The Copy of the Summons for Sir Henry Vane Knight his firſt appearance at White-hall.

In purſuance of an Order of his Highneſſe and the Councill, you are to attend the Councill on Thurſday the 12. of Auguſt next, at 11. of the Clock in the fore-noon, Dated at White-hall this 29. July 1656.

Subſcribed by Henry Lawrence Preſident. To Sir Henry Vane Knight.

A true Copy of Sir Henry Vane his Anſwer ſent to this Sommons. Sir,

LEaſt my ſilence might be miſ-interpreted upon the laſt Paper, I have received, ſubſcribed (as I ſuppoſe) with your hand, appointing my attendance at White-hall the 12. inſtant: I have held my ſelf obliged to returne you this account, that my purpoſe is (God willing) to ſet forward from this place to my Houſe in the Strand, the beginning of the next week, which is aſſoon as I can well expect to have a Coach to meet me half way, this very hot ſeaſon for travail, and my own being in no condition to performe ſo long a journey upon ſo ſhort a warning given to.

Belleaw the 4. of Auguſt 1656. Your humble Servant Hen. Vane. To Henry Lawrence Eſquire, Preſident of the Councill at White-hall.

Sir Henry Vane's Letter to Mr. Jeſſop Clerk to the Councill at White-hall preſently after his coming to London. Sir,

IT being declared by Parliament (as is very well known) that it is againſt the Laws and Liberties of England, that any of the people thereof ſhould be commanded by the King (when there was one, to attend him at his pleaſure) but ſuch as are bound thereunto by ſpeciall ſervice (which others therefore are not) It will I hope be permitted me without offence, to claim the ſame priviledge and liberty in theſe times, and in the caſe of the Sommons ſent me, wherein I find no cauſe for my appearance expreſſed but meer will and pleaſure: Yet in vindication of the innocent, and peacable deportment I live in according to the Laws; I have not refuſed to be upon the place at my Houſe here in the Strand ever ſince Thurſday night laſt, as I made known unto you by this Bearer the next Morning. And as ever ſince I have been, ſo I am ſtill ready to appear when I ſhall be ſent for, untill the preſſingneſſe of my occaſions (in reference to my Family concerns, which at this time by reaſon of my Fathers Debts are very great, and heavy upon me) ſhall require my attendance upon them in other places of the Nation. All which I held my ſelf obliged to make known unto you in the relation you ſtand in, eſpecially not having heard from you Yeſterday, as I ſuppoſe I might. I am

Charring-Croſſe Houſe the 20. Auguſt 1656. Your Servant H. V. For Mr. Jeſſop, Clerk to the Councill at White-hall.

The firſt Order of the Councill concerning Sir Hen. Vane here followeth. Thurſday, the 21. of Auguſt 1656. At the Councill at White-hall.

SIr Henry Vane having this day appeared before the Councill, and they having taken coſideration of a ſeditious book by him written and publiſhed, entituled a Healing Queſtion propounded and refolved &c. the ſame tending to the diſturbance of the preſent Government, and the peace of the Common-wealth, Ordered that if Sr. Henry Vane ſhall not give good ſecurity in five thouſand pond bond by Thurſday next to do nothing to the prejudice of the preſent Government, and the peace of the Common-wealth, he ſhall ſtand committed, and that Orders be drawn up accordingly.

W. Jeſſop Clerk of the Councill.

Sir Henry Vane his Letter to Mr. Jeſſop upon the receipt of this Order of the Councill. Sir,

IT is a great quiet to my minde, and ſatisfaction to my conſcience in the ſight of God and man; to perceive at the firſt entrance into my ſufferings, that the Witneſſe owned by me, under the title of a Healing Queſtion (when I was at White-hall 21. preſent) which aſſerts the Principles, Spirit, and Juſtice of the Cauſe we have profeſſed and fought for in our late Warrs) is now thought fit by thoſe that are in power to have the name given to it of ſeditious, eſpecially conſidering that the Healing nature, and great tendency, that cleerly ſhineth forth thorow-out that diſcourſe (to the uniting the whole party of honeſt men in the true publipue intereſt warranted by the Lawes of the Land, and in away of ſafety againſt common danger) doth with its own evidence wipe of the blemiſh of that reproach, with the ſame breath that it is caſton.

Nay I can truly ſay, I am very well content to take this as a marke of honour from thoſe that ſent it, and as the recompence of former ſervices, as knowing a better reward is laid up for me in his hands, thorough the wiſedome of whoſe providence, this may be the means prepared to keep me unſpotted, and undefiled from the evills of theſe back-ſliding times unto the day of Chriſts appearance, which ſhall be my joy, when my enemies ſhall be aſhamed.

Nor can I but obſerve in this proceeding with me, how exactly thoſe that have made this Order do in this (as in many other things at this day) tread in the ſteps of the late king whoſe deſigne being (as is expreſt in the Remonſtrance of the ſtate of the Kingdome 15. December 1642.) to ſet the Government free from all reſtraint of Laws concerning our perſons and eſtates, and to render the Monarchy abſolute, did thinke he could have no better means to effect it, than to caſt into obloquie and diſgrace, all thoſe that deſired to preſerve the Laws and Liberties of the Nation, and to mantain Religion in the power of it, under the names of Puritans, factious and ſeditious perſons, as well knowing that the light of their pinciples and practices, were like to ſtand moſt in the way of bringing to paſſe ſuch an evill deſigne.

And truly it is with no ſmall grief, at this time to be lamented, that the evill, and wreched principles of the miſgovernment, which the King then aymed to worke out his deſigne by, but could not effect, ſhould now revive, and ſpring up ſo evidently in the hands of men profeſſing godlineſſe (to the great prophaning, and reproach of Gods name) and arrived at maturity in practice, which former times abhorred to thinke of, and the deſigners themſelves with all their pollicy and power could never reach.

This appearing but with too much evidence in my conſcience, when the preſent Governours held themſelves obliged to call the people of theſe three Nations unto a day of publique humiliation, and to invite to the giving in of Light and conviction, with a free and open profeſſion of a ready ſubjection of mind thereunto, was a chief motive that induced me to prepare my Witueſs, as I did, which being asked for from me by one of the Councill, I delivered in writing and it continued in their hands about a Months ſpace, with out any prohibition to Print, & then was put to the Preſſe in the ordinary way of all other bookes, and had the uſuall warrant for the comming forth, and nothing laid to its Charge ever ſince, till (for what reaſon of State I know not) it is now thought meet to be called ſeditious, and occaſion is taken thereby to threaten me with Bonds, unto which I ſay the will of the Lord be done; through whoſe ſupporting grace I am made not carefull in this matter, and therefore have been willing (without any circumlocution or advantage I might have taken) to own with all readines that Witneſs for which the Lord hath given me a heart moſt freely to ſuffer whatſoever he ſhall call me unto, in the faithfull diſcharge of a good conſcience therein. And this being ſaid (as is needfull in my own vindication) my Anſwer to the Paper, that ordereth me to ſtand committed, unleſſe I will give ſecurity by Bond, &c. and ſo by my own voluntary Act, do that which may blemiſh and render ſuſpect my innocency, and the juſtice and Good of the Cauſe I ſuffer for; is this, That my purpoſe is God willing, to give no ſuch Bond, but rather expoſe my ſelf to the commitment mentioned; althoughl muſt ingeniouſly profeſſ, I neither know, nor acknowledge the Authority, which thoſe that have made the Order, do exerciſe over me in this Caſe: Nor do I conceive their Votes and Orders have a binding force by the Lawes of the Nation. This is my Anſwer to the Paper I received from you, which I deſire may be accordingly preſented to their view, that ordered my Commitment; my intentions being to make uſe of the little time of liberty, which is remaining to my own diſpoſe for the viſiting of my near Relations in Kent where I ſhall be ſure to be heard of, and however do propound to my ſelf not above a weeks ſtay, before my return again to my Houſe in the Strand, ſo ſubſcribes

Henry Vane

A true Coppy of the firſt warrant. To Edward Dendy Eſq. Serjant at Arms attending the Councill, or to his Deputies and every of them.

VVHereas upon conſideration of a ſeditious Book written and publiſhed by Sir Hen. Vane Knight, Enti • uſed An Healing Queſtion Propounded and Reſolved, &c. tending to the diſturbance of the Preſent Government and the peace of the Common-wealth. It was Ordered by his Highneſſe and the Councill on the 21. of Auguſt laſt, that if he ſhould not give good ſecurity in 5000 pounds Bond by Tweſday then next coming, to do nothing to the prejudice of this preſent Government, or of the peace of the Common-wealth, he ſhould ſtand Committed. And whereas he hath not given ſecurity according to the tenor of that Order, but refuſeth to do the ſame. Theſe are therefore to will and require you forthwith to apprehend, and take into your charge, the body of the ſaid Sir Henery Vane, and him to convey in ſafe cuſtody to the Iſle of Wight, and there to deliver him to the Governour of th • r Iſland, or to his D • puty, to be by him diſpoſed of according to the Order of his Highneſſe and the Councill. Hereof you are not to fail: And for ſo doing this ſhall be your ſufficient Warrant.

Signed in the Name and by Order of his Highneſſe and the Councill Henry Lawrence Preſident. Given at Whit-hall this 4. day of September 1656.

A Coppy of the Warrant to the Governour of the Iſle of Wight or his Deputy.

Whereas upon conſideration of a ſeditious Book written and publiſhed by Sir Henry Vane Knight, entituled an Healing Queſtion Propounded and Reſolved &c. tending to the diſturbance of the preſent Government and the peace of the Commmonwealth. It was Ordered by his Highneſſe, and the Councill on the 21. of Aug. laſt, That if he ſhould not give good ſecurity in 5000 l. Bond by • weſday then next coming, to do nothing to the prejudice of the preſent Government. or of peace of the Commonwealth, he ſhould ſtand Comitted. And whereas he hath not given ſecurity according to the tenor of that Order, butrefuſes to do the ſame. Theſe are therefore to will and require you, to receive into your Charge from the Bearer hereof, the body of the ſaid Sir Honry Vane, and him to ſecure, and keep in ſafe cuſtody in ſuch place within the Iſle of Wight under your Command, as you ſhall judge moſt convenient, not ſuffering him to ſpeak with any perſon during his abode there, but in the preſence of ſome Officer, and to continue him thus under cuſtody till you ſhall receive other Order; whereof you are not to faile. And for ſo doing this ſhall be your Warrant.

Signed in the name and by Order of his Highneſſe and the Council, Hen. Lawrence, Pr. Given at White-hall this fourth day of September, 1656.

Here followes the TESTIMONY of Sir HENRY VANE delivered in writing by his own hands. My Lord,

HAving ſomething in my mind to ſpeak by way of more peculiar addreſſe and concernment to your Lordſhip than the reſt of your company, I have choſen to do it by theſe lines, as the Teſtimony which upon this occaſion I deſire to ſpeak before your own conſcience in the ſight of God.

The Scripture ſaith, he that will ſave his life ſhall looſe it, and he that will looſe his life for Chriſts ſake and the Goſpell (in faithfull witneſſe bearing) ſhall ſave it; This Word of the Lord is in eſpeciall manner fulfilling amongſt the Saints and people of God at this day, whom the Lord is bringing very eminently upon the ſtage of tryall and ſufferings, and that not onely from open enemies, that ſin in a declared prophane ſpirit, but from equalls and friends that have gone into the Houſe of God in company, and taken ſweet counſell together in all their concern's, but yet come at laſt to hate their Brethren, and caſt them out under a pretence of Z • al and glorifying God therein.

And to come a little nearer the Caſe in hand, this great Truth is haſtening a pace to be made good in thoſe principles, that ſpirit, and courſe of action your Lordſhip is found in, and in thoſe which the Lord enables me to own and profeſſe, and is bringing me through his rich grace in ſome weak meaſure, to the practice of, which are to cleave to what is right and good, though power be on the other ſide to oppoſe it.

The Meſſuage which in former times you fent me, is in my Memory ſtill, it was immediately after the Lord had appeared with you againſt Duke Hamiltons Army, when you bid a Friend of mine, tell your Brother Vane (for ſo you then thought fit to call me) that you were as much unſatisfied with his paſſive and ſuffering principles, as he was with your active; and indeed I muſt crave leave to make you this Reply at this time, that I am as little ſatisfied with your active, and ſelf-eſtabliſhing Principles, in the lively colours wherein daily they ſhew themſelves, as you are or can be with my paſſive Ones, and am willing in thi • to joyn iſſue with you, and to begg of the Lord to judge between us and to give the deciſion according to truth and righteouſneſſe.

And having named Truth and Righteouſneſſe, ſurely it may but too truly be ſaid, that amongſt us remains nothing but the Name, the power and life thereof ſeems to be ceaſed from our land, and is baniſhed from the ſocieties of moſt men; Yet my Lord, it is that whereby the actions and practice of all men are to be ruled, as well of Governors as of the governed. Governours themſelves are neither to be, nor make themſelves more then what in truth and righteouſnes they are and ought to be: When they ſwerve from this rule, they become ſinners and muſt look by tranſgreſſion to fall, as well as the loweſt of the People.

That which in truth of fact you were, is viſſible enough to every eye, that is to ſay, under the Legiſlative Authority of the People Repreſenſented in Parliament, duly choſen and rightly conſtituted: you and the Force under your command are the Nations ſtrength, and formed military Power, kept up by a derived Authority from them, at a ſettled Pay to be imployed for the Nations uſe and ſervice, and theirs onely; and over this Military body you are by them placed as the head.

This then is the Power, which duly and properly you are, and more than this, I am not ſatisfied in my Conſcience is in Truth and Righteouſneſſe, appertaining unto you; to uſe this power lawfully, is your honour, your duty, your ſafety, as well as their well-fare, and preſervation, for whom it was raiſed, and is ſtill pay'd. To uſe this unlawfully as evidently you doe, when you go about to aſſume and eſtabliſh to your ſelfe the Power of your head, and at beſt will but allow them but to ſhare with you in their known Right to the Legiſlative Authority, unto your whom your ſelf, and the Army under your Command acknowledged the whole to be due, when as a ſeale ſet to this their Authority, they cauſed juſtice to be done upon the late King; you then become like that one finner, which Eccleſ. 9.19. is ſaid to deſtroy much good, and do forget that wiſdome which teaches, and reſtrains from ſuch unlawfull uſe of force and ſtrength, is better then weapons of war mannaged never ſo ſucceſſefully in a way of deſtroying that which is right and good, whatever worldly gain and advantage in other reſpects to be obtained thereby.

And although your own Conſcience cannot but conſent to the truth of what is here told you, in the name and fear of the Lord, yet being ſtrong and truſting to the power of your ſword, which is Fleſh and not Spirit, is man and not God, your heart is lifted up, if you ſpeedily repent not, unto your deſtruction; for you are not able to hear the reproofs of the Lord, nor the faithfull witneſſe and advice of his Saints and people that in love and true friendſhip diſſwade you from going on in this way, as foreſeeing and foretelling your ruine and deſtruction therein: And the fears they have, that you will not ruine alone, foraſmuch as their outward ſafety & welfare is ſo very far included in yours.

Nor doth the Witneſſe of the Saints which they bear againſt you reſt here; but it is too evident to thoſe of them, that have a ſpirit of diſcerning, that in reference as well to Chriſt your heavenly head, as to the good people of this Nation in Parliament Aſſembled, and rightly Conſtituted who were, and ought to be your earthly Head; you lift up your heel, and harden your ſelf every day more than other, in a fixed Reſolution not to become ſubject, as is your duty, nor to hold and keep your ſelf in your due ſtation alloted to you in the Body; but are ayming at the Throne in ſpirituals as well as Temporals; and to ſet up your ſelf in a capacity of not holding your head either in the one conſideration or the other.

And if this evill be in you at the bottome, be aſſured the Lord will ſpeedily lay it open as before the Sun, and none of the webbs you are weaving will prove garments to cover your nakedneſſe; neither will your agreements or convenants with death ſtand; even thoſe pollitick contrivances and conjunctions with thoſe that are the enemies, whether open or ſecret, againſt the Spirit of life, and the workings and manifeſtations thereof, in the ſuffering Saints and annointed ones of the Lord Jeſus, whom the Lord is about to own for his wiſedome in the midſt of the Earth, unto which excellent Spirit that ſhall be found in thoſe holy ones of the Lord, not onely this Nations wiſedome in their very ſupream Aſſembly, but the Ruling powers of the whole world ſhall yield ſubjection, and think it their glory to become ſubſervient to the bringing forth of the new Heavens and that new Earth, wherein dwells righteouſneſſe and truth; this is the foundation Stone, Elect and precious, which through faith is ſeen to be laid already in our Sion at this day, which thoſe that believe, and make not haſt, ſhall arrive to the experience of, and ſhall diſcerne that this Stone is in cutting out amongſt us without hands, to its becoming a great Mountain, and filling the whole Earth.

Take then in good part before it be too late, this faithfull warning and following advice of an ancient friend, but is now thought fit to be uſed and dealt with as an Enemy.

Break off timely your ſinnes by repentance, do judgement, execute juſtice, and walk humbly before the Lord; yea, rent your hearts and not your garments, for thoſe are the faſts the Lord hath choſen, break every yoak, and let the oppreſſed go free; in one word, proceed no further in lifting up your ſelf againſt the Lord of Heaven, but inſtead of cauſing the veſſells of his houſe, even his moſt precious Saints to be brought before you (as you do daily) for to exerciſe publique ſcorn and tryumph over them, ſee that your true intereſt lies with them and in them, as well now as hertofore, and endeavour to recover their hearts to you, and their prayers for you, leaſt your God in whoſe hands your breath is, and whoſe are all your waies, whom you have not cared to glorify as you ought) ſhould ariſe ſuddenly and teare you in pieces, by the immediate ſtroak of his own vengeance, and there be none to deliver, even ſuch of you who live in pleaſure on the Earth, and have been wanton, and nouriſhed your ſelves as in a day of ſlaughter, who have condemned, and in your hearts killed the juſt One, and he doth not reſiſt you; But behold the Judge ſtandeth at the door.