A Bloody Independent Plot.
AS a ship whilst it is upon the main sea, is in a manner a Castle, or Common-wealth by it selfe, and having all the sayls hoysted up, and swolne with the wind, and the Banners displayed, with a lofty shew danceth upon the waves, and allureth every eye to behold the pride thereof: But when it comes into the Haven, it is straight ransacked by the Searcher, forced to pay custome, the sayls and banners taken in, the ship lyeth at Rode, and is little regarded.
So this Ship without a Pilot, this Parliament without a King, this body without a head so long as it sayls upon the surges of worldly vanities, and follows the tide of a consciensllesse course, may range uncontroled, having many favourable gales to waft them for warre, and honours and pomp to set them onward to their journies end, so long they may be admired and lookt on by the people; but whensoever they come into the Haven, they must expect Searchers, they must cast Ancor, pay customes, their sayls gathered in, their glory disgraced, or little or nothing set by. So long as wee enjoyed all blessings, plenty of peace, plenty of the Gospel, plenty of bread, plenty of all things, wee were free from Sects, Schismes, Rebellions, Murders, and the like, then we were admired by all nations, but when we were once driven by contrary winds upon the raging surges of the People, Discensions, Schismy, and the like, we were quickly shipwrackt, drove upon a Rock, and split, and soon became a Prise for the mercilesse waves.
This is Englands case at this day for these enemies of al our blessings may fitly be compared to the Libard, that bears so deadly a hatred unto man, that at first sight it flies in his face; to avoid the rage therof, the custome is to shew him a mans Picture, which he [Page 2] no sooner seeth, but he rendeth and tareth, shewing thereby how eagerly it is bent against man it selfe, whose Image it cannot abide, So it is with these Anabaptists, Levellers, and Sectaries, when they cannot break their cursed malice against the King to murder him, then they seek to rend and divide that Army, which should be his chiefe strength and defence.
1. For their cruell and cursed intentions to murder the King. I could explaine my selfe at large, and tell you of the man hir'd to doe that bloody and abhorred act, tell you their meetings about the same at Aldersgate at the signe of the Mouth, at the Windmill Taverne at Old-Jury end, in Foster-lane, and Friday-street where they conspired his death, and made no question of ingaging Master Peters and Master Dell therein; who had often termed him a Dead Dog: For justification of this I refer you to the Letter sent to His Majesty, to desire him to provide for the safety of his person.
IN discharge of my duty J cannot omit to acquaint you that my brother was at a meeting last night with eight or nine Agitators who in debate of the obstacle which did most hinder the speedy effecting of their designes, did conclude it was Your Majesty; and as long as your Majesty doth live you would be so; and therefore resolved, for the good of the Kindome, to take your life away; and that to that action they were well assured that Master Dell, and Master Peters (two of their Peachers) would willingly beare them company, for they had often said to these Agitators, Your Najesty is but a dead Dog: My prayers are for your Majesties safety; but doe too much feare it cannot be whilest you are in those hands.
J wish with my soule Your Majesty were at my house in Broadstreet, where I am confident I could keepe you in private till this storm were over, but beg Your Majesties pardon, and shall not presume to offer it us an advice, it is only my constant zeale to Your Service, who am, Your Majesties dutifull Subject, Novemb. 9. 1647.
2. For their pernitious Plot to divide the Army, it was carried on with a desperate Resolution, the working of it by the [Page 3] London Agents, shewed how active they were to effect the same, I will refer you for the truth hereof to Sir Thomas Fairfax, his Letter to the Lords and Commons written with his own hand, verbatim, from the Rendezvous neer Hartford.
SIR, I thought it my duty to give you an account of our Rendezvouz yesterday neer Hartford, where I have given order for my own Regiment of Horse, the Lieutenants Generall Regiment of Hose, and some other Regiments of Horse and foot (to the number of seven) to apreare) but Colonell Harrisons Regiment of Horse were so abused by some London Agents, that contrary to order, they came to the Rendezvouz in a very tumultuous manner, and with papers in their Hat, called, The agreement of the people, and on the out side, in Capitall Letters was printed, Englands Freedome, Souldiers Rights. Colonell Lilburns Regiment of Foot, was also exceedingly abused by the said London Agents, so that they came also contrary to order in a mutinous manner, and had driven away all their prime Officers, the chiefe Officer conducting them being a Captaine Lievtenant, who is secured to be tryed by a Councell. A great number of the papers before mentioned were dispersed, but upon command the Souldiers pulled them out of their Hats; divers private souldiers of the chiefe Mutiners of Colonell Lilburns Regiment were taken, and three condemned by a Councell of warre and one by lot sh [...]t to death at the head of the Regiment, Coll. Rainsborough delivered a Petition in the names of many, which had ingaged against the command. Every one praying, that the agreement of the People annexed thereto might be promoted, &c. Major Scot, a Member of the House was there very active, and secured, and sent up to the Parliament. These things being a little over, the Generall made a Declaration in the head of each Regiment, and they cheerfully, and unanimously declared againe. That they would serve the Parliament, and b [...] obedient to the old way of Discipline, under His Excellency, signed
For their designe to beguile the Common people and souldiers under pretence of Liberty: I refer you to their ingagement, which I here insert for your better satisfaction therein.
An Agreement of the People, for a firme and present Peace upon Grounds of Common Right and Freedome.
HAving by our late labours and hazards made it appeare to the world at how high a rate we value our just freedome; and God having so farre owa [...]d our cause, as to deliver the Enemies thereof into our hands. We do now hold our selves bound in mutual duty to each other, to take the best care we can for the future, to avoyd both the danger of returning into a slavish condition, and the chargeable remedy of another war: for as it cannot be imagined that as so many of our Country men would have opposed us in this quarrell, if they had understood their own good, so we may easily promise to our selves that when our Common Rights and libertyes shall be cleared, their indeavours will be disappointed that seek to make themselves our Masters; since therefore our former oppressions and scarce yet ended troubles hath been occasioned, either by want of frequent Nationall meetings in Counsell, or by rendring those meetings ineffectuall. We are fully agreed and resolved to provide that hereafter our Representatives be neither left to any uncertainty for the time, nor made uselesse to the ends for which they are intended: in order whereunto we declare.
1. That the people of England, being at this day very unequally distributed by Counties, Cities and Burrouhs for the election of their Deputies in Parliament ought to be more indifferently proportioned according to the number of the Inhabitants; the circumstance whereof, for number, place, and manner, are to be set down before the end of this present Parliament.
2. That to prevent the many inconveniencies apparently rising, from the long continuance of the same persons in authority, this present Parliament be dissolved upon the last day of September, which shall be in the yeare of our Lord, 1648.
3. That the people do of course chuse themselves a Parliament once in two yeares, viz. upon the first Thursday in every second March as shall be prescribed before the end of this present Parliament, to begin to fit upon the first Thursday in Aprill following at Westminster, or such other place as shall bee appointed from time to time by the preceding Representatives; and to continue till the last day of September, then next ensuing and no longer.
4. That the power of this and all future Representatives of this Nation, is inferiour, onely to theirs which chuse them, and doth extend without the consent or concurrence of any other person or persons to the enacting, altering, and repealing of Lawes, to the erecting and abolishing of Officers and Courts, to the appointing, removing and calling to account Magistrates and Officers, of all degrees: to the making War and Peace, to the treating with forreigne States. And generally, [Page 5] to whatsoever is not expresly, or implyedly reserved by the represented to themselves.
Which are as followeth.
1. THat matters of Religion and the wayes of Gods Worship, are not at all intrusted to us by any humane power, because therein we cannot remit or exceed a tittle of what our Consciences dictate to be the mind of God without wilfull sinne: neverthelesse the publike way of instructing the Nation (so it be not compulsive) is referred to their discretion.
2. That the matter of impresting and constraining any of us to serve in the wars is against our freedome; and therefore we do not allow it in our Representatives; the rather, because mony (the sinews of war) being alwayes at their disposall they can never want numbers of men apt enough to engage in any iust cause.
3. That after the dissolution of this present Parliament, no person be at any time questioned for any thing said or done, in reference to the late publike differences, otherwise then in execution of the Iudgments of the present Representatives, or House of Commons.
4. That in all Lawes made or to be made, every person may be bound alike and that no Tenure, Estate, Charter, Degree, Birth, or place, do confer any exemption from the ordinary course of Legall proceedings, whereunto others are subiected.
5. That as the Lawes ought to be equall, so they must be good, and not evidently destructive, to the safety and well-being of the People. THese things we declare to be our native Rights, and therefore are agreed and resolved to maintaine them with our utmost possibilities, against all oppositions whatsoever, bring compelled thereunto not only by the examples of our Ancestors, whose bloud was often spent in vain for the recovery of their Freedomes, suffering themselves through fraudulent Accomodations, to be still deluded of the fruit of their Victories, but also by our own wofull experience, who having long expected, and dearly earned the establishment of these certaine rules of Government are yet made to depend for the settlement of our peace and freedome, upon Him that intended our bondage, and brought a cruell Wardage upon us.
If you truly and impartially ponder this ingagement, called an Agreement of the people for present peace upon grounds of Common-wealth and Freedome. Be pleased therefore to consider, that these are those, that whilst they cry out Liberty, Liberty, Freedome, Freedom do bring silly souls into Captivity, Thraldome and Bondage, by their subtill wiles and insinuations, even whilest all you have become a prey unto their unsatiable Consciences, that wil (if they should prevaile (as God forbid) Lord it over you with [Page 6] more tyrannie then the very Turks and Infidels that never knew God. Therefore first let me desire you to know what people these are that pretend peace upon grounds of Common-Rights & Freedome, and you shall find they are even pernicious and factious spirited Sectaries, Anabaptists, Brownists, and the like, that never were good to any body, but their own Fraternity or Faction; and are a people so throughly Iesuited in their destructive Principles, that they stick not to murder any, though Christian Kings, or any else that are without, as they terme it: One example is yet fresh in our memories, of a most bloody and inhumane Massacre committed upon the body of one Master Loyonell Danel, by one of their Brethren named Deane, and others of the zealous Independent Cluster; when after they had dogg'd him a long way, and comming into Elbowlane, most barbarously knock't him down with a Poul-axe, and after with a knife cut his throat; in a mockery, calling out, Lights, Lights hoe, and when the people arise to their windows, and asked the reason of their so calling out; They made answer, Here's a thing like a man, has lost his soule, and cannot see which way 'tis gone: And so (as they thought) fled from the hand of deserved Iustice to Oxford, into the Kings quarters for refuge, which no sooner was made known unto his Majesty, but most Christianly, and justly he caused them presently to be apprehended, and delivered up, being a King that never would pardon Murder and hated to protect such blood thirsty Homicides; From the profane nursery of Oxford, they were removed to their native Collodge of Newgate; and after commenc'd (for so barbarous an act) at Tyburn, at Doctor Stories Cap, which makes the rest of their Il-dependent Brethren ever since cry out against, and so eagerly strive to pull down humane Learning; Thus much to shew you the nature of them all, even from Cromwell to Lilburne, from Jreton to Overton, and so over all the rest of these Gunpowder Saints; how many Christians thinke you has that Town Bull of Ely (in his foming zeal) goar'd to death with his rebellious Horns? was it not a right Christian part think you of the Defender of the Faith, John Lilburn after his souldiers had surprized that honest and godly Christian Gentleman, Master William Hagar, as hee was walking after evening prayer on the Lords day in his Garden, stript him to the bare skin, and so drove [Page 7] him before them ten miles, till he came in the presence of this holy Colonell, who was so void of all Christian Compassion, that he espying a Ring upon the Gentlemans finger, he checked his souldiers that they tooke it not off: They making answer, they could not get it off, it having been so long worn by the Gentleman, that the flesh had over-growne it; Iohn Lilburne makes answer, Then take off finger and all. This was but for a Ring; thinke you not then, that if Iohn and his holy Brethren will cut off a finger for a Ring, that they will not kill a King for lesse then a Crowne.
3. For levelling the Nobility and Gentry, is as apparent as the Sun, for doe they not intend the destruction of the Nobility, when they seeke to take away their negative voice, and to make the supream power to be in the Common-people; they intend also to levell all Estates, and people, and to that end they bring this Argument in defence thereof.
In the beginning (say they) God made man perfect, and gave him Paradise, where hee had abundance of all things, but after he fell, man was cursed, and then he was to eat his bread in the sweat of his brows, &c. Then where's the blessing for the Children of God, except it be to have the abundance of all things as at the Creation. For the Curse of the wicked is, with labour, and industry of body to get their livings. Ergo. The righteous are not under the Curse, therefore must in joy abundance of all things.
4. That they intend the overthrow the Protestant Religion, it is evident; for all their Books expresse inveterat hatred and malice against the same, raving, rayling and venting all spleen and malice against both it, the Ministers thereof, & against both Woship, Government and Discipline belonging thereto, impiously terming both It, and them Antichristian and Diabolicall, &c.
5. If their Consciences shall dictate any thing to them, as to murder, rob, commit adultery, equivocate or the like, and act any thing, though never so evill, so it be destructive to those that are without, (as they term them) that is, That have no Community with them; they are bound to doe it, because their Conscience dictates it unto them; Nay, they wilfully sin against God if they doe it not, as their own tongues confesse in their Areement with the People: And moreover in the last clause of the said Agreement, [Page 8] they doe as good as tell us. That they have deerly earned the establishment of their (pernicious and Trayterous) Rules of Government; and will no longer depend for the settlement of their Peace, and their Freedom upon Him, (King CHARLES) that b [...]ought Bondage a [...]d cruell Warre upon them, Though indeed these Sectaries have been the most Active for blood-shed in these abhorred warres, and like their elder brother Faux, (though more subtilly) have under a pretence of Liberty and Freedom, blown us up into that ruine, misery and slavery, that no Nation or Age (since Christianity became a Profession,) ever groan'd under the like Bondaage and Tyranny.
How desperately bold and audacious these Incendiaries are let all reasonable people judge, when they doe promote their seditious designes even to the very faces of the Parliament, in the name of the people as may appeare by these votes following.
Die Martis, 9. Novem. 1647.
A Paper directed, to the Supreme Authority of the Nation, The Comons in Parliament assembled, and stiled, the just and earnest Petition of those whose names are subscribed, in behalfe of themselves, and all the Free-born People of Englund; together with a printed Paper annexed, entituled, An Agreement of the People for a firm and present Peace, upon grounds of Common Right, were read.
Resolved, &c.
That the matters contained in these Papers, are destructive to the Being of Parliaments, and to the Fundamentall Government of the Kingdome.
Resolved, &c,
That a Letter be sent to the Generall, and these Papers inclosed, together with the Vote of the House upon them; And that he be desired to examine the proceeding of this busines in the Army, and returne an account hereof to this House.
Die Martis, 23. Novemb. 1647.
A Petition directed, To the Supreme Authority of Englond, The Commons in Parliament assembled, and entituled, The [Page 9] humble Petion of many Free-born People of England, sent in a Letter directed to Master Speaker, and opened by a Committee thereunto appointed, was read the first and second time.
Resolved upon the Question.
That this Petition is a seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecution of a former Petition and Paper annexed, stiled, An Agreement of the People, formerly adjudged by this House to bee destructive to the Being of Parliaments, and Fundamentall Government of the Kingdome.
Resolved, &c.
That Thomas Prince Cheesemonger, and Samuel Chidley, o [...] forthwith committed Prisoners to the Prison of the Gatehouse, there to remaine Prisoners during the pleasure of this House, for a seditious and contemptuous avowing and prosecution of a former Petition and Paper annexed, stiled, An Agreement of the People, formerly adjudged by this House to be destructive to the Being of Parliaments, and Fundamentall Government of the Kingdome.
Resolved, &c.
That Ieremy Jves, Thomas Taylor, and William Larner, be forthwith committed to the Prison of Newgate, there to remaine Prisoners during the pleasure of this House, for a Seditious and Contemptuous avowing and prosecution of a former Petition and Paper annexed, stiled, An Agreement of the People, formerly adjudged by this House to be destructive to the Being of Parliaments, and Fundamentall Government of the Ringdom.
Resolved, &c.
That a Letter be prepared and sent to the Generall, taking notice of his proceedings in the execution, according to the Rules of War (of a mutinous person) at the Rendezvous neer Ware, and to give him thanks for it; and to desire him to prosecute the Examinations of that busines to the bottom, and to bring such guilty persons as hee shall thinke fit to condigne and exemplary punishment.