Proposals by Way of Interrogation, Text
IX PROPOSALS by way of Interrogation, to the Generall, Officers, and Souldiers in the ARMY, Concerning the juſtneſs of their late proceedings in Law or Conſcience againſt, and contrary to the Parliament, tending to Reduce them to their former LOYALTY and OBEDIENCE; BY Diſcovering the injuſtice, unreaſonableneſs, and dangerouſneſs of their proceedings and demands, wherein they ſtill perſiſt, onelyonly to pick a Quarrell with the PARLIAMENT, without any reall cauſe.
PSAL. 12. 1, 2. Help Lord, for the godly man ceaſeth, for the faithfull fail from among the Children of men, They ſpeak vanity every one with his Neighbour; with flattering lips and with a double heart do they ſpeak. The Lord ſhall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that ſpeaketh proud things: who have ſaid, we will prevail, who is Lord over Ʋs?
Amos 7. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
LONDON …
Nine Propoſals by way of Interrogations to the Generall, Officers, and Souldiers in the Army, concerning the juſtneſs of their late proceedings in Law or Conſcience againſt, and contrary to the Parliament; tending to reduce them to their former loyalty and obedience, &c.
1 WHether that New Light who ſhould have Prophecied half a year ſince, that Sir Thomas Fairfax, Lievetenant General Cromwel; and the other godly Officers, Souldiers, and Saints of this Army; ſhould ſeize upon the Kings own perſon &c. contrary to the Votes of the Parliaments of both Kingdoms; march up againſt the Parliament towards, and neer London, contrary to the Houſes commands, the Cities deſires, and their own engagements to them; refuſe to disband now the warrs are ended, or to releive Ireland, enjoyn and enforce the Houſes to recal and annul their own Votes, againſt their Judgments, conſciences, honor and Common juſtice; impeach their Members by a general and illegall charge which they are unable to make good, and demand them to be forthwith ſuſpended, and ſequeſtred from the Houſe, before any particulars produced or proofs made, contrary to the priviledg of Parliament and Law of the Land: require both City and Parliament not to liſt men, or take up arms ſo much as to ſtand only upon their own gaurd to prevent all ſurpriſals, violence, plunder, and a new war, when they are marching up armed againſt them to their very walls: obſtruct the releif of Ireland, by diverting or recalling the forces deſigned thither, when themſelves refuſe to engage for its defence; and require many unreaſonable, unjuſt and impoſſible things at the Parliaments hands, ſpecified in their late Remonſtrances and Letters; eſpecially that of June. 23. 1647. Would not in their own conſciences▪ judgments, and all others, have been reputed, a moſt malicious, falſe Prophet yea monſtrous ſlanderer, worthy the ſevereſt cenſure; and theſe actions deemed moſt prodigious, horrid, *Themſelves no doubt wold have deemed them ſo, in any of the XI. impeached Members, or their Brigades; or in Eſſex, Mancheſters, or the Scots Armies, guilty of no ſuch Mutinies.treacherous, Rebellious, and have been ſo adjudged and cenſured both by their own Conſciences, and all honeſt mens ſuffrages? And yet now (alas for greif) we ſee all theſe things not only really acted, but juſtified by themſelves and others even in print, to their eternal diſhonour (if perſiſted in) to teach them, and all their freinds this humbling leſſon; that their New Lights overmuch crying of them up, for moſt pretious Saints, the godly party; Gods peculiar Portion; the Saviors of the Parliament, Laws, Kingdome; and extolling them far above all other Chriſtians, who are not of their way, hath cauſed God in his juſt judgment (to abate their Spiritual pride, and overweening conceit of their tranſcendent piety, and fidelity) to permit them thus to fall into thoſe moſt foul and ſcandalous actions of diſobedience and diſloyalty to the Parliament, which have blaſted all their former glory with a perpetual blot of infamy; And if they ſpeedily repent not and crave pardon of God and the Parliament for it with relenting humbled Spirits; into what other more deſperate, unjuſt, bloody and treaſonable acts, they may precipitate themſelves, to the ruin of Parliament, Kingdom, City, Country, Religion, their own ſouls, bodies, eſtates, families; and to what ſhameful ends they may bring themſelves and their adherents at laſt, (all which God of his infinite mercy give them grace truely to conſider of and prevent) no mortal is able to divine; ſince the very *Much more new Meteors and unfixed wandring ſtars.ſtars of heaven may fall unto the earth and be darkned; Rev. 6. 13. & 8. 12. and the pureſt Saints have ſometimes fallen into the fouleſt and moſt ſcandalous ſins (as David both into adultery, murther, treachery) to humble and abate their pride, and convict them of their own humane frailty, and parity with other meaner Saints in their repute.
2. Whether the Houſe of Commons clearing of their XI. accuſed Members by a Unanimous Vote upon long debate, on friday laſt, from anything ſaid or done by them in the Houſe, touching any matters contained in the Charge or paper ſent from the Army: And reſolution, that by the Laws of the Land, no Judgment can be given to ſuſpend theſe Members, or any of them from ſitting in the Houſe, upon the Papers preſented from the Army: ſhould not engage the Army in part of honor and juſtice, to give the Houſe and thoſe injured Members an Honorable Reparation, and deliver up the accuſers of them (for the things pretended to be ſaid or done by them within the Houſe, of which they are thus abſolutely and legally acquitted) to publick Juſtice, as falſe Accuſers, who have maliciouſly framed theſe falſ ſuggeſtions againſt them, only to mutiny, & incenſe the Army without any juſt grounds againſt the Houſe, to wrack their private malice upon theſe worthy gallant men, and carry on their own private intereſts and treacherous deſigns, againſt the publick peace and weal, by ſuſpending them the Houſe?
3. Whether the Armies Declarations, Papers and Charge againſt the Houſe and Members, and the unjuſt, unreaſonable demands therein contained; eſpecially theſe. *An humble Remonſtrance June 23. A Manifeſto from the Army.That the Declaration inviting men to deſert the Army (in obedience to the Parliament) and promiſing their Arreares in caſe they do ſo; be recalled. That the Army (now in rebellion) may be preſently payd up equally to thoſe that have deſerted it, in obedience to the Parliaments juſt demands; (as if diſobedience to the Parliament, were more meritorious then obedience) That the Members Charged may be forthwith ſuſpended the Houſe, (before any legal accuſer, Charge or proof:) That thoſe who have deſerted the Army (in obedience to the Parliament and the Law of God, Rom. 13. 1.) may be inſtantly diſcharged and diſperſt, (but not continued in ſervice for their faithfulneſs) and receive no more of their Arrears till the Army (in Rebellion, yea the Malignants and Sectaries wherewith it is newly recruited to affront the Parliament and are profeſſed enemies to it) be FIRST ſatisfied; who yet pretend, they are not mercenary, & still continued in the States pay, &c. againſt whom they mutinie; That the Parliament and City may be ſpeedily and effectually freed from thoſe multitudes of Reformadoes (had they ſaid Malignants, the motion had been juſt, but they muſt not be ſo hardly dealt with) and Soldiers that flock together in or about London (where many of them inhabit; others attend for their pay and to have their Accounts ſtated, others upon their other Law-buſineſs and affairs) by a ſpeedy diſpatch and diſcharging them from the City: which is in truth to baniſh them from the place of their habitations, deny them liberty of ſuing for their Arrears, auditing their Accounts, or proſecuting their affairs, like free ſubjects, after they have adventured their lives for the Parliament, and to deny them the liberty which all Members in the Army and wel-affected Subjects challenge; and is not in the Parliaments or Cities power to grant without raiſing tumults in the City, and juſtly exaſperating all the Reformadoes and Soldiers againſt them: That all liſtings and raiſings of new Forces or drawing together of any (for Irelands, the Parliaments or Cities juſt defence) and all preparations towards a new war may be effectually declared againſt and ſuppreſt) whiles they in the mean time entertain and receive into the Army all kind of diſcontented Sectaries, if not Malignants, and Soldiers in Arms againſt the Parliament; raiſe, liſt new forces, and make all preparations for a new war, againſt the Parliaments Votes; to omit their demand concerning the Kings not coming nearer London; which are all ſo diſhonorable, unjuſt, unreaſonable, that no conſcientious reaſonable man (but he that ſeeks a quarrel) can demand, nor the Parliament in Honour, Juſtice, Prudence or Conſcience grant; may not more truly be denominated, proved the Declarations, papers and Charge, of a dangerous mutinous *The Vindicat…on of 167. Officer… …me off from the Army, proves it fully.Faction, and ſeditious party in the Army (reſolved to receive no ſatisfaction at all from the Houſes, and to keep the Army ſtil on foot out of ſiniſter and private ends, though with the Kingdoms loſs and Irelands ruin) rather then of the body of the Army it ſelf (never acquainted with theſe unreaſonable demands) whom they abuſe with falſe reports and miſ-repreſentations of the Parliaments proceedings, and intentions? And whether the Houſe, Army, all true Commonwealths men ought not with more reaſon and juſtice to impeach this mutinous factious party for Mutineers and Jncendiaries; and deſire them to be forthwith ſuſpended, removed out of the Army and Councel of war til their publick tryals, (eſpecially if Members of the Commons Houſe, or no proper Members of the Armie) then they demand the preſent ſuſpenfion of the Accuſed members from the Houſe? And whether this peice of publick Juſtice in the Army (who ſo much pretend unto it) would not quiet al diſtempers therin, and reduce it to its former dutifulneſs, obedience, and fidelity to the Houſes?
4. Whether divers hundreds of Engliſh and Iriſh Souldiers, who during all the warrs bore arms and waged war againſt the Parliament, under the command of the Lord Goring and others, have not ſince the ſurrender of Oxford, (by the practiſe of a factious Malignant party in the Army) been entertained and liſted in the Army, to promote the Kings and Malignants deſigns; who now declare themſelves privately for the King againſt the Parliament, and extreamly oppreſs the Country by receiving large Contributions from the people under colour of free-quarter (which yet they take without payment) about Hatfield and other places; and are as duly payd as any others in the Army? Whether the Parliament ought not to complain againſt, and impeach ſome Officers of the Army for this groſs treachery and abuſe; and the Counſel of War in the Army be better imployed in examining and giving an account to the Houſe of this abuſe, and how many ſuch Cavaliers have been entertained, what pay they have received, what contributions and free-quarter they have unduly taken from the Country; and awarding them to make reſtitution of their pay and quarters, and then diſarm and caſhier all ſuch, to give the Parliament, City and Kingdom ſatisfaction; then to draw up new Charges or Remonſtrances? Which if they refuſe to do, the world wil ſoon diſcern whoſe deſigns they promote, and report they are as much the *Eſpecially if the heads preſented by them to the King on Saturday laſt be true, or the firſt Querie in the behalf of the Army, in Moderate Anſwer to 9. Queries.Kings and Malignants Army now, as the Parliaments heretofore, and may prove more pernitious to the Kingdom and Parliament then ever any Army of Cavaliers that the King could raiſe.
5. Whether many Anabaptiſts, and diſ-contented Sectaries, have not repaired from London and others parts to, and been liſted in the Army, ſince the beginning of their late diſtempers, and the Houſes Votes for their disbanding? who can intend no other but ſome Anarchical deſtructive deſigne agreeable to their principles, to ruin Parliaments, Monarchy, and all kind of Government? Whether it be juſt or reaſonable that the Parliament ſhould allow theſe pay, or the Country free quarter, being Forces liſted againſt them, without their privity and Commiſſion? Whether many thouſands (if not half near the preſent Army) have not ſecretly (without the Houſes knowledge or ſpeciall Order) been liſted in the Army ſince the Warrs ended, to oppreſſe the Subject, and increaſe the Kingdomes unſupportable charge? Whether the pay that theſe new recruits, (who never were in actual ſervice) have received ſince the Wars, onelyonly for lying ſtill and mutining againſt the Parliament, if examined (as in juſtice it deſerves) would not have fully ſatisfied all the Arrears due to thoſe old Forces in the Army who were in actuall ſervice during the Wars? And if ſo, whether the Houſes and old Souldiers in the Army, have not been both abuſed (by their own Officers) in theſe new recruits, who have anticipated thoſe monies which ſhould have ſatisfied their Arrears? And whether all theſe recruits ought not preſently to be disbanded without further pay and to reſtore the money they have actually received, that thoſe who have adventured their lives in ſervice may be the better paid their juſt Arrears, the Parliament being unable to ſatisfie both?
6. Whether that Army, who in its Printed Declaration (of June 14.) profeſſeth it ſelf; not to be meerly mercenary, ought ſo much to inſiſt upon the full payment of their Arrears ere they disband? or to demand pay (when they have taken free quarter) ſince they have been out of action and Voted to disband? Whether the Generals and all other Officers Commiſſions being conditionall: To obey and obſerve the direction of both Houſes of Parliament, &c. be not abſolutely forfeited and made void in Law by their late diſobedience to, and attempts againſt the Houſes Priviledges? and ſo their preſent continuing together in Arms, and new recruits, a meer tumultuous aſſembly of Riotors or Armed Mutineers againſt the Parliament, whom all men by Law and Juſtice are bound to reſiſt and ſuppreſs; and their taking Free quarter, &c. no other then direct plundering and treſpaſſe, if not worſe, by the ſtrict Law of God and Man, of which they cannot in conſcience or juſtice now crave an Act of Oblivion from the Parliament whoſe Authority they reſiſt, whoſe Priviledges they violate, whoſe Members they wrongfully impeach, and deſire cauſleſly to ſuſpend contrary to the freedome of Parliaments, to the inſufferable injury of thoſe Countries and Burroughs who have elected and intruſted them to ſerve for them and the Kingdome in the Houſe; and contrary to your own pretended deſires of free Parliaments and Elections, which your preſent Actions diametrally contradict. Whether the Parliaments and Cities ſtanding on their guard, or raiſing Forces to defend the Line, and ſecure themſelves and the Parliament from Plunder, and the violence of Souldiers in the Army, which the Officers themſelves cannot prevent, and ſuppreſſing tumults in the City, can any wayes be interpreted, a raiſing of a new War, by the Army, (who have preſumptuouſly ſent out their *Since excuſed as a miſtake.warrants for proviſion even to hundreds within the Lines of Communication) or any other rational man, more then the Parliaments guard at Weſtminſter ever ſince the Wars, or the guarding of the Line heretofore when no Enemy was neer, and the Earl of Eſſex Forces lay about, or in the City, and Suburbs? Eſpecially ſince the Army have broke their promiſes both to the Parliament and City in marching up ſo neer the Line, and many of the Souldiers are ſo violent, inſolent without, and by their diſorders have incouraged others to inſolencies within the line, and offer affronts unto the Mēbers? Whether their pretences of Emiſſaries ſent by the accuſed members into divers Countries to raiſe new Forces, or introduce forraign Forces, be not a malicious falſe ſlander, which may be truely retorted upon a factious party in the Army, who have ſent ſuch Emiſſaries to raiſe the Sectaries in all Counties? And whether the obſtructing and recalling of the Forces for Ireland, if examined, be not a meer treacherous plot of ſome of their own Independent party (whoſe Commiſſions are now expired) who have ſpent more moneys the laſt year, and put the Kingdom to more expences in raiſing forces for Ireland (and then billiting them on the Country without tranſporting them to do ſervice, to oppreſs and diſcontent the people) then would have actually reduced Ireland; for which the Parliament in juſtice ought to call them to a ſtrict account, and inflict upon them condign puniſhment?
8. What aſſurance can the General or Officers in the Army give the Houſes; that the Army (at leaſt the Major part and unruely turbulent ſpirits in it) wil abſolutely obey their commands or acquieſce with their reſolves now, when they pretended they could not rule them in their march towards London and other ditempers heretofore? Or that they wil not march neerer London without giving the Parliament and City timely notice, and the reaſons of their march (of which themſelves wil be the only Judges, though the notice in it ſelf be neither timely, nor the reaſons juſt)? And whether in duty and conſcience they ought not (if they can command the Army) rather abſolutely to command them to retreat and disband (at leſt al ſuch as are recruted ſince the votes for disbanding) and give them clear ſatisfaction herein; then thus to double (if not trifle) with the Parliament and City, who have dealt ſo really and condiſcendingly (even below themſelves) with them, to allay their unjuſt diſtempers? Whether a Councell of War (conſiſting of the Generall, ſome four Members of the Houſe of Commons, and eight or nine Gentlemen and Tradeſmen, newly raiſed to places of Command by the Wars) can in conſcience or juſtice take upon them in the name of the Parliaments own Army, to preſcribe the Parliament by way of menace in an imperious manner, to ſuſpend their own members, recall their Votes, baniſh, Reformadoes, &c. and do what ever they pleaſe, or elſe threaten them with a new War and effuſion of blood (as they do in their Letters and Remonſtrances) which is more then the mock-Parliament at Oxford conſiſting of ſundry Lords and Commons durſt attempt? And whether this Councel of war, would not have adjudged the XI. accuſed Members to be Traytors, and demanded them to be not only ſuſpended the Houſe, but even corporally ſuſpended or beheaded, had they carried themſelvs ſo to the Houſes, & done in their Councels of war and Armies, (reputed diſorderly and prophane,) what they have lately Voted and acted in their Councel and Army of Saints? who wil never prove, an Army of Martyrs, but rather of Mutineers, or worſe; if they perſiſt and loſe their lives in, or for their preſent cauſe & demands, notwithſtanding all their varniſhed pretences, ſufficiently diſcovered by their contradictory actions to be but pious fraudes, to delude the Vulgar.
9. Whether all Acts, Ordinances, Votes and Proceedings in Parliament, obtained by violence, force, Inſurrections and Tumults without the Houſes full and free conſents, be not invalid, repealable, and ought to be utterly nulled and repealed both in point of juſtice and equity; and ſo clearly reſolved to be by the Statutes of 11. & 21. R. 2. c. 12. 31. H. 6. c. 1. 39. H. 6. c. 1. 17. E. 4. c. 7? If then the Army deſire to have the Parliament paſs any Votes, Ordinances or Acts for their own Indempnity, or for any thing elſe they pretend for the publick good, which may be valid or effectual in law, they muſt of neceſſity retreat, disband, and retract all their former Remonſtrances, Menaces, Impeachments and Proceedings ſavouring of Menace or force; and leave the Houſes and Members to their full freedom; that ſo their Acts and Ordinances may be valid and irrevocable, being paſſed in a free and fair Parliamentary Courſe; otherwiſe if they continue mutinous and rebellious; what ever Votes, Acts or Ordinances they ſhal wreſt from them by Dureſs, Menaces, Force, Tumults, ſuſpending of Members before any juſt or legal impeachment demeriting it; (the higheſt infringement of the freedom of Parliaments, and a ready way to ſubvert and pervert them, and to make a private faction, backed by an Army a Parliament, todo what they liſt, and over-awe the greater number againſt their judgments and Conſciences) or marching up to over-aw them, wil be no ſecurity for the preſent, *In E. 3. c. 3. 5. R. 2. c. 6. 31. H. 6. c. 1. 9. 3. H. 7. c. 2.and a meer ſnare and nullity for the future, moſt certain to be revoked and adnulled when the force and fear is over. Which conſideration, beſides thoſe mentioned in other late Impreſſions; and in the Examination of the lawfulneſs of the Paſſages of the Armies Declaration and grounds of juſtification, June 14.) ſhould now induce all really conſcientious or judicious Officers and Soldiers in the Army (eſpecially ſuch who are Members of the Houſe) to disband, and give over all forcible tumultuous courſes and addreſſes to the Houſes; that ſo a ſweet unity and correſpondency may be ſetled; a new War prevented, the Parliament, City, Kingdom preſerved from imminent ruine, Ireland relieved; and the hopes and deſignes of all Malignants diſappointed: which the Lord in his infinite mercy and wiſdom effectually accompliſh, to the infallible joy of all Gods Churches and people: Amen.
Pſa. 140. 11. Evil ſhal hunt the violent man to overthrow him.
Jam. 1. 20. The wrath of man worketh not the righteouſneſs of God.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Prynne, Proposals by Way of Interrogation (1647)