AN ADDITIONALL REMONSTRANCE To the Valiant and wel-deserving SOULDIER And the rest of the CREDITORS OF THE COMMON-WEALTH CONCERNING The Publick Faith Souldiers Arrears AND Other Publick Debts and GRIEVANCES of the NATION With a little friendly touch to L Coll IOHN LILBVRNE Written by Samuel Chidley of London Gent. 2 King 6.5 And he cried and said Alas master for it was borrowed LONDON Printed for the Author 1653. AN ADDITIONALL REMONSTRANCE TO The valiant and well-deserving Souldier and the rest of the Creditors of the Common-wealth concerning the Publick Faith Souldiers Arrears and other Publick Debts and Grievances of the Nation With a little friendly touch to Lieut Coll JOHN LILBVRN WHereas upon the dissolution of the lare Representative I published a Remonstrance the 22th of April last which was resented beyond my expectation and acknowledged as a true token of my real affections to the Publique The Peoples daily experience of the sad condition of the Creditors of the Common wealth of England to whom it was principally directed confirming the same Yet affecting brevity therein because I expected a Declaration from the Officers I did forbear to enlarge my self lest I should stand in their way who are furnished with variety of intelligence and better able to make a rehearsal of the transaction of affairs from the beginning to the end And therefore resolved to meddle with nothing for that present but what most specially and particularly concerned the busines of the Publique relating to my Trust But it seems multiplicity of affairs taking up the Generals time with the Councel matters are not yet in such a forwardnes as was expected And therefore necessity constraineth me to publish this Aditional Remonstrance for further satisfaction to the People and to ease my self of the trouble of making answers often times again and again to so many persons particularly who are very inquisitive from time to time to know what 's become of the Publique Faith and Debenters the price of their blood And truly were it not to satisfie an afflicted poor distressed and needy People who are almost spent for want of pure Justice and continually annoyed with the poysonous vapors of corrupt and wicked Laws and have spent their money for that which is not bread and their labour for that which satisfieth not I should not be so forward to write and print Books to fill the world more full who are so glutted already but rather sit and see at distance and hold my peace till I have learned wisdom esteeming it better to live in quietnes and remain private in the watch tower of observation to take an exact view of all things by the Rule of Reason considering comparing and thereupon concluding then to spend my time and strength as publiquely as I have done without more probability of prevailing For whilst Reason is creating new presidents and working wonders to set the world in a maze and put to silence the ignorance of the foolish producing peace by war to make men live and learn It is not for me the weakest amongst 10000. to power out all my mind at once but to ponder of that which is represented to my understanding That my heart may be replenished with wisdom whereby I may discern both time and judgment and be enabled to answer the expectations of such a considerable number of the good people of England who have by word and writing under their hands desired and intrusted me to agitate their busines for the obtaining of their just debts upon the publique account Looking upon me as their Intelligencer and sole director how to steer their course and to whom and when to make their applications who have thought much at my forbearance in not being so forward to presse these who are at this present in chief power as formerly they admired at my patience and importunate solicitations of those who were in supreme Authority for the accomplishment of their many fair promises Declarations Protestations and ingagements All of which are now also at this present time expected to be performed though not by the power that is gone yet by their Successors who saw their departure and remained behind and have in their Declaration put in a cautious caveat of Administration And indeed it is but reason that they should administer upon the Estates and pay the lawful debts of their Predessessors who had not time to seal their wil before their dissolution Or else declare who are to do it and that speedily And to pay al Bonds and Bils and other just Debts before Legacies And what lets but that the Publique Faith and old Arrears of the Souldiery c. should be paid with all convenient speed I hope the Officers of the Army who found fault with the Parliament for neglecting such things of great importance will not hinder but rather further it as much as men in their condition can do lest the world should brand them for notorious Hipocrites For who stands in their way to oppose them now the Tree of Regal Power is cut down And the Branches of Parliamentory Authority cropt off the leaves thereof shaken to the ground and the fruit scattered And the Beasts of the feild who had shelter thereby and the fowls of the Heaven which lodged in the branches thereof and were continually fed therfrom all gone to shift for themselves elsewhere and nothing left but the stump of the three States King Lords and Commons I say the very stump fastned as it were with a band of Iron by the decree of the watchers and according to the words of the holy ones to the intent that the living may know that the most high ruleth over the Kingdom of men and giveth it to whom he will and setteth over it the most abject among men Dan. 4.14.17 The Lord General and his Councel of Officers in their Declaration of the 22th of April last manifested their intentions to call to the Government persons of approved fidelity and honesty and in a short time more particularly to shew the ground of their proceedings and the reasons of the late action and change Hereupon I was resolved to have a little patience for a short time to see what would be more particularly produced it being a matter of great concernment to the whole Nation that such a Narration should have been published to the People which might be both seasonable and satisfactory and so skilfully contrived and wisely composed that every sentence might be full of substance to the rejoycing of the hearts of all the good People of England and striking the Enemy with amazemrnt and terror and weigh down in worth all the Acts and Ordinances which have been made by any Parliament from the time of the 25. Kings of England This being done there might have been ground enough for us to us to have builded upon For who knows not that the Parliaments neglecting of Justice The caūse of the Parliaments dissolution and not regarding the payment of the
the places whereon such great men are set are slippery enough without dropping butter and oyl Job 32.21 22. instead of tears upon their footsteps Give not flattering titles lest it cost you dear lest your maker soon take you away Put no confidence in Princes Psal 62 9. Prov. 29.25 Isa 23.9 1 Cor. 1.31 Deut. 22.10 nor be afraid of an arm of flesh lest you be deceived and ensnared God hath purposed to staine the pride of all glory that he who glorieth may glory only in the Lord. Use no comparisons between one man and another unless you be very well acquainted with their Natures and dispositions their actions and affections and the Laws by which both must be tried with their callings works and maintenance which will much help you to make and mend if you be an exact observer and that with ease I shall not spend much time to contend with those Ministers who would make the Lord General Cromwel like unto Moses It may be he is more like unto Moses Rom. 13.1 Ephe. 4.11 12 13. then they are like unto Aaron Moses was the meekest man upon the Earth zealous against idolatry and for the setting up of Gods publique worship Numb 12.3 Levit. 24.12 A merciful man and very cautious of putting men to death contrary to the right manner and was a lover of the People and would have them saved though himself were blotted By faith Moses when he was come to yeers Heb. 11.24 refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daughter Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egypt for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward By faith he forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the king for he endured as seeing him who is invisible Through faith he kept the passeover and the sprinkling of blood lest he that destroyed the first-born should touch them Now I do profess that God hath not revealed it unto me nor do I see how it can be proved that his Excellencies Declarations are like unto Moses Law Deut. 33.4 Psal 119. Or that the Acts of Parliament confirmed by him are like unto the Statutes and Judgments of the holy and blessed God Or that Moses hanged the poore theeves meerly for theft Exod. 22.3 and let the rich theeves go free I find not that he ever was so unworthy as to presse his poore Countrey-men to death for not pleading guilty or not guilty His meeknes and gentlenes would not admit of forcing any in a tyrannical way to accuse themselves ☠He scorned to cut any man off upon one single testimony He was no Libertine Deut. 12.30 32. nor gave any loose libertie for the Magistrates to follow the old Cananitish customs He had more compassion in him than to suffer the prisoners to starve in his sight for want of bread Now untill it be made appear that the Lord General is more then a Prophet and hath talked face to face with God Numb 12,6-8 and beheld his similitude I hope no godly man will be offended with me for my negative voice Matt. 22.21 but give unto Cesar the things which are Cesars and unto God the things which are Gods Let Moses have his wages for his work Heb. 3.5 for he was a faithful servant And let Cromwel be Crowned with the honor that 's due unto him and suffer me to declare my opinion and afterwards let the flatterers speak My minde gave me long ago that the LORD GENERAL CROMWEL was like THE KING 2 King 9.20 THE LORDS ANOINTED I mean Nimble John the son of Nimsby who drave furiously and said come with me and see my zeal for the LORD Doubtless he was a brave stout valiant Souldier and a victorious Conqueror of Gods enemâ—es Chap. 10. an utter enemy to the wayes and ruiner of the House of his Master Ahab The destruction of Jezebel and rooter out of Baal and made his great Cathedral a very jakes A man who wrought much by policie and was very honest and for ought I know observed THE LAW OF GOD much But he walked in the sins of Jerohoam and yet God remembred his good old service and let him sit upon the Throne to the fourth Generation And who knows what good things God hath laid up in store for our Capt General But the best provision which I can make for him Psal 141.5 for the present is the pretious balm of plain and righteous dealing which shall never break his head And humility adorning him like the lillies which grow best in low places the entertainment which I shal give him in these sad and unsetled times is to lead him by the waters of Marah in the valey of weeping to the house of mourning the storehouse for tears where the hearts of the wise frequently retire and the Widdows by the sides of the house are set like weeping Vines and the Fatherless children like the plants thereof round about the tables of contempt feeding on the bread of sorrows and drinking tears in an abundant measure Where the rooms are paved with love and the flooers strowed with ashes the Chambers hung with sackcloth the flat battlements for defence covered with coals of fire against the approach of the Enemy in the wardrobe sheeps kins and goats skins the outhouses dens and the chambers caves to lodg pilgrims and strangers who feed continually on the bread and water of affliction to whom a prison is a palace death life and the reproach for Christ great riches the sellars beneath filled with bottles of tears to quench all Tyrants thirst There is the cup of trembling and the wine of astonishment for the King of Terrors NOt far from this Mansion-house there is a place where is the throne of Judgment with six steps but he that goeth up must put off his shoes from off his feet for the place where he standeth is holy ground and every step hath its particular name The first step is called Repentance from dead works The second is Faith towards God The third is the Doctrine of Baptismes The fourth is the laying on of hands The fifth is The resurrection from the dead And the 6th is Eternal Judgment And there above is the Throne of Judgment set At the end of the said steps are twelve Lyons six on the one side and six on the other answerable to the 12 Princes of the Tribes of Israel or the Lambs twelve Apostles And there is no other Jury Priviledge of Parliament cannot here be pleaded there being a prerogative power above it The Statutes of Omri are all here condemned to be burnt in great contempt And a Law established which will serve all Nations This is a Court of Justice and Equity too where whores and harlots and all others may have free liberty to plead their causes without feeing a
expecting any satisfaction from you but acceptation only of my good will for you looking for a better recompense of reward then al the earthly Generals in the world can give My opinion is that you need not trouble the Lord General or his Counsel with many Petitions but make a forlorn List of your names and places of aboad who groan under oppressions by false and pretended actions and illegal chargeable and delatory practises and proceedings in the Law And let there be one general Petition drawn up which is as good as a thousand and let it contain the substance of your complaints and what you desire and let the same be presented with speed to them who have power to redress your grievances That they may appoint a certain number of honest and faithful men to sit early and late as Commissioners Fully to hear and finally to determine all manner of grievances depending in suits of Law which shall not happen to be ended by Law within a certain convenient time limited and thereby they may probably dispatch 100. Causes in a day which will be a great ease to the People they sitting daily so long as there is any busines for them to do that all men may enjoy their just rights without molestation That Justice may be no more cloathed with sackcloth nor judgment turn'd into wormwood and gall That truth may be no more blemished by falshood nor equity kept out by inquity O yee mighty ones who sit as Gods defend the poor Widdows and the Fatherless do justice to the afflicted and needy Deliver the poor and needy rid them out of the hand of the wicked It concerns you to double your diligence in well doing for all the foundations of the earth are out of course and the dark places thereof are full of the habitations of cruelty Shall the desolate Widdows and Fatherless be made the chief marks for injustice to shoot at And be continually vexed and tormented by the most cruell illegal and delatory proceedings in the Law and the Woman though she brought 10000 l. portion to her Husband and could have no claim in his real estate but for her life time that but a third and though never so aged yet upon the death of her husband she required by the Law to deliver up all to the Heir saving the dwelling House for 40. dayes and if she passe the time of 40. dayes must still be liable to action And before she can compel the Tenant to plead with tearms of Law called Assoynes Adjournments and Views shall a whole year be spent then in the fire of contention to make them spin out the rest of their dayes in vanity and yeers in trouble and then if the Sheriff or Crowner fail to return the Jury which is a common thing a fine is set upon them indeed but a four penny matter will take it off and this is enough to put off the poor Widdow another year Shal such evill customes still remain up and down the Land As for her personal Estate the Executor he possesseth all although it be never so many thousands And then in the mean time the poor widows have no relief but in Chancery where they must serve a compleat Apprentiship before they can be made free by Law And thereby the poor desolate widdows through extreme necessity are forced to borrow pawn yea and sometimes to begg their bread sue in forma pauperis so the remedy is worse then the Disease And if the widdow dye while the Suit is depending al 's lost and then the Heir or Executor robs all the rest of her children of al And the Fatherless are constrained to sue for their portion 21. 22. years yea sometimes 23. years before they can recover it Thus as I said before the Widdows are their prey and they rob the Fatherlesse But wee unto the Oppressors what will they do in the time of their visitation O Cromwel the Lord of the Land lay it to thy heart Look to these things redresse these grievances in time unlesse the prize be gone out of thy hand and the Crown be fallen from thy head Work now O now before darknes and the shadow of death seize upon thee in the Land of oblivion where the light is as darknes for thou art here to day but thou dost not know where thou shalt be to morrow A word for L Col JOHN LILBVRNE LEt Lilburne live and not dye O let him live and see better dayes For most of his dayes hitherto have been sorrow and his travel grief How often hath this pitcher been at the Well! and will it still go well with it And how many knocks hath it endured upon the hard stones and yet is not broken but holds tack and as tough as a lether Jack But beware lest the fire of contention scorch it and make it useless O Lilburne Lilburn hear what he saith who said he would be wise but it was far from him If thou hadst as much wisdom as courage If as much prudence as confidence If as much meeknes and gentlenes as strength of memory If as much depth of apprehension as ready delivery Thou wouldest be a rare Phenix or Bird of Paradice But every man hath his proper gift one after this manner another after that And yet thou hast all these in a measure Thou hast done and suffered much yea so much that an Enemy of Sathan is sent to buffet thee that thou mayest not be exalted in thy self And why wast thou so ravished with the routing of the Parliament Thou art not the first wise man deceived through confidence in man Be not overcome or drawn in by every one that speaks thee fair and faineth himself just to intrap thee Beleeve not every spirit first try and then trust lest they proove as broken teeth and feet out of joynt Thou outcast of England didst not thou know that the Parliament had erred And didst thou think the Lord General and his Councel of Officers did wel in confirming their Acts and denying to break such yoaks or to go against any of them after their dissolution of a Parliament or no Parliament who made Laws or no Laws Of force or of no force Then in Authority or not in Authority And now the same or not the same Who had driven thee out saying go serve other gods 1 Sam. 21.11 12 13. and 28.2 and 29.8 as if they had a designe upon thee to force thee for thy preservation to fain thy self to be that which thou wast not and to take upon thee to do that which thou didst not nor darest do And how didst thou come into this Wildernes to tread upon English ground to defend thy self with a sword without a hilt before thou hadst made thy peace with men of War who had armed themselves and forewarned thee Wil the falling out of lovers be the renewing of love it hath moved thee to seek to them and may perswade them to embrace thee If thou desirest the Mercie of God to preserve thee the Assistance of Saints and Angels to protect thee If thou wouldst have thine Enemies at peace with thee Let thy ways always please the LORD and strive to outstrip all the world in the choicest wisdom if possible Forsake the foolish and live My son fear thou God and the Supream Pro. 24.21 and meddle not with them that be given to change Some men have been almost distracted through oppression others have learned wisdom by affliction and thou hast bought experience at a dear rate and thine enemies have not scaped scot free Therefore be not passionate but patient And When thou art escaped with thy life for a prey refine what 's worth the refining and when thy cup is full carry it even very even Moreover my son Ecles 12.12 by these be admonished of making many books there is no end and much study is a wearines to the flesh Belsavage 22 th June 1653. S Chidley GOD Grant Repentance to our Enemies GOD Give Salvation to the holy Separated Church GOD Preserve the peace of the Common-wealth of England Amen
Publique Faith Souldiers Arrears Kings debts and particular losses upon the Publique account alienated the hearts of their old and best Friends and fellow soldiers and sufferers both in Town and Country from them so that they had none to stand by them and God had forsaken them for they had sinned against him and deeply corrupted themselves all which made preparation for their removal without the least resistance yea and I am confident if Joab and all his Train had been 100 times weaker then they were they might have done this work with ease no man would have risen up against it but rather have taken up this Proverb against them How hath the Oppressor ceased Isa 14.4 The golden Parliament ceased And whereas it is supposed The Generals Declaration of the last of April hovv to be understood That the Generals Declation of the last of April last is a sufficient ground for us to proceed in making applications to the Councel of State for the Publique Faith as before to the Parliament yet upon serious perusal thereof I find no such visible power conferred upon them further then to take care of and intend the peace safety and present management of the affairs of the Common-wealth But waiting for the Narrative mentioned by What is expected next and expected from the Lord General and his Councel of Officers I have no mind to interrupt their serious thoughts with frequent applications but wait still till the same be published Neverthelesse in the mean time I shall prepare things in relation to our publique business and lest this should not be thought sufficient for peradventure some will say what if their Narrative never come forth shall we therefore be neglected and prejudiced by your forbearance Therfore to manifest to my integrity I do here declare by the assistance of God that if the L d Gen and his Councel of Officers do not publish their Relation within the space of 40 dayes after the printing and publishing of this Remonstrance I purpose by the advice of a certain number of men whom you the Creditors of the Common-wealth shall make choise of to consult and advise withal immediately without delay to proceed as formerly I did at the Parliament and if possible in a more effectuall way to make my application to that man or those men whom God raiseth for the supream trust of this Nation as I promised in my Remonstrance of the 22th of April last In the mean time I desire you to live in peace Good Counsel in your applications and arm your selves with patience to bear your burdens as chearfully as you can without murmuring or repining knowing that affliction ariseth not out of the dust And let all wrath and bitternes be put away and put on the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit and use gentlenes and moderation towards all men for the wrath of a man doth not accomplish the righteousnes of God My councel is when you apply your selves to the General c. his Councel or his or their successors for justice Be unanimous Pro. 25.23 Turn away the backbiter and breedbate with an angry countenance Fall not out among your selves but stand for one anothers good And be not unequally yoked with troublesome persons If any dog doth wag his tongue against you suffer him to bark so long as he doth not bite 2 Sam. 16.5 14. A better man then the Capt General of an Army of a thousand thousand valiant men hath been exposed to the teeth of envy and the jaws of malice It s no news for the best of men to be afflicted with the scourge of the tongue 1 King 2.9 therefore suffer such evill doers patiently for a while when your work is done you may find a time to talk with them Then cursing Shemey will go neer to crouch and cast no more stones nor fling dust in your faces but rather fall down before your feet and acknowledg his offence in discrediting such Persons of credit who have so much credited the Common-wealth Let Rabshakah rayl 2 Kin. 18.36 Zech 3.2 but you may refuse to answer him a word let the Lord alone to reâ—uke him and so for the rest doubt not but every sinner shall be served in his kind and the same measure which men measure to others Mat. 7.2 shall be measured to them to the full heapt up and running over therefore have a little patience be merry and wife though the malignant People mock and despise you never so much for your forwardnes at first and slender satisfaction and poor rewards now And let me advise you not to make your selves work Be individual and joynt in one Petition and not several in many Petitions for the Persons to whom you Petition are flesh and not spirit and if you break their hearts with too much work before your busines is done you may be broke your selves thereby One man with an Engin may do more then 100 without Ergo. One thousand may do more then 100000. And so strong you are if you be wise And be not discouraged by any Diffidents who commonly affirm that the Publique Faith will never be paid For what you â—enâ— hath done the Common-wealth more good then if it were given them now And there is enough to pay you fear not think your penny good silver you will have it at last for the Rulers of the Earth must be honest or else the just God will bury them in the dust Only have a little patience And have honorable thoughts of those men who are in present power till there be ground to alter your opinion and in your addresses save them and your selves as much labour as may be And let all your actions savour of discretion And observe an orderly course in your proceedings And be not too hasty lest you stumble in the way You were better fit still then walk in the dark In the light you must look before you leap I would not have you to run in vain but obtain And so speak as to speed knowing that there is a time for all things Eccles 3.7 yea A time to keep silence and a time to speak Take heed of boasting which is not seemly for an afflicted People Beleeve not an accusation against them from any one Deut. 19.15 When you admonish the Supream order your speech that it may not savour of pride or passion or contempt of their person Pro. 17.10 or Authority A word to the wise is more then an hundred stripes to the foolish When you rehearse your cause be not too tedious in your relation Let others have time to speak as wel as your selves But prefer matters of life before liberty and Estate And whatsoever the supream doth If it may bear a charitable construction where there is no cause of jealousie trouble not your selves with it Nor find fault without a cause TAke heed of that dangerous practice of flattering men in high degree For