than on the Title page but I suppose he did it to make the Title Page bear it's part and that it might be suitable to the rest of the Book for falshood And now I come to his contradictions and shall make his Book confute it self as I have made it confute his Title and among many take these This Fellow who was chosen into the House sate there and professeth to have been on the Parliaments part who cryes out Part 1 p 15 they have changed their Principles and affirmes that he had served the Parliament faithfully from the beginning had taken as much pains and runne as many hazards as most men in their service wherein he had lost his health and above 7000 l. of his Estate that he contented himself to serve his Country gratis Note here that he accounts the Parliament cause the Cause of his Countrey and yet is he not ashamed to maintain That the King neither ought nor could part with his Negative Voice and Militia And can any man hold this who hath served the Parliament from the beginning affirm he stands to his first Principles when the Militia and Negative Voice were the only two points in open Contest between the King and Parliament upon which the War was grounded for the King whatever he meant yet promised fair about Religion and redress of grievances Or can Clem shake hands with Pryn unlesse as Herod and Pilate once before did to Crucifie Christ again in his Members Thus he saith a Phoenix arose out of his Majesties Ashes that excellent issue of his Brain P. 2. p. 138 intituled The Portraicture of his Sacred Majesty c. a Book full fraught with Wisdom Divine and Humane yet the very first Page of that Book and the first Page of his so interfere that one gives the other the Lye For his affirms that at last by providence his Majesty was necessitated to call a Parliament That avers that he called it of his own choice and inclination as thinking the right way of Parliaments most safe for his Crown and best pleasing to his People And for my part had old Clem gon on as he here begun I would never have taxed him for falshood Behold then that unlesse lying be a piece of Wisdom Divine and Humane which yet by his practice one would be easily perswaded to believe Clem thinks he hath not only contradicted himself poor Knave but his Great Masters young Phoenix forsooth unmannerly slave But if it be such a Phoenix it arose out of some others ashes for the King was not burnt neither as yet is crumbled to dust and if it be such a Pallas yet it looks as more likely to have issued from the brain of a Mercury than a love Palladis Aves birds dedicated to Pallas For my part if I should passe my judgment I must give for the latter as the more proper comparison because the Idol's triumphant Chariot is drawn by Owles And now you may see Clems Logick is as bad as his Ethicks and that there is no more truth than manners in his Propositions For unlesse contradictories can at once be both truth Clem writes miserably false but more of this will appear in his subsequent jugling which is notorious in the very first part of his Hisiory which he stiles a Mystery of the two Iuntoe's Presbyterian and Independent Here by the way I would fain know which was the Parliament Clem served sith the Presbyterians and Independents were two Iunto's Prelatical fellowes there could not be then unlesse perjured for every Member had taken the Covenant If then the Presbyterians and Independents were two Iunto's and there was a Parliament it must consist of Prelaticall perjur'd persons or of such as Clem who were neither for any Religion any Doctrine or any discipline and so forsworn yea Atheists to boot and were there enough such in the House to constitute a Parliament indeed we may all rejoyce that the Army secluded them and need never wonder at the tricks they play'd there but we shall have occasion to speak more of this hereafter Again Behold how Clem who would be thought a great assertor of Parliamentary Privilege and rayles at the Army for secluding the Members here hath outed the major part if not all the Parliament and junto'd them for I am certain there was not one then in the House but professed himself either a Presbyterian or Independent though some in a more rigid others in a more moderate way In this Mystery he reckons up what he and his fellow Members did while in the House together with their good Lordships Committees Sequestrators Treasurers and whole rabble of Receivers Deceivers c. and all to bring an odium upon the Parliament for this part was written while Clem was in the House yea upon his ful and free Parliament as he is afterwards many times pleased to call it when it may serve his turn But the Mystery of this was to give the alarum to the second War and exasperate the people to joyn with the Cabs to destroy the Parliment and re-inthrone his great Master which was the only businesse Clem got into the House for yet read what he saith of them and though you cannot believe all yet you may finde something true and then tell me whether they deserved not to be plucked out whether they had not in the highest manner forfeited their trust and whether they were not as great Tyrants as Him they had outed They sate taxing and polling yet paid not their Forces they sate Voting one another money yet paid neither the publicke nor their own private debts but under the Privilege of Peers and Parliament men protected themselves and whom they lifted from all due processe of Law and that they might be sure to sit long enough they neither went about to restore the old or erect a new way of Government sed tempora mutantur Clem and his gang are unroosted the Army is constantly paid Free-quarter taken off the Navy trebled and well paid too many publique debts satisfied a Lord or a Parliament man must pay his too or may be sued and made to do it the Rebels called to a strict account in Ireland the Parliament cause vindicated in England Iustice executed on the Grand Delinquents in both a Common-wealth established and all honest true-hearted English-men if they will be secured from comming under the power of an enraged Tyrant For that which he objects That when ihe Parliament had 4 or 5. severall Armies the Tax was but 52000 l. that now it is 90000 l. per mensem Be pleased to consider these things 1. That London and the best affected Counties paid as much then or more because divers were under contribution to the Enemy 2. That admit all were reduced yet Freequarter was stil continued and many other assessments 3. We may affirm and that truly That the Parliament hath as many Souldiers now in pay in England and Ireland as they had then
though not under so many several Commanders and thrice as many Sea Forces 4. That the greatest part of the Delinquents fines which amounted to a very considerable sum came into their Coffers then 5. That the forces are now paid constantly and Free-quarter taken off and the Tax now lessened to 60000 l. per mensem As for the Excise Bishops Deans and Chapters Lands and the remaining Fines of Delinquents they are hardly sufficient to pay off debts charged in course and the Interest money the other had runne into as for the Customs they are not by farre sufficient to defray the charge of the shipping and thus you may see the validity of this cavil which may suffice to unfold one Mystery of this Hocus Pocus this Clem of no side for he would puzzle a man that eyes him not well to finde out what he is He rayles against the Independent party and the Army because they opposed the disbanding the Army saying their continuing in arms was a manifest act of Treason and Rebellion that a Schismaticall Faction in the two Honses complyed with them betraying and prostituting the very being honour and all the fundamentall rights and privileges of this and future Parliaments to an Army of Rebells who refuse to obey their Masters and disband Note here the Independent Members and the Army are to be rendred odious And yet he tels us That beside the City to aw the adjacent South and east Countries to suppress the remoter the Presbyterians kept up some inland Garrisons had the Scots and Pointz supernumerary Forces for the North and in the West under colour of sending men for Ireland they kept upon Free quarter and pay of the Countrey many supernumerary Rogiments and Troops most Cavaliers at least five times as many as they really intended to transport these were allwayes going but never gone something is and ever shall he wanting untill Sir Thomas Fairfaix his Army be disbanded and then it is thought the disguise will fall off and these supernumeraries appear a new Model'd Army these lewd supernumeraries most of which swear they will not go for Ireland vowing they will cut the throats of the Roundheads the Country that is amazed fearing they are kept on Free-quarter by a Cavalierish party for some Cavalierish designe Note here the Presbyterians are to be rayl'd at and those that p. 33. are the Houses who for the ease of the people Voted a disbanding of the Army are here a Presbyterian Iunto who would disband this Army to modell a new one whose Consciences shall not befoole their wits where matter of gain appears but be more pliable to their desires and be one of the Cords wherewith the Presbyterian Phaethous will drive their triumphant Chariot Note also the Lord Fairfax his Army which even now were Rebels and Traytors who abominated nothing more than to return to their old trades againe is here an Army excellently disciplined having the visible mark of Gods favour upon their actions and that the Houses are questioned nay termed a Iunto for endeavouring to disband them Lastly Note how old Clem would seem a great Enemy to Cavaliers and very fearfull of a Cavalierish designe only to ingratiate with honest men when there is not a more desperate Malignant slave in all Europe as his own Tenets do evidence as for example In his Exhortatory conclusion to the English Nation he avers That it is evident King Charls from the beginning took up desersive arms to maintain Religion Laws Libertyes and the ancient fundamentall being of Parliaments could a Digby or a Nicholas have said more could an Aulicus or a Prag have railed at and belyed the Parliament and Army more or have writ more false stories than this fellow hath done and yet O hee is affraid of the Cavaliers but this will appeare more plainly in our subsequent discourse But I wil first give you an History that you may more easily discern the mystery of this fellow This Clem when Bristol was delivered up to Rupert by Col. Fienns upon honourable terms had they been kept by that perfidious plunderer who so zelous who so active at lest in shew for the Parliament cause as this old Clem who accused the Governour of Cowardise and treachery for not defending that City to the uttermost extremity then forsooth the King who now hath the just cause from the beginning was an Enemy to be fought against to the last man and what was the mystery of this but to set our party together by the ears He knew Colonell Fiennes had many great and noble friends who had a mighty influence on the Earl of Essex his Army He knew that Sir William Waller and Sir Arthur Haflerigge were strongly fortified in the good opinion of the multitude and so hoped there would be some tugging But that Noble Gentleman Col. Fiennes whose innocency the Parliament hath since vindicated being contented to submit to the disgrace as chusing rather to fall alone than indanger his Country though in that act she might seem a stepmother frustrated the design in part though the animosities then created in the parties caused some fatall consequences as the losse in Cornwall the exasperated Souldiery being contented to behold their Rivals cudgell'd by the Common enemy Behold therefore who were the Incendiaries and what was the cause that enforced the Parliament to new model their Army it was Clem and such Blades though he would lay it on others You may see also the Mystery of Clems appearing for the Parliament and what his aim was in getting into the House He did first appear an eager opposit to the Cavaliers to get in among them where he might sit and give aim by discovering their Counsels to his great Master This Clem was one of the Setters who besides all other mischiefs were to betray those who faithfully and freely discharged their Trusts to their Country that when opportunity did serve CHARLES might call them to account as he usually did at the end of Parliaments as the commitment of Members evidently shewes which was so inseparable an attendant on Parliaments that a man may conceive CHARLES summoned Parliaments only to find out those who were not willing to be slaves that he might either cajole them or if Court-proof ruine them Thus were Savill Wentworth Culpepper and Digby whose publike Spirits seem'd Hobgoblings to tyrannicall interest conjured down by an Ave Marie and a little Court-holy-water and thus were Elliot Valentine Pym and Strode written in black Characters in CHARLS his Dooms-day Book and either to be destroyed in Prison or perpetually immur'd iron fetters being the Chains wherewith the Champions for thy freedom were rewarded O England But Clem being frustrated in this design He hath now published their Speeches to the Son adding and forging what he lists to render them obvious to the rage of an Enemy nursed up in slaughter his Fathers tyrannicall Principles and no doubt Mothers Religion Thus hath this fellow dared to violate that secresie
of their private have sav'd the publike but they must be branded by him with the Mark of wasters and destroyers of the Publique Treasure it is reward enough he thinks for any who have served the Parliament if they prosper and overcome to obtein the Title of Stubbornly stout as he rewards the Lord General Essex or of Brutish valour as the Lord Generall Fairfox If they are overpowred and will be so prudent as to make a vertue of necessity and do what they may if they cannot do what they would with the Title of Coward and Traytor as he did Col. Fines See the irrationall barbarity of this fellow who when he pleaseth will have every thing Cowardice and treachery under the degree of Desperatenesse As in Col. Nathaniell Fiennes Case and when he lists again call the most sober valour Brutish and Stubborn stoutnes but one would think one so implacable in punishing what he will pretend a breach of trust should in reason be ready to recompence a gallant discharging of it yet you see it is trechery cowardice to deliver up a Town to the late Kings forces though not tenable and upon honourable terms in one and yet in others to beat them and withstand them is service done against the King and Kingdom He tels us in this Century That he might end as he began that every Member of the House of Commons being in all 516. are by their own order allowed 4 l. a week a man which amounts to 110000 l. a year This wretch knowes they never received it unlesse some few and that in the very heat of the War whose Estates were under the power of the Enemy nay not 50. though he amplifies the number to 516. and all this he doth only to make the people believe the common Treasure was wasted on themselves you may see then the villany of this Impostour He sets also this * mark before their names whó he terms Recruiters illegally elected by the new Great Seal the power of the Army and voices of the Souldiery and are unduly returned and serve accordingly yet when the Generall Councel of Officers in their answer say That by the endeavours of some old Malignants and by practises used in new elections there came in a floud of Burgesses that are either Malignants or Newers then Clem is of another mind maintains their Elections and cryes out of breach of Privilege Of the truth of which we may judge by Clem who was one of that flood and I bleeve the top the scumme for Malignancy but if contradictons were wonders in Clems Book he had been a greater wonder worker than Simon Magus Hocus Pocus or the whole gang of Sorcerers and Iuglers But let us grant him what he saith and he will marre all for Clem â—ryane and most of the secluded Members who bawl at their outing were Recruiters how durst they they sit in the House or act as Members of Parliament and what had he or Pryn to doe to protest against the Army for secluding them who were but Milites soldiers to guard the King and House of Lords as Pryn excellently of late hath found out The Army only hindred Pryn from going to sit among the Commons whom they thought the Representative of the People and upon his snarling and ranting words detein'd him a while If he would but have desired a Pike and marched to guard the dore of the House of Lords he might have had it and leave to have stood as long as he would But to return to Clem was it not rather a breach of Privilege in Clem to offer to sit who knew he ought not than in the Army to pull him out thus you see he hath destroyed the strongest Pillar in his whole fabrick and removed the greatest block of offence nay proved that here to be the highest act of Iustice which he every where else rayls at as the highest breach of Privilege for the Army which was raised to defend the Parliament did onely free it of a multitude of intruders yea such a multitude as overpowring the rest were Iudges in their own cause and so not to be voted out by a fewer And thus you may see the Armies innocency the very bitterest Enemy himself being Iudge And now Gentlemen that this Century might not be unlike the rest of the Book he adds lying to jugling and sets his mark on Mr. Blackiston one who was a Member from the first nay he gives himself the lie in the following scandall and confesses as much saying He got himself returned by the Scotish Garrison Which lay there when this Parliament was summoned thus you see he piles them three stories high as if he were affraid he should want Room to lye in this damnable aedifice But now to leave this and come to his rayling And truly Gentlemen you will guess that he took the opportunity of some fit of the Gout or Stone that he might be mad enough to rage in the composure of this Book which is as very a compendium of snarling without modesty sence or reason as ever was comprized within the bounds of a Calves-skin but it hath allwayes beene observed that those who want truth and reason are accustomed to bluster in railing and false accusations Thus did old Sathan in his dispute with Michael thus the Heathen did aginst the Christians the Papists against the Protestants the Cabs against the Parliament and thus doth Clem deal with his betters Gentlemen read on and you will never wonder that House is called Hell which hath such a devilish Landlord Clem in his Epistle would fain cheat us into a belief that he railes not against the Body of the House or the Army when he averres That the late King had the just cause from the beginning calls them Rebells and Traytors who have overthrown Religion Laws Liberties and the ancient fundamentall being of Parliaments all which the King he saith took up defensive arms to maintain Note here he not only gives the Parliament but the late King too the lie who hath in Print avowed the contrary The Parliament in the first war he stiles two Juntoes Presbyterian and Independent who couzened pilled and poled the people consuming the publike Treasure on themselves the Members are Iuntomen Hocus Pocusses State-Mountebanks the County Committees are Zanies and Jack-puddings with him and all this when they were as he is forced to confesse a full and free PARLIAMENT The Members chosen in after the first War he stiles Recruiters who were illegally elected unduly returned and served accordingly Clem was one of these and so measures their Corne by his owne Bushell The present Parliament he calls Col. Prides Dray horses Trayters Tyrants Thieves Col Prides Parliament c. The Councel of State he calls A pack of forty Knaves this for the generall besides he hath a bout with every Member almost in particular The Lord Gen. Essex a man as mild as gallant and whose onely fault was that he was too easie to
to stand by a Parliament for the future yet he must have that at last yeelded to him when beaten which we could but have lost had he been an absolute Conqueror and all to shew the slavery of his good Vassals the Lords and Commons Thus you may see one partie departed not from their right but only in Courtesie made him a tender again of his Crowne considering He was but a man and that wilfull and stubborn and had been educated in such principles that he even sucked in Tyranny with his milke and hoping that the judgement of God to whom he had appealed by warre given against him and good Counsellers about him might have softened his Heart The other did and would have the supreme Court and whole nation as strictly bound as if he had never cut the tye in sunder making good what the Cavaliers did but aim at That a King was above Law and accountable to none but God both which they before at least seem'd to deny and then pray what were they and all that took part with them lesse than Rebels and Traytors and so we had not onely bin delivered into the hands of an exasperated enemy fleshd in blood but the power of Parliaments for ever destroyed and William Pryns Book too for ought I can see to the contrary might have been burnt under his nose intituled The Soveraign power of Parliaments Obj. 3 Again They will object That if these men being the greatest number of the House had forfeited their trust how comes it to passe we have a Parliament for the major part stands for the whole and so the whole hath forfeited Answer To this thus not to runne farre and stop a margent with quotations as Pryn hath done who maintains That the minor part standing firm to their trust are the Parliament and the major doing the contrary a faction and brings the judgment of a Parliament to confirme this in the time of Richard 2. passed upon such a party cajoled by that King and Bushie the Speaker nor to passe Tweed and shew you that it is the same case now in Scotland concerning the Hamiltonian faction in the late Invasion I shall only instance in this Parliament The King and Major part of Lords besides the Bishops themselves were against the outing the Bishops here were two Estates then having not forfeited their Trust against the Commons some of which too were Episcoparians yet the generall good requiring their outing the nice puntilio's of Privilege was laid aside and that Bill prest the fifth time by the Commons backt by the People and had been the fiftieth time had it not been passed for all they cryed out that it was un-Parliamentarie and a breach of Privilege to offer the same Bill twice the same Session In our case there was but a part of the Commons acting against the generall good a part for it and so great a part as are declared enough to make a Parliament being farre above forty and for what reason could such a Law be made but to provide in such a case that if all the rest should neglect or desert their duty yet forty standing fast might save their Countrey Quest. But it may be asked by what Law the House of Lords could be laid aside by the Commons Answer By the same Law which is the Supreme Law the generall good For consider of what use that House could be unlesse to retard and hinder all good Laws especially considering of what metall most of your Lords now are how long doe you think it would have been before an Act against Adultery and Fornication an Act against Swearing and an Act to make Lords pay their debts or their Lands to be sold should have passed them that upper House was so high that most good motions were spent and out of breath before they could get up to them and then if perchance they had the good hap to meet with a thinne House most of your Lords having other businesse to mind than the publike and so passe yet then they must packe to a King whose Prerogative two to one would whip them down again and thus O you English men Bils of publike right and interest were sent like Beggars from Constable to Constable and at last stript and whipt in a Bridewell for begging that you might be eased and set free you and your Representatives being so hampered that they were forced to beat Hemp many times whereby cords have been made to strangle your Liberties and bind your Armes Those Brave Earles and Barons the quondam Protectors of your Liberties purchased their Honors by spending their Bloud for their Countryes good not by money gotten by oppressing their Country they were engaged therefore to stand for their Countries good even to maintaine their own honour for no way better to maintain it than the same by which they gained it Those generous soules were a Terror and Curb to Tyrants not their Creatures and slavish instruments as depending upon their own worth and their Countryes Love not Kings mere creations their principles of education led them to endeavour to be Lords over not Apes unto the French and he was counted the bravest Lord who conquered most of their Men not the finest that followed most of their fashions scarres were the Ornaments of a noble face not blacke patches and hair powdered with dust and dewed with sweat and bloud not with perfum'd powders and Gesmin butter was the dress wherein Englands Nobles courted their Mistresse Heroick fame they designed their Hawking and Hunting to enable them in knowledge of passages and riding not themselvs to be Faulconers and Huntsmen whereby to learn to swear more readily their Lands were let at easie rates with some services reserved whereby their Tenants being able men might not be broken spirited and also might be obliged to attend them when their Countryes service called them forth hence came Englands valiant Yeomanrie and her bold Barons who by frequent Parliaments knew how to manage great Counsels perform worthy actions restrain and curbe Tyrannicall Monarchs These men were rather a Spurre than bridle to the Commons in all good actions proh dolor ni fuerunt at nunc spolia ampla Tyranni for a dissolute Court neglect if not discountenancing of daring and knowing men with preferring Muck-worms and low soules captivated with gilded follies hath choaked those Seeds of vertue and overspread the Garden with weeds and thistles and when a King will be a Tyrant his Lords and Courtiers must be slaves or the design will never cotten and it was easie to guess what a brood of Snakes was like to be by the Suns shining on Dunghils But to omit others there need be no argument brought to confirm this Act but that which ' Pryn hath brought against it For let us take for granted what he hath lately in Print affirmed That the King and Lords were the Parliament heretofore and so I hope by consequence had the power of the Sword and Purse too
and it wil make much for us For if our Ancestors upon feeling the inconvenience and mischief thereof could take that power of taxing from them and bestow it on their own Representatives for without doubt the major part of them parted not with it of their own accord then sure it will follow that We upon the sense of the like mischief may take away the rest unlesse it can be shewed that we onely of all Englishmen must not have that power which our Ancestors had and which is allowed to all Nations and People by the Law of Nature and Reason both which are the Lawes of God and which never commanded that a whole Nation should be oppressed to maintain the lust and riot of a few Drones Solomon bids the sluggard go learn of the Ant and why may not we of the Bee which will not suffer a Drone in the Hive that perfect Hieroglyphick natures own model of a Common-wealth Quest. Is it not a great scandall and stain to Religion to cut off the King it being contrary to the doctrine of all Protestant Churches Answer Should a Cavalier put this question I would answer by another asking whether murder and assassination be not contrary to all Christianity or Morallity either what hast thou to do then with Religion so long as the murders of thy party and their assassinations are so many But if one who is not of that party or at least hath not been heretofore propound it I shall thus reply For a private person or persons to destroy and murder their Kiing or lawfull Magistrate on pretence of Religion he being a Papist c. is disclaimed by Protestants and this to shew their dissent from the Iesuited Papists who maintaine it lawfull nay meritorious to kill a Magistrate who is an Heretick that is no slave to Rome but for a Parliament and State to call a Tyrant to account is not This Doctor Willet and Paraeus upon that place in the Epistle to the Romans be subject to the higher powérs c. hold lawfull and it is confirmed by a multitude of Protestant Divines and reasons as you may see at large in a late treatise entituled The tenor of Kings and Magistrates This King James asserts Buchanan maintains lawfull and the Protestants in Scotland practised against the late Kings Grand-mother whom they not only deposed but would have beheaded had she not fled for crimes which bore no proportion with her Grand-sons who had not only broke his Oath and forfeited his Crown but out-lawed himselfe by appealing from the Law and the Iudges of Law the Supreme Court to the Sword For the most perverse cannot deny it a full and free Parliament when he first plotted and after raised Arms against it What a ridiculous thing then is it in Pryn to bring in his old mustie Records and cases in Law for defence of Him and his title nay what a deridiculous thing is it in Him to go about to overthrow all his former works with that poor shift that they were Popish Parliaments but what if they were they had not that power as they were Popish but as they were Parliaments yea English Parliaments not as Papists but as men yea English men and sure our Parliament and we are so for undoubtedly the Protestant Religion hath not destroyed Gods image in us and made us Brutes or Slaves And now Gentlemen I hope you will discern that the Army hath not only acted according to those Principles upon which they and we first engaged to wit That the King was not above Law That the Parliament was the supreme power and not onely maker but judge of Law all declared by this Parliament and asserted by Pryn but according to the principles of Reason and that universall eternall and unalterable Law of common-safety That the present Parliament and Army have discharged their trust vindicated the power of Parliaments the Nations liberty and that cause wherein all the wel-affected and religious were engaged which had they not done what a cry of innocent bloud had ascended up against them how miserable had we been and in what a slavish condition Consider whether we had not been had they don as the rest of the secluded Members in the same condition our Ancestors were in the the time of Richard 2. when in a Parliament 19th year of him adjourned to Shrewsbury the Major part of Lords wrought upon by the King and of the Commons by Bushie the Speaker looking onely upon the Kings Interest deserted the Common-weale then followed the blank Charters and those other horrid extortions which you may read and weep over in the Chronicles and then suffered those Lords and Gentlemen who had stood faithfull to their Countrey Thus might we have seen those and worse cruelties not only acted against our Civill Liberties but our Religion also and have lamented and wrung our hands over the Graves of those Worthies whom he had seen betrayed to the unmerciful Sword of an enraged Tyrant yea and cried out of and curst both Parliament and Armies treachery whose faithfullnesse now we so exclaime against And now having briefly runne through these give me leave to speake a word or two to some scruples cast into the ballance to make this Common-wealth seeme wanting in its just weight Object And first it is objected That this is rather a Military Tyrannie set up and maintained by the Sword than a just and lawfull power and therefore in Conscience it cannot be obeyed though in things indifferent nay lawfull and necessary Answer 1. To this first I shall thus reply That if this may be pleaded all Governments in their beginnings might be denyed which have allwayes been thus established and the Sword committed to the publike Ministers or Ministers of State to cut off all who shall goe about to overthrow the Government if this Plea therefore be admitted no Government could lawfully have been obeyed 2. That in our case it was impossible for any man to have expected any other for if either part prevail'd it must be by the Sword that being once appealed unto especially if we consider the malice and trechery of the Enemy which would suffer no safety longer than they could be kept at the Swords point how unhandsomely then can such an exception come from those who with might and maine called upon the people to come in to aide the Parliament yea and engaged them by Covenant to endeavour with their lives and fortunes a Reformation Suppose the King had agreed to the Propositions and been set up to hawk hunt bowle and play at Tennis whilst the Parliament managed the great and publike affairs had not this been by the Sword which not only captivated his Body but forced his minde to yeeld to part with those things which he esteemed above the bloud of so many thousands yea his very owne what would the power of the Militia have been in the Parliaments disposing other than a maintaining the Government by the Sword surely then
because that interest is not set up which these men would have only causes this objection whose basis is founded upon impossibility whereupon none can build but such as erect Castles in the air 3. Again that it is the highest imprudency for any to surmise that the Parliament when they had beaten the Enemy in the field should presently cashiere their Forces for besides the restlessenesse of the Enemy with their parties in Ireland and Scotland they were Natives not driven out but only disarmed who not only lived among us and so at hand but were so false that no tie could hold them from endeavouring our and our causes ruine how many after compositions made and oathes taken never to bear armes against the Parliament have broken both unlesse therefore they would have an Enemy first be exasperated and then us to lay our throats bare to their revengefull rage they must be ashamed of this objection which the second war is enough to confute where the Parliament cause had been utterly destroyed had it not been for the Army Lastly let one of these Objectors tell me why a Reformation gained and maintained by the Sword in England is so unlawfull which in other places is so just and pious These Objectors themselves would account that man a Papist or Popishly affected who should thus reproach the Protestants in Bohemia Germany Switzerland France the Vnited Prrvinces and Scotland yet did these maintaine their Religion and gain their Liberties by the Sword by this the Switzers cantoniz'd themselves and the Dutch became a Free-state by this the Protestant Religion was defended and the Presbyterian Government first setled in Scotland their Queen being deposed and forced to sue to save her Head for opposing it and by this the Kirk now again repaired when Episcopacy and Popery had well neare levell'd Her Lastly by this the Hamiltonian Parliament was expell'd and the present Rulers set up in Scotland For it was the Sword of our Army set them in the Saddle and the Sword of their Army that kept them in it which for this purpose hath been so often purged and re-purged by the Kirks importunity to maintein her against all her Maligners sure then though the Sea may alter the case in the rest yet methinkes a small River cannot make such a difference but that the same actions may be warranted by the same reason And now having been bold to passe Tweed I meet with another Objection Object That the sending the Army of England into Scotland is a breach of the large Treaty and Covenant and against the rules of Christianity to Invade our Neighbours thus by an offensive War Answer Though the Scots invading us taketh off the first Charge untill it be proved That Scotland had liberty to break and England still to remain bound and the Parliaments and Armies Declarations have not only shewed the equity but necessity of thus doing for this Common-wealths mere defence yet for to stop foul mouths I shall adde something 1. The Parliament could not discharge their Trust to their Countrey should they sit still and look on untill the Scots strengthened with forein aids and home-bred conspiracies and insurrections might break again in upon us robbing spoyling ravishing and murdering according to their old wont Our Merchants in the mean while being robbed our Agents assassinated and the Trade of England ruin'd by the Scots Kings instruments which are boulstered out by the Scots complying with him and promising his restauration many foreiners winking at them because doubtfull of our successe 2. What thoughts could forein Princes and States have of the Parliament should they see them maintaining a standing Army at a vast charge in England onely to wait untill the Scots please to come and invade us which besides the charge to the undoing the so late Scot-plunderd Northern Counties must weaken their repute abroad as not daring to look upon the Scots untill they shall please to force them to it Nay would not they be accounted men of little courage and lesse understanding to suffer the Scots to increase their strength reputation and provisions from abroad and not now endeavour to prevent them when their friends in France are not in a capacity to ayde them nor their Kings Pyraticall Cozen with his revolted robbers in a possibility to prey for them and when indeed the nipping this Scotch designe in the bud will be the only means to perswade Portugall and other Neighbours to use us more civilly Object But it may be replyed That the Scots intended us no hurt and would be quiet if so be we would let them alone Answer That the Scots intended to Invade us is as clear as that the Sunne shineth at Noon-day they having not only proudly engaged to seat their King in the Thrones of the other two Nations but already saucily proclaimed Him King of Great Britain and Ireland as if the Committee of Estates and Kirk of Scotland had a power of making Kings over and giving Laws to other Nations May not those they term Sectaries justly suspect them guilty of an Antichristian spirit now when they arrogate that power to themselvs which none but the Pope by all Protestants agreed to be the Antichrist the Man of Sinne usurped except the Devill whose carriage to our Saviour was not much unlike theirs to their King both shewing the Kingdoms of the Earth and the glory of them and saying all these will we give thee if thou wilt fall down and worship us yet let them take heed lest they be found lyars like him Crownes and Scepters being onely in Gods disposing who telleth us that it is he gives Nations Kings in his wrath though their King be not able to withstand the Temptation Montrosse and the Irish Rebels being defeated and no apparent hope of any supplies from his most Blessed Father the Pope whom he hath by his Agent so dutifully asked blessing as yet appearing But though these Reasons should be thought insufficient yet now God hath made their intent manifest by Londonns Letters by which it appears that they had not only a designe to invade us but expectations if not assurances of a party here which would second them And now the Scots have thus done and the premises considered what shadow of reason appears to the contrary but that we for our own defence may serve them as they did us and enter Scotland with our Army as they did England with theirs a little before this Parliament begun that they were invited in by any in Authority is false it may be they had private well-wishers and so no doubt have we now of the Godly party among them which when the cloud is past which now hangs over them will appear But now before I conclude I shall crave leave to speak a word or two and that 1. First to the Scots whose Committee of Estates and Kirk I would intreat to be so farre Christians as to pull the beam out of their own eyes before they meddle
Respublica Anglicana OR THE HISTORIE OF THE PARLIAMENT In their late PROCEEDINGS WHEREIN The Parliament and Army are vindicated from the calumnies cast upon them in that libellous History of Independency and the falshoods follies raylings impieties and blasphemies in that Libell detected The Necessity and lawfullnesse of secluding the Members laying aside the King and House of Lords is demonstrated The Lawfullnesse of the present power is proved and the just and necessary grounds of the Armies march into Scotland are represented Published for publicke satisfaction The Author G W Lege Perlege Judica LONDON Printed by F. Leach for George Thompson dwelling at the sign of the White horse in Chancery-lane 1650. To the Reader OUr Ancestors would have rejoyced might they have had but the libertie under their Kings to have folowed Truth at the heels without danger of their teeth and have allowed a little Courtship in an History to the present Prince for such a favour but now there is a sort of men that nothing can content unlesse they may tread on truth's heels and trample upon the present Governours may and this sort should another but term such Kings Tyrants will flie in his face whilst themselves will reproach the present Governors with Tyranny and what not because they may not have licence to abuse them and Truth too in their scurrilous Pamphlets yet such is the wisdome of our times that such as these are the only vendible and cryed up writers as if Liberty consisted in crying up Tyranny and defaming those that resist it A second sort we have and they forsooth are all for the old way all truths with these are Puritanical Brownisticall Anabaptisticall and Schismatical which have not been entailed on by them their Grandsires Religious and civill Government must be a Gentleman of 3. descents like a Knight of Malta or it must not be admitted into their order a right worshipfull tenent for such who arrogate solely to themselves the name Protestant But say they our fore-Fathers were wiser than we and we will follow them we grant they were for they embraced the Truth and would not be scared by the bugbear of Novelty had they cryed out for the old way how had these Youths ever have had any title to the Protestant Religion the Masse was as ancient then as the Common-Prayer Book now and Priors Abbots and Monkes as Prelates Deanes and Prebends yet at the first dawning of truth they chased away those Bats and Owles and the new light appearing was embraced not scorned so that the dark shaddowes of Ignorance and Superstition vanished and the ferall Birds of Night were put to flight These were the worthy actions of our Protestant Ancestors whom these old-way-Men will needs imitate forsooth by acting the quite contrary A third sort are those who know not what they would have they would have a King and they would not they would have the Parliament prevaile and yet the Scotch and Irish designes must not be defeated they will have the Privilege of Subjects yet not perform the duties of Subjects and receive protection yet not return subjection and is it not an hard case that their wishes and wills are not accomplished which being onely contradictory may so easily be reconciled and a great persecution that all men are not compelled to be of their minde The last sort are a Rabble which think no man can be religious who is not of all Religions with whom it is Antichristanisme not to deny Christ infidelity to beleeve the Scriptures and he hath not the Spirit who excludes not the Holy Ghost the Holy Trinity with these it is sin to abstain srō sinne and he the least who is the grossest sinner but I abhor to mention these Champions of Hell who war against Satan by being of his black Guard And now sith every one will have his humour though never so ridiculous and wicked I hope I may have the favour to enjoy my conscience though I differ from all or any of these crotchets Suppose I conceive I am bound to praise God and be thankfull to Authority that I may write truth without fear of halter pillory or whip now when I can remember as young as I am that to call a Spade a Spade was counted no lesse than Treason as also that I abhor to play the knave to please fools or to tickle their ears by lyes bite and railings scratch all that are wiser honester and more generous than such dull animalls must I therefore be thought not worth the reading Suppose I conceive I am bound to prefer naked truth before error though she be brought in with the sound of English Organs or Scotch Bag-pipes arrayed in a Surplice Rochet Cope and Miter with tagg ragge and bob-taile cringing and bowing to her As also to make the Scriptures rather my Guide than mens traditions and inventions and to receive that as the good and old way which the ancient of dayes commands me to walke in must I therefore be no Protestant but a Novellist Suppose I conceive that all powers that are are of God that I ought to pray for Magistrates that I may live a godly and peaceable life under them that I am bound to give subjection in all lawfull things where I receive protection must I therefore be a Traytor and seditious person Supose I conceive I cannot keep the Covenant wherein I vowed to defend Religion and Liberty by endeavouring to set up the Enemy of both for my own private Faction or Interest to endeavour to bring all Delinquents to consligne punishment without respect of Persons by respecting the person of any man to endeavour a Reformation according to the word of God which is preach and baptize not perfecute and force that I cannot see any Justice in hanging up the Sword and worshipping as Sacred the Murderer that I cannot attaine to comprehend that mystery of maintaining Parliamentary privilege by destroying or suffering to be destroyed Parliamentary power for ever of keeping the Lawes by making them act contrary to their end the generall good of crying out of persecution because I may not force others to be of my opinion though they equally detest with me all Heresie and Blasphemy must I therefore be a Covenant Breaker a Sectary a favourer of Heresie and Blasphemy Sure such Language as this will never appear true English though interest may alter the case in Scotch but though it doe I care not for I am an English man and desire to appear so both in my language and interest the Liberty I engaged for was that of my own Countrey and in preserving that I shall endeavour to dash all Scotch and self interest in peices not that I abhor or hate the persons of the Scotch but because it is my duty to love and serve my Countrey And truly so farre am I from hating that Nation that I wish our Sectaries as they term them may be as diligent to instruct them in Liberty as their
which should be sacred among Members of the House and to accuse Members for what they did in the House though he bawl against the Army for impeaching the 11. Members upon actions in the House and decryes it as the greatest breach of privilege and violation of the Covenant and yet he averrs He hath adventured to vindicate our Religion Laws and Liberties with his pen in pursuance of the Covenant as if it were lawfull for him to say and do any thing it is a breach of Covenant in the Army it is a pursuance of it in him Blush ye Heavens and tremble O Earth at the dismall impudence of this Wretch who dares thus openly take that Covenant in his mouth and professe to have taken it which he so horribly hath broken as may thus appear 1. He every where cries up the most desperate Anti-covenanters as Montrosse one whom the whole State and Kick of Scotland have sentenced as the most bloody Excommunicate Traytor and Rebell 2. He admires and praises Hamilton who by a Malignant Faction and force overswayed the Parliament of Scotland exercising the highest tyrauny and oppression over those Covenanters who would not joyn with him in that horrid violation of the Covenant the Invasion of England and conjunction with Langdale and his desperate crue of Anti-covenanters yea and justifies that action 3. He averres it was a vain thing to desire the late King to take the Covenant who could not take it but he should prophane Gods name and ferswear himself 4. He professes himself opposite both to the Presbyterians and Independents as the common disturbers of the Church railes against the Presbyterian Ministers and the Assembly calling them wicked Simons that slander the godly Onias to out him of his Priests place 5. He jeeres them and their Government saying The popish Clergy draw all civill affairs publike and private under their jurisdistion and cognizance quatenus there is peccatum in all humane actions the Presbyterians quatenus there is scandalum what oddes peccatum is the Mother scandalum is the Daughter Thus he is not ashamed to abuse the most sacred tie a Solemn oath what regard then is to be given to his counterfeit pretence of making a conscience of Oaths all those positive and absolute articles which contein the main end of the Covenant are nothing with him but that clause for preservation of the Kings Person though limited with a subordination to Religion and Liberty is so sacred because for his turne that it must be kept though contrary to the words as well as meaning even in destruction of Religion and Liberty Thus having mocked God he descends to abuse men and those not of the ordinary sort but Members of Parliament the High and Supreme Court as in his Century which he stiles A List of the names of the Members of the House observing which are Officers of the Army contrary to the self-denying Ordinance together with such summes of money Offices and Lands as they have given to themselves for service done and to be done against the King and Kingdom This is a rare fellow to professe he hath served the Parliament faithfully and that he hath not changed his Principles but should we admit it to be as he saith may not the house dispense with one of their own Ordinances but behold the jugler For first there was not one Member continued in command but the now L. Gen Cromwell and that upon the entreaty of the Army yet he writes as if they had their commands still The Ordinance did not say every one that had a Command should leave the House but that every one of the House should leave their Commands and so they did Here is one juggle Then he musters a great many who have been chosen into the House since the Ordinance and end of the first Warre and had commands in their severall Counties whose commands ceased of course and where are these touched in the Ordinance Others there are who being Officers of the Army were admitted into the House upon the late elections and never questioned for their commands but this peremptory wrech who would seem to understand the Ordinance better than the whole House that made it yet knows wel enough the reason of that Ordinance as having had a great hand in working the mischief which that was made to prevent The emulations of our severall Commanders had nigh ruin'd all there was no way better to remove the difference and quench the flame than by calling home all from command thus none could plead an injury his Rivall being in the same capacity with himself this was done and it proved excellent physick but the cure being done what need of the medicine Sure this Fellow himself would think that man mad that should rail to see another that is recovered leave his physick potions especially with his Doctors Licence and yet this this Bedlam doth For the Offices they were void some by death others by Delinquency and is it not more just more beneficiall for the publike yea more like a Parliament to bestow than sell places but the wretch bought his in the Exchequer and envies therefore at the good of his Neighbours who did not so And if it be fitter to bestow than sell publike Offices to whom could they better give such than to honest men and whom could the Parliament be more confident of than such whose integrity and love to their Country was seen by them every day both in their Speeches within dores and actions without and truly I am induced to thinke the better of their choice because I finde not Clem in the Lift For if we cannot say that no Knaves get Offices yet we may affirme that all Knaves did not as for Example old Clem's mouth is not stopt For money and Lands was it not the highest justice to reward those Gentlemen who had suffered out of the Estates of such upon whom his great Master had bestowed theirs besides what thing so barbarous so greedy so envious so like old little tutchy Clem would accuse a Parliament for rewarding their Members for their valor and fidelity in defending their Conntryes liberty His great Master could make Rupert Duke of Cumberland for murdering and plundering in England Montrosse a Marquesse for killing and and robbing in Scotland and Antrim a Marquesse for joyning with the Rebels in Ireland besides this beggarly fellow a Lord that a Baronet another a Knight and bestow honest Gentlemens estates on them yet we hear nothing of this Clem makes no Centuries of them Alas Digby deserved to be Secretary for penning so many Declarations wherein God and man were mocked in Print as much as in Clems book and Nichols merited as much for lying as fast as Clem for his great Master But the Parliament cannot bestow a reward on those who have ventured their lives and fortunes in their Countryes defence who have thought nothing too dear to part with for Religion and Liberty who with the hazard
Marginall Notes to it to prove the Sacrament a converting Ordinance nay and might dance about the May-pole or be drunk again in the afternoon for a baudy Court or so alas it was but paying a monethly tax to it's Officers and he could keep a VVench or two for all the Churchwardens yet how doth Clem pine at a monethly tax now why Clem Liberty and Lechery begin both with one Letter It may be a Bishop was a Lord Keeper or Treasurer and he being unmarried would fell justice and places cheaper than Lay-men which was a great ease to Clems tender Conscience besides those good Oniases never disturbed Athiesticall prophane fellowes Had old Clem lived from Augustine the Monks time to little Lands I would have warranted him from their courts paying his tax abovecited I mean It was a Puritan a man who had some fear of God delight in his Ordinances and a little too much Conscience than to become a Protestant at large id est a Papist Royall one who owed no duty to any but slavery to his King of his outward to the Patriarck of Canterbury of his inward man and what was this to Clem who stuck in the Prelats stomacks yet Clem whilst your mind runs so on your good Oniases remember a little the Covenant but what is an Oath to a Cavaleer especially an old one Of the Assembly he saith The Houses abolish as superstitious because legall the Convocation of Learned Divines they are learned and Divines who even now in all ages were Iaccho's in practise at least regularly summoned by the Kings Writ and duely elected by the Clergy and the House of Commons nominates an Assembly of Gifted Divines who would think an old fellow who hath got so much money by an Office in the Exchequor would think the worse of gifted men indeed Wicked Simons who slander the Godly Onias to out him of his Priests place This old piece of Apocrypha railes at the Houses though by his Confession a full and free Parliament and for whose service he ventured and spent so yet he neither lyes nor changes his Principles Then at all the Assembly men who were the learnedst of all parties and lastly knits up with a notorious lye that the House of Commons nominated that is onely when the Lords he knows nominated proportionably to the Commons Again They daub up all with the untempered Mortar of hypocrisie by their Rabbies of the Assembly This Iew may live long enough and write too before he will deserve the Title of Rabbi But his fury ceases not here all Ministers that ever were for the Parliament must come under old Lashers whip He calls them ' Pulpit-Devills who transformed themselves into Angels of Light Pulpit Inceudiaries with whom had an Order been taken from the beginning they had never kindled a War between the King and Parliament they curst Meroz and neutrality so long till they brought Gods curse on the Land and put both Church and Common wealth into a flame You Gentlemen have a care you see if the Pretender should get in upon whom the Cabs will lay the Load if you should pray or Plot him in I beleeve you will hardly have any singing daies unlesse at the Gallowes Nay his malice passes Tweed The Kirk or General Assembly of Scotland he calls a few ambitious pedanticall Churchmen The Ministers whom sometimes he would seem to claw yet his malice is so great he cannot hold now but he must scratch he calls Clergy-Impostors Zealots imployed by Argyle to asperse those that did oppose him as if they were fallen from their first love turned Enemies to the cause of Christ had with Demas embraced this present World with many more jeers and revilings cast upon them the Marque of Argyle and all the Presbyterian party together with prayses conferred on Hamilton Montrosse c. And this is all the Kirk will get by dandling the Royall Babie on her knees to wit to have her eyes scratch'd out by it and it's play-fellows when they are high enough to reach Her And now as if it were beneath him onely to lye say and un-say slander and revile he adds blasphemy and abusing of Sacred VVrit to fill up the measure of his iniquity Thus saith this wretch God blesse all honest men from the light of Olivers countenance Again At last the Spirit of the Lord called up Oliver Cromwell who standing a good while with lifted up eyes as it were in a Trance his neck a little enclining to one fide as if he expected Mahomets Dove to descend and whisper in his Ear foh this smels of the Character of a London Diurnall what Clem dost thou make no more conscience of robbing the Cabs of this jests than honest men of their good names and sending forth abundantly the greans of the spirit who can but groan to heare this spent an hour in Prayer and an hour and an halfe in a Sermon more time than Clems Godly Oniases spent in those Dutyes in a yeare From thus abusing the Spirit he falls upon the Saints and this wretch who calls the keeping a Guard in the lower part of Pauls a place never employed in any religious performance and where the baudy and such like Courts were kept a making the House of God a Den of Theeves here dares defile the living Temples of the Holy Ghost the Saints endeavouring to render that glorious title wherewith God hath honoured his Elect abominable in the eyes of the people Thus he saith The Knaves lyed like Saints it is a particular privilege for the Saints to lie without sin or at least without imputation of sin Alchimie Saints trayterous tyrannous theevish Saints Reprobate Saints beware Hornes a Bull a Bull Bloody cheating Saints though this br Godly nnd Saint-like dealing yet this is not plain nor fair dealing These are the acts of the Godly to make innocency it self seem nocent if all should be self-denying men there would be few Godly men left in the house The Godly Gang Godly cut-throats Canniball Saints with much more which I omit Now it can be no excuse for this wretch to say he means such as only stile themselves Saints For suppose a crafty man should desire to cloath his black deeds with that white rayment therefore must he defile it his Bible teaches him not to rayl at and abuse Angels of light because the Devill sometimes assumes their shape or to worry sheep because ravening woolves creep in their cloathing But behold this wretch dares defie the very name of Saint as if holiness were a crime Take heed O Belzebub lest he get the Lordship of thy Hell too and be preferred to command in chief as being the more daring Fiend In fine he summs himself up and gives an epitome of his vilanous tenents in this insuing piece viz. I do hereby declare and protest before that God that made me a man and not a beast and therefore you will make your self one a freeman and not a slave That
him and this to render him unable to raise commotions or hinder just and necessary Lawes for they knew by often tryal of his breach of Trust Promise and Oath that it would be impossible to have Him good unlesse they made it impossible for him to do mischief He on the other side was as busie endeavouring by all the Clandestine Plots and conspiracies He could to ruine them and in them the Power of PARLIAMENTS and Freedome of the English Nation but when He saw this would not doe but that they grew daily deeper rooted in the peoples affection He resolved to cast the utmost chance and by fine force to oppresse them Hereupon fears and Tumults are pretended that He might withdraw and being got out of Town with His eldest son He hies to York where nothing was left undone either by Declarations and Protestations in publique promises and flatteries in private to draw away the People the Queen and Crown Iewels being packt into Holland to provide money arms and ammunition Vpon this growing confident of His power He proclaims the Parliament and their adhaerents Traytors and Rebels sets up His Standard against them and then that He might seem to desire peace sends a Message for a Treaty The PARLIAMENT Answer That He had done that which never any evill Councell produced in former times or any age seen that he had declared a Parliaments actions treasonable and their persons Traitors and thereupon had set up His Standard against them whereby He had put the Parliament and in them the whole Nation out of His protection and that untill His Standard was taken down and those Declarations and Proclamations were recalled He had put them in such a condition that whilst they so remain'd they could not by the fundamentall Privileges of Parliament the publike trust reposed in them or with the generall good or safety of this Nation give Him any other answer Thus to fighting they fall He after he had murderd many thousands and rob'd and plunder'd most parts is beaten and taken Captive The Parliament upon a charitable conceit that He might be better His evil Counsellors being removed send Him Propositions again and again which are still refused The Army also whilst in their custody dealt with Him by all perswasive means giving Him more liberty of converse yet all to no purpose Whereupon The PARLIAMENT finding Him the evill Counsellor a setled and obstinate Tyrant Vote No more addresses to Him and Declare They will settle the Nation without Him But He having taken advantage of the Liberty allowed Him had so sown His tares and scattered His Commissions that there sprung up a second War on all parts in England and Wales Scotland also by the consent of their Parliament under the conduct of Hamilton breaking in upon us contrary to the large Treaty and their so pretendedly esteemed Covenant hereupon many of the most resolute Lords and Gentlemen being abroad upon imployment the Parliament being laid at by Petitions which his favorers every where promoted some for feare others for favour and a third sort for envy recalled their Vote and appoint another Treaty their good Lordships all this while refusing to delare Hamilton a Traytor and his Army Enemies whom the Kirk of Scotland had sentenced as the violaters of the large Treaty and Covenant the breach being so apparent and their party beside having not the managing of it in chief At length God having subdued the Enemy by his blessing the endeavours of the Army which he owned every where in an especiall manner and the King refusing this last time to grant the Propositions The Army being sensible as being eye-witnesses of the miseries and slaughters brought upon their Country daily for the Interest of one man who had out-lawed himself and forfeited his Crown Petition the Parliament to stand to their former Vote and settle the Nation without Him but finding that there was a great part most if not all the Lords and many Commons who had not only betrayed their Trust but would also betray their Countrey and deliver up all the honest party into the hands of an enraged Enemy they resolve to bring their assistance to them which stood faithfull to that cause for which they were raised and sworn to defend and so secluded some who were most active for Him And now I desire to know what breach of Privilege this could be to exclude the House such who by the judgment of the parliament As in the Answer August 1642 forecited appears and that passed in the sight of God and men had contrary to the fundamentall Privileges of Parliament the publike trust reposed in them and the generall good and safety of the Nation not only treated with but voted his denyall of their Propositions a ground for Peace who had his Standard up then in the Revolted ships and in Ireland against them whereby they were Traytors and Rebels in his thoughts actions too in an incapacity to treat by their own confession could not oblige him to keep any thing had he granted it especially he being in duress under restraint as he did imply in one of his last messages But should you ask by what lawfull authority the Army could call them to account who were their superiours and how without breach of privilege exclude them I shall thus answer In all actions the end is the chief and most desirable but the means only as they tend to the attaining it are to be esteemed and exercised the end is the generall good which consists in the Liberties and Freedome of the people to attain this end Parliaments were instituted as the most apt means by our wise Ancestors and to preserve these meanes and by these the end endued with many and high privileges that so those high Courts being inviolable they might without fear discharge their high Trust Now in this cause we were and all good men also ought in all times to be engaged to preserve this Parliament and it's Privileges in order to the common good and when this could not be done but by our swords we engaged to draw them among us were many rotten Members which endeavoured to destroy the publike weal of the body politick to cut off these which were uncurable by any other remedy this Army was raised according to that golden rule Immedicabile vulnus Ense recidendum est ne pars syncera trahatur and they lopt off many of the first and palpable infected ones yet some remaining they did infect others and that so dangerously that unlesse they were cut off the whole body was in apparent danger now none could do this but the Army which were the Surgeons and appointed for such actions they did it as they ought to do it being their proper work for the excluded Members relying upon their number did act contrary to their trust our Liberties and the fundamental privileges of Parliament how then can any superstructory Privilege be pleaded by or for them who had
not only ruin'd the fundamentall ones but were fully bent to destroy this Parliament upon whose good or bad success the very being of Parliaments did depend as upon them the Liberties and freedome of the people for that morning they were excluded they went with a resolution to adjourn the Parliament for a long time which act in that unsetled time must have proved an utter dissolution and of this the Army were certainly and fully informed and by Gods goodnesse had three dayes time to consult what to doe which had the others not given them they might in all probability have brought that wicked design to passe before they could have been informed or resolved Let glory be given therefore to that God who and who alone was able to turne the Councell of those Achitophels into folly yea to their own destruction and let wretches jeer at providence which hath so oft confounded them And now what rationall man but wil smile to hear men plead Parliamentary privilege to protect them in destroying a Parliament as if fences which were made to keep Hogs out of Corn ought to be used only in defending them from the Mastives when gotten in that so they might root up and destroy all The Army therefore in my judgment are so farre from breach of Covenant and duty in this act that I shall conclude They had broke both had they not done it for they were bound by duty and covenanted to maintaine the Liberties and freedom of the people and the privileges of Parliament and this they could never have performed by suffering an apostate Faction in Parliament to destroy the Parliament upon which depended both Parliament privilege and English freedom Let then all who are faithfull to their Countrey and Covenant eccho out an Enge to this act though blind and purblind wretches have decryed it with an Apage This for breach of Privilege for the other By what Law they did it I answer by the same Law by which they were raised and before continually acted even by Authority of Parliament to defend our liberties and in order to them this Parliament against all that should go about to overthrow them and destroy this for it being apparent that the Enemies had appealed to the Sword force was ordered to represse and subdue them unlesse then the power of Parliament be denyed lawfull or it be proved that the Army had no such power derived to them which can never be done the Generals Commission and Parliaments Ordinance evincing the contrary it must be yeelded That they had a particular Law for what they did besides the general of Common-safety But had they had none yet you may consider Necessity hath no Law and that there was no other gentler remedie left them appeares before by which they might hinder the dissolution of the Parliament and destruction of that cause they were bound to preserve even with the death of all opposers Lastly had all particular written Lawes been against them yet were these to give place and bow when common safety doth enter and ascend the Throne under penalty of breaking natures and reasons high and just Oath of Supremacy confirmed also to Englishmen by many maxims of their written Lawes as 1. The Generall inconvenience is more to be regarded in Law than a particular mischief if then any particular Law must give place with a mischiefe to prevent a generall inconvenience it will much more follow that the same must be done to prevent a generall mischief and what mischief could be greater or more generall than universall slavery and remedilesse bondage and it is the greatest reason that particular Lawes should be dispensed with on this ground for they subsist but in order to the generall good and are made by Men to that end which yet being but men can only provide for the present but cannot foreknow ensuing inconveniences 2. Whatsoever written Law contradicteth the Law of God nature and reason it is ipso facto void Now as all men are commanded to defend their Countryes and their own freedom by all these for unlesse they should they would sinne against their very Creation so especially we Englishmen who besides these generall ties have the Oath of God as some term it who I fear make use of it only for the God of this world their own gaine the Covenant and other engagements obliging us to this duty but most of al the Army who had a particular cal to this work out of the many thousands of our Israel And now I hope I have given some satisfaction concerning this point I shall endeavour the same in answering other objections Obj. 1 It may be objected that we argue ex falso supposito and falsely suppose that they had forfeited their trust and that the late King intended to destroy our Liberties Answer I shall begin with the latter clause That this was the Kings intention may be proved by an undenyable argument drawn from experience of his former and latter doings nay he was so far from not intending it that he scorn'd to promise or grant them to us He I say who neither regarded his Grants Promises or Oathes in former Parliaments who when he seemed most to comply and past the best Bills openly this Parliament then had the most dangerous privat plots to ruine the Parliament as the design of the English French Scotch and Irish Armies discovered and confest by his owne Instruments and printed at large will shew yet now at last though he had the pretence of duresse restraint and lying under a force to evade all refused all he was so assured of his good vassals in both Houses can any think that he who to omit his former tyrannies which require a volumne dared to proclaime a Parliament Traytors set up a standard against them spoyle rob and murder three Nations and when beaten and captiv'd deny their just Propositions had he had power durst not have done any thing For their forfeiture of trust their own words prove it for they tteated with him though he had not taken down his Standard nor recalled the Declarations wherein they and in them the whole Nation were declared Traytors Obj. 2 But then says one had all the Parliament yea the Army it self forfeited theirs who did the same Answer For this I have said something before as that a charitable conceit that he might change his evill Counsell being removed caused them to trye as also to shew the world how unwilling they were to take the forfeiture if he would give any reasonable satisfaction but there is a vast difference between the others proceedings these as if a Parliament and Nation had been but things for a Tyrant to trample on as if Oaths bound them but not Him as if they might be Traytors He could not when He would not yeeld yet Voted we must be content with what he would be pleased to grant as if all the bloud and treasure had been spent only to terrifie the people for daring