken up by the free Protestant Subjects of the Cities of London and Westminister and the Counties adjaceat LOosers may speake by authority of a Proverb and then we are sure we ought not to be silenced we have seen perused many Remonstrances Declarations Votes and Ordinances shewing how far we are obliged to complaine shall in few words be expressed that neither the Kings Majesty your honourable Assembly nor any man may think otherwise but that we have most just reason not to be silent in grievances so intollerable The priviledge of subjects which wee enjoy under you moves us to complaine yet that is not all which causes the breach of silence but the multiplied calumnies of Malignants upon you the two honourable Houses of Parliament and the sharpe invectives daily published against you and to beget and increase distrust and disaffection betweene the King and his Parliament and the people and like wicked spirits of division and under the false pretexts of the Law of the land and pretences of seeking peace have not only dared to defame but even to arraign your proceedings oh right Honourable have not we cause to complaine against such bold presumptions did ever subjects thus dare to abuse their Senators the Priests and Jesuits of Rome themselves durst never under a Protestant government divulge their actions to a publike view though by seducements they have now brought their complices to such treachery that as much as in them lies they labour with might and maine to misrepresent your worthy actions both to His Majesty and to the whole Kingdome was ever Parliament in all their actions more innocent yet was never any more abused was ever any more faithfull in the trust of the Church and Kingdome committed to them yet none so maligned surely had you betraid the trust committed to you and let the Prelats Papists and all Malignants have bin their owne executioners in defending the law and their owne liberties under their own false colours then they would have used you better till both have been destroyed What a wofull tragedy would then have been to be acted in this Kingdome when our lives liberties and estates should have been taken from us and resigned to them who can lay no other foundation of their owne greatnesse but upon the ruine of this and in it of all Parliaments anâ— them of the true religion and the freedome of this Nation and 〈◊〉 the men that would perswade the people that both Houses of Parliamenâ— containing all the Peeres and representing all the Commons of England would destroy the laws of the land and the peace of the Kingdome wheâ—â— in besides the trust of the whole who can be so blockish as not to knoâ— that you your selves noble Senators in your own particuler have so greâ—â— an intrest of honour and estate that we hope it will gaine little credit We and all that have but the least use of Reason cannot be ignoraâ—â— that if you intended any misery towards us your selves must needs haâ—â— the greatest share in it did you betray your trust to procure a Princes favour you might justly be suspected but your great paines have manifested how faithfull you have beene you have left your houses and â—states and neglected your owne affaires to labour together by your hâ—â— wisedomes to consummate all our grievances and settle us in peace a Parliaments have formerly done you have shewed a great deale of paâ—â—ence in using your endevour so long and still going on notwithstanding those many hazards you still have run both in your persons liberties anâ— estates And yet although God hath not yet accomplished that greâ—â— worke of Reformation and by it a true and setled peace yet God hath so far given both you and us such hopes thereof by the wonderfull things which he hath divers wayes wrought by you that we doubt not but thaâ— in his good time he will convince those that are yet blinded to see youâ— faithfulnesse when we shall see our desires upon your and our enemies that belch out their calumnies against those that stand for Jesus Christ You are the hopes under God with the King in the Lords good time that we fly to for we find that the fountaine of all Law is the Parliament the establishment of the King in his royall throne is firme and absolute by Act of Parliament that we are preserved from being murthered is by lawes established in Parliament that we are not slaves that theeves doe not openly robbe us and spoile us of our goods that we doe quietly enjoy that which we can say is mine and thine we are protected by the laws established in Parliament Parliaments have power given them to reconcile differences but some dangerous Malignants to the end wee might fall out more with our selves to make a way to feed their hopes are daily sowers of division to prevent that happy peace which you so labour for we grieve and our hearts bleed to see the sausinesse of your and all true Protestants enemies but be not discouraged God will strengthen you to make presidents for posterity on better grounds of reason and law then your predecessors have made for you for what law can limit your â—â—oceedings the fountains therof We doubt not but the monsters of these â—â—mes will move your wisdomes to prevent such future disasters It wounds us to the very heart and soule to se the noblest Senators that â—â—ver were chosen and intrusted with all that is dearest to us labouring at â—ou have done for our peace and safety to be affronted by such Androâ—acuses as never age before brought forth daring to attempt to disaffect â—he people from a Parliament when durst ever any bee knowne to harâ—our such a thought were there ever such practises to poyson the people with a misapprehension of the Parliament were there ever such imâ—utations and scandalls laid upon the proceedings of both Houses were â—here ever so many and such horrible breaches of priviledg of Parliament were there ever so many so cunning so venomous and so desperate designes of force and violence against the Parliament and the Members â—hereof did ever Parliament suffer as this hath done though they deserve better then all that went before them Should they have made some former Parliament patternes they had long since made the great incendiaries of all our mischiefe to know the power of a Parliament in revenging and freeing the subjects from all forraigne injuries done unto them according to the direction of King Iames of blessed memory 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 55. Therefore saith he in another place if any do urge to imbrace their owne fancies in the place of Gods word c. Acknowledge them for
vaine men and with authority redact them into order againe p. 20. Where lies the difference what is the chiefe spring that forces the wheeles of this poore Kingdome out of order Our royall King himselfe on whom God multiply his choisest blessings is such a loving Prince as his Father commends who thinks his greatest contentment standeth in his subjects prosperity and his greatest surety in having their hearts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 25. And as for the two honourable Houses of Parliament they have manifested their earnest zeale for the advancing of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ the glory of religion and a flourishing peace amongst us not like those that carry a petition for peace in their hands and murder in their heart but such a peace as may be permanent The truth of it is there needs not a fuller Character of the Malignant part that do so distract us then that which His Majesty made of them in one of his declarations Those who are disaffected to the peace of this Kingdome these be the Hagasians that long to see England bathed in her owne bloud 1. These were the cause of the troubles in Muscovia there was a great deale of fidelity protested to the King and his Councell by a Company of Priests and their faction that allured the King to hearken to their â—â—deavour in setling of that peace which themselves had indeed distrâ—â—â—ed but wofull was the event of it for they contrived a strong plot and in one night slew both the King Demetrius his Queen and his wise counsellours and so the Kingdome was lost These were the men that petitioned to the Parliament for peace to have a toleration in the Reigne of King James at the same time when they were plotting day and night to blow up the Houses of Parliament with the King Prince Nobles and House of Commons and theâ— to haue suddenly fallen upon us to have slain us all Oh what a sad day should this have been to poore England but God be blessed they were prevented How have they plotted to incense the Pope to send so many fulminent Breves to England to hinder the Kings Liege people from a king the oath of allegiance and supremacy How hath father Parson and other been suffered in that which by the Laws of the Land is treason To practise beyond the Seas or upon the Seas or elsewhere within the Kings dominions to absolve perswade or withdraw any subject 〈◊〉 any within his Highnesse Dominions from their obedience to his Majesty or to reconcile them to the Pope or to draw them to the Romish Religion for that intent or to move them to promise obedience to the See of Rome or to any other Prince to be had or used within the Kings dominions everie such person and their procurers aiders counsellours and maintainers knowing the same are all in case of high treason 23. El. 1.3 Jac. 4. P. Rom. 7. 2 The Projectours with their monopolies that have long gnawed at the bowells of the Kingdome they are another party ready to help these divisions forward One that was a great Patentee for Butter Casks c. Captaine Read by name went over into Ireland and became one of the chiefest of the Rebells now a prisoner in the Tower of London And Collonell Aston that had a share in the wine patten how doth his 〈◊〉 rage against the Parliament and against the Honourable City of London how cruelly did he execute Martiall law upon Master Boyes at Redding a Citizen that travelled that way to see his aged Parents this Christâ—â—â— offering no abuse nor medling with any man woman or child yet upon his command was put to death 3 The Prelates cannot endure to be curbed of their Pride witnesse that insolency of the Arch Prelate of Canterbury who with the Bishop of Ely would not alight out of their coach when they went with the â—ing to church in Scotland from his pallace of Hollirood house to Edenbrough His Majesty going on foot insomuch that the people asked them how they durst deny to come out of their coach seeing their King himselfe on â—oot and the Scottish men told them how therein they appeared to be â—ags and servants to the Pope Canterbury moved the King another time to erect an high Commission â—n all the Bishopricks of that Kingdome by vertue of a Proclamation which he extorted from his Majesty wherein it was ordered that the Bishops Courts here in England should have no subordination to any other Courts and should proceed without any dependency not so much â—s to use his Majesties Armes in their Seals but their own like the Prelate of Rome to deprive his Majesty of his supremacy Sedferse Bishop of Galloway a Pedlers sonne was so bold as openâ—y before other Lords to give the Earle of Argile a great Peer in Scotâ—and the ly And who hath been greater incendiaries to stirre upâ—â—ar then they what a protestation did they make against the Court of Parliament 4 The bringing in of Innovations into the Church hath bred great distraction amongst us which first began when father Leader came from the Pope then the Bishops began to erect Altars and take away the Communion tables to force all to kneel at the Sacrament to be all uncovered during all the time of reading the service to sland up at the reading of the Gospell to bow at the name of Iesus and to consecrate a new the Church of Saint Giles in the fields 5. Cruelty against Godly Ministers How was Master Ward of Suffolk tossed amongst them by a pretended accusation of Symony onely to silence him Doctour Everard Chaplain to the Earl of Holland was terribly prosecuted for contradicting the unlawfull command of innovation of the Prelate of Norwich What shall we say of Master Burton and hundreds more some silenced some imprisoned some died in prison as master Bates c. others were persecuted our of the Land contrary to that pious saying of King James Love no man more then a good Pastour reverence and obey them as the Heraulds of the most high God 6 Many men of desperate fortunes care not how a Kingdome perisheth to give them hopes of Pillage as there are some who have resolved if ever the City which God forbid should come to be plundered what parts they would pillage and with strong asseverations they have sworn and vowed with bloudy and fearfull Protestations how glad they would be to see that day 7 Who are so much disaffected to the Peace of the Kingdome as those who endeavour to dissafect his Majestie from the Houses of Parliament and perswade him to such a distance both in place and affection Who are more disaffected to the Government of the King then such who lead his Majestie away from hearkening to his Parliament which by the constitution of his Kingdome is his best and great Councell and perswade him to follow the malicious counsells of some private men in opposing and contradicting the wholsome advices of