A Happy Handful, Statement 7 – Statement 10
A Concurrent Declaration of the Inhabitants of the City and Liberties of WESTMINSTER: With the Declaration of the People of England for a Free Parliament.
WHereas by a wonderful Revolution of the Divine Providence, thoſe Members of the long Parliament which were ſtrangely brought in by the Army (May the 7. 1659.) and as ſtrangely outed by them (Octob. the 13. 1659.) are now ſtrangely returned to ſit in the Houſe as before, we judge it our concernment to call to minde the Act by them made and publiſhed, immediately before their forcible Interruption, intituled, An Act againſt raiſing of money upon the people out their conſent in Parliament: Which Act of theirs proceeds in theſe words, And be it further enacted, that no Perſon or Perſons ſhall after the 11. of October, 1659. Aſſeſs, Levy, Collect, Gather or Receive any Cuſtome, Impoſts, Exciſe, Aſſeſment, Contribution, Tax, Tallage, or any ſum or ſums of Money, or other Impoſitions whatſoever, upon the people of this Commonwealth, without their conſent in Parliament, or as by Law might have been done before the 3. of November, 1640. And be it further enacted and declared, that every perſon offending againſt this Act ſhall be, and is hereby adjudged to be guilty of High Treaſon, and ſhall forfeit and ſuffer as in caſe of High Treaſon. Hereupon we judged it meet and equitable to make this following Declaration.
We do therefore declare that we do freely, cordially, and unanimouſly aſſent to the equity of this Act, as conſonant to the fundamental Laws of our Nation, the benefit whereof we doubt not but we may juſtly claim, as our birth-priviledge in all ſuch caſes and concernments.
And accordingly we do declare that we are ready and willing, as ſoon as an opportunity is given us, to make choice of ſuch Perſons as may Declare our conſent in Parliament, for the raiſing of ſuch ſums of Money, as by them ſhall be thought neceſſary to defray the publick charges, and manage the publick concerns of the Nation, ſeeing moſt of thoſe perſons that were formerly choſen by us for this purpoſe, are either taken away by death, or by ſecluſion debarred from ſitting in the Houſe.
And we do hereby declare further, that we neither do, nor ſhall ever give our conſent, that any Aſſeſment ſhould be made, or impoſition laid upon us by any perſon or perſons whatſoever, until our conſent be ſo declared by perſons thus choſen and intruſted by us for this end and purpoſe.
And therefore if any perſon or perſons whatſoever ſhall contrary to the forementioned Act, and the Fundamental Laws of this Nation, lay any Aſſeſment or Impoſition upon us before our conſent is thus declared, under what pretence or colour ſoever of authority or neceſſity it ſhall be done, we do hereby declare to the World, that we are under manifeſt conſtraint and force, and our Goods and Eſtates are violently extorted from us, contrary to Law and Juſtice, which injuries we ſhall no longer bear than an opportunity ſhall be offered us to right our ſelves, and repoſſeſs thoſe priviledges that pertain to us by the Laws of our Nation.
And hereunto ſo univerſal and unanimous is our Concurrence, that it would be endleſs for us to ſubſcribe our Names (which neither this, nor any ſuch papers could contain) but yet if any doubt or miſtruſt of the truth of the matter hereby declared ſhould be conceived or pretended by any, and the Members of Parliament now (whom we conceive it doth in a ſpecial manner concern) ſhall deſire a viſible Teſtimony hereunto, for their further ſatisfaction and more full aſſurance of the truth and realty hereof, we ſhall be ready upon the leaſt intimation thereof by them given us, in the ſeveral Cities and Counties of the Land, to own and ſubſcribe to what is hereby declared, and act accordingly.
For ſome proof of the premiſes, We the Inhabitants of the City and Liberty of Weſtminster, capable of the choice of two Burgeſſes to ſerve in Parliament, have to this preſent Delaration ſubſcribed our hands, and ſo much the rather that we might hereby take occaſion to ſignifie to the whole Nation our cordial concurrence with the Common Councel of London, in what was done by that Honourable Court, in the behalf of the City of London in their Declaration of 20. Decemb. for a Free Parliament.
The humble deſires of the Kinghts, Gentlemen, Miniſters, Freeholders and Inhabitants of the County and Burrough of LEICESTER.
Delivered to His Excellency, the Lord General MONK, At St. Albans the Thirtieth of January, 1659. by George Fawnt Eſquire, High Sheriffe of the ſaid County, Willam Boothby, Richard Orton, and Richard Halford Eſquires, entruſted for that purpoſe by the whole County.
WE the Knights, Gentlemen, Miniſters, Free-holders, and Inhabitants of the County of Leiceſter, humbly conceiving, that the firſt Force put upon the Parliament, hath been an encouragement and occaſion to all the reſt: And finding that your Excellency (under God) hath been the principal means, for repairing the laſt interruption, are the more encouraged to deſire your aſſiſtance, in the promoting of theſe our juſt deſires as a viſible means of an happy Peace and Settlement of theſe Nations. And whereas every free-born perſon of England is ſuppoſed to be preſent in Parliament, by the Knights and Burgeſſes of the place where he liveth, and thereby is preſumed to give his conſent in all things that paſs in Parliament; There is not (as we are credibly informed) one Knight for all the Counties in Wales, nor for divers Counties in England, and ſome of them the greateſt in England, as that of Yorkſhire. We therefore deſire, that all vacant places be ſupplied, whether they became vacant by death, or judgment of Parliament: And that thoſe that were ſecluded by force in the year 1648. may ſit again. And that no previous Oath or Engagement be put upon any, that is choſen by his Countrey to ſit and vote freely in Parliament.
That the fundamental Laws of England, the Priviledges of Parliament, the Liberties of the People, and the Property of Goods, may be aſſerted and defended, according to the firſt Declaration of Parliament, when they undertook the War; and no Taxes or Free-quarter impoſed upon any, without Authority of Parliament.
That the true Proteſtant Religion may be profeſſed and defended, all Hereſies, Sects and Schiſms diſcountenanced and ſuppreſſed; a lawfull ſucceſſion of Godly and able Miniſters continued and encouraged; and the two Univerſities, and all Colledges in both of them, preſerved and countenanced.
That a fitting and ſpeedy courſe be taken, for the paying and diſcharging the Arrears of ſuch Officers and Soldiers as ſubmit to Authority of Parliament, and that they may be ſpeedily reduced to a leſſer number, for the eaſing of the great Taxes and Burthens of theſe Nations.
The humble Addreſs, and hearty deſires of the Gentlemen, Miniſters, and Free-holders of the County of Northampton.
Preſented to his Excellency the Lord General Monck, at his arrival at Northampton, January 24. 1659.
WE the Gentlemen, Miniſters, and Free-holders of the County of Northampton, humbly conceiving, that the firſt force put upon the Parliament hath been an encouragement to open the way to all the reſt; and finding that your Excellency under God hath been the principal means for the repairing of the laſt Interruption, are the more encouraged, and (having the conveniency of your preſence now amongſt us) to deſire your aſſiſtance in the procuring theſe our juſt deſires, as the viſible means of a happy Peace and Settlement of theſe Nations.
1. That whereas every free-born Subject of England is ſuppoſed to be preſent in Parliament by the Knights and Burgeſſes of the place where he liveth, and thereby is preſumed to conſent to all things that paſſe in Parliament: So it is now, that there is not one Knight for all the Counties in Wales, nor for divers Counties in England, and ſome of them the largeſt in England, as that of Yorkeſhire.
2. That no free-born Subject of England may have any Taxes levied upon him, without his conſent in Parliament.
3. To that end, That all vacant places may be ſupplied, whether they became vacant by Death or Secluſion; and that thoſe that were ſecluded by force in the year 1648 may ſit again; and that no previous Oath or Engagement may be put upon any that is choſen by his Countrey to ſit and vote freely in Parliament.
4. That the fundamental Lawes of England, the Priviledges of Parliament, the Liberty of the Subject, and the Property of Goods, may be aſſerted and defended, according to the firſt Declarations of the Parliament, when they undertook the War.
5. That the true Proteſtant Religion may be profeſſed and defended, all Hereſies, Sects and Schiſms diſcountenanced and ſuppreſſed, a lawfull ſucceſſion of Godly and able Miniſters continued and incouraged, and the two Univerſities, and all Colledges in both of them, may be preſerved and countenanced.
6. That all the Soldiery that will acquieſce in the Judgment of a free and full Parliament, in the promoting and ſetling a happy Peace upon thoſe foundations, may have their Arrears paid, and as many of them as the Parliament ſhall think neceſſary, may be continued in the publick ſervice; and that as many of them as have been Purchaſers of Lands from the Parliament, may either enjoy their Bargains, or their Money paid back with Intereſt, and ſome conſiderable advantage over and above, for their ſatisfactions, as the Parliament ſhall judge expedient for the publick good of the Nation.
This Addreſs was prepared by the Gentlemen, &c. aboveſaid, to be preſented to General Monck, at his entrance into Northampton.
To his Excellency the Lord General MONCK.
The Congratulation and Addreſſe of us the Knights, Divines, Free-holders, and others of the County of BUCKS.
Humbly ſheweth,
THat with all poſſible Gratitude we admire the wiſe and gracious diſpenſation of things by Almighty God, who hath moved your ſelf, and other the worthy Officers with you to ſuch juſt and honorable Reſolutions, as to put your ſelves into the breach then, when Tyranny, Irreligion, and all Confuſion, like a mighty Flood were ready to break in upon us. An occaſion in which, whether the nobleneſſe of the Attempts, or the Happineſſe of the Succeſſe were more conſiderable, after times will take pleaſure to diſcourſe: and we at preſent congratulate theſe your Sentiments of Honour and Conſcience. Sir, Our credit abroad is impaired, our Trade at home is decayed, our Fundamental Laws are violated, our primitive Apoſtolick Religion endangered: The cauſe of all which we humbly conceive is the force and violence put upon the Parliament in the year 1648. and ſince to obviate all which evils we requeſt the total removal of that force, and that all ſurviving Members ſo ſecluded, be reſtored to the diſcharge of their Truſt Vacancies be ſupplied by free Elections according to Law, that no previous Oaths or Engagements be put upon any of them that ſhall be choſen to ſit and Vote in Parliament. Sir, this is our deſire, and as we obſerve 'tis the voice of the whole People, and that is the voice of God; we doubt not but that you have been reſerved for ſuch a time as this: in purſuance of which we are ready to hazard our Lives and Eſtates.