A Happy Handful, Statement 20 – Statement 21
The Remonſtrance of the Noblemen, Knights, Gentlemen, Clergy-men, Free-holders, Citizens, Burgeſſes, & Commons of the late Eaſtern, Southern, & Weſtern Aſſociations, who deſire to ſhew themſelves Faithful and Conſtant to the Good Old Cauſe, the Priviledges and Freedom of Parliament, the Liberty and Property of the Subjects, Laws of the Land, and true Reformed Religion, which they were formerly called forth and engaged to defend by Declarations of Parliament, the Proteſtation, and Solemn National League and Covenant.
WE the Noblemen, Knights, Gentlemen, Clergymen, Freeholders, Citizens, Burgeſſes and Commons of the late Eaſtern, Southern, and Weſtern Aſſociations of England, whoſe names are hereunto ſubſcribed, having for a long ſeaſon with bleeding hearts, perplexed ſpirits, weeping eyes, and over-much patience and ſilence, beheld the miſerable publick Diſtractions, intollerable Oppreſſions, various Revolutions, great Tumults, and deſtructive Confuſions, wherewith our former moſt glorious, flouriſhing Churches and Nations (for want of a ſetled Government, and Free Parliament) have many years by-paſt been violently rent in pieces, waſted, conſumed, made the very hiſſing, ſcorn, laughing-ſtock of all Neighbour Countries, whether Friends or Foes, Chriſtians or Infidels; and thereby expoſed to the juſtly dreaded hoſtile Invaſions of combined forraign Romiſh Adverſaries, whoſe Emiſſaries have been very active, inſtrumental in our late Combuſtions and Changes; being now deeply ſenſible of the deplorable, deſperate condition and imminent ruine, not onelyonly of our own Perſons, Families, Poſterities, but of our deareſt, exhauſted, enthralled, dying Native Country, and Proteſtant Religion too, far dearer to us than our Lives or private Intereſts, the preſervation whereof is the Supreameſt Law; and calling to our minds the firſt publick ends and cauſes for which we took up arms (ſince totally perverted, ſubverted, oppugned by ambitious, ſelf-advancing Commanders, Officers of the Army, and others contrary to their Truſts and Commiſſions) with the manifold Oaths, Proteſtations, Vowes, Solemn League and Covenant, and other Sacred as well as Civil Obligations lying upon our Conſciences, engaging us all in our ſeveral places and callings in this day of Englands trouble, and extream danger, to put our helping hands and beſt advice to obviate thoſe Perils, and remove thoſe Diſorders, Grievances, Confuſions, which menace utter deſolation both to her and us, if we ſhould any longer fit ſtupidly ſilent, or unactive in our ſpheres, like perſons altogether unintereſted or unconcerned in theſe perillous times of unprefidented exorbitancies, uſurpations, tyrannies over our Perſns, Eſtates, Lawes, Liberties, and Parliaments themſelves, by ambitious, turbulent Self-ſeekers and Incendiaries, and of univerſal decay of trade by Sea and Land; Have thereupon conceived it our neceſſary bounden duties in this ſad poſture of our Sacred and Civil Concernments both as Chriſtians and Engliſh Freemen, by this our joynt REMONSTRANCE to tender to the reſt of our Engliſh Brethren throughout the whole Nation, of what rank, calling, or condition ſoever; ſuch juſt, legal, ſafe, rational, honeſt and Chriſtian Propoſals, as through Gods bleſſing upon our and their unanimous, vigorous proſecution of them againſt all ſelf-ended Opponents, may redeem us from our preſent Bondage, Dangers, Schiſms, Confuſions, frequent Rotations of publick Government, and reſtore our tottering Church, State, Kingdoms, Religion, to their priſtine Unity, Tranquillity, Purity, Stability, Dignity, Felicity, and ſecure them againſt all future Concuſſions and Convulſions.
For which end we all paſſionately deſire, and ſhall unanimouſly and cordially endeavour by all lawful meanes within our Orbs,
1. That a legal, full and free Parliament of England may be ſpeedily ſummoned, according to the preſcription of 16 Caroli, c. 1. enacted for this purpoſe, not hitherto put in execution; and that free Elections of able Knights, Citizens and Burgeſſes, by and of all well-affected perſons to Peace, and the old Parliaments good Cauſe, to repreſent them therein, may be no wayes diſturbed, nor reſtrained by force of Armes or otherwiſe.
2. That the ſaid Parliament may ſafely, freely meet at Weſtminster on the third Monday in January next, to conſult of, vote, and ſettle the Peace, Government of our diſtracted Churches and Nations, without the interruption, diſturbance, force or diſſolution of any Commanders, Officers or Souldiers of the Army, or other tumultuous perſons whatſoever, under pain of being declared, proſecuted, executed as Traitors and Enemies to the Publique.
3. That the full power of the Militia both by Sea and Land be delivered up to this Parliament, on the firſt day of their Convention therein, for the better aſſurance of their free and peaceable Seſſion, and not continued as a diſtinct body or intereſt in oppoſition, contradiſtinction, or ſuper-inſpection, but in real ſubordination to the Parliament and people.
4. That the whole frame and ſettlement of the Government of our Nations be entirely referred to the Parliaments unanticipated conſideration, the proper Judges thereof, without any antecedent reſtrictions, preſciptions, or impoſitions, by the Army-Officers, or any others.
5. That the Supreme▪ Management of all Civil, Politique, Military Affairs, and appointment of all great Officers of State, and Miniſters of Juſtice, ſhall be in all the ſurviving Members of the long Parliament, without ſecluding any, as in a General Council of State and Safety only (who are all deſired to meet for that purpoſe) till the New Free Parliament ſhall aſſemble, and no longer.
6. That the preſervation of the Peace, Government of each County, ſhall be in the hands of ſuch Sheriffs, Conſervators of the Peace, and other antient Officers, as the Free-holders of every County, ſhall publickly elect in their County-Court, according to their antient Rights and Liberties; and of every City and Corporation in the Mayors, Sheriffs, Bailiffs, and other Officers elected by them, according to their Charters, Cuſtoms, and in none other Officers impoſed on them, till the Parliament ſhall take further Order therein.
7. That no Taxes, Contributions, Exciſes, Impoſts, New Cuſtoms, Militiaes, or other Payments whatſoevet, ſhall be henceforth impoſed, aſſeſſed, levied upon, or paid by the people, but by their common grant and conſent in free and full Parliament, by Act of Parl. under pain of High Treaſon in the Impoſers, Aſſeſſors, Collectors, and voluntary payers thereof; this being the peoples indubitable Birth right, acknowledged, declared, confirmed by manifold Acts and Declarations old and new.
8. That ſuch an Act of Indempnity may be agreed on and aſſented to in this Parliament by common conſent, as may ſecure and indempnifie all perſons, whoſe future peaceable deportment till this Act paſſed ſhall demerit it.
9. That care may be therein taken for the ſpeedy ſatisfaction of all juſt arrears of all Officers and Souldiers, duly liſted before the 7. of May laſt, who ſhall peaceably and dutifully ſubmit to the free convening and ſafe ſitting of this deſired Parliament. That all others who ſhall tumultuouſly oppoſe or interrupt the Summoning, Aſſembling, or Sitting thereof, ſhall forfeit all their Commands, Arrears, Indempnity, and incur the penalty of Traitors and publick Enemies to the Parliament and Nation.
10. That an effectual courſe may be taken for the ſetled old maintenance, ſucceſſion, protection and encouragement of a godly, learned, painful Orthodox Preaching Miniſtry▪ throughout the three Nations.
11. That due care and order may be taken for the ſpeedy detection, baniſhment, and execution of the Lawes againſt all Jeſuits, Seminary Prieſts, Freers, and other Romiſh Emiſſaries, or Seducers whatſoever, employed to divide, corrupt, ſeduce the people; and the Oath of Abjuration duly tendered by Juſtices of Peace and other Officers, to all perſons who ſhall be accuſed and juſtly ſuſpected to be ſuch, for their better detection.
12. That the cauſes of the great extraordinary decay of all ſorts of Trade, Merchandiſe, Shipping, Scarcity of Bullion, Coin, with all frauds and abuſes in Manufactures, dilatory vexatious proceedings, extortions in Courts of Law and Equity, may be diligently enquired into, redreſſed, puniſhed, and the great deſtruction and waſte of Timber in all parts inhibited under ſevere penalties.
13. That all Treaſurers, Receivers, Collectors, Farmers of any Monies, Cuſtomes, Exciſes, Rents, Revenues, Taxes, Impoſts, Sequeſtrations, or other goods, profits whatſoever to the uſe of the publick, may be ſpeedily called to account in each County, by fitting unaccountable perſons appointed for that end, and all their frauds and abuſes therein enquired of, and condignly puniſhed.
14. That all good Laws formerly enacted for the preſervation and defence of the Perſons, Lives, Liberties, Properties of the Subjects, againſt illegal Impriſonments, Baniſhments, Reſtraints, Confinements, corporal puniſhments, execution by any Perſon or Perſons, Powers, Committees, Council of State, Military, Civil Officers, or Judicatures whatſoever, and againſt all unjuſt Taxes, Confiſcations, Sequeſtrations, Rapines, Plunders, may be ratified; and the late and future violations of them exemplarily puniſhed.
15. That every perſon who ſhall from henceforth Canvas for voices to make himſelf a Knight, Citizen, Burgeſs or Baron of the Ports, in the next, or any enſuing Parliament, either by Letters of Recommendation from Great men, feaſting the Electors before, at, or after Elections, Gifts, Bribes, or otherwiſe, ſhall upon due proof thereof, be made uncapable to ſit or ſerve in Parliament.
16. That all Members of Parliament, Officers of State, Juſtices, Sheriffs, Mayors, Recorders, ſhall henceforth take a Corporal Oath, to the beſt of their knowledge, skill, power, inviolably to preſerve the Fundamental Laws, Liberties, Franchiſes of the Free-men of England, and to give all Lawes for the defence of them in charge to the Grand Jury, in their reſpective Aſſizes, and General Seſſions of the Peace, that they may enquire and preſent all offences againſt, and violations of them, to be condignly puniſhed according to Law.
17. That all unneceſſary Garriſons, Supernumerary Souldiers, and Sea-men, may be ſpeedily paid off, diſmantled, diſbanded, and all ſuperfluous Officers, exceſſive Fees, and extortions whatſoever, taken away, for the impoveriſhed peoples eaſe: and the manifold extortions, abuſes of Gaolers, Marſhals, Meſſengers, and other detainers of Priſoners, puniſhed and redreſſed.
18. That Able, Faithful Conſciencious, fitting Perſons, fearing God and hating covetouſneſſe, may be preferred to all Offices, Places of publick Truſt, and Adminiſtration of Juſtice; and detur digniori, made the only rule in all Elections and Preferments whatſoever.
19. That all Univerſities, Colleges, Schools of Learning in our three Nations, with all Lands, Rents, Annuities, Gifts, Revenues, for their ſupport, may be conſtantly maintained, preſerved from rapine, and all miſ-imployments, ſubſtractions of them, and of any Lands, Rents, Ann uities, Monies, Gifts, Legacies to them, or any other publick or charitable uſe whatſoever, diligently enquired after and reformed.
All which Propoſals we are reſolved by Gods gracious aſſiſtance with unanimity, conſtancy, and activity, in our ſeveral ſtations, with our lives and fortunes, to proſecute and accompliſh, to our powers, by all juſt and legal wayes, with what ever elſe may conduce to the Peace, Safety, Unitie, Wealth, Proſperity of our Lacerated, Macerated, Naufragated Church and State; wherein as we ſhall conſtantly pray for Gods Divine aſſiſtance and bleſſing upon our weak endeavours, without which they will be altogether ſucceſleſſe: So we cannot but confidently expect, and ſhall importunately deſire the cordial concurrence, aſſiſtance, prayers of all other Noblemen, Knights, Gentlemen, Clergy-men, Free-holders, Citizens, Burgeſſes, and Engliſh Freemen, without the ſmalleſt oppoſition, that fo Righteouſneſs and Peace may kiſs each other, and glory once more dwell within our Land, wherein they have been ſtrangers over-long: And let all the People (by their joynt ſubſcriptions) ſay, Amen, Amen,
Amen.
THE DECLARATION Of the Gentlemen, Free-holders, and Inhabitants of the County of BEDFORD.
WE the Gentlemen, Free-holders, and Inhabitants of the County of BEDFORD, being truly ſenſible of the heavy preſſures that we lie under, having all our Civil and Religious Rights and Liberties daily invaded, cannot in this common day of Calamity, be ſilent, but with the reſt of the Nation, make ſome enquiry after the way of Peace and Settlement: And having met, and conſidered, thereof, doe humbly Propoſe, as the moſt probable meanes, under God, to compoſe all our Differences, and cement all our Breaches both in Church and State, the Aſſembling of a Full and Free PARLIAMENT, without any previous Oaths, or Engagements, or Qualifications whatſoever (ſaving what was in the year 1648. before the Force put upon the Parliament.) Or the re-admitting of the Secluded Members to the Execution of their Truſts, with a full and free Supply of their Vacancies by Death. And until one of theſe be done, we do declare, We ſhall not hold our ſelves engaged to pay the Taxes impoſed upon us, without our Conſents ſo firſt had in Parliament.