Discovery of Free-State Tyranny, To the reader
To the Reader.
KInde Reader, The memorable Speech of Philotus (impriſoned for a pretended Conſpiracy againſt Alexander the great, upon bare ſurmiſes without any particular Accuſer or Hearing) *Qu. Curtlus hiſt. l. 6. p. 262Quanquam Ʋincti homines non ſupervacua ſolum, ſed etiam inviſa defenſio eſt, quae Judicem non docere videtur, ſed ARGƲERE; tamen utcun que licet dicere, Memet ipſa non deſeram, nec committam, UT DAMNATUS ETIAM MEA SENTENTIA VIDEAM. Equidem cujus criminis reus ſum non video. Inter conjuratos nemo me nominat. Non cognita vero cauſa, liberari ab abſente non poſſum, quia à praeſente damnatus ſum. May be a ſufficient apology, both for the penning and publiſhing of theſe Letters, and of this Remonſtrance. The Occaſions, Motives, neceſſitating me to compile them, during my late cauſeleſſe cloſe impriſonment in Dunſter Caſtle, and Pendennys Caſtle in Cornwall, are at large therin expreſſed. Theſe Letters were all ſent and delivered into Mr. Bradſhawes owne hands, by my dear ſince deceaſed Brother, Dr. Baſtwicke, with ſeverall other Letters to diverſe of his Aſſociates at Whitehall (which I intend to publiſh in due ſeaſon) to neither of which I could ever receive the leaſt Anſwer. As for the Remonſtrance, ſubjoyned to them, I having with much difficulty (in reſpect of the reſtraints and Spies then upon me) con mitted it to paper, it pleaſed God to give me an oportunity, to convey it ſafe to London, to a ſpeciall Freinds hands, with a Letter, deſiring him to tranſcribe, then to preſent it in my Name, to thoſe to whom it was directed; and after that to print if for my vindication, the publique Liberty, Satisfaction of the Nation, if he ſaw juſt cauſe: upon his receipt thereof it was tranſcribed; but he being over-timerous, and the times very perillous, for ought I can learne, he neither preſented, nor gave me the leaſt accompt of it whiles he lived; which made me ſuſpect, it had miſcarried before it came unto his hands, tomy great diſappointment, having no perfect Copy thereof to publiſh upon juſt occaſion. In November laſt, having ſome buſineſſe to London, I occaſionly met with divers of late Whithall caſheired Grandees (in greateſt power at the time of theſe my late Commitments and reſtraints here complained of) who all poſitively diſclaimed that they were privy or conſenting to my impriſonments or reſtraints, which they confeſſed, to be moſt unjuſt. Whereupon I writ a Letter to Mr. Bradſhaw, (whoſe hand alone was to the Warrants) demanding from him, an Accompt, both of the particular cauſe and Grounds thereof, with juſt reparations and dammages for the ſame; who by two ſeverall Letters to, and a ſubſequent Conference with me, profeſſed; that he did neither know, nor remember the ſpeciall cauſe or information given to him and his Aſſociates at Whitehall, for which I was thus committed, and ſo ſtrictly reſtrained by them: and that, if upon peruſall of his own Papers, or the Books at Whitehall, he could find any particulars relating thereunto, he would ſpeedily informe me thereof; which having not ſince done in above 3 moneths ſpace, nor during my near 3. yeare Impriſonment, though oft ſollicited by theſe & other my Letters and freinds thereto; I thereupon made diligent-Inquiry, after my Letters and this Remonſtrance formerly directed to him and his Whitehall Aſſociates; which my deceaſed Freind, to whom I ſent them, by Gods good Providence ſecured in another Friends Cuſtody; who very lately preſented me both with the Orignals and Tranſcripts thereof, beyond my expectation, which divine Providence hath encouraged me to publiſh them to the world; both for the Ʋindication of my own Inocency, (againſt their new Free State groundleſſe Tyranny) under which I ſo long ſuffered, as if I had been a Tranſcendent Malefactor) the Ʋindication of our highly violated Lawes, Liberties; the fuller conviction of my Impriſoners, of their unchristian, unrighteous, cauſeleſſe deportment towards me, (after all my former Suffrings) againſt their owne Ʋotes, Judgements, Conſciences, all Lawes of God, and the Land; and the manifeſtation of Gods extraordinary Mercy in preſerving, ſupporting me under all their Oppreſſions and *Pſal. …4 18. 19. 32. 2 Tim. 3. 10. 11.delivering me-out of them about 5. Moneths after this Remonſtrance, without the leaſt Petition, Submiſſion to, or acknowledgement of their illegall, uſurped, and ſoone after ſcornfully caſhiered Tyrannicall Power; or entring into any Bonds at all, not to act any thing for the future againſt their preſent Government and Commonwealth, or to their prejudice; which they endeavoured to force me to by Dureſſe, and I peremptorily refuſed; aſſuring them, upon the receipt of their *Dated Febr. 5. 1652.firſt Order for my Releaſe upon my entring into ſuch a Bond; That I would rather die a Priſoner, then live a Bondman; and ſooner reſolve to rot in Priſon, then go out of it, by entring into ſuch Bonds, to the enſlaving of my ſelfe and the whole Engliſh Nation, by making ſuch an ill Preſident of Slavery, after all my Writings, Suffrings for Lawes, and Publique Liberty and near 3. yeares cloſe Impriſonment in 3. ſeverall Garriſons without any hearing or cauſe yet expreſſed: Whereupon they ſent me at laſt an *Dated Febr▪ 28. 1652.abſolute Releaſe without any Bond or condition at all.
Whether the Jeſuites (whoſe *Jo. Cambilhonius de abſtruſioribus Jeſuitarum Artibus et Studijs▪ Lud. Lucius Hiſt Jeſuitica. l. 1. c. 7. p. 17…. l. 4. c. 1. p 364. Speculum. Jeſuiticum. P. 306. 307.uſuall practiſe it is, to cloſe impriſon, perſecute, banniſh, vex and deſtroy if poſſible, all ſuch who diſcover, or oppoſe their ſecret treaſonable plots, practiſes,) had any hand in my laſt cloſe reſtraints, I cannot certainly reſolve, ſeeing my Impriſoners themſelves have proteſted to me, they know not by whoſe, or upon what information I was Impriſoned. But this ſome of my Reſtrainers have confeſſed to me, and my friends; That they believe the chief reaſon of my long cloſe Reſtraints was, to hinder me from writing any thing againſt their late proceedings, and publique Alterations, Lawes, Liberties; which I formerly averred in my Speech in Parliament and Memento, (when they were firſt put them in execution) to be originally contrived and ſecretly fomented by the Jeſuites to deſtroy our King, Kingdome, and Religion. That Speech of the Parliament of Paris to King Henry the fourth of France Anno. 1603. (when he reſolved to reſtore the baniſhed Jeſuites againſt his Parliaments arreſt and adviſe) being then my conſtant aſſeveration, *… Hiſt. … l. 3. c. 2. p. 306.Faxit Deus, ut ſim falſus vates: ſed proſpicio animo tandem HOC REGNVM OPERA JESUITARUM IN CINERES ABITURUM; and that I verily feared, and believed the viſſible Inſtruments moſt active in thoſe diſmall Proceedings, Changes, Subverſions then intended, and ſince effected, were but the Jeſuites deluded, ſeduced Inſtruments in reality. And that which may now at laſt convince them thereof beyond contradiction is not only the irrefragable evidences lately publiſhed in my Epiſtle to A Seaſonable, Legal, an Hiſtorical, Ʋindication of the good old Fundamentall Liberties, Rights, Lawes, Governments of England; compared with the excellent Proclamations of *See that of. 18 Octob. 1591. 15. Nov. 1602.Queen Elizabeth and King James againſt Jeſuites; but likewiſe that memorable Piece *Thuanushiſt l. 138. Hoſpinian. Hiſt. Jeſuit. l 3▪ and 4. Speculum Jeſuiti…um. p119 and Ludovicus Lucius. Hiſt. Jeſuitica. l. 4. c. … where it is printed at large.preſented to the ſtates and Nobility of Poland, aſſembled in Parliament 1607. to prevent the Seditious practiſes & tumults of the Jeſuites in that Realm: intitutled; Conſilium derecuperonda, & in poſteram ſtabilienda Pa…a Regni Poloniae, per IESVITARVM ELECTIONEM. Which clearly demonſtrated; That the Jeſuites Society was purpoſely inſtituted by the Pope and Spaniard, to advance their intended univerſall Monarchies; and to be their principle Spies, Intelligencers, Inſtruments for this purpoſe: the generall of the Jeſuites being alwayes a Spaniard by birth, or Allegiance, and keeping his conſtant reſidence at Rome: and their Order a moſt dangerous ſharpe active ſword, whoſe blade ſecretly (heathed in the bowels of all other Realmes, States, but the bilt thereof alwayes held in the Popes and Spaniards hands, who weild it at their pleaſure. That the Jeſuites inſtill this Treaſonable Principle into their Schollers and Auditors, *See Lud. Lucius Hiſt. Jeſuitica. l. 2. c. 3. and Hoſpinian Hiſt. Jeſuit. l. ….That all Chriſtian Kings and Princes (as well Papiſts as Proteſtants) who ſhall by any meanes whatſoever fall under the Popes indignation or Sentence; or in any ſort hinder the Jeſuites Projects, or not obey them in all things, ARE HERETICKS and TYRANTS; that thereby their Subjects are actually abſolved from all Oathes, Obedience and future Subjection to them? Whereupon not only the people in generall, but any particular perſon▪ MAY LAWFULLY KILL and DESTROY THEM, not without puniſhmemt only, but likewiſe with GREATEST APPLAVSE, and MERIT, even of a CANONIZATION FOR A SAINT. By which Jeſuiticall Decree. THE LIFE and DE…TH OF ALL KINGS and ALL THE CIVIL MAGISTRATES OF EVROPE IS SUSPENDED ON THE IESVITES PLEASURE. If they favour them they may live and proſper; If not, THEY MUST PERISH. Which the Jeſuites proclaiming of the State of Ʋenice, through all Italy *See Lud. Lucius. Hiſt Jeſuitica. l. 4. c. 8. p. 640.for moſt PESTILENT HERETICKS & ABOMINABLE TYRANTS, only for making lawes to bridle their covetouſnes, and baniſhing them for their diſobedience and Treachery to the State, though profeſſed Roman Catholickes. Their fury againſt Henry the 3. of France, in ſtabbing him to death… though never accuſed of Hereſy, and continuing till his death in the Roman Communion, only for this reaſon; Quod Seeptrum Regium non ei tradere volebat quem ſibi Hi Socij tanquam idoneum m…liti…num ſuarum adminiſtrum, gallicae Regem deſtinaveránt, (& branding him both for an HERE…ICKE & TYRANT for this cauſe alone, after his death in ſeverall Bookes) REGIS BRITANNIAE PERPETƲA PERICƲLA; the perpetual dangers of the King of great Britain (by the Jeſuites) and the feare of all others, who finde this Order offended with them, aboundantly teſtifie. After which enſues this conſiderable Paſſage, touching the Jeſuites reſtleſſe e…deavours to ſubvert all Chriſtian States, and the Fundamentall Lawes of all Kingdomes croſſe to their Deſignes; eſpecially ſuch as concernc the Succeſſion of their Kings, or the Peace and Liberty of their Kingdomes and People; which I deſire the Newm…dellers of our Lawes, Government, and Subverters of our liberties ſadly to conſider. DIXI *Lud. Lucius. Hiſt. Jeſuitica. l. 4 c. 5. p. 53 5.quanta vis ſit Aculei Jeſuitici contrareges, ſtatumque regium, quoties hunc molitionibus ſuis obſtare inte Higunt; Hic autem vos notare velim EJVSDEM PESTIS non minorem efficaciam eſſe IN OPPUGNANDA & EXPUGNANDA REPVBLICA, ATTERENDIS LEGIBVS, quoties nempe ſentiunt, ſe ab his, in inſtitu… â ſuâ venatione, impediri. Et quod AD LEGES attinet *And did they not corrode and devour our Lawes of this Nature.Hae politicae tineae illas praecipue arrodere conſueverunt, et exedere, quibus jus ſucceſſionis in regno continetur, libertaſque et pax publica confirmatur. Qualem in Galliis praecipue invererunt, Legem illam Salicam, matriculam et Fundamentum illius regni: perquam ſtirpis regiae maſcula proles, excluſis femeles, ad Regnum ſola admittitur. Cujus Legis vigore ſucceſſio Regni poſt interfectum Henricum 3. ad Henricum 4. Regem tunc Navarrae, devolvebatur. Quod ipſum cum SECTA JESVITICA ſuam interitum interpretaretur, Tantum efficere potuit *And have not they inſtigated the Engliſh themſelves to do as much of late?ut Galli hoc reipublicae ſuae fundamentum ipſimet ſubruere conarentur; aſcitâ contra hanc legem Philippi. 2. Hiſpaniarum Regis Filia, quam ex Henrici. 2. Galliarum Regis filia ſuſceperat, in Regni ſui haeredem. Operis totius promotoribus & internuntiis Jeſuitis. Quod autem Gallis Lex Salica praeſtat, hoc Polonis ad huc Regum Juramenta conferunt: per quae hactenus Reipublicae Liberae electionis jus conſervatur, quam *And is not ours more dangerouſly corroded amongſt us.periculoſe vero Hoc etiam libertatis noſtrae fulcimentum ab his cetineisarroſum ſit, egomet dicere nolo, necpublicum dedecus ipſomet divulgabo. Ejuſdem virtuti… illuſtre ſpecimen coram oculis noſtris in vicina Hungaria, Auſtria, Styria, Carinthia, &c. ediderunt; eo nimirum ſucceſſu, Vt obtritis legibus quibus praedictarum nationum libertas nitebatur partemearum Penitus oppreſſerint, partem ad Extremam deſperationem adegirint. Hoc quidem rumor publicus hactenus conſtanter affirmat, in praedictis Provincijs alicubi Illuſtribus et antiquiſſimae nobilitatis familiis, publicè diem dictum eſſe intra quem ſe aut coram Jeſuitarum tribunali ſiſtant, aut relictis patriis ſedibus, alio migrent. Which a Noble Polonian Knight, in *Lud. Lucius Hiſt. Jeſuitica. l. 3. c. 3. p. 329.his Oration againſt the Jeſuites ſeconded in that Parliament of Polonia; who, relating the bloudy warres and tumults, rayſed by theſe Gibeanites throughout the Chriſtian world & India, hath this memorable Paſſage concerning, England & Scotland. Eodem motuab iſtis Jeſuiticis Gabaonitis excitato, impulſa eſt Anglia▪ & Scotia: quae Regna cum antea, externorum hoſtium impetum depulerunt, Nunc domeſticis diſſidijs debiltata, et ad interitum jam inclinata ſunt. Id verò totum acceptum referrendum eſt iſtis ſanctiſſimis patribus Gabaonitis Jeſuiticis, Which he uſhers in with this precedent Obſervation concerning their carriage in America, to ſubject it to the Spaniſh vaſſallage. Eiſdem artibus et hoc Religionis Nomine, illas Provincias Hiſpanico Regi potentiſſimo, ſubjicerunt: à quo illi emiſſi Ut exploratores, eo conſilia omnia retulerunt, Ut primum domeſtica diſſidia excitarent deinde Hiſpanicos exercius in regna convulſa, & diſſidiis domeſticis debilitata adducerent. Quod aſſecuti ſunt omnia caedibus & ſanguine ita replent, ut non ſolum Conſilij Capiendi, ſed etiam Ne reſpirandi quidem ſpacium relinquant, illis, a quibus amanter & humaniter fuerant excepti. All which particulars being likewiſe more largly juſtified, demonſtrated in that elegant Solid *Lud. Lucius. Hiſt. Jeſuitica. l. 3. c. 2. Hoſpinian Hiſt. Jeſuitica. l. 4.Oration of the Parliament of Paris to King Henry 4. Anno. 1603. againſt the Jeſuites reſtitution contrary to the former Parliamentary Arreſt, for their perpetual baniſhment out of France, (which they therein predicted would prove fatall to him, as it did in truth) by their manifold attempts againſt, not only againſt the French Kings lives, Crownes, but alſo againſt the Lawes and Liberties both of the Realme and Church of France, thus poetically expreſſed in an Epigram preſented to King Henry the fourth, the ſame year, upon the ſame occaſion, by a true French Philopater.
*See Lud. Lucius. Hiſt Jeſuitica. l. 3. c. 2. p. 318. 319.Cui nam hominum ignotum eſt *Hath not this been their Study and Meditation of late years amongſt us?'Jeſuita nocte die que
'Nil meditari aliud, quam qua ratione modove
'Priſca ſtatuta queant patriaſ que evertere Lege
In que locum' antiquis totum in contraria nobis
'Jura dare; & ſanctos privata ad commoda Ritus
Flectere, nulli unquam, quod poſt mutare licebit.
'Anti que deflet (proh) libertatis honorem:
'Auria libertas, ſic, ſic calcabere? Sione
'Illa tibi fraenum injiciet Jeſuitica peſtis?
Ʋltima Fex hominum, Satanae que Excrementum:
Quo nil terra tulit pejus, necfaedius unquam.
Mortem norant animare,
Et Tumultos Suſcitare
Hi ſubmittant Proditores,
Hi ſubornant Percuſſores,
Excitant Seditiones,
Nutriunt Rebelliones,
Modo jubeat Romanus,
Vel ſic poſtulat Hiſpanus;
Servit his Cor, Sermo, Manus.
Adds another, In Officinam Jeſuiticam.
I now referre it to the conſciences of all my late Impriſoners, and all other Subvertors▪ Underminers, New-Modellers, of our ancient Fundamentall Lawes, Liberties, Parliaments, Governments, Kings, and hereditary Regall Succeſſion, (contrary to their former Oathes, Proteſtations, Covenants, Declarations, Remonſtrances, Profeſſions, Principles, Reſolves, Commiſſions, Truſts, Advices, Votes of the Majority of both Houſes of Parliament, and our three Kingdomes) ſadly to conſider, without paſſion or partiallity: whether all our late inteſtine bloudy warres, with their ſtrange unparalleld Proceedings, and Changes of this Nature, (which I oppoſed to my power) proceeded not originally from the Jeſuites projection, ſuggeſtion, and ſolicitation, to ruine our Proteſtant Kings, Kingdomes, Lawes, Liberties, Churches, Parliaments, and whether they were not the very Jeſuites reall (though deluded▪ circumvented) Inſtruments, in promoting, accompliſhing them with all earneſtneſſe, violence, zeal fury, againſt the votes of the ſecluded majority of both Houſes and of our three Proteſtant Nations, to the Jeſuites and Papiſt great content, the grief of moſt Zealous Proteſtants; the intollerable Scandall, Infamy, Diſhonour of the moſt Zealous profeſſors of the Proteſtant Religion; and the exiting of many late and preſent bloudy perſecutions againſt them, by Popiſh Princes in Bohemia, Auſtria, Styria, Savoy, and other parts; as a generation of Seditious, Factious, Antimonarchicall, turbulent, perfidious, diſloyall, treacherous ſpirits, and dangerous Regicides, as they now repute them, and publiſh us, be in *See Militiere, his Victory of Truth. Cornelius Cornelij Praefatio, ad S. Trinitatem. Commentarlis in Minores Prophetas.printed bookes; and hereupon let them now reſolve their own conſciences and the world, with what colour of Chriſtianity, Law, Juſtice, they could ſo illegally, maliciouſly, deſpitefully cloſe impriſon, reſtrain my perſon, ſeiſe all my Papers, Records, &c. only to debar me from detecting, oppoſing theſe their Jeſuiticall Journey▪workers with my pen; and indeavouring to tranſlate the Odium of theſe their true originall Architects, the Jeſuites, who are ſo impudent and malicious: Ʋt etiam ſua ſuorum que FACINORA AC PARRICIDIA EV ANGELICIS TRANSCRIBERE NON VERANTƲR as (Ludovicus Lucius proves by ſeverall inſtances; to render the Doctrine and Perſons of the Proteſtants odious and deteſtable to the whole world. And whoſe principall ſcope and deſigne is by ſeverall ſtratagems, to engage all Proteſtant Princes, Kingdomes, States, Churches in unchriſtian diviſions, tumults, warres between themſelves and againſt each other; Ʋt continuis ſe vonficient et atterent viribus, ut COMMUNI MOX SUPER VENTVRO HOSTI RESISTERE NEQUEANT. Sub nomine et praetextu Religionis Catholicae, ▪praeſidio que & authoritate Papae & Hiſpaniarum Regis, ubi que locorum ſeſe inſinuare; OMNIA DE NOVO PRO ARBITRIO SUO INSTITUERE, ET AD JESUITICUM FUSORIUM CONFORMARE; omnes Evangelicos, igne, ferro, veneno, pulvere tormentario BELLIS & alijs Machinationibus opprimere, & viriliter extirpare: Sic que SEIPSOS DOMINOS AC MAGISTROS TOTIUS MUNDI EFFICERE: as thoſe who pleaſe may read at large in Johannis Cambilhonus, De abſtruſioribus Jeſuitarum artibus & ſtudijs; in Haſenmullerus, Hoſpinian, & Ludovicus Lucius their Hiſtoria Jeſuitica: Speculum Jeſuiticum, Watſons Quodlibets, with others, our New Statizers may do well moſt ſeriouſly to peruſe and ſtudy, the better to countermine the Jeſuites pernicious plots againſt us for the future: which have wrought ſuch ſtrange confuſions, warres, alterations, various Revolutions in Church and State amongſt us in few years laſt paſt, as all former ages can▪ not parallel.
If any of my impriſoners or others demand; why I did not during all the time of my cloſe Reſtraints, ſue out an Habeas Corpus to procure my Liberty in a Legall way, or why upon my Enlargement I brought not an action of falſe Impriſonment againſt my Committers, or their under-Goalers, to recover Dammages for my illegall Reſtrains; or a Writt of Reſtitution to re-inveſt me in my Recorderſhip of Bath, of which I was injuriouſly diſpoſſeſſed without cauſe or hearing, by a Whitehall Letter, and another time-ſerving Member introduced, during my reſtraint?
I Anſwere 1. That the want of *See Cooks 4. Inſtit. c. 1. 6, 7. … 10. 11. 27. H …8. c. 24. 26. Cromptous Juriſdiction of Courts; Brooke, Raſtall, Aſh. Title, Courts, Iuſtices, and Coram non Iudice.a true Legal Power, Juriſdiction and Court of Juſtice, from whom to demand, ſue and before whom to proſecute theſe Legal Writts, diſabled me to purſue them. And to demand them from, or proſecute them under thoſe illegall Uſurped, New ſelf-created Powers and Juriſdictions (of the Jeſuites projection) which illegally committed, and ejected me from my Recorderſhip; had been a reall acknowledgment of, and ſubmiſſion to them on record as Lawfull; againſt my Science, Conſcience, Judgement, Oathes, Proteſtation, Vow, League, Covenant, our known Lawes, Statutes and Parliamentary Declarations, which I durſt not in conſcience or prudence violate to ſave my life, much leſſe to procure my Liberty, Dammages, or Recorderſhip. 2. Had I once moved for any of theſe Writts; I muſt either have taken their monſtrous illegall Engagement, diametrically contrary to the Oathes of Supremacy, Allegiance, of a Recorder, the Proteſtation, Vow, League, Covenant, (all which I had ſeverall times taken upon ſundry occaſions, and from which none could abſolve me) and to at leaſt thirty other Oathes preſcribed, * See The Arraihnment of the engagment Packe of old Engliſh Puritans, and other printed Treatiſes againſt the Engagement.eſtabliſhed by our Lawes; and ſo have been guilty of manifold deteſtable perjuries, to the wounding of my conſcience, reputation, and damnation of my Soul. Or elſe they would have preſently pleaded in barre of theſe Writts; I had not taken their Engagement, and ſo by colour of their void, unrighteous, barbarous Knack of January 2. 1649. (which their Treſylians ſtrictly executed, to their eternall infamy) they would have made me totally incapable of the benefit of thoſe Writts, and that common Law, Right, Juſtice, which belonged to me both by Birthright and purchaſe; and by the expreſſe words of Magna Charta. c. 29. ought to be denyed or delayed to no Engliſh Freeman. Which conſideration induced me to ſit ſtill, till a fitter opportunity. 3. My cloſe reſtraints in remoteſt Priſons; the generall temporizing Cowardice of thoſe of the Long Robe to move for, or grant ſuch writs as theſe: The fearfulneſſe of all under Officers to execute them, if granted: And the improbability of any reall Juſtice or Right to be done unto me on them, ſeeing thoſe then and ſince chief Juſtices were either really, or virtually parties to the warrants for my reſtraints and Injuries complained of, being then Mr Bradſhaws Aſſociates at Whitehal; have hitherto perſwaded me rather to wait with patience for Enlargment; Reparations & Reſtitution in a Chriſtian, Juſt, Honorable, publique way in Gods due ſeaſon; then either preproſterouſly or poſterouſly to ſue for them in ſuch a courſe, wherein I can take no comfort for the preſent, nor expect any juſt Reparations if purſued; and which others have experimentally found, A Remedy as badde or worſe then their Diſeaſe, and a new expenſive fruitleſſe vexation, inſtead of a Juſt and Honorable, Reparation, of their Sufferings and Dammages ſuſtained for the publique: which will be fully recompenced hereafter in Heaven, though never repaired, rewarded by Ingrate or unrighteous men on earth.
If my Impriſoners or their Creatures, ſhall except againſt the Title hereto prefixed, viz. A New Diſcovery of Free State Tiranny; or any phraſes in my Letters or remonſtrance; as overharſh, I doubt not but the remonſtrance of my Several preſſures therein compriſed, wilbe a ſufficient Apology for them. And that ſpeech of holy Job under Job. 7. 11.his heavy affliction. Therefore I will not refrain my mouth, I will ſpeak in the anguiſh of my Spirit, I will complain in the bitterneſſe of my Soul; wil be if not a Iuſtification, yet at leaſt an equit able excuſe or extenuation of the earneſtneſſe or bitterneſſe of any expreſſions throughout in theſe Epiſtles or Remonſtrance, which I intitled as aforeſaid, becauſe in moſt things parallel with, my New Diſcovery of the Prelates Tyranny; compiled, publiſhed ſoone after my enlargement from my long Impriſonments and cloſe reſtraints under them & the Old Councel Table at Whitehall whom my laſt Impriſoners (there ſucceeding them) not only imitated, but in ſome particulars farre exceed in Tyranny and Injuſtice towards me. And ſeeing I never yet received from any of my former or theſe late injurious Impriſoners, the leaſt voted or voluntary Recompence, for all my Loſſes, Dammages, Expences, Suffrings under them, to the endangering of my Life, health and great impairing of my Eſtate; I hope they will give Looſers leave to write, and allow me Liberty in ſome ſort to Right and Recompence my ſelfe in this their Default, to publiſh the groundleſnes of my Impriſonment to the world, as I did to themſelves in private, to repair my Innocency and Reputation blaſted in many mens Opinions, through an implicit faith of ſome concealed guilt and High Crimes in me, for which I was ſo long, ſo ſtrictly reſtrained by them in remoteſt Caſtles, (injuriouſly thruſt out of my power Recorderſhip of hath) though I recover no other Recompence from them (as I may doe in due ſeaſon) for my extraordinary Dammages thereby ſuſtained in my perſon, Calling, eſtate. upon theſe accompts, I ſubmit both them and the grounds of their publication to thy Cenſure, recommending them to Gods bleſſing for the whole Engliſh Nations future benefit and infranchiſement, and to deterre other Grandees from the like Extravagancies towards me or others in future ages. If thou or the publique reap any good thereby, let God receive the Glory, the Author only a ſhare in thy conſtant fervent prayers; That as he hath formerly (like bleſſed Paul) *2. Cor. 11. 23.been in Labours more aboundant, in Priſons more frequent, then others; So he may for the future more abound in ſpirituall graces, Chriſtian Fortitude, heavenly mindedneſſe, inward conſolations, publique Services for God, Religion and his Country, then others; notwithſtanding all forepaſt diſcouragements and ingrate requitals from men on earth, towards him, who expects his *Math. 5. 12. Rev. 22. 12.reward from God alone in Heaven.
March 16. 1654. William Prynne.