1. Antiquaerie.
WHether this namelesse Author of these Queries, be a man of a right Christian, and truely charitable spirit who raiseth up such groundlesse and causelesse jealousies and suspitions of a whole well-minded and well-meaning Army, who both have and doe hazzard their lives for the publick good and safety against the enemies thereof, so as all their carriages from the beginning hitherto, have been so or­derly and uniforme, as all circumstances well-weighed, doe not admit of the least crimination of their worst enemies. And therefore, whe­ther such a Christian Armies Pretences, compared with their constant practises, are likely to prove such, as that of a cursed heathen hypo­crite Haza [...]l, 2 King. 8.12, 13. And whether no religious and specious pretences can carry with them reall intentions, as that all Christian pro­fession were meere hypocrisie, and dissimulation. And whether such in the Army, whose conscience is not perswaded by clear evidence of Scripture; of the lawfulnesse of Baptizing of Infants, and whose con­versation hath been, and is blamelesse, and who have adventured their lives for their Country, as farre as any other, are likely to prove such as those Anabaptists in Germany, in Luthers time, who denyed all civill Authority, which these doe not, but sacrifice their lives for it.

2 Antiquaerie.
Whether the namelesse Author, confessing the Armies dutifulnesse, and meritoriousnesse, be not very rash in this Quaerie, as unreasonable in the first, in charging the Army with such a distemper, as over-ruling their Generall and Officers, touching the removeall of the Kings Person; [Page 3] and whether this Author ought not to have suspended this prejudice, unt [...]l [...] the truth of the cause were tryed. And whether the Armies marching up, be against the Parliament, because against a party and facti­on in the Parliament; and whether this be a dis-engagement of the Peo­ple. City, and Kingdome from the Parliament, any more then the Parli­ments indevouring to regulate the Kings evill Counsellors, and Mini­sters, was a dis-engageing of the People, City, and Kingdome from, or an engageing of them against the Kings Person, contrary to their Solemne Co­venant; and whether the Armies refusall to disband at this time, was not necessary for the Kingdomes both ease and peace, if that charge of theirs, against those in the House shall upon just triall finde them such, as are neither for the Kingdomes ease, and peace. And whether the Ar­my doe in this, act by their own meer power and will, when many Coun­ties in the Kingdome, that (for their neernesse) best understand the carriage of things above, have Petitioned the Generall not to disband till things be better reformed, and whether in all this (for Vox populi, Vox Dei, the Peoples voyce is Gods voyce) the righteous God hath not put that miraculously unanimous spirit, into the heart of the whole Army for the good of the whole Nation (whose Protector and Pre­server God is) to stand in the gap, and to call for justice, the want whereof ruines Kingdomes and States, and provokes the wrath of Heaven against a land; and whether in this case, all the Counties, and Countries in the Kingdome, be not bound to manifest their assent here­in with the Army, and to stand by them, if they finde their trust be­trayed: and whether it may not be said of this Army in this businesse, as to Hester of old, Who knoweth whether this Army be raised up of God, not onely to subdus open enemies,Hest. 4.14. but to be instruments of bringing lurking Traito [...]s and underminers of the Common-weale to condigne punishment, seeing desparate maladies must have desperate remedies. And whether this Author can devise any means under the San so probably instrumentall for redressing those Arbitrary proceedings in the Houses, Committees, and others, now complained of, as this Army now is, and that with the consent and desire of so many considerable Counties, And therefore whether their refusall to disband, or to re­move further off from London, be any a sobedience to the Parliaments pre­sent just commands, if the men, whom they charge, do by their power of Votes, over-power those, who stnding for the publique good of their Country, and not their own private Interests, are to be [...]ccoun­ted [Page 4] the Parliament of England, and not any faction in the House. And whether it be Just, for these, who are so charged, to have a Vote for the impeding of the prosecution and proofe of such a charge so much concerning the publike state. And whether this refusall, be not so far from conjuring up a Spirit of universall disobedience to Parlia­ments, Magistrates, &c. As it rather tends to conjure downe all ty­ranicall usurpations, and factions, combinations in Parliaments, and Arbitrary power in Magistrates, when they see that the people of the Kingdome are not so base and slavish, as to put their necks under such yoaks, and not to vindicate their native liberties, and birth-rights when God puts an opportunity into their hands. And so, whether those be well-wishers to the weale and tranquillity of Church and State, as do not dislike, or oppose such opportunities the neglect whereof brings inevitable ruine both to themselves, with Church and State.

3. Antiquerie.
Whether Jack Cades insurrection, or Henry Germines, Percies, and Gorings Treason, in practising to bring up the Northern Army towards London, to overaw and force the Parliament, can in the judgement of any, who are endued but with common reason, and honesty, be a fit pa­rallell to equalize this Army with for Rebellion and Treason: seeing Cade was a private Person, the Army Generall: Germin, Percie, Go­ring profest Enemies to the Parliament, the Army a most faithfull preserver of it. And so whether the Author were in his right wits, and not wholly transported, when he wrote this. And whether this Army, having first so often with the hazzard of their lives delivered this Parliament from eminent destruction, and now do seek to deli­ver both Parliament and Kingdome from evill Members and Instru­ments, ought to be Voted as Violaters of the Rights and priviledges of Parliament, unless it be a Priviledge of Parliament to be exempted from the peoples complaints for oppression, or that the Priviledge of Parlia­ment be as boundless, as Regal Prerogative, so as not to be censurable, or corrigible by any, in case the liberties of the Subject be subverted, and justice denyed to have a free course, and Malefactors, Delinquents, Traitors, maintained with a high hand, when Justice is demanded, and for want whereof the Common-weale is destroyed, and so, whe­ther this Army in not disbanding, to have Justice done, be justly cen­sured by this Author, as justifying the forementioned Traytors, who sought unjustly and tyranically to oppress those in the Parliament, [Page 5] who at that time were reputed the most faithfull, and the Army on the other side, lays a charge only upon those that are unfaithfull in their trust, and those to be tryed by the Parliament it selfe, as their lawfull Judge.

4. Antiquerie.
Whether (in Answer to the fourth Querie) the Armies not disban­ding, and doing as they do at this time, all things, and Circumstances weighed in a just ballance, be not necessary in a Case of absolute neces­sity, for the Kingdomes necessary preservation against oppressors, whom they complaine of, when there is no other remedy: as the Author confes­eth of the Netherlands in the like case, And whether the Army, in so charging and prosecuting, for Justice, do thereby any whit blemish their former reputation and fidelity, seeing by so doing they set a Crowne upon all their former glory. And whether, when the justice desired, is done, either the Parliament in giving way to justice shall have cause to complaine of the breach of their Priviledges, Fiat Justi­tia ruat Coelum. or be in dan­ger of adjournment or dissolution, or the City of pillaging, or the Kingdome of embroyling, or the Malignants to be encouraged, or the well-affected to be grieved, or more mischieves procured then redressed.

And whether if Justice be not yeelded unto by the Parliament, be­fore the Armies disbanding, there be more hope of it after the dis­banding; wherin the Author is specially desired to give as a sound re­solution upon some solid reasons.

5. Antiquerie.
Whether this Author hath not more sedition in his spirit and Pen then the Army discontent, when nothing will serve him, but an equall Armed force for the Parliaments, Cities, Kingdomes defence, while yet he confesseth all their present demands to be just and reasonable to be granted. And whether, if granted, it be not superfluity of malice cause­lesly to surmise and suggest jealousies of further demands neither hono­rable, nor reasonable, and yet dangerous to deny. And whether he is able to produce any one instance of any Anti-magistraticall Principles hol­den by such, as he calls Heterodox Chaplains, Officers and Souldiers in any of their Writings, or Speeches. And whether those persons in the House charged by the Army, may make it their plea, that doing and voting as they do, being out of Conscience, (and liberty of Conscience in speech and vote should be most free in Parliament) they ought to be further prosecuted, and more then others for their Conscience, so as if they [Page 6] vote what is unjust and oppressive, cut of conscience, they shall go free.

And whether it is not to be feared, that after the Army hath pro­cured the outing of some evill Members out of the House, they will labour to recruite it with such as are of their party, as they have done in the Army, to wit, such as are most godly and have proved themselves most faithfull to the Parliament and Kingdome, and so game a power to change the Laws and Government of Church and State, and dispose of all Officer, and places to their own Creatures. And, whether the Laws and Government of Church and Stat [...] are [...]n all things so punctually per­fect, as they may not ado it in some things some [...]lteration coming nearer to perfection, and the further wel [...]-be [...]ng of the Kingdome. And whether free and impartiall Justice pleaced for, may not confist with the standing of the Army, when, if disbanded, injustice and op­pression might prove too strong both for Parliament and Judges, as is intimated before; and when the Armie is onely assistant, and not as­saylant, of the freedome and impartinity of publick Justice. And whether Justice may not be free, and not forced, when both Parlia­ment and Judges are (as they should be) conscientious, so as not to be biassed by feare or favour. And whether this Author can, out of Per­haps, prove Members of the Armies party, to be justly impeached of high­er crimes, and misacmenours, then any of their opposites, and yet that the Army will be so partiall, as to lay no impeachment or censure upon them, contrary to their present pretences.

6. Antiquerie,
Whether there be not a grand difference betweene those that in­forme, and perswade the people to elect good, honest, and faithfull Patriots to be Members of the House, whose studies and ends are the wellfare and good of the publick state, and those, who labour for such to be chosen, whose sitting in Parliament is to drive on their owne designes, and private interesses, and to side with others, whose mutuall votes may further one anothers private designes, while all mens complaints are superciliously neglected, and the peoples li­berties in bonds. And whether it be not requisite, that some good course be thought upon, and pursued, for the better informing of the people in their Parliamentary elections, that they looke neither upon greatnes, nor nearenes, but meerly goodnes (in their choise, as where depends the weale or woe of the Kingdome. And whe­ther [Page 7] all this and much more may not be done without the preseat disbanding of the Army, till a foundation be layed.

7 Antiquerie.
Whether those in the Houses whom the Authour calls Independen­dants, be more exempted by the Army from examinations about ac­compts, then others: and if they be not, whether he ought not for this, and for the rest of his accusations be brought to publick trial. And whether that which the Authour calies a recruting of the Army without warrant of Parliament, be not a voluntary comming in of the Subjects to stand for the vindicating of their just liberties. And whether those listing of Souldiers in and about the City and Parlia­ment, without publicke authority of Parliament, be not to some dangerous designe, tending to the maintenance of injustice and oppression against the just desire of the Army and Country, and so to bring a plague upon the Parliament and City. And whether those recrutes, and the Army stand so much upon their pay, or Arrears, as upon the publick interest, if their whole carriage and actions be well examined of, And whether as here again the Authour queries) the marching up of the Army be against Parliaments priviledges, when therein they seeke nothing of the Parliament but justice, which ex­traordinary necessity for the vindicating of the Subjects liberties, from oppression, and subvertion, hath put them upon, and that ac­cording the Solemne Govenant, and their Commission from the Par­liament.

8 Antiquerie.
Whether here be not another tautology, or repetition of the same thing, as before, as in the fourth Antiquerie, where it is answered that the Armies not disbanding at present, is so farre from being a di­minution of their formerly purchased honour, as that it is, (all the circumstances considered) no small addition thereunto. And whe­ther the Army by all their carriage hitherto hath given the Authour or any other, the least occasion to surmise, that they set a greater price upon their acquired glory which God yet hath put upon them, then they do upon the safety, honour, and wellfare of their Na­tive Country. And whether their example and practise herein bee not as great a testimony of their fidelity to their country, and an ho­nour to true religion, as all they have done hitherto. And whether Ireland might not have beene long ere now, by others, then the Army [Page 8] provided for. And whether (had the Army disbanded for Ireland) greater ruines might have fallen upon our owne Nation at home, then yet we have seene, or knowne. And lastly, whether the Au­thour of this, and of all his other queries, ought not by the Parlia­ment and City, and the whole Kingdome (all those evill and sad consequents considered, which these his queries draw along with them, if not the more wisely prevented) to be convented before the great Tribunall of the state, there to be tryed, whether these his 8 queries be not most factious, seditious, incendiary, pernicious, and precipitious to the confounding, and setting the whole Kingdome if not Kingdomes together by the eares, if Gods great mercy, and the wisdome of the Parliament, City, and Kingdome providently and prudently prevent not. And whether one cheife means of this prevention be not in a joynt giving away of all these for justice to be done, the refusall or deniall whereof might justly bring upon us all, that fearefull judgement of the Benjamites for refusing to do justice upon those sons of Beliall (Judg. 20.) even an utter extirpation of the whole Tribe: which the Lord in mercy avert from Eng­land, Parliament, London.