A BRIEF MEMENTO To the present UNPARLIAMENTARY JUNCTO Touching their present intentions and Proceedings to Depose and Execute CHARLES STUART their lawful KING By WILLIAM PRYNNE Esquire a Member of the House of Commons and Prisoner under the Armies Tyranny who it seems have leavyed Warre against the Houses of Parliament their quondam Masters whose Members they now forcibly take and detain Captives during their lawless Pleasures Proverbs 24.21,22 My Son Fear thou the Lord and the King and meddle not with those who are given to Change for their calamity shall RISE SUDDENLY and who knoweth the ruin of them both Gal. 1.10 If I yet pleased men I should not be the Servant of Christ LONDON Printed Anno Dom. 1649. Die Veneris 20. Augusti 1647. An Ordinance for declaring all Votes Orders and Ordinances passed in one or both Houses since the force on both Houses July 26. until the sixth of this present August 1647. to be null and void WHereas there was a visible horrid insolent and actual force upon the Houses of Parliament on Monday the 26 of July last whereupon the Speakers and many Members of both Houses of Parliament were * And yet never a Member forcibly imprisoned or secluded the House as above 200. are now by the Army forced to absent themselves from the service of the Parliament and whereas those Members of the House could not return to sit in safety before Fryday the sixth of August It is therefore declared by the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled that the Ordinance of Monday the said 26. July for the repealing and making void of the Ordinance of the 23. of the said July for the setling of the Militia of the City of London being gained by force and violence And all Votes Orders Ordinances passed in either or both Houses of Parliament since the said Ordinance of the 26 of July to the said sixt of August are null and void and were so at the making thereof and are hereby declared so to be the Parliament being under a force and not free Provided alwaies and be it Ordained that no person or persons shall be impeached or punished for his or their actions by or upon or according to the aforesaid Votes Orders or Ordinances unless he or they shall be found guilty of contriving acting or abetting the aforesaid visible and actual force or being present at or knowing of the said force did afterwards act upon the Votes so forced or were guilty of entring into or promoting the late Ingagement for bringing the King to the City upon the terms and conditions expressed in his Majesties Letter of the 12. of May last John Brown Cler. Parliamentorum A brief Memento to the present Vnparliamentary Juncto touching their present intentions and Proceedings to depose and Execute CHARLS STUART their Lawfull King of ENGLAND c. GENTLEMEN IT is the observation of King Solomon Prov. 25.11 That is word spoken in due season is like Apples of gold in pictures of silver And seeing I and above two hundred Members more being forcibly secluded from you by the Officers of the Armies unparalell'd violence upon our Persons and the House cannot speak my mind freely to you in or as a free and legal House of Commons I held it my duty freely to write my thoughts unto you onely as private Persons sitting under an armed horrid visible force consulting in the House without your Fellow Members advice or concurrence about the speedy deposing and executing of KING CHARLS your lawfull Soveraign onely to please the General Officers and Grand Councel of the Army who have unjustly usurped to them the Supreme Authority both over the King and Parliament or rather of the Jesuits and Popish Priests among or near them by whose Counsels they and you are now wholly swayed and whose trayterous designs you really execute in most of your late Votes and Actings I have onely a few words and Considerations to impart unto you Dictum sapienti sat est First I shall mind you that by the a Cook 3. Institut c. 1. p. 5 6. 12 13. 7 Reports Calvius Case 10 11. Stanfords Pleas of the Crown l. â—… c. â—… Common Law of the Realm the Statutes of 25 E. 3. c. 2. 26 H. 8. c. 13. 1 Ed 6. c. 12. 1 El. c. 6. 13. El. c. 2. and all other Acts concerning Treason * See Rastal Tit Treason it is no lesse than High Treason for any man by overs act to compass or imagine the death of the King or of his eldest Son and heir though it be never executed much more if actually accomplished That many have been arraigned condemned executed for such intended Treasons in former ages as the Earl of Arundel and others by Judgement in Parliament 21 R. 2. Plac. Coronae Nu 4.6,7 and the Gunpowder Traytors 3 Jacobi c. 1 2 4. to omit others whose Examples should be your Admonitions the heads and Quarters of some of them yet hanging on the House where now you meet and sit 2ly That in the * 3 Iac. c 4. 7 Iac. c. 6. Oath of Allegiance which you have all taken ought to take Immediately before your admission into the Commons House as Members You do truly and sincerely professe testifie and declare in your Consciences before God and the World That our Soveraign Lord King Charls Is lawfull and rightful King of this Realm and of all other his Majesties Dominâ—ons and Countries And that the Pope neither of himself nor by any authority of the Church or See of Rome or by any other means * See Prynne the Member reconciled to Prynne the Barrester p. 18 19. Nor with any other hath any power or authority to depose the King or to dispose of any of his Majesties Kingdoms or Dominions or to discharge any of his Subjects of his Allegiance and Obedience to his Majesties Person State or Government And that notwithstanding any sentence or Declaration of Deprivation made by the Pope c. or any absolution of the said Subjects from their obedience you will bear true Allegiance to His Majesty His heirs Successors and him and them will defend to the uttermost of your power against all attempts and conspiracies whatsoever which shall be made against his or their Crown and Dignity by reason or colour of any such sentence or Declaration * That is by the Pope or any other Person or persons whatsoever or otherwise And you therein further swear that you do from your hearts abhor detest and abjure as impious and Heretical that damnable doctrine and position that Princes which be excommunicated or deprived by the Pope may be deposed or murthered by their Subjects or any other whatsoevâ—r And that you do believe and in conscience are resolved that neither the Pope * Therefore not the Westminster Juncto nor any person whatsoever hath power to absolve you of this Oath or any part thereof and that all these things you did plainly and
ever shall be dear unto them Now put it to your souls and consciences whether yours and the Armies present Councels and actions do not really justifie the Kings and his parties former suggestions and give the ly to all these Declarations of both Houses who certainly when ever restored to a condition of freedom and liberty of meeting together again will crave publick reparations and justice against you if you violate both their Honor Faith and engagements to the King Kingdom and forre a States against all these their Declarations and Protestations too 5ly Remember that the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament * Exact Collection p. 663. 664 666 687. 686 907 911. Octob. 22. 1642. in the presence of Almighty God which is the strongest obligation that any Christian and the most solemn publick faith that any State or a Parliament can give for the satisfaction of their own consciences and discharge of that great trust that lyes upon them did make this Protestation and Declaration to all this Kingdom and Nation and to the whole world That no private passion or respect No evil intention to his Majesties Person no designe to prejudice his just Honor and Authority engaged them to raise forces or take up Armes That if he would return to his Parliament in peace and by their counsel and advice compose the distempers and confusions abounding in his Kingdoms They would receive him with all Honor yeild him all true obedience subjection and faithfully endeavour to defend his Person and Estate from all danger and to the uttermost of their power establish him in all the blessings of a glorious and happy Reign And that they had no intentions or desire to hurt or injure his Majesty either in his Person or just power Which they seconded by many subsequent Declarations Since which both Houses and the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland have entred into * A Collection c. p. 327. 359. 399. 404. 416. 410 to 418 806. 887. 898. 878 888. 889. Asolemn League and Covenant for the honour and happinesse of the Kings Majesty and his Posterity among other ends therein specified That they shall sincerely really and constantly endeavour with their estates and lives to preserve and defend the Kings Majesties person and authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion Liberties of the Kingdome that the world may bear witness with their consciences of their Loyalty that they have no thoughts nor intentions to diminish his Majesties just power and greatnesse That they will with all faithfulness endeavour to discover all evil instruments and incendiaries * Those who depose or divide his Head from his shoulders must be most guilty of this dividing dividing the King from his people that they may be brought to publick trial and receive condign punishment And shall never suffer themselves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination perswasion or terrour to be withdrawn from this blessed union c. which so much concerneth the glory of God the good of the Kingdoms and the honour of the King but shall all the days of their lives zealously and canstantly continue therein against all opposition And conclude This Covenant we make in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all hearts with a true intention to observe the same as we shall answer at the great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed This Covenant you have all taken your selves some of you often * A Collection c. p. 420. c. Imposed it on all our three Kingdoms And will it not stare in your faces your consciences and engage God himself and all three Kingdomes as one man against you if you should proceed to depose the King destroy his person or disinherit his posterity yea bring certain ruine upon you and yours as the greatest * 1 Tim. 3.3.4 Covenant breakers and most perjured creatures under heaven O think and think most seriously upon it before you proceed to further perjuries * Rot. Par. An. 24 F. 3. part 3. m. 2. in dor Rot Par. n. 25 E. 3. par 1. m. 17. Rot. Par. 25 E. 3. n. 30. Cooks 3 Instit p. 145. 146. In 24 E 3 William Thorpe chief Justice of the Kings Bench for taking 80 l. bribes of several persons was by special Commission indicted convicted and condemned to be hanged and to forfeit all his lands Tenements Goods and chattels to the King because thereby Sacramentum Domini Regis quod erga populum habuit custodiendum fregit malicose false rebelliter quantum in ipso fuit which Judgement was affirmed to be just and reasonable in full Parliament where it was openly read by the Kings command as is evident by 25 E. 3. Rot. Parl. nu 10. If then this chief Justice for breaking his Oath to the King and his people as a Judge onely in taking two or three small bribes deserved to be hanged to forfeit all his Lands goods and life by the judgement of a full Parliament then what will such Members deserve to suffer who shall not onlie violate their Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy to the King his heirs but likewise the several Protestations solemn League Covenant and the multiplied publick Faiths engagements Declarations Remonstrances and promises of both Houses of Parliament made to God the King the whole Kingdoms and people of England Scotland and Ireland the States of the united Provinces and all the world and that maliciously falsely and rebelliously as much as in them lies and their own private Faith Oaths Vows and Covenants involved in them by deposing and executing the King disinheriting the Prince violating the privileges usurping the power of the Parliament to themselves when most of the other Members are violently secluded by the army to the subversion of the Privileges and freedome of all Parliaments this being one article against King R. the 2d in 1 H. 4. Rot. Par. n. 25. 66. 70. when he was deposed That in the Parliament held at Salop intending to oppresse his people he did subtilly procure and cause to be granted by consent of all the States in the Kingdom which you have not that the power of the Parliament should remain with certain persons h 21 R. 2. c. 16. Lords and Commons to determine certain Petitions then delivered but not dispatched after the Parliament ended by colour whereof the said deputed persons proceeded by the Kings pleasure and will to other things generally concerning the said Parliament to the great derogation of the State and Privileges of the Parliament and the great detriment and pernicious example of the whole Realm and to gain some colour and authority to their doings the King caused the Parliament Rolls to be altered and deleted according to his Vote contrary to the effect of the foresaid concession as you have presumed to null repeal and * Dec. 12 and 13. 1648. unvote divers Votes Orders and Ordinances
of both Houses made in pursuance of the foresaid Oaths Protestations the solemn League and Covenant Remonstrances Declarations of both Houses and the Treaty when the houses were full and not under the Armies force or violence And if their proceedings the whole Parliament of 21 R. 2 were declared i 1. H. 4. c. 3. null and void and the King worthy to be deposed for such proceedings then let Serjeant Thorp and other Lawyers now acting with you consider and inform you what punishment you deserve for such breach of faith privilege of Parliament and usurpation of a monopoly of Parliamentary power to your selves whiles sitting under the Armies force and most Members forced thence in which case you ought not to sit vote or conclude any thing but onely to k As the House did in the case of the five Members Exact Collection p. 35 to 56. adjourn till the force removed and all the Members may freely meet in full Parliament as is clear by that memorable Record of 6 E. 3 Par apud Ebor. n. 1. 2. Dor. claus 6. E. 3. m 4. 6 E. 3. apud West Parl. 2. n 1. 13 3 Parl. 2. n. 4. 15 E. 3. n. 5. 17 E. 3. n. 26. 18. E. 3. n. 1. 25. 20 E. 3. n. 5. 21 E. 3. n. 4. 22. E. 3. n. 1. 25 E. 3. n. 1. 29 E 3. n 4. 36 E. 3. n. 1. 37 E. 3. n. 1. 42 E. 3. n. 1. 50 E. 3. n. 1. 51 E. 3. n. 3. 1 R. 2 n. 1. 3 R. 2. n. 1. 4 R. 20 n. 1 5 R. 2 parl 1. n. 1. parl 2 n 1. 6 R. 2. parl 1. n. 1 Parl. 2. n. 1. 8 H. 4. n. 28. 30. 54. 9 H. 4. n. 1. 13 H. 4. n. 1. and many more rolls where the Parliament when any considerable number of the Members of either House were absent was constantly adjourned and refused to sit or-do any thing though not under any force till the houses were full much more then when under the Armies sword it being against Magna Charta as the l Matthew Parts p. 882 885 888. Dan. P. 172. Barons declared in Parl. Anno Dom. 1257. in the reign of K. H. the third for a few Members to sit when the rest are absent 6ly Consider that though many of the Kings of Judab and Israel were extraordinary sinfull Idolatrous bloody tyrannicall and great oppressours of their people yea shedders of Priests of Prophets and other good mens innocent blood not onely in the wars but in peace yet there is not one President in the old Testament of one King ever judicially impeached arraigned deposed or put to death by the Congregation Sanhedrim or Parliament of Judah or Israel That those who slew any of them in a tumultuous or treacherous manner were for the most part slain themselves either in a tumult or else put to death by their children who succeeded to the Crown or by the people of the Land 2 Chron. 23.14,15,21 c. 24.25,26 c. 25.3,4 c. 33.24,25 that the Israelites after their revolt from Reho boam had never any one good King or good day almost among then but were over run with idolatry prophanesse tyranny invaded by enemies involved in perpetual Wars Civil or Forein and at last all destroyed and carried away Captives into Babylon as the Books of Kings and Chronicles will inform you That the rule in the Old Testament is not to take any wicked Kings from their Thrones and behead them but n Prov. 25.5 Take away the wicked from before the King and his Throne shall be established in righteousness And the rule in the New Testament o Rom. 13.1,2 c. Tit. 3.1,2 1 Pet. 3.13,14,17 1 Tim. 2.1,2,3 To be subject to Kings and the Higher Powers and to submit unto them even for Conscience and the Lords sake and to make Prayers Supplications and Intercessions for them that under them we may lead a peacable and quiet life in all Godliness and honesty for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour not to depose or shed their blood for which there is no precept nor president in the Gospel but only of the bloody Jewes who with p wicked hands crucified Jesus Christ THE KING OF THE JEWES by birth right and Lord of Glory whom they rejected and disclaimed for their King before they crucifyed him Acts 2.23 c. 13,14,15 John 19.12 to 23. Mat. 27.27 Luk. 23.38 which brought speedy and exemplary desolation upon their whole Nation ever since till now And is not this plain way of God the safest for you and the Army Saints to follow yea the short cut to Peace and settlement Ruminate upon it and then be wise both for your souls good and the Kingdomes too 7thly Consider that you now meet and sit under the armed force and violence of a mutinous Army who have leavyed Warre against the Houses to dissolve them imprison'd many of your Members forcibly secluded more and driven away almost all from the Houses That till the removal of this horrid force and re-assembling of all your scattered Members with freedom and safety in the Houses all you Vote Act Order or Ordain by the Armies own Doctrine in their Remonstrance of August 18. and the Declaration and Ordinance of both Houses made at the Armies instance August 20. 1647. is null and void even at and from the time it was voted acted ordered ordained and so declared by your selves even by this unrepealed Ordinance and by former Parliaments too as 21 R. 2. c. 12. 1 H. 4. c. 3. 31 H. 6. c. 1. 39 H. 6. c. 1. And however you may take upon you the name and power of the Houses of Parliament and unvote vote order and ordain what you please yet take it for an infallible Truth that none of the secluded and absent Members none of the Counties Cities and Boroughs for which they serve See the Protestation Dec. 11. 1648. not those for whom you serve and represent nor yet the Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland who have as great yea greater shares and interests by far than your selves in the Person of the King as their lawful Soveraign and are engaged by Oathes Protestations Covenants and all the premises to protect his Person and Crown with their lives and estates against all violence and danger nor yet his Queen Children and Allies in forein parts of what Religion soever will ever own you in your present condition and constitution to be a legal English Parliament but rather a Conventicle or Juncto nor any thing you vote order or ordain to be r See A Collection c. p. 93 221 222 225 253. valid And therefore whatever you vote Order or Ordain concerning the Treaty the deposing or executing the King the Disinheriting or Banishing the Prince dissolving the present Parliament setting up a new confused Representative or new form of State-Government only to please the Officers and Army or rather those Jesuits
full Parliament within four years after with some other of his Confederates c 4 E. 3. Rot Par. n. 1. to 7. 23 E. 3. Rot. Parl. n. 9. to 14. Plea for the Lords p. 275. to 283. impeached condemned and executed as a Traytor and Enemy to the King and Kingdom by the Judgement of the Lords and that by King Edward the third his own assent without any legal hearing or triall just as he had there deposed this King without it for murthering King Edward in Berkley Castle after his deposall and d 4 E. 3. n. 16â— Sir Thomas de Berkley in whose Castle he was slain being indicted of Treason likewise for the same murther before the Lords in Parliament pleaded not guilty thereunto and was tried at the Lords Bar in a legal manner by a Jury of 12 Knights there sworn and impanelled and by them acquitted upon full evidence and trial when as e 4 E 3. n. 35 Sir Simon de Bereford was impeached condemned and executed by a Judgement given against him by the Lords alone without any Trial for murthering this deposed King Thomas de Gourney William Ocle adjudged Traytors by them for the same offence without any evidence appearing on record These Presidents then will be of very hard digestion and not parallel'd to our times or the Kings case Who having upon the late Treaty granted us for the speedy settlement and security of our bleeding Kingdoms Churches and Religion whatever we could in honour justice or reason desire and far greater advantages and security than any of our ancestors or any Kingdom under Heaven from the creation to this present demanded or enjoyed from any of their Princes as I dare make good to you and all the world and that which the Commons House after above two whole daies and one whole nights debate thought and voted f See My Speech Dec. 4. 1648. and vindication of the secured and secluded Members Jan. 20. 1648. a sufficient ground for them to proceed with the King to the speedy setling of the Kingdoms peace how you or the Army after such large concessions contrary to the Votes of both Houses of Parliament when full and free can in honour justice reason discretion or conscience proceed to depose or decapitate the King as a violater of his faith a Traytor c. without making your selves more perjured treacherous and greater Traytors in all kinds than you repute the King and without g Rom 2.1,2,3 incurring the same judgement and execution as you shall passe and inflict upon him I leave to your saddest consultations to advâ—…e of I have thus freely faithfully and plainly discharged my mind and conscience to you without fear or flattery for the Kings the Kingdoms Parliaments Protestant Religions I am certain for Irelands almost irrecoverably lost Scotlands your own and the Armies weal and safety too if God in mercy please to give you heads or hearts to make timely use of this Memento and not suffer your selves to be Jesuit-ridden any longer Consider you have most of you Estates all of you heads or lives and souls to save or lose both here and hereafter If this and all the precedent considerations will not prevail with you to take you off from your present desperate Counsels and proceedings for your own the Kingdoms Churches Religions Irelands Scotlands the Parliaments your own posterities and the Armies Honour Peace Welfare and safety too Ride on triumphantly still in Ignatius Loyola his fiery Chariot like so many young Phaetons till you fall and perish It is sufficient for me however you digest this present friendly Memento to you that I can truly say liberavi animam meam what ever becomâ— of you or me Who do here solemnly protest to all the World against these your proceedings as altogether null void unparliamentary illegal unchristian antichristian if not Perfidious and Treasonable in these respects I shall close up all with that Golden sentence of God himself and the wisest of men King Solomon which is twice repeated verbatim that it might be the better remembred and considered by you and all others in such Exigences of publick affairâ— as we are now fallen into Prov. 22.3 and 27.12 A prudent man foreseeth the evil and hideth himself but the simple passe on and are punished And with that which is parallel to it Pro. 14.14,15,16 The simple believeth every word but the prudent mâ—n looketh well to his goings A wise man feareth and departeth from evil but the fool rageth and is confident and shall be filled with his own wayes which is thus interpreted Prov. 1.18,16,32,33 They lye in wait for their own blood they lurk privily for their own lives whose feet run to evil and who make â—aste to shed others blood For the turning away of the simple shall sâ—ay them and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them But who so hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil From the Kings head in the Strand Jan. 1. 1648. Your affectionate friend and servant as far as you appear to be Gods your Soveraigns the Kingdoms the Parliaments Religions theirs who have intrusted you or your own true Friends WILLIAM PRYNNE Prov. 28.23 He that rebuketh a man afterward shall find more favour than he that flattereth him with his lips A POSTSCRIPT I Am confident that if the Members now meeting at Westminster will but perswade the General and his Protestant Officers immediately to tender the Oath of Supremacy and Allegiance the solemn League and Covenant and the New Oath of Abjuration for the better discovery and speedier conviction of Iesuits Popish Priests and Papists consented to by the King in the late Treaty to all the Officers Agitators and Souldiers in the Army they will presently discover an whole Conclave of Jesuits Popish Priests and Iesuited Papists amongst them who have instigated them to disobey and force both Houses imprison their Members to impeach try execute the King dissolve the present Parliament subvert our Kingly Government and constitution of Parliaments betray Ireland to the Rebels and involve us in new Wars and confusion instead of Peace and settlement the practices designs and studies of none but Iesuits and Papists which all true Protestants cannot but abhor FINIS
sincerely acknowledge and swear according to these expresse words and their plain and common sence without any equivocation or mental evasion or secret reservation whatsoever And that you did make this Recognition and acknowledgement heartily willingly and truly upon the true faith of a Christian Now whether your present intentions and proceedings against the King be not diametrically repugnant to this solemn Oath which most of you have taken sithence these wars and some of you since the Treaty when sworn Serjeants of Law c. let God and the world before whom you swore and your own Consciences in which you then swore determine you acting herein the d See Watsons Quodlibets Th. Campanela de Monarchia Hisp c. 25. Popes and Jesuits designs 3ly That your selves among other Members have in above one hundred e Exact Collections p. 6. 19. 59. 66. 67. 83. 102. 103. 118. 123. 125. 141 142 143. 173. 180. 195. 219. 259. 281. 307. 380. 312. 360 376. 457. c. Remonstrances Declarations Petitions Ordinances and printed papers published in the name and by the authority of one or both Houses of Parliament professed both to the King himself Kingdome world and forein States that you never intended the least injury hurt or violence to the Kings Person Crown Dignity or Posterity but intended to him and his Royal Posterity more honour happinesse Glory and greatnesse than ever was yet enjoyed by any of his Royal Predecessors that you will ever make good to the uttermost with your lives and fortunes the faith and allegiance which in truth and sincerity you have alwayes born to his Majesty that you have proposed to no other ends to your selves but the performance of all duty and loyalty to his Majesties Person That all Contributions and loans upon the publick faith should be imployed onely to mantain the Protestant Religion the Kings authority his Person his Royal dignity the Laws of the Land Peace of the Kingdome and Priviledges of Parliament and not to be imployed against his Majesties person or authority That the f A Collection c p. 18 13. 41 43 44. 49. 51. 51 61. 64. 96. 181 182. 310. 321. 324 325. 496 599. 623. 696. 806 807 879. Appendix p. 15. Armies and forces raised by the Houses were raised for the safety and defence of the Kings Person and of both Houses of Parliament c. That his Majesties Personal safety honour and greatnesse are much dearer to you than your own lives and fortunes which you do most heartily dedicate to and most willingly imploy for the maintenance and support thereof That the Parliament will ever have a care to prevent any danger which his Majesty may justly apprehend to his person That both Houses are resolved to expose their lives and fortunes for the defence and maintenance of the true Religion The Kings person honour and State the power and priviledges of Parliament That notwithstanding his Majesties Proclamations against the General and Army as Traytors yet to witnesse their constant and unshaken Loyalty to his Majesty both Houses do solemnly declare That upon his disbanding his forces return and hearkning to the advice of his Great Council They will really endeavor to make both him and his as much beloved at home and feared abroad as any Prince that swayed the Scepter which is their firm and constant resolution from which they will not be diverted for any private or self-respects whatsoever That they will faithfully endeavour to secure his Majesties person and Crown from all dangers inculcating the apparent danger to his Royal Person among his Popish and Malignant Armies and ill Counsellours and upon that reason perswading and inviting him to desert them and close with his Parliament protesting that the Parliament hath been and ever will be more ready than they to secure and uphold the Prerogative and Honour of the King and preserve the safety of his Royal person which they have oft-times testified by many humble Petitions and Declarations to him the world and Kingdoms with many other such like expressions Which whether your present Actings Counsels do not directly oppose contradict falsifie and give the lie unto to your eternal infamy and breach of publick Parliamentary faith as much as in you lies let both Houses the world and all â—…en judge as they will do in due season your own consciences too 4ly Consider That when the g Exact Collection p. â—98 695 696. 657 658. 991. King and his party did tax the Houses for insinuating That if they should make the highest Presidents of other Parliaments their pattern there would be no cause to complain of want of modesty or duty in them That is they may depose the King when they will are not to be blamed for so doing and that the Army raised by the Parliament was to murther and depose the King Both Houses by two solemn Declarations did most professâ—dly declare and protest against it as the falsest and most malicious accusation that could be imagined that the thoughts of it never entred nor should enter into their Loyal hearts Nota. That as God is witness of their thoughts so shall their actions witness to all the world that to the honour of our Religion and of those who are most zealous in it they shall suffer far more for and from their Soveraign than they hoped God would ever permit the malice of his wicked Counsellors to put them to since the happiness of the Kingdome doth so mainly depend upon his Majesty and the Royal Authority of that root That they hoped the contrivers of these false and scandalous reports or any that professed the name of a Christian could not have so little Charity us to raise such a Scandal especially when they must needs know the Protestation made by the Members of both Houses whereby they promise in the presence of Almighty God to defend and preserve his Majesties Person The promise and Protestation made by the Members of both Houses upon the Nomination of the Lord of Essex to be General to live and die with him wherein is expressed That * Which they oft professed both of the Army under the Earl of Essex and Sir Thomas Fairfax too Collection of all Orders c. 8. 13 41 43 44 49 51 61 64 96 99 623 696 879. Apendix p. 15. this Army was raised for the defence of the Kings Person Their often earnest and most humble Adresses to His Majesty to leave that desperate and dangerous Army wherewith he is now incompassed raised and upheld to the hazard of his Own and the Kingdomâ— Ruin and to come in Person to his Parliament where he should be sure to remain in Honor and Safety and their humble Petition directed to be presented to him by the hands of the Earl of Essex before any blow given to remove his Royal Person from the Army a request inconsistent with any purpose to offer the least violence to his Person which hath been