Vindication of William Prynne, Discourse
THE VINDICATION OF VVILLIAM PRYNNE Eſquire, From ſome ſcandalous Papers and Imputations, nevvly Printed and Published, to traduce and defame him in his REPUTATION.
WHere as A ſcandalous Paper have been newly printed and publiſhed in my Name by ſome of the impriſoned Stage-Players, or Agents of the Army, intituled Mr. William Prynne his Defence of Stage-Playes, Or, A Reſtraction of a former Book of his called HIS TRIOMASTIX, of purpoſe to traduce and defame me: I do hereby publikely declare to all the world, the ſame to be a meere Forgery and impoſture, and that my judgement and opinion concerning Stage Playes and the Common Actors of them, and their intollerble miſcheivouſneſs in any Chriſtian ſtate, is ſtill the ſame, as I have more amply manifeſted it to be in my HISTRIOMASTIX. And whereas another Pamphlet hath been printed and publiſhed, with this title. The examination of Mr. Wil. Prynne by order of the Houſe of Commons, with his Anſwer: wherein is related. That the two Members appointed to know Mr. Prynnes Anſwer, whether the ſcandalous Pamphlet to which his Name was ſet was his? and whether he would owne it? repored this anſwer, That when a ſufficient authority ſent to Him, he would returne a ſpeedy anſwer; Which anſwer is to be conſidered of on Thurſday-next: that there is a miſtake in this Report: which I conceive my ſelfe bound to rectifie, by relating the whole truth, which is as followeth. That on Friday laſt about five of the clock at night, Mr. Humphrey Edwards, and Iohn Fry, came to my Chamber, to the Kings head in the Strand, & without ſhewing me any order, or commiſſion; told me: that they were ſent to me by the houſe of Commons to aske me a queſtion: which was, Whether a Booke they then produced, and held in their hands, were mine, or not? not reading the Title, nor any part of it; but J conceived it was the Memento, To whom J returned this anſwer. That I knew of no authority they had to demand this queſtion of me; that I neither knew nor took them to be Members, their elections being both void and illegall, and ſo proved at the Committees which examined them, who had voted them ſuch, and therefore they ought not to ſit, being voted out of the Houſe. And that this was all the anſwer J ſhould returne them: Who ſhould be alwayes ready to give an anſwer to any queſtion, concerning any book I had written in a legall way, when it ſhould be demanded by a lawfull authority. M. Fry anſwered, that though his Election was voted voyd by the Committee, that it was not reported to, nor voted void by the Houſe, and therefore he might ſit, TO which I replied, That no man after his election was unanimouſly voted voyd by the whole Committee, being ſo foul as his and Mr. Edmonds were, had the impudency to ſit and vote in the houſe, til they made the preſident. Whereupon they departed ſomewhat diſconted. This is the reall truth of all that paſſed between me & them, Which I thought it my duty to publiſh to the world to avoid miſtakes: & ſo much the rather, becauſe the Gen▪ counſell of the Army in their Anſwer of Jan 3, touching the ſecured and ſecluded Members: p, 4, 5, complain of many abuſes in the New Elections; and that the elections of many honeſt men have been long ſuſpended under examination, and kept off from tryall by practiſe of the ſecluded Members, when as in verity, the greateſt abuſes of this kind that ever were, have proceeded from the Officers and their parties; moſt of the elections of their adherents being very foule and void, & petitioned againſt, being kept off by their parry, from examination, and report: by reaſon whereof, the two forementioned Gentlemen, Mr. Blagrave, (whoſe Election is voted void long ſince) and divers others now ſitting, have been kept in the houſe againſt al right and juſtice, when as there is not one ſecluded Member for ought J can learn whoſe election is not fair and legall. In witneſſe whereof I have hereunto ſubſcribed my Name;
WILLIAM PRYNNE. From the Kings head in the Strand, Ian. 10 1648,
Eſay 57, 4
None calleth for juſtice; nor any pleadeth for truth: they truſt in vanity and ſpeak Eyes: they conceive miſchief and bring forth iniquity their works are works of iniquity, and the act of violence is in their hands.
Titus 1. 12
the Cretians are alwayes lyars, evill beaſts, ſlow bellies,
FINIS.
End of the text · William Prynne, Vindication of William Prynne (1649)