A Beam of Light, Section 2
SECT. II. A brief Account of those principal good Acts of Justice, Equity, and Mercy, whereby the Long Parliament did arrive to a very great height of reputation among all sorts of well-affected people, from their first sitting down, to the beginning of the bloudy Conflict betwixt them and the late King; worthy to be recorded at large, in an Accurate History, to future Ages.
FIrst, their proclaiming Liberty to the Captives and Exiles; their opening of the prison-doors to their suffering Countreymen, who had been, by the Prelats, and their Faction at Court, pillored, Mr. Burton, Mr. Prynne, Doctor Bastwick, John Lilburn, released and discharged with wonderful acclamations of Joy from all lovers of Justice.stigmatized, scourged, imprisoned, banished, reproached, and otherwise oppressed, contrary unto the righteous Laws of God, and of the Land; principally, for their Faithful testimony, against the superstitious Innovations of the Lord Bishops: which Act of the Parliament, was resented and acknowledged with the highest satisfaction, and Acclamation of the best people of the Land, that could be well imagined.
Secondly, Their Impeachment of some principall Ministers of State, Strafford, Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, and others.(who were the chief Instruments of Tyranny and oppression) as guilty of high Treason; whom accordingly they prosecuted with a most noble Spirit of courage and high resolution; until they brought them to condign punishment, for their Treasons, and other high crimes and misdemeanors, in the open sight of all men.
Thirdly, their owning, countenancing, and incouraging, those Non-conformists, Godly Ministers come out of their corners where they had been hid; and look Episcopacy in the face without fear.both Ministers and People, who during the Reign of King James, and of King Charles, had been silenced, degraded, deprived, persecuted, and otherwise abused by the Prelats.
It would have done a good mans heart good indeed, to have seen Ancient Preachers, and other Christians, appear in publick, without danger, after so many years obscuring themselves from the knowledge of men, because of the rage of the Prelats and their Pursevants, watching alwaies an opportunity to catch and crush them; who now, were instrumental several waies, to undermine the Prelats and their Rable of Romish Ceremonies, and that publickly, and to purpose.
Fourthly, Their setting a sharp edge upon those Laws, which had been made against Priests, Jesuites, and other Romish Recusants; who by means of the Queens, Papists afraid.Lauds, Cottingtons, and Secretary Windebanks Interest, were grown very insolent and daring, in this Nation; but now began to hide their heads.
Fifthly, Their Damning that illegal Imposition of Ship-money, Ship-money drown'd.and relieving such worthy Patriots as were imprisoned, and otherwise abused for refusing to submit to that Arbitrary Tax. Questioning and punishing those Judges also, Corrupt Judges impeached.who, by their suffrage, had strengthened the hands of the King, and of his Councell, in these and other waies of unrighteous usurpation.
Sixthly, Their suppressing, and utterly destroying those Arbitrary oppressive Courts, High Commission Court, Star-Chamber, new Canons, and other Innovations dissolved and destroy'd.Oathes, Superstitious Customs, Canons, and Constitutions Ecclesiastical; which were a snare, and a wonderful terror to the good and free People of the Nation, every where.
Seventhly, Their turning the Lords Spiritual out of doors, from the House of Peers, namely, the Lords Archbishops, Prelats sent packing out of doors, with their Rochets and Tippets.and Lords Bishops, who were bold enough, (even to impudency) on the behalf of their own Prelatical Interest; but great obstructors of any motions for the relief of the poor Puritans, oppressed by their Hierarchy: which disgraceful expulsion, they pull'd upon themselves, by their presumptuous Protestations against all proceeding that should pass in their absence; pretending they were affrighted by the Londoners coming to Westminster, to call for Justice upon those who were Traitors to the true Interest of the good People.
These, and many other memorable Actions thus managed, by this generous and Heroick Spirit, The Court-party, and Pontifical Clergy enraged to finde their usurpations opposed by their Temporal and Ecclesiastical subjects.(which then appeared to animate and Actuate the House of Commons) did put the King, the Queen, the Papists, the Prelats, the Hectors of the Court, and other sons of Belial, into outragious Passions of vexation of spirit, wrath, revenge, and great hatred; resolving, if it were possible, to put a Check upon that popular Spirit, for the security of his Monarchical Prerogative, against this threatned Inundation: which purpose of his, was brought to light, The Five Members in great danger to be surprized.by that first extravagant march of his, into the House of Commons, with armed Cavaliers at his heels, to lay violent hands upon some of their number, ere they were a ware: from which signal Circumstance, Manifest symptomes of the Dissolution of the Government.the most intelligent By-standers did rationally conclude, that a very high and sharp contest, betwixt the King and the Parliament, was even at the door.