Heedlesness of the Common-Souldier contributed in a High Measure to the General Fate Nay that his Late Majesty was oppress'd even by those that thought they fought for him before they understood what they did But yet let me Commend to your Observation that these relenting Intervals in the Heads of the Army did manifestly Vary according to the Pulse of their Affairs Which evinces that it was a Deliberation upon the matter of Convenience rather then upon a Point of Conscience But thus far however we are agreed That many of the Non-Conformists were engaged Whether upon Ignorance Interest or Faction take your Choice That is to say upon Which of These Three you will found the Merits of your Party We are next to Enquire How far your Principles and Actions will comport with the Duties of Society and the Ends of Government SECT IX The Non-Conformists Plea for Toleration from the Innocence and Modesty of their OPINIONS and PRACTISES C. IN the Question of Government and Obedience there are many Points wherein the Non-Conformists agree Many more wherein they differ and not a few wherein they are altogether Fluctuant and Uncertain We have Nothing to do in this Place with their Disagreements or Uncertainties save only in those Matters wherein they are United by Common Consent And to Determine what Those are will be a New Difficulty Unless you tell Us before-hand What Authorities we may depend upon Your Principles must be Known or they cannot be Examined Wherefore Pray'e Direct us Where we may find them N. C. Why truly in the History of the Reformation for This Controversie has been on foot from the very beginning of it to this Day C. If you speak of the Reformation beyond the Seas I do not find any thing there that comes neer our Purpose Here is first Pretended a Reformation of a Reformation Secondly A Conjunction of Several Parties and Perswasions at utter Enmity One with Another in a Confederacy against the Order of the Government Whereas in the Great Turn of Affairs Abroad I see little more then a Defection from the Church of Rome and People setling themselves in some other way as well as they could Muncer's Party in Germany had I confess some Resemblance of the Tumults here in England that usher'd in the late War both for the Medly and for the Rabble In Scotland indeed there was a Contest for the Reforming of a Reformation and it went high But it was only a Struggle for the Geneva-Discipline Which Humour was brought over to us too and driven on for a while under Q Elizabeth with much Contumacy and Bitterness But our Case in short was never known in the Christian World till the late Troubles and thither it is that we must resort for satisfaction to our present Enquiry Now whether you 'l be tried by the Declarations Votes Orders and Ordinances of that Pretended Parliament that carry'd on the Quarrel Or by the Undeniable Doctrines and Positions of your own Divines and those the very Idols of your Party is left at your Election N. C. As for the Parliament let them answer for themselves We had no hand in their Proceedings And for our Ministers They were but Men and may have their Failings as well as other People If you would know our Principles We are for Worshipping according to the Light of Our Consciences for Obeying God rather then Man and for yielding all due Obedience to the Civil Magistrate C. All This comes to Nothing For you may make that Light what you please and Qualifie that due Obedience as you list What does all this Evasion and Obscurity signifie but that there is somewhat in the bottom more then you are willing to own There are a sort of People that tell us The War raised in 41 in the Name of King and Parliament was Lawful And That the Soveraignty was lodg'd in the Two Houses Nay in the People in Case of Necessity That Kings are but the Peoples Trustees Their Power Fiduciary and the Duty of Subjects only Conditional That Princes may be Depos'd Nay and put to Death in Case of Tyranny And That their Persons may be Resisted but not their Authority That the King is Singulis Major Universis Minor And that the People may Enter into Covenant for the Reformation of Religion without the Consent of the Chief Magistrate nay against his Authority and Propagate Religion by the Sword They make their Appeals from the Literal Construction of Law to the Equitable from the Law Written to the Law of Nature and Necessity A Man might ply You with fresh Instances upon this Subject till to morrow morning But here we 'l stop And pray'e speak your Opinion now of Granting a Toleration to a Party that Professes and Teaches These Principles and Acts accordingly N. C. What is all This to the Non-Conformists Who are already come to an Agreement that In the Question of Toleration The Foundation of Faith Good Life and Government is to be Secured C. Very Good So that what Party soever shall be found Guilty of the Positions aforesaid and of Actions answerable thereunto cannot reasonably pretend to a Toleration from the Innocency of their Opinions and Practises Now to Particulars The POSITIONS of Divers Eminent Non-Conformists I. The War raised by the TWO HOUSES in the Name of King and Parliament 1641. was Lawful I cannot see that I was mistaken in the main Cause Nor dare I repent of it Nor forbear the same if it were to do again in the same State of Things And my Iudgment tells me That if I should do otherwise I should be guilty of Treason Or Disloyalty against the Soveraign Power of the Land Pag. 486. A King abusing his Power to the Overthrow of Religion Laws and Liberties may be Controuled and Opposed This may serve to justifie the Proceedings of this Kingdom against the Late King who in a Hostile way set himself to overthrow Religion Parliaments Laws and Liberties P. 10. The Righteousness of the Parliament's Cause is as clear as the Sun at Noon-day And like the Law of God it self in These Excellent Qualifications of it That It is Holy Just and Good P. 6. II. The Lords and Commons are the Supreme Power Nay the People in Case of Necessity Parliaments may judge of Publique Necessity without the King If deserted by the King and are to be accompted by Virtue of Representation as the Whole Body of the State P. 45. Whensoever a King or other Superior Authority creates an Inferior They Invest it with a Legitimacy of Magistratical Power to Punish Themselves also in Case they prove Evil-doers P. 7. England is a mixt Monarchy and Governed by the Major Part of the Three Estates Assembled in Parliament P. 111. The Houses are not only requisite to the Acting of the Power of making Laws but Co-ordinate with his Majesty in the very Power of Acting P. 42. When as a Part of the Legislative Power resides in
the Two Houses as also a Power to redress Grievances and to call into Question all Ministers of State and Justice and all Subjects of whatsoever Degree in Case of Delinquency It may be thought that a Part of the Supreme Power doth reside in Them though they have not the Honorary Title And This Part of the Supreme Power is indeed Capable of doing Wrong Yet how it might be guilty of Rebellion is more Difficult to conceive P. 49. The Delegates of the People in the House of Commons and the Commissioners on the King's behalf in the House of Peers concurring do very far bind the King if not wholly P. 112. And when These cannot agree but break One from Another the Commons in Parliament assembled are Ex Officio The Keepers of the Liberties of the Nation and Righteous Possessors and Defenders of it against all Usurpers and Usurpations Whatsoever P. 130. III. KINGS are but the Peoples TRUSTEES Their Power Fiduciary and the Duty of Subjects Conditional The King is but the Servant of the People and his Royalty is only a Virtual Emanation from them and in Them radically as in the first Subject So Rutherford Parker Goodwin Bridges Milton c. The People can give no other Power then such as God has given Them And God has never given a moral Power to do Evil. All Fiduciary Power abused may be repealed And Parliamentary Power is no Other Which if it be abused The People may repeal it and resist them Annulling their Commissions Rescinding their Acts and Denuding Them of their Fiduciary Power Even as the King Himself may be denuded of the same Power by the Three Estates P. 152. Princes derive their Power and Prerogative from the People and have their Investitures meerly for the Peoples Benefit P. 1. It is the King's Duty to pass all such Laws as Both Houses shall judge Good for the Kingdom Upon a Supposition That They are Good Which by them are judg'd Such If the Prince fail in his Promise the People are Exempt frm their Obedience The Contract is made Void and the Right of Obligation is of no Force It is therefore permitted to the Officers of a Kingdom either All or some good Number of them to Suppress a Tyrant P. 120 121. IV. Princes may be DEPOSED and put to DEATH in Case of Tyranny Every Worthy Man in Parliament may for the Publique Good be thought a fit Peer and Judge of the King P. 24. Where there is no Opportunity for the Interposure of Other Judges the Law of Nature and the Law of Nations allow Every Man to Judge in his own Gase P. 34. If a Prince wants such Understanding Goodness or Power as the People judge Necessary to the Ends of Government In the first place He is Capable of the Name but not of the Government In the Second He Deposes Himself In the Third The want of Power Deposes him Theses 135 136 137. It is lawful for any who have the Power to call to Accompt a Tyrant or Wicked King And after due Conviction to Depose and put him to Death if the Ordinary Magistrate have Neglected or Deny'd to do it It is not impossible for a King Regis Personam Exuere In a Natural Or MORAL Madness or Frenzy to turn Tyrant Yea Beast Waiving his Royal Place Violently Extrajudicially Extramagisterially to assault his Subjects as Saul did David In this Case Men think Nature doth Dictate it and Scripture doth Justifie a Man Se Defendendo Vim Vi repellere P. 23. The Real Soveraignty among Us was in King Lords and Commons and if the King raise War against such a Parliament The King may not only be resisted but Ceaseth to be a King Thesis 358. The Lord rent the Kingdom from Saul for sparing One Agag and for want of thorough Extirpation of all the accursâ—…d Things He lost both Thanks for What He had done and Kingdom also P. 27. Let no Law hinder Ye If Law be to be broken it is for a Crown and therefore for Religion Ye are set over Kingdoms to Root out Pull down Destroy and Throw down Do it quickly Do it thorougly By what Rule of Conscience or God is a State Bound to Sacrifice Religion Laws and Liberties rather then endure that the Princes Life should come into any Possibilities of Hazard by Defending them against those that in his Name are bent to suâ—…due them If he will needs thrust Himself upon the Hazard when he needs not Whose Fault is That There never was a Greater Harmony of the Laws of Nature Reason Prudence and Necessity to Warrant any Act then may be found and discern'd in that Act of Justice on the Late King P. 18. Touching the Righteousness of the Sentence past upon the King Doubtless never was any Person under Heaven Sentenc'd with Death upon more Equitable and Just Grounds P. 90. Praised be God Who hath delivered us from the Impositions of Prelatical Innovacions Altar-Genu-flections and Cringings with Crossings and All That Popish Trash and Trumpery And truly I speak no more then what I have often thought and said The Removal of those Insupportable Burdens countervails for the Blood and Creasure shed and spent in these late Distractions Nor did I ever as yet hear of any Godly Men that desired Were it Possible to Purchase their Friends or Money again at so dear a Raâ—…e as with the Return of These To have Those Soul-Burdening Antichristian Yokes re-imposed upon Us. And if any such there be I am sure that Dâ—…sire is no part of their Godliness and I profess my self in That to be None of the Number P. 23. V. The PERSONS of Princes may be resisted though not their AUTHORITY The Man who is King may be resisted but not the Royal Office The King in Concreto but not the King in Abstracto P. 265. He may be resisted in a Pitch't Battel and with Swords and Guns 324. That is His Private Will may be resisted not his Legal Will 269. Neither is He in the Field as a King but as â—…n unjust Invader and Grassator 334. If He chance to be Slain 'T is but an Accident and who can help it 324. He is guilty of his own Death Or let Them answer for 't that brought Him thither The Contrary Party is Innocent 273. The King's Authority is with the Two Houses though the Person of Charles Stuart be not there His Capacity was at Westminster when his Body was upon the Scaffold at Whitehall c. P. 18. VI. The King is SINGULIS MAJOR UNIVERSIS MINOR The King is in Dignity Inferior to the People P. 140. The Soveraign Power is Eminently Fontaliter Originally and Radically in the People 156. Detrahere Indigno Magistratum etsi Privati non Debeant Populus tamen Universus quin possit Nemo Opinor dubitabit It is not for Private Persons to Depose a
remember were These Imprisonment without Bail or Main-prize for being Present at Unlaâ—…ul Conveâ—…ricles The Offender to be discharged if within Three Months He made his Open Submission and Acknowledgment in the Form by the said Statute appointed But in Case of Recusancy to Conform within That time He was required to Abjure the Realm And in Case of Refusing to Abjure Or of not Departing within a limited Lime Or of Returning without Licence to be proceeded against as a Felon without Benefit of Clergy N. C. And yet you see for all your New-modelling of Corporations Prohibiting of Conventicles Removing Non-Conformists five Miles from the Place of their Usual Supports and Influences Nevertheless the State Ecclesiastical hath advanced little in the Esteem Acceptance or Acquiescence of the People C. This is very True and if Other Laws for the Prevention of Capital Crimes were no better Executed then That for Uniformity Your Argument would lie as fair every jot for the Toleration of Murder as it does now for Schism But however it succeeded well with Queen Elizabeth and not worse with King Iames as appears by the Story His Majesty under Twelve Years Old took the Government of Scotland into his Hand The Year following the Ministers presented a Form of Church-Policy to the Parliament then Sitting and upon the Debate matters were agreed as far as Possible without Prejudice to the King's Authority and the Liberty of the Subject And These Points were either referr'd to further Consideration or pass'd over in Silence The Assembly took snuff at this Dâ—…latory way of Proceeding and without more adoe pass'd a Vote for doing their own Business without asking the Parliament leave They began with the Arch-Bishop of Glasgow and presently fell upon the whole Order requiring Them to renounce their Temporal Titles Their Civil Iurisdiction To decline their Votes in Parliament and to submit themselves to a Retrenchment of their Episcopal Revenues Their next step was the Demolishing of the Cathedral at Glasgow But when the Quarriers were just entring upon the Work the Tradesmen of the Town in an Uproar threaten'd the Undertakeâ—…s and so they quitted it But not without a Complaint to the Council of the Insolence of the Mutineers Which came to This Issue his Majesty justifi'd the Tradesmen and forbad the Ministers any further meddling in the Destroying of Churches And This was all the Cheque they had for so lewd an Outrage In 1579 The King wrote to the Ministers not to prejudge the Decisions of the Parliament then approaching by the Conclusions of their Assembly and to Forbear the Practice of any Innovations till their Meeting Whereupon instead of Complying they proceeded to a Positive Resolution of Adhering to their Former Conclusions Question'd the Arch-Bishop of St. Andrews for giving his Voice in Parliament and soon after by an Act of Assembly They commanded the Bishops under Pain of Excommunication not to Exercise the Office of Pastors in any sort whatsoever without Licence from the General Assembly and further directing the Patrimony of the Church to be so disposed of as they should judg Reasonable at their next Convention Thus by Degrees growing Bolder and Bolder upon Forbearance The Particulars of their Usurpations would be too tedious I could otherwise tell you of their Iustification of the Treasonous Seizure of the King at Ruthuen Their Propositions and Compleints in 1583 with the King 's Gentle Return Their Covenants and Seditious Practices even to the Encouraging and Avowing of Open Rebellion And still the more Plyant and Easie his Majesty was The more Contumacious and Untractable were these People In the End What with the Tumult at Edinburgh in 1596 and the Ministers Band of Confederacy immediately upon it The King was forced upon a Resolution of Rigor and Severity and as Spotswood observes he received little or no Opposition thereafter At his Majesties Entry upon the Government of England the Ceremonies of his first Reception and Inauguration were scarce over but He was assaulted with Petitions and Importunities about the Reformation of the Government and Liturgie of the Church in the Name of Thousands of Godly Learned and Conscientious Men that could not Conform Whereupon a Proclamation was Issued for a Conference to be held at Hampton-Court in Ianuary 1604. So many Bishops and Deans appointed for the Church and for the Petitioners there appeared Dr. Reynolds Dr. Sparkes Mr. Knewstubb and Mr. Chadderton The Points in Controversie were Particularly and Solemnly Debated and in the End such Satisfaction given even to the Plaintiffs Themselves that they all promis'd Obedience and Dr. Sparkes became afterward an Advocate for the Orders of the Church and wrote a Treatise for Conformity Knewstubb indeed boggled a little and desired to know How far an Ordinance of the Church was Binding without Offence to CHRISTIAN LIBERTY Upon which General Question The King turn'd short and Answer'd him Le Royâ—…s ' avisera Let us have no more of Those Questions How far you are bound to Obey what the Church has once Ordeined But Conform at your Peril While the Business was fresh they made a faint Pretense of Appealing to another Conference but upon second Thoughts they let it totally fall and never gave the King any further Trouble upon That Subject Thus far you see the Government has been preserv'd by strictness of Order and Uniformity We come now to those Fatalities of Tenderness and Relaxation that destroy'd us N. C. You never consider that the Non-Conformists are more Numerous and Powerful now then formerly they were by many Degrees and that the Dissenters Cause has got Ground upon the Church-Interest ever since But follow your Discourse C. In the First of the late King was exhibited in Parliament A Petition among other Matters for the Propagation of the Gospel and the Restoring of Silenc'd Ministers to which his Majesty return'd a Gracious and Yielding Answer which produc'd a Remonstrance of Miscarriages in Government Insomuch that his Majesty was forced to Dissolve That Parliament In the Second Year of his Reign He call'd another Parliament which pursu'd the same Method and went a little Higher then the Former So that the King was fain to Dissolve That too In the Year following the King call'd Another and upon their Meeting went somewhat a quicker way to work with them Minding them in a short and pertinent Speech of their Past Failings advising them to steer a more Peaceable Course for the Future and not to put him upon Extremities to provide for the Safety of his People This change of Stile and Resolution in his Majesty drew Immediately from the Commons a Grant of Five Subsidies The King was too Generous and Candid to take That Present for a Bait and Relapsing into his former Temper of Charity and Softness was presently accosted with The Petition of Right which after some Difficulty and Demur His Majesty passes And after This followed a Petition Remonstrance and Protestation which put an End also to That
Opinion in his Grand Declaration of Aug. 12. 1642. where he complains of the Tumultuous Assemblies of Brownists Anabaptists and other Sectaries Indep But still you will find in the same Page that These very People were Animated and Countenanced by Presbyterians and Acted as the Creatures and Servants of That Interest Presb. Can you say that the English or Scottish Preshyters did ever go about to Dissolve Monarchy Indep Yes And I do aver that the Nineteen Propositions of Iune 2. 1642. were as much a Dissolution of Kingly Government as the very Act it self of March 17. 1648. for Abolishing it And the Uxbridge Propositions were to the same purpose Presb. You know very well that after the New-Modelling of the Army the Presbyterians were able to do nothing and this was a good while before the King went to the Scots Indep Let us see then how the Presbyterians behaved themselves after his Majesty cast himself into the Protection of the Scotch Army before Newark in May 1646. Notice was Immediately given of it to the Two Houses by the Commissioners of the Army Importing their Adherence to the Covenant and Treaty and that they had no fore-knowledge of his Majesties Coming The English Army presently March'd with 5000 Horse and 〈◊〉 toward Newark and our Brethren fairly retreated with the Prey in the Foot toward Newcastle After This Both Parties stood at Gaze for several Months but not without a World of Tedious Papers betwixt the Scotch Commissioners and the Two Houses touching their Ioynt Right in Disposing of the Person of the King But in the Conclusion The Presbyterians Compounded the Controversie for the Sum of 400000l In May they took their Sovereign into their Protection In the December following they Sold him and in February they Deliver'd him up And All This According to their COVENANT Presb. They must needs Deliver him up when they could Keep him no longer Indep They had at that time the City of London to Friend a Balancing Vote in the House of Commons a Considerable Mixture in the Army Scotland behind them Entire if ever the Kings Interest came in Play And at least Ten Thousand Men in a Body The Royal Party over and above So that here was no visible Force to over-awe them And Lowdon himself acknowledged as much at a Conference Octob. 6. 1646. If any such Course shall be taken says he or any Demand made for Rendring of his Person which cannot stand with his Honour and Safety or which cannot consist with our Duty Allegeance and COVENANT nor with the Honour of That Army to whom in time of his Extreme Danger he had his Recourse for Safety It cannot be Expected that we can be Capable of SO BASE AN ACT And if to shun this and avoid occasion of Quarrelling between the Kingdoms He shall go to Scotland and resent his Expulsion out of England and crave the Assistance of That Kingdom for Recovery of his Right to This Crown He may in a short time raise such Forces in Scotland and Ireland as with the Assistance of Forreign Princes these Kingdoms may be made a Field of Blood c. By This it appears Evidently that They were under no Necessity of Delivering the King And you may now see their Opinion of the Action it self If it be Contrary say the Scotch Commissioners to the Law and Common Practise of Nations to Delivâ—…r up the meanest Subject fled to them though it be for the Greatest Crimes How much more would the World abroad condemn our Army for a BASE DISHONOURABLE Act if they should Deliver up their Head and SOVEREIGN having cast himself into their Hands to be Disposed of at the Arbitrâ—…ment of another Nation Presb. But yet you saw that they Condition'd for his Honour Freedom and Safety Indep That 's a Shuffle For upon such Terms did they render him that they might have cast a Sheep into a Herd of Wolves with as much Confidence and Likelihood of Safety You are here to distinguish the Fâ—…ction of Scotland from the Nation No Country affording greater Instances of Honour and Loyalty Nay I have heard even on This Occasion that upon the Kings Earnest Desire to go for Scotland It was carried in the Negative but by Two Voices Presb. Can you Imagine that if they had apprehended any Danger to his Râ—…yal Person they would not have ventur'd their Libes a thousand timeâ—… over to have sav'd him Indep No no But on the Contrary They Foresaw the Danger debated it and yet expos'd him Nay which is still worse they reserv'd him for it Were not his Majesties Friends kept from him by a strict Order at Newcastle Was he not Spied and Guarded for fear of an Escape And upon Information that He intended one Was not a narrower Watch set over him That they foresaw the Danger is confest by the Chancellor Himself Lest we should walk in the Dark says he upon Obscurity of Ambiguous Words I shall desire that the Word of Disposing of the Kings Person may be rightly understood For Dolus versatur in Universalibus For to Dispose of the Person of the King as Both Houses or Both Kingdoms shall think fit may in some sense be to DEPOSE or WORSE And in a Speech to his Majesty he goes yet further If your Majesty says he shall refuse to assent to the Propositions which God forbid you will lose all your Friends lose the City and the Country and All England will joyn against you as one Man And when all hope of Reconciliation is past it is to be feared they will Process and Depose you and set up another Government Upon your Majesties refusing the Propositions both Kingdoms will be Constreined for their mutual Safety to Agree and Settle Religion and Peace without you which to our unspeakable Grief will ruine your Majesty and your Posterity And if your Majesty reject our Faithful Advice and lose England by your Wilfulness your Majesty will not be permitted to come and ruine Scotland Presâ—… These Propositions I suppose were of Absolute Necessity to the Well-Being of the Publique they would never have been brought in Competition else with the Kings Freedom Life and Dâ—…gnity Indep The King was first to Iustifie the Prâ—…ceedings of the Two Houses and to deliver up to Death Beggery and Infamy his Whole Party 2. To Settle the Militia of England and Ireland in the Hands of the Parliament for Twenty Years giving them Authority to raise Men and Moneys 3. To make vâ—…id all Honours since 1642 and no Peers admitted for the future to Sit â—…nd Vote in Parliament but by Consenâ—… of Both Houses who were likewise To dispose of all Great Places and Offices of Honour in England and Ireland 4. His Majesty was to Swear and Sign the COVENANT and Command the taking of it throughout the Three Kingdoms Abolishing Episcopacy and Settling Religion as Both Houses should Agree Upon his Majesties Refusal to Sign These Propositions the Scotch Declaration of Ian.
16. 1646. tells us That there would be a Ioynt Course taken by Both Kingdoms concerning the Disposal of His Majesties Person With Respect had to the Safety and Preservation of his Royal Person IN THE PRESERVATION AND DEFENCE OF THE TRUE RELIGION AND LIBERTIES OF THE KINGDOMS According to the COVENANT And According to the COVENANT His Majesties Person was Disposed of Presb. And do you believe that the Two Houses would have used the King any better if he had gone to Them They made it Treason Immediately and Death without Mercy for any Man to Harbour and Conceal the Kings Person upon a Supposition that his Majesty was then in London This was the fourth of May and on the sixth The Commons Uoted him to Warwick Castle which was Unvoted again upon the ninth In â—…une the Kings going to the Scots was Uoted A Design to Prolong the War And this was as much the Action of the Independents as the Other was of the Presbyterians Indep Pardon me there I beseech ye You see by the Voting Back and Forward that the House of Commons was upon a hard Tug but the Scottish Party was totally Presbyterian But will you hear the Kirk speak for it self after the putting of the King into English Hands They Exhort their COVENANTED BRETHREN the Assembly at Westminster to hold fast their Solemn League and Covenant to entertein a Brotherhood and Unity between the Nations Feb. 12. 1646. but not a Syllable of the King Again Iune 18. 1647. The General Assembly of the Kirk presses the Two Houses to a speedy Establishment of the Presbytery but not a Word again of his Majesty And in truth their Silence is a Favour considering how they order him when they speak of him As you may observe in a Resolve of theirs upon a Question Debated at Edinburgh If the King be Excluded from Government in England for not Granting the Propositions concerning Religion and the Covenant and for not giving a Satisfactory Answer to the Remanent Propositions Whether in That Case it be Lawful for this Kingdom to assist him for the Recovery of the Government or whether it be not Lawful Being put to it We cannot but Answer in regard of the Engagement of This Kingdom by Covenant and Treaty NEGATIVE Resolved upon the Question 1. That the Kingdom of Scotland shall be Governed as it hath been these last Five Years All Means being used that the King might take the Covenant and Pass the Propositions 2. That the taking of the Scots Covenant and Passing some of the Propositions doth not give Warrant to assist him against England 3. That upon bare taking the National Covenant we may not receive him 4. That the Clause in the Covenant for Defence of the Kings Person is to be understood in Defence and Safety of the Kingdoms 5. That the King shall not Execute any Power in the Kingdom of Scotland until such time that he hath Granted the Propositions concerning Religion and the Covenant and given a Satisfactory Answer to Both Kingdoms in the rest of the Propositions presented to him by both Kingdoms at Newcastle 6. That if his Majesty refuse to Pass the Propositions he shall be disposed of according to the COVENANT and Treaty 7. That the Union be firmly kept between the Kingdoms according to the Covenant and the Treaties Here 's PRESBYTERIAN LOYALTY If the King would have consented to give up his Crown Blast his Conscience Betray his Trust and Sacrifice his Friends he might perchance have been allow'd the Pageantry of a Court and some Mock-Properties of Royalty but upon other Terms the Kirk you see gives him no Quarter The King is now under the Care of his new Governours Holdenby is his Prison The Question is Matter of Church-Government and his Majesty is prest to an Alteration Some Two Months are spent in the fruitless Desires and Expectations of his Chaplains for his Advice and Comfort and any Two of Twelve in Nomination would satisfie his Majesty But That could not be they said No not a Common-Prayer-Book for his own Private Use. These were the Presbyterians still Upon the fourth of Iune 1647. Coâ—…not Ioyce with a Party of Horse took the King from Holdenby under colour of preventing other Secret Designs upon the Person of his Majesty The next day at a Rendezvouz near Newmarket was Read and Signed The Armies ENGAGEMENT compleining of the Two Houses and in particular of a Vote they had Past for Disbanding the Army Where Note that the Houses were still Presbyterian The Sum of their ENGAGEMENT was That they would Disband upon full Satisfaction received and not without it This Liberty was menag'd all this while with much Formality of Duty and Respect The Houses at every Turn advertis'd concerning the King's Motions and Iune the 9th consulted how further to Dispose of his Majesty Some Three days after the Army drew toward London and Alarm'd the City contrary to an Express Order of the Houses the very day before A Months Pay was their Errand and to save Carriage they made a step from Royston to St. Albans to receive it On Iune the 15 out comes a Terrible Representation with Desires from the Army Against all Arbitrary Powers and Interests whatsoever Pleading the Presbyterian Presidents and the Principles of the Two Houses in their Iustification The Parliament say they hath Declar'd it no Resisting of Magistracy to side with the Iust Principles and Law of Nature and Nations being That Law upon which we have assisted you and that the Souldiery may Lawfully hold the Hands of the General who will turn his Cannon upon his Army on purpose to destroy them They Demanded The Purging of the Houses and Retrenching the Power of Committees An Accompt for Publique Moneys A Period of the Present Session and Limits for the Future c. It could not chuse but Gall the Two Houses to see their Throats cut with their own Weapons but still they kept up their Greatness of Pretense and Stile and by an Order as Imperative as ever they commanded the Placing of his Majesty at Richmond in Order to a Treaty forsooth for a Safe and Well-grounded Peace But the Army had another Game to Play However what the Presbyterians would have done upon that Occasion may be seen in what they did afterward at the Isle of Wight in his Majesties last Distress and Extremity Presb. You are willing I find to pass over the Barbarism of the Independents toward his Majesty while they had him at Hâ—…mpton-Court but there is enough yet behind to make That Faction Odious to all Eternity Indep Truly no but I would not spin out a Debate to the length of a History As to the Barbarisms you speak of let his Majesty Himself be heard Colonel Whaley I have been so civilly used by You and Major Huntington that I cannot but by this parting Farewell acknowledge it under my Hand Nov. 11. 1647. And again from Carisbrook Castle to the General Nov. 27. 1647. The
Free Liberty which you willingly afforded us to have of the use of our Own Chaplains makes us at this time not only to Acknowledge your Former Civilities but c. So that His Majesties Condition appears to have been somewhat more easie at Hampton-Court then before it was at Holdenby Nay most certain it is that the Presbyterians even at That very Time did the Deadly Thing that brought the King to the Seaffold Presb. How could That be when the Two Houses by Purging and Modelling were Subjected Absolutely to the Devotion of the Army Indep Thus they did it His Majesty was at That time upon fair Terms with Cromwel and Ireton and not without large hopes of a Final Accommodation The Author of The History of Independency Pa. 35. is positive as to their Treating with the King While This was in Agitation the Presbyterians were at work on the other hand to break the King's Confidence in the Army by Imputations of Treachery and Levity to divert his Majesty to the Seeking of Relief elswhere with particular Undertakings of great Matters from Scotland and the City of London This way of Tampering might very well put the King to a stand which Cromwel no sooner perceived but he Immediately betook himself to a Course of Extremity Irritated over and above as is credibly affirmed by an Advise foom Argyle in confirmation of his Jealousie His Majesties next Remove was to the Isle of Wight Where for Ceremonies sake he was presented with Four Bills and upon his Refusal to pass them followed the Vote of NON-ADDRESSES In Passing these Bills His Majesty had not only divested Himself and His Successors of all Sovereignty but Subjected his People to the Basest and most Absolute Tyranny that ever was Excrcis'd upon Mortals Presb. You will not call This the Act of the Presbyterians I hope Indep No I will not But yet I must tell you that the Presbyterians upon this Juncture did every jote as much as this Amounts to So soon as the Parliament of Scotland was thoroughly Inform'd of the Distress and Danger of the King's Condition the Matter was presently Debated and a Resolution taken to Raise an Army for his Majesties Relief In which Proceeding they were violently opposed by the Genral Assembly without any regard at all to the King's Life at that time in Qâ—…estion See The Humble Desires of the Commissioners of the General Assembly to the Parliament Pag. 13. We desire that his Majesties late Concessions and Offers concerning Religion as they have been by the Church so may be by the Parliament declared UNSATISFACTORY March 22. 1648. And afterward Ian. 10. 1648. That his Majesties late Concessions and Offers concerning Religion may by your Lordships DIRECTLY and POSITIVELY be Declared UNSATISFACTORY to this present Parliament And that there shall be no Engagement for Restoring his Majesty to one of his Houses with Honour Freedom and Safety before Security and Assurance be had from his Majesty by his Solemn OATH under his HAND and SEAL that â—…e shall for HIMSELF and his SUCCESSORS Consent and Agree to Acts of Parliament enjoyning the League and Covenant and fully Establishing Presbyterian Government Directory of Worship and Confession of Faith in all his Majesties Dominions and that his Majesty shall never make Opposition to any of these or endeavour any Change thereof This is Rivetted with a Mischief And pray'e shew me now the Material Difference between Precluding His Majesty by a Vote of NO ADDRESS or by a Resolution of NO AGREEMENT His Honour and Conscience being equally at Stake on either side To give you the Sum of all in short The Presbyterians began the War Pursu'd it made the King a Prisoner Sold him and in the Depth of his Calamity presented him with Templation instead of Comfort No Composition would be heard of but the Forfeiture of his SOUL for the Saving of his LIFE Presb. But the Independents however Crown'd the Wickedness with his Blood Indep Suppose it so They did only Execute the Sentence but the Presbyterians Pronounc'd it Neither did they Execute it as Independents or under colour of any Impulse of Religion or Conscience but upon Civil and Political Pretexts He was adjudged to be put to Death as a Tyrant Traytor Murtherer and Publique Enemy Not for Refusing to Enter into a Church-Covenant or Establish Liberty of Conscience but upon a Pestilent Motive of Diabolical Policy and State Whereas the Presbyterians persecuted him as PRESBYTERIANS and depriv'd him of his Royal Support Dignity Friends Freedom in Effect Life and all because he would not renounce his Reason and Conscience in favour of their Government And I am verily perswaded that you will have as little to say for your Principles as for your Actions SECT XXVI What Party soever DEMANDS a Toleration and yet Mainteins that It is Destructive both of Church and State to GRANT one Is an ENEMY to BOTH Indep AS to the Point in Question It lies Naturally before us to speak first to the Thing in it self and we may afterward consider it in the Consequences In the Desire of a Toleration the Independents ask no more then they would be ready to Allow I wish the Presbyterians could say the like Presb. In the large sense of Allowing all sorts of Libertines and Heretiques as the late Independent Government did I do confess you have out-done the Presbyterians Indep And yet Those very Libertines and Heretiques were Your White-Boys and Favourites so long as they serv'd Your Ends. They had none of this Language from you when they Tumulted against Bishops and Common-Prayer Ceremonies and Popish Lords While they were the Instruments of Your Ambition they were the Godly Well-affected Party So that Heretiques it seems will down well enough with your Politiques though not with your Consciences Provided they will content themselves to be Damn'd and let the Presbyterians alone to Govern Presb. The Independents made sweet work in Holland did they not And where was your Spirit of Toleration and Forbearance I beseech you in New-England Indep You cannot say that we gave any Trouble in Holland to the State or that we fell foul there upon Different Iudgments In New-England 't is true we excluded the Gortonists Familists Seekers Antinomians Anabaptists and Subjected them to the Censure of the Civil Power as People of Dangerous Principles in Respect both of Good Life and Government Which Proceeding of ourâ—… methinks might serve to disabuse those that call Independency the Genus Generalissimum of all Errours Heresies Blasphemies and Schisms and take the Church way of New-England for that sort of Independency They did also exclude Papacy and Prelacy The Latter perchance more out of Regard to a Temporary Convenience then upon any rooted Principle of Implacable Severity And I perswade my self the Episcopal Party will witness thus much on our Behalfs that as to the Freedom of their Meetings and way of Worship in the late Revolutions they had much better Quarter from the Independents