The Machiavellian Cromwellist, Text
THE Machivilian Cromwelliſt AND Hypocritical perfidious New Statiſt: DISCOVERING The moſt deteſtable Falſhood, Diſsimulation and Machivilian Practiſes of L. G. CROMVVEL and his CONFEDERATES, whereby they have a long time abuſed and cheated both the Houſes, City and Country; and the wicked and treaſonable things they have done, and unwarrantable means they have uſed to carry on their own ambitious Deſigns.
Jan: 10th Printed in the Year, 1648. 1647
THE Machivilian Cromwelliſt AND Hypocritical perfidious New Statist.
THe Machivilian Practiſes and Jeſuitical Policies of the Cromwelliſts and Independent Confederacy, in the Houſes, Army, City and Country, to accompliſh their own ambitious ends, and engroſs all power into their own hands, by wicked, unjuſt, and moſt diabolical means, have been ſufficiently laid open to the world by Mr Edwards in his Gangraenaes; and their own Champion, Iohn Lilburn, in his I…glers diſcovered, his Letters to Cromwel and others; The Anatomy of the Army; The Grand Deſign or Diſcovery of that form of Slavery intended, and in part brought upon the free people of England, by a powerful party in the Parliament, and L. G. Cromwel, Commiſſary General Ireton, and others of that Faction in the Army; tending to the utter ruine and inſlaving of the Engliſh Nation: and by other late printed Papers of their own Friends, the Agitators in the Army and City, who charge the Head of that Faction Cromwel (cryed up for the holieſt Saint on earth without the leaſt diſſimulation, guile or falſhood) with theſe remarkable treaſonable Hypocriſies and Contradictions, deteſtable both to God and Men.
1. With making many ſolemn and deep Proteſtations in the Houſe of Commons, in the preſence of Almighty God, upon his faith and honor, that the Army ſhould really disband when …ver the Houſe ſhould give but the leaſt order or intimation; And yet at the ſame time giving ſecret order and directions to his Creatures in the Army, not to diſband upon any terms, but to keep together and march up to London to force the Houſ… and City, and compel them by fear to comply with all his unjuſt deſires and deſigns.
2. With plotting and ordering in his own Lodgings, at a great meeting there on Monday night before Whitſonday laſt, the ſecuring of the Garriſon, Magazine, and Train of Artillery at Oxford▪ ſeiſing the Kings own perſon at Holdenby, and removing him thence into the Army; and giving order to Cornet I…yce, with is much ſpeed and ſe…recy as might be, to effect it; which he accordingly did by his ſpecial direction; and yet like a ſubtil Fox▪ prote…ted to the Houſ…, the King and others, that it was done both without his Knowledg and approbation.
3. With impeaching the XI Members, and preſſing theirs and o…hers ſuſpent…on from the Houſe before any charge or proof of guilt (contrary to all Law, all rules of Iuſtice▪ and the Houſes Votes) only to ſtrengthen his own Faction in the Houſe, though he knew and acknowledged them to be innocent of the Crimes pretended, in private: and yet exhibiting and printing a moſt falſe and ſcandalous Charge againſt them, to wound their reputations in publick, by charging them with ſuch crimes, of which he knew himſelf more guilty then they.
4 With charging the wel-affecting Lords and Commons, who continued ſitting and acting in the Houſes, when the Speakers and ſome Members (under pretext of a force paſt and ended ſome two or three days before their departing thence) by his Solications and Menaces treacherouſly withdrew themſelves from the Houſes to the Army; and the Militia, Common Councel, and Citizens of London, for providing only for their own ſelf-defence by Votes and Ordinances of both Houſes; with no leſs then Treaſon, in levying a New War against the King. Parliament and Kingdom: When as he and his Confederates only were truly guilty of it, both in ſeiſing upon the Kings own perſon and reſcu…ng him from the Commiſſioners of both Houſes by a ſtrong party of the Army; in cauſing the whole Army to march up to London in a warlike and aſſailing poſture againſt the Houſes expreſs Orders, and forcing them to repeal their Votes, Ordinances, and yeeld up their Members to their fury; and after that, in marching up with the Army it ſelf to the Houſes doors, and City, in triumph, againſt the Houſes expreſs Letters and Orders, wi…h the fugitive Members whom they engaged to live and dye with them in that quarrel, and in poſſeſſing themſelves of all the Works and Forts about Weſtminster and of the Tower of London, removing the City Guards, and ſetting new of their own upon the H…uſes; marching through the City with their whole Army, like Conquerors, and then throwing down their Line and Forts, fi…ſt raiſed for the Houſes defence, in a moſt ſcornful manner, and bele…guring the diſ…rmed King, City and Houſes ever ſince, with the whole body of the Army (which they have doubly rec…uited to the peoples infinite oppreſſion) to captivate them all to their tyrannical pleaſures: Which is a treaſonable levying of War, and High Treaſon in good earneſt, uncapable of excuſe, tranſcending that of the impeached Members and Cit…zens.
5. With forcing the Houſes to paſs an Ordinance, on the 20. of Auguſt laſt, for declaring all Votes, Orders and Ordinances, paſſed in one or both Houſes, ſince the force on both Houſes, Iuly the 26. until the 6. of Auguſt, to be null and voyd; by reaſon of a force upon the Houſe of Commons, by a company of unarmed boys and apprentice…, only on Iuly 26. towards the Evening; who vaniſhed that night and never appeared after: notwithſtanding the Speaker and Commons Houſe met and ſate the very n…xt morning without any diſturbance, met ſecurely a… the F…ſt the n…x… day in Margarets Church, where the Speaker proteſted, againſt the honor of his going to the Army under pretext of this forc…, as a moſt diſhonorable and unworthy act, which he would rather dye in the Houſe, then be guilty of, to Sir Ralph Aſhton and other…; and the Friday following moſt of the Memb…rs met, elected a new Speaker, and voted and ſate without the leaſt violence or diſturb…nce from the City; til the ſixth of Auguſt, and paſſed all Votes, O…ders and Ordinances, freely without any colour of force; upon which grounds this Ordinance of repeal, after long debate▪ was by the major voyce of the Commons Houſe paſſed four or five times in the Negative, and layd aſide, and ſo ought not by the Rules of Parliament or Juſtic… to be revived. And yet he and his Confederates enforce the Houſes to paſs this repealing Ordinance upon a meet pretence of force, by a f…r greater armed force and violence then that of the Apprentices, which they made the only ground of this Ordinance of nullity and repeal, enforced to paſs againſt the haire in this manner. Firſt, by a Treaſonable Remonſtrance from his Evcellency Sir Thomas Fairfax and the Army under his command, ſent to the Houſes from the Head-quarters at Kingſton, Auguſt 19. (but dated the 18.) in which p. 18. they take notice of the Commons carrying it in the Negative againſt this Nulling Ordinance, and thereupon uſed ſuch high and treaſonable Menaces and Expreſſions againſt the Members continuing in it during the Speakers abſence, as no age nor perſons ever heard or read the like; threatning to take them as priſoners of War, and try them by Martial Law; inhibiting them or any of them, to intrude themſelves to ſit in Parliament, til they had cleared themſelves from giving their aſſent to any of the Votes, Orders or Ordinances, paſt in the Speakers abſence, and to take ſpeedy and effectual courſes to reſtrain them from being their own, theirs, and the Kingdoms Iudges, and to bring them to condign puniſhment. Secondly, they put double Guards the next day upon both Houſes, who openly threatned at the Doors, to pull out all the Members by head and ſhoulders that ſate and voted in the Speakers abſence, if they preſumed to intrude themſelves, or but enter into the Houſe; Whereupon more Members by fear refr…ined the Houſe, and went preſently out of London, then thoſe who fled to the Army. Thirdly, all the Officers, that were Members, came that morning from the Army into the Houſe, where Cromwel and they made very high and menacing ſpeech…s which da…nted many. Fourthly, Colonel Deſborough came with a party of 1000 Horſe drawn up in a body to Hidepark-Corner, threatning to force both the Houſes and Members, if this Ordinance paſſed not. And by this Treaſonable force, …ractiſe and Declaration, was this nullifying Ordinance, againſt a thouſand-fold leſs force, forced to paſs the Houſe when thin …nd empty, by head and ſhoulders, againſt the Rules and Freedom of Parliaments, through a thin Houſe of Commons, wh…n moſt of the Members were kept and driven away forcibly from it, by the whole Army and their Guards, And to evidence to all the world & poſterity, that this Ordinance was wreſted from the Houſes by meer violence, it was even then by Special Order of the Houſes, printed and publiſhed with that Treaſonable thundering Declaration againſt the Houſe and Members which procured it; dated the 18, ſent the 19, of Auguſt, and read that day and the next in the Houſes, and the ſame day (being the 20th) compelled the Houſe to paſs it. Which Ordinance declaring all Votes, Orders and Ordinances of one or both Houſes to be null and voyd, if procured by force, being thus more forcibly procured then any it repe…lled, muſt needs be Felo de ſe, and declare it ſelf to be more voyd and null then they; which being for the moſt part made, when the Houſes were free by a unanimous Vote, without any diviſion of the Houſes, will remain firm and valid; notwithſtanding this new forc…d Ordinance, promoted and carried on, …il i paſſed with greater force then any it repeals.
Beſides theſe deteſtable Machivilian and Hipocritical practiſes of Cromwel and his Confederat…s, be pleaſed to conſider only of three or four more; which wil manifeſt them the greateſt Machivilliſts and Hipocrites under heaven, never to be credited or confided in hereafter.
1. The firſt is, his gulling and deluding his own Confederates and Creatures, the buſie Agitators imployed by him, to mutiny the Army into publike Rebellion; who underwent the greateſt adventure with the hazard of their necks, to accompliſh his deſigns upon the King, Parliament and City, who having ſerved his turn; he now moſt ung…atefully caſheers, and endeavours to ſuppreſs, …poſtatizing from his firſt principles and pretences of ſeeking the Kingdoms welfare and peoples Freedom, to advance himſelf, his kindered and allies, though with the Kingdoms and Agitators ruin, playing the meer Jugler, and Hocus-Pocus with them; as their Advocates, Lilburn, Henry Martin, Scot and Rainſborough complain moſt bitterly, and others of their Fraternity, in ſundry of their Paſquills.
2. The 2d is, his and his Confed…rates treachery and villany towards the Lord Mayor, Alder…en and impriſoned Citizens of London, to whom though they promiſed all fair quarter indempnity and ſecurity of their firſt approaches to, and match through the City in triumph; yet ſoon after they cauſe them ſuddenly to be impeached of high Treaſon, committed to the Tower and other priſons; expell the Recorder (without any legal proof or hearing, from a ſudden Report from a packed Committee of thoſe who engaged with the Army) out of the Houſe, and ſend him to the Tower to accompany the Mayor and Aldermen, where they yet detain them priſoners without any further proſecution; and all this to bring in an Independent Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and others of their own F…ction, into their pl…ces, and keep them from acting in the City, and being choſen into publike Offices; In purſuance of which deſign, he and they have endeavoured, and lately threatned, to bring up the Army to quarter in the City this Winter, under pretext of levying Arrears; but in truth to bring in what Common-Councel-men, and other Officers they pleaſed, of their own Faction, upon the New Elections, and make Allen and E…wick Aldermen; That being prevented of this deſign, Mr Speaker muſt diſcover a New Plot to ſeize upon the Tower by a company of horſe and foot (who muſt drop out of the clouds) & the Houſes too; to bring up the Army to guard them til the new elections be paſt. But this not taking, and proving as falſe as he that diſcovered it, there upon a new Ordinance muſt be ſuddainly drawn up, and paſſed in a moment before any notice of it, to deprive the City and Citizens of their free elections of their City Officers and Common Councell men, and make many of the beſt affected among them, who had any hand in the Cities Engagement &c. uncapable to be elected themſelves, or give any voyce in the election of others; to exclude the Preſbyterians and Anti-Sectariſts, and bring in a New Independent recruit of Cromwels and the Armies Confederates, to undo and betray the City, Parliament and Kingdom, and enthrall them to their bondage; which their Confederacies, Engagements and Treaſons againſt the King, Houſes, City and Kingdom, muſt make them capable of all Offices and Preferments, and diſable them from none.
3. The 3d is▪ his and his Confederates in the Armies damn… ble Hypocriſie and Diſſimulation▪ both towards the Houſes, City and Country, and …eer che…ting them of their money …nd free quarter. At firſt he and th…y pretended, that if the Houſes and City advanced but ſo many moneths pay for the Souldiers, they ſhould all preſently disband, and not trouble the Country more with Free quarter or Taxes, and that they would pay their quarters out of it. Whereupon the pay deſired, was ſent and received, and yet never a Souldier disbanded, but new recruits, even of Cavaleers againſt the Parliament, entertained without the Houſes Order, nay againſt it; and no quarters at all diſcharged: Since which, upon ſundry complaints of the Countries oppreſſion by free quarter, they have four or five ſeveral times, at leaſt upon receipt of ſo many weeks pay ſet down, faithfully engaged to disb…nd their ſupernumer…ry Forces, leſſen the Army, and pay their quarters; yet no ſooner is the money deſired, received▪ but they refuſe to do either, and grow more high and inſolent in their demands then ever▪ and more oppreſſive to the Country. At the laſt general R…nd…zvouz ▪ they made the like promiſe of disbanding and paying quarters, upon the recipt of forty thouſand pounds, which with much difficulty was procured and ſent (though the Forces in Ireland, in great want, and a…uall hard ſervice againſt the Rebels, are like to periſh for want of pay, while theſe Idle droans devour all the money the Houſes can rake up by any means) and thereupon ſome ſupernumerary Forces and Recruits were actually disbanded, and word ſent of it to the Houſe▪ but within a day or two they were all ag…in entertained, and others to boot, by Ord…r from the General and Councell of War, co…rary to their E…gagement, and the Houſes Order; and not one penny payd the Country for …ee quarter… and within two or three days after, a new Repreſ…ntation (ful of Arrogancy and Inſufferable language) muſt be ſent▪ to the Houſes, wherein they demand the ſixty thouſand pounds monethly tax, to be augmented to one hundred thouſand; juſtify their not disba…ding the ſupernumeraries, augmented by them now to ſuch a number▪ that the whole Kingdom can neither pay, nor qu…rter them without ruin. And now they make dem…nds of new ſums, and then th…y wil obey the Houſes Orders juſt as they did before; and thus they cheat the Parliament, City and Country of their money, and free quarter too; and though they pretend themſelves no Mercenary people, but publike ſpirited Saints, who regard no pay but higher ends; yet they ſtick not impudently to preſs the Houſes over and over, againſt their Votes, and vote it in their Councel of War in oppoſition to all the Houſes; That all Deans and Chapters, Lands, Forreſt-Lands, the remainder of Biſhops Lands ſh…l be ſold, the fines of the Impeached Cit…zens, and Lords (whoſe only Treaſon is, that they are Rich and Faithful to their Country, and oppoſite to their real Treaſons) and the third pa…t of all Delinquents, of …he Exc…ſe too, in courſe, deſigned for payment of their pretended Arrears, ſince their refuſal to disb…nd▪ and yet muſt have one hundered thouſand pounds a monethmonth levyed on the Kingdom, beſides, for preſent pay, to maintain them in their mutinies and Rebellions, and ruin the Parliament, King, Kingdom, and dying Ireland.
4. His deteſtable malicious Charg…ng the XI Impeached Members moſt falſly, with *The Particular Charge of …he Army.holding private intelligence with the Kings party, drawing up and ſending Propoſitions privately to the King, for ſettling of a peace without the Houſes privity; holding Correſpondency with diſaffected perſons, to put conditions upthe Parliament, and bring in the King upon their own terms; undertaking to do more for the King then the Army would do; obſtructing the relief of Ireland, favouring Delinquents and Malignants, giving no accompt for the great ſummes of money they received, driven away the Parliament Members. And thereupon by violent m…ans enforced them to quit the Houſe (and ſome of them the Kingdom too) though innocent, and not convicted of any of thoſe crimes. And yet himſelf and his Creatures in the Army, at the ſelf ſame time and ever ſince, holding private intelligence with the King and his Party; admitting them into the Armies quarters, and there keeping Cabinet Counſels with the chiefeſt of them, drawing up, and ſending Propoſitions privatly to the King without the Houſes privity▪ holding correſpondency with Sir Edw. Ford, Sir Iohn Bently Aſhburnham, Legg…, Dr Hammond, Dr Sheldon, and other deſperate Malignants, and confederating with them to put conditions on the Houſes, and bring in the King upon his own terms; undertaking to do more for the King then the Scots or Preſbyterians, removing him from Hampton Court to the Iſle of Wight (put into the hands of Colonel Hammond for that purpoſe ſome moneths before) to accompliſh his deſigns the better; obſtructed Irelands relief bo…h with men and money almoſt a year together, and intercepting all the moneys, that ſhould now ſupply the preſſing neceſſities, to pay his mutinous idle Army, for undoing the K…ngdom and eating out the Country▪ pleaded openly in the Houſe for the exemption of the greateſt Malignants in Arms out of the firſt and ſecond Articles, becauſe the Army had (without the Houſes privity) engaged to mitigate their fines and interceed in their favor, though they aggravate the pretended offences of the injuriouſly impeached Lords and Citizens to the higheſt, preſſed their exemption out of the general pardon and Act of Oblivion; and deſire the confiſcation of their whole eſtates: hath hither…o given no Accompt of the vaſt ſums of Money, Horſe and Arms he hath received from the State, profeſſing that he cannot do it: and driven many of the faithfulleſt Parliament Members both out of the Houſe and King…om. And therefore deſerves to be ſuſp…nded, impriſoned, caſt out of th… Houſe, and driven out of the Kingdom as a moſt Treacherous Impoſtor and Traytor to the Parliament, City and Kingdom, whoſe ruine he endevors, to prevent his own.
This is the Faith, Honeſty, Sincerity and plain dealing of theſe Cromwelliſts and Machivilian Saints; the infamy of the Goſpel; the ſhame of Chriſtianity; the Sinks of all Hypocriſie, Fraud and Treachery, and unſatiable Gulfs of avarice, whoſe conſciences are now ſo free and large, that they can ſwallow down the g…eateſt ſins, contrive and carry on the groſſ…ſt Villanies and Treaſons againſt their King and Country, Church and State; betray and impe…ch their beſt and deareſt Friends, blow up Parliaments, make uſe of any Ieſuitical Policies, an… unlawful means and inſtruments, to accompliſh their exemplary, temporal and eternal ruine, if they repent not ſpeedily, which God give them Grace to do in time.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Prynne, The Machiavellian Cromwellist (1648)