A Check to Brittanicus, Questions
Certaine conſiderable Queres of publike concernment touching Colonell FIENNES.
VVHether Colonell Fiennes being actually attainted and condemned of high Treaſon againſt the Kingdome, by a reference from the Parliament, can or may be permitted in Law or Equitie to goe at liberty, or to continue a Member of the Commons houſe? Whether the Houſe Ex officio mero, ought not in Honour and Iuſtice to expell him, as well as other leſſe-Capitall Delinquents? to enquire diligently where he now hides his forfeited Head, and to exact the forfeiture of it, to prevent future Cowardize and Treachery in others?
Whether in caſe the loſſe of his Head-peice be remitted ▪which cannot poſſibly be imagined without a publike confeſſion, and penitent ſubmiſſion, of which there is not as yet the ſmalleſt ſhadow appearing,) his whol reall and perſonall Eſtate ought not at leaſt to be confiſcated, towards the reparation of thoſe ineſtimable dammages and loſſes, the whole Kingdome, and private Perſons have ſuſtained through his cowardly Surrender of Bristol?
Whether the honourable Councell of Warre, openly traduced by him and his, for their juſt Sentence againſt him after nine dayes full hearing, by order from the Parliament, ought not to demaund and receive ſuch publike ſatisfaction for this high affront; and his un-voluntary Proſecutors, engaged by himſelfe, ſuch reparation for the ſlanders raiſed of them, as may deterre others from ſuch bold daring attempts againſt Iuſtice?
Whether he and his, have not beene the principall Authors, and Fomentors of the late unhappy (but now compoſed) differences betweene his Excellencie and Sir William Waller, and their Officers? Seeing his manifold malicious aſperſions caſt upon Sir William, with his impudent loud-lying averrement to the Councell at the triall, That the proſecution of this Briſtoll buſines againſt him (proceeding onelyonly from his owne braving motions in Parliament, and publique Summons poſted up at Weſtminſter, upon hopes to make his proſecutors cry peccavi, or elſe to come off with Honour by the Potency of his friends, not Honeſty of his Cauſe) came by the inſtigation and confederacy of Sir William Waller and his Lady, who ſet it on meerely for the great affection, which he and his family did beare, and the good ſervices they had done to my Lord Generall, his Officers and Army: (a moſt paraſiticall ſeditious calumny) doe more then intimate as much.
Whether he ought not in juſtice to be forced to give in a ſpeedy account, of all the vaſt ſummes of monies, and plunder received by him and his Officers during his Governement of Briſtoll, that ſo he may not eſcape Count-free though Head-free; and ſo prove a gainer by his very capitall cenſure?
Whether he and his hauehave not cauſed Mr. William Pryn appointed an Auditor for the grand long-deferred Accounts of the Kingdome by the Houſe of Commons, to be raiſed out of the liſt of Auditors, in the Houſe of Peeres, and upon what juſt grounds of exception (beſides his known integrity and impartiallity for the publique weale,) for which hee hath gratis done and ſuffered much without any pay, or recompence for his loſſes?) And whether it be juſt or meet, that Accountants ſhould have a Negative or Affirmative vote in the Election of their Auditors?
Whether Nath: Fiennes ſince his good ſervice in ſurrendring Briſtoll, and beſtowing it on the King beyond expectation, with all the fortifications, Cannons, Armes, Magazines, Colours, Wealth, Ships, and Proviſions in it, be not farre better beloved, and befriended at Oxford, then Sir William Waller? The extravagant teſtimony of Captain Temple (his own Kinſman and witnes) at the triall, with others of that nature, clearely intimating as much? And whether the ſparing of his head will not be farre more pleaſing and advantagious to the King, and his Malignant Cavaleers, then to the Kingdome and well affected party?
Whether his Majeſty in all probability had not gained the actuall poſſeſſion of all the Townes, and Forts through England, ruined the Parliament, yea enſlaved us and our Poſterity for ever in leſſe then one months ſpace, had the Governours of other beſeiged Towns (eſpecially Mancheſter, Gloceſter, Hull, Plimmouth, Lime, Namptwich, and Warder Caſtle) made no better or longer reſiſtance of his forces, progreſſe, or ſhewed no more valour, Reſolution, and Fidelity, to their Country then Fiennes did at Briſtoll, (more ſtrong and tenable then moſt, and of greater conſequence then all the forenamed Townes,) which he held not 3. whole daies, and moſt cowardly yeelded up before any one Outfort taken, or the Towne or Caſtle walls once battered or aſſaulted?
Whether cowardly and avaritious Governors or Commanders (who aime at nought but pay) doe not alwaies prove the greateſt Traitors of all others, to thoſe who truſt them, in times of danger and extremity? whether ſuch will not rather loſe a Kingdome, yea and their own… ſoules, then hazard their lives or eſtates? And whether it bee wiſedom to imploy any ſuch, or ſpare them when they groſſely betray their truſts, out of a fooliſh pitty or indulgent partiality?
Whether Col: Fiennes ſince the wars began, did ever perſonally for all the pay received by him, performe the leaſt peece of Martiall ſervice for the ſtate, except his fortifying and furniſhing of Briſtoll for the Enemy? And whether any credit can be given to his words, or reports, who contrary to his owne knowledge and Printed Papers, denyed Collonell Eſſex or himſelfe to be ever Governour of Briſtol, or that ever he had a Commiſſion to keepe it, or ſought for any Commiſſion, though his own witneſſes proved, and himſelf therupon at laſt confeſſed, he hath writ, ſent Letters for, and received an Independant Commiſſion? which made him ſo Independant both on the Parliament, His Excellency, and Gods Protection, as without their privity, and beyond their expectation to ſurrender up Briſtoll to the Enemie, when they gave themſelves for dead men, and many of them retreated thence, with a reſolution never to come on againe.
FINIS
End of the text · William Prynne, A Check to Brittanicus (1644)