Selected quad for the lemma: parliament_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
parliament_n	king_n	power_n	sit_v	3,978	5	7.3782	4	false

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A96342	The copies of severall letters contrary to the opinion of the present powers, presented to the Lord Gen. Fairfax, and Lieut. Gen. Cromwell. By Francis White, Maior of his Excellencies regiment of foot.	White, Francis, d. 1657.; Fairfax, Thomas Fairfax, Baron, 1612-1671.; Cromwell, Oliver, 1599-1658.	1649 (1649)	Wing W1764; Thomason E548_6; ESTC R204063	14,284	20

authorities which are the conservators of their Liberties to mantain all arbitrary in themselves this may iustly be charged upon the prevalent partie that were our opposers who secretly carried on a combination to comply with the Kings interest to a more universall inslaving the people then formerly Having considered all proceedings of the most materiall concernment it will necessarily come to this issue that we have disobeyed resisted and repelled all the Authoritie and Government of the Kingdom both King Parliament and all bounds of Law and the authorities and government being broken it is wholly dissolved and involved into its originall Fountain next under God the people And the highest authority that is now visible is the force of the Sword For there is no reasonable man but will conclude the Parliament to be under a force mixed of two parties that have been in opposition one while one partie is the Parliament another while the other even to which the strongest power is contracted so the stream runs for at the time we lay at Brainford your self and Son in Law Ireton affirmed in my hearing that those which remained at Westminster with Mr. Pellam were no Parliament but some Gentlemen claiming a Parliamentary Authority And in our Remonstrance from Kingston we declared to the world they were Usurpers and Intruders and that we would not suffer those who had voted to make a new warre upon us to sit there as ours and the Kingdoms Iudges yet since they have been acknowledged to be a Parliament and sit here in Court to this day and for what I know are the chiefe fomenters of our distractions and the Protracters of the redresses of the common grievances of the Nation Now Sir so long as that Remonstrance from Kingstone stands owned J doe not conceive the Army concluded under the authority of the House but only setting the House as a skreene between them and the fiery fury of the people in the midst of the common grievances and distractions and do yeeld obedience to the Parliament in what they command agreeable to your own judgement And on the other hand the Parliament and Synod with all the Presbyterian party with the Scots Councel are indeavouring to get a power to bring you under the Lash and you can look for no other but that if they get you and the Army down they will pay you and your accomplices for their disobedience Therefore take care to use your reason and your power to secure your selves not only from the King and his Lawes which he still fighteth by but likewise from the Parliament Pellamites and their Ordinances which you and the Army have slighted Now Sir I professe for my own part J am not over carefull J shall only use meanes to the discharge of my duty according to my judgement and reason and whether I be any thing or nothing it matters not yet it behoves me to take care for the security and welfare of those poor Souldiers under my command which I have indeavoured to ingage in this common cause which I vindicate and shall by Gods assistance seale with my blood by suffering if called thereunto I value my reputation as a man to stand in competition with my livelihood but I value my principles more then life naturall and before I would violate my conscience in matter of concernment upon mature consideration I would suffer all the torment that men and Divels can invent Now Sir to secure your self and friends which is the chief work that lieth before you I must needs say I see no other way but by entring upon some way equivolent to that presented in the paper intitled The Agreement of the people There is a necessity of setting a period to this Parliament and changeing the currant of the Law out of the Kings name into the Commons without which I can see no sure security but by making up your Interest under the King and receiving Indempnity and pardon from him which last I doe detest and shall ever labour to prevent If any man can hold forth any other way wherein there is a probability to obtain security freedome and peace I le acknowledge my own weaknesse and give God thanks for raising up an Instrument for my conviction I know the prosecution of the former is very dangerous and desperate the King Scots and forraign States will be our Enemies yet if you fall back you must expect ruine and if you go forward you can be no worse in the greatest hazzards and it is better perishing in right wayes then in wrong Having thus freely discovered my principles and offered my desires to your view I must confesse my inabilities of adding to your knowledge in things of this nature but looking upon you as a person of power and interest I thought good to discharge my mind and to let you know I shall not be forward to exercise force for the procuring things of this nature but only plead at oportunities in wayes of reason and shall stand by thofe that stand for the publique interest of the Nation and shall upon a cleare way and call ingage my life as formerly against such as shall indeavour to destroy honest peaceable men by wayes of force and violence And if you as formerly shall still own the Jnterest of honest people and forbeare the exercise of rigor upon those that are friends to your self and the Common wealth then shall I be ready to hazzard my life for your preservation when you shall be cast upon the greatest extremitie in the midst of your many enemies for you may assure your self all storms are not over and that late insurrection in London is but a fruit of that councel which will endeavour to raise more such there in other places who care not if they break all reines and make way for that abomination that maketh desolate rather then let go their pride and ambition you must expect the further exercise of your faith patience in the times of tryal that are coming upon this Nation But the Lord instruct keepe and preserve you in the wayes of righteousnesse shall be the prayers of him who desires to serve you while you serve the publique Francis White Colebrook Aprill the 21. 1648. FINIS

Honoured Sir JT is not unknown to many your great pains and unwearied indeavours in the publique imployment from the first undertaking you have appeared constant valiant and successful in the greatest affaires of the late war And having through Gods blessing passed through many difficults subduing all adversaties that opposed our just proceedings It now lieth upon you and others of the like interest to see the establishment of those things which we have contended for that there may be some requitall for the expence of so much Treasure and Blood It hath ever been the consideration of all wise undertakers of a war First to consider the right of their cause Secondly their abilities to mannage the same And thirdly that the benefits may countervail the ill convenience or prejudice that may be sustained in the procuring successe What bondage oppression and injustice we were made subject to by the King and his Ministers is not unknown to your selfe and when he could no longer keepe the people in subjection under his oppressive government but was in danger of being cast out of his Throne he then called a Parliament which he indeavoured to make subject to his will For the better prosecution of his principles but failing of his expectations in Councell he indeavoured to bring his purposes to passe by the force of the sword and undertooke the managing a Warr against the Parliament They seeing the evill he endeavoured to bring upon themselves and the Nation tooke courage to appeare faithfull to those who had intrusted them and called in all that had bowels of mercy and compassion to themselves or the Nation to come in to the helpe of a distressed State and to maintaine their just rights and freedomes The Parliament did then claime and since have claimed a Right to determine all controversies that may arise in the Nation and that of right they might dispose of the Militia of the Kingdome as they should see cause for in the House of Commons vertually the power of the Kingdome is for to make Lawes or repeale Lawes and to be the finall judges It is true the King held a confirming voyce and was intrusted with the Militia and the Regall power for the protecting and administring justice unto the people but when the Parliament saw a danger of the Kings converting that power to their and the trusters distruction they tooke upon them the disposall of the Militia upon which the King broke with them and made a war God having now given successe to their cause and invested them and their assisters with full power it now lieth upon them to make good all promises if possible the lesser giving way to the greater and as much as in them lyeth indeavour to prevent future disputes and quarrells for the welfare of posterity and to settle the government of the Nation So that the Regall power in what forme soever may be subject to the Legislative and likewise to untwist those lines of bondage which will question our just proceedings there is no rational man that will imagine it unreasonable that the Parliament should proceed to the setling the Kingdoms peace and Freedom without the King seeing that after the conquering his Forces and so many addresses he will accept of nothing but what shall be agreeable to his will the which must be a giving up the right of our cause and advantage to the name and thing King to recover all power in short time and to the winding of the Nation into worse bondage and servitude then ever to the will of the Prince which will of necessity bee our portion if there be not a cleare vindicating of the Rights and Freedome of the people in the Legislative power which was the maine thing contended for and it is evident that the supream power next under God is inherent in the multitude and that there is no just authority but what is immediately derived from God himself by divine appointment or mediately given from the people by their Representative who of right are not subject to any particular person or persons but may upon grounds of common safety alter Magistrates or Government make new Lawes or repeale old Abolish Courts or set up new without the concurrence of King or Peeres However this be caled new Doctrine or Levelling it will appeare that in this is laid the foundation of the Freedome of a Nation in stating their Representative free and equall invested with full power the persons changeable successively so that whatsoever Lawes or Burdens the people bring upon themselves they will be of their own chusing whatsoever custome is held contrary herto is a fruit of conquest kept by force and may justly be by force repelled This is no change of principles as is evident from the first contest The peoples safety argued the supream Law and the House of Commons iudges of that safety and interpreters of Law and they affirming the Kings oath binding him to confirme what Laws they chuse the Commons telling the Lords they should indevour to save a people without them if they would not concur But it may be obiected that the Ingagement at the first undertaking of the war declared for King and Parliament and that the Parliaments Declaration in the yeare 1646 declareth for the maintaining of the constitution of this Kingdom by King Lords and Commons and that the Protestation and Covenant of this Kingdom and Scotland ingageth them to maintain the Kings authority and that they have no thoughts or intentions to diminish his Maiesties iust power and greatnesse To this I answer that men are bound by Conscience and Honour to make good all Ingagements so far as iustly they may and if men be not found constant to their principles no man can wisely put confidence in them nor trust them farther then necessity inforceth It will not be amisse to look over our former Ingagements and moderately to consider what may be performed and what not For indeed they are so interwoven that it will be a difficult matter to make good every particular Therefore first consider the most generall things of greatest importance and make good them with as much provision for particulars as generall will permit And in the first place that Interest of the peoples freedom must in Iustice take place For in all Declarations Papers and Covenants it hath been the chiefe thing pretended and there never passed any promise of intrusting the King but in order to the peace freedom and security of the Kingdom and I beleeve it was expected that when the Kings powers should be subdued he would have accepted the Parliaments conditions which he refusing is a iust ground to alter their promises and to proceed to the setling the Kingdom in freedom safety and peace without the King the which can never probably be done without altering the former custome in making Law For whatsoever is acted upon the former constitution will run to the King for confirmation so there will be no security unlesse

ye declare the Parliaments Ordinances good Laws and so conduce one Estate and take away the thing King which name the antient Romans could not indure for the space of 400. yeares and it will be found no small let to the settlement of our peace For it must be time that must produce security from him and his posterity the Army must not be a protection for ever neither will the people indure this Parliaments perpetuity for the continuance of either longer then necessity inforceth is inconsistent with the peoples freedome And now the Souldiery having contracted much of the businesse of the Kingdom upon their Shoulders you will be put upon the exercise of reason you have already shown your strength and valour in subduing the Forces that have opposed us and if you can now find wayes to secure your self and our assisters from the Authorities we have resisted you will appeare much like a compleat man in Reason J beseech you Sir looke back to the first Ingagement of the Parliament with due consideration and indeavour what you may to procure the performance thereof At the first raysing an Army The Parliament declared it to be for the desence of the Protestant Religion the Lawes of the Land the Kings person the priviledge of Parliament the peoples just Rights and freedome these things are spacious and were never stated and published what is meant hereby Some understand the Protestant Religion to be the Book of Common prayer for Worship the Episcopacie for Discipline and the thirty nine Articles for Doctrine But it Religion be taken in such formes then is it in a great measure altered by the Synod in part with the Parliaments approbation imposing the Directory for Worship the Presbytery for Discipline and the Confession of Faith which they have published for Doctrine and in stead of Resorming have introduced Schisme It cannot be denyed but we were very zealous for the promoting of Religion and I hope still are but I feare we did not rightly understand what Religion is Certainly Religion in the most generall acceptation is that profession of Worship Discipline and Doctrine which a people hold forth to the world in the former sense it is most probable that which we call Religion was understood and that which was then intended by the generall party of the Nation was a Reformation of what might appeare corrupt and to free the people from those burdens in Ceremonies imposed which many tender Consciences could not beare But now that which we call Religion appears to me only a traditionall formall profession and is made use of only to gain parties and Factions under the specious pretence of Religion thereby to gain power to rise in Dignities for profit and honour among men This is the Religion of Rome as at this day pure State policie in which is comprehended the depth of the mystery of iniquity Such is the Religion of the Turke and many other Nations a meer emptie forme in which nothing of the power of God is and what is this alteration of Church Government Worship and Doctrine which some men so furiously pursue but the cloathing of Antichrist with a new coat changing out of one forme of the mysterie of iniquity into another But it you seriously consider you may understand that Religion is not a name but a thing not a forme but a power not a notion but a substance divine Religion consisteth in faith and workes of righteousnesse Religion is properly that inward power in the soule of a man whereby be beleeveth and is bound to God in righteousnes and holinesse the demonstration thereof manitest in acts of Justice and mercy visiting the fatherlesse and the widow and keeping unspotted from the world so much of this power a man hath so much Religion where there is none of this power there is no Religion To as many as beleeve in Jesus Christ to them giveth he power to become the Sons of God Now Sir if there be a defending of the Protestant profession let men take it in what forme they understand I beleeve it will be the best and safest making good this Ingagement Religion is not propagated by any humane power the Civill Magistrate may protect Christians in religious exercises but to compell an externall Uniformity by a coersive power seeing there is no pretended infallibility will be preposterous and more Antichristian then is the Pope himself Christs Kingdom is spirituall and propagated only by the spirit in the administration of the word without the help of humane force If the Civill Magistrate exercise impartiall justice and tollerate religious exercise it will be as much as Christians will desire As for the Lawes of the land which we are ingaged to defend I think there are very few understand what they are in generall we defend the lawes if we act according to the supreame ends thereof which is to save the people and preserve proprietie and dispence impartiall Justice and let the law have its course in Courts till there be a just alteration But if any thing appeare contrary to these ends by the judgement of the law-makers it can be no breach of this ingagement to alter the same The third particular was for the defence of the Kings person and the voyce went for the King and Parliament But it seemed a strange partadox to many how we should fight for the King fighting against his personall commands accompanied with his person the best construction J could make thereof was the rescuing him from his evill councel that led him to the ruining himselfe and the Nation and we ever made him meerly passive seduced by evill Councel but it appeareth that his Followers rather acted his councel then he theirs but seeing he is still in safety it can be no breach of this ingagement if his person be kept from destruction The next particular is the priviledges of Parliament and it were very good the people knew what they are unlimited privilidges may prove as destructive as unbounded prerogative it is reason they should be cleared and declared that future Parliaments may be prescribed likewise for their sitting and ending that they may not wrong posterities and when they are rightly stated according to reason no question but wee shall make good this ingagement so farre as may stand with the peoples freedome The fist thing called the liberty of the subject which is the only thing that can stand in competition which the Prince must of necessitie be secured from oppressing tyrants which can no better wayes be done then by giving all authority from their representative to whom all ought to be accountable they being changable by an unalterable decree having this once setled we may safely involve all in this common bottome of Parliaments unlesse this be procured we have done nothing for posteritie and I dare affirme we had better have continued under arbitrary tytrany then have contracted this miserie and oppression that the people have suffered and still lyeth upon them

Now Sir that which hindreth our peace is pride and coveteousnesse which are the roots of all grand evils and mischiefs the great men contend which shall be greatest profit and honour blind the eyes of the wise the people are divided upon these two heads the King and the Covenant to which parties are contracted and the way to compose is not compulsion but by conviction it is mercy and lenity conquers more upon iugenious spirits then austerity and force it would not be amisse to procure what shal be done for or with the King for it is against the Parliaments declared principles to keepe men in prison any longer then necessitie enforceth untill they may have a Judiciall try all and seeing wee have been under such bondage that the constitution hath provided no Judicature to judge the King and indeed he is not legally subject to the penall lawes it will be most safe therefore to referr him to divine justice which will judge righteously and to settle the government of the Kingdome for quietnesse sake with as much favour to the Prince as the publique safety will permit But as he sticketh to his former principles and parties there can be no trusting him with power without giving up your cause and subjecting your selves to the mercy of his will he may be restored to the enjoyment of a sufficient revenue beyond any particular person with his wife and children to a condition of freedome safety and peace the publique safety being first provided for and may be intrusted with power if afterwards invested therewith from a future representative in whom the fountaine of authority among men justly is and then can there be no deny all of being accountable thereto Thus may the people be secured from tytrany The Covenant which hath been insisted upon for pollitique ends and still is much pressed by the Scots J beleeve may be stuck to till the promoters dissert it without any forced construction for thein sweareing an utter extirpation of popery prelacy with all dependance on that hirarchy It will necessarily follow that all coersive power inforcing an externall uniformitie must be taken away for this is the foundation of popery this is that spirit that sitteth in the Temple of God shewing it selle to be God and exalting it selfe above all that is called God by making lawes to binde the conscience in matters of faith And by the extirpation of the prelacy with all dependance on that Hierarchie will the ordination of the Ministrie received from them become null For their dependance is on that Hierachy from whence they had their institution to the office of the ministry The Prelates dare not presse this argument because of giving advantage to their adversaries of Rome from whence they had their own sending these two arguments from the best interpretation of the Covenant will easily beat them oft from that hold we may justly defend the government of the Kirk of Scotland against any that shall inforce any thing upon them contrary thereto either in doctrin discipline or worship we may likewise endeavour to bring the Churches of God in the three Kingdomes to as neare a conformitie to the word and the example of the best Reformed Churches as is possible still provided there be no humane force or power exercised to this purpose the weapons of the christian warfare are spirituall not carnall but mighty in operation to the destroying of spirituall wickednesse in high places to the bringing of the thoughts and imaginations of mens hearts into subiection according to the mind and will of God If conscientious people were but united upon this principle it would take off all cifferences in relation to spirituall things Having taken this boldnesse to write to you of matters of such general concernment in relation to the publique Give me leave to offer my thoughts in relation to the late transaction of affaires betweene the Army and the Parliament which are but stifled for the present and will questionlesse break forth to the cleare justification of the Army and those members of Parliament that came to them or otherwise make them culpable and justifie those Members that sate with Mr. Pellam The Breach between them and us was managed by the major part of the House whose commands we disobeyed upon just grounds but came not to a resistance till our way was made more cleare by that outrage in the City Tumult which made the Speakers and our friends fly to us for succour After which there remained neare six score in and about London and Westminster and not above seventy came to the Army Now without question the interest of the Houses Authority remained with those at London For by the custome of the Kingdom the House is included by fortie men which keep their fitting according to its precedent adjournment and they remaining being the highest visible authority in the Kingdom The question will be by what authority we marched up to London in defiance to their commands to the repelling of those Hostile powers contracted by their Authority and how the Army shall be justified or vindicated in such proceedings That which giveth me quiet and peace of Conscience is from these considerations First That when a Companie or Society of men who are invested with power from God and nature to preserve themselves and the Authorities over them command things unjust which will prove their ruin if obeyed It is cleare to me necessity hath no Law they may appeale to Heaven and Earth to beare witnesse to their cause and betake themselves to the prime Lawes of nature to preserve and defend themselves and may suppresse the Authority if they persist in prosecution of things destructive to the Communicie I know no other way of breaking tyrannicall Usurpations Now it is most cleare that the Parliament put the Army upon conditions which would have proved their ruin if they had yeelded to their will For if they had renounced their just Petition and swallowed that abominable Declaration and disbanded they had been cast upon their enemies mercy for their Indempnity and to have trusted those that had acted by secret Councels with the King for setling the Rights and Freedome of the Nation which we had contended for Secondly The consideration of the unequall Elections and Constitution of the House of Commons not representing the maior part of the Nation but Elections distributed according to the will of the King and his predecessors so that those who did not consent were only bound by a power of force and the maior part not consenting are not oblieged when there being come in competition Thirdly The Houses departing from their first integrity of communicating impartial Justice by vertue of that act of continuance during pleasure grew into parties and Factions and neglected to settle the government of the Kingdom in order to the period of their sitting but rather its probably indeavoured to be perpetuall Dictators so as to deprive the Nation of that changeable Law making