ARTICLES Presented against this PARLIAMENT, OR, THE PARLIAMENTS Hypocrisie discovered in VERSE and PROSE.

By TERRAE-FILIƲS, Being an ancient Lover of his Countrey.

Printed in the Yeer 1648.

ARTICLES presented against this PARLIAMENT.

By Terra Filius.

TIS now high time for every honest man to stand up and looke about him; We expected ease and freedome by this Parliament, but behold we finde it not: Taxes and Impositions lye still upon the People, and shall this be suffered and I live? I have written many pretty things in Verse since the beginning of this Parliament, which the learned of each House ap­proved:

But now Poetique Pen lye still awhile,
For Ile in Prose the Parliament revile,
And tell the World in spight of Factions,
We are betray'd by their meane actions.

And now I have taken my whip into my hand, I'le spare no body: Stand out Parliament and heare your charge:

First, You are charged by me in the name of all the People of England, that you falsely and perfidiously, under the shew of giving thankes, did accuse his sacred Majestie of being guilty of calling this present Parlia­ment of his especiall grace and meere goodnesse; wher­as it was sufficiently and notoriously knowne unto you and all men, that his sacred Majesty was from the first day of his reign till the first of this present Parliament, a constant enemy to all Parliaments; and had graci­ously [Page 2] endevoured the setling of Tyranny, as well in this as the other two Kingdomes, and to inslave the People (as well for the honour of the Nation, as their owne good.) But finding them not lesse willing to suffer, then he was to oppresse, and doubting (upon good reason) the Peoples rage (who incessantly in all places, private and publique, cryed aloud for a Parliament) not know­ing what course to steere; was contented to call this, as a Sanctuary to which he might flye for preservation, if the Irish Plot (which was then hammering) should take effect.

Secondly, You are further charged, that when the King had raised an Army, graciously intouding the de­struction of you (and so of the whole People, who had intrusted you with their Liberties, Lives and Estates) you disobediently, and contrary to his Majesties expresse commands, gave the honour of this Designe to his evill Councell, as if his sacred Majestie could need a Broker, or so little understood his Function, as to want crafri­nesse enough to contrive, or courage to carry on any wickednesse; nay, you are so proud of your folly, that you persist in it to this day, and with so much madnesse, as that should his gracious Mejestie please (after the ex­ample of his dearest Father of blessed memory) to be­wray his breeches, you had Vored this the act of his evill Councell, and therefore declared them Papists and ene­mies to the State.

Thirdly, You are further charged, that you having suffered London to become a Garrison to those Rebels that assisted the King against you, have notwithstanding laid severall Taxes and Impositions upon them by your severall Declarations, commanding them to desert their [Page 3] said Garrison, except they should within a reasonable time compound with the Clerke of the Committee at Goldsmiths-Hall for a Licence to stay in Town and con­tinue the possession of their said Garrison.

Fourthly, You are further charged, That whereas divers ho­nest men (who either have lived constantly in London (it then being your Garrison) calling you Rebels, and wishing destru­ction to you and your Armies, or having borne Armes against you, live under your protection, and have since written and di­vulged many Pamphlets to your disgrace, and have thereby contributed much to the carrying on of this new Warre) have been at your extraordinary charge, taken and committed to Prison, and within halfe a day after discharged, for not hav­ing enough abused you, without any satisfaction made them for their Imprisonment, or any incouragement given (more then the favours and countenances of particular Members, their private friends) to proceed in so good and commendable a worke.

Fifthly, You are further charged, That contrary to the lav­dable custome of this Parliament, you have imprisoned and have endeavoured to bring to condigne punishment the two stout Champions of Tyranny, Sir Iohn Stowell and Master Ta­vy Genkins, notwithstanding that they have given you a brave disgrace at your Barre, and had alwayes beene active instru­ments against you, and had zealously endeavoured to inthrall the whole Nation in slavery, and doe still continue constant to their first Principles, hating you as over with a perfect ha­tred: Whereas it hath been the custome of this Parliament to punish their friends onely that had done them best service, and to reward their enemies with all possible favour.

Sixthly, You are further charged, That having admitted in­to your House, as Members thereof, severall Gentlemen that have served the King in his late Warres against the Parliament, you have not endeavoured to punish divers ill affected persons, who have informed you of these Delinquency, and laboured to purge the House of them, tending to the great weakning of the Royall Party, to the preventing the wisht for successe of [Page 4] all his Majesties gracious Designes, laid and carried on with so much blood and rapine; and giving so just cause to all loyall Subjects (the true lovers and honourers of gawdry and slave­ry) to dispaire of ever seeing his Majestie as powerfull to doe mischiefe as Nero, Caligula or Domitian, the sacred and anointed Princes of the Roman Empire.

These are the Articles of your charge, get off them as you can. I assign you any day twixt this and this day seven nights, for your Answer; which (if it be satisfactory) must be now at length indifferently to administer justice to all men, to bring Delinquents to condigne punishment (according to your so­lemne League and Covenant) to begin with the greatest (for greatnesse (certainly) cannot justifie any man in doing wick­edly, nor secure him from punishment; the soule that sinneth shall dye) and so forward, if once you will resolve to walke in this path (in which onely you may finde safety) God shall blesse you; the Peoples hearts shall turne to you; you shall destroy all those that rise up against you; Foraigne and Domesticke Designes shall fall in peeces, and be as water spilt upon the [...]round.

I cannot end thus, I must have a lash at your tails in Verse.

Poeta nascitur non fit.

YOu that have tasted Helicons faire water
And honesty, have wisely followed after;
Harken and read what I doe write in Verse.
I saw a Vision, which I will rehearse;
'Twas in a Moonshiny night that I
Lay tumbling in my bed, I knew not why;
When loe, behold, oh! what a sight was there.
A goodly person did to me appeare,
All clad in white was be, no snow did ere
More white upon a Mountaine top appeare;
A loose long garment hung down to his heele;
Oh! God, what comfort did my soule then feele:
For on his shoulders two wings did I spye,
More bright then any Gold of Barbary:
By which I knew that God to me had sent
His Angell, to declare all his intent.
Then I lay still; he thus at length began:
Feare not, but heare thou more then happyman;
He that hath sent me, hath declar'd his will
To thee at severall times, when he was still
To all the world beside; because he knew
That thou art bold, a faithfull man and true,
And wilt not hide his Counsell, but declare
To all the world, how by their wit and care
They might prevent his judgements; now attend,
And carefully thine eare unto me lend.
When as the King not knowing what to doe,
Was forc'd to call this Parliament (as you
And all men know) he did a Plot contrive
It to destroy; hut's owne Prerogative
To raise more high then ere it was before,
That him, as god, his subjects should adore:
Many Designes he had, and Plots were laid,
Which by the Plotters were est soon betrayd:
For so 'twas orderd from above, that none
Should take effect but that unhappy one,
Irelands Massacre, which though cruell, 'twas
For good, though unknown reasons, came to passe,
The King then takes up Armes, in order still
To his old Plot, to make his private will
Above the Lawes; thinking that if it might
Perchance fall out to have the worst in fight,
He might returne unto the Parliament
And be received, although be nere repent;
Thinking and hoping that a time will come,
When for their follies he may pay them home,
The War's begun, his sacred Majestie
That put them by the eares, most graciously
Beholds the fight with pleasure, till on's side
The Foot began to run, the Horse to ride.
The King flyes to the Scots, by whose consent
He come a prisoner to the Parliament.
They send him Propositions, but he
Will grant them none, because they how the knee:
But this is not the course that they must take,
His Soule's asleepe, and they must it awake.
Let them be strong to Gods worke, and stand
Vp stoutly in it, or the promist Land
They nere shall see; but by another way
The Lord of hosts shall get himselfe the day.
Edward and Richard call'd the second both
Are your examples, minde them, or your sloath
Shall be rewarded, for the blood that's spilt,
If not the Kings, must be the Houses guilt.
Now publish this, and if they doe not mend,
And tread this path; then tell them, I intend
To come againe; and to thee I will shew,
How England shall be lightned of her foe;
And then he vanish'd. I surveyed round
The Chamber, but he was not to be found,
Now in obedience unto his command,
I doe declare this unto all the Land,
From Dan even to Beersheba, though thou be
Of base, or poore, or else of high degree.
FINIS.

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