and place committed unto him ipso facto estate the Army in a right of disobedience even by standing on their own defence as the Parliament themselves doe and we also in helping them or else where had they been against the fury of the King which Salomon calleth like the roaring of a Lion except wee thinke that obedience binds men to cut their owne throates or at least their companions so as they truly teach us it is the equitie and not the Letter of the Law unto which wee must have recourse in our greatest necessity as the Parliament themselves were forced to doe and still doth in this their owne extremity But some will say that our bondage is not yet so bad as that of Aegypt was for all the Jewes were in great bondage under the Egyptions and yet many of ours are exempted unto that I yeeld and doe confesse that few of our great and mighty men doe either work the clay or make the bricks but they lay either all or most part of the burthen on the poor by heavy labour and sweat of their browes in the heat of the day not only in working the clay and making of the bricks but if they doe complaine to Higher Powers upon their cruell and Tyrannous Task-masters they are so farre from getting any kind of Justice that because they moaned and complained and groaned under such heavy and grievous burdens that they were not able any longer to beare or indure they are further ordained even for their complaining to gather stubble too because they are so idle Innumerable instances there are throughout these three mourning and bleeding Kingdomes to prove all these businesses but I will onely chuse a Citie instance and let every man who is in his profession after that manner grieved and wronged turne the simile home to himself according to his smart Though the poore Hat-makers who earne their living with heavy and hot labours both early and late doe pay Excise both for all the materialls and fire which they use for the bread they eate for the liquor they drinke and clothes they weare yet when they have made their Hatts and done all they can with great trouble and toyle day and night they are forced to pay Excise over againe out of their very labour notwithstanding it was both so deare and heavy in buying all the necessaries before O cruell pitifull lamentable and intollerable Bondage no longer to be indured suffered nor undergone the burdens being far heavier then the poore labourers can beare and yet the Spirituall Task-masters doe gape and roar like Lions for their prey of Tythes also over above and besides all without any kinde of pitie compassion or commiseration in these grievous daies of affliction When this Kingdom was in any way or possibility of subsistance the auntient custome was that Taxations should be raised by way of Subsidie which is the most just equitable and reasonable way of all for it sets every tub on its owne bottome it layes the burthen upon the strong shoulders of the rich who onely are able to beare it but spareth and freeth the weake shoulders of the poore because they are scarcely able to subsist pay rent and maintain their families But our new invented pay layes the burden heavily upon the poore and men of middle quality or condition without all discretion and scarcely maketh the rich touch it with one of their fingers yea many of them are more and more advanced in their prosperous estate through the great ruines distractions and miseries of the Kingdome by their great salleries they have for executing their places as 500 l. 1000 l. 1200 l. and more per annum besides all the bribes they get and the false Accounts they make So that in this life the rich have their pleasures but poore Lazarus paines Seeing the Parliament ordained that none should be accepted to be a Parliament-man that had been a Monopolizer to the Kings Counsell and false Judges against the Liberties of the free-men of England is it not as unjust to imploy any man in a place of Trust Credit or profit now in Parliament time that have been known to be a Monopolizer in any place or Office to or for the Parliament to the prejudice of the Free-men of England Further it was omitted in the former part of this book where complaint is made both of injustice to well-doers and no justice to evill doers that according to the Parliaments booke of Declarations pag. 259. and 260. Whosoever shall serve or assist the King in these Warres are Traytors by the fundamentall Lawes of this Kingdome and have been so adjudged by two Acts of Parliament 11. Richard 2. 1. Hen. 4. And pag. 576. of the said book It is declared by the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament that whereas the King seduced by wicked Counsell doth make warre against his Parliament and People and for the promoting of that war divers forces both of horse and foot have been and are leavied and raised by severall persons and his Majesties good Subjects are most cruelly robbed spoiled and slaine To the end that no man may be misled through ignorance the Lords and Commons in Parliament declare that all such persons as shall upon any pretence whatsoever assist his Majestie in this warre with Horse Armes Plate or money are Traytors to his Majestie the Parliament and the Kingdome and shall be brought to condigne punishment for so high an offence Yea and according to the book of Articles for Warre pag. It is enacted to be death unto any whosoever who holdeth Intelligence and correspondency with the enemy All which Sir John Lenthall and the Speaker his Brother have done and yet it must neither be proved against them nor they tryed nor arraigned but altogether excused cleered and freed even by Vote of Parliament and the accusers both prisoned and arraigned for them yea a Committe chosen to devise and inflict punishments against the Accusers so that still the just are condemned and the wicked absolved Psal 9.18 19. For the needy shall not alway be forgotten the expectation of the poore shall not perish for ever Arise O Lord let not man prevail let the Heathen be judged in thy sight And 12.5 For the oppressions of the poor for the sighing of the needy now will I arise saith the LORD I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him And 35.10 All my bones shall say LORD who is like unto thee which delivereth the poore from him that is too strong for him yea the poore and the needy from him that spoileth him And 37.14 The wicked have drawne out the sword and have bent their bow to cast downe the poor and needy and to stay such as be of upright conversation And 62.9 10. Surely men of low degree are vanity and men of high degree are a lie to be laid in the ballance they are altogether lighter then vanity Trust not in oppression become not vaine in robbery if
The PREAMBLE to all the Free-borne People of ENGLAND BRethren and Fellow-Commons God and the world knowes that the well-affected party of this Kingdome discerned by their voluntary aide to the Parliament having tryed all possible and fair means as much as any People for number and power of any Kingdom or Nation ever did by Prayers Assistance Concurrence Attendance Petitions Oblations Informations and Discoveries as well of Treasons as of utter desolations and perceiving themselves now at last to be in a far worse condition both in number and power their Lives and Estates yea and precious time also being so far spent then they were at the first and besides like to loose all and scarcely to have or leave so much as their Lives Lawes or Liberties for a prey And seeing by manifold examples of grievous experience that neither Petitions can be easily accepted justice truely administred the Presses equally opened the cryes of the poor heard the teares of the oppressed considered the sighes of the Prisoners regarded the miseries of the widow and Fatherlesse pittyed nor scarcely any that are in distresse relieved but Lawes any way wrested most of our freedoms restrained Ordinances Protestations Oathes and Covenants slighted the hearts of all Estates King Parliament Priest and People obdured the wicked for the most part absolved the just oftentimes condemned and most of all in Authority perjured not only by breaking that solemne Oath which themselves did make and compelling others to take but neverthelesse by persecuting those who make Conscience to keep it even because they will not break it In deep sad serious and lamentable consideration of all these grievous proceedings and as much by feeling the smart as hearing seeing or knowing the verity thereof chiefly the Opressions taxations Insurrections Rebellions Presecutions Violences Robbeies Sequestrations and Combustions I with my poor one Talent in stead of him that hath Ten out of a dutifull and consciencious love tender and pittifull respect to my Nation now in this her great defection and apparent desolation chiefly for the remnant thereof who mourn in secret both for her great abominations sins desolations and their own particular transgressions and who doubtlesse are marked to escape the fury of Gods fearfull indignation Have used my best endeavours here both to shew the maladies and remedies of this sick swouning bleeding and dying Nation that if God hath not ordained it like Babell to sudden inevitable and utter destruction it may yet be cured and a remnant reserved according to the Lords usuall dealing in all his visitations remembring his tender compassions and mercy even in the midst of his most fearfull judgements and severitie that in despight of Sathan and all his instruments they may doe justice and judgement and praise him in sincerity Farewell ENGLANDS BIRTH-RIGHT Justified Against all Arbitrary Vsurpation whether REGALL or PARLIAMENTARY or under what Vizor soever With divers Queries Observations and Grievances of the People declaring this Parliaments present Proceedings to be directly contrary to those fundamentall Principles whereby their Actions at first were justifyable against the King in their present Illegall dealings with those that have been their best Friends Advancers and Preservers And in other things of high concernment to the Freedom of all the Free-born People of England By a Well-wisher to the just cause for which Lieutenant Col. JOHN LILBVRNE is unjustly imprisoned in New-gate In the 150. page of the Booke called An exact Collection of the Parliaments Remonstrances Declarations c. published by speciall Order of the House of Commons March 24. 1642. we find there a Question answered fit for all men to take notice of in these sad times which followeth Quest NOw in our extreame distractions when forraigne forces threaten and probably are invited and a malignant and Popish party at home offended The Devill hath cast a bone and rais'd a Contestation between the KING and PARLIAMENT touching the MILITIA His Majestie claims the disposing of it to be in Him by the right of Law The Parliament saith Rebus sic stantibus and nolenti Rege the Ordering of it is in them Ans WHich Question may receive its solution hy this distinction That there is in Laws an equitable and a literall sense His Majestie let it be granted is intrusted by Law with the Militia but it is for the good and preservation of the Republick against Forraign Invasions or domestick Rebellions For it cannot be supposed that the Parliament would ever by Law intrust the King with the Militia against themselves or the Common-wealth that intrusts them to provide for their weal not for their woe So that when there is certaine appearance or grounded suspition that the Letter of the Law shall be improved against the equitie of it that is the publick good whether of the body reall or representative then the Commander going against its equity gives liberty to the Commanded to refuse obedience to the Letter for the Law taken abstract from its originall reason and end is made a shell without a kernell a shadow without a substance and a body without a soul It is the execution of Laws according to their equity and reason which as I may say is the spirit that gives life to Authority the Letter kills Nor need this equity be expressed in the Law being so naturally implyed and supposed in all Laws that are not meerly Imperiall from that Analogie which all bodies Politick hold with the Naturall whence all Government and Governours borrow a proportionable respect And therefore when the Militia of an Army is committed to the Generall it is not with any expresse condition that he shall not turn the mouthes of his Cannons against his own Souldiers for that is so naturally and necessarily implyed that its needlesse to be expressed insomuch as if he did attempt or command such a thing against the nature of his trust and place it did ipso facto estate the Army in a right of Disobedience except we think that obedience binds Men to cut their owne throats or at least their companions And indeed if this distinction be not allowed then the legall and mixt Monarchy is the greatest Tyranny for if Laws invest the King in an absolute power and the Letter be not controlled by the equity then whereas other Kings that are absolute Monarchs and rule by Will and not by Law are Tyrants perforce Those that rule by Law and not by Will have hereby a Tyranny confer'd upon them legally and so the very end of Laws which is to give bounds and limits to the exorbitant wills of Princes is by the laws themselves disappointed for they hereby give corroboration and much more justification to an arbitrary Tyranny by making it legall not assumed which Laws are ordained to crosse not countenance and therefore is the Letter where it seems absolute alwayes to receive qualification from the equity else the foresaid absurdity must follow So farre the Parliaments own words It is confessed by all rationall
poor people beleeve the Poopes unwritten verities were as binding as Scripture Rules which the Lawyers have given the Commons just cause to fear is their present practise with law Cases many of which are besides the Rule of the Statute-law and also against Justice Equity and Conscience tending to no other end but to inslave the People 8. Whether it be not just and equall that seeing Monopolisers were thrown out of the House about Foure yeeres agoe as infringers upon the Common-right of all the free-men of England in setting up Pattents of Soape Salt Lether c. why should not those be partakers of the same justice now that have been chief sticklers in setting up greater Patentees then ever the former were As first the Patent of ingrossing the Preaching of the Word only to such men as weare Black and rough garments to deceive Zech. 13.4 and have had a Cannonicall Ordination from the Bishops and so from the Pope and consequently from the Divell although the Spirit of God doth command every man that hath received a gift to minister the same one to another as good Stewards of the manifold grace of God 1 Pet. 4.10 11. And although ignorance and blindnesse be so universall all over the Kingdome experience teaching that where that most abounds they draw their swords soonest against the Parliament and Common-wealth and so consequently against themselves and continue the longest in their Rebellion as now wee have woefull experience yet these grand Monopolizers will neither goe amongst them themselves nor suffer others without severe punishment to instruct and teach them the Principles of Christianity or Morallity by means of which they become destroyers and murderers of soules and bodies and enemies to the very Civill societies of Mankind The second Monopoly is the Patent of Merchant Adventurers who have ingrossed into their hands the sole trade of all woollen Commodities that are to be sent into the Netherlands the mischievousnesse you may at large read in a late discourse consisting of motives for the inlargement and freedome of trade especially that of Cloath and other wollen manufactures ingrossed at present contrary to the law of Nature the law of Nations and the lawes of this Kingdome by a company of private men who stile themselves Merchant Adventurers the first part of which Discourse the second being not yet come out are to be sold by Stephen Bowsell in Popes-head-alley Wool being the stapell Commoditie of the Kingdome and freee by the lawes and Constitutions of the land for all the Free-men of England to trade in 12. H. 6. 6. and 21. 13. the injoyment of which is so essentiall a Priviledge to all the Commons of England that whosoever gives it from them and by any pretended Patent or Authority whatsoever assumes it to themselves are culpable of the greatest of punishments whatsoever as those that are guilty of Robbing the Free men of England of their birth-right and Inheritance and yet the present Farmers of the Custome House and their Associates are guilty of this capital crime for if Naboath would not part with his Vineyard which was his Inheritance to the King although he would have given him as much money as it was worth or a better for it 1 King 21.2 there is no reason why the free men of England should have so great a part of their Birth-right as this is taken from them by force and violence whether they will or no as their multitude of Petitions to the Parliament yet unanswered doe declare The third Monopoly is that insufferable unjust and tyrannical Monopoly of Printing whereby a great company of the very same Malignant fellows that Canterbury and his Malignant party engaged in their Arbitrary Designes against both the Peoples and Parliaments just Priviledges who turning with every winde doe endeavour by all possible means as well now as then to sell and betray the Kingdome for their own gaine are invested with an Arbitrary unlimmitted Power even by a generall Ordinance of Parliament to print divulge and disperse whatsoever Books Pamphlets and Libells they please though they be full of Lyes and tend to the poysoning of the Kingdom with unjust and Tyrannicall Principles And not only so but most violently even now in Parliament time which should be like a cryed Faire and each one free to make the best use of their Ware both for the bublick and their own private good to suppresse every thing which hath any true Declaration of the just Rights and Liberties of the free-borne people of this Nation and to brand and traduce all such Writers and Writings with the odious termes of Sedition Conspiracie and Treason but to countenance and authorize such as shall calumniate them and so both accept reward such men far better then their most faithfull servants and best advancers just as the Bishops formerly did against both the Scots and the Parliament themselves They doe not rest here neither but are yet further authorized with a generall Ordinance of this very Parliament contrary to all law justice equity and reason under pretence of searching for scandalous Books to call numbers of deboyst men with Smiths and Constables yea and the trained Bands also when they please to assist them and in most bold and tumultuous manner to break open and rifle even the Parliaments owne in all their greatest dangers troubles distresses most faithfull friends Houses Chests Truncks and Drawers and from thence to rob steale and felloniously to carry away such of the Possessors proper goods choice Linnens and best things as they please as well as Books new and old after they have put the owners themselves out of doores and commanded Constables to carry them before a Committee and from thence to Prison Where they may without any consideration rott if they will not either betray both a good Cause and some other of the Parliaments best friends when they had few others or else submit to their unjust lawes besides it is a common thing for such lawlesse men to breake in and search honest mens shops when neither the owners nor any of theirs are present to see what businesse they have there And yet as unjustly as all the rest they doe not onely allow the weekly printing divulging and dispersing of Oxford Aulicus and other Malignant Books and Pamphlets tending to the ruine both of the Kingdome and Parliaments Priviledges but likewise the sending of Printing matterialls to the King whereby to Print down both Power of Parliament and freedome of People All which unjust dealings doe come to passe also with the privity of the Masters and Wardens of the Stationers Company as was openly proved to their faces at their publick Hall who therefore like wise men perceiving the Plague afarre off would not goe on still and be punished but most cunningly both to hide themselves and their treachery against the well-affected party and divide their spoile so unjustly obtained by lying in waite for blood they have now procured by
roade way of destruction had not the Noble Generall by GODS Providence exceedingly strengthned his party and after that hee is posted from place to place and never suffered to come to the Parliament since whereby Manchesters treason lies as it were hid although it be more fully proved as some of that House have since confessed then ever Strdffords was and yet he is suffered to act in all the great designes of the Kingdome unto this present 2. Master Mussenden and Mr. Wolley and divers others Gentlemen of quallity of the Committee of Lincolne in August 1644. exibited Articles of High-Treason and other hainous misdemeanors against Colonell Edward King to the House of Commons which Articles they have since Printed and published to the view of the World yet can they not to this day get any hearing of them that so they may prove against him what they accuse him of howbeit although in their Fourth and Twelfth Article they accuse him of plaine High-Treason their owne words are as followeth As Article 4. When hee the said Colonell King was before Newarke he sent for a Captaine who kept Crowland who obeyed his command yet sent word to him of the danger that Towne was in and therefore desired his second pleasure which was That he should march who accordingly did the Gentlemen of the Country fearing the enemy procured Major Ireton to send a 100. Musketiers to keep Crowland which hee hearing of took ill that without Order from him any should come into his liberties and commanded them to be gone who accordingly departed the enemy presently surprised the Towne and those few that he had left in it by which meanes he betrayed the Towne unto the enemy which was not regained without much charge hazard and losse of many mens lives Article the 12. That when the Enemy took Grantham they being beaten from one part of the Town wheeled about to fall upon the other side at a place called Spittle-gate which Major Savill being then Major of the Towne perceiving commanded Colonell King being then Captaine of a Company there to march with his Company to defend that place Colonell King answered That he scorned to be commanded by him and rather then he would be commanded by him he would take his company and let the enemy into the Towne and he delayed so long before hee would goe that the enemy was entred at the said Part before hee came thither by which means be betrayed that Towne Also 3. John Musgrave Gentleman hath complained to the Commons in this present Parliament against Richard Barwis Esq Burgesse for Carlile and a Member now sitting in the House of Commons and lately one of the Commissioners of Parliament for both Kingdomes that at his being at Edenborough he held correspondency with the Commissioners of Array both for Westmerland and Cumberland and in his Twentieth Article against him he saith That when the said Richard Barwis was at Sunderland hee had Intercourse by Letters with the chief Delinquents in Cumberland which were especially Baronet Graham Baronet Musgrave Baronet Curwen and Sir Willfrede Lawson and that the said Mr. Barwis Estate was protected by means of some of the foresaid Knights during the time the King had the Command of the North and that Mr. Barwis was an Instrument in getting men nominated to be Committee-men for the Parliament while they were in actuall Rebellion against the Parliament and Kingdome and hath been an instrument in getting the Command of both the foresaid Counties into the hands of those that actually have been in Armes and committed treason against the Common-wealth who abuse the honest well-affcted to the Parliament there as much as ever they were while the King had the Command of them and though complaint hath been made of all this to many of the House of Commons and much more by Mr. Musgrave and his partner who are sent up to the Parliament from the Country as Commissioners for that purpose yet they cannot be heard or finde any Justice against Mr. Barwis and the other Delinquents by means whereof both the Counties are in danger shortly to be lost and destroyed 4. Some Gentlemen of the Bishopricke of Durham long since complained to divers Parliament men of old Sir Henry Vanes wilfull loosing and betraying their Country being there Lord Lieutenant but by reason of his greatnesse could never be heard but in regard the substance of his charge is come into my hands from the hands of a Gentlemen of that Country now in London I have inserted here that you may read it as followeth only with this caution that seeing in the Copy I took it out of there were some interlynings at the latter end thereof that if a word should be displaced you would not therefore throw aside all the rest of it for I dare pawne my life the substance of it will be proved The Militia of the County of Durham was intrusted with Sir Henry Vane the elder to whom some Gentlemen of the Country repaired and desired his care therein which he omitting the Earl of Newcastle in August 1642. taking advantage thereof came into the County of Durham and to the Towne of Newcastle upon Tyne with divers Captaines Commanders not exceeding the number of 100. men to raise forces against the Parliament and by Michaelmas after he increased to 500. or 600. men at the most and Sir Henry Vane having Armes of his owne in his House at Rahy Castle sufficient to arme 100. men those Armes were carried by his two principall servants William Conyers a Popish Recusant and Henry Dingly his soliciter in his Law affaires to the Towne of Newcastle where they were delivered to one appointed by the Earle of Newcastle to receive them and Conyers and Dingley received a note for the receit of those armes All which being publikely known in the Country the people were much disheartned and for that the party intrusted with the Militia had furnished the enemie as aforesaid many were forced to take up Armes under the command of the Earle of Newcastle divers for feare fled out of the Country and others of them who staid longer were taken and imprisoned and shortly after the Earles Army increased to the number of 5000. and upwards as it was commonly reputed there being 39. Colours of foot and 25 Troops of Horse or neere thereabouts and the affected plundered in their Estates to their utter impoverishment Our humble desire is That no man that hath taken up Armes and served or been active in this unnaturall Warre against the Parliament or are Delinquents or willingly contributed thereunto be put into Commission or imployment or Administration of Justice untill the well-affected of the Country be heard concerning their offences and misdemeanours and the same be determined of in the Parliament c. This Information was presented to the Right Honourable the Earle of Essex in February 1643. by Richard Lilburne and his brother George Lilburne in the presence of Edward Wright Nicholas Heath John
more Cordiall freinds then the fighting of all their Armies or the forcing of all their Covenants or the Pressing of all their Souldiers or persecuting all their Sectaries will doe in ten moneths space II. To endeavour to set the City of London right in the enjoyment of her Priviledges being the Metropolis of England that shee may indeed be a true President to all the Cities and Corporations in the Kingdome and a ballance to all the Tyrants or Arbytrary-principl'd men in the same the means to set her right is first for the Commons to get a Copy of their Charters and translate them into English and print them that so every free-man may see and know his own rights and endeavour the more earnestly the exemplary punishment of the infringers and incroachers thereupon III. To rise as one man under faithfull honest experienced constant well-affected Commanders such as those that rise shall chuse to adventure their lives with and beleager all the Kings Garrisons before the storme grow so great in the North that no man dare travell under paine of his life according those honest and good Directions lately printed which are intituled Englands Cordiall Physick IV. To call to a just and strict account all Fingerers and Receivers of money whatsoever even Parliament men as well as others for they are all but the Common-wealths servants and severely according to the greatest pennalty of any declared and unrepealed Law to punish all those that have any wayes cheated and cozened the Common-wealth and unjustly made themselves rich by her treasure now in the time of their great richer and her extreame poverty and for future time to make a Law to punish with death all such grosse transgressors who deserve to have their skinnes flead off and stopt full of straw and hung up publikely in the places where they so unjustly executed their undeserved Offices and deceived their owne Nation to inrich themselves to the terrifying of all such as shall succeed them in their places from the acting of such unchristian yea and worse then Heathen-like Roaguery For I am confident that the portion of all such covetous State-robbers Nationall Fellons mighty thieves and secret Traytors will be such as are described or painted lively in their colours throughout the Twentieth Chapter oâ— Job from the fourth Verse which I expresse here at large and more Scriptures after them for the use of those that have no Bâ—bles to read they are become so dear and Monopolized like other things as shall yet hereafter appeare the words aâ—e these Knowest not thus this of old since man was placed upon the earth that the triumphing of the wicked is short and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment Though his Exceâ—lency mount up to the heavens and his head reach unto the Clouds yet he shall perish for ever like his owne dung they which have seen him shall say Where is hee He shall flie away as a dreame and shall not be found yea he shal be chased away as a Vision of the night the eye also which saw him shall see him no more neither shall his Place any more behold him His Children shall seek to please the Poore and his hands shall restore their goods His bones are full of the fâ—rme of his youth which shall lie downe with him in the dust Though wickednesse be sweet in his mouth though hee hide it under his tongue though he spare it and forsake it not but keep it still within his mouth Yet his meat in his bowels is turned it is the gall of aspes within him He hath swallowed down riches and hee shall vomite them up againe God shall cast them out of his belly He shall suck the poyson of Aspes the Vipers tongue shall slay him He shall not see the Rivers the shods the brookes of honey and butter That which he laboured for hee shall restore and shall not swallow it downe according to his substance shall the restitution be and he shall not rejoyce therein Because he hath oppressed and hath forsaken the poor because he hath violently taken away an house which he builded not surely hee shall not finde quietnesse in his belly hee shall not save of that which hee desired There shall none of his meat be left he shall be in straites every hand of the wicked shall come upon him When he is about to fill his belly God shall cast the fury of his wrath upon him and shall raine it upon him while he is eating He shall flie from the iron weapon and the bow of steel shall strike him through it is drawne and commeth of the body yea the glistering sword commeth out of his gall terrours are upon him all darknesse shall be hid in his secret places a fire not blowne shall consume him it shall goe ill with him that is left in his Tabernable The heaven shall reveale his iniquity and the earth shall rise up against him the increase of his House shall depart and his goods shall flow away in the day of his wrath This is the portion of a wicked man from God and the heritage appointed unto him by God Cnsider and apply these Judgements to your selves yee wicked Lawyers if you apprehend your selves to be guilty of the blood and of grinding the faces of the poor by your professions and especially you grand Lawyers who are out of your element in the House of Commons by your practises And as the Psalmist saith well of wicked men Psal 73.5 c. They are not in trouble as other men neither are they plagued like other men their eyes stand out with fatnes they have more then their heart can wish they are corrupt and speak wickedly concerning oppression they speake foolishly they set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue walketh through the earth therefore the people returne hither and waters of a full cup are wrung out to them And they say bow doth God know and is there knowledge in the Most High Behold these are the ungodly who prosper in the world they increase in riches But in the 18. verse it is said Surely thou O Lord didst set them in slippery places thou castest them down into destruction And in the 49. Psal 16 hee saith Bee not thou afraid when one is made rich when the glory of his house is increased for when hee dieth hee shall carry nothing away his glory shall descend after him c. And in the 50. Psalm 16 c. But unto the wicked God saith What hast thou to doe with my statutes or that thou shouldest take my Covenant in thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my words behind thee When thou sawest a thief then then consentedst with him and hast been partaker with Adulterers Thou givest thy mouth to evill and thy tongue frameth deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother thou slanderest thine owne mothers sonne These things hast thou done and I have kept silence thou thoughtest that I
riches increase set not your hearts upon them And 74.19 O deliver not the soul of thy Turtle Dove unto the multitude of the wicked forget not the Congregation of thy poore for ever And 82.3 4 5. Defend the poore and fatherlesse doe justice to the afflicted and needy Deliver the poore and needy rid them out of the band of the wicked they know not neither will they understand they walk on in darknesse all the foundations of the earth are out of course And 92.6 7. A bruitish man knoweth not neither doth a fool understand this When the wicked spring as the grasse and when all the workers of iniquity doe flourish it is that they shall be destroyed for ever And 118.8.9 It is better to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in man It is better to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in Princes And 146.3 Put not your trust in Princes nor in the sonne of man in whom there is no helpe Isaiah 10.1 2 3 4 5 6. Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees and write grievous things which they have prescribed To turn aside the need from judgement and to take away the right from the poor of my people that Widdows may be their prey and that they may robbe the fatherlesse And what will ye doe in the day of Visitation and in the desolation which shall come from farre to whom will ye seek for help and where will ye leave your glory Without me they shall bow down under the Prisoners and they shall fall under the slaine for all this his anger is not turned away but his hand is sâ—retched out still O Assyrian the rod of mine anger and the staffe in their hand is mine indignation I will send him against an hypocriticall Nation and against the people of my wrath I will give him a charge to take the spoile and to take the prey and to tread them downe like the myre in the streets FINIS The chiefe faults escaped in the printing either through the Authours absence or the Correctours negligence In page 4. l. 22. read the last but one of p. 5. l. 2. read and that l. 7. read for the same p. 7. l. 37. r. and justly for hence justly and read may condemne for may not condemne p. 9. l. 20. r. of which you may and l. 32. r. are culpable p. 10. l. 19. r. publick for bublick p. 15. l. 18. r. that call evill good and good evill and adde to the next line Job 14.4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an uncleane not one read 25.4 and Psalm 51.5 p. 16. l. 16. r. to prison without cause shewed and l. 18. r. to force him to commit a crime l. 26. r. and then make for and then to make p. 17. l. 14. r. strengthned for streightned l. p. 37. l. 18. r. suites for suite p. 39. l. 1. r. according to those for according those p. 40. l. 23. r. consider for cnsider p. 43. l. 16. r. If there were for Is there THE POSTSCRIPT Containing divers sentences belonging to severall passages of this Book which were in their due places omitted and here at last remembred ADde to page 16. l. 29. So that first he was committed by Order and Vote of Parliament without cause shewed and then secondly for refusing to answer upon Interrogatories to their Committee of Examinations which is contrary 1. To the Great Charter of England 2. To the very words of the Petition of Right 3. To the act made this present Parliament for abolishing the Star-chamber 4. To the solemne Oath and Protestation of this Kingdome 5. To the great Covenant and Solemne Vow made upon paine of eternall damnation for uniting the two Kingdomes together 6. And most principally of all contrary to the infallible Rules of Gods own most sacred Word which forbids that any man should answer upon questions to accuse condemne and consequently to kill and destroy himself or that any man should be condemned before he be heard And 7. Contrary to all justice equity conscience sense reason the very practise of the Romish Heathens love duty brotherly affection Christianity Reformation Comiseration or Compassion 8. Contrary to the Kingdoms great trust committed by their grand Commission to the Parliament for defending and improving and no wise for destroying nor disannulling their Liberties and so alwayes for the Weale but never for the woe of the Free-men of England otherwise they are not only to be bidden take heed to their injustice but to be called to an account and censured accordingly That in regard the Kingdome is in so pittifull and great distresse and that the most and best things that ever this Parliament did were first motioned by private men and then authorised and established by them it would be excellent and needfull if they would ordaine that every free-man of England who is able would bestow his servico one yeere at least freely for the good of the Civill State in any Place or Office of Trust whereof his skill and breeding doe fit him to be most capable according as they shall be chosen and those who are not able to serve freely for a yeere and to have competent maintenance allowed unto them to the value of 50. or 60 l. a yeere according to their charge if such be chosen for their skill and diligence though they want outward means for which allowance those that are conscienscious will doe as good service at least as some others who have 1000. or 2000. a yeere The like rule is no lesse but rather farre more excellent and needfull to be observed and established in matters concerning the Church-state wherein her servants are to performe their duties freely they being able to maintain themselves and those with them whether by means obtained formerly or industry used daily otherwise to have the like allowance of 50. or 60 l. a yeere according to their charge And that the remainder of all Church-living obtained by the subtilty of Antichrist be nâ—w wholly imployed to the supply of the Kingdomes manifold present necessities and after the Warres are ended to the payment of the Kingdoms great debts contracted upon the publick faith But if in case that the Clergy or any of them shall not be content with the aforesaid allowance which is sufficient for as honest men that then it might be free for those whom God shall be pleased to fit with sufficient abilities to supply their places freely to the intent it may not be said of them as of the Scribes and Pharisees that they shut up the Kingdome of heaven and will neither enter in themselves nor yet suffer those that would Matth. 23.13 Luk. 14.52 In the Appendix of one of Mr. Prinnes bokes authorized by the Parliament called The Soveraign power of Parliaments and Kingdoms beginning at pag. 1. It is manifested by sundry Histories Authours that in the ancient Roman Kingdome and Empire in the Greek and German Empires derived out of it in the old Grecian Indian Egyptian Realmes in the Kingdome of France Spaine Italy Hungaria Bohemia Denmark Poland Swethland Scotland yea of Judah Israel and others mentioned in the Scripture the supreame Soveraignity and Power resided not in the Emperours and Kings themselves but in their Kingdomes Senates Parliaments People who had not onely power to restrain but censure and remove their Emperours Princes for their tyranny and mis-government Where also there is an answer to the principall Arguments to prove Kings above whole Kingdomes and Parliaments and not questionable nor accountable to them nor censurable by them for any exorbitant actions The 4. page 6. 7. 10. 11. 13. 17. 101. 112. 123. 125. 150. 151. 153. 154. 159. are most excellent for deciding those differences which I referre to the juditious and courteous Reader to peruse at his leisure FINIS Printed Octob. 1645.