so fully satisfactory and abundantly sufficient for our Weal and safety against all future Dangers and Encroachments on our Liberties that if we conjoyn them with those other acts the KING hath already consented to this Parliament We can neither desire nor expect any additions to make us more compleatly happy and secure then any people or Kingdome under Heaven The KING hath already by Acts of Parliament condemned and suppressed Ship-money his owne Monopoly of making Gunpowder and Saltpetre Fines for Knight-hood Impositions upon Merchants goods Tonnage and Poundage without grant by Parliament Coat and Conduct money Forrest bounds and Laws the grand grievances under which we groaned heretofore so as we need never feare their revivals nor any others of that nature Especially since we have the Nomination of all great Officers and Iudges the chiefe promoters of them Besides by Act of Parliament hee hath for ever suppressed the Bishops sitting and voting in Parliament a great disadvantage to him they commonly voting what he pleased and being wholly at his devotion together with the three Grand Oppressive Courts and shops of Tyranny Oppression and Injustice in the Kingdome the great Terrors of Mens Spirits the Invaders of their Rights Members Liberties the chiefe inlargers and maintainers of an unlimited prerogative and Authors of all our late illegall projects pressures the Starchamber the HIGH COMMISSION and COUNCELL TABLE the Kings chief Engines to scrue up his Prerogative to the highest and lay his Subjects lowest to which a fourth is since added in this Treaty the Court of Wards All which being totally abolished the KING hath now no Court nor instrument left that I can thinke of whereby to injure or oppresse his people as in former times The oppressions likewise and extortions of the stannary Courts and of Clerkes of the Market are rectified by acts this Session yea this Parliament by Act perpetuated without any power in the KING to adjourne and dissolve it till all concurre to dissolve it by an Act of Parliament and when this shall be so determined for our future security and redresse of all growing mischiefs which may endanger us there is a provision by another Law for a Triennall Parl. with power to summon it in case of the Kings refusall without him or his writ and authority for the Houses to sit for a convenient time sufficient to redresse all grievances punish all publike Offenders and settle usefull Lawes without dissolution or adjournment To which I may adde the Act of Oblivion Pacification and union with our Brethren of Scotland Upon granting of four of which Acts alone the House of Commons in their Remonstrance of the State of the Kingdome 15 December 1641 did with much thankefulnesse acknowledge that His Majesty had passed more good Bils at that time to the advantage of the Subjects then have been passed in many ages And if he shall now accumulate all the fore-mentioned Propositions turned into Acts to those already enacted with some few Laws more for the regulating of some grievances and corruptions in the Common Law the punishing and restraining of some publike mischiefs and crimes and punishment of Extortions which will be readily assented to there being no losse or prejudice to the Crowne in passing them We may through Gods blessing in all humane probability if our sins deprive us not of so great a felicity be the freest happiest securest most flourishing and best ordered Kingdom and People in the World and injoy such priviledges and immunities as our Ancestors never so much as once imagined much lesse aspired after And if we will not now rest satisfied and thankfully contented with all these large extraordinary Concessions and blesse God for this tender of them to our hands the present and all future ages will Chronicle us for the most unreasonable and ungratefull Creatures that ever sate within these wals or the world produced since the Creation Having now at large demonstrated I hope to every rationall and honest mans conviction the satisfactorinesse of the Kings Answers to all our Propositions relating to the safety and settlement of our State I shall in the next place proceed to those Propositions and Concessions which concerne the Peace Settlement and Security of our Church and Religion wherein there appears the greatest difficulty the most whereof I shall dispatch with greater brevity then the former There are three things especially which may endanger and disturb the Peace and settlement of our Church and Religion 1. Popery Popish corruptions and innovations introduced by Jesuites Papists and superstitious Clergy-men Popishly addicted 2. Prophanenesse 3 Prelacy and one chiefe thing to promote Religion and the Churches happiness the propagation of the Gospel by settling preaching Ministers throughout the Kingdom and establishing the publick Worship and church-Church-Government in such sort as is most agreeable to Gods word For all these there is sufficient ground in the Kings answers to our Propositions concerning them to vote them satisfactory as I humbly apprehend and hope to manifest For the first of these dangers to our Church and Religion there is as good security and provision granted us by the King as we did or could desire even in our own terms First he hath fully consented to pass an Act for the more effectuall disabling of Iesuites Papists and Popish Recusants from disturbing the State and deluding the Lawes and for the prescribing of a New Oath for the more speedy discovery and conviction of Recusants Secondly to an Act of Parliament for the Education of the children of Papists by Protestants in the Protestant Religion Thirdly to an Act for the due levying of the penalties against Recusants and disposing of them as both Houses shall appoint Fourthly to an Act whereby the practices of the Papists against the State may be prevented the Lawes against them duly executed and a stricter course taken to prevent the saying or hearing of Mass in the Court or any other part of the Kingdome whereby it is made Treason for any Priests to say Masse in the Court or Queenes owne Chappel and so no place left for the suying of Masse throughout the Kingdome no not in the Queens owne Chamber Fifthly to an Act for abolishing all Innovations Popish Superstitions Ceremonies Altars Rayles Crucifixes Images Pictures Copes Crosses Surplices Vestments bowings at the name of Iesus or towards the Altar c. out of the Church and to prevent the introduction of them for the future By all which Acts added to our former Lawes against Recusants I dare affirme we have now far better provision and security against Papists Iesuits Popish Recusants their Popish pictures Innovations Superstitions and Ceremonies both for our Churches and Religions safety and States too then any Protestant Church State or Kingdome whatsoever So as wee need not feare any future danger from Papists or Popery if we be carefull to see those Concessions duly put into execution when turned into Acts and our former Laws Secondly against the
which hath reversed Christs Ordinances and procreated Antichrist and that they were bound in conscience to take away their Lands and Temporalties from them which they had abused to Pride Ambition Discord c. His Disciples or noble Martyrs William Swinderby Iohn Purvey Sir Iohn Oldcastle and after them Pierce Plowman Geffrey Chaucer Mr. Tyndall Doctor Barnes Iohn Firth Sir Iohn Borthwike a Martyr the Author of a Supplication to King Henry the eight the Author of the Image of a very Christian Bishop and of a Counterfeit Bishop William VVraughton in his Hunting of the Remish Fox Mr. Fish in his Supplication of Beggers Henry Stalbridge in his exhortatory Epistle and others are of the like judgement and Roderick Mors in his Supplication to the Parliament in Henry the eight his Reigne to omit Penry and others in Queene Elizabeths Reigne And why there should be more Sacriledge in taking away Bishops Lands in England then in Scotland or Abbey Lands heretofore from Abbeys and Priories I cannot yet discerne All which considered I hope his Majesties conscience may and will be rectified in this particular before the Treaty be absolutely confirmed by Acts of Parliament so as this of Bishops Lands shall make no breach between us In clearing which I have beene the more prolix because it is most insisted on of any thing in point of dis-satisfaction both by the King and us As for all our other Propositions relating to the Peace and settlement of the Church the King hath fully assented to them interminis as namely to the Bill for the better advancement of the preaching of Gods word and setting godly Ministers in all parts of the Kingdome To a Bill against Pluralities and Non residencie To an Act of Confirmation for the calling and setling of the Assembly of Divines To an Act for the confirmation of the Directory and abolishing the Booke of Common-Prayer throughout the Kingdome and in the Kings owne Chappell too yeelded unto in the Kings finall answer though formerly stuck upon to an Act for taking the covenant throughout the Realme only the King sticks at it as yet unsatisfied in conscience as to the taking of it himselfe without some qualifications in it which a Committee were appointed to consider of but have not yet reported ought to the House Besides he hath approved the lesser Catechism as far as you desired who rest satisfied with his answer concerning it And as for the Presbyteriall Government he hath absolutely consented to settle it for three years But it hath been much insisted on by many That the Kings Grant of the Presbyterian Government is no wayesâ— satisfactory because only for three years And therefore they will break off the Treaty for this reason and vote the Kings answers upon the whole unsatisfactory because too short in this particular To which I answer That the King in terminis hath granted as much as we desired We desired its settlement but for three years and many who most pretend dissatisfaction in this point now did and do indeed desire no setled Government at all no not for three years space Therefore if there be any default in this it was in the Houses Proposition only not in the Kings answer who was not obliged to grant us in this particular or any other more than we desired Secondly after the three years expiration the Presbyterian Government must remain till a new be agreed upon by consent of the King and both Houses upon conference and advice with the Assembly of Divines or that further established if found best and most sutable in the interim So as now upon all the branches of this Treaty and the Kings answers thereunto I conceive the Kings answers to be compleatly satisfactory in that sense I have stated and debated the question as well for the safety and settlement of our Church and Religion as Kingdom though the Kings Answers come not up fully to the Propositions in some two or three particulars only It is storied of Alexander the Great that one demanding of him to give him a penny he returned him this answer That it was too little for Alexander to give Whereupon he demanded a Talent of him whereunto he replyed It was too much for a begger to receive We have demanded of the King in our own and the Kingdomes behalf in former Treaties but a penny in comparison and then the King refused to grant it though we would have been heartily contented with it or lesse But now we have in this Treatty demanded a Talent and the King hath not thought it overmuch for him to grant or for us to receive and if we shall now ungratefully reject it we know not why our selves unlesse it be that God hath infatuated and designed us unto speedy ruine for our sins I must needs take up our Saviours Lamentation over dying Ierussalem in relation unto England O that thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong unto thy Peace but now they are hid from thine eyes And I pray God they be not so far hid that we shall never live to see any peace or settlement at all in Church or State if we embrace not those Concessions now the best the largest the honourablest the safest and most beneficiall that ever was tendred to any People by a King and if we now reject we shall never have the moity of them granted us again no though we soek them carefully with tears as Esau did his last blessing when he had overslipt his time but a very little For mine own part I value no mens bare opinions in this debate but their reasons which inforce them and if I have not quite lost my reason and senses too I have not heard one solid reason given by any Gentleman that differs from me why the Kings Concessions upon the whole Treaty should be so unsatisfactory as utterly to reject them and proceed no further Most of the reasons to the contrary have been either cleer mistakes both of the question and Kings Answers or our Propositions and mistakes are no reasons but irrationall or a fear in some Purchasers of Bishops Lands of an ill bargain which I presume I have fully satisfied or that which is to me the most unreasonable though many Gentlemens chief and only reason the Armies discontent and dissatisfaction in case we vote it satisfactory to which I shall give this Answer That though I honour the Army for their good services heretofore in the Field and Wars and should as readily gratifie all their just desires as Souldiers as any man yet I must with just disdain and censure look upon their Magisteriall encroachments upon our Councels and prescriptions to us what to vote in our debates or else they will be incensed as the highest violation to the Freedom â— Honour and Priviledges of Parliament not to be Presidented in former times nor now to be endured We all sit here freely to speak our own Mindes
and us to the general content and safety of all honest men and so end the old and begin the new year with peace Whereas if we now break off and let go all the King hath granted I see no end of our Wars and miseries nor any probable means of peace and settlement in many years at least if ever in this or the succeeding Generation And the speediest remedy in this case especially considering the kingdom is so far exhausted that we know neither how to pay our publike debts our Fleet or Army their present Arrears much lesse their future must needs bee the best and be preferred before all others that will require more time and expence and be more hazardous and contingent in the event Thirdly As it is the speediest so the best and legallest safest and certainest way of all others First there is no danger nor hazard at all in it nor any expence of mony or effusion of bloud 't is but accept and then confirm by Acts and Oaths and the work is presently done If we think of settlement in any other way we must fight again and that will be both costly hazardous and when all is done we must Treat again perchance upon worse terms else there will be no peace nor settlement Secondly This is the way we have ever formerly pitched upon the way all parties have consented to and approved but those alone who desire neither peace nor settlement Therefore best safest and durablest Thirdly It is the legallest certainest because a peace and settlement by Acts of Parliament the highest security to English men under heaven to which King Lord Commons in them the whole kingdom consent wil all acquiesce in what is done without question or future dispute What peace soever is settled otherwise either by a bare Order or Ordinance of the Houses or by the Sword power alone will neither be sure safe nor lasting no longer then maintained by the Sword every man will be sure to question and unsettle all again upon the least advantage given The highest security that England ever had was Magna Charta and the Charter of the Forrest these were gained by the Sword but not held by it That which hath kept perpetuated these since their making was those Acts of Parliament which confirmed them These are only security for what ever we enjoy which will survive all other we can think of Nullum violentum est diuturnum Whereas priviledges kept and held by publike Acts will last for ever and be entailed to us and our posterities with peace and happiness attending them This was the way of settling peace between Kings and Subjects heretofore in Henry the 3. Edward the 2. Richard the 2. Henry the 6. Raigns and an Act of Pacification and Oblivion was the only safe and usuall way the Parliaments both of England and Scotland lately fixed on to settle a firm and lasting peace between both Nations kingdoms All other settlements will be but like an ulâ—â—r skinned over which will soone break out again with greater pain and danger then before 2dly For the new way proposed by the Army for a firm peace settlement it is certainly the most desperate dishonourable dangerous and destructive that can possibly be imagined and such as we can neither in honour justice conscience nor prudence imbrace To examine it a little by parts The first way to peace and settlement propounded by them is presently to break off the Treaty and that contrary to our publike faith to the King and kingdom yea to our own votes before the Treaty was fully ended this is the drift of their whole Remonstrance Which as it will totally if not finally deprive us of the fruit benefit of all the K. Concessions in the Treaty all which are by mutuall agreement no wayes obligatory to either party in any particular unless all be agreed being all that we can possibly think of for our safety and advantage and more then any Nation under heaven yet injoied so it wil inevitably cast us upon present wayes of new distractions confusions and civill wars now we are quite exhausted and end at last in our absolute destruction instead of a wel-grounded peace and those blessings we may forth with enjoy for the very accepting without further charge or trouble But if God beyond our hopes should after any new embroylments give us peace yet it must be upon a new Treaty and that perchance upon far worse terms then now are offered Therefore it must needs be dangerous to reject a safe way to follow a hazardous or destructive one The next thing proposed by them for a speedy peace and settlement is the bringing of the King to speedy justice for all his treasons and bloodshed in the late wars and then to depose and execute him as the greatest capitall malefactor in the kingdomâ— This certainly is a very dangerous aund unlikely way to peace and settlement First of all The smiting of the Shepheard is the way to scatter not unite the sheep The slaying of the King or Generall in the field scatters and dissolves the Army not secures them To cut off an aking head is the next way to destroy not cure a diseased body such kind of State policy may destroy or disturb but never settle us in perfect peace The Prince his next heir the Queen the Duke of York all his Children and Allies both at home and abroad will certainly meditate revenge and all Kings in Christendom will assist them even for their own interest and safety lest it should become a president for themselves And will this then secure or be a likely way to peace or settlement 2. The greatest part of the Members in both Houses the Lords Gentlemen and all sorts of people throughout the kingdome the whole kingdomes of Scotland and Ireland who have as great an interest in the Kings person being their lawfull King as we have and are obliged by Allegiance and Covenant to protect his person and Crown from violence will unanimously as one man oppose and protest against it and by force of Arms endeavour to bring those to execution who shall presume to advise or attempt to depose or destroy the King in any kinde contrary to their Allegiance and solemne Covenant Yea all Protestant Realms Churches States in forraign parts will abhorre both the fact and adjudge it contrary to their principles and Religion and that which may irritate Popish Kings and Princes to take up arms to ruine them lest they should fall into the like Jesuiticall practice And can this be a safe or speedy way to peace and settlement especially when we know not what Government shall succeed upon it and can expect nothing but bloody consequences from such a bloody Jesuiticall advice Thirdly I never read of any peace or settlement in any kingdom where King-killing was practised or approved When the Roman Armies began once to kill their Emperours and cut off their
Malignant and plunderings and losses of the wel-affected Nobility and Gentry have so impoverished all sorts of men but the Souldier and Army and some fow Treasurers and Officers that they know not how to live or subsist almost much lesse to lend or contribute to maintaine such a numerous Army by Land and Sea and supply Irelands pressing necessities If you cannot tell how to pay your present Debts what folly is it to augment them for the future If you cannot pay your Army or Navie now how will you be able to do it hereafter If then you will have no peace with the King upon the Treaty but break it off and keep up a Warre and Army still without colour or reason in this your impoverished and exhausted condition then mark the consequences Your Forces being not duly paid will live upon free-quarter still and that will undoe the Country make them desperate And when they have eaten out all the poor then they will mutiny and fall on all that are rich put them to present Fines and Ransoms at their pleasure eat them out of House and home share their Estates and Offices which many of them already professe to be theiâ—s by Conquest and then the longest sword will be the only true Judge and measure of al mens properties and divider of their Estates as well in this as former ages of which we already begin to feel some sad experiments And as the Souldier on the one hand so the penurious poor people in every place for want of work and imployment and bread to put into their head encouraged by the Souldiers uncontrolled insolencies will fall to plunder and levell all rich men on the other side And if the Army Remonstrance and Agreement of the People now in hot persuit take place Ministers shall receive no Tythes Landlords no Rents Creditors no Debts and oppressed ruined persons no Law not Justice Kings must go down Princes and Peers quite down Parliaments down Judges Justices Magistrates Laws Tenures Inclosures down all rich and landed persons down their very wealth and estates will be sufficient cause to make them Malignants to a starved Peasantry and al-conquering unpaid Army and then what follows but immediate and irrecoverable ruine I beseech you therefore consider in what a desperate hazardous condition we and the whole Kingdom now stand at present how neer we and Ireland are to the very brink of ruine If we will now put into that safe and sure harbour of Peace which the present Treaty invites us into without any further cost or fear of shipwrack we may yet through Gods blessing be safe and happy But if we now wilfully put forth to Sea again among so many rocks shelves quick sands which surround us on every side and will yet chuse War instead of Peace when the golden and silver nerves that formerly maintained it are quite shrunk up we can expect nought else but drowning sudden shipwrack of all our Kingdoms Parliaments Liberties Estates and of our Church and Religion too Yea But say some though all this be truth we must not displease the Army who are our present strength and safety for then we are are lost indeed I have answered this Objection once before in one sense in relation to the Treaties satisfactorinesse I shall here answer it in another I say then 1. That we have a God to please who wil be displeased if we please the Army in their unjust demands And better is it to please God then to please any Army whatsoever If God be with us who can be against us We need no Armies protections if the Lord of Hosts be our Guardian 2. We have a conscience to please as well as an Army and we must satsifie that though the Army who pretend so much for liberty of conscience yet will allow us none or very little be never so unsatisfied with it 3. We have a Kingdom nay three Kingdoms to please and to save too And we must rather please and save them by rejecting the Armies Proposals which will inevitably ruine them then please the Army in being any way instrumentall for their destruction by embracing their destructive counsels If our Kingdoms be preserved we may have another Army though this be disbanded dissolved yea destroyed but if the Kingdoms perish by our pursuing their rash Proposals we shall neither have Kingdoms nor yet an Army nor this Army who must certainly perish in and with the Kingdoms ruine 4. We have a Navie to please as well as an Army and which is more considerable to us then an Army A new Army may soon be raised though the old be disbanded but a Navie being once lost Ships will not grow again nor another Navy built in many years And will not the pleasing of the Army in this displease and lose the Navy now as it did the last Summer to your great losse and danger And can the Army guard the Kingdom against any Forreignâ— Invasions if the Navy be lost No nor treble their number Look then you please your Navy as well as Army 5. We have many hundred thousands of well-affected and cordiall Christians and Covenanters to please who have adventured their estates lives limbs in the present Cause and done as gallant Services many of them in the Field both this last Summer and before as any in this Army and are considerable for number quality estate wisdom parts and reall piety and love to the publick Interest then the Army all which I am certain we shall â—ghly discontent and grieve nay palpably over-reach and cheat to their very faces if we should please the Army in their present demands to their prejudices and scandall and our Religions too There was no man of publick Spirit that engaged with contributed towards or took up Arms in the Parliaments service or Cause at first but meerly upon these five grounds expressed in all the Houses Remonstraces Declarations Petitions Protestations and in the Solemn League and Covenant 1. To defend and maintain the true Protestant Religion against Popery Error and Superstition 2. To defend the Kings Royall Person Dignity and legall Authority against violence treachery and usurpation 3. To maintain the Priviledges Rights and Freedom of Parliaments and the Fundamentall Laws and Government of the Kingdom against State-Innovations and Tyranny Fourthly to rescue the Kings person from evill Counsellors and bring such Incendiaries and Delinquents to condign punishment Fifthly to settle the Kingdom in freedom safety and peace against Crueltie Dangers and imminent Wars and tumults Upon these grounds and for these ends only did both Houses and all who adhered to them or took up Arms for them by their Commissions engage and so did this very Army I appeal then to every mans Conscience Whether the Houses or any who engaged with them did ever contribute any Moneys Plate Horse Atms or march out as an Officer or Souldier under them in these Wars with any such intention as
more now in this then they have demanded heretofore And therefore having granted more then what would have fully satisfied them in former Treaties his Concessions in this may be fully satisfactory to us so far as to close with him to settle a firm peace in the Kingdome now at the brink of ruine though they fall short in somethings which we now propounded which do not much concern our security as I shall prove anon The true state then and sense of this Question must be this and no other Whether the Kings finall Answers to the Propositions of both Houses in this Treaty considered and weighed all together be not so full and satisfactory in themselves that this House may and ought to accept of and proceed upon them for the speedy settlement of a safe and wel-grounded Peace both in Church and Common-wealth rather then reject them as unsatisfactorie and so hazard the life of all and the perpetuating of our wars and miseries In this sense I humbly conceive and hope to evidence them so clearly fully satisfactory that we can neither in point of duty prudence justice honor or conscience reject them as unsatisfactory but ought to imbrace them as the only safe ready way to our peace and settlement though they come not up so fully to some of our Propositions as I could have heartily desired for the avoiding of this hazardous debate For my clearer progresse in this grand debate I shall observe this method First I shal clearly manifest that the King in this Treaty hath granted us whatsoever we can wel desire for the present settlement future security of the Common-wealth or state when ratified by Acts a regal oath as is intended yea far more then ever our Ancestors or any Subjects in the christian world enjoyed or desired of their Ks. for their security preservation against their armed power or legal prerogatives Secondly That the King hath granted as much in this Treaty as will settle and secure the Peace and Government of our Church and Religion against Popery and prelacy on the one hand and prophanenesse on the other hand and more then we or any Protestant Churches ever enjoyed or demanded heretofore for their security and settlement When I have made good these particulars and answered the Objections made against them I hope every one of us who have any ingenuity reason or conscience in their brests and are not transported with passion or private engagements to the contrary will and must of necessity vote these Answers satisfactory in the sense forestated I shall begin with the first of these namely the Kings Answers to all these Propositions which concern the present settlement and future security of the State and Republike against any armed force or invasions of the Regall Prerogative to the enslaving or prejudicing of the Subject which in my poor judgement are so full and satisfactory that little or nothing can be added to them and if we well consider them we have cause to say O fortunati nimium bona si sua norinâ— I shall give you a full view of them all because many of them have not been so much as once remembred in this debate and apply them to our present settlement and future safety as I mention them The first Proposition for the settlement of a safe and wel-grounded Peace is that which concerns the justification of the Parliaments War declaring it by an Act of Parliament to be passed to be in their just and lawfull defence justifying the Solemn League and Covenant in prosecution thereof and repealing all Oaths Declarations and Proclamations heretofore had or hereafter to bee had against both or either Houses of Parliament their Ordinances or proceedings or against any for adhering unto or executing any Office Place or Charge under them and all Judgements Indictments Outlawries Attainders Inquisitions in any of the said causes and all Grants thereupon made had or to be made or had to be declared null suppressed forbidden and never put into execution And this to be published within all Parish Churches and all other places needfull within his Majesties Dominions To this proemiall and advantagious proposition the King hath fully and readily condescended at first in every tittle as was desired By this concession the Parliament hath gained sundry considerable advantages tending to their present honour and future security First a full publick acknowledgment of the justnesse of their Warre and Cause to be ratified and perpetuated to posterity by the highest record that can be an Act of Parliament and that to be read in all Parish Churches throughout England Ireland and other the Kings Dominions and proclaimed in all Counties Cities Corporations and at Assizes and Sessions of the peace that so all men may take publick notice of it Which is such an honour to and justification of them and their Cause as was never condescended to by any King that took up arms against his Subjects since the creation to this present and so low a humiliation and Legall disclaimer in the King of his Warre against the Parliament and disavowing of his Cause and Party as could possibly be imagined or expected Secondly It secures the Lives Liberties and Estates of all the Members of both Houses engaged in these Wars and of all persons whatsoever that have adhered to or acted for them against all former present and future Impeachments Prosecutions and Judgments whatsoever and makes void and nul what ever hath been is or may be objected against them Which coupled with the Act of Indempnity and Oblivion proposed by the King and agreed to by the Houses wil extraordinarily secure pacifie content all wel-affected Members and persons who have adhered to them in this Cause and preserve them from the danger of 25 E. 3. and other Laws concerning Treasons which otherwise upon any revolution of times and affairs might by corrupt Judges and Instruments be extended and rested to their prejudice aud undoing Thirdly it laies a foundation for the lawfulnesse of a defensive War by Authority of both Houses upon the like occasion in all future ages without incurring the guilt of Treason or Rebellion which will be a great encouragement and security to the Subjects and engagement to them to adhere to the Parliament in after-times Fourthly It wil very much discourage and deter all kind of men from taking up Arms in the Kings His Heirs and Successors behalfe against the Houses of Parliament when they shal cast their eyes upon this Act and behold the King himselfe passing such a censure upon all his own proceedings and retracting his own Oaths Proclamations Commissions Inditements Grants against such Members all others who have now taken up arms against him for the Houses Kingdoms defence So as this very first Proposition only if well weighed without any others added thereunto being so fully and freely consented unto by the King tends very far towards our present settlement and future safety
of the Kingdome for the bare lives of seven Delinquents only or in truth of one alone who is fully in your power which you may take away by a legall tryall without a war will not all the Kingdome nay all the three Kingdomes and whole world cry out upon you for such a frantick unadvised act as this yea and for such an unjust and wicked resolution to hazard the lives and shed the bloud of many thousand Innocents and gallant men to take away the head of one or only of 7. vile Delinquents the sparing of whose lives will more conduce to settlement and reall unity then their deaths by the axe of Justice For shame then let us not vote the Kings answer to this branch of Delinquents so unsatisfactory as to break off and lose all upon it since I have proved it fully satisfactory in all things to your own last demands As to the Delinquents specified in the 2d and 3d. Qualification the King and you are fully agreed Besides the King consents to the exclusion of the Delinquents specified in the first qualification from sitting in Parliament being of his Councells coming within the verge of his court bearing any office or having any imployment in the State during the pleasure of both Houses Thus far you are both agreed only he desires this mitigation of their penalty in case they shall offend herein that they may not be guilty of high Treason and uncapable of any pardon and forfeit all their estates nor that those who shall return from banishment without leave may incur so high a penalty but a more moderate sutable to the Law they shall offend And to break only upon this excesse and extremity of punishment too high even in many wise mens opinions for such offences and of dangerous president to posterity it being the wisdome of our Ancestors to make as few new treasons as possible being only for the Kings advantage and peoples prejudice when as a lesser penalty may as well and sooner too prevent the mischief is neither safe nor prudent As for the compositions of such persons the King only desires their moderation if you think fit even to such proportions as the Army it self in their proposals to him in Aug. 1647. thought reasonable and if you please not to grant it then he leaves them to compound at such rates as you and they shall agree and those are only such as you have already fixed on in former compositions from which you will not vary and in case they will not compound at your rates you have then the benefit of all their sequestred estates till their composition be made which is your benefit and their losse Therefore in this though some have pleased without any colour of reason to assert the contrary you are both fully accorded To the Delinquents in the fifth Qualification the King consents to all your desires with this exception only That such Delinquent Ministers who are not scandalous in their lives or Doctrine are already sequestred may injoy the third part of the profits of their Livings for the support of them and their families and be capable of future preferments if they be thought fit to enjoy them This some have concluded very unsatisfactory because it craves some little favour for Malignant Ministers But I beseech you consider how inconsiderable the difference is and how just and charitable the Kings request is in their behalf Your selves both by Ordinance and common practise grant the ful fifth of the profits of sequestred Livings to the Wives and Children of sequestred Ministers as well in case of scandall and insufficiency as Mulignity the King desires only that such who have bin sequestred meerly for Malignancy and are not scandalous may receive a third part in stead of a fifth and for their future encouragement having spent their time in fitting themselves for a Ministry and being fit for no other calling and having lost their former livings he requests only that in this scarcity of able Ministers they may be capable meerly of future preferments for which they shall be adjudged meet in such way as you shall appoint not he or they A just a charitable request and that which your selves have done there being many able godly Ministers of eminent parts and exemplary life who have not been so clearly convinced in point of conscience as to concur with you in the late Wars for which they have been sequestred and have since been better satisfied and God forbid that such should be made utterly uncapable of the Ministry and they and their families starve for want of bread I beseech you therefore of al other things let us not break with the King upon this Act of Charity of Piety lest all the world condemne us for uncharitablenesse and judge the King to be more pious and charitable then we And no doubt it will be the greatest charity to our selves to our Church our Religion our Kingdom at this time rather to close with the King in this particular then hazard all for a few third parts and to be as charitable as his Majesty The more charity we shew the greater unity peace amity and better settlement we may expect But the greatest dissatisfaction of all referred to this head of Delinquents is in the Kings answers concerning his present recalling of Marquesse Ormonds Commission to Treat with and unite the Irish Rebels To which I answer first that this was no part of the propositions first sent but a collaterall emergement discovered since the Treaty upon Col. Iones his letter and so the unsatisfactorinesse of the Kings Answer as to this alone can be no just cause or ground to vote the other Answers unsatisfactory or break off the Treaty 2dly The Kings granting of this Commission to Ormond at the time he did it is no such hainous thing as many have made it al circumstances considered The King when the Army would not close with him upon their own tearms the last year who treated with him without your privity and against your Orders even then when they unjustly impeached the eleven Members for holding secret intelligence with him and his party of which themselves were only culpable was shut up close Prisoner in Carisbrooke Castle in the Isle of Wight by their procurement and by the Votes of both Houses proceeding originally from the Officers and the Armies projection promoted by their Declaration and engagement to joyne with the Houses in setling the Kingdome without against the K. and forcibly passed the Lords House by the Armies garrisoning White Hall billeting a Regiment of Horse in the Muse to terrifie them to a concurrence with the Commons quite laid aside like a dead man out of minde and no more addresses to be made to him by the Houses or from him to them and no accesse of any to him under pain of high Treason without both Houses licence the King in these extremities the better to procure his own
not the Armies pleasure to follow our own consciences and judgments not their imperious dictates to satisfie the whole Kingdom and those who have intrusted and sent us hither whose Representatives and servants we are not the Armies by pitching upon that which is most conducing to their welfare and our own too not to satisfie the Army in all their unreasonable extravagant demands who are but ours and the Kingdoms servants not Masters to the Kingdoms Peoples our own ruine and the Armies too And so much the rather because I have observed a dangerous practice in some Officers and Members only of the Army to make use of the whole Armies name without their privity or consents forcibly to drive on their own private pernicious Designs in the House and to fright and cudgell us into Votes as some say we were cudgelled into a Treaty with the very name of the Army without any reason at all and if that will not doe the feat then they presently mutiny and bring up the Army it self to or neer the Houses doors against them contrary to our expresse commands as heretofore and now they have done to force us to Vote against our judgements consciences reason and the publique safety what ever they shall dictate be it never so absurd dishonorable to our selves or destructive to the Kingdom and though the Army and those who usurp their name be not present at our debates as they seldom are though some of them are Members yet if they suit not with their foreplotted Designs they will presently censure them and those that passe them without hearing or weighing of their reasons And though they contend most earnestly for Libertie of Conscience for themselves and all others of their confederacy out of the House and for a Liberty for their own Party to enter their particular Protestations and Dissents to the House to any Vote they like not yet they will admit no Liberty of Conscience nor Freedom of dissenting unto us nor us to be Masters of our own reason Votes or discretions in the House it self where wee should have most freedom as is evident by sundry Magisteriall over-ruling censorious Passages in their late Remonstrance November 20. and if we vote not fully with them they presently take us for Apostates and violaters of our trust fit not only to be secluded the House for the present but not to be entrusted for the future to such an height of insolency are they grown Therefore for any Members to make their pleasing or displeasing of the Army whom they thus abuse the sole or principall reason of their Ay or No is such a Solecism and breach of Priviledge as ought not now to be named much lesse pressed as a reason without some severe censure or exclusion from the House especially in this instant debate for the settlement of our Peacè to which those who make a Trade of War will certainly be most averse having little else to live on or support their present greatnesse if the wars be ended Yea but they further object That if we discontent the Army by voting the Answers satisfactory we are undone they will all lay down their Arme as one Commander of eminency hath here openly told you he must do and serve us no longer and then what will become of us and all our faithfull friends I Answer That I hope the Army will not be so sullen as to desert or turn against us for voting what our consciences and judgments prompt us is most for theirs ours and the Kingdoms safety and that without hearing or scanning our debates If they be I shall not much value the protection of such unconstant mutinous and unreasonable servants and I doubt not but if they desert us on so sleight a ground God himselfe and the whole Kingdome will stand by us who else I fear will both unanimously rise up against us to ours and the Armies destruction And if the King and we shall happily close upon this Treaty I hope we shall have no great need of their future service However fiat justitia ruat coelum Let us do our duty and leave the issue to God It is better for us to perish doing our own duties then to be justly destroyed by following other mens wills against our duties and consciences too He that thinks to save himself or the Kingdom by such a sinful and unworthy compliance shall be certain to lose both himself and it in conclusion However both the Arguments of displeasing the Army and the ill consequents of it are altogether extraneous and impertinent to the question and amount but to this Non sequitur The Army will not have us proceed further upon the Treaty to settle peace Ergo the Kings Answers are unsatisfactory What will all wise men what will the Kingdom what will Scotland Ireland and our friends abroad whose eyes are all intent upon the result of the Treaty and must be satisfied in the reasons of our breach upon it lest they all fall foul upon us think of such absurd Nonsense as this Had the Treaty been only between the King and the Army not him and the Houses this reason might have contented some men without expressing any grounds of their dissatisfaction of which they think the Army more competent Judges then the Parliament but the Treaty being only between the King and both Houses not the Army that we who are the only Parties to the Treaty and Judges of the satisfactorinesse thereof should set aside our own reasons consciences judgements and make the Armies absolute peremptory will the only principall reason of our dissatisfactorinesse with the Kings Concessions which I am confident not ten men in the Army ever heard of but by report alone and never seriously scanned as we have done is such an absurdity as will render us for ever both ridiculousand odious to all our friends and foes to present to future Ages For shame therefore let us no more insist upon such extravagancies Having answered these two Iron Arguments against the unsatisfactorinesse of the Kings Answers and all others hitherto insisted on I humbly conceive I have fully satisfied every rationall mans conscience that the King hath granted us all we have demanded that is really necessary or conducing to the speedy settlement of a lasting and well-grounded Peace and the future security of our State Kingdom Church Religion against all feared dangers from the King or any others and I shall challenge and put it to the conscience of any Gentleman dissenting from me whether he can propound any one thing more except an Oath which is intended when all is concluded essentiall for the fuller and firmer setling of our Laws Liberties Priviledges Lives Estates Religion Kingdoms Parliaments Army and satisfying of all publike interests then what have been already propounded and the King compleatly granted in this Treaty If then the King hath granted us every thing our selves during seven years advice and consultation could possibly think of
this to depose and bring the King to Justice disinherit the Princes and Kings posterity dissolve the present Parliament and pull all future Parliaments and ' their Priviledges up by the roots subvert the Fundamentall Government of the Realm and set up a new representative to dash all these in pieces and destroy Religion Magistracy and Ministry Did they not all abhor and disclaim in Publique all such thoughts and intentition as these and when objected by the King and his party out of jealousie amd fear did not the Houses presently resent and remonstrate against it as the grossest scandall and their adherents too Or would ever a man have engaged with the Houses or the Houses with them in this War or enrolled his name even in this New Model'd Army had he been told at first That he must fight to depose and bring the King to execution to dis-inherit his posterity dissolve this Parliament and the very Rights Priviledges and being of all future Parliaments to set up a new Government and representative in our Church and State to alter and change all things at their fancies and to break every clauses and article of the Solemn League Conant If not one of these was the true end of our Wars and Engagement against the King at first and all along till now but the clean contrary to them then how can they now be propounded as the only fruits of our wars and means or conditions of our Peace and Settlement Will they not all say if the Houses or Army proceed in their Proposals for Peace and Settlement mentioned in their last Remonstrance that they engaged and took up Arms to doe quite contrary to what they now propose to the Houses and endeavour to enforce them to put it in punctuall execution And will they not now say That they are by their originall Engagement and Covenants obliged with their lives and estates to oppose and oppugn the Army in all these particulars that having thus declared and resolved they cannot pray for but against the Armies late successes herein that they cannot henceforth contribute towards their future pay and support in point of conscience or prudence but must withdraw and withhold their contributions and resist them to their Faces declare their Commissions null and not look on or take them as an Army but as a tumultnous rout of persons assembled without Commission to act over Iack Cades Treasons again and quite pull down that frame of Government and Order which they have been building up and supporting these many years with such vast expence of Treasure and bloud Better then displease the ARMY then that all these Covenanters and Engagers should suffer to theirs the three Kingdoms hazard Ireland's certain losse and this very Armies overthrow which these Jesuiticall designs wil certainly destroy in a very short space if they Iehu-like drive on so furiously in prosecution and execution of them as they have done of late Consider I beseech you of the desperatenesse and excessive unavoidable destructivenesse of these monstrous wayes to the speedy peace and settlement of our Church and State and of the safety and security of the things your selves have pitched on for Peace and Settlement in and by the Treaty and Lord guide our Hearts and Votes a right therein that we choose not death in stead of life the wayes of misery and destruction in stead of the way of Peace which Armies seldom know or prescribe to themselves or others Mr. Speaker HAving thus demonstrated to you the unavoydable destructivenesse and confusion of those Counsels and pretended wayes of settlement which the Officers of the Army have propounded and would imperiously and forcibly thrust you upon to the Kings Kingdomes Parliaments Religions their own our and Irelands certain and most speedy ruine I must now crave leave with much sadnesse of heart to unbosome my very soul unto you and discover you that secret which God hath so clearly manifested to my understanding that I dare not under the highest penalty but acquaint you with That the Jesuites and Roman Priests and Catholicks are the originall contrivers and principall somenters of the late and present distempers and undutifull mutinous proceedings and counsels of the Officers and Army and chief contrivers of the new Babel or model of confusion which they have tendred to you in their late Remonstrance as the only way to peace and settlement And if I shall clearly demonstrate this unto the House I hope every Member present and the whole Army and Kingdome when they know it will eternally abhor and renounce it and never henceforth countenance or promote this Jesuiticall and Romish designe which I am perswaded the Generall and most of the Officers and Souldiers in the Army in the simplicity of their hearts with honest and publick intentions of Justice and common Freedom have been ignorantly drawn into by over-reaching pates and Machiavilian Policies of these cunning Iesuites who can metamorphose themselves into any shapes and invisibly infinuate themselves into their counsels and actings to promote their own interest and our destruction I do not prosesse my self to be any great Statesman or exactly to know what ever is secretly transacted among us But this I can say without disparagement to others or vain-glory to my self That I have for many years last past been as curious an observer of all the great transactions of Affairs in Church or State and of the instruments and means by which they have been covertly contrived and carried on as any man in this House or Kingdom and that God hath honoured me in being one of the first discoverers and opposers of the Jesuites and Papists plots to undermine our Religion and usher in Popery by degrees into our Church by making use of our Popish and Arminian Prelates and Clergy-men as their Instruments and broaching one Arminian and Popish Doctrine and introducing one Popish Superstition and Innovation after another of which I have given this House and the Kingdome the fullest and clearest discoveries of any man and likewise of introducing Tyranny Arbitrary power and civill combustions in our State of which I likewise made seasonable discoveries and opposition the ground of all my sufferings close imprisonment and banishent to prevent the like detections and oppositions And since my return from exile I have in my ROME'S MASTER-PIECE The ROYALL POPISH FAVOVRITE HIDDEN WORKS OF DARKNESSE BROVGHT TO PVBLICK LIGHT The ANTIPATHY OF ENGLISH PRELACY TO VNITY and MONARCHY and The HISTORY OF THE ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBVRY's TRY ALL and other Writings given the World such an exact account of the Iesuites and Papists plots and influences upon our Church State Court Councels Prelates corrupt Clergy and all sorts of people to reduce us back to Rome supplant Religion subvert Parliaments set up tyranny and involve us in civill Wars both in England Scotland and Ireland concealed from most and scarce known to any before these discoveries as none else before or since mee have done all
which both Houses have since approved and made use of in severall Declarations and Remonstrance And therefore I may with greater confidence and better grounds adventure on this discovery of which most here present who are little acquainted with mysteries of State or Politicks ' and trouble not their heads with such inquiries after them as I have done are utterly ignorant and so apt to be deluded and easily over-reached the plainest open-hearted men being easiest to be over-witted by Jesuites and their Instruments especially when they transform themselves into Angels of Light or become new lights to broach new strange opinions or revive old errors under the notion of New-light as they have lately done to lead captive silly people To make out this discovery so cleerly evident that none can rationally deny but be sufficiently convinced of its truth I must minde you of these particulars of undoubted truth and certainty which this House and the House of Lords have joyntly and severally published and remonstrated to the whole Kingdom King and World in severall Declarations and Remonstrances and other printed papers 1. That the Iesuites and other Engineeres and Factors for Rome for the alreration of Religion the setting up of Popery and Tyranny in this Kingdom and subversion of the fundamentall Lawes and Government of it did long before the beginning of this Parliament compose and set up a corrupt malignant ill-affected party consisting of corrupt Bishops and Clergy-men some great Officers and Counsellours of State and others of trust and neernesse about the King his Children and Court to carry on these their designes who were acted by their subtill practises and that by this means those Iesuites and Romish Engineers had a very powerfull operation upon his Majesties Counsells and the most important Affaires and proceedings of his Government both in Church and State 2. That the most dangerous divisions preparations and Armies to make a War between England and Scotland were made and carried on by the practise and counsel of the Iesuites Papists and their Confederates 〈◊〉 Scottish Iesuites being sent from London into Scotland not foment the divisions there and a Generall Convention of all the principall Roman Catholicks in this Kingdom and of sundry Priests and Iesuites whereof Con the Popes Nuncio was President being held in London wherein great Sums of mony were granted towards the raising of the Army against the Scots Treasurers and Collectors appointed by them in every County and Popish Commanders sent for over and imployed in that Service as was apparently proved before a Committee and reported to this House soon after the beginning of this Parliament as your own Journal manifests And it furthers appears by one who was privy to that plot sent from Rome as an assistant to Con who out of conscience revealed all the secrets of it to Andreas ab Habernfeld Physitian to the Queen of Bohemia at the Hague under an Oath of secrecy and he to Sir William Boswel and the King the Originals whereof are in my custody and published by me at your appointment in my Romes Master-Piece that the â—end of he Scottish Wars was to engage the King to cast himself wholly on the Papists and their party the Puritans and Protestant party being averse to this War and inclining to the Scots who would not engage to assist him unlesse hee would condition with them to grant an universall toleration of Popery and free exercise of that Religion to the Papists if their party prevailed To which if he should shew himself unwilling or averse then they would presently dispatch him out of the way and poyson him with an Indian nut which they had prepared kept in Con's custody as they had poysoned his Father King Iames And the Prince being next Heir to the Crown educated neer his Mother accustomed to the Popish party and easie to be perverted in his Religion being but young and under age they would get him into their power educate him in their Religion and match him to a Papist so all their work accomplished Popery set up the Protestants and their Religion so 〈◊〉 extirpated both in England Scotland and Irelands In which dâ—scovery he further relates that there were under the command of Cardinal Barbarino the Popes Nephew protector of the English Catholicks and Con the Nuncio resident in London four severall Orders of Jasuites most active in these designs and wars disturbers of Christian kingdoms The first Ecclesiasticks whose office it is to take care of things promoting Religion The second polititians whose imployment it is by any meanes whatsoever to shake troube reforme and alter the state of Kingdoms and Republiks The third Seculars whose property it is to intrude themselves into offices places about Kings and Princes and to insinuate and thrust themselves into civill affaires bargains contracts and such like civill businesse The and fourth Spyes or Intilligencers men of inferior condition who submit and become houshold servants to Princes Barons Noblemen Great men Gentlemen Citizens and others of all protessions to discover their minds and make use of them to promâ—te their designes That these Jesuites usually met at one Captaine Reads a Scotch-man a Souldier and Lay Jesuit â—â—ing in Long Acre in the habits Gentlemenâ— Souldiers and Laymen and many of them followed the Camp as Souldiers in those intended Wars That there were neere as many of all these severall Sorts of Jesuits residing and lurking privily in and about London in September 1640. where were then above 50 Scottish Jesuiâ—sâ—as were in al Spain Frat. c Italy who have ever since been promoting the same designes and devisions among us all these Wars as that which followes will demonstrate 3 dly That the dissolving and breaking up al the Parliaments in this Kings Reigne in discontent proceeded from the councels and practises of the Jesuits and their Popish confederats to disaffect the King against them and prevent the calling of Parliaments for the future the principall obstacle to prevent and counter-worke all their designes to promote Popry and subvert our Religion laws and Government 4thly That the Jesuits Popish Priests Papists and their Confederats ever since this Parliament have by pollicy power endeavoured to dissolve and put an end to this present Parliament as the onely basis and support of our Religion and Libertie the onely Bulwarke betweene and Tyranny Popery and superstition ready to over-run the three Kingdomes the dissolution whereof would not onely deprive us and our posterities of the present but of the hopes and capacity of any future Parliament and that they have indefatigably used and left no means unattempted to dissolve this Parliament the continuance and close whereof with the King in a happy Peace settelment would frustrate all their hopes and Popish-designes as the Lords Commons both have most fully declared in their Remonstrance of Mâ—y 19. and 26. 1642. in their Declaration of March 23. 1643. in their propositions of
The Substance of a SPEECH Made in the House of Commons BY WIL. PRYNN of LINCOLNS-INN Esquire On Munday the Fourth of December 1648 TOUCHING The Kings ANSWER to the Propositions of both Houses upon the whole TREATY Whether they were satisfactory or not satisfactory Wherein the Satisfactorinesse of the Kings Answers to the Propositions for settlement of a firm lasting Peace and future security of the Subjects against all feared Regall Invasions and encroachments whatsoever is clearly demonstrated As likewise That there is no other probable or possible way to settle a speedy firm and lasting Peace but by the Houses embracing and proceeding upon the large extraordinary Concessions of the King in this Treaty for the Kingdoms present weal and future Security And that the Armies Remonstrance Nov. 20. is a way to speedy and certain ruine and a meer Plot of the Jesuites to defame and destroy us Put into Writing and Published by him at the importunate request of divers Members for the satisfaction of the whole Kingdome touching the Houses Vote upon this Debate The third Edition MATTHEVV 5. 9. Blessed are the Peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God PSALM 68. 30. Rebuke the company of Spearmen scatter thou the people that delight in War London Printed for Mich Spark at the blew-bible in Green-arbor 1649. All flesh is Grass the best men vanity This but a shadow here before thine eye Of him whose wondrous changes clearly show That GOD not men swayes all things here below TO THE Christian Reader Courteous Reader THE importunity of divers eminent Members of the House and the multitude of false and scandalous Aspersions publickly cast upon my self and other secluded Members not only in common Discourses and News-books but in sundry Libellous pamphlets published by the Officers of the Army and their Confederates since their late Treasonable unparalleld violence to our persons and the Houses and our priviledges and freedome without the least pretext of Authority have necessitated me to put this Speech into writing and publish it to the whole Kingdom and world which else had expired within those walls where it was spokâ—n with that breath that uttered it The scandals wherewith they have publickly aspersed the secured and secluded Members in print are these That wee are a corrupt Majority and apostatizing party selfe-seeking men old Royalists New-malignants Neuters Traitors Men byassed from the common Cause powerfully carrying on their own designes to secure themselves and work their own advantage by a corrupt closure with the King and by subtill endeavours making way for the bringing him in on TERMS DESTRUCTIVE to the Publick a corrupt Majority designing the establishment of a lasting Dominion between the King and themselves in a perpetuall Parliament No wonder those Saints dâ—generated so far to act the Devills part as to carry and cast us prisoners into hell it selfe and there keep us waking upon the bare boards all night without any accommodations when they seized us were wee such persidious Judasses or incarnate Devills as they would render us to the Kingdome and those for whom wee serve before ever they vouchsafed particularly thus to charge us or bear our just defence either as Members or Freemen of England However were we every way as vile as they would make us yet it is as clear as the Noon-day Sun That these very Officers and the Army being not our Masters but Servants particularly raised waged and engaged by solemn Leacue and Covenant among other things to protect and defend the Parliaments and Members Rights priviledges and persons from all Force and violence whatsoever in such manner as both Houses and the Committee of both Kingdomes should approve cannot pretend the least shadow of reason or authority from the Law of God or man thus traiterously to seized imprison and seclude us without the Houses license before any particular charge against us it being a far more detestable and inexcusable Treason and Rebellion then Jermins or Percies attempt to bring up the Northern Army to over awe the Houses or the Kings comming to the Commons House to demand the five Members only formerly impeached of High-Treason without seizing or secluding them the Hause or any other Members or Wallers Tompkins and Chaloners Treason to seize severall Members of both Houses and bring them to a legall Tryall as they pretended and to awe and master the Parliament for which they were condâ—mned and executed as Traitors though never actually attempted or the Reformadoes or Apprentices unarmed violence for a few hours without seizing or secluding any Member which yet the Generall Officers and Army in their Remonstrances Letters and papers declared to be Treasonable and pressed for speedy and exemplary Iustice against the chief Actors and Abettors of it to prevent the like attempts and force for the future But what is the true and onely ground of all this outcry Surely the Generall Conncell of the Oâ—ffiâ—rs of the Army in their Answer of Ian. 3 1648. Pag. 7 8. 9 10. ingenuvsly confâ—ss 〈◊〉 it was noâ—hinâ— but our vote upon the long nights debate on the fisth of December last That the Answers of the King to the Propositions of both Houses were a ground for the House to proceed upon for the setâ—lement of the peace of the Kingdome being the largest the safest and benefioiallest ever yet granted by any King to his Subjects since the Creation and that we resolved to settle a speedy and well grounded peace upon most honourable and secure termes for the Kingdomes publike interest and felicity not our owne particular advantages after seven years bloody expensive wars and refused to follow the pâ—rnicious treasonable Iesuiticall advice of these Enemies of peace who intend to make a lasting trade of war in breaking off the Treaty with the King upon the first tender of their Treasonable Remonstrance Nâ—vemb 20. some few dayes before the Treaty expired contrary to our publick Engagement both to the King and Kingdome and would not directly contrary to our Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance our Solemn Protestation League and Covenant our multiplyed Remonstrances Declarations ' Petitions Propositions and Engagements to the King Kingdom People Scotland Ireland all forraigne Protestant States and the World immediately imprison arraigne condemn depose and execute the King dis-inherit and banish the Prince and Royall line as Traitors dispose of all the Crown revenues towards their arrears dissolve the present Parliament forthwith subvert all future Parliaments and the ancient Government of the Kingdome by King Lords Knights Citizens and Burgesses duly elected and alter all the fundamentall Lawes and Statutes of the Realme set up a new Utopian Representative and supream Anarchicall Tyranny of the people to destroy both â— Magistracy Ministery Government Peace Religion and Liberty at once betray bleeding dying Ireland then near its ruine to the bloody Popish Irish Rebells and bring speedy inevitable destruction on our three Kingdomes and those respective
the question now debating I shall with the greater boldness crave liberty to discharge my conscience towards God and duty to my dying country which now lies at stake and so much the rather because for ought I know it may be the last time I shall have freedome to speak my minde within this House That I may in this great debate more sincerely speak my very heart and soul without any prejudice I shall humbly crave leave briefly to remove two seeming prejudices which may perchance in some members opinions inervate the strength of those reasons I shal humbly represent unto you to make good my conclusion touching the satisfactorinesse of the Kings answers to the Houses Propositions The first is that wherewith some Members have upon another occasion the last week and now again tacitely aspersed me That I am a Royal Favorite alluding to the title of one of my books out of which some have collected an abstract in nature of a charge against the King and this day published it in my name and am now turned an Apostate to the Kings party and interest To which I shall return this short answer I hope without any vain-glory or boasting being thus provoked thereunto That I have opposed and written against the King and his Prelates Arbitrary power illegal proccedings more then any man That I have suffered from the King and Prelates for this my opposition more then any man That if the King and Prelates be ever restored to their pristine Arbitrary power and illegall prerogative I must expect to suffer from them as much if not more then any man That all the Royal favour I ever yet received from his Majesty or his Partie was the cutting off both my ears two several times one after another in a most barbarous manner the setting me upon three severall pillories at Westminster and in Cheapside in a disgraceful manner each time for two houres space together stigmatizing on both cheeks the burning of my licenced books before my face by the hand of the hangman the imposing of two fines upon me of 50001.2 peece expulsion out of the Innes of Court and University of Oxford and degradation in both the losse of my calling almost nine yeares space the seisure of my Bookes and Estate above eight years imprisonment in several prisons at least 4 of these years spent in close imprisoment and exile in CARNARV AN in Northwales and in the lsle of IERSEY where I was debarred the use of pen inke paper and all books almost but the Bible with the least accesse of any friend without any allowance of diet for my support And all this for my good service to the State in opposing Popery and Regall Tyranny for all which sufferings and losses I never yet received one farthing recompence from the King or any other though I have waited above 8 years at your doors for justice and reparations and neglecting my own private calling and affairs imployed most of my time studies and expended many hundred pounds out of my purse since my inlargement to maintain your cause against the King his Popish and Prelaticall party For all which cost and labour I never yet demanded nor received one farthing from the Houses nor the least office or preferment whatsoever though they have bestowed divers places of honour upon persons of less or no desert nor did I ever yet receive so much as your publike thanks for any publike service â—on you which every preacher usually receives for every Sermon preached before you most others have received for the meanest services though I have brought you off with honor in the cases of Cant. and Macg. when you were at a loss in both cleared the justness of your cause when it was at the lowest ebb to most reformed Churches abroad who received such satisfaction fro my books that they translated them into several languages ingaged many thousands for you at home by my writings who were formely dubious unsatisfied Now if any Member or old Courtier whatsoever shal envy my happiness for being such a royal or State favorite as this I wish he may receive no other badges of Royall favour from his Majesty nor greater reward or honor from the Houses then I have done and then I beleeve he will no more causlesly asperse or suspect me for being now a Royal favourite or Apostate from the publike cause True it is which it behoves me now to touch that about 4 years since I published a Book entituled The Royal Popish Favorite wherein as likewise in my Hidden works of Darknesse brought to publique light published a year after it I did with no little labour and expence discover to the world the severall plots and proceedings of the Iesuites Papists and their forraign and domesticke confederates to introduce and set up Popery throughout England Scotland and Ireland and how farre they had inveagled the K. not only to connive at but to countenance and assist them in a great measure more fully evidently then any else had done And those worthy Members of this House who drew up that Declaration whereupon they voted No more Addresses to the King plowed but with my heyfer borrowing all or most of their real materials from my writings A convincing evidence that I am yet no more a Royal favourite then themselves Yet this I must adde withall to take off that aspersion of being an Apostate from my first principles that I never published those Books as I then professed in them and now again protest to scandalize or defame the King or alienate the peoples affections from him much lesse to depose or lay him quite aside though I am clear of opinion that Kings are accountable for their Actions to their Parliaments and whole kingdoms and in case of absolute necessity where Religion Laws Liberties and their kingdoms will else be inevitably destroyed by their Tyrannicall and flagitious practises be deposed by them if there be no speciall oaths nor obligations upon their consciences to the contrary which is our present case much less did I it out of any malice or revenge for the injustice I received from him in the executions done upon my person and estate which I have long since cordially forgiven and do now again forgive him from my soul beseeching God to forgive him likewise but meerly to discover his former errours in this kinde unto himselfe that he might seriously repent of them for the present and more carefully avoid and detest them for time to come and that the Parliament and whole kingdom might more clearly discern the great danger our Religion was in before we publikely discerned it and the several wayes and stratagems by which Popery got such head and growth among us that they might thereby the better prevent the like plots and dangers for the future by wholesom Laws and edicts as I have more largely declared in the books themselves This grand prejudice against me being
being more then was ever thought of or desired in the Treaty of Peace in February and March 1642. The second Proposition fully granted by the King for the setling and securing of the State and Religion too against the Kings armed power is the setling of the whole Militia by Sea and Land and Navy of England Ireland and the Isles and Dominions thereunto belonging by Act of Parliament in the hands and disposall of both Houses and such as they shall appoint for the space of twenty years with power to raise moneys for all forces raised by them for Land or Sea service during that space or time which forces are authorised to suppresse all forces raised or to be raised in or any forraigne forces which shall invade the Realms of Engl. Ireland or the Dominions and Isles thereunto belonging without Authority and consent of the Lords and Commons in Parliament And it further provides that after the expiration of the said 20. years neither the King his heirs and successors nor any person or persons by colour or pretence of any Commission power Deputation or Authority to be derived from the King his Heirs or Successors or any of them shall raise array train imploy or dispose of any of the forces by Sea or Land of the Kingdomes of England and Ireland the Dominion of Wales Isles of Gâ—ernsep and Iersey or of Barwick upon Tweed nor execute any power or authority touching the same invested in the two Houses during the space of twenty years nor do any thing or Act concerning the execution thereof without the consent of the Lords and Commons first had and obtained And that after the expiration of the said twenty years in all cases wherein the Lords and Commons shall declare the safety of the Kingdome to be concerned and shall thereupon paffe any Bill for the raising arming training and disposing of the forces by Sea and Land of the Kingdomes Dominions Isles and places aforesaid or concerning the leavying of moneys for the same if the King his Heirs and successors shall not give the Royall assent thereto within such time as both Houses should think conveent that then such Bil or Bills after Declaration made by the Lords Commons in that behalf shall have the force and strength of an Act or Acts of Parliament and be as valid to all intents and purposes as if the Royal assent had been given thereunto After which it disables any Sheriffe Justice of the Peace Majors or other Officers of Justice to leavy conduct and imploy any forces whatsoever by colour or pretence of any Commission of Array or extraordinary command from the King His Heirs or Successors without consent of both Houses And concludes That if any persons to the numberâ— of 30 shall be gathered together in warlike manner or otherwise and not forthwith disband themselves being thereunto required by the Lords and Commons or command from them or any other specially authorized by them that then such person or persons not so disbanding shall be guilty and incur the pains of High Treason any Commission under the great Seal or other Warrant to the contrary notwithstanding and be uncapable of any pardon from His Majesty His Heirs and Successors and their estates disposed of as the Lords and Commons shall think fit To all this new grand principle security of our present and future peace and settlement the King hath given his full and free consent in terminis And what greater security then this wee can imagine or demand against the Kings armed power and sword of War transcends my capacity to imagin Therefore if we have not lost our brains and consciences too we cannot but vote and conclude it satisfactory and restabundantly contented with yea exceeding thankful for it And that upon all these ensuing considerations First both Houses in their Treaty with the King in February and March 1642. demanded only the Militia of England not of Ireland yet so as they did leave the Nomination and disposing of the chiefe Commanders Officers and Governors of the Militia Forts and Navy of the Kingdome to the King provided only they might be such persons of honor and trust as both Houses might confide in and likewise promise restitution of all Moneys Forts Garrisons Arms and Ammunition of the Kings which they had seized upon or to give him present satisfaction for the same which being granted and performed they professed it should bee their hopefull endeavour that His Majesty and His people might enjoy the blessing of Peace c. and be derived to Him and to His Royall Posterity and the future Generations in this Kingdome for ever Whereas in this Treaty the King denudeth himselfe of the Militia of England and Ireland too and of the Nomination and approbation of all Officers Commanders Governors of the Militia or forces by Sea or Land and leaves all the Forts Navy and Magazines only to the Houses disposall without any compensation for his Magazines or Armes formerly seized by them And if far lesse was deemed sufficient for our settlement and security then much more will all this be thought so now Secondly Because the King hath wholly stript Himself His Heirs and Successors for ever of all that power and interest which His Predecessors alwaies enjoyned in the Militia forces forts Navy not only of England but Ireland Wales Iersey Garnsey and Berwick too so as He and they can neitherâ— raise nor arm one man nor introduce any forraign forces into any of them by vertue of any Commission Deputation or authority without consent of both Houses of Parliament and hath vested the sole power and disposition of the Militia Forts and Navy of all these in both Houses in such ample manner that they shall never part with it to any King of England unlesse they please themselves So as the King and His Heirs have no military power or authority at all left to injure or oppresse the meanest Subject much lesse the whole Kingdome or Houses of Parliament had they wills to doe it and the Houses having all the Militia by Land and Sea not only of England but even of Ireland Wales Garnsey Iersey and Berwick to assist and secure them in case He or His Heirs should attempt to raise any domestick or introduce any forraign force against them is so grand so firm a security in all probability for insuring and preserving of our Peace Religion Lawes Liberties Lives and Estates against regall force and tyranny that none of our Ancestors ever demanded or enjoyed the like nor no other Kingdome whatsoever since the Creation for ought that I can find in Histories or Republicks who have perused most now extant to do you service and such a selfe-denying condâ—sconsion in the King to His People in this particular as no age can president In the 17 year of King Iohn the Barons having by force of Armes compelled him to confirm the great Charter at Runningmead near Windsor thought this their greatest
growth and danger of Prophanenesse His Majesty hath condescended to an Act of Parliament as large as can be drawne against all Prophanations whatsoever of the Lords day with severe punishment for the prophaners of it in any kinde and against all such who shall write or preach against its morality and due observation And likewise to an Act to be framed and agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament for the reforming and regulating both Vniversities and of the Colledges of Westminster Winchester and Eaton the seminaries of Learning and Education of youth to serve and rule in our Church and State By which two Grants if duly executed all impiety and prophanenesse which can endanger our Church and Religion will easily be suppressed for the present and prevented for the future Thirdly Against the danger and revivall of Episcopacy and the appendances thereunto belonging the King hath clearly condescended to these particulars in terminis First to an Act for the abolition of all Archbishops Chancellors Commissaries Deanes and Sub-Deans Deans ard Chapters Arch-deacons Canons Prebendaries c. and all other Episcopall Cathedrall or Collegiate Officers both in England Wales and Ireland and to the disposall of all their Lands and Possessions for such uses as the Houses shall thinke meet So as there is no feare at all of their resurrection to disturb our Church All the question and difference now between the King and Houses is onely concerning the Office and power of Bishops and their Lands and Possessions in which two I finde most Members declare themselves to be unsatisfied especially those who have purchased Bishops Lands who are very zealous in that point for their own Interests For the clearing of these two scruples I shall examine and debate these two particulars First how far the K. hath consented to the Houses Propositions for the abolishing of the office jurisdiction of Bishops in the Church Secondly how far He hath condescended to the sale and disposal of their Lands and Possessions And whether his Concessions in both these be not sufficiently satisfactory in the sense I have stated the question in the beginning of my debate of it For the first of these It is clear that the King in his two last Papers hath abolished and extirpated that Episcopacy and Prelacy which we intended and have so earnestly contested against and contends now for no other but an Apostolicall Bishop which is but the same in all things with an ordinary Minister or Presbyter which Bishop being Apostolicall and of divine Institution we neither may nor can nor ever intended to abolish by our Covenant To make this evident to all mens consciences 1 The King hath yeelded to take away all the power and jurisdiction whatsoever exercised by our Bishops in point of censure or discipline in his former answer and contends for nothing now but their power of Ordination only and that not solely vested in the Bishop but in him and other Presbyters jointly yet so as the Bishop should have a negative Voice in Ordinations But the Houses voting this unsatisfactory because that the Bishops for three years during the continuance of the Presbyterian government should have the chief power of Ordination after those three years the sole power there being no others vested or intrusted with that power after the three years expired so as Bishops might by this means creep in and get up againe by degrees as high as ever Thereupon the King in his finall Answer hereunto though not fully satisfied in point of conscience but that the power of Ordination is principally vested onely in Bishops by Divine Authority hath yet for our satisfaction thus far condescended to us First that for three years next ensuing during the Presbyteriall Government no Bishops shall at all exercise this power of Ordination in the Church Secondly That if he can be satisfied in point of Conscience within that time upon conference with Divines That this power of Ordination so far as to have a Negative voice in it belongs not only unto Apostolical Bishops by a divine Right then he wil fully consent to the utter abolition even of this power of Ordination in the Bishops Thirdly That after the three yeares are expired if the King can neither satisfie his Houses in point of conscience nor they him upon debate That this power of Ordination belongs Iure Divino to Bishops that yet the exercise of that power shall be totally suspended in them till He and both Houses shall agree upon a Government and by Act of Parliament settle a Form of Ordination So as if both Houses never consent that Bishops shall hereafter have a hand or negative voice in Ordination this power of Bishops is perpetuaily suspended and as to the exercise of it perpetually abolished even by this Concession so as it can never be revived again without both Houses concurring assents And by this means Episcopacy is totally extirpated root and branch according to the Covenant which hath been so much pressed in this debate though the words of it have been somewhat mistaken that we therein absolutely covenant to extirpate Episcopacy when as the words are only That we shall endeavour the extirpation of Prelacy that is of Archbishops and Bishops c. And that certainly we have done and in a great measure accomplished so far as to satisfie both the words and intention of the Covenant though a concurrent power of Ordination be left in Bishops which yet is now totally suspended For as we covenant in the same clause to endeavour to root out Popery Superstition Heresie Schisme Prophanenesse and whatsoever shall be found to be contrary to sound Doctrine and the power of Godlinesse in the extirpation of which I am certain we have not proceeded by an hundred degrees so farre as we have actually done in the extirpation of Episcopacy there being no Proposition at all in the Treaty for the extirpation of Heresie Schisme and Errors as there is of Episcopacy and yet the Gentlemen who are so zealous for the Covenant perswade themselves they and we have not violated it in these particulars therefore much less in the point of Prelacy and Bishops since we have left them nothing at all but a meer power of Ordination actually suspended from any future execution but by both Houses assents Fourthly the King by abolishing Archbishops and Deans and Chapters hath also therein actually abolished all Bishops too for the future except those who are already made For by the Laws and custome of the Realm No Bishop can be consecrated but by an Archbishop or some deputation from him in case of sicknesse nor any Bishop made or consecrated unlesse he be first elected by the Dean and Chapter upon a Conge deslier issued out to them to choose one Now there being no Deanes and Chapters left to elect nor Archbishop to consecrate any Bishop for the future there can be no Bishop at all hereafter made in England or Ireland and so the Bishop
satisfactory to the purchasers of Bishops lands themselves who are most displeased with it As to that which hath been objected that some have purchased Reversions of Bishops Lands after 99 years in being who must absolutely lose their purchase money after this rate which is neither just nor honourable for the Parliament I answer that this is but the case of three or foure only that their purchases are of no considerable value nor bought fingly by themselves but jointly with Lands or Rents in possession of good value in which they had the cheaper purchase to take off the Reversion after so long a term which losse in the Reversion they may contentedly undergoe to purchase their owne and the Kingdomes peace and enjoy what they have purchased with these Reversions in possession without trouble or eviction by Act of Parliament for 99 years space or receive other satisfaction from the King and Parliament to their contentment in such manner as I shall presently inform you Sixtly To that concerning the present Rents which the Kingdemands out of Bishops Lands which sticks most with Purchasers many of them having purchased nothing but Rents and others more rents then Lands in possession which Rents must all be lost if they must pay their old rents over to the King to their undoing which would be both unjust unconscionable and dishonourable to the Houses upon whose assurance and engagement to enjoy their bargains they were induced both to lend money on and to purchase these Lands afterwards and would be no better then plain cheating and render them odious to all the world as some have objected I will not answer it with Caveat emptor but desire them to observe that the King in his answer doth not peremptorily require the Bishops old rents during the 99. years but only disjunctively either the old Rent or some other moderate Rent to be agreed on and if only a moderate proportion of the old rent be paid to the King the Purchaser is sure to enjoy the residue during the 99 yeares and so his purchase money not totally lost as is objected Besides the King will not reserve these Rents to the use of himselfe or the Crown but only to the Church and maintenance of the Ministers in such manner as He and his Houses shall agree in the Bill for setling these Lands in the way propounded by him Which offer opens this just and honourable way for the Houses to give all Purchasers of Bishops Land and Rents full satisfaction both for the losse of their reversions after 99 years and for the present rents which shall be reserved to the Crown out of Bishops Lands to the Churches use which I beleeve the King and Houses will readily consent to and that is to settle by Act of Parliament so much of the Dean and Chapters demein Lands and Rents upon the Purchasers as the losse of their Reversions after 99. years and present Rent to the Crowne shall amount unto upon a just computation By which means the Purchasers by way of Exchange of Deans and Chapters Lands and Rents for their Bishops shall have such full and satisfactory content even in kind as will cleare the Honour justice and Reputation of the Houses fair dealings in this particular throughout al the world and give the Ministers full satisfaction likewise for the augmentation of whose livings and maintenance the Deanes and Chapters Lands and Rents are designed by settling the reversion and Rents reserved to the Crown out of the Bishops Lands for the Churches use upon those who should have enjoyed the Deans and Chapters Lands thus settled on the Purchasers by exchange which being of equall value can be no losse nor prejudice to any This is such a visible and reall satisfaction to all purchasers as none of them can justly open their mouths against being both for their owne security and advantage and the Kingdomes settlement But if any of them dislike this reall satisfaction which the King no doubt will yeeld to there is an other means provided by this very Treaty for their satisfaction and that is by ready money for what ever they shall lose by Bishops Lands in possession or reversion by this Reservation to the Crown which I am sure they never will nor can refuse in Justice or equity they having the Bishops Lands conveyed to them only by way of Morgage or security for Moneys lent upon the publike faith And the houses by the 12th Article of this Treaty have time within two years space by Act or Acts to raise any summes of money for the payment of the publique debts of the Kingdome whereof the moneys lent upon Bishops Lands and the publique faith are a principall part and the same Justice of the Houses which hath already provided by severall Ordinances a sufficient recompence and satisfaction for purchasers of Bishops Lands in cases of eviction or of emergent charges and incumbrances discovered after the purchases made may be a sufficient assurance to them of the Houses Justice that they will give them as good or better satisfaction by one of these two wayes I have here propounded for any thing they shall part with to the King or Church for the settlement of the Kingdomes peace Seventhly it hath beene the solemn Protestation and Declaration of both Houses of Parliament in all their Remonstrances to the King Kingdome and forraigne States that they have taken up defensive Armes against the Kings Party onely for the maintenance of Religion Lawes Liberties c. and to bring Delinquents to condigne punishment Now Bishops Lands and Rents I am certaine are neither our Religion Lawers nor Liberties and I thinke they are no Delinquents though most Bishops are And shall we now after seven yeares Warres and sixty dayes Treaty make Bishops Lands which for five yeares time or more of our Warres were never thought of the sole or principall cause at least of our present breach with the King and the onely ground of a new Warre God forbid will not the world then justly censure us for notoriouÌ„s hypocrites and impostors pretendâ—ng one thing and intending another will they not then say that Bishops Palaces and Lands were the onely Religion and Liberty we have fought for the onely Delinquents we have brought to publick Justice and execution that we would never have suppressed Archbishops and Bishops nor entred into a solemne League and Covenant with bands listed up to heaven to endeavour to extirpate them as Antichristian but onely to gaine and retaine all their Lands and Revenues and never condemned their Functions but onely to seize on their Possessions And that we must now maintaine an Army upon their exhausted Purses and Estates only to defend these Parchasers Titles to the Bishops Inheritances If so for shame let us never break off this Treaty nor ruine two or three Kingdomes upon such an absurd dissatisfaction as this And if our Parchasers of Bishops Lands shall still refuse to rest satisfied with that twofold
for our security and settlement far more then we our selves demanded in two or three former Treaties and would have bin glad with the moity of it within these few months ten thousand times more then we can gain by a breach with the King upon such disadvantages why should we not all rest thankfully contented and blesse our God that he hath at last inclined the Kings heart to grant so much whereas heretofore he refused to condescend to the tithe of that he hath granted nowâ— Doubtlesse we can never answer such a peevish absurd ingratitude either to God or men and those Counties Cities and Buroughs who sent us hither in their steads will conne us little thanks for refusing Peace upon such honorable beneficiall and safe Concessions as neither they nor we can ever hereafter hope for if rejected now upon no grounds of reason but peevishnesse and will If any object as some have done that the King indeed hath granted all we can desire yet he is so perfidious in his Oaths and Promises as we have found by sad experience in all his Reign that we cannot trust him and therefore all he hath granted is to little purpose I answer That if all he hath granted were still in his own power to dissolve or recall at pleasure this Argument were materiall But since he hath put all our desired security in our hands alone and such as our selves shall appoint and left nothing unto his sole or joint disposall with us the objection is but weak and recoils upon our selves that we dare not trust our selves with our safety It a Shaâ—k come to borrow some money of a Usurer whose word and hand he dares not take yet if he give him a Pawn or Morgage of his Lands in hand he will then trust him without any scruple The King hath given such a sufficient Pawn Morgage and put it into our own hand therefore we need not doubt him now Besides if we cannot trust him for what he hath granted it was a mockery of him and the Kingdome to treat with him to grant it and if so the Kingdom will say they have little cause hereafter to trust us for such palpable dissimulation as the King For my part I have seen so much experience in the world that I dare trust none with my own or the Kingdoms safety but Godâ— alone Put not your trust in Princes nor in any son of man in whom there is no help It is better to trust in the Lord then to put confidence in men or Princes have been my Maxims and we have seen such strange Mutabilities and perfidiousnesse in men of all sorts since our troubles that we cannot trust neither the King nor Prince City nor Countrey this Generall nor that Generall this Army nor those that were before it nor yet our selves who are jealous one of another trecherous one to another distrustfull of all and now distrusted by all ever since we began to confide in men and found out a new generation of confiding men Let us begin to trust in God alone in the first place and then we need not distrust the King for time to come any more then others or our selves whose dear bought experience of breach of former trust and promises will make him more carefull of violating his present Concessions for the future especially having put such securityâ— unto our own hands to bind him to an exact performance But it hath been objected by the Generall and Officers in the Army in their late Remonstrance and by some who have spoken in this debate who would teach the King before hand how to elude and vacat all his grants and promises that all the Kings Concessions are and will be void because made by duresse of imprisonment whiles under restraint I answer That the King during all this Treaty hath been in such a condition of honour freedom and safety and had such free liberty of consultation and debate upon his own earnest desire and his parties too as well as the Houses that he can neither with honour nor justice avoid those Concessions by any pretext of Duresse especially since he hath denyed some things and had the same liberty not to have granted other things had he been pleased not to grant them Besides the King is to confirm the whole Treaty by Acts of Parliament to which he is to give his Royall assent and Oath too when all is concluded and that in a free condition then no Duresse can avoid them nor more then Magna Charta it self first gained by the sword and oft confirmed in Parliament by our Kings against their wills In the year of our Lord 1222 The Barons demanding of King Henry the third the confirmation of the great Charter and their Liberties according to his Oath upon the conclusion of the Peace with Lewis of France William Brewer one of his evill Councell answered That the Liberties they demanded were not to be observed nor confirmed because they were forcibly extorted Whereupon words growing between the Barons the Archbishop of Canterbury and Brewer the King closed up the strife with this honourable Answer All of us have sworn to these Liberties and that which we have assented and sworn to ALL OF VS ARE BOVND TO OBSERVE We to this day injoy these Liberties being confirmed by Act of Parliament and sworn to by our Kings though forcibly extorted at the first And so may we much more enjoy the Kings Concessions when turned into Acts and sealed with a sacred Oath superadded to a Royall assent Mr. Speaker I have now waded through the whole Treaty and given you the best reasons I can out of every parcell of it to prove the satisfactorinesse of the Kings Answers and answered all Objections hitherto made against my conclusion I shall now by your patience and leave proceed a step or two further to evidence by cleer demonstrations and reasons to your consciences First that our closing with the King upon these Concessions is the only the speediest best loyallest safest and certainest way to settle a firm and lasting Peace between the King Parliament and his three Kingdoms Secondly that the new way to Peace and settlement proposed and prosecuted by the Generall the Officers of the Army and their friends in the House is a most desperate dishonourable unsafe course and certain way to speedy ruine both of our King Parliaments Army City Country and three Kingdomes too yea a â—eer project of the Jesuites to destroy the King dissolve this present and all future Parliaments betray Ireland to the Popish Rebels subvert our Religion Reformation Laws Liberties Kingdoms introduce Popery Tyranny slavery and makes us a prey to our forreign Enemies and if I make this clearly appear to all your consciences and reasons I beseech you lay all your hands upon your hearts and consider what you vote in this debate lest you become instrumentall to the Jesuits accomplish these their designs in
Honour and Happinesse of the King and his Posterity and the true publike Liberty safety and peace of the three Kingdoms as the Title and Preface declare sincerely really and constantly to endeavour with their estates and lives TO PRESERVE AND DEFEND THE KINGS MAJESTIES PERSON AND AUTHORITY in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdome which he hath now fully and actually performed by his Concessions in this Treaty That the World may beare witnesse with our Consciences OF OUR LOYALTY and that WE HAVE NO THOUGHTS OR INTENTIONS TO DIMINISH HIS MAJESTIES JUST POWER AND GREATNESSE And shall also with all faithfullnesse endeavour the discovery of all such as shall be Incendiaries or evill instruments by DIVIDING THE KING FROM HIS PEOPLE That they may be brought to speedy tryall and receive condign punishment And shall not suffer themselves directly or indirectly by whatsoever combination or terrour to be withdrawne or make defection from this Covenant but shall all the dayes of their lives really and constantly continue therein against all opposition and promote the same against all lets and impediments whatsoever And this Covenant we all made in the presence of Almighty God the searcher of all Hearts WITH A REALL INTENTION TO PERFORME THE SAME as we shall answer at that great day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed Now how we who are Members of this House or any who are subjects of our three kingdomes or Officers and Souldiers in the Army who have taken this Oath of Allegiance Protestation League or Covenant or any of them as some of them have done all or two of them at least sundry times over can without the highest perjury to God Treachery to the King perfidiousnesse to the kingdome Infamy to the World Scandall to the Protestant Religion and eternall dishonour to the Parliament and themselves Atheistically break through or elude all those most Sacred and Religious tyes upon our souls by a speedy publique dethroning and decolling of the KING and dis-inheriting his Posterity as the Army Remostrants advise and â—that in the open view of the World and that Al-seeing God to whom we have thus appealed and sworne by that Iesuiticall equivocations or distinstions of which the Armies Remonstrance is full or professions of our damnable hypocâ—isie in the breaking of them transcends my understanding And for those who stile themselves SAINTS and charge this as one of the Highest Crimes against the King His frequent breach of Oathes and Promises to transcend him Iesuites in this very sin is such a monster of impiety as I conceive could never have entred into the hearts of Infidells or the worst of Men or Divells And to act this under a pretext to preserve and settle the Peace of the Kingdom is such a solecisme as militates point-blank against the very words and scope both of this Oath Protestation League and Covenant which crosseth not the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance but more strongly engageth all men to preserve and defend the Kings Person and Authority in the preservation and defence of the true Religion and Liberties of the Kingdome as the Assembly of Divines and both Houses affirm in their Exhortation to take the Covenant which prescribes this as the only meanes of securing and preserving peace in all the three Kingdomes to preserve the Person and Honor of the King his Crown and Dignity from any such violence and invasion as is now suggested by the Army which all three of them engage us and all three Kingdoms with our lives and fortunes really and constantly to oppose against all lets and impediments c. and to bring those to condigne punishment as Incendiaries and evill Instruments who suggest it So as if the Army will proceed in this Jesuiticall destructive way of Treason and ruine Wee and all three Kingdoms are solemnly engaged with our estates and lives unanimously to oppose and bring them to Justice And is this then the way to publike peace and settlement to raise another new War to murther one another in this new Quarrell wherein the Army and their adherents must be the sole Malignants and enemies we must fight with c No verily but the high-way to the Kingdoms Armies ruine whose Commissions wee are obliged to revoke whose Contributions wee must in conscience withdraw and whose power wee must with our own lives resist unlesse we will be perjured and guilty of breach of Covenant in the highest degree if they persist in these anti-Covenant Demands 7. Both Houses having held a Personall Treaty with the King so lately and he having granted us in that Treaty whatsoever we have or can demand for the safety and preservation of our Religion Laws and Liberties and both Houses engaged themselves by Vote in answer to the Kings Propositions to restore him to a condition of Freedome Honour and Safety according to the Lawes of the Realm which was the Armies own proposals in his behalfe in August 1647. Wee can neither in honesty honour justice nor conscience were hee ten thousand times worse then the Army would render him depose and bring him to execution It being against all the rules of Justice and honour between two professed enemies who had no relations one to another much more between King and Subjects in a civil War and a thing without president in any ages To this the Army Remonstrance answers That this would be thought an unreasonable and unbeseeming demand in a personall Treaty between persons standing both free and in equall ballance of power but not when one party is wholly subdued captivated imprisoned and in the others power But this certainly is a difference spun with a Jesuiticall thred For to treat with any King in our power or out of it on articles of Peace upon these terms That if he consent to them We will restore him to his Throne with Honor Freedom Safety and when he hath yeelded us our Demands then to depose and out off his head is the highest breach of Faith Truth Honor and Justice that can be imagined and those who dare justifie such perfidious and unchristian dealing deserve rather the stile of Turks and equivocating Iesuites then pious Saints 8. There is no president in Scripture that the Generall Assembly or Sanhedâ—in of the Jews or Isrealites did ever judicially imprison depose or execute any one of the Kings of Iudah or Israel though many of them were the grossest Idolaters and wickedest Princes under heaven who shed much innocent blood and oppressed the people sundry waies We know that David himselfe committed adultery with Vriah his wife a faithfull Servant and Souldier whiles he was with his Generall Ioab in the field and then afterward caused him to be treacheroâ—sly slain Yet neither the Assembly of the Elders nor Ioab and the Army under him did impeach or crave Justice against him for these sins though hee lived impeniently in them And when hee numbred the people afterwards
certain destructions and desolation to this poor Kingdome and more especially to the Army and their adherents in this desperate advice who must stand or fall upon their own bottome without the least aid or contribution from any other I desire them and all others who have either eyes or brains in their heads most seriously to consider But that which makes me most of all detest this desperate advice is this That it is the only way that can be thought upon to accomplish the Popes and Jesuites designs to set up Popery and subvert the Protestant Religion and professors of it in all our three Kingdoms and in all forraign Realms beyond the Seas For if this reforming Parliament which hath pretended so much to the extirpation of Popery shall so far play the Popes and Jesuites the undoubted contrivers of this Armys New-model of our peace and settlement as to depose and behead the King his father and forever disinherit him of the Crown bring him as a Traitor to die without mercy if he come hither It wil so far provoke and exasperate him the Duke being both young and of generous spirits not throughly grounded in our Religion and under the Queens tuition and in the power of this popish party abroad who will aggravate these high affronts and injuries put upon them to the utmost and on whose protection they will be in this case necessitated to cast themselves that there is great fear and probability they will immediately renounce such a bloody and detestable Religion as shall insâ—igate us to such horrid actions and Councels and abominate all the professors of it so as totally to abandon them and turn Roman Catholicks in good earnest and then match themselves to great potent popish Alliances and by their purses forces and assistance and of the Popes and all his Catholick sonnes in Forraigne parts for the advancement of the Catholick cause and of the popish Malignants and discontented parties in England Scotland and Ireland which will questionlesse receive and assist the Prince as their Soveraign Lord and King invade our poore impoverished divided and distressed kingdom with such a power as in all humane probability would speedily over-runne and destroy this mutinous Army and the Houses too put them with their adherents to the Sword without mercy or quarter and disinherit them and their heirs for ever to revenge their Fathers blood and their dis-inherison of the Crown c. And then Popery and Prelacy will both return with greater authority power approbation then ever over-spread our whole three kingdoms and extirpate our Religion the professors of it as the most anti-Monarchical treacherous and perfidious bloody Miscreants under heaven excite all other forraign States and kingdoms to do the like to prevent the springing up of a new generation of treacherous King-killing State-subverting Agitators and Hypocritical perfidious Army-Saints and engage all Protestant kingdoms Churches and States for their own security and vindication to disclaim and declare against us This questionlesse will be the sad inevitable issue of this Jesuiticall advice if ever the Houses or Army shall put it into actuall execution and not speedily prevent it it being long since fore-plotted by the Jesuites as I shall prove anon at the beginning of the late Warre against the Scots But if the Prince and Duke be set aside I would gladly learn of these Statists who and what King they would set up Not any of the Kings posterity certainly since they dis-inherit two at a blow and the blood being corrupted by the Kings and their attainders no other heir can inherit it by descent it must escheat to the Houses or Armies disposal and become no kingdom at all but an Elective one if any And is this the next way to peace and settlement If so I have certainly lost my reason and senses too No it will be a seminary of lasting Wars of which few elective Kingdoms are long free every new election producing commonly a new Warre where there is no pretence of an hereditary succession much more where a right heir is forcibly and unjustly dis-inherited I shall give you but one instance though I could name you divers and that is a memorable one at home in our owne kingdom King Henry the first having one onely daughter Maud to reserve the Crown unto her after his death caused her to be crowned and made all the Prelates and Nobles swear to receive her as their Queen and Princesse after his decease But she marrying afterwards to the Emperour and being out of the Realme when King Henry died The Archbishop of Canterbury with the rest of the Prelates and Nobles contrary to their Oath and agreement elected Stephen Earle of Bloyes for their King and put by Maud the right heir Stephen taking an Oath to grant and confirm those Laws and Liberties for the kingdoms peace and settlement as they propounded to him before his Coronation A very likely means to settle Peace and prosperity as they imagined But was the event answerable No verily this cursed perjury and pollicy brought all the chiefe contrivers of it to great calamity and miserable ends and engendred a bloody civill Warre in the bowels of this kingdom which continued no lesse then seventeene years together with interchangeable successes till the whole kingdom was laid waste and desolate most Houses Towns and Villages burned to the ground their Gardens and Orchards quite destroyed their monies and estates exhausted and plundered their Cattle and flocks consumed and eaten up their Fields over grown with weeds in stead of Corne most of the people devoured by the Sword Famine and Pestilence and eleven hundred Castles Holds and Garrisons erected which were no other but dens of Theeves and Plunderers This was the peace and settlement this policy produced At last both Parties weary of the Wars out of pure necessity came to a Personall Treaty and in conclusion made this agreement That Stephen having no issue of his body should enjoy the Crowne during his life and Henry son and heir to Maud and next heir also to Stephen should succeed him after his death and in some sort officiate with him in the kingdoms Govenment during his life And so these long lasting Warres concluded after which there were at least eleven hundred Castles demolished by order of Parliament crected during these wars to the Countreys utter undoing But if we dis-inherit the Prince and Duke for ought I discern if they suddainly recover not their possession of the Crown of England after one seven years of Warre already elapsed we may have seventeen years more and seventeen after that again and be reduced to a more miserable condition then our Ancestors were in King Stephens dayes And that upon these two grounds First the contest then was onely between two Competitors for this one kingdom who had no other kingdoms of their own to side with them But the Prince and Duke being successively heirs as well to
it seems a miracle to me that they should be now so virtiginous rash and audacious as to tander this to the House againe with such post-hast and violence as the readiest safest and speedyest course to settle peace and safety and set aside the onely meanes of settlement the Treaty O the inconstancy and strange intoxications of these new Saints and Statists who would make the Houses as unconstant as themselves Since then I have cleerly manifested that all these Proposals of peace and settlement in the Army 's late Remonstrance are all and every of them most apparent precipices Jesuiticall contrivances and labyrinthes of speedy imminent unavoidable ruine and confusion to our King Prince Kingdomes Magistracy Ministry Church Religion Lawes Liberties Government the present and all succeeding Parliaments and the Army too it must needs be the very extremity of madnesse to let go that speedy safe and sure way to certain peace security and settlement I have propounded by accepting of the Kings Concessions to catch at such a false deceitfull shadow of settlement as this which will engâ—lâ—e us in endlesse wars and miseries It is a Rule in Policy and Divinity Ex duobus malis minimum eligendum But of these one being a most certain destructive evill and the other a certaine good and advantage of the highest nature it can admit of no deliberation which of them to embrace And so much the rather if we sadly consider of our deplorable almost desperate condition both at home and abroad pertinent to the point in hand We are all weary of a long and costly Warre and yet God hath so infatuated many that though in words they desire yet in deeds they reject alwayes of Peace and cast them out of their hands when put into them as if they delighted to have our Warres spun out like Amaleck's from generation to generation Wee are unable any longer to maintain a Warre and yet are unwilling to give it over But I beseech you now seriously to consider into what great straights and difficulties you are already brought and how the true state of your Affairs stands in relation to your Forces and Friends both at home and abroad There are many thousands of Reformadoes who have formerly served you in your Warres who lie dayly clamouring at your doores for Arrears complaining they are ready to starve and some of them to â—ot in prison desiring but some inconsiderable Summe to satisfie their present necessities and you returne them answer you are unable to raise it and after many debates upon their generall Ordinance you cannot in diverse months pich upon any probable meanes to secure their Arreares amounting as is conceived to above two hundred thousand pounds The Arreares alledged to be due to the Army who now take free quarter and eat up the Countries where they lye amount to above three hundred thousand pounds and how to raise money to discharge this debt or so much as to disband the supernumeraries and reduce the Army into their Winter Quarters hath put you to a stand for many weeks and as yet you know not how to doe it So as free quarter must still continue to ruine us on the one hand and your debts and arrears be dayly multiplied to undoe us on the other hand Your Navie is now comming in to harbors and your Mariners expect a present considerable Sum amounting to many thousands to pay them off and you have not yet one peny in your Treasury to satisfie their arrears and can pitch upon no way to raise any present monies but onely by the Earle of Arundels Composition amounting in all but to six thousand pounds and the moity of it not to be paid till three months end at least What your other debts of the Navy are and how many thousand pounds you owe to Mariners Masters and Tradesmen the Committee of the Navie can best informe you Your debts to your Artificers Waggonars and such who have advanced monies upon the Publick Faith amount to two or three Millions at least Besides your debts to Plimmouth and other Garrisons are so great that they are all ready to mutiny and disband for want of pay Your Debts to the Souldiers and Officers in Ireland are vaste and if speedy and large supplies of Men Provision and Monies arrive not there within one month Colonell Iones and your other Officers there professe the whole Kingdome will be utterly lost and you for ought I sinde have no possible means to supply them with either If then your Debts are already so great to Reformadoes Tradesmen the Army Navie Garisons and those who have lent you Monies that you know not how to satisfie any one of them If you have not money to pay your Army or Navie at the present nor to maintaine them for the future why doe you now refuse that Peace which is tendered you upon such great advantages and chuse a Warre which you know not how to maintaine and must needs break yours and the Kingdoms backs in few months more Your credits are quite lost and broken in all places in City Country and the Houses too You cannot now borrow ten thousand pounds for ought I know upon any suddain occasion were it to serve the Kingdome Your breaches of Faith and security heretofore and clashes with the City have made you almost Bankrupts if not altogether Gold-smiths Hall the Excise Cambâ—en-House and Custom-house are already charged with more Debts then are likely to be paid in many yeares Compositions are almost at a stand or end Sequestrations generally disposed of to each particular County or other uses Bishops Lands engaged for farre more then they are really worth You have nothing of your owne or the Publick's left to raisâ— either present monies or credit whereonâ— to borrow themâ— Besides the City Country and whole Kingdome are how quite exhausted and almost as poore as naked Iob was Many Countries of the Kingdome are so impoverished and exhausted with the last Warres especially the foure Northern Shires next to Scotland that as their Knights and Burgesses assure you they are so farre unable to pay any Taxes that they already starve and perish in most places for want of food and are petitioners to you for some reparation towards their great losses and present support to keep them from starving The rich Associated Counties have beene harressed and undone by the last Summers Warres that they are growne poore unable to lend or contribute to you any more force or assistance The excessive dearth of corn and provisions the last year the great destruction of corn by unseasonable weather this present year which makes that which is wholesome exceeding deer The extraordinary rot among sheep and murraine among cattle which should raise monies 〈◊〉 Counties the generall scarcity and decay of Trade by Land of Merchandize by sea and apparent probability of their decaying every day more and more by reason of the revolted Ships and Irish Men-of-warre and the Sequestrations of the
presented a Petition to both Houses to resettle their Militia as before being in a ful and free house setled withont any dissenting Votes by al their consents which was seconded by a Petition from the Apprentises who being over-earnest offered some unarmed violence to the Houses and got the Ordinance of repeal nulled and the Militia resetled as formerly Hereupon they perswaded the Army to March up speedily to London not onely without but against the Houses Order not to Quarter within forty miles of the City to protect the Houses from any further violence to bring the Authors of this force to speedy and exemplary punishment and restpre the Houses to a condition of honour freedome and safety and that by offering a greater force to the Members who continued sitting in the absence of those who repaired to and ingaged with them then that of the Aps prentises driving the eleven Members formerly impeached out of the House Kingdom expelling them others out of the House forceing away most of the Commons nulling al Votes Orders and Ordinances from Iuly 26. to August 6. after that marched through London in Triumph broke down all their Forts and works about the City tooke the Tower out of their possession divided the Militia of Westminster and Southwarke from them impeached imprisoned sundry Aldermen and others who appeared most active for the Parliament from the beginning impeached suspended imprisoned seven Lords at once for sundry months together afterwards released without any prosecution And by this meanes raised such a breach between the City and Houses sets the Members one against another and put such a stand to their proceedings by these disturbances in the Parliaments Army as they could never effect before by all their military power forces Now lay al these distempers procedings together compare them with the Armies late Remonstrance DeclaratioÌ„ Menaces present March to London to force and levy War against the Houses their Members in case they concurred not with them in their Jesuiticall whimsies and desingnes and we shal find them all so opposite repugnant to the Armies former obedience professions and principles so sutable to the Jesuites practises in every particular al tending onely to force and dissolve this present Parliament to null and invalid its proceedings and weaken al its interest both in the City and Country And then every rationall man must needs acknowledge they all originally spurng from Jesuitical suggestions and Counsels and that Ignatius Loyala then and now rode in an open and triumphall Chariot in the Van of these and all their late actions of this nature Adde to this that the Monstrous opinions broached publiquely and privately in the Army and their quarters against the Divinity of the Scriptures the Trinity the Dâ—ity of our Saviour That Antichrist is only within us That conscience ought to be free and all Religions tolerated That every man is a Minister and may lawfully preach without ordination That the civill Majestrate hath no legislative nor coercive power in matters of Religion That titles are Antichristian and the like seconded with publique affronts to our Ministers climing up into their Pulpits interruping them publiquely in their Sermons and making our Churches common Stables in some places and receptacles of their excrements their open revilings at the proceedings of Parliam and their Members and all to render our Religion and the professors of it odious to the people to make them readier and better inclined nnto Popery disgrace and undoe our Ministers and render them and their preaching in effectuall subvert the power of our Magistracy make the houses odious to all and put all things into a present confusion I am confident all these were nothing else but the projects and practises of Jesuits and their agents who crept into the Army to feduce and distemper them being so diametrically contrary to the Generalls Officers and Soldiers former practises principles professions and that piety they have professed But that which further demonstrates it is this That after the Generall Officers of the Army had confessed their error * in medling with * State affaires settling reforming the Common-wealth in the * General Councell at Putney where they voted acted more like a Parliam then a Councell of War promised to proceed no futher in it but acquiesce with the houses determinations these Jesuits by the help of their instrumeÌ„ts the Agitators to carry on their design of putting a speedy period to the present all future Parliaments draw up a moddle of a new Representive which they intituled The Agreement of the people subscribed by divers Regiments of the Army 9 of horse and 7 of foot and then caused it to be presented to the house of Commons in November 1647. The matter end and time of it conpared together and the houses votes upon it are very considerable and discover a Jesuit in the front and reare of it We all know that the Jesuits and their popish confederats ever since Queen Elizabeths Reign when so many strict laws were made against have had an aking tooth against Parliaments Their first and most disperate attempt was in the third year of King Iames to blow up the K. and both houses of Parliament with Gunpowder the orginall plotters of this horrid Treason were the Pope and Jesuits as is clear by Del Roi. his book other printed papers almost a year before the chiefe actors in it were discontented Gentlemen and Souldiers Catesby Percy Winter Faux and others as our stories relate fit instruments to blow up Parliaments The day when this was to be executed was the fift of November but this treason being through Gods great mercy discovered on that day the King and Parliament adjudged these Iesuits and Popish Traytors to be executed and that day by Act of Parliament to be perpetually observed for a Thanksgiving day of this happy deliverance from that treason The Jesuites who have broken off all former Parliaments in this Kings reigne till this and would eternally dissolve this and all succeeding Parliaments by way of revenge for their ill successes then have these two last yeares together in this very moneth of November conspired to blow up or pull down this and all other Parliaments so as the very circumstance of the moneth and time discovers in my apprehension the Jesuites to be chiefe actors in this tragedy The first attempt of this kind was on the fift of November 1647. the very day of the powder plot but by the Houses occasions put off till the 9th Then the Agreement of the People was ushered into the House of Commons with a Petition by the Agitators when this Agreement of the people and Petition was presented Gifford a Staffordshire Gent. and a Jesuite a yeare before sent from beyond the Seas who at first seigned himselfe a convert to our Religion was present in the lobby with the Agitators and promoted it all he could
intituled Royal tyranny discovered Discovering the tiranny of the Kings of England from William the invader and robber Tyrant alias the Conqueror to this present King Charles who is plainly proved to be worse and more tyrannicall then any of his predecessors and deserves a more severe punishment from the hands of this present Parliament then either of the dethroned Kings Ed. 2 or Rich. 2. had from former Parliaments which they are bound by duty and Oath without equivocation or collution to inflict upon him he being the greatest delinquent in the three kingdoms and the head of the rest so the title In the Table there are these passages amongst others Charles Steward guilty of this treason p. 92 93 94 95 97. C. R Charls Rex Ought to be executed p. 57. where the houses are not only pressed to depose and execute him but his execution in their neglect foretold that in An exemplary manner in dispite of all his protectors and defendors Which Iesuitical books and counsels published at that instant discovered clearly to my apprehension their votes for laying the King then aside the deposing executing of him to be then intended only interrupted by the Scots invasion the last summers commotion occasioned by those votes of Non addresses and the forceing on of them then now by the army with the violence they use to be no other but a very plot and project of the Iesuits to ruine and distroy the King and us I shall only add to this what I manifested but now that it was the Iesuits plot when they engaged and assisted the King in his warre against the Scots to dash the protestants in both nations in peeces one against another so be masters of both kingdoms extirpate our religion in both and that if the King consented not to grant them a generall free exercise of their religion throughout all his realms Dominions or did but sticke at it that then they would presently poyson dispatch him possesse themselves of the Prince next heire to the Crowne then by flattery or menaces draw him to their Religion match him to a Papist and then all three Kingdomes would soon turn Papists and all Protestants be murthered or burnt for Heretiques Now these Papists and Iesuits understanding that the King beyond contrary to their expectatioÌ„ bath granted all or most of our Propositions in the Isle of Wight and fully condescended to five New bills for the extirpation of Masse Popery and Popish innovations out of his Dominions and putting all Lawes in execution against them and for a speedier discovery and conviction of them then formerly and that their good friends and Confederats our Arch-Bishops Bishops Deans and Chapters and other branches of the hierarchy are tobe wholly routted out both in England and Ireland so as they are never likely to have any more footing in them againe after all their late warres charges hazards plots and designes to set up their Catholique Religion party are so inraged with the King so inexorably incensed against him both at home abroad as I am credibly informed that now they are mad against him thirst for nothing but his blood which they think they cannot advantagiously effectually accomplish but by engaging the Army to dessolve the Treaty force the Parliament in case they vote his answers satisfactory and then by themselvs are a confederate party in the House to depose cut off his head Which done the Prince being now beyond Seas in their power destitute of his hopes of succession to this Crown banished and declared a Traitor and to dye without mercy if he returne hither to lose his head as well as his father upon such high affronts put upon his Father himself that by a Protestant Parliament Army of Saints will be so inraged against all professors of our religion that he will probably professe himself a Roman Catholique and his brother too match with a Catholique Princes then ingage all the Papists in forraign parts England Scotland and Ireland to unite their forces purses councels by way of revenge to cut all the Protestants throats in all three Kingdomes who have adhered to the Parliament and hew the Army it selfe in peeces when they have thus accomplished their designes which will render them and the Parliament execrable and infamous to all posterity and then farewell all Parliaments and our Protestant religion for ever not onely here but throughout all Christendome where the Popish Princes will presently massacre the Protestants lest they should fill to the like perfidious practises This I am most confident is their designe by what I have met with in their papers and in the Jesuit Conâ—zens politiques and others who have chalked out a way by degrees insensibly to crue Popery into any Protestant Church by those very steps which our Prelates followed who were directed by them and to alter and subvert any Protestant State and Kingdom by this new modelling of them into such a popular Anarchy as is now suggested and presented in the Armies Remonstrance This I am assured will be the unavoydable desperate and deplorable issue if we comply with them and the Army in it unlesse God in his infinite mercy shal hold off their hands and turn their hearts from prosecuting their present designes I shall onely adde one thing more and so conclude That many of the Agitators and Armies papers especially Putney projects and some late Declarations savour of a Iesuites stile or spirit That I have been credibly informed that not onely Gifford a Jesuite was one of the Generals own Life-gard and a very active man in the Army but one Thomas Budds alias Peto the last Popish Priest condemned at Newgate was a Trooper in this Army and by influence of some great Officers in it obtained a Reprieve instead of an Execution That the Papists beyond Seas wish very well to the Army iu whom now is their chiefest hopes and that the Iesuits Cels and Colleges in forraign parts are of late very empty that many Popish Priests and Iesuits are now in England not saying Masse crying up the Pope and Popish Tenents as heretofore that were to grosse and they easily discovered but using all manner of mechanick Trades preaching in private corners as Sectaries Anabaptists Seekers broachers of new Light or as gifted brethren that many of them are turned Troopers Agitators if not some of them Officers in the Army or at leastwise have so insinuated themselves into the leading Officers there who are much taken with their parts their new Designs Tenents to alter unsettle States that they have as powerfull an influence now upon the Armies Couâ—cels Officers as formerly they had upon the King and his Councels and have now thus deeply ingaged them beyond all expectation to accomplish these Iesuiticall designes of theirs to depose and destry the Kingâ— dissolve this Parliament subvert our Magistracy Ministry Religion Lawes
15. 9. d Rom. 13. 1. 2 Tim. 2. 2. 3 Tit. 3. 1. 1 Tit. 2. 13 14 15. Gen. 6. 11 12. Psal. 11. 15. Psal. 55. 9. Isay 59. 6. Rom. 1. 29 30 31. 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. e 1 Thes. 5. 22. 1 Cor. 8. 21. Rom. 12. 17. f Mat. 18. 17 18. 1 Cor. 10. 32. Rom 4. 20. 2 Cor. 6. 3. 1 Cor. 8. 13. 2. 1 Pet. 2. 11. c. 3. 12. * An humble answer p. 2. c. o 2. Sam. 10. 19. Deur 20. 10. 1 Kings 22. 41. p Psal. 122. 6. 8. Ier. 29. 7. q Heb. 12. 14. r Psal. 4. 14. Ier. 29. 7. 1. Pet. 3. 11. s 1 Thes. 4. 11. Cor. 10. 36. t Rom. 12. 18. 1. Tim. 22. u Rom. 15. 33. 2 Cor. 13. 11. 1. Per. 4. 9. 1. Thes. 5. 16. x I say 9. 6 7. Heb. 13. 20. y Gal. 5. 22. Eph. 4. 3. z Româ— 10. 15. Eph. 5. 16. u Lev. 26. 6. Numb 5. 26. 2 Kings 4. 20. 19. Psal. 128. 6. Psal. 147. 4. I say 26. 12. Ier. 14. 13. b Luk. 12. 13 14. 1 Per. 4. 15. Thes. 4 11. 2 Thes. 3. 11. Heb. 5. 4. e Tertul Apologia e Matth. 26. c. f Joan Mariana de Rege et Regum Instit. l. 1. c. 5. 6. 7. 8. Bellarmin De pontif Rom. 8. 5. 1. 6. 78. Ludovicus Richehom Apol. pro societate Iesu. Franciscus de Verona Apol. pro Ioanne Castel Aphorismi Doctrinae Iesuitarum * The Tit. Page * Exaâ—â— Collect. p. 31 to 48. * Rastal Armor 1. * Exact Collect. p. 34 to 4g c. * A Colcon-lect p. 201 * Condemned by the Houses in the King Exact Collect p. 10â— 20. â— 3. * A Collection p. 634. * Exact Collect. p. 34. to 46. 156 162. 201. 206. * Knols Twkish history p. 297. 298. * Rom â— 3â— k Leviâ—â— 19 17â—1 Tim. 1. 20. Tâ—â— 1. 13. Object * Right Might p. 20. 21. Answ. * 1 Saâ—â—â— 21. 6. * 2 Pet. 2. 16. * Ps. â— 3 2. 9. * All Petâ—oners for Peace are now disabled to be or elect Officers by some late votes since out seclusion Mat. 26. 52. * These chains are only Metaphorical the chains of Gods Law and Word nor reall Ps. 2. 3. Is. 45. 14. Rom. 20. 1 2. * Si judicas cognoscâ— Scneca Theâ— first prejudicet The Answer thereâ— unto * Learned Giberâ—â—s Vocâ—ius in his Letter to Mr Walter Strickland Agent fos the Parliament at the Hague Feb. 2 1644. writes thus of my Soveraign Power of Parliaments c. Accept nuperrime commodato adhoras aliquot librum Guil Prynne jam diu miâ—i desideratum rationes cum respensionibus tam solide â—ru dite pro Parliamentto 〈◊〉 adversarios instructas atque explicatas deprehendi ut non videam quid ultra desiderari possit Debebat Tractaus ille Latine Gallice extare ut a Reformatis Theologi 〈◊〉 Politicis in Europa legi possit The second prejudice The Answer to it The Question The Question truly stated The Question truly stated The first Proposition fully granted and the benefits acâ—â—ing to us therâ—â— by The Militia fully consented to and the Kingdoms advantage and security thereby * An Exact Collection p. 88 89 9â— 909. c. A Collection of all the publik Ordinances c pa. 49 50 51 57 58 77 84. * See Matthew Paris Matthew Westminster Hollinshead Speed Daniel in his life The King hath granted the Houses for 20 years the disposing of all great Offices Civill Judiciall and Military for twenty years both in England and Ireland The security and consequences thereof The King hath confirmed the new Oreat Seal all that hath passed under it nulled the old aud what ever passed under its authority since its carrying from the Houses The Repeale of new Peers and other Honours granted by the King with the consequence thereof * Sec Cook nâ—stitures on Mag. Cha. cap. 29. The proposition for raising moneys for payment of publike debts artears c. granted with its benefits The court of Wards aud Tenures in Capite c. abolished with the advantages The Proposition concerning Delinquents how sarre granted even to satisfaction * Exact collection p. 464. 585 619. 631. 633. 908. Object Answ. * 4. Instir. â— 1. p. 37. 38. * Sec 2 Chron. 28. 2. 10. 16. * See Rastalls Abridgment Tit. Treason That Propositions concerning London fully granted and the Consequences of it * Exact Collection p. 45. a Collectionâ— c. p. 33. 495. 496. * An exact Collection p. 6. The satisfactoriness of the Kings answers to the Propositions concerning the Church Religion Propositions and Concessions against Papist Popery and Popish Innovations Propositions and Concessions against Prophanenesse * See the Book of Ordination of Ministers Bishops c. 1. 2. Ph. Mar. c. 8. * This I have fully proved in my Vnbishoping of Timothy Titus And of the Antipathy of English Prelacy to Unity and Monarchy par 1. 2. c. 9. * See my Vnbishoping of Tim. and Titus where this is largely proved * See this largely proved in my Vnbishoping of Timothy Titus and in Gersom Bucerus de Gubernat Ecclesiae * See my Antipathy of the English prelacy part 2. pag. 479. to 484. * Rev. 4. 10 11. c. 5. 8 9. c. 11. 16 17 18. * Acts 20. 17. 28. Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 1. 5 6 7. * See Goodwin Catalogue of English Bishops Rastalls abridgement Tit. Bishops sust fruits 〈◊〉 * A Colllection c. p. 124â— 125. 902. * A Collection c. â— 922 23 c. * A Colllection p. 124 125. Object Answer a Mat. 8. 22. Luke 8. 2. Acts 3. 6. c. 4. 34. 35. 36. 37. c. 10. 10 5. c. 20. 34. 1 Cor. 4. 12. 1 Thes. 2. 9. Phil. 4. 10. 10. 20. 1 Cor. 11. 7 8 9. Gal. 1. 8. b See M. Seldens Hist. of Tythes c Polychron l. 4. c. 26. See D. Crakenthorp of Const. Donat. Euseb. de vâ—â—a Constamin d c. 22. in vita Sylvestri e Hist. l. 4. c. 26 f Dialog l. 4. c. 15 16 17. 26. g Fox Acts and Monu p. 517. 522. h Answer to the Preface of M Moores Book p 116. i Ser. on Hag. 1 p. 176. Defence of the Apology part 6. c. 9. divis 3. k Tho. Becons Reports of certaine men vol. 3. f 341. l Opus 90. Dierun c. 124. m Fox Acts and Monu vol. 2. p. 609. 610. n Gra. dist 41. o Spel. Concil tom 1. p. 261. 263. p De Brit. Eccl. Primordiis c. 4. p. 661. 736. 737. 13. 14. q c. 21 22. c. r See his Life before his Works ho. 33. in Matth. 21. in 1 Cor. t Niceph. Eccl. hist. l. 18. c. 39. n Niceph. l. 8. c. 42. Socra eccl hist. l. 1. c. 12. s Naz. oraâ— 35. x Epist. 2. y M. Wheten p 44 45 46. z Sulpitius Scverus sacr hist. l. 2. Vssertus de Brit. Ec. Primordiis p. 196. a August
Counties Cities and Burroughs for which we serve the only contradictory wayes to peace and settlement which they prescribed in their long-winded Remonstrance and the only good intentions though the worst that ever entred into the hearts of Saints to justifie their unparalleld force upon our persons and our false imprisonment ever since which they confesse in it self to be irregular and not Justifiable 1 doâ— therefore here in my owne behalf there being nothing case that can be objected against me but this Speech and vote which was carried clearly in the House without any Division at all and by 140. voices to 104. that the question should be then put though I bee not obliged to render any accompt or reason of anything I spake or voted in the House to any mortalls but the House alone appeal to the great and righteous judg of Heaven and Earth to whom the Army and Officers have so oft appealed in this cause to the Burrough of New-port in Cornwal and all the free Burgesses in it who without any privity or desire elected mee for their Trustee and Burgesse to all the Counties Cities Burroughs and Freemen of England and Wales to the united Kingdomes of Scotland and Ireland to all the Protestant Churches Kingdomes and States in forraigne parts yea to the Judgements and Consciences of the Generall Officers and Souldiers of the Army and to all the rest of the world who shall peruse this Speech and the Reasons inducing me cordially to consent to the former Vote and dissent from the Armies Remonstrance whether I and the rest of the secured or secluded Members whom they so oft term THE CORRVPT MAIORITY OF THE HOVSE or the GARBLED MINORITY who dissented from us and the Generall and Generall Councell of Officers in the Army be the greatest Apostates and Renegadoes from our publick trust and duties the greatest Betrayers and Renowncers of the Law and doctrine of the peoples Liberties and Freedome the greatest boils and plague-sores of the Kingdome the greatest mad-men struck with a Pestilentiall Phrensy the greatest self-seekers of our own particular corrupt interests the reallest re-imbroylers of this miserable wasted Nation in war blood oppression and Tyranny And whether we or they bee most guilty all those Calumnies and Censures they have thus rashly and censoriously published and cast upon us before any proof hearing or conviction of us to wound us and render us odious to the present and all future ages And whether our dâ—ryed Vote till the passing whereof they affirm they said or acted nothing in relation to the Parliament or any Member of it as if their Remonstrance of Nov. 20. their High Declaration full of Menaest against the dissenting numbers Novemb. 30. their removing the Houses former guards and marching up to London against the Houses command Decemb. 1. to over-awe the Members in their debate before the Vote passed were nothing to the House or any Member or their undutifull Remonstrance Novemb. 20. be the more honourable safe just conscientious speedy and certain way to settle a firme and lasting Peace in all three Kingdomes with most security and advantage to the Kingdomes and all honest mens publick interest both for the present and all succeeding Generations And if upon the serious perusall and consideration of the intire Treaty and of this my ensuing Speech comprehending the principall graunds and reasons of that Vote though much more was spoken by many worthy and more able Members in that most solemne debate which I leave to them to publish if they please the Burrough for which I serve and all others to whom I have here appealed shall give up their verdict for me and the other secured and secluded Members that I and they have herein faithfully discharged our Trusts and duties to God and Man to the King Kingdoms Church people and Army too as we have sincerely done it to our owne consciences in the uprightnesse of our hearts and spirits wee shall then hope that all these rayling accusations against us and their violence offered to our persons and priviledges will vanish into smoke and returne upon their owne pates with highest infamy and dishonâ—ur as being most really guilty themselves of all these false Calumnies against us and that wee shall appeare spotlesse and innocent from these great pretended transgressions both before God and Men. Howsoever seeing our owne consciences pronounce us innocent we shall cheare up our hearts with this sacred Cordiall Matth. 5. 10 11 13. Blessed shall you be when men revile you AND SEPARATE YOU FROM THEIR COMPANY and say all manner of evill against you falsely for my name sake rejoyce and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in Heaven for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you till God in his owne due time and way shall bring forth our righteousnesse as the light and our judgement as the noon day in this present world or acquit us of them at his owne tribunall in the world to come at the great day of judgement when the secrets of all learis shall be revealed and every man condemned or absolved before the Angels and all mankind by Christ himselfe according to his workes not good or evill intentions or Hypocriticall pretentions which may delude the world for a time but never God nor Christ before whose all-seeing eyes all things are bare and unridged appearing in their proper colours In the mean time Christian Reader I submit this plaine-dealing Rude speech to thine impartiall censure by which I desire to be acquitted or condemned justified or impeached of the good or evill of the forementioned Vote the only crime I am guilty of against all these calumnies and the Armies violence to my person who have only two pleas to justifie their treasonable violence upon the secured and secluded Members which I shall here briefly examine The first is their honest intentions of publique good To which I answer First that no pious nor â—onest intentions can justifie or excuse any irregular actions though neither scandalous nor prejudiciall unto men but seemingly pious and devout as is cleare by the examples of the Bethsheemites Vzza Saul and others much lesse can they excuse or justifie any treasonable scandalous and flagitious acts of violence and oppression as yours are both against the King and Members against your Oaths Trusts Covenants which are morall sinnes and evils against many expresse Scriptures and that very devine charge to Souldiers Luke 3. 14. Doe violence to no man c. 2 That Christians must in no case doe evill that good may come of it Rom 3. 8. their damnation being just that doe it Therefore not so great an evill so many complicated evils as you now act upon any intents of publike good Thirdly Christians must abstaine from all appearance of evill provide things honest in the fight of all men and give no offence to the Gentiles Churches of Christ or
any others whatsoever to the scandall of Religion under paine of severe condemnation Therefore no pretences of honest intentions for publike good can justifie or extenuate your present irregular and most scandalous actions which offend all sorts of conscientious morall and carnall men and the worst of Turkâ— and beathens will condemn 4. Your pretended honest intentions for publike good are nothing ilse but the most Treasonable destructive designes and irreligious Projects against all publike good peace and settlement that ever entred into the Hearts of Christians expressed at large in your Remonsteance and Declaration of Nov. 20. 30. to which you referre as the disposing and murthering the King c. theâ—evils and wickednesse whereof I have here and elsewhere demonstrated at large and to justifie your horrid force on us by such detestable intentions is the very hight of wickednesse and atheisme which highly aggravates not extenuates your violence and crimes 5. If intentions or preâ—entions of publique good may be pleaded to justifie this force of yours the gunpowder Traytors Jermin Percy the Apprentices Challoner Jack Cade Jack Straw all Rebells and Cavaliers who all pleaded their honest intentions of publike good yea every Idolater under Heaven who worshippeth any Idoll or Devill with a religious and pious intention as the true and onely God and those bloody persecutors John 16. 2. who thought they did God service in killing the Apostles and Saints of CHRIST shall by this new Army Divinity justifie their Idolatrie and persecution to be no sinne nor crime at all For shame then let not such an absurd irreligious and wicked excuse and justification as thisâ— be ever henceforth named nor owned among Saints which very Pagans would blush to â—vow The second and chief excuse and justification is an extraordinary necessity for publike good leading them thereunto This they endeavour to manifest by sundry particulars which as they are apparently false and scandalous is themselves over tedious to reâ—uâ—e and waved by them in their â—ixt head of necessity reducing all the grounds of our seisure sequestration from the House to our vote of Decemb. 5. So it is but a meere false pretence and no justification at all if true But to take away this pleâ— of necessity altogether it stands but upon these two generall feet First that the Members secured and secluded were a corrupt Majority of the House Secondly That if they had not thus secured and secluded them they would have proceeded to the settlement of a speedy peace with the King in pursuance of this their Vote Ergo the Army were extraordinarily necessitated to secure and seclude them This is the Logick of the whole answer all surmises concerning forepast miscariages in the House and packing of New Elections in which themselves and their owne party are most peccant few of their Elections being due or faire and divers of them voted voyd as Mr. Fryes Blagraves and others who now sit and vote and all miscariages concerning Irel. which are false specified only without verity or proof against any of us relating nothing at all to our present seclusion of which they confesse the vote of Decemb. 5. to be the onely impulsive cause The plaine English of the first ground of their Necessity is this The Majority of the House of Commons which in all debates is and alwayes hath been the house over-voted the Minority or lesser part Ergo there is a necessity that the Army should sâ—â—lude them that so the smaller Number might sit alone without them and vote what they please as now they doe and null and repeal what ever the Major part had voted repugnant to the Armies designes This new Utopian necessity never heard of nor pretended in the world till now ought to be eternally exploded as the horriddest distructive Monster to Government and States ever yet produced in the world as I shall cleare by these particulars FIRST It utterly subverts the undoubted rights priviledges and constitutions of all Parliaments or Councells whatsoever from the beginning of the world till now whether civill military or Ecclesiastical wherein the Majority of voices upon the question ever carries the Vote and is still reputed the act of the whole Councell or Parliamentâ— adly It overthrowes the legall forme and proceedings in all popular Elections of Knights Citizens Burgesses Mayors Bayliffs Coroners Verderers Wardens of Companies Common-Councell-men all others ever carried determined by the plurality of voices of those who have right to elect 3dly It overturnes their New Bable to wit the Agreement of the people and new Representative in which themselves resolve the Majority of the Electors ought to chuse their new Representatives and the Votes of the Major part of them who meet ought to bind all the rest and not the minor part to seclude or sway the rest 4thly It will soon dissolve their new erected strange generall Councell of the Officers of the Army where all matters are yet concluded by plurality of voices where if the major part should vote against the Kings trayterous beheading or the agreement of the people the Levellers being the lesser part upon this pretended nâ—oessity that they are a corrupt Majority may forthwith forcibly soize on secure them and make themselves the only General Councell though the fewest and act what they please when the others are secluded 5ly It subverts all rules of Judicature Justice in al Courts of Justice where there are more Judges Justices then one where the majority of voices as likewise at Commitees over-rule the minority who upon the pretence of necessity and being a corrupt majority may be kept forcibly from or pulled off the Bench by any persons who suspect they will encline or give judgement against them in any cause depending before them 6ly It lays a foundation for all the Tyranny villany oppression that can be imagined which the Levellers begin in some places to pursue the Army too For example The King say they if he monarchy continue will in time grow too strong for the people Ergo there is a necessity we should pul down monarchy him now have no more Kings to rule over us The house of Lords will be too potent for the Commons have a negative voice to cross what they shall Vote Ergo we are now necessitated whiles we have power in our hands to pull downe the house of Lords and lay their honour in the Dust. The City of London was too powerfull rich and wealthy for the Countrey and us heretofore and kept down Sectaries from publick Offices Ergo whiles we have the power in our hands we must break down all their out workes divide lay aside all their Militia empty their bagges pull downe their pride throw out their old Officers put in new ones of our own faction take away their Liberties and freedome of Elections contrary to their Charters sundry Acts of Parliament dispense with Common-councel-mens Oathes and so