The Copy of the Articles exhibited to his Excellency Thomas Lord Fairfax, General, &c. against John Brown, Clerk of the house of Lords.

IMprimis, He the said John Brown, contrary to Law and a good Conscience, most wickedly did combine and counsel one Sir Adam Littleton, who had laid claim to the Estate of one John Poyntz alias Morris, Esquire; the said Littleton having been several times overthrown by the said Poyntz alias Morris, viz. By four several Offices in Essex and London, at he was found Heir apparent at Law to the said Estate; although the Evidences and other Writings, by which his Ancestors held and injoyed the said Estate, be concealed and withheld. And possession was given to the said Poyntz alias Morris, ac­ [...]ding to two Injunctions given by Sir Rowland Wansford of the Court of Wards, and Turnment made by the Tennants Farmers of the said Estate, upon their knowledg, his Ancestors injoying of the Estate above fifty yeers, and never in any [...]er name to this day, but Poyntz alias Morris, since the 38 of Elizabeth. Notwithstanding all which clear proofs, and many more, the which for brevity sake, are not here inserted, (did Councel) to bring the business into the Lords House, promising and warranting the said Estate unto him the said Sir Adam Littleton: In order to which, he the said John Brown caused the said Poyntz alias Morris, Mary his wife, Leonard Darby, John Harris, and Isabella Smith, to be sent for before the Lords, and accused them with a pretended forgery of a Copy of an Act of Parliament, although the Copy of the said Act was delivered to Leonard Darby, and Isabella Smith, with Master Browns hand to it, by one Master William Hunt, [...]nd under Clerk of the House of Commons, and examined in Master Browns Office; and by Mr. Brown himself, since ac­knowledged, but since his said Combination with Sir Adam Littleton denyed: And he the said Master Brown, came to the [...]ouse of Poyntz alias Morris, and threatning, That if he met with him, he would make him come short home.

2. Item, in pursuance of the ends aforesaid, he the said John Brown, having upon his false accusation, obtained an Order [...]rom the Lords, for the apprehending of Poyntz alias Morris, Mary his wife, Leonard Derby, John Harris and Isabella [...]mith, came himself in person, together with one Frogmorton his man, and Littleton and others, about eleven, a clock in the night, to the house of Poyntz alias Morris; and he the said Master Brown, gave command to the Constables to break open the doors of the house of the said Poyntz alias Morris; and being asked by the Constables for his Warrant, Master Brown replyed, saying, I'll warrant you, but the Constables refused: whereupon, the said Mr. Brown himself, and his fol­lowers, broken open three doors, with Bolts and Locks, and entered the house, and not finding the Copy of the Act with [...] hand to it; contrary to the Order of the Lords, seized upon all Poyntz alias Morris, his Evidences and other Writings, and [...]ok of Accounts, wherein the Tennants had set their hands, and made their Aturnment according to Law, and gave them [...]leton their Adversary to read, saying, He was Clerk of the Parliament, and what he had done, he could answer; and to us day keepeth them, having no Commission so to do, but his own will.

3. Item, he the said John Brown, having by vertue of the Lords Order, seized upon the persons of Mary Poyntz alias Morris, Isabella Smith, and kept them in custody three weeks, before he brought them before the Lords, giving command [...] their Keepers, That they should not have a Copy of their Attachment; notwithstanding the Lords Order, was immediate, and their persons, to be brought forthwith before their Lordships.

4. Item, the said Iohn Brown did cause the said Poyntz alias Morris to be taken forcibly out of his house, with drawn [...]ords, threatning to be sheathed in the guts of them that did resist, and by vertue of the Lords Order put him under the [...]k Rod, from whence he the said M. Brown removed him to the Kings Bench, and there entred an Action of a thousand [...]nd against him, and declared in ten thousand pound for pretended words that the said Poyntz aliàs Morris his wife should [...]k, but never brought him the said Poyntz before the Lords to this day, to answer to what he had objected against him: [...]he the said Mr. Brown did constantly oppose Poyntz aliàs Morris his proceedings, and Petition delivered to the Lords, [...] shewed them to Littleton, so that no legall hearing could be had.

5. Item, he the said John Brown, having by vertue of the Lords Order, seized upon the persons of Poyntz alias Morris, [...]y his wife, Leonard Darby, John Harris, and Isabella Smith, he caused them to be committed close prisoners to four [...]al prisons, viz. Kings Bench, Gatehouse Westminster, Ludgate, Poultrey Counter, where they all remain prisoners to day; and he most maliciously, and contrary to Law, and without any command, but his own will, having them thus in [...]ance, went from prison to prison, threatning their respective Keepers, That if they kept them not close prisoners, he [...]ld make them lose their places.

6. Item, the said Master Brown, at another time urged the Keepers, That the aforesaid prisoners might be so locked up, [...]t none might come at them; and being told, that they would be starved for want of Bread, and eaten up with Lice, the [...] Master Brown replyed in words to this effect, saying, That if they did perish they need take no notice of it, for it was [...]thing to them.

7. Item, he the said Master Brown, having denyed his own hand to the said Copy, before by him confest, viz. in these [...]ds, Who dare deny it: In order whereunto, for the better varnishing over of his most wicked practices, caused the said Master Hunt, an under Clerk to the House of Commons, who delivered the said Copy with Master Browns hand to it, to Leonard Darby, and Isabella Smith, to put in an negative answer in writing, and not viva voce, as by law he ought, viz. He did not remember the delivery of the Copy of the said Act; whereupon, he the said Master Brown, by his power and pre­valency with the Lords, got the said Copy of the Act condemned, and Poyntz alias Morris, Mary his wife, Leonard Darby, John Harris, and Isabella Smith, sentenced and fined, although Poyntz alias Morris, Mary his wife, Leonard Darby, John Harris, and Isabella Smith, were never suffered to make there lawful defence, in regard many of their Friends, and their Witnesses, not daring to appear at the Lords Bar, for fear of Master Brown, in respect of his continual threats and flanders.

8. Item, he the said Master Brown, knowing his own guilt, fearing he thould not be able to delude the Lords to a beleif [...] his false and flanderous Accusation, endeavored to subborn and hire Witnesses, against Poyntz alias Morris, Leonard [...]arby, and Isabella Smith: In order whereunto, he the said John Brown, went unto one Godfrey Cade, who hath been a prisoner in the Fleet, and other places neer twenty yeers, and gave him one pound and five shillings, and promised, him five pounds more, with his inlargement, and other courtesies, provided he would make oath before the Lords, That he the said Cade forged the said Copy of an Act of Parliament, and counterfeited the said Browns hand to it, for Leonard Darby, and Isabella Smith. In order to which end, he the said Master Brown, caused the said Cade to be brought up to the Lords House accordingly, as by the said Cade was confost several times since, before divers sufficient Witnesses.

9. Item, he the said John Brown, hath from time to time, molested, standered, and troubled all persons and friends, that did at any time appear in the behalf of the said Poyntz alias Morris, Mary his wife, Leonard Darby, John Harris, and Isabella Smith.

10. Item, he the said Master Brown, knowing and finding that Mr Audly, cheif Clerk and Master of the Treasury of Records, in the Court of Wards, had delivered to Isabella Smith, in the presence of others, several Copies of Records, attested under his hand, found by his Clerks in his Treasury at Westminster, old and dusty, not to be read without sweep­ing, whereby the Title of Morris to the said Estate was cleared, and the Act of Parliament manifested, came to the said M [...] Audly and threatned him with the loss of his place, if he should dare to maintain any thing against him; and finding the said Master Audly to persist in the justification of himself, in the delivery of Copies to Isabella Smith, concerning the Estate, of Poyntz alias Morris, be the said Master Brown, caused the said Master Audly to be brought to the Lords Bar, and endeavored to have him fined, and to lose his place for the same.

11. Item, the said Master Brown felloniously hath caused all the said Records lately remaining in the Treasury of the Court of Wards, and in the Tower, concerning the Estate of Poyntz alias Morris, to be removed and delivered into his own custody, and also the Copy of the Act with his own hand to it, delivered by Mr. Hunt, but then in the hand of Master Twisden, a Councel for Poyntz alias Morris, which by Law is fellony, as appears by the Statute of the 8 of H.6 chap. 12. to remove, condemn, or cancel Records.

12. Item, he the said Mr. Brown hath unjustly and maliciously, upon a slanderous suggestion, caused one Mr. Pendred, who appeared in the business, to be imprisoned for pretended words, by vertue of a pretended Order of the Lords, directed by him, the said Mr. Brown, to one Justice Manly of Westminster, unto which Warrant of Commitment, the said Pendred put in sufficient bayl, before Sir Edward Powel, another Justice for Westminster, and was released by the said Sir Edward Powel; the which Mr. Brown hearing, immediately went with others with him unto the said Justice, Sir Edward Powel, and told him he would cause his Commission to be taken from him, if he did not immediately cause the said Pendred to be attached again, upon which, the said Sir Edward Powel through fear of his power, did accordingly by vertue of a Warrant from Sir John Woollaston, attach the said Pendred in the City of London, the same day that he had taken bayl, and carried him back to the Gatehause Westminster again, where he hath remained in prison many months, to his total ruine of his Estate, and hazard of his life, by reason of much sickness, occasioned by his said imprisonment.

13. Item, after the said Pendred had put in his Petition to the Lords, certifying them of his hard usage, the said Master Brown opposed it, and said that his bayl was Knights of the Post; by whose power and prevalency in the House of Lords, he the said Pendred is still kept in durance in the Gatehouse, and his bayl cannot be admitted to clear and vindicate them­selves, of Mr. Browns false slanders and accusations, by reason of his being protected by the Lords.

14. Item, that though upon the Petition of Poyntz alias Morris, Mary his wife, Leonard Darby, John Harris, and Isabella Smith, the Lords referred it to the Judges, to consider and make their Report, Whether the said Pendred and the rest, might be released from their imprisonment, in regard of the fines imposed upon them by the Lords: Which Report was accordingly made by the Judges, that they might be released from their imprisonment, notwithstanding the sines, in regard that the Order for their commitment, was not for any fine, but till the pleasure of the Lords were farther signified: Upon which, the said Mr. Brown, openly opposed their inlargement in the House of Lords, by a Petition of his to the-Lords; and thereupon keepeth them still in durance, and absolutely refused to signe a Copy of the Judges Report made to the Lords, for their inlargement, whereby it might not be so authentike as otherwise it would.

15. Item, he the said John Brown, hath brought many vexations and causeless actious, upon many of the friends of Poyntz alias Morris, on purpose to heat them of from their appearing in his behalf, the better to keep the said Pendred, and the [...] in prison, and from a tryal at Law.

16. Item, that the said John Brown, came to the house of Commons and endeavored to his utmost power, to hinder the Petition and Appeal of Poyntz alias Morris, and the rest, &c. from being delivered and read.

17. Item, these and many other high crimes, misdemeanors, and oppressions, have been committed by the said John Brown, Clerk to the House of Lords; which will be evidently proved by lawful and competent Witnesses, when ever your Excellency shall please to appoint a Committee to receive the same, or otherwise as your Excellency shall think meet.

And having proceeded thus far, give us leave, (being thereto emboldened with the consideration of our innocency, and his tyranny) to appeal to God, and all good men; and if there be any yet remaining, which have not made a covenant with Iniquity, whose bearts God hath kept upright in the pursuance of Justice: to such we call and cry, and desire them to hear us, from our several Cells of slavery: and as they expect the blessing of God upon their pro­ceedings, Let them as an evidence thereof, employ their power, to bring us to a Bar of Justice, to be tryed for all supposed Crimes laid to our charge. And although we finde the subtle and plausible suggestions of Mr. Brown, to be of too great weight to delude you; yet we desire this may be the touchstone to try his truth by. If as he pretends we be really guilty of such Crimes; we dare him in the sight of God and good men, to bring us to a legal tryal; nay, if we were guilty we might by the Law challenge it, and it ought not to be denyed. Oh therefore, if you be Englishmen, or would evidence to the World, that you are no respecters of persons, we are bold to challenge this justice of you, to free us from our imprisonment by the Lords Order, and bring us to a legal tryal, that by the Law we may le acquitted or condemned. This is pure Justice, suffer us not to perish in prison, while you may justly de­liver, lest by your silence you contract upon your selves, the guilt of other mens oppressions.