A brief necessary vindication of the old and new secluded members, from the false malicious calvmnies and of the fundamental rights, liberties, privileges, government, interest of the freemen, Parliaments, people of England, from the late avowed subversions 1. of John Rogers ... 2. of M. Nedham ... / by William Prynne ...

A brief necessary vindication of the old and new secluded members, from the false malicious calvmnies and of the fundamental rights, liberties, privileges, government, interest of the freemen, Parliaments, people of England, from the late avowed subversions 1. of John Rogers ... 2. of M. Nedham ... / by William Prynne ...

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A brief neceſſary Vindication, of the Old and New ſecluded Members, &c.

A brief neceſſary Vindication, of the Old and New ſecluded Members, &c.

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ON the 17. of this inſtant September, (during my private retirement in the Country for my health and quiet;) I received 2. Books, fraught with malicious calumnies, bitter ſcoffs, inſufferable Reproaches, againſt my Self and other ſecluded Members; yea deſtructive to the very fundamental Rights, Liberties, Privileges, Government, Intereſt of the Freemen, Parliaments and Realm of England, for which we have ſo many years conteſted.

The 1. of theſe thus intituled, A Chriſtian Concertation, with M. Prynne, M. Baxter, M. Harrington: for the true Cauſe of the Commonwealth, &c. by J. Rogers. A moſt ſcurrilous [...] fraught with abſurd impertinercies, conjuring, canting, new coyned 2 Pet. 2. 18. Jude 16. ſwelling words of vanity, odious compariſons, bitter ſcoffs, rayſing Epethites;In his, p. 35. to 41. loathſom, ſtinking obſcene Queres, defiling the very air;Page 4. 119. boyiſh tricks, playing with mens names and reputations, (which he p. 20 21, 22, 24, 98, 57. ſeverely cenſures in others, yet is moſt guilty of himſelf) diſplaying him to be, rather a His own phraſes, p. 3, 4. conjuring Sorcerer, than Goſpel-Miniſter, an Apoſtate ſcoffing Lucian, than ſober real Chriſtian, ſtanding [Page]much in need of the p. 59, 65, 26. ſeveral Pills he preſcribes Mr. Baxſter, to purge his filthy ſtomack, ſpleen, brain, heart, pen, from ſuch rotten stinking humors for the future; almoſt every page in his book, being either p. 24, 25. Scandalum Magnum, or Scandalum Magnatum, to uſe his own expreſſions againſt all diſſenting from him; but anp. 10, 17, 18, 19, &c. egregious flattery of his own faction.

The 2. Intereſt will not lie: Or, a View of Englands True Interest, by Mar [...] Nedham; which had he intituled, Intereſt will lie: Or, a View of Englands Falſe Interest, by Mar.—England; it had been a true Character of it.

The firſt, moſt furiouſly chargeth me; and my ſecluded companions in the Van, the later in the Rear: The one with whole Vollies of fired ſquibs, more like a Whiffler, than a M [...]skateer; ſhooting nothing but wild-fire, andPſal. 64. 3. bitter words, without bullets. The other like a Trumpeter, rather than a Trooper, ſounding a fierce charge againſt us with his Trumpet, without wounding us with his Lance or Sword, which are very obtuſe.

To avoid prolixity, impertinence, and repetitions, I ſhall reduce all the material Differences between us into 6. diſtinct Questions, wherin I ſhall refute what they have publiſhed, relating to my ſelf, the other ſecluded Members, the Rights, Privileges, Intereſt of our Parliaments and Nation, with all poſſible Brevity; omitting their perſonal ſcoffs, and ſcurrilities.

The 1. Queſtion, Queſtion 1 between J. Rogers and Mr. Prynne, (wherein Nedham hath no ſhare) is but this. Whether the Defence, maintenance of the true Proteſtant Religion; the Kings royal perſon, authority, government, poſterity, the privileges and rights of Parliament, conſiſting of King, Lords and Commons, the Laws, Statutes of the Land, the Liberty, Property of the Subject, and peace, ſafety of the Kingdom, were the only True and Good Old Cauſe, for which the long Parliament, and their Armies, first took up Arms in 1642. and continued them till the Treaty with the King, 1648. as Mr. Prynne aſſerts and proves (likeRogers, p. 2. a Lawyer, by punctual Evidences, Witn [...]ſſes, Votes, Declarations, Remonſtrances, Ordinances of both Houſes; yea of the Army-Officers, Generals, Council, during all the [Page] wars) in his Good Old Cauſe rightly ſtated; his True and perfect Narrative; The Re-publicans and others ſpurious Good Old cauſe briefly and truly anatomized; and in his Concordia Diſcors: Or, whether the erecting of a New Commonwealth, and Parliament without a King and Houſe of Lords, and Majority of the Commons Houſe upon the ruines of the late King, Kingdom, Parliament, ſince 1648. to 1653. and the reviving of it May 7. 1659. by ſome ſwaying Army-Officers, and the farr Minor part of the old Commons Houſe confederating with them, by meer armed power ſecluding the greateſt Number of the ſurviving Members, and whole Houſe of Lords; Which J. Rogers endeavors to prove like a Logician, without any evidence, witneſs, but his own Ipſe ſcripſit; thoughSee my Speech, Dec. 4. 1648. p. 79, to 94. profeſſedly diſclamed by both Houſes of Parliament, and the Army too, in ſundry printed Declarations, as the highest ſcandal, never once entring into their loyal thoughts? When this Logician with all his Sophiſtry, Anatomy, Pills, Phyſick, can make that which was never in being, but ſince 1648. as we all know, and himſelf aſſerts in his Concertation, p. 7, 9. to be the Good Old Cauſe (in being As himſelf proves Concertation, p. 43, 44. long before the laſt Parliament of King Charles) for whoſe defence they firſt took up arms, in 1642. Or, that cauſe which never once entred into their thoughts, and was profeſſedly diſclamed till 1648. to be the cauſe they proclamed and fought for, from the wars beginning; he muſt yeeld up his Spurious Good Old Cauſe, as deſperate; his ſcurrillous Gooſ-quils (to uſe his page 1. own words) daſhing the GALL of his ink upon Mr. Prynnes former papers to little purpoſe, in this particular; but to blot them a little, not to anſwer them a line, nor the Argument of them in the least.

The 2. Queſtion is this, Queſtion. 2 Whether Mr. Prynne, with the Majority of the Commons Houſe, and whole Houſe of Peers, were forcibly ſecluded the Parliament by the Army, for any real breach and forfeiture of their truſts, in 1648. or ever legally impeached, convicted thereof either then, or ſince, before any lawfull Judicature?

This Rogers briefly and not very poſitively affirms, p. 7. but Nedham averrs and makes it his Maſterpiece, inſiſting on it at large from p. 28, to 37. (wherein his Interest doth [Page] nought elſe, But Lie;) as the baſis whereon his pre [...]eve [...] Parliament, and Rep [...] blike are bottomed; which faſt or stand upon the truth or falſhood of it: wherein he is ſo peremptory, as not only to proclame us [...] (to the preſent and ſucceeding Generations) in the Higheſt Degree▪ without hea [...]ing or [...]ial, but to pronounce this peremptory Sentence againſt us;Page 36, 3 [...]. That not only by the Law of Neceſſity (which they pleaded that acted it but) [...] by the Recorded in the Statute Books of [...]topia or his lying Mercuries, but no where elſe. Law of the Land, they might have been called to account for their lives in a Capital manner: But were Favourably, as well as Iuſtly dealt with, in being depri [...]ed only of their Intereſt in the Houſe, when as their [...] might have been required. So this impudent, inſolent Headſman, ex Tripode, magiſterially determines.

This Queſtion, ſo highly concerning us in our preſent and future reputations; and the right, Freedom of Parliaments and their Members in all generations, I ſhall more largely debate; and for ever acquit my ſelf and fellow-ſecluded Members, from this Scandalum Magnum [...]t Magnatum, long ſinceIn my Epiſtle before my speech, Dec. 4. 1648. And Vindication of the ſecured and ſecluded Members. cleared, refuted by us, yet now revived afreſh againſt us, in the higheſt degree. I ſhall deſire the Readers to conſider;

1. That thoſe who full accuſed us breakers of our Parliamentary Truſts repoſed in us, were neither the reſpective Counties, Cities, Boroughs, who elected, authorized, returned, truſted us for their Knights, Citizens, Burgeſſes in Parliament, the only fit accuſers and judges of us out of Parliament, who all abſolve and juſtifie us againſt this Calumny; nor yet our fellow-Members, or Houſe of Lords, the onely meet impeachers, judges of us in Parliament, if guilty; But meerly the General Council of Officers in the Army; who neither elected nor intruſted us; were but our mercinary, ſworn Servants, not our ſupream Iudges; yet moſt notoriouſly, traiterouſly, perfidiouſly violated both their truſts, faith, duties, by waging war againſt us, and forcibly ſeiſing, ſecluding us, contrary to their Commiſſions, the Proteſtation, S [...] lemn League and Covenant they had all ſubſcribed. And were theſe fit perſons to accuſe us then or now of breach of truſt, who are ſuch Grand Truſt-breakers, Traytors themſelves?

[Page] 2▪ That this breach of truſt, was not ſo much as objected againſt us by them, before, nor at their treaſonable ſodain ſecluding and ſecuring us, Decem. 6. & 7. 1648. therefore it could not be the true cauſe of our ſecluſion, but a ſubſequent pretence: For theſe Officers to mutiny, the common Souldiers againſt us, told them; That the Members▪ they [...] at the Houſe door, were thoſe who purſed up and kept away their pay from them; and that was the only cauſe the common ſoldiers aſ [...]iſted them to ſecure us, elſe they would not have medled with any of us; as they told me and Col: Birch in the [...] Court the day we were ſeiſed. Whereupon I aſſuring them, it was a groſſe untruth; for neither of us then ſecured, was a Treaſurer or Receiver of monyes; they anſwered, They were informed the contrar [...]y their Officers, and [...] we were thus abuſed, and [...] out of the Houſe upon ſuch a falſe ſuggeſtion.

3. That they never charged us with breaking our truſts, till [...]ear a full month after our ſecluſion and ſecuring; and that upon this occaſion, as Nedham himſelf relates, p. 31. Upon the Armies ſeiſing us Decemb. 6. the M [...]mbers then ſitting in the Houſe, ſent out the Serjeant into the Queens Court, where we were detained, to command our attendance in the Houſe; but the Soldiers detaining us Priſoners, would not permit us to go to the Houſe: Thereupon he was ſent the ſecond time, with the [...] to fetch us in; but the Officers ſtaid him at the Houſe door, and would not permit him to paſs: which was [...] in the [...]ournal Book, as a Contempt. Being startled with this ſodain force on the Houſe, they concluded not to procéed in Buſineſs till their Members ſhould be [...] (Therefore they judged them no breakers, but performers of their truſt, when ſeiſed and ſecluded by the Army;) and in the mean time ordered, that the General ſhould be ſent [...] of the Armies proceedings in ſeiſing the Members▪ Upon this, The General Council of Officers not before [...]anuary 3. 1648. (when they had not left 50 Members in it) returned their Anſwer to them, That they were [...], (upon meer forged pretences) and that theſe Members [...] which occaſioned their to [...] and ſeiſe them. A pretty excuſe and cloak for ſee tranſcendent a Treaſon.

[Page] 4. That in this Anſwer, they moſt falſly ſcandalized, traduced the ſecluded and ſecured Members, as Nedham doth in their terms, with ſome additions of his own, which I ſhall briefly refute:

1. He ſaith, that Mr. Prynne and his party heretofore and now ſecluded, did ſeclude and ſeparate themſelves from the Publike Intereſt before they were ſecluded, p. 28. But wherein he tells us not. And is this either evidence or conviction to ſeclude us?Tertull. Apologia pro Chriſtianis. Quis inſons erit ſi accuſaſse ſufficiat?

2ly. He addes, our ſecluſion is juſtifiable by Lex talionis, becauſe We had ſome time before ſecluded the honeſt party of the Houſe, by encouraging the Apprentices who came to the Houſe door, draveaway the faithful party (of which the Members now ſitting are principal) [...]hat the Speaker and they were forced to fly out of Town for [...] to the Army, &c. And Mr. Prynne and all his party approved this Procéeding. Here Interest lies for the whetſtone: For 1. Mr. Prynne ſate not at all as a Member in the Houſe, till Novemb: 7. 1648. being elected but in August before, without his privity, and much againſt his will: This tumult was in July, 1647. above a year and quarter before; yet Mr. Prynne muſt then aſſent to it, as a Member, and be guilty of it and all his charges, p. 30, 31, 32. before he was a Member, and be for ever convicted and ſilenced thereby. 2ly. There was never the leaſt colour1 of truth or proof, that any of the ſecluded Members raiſed, or encouraged this tumult of the Apprentices. 3ly. Moſt of them, to my knowledge, did then both in publike and private, declare their diſlike thereof as much as any now ſitting. 4ly. Theſe Apprentices ſecluded not one Member out of the Houſe, much leſſe ſecured any, as the Army did; but only kept moſt of them in the Houſe, till their petition was anſwered by them; upon which they all departed without any future force: After which the Houſe adjourned from Monday night till Thurſday morning, becauſe of the general Faſt the Wedneſday following. 3ly. The Members pretended to be forced out of Town by this tumult, and to fly for protection to the Army, departed not thence, till ſome Army-Officers ſollicited them by perſwaſions and menaces to repair to the Army and leave the Houſe, againſt [Page] their judgements, as divers of them have confeſſed. Particularly Mr: Lenthall the Speaker being at the Faſt in Margaret [...] Church the Wedneſday following, diſcourſing with Sir Ralph Aſhton, Sir Benjamin Rudyer and 4 more Members ſitting with him, between the two Sermons; told them of his own accord ‘That there was a ſcandalous report raiſed in Town, that he meant to leave the Houſe and run away to the Army: but for his own part, he ſeriouſly proteſted he had not any ſuch thought or intention, but reſolved to continue in Town, and to live and die with the other Members in the Houſe, if there were cauſe.’ On Thurſday morning moſt of the Members appeared at the Houſe, expecting the Speakers coming till near 11 of the clock, and ſent 2 or 3 Meſſengers for him. At laſt they were informed, that he was ſent for, and gone that [...] to the Army. Whereupon Sir Ralph Aſhton and thoſe who ſat with him at the Faſt, related his words in my hearing (being then caſually in the Houſe) to the other Members, and ſundry times ſince to the Houſe and to my ſelf; Hereupon the Members preſent were neceſſitated to chuſe another Speaker pro tempore, (as they had oft times done in caſe of ſickneſs or abſence, both before and ſince) to ſupply his place, adjourn▪ and diſpatch the buſineſſe of the Houſe: So as the Speaker and Members then departing to the Army, without the Houſes leave or privity, voluntarily ſecluded themſelves, and were neither ſecluded by the Apprentices, nor their fellow-members; who were ſo farr from ſecluding, that they ſent ſundry Meſſengers to call them to the Houſe, and were highly diſcontented at this their cauſleſs departure from it. 5ly. Theſe Apprentices came without any arms at all to the Houſe, only with a Petition (occaſioned by the Army-Officers encroachments upon the Cities Militia, and Privileges,) without any intention to ſeclude or ſecure any one Member, departing from the Houſe that day, and never returning to diſturb them after. But the undutifull Army-Officers, who ſo much declame againſt this unarmed force as Treaſonable; againſt both Houſes Votes, Orders, Letters to them, not only brought up the Army to Westminſter, placed whole Regiments of them in arms at their [Page] very doors, who ſecluded the whole Houſe of Peers, and above two parts of three of the Commons Houſe; giving the Captains of the guards a particular liſt whom to ſecure, whom to ſeclude, and whom only to admit; but likewiſe continued their forcible great armed guards upon the Houſes, ſeveral weeks, yea moneths, and detained me with other Members Priſoners under them two or three moneths; and that after this pretended force of the Apprentices, (no wayes parallel to theirs, who were purpoſely raiſed to guard us, not ſeclude us) which they ſo much condemned; and the Speaker himſelf in his printed Letter of July 29. with the reſt upon their return to the Houſe in their Ordinance of Auguſt 20. 1647. ſo far branded, as to make and declare all proceedings during their abſence voyd, by reaſon o [...] [...] Therefore what ever other men may do, Nedham (to uſe his own words, p. 29.) and his now ſitting party, the Army-Officers and all their adherents, muſt henceforth be ſilent, and for ſhame lay their mouthes in the duſt for ever, as to this particular. For, if our falſly pretended encouraging, conniving at this unarmed ſodain tumult of the Apprentices in July, 1647. were a ſufficient ground for our ſecluſion from the Houſe as infringers of our trusts; then their evident, apparent fore-plotted encouraging, conniving at and juſtifying the Armies force upon the Houſe it ſelf and the XI. Members twice or thrice, Anno 1647. and on the Majority of the Commons, and whole Houſe of Lords, 1648. and now again on Mr: P: and others of them May 7. & 9. 1659. muſt for ever diſable and ſeclude them to ſit or act as Members in the Houſe, by their own Law and Plea.

3ly. All the reſt of his Objections, p: 29, 30. (taken out of the Officers Anſwer, Jan: 3.) as they concern not Mr: Prynne, being then no Member; ſo they were ſo ſatisfactorily anſwered, refelled as moſt falſe and ſcandalous, by the ſecured and ſecluded Members themſelves, in their Vindication in anſwer thereunto, printed 1649: p. 7, to 22. that impudency it ſelf might bluſh to revive them now: to which I referr the Reader for ſatisfaction. Only whereas the Officers then, and Nedham now Object, That the Malignant and [Page] Neutral party in the Ho [...]ſe to gain the Major Vote, upon new elections, by indirect means, brought in a floud of Malignants or Neuters into the Houſe; I ſhall adde to what the ſecluded Members then replied unto this forged Aſperſion in their Vindication, p. 7, 8. Firſt, That all the ſecluded Members came in upon fair and unqueſtionable elections, upon the new recruit; but many of thoſe who ſate both before, at, and after our ſecluſion, uponCol. Rich, his election at Cyrenceſter as foul as any. most foul ones, voted voyd long before by the Committee of Privileges, as Humfry Edwards, & Fryes elections were, who yet continued ſitting. 2. That moſt of theſe new Members were brought in by the force, power, and menaces of the Army, and ſolicitation of their Solicitor General and Chaplain, Hugh Peters; who like an Ʋ biquitary, was preſent at the elections for moſt Counties, Cities and Boroughs throughout England, and well bribed for his pains, to canvas for voices for the Armies Inſtruments. 3ly. That 22 of thoſe 42 Members called in by the Army-Officers, May 7. 1659. andAnd 8 of them, by writs after the Kings death; as Mr. Cycil. that ſelf-degraded Earl of Saliſbury and others. above half of thoſe who ſat with them ſince, came in upon this new Recruit of Malignants and Neuters. 4ly. Col. Ireton, Harriſon, Skippon, Rich, Ludlow, Ingoldesby, Mountague, White, Sydenham, Bingham, Jones, yea Fleetwood himſelf, the ſwaying Army-members when we were ſecluded, and chief Actors in it) came all in upon theſe New elections; ſome of them being prime Authors, Members of this New Convention invited in Fleetwoods name and Army-Officers to ſit, and authors of our new ſecluſion: Therefore the Armies and Nedhams ſlander of our pretended filling the houſe upon the new recruit with Malignants (as theſe have proved to us at leaſt) muſt recoyl wholly upon themſelves, as ſuch, and be a real ground for their, not our ſecluſions. Laſtly, if our filling the Houſe by New Elections to get a Major Vote, were a Crime demeriting ſecluſion from it: Certainly their emptying the Houſe then and now to get a Major vote by ſecluding moſt of the Members, muſt be a Crime and practice, demeriting an expulſion.

5. The Army-Officers themſelves in their very anſwer, waved all theſe Calumnies, as no ground of our ſecluſion; declaring to the ſitting Members; That the ſole cauſe of [Page]our ſecluſion, was, The Vote we paſſed upon the long nights debate: That the Anſwers of the King to the Propoſitions of both Houſes, was a ground for the Houſe to procéed upon for the ſettlement of the Peace of the Kingdom: Which Vote being paſſedSee the Epiſtle & Appendix to my Speech, 1648. after 3 dayes and one whole nights ſolemn debate, without dividing the Houſe, notwithſtanding the Armies march to the very doors. Hereupon the Army-Officers (to wreſt both the Regal and Parliamental power, & Kings Revenues into their own hands, prevent all hopes of future peace, ſettlement, and involve us in endleſs wars, changes, revolutions, as viſible ſad experience hath evidenced ever ſince) mutinying the common ſoldiers againſt us by miſreports, the very next morning Dec: 6. marching with ſeveral Regiments of horſe and foot to the doors of both Houſes, [...]uarding all acceſſes to them; where they ſeiſed my Self, with above 40 Members more at the Houſe door going to diſcharge their truſts, pulled two Members out of the Houſe it ſelf; ſecluded and chaſed away above 200 Members more, beſides the Lords whole Houſe. And whether the paſſing of this vote alone after 6. years inteſtine wars, at the earneſt deſire of our whole 3 Kingdoms, almoſt ruined by them, according to our judgements, conſciences, Oaths, Proteſtation, Covenant, Duty, and the truſt repoſed in us, by our electors, upon ſuch ample Conceſſions of Liberty, benefit to the Subjects, ſecurity to Religion, and ſafety to our 3: Kingdoms, the Army, Parliament, all adhering to them, as our anceſtors, ſelves never formerly poſſeſſed, expected, deſired; and we never ſince enjoyed, nor can expect under any New Republike, or Parliamentary Conventicle whatſoever; was a breach of our Parliamentary truſts, and a cloſing with the King upon his own terms, and ſuch as within a ſhort time would (of neceſſity) have yeelded up & betrayed our lives, liberties, and whole cauſe contested for into the Kings tyrannical power, as theſe Army-Officers, and this impudent Mountebank moſt ſcandalouſly affirm, let their own conſciences and our whole 3 Nations judge; the ſecured and ſecluded Members in their Vindication, and I, in My Speech in Parliament, and Epiſtle before it, having ſo largely refuted it, that the Devil himſelf (the [Page] John 8. 44. Father of lies) would bluſh to revive ſuch a Lie and Slander as this: And how deſtructive it is and hath been not only to the privileges and freedom, but being of Parliaments, for Soldiers and thoſe who are no Members, without hearing or accuſation, to pull the Major part of the Members out of the Houſe, only for voting according to their conſciences, after free and full debates, againſt the votes or deſigns of the leſſer, inconſiderabler part confederating with the Army; let all wiſe men, and the ſad effects thereof ever ſince, determin.

6ly. Theſe Army-Officers never impeached any of the then ſecluded Members for breach of their truſts, to thoſe few ſitting Members they left behind of their own party, by way of Charge or Article, to which they might give a legal anſwer, and be brought to a publike trial; and when they were preſſed to charge ſome of them they ſecured as the greateſt Delinquents in this kind, with particular breaches of their truſts, they anſwered, They had yet no charge at all ready againſt any of them, but hoped to provide one in due time; which they never did to this day. As for their ſcandalous Anſwer, Jan: 3. being no legal Charge againſt the Members, but a pittiful falſe excuſe of their own breach of truſt, faith, duty in ſeiſing and ſecluding them; Mr. Prynne in particular in his Epiſtle to his Speech, and the other Members in their Vindication, gave ſuch a ſatisfactory Anſwer to all the Calumnies in it, as they never yet replyed to: And therefore muſt ſtand clear from this Scandalum Magnum & Magnatum in the ſight of God and Man.

7ly. Sundry of the Members ſitting ſince our ſecluſion, and now again, have confeſſed to me; that our ſecluſion was moſt unjust; and that their forcible ſecluſions ſince, April 20. 1653. and in 1654. was but a juſt retaliation and puniſhment of God upon them, for conſenting to our unjust ſecluſion in December 1648. yea, a means to deprive us from all future hopes of a free Parliament, ſo long as we had any standing Army in England. And yet muſt we be guilty of breach of truſt?

8ly. Major [...]acker himſelf (an Anabaptiſt) then and now again a Member of the Army, in the laſt Convention at Weſtminſter, publikely acknowledged in the Houſe, in a long [Page] Speech, that he and others of the Army who had a hand in ſecuring and ſecluding us, were ſeduced and inſtigated thereunto by Cromwels (and Iretons) ſuggeſtions; that wee were diſhoneſt men, who purſued our own private intereſts and the Kings, to the prejudice of the publike: But afterwards he clearly diſcerned, That we were very honeſt Gentlemen, purſuing nothing but the publike Intereſt; acting according to our conſciences; and that he had often cryed God mercy in private; and did there again and again cry them mercy in publike; and hoped they would all forgive him, for having a hand in ſecluding us: which he oft repeated. And others have acknowledged, they were knaved and fooled into this Action, by ſlanderous Miſinformations. Wherefore malice it ſelf muſt needs acquit us from this forged Calumny.

9ly. Thoſe principal Officers of the Army, who accuſed, and ſecluded us as Truſt-breakers in Dec. 1648. both accuſed thoſe who ſate from 1648. till April 20. 1653. turned them all out of doors, and declared them actually diſſolved, for ſundry years, as farr greater Infringers of their Parliamentary truſts than we; ſtiling them inThe Armies Declaration, Apr. 20 1653. Auguſt 22. 1653. And a true state of the Commonwealth of England, p. 8, 10. two printed Declarations, A Corrupt party, carrying on their own Deſigns to perpetuate themſelves in the Parliamentary and Supreme Authority; never anſwering the ends which God, his People, and the whole Nation expected from them, &c. Therefore if their ſingle accuſation of us alone by way of Anſwer (which we refuted in print) diſabled us for ever to ſit in the Houſe ſince 1648. and now again ſince May 7: 1659. by Nedhams and Rogers reſolutions and the Army-Officers who ſecluded us; Then much more this their doubled and trebled Accuſation againſt all ſitting after our ſecluſion, and now reſitting, by way of Declaration (which they never yet anſwered) muſt much more diſable them now to ſit and act again as a Houſe, eſpecially without us, as Members of that Parliament, if continuing ſtill in being.

10ly. The truſt repoſed in all Members of the Commons Houſe ſecluded or unſecluded in the laſt Parliament of King Charles, is punctually expreſſed, compriſed in the [Page] Writs and Indentures by which they were choſen, returned, empowred, truſted, to fit and act as Members by the Commonalties who elected them; and in the Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance, which they all took, and ought to take, by the Statutes of 5 Eliz. c. 1. & 7 Jac. c. 6. before they could ſit or vote as Members. Now this truſt was wholly and ſolely, to do and conſent to thoſe things which ſhould happen to be ordained by Common Conſent of the King, Lords and Commons, by Common counſel of the Realm, concerning certain arduous and urgent affairs, touching the Defence, State, Crown of the King and his Kingdom, and of the Church of England: to bear faith and true Allegiance to the King, his heirs and ſucceſſors; and him and them to defend, with all rights, juriſdictions annexed and belonging to the Imperial Crown of England, againſt all attempts and conſpiracies whatſoever: As the Writs and Returns themſelves, (yea allSee the ſecond Part of my Regiſter, & Kalendar of all Parliamentary Writs. antient Writs of this kinde, and their returns,) and the expreſſe words of theſe Oathes reſolve; with the Proteſtation, League, Covenant, and manifold Declarations, Votes, Remonſtrances of both Houſes, to which thoſe ſitting from 48. to 53. and now met again, gave their full, free conſents and ſubſcriptions, as well as the ſecluded Members. Let heaven, earth, our whole 3. Kingdoms, and our Accuſers themſelves then, now reſolve, whether I and my ſecluded Companions, who conſtantly, loyally, ſtrenuouſly in the forecited vote, and all other our proceedings, purſued thoſe Truſts, Oathes, Duties, in deſpite of all Oppoſitions; or thoſe unſecluded ſitting, re-ſitting Members and Army-Officers, who have moſt apparently, perfidiouſly violated them in every branch, by and ſince our ſecluſions, to the deſtruction of our King, Kingdoms, Kingſhip, Parliament, Church, all rights and Juriſdictions of the Crown, and ſubverſion of the Liberty, Property, Privileges of their fellow Members and all other ſubjects; be the Greateſt Truſt-breakers, Traytors; and which of us beſt deſerve to loſe not only our right of ſitting any more in the Houſe, but our very lives, heads, liberties, eſtates, in point of juſtice, and conſcience.

All that is or can be objected againſt us,Objection. with any ſhadow [Page] of reflection, is theNedham, p. 31. Vote of January 11. 1648. made upon the Armies Anſwer touching our ſecuring, Jan: 3. That the Houſe doth approve of the Subſtance of the [...] of the General [...] of the Officers of the [...] to the Demands of this Houſe touching the ſecuring [...] ſecluding of ſome Members thereof: And doth appoint a Committee (of 24.) or any 5. of them, to conſider what is further to be done upon the ſaid Anſwer, and preſent the ſame to the Houſe. But doth this Vote fix any breach of truſt upon us for which we deſerved perpetual ſecluſion, without any hearing, impeachment, trial? Surely not in the leaſt degree. For 1. it approves only the ſubſtance of the Armies Anſwer, which is general and indefinite: 2ly, It is not touching the ſecuring and ſecluding of all the Members then ſecured, or ſecluded by the Officers; but only of ſome of thoſe Members who were ſecured, as well as ſecluded; without naming any one of them in particular, moſt of them being releaſed before this vote: Therefore it can fix no guilt or crime upon any one particular Member of us, unleſſe thoſe ſome had been nominated: 3ly, This Vote was paſt behind our backs, without hearing any of us before it paſſed: 4ly, A ſpecial Committee was appointed to conſider further of their anſwer, and report what was further to be done therein; which they never did: 5ly, This Vote was made above a full Month after our ſecluding and ſecuring, when all the Members but 42. were ſecluded or driven thence; and the reſt ſitting under the Force, Guards, of the Army; and ſo by their own Votes and Ordinance of Auguſt 20. 1647. this Vote, with all their other proceedings were mere Nullities. 6ly, Ten of thoſe who paſſed this Vote, were the very Army-Officers who made the Anſwer, the chief Contrivers, Authors of our ſeiſing, ſecuring, and chief Accuſers; Therefore moſt unfit to be our Judges, or paſſe any Vote againſt us behind our backs: eſpecially ſince they promiſed to conferr with us at Wa [...]ingford Houſe the Evening they ſeiſed us; and yet lodged us all night on the bare boards in Hell. After which they promiſed to confer with us the next morning 9. a clock at Whitehall; & there kept us faſting, waiting in the cold till 7. at night, [Page] without once vouchſafing to ſee us, ſending us away thence through the dirt, guarded on every ſide like Rogue [...] to the Kings head, and Swan in the Strand; where they promiſed ſeveral times to conferr with us, but never came to do it. Now, whether there can be any credit given to their Votes or Anſwer, who ſo frequently brake both their truſts, words, faiths, promiſes to us and others, before this their Anſwer, let the world, and our greateſt Enemies determin. Finally, the chief Authors of and inſtruments in this our Accuſation and ſecluſion, were the very ſelfſame Army-Officers and Members who in April 1653, diſhouſed, As they have done now again, Octob. 13. ſince this was firſt printed. diſſolved thoſe now ſitting, and then accuſed, branded them twice or thrice in print, as farr greater Infringe [...]s o [...] their trusts than we: as for the Houſe of Lords, ſecluded, ſuppreſſed by them,See their Declaration &c Votes, M. 17. for ſuppreſſing the Lords Houſe. there was never the leaſt breach of truſt objected againſt them; Neither had the Army, See my plea for the Lords. or ſmaller Garbled remainder of the Commons houſe, the least right or juriſdiction to ſeclude or eject the Majority of their fellow Members, much leſſe the whole Houſe of Peers. Upon all which premi [...]es, I here appeal to all the Tribunals of Men on Earth, and Gods, Chriſts Tribunals in Heaven (before which I ſummon all our Old and New Accuſers whatſoever) to judge; Whether this Great Charge of breach of our truſts, ever juſtly could, or henceforth can be objected againſt us civilly or criminally, without the greateſt ſcandal; and whether this could be a lawfull ground for any to juſtifie our firſt or laſt ſecluſion?

The 3d Queſtion is this; Queſtion 3 Whether the last Parliament ſumne [...]ned by King Charles his Writ, aſſembled at Weſtminſter, 3. Nov: 1640. was not totally and finally diſſolved by his beheading, January 30. 1648. notwithſtanding the ſtatute of 17 Caroli c. 7?

In this my 2. new Antagoniſts are divided. Rogers, p. 7. conf [...]ſſeth it to be diſſolved; and that I have learnedly proved it in my Narrative, p. 24, to 34. Adding, How Néedleſſe that long Diſcourſe is, to prove what we never denied. But though he, and his wee, denied it not; yet thoſe who ſate from 1648. till 16 [...]3. by pretext of their firſt writs, elections, and of this Act, as they then affirmed in and by their Speeches, Declarations; Mr. Abbot and Purefoye, in their [Page] Prynne againſt Prynne, (both of them Members, and one of them now ſitting) with their Preſident J. Bradſhaw, who condemned the King, and ſundry others denyed it; yea moſt now ſitting denyed it by words and action; whereupon I unanſwerably refelled them, and ſatisfied moſt others by that long Diſcourſe: Therefore it was not needleſs, as this Critick raſhly cenſures it.

Nedham, p. 35, 36, 37. though he confeſſeth; That according to Law the Parliament was d [...]ſſolved by the Kings death; and that whiles the old Constitution of Parliaments remained without disturbance it is reaſon this Law ſhould be retained, for the reaſons I have rendered: Yet in this particular caſe, by reaſon of the warr between King and Parliament, he will by no means yeeld the Parliament to be diſſolved by the Kings death, but to remain intirely in the Members ſitting at his death; and that it is now again revived in them, after above 6. years interruption: to prove which ſtrange Chymara, by ſtranger Mediums, hePag. 35. to 42. ſpends ſome pages, to convince and ſatisfie all Contradictors. I ſhall a little examin his abſurd and moſt dangerous Principles from whence he draws his Concluſion. His main Principle to prove it, i [...] this.

That the King by his actual war against the Parliament, did thereupon forfeit his Kingſhip and Crown, and became a private perſon and enemy; diſſolved the Conſtitution both of the Kingdom and Parliament; and not only violated all Law in the branches, but plucked up ſhe very roof of it, in deſtroying the Parliamentary Eſtabliſhment. as much as in him lay, and thereby introduced another Law of Arms. From whence he deduceth 3. Concluſions: 1 The Justice of ſecluding the Members: 2ly, The Sufficiency of the authority that condemned and executed the King: 3ly, The Legality of the remaining Members continuing and ſitting as the Parliament, and Supreme Authority of England, which after the Kings beheading, and other M [...]mbers and Lords ſecluſion, deſcended and was tranſmitted to them by the Law of war, for the people. This he determines to be Law and Reaſon too, ſufficient to convince both, Royal [...]iſts and Presbyterians of the Lawfulnes of the Power, and preſent ſitting, acting as a Parliament, by thoſe few Members at Weſtminster, ſecluding all the reſt.

[Page] To which I anſwer: 1. That if the Kings death by Law, Reaſon, diſſolved the Parliament in an orderly courſe, becauſe his writs of ſummons abated by his death, & they could not treat with him concerning his and his Kingdoms affairs, nor he conſent to any Bills after his deceaſe: Which he freely grants: Then by the ſelf-ſame Reaſon, Law, his violent death muſt diſſolve this Parliament, as I have largely proved. 2ly, If the Kings levying war againſt the Parliament, did actually diſſolve the very Conſtitution, Law of the Parliament and Kingdom, and made him no King at all, but ai private perſon; which he layes for his foundation; then it muſt neceſſarily diſſolve the Parliament and Kingdom too, and make them no Parliament, no Kingdom at all, as well as himſelf no King. For how can the Parliament continue, when its very Conſtitution is deſolved? 3ly, By this Poſition it inevitably follows, that we had neither King, Parliament, Kingdom, nor any Laws at all but only of Warr, from the beginning of the Wars or firſt battel at leaſt, between the Kings and Parliaments forces many years before his death; But this the King, Kingdom, Parliament, the ſitting as well as ſecluded Members, both Armies, and our whole 3. Kingdoms ever denied in all their Votes, Orders, Ordinances, Declarations, Remonſtrances, Petitions, Treaties, Propoſitions whatſoever from 1641. till December 1648. and Nedham himſelf in his Diurna [...]is and Mercuries; In all which the Parliament, both Houſes, and Army-Officers ſtiled him their KING, and the King and his party ever ſtiled them the Houſes of Parliament. Therefore this poſition muſt be a moſt Notorious Falthood, wherein Interest doth groſly lie. 4ly. Thoſe he ſtiles the honest faithfull Members, in their very Votes of Non addreſſes (paſſed by force and fraud) in their Knack for the Kings tryal, Impeachment, Proceedings, Sentence of condemnation againſt him, after our ſecluſion, in their D [...]claration of 17 Martii 1648. after his death, and ſundry other Papers, ever ſtiled and acknowledged him TO BE KING, and ENGLAND HIS KINGDOM, notwithſtanding the wars between him and the Parliament: Therefore the very war did not Ʋnking, nor make him a Private perſon, no [...] diſſolve the Conſtitutiō of the Kingdom & Pat [...] during his life, [Page] elſe there could not be a war againſt or between the King or Parliament, if the war it ſelf unkinged him, unparliamented them, and diſſolved all their conſtitutions. 5ly. No perſon by theDeut. 17. 8 c. 19. 15. John 7. 51. Acts 19. 38. c. 25. 17. Magna Carta, c. 29. & Cook ibidem. Law of God, Nature, Nations, the Great Charter, Laws, Statutes of England, and Votes of Parliament, ought actually to forfeit, or to be ipſo facto deprived of his Office, Freebold, Liberties, Eſtate, Life, without a legal proceeding, tryal, conviction, judgement, attainder: Much leſs then the King himſelf, the Supreme Magiſtrate, and Governor of the Realm (in whom all have a common intereſt) unkinged and made a private perſon, or publike Enemy, and totally deprived of his Crown and Soveraignty: Therefore his actual levying war againſt the Parliament, without, before any legal impeachment, conviction, or ſentence of depoſition, could not unking nor make him a private perſon, as the caſes of Edward the 2. and Richard the 2. and thesee my Plea for the Lords, p 424 to 460. Parliaments which deprived them of their Kingſhips after their reſignations, clearly reſolved, againſt this Jeſuitical new Doctrine. 6ly. If the King by his bare levying war againſt the Parliament, actually loſt his Kingſhip and became a meer private perſon before any ſentence of deprivation, then by the ſelf- [...]ame reaſon, law, his old and new revived Parliament, by its manifold old & new breaches of truſt is actually diſſolved & become no Paul. at all; yea every Traitor levying war, conſpiring againſt the King, every Murderer, Theef, Felon, corrupt Judg, Juſtice, Mayor, Sherif, Inferior Office, by the very committing of Treaſon, Murder, Felony, Adultery, Bribery, Injuſtice, and breach of their reſpective truſts, ſhould be actually attainted of thoſe offences, their Lands, Offices preſently confiſcated, without my Indictment, trial, verdict, judgement againſt them: yea every act of Adultery by any Husband or Wiſe ſhould actually diſſolve the bond of marriage for ever, without and before any Sentence of divorce between them: whichIn his Bridebuſh. Mr. Wheatly publikely recanted as a dangerous error. And how deſtructive ſuch new Nedham, Intereſt Low would prove to all mens lives, liberties, eſtates, yea to every mans ſoul (ſince every act of ſinne by like conſequence ſhould actually damn, and make even Saints themſelves to [...] totally and finally from Grace and Gods [Page] favor) let all judicious men reſolve. 7ly. If this be Law, then had the King and Parliament upon any Treaty after the wars, accorded; he ought to have been new proclamed, inſtalled, crowned King again; and the Parliament reſummoned by new writs. 8ly. He confeſſeth this to be the very principle of Barclay theHe dyed a Jeſuit, in the Jeſuits College at Rome. Jeſuit, from whom he borrows it, p. 34. Therefore his preſent Parliament and Republike built thereon, are purely Jeſuitical by his own confeſſion. 9ly. This Jeſuits poſition is not ſo bad as his; He ſpeaks not of every Civil war made by a King upon his Subjects, for which there may be juſt occaſions; but only of a King warring upon his people of purpoſe to extirpate and deſtroy them: which he ſaith, it ſeems almost impoſsible any King ſhould be ſo mad as ever to attempt. Which the King in his war againſt the Parliament, by his victories, proceedings againſt the Priſoners, Members, Towns he took during [...]he wars, in ſparing all their lives actually, really, and oft times verbally and profeſſedly diſclamed in all his Proclamations, Speeches, Remonſtrances, Meſſages to, and Treaties with the Houſes. Therefore his war againſt them, did neither unking him, nor make him a private perſon and publike Enemy, by this Jeſuites reſolution. 10ly. If the Kings war againſt the Parliament did really unking him; then certainly the Generals, ArmyOfficers, and Armies actual levying war upon both Houſes of Parliament, by ſecluding, ſecuring the Members and King, did really uncommiſſion and [...] [...]my them, and made them no Officers, no Army at all, but a rebellious rout; and all Members concurring with them therein, no Members, no Parliament at all. The ſequel is infallible. Therefore Nedham muſt either now diſclaim this deſperate Jeſuitical poſition, with all his 3. Treaſonable Concluſions from it; or elſe henceforth diſclame the Army-Officers, Army, and their formerly ſuppreſſed, now revived Parliament. 11ly. Admit his Paradox true, that the King by his war againſt the Parliament, actually ceaſed to be a King, &c. yet his Inference thence, that the Parliament was not diſſolved by his death, but continued after it, is moſt falſe; yea the contrary thence inevitably follows, that it was wholly diſſolved long before his death, ſo ſoon as he ceaſed [Page] to be a King and became a private perſon; and that by the expreſſe reſolution of the whole Parliaments of 22 R. 2. and 1 H. 4. rot. Parl. n. 1, 2, 3. in a caſe moſt like to ours. See Speed, T [...]uſſel, Holinſhed, Walſingham, Hall, Stow, and others in R. 2. & H. 4. My Plea for the Lords, p. 424▪ to 456. Henry Duke of Lancaſtér, raiſing a great Army to lay Title to the Crown, King Richard the 2d. bringing an Army to ſuppreſſe him; the King finding his forces over-weak, and the Dukes too potent for him, having ſeiſed Bristol, and other forts; thereupon a Parlee was had between them, and agreed, King Richard ſhould ſummon a Parliament at Weſtminſter, wherein he ſhould reſign his Crown, renounce his Kingſhip, and the Duke to ſucceed him. Upon this he accordingly ſummoned a Parliament, where he formally reſigned, renounced his Kingſhip, and was actually depoſed of it by ſentence, and Henry the 4. who claimed the Crown upon his reſignation, declared King. Which done, it was reſolved, declared both by the Parliament, King, Lords, Commons, Judges, that this Parliament was actually diſſolved by King Richards depoſing to all intents; and a new Parliament ordered to be ſummoned by King Henry in his own name, wherein he was declared, crowned King, and the reſignation, depoſing of Richard the 2. ratified, and recorded. Therefore by the reſolution of both theſe Parliaments, (by Nedhams own poſition, if true) the laſt Parliament of King Charles, was ſo farr from being continued only by his wars, even after his death, which elſe would have diſſolved it without diſpute, that it actually diſſolved it in his life time, ſix years before his death, by degrading him from his Kingſhip, and making him a private perſon. And then his Weſtminſter Juncto ſitting from 1648. to 1653. and now again, cannot have the leaſt ſhadow of right, law, reaſon, to fit, act as any part of theEſpecially the Members ſitting by writs iſſued by the Keepers of the Liberties of England after the Kings beheading. laſt Parliament ſummoned by the King, neither could the whole Parliamentary and ſupreme power deſcend or be transferred to them alone by any Law or colour of right whatſoever, by the Kings war, death, or our ſecluſions, as he moſt abſurdly concludes. 12ly. The ſum of all Nedhams diſcourſe to ſupport his preſent Parliaments and Republikes right, title, is but this: That in civil wars and commotions the conquering or prevailing party gains a legal Supreme Authority and Parliamentary power over [Page]over the whole: That the Kings royal authority devolved by conqueſt to the Parliament: the whole Parliamentary Authority to his Juncto by their forcible ſecluſion of the Majority of the Commons, and ſuppreſſion of the Houſe of Lords. And if ſo, then by the ſelf-ſame conſequence; the whole Kingly and Parliamental Authority was lawfully devolved on the Lord Gen: Fairfax and Army-Officers when they ſeiſed the King, ſecluded the Members, ſuppreſſed the Lords, and placed Guards on thoſe that ſat in 1648. Or at leaſt to ſuch of the Officers as were then Members of the Commons Houſe not to the Juncto ſince or now ſitting; That afterwards it deſcended, devolved to Gen. Cromwell (a principal Member) when he conquered and turned the Juncto out of doors, Apr. 20, 1653. as he and the Army-Officers then argued; who thereupon (after ſome Moneths exerciſe thereof by making New Laws, and impoſing ‖ New Taxes at Whitchall, Of 120, & [...]00 thouſand pounds a Month, by a Whitehall Ordinance. Anno 1653.) afterwards transferred it by deed to their Litle Conventicle elected by them in September, part of which reſigning back their Supreme power to Cromwell, he thereupon claimed it as wholly and abſolutely veſted in himſelf, without any limits (as he declared in his printed Speeches 1654. and 1657.) whereupon he retained it under the Title of A ROYAL PROTECTOR, till his death, then delegating it to his Son Richard, who by this original Title enjoyed it; till overpowred by his Brother Fleetwood and other Army-Officers, who by this right of the Long Sword alone, unprotectored him, and then called in the remainder of the Old Juncto to ſit and act as awhich by the fame Law, reaſon, they have ſince thruſt out of dores, & uſurped the Supreme Legiſlative power to their General Council of Army Officers, & Committee of Safety, repealing, nulling their Juncto [...]s, Acts Orders, Proceedings, to all intents whatſoever, in their Declaration, Oct. 27. 1659. Parliament under them. So that by Nedhams Doctrine, the Supreme Regal and Parliamental power is legally reſiding in thoſe Army-Officers who have conquered all the reſt, till ſome other greater, ſtronger power ſhall be able to conquer them; and his Weſtminſter [...] Conventicle is but their Subſtitute to act, vote what they ſhall preſcribe. And by the ſelf-ſame principle, as the Army-Officers by rebelling againſt and ſuppreſſing the Parliament and their Maſters, who raiſed, waged them for their defence, contrary to all Laws of God, man, their own Oathes, Commiſſions, thereby gained a juſt and legal Title (as he argues) to the Supreme Regal and Parliamental [Page] Authority of the Nation (not the people in whom they pretended it to be veſted) to any Traytor by killing or diſpoſſeſſing his lawfull Soveraign, any Son by killing or diſſeiſing his Father, any Servant by impriſoning, killing, or tu [...]ining, keeping his Maſter out of doers, every Theef, plunderer in the world, able by force to take away any perſons purſe, goods, houſe, lands, or ſhall by power make himſelf a Judge, Juſtice, Magiſtrate, or take away another mans wife, ſhall have a juſt and legal Title againſt the owners and all others: and Nedhams Parliament and new Republike can neither condemn nor execute any Thief, Pirate, Murderer, Plunderer, Adulterer, Raviſher, nor puniſh any diſſeiſer or wrong-doer whatſoever that [...]a ſtronger than the party injured; ſince they all may juſtifie their force, actions, to be lawfull againſt the letter of the 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 Commandements by the ſelf-ſame Law, Divinity, Saintlike Title of the longeſt Sword, the greateſt might, and prevailing party. I hope by this time, he and all others clearly diſcern the deſperate fatal conſequences of his Jeſuitical poſition, and that his Intereſt will not lie, is but a meer ſink of Lies, and deſtructive paradoxes.

If all this will not help to prop up the legal Soveraign Authority of his preſent Parliament and Republike, he hath 3. other Pillars to ſupport them, p. 37. 1. The Law of Neceſſ [...]y, a pretty bull, when as the old proverb reſolves, Neceſſitas non habet legem; I am ſure it will now admit of no Law, Juſtice, Conſcience, Equity. [...]. Did not the beheaded King plead this Law for Ship-money, Exciſe, and other illegal projects? yet the longSee the Acts Votes, Declarations againſt them. Parliament adjudged neceſſity in theſe caſes, to be no Law, nor Plea at all. And ſhall thoſe very Members plead it in their own caſe now, who then judged it no Law nor Plea in his? 3ly. This Law was pleaded by Cromwel and the Army-Officers in April 1653. for the diſſolution of thoſe now ſitting, who together with N [...]dham, p. 40. reſolve it no Law or Plea at all; and can it be juſtly urged now for their reſtitution? 4ly. It is a pretext for all villany, treachery, impiety, violence ever acted in the world, as I have proved in my Epiſtle to my Speech, and the ſecluded [...] in their Vindication, when [Page] the Officers pretended it for our ſecluſion; and can it then be made the foundation of Commonwealths and its Junctoes conſtitution? 5ly. He addes out of Grotius, l. 2. de Jure Belli, cap. 6. Neceſſitas ſumma reduoit res ad merum jus naturae. If ſo, and we are now reduced to ſuch a neceſſity, as he argues: then it followes, 1. That this extreme neceſſity which exempts any part of a Kingdom, Republike, City from the power, juriſdiction of the whole, as Grotius there reſolves, hath much more exempted our whole three Kingdoms, the intire Lords Houſe and Nobility, the Majority of the old Commons Houſe yet ſurviving, with all Counties, Cities, Boroughs for which they ſerved; from the power, juriſdiction of the preſent uſurping Juncto, Army, ſo that they have no right, authority, colour at all to impoſe any new Laws, Taxes, Militiaes, Exciſes on all or any of them; nor yet to impriſon, ſequeſter, puniſh any of them for defending themſelves by force of arms againſt their unjuſt uſurpations over them. 2ly. That they canAs the General Council of Officers of the Army, in their Declaration, Octo. 27. 1659. p. 18, 19. intend to do. impoſe no new Government or Republike on all or any of them, without their own free voluntary elections, conſents; becauſe all politick Governments and Corporations are and ought to be made by voluntary contract and free conſent of all the parts, ac propterea ju [...] ejus, in partes ex prim [...]va voluntate metiendum eſt, as Grotius there reſolves. 3ly. That all the integral parts of any politick body, when the firſt agreement and Government which united them into a Kingdom or Republike is diſſolved (as Nedham aſſerts our Kingdom and Parliament are) by the meer right and Law of Nature have as inſeparable, inherent a right, vote to caſt themſelves into another new form of Government, as any one prevailing party of that body, being all equally men, Engliſhmen, free-men by Nature, and having no ſuperiority over each other. Therefore the Supreme authority and Parliamentary power in our preſent condition and extreme neceſſity by Grotius his deciſion is not devolved to the Weſtminſter Juncto, or Army-Officers, as Nedham [...] abſurdly concludes, againſt his Oracle Grotius, but to the generality of the people, as this very Juncto voted Jan: 6. 1648. and the Army-Officers declared, in their Agreement of the people preſented [Page] to them November 20. 1648. and Jan. 20. 1649. Therefore by their own Votes, reſolutions, practices, the generality of the people, not the Juncto, are now the Supreme authoritie; and thoſe 50 or 60 Members of the old Parliament &Much leſſe their General Council of the Army-Officers, and New Committee of Safety. Army, have not the leaſt pretext of Right, Law, Reaſon, power to domineer over all the Nobility, Gentry, Clergy, Freemen of the Nation, and the ſecluded Members, nor totally to ſeclude them all from their Councils, Company; much leſſe to ſecure, diſarm, plunder them at their pleaſures, to double, treble their Taxes, to uſe them not like their fellow freemen, but their Aegyptian bondſlaves, as now they do. What ſuch an Extremity, Neceſſity then may now put our whole three Nations juſtly upon by Grotius and Nedhams Law too, let them wiſely and timely conſider for their own and the publike ſafety.

His 2. Pillar is this of Grotius, That In a civil warr, the written and eſtabliſhed Laws of Nations are of no force; (Indeed we now finde it true by ſad experience under our New Legifers and Tax-maſters) and then that only is to be admitted Law, which ſhall be ſetled by the prevailing party. How this new doctrine will ſuit with all our late Parliamentary Votes, Ordinances, Declarations, Remonſtrances, Proteſtations, League, Covenant, Soldiers Commiſſions, and Army-Remonſtrances; or with our Civil war, which was only for the preſervation and defence of our antient fundamental Laws, Statutes, and Great Charter of our Liberties, against all arbitrary encroachments, alterations, violations of them; Or with the Junctoes Declaration, March 17. 1648. for turning our Kingdom into a Free State; wherein they promiſe over and over, inviolably to defend and maintain theſe antient Laws, The Badges of our Fréedom, and the moſt excellent of all other Laws in the world, by violation, alteration, or abrogation whereof greater miſchiefs would inevitably befall us, than ever we ſuffered under our Kings and Kingly Government: Or how it will accord with their Proclamation, May 7. 1659. to like purpoſe; let Nedham, and that power for which he pleads reſolve us: To whoſe arbitrary wills and tyranny (if this monſtrous paradox be Oracle) he proſtrates all our Laws and Liberties; after [Page] full 17 years bloody conteſts, and moſt cruel Concertations for their Defence, againſt this his poſition and practice.

His 3. pillar is this, which he applies to the particular caſe of the ſecluded Members, p. 37. Si qui jure ſuo uti non poſſunt, [...]orum jus acereſcit praeſentibus: Grotius l. 2. c. 5. His meaning is, that if any Members of a Senate, Court or Parliament be abſent through ſickneſs, or any other voluntary or neceſſary occaſions, the reſt may ſit and act: will it thence follow, as this Mountebank argues, Ergo, the Minor part of the Commons Houſe (yea leſs than 40 of them) may fit and act now & heretofore, not only as a Commons Houſe, but abſolute Parl. becauſe they and the Army forcibly ſecluded the Major part, the whole Houſe of Lords, and beheaded King. Such a groſſe Nonſequitur as this, is no better juſtified from Grotius words, than this; The Army may forcibly ſeclude all but 5 or 6 of thoſe now ſitting, or leave Fleetwood, and Sir H. Vane alone: Ergo, in ſuch a caſe the whole right and power of the Parliament accrues to them alone, and they may ſit, vote as a Parliament, and make what Laws, Acts, and impoſe what Taxes, Exciſes they pleaſe, asAnd Fleetwood, with his New Committee of Safety now. Cromwell and his Council did at Whitehall upon the ſelf-ſame ground. Ʋno abſurdo dato mille ſequuntur.

You ſee now by this time the falſhood, abſurdity, and dangerous conſequences of Nedhams Atheiſtical, Jeſuitical Principles, whereon he would bottom the continuance, revival, juſtice, legality of his pretended Parliament, and Republike, laying a ground for, and encouraging all diſorders, confuſions, violences, treacheries and villanies whatſoever by the Law of Neceſſity and the longeſt ſword: and what a neceſſary Tool he is for the party, becauſe he can ſay or print any thing for them, though never ſo falſe, abſurd, miſchievous, and yet not be in danger of his head: (they are his own expreſſions, p. 32. 37.) I ſhall inform him of ſome other Principles preſcribed to all Saints, Chriſtians, and Souldiers, by God and Chriſt himſelf, which they ought to follow under pain of damnation. The firſt is Mat. 7. 12. All things whatſoever ye would that men ſhould do unto you, do ye even ſo to them, for [Page]this is the Law and the Prophets. The 2, is Mat. 22. 21. Render therefore to Caeſar the things that are Caeſars, and unto God the things that are Gods. The 3. is Luke 3. 14. Do violence to no man, neither accuſe any falſly, and be content with your wages. The 4. 1 [...] Rom. 13. 7, 8. Render therefore to all their dues, &c. Owe nothing to any man, but love one another. The 5. is Prov. 24. 21. My Son, fear thou the Lord and the King, and meddle not with thoſe who are given to change. The 6. is Pſ. 4. 8. Whatſoever things are true, whatſoever things are honeſt, whatſoever things are juſt, whatſoever things are lovely, whatſoever things are of good report, do. And▪ if he can found his preſent or former Parliament, Republike, or Intereſt will not lie, and forecited Concluſions on theſe Principles, I ſhall be his Proſelyte; till then I cannot, I dare not but renounce them, as Jeſuitical, Atheistical, Diabolical.

I ſhall not follow him in his Wild-gooſe chaſe any further, to prove the old Parliament undiſſolved, and now revived: what he writes ofPage 40, 41. Cromwels Parliaments and Conventions, during the preternatural dead Interval from April 53. to May 59. That they had not the legal force and vertue of Parliaments: That they were nothing in Law of themſelves, being creatures of another extraction: (though he writ the quite contrary in his life-time) That the Members of this revived Parliament [...]itting in them, did not own them for legal Parliaments: That their ſitting in them as Parliaments, could not prejudice nor conclude the Body now ſitting, becauſe a body of men in equal power and right, cannot be concluded by particular acts done by their own Members without conſent of the reſt; And that though they did not own thoſe Parliaments, nor the power that called them, yet their many and great complaints of their being ſecluded from them (by force, or new Oathes) as an infringement of the Peoples right in Parliament, were juſt, and they might well complain, becauſe their complaint of violation was grounded only upon the General Right inherent in the People, will fully manifeſt the Parliament of King Charles to be totally diſſolved by his death, notwithſtanding any private Members ſitting in it afterwards, his pretended Parliament of Commonsg then and now ſitting, to be no Parliament at all, nor yet revived in Law or verity; that yet M. Prynne and other Members, might juſtly complain of their [Page] forcible ſecluſion from it, in the peoples general inherent right, as themſelves did when ſecluded from Cromwels Parliaments, which they held void and null. And that if it be ſtill in being, and was only ſuſpended by Cromwels 6. years force, in reſpect only of the actual exerciſe of their power, not their inherent right, which is now revived: All the ſecluded Members, Lords, and Charls Stewart too, ought in right and juſtice to be recalled and remitted to their rights, from which they were forcibly interrupted, as well as thoſe now ſitting, having no legal power, ground, nor colour to ſeclude them, as I have already proved.

To cloze up this Queſtion, I ſhall propoſe this Dilemma to my diſſenting Opponents. If the old Parliament were totally and finally diſſolved by the Kings death, as Rogers confeſſeth, and Nedham grants in point of Law and Reaſon: Then thoſe few Commons ſitting after his death, and now again, cannot poſſibly be a Parliament, nor Committe of Parliament in any ſence. 1. Becauſe never ſummoned by any writ to any ſuch Parl. as this. 2. Becauſe never elected; intruſted by the people, who elected th [...] in the old Parliament, to ſit in this, or any other Parliament, without a King and Houſe of Lords. 3ly. Becauſe not new elected by their old electors, or any other Counties, Cities, Boroughs ſince the Kings death to ſit alone, as then or now they do. 4ly. Becauſe permitted, deſired to ſit at firſt only by the Army-Officers, their former mercenary Servants; and now invited to ſit again only upon ſome of their motions; having no pretence of Law or right to elect or create them a Parliament, or Repreſentative of the People of England: much leſſe then of Scotland and Ireland. 5ly. Becauſe they are not the fifth part of a Commons Houſe for number or quality, by our old Laws, Statutes, or the new Instrument or Advice, moſt Counties, Cities, Boroughs of the Nation having not ſo much as one Knight, Citizen or Burgeſſe in it to repreſent them, and Scotland, Ireland none at all: and ſo by the Armies own Declaration at St. Albans, their own Agreement of the People, and own Votes for An Equal Repreſentative, can be no Parliament at all, but the higheſt archeſt Traitors to, uſurpers over the whole Kingdoms Rights and Privileges.

[Page] In theTotles Magna Carta, f. 52. Hen. de Knyghton de Event. Angl. l. 3. c. 14. My Plea for the Lords p. 268, 269, 278, 279, 280, 193. Exact Abridgement, p. 53. 195, 368, 376, to 385. Parliament of 15 E. 2. in the Act for the Exile of the two Spencers, Cl. 15 E. 3. m. 32. dorſo, the Parliaments of 4 E. 3. rot. Parl. n. 1. 28 E. 3. n. 9, 10. 21 E. 3. rot. Parl. 11. 21. 21 R. 2. rot. Par. n. 15, 16. 22. R. 2. rot. Par. n. 3. & Plac. Coronae n. 7, to 16. it was' adjuded, reſolved, declared by the King and Parliament, that the accroaching and uſurping of REGAL POWER, by the two Spencers, Roger Mortymer Earl of March, the Duke of Glocester, Arundel Archbiſhop of York, the Earls of Arundel and others; by keeping the Lords, Great Men and Counſel of the King from his preſence, the Parliament and Council: by placing and diſplacing publike Officers at their pleaſures; By condemning, executing Lords and others of the Kings Subjects without his privity by might and power both in and out of Parliament: By not permitting the King to hear the petitions and complaints of his Nobles and People, and to do them juſtice against theſe uſurpers oppreſſions to their own and the Kings diſinheriting: By compelling the King to grant pardons to Rebells and others who ſlew his faithfull Lords and Subjects: By ſeiſing, diſpoſing of the Kings Treaſure and Revenues at their pleaſures; and enforcing the King to grant them a Commiſſion to manage his Royal affairs, truſt and revenues, in restraint and derogation of his royal power and prerogative: was no leſſe than High Treaſon by Law: For ſome of which encroachments of Regality, ſome of them were Baniſhen, others of them Beheaded and Executed as Traytors, and their Eſtates confiſcated by Iudgements and Acts of Parliament. If then the encroaching and uſurping of REGAL POWER in any of theſe particulars, be no leſſe than HIGH TREASON by the reſolution of theſe Parliaments, then queſtionleſſe the uſurpation, exerciſe, not only of Regal power in the higheſt degree, in calling, creating, diſſolving Parliaments, giving the royal aſſents to Bils, Pardons, executing Lords, Commons, creating publike Officers, making new Seals, iſſuing out Writs, Commiſſions, making Warr and Peace, coyning Money, &c. but alſo of Parliamental power too, in making new Laws, Acts, Treaſons, repealing, altering old Lawes, and forms of Proceſſe, impoſing new Taxes, Exciſes, Forfeitures, Militiaes, erecting new Courts, Judicatures, neither of all which the King [Page] can do by his regal Power, but in and by the Parliament only, wherein both the Power of the King in its higheſt orb, and of all the Lords, Commons are united, concentred, muſt needs be the higheſt Treaſon that poſſibly can be committed, both againſt the King, Kingdom, Parliament, Lords, Commons, People; all injured, uſurped on, tyrannized over, diſhonored, and oppreſſed thereby in the higheſt degree. Which ſhould diſcourage, deterr the Anti-Parliamentary Juncto, and all thoſe who have any dread of God, Men, or love to Parliaments, and their Native Country, from uſurping ſuch a power, as well for their own, as the publick weal.

If the long Parliament be ſtill in being and now revived, (as Nedham pleads, but proves not at all, his own principles evincing the contrary) then all the Lords and ſecluded Members ought in right and Juſtice to be freely admitted to ſit, vote therein, for the premiſed reaſons; elſe thoſe now ſitting and acting without them, will incurr the guilt of Highest Treaſon for Uſurping both Regal and Parliamental power, by meer force, without any Act of Parl. which an expreſs Act of Parlament made by aſſent of all the 3. Eſtates cannot transfer unto them, as the Statute of 1 H. 4. c. 3. and Parliament of 1 H. 4. rot. Parl. n. 25. expreſly reſolve, and I have proved in my Narrative, p. 22, 23, 24. ſince the Highest regal and Parliamentary truſts for the publike good, ſafety, repoſed in many by the people, cannot be transferred nor delegated unto a few, nor the Parliament power, truſt, aſſigned over, any more than the Hobards Reports. p. 155. 183. Regal.

Having diſpatched theſe grand queſtions, I ſhall be briefer in the 4th. being only this.

Whether the Oathes of Supremacy,Queſtion 4 Allegiance, and Homage to be late King, his Heirs and Succeſſors; were finally determined by, and expired at his death?

Nedham, p. 41, 42 and Rogers, p. 33. affirm they are; becauſe the old form of Kingly Government is lawfully (as they ſay) extinguiſhed, and a new form introduced, and ſo the Oath impoſſible, becauſe the perſons and things to whom they were made are at an end: Which opinion having largely refuted, in my Concordia Diſcors, proving thoſe Oathes to be ſtill obligatory and binding, by unanſwerable Scripture-preſidents [Page] and authorities, to which neither of theſe Antagoniſts re [...]ply one ſyllable; I ſhall briefly reply to what they object. 1. That the frame of our Kingly Government was not legally diſſolved, but violently and trayterouſly interrupted only, as he ſaith this Parliament and Republike were by Cromwels intruſion. 2ly. That by the reſolution of our Statutes, Judges, Laws, which admit no Interregnum, we have ſtill a Kingdom, a King, an Heir and Succeſſor to the Crown in actual being, (though out of actual, not legal poſſeſſion) to whom we may and ought to make good our Oathes. 3ly. That our fellow-members and ſubjects who took theſe Oathes as well as we, can neither abſolve themſelves nor us by their perjury or treachery in violating them, by their late forcible, illegal proceedings, and new Ingagement againſt the King, his Heirs and ſucceſſors. 4ly. That it is both poſſible, juſt, neceſſary, ſafe, honourable, Chriſtian, for them and us, and our 3. Kingdoms, Churches, Religion, to call in the right heir and ſucceſſor to the Crown, upon honorable Terms; there being no obſtacle to it but only want of will, or the covetouſneſs, rapine, ambition, guilt or fear of puniſhment in ſome particular perſons in preſent power, againſt the general deſire and intereſt of our 3. whole Kingdoms, Nations, endangered, embroyled, oppreſſed, and well-nigh totally ruined, exhauſted by his long ſecluſion. 5. That theſe Objectors and others ſlighting, neglecting, violating, abſolving themſelves and others from the conſcientious obligation, legal performance of theſe ſacred Oathes, obliging themſelves in particular and the whole Kingdom in general, to the late King his Heirs and Succeſſors in perpetuity, is no argument of their piety, ſaintſhip, religion, fear of God, honeſty, truth, juſtice, but of their avowed Atheiſm, Impiety, Injuſtice, contempt of God, and all his threats, judgments denounced, inflicted upon Perjured infringers of their Oathes, Covenants to their King and others. 6ly. That for the violation of theſe Oathes, the whole three Kingdoms have deeply mourned, ſuffred in ſundry kinds ever ſince 1648. and are now likely to be ruined by Taxes, Contributions, Oppreſſions of all ſorts, loſſe of trade, unſeaſonable weather, diſeaſes [Page] epidemically reigning, and other judgements. 7ly. That Abraham himſelf the father of all the faithfull; ſwearing by God, that he would not deal falſly with Abimelech, nor with his Son, nor with his Sons ſon, but according to the kindneſs he had done to Abraham, Gen. 21. 23, 24, &c. and his care to perform his Oath; hath juſtified not only the lawfulneſs of all our Oathes to the King, his heirs and ſucceſſors, but confirmed our Obligation to them all, and how conſcientiouſly we ought to perform them without fraud or falſhood, yea▪ diſowed all thoſe from being of his faith or ſpiritual ſeed, who make little conſcience to perform them. 8ly. That as the Apoſtle reſolves, Gal. 3. 16, 17. That the Covenant made by God to Abraham and his ſeed in Chriſt before, the Law which was made 430, years after cannot diſannull, that it ſhould make the Promiſe of no effect: So the New Ingagement [...]de, taken after theſe two Oathes to our New Governors, and their late Oath so be Conſtant, as well as True and Faithfull to their new Republike, without King, or Single perſon, or Houſe of Lords (obliging thoſe who take it, if binding, not only to ſundry Prejuries, Treaſons, but conſtant perſeverance in them without repentance) cannot diſannul theſe former Oathes to the King, his heirs and ſucceſſors, and make them of no effect, as Rogers, & Nedham tell us, which I have elſwhere proved. 9ly. John Rogers, p. 9. informs us, that Cleomines the Lacedemonian, ſware to his friend Archonides, that he would do all things joyntly with him, and Act nothing without his HEAD were in it. After which watching his time, he cut off his Companions head; and to keep his Covenant, after he had parboyled it, he kept it by him, honored and preſerved it; and upon every weighty matter or conſultation would ſet his Scull by him, and tell it what he purpoſed; ſaying that he did not violate his Ingagement, or break his Oath in the leaſt, ſeeing he did ever take counſel with [...] the head of Archonides, and did nothing without it. Verily my Antagoniſts and thoſe Members they plead for, have dealt more falſly with the late King, Lords, and their fellow Members, than Cleomines with Archonides; they twice Swore, Proteſted, [Page] Vowed and Covenanted too over and over, to be true and faithfull to the King, and to act all things Ioyntly with him, the Lords, and their fellow Commons in Parliament, and tranſact nothing without their heads and advice were in it. But though afterwards watching their opportunity, they cut off the Kings head, and ſome of the Lords, as he did his Friends; ſuppreſſed the whole Houſe of Lords, and ſecluded moſt of their fellow Commoners; yet they do not ſet either their heads, ſculls, or any of their ſurviving perſons before them in the Houſe when they conſult upon every or any weighty matter, nor tell them what they purpoſe: And yet they and theſe their Advocates tell us and others; They do not violate their Proteſtations, Vows, Covenants, nor yet break their Oathes. Whether of them are the greateſt Hypocrites, Impoſtors, let the world now judge.

The 5. Queſtion between John Rogers▪ and me alone, is this.

Whether the Jeſuites and our forein Spaniſh, Queſt. 5 French and other Common Popiſh Adverſaries, were the Original Plotters, and Ʋnder-hand fomentors, of the change of our antient Hereditary Kingſhip and Kingdom into a NEW COMMONWEALTH, and of the late Exorbitant violent Proceedings againſt the King, Parliament, and ſecluded Members, to accompliſh this their deſign?

Mr. Prynne hath abundantly proved the affirmative by punctual Teſtimonies out of Parſons, Campanella, Watſon, Clerke, Richelieu's Inſtructions, Conte Galeazzo, the Lord Digbies and others Letters, Mutatus Polemo, and other Evidences; by pregnant Reaſons and Demonſtrations, both à priori et poſteriori, in his Speech, Memento, Epiſtles to his New Diſcovery of Free-State Tyranny, Jus Patronatus, Seaſonable Vindication; The Republicans Good Old Cauſe anatomized, and in his Narrative, p. 18, 19, 20. 40, to 64. 85, to 89. Theſe Evidences P, 27, to 36. J. Rogers neither doth, nor can deny in any particular; only he contradicts the Concluſion, as not ſufficiently warranted by the premiſes; when as moſt judicious Proteſtants of all profeſſions and degrees who have ſeriouſly [Page] peruſed them, are abundantly ſatisfied, and conclude the contrary, to this Johannis ad oppoſitum; who beſtows whole ſheets and vollies of rayling Epithites, Scurrilous ſcoffs, unchriſtian P. 34, to 41. obſcene Quaeres and ſarcaſmes upon me, only upon this accompt, that I have tranſlated the Odium and guilt of the contriving, ſometing the late Gunpowder Treaſon which blew up our King, Kingdom Parliament, Lords Houſe, and Kingly Government, to erect a New Republike, from the Protestants, to the Jeſuits and thoſe of their religion, who plotted the old one, and would have fathered it on the Puritans, had it taken the like effect as this hath done; which I thought would have deſerved thanks, rather than ſuch reproachfull uſage from ſuch a Zealot as he pretends to be. But ſince he will needs appropriate the glory and honour of this laſt Powder-Plot, (tranſcending the former) to thoſe worthies for whom he pleads, and to himſelf and his diſciples, and allow the Jeſuits (a many of whom he confeſſeth are doubtleſſe in England under diſguiſes and folding-dores, p. 35.) no ſhare at all in its projection, or execution; I ſhall no waies envy them this new Garland, wherewith he Crowns their Temples; let them wear it in triumph to their graves, or Tyburn; I ſhall not envy them this new Crown of glory, of which they are ſo ambitious, that Rogers ſpends many leaves, p. 27, to 37. to evade the Authors I quote to prove the Commonwealth a ſpurious iſſue of the Jeſuits projection, by his impertinent anſwers to them.

1. He endeavours to evade my quotations of Parſons and Campanella, the firſt projectors of turning our Engliſh Kingdom, into an Holland Commonwealth, by the agency of the Jeſuits, confederating with Anabaptists and other Sectariet agreeing with them in Antimonarchical principles, by the help of a prevalent ſeduced party in the Parliament houſe, when purged, reformed after Parſons new models; and by raiſing wars, tumults, in the Realm, and then infuſing this Principle into the Common Soldiers, people and every Precape, or factious multitude, getting the Title of a Publique State, or Helvetian Commonwealth, to examin their Soveraigns[Page]by what Title they hold their Crowns, and to alter, change the courſe, inheritance and ſucceſſion of the Crown and publike Government at their pleaſures, and diſſciſe the right heirs general to the Crown, and put them to their Formedon to recover them. To which he anſwers, 1. That theſe their Politicks were calculated to the State of the Nation as it was in Queen Elizabeths time when they writ, to divide us with factions, and diviſions at home, ſtir up the ſeeds of an inexplicable, irreconcilable war between England and Scotland, to deprive King James of the Crown of England; to promote the Spaniards intereſt, and hinder the Engliſh from infeſting his Fleet, and Indies: Ergo the Jeſuites were not the original projectors of turning our Kingdom into a Commonwealth, though he produceth none elſe before or beſides them; nor yet proſecuted this deſign (ſo long ſince laid) afreſh (as I have proved they did) in 1647. and 1648. for the ſelf-ſame ends, in ſubſtance, by the ſelf-ſame means and inſtruments. 2ly. He ſaith, I ſhould prove that This, this is the ſame Commonwealth they plotted then in every circumſtance: I prove it produced by the ſame inſtruments, means, pattern they preſcribed, and that it purſued the ſame ends, deſigns, which is ſufficient and punctua [...]. The rather, becauſe himſelf and thoſe he pleads for, are not yet agreed what form or kinde of creature their new Commonwealth ſhall be; they being much divided about it, as himſelf atteſts: who ſpends ſome ſheets againſt Mr. Harringtons and others Models of it. 3ly. He adds, their deſign proved abortive in Qu. Elizebeths reign, and in the powder-plot againſt King James; What then? Ergo, they purſued it not ſince, as I prove by late pregnant Teſtimonies, and more than probable arguments, is a meer inconſequent. 4ly. He objects, the Jeſuits Commonwealth admits no toleration of Religions; never was againſt Kingſhip and the Office of it, as theirs is, nor hath any ſimilitude with Jeſuitiſm. All falſe; the Jeſuits pleaded alwayes forSee their printed Petitions to that effect to King James. Mr. Edwards Gangraenaes and Treatiſe againſt Toleration. a free toleration of religion in England, that themſelves might be tolerated, though they deny it elſewhere: they areSee my Epiſtle before my Hiſtorical and Legal Vindica [...]ion. profeſſed enemies to the office, as well as perſons of all Proteſtant, yea and [Page] moſt Popiſh Kings, and projected to make us a Commonwealth upon this account in oppoſition to Kingſhip: it hath ſimilitude with Ieſuitiſm both in its principles, witneſs thoſe of Barclay and Mariana, cited by Nedham, whereon he founds it; and in its practices of murdering Protestant Kings, blowing up Parliaments, abſolving Subjects from their Oath and Allegiance, &c. by which it was founded, ſupported, revived. What elſe he allegeth, is but meer Froth of his wanton brain, and ſcurrillous pen, unworthy reply. Only becauſe he calls upon me for more evidence, if I have it, to prove his Good Old Cauſe and Commonwealth a Plot of the Ieſuites, I ſhal gratify him herein. 1. Hugh Peters himſelf, very well acquainted of late years with the Jeſuits perſons, plots, principles, practices, in his Letter to a great Army-Officer (quoted by himſelf, p. 12.) ſtiles it, A Cheat of the Ieſuites put upon the Army; and that with much regret of heart and ſpirit. 2ly. A grave Proteſtant Gentleman of the Temple laſt Trinity Term riding up to London, meeting with a Popiſh Gent. of his acquaintance on the way, they diſcourſing of theſe laſt Revolutions and changes of Government, the Proteſtant told him, that theſe alterations were but the Plots and productions of the Jeſuites and thoſe of his Religion, who did but laugh at us in their ſleeves, to ſee what fools they made us. At which the Papiſt growing ſomwhat angry; He deſired him to be patient, ſince they were antient friends, and what he ſpake was not in jeaſt or ſcoff, as he took it, but in ſober ſadneſs; deſiring him (having great acquaintance amongst the Papists) to inquire out the truth of what he ſpake, when he came to London, where most Papists in England were then aſſembled, for both their ſatisfactions, and to give him an account thereof; which he promiſed to do. About 5. or 6. dayes after, this Papiſt told him. That according to his requeſt, he had made diligent inquiry of the truth of what he ſpake on the way; and that he found, all or moſt of the Ieſuites were Knaves, they and moſt of the Ieſuited Papiſts being againſt the King, and wholly for a Commonwealth, as being moſt advantagious for the King of Spains Intereſt; uſing more words to the ſame effect. Which the Proteſtant (being [Page] my old familiar acquaintace) about two dayes after related to me in Weſtminſter-hall, as a concurrent teſtimony with that I had publiſhed to this effect in my True and perfect Narrative, and the Republicans Spurious good old Cauſe truly Anatomized. 3ly. Lilly (a zealous Republican) in his Almanack, Anno 1651. prognoſticated; That the Stars did then promiſe Acts of Grace and Favor to Popiſh Recuſants, who in their Zeal and Loyalty to the New Republike exceeded moſt Presbyterians. An argument it was a creature of the Jeſuites and their projection, to procure them more grace and favor than before, and promote their deſigns againſt us. 4ly. Nedham (Rogers his Conſederate and fellow Champion againſt me) makes uſe of the Jeſuit Barclay his forecited Ieſuitical Principle, as the chief corner-ſtone of our New Parliaments and Republikes ſtructure whereon they are both built: And not only ſo, but he uſeth the very Arguments of Campanella, which he preſcribed the King of Spain to ſuggeſt to the Engliſh Nobility, Proteſtants and Clergy, to hinder and keep out King James from the Crown of England upon Queen Elizabeths death; to diſſwade and draw them all of from King Charls; and oppoſe his reſtitution now. Campanellaes words are theſe, cap. 25. De Mon. Hiſpanica, p. 207, 208. Praeterea ſuſpitionem incutiat amicis Elizabethae, ſaepius iis inculcando fore ut Jacobus in amicis Elizabethae caedem maternam vindicaturus ſit, &c. praeſertim cum Maria ipſius mater moriens ei Religionem Catholicam, et ſue caedis vindictam ſerio commendaverit. Exaſperandi etiam ſunt mimi Epiſcoporum & Miniſtrorum Anglicorum, proponendo illis, Regem Scotiae Calvini [...]mum amplexum eſſe ſpe et cupiditate Regni, adactumique vi a Baronibus haereticis: Quod it vero Regnum Angliae etiam obtineat, tum illum cito priorem Religionem revocaturum eſſe, quanddquidem non ſolum Mater defuncta verum etiam [...]ex ipſe Galliarum ſummopere et illam commendarint. Quibus modis fier ut ſemina belli inextricabilis inter Angliam & Scotiam [...]aciantur, &c. to keep King James from the Crown. Which Nedham thus imitates and purſues, with a little variation, [Page] in his Interest, Sect. 3. of the Presbyterians, p. 12, 13. The Royal party will never leave buzzing in C. Stuarts ears to quicken his memory, that the interest of your party was in its infancy founded upon the ruin of HIS GRAND-MOTHER, continued and improved by the perpetual vexation of his GRAND-FATHER, and at length proſecuted TO THE DECAPITATION OF HIS FATHER. Be not ſo weak as to fool your ſelves that you ſhall fare better than others. It is the common ſence of the Cavaliers, that you prepared his FATHER for the block, and are incenſed at others becauſe they took from you the honour of the execution. Dr. Creiton told him, That the Presbyterians pulled his FATHER Down and held him by the hair, while the Independents cut off his head. And after him it was more elegantly expreſſed by Salmatius, Presbyteriani Sacrificium ligarunt, Independentes jugularunt, &c. And p. 5, 6. The PAPISTS having had ſo fair a Creature of the Father, for many reaſons they have no cauſe to fear foul dealing from the Son. As for HIS RELIGION (if any) it is at best, but a devotion to Prelacy, which was bequeathed to him by Legacy. All his other pretences of Religion in Scotland, he forfeited before ever he left that Countrey. What profeſſion he hath ſince owned abroad, hath (for reaſons of State) been kept very cloſe, yet not ſo cloſe but he diſcovered it. But if this be not evident, let us have recourſe to reaſon, and then conſider, HOW LONG HE WAS UNDER THE WING OF HIS MOTHERS INSTRUCTIONS IN FRANCE, and what a Nurſery Flanders hath been for him ſince, which IS THE MOST JESUITED PLACE IN THE WORLD: conſider alſo the urgency of his neceſſities, diſpoſing him to imbrace any thing, or take any courſe to get a Crown, being under the ſame influence of the wandring Starre, called Reaſon of State, as was his GRAND-FATHER H. the 4th of France, who ſhifted his Religion to ſecure a Crown, &c. Theſe put all together into the ballance, are ground enough to believe him ſufficiently affected, if not ſworn to Popery. Here we have Nedham plowing with Campanella his heifer, uſing his very policy, words, arguments in ſubſtance to exaſperate the Presbyterians, Independents, and Proteſtant party againſt [Page] Charles Stuart, and keep him from the Crown, as Campanella ſuggeſted to the King of Spain, and the Engliſh Proteſtants and Prelates, to exaſperate them againſt his Grandfather King James for the ſelf-ſame end, by traducing both in their Religion, and meditation of revenge of their reſpective Mothers and Fathers decollations.

Here I ſhall deſire the Readers to take ſpecial Notice of 4. particulars. 1. Of Campanellaes, the Jeſuites, forein Popiſh Princes and their Inſtruments Machiavilian practice▪ ſecretly, ſeriouſly, frequently to ſuggeſt to Proteſtant Subjects, that their moſt Orthodox Proteſtant Kings, and right heirs to the Crown, are inwardly inclined and well-affected to Popery, that they profeſs themſelves Proteſtants, only for politick ends, to gain or retain the Crown; that when they are ſetled in their thrones, they will either profeſs, or introduce Popery (which would be the Jeſuits and Papiſts greateſt advantage who thus ſuggeſt it, if true) purpoſly to exaſperate their Proteſtan [...] Subjects againſt, and alienate their affections from them; yea make them the viſible inſtruments to keep them from their hereditary Crowns, to the ſcandal, prejudice of the Protestant Religion, though they be moſt real, cordial, conſtant Profeſſors of it. And whence ſuch ſcandalous ſuggeſtions originally ſpring 2ly. Of the inexcuſable malice of Nedham, profeſſing himſelf a Proteſtant, not only in imitating this Jeſuitical Romiſh practice againſt his own hereditary Proteſtant Soveraign Ch. Stuart, but tranſcending it many degrees; Firſt, by pretermitting his beheaded Fathers long education of him in the Proteſtant Religion whiles he lived; and this charge unto him in [...], p. 235. to 251. Writing a little before his death, viz, Above all, I would have you, as I hope you are already, well-grounded and ſetled in your Religion: the beſt profeſſion of which I have ever eſteemed that of the Church of England, in which you have been educated: Yet I would have your own Judgement and Reaſon now ſeal to that ſacred Bond which education hath written, that it may be judiciouſly your own Religion, and not other mens Cuſtome or Tradition, which you profeſs. In this I charge you to perſevere, as coming neareſt to Gods word for Doctrine, and[Page]to the Primitive examples for Government, with ſome little amendment, &c. Your fixation in matters of Religion will not be more neceſſary for your Souls, that your Kingdoms peace, when God ſhall bring you to them, &c. If you never ſee my face again, I do require and intreat you, as your Father and your King, that you never ſuffer your heart to receive the leaſt check againſt, or diſaffection from the Religion eſtabliſhed in the Church of England. I tell you, I have tried it, and after much ſearch and many diſputes, have concluded it to be the beſt in the world, not only in the community, as Chriſtian, but alſo in the ſpecial notion, as Reformed, keeping the middle way between the Pomp of ſuperſtitious Tyranny, and the meanneſs of fantaſtique Anarchy. The ſcandal of the late Troubles, which ſome may object and urge to you, againſt the Proteſtant Religion eſtabliſhed in England, is eaſily anſwered to them and to your own thoughts Keep you to true principles of Piety, Vertue and Honour, you ſhall never want a Kingdom. For thoſe who repent of any defects in their duty towards me, as I freely forgive them, in the word of a Chriſtian King: ſo I believe, you will find them truly zealous to repay with Intereſt that Loyalty and Love to you, which was due to me. In ſumme, What good I intended, do you perform, when God ſhall give you power. Next, in urging, how long he was under the wing of his Mothers instructions in France (but a few Moneths ſpace at moſt) and what a Nurſery) Flanders hath been for him ſince, which is the moſt Ieſuited place in the world; as his principal reaſon, to perſwade both Papiſts and Proteſtants, to believe him ſufficiently affected, if not ſworn to Popery, as if he had been there educated by his own voluntary election; and not neceſſitated, yea forced thither by the Army Officers, and thoſe in late and preſent power (profeſſing themſelves the moſt zealous Proteſtants, and eminentest Saints) full ſore againſt his will. The General Council of Army Officers, in their Remonſtrance of Nov. 20. 1648. preſented to the Commons Houſe, as they demanded the King to be brought to ſpeedy Iuſtice; ſo they propounded, That the Prince, and Duke of York, his Sons, [Page] might be declared uncapable of any truſt or government in this Kingdom, or any Dominions thereunto belonging; and thence to ſtand Exiled for ever, as Enemies and Traytors, and to die without mercy, if ever taken or found within the ſame. After his Fathers beheading, when he was called in and crowned King by his Proteſtant Subjects in Scotland (where he took the Solemn League and Covenant) according to their Oaths, Covenant, Duty, Laws and principles of the reformed Religion: our Republican Grandees and their Gen. Cromwel, by a bloudy, unchriſtian, unbrotherly, invaſive war, expelled and kept him out thence, yea out of England too, and all his other Dominions, by force of arms after the battel of Worceſter, Septemb. 3. 1651. From whence he was forced to fly diſguiſed, to ſave his life, into France; where he landed at Newhaven, Octob. 2. and ſome weeks after departed into Holland to the Princeſs of Orange his Siſter (a Proteſtant) reſiding with her, and other Proteſtants there, remote from the company and ſeducements of his Mother, and all Jeſuites, Papiſts that might any wayes ſeduce him in his religion; living wholly upon the charity of foreign Protestants; his own Protestant Subjects then and ſince ſwaying, being ſo ſtupendiouſly unjuſt, uncharitable, as not to allow him or his Brothers one farthing, out of all the Lands and Revenues of his 3. Kingdoms, for their neceſſary ſupport in forein parts, and making it High Treaſon for any of his Proteſtant Subjects to contribute any thing towards their ſupport in this their diſtreſſed condition; ſo conſcientiouſly did they practiſe theſe Goſpel precepes, Mat. 5. 44, 45. c. 22. 21. Rom. 12. 13, 19, 20, 21. c. 13. 1, to 12. c. 15. 26, 27. 1 Cor. 16, 1. Mat. 25. 34, 35, 36, 37. for which they may juſtly expect that fatal ſentence, v. 40, to 46. Yet not content herewith, to deprive Him, his Brethren, and followers, both of the relief, company, comfort of all their Proteſtant Friends and Allies in the Netherlands, and force them thence into Popiſh Quarters, to the hazard of their Souls as well as Lives, exaſperate them all againſt the proteſtant Religion, and enforce them (if poſſible) unto popery, they engaged themſelves [Page] and the Engliſh Nation not only in a moſt unchriſtian, bloudy, coſtly, deſtructive war with our antient Proteſtant Brethren of Scotland till they had totally ſubdued them, but alſo with our old Proteſtant allies of the Netherlands, which war continued from Jan. 1651. till April 1654▪ almoſt to the ruin of both Nations, and then Oliver Cromwel concluded a Peace with the Dutch on theſe terms, (ſufficiently evidencing the true ground and end of that bloudy war) That Charls Stuart, with his Brothers, followers, and adherents, ſhould be forthwith baniſhed out of the Low Countries, and none of them permitted to reſide there, or return thither again. Upon which, by command from the States, theſe diſtreſſed Exiles were forced to remove into France, much againſt their wills, having no other place of ſafety to retire themſelves to: where they enjoyed the company of their Mother, and relief of their Popiſh allies; as likewiſe the comfortable Chriſtian Society, Charity, aſſiſtance of their French Proteſtant Friends, Churches, Miniſters, Miniſtry, to confirm, edifie them in the Reformed Religion: which Cromwel and their Engliſh inveterate Enemies maligning, endeavoured to expell them thence, and by quarrelling with the French, and [...]atring into an intimate League with Cardinal Ma [...]arine, (by the agency of Sir Kenelm Digby a Jeſuited Papiſt) concluded a Peace with France in Novemb. 1655. upon this condition; That Ch. Stuart, with all his brothers, followers, adherents, ſhould be forthwith removed out of France, and all the French Kings Dominious, and not permitted to return or reſide therein. Being thus driven out of Holland and France from the Society of all Proteſtants, they were neceſſitated ſore againſt their wills, to caſt themſelves upon the protection and charity of the Spaniard, and fly into Flanders, having no place elſe to reſt their heads, and there to ſojourn among Papiſts, and Jeſuites in great danger, and extreme neceſſity; where to their immortal Honour, the Admiration of all true Proteſtants and Papiſts too, and the Envy of their Proteſtant malicious perſecutors who forced them thither, they conſtantly adhere to, and publikely profeſs the Proteſtant Religion,[Page]and will not be ſeduced from it to Popery, notwithſtanding the manifold affronts, injuries, provocations, reproaches, perſecutions of ſome of their own Proteſtant Subjects; their exile from their Proteſtant Kingdoms, their Proteſtant Friends in France, Holland, their extreme preſſing neceſſities, and the frequent ſollicitations, arguments, perſwaſions, promiſes, temptations of Prieſts, Jeſuites, Papists and Popiſh Princes, See Militiere his victory of truth, dedicated to him: & Mutatus Polemo, P. 32, 33. to turn Papiſts, as the only means to regain their rights, and reſtore Ch. Stuart to his Crowns and Kingdoms. Now that this his forced Exile into France and Flanders by a prevailing party of his own Proteſtant Subjects, (againſt all their Oathes, Protestations, Vowes, Covenants, Remonſtrances, Declarations, Allegiancos, Duties, our Known Laws, the practice of all the primitive Chriſtians, and other Proteſtant Churches, the principle of Christian Religion, and of our own Proteſtant Church [...], both in our Articles, Homilies, Canons, Writers, Liturgies,) and his forced ſojourning there amongſt Jeſuites, Papiſts, with his grand neceſſities, of which they have been the only Authors, (to their own eternal infamy, and intollerable ſcandal, diſhonour, ſhame, reproach of our Proteſtant Kingdoms, Churches, Religion) enforcing him to cry out with holy King David, (when forced by Saul, and his rebellious Son Abſolom out of his Kingdom from Gods Ordinances, among Pagan Idolaters) Pſ. 120. 5. Wo is me that I ſojourn in Meſech, that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar. My ſoul hath long dwelt with them that hate peace, &c. ſhould be thus objected againſt him by this rayling Shimel, and the Authors of it, over and over, as a convincing evidence, that he is ſufficiently affected, if not ſworn to Popery; notwithſtanding his open conſtant avowed profeſſion of the Proteſtant Religion, to the admiration of the world, the joy of all true Proteſtants, and Gods great glory as well as his own; and made now a motive to excite his Proteſtant Subjects (in this juncture of time and revolution of affairs) to take up arms afreſh againſt him, to keep him ſtill in exile amidſt Jeſuits, Papiſts, and hinder his reſtitution to his hereditary Kingdoms, and the benefit of Gods Ordinances among his own Proteſtant [Page] Subjects for his and their preſervation, and of the reformed Religion, now much endangered by inteſtin wars, the policies of Jeſuits, and combination of the Pope, and Popiſh Princes, to be totally extirpated throughout the World; is not only a moſt unparalleld piece of malice and calumny, but the very quinteſſence of Jeſuitiſm, and Jeſuitical policy. The rather, becauſe all our Proteſtant Biſhops, Miniſters, Martyrs in Queen Maries daies, when impriſoned by her for their Religion (though reſtored to her Crown, againſt the uſurpations of Queen Jane, a Proteſtant, by their aſſiſtance, and theRerum Anglicarum, Annales, Lond: 1616. p. 3. p. 116. & Mr. Fox, Vol. 3. Suffolk Proteſtants, quorum propter Religioni [...] cauſam propenſiſſimus favor Janae adſuturum inde ſperabatur;) by their joynt Letter to all their Proteſtant Brethren, (recorded inActs and Monuments, Vol. 3. p. 101, 102. Mr. Fox,) not only declared Queen Maries open obſtinate profeſſion of Popery, to be no juſt cauſe in Law or Conſcience, to keep her from her hereditary Right to the Crown; but likewiſe humbly required, and in the bowels of our Lord Jeſus Christ beſeeched all that feared God, to behave themſelves as obedient Subjects to Her Highneſs, and the Supreme powers ordained under Her; and rather after their example to give their Heads to the block, than in any wiſe to rebell againſt the Lords Anointed, Queen MARY, in no point conſenting to any Rebellion or Sedition againſt Her Highneſs. Much leſs then ought his ſlight ſuggeſtions of Ch. Stuarts ſecret inclination to Popery, againſt his conſtant avowed profeſſion of Proteſtantiſm in the very midſt of the moſt Jeſuited Papiſts, to be any argument at all for his Proteſtant Subjects not to aſſiſt, but to riſe up and rebell againſt him, to keep him from the Crown. 3ly. The extraordinary ſottiſhneſs and infatuation of thoſe Proteſtants, who will be cheated, ſeduced by ſuch Jeſuitical ſuggeſtions, calumnies, as Nedham and others have publiſhed of him, touching his inclination to Popery, to withdraw their affections, aſſiſtance from him, either to ſupply his neceſſities, or reſtore him, if not to his hereditary Civil Rights, yet at leaſt to the comfortable fruition of Gods Ordinances and Chriſtian Society in our Proteſtant Churches and Kingdom, for his ſpiritual Conſolation [Page] and Salvation. 4ly. The moſt barbarous infernal matchleſs malice of thoſe degenerated Republican and Army-Saints, profeſſing themſelves Stars of the greateſt Magnitude in the Proteſtant Orb, in expelling their undoubted natural hereditary Proteſtant King, not only out of all his own Proteſtant Realms and Dominions, but likewiſe out of Holland and France, where he lived in exile, and had the relief and ſociety of Proteſtants, into Flanders, the moſt Jeſuited place in the world (as Nedham prints) where are none but Papiſts; enforcing him there to live upon their alms alone, and keep him there in Exile; on purpoſe to neceſſitate him, with his Brothers, followers, adherents, to renounce the Proteſtant Religion and party, and become profeſſed Papiſts; to deſtroy, murder his and their ſouls and bodies at once; and deprive him of his eternal Crown in heaven, as well as of his temporal Crowns on earth. Jer. 2. 12. Be aſtoniſhed, O heaven, and be ye horribly afraid, at this unpreſidented Tyranny and Treachery; the higheſt Malignity of Jeſuitiſm, and expreſs revived Image of the Jeſuites deſign, againſt his Grandfather King Henry the 4. of France; who ſhifting his Religion, by the Jeſuites perſwaſion to ſecure his Crown and Life againſt their malicious deſigns; was ſoon after,See the General Hiſtory of France. Hoſpinian, & Ludovicus Lucius, Hiſt. Jeſuitica, l. 3. c. 2. Speculum Jeſuiticum, p. 75. 80. by their instigation, deprived of both, if not of his eternal Crown; by a ſtab through his heart, by one of their diſciples, though he had bequeathed his heart to them by will, and built them a magnificent College, richly indowed by him with lands and plate. If then Mat. 7. 16, 20. the tree (as Chriſt himſelf reſolves) may be certainly known by its fruits, we may eaſily judge, from whence theſe rotten bitter fruits of Jeſuitiſm originally ſprung, and who were the planters of thoſe trees which bear them. But if they cannot effect this infernal deſign to deſtroy his Soul and body together; yet they will make uſe of it to murder his reputation, and render him a ſuſpected; if not a devoted proſelyte to Popery, to debar [...] his return to his Proteſtant Kingdoms.Jer. 5. 9, 29. And ſhall not God viſit for theſe ſins? Shall not his Soul be avenged on ſuch a Nation as this?

I ſhall add a 4th Evidence, (I only pointed atTrue & perfect Narrative p. 62. before) worthy ſpecial obſervation; which will fully anſwer the late printed Sheet, intituled, A clear Vindication of Roman [Page] Catholicks from a foul aſperſion caſt on them by Mr. Prynne, and Mr. Baxſter; as if they made and headed Sects, had a powerful influence upon the Army, in relation to their proceedings againſt the late King, and Changes, to reduce us under the power of ROME; which the nameleſs Author, ſaith, the chiefeſt of their Clergy and Laity (with whom he hath ſpoken) proteſt to be a black Calumny. Mr. P. and Mr. B. do neither of them charge the Roman Catholicks in general, but only the Jeſuites, ſome of their Priests, Friers, and Jeſuitial faction, with theſe and other like practices, fully charged and proved againſt them, in Ieſuitarum per Ʋnitas Belgii provincias negotiatio, printed 1616. Hoſpinian, and Ludovicus Lucius, Hiſtoria Jeſuitica, Speculum Jeſuiticum, and others, as well Papiſts as Proteſtants. For their heading Sects and the late Quakers, I have divers inſtances, beſides thoſe publiſhed, to evidence it; and for their deportment in relation to the Kings death, and the change of our Government, this one inſtance may ſatisfie them and others. When the King was executed before Whitehall, Jan. 30. 1648. Mr. Henry Spotteſworth riding caſually that way juſt as his head was cut off, eſpied the Queens Confeſsor there on Horſeback in the habit of a Trooper, drawing forth his ſword, and flouriſhing it over his head in triumph, (as others there did) at this ſpectacle. At which being much amazed, and being familiarly acquainted with the Confeſſor, he rode up to him, and ſaid 3. O Father! I little thought to have found you here, or any of your profeſſion at ſuch a ſad ſpectacle. To which he anſwered, There were at leaſt forty or more Prieſts and Ieſuites there preſent on Horſeback beſides himſelf; which being afterwards objected by a Protestant friend of his to a Romiſh Prieſt, he had no excuſe to make for it, but this, that one end of his & their coming thither, was. That if the King had died a Roman Catholick he might not want a Confeſſor, had he deſired one. This the Gentleman (now dead) and his Siſter (whom the Confeſſor oft ſollicited to turn Papiſts) within few daies after, and at other times ſeriouſly related to a Bencher of Lincolns Inne his familiar acquaintance (who oft reported it to me and others) uſing it [Page] as one chief reaſon, Why thy refuſed to turn Papists; and becauſe they alſo found the Jeſuits and Popiſh Prieſts both before and after the Kings death, had divers meetings about London, to alter the Government, and diſinherit the Kings posterity. Which compared with their releaſes from Impriſonment, and free liberty they enjoyed, ever ſince the Kings death till now under the New Republike, whiles divers Proteſtant Miniſters, Gentlemen, Noblemen, and ſome Members were under cloſe reſtraints, With the late proviſo in the Proclamation of Iuly laſt (occaſioned by my Narrative) for Baniſhing Ieſuits, Prieſts, and ſuch Cavaliers of the Kings party who had not compounded, (the principal parties aimed at) by the 1. of August, under pain of High Treaſon: Provided, that if any of them, (Jeſuits or Popiſh Prieſts,23 Eliz. c. 1. 27 Eliz. c. 2. 1 Jac. c. 4. 3 Jac. c. 5. Traytors by ſundry Laws yet in force, as well as Protestant Cavaliers, made Traytors only by this New proclamation, equally ranged with Ieſuits, Prieſts, and only inquired after) ſhould ſubmit themſelves to the preſent Government, and give ſecurity for their obedience and peaceable deportment; that this proclamation ſhould not extend unto them; but that they might ſtill continue amongſt us. Since which I hear of ſundry Proteſtant Miniſters, Gentlemen, Noblemen, and ſome ſecluded Members, ſecured, impriſoned, proſecuted in moſt Counties, which every Diurnal is fraught with, but not with one Ieſuit or Popiſh Prieſt yet apprehended, though there be multitudes of them in England. Which New Evidences, compared with thoſe in my Narrative and other publications, will I truſt fully ſatisfie all diſintereſſed perſons in this grand Queſtion, till time ſhall diſcover further proofs (as it doth each year) to reſolve this controverſie, if theſe be not ſufficient. As for I. Rogers and his Diſciples, they deny the Jeſuits and Popiſh party to have any ſhare in our late Changes, becauſe they would monopolize the honor and reward thereof to themſelves alone: witneſs this querulous paſſage to his revived High Court of Parliament, p. 96. We can tell you, that no men in England did more (if ſo much move, run, write, meet, counſel, pray, ſit up night and day to effect your return into the place of Truſt where you [Page]now are, than thoſe whom you grieve, [...]light, frown upon, and do least for, in point of juſtice, conſcience, or encouragement, This is grievous, and muſt needs prove dangerous to the whole at the laſt. And p. 119. We have ſuffered Bonds, baniſhment, plunderings, perils of life, liberty, eſtates, 5, of 6. years together, in many priſons one after another; and yet no reparation, reſtitution, proviſion, or encouragement, for holding ou [...] like Fortreſſes, againſt ſo hard a ſiege. All this for the Cauſe, and Commonwealth: worthy of thanks at least, who have been Inſtruments of your Reſtitution: but theſe are ſlighted by friends and foes: the Pipers, Dancers, and Deviſers of New Forms to trouble us with: that are rather the Incubus than Incumbents of a Frée-State. If this his Complaint be true, it is either a juſt puniſhment of God upon him and them for their Innovations, Prov. 24. 21, 22. or an Evidence, the Jeſuits and Romaniſts had a greater ſhare and activity in the Cauſe, and our Changes, than He and his Wee, which makes them ſo much ſlighted, and them in greater favor than before.

The laſt Queſtion, Queſtion 6 profeſſedly handled by Nedham, obliquely by Rogers, (the ſubſtance of both their Pamphlets) is this, which concerns me as an Engliſh Freeman briefly to debate▪ that the World may judge, whether I and other ſecluded Members be ſoRogers, p. 6 10, 37, 38. 119. Nedham, p. 32, &c. Beblam-mad, or ſuch Breakers of our Truſts, and Enemies to the publike, as they ſcandalouſly report us.

Whether our [...] hereditary Kingly Government, and reſtitution thereof to the Right Heir; or late, yet unformed, revived Commonwealth, and future establiſhment thereof, to prevent a Relapſe to Kingſhip and Kingly Government, be Englands true publike Intereſt, as Men or Chriſtians?

What I formerly alleged in my Speech and Memento 1648. Anatomy and Narrative 1659. in defence of Kings and Kingly Government, and the miſchiefs of a Republike, (to which theſe Antag [...]niſts have not anſwered one ſyllable) is ſufficient to reſolve this Queſtion: I ſhall only adde thereto by way of Supplement,

1. In the affirmative▪ That the reſtitution and preſervation [Page] of our old hereditary Kingly Government by Common conſent (eſpecially upon the ſubſtance of the late Kings large Conceſſions in the Iſle of Wight) is the only true publike Intereſt of England, both as Men and Chriſtians: As Men,

1. Becauſe it is that form of Government which all our Predeceſſors in this Iſland, whether Bri [...]ons, Saxens, Danes, Normans, Engliſh have conſtantly embraced, continued, maintained, (as all ourSee Gildas, Beda, Aethel [...]ed, [...], Mat. Weſtminſter, Geoffry Monmouth, Wigornienſis, Malmſbury, Huntingdon, Hoveden, Matt. Paris, Walſingham, Simeon D [...] nelmenſis, Brompton, Knyghton, Holinſhed, Grafton, Speed, Fox, Baker, Cambdens Britannia. Hiſtorians aſſert) from its firſt plantation by Brute, till 1648. (except during their ſore bondage under the Roman Emperors and their Deputies) in all publique changes, revolutions, as the beſt, ſafeſt, freeſt, happieſt, univerſalleſt, antienteſt, honourableſt, durableſt, di [...]ineſt, leaſt inconvenient, leaſt oppreſſive, and moſt agreeable to the temper, weflare, deſires, liberties of the people, of all other forms of Government whatſoever.

2. Becauſe all our Great Councils, Parliaments, in all ages (as their proceedings, Acts, Canons, and Writs of Summons atteſt) have conſtantly maintained, continued, eſtabliſhed, defended Kings and Kingly Government, as their only publike Intereſt, wherin the unity, peace, wealth, welfare, ſafety, liberty, property and hereditary ſucceſſion of all the Subjects and their poſterity in their Lands and Inheritances 25 H. [...]. c. 22. 1 Eliz. c. 1, 3, 4. 5 Jac. c. 1, 2. with the Acts in the Narrative, [...] moſt principally and ſpecially, above all other worldly things, conſiſt and reſt: whereupon they have moſt carefully and vigilantlySee Raſtal Treaſon, Crown, Proviſion, & Praemunire, Rome, Recuſants. provided for the ſecurity of the Kings royal perſon, ſucceſſion, heirs, ſucceſſors, the rights, privileges, juriſdictions, prerogatives, lands, revenues of the Crown, and Kingly Government, against all Treaſons, conſpiracies, inſurrections, rebellions, attempts whatſoever to deſtroy, diſinherit, ſuppreſſe, alter, ſubvert, impair them, or any of them, by ſundry ſucceſſive Acts of Parliament, ſacred Solemn Oathes, Obligations, Securities of all kinds, in all ages, till 1648. and the laſt Parliament of King Charls (whereof moſt now ſitting were Members) by more ſolemnSee An Exact Collection, and Collection Of them, My Speech, Memento, Prynne the Member reconciled to Prynne the Barreſter, The Good Old Cauſe truly ſtated. printed Oaths, Protestations, Vows, National Leagues, Covenants, Petitions, Votes, Remonſtrances, Declarations, Ordinances, than any or all precedent Parliaments whatſoever, as I have elſewhere proved at large, and the impriſoned and ſecluded Members too in their Vindication.

[Page] 3ly. Becauſe the manifold inceſſant inteſtine and forein Wars, Inſurrections, Tumults, Diviſions, Factions, Revolutions, Alterations, Subverſions of Governments, Parliaments, Republikes, Legal Proceſſe, proceedings; the unconſtant fluctuating condition of our State and Civil affairs, the intollerable doubled, trobled, quadrupled Taxes, Exciſes, Impoſts, Militiaes, and other Exactions (amounting under our former and preſent Free State to one intire ſubſidy every week in the year, when as our former publike Taxes under our Kings, exceeded not uſually one ſubſidy or fifteen in 2. or 3. years ſpace) the infinite unſpeakable Oppreſſions, Rapines, Plunders, Sequeſtrations, Confiſcations, Forfeitures of our Offices, Lands, Eſtates; Impriſonments, cloſe Impriſonments, Confinements, Baniſhments, illegal Reſtraints, executions of our perſon [...], ranſacking of our Houſes, Studies, Writings, and other grievances, outrages, violences we have ſuffred by Unparliamentary Convinticles, arbitrary tyrannical Committees, new High Courts of Injuſtice, Army Officers, Souldiers, Sequeſtrators, Exciſemen, and other inſtruments of Oppreſſion; the Sales, diſſipations of all the Crown Lands, Rents, and ſtanding publick Revenues of our 3 kingdoms, which ſhould defray the ordinary expences of the Government; of Biſhops, Deans, Chapters, and many thouſands of Delinquents lands, eſtates, woods, timber, without any abatement of publike Taxes; the impoveriſhment, deſtruction of moſt of the antient Nobility, Gentry, Corporations throughout our 3. Realms; the infinite decay of all ſorts of Trade by Land and Sea, of publick and private juſtice, truth, honeſty, integrity, charity, amity, civil ſociety, hoſpitality, neighbourhood, friendſhip; the inundation of all ſorts of vices, treachery, perjury, hypocriſie, cheating, lying, diſſimulation, ſubornation of perjury, falſe accuſations, forcible ejectments, detainers, robberies, murders, treaſons, deſtruction of Houſes, Timber, Parks, Woods, Ponds, Foreſts, with other miſeries tending to publike deſolation, we have [...], ſuffered, groaned under, without intermiſſion, or any hopes or probability of redreſſe; [Page] with ſundry other incroachments upon the City and Country in the Freedom of their Elections of Mayo [...]s, Aldermen, Officers, Knights, Citizens, Burgeſſes; and the frequent ſecuring, ſecluding of Parliament Members, & forces upon Parliaments themſelves to interrupt, diſſolve them ever ſince the aboliſhing of our Kings, Kingly Government, the erection of a pretended Free State, or Commonwealth, and prologues thereunto; compared with Judges 17. 6, &c. c. 18. 1, &c. c. 21. 25. Ezech. 19. 12, 13, 14. c. 21. 27. c. 29. 14, 15. Hoſ. 3. 4. c. 10. 3, 7, 15. Are an infallible, experimental, ſenſible evidence, and demonſtration, that Kings and Kingly Government are Englands true, only publike intereſt, as Men.

That it is ſo, as Chriſtians, is apparent:

1. By Gods own promiſe to his Church and people under the Goſpel:Iſay 49. 23. c. 60. 3, 10, 11. That KINGS ſhall be their nurſing Fathers, and QUEENS their nurſing Mothers; more particularly Pſ. 72. 10, 11. Iſa. 42. 4, 12. c. 51. 5. c. 60. 3, 9, 10. c. 66. 19. KINGS OF THE ISLES, (chiefly verified of our Island, as I have evidenced in my Narrative, p. 84. and Sir Henry Spelman in his Councils, and Epiſtle to them) and none other kinde of Governors expreſſed by name, but they, in ſacred Writ.

2. By the 1 Tim. 2. 1, 2, 3. I exhort therefore, that Firſt of all ſupplications, prayers, interceſſions, and thanksgivings be made for all men; for KINGS, and for all in eminent places (under them) that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godlineſs and honeſty; for this is good, and acceptable in the ſight of God our Saviour: Compared with Ezra 6. 10. c. 7. 23. Jer. 9. 7. Which duty of making Supplications, prayers, interceſſions for Kings and Emperors, whether Pagan or Chriſtian, Heterodox or Orthodox, Protectors or Perſecutors, the Churches, Chriſtians & Saints of God in all ages, places, kingdoms have conſtantly & conſcientiouſly practiſed, as their Intereſt, and the principal mean [...] preſcribed by God himſelf, for their quiet, peace, good, welfare, ſafe [...]y, proſperity, increaſe in godlineſſe, honeſty, and well-pleaſing unto God their Saviour (whoſe Pſ. 63. 3. loving kindneſſe is better to them than life, and their greateſt felicity) as I intend to evidence in a particular [Page] Treatiſe. Neither hath the Church and people of England been inferior to any others in this duty, as I could abundantly evidence by ancient Canons, Miſſals, Proceſſionals, Liturgies, theCl. 22 E. 1. dorſ. 10, 11. Cl. 24 E. 1. d. 8. 10. Cl. 27 E. 1. d. 7. Cl. 32 E. 1. d. 7. 16. Cl. 34 E. 1. d. 9. 16. Cl. 35 E. 1. d. 9. 15, 17. Clauſe Rolls in the Tower, and other teſtimonies, with the praiers uſed at our Kings Coronations before the Reformation of Religion, which I preter [...]it, and ſhall give you only a brief touch of their loyalty and practice ſince we became Proteſtants. At the reſpective Coronations of King Edward the 6. King James, and King Charles, there were ſundry excellent fervent Prayers and ſupplications powred out to God with ardent affections on their behalfs: wherein all the Prelates, Clergy, Nobility, Gentry, people preſent at this ſolemnity prayed frequently for the KINGS long life, health, wealth, bonor, ſafety, proſperous reign, victory over all his Enemies, increaſe of all royal graces, b Liber Regalis. Ms. The Breef of the Rites & Prayers uſed at the Kings Coronation Ms. vertues, for all temporal, ſpiritual bleſſings, and eternal glory in heaven, &c. to be abundantly powred forth upon his own royal perſon; and likewiſe for the increaſe and ſucceſſion of his royal poſterity in the throne in all ages, in theſe enſuing words in 3. ſeveral praiers. Eſtabliſh him in the Throne of this Realm, Viſit him with increaſe of children, that his children may be Kings to rule this Kingdom by ſucceſſion of all Ages. Let the Bleſſings of him that appeared in the buſh deſcend upon his head, and the fulneſs of his bleſſings fall upon his children and poſterity. Let his horn [...]e exalted as the horn of a Ʋnicorn, by which he may ſcatter his enemies from the face of the earth. The Lord which ſitteth in heaven be his Defender for ever and ever, through Jeſus Christ our Lord. Amen. After ſundry ſuch prayers and his Coronation, all the Spiritual & Temporal Lords preſent kneel down and do their Homage to him in theſe words. I become your Man, and ſhall be faithfull and true, and troth bear unto you our Soveraign Lord, and to your heirs Kings of England, of life and limb, and of earthly worſhip, againſt all men that now live and die. And I ſhall do and truly knowledge the ſervice of the Lands which I claim to hold of you. So God help me. All of them kiſſing the Kings left cheek.

[Page] The Homage being ended, they all touch the Crown with their hands, by way of Ceremony, as promiſing to ſupport it with all their power. Which done, they All holding up their hands together, in token of their Fidelity, with one voyce on their knees ſay, We offer to ſuſtein and defend you and your Crown with our Lives, lands and goods againſt all the world: and with one voyce cry, God ſave King CHARLES. Which all the people follow with reiterated ſhouts and acclamations. After the Coronation of every King, and of our laſt King Charles, in all Churches, Chapels, and religious Families throughout his Dominions, and in both Houſes of Parliament every day they ſate (as well after as before the wars) conſtant publique and private prayers, were continually made to like effect for Him and His royal poſterity, as the Liturgy, Collects in the Book of Common Prayer, the Directory it ſelf, the Practice of Piety, & other Prayer-books preſcribing forms of Prayer for private perſons and Families morning and evening, and every mans experience atteſt; yea ſuch was our zeal and devotion in this kinde, that moſt perſons concluded all their Graces before and after meat, with this prayer, or the like in effect, God ſave his Church, our King, Prince, the Royal iſſue and Realms; God ſend us peace in Christ our Lord, Amen. As being Englands true Intereſt both as Men and Chriſtians. How can, how dare we then unpray, renounce, abjure, engage, ſubſcribe, vote, fight againſt all thoſe publike, private prayers, Graces we thus conſtantly, fervently made to God for ſundry years together, and the Oathes, Homage, Fealty, Proteſtation, Solemn League and Covenant we ſucceſſively ſwore in the name, preſence of Almighty God, with hands and hearts lifted up to him, by praying, engaging, ſubſcribing, voting, fighting againſt the Kings right Heir, Succeſſor, and Royal Iſſue, and baniſhing, diſhinheriting, renounci [...]g, abjuring, ſecluding them out of all our Churches, Prayers, Realms for ever, to ſet up an Ʋtopian Republike, withoutGal. 6. 7. mocking God himſelf to his very face, willfully violating this Evangelical precept, contradicting the practice of all the Churches, [Page] Saints of God in all ages, places, yea diſclaiming Englands publike with our own private Intereſt, and forfeiting our own eternal Intereſt in Heaven, as we are Saints and Chriſtians? I beſeech all Chriſtian Engliſhmen in the name and fear of God, moſt ſeriouſly to conſider and lay it cloſe to their conſciences, without delay; and examine how they can juſtifie, excuſe it either to God or Man.

3ly. By the extraordinary inundation, growth, increaſe of all ſorts of Blaſphemies, Hereſies, Errors, Religions, Sects, Atheiſm, Irreligion, prophaneſſe, contempt, rejection, denial of Gods word, Sacraments, Miniſters, Ordinances, Prayer, ſinging of Pſalms, Catechiſing, repetition of Sermons, Apoſtacy, Lukewarmneſſe, Hypocriſie, Perjury, Spiritual and outward pride, effeminacy, luxury, whoredom, inceſt, hypocriſie, formality, envy, hatred, malice, back-biting, ſlandering, ſacrilege, libertiniſm, covetouſneſſe, oppreſſion, cruelty, all ſorts of [...]ins and wickedneſſes whatſoever. The ſtrange decay, decreaſe of true real Chriſtian zeal, piety, devotion, faith, love, charity, brotherly kindneſſe, heavenly mindedneſſe, contempt of the world, fear of Gods threatnings, judgements, and all other Chriſtian graces, virtues: ſubſtractions of Miniſters Tithes, Dues, Glebes, Rewards, Penſions, Benefices, Augmentations; ſcorned, reviled, railed againſt, diſturbed, perſecuted by Sectaries, Quakers; ſequeſtred, ſuſpended, ejected, ſilenced by Arbitrary Committees, as meer Tenants at will of their Miniſtry and Freeholds, ever ſince the aboliſhing of Kings, their Nurſing-Fathers, by thoſe various Step Fathers, and Plunderers of the Church and Miniſters who have hitherto ſucceeded them, and given publike toleration, protection to all Religions, Sects, Seducers, almoſt to the total extirpation of the true Orthodox Reformed Religion throughout our Dominions.

To this I ſhall adde, that as there neither is nor can be any poſſible eaſe, or cure of diſlocated, fractured joynts, bones, limbs in the natural body, nor reſtitution of health and ſoundneſſe to it by any unguents, cerots, balms, bolſters or artifices whatſoever, but only by the timely, ſpeedy [Page] reſtitution of every bone, joynt, member to its proper place, and keeping them therein by ſtrong aſtringent medicaments and ligaments: So all our new State-phyſicians, Chirurgions,See their Declaration, May 6. 1659. Politicians, Councils at Westminster, White-hall, or in the Army, with all their ar [...], skill, for near 12. year [...] ſpace together, by all their New-projected models of Republikes, Parliaments, Governments ſince the aboliſhing KingS and Kingſhip, could not hitherto eaſe, cure, or reſtore to health, the inverted, broken bodies of our Church, State, (which have grown every year more and more conſumptive, convulſive, decrepit, incurable, diſquieted, tormented, and lie now at the very point of death, under all their ſeveral applications, as we feel by ſad experience) becauſe they have not endeavoured to reſtore the fractured, diſlocated chief Members, bones, joynts there of to their proper places, but laboured all they could to keep and put them further out; When as there neither is nor can be any probable or poſſible way of reſtoring eaſe, health, ſoundneſſe, ſafety, proſperity to them, but by a ſpeedy reſtauration of their lawfull hereditary Head, and Nobleſt Members to their due places, offices in them. This conſideration, not only the ſecured and ſecluded Members made the ground-work of their premiſed Vote, Decemb. 5. 1648. upon the long Debate; but likewiſe both Houſes, Kingdoms, and thoſe now ſitting together with them, the baſis of their Proteſtation, League, Covenant, Petitions to, and Treaties with the late King, and of theſe two Memorable Proteſtations, Paſsages in theirExact Collection, p. 663, 664, 695, 696, See p. 631, 632 633. 641, to 645, 657, 658. Declarations of October 22. and Novemb. 2. 1642. worthy conſideration. We the Lords and Commons in this preſent Parliament aſſembled, do in the preſence of Almighty God, for the ſatisfaction of our Conſciences, and the Diſcharge of that great truſt which lies upon us, make this Proteſtation and Declaration to the Kingdom and Nation, and the whole World; That no private paſſion or reſpect, no evil intention to his Majeſties perſon, no deſign to the prejudice of his Juſt Honor and Authority, engaged us to raiſe forces, or take take up Arms against the Authors of this war, wherewith the Kingdom is now enflamed, and We [Page] have alwaies deſired from our hearts and ſouls, manifeſted in our a [...]tions and proceedings, and in ſeveral humble Petitions and Rem [...]nſtrances to his Majeſty, profeſſed our Loyalty and obedience to his Crown, readineſs and reſolution to defend his Perſon and ſupport his Eſtate with our lives and fortunes to the uttermoſt of our power: And by our loyal affections, actions and advice lay a ſure and laſting foundation of the greatneſs and proſperity of his Majeſty, and his royal poſterity in future time. Mark their reaſon: For though the happineſs of this and all other Kingdoms dependeth chiefly upon God; Yet we acknowledge that it doth ſo mainly depend upon His Majeſty and the Royal Branches of that Root, that as we have heretofore, ſo we ſhall hereafter eſteem no hazard too great, no reproach too vile, but that we ſhall willingly go through the one, and undergo the other, that we and the whole Kingdom may enjoy that happineſs, which we cannot in an ordinary way of providence expect from any other Fountain or Streams than thoſe from whence (were the poyſon of evil Counſels once removed from about them) we doubt not but we and the whole Kingdom ſhould be ſatisfied moſt abundantly. The PhiloſopherDe Clementia, l. 1. c. 3, 4. Seneca aſſerts, That all Nations are moſt ready not only to guard and defend their King, though old or decrepit, but to preſerve his life with the hazard of thouſands of their own; not out of any baſeneſſe or frenzie, but becauſe it is their own interest and ſafety. Ille est enim vinculum per quod Reſpublica cohaeret; ille ſpiritus vitalis, quem haec tot millia tra [...]unt, nihil ipſa per ſe futura, niſi onus & praeda, ſi mens illa imperii ſubtrabatur.

—

Virgil. Georg. l. 2.

Rege incolumi mens omnibus una;

Amiſſo rupêre fidem:

Hic caſus Romanae (I may add Anglicae) paci [...] exitium erit, hic tanti fortunam populi in ruinas aget. Tamdiu ab illo periculo aberit hic populus, quamdiu ſciat ferre fraenos: quos ſi aliquando abruperit, vel aliquo caſu diſcuſſos reponi ſibi paſſus non erit, haec unitas, et hic maximi Imperii contextus i [...] partes multas diſſiliet, idemque huic urbi Dominandi finis erit, qui parendi [Page] fuerit (which we have found true by ſad experience) Ideo Principes, Regéſque non eſt mirum amari ultra privatas [...]ſtam neceſſitudines. Nam ſi ſanis hominibus publica privatis potiora ſunt; ſequitur, ut [...] quoque carior ſit, in quem ſe Reſpublica convertit. Olim enim ita ſe induit Reip: Caeſar ut diduci alterom non poſſit ſine utriuſque pernicie: nam ut illi viribus opus eſt, ita et huic capite. Therefore let Nedham, Rogers, or other Pſeudo politicians ſcrible what they pleaſe, to flatter any prevalent, ambitious, covetous faction or Grandees whatſoever, yet if all our antient Parliaments, Lords, Commons, Seneca, our own experience, God himſelf, or Solom [...]n the wiſeſt of men, of Kings, may be credited (Prov. 24. 21. c. 28. 2. Eccleſ 8 2, 3. c. 12, 13. Hoſ. 10. 3, 7. Hab. 1. 10, 14, 15. Ezech. 37. 19. to 28. Zach 9. 9. Lam 4. 20) there is no other probable, ſafe, ſpeedy way to prevent our ruine, cloze up our breaches, ſettle our Church, State upon laſting foundations, and recover their priſtine honor, wealth, peace, unity, proſperity, but by reſtoring our hereditary King and Kingſhip, the real Intereſt of all England, and of Scotland and Ireland too, both as Men and Chriſtians: which we ought in prudence, juſtice, conſcience, dutie, pietie, loyaltie, now zealouſly, conſtantly, unanimouſly to purſue againſt all contradictions, oppoſitions of any private perſons, parties ſelf intereſts whatſoever: who if they had any true fear of God, any conſcience of their former Oathes, Proteſtations, Vows, Covenants, Declarations, Remonſtrances, any Loyaltie to their hereditarie King, any bowels of compaſſion or cordial affection to their Native Countries peace, ſafety, eaſe, ſettlement, or zeal to the Reformed Religion, would like that heroick publike ſpirited Pagan Roman Emperor [...]uetonius, Tacitus, Eutropius, plutarch, & Grimſton in his life. Otho, chuſe rather to make a voluntary ſacrifice of themſelves and all their uſurped power (as he did, againſt all the diſſuaſions of his Army, Soldiers, Friends, relinquiſhing the Empire to Vitellius his competitor) than imbroil the Empire and Romans any longer in bloudy deſtructive wars, not againſt Hannibal, Pyrrhus, or any other common Enemies [...] [...]ome, [...] againſt the Romans themſelves, wherein both the [...] and[Page]conquered did but weaken, ruine and destroy their own Country, Nation by their conteſts, and make themſelves a deriſion, prey to their forein Enemies: as our Grandees do now.

For the Negative; That the late revived yet unformed Commonwealth, and its future eſtabliſhment, to prevent a Relapſe to Kingly Government, neither is, nor can be Englands true intereſt as men or Chriſtian, is evident by the premiſes: and theſe enſuing Reaſons.

1. It never was once in imagination or projection of the Parliament or Army, before the year 1648. but only of the Jeſuites, Campanella, and our Spaniſh, French, Popiſh adverſaries, purpoſely to ruine our Proteſtant Kings, Kingdom, Religion.

2. It was profeſſedly diſclaimed, Exact Collection. p. 657, 658, 695, 696 See my Speech, p. 80, 81, 101, 102, 103. voted, declared againſt, as Treaſonable, and deſtructive to the being of Parliaments and fundamental Government of the Kingdom (when objected by the Kings party, 1642. and propounded to the Houſe by the Levellers and Agitators) by both Houſes of Parliament and the General Council of Officers in the Army: in June, July, August, November 1647.

3. The Commonwealth conteſted for as Englands Intereſt, is as yet but only Ens in potentia, or meer Chaos, Ovid Metamorph. lib. 1. rudis indigestaque moles; Gen. 1. 2. without form and void, and darkneſs is upon the face of it; the chief Sticklers for it, being not yet accorded what kinde of creature it ſhall be; and much divided both in their debates, judgements, affections, opinions concerning it: Some would have it to be anRogers Concertation, p. 62, 70, &c. Aristocraty, others a Democraty, many a Theocraty, ſome an Oligarchy; Many are for a Roman, ſome for an Athenian, others for a Lacedemonian, not a few for a Venetian, another partie for a Helvetian, or Dutch Commonwealth. Some for a vaſt body with two heads; others for a head with two bodies; a third ſort, for a body without any head: printing againſt each others models with much eagerneſs. Now that ſuch an Individuum vagum, rude Chaos, and Commonwealth as this, not yet agreed upon, ſhould be Englands Interest, and THE GOOD OLD CAUSE, a [...] Rogers, Nedham, Harrington, and others would make men believe, is not only a Fancy, [Page] but Frenzy to a [...]irm; ſeeing Englands Intereſt was ever in being ſince it was a Kingdom, and their Ʋtopian Republike like the Chymists Philoſophers [...]ſtone, never yet in eſſe, but in fieri, or fancy at the moſt, and a meer NEW NOTHING, as their Mercuries inform us.

4ly▪ The late unſhaped, revived Commonwealth and pretended Free State, at its firſt erection, like a prodigious All devouring, unſatiable Monster, rai [...]ed our monethly contributions, from 3 [...]. to one hundred, and ſixſcore thouſand pounds contribution each moneth, and ſince its new revival hath raiſed a whole years tax upon our exhauſted purſes in 3. Months ſpace, and then impoſed no leſſe than one hundred thouſand pounds each Moneth, in lieu of the former 35 thouſand; beſides Exciſes, Cuſtoms, New intollerable Militiaes, amounting to thrice as much more: Beſides it conſumed all the Crown-lands, Church-lands, & publike Revenues of our 3. Kingdoms, with thouſands of Delinquents eſtates, all alienated, diſſipated, being more expenſive, oppreſſive, waſtefull to our Nation in ten years ſpace, than all our Kings ſince the Norman Conqueſt, or Saxon line; only to make us greater ſlaves to our late Mercinary Army, Servants, & Fellow Subjects, than ever we were to our beheaded King, or any of his roial predeceſſors, whoſe 2 Chron. [...]0. 10. loyns were nothing ſo heavy, as their little finger; chaſtiſing us with Scorpions in new arbitrary, tyrannical Committees, High Courts of Juſtice, and other exorbitant Judicatures; when as our Kings corrected us but with rods. It hath ſubverted our Kings, Parliaments, Peers, Laws, Liberties, Properties, Great Charters, legal Courts, Writs, Seals, Commiſſions, Judges, Juſtices, Sheriffs, Officers, Coyn [...], Government, deſtroyed our publike and private wealth, Trade, Unitie, Amitie, Peace, Timber, Palaces, Woods, Shipping, and many thouſands of our gallanteſt Sea-men, Land-men, by bloudy wars with our Proteſtant Brethren, Allies, and brought us to the very brink of ruin in all our Civil Concernments, as Men. As Chriſtians, by its toleration, fomentation of Sects, Hereſies of all ſorts, it hath ſhaken, undermined in a great meaſure, the very Deitie of God the [Page] Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghoſt, the Trinitie of Perſons and Unitie in the Godhead; the Authoritie, Divinitie of the Scriptures; all the Arti [...]les of the Creed, the Sacraments, Miniſters and Miniſtrie of the Goſpel; the Fabricks of many, the Freeholds of all; the maintenance of moſt of our Churches, Miniſters, all now meer Tenants at ſufferance, and removable, ſequeſtrable, taxable at our Republican Grandees pleaſures, yea their new Heralds, Baylifs to proclame in Churches whatever they preſcribe, under pain of ejectment or their heavieſt indignation. In brief, the introduction of our unſhaped Republike by Perjurie, Treacherie, Violence, bloud, fraud, Injuſtice, deſtruction of our Proteſtant Kings, Lords, Parliaments, hath made many zealous profeſſors of Religion Jeſuites in their policies, principles, practiſes,Titus 1. 16. 2 [...] 1. 1. Jude 4. Atheiſts in their works; Chriſt himſelf and the Goſpel (as the Atheiſtical Pope eſteemed them) a meer Fable, in the repute of many, yea the Proteſtant Religion, a meer ſeminary of Treaſon, Rebellion, Sedition, Hypocriſie, Perjury, Diſloyalty, Villany, Ataxy, Antimonarchy; and the zealous Profeſſors of it, the meer firebrands of Rebellion, Sedition, high Treaſon againſt their Soveraigns, in the eſtimation ofCornelius Cornelii Praefatio in Minores Prophetas. Militiere his Victory of Truth. See my Narrative, p. 55. Foreign Jeſuits, Papists, and Popiſh Princes; who endeavour their total extirpation throughout the world as ſuch. And can it be then Englands true Intereſt, as Men or Chriſtians?

5. J. Rogers himſelf (the Grand Champion for the Good Old Cauſe and Commonwealth) in his Concertation, p. 100, 103, 104, 116, 117. informs us; That Commonwealths are alwayes ſubject to frequent changes and alterations; every one more oppreſſive, tyrannical, cruel, bloudy, prejudicial, deſtructive to the peoples Liberties, properties, lives, than the other; inſtancing in the Romans, and Athenians, which committed the greateſt outrages upon the people, being little better than a daily Maſſacre of the moſt eminent Worthies, and Hangmen, Tormentors of the Commons; Which Viciſſitudes, Alterations, proved the Athenians utter deſtruction, and may be a fair warning to us; becauſe the Cauſes of ſuch mutations, are the most dangerous Commotions, which tend to the Ruine of All; as he proves but [Page]of Ariſtotle Polit. l. 5. c. 1. for prevention whereof he preſcribi [...] 12 Conſiderations, unable to cure the fluctuatinge uncertain ſtate and miſchief of a Commonwealth; of which we have already had, and ſhall ſodenly have again ſufficient experience. And can a Commonwealth then be Englands preſent or future Intereſt in any ſence?

In brief, as it is the beautie, ſafety, intereſt of every natural living body, whether of men, beaſts, fowls, fiſhes, or creeping things to have only one head to govern, one Soul to animate it by Gods own moſt divine and wiſe inſtitution; a two-headed bodie being an unnatural uſeleſſe Monſter, and a double-ſouled man, creature, unſtable in all his wayes, Jam. 1. 8. So it is the ſafetie, beautie, intereſt, ligament of every Politick bodie whatſoever. Hence we find not only in all Monarchies, but in all Republikes themſelves, one Maſter over every Family, one Mayor over every City, one Rector over every College, School, Hoſpital, Fraternitie; one Sheriff over every County, one Governor over every Province, one Rector over every Pariſh Church and Congregation, as there is butEzech. 37. 23. Epheſ. 4. 4, 5, 6. 1 Cor. 8. 4, 6. one King, Lord, Head, Mediator Jeſus Chriſt, over the Catholike Church; one Pilot over every ſhip, one Admiral in chief over every Fleet; and in Armies themſelves, one General and Chief Commander over every Army, Brigade, Partie; one Colonel over every Regiment, one Captain over every Companie, Troop, one Governor over every Fort, Gariſon both abroad and at home; a Pluralitie of Lords, Maſters, Generals, Governours, Rectors, &c. being alwaies in all and every of theſe not only dangerous, troubleſom, inconvenient, chargable, but diſtractive and deſtructive too, as all Ages, Nations have concluded from reaſon and experience. Therefore, a Monarchical, hereditarie Kingly Government (let Rogers, Nedham, and our Innovating frantick Republicans prate what they will) muſt be Englands true and only Intereſt, honor, ſafety, felicity, both as Men and Chriſtians, ſo long as there ſhall be butGen. 1. 16. Pſalm 136. 8. one Sun in the heavens to rule the day, and one Moon the night. Monarchy and One-neſſe being the only Ground, ligament of Peace, Unity, Safety both in Church & [Page] State; but Polarchie the cauſe of ruin, confuſion; as God only wiſe reſolves againſt all brain ſick Novellers, Epheſ. 4. 3, 4, 5. 6, 1 Cor. 8. 6. c.. 12. 4, 5, 6, 11, to 31. Pro. 28. 2. Iſay 19. 2, 3. c. 9. 19, 20, 21. Ezech. 37. 22, to 28. 1 Kings 14. 30. c. 15. 7. 16.

Let this laſt Queſtion be now put to all the Freemen of the Engliſh Nation (and of Scotland, Ireland too) whom it all alike concerns, and theIn their Agreement of the people, & Declaration 20. Nov. 1648. Army with thoſeJan. 6. 1648. now ſitting, have formerly voted, TO BE THE ONLY SUPREME AUTHORITY OF THE NATION, and themſelves to be but their Servants, not their Soveraigns, and therefore cannot in reaſon, juſtice, conſcience deny them, or any of them the freedom of their voices herein, in the preſent juncture of our affairs; and then I dare pawn my reputation, life, againſt my Antagoniſts. I ſhall have above a thouſand voices concurring with me, to one, conſenting with them: And having both Vox Populi, and Vox Dei too, thus ſuffragating with me, in the Supreme univerſal Parliament of all Engliſh Freemen without the Houſe, I hope no private Perſons, not commiſſioned by the peoples free elections, will preſume to contradict or repeal their Major Vote, within the Commons Houſe, though they have thrice ſecluded me out of it by armed guards, before any legal Accuſation, trial or conviction whatſoever, from pleading of this their publike cauſe therein: which I wholly ſubmit to their Univerſal Cenſure and Deciſion, till we can gain a full and free, much-deſired legal Parliament in both houſes, to reſolve this doubt, which Gods wonder [...]working Providence, I truſt will ere long effect, by daſhing the Army and their new Juncto ſudainly in pieces againſt each other, and turning them all out of dores, with greater contempt, violence, hatred, diſſipation than before, April 20. 16 [...]3. [...] being a principle in Law, Policy, Nature; Eodem modo quo quid conſtituitur, diſſolvitur, and a juſt Judgement of God, to cast them out of the Houſe, for their moſt treaſonable Ʋſurpation of a Regal and Parliamental power over the whole three Kingdoms, and ſecluding the majority of their fellow Members againſt all Rules [Page] of Law, Juſtice, Conſcience, the Rights, Privileges of Parliament, and their former Proteſtation, League, Covenant, Remonſtrances, by the ſelf-ſame Army [...]Officers, who▪ ſecluded them by their confederacie; and now have called them in again, for the ends recited in my Narrative; Which if they refuſe to proſecute▪ at the Armies and Sectaries inſtigation, John Rogers his ſcurrilous Paſſages and Queres, againſt the old ſecluded Members, p. 7, 38, 39, &c. and Ne [...]hams large Juſtification of their former ſecluſion, upon falſe, irrational, Jeſuitical Principles, will ſufficiently animate them to thruſt their Maſters out of doors, uppon the ſelf-ſame reaſons and falſe pretences he allegeth for that ſecluſion, with their approbation; yea Rogers his diſcontented Paſſages forecited, (p. 46, 47.) threaten ſome ſudden approaching ſtorm and ejection to them which they ſhall not eſcape;

—Nec enim Lex juſtior ulla

Quam necis artifices ar [...]i perire ſuâ.

So that all the ſurviving re-ſecluded Members, and our oppreſſed wearied Nations ſha [...]e ere long once more have cauſe to ſay and ſing with the Kingly Prophet, Pſ. 9. 15, 16. The Heathen are ſunk down in the pit that they made; in the net which they [...]id, is their own foot taken. The Lord is known by the judgement which be executeth, the wicked is ſnared in the works of his own hands. Haggaion. S [...]lah.

[...], Sept. 23. [...]6 [...]0.

FINIS.

§

[Page]

[Page]

A Brief Neceſſary VINDICATION Of the Old and New SECLUDED MEMBERS, from the falſe malicious CALVMNIES; AND Of the Fundamental Rights, Liberties, Privileges, Government, Intereſt of the Freemen, Parliaments, People of England, from the late avowed Subverſions

1. Of John Rogers, in his Un-chriſtian Concertation with Mr. Prynne, and others.

2. Of M: Nedham, in his Intereſt will not lie.

Wherein the true Good Old Cauſe is aſſerted, the falſe routed; The old ſecluded Members cleared from all pretended breach of truſt; The old Parliament proved to be totally diſſolved by the Kings death; The ſitting Juncto to be no Parliament and ſpeedily to be diſſolved by the Army-Officers; The Oathes of Supremacy, Allegiance, Fealty to the King, his Heirs and Succeſſors, to be ſtill binding, continuing: The New Commonwealth to be the Ieſuites Project; Ch. Stewart not ſworn to Popery, as Nedham ſlanders him; The reſtitution of our Hereditary King and Kingly Government, not an Vtopian Republike, evidenced beyond contradiction to be Englands true Intereſt both as Men and Christians; and the only way to peace, ſafety, ſettlement.

By WILLIAM PRYNNE of Swainſwick Eſq a Bencher of Lincolns-Inne.

The Second Edition.

Jer. 51. 9, 10.

We would have healed (ENGLISH) BABYLON, but ſhe would not be healed; forſake her, and let us go every one to his own Country; for her judgement reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies: The Lord hath brought forth our righteouſneſs; come and let us declare in Zion, the work of the Lord our God.

Pſ. 63. 11.

But the mouth of them that ſpeak Lies ſhall be ſtopped.

London, Printed, and are to be ſold by Edward Thomas at the Adam and Eve in Little Britain, 1659.

Information about this book

Title statement

A brief necessary vindication of the old and new secluded members, from the false malicious calvmnies and of the fundamental rights, liberties, privileges, government, interest of the freemen, Parliaments, people of England, from the late avowed subversions 1. of John Rogers ... 2. of M. Nedham ... / by William Prynne ...

Prynne, William, 1600-1669.

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1659

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Text Creation Partnership,

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2007-10 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A56142

ID [STC]

Wing P3914

ID [STC]

ESTC R1799

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12242378

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12242378

ID [VID]

56822

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A56142)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 56822)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 875:44)

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— A brief necessary vindication of the old and new secluded members, from the false malicious calvmnies and of the fundamental rights, liberties, privileges, government, interest of the freemen, Parliaments, people of England, from the late avowed subversions 1. of John Rogers ... 2. of M. Nedham ... / by William Prynne ..., Prynne, William, 1600-1669.. The second edition..

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[2], 62 p.

Printed, and are to be sold by Edward Thomas ...,. London :: 1659.. (Reproduction of original in Huntington Library.)

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