Complaint.

IN the third Page it is thus penn'd: We have seen and perused many Remonstrances, Decla­rations, and Votes, and Ordinances; and our vote upon them all is, That it had bin happy for us, more advantagious to our Religion, and more honourable to our Nation, if they had bin strangled in the birth, and never walked abroad in the light; and that it will never be well with us or the Kingdom, untill that they be buried in oblivion.

Answer.

The Author did here passe a Vote (in the name of the Cities of London and Westminster) with no lesse ignorance then impudence, and blaming the PARLIAMENT: he saith it had been happier for us and our Religion, if they had not put out such Remonstrances or Votes; and true­ly if I am not mistaken in the Author (whom I guesse to be some Jesuit or Roman Priest, or at least a Catho­lique) I must confesse he is in the right, for without doubt, had not the Parliament bin, it had bin better for the Ro­man Catholique cause, which hath bin a long time in hopes of a good successe, and which is daily endeavoured to be promoted; witnesse the Queens practise with the Prince of Orange and others in Holland, and other Coun­tries, besides the severall Commissions that the King hath given to severall Papists, to authorize them for the rai­sing of an army of their own Religion. But for the ho­nour, which our Author sayes, it had been to our Nati­on, [Page 5]if those Declarations had never bin; I believe hee meant if there had bin no just cause for those Declarati­ons, which have mentioned nothing, but what was justi­fied and proved, either by writings signed with the Kings own hand, or by oaths from men of credit, which have received unlawfull commands from the KINGS owne mouth; so that I may justly use those words which the Author uses in that third Page, viz. There are Conjurers abroad which do the utmost of their skill to raise evill Spirits, and that we shall never be at quiet till those Spirits are laid, which can be done by no way now but the sword; unlesse we should ground our peace upon the Kings word, which (like the laying of a spirit) in all probability would endure but seven yeers at most.

Complaint.

In the third Page likewise these words are pennd, viz. Our Estates were taken away under the gentle terms of Benevolences and Loanes, where the choice was either to part with our Estates and Land, or lye in Prison.

Answer.

'Twas a grosse mistake in the Author, with whom none do joyne in complaint, but such as possesse nought; for the Honourable City of London (which he abuseth by complaining in its name) would never have bin so zealous for Gods cause, if they had disliked the Parliaments pro­ceedings; but 'tis commonly the cheators practise, to go in an honest mans name to colour his falsehood; besides our estates were never taken away, 'twas only the twentieth part of our Estates: and if the Author had lookt back into former times, he should have found this no new device; for he should have found, that at the As­sembly of the States at Lambeth, (which was at the end of that yeer of the Parliament of Westminster, which was in the sixteenth yeer of the then King) that the King had the fortieth part of every mans goods given him freely to­wards [Page 6]his debts: Besides, Edward the first, the son of Henry the third, had in his third yeer, given him the fif­teenth part of all goods, which is more then you are tax­ed at, and yet this is for the King and Kingdom too: In his eighteenth yeer he had the eleventh part of all moveable goods within the Kingdom: in his nineteenth yeer he had the tenth part of all Church-livings in England: and in the latter end of his three and twentieth yeer, he had the tenth part of all goods of all the Burgesses and of the Commons: And now likewise the Parliament do not free themselves from those taxes they put upon the King­dom. In the five and twentieth yeer of his Raign, he had an eighteenth part of the goods of the Burgesses, and of the people in generall the tenth part; so then the Parlia­ments favoured themselves more then the people and their Countries, and yet they were never murmured at as this Parliament is (by the Author) though in every taxe they bear an equall charge; nay, in some taxes this Parli­ament they have laid the greatest burden upon their own shouldiers; Ordering, that what Tenants paid, their Land­lords should bate it out of their Rent; and if so, then they being all Landlords must needs bear a greater part then o­thers. In the three and thirtieth yeer of his Raign, he confirm'd the Great Charter of his own Royall Dispo­sition, and then he had given him (for one yeer) the fifth part of the revenues of all the land, and of the Citizens the sixt part of their goods: and divers other Presidents I could give you, whereby you might see that other Par­liaments in former times, have not bin so fearfull of over­burthening the Subjects, as this happy Parliament hath been.

Complaint.

In the fourth Page, the Author goes forward, viz. When we found this pressure, we ran to the Law for protection; [Page 7]but found by wofull experience, that innocency was a worse crime then fellony, for he that was committed for fellony was admit­ted to Bayle, whilst he that was committed upon no cause, was upon his habeas corpus remanded and committed to prison.

Answer.

The Author doth here accuse the Parliament most foolishly and unjustly, for every one that knowes the Par­liament meddles not with cases of Fellony (they being summoned to treat of things of a higher nature; and there being inferiour Courts for the punishment of such crimes) must needs suppose that he means the Judges, though he seeks to set the people in direct opposition to the Parlia­ment; but our English Subjects are not led away with good lines, they all know the benefit of a Parliament, and have ever found them the sure revengers of an injured cause; and when Malignant Favourites have barred them from their appeal to their gracious and religiously mea­ning Prince; the Parliament (being not subject to delusi­on) have alwayes been ready to receive their complaints: And whereas he accuseth the Parliament of imprisoning those that are innocent, 'tis an unheard of impudence for him to make himselfe more able to discerne betweene guilt and innocency then the Parliament; if he have it by relation onely or tradition that the Parliament do so, hearesay will not appeare a sufficient excuse either to mit­tigate his punnishment, or maintain his wisdome; or if he speake in his owne cause onely (as perchance he may) let him know that wisemen will never owne him for a competent Judge: And for the Squibb he puts upon the Lords, he should have nominated them in particular, and then every one would have known who he had meant; But it seemes for those Lords that are here, he aymed at none of them, else he would not have stucke to name them as well as my Lord Maior, and others which he hath na­med: [Page 8]And for the Lords that are with the King, tis like­ly he meant not them, for he knows that a generall plun­der will be sufficient to pay particular debts; but which of either he meant, the abuse of Peerage deserves a shar­per revenge then those new Prisons which he saith the Lords have found out to make their sentences appeare more severe.

Complaint.

In the fift page it is thus penned, viz. It afflicts us to think of the pressures we underwent by new Imposts, and that in­voluntary dangerous president of 40. s. per tun upon Wine.

Answer.

By this 'tis made apparent what life he leades, and what conversation he is of; could he find nothing worth his complaint but that; and yet for the taking away of that his grievance, can he shew no greater a signe of thankfulnesse to the Parliament, then scandalizing their just proceedings, endeavouring to render them odious to the Common people; who are the onely evidences that the Common People can shew for their enjoyment of what they call their owne? for how soone had those small possessions which the poore enjoy, bin throwne downe, to build great Pallaces for the reaching Pollititians in their rooms: had not the Parliament like a brazen wall defended them against those Rebellious Traytors who quite forget that the Subjects giue nothing to the King for the Kingdomes use, but with adjunction of their own Interests, interlacing in one and the same Act, His Ma­jesties reliefe, and their owne Liberties; which they ne­ver doe out of suspition of the Kings Piety, or out of a feare of any ill that the King will do; but fearing what wicked Councell may by possibility perswade him to doe.

Complaint.

In the 6. page it is thus penned, viz. If it had not beene [Page 9]thought otherwise fit by the States, we should never have de­nied the Bishops a place in the Lords House in Parliament; And though their Votes in Parliament be gone, which for the man­ner of carriage in taking them away (if all be true that we heare) was not so well as we could have wished for the Honour of that great Court.

Answer.

What an abominable lye stands the Author guilty of, for he saith the City of London could have wished the Bi­shopps might have still enjoyed their places in the Lords House: when as the City Petition against them and Po­pish Lords is yet extant; the King himselfe would no way justifie the Author in that particular (though he hath not stood to accuse them all or some of them with Bribes o [...] in indirect dealing) for He Himselfe did passe the Bill for taking away their Votes; so that now tis become an Act or Law: And let any knowing man judge how ig­norant and immodest the Author is in speaking against that which is enacted, it being contrary to the Order of the House to speake then, besides the reasons were fully debated by both sides and in both the Houses; and yet the Author hath shewed himselfe guilty of so little: discre­tion, as to tax both the King, the Lords, and the Com­mons for doing that, and shewes not wherein they er­red in doing it: Onely he makes a hearsay ground for ex­ceptions against the Superiour and highest Court that this world hath given us leave to appeale to.

Complaint.

The Author goes forward, and in his 6. page saith in the name of the two Cities, That our losses were not small, if the losse of Property, Liberty, Life, or Religion bee great.

[Page 10] Answer.

'Tis certaine the losse will be great if ever it happen, but the two Cities are in a faire way (thanks be to GOD and a good Parliament) to keepe them; Alas the dan­ger of losing these is on tother sides prevailing, for can any man be so mad as to suppose that this Parliament will give away that Liberty which some of these very Parlia­ment Men have long since sweate for, or at least their An­cestors with no little care procured: why should we sup­pose that they are growne weary of their Estates, or if they were, have they not Children to ease them of that burthen, or is it likely that they would envy they Chil­dren so much, as to abridge them of the liberty they them­selves have hitherto enjoyed; as if they had surffeited, and would free their Posterity from the like disease.

Complaint.

In the seventh Page of that Pamphlet it is thus penn'd, viz. This Parliament to our thinking was called seasonably for our relief; and the unhappy differences arisen in Scotland, almost miraculously quieted, and our Brethren of that Nation returned home peaceably, but we must not forget that it cost us 300000. pounds, which we could wish had bin spared.

Answer.

'Tis true that the calling of this Parliament was seaso­nable, and so was the Act for not dissolving it; but for the King to violate his own Act, and dissolve this Parlia­ment by force (as is intended by his army) were altoge­ther untimely; and though we are now in a greater distra­ction then ever, yet the Parliament cannot be blamed by those of judgement; for before, thjngs were carryed ac­cording to the desire of those that caused them, who be­ing in authority, did force an obedience from inferiour subjects, none daring to oppose them till now this Par­liament; [Page 11]now the Parliament cannot so easily relieve us and correct those former abuses as some expect; for when great men and Favourites set a plot on foot, there must needs be some stir to overthrow it, especially when the Princes best assistance is not wanting to bring it to passe: and for the 300000. pounds that the Scots had towards their charge they were put to; Let me tell you there was a great deale of good English blood bought (by that means) at an easie rate, considering the occasions we may have for their future imployment: but those that caused that, missing their bloody ends they expect­ed from that civill war, have caused this unnaturall war among our selves, whereby they hope to compasse that by the Protestant blood of England alone, which before they endeavoured by the destruction of two Protestant Kingdoms together.

Complaint.

In the eighth Page of that Book, 'tis thus penn'd, viz. At the beginning of the Parliament, they removed one highly charged for endeavouring the subversion of the fundament all Laws of the Land; and though we are sure he was a great cause of our sufferings, yet we could wish his attainder might not have been in such a manner as to need a Declaration, that his manner of punishment should not be drawn into example.

Answer.

There was no Declaration, 'twas but a clause in the Bill of Attainder, and that clause is no ready way neither to draw a suspition upon the justice of his sentence: for this Parliament is not the first that have done so; for by the Statute of 25. E: 3. which is the Statute of Trea­sons, you shall find that the very clause which this Par­liament hath used in the Earle of Straffords Attainder is, used there, viz. No Judges shall presume to make [Page 12]any thing Treason that is not Treason by that Statute, ex­cept it be done by the Parliament: and though the Earl of Strafford was adjudged a Traytor by the Parliament; yet I hope this Parliament hath the same authority to keepe this from being a President, that the Parliament in Edward the thirds time, had for hindering the Judges to go according to former Presidents.

And then for that part of the Pamphlet which layes aspersions upon the House, for letting the Bishop of Canterbury and Judge Bartlet, lye so long in Prison be­fore they be tryed; let me answer with that old rule; quod defertur non aufertur: all the world sees there are bu­sinesses that are more urgent then their Trialls, about which the House is wholly imployed: besides, who does not see that the Parliament takes no delight in shed­ding of blood? and therefore if a temporall imprison­ment will amend the Malefactors, what though the Par­liament be willing to spare their lives, and wave the ac­cusation of Treason against any prisoner? must it there­fore follow that they could not make good their accusa­tion? No, Parliaments are great bodies, and though they move but slowly, they are the lesse subject to rash­nesse.

Complaint.

In the ninth Page of that Book it is thus penn'd, viz. For the honest Lord Major Gurney, if you will believe us which were present at his triall, he might with more honour and justice too have been acquitted then sentenced, his greatest fault being his obedience to his King.

Answer.

'Twere strange if the world should believe you the sooner for being an Auditor, and by that meanes under­value [Page 13]the judgement of a Parliament: besides, your rea­son you give shews the weaknesse of your judgement; for when the Kings command is pleaded to justifie an unlaw­full Act, 'twill be no barre to the censure, for the King himselfe cannot be questioned for the fact, but he that the King imployes must endure the brunt; for the Kings command cannot be a dispensation for any mans offen­ding me: and for the scandalls that are by that Book layed upon the House of COMMONS and LORDS both, they are so fearfully guilt with impudence, that I dread to read them; and therefore for an answer to them, I shall only say, that I think it no lesse Treason in the Pamphleteer that does his best endeavour to raise a Warre against the Parliament, then 'tis in them that fight the Battle.

Complaint.

In the thirteenth Page of that Book it is thus penn'd, viz. What shall become of the multitude of the zealous Sectaries and Rabble of ignorant people sent to both Houses, but especially to the House of Peers, by Captain Ven and his Wife, and Isaac Pennington, to cry justice, justice, and no Bishops, no Bishops: to terrifie some Lords from the House, and to awe others that were there.

Answer.

Here we may see with what invective malice the Pam­phleteer did write against those that stand for the Parli­ament, and so consequently for Gods cause; could not that breeding which your lines tell you have had, bridle your unmannerly passion so much as to give the Lord Ma­jor his due Title of Honour? the King Himselfe (who indeed is alwayes modest in his expressions which are free [Page 14]from passion) was pleased to give him his Title of Al­derman in his last Declaration, and could you afford no better an expression then plaine Isaac; if you doubt him to be a legall Major, yet you cannot except against his be­ing Alderman, and then I hope if he had not bin a branch of that Noble and ancient family from whence he is un­doubtedly descended, yet at least he might have had the addition of a Gentleman by his being Alderman of the City of London, and a Parliament man for that City; but certainely he is now (being legally chosen and sworne) as legall a Major as any of his Predecessors were before: all that you can urge against his Authority, is that he hath not Commission from the King? Pray see your errors now, by the Charter of London the Office of the Lord Major should not goe by course, but by the Cities election; and by that Charter the King is (according to his promise at his Confirmation of it) to give a Commission to him whom the City does elect, now they have elected Al­derman Pennington, and he is Sworn, now if he should have no Authority, for want of a Commission, then you blame the King for not dealing with his City according to their Charter first granted by his Royall Predecessors, and since confirmed by himselfe; now I thinke if the Pamphleteer had known this, rather then have laid such a fault upon the King, he would have acknowledged him to be Lord Major of London, and have given him his Title.

Complaint.

In the 19. page tis thus penned, viz. We could never learn of any great experience of Marshall valour in my Lord Say or his Sonne, that made them undertake imployments of that nature.

[Page 15] Answer.

For that Scandall laid upon my Lord Say his Son, tis likely you were the first broacher of it; for one of that fa­ctious and bold spirit your pamphlet shewes you to bee endued with, would scorne to take newes at the second hand, especially having so good an invention: Tis bet­ter to imploy some honest men that have but little skill, then skilfull knaves that have no honesty: yet at the end of Keynton Bataile there was no great signe of unskilfull Commanders.

Complaint.

In the 20. page of that Booke it is thus penned, viz. We should weary out a patient reader to tell all our dstresses, and how the businesses of Ireland have been carryed, but 'twould have trenched too much upon the honour of those Houses.

Answer.

That is mightily feared by you, who if ever Treason were committed by writing a Pamphlet, you are guilty; for never was that impudence head of in any age that you have expressed against the State: And if Burton and Pryn and Bastwicke did deserve to lose their eares, I am sure thy life is forfeited: You will not speake of Ireland least you should lay the Saddle upon the right Horse, for twas the Parliament that sent the Coates and other necessaries for Ireland, but twas not the Parliament that stopt any, what greater offence can there be then to threaten that great Councell the Parliament as you have done; was the poore man drawn, hanged and quartered, that raised a Tumult against the Bishop of Canterbury who was but of the Kings Privy Councell? and shall it not be Treason to encourage others to war against a Parliament which [Page 16]is the Kings gveat Councell: have other men been pu­nished for their contempts showne to an inferiour Court, and shall you goe free for not onely obeying, but will­fully opposing that court from whence there lyes no ap­peale? have others bin severely punished for uttering words that did onely imply what you have openly pub­lished to all the world, and can you imagine to scape the sentence of severity for your inviting others to your owne degree of Rebellion, which you have done in the 24. page of your book, where you desire all others to joyn with you in the opposition of all Ordinances that are made by the Parliament; And thus I have done with your Pamphlet, but for your selfe, I shall leave you to the just sentence of the Honourable Houses of Parlia­ment.