Speech 4 December 1648, Letter
Mr. PRYNNES LETTER To The Borough of NEWPORT in Cornwall, for which he serves in PARLIAMENT.
GENTLEMEN,
BEING freely and unanimously elected by you (without my privity or seeking) to serve as one of your Purgesies in this Parliament, I have since my entrance into the Commons House (the 7th of Nevem. last)endeavoured to the best of my skill and judgment, faithfully to discharge that trust and duty you reposed in me, (according to my Conscience) to put a speedy and happy period to our unnaturall long-lasting bloody Wars, and settle a firm well-grounded peace, upon such terms of honor, freedome, safety, and advantage, as no Subjects under Heaven ever yet enjoyed from the Creation till this present. What my indefatigable endeavours were herein, in drawing up all the Bils upon the Kings Concessions in thellate Treaty, is wel known to most of the Members then sitting, and what I delivered in the House upon the Debate of the Kings Answers to our Propesitions upon the whole Treaty (with a sincere and publique spirit, aiming at nothing but yours and the whole Kingdoms felicity and prosperity, not any private interest of mine own) I have sent you here in print, being falsly charged by a new erected Generall Councell of Officers of the Army (who have traiterously usurped to themselves the supream Authority of the Kingdom, and against the known Priviledges of Parlia. the Liberty of the Subjects, and the Law of the Land forcibly seised on my self, and divers other eminent Members going to the House to discharge our duties, on the 6th. and 7th. of Decemb. last, in pursuance of the Treaty, and secluded me and them from sitting there ever since, to yours and the whole kingdoms prejudice) among other secured Members in the gross, for an Apostate from the publike trust which you reposed in me, only for this SPEECH, and the VOTE of the whole House; for the settlement of the kingdom… peace, made in pursuance of it; they having no particular matter …else to charge me with (had they any just power to impeach or seclude-me, which they have not) but this alone. How perfidiously and injuriously they have dealt with, and how scandalously they have traduced and libelled against me, and the other restrained Members in print, upon this occasion only, you may read in the Epistle to the Reader, though mine and the other Members innocency be so perspicuous, that they confesse, they have yet no particular matters of impeachment against us, after above 7 weeks imprisonment, but promise shortly to produce some [if they can:) whereas their owne Treasonable Rebellions, violences, perjuries, and crimes written with Sun-beams in their very forcheads, are visible to all the world, and need no witnesses to prove their guilt; their late unparallel'd exorbitances and proceedings both against the King, Parliament, Lords, Members, City and Country being known and apparent unto all I shall therefore appeal from these usurpers, (who have no more Authority to question or restrain me, for any reall or pretended breach of my Trust, as a Member, were I guilty of it, then the meanest servant hath to call his Master to account for mis-governing his family or to shut him out of doores:] unto you alone, who elected me, and are best able to know and judge of your owne Trust; desiring your speedy resolution of this question, Whether in that herein spoken or voted by me, I have any wayes violated the trust or faith which you and every of you reposed in me? For which Speech and Vote, though I am judicially accountable only to the Commons House, which knowes the true grounds upon which I went, and can only truly judge of what was there spoken and voted (none being *Si judicas, cognosc…. Scneca.fit to judge any thing but those who know and hear it too) the majority of which House concurred with me in the vote, without any division: yet, I hold my selfe in some sort ministerially accomp…able unto you for whom I serve, as the properest Iudges, without the House doores, of what I spake or voted in your behalfe. From whom I shall humbly request so much right and justice, upon the perusall of the inclosed Speech and papers, (which I desire may be read openly before all my Electors at your next publique meeting) as to testifie to the world under your hands and seais (which you set to the returne of my Election) your own judgments and opinions, whether I have betraid or broken the Trust you reposed in me or not, by what I spake or voted in this debate? and what sense you have of the Armies forcible secluding and imprisoning me [your Burgesse] from the House, among other Members, above seven weeks space together, contrary to mine and your undoubted Priviledge; how far you conceive your selves obliged by ought that hath been or shall be concluded, or voted in the House during the Armies force upon it; and your Burgesses [and most other Members] violent seclusion thence, against all Law and President, and what reparations you expect for this high Injustice to your selves and me: With what else you-think fit to determine touching the premises: And if you deeme it necessary, to returne your results herein to me, with all convenient speed: who shall make the best advantage thereof for yours, mine own and the kingdoms benefit: whose peace by (Gods blessing) had beene fully settled to your hearts content before this time, had not the Enemies of Peace (who gain their livings by the Warres) interrupted our proceedings, by imprisoning and s…luding the greatest part of the Members, and particularly
From the Kings Head in the Strand Ian. 26. 1648. Your most affectionate Friend and faithfull Servant and Burgesse WILLIAM PRYNNE.
To his honoured Friends the Vianders and free Burgesses of the Borough of Newport in Cornwall, these present.