For the Hou­ses of Parl. 1. Quaere. VVHither the Kingdome be desirous to ingage it selfe in a new warre, or that the people of England have so irrevocably obliged them­selves to their trustees that they will hazard more bloodshed and a common confusion by protecting of some faulty mem­bers from being brought to common Justice? and whether (as the Scots said in the Earle of Straffords case) it bee not better that a few rather then unity perish?

2. Whether it be a just Privilege of parliament, that every Member shall be free from being questioned for any crimes; and whether they ought not to be liable to the cen­sure of the law for misdemeanors?

3. Whether the Army or any man can imagine that justice will be done against a Member of the Parl, for any of­fence whatsoever, either by the House or any of the Commit­tees (notwithstanding the late Order, giving liberty and in­vitation to all men, to question them for bribe taking and corruption) for they will not condemne themselves or their fellowes?

4. Whither it stand with the honour and dignity of a Parliament, and conforme to the practice of former times to vote Contradictions, and re-assume to the question matters that have been resolved upon full debate by the whole House: [Page 2]and whether there was ever heard of such a breach of Privi­lege of Parliament, as to order the expunging of the De­claration of the 30 of March 1647 against the Army, with­out any grounds that were not knowne before?

5. Whether it be not to be wished by all men who are tender of the dignity and reverence that is due to Parliaments, that this present Parliament should be dissolved rather than the charged Members should be plucked out of the House by the Army, which they must be necessitated to doe in or­der to their own safety, and for preventing another imbroil­ment of the Kingdome in blood, if the House insist on their Votes of the 25 of Iune, for the charged Members vindi­cation.

6. For the City of London. Whether the ingaging in a new warre doth not con­cern the City of London a little, and therefore whether it be not important that a common hall be called before any thing be resolved on in that kinde, so that they be not lead blindly by the Common-Councell, (many of whom are as fearefull to be called to an accompt as the charged Members) to act any thing that may hazard the safetie of the City and King­dome?

7. Whether in case of another civill War, the Excise, Twentieth, and Fifth parts, Contributions, and all the other heavy taxes will not be set on foot againe, and greater op­pression used to raise Monies, and to maintain it then before, and considering that the Countries which were the seat of the late Warre are almost wholly exhausted, whether is not this City like to pay all the reckoning?

8. It is very remarkable that this City (above any in the world) hath never been sacked: Our Histories attribute its preservation to the great wisedome and providence of the Magistrates and Inhabitants, who in times of danger time­ously declined such hazards, Therefore is it not good Coun­sell to wish the present age to follow the example of their [Page 3]prudent Ancestors, and to use the same meanes whereby to obtaine the like blessing of peace and safety?

9. Whether there can be hoped for either peace or safe­ty untill the King bee restored to all his Rights in honour, the Law enlivened, the Army paid their full Arrears, satis­fied in their just dernands and disbanded, that wide breach of love and charity be closed up by an Act of oblivion, and tender Consciences be regarded in what is meet?

10. For the Refor­madoe Soul­diers. Whether the Reformadoe- Officers and Souldiers doe believe in their Consciences that the Parliament have now at length paid them their Arreares out of a good will, and whether if the Army had not stood upon it they should have received any Mony at all, and therefore are not all such as have got benefit by the Army bound in gratitude not to oppose their friends?

11. For the King­dome in gene­rall. Whether this Kingdome can ever hope for any ease or justice during the sitting of this Parliament, since the Lords have weekly for these eighteen moneths sent down to the House of Commons to desire their concurrence for dissolving that great oppression Country Committees, and yet the Commons would not vouchsafe hitherto to put it to the question?

12. Whether it be not necessary that all the Members of Parliament, all Committee men, Excise men, Customers and others, who have been imployed in the publique Re­ceipts of the Kingdome should be called speedily to a strict accompt; And since it is cleer that above forty Millions of Mony have been levied upon the Kingdome since the late Warre, for the publick use, and yet not a Twentieth part thereof imployed to that end, Whether the Countries ought not justly to refuse and withstand the raising of any more Monies, till they have a good accompt how what is already paid hath beene disposed of, and whether it be not fitter that all the Publick Receivers aforesaid should pay downe [Page 4]what is remaining in their hands, & that the gratified Mem­bers should disgorge their large remunerations towards the speedy discharge of the Army, and the reliefe of our di­stressed Brethren in Ireland, then that the Kingdome should be further impoverished by new Taxations, as the Ordi­nance of sixty thousand pounds monethly, which if sub­mitted to will be endlesse?

13. Whether the people of England did not so well like of the Scottish Armie's behaviour, that they will esteem those men their friends who labour to bring them into the Kingdome againe, and whether the North-Countries (if they come) will not bid them welcome to England with a vengeance?

14. For our Bre­thren the Scots. Whether the Scots can be so impudent as to hope His Majestie can thinke well of them? And whether they are not more displeased with their Parliament Friends for loosing the King, then the Cavaliers were with the Scots for selling Him? And though they have no mind to restore the money (as Iudas did in the like case) yet it is a question whe­ther they are not ready to hang themselves to heare that the King is with the Army?

15. For Major Laughorne. Whether Major Generall Laughorne hopes he shall be better rewarded for adhering to the two Houses of Par­liament against the King and the Army, then he was for his former Services, for which when a Committee-man of Wales moved that Laughorne and his men might be imploy­ed for Ireland and the Countrey rid of him, Michaell Olds­worth, the Earl of Pembrockes Directorie made, Answer, that they did not onely thinke them unfit for that Service, but not to deserve the Character of Christians?

16. For the Pres­byters. Whether the Assembly of Presbyters have not just cause to be offended with the two Houses for not Voting them to be Iure Divino when they could not prove it? And whether the Assembly might not have had a Creed as cheape [Page 5]as the Direstory and Covenant from their deare Brethren of Scotland? And whether we shall ever see their New Con­fession of Faith, because we have not heard of it almost these two moneths (that is) since the House of Commons (as their Diurnalls speake) upon debate of it, Voted and passed God the Father?

17. Whether the Assembly doe not now find that the Constitution of the people of England will never admit of the Presbyterian Government? And whether they ought not to implore the prayers of all good people, that God and the King will be pleased to take them to his mercy now they are at their last gaspe?

18. But if any of them or their Elders, continue obsti­nate in their Rebellion and madnesse, whether the Receipt commended by Who in his booke, called The Fire of the Sanctuary new­ly uncovered, pag. 360. hath these words: If hee that seemes Religi­ons will yet be idle, false, un­dutifull, and stubborne, rayle at Ceremonies, Bishops & Com­mon-Prayer, disdaine to be corrected and maintaine his faults, That man or Woman wil never have any true Reli­gion in him till with a cudgell all these coun­terfeits be bea­ten off. D. Cornelius Burgesse (who is one of them­selves) being well applyed, will not sooner bring them to right wits and understanding, than Hellebore or any other Medicine the College of Physitians can preseribe?

19. Whether most Parliament-men, all Committee­men, Excise-men, Sequestrators, Assembly-men, CLs­ses, &c. wished not now that they had not medled with the businesse? And whether they would not willingly give all they have got, to purchase that repose of Conscience and securitie that many honest loyall men whom they have undone possesse with comfort?

Resolved upon all these Questions, That none but despe­tate conscious persons, and such who care not for their own ends to sacrifice the peace and glory of the English Nation, will act or incourage men to their certaine destruction by a second War, and the opposition of the King and the Army: And if any such be, they must expect to be torne in pieces, as being the worst of men, and the most pernicious enemies to the Common-Wealth.