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<DATE>2007-11-12</DATE>
<RESPSTMT>
<NAME>Elspeth Healey</NAME>
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<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P><HI>PEACE</HI> and not <HI>WARRE:</HI> OR THE MODERATOR.
Truly, but yet Plainly, <HI>STATING</HI> the <HI>CASE</HI> OF THE COMMON-VVEALTH, As to &s;everal of the Con&s;iderable COUNCILS &amp; TRANSACTIONS from the Year 1636. to 1659.</P>
<P>By JOHN HARRIS, Gent.
An affectionate Lover of his Countryes Peace.</P>
<P><HI>LONDON,</HI> Printed for <HI>Nath: Brook,</HI> at the Angell in <HI>Cornhill.</HI> 1659.</P>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="to the reader">
<PB REF="2">
<PB REF="2">
<HEAD>The EPISTLE to the <HI>READER.</HI></HEAD>
<P>_EXpect not that I &s;hould apolo|gize or beg thy favour, either in Buying, Reading or Ap|proving the Contents of the en&s;uing Treati&s;e.</P>
<P>If in the Publi&s;hing thereof I had had profit in my eye, then it would have been a nece&s;&s;ary Duty incumbent up|on me, in order to my ends, to have fawned, flattered and baited my Hook with, <HI>Courteous, Ingenuous Reader,</HI> and the like; but the bent of my Spirit and Intention carrying me another way,
<PB REF="3">
I have rather cho&s;e to play at <HI>hap ha|zard;</HI> and although I may content none el&s;e, I am &s;atisfied that I have plea&s;ed my &s;elf.</P>
<P>I &s;hall not give you an Ab&s;tract thereof, or like one that would allure your liking, tell you more in the Title and Epi&s;tle than you'l find in the Book, there it is, let it &s;peak for it &s;elf: Po&s;|&s;ibly &s;ome may judge me <HI>peremptory,</HI> o|thers <HI>phanta&s;tique,</HI> but for that I am ar|med, as neither &s;eeking or valuing <HI>Applau&s;e,</HI> or fearing or e&s;teeming the <HI>Contempt</HI> or <HI>Malice</HI> of men.</P>
<P>Let it &s;uffice, it is the product of &s;e|veral years experience, briefly, but tru|ly according to the &s;ucce&s;&s;ion of Coun|cils and Affaires related, and may &s;erve as a Clue to guide your memories (yea and judgments too) unto a right under|&s;tanding of tho&s;e things which proba|bly hitherto you have had but &s;ome con|fu&s;ed
<PB REF="3">
Notions of; and they too &s;o di&s;|ordered, that thereby you have not been able to weigh things aright, &s;o as to owne or adhere to tho&s;e principles of <HI>Freedom</HI> and <HI>Justice,</HI> in the attainment whereof your <HI>Peace</HI> and <HI>Pro&s;perity</HI> prin|cipally con&s;i&s;ts.</P>
<P>If I have been or &s;hall be judged too &s;evere or bitter in any expre&s;&s;ions, in re|lation to <HI>Per&s;ons</HI> or <HI>Councils,</HI> I am &s;ure it is &s;o much again&s;t my principle, that if the Nature of the thing could have been expre&s;&s;ed in any other terms, and have retained the &s;imilitude, I &s;hould have forborne; but although all Truths ought not to be &s;poken, yet nece&s;&s;ary ones mu&s;t, and in many Ca&s;es it is bet|ter not to &s;peak at all, than not to the purpo&s;e.</P>
<P>I have rea&s;on to believe that &s;ome will be angry, becau&s;e probably they'l judge them&s;elves concerned: it is no news for
<PB REF="4">
the gall'd Hor&s;e to kick, e&s;pecially when he feeles the &s;mart, his &s;ore being cau|terized: But I have this advantage, <HI>Wi&s;e men</HI> will not <HI>&s;hew it,</HI> and for &s;uch as are <HI>otherwi&s;e,</HI> their <HI>Malice</HI> cannot <HI>pre|judice.</HI></P>
<P>I will not Tantalize you longer, but leave you to your Likeing, having no other end herein, than to manife&s;t my &s;elf thine in the &s;ervice of my Coun|try,</P>
<CLOSER><SIGNED>J. H.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
<DIV1 TYPE="errata">
<HEAD>ERRATA.</HEAD>
<P><HI>PAg. 37&punc; l. 16. r&punc;</HI> create <HI>for</HI> treat. <HI>p. 43. l. 11. r.</HI> you <HI>for</HI> them. <HI>l. 16. r.</HI> in this Age <HI>for</HI> &s;trange Age. <HI>p. 45. l. 15. r.</HI> neer <HI>for</HI> meer.</P>
</DIV1>
</FRONT>
<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="discourse">
<PB N="1" REF="4">
<HEAD><HI>The Moderator:</HI> Truely Stating the CASE OF THE COMMON-WEALTH, &amp;c.</HEAD>
<P>_I Shall not look back &s;o far as to the Originall of the Government of <HI>Kings,</HI> whether be|fore the Conque&s;t or &s;ince, nor di&s;pute the e|quity or conveniency of the principles, upon which they were e&s;tabli&s;hed; although much hath and may be &s;poken for and again&s;t that form, both from principles of Divinity and Rea&s;on; on the one hand the Divine in&s;titution being pleaded, and not to be denyed; although on the other &s;ide, as to the manner of conveyance of, and inve&s;titure in the exerci&s;e of the office of King&s;hip, it is alleadged, that there can be no power ve&s;ted in one man over many, but it mu&s;t be either <HI>imme|diate</HI> or <HI>mediate:</HI> An <HI>immediate</HI> power given by <HI>God</HI> (&s;ay they) none can claime; if they can, let it appeare and we will obey gladly; but if not, then their power mu&s;t be <HI>me|diate:</HI> and if &s;o, then it mu&s;t have its birth either from <HI>force,</HI> becau&s;e <HI>stronger,</HI> or <HI>con&s;ent</HI> and <HI>election:</HI> if by <HI>force,</HI> how long &s;oever continued, <HI>freedome</HI> may be regained by the people under that force, when ever opportunity &s;erves: if by <HI>con&s;ent,</HI> then there is a mutuall obligation, the one to governe by a Law, the other to obey by a Law, and this (&s;ay they) <HI>is the mo&s;t &s;ure ba&s;is of Government, whe|ther it be exerci&s;ed by one or many.</HI> The rea&s;on they give for this opinion ought al&s;o to be con&s;idered to prevent popu|lar
<PB N="2" REF="5">
confu&s;ions. They &s;ay where the Government of one or many is e&s;tabli&s;hed by <HI>compact,</HI> there the people do not convey a power to any to be exerci&s;ed over them, <HI>accor|ding to the lu&s;t or will of the Magi&s;trate,</HI> neither do they bind them&s;elves unto any <HI>&s;ervile</HI> or <HI>&s;lavi&s;h obedience,</HI> unto his or their commands, and therefore they e&s;tabli&s;h on their be|half Tru&s;tees, not onely to make and form the Law and compact, by which they will be governed, but al&s;o to &s;ee that the &s;ame be duely performed on the part of the Ma|gi&s;trate, without which, &s;ay they, it were a <HI>mockery,</HI> and not a <HI>Government,</HI> each party obliged having upon principles of rea&s;on the &s;ame latitude of liberty to break the bond, whe|ther of <HI>command</HI> or <HI>&s;ubjection.</HI></P>
<P>But my de&s;igne driving me another way, I &s;hall onely take a &s;hort view of the State of the affaires and Councils of this Nation, under the Government of the late King in the yeares 1636. 39, 40. And &s;o proceed till after many revolutions, we come to find <HI>England</HI> as it were clothed with feares and buryed in trouble and confu&s;ion as at this day, from the con&s;ideration of the cau&s;es whereof, the na|turall con&s;equences will by all unbia&s;&s;ed per&s;ons be readi|ly deduced and applyed.</P>
<P>It may be remembred into what parties the <HI>Eccle&s;ia&s;ti|call</HI> and <HI>civil Councels,</HI> under that <HI>unfortunate Prince</HI> were divided, viz. <HI>Arminian</HI> and <HI>Puritane,</HI> among the <HI>Bi&s;hops</HI> and <HI>Clergy, French</HI> and <HI>Spani&s;h,</HI> among the temporall Lords, each party &s;eeming to be mo&s;t active in advance|ment of the Kings intere&s;t, while under-hand they not onely introduced, but al&s;o nouri&s;hed and made their own de&s;ignes to flouri&s;h.</P>
<P>I need not mention the con&s;equences of the Councels of tho&s;e times, becau&s;e <HI>the long intermi&s;sion of Parliaments,</HI> the exce&s;&s;e of <HI>monopolies,</HI> even to pins and all things of nece&s;&s;ary u&s;e, the many illegall and unwarrantable Taxes
<PB N="3" REF="5">
of money upon the Subject, as in the Ca&s;e of <HI>&s;hip-money,</HI> which though but &s;mall in it &s;elf, yet in re&s;pect of the principle upon which it was demanded, (viz. <HI>a pretended nece&s;sity of which the King was &s;ole judge</HI>) by which the very propriety of every mans E&s;tate was and would have been de&s;troyed. It being by the &s;ame rule as lawfull for the &s;u|preame Magi&s;trate to demand twenty &s;hillings or twenty pounds, if he &s;ee cau&s;e, out of every mans E&s;tate, as one penny or any other &s;umme, becau&s;e by the Grand Char|ter of <HI>England,</HI> and &s;everall other Lawes then in force, nothing ought to be leavied upon the &s;ubject, but by and with the con&s;ent of the people in <HI>Parliament:</HI> I &s;ay the&s;e things are &s;o fre&s;h in memory, that I &s;hall not need to &s;tir tho&s;e embers any further that have kindled &s;uch a fatall fire in the bowels of the&s;e divided and di&s;tracted Nations.</P>
<P>Onely give me leave to mention the method that was ob&s;erved by the Catholick Caball, then governing in Councill, to introduce tho&s;e troubles, that have &s;ince been the nece&s;&s;ary con&s;equences of their then de&s;ign|ments.</P>
<P>As to the <HI>King, an unlimited Prerogative</HI> was made the <HI>&s;ugred bait</HI> to allure him to a <HI>countenance of,</HI> and <HI>compliance with them;</HI> it being naturall for all men (e&s;pecially Prin|ces) not onely to admire, but to reach at and covet the encrea&s;e of power and dominion, e&s;pecially when the at|tainement thereof &s;eemes to be <HI>facile,</HI> and the end <HI>advan|tageous.</HI></P>
<P>Having brought him to their bent in that particular, then they began to &s;pring that mine which had for &s;everall yeares lain hid, <HI>viz.</HI> the introduction of Popery, though not in its own name, nor with its own face, for as yet nei|their their Councils nor forces were ripe for &s;o great a work, and therefore the two factions <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> and <HI>French,</HI>
<PB N="4" REF="6">
being joyned to the <HI>Arminian</HI> part of the <HI>Clergy,</HI> who at that time greatly over-powered tho&s;e that were called <HI>Pu|ritans,</HI> &s;et on foot the orders for <HI>conformity and uniformi|ty in publick wor&s;hip,</HI> and impo&s;ed the publick Liturgy or Common Prayer, &s;etting the &s;ame above preaching, &amp;c&punc; and this not out of any zeal to the Glory of God, but in de&s;ign to heat and perplex all &s;uch in the two Nations of <HI>England</HI> and <HI>Scotland,</HI> as were con&s;cientious, to the in|tent that by that oppo&s;ition which mu&s;t con&s;equently be made by them, who&s;e principles could not &s;ubmit to tho&s;e unwartantable innovations, an occa&s;ion might be given them to incite the King to make u&s;e of his power by force to impo&s;e, what otherwi&s;e his Proclamations and commands could not effect. And this from rea&s;on and experience, I alleadge to be the parent of the Scotch War, begun under the command of that great <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> Factor <HI>Arrundell,</HI> Generall, who indeed was the fitte&s;t to execute what had been &s;o long hammering between him, his bro|ther <HI>Cottington,</HI> and other the Cabali&s;ts of that faction.</P>
<P>And by the way it is worth remembring, that while the King with all the power of the nation was engaged in the borders of <HI>Scotland,</HI> by force to &s;ubject them, to the de&s;ignes both of his own and their enemies; the <HI>Spaniard</HI> arrives in the <HI>Downes</HI> with a powerfull Fleet and Army, the comming whereof was never &s;o much as known by <HI>England,</HI> or at lea&s;t taken notice of untill &s;een, although forraign preparations doe and ought, generally occa&s;ion (nay nece&s;&s;itate) dome&s;tick provi&s;ions for &s;ecurity: But the <HI>Dutch</HI> di&s;&s;ipating them, diverted the &s;torme, and left <HI>England</HI> de&s;titute of that proof of their de&s;igne; which if it had taken, we have cau&s;e to believe that pretended peace patcht up with the <HI>Scots,</HI> had not been &s;o &s;oon made: but being put upon new Councells, and that forraign a&s;|&s;i&s;tance failing, they feared to rely upon the &s;trength of
<PB N="5" REF="6">
their Army; (which though as to men gallant and nume|rous,) yet being &s;omewhat divided, and all <HI>England</HI> be|hinde them in feares, the appearance of the <HI>Spaniard</HI> as a|fore&s;aid having put men upon con&s;ideration; le&s;t the de|&s;igne &s;hould appeare both to the <HI>King</HI> and his <HI>people,</HI> I &s;ay <HI>a peace is patcht up,</HI> the <HI>Army disbanded,</HI> and a <HI>Parlia|ment called,</HI> by the expectation whereof the people began a little to be quieted, in hopes that by tho&s;e <HI>Phy&s;itians</HI> the nation might be <HI>cured</HI> of all its <HI>di&s;tempers.</HI></P>
<P>But &s;uch was the <HI>compo&s;ition</HI> thereof, by rea&s;on of the <HI>prevalency</HI> of the <HI>Court</HI> in point of <HI>Elections</HI> of the <HI>Com|mons,</HI> and mixture of intere&s;ts of the <HI>Lords Spirituall</HI> and <HI>Temporall,</HI> that as little could be rationally expected from them, as was effected by them at their meeting; for as the intention of calling, was only to ju&s;tifie the <HI>Scoti&s;h</HI> War by a <HI>Law,</HI> and to get money by a <HI>loane</HI> or <HI>&s;ub&s;idie</HI> to carry it on, to which the Commons would by no meanes a&s;&s;ent, &s;o all expectations became fru&s;trate by their &s;peedy di&s;&s;olution, and the &s;etting on foot new Councells and de&s;ignes to increa&s;e the flame, and encite the King to make new leavies again&s;t the <HI>Scots,</HI> impri&s;on &s;everall Members of the <HI>Parliament,</HI> and Scotch Com|mi&s;&s;ioners &s;ent and attending to ratify the Treaty, &s;eize &s;everall of the Ships and Goods of the Scotch, and by all meanes endeavour to &s;uppre&s;&s;e and de&s;troy the <HI>Puritane</HI> party as they call them, who they judged the onely great enemies to the King; whereas they took the exacte&s;t cour&s;e in the world to make them &s;uch, all their de&s;ignes and actings being clothed by his power, and &s;trengthened by his warrant and Commi&s;&s;ion.</P>
<P>And to the end the want of money might not retard or hinder the vigorous pro&s;ecution of the War, <HI>the Bi&s;hops open their bags and raine &s;howers of Gold</HI> thereby ju&s;tly gi|ving occa&s;ion for it to be called, <HI>Bellum Epi&s;copale;</HI> but
<PB N="6" REF="7">
notwith&s;tanding their ha&s;te, the <HI>Scots</HI> who &s;u&s;pected foule play, had formed an Army, and were upon their march into <HI>England,</HI> before they could rai&s;e and rendezvouz, and maugre their &s;peed, after their routing of a party nigh <HI>Newborn,</HI> engaged by the Earle of <HI>Strafford,</HI> (as is really believed) upon de&s;igne to make the War certain, the <HI>Scots</HI> enter <HI>Newca&s;tle,</HI> and po&s;&s;e&s;&s;e <HI>Durham</HI> and parts ad|jacent, while the King retires to <HI>York,</HI> neither Army pro|ceeding any further to acts of ho&s;tility.</P>
<P>But by the way it is ob&s;ervable, the Earle of <HI>Northum|berland,</HI> who a little before could not be &s;uffered upon any termes to pa&s;s <HI>Trent,</HI> being popular in the <HI>North,</HI> and a moderate <HI>Prote&s;tant,</HI> mu&s;t be made Generall, the better to colour the bu&s;ine&s;&s;e; and &s;ince the <HI>Spani&s;h</HI> a&s;&s;i&s;tance failed, a new forraign force mu&s;t be made u&s;e of, and the Catholick Iri&s;h, <HI>His Maje&s;ties then pretended mo&s;t loyall Subjects mu&s;t be armed,</HI> and engaged in this religious War, contrary to rea&s;on, common rules of prudence or &s;afety, and the con&s;equences whereof did &s;oon after vi&s;ibly ap|peare in that horrid rebellion, which ended in the &s;orrow and ruine of the de&s;igners.</P>
<P>The <HI>Scots</HI> being in <HI>England,</HI> and nece&s;&s;ities encrea&s;ing, many of the <HI>Nobility</HI> and <HI>Gentry</HI> were &s;ummoned to attend upon the <HI>King</HI> at <HI>York,</HI> where after mature con&s;ideration of the State of affaires, a <HI>Paliament</HI> is agreed to be <HI>&s;um|moned,</HI> and Writs i&s;&s;ue out accordingly.</P>
<P>The <HI>Parliament</HI> being met, and an account being taken of the <HI>nece&s;sities</HI> and <HI>demands</HI> of the <HI>King,</HI> after many de|bates, the <HI>Parliament</HI> re&s;olve and declare, <HI>That unle&s;&s;e they might be &s;ecured to &s;it untill the grievances of the people were con&s;idered and redre&s;&s;ed, they would grant no &s;upplies, nor in|termedle with the Scotch War, but leave it as they found it,</HI> or to that purpo&s;e. This re&s;olution was a bitter pill to the Court, and hard of dige&s;tion, but yet <HI>nece&s;sity has no Law,</HI>
<PB N="7" REF="7">
down it mu&s;t, and therefore an <HI>antidote</HI> mu&s;t be prepared and lie in readine&s;s as a cure for this <HI>poy&s;on:</HI> For the ca&s;e &s;tands thus, if the <HI>Parliament</HI> be not <HI>&s;atisfyed,</HI> then no <HI>&s;up|ply;</HI> there is an enemy in the Land, and an Army ful of di&s;|contents for want of pay, the <HI>bi&s;hops bags</HI> either being <HI>empti|ed</HI> or <HI>&s;hut up:</HI> now if the <HI>Parliament</HI> pa&s;s an act for &s;o many &s;ub&s;idies, upon the confidence of their &s;ecurity; then though the <HI>King</HI> continue them to &s;it by a <HI>Law,</HI> yet may the <HI>Army</HI> or a con&s;iderable part thereof be by money hired to <HI>break them up,</HI> upon pretence of nece&s;&s;ity, fir&s;t <HI>created</HI> and then pleaded: upon which re&s;olution the <HI>King</HI> is wonne to pa&s;&s;e that act &s;o much pleaded, as matter of his <HI>ju&s;tification</HI> and <HI>conce&s;sions</HI> to the <HI>Parliament.</HI> But whether he did really know, or were privy to the after game that was to be plaid upon them, after they had granted their &s;upplies, I &s;hall forbear to cen&s;ure; onely leave it to the judgement of the Reader upon the con&s;ideration of &s;ub&s;e|quent tran&s;actions.</P>
<P>But this is evident to the knowledge and experience of the Author, that accordingly both by Letters and Com|mi&s;&s;ions under the <HI>hand</HI> and <HI>Seal</HI> of the <HI>King,</HI> many endea|vours were u&s;ed to engage the Army to <HI>breake up the Parliament,</HI> the forementioned Act for their continuance notwith&s;tanding; and upon di&s;covery whereof, the <HI>Parlia|ment</HI> were con&s;trained (<HI>though by contracting great debts up|on the publick</HI>) to undertake to <HI>&s;atisfy</HI> the <HI>Scots,</HI> and to <HI>pay</HI> and <HI>disband</HI> that <HI>Army</HI> to prevent the de&s;ignes, that were hatched and carryed on under their covert. And this I may call the fir&s;t vi&s;ible cau&s;e of the <HI>Parliaments</HI> jealou|&s;ie, that the King although he did &s;eemingly comply with them, yet under-hand did depend upon, and was guided by other Councells.</P>
<P>It is not my bu&s;ine&s;&s;e to give an account of the weekly proceeds of the <HI>Parliament,</HI> onely by generall hints of
<PB N="8" REF="8">
things to lead you by a &s;ucce&s;&s;ion of &s;ome generalls, unto the remembrance of &s;uch affaires as may be conducible unto the end propo&s;ed.</P>
<P>The bu&s;ine&s;s of <HI>Delinquents,</HI> e&s;pecially the Earle of <HI>Strafford,</HI> and di&s;po&s;ition of the <HI>Militia,</HI> were the mo&s;t con&s;iderable vi&s;ible cau&s;es of difference between the <HI>King</HI> and <HI>Parliament;</HI> other things might and did in|tervene, as additionall fuell to increa&s;e that flame, which &s;ince hath &s;corched (if not burnt) all on both &s;ides that had a hand in the kindling of it: but probably bu&s;ie in|&s;truments in each party, having de&s;ignes retrograde to the grand end, which &s;hould have been peace and unity, <HI>viz.</HI> Souldiers of fortune; that de&s;ired to fi&s;h in troubled wa|ters, and hoped to ri&s;e by others ruines, animating the Court to extreames; the greate&s;t whereof was the illegall demand of the five Members; and others as bu&s;ie to take that advantage, to abet the people in Petitioning with &s;eeming violence for &s;uch things as could not but in that juncture of affaires create jealou&s;ies and feares in the <HI>King;</HI> I &s;ay things being brought thus into a &s;uddain hurry, and the people which not many dayes before, upon his re|turn from <HI>Scotland,</HI> had entertained him with acclamati|ons of joy; now declaiming again&s;t him upon pretence of the denyall of Ju&s;tice: And being &s;educed by the fore|mentioned Coun&s;ellours, he fir&s;t &s;ends the Queen for <HI>Holland,</HI> and afterward leaves the <HI>Parliament;</HI> and retires him&s;elf from place to place, till he arrived at <HI>York;</HI> to whom the <HI>Parliament</HI> &s;ent an humble Petition praying his return, and &s;everall Members are Commi&s;&s;ioned to give his Maje&s;ty &s;atisfaction touching his demands: But the <HI>de&s;igne</HI> for <HI>War</HI> was laid, although <HI>peace</HI> was <HI>pretended;</HI> and a &s;eeming <HI>nece&s;sity</HI> for his departure <HI>pleaded,</HI> upon pre|tence of <HI>tumults;</HI> the <HI>Parliament</HI> was a burthen, and mu&s;t be removed: and it is &s;ubmitted to judgement whether
<PB N="9" REF="8">
the de&s;igne of the <HI>Queens</HI> going to the <HI>Spaw,</HI> publi&s;h<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> long before any of the&s;e pretended <HI>tumults;</HI> (which ne|ver appeared, untill the erection of the Guard of Ca|valry again&s;t Whitehall, to hinder the peoples recour&s;e to <HI>We&s;tmin&s;ter;</HI> though with <HI>peaceable Petitions,</HI> accor|ding to their <HI>ju&s;t liberty:</HI> And his denyall of <HI>ju&s;tice</HI> upon <HI>Strafford,</HI>) I &s;ay it is left to judgement, whether the bot|tom of the bu&s;ine&s;s of that voyage, was not to buy Armes and engage <HI>Orange</HI> and the <HI>Dutch,</HI> to grant their a&s;&s;i&s;tance towards the carrying on of the intended War, otherwi&s;e it is not probable that the <HI>Jewels of the Crown</HI> by her <HI>pawned,</HI> and the money imployed for that purpo&s;e, would have been hazarded in &s;uch a voyage: But to proceed.</P>
<P>To initiate the War, in&s;tead of returning to the Parlia|ment, <HI>although often Petitioned to that purpo&s;e;</HI> a <HI>guard</HI> mu&s;t be rai&s;ed <HI>for the &s;ecurity of his Maje&s;ties per&s;on,</HI> and accor|dingly is; in the meane time &s;everall Members of <HI>Parlia|ment,</HI> (whether through <HI>fear</HI> of the <HI>event,</HI> or <HI>hopes</HI> or <HI>pro|mi&s;es</HI> of advantage; or by what other allurements I &s;hall not determine) <HI>Betrayed</HI> their <HI>trusts,</HI> left the <HI>Parliament,</HI> and went to the <HI>King</HI> at <HI>York;</HI> thereby not onely giving countenance to tho&s;e proceedings, but al&s;o much le&s;&s;ening <HI>the power of Parliament.</HI> In the mean time Commi&s;&s;ions were i&s;&s;ued under-hand, for leavies of men, in order to form an <HI>Army</HI> again&s;t the <HI>Parliament;</HI> and Provi&s;ions in hand for the erection of his <HI>Standard</HI> at <HI>Nottingham,</HI> which was &s;oon after put in execution: The&s;e preparations put the <HI>Parliament</HI> upon new thoughts, and &s;eeing neither <HI>Me&s;&s;ages</HI> nor <HI>Petitions</HI> could prevaile, and that there was a nece&s;&s;ity laid upon them, <HI>either to betray the Liberties of the people, that had tru&s;ted them,</HI> and the <HI>Lawes</HI> of the <HI>Na|tion,</HI> into the power of tho&s;e <HI>evill Coun&s;ellours,</HI> who had as afore&s;aid <HI>abu&s;ed</HI> and <HI>betrayed</HI> the <HI>King</HI> and <HI>Kingdome</HI> in|to &s;o many <HI>troubles;</HI> or otherwi&s;e to ca&s;t them&s;elves upon
<PB N="10" REF="9">
the <HI>affection</HI> of their <HI>Tru&s;tees,</HI> and the <HI>ju&s;tice</HI> of their <HI>cau&s;e;</HI> and in defence thereof to rai&s;e an Army, which they accordingly did, and put the &s;ame under the Command of the Earl of <HI>E&s;&s;ex;</HI> with Commi&s;&s;ion onely to defend their <HI>Authority,</HI> and protect the <HI>people</HI> as much as might be from the <HI>force</HI> of the enemy.</P>
<P>I &s;hall not enumerate the various <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;es</HI> of the <HI>Armies,</HI> being unwilling to <HI>renew the teares of the Parents, Widowes and Orphans; made Husbandle&s;&s;e, Fatherle&s;&s;e and Childle&s;&s;e in that unhappy War;</HI> onely in re&s;pect of &s;ome &s;ub&s;equent tran&s;actions, I mu&s;t give a hint or two of &s;ome remark|able pa&s;&s;ages, upon the ba&s;is whereof a great part of the &s;ucceeding narrative depends.</P>
<P>The War being pro&s;ecuted with violence in all parts of the Nation, an a&s;&s;ociation of <HI>E&s;&s;ex</HI> and other Counties was made, and a di&s;tinct Army, rai&s;ed under the Command of the Earl of <HI>Manche&s;ter;</HI> others were on foot in other parts, according to their re&s;pective nece&s;&s;ities under Sir <HI>William Waller,</HI> &amp;c. But <HI>Manche&s;ters</HI> Army being moul|ded for the mo&s;t part of <HI>&s;ober &s;erious Christians,</HI> though of different judgements; God was plea&s;ed &s;ignally to own them in their actings and &s;ucce&s;&s;es, more then any other force imployed at that time on the behalf of the Parlia|ment; and particularly in that engagement at <HI>Mar&s;ton-Moore,</HI> and the &s;iege of <HI>York:</HI> The defeat then given being the fir&s;t con&s;iderable weakning that ever the Kings party received. I confe&s;s there were joyned in the &s;aid engage|ment the <HI>Scots,</HI> who had been called in to the <HI>Parliaments</HI> a&s;&s;i&s;tance: But as to their merit in that engagement, ex|cept &s;ome few of the Gentry, I think it will become me to be &s;ilent, the whole brunt of the day lying upon the Forces of <HI>Fairfax</HI> and <HI>Manchester;</HI> and indeed it may well be reputed a &s;harp engagement, &s;eeing all the Gene|ralls on both &s;ides left the Field, not knowing the &s;uc|ce&s;s:
<PB N="11" REF="9">
In which dayes Exerci&s;e, Col: <HI>Cromwel,</HI> then <HI>Manche&s;ters</HI> Lieutenant Generall, did eminently merit the prai&s;e of a prudent and valiant Leader: Not to derogate from tho&s;e many others, in who&s;e places re&s;pectively, they valiantly and faithfully di&s;charged their duties.</P>
<P>But by the way, give me leave to mention a pa&s;&s;age that hapned &s;oon after that engagement; during the &s;e|cond &s;iege of <HI>York</HI> as I may call it: The &s;ucce&s;s of that battaile and daily expectation of the &s;urrender of <HI>York,</HI> then de&s;pairing of relief; put the Army upon great ex|pectation of a &s;udain alteration of affaires, either by a <HI>to|tall conque&s;t</HI> or <HI>&s;peedy and effectuall treaty;</HI> whereupon the Earl of <HI>Manche&s;ter</HI> and L: G: <HI>Cromwell</HI> di&s;cour&s;ing con|cerning the regulating the exorbitancy of the Nobility; L: Generall <HI>Cromwell</HI> ha&s;tily replyed, that it would ne|ver be well with <HI>England,</HI> &s;o long as the <HI>Title</HI> of a <HI>Lord</HI> remained; by which it might have been judged, that &s;uch a principle of ambition as afterward manife&s;ted it &s;elf, had not lodged in his bre&s;t: But we &s;ee all is not <HI>Gold</HI> that <HI>gli&s;ters, opportunity</HI> makes <HI>theeves;</HI> and therefore it is not &s;afe to tru&s;t the mo&s;t &s;pecious pretences, if it may be avoided, for fear of the like danger.</P>
<P>But as the <HI>Parliament</HI> gained in the <HI>North,</HI> they lo&s;t in the <HI>We&s;t;</HI> the different <HI>Commands</HI> creating different <HI>intere&s;ts,</HI> &s;o that the work was not like to <HI>pro&s;per,</HI> unle&s;s there was a new <HI>model;</HI> upon which the Gentleman la&s;t mentioned being a Member of the hou&s;e, and having gained to him|&s;elf a con&s;iderable party, upon the repute he had of <HI>hone|&s;ty</HI> and <HI>gallantry:</HI> He then &s;eeming, (and I really believe) at that time was a <HI>great lover</HI> of, and <HI>encourager of godli|ne&s;&s;e;</HI> I &s;ay having gradually increa&s;ed his intere&s;t, and yet being unwilling it &s;hould appeare too con&s;iderable; his de&s;ign being not probably ripe for execution, a &s;elf|denying ordinance was introduced, (I will not &s;ay by
<PB N="12" REF="10">
whom;) although the con&s;equences thereof may and do &s;peak hand&s;omely to that purpop&s;e: For that being pa&s;|&s;ed, both <HI>E&s;&s;ex, Manche&s;ter&punc; Waller,</HI> and all the Members of Parliament, whether Lords or Commons, were out of Command, and him&s;elf too. So that as to the face of things, no man could judge of any de&s;ign in him, more then the publick good: But things remaining in this po|&s;ture, a Generall mu&s;t be thought on, and accordingly Sir <HI>Thomas Fairfax,</HI> a Gentleman of unque&s;tionable inte|grity, and full fraught with gallantry; (but a per&s;on of a pa&s;&s;ive Spirit as to Councells,) was made Generall; and the Forces put under his Conduct: who no &s;ooner was up|on a march, and drawing nigh to a po&s;&s;ibility of engage|ment; but he directs a letter to the Parliament, therein de&s;iring that Lieutenant Generall <HI>Cromwell</HI> might be &s;ent to his a&s;&s;i&s;tance, upon which the hou&s;e by a re&s;olve im|power him thereto; for I never yet heard of any other Commi&s;&s;ion: upon this he repaires to the <HI>Army;</HI> and in the quality of Lieutenant Generall manages the affaires, and &s;teeres the Councells thereof, upon whom he had a mighty influence, as having been the in&s;trument of ma|ny of their advancements; &s;o that in effect, what ever &s;ucce&s;s attended that Army, the Major part of the honour returned to the Lieutenant Generall; be&s;ides the advan|tage by increa&s;e of intere&s;t and di&s;po&s;ing of Commands; he countenancing and di&s;countenancing whom he plea|&s;ed, according as they were in&s;truments fit to be imploy|ed in his then growing de&s;ignes.</P>
<P>I &s;hall wave the various occurrences of the War, and look forward till we find the War ended; and the King delivered by the <HI>Scots</HI> for a &s;umme, (much exceeding the &s;alary of <HI>Judas;</HI>) where remaining under an honourable re&s;traint at <HI>Holmby,</HI> Commi&s;&s;ioners were &s;ent to treat with him, upon an accommodation <HI>fit for the King to grant</HI>
<PB N="13" REF="10">
and the <HI>Parliament to require;</HI> but as heretofore, that treaty was rendred al&s;o &s;ucce&s;&s;ele&s;s; the rea&s;on thereof is not very obvious: yet if the probable conjectures of &s;ome that in other things have not been mi&s;taken, may be believed, the Kings ob&s;tinacy in that treaty, had its ri&s;e from &s;ome encouragement given him of the divi|&s;ion of the Army, then &s;et on foot by a party that called them&s;elves <HI>Presbyterian,</HI> at lea&s;t &s;eemed &s;uch, on pre|tence of the relief of <HI>Ireland;</HI> whereas in truth there was nothing le&s;s in de&s;ign, then to divide the Army, and to draw off preten&s;ively for <HI>Ireland;</HI> &s;uch a party as they knew would joyne with them in their de&s;ign again&s;t them, they called <HI>Independents,</HI> and to <HI>disband the re&s;t,</HI> and to bring in the King meerly upon the &s;ettlement of a <HI>Pres|byterian intere&s;t;</HI> which though I cannot but judge &s;ome of them godly men, yet &s;o far as they are rigidly acted, up|on that principle of <HI>coercive power over mens Con&s;ciences;</HI> I think it would be madne&s;s to impower them by a Law, <HI>who have a zeal but not according to knowledge;</HI> and are led by a <HI>hot-braine party,</HI> &s;ome whereof are Mini&s;ters; who could not indure the exerci&s;e of that power in the <HI>Epi&s;co|pall Clergy</HI> over <HI>them&s;elves,</HI> but cryed it down as Anti|chri&s;tian, &amp; yet are ready to conte&s;t unto fire and fagot for the exerci&s;e of it over their brethren, every way as <HI>lear|ned, pious, laborious</HI> and <HI>faithfull</HI> as them&s;elves; though probably not &s;o covetous, as to have two or three Livings and Lectures: But this by the way. The treaty was di&s;|&s;olved, and the <HI>Army refu&s;ed to disband</HI> or be divided, un|till they had their Arreares &s;ecured, and &s;aw the ends pro|po&s;ed by the <HI>Parliament,</HI> as the fruit of all that blood, and trea&s;ure that had been exhau&s;ted in the War, in &s;ome mea&s;ure an&s;wered to the people, of which they were a part as Engli&s;hmen, as well as Souldiers: The flame being thus kindled by the <HI>hot-&s;purres of the hou&s;e,</HI>
<PB N="14" REF="11">
<HI>Holis, Prinne</HI> and <HI>the re&s;t;</HI> Major Generall <HI>Skippon</HI> and others more moderate mu&s;t be imployed to quench the fire; and in the meane time a new de&s;ign is &s;et on foot to remove the King from <HI>Holmby</HI> to &s;ome place of &s;ecu|rity, and then in his name to declare again&s;t the Army and their abettors in the hou&s;e; and by that means to bring all the fury of the wearied people of the Nation up|on the <HI>Souldiery,</HI> that had been in the hand of God, in&s;tru|ments of that peace they then injoyed; and had it not been wi&s;ely fore&s;een and prevented, the con&s;equence thereof had been much wor&s;e, to &s;everall thou&s;ands of the godly people of this Nation, then either the <HI>Bi&s;hops per&s;ecution,</HI> or <HI>former War;</HI> I confe&s;s I mu&s;t call the work good, though not the manner of it, nor event, to remove the King out of the hands of a party, that intended to <HI>mo|nopolize</HI> his power, to the <HI>ruine of their brethren;</HI> I think was not only fit, but of ab&s;olute nece&s;&s;ity: But to deny the gi|ving the Command, and to call God publickly to witne&s;s a lye, as did the L. G. in <HI>Parliament,</HI> as I have been informed; I look upon it if true as the fir&s;t rivolet that began to let in a deluge of mi&s;eries upon him&s;elf and family. But the King was removed, and the camp metamorpho&s;ed into a Court, &s;ome of the then principall Commanders lear|ning to flatter &s;ooner then they could to fight.</P>
<P>How the <HI>King</HI> was courted as to the giving of honours, thereby endeavouring to render the advancement of four or five General Officers, the price of the blood and trea&s;ure &s;pent in the War; &s;everall papers printed and publi&s;hed by &s;ome that were <HI>nick-named Levellers,</HI> and confirmed with the lo&s;&s;e of their bloods as &s;ure te&s;timonies, may &s;uffici|ently evidence; and for my part, I do really believe when the King lay at <HI>Cau&s;ham,</HI> and was afterward upon his pub|lick and &s;olemn engagement, not to do any thing that might tend to the di&s;turbance of the Peace; (be&s;ides his
<PB N="15" REF="11">
private promi&s;es to <HI>Whalley</HI> and others) that the Com|manding part of the Army, did really intend his <HI>re-e&s;ta|bli&s;hment;</HI> otherwi&s;e it would not have been pre&s;&s;ed with &s;uch <HI>Candor</HI> and <HI>Zeal,</HI> by their addre&s;&s;es to the <HI>Parlia|ment;</HI> neither would they (having Petitioned the <HI>Parlia|ment,</HI> not to <HI>Command them to bring the King nearer Lon|don,</HI>) notwith&s;tanding bring him to <HI>Hampton Court;</HI> and permit the <HI>Scots</HI> Commi&s;&s;ioners to have free acce&s;s; whereby the <HI>King</HI> became lyable to the breach of his en|gagement, <HI>by giving Commi&s;sion to Hamilton to invade,</HI> and al&s;o thereby gave birth to all tho&s;e following in&s;ur|rections of <HI>Surrey, Kent, &amp;c.</HI> &s;et on foot by the royall <HI>Presbyterian</HI> &s;ticklers, on purpo&s;e to give time by bu&s;ying the Army, for <HI>Hamilton</HI> to fall into the A&s;&s;ociation; which if effected, the con&s;equences thereof may be ea&s;ily judged.</P>
<P>I need not mention the di&s;pute between the parties, a|bout the <HI>Militia of London,</HI> nor the i&s;&s;ue thereof; &s;ince it produced no good on their part that contrived it: But the <HI>flight</HI> of <HI>&s;ome</HI> and <HI>impri&s;onment</HI> of <HI>others;</HI> and the po&s;itive owning of that party of <HI>Parliament</HI> that were oppo&s;ers of that intere&s;t. Onely it will be worthy con&s;ideration what method was then ob&s;erved by <HI>O. C.</HI> who then managed all the affaires of the Army in effect, and had as hazar|dous a game to play between the In&s;urrecters &amp; Levellers as ever came to hand&punc; For the ca&s;e thus &s;tood, the King (by who&s;e re&s;tauration he expected the old honour challenged by the <HI>Cromwells,</HI> as was then &s;ugge&s;ted; and upon who&s;e account he had exa&s;perated his true&s;t friends) had left him in the mid&s;t of a divided Army, fired with di&s;contents, all ready to fall on him; (a con&s;iderable part of the <HI>Parlia|ment</HI> then &s;itting, being di&s;obliged and angry; as having &s;ome jealou&s;ies that he de&s;igned his own greatne&s;s) to op|po&s;e the fury of a potent Nation; backt with the power of
<PB N="16" REF="12">
a rich and prevalent party in the Kingdom; be&s;ides the <HI>reliques of Royalty,</HI> that the <HI>Sun-beames</HI> of his <HI>complacency</HI> and <HI>countenance,</HI> had al&s;o <HI>warmed</HI> and <HI>enlivened</HI> to give him new trouble.</P>
<P>Seeing him&s;elf thus en&s;nared, if by the mo&s;t reall di&s;co|very of his &s;orrow and &s;hame for his aberation and wan|dering he could unite a con&s;iderable part of the Army to &s;tand fixt, and <HI>disband</HI> or <HI>Ca&s;heere</HI> the <HI>wilfull,</HI> yet they mu&s;t divide into the &s;everall parts of the Nation; where the appearance of enemies required their &s;ervice: Leave the <HI>King</HI> to the charge and care of the <HI>Parliament,</HI> he dare not; and to carry him with him in his Marches both <HI>trouble&s;ome</HI> and <HI>dangerous,</HI> therefore fir&s;t the di&s;con|tents of tho&s;e called <HI>Levellers,</HI> mu&s;t be <HI>heightned,</HI> on pur|po&s;e to give occa&s;ion of telling an officious, but fal&s;e lie to the <HI>King</HI> to incite fear, viz. <HI>that the Levellers intended his death by &s;ome &s;udden attempt,</HI> by which <HI>bait</HI> and the <HI>treachery</HI> of &s;ome of his own <HI>confidents,</HI> he was dril'd unto the <HI>I&s;le</HI> of <HI>Wight;</HI> whither <HI>Colonell Hammond</HI> was &s;ent to receive him; yet all this while the <HI>Parliament</HI> were kept in <HI>Ignorance,</HI> and mu&s;t be, it being not ripe for di&s;|covery till the i&s;&s;ue of <HI>Ware-Rendezvouz</HI> was &s;een, and then ju&s;t in the nick, as if the product of providence, newes of the Kings being taken is promulged with much joy; when he was never loo&s;e, but trapan'd as they call a &s;nare fa&s;ter then ever.</P>
<P>Having thus &s;ecured the <HI>King,</HI> the next work is to quiet the <HI>Rebells,</HI> before the <HI>Scots</HI> could be ready to <HI>in|vade;</HI> but the work proving of greater difficulty and length then was imagined, had not the goodne&s;s of God, a&s;&s;i&s;ting Major Generall <HI>Lambert</HI> in his Conduct, beyond expectation retarded their march: It had been impo&s;&s;ible for the Forces out of <HI>Wales,</HI> to have joyned, or been in a condition to Fight them; much le&s;s give them &s;uch a
<PB N="17" REF="12">
totall overthrow, as the &s;ucce&s;&s;e of that day did mani|fe&s;t.</P>
<P>After the rout of <HI>Hamilton,</HI> and reducing of <HI>Colche&s;ter;</HI> we are at lei&s;ure to con&s;ult future &s;afety, and in order to that, both parties are at work; the Royall pretended <HI>Pre&s;|byter,</HI> who&s;e intere&s;t depends principally upon the <HI>King:</HI> They pre&s;s on a treaty, and the other (as they had rea&s;on) find no ground to tru&s;t him, that had broke &s;uch a &s;olemn engagement, and put the Nation to &s;o much hazard: be&s;ides the expence of Blood and Trea&s;ure, which at that juncture of time was a great aggravation; &s;o that now the &s;cale is turned, and that party that formerly thought nothing the King offered &s;atisfactory, are now willing to receive any thing: And the other party that formerly were willing to depend upon the Kings per&s;onall engage|ment, will not now tru&s;t his oath, though ratifyed by a Law, as knowing that Princes acted by policy, judge no obligation of force that thwart's their de&s;igned power or advantage.</P>
<P>In the pur&s;uance of the&s;e ends both parties act, the Royall <HI>Presbyters</HI> are at the old trade of Petitions and en|gagements abroad, thereby to give countenance to their proceedings in <HI>Parliament;</HI> and being prevalent in the hou&s;e, Vote not onely a treaty in the <HI>I&s;le</HI> of <HI>Wight,</HI> but al&s;o without much adoe, <HI>as if the matter were concluded by in&s;truction,</HI> Vote the Kings conce&s;&s;ions <HI>&s;atisfactory;</HI> when if what was offered at <HI>Uxbridge,</HI> upon tho&s;e Propo&s;itions, and at <HI>Holmby</HI> by the King per&s;onally were con&s;idered, it wil appeare that there was more rea&s;on for the acceptance of peace <HI>then,</HI> then now; the ca&s;e being much altered: but it is evident it was not their <HI>affection,</HI> but the <HI>nece&s;sity</HI> of their <HI>intere&s;t,</HI> that drew them to this <HI>change</HI> of <HI>opini|on.</HI></P>
<P>The other <HI>party</HI> had no rea&s;on if they could avoid it, to
<PB N="18" REF="13">
<HI>&s;uffer</HI> the&s;e <HI>proceeds;</HI> the ratification whereof mu&s;t needs concenter in their ruines. The con&s;ideration whereof made then, not onely to con&s;ider the carriage of affaires by the King, <HI>who had left no meanes unattempted to de&s;trey the Parliament, and in&s;lave the people,</HI> and that in oppo&s;ition to that de&s;igne, the people (being acted by them as their Tru&s;tees) had <HI>hazarded</HI> their <HI>Lives,</HI> and &s;pent their <HI>Bloods</HI> and <HI>E&s;tates;</HI> that therefore unle&s;s they would bring all the Blood that had been &s;hed upon their own heads, they ought in <HI>judgement</HI> and <HI>Con&s;cience,</HI> at lea&s;t <HI>by a publick try|all of the King,</HI> to a&s;&s;ert the <HI>publick justice of the Nation;</HI> in oppo&s;ition to that principle of being <HI>unaccountable</HI> &s;ave onely to <HI>God:</HI> In pur&s;uance whereof the treaty was di&s;|&s;olved, the King removed; and &s;oon after the Heads of the &s;aid faction, that had &s;o often attempted upon the <HI>Parlia|ment,</HI> as to <HI>breach</HI> of <HI>Priviledge;</HI> endeavour to <HI>divide</HI> the <HI>Army,</HI> under-hand contrivances as to occa&s;ion the late <HI>in|&s;urrections;</HI> of which &s;everall of them might have been convict, if the more weighty affaires of the Nation then on foot, had not con&s;trained the <HI>Parliament</HI> to wave their pro&s;ecution, and remain &s;atisfyed, in that the <HI>Clogs,</HI> that made their <HI>Chariot wheels</HI> go heavy, were removed.</P>
<P>As to the re&s;ults touching <HI>throwing down King&s;hip,</HI> as <HI>dangerous</HI> and <HI>chargeable, Peere&s;hip</HI> as <HI>u&s;ele&s;&s;e,</HI> and for the <HI>tryall</HI> of the <HI>King;</HI> the Records of <HI>Parliament</HI> being ex|tant, I &s;hall omit to treat any further thereon, onely I &s;hall adde this and &s;ubmit it: Whether &s;eeing on all hands it is granted that the <HI>King,</HI> before he could do any <HI>regall act,</HI> did &s;olemnly &s;wear <HI>to rule according to the e&s;tabli&s;ht Law, and to grant &s;uch Lawes as the people &s;hould choo&s;e;</HI> whether I &s;ay the <HI>Parliament,</HI> that were the mo&s;t proper judges on that behalf, had not power by Law to call him to account for the breach of the &s;aid oath; e&s;pecially &s;ee|ing the breach of the &s;aid oath is without all manner of que&s;tion.</P>
<P><PB REF="13">And whereas it is alleadged by tho&s;e who cannot deny the former, <HI>that although the King may be accountable to a Parliament, as the proper judges of Law,</HI> and the <HI>breaches of it;</HI> yet it ought to be <HI>legall</HI> and <HI>free.</HI> As touching the&s;e objections, they &s;hall be in due time an&s;wered, to the &s;atis|faction of all tho&s;e that are not wilfully blind: But I mu&s;t proceed with my narrative.</P>
<P>The <HI>King</HI> being <HI>tryed</HI> and <HI>Executed,</HI> whether by directi|on of <HI>Parliament,</HI> or to gratify a particular de&s;ign, con|cerns not me to di&s;pute: however the <HI>waters</HI> that had been <HI>troubled, grew &s;mooth</HI> and <HI>calm,</HI> and the <HI>Parliament</HI> began to cure tho&s;e &s;ores that our many yeares troubles had occa|&s;ioned.</P>
<P>In particular, many publick debts were &s;atisfyed, con|tracted upon the publick faith, in the beginning of the War; and increa&s;ed by new &s;ecurities in the progre&s;s thereof. In &s;hort, affaires were &s;o managed by the pru|dent conduct of Councells, that not onely <HI>Ireland</HI> (whi|ther <HI>O. C.</HI> was &s;ent Generall) was in a competent mea&s;ure reduced; but al&s;o the <HI>forraign</HI> Trade <HI>enlivened,</HI> and the mo&s;t probable grounds of a &s;ure peace laid, that outward appearances could warrantize; and from impartiall judge|ments it mu&s;t be allowed that <HI>England</HI> could never have been &s;o unhappy, as to have run the&s;e ri&s;goes of change &amp; hazard, had not the afore&s;aid parties, Councells and actings, been the principall de&s;igners and in&s;truments therein; but as their malice is implacable, &s;o their endea|vours are diligent and without intermi&s;&s;ion; as the pro|duct whereof, the <HI>Scotch</HI> were encouraged to a treaty at <HI>Breda,</HI> with the Elde&s;t Son of the late King, (&s;ince Crow|ned King of <HI>Scots,</HI>) it being from old experience known, that they never dur&s;t attempt any thing of late times a|gain&s;t this Nation, without encouragement by, yea and &s;il|ver contributions too from <HI>Engl.</HI> they being a people prin|cipald
<PB N="20" REF="14">
to gain, who ever lo&s;e; and to make their de&s;ign fa&s;ter&punc; they made &s;ure of the Lord <HI>Fairfax,</HI> who (as was &s;aid before) was a Gentleman exceeding pa&s;&s;ive in Coun|&s;els, though otherwi&s;e valiant and active; it becomes not me to di&s;pute the rea&s;ons of his di&s;&s;atisfaction in &s;ome ca&s;es, what ever is not of faith is &s;in, let it now &s;uffice, he refu&s;ed to engage again&s;t the <HI>Scots,</HI> and thereby put the <HI>Parlia|ment</HI> to the nece&s;&s;ity; and &s;ending for <HI>O. C.</HI> then Generall in <HI>Ireland,</HI> who had much adoe to order his affaires there, &s;o as to come timely to receive the power of Generall, not|with&s;tanding many letters &s;ent him on that behalf: But Providence ordered <HI>that the Parliaments Idol &s;hould be their Scourge,</HI> otherwi&s;e probably as <HI>able,</HI> as <HI>hone&s;t,</HI> I am &s;ure as <HI>faithfull</HI> and <HI>le&s;&s;e dangerous,</HI> might have had the Conduct of that affaire, and left <HI>him</HI> to the enjoyment of <HI>one,</HI> that by that means would not be contented with <HI>three:</HI> But <HI>he loved to be Courted,</HI> that when time offered he might <HI>twit the Parliament with their nece&s;sity and his &s;ervice.</HI></P>
<P>Into <HI>Scotland</HI> he marches, and to give him his due, <HI>he under-went many hard-&s;hips;</HI> be&s;ides a dangerous fit of <HI>&s;ick|ne&s;&s;e,</HI> from which if God had been plea&s;ed in mercy to de|liver him by <HI>death,</HI> I believe he had not been guilty of that <HI>perjury, blood</HI> and <HI>apo&s;tacy</HI> that afterward he contracted.</P>
<P>Being recovered, and the after-game (though not at <HI>Iri&s;h</HI>) to be plaid in <HI>England,</HI> he having a man to enter, fol|lowed hard after and entred in &s;ea&s;on; hit the <HI>blot</HI> at <HI>Wor|<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">e&s;ter,</HI> and came off <HI>Victor,</HI> returned to <HI>Westmin&s;ter;</HI> enter|ed the quarters of the Court, <HI>viz.</HI> the <HI>Cock-pit,</HI> where he plaid the game &s;o cunningly, that wanting <HI>enemies a|broad,</HI> he <HI>Conquered</HI> his <HI>Ma&s;ters</HI> at <HI>home;</HI> and brought &s;uch an unparallel'd force upon the <HI>Parliament,</HI> as never any <HI>King</HI> of <HI>England,</HI> (though inve&s;ted with a <HI>legall</HI> and <HI>Regall</HI> authority) dur&s;t attempt, and for the doing thereof in point of <HI>ju&s;tification</HI> pleaded <HI>nece&s;sity;</HI> alleadging that they
<PB N="21" REF="14">
de&s;igned to <HI>perpetuate</HI> their <HI>power,</HI> whereas if I be not infor|med ami&s;&s;e, when <HI>di&s;&s;olved,</HI> they were pa&s;&s;ing the <HI>act</HI> for <HI>&s;ucce&s;sive Repre&s;entatives,</HI> and had di&s;&s;olved them&s;elves and given a <HI>period</HI> to that <HI>Law</HI> for their <HI>continuance,</HI> within very few dayes afterwards.</P>
<P>But &s;uch a di&s;&s;olution could not &s;uit with his Aimes: had they di&s;&s;olved <HI>orderly,</HI> the power in the intervall would have been legally in the <HI>Councill of State,</HI> and a <HI>ne|ce&s;sity</HI> could not have been &s;et on foot to call a <HI>Convention</HI> of, (I believe hone&s;t men;) but of <HI>intere&s;ts</HI> and <HI>opinions</HI> as various <HI>as</HI> the <HI>colours</HI> in <HI>Jo&s;ephs Coate,</HI> and as unlikely to cement in order to <HI>&s;ecurity, &s;ervice</HI> or <HI>&s;ettlement,</HI> as <HI>ti&s;&s;ue</HI> and <HI>broad&punc; cloath,</HI> which con&s;tantly fret and weare out one another.</P>
<P>But the &s;ucce&s;s of that convention was &s;uitable to the de&s;igne of their calling; for though during their &s;itting, they did nothing of any con&s;iderable moment; yet at their ri&s;e, a party of them gave the power into the hands of the Generall, who under colour thereof took upon him&s;elf the Title of <HI>Lord Protector,</HI> but exerci&s;ed the power of a <HI>Tyrant:</HI> all his Ordinances impo&s;ed on the peo|ple, being the meer products of his <HI>will,</HI> and formed upon the great <HI>plea of nece&s;sity</HI> by him <HI>created.</HI></P>
<P>Should I ennumerate the manifold advantages that <HI>England</HI> did receive by his Government, <HI>I fear this incre|dulous generation would not believe it,</HI> or at lea&s;t would be <HI>di&s;ta&s;ted</HI> thereat; I &s;hall therefore onely mention &s;ome few for publick &s;atisfaction.</P>
<P>Fir&s;t, that honorable and advantageous peace made with <HI>Holland.</HI></P>
<P>Secondly, that glorious War made with <HI>Spain, (En|lands</HI> fa&s;t friend in all the late Troubles,) by which the Trade of <HI>England</HI> is more detrimented, then by all the Wars we have had &s;ince 1638.</P>
<P><PB N="22" REF="15">Thirdly, that gallant Expedition to <HI>Santa Domingo,</HI> whi|ther was &s;ent a con&s;iderable Army upon two accounts, as is believed, the one to rid him&s;elf of &s;ome di&s;contented Offi|cers, which he feared would ob&s;truct his &s;econd de&s;ign of <HI>King&s;hip;</HI> the other if the de&s;ign took to render him&s;elf able by the <HI>expected Trea&s;ure,</HI> to maintain a <HI>Mercenary Army,</HI> to <HI>&s;ubject</HI> the people to his arbitrary Commands, which he judged the more <HI>facile,</HI> in re&s;pect of the pretended <HI>ea&s;e</HI> he gave them in <HI>abatement of Taxes;</HI> which he did not &s;o much out of <HI>affection</HI> to the <HI>people,</HI> but to contract debts, and im|po&s;e the payment thereof upon his pretended <HI>Parliaments,</HI> thereby giving the people not onely an occa&s;ion of <HI>Com|plaint;</HI> but al&s;o by degrees <HI>eating out their affections to Parliaments,</HI> and rendring the onely means of their <HI>re|&s;tauration to freedome, burthen&s;ome,</HI> if not <HI>irke&s;ome</HI> and <HI>in|&s;upportable.</HI></P>
<P>But becau&s;e his great <HI>expectation</HI> in the <HI>Indies,</HI> proved but a <HI>golden dreame,</HI> to &s;ave his credit the <HI>Spani&s;h War</HI> mu&s;t be pro&s;ecuted in <HI>Flanders,</HI> and in order thereto a peace is made with the <HI>French,</HI> an Army is formed and tran&s;ported under the Conduct of Sir <HI>John Reynolds,</HI> a new Knight made by the Protector, &s;ome &s;ay as a re|ward for his Apo&s;tacy from, and treachery to the Level|lers at <HI>Burford;</HI> of which if he were guil<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">y, the hand of Providence, if not Ju&s;tice met with him and his Comrade in their return from <HI>Flanders,</HI> where they were buried in the Sea without triumph, or teares, other then their own, their lo&s;&s;e being concealed as long as po&s;&s;ible; till the trumpet of Fame proclaimed the certainty thereof, mau|gre all opop&s;ition.</P>
<P>I &s;hall not take upon me to give any rea&s;on, why the &s;ucce&s;s of this Army &s;hould be different from the former, although if their <HI>principles</HI> be compared, it may give &s;ome little <HI>light</HI> thereto; let it &s;uffice that their uninterrupted
<PB N="23" REF="15">
&s;ucce&s;s gained him much <HI>credit,</HI> and rendred him very <HI>con|&s;iderable abroad,</HI> though not much <HI>loved</HI> at <HI>home;</HI> his whole life being accompanied with <HI>plots</HI> and <HI>con&s;piracies,</HI> &s;ome whereof were reall, although others tis feared of his own contriving: But to proceed.</P>
<P>Fourthly, his frequent Impri&s;onment of the <HI>Gentry</HI> and others, many whereof he had no other cau&s;e of exception again&s;t, then that they were <HI>faithfull</HI> to their <HI>princi|ples,</HI> and &s;o could not comply with his <HI>ends,</HI> and therefore as to be <HI>feared,</HI> &s;o to be <HI>&s;ecured,</HI> and that not onely for <HI>months</HI> but <HI>yeares,</HI> to the <HI>ruine</HI> of <HI>them&s;elves</HI> and <HI>Fami|lies.</HI></P>
<P>Fifthly, his frequent <HI>mockeries</HI> of the <HI>people</HI> in <HI>calling</HI> and <HI>di&s;&s;olving Parliaments,</HI> allowing them a face of freedom in point of <HI>election;</HI> but afterwards winnowing the <HI>Wheat</HI> from the Chaff, leaving few or none to &s;it, but &s;uch who&s;e intere&s;t or principles engaged them to imploy their wits in the advancement of his Aimes; they being but the jour|ney-men to do the work, that was cut out by his Cabinet Junto, and as long as they acted in order to that <HI>end,</HI> they had good <HI>words</HI> and were <HI>fea&s;ted,</HI> but if they ran Counter, then old <HI>Harry</HI> with his <HI>dagger,</HI> I mean <HI>Oliver</HI> would clap his hand upon his Sword or brea&s;t, and not onely threa|ten but di&s;&s;olve them; of the truth whereof we had &s;eve|rall examples.</P>
<P>I need not mention that <HI>great juggle</HI> of the <HI>Act</HI> for <HI>King&s;hip,</HI> and his cunning denyall of the Title, (which was the onely thing he gaped for,) becau&s;e he &s;aw &s;ome emi|nent per&s;ons in his Army, which though neerly related, did abominate his Apo&s;tacy; although by &s;ecret threats, and ingratiating promi&s;es, he did endeavour to allure them to a compliance with the actings of <HI>Parliament,</HI> with whom it is believed he was really angry, becau&s;e they ac|cepted his an&s;wer, whereas he expected that they &s;hould
<PB N="24" REF="16">
have both <HI>pa&s;&s;ed</HI> and <HI>impo&s;ed</HI> that <HI>Title</HI> upon him, and en|abled him to <HI>plead nece&s;sity,</HI> as he did in a&s;&s;uming the <HI>Pro|tector&s;hip.</HI></P>
<P>But I fear if I &s;hould mention any more of his <HI>good acts,</HI> I &s;hould either <HI>tire</HI> or <HI>offend</HI> the <HI>Reader,</HI> and therefore I &s;hall leave him to the obloquy that is due to a <HI>Tyrant</HI> and <HI>U&s;urper,</HI> and proceed to the <HI>&s;hort Reign</HI> of his <HI>&s;ucce&s;&s;or,</HI> who was a Gentleman that had very few other faults, but that he was his <HI>Son,</HI> and &s;o unhappily became heire to the fruits of his Fathers Rapines and Oppre&s;&s;ion.</P>
<P>Under who&s;e <HI>Government,</HI> the <HI>difference</HI> may ea&s;ily be <HI>di&s;cerned</HI> betwixt the <HI>Father</HI> and the <HI>Son,</HI> the fir&s;t Gover|ning the <HI>Councell,</HI> the &s;econd being <HI>governed</HI> by the <HI>Coun|cell.</HI></P>
<P>One <HI>Parliament</HI> was by him called, and not without ne|ce&s;&s;ity, for not onely his <HI>Right</HI> in point of his <HI>Fathers no|mination</HI> to the <HI>Protector&s;hip</HI> was <HI>litigious</HI> and <HI>doubtfull,</HI> but al&s;o the engagements under which he groned, left upon him by his Father, by rea&s;on of the Arreares of the <HI>Ar|my</HI> and <HI>Navy,</HI> and other publick debts amounting to &s;ome millions, engaged him to that cour&s;e, notwith&s;tanding which, &s;uch was the good husbandry, that as it is &s;aid ma|ny thou&s;ands of pounds were &s;pent in a <HI>payment-like fune|rall,</HI> and in mourning be&s;towed on them that were able enough to buy it them &s;elves, and had rea&s;on to do it, as having <HI>gotten</HI> by his <HI>Life,</HI> and were like to be <HI>lo&s;ers</HI> by his <HI>Death.</HI></P>
<P>How the intere&s;ts in that <HI>Convention</HI> (for I call them <HI>Parliaments,</HI> for <HI>form-&s;ake,</HI> not becau&s;e I judge them <HI>legall</HI>) their proceeds being but as of ye&s;terday, and &s;o fre&s;h in memory, I &s;hall forbear to examine, onely by the <HI>con&s;e|quences,</HI> you may di&s;cerne the <HI>compo&s;ition, for</HI> by the con|junction of the <HI>Cavalier, royall Presbyter,</HI> and new Cour|tier, the <HI>Common-wealths party</HI> (notwith&s;tanding they had
<PB N="25" REF="16">
almo&s;t all the <HI>wit</HI> and <HI>rea&s;on</HI> of the hou&s;e on their &s;ides,) yet when it came to the Vote <HI>right</HI> or <HI>wrong</HI> it was car|ryed again&s;t them, and &s;uch Councells &s;et on foot in or|der to the heightning the <HI>pretended,</HI> but not <HI>intended Court;</HI> and oppre&s;&s;ing the good people under the notion of <HI>Anabaptists,</HI> and <HI>Sectaries, Quakers</HI> and the like, all men that were oppo&s;ers of that intere&s;t, being charged with &s;ome capitall Character of di&s;tinction, thereby to render them marks of obloquy or &s;ubjects, of terrour and di&s;cou|ragement. And in this, being &s;trengthened with an a&s;|&s;urance of the <HI>Conce&s;sions</HI> of the <HI>Protector,</HI> they were heightned to that confidence, that contrary to all <HI>rea&s;on</HI> or former <HI>pre&s;ident,</HI> they took upon them to impo&s;e upon the <HI>Army,</HI> by denying them the liberty of meeting together to con&s;ult their affaires either as <HI>Engli&s;hmen,</HI> or <HI>Souldiers,</HI> although but to <HI>Petition; the peoples right whereto hath been &s;o publickly a&s;&s;erted, and conte&s;ted for by former Parlia|ments.</HI></P>
<P>To mention the&s;e things, among&s;t others then in de|&s;ign, the effect whereof we have now &s;een, although then under <HI>Covert,</HI> gave the <HI>Army</HI> ju&s;t cau&s;e, not onely to con|&s;ider the Con&s;equences of tho&s;e <HI>Councells,</HI> with the <HI>dan|gers</HI> accrewing; but al&s;o to look back to their former <HI>act|ings, Councells</HI> and <HI>engagements,</HI> and in order to the pre|vention of impending troubles, which if the <HI>Parliament</HI> then &s;itting were <HI>continued,</HI> would not onely be <HI>nouri&s;hed,</HI> but receive <HI>Countenance</HI> to the introduction of <HI>Monarchy, and ruine of all &s;uch as had been the oppo&s;ers thereof:</HI> and not onely &s;o, but a gap mu&s;t have been opened to a bloody per&s;ecution of many thou&s;ands of the good people of <HI>Engl.</HI> under the notion of <HI>Anabapti&s;ts, Seekers, Quakers</HI> and the like, many whereof though differing in judgement, are faithfull to God and &s;erviceable to the nation. I &s;ay the&s;e con&s;iderations among&s;t others induced them to pre&s;s
<PB N="26" REF="17">
the Protector to con&s;ent to their orderly di&s;&s;olu|tion, which at length he granted, and cau&s;ed to be done by Proclamation; thereby putting at that pre&s;ent a <HI>check</HI> to the <HI>de&s;ign</HI> which now hath manife&s;ted it &s;elf, and with|out all manner of que&s;tion, had been on foot &s;ooner by &s;ome months, had that power been continued.</P>
<P>Being freed from that fear, they ca&s;t about for future &s;ecurity; and in order thereto by a <HI>Declaration</HI> invite the <HI>Parliament, called</HI> by the <HI>King, cho&s;en</HI> by the <HI>people,</HI> and <HI>continued</HI> by a <HI>Law,</HI> made in <HI>full</HI> and <HI>free Parliament;</HI> who in the day of <HI>Englands</HI> greate&s;t &s;traits &s;tood in the <HI>Gap,</HI> and on who&s;e <HI>Councells</HI> and <HI>actions</HI> &s;o perfect an <HI>Impre&s;&s;e</HI> of the <HI>power,</HI> and <HI>owning</HI> of <HI>God</HI> was engraven in indelible Characters; I &s;ay calling to mind what foundations of <HI>ju&s;tice, freedom</HI> and <HI>&s;ecurity</HI> to all <HI>per&s;ons,</HI> either <HI>fearing God</HI> or <HI>living peaceably,</HI> was by them laid in the &s;ettlement of a <HI>free-State</HI> without a <HI>King</HI> or <HI>hou&s;e</HI> of <HI>Peers,</HI> they not onely invite them to the exerci&s;e of the power from which they were <HI>illegally forced</HI> by their <HI>late Generall,</HI> but al&s;o <HI>engage</HI> them&s;elves to &s;tand by them and defend them again&s;t <HI>their</HI> and the Nations <HI>Enemies.</HI></P>
<P>Upon their <HI>meeting</HI> or immediately after, the Pro|tector&s;hip cea&s;es, and all things are reduced as nigh as may be to the order they were in, when the <HI>force</HI> was <HI>put</HI> upon <HI>them.</HI> I &s;hall not trouble the Reader with a journall of their proceedings, &s;ince the Pre&s;s abounds with &s;ub|jects of that nature; onely in re&s;pect I find much di&s;&s;a|tisfaction upon the Spirits of &s;ome per&s;ons that are other|wi&s;e well-affected, who &s;cruple their <HI>right to the exerci&s;e of the Supreame Authority,</HI> and &s;ome &s;uch other frothy ex|ceptions, I &s;hall in a &s;ober manner offer to con&s;ideration, the following particulars.</P>
<P>1. That this Parliament was <HI>called</HI> by the <HI>Kings Writ,</HI> and <HI>freely cho&s;en</HI> and <HI>&s;ent</HI> up by the <HI>Country,</HI> as their <HI>Re|pre&s;entatives</HI>
<PB N="27" REF="17">
and as &s;uch <HI>owned</HI> by the <HI>King.</HI></P>
<P>2. Whereas it is objected that the <HI>death</HI> of the <HI>King</HI> did di&s;&s;olve them, it is an&s;wered; That it is true in all <HI>Parliaments</HI> but this: and had not they been continued by an <HI>act,</HI> the <HI>death</HI> of the <HI>King had di&s;&s;olved them al&s;o:</HI> but if the <HI>death</HI> of the <HI>King,</HI> could not <HI>repeal</HI> that <HI>Statute</HI> which is undeniable, then is their <HI>power</HI> of <HI>&s;itting warranted</HI> by <HI>Law,</HI> and in this ca&s;e there is no <HI>Interregnum,</HI> otherwi&s;e by the &s;ame rule upon the <HI>death</HI> of the <HI>King,</HI> all the Lawes of the Land mu&s;t lo&s;e their force, and the <HI>Government di|volve into its first Choas,</HI> which were madne&s;s for any man to imagin.</P>
<P>3. Whereas it is further alleadged, that although they were <HI>continued</HI> by an <HI>act,</HI> yet they were then a <HI>full</HI> and <HI>free Parliament,</HI> con&s;i&s;ting of <HI>three E&s;tates,</HI> according to the Ancient Con&s;titution of <HI>England,</HI> it is an&s;wered; That the <HI>peoples Repre&s;entatives,</HI> the <HI>Commons</HI> A&s;&s;embled in <HI>Par|liament,</HI> were the Originall Authors and Founders of that Con&s;titution pleaded for; and as former <HI>Parliaments</HI> had the liberty of e&s;tabli&s;hing that <HI>form of Government,</HI> which in that Age might to them &s;eem <HI>good</HI> and <HI>convenient,</HI> or at lea&s;t being under a <HI>force</HI> (notwith&s;tanding many &s;truglings to obtain their Freedomes,) were nece&s;&s;itated to take what the Tyrants would afford them; (the truth whereof the contentions between the Kings and people in all Ages, a|bout the great Charter of Liberties, doth plainly demon|&s;trate;) I &s;ay be it upon which &s;ide &s;oever, the peoples now Repre&s;entative, have as good a power to alter the form then e&s;tabli&s;hed, and to introduce a new one if by them deemed mo&s;t &s;uitable and advantageous, to the peo|ple that intru&s;ted them, as the former <HI>Parliaments</HI> had to e&s;tabli&s;h that; otherwi&s;e the power of repeal of Lawes, though never &s;o de&s;tructive to the people is taken from them; and they that upon the cleare&s;t principle of rea&s;on
<PB N="28" REF="18">
and Law, are the mo&s;t proper judges, are rendred but Cyphers altogether u&s;ele&s;s and unnece&s;&s;ary.</P>
<P>But as to the main part of the objection, the <HI>Parliament</HI> con&s;i&s;ted <HI>of three E&s;tates,</HI> viz. <HI>Lords Spirituall, Lords Tem|porall</HI> and <HI>Commons;</HI> for in the Con&s;titution of our <HI>Parlia|ments,</HI> I do wholly exclude the <HI>King,</HI> who is in the judge|ment of Law deemed <HI>Major &s;ingulis, &s;ed minor univer&s;is,</HI> and &s;o cannot be brought into ballance with the <HI>Parlia|ment,</HI> who according to the practi&s;e of former Ages before the Conque&s;t, (to which Governments the Conquerers &s;ub|mitted) <HI>Parliaments</HI> were the great and onely Concilia|tors, by who&s;e Councells the <HI>Kings</HI> were wholly direct|ed; they having onely a power of advi&s;ing with, but not of impo&s;ing upon the <HI>Parliament,</HI> as to the election or repeal of Lawes, as by Ancient Records if examined will evident|ly appeare, the late practice now pleaded as a principle, having by degrees been introduced and impo&s;ed on the people; and that which was a violation of their Charter of Liberties, onely warranted by Cu&s;tom, again&s;t Law. But now there are no Lords, and not half the number of <HI>Com|mons,</HI> that by the Law is allowed to con&s;titute an Hou&s;e. It is an&s;wered, That when the <HI>Parliament</HI> was thus <HI>con&s;ti|tuted</HI> and <HI>continued</HI> with one <HI>con&s;ent,</HI> they agreed in a pub|lick <HI>Remon&s;trance,</HI> wherein they unanimou&s;ly declared, not onely what were the Grievances of the Nation, by rea&s;on of the <HI>mi&s;government</HI> of the <HI>King</HI> and his <HI>evil Council,</HI> but do al&s;o engage them&s;elves to act as one man for the reformation of the abu&s;es both in Church and State; and this I call the <HI>Good old Cau&s;e,</HI> at fir&s;t <HI>owned</HI> and <HI>a&s;&s;erted</HI> by the <HI>Parliament.</HI></P>
<P>In their endeavours to accompli&s;h the&s;e ends, underta|ken &s;o <HI>&s;olemnly</HI> and upon &s;uch <HI>&s;erious grounds,</HI> they meet with many ob&s;tructions; and the <HI>King</HI> endeavouring to protect Delinquents, by <HI>for&s;aking</HI> the <HI>Parliament</HI> and
<PB N="29" REF="18">
<HI>leavying</HI> of <HI>war,</HI> many of the <HI>Lords</HI> and <HI>Commons</HI> that had e&s;pou&s;ed the &s;aid good <HI>cau&s;e,</HI> and in their <HI>judgments decla|red</HI> it to be <HI>&s;o,</HI> ba&s;e&s;ly apo&s;tatized, and joyned with the <HI>King</HI> again&s;t the <HI>Parliament,</HI> of whom they were Mem|bers, and with whom they had engaged for the obtaining a <HI>Reformation;</HI> and I hope if they were called by Writ to &s;it at <HI>We&s;tmin&s;ter,</HI> without an adjournment of the whole, they could not upon any legal account &s;et up a Juncto at <HI>York</HI> or <HI>Oxford;</HI> and in doing thereof, I hope it will not be denied, but that they ju&s;tly forfeited their <HI>priviledge</HI> as <HI>Members,</HI> and brought them&s;elves under the judgment of the Parliament for &s;uch their <HI>trea&s;onable de&s;ertion.</HI> And thus one part of your <HI>Lords</HI> and <HI>Commons,</HI> &s;o much plead|ed for, are rightfully dive&s;ted of that Authority.</P>
<P>As to your Lords Spiritual, They were tho&s;e that had introduced tho&s;e <HI>Innovations in Church-wor&s;hip;</HI> and in order to the &s;upporting them&s;elves therein, had &s;et on foot the <HI>Scotch war;</HI> and therefore when they &s;aw the Par|liament endeavouring to &s;trike at the root, and that they, as principal in&s;truments in mi&s;-leading the <HI>King,</HI> were like to feel the <HI>la&s;h</HI> of the <HI>Law;</HI> they being back'd by a part of the <HI>Lords</HI> Temporal and <HI>Commons</HI> engaged in the &s;ame <HI>compact,</HI> make a <HI>protest</HI> again&s;t the Proceedings of <HI>Parliament,</HI> and for that unparallell'd and trea&s;onable breach of Priviledge are committed to the Tower; and as Ob&s;tructers and Hinderers of that <HI>good work</HI> of <HI>Refor|mation,</HI> by a re&s;olve of both Hou&s;es are di&s;abled to &s;it in Parliament: neither did I ever hear or read that that Ex|clu&s;ion was deemed illegal.</P>
<P>The two Hou&s;es being by this time much le&s;&s;ened in number, though not in power, they tran&s;acted together in the management of the War again&s;t the King and his evil Council, &amp; &s;till in all their Declarations, Propo&s;itions and Treaties in&s;i&s;t upon the &s;ame Cau&s;e, <HI>viz.</HI> The Refor|mation
<PB N="30" REF="19">
of abu&s;es both in Church and State, and offer &s;e|veral &s;uitable expedients for redre&s;s thereof.</P>
<P>The <HI>war</HI> being ended, they that in the <HI>wilderne&s;&s;e</HI> were <HI>united,</HI> being in <HI>Canaan</HI> in peace, began to <HI>divide,</HI> as to the manner of doing what both <HI>parties</HI> agreed <HI>convenient</HI> to be <HI>done.</HI> The&s;e divi&s;ions made the Chariot-wheels go heavily, and what <HI>Rea&s;on</HI> could not <HI>prevail</HI> in, <HI>Faction</HI> mu&s;t; a <HI>corrupt</HI> party, as afore&s;aid, in both Hou&s;es endea|vouring, for by-ends, to prevaricate, and after all the <HI>bloud</HI> and <HI>trea&s;ure</HI> &s;pent to obtain the forementioned ends, they endeavour to bring in the <HI>King</HI> meerly to gratifie their own <HI>particular intere&s;ts,</HI> wholly waving the <HI>publick cau&s;e</HI> &s;o much before contended for: and in order to the ac|compli&s;hme~t of the &s;aid end, becau&s;e they could not obtain it by <HI>Vote,</HI> they bring a <HI>force</HI> upon the <HI>Parliament,</HI> and ne|ce&s;&s;itate the <HI>Speaker</HI> and other the Members of the Hou&s;e, that oppo&s;ed their proceedings, to flye to the Army for protection; and not onely &s;o, but in all their future act|ings and debates in the Hou&s;e, endeavour to divide the <HI>Army,</HI> and introduce the <HI>King</HI> by a clande&s;tine Treaty, &s;et on foot in the I&s;le of <HI>Wight&punc;</HI> after <HI>Hamiltons</HI> inva&s;ion by the <HI>Kings Commi&s;sion,</HI> whereby he had not onely ren|dred him&s;elf an <HI>implacable enemy,</HI> but al&s;o a per&s;on not to be tru&s;ted, having made and broke &s;uch &s;olemn engage|ments, to the hazard of the <HI>Nations peace,</HI> and great <HI>ex|pence</HI> of <HI>bloud</HI> and <HI>trea&s;ure,</HI> thereby ju&s;tly engaging both <HI>Parliament</HI> and <HI>Army</HI> to a re&s;olution of proceeding again&s;t him according to <HI>Ju&s;tice;</HI> which being for the rea&s;ons a|fore&s;aid oppo&s;ed by the &s;aid corrupt royal party, and all their actings being diametrically oppo&s;ite to the <HI>peace</HI> of the <HI>Nation</HI> and <HI>priviledge</HI> of <HI>Parliament,</HI> they were kept out by a party of the <HI>Army</HI> appointed for that purpo&s;e, <HI>and that Exclu&s;ion confirmed by the Parliament,</HI> who cer|tainly are the <HI>judges</HI> of their own Members, and may ex|clude
<PB N="31" REF="19">
as <HI>many</HI> or <HI>whom</HI> they plea&s;e, if any <HI>ju&s;t cau&s;e</HI> appear to them for &s;o doing.</P>
<P>And as to the five or &s;ix Lords remaining in the Upper Hou&s;e, who, its from good rea&s;on believed, had never &s;taid with the Parliament &s;o long, if they had judged their intere&s;t as con&s;iderable on the Kings party. If either the principles upon which they were e&s;tabli&s;hed, <HI>viz.</HI> The will of the King, or their frequent actings, not onely to ballance but overtop the intere&s;t of the people in their Repre&s;entatives, by denial to pa&s;s many other good Laws propo&s;ed by Parliament, as well as the Act again&s;t <HI>King|&s;hip,</HI> but al&s;o their challenging and exerci&s;ing an arbitrary juri&s;diction over the lives and liberties of Commoners, over whom by Law they had no power or cognizance, e|ven to the &s;ubver&s;ion of that Government, by the which they pretended to &s;tand as Peers: I &s;ay, if the&s;e things be con&s;idered, it cannot be denyed to be as legal an Act as ever the Parliament did, when they voted them u&s;ele&s;s and unnece&s;&s;ary, and reduced the Power to its fir&s;t prin|ciple, viz. <HI>To the &s;upreme</HI> Authority <HI>the people,</HI> in their <HI>Repre&s;entatives</HI> the <HI>Parliament;</HI> neither can it by <HI>Rea&s;on</HI> or <HI>Law</HI> be alledged, that all or any the&s;e Mutations, Chan|ges and Interruptions &s;hould take away or de&s;troy their le|gal power, if there remained but Two and forty, although it be evident that there remaineth a far greater number, and <HI>&s;uch too,</HI> as in all the Nations Troubles have been mo&s;t eminent for <HI>Piety, Integrity</HI> and <HI>Stability,</HI> in princi|ples tending to <HI>Freedom</HI> and <HI>Security.</HI></P>
<P>I might hereto adde the &s;ignal ble&s;&s;ing of God upon all their <HI>Councils</HI> and <HI>Actings,</HI> in &s;o much, that not one <HI>wea|pon formed,</HI> or <HI>de&s;ign</HI> &s;et on foot again&s;t them, hath pro|&s;pered; <HI>but they have had cau&s;e of rejoycing, while their Ene|mies have been a&s;hamed.</HI></P>
<P>But I find another Objection, and that is newly &s;prung
<PB N="32" REF="20">
up, <HI>viz.</HI> That they were not onely di&s;&s;olved by their <HI>General,</HI> but &s;ubmitted to the power of the <HI>Protector,</HI> owned and acted under the <HI>Government</HI> as <HI>Members</HI> in his <HI>Parliaments,</HI> as they call them, and as <HI>Ju&s;tices</HI> of the <HI>peace,</HI> and the like, <HI>and therefore their power of &s;itting as a Parlia|ment mu&s;t needs cea&s;e.</HI> To which I an&s;wer, That their Ser|vant might and did by force interrupt them, but could not di&s;&s;olve them, becau&s;e he had not power to repeal that law made for their Continuance; and it is worth ob&s;ervance, how he and his Accomplices were infatuated, in that in all his <HI>Conventions</HI> (in &s;ome of which he had power e|nough) he never attempted the repeal of that Statute, which, although &s;uch a repeal could not have been legal, yet it would have given &s;ome color to this Objection&punc; but the <HI>Law</HI> being <HI>continued,</HI> they could not be legally di&s;&s;ol|ved. And as to the other part of the Objection, it is fit to di&s;tingui&s;h between <HI>Generals</HI> and <HI>Individuals.</HI> I do believe that &s;ome particular Members might and did act under his power, as <HI>John</HI> or <HI>Thomas,</HI> &amp;c. <HI>but not as a Parliament;</HI> the actions of one, or &s;ome few, not being to be applied to the whole. I confe&s;s, had the <HI>Parliament,</HI> as now con|&s;tituted of <HI>&s;uch</HI> and <HI>&s;o many</HI> Members, acted in order to the &s;upport of his <HI>Tyranny,</HI> or &s;ubmitted to his <HI>Authority,</HI> by tran&s;acting with him, the ca&s;e had been clear; but their actings as <HI>Individuals,</HI> while under a force, and that being upon principles of <HI>nece&s;sity,</HI> &s;ubmitted to, onely to gain an opportunity to &s;truggle for recovery of their <HI>freedom;</HI> I would fain know upon what principles of Law or Rea&s;on this can be judged a <HI>Di&s;&s;olution;</HI> but its no news for di&s;|contented per&s;ons to create <HI>cavils,</HI> and then di&s;per&s;e them as material principles of <HI>Rea&s;on;</HI> whereas if they were but duly con&s;idered, they would appear to be but <HI>vain Chymira's,</HI> vented on purpo&s;e to occa&s;ion <HI>di&s;putes,</HI> and foment <HI>troubles</HI> and <HI>divi&s;ions.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="33" REF="20">But the former is backt by another con&s;iderable <HI>plea</HI> a|gain&s;t this Power, and that's <HI>the encrea&s;e of Taxes;</HI> and this &s;eems to make an exceeding great noi&s;e, catches every ear, &amp; furni&s;hes di&s;cour&s;e for every bu&s;y tongue, that otherwi&s;e would be at a lo&s;s for <HI>news</HI> to tell in a <HI>Tavern</HI> or <HI>Alehou&s;e.</HI></P>
<P>As to the increa&s;e of <HI>Taxes</HI> you may thank your <HI>&s;elves</HI> and not the <HI>Parliament:</HI> for pray remember in what con|dition you were, when they had that force put upon them, as to <HI>peace, trade at home,</HI> and <HI>credit abroad,</HI> nothing lying upon you but an ordinary <HI>Tax</HI> and moderate <HI>Exci&s;e;</HI> and yet then as certain a charge lay upon the State, in re&s;pect of the <HI>Dutch war,</HI> (powerful Navies being exceeding chargeable) as ever the late Powers could pretend to; and yet &s;till &s;ome publick debts were paid, as well as the <HI>Ar|mies</HI> and <HI>Navies;</HI> &s;o that in a &s;hort time <HI>England</HI> had pro|bable hopes of great ea&s;e, as to an <HI>abatement</HI> of their <HI>Ta|xes,</HI> e&s;pecially if an as honourable and advantageous peace had been made with the <HI>Dutch,</HI> as this Power propo&s;ed &amp; in&s;i&s;ted on, and for denyal whereof they undertook that war. But if you remember further, there hath been a <HI>Spani&s;h war,</HI> &s;et on foot without the <HI>con&s;ent</HI> of <HI>Parliament,</HI> and therein not onely many mens lives lo&s;t, but much Trea|&s;ure hath been expended; and not onely &s;o, but va&s;t debts at home, and arrears abroad, contracted and owing both to the Armies and Navies, be&s;ides the charge of a Court (for the inferiour part of it) more luxurious than the Kings: By all which means great debts now lie upon the Parliament, although you know what an exceeding great encrea&s;e of <HI>Exci&s;e</HI> was granted by one of his <HI>Conventions,</HI> to the di&s;couragement (if not ruine) of Trade: now, I &s;ay, this was <HI>Englands,</HI> nay, give me leave to &s;peak it to the <HI>&s;hame of many,</HI> it was even the fault of tho&s;e, <HI>who had mo&s;t rea&s;on to a&s;&s;ert the parliamentary intere&s;t,</HI> had not we <HI>repined,</HI> and like <HI>ignorant children</HI> eagerly de&s;ired a <HI>change,</HI>
<PB N="34" REF="21">
in expectation of <HI>better things,</HI> we had not in this manner <HI>met with wor&s;e:</HI> neither had the <HI>General,</HI> though his <HI>Army</HI> had been united to him, (which we know for the genera|lity were &s;urprized) dared to have attempted their <HI>di&s;&s;olu|tion,</HI> or his own <HI>u&s;urpation;</HI> but we, like a company of <HI>weather-cocks,</HI> are now &s;o <HI>Frenchified,</HI> that every new <HI>Fingle|fangle</HI> takes <HI>us,</HI> and we are more ready to run with our <HI>flattering addre&s;&s;es</HI> to them that forge <HI>&s;trong chains</HI> for our <HI>heels,</HI> (I might &s;ay, <HI>hearts</HI>) than tho&s;e that endeavour to <HI>recover</HI> and <HI>&s;ecure</HI> our <HI>freedoms.</HI> I need not mention the pre&s;ent occa&s;ion, the charge is vi&s;ible in your eyes. Now pray <HI>how</HI> &s;hall the&s;e <HI>debts</HI> be <HI>paid?</HI> The <HI>decay</HI> of <HI>Trade,</HI> which you all experience and complain of, renders the Revenue of the <HI>Customs</HI> and <HI>Exci&s;e</HI> very incon&s;iderable, and what other Incomes may happen is uncertain; you &s;ee there be <HI>enemies</HI> at <HI>home,</HI> and you have rea&s;on to &s;u&s;pect <HI>foes</HI> from <HI>abroad;</HI> be&s;ides the vi&s;ible nece&s;&s;ity of a con&s;i|derable &s;trength, to ballance the <HI>di&s;contents</HI> of <HI>hone&s;t men,</HI> who, as the ca&s;e &s;tands, <HI>are hardly to be tru&s;ted with the keep|ing of their own peace:</HI> now, I &s;ay, upon all the&s;e con&s;ide|rations, how can you charge the <HI>Parliament?</HI> You would have a <HI>Protector,</HI> and &s;till &s;trive for a <HI>King;</HI> nothing but a <HI>&s;ingle per&s;on</HI> will plea&s;e you: and yet although you lay all the&s;e foundations to contract <HI>debts,</HI> you are loth to have any hand in the payment: but <HI>&s;oft</HI> and <HI>fair, &s;elf do, &s;elf have;</HI> if you will have <HI>Princes</HI> you mu&s;t <HI>maintain them,</HI> and if your <HI>di&s;contents</HI> endanger the <HI>peace,</HI> it is a nece&s;&s;ary duty, incumbent upon the <HI>Parliament,</HI> to keep an <HI>Army</HI> to prevent you. <HI>Engli&s;hmen</HI> are almo&s;t turn'd <HI>Bedlamites,</HI> and, were not the La&s;h threatned, <HI>Harmony</HI> would be turn'd to <HI>Di&s;cord, Cain</HI> would &s;lay poor <HI>Abel,</HI> and all Parties, like <HI>Samp&s;on</HI> and the <HI>Phili&s;tines,</HI> would dye to|gether, <HI>though probably their expectations may be other|wi&s;e.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="35" REF="21">I know, to &s;erious men I have &s;aid enough, as to this Subject, and for &s;elf-will'd per&s;ons all that can be &s;aid is too little, becau&s;e they are wedded to their own fancies. Di&s;contented per&s;ons de&s;ire no &s;atisfaction, and Malig|nant ones de&s;erve none. I &s;hall therefore proceed to offer &s;ome few Quaeries to the con&s;ideration of all Parties, that take them&s;elves to be concerned in the peace and pro&s;pe|rity of <HI>England,</HI> and &s;ubmit all to the con&s;ideration of the unprejudiced Reader.</P>
<P N="1">1. Whether it be by any rational man &s;uppo&s;ed, That the <HI>King</HI>s of <HI>England,</HI> as <HI>&s;ingle per&s;ons,</HI> had their <HI>power</HI> and <HI>magi&s;tracy</HI> by the <HI>immediate de&s;ignation of God?</HI></P>
<P N="2">2. Whether (if not by <HI>Gods immediate appointment</HI>) it was not attained by <HI>force</HI> or <HI>fraud,</HI> or conferred upon them by <HI>mutual compact</HI> and <HI>agreement</HI> for <HI>&s;ociety</HI> and <HI>&s;afe|ty &s;ake?</HI></P>
<P N="3">3. Whether (if &s;o conferred) the <HI>people conferring</HI> was not the <HI>&s;upreme Authority?</HI></P>
<P N="4">4. Whether it can, upon any principles of Rea&s;on, be imagined, That the <HI>people,</HI> thus &s;en&s;ible of the benefit of <HI>Society,</HI> and in order thereto making choice of &s;uch a <HI>form</HI> of <HI>command</HI> and <HI>&s;ubjection,</HI> did not al&s;o by &s;ome <HI>equal rules</HI> ballance the <HI>power,</HI> to prevent <HI>Tyranny</HI> in their <HI>King,</HI> and <HI>Slavery</HI> to <HI>them</HI> and their <HI>posterities?</HI></P>
<P N="5">5. Whether (if the <HI>power</HI> were attained by <HI>force</HI> or <HI>fraud,</HI> although for a time the people for nece&s;&s;ity &s;ake do &s;ubmit) may they not throw off that <HI>Yoke,</HI> and recover their <HI>freedoms</HI> if by any means they can?</P>
<P N="6"><PB N="36" REF="22">6. Whether, in ca&s;e of <HI>compact,</HI> the <HI>King</HI> taking upon him the <HI>Government,</HI> upon Condition of <HI>performance,</HI> and that upon <HI>oath</HI> &s;olemnly taken in the pre&s;ence of the <HI>peo|ple,</HI> he &s;hall notwith&s;tanding act according to <HI>Will</HI> and not <HI>Law,</HI> thereby rendring that which was intended for the <HI>common good,</HI> a <HI>common mi&s;chief;</HI> I &s;ay, whether in this ca&s;e the <HI>people</HI> are tied up to a <HI>&s;lavi&s;h, &s;ervile Obedience,</HI> and left without all manner of remedy, either of <HI>dive&s;ting</HI> him of that <HI>Authority,</HI> or of <HI>calling</HI> him to an <HI>account,</HI> or <HI>judging him</HI> by the &s;aid <HI>compact</HI> and <HI>agreement;</HI> and if &s;o, upon what principles of <HI>Rea&s;on</HI> or <HI>Prudence</HI> could they &s;ub|mit to &s;uch a <HI>&s;lavery?</HI></P>
<P N="7">7. Whether, if the <HI>people</HI> may call their <HI>King</HI> or <HI>&s;u|preme Magistrate</HI> to an account, they may not <HI>elect another,</HI> or choo&s;e and e&s;tabli&s;h any other <HI>form of Government,</HI> to them appearing mo&s;t conducible to their <HI>&s;afety?</HI></P>
<P N="8">8. Whether any <HI>Government</HI> be more likely to an&s;wer the great ends of the <HI>people,</HI> than when their <HI>Laws</HI> are made by their <HI>Repre&s;entatives equally elected</HI> and <HI>limited,</HI> as to the <HI>exerci&s;e</HI> of that <HI>power,</HI> &s;o that he that <HI>commands</HI> this year &s;hall ta&s;te of <HI>&s;ubjection</HI> the next, and therefore will be careful how he entails <HI>&s;lavery</HI> upon <HI>him&s;elf</HI> and <HI>po&s;terity;</HI> the Law binding all alike, and not &s;aying, Thou &s;halt not <HI>kill</HI> but I may, <HI>but who&s;oever &s;heddeth mans bloud, by man &s;hall his bloud be &s;hed;</HI> and &s;o in all other ca&s;es?</P>
<P N="9">9. Whether the <HI>pre&s;ent Parliament</HI> be not the mo&s;t likely per&s;ons to e&s;tabli&s;h a <HI>Government</HI> upon the mo&s;t <HI>e|qual principles</HI> of <HI>Freedom,</HI> that have &s;o <HI>frequently</HI> declared for it, &s;o <HI>zealou&s;ly</HI> conte&s;ted again&s;t <HI>Tyranny,</HI> even unto the <HI>bloud</HI> of the <HI>Tyrant,</HI> and remain &s;o &s;olemnly engaged to <HI>God</HI> and <HI>man,</HI> both by their own <HI>Declarations, Promi&s;es</HI>
<PB N="37" REF="22">
and <HI>Principles,</HI> according to the be&s;t of their judgments to accompli&s;h it, and that as a te&s;timony of their thankful|ne&s;s for the <HI>eminent deliverances</HI> that <HI>God</HI> hath given them in their endeavours to obtein it?</P>
<P N="10">10. Whether the <HI>di&s;contents</HI> of the <HI>people,</HI> and endea|vouring to bring in a Family, that, it is to be feared, <HI>God</HI> hath &s;et his face again&s;t for <HI>evil,</HI> may not onely provoke God to deal with <HI>England</HI> as with <HI>I&s;rael</HI> of old, <HI>and give them a King in his wrath,</HI> but al&s;o bring a judgment of <HI>war</HI> upon this <HI>Nation,</HI> with the mi&s;eries accrewing; and then, when it is too late, men will wi&s;h for that peace, which now is &s;o irk&s;ome and trouble&s;ome?</P>
<P N="11">11. Whether, if the <HI>pre&s;ent Parliament</HI> had a de&s;ire (as is pretended) <HI>to perpetuate their power,</HI> the hair-braind acti|ons of the generality of the pre&s;ent Generation, doth not treat a real occa&s;ion, it not being &s;afe to tru&s;t <HI>unskilful ri|ders</HI> with &s;uch <HI>wild A&s;&s;es?</HI></P>
<P N="12">12. Whether, (if notwith&s;tanding) the <HI>pre&s;ent Parlia|ment,</HI> through the ble&s;&s;ing of <HI>God,</HI> &s;hall attain the <HI>de&s;ired end of peace and freedom</HI> by the &s;ettlement of <HI>&s;ucce&s;sive Re|pre&s;entatives,</HI> and make due provi&s;ion for the <HI>equal di&s;tri|bution of Ju&s;tice,</HI> and having e&s;tabli&s;hed this Nation upon a &s;ure <HI>ba&s;is</HI> or <HI>form</HI> of <HI>Government,</HI> as a <HI>Common-wealth,</HI> &s;hall in &s;ome convenient time <HI>di&s;&s;olve them&s;elves;</HI> whe|ther, I &s;ay, mo&s;t per&s;ons in <HI>England</HI> will not have ju&s;t cau&s;e to take &s;hame to them&s;elves for the <HI>Slanders, Re|proches, Interruptions</HI> and <HI>hard Thoughts</HI> they have harbou|red again&s;t their faithful Patriots, who, maugre all diffi|culties, have been &s;upported in their &s;pirits to pro&s;ecute their <HI>work,</HI> re&s;ting upon the <HI>righteous judgment of God,</HI> and not valuing the <HI>threats</HI> or <HI>tumultuary di&s;turbances</HI> of con|trary-minded men?</P>
<P><PB N="38" REF="23">
My Friends pardon my plainne&s;s, <HI>I do not &s;peak from a principle purcha&s;ed by Reward:</HI> that which &s;wayes with me to a&s;&s;ert the forementioned Premi&s;es, is, a reall know|ledge of many of the <HI>Gentlemen,</HI> and of their aym in the general; and if the <HI>unbelief of England</HI> make not their <HI>Chariot wheels heavy,</HI> I am confident that God will make them as <HI>great In&s;truments</HI> of <HI>good</HI> to this <HI>Nation,</HI> as they have been <HI>examples</HI> of <HI>wonder</HI> and <HI>a&s;toni&s;hment</HI> to their <HI>Enemies abroad</HI> and at <HI>home.</HI> But if by <HI>Jealou&s;ies, Mur|murings</HI> and <HI>Repinings, Plots, In&s;urrections</HI> and <HI>Rebellions,</HI> men will not onely <HI>interrupt</HI> them in their <HI>work,</HI> but al&s;o nece&s;&s;itate them to act upon principles of <HI>&s;afety</HI> and <HI>&s;eve|rity,</HI> I refer it to all rational per&s;ons, whether it be likely that they &s;hould ever be able to an&s;wer tho&s;e <HI>ends&punc;</HI> which you &s;o much <HI>de&s;ire,</HI> and yet by all crooked endeavours <HI>hinder?</HI> How can you expect <HI>peace</HI> when you de&s;ign <HI>war?</HI> How can you expect <HI>ea&s;e</HI> from your <HI>burthens,</HI> while you create a nece&s;&s;ity, rather of encrea&s;e of an <HI>Army</HI> than of le&s;&s;ening it. Certainly, if men would but con&s;ider <HI>for|mer Experiences,</HI> and eye what different methods <HI>God</HI> hath ob&s;erved in bringing about his <HI>great</HI> and <HI>unparallell'd di|&s;pen&s;ations</HI> in <HI>the&s;e Nations,</HI> contrary to all the <HI>de&s;igns</HI> or <HI>ex|pectations</HI> of <HI>men;</HI> I &s;ay, certainly were the&s;e things &s;o|berly con&s;idered, it would teach men <HI>patiently to wait in hope</HI> for the good they expect in <HI>Gods own way,</HI> and not take upon them to pre&s;cribe how, and in what manner, or by what In&s;truments it is convey'd. <HI>His Arme is not &s;hortned,</HI> why then &s;hould any man <HI>de&s;pair</HI> of attaining his <HI>de&s;ires?</HI> Is it not becau&s;e he will confine <HI>God</HI> to &s;uch and &s;uch <HI>means;</HI> and without it be done in <HI>&s;uch a way,</HI> it is pre|&s;ently concluded it <HI>cannot be done?</HI> Whereas both <HI>Expe|rience</HI> and late <HI>Examples</HI> manife&s;t, that <HI>God</HI> hath transfor|med the <HI>hearts</HI> and <HI>judgments,</HI> and turned the <HI>de&s;igns</HI> of the
<PB N="39" REF="23">
Great men of the World <HI>top&s;y-turvy,</HI> beyond all expecta|tion, as in the very ca&s;e of the pre&s;ent <HI>Parliament;</HI> and without doubt, when ever they &s;hall cea&s;e from de&s;ign|ing his <HI>glory</HI> and the <HI>publick good,</HI> or render them&s;elves unfit In&s;truments for the <HI>work</HI> which he is doing in the <HI>World, then, and not till then, &s;hall their Coun&s;els fail,</HI> and they &s;hall be &s;hattered and ca&s;t away as <HI>u&s;ele&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>unpro|fitable &s;ervants;</HI> others, better fitted, &s;hall be rai&s;ed in their &s;tead, (for <HI>God</HI> hath a <HI>&s;ucce&s;sion</HI> of <HI>Providences,</HI> and all his <HI>Councils</HI> are ordered and <HI>&s;ure) therefore wait patiently, and you &s;hall &s;ee the &s;alvations of the Lord.</HI></P>
<CLOSER><DATELINE>LAMBETH, Augu&s;t 30. 1659.</DATELINE>
This is the a&s;&s;ured <HI>hope</HI> and <HI>expectation</HI> of <HI>him</HI> that de&s;ires to manife&s;t him&s;elf (Friendly Reader) thine in the ad|vancement of his <HI>Countries peace,</HI>
<SIGNED>J. H.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
</DIV1>
</BODY>
<BACK>
<DIV1 TYPE="postscript">
<PB REF="24">
<PB N="41" REF="24">
<HEAD>A POST-SCRIPT to the <HI>Parliament</HI> and <HI>Council.</HI></HEAD>
<OPENER><SALUTE>Right Honourable,</SALUTE></OPENER>
<P>_HAving in the foregoing <HI>Narrative</HI> taken the boldne&s;s to treat of you, give me leave now in plainne&s;s of heart to &s;peak a few words to you. I confe&s;s you may ju&s;tly demand, How dares &s;uch a poor, de&s;pi|cable, ob&s;cure Creature, as I am, pre&s;ume to paraphra&s;e of, or dictate to you, that are the <HI>Princes</HI> of our <HI>little world.</HI> I know by &s;ad experience it many times falls out, that <HI>Integrity</HI> is accounted <HI>Arrogancy</HI> and <HI>Singularity; Flattery</HI> better plea&s;es the eares of <HI>great men</HI> than plain dealing, but I hope better from the greate&s;t part of you; however I have not learnt to flatter, nor know how to fear, therefore my <HI>Reward</HI> is with that <HI>God</HI> that knows the bent of my <HI>&s;pirit,</HI> and will in the latter end bear te&s;timony, that what I have done herein proceeds from a principle of <HI>af|fection,</HI> not onely to your per&s;ons, but to the <HI>publick In|tere&s;t</HI> concentred in you.</P>
<P>Tho&s;e <HI>Travellers</HI> that fear <HI>dangers</HI> or de&s;ire <HI>&s;afety</HI> in their <HI>journeys,</HI> u&s;e <HI>diligence</HI> in their <HI>enquiries,</HI> and receive <HI>direction</HI> with <HI>thankfulne&s;&s;e;</HI> but if an <HI>unknown</HI> or <HI>unthought|of danger</HI> be di&s;covered unask'd, that <HI>doubles the obligation,</HI> and 'tis not an unu&s;ual thing in <HI>long</HI> and <HI>dangerous travels</HI> (e&s;pecially where Enemies are on all hands) for &s;uch oc|ca&s;ions to offer them&s;elves.</P>
<P><PB N="42" REF="25">It is an old but true Proverb, <HI>Standers by &s;ee more &s;ome|times than they that play;</HI> and the rea&s;on is obvious, <HI>high conceit</HI> doth u&s;ually occa&s;ion <HI>over&s;ight,</HI> and we are apter to di&s;cern <HI>other mens</HI> mi&s;takes then our <HI>own: Self-opinion</HI> and <HI>Self-love</HI> are two of the mo&s;t dangerous <HI>Steers&punc; men</HI> that can po&s;&s;ibly be employed at the <HI>Helm;</HI> and if Captain <HI>Humility</HI> look not carefully to the <HI>Compa&s;&s;e&punc;</HI> 'tis ten to one but the Ship will either be &s;plit upon the <HI>Rock</HI> of <HI>Ambition,</HI> or &s;wallowed up in the <HI>Quick&s;and</HI> of <HI>Oppre&s;sion.</HI></P>
<P>That you have a <HI>difficult</HI> (I may &s;ay <HI>dangerous</HI>) Journy to go, as being incompa&s;&s;ed with enemies <HI>abroad,</HI> (I wi&s;h I could not &s;ay at <HI>home</HI> too) be&s;ides the clogs and remora's occa&s;ioned by dome&s;tick divi&s;ions, flowing from the dif|ference of <HI>Interest</HI> and <HI>Principles,</HI> I think will not be di&s;|puted or denyed; I might to the <HI>difficulty</HI> and <HI>danger</HI> adde the <HI>di&s;tance,</HI> for if ever you arrive at your journeys end, as you have &s;et out from the <HI>Wilderne&s;&s;e of Tyranny</HI> and <HI>Slavery,</HI> &s;o you mu&s;t never cea&s;e till you have attain|ed the de&s;ired <HI>Canaan</HI> of <HI>ju&s;tice</HI> and <HI>freedom.</HI> You know it is &s;aid, that none obtain the prize <HI>but they that run to the end of the Race,</HI> and truly I may &s;ay to you in the &s;ame &s;en&s;e, that it will not be &s;ufficient for you to bring <HI>Eng|land</HI> to the <HI>borders,</HI> or within the <HI>&s;ight</HI> of the enjoyment of tho&s;e <HI>promi&s;ed ends,</HI> you have &s;o frequently <HI>declard</HI> for, and they have &s;o <HI>earne&s;tly de&s;ired;</HI> unle&s;s <HI>God</HI> &s;hall deal with you as with <HI>Mo&s;es</HI> of old, and for your tran&s;gre&s;&s;ions &s;uffer you onely to <HI>&s;ee the Land a far off,</HI> but you mu&s;t with <HI>Jo&s;hua,</HI> conduct the people into the po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion of your <HI>Promi&s;es</HI> and their <HI>Hopes,</HI> maugre all oppo&s;ition. And though there be many <HI>Corah's</HI> that create fears and <HI>di&s;parage the work,</HI> both as to the <HI>matter</HI> and <HI>manner</HI> of it, yet be not di&s;couraged, but proceed; and con&s;ider, that if the <HI>work</HI> was <HI>good</HI> when you fir&s;t <HI>declared for</HI> and <HI>undertook it,</HI> although the way to the attainment be &s;trowed with
<PB N="43" REF="25">
<HI>briars</HI> and <HI>thorne,</HI> yet certainly the end will be crowned with <HI>peace, glory</HI> and <HI>joy</HI> un&s;peakable.</P>
<P>But what do I &s;peak of the <HI>Wilderne&s;&s;e</HI> when you have already entered into <HI>Canaan?</HI> The yoke of <HI>Pharaoh</HI> is broken, and we are under <HI>a &s;olemn tye</HI> and <HI>engagement</HI> ne|ver more to return to <HI>Egypt,</HI> then in your March beware of the <HI>Gibeonites.</HI> There be many, that becau&s;e they can|not <HI>conquer,</HI> will <HI>flatter,</HI> and cry <HI>peace, peace:</HI> many will (and do) walk <HI>your wayes</HI> with <HI>other intentions,</HI> I beg of them therefore to beware of &s;uch <HI>Covenant-mongers,</HI> for fear (in&s;tead of <HI>freedom</HI>) you entail <HI>&s;lavery,</HI> or, at lea&s;t, thru&s;t an <HI>incurable thorn</HI> into the <HI>&s;ides</HI> of <HI>your</HI> and <HI>our</HI> Po|&s;terities.</P>
<P>I &s;hall not take upon me to point out the per&s;ons, that merit this appellation; but I &s;ay, <HI>you may know them by their fruits,</HI> unle&s;s <HI>Thi&s;tles</HI> do (in this &s;trange age, of &s;trange productions) bear <HI>Figs.</HI> I &s;hall therefore proceed to pre|&s;ent a few things to your view, and humbly &s;ubmit my &s;elf and them, to your &s;erious con&s;ideration.</P>
<P>1. That <HI>great engagements</HI> do not onely occa&s;ion great <HI>expectations,</HI> but al&s;o create an&s;werable <HI>obligations,</HI> both toward <HI>God</HI> and <HI>man.</HI></P>
<P>Now give me leave to appeale to you, and beg of you to con&s;ider, <HI>whether ever a Generation of men in Power as you now are,</HI> lay under, or &s;tood obliged to &s;uch, and &s;o many <HI>&s;olid, &s;erious, reiterated, religious</HI> and <HI>civill engagements,</HI> as you are and remain at this day; and if &s;o, what need have you <HI>to take heed to your &s;tanding!</HI> and as that noble Hea|then, who had his Remembrancer every night to put him in mind that he mu&s;t <HI>dye,</HI> &s;o you, to recount your <HI>Declara|tions</HI> and <HI>Engagements,</HI> to the end not one of them be <HI>bro|ken,</HI> &s;o far as they are con&s;i&s;tent with the <HI>glory</HI> of <HI>God,</HI> and <HI>good</HI> of this <HI>people,</HI> with the Government of whom you are entru&s;ted.</P>
<P><PB N="44" REF="26">2. Con&s;ider, that <HI>great mercies</HI> require <HI>&s;uitable returnes;</HI> that you have been partakers of <HI>infinite mercies</HI> inward and outward, I hope <HI>the greate&s;t part of you</HI> experience, now pray what is a more &s;uitable fruit <HI>of mercy received,</HI> then to manife&s;t <HI>mercy</HI> to others? I am &s;ure, <HI>forgive us our tre&s;|pa&s;&s;es, as we forgive others that tre&s;pa&s;&s;e again&s;t us,</HI> is the be&s;t argument that our <HI>Saviour</HI> hath left us to make u&s;e of, when we beg forgivene&s;s of <HI>God;</HI> and if &s;o, I cannot but judge it to be the <HI>be&s;t rule</HI> of our <HI>proceedings,</HI> and much better then an <HI>eye</HI> for an <HI>eye,</HI> or a <HI>tooth</HI> for a <HI>tooth.</HI> I &s;peak not this to <HI>indulge</HI> or <HI>indemnifie Traitors</HI> or <HI>di&s;turbers;</HI> but I offer it as an expedient in order to <HI>moderation, Summum jus e&s;t Summa injuria,</HI> there is a va&s;t difference between <HI>ju&s;tum</HI> and <HI>ju&s;ta;</HI> as too much <HI>&s;ecurity</HI> may endanger <HI>&s;afety,</HI> &s;o too much <HI>&s;everity</HI> may by degrees introduce <HI>&s;lavery,</HI> the con&s;equence whereof is an equall, (if not a greater and more incurable) mi&s;chief.</P>
<P>3. That <HI>afflictions</HI> like the <HI>Sun</HI> either <HI>harden</HI> or <HI>&s;often,</HI> make <HI>better</HI> or <HI>wor&s;e.</HI> God hath for your <HI>own</HI> and <HI>Eng|lands &s;innes,</HI> for &s;everall yeares pa&s;t, judged you in the <HI>pre|&s;ence</HI> of the <HI>people;</HI> and for my part I do not doubt, but un|der the &s;en&s;e thereof you have <HI>&s;ecretly</HI> and <HI>&s;olemnly</HI> hum|bled your &s;elves before the <HI>Lord,</HI> acknowledged your <HI>wanderings</HI> and <HI>waywardne&s;&s;e;</HI> and not onely &s;o, but have made your <HI>vowes</HI> and taken up <HI>re&s;olutions,</HI> that if ever you were re&s;tored, you would do <HI>what ever your hands found to do with all your might,</HI> without <HI>dallying, denyall</HI> or <HI>delay:</HI> And I really believe your <HI>late</HI> (I may &s;ay) <HI>miraculous</HI> (I am &s;ure <HI>unexpected) re&s;tauration</HI> hath been the fruit, if not of yours, of many of the good people of this nations prayers, who <HI>mourned over,</HI> and <HI>longed for you,</HI> as in&s;tru|ments by whom they expected <HI>deliverance</HI> from their threatned <HI>Spirituall,</HI> and then <HI>inflicted</HI> temporall <HI>enthral|ments;</HI> now upon this con&s;ideration, judge &s;eriou&s;ly both your <HI>work</HI> and your <HI>way.</HI></P>
<P><PB N="45" REF="26">Your work is to <HI>relieve</HI> the <HI>oppre&s;&s;ed,</HI> and to let the <HI>bound</HI> go <HI>free.</HI></P>
<P>I might here inlarge, but in &s;hort, all <HI>oppre&s;sive Lawes,</HI> whether relating to the <HI>Con&s;ciences, Per&s;ons</HI> or <HI>E&s;tates</HI> of men; all <HI>oppre&s;sive rules</HI> u&s;ed in <HI>Courts</HI> of Judicature, all <HI>oppre&s;sive exactions</HI> of <HI>Bayliffs, Goalers</HI> and <HI>Pri&s;on-keepers,</HI> as to matters of debt and the like, ought with &s;peed to be prevented and removed, as being <HI>Ulcers</HI> that will &s;ud|denly occa&s;ion the whole body to <HI>Gangreen;</HI> and give me leave by the way to hint one thing that in a more &s;peciall and immediate manner concernes your in&s;pection: it is &s;ugge&s;ted very frequently, that there are exceeding great <HI>exactions</HI> u&s;ed by &s;ome of your inferiour <HI>Officers,</HI> intru&s;ted with the Cu&s;tody of your <HI>Pri&s;oners of war;</HI> which if true, renders your very <HI>mercy</HI> as meer <HI>cruelty</HI> as may be, I do not charge it; and I know if any &s;uch thing be, it is both again&s;t your <HI>principles</HI> and former <HI>practi&s;e,</HI> and I am &s;ure it is contrary to <HI>equity</HI> or the <HI>pre&s;ent intere&s;t;</HI> many are pri&s;o|ners that probably de&s;erve more, and I believe others that <HI>merit</HI> not <HI>&s;o much;</HI> however though all are and ought to be &s;ubject to the <HI>Law</HI> &s;o far as guilty, yet none ought to be <HI>&s;laves</HI> to the <HI>will</HI> of their <HI>keepers,</HI> further then in order to their &s;ure <HI>keeping:</HI> and whatever authority may be plea|ded, <HI>the great exaction of fees,</HI> and the monopolizing of their <HI>bellies</HI> and <HI>pur&s;es,</HI> by denying the &s;upply of provi&s;i|ons from any but them&s;elves, and that &s;old too at a dear rate; I &s;ay, (if it be true,) it is a great <HI>di&s;honour</HI> to the <HI>State,</HI> a puni&s;hable crime in the <HI>keepers,</HI> and a po&s;itive <HI>op|pre&s;sion</HI> to the <HI>pri&s;oners;</HI> and would be worthy your &s;peedy inqui&s;ition, to the end your <HI>honour,</HI> and the <HI>publick ju&s;tice</HI> may be <HI>vindicated.</HI></P>
<P>Having heard great complaints to that purpo&s;e, I have thought it my duty in this <HI>way</HI> to inform your <HI>Honours,</HI> and if it be po&s;&s;ible to <HI>&s;hame</HI> them out of &s;uch <HI>by paths;</HI> all that
<PB N="46" REF="27">
is &s;o gotten being but like a <HI>moth,</HI> that will devour and eat up the hone&s;t profit that might be got by their im|ployments; but probably the thought of the <HI>gain</HI> will vanqui&s;h the <HI>&s;hame,</HI> and if &s;o, a ju&s;t <HI>puni&s;hment</HI> &s;ea&s;onably inflicted, may work that <HI>repentance</HI> which friendly <HI>admo|nition</HI> could not accompli&s;h.</P>
<P>As to tho&s;e declared foundations of Freedom, upon which a &s;ure Ba&s;is of Government is to be &s;etled, I &s;hall not take upon me to intermeddle, not doubting but the <HI>wi&s;dom</HI> and <HI>Intere&s;t</HI> of <HI>Parliament</HI> is &s;uch, that as they will on the one hand take care to curb &amp; re&s;train <HI>licentious pro|phane&s;&s;e</HI> and <HI>oppre&s;sion,</HI> &s;o on the other hand, tho&s;e that are <HI>pious</HI> and <HI>peaceable,</HI> though of what Opinion &s;oever, not contradicting the <HI>written revealed Word,</HI> nor oppo&s;ing the <HI>fundamental Principles</HI> of <HI>Religion,</HI> may and &s;hall receive <HI>protection</HI> and <HI>encouragement,</HI> and not be left to the fury of Phanaticks; and in &s;o doing you will bring much <HI>glory</HI> to <HI>God, good</HI> to his <HI>people</HI> in the&s;e Nations, and <HI>la&s;ting ho|nour</HI> to your <HI>&s;elves</HI> and <HI>Po&s;terities;</HI> which is the daily Prayer of,</P>
<CLOSER><SALUTE>Right Honourable;</SALUTE> <SIGNED>Your faithful Servant,
John Harris.</SIGNED></CLOSER>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
<PB REF="27">
</DIV1>
</BACK>
</TEXT>
</EEBO>
</ETS>
