VVHether the Officers of the Army were in earnest or in jest, when they re-invested this present Parliament in their pristine Power; And will they now own and defend it, having put it up­on them; and may all well-minded People believe for a Truth, and not be deceived, but that it may appear the Mace is above the Sword?

If agreed upon upon all hands, the People of the Land have not Reason to be satisfied therein by Publick Declarati­on, that doubts may be taken away, and all may follow their several imployments without any distraction?

Whether a Power thus made, finding the Law now in force destructive and not for the weale of the People, may not make null the old, and inforce a new Law, sutable to the safety and welfare of the Nation, that oppression may not be upheld because it is ancient?

Whether can Justice truely be said to be had in En­gland at all by the proceedings of our Law; For Ju­stice done for any other end than for Justice sake (though many fools are content to buy it) doth it not plainly prove the seller a Knave?

Whether a Multitude of Lawes are not the greatest badge of an enslaving People, having alwaies been fomented a numerous sort of Governours, either for their own pro­fit or for preferment of their favourites, or satisfying their own boundlesse Wills; whereas Right is couched in few words, which Reason the Foundation of Law, the more clearly sees, and sooner decides?

Whether is it not most agreeable to Reason, that [Page 5] there should be in different Judges in every County, which by their vicinity might by report of honest neighbours, know the condition of the Cause, as well as from the parties themselves; And that no daggle-rayl'd Lawyer, Atturney or other, should plead any Cause (save their own) for that it is impossible a Judge should but loose a great deale of evidence, which is to be perceived in the carriage, countenance, and deportment of the par­ties themselves, which in a bold brasen-faced, dawling, mer­cenary, accustomed lying Lawyer, shall never be discovered to the most piercing eye upon Earrh.

Whether do not many People of this Nation for malice or revenge, make it their common practise to oppresse the poor mans cause the more violently, be­cause they know (though fools themselves) they can have a Learned lying Lawyer, a crafty Atturney, a sub­tile Solicitor, if his Cause goes to the Divil, to follow it for money, whereas admonition from a grave Judge seasonably given, may take effect in the party interested in the Cause himself: which it never doth in a Common Pleader, because gift which blinded his eyes, makes his Tongue run the perpetual motion.

Doth ir not too manifestly appear, that Law doth undoe more then it relieves; for our Court of Equity as it is now handled, a Suit in Chancery, though it wear out both the Boots, Shooes, and patience of the Clyent, yet commonly out-lasts any four Gowns of his Council, though he wear it the longer to demonstrate his Antiquity.

Whether doth it not plaine appear that changes in Go­vernment are most chargeable to any Common-wealth. And debillitating the poorest sort for want of Trade through the destraction of the Times; is it not therefore honest pollicy to submit to the present power as most fittest to goe on for the Common good, as having most experience by their own and others government, and by consequence abler to avoyd all inconveniences, and whether is it safest to consent on all hands from Ministers or other professing Religion, lest while they bridle not their tongues they speak their Religion vain; That a Lawyer plead not against it, unlesse for a place which he shall loose, the first Fee he takes by all honest mens con­sent; And whether the Souldiery if they retard it and be not content with their pay, do they not crack an Apostoli­call command?

Whether though it be impossible to make all of one mind; yet may not a Government be so settled that those that will take any osfence, may not be suffer­ed to give any in poynt of Faith: And for Manners Morallity, may not that serve?

Whether the common adversary do not get advantage by delayes or discourses, Trades decay, and Tradesmen discou­raged, whereas unity emboldeneth all, Merchants adventure, Tradesmen give Credit, Mechannicks live by their labours, and such as want imployment find it at Sea, which if we lon­ger neglect the Hollander, that water-Rat will get all our fish and carry it to Spain, and bring us no better return then a few small Reasons to fetch our ready money, and if they prove to be our brokers for Wine another year, they will [Page 7] ballance the losse of their last Warr, with the gain of their Trade?

Whether the Warr with Spain, or the Peace with France agree best with the stomack of this Common-wealth; and whether pieces of Eight be not more staple Comodityes then the Babies, Pupies and Quelchoses of France?

Whether as the Case now stands with England and English-men, may they not having made a supreame power force a new Law, fit for our present Condition, having the light of Reason and the Word of God, rather then to set this Government upon the Basis of Monarchy, which with his Lawes will bring in himself.

A word by way of Addresse to the Right Honourable the Parliament of the Common-wealth of England, &c.

That notwithstanding the Nations several and sad Com­plaints; yet still the Audacious Impudent Lying Covetous Deceitfull Atturneys, and bloody murthering Jaylors, have continued the wicked and audacious practise of injustice, Tiranny and Oppression, and the still continued sale of Justice for the price of Iniquity called Bribes and Fees; None hath hitherto truly Considered the ruine of Thousands of People, Robbed of their Estates, Liberties and Lives, by Arrests, Outlawries, false Judgements, Executions, Decrees, Orders and Repors, begotten and brought forth by corrupt Judges, covetous Lawyers, deceitfull Atturneys, Masters of the Chancery, Registers, Clerks, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, Serjeants and Goalers, by whom the Poor, the Widdow, the Father­lesse, and the Stranger is slighted, scorned, devoured, yea eaten up as they eat bread, none hitherto in Authority have called for Justice nor for satisfaction to the oppressed, none hath hitherto regarded the lamentable Cryes of the Inthrall­ed, [Page 8] none hath laid to heart the miserable enslaved Conditi­on of this Nation by Lawyers, none hitherto hath considered the asflictions of Ioseph in bands, as formerly they have Pro­tested, declared, vowed and promised to do, but hitherto not performed by them; Therefore in behalfe of this whole Nation, thus enslaved and groaning under this unsupport­able Burthen. The Appeale and Out-cry is made unto You the above-named Persons, praying for speedy help, remedy and redresse of these great Nationall destructive maladies, in and by suppressing the Lawyers speedily, advancing Justice vigorously, abolishing the Capias for arrest of mens persons, and restoring the Just and undeniable Liberties of this Nati­on, according to Magna Charta, with full reparations to all the Oppressed, ruined & wrongfully Imprisoned in the Land. If the head of Royalty be cut off and the Power disowned, and this Nation declared to be a Free State, why then the members of Tyrannie suffered to flourish, and still to beare the poysonous fruits of Slavery and destruction, contrary to the freedom and deliverance, long-since by you Promised and now againe this Promise by you confirmed; and why not then this Nation a Free people as of right they ought to be; That so the Lawyer may no longer rob them of their Estates and Liberties, nor the Gaoler of their Lives, to the utter ruine also of Wives, Children, and Families.