Against the Present Actings and Proceedings, Text
A Declaration and Proteſtation of VVill: Prynne and Cle: VValker, Eſquires, Members of the Houſe of Commons, againſt the preſent Actings and Proceedings of the Generall, and Generall Councell of the Army, and their Faction now remaining and ſitting in the ſaid Houſe.
WHereas long ſince, for eaſe of the People, both Houſes in a full and free Parliament Voted the Disbanding of this Army: in oppoſition to which, ſome great Officers of the ſaid Army, (to continue their rich Commands) with ſome Members of the Houſe of Commons, (who daily inrich themſelves by the troubles of the times) ſecretly mutinied the Army againſt the Parliament. And whereas, lately the farre major part of the Houſe of Commons, pitying the bleeding condition, and teares of the oppreſſed People, Voted, and entred into a Perſonall Treaty with the King: without which (by the Armies own confeſſion in their Remonſtrance at St. Albons, pag. 64.) there can be no Peace; which the Army interrupted by obtruding upon the Commons a Treaſonable Remonſtrance, 20 Novemb. 1648. tending to deſtroy the King, and His Poſterity, and wholly to ſubvert all Parliaments, Religion, Lawes, and Liberties for ever; whereby the Commons in Parliament found it abſolutely neceſſary to prevent ſuch pernitious innovations, by concluding a ſafe Peace with His Majeſty; whereupon (after mature debate) the Houſe of Commons the 5 Decemb. 1648. Voted, That the Kings Anſwer to the Propoſitions of both Houſes upon the Treaty, were a ground for the Houſes to proceed to the ſettlement of a ſafe and well-grounded Peace: Upon which, the Generall, and Councell of Warre, Wedneſday morning 6 December 1648. Seized and Impriſoned 41 of the Members going to the Houſe of Commons to do their Duty, ſecluded above 160 other Members, beſides 40 or 50 Members who voluntarily withdrew themſelves to avoid their violence; leaving only their own engaged party of 40 or 50 Members ſitting, who now paſſe Acts of Parliament, of the Houſe of Commons (as they call them) without the Lords; and comply with the ſaid Councell of Warre, to carry on their ſaid Remonſtrance: To which purpoſe this preſent remnant of the Commons have un-voted in a thinne Houſe, under the force of the Army, what was deliberately Voted in a full and free Houſe; whereas by their own Ordinance paſſed upon the Tumult of Apprentiſes, 20 Auguſt 1647. to null, and make void ab initio, all Acts, Orders, Votes, &c. paſſed under the ſaid force; This remaining Party ought not to ſit, act, nor take upon them the ſtyle of a Houſe, under ſo viſible, actuall, and horrid a Force.
The premiſſes conſidered, We, whoſe names are hereunto ſubſcribed, Members of the Houſe of Commons, doe Declare and Proteſt, That the ſaid Generall, Commiſſioned Officers, and Genenerall Councell of the Army, by the ſaid Act of violence, upon the major part of the Houſe, which legally, and virtually is the whole Houſe, have waged Warre, and Rebelled againſt the Parliament, their Maſters, who raiſed them to defend the Priviledges of Parliament, and the Kings Perſon and Authority, in defence of Religion, Lawes, and Liberties, and have thereby forfeited their Commiſſions, and have broken and diſ-continued this Parliament; ſo that, untill this force be removed, puniſhed, the Honour of the Parl. and their wronged Members vindicated, and all the Members reſummoned, all the Votes, Orders, and Actings, Paſſed, and to be Paſſed by this nominall Houſe of Commons, are, and will be void, ab initio, and all ſuch as do, or ſhall obey them, are and will be puniſhable, both by the Armies own Judgment in their Remonſtrance, Auguſt 18. and by the Houſes Declaration, and the ſaid Ordinnnce, 20 Auguſt 1647. We doe farther Declare, and proteſt againſt this preſent Houſe of Commons illegall Acts, Order, or Ordinance, for erecting a High Court of Juſtice, and uſurping a Power, without any Law or preſident, to Try, Depoſe, and bring to capitall puniſhment the King, and to diſ-inherit His Poſterity, or any of them, and againſt the ſaid Generall Councell of Officers, aiding & abetting them therein, as highly impious againſt the Law of God, Nations, & the Proteſtant Profeſſion, Traitors againſt the Stat. of Treaſons, 25 Ed. 3. and againſt all Lawes & our Statutes, Perjurious and perfidious, againſt the Oaths of Allegeance, Supremacy, Nationall Covenant, and Proteſtation; all the Parliaments Declarations and Remonſtrances held forth to the world; their treaties and promiſes made to the Scots, when they delivered the Kings perſon into our hands; againſt our promiſes made to the Hollanders, and other Nations, and againſt all the Profeſſions, Declarations, Remonſtrances, and Propoſalls made by this Army, when they made their Addreſſes to the King at New-market, Hampton Court, and other places.
19 Janu. 1648. Will: Prynne, Cle: Walker.
End of the text · William Prynne, Against the Present Actings and Proceedings (1649)