THere is not any thing in the Universe deserves less to be a Member of it, then a self-seeking Man, who unconcern'd in the publick Good, regards onely his private Interest. The World un­willingly contributes to his maintenance; and Na­ture less abhors a Vacuum, then that any place should be filled by a Subject so empty of desert. He is a savage Creature in the midst of civil People, not deserving to be born of others, as not caring to live, but for himself. Nay, it is worthily reputed a kind of civil death, to do nothing else but live: for as long as we have a Country to abide in, we have a duty to tender it. All we have, we have from it; and by consequence owe it all we have. Our Lives and Fortunes are safest, when ventured for the pub­lick Interest; and he is the truest Lover of Law and Liberty, that affects rather to be ruled, then to rule; he the freest Subject, that creates himself a voluntary Slave to his Countries service. Take from the world this inviolable Law, (that is not writ in brass, but deeply imprinted in loyal hearts) and it shall again turn savage and barbarous. This [Page 2] is a truth so manifest, and not to be dissembled, that never yet was there a Tyrant, but pretended to be a Saviour of the people. Liberty, Conscience, a glorious Nation, The Good Old Cause, and such spe­cious Names are made use of:Tacit. Nec quisquam alienum servitium & dominationem concupivit, ut non eadem ista vocabula usurparit. These Machiavilian Tricks, and political Cheats so often put upon the people of our Nation, me thinks should have by this time undeceived us with a sad experience of the miseries we have subjected our selves to, by a perpetual itch of reforming, annulling, creating Laws, and framing new Governments to the model of every Grandees ambition; and yet we are againe ready to thrust our Necks into a new yoak of Slavery, rather then any man will engage his private Fortunes, and ven­ture to redeem his Country from Bondage. It is laid to the charge of English-men by Forraigners, that we are [...], and above all Nations under Heaven pretending to civility, the greatest self-seekers; as regarding much more our own particu­lar, then the general concerns. I must needs say, other Nations would have canonized for Martyrs, and erected Statues after their death to the memo­ry of some of our Compatriots, whom ye have barbarously defaced and mangled yet alive, for no other motive, but their undaunted Zeal. It has been (I know not whether I should say) your mis­fortune, or my glory, to become a Sufferer for a Legal Vindication of the Liberties of our King­dom; but yet I never knew what it was to fear, when I perceived my self engaged in so good a cause; not envy nor snarling Pamphlets shall stop the course of my Pen freely running into my Coun­tries [Page 3] defence, which my Profession and Age forbid me to vindicate by the Sword. Let young Men serve it with their strength and arms, let old Men secure it by their heads and counsel: for my part, I de­sire to live no longer then I can in some sort contri­bute to so glorious a work. I have of late been snarled at for it by certain licentious Scriblers, that durst not own their names for fear of discovering their Asses ears: however, they are pleased to twitch at the honourable remnant of mine. They thought to have stopt my mouth by their brauling and braying; but I dare yet speak louder; and I hope I shall be heard by all such as have yet sound and impartial ears: but if my cry will not reach you, I fear (dear Country-men) the voyce of blood will speedily interrupt your slumbring security. Those that will be Lawless, finde fault with my Writings, because I vindicate the anciently esta­blished Laws of England; and tax me of desperate Non-sense, because I will not allow them an unli­mited, unlegal Legislative Power to repeal, annul, alter, and enact what Laws soever they deem best to serve their own turns. They deceitfully cry out, Salus populi suprema lex esto! Cicero. an Axiome that I no ways deny to be true; but I would desire to be in­structed who are to be Judges, of what is expedi­ent for the good of the people? The Author of the forecited Maxime says, Leges Magistratibus praesunt, ut Magistratus praesunt populo: And the great Doctor St. Austin not doubted to affirm, that those societies where Law and Justice is not, are not Common­wealths or Kingdoms,De civit. Dei. but Magna latrocinia, great thefts and trapanning cheats. As for the power of altering Laws, or bringing in new ones, and setting [Page 4] up new Governments, it is allowed by wise men, that all power lawfully exercised upon a Com­monwealth, must necessarily be derived either from the appointment of God, who is supreme Lord of all; or from the consent of the Society it self, that hath the next power to his, of disposing of their own Liberty, as they shall think fit for their good, whose benefit is the end of all Government. There­fore whoever arrogates such power to himself, that cannot produce one of these two Titles, is not a Ruler, but an Invader, or a Tyrant. Now how this pretended Long Parliament, restored by the force of Souldiers, by whose force it had first been dissol­ved, and was before annulled by the death or mur­ther of King Charles the first, that summoned it, he being Principium, causa, & finis Parliamenti; after his murther, the house of Lords and Monarchy being abolished, and so many of the ancient Members thrown out, new ones unduly elected, and such hor­rid thefts, rapes, &c. committed by them upon the people, can lawfully be said the Peoples Repre­sentatives, and authorized by them, is the greatest Riddle that ever was propounded to a puzzled State. It was in the year 1649, that I published a Legal Vindication of the Liberties of England; in which I demonstrated the nullity of the then-pre­tended Long Parliament; and lately I set forth a lively pattern of the spurious Old Cause pretended to be revived and vindicated by the fine Pageant or now-sitting Ghost of the long-since departed Long Parliament; neither need I reason farther with reasonable Persons about it: Yet since this Phan­tastical Hob-gobbling appears still to fright the quiet people, and tempts them (like an evil Spirit) [Page 5] to give themselves to such an unruly Devil; I will here onely hold forth to the view of all good Eng­lishmen, what slavery they must needs subject themselves unto, if they resolve to cast off forever their lawful Master and Soveraign, and take for new Masters these upstart domineering Tyrants. Let then every honest freeborn Subject of England, lay his hand upon his breast, and ask of his own Conscience, whether notwithstanding all former Oaths of Allegiance, Supremacy, Protestation, so­lemn Leagues and Covenants, &c. he can voluntari­ly submit to, and thereby freely acknowledge, con­trary to his former knowledge and the said Oath, &c.

1. That there may be, and now is a lawfully-as­sembled Parliament of England actually in being, legally continuing after the late Kings death, or lawfully re-assembled without King, Lords, or most of their fellow-Members, consisting onely of a few late Members of the Commons House.

2. That this Parliament re-established by a Mi­litary force▪ and packed together by Power of an Army combining with them, hath just and lawful Authority, and had it before;

• 1. To arraign, condemn and execute their lawful King himself, with the Peers and Commons of this Realm.
• 2. To dis-inherit the Kings Posterity of the Crown.
• 3. To extirpate Monarchy, and the whole house of Peers.
• 4. To violate the Priviledges, Rights, Freedoms, Customs, and alter the Constitution of Parlia­ments themselves; to change and subvert the ancient [Page 6] Government, Seals, Laws, Writs, Courts and Coyn of the Kingdom.
• 5. To sell and dispose of all the Lands, Reve­nues, Jewels, Goods of the Crown, with the Lands of Deans and Chapters, for their own advantages, not for the easing of the people from taxes.
• 6. To dispose of the Forts, Ships, Forces, Offi­ces of Honour, Power, Trust or Profit, to whom they please.
• 7. To raise and keep up what Forces by Land or Sea they please, and impose Taxes, &c. to make what new Acts, Laws, and reverse what old ones they think meet.
• 8. To absolve themselves (by more then a Papal Power) and all the subjects of this Land, from all the aforesaid Oaths, Engagements, Protestations, &c.
• 9. To permit, settle, or invent what Sect, Heresie, or Religion they please, provided they be not Pa­pacy or Prelacy, and that they allow not blasphe­my against the Trinity.
• 10. I ask now if every freeborn Subject that hath not raised himself an Interest by villany, or an E­state by robbery, or incurred a guilt to the Gallows for having his hand in blood, had not better ven­ture Life and Fortunes to reduce the true and lawful Heir into a peaceful Possession of his right, then to authorize by his consent a new-fangled Govern­ment compacted of Treason, Usurpation, Tyranny, Theft and Murder?