Seven Additional Queries, Text
Seven Additional Quaeres in behalf of the ſecluded Members, propounded to the twice-broken Rump now ſitting, the Cities of Weſtminſter, London, County of Middleſex, all other Counties, Cities, Boroughs, in England Wales, and all Engliſh Freemen, whoſe members are ſecluded: and alſo to Scotland and Ireland.
1 WHether their inhuman, uncivil, unchristian, and injurious forcible excluſion of the 22. worthy eminent Members of the Houſe, who on the 27 of Decemb. laſt reſorted thither to claim their own, the other Members, and Peoples Rights, and diſcharge th…ir Truſts for the Peace and Settlement of our Churches and Kingdoms, miſerably rent, and almoſt irrecoverably ruined by their exorbitant Jeſuitical Ʋſurpations, Innovations, and Councils; giving expreſs Orders both to their Serjeant, Doorkeepers, and Military Gards, to keep all the old ſecured, or ſecluded Members, (being above 200. yet living, had they been all preſent with thoſe 22. repairing ſuddenly thither, upon the rumour of their clandeſtine ſitting, concealed from all but their engaged Confederates:) not only out of the Houſe it ſelf, but th… …ry Lobby, into which the meaneſt Commoner, Waterman of England, and all others have, and then had free acceſs; and ſhutting them out of both, by loc…g and bolting the Doors againſt them, and ſending them all thence with higheſt neglect, after two hours att…ndance, without deigning to take the leaſt notice of them (as * they have at large rela…ed,) paralle…'d with their former ſecluſions in May 7th▪ and …th. laſt, by force of Arms, and levying war againſt … elſewhere, as Traytors, only for raiſing … again, by their command… … all the old Members; be not a more direct, profeſſed levying war againſt the Parliament, far higher Treaſon, and more tranſcendent breach of Privilege and Truſt, than ever the late King▪ the Lord Capel, or other Perſons beheaded or ſequeſtred by them were guilty of, in levying War againſt the Parliament and their forces only at a great diſtance from the Houſe, not at the Houſe doores againſt their Members: or the *Exact Collection, P. 37, to 78.Kings comming in Perſon to the Commons Houſe, with his Gard and Attendants armed only with Halberts, Swords, and Piſtols, (not with armed Troops of Horſe and Bands of Foot as they) Jan. 4. 1641. and placing them in the Lobby, ſoly to demand 5. Members impeached by him of High Treaſon three daies before, without ſeiſing or ſecluding them, or any other Members; expiated by his ſubſequent acknowledgement and Retractation of this his breach of Privilege, only through miſtake, by two ſpecial Meſſages, January the 13th. and 14th. by giving ſatisfaction for it to both Houſes; and promiſing aſſurance to the Parliament, and both Houſes, to be for the future, as carefull of their Privileges, as of his Life, or his Crown; They having even after this his ingenuous Satisfaction, the Apprentices tranſitory unarmed force, July 26. 1647. which they voted Treaſon; and Cromwels, and Lamberts ſucceſſive forcible excluding of themſelves April 20▪ 1653▪ and October 13. laſt, which they branded to be Treaſonable, and Tyrannical, outſtripped them all, by their ſpecial Orders to their Guards, and Officers, to exclude all old ſecluded Members, and avowing it, when acted and complained of by the Members, without the leaſt Retractation, Redreſſe, or Notice taken of this, or any former forcible Excluſion…, Impriſonments, and Reſtraints of above 200▪ Members at once, beſides the whole houſe of Peers, when themſelves are not yet above 43▪ in Number, and 7. of thoſe no legal Members of the old Commons Houſe. And whether this doth not render them Enemies to the Commonwealth, and to the Peace and State of this Kingdom, by the Houſe of Commons expreſſe Declaration, Jan. 5 1641?
2. Whether it be not a moſt impudent and inſolent Preſumption in them, to raiſe the Militia of Weſtminſter, and Middleſex to guard themſelves in the Houſe, and yet forcibly to keep out Serjant Glyn, and Mr. Bell, their own two Burgeſſes for Weſtmi…ster, and Sr. Gilbert Gerard, the ſole ſurviving Knight of the S…ier for Middleſex, and the Militiaes of *2 of whoſe 3. Citizens, Sir Thomas Some, and Mr. Vaſſal are forcibly▪ ſecluded, as are both the Knights of He…tfordſhire, Surry. Gloceſterſhire, Northamptonſhire, and moſt other Counti… ▪London, and moſt other Cities, Boroughs, and Counties of England, to exclude their own Knights, Citizens, and Burgeſſes of the old Parliament out of the Houſe, that they may Tax, Oppreſſe and Domineer over them, at their Pleaſure; And a Treachery, beyond all Preſident, for them to imploy the Army, firſt Raiſed, Commiſſioned, Intruſted, Engaged by their Commiſſions, Parliament Ordinances, Votes, Declarations, the Proteſtation…, League and Covenant, to defend …nd protect the Members and Privileges of Parliament, from all force and violence whatſoever, to ſit and Act fr…ely in the Houſes, without diſturbance: to keep three Parts of four of their fellow Members out of the Hou… and the whole Houſe of Peers, by meer force and will, without any hearing or impeachment; and to impoſe intollerable unceſſant Taxes, both on the Lords, and ſecluded Members, and all Counties, Cities Boroughs, for which they ſerve; only to keep themſelves in forcible poſeſſion within the Houſe; and ſeclude them forcibly out of it? Whether it be not a moſt Sottiſh, Brutiſh Servility, Baſeneſs, Treachery, Infatuation for theſe Counties, Cities, Boroughs Militias and Mercinary forces, thus to Guard this Trayterous, (& now Infamous, Odious) Rump, to domineer over themſelves, and the Majority of the excluded Members and Lords in the Houſe, and to keep them by their Treaſonable armed force, & Void Orders, out of it? Whether it be not both their Duty, Honour, Honeſty, Intereſt, and only means of Eaſe, Peace, Settlement, Revival of Trade, and reſtoring the loſt Honour of our Nation, Religion, and the Rights, Freedom, Privileges, Liberties of our Parliaments, and Kingdom; Now to joyn all their Forces and Endeavours, to reſtore all the ſecluded Members, Diſhouſe theſe Forcible Ʋſurpers, and bring them to publick Juſtice▪ for their preſent and paſt high Treaſons, ſince they obſtinately perſevere in them, without the leaſt Shadow of Repentance or Satisfaction to the People, or the ſecluded Members: witneſs their new Oath of Abjuration, Jan. 2. And to obey the ſecluded Lords and Members, Orders, and deſires, being the Parliament) rather than their treaſonable and illegal Votes?
3. Whether all the ſecluded Members for this their laſt forcible contemptuous ſecluſion, without any Anſwer or Reparations from the ſitting Rump, have not a juſter cauſe, and more reaſon now to adjorn themſelves, into the City of London, and to ſit there as a Committee or Houſe by the Cities invitation, Garded by their Militia and the Militiaes of Weſtminſter, Middleſex, Herfordſhire, Eſſex, & other Counties, whoſe Knights and Burgeſſes, are now forcibly excluded; til this higher force, & breach of their Privileges than in any age be redreſſed by publick Declarations againſt it, and exemplary puniſhments, the fo…ce at Weſtm. quite removed, and they enabled to ſit and act there in † Exact collection, p. 37▪ 38, &c.Peace and ſafety; then both Hauſes had to adjourn into London by the Cities invitation * Jan. 5. 1641. upon the Kings coming to the Houſes to demand the 5. Impeached Mmbers, and Lord Kymbolton, without ſ…izing them, or ſecluding others, a ſmall breach of Privilege in reſpect of theirs? And whether Sr. Arthur Haſlerig (one of the 5. impeached Members then, Ring-leader of the Rump, and their forces now) can in Juſtice, Honour, or Conſcience, oppoſe them and Denzil Hollis (another of the impeached and ſecluded Members) therein now; it being warranted by the preſident of both Houſes then, as an incumbent duty on them and the City too (who gained much honor and reſpect from the Parliament and Kingdom thereby;) pointed out unto them by their own Vote December 27. To take into Conſideration the caſe of all abſent Members, on the 5th. day of January next, being the very day of the Month both Houſes 1641. upon the Kings breach of their Privileges in demanding the Impeached Members, made a Particular Declaraeion againſt it as a high breach of the Rights and Privileges of Parliament, and Inconſiſtent with the Freedom and Liberty thereof; and thereupon adjourned themſelves into the Guild-Hall in London, to ſit and act as a Committee, which they did till both the breach of their Privileges was fully vindicated, their Members repaired, and brought back to the Houſe by the City & Watermen, in Triumph, to ſit in Safety, without ſecuring, or ſecluding afterwards. This their Vote by a Miraculous providence referring to this very day, and occaſion, full 18 years after it, and the Remonſtrance on it, declaring them Publick Enemies, and to be proceded againſt as ſuch for this high breach of Privilege.
4. Whether it be not the extremity of Tyranny, Injuſtice, and Violation of Parliament Rights and Privileges, for a few guilty Members who have violated all Oaths, Protestations, Covenants, Vows, Declarations, Truſts, Privileges in the ſuperlative degree, by meer armed force & will, to exclude above 3▪ times their number of untainted Members, before the leaſt legal accuſation, impeachment, bearing, tryal, evidence, or calling them into the Houſe, or to the Bar thereof, to hear or anſwer any Charge againſt them? When as by the Laws of God, Nature, Nations, the Great Charter, the fundamental Laws of the Land, the uſual courſe of Juſtice in every Judicature whatſoever, and the Law and Cuſtom▪ of Parliament, no perſon whatſoever, much leſs any Member of Parliament, leaſt of all the Majority of the Members, may or ought to be tryed, conviccted, judged, ſentenced, disfranchiſed, or deprived of his perſor al, much leſs his publick Parliamentary Franchiſe, Liberty and Privilege, without a lawfull Summons, Accuſation, Indictment, Impeachment, Tryal, hearing, Conviction, by his own confeſſion or evidence, upon his Perſonal appearance in Court, or at the Bar of the Houſe: It being reſolved in the Parliaments of 28 E. 3. rot. Parl. n. 7, &c. & 29 E. 3. n. 29. that the Judgement given againſt Roger Mortymer in the Parliament of 4 E. 3. n. 1. upon 14. particular Articles of Impeachment of High Treaſon in murdering King Edward the 2d. after his depoſing, forcing the Parliament at Salisbury, driving away ſome Lords from thence, and other Great Crimes, was erroneous and illegal, and thereupon nulled and reverſed; becauſe, though the Articles were true and notorious, yet he himſelf was never brought perſonally to the Bar to anſwer them, nor heard before or when they gave judgement against him. Therefore much leſſe ought ſo many innocent, eminent Members to be forcibly ſecluded, and kept out of the Houſe before any Articles exhibited, hearing, or tryal in the Houſe, by a few guilty Members, thus prejudging and excluding them, and the whole Houſe of Peers, (over whom they have no colour of Juriſdiction) for ſear of being legally impeached by them if admitted, for their enormous Crimes?
5. Whether theſe peccant Members high Treaſons, in uſurping and ingroſſing to themſelves alone the divided and united Supream Authority of the King, Lords, and whole Commons Houſe aſſembled in Parliament, in voting down, ſecluding, and engaging againſt the King, and houſe of Lords, contrary to the expreſs tenor of the Kings Writs, Indentures, Oaths, and the Act of 17Car. by which they pretend to ſit; and their former and late levying war againſt the ſecluded Membets and Lords Houſe, in impriſoning ſome, and keeping others of them out of the Houſe by armed Gards, againſt their Rights, Privileges, and the Declaration of the whole Houſe, 5 January 1641. upon the Kings demanding the 5. impeached Members, and their own votes, in the caſe of their own Secluſions by Cromwell, Harriſon and Lambert, be not the higheſt breach of their Truſts, and all Parliments Privileges, Rights, and Freedom, for which in Law, Juſtice, Reaſon, and Conſcience too, they have abſolutely for feited their Memberſhips, and future ſitting in the Houſe▪ from which they may and ought to be perpetually disfranchiſed by judgement of the ſecluded Members, it being againſt the Duty of a Citizen, Burgeſs, and Member of Parliament, to the prejudice and ſubverſion of the Parliament, Houſe, (yea Cities and Boroughs too,) whereof they are Members, and to their Oaths, Proteſtation and Covenant which they took as Members, according to the Reſolutions in James Baggs Caſe, Cook 11. Rep. f. 98, 99. Littleton, Sect. 378, 379. Cooks 1 Inſtit. f. 233, 234. & 4 Inſtit. p. 23, 43? Whether ſome for le…ſer Treaſons and Crimes than theſe, have not had their Heads and Quarters ſet upon the top of the Parliament houſe, inſtead of ſitting as Members in it; and the late King loſt his head by their own Judgement for ſmaller breaches of Privileges, and leſs dangerous Wars againſt the Parliament and Members than themſelves are guilty of? Whether it will not be juſter, equaller, and more beneficial to the People and Army, for the ſecluded Lords and Members to confiſcate and ſequeſter all their real and perſonal Eſtates for diſcharge of all publick Debts and Souldiers Arrears, which they have contracted, only to keep up and maintain their uſurped Antiparliamentary Conventicles, and exclude the greateſt part of the Members and Lords out of the Parliament by force: than to confiſcate and ſequeſter Sir Geo. Booths, or other Members and Commoners real and perſonal Eſtates, for endeavouring to remove the force which keeps them out; and to impoſe illegal Taxes, Exciſes, Militiaes, Oaths, both on the Lords, the ſecluded Members, and all Counties, Cities and Boroughs whom they repreſent▪ to exclude them out of Parliament?
6. Whether the Declaration of Auguſt 26. 1647. made upon the Speaker Lenthals, and other Members clandeſtine departure to the Army, upon the Apprentices unarmed tumult, and his leading up the Army, firſt of all to the Houſe, to commit a greater force upon it, by driving away, ſecuring, impriſoning and ſecluding ſundry eminent Members, (for which he deſerves to be their preſent General) Whereas there was a viſible, horrid, inſolent and actual force upon the Houſes of Parliament, on Monday the 26. of July laſt, whereupon the Speakers, and many Members of both Houſes of Parliament, were forced to abſent themſelves from the ſervice of the Parliament, and whereas thoſe Members could not return to ſit in ſafety before Friday the 6. of Auguſt: It is therefore declared, by the Lords and Commons, in Parliament aſſembled, that the Ordinance of Monday the ſaid 26. of July, for the repealing and making void the Ordinance of the 23. of the ſaid July, for the ſetling of the Militia of the City of London, being gained by force and violence: and all Votes, Orders, Ordinances, paſſed in either, or both Houſes of Parliament, ſince the ſaid Ordinance of the 26. of July, to the ſaid 6th. of August, are Null and Void, and were ſo at the making thereof, and are hereby declared ſo to be; the Parliament being under a force, and not free; Doth not abſolutely declare, adjudge and reſolve, all the Rumps Votes, Acts, Orders, Ordinances, Proceedings touching the Militia of London, Weſtminſter, and other Counties; Exciſes, Customs, Monthly Contributions, Indemnities, Pardons, and all other Matters; or for ſec…uding or ſuſpending any Member, and whole Houſe of Peers from ſitting, their Treaſonable perjurious Ingagement, and Oath of Abjuration▪ to be all Null and Void, at the making thereof; and ſo no waies obliging the City, Kingdom, Nation, ſecluded Peers, or Members in the leaſt degree, ſince the force upon both Houſes, ſecuring, ſecluding of above 200. Commons, yet living, continued from Dec. 6. 1648. till Apr. 20. 1653. and from May 7. 1659. till Octob. 13. and now again by the Rumps ſpecial Order and Command, from Dec. 27. till this instant▪
And that upon t heſe Conſiderations, and parallels of the force then, with the ſucceſſive forces ſince upon the Houſe and ſecluded Members.
1. The Apprentices force July 26. 1647. was without arms: theirs by armed Gards and Souldiers. 2ly. Tranſitory, but for 2. or 3. hours: theirs permanent for ſundry whole Months and years. 3ly. That without the privity or approbation of the Houſe: theirs by the Rumps privity, order and command. 4ly. That upon juſt provocation, to repeal an Ordinance, to alter the Militia of London, gotten by practice and ſurprize of ſome Army Officers, without the Cities privity, to betray and ſever it from the Parliament, and reduce both under the Armies power: Theirs upon mere deſign and will without provocation, to deſtroy the King, Lords, KIngdom, Parliament, alter the Government, and uſurp the perpetual Parliamentary and Supream Legiſlative, Civil and Military Power of our 3. Kingdoms into their own hands. 5ly. They ſecluded never a Lord, nor Commoner by force: theſe not only exclude, but vote down, debar and engage againſt the whole Houſe of Lords, and three parts of four of the Commons Houſe (above 200. of them ſtill living) againſt their Proteſtation, Vow, League, Covenant, former Votes, Orders, Ordinances, the Act of 16 Car. ch. 1. & 17 Car. c. 6. the Writs and Indentures by which they pretend to ſit. 6ly. The Members pretended to be forced away by the Apprentices, were not above 25 or 30 who went not away til 3. daies after the force, by an invitation from the Army-Officers, againſt the Houſe will and privity, the Members forcibly ſecluded and then ſecured 300. and now above 200. beſides the Peers, are kept out againſt their wills, both by the Rumps privity and command, from diſcharging their Duties. 7ly. That force was never reiterated by the Apprentices: this acted ſix times actually over and over againſt the ſecluded Members. 8ly. That was accompanied only with a pretended terror in a few Members: this with an actual forcible ſecluſion of above 200. an impriſonment of more than 45. Members ſundry weeks, months, and cloſe impriſonment of others ofthem in remote Caſtles without hea…ing or tryal divers years: and with ſubſequent impriſonments, and cloſe impriſonments ſince for refuſing the Engagement, and a proclaiming others of them Traytors in all Counties, Cities, Corporations, Churches and Chapels, only for raiſing forces to bring in all the ſecluded Members, and procure a FREE PARLIAMENT, for which ſome are now cloſe Priſoners, and their Eſtates ſequeſtred. 9ly. The Ordinances, Votes, and Orders, declared nul and void by this Ordinance, were made and paſſed by near three hundred Commoners, without any▪ Gards or Order to keep out the Speakers, and thoſe fugitive Members who voluntarily repaired to the Armie: and ratified by the Houſe of Lords then ſitting without Gards to ſeclude any Peer or Member; Their Orders, Votes, Ordinances from Decemb. 26. 1648. till Apr. 20. 1653. and May, 7 til Octob. 13. were ſeldom made by above 40 or 50 Commoners at moſt without the Houſe of Peers; and thoſe now ſitting under a force to keep out the ſecluded Members & Peers, when they made their laſt Votes, Acts, Orders Decem. 26, and 27. were but 43. at moſt, whereof 7. or 8. were no legal Members. Therfore upon all theſe conſiderations both by the Speakers own printed Letter, July 29. and this Ordinance, all Votes, Orders, Ordinances▪ and Acts of the Rump▪ (the Parliament being under ſuch a horrid, actual, viſible, reiterated, approved, commanded armed force, and ſo many Members forcibly ſecluded and reſtrained) muſt needs be void and null to all intents at their very making, and no waies to be owned or obeyed (as the ſecluded Houſe of Lords, and Majority of the ſecluded Commons Houſe, have oft publickly declare to our 3. Nations, and the world) and nothing is or can be valid or legal which they ſhall order or impoſe before all the ſecluded Members be reſtored, without any new teſt or reſtriction to ſit, act, and vote with that ancient freedom and ſafety, which of right belongs unto them.
7. Whether their preſent Speaker, now▪a monſtrous Plurality, Monopoly, Medly of ſundry inconſiſtent Greateſt Offices of Honor, Power and Truſt, being both ſole Lord▪Keeper of their Great Seal, ſole Lord General of the Armies by Land, ſole Lord Admiral of the Navie by Sea, ſole Lord Warden of the Ports, ſole Gardian of the Liberties of England, ſole Maſter of the Rolls, ſole Speaker of the Commons Houſe at firſt, and of the two Rumps ſince its diſſolution, and ſole viſible Head of their Ʋtopian and Harringtonian projected Commonwealth in his political, and as ſtrange a Compound in his ethical capacity, though but a ſingle Perſon in his natural; be not a ſutable Speaker for that monſtrous Rump now ſitting, compacted moſtly of Members of the Old Parliament, elected and ſitting by vertue of the Kings Writs, for the defence of Him and his Realm of England, and to do and conſént to ſuch things as by the common advice and council of the Prelates, Lords, and Great men of the Realm ſhould be ordaiued; and yet deſtroying, engaging, and now ſwearing againſt both King, Kingſhip, Kingdom, Peerage, and Houſe of Lords, and ſecluding all Members engaging not with them therein: cre…ting and ſtiling themſelves the Supreme Authority of the Common▪wealth of England, Scotland and Ireland too, by what chymistry and Right is yet unknown, being at fir… by the Writs, Indentures and Act by which they ſit, but Members of the Commons houſe in the Parliament of the King and Realm of England: Next of ſome new additional Members, by writs in the name and under the Seal of the Gardians of their yet unſhaped Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland; who peece together with the former, like the feet and legs of Nebuchadnezzars Image, which were part of Iron, and part of Clay; and laſtly, the rear of this Rump, is made up of the doating old Earl of Salisbury, and lunatick young Earl of Pembrook, who have degraded themſelves of their Peerage, and become baſer than the baſeſt Commoners, to be the Tayl of this ſtrange heterogeneral Monſter. Whether their continuing obſtinate, and incorrigible in their Tyrannies, Treaſons, Ʋſurpations, forcible Excluſions of the Lords, & theſe their fellow Members, notwithſtanding all their former and late Diſſipations by the Army-Officers, the unſafety of their preſent Condition, the General diſpleaſure of the whole Kingdom, ſecluded Lords, Commons, and moſt part of the Officers and Souldiers againſt them; the wonderful Providences and Rebukes of God himſelf from Heaven; the Admonitions, Intreaties, deſires of their friends; the ſecluded Members, City, Country, and our 3. Nations, and their adding drunkenneſs to thirst, in voting a New Oath of Abjuration Jan. 2. to keep out all the ſecluded Members, and aggravate their former forcible ſecluſion in the higheſt extremity, inſtead of repairing, or repenting it, and deprive them of all poſſibility of re-admiſſion to ſit and vote together with them in freedom and ſafety, Be not a certain ſymptom that they are now ripe for another total and final ejection, by ſome wonderfull Divine Providence or other, to the deſerved ruine of their uſurped Anti-Parliamentary power, Perſons, Families, Eſtates, if not of their very ſouls; ſeeing God himſelf hath ſpoken, Nay ſworn, and will moſt certainly perform it; That thoſe who fear not God, nor the King, and are given to Change, and being often reproved, harden their necks and hearts too, ſhall ſuddenly be deſtroyed, and that without remedy: and ſhall never enter into his reſt, Prov. 24. 21, 22. ch. 29. 1. Pſal. 98. 8, 11.
FINIS.
End of the text · William Prynne, Seven Additional Queries (1660)