A true and perfect narrative of what was done, spoken by and between Mr. Prynne, the old and newly forcibly late secluded members, the army officers, and those now sitting, both in the Commons lobby, House, and elsewhere on Saturday and Monday last (the 7 and 9 of this instant May) with the true reasons, ends inducing Mr. Prynne ... thus earnestly to press for entry, to go and keep in the House as he did, and what proposals he intended there to make for publike peace, settlement, and preservation of the Parliaments privileges / put in writing and published by the said William Prynne ... to rectifie the various reports, censures of this action, and give publike satisfaction ... of his sincere endeavors to the uttermost of his power, to preserve our religion, laws, liberties, the essential rights, privileges, freedom of Parliament, and all we yet enjoy, according to his oaths, covenant, trust, as a Parliament member, against the utter subverters of them ...

A true and full Narrative of what was done and ſpoken by and between Mr. Prynne, other ſecluded Members, & Army Officers, &c.

ON the 7th. day of this inſtant May Mr. Prynne walking to Weſtminſter-Hall, (where he had not been ſix daies before,) meeting with ſome old ſecured and ſecluded Members of Parliament, ſummoned by King Charles his Writ and Authority, for theſe only ends (expreſſed in all writs of Summons to the Lords, and of Elections iſſued to Sheriffs of Counties for electing Knights, Citizens, and Burgeſſes of Parliament, and in the Indentures themſelves by which they were retorned Members;) To confer and treat of certain, great and arduous affairs, concerning the defence of the King Kingdom, and Church of England, and to do and conſent to thoſe things which ſhall happen to be therein ordained by Common counſel, (of the King, Lords, and Commons,) touching the aforeſaid buſineſſes: which Parliament began at Weſtminster the third day of November, 1640. They ſhewed him a Declaration of the Officers and Counſel of the Army, made in ſuch haſt and confuſion, that they miſtook the Month wherein they made it, dating it April 6. inſtead of May 6. publiſhed by them that morning, (which Declaration the day before, was preſented to the Speaker of the ſaid Parliament, at the Rolls, by divers Officers of the Army, in the name of Col: Fleetwood, and the Counſel of officers of the Army, in preſence of many Members of the ſaid Parliament) containing their earneſt deſire, That thoſe Members who continued to ſit ſince the year 1648. untill the 20th. of April, 1653. would return to the exerciſe and diſcharge of their truſt, (expreſſed in the foreſaid Writs and Indentures alone by thoſe who impowred, elected, and entruſted them as their Repreſentatives, without any other new trust whatſoever, inconſiſtent with or repugnant to it) Promiſing their readineſs in their places as became them, to yield their utmoſt Aſsiſtance to them to ſit in ſafety, for improving the preſent opportunity for ſetling and ſecuring the peace and freedom of this Commonwealth; praying for the preſence and bleſsing of God upon their endeavours; who after they had ſate many years in performance of the truſt repoſed in them by the people, and being in the proſecution of that Duty aſſembled in Parliament at Weſtminſter, upon the 20th. day of April 1653. were then interrupted and forced out of the Houſe from that time untill this very day: Of which force they ſeeme in their Declaration unfeinedly to repent, by an actual reſtitution of the Members formerly forced thence, much more then of that See the Epiſtle and Appendix to my Speech in Parliament; and the 2d. part to the Hiſtory of Independency. greater and more apparent force of whole Regiments of Horſe and Foot drawn up to the houſe it ſelf in a violent manner, where they ſeiſed, ſecured Mr. Prynne, with above forty, and ſecluded, forced away above 2 hundred Members more of the Commons Houſe, only for the faithfull diſcharge of their Truſts and Duties therein, according to their Oaths, Proteſtations, Vows, Covenants, Conſciences; wherin moſt think they firſt turned out of the way, by wandring into other wayes from righteous & equal paths; which Members though they do not particularly invite to ſit again, yet they having proved no breach of truſt againſt them, do not in the leaſt meaſure intimate, that they would forcibly ſeclude them from ſitting if that Parliament ſhould be publickly voted ſtill in being by vertue of the Statute of 17 Caroli c. 7. as they in their Counſel of the Army have actually reſolved, by their invitation of the Members thereof to ſit again, as Mr. P. & thoſe Members who ſhewed it to him conceived upon their peruſal thereof. Mr. P. being after informed, that the Old Speaker and ſundry Members of the long Parliament were then met in the painted Chamber to conſult together in order to their meeting again in the Houſe, was moved to go thither to them, which he refuſed, becauſe it was no place where the Houſe of Commons ever uſed to meet or ſit as an Houſe, but only as a Committe upon conferences with the Lords: Soon after Mr. P. heard by ſome Members and others, that the old Speaker and about forty Members more, with the Mace carried before them, were gon from the Lords Houſe into the Houſe of Commons, & there ſate as an Houſe by vertue of the Statute and their old Elections by the Kings Writs; Vpon which there being then above 30 of the old ſecluded Members in Decemb. 1648. in the Hall; they did think fit and agree, that to avoid Tumult, about 12. or 14. of them, in the name of the reſt, if freely admitted without any ſecluſion, or engagement; in a friendly manner, ſhould deſire to know of them, Upon what account they did now ſit there thus ſodainly and unexpectedly, without giving any convenient notice or ſummons to all the reſt of the Members to ſit with them? If only by vertue of the Act of 17 Caroli ch. 7. thus penned. Be it enacted and declared by the King our Soveraign Lord, with the Aſſent of the Lords & Commons, That this preſent Parl. now aſſembled ſhall not be diſſolved, unleſs it be by Act of Parliament to be paſſed for that purpoſe; Nor ſhall any time or times during the continuance thereof, be prorogued or adjourned, unleſs it be by Act of Parliament, to be likewiſe paſſed for that purpoſe. And that the Houſe of Péers ſhall not at any time or times during this preſent Parliament, be adjourned, unleſs it be by themſelves or their own Order. And in like manner, That the Houſe of Commons ſhall not at any time or times during this preſent Parliament, be adjourned, unleſs it be by their own Order. And that all and every thing or things whatſoever done or to be done, for the adjournment proroguing or diſſolving of this preſent Parliament; ſhall be utterly void and of none effect: Then they intended to ſend for the reſt of the Members walking in the Hall to come in unto them: and to move, that all ſurviving Members of this Parliament, might by joynt conſent particularly be ſent to, and invited to meet and ſit in the Houſe at a convenient day, before any Vote or Order paſſed by thē then ſitting, thus ſodainly convened without any notice (which would be interpreted rather a ſurprize, and un-Parliamentary practice, both by the abſent Members and the whole Nation, than any obliging Parliamentary Vote or Order of the Houſe) and more diſcontent than invite or unite the abſent unſummoned Members, than unite them, making the rent greater than before. And when they were there aſſembled, that in the firſt place they might freely & fully debate this Queſtion, (wherein there were different Opinions between the Members themſelves, and other learned Lawyers;) Whether this Parliament was not actually diſſolved by the late Kings forcible death, (which is clearly Mr. P. his opinion formerly publiſhed) Or, Whether it was not ſtill in being, by vertue of this Act, notwithſtanding the Kings death, or any other thing or things done already by the Army-Officers or others for the adjourning, proroguing or diſſolving thereof? If it ſhould upon ſuch debate be Voted by the Majority of the Houſe to be really and legally diſſolved; they held it their duties and theirs now ſitting, to acquieſce therein, and act no farther as a Parl. But if voted ſtill in being, they all held it their duty, to ſit and joyn their beſt Counſels and Endeavours to ſettle the Government, Peace, Safety of our distracted Church and Nations, now more ſhaken, unſetled, endangered in their apprehenſions than ever, and would ſubmit their private contrary Opinions in this (as in all other Votes) to the over-ruling Judgement of the whole Houſe; as the only hopefull way to revive the antient Conſtitution, Rights, Privileges of Parliament; and reſettle us upon laſting foundations of Peace and Proſperity.

Upon theſe Reſolutions alone, & none other, which Mr. P. intended to propoſe to thoſe then ſitting, he went to the Lobby door of the Commons Houſe, accompanied with Sir George Booth, Mr. Arthur Anneſley, Sir John Evelyn, Mr. Th. Gewen, Mr. Charles Rich, Mr. Mountague, Mr. Ri. Knightly, Mr. Hungerford, and one or two more; which being ſhut to keep out the people crowding on the ſtairs to get in, through whom they could hardly paſ; Mr. P. knocked twice or thrice, but could get no admittance, till the door being opened to let out M. Nye & ſom other Miniſters, Mr. P. with Sir Geo. Booth and Mr. Anneſly, being formoſt, preſſed into the Lobby; and then the door being ſhut & bolted again, Mr. P. unbolted & held it open till the reſt came in; where they finding Mr. John and Mr. James Herbert ſtanding in the Lobby, acquainted them with their intentions to go then into the Houſe, who reſolved to go in with them. Coming all up towards the Houſe door, which was ſhut and kept Guarded (as it preſently appeared) by ſom Officers of the army; Mr. P. required them, to open the door to let them in, being all Members of the old Parliament; who thereupon demanded; Whether they had continued ſitting in it ſince 1648. to 1653? M. P. & the reſt all anſwered, That being Members of the old Parliament, they would give no account to thē or any others of their ſitting, but only to the Houſe it ſelf wherof they were Members, being contrary to the Privilege of Parliament, which they & others were obliged inviolably to maintain: Upon which demanding their names, they ſaid; that if they would ſend in a Note of their names to the Houſe, and they ordered them to come in, they ſhould be admitted. Whereto Mr. P. replied, We yet knew not who were within the Houſe, nor whether they were yet ſitting, nor upon what account they ſate; nor was it agreeable with the Cuſtom or Privilege of Parliament for one Member to ſend tickets to his fellow Members for free admiſsion into the Houſe, being all equals, and having an equal right freely to enter into it at all times, as well as they; nor was it their duty thus to capitulate with Members, but obey their juſt commands in opening the door: Which they ſtill refuſing, Mr. P. demanded, Who and what they were, being all ſtrangers to them? and by whoſe authority, or order they thus forcibly kept them out? They anſwered, they were Officers of the army, and had ſufficient Authority to keep thē out, if they had not ſate ſince 1648. till 1653. Mr. P. demanded, From whom they had their warrant, ſince they could have none from thoſe within, being but newly entred; and none elſe could give thē ſuch a warrant, nor they within before they heard them, and gave good reaſon for it; demanding them to produce their Order, if they had any in writing, that they might know by whoſe authority they were thus forcibly kept out; demanding their ſeveral names twice or thrice, wherwith they refuſed to acquaint them. Upon this M. P. told them, They doubted of their Authority, Orders thus to ſeclude thē, becauſe they were either aſhamed or afraid to tell thē their names, when as they told them theirs: That they knew not whether they were Officers of the Army, or not, unleſs they knew their names, that ſo they might inquire the truth of it, or ſaw their Commiſsions: And if they were Army-Officers indeed, they had publiſhed a printed Decl. in all their names that morning, inviting (as they conceiv'd) all Members they formerly ſecluded, to return & ſit again in the Houſ to diſcharge their truſts: wherin they profeſſed their former force upon, & ſecluſion of them, to be a Backſliding, and wandring into UNRIGHTEOUS PATHS; which they ſeemingly repented of; promiſing to yield their utmoſt aſſiſtance to them to ſit in ſafety; and praying for the preſence and bleſſing of God upon their endeavours: And if now within few hours after this Remonſtrance publiſhed, they thus highly and publikely violated it in the view of all there preſent, by returning to their former Backſlidings and Unrighteous paths; in ſecluding thoſe who were Members afreſh, and violating their own Declaration, none would henceforth credit them, or it. Upon which one of them told M. P. He knew he was none of them who ſate ſince 1648, till 1653. therfore they were not bound to let him in, being not within their Declaration. Who retorted, he thought their repentance had been univerſal, not partial; of all their forces upon the Houſe and Members, eſpecially of their greateſt Dec. 6. 1648. when they not only ſecluded, but ſecured and impriſoned him and 40 more in Hell, and other places, & forced away 3 times as many more for diſcharging their truſts, & aſſerting the true GOOD OLD CAUSE; againſt their Commiſsions, truſts, Proteſtations, and printed Remonſtrances; which if they would look back upon and well conſider (as they proclaim they had don in their New Decl.) they would find to be one of their greateſt Backſlidings where they firſt turned out of the way, wch cauſed God to withdraw his preſence and GOOD SPIRIT FROM THEM ever ſince, and give them up to the proſecution of a New Romiſh GOOD OLD CAVSE, which had brought us into that poſture, and occaſioned thoſe viciſſitudes of dangers, and cauſed God in his Providence to make all Eſſaies to ſettle us, utterly ineffectual; to convince them of, and reclaim them from their Error: which they now purſued afreſh, as vigorouſly as ever: That for his own part after his Impiſonment by them against both Lawe and Privilege in 1648. in ſundry places, he was again forcibly ſeiſed by ſome of the Army in his Houſe in 1650. and kept a cloſe Priſoner near 3. years under armed guards of Souldiers in 3. remote Caſtles farr diſtant frō thoſe then ſitting: Therfore they could not make their unrighteous Imprìſonment of him then without any cauſe or hearing, a just ground to ſeclude him from ſitting now. But all theſe expoſtulations of M. P. and others, not prevailing, they deſired all preſent to take notice and bear witnes of this high affront and breach of Privilege in this their forcible ſecluſion: And ſo departing Mr. Knightly meeting Major General Lambert in the Lobby, complained to him of this Forcible ſecluſion; who gave him a civil Anſwer to this effect; That things were now in an hurrie, and their entring at this time into the Houſe might cauſe ſome diſturbance, but doubted not ſuch courſe would be taken by the Officers of the Army in few daies, that none ſhould be forcibly ſecluded: and ſo they went from the Lobby into the Hall from whence they came, acquainting thoſe Members they left there with the premiſes.

After ſome conference with one another, it was thought fit they ſhould meet about 4. a clock in the Evening under Lincolns Inne Chappel, and in the mean time that every one ſhould inquire, what old ſecluded, or ſecured Members were now in town, and how many Members of the long Parliament were yet living, choſen or ſitting before December 6. 1648. when they were firſt forcibly ſecluded by the Army. Some met accordingly, and upon conference found, there were about 80 ſecluded Members now in London and Weſtminſter; being near double the number of thoſe ſitting that day; and above 300 Members of all ſorts yet living, choſen or ſitting in the Commons Houſe before Decemb. 1648. over and above thoſe that now ſate; all which they conceived ought in juſtice to be ſummoned by the Speakers Letter, freely to meet and ſit in the Houſe at a convenient time to be agreed upon: In order whereunto ſome ten of them met in the Counſel-Chamber of Lincolns Inne (where the old Speaker uſed to ſit in Counſel as a Bencher with the reſt of the Benchers concerning the affairs of the Society) as the fitteſt place to write down a Catalogue of all the ſurviving Members names, by the help of their Memories and the printed liſt of them; which having finiſhed, they departed, agreeing to meet in Weſtminster Hall about 9 of the clock on Monday morning, whither M. P. carried the liſt of the names formerly written, digeſted into an Alphabetical order, to communicate it to other Members, Thoſe that ſate meeting on the Lords day, adjourned their Houſe till ten of the clock Monday morning: But the Courts not ſitting in VVeſtminſter-Hall that day, Mr. P. found the Hall very thin, & few Members in it whiles he was ſtanding in the Hall expecting thoſe who promiſed to meet there, he was twice informed one after another, that there were no Guards at all at the Houſe Door, that any perſon might freely go into it without examination, there being but few Members within, and the Doors ſtanding open. Whereupon he ſpake to 4 or 5 Members there met, to go along with him into the Houſe, and if they were freely admitted, to give notice of it to the reſt to follow after if they pleaſed: Some of them were unwilling to go being formerly repulſed, thinking it better to make a Narrative of their former forcible ſecluſion on Saturday, and to ſignifie it by a Letter directed to the Speaker, ſubſcribed with their names, which Mr P. conceived ſuperfluous, ſince the Door now ſtood feeely open to all without any Guards to ſeclude any, and that, as he apprehended, in purſute of Major General Lamberts promiſe to Mr. Knightly: And it would be idle to complain of that force by Letter, wherewith they might now acquaint thoſe then ſitting by their own mouthes, if there were cauſe. Vpon which ground, M. Prynne, Mr. Anneſly, and Mr. Hungerford about ten of the clock went to the Houſe, where the doors of the Lobby & Houſe were at firſt knock opened to them by the ordinary Door-keepers, upon their telling thē they were Members, (there being no Guard at either door:) who delivered to each of them as Members, a printed Paper intitled, A Declaration of the Parliament aſſembled at Weſtminster, Saturday 7. May, 1659. They found not about 9. of 10. of thoſe who ſate, within the Houſe, who courteouſly ſaluted them: After ſome ſhort diſcourſes, Mr. Anneſly, and Mr. Hungerford leaving Mr. Prynne in the Houſe, (out of which he reſolved not to ſtir upon any occaſion, for fear of a new forcible ſecluſion) went back into the Hall to acquaint the Members in it, they might freely enter if they pleaſ • d: Mr. Anneſly returning, was forcibly kept out from re-entring by ſome Soldiers, ſent thither (as he conceited) for that purpoſe. Wherwith he acquainted Mr. P. by a Note, deſiring to ſpeak with him at the Houſe door; which being opened, Mr. Anneſly preſſed to go in to ſpeak with him, but was denied entrance, unleſs he would give his paroll preſently to come out again and not ſtay in: whereupon he ſaid, Though they had often broken their parolls with them, yet he would not break his parol; but would come forth ſo ſoon as he had ſpoken with M. P. which he accordingly performed. After this Mr. P. had conference with divers Members as they came in, who ſaid they were glad to ſee him in health, and meet him there again. The Houſe being thin, M. P. turned to the Statute of 17 Caroli, c. 7. reading it to himſelf; and after that to two other Members: telling them, it was a doubt, whether the old Parliament was not determined by the Kings death, notwithſtanding that Act; which was fit to be firſt freely debated in a full Houſe, before ought elſe was done. Upon which they demanded, Why he came amongſt them, if he made a ſcruple, or thought it to be diſſolved? Who anſwered, to have it fully debated and reſolved in a full and free Houſe. After which Sir Arthur Haſlerigge coming in, Mr. P. ſaluted and told him, He was glad to meet him again in this place: who preſently anſwered, he had nothing to do to ſit there as a Member, being formerly ſecluded. Whereto he replyed, he had as good right to ſit there as himſelf, or any other Member whatſoever, upon the account of the old Parliament, if in being: having acted, written, ſuffred more in defence of the rights and privileges of Parliament, than himſelf, or any ſitting with him. Upon which Sir Henry Vane coming in, and ſtepping up to them, ſaid in a menacing manner: Mr. Prynne, what make you here? you ought not to come into this Houſe being formerly voted out, I wiſh you as a friend quietly to depart hence, elſe ſome courſe will be preſently taken with you for your preſumption: which Sir Arthur ſeconded, telling him, If he refuſed, that there would be a ſpeedy courſe taken, and a charge put in againſt him, for his meetings on Saturday, and actings againſt the Houſe. To which he replied, He had as good, if not a better right to ſit than either of them: That he knew of no Vote to ſeclude, nor of any there who had right or power to vote him out, being equally intruſted with themſelves for the whole Nation, and thoſe he repreſented: That he was never convicted of any breach of his Parliamentarie trust, and hoped they would have both the juſtice and patience to hear, before they voted him out: And then hee doubted not to make it appear, themſelves were greater Infringers of their truſts, and more worthy to be voted out than himſelf. As for their Charge and menaces, he was no way affrighted with them: It being as free and lawfull for him and other Members, to meet and adviſe together both as Members and Freemen of England, for preſervation of themſelves, the peoples Rights and Parliaments Privileges, when forcibly ſecluded, as they did on Saturday; as for themſelves, or the Army Officers to meet privately and publickly both in and out of the Houſe, to deprive them of their privileges, as they had oft times done of late: That theſe high menacing words, were a very ill performance of their New publiſhed Declaration, delivered him at the door: That they were reſolved (by the gracious aſſiſtance of Almighty God) to apply themſelves to the faithfull diſcharge of their legal Truſt; to aſſert, eſtabliſh and ſecure, the Property and Liberty of the People in reference unto all, both as Men and as Chriſtians:) which if they ſhould publikely violate, & null by any unjuſt charge, or proceedings againſt him, who had ſaffered ſo much, both as an Engliſh Freeman, Chriſtian, and Member too (by their 3 years cloſe impriſonment of him without cauſe or hearing) under their new FREE-STATE, when firſt erected, and now again upon their very firſt reviving of it, though a Member, only for coming into the Houſe and meeting with other Members, to claim their rights: It would highly reflect upon their intended new Free State, and make all out of love with it. After which, they going up with other Members into the Committee Chamber, to conſult how to diſpoſe of or get him out of the Houſe, about half an hour after they all came down into the Houſe, where Mr. P. continued ſitting: the Speaker being come in the interim, they firſt concluded to goe to prayers, then to ſit as an Houſe: whereupon all taking their places, Mr. Prynne took his place too where he uſually ſat before, reſolving not to ſtirr thence: which Sir Arthur and Sir Henry obſerving, after ſome whiſperings with the Speaker and others next them; though the Cuſhion was laid, and order given to call in the Chaplain to pray, yet they countermanded it, telling the Speaker, It was now ſomewhat late, and they could diſpatch little before dinner: therefore they would by agreement, without any adjournment, preſently riſe and go to dinner, and then ſit in the afternoon about one a clock, and the Speaker in the mean time might diſpatch a buſineſs he ſaid he muſt needs doe. Vpon which they all riſing, Mr. P. continued in the Houſe till moſt of them (being about 42. with himſelf in his computation) were gone out, leſt they ſhould return and ſit ſo ſoon as he was gone, his preſence there, being the ſole cauſe of their not fitting. Mr. Prynne then going out after them, found a guard of Souldiers with Halberts at the door, and a Troop of Horſe in the Pallace Yard; which were purpoſely ſent for to keep out the other Members, and Mr. P. if he returned, as the ſequel proved. Mr. P. having acquainted ſome ſecluded Members in the Hall with theſe paſſages in the Houſe; who agreeing to ſend a letter to the Speaker touching their forcible ſecluſion on Saturday, he returned to Lincolns Inne, where he dined in the Hall: immediatly after dinner he repaired to Weſtminſter, with a reſolution to goe into the Houſe if admitted; or proteſt againſt the force if ſecluded by the Army Gards there placed: he found an whole Troop of Horſe, in the Palace yard, and a Company of Foot on the Stairs, and Court of Requeſts, drawn thither to keep him and other Members out; whereupon he walked in the Hall til paſt 3. a clock, expecting the Speakers coming, with whom he intended to enter; At laſt, being informed that he went the back way without the Mace, and was gon into the Houſe; Mr. P. to avoid tumult (a company of unknown perſons in the Hall going after to ſee the iſſue) went purpoſely forth towards the Abby, till all were gone from the ſteps; and then going up only with one of his acquaintance, (no Member) he found the door and ſtairs before the Lobby ſtrictly garded with Red-coats, who with their Halberts croſſed the door and ſteps ſo thick that none could paſs: whereupon Mr. P. demanded entrance, ſaying, he was a Member; and they being ignorant who he was, permitted him to paſs through their pikes into the Lobby, but ſecluded his friend from going up with him. When he came at the Houſe door to enter, ſeveral Officers of the Army there placed (one of them ſitting in a chair) told him, That he muſt not enter, and that they had ſpecial Order to keep him out of the Houſe: Wherupon he Proteſted againſt this their forcible double ſecluſion of him, as an high contempt and breach of Privilege, contrary to their own and the ſitting Members Declaration publiſhed that day; demanding in the name of all the Commons of England, and thoſe for whom he was elected, free admiſsion for himſelf and other Members they kept out by a viſible force of horſe and foot; which was a worſe and more real levying of warre againſt the Parliament, then the beheaded King or his party were guilty of; whoſe impriſoning, proſecution of MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT for oppoſing his unlawfull will, after the Parliament: and coming to the Houſe only to demand the 5. impeached Members, without offering force, or ſecluding any Member; but ABOVE ALL, HIS LABOVRING THE ENGLISH ARMY TO BE ENGAGED AGAINST THE ENGLISH PARLIAMENT; (being a thing OF THAT STRANGE IMPIETY & UNNATURALNES, that nothing can anſwer it, but his being a foreiner) with his breach of Faith, Oath, Proteſtations, in levying war war againſt and offering force to the Parliament only at a diſtance, without keeping out any by armed Gards) being the principal unparale'ld Treaſons, for which the moſt of thoſe now ſitting in their very Declaration of 17 Martii 1648. (expreſſing the grounds of their late proceedings againſt him, and ſetling the p • eſent GOVERNMENT in the way of a FREE STATE, now cryed up as their GOOD OLD CAVSE) appealed to all the World to judge, whether they had not ſufficient cauſe to bring the K. to Iuſtice? and execute him as they did: Of all which they were formerly & now far more guilty in placing Gards of Horſe, & foot at the Parliament Doors to keep out him & other Members: it being a force and levying of war upon the Houſe it ſelf and Members, which would null all their Acts and Votes, as the ſitting Members in their Declaration & Speaker in his Letter, An. 1648. (upon the London unarm'd Apprentices Tumults at the Houſe Doors, though they kept out none) yea ſome now ſitting in their Speeches in the laſt diſſolved Aſſembly at VVeſtminſter, declared very lately: After which ſome of the Officers ſaid, Pray talk no more with him: whereto he replies, he muſt talk a little more to them, in their own Language: That the Army-Officers and Counſel themſelves had forcibly turned thoſe now ſitting out of Doors, 20 April 1653. and thus branded them in their Declarations and The true State of the caſe of the Common-wealth in reference to the Government by a Protector and Parliament: maintaining therein a full conformity to the declared principles and engagements of the parliament and Army. It being the opinion of divers perſons who through out the late troubles have approved themſelves faithfull to the cauſe and Intereſt of God and their Country. Preſented to the publick, for the ſatiſfaction of others, printed 1654. p. 9, 11. which Mr. Prynne had then in his pocket. other Papers he had then about him: for their Dilatory proceedings in the Houſe, unlimited Arbitrary proceedings at Committees, their wholy perverting the end of Parliaments; by becoming ſtudious of parties, & private Intereſts, neglecting the Publick, ſo that no Door of Hope being opened for redreſs of their grievances,, nor any hope of eaſing the people in their burdens, it was found at length by theſe their exorbitances, That a ſtanding Parliament was in it ſelf the greateſt grievance; which appeared yet the more exceeding grievous, in regard of a viſible deſign carryed on by ſome among them, to have perpetuated the Power in their own hands, it being utterly impoſsible in that corrupt eſtate, that they who made gain the main of their buſineſs, ſhould become inſtruments of our long deſired eſtabliſhment: Therefore it became an Act no leſs pious than neceſſary, for the Army now to interpoſe upon the ſame equitable ground as heretofore in the like caſes of extremity, (no ordinary medium being left) to provide for the Main, in a way irregular and extraordinary, by their moſt neceſſary and timely diſſolution. Yet notwithſtanding all theſe brands they have publickly layd upon them, (which they and others never yet wiped of by any publick Anſwer as the formerly ſecluded Members had refuted thoſe baſe aſperſions and calumnies the Army had falſely caſt on them) they had now invited thoſe very Members to return and fit again without ſecluding any of them, and engaged to yield them their beſt protection, as the Aſſertors of the Good Old Cauſe, who had a ſpecial preſence of God with them, and were ſignally bleſſed in the work: yea as the only Inſtruments for ſetling and ſecuring the peace and freedom of this Common-wealth: Therefore they had farre greater reaſon to call in him and the other firſt ſecluded Members than thus forcibly to exclude and aſcribe and give to them alone the Supreame Authority of the Nation which they have engroſſed to themſelves without the peoples Vote or Election in whō alone they have formerly Ian. 6. 1648.voted it; A preſage of their ſubſequent Free-State proceedings, when once ſetled in their Government, and a ſtrange contradiction; Wherefore they ſhould much more invite him and others they formerly and now afreſh have forcibly ſecluded, againſt whom they had not the leaſt Exceptions, to ſettle us again in peace and freedome, which they had done when they ſate, had they not ſecluded them. After which one of the Army Officers told Mr. Prynne, he had deſerted the Good Old Cauſe: To which he replyed, That the true Good Cauſe for which they were first raiſed, was only to defend the Kings perſon, Kingdom, Parliament, all its Members, Privileges, and ſecure them againſt all force and violence whatſoever, which cauſe they had not only deſerted but betrayed, and fought againſt, contrary to all former Engagements, to which cauſe he adhered, and deſired entrance to maintain it. To which he anſwered, That indeed was once their Good Old Cauſe; but now it was not ſo, for ſince they had purſued another Cauſe: Mr. P. replyed, that then they were real Back-ſliders therein, and their Cauſe neither old nor good, but bad, new and deſtructive to the former old one. In concluſion Mr. Prynne preſſed them to tell him their names, which he deſired to know; They anſwered they would not tell him: He then told them, That certainly their Good Old Cauſe was in their own Judgements and Conſciences very bad, ſince they durst not own it by name: They anſwered, That Mr. Anneſly the laſt day when they refuſed to tell their names, as they do now, had inquired out ſome of them, from whom he might learn them. In concluſion when he could not prevayl, he told them, they declared themſelves and thoſe now ſiting arrant Cowards,, and their magnified Good Old Cauſe to be very bad, ſince they were afraid of one ſingle perſon without Arms, when as they were a whole Army of armed men, and had above 40 voyces to his one, yet were afraid to admit him in, for fear he alone ſhould blow them all up with the breath of his mouth, and goodneſs of his cauſe. And ſo departing, he met Mr. Prydeaux in the Lobby, and deſired him to acquaint thoſe within, that he was forcibly kept out of the Houſe by the Souldiers, who beſet the paſſages to keep out what Members they pleaſed; Then returning again into the Hall, a ſecluded Member he there met preſſing him to know what paſſed in the Lobby: he related the ſum of what was done and ſaid, which divers preſſed about him to hear, and ſome common Souldiers among others; who when he had ended his Relation, ſaid, he was an honeſt Gentleman, and had ſpoken nothing but truth and reaſon. After which meeting with Colonel Oky in the Hall (who came over to tranſport him from Jerſy into England, they had ſome diſcourſe touching his forcible ſecluſion, and the great ſcandal and ill conſequences of it; which divers preſſing to hear, Mr. P. went out of the Hall to avoid Company, and meeting with the Member who drew up the Letter to the Speaker, peruſed and ſigned the fair Copy, and ſo departed to Lincolns Inne without any Company.

This being an Exact Narration of the truth, ſubſtance of what paſſed between Mr. P. the Army Officers, and thoſe now fitting, on the 7th. and 9th. of this inſtant May, both in the Lobby, Houſe, and elſewhere, Mr. Prynne being ſince neceſsitated to publiſh it, to prevent and rectifie the various miſreports thereof. He ſhall now relate, (as a Corollary thereunto) the true and only reaſons then inducing him (after earneſt Prayer to God for direction and protection in this Grand Affair) to preſs the admiſſion of himſelf and other Members into the Houſe, to correct the manifold contradictory cenſures of what he then did and ſpoke.

Some have been ſtaggared and amazed at it, as if he were now turned an Apoſtate from his former principles, acting both againſt his Judgement and Conſcience, to cry up, and make himſelf a Member of that old Parliament, which he publickly printed to be diſſolved above ten years ſince, by the Kings death; Others have cenſured it for a raſh, fooliſh, and deſperate attempt.

A third ſort condemn it as a ſeditious, tumultuous if not treaſonable Action, prejudicial to the publick peace and ſettlement, deſerving ſevere exemplary puniſhments.

A fourth Claſſis doome it, as a ſcandalous Act, diſhonorable, deſtructive to our Religion.

A fifth ſort cry it up, as a moſt neceſſary, heroick, rational, zealous Action, deſerving everlaſting honor, prayſe, thanks from the whole Engliſh Nation, and a neceſſary incumbent duty as a Member of the old Parliament, (though legally diſſolved) being pretentionally now revived againſt Law, Truth, by thoſe very Army Officers, who ſix years paſt ipſo facto diſſolved, and declared it to be diſſolved; yea have held many new Mock-Parliaments of their own modelling ſince, all proving abortive, by forcible ruptures as the long Parliament did.

It is not in Mr. Prynnes power to reconcile or controll theſe contradictory cenſures; neither was he ever yet ſo fooliſh or vain-glorious, as to be any wayes moved with the cenſures, opinions, or applauſes of other men; nor ſo ambitious, covetous, as to purſue any private intereſt of honor, profit, revenge, &c. under the notion of publick Liberty, Law, Reformation as many have done; nor ſo Sycophantical as to connive at others deſtructive exorbitances, guilded over with ſpecious Titles; this being his conſtant rule, to keep a good Conſcience in all things both towards God and man, Acts 24.16. to diſcharge his publick truſt, duty towards God and his Native Country, though with the probable hazard of his life, liberty, eſtate, friends, & what elſe may be precious to other men; to truſt God alone with the ſucceſs, reward of his endeavors, to let others cenſure him as they pleaſe; to fear no Mortal or power whatſoever in the diſcharge of his duty, who can but kill the Body, Mat. 10.23. (nor yet do that but by Gods permiſſion) being utterly unable to touch the Soul, but to fear him alone who can caſt both Soul and Body into Hell.

The only ground, end, motive, inducing Mr. Prynne thus earneſtly and timely to get into the Houſe, was no wayes to countenance any unparliamentary Conventicle or proceedings whatſoever, nor to own thoſe then ſitting to be the old true Commons Houſe of Parliament, whereof he was formerly a Member, as now conſtituted, much leſs to be the Parliament it ſelf then ſitting; but to diſcharge the truſt to which he was once unvoluntarily called without his privity or ſolicitation, by an unanimous election, a little before the laſt Treaty with the King, having refuſed many Burgesſhips, freely tendred to him with importunity, both before his election at Newport and ſince, being never ambitious of any publick preſerments, which he might have eaſily obtained, had he but modeſtly demanded, or ſignified his willingneſs to accept them. After his election againſt his will and inclination, he came not into the Houſe till the Treaty was almoſt concluded, (and that at the requeſt of divers eminent Members) only with a ſincere deſire to do that cordial ſervice for preſervation of the King, Kingdom, Church, Parliament, Laws, Liberties of England, and prevention of thoſe manifold Plots of forein-Popiſh Adverſaries, Prieſts, Jeſuites, Sectaries, ſeduced Members, Army-Officers, and Agitators, utterly to ſubvert them, which other Members overmuch or totally neglected, coldly oppoſed, or were totally ignorant of: What good ſervice he did in the Houſe during that little ſpace he continued in it, is fitter for others then himſelf to relate. How fully he then diſcovered to them the true original Plotters, fomenters of that Goad Old Cauſe, now ſo much cryed up and revived, how ſtrenuouſly he oppugned, how truly he predicted the dangerous conſequences of it, ſince experimentally verified beyond contradiction, his printed Speech Decemb. 4. 1648. can atteſt, and his Memento, whiles he was a priſoner: For this Speech & good ſervice of his in diſcovering, oppugning the New Gunpower-Treaſon then plotted and ripened to perfection, to blow up the King, Parliament, Lords, Laws, Liberties, Religion at once, violently proſecuted by the force, Remonſtrance, and diſobedient practiſes of the rebellious Army Officers and Souldiers, he was on the 6th. of December 1648. forcibly ſeiſed on at the Lobby-Door as he was going to diſcharge his truſt, and caried away thence by Col. Pride and others.

How unhumanly, unchriſtianly Mr. Prynne (ſeiſed with other Members at the Houſe door Decemb. 6.) was uſed by the Army-Officers, who lodged him (& them) in bell on the bare boards all that cold night, almoſt ſtarved him (and them with hunger and cold at Whitehall the next day, impriſoned him many weeks in the Strand, and after ſeiſed, kept him (by a new Free-ſtate warrant) a ſtrict cloſe Priſoner in three remote Caſtles nigh three years, for his Speech in the Houſe, againſt their moſt deteſtable Treaſons, and Jeſuitical proceedings againſt the King, Parliament, Privileges, and Members of it, isSee Mr. Prynnes Epiſtle and Appendix to his Speech in parliament, His 2d. part of the Narrative of the Armies force, 1640. and A new Diſcovery of Free-State Tyrany. 1655. elſewhere at large related: This being all he gained by being a Member, and for aſſerting that true Good Old Cauſe againſt the new Impoſture now cryed up afreſh, to turn our antient Kingdom into a New Republick, and our Parliament of King, Lords, and Commons, into a See his brief Memento to the preſent unparliamentary Iuncto. 1648. ſelect, unparliamentary juncto, or forty or fifty Members of the old diſſipated Houſe of Commons, elected, impowred only by the Army, not People, to act what they preſcribe, to extirpate King, Lords, Monarchy, Magiſtracy, Miniſtry, Laws, Liberties, Properties, and reduce them all under Jeſuit •• oe at firſt, and our forein Enemies Vaſſallage in concluſion. Mr. Pry •• e then being moſt clearly convinced thereof, by what he formerly publiſhed as a Member in his Speech and Memento, and ſince in his Epiſtle to a New Diſcovery of Free-State tyranny, his Jus Patronatus, his hiſtorical and legal Vindication of the fundamental Laws, Liberties, Rights, Properties of all Engliſh Freemen, A new Diſcovery of Romiſh Emiſſaries, his Quakers unmasked, and in his Republicans Good Old Cauſe truly and fully anatomiſed; wherin he infallibly demonſtrates, their converting of our late Engliſh Monarchy into a new Common-wealth, or elective Protectorſhip to be the antient projected moddles of Father In his Memorial for Reformation of England. 1590. Watſōs quodlibets p. 92. to 96.310. to 334. Wil. Clarks his anſwer to Father Parſons Libel, p. 75. Parſons, and other Jeſuites, and Tho. Campanella the Italian Frier De Monarchia Hiſp • nica, c. 25, 27. ſpecially recommended by them to the purſuite of the King of Spain, who proſecuted it all he could to promote his univerſal Monarchy, and ſo much rejoyced at it, that he was the firſt foreign King who preſently ſent an extraordinary Ambaſſador to congratulate the accompliſhment, applaud the conſtitution of, & enter into a League of Friendſhip with it; whoſe flattering panygerick in his Great Catholique Kings name, in prayſe thereof, and what an honour it was to them, that he was the firſt forein Prince that owned them for a Common wealth, made the Commons Houſe ſo intoxicated, that they gratified him in all his requeſts, and purſued all his deſigns, only to ruine us and the Netherlands, layd down by Campanella, De Monarchia Hiſpanica, c. 25, 27. by furniſhing him with many thouſands of Iriſh forces, quarrelling with the Hollanders, maintaining above three years bloody wars with them, with infinite loſſe and expence to both Nations, taking the French Kings Fleet, proviſions merely deſigned for the reliefe of Dunkirk, whereby he preſently regained it to our prejudice: And on the other hand Romes maſter piece, and hidden works of Darkneſs brought to publick light. Cardinall Richlieu of France, the great Incendiary of Chriſtendome, and ſomenter of all our Domeſtick wars in his life; the French King and Mazarine by his inſtructions in writing after his death, vigorouſly purſued this very deſign: His inſtructions to this purpoſe (recorded by Hiſtoria part 3d. Venetiis, 1648. p. 175, 176. Conte de Galeazzo Gualdo Priorato, an excellent Italian Hiſtorian) are very memorable, who relates; That Cardinal Richelieu Anno 1642. (after he had involved the King, Parliament, and Ireland in a bloody Civil war) being near his death, delivered theſe politick inſtructions for the King his Maſter to purſue for carrying on his deſigns in relation to England with ſucceſſe; That above all other things he ſhould endeavour to keep the Government of Great Britain divided and diſ-united, by ayding the weaker party, that the other might not make it ſelf too powerfull; By cau • ing the three Kingdomes of England, Scotland, and Ireland to be divided, either by nominating other Kings See the inſtrument of Government, and petition and advice, Section 1. (elective of another family, accompliſhed by erecting an elective Protector) or by moulding them into a Common-wealth (as our Republicans have formerly and now done again) Yet with this caution, That when they are reduced into a Common-wealth, ſo to order the matter, That it may not be united into one, but divided How punctually Cardinal Mazarine proſecuted theſe inſtructions ever ſince, and accompliſhed them at laſt, the Letters taken in the Lord Digbyes Cabinet, A Collect p. 849, 858, 862, 863, 867, 868. printed by the Parliaments order, 1646. and O. Cromwels late intimate correſpondency with. Mazarine, diſcover. And how much the Ieſuites and Catholicks in France in November 1648. approved, applauded the turning of our hereditary Monarchy, which they, irreconcila • ly hated, envyed, as well as the late King,Appendix to his Speech, p. 118. and relation of the Members ſecluſion. and turning the Old Parliament into a new Republican Repreſentative, and that all their hopes to effect it were in the Army, to whom they wiſhed all proſperity therein: you may read in a Letter ſent from thence by the Armies Agent to a ſitting Republican Member, ſoon after publiſhed by Mr. Prynne who got the original.See Mr. Prynne Good Old Cauſe ſtated & ſtunted, p. 3, 4, 5.6, 10,

Mr. Prynne knowing all this, and clearly diſcovering a freſh combination between the Sectaries, Republican, Anabaptiſtical, Jeſuitical, levelling party, to purſue their deſigns afreſh, and accompliſh what they formerly attempted in the ſhort Mock-Parliament of their own election, creation Anno 1653. and what was then paſsionately recommended to them by See Mr. P his Goſpel plea, Watſons quodlibers, and the Caſe of the Common wealth of England rightly ſtated. John Canne, the Anabaptiſt in his Voyce from the Temple (dedicated to them) as their Generation work, which God and all his people then expected and required from them; even to extirpate the Church, & Miniſtry of England, Advowſons, Glebes, Tithes; and demoliſh all Pariſh Churches as Antichriſtian; to extirpate the Law root and branch under pretext of reforming and new-moulding it; to ſell all Corporation and College lands, and ſet up a popular Anarchy, or tyrannical Oligarchy among us, under the diſguiſe of the Old Diſſolved Parliament, ſitting from 1648. till April 20. 1653. after ſix years violent ejection of them with higheſt ſcorn and reproach, yet now invited by them to ſit again to effect theſe Romiſh deſigns to our utter Confuſion, but ſecluding all thoſe who were like to obſtruct or defeat them. Upon this conſideration Mr. Prynne as a ſecluded Member of the old Parliamemt, wherein he detected oppugned all theſe Treaſonable Deſigns heretofore, and ſince its diſſolution by the Kings beheading, held it his bounden duty to prevent, defeat them now, and nip them in the bud; whereupon ſo ſoon as thoſe now ſitting entred the Houſe, he aſſayed to go into it, with as many old ſecluded Members as he could, there being 80 of them in London: For although his judgement be,See his legal plea againſt illegal Taxes, his legal Vindication, p. 3, 3, 4. his Brief Regiſter of Parliamentary writs, and plea for the Lords.that this Parliament is quite diſſolved by the Kings beheading, as he oft declared in print: yet ſince the Army-Officers and thoſe now ſitting with ſundry others, pretend it ſtill in being, and under that pretext alone have acted all their publick Tragedies, and Innovations, he conceived himſelf bound in Conſcience upon their Conceſsions, to endeavour to prevent theſe miſchiefs, and do all Publick good he might, with better warrant and reaſon than moſt Miniſters, Lawyers, Juſtices, Magiſtrates, Members of late Parliaments, (as they ſtyle them) have prayed for, complyed with, acted in, under thoſe late Governors, Governments, & mock Parliaments (as he is confident ſome now ſitting among them in this new Convention believe it diſſolved, and yet go in only to prevent and allay thoſe miſchiefs which others violently purſue) which their own Conſciences, and our laws reſolve them without ſcruple to be utterly illegal; whereas this old Parliament, whereof he was a Member, was moſt legallie ſummoned and convened beyond diſpute, and hath the colour of a legal Act or Parliament for its continuance, which thoſe ſince have wanted: of which Act the greateſt part of thoſe now ſitting taking advantage, notwithſtanding their new Inſtruments, Declarations, Petitions, Adviſes, Addreſſes, and Seſſions in other new Parliaments ſince; and it being a great diſpute now among moſt ſecluded Members, whether that Parliament was not yet alive though the King be dead? the majority of their Voyces over-ruling his private Judgement, as in all other Parliamentary Votes and proceedings, gave a preſent ſufficient call, warrant to him and others to enter the Houſe to debate it, and act what and as they did; which will ſatisfie all thoſe who cenſure it as unwarrantable or contradictory to his judgement: eſpecially when they ſhall hear what he really intended to propoſe to the ſitting Members when he got into the Houſe, had they not gone out to prevent it.

1. He intended to inform them of thoſe deſtructive Jeſuitical ends and deſigns, forementioned, which they were now purpoſely called in to accompliſh, carrying along Thomas Campanella, Richilieus Inſtructions, with other Books, papers of theirs, and ſome printed Copies of the Republicans and others Good Old Cauſe truly and fully anatamiſed, now put out and publiſhed, to diſ-engage them from its purſute at the firſt, before they were engaged therein by any Votes or Actions, if he could but gain audience or patience to hear them preſſed on their Conſciences Viva Voce. But their unparliamentary adjourning on purpoſe to prevent it when he was in, and forcibly reſecluding him by armed Gards when once out, he held himſelf bound in Conſcience, to publiſh that to them and the the world in print, which he was not permitted libertie to ſpeak, as he formerlie did (when forcibly impriſoned and kept from the Houſe by the Armie as now, upon the like account) in his Brief Mememto to the preſent unparliamentary Juncto, from his Piſon-Chamber at the Kings Head (which they ſoon after took of) Jan. 1. 1648.

2ly. He intended to propoſe, That all armed Gards of Souldiers in or near the Cities of London or Weſtminſter, might by publick Proclamation be removed to a convenient distance thence, according to the 7 E. 1. Raſtall Armor, 1. Cooks 4 Inſtit. p. 14. Mr. Prynnes Brief Regiſter of all Parliamentary writs p. 27, 28.177, 215, 216. Exact Abridgement of the records in the Tower, p. 11, 12, 14, 17, 19, •• , 27, 36, 38, 195. antient Cuſtome, Preſidents, and Privileges of Parliament, prohibiting not only all armed forces, but the very bearing of any Arms or weapons in or near the place where the Parliament did ſit, under ſevereſt penalties, leſt they ſhould over-awe the Members, or any way interrupt their proceedings: which the undutifull mutinous Officers, Souldiers, now in and near the City, (though rayſed purpoſely to protect the Parliament and its Members from all force whatſoever) have frequently done, nay forcibly ſecluded, impriſoned, ejected the Members themſelves ſundry times, yea turned the now ſitting Members out of Doors, and now again on Saturday laſt, and this very Morning ſecluded him, and ſundry Members when they came to enter in.

3ly. That all the Lords, all ſecured, ſecluded Members of the old Parliament, not ſitting after Decemb. 8. 1648. now about the City, (being double in number to thoſe now ſitting) might preſently be called and freely admitted into the Houſe; And all living Members of the old Commons Houſe elected or ſitting at or before that time, might by the Speakers Letter be deſired in all their names, to meet together in the Commons Houſe forty daies after, (the Mr. Prynnes Brief Regiſter and Survey of Parliamentary writs p 431. ordinary time limited in moſt writs of Summons, or Reſummons of Parliament) and nothing acted or voted in the interval as a Houſe of Commons, till they were all aſſembled, after their ten years ſecluſion, diſſipation by the Armies force and war upon them. This ſuddain, unexpected Clandeſtine, ſtealing into the Commons Houſe, of about 41, or 42. Members alone, without any general notice given thereof to all the other ſurviving abſent Members, or places which elected them; ſitting preſently as an Houſe of Parliament, accompanied with a preſent forcible ſecluſion of all but their own Confederates, being a moſt unparliamentary practice, conſpiracy, ſurpriſe, unworthy Saints, or perſons of Honour, deſtructive to the very being, Privileges of Parliament, injurious to the whole Nation, as well as abſent and ſecluded Members; yea contrary to their own Republican Votes, Principles; See their Votes, Jan. 6. Declaration, 11 Martii 1648. The Agreement of the People and Armies Remonſtrance and Petition Nov. 16. 1648. & Ian. 20. 1649. That the Supream Authority of the Nation reſides only in the Generality of the people: That it cannot be transferred from them to any others, in or out of Parliament, but by their free conſents and elections: That their Repreſentatives in Parliament ought to be equally diſtributed throughout the Nation: No Member to be ſecluded when duly elected; and all things to be carryed only by majority of Voyces. Contrary to the principles of Law, Equity, common Juſtice, Reaſon, which reſolve, that 1 Jac. ch. 1. Aſh-Parliament. 10. publick Acts of Parliament bind all men, becauſe they all are Parties and Aſſenters to them by their election of Knights, Citizens, and Burgeſses impowred, intruſted by them, and preſent when they paſſed by their common aſſent; Which they cannot be, when the farre greater number are abſent, ſecluded, and have no notice of their preſent ſitting: Contrary to common Right, and that juſt Maxime inſerted into ſome antient Cl. 33. E. 1. m. 4. dorſ. Parliament Writs of Summons and elections to Sheriffs, quod omnes tangit ab omnibus approbetur, that which concerns all ought to be approved by all. And not only ſo, but this their ſurreptitious fraudulent ſuddain ſitting and acting by themſelves as a Parliament, if they proceeded would make them far more criminal and guilty of higheſt Treaſon, than King Richard the 2d. of old, impeached and, dethroned in the Parliament of 1 H. 4. amongſt other Articles for this1 H 4. Rot. parl. n. 25. Plea for the Lords, p. 434. That the ſaid King in his last Parliament at Salop, purpoſing to oppreſs his people, ſubtlely procured and cauſed to be granted, That the Power of the Parliament by the conſent of all the States of his Realm, ſhould remain with certain Perſons, to determine, after the Parliament diſſolved, certain Petitions delivered in the ſame Parliament, at that time not dispatched. By colour of which Conceſsion the perſons ſo deputed proceeded to other things, generally touching that Parliament, and that by the Kings will, In derogationem ſtatus Parliamenti, & in magnum incommodum totius Regni, & pernitioſum exemplum: In derogation of the State of the Parliament, and to the great diſprofit, (prejudice) of the whole Realm, and permitious example: And that they might ſeem to have ſome kind of colour & Authority for this kind of their proceedings; the King cauſed the Rolls of the Parliament according to his Vote, to be changed and deleted, contrary to the effect of the foreſaid Conceſſion: which is likewiſe mentioned in the printed Act of 1 H. 4. c. 3 and thus amplyfied; That a certain power was committed by authority of Parliament to certain perſons, to proceed upon certain Articles compriſed in the Rolls of the Parliament thereof made, and by authority aforeſaid divers Statutes, Judgements, Ordinances, and Stabliſhments were made, ordained, and given erroneouſly and dolefully, in great diſheriſon and final deſtruction, and undoing of many honourable Lords and Liege-people of the Realm and their Heirs forever: wherupon that whole Pariament of 21 R. 2. with all the circumſtances and dependents thereupon, were wholy reverſed, revoked, voyded, undone, repealed, and annulled for ever. If this then were ſo high a crime and breach of royal Truſt in King R. 2. even by conſent and authority of the whole Parliament and three Eſtates. ſubtilly to procure the power of the whole Parliment to remain in the hands of certain Perſons which themſelves approved of; who exceeded their Commiſſion and acted generally as a Parliment: And if this was a grand derogation of the ſtate of the Parliament, a great damage to the whole Realm, and permitious example for poſterity; for which in the very next Parliament they impeached, depoſed him, and nulled all theſe proceedings for ever. Then queſtionleſs their former ſitting, acting in the Commons Houſe from December 7 1648. till Apr. 20. 1653. and now again, without, yea againſt the conſents, Votes of the Parliament, 3 Eſtates, & ſecluded Members, their repealing, altering, the very Acts Ordinances of the Lords and Commons concerning the Treaty with the King, and ſundry others; their nulling the Act for Trienial Parliments, the continuance ſitting of the Lords in this Parlament, their • eclaring themſelves alone to be the Parliament of England, beheading the King himſelf, their diſ-inheriting the whole Houſe of Lords and their Heirs for ever of their Parliamentary Seſſion, Judicature, Privileges, as much as in them lyeth; and thouſands more of their real and perſonal Eſtates; their forcible ſecluding, ſecuring the greateſt part of their Fe • low-Members, then, and now again by the Armies power, and ſitting under their fo • ce (which by their own Declaration of August 6, and the Armies in purſuit the • eof August 8. the Speakers Letter, July 29. 1648. yea Sir Arthur Haſterigges own Speech, and others of them, the very two laſt dayes they ſate in the laſt Convention, nulls all they voted or ordered) muſt needs be a more execrable tranſcendent crime by thouſands of degreees, a greater derogation to the state of the Parliament and its Privileges, of more fatal conſequence to the whole Kingdom, and of far more pernicious example, than this Act of his, eternally to be expleded, declared null, void to all intents in it ſelf, and demeriting the Higheſt cenſures, that the Juſtice of Parliament can inflict, being a more ſuperlative Treaſon and High Miſdemeanour than this Kings, or Canterburies, impeached by the whole Houſe of Commons, and many of them thus act • ng, ſitting, Canterburies Doome, p. 27, 31. Mr. Pyms Speech, 16 F • br. 1640. That to preſerve himſelf from being questioned for his Trayterous courſes, he hath laboured to ſubvert the rights of Parliaments, and the antient courſe of Parliamentary proceedings: this being the laſt Article of his impeachment, for which amongſt others he loſt his head, Which Presidents Mr. Prynne would have preſſed them viva voce ſeriouſly to conſider, at which they muſt needs ſtand mute and aſtoniſhed not having one ſyllable to reply.

4ly. He would have propounded, That when all the Members met together, They ſhould in the firſt place debate this point, whether the old Parliament were not actually diſſolved in point of Law, by their beheading the King, notwithſtanding the Statute of 17 Caroli c. 7? which though themſelves by their former and preſent ſitting by pretext thereof, the Army-Officers heretofore and now again deny, and many ſecluded Members hold ſtill to be in being, yet for his own opinion he held, and had See his legal Vindication againſt illegal Taxes p. 44. to 51. His Plea for the Lords: and Brief Regiſter. publiſhed it to be diſſolved notwithſtanding this Act, and to be Caſus omiſſus out of it, which he was ready to maintain againſt all Opponents, by theſe reaſons,

1. Becauſe it hath been f • equently reſolved by Parliaments themſelves, the Reverend Judges, and our Law-books, as 1 H 4 rot. Parl. n. 1, 2, 3. 1 H. 5. Rot. Parl. n. 16. 4 E. 4. f. 44. Cooks 4. Inſtit. p. 44. by King Charles own Declaration, 13 Junii, 3 Caroli, and his Judges and Counſel then, that the depoſition, and death of the King doth actually diſſolve the Parliament, and that the new King cannot hold and continue the old Parliament ſitting, or prorogued at his Anceſtors death, the Parliament of 22 R. 2. being diſſolved by his reſignation of his Crown, and the Parliaments of 14 H. 4. & Mr. Ruſhworths Hiſtorical Collect. p. 270, 271. 24 Jacobi, by the deaths of theſe two Kings, and by like reaſon the laſt Parliament of 16 Caroli by his violent death.

2ly. Becauſe the Parliament is no ſtanding Court, ſitting at certain ſeaſons by poſitive Laws, but ſummoned, conſtituted Cooks 4 Inſtit. c 1. Cromptons Juriſdiction of Courts, Be Tit. Parliament. A Brief Regiſter, Survey of Parliamentary writs p. 422, 423, 424, 432. Mr. Ruſhworths Hiſtorical collection, p. 423. by the Kings writs of ſummons, and royal Prerogative, when and where he pleaſeth; and adjourned, prorogued, diſſolved by his writ alone in point of Law and practiſe in all ages at his pleaſure; ſitting ſometimes longer, ſometimes ſhorter, and ſometimes prorogued to another day, place, or countermanded after ſummons, upon juſt occaſions, as the Parliament, & Clauſe Rolls, the Act of 16 Caroli c. 1. and other Statutes reſolve. Now all writs of ſummons being actually abated by the Kings death which made them, as well as all Commiſſions, Patents of all Judges, Juſtices, Sheriffs whatſoever, and other writs, informations in the Kings name and behalf, as the Statute of 1 E. 6. c. 7. Cooks 7 Report f. 29, 30. Crookes 1 Part. p. 1, 2.10.11.97, 98. and other Lawbooks collected by Aſb, Diſcontinuance de Proces 16. and Reattachment 7. determine. The writs of ſummons, and likewiſe of Parliament muſt needs abate likewiſe: And the Lords being made Judges,Cooks 7 Report, Calvins caſe, f. 10. and the Commons 4 E. 4. & 44. Members of that particular Parliament only by the Kings writ: his death muſt determine their Parliamentary Judicature or Authority, ſitting during the Kings pleaſure, as well as the Judges, Juſtices, Sheriffs Patents, and all other Commiſſions whatſoever.

3ly. Becauſe every Parliament heretofore, & in the reign of K. Charls, by the very recitals of the Writs, is called: 1. In the name and by the authority only of the King regnant (in his natural capacity, accompanied with his politick) by his Chriſtian name, Carolus Dei gratia Rex, &c. expreſſed in it, not generally by the Office King but Carolus Rex. 2ly. It recites it to be called See Mr. Prynnes Brief Regiſter, Kalendar & Survey of Parliamentary Writs. De aviſamento Conſilii noſtri: 3ly. It ſtiles it quoddam Parliamentum noſtrum· 4ly. That the occaſion of calling it, was about certain arduous buſineſſes Nos et defenſionem Regni noſtri, (& Jura coronae noſtrae, &c. in many antient writs) contingentibus: 5ly. That his intention in calling it, is Quia cum Pralatis, Magnatibus et Proceribus dicti regni noſtri, or noſtris Colloquium habere volumus et Tractatum. 6ly It ſummons them thus; Vobis mandamus, &c. quod perſonaliter interſitis Nobiscum, or ad Nos, ſuch a day and place, Nobiſcum et cum caeteris Praelatis, Magnatibus, et proceribus praedictis tractaturi, vestrumque conſilium impenſuri, ſuper negotiis antedictis. 7ly The Knights, Citizens, Burgeſſes and Barons of ports in the Commons Houſe are ſummoned to doe and conſent to thoſe things which ſhall happen by Gods favour to be then ordained De Communi Conſilio ſuper Negotiis antedictis (in ſundry Writs ſtiled by the King, Negotia Nostra, Negotiorum noſtrorum, &c.) which clauſe is thus explained in Clauſ 36 E. 3. d. 16. cl. 37 • . 3. d. 22. cl. 38 E. 3. d. 3. cl. 39 E 3. d. 2. cl. 42 E. 3. d. 22. cl. 47 E. 3. d. 29. ad conſentiendum biis quae per Nos, ac dictos Magnates et Proceres ordinari contigerit favente Domino. From all which particular clauſes in the very writs of ſummons, it is undeniable, that the Parliament of 16 Caroli, was ipſo facts diſſolved by the Kings death: 1. Becauſe this Parliament was ſummoned particularly by King Charles in his natural as well as politick capacity, not in his politick alone, nor yet by or for him, his heirs & ſucceſſors; who ceaſed to be both Charles and a King of this Realm by his death 2ly. The Counſel by whoſe advice it was ſummoned, was his not his heirs and ſucceſſors Counſel. 3ly. The Parliament convened, his Parliament alone, not his heirs or ſucceſſors, both of them ceaſing to be his Counſel or Parliament by his deceaſe. 4ly. The ſubject matter for which it was ſummoned. Divers urgent and arduous buſineſſes concerning Vs, not our heirs or ſucceſſors, and the defence of Our (not their) Realm of England: who was no more Us, and the kingdom no more his kingdom, ſo ſoon as he loſt his life. 5ly. The end of ſummoning this Parliament, was only this, for the King himſelf to have a conference and Treaty with the Prelates and Nobles, and for them to be perſonally preſent with Vs, not our heirs or ſucceſſors, to give Vs their Counſel, &c. not our heirs and ſucceſſors: All fruſtrate, made impoſſible, and abſolutely ceaſing by his death: becauſe when once dead, they can neither parlie, conferr, nor treat with the King himſelf, nor the King with them, nor be perſonally preſent with Him for that purpoſe: unleſſe they will averr, that a meer dead headleſſe King can really confer, treat, parly, conſult, adviſe with his living Prelats, Lords, Parliament, and they with him, & be Parliamentally preſent with each other in the Lords Houſe neither of which they dare admit into it, for fear the King if living, and Lords too, ſhould afright them out of it, as the Kings ghoſt, yea the memorial of it though dead, might juſtly do. 6ly. The mandatory part being in the Kings name alone; to ſummon them to treat with and give their Counſel unto Vs concerning the foreſaid buſineſſes relating to Vs and the defence of Our Realm, Our Buſineſſes aforeſaid, not our heirs and ſucceſſors He and his buſineſſes all ending when he expires, the Parliament muſt of neceſſity determine. 7ly. The Parliament ceaſing to be the Common counſel of the King and his kingdom, and nothing poſſible to be ordained BY US, (the King, not his heirs and ſucceſſors) Prelates, Nobles in Parliament, without his concurrent Vote, or when he is dead; unleſs a dead King can give counſel, make Ordinances, give his royal aſſent to Bills when deceaſed. It muſt inevitably follow, that all the Authority, cauſes, grounds, ends for which the Members of this Parliament were all ſummoned to treat, conſult, and give their advice to the King himſelf determining, and becoming impoſſible to be performed by his death; the Parliament muſt of neceſſity expire and be diſſolved, even as the natural body ceaſeth to be and remain a living man when the Head is quite cut off: If then thoſe now ſitting (who cut off the Kings Head, the Head of the Parliament, and thereby deſtroyed that temporary body politick) will have their Conventicle revived by this Act, they muſt ſet on his head again, raiſe him alive out of his Grave, and bring him back into the Houſe, to impeach, condemn, decapitate them in this true High Court of Juſtice for this their beheading him in their Court of Higheſt Injuſtice. Which Mr. Prynne preſumes they dare not doe, leaſt his revived Ghoſt ſhould ſcare them thence, or juſtly retaliate their tranſcendent Treachery.

4ly. If any man by his will, deed, the King by his Commiſsions, the Parliament by a ſpecial Act or Order, ſhall Cooks 1 Inſtit. p. 181. b. & 5 Rep. f. 9. Dyer 190, 191 Aſh. Authority 22.24. & the Books there cited, 19 H. 7. c 7. authorize, impower any 3. perſons joyntly to ſell lands, give livery and ſeiſin, execute any Commiſsion, as Judges, Juſtices, Commiſsioners, Auditors, or Committees of Parliament, if any one of them die; both the ſurvivors joyntly or ſeverally can doe nothing, becauſe their authority, trust was joynt, not ſeveral, and joyntly, nor ſeperately to be exerciſed. If there be not 40 Commoners in the Houſe, they cannot ſit or act as an Houſe, nor diſpatch the leaſt affair; no more can any Committee of either Houſe, unleſs their Number be ſufficient to make up a Committee, as the orders and cuſtom of Parliament appoint: Therfore, the Parliament of England being a Dyer, f. 60. Corporation, compacted joyntly of the King, Lords, and Commons Houſe, and three eſtates, The death of the King neceſſarily diſſolves the Parliament, notwithſtanding this Act, which did not alter the Parliaments Old conſtitution, but eſtabliſh it. The Modus tenendi Parl. H. de Knyghton de Event. Angliae l. 5. col. 2680.2681. Grafton p. 349, 350, Mr. Prynnes Plea for the Lords, p. 27, 29. Exact Collection, p. 125.142.360. Kings perſonal abſence from his Parliament heretofore and of late, was reputed very prejudicial to it; and his calling away ſome Lords, Great Officers, and other Members from it, a high way to its preſent diſſolution, in his life. Therefore it muſt much more be diſſolved by his death; and the Lords and Commons forcible ſecluſion both before and ſince it by the Army and ſitting Members; they having Plowden, f. 117. Dyer, f. 107. b. Mr. Seldens Titles of Honor, & Mr. Prynns Plea for the Lords, and Houſe of Peers. Vocem & locum in quolibet Parliamento Angliae, as our Law-books, Statutes and their Patents reſolve.

5ly. The principal end of calling Parliaments is, to enact new and neceſſary Laws, and alter, repeal ſuch as are ill or inconvenient; as the Prologues of our printed Statutes, our writs of Summons, Law-books, atteſt, and all accord. But no new Act of Parliament can be made, nor no former Acts altered, repealed, but by the Kings royal aſſent; who hath a Negative voice to deny, as well as Affirmative to aſſent to them, as well as the Lords and Commons, as all our Parliaments, Judges, Cooks 4: Inſtit. p. 25. 51 E. 3. rot. Parl. n. 47. 6 R. 2. rot. Parl. 2. n. 52. 11 H. 4. n. 30. Law-books, Parliament Records, Treatiſes of Parliaments, the printed Statutes in each Kings reign, more particularly, the Statutes of 33 H. 8. c. 21. 1 Jac. c. 1. in the cloſe reſolve; Yea, Exact Collection, p. 163, 164, 250, 316, 317, 318, 312, 793, 794. both Houſes acknowledged it in all conteſts with the late King, our Kings Coronation Oaths, and all our antient Saxon Kings Lawes atteſt it. Therefore his death muſt needs diſſolve the Parliament, notwithſtanding this Act, becauſe it could make no Act for its diſſolution, nor declare, alter, repeal any other Law, without his royal aſſent.

There are but 2. Objections made by any ſitting or ſecluded Members againſt theſe Reaſons, that his death ſhould not diſſolve the Parliament. The 1. is this, which the Republicans themſelves formerly and now inſiſt on, That the King doth never die in judgement of Law, and that there is no Interregnum, becauſe the Crown immediately deſcends to his right heir, who by Law is forthwith King de jure and de facto, before his actual Proclamation or Coronation; as the Statute of 1 Jacobi ch. 1. Cooks 7 Rep. f. 10, 11. Calvins caſe, and other Books reſolve.

To which Mr. Prynne Anſwers 1. That this argument is but an Axe to chop off their own heads, and ſupremacy, as they did the Kings; and the Objectors now ſitting muſt either renounce their ſitting, acting, Knacks, Declarations againſt the late King, Kingſhip, and the Houſe of Lords, or quite diſclaim the Objection: For if the King never dies: Then by their own confeſſion and our Lawes, we are ſtill a Kingdom, not a Republike; yea Charles Steward, as heir to his beheaded Father, was and is ſtill de Jure & de facto the lawfull King of England, and ſupreme Lord and Governour of our Church, Kingdom, there being no Interregnum, ever ſince his Fathers death; and then what becomes of all their abſurd, illegal Knacks againſt his Regality, and Kingſhip it ſelf, (of which they are forced now to pray in ayd to make themſelvs a Parliament) of their Mock-Parliament, without King and Houſe of Lords; of their perfidious treacherous Engagements againſt both, and Supreme Authority of the Nation which they have tyrannically uſurped? 2ly. Though the King in genere, or rather Kingſhip it ſelf, never dies, yet the Cooks • Report. Calvins caſe, f. 10 11. King in Individuo may, and doth oft times die: and if the ſucceſſive deaths of all our Kings ſince we were a kingdom be not a ſufficient proof thereof; the very Objectors and John Bradſhawes See the Hiſtory of Independency, part 2. Salmatius & Bochartus. beheading the late King, and putting him to ſuch a ſhamefull publike death, as no Pagan nor Chriſtian lawfull King of England ever formerly ſuffered by perfidious, perjurious, treacherous Subjects ſince it was an Iſland, (againſt our Laws and Votes of Parliament in the Higheſt Court of Injuſtice created by them for that end) is a ſufficient evidence, that the King of England dieth as well as other men, (as they all muſt likewiſe doe in Gods due time) unleſs they will make the World believe to expiate their Treaſon, that they did not kill the King in cutting off his head, but that he is ſtill alive, becauſe ſome others (as is reported) did reunite and ſow it to his bodie, when ſevered from it by them. But of this enough, ſince M. P. preſumes they will henceforth rather renounce their Parliaments being, than bottom its preſent exiſtence upon this Hab. 1.12.bloudy foundation, and their exploded Kingſhip.

The 2d. Objection is from the words of the Statute of 17 Caroli, Objection 2. c. 7. which declareth, enacteth, That this preſent Parliament now aſſembled ſhall not be diſſolved, unleſs it be by Act of Parliament: In the Negative: Ergo, It ſhall not be diſſolved by the Kings death, being no Act of Parliament, nor any Act of Parliament yet made for its diſſolution.

Whereunto Mr. Prynne anſwers: Anſw. 1. That the ſole end, ſcope of this Act was not to provide againſt the diſſolution of the Parliament by the Kings natural, or violent untimely death, not then thought of, (he being in perfect health, likely to live many years by the courſe of nature, and to ſurvive all the ends for which this Act was made,) but to raiſe credit for the Parliament to provide monies by this Act, to prevent the untimely diſſolution, proroguing, adjourning of this Parliament by the Kings own regal power: He having prorogued, diſſolved all former Parliaments during his Reign in diſcontent, by his Regal power (not death) againſt the Lords and Commons wills. 2ly. This is intituled, An Act to prevent Inconveniences which may happen by the untimely adjourning, proroguing, or diſſolving of this preſent Parliament, and the Prologue, Body of the Act, provide joyntly and ſeverally againſt all three, to wit, the untimely proroguing, or adjourning, as well as diſſolving of this Parliament. But no Parliament ever was, is, or poſſibly can be untimely prorogued, or adjourned, by the Kings death, but only by his actual Regal will and power: Therfore the diſſolving of it, intended by this Act, muſt be only an untimely diſſolution by his actual will, Commiſſion, writ, and regal power, alone, by which his former Parliaments were prorogued, diſſolved againſt the Lords and Commons aſſents, not by his death, whether natural or violent, being againſt his will, and no part of his Regal Supremacy, but only of his human frailty 3ly The Inconveniences the Commons feared would enſue by the untimely diſſolution of this Parliament, and endeavoured to prevent by this Act, are thus expreſſed in the Prologue. Where as great ſums of mony must of neceſsity be ſuddainly advanced and provided for relief of his Majeſties Army, & people of the Nothern parts of this Realm, and to prevent the imminent danger this Kingdome is in, and for ſupplying of other his Majeſties preſent and urgent occaſions, which cannot be ſo timely effected as is requiſite, without credit for rayſing the ſaid mony: which credit cannot be obtained, untiil ſuch Obstacles he first removed as are occaſioned by Fears, Jealouſies, Apprehenſions, of divers of his Majeſties Subjects, that this preſent Parliament may be adjourned, prorogued, or diſſolved, (1.) before Juſtice ſhall be executed upon Delinquents, (2ly.) publike grievances redreſſed, (3ly.) a firm peace between the two Nations of England and Scotland concluded, (4ly.) and before ſufficient proviſion be made for the repayment of the ſaid monies, ſo to be rayſed: all which the Commons in this preſent Parliament aſſembled, having duly conſidered, do therefore humbly beſeech your moſt excellent Majeſty that it may be declared and enacted. And be it therefore declared and enacted by the King our Soveraign Lord, with the aſſent of the Lords and Commons in this preſent Parliament aſſembled, and by authority of the ſame, That this preſent Parliament now aſſembled ſhall not be diſſolved, unleſs it be by Act of Parliament to be paſſed for that purpoſe, &c. By which it is undenyable, 1. That the Commons when they petitioned for, the King when he declared, enacted, & the Lords and Commons when they aſſented to this Act, did never think of, or intend to provide againſt a diſſolution of this Parliament, by the Kings untimely death, nor of a future diſſolving it by an Act of Parliament by his Succeſſors or others after his deceaſe; but on the contrary, preſuppoſed the continuance of his life, and of this Parliament thereby, till all the inconveniences they recite were prevented, and a new Act paſſed by him and them jointly to diſſolve this Parliament when theſe Inconveniences were prevented and things effected: Which is irrefragable, 1. Becauſe they declare in Terminis, The ſpeedy advancing and providing of monies, for the relief of his Majeſties Armies, and people of the Nothern parts (not their ſubſequent Armies) and the ſupply of his Maieſties preſent and urgent occaſions, (not their own) and the Fears, Jealouſies, and App • ehenſions of divers his Maieſties Loyal Subiects, &c. • o be the only ground of their humbly beſeeching his Maieſty for this Act. All which preſuppoſe his life, being, preſervation, and the Commons great care of complying with him as their Soveraign Lord, without the leaſt thought of his untimely death ſince happening, or ſecluding the King or his Poûeritie, out of this and all future Parliaments by colour of this Act, as thoſe now ſitting have done point-blanck againſt it. 2ly The Fears, Jealouſies, and Apprehenſions they had occaſioning this Act, were only theſe, That this Parliament might be adjourned, p • orogued, diſſolved, 1. Before Juſtice ſhall be duly executed upon Delinquents, (then in being and complained of, as Strafford, Canterb • ry, the Ship-mony Judges and others, not new Delinquents ſince, not then dreamed of. (2ly.) Before publick Grievances redreſſed (hoſe then complained of, not others ariſing afterwards.) 3ly. Before a firm peace between the two Nations of England and Scotland concluded, (by reaſon of the former not ſubſequent breaches between them and the King) 4ly. Before ſufficient proviſion to be made for the repayment of the ſaid monies to be raiſed, (not for the Parliaments ſubſequent Armyes and occaſions) but for his Maieſties Army and people in the North, the preventing the then imminent danger of this Kingdom, (not of our new Common-wealth, or dangers ſince ariſing) and for ſupply of other his Maieſties preſent (not future) and urgent occaſions. But none of theſe four particulars could be accompliſhed by the Lords or Commons alone af • er his Majeſties death, Nota. but by the King alone, or by his concurrence with them whiles living: Yea they were all actually accompliſhed in his life time, long before his death. The firſt, by the Executions of Strafford and Canterbury; the impeachments, cenſures of the Shipmony-Judges, and other Delinquents both in Scotland & I • eland, The 2d. by theBetter Acts than ever the Republicans made or intend to make for the peoples eaſe and benefit: who only doubled, trebled all their Taxes, Grievances, inſteed of removeing them. Acts aboliſhing Shipmony, & the taking of tonnage, poundage, and other Taxes without Act of Parliament: the Acts for the preventing of Inconveniences, happening by the long intermiſsions of Parliament: For regulating of the Privy-Counſel, taking away the Court of Star-Chamber, and High-Commiſsion, againſt divers Incroachments and oppreſsions in the Stannary court: For the certainty of Foreſts and their meets and bounds: for the better ordering and regulating the Office of the Clerk of the Market; for reformation of falſe Weights and Meaſures, for preventing vexatious proceedings touching the order of Knightſhip, for the abbreviation of Michae • mas Term, and for the free importation of Gunpowder, and Salt-peter from forein parts, and making of them in England. By all theſe good Acts paſsed f • eely by the King ſoon after or before this Act, he fully redreſsed all Grievances then complained of, or intended within this Law. The 3d. by the Act of Confirmation of the Treaty of pacification between the two kingdomes of England and Scotland. The 4th. by the ſeveral Acts paſſed for the Relief of his Majeſties army, And the Northern parts of this kingdom; For the better raiſing and levying of Mariners and others for the preſent guarding of the Sea and neceſſary defence of the Realm (not Republike;) For the Subſidies of Tonnage and poundage granted to the King, for the ſpeedy proviſion of money for disbanding the Armies, and ſetling the peace of the two kingdoms of England and Scotland; For ſecuring ſuch monies as are due to the Inhabitants of the Northern Counties, where his Majeſties Army have been billetted. And for ſecuring by publike faith the remainder of the friendly aſſiſtance and relief promiſed to our Brethren of Scotland; all paſſed and publiſhed by the King himſelf, Anno 16 & 17 Caroli 1640. & 1641. at leaſt 7. years before his beheading: It is moſt certain, that all theſe ends of making this Law, (as the Prologue thereof, and the word THEREFORE in the Commons prayer, infallibly declare) were fully accompliſhed by the King in his life, ſo long before his untimely death: Therfore none of thē now remaining to be performed; & all acted ſince their accompliſhment by thoſe now ſitting, being diametrically contrary to this Act, theſe ends, and occaſions of it; this Parliament muſt of neceſſity be beheaded, expired with the King; and cannot ſurvive his death. 4ly. The words, That this preſent Parliament aſſembled ſhall not be diſſolved, unleſſe it be by Act of Parliament to be paſſed for that purpoſe, nor ſhall at any time or times during the continuance thereof, (twice recited in the ſubſequent clauſes) be prorogued, or adjourned, unleſſe it be by Act of Parliament to be paſſed for that purpoſe; can be intended of no other but that preſent Parliament, which paſſed this Act: which conſiſted of The Kings Maieſty our Soveraign Lord (by whom this and all other Acts paſſed or to be paſſed, was declared and enacted; and this intended Act likewiſe) not of his heir or ſucceſſor after his death; and of the Lords and Commons Houſe then in being; not any new Houſe of Lords or Commons ſucceeding after their deaths then ſitting: Therefore when the King was cut off by an untimely death, and thereby an impoſſibility accruing to diſſolve it by an Act of Parliament within the words or intent of this Act; it muſt of neceſſity be diſſolved by his beheading: Impoſſibilities making Acts of Parliament to perform them meerly void, as our Lawe makes Brooke, Perkins, Fit • herbert, Aſh. Tit. Condition 29. Impoſſible conditions; 5ly. This Act and thoſe who made it, muſt have and had a retroſpect to the Writs whereby it and they were ſummoned, and the ends, things therein expreſſed: But they all determined, and became Impoſsible after the Kings beheading; Therefore the Parliament muſt be deſtroyed with him: ſince ceſſante cauſa, Serj. Finch his Maximes of the Law, Cook and others. ceſſat effectus, & ceſſante primativo, ceſsat derivativum, as all our Lawyers, Law-books, and natural reaſon reſolve. 6ly. The laſt Clauſe of this Act, That every thing and things whatſoever done or to be done, (to wit, by the King or any other) for the Adjournment, proroguing, or diſſolving of this preſent Parliament, contrary to this Act, ſhall be utterly void and of none effect, do clearly ex • lain the meaning of this Act to be this, That it extends only to things done or to be done by the Kings will and power, as to his Commiſsions Proclamations, Writs, Warrants, Precepts, to adjourn, prorogue, or diſſolve this Parliament, (as he had done others heretofore) here declared to be utterly null and void; not to his death wherein he was only paſſive, being forcible againſt his will and the Parliaments too: which death no Parliament can make null and void, in reſpect of the Act it ſelf; ſo as to reſtore him to life, though the whole Parliament, and our three Kingdomes may and ought to null it, in reſpect of the illegal manner of his Execution, not to be paralel'd in any Age. 7ly. The Commons themſelves in their Exact Col. p. 41. Remonſtrance of the State of the Kingdom 15 Decemb. 1641. Declared, That the abrupt diſſolution of this Parliament is prevented by another, (this) Bill; by which it is provided, it ſhall not be diſſolved, adjourned, without the conſent of both Houſes: Yea the Lords & Commons in their Exact Col. p. 203. Declaration of May 19. 1642. declare, That excellent Bill for the continuance of this Parliament was ſo neceſſary, that without it we could not have raiſed ſo great ſums of monies for his Majeſties ſervice, and Common wealth as we have done; and without which the ruine and deſtruction of the Kingdome muſt needs have followed (as ſince of the Kingdom, and Parliaments too by pretext thereof.) And we are reſolved the Gracious favour of his Majeſty expreſſed in that Bill, and the advantage and ſecurity which thereby we have from being diſſolved (by him;) ſhall not encourage us to do any thing which otherwiſe had not been fit to have done, Which whether theſe formerly & now ſitting have performed, let their own Conſciences reſolve. After which the Lords and Commons in their humble Petition to his Majeſty, Exact Col. p. 260. Jun. 17. 1642. deſire, That your Majeſty having paſſed an Act, That this Parliament ſhall not be diſſolved but by Act of Parliament, your Majeſtie would not do any thing tending thereunto, by commanding away the Lords and great Officers whoſe attendance is neceſſary thereunto. (Therefore the ſitting Members aboliſhing the whole Houſe of Lords, and their ſecluding moſt of the Commons Members by this Petitions conceſſion muſt diſſolve it, Both Lords and Commons in their Declaration Exact Col. p. 704. 26th. Maii, 1642. adde. We hope the people will never be carryed away with a noyſe of words againſt the Parliament, to make any ſuch equitable conſtruction of the Act for the continuance of this Parliament; as may tend to the diſſolution thereof, (by the Declaration of the King, which they Anſwer in this) and their own deſtruction therein. By all which paſſages it is apparent, That this act provided againſt every thing or things, done or to be done by the Kings Will or Prerogative, without the Houſes conſent for the diſſolution of this Parl. not againſt its diſſolution by his death. 8ly. The King (and his party too,) did thus interpret it more than once in theſe paſſages. Exact. Collect. p. 250. In his Majeſties own Anſwer to the Declaration of the Lords and Commons of 19 May, 1642. We expreſſed a great truſt in our Houſes of Parliament, when We deveſted our Self of the power of diſſolving this Parliament, which was a Iuſt, Neceſſary, and proper Prerogative: to wit, when done by vertue of his Prerogative, which this Act deveſts him of, not by a Natural much leſs a Violent death, No part at all of this Prerogative, but higheſt Act againſt it, to its and his diſſolution. Exact Collection p. 323. In his Anſwer to the Petition and Propoſitions of both Houſes, 2. June 1642. We were willingly contented to oblige our Self for the preſent exigent to raiſe monies, and avoid the preſsure (no leſs grievous to us than them) the people muſt have ſuffered by a long continuance of ſo vaſt a charge as two great Armies, and for the greater certainty of having ſufficient time to remedy the Inconveniences, when during ſo long an abſence of Parliaments, as for the puniſhment of the Cauſers and Miniſters of them, We yielded up our Right of diſſolving our Parliament, expecting an extraordinary moderation from it in gratitude, for ſo unexpected a Grace, and little looking that any Malignant party ſhould have been encouraged or enabled to have perſwaded them. Firſt to countenance the Injuſtices and Indignities we have endured, and that by a new way of ſatisfaction for what was taken from us, to demand of us at once to confirm what was ſo taken, and to give up almoſt all (and now more than all) the reſt. And in his Anſwer to their Exact Collect. p. 364. Petition of 10 June 1642. For that part of the Petition which ſeemed to accuſe his Majeſty of a purpoſe to diſſolve this Parliament (contrary to the Act for the continuance) by commanding away the Lords and Great Officers whoſe attendance is neceſſary; which his Majeſty knows to be a new Calumny, by which the grand Contrivers of ruine for the State hope to ſeduce the minds of the people from their affection to, and jealouſies of his Majeſty, as if he meant this way to bring his Parliament, (which may be the caſe of all Parliaments) to nothing. It is not poſſible for his Majeſty more to expreſs himſelf thereunto, and his reſolution for the Freedom, Liberties, and frequency frequency of Parliaments than he hath done. And who now conſiders how viſible it muſt be to his Majeſty, that it is impoſſible for him to ſubſiſt, without the affections of his people, and that theſe affections cannot poſſibly be preſerved or made uſe of, but by Parliaments, cannot give the leaſt credit, or have the leaſt ſuſpition, that his Majeſty would chooſe any other way to the happineſs he deſires to himſelf and his poſterity, but by Parliament.

From all which premiſes it is apparent, That the King himſelf and both Houſes of Parliament did never intend by this Act to prevent the diſſolution of this Parliament by the Kings natural death, (the Act of God they could not prevent) nor yet by his violent beheading (which then they neither intended nor foreſaw) but by his own voluntarie Act and Royal prerogative, by which he formerly adjourned, prorogued, diſſolved Parliaments at it his pleaſure. 9ly. It is reſolved in our Law-books, That if an Act of Parliament refer to or confirm a thing which is not, or a thing which is utterly againſt Common law, Reaſon, Juſtice, as for a man to be a Judge or Witneſſe in his own caſe) or a thing that is miſ-recited, or repugnant, or impoſsible to be performed, there the Common-law ſhall controll and adjudge ſuch an Act to be meerly void, Plowdon f. 398, 399, 400. Cook 8 Reports, f. 118. a. b. Aſh. Parliament, 13. Hobards Reports p. 85.86, 87. But it is repugnant to Reaſon, Juſtice, Nature, the intention of the Writs of Summons, yea a thing impoſſible, that the King ſhould treat and confer with his Parliament after his death, or the Parliament not determine by it. Therefore were it particularlie provided for by this Act, it had been void in Law, (as if this Act of Parliament had declared, That a mariage between man and wife ſhall not be diſſolved by the death of either of them, but continue indiſſolvable by death, againſt Nature, experience, Scripture, Rom 7.1, 2, 3.) much more then when not expreſſed nor intended by this Act, as the premiſes evidence.

Xly. Admit the Parliament ſtill continuing by this Act, yet thoſe now ſitting neither are nor can be ſo much as an Houſe of Commons, much leſs the Parliament within that Act, for theſe unanſwerable Reaſons,

1. The Houſe of Commons within this Act, were a full and compleat Houſe, conſiſting of above 500 Members; thoſe now fitting in May 7, & 9. but 42. viz. Mr Will. Lenthal, Quondam Speaker, Some of them Priſoners in execution, ſent for out of Goal, to make up an Houſe. Henry Martin, Lord Monſon, Mr. Chaloner, Mr. Heningham, Alderman Atkins, Alderman Penington, Th. Scot, Corn. Holland, Sir Arthur Haſlerigge, Sir Henry Vane, Sir James Harrington, Mr. Whitlock, Mr. Prydeaux, Mr. Liſle, Col. Ludlow, Mich. Oldſworth, John Jones, Wil. Purefoye, Col. White, Henry Nevil, Mr. Say, Mr. Meſton, Mr. Brewſter, Col. Bennet, Serjeant Wilde, Mr. Goodwin, Mr. Lechmore, Col. Ingoldesby, Mr. Blagrave, Mr. Gold, Col. Sydenbam, Col. Byngham, Col. Ayre, Mr. Smith, Augustine Skinner, Mr. Down, Mr. Dove, Iohn Lenthal, Rich. Salaway, Iohn Corbet, Col. Walton; there being 300. Members more of the old Parliament yet living, beſides thoſe who are dead. 2ly. Thoſe then ſitting went in openlie like a Houſe, upon 40 daies general Summons by Writs, ſetting without Gards, ſecluding none of their Fellow-Members by force. Thoſe now ſitting ſtole ſodenlie into the Houſe, in a ſurreptitious manner, without any notice given to the people of the Nation, or to thoſe for whom they formerly ſerved, or to the abſent Members, or thoſe then in London, or Westminſter-Hall, who were not of their combination: ſetting Gards of Army-Officers at the Door, (who conducted them thither,) and preſently ſecluded Mr. Prynne, and the other Members who upon the firſt notice of their ſitting came to know upon what account they ſate: taking forcible poſſeſſion with Souldiers, and ſtrong hand of the Commons Houſe, and keeping themſelves in poſſeſſion thereof by force againſt the ſecluded Members & majority of the Houſe, contrary to the Statutes of 5 R. 2. c. 7.15 R. 2. c. 2. 8 H. 6. c. 9. 31 Eliz c. 11. againſt forcible entries and deteiners; the Statute of 7 E. 1. the Libertie, Privilege, Rights, and Uſage of Parliaments: A practice utterlie unſeeming ſuch tranſcendent Saints, Patriots of publick Liberty, as they boaſt themſelves, & that Honor, Juſtice, Honeſtie, Synceritie, Gravity, Wiſedom, which becomes all Members of a Parliament, and Reformers of all publick Grievances, Frauds, and indirect practiſes in others. 3ly. That old Houſe of Commons had a ſpecial care of providing for the Kings Armie, his urgent and preſent occaſions: profeſſed themſelves his loyal Subjects, and him to be their King and Soveraign Lord; humblie beſought his moſt Excellent Majeſty, that it might be declared and enacted by him, that this Parliament might not be diſſolved, prorogued, or adjourned, but by Act of Parliament; acknowledging they could make no ſuch Act without his Majesties Royal aſſent, and that both the King and Lords Houſe were eſſential Members of the Parliament within this Act. But thoſe ſitting ſince 1648. till 1653. and now again thus entring the Houſe, by pretext of this Act, have renounced, abjured, and profeſſedlie engaged againſt all this, to which they are direct Antipodes; Therefore no Commons Houſe within this Act. 4ly. The Commons Houſe within this Act, was that Houſe which was then in being when this Act paſſed, dulie elected by the people by the Kings Writs, not the Armie-Officers, and purſued the ſelf-ſame ends recited in the preamble, for which this Act was made and aſſented to by the King and Lords. But this New Houſe was created, conſtituted, not by the Kings writs, or peoples election, but the Armies ſwords, and conſpiracie, 7 years after this Act firſt paſſed; then diſowned, and turned out of Doors above 6 years by the Army; and now re-inducted into it by their armed Votes and force to ſerve their ends, not to purſue thoſe mentioned in the Act, accompliſhed many years ſince, and now becoming impoſſible. Therefore they are not ſo much as an Houſe of Commons within this Act, and the Armie-Officers and Souldiers who formerly thruſt them out, & now recall them; may do well to conſider that Goſpel-Text, Gal. 2.18. If I build again the thing I deſtroyed, I make my ſelf a Tranſgreſſor, even againſt this very Law, as well as the law of God, and other laws of the Land.

XI. If they are not ſo much as a Commons Houſe of Parliament, much leſs then are they the lawfull Parliament of England, in anie ſenſe within the letter or meaning of this Act, no more than ſo manie of the old Gunpowder Popiſh-Traitors, (had their Treaſon taken ſo good effect in blowing up King Iames, the Lords whole Houſe, and majoritie of the Commons Houſe there aſſembled, as their late new Powder-plot hath done) had been the onlie lawfull Parliament of 3 Iac. they deſtroyed, in caſe they had entred then into the Commons Houſe with the Mace before them, and created, ſtiled themſelves alone the Parliament of England, as a right devolved unto them by Conqueſt or Succeſsion; which had they preſumed to do, no doubt the whole English Nation 2 Kin. 21.23, 24. c. 14 5.6, 1 1 King. 16.16 to 21.would have riſen up againſt them as one man, and never have ſo far diſhonored themſelves, their Religion, or Countrie, as to own and ſubmit to thoſe Jeſuitical Romiſh-Traitors, only for deſtroying of their lawfull King, Lords Houſe, and Engliſh Parliament it ſelf, as the onlie true old Engliſh Parliament then re-aſſembled. The Reaſons are unanſwerable,

1. Becauſe the whole Houſe of Commons then ſitting in its primitive ſplendor, fullneſſe, freedome, was by its own quadruple acknowledgement in it, no more but the Commons Houſe, and one Member of this Parliament, not the Parliament it ſelf; never owning, owning, but profeſſedlie diſclaiming it ſelf to be the Parliament, or preſent Parliament within this Act. 2ly. Becauſe this Act was made not by the Commons alone without the King or Lords concurrence, but by the King as their Soveraign Lord, declaring and enacting, and the Lords and Commons, as jointlie aſſenting thereunto. 3ly. Becauſe it is moſt abſurd to conceive, that the King and Lords by paſſing this Act, to continue this Parliament as then conſtituted, till diſſolved by Act of Parliament, did See Exact Col. p. 131, 148, 317 to 314. ever intend to ſeclude themſelves quite out of it, or to make the Commons Houſe alone an abſolute independent Parliament, without both or either of them; though five times ſpeciallie providing by name for their Parliamentarie intereſts; Or that they or the Commons intended to make each of themſelves a diſtinct Parliament without the other, and ſo to erect three New Parliaments at once, by providing againſt the untimelie proroguing, adjourning, or diſſolving of one; The King and Lords both jointlie and ſeverallie having the ſelf-ſame Arguments from this Act to prove each of them a ſeveral or joint Parliament without the Commons, by the Commons own intention in paſsing this law, as the Commons have to juſtifie themſelves to be a Parliament, now they have ſecluded and engaged againſt them both, and will admit of neither as Members of their Parliament, when as this verie Act preciſelie prohibits the King to diſſolve, prorogue, or adjourn the Parliament, or either Houſe therof; or the Lords to prorogue or adjourn, much leſs diſſolve the Commons Houſe, or the Commons to prorogue or adjourn, much leſſe diſſolve the Lords Houſe, declaring and enacting, That at any time or times during the continuance of this Parliament, the Lords Houſe ſhall not be adjourned (nor yet the Commons Houſe) but onlie by their own reſpective Orders, and by themſelves alone, declaring, enacting everie thing and things whatſoever done, or to be done to the contrarie, to be utterly void and of none effect. 4ly. Becauſe this Act both in the Title, prologue and body, prevents onlie the untimely proroguing, adjourning, and diſſolving of this preſent Parliament at any time or times during the continuance of it, but by Act of Parliament or themſelves, ſtiling it 8. ſeveral times, this preſent Parliament, and giving it no other Title, yea it preciſelie deſcribes it to be, a Parliament onlie of King, Lords, and Commons, as it was when this Act was made, and ſo to continue till its diſſolution. But the Parliament now ſitting, was not this preſent Parliament, being not then known, heard of, nor imagined ever to ſtart up in After-ages, by any who made or conſented to this Law, it being created onlie by the Armie 7 years after this Act, and now revived full 18 years after it, without anie King or Houſe of Lords, and proteſting, engaging againſt them both as no Members of it. Neither can they purſue any one of thoſe ends for which this Parliament was continued. Therefore they are doubtleſſe beyond diſpute, no Parliament at all within the words or intention thereof, their own Conſciences, Reaſon being Judges, (whatever they pretend) nor yet by their own Republican principles, a free and equal Repreſentative of the people.

6ly. By the Alexand. ab Alexandro, Gen. Dierum, lib. 3. c 2, 10. 2 Sam. 16, 18. c. 19.41, 42, 43.8, 11.6. c. 7. 33 H. 8. c. 27. Exact Collect. p. 146. Law and Cuſtom of all Nations, Nature, Reaſon, Juſtice, Equitie, the laws of England, and of all publick or private Eccleſiaſtical, Civil, or Militarie Councils or Corporations, the Majority of perſons, Members, Voyces, Votes, are alwayes reputed the Parliament, Council, Synod, Corporation, and do, yea ought of right to bind the leſſer part; as well in making Laws, Ordinances, as Elections, and all elſe that concerns the publick. Yea the General and General Counſel of the Army-Officers in their Petition to thoſe and others now ſitting in Parliament, and draught of an Agreement of the people for a ſecure and preſent peace, framed, prepared, and preſented to them, to be eſtabliſhed and ſubſcribed by the people, January 20. 1649. not onlie ſubſcribed thereto: but propoſed, Page 23. ſect. 4. printed by the Armies ſpecial order, 1649. That 150 Members at leaſt be alwayes preſent in each ſitting of the Repreſentative, at the paſſing of any Law or doing of any Act whereby the People are to be bound, ſaving that the Number of ſixty may make the Houſe for Debate; or Reſolutions that are preparatory thereunto. Therefore the 42 Members ſecretlie skipping into the Houſe, ſecluding the reſt, May 7, & 9 being not the 10th part of the Members of the old Parl. now ſurviving, by all Nations Laws, Conſents, can be no Parliament, nor Houſe of Commons within this Act; nor paſs anie thing to bind the Majoritie of the Members or people in anie kind whatſoever; what ever anie imprudent, illiterate, ſhameleſs, nameleſſe Scriblers, or themſelves (againſt their own Reaſons, Ol. Cromwell, Ireton, Corn. Holland, and others of them, ſtiled themſelves a Mock-Parliament, as Iohn Lilburn affirms. Conſciences, Iudgements, principles, reſolutions) pretend to the contrarie: but dare not once affirm in good earneſt. It being a received Maxime in all Ages Grotius de Jure Belli, l. 2. c. 15. ſect. 3.16. Populi minor pars Populum non obligit.

6ly. It is a rule in our Plowdons Comentaries, f. 10.107, 108, 350, 364. 4 E. 4.4. Lawbooks, That all Statutes ought to be interpreted according to Reaſon, and the true mind, meaning, intention of thoſe that made them: but it is moſt certain, That it is againſt all reaſon, and the true intents, minds, meaning of the Makers of this law, to make a Parliament without a King, or Houſe of Lords, or Majoritie of the Commons-Houſe: Or that all or anie of them, when they made this Act, did ever dream of ſuch a Juncto as this now ſitting; Or to ſeclude themſelves, and reſign up their own intereſts, freedoms, privileges, right of ſitting in Parliament with them, to conſtitute them the onlie Parliament of England, as everie line, ſyllable throughout the Act demonſtrates. Therefore they neither are nor can be a Parliament within it, neither can the Bedlam, Turkiſh, Bruitiſh, unreaſonable Argument of the longeſt Sword, or Armie-logick, nor the petitions, addreſſes of any Crack-brain'd Sectaries, and vulgar Rabble of inconſiderable illiterate people, nor the preſence of anie Lawyers ſitting with, or acting under them as a Parliament, to their own and their Profeſſions diſhonour, make them ſo in their own, or any Wiſemens, or Judicious, honeſt Lawyers Judgement whatſoever. And therefore out of Conſcience, ſhame, juſtice, prudence, and real Chriſtianitie, (have they anie left) they muſt needs diſclaim themſelves to be a Parliament, and no longer abuſe the Nation, or others under their diſguiſe. All with Mr. Prynne, if admitted would viva Voce have preſſed home upon them, but being forcibly ſecluded by their Gards, becauſe unable to anſwer or contradict his Law or Reaſon, he now tenders to their view, and the Judgement, Reſolution of the whole Engliſh Nation, to whom he appeals, with this publick Proteſtation.

That if they will freely call in all the ſurviving Members of the Lords and Commons Houſe, ſitting till December 1648. without ſecluding anie by force, or new unparliamentarie Impoſitions or ſecluſive Engagements, which they have no power to impoſe: If they upon a free and full debate ſhall reſolve, the old parliament to be ſtill in being, and not actually diſſolved by the Kings beheading, notwithſtanding his premiſed Reaſons to the contrarie; He will then ſubmit his private Iudgement to their Majority of Voyces in this, as well as in all other Parliamentary debates, and contribute his beſt aſſiſtance and advice as a Fellow-Member, to heal the manifold breaches, prevent the approaching ruines of our indangered Church, Realms, Parliaments, Laws, Liberties, Peace, and eſtabliſh them upon better foundations than thoſe now ſitting (to promote their own and the Armies intereſts rather than the peoples or Nations) are ever likely to lay. Who if they can prove themſelves a true and lawfull Engliſh Parliament within this Act, without either King or Houſe of Lords, or this their clandeſtine, forcible entry into and ſecluſion of their Fellow-Members out of the Houſe, and Actings in it to be lawfull, equitable, righteous, honorable, parliamentarie, Chriſtian, and ſuch as well becomes either Saints, Members, or true good Engliſhmen, by anie Records, Parliament Rolls, Acts, Preſidents of like kind in former Ages, Law-books, Cuſtomes, Common or Civil-law, Scripture, Divinitie, Reaſon, Ethicks, Policks (except Machiavils, and the ſole Argument of the longeſt Sword, the moſt bruitiſh, unjuſt, unchriſtian, Turkiſh of all others) Mr. Prynne will then publicklie declare them to be that in truth, which as yet he neither can nor dares to acknowledge them to be ſo much as in appellation, either as a Member of the Old Parliament, a Covenanter, a Proteſter, a Lawyer, a Scholar, a Man, an Engliſhman or a Chriſtian. And hopes, that upon the peruſal hereof they will as much diſown themſelves to be the Parliament within this Act, or anie lawfull Parliament of England even in their Judgments, conſciences, much more in actings, for the premiſed Reaſons, as he or anie other ſecluded Members do; not out of anie ſpirit of contradiction, but Conſcience, and common dutie to themſelves, and their native Country.

That which principallie elevated, yea inflamed Mr. Prynnes zeal, both now and heretofore, with all his might to oppoſe all late publick Innovations, changes of our antient Government, Parliaments, Laws, was this ſad and ſerious conſideration, which he ſhall with all earneſt importunitie intreat, adviſe all Army-Officers, Souldiers, ſitting or ſecluded Members of the Lords or Commons Houſe, with all well-affected perſons to the ſafetie, ſettlement of our Religion, Church, State, throughout our three Nations, moſt ſeriouſlie to lay to heart, and engrave upon their Spirits, not to read it as they do News-broks, (only to talk of them for a day or two) but as they read the evidences of their Inheritances, whereby they hold all their earthlie (yea heavenly) poſſeſſions, that they may remember, act according to it all their lives.

That William Watſon (a ſecular Prieſt of Rome) in his Dialogue between a Secular Prieſt and a Lay Gentleman, printed at Rhemes, 1601. in his Watſons Quodlibets, P. 144, 332. Quodlibets, printed 1602. and William Clerk a Secular Prieſt, in his Anſwer to Father Parſons Libel, 1604. p. 75. &c. (then beſt acquainted with the Ieſuites deſigns againſt England of all others) did in preciſe terms publiſh to the Engliſh Nation, in theſe their printed Books, a That Father Parſons the Engliſh Jeſuite, (the moſt active profeſſed enemie to our Engliſh Kingſhip, Kings Realm, Church, Religion) & his Conſederate Ieſuitical Society, did ſo long ſince) give out and propheſied, That they have it by Revelation, and ſpecial command from God, that their order and Society was miraculouſly inſtituted for this end, to work a diſmal change amongſt us, wherein all Laws, Cuſtomes, and Orders muſt be altered, and all things turned upſide down: and that they being the only men who have the name, Title, and authority of Jeſus, by them it is, that this marvelous change and alteration ſhall be wrought, in ſuch ſort as from the beginning of the world was the like never heard of before to this preſent Quodlib • ts, p. 322, 323, 333, 334 3 •• , 209.305, 30 • , 306, 307, 309. That this Jeſuite Father Parſons in his Book Of the Reformation of all the States of England, as he Quodlib • ts, p. 322, 323, 333, 334 3 •• , 209.305, 30 • , 306, 307, 309. preſcribes a Reformation of the Prince, Court, Counſellors, Noblemen, Biſhops, Prelates, Paſtors, Univerſities, Lawyers, and Laws, in all which he will have ſtrange Metamorphoſes, ſo he will have the Court of Parliament it ſelf brought to better order, to effect all theſe diſmal changes. That the way whereby he & they intended to bring about all theſe changes was, to bring all England into an uprore; for common Souldiers to examine their Soveraigns what Titles they hold by, and by infuſing this their Jeſuitical principle into the Souldiers and people, That every Pecope or Tartarian multitude, getting once the title and ſtile of a publick State, or Helvetian Common wealth, may alter, change, Nota. innovate the Courſe, Inheritance, and Succeſsion of the Crown and Lands under them▪ to make the Iſland a Iaponian Iſland of Ieſuites, and infeoff themſelves by hook or crook in the whole imperial dominion of Great Britain, putting all the whole Blood Royal of England to the Formidon, as but Heirs general in one Predicament. For their better accompliſhment whereof this William Watſon ſubjoyns his own opinion in theſe words Quodlibets, p. 27, 28, 169. I verilie think that all the Puritans and Anabaptiſts will joyn with the Ieſuites, (to effect the • e changes) at length, how far ſoever they ſeem to be, and yet are, in external profeſſion of Religion: there being at leaſt half an hundred principles and odde Tricks concerning Government, Authority, Tyranny, Popularity, Conſpiracy, &c. wherein they jump as juſt together as if both were made of one mould; But when they ſhall thus joyn together, he predicts, That the Ieſuites having more ſingular fine wits amongſt them, and manie learned men on their ſide, whereas the Puritans and Anabaptiſts have none but groſſum Caputs; the Ieſuites manie Gentiles, Nobles, and ſome Princes to ſide with them; the Puritans but few of the firſt, rare, to have anie of the ſecond, and none of the laſt on their ſide: By conſequence, if matters come to hammering between the Ieſuites and Puritans, the latter are ſure to be ridden like Fools, and come to wrack. He ſuperaddes to this, Quodlibet, 9. p. 285, 430 332. That Father Parſons and his Companie have laid a plot, as moſt conſonant and fitting for their other Deſignments, That the Common law of the Realm of England muſt be (forſooth) utterly aboliſhed, or elſe bear no greater ſway in the Realm than the Civil law doth. And the chief Reaſon is, Nota. for that the State of the Crown and Kingdome by the Common laws is ſo ſtrongly ſetled, as whilſt they continue, the Ieſuites ſee not how they can work their wills. Secondly, the ſaid good Father hath ſet down a Courſe; how every man may ſhake off all Authority at their pleaſures, as if he would become a new Anabaptiſt or Iohn of Leydon, to draw all the World into a Mutiny, Rebellion, and Combuſtion. And the Stratagem is, how the common People (and Souldiers) muſt be inveigled and ſeduced, to conceit to themſelves ſuch a Liberty or Prerogative, as that it may be lawfull for them, when they think fit, to place and diſplace Kings and Princes, as men do their Tenants at will, Hirelings, or ordinary Servants. Which Anabaptiſtical and abominable Doctrine, proceeding from a turbulent Tribe of trayterous Puritans and other Hereticks, this treacherous Ieſuite would now foiſt into the Chatholick Church, as a ground of his corrupt Divinitie. Mr. Prynne having ſome year ſince diligently obſerved all theſe paſſages, with ſundrie others of this nature, in thoſe Secular Prieſt-books, and comparing them with Campanella de Monarchia Hyſpanica, c. 25.27. & Cardinal Here p. 19. Richlieues Instructions forecited; having likewiſe read in the Jeſuites own printed Books, Imaginū Antwerp, an. 1940. Speculum Jeſuiticum, p. 210. That they had no leſſe than 931 Colleges and Seminaries of Ieſuites erected in ſeveral parts of the World, within the ſpace of 120 years, and no fewer than 15 Colleges and Seminaries in Provincia Anglicana, in the Engliſh Province in the year 1640. wherein they had 267.See his Epiſtle before his Hiſtorical and legal Vindication, &c. An. 1655. Socii Societatis, Fellows of their own Societie, beſides Novices, and 4 Colleges more of Engliſh Ieſuites beyond the Seas, and no leſs than eight Colleges of Iriſh, and ſeveral Reſidenciaries of Scotiſh Ieſuites in Ireland, Scotland, and other places: And being aſſured by the publick Speeches of Oliver Cromwell himſelf, firſt to an Aſſemblie of Divines and others at Whitehall 1653. and after to his new modelled Parliament at Westminſter, September 4. 1654. publiſhed in print, p. 16, 17. That he knew verie well that Emiſſaries of the Ieſuites never came over in ſuch ſwarms as they have done ſince our late wars and changes were on foot, and that divers Gentlemen can bear Witneſs with him, That they have a Conſiſtory and Counſel that rules all the Affairs of the things of England; and had fixed in England in the Circuit of moſt Cathedrals, (of which he was able to produce the particular Inſtrument) an Epiſcopal power, with Archdeacons, and other perſons to pervert and ſeduce the people. And being moſt certainlie informed, That the Romes Maſter piece, Hidden works of Darkneſſe, &c. A Collection of Ordinances, p. 245. Arch-Jeſuite Sir Toby Mathew, though baniſhed by both Houſes, Sir A Collect. of Ordinances. p. 245. Kenelme Digby, a Jeſuited papiſt, (whoſe Father had a chief hand in the old Gunpowder Treaſon, and was himſelf particularlie imployed to Rome by the Queen to procure men and monies from the Pope againſt the Parliament, where he expected to receive a Cardinals Cap,)A Collect. p. 151, 852, 858, Vid. Wekye of Durb A Collect p. 906. Sir Iohn Winter a perſon excepted from pardon, Mr, Walter Mountague (two notorious Jeſuited Papiſts, who Romes Maſterpiece conſpired with the Popes Nuncio and College of Jeſuites in Longacre to deſtroy the King, and alter the Government of the Kingdome if he refuſed to turn Roman Catholick, and repeal all Laws againſt Romiſh Prieſts, Jeſuites, Papiſts, and for that very end raiſed the firſt Scotiſh wars, and (which is moſt obſervable) that Orelly the Popes own Nuncio in Ireland, who promoted the late horrid Iriſh Rebellion and maſſacre of the Proteſtants, ſate Preſident in the General Counſel of the Popiſh Rebels there for ſeveral years,

A Collect. p. 267.

The Hiſtory of Independency part 2.

to carry on that Rebellion; came all over into England, walked openly in the Streets and VVeſtminſter Hall, when the King was brought to his Tryal, and executed by their and other Ieſuites inſtigation, and our Old Kingdom metamorphoſed into a new Common-wealth; That The Hiſtory of Independency p. 2. Owen Ro Oneal, and all the Iriſh Rebels under him, by Orellies perſwaſion, ent • ed into an offenſive and defenſive League with the New-Republicans againſt Marqueſſe Ormond, the Lord Inchequin, and Proteſtant party in Ireland, who declared for Monarchy, & the Kings Title, againſt their Republick. And being withall aſſured by ſundry perſons of credit, That there were many Ieſuites under the habit of

See Mr. Prynnes Speech, Memento, & Epiſtle to his Hiſtorical & legal Vindication.

Ludovicus Lucius, Hiſt. Ieſuitica, p. 144, 156, 170.

Souldiers, liſted in the Army, and others of them under the diſguiſe of Phyſicians, Apothecaries, Travellers, Captains, Merchants, Factors, Tradeſmen, Anabaptiſts, Ranters, Seekers, Quakers, and other Sectaries, diſperſed throughout all places, to carry on and accompliſh thoſe diſmal changes, ſo long ſince predicted, projected by Father Parſons and the Ieſuites. Yea, being further aſſured, by an eminent Divine and others more than once, from the mouth of a Noble Engliſh Lord, returning from Rome about 4 years ſince, That the Provincial of the Engliſh Jeſuites, when he went to ſee their College in Rome, aſſured him, they had then above fifteen hundred of their Society of Ieſuites in England, able to work in ſeveral Profeſſions and Trades, which they had there taken upon them, the better to ſupport, and ſecure themſelves from being diſcovered, and infuſe their Principles into the vulgar People. That the See the falſe Iew, and his examination, printed 1653. Great Anabaptiſt, ſtyled, The Adminiſtrator of Hexam near Newcastle, in the North, ſince removed to Colcheſter, was lately a Papiſt (if not) a Prieſt or Ieſuite; that Ramſey the Scotiſh Jeſuite was purpoſely ſent ouer into England by the Pope & Ieſuites An. 1653. under the notion of a Iew, to infuſe new Notions into the Anabaptiſts & ſide with them, who therupon addreſſed himſelf to Paul Hobſon the Anabaptiſt, a Grand Army-preacher, and this Adminiſtrators Congregation, where he made a publick profeſſion, That he was a Iew by birth, but was now thorowly converted to the Chriſtian Religion by their inſtruction, with a publick Confeſſion of his Faith, which they printed, whereupon he was publickly dipped by this Adminiſtrator at Hexam, and received as a Member into their Anabaptiſtical Church, who much gloried in it, till within few weeks after, he was by the Maior and Miniſters of Newcaſtle clearly diſcovered, to be a groſſe Impoſtor, yea a Scotiſh Ieſuite, and ſent up by them to London; where after ſome reſtraint he was enlarged without any puniſhment, and not long ſince, twice boldly entred into the Univerſity Schools at Cambridge, deſiring conference with Mr. Smith the Hebrew Lecturer there, with whom he diſcourſed in Hebrew; profeſſing himſelf, to be Soul and Body for the Catholick Church of Rome: That See his Epiſtle before his printed Book. 1652. Eleazer Ben-Iſaiah, and his Brother Joſeph, 2. Grand Jeſuitical Impoſtors, at the ſelf-ſame time under the Notion of converted Iews, were dipped by the Anabaptiſts; maintaining Dipping, not Sprinkling to be the only Baptiſme of Ieſus Chriſt, and the Anabaptiſts to be the only ſtrong and glorious Chriſtians, in their printed Book, dedicated unto our new Republican Parliament & Counſel of State, 1653 Which Mr. Pr. (ſoon after his inlargement frō Pendennys Catile) meeting with, diſcovered them to be groſs Impoſtors, one of them a Trooper in P. Ruports Army; who after a Collection made for him (as a Converted Iew) at Dursty in Gloſterſhire, by Mr. Woodward on the Lords day, drank five jugges of Bear, with ſundry pipes or Tobacco, whereby to digeſt his Lords day Supper, and diſgorge his Sermons: then locking his Chamber Door in the Inne, he ran to the Maid he had ſent to warm his Bed, and attempted to raviſh her; whereupon ſhe crying out, & the Boy of the Houſe (being about 11 a clock at night) endevouring to raiſe the Neighbors, he therupon fled from thence, (ſince which Mr. Prynne heard no more tydings of him.) And having ſince that moſt clearly diſcovered to the whole Nation (in his Books, intituled, The Quakers Ʋnmasked, and New Diſcovery of Romiſh Emiſſaries, printed. 1655. and 1656.) That the Franciſcan Freers and Ieſuites were the firſt Erectors of our new Sect of Quakers, (Ignatius Loyola the Jeſuites Founder, being firſt a Souldier, then a Quakers next a Speaker, laſt of all a profeſſed Jeſuit; as his Diſciples now are, firſt Ieſuites, then Quakers, Speakers, Souldiers before or after;) That Maurice Conry an Iriſh Franciſcan, late Provincial of the Engliſh Franciſcan Fryers, (having 15 extraordinary faculties granted him to exerciſe here in England; as to abſolve all Hereticks in England, of what Nation ſoever; to admit men into his Order; To diſpence with Oaths, with ſaying Canonical Hours, the Ceremonies of the Maſs, for keeping Heritical Books, and other particulars which might diſcover any of them to be Freers, or Papiſts: to authorize, print what Books he allowed; concealing both the Name of the Author, Printer, place, Non obſtante Conſilio Tridentino:) came over into England, under the diſguiſe of a Spaniſh Captain, having ſundry Paſports from the King of Spains Officers in the Low Countries, to raiſe men for his ſervice in England and Ireland, where he continued during the Regency of our Republicans; After which in the year 1653. he procured a paſs and protection to all Officers by Sea and Land under Ol. Cromwels own hand and Seal, to paſs and repaſs about his occaſions to and from Ireland; all which were taken about him in Briſtol, 20 November 1655. and the very Originals under Seal brought to Mr. Prynne; who publiſhed ſome of them in print; yet after near two years impriſonment at Briſtol, upon a Habeas Corpus brought by Conry, he was turned over Priſoner to Newgate, to be tryed as a Popiſh Prieſt, and let go thence (by direction as was conceived) before the Seſſions, and never enquired after ſince. Mr. Prynne diſcovering all this and much more, and being moſt fully aſſured, that all the Rebellions in the Army ſince 1646. againſt the King, Parliament, Members, and all the late Changes, Revolutions of our Government ever ſince, proceeded originally from the Jeſuites, and Romiſh Agents powerfull influences upon the ſeduced Army-Officers, Souldiers, Sectaries, and Republican Members. And long ſince taking ſpecial notice, that during the Armies & Republicans proceedings againſt the King, & in hammering out their new Common-wealth; all the moſt eminent, zealous, religious Members of the Commons Houſe, moſt oppoſite to Jeſuites, Papiſts, Popery, were totally ſecluded, ſecured by the Army, and their Votes, Proteſtations, Advices, with the Addreſſes, Diſſwaſions of all the Godly Miniſters of London and other parts, yea (See his Iuſtice ō the Armies Remonſtrance. 1649. VVilliam Sedgwicks, their own Chaplains,) totally rejected with higheſt contempt; and the Counſels of the moſt deſperate Jeſuites, and popiſh Agents (flocking to London from all forein parts, and walking freely in the Streets whiles the Members were under ſtricteſt reſtraints) vigorouſly purſued: So all their ſubſequent Actions demonſtrated to him and all conſiderate Proteſtants, whoſe Creature their New Republick originally was, and for whoſe ſervice it was created, as theſe memorable particulars evidence.

1. They did quite ſet aſide all thoſe 5. ſtrict excellent Bills againſt Ieſuites, Seminary Prieſts, Popiſh Recuſants, and the exerciſe of any their Romiſh Superſtitions in any place within our Realms, which the ſecluded Members, and Army-Officers too at firſt, eagerly purſued; and the King in the Treaty of the Iſle of VVight aſſented to at the firſt without any ſcruple: For which the Ieſuites in France, at See the Proſitions to the King and Mr. Prynnes Speech, p. 57, 58. His Diſcovery of Freeſtate tyranny p. 18. general Meeting there, preſently reſolved to bring him to Iuſtice, and take off his Head by the power of their Friends in the Army; as the King himſelf was certified by an expreſs from thence, and wiſhed to provide against it, but two dayes before his removal by the Army from the Iſle of VVight, in order to his execution.

2ly. They See their Votes in Feb. 1648. And Act for taking the Engagement, Sep. 6. 1649. totally ſet aſide and repealed by expreſs Votes and printed Knacks, the very Oaths of Supremacy and Allegiance, as unlawfull Oaths, which themſelves took and ought to take before they ſate or could ſit as Members in the Commons Houſe; by the Statutes of 5 El. c. 2. & 7 Iac. c. 6. which Oaths were ſpecially made (by the great wiſedom, care and piety of our Proteſtant Parliaments, purpoſely to detect the perſons, and prevent the plots, conſpiracies, Aſſaſinations, Treaſons, Ʋſurpations, and new Gun-powder plots of the Romiſh Jeſuites, popiſh Prieſts, Papiſts, and their Instruments, againſt the Lives, Crowns, Prerogatives of our Proteſtant Kings, Princes, their Royal posterity, Realms, Parliaments, our proteſtant Church and Religion, as the Statutes of 1 Eliz. c. 1. 5 Eliz. c. 1. 3 Jac. c. 4. 7 Iac. c. 6. and other Acts, with King Iames his Apology for the Oath of Allegiance, and ſundry learned Treatiſes in defence of theſe Oaths, declare at large: Which Oaths were 7 Iac. c. 6. Ro. Bellar. Reſponſio ad Apol. pro Iuramento Fidelitatis. refuſed, oppoſed only by the moſt Ieſuited and deſperate Papiſts, at home and abroad: but approved by the moderateſt and loyalleſt Prieſts and See the Lord William Hewards and Preſtons books in defence of the Oath. Mr. Ruſhworths Hiſtorical Collections, p. 347. Lay-Papiſts who writ in juſtification of them; and repealed to their greateſt joy and advantage, by our Jeſuitized zealous Republicans.

3ly. They diſcharged, abſolved themſelves, and all other Members, Subjects, Officers, who had taken theſe Oaths (as moſt had frequently done) from the future Obſervation of them, and of their Solemn Proteſtation, Vow, League, National Covenant, made in purſuance of them; contrary to this expreſſe Clauſe in the Oath of Allegiance, 3 Iac. c. 4. I do believe, and in Conſcience am reſolved, See the 2d. part of the Hiſtory of Independancy. That neither the Pope, nor any Perſon whatſoever, hath Power to abſolve me of this Oath, or any part thereof, which I acknowledge by good and full Authority to be lawfully adminiſtred to me, and do renounce all Pardons and Diſpenſations to the contrary. And all theſe things I do plainly and ſincerely acknowledge and ſwear, according to the expreſſe words by me ſpoken, and plain and common ſenſe of the ſaid words, without any equivocation or mental reſervation, And I do make this recognition and acknowledgement, Heartily, Willingly, and Truly, upon the Faith of a Chriſtian. Yet theſe faithleſſe Republicans, who took this Oath as Members, (and ſeveral times elſe upon other occaſions) thus atheiſtically, like ſo many abſolute Popes, againſt all See Grorius De Iure Belli, l. 2. c. 13. Dr. Sanderſon of Oaths. Laws of Nations, Nature, abſolved themſelves and all others from it, and ſet it, with the Oath of Supremacy, Covenant, Proteſtation, quite aſide like old Almanacks out of date.

4ly. Not content herewith, they See their Knack, Sept. 6. 1649. impoſed a new Engagement, diametrically contrary to theſe Oaths, the Proteſtation, Vow, Solemn League and Covenant, which every one muſt ſubſcribe with his hand, To be true and faithfull to their New Common-wealth as eſtabliſhed by them, without a King or Houſe of Lords, putting all Engliſh Freemen whatſoever into a New-praemunire, upon a bare ſuggeſtion only before proof or conviction, and diſabling them to ſue in any Court of their Republick, or to receive or enjoy any degree, office, augmentation, or preferment whatſoever Spiritual, Eccleſiaſtical, Civil, or Military, or ſit as Members then (and now again) unleſs they would publickly ſubſcribe it: Which Engagement thouſands of our Godly proteſtant Miniſters, Gentry, Freemen refuſing to ſubſcribe, were thereupon barred of their Actions, Executions, Iudgements to recover their juſt Debts, Rights, Inheritances, Goods, Offices; denyed their degrees of Learning, ejected out of their Benefices, Headſhips, Fellowſhips, Vice-Chancelorſhips, Augmentations, Offices, Freeholds, Callings, againſt all rules of Law, Conſcience, Iuſtice, Equity, Religion, the Fundamental Laws and Liberties of the Land, their Native Birth-Rights, after all their Conteſts, Wats, Contributions, Prayers, Faſts, endeavours for their defence: And all by theſe Free-State-Men. A Tyranny, Treachery, Perjury, Apoſtacy, tranſcending any ſince the Creation, yet moſt eagerly purſued by them all their Reign, to the utter ruine of many conſciencious, honeſt Proteſtants, and great rejoycing of all Ieſuites and Popiſh Enemies both at home and abroad.

5ly. The very firſt Act of Iuſtice they did, by the firſt Commiſſion of the peace they paſſed under their New Republican Great Seal for Middleſex, at the firſt Seſſions held under them at Hix-hall, Febr. 1628. was the enlarging of a dangerous Jeſuits, and another old ſeducing Papiſt, formerly impriſoned in the New priſon: the only Acts done in this firſt Seſſion, as th • ſe preſent then informed Mr. Prynne with much regret: Which was ſeconded with the ſubſequent enlargement of other Jeſuites, Priests, Papists, elſewhere impriſoned: whereas on the contrary they ſhut up Sir William Waller, Sir Will. Lewes, Sir John Clotworthy, Major General Brown, Comiſſary Coply, Mr. Prynne, Mr. Clement Walker cloſe priſoners in ſundry remote Caſtles divers years together, without any cauſe expreſſed, and Mr. Gewen with other Members, ſeveral Monthes, and ſundry Godly Miniſters, Proteſtants of all ſorts throughout the Land, as well Paliamenteers, as former Cavaliers; yea beheaded Mr. Love, an eminent Proteſtant Miniſter, and other Proteſtants, but not one Papiſt in their illegal High-Courts of Juſtice, erected by them, againſt all our Laws, whiles theſe Romiſh Locuſts were thus enlarged, unproſecuted, and had free liberty to wander up and down our three Nations, and act what they pleaſed to work our Kingdoms, Churches, and Religions ruine.

6ly. The firſt who publikely owned them for a Common-wealth, congratulated this their glorious change, atchievement, and entred into a League with them, was the moſt Catholick K. of Spain, the Speculum Ieſuit. p. 40.217, 218. Ludovicus Lucius, Hiſt. Ieſuit. l. 3 c. 2 p. 237, 243, 288.300, 329. Popes, Jeſuites, chief Patron and Propagator of their Catholick Faith and deſigns: whoſe intereſts they proſecuted during all their Republican domination.

7ly. They entted into a bloodie invaſive war againſt their Brethren of Scotland onlie for owning their rightfull Soveraign King CHARLES, after his Fathers beheading, according to their Laws, Oathes, Duties, and Solemn League and Covenant; invaded their Country without any provocaion, ſlew many thouſands of them with furie and cruelty in the Field; ſtarved, deſtroyed hundreds of them taken priſoners by them, and ſold others of them into forein plantations for Slaves; impriſoned, ſequeſtred, baniſhed moſt of their zealous Godly Proteſtant Miniſters, Nobles, Gentry; took all their Cities, Caſtles, Forts, Amunition, Arms, conquered, inthralled their whole Kingdom, put them under intollerable Taxes, Tributes, and Iron-yokes of armed Governors, Garriſons ſtill continued amongſt them to Near two hundred thouſand pounds a year more than all the Rovenues and Taxes amount to, ſuch good husbands are weour coſt. deſtroyed their presbyterial and civil Government; and for an everlaſting Monument of this their barbarous unbrotherly kindneſſe, and gratitude towards them for their former aſſiſtances, not only kept Solemn publick Thanksgiving-Dayes throughout their Republicke for their Slaughters of and Victories over them, but hanged up all their Enſigns in Westminster Hall, and tranſported all their Records cloſe priſoners to the Tower of London, where they yet continue.

8ly. They inſtigated the Dutch to ſet aſide the Prince of Orange his Family, and put them out of the ſuperiour Commands, places of Truſt, they formerly merited and enjoyed, out of malice to the beheaded Kings Progeny; mutined the States againſt each other, and then entted into a moſt coſtly, bloody, dangerous, unchriſtian War with thoſe our old Protestant Friends and Allyes, continuing all their Regency, to the loſſe of many thouſands of gallant Proteſtants lives, the ruine of ſundry Familyes, the great weakning, impoveriſhing of both Nations, the ſcandal, detriment of the Proteſtant Religion, the griefs of all forein Proteſtant Churches. the great joy and advantage of both our profeſſed Popiſh Adverſaries, and King of Spain eſpecially; who long ſince deſigned both our ruines, by theſe very practiſes, preſcribed to him by campanella in direct words, as thoſe who pleaſe may read at large, in his Book De Monarchia Hiſpanica, c. 25. & 27.

9ly. They freely permitted (if not encouraged) all their Republican Government, Diurnallists in their Newſ-Books,See the Diurnals and Almanacks from 1648. to 1653. and thoſe ſcurrilous, groſſe Impoſtors, Lilly, Culpepper, and other Prognoſticators in their Almanacks, beſides ſundry other Scriblers inſufferably to revile and rayle againſt our Oxthodox, Godly, Proteſtant Miniſters, eſpecially Presbyterians, to prophecy their downfull extirpation, execution, baniſhment, the utter ruine of them, their Tithes, Glebes, Presbytery, to incenſe both Souldiers and people to diſown their Miniſtry, detain their Tithes, revile, abuſe their perſons, as being worſe than any Prieſts, Jeſuites, and greater Enemies, Traytors to their Republick than they, (who readily complyed with it as a Child of their own begetting.)

Xly. They permitted many thouſands of Popiſh Primers and other Books to be freely imported, and above thirty thouſand Popiſh and Atheiſtical pamphlets of all ſor • s, againſt our Church, Religion, Ministers, to be printed and vended in England without controll, as the London-Stationers (moved out of Conſcience) declared and publiſhed to them in their Beacon fired 1652. and Sciatilla, which Book was preſently anſwered by the Beacon quenched, ſubſcribed by Colonel Pride (the new Faux) and other Army-Officers, (though writ by a Jeſuite as Mr. Prynne was credibly informed) and preſented to thoſe then ſitting at Westminſter, erecting them againſt the Stationers and their Beacon fired, as a New-Gunpowder-plot, to blow up the Army, Parliament, and New Common wealth, though a true, honeſt, harmleſſe, pious, timely Diſcovery of the Papiſts and Jeſuites deſigns to blow up our Religion, Church, Miniſtry, Amongſt other popiſh Books then printed, See Mr. Prynnes diſcovery of Free ſtate Tyranny, p. 19, 20. Mr. Prynne met with one as far as Pendennis Caſtle in Folio, inittuled, The Holy Court, written by Edmund Cauſin a Ieſuite, tranſlated into Engliſh by Jeſuites, dedicated to our Queen Mary, and the Dutcheſſe of Buckingham, printed in London by William Bentley, 1650. and ſold by John Williams in Pauls Church-yard, as the Title page atteſts, having the Ieſuits Badge, and S. J. (Societatis Jeſu) in Capitals printed in its front. In which Folio Book (conſiſting of divers Tomes) Tom. 1. p. 30 to 38.63, 64, 68, 74, 75. Tom. 2. p. 168. Tom. 3.425 to 430.461, 462. Tom. 5.173, 174.304 to 319. and other pages, The Popes Supremacy, prayer to Saints and Angels, Purgatory, Maſſe, Tranſubſtantiation, and all other points of groſſeſt popery were not only maintaine • , aſſered▪ but our very Proteſtant Religion branded for Hereſy, our late Queen Elizabeth, our Miniſters and all other Profeſſors of it reviled, cenſured for damnable Heretiques, as Mr. Prynne then obſerved.

11ly. Themſelves in divers of their printed Declarations, Knacks, and their Inſtruments in ſundry Books, (as John Goodwin, Markham, Needham, Melton, and others,) juſtified, maintained, the very higheſt, worſt, treaſonableſt, execrableſt, of all Popiſh and See Prynnes Epiſtle before his Legal and Hiſtorical Collections, &c. 1655. Jeſuitical, Unchriſtian tenents, practiſes, Treaſons, as the murdering of Christian Protestant Kings, (under the notion of Tyrants) the blowing up of Parliaments, the ſubverting of Kingdoms, the altering of all ſetled Laws, Governments, the forcible uſurpation of others Crowns, Honors, Officers, Estates, without Right or Title, by force, murder, treachery, the breach of, dispenſation with, abſolution from all ſacred Oaths, Leagues, Covenants, Promiſes, Contracts, rebellion, againſt all lawfull Superiours, and the open Violation of the 5, 6, 8, 9 & 10. moral Commands of God himſelf, under the pretences of publick Justice, Neceſsity, Self-preſervation, Reformation, Religion, publick good, ſafety, advancement of the Goſpel and Kingdom of Ieſus Chriſt, repayed with their own ejection.

See the 2d. part of tbe Hiſtory of Independancy.12ly They cloſed in an offenſive and defenſive League with Owen Ro Oneal, and the popiſh Iriſh bloody Rebels, againſt Marqueſſe Ormond, Inchequin, and the Proteſtant party there who had been the Parliaments chief Generals and Officers, againſt the Rebels; in oppoſition to Monarchy; and when (to couler the odium of it) Col Monke was queſtioned in the Houſe for making this League with them, as done without their privity; and one of them moved, That he might be committed for it to the Tower; that famous Saint Henry Martin, ſtood up and reto • ted, T • at he deſired the Tower might be rather committed unto him for t • is good ſervice: What high places of truſt by Sea and Land he hath been advanced to ſince for this ſervice, is very well known; whereas Marqueſſe O • mond, the Lord Inchequin, and other Proteſtants in Ireland, who faithfully ſerved the Parliament againſt the Iriſh Rebels, and bare the brunt of the firſt wars againſt them, were yet the very firſt perſons excepted in their printed Catalogues, and News-Books, from all manner of pardon or compoſition either for their Lives or Eſtates, and are quite ſtript of all their Lands in Ireland, out of odium unto Monarchy, the Kings poſterity. And all this to advance the Proteſtant Religion and Chriſts Kingdom by and under their New Jeſuitical Republick, the quite contrary way.

Theſe 12. particulars, like ſo many true, good, honeſt ſworn Grandlury-men, impanelled by Mr. Prynne, out of mere zeal to his native Countryes, Church, Religions preſervation, will give in a true impartial verdict, whoſe proper child, our New Commonwealth, whoſe Inſtruments the Guardians of it, but Goalers of all our liberties under it, have been and now are again, and whoſe works they do. He ſhall ſubjoyn a few ſad Obſervations of like nature, during their Infant Republicks ſecond wardſhip under their late Protector, to promote the Proteſtant Cauſe and Religion.

1. His making peace with the Hollander after he had diſmounted the Republican Grandees to ſet up himſelf in their places; was in it ſelf a Chriſtian, pious, prudent, and commendable Act, beneficial to both Nations. But if the principle motives of it were, a vaſt ſum of mony from the Dutch, put into his private purſe (as ſome report;) or a deſire to ecclipſe the Honour, power of the Prince of Orange, their chief Protector and his Family; to baniſh the late Kings Royal poſterity, and Adherents out of the Netherlands, and leave them no ſubſiſtance, nor being there amongſt Proteſtants of our and their Religion, to force them to ſeek new Quarters amongſt Ieſuites, Papiſts, and caſt themſelves wholy on their Charity, on purpoſe to pervert them in their Religion, and deſtroy both their Souls & Bodies at once, which is viſible and irre • ragable, they being all actually exiled thence by ſpecial Articles upon the peace with the Dutch. What Proteſtant can think upon it but with horror, as the higheſt Act of Impiety, cruelty, barbariſme, injuſtice, uncharitableneſſe, and malice ever yet recorded of any profeſſors of Chriſtianity in the Proteſtant Religion.

2ly. His quarrelling with the King of Spain, in hopes to gain his Indian Mines, and ſending ſuch a Fleet, with ſo many thouſand Engliſh Proteſtants and Souldiers thither, upon the bare project of See his Book and Deſcription of the Weſt-Indies. Gage, a Ieſuited profeſſed Papist and Spainiolized Prieſt, who had lived there ſundry years under the Spaniſh King as a Priest, (all whoſe family and relations have been See Romes Maſter-piece and Hidden works of Darkneſs brought to publick light. deſperate popiſh enemies to our Religion. King, Kingdoms) with the diſaſterous ſucceſſe and fruits thereof, to the expence of ſuch vaſt ſums of our own Treaſure, the loſs of ſo manie thouſand proteſtant Souldiers, Mariners, and undoing, endangering of our other American plantations; if rightly weighed, was in truth rather a Spaniſh and Ieſuitiſh plot to ruine us and our religion, than to advance them; as Mr. Prynne at firſt reputed them, predicting the ill event before it happened.

3ly. His cloſing with France and the French Cardinal Mazarine, upon the breach with Spain, of purpoſe to baniſh poor diſtreſſed K. Charles (whom he drove out his 3 Proteſtant Kingdoms, baniſhed out of Holland: (deprived of all charitable ſupplies or hopes of relief from either for his neceſſarie ſubſiſtance;) and baniſh his Brother the Duke of York who had a command & great repute in the French Army, with all their Dependents out of France too, that he might the more ſecurely eſtabliſh himſelf and his poſterity in their hereditarie Kingly power, dominions, and leave them no place to hide their heads in, (the effect, and chief end of that peace;) and that in purſuit of Cardinal Richelieus Here p. 19.forementioned Inſtructions to ruine our Monarchy, Kingdoms, and work his infernal deſigns againſt us,) was ſuch an inhumane, unchriſtian policy, as verie ill accords with our Saviours expreſſe precepts, Mat. 5.44. &c. Lu. 6.27, &c. Rom. 12.20, 21. But I ſay unto you, love your Enemies: Therefore if thy Enemie hunger feed him, if he thirſt give him drink: Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with goodneſſe. And a Preſident hardlie paralleld.

Alas how ſhall the memorable Heroick charity, generoſity, pietie, juſtice, of our Norman Conqueror King William, (cenſured by this new Conqueror and his Army Saints, as the worſt of Tyrants in ſundry Pamphlets;) and of his Sons, William Rufus, and Henry 1. towards Edgar Atheling Heir to the Engliſh Crown after the death of Edward the Confeſſor (when hee took it from him by the Sword, under pretext of See Mr. Prynnes 3d. parr of his Legal Hiſtorical Vindication & Collection, &c. p. 343. to 397. King Edwards laſt Will, and being next Heir to him in blood, not as a Conquerour by war:) Who though after his Ibid. p. 391, 392. Flor. Wigorn. Sim. Dunelm. Hoveden, Mat. Weſtm. Mat. Paris, Bromton, Anno 1066, 1067. Oath of Homage, Fealty, and Subjection to William, twice ſet up, as Heir to the Crown, by the Engliſh Nobility in oppoſition to him, twice routed by him in the Field, driven into Scotland, and quite left deſtitute of forces, friends and ſupplyes to gain the Crown; yet upon his repair to him in Normandy, without any precedent Articles for his ſecuritie, Anno 1069. he not only pardoned his former inſurrections, but Malm. de Geſt. Reg. l. 3. p. 103. gave him a large gratuity, entertained and lodged him in his own Court divers years, allowing him a pound of Silver for his honourable maintenance everie day (a great ſum in that Age:) After which when he deſired to go into Apulia to the holie wars,Malm. ibid. Sim. Dunelm. Col. 213. Brompton, Col. 976. Anno 1089. he furniſhed him with many Ships and 200 Souldiers: whence he returning after the loſſe of Robert his chief Commander and beſt men, though the Emperours of Greece and Germany whom he viſited in his receſſe thence, honourably received,Flor. Wigom. p. 556. Sim. Dunelm. Col. 216, 217. and profered to entertain and maintain him in their Courts according to the greatneſſe of his birth all his life time; yet he contemning all their proffers, out of a deſire to enjoy his native Country, returned into England, where he was courteouſly entertained by William the Conqueror as before, till his death. After which Edgar ſiding with, Robert Duke of Normandy his eldeſt Son, againſt William Rufus the younger: he thereupon Anno 1091. deprived him of all the honours conferred on him by Robert, and baniſhed him out of Normandy into Scotland: But afterwards upon the accord between the 2 Brothers touching the Crown, and peace with Scotland, he was reconciled to King Rufus, and returned into England, where he lived ſecurely without the leaſt reſtraint; and was in ſo great favour with Rufus, Flor. Wigorn. p. 464. Sim Dunelm. Col. 223. Hov. Annal pars 1. p. 466. that in the year 1097. he ſent him as General into Scotland with an Army to reſtore his Nephew Edgar Son of Malcomb (who maried Edgars Siſter) to the Crown, which his Uncle Dufnald had invaded after Malcombs death, to expell Dufnald, and make Edgar King. Which having effected, he returning again into England, lived there quietly without the leaſt danger or reſtraint all Rufus his reign, and ſome years under Malm. de Geſtis Reg. l. 3. p. 103. King Henry the firſt, betaking himſelf in his old Age to a retired private Country life, and dyed in peace, as our Hiſtorians then living record. Oh that there were the like Charitie, Ingenuity, Chriſtianitie, Piety in the Saints of this Iron Age, againſt whom theſe 3. firſt Norman Kings ſhall riſe up and condemn in the day of judgment, when Chriſt himſelf will pronounce this heavy ſentence againſt them for all their pretended Saint-ſhip: Mat. 25.41, 42, 42. Depart ye curſed into everlaſting fire prepared for the Divel and his Angels, for I was an hungred and you gave me no meat, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, (no See Auguſt. Tom 10. Ser. 21. not out of my large hereditarie Revenues of three Kingdoms you have forcibly invaded againſt your Oatht;) I was a Stranger and you took me not in, (no not into my own Proteſtant Realm, Court, out of which you thruſt me by violence, neither would you permit thoſe of Holland and France, where I was a Stranger to take me in, but inforced them to baniſh and caſt me out after their former entertainment of me as a ſtranger,) I was naked, but ye cloathed me not, (but ſtripped me and mine ſtark naked out of our Inheritances, Wardrobes, and all we had,) ſick and in priſon, (into which you caſt both me and mine) and you viſited me not, yea made it High Treaſon for any to do it, or ſo much as to pray for me in this my diſtreſſed condition, notwithſtanding Gods own Evangelical precepts to the contrary, 1 Tim. 2.1, 3. 1 Pet. 2.17. Acts 10.5, 12. 2 Cor. 1.9, 10, 11. 2 Theſ. 3.1, 2. Rom. 15.30, 31, 32. If the moſt righteous and charitable Saints ſhall 1 Pet. 4.18. ſcarcely be ſaved in this great day, O where ſhall theſe ungodly, unrighteous, uncharitable, and tranſcendently malicious Sinners (not Saints) appear? O that they would ſadlie conſider it and repent thereof, as the onlie means to avoid this fatal doom of Chriſt at the laſt day. This truth they cannot, dare not deny with their Tongues, but they contradict it by their lives, Non contradicunt lingua ſed vita. Moneo, rapit; doceo, rapit; praecipio rapit, arguo, rapit. Quomodo non contradixit? Si ergo in ignem aeternum ibit, cui dicturus eſt Chriſtus nudus ſui, & non veſtiſti me: quem locum in igne aeterno habebit, cui dicturus eſt, veſtitus fui & ſpoliaſti me? Hic fortaſſe ut evadas hanc vocem, mutata conſuetudine, cogitas ſpoliare Paganum & veſtire Chriſtianum. Ad hoc reſpondebit tibi Chriſtus, immo reſpondet tibi nunc per ſervum qualemcunque Miniſtrum ſuum: Etiam hic parce damnis meis; Cum enim qui Chriſtianus es ſpolias Paganum, impedis fieri Chriſtianum. Etiam & hic fortaſſe reſpondebis: Ideo ſpolio Paganum, ut per hanc aſperam & ſalubrem Diſciplinam faciam Chriſtianum. Audirem & crederem, ſi quod abſtuliſti Pagano, redderes Chriſtiano, &c. O that our Harpyes and Beaſts of prey, (who have obliterated the tenth Commandement out of all their Decalogues as the Papiſts have done the ſecond) would lay it cloſe to heart, being Saint Auguſtines 21. Sermon to them, as well as Mr. Prynnes: The rather, becauſe the night before O. Cromwell Pro. died, Mr. Prynne then being at Swainſwick near Bath (having never dreamed of him before) dreamt he was dangerouſly ſick at Bath, and that he then ſent a ſpecial Meſſenger to him importunatly deſiring, he would preſently repair to Bath, for he was very ſick, and deſired much to ſpeak with him: Whereupon (though he never ſaw him ſince 1647.) he preſently went to Bath: where finding him lying on his bed, he told Mr. P. he was very ſick, and had ſent for him to tell him what he ſhould do in this condition. Mr. Prynne thereupon forthwith anſwered, That he could give him us better nor other Counſel than that of Saint Epiſtola 44. Tom. 2. See Homil. 50. ſer. 21. Tom. 10. Peter Lumbard, ſent. l. 4. diſt. 16. and the ſchoolmen on him. Alex. Alenſis, ſum. Theol. pars 4. quaeſt. 24. mem. 6. Auguſtine (aſſerted by all Divines as an undoubted truth) Non Remittetur peccatum niſt reſtitnatur ablatum: That there was no remiſſion of Sin without full reſtitution of Rapine: Therefore he muſt forthwith reſtore the baniſhed King to his Sodainly takē frō his Son by his neareſt Relations and Army-Officers, notwithſtanding their proclaiming him his Succeſſor, and all Addreſſes to live and dye with him; and that without one drawn ſword. Crown and Kingdoms, of which he had moſt unjuſtly deprived him; the Parliaments to its juſt rights, freedomes, and privileges, which he had utterly ſubverted; and the people to their fundamental Laws, Liberties, Properties, of which he had moſt unjuſtly and perfideouſly defrauded them more than any man, againſt his Oaths, truſt, duty, under pretext of defending them; repent of all the blood he had ſhed▪ and miſchief he had done; then there was hope of mercy and pardon for him both from God and Men, otherwiſe there was none at all for ought he knew. At he ſtanding mute, as much amazed, without any Reply, Mr. Pr· thereupon departed, without more words; and the next morning told this dream to his Siſter, and ſundry others, telling them he was confident he ſhould hear ſome strange news of Cromwell very ſpeedily, ſince he never dreamed of him before; and within three daies after he heard of his death about 12. hours after his dream. O that all other Uſurpers of others Eſtates, Offices, Lands, places, by bloud and rapine, would ſadly conſider of it, and make real reſtitution of them before they die! then would our peace be ſoon reſtored without war or bloudſhed: and their ſouls ſaved; which elſe in all probability Auguſt. Ep. 44. will be damned, without real reſtitution when poſſible to be made.

4. His relieving, interceding for the maſſacred perſecuted Proteſtant Albigenſes in Piedmont, charitable Collections for them and others, was a Chriſtian work, worthy applauſe: But his giving juſt provocation to Popiſh Princes abroad, by the Firſt 〈…〉 I ••• •• tor. ſubegii A •• ci ••• , Soaem 〈◊〉 , • orati •• , 〈◊〉 , • ungarum, P • lati •• tam ut: •• que, v • tiſqu • Hae 〈…〉 , Huli ••• , & RE • BILIONUM PA • ES CALVINISTAS, expolit & pe • • lig • vi, A • to princip •• gr •• tod, pergit • 〈…〉 , op • eloe • cibos • d eo auſpici • caeptom confi • ire, pitidos •• di. REBELLEM CALVINI AFRESIN pae •• va • um S • I • PI • US UBI I ••• EX DICATE, a • p • rt • dio & 〈…〉 revel • ſ •• t • , 〈◊〉 que vi • eto • 〈◊〉 qu •• e c • lli • • o, &c. Cenollu. Cae • l • ſel •• • . Prae •• . 2 1. 〈…〉 P • op • e ••• prae •• : S •• M. 〈…〉 or Truth. Jeſuites instigation, to extirpate their Religion, as a very Seminary of Treaſon, Sedition, Rebellion; and to maſſacre, eradicate them as a Company of Traytors, Antimonarchiſts, Regicides, Hypocrites, Rebels, and Seditious perſons; from his own and his Confederates Antimonarchical principles, practiſes, Treaſons, Rebellions of this kinde, both againſt their King, Parliament, Monarchy, their confederated Brethren of Scotland and their K • ng, as being all of one Religion, perſwaſion; his accommodating the King of Spain with whole Regiments of bloudie Iriſh Papiſts, who had embrewed their hands in ſo much Proteſtant bloud in Ireland, and were the chief Inſtruments in murdering theſe poor Proteſtants; his negligence in examining the miſimployment of this and other Collections under him for diſtreſſed foreign Proteſtants; the greateſt part of which are yet in the Collectors hands, or diverted otherwiſe. Was in truth but firſt to kill, wound, plunder; and then relieve them when too late.

5. His Confederacy with the King of Sweden to invade the Kingdom of Poland, and uſurp that Crown by force, (without right or colourable Title,) upon pretext to advance the Proteſtant cauſe, relieve the Proteſtant Churches & propagat the Goſpel there; had ſome ſpecious ſhew of zeal to Religion: But to doe apparent Rom. 3. • . evil, that good might come of it; to ingage in ſuch a war to propagat the Goſpel of peace, which ended in the total extirpation of all the Protestants and their Churches in Poland, whence they are now totally extirpated, as himſelf related in his Briefs, papers for their over-late relief: and produced a new bloudie warr (wherein he alſo ſided with him) againſt the King of Denmark, a Proteſtant King, the Marqueſs of Brandenburgh, the Dutch, and other our Proteſtant allies, ſadly divided against each other, in late bloudy battles by Land & Sea, to the endangering of all the Protestant Churches throughout the world, and engaging them all in a New Warre, and our three N • tions (in all probability) againſt our Proteſtant Brethren, (now the Popiſh Kings are reconciled, and ready to deſtroy us all) being broken in pieces amongst our ſelves, impoveriſhed, butchered by one another, rather like ſavage beaſts, than men or Chriſtians; and that in direct purſuance of De Monarchia Hiſp. c. 25, 20, 27. Campanellius, See his Inſtructions. Richelieus, and Paulus Windeck de Extirpandis Haereſibus Antid. 10.11 p 408.412.580. & 244. Hoſpinian Hiſt. Jeſuit. l. 3. & l 4. p. 212, 213, 214. Lud. Lucius, H • ſt Jeſuit. l. 1. p. 175. l. 2. p 186, 187, 188. Johan. Cambilhonus, de Rebus Jeſuitarum Abſtruſioribus. An. 1608. other Jeſuited Plots, who expreſly write: That the Catholicks are to uſe all arts and means to divide the Proteſtants, Lutherans, Calvinists, and Sectaries one from and againſt each other, by various arts and means, and all occaſions laid hold of for that purpoſe, that they may with more eaſe oppreſs, deſtroy them all; and that they ought not to neglect the opportunity to accompliſh their utter extirpation when their monies are exhauſted, their forces weakned, and they divided by their inteſtine wars. The best means being thus to destroy them by themſelves, till they (like the Kite in the Fable) ſhall devour the Frog and Mouſe together, during their combats with each other; Was ſuch a Machiavilian Policy to advance the Proteſtant cauſe, as Mazarine and the Jeſuites ſuggeſted to him on purpoſe to effect their ruine; as all Wiſe men, and his own Creatures now over-late diſcern: and Bedlam Hugh Peters in his Letter to a Great Army-Officer, the 10th of this inſtant May.

6. His endeavour to bring in the See my 1. & 2. Demurrer to the Jews long diſcontinued Remitter into England. Jews with their Synagogues and Jewiſh Ceremonies, under a pretended hopes of their long-deſired Converſion, but • eal intended expectation to finger Two hundred thouſand pounds of their gold at preſent, and all the rest in future when tranſplanted; to ſet up their Antichriſtian Judaiſm, in direct contradiction to our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt; and at the very ſelf-ſame time, by his printed Declaration 24 Novemb. 1655. and private Inſtructions to his New Baſha's (or Major Generals) to eject, ſilence at one blow (without conviction, hearing, or the leaſt legal proceeding) many hundreds of Miniſters, Schoolmasters, Scholars of the late Kings party (though learned, orthodox, godly, pious, peaceable, formerly indemnified and admitted to exerciſe their functions) and prohibit them any more to preach, marry, administer the Sacrament, pray, teach School in any publike place, or private meeting of any other perſons, than thoſe of their own family, or in any Gentlemens houſes as Chaplains or Tutors to their Children, under pain of 3 Moneths impriſonment for the firſt, 6 moneths for the 2d. and perpetual baniſhment for the 3d Offence: And to puniſh them as Rogues and Vagrants, if they wandred abroad to begg their bread, on purpoſe to ſtarve both them, their wives, families, or enforce them to flie into forein Popiſh Realms, (being excluded out of the Netherlands) and there turn Papiſts to preſerve their lives; when all Prieſts, Jeſuites, Sectaries whatſoever, and Jewes themſelves had ſo much Liberty under him; Was ſuch a tranſcendent Barbariſm, Impiety, and High way to extirpate our Religion, (as pious learned Archbiſhop Ʋſher told him when he mediated for their libertie, and could not prevail, as he told Mr. Prynne and others with tears, which brake his heart ſoon after) as the Pope, and Jeſuites themſelves could not have invented the like; and exceeded all forein perſecutions against Proteſtant Miniſters in Piemont, Bohemia, and Sileſia, by Popiſh Princes, being of a different Religion, but be a pretended Proteſtant Zealot.

7. His Extending not only his Toleration but real Protection to all Sects whatſoever, except POPERY and PRELACY, and paſſing the late Bill 1657. (put on by the Presbyterians) againſt Papiſts, might ſavour of ſome diſguſt againſt thoſe of the Romiſh Religion: But his extraordinary intimacy with Cardinal Mazarine, Sir Kenelm Digby a moſt dangerous Jeſuited Papiſt lodged by him in Whitehall, (a chief Inſtrument of the union between him and Mazarine,) and ſundry other Papiſts, Jeſuites, Popiſh Prieſts: His ſuſpending all penal Lawes, Executions againſt Popiſh Prieſts, Jeſuits, though ſometimes taken in their pontificalibus at Maſſe, and ſoon after releaſed: His protections under hand and ſeal to ſundry of them, particularly to Maurice Coury, Provincial of the Franciſcans in England: Their coming over in greater ſwarms of later times, than ever heretofore, without restraint, as himſelf ſee hete, p. 42, 43. printed as well as declared in his publike Speeches: His endevours to ſtop the late Bill againſt Papiſts the very morning he was to paſs it, by his Whitehall Instruments, who moved its ſuſpenſion for a time, as not ſuiting with preſent Forein correſpondencies; (againſt whom it was carried by 88. Votes, That it ſhould be carried up with the reſt then paſſed:) With the Copy of his Letter to Card: Mazarine, (in many good hands, affirmed to bee real not counterfeit) excuſing his paſſing this Bill, as carried on by a violent Presbyterian party much againſt his with yet it ſhould not hurt them though paſſed, &c. which accordingly fell out: The large expreſſions made to thoſe of Dunkirkin his name by their Gov: Lockert, to protect them in the full and free exerciſe of their Romiſh Religion as amply as ever the King of Spain did: with other particulars of that nature: And his great incouraging of all ſorts of Sects My Quakers Vnmasked, 1655 And New Diſcovery of Romiſh Emiſtaries, 1656. headed, acted by diſguiſed Jeſuits, Priests, Friers, as M.P. hath elſwhere fully evidenced: Are demonſtrations beyond all exceptions; what an Advancer he was of the true Proteſtant cauſe and Religion.

8. His undermining, ſubverting all our Fundamental Lawes, Liberties, Properties, (and Parliaments too) in the higheſt degree, by his own and his Army-Officers, Councils, new printed Folio Ordinances, Inſtruments, Taxes, Exciſes, High Courts of Injuſtice, Major Generals Commiſſions, Inſtructions, Proceedings, by committing ſundry perſons Cloſe priſoners (ſome of them to forein Iſlands) without any cauſe expreſſed, legal trial or conviction dive • s moneths, years, by warrants under his own or his Councils hands: His ſtopping returns of Habeas Corpora, when granted, or removing the Priſoners to new remote priſons: His ſeiſing, ſecuring the perſons, horſes, arms of thouſands, and baniſhing them from London time after time, upon meer forged Plots, Fears: His disbenching his own Judges for not complying with his illegal will: His oft ſtiling MAGNA CHARTA, MAGNA FARTA with higheſt indignation: Committing 3. Lawyers to the Tower at once as Traytors, for daring to argue an Habeas Corpus againſt his illegal Commitment, and Whitehall Ordinance for Exciſe in Conyes caſe (a preſident not to be paralleld:) his prohibiting See his Whitehall Ordinances for Exciſe and Taxes, 14 Decemb. & 17 March 1653. May 4. & June 8. 1654. & The 1. Part of my Legal and Hiſtorical Vindication, &c. p. 66. to 90. all Lawyers, Sollicitors, Judges, and Courts of Juſtice whatſoever under him, to plead, act, or admit any proceedings, or legal trial at Law against his illegal Ordinances and abſolute commands, under pain of his higheſt indignation: His defrauding moſt Patrons of their livings and lapſing them, (by his own Ordinances, Inſtruments) into his own hands, refuſing their honeſteſt, ableſt Clerks, without any cauſe aſſigned, and denying them the benefit of Quare Impedits after judgement given upon them by his own Judges. All theſe are clear demonſtrations to Mr. P. beyond contradiction; That our Infant Commonwealth both in its birth, growth, progreſs under its old Guardians, and New Protector, was but the Jeſuits, Popes, Spaniards, Mazarines, and our Popiſh Enemies new Creature, and Inſtrument to ruine our Proteſtant Church, Religion, King, kingdoms, Laws, Liberties: The very name of Magna Charta it ſelf (for which our anceſtors heretofore ſpent ſo much bloud and treaſure in reality, and we of late only in pretence) being ſo exec • able to our New Free-States men, that in September 1650. it was expunged out of a Petition M. P. drew for Mr. Luttrel, (to • ave Dunster Caſtle the habitation of him and his anceſtors, from being pulled down over his head before hearing or Notice, by an Order iſſued for that purpoſe and put in execution) to John Bradſhaw and their Free-State Council at Whitehall, by their Attorney Prideaux order, becauſe it would diſtaſt them: and a Great Fart was more ſavory to Olivers red noſe than it: all in purſuance of the Jeſuits old Plot: as you have heard out of Watſons Quodlibets: This M.P. ſhall a little infiſt on, becauſe of a preſent deſign againſt our Laws now eagerly purſued.

The late Parliament in Exact. Collection. p. 7.10 267, 268, 340, 342.376.459.491, to. 495.503.573, 575, 660.665, 666, 825.832.839.907. to. 916.932.951. above one hundred Declarations, Ordinances, Orders, Votes, made this their principal Charge againſt the Kings Jeſuitical Counſellors, and the Popiſh Forces raiſed by him, againſt the Parliament, that they endeauoured the ſubverſion and extirpation of our antient fundamental Laws & Government: and that one of the A Collection of Ordinances p. 13.30.34.42, 43.98, 99.161.167, 168, 169.185.199.203, 204, 211.227.275.282.294.305.313.317.340.363:371.380.417.420, 423, 425.432.451. to. 460.504.513.537, 539.616.623.666.679.877, 878. Appendix. P. 4.15. chiefest cauſes of their taking up arms and raiſing Armies against them, was for the neceſſary defence and preſervation of theſe antient Good old Laws and Liberties, (the Inheritance and Birthright of every Engliſh Freeman) whereby not only his Majeſties Regal Authority, but the Peoples ſecurity of Lives, Lands, Livings, Privileges, Liberty, (both in general and particular) are preſerved and maintained, and by the aboliſhing, innovating or alteration of which, it is impoſſible but that preſent confuſion will fall upon the whole State and Frame of this Kingdom: as the whole Parliament of 1 Jacobi ch. 2. expreſly declared long ſince in the Prologue of that Act, the late long Parliament in ſundry Declarations; Yea King Charls himſelf in his Declaration by advice of his Council, to all his Subjects, Dec. 15. 1641. Exact Collect: p. 28, 29. his Anſwer to the Lords and Commons Petition, April 9. 1642. Ibid. p. 140. to their Declaration May 4. 1642. p. 163, 164. and elſwhere, the Defence whereof againſt invaſion, ſubverſion, he made the ground of raiſing Forces against an Anabaptistical party & faction in the Parliament, intending to ſubvert and extirpate them root and branch, as you may read at large: Ib. p. 326, 443, 451, 514, 515, 555, 556, 561, 562, 579, 619. A Collection of Ordinances, p. 28, 38, 39, 116, 117. Yet notwithſtanding all theſe Parliament Declarations and Commiſſions in purſuance of them; the Army-Officers, Souldiers, by the Jeſuits ſuggestions, have been ſo farr intoxicated, as to attempt the utter ſubverſion and extirpation both of our Laws (and Lawyers too) for whoſe defence they were principally raiſed, in purſute ofHere, p. 42. Father Parſons forementioned deſign, under pretext of reforming them: though the bare indirect attempt to ſubvert them in a farr inferiour degree, was adjudged HIGH TREASON in See their impeachments, Trials. The Act & Ordinance for their Attainders, Mr. Pyms ſpeech, Mr. St. Iohns Declaration, & Argument againſt them, and firſt part of my Legal and Hiſtorical Vindication, &c. Straffords and Canterburies caſes, for which they both loſt their Heads AS TRAYTORS, and in the Caſe of the Ship-mony Judges in the long Parliament.

That they have proſecuted this deſign in England to ſubvert our Fundamental Common Lawes, and Great Charter of our Liberties, is moſt apparent by their proceedings in their Mock Parliament, and printed Vote 20 Auguſt 1653. Ordered, there ſhould be a Committee ſelected To conſider of a New Body of the Law, and the Government of this Commonwealth: Compared with A True ſtate of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, &c. printed 1654. p. 15, 16, 17, 18. which aſſures us, That there was a ſtrong prevailing party in that Aſſembly, whom nothing would ſatisfie, But a total eradication of the whole Body of the Good Old Laws of England, (the Gardians of our Lives and Fortunes) to the utter ſubverſion of Civil Right and Propriety, &c. And our two Jeſuitical Lilly, and Culpepper. Prognoſticators were ſo confident of it (as if the Stars in heaven had concurred herein with the Jeſuites and Anabaptiſtical Conventicle then on earth) that in their ſcurrillous Prognoſtications they predicted the downfall not only of all our Miniſters, and their Tithes, but of our Laws and Lawyers, Prognoſticating, in the moneths of January, February, September, October, and December 1654. That the Lawes & Lawyers of the Nation ſhould be pulled down to the ground; That the Great Charter it ſelf ſhould be called into queſtion with other Liberties, as not ſuting with Engliſh mens brains at this time; Nota. That the Crabtree of the Law ſhould be plucked up by the roots to hinder the future growth thereof; There being no reaſon are ſhould now be governed by the Norman Law, ſince the Norman Race is taken away by the ſame inſtrument (the ſword of Conqueſt) which brought it in. They are the very words of theſe falſe Prognoſticators, who have many ſuch like paſſages in them both before and ſince. Which, compared with the late ſpeeches of many Common Souldiers: That there ſhould be no more Terms in Weſtminſter Hall: That they hoped very ſpeedily to ſee not only the Lawyers gowns, but the Lawyers themſelves hanged vp over the Courts in Weſtminſter Hall, where the decayed Scots coulours hung, to ſupply their vacant places: That it would be a goodly ſight, to ſee all the Trees in St. James's Park hung with Lawyers and their gownes; with ſundry ſuch like ſpeeches, ſince May 6. 1659. All theſe compared together, (with what Mr. Prynne hath frequently heard the Soldiers ſay during his neer 3. years cloſe Impriſonment under them, and their New Republike in Dunſter, Taunton, and Pendennys Caſtles) That they hoped ere long to ſee and leave neither one Lawyer, nor Pariſh Prieſt throughout England, Nor yet ſteeple, ſteeple-houſe or Bells, which they would ſell, or caſt into Ordinance to fight againſt the Dutch, &c. with ſome Petitions and Pamphlets now on foot to the like tune; and the Army-Officers freſh Propoſal, to thoſe now ſitting and their Votes thereon; for the reformation of our Laws, &c. Are an infallible evidence to him, that all our former, late, and preſent changes of this Nature, for which this formerly eiected Repvblican Conventicle is now reaſſembled, are the meer proiections of the All-ſwaying Jeſuits, to work our Laws ſpeedy ruine. It being their profeſſed practice even in other forein Popiſh kingdoms, to ſubvert their fundamental Lawes, eſpecially thoſe which concern the inheritance, ſucceſſion of the Crown, and Liberties of the Subjects; for which take theſe two Teſtimonies even from forein Papiſts themſelves. The 1. in that memorable Peece, See Hoſpinian Hiſt. Ieſuitica, l. 3. & 4. speculum Ieſuiticum, p. 119. Ludovicus Lucius, Hiſtor: Ieſuit. l. 4: c: 5 where it is printed at large & Thuanus Hiſt: l: 138: Conſilium de recuperanda et in poſterum ſtu • ilienda Pace Regni P • loniae per Ieſuitarum ejectionem, preſented to the Parl. of Poland, An. 1607. out of which they were ſoon after baniſhed. Hic autem vos notare velim ejuſdem peſtis Ieſuitici non minorem efficatiam eſſe in oppugnanda et expugnanda Republica, e • terendis Legibus, quoties nempe ſentiunt, ſe ab his, in inſtituta ſua venatione, impediri. Et quod ad Leges attinet, hae politicae tineae, Illas praecipue arrodere conſue verunt et exedere; quibus jus ſucceſſionis in regno continetur, Libertaſque et Pax publica firmatur. Which he proves by ſeveral prefidents of their ſhaking aboliſhing the very fundamental Laws of this Nature, in France, Hungary, Styria, Auſtria, Carinthia, and elſewhere: and that with ſuch ſucceſs, ut obtritis Legibus quibus praedictarum Nationum libertas nitebatur, partem earum penitus appreſſerint, partem ad extremam deſperationem adigererint: In praedictis Provinciis alicubi Illuſtribus et Antiquiſſimas Nobilitatis Familiis publice diem dictum eſſe intra quem ſe, aut coram Ieſuitarum Tribunali ſiſtant, aut relictis patriis ſedibus alio migrent. And is not this the ſad, deſperate condition of many antient Noble Proteſtant Families, Knights, Gentlemen and others, both in England, Ireland, Scotland, and of the Royal Proteſtant Family, ſince our late Warrs, Changes of Government, Parliaments, and extirpation of all our Fundamental Laws, Liberties, Properties, by the Jeſuits and their Inſtruments? O let our whole Nation and Republican Members too (once ſhamefully ejected by thoſe now calling them in) conſider, conſider, conſider this over and over, and lay it cloſe to heart: leaſt cloſing with the Jeſuites now again in this New Convention, as they aſſuredly did in the Old ſince December 1648. till April 1653. they incurr that ſad fate of Hiſt. Gallica & Belgica, l: • : f. 151, 152. Speculum Ieſuiticum, p. 75.80. The general Hiſtory of France, in H. 4. and Lewis 13 Hoſpinian Hiſtoria, Ieſuit. l. 3.153. to 159. Lud. Lucius, Hiſtor. Ieſuit. l. 3. c, 2. King Henry the 4th of France; who after the execution of ſome and baniſhment of all Jeſuites out of France, upon John Castles one of their diſciples ſtabbing him in the cheek, with an intent to murder him; and afterwards recalling, favouring, flattering them by building a ſtately College for them, entertaining one of them for his Confeſſor, and bequeathing his very heart unto them, to be interred with them after his death, together with a very large Legacy of Plate and Lands; yet they ſoon after procured their deſperat Aſſaſſinate and Diſciple Ravilliac to ſtabb him to the heart, in the open ſtreet in Paris, An. 1610. A Juſt reward for his neglect, contempt of his Parliaments timely admonitions in ſundry Remonſtrances preſented to him, never to truſt or recall them more; and the notable Epigram againſt the Jeſuits, tendred to him by a true Philopater, Anno 1603. wherein there is this memorable paſſage in relation to their ſubverſion of all antient Fundamental Laws. Cuinam Hominum ignotum eſt Ieſuitas nocte dieque, Nil meditari aliud quam qua ratione modove, Priſca Statuta queant, Patriaſque evertere Leges; Inque locum Antiquis totum in contraria Nobis, Iura dare; & ſanctos privata ad commoda Ritus. Pl • ctere; nulli unquam quod poſt mutare licebit? &c. M. Prynne conſidering all theſe particulars, and knowing that this ſodain re-aſſembly of the old eiected Republican M • mbers, now fitting, originally proceeded from the Jeſuits projection, ſollicitation, and Anabaptiſtical Sectarian party formerly combining with them, in all their proceedings againſt the late King, (at whoſe execution the Nota. Queens own Conf • ſſor was preſent in a Soldiers habit, flouriſhing his ſword when his head was off as well as other Jeſuits, Popiſh Prieſts, overjoyed with that ſpectacle) the ſecluded Members, the Houſe of Lords, and transformation of our Kingdom into a Commonwealth, to accompliſh their remaining deſigns, left unfiniſhed; pro • ected in terminis by Watſons Quodlibets, p. 92, 94, 95. & Dialogue, p. 95. Father Parſons and the Jeſuites, and violently purſued in the ſhort Mock-Parliament nominated at Whitehall by the Army-Officers themſelves, 1653. viz: To eradicate the National Church, Miniſters, Miniſtry of England, Advowſons, Tithes, Glebes, with Parochial Churches, Chapels, as Antichriſtian, and leave not one ſtone of them upon another: Which John Canne (the new-voted Diurnall-man) in his Voice from the Temple, then dedicated to them, particularly excited them to, with all ſpeed and earneſtneſs, as their Generation-work, expected, required of them by God and all the Saints of the Land) To ſell all the Crown, Colleges, Ʋniverſities, and Corporations lands yet remaining, to ſupport and pay the Jeſuited Army (kept up ſo long on purpoſe to ruine, eat us out.) M. Prynne thereupon, held it his bounden duty, both as a Member, Lawyer, Engliſhman, and former Patriot of his Countries Liberties, againſt all Jeſuitical Ʋnderminers of them and our Proteſtant Religion, truly & fully to diſcover the ſame to the whole Engliſh Nation, Army, and thoſe now ſitting; and to preſs it home upon their Conſciences by this his Narrative, whether they will hearken to, believe, obey it, or not, ſince he was forcibly ſecluded from doing it by Speech: having ſufficient warrant, encouragement, and protection for it, (as he apprehends) from God himſelf, Ezech. 2.4, 5, 6. and Jer. 1.18, 19. For they are hard of face, and ſtiff hearted; Therefore (Son of man) I do ſend thee unto them, and thou ſhalt ſay unto them, thus ſaith the Lord. And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious Houſe) yet ſhall know, that there hath been a Prophet among them. And thou Son of man, be not afraid of them; neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou doeſt dwell among Scorpions; Be not afraid of their Faces, nor be diſmayed at their Looks, though they be a Rebellious Houſe. And thou ſhalt ſpeak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether th • y will forbear. But thou Son of man, hear what I ſay unto thee (and O that all the ſeduced Army, Republican Members and their confederates would now hear and obey it too) Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious Houſe. For behold I have made thee this day, a defenced City, and an iron pillar, and brazen walls againſt the whole Land, againſt the Princes thereof, and the Priests thereof, and againſt all the people of the Land (engaged againſt thee and thy true Good Old Cauſe) And they ſhall fight againſt thee (by ſundry ſcurrillous Paſquils, Petitions, Slanders, Reproaches, and armed ſecluding Guards) but they ſhall not prevail againſt thée. For I am with thee, ſaith the Lord, (as well now as in all former Engagements, Trials for this Good cauſe) to deliver thée, The aſſurance whereof hath made him ſo reſolute, as ſingly by himſelf, to encounter an whole armed Hoſt and Houſe, at once, and throuh Gods bleſſing to rout them in a manner by his bare preſence, and their Good Old Cauſe in a great meaſure by his ſingle Oppoſition: The Pſ. 115.1. ſole praiſe whereof he deſires to render wholly and ſolely Iſ. 46.7, 11. Pſ. 27.1 6 to the Lord of Hoſts, and Num. 16.22. c. 27.16. God of the Spirits of all Fleſh, and not in any kind or part to himſelf, Pſ. 22.6. a meer worm and not a man, an earthen V • ſſel: yea one of the weak, baſe, deſpiſed things of the world, and a thing that can not, whom yet God can and may make uſe of, to confound the things that are mighty, and to bring to nought things that are, that no Fleſh ſhall glo • y in his preſence, and that the excellency of the power might be of God and not of him; who hath promiſed, that 2 Cor. 4.7. 1 Cor. 1.27, 28, 29. Deut. 32.30 One of his faithfull people ſhall chaſe a thouſand, and two, put ten thouſand to flight, (in a true Good Old Cauſe and Quarrel) for the Lord their God be it is that fighteth for them as he hath promiſed. What then might all the ſecluded Members and old Lords Houſe do, and all the well affected Orthodox Proteſtants in our three Nations, had they but hearts, wiſedoms, courage to joyn their Counſels and endeavours together, (according to their Solemn League and Covenant) to vindicate their true Old Cauſe and Parliamentary privileges, againſt all inconſiderable Oppugners and Subverters of them.

Mr. Prynne; having neither Wife nor Child to provide for, not much to care for, and never yet deſiring any New Office, Advancement or Employment in this preſent world, nor receiving the leaſt reward for all his faithfull publick ſervices, nor recompence for his manifold loſſes, ſufferings, expences for the Publick to whom he hath ever been a faithfull unmercinarie Servant, is in good hopes, that the ſerious peruſal of the premiſes, will convince the Good Old Cauſe now cryed up, to be a cheat of the Ieſuites put upon the Army, (as Hugh Peters apprehends, ſtiles it in his Letter, the 10th. of this May, to a chief Officer of the Army,) and alſo wipe off all the Miſ-reports, Scandals, Reproaches, Cenſures, yea acquit him from the heavy charge of Sedition, Mutiny, Treaſon, againſt the Infant Houſe and Republick, caſt upon him for his actions or diſcourſes here related, by thoſe who are reallie guiltie of theſe Crimes in the higheſt degree, by ſubverting our antient Kings, Kingdomes, Kingſhip, Parliaments, Peers, Privileges, Laws, Liberties, Properties, Oaths, by their Ieſuitical plots and innovations, and making a prey of all the publick wealth, Lands, Revenues of the Crown, to enrich themſelves, and maintain a ſeditious Army, utterly to devour the ſmall Remainder of our publick and private wealth almoſt drained to the dregs; and bettay us into the hands of our forein Enemies, when they have left us neither hearts, hands wills, mony, nor means, manfully to reſiſt their invading power, and reduced us to that ſlavery, as rather to live under any forein Tyrannie, than an Jer. 46.16. c. 50.16. oppreſsing Sword of their own domineering Hirelings. As for the thing they ſtile Sedition, it is but Calipine, Holioke, ſumma Angelica Tit. Seditio. Cicero de Repub. l. 6. Lu. 23.19. ſcorſum itio, when a ſew confederated Innovators ſhall ſeperate themſelves from the General body or Aſſembly of the Kingdom, Church, Parliament, Houſe, whereof they are Members, and act a part by themſelves, as a divided Republick, Church, Parliament, Houſe, without and againſt the Generalitie, and true lawfull Members, and ſeperate them from their company. And if this be truth, as See the Appendix to Mr Ruſhworths Hiſtorical Col p. 30. to 40, 41, 42. our Statutes, Lawbooks,Luke 6, 22. Caſuiſts, Canoniſts, and Hiſtorians accord, we ſhall know in whoſe Hearts, Houſe Sedition truly dwells. And if Polit. l. 3. & Ethic. l. 8. Ariſtotle Summa Angelica, Tit. Seditio. Aquiuas, See the Soveraign Power of Parliaments, pa • t 4. p. 187, 188.192. Angelus de Clavaſio, and p ſundry others who write of Sedition, may be credited; He who diſturbs the Rule or Government of any unlawfull Ʋſurper is no ſeditious Perſon, becauſe ſuch a uſurped Government or Power is not ordained for the common good, (whatever pretended) but for the private advantage of the Vſurper, Secunda ſecundae Artic 12. & Qu •• t. Therefore the diſturbance of ſuch a Ʋſurper hath no • the reaſon of Sedition; yea, it is to be commended, becauſe it freeth the Generality of the People from a Tyrannical Power uſurped over, or forcibly impoſed on them againſt their wills, and it is the uſurping Tyrant only who truely is ſeditious, as they all define in direct words. And whether Mr. Prynne and other ſecluded Members and Lords, being five times their number, or thoſe who ſeclude them be ſeditious, let the whole Kingdome reſolve.

Mr. Prynne not knowing whether he ſhall have the like opportunity again; ſhall for a Concluſion of this Narrative addreſſe himſelf, and direct ſome things he intended to have ſpoken.

1. To the Army-Officers and Souldiers, Remember I beſeech you in the bowels of Jeſus Chriſt, what your own Army-Chaplain John Sedgewick in his Juſtice upon the Armies Remonſtrance, from St. Albons, Nov. 16. 1648. and Rebukes of that evil Spirit that leads them in their Counſels and Actions, hath written to them therein, and to the Lord Fairfax then General, and the General Counſel of war, in his Epiſtle Dedicatorie to them, when they firſt eſpouſed their preſent Good Old Cauſe. His words are home and piercing, Deſtruction you practiſe, it is your work, it is your end, you cannot ſee beyond it, and you are haſtning to it, it is the center to which you tend, and therefore I cannot but ſhew it to you, that you may ſtay your courſe b • fore the pit ſhut her mouth upon you. You are full of glorie in the great things you have done, wonderfull things! a mighty preſence of God. But in ſum what is it? You have torn a poor ſinfull Kingdom in pieces, you have executed wrath upon your Brethren, Friends, and Countrymen, you have laid deſolate your Father the King, the Parliament, your Mother, your own Country: This is your glorie to be Executioners, Aſſyria the Rod of mine Anger, what a Crown is this? Have you reſtored, bleſſed, healed, comforted, ſaved any? No, You have but plunged the Kindome and your ſelves into a Pit of Darkneſſe and Confuſion. You drive furiouſly over the King, Parliament, Laws, Conſcience, Loyalty, Privileges, ſo as no human nor ſacred thing can ſtand before you. It is high time to withſtand you, for it is not men onlie that ſuffer from you, but the Lord: Your Sword goeth ſo deep that it pierceth through his Soul alſo: You are gone ſo farre in diſſolving the Foundations of Government, that you are come to him who upholds the Pillars of the earth: you reach to the head of Principalities, and Powers; to the Lord who is the Author and Upholder of all theſe things. He is in theſe deſpiſed broken Ordinances of his, and ſenſible of everie blow that is given to them: You have digged through the wall of Fleſh and men, and through the partition wall that divided them from God, and now you are in the bowels of the Lord; theſe miſerable broken Powers are now the Lord. Go on, tear and rend, you will at laſt look upon him whom you have pierced, and mourn. O that you would now do ſo in good earneſt, as you pretend only in your Declaration of May 6. 1659. and Pſ. 68.21. yet go on ſtill in your former Treſpaſſes, for which God will wound your hairy Scalps. O conſider, that Jeſus Chriſt, whoſe Servants ye pretend to be, is both a Pſ. 24.7, 8, 9, 10. King of Glory, & a Rev. 15.3. King of Saints: That the Goſpel you profeſſe is the Mat. 4.23. c. 9.35. c. 13.19. c. 14.24. Goſpel of the Kingdom, (not Republick) yea, the Mat. 10.7. c. 12.28. c. 21.43. c. 4.43. c. 8.1, 10. c. 16.16. Acts 20.25. Kingdom of God, and of Heaven in Goſpel-language: That his Church whereof you pretend your ſelf Members, is frequently ſtyled a 1 Cor. 15.24. Col. 1.13. Rev. 12.10. Kingdom, never a Common-wealth (or at leaſt but Eph. 2.12. once, and that not in oppoſition or contradiſtinction to a Kingdom, which is the firſt excellenteſt of all Common-wealths, as Ariſtot. Polit. l. 3. c. 12. l. 4. c. 2. Heathen Philoſophers, Polititians and Devines accord,) but as the verie ſame with it: That the Saints themſelves are ſtyled, the Mat. 13 38. Children of the Kingdom, (not Republick) Rev. 1.9. Companions in the Kingdom of Chriſt, even in this world; yea a Exod 19.6. Rev. 1.6. c. 5.10. c. 20.6. 1 Pet. 2 5. Kingdom of Prieſts, a Royal Prieſthood; Nay Kings and Prieſts to God the Father, and that by Chriſts own conſtitution. Conſider yet further, that Heaven it ſelf, into which you expect at laſt to enter, is ever ſtiled Mat. 5.3.19. c. 7.21. c. 8.11. the Kingdom of Heaven, 2 Pet. 1.11. 2 Tim. 4.18. an heavenlie and everlaſting Kingdom, a Heb. 12.28. Kingdom which cannot be moved, a Dan. 7.27. Lu. 1.33. Iſ. 9.1. Kingdom which ſhall have no end; (never a Common-wealth;) That in this Kingdom we read of nothing but 2 Tim. 4.8. 1 Pet. 5.4. Pſ. 45 9. Mat. 19.28. Rev. 3 21. c. 20.4. c. 9.11. c. 7.9.13 14. Crowns, Scepters, Thrones, Robes of Glory and Majeſty, and of 2 Tim. 2.22. Rev. 22.5. reigning in it for ever and ever. That Chriſt himſelf hath promiſed, appointed, and his Father given to all his Saints the Lu. 12.32. c. 22.22. Kingdome of Heaven. Upon which account they are now ſtiled Iames 2.5. Heirs of the Kingdom, and ſhall hereafter Mat. 25.34. inherit & poſſeſſe this Kingdom, receive the Crowns, wear the Royal Robes, ſit upon the Thrones provided for them in it. How then have the Enchanters of Rome, Spain, France, ſo far inſatuated your underſtandings, blinded your Judgements, intoxecated your Brains, perverted your Wills, corrupted your Affections, ſeared your Conſciences, engaged your unralie Paſſions, as notwithſtanding all this, to make you Bedlam madde, againſt all Kings, Kingſhip, Kingdoms, Crowns, Scepters, Thrones, Principalites, and Kingly power, as to a abhor, and engage againſt both the things themſelves and their verie names, yea to extirpate them root and branch, againſt his expreſſe Evangelical procepts, word and practiſe of all his Saints in either Teſtament, to dote upon ſuch a ſtrange Ʋtopian Common-wealth, and new Freeſtate, the verie names whereof, much leſſe the things, you find not once in Scripture in your ſenſe, and never yet read of in the militant or triumphant Church of Chriſt. Let Mr. Prynne a little expoſtulate the caſe with you, not as a Lawyer but as a Chriſtian. Do you indeed believe the Scripture, to be the very will and word of the Pſ. 47.7. Gen. 18.25. Great King, the Soveraign Lord, and Iudge of all the Earth, and of Jeſus Chriſt, Rev. 5.3. &c. 19.16. 1. Tim. 6.15. the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and King of Saints, which you are bound in Conſcience, under pain of eternal damnation to believe and obey? If not, proclaim it as loud to the world with your Voyces, as you do by your Swords, Ti • . 1.16. Actions; and then all will know you in your Native colours, to be no Saints but real Atheiſts, and all reaſonings with you will be in vain. But having Hib. 6.9. better perſwaſions of you,Iſay 1.24. Acts 26.27. That you believe the Scripure to be the Gal. 6.16. only rule of your Conſciences, Iudgements, Lives, both as Souldiers and Chriſtians. Then anſwer clearlie to theſe interrogations; The Lord of Hoſts himſelf moſt peremptorilie and preciſelie commands you, To fear God, honour the King, 1 Pet. 2.17. Rom. 13.7. Yea to fear the Lord and the King, (coupling both theſe together as unſeperable) and not to meddle with thoſe who are given to change, Prov. 24.21. How can, how dare you then diſhonour, vilitie, reproach, deſtroy, both your natural Kings, and Kingſhip too, without the leaſt fear at all of God or the King, and change them into a New Republican Conventicle? He commands you to ſubject your ſelves to the King as Supream, both by the Ordinance of God and man, and that for the Lords ſake: and avoiding ſcandal to Religion, 1 Pet. 2.12, 13. To be ſubject to the Higher Powers, and amongſt them more eſpeciallie to Kings and Principalities; and that not only for fear of wrath, but for Conſcience ſake, for theſe Reaſons clearlie expreſſed: Becauſe they are of God, and ordained by God: Becauſe they are the Miniſters of God for your good. Becauſe they are Gods Avengers to puniſh you, if you diſobey, reſiſt, or do evil; Becauſe they who reſiſt them reſist the Ordinance of God, and ſhall receive to themſelves damnation, Rom. 13.1. to 8. Tit. 3.1, 2. VVith what face, heart, confidence, conſcience, then can or dare you, not onlie not ſubmit, ſubject your ſelves to, but exalt your ſelves above, againſt your lawfull Soveraign Kings, and Higher powers, ſo far as not onlie to reſiſt, but deſtroy their Perſons, Powers, Kingſhips, Principalities themſelves though Gods own Ordinance? and that out of pretended Zeal and Conſcience too; and hope to receive a Crown on Earth, or in Heaven for it, when as God himſelf denounceth Damnation to you, for your verie unwarrantable reſiſtance of them alone, and much more for their deſtruction, God requires you to make Prayers, Supplications, Interceſsions, and giving of thanks 1 Tim. 2.1, 2, 3. firſt of all FOR KINGS, that YOU may live a peaceable and quiet life (under them) in all Godlineſs and honeſtie, for this is good and acceptable in the ſight of God our Saviour. See Tertull • an Apologia. To make prayers to the God of Heaven FOR THE LIFE OF THE KING AND OF THE KINGS SONS, Ezra 6.12, 13. To pray with all the primitive Church and Saints of Cod, Pſal. 72.1. Give the King thy Judgement O God, and thy Righteouſneſs unto the Kings Sun: How can, how dare you then, not onlie neglect theſe Duties, but prohibit, condemn, puniſh them, as no leſſe than High Treaſon in others? and not onlie fight, but curſe, revile, pray againſt the King, and the Kings Sons too, and take away their lives, livelihoods, inſtead of praying for them, reputing it both your godlyneſſe, honeſty, yea a Duty acceptable, and well pleaſing unto God: Iſay 1.2. Pſ. 114.7. Hear O Heavens, and tremble O Earth at this great impietie; God commands you Eccleſ. 8.2. To keep the Kings Commandement, and that in regard of the Oath of God: And dare you againſt all your Oaths of Fealty, Homage, Supremacy, Allegiance, Proteſtation, League, Covenant, printed Declarations, and your own Propoſitions 1 Auguſt 1647. That the Kings Perſon (and Royal iſſue) may be reſtored to a condition of ſafety, honor, and freedom in this Nation, without diminution of their perſonal Rights doth abjure, eradicate King, Kingſhip, and the Royal Poſterity;See the True Old Cauſe truly ſtated. that you may no more keep nor obey anie of their Superior Commands, and prefer the Commands of anie undutifull Army-Officers, (raiſed onlie to defend the King and Parliament from all force and violences) before both their Ordinances, Proclamations, Commiſsions, Votes, to both their ruines? God injoyns you not to Curſe the King no not in your thoughts, & not to revile or ſpeak evil of the Ruler of your People, Eccleſ. 10.20. Exod. 22.28. Acts 23.5. Tit. 32. And can you, like thoſe wicked Idolators, Iſay 8.21. Curſe your King and your God, and look upward: and like thoſe unjuſt, carnal, bruitiſh Beasts, (made to be destroyed, and reſerved to the day of Judgement to be puniſhed) deſpiſe Dominion, ſpeak evil of Dignities, Kings, Kingſhip, 2 Pet. 9. to 14. Jude 8.9, 10. for which the Coſpel it ſelf denounceth, Woe unto you, periſhing in the gain-ſaying of Core, Jude 11 that you ſhall utterly periſh in your own Corruption, and receive the reward of unrighteouſneſſe, 2 Pet. 2.12, 13. Chriſt himſelf more tha • once enjoyns you in the Coſpel, To render to Caeſar the things that are Caeſars, to wit, all his Dues, Tributes, Custom, Fear, Honor, Mat. 22.17, 21. Mar. 12.16, 17. Lu. 20.22, 24, 25. Rom. 13.7. how can or dare you then wrongfully forciblie take away and detain from your rightfull King & Caeſar, not onlie all theſe his Dues and Crown-lands too, but his verie Crown & life to boot, & inſtead of making reſtitution of them to his Son when he came to demand the fruits of his Fathers Vineyard, do and ſay with thoſe wicked Husbandmen in the Goſpel, Mat. 21.38, 39. Lu. 20.14. this is the Heir come let us kill him, and the Inheritance ſhall be ours, and cast him out of the Vineyard. O remember the ſad doom which Chriſt himſelf and all his Auditors have denounced againſt you for it in theſe Texts, & Luke 19. 27. then tremble at it. If all theſe Precepts will not affect nor reform you, Conſider, That it hath been the general conſtant importunate deſire of all Nations, and Gods own People too, (wherin God himſelf hath gratified them) to ſet up Kings to judge, rule them, and fight their battels, Deut. 17.14, 15. 1 Sam. 8.5.19, 20, 22. Jer. 25.18 to 27. For all the people unanimouſlie to rejoyce, and expreſſe their gladneſſe, contentment, ſatisfaction delight, triumph, at their Kings ſolemn inaugurations, with Trumpets, Feaſts, Shouts, Acclamations; & to eccho out this unanimous publick Ovation, again and again, God ſave the King, Let the King live, O King live for ever, and to uſe the ſelf-ſame expreſsions in all their private and publick Addreſſes 1 Sam. 11.24. 2 Sam. 16.16. 1 Kings 1.25.34, 39. 2 Kings 11.12. 2 Chron. 23 11. Ezra 6.10. Pſal. 72.10, 15. Dan. 2.4. c. 3.9. c. 6.6.21. Mat. 21·5.9. And will you be Antipodes to all other Nations, yea to Gods own people in all Ages, and cry out ſtill with united ſhouts, O do not ſave but deſtroy, crucifie, behead, extirpate, King and Kingſhip too; away with them, away with them from the earth, let them never live but die, die, and that for evermore? What madneſſe, what frenzie is this? When the wicked Jews cryed out to Pilate againſt our Saviour Jeſus Christ, (who was born King of the Iews, Mat. 2.2.) away with him, away with him, crucifie him, crucifie him. Pilate himſelf uſed this Argument to repreſſe their furie, 1 Iohn 9.12. to 23. Behold your King, ſhall I crucifie your King. At which they were ſo non-pluſſed, that their Chief Prieſts had no other Anſwer but this to evade it, We have no King but Caeſar, If thou let this Man go thou art not Caeſars Friend, whoſoever maketh himſelf a King ſpeaketh againſt Caeſar: upon which he deli ••• ed him over to them to be crucified. And when Pilate put this Title on his Croſſe, Jeſus of Nazareth, King of the IEWS, the Chief Priests were angry at it, and ſaid to Pilate, write not King of the IEWS, but that he ſaid, I am King of the Jews; being all convinced, that it was a moſt barbarous, ſhamefull, inhuman, worſe than Jewiſh act, for any Subjects or people to crucifie their lawfull King, though in a way of Publick Juſtice; whence the Apoſtle thus reaſons, 1 Cor. 2.8. That had the Princes of this world, (and Iews themſelves) known or believed Chriſt to be their King; they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory, And ſhall you not prove then far more tranſcendently impious, treacherous than the worſt of Jew, of Mortals; not only in your former crucifying, beheading your undoubted, known, lawfull, hereditary King, which they abhorred to do, but his Kingly Office and Poſterity too; if you cry ſtill, away with them, away with them, wittingly, wilfully, unceſſantly, their blood be on us and our Children after us; And will not the wrath of God come upon you and yours to the uttermoſt for this your high provocation, as it did upon theſe Jews, if you do not ſpeedily repent of it? 1 Theſ. 2.15, 16. It was the loyalty, piety of David, (a Man Acts 13.22. after Gods own heart, a gallanter Commander, Souldier, Conqueror, than the beſt & greateſt of you;) when he was perſecuted in the Field by his Soveraign King Saul and his Army, hunted as a Partridge from place to place to take away his life, and had ſeveral opportunities to deſtroy him without danger put into his hands, and was twice importuned by his rude Souldiers to ſlay him, or permit them to do it; that he rebuked this evil ſpirit and counſell in them, and gave them this Anſwer,Sam. 24.3. to 20. c. 26.8, 9, 10, 11, &c. The Lord forbid that I ſhould do this thing unto my Maſter, that I ſhould ſtretch forth my Hand againſt the Lords Anointed, ſeeing he is the anointed of the Lord, deſtroy him not, FOR WHO CAN ſtretch forth his hand againſt the Lords anointed AND BE INNOGENT: And when the Amalekite brought tydings to him of Sauls death, telling him, that he had ſlain him by Sauls own command; and preſented him with his Crown and bracelets, 2 Sam. 4.10, 11, 12, expecting a great reward from him for thoſe good tydings, being formerly anointed by God to ſucceed him: He gave him no other anſwer nor reward but this; How? waſt thou not afraid to ſtretch forth thy hand to deſtroy the Lords anointed? Thy bloud be upon thy head, for thy mouth hath teſtifyed againſt thee ſaying; I HAVE SLAIN THE LORDS ANOINTED. And he called one of the young men and ſaid, Go near and fall upon him; And he ſmote him that he died. And David and all the men that were with him • ent their clothes, and lamented with a moſt pathetical lamentation over Saul; recorded for ever in ſacred writ, 2 Sam. 1.12. to the end. The like reward he gave to the murderers of Iſhboſheth his competitor, 2 Sam. 4.10, 11, 12. And can you then conceit you were guided by the holy Spirit of God which dwelt in David? Or that you deſerve the Title, of men after Gods own heart, of Saints, of honorable, pious Commanders, Soldiers, for ſpeaking, declaring, acting againſt your K. diametrically contrary to him in all theſe particulars: and glorying in it as your higheſt praiſe, valour, Saintſhip? His tender heart 1 Sam. 24.4, 5. ſmote him to the quick, for cutting off only the skirt of King Sauls garment privily, (when he refuſed to offer the leaſt violence to his perſon, as his Soldiers counſelled him) becauſe he had cut off Saul skirt: and will not your Adamantine hearts, (Iob 11.44. harder than the nether Milſtone) yet ſmite you with the leaſt compunction for cutting off KING CHARLES HIS HEAD publickly, and parting not only his Garments amongſt you, (as the Mat. 27.35. Souldiers did our Saviours, when they crucified him) but his Crown and Kingdoms too? After David ſucceded Saul in his Throne, his Captains, Souldiers, People, were ſo carefull to preſerve his life from the leaſt appearance of danger, 2 Sam. 18 3. That when he would have gone out to Battel againſt his rebellious Son Abſolom, who uſurped the Crown: They anſwered him, Thou ſhalt not go forth, for if we flye away or half of us dye, they will not ſet their hearts on us, but now thou art as ten thouſand of us; yea they ſwore to him at another time, Thou ſhalt no more go out with us to Battel, leaſt thou quench the light of Iſrael, 2 Sam. 21.17. And when Abſolom was ſlain, All the People were at ſtrife through all the Tribes of Iſrael, ſaying, Abſolom whom we anointed over us is dead in Battel: Now therefore why ſpeak ye not a word of bringing the King back? Whereupon they earneſtly contended who ſhould be the fi • ſt that ſhould bring back the King, 2 Sam. 19.9, 10, 14, 15, 41, 42, 43. And can you then not only profeſſedly go out to Battel againſt the King himſelf and Parliament too, againſt all Parliament-Votes, O • dinances, Declarations, Commiſſions, by which you we • e raiſed, • or their mutual defence: but deſtroy and ſlay them both, in cold blood, after the Battel ended by a Friendly Treaty, to prevent all accord between them, and inſtead of bringing the King again to his Royal City, Parliament, Throne, in peace and ſafety from the Iſle of Wight, not ſpeak one word the • eof, but bring him only back again, to a moſt diſloyal, illegal bloody execution, & not repent of, but perſevere in this unparallel'd treachery againſt his ſon, even after your anoynted Abſolom (who engaged you in theſe unſaintly, unſoldierly, Un-Engliſh Treaſons) by the 2 Chron. 13.20. ſtroke of God himſelf is dead, and his Son ſet aſide by your ſelves, through divine retaliation? In few words, can it ever be your honor, glory, a Saint • , to be the Inſtrument • , Executioners of Gods wrath and vengeance upon your own Native Kings, Kingdoms, Churches, Countrie, to oppreſſe, conſume, and eat out all their publick, private Wealth, Revenues, and burthen them with endleſſe Taxes, Exciſes, to maintain your needleſſe, uſeleſſe forces, only to over-awe, Ezech. 21.27. overturn them all, yea our Parliaments, Laws, Liberties, with your own new-modelled Governments, and Governors too, one after another, till they all be brought to total and final deſolation? To do the works of Aſſyrians, Babilonians, Turks, Gothes, Vandals, Iſay 10.5, 7. Ie • . 25.9, &c. the Roddes of Gods anger, his Battel-axes, the ſtaff of his indignation, to ſhake, deſtroy Churches, Kingdoms, Nations, Perſons, and make them deſolate; yea worſe than the worſt of theſe, who never ſhoke, deſtroyed their own Kings, Kingdoms, Countries, but their forein Enemies or Neighbours, againſt whom Iſay 10.6. c. 7.18, 19. God ſent them in his wrath, for their crying provocations, to break them in pieces and tread them down like mire in the Strees? If you repute this your glory, and reſolve to perſiſt therein, without ſpeedy and ſincere repentance of the miſchiefs you have done, conſider and read over, over and over again at your leaſure, the taunting proverb, ſevere judgements, divine and final reward, menaced to, inflicted by God himſelf by an irreverſible decree, and irreſiſtable power, upon the King of Babilon himſelf, his royal Poſterity, the City of Babilon, the whole Aſſyrian Hoſt, Nation, Kingdom, for ſhaking, deſtroying, breaking in pieces other Kings, Kingdoms, Nations, and Gods own people too for their ſinnes, (as you have ſerved your own Kings, Kingdoms, Churches, Parliaments, Nations, Laws, Liberties, againſt all Oaths, and Obligations, to the contrary) recorded at large in ſacred writ, Iſay, 14.4. to 30· c. 31.8, 9. Jer, 50.17, 18. ch. 51. throughout. And then ſleep quietly in your Beds, and bleſſe your ſelves in theſe your ſucceſſefull Wickedneſſes if you can; in reſpect of your preſent earthly proſperity, or your Poſterityes after you. As for your eternal Eſtate in another World, conſider that diſmal Text, Pſal. 92.6, 7. A brutiſh man knoweth not, neither doth a Fool underſtand this: when as the wicked ſpring as the Graſſ • , and when all the workers of Iniquity do flouriſh, it is that they ſhall be deſtroyed for ever. & Pſ. 9.16, 17. It hath been your buſineſſe of late years, and now again, (after your ſeeming repentance for it in your new Declaration, May 6.) to ſhut our Kings, Lords, honeſteſt faithfulleſt Members of the Commons Houſe out of Parliament, and forcibly to ſeclude them when they knocked for entrance, yea to caſt ſome of them into Hell, and other Priſons for diſcharging their Truſts, and Mr. Prynne beyond all others. O take heed, that when you ſhall come t • knock at Heaven Gates for entrance, and cry, Lu. 13.25. to 30. Lord, Lord, open unto us, you receive not that Anſwer recorded in the Goſpel from Chriſt himſelf; I tell you, I know you not whence you are, Depart from me all ye workers of Iniquity into the lowermoſt Hell, and everlaſting chains of Darkn • ſſe, where there ſhall be weeping and gnaſhing of Teeth; when you ſhall ſee Abraham, Iſaac (yea the ſecluded Mem • ers) in the Kingdom of God, (which no 1 Cor. 6 9, 10, 11. Ga • . 15.20 21.5.5. Pſ. 15.1, 23.4, 5. Murderers, Rebelli • us, S • ditio • s, Ʋnrighteous Covetous Perſons, Plunderers, Traytors, n • P • rnitious D • ſtroyers, S • bverters of Kings, Kingdoms, Parliaments, ſhall inherit,) and your ſelves ſhut out for ever.

You all pretend you are ſetting up Chriſts Kingdom, and propagating his Goſpel amongſt us by your Arms, Swords, Piſtols, and Army Predicants: But we read in the Goſpel, • That the Souldiers armed with Swords, Staves, Spears, were the only Officers and perſons imployed to apprehend King Mat. 26.47, 67, 68. c 27. to 38, 66. c. 28.11 to 16. John 19, 23, 24.32.34. Ieſus himſelf, and bring him to juſtice befor • Pilat. The only men who ſtripped him of his own Garments, put upon him a ſcarlet Robe, then plotted and ſet a Crown of Thorns on his Head, inſtead of a Crown of Gold, put a Reed into his hand inſtead of a Scepter, & then mocked, ſpit in his face, reviled, buffetted, and bowed their Knees unto him in ſcorn, ſaying, Hayl King of the Iews, and led him away to crucifie him; After which they gave him Vinegar to drink migled with gall, (inſtead of a Cordial) crucified him, then parted his Garments; caſting lots. After this they ſet a watch upon his Sepulchre, leſt his Diſciples ſhould take him thence. And when he was riſen from the dead, to ſmother the truth of his Reſurrection 'The Chief Prieſts taking Counſel together, gave large monie to the Souldiers, ſaying, ſay ye his Diſciples came by night and ſtole him away whiles we ſlept: So they took the monie and did as they were taught, and this their lye is commonly reported among the Jews till this day. Theſe things truly the Souldiers did, as the Evangeliſts record to their perpetual honor. After which Herods men of war and Souldiers (who likewiſe ſet Chriſt at nought, mocked him, then arrayed him in a gorgeous Robe, and ſent him to Pilate to condemn, Lu. 23.11.) ſtretched forth their hands to vex certain of the Church, killed Iames the Apoſtle with the Sword, apprehended Peter and put him in Priſon, where he was guarded day and night with four Quaternions of Souldiers, to prevent an eſcape, Acts 12.1. to 8. But that ever they did ſet up Chriſts Kingdom, and propagate the Goſpel by their Swords and Arms otherwiſe than this, the Goſpel it ſelf is ſilent: Yea • Chron 22.8. c. 28.3. God himſelf in preciſe terms reſolves, That men of war, who have fought great Battels, and ſpilt much Blood upon the Earth, (though againſt his enemies) ſhall not be at all honoured, employed in building of his Temple. Yea this as the expreſſe word of the Lord to Zerubbabel, when Gods Houſe was to be rebuilt, and his Kingdom propagagated; not by ARMY, (ſo the Hebrew and Margin render it) nor by Power, but by my Spirit, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, is this work to be done) Zech. 4.6. Our Saviour Chriſt is both the Heb. 7.2. Iſaiah 9.6. 1 Pet. 4.9. King, and Prince of peace: his Goſpel the Rom. 10.15. Eph. 6.16. c. 2.17. Goſpel of peace: his Apoſtles and Miniſters 2 Cor. 5.20. c. 14.32. Eph. 2.17. Ambaſſadors of peace: and his Kingdom conſiſts Rom. 14.17. in Righteouſneſs and peace. Now nothing is more Iſay 59.7, 8. 2 Chron. 15.5, 6. Ier. 4.10, 19, 20, c. 8, 15, 16. directlie oppoſite, deſtructive to, inconſiſtent with this Peace, to the King, Prince, Goſpel, Ambaſſadors, and Kingdom of peace, as Armies, Souldiers, War, Arms: And therefore it is obſervable, That when our Saviour ſent forth his Diſciples to preach the Goſpel, and ſet up his kingdom, he did not make choyce of Captains of thouſands, or hundreds, nor yet of Souldiers, or Armed men: but of mean Mat. 10.9, 10. Lu. 9, 3. c. 22.35. Mar. 6, 8, 9. Fiſher-men, and others altogether averſe from war; commanding them in expreſſe terms, Mat. 10.9, 10. Lu. 9, 3. c. 22.35. Mar. 6, 8, 9. to take neither Gold, Silver, nor Braſſe in their purſes, nor ſcrip, nor two coats, nor yet Staves, (much leſſe Swords, Pikes, Horſes, Piſtols) nor any thing elſe belonging to a Souldier, no offenſive or defenſive Arms, at the moſt but a ſingle Gen. 32.10. Exod. 12.11. c. 21.19. 2 Kings 4.29. walking ſtaffe, like Travellers, to help, ſupport them: Yea Chriſt expreſly reſolves, That his Miniſters are and muſt be no Fighters, no Strikers, nor Strivers, (much leſſe then profeſſed Warriers) John 18.36. 1 Tim. 3.3. 2 Tim. 2, 24. They have no Sword, but that of the Spirit and their Mouth, the word of God, and fight with it only againſt mens Sins, Luſts, not Perſons, Eph. 6.17. Heb. 4.12. Rev. 19.15, 21. Yea when Peter once did but draw his Sword to defend King Jeſus againſt the Souldiers, who came with Swords and Staves to apprehend him, he ſaid unto him, Mat. 26.52. Put up thy Sword again in to its place, for they that take the Sword ſhall periſh with the Sword: Nay the ſtate of the Goſpel is ſo inconſiſtent with Souldiers, Arms, VVar, That upon the ſincere profeſſion of it, God requires the Profeſſors thereof, to beat their Swords into Plowſhares, and their Spears into Pruning-hooks, Nation ſhall not lift up Sword againſt Nation, Neither ſhall they learn VVar any more; but to live in peace with all men, and keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace, Iſay 2.4. Mich. 4.3. Luke 2.14. 1 Cor. 7.15. c. 14.53. Gal. 5.22. 2 Cor. 13.11. Eph. 4 3. Col. 3.15. 2 Theſ. 3.16. Heb. 12.14. Never was the Kingdom, Goſpel, Church of Jeſus Chriſt promoted, advanced in any Age or place by war, & Swordmen; but many See Knolls Turk • ſh Hiſtory, Pauli Oroſii Hiſtoria. The Hiſtory of the Arbigenſes.Churches have been utterly deſtroyed, extirpated, depraved, corrupted; none ever edified, planted enlarged, much leſſe reformed by them. Our preſent Armie-Saints, and new Military-Apoſtles by their fighting, praying, preaching, faſting, inſtead of promoting the Goſpel, Proteſtant Religion, and Church of England, have almoſt totally ſubverted them, bySee Mr. Edwards Gangraenaes.broaching, countenancing, protecting all ſorts of Hereſies, Blaſphemies, Sects, Schiſms, Errors, Opinions, Religions, ſetting up new Conventicles of Sectaries, Seducers in all places, oppoſing, ſlighting, traducing the very Church, Doctrine, Miniſtry of England; the very Function, Ordination of Miniſters, by decrying, detaining their Tithes and former maintenance, as litigious, Jewiſh, Antichriſtian; by ſwallowing up all the Lands, Revenues of Biſhops, Deans, Chapters, Arch-Deacons, and a great part of our Miniſters maintenance by ſequeſtrations, and monthly Contributions to maintain their Army Evangeliſts, now ready to ſwallow up the remainder that is left, and continuing in a body for that purpoſe, by the very Jeſuites inſtigation, who not only profeſſedly teach in their publick Univerſity at Madrid, the Art of War by Land and Sea, the making of Guns, Gunpowder, fireworks, all manner of Military Engines, of which they read Lectures, as moſt agreeable to the Name, Profeſſion of their Martial Father Ignatius, as Relatio de ſtratagematis & Sophiſmatis Ieſuitarum c. 4. Alphonſus Vargas a Spaniſh Prieſt records; but boaſt, Lud. Lucius, Hiſt. Ieſuit. l. 1. c. 7. p. 156. Cornelius Cornelii, Epiſt. Com. in Minores Prophetas: And his Epiſtle to his Hiſtorical and Legal Vindication, &c. That the General of the Jeſuites, can bring into the Field more Souldiers, of his own order, in a ſhorter time than any Chriſtian King whatſoever: and likewiſe expreſly affirm, That their Gopſel and Religion is to be propagated, ſet up; the Heretiques, and Evangelical Sectaries, who reſiſt them, refuted, extirpated, aboliſhed with Fire, Armies, Sword, and War, in England & elſewhere, as Jacobus Cruciger (Rector of the Jeſuites at Lanſperg) in his explication of the Rules of their Order, Parlus Windeck, De extirpandis Hereſibus Antid. 10, 11. p. 404, 412, 480. Thuanus, Hiſt. l. 65. p. 238. l. 66. p. 299. Franciſcus Verona. Apol. pro Johanne Caſtle. par. 5. c. 13. Hoſpinian, Hiſt. Jeſuitica. l. 4. p. 212, 213, 214. Haſenmullerus, Hiſt. Jeſuit c. 1. & Spec. Jeſuiticum, p. 61. unanimouſly atteſt. O then diſcern at laſt whoſe Goſpel, Kingdom, you are now propagating by your Army, Arms, and Weſtminſter Conventicle, not Jeſus Chriſts, but the very Jeſuites, his greateſt Underminers.

Many of you (eſpecially Millinaries, and Fifth Monarchy-men,) pretend, that Jeſus Chriſt is now comming to reign perſonally on Earth a thouſand years, and that you ſhall all reign together, as Joynt-Kings with, or Vece-royes under him. But the ſetting up of a New Republick and Ariſtocracy, is wholly inconſiſtent with this Kingdom and Monarchy of Chriſt you now expect; which ſuites only with a Temporal King and Kingdom. How this Opinion will accord with Chriſts own deſcription of it, John 18.16. My Kingdom is not of this World, or Pauls, Rom. 14.17. The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, (nor yet Arms and Armies,) but Righteouſneſſ • and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoſt, (which Souldiers, Armies uſually deſtroy, not produce, or propagate) let thoſe who maintain it, conſider. When Mr. Prynne was kept cloſe Priſoner in Pendennis Caſtle by John Bradſhaws and our New Republicans illegal warrant in July, 1651. ſome four dayes after his impriſoment there, divers Officers and Souldiers of the Garriſon, who had long debated every day for ſundry Months befo • e, their preſent expected perſonal reign of Chriſt on Earth, repaired to him, to know his Opinion conce • ning it, as he was taking freſh Ai • in the Bowling-Alley, ſtanding in a ring about him: Upon which he fi • ſt demanded their Opinions of it: when they had all fully utte • ed their Conceits in the Affirmative with much conſidence; M. Pryn briefly anſwered, That now they had beheaded one of our Kings, and almoſt conquered another, and o • r 3. Kingdoms, they tho • ght, talked of nothing but being all Kings themſelves, and of reigning perſon • lly on Earth cheek by joll with Chriſt himſelf, as his Fellow-Kings, no Earthly King being fit to be a Companion for ſuch tranſcendent ſ • blinated Saints as they thought themſelves. But they were all moſt groſly miſtaken: for that very Text of Rev. 20.4, 5. (which he read out of one of their Bibles) whereon they principally g • ounded thei • Opinions and Reign, was pointblank againſt them. And I ſaw the Souls OF THEM THAT WERE BEHEADED, (not of them who took off their own Chriſtian Proteſtant Kings and Nobles Heads) for the Witneſſe of Jeſus, and the word of God, and which had not worſhipped the Beaſt, nor his Image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, nor in their hands, and they lived and reigned with Chriſt a thouſand years: (is it not added on the Earth, and Chap. 22.5. rather proves their reign to be in the New Jeruſalem in Heaven.) But the reſt of the dead, (who were not thus beheaded) lived not again,) (much leſſe then reigned with Chriſt,) till the thouſand years were paſt. By which it is moſt apparent, That if Chriſt ſhall reign perſonally on Earth for a thouſand years, as they all conceived, and that this time was now at hand: yet not one of them ſhould, or poſsibly could reign with him, if this Text be Ʋmpire: For the words are moſt poſitive, that none elſe ſhall thus reign with Jeſus Chriſt a thouſand years, but only the ſouls of thoſe who were beheaded for the teſtimony of Ieſus Chriſt, &c. It being expreſly averred in the affirmative; then in the Negative, But the reſt of the Dead lived not till the thouſand years were paſt. Upon which account, the late King, and other Proteſtants whoſe Heads they had cut off, and thoſe Godly Chriſtians they had ſlain, murdered in the Wars; and perchance himſelf and others who had loſt their Ears, Liberties, Eſtates, and were ſhut up cloſe Priſoners, for the Teſtimony of Ieſus Chriſt, and had not worſhipped, but oppoſed the Beaſt of Rome, his Image, Superstitions, innovations, Proceedings againſt the late King, Parliament, Religion, nor received the mark of the Beaſt in their Foreheads or hands, might peradventure reign with Chriſt a thouſand years. But as for themſelves and other Army Saints, who made it their buſineſſe, and reputed it their honour, Saintſhip, to cut off the Heads of their own Chriſtian Kings, Nobles, Brethren; to deſtroy Kingdoms, Parliaments, & their Privileges; ſecure, impriſon, cloſe impriſon their Members, worſhipping the very beaſt and his Image, and viſibly receiving his mark in their Foreheads, hands, by theſe their Jeſuitical practiſes; keeping up an Army and Iron-Sword ſtill drawn amongſt us, to the great oppreſſing, undoing of their Native Country, of purpoſe to keep off the wooden Croſſe of Ieſus Chriſt, which he Mat. 16.24. Mar. 10.21. Lu. 9.23. c. 14.27. expreſly enjoyned them with ſelf-denying Spirits to take up daily, and follow him, and that other Croſſe, their own Conſciences tell them, theſe perfideous, treacherous practiſes of theirs juſtly demerit, they could have no ground at all from this or anie other Text to reign with Chriſt in his Heavenly or earthly Kingdom, out of which theſe their ſeditious, unrighteous, and bloody practiſes did eternally exclude them, as the 10, 14, 15. verſes of this very Chapter, Rev. 22.11, 15. 1 Cor. 6.8, 9, 10. Gal. 5.20, 21. reſolve. Therefore if ever they deſired or expected thus to reign with Chriſt, they must all preſently repent of theſe their former Exorbitances, put off their Swords from their ſides, take up Chriſts daily croſſe, lay down their own heads upon the Block, and then willingly chearfully loſe them, not for their 7 reaſons and Rebellions, but for the Teſtimony of Ieſus Chriſt, and the word of God, and oppoſition of their former treaſonable Plots of the Beaſt of Rome; then they might expect to reign with him, otherwiſe they had no hopes by the reſolution of this Text, and that parallel'd place, 2 Tim. 2.11.12. which excellently explains it; If we be dead with Chriſt, we ſhall alſo live with him: If we ſuffer, we ſhall alſo reign with him: If we deny him (by refuſing to ſuffer with or for him) he will alſo deny us. With which words theſe formerly confident Swordmen were ſo non plaſſed, that they had not one word to reply, and gave over all future diſcourſes of this ſubject ever ſince, being as unwilling to loſe their Souldiers pay or Heads for the teſtimony of Chriſt, as the Mat. 19 21, 22. young man in the Goſ • el was, To ſell all he had and give it the poor, to gain eternal life and Treaſures in Heaven

Laſtly, conſider, That as it is the higheſt glory, excellency of God himſelf, the greateſt comfort, felicity, ſecurity of his Church, Saints, that he is the living God ſtedfaſt for ever, Dan. 6.26 That he is the Lord and changeth not, Mal. 3.6. That with him is no variableneſſe, or ſhadow of change, James 1.17. That he is the ſame immutable God for ever, from everlaſting to everlaſting: That his Counſels, thoughts of heart, purpoſes, truth, faithfulneſſe, commands, loving-kindneſſe, Covenant ſtand faſt, firm, unalterable to all generations, for ever and ever, Pſal. 3 11. Pſalm 90.1, 2. Pſalm 100.5. Pſal. • 02.16, 17 Lam. 5.19. Hebr. 8.13 Pſal 110.4. So it is the moſt tranſcendent Honour, Dignity, Glory of God the Fathers, and Jeſus Chriſts Kingſhip, Kingdom, and the chief conſolation, exultation, Beatitude of their Subjects and choſen Saints; That the Lord is, and fitteth King for ever; That he is an everlaſting King, which reigns and ſhall reign for ever and ever; that his Kingdom, Dominion, Throne, are all everlaſting, eſtabliſhed, and enduring for evermore, for ever and ever, throughout all Generations; that they cannot be moved, and ſhall have no end, Pſalm 10.16. Pſal. 29.10. Pſal. 9 • .8 Pſal. 45.6. Pſal. 145.13. Pſal. 146.10 Iſay 19.7. Dan. 4.3.34. c. 7.14, 27. Jer. 10.10. Mar. 4.7, Lu. 1.32, 33. 2 Pet. 1.11. Rev. 11.15. Hebr. 12.28. Lam. 5.19. So alſo it is the praiſe, honour, glory of all Nations, Churches, People, Kingdoms, Governments, and every particular perſon, both as a man, Chriſtian, Counſellour, or publick Miniſter of State, to be conſtant, ſtedfaſt, fixed, reſolute, immoveble, and unchangeable in their Oath, Religion, Worſhip, Faith, Principle • , Co • nſels, reſolution • , con •••• , when true, ju •• , honeſt, upright, • incere, commendable, and in their Kingly, publick Government, evidenced by its Antiquitie, the experiences of many ſucceſſive generations to be beneficial, ſafe, ju • t, profitable, honorable for the gegeneralitie of the people, and firmlie eſtabliſhed by Laws, Oaths, Covenants, preſcription, with all other civil and ſacred ratifications: as is moſt apparent by Joſh. 24.15, 16. to 28. P • al. 15, 4.1. Chron. 28.7, 8, 9. Prov. 24.21. Pſal. 57.7. P • al. 46.1, 2, 3. Pſ. 27.1, 3. Jer. 2.11. Rom. 8.35, 36, • 6, 37, 38, 39. 1 Cor. 15.58. cap. 7.37. Heb. 6.18, 19. Col. 2.5, 6, 7. 2 Theſſ. 2.17. c. 3.3. Eph. 6.13, 14. Col. 1.23. Acts 20.24. c. 21.13, 14. Rom. 13 1, 2, 3. 1 Pet. 2.13, 14, 15. Tit. 3.1. 2 Chron. 13.5, 6. c. 11.13, 14, 15, 16, 17. c. 23.1, 2, 3, 4, &c. c. 26.1. c. 33.24, 25. 2. Sam. 7.13, 20, 29. 1 Chron. 17.13, 14, 22. to 28. c. 22.10.2 Chron. 9.8. c. 21.7. Ez. 37.45. Prov. 29.14. worthy ſpecial obſervation. But it is the ſinne, ſhame, reproach, infamy, diſhonor, r • in of any Nation, Church, peopl • , kingdom, State, Counſel, perſon, to be addicted to changes, unſtable, variable, unconſtant, fickle, mutable, t • ſſ • d to and fro, backward and forward, upward and downward, this way and that way, like children, fools, reeds, Vanes, weathercocks, empty, clouds, wandring ſtars, the reſtleſs ſea and its waves, t • ſſed and turned about with every wind and ſtorme; like wild aſſes, dromedaries, traverſing their wayes; or whoriſh women gadding about to change their lovers, wayes, and doting upon every Novelty or New lover they meet with, as Gen. 49.4. Pſ. 78.8, 9, 10. to 40. Ezech. 16.25. to 60. Jer. 2.11. to 37. Pro. 7.11.12. Jam. 1.6.8. Hab. 1.14, 15. Pro. 24.21, 22. I • ay 24.5. Pſ. 106.20. Mat. 11.7. Rom. 1.23.25. Acts 28.6. 2 Pet. 2.1, 2, 14. to 22. c. 3.17. 2 Tim. 3.6, 7. Eph. 4.14. Jude 6, 12, 13, 16, 24. reſolve. Why then are you alwayes ringing the changes in our Churche • , Kingdoms, Parliaments, Government, Religion, modelling, unmodelling, chopping, changing, altering, building them up and pulling them down again from day to day, againſt all Oathes, Vowes, Covenants, Laws, Eſtabliſhments, Policy, Prudence, Juſtice, Safety, Settlement, by which you become the higheſt tranſgr • ſſ • rs, Gal. 2.18? Is this to ſhew your ſelves Saints, men of God, or prudent Senators or Stateſmen? No, no: but to be that generation of ſpoylers and treacherous men, (no more to be believed, truſted by any, though you ſpeak fair words, may ſwear and vow) who have ſpoiled and dealt very treacherouſly with your brethren and the Houſe of your Fathers, (who raiſed, entruſted you for their defence and preſervation;) againſt whom God denounceth a Woe, and anſwerable retaliation in concluſion: to be ſpoiled and dealt treacherouſly with your ſelves, (as ſome of you, your new Protector, and thoſe now ſitting have been already dealt with, and others who made them treacherous) Iſ. 33.1. Jer. 12.1, 2, 6. c. 3.4. Yea ſuch Neighbors, brethren as will utterly ſupplant, deceive, ſlander their very neareſt, deareſt relations, whoſe habitation is in the midſt of Deceit; whom God himſelf commands us to take heed of, and not to truſt, for they are all an aſſembly of treacherous, double-minded men, unſtable in all their wayes; empty clouds carried about with a tempeſt; raging waves of the ſea which cannot reſt, foaming out their own ſhame, caſting out mire and dirt; wandring ſtars, to whom are reſerved the Hackneſs of darkn • ſſ • or ever, as three Prophets, and 3 Apoſtles reſolve in expreſs terms, Iſay 57.20, 21. Jer. 9.2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Mich. 7.5, 6. Jam. 1.6, 7.2 Pet. 2.17. Jude 12, 13. O therefore now at laſt repent, repent with greateſt grief, ſhame, horror of this you. Treachery, Inconſtancy, and Pſal. 95.8, 10, 11. harden not your hearts as in the day of temptation and provocation, (Decemb. 6. 1648. & May 7. 1659.) when you erred in your hearts, & wandred out of the way of G • d, peace, truth, juſtice, righteouſn • ſs, hon • ſty, piety, duty, into Iſay 59.8. ſuch J • ſ • itical paths, wherein there is nothing but waſting and deſtruction (as God reſolves, & all men find by 11 years ſad experiment,) elſe he will ſwear in his wrath, you ſhall never enter into his reſt.

If theſe Evangelical, Scriptural Expoſt • lations will not perſwade you, to ſound a preſent retreat, & ſue out a Bill of divorce from your falſe Good Old Cauſe for our future publike ſafety, peace ſettlement; M. P. ſhall then intreat you to believe your own Declarations: In your laſt, May 6. 1659. you truly declare to the world That the only wiſe God in the courſe of his providence, hath diſappointed; all your endeavours, and rendered all (your) means to obviate the dangers and ſettle theſe Nations in peace and proſperity, ƲTTERLY INEFFECTƲAL. Will you know the true reaſon of it? It is becauſe ever ſince you have interrupted and forcibly diſſoved the Treaty of Peace between the late King and his Parliament, Decemb. 6. 1648. you have walked in ſuch crooked counſels, pathes of iniquity, bloud, violence, Treaſon, deſtruction, as whoſoever goeth therein ſhall NOT KNOW PEACE, and have neither known nor purſued the true way of Peace; as God himſelf reſolves you, if you dare credit him, Iſay 59.2. to 16. which you may do well to ſtudy. If you will not believe God, nor Mr. Prynne herein, pray then believe your own ſelves, whiles in your right ſenſes, before the good ſpirit of God departed from you, and now purſue that only way to our peace and ſettlement you then at leaſt 4. times ſucceſſively preſcribed. In your humble Remonſtrance from his Excellency and THE ARMY under his command, preſented to the Commiſſioners at St. Albans, 25 June 1647. p. 12. theſe are your own printed words: We doe f • rther clearly confeſs, We do not ſee how there can be any peace to the Kingdom from or laſting▪ Nota. without a due conſideration of and proviſion for the Righ • s Quiet▪ and Immunity of His Majeſties Royal Family and late partakers. And herein we thinke that tender and equitable dealing (as ſuppoſing their caſe had been •• rs) and a Spirit of Common love and Iuſtice diff • ſing it ſelf to the good and preſervation of all, will make up the moſt Glorious Conqueſt over their hear • s (i • God in mercy ſee it good) to make them and the whole people of the Land laſting friends, The like words, expreſsions to the ſame effect you uſe in your Repreſentation of the Army, 14 June 1647. & in your Generals Letter to both Houſes of Parliament, 6 July 1647. Declaring it the General ſenſe of all or moſt of the Officers of the Army, to avoid all Harſhneſs, and afford all kind uſage to his Majeſties perſon, Family, and late Party; as the moſt honourable, prudent, and Chriſtian way and the moſt hopefull courſe▪ to take away the preſent and future ſeeds of Warr amongſt us to poſterity▪ and to procure a laſting Peace and a Government in this diſtracted Nation: And in your Propoſals 1 A • g: 1647. for The ſettlement of a firm peace, you have the like expreſſions again: as Mr. Prynne in his Speech in Parliament, Dec. 4. 1648. (p. 79, 80, 81, 82.) evidenced to the Houſe of Commons, perſwading them to purſue this only way of Peace, and not your quite contradictory Remonſtr: 20 Nov. 1648. (when debauched by the Jeſuits, the only way to unſetlement, tumults, warres, deſolation) as experience hath now ſufficiently demonſtrated. O therefore now at laſt embrace, purſue this true and only way to ſafety, peace, ſettlement by your own quadruple Reſolutions: and then we ſhall ſoon have peace, quietneſs ſafety, and aſſurance for ever.

Mr. Prynne having thus diſcharged his Conſcience towards the Army-Officers and Swordmen; the Primum mobile of all our late, preſent motions and commotions, wheeling about all the reſt, he ſhall in the ſecond place addreſſe himſelf to their ſubordinate, ſelected Weſtminſter Conventicle, now fitting under their force and lure, to act, vote what they preſcribe them; forcibly Lu. 6.22. ſeparating their old fellow Members from their company; and himſelf above all others, who hath loſt, ſuffred, ſpoken, written, acted more from time to time for God, Religion, Laws, Liberties, Properties, Parliaments, and their privileges, againſt all Jeſuitical underminers, than all of thē put together, notwithſtanding all diſcouragements, ingrate requitals from them and others. He ſhall only deſire them in relation to the old and newly ſecluded Members, to anſwer than one expoſt • larie Text, Mal. 2.9. Have we not all one Father? Hath not one God created us? (yea one Mother, Church, Countrey engendred, nouriſhed, entruſted us all alike:) Why then doe ye deal treachero • ſly every man againſt his brother by prophaning the Covenant of our Fathers? As for your New erected, revived Republike; you ſo much dote on; 1 Cor. 4, 8. Wherin ye have reigned as Kings without (yea againſt) us, and we would to God ye did reign, that we alſo might reign with you; He ſhall deſire you for your own, our Churches, Religions ſake, ſafetie, honour, to conſider its Papal, Jeſuitical, Antichriſtian, Spaniſh, French originals, and its ſad effects, to their advantage, and the ruine of our Religion, alreadie diſcovered, which you cannot gain ſay: To weigh his former expoſtulations with the Army-Officers, Soldiers, and theſe few Scriptural (to omit manie other Political, Hiſtorical conſiderations, beyond all refutation, and more to be valued than all Politicks of carnal heads or hearts,) to enamor you again with hereditarie Kings and Kingſhip, which you have ſo raſhly, brutiſhly, perſidiouſly abjured, out of meer ſelf-ends and intereſts, having not the leaſt ſyllable in Scripture to juſtifie either the forcible bloudie manner of erecting, new modelling your Illegitimate Commonwealth, or your adopting it in the place of our old Kingdom and Kingſhip.

Firſt of all conſider, that as Jeſus Chriſt himſelf is a King by birth and inheritance, Mat. 2.2. Lu. 1.32, 33. So it is alſo his ſupremeſt, royalleſt Title, Attribute in the very Goſpel, that hee is Dan. 2.47. Col 1.16, 17. c. 2.10. 1 Tim. 6.15, 16. Rev. 17.14. c. 19.18. Eph. 1, 21. King, & Lord of Kings, Lord of Lords, the Prince of the Kings of the Earth, and the head of all Principalities and Powers: Now the aboliſhing of Kings, kingſhip, Princes, Lords, diveſts Jeſus Chriſt himſelf of theſe his moſt royal Titles and Soveraigntie; Becauſe he is thus ſtiled only in relation to earthly Kings, Princes, Lords, who rule and reign over Kingdoms, Nations, by, for, through, under him, as his Miniſters, Officers, Viceroyes, Deputies, and are appointed, commiſſioned, accountable to, judged, removed by him alone; as ſubordinate Kings were by the Emperors, Kings of Babylon, Aſſyria, Parthia, and our Edgar, who were ſtiled, King of Kings, becauſe Kings were Subjects to them, held their Crowns by, from, and under them, and did homage to them as their Subjects, as you may read at large in Mr. Seldens Titles of Honour, part 1. ch. 3. ſect. 2. and Dan: 2.21.37, 38.47. c. 4.17.25. many of theſe Kings loſing this Title of King of Kings, when their ſubordinate Kings and kingdoms revolted, ceaſed, or eſcheated into their own hands: In relation to theſe Titles of Chriſt, it is expreſly prophecied, Pſ. 72.10.11. The KINGS of Tarſhiſh, and OF THE ISLES ſhall bring preſents, (principally intended, ve • ified of this our Iſland of Great Britain, which Ep. Vſhers Eccleſ. Brit. Antiq. c. 3 4, 5, 6, 7.8. Spelmanni Concil. Tom. 1. & Epiſt. Ded. to it. Fox Acts & Mon. in H. 8. E. 6. Qu. Eliz. & their Statutes to this purpoſe. had the fi • ſt Chriſtian King we read of in all the world, Lucius; the firſt Chriſtian Queen, Helena; the firſt and moſt glorious Chriſtian Emperor, Conſtantine the Great; the firſt Chriſtian King who oppoſed, aboliſhed the Popes Supremacie, Henrie the 8. the firſt Proteſtant King who by publike Acts of Parliament aboliſhed both the Pope and Poperie, and eſtabliſhed the reformed Proteſtant Religion; & the firſt Proteſtant Queen who did the like; to wit, King Edward the 6. and Queen Elizabeth; and more devout pious Kings, Queens, martyred for religion, canonized for SAINTS, and reputed ſuch in the Churches of Chriſt and Kalendars of Saints, than anie other Kingdom or Countrie in the world, how great or populous ſoever, as our own and forein Hiſtories record to our immortal Honor.) It then follows, the Kings of Sheba & Seba ſhall offer gifts: yea, ALL KINGS ſhall fall down before him (in way of adoration, & by their preſident and leading example) all Nations (under them) ſhall ſerve him. How can, how dare you then aboliſh Kings, Kingſhip, Lords (eſpecially in our Iſland) without committing the higheſt Treaſon, not only againſt our Kings and Lords; but the Lord Jeſus Chriſt the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, Since REGNUM ANGLIAE EST REGNUM DEI, & IPSE SIBI REGES PROVIDEBIT: as our

Malmsb de Geſtis Regum l. 3 c. 13. Mat. Weſtm. Anno 1055. Polycbron. l. 6. c. 18 Sim Dunelm col 136.

Bromton, col. 909.955. Ael • edus de Vita & Mirac. Edw. Confeſſ.

Hiſtorians inform us:) And can you Rom 9 19. 1 Cor. 10.22. reſiſt his power with all your armed forces? are you ſtronger than he, when he ſhall enter into judgment with you for depriving him of theſe Title?

2ly. Conſider, It is Gods ſpecial promiſe, covenant made to Abraham the Fat • er of the Faithfull, Gen: 17.6. I will make thee exceeding fruitful, I will make Nations of thee, & Kings ſhall come out of thee; And his extraordinarie bleſſing on Sara, v: 16. I will bleſs her, & ſhe ſhall be a Mother of Nations, & Kings of People ſhall be of her. 3ly, It was Judah his bleſſing, Prerogative, Gen. 49.8.10. Thy Fathers children ſhall bow down before th • e: The Scepter ſhall not depart from Iudah, nor a Law-giver from between his feet until Shiloh come. 4ly, When Balaam prophecied of the happineſs & proſperity of Iſrael, he uſeth theſe as the higheſt expreſſions thereof, N • m. 23.21. &c. 24.7. The ſho • t of a KING is among them: and his KING ſhall be higher than Agag, and his Kingdoms ſhall be exalted: 5ly, It is recorded by the Spirit of God, 2 Sam. 5.12. David perceived, that the Lord had eſtabliſhed him King over Iſrael, and that he had exalted his kingdom for his people Iſraels ſake. And when God (after he made him King over them) had promiſed by the mouth of the Prophet Nathan, 2 Sam: 7.10. Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Iſrael, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more, neither ſhall the children of wickedneſs afflict them, as before time, under their Judges: How did God effect this promiſe? but by eſtabliſhing an hereditarie kingdom amongſt them in David, during his life, whom he cauſed to reſt from all his Enemies round about: And when thy dayes be fulfilled, and thou ſhalt ſleep with thy Fathers, I will ſet up thy ſeed after thee, which ſhall proceed out of thy bowels, and will eſtabliſh his Kingdom. And thine Houſe and thy kingdom ſhall be eſtabliſhed for ever before thee, and thy Throne ſhall be eſtabliſhed forever, Ver: 11, 12, 16. How much holy David was tranſported, yea raviſhed with this News from heaven, and with what enlargement of Spirit he bl • ſſ • d God for, and prayed for the accompliſhment of it, as the greateſt bleſſing and confirmation of his people Iſrael by God himſelf, v: 23, 24, and the higheſt honor, bleſſing, to his own houſe, you may read to the end of the Chapter. Thus again amplified by him in his Speech to his Princes, to his Captains of thouſands, of hundreds, Officers, and other mighty men, 1 Chron: 28.4. to 10. The Lord God of Iſrael choſe me before all the houſe of my Father to be King over Iſrael for ever; and he hath choſen Iudah to be Ruler, of the houſe of J • dah the houſe of my Father; and among the ſons of my Father he liked me, to make me King over all Iſrael; and of all my ſons he hath choſen Solomon my ſon to ſit upon the Throne of the Kingdom of the Lord over Iſrael. And he ſaid unto me, I will be his Father; Moreover I will eſtabliſh his kingdom for ever, if he be conſtant to doe my commandements and my judgements, as at this day. Now therefore in the ſight of all Iſrael, the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and ſeek for all the commandements of the Lord your God, that you may poſſeſs this good Land; and leave it for an Inheritance for your children after you for ever. An hereditarie Kingdom being the chiefeſt means and bleſſing under God to preſerve the inheritances not only of the Princes, Nobles and mightie men, but even of Colonels, Captaines, and Souldiers themſelves, in Gods and Davids computation; who loſt all they had, by2 Kings 17 20, 21, 22, 25. • orſaking their lawful Hereditarie Kings, and were carried into captivitie. 6ly, The accompliſhment of this Promiſe to David, & his ſeed, was reputed an extraordinarie bleſſing to the Iſraelites, not only by King David, Solomon, God himſelf, the people o • Jeruſalem and the whole Land, as you may read in the 1 of Kings 1.36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 45, 46, 47, 48. c. 2.4.12. c. 3.6, to 15. c. 8.20, 25, 26, 27. worthy peruſal: but even by foreign Kings and Queens: Witneſs that memorable Letter of Hiram King of Tyre to Solomon, 2 Chron. 2.11, 12. Becauſe the Lord hath loved his people, he hath made thee King over them. Bl • ſſ • d be the Lord God of Iſrael that hath made heaven and earth, who hath given to David the King a wiſe ſon, endued with prudence and underſtanding, that might build an Houſe for the Lord, and an houſe for his kingdom. And that ſpeech of the Queen of Sheba to him, 1 King • 10.9. 2 Chron: 9.8. Bleſſed be the Lord thy God which delighteth in thee to ſet thee on his Throne to be King for the Lord thy God: Becauſe the Lord thy God loved Iſrael to eſtabliſh them for ever, therefore made he thee King over them to do Iuſtice and Iudgement. And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the ſight of all Iſrael, and beſtowed ſu • h royal Majeſtie, Honor, and ſuch riches on him and his people too, as had not been beſtowed on anie King or people before him, 1 Chron: 29.25, 28, 30. 2 Chron: 1.9. to the end. Chap. 9.9. to 30. Neh. 13.26. 7ly, God himſelf records by King Solomon, Prov. 20.8.26. A King that ſateth in the Throne of Judgment ſcattereth away all evil with his eyes, and bringeth the wheel over the wicked, Prov: 29.4.14. The King by Judgement ſtabliſheh the Land; Yea the King that faithfully judgeth the Land, his throne ſhall be eſtabliſhed for ever: And he reſolve definitively againſt all Opponents, Eccleſ. 10.17. Bleſſed art thou o Land, when thy King is the ſon of Nobles. 8ly, God himſelf doth ſpecially promiſe the Succeſſion and Continuance of Hereditarie Kings and Princes as a bleſſing, reward to his people for their obedience to his Commandements, and chief means of their perpetual continuance in honour, peace and proſperity, Jer. 17.24, 25, 26. &c. 22.4. And it ſhall come to paſſe, if ye diligently hearken unto me ſaith the Lord, to hallow the Sabbath day, and do no work thereon, then ſhall there enter into the Gates of this City, (mark it) Kings and Princes ſitting upon the Throne of David, riding in Chariots, on Horſes, they and their Princes the men of Iudah, and the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem, and this City ſhall remain and flouriſh for ever.

9ly. It is very remarkable, that though divers of the hereditarie Kings of Davids poſterity were verie wicked and idolatrous, yet God himſelf (though 1 Tim. 6.15. Dan. 2.21. c. 4.25, 35, &c. King of Kings, who ſetteth up Kings, and pulleth them down, and diſpoſeth of the Kingdoms of the earth to whom ſoever he pleaſeth) by reaſon of his Oath and Covenant made to David, would neither remove, nor diſinherit them, though he did very ſorely afflict and puniſh them for their iniquities, Pſ. 89, 3, 4, 20. to 38 2 Sam. 7.11. to 18. 1 King. 11, 12, 13, 39. Of this we have a memorable Scripture-Preſidents 1 King. 15. 3, 4, 5. Abijam King of Iudah walked in all the ſins of his Father, which he had done before him, and his heart was not perfect before the Lord his God, as the heart of David his Father. Nevertheleſſe for Davids ſake did the Lord give him a lamp in Jeruſalem, to ſet up his Son after him, and to eſtabliſh Ieruſalem; Becauſe David did that which was right in the ſight of the Lord, So 2 Chron. 21.5, 6, 7. Jehoram reigned 8 years in Jeruſalem, and he walked in the way of the Kings of Iſrael, like as did the Houſe of Ahab, for he had taken the Daughter of Ahab to wife, and he wrought that which was evil in the ſight of the Lord. Howbeit the Lord would not destroy the Houſe of David, becauſe of the Covenant he had made with David, and as he 2 Sam. 7.12. 1 Kings 11, 36. 2 King. 8.19. Pſal, 132.11.12, 13, 14. promiſed to give a light to him and to his Sons for ever Which Texts compared with Pſal. 132.1, 12, 13, 14. infablibly ratifie theſe thtee concluſions. 1. That as Gods Covenant and Oath made to David, and his Royal Poſteritie, did not determine by Davids death, but extended to all his Poſterity after him; ſo our Oaths of Fealty, Supremacy, Allegiance, and Solemn League and Covenant, made to the late King, his Heirs & Succeſſors in preciſe terms, determined not by his death, but remain to his Royal Poſterity, and are perpetually to be performed to them, under pain of higheſt perjury, guilt, puniſhment, as is moſt apparent if compared with Gen. 50.25. Exod. 13.19. Joſh. 24.32. Joſh. 9.15, 18, 19, 20, 21. 1 Sam. 20.16, 17, 23, 42. c. 24.21, 22 2 Sam. 9.1, 3, &c. c. 21.1. to 10. 2ly. That the Sinnes and wickedneſſes of Davids poſteritie, did not cauſe God himſelf to break his Oath and Covenant with them, or judicially to deprive or diſinherit them of their Crowns and Kingdom, contrary to his Oath and Covenant, which he held inviolable and immutable, Pſ. 89.3, 4.34 Pſal. 132 11, 12. Heb. 6.17, 18. Much leſſe then may we or any other Subjects, who are but men infringe our Oaths, Covenants to our ſacred hereditarie Kings and their poſteritie for their ſinnes or wickedneſſe, nor diſinherit thē of their Crowns, Scepters, Lives, Realm, Pſ. 15.4. Ec. 8 2. 3ly. That a hereditarie ſucceſsion of Kings in the Royal Line, though many of them be wicked, is yet a ſpecial means ordained by God for the eſtabliſhment, peace, perpetuity of their kingdoms and people: which elſe would be unſetled, diſtracted, conſumed, deſtroyed by civil wars, diſtractions, and Uſurpers of the Crown, deſtroying, murdering one another, as the kindom of Iſrael was after the revolt of the ten Tribes from the houſe of David, whoſeSee Biſhop vſhers Annal. vel Teſt. p. 133.hereditarie kingdom continued at leaſt 134 years after the total destruction & captivity of the Kingdom of Iſrael: whoſe revolt from the Houſe of David produced nought elſe but a Succeſsion of very wicked, idolatrous Kings and Uſurpers, endleſſe wars, miſeries, publick Idolatry, Apoſtacie from God, all ſorts of Sins, rapines, and perpetual Captivity, as the books of Kings and Chronicles reſolve, eſpecially 2 Kings. ch. 17. In which revolt and rebellion, it is obſervable, that all the Prieſts and Levites, and all the Godly men throughout the revolting Tribes of Iſrael, who ſet their hearts to ſeek the Lord God of Iſrael, left their poſſeſsions and went to Ieruſalem, and ſtrengthened the kingdom of Rheboboam the Son of Solomon againſt the Ʋſurper Jeroboam, as the Scripture records for their honour, 2 Chron. 11.13, 14, 15, 16. 10ly. Upon this verie reaſon God himſelf records, that when 2 Chron. 23 2 Kings 11. Athaliah had ſlain all the ſeed Royal but Ioaſh, and uſurped the Royal Throne for ſix years ſpace, Ioaſh being but an Infant, Iehojadah the High Prieſt hid him from this Uſurper till he was ſeven years old, and then entring into a Covenant with the Captains of Hundreds, Rulers, and Levites, they all aſſembled at Ieruſalem, & entred into an Oath and Covenant, That the Kings Son ſhould reign as the Lord hath ſaid of the Houſe of David. Upon which they preſently brought out the Kings Son, Crowned, and anointed him their King, and ſaid, God ſave the King. Which Athaliah the Vſurper hearing, run out to the people, and cryed, Treaſon, treaſon; upon which Iehojadah the Prieſt commanded the Captains of the Hoſt preſently to ſeize upon her, and cary her out of the Temple, and ſlay all that ſhould follow her; whereupon they laid hands on her, and carried her forth and ſlew her: After which Iehojadah made a Covenant between the King and the people, that they ſhould be the Lords people; and all the Captains, Governors, Nobles, and people of the Land brought down the Kings Son from the Houſe of the Lord to the Kings Houſe, and ſet the King upon the Throne of the kingdom. And all the people of the Land rejoyced, and the City was quiet, after that they had ſlain Athaliah with the Sword, 2 Kings, 11.4 &c. 2 Chron. 23. This 2 Chron. 24, 25, 26. c. 25.1, 2, 3, 4. 2 Kings 14. to 7. Ioaſh being afterwards ſlain by the conſpiracy of his Servants againſt him, Amaziah his Son, reigned in his ſtead by hereditarie Succeſſion, who when he was eſtabliſhed in the kingdō ſlew his Servants that had ſlain the King his Father, but not their Children, according to the Law of Moſes. After this 2 Chron. 33.20, 21, 22.23, 24, 25. 2 Kings 19 to 26. Ammon the Son of Manaſſes ſucceeding his father, worſhipping his Idols, following his Sinnes, and treſpaſsing more and more without humbling himſelf; his Servants conſpired againſt him, and ſlew him in his own Houſe. But the People of the Land ſlew all that had conſpired againſt King Ammon, and made Joſiah his Son King in his stead, (not diſinherited him for his Fathers and Grand-Fathers crying Sinner,) as the only means ordained by God for their ſafety, peace and ſettlement. Which ſacred Preſidents of Gods own regiſtring, and his peculiar peoples making in obedience to his Commands, for our imitation in like caſes, are a more real, ſacred means to our preſent peace, ſafety, eſtabliſhment, than any the Army-Saints, Sectaries, Ieſuites, and Westminſter Conclave can preſcribe, and the Parliament, Statute of 27 Eliz. c. 1. have declared, enact • diit to be legal, as well as ſcriptural. 11ly. When God himſelf promiſed reſtitution from Captivity, and reſettlement, re-eſtabliſhment to his people, he doth it by promiſing the reſtitution of their lawfull hereditary King and kingdom to them, and the re-uniting of their kingdoms (formerly divided by rebellion againſt, and revolt from the Houſe of David and hereditary Royal line into one, Mich. 213. c. 4.8. Their King ſhall paſs before them, and the Lord on the head of them) even the firſt Dominion, the Kingdom ſhall come to the Daughter of Jeruſalem. Zech. 9.9. &c. Rejoyce greatly Oh Daughter of Zion, behold thy King cometh unto thee: be is just and having Salvation, &c. and his Dominion ſhall be from Sea to Sea, and to the end of the Earth, Iſaiah 32.1, 2. Beho • d a King ſhall reign in Righteouſneſſe, and Princes ſhall rule in Judgement; And he ſhall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a Covert from the Tempeſt, as Rivers of Water in a dry place, as the ſhadow of a great Rock in a weary Land, Ezech. 37.22, 24. And I will make them one Nation in the Land, upon the Mountain of Iſrael, and one King ſhall be King to them all, and they ſhall be no more two Nations, neither thall they be divided into two Kingdoms any more. And David my Servant ſhall be KING over them, they ſhall all have one Shepheard over them: they ſhall alſo walk in my Judgements, and keep my Statutes, and do them. And they ſhall dwell in the Land that I have given to Iacob my Servant, even they and their Children, and their Childrens Children FOR EVER, and my Servant David ſhall be their Prince for ever. Which is likewiſe repeated and amplyfied Ezech. 39.23, 24 Zeph. 3.13, 14. Jer. 23.4, 5 c. 33.14, 15, 16. Which Texts, though miſtically meant of our King and Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, hereditary Son of David, according to the fleſh, ſitting upon his Fathers Throne, and ruling for ever over his myſtical Kingdom and Church, as is evident by comparing them with Iſay 9.6, 7, 18. Dan. 7.27. Lu. 1.32, 33. yet ſince King David, Solomon, and other pious Kings of Iſrael,, and their hereditary kingdom, were types of our Spiritual King Ieſus, and of his everlaſting, ſpiritual kingdom, And Chriſt Jeſus under the very Title, Name, Notion of an hereditary King alone (not of an Optimacy, Oligarchy, Popularity, Democracy, or elective King) is thus propheſied to be a Saviour, Redeemer, Reſtorer, Eſtabliſher, Preſerver, Defender of his captivated, oppreſſed, inthralled, diſſipated, divided, unreformed Subjects, Kingdom, Church, People; and his perpetual preſence with and reign over them, is made the only ground of the reſtauration, unity, felicity, proſperity, ſafety, perpetuity of his kingdom and people, as David, Solomon, and other good Kings of Iſrael were to their Subjects during their ſucceſſiive Reigns: and ſeeing Chriſts miſtical Church and Saints, are alwaies thus ſtiled his Kingdom, a Kingdom, but never a Free-State, or Common wealth, at leaſt but once, Eph. 2.12. the only Text throughout the whole Bible, where this word is mentioned in any kind, and that not in oppoſition, or contradiſtinction to a Kingdom, but as the very ſame thing with it, (as our Kingdom in 9 E. 2. c 8.1 Mar. ſeſ. 2 c. 1. 7 H. 7 c. 1. ſome Statutes is ſtiled a Common wealth) as being the Ariſtot. Polit. l. 3. c. 12. l. 4. c. 2 l. Caſe Sphaera Civitatis l. 3. c. 5. p. 238. l. 4. c. 3. p. 324. excellentest, honourablest, durableſt, freest, happieſt, of all other forms of Republick, under which general name it is compriſed. It thence infallibly follows, that an hereditary Kingſhip, kingdome, is the beſt, happieſt, durableſt, ſecureſt, honourableſt, deſireableſt of all other Governments whatſoever, being the verie Government of Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, who according to the fleſh was born King of the Iews and ſits upon the Throne of David his Father, Mat. 2.2. Lu. 1.32, 33. and was not choſen King by his Saints, like an Elective King; but elected them to be his Subjects; as he expreſlie reſolves, Iohn 15.16. 1 Pet. 1, 2.9. Rev. 17.14. And that the reſtitution of this our antient Kingly Government, (not of a new Jeſuitical, Spaniſh; Outlandiſh Republick) is the true and only way to our reſtauration, redemption, peace, ſettlement, ſafetie and future proſperity; as the Parliament and moſt excellent preamble of the Statute of 25 H. 8. c. 22, (worthy peruſal) reſolves. Wherin after many long inteſtine civil wars for the Title, ſucceſsion of the Crown, and Soveraigntie of our Realm, The Nobles and Commons aſſembled in Parliament, calling to mind, That the unity, peace, and wealth of this Realm, and the Succeſsion (and Inheritance) of the Subjects in the ſame, moſt ſpecially and principally above all worldly things, (let our Republicans, and Weſtminſter Juncto obſerve it well) conſiſteth and reſteth in the certainty and ſurety of the procreation and poſterity of the Kings Highneſs, in whoſe moſt Royal perſon at this preſent time is no manner of doubt nor queſtion, (as the Statutes of 1 Jac. c. 1, 2. reſolve, there was none at all in King Iames or King Charles) did thereupon by this ſpecial Act, and a ſtrict Oath, declare aad eſtabliſh the ſurety, title or ſucceſſion of the Crown of England in him and his Heirs for ever, upon which dependeth all our joy and wealth, as they more at large expreſſe. 13ly. God himſelf in direct terms declares, that it is a matter and badge of honour and proſperity for any Nation to be advanced from a Commonwealth or Principality into a Kingdom, Ezech. 15.13, 14. Thou didſt proſper into a Kingdom. And thy renown went forth among the Heathen for thy beauty, for it was perfect through my comelyneſſe, which I put upon thee ſaith the Lord: which compared with Rom. 13.1. Let every Soul be ſubject to the Higher Powers, for there is no Power but of God, the Powers that are ordained of God, Col. 1.16. For by him are all things created that are in Heaven, and that are in Earth, viſible or inviſible, whether they be Thrones or Dominions, or Principalities, all were created by him, and for him Tit. 3.1. Put them in mind to be ſubject to Principalityes and Powers, to obey Magiſtrates, 1 Pet. 2.13, 17. Submit your ſelves to every Ordinance of Man, for the Lords ſake, whether to the King as Supream: Fear God, Honour the King; are infallible demonſtrations, That as kingdomes and Kings are of Divine inſtitution and planting, ſo they are reputed, inſtituted by God and Jeſus Chriſt, as the moſt proſperous, happyeſt, divineſt, honourableſt, ſupreameſt of all other forms of Government and Governors whatſoever, created by and for Ieſus Chriſt, and have been the very Governments and Governors alone, in and by which he hath preciſely promiſed, declared, that he will moſt advance his own Spiritual Kingdom, Church and Glory, (as is undenyable by Worthy ſerious particular peruſal. Pſal 68.32. Pſal. 102· 22. 2 Kings 19.19. Iſay. 37.20. Rev. 11.15. Pſal. 2.10, 11. Pſal. 68.29. Pſal. 72.10 11. Pſal. 102.15. Pſal. 138.4. Pſ. 144 10. Pſ. 148.11. Pſ. 149.8. Iſay 49.7, 13. c. 52.15. c. 60 3, 10, 11, 16. c. 62.2. Rev. 21.24.) the expreſſe lively Images of Chriſts own Spi-Spiritual Kingdom, Kingſhip, on whoſe Throne alone they ſit, as his Vicegerents, 2 Chron. 9.8. Col. 1.16 and therefore are ſtiled Kings, Kingdoms, not Optimacies, or Republicks) yea not only Kings but Gods, and Gods Anointed, as well as Chriſt himſelf, Exod. 22.8. Ioſh. 22 22. Pſ. 82.1, 6. Iohn 10.34. 1 Cor. 8.5. 2 Sam. 12.3, 5. c. 22 52. Pſal. 20.6. Iſay 45.1. Lam. 4.20. 1 Sam. 16.6. c. 24.6, 10. c. 26.9, 11, 16, 23 2 Sam. 19.21. 14ly. God himſelf in ſundry Scriptures poſitively declares, and denounceth the plucking up or rooting out of a Kingdom, and making it no Kingdom, or a baſe or viler Kingdom than it was before; and the leaving of an antient Kingdom without a King, or hereditary Succeſſor or Heir to ſway the Scepter, to be a moſt ſevere, ſad, grievous Iudgement and Puniſhment on them for their crying, hainous offences and Sinnes againſt him; yea an immediate concomitant or Forerunner of their utter deſoiation, & a matter of preſent and future lamentation, not of mercy, bleſſing, or cauſe of rejoycing, as our ſeduced Bedlam-Republicans, Army-Saints, and Pſeudo-Politicians repute it, as all theſe Texts infallibly reſolve, Judg. 17.6, &c. c. 18.1. &c. c. 17.1. &c. c. 21. 25. Hoſ. 3.4. c. 10.3.7.15. (a notable Scripture) Iſ. 9.2, 11, 12. c. 7.16. Amos 1.8.10.13, 14, 15. c. 2.2.5. &c. Mich. 4.9.10. Jer. 17.25.27. c. 22.5. to 30. c. 25.8. to 38. Ezech. 19.14, 15. (a ſignal Text) c. 17.12, 13, 14. c. 29.14, 15. Lam. 1.6. c. 2.6.9. c. 4.20. c. 5.16. Hab. 1.10.14, 15. Nah. 3.17, 18, 19. Hag. 2.22. Ezech. 21.26, 27. Againſt which Scriptures (worthie your particular peruſal) no one Text can be produced, to prove it a bleſſing, benefit, honor to any kingdom or Nation whatſoever.

15ly As for your new magnified Common-wealth and Aristocracie, preferred by you before our Kings and Monarchie,

1. Conſider that of Prov. 28.2. For the Tranſgreſſion of a Land many are the Princes (or Governors) thereof but by a man of underſtanding and knowledge the State thereof ſhall be prolonged: And compare it with Hoſea 10.3. For now they ſhall ſay, We have no King becauſe we feared not the Lord what then ſhould a King do to us: Lam: 5.16.8. The Crown of our head (to wit, our King, c. 4.20.) is fallen: wo unto us that we have ſinned: Servants have ruled over us, there is none that delivereth us out of their hand. And then you muſt needs confeſs; that your ſubverſion of our Kingly Government by one ſingle perſon, to ſet up a Polarchie and New Republike under many Prov. 19.10 • . c. 30.21, 22. Eccl. 10.5, 6.7. Servants & Governors, is in Gods own, his Churches, peoples account, an heavie judgement, vaſſallage, bondage on them for their tranſgreſſions, ſinnes, and a matter of great lamentation, woe, Ezech. 19.12, 13, 14. not a bleſſing, eaſe, libertie, means of their happineſs or eſtabliſhment.

2. Conſider, that you cannot derive the Pattern of your New Commonwealth from the Scripture, Goſpel, Church, or preſidents of God and Jeſus Chriſt; but only from the Dion. Caſſius, Dionyſ. Halicar. Polybius, Livy, Juſtin, Eutropius, Godwins Roman Antiquities, Bodins Commonwealth. Old Heathen, bloudie Romans, after their Regifugium; who were alwaies altering their Government from one new form to another, continuing not long in anie one condition, till ſetled in an Emperor, and Empire; and at laſt in a Regal Roman Pontiff; in which ſtate it hath continued almoſt 1700. years; and the new Jeſuitical models of Parſons, Campanella, Richeliev, Mazarine, Spain, France, recommended to you from Antichriſtian Rome to work our ruine; Or at leaſtwiſe from the old ſeditious Graecians and Athenians; who are thus branded in Hiſtorians, Aelian Var. Hiſtoria, l. 5. c. 53. Omnino ad commutandos Reipublicae Status erant verſatiles, et omnium propenſiſſimi ad viciſſitudines; (as you and the Army-Officers now are) which proved their utter ruine; and cauſed endleſs wars and tumults between themſelves, till they were ſubdued, enſlaved by the Macedonians, Perſians, Romans, and other foreign Kings; as you may read at leiſure in Thucidides, Diodorus Siculus, Xenophon, Plutarch, Arrianus Juſtin, Bp. Ʋſhers, Annales-Veteris Teſtamenti; whence Heniochus an antient Greek Comaedian, compares Ariſtocracie, and Popularitie unto two ſcolding Women, who coming amongſt the Grecians, put all things into tumult and diſorder, making them bedlam mad againſt each other to their utter deſolation. Grotius de Jure Belli, l. 3. c. 15. p. 537.Tum geminae ad illas acceſſerunt Mulieres Quae cuncta conturbarunt: Optimatitas Eſt nomen alteri: alteri Popularitas Quarum incitatu pridem externatae furunt. And have they not produced the ſelf-ſame Madneſs, Furie, and ſad effects among the Armie, yea and our 3. kingdoms? How then can you, or anie wiſe men, but only TOM OF BEDLAMS, be anie longer in love with either of them, and preferr them before Kings and Kingſhip: when as your ſelves, as well as other Members, declared, reſolved in two See my Speech, p. 102 103, 104. Declaratoins of 12 April 1646. of 17 Decemb. and in the Votes of Novemb: 9. & 23. 1647. That the Agreement of the People for a Repreſentative and Republike (without a King and Houſe of Lords) are not only Seditious, but deſtructive to the very Being of Parliaments, and the Fundamental Government of the Kingdom, by King Lords and Commons. And is this then the way to peace or ſettlement? Pſal. 11.3. If the Foundations be deſtroyed, what can the righteous doe to ſave or ſettle us? O therefore let not that brand of the Holy Ghoſts owne impoſing reſt • anie longer on you, Pſ. 82.5. They know not, neither will they underſtand; all the Foundations of the earth are out of courſe: And although you ſay, think you are Gods, and are all the children of the moſt high in this purſute, yet you ſhal die like men, and fall like one of the Princes: yea be buried in your own and your Republikes ruines again, with greater infamie, ſhame, loſs, than you were on April 20. 1653. when you were ſhamefully turned out of Houſe and power together by thoſe who now recall you, and yet will not take warning.

Mr. Prynne is in good hopes, that all theſe undenyable, unanſwerable Scriptural conſiderations will fully convince and convert our Republican Conventicle, (and Army-Officers too) from their Jeſuitical deſtructive modle of A Common-wealth, unto the love and reſtitution of our antient hereditary Kings, Kingſhip, as the only Divine, Saint-like, Goſpel, ſafe, probable way to our future laſting peace and ſettlement, which he intended to have propounded to them.

Finally, if you are reſolved, notwithſtanding the premiſes, to Act as a Parliament without your ſecluded fellow Members, King, or Houſe of Lords, then follow the Preſidents of all your Proteſtant Predeceſſors in theſe particulars.

1. Take into your ſaddeſt conſiderations the great increaſe, diſguiſes of dangerous Jeſuits and other Romiſh vipers now amongſt us, which A. B. a Jeſuite in his Mutatus Polemo: Or, The Horrible Stratagems of the JESUITS lately practiſed in England, during the Civil Wars, and now diſcovered by him, a RECLAIMED ROMANIST, imployed before as a Workman of the Miſſion from his Holineſs; dedicated by him to your own Preſident Bradſhaw; publiſhed by SPECIAL COMMAND of your New Republike (London Printed for Rob. White 1650.) thus relates to your ſelves and the world, p. 3, 4. That he could bring in to your COUNSEL-TABLE a horrible long Catalogue of more perniciouſly damnable Actors of JESUITICAL Devils in mens ſhapes, yea in MINISTERS too, crept in (from forein Seminaries) to undermine our Church and State, then was in the yeer 1605. in that infernal Powder-plot: That there was one Regiment, or more of them, under Sir John Kempsfield, a Commander of the Horſe in the late Kings Armie: who diſcerning the Kings inclination to cloſe with the Scots and Presbyt • rians, and expecting no advantage to their Cauſe by ſiding with him, held their private Conventicles and Councels at Oxford, wherein they reſolved to deſert, and draw off all their own and all his other Forces from him, and cloſe with the prevailing Parliament partie, which they accordingly effected: Ibid. p. 10, 11. That upon the Kings departing to the Scots Armie, and ſurrender of Oxford, the Jeſuits, Prieſts and Popiſh partie under him, not only changed the habits of their minds, but bodies alſo: turning from upſide Cavaliers and High Royaliſts, and God-dammees, holie Converts and Parliamenteers: nothing but the Holy Covenant being heard in their mouthes. For our bodies, Proteus is leſſe than a fiction to us. Nota. He that ere while was a Commander in a ranting equipage, is now ſlinking into a Coblers ſtall, or Weavers loom, or Tapſters Apron, or Coachmans box, or Beggars weed, or Horſemans frock, or Serving-mans liverie, or Tailors ſhop, or Pulpit-thumping Presbyters Gippo, into what not. It is not unknown what trade we drive beyond Sea, when no Trade comes amiſſe to us. To make this good, our Governors the States of this Commonwealth (if they will deign to hear me now their true Servant) ſhall bee e • tſoon able to call out manie a ſheep-clothed-wolf from their ſtations, ſtalls, looms, aprons, weeds, liveries, ſhops, yea and Buſt coats; what ſay you to Pulpi • s too? Let not Engl. (now like a bird (ah me!) purſued by ſeveral fierce flying Falcons, and too too near the intended hard gripes of their cruely ſharp tallons) either out of a dull or drowſie ſottiſhneſs, or a phantaſtical humour of contradiction, ſuppoſe I • peak what I know not: if I ſhould tell them I can, and (now being about to do it) will (but privately before Authoritie) produce a Catalogue of Catholicks, (Fathers ▪ ſo we will be called) of ſeveral Orders ▪ and others that are Natives, gone into remote Counties, who duly go to Church too, and of an incredible number now living in this Commonwealth under ſeveral Notions, whcih I my ſelf can point at with a drie ſinger. I tell thee in general, there is ſcarce a Town or Citie, but in few miles of it I can furniſh the Reader (to thy Amazement be it ſpoken) with ſome who have lived in England 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 10, 20, 40, 50 years (I. B. of Ne. in Eſ.) unknown, unſuſpected, but taken for clean contrarie; let them avoid me if they can: They are his own words, Page 26. to 37. he ſhews how Monſ. Mintril (the French agent) trepand the poor Cavaliers of the Kings partie, in tranſporting them out of Scotland into France; how they were there butchered by the French: Such is their love to the Royal party of England: what endeavours were uſed by Card: Mazarine, Father D. and le M. to ſeduce and corrupt Prince Charls in his Religion both before and after his Fathers death; and what promiſes were made both by the French and Spaniard, that all Catholick Princes ſhould be invited and conſulted with for an unanimous invaſion of England, if he would turn Catholick. Page 32, 33. hee hath this memorable paſſage: During theſe Sollicitations, news comes aloft upon the wings of the wind, That the People and State of England had ſummoned his Father to an High Court of Judicature, to bring him to a trial for all the innocent bloud he had ſpilt, and the hideous devaſtations he had cauſed. This was no little good News to the Cardinalitical party, (I mean the Ieſuitical,) (this Jeſuit himſelf being then at the French and Princes Court in Paris) For in my next I ſhall ſatisfie thee, concerning their cunning workings; how even thoſe who pretend ſo much charitie to the Son, See here, p. p. 43, 46, 62, 63. did ſeek by all Machinations to expedite and accelerate this high piece of Iuſtice upon the Father: And now, ſay his Tutors to him, If they proceed to death with your Father, it will prove the better for you; for it ſhall utterly alien the hearts & affections of the people from them, and you ſhall finde them to be more eagerlie violent for your reinveſtment, not conſidering the change of your Religion, which by anie means ſhall not be known, but to your good Catholick Subjects of England, till ſuch time as you have veſted power enough into your own hands to protect it, and your ſelf in it. But indeed the Lad had ſomewhat of his Fathers aſtutiouſneſſe in him; and preſently asked the CARDINAL the ſame queſtion as his Father once did the King of Spaine, when he was almoſt eaſilie intreated to have turned to the Faith Catholick: How ſhall I (ſaid he) ever expect to be King of England, if once the Engliſh ſhould underſtand I have turned Catholick? To which they eaſilie gave a ſati • factorie reſolution, telling him; That (as the caſe now ſtood) he muſt never look to be admitted, but by fire and ſword: the main force of Armes muſt make way for him, neither could he in the leaſt atchieve that, or put it in execution without the ayde of Catholike Princes, which they will never be brought to act in without a firm aſſurance of your real and faithfull conuerſion. What impreſſions the News of his Fathers decollatiō made upon him; what uſe the Cardinal and Jeſuits made of it, to induce him and others to Poperie; and what endeavors were uſed by the Jeſuits to make up a peace between the Spaniſh and French to invade England, and make it their prey if he would turn Papiſt, under pretext of reſtoring him to his Crown, you may read in this Jeſuit, p. 33, 34, 35, 36. and in Militiere his Victorie of Truth, dedicated to King Charles after his Fathers death, to pervert him in his Religion, as the only means of his reſtitution. Theſe Paſſages of this Jeſuit, (who ſtiles himſelf, p. 39. The faithful Servant of the Commonwealth of England. • dedicated to Preſident Bradſhaw himſelf, and printed by his SPECIAL COMMAND, and our Republican Governours now ſitting, Ann. 1650. (when Mr. Prynne was committed cloſe Priſoner by them without hearing, or accuſation) will juſtifie the truth of all his See my Epiſtle to a Seaſonable Vindication, &c. Edit. 2. 1655. My Quakers Unmaſked, & A New Diſcovery of Romiſh Emiſſaries, 1656. The Plots of the Jeſuites, printed 1653. And the Jeſuits undermining of parliaments and Proteſtants, By William Caſtle, 1642. former Diſcoveries; That your beheading the King, and degrading our Kingdom into a New Free-State, was the verie French Cardinals, Spaniards, Popes, and Jeſuits plot, to ruin both our Proteſtant Kings, Kingdom, Church Religion, even by your own confeſſions, and that it gave unto them ſtrong arguments, to perſwade the Kings poſteritie and partie for ever to abominate our Religion, as manie of them have done upon this very account, though the King himſelf, and his Brothers yet continue conſtant (through Gods mercie) againſt all provocations; to their eternal honour, but your perpetual infamie, who have put them upon ſuch direfull Temptations.

2. Before you engage in any other Buſineſs, peruſe all former Acts and Printed in my Hidden Works of Darkneſs. &c. & Mr. Ruſhworths Hiſtorical Collections, p. 41. to 44.121, 129, 185. to 190, 140, 141, 510, 568. Exact Collection, p. 5. to 20. Petitions of our Proteſtant Parliaments ſince 1 Eliz. to this preſent againſt Jeſuits, Seminarie Prieſts, Papiſts, Poperie; the manifold miſchiefs, dangers accrewing by their increaſe, toleration, and ſ • ſpe • ſion of our Lawes againſt them; the cauſes of their growth amongſt us, and remedies to prevent the ſame: Then put them all (with the Oath of Abjuration, and 5. Bills againſt them, aſſented to by the late King in the laſt Treatie) into immediate, impartial vigorous execution.

3. Imploy faithfull, knowing, ſtout, active perſons, with ſufficient power, and encouragements to diſcover, detect, apprehend them, under what ever diſguiſe and ſhelter they now ſecure themſelves: Eſpecially take diligent care to ferret theſe Romiſh Vermin and Troublers of our Iſrael out of all your Armies, Garriſons, Camps, and all Sectarian ſeparate Congregations, the Boroughs wherein now they lurk ſecurely, by putting them all to the Teſt of the Oaths of Abjuration Supremacie and Allegiance.

4. Permit no Seminarie Prieſts, Friers, Romiſh Emiſſaries of any Nation, but eſpecially no Jeſuits of Romes Maſterpiece, p. 14.15. any their 4. ranks to remain in our Realms, or Dominions: it being impoſſible to enjoy any peace, ſettlement in Church or State, or to expect anie dutifull obedience, quiet in or from the Armie, whiles theſe Ludovicus Lucius, Hiſt. Jeſuit. l. 3. c. 2. p. 271, 2 • 4, 374. l. 3. c. 2. p. 607, 609, 610, 611, 614 639, 671, 673, &c. Hoſpinian Hiſt. Jeſuit. l. 3. & 4. Speculum Jeſuiticum. firebrands of Sedition, Treaſon, remain within our coaſts: upon which account they have been by ſundrie Proclamations of Queen Elizabeth, King James and King Charles, not only baniſhed out of England, Scotland, Ireland, and all their Dominions; but likewiſe out of France, Germanie, Poland, Bohemia, Auſtria, M • ravia, Tranſilvania, Hungarie, Venice, and other Popiſh Kingdomes, States, as well as out of the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Protestants Territories: as the Authors of all their Wars, Troubles, Tumults, Inſurrections, Rebellions, Treaſons, Regicides, and the publike P • ſts of Church and State.

5. Put no arms into Anabaptiſts or Quakers hands, (formerly See Lucas Oſiander contra Anabaptiſtas. decrying them, as unlawful) leſt London become another Munſter, and England another Germanie, in few moneths ſpace.

6. Since Christ Jeſus, who is truth it ſelf, hath laid down theſe 3. Goſpel-maxims of infallible veritie: Mat: 7.15. to 21. Lu. 6.43. &c. That Ravencus wolves in ſheeeps clothing, as well as trees, are and ſhall be known by their fruits. John 8.44. You are of your Father the Devil, for his works ye doe. Rom. 6.16. That to whom ye yield your ſelves ſervants to obey, his ſervants ye are to whom ye obey. If all the premiſes infallibly convince your Conſciences, Judgements, as they will and muſt do, That all the forementioned fruits you have produced ſince December 4. 1648. are the proper fruits of Jeſuits and Romiſh wolves in ſheeps clothing; yea the very worſt, ſowreſt of all their Fruits and Powder Treaſons: That the workes you have done in murdring our Protestant King, destroying our Parliaments, Kingdoms, Government, Laws, ſecluding your fellow-M • mbers and Lords Houſe by force, erecting your New Republike, and Parliamentarie Conventicle, &c. are the Works of the Jeſuites and Devil; That you have yielded up your ſelves as obedient ſervants unto them in everie of theſe, againſt your own former Oaths, Proteſtations, Vows, Covenants, Declarations, Commiſſions, Principles, Profeſſions, Judgments, rightly informed conſciences: the Votes, Obſecrations, Diſſwaſions of your Fellow Members, and moſt indeared Proteſtant Friends, Miniſters, Relations: the Indentures, Deſires of thoſe Counties, Burroughs you repreſent: And that the very Principles, by which you have acted ſince Dec. 1648 and now again, a • e the very Jeſuits principles; as you may read at leiſure in Johannis Mariana, De Rege & Regum Inſtitutione, l. 1. c. 6. Creſwels Philopater, Franciſcus Verona Constantini, Apologia pro Johanne Caſtellio et Jeſuitis; Jeſuitae Reinaldi liber, De Iuſta Reipublicae Chriſtianae in Reges Impios et Haereticos authoritate, &c. publiſhed under the name of William Roſſe, in Ludovicus Lucius Hiſtoria Jeſuitica, l. 2. c. 3. Hoſpinian Hiſt. Jeſuitica, l. 3. & 4. & Speculum Jeſuiticum, printed 1644. wherein you may truly view your Jeſuitical Phyſiognomies, heads, perrewigs, inſtead of your old genuine Protestant complexions, brains, notions, hair. And if the preſent freſh Addreſſ • s, Petitions of Anabaptiſts, Quakers, Sectaries, from Southwark, Warminſter, Hertfordſhire, Kent, and other places to the Army-Officers, and your ſelves, with their late liſtings in the Army, affronts to Miniſters in their Churches, ejection of ſome of them to intrude themſelves, alreadie budding forth, ſufficiently diſcover whoſe Servants you are, and whoſe drudgerie you muſt execute. O then immediately abjure, reſcinde, and null them all with higheſt indignation, and perſiſt no longer in any ſuch deſtructive waies, counſels, projects, under any pretext, conſideration, intereſt or perſwaſions whatſoever: But rather remember Mr. Oliver Saint-Johns words (now ſitting amongſt you) in his Argument at Law againſt the Earl of Strafford (printed by the Commons houſe ſpecial Order) p. 64. In this I ſhall not labour to prove; That the endeavouring By Words, Counſels and Actions, to ſubvert the fundamental Lawes and Government of the Kingdom is Treaſon by the Common Law: If there be any Common Law Treaſons left, nothing Treaſon if this he not, to make a Kingdom no Kingdom: And then conſider Sir Edward Cooks memorable Obſervation (publiſhed by the Commons Order) 3 Inſtit. c. 2. p. 35, 36. It appeareth in the holy Scripture, That TRAYTORS never proſpered, what good ſoever they pretended, but were moſt ſeverely and exemplarily puniſhed (in concluſion:) which he proves by the examples of Corah, Dathan, and Abiram, Num. 16.31, 32. c. 27.3. Athaliah, 2 Kings 1.1.16. Bigthan and Tereſh, Eſth. 2.21.23. c. 6.2. Abſolom, 2 Sam. 18.9.14. Abiathar, 1 King. 2.26, 27. Shimei, 2 Sam. 6.5, 6. 1 Kings 2.8.46. Zimri 1 Kings 16, 9.18. Theudas, Acts 5.36, 37. and Judas Iſcariot, the Traytor of Traytors, Acts 1.18. Mat. 27.5. Peruſe over all our Books, Records, Hiſtories, and you ſhall finde a principle in Law, a rule in Reaſon, and a trial in experience, That Treaſon doth ever produce fatal and final deſtruction to the Offender, and never attaineth to the deſired end (two incidents inſeparable thereunto.) And therefore let all men abandon it as the moſt poiſonous Bait of the Devil of Hell, and follow the precept in holy ſcripture: Prov. 24.21. 1 Pet. 2.17. Fear God, honor the King, and have no company with the Seditious Felix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum. So he.

Now becauſe M.P. finds ſome Grandees of his own Profeſsion ſitting in the Houſe to countenance and make up this Ʋnparliamentary Juncto, he ſhall deſire them in the firſt place ſeriouſly to conſider, how much they have formerly and now again diſhonoured themſelves, and the whole profeſſion of the Law, in ſitting in, complying with acting under, ſuch illegal Anti-Parliamentary Conventicles, Powers, Changes, Changers; yea crying them up for legal Engliſh Parliaments, Powers, obeying, executing all their illegal new Knacks, Orders, Ordinances, as Acts of Parliament in civil, criminal, real or perſonal Cauſes, againſt all Records, Law-books, preſidents of former Ages, their own Judgments, Oaths, Science, Conſciences, to the intollerable ſcandal of their Robe, the injurie, abuſe of the whole Nation, the prejudice of all their lawfull Superiours and the Publick, the encouragement of uſurping Traytors, Tyrants, Oppreſſors, in their waies of wickedneſs, the ill example of moſt others, and their own juſt reproach.

2ly. To obſerve, How God in his retaliating Juſtice, hath recompenſed this their wilfull prevarication upon their own heads, by turning many of them out of their reſpective places of Judicature, honor, profit, (the ground of this their ſinfull complyance) with infamy, diſhonour, reproach, even by the very Perſons with whom they unworthily complyed, and thoſe eſpecially in preſent power, who had neither been an Houſe of Commons, much leſſe a mock Parliament, without their preſence and complyance.

3ly. That the baſe unworthy, unchriſtian complyance of the Lawyers and Clergy of England, with our late trayterous Innovators, Uſurpers, out of baſe fear, ſordid covetouſneſſe, ambition, ſelf-ſaving, or ſelf-ſeeking, to the prejudice, ruine of King, Kingdom, Parliament, Lords, Law, hath brought an univerſal odium upon them, with thoſe with whom they moſt complyed, as well as others, the Army Officers and preſent Juncto, under a pretext of Reforma • ion, deſigning both their ruines through the Jeſuites Politicks, who now bear greateſt ſway, having turned many of them with ſcorn and contempt out of their former places of Judicature, beyond their expectations, and reviled both their perſons and profeſsions, to their faces, as a Generation of ſordid Temporizers, and uſeleſs, faithleſs perſons, not fit to be entruſted any more, but diſcarded out of their new lawleſſe Republick, which hates both Law and Goſpel, as warranted by neither, and repugnant unto both.

4ly. That the only way now to regain their loſt Honour, and preſerve both our Laws, Liberties, Religion, eſtabliſh future peace, ſettlement, and prevent impendent ruine, is, to endeavour to reſtore our antient, hereditary, juſt, legal Kingſhip, Kings, Governors, Government, with all their neceſſary invaded Prerogatives, Lands, Revenues, Rights, Juriſdictions, and inviolably to preſerve them with their lives and eſtates againſt all conſpiracies of Popes, Jeſuits, and foreign enemies to ſubvert, and undermine them in any kind; as the ſeveral memorable Parliaments and Statutes of 29 H. 6. c. 1. 31 H. 6. c. 1. 39 H. 6. c. 1. 25 H. 8. c. 22. 2 E. 6. c. 26. 7 E. 6. c. 12. 1 Eliz. c. 3.4.20. 5 Eliz. c. 1.29.30. 13 Eliz. c. 1.2. 23, 24 18 Eliz. c. 21.22, 23 Eliz. c. 1.13.14. 27 Eliz. c. 1, 2.28.21. 29 Eliz. c. 7, 8. 31 Eliz. c. 14, 15. 35 Eliz. c. 2.12, 13. 39 Eliz. c. 26, 27. 43 Eliz c. 17, 18. 1 Jac. c. 1. 3 Jac. c. 1, 2, 4, 5, 25, 26. 7 Jac. 6, 22, 23. 21 Jac. c. 32, 33. & 3 Car. c. 5, 6. in their reſpective preambles and bodies (worthy our moſt ſerious review in the Statutes at large) reſolve, being more to be credited, purſued, than all the raſh Jeſuitical ſuggeſtions, votes, and inconſiderable reſolutions of any unparliamentarie Conventicle, or upſtart Pſeudo-Polititians, advancing themſelves to the helm of our new Republick, by colour of the Statute of 17 Car. 7. Which Bill by the Commons Houſe reſolution in their Exact. Collection, P. 17. Remonſtrances of 15 Dec. 1641. ſeems to be ſome reſtraint of the Regal power in diſſolving of Parliaments, not to take it out of the Crown, but to ſuſpend the execution of it for the time and occaſion only, which was ſo neceſſary for the Kings own ſecurity, and the Publick peace, that without it they could not have undertaken any of thoſe great things, but muſt have left both the Armies to diſorder and confuſion, and the whole Kingdome to blood and rapine, Therefore the Parliament muſt needs determine by the Kings death, as he hath infalliby evidenced beyond contradiction.

In the laſt place, Mr. Prynne ſhall moſt importunately beſeech all the antient Nobility, ſecluded Members, well-affected Gentry Clergy, Commonalty of the Engliſh Nation (which had never ſo many effeminate, falſe heads, and hearts as now, many Iud. 18.7.27. Jeſuite, Prieſt, Monk, lurking under the diſguiſe of womaniſh Perewigges brought into faſhion by them) as they now tender their own private, or the publick ſafety, weal, ſettlement, and preſervation of our endangered Church, Religion, Kingdom, Parliament, Laws, Privileges, Properties, and prevention of their impendent ruine. Firſt of all ſeriouſly to conſider, lament, caſt off, reform, their own late, preſent, monſtrous ſottiſh ſtupidity, ſleepineſſe, Mat. 16.25. ſelf ſaving, ſelf-ſeeking Spirits, and moſt unworthy, un-manly, un-Engliſh, unchriſtian puſillanimity, cowardize, Prov. 29.25. Iſay 8.12, 13. c. 7.4. c. 41.14. c. 44.8. Mat. 10.28. fear of a few contemptible Mercinary mortal men, who ſhall ſhortly dye, and become as dung upon the earth; and their groſſe breach of all publick Oaths, Proteſtations, Leagues, Covenants, in not oppoſing, reſiſting them manfully in their ſeveral places and callings; Which hath been the principal cauſe of all the publick Changes, Innovatons, Oppreſsions, Grievances, Exorbitances, Inſolencies, they have hitherto ſuffered by their own armed hirelings, and are the Iſay 13.6, 7.8. c. 27.11. c. 24.17. Iudg. 20.41, 42, Iſ. 3, 4. Ier. 48.43, 44. c. 49.24, 29. Lam. 3.47. Ezech. 30.13, 14. ſaddeſt ſymptomes of our approaching imminent deſolation: if not ſpeedily repented, redreſſed, redreſſed, ere it be over late. 2ly. To purſue theſe Goſpel adviſes, 1 Cor. 16.13. Watch ye, ſtand faſt in the Faith, quit ye like men, be strong. Gal. 5.1. Phil. 1.27, 28. Stand faſt in the liberty, wherewith Chriſt hath made you free, and be not intangled again with the yoke of Bondage; in one Spirit, ſtriving together with one mind for the Faith of the Goſpel, (the fundamental, Laws, Liberties, Government, Privileges of the Nation) And in nothing terrified by your Adverſaries, which will be to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of ſalvation, and that of God. 3ly. Do you all now publickly, reſolutely, conſtantly, unanimouſly, (according to the Collect. of Ordinances, P. 420 to 427. tenor of the Solemn League and Covenant) claim, aſſert, vindicate, and endeavour to preſerve with your Lives and Fortunes, the Reformed Religion, Worſhip, Doctrine of the Churches, the Rights and Privileges of the Parliaments, the Laws and Liberties of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland, and the Kings Majeſties Perſon, Authority and Poſterity, in the defence and reformation of the true Religion, and Liberties of theſe Kingdoms. And with all faith fulneſſe endeavour, the diſcovery of all ſuch as have been, are, or ſhall be Incendiaries, Malignants, or evil Inſtruments, by hindring the Reformation of Religion, dividing the King from his People, or one of the Kingdoms from the other, making any factions or parties among the People, contrary to this League and Covenant, that they may be brought to publick Tryal, and receive condign puniſhment; aſſiſting, defending each other in the maintenance and purſuit thereof, without any diviſion, withdrawing, defection, or deteſtable indifferency, or neutrality whatever. For which end, in a brotherly, friendly, chriſtian, yet ſtout and reſolute manner, demand publickly of the General Counſel of Army Officers, and their Weſtminſter Conventicle.

1. By what lawfull Commiſſion, Authority, or Warrant from God, our Laws, or the generality of the people of England (whom they have voted the Supream Authority, and whoſe Servants they pretend themſelves) they have formerly and now again, forcibly ſecluded the whole Houſe of Lords, and Majority of the Commons Houſe, from ſitting in our Parliamentary Counſels, or the Old Parliament if yet in being, and made themſelves not only a Commons houſe, but abſolute Parliament without a King or them, contrary to the very Letter, ſcope of the Act of 17 Car. c. 7. by which they pretend to ſit?

2ly. By what Authority they preſume to turn our moſt antient, glorious, famous, honourable, first Christian Kingdom, into an infant, baſe, ignoble, contemptible Sectarian Free-State or Commonwealth, and diſinherit our hereditary Kings and their Poſterity, Mat. 21.23. againſt all our Laws, Statutes, Declarations, Remonſtrances, Oaths, Vows, Proteſtations, Leagues, Covenants, Cuſtoms, Preſcription time out of minde, Liturgies, Collects, Canons, Articles; Homilies, Records, Writs, Writers, and their own manifold obligations to the contrary for their inviolable defence, ſupport, and preſervation, only in purſuit of the Jeſuites, Popes, Spaniards, and French-Cardinals forecited plots; And who gave you this Authority? The rather becauſe the whole Engliſh-Nation, and High Court of Parliament, wherein the whole Body of the Realm is, and every particular Member thereof, either in perſon or repreſentation, (by their own Free-elections) are deemed to be preſent by the Laws of the Realm, did by an expreſſe Act, 1 Jacobi c. 1. (worthy moſt ſerious conſideration) with all poſsible publick joy and acclamation, from the bottom of their hearts recognize, and acknowledg, (as being thereunto obliged, both by the Laws of God and Man) that the imperial Crown of this Realm, with all the Kingdoms, Dominions, and Rights belonging to them, immediately after the death of Queen Elizabeth, did by inherent birth-right, and lawfull and undoubted Succeſsion deſcend & come to King Iames, as next and ſole Heir of the Blood-Royal of this Realm, And therunto (by this publick Act of Parliament, to remain to all Poſterity) they did humbly and faithfully ſubmit and oblige themſelves, their Heirs and Poſterity for ever untill the laſt drop of their bloods be ſpent, as the Firſt fruits of this of this High Court of Parliament, and the whole Nations Loyalty and Faith to his Majeſty and his Royal Poſterjty for ever: upon the bended knees of their hearts agnizing their moſt conſtant Faith, Obedience, and Loyalty to his Majeſty and his Royal Poſterity for ever. After which the whole Engliſh Nation, and all Parliaments, Members of the Commons Houſe ever ſince, and particularly all Members of the Parliament of 16 Caroli, continued by the Statute of 17 Car. c. 7. pretended to be ſtill in being, did by their reſpective Oaths of Allegiance, Fealty, Homage, and Supremacy, (containing only ſuch Duty, as every true and well-affected Subject not only by his duty of Allegiance, but alſo by the com-mandement of Almighty God, ought to bear to his Majeſty his Heirs and Succeſſors, as the Parliament, Exact Collection, and a Collection of them. The Good Old Cauſe truly ſtated. and Statute of 7 Iac. c. 6. declares) joyntly and ſeverally oblige themſelves, 'To bear Faith and true Allegiance not only to his Majeſty, but his Heirs and Succeſſors, and him and them to defend to the uttermoſt of their power againſt all Attempts and conſpiracies whatſoever, which ſhall be made againſt his or their Perſons, their Crown and Dignity, See the Letany, Collects, for the King, Queen, and Royal Iſſue: Canons, 1605. Can. 54. or any of them, and to maintain all Iuriſdictions, Preheminences, Authorityes, juſtly belonging, united, or annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm; Which all Members of the long Parl. & thoſe now ſitting ratified, not only by hundreds of printed Declarations, Remonstrances, Ordinances, but likewiſe by a Religious Protestation, Vow, and Solemn National League and Covenant, (publickly ſworn and ſubſcribed with all their hands, in the preſence of God himſelf, and by all the well-affected in theſe three Kingdoms) but by all our ordinary publick Liturgies, Collects, Directory Articles, Homilies, Prayers before Sermons, in all or moſt of their Families, Cloſet-Prayers, yea Graces before and after meat, wherein they conſtantly prayed to God, (according to the Tertulliani Apol • g Euſeb. de Vira Conſtantini. l. 4. c. 19, 10. Caſſiador. Hiſt. Tripartira, l. 5. c. 22. Athanatius Apologia ad Conſtantinum Imp. Sozomen Eccleſ. Hiſt. l. 2. c. 18. l. 4. c. 13. Surius Concil. Tom. 1. p. 617. Tom. 2. p. 670, 737.738.739, 740, 762, 853, 869, 871.875, 880, 891, 925, 926, 1022, 1024, 1039. Tom. 3. p. 8.238. Cl. 1 E. 1. d. 17. Cl. 24 E. 1. d. 10. Cl. 34 E. 1. d. 9, 16. Cl. 35, E. 1. d. 15. cl. 9 R. 2. d. 11. cl. 15 R. 2. d. 56. cl. 16 R. 2. d. 11. cl. R. 2. d. 35. practiſe of the Saints in the Old and new Teſtaments, the Primitive Church of God, and Heathen Nations, & of the Church, Parliaments of England themſelves, in all Ages,) not only for the health, life, wealth, ſafety, proſperity, preſervation, ſalvation of our Kings and their Realms, but likewiſe of their Royal Iſſue and Poſterity. That there might not want a man of that Race to ſway the Scepter of theſe Realm, ſo long as the Sun and Moon ſhall endure, or to the like effect And if they cannot ſufficientlie ſatisfie your judgements, conſciences, in this particular, nor anſwer the precedent reaſons in defence of our hereditary Kings & Kingſhip, againſt their Ʋtopian Republick, Then take up the peremptory reſolution of all the Elders, and Tribes of Iſrael, when oppreſſed by Samuels Sonnes Miſ Government, turning aſide after filthy lucre, and perverting Judgement, 1 Sam 8. and ſay reſolutely to them, We will have no New Common-wealth nor Ʋnparliamentary Conventicle to rule over, oppreſſe, ruine us, Nay, But we will have a KING (our own lawfull hereditary King) to reign over us, that We alſo may be like all other Nations, (yea like our ſelves and our Anceſtors in all former Ages) and that our King may judge us and go out before us, and ſo put a ſpeedy end to all our preſent & future Changes, Wars, Troubles, Fears, Dangers, Oppreſſions, Taxes; and reſtore us to our priſtine Peace, ſettlement, unitie, amitie, ſecuritie, proſperitie, felicitie, upon the Propoſitions aſſented to by his beheaded Father in the Iſle of Wight, whoſe Conceſſions the Ho: of Commons without diviſion, after 3. daies and one whole Nights debate, (4 Dec. 1648. notwithſtanding all the Armies menaces) Reſolved upon the Queſtion, to be a ſufficient Ground for the Houſe to proceed upon for the ſettlement of the Peace of the Kingdom: upon better terms, and greater advantages, than ever they have yet enjoyed, or can poſſiibly expect from any New Free-State, or other New Armie Government or Governours whatſoever. The old Parliaments, Statutes of 25 H. 8. c. 22. 26 H. 8. c. 3. & 1 Eliz. c. 5. (the moſt impartial Judges in this caſe) long ſince reſolving, that it is, and of very right and duty ought to be the natural inclination of all good people, like moſt faithfull, loving, and obedient Subjects, ſincerely and willingly to deſire and provide for the ſupportation, maintenance and defence of the Perſon, Crown, Royal eſtate and ſucceſſion of their dread Soveraign King, upon and in whom all their worldly Ioy and wealth, and the ſurely of them all, next under God, doth principally depend; as we have experimentally found by all the miſeries, Oppreſſions ſuſtained under our late New forms of Governments and Governors, whoſe 2 Chron. 10.6.101 • . See My New Diſcovery of Free State Tyranny; And Englands New Chains. little fingers have been heavier than our Kings whole loyns; and the counſels, proceedings, of our young raw Stateſmen, more pernicious, exorbitant than the old ones under our Kings. Which ſhould engage all to return to their old Kingly Government.

4ly. If they will not upon anie terms be ſerued up to ſuch a degree of Chriſtian, or old Engliſh Reſolution, as thus to expoſtulate with their ſervants, hirelings, and fellow Members, after ſo manie high and bloudie conteſtations with their lawfull Soveraign in Parliaments, and the field, when their Laws, lives, liberties, Church, Religion, Kingdom, and all earthly comforts were leſs endangered than now in their own judgements; Mr. Prynne ſhall then intreat them only to take ſo much courage, as over-timerous 2 Chron: 28.2.3.22. to 36. King Jehoſhaphat and his cowardly people did, when three confederated forein Nations came up to invade and deſtroy their kingdom; and to act as they did then. Firſt, let them appoint a publike Faſt throughout the Kingdom, Citie, Countrie, and uſe the ſelf-ſame praier as they uſed. O our God, wilt thou not judge them! for we have no might against this great companie, (no nor that little Conventicle, inconſiderable handful of Armie-men & Sectaries now combined againſt us) but our eies are unto thee; Annexing t • it this praier of David, Pſ. 140. Deliver us O Lord from the evil man, preſerve us from the violent men, which imagin miſchief in their heart, continually are they gathered together for war. Grant not, O Lord, the deſire of the wicked; Further not their wicked devices, leſt they exalt themſelves, Let the miſchief of their own lips cover them; let them be caſt into deepe pits, that they riſe not up again: Let not an evil ſpeaker be eſtabliſhed in the earth; Let evil hunt the men of violence to their overthrow: Then purſue the Prophets advice from God unto them. Hearken ye all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jeruſalem, thus ſaith the Lord God, Be not afraid nor diſmaid, by reaſon of this great multitude (much leſs of this ſmall Conventicle) for the battle is not yours, but Gods. To morrow go out againſt them, ye ſhall not need to fight in this battle: only ſet your ſelves (in array againſt them) and ſtand ſtill: (keep your ground, fear not, ſubmir not to their power, uſurpations, impoſitions in any kind) and the Lord will be with you; Whereupon they roſe early in the morning, and went out againſt them with their Prieſts before them, ſinging praiſes and Pſalms of thanksgiving to God. And when they began to ſing and praiſe, the Lord ſet ambuſhes againſt the children of Ammon Moab, and Mount-Seir, which were come againſt Judah, and they ſmote one another; For the children of Ammon and Moab ſtood up againſt them of Mount Seir, utterly to ſlay and deſtroy them; and when they had made an end of them, every one helped to deſtroy another. And when Judah looked upon the multiude, behold they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none eſcaped. Whereupon Jehoſhaphat and his people gathered up their ſpoiles for 3. daies ſpace together, they were ſo great; and on the 4th day they bleſſed the Lord, and returned with joy to Jeruſalem, (without the loſſe of anie one mans life, or one ſtroke ſtruck by them) becauſe the Lord fought againſt the enemies of Iſrael. Imitate but their example herein; go out only couragiouſly againſt theſe Invaders of your Countries Rights, Liberties, Privileges, without fear or diſpondencie; Own not their incroached Parliamentarie power, Acts, Impoſitions, Edicts, Taxes, Exciſes in anie kind; Keep faſt your purſe-ſtrings, and part with no farther pay to your Armie-Saints, till they obediently ſubmit to your commands, as their Maſters, and acknowledge themſelves to be your mercinarie Servants, not your ſoveraign new Lords, Maſters: Then without any more fighting, bloudſhed, danger to your perſons or eſtates, you ſhall ſoon behold hold the Mungrel multitude of Anabaptiſts, Quakers, Sectaries, Republicans, Ʋaniſts, Cromwelliſts, Jeſuits, Papists, now combined againſt you, divided againſt each other (as you ſee they are pretty well) and every of them will help to deſtroy one another, as they begin to doe; and their Weſtminſter new-convened Ʋn-Parliamentarie Conventicle thruſt out of doors by themſelves again, with greater ſcorn, infamie, deriſion, damage to them, than heretofore: as Obad. 10.15. Ezech. 35.15. Deut. 32.35, 36.41, 42. Pſ. 7.15, 16. Pſ. 9.15. Pſ. 140.11. Prov. 12.2, 3, c. 24.21, 22. Mich. 3.9· to 13. Hab. 2.12, 13. Rev. 13.10. c. 17.6. c. 16.4, 5, 6. Mat. 7. 2. Judg. 1.6, 7. may aſſure both you and them, compared with Gods late wonderfull providences of this kind upon all ſorts of Innovators: So as you may ſing, Pſal. 20.8. They are brought down and fallen, but we are riſen and ſtand upright. But if you neglect or refuſe to follow this advice; beware leſt through your unworthie cowardize and negligence in this kinde, you become not a ſpeedy prey to theſe ravening wolves, now likely to transform London into another Chytrai Chron. Sax • nia l. 14. p: 411, to 414. Munſteri Coſmog. l. 3. c. 142, Sleidan Comment. l. 10 Munſter, and England into a ſecond G • rmanie; as in the year 1534.

Mr. Prynne having thus fully, faithfully, ſincerely diſcharged his dutie, and ſatisfied his own conſcience; is reſolved to Pſal, 4.8. Pſal. 11 • , 41, lie down quietly, to take his reſt, and hope for the ſalvation of his God; concluding with the words of St. Paul in a like caſe, 2 Tim. 4.6, 7, 8.16, 17, 18. I am now ready to be offred, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteouſneſs, which God the righteous Judge ſhall give me at that day. At my firſt anſwer no man ſtood by me, but all men forſook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge: Notwithſtanding the Lord ſtood by me and strengthned me, that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lyon, And the Lord ſhall deliver me from every evil work, and will preſerve me to his heavenly KINGDOM; to whom bee glorie for ever and ever, Amen.

Iſay 8.9. to 16. Aſſociate your ſelves O ye people, and ye ſhall be broken in pieces; gird yourſelves and ye ſhall be broken in pieces; take counſel together, and it ſhall come to nought; ſpeak the word and it ſhall not ſtand: for God is with us. For the Lord ſpake thus to me with a ſtrong hand, and inſtructed me, that I ſhould not walk in the way of the people; ſaying, ſay not a Confederacie, to whom this people ſhall ſay a Confederacie, neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. But ſanctifie the Lord of Hoſts himſelf, and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread, and he ſhall be for a ſanctuarie.

Pſ. 26.3, 4, 5. O Lord, I have walked in thy Truth; I have not ſat with vain perſons, neither will I goe in with diſſemblers. I have hated the Congregation of evil doers, and I will not ſit with the wicked.

Pro. 29.25. The fear of man bringeth a ſnare, but he that putteth his truſt in the Lord ſhall be ſafe.

Pſ. 18.46, 48, 50: Pſ: 144.10. The Lord liveth, and bleſſ • d be my rock, and let the God of my ſalvation be exalted. He delivereth me from mine enemies, yea thou lifteſt me up above thoſe that roſe up againſt me; thou haſt delivered me from the violent man: Therfore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the Heathen, and ſing praiſes unto thy name. It is he that giveth Salvation unto Kings, that delivereth David his ſervant from the hurtfull ſword. Great deliverance giveth he unto his KING, and ſheweth mercy to his anointed; To David and to his ſeed for evermore.

Thomas Campanella De Monarchia Hiſp: c. 30. Omnis haereſis cum ad Atheiſmum delapſa eſt per ſapientem Prophetam in veritatis viam reducitur; habent enim haereſes periodum ſuam ad modum Rerumpublicarum; quae à Regibus in Tyrannidem; à Tyrannide in Statum Optimatium, et inde in Oligarchiam, atque tandem in Democratiam, See Polybii Hiſt. lib. 6. p. 521 to 527. & in fine rurſus in ſtatum Regium revolvuntur.

William Prynne. From my Studie in Lincolns Inne May 18. 1659. FINIS.