The first and Second Part of A SEASONABLE LEGAL AND HISTORICALL VINDICATION AND Chronological COLLECTION of the Good Old Fundamentall Liberties Franchises Rights Laws of all English Freemen their best Inheritance Birthright Security against all Arbitrary Tyranny and Aegyptian Burdens and of their strenuous Defence in all former Ages of late years most dangerously undermined and almost totally subverted under the specious Disguise of their Defence and future Establishment upon a sure Basis by their pretended Greatest Propugners WHEREIN IS Irrefragably evinced by Parliamentary Records Proofs Presidents That we have such Fundamentall Liberties Franchises Rights Laws That to attempt or effect the Subversion of all or any of them or of our Fundamentall Government by Fraud or Force is High Treason The principal of them summed up in X. Propositions The chief printed Treatises asserting them specified A Chronological History of our Ancestors zeal vigilancy courage prudence in gaining regaining enlarging defending oft confirming and perpetuating them to Posterity by Great Charters Statutes New Confirmations Excommunications Speciall Conservators Consultations Petitions Declarations Remonstrances Oaths Protestations Vows Leagues Covenants and likewise by their Arms when necessitated during all the Britons Romans Saxons Danes Normans and English Kings Reigns till this present collected for present and future publique benefit with a Brief Touch of their late unparalelled Infringments and subversions in every particular The Triall of all Malesactors by their Peers and Juries justified as the onely legall best most indifferent and all other late arbitrary Judicatories erected for their Triall exploded as destructive both to our Fundamentall Laws and Liberties Collected recommended to the whole English Nation as the best Legacy he can leave them By William Prynne of Swainswick Esquire The Second Edition Corrected and much Enlarged Psal 11. 3. If the Fundations be destroyed what can the righteous do Psal 82. 5. They know not neither will they understand they walk on in darknesse all the Foundations of the earth are out of course London Printed for the Author and are to be sold by Edward Thomas in Green Arbour 1655. Errata IN the Epistle letter C. page 8. l. 6. read effect D. p. 2. l. 9. 〈◊〉 Tesmond H. p. 5. l. 19. Censurers I. p. 5. l. 13 of r. our K. p. 7. l. 28. r. Heirs L. p. 4. l. 20. r. exercerunt In the Margin H. p. 3. l. 42. aliquem I. p. 6. l. 27. pacti L. p. 8. 13. r. 23. In the Book p. 4. l. 25. r. as of p. 13. l. 36. r. were resolved p. 19. l. 14. r. Vote of p. 24. l. 16. of p. 26. l. 15. of and p. 29. l. 33. Statutes p. 32. l. 26. r. E. 6. c. 5. p. 35. l. 6. to sedition p. 38. l. 19. r. parts Margin p. 27. l. 13. ther r. other p. 64. l. 3 4 5. r. 10. R. 2. cap. 1. 1 H. 5. c. 1. 28 H. 6. n. 51. l. 11. r. 4. E. 4. To all truely Christian Free men of England Patrons of Religion Freedom Lawes Parliaments who shall peruse this Treatise Christian READER IT hath been one of the most detestable Crimes and highest Impeachments against the Antichristian Popes of Rome that under a Saint-like Religious pretext of advancing the Church Cause Kingdom of Jesus Christ they have for some hundred yeers by-past usurped to themselves as fole Monarchs of the World in the Right of Christ whose Vicars they pretend themselves to be both by Doctrinal Positions and Treasonable Practises an absolute Soveraign Tyrannical Power over all Christian Emperours Kings Princes of the World who must derive and hold their Crowns from them alone upon their good behaviours at their pleasures not onely to Excommunicate Censure Judge Depose Murder Destroy their sacred Persons but likewise to dispose of their Crowns Scepters Kingdoms and translate them to whom they please In pursuance whereof they have most traiterously wickedly seditiously atheistically presumed to absolve their Subjects from all their sacred Oaths Homages natural Allegiance and due Obedience to them instigated encouraged yea expresly enjoyned under pain of interdiction excommunication and other censures their own Subjects yea own sons sometimes both by their Bulls and Agents to revolt from rebel war against depose dethrone murder stab poyson destroy them by open force or secret conspiracies and stirred up one Christian King Realm State to invade infest destroy usurp upon another onely to advance their own Antichristian Soveraignties Usurpations Ambition Rapines worldly Pompe and Ends as you may read at leisure in the Statutes of 25 H. 8. c. 22. 28 H. 8. c. 10. 37 H. 8. c. 17. 13 Eliz. c. 2. 23 Eliz. c. 1. 35 Eliz. c. 2. 3 Jacob. c. 1 2 4 5. 7 Jacob. c. 6. The Emperour Frederick his Epistles against Pope Gregory the 9. and Innocent the 4. recorded in Matthew Paris and others Aventinus Annalium Boiorum Mr. William Tyndal's Practice of Popish Prelates the second Homily upon Witsunday the Homilies against disobedience and wilful Rebellion Bishop Jewels view of a seditious Bull Iohn Bale in his lives of the Roman Pontifs Doctor Thomas Bilson in his True difference between Christian subjection and unchristian Rebellion Doctor John White his Sermon at Paul s Cross March 24. 1625. and Defence of the Way c. 6 10. Doctor Crakenthorpe of the Popes temporal Monarchy Bishop Morton's Protestant Apology Doctor Beard 's Theater of God's Judgements l. 1. c 27 28. Doctor Squire of Antichrist John Bodin his Commonwealth l. 1. c. 9. The learned Morney Lord du Plessy his Mystery of Iniquity and History of the Papacy The General History of France Grimston's Imperial History Matthew Paris Speed Holinshed Cambden and others in the lives of King John Henry the 3. Queen Elizabeth and other of our Kings with hundreds of printed Sermons on the 5 of November The principal Instruments the Popes imployed of late yeers in these their unchristian Treasonable Designes have been pragmatical furious active Jesuites whose Society was first erected by Ignatius Loyola a Spaniard by Birth but A SOULDIER by Profession and confirmed by Pope Paul the 3. Anno 1540â— which Order consisting onely of ten persons at first and confined onely to sixty by this Pope hath so monstrously increased by the Popes and Spaniards favours and assistance whose chief Janizaries Factors Intelligencers they are that in the yeer 1626. they caused the picture of Ignâ—tius their Founder to be cut in Brass with a goodly Olive Tree growing like Jessees root out of his side spreading its branches into all kingdoms and Provinces of the World where the Jesuites have any Colledges and Seminaries with the name of the Province at the foot of the branch which hath as many leaves as they have Colledges and Residencies in that Province in which leaves are the names of the Towns and Villages where these Colledges are situated Round about the Tree are the Pictures of all the illustrious Persons of their Order and in Ignvtius his right hand
there is a Paper wherein these words are engraven Ego sicut Oliva fructifera in domo Dei taken out of Ps 52. 8. which pourtraictures they then printed and published to the world wherein they set forth the number of their Colledges and Seminaries to be no less then 777. increased to 155 more by the yeer 1640. in all 932. as they published in like Pictures Pageants printed at Antwerp 1640. Besides sundry New Colledges and Seminaries erected since In these Colledges and Seminaries of theirs they had then as they print 15591 Fellews of their Society of Jesus besides the Novices Scholars and Lay-brethren of their Order amounting to neer ten times that number So infinitely did this evil weed grow and spread it self within one hundred yeers after its first planting And which is most observable of these Colledges and Seminaries they reckoned then no less then 15 secret ones IN PROVINCIA ANGLICANA in the Province of ENGLAND where were 267 SOCII or Fellows of that Society besides 4 COLLEDGES OF ENGLISH JESUITES ELSEWHERE In IRELAND and elsewhere 8 Colledges of IRISH JESUITES and in SCOTLAND and otherwhere 2 Residencies of SCOTTISH JESUITES What the chief imployments of Ignatius and his numerous swarms of Disciples are in the World his own Society at the time of his Canonization for a Romish Saint sufficiently discovered in their painted Pageants then shewed to the people wherein they pourtraied this new Saint holding the whole world in his hand and fire streaming out forth of his heart rather to set the whole world on fire by Combustions Wars Treasons Powder-plots Schismes new State and old Church-Heresies then to enlighten it with this Motto VENI IGNEM MITTFRE I came to send fire into the World which the University of Cracow in Poland objected amongst other Articles against them Anno 1622. and Alphonsus de Vargas more largly insisteth on in his Relatio de Stratagematis Sophismatis Politicis Jesuitarum c. An. 1641. c. 7 8 24. Their number being so infinite and the Pope and Spaniard too having long since by Campanella's advice erected many Colledges in Rome Italy Spain the Netherlands and elsewhere for English Scottish Irish Jesuites as well as for such secular Priests Friers Nuns of purpose to promote their designs against the Protestant Princes Realms Churches Parliaments of England Scotland Ireland to reduce them under their long prosecuted UNIVERSAL MONARCHY over them by Fraud Policy Treason intestine Divisions and Wars being unable to effect it by their own Power no doubt of late yeers many hundreds if not thousands of this Society have crept into England Scotland and Ireland lurking under several disguises yea an whole Colledge of them sate weekly in counsel in or neer Westminster some few yeers since under Conne the Popes Nuntio on purpose to embroyle England and Scotland in bloody civil wars therby to endanger shake subvert these Realms and destroy the late King as you may read at large in my Romes Master-piece published by the Commons special Order An. 1643. who occasioned excited fomâ—nted the first and second intended but happily prevented wars between England and Scotland and after that the unhappy Differences Wars between the King Parliament and our three Protestant Kingdoms to bring them to utter desolation and extirpate our reformed Religion The Kings Forces in which many of them were Souldiers after some yeers wars being defeated thereupon their Father Ignatius being a SOULDIER and they his Military sons not a few of them secretly insinuated themselves as Souldiers into the Parliaments Army and Forces as they had formerly done into the Kings where they so cunningly acted their parts as extraordinary illuminates gifted brethren and grand States-men that they soon leavened many of the Officers Troopers and common Souldiers with their dangerous Jesuitical State-politicks and Practises put them upon sundry strange designs to new-mould the old Monarchical Government Parliaments Church Ministers Laws of England erecting a New General Councel of Army-Officers and Agitators for that purpose acting more like a Parliament and Supream Dictators then Souldiers And at last instigated the Army by open force against their Commissions Duties Oaths Protestations and Solemn League Covenant to Impeach imprison seclude first eleveÌ„ Commoners then some six or seven Lords after that to secure seclude the Majority of the Commons House suppress the whole House of Lords destroy the King Parliament Government Priviledges Liberties of the Kingdom Nation for whose defence they were first raised which by no other adverse power they could effect This produced new bloody divisions animosities wars in and between our three Protestant Realms and Nations after with our Protestant Allies of the Netherlands Campanella's express old projected Plots to subject us both to the Popes and Spaniards Monarchies effected by the Spaniards Gold and Agents with sundry heavy Monthly Taxes Excises Oppressions Sales of the Churches Crowns and of many Nobles and Gentlemens Lands and Estates to their undoing our whole Nations impoverishing and discontent an infinite profuse expence of Treasure of Protestant blood both by Land and Sea decay of Trade with other sad effects in all our three Kingdoms yea sundry successive New changes of our publick Government made by the Army-Officers who are still ringing the changes according to Campanela's and Parsons Platforms So that if Fire may be certainly discerned by the smoke or the Tree commonly known by its Fruits as the Truth it self resolves Matth. 12. 33. we may truly cry out to all our Rulers as the Jews did once to the Rulers of Thessalonica in another case Act. 17. 6. THOSE Jesuites WHO HAVE TURNED THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN ARE COME HITHER ALSO and have turned our Kingdoms Kings Peers Monarchy Parliaments Government Laws Liberties yea our very Church and Religion too in a great measure UPSIDE DOWNE even by those very Persons who were purposely raised commissiond waged engaged by Protestations Covenanes Vows Oathes Laws Allegiance and Duty to protect them from these Jesuitical Innovations and subversions And those Jesuites Spanish Romish Agents who have so far seduced so deeply engaged them contrary to all these Obligations and to their own former printed Engagements Remonstrances Representations Proposals Desires and RESOLUTIONS for setling this Nation in its just Rights the Parliament in their just Priviledges and the Subjects in their Liberties and Freedoms published to all the World in the name of Sir Thomas Fairfax THE ARMY AND THE GENERAL COUNCEL OF THE ARMY none Volume London 1647. which they may do well to peruse yea against the Votes Intreaties Desires Advices of both Houses of Parliament the Generality of the good Ministers people of the three whole Kingdoms and their wisest best affected Protestant Friends who commissioned raised paid assisted them for far other ends O whether may they will they not in all humane probability rashly blindly suriously henceforth lead drive precipitate them to our whole three Kingdoms Churches Parliaments
or inheritance because in his and the Jesuites Opinion onely not in Truth he was both an Heretick and A TYRANT Asserting That it was lawful for Castle or any other private man TO DESTROY AN HERETICK OR TYRANT much more then him that was both And John Guignardus a Jesuite Fellow of the Jesuites Colledge of Claremount in his Papers then seised by and reported to the Parliament of Paris Anno 1595. not onely compared Henry the third and fourth to Nero and Herod and justified Clements murder of the one and Castles attempt upon the other as most Heroical and praise-worthy Actions but likewise added That if we in the year 1572. on Saint Bartholmews day in the General Massacre of the French Protestants had CVT OFF THE BASILICON VEINE Henry King of Navarre we had not fallen out of a Feavour into that Plague which now we finde Sed quicquid delirant Reges plectunctur Achivi SANGVINI PARCENDO That King Henry should be but over-mildly dealt with if he were thrust from the Crown of France into a Monastery and there had his crown shaven That if he could not be deposed without a war then a war was to be raised against him but if a war could not be levied against him the cause being dead CLAM E MEDIO TOLLATVR he should then be privily murdered and taken out of the way For which the Parliament of Paris adjudged and executed him for a Traytor Yea so desperately were the Jesuites after this bent to destroy this King that Alexander Hay a Scottish Jesuite of Claremont privy to Castles villany used to say That if King Henry the fourth should pass by their Colledge the first there built for them he would willingly cast himself out of his window headlong upon him so as he might break the Kings neck though thereby he brake his own Yet was he punished but with perpetual Banishment After which Jesuitical conspiracies detected and prevented notwithstanding this King Henry before these two attempts to murder him had by their sollicitations renounced the Protestant Religion professed himself a zealous Romanist recalled the Jesuites formerly banished for the murther of Henry the third against his Parliaments and Counsels advice reversed all the decrees of Parliament against them razed the publick Pillar set up in Paris as a lasting Monument of their Treasons and Conspiracies built them a magnificent Colledge in Paris indowed them with a very large Revenue entertained Pere Cotten one of their Society for his Confessor who revealed all his Secrets to the King of Spain bequeathed a large Legacy of Plate and Lands to their Society by his will and was extraordinary bountiful and favourable towards them yet these bloody ingrateful Villains animated that desperate wretch Ravilliac to stab him to death in the open street in Paris Anno 1610. Albigni the Jesuite being privy to this murder before it was perpetrated Yea Francis de Verona in his Apology for John Castle p. 258. thus predicted his second mortal stab in these words Though this Prince of Orange scaped the first blow given him in his cheek yet the next hit whereof this was a presage as the blow given by Castle SHALL BE THE FORE-RVNNER OF ANOTHER BLOW Such implacable Regicides are the Jesuites 4. By their suborning instigating sundry bloody instruments one after another to murder William Prince of Orange prevented in their attempts by God's providence till at last they procured one Balthasar Gerard to shoot him to death with a Pistol charged with three Bullets An. 1584. the Jesuites promising him no less then HEAVEN it self AND A CANONIZATION AMONG THE SAINTS AND MARTYRS for this bloody Treason as they did to James Clement before for murdering the French King And it is very remarkable That after this murder of his Thomas Campanella a Jesuited Italian Frier prescribed this as a principal means to the King of Spain of reducing the Netherlands under his Monarchy again to sow emulation and discords amongst their Nobles States and to murder Prince Maurice his son and successor which he expresseth in these direct termes Maxime opus est ut Serpens seditionis Comes Scilicet Mauritius Interimatur non vero per bellum diuturnum copia illi danda est magis magisque succrescendi which they twice likwise attempted to affect An. 1594 and 1598. No wonder that they so much endeavour by all means instruments to suppress that noble family now to whom the Netherlands principally owe their infranchisement from the Spanish yoak of bondage 5. By their poysoning Stephen Botzkay Prince of Transylvania for opposing their bloody persecution 6. By their manifold bloody Plots and Attempts from time to time to murder depose stab poyson destroy our famous Protestant Queen Elizabeth by open Insurrections Rebellions Invasions Wars raised against her both in England and Ireland and by intestine clandestine Conjurations from which Gods ever-waking providence did preserve her Amongst other Conspiracies that of Patrick Cullen an Irish Frier hired by the Jesuites and their Agents to kill the Queen is observable Holt the Jesuite who perswaded him to undertake the murdering of her told him that it was not onely lawful by the Laws but that he should merit Gods Favour and Heaven by it and thereupon gave him remission of all his sins the Eucharist to encourage him in this Treason the chief ground whereof and of all their other Treasons against this Queen was thus openly expressed by Iaquis Francis for Cullens further encouragement That the Realm of England then was and would be so well setled that unless Mistras Elizabeth so he termed his Dread Soveraign though but a base Landressson were suddenly taken away All the Devils in Hell would not be able to prevail to shake and overturn it Which then it seems they principally endeavoured and oft-times since attempted and have now at last effected by those who conceit they demerit the Title of Saints though not in a Romish Kalender and no less then Heaven for shaking overturning and making it No Kingdom 7. By their Conspiracy against King James to depâ—ive him of his Right to the Crown of England imprison or destroy his person raise Rebellion alter Religion and Subvert the Statâ— and Government by vertue of Pope Clement the eighth his Bull directed to Henry Garnet Superiour of the Iesuites in England whereby he commanded all the Archpriests Priests Popish Clergy Peers Nobles and Catholicks of England That after the death of Queen Elizabeth by the course of Nature or otherwise whosoever shall lay claim or title to the Crown of England though never so directly or neerly interessed by descent should not be admitted unto the Throne unless he would first tolerate the Româ—sh Religion and by his best endeavours promote the Catholick cause unto which by his Solemn and Sacred Oath he should religiously subscribe after the death of that miserable woman as he stilled Queen Elizabeth By vertue of which
universal liberty of exercising their Popish Religion throughout his Realms and Dominions and then to train up his Son under them in the Popish Religion To which not onely heretofore but now likewise they strenuously endeavour by all possible means to seduce him as appears more especially by Monsieur Militiere his late book dedicated to Him for that purpose to invite him to the Roman Catholick Faith Surely all these premised instances compared together and with that memorable passage of the English Jesuite Campian in his Concertatio Ecclesiae Catholicae or Epistle to Queen Elizabeths Councel Treviris 1583. p. 22. Velim sciatis quod ad Societatem nostram attinet omnes nos qui per totum Orbeni longe lateque diffusi sunt quarum est continua successio magnus numerus Sanctum foedus infisse nec quamdiu unus nostrum supererit studium consilia nostra intermissuros ad Reges Hereticos quovis modo tollendos as Hospinian relates and expounds his words and meaning Religionem vestram extingâ—ere Iampridem jacta est ratio inchoatum certamen nulla vis nullus Anglorum impetus superabit so as to hinder this their holy League and Covenant long since entred into To destroy take out of the way ruine all Protestant Kings throughout the World under the Notion of Hereticks by any means whatsoever and the Protestant Religion togetherwith them With a Copy of a Letter sent by an Independent Agent from Paris some few weeks before the Kings removal from the Isle of Weight by the Army-Officers declaring the Jesuites implacable Enmity to the King and to hereditary Monarchy throughout the World And an Express sent from Paris to the King himself some three dayes before his seisure and translation from Weight to this effect as I have heard from persons of Honour That the Jesuites at a general meeting in France had resolved by the power of their friends in England to seise on his Majesty bring him to justice and cut off his head because he had contrary to their expectation closed with the Parliament consented to the abolishing of Episcopacy and to five new Bills against Jesuites Popish Priests Mass Popery and all Popish Ceremonies in the last Treaty and advising Him to prepare for this new storm which within few days after fell upon him will sufficiently inform the world that the late unparallel'd capital proceedings against our Protestant King contrary to the Votes of both Houses of Parliament the Parliament Members Peers House and forced dissolved late Parliament too proceeded not from the Principles of our reformed Protestant Religion as this Monsieur in his printed Pamphlet would make his Reader the youg King to whom he dedicates it and all the World believe but from the Popes and Jesuites forecited Treasonable Opinions seconded with their clandestine Sollicitations and Practises and that they with some French Cardinals Jesuites as well as Spanish and English then present in England to promote their Designes were the chief original Contrivers Promoters of them whoever were the immediate visible Instruments as I have elsewhere more fully demonstrated for the wiping off this Scandal from our reformed Religion the sincere Professors of it who both abominated and protested against it in print 〈◊〉 Radolphus Hospinian in his excellent Historia Jesuitica l. 4. f. 244 245. reckons up these three prime causes of the Jesuites Regicides other Notorious Treasons The first is that blinde Obedience which they vow to their Superiours to execute with great celerity spiritual joy and perseverance whatever their Superiours shall enjoyne them by being perswaded That all their Cemmands are Iust to them by renouncing their own Opinion and Iudgement with a certain Blinde Obedience and by believing that those who live under Obedience are carried and governed by Divine Providence a word now most in use with our Army-Saints and Souldiers wholly infected with this Jesuitical Doctrine of Obedience by their Superiors whithersoever they shall suffer themselves to be carried or in what sort soever they shall be dealt with by them like a staffe in the hand of a man which readily obeys him that holds it wheresoever and in what thing soever he will please to use it especially when backed with a pretext of Necessity Religions Safety Publick Good Exemplary Justice and promoting the common Cause for which their Society was first instituted 2. That they hold themselves obliged to no Kings Princes or Civil Magistrates by any Oath of Allegiance but onely to the Pope and their Generals and therefore think themselves free and unable to commit any Treason at all against them although at the Popes and â—heir Superiours commands they still rise up against murder â—stroy them 3. That they deem those Kings Princes which the Pope and Jesuites or other learned men of their Religion or the common people shall deem Hereticks to be thereby wholly made uncapable of any Empires Kingdoms or Principalities or any other civil Diguity yea to be accursed Tyrants unworthy of the name of Kings that thereby their Subjects are totally absolved from the bond of Allegiance to them and that thereupon it is lawful to kill and destroy them and the murders of such are meritorious Now that these three Jesuitical Grounds and Principles infused into our Army-Officers and Souldiers by the Jesuites and their Instruments of late yeers against their Primitive Orthodox Positions Protestations Declarations Oaths Covenants Engagements backed with secret Avarice Ambition and Self-ends were the principal impulsive Causes of all the extravagant violent Proceedings both against the late King and Parliament not the loyal Principles of the Protestant Religion is apparent unto all the World by the Armies own Declarations of Nov. 16. and Decemb. 7. 1648. Their True State of the Commonwealth of England c. 1654. and other Pamphlets for their justification which all true Protestants blush at 〈◊〉 3. That the Jesuites ever since the Establishment of their Military Order under Ignatius their Martial General have been the principal Firebrands Bellows Instruments of kindling somenting raising continuing all the publick commotions wars seditions and bloody fewds that have happened in or between any Kings Kingdoms States Princes Soveraigns or Subjects throughout the Christians world and more particularly of all the Civil commotions wars in France Germany Transylvania Bohemia Hungary Russia Poland England Scotland and Ireland to the effusion of whole Oceans of Christian blood which one poetically thus expresseth Quicquid in Orbe mali passim Peccante Gradido est Quicquid turbarum tempora nostra vident Cuncta Sodalitio mentito Nomine Jesu Accepta Historiâ teste referre licet Itâ— modò vestrae celebrate Encaenia Sectae Militis inventum Loiolana cohors Yea it is well worthy observation what Jacobus Crucius a Jesuite Rector of the Jesuites Novices at Landsberge presumed to publish in his Explication of the Rules of the Jesuites Anno 1584. in these words The Father
illis annis afficerint Praeterea suspicionem cis incuâ—iat fore ut Jacobus CAEDEM MATERNAM VINDICATURUS SIT c. Exasperandi sunt etiam animi EpiscoporuÌ„ PresbyteroruÌ„ Anglicorum proponendo illis REGEM SCOTIAE Calvinismum amplexum esse SPE CUPIDITATE REGNI ADACTUMQVE VI A BARONIBUS HAERETICIS quod si vero Regnuâ— Angliae etiam â—btineat TVM ILLVM CITO PRIOREM RELIGIONEM REVOCATURUM ESSE qùandoquidem non solum MARIA EJVS MATER moriens virum etiaÌ„ REX IPSE GALLIARVM SVMMOPORE EI RELIGIONEM CATHOLICAM COMMENDARINT c. yet now transcribed almost verbatim out of Thomas Campanella who suggested it against King James to alienate the English from him keep him from the Crown very freshly by the Authors of The True state of the Case of the Commonwealth c. p. 48 49. objected against the present King of Scots and royal Issue to deprive him and them from the Crowne of England and engage the whole English Nation against their Title to vest it in some other Family in greatest power Or if these projects should fail then by dividing us into many Kingdoms or Republicks dislinct one from another and by sowing the seeds of Schisms and making alterations and innovations in all Arts Sciences and our Religion The old Plots of Campanella Parsons and late designs of Cardinal Richelieu of the Pope Spaniard Jesuites to undo subvert our Protestant Churches Kings Kingdoms and Religion as the marginal Authors irrefragably evidence yet all visibly set on foot yea openly pursued and in a great measure accomplished by some late nay present Grandees and Army-Officers who cry up themselves for our greatest Patrons Preservers Deliverers and Anti-Jesuits when they have rather been but the Jesuites Popes Spaniards and other Forraign enemies instruments and factors in all the late changes new-models of our Government Parliaments pretended reformations of our laws and Religion through inadvertency circumvention or self-ended respects as many wise and godly men justly fear For prevention whereof I shall recommend to the whole Kingdoms serious consideration the memorable Preamble of the Statute of 25 H. 8. c. 22. discovering the like Plots of the Pope and our Forraign Enemies to 〈…〉 to prevent them for the future in these ensuing words In their most humble wise shewen unto your Majesty Your most humble and obedient Subjects the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and the Commons in this present Parliament assembled that since it is the natural inclination of every man gladly and willingly to provide for the surety both of his Title and Succession although it touch his only private cause We therefore most rightful and dreadful Soveraign Lord reckâ—n our selves much more bounden to beseech and instant your Highness although we doubt not of your Princely heart and wisdom mixed with a natural affection to the same to foresee and provide for the perfect surety of both you and of your most lawful Succession and heirs upon which dependeth all our joy wealth in whom also is united and knit the only meer true inheritance and title of this Realm without any contradiction Wherefore We your said most humble and obedient Subjects in this present Parliament assembled calling to our mind the great divisions which in times past have been in this Realm by reason of several Titles pretended to the Imperial Crown of the same which sometimes and for the most pâ—rt ensued by occasion of ambiguity and doubts then not so perfectly declared but that men might upon froward intents expound them to every mans sinister appetite and affection after their sence contrary to the right Legality of the Succession and Posterity of the lawfull Kings Emperors of this Realm whereof hath ensued great effusion destruction of Mans blood as well of a great number of the Nobles as of other Subjects and specially Inheritors in the same And the greatest occasion hath been because no perfect substantial provision by law hath binmade within this realm it self when doubts and questions have been moved proponed of the certainty legality of the Succession posterity of the Crown By reason whereof The Bishop of Rome See Apostolick contrary to the great and inviolable grants of Jurisdictions By God immediatly to Emperours Kings Princes in succession to their heirs hath presumed in time past to invest who should please them to inherit in other mens Kingdoms Dominions which thing we your most humble Subjects both Spiritual and Temporal do most abhor detest And sometimes other forraign Princes and Potentates of sundry degrees minding rather dissention discord to continue in the realm to th'utter desolatioÌ„ therof then charity equity or unity have many times supported wrong titles wher by they might easily facilly aspire to the Superiority of the same the continuance sufferance whereof deeply considered pondered were too dangerous and perillous to be suffered any longer within this Realm too much contrary to the unity peace and tranquility of the same being greatly reproachful and dishonourable to the whole Realm In consideration wherof your said most humble and obedient Subjects the Nobles and Commons of this Realm calling further to their remembrance that the good unity peace and wealth of this Realm and the succession of the Subjects of the same Most specially principally above all wordly things consisteth and resteth in the certainty and surety of the procreation posterity of your Highness in whose most royal person at this present time is no manner of doubt or question Do therefore most humbly beseech your Highnes c. to declare the establishment of the successioÌ„ of your royal posterity in the Imperial Crowns of this realm as he and they did by this other succeeding acts of Parl. in 1 Eliz c. 3. 1 Jac. c. 1. to prevent the like civil wars and mischiefs for succeeding ages now revived promoted by the Pope Jesuits Foraign Popish Princes to work our ruine Certainly whosoever shall seriously ponder the premises with these passages in William Watsons Quodlibets concerning the Jesuits 1. That some of the Jesuits society have insinuated themselves into all the Princes Courts of Christendom where some of their Intelligencers reside and set up a secret counsel of purpose to receive and give intelligence to their General at Rome of the secrets of their Soveraigns and of all occurrents in those parts of the world which they dispatch to and fro by such cyphers which are to themselves best but commÌ„only only to themselves known so that nothing is done in England but it is known at Rome within a month after at least reply made back as occasion is offered to the consequent overthrow of their own natural Country of England and their native Princes and Realms by their unnatural Treasons against them that so the Jesuits might be those long gowns which should reign and govern the Island of Great
Britain To which I shall add that of Rob Turner an English Jesuit in his Epistles printed at Ingolstad An. 1584. Ep. 19. Volui irrepere volui irrumpere in intimas Aulas Principum volui videre omnia ut ad Justitiae norman praeclare exigerem Vix coeperam obiâ—e PrincipuÌ„ Aulas cum viderim HoereticoruÌ„ illum Mundum ADMINISTRARI A STULTIS c. with that of Hospinian Historia Jesuitica l. 3. p. 148. That the Jesuits are so subtil vigilant bold laborious and indued with such a faciâ—lty of flattery insinuation acting and hurting in Princes Courts that they exactly discover know and fish out all their secrets which they eveâ—l to their Superiors the Pope and Spaniard and alone rule all things in them so that the Courts of Europe are more grievously infested afflicted by the Iesuites than the Court of Pharoah was of old by the Aegyptian â—rogs And may we not then justly fear our new Court hath been as much pestered and infested by them of late years as our old Court heretofore 〈◊〉 That the Jesuites hope and endeavour to have England Scotland and Ireland under them to make these Northern Islands a Iaponian Island of Iesuites and one Iesuitical Monarchy and to infeoffe themselves by hook or by crook In the whole imperial Dominions of great Britain with the remainder over To their Corporation or puni-Fathers succeeding them as heirs specially in their society by a state of perpetuity Putting all the whole Blood Royal of England to the Formidon As but Heirs general in one Predicament together as now they have done 3. That the Jesuites have Magistracy Kings Magistrates Ministers Priesthood and Priests in high contempt publishing many slanderous seditious trayterous and infamous speeches libels and books against them to render them odious and contemptible to the People full of Plots exasperations against the Church and Commonwealth like rebellious Traytors to bring all into an uproar that they may have all Countries Kingdoms Governments Successions States Inhabitants and all at their pleasure 4. That the Jesuites have taught the people in order to get England under their power and in order to God or Religion as they stile it That Subjects are bound no longer to obey wicked or heretical Princes and Kings deflecting from the Catholick Religion and drawing others with them but till they be able by force of arms to resist and depose them That the popular multitude may upon these grounds when they think meet place and displace their Princes and chief Officers at their pleasure as men may do their Tenants at will hirelings or ordinary Servants putting no difference in their choice Vpon any Right or Title to Crowns or Kingdome by Birth or Blood or otherwise then as these Fathers forsooth shall approve it By this all things must be wrought and framed conformable to opportunities of times and occasions as for example The people must have a right and interest in them and to doe what they list in choice of their Kings and Supream Governours til they have set such a person or Usurper in the Crown as they for their ends have designed and then the times and occasions changing when such a one is setled in the Throne the former doctrine and practises must be holden FOR A MISTAKING yet such as seeing it cannot be holpen the people must beware herafter of attempting the like again By this a check must be given to the publishers of such paradoxes when they have accomplished their designed ends after that a dispensation procured for the Offenders and then all shall be well ever after till a new opportunity for their further advantage 5. That the Jesuits by absâ—rd equivocations counterfeited perjuries Sacriledges and cousenage become all things to all men that they may gain all as to be Seminary Priests amongst Seminaries Secular Priests among Seculars Religious men among Religious Seditious men among Seditious Factions Spaniards amongst Spaniards ENGLISH TRAYTORS AMONG TRAYTORS SCOTISH VILAINS AMONG SCOTS c. and amongst all these to deny and affirm to object and answer to swear and forswear whatsoever may be a gain to them for their pragmatical Commonwealth and society No wonder then if they transform themselves into all shapes and take upon them all professions now amongst us 6. That the Jesuits by their devices and practises have brought all to Machiavels rule DIVIDE ET IMPERA in sowing division breeding of jealousies and making of hoslile strife by opposition of King against King State against State Priest against Priest Peer against Peer Parents against children children against parents sisters against brothers servants against masters wives against husbands husbands against wives and one friend against another raising up rebellions MVRDRING OF PRINCES making uproars every where until they make those they cannot otherwise winne unto them either yield to be their vassals to live quiet by them or force them to flight or drive them out of their wits or otherwise plague them to death 7. That the Jesuits by their cursed positions and machiavillian practises have made religion it self a meer political and atheal device a pragmatical science of Figboys and but an art of such as live by their wits and the principles of Machiavel taught by their Rabbâ—es yea a very hotch potch of omnium gatherum religious secular clergical laical ecclesiastical spiritual temporal MARTIAL civil Aecomenical political liberal mechannical municipal irregular and ALL WITHOVT ORDER so that they are not worthy to be called religious ecclesiasticks catholicks nor temporal mechannical Christians but rather Machiavillians Atheists Apostates their course of life shewing what their study is and that howsoever they boast of their perfections holiness meditations and exercises as if they were all Superlatives all Metaphysicians all entia transcendentia yet their platform is heathenish tyrannical sathannical able to set Aretine Lucian Machiavel yea and Don Lucifer in a sort to school Those I say who shall sadly ponder all these premises and compare them with the late practises policies and proceedings of some swaying politicians of our age infected likewise with this Atheistical State-Maxime amongst others derived from the Jesuits and Machiavillian Spanish State-Counsellers In Reipublicae administratione quaedam LICITA ESSE RATIONE STATVS alia respectu Conscientiae which Thomas Campanella as bad as he is not only severely censures but thus declaims against with highest detestation Qua opinione profecto NIHIL MAGIS ABSVRDVM AVâ— IMPIVM ne excogitari quidem potest Nam qui conscientiae universalem suam jurisdictionem in omnes res humanas TAM PVBLICAS QVAM PRIVATAS subtrahit ostendit SE NEC CONSCIENTIAM NEC DEVM HABERE c. Siquidem omnia scandala Ecclesiae Dei PERTVRBATIONES ORBIS TERRARVM INDE ORTA SVNT that men may do against all Laws of God and Man their own Consciences Trusts Oaths out of a pretext of the benefit safety of the State publick good as most now do Or compare
to settle Religion in the purity thereof TO MAINTAIN THE ANCIENT and FUNDAMENTALL GOVERNMENT OF THIS KINGDOME TO PRESERVE THE RIGHTS and LIBERTIES OF THE SUBJECT to lay hold on the first opportunity of procuring a safe and well grounded peace in the three Kingdoms and to keep a good understanding between the two Kingdomes of England and Scotland according to the grounds expressed in the Solemn League and Covenant And lest these generals should not give a sufficient satisfaction we have thought fit to the end men might no longer be abused in a misbelief of our intentions or a misunderstanding of our actions to make a further enlargement upon the particulars And first Concerning Church-Government c. because we cannot consent to the granting of an Arbitrary and unlicensed Power and Jurisdiction to neer ten thousand Judicatories to be erected within this Kingdome and this demanded in such a way as is not consistent with the FVNDAMENTAL LAWS and GOVERNMENT OF THE SAME c. Our full resolutions still are sincerely really and constantly to endeavour the Reformation of Religion in the Kingdome of England and Ireland in Doctrine Worship and Government according to the word of God and the example of the best Reformed Churches and according to the Covenant WE ARE SO FARRE FROM ALTERING THE FUNDAMENTAL GOVERNMENT OF THIS KINGDOME BY KING LORDS and COMMONS that we have onely desired that with the consent of the King such Power may be settled in the TWO HOVSES without which we can have no assurance but that the like or greater mischiefs than those which God hath hither to dilivered us from may break out again and engage us in a second and more destructive war whereby it plainly appears Our intentions are not to change the Antient Frame of Government within this Kingdome but to obtain the end of the Primitive Institution of all Government The safety and weal of the People not judging it wise or safe after so bitter experience of the bloody consequence of a pretended Power of the Militia in the King to leave any colourable authority in the same for the future attempts of introducing AN ARBITRARY GOVERNMENT OVER THIS NATION We do declare That we will not nor any by colour of any Authority derived from us shall interrupt the ordinary course of Justice in the severall Courts of Judicatories of this Kingdome nor intermeddle in the cases of private interest other where determinable unlesse it be in case of male-Administration of Justice wherein we shall see and provide that Right be done and punishment inflicted as there shall be occasion ACCORDING TO THE LAWS OF THE KINGDOME Lastly Whereas both Nations have entred into a Solemn League and Covenant we have and EVER SHALL BE VERY CAREFULL DULY TO OBSERVE THE SAME that as nothing hath been done SO NOTHING SHALL BE DONE BY US REPUGNANT TO THE TRUE MEANING AND INTENTION THEREOF c. WHO WILL NOT DEPART FROM THOSE GROUNDS AND PRINCIPLES upon which it was framed and founded Though the generality of the afterwards secured and secluded Majority of the House of Commons endeavoured constantly to make good this Declaration in all particulars yet how desperatly the garbled Minority thereof continuing in power after their Seclusion prevaricated apostatized and falsified their Faith herein in every particle in the highest degree we cannot but with greatest grief of heart and detestation remember to the subversion ruine of our King Lords Commons Kingdome Parliaments Fundamentall Laws Government and the peoples Liberties c. almost beyond all hopes of restitution or reparation in humane probability without a miracle from heaven The Lord give them grace most seriously to consider repent of and really sincerely reform it now at last and to make it the principle subject of their prescribed publike Humiliations Fasts and Lamentations as God himself prescribes Isa 58. 5 6 7 8. Jer. 34. 8. to 22. Ezech. 19. 1. 14. Hos 10. 3 4. and not still to adde drunkennesse to thirst lest they bring them to temporall and eternal condemnation for it in Gods own due time and engender endlesse Wars Troubles Taxes Changes Confusions in our Kingdomes as they have hitherto done and will do till all be restored to their just Rights Powers Places Possessions and Liberties By this full Jury of Parliamentary Authorities to omit many others of like or inferiour nature and lesse moment it is undeniable That the people of England have both ancient Fundamentall Rights Liberties Franchises Laws and a Fundamental Government which like the Laws of the Medes and Persians neither may nor ought to be altered or innovated upon any pretence but perpetually maintained defended with greatest care vigilancy resolution and he who shall deny or oppugn it deserâ—â—s no refulation by further arguments since it is a received Maxime in all Arts Contra Principia negantem non est disputandum but rather demerits a sentence of Condemnation and publike execution at Tyburn as a Common Enemy Traitor to our Laws Liberties Nation it being no lesse than a transcendent crime and High Treason by our Laws for any person or persons secretly or openly to attempt the undermining or subversion of our fundamental laws rights Liberties Government especially by fraud treachery force or armed power and violence the later part of my first proposal which I shall now confirm by these twelve following Presidents and Evidences corroborating likewise the former part That we have such Fundamental laws liberties rights franchises and a fundamental Government too In the fifth year of King Richard the second the vulgar rabble of people and villains in Kent Essex Sussex Norfolk Cambridge-shire and other Counties under the Conduct of Wat Tyler Jack Straw and other Rebels assembling together in great multitudes occasioned at first by the new invented Tax of Poll-money granted by Parliament and the over-rigorous levying thereof on the people by the Kings Officers though nothing so grievous as our Excises Contributions new Imposts now so long exacted without any legal Grant in true free and full English Parliaments resolved by force and violence to abrogate the law of Villenage with all other laws they disliked formerly setled to burn all the Records kill and behead all the Judges Justices and men of law of all sorts which they could get into their hands to burn and destroy the Inns of Court as they did then the new Temple where the Apprentices of the law lodged burning their Monuments and Records of Law there found to alter the tenures of lands to devise new laws of their own by which the Subjects should be governed to change the ancient Hereditary Monarchicall Government of the Realm and to erect petty elective Tyrannies and Kingdomes to themselves in every shire A project eagerly prosecuted by some Anarchicall Anabaptists Jesuits Levellers very lately and though withall they intended to destroy the King at last and all the Nobles too when they had gotten sufficient power yet at first to
excommunicate but judicially to suspend mulct with temporal penalties depose dethrone PVT TO DEATH and destroy any Christian Emperours Kings Princes Potentates by open Sentence War Force secret Conspiracies or private assasinations and to give away their Crowns and Dominions to whoever will invade them by Treason or Rebellion at the Popes command and that in cases of Heresie Schisme Disobedience to Rebellion against the Pope or See of Rome Male-administration refusal to defend the Pope or Church against her adversaries Insufficency to Govern Negligence Tyranny Excesses Abuses in Goveâ—nment Incorrigibility Vitiousness of Life and NECESSITY OF THE PUBLICK GOOD OR SAFETY OF THE CHURCH STATE OR CAVSE OF GOD as Antonius Sanctarellus the Jesuite particularly defines in his Book De Haeresibus Schismatibus c. printed in Rome it self Anno 1625. who affirms it to be Multum aequum Reipublicae expediens ut sit aliquis supremus Monarcha qui Regum hujusmodi excessus possit corrigere DE IPSIS IVSTITIAM MINISTRARE sicut PETRD concessa fuit facultas PVNIENDI PAENA TEMPORALI imo etiam PAENA MORTIS DICTAS PERSONAS AD ALâ—â—â—VM COKKEECMIONEM ET EXEMPLVM Whether the Erection Title of or Proceedings against our beheaded King in the late mis-named High Court of Justice had not their original from hence and whether the Army-Officers derived not their very phrase of bringing the King TO IVSTIEE with their pretended NECESSITY OF PVBLICK GOOD AND SAFETY for it from these very Jesuites or their Agents in the Army let themselves the whole Kingdom and all Wisemen now consider Moreover some of the fifty Authors as Creswel or Parsons the English Jesuite in his Philopater Sect. 2. and De Officio Principis Christiani chap. 5. affirm That the whole School both of their Divines and Lawyers make it a Position certain and undoubtedly to be believed That if any Christian Prince whatsover shall manifestly turn from the Roman Catholick Religion or desire or seek to reclaim others from the same or but favour or shew countenance to an Heretick as they deem all Protestants and Dissenters from the See of Rome in any punctilio such HE PRESENTLY FALLETH FROM LOSETH AL PRINCELY POWER Dignity that By Vertus Power OF THE LAW IT SELF BOTH DIVINE AND HVMANE EVEN BEFORE ANY SENTENCE PRONOVNCED AGAINST HIM BY THE SVPREAM PASâ—OR AND IVDGE That thereby his Subjects are absolved from ALL OATHES AND BONDS OF ALLEGIANCE TO HIM AS TO THEIR LAWFUL PRINCE Nay THAT THEY MAY AND OVGHT PROVIDED THEY HAVE COMPETENT POWER AND FORCE TO CAST OVT SVCH A PRINCE FROM BEAKING RVLE AMONGST CHRISTIANS as an Apostate an Heretick a Back-slider a Revolter from our Lord Jesus Christ AND AN ENEMY TO HIS OWN ESTATE AND COMMONWEALTH lest perhaps he might infect others or by his example or command turn them from the faith And that the Kingdom of such an Heretick or Prince is to be bestowed at the pleasure of the Pope with whom the people upon pain of Damnation are to take part and Fight against their SOVERAIGN Out of which detestible and Treasonable Conclusions most Treasons and Rebellions of late time have risen in the Christian World and the first smoke of the Gunpowder-treason too as John Speed observes in his History of Great Britain p. 1250. Whereupon the whole University of Paris censured them An. 1625 and 1626. not onely as most pernioious detestable damnable erroneous and perturbing the publick Peace but likewise as Subversive of Kingdoms States and Republicks seducing Subjects from their Obedience and subjection and stirring them up to Wars Factions Seditions Principum parricidia and the Murthers of their KINGS 2. That the Jesuites have frequently put these Treasonable Seditious Antimonarchical Jesuitical damnable Doctrines into practice as well against some Popish as against Protestant Kings Queens Princes States which they manifest 1. By their poysoning Jone Albreta Queen of Navarre with a pair of deadly perfumed Gloves onely for favouring and protecting the Protestants in France against their violence Anno. 1572. 2. By their suborning and animating James Clement a Dominican Frier to stab King Henry the third of France in the belly with a poysoned Knife whereof he presently died Anno. 1589. for which they promised this Traytor a Saintship in heaven Pope Sixtus the fifth himself commending this foul Fact in a long Oration to his Cardinals as Insigne memorabile sacinus non sine Dei Opt. Max. particulari providentia dispositione ET SPIRITUS SANCTI SUGGESTIONE DESIGNATUM facinusque longe majus quam illud S. Judith quae Holofernum è medio sustulit 3. By Cammolet the Jesuites publick justification of this Clement in a Sermon at Paris Anno 1593. wherein he not only extolled him above all the Saints for his Treason against and murder of Henry the 3. but broke out likewise into this further Exclamation to the people We ought to have some Ehud whether it be a A Monke or A Souldier or a Varlet or at least a Cow-herd For it is necessary that at least we should have some Ehud This one thing onely yet remains behinde for then we shall compose all our Affairs very well and at last bring them to a destred end Whereupon by the Jesuites instigation the same yeer 1593. one Peter Bariere undertook the assasination of King Henry the 4 of France which being prevented and he executed thereupon they suborned and enjoyned one of their own Jesuitical Disciples John Castle a youth of 19 yeers old to destroy the King who on the 27 of December 1594. intending to stab him to the heart missing his aim wounded him onely in the cheek and stroke out one of his teeth for which Treasonable act he was justified applauded as a renowned Saint and Martyr by the Jesuites in a printed Book or two published in commendation of this his undertaking As namely by Bonarscius the Jesuite in his Amphitheatrum Franciscus Verona Constantinus a Jesuite in his Apologiapro Iohanne Castello contra Edictum Parliamenti supplicium de eo ob Parricidium sumptum An. 1595. Where he thus writes of the attempt upon Hen. 4. Whosoever diligently ponders that Henry was excommunicated an Heretick relapsed a profâ—ner of holy things a declared publick enemy an oppressor of Religion and thereupon a person secluded from all right to the Kingdom and therefore a Tyrant not a King an Vsurper not a lawful Lord he verily unless he be mad and destitute of humane sence and love towards God the Church and his Country cannot otherwise think or speak but that the fact of Castle was generous conjoyned with Vertue and Heroical to be compared with the greatest and most praise-worthy facts which the ancient Monuments of Sacred and Prophane Histories have recorded One thing onely may be disliked namely That Castle hath not utterly slain and taken him from the midst of us In sum He denies this Henry to be any King of France by right
the Mask and Visard of their Hypocrifie what their the Kings ill Counsels design is To Subject both King and Parliament and Kingdom to their needy Ambitious and Avaritious Spirits and to the violent Laws Martial law of Governing the People by guards and by the Souldiers But alas for grief how superlatively have many of the Army Officers and their confederate members though parties to these Declarations and Protestations violated them and both Houses Faiths Trusts intentions ends in raising the Army in every of these particulars How have they verified justified the Kings Declarations Jealousies concerning the Parliaments Army in every point here and elswhere disclaimed by both Houses How have they exceeded out-acted the Kings Jesuitical Counsellers and most desperate Popish Army in violating subverting both the Parliaments Priviledges Members and Parliaments themselves together with our Fundamental Laws Liberties Government for whose preservation they were only raised paid How have they pursued the Kings and his worst Jesuited Counsellers footsteps in all the charges here objected against them by both Houses in relation to the Parliaments priviledges Members Constitution Rights Laws to their utter subversion dissolution and waged war against them And doth not every man plainly discern through the Mask and Visard of their Hypocrifie to use both Houses expressions that their design is just the same with that here objected by the Parliament to the Kings ill Jesuited Counsellers and Popish army even to subject both King Parliament and Kingdom to their needy ambitious avaritions spirits and to the violent Laws marshal Law of Governing the People yea Parliaments themselves by Guards and by the Souldiers and By Conquest to establish an absolute and unlimited power over the Parliament and good Subjects of this Kingdom as the Houses elswhere thrice objected against the late King his Army and party being the very design as many wisemen fear of the 27 Article of their New Government to settle a constant Annual revenue for the maintenance of 20000 Foot 10000 Horse and Dragoones to be alwayes constantly kept up Winter and Summer without disbanding or diminution for the Defence and Security of England Scotland and Ireland Which must henceforth be kept under by Mercinary Foâ—ces to guard of Protectors when as the Heathen Poet assures us â—nteger vitae scelâ—risque purus non eget Mauri jaculis nec arcu much less our English Nation ever formerly secured by their own unmercinary Militia of the Trained Bands and those Lords and Gentlemen who hold their Lands by Knight-service O that they would now in the name and fear of God as they tender the eternal salvation of their Souls the honour and priviledges of all future Parliaments the ease welfare settlement of our Nation Lay all this most seriously to their Hearts and make it a matter of their greatest lamentation and repentance Besides this have they not falsified that memorable late Declaration of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament Novemb. 2. 1642. in Answer to his Majesties well worthy perusal now and made good both for the time past and all succeeding Parliaments whiles there shall be any standing Army in England able to over-power them all the odious scandalous positions in relation to the English Parliament its Members and priviledges deduced from the Kings Declaration only by inference but disclaimed by the King summed up by them in the close of that Remonstrance and published in these ensuing terms as will evidently appear if applied to the Army and their Generall Councel of Officers by adding or exchanging their names only for the Kings in a parenthesis 1. That the King the * Army General and their General Councel of Officers when he pleaseth may declare the Major part of both Houses which in all sorts of Republicks doth yea ought of right to over sway the Minority their Votes to be firm and binding to all men as Aristotle himself resolves a faction of Malignant Schismatical and ambitious Persons so that all Parliaments that have been heretofore and SHALL BE HEREAFTER AND ALL LAWS MADE IN THEM may by this means be called in question at pleasure yea nulled and repealed for ever as some former Parliaments have been when held and over-awed by armed power or unduly elected packed summoned without Lawfull Authority or some of the Members forcibly secluded as you may read at large in the Statutes of 21 R. 2. c. 11 12 16 17 18. 1 H. 4. c. 3. 1 H. 4. Rot. Parl. n. 22 23 36 48 66 70. 113. 39 H. 6. c. 1. 17 E. 4. c. 7. worthy the serious perusal of our present Grandees and all illegitimate Parliaments where they may read the fatal end of all new unparliamentary projects laws devices wherein many now so much glory as if they would continue form for ever when as in a few years space they will all probably prove nullities be for ever reversed yea branded to posterity as most pernicious presidents 2. That his Majesty the Army and their General Councel may declare what is the known Law of the Land against the judgement of the Highest Court and consequently of all his Courts So that the safety and right of King and people and THE LAW IT SELF must depend upon his Majesties the Army General and their Councels pleasure 4. That as the King hath a property in his Townes Forts and Kingdoms so he the Army and their General Councel may dispose of them as he pleaseth and the Representative body of the whole Kingdom may not intermedle in discharge of his Majesties the Armies Generals Councels trust though by the advice of evil Councellers they see it diverted to the hazard of the publique peace safety of the Kingdom 5. That his Majesty the Army General and their Councel or any other person may upon suggestions and pretences of Treason Felony or breach of peace or of their Trusts a fourth Army new-minted cause Take the Members of Parliament without giving satisfaction to the House whereof they are Members of the grounds of such suggestion or accusation and without and against their consent as in the case of the late secured secluded Members and their two Junctâ—'s since so they may Dismember a Parliament when they please and make it what they will when they will 6. That whosoever shall follow the King Army General and their Councel in the wars against the Parliament though it were to destroy Laws Liberty Religion the Parliament it self and the whole Kingdom yet he shall be free from all crime or punishment And that on the other side to oppose by force any such force though in the most Legal way and by authority of the Representative body of the whole Kingdom is to leavy war against the King Army General and TREASON within the Letter of 25 E. 3. or of their new Knacks since So our Lands Liberties Lives Religion and Laws themselves Whereby all the Rights both of King and People
Parliaments Titles Priviledges and Powers too of late and dispose of reject suppress them at their pleasure let themselves the whole Nation with all in present power in the fear of God most seriously consider without passion or affection before it be over-late 4. That the Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance which all Members of Parliament ought by Law to take before they can sit or vote as Members specially made and prescribed by our most wise zealous Protestant Parliaments to prevent the Treasonable plots and designs of Popes Iesuites and Papists against our Protestant Princes Realms Parliaments Religion though confirmed by many Statutes and containing in them only the Declaration of such a Duty as every true and well-affected Subject not only by the bond of Allegiance but also by the COMMANDMENT OF GOD ought to bear to the King his Heirs and Successors and none but persons infected with Popish Superstition formerly oppugned as the Prologue of the Statute of 7 Iacobi c. 6. positively resolves have by late State innovators not only been discontinued suspended but declaimed against and repealed as much as in them lay as VNLAWFUL OATHS the old Lawes against Iesuits and Popish Seminaries discontinued abrogated or coldly executed The New Oath for abjuration of Popery with all Bills against Iesuites and Papists presented to the late King by both Houses the last Parliament and by him consented to in the Isle of Wight wholly laid aside and quite buried in oblivion The Solemn Protestation League and Covenant prescribed by the last Parliaments taken by all the well-affected in all the 3 Kingdoms to prevent the dangerous plots of Papists Iesuites and our common enemies to destroy our Religion Churches Realms Government Parliaments Laws Liberties quite antiquated decâ—ied detested and a New Engagement forcibly imposed under highest penalties and disabilities upon all men diametrically contrary to these Oaths Protestations and Covenants which have been by a new kind of Papal power publickly dispenced with and the people absolved from them to become sworn Homages to other new self-created Lords and Masters And are not all these with the late Proclaimed Universal Toleration and Protection of all Religions to considerate zealous Protestants strong Arguments of the Jesuites Predominancy in our late counsels transactions and changes of publike Government 5. That the Notion of THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT in my weak apprehension derived its original from the Iesuites late-invented PRESENT CHURCH the onely Supream Power and Judge of Controversies which all men must submit unto by a meer absolute blind Obedience and implicit faith without dispute by their determination as they must do by a like Iesuitical blind obedience newly taught and obtruded on us to that present Republican Government and new Optimacity and Popularity lately set up instead of our Monarchy Which two forms of Government and want of a King and Monarchy as they are the punishment of a peoples Sins and the Transgressions of a Land by Gods own resolution not a Mercy Hosea 10. 3. c. 1. 4. Ier. 18. 7. Prov. 28. 2. Ezâ— 19. 14. Lam. 4. 20. c. 5 7 8 12. so they were the inventions of Factious Grecians at first wâ—ch put all their Cities into Combustions fury frenzy and civil wars against each other to their utter overthrow in conclusion witness these verses of Heniochus a Greek Comedian Tum geminae ad illas accesserunt Mulieres TITAS QUAE CUNCTA CONTURBARUNT OPTIMAEst nomen alteri alteri POPULARITAS RUNT Quarum incitatis PRIDEM EXTERNATAE FUâ— So the Iesuits Parsons Campanella Car. Richelieu designed to introduce set them up among so us in Engl. Scotl. and Ireland of purpose to divideâ— destroy us by civil wars and combustions and bring us under their Jesuitical power at last as the marginal Authorities declare to all the world And if this be undeniable to all having any sence of Religion Peace or publick Safety left within their brests is it not more than high time for us to awake out of our former lethargy fordid selfish stupidity to prevent our ruine by these and other forementioned Jesuitical practises Of can any Englishman or real Parl. be justly offended with me for this impartial discovery of them Or for my endeavours to put all the dislocated Members and broken bones of our old inverted fundamental body Politick into their due places joints and postures again without which there is no more possibility of reducing it to its prâ—stine health ease settlement tranquility prosperity or of preserving it from perpetual pain inquietation consumption and approaching death than of a natural body whose principal members continue dis-joynted and bones broken all in pieces as all prudent State-Physicians must acknowledge These five Considerations together with the Premises will I presume sufficiently wipe off all the malicious scandalous Imputations which Militiere and other Papists have injuriously cast upon the Principles and chief Professors of our Reformed Religion in relation to the late exorbitant Proceedings against the King Parliament the publike Revolutions Confusions Ataxies both in our Church Kingdoms and retort them on the Iesuitical Papal seditious Treasonable Antimonarchical Principles and Professors of their Religion especially the Iesuits and French Cardinals Militiere his late Lords and Masters the original Contrivers and chief clandestine Promoters of them as every day more and more discovers to the world And withall abundantly justifie this my undertaking impartial discovery of Jesuitical plots to ruin our Church Religion Kingdoms Parliaments Laws Liberties Government against all malicious Enemies Accusers Maligners whatsoever before all the Tribunals of God or Men where I shal be ready to justifie them upon all occasions In perpetual testimony whereof I have hereunto set my Hand and by Gods Grace shall ever be ready to seal them and the truth of God with my blood if called out to do it Swainswick Aug. 12. 1654. William Prynne A Seasonable Legal and Historicall VINDICATION and Chronologicall Collection of the good Old Fundamental Liberties Franchiseâ— Rights Laws of all English Freemâ—n their best Inheritance Birth-right Security against all Arbitrary Tyranny Aegyptian Slavery and Burdens of late years most dangerously undermined oppugned and almost totally subverted under the specious feigned Disguise of their Defence Enlargement and future Establishment upon a sure Basis IT is an universall received Principle and experimentall truth beyond all contradiction That no naturall structure no artificial building no Civil or Ecclesiastical Corporation Realm Republike Government or Society of men no Art or Science whatsoever can possibly be erected supported established preserved or continued in their being or well-being without FOVNDATIONS Whereon as they were at first erected so they must necessarily still depend or else they will presently fall to utter ruine Hence it is to wave all Humane Authorities in so clear a verity that in Gods own sacred unerring word of Truth we finde frequent mention of the naturall
Bull the Jesuites after her decease disswaded the Romish-minded Subjects from yielding in any wise obedience to King James as their Soveraign and entrâ—d into a Treasonable Conspiracy with the Lord Cobham Lord Gray and others against him to imprison him for the ends aforesaid or destroy him pretending that King Iames was no King at all before his Coronation and that therefore they might by force of Arms lawfully surprise his person and Prince Henry his Son and imprison them in the Tower of London or Dover-Castle till they inforced them by duress to grant a free toleration of their Catholick Religion to remove some evil Counsellors from about them and to grant them a free Pardon for this violence or else they would put some further project in execution against them to their destruction But this Conspiricy being discovered The Traytors were apprehended arraighned condemned and Watson and Clerk two Jesuited Priests who had drawn them into this Conspiracy upon the aforesaid Pretext with some others executed as Traytors all the Iudges of England resolving that King Iames being right Heir to the Crown by descent was immediately upon the death of Queen Elizabeth actually possessed of the Crown and lawful King of England before any Proclamatâ—on or Coronation of him which are but Ceremonies as was formerly adjudged in the case of Queen Mary and Queed Iane 1 Mariae there being no Interregnum by the Law of ENGLAND as is adjudged declared by Act of Parliament 1 Iac. c. 1. worthy serious perusal 8. their horrid Gun-powder Treason Plot contrived fomented by Garnet Superiour of the English Jesuites Gerard Tensmod and other Jesuites who by their Apostolical power did not onely commend but absolve from all sin the other Jesuited Popish Conspirators and Faux The Sculdier who were their instruments to effect it Yea the Jesuitical Priests were so Atheistical as that they usually concluded their Masses with Prayers for the good success of this hellish Plot which was suddenly with no less then 36 Barrels of Gunpowder placed in a secret Vault under the House of Lords to have blown up and destroyed at once King James himself the Queen Prince Lords Spirituall and Temporal with the Commons assembled together in the Upper-House of Parliament upon the 5 of November Anno Dom. 1605. and then forcibly to have seised with armed men prepared for that purpose the persons of our late beheaded King then Dake of York and of the Lady Elizabeth his Sister if absent from the Parliament and not there destroyed with the rest that so there might be none of the Royal Line left to inherit the Crown of England Scotland and Ireland to the utter overthrow and subversion of the whole Royal Family Parliament State and Government of this Realm Which unparallel'd inhumane bloody Plot being miraculously discovered prevented the very day before its execution in perpetual detestation of it and of the Jesuites and their traiterous Romish Religion which both contrived and approved it the 5 day of November by the Statute of 3 Jacobi ch 1. was enacted to be had in perpetual Remembrance that all Ages to come might thereon meet together publickly throughout the whole Nation to render publick praises unto God for preventing this infernal Jesuitical Design and keep in memory this joyful Day of Deliverance for which end special forms of publick Prayers and Thankesgivings were then appointed and that Day ever since more or less annually observed till this present And it is worthy special observation that had this Plot taken effect It was agreed by the Jesuites and Popish Conspirators before-hand That the Imputation of this Treason should be cast upon the Puritans to make them more Odious as now they father all the Powder-Plots of this kinde which they have not onely laid but fully accomplished of late yeers against the King Prince Royal Posterity the Lords and Commons House our old English Parliaments and Government upon those Independents and Anabaptistical Sword-men whom they now repute and stile the most reformed PURITANS who were in truth but their meer under Instruments to effect them When as they originally laid the Plots as is clear by Campanella's Book De Monarchia Hisp ch 25. and Cardinal Richelieu his Instructions at his death to the King of France And it is very observable that as Courtney the Jesuite Rector of the English Jesuites Colledge at Rome did in the year 1641. when the name of Independents was scarce heard of in England openly affirm to some English Gentlemen and a Reverend Minister of late in Cornwal from whom I had this Relation then and there feasted by the English Jesuites in their Colledge That now at last after all their former Plots had miscarried they had found out a sure way to subvert and ruine the Church of England which was most formidable to them of all others by the Independents who immediately after by the Jesuites clandestine assistance infinitely encreased supplanted the Presbyterians by degrees got the whole power of the Army and by it of the Kingdom into their hands then subverted both the Presbyterian Government and Church of England in a great measure with the Parliament King and his Posterity as Monsieur Militiere a Jesuited French-Papist observes So some Independent Ministers Sectaries and Anabaptists ever since 1648. have neglected the observation of the fifth of November as I am credibly informed and refused to render publick thanks to God for the deliverance thereon contrary to the Act for this very reason which some of them have rendered That they would not mock God in publick by praising him for delivering the late King Royal Posterity and House of Lords from destruction then by Jesuites and Papists when as themselves have since destroyed and subverted them through Gods providence and repute it a special mercy and deliverance to the Nation from Tyranny and Bondage for which they have cause to bless the Lord Performing that for the Jesuites and Powder-Traytors which themselves could not effect The Lord give them grace and hearts to consider how much they acted the Jesuites and promoted their very worst Designes against us therein what infamy and scandal they have thereby drawn upon all zealous Professors of our Protestant Religion and what will they do in the end thereof 9. To omit all other Forraign instances cited in Speculum Jesuiticum p. 124 to 130. where you may peruse them at leisure By their poysoning King Iames himself in conclusion as some of them have boasted 10. By the Popes Nuntio's and a Conclave of Jesuites Conspiracy at London Anno 1640. to poyson our late King Charles himself as they had poysoned his Father with a poysoned Indian Nut kept by the Jesuites and shewed often by Conne the Popes Nuntio to the Discoverer of that Plot or else to destroy him by the Scotish wars and troubles raised for that very end by the Jesuites in case he refused to grant them a
Church Religion then to follow the Advice Votes Councels Directions Commands of our Parliaments Kingdomes and the best affected Protestants of all ranks who first raised and have so long maintained them for quite other ends hereafter touched then what they of late times have most pursued to the Popes and Jesuits great content 5. That the Jesuits have endeavoured attempted the convulsion concussion subversion not onely of the Empires Realms and ancient setled Governments and States of Germany Russia Bohemia Hungaria France Poland but likewise of England Scotland and Ireland and to new model them into other Forms of Government What mould of Government they intended to cast England into is thus long since described by William Watson a secular Priest in his Quodlibets Anno 1602. page 309 310 330 331. England is the main chance of Christendome at this present by seditions factions tampering and aspiring Heads the onely But Mark White the Jesuits aym at as well in intention as execution of their pretended expedition exploit and action I am of opinion that no man on earth can tell what Government it is they intend to establish ratifie and confirm when they come to their preconceited Monarchy no not any of their Plot casters No question it is but their Government shall be as uncertain as their New conceited Monarchy their Monarchy as mutable as their Reign and their Reign as variable as the Winde or Proteus in his Complements But no question is to be made of it but that the Government they do directly intend at this present is A MOST ABSOLUTE SOVERAIGNTY DOMINION AND STATE CLEARLY EXEMPTED from any subordination TO ANY LAW or Legifer divine or humane and therefore it is rightly called DESPOTICON in the highest degree of exemplary immuniâ—le IMPERIALITY AND ABSOLUTE REIGN RULE AND AUTHORITY as containing in it three sorts of Government Sâ—il Monarchical Aristocraticall Democraticall in matters of Counsell and mannaging of Common wealths causes not in point OF REGALITY HONOUR AND INHERITANCE For there shall be neither Title nor Name nor Honour given taken or done to any Prince Duke Marquesse Earl Viscount Lord Baron or the like all the Jesuitical Governours being Puritan like Seniours Elders Provincials c. neither shall there be any successions by Birth or blood TO ANY HONOUR OFFICE OR MAGISTRACY from the Monarch Pater General to the Minor Pâ—ter Minister but ALL SHALL GO BY ELECTION OR CHOICE Whether our late and present variable floating New moulded Governments have not been cast by this long since predicted Jesuiticall Mould let wise men with all our late yea present Governours now sadly consider and determine 6. That the Jesuits in a publique Disputation held at Madrid published by them under this Title Conclusiones Politicae sub Regis Domini nostri praesidio instructed the King of Spain their Chief Protector whom they most extoll above all other Kings to promote both his universall Monarchy and their own thereby That in relation to his Empire Power was necessary which power they defined to be A faculty not onely of retaining the Kingdomes he already possessed but likewise of acquiring other mens Perswading him by this Doctrine to believe That he was therefore consecrated a Catholike King by God that he might enjoy a faculty not onely of keeping his own but also OF INVADING AND SEISING UPON OTHER MENS DOMINIONS For to retain ones own was the praise onely of a private family DE ALIENIS CERTARE REGIA LAUS EST but it was a Royall praise to fight for that which is other mens NEC REGNANDI CAUSA JUS VIOLARE CRIMEN EST DUM CAETERIS REBUS PIETAS COLATUR Neither is it a Crime to violate Law or Right to reign or gain a Crown whiles that Piety in other things shall be observed Which Jesuitical Machivilian unrighteous Doctrine though as Alphonsus Vargas a Spanish Popish Priest resolves it be diametrically contrary to the doctrine of our Lord Jesus himself instructing men that aliena obtinere non Potentis Principis SED IMPOTENTIS AC VIOLENTI PRAEDONIS EST Yet the Jesuites and their Instruments of late years have sufficiently propagated it amongst our English Grandees and Army-Saints for a most sacred Oracle as their violent invasions of other mens Realms Powers Offices Pallaces Lands Estates and Possessions of all kindes by meer armed power and might demonstrate beyond contradiction 7. That the Jesuites in their Book De Zelo S. Ignatii in Religione sua instituenda printed at Madrid p. 13 do glory Hoc Societatis proprium esse ut quotidie novâ—â— promat inventiones quibus homines ad Deum perducantur That this is the property of their Society that it DAILY BRINGS FORTH NEW INVENTIONS whereby men may be brought home to God that is to their Religion and Society the principle whereof they and Vargas record to be these Their perswading of men to embrace the Gospel by AN ARMY the use of ARMES Power Terrour Fire Their Exercise of Merchandize which many of them in most places in England too now use they being very great Merchants Factors and Returners of Moneys by Bils of Exchange and of all other Secular Imployments Callings in Lay-mens habits the more easily to insinuate themselves into all Countries Places Companies and Societies of men to infect seduce and discover their secrets according to this their received Maxime JESUITA EST OMNIS HOMO a Jesuit is every man that is a man of all Professions Callings Sects Religions to effect his ends Their questioning traducing oppugning censuring of all the Articles of the Apostles Creed and received Principles Doctrines of Christian Religion corrupting slighting falsifying the Scriptures themselves together with Councils Fathers Schoolmen and all other Divines but those onely of their own Order which they incomparably extoll above and prefer before all other Their venting of new Opinions Notions Revelations Exposâ—â—ions Crochets Herefies Problems both in Divinity itself and all other Arts and Sciences in the Presse Pulpit Universities Schools And if these as Vargas assures us be their properties and new inventions to propagate the Gospel and draw men unto God which our Lord Jesus himself and his true Disciples were wholy ignorant of may we not certainly conclude that they have of late years been extraordinary busie at this their harvest work amongst us and more especially in spreading their Gospel by AN ARMY and taking upon them the use of Arms in 〈◊〉 of their Military Father Ignatius with all other secular Imployments and New Sects to draw Proselites and new separate Congregations to them throughout our Realms to destroy both our Church Discipline and Religion as well as our Civill Government and Laws 8. That as the whole House of Commons in their Remonstrance of 15. December 1641. charge the Jesuites and late Jesuited Court-Counsellors with a Malignant and pernicious designe of SUBVERTING THE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS and Principles of Government upon which the Religion and Justice of the
largly contributed to this war and designe for which he Sir John Winter Master Mountague and others who had a hand in this conspiracy were convented and brought upon their knees at the Commons House-bar Jan. 28. 1640. upon which he retyring into France was about May 1645. sent as a speciall Embassadour from the Queen to the Pope of Rome himself to solicit him for ayds of monies men arms against the Parliament is first audience he had the best reception and fairest Promises of Aid in general that could be wished writing hopefully of supplies of Moneys from Rome to the Queen and others as both Houses of Parliament in their Declaration and Letters published 26 March 1646. proclaim to all the world and likewise good Hopes of a Cardinals Cap for himself or the Lord Aubeny or Mr. Mountagne for which he and the Queen sollicited After that upon his return from Rome he was sent over into England about Decemb. 1648. as a fit instrument to New-moddle us into a Commonwealth and promote the violent Proceedings of the Army Officers and their Confederates set on work by the Jesuits and their Agents against the late King Parliament Members where upon his arrival he was instead of being apprehended and brought to justice for the premises hugged by some Grandees whom he courted permitted to ride and walk about at large while the Members were under strict guards and restraints frequently repaired to Whitehall where he was well received his Sequestration totally taken off without any Fees or gratification by special order and himself now at last permitted to lodge not only in Wildemans House where the Queens Capuchins formerly resided but sometimes in Whitehall it self to the admiration of many understanding Protestants who justly suspect he hath there more disguised Iesuits to consult with and promote both their old and new designs against our Church State Religion Laws Liberties till they have brought them and us to utter ruine I shall for brevity sake acquaint you with one memorable general instance discovering what swarms of Jesuites are now amongst us under other visors An English Protestant Nobleman a person of honor whose Ancestors were Papists being courteously entertained within these two years at Rome by some eminent Iesuits in their chief Colledge there was brought by them into a Gallery having Chambers round about it with Titles over every door for several Kingdoms and amongst the rest one for ENGLAND Upon which he enquiring of the Iesuits what these titles signified was answered by them That they were the Chambers of the Provincial Iesuits of each Kingdom and Province written ever the respective doors wherein they had any members of their society now residing who received all Letters of intelligence from their Agents in those places every week and gave account of the to the General of their Order That the Provincial for England lodged in the Chamber over which the title ENGLAND was written who could shew him the last news from England which he desiring to see they thereupon knocked at the door which was presently opened the Provincial being informed who what the Lord was read the last news from England to them Hereupon the Nobleman demanded of them Whether any of their society were now in England how they could stay with safety or support themselves there seeing most of the English Nobility Gentry and Families that were Papists were ruined in their estates or sequestred by the late wars troubles so as they could neither harbour conceal nor maintain them as they had done heretofore They answered It was true but the greater the dangers and difficulties of those of their society now in England were the greater was their merit And that they had then above fiftéen hundred of their Society in England able to work in several Professions Trades which they had there taken upon them the better to support secure themselves from being discovered who together with some Popish Priests and Friers no doubt upon diligent inquiry will appear to be the chiefest Speakers Quakers Disputers Seducers Rulers in most separate Congregations and the principle brochers of all New Opinions Blasphemies now abounding amongst us This Relation I have heard from the mouth of a Reverend Divine more than once to whom this Noble Lord upo his return into England not many Months since seriously related the Premises averring the truth of them upon his Honour Yet for all this since the stupendious pretended repeals and annihilations of the Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance that of Abjuration of Popery consented to by the late King in the Isle of Wight purposely made for the better detection and prevention of Iesuites and their treasonable forementioned practises against our Church Kingdoms Princes Religion Parliaments and Government by the wisdom and zeal of our best affected vigilant * Protestant Parliaments I can neither hear nor read of any effectual means endeavoured or prescribed by any in power for the discovery of these Romish Ianizaries or banishing feretting and keeping them out of England where they have wrought so much mischief of late years and whose utter ruine they attempt nor any incouragement at all given to the Discoverers of their Plots and Persons but many affronts and discouragements put upon them and particularly on my self lately mewed up close Prisoner under strictest Guards in remotest Castles near three years space without any Accusation hearing or particular cause yet assigned or disclosed to me though oft then and since demanded by me from my Imprisoners whiles they all walked abroad at large of purpose to hinder me from any discoveries of their practises by my Pen where as they printed vended publickly here in England above 30000 Popish Books of several kinds during my imprisonment without the least restraint to oppugne our Protestant established Religion as many of them do in terminis as most damnable Heresie propagate the Jesuites Plots and antichristian Romish Church and Religion amongst us as you may read at large in the Stationers Beacon fired which seasonable book and Discovery of these Romish Emissaries books and plots some Officers of the Army in their Beacon quenched publickly traduced in print as a New-Powder-Treason of the Presbyterian Party to blow up the Army and that pretended Parliament of their own erection which themselves soon after blew up and dissolved in good earnest pleading for a free Toleration of such Popish Books and all Religions as agreeable to the Armies Engagements and Principles to carry on their designs against our Religion and Laws But most certain it is there hath been of late years not only a General Councel of Officers of the Army sitting many moneths together in Councel to alter and new model all our ancient Laws and Statutes in pursuance of Father Parson's design but likewise two Conventicles of their own selection and election sitting of late in the Parliament House at Westminster assuming to themselves the Name and far
theÌ„ with the constitution of our Church State Religion publike affairs must needs acknowledg that these pragmatical Iesuits have bin very active prevalent powerful successful and not only militant but triumphant of late years amongst us under some disguise or other that they have dangerously poysoned us with these their Machiavillian and Atheal policies practises positions and have more real Disciples Factors if not Tutors now amongst us then in any former ages And is it not high time then to endeavour to detect their persons and prevent their dangerous designs upon us with greatest care and diligence Truly though most others be negligent and fearfull herein yet that text of Ezek. 2. 6 7. And thou son of man be not afraid of them neither be afraid of their words though bryars and thorns be with thee and thou dost dwell among scorpions be not afraid of their words nor be dismayed at their looks though they be a rebellions house And thou shalt speak my words unto them whether they will hear or whether they will forbear for they are most REBELLIOVS hath animated me to exonerate my conscience herein and to say with the prophet Isai 62. 1. For Zions Englands sake I will not hold my peace and for Ierusalems sake I will not rest until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth Wherefore Upon serious consideration of all these Premises and of all those Sacred Solemn Oaths that Protestation Vow League and National Covenant which I have formerly taken lying still as so many indissoluble Obligations on my Soul notwithstanding the ingrate malicious unchristian Requitals of all my former unmercinary services Sufferings for Religion Laws Liberties and the publique in times of greatest Danger recompenced only with long causeless close imprisonments injuries affronts losses of all kinds by pretended friends and Patrons of our Liberties as well as by professed causeless Enemies And notwithstanding all other Discouragements from the general baseness cowardise Sottishness slavishness degenerated Spirits of the whole Nation and their strange fearfulness even publiquely to own much less cordially to assist defend according to the sixth Article of the Covenant those few couragious Patrons who have hazarded their Lives Liberties Limbs Estates and all earthly comforts for the publique defence of our Religion the Laws Liberties Priviledges of our Kingdom Church Parliament against the old and late avowed subverters of them whose very Company visits the generality of their former friends and acquaintance have declined as if they had some plague sores on them not only during their late restraints but likewise since their enlargements out of them enough to perswade them never to write speak act or suffer any thing more for such ingrate unworthy Creatures but rather to put their helping hands to make them and their Posterities slaves for ever I have yet once more out of pure zeal love conscience towards my native Country adventured my life liberty and decayed estate considering the lawlessness and Danger of the times not the justice and goodness of the Common Cause I plead for the necessary defence of the Fundamental Liberties Franchises Lawes Rights Parliaments Priviledges and Government of our enslaved Nation though every way unworthy to be beloved by God or men of noble spirits in this Seasonable Legal Historical Vindication and Collection wherein I have with all boldness faithfulness without the least fear or flattery of any Mortals or created powers whatsoever argued evinced maintained my own particular with the whole Nations publique right and inheritance in them of which few or none take any care but only of their own private gains case safely though with the Publike ruine and endeavoured as much as in me lies to preserve them and our Religion from the several Jesuitical plots counsels specified in the whole Commons House Remonstrance of 15 December 1641. Exact Collection p. 3. to 14. of late years revived and more vigorously pursued than ever and to rescue them out of the Claws of Tyranny and all usurping arbitrary powers which have avowedly encroached on yea trampled them under feet of late more than ever the worst of all our Monarchs or beheaded King did though declaimed against as the greatest of Tyrants by some who have transcended him in his worst Regal Exorbitances and particularly in this which the Lords and Commons in Parliament in their Declaration of Aug. 4. 1642. thus grievously complained of and objected against the Kings ill Counsellers That the LAWS were no protection or defence of any mans right all was subject to will and power which imposed WHAT PAYMENTS THEY THOVGHT FIT to drain the Subjects purses and supply THOSE NECESSITIES which their ill counsel had brought upon the King and gratify such as were instrumental in promoting most ILLEGAL and OPRESSIVE COVRSES Those who yielded and complied were countenanced and advanced all others disgraced and kept under and are they not so now as much as then that â—o their minds made poor and base as they were never so poor and base as now and THEIR LIBERTIES lost and gone as they were never so much as now they might be ready to LET GO THEIR RELIGION whensoever it should be resolved to alter it which was and still is the GREAT DESIGN and all the rest made use of as instrumental and subservient to it Upon which consideration they thus concluded that Declaration Therefore we the Lords and Commons are resolved to expose our lives and fortunes for the defence and maintenance of the true Religion the Kings person honor and estate the power and priviledge of Parliament the just rights and liberty of the Subject And we do hereby require all those who have any sence of piety honor or compassion TO HELP A DISTRESSED STATE especially SVCH WHO HAVE TAKEN THE PROTESTATION and are bound in the same duty with us unto their God their King and Country to come into their aid and assistance That which hath not a little encouraged me hereunto is not only this their publick call but likewise this memorable passage vow protestation of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament in their printed Declaration in answer to his Majesties of October 23. 1642. Which I fear most of them since in power have quite forgotten and therefore I beseech them now seriously to remember it Though we know very well there are too many of the Gentry of this Kingdom who to satisfy the LVSTS OF THEIR OWN AMBITION are content like Esau TO SELL THEIR BIRTH-RIGHT AND CARE NOT TO SVBMIT THEMSELVES TO ANY ARBITRARY AND UNLIMITED GOVERNMENT so they may FOR THEIR OWN TIME PARTAKE OF THAT POWER to trample and insult over others And have not are not some of these declarers and censures such themselves yet we are assured that there are of the Gentry many worthy and true hearted Patriots but where are those many now who are ready to lay down their lives and fortunes and
substance whereof I have here set before their eyes in ten brief Propositions and by Records Statutes Presidents Histories Contests Resolutions in all ages undauntedly as their Common Advocate asserted fortified to my power for their Encouragement and president in this publick work And if they will now but couragiously second me herein with their joynâ— bold rightfull Claims Votes Declarations and Resolutâ— Demands of all and every of their enjoyments and future inviolable Establishments with strenuous Oppositions of all illegal perpetual Imposts Excises Contributions Payments the chief nerves and cords to keep them still in bondage by Mercinary Forces supported only by them to keep them still in slavery according to their Oaths Vows Protestations Duties manifold late Declarations Remonstrances Solemn League Covenant and the encouraging memorable Presidents of their Ancestors in former ages here recorded I dare assure them by Gods blessing a desired good-Success whereof their Ancestors never failed no mortal Powers nor Armies whatsoever having either Impudency or Ability enough to deny detain them from them if they will but generally unanimously couragiously importunately claim and demand them as their Birth-rights But if they will still basely disown betray and cowardly desert both them and their Assertors and leave them to a single combate with their combined Jesuitical enemies whom none take care to discover suppress or banish out of our Realms where they now swarm more than ever and Armed Invaders the Fate of our old English Britons when they improvidently neglected to unite their Counsels Forces against and fought only singly with the invading united Armies of the Romans is like to be Englands condition now Dum pugnant singuli vincunntur universi the single Champions of our Liberties Laws Rights will be easily over-powered destroyed for the present and all others by their unworthy Treachery and Baseness in not adhering to but abandoning their present Patrons discouraged disabled to propugne regain them for the future and the whole Kingdom vanquished yea enslaved for eternity in all humane probability to those who have broken your former yokes of wood but instead thereof have made for and put upon you yokes of Iron and by the Jesuites Machiavilian Plots and Policies will reduce you by degrees under a meer Papal yoke at last having deeply leavened many in power and arms with their forementioned most desperate Jesuitical Positions Practises and Politicks which will soon usher in the whole body of Popery and all damnable Heresies whatsoever by degrees to the ruine of our Religion as well as Laws and Liberties Wherefore seeing it neither is nor can be reputed Treason Felony Sedition Faction nor any Crime at all but a commendable bounden Duty to which our Protestations Oaths Leagues Covenants Reason Law Conscience our own private and the publick Interest Safety of the Nation engage us for all and every Freeborn Englishman joyntly and severally to claim maintain preserve by all just honourable publick and private wayes they may their unquestionable Hereditary Birth-rights Laws Liberties Parliamentary Priviledges c. here asserted and presented to them after so much Blood Treasure Labour spent to rescue them out of the hands of old and late oppressing Tyrants nor any Offence at all but a praise-worthy service now in me or any other publickly to encourage them to this duty and the strenuous defence of our endangered undermined Protestant Religion subverted with our Laws Liberties and living or dying together with them at this present season as I have done heretofore upon all occasions And seeing none can justly censure them or me for discharging our Oathes Consciences Covenants Protestations Duties in this kinde but such as shall thereby declare themselves Publick Enemies and Trayters to the whole Nation Laws Government Parliaments of England as the Resolutions Presidents herein cited yea their own best friends and our Reformed Religion too have already adjudged them And seeing Sir Thomas Fairfax and the General Councel of his Army held at Putney Sept. 9. 1647. in their Declararation concerning THE FVNDAMENTAL AVTHORITY GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDON printed by their appointment in these words Whereas a Member of the General Councel of this ARMY hath publikely declared and expressed himself THAT THERE IS NO VISIBLE AUTHORITY IN THE KINGDOM BVT THE POWER FORCE OF THE SWORD as others of them say since and now both by words and deeds without controll We therefore the said GENERAL COUNCEL to testifie How FARRE OUR HEARTS MINDS ARE FROM ANY DESIGN OF SETTING UP THE POWER OF THE SWORD ABOVE OR AGAINST THE FUNDAMENTAL AUTHORITY GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM OUR READINESSE TO MAINTAIN AND UPHOLD THE SAID AUTHORITY have by a Free Voâ—e in the said Councel no man contradicting judged the said Member TO BE EXPELLED THE SAID COUNCEL Which we hereby thought fit to publish as A CLEAR MANIFESTATION OF OUR DISLIKE DISAVOWING SVCH PRINCIPLES OR PRACTISES which notwithstanding they have since avowed pursued in the highest degree and I desire them now to repent of reform and really make good have engaged to maintain and propugne with their Swords what I here endeavour to defend support with my Pen. And seeing they intituled their Printed Papers A Declaration of the Engagements Remonstrances Reprèsentations Proposals Desires and Resolutions from his Excellency Sir Tho Fairfax and THE GENERAL COVNCEL OF THE ARMY for setling OF HIS MAJESTY IN HIS JVST RIGHTS The PARLIAMENT in their JVST PRIVILEGES and the SVBJECTS in their LIBERTIES FREEDOMS Also Representations of THE GRIEVANCES OF THE KINGDOM REMEDIES PROPOVNDED for REMOVING THE PRESENT PRESSVRES WHEREBY THE SVBJECTS ARE BVRDENED and EXCISES TAXES amongst the rest And the Resolutions of the Army For the establishment of a firm lasting peace IN CHVRCH KINGDOM printed by their own and the Lords House special Orâ—er London 1647 the self-same things I here contend plead for which I wish they would now really make good by their future consultations and actions to avoid the just censures of meer Hypocrites and Impostors as the whole World will else repute them I shall therefore exhort not only the whole Army Army-Officers and their General Councel but likewise the whole English Nation and all real Lovers of their own or their Countries Liberties Peace Laws Ease Safety Religion and future establishment in this common Cause in the words of the Philistines one to another in a time of need when they were greatly affraid 1 Sam. 4. 9. Be strong and quit your selves like men O ye Philistines that ye be not servante to the Hebrews as they have been to youâ— quit your selves like men fight c. That so as the Apostle writes in the like case Phil. 1. 27 28. Whether I come and see you or be absent from you I may hear of your affairs that ye stand fast in one spirit with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel and the ancient Fundamental Laws Liberties Rights Priviledges Parliaments
Foundations of the the vast natural Fabrick of the Earth Heavens and world it self of the Artificial Material Foundations of the Material Temple Wals City of Gods own most famous Jerusalem and of private Houses of the spirituall Foundations of the Spiritual Temple City Jerusalem and whole Church of God even Jesus Christ himself of Doctrinal Foundations and first Principles of Religion Christianity Salvation yea of the Politicall Foundations of Kingdomes Republicks Churches Governments States Which being once shaken undermined subverted razed or dâ—stroyed bring unavoidable ruine and desolation upon them Psal 11. 3. Psal 82. 5. Jer. 50. 15. 51. 25 26. Micah 1. 6 7 9. Even as we daily see Castles Walls Houses to fall instantly to the ground and become an heap of Confusion when their Foundations are blown up decayed or demolished Upon which consideration those publike Laws which establish fence fortifie support the Fundamental Constitutions Rights Liberties Priviledges of any Nation Kingdome Republike essentiall to their being and subsistence as a free or happy people against the Invasions underminings enchroachments of any Tyrants Vsurpers Oppressors or publike enemies are usually stiled Fundamental Laws and have ever been reputed so sacred inviolable immutable in all ages upon any pretences of necessity or publike safety that most Nations and our own English Ancestors above others have freely chosen to hazard yea lose their estates lives in their just defence against such exorbitant tyrannical Kings and other Powers who by force or policy have endeavoured to violate alter or subvert them rather than out of a Cowardice Sottishnesse Carelesnesse or want of cordial love to the Publike to suffer the least infringment repeal or alteration of them to the inthrawling of themselves or their posterities to the arbitrary wils of such domineering Tyrants and Vsurping Powers Now because after all our Old and New many years bloody costly dangerous Contests and Wars for the maintenance of our good Old Fundamental Liberties Laws â—ights Priviledges against all secret or open underminers of them I clearly behold with grief of heart that there is a strang monstrous generation of new Tyrannical State-Hereticks sprung up amongst us who are grown so desperately impudent as not only to write but publikely to assert in print in Books printed by AUTHORITY even in Capitals in every Title page That the Freemen and People of England have no such unalterable Fundamental Laws and Liberties left them by their forefathers as our Ancestours heretofore contested for both in the Field and Parliament-House with William the Conqueror Henry the first King John Henry the third Edward 1. 2. 3. Richard 2. with other Kings and Princes and our late Parliamentâ— and Armies too with King James and King Charls That neither Magna Charta nor the Petition of Right nor the Laws for trying Malefactors by Juries of their Pears are Fundamental or unalterable but that the State Physitians or rather Mountebanks of our time who are not tied up to them but left free unto themselves may lay them quite aside either in part or whol as they see cause Yea have now attained to such a super-transcendent Authority that they may as they assert lay aside all Parliaments Parliamentary wayes appoint something else as more seasonable and proper to us and as Providence makes way for it if they see it more conducing to the safety and good of the Commonwealth that is to their own privat Interests Honors Profits Securities Designes Oppressions Rapines gilded over with this specious pretext And then peremptorily conclude That to plead for these and other fundamental laws and liberties as unalterable though the only Bulwarks Badges of our Freedome is nothing else but to enslave the Nation for by such a Principle people do not only lose their Liberty but are brought under such a kinde of Tyranny out of which AS BEING WORSE THAN THE AEGYPTIAN BONDAGE there is no hope of deliverance An absurd Tyrannical Paradox transcending any I ever yet met with in any Author stripping us naked of all our long enjoyed Laws Liberties Franchises great Charters at once tending onely to reduce and perpetually inthrall us under such an absolute AEGYPTIAN BONDAGE and Tyranny without any hope of future deliverance from it which some now endeavour to entaile on us and our posterities for ever by an Iron law and Yoke of Steel in stead of restoring to us that glorious Freedome which we have so long expected from them in vain And because I finde the generality of the Nobility Gentry Clergy Commonalty of our Nation after all their late years expensive bloody wars and Parliamentary Disputes for the defence and preservation of these our ancient Hereditary Fundamentall Charters Laws Liberties Priviledges so strangely degenerated both from themselves and their Heroick prudent Ancestors as that they are more readily inclined upon every occasion out of a base unchristian unmanly un-english fear or sottish cowardise and stupidity wittingly to desert betray surrender them al up into the hands of any invading Vsâ—rpers without the least Publike Claim Dissertation Defence Dspute then diligently or couragiously to coÌ„tend or suffer for them of late they did So as that which Paul once taxed in the â—lavish besotted Corinthians 2 Epist 11. 20. may be most truly averred of our degenerated infatuated English Nation Ye suffer if a man bring you into bondage if a man deâ—â—ur you if a man take of you if a man exâ—lt himself above your Laws Liberties Franchises Parliaments Kings Nobles Properties Lives Consciences and all that is called God or warshipped if a man smite you on the face notwithstanding all their manifold late Protestations Vows Covenants Remonstrances Declarationâ— and Publike Engagements to the contrary And withall after diligent enquiry discovering scarce one man of Eminency or Power in the Nation nor so much as one of my degenerated temporizing Profession of the Law even when the whole body of our laws and all its Professors are violently assaultâ—d and devoted unto suddain ruine by many lawlesse spirits who hath so much courage magnanimity honesty zeal or cordial love to his Native Country remaining in his brest as manfully to appear in publike for the strenuous necessary defence of these our Hereditary fundamentall laws liberties rights franchises though their own and every other English Freemans best inheritance and security for fear of being persecuted imprisoned close imprisoned exiled condemned destroyed as a Traytor Rebell Seditious person enemy to the Publike or disturber of the Kingdomes peace by those who are truly such I thereupon conceived I could not undertake or performe a more necessary seasonable beneficiall service for my Country and ingrate unworthy Nation who are now ashamed afraid for the most part to own visit or be seen in the company of those Gallant men much lesse to assist defend and stick close unto them in their dangers according to the sixth Article of their late Solemn League and Covenant
after so many Declarations and solemn Protestations made by his Majesty to rule by the known Laws of this Land his Majesty by advice of his ill Councellors should be perswaded to set such a Commission on foot which is so clearly contrary TO THE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS OF THIS LAND the Rights of Property and Liberty of the Subject contrary to former resolutions of Parliament and to the Petition of Right I am certain the generality of the Nation are now as much and more agrieved that some who were Parties to this Declaration and others who have made as many or more Declarations Protestations as his Majesty ever did to rule by the known laws of the Land should since this far exceed his Majesty in the like nay greater more exorbitances in the Militia Excises Taxes Impositions Imprisonments arbitrary extravagant proceedings capital executions in new erected Courts of Injustice and whole volumes of new binding Ordinances as they term them and their ill-sounding Instrument obliging all our three Nations both for the present all future ages in their intention as diametrically contrary as the Kings Commissions of Array to the Fundamentall Laws of the Land four times together so stiled and insisted on as such in this one Declaration of both Houses the Right of Property of the Subject contrary to former Resolutions and the Petition of Right yea which is most abominable to their own Declarations Remonstrances Votes Protestations Vows Solemne Leagues and Covenants in Parliament to their own eternall Infamy as well as the peoples intolerable oppression and slavery who thereupon may justly conclude and protest against them as both Houses did in the close of this Declaration against the Array viz. And the Lords and Commons do and shall adhere to their former Votes Resolutions That all those that are Actors in putting of this Commission of Array these Instruments Ordinances new Taxes Imposts Excises in execution shall be esteemed disturbers of the Peace of the Kingdome and of the Properties and Liberties of the Subject 10. The tenth Evidence is the Vote and Letter of both Houses of Parliament sent to his Majesty at Oxford 9. March 1643. in Answer to his Majesties of the third of March and wherein there is this passage We the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England c. Have resolved with the concurrent advice and consent of the Commissioners of Scotland to represent to your Majesty in all humility and plainnesse as followeth That this present Parliament convened according to the known and FUNDAMENTAL LAWS OF THE KINGDOME the continuance whereof is established by a law consented to by your Majesty is in effect denied to be a Parliament c. And hereupon we think our selves bound to let your Majesty know That since the continuance of this Parliament is settled by a Law which as all other laws of your Kingdome your Majesty is sworn to maintain as we are sworn to our Allegiance to your Majesty those Obligations being reciprocall we must in duty and accordingly are resolved with our Lives and Fortunes to Defend and preserve the â—ust Rights and full Power of this Parliament To which the Earle of Essex then General by both Houses order in his Letter to the Earle of Forth January 30. 1643. adds this Corolary My Lord the mainâ—enance of the Parliament of England and the Priviledges thereof is that for which we are resolved to spend our bloud as being THE FOVNDATION WHEREON ALL OVR LAWS AND LIBERTIES ARE BVILT Which both the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament in their Declaration 23. March 1643. touching their proceedings upon his Majesties Letter concerning a Treaty of Peace wherein this Earls former letter is recited thus second The Parliament of England is the onely Basis the chief Support and Pillar of our Laws and Liberties c. And if notwithstanding all these Obligations the King shall at his pleasure dissolve this Parliament the Kingdome is not onely deprived of the present but made uncapable of enjoying the benefit of any future Parliament or Laws any longer than shall stand with the will and pleasure of the King and consequently THE FUNDAMENTALS OF ALL OUR LAWS AND GOVERNMENT ARE SUBVERTED Let the Parliament-purging securing sequestring dissolving Officers Army and their Confederates seriously ponder this yea let all the whole English Nation and their Trustees who shall hereafter sit in Parliament consider and reform it in the first place if ever they expect any Freedome free Parliaments Peace settlement enjoyment of their Fundamental Laws Rights or Liberties for the future depending on our Parliaments Freedome and exemption from all force and violence on its Members The eleventh is the Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament 13. Junii 1644. For the Forces raised in the County of Salop which begins thus The Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament taking into their serious considerations the great Oppressions under which the Inhabitants of the County of Salop lie by reason the insupportable Taxes c. and the present condition of the County by reason of the great number of Irish Rebels that have invaded it and joyned with Papists and other ill affected Persons now in those parts which threaten the extirpation of the Protestant Religion and the subversion of the FUNDAMENTAL LAWS and GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM For prevention whereof c. A direct Ordinance in point The twelfth is a Declaration of the Commons of England assembled in Parliament 17. Aprilis 1646. Of their true intentions concerning the ANCIENT and FUNDAMENTAL GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOME securing the people against ALL ARBITRARY GOVERNMENT c. wherein they complain That the Enemy being in dispair to accomplish his Designes by War do mis-represent our intentions in the use we intend to make of the great successes God hath given us and the happy opportunity to settle Peace and Truth in the three Kingdomes to beget a belief that we now desire to excâ—ed or swerve from our first Aym's and Principles in the undertaking of this War and to recede from the Solemn League and Covenant and Treaties between the two Kingdomes and that we would prolong these uncomfortable troubles and bleeding distractions IN ORDER TO ALTER THE FUNDAMENTAL CONSTITUTION AND FRAME OF THIS KINGDOME to leave all Government in the Church loose and unsettled and ourselves to exercise THE SAME ARBITRARY POWER OVER THE PERSONS and ESTATES OF THE SVBJECTS which this present Parliament hath thought fit to abolish by taking away the Star-Chamber High-Commission and other arbitrary Courts and the exorbitant Power of the Council Table all which we have seen experimentally verified in every particular in the highest degree notwithstanding this Declaration by some in late and present power and new White-hall Council Tables exceeding the old in illegal Taxes Law-making and other extravagances All which being seriously considered by us c. We do declare THAT OUR TRUE and REAL INTENTIONS ARE and OUR ENDEAVOUR SHALL BE
later times in corrupt cowardly time-serving degenerate Lawyers and Judasses rather than Judges to the disgrace of their Profession now generally spoken against their own dishonour infamy reproach the scandall of Religion which some of them have eminently professed the prejudice and subversion of the Fundamentall Laws Liberties Rights Priviledges of our Nation Peers Parliaments and of the ancient Fundamental Government of this famous Kingdome whereof they are Members and that contrary to some of their own late Judgments sciences Consciences Votes Printed Arguments Speeches Declarations against others even in and out of Parliament and their own first Charges in their Circuits repugnant to their later 4. To instruct those Jesuited Anabaptists Levellers and their Factors especially John Canne and the rest of the Compilers Publishers Abetters of the Pamphlet intituled Leiutenant Colonel John Lilburn tried and east and other forementioned publications who professedly set themselves by Words Writings Counsels and overt Acts to subvert both our old Fundamentall with all other Laws Liberties Customs Parliaments and Government what transcendent Malefactors Traitors and Enemies they are to the publique and what Capital punishments they may incurre as well as dâ—merit should they be legally prosecuted for the same and thereupon to advise them timely to repent of and dâ—sist from such high Treasonable attempts 5. To clear both my self and this my seasonable Defence of our Fundamental Laws Liberties Government from the least suspition or shadow of Faction Sedition Treason and Emnity to the publique peace weal settlement of the Nation which those and those onely who are most factious and seditious and the greatest Enemies Traitors to the publique tranquility Weal Laws Liberties Government and establishment of our Kingdome as the premises evidence will be ready maliciously to asperse both me and it with as they have done heretofore some other of my Writings of this Nature with all which they must first brand Mr. St. John Mr. Pym the whole House of Commons the two last with all other Parliaments forecited and themselves too from which they are so much changed and degenerated of late years ere they can accuse traduce or censure me who do but barely relate apply their words and judgments in their purest times without malice or partiality for the whole Kingdomes benefit security and resettlement To these punctual full Juries of Records and Parliament Authorities in point I could accumulate Sr. Edward Cook his 3. Institutes p. 9. printed and authorised by the House of Commons speciall Order the last Parliament The severall Speeches of M. Hide M. Waller M. Pierpoint and M. Hollis July 6. 1641. at the Lords Bar in Parliament by Order of the Commons House at the Impeachment of the Shipmony Judges of High Treason printed in Diurnal Occurrences and Speeches in Parliament London 1641. p. 237 to 264. M. Samuel Browns Argument at law before the Lords and Commons at Canterburies Attainder all manifesting their endeavouring to subvert the Fundamentall Laws and Government of the Realm to be High Treason with sundry other printed Authorities to prove That we have Fundamental Laws Liberties Rights and a Fundamental Government likewise which ought not to be innovated violated or subverted upon any pretences whatsoever by any power or prevailing Faction Which Fundamental Rights Liberties Laws Sr. Thomas Fairfax and the Army under his Command by their Declaration of June 14. 1647. particularly promise and engage to assert vindicate against all arbitray power violence oppression and against all particular parties or Interests whatsoever which they may doe well to remember and make good But to avoid prolixity the double Jury of irrefragable and punctuall authorities already produced being sufficient to satisfie the most obstinate opposites formerly contradicting it I shall onely adde three swaying authorities more wherewith I shall conclude this point The first is a very late one in a Treatise intituled A true State of the Common Wealth of England Scotland and Ireland and the Dominions thereunto belonging in Reference to the late established Government by a Lord Protector and a PARLIAMENT It being the Judgement of DIVERSE PERSONS who throughout these late troubles have approved themselves faithfull to the Cause and interest of God and their COUNTRY presented to the publike for the satisfaction of others Printed at London 1654. who relating the miscarriages of the last ASSEMBLY at Westminster elected nominated by the Censurers of them the Army Officers onely not the people use these expressions of them page 13 14 16 17 21 22. But on the contrary it so fell out in a short time that there appeared many in this Assembly of very contrary principles to the interest aforesaid which led them violently on to attempt and promote many things the consequence whereof would have been A subverting of the Fundamentall Laws of the Land the Destruction of Property and an utter extinguishment of the Gospel In truth their Principles led them TO A PULLING DOWN ALL AND ESTABLISING NOTHING So that instead of the expected settlement they were running into FURTHER ANARCHY AND CONFUSION As to the Laws and Civil Rights of the Nation nothing would serve them but a TOTALL ERADICATION OF THE OLD AND INTRODUCTION OF A NEW and so the good Old Laws of England the Guardians of our Laws and Fortunes established with prudence and confirmed by the experience of many Ages and Generations The Preservation whereof was a principall ground of our late quarrell with the King having been once abolished what could we have expected afterwards but an inthroning of Arbitrary power in the Seat of Judicature and an exposing of our Lives our Estates our Liberties and all that is dear unto us as a Sacrifice to the boundlesse appetite of meer Will and Power c. Things being at this passe and the House through these proceedings perfectly disjointed it was in vain to look for a settlement of this Nation from them thus constituted but on the contrary nothing else could be expected But that the Common-wealth should sink under their hands and the great cause hitherto so happily upheld and maintained to be for ever lost through their preposterous management of these affairs wherewith they had been intrusted Whereupon they justifie their dissolution and turning them forcibly out of doores by the Souldiers with shame and infamy to prevent that destruction which thereby was coming on THE WHOLE LAND by this New Powder Treason plot set on foot by the Jesuites and Anabaptists to destroy our Laws Liberties Properties Ministers and Religion it self at one blow and that in the very Parliament House where some destroyed and blowed up Kings Peers and Parliaments themselves as well as Lawes and Parliament Priviledges of late years where they had been constantly defended vindicated preserved established in all former Ages by ALL TRVE ENGLISH PARLIAMENTS The second is The Votes of the House of Commons concerning a Paper presented to them entituled An Agreement of the people for a firm present
peace upon grounds of Common Right 9. November 1647 viz. Resolved upon the Question That the matters contained in these Papers are destructive to the being of Parliaments and to the fundamental Government of this Kingdom Resolved c. That a Letter be sent to the General and those Papers inclosed together with the Vote of this House upon them And that he be desired to examine the proceedings of this business in the Army where it was first coyned and return an Accompt hereof to this House These Votes were seconded soon after with these ensuing Votes entred in the Commons Journal and printed by their special Order 23 Novemb. 1647. A Petition directed to the Supream Authority of England The Commons in Parliament assembled The humble Petition of many Free-born people of England c. was read the first and second time Resolved upon the Question That this Petition is A seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecution of a former Petition and Paper annexed stiled An agreement of the People formerly adjudged by this House to be destructive to the being of Parliaments and Fundamental Government of the Kingdom Resolved c. That Thomas Prince Cheese-monger and Samuel Chidley bee forthwith committed Prisoners to the Prison of the Gate-house there to remain Prisoners during the pleasure of this House for a Seditious avowing and prosecution of a former Petition and Paper annexed stiled An Agreement of the people formerly adjudged by this House to be destructive to the being of Parliaments and fundamental Government of the Kingdom Resolved c. That Jeremy Ives Thomas Taylor and William Larnar bee forth-with committed to the Prison of Newgate there to remain Prisoners during the pleasure of this House for a seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecution of a former Petition and Paper annexed stiled An Agreement of the People formerly adjudged by this House to be destructive to the being of Parliaments and fundamental Government of the Kingdom Resolved c. That a Letter be prepared and sent to the General taking notice of his proceeding in the execution according to the Rules of Warre of a Mutinous person avowing and prosecuting this Agreement in the Army contrary to these Votes at the Rendezvous near Ware and to give him thanks for it and to desire him to prosecute that Business to the bottome and to bring such guilty persons as he shall think fit to condign and exemplary punishment Resolved c. That the Votes upon the Petition and Agreement annexed and likewise the Votes upon this Petition be forth-with printed and published After which by a special Ordinance of both Houses of Parliament 17 Decemb. 1647. no person whatsoever who had contrived plotted prosecuted or entred into that Engagement intituled The Agreement of the people declared To bee destructive to the being of Parliaments and Fundamental Government of the Kingdom for one whole year was to be elected chosen or put into the Office or place of Lord Mayor or Alderman Sheriff Deputy of a Ward or Common Counselman of the City of London or to have a voyce in the Election of any such Officers All these particulars with the Capital proceedings against White and others who fomented this Agreement in the Army abundantly evidence the verity of my foresaid Proposition and the extraordinary guilt of those Members and Souldiers who contrary to their own Votes Ordinances Proceedings and Censures of others have since prosecuted this the like or far worse Agreement to the destruction of our ancient Parliaments and their Priviledges and of the fundamental Government Laws and Liberty of our Nation which I wish they would now sadly lay to heart with that saying of Augustine approved by all sorts of Divines and Casuists Non remittitur peccatum nisi restituatur ablatuâ—â— sciendum est Quod Restitutio est IN PRISTINUM STATUM POSITIO The third is the memorable Statutes of 3 Jacobi c. 1 2 4. 5. which relating the old Gunpowder Treason of the Jesuits and Papists and their infernal inhuman barbarous detestable plot to blow up the King Queen Prince Lords Commons and the whole House of Peers with Gunpowder when they should have been assembled in Parliament in the upper House of Parliament upon the fifth of November in the year of our Lord 1605. do aggravate the hainousness and transcendency thereof by this circumstance That it was as some of the principal Conspirators confessed purposely devised and concluded to be done in the said House That where sundry necessary and religious Laws for preservation of the Church and State were made which they falsly and slanderously termed Cruel Laws enacted against them and their Religion both Place and Persons should be all destroyed and blown up at once and by these dangerous Consequences if it had not been miraculously prevented but taken effect That it would have turned to the utter ruine overthrow and subversion of the whole State and Common-wealth of this flourishing and renowned Kingdom of Gods true Religion therein established by Law and of our Laws and Government For which horrid Treason they were all attainted and then executed as Traytors and some of their Heads Quarters set upon the Parliament House for terrour of others Even so let all other Traytors Conspirators against all Blowers up and subverters of our fundamental Laws Liberties Government Kings Parliaments and Religion treading presumptuously in their Jesuitical footsteps perish O Lord but let all them who cordially love and strenuously maintain them against all Conspirators Traytors Underminers Invaders whatsoever be as the Sun when hee goeth forth in his might That the Land may have rest peace settlement again for as many years at least as it had before our late Innovations Warres Confusions by their restitution and re-establishment CHAP. 2. HAving thus sufficiently proved That the Kingdom and Freemen of England have some antient Hereditary Rights Liberties Franchises Privileges Customs properly called FUNDAMENTAL as likewise a Fundamental Government no ways to bee altered undermined subverted directly or indirectly under the guilt and pain of High Treason in those who attempt it especially by fraud force or armed Power I shall in the second place present you in brief Propositions a Summary of the chiefest and most considerable of them which our prudent Ancestors in former Ages and our latest real Parliaments have both declared to be and eagerly contested for as fundamental and essential to their very being and well being as a Free People Kingdom Republick unwilling to be enslaved under any Yorkes of Tyranny or Arbitrary Power that so the whole Nation may the more perspicuously know and discern them the more strenuously contend for them the more vigilantly watch against their violations underminings in any kinde by any Powers or pretences whatsoever and transmit perpetuate them intirely to their Posterities as their best and chiefest inheritance I shall comprise the sum and substance of them all in these Ten Propositions beginning with the Subjects Property which hath been most
Kingdome are firmly established So William Watson a Secular Priest chargeth Father Parsons the English Jesuite and his Jesuited companions in their Memorial for Reformation of England when it should be reduced under the power of the Jesuites as Parsons was confident it would be though he should not live to see it written at Sevil in Spain Anno Dom. 1590. that they intended to have Magna Charta with our Common Fundamental Laws and Liberties abrogated and suppressed thus expressed by William Watson in his Quodlibets pag. 92 94 95. Father Parsons and the Jesuites in their deep Jesuitical Court of Parliament begun at Styx in Phlegeton have compiled their Acts in a compleat Volume intituled THE HIGH COVRT OF REFORMATION FOR ENGLAND And to give you a taste of their intent by that base Court of A TRIBE of TRAITORS sawcily like to Gade Jack Straw and Tom Tiler VSVRPING the AVTHORITY of both STATES ECCLESIASTICAL and TEMPORALL in all their REBELLIOVS ENTERPRICES these were principall points discussed set down and so decreed by them c. He first mentions three of them relating to Church-men Scholars and Church and Colledge-Lands which were to be put in Fee offâ—â—s hands and they all to be reduced unto Arbitrary Pensions c. And then proceeds thus to the Fourth The fourth Statute was there made concerning the COMMON LAWS of this LAND and that consisted of this one principal point That ALL THE GREAT CHARTERS of ENGLAND MUST BE BURNT the manner of holding Lands in Fee simple Fee tail Kings service Soccage or Villanage brought into villany scoggâ—â—y and popularity and in few the Common Law must be wholy annihillated abolished and troden down under foot and Caesars civill Imperials brought amongst us and sway for a time in their places All whatsoever England yeelds being but base barbarous and void of all sence knowledge or discretion shewed in the first Founders and Legifers and on the other side all whatsoever is or shal be brought in by these out-casts of Moses stain of Solon and refuse of Lycurgus must be reputed for metaphysical seme-divine and of more excellency than the other were Which he thus seconds Quodlibet 9. Article 2. p. 286. First it is plain that Father Parsons and his Company divide it amongst them how they list have laid a plot as being most consonant and fitting for their other Designments That the Common Laws of the Realm of England must be forsooth either abolished utterly or else bear no greater sway in the Realm than the Civil Law doth And the chief reason is for that the State of the Crown and Kingdome by the Common Laws is so strongly settled as whilest they continue the Jesuites see not how they can work their wills And on the other side in the Civil laws they think they have some shreds whereby they may patch a cloak together to cover a bloody shew of their Treasons for the present from the eys of the Vulgar people Secondly the said good Father hath set down a course how every man may shake off all authority at their pleasures as if he would become a new Anabaptist or King John of Leydon to draw all the world into Mutiny â—ebellion and Combustion And the Stratagem is how the Common people may be inveigled seduced to conceit to themselves such a liberty or prerogative as that it may be lawfull for them when they think meet to place and displace Kings and Princes as men do their Tenants at will hirelings or ordinary Servants Which Anabaptistical and abominable Doctrine proceeding from a turbulâ—nt tribe of Traiterous Puritanâ—s and other Hereticks this treacherous Jesuite would now foist into the Catholick Church as a ground of his corrupt Divinity And p. 330 332. He intends to alter and change all Laws Customs and Orders of this Noble Isle He hath prejudiced the law of Property in instituting Government Governours and Hereditary Princes to be BENEPLACITVM POPVLI and all other private possessions ad bene-placitum sui c Whether any such new deep Jesuitical Court of Parliament and high Court of Reformation for England to carry on this old Design of the Jesuites against our Laws hath been of late years sitting amongst us in or neer Westminster or elswhere in secret Counsel every week as divers intelligent Protestants have informed me and Hugh Peters reported to divers on his own knowledge being well acquainted with their Persons and practises of late years it concerns others neerer to them and more able then I to examine Sure I am a greater man by far then Hugh Peters in an Assembly of Divines and others for reconciling all dissenting parties not long since averred to them on his own knowledge That during our late innovations distractions subversions in Church State and overturning of Laws and Government the common adversary hath taken many advantages to effect his designes thereby in civill and spiritual respects That he knew very well that Emissaries of the Jesuites never came over in those swarms as they have done since these things were on foot That DIVERS GENTLEMNE CAN BEAR WITNES WITH HIM that they had a CONSISTORY AND COUNCEL ABROAD THAT RULES ALL THE AFFAIRS OF THE THINGS IN ENGLAND That they had fixed in England in the limits of most Cathedrals of which he was able to produce the PARTICULAR INSTRUMENT an Episcopal power with Archdeacons and other persons to pervert seduce and deceive the people And all this whiles we were in this sad and deplorable distracted condition Yea most certain it is that many hundreds if not some thousands of them within these few years have been sent over from Forraign Seminaries into England under the disguises of converted Jews Physitians Chyrurgions Mechanicks of all sorts Merchants Factors Travellers Souldiers and some of them particularly into the Army as appears by the late printed Examination of Ramsey the Anabaptized New-dipped Jesuite under the mask of a Jewish Convert taken at New Castle in June 1653. and by sundry severall late instances I could name To pretermit all instances of diverse particular Jesuites come over into England not only within these few years but moneths discovered by persons of credit with Sir Kenelm Digby who though the son of one of the executed old popish Gunpowder Traitors a dangerous active seducing Jesuited papist if not a professed Jesuit who in the years 1638 and 1639. conspired with the Popes Nuncio and a Conclave of Jesuites sitting in Council at London to subvert our Religion introduce a universall tolleration of the popish Religion in our kingomes new modle and shake our former established government and to poyson destroy the late King himself in case he consented not to them therein and for this very purpose both plotted raised promoted the first Wars between the Protestants of England and Scotland which he abetted all he could by his letters and secret Collections of moneys from all the Papists throughout England and elswhere who
to violate we shall appeal to the judgement of any indifferent man how little truth is contained in this their assertion or in the Army Officers printed Papers to the same effect The Parliament is to be considered in three severall respects First As a Councell to advise Secondly As a Court to judge 3. As it is the body representative of the whole Kingdom to make repeal or alter Laws and whether the Parliament hath enjoyed its priviledges in any of these respects under the Army-Officers and powers as well as late King let any that hath eyes open judge For the first We dare appeal even to the Consciences of the Contrivers themselves and to the consciences of the Army-Officers Souldiers and Whitehall men themselves whether matters of the highest importance witness all the publick proceedings against the late Parliament King Peers Government the Warrs with Scotland Holland their new Magna Châ—rta repealing the old Entituled The Government of the Commonwealth of England Scotland and Ireland wherein they take upon them such an Omnipotent Soveraign power as To pass a decree upon the wavering humors of the people and to say to this Nation yea to Scotland and Ireland too As the Almighty himself said once to the unruly Sea Here shall be thy bounds hitherto shalt thou come and no further as some of them most arrogantly if not blasphemously publish in print to all the world in their True State of the Case of the Commonwealth p. 34. Their making of new binding Laws and Ordinances repealing old Laws and Statutes in and by pretext of this Instrument out of Parliament as their manifold Whitehall Folio new Edicts amounting to near 700 pages attest have not been agitated and determined in and by the Army-Officers General Councel and other unparliamentary Juncto's not only without but contrary to their Advice and Votes too and whether private unknown Councels in the Army Whitehall and elswhere yea the private Councels Plots conspiracies of Iesuits of Forraign Popish and Spanish Agents have not been hearkned unto approved and followed when the Faithful and wholsom advice of the great Counsel hath been scorned neglected by the Army Officers and their Confederates And yet none can deny but it is one of the Principle ends why a Parliament is called To Consult the great Affairs of the Church and State And what miserable effects and sad events this neglect of the great Councel and preferring of unknown and private Councels before it hath produced let the present Distractions of this Kingdom bear witnesse with all the bloody unchristian Wars Taxes Oppressions Distractions since the Armies force upon the King Members Houses Anno 1647. and 1648. to this present time Concerning the Second it sufficiently appears by the making the Kings Court by the Force and Power of the Kings Army the Sanctuary and refuge of All sorts of Delinquents against the Parliament and Kingdom and protecting and defending them from the Justice thereof and by admitting such to bear places of great trust in the Army and to stand in defiance of the Parliament and the Authority thereof and is it not a far greater crime to make the Parliaments Army it self a Delinquent against the Parliament and Kingdom the sanctuary of such Delinquents against both and to continue such Officers in places of greatest trust in the Army who have levied actual war against the Parliament secluded secured members of Parliament kept divers years under their armed guards in defiance of the Parliament without any particular Charge or Impeachment refusing to release them even when the Serjeant was sent at first from the House it self to demand the Members seised By all which it is apparent how our Privledges have been torn from us by piece-meals from time to time And we might mention many passages whereby they were endeavoured to be pulled up by the root and totally subverted As the attempt to bring up the late Army from the North to force Conditions upon the Parliament His Majesties Letters and Commands to the Members of both Houses which found obedience in a great many to attend him at York and so By depriving the Parliament of their Members destroy the whole Body And was not the actual twice bringing up of the Parliaments own Army by the Army Officers against the Parliament it self to impeach secure some principal Members of both Houses seclude the Majority of the Commons House suppress the whole House of Lords break off the Treaty behead the King the Head of the Parliament against the Parliaments Votes alter the Government force conditions on the Parliament it self to omit the 12 21 24 32 37 38 39 Articles of their New Government with the secluding of all the Members lately admitted by Armed Souldiers till they took a New Engagement and keeping out all others a taking of the Privileges of the Parliament from them all by Whole-sale and a more desperate pulling up by the Roots and total subversion of all the Priviledges and whole Body of the Parliament than this objected against the Northern Army or the Kings Jesuitical ill Councel Which is enough to prove the vanity of the Contrivers of that Declaration and of the Army Officers too to feed themselves with hope of belief That the Priviledges of Parliament are not Violated but intended to be preserved with all due observance Concerning the Allegation That the Army raised by the Parliament is to murder the KING oft alledged by the King and his Party in many printed PROCLAMATIONS Declarations before and after this here mentioned We hoped the Contrivers of that Declaration or any that professed but the name of a Christian could not have so little charity as to raise such a SCANDAL especially when they must needs know the Protestation taken by every Member of both Houses and Army Officers too whereby they promise in the presence of Almighty God TO DEFEND HIS MAJESTIES PERSON The Promise and Protestation made by the Members of both Houses upon the nomination of the Earl of Essex to be General and to live and die with him wherein is expressed THAT THIS ARMY WAS RAISED FOR DEFENCE OF THE KINGS PERSON Our oft earnest and most humble Address to his Majesty to leave that desperate and dangerous Army c. A request inconsistent with any purpose to offer the least violence to His Person which hath and ever shall be dear unto us And concerning the imputation laid to our Charge of Raising this Army to Alter the whole Frame of Government and Established Laws of the Land which the King and his party frequently objected in print we shall need give no other Answer but this That the Army Raised by the Parliament is to no other end but for the Preservation of his Majesties Person to Defend themselves the Laws of the Land and the true Protestant Religion After which they there and elswhere conclude And by this time we doubt not but every man doth plainly discern through