Selected quad for the lemma: parliament_n
Text snippets containing the quad
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A51656
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The humble addresse of John Musgrave to the supreme authority, the Parliament of the common wealth of England
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Musgrave, John, fl. 1654.; England and Wales. Parliament.
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1651
(1651)
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Wing M3150; ESTC R41057
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3,775
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9
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THE Humble Addresse of John Musgrave To the Supreme Authority The Parliament of the Common Wealth of England To the Right Honourable William Lenthall Speaker to the Honourable House of Parliament and to every individual Member thereof Right Honourable BEfore this Parliament begun I suffered not a little lost the favour and friendship of my great kindred for asserting the Common Liberty against the arbitrary proceedings of the corrupt Judges in the case of Ship-money Upon the Tryal of the Earl of Strafford I was produced as a witnesse attended upon my own charge and then it was said I did the Parliament an acceptable service as my Lord Commissioner Whitlock well remembers Upon my return into the Country after the said Earl's Tryal I was committed to Carlisle Castle by Sheriff Dikes because I gave evidence again the Earl upon his Tryal Upon the late King's leaving the Parliament and going to York I was accused and committed for Treason for my affection to the Parliament Afterwards for refusing the Oath of allegiance and for adhering to the Parliament I was condemned in premunire to forfeit lands and goods and to be imprisoned during life and a hundred pound after I got my liberty was bidden by Sir Philip Musgrave to bring me in alive or dead and the little estate I had then seized on and my self declared Traytor I was forced to flye into Scotland for my life the Parliament having no Garrison near us where I lived in exile two years untill our Country was reduced to obedience of Parliament I discovered the treachery of Sir Wilfride Lawson and others intrusted for the Parliament who while I attended here betrayed the Country twice into the enemies hand While I was prisoner to the Parliament in the Fleet I did give intelligence to the Armies Agitators and otherwise was useful to the Army as Col. Saxby and Lieut. Col. Joyce can give accompt of which the L. General took special notice of upon his coming up to the Parliament against the City And the L. General upon his march for Scotland recommended my petition to Mr. Weaver to present to the Parliament but Mr. Weaver going into Ireland could not do it Upon special order from the Councel of State I brought in my exceptions to the now Commissioâ—ers of the Militia for Cumberland made good the â—â—me they being all disaffected to the present Goâ—ernment and most of them formerly actually in â—rmes against the Parliament The other day they suffered 26 men to carry away Colonel Henningham Steward from Rose Castle within two miles of Carlisle without resistance though they had timely notice of it and none of the enemies forces within 30 miles of Carlisle which as they are treacherous discover'd them also to be base and cowardly The Commissioners for the Militia in Cumberland are also Commissioners for sequestrations and for Ministers who protect Delinquents from sequestrations and keeps in their places malignant and disaffected Ministers That by an order of Parliament made the 18. of February 1650. for concealed delinquents in Cumberland the Parliament and Common Wealth will be cheated of five thousand by year if the Commissioners for sequestrations in Cumberland as that order directs have the disposing of the concealments the Commissioners for sequestrations there being Delinquents and sequestrable That most of the Delinquents in the North who have compounded at Goldsmiths Hall have compounded at far under-valewes and more concealed not compounded for But all such as sollicite for the Common Wealth receive such discouragements from the Commissioners at Haberdashers Hall as few men will make any further discoveries If desired I shall particularize wherein That some in the North have compounded with Sir Arthur Haslerigg and paid their Fines yet their estates are kept under sequestration and the Commmissioners for compounding will not give order 〈◊〉 discharge the same but wearies the parties out witâ— delayes to the great oppression of such That I have brought in to the Common Wealth by discoveries upon my own charge four thousand pounds by year whereof the Common wealth is now actually possessed And my discoveries not perfected I will undertake if finished will amount unto above ten thousand pounds per annum But untill I have my petition read in Alderman Allan's hand I am wholly disabled as discouraged further to proceed therein If you refuse to receive our petitions remove Delinquents out of the Militia bring to examination our complaints as those under you in Authority have in the Northern parts from time to time betrayed and given us up to the enemy and by oppression enriched themselves Pardon my boldnesse we cannot but impute the fault hereof to you and you will make your selves guilty of the losse harm and bloud the enemies shall do and shed in this Nation our Country being a door or inlet for any enemy If you will revoke your Order of the 18. of November 1650. I will undertake without any charge to you out of the moyeties of my discoveries to raise â—000 l. for a manufacture in Cumberland and 1000 l. for the distressed well-affected there and will raise and maintain 200 horse with their Riders under faithful Commanders whom the Generall shall approve of the other moyety of the discoveries to come into the publick treasury the fifths for my travel and charges onely deducted If you approve not of this then pardon all our â—orthern Delinquents for better so then the whole profits of them to be swallowed up by a few malignant men who enrich themselves thereby and cheat the Common Wealth of thousands Whereas it may be objected multiplicity of State-businesse hinders private to be heard by you 1. I answer our noble General and the Officers of the Army upon complaint from Country men of disorder in any Souldier might give the like answer but we see not the least offence upon that accompt passed by but examined and severely punished and thereby it is the best ordered disciplin'd Army that ever Europe had 2. I observe not withstanding the objection the great and eminent Lawyers of the House for a ten shillings fee will wave all State businesse in Parliament and attend at the Bar of any Court in Westminster Hall and so whole Termes and take their perambulations for money with the Judges in their several Circuits 3. I see and observe Cavaleers and Delinquents frequently and daily have their petitions read and ready dispatches without any long attendance so publick businesse is but pretences and meer excuses no reality or weight in it We have none sitting in Parliament for Cumberland but Sir John Ipsley who never to this day preferred a petition for any well-affected in Cumberland but ready ever to serve Cavaliers and Delinquents here I will forbear to say more in hope he may grow better as older and Alderman Allan who hath such great imployments and State-businesse that he cannot mind us I never sought nor affected a place or office neither ever will I never had sallery or profit