Reasons Assigned, Postscript
A POSTSCRIPT.
SInce the drawing up of the precedent Reaſons, I have met with a Printed Pamphlet intituled, An Epiſtle written the 8th day of June, by Lieutenant Colonel Iohn Lilburn, to Maſter William Lenthall Speaker to the remainder of thoſe few Knights, Citizens and Burgeſſes that Col. Thom. Pride at his late purge thought convenient to leave ſitting at Weſtminſter (as moſt fit for his and his Maſters deſigns to ſerve their ambitious & Tyrannical ends, to deſtroy the good old Laws, Liberties and Cuſtoms of England, the badges of our Freedom, as the Declaration againſt the King of the ſeventh of March, 1648, pag. 23. calls them) and by force of Armes to rob the people of their lives, eſtates and properties; and ſubject them to perfect vaſſallage and ſlavery &c. who (and in truth no otherwiſe) pretendenly ſtile themſelves, The Conſervators of the Peace of England, or the Parliament of England, intruſted and authorized by the conſent of all the people thereof, whoſe Repreſentatives by Election (in their Declaration laſt mentioned, p. 27. they ſay) they are; although they are never able to produce one bit of a Law, or any piece of a Commiſſion to prove, that all the people of England, or one quarter, tenth, hundred or thouſand part of them, authorized Thomas Pride, with his Regiment of Souldiers to chooſe them a Parliament, as indeed it hath de facto done by this PRETENDED MOCK-PARLIAMENT: And therefore it cannot properly be called the Nations or Peoples Parliament; but Col. Prides and his Aſſociats, whoſe really it is: who although they have beheaded the King for a Tyrant, yet walk oppreſſingeſt ſteps, if not worſt and higher.
In this Epiſtle this late great Champion of the Houſe of Commons and ſitting Junctoes Supremacy both before and ſince the Kings beheading, (who with his Brother aHis Petition and Appeal and his Arrow of defiance. See M. Edwards Gangrena, 3. pa. page. 154. fol. 204.Overton and their Confederates, Firſt cryed them up as, and gave them the Title of, The Supream Authority of the Nation: The only Supream Judicatory of the land: The only formall and legall Supream power, and Parliament of England, in whom alone the power of binding the whole Nation by making, altering or abrogating Laws, without either King or Lords, reſides, &c. and firſt engaged them by their Pamphlets and Petitions, againſt the King, Lords and Perſonall Treatie, as he and they print and boaſt in Pag. 11.29.this Epiſtle and other late Papers) doth in his own and his Parties behalf (who of late ſo much adored them, as the only earthly Deities and Saviours of the Nation) now poſitively aſſert and prove.
Firſt, that Pag. 34.35.Commiſſary Generall Ireton, Colonel Hariſon with other Members of the Houſe, and the General Councel of Officers in the Army, did in ſeverall meetings and debates at Windſor immediately before their late march to London to purge the Houſe, and after to Whitehall, commonly ſtile themſelves the pretended Parliament (even before the Kings beheading) a MOCK PARLIAMENT, a MOCK POWER, a PRETENDED PARLIAMENT; & NO PARLIAMENT AT ALL: And that they were abſolutely reſolved and determined TO PULL UP THIS THEIR OWN PARLIAMENT BY THE ROOT, and not ſo much as to leave a ſhadow of it; yea and had done it if we (ſay they) and ſome of our then FRIENDS in the Houſe, had not been the Principall Inſtruments to hinder them: We judging it then of two evils the leaſt, to chuſe rather to be governed by THE SHADOW OF A PARLIAMENT, till we could get a reall and a true one (which with the greateſt proteſtations in the world they then promiſed and engaged with all their might ſpeedily to effect) then ſimply, ſolely and only by the will of Sword-men, whom we had already found to be men of no very tender conſciences.
If then theſe leading, ſwaying Members of the new pretended purged Commons Parliament and Army, deemed the Parliament even before the Kings beheading, a Mock-Parliament, a mock-power, a pretended Parliament, yea, no Parliament at all; and abſolutely reſolved to pull it up by the roots as ſuch, then it neceſſarily follows, Firſt that they are much more ſo after the Kings death, as by their ſuppreſſion of the Lords Houſe and purging of the Commons Houſe to the very dregs, in the opinions and conſciences of thoſe now ſitting, and all other rationall men. And no wayes enabled by law to impoſe this or any other new Tax or Act upon the Kingdom, creating new Treaſons and Penalties, Secondly, that theſe grand ſaints of the Army and Stateſmen of the Pretended Parliament knowingly ſit, vote and act there againſt their own judgements and conſciences, for their own private, pernicious ends. Thirdly, that it is a baſeneſſe, cowardize, and degeneracy beyond all expreſſion, for any of their Fellow-members now acting, to ſuffer theſe Gr…n…e…s in their Aſſembly and Arms, to ſit or vote together with them, or to enjoy any Office or command in the Army, or to impoſe any tax upon the People to maintain ſuch Officers, Members, Souldiers, who have thus vilified, affronted their pretended Parliamentary Authority, and thereby induced others to contemn and queſtion it: and as great a baſeneſſe in others for to pay it upon any terms.
Secondly he there affirms that dPag. 26, 27Oliver Crumwell by the helpe of the A…my at their firſt Rebellion againſt the Parliament, was no ſooner put up, but like a perfideous, baſe, unworthy man, &c. the Houſe of Peers were his only white boys, and who but Oliver (who before to me had called them in effect both Tyrants and Ʋſurpers) became their Proctor, where ever he came; yea, and ſet his ſon Ireton at work for them alſo; inſomuch that at ſome meetings, with ſome of my friends at the Lord Whartons lodgings, he clapt his hand upon his breaſt, and to this purpoſe, profeſſed in the ſight of God upon his conſcience THAT THE LORDS HAD AS TRUE A RIGHT TO THEIR LEGISLATIVE & JURISDICTIVE POWER OVER THE COMMONS, AS HE HAD TO HIS COAT UPON HIS BACK, and he would pocure a freind: viz. Maſter Nathaniel Feinnes, ſhould argue and plead their juſt right with any friend I had in England. And not only ſo, but did he not get the Generall and Councell of War at Windſor (about the time that the Votes of no more addreſſes were to paſſe) to make a Declaration to the whole world declaring, THE LEGAL RIGHT OF THE LORDS HOUSE & THEIR FIXED RESOLUTION TO MAINTIAN & UPHOLD IT? which was ſent by the Generall to the Lords by Sir Hardreſſe Waller: and to indear himſelf the more unto the Lords (in whoſe Houſe without all doubt he intended to have ſate himſelf, he requited me evill for good; and became my enemy to keep me in Priſon, out of which I muſt not ſtirre, unleſſe I would ſtoop and acknowledge the Lords juriſdiction over Commoners; and for that end he ſets his agents and inſtruments at work to get me to do it: yet now they have ſuppreſſed them.
Whence it is moſt apparent. 1. That the General, Liutenant General Cromwel, Ireton, Harriſon, and other Officers of the Army now ſitting as Members, and over-ruling all the reſt, have willingly acted againſt their own knowledges, Declarations, Judgments, Conſciences in ſuppreſſing the Lords Houſe; and depriving them of their Legiſlative and Juriſdictive Right and power, by preſuming to make Acts, paſs ſentences, and impoſe Taxes without them, or their aſſents in Parliament. 2. That this Tax enforced upon the Commons and Kingdom, for their own particular advantage, pay and enrichment, is in their own judgment and conſcience, both unjuſt and directly contrary to the Laws of the Realm, being not aſſented to by the Lords: and therefore to be unanimouſly and ſtrenuouſly oppoſed by all who love their own or Countries Liberty, or have any Nobility, or Generoſity in them.
Thirdly, he ePag. 34, 39, 40.56, 57.there aſſerts in poſitive terms in his own behalf, and his confederates; That the purged Parliament now ſitting, is but, a pretended Parliament, a mock-Parliament; yea, and in plain Engliſh, NO PARLIAMENT AT ALL, but the ſhadow of a Parliament. That thoſe company of men at Weſtminſter, that gave Commiſſion to the High Court of Juſtice to try and behead the King, &c. were no more a Parliament by Law, or Repreſentatives of the people, by the rules of Juſtice and Reaſon, then ſuch a company of men are a Parliament or Repreſentative of the People, that a company of armed Theeves chooſe and ſet apart to try, judge, condemn, hang, or behead any man that they pleaſe, or can prevail over by the power of their ſwords, to bring before them by force of arms, to have their lives taken away by pretence of Juſtice, grounded upon rules meerly flowing from their wills and ſwords. That no Law in England authoriſeth a company of ſervants to puniſh and correct their Maſters, or to give a Law unto them, or to throw them at their pleaſure out of their power, and ſet themſelves down in it; which is the Armies caſe with the Parliament, eſpecially at Thomas Pride's late purge, which was an abſolute diſſolution of the very Eſſence and being of the Houſe of Commons: to ſet up indeed a MOCK-POWER, and a MOCK-PARLIAMENT; by purging out all thoſe, that they were any way jealous of, would not Vote as they would have them; and ſuffering and permitting none to ſit but (for the major part of them) a company of abſolute School-boys, that will, like good Boys, ſay their Leſſons after them their Lords and Maſters, and vote what they would have them: and ſo be a skreen betwixt them and the people, with the name of Parliament, and the ſhadow and imperfect image of legall and juſt Authority to pick their pockets for them by Aſſeſſments and Taxations; and by their arbitrary and tyrannicall Courts and Committees (the beſt of which is now become a perfect Star-chamber, High-Commiſſion, and Councel-board) make them their perfect ſlaves and vaſſals. With much more to this purpoſe.
If then their Principall admirers, who confederated with the Army, and thoſe now ſitting, in all their late proceedings; and cryed them up moſt of any, as the Parliament and ſupreme Authority of England, before, at and ſince the late force upon the Houſe, and its violent purgation, doe thus in print profeſſedly diſclaim them, for being any reall Parliament or Houſe of Commons, to make Acts or impoſe Taxes upon the people; the ſecluded Members, Presbyterians, Royalliſts, and all others, have much more cauſe and ground to diſavow and oppoſe their uſurped Parliamentary authority and illegall Taxes Acts, as not made by any true Engliſh Parliament, but a Mock-Parliament only.
Fourthly, He therein further averrs: fPag. 52.53.56.57.58.59.That the death of the King in Law indiſputably diſſolves this Parliament, ipſo facto, though it had been all the time before never ſo intire and unquestionable to that very houre. That no Neceſſity can be pretended for the continuance of it; the rather, becauſe the men that would have it continue ſo long, as they pleaſe, are thoſe who have created theſe neceſſities on purpoſe, that by the colour thereof they may make themſelves great and potent. That the main end wherefore the Members of the Commons houſe were choſen and ſent thither, was, To hear and conferr with King Charles and the Houſe of Peers, about the great affairs of the Nation, &c. And therefore are but a third part, or third eſtate of that Parliament, to which they were to come and joyn with, and who were legally to make paramount and binding Laws for the people of the Nation. And therefore having taken away two of the three Eſtates that they were choſen on purpoſe to joyn with to make Laws; the end both in reaſon and Law of the peoples truſt is ceaſed: for a Minor joyned with a Major for one and the ſame end, cannot play Lord paramount over the Major, and then do what it pleaſe; no more can the Minor or a Major; viz. one Eſtate of three, legally or juſtly deſtroy two of three, without their own aſſent, &c. That the Houſe of Commons ſitting freely within it's limited time, in all its ſplendor of glory, without the awe of armed men, neither in Law, nor in the intention of their Chooſers were a Parliament; and therefore of themſelves alone have no pretence in Law to alter the Conſtitution of Parliaments, &c. concluding thus: For ſhame let no man be ſo audaciouſly or ſottiſhly void of reaſon, as to call Tho. Prides pittifull Junto A PARLIAMENT, eſpecially thoſe that called, avowed, proteſted and declared again & again thoſe TO BE NONE that ſate at Weſtminſter the 26, 27. &c. of July 1647. when a few of their Members were ſcared away to the Army, by a few hours tumult of a company of a few diſorderly Apprentices. And being no repreſentative of the People, much leſs A PARLIAMENT, what pretence of Law, Reaſon, Juſtice or Nature can there be for you to alter the conſtitution of Parliaments, and force upon the people the ſhew of their own wills, luſts and pleaſures for Lawes and Rules of Government, made by a PRETENDED, EVERLASTING, NULLED PARLIAMENT, a Councel of State, or Star chamber and a Councel of War, or rather by Fairfax, Cromwel, and Ireton.
Now if their own late confederates and creatures argue thus in print againſt their continuing a Parliament, Juriſdiction, Proceedings, Taxes, and arbitrary pleaſures, ſhould not all others much more doe it, and oppoſe them to the utmoſt upon the ſelf-ſame grounds?
Fifthly, He there likewiſe affirms, gPag. 53.54.59 41.That thoſe now ſitting at Weſtminſter have perverted the ends of their truſts more then ever Strafford did: 1. In not eaſing the people of, (but encreaſing) their greivances. 2. In exhauſting of their Eſtates to maintain and promote pernitious Deſigns to the peoples deſtruction. The King did it by a little Ship-money and Monopolies; but ſince they began, they have raiſed and extorted more mony from the people and Nation then half the Kings ſince the Conqueſt ever did; as particularly: 1. by exciſe, 2 Contributions. 3. Sequeſtrations of lands to an infinite value. 4. Fift parts. 5. Twenty parts. 6. Meal-mony. 7. Sale of the plundered goods. 8. Lones. 9. Benevolences. 10. Collections upon their faſt days. 11. New impoſitions or cuſtoms upon Merchandize. 12. Guards maintained upon the charge of private men. 13. Fifty Subſidies at one time. 14. Compoſitions with Delinquents to an infinite value. 15. Sale of Biſhops lands. 16. Sale of dean and Chapters lands: and now after the wars are done. 17. Sale of King, Queen, Prince, Duke, and the reſt of the Childrens revenues. 18. Sale of their rich goods which coſt an infinite ſum. 19. To conclude all, a Taxation of ninety thouſand pounds a month: and when they have gathered it pretendingly for the Common-Wealths uſe, divide it by thouſands and ten thouſands a peece amongſt themſelves, and wipe their mouthes after it, like the impudent Harlot, as though they had done no evil; and then purchaſe with it publick Lands at ſmall or trivial values: O brave Truſtees! that have proteſted before God and the World, again and again in the day of their ſtraits, they would never ſeek themſelves, and yet beſides all this divide all the choiſeſt and profitableſt Places of the Kingdom among themſelves. Therefore when I ſeriouſly conſider, how many men in the Parliament and elſewhere of their Aſſociates (that judge themſelves the only Saints and Godly men upon the earth) that have conſiderable (and ſome of them vaſt) eſtates of their own inheritance, and yet take five hundred, one, two, three, four, five thouſand pounds per annum Salaries, and other comings in by their places, and that out of the too much exhauſted treaſury of the Nation, when thouſands not onelyonly of the People the of world, as they call them, but alſo of the precious redeemed lambs of Chriſt, are ready to ſtarve for want of bread. I cannot but wonder with my ſelf, whether they have any conſcience at all within them or no; and what they think of that ſaying of the ſpirit of God, That whoſo hath this worlds goods, and ſeeth his brother hath need, and ſhutteth up his bowels of compaſſion from him (which he abſolutely doth that any way takes a little of his little from him) how dwelleth the love of God in him) 1 John 3.17. Theſe actions and practiſes are ſo far from being like the true and reall children of the moſt High, that they are the higheſt oppreſſion, theft and murther in the world, thus to rob the poor in day of their great diſtreſs by Exciſe, Taxations &c. to maintain their Pompe, Superfluities and Debauchery, when many of thoſe from whom they take it, do periſh and ſtarve with want and hunger in the mean time, and be deaf and Adamant-hearted to all their TEARS, CRYES, LAMENTATIONS, MOURNFUL HOWLINGS, GROANES. Without all doubt, theſe pretended, Godly Religious men, have got a degree beyond thoſe Atheſts or Fools, that ſay in their hearts, there is no God. Pſal. 14.1. and 53.1.3. In quite deſtroying the peoples eſſential Liberties, Laws and Freedoms, & in leaving them no Law at all (as Mr. Peters their grand Teacher averred lately to my face we had none) but their meer will and pleaſures; ſaving Fellons Lawes, or Martial Law, where new Butchers are both informers, Parties, Jury-men and Judges, who have had their hands imbrewed in blood for above theſe ſeven years together, having ſerved an apprentiſhip to killing of men for nothing but money, and ſo are more bloody then Butchers that kil ſheep and calves for their own livelihood; who yet by the Law of England, are not permitted to be of any jury for life and death: becauſe they are converſant in ſhedding of blood of beaſts, and thereby, through an habit of it may not be ſo tender of the blood of men, as the Law of England, Reaſon, and Juſtice would have them to be. Yea, do not theſe men by their ſwords, being but ſervants, give what Lawes they pleaſe to their Maſters the pretended Law-makers of your Houſe now conſtituted by as good and legal a power, as he that robs and kills a man upon the hgih-way?
And if this be the verdict of their own Complices and Partizans concerning them and their proceedings, eſpecially touching their exhauſting our Eſtates by Taxes, and ſharing them among themſelves in the times of famine and penury (as the great Officers of the Army and Treaſurers who are Members now doe, who both impoſe what Taxes they pleaſe, and diſpoſe of them to themſelves and their creatures as they pleaſe, contrary to the practice of all former ages, and the rules of reaſon and juſtice too) are not all others bound by all bonds of conſcience, Law, Prudence to withſtand their impoſitions and Edicts unto death, rather then yeild the leaſt ſubmiſſion to them?
Sixthly, He there avers, proves and offers legally to make good, before any indifferent Tribunal, that thehPag. 2.15.27, 29.33.34.35.41.53.57, 58, 59 64.…4.75. Grandees and overruling Members of the Houſe and Army are not only, a pack of diſſembling, Jugling Knaves and Machevillians, amongſt whom in conſultation hereafter he would ever ſcorn to come, for that there was neither faith, truth nor common honeſty amongſt them: but likewiſe Murtherers; who had ſhed mens blood againſt Law, as well as the King, whom they beheaded; and therefore by the ſame Texts and arguments they uſed againſt the King, their blood ought to be ſhed by man, and they to be ſurely put to death without any ſatisfaction taken for their lives, as Traytors, Enemies, Rebels to, and iSee Pag. 31.32.conſpirators againſt the late King (whom they abſolutely reſolved to deſtroy though they did it by Martial Law) Parliament Kingdome and the peoples Majeſty and Soveraignity; That the pretended Houſe and Army are guilty of all the late crimes in kinde, though under a new Name and notion, of which they charge the King in their Declaration of the 17. of March 1648. that ſome of them more legally deſerve death, then ever the King did: and conſidering their many Oathes, Covenants, Promiſes, Declarations, and Remonſtrances to the contrary (with the higheſt promiſes and pretences of good for the people and their declared Liberties that ever were made by men) the moſt perjured, pernicious, falſe, faith and Truſt-breakers, and Tyrants that ever lived in the world: and ought by all rationall and honeſt men to be the moſt deteſted and abhorred of all men that ever breathed, by how much more under the pretence of friendſhip and brotherly kindneſs they have done all the miſcheife they have done in deſtroying our Lawes and liberties; there being no Treaſon like Judas his Treaſon, who betrayed his Lord and Maſter with a kiſſe, &c.
Seventhly, He there aſſerts. kP. 57.34.That whoſoever ſtoops to their new change of Government and Tyranny, and ſupports it, is as abſolute a Traytor both by Law and Reaſon, as ever was in the world; If not againſt the King, PRINCE CHARLES, (heir apparent to his Fathers Crown and Throne) yet againſt the peoples Majeſty and Soveraignty. And if this be true▪ as it is, That this purg'd Parliament IS NO PARLIAMENT AT ALL; then there is neither legal Judges nor Juſtices of Peace in England. And if ſo, then all thoſe that are executed at Tiburne &c. by their Sentence of condemnation are meerly murthered, and the Judges and Juſtices that condemned them are liable in time to be hanged (and that juſtly) therefore, for acting without a juſt and legal Commiſſion: either from TRVE REGAL OR TRVE PARLIAMENTARY POWER: (except in corporations only where they proceed by ancient Charters in the antient Legal form).
And if this be Law and lLuk. 19.14 27. c. 12.13 14.Goſpel (as no doubt it is) then by the ſame reaſon, not only all legal proceedings, Indictments, Judgments, Verdicts, writs Trials, Fines, Recoveries, Recogniſances, and the like before any of our new created Judges and Juſtices ſince the Kings be heading in any Courts at Weſtminſter, or in their Circuits, Aſſiſſes, or quarter Seſſions, held by new Commiſſions, with all Commiſſions and Proceedings of Sheriffs, ate not only meerly void, illegal, & coram non judice to all intents, with all Bills, Decrees, and Proceedings in Chancery, or the Rolls; and all Judges, Juſtices, Sheriffs, now acting, and Lawyers practiſing before them in apparent danger of High-Treaſon both againſt King, Kingdom, they neithver taking the Oathes of Judges, Supremacy or Allegiance as they ought by Law; but only to be true and faithfull to the new erected State; but likewiſe all votes and proceedings before the pretended Houſe or any of their Committees, or Sub-Committees in the Country, with all their grants and Offices, Moneys, Salaries, Sequeſtrations, Sales of Lands or goods Compoſitions &c. meer Nullities and illegal acts, and the proceedings of all active Commiſſioners, Aſſeſſors, Collectors, Treaſurers, &c. and all other Officers imployed to leavy and to collect this illegal tax to ſupport that uſurped Parliamentary Authority and Army, which have beheaded the late King, diſ-inherited his undoubted Heire, levyed war againſt and diſſolved the late Houſes of Parliament, ſubverted the ancient Government of this Realm, the Conſtitution and Liberties of our Parliaments, the Lawes of the Kingdom, with the liberty and property of the people of England, no leſs then High Treaſon in all theſe reſpects as is fully proved by Sir Edward Cook in his 3. Inſtitutes, ch. 1.2. and by Mr. St. John in his Argument at Law at the attainder of the Earl of Strafford, both publiſhed by the late Commons Houſe Order; which I deſire all who are thus imployed, to conſider, eſpecially ſuch Commiſſioners who take upon them to adminiſter a new unlawful Ex Officio Oath to any to ſurvey their Neighbours and their own eſtates in every pariſh and return the true values thereof to them upon the new prov'd rate for the 3 laſt months contribution, and to fine thoſe who refuſe to do it (a meer diabolical invention to multiply perjuries to damne mens ſouls invented by Cardinal Woolſy, much inveighed againſt by Father Latymer in his Sermons, condemned by the expreſſe words of the Petition of Right providing againſt ſuch Oahes; and a ſnare to enthrall the wealthier ſort of people by diſcovering their eſtates to ſubject them to what future Taxes they think fit) when as the whole Houſe of Commons in no age had any power to adminiſter an Oath in any caſe whatſoever, much leſs then to conferr any authority on others to give ſuch illegal Oathes, and fine thoſe who refuſe them, the higheſt kinde of Arbitrary Tyranny both over mens Conſciences, Properties, Liberties; to which thoſe who voluntarily ſubmit deſerve not only the name of Traytors to their Country, but to be mExod. 21.5.6.boared through the ear, and they and their poſterities to be made Slaves for ever to theſe new Tax-maſters and their Succeſſors; and thoſe who are any ways active in impoſing or adminiſtring ſuch Oathes, and levying illegal Taxes by diſtreſs or otherwiſe, may and will undoubtedly ſmart for it at laſt; not only by Actions of Treſpaſſe, falſe impriſonment Accompt &c. brought againſt them at the Common Law, when there wil be no Committee of Indemnity to protect them from ſuch ſuits, but likewiſe by inditements of High Treaſon, to the deſerved loſs of their Eſtates, Lives, and ruin of their families when there will be no Parliament of purged Commoners, nor Army to ſecure, nor legal plea to acquit them from the guilt and puniſhment of Traytors both to their King and Country; pretended preſent ſordid fears of loſs of Liberty, Eſtate, or the like being no nSee 1. H. 4 Rot. Parl. n. 97.excuſe in ſuch a caſe and time, as this, but an higher aggravation of their crime: the oRev. 21.8.FEARFUL being the firſt in that diſmall Liſt of Malefactors who ſhall have part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimſtone, which is the ſecond death; even by Chriſts own ſentence.
John 18. verſ. 38.
To this end was I born, and for this cauſe came I into the world, that I ſhould bear witneſſe unto the truth.
FINIS.