IT cannot be forgoten, that at the first comming together of this Parliament, there were many burthens, and multitudes of oppressions and iniustices done by persons in trust and au­thority; to the great dishonour of the King, and damage of the Kingdome; all which were in the Parliaments Remon­strance largely explained, and laid down in divers heads or branches, viz.

• 1. That Proiects and Monopolies were granted, and a generall burthen brought upon the Kingdome, for the enriching of particu­lar persons.
• 2. That persons were protected from due processe at law, by the power of great ones, the guilty acquitted, and innocent condemned.
• 3. That the Law was not the security, but the ruine of the People
• 4. That illegall and unnecessary taxes, as Ship-money, and others, (contrary to Law and the Subiects liberty) were imposed.
• 5. That severall free men were illegally dis-infranchised of their liberties, and imprisoned, without any indictment, or testimony of fact committed.
• 6. That many others were stigmatized, fined, and banished, for endeavouring the maintenance of the Lawes and liberties of the Kingdome.
• 7. That many were forced to sweare to answer to interrogato­ries against themselves, &c.

These and many other great grievous oppressions lay upon the pore people of England, untill such time as this Parliament (in the infancy and innocency thereof) did both declare against them, and endeavour to bring the authors to condign punishment, for the per­formance whereof they entered into a solemne Covenant, wherein they engaged the whole Kingdome with them.

In pursuance of which engagement, the Lords and Commons by severall Declarations and Ordinances improved their interest in the [Page 13] People often declaring unto them the urgent necessity of assisting them; and often calling the great God of Heaven and Earth to wit­nes that what they then aimed at was only the removing the King from his evill Councellours, and bringing Delinquents to tryall, & securing the peace and liberty of the Subiect; and that if after all their reproaches from their enemies, and slightfull discouragements from friends, they could but obtain the desired end before mentio­ned, they should reioyce in their sufferings, and thinke that to be a sufficient reward of all their labours.

And further, that they might the better worke upon the affection of the People, they in a Declaration Jan. 30. 1643. declared as fol­loweth. VVe place not our confidence in our own strength, but in God almighty, the Lord of Hosis, who will not leave nor forsake his People: it is his own truth and cause we maintain the exaltation of the Kingdome of his Sonne, and the preservation of his Church, and of this whole Iland from utter ruine, is our aime, and the end we have before our eyes.

Upon these and the like grounds, we resolve with courage and constancy unto the end to do our parts; and the Lord who hath [...]i [...] ­red up out spirits, displayed his Banner, and given the alarum, do that which seemeth him good.

And this Declaration we make not from any presumption in the strength of our Armies; but from the sence of that duty which is re­quired, and expected from the high places and relations wherein we stand, &c. Having after long and grave consultations resolved and decreed, never to lay down Armes, till truth and Peace by the blessing of God be settled in this Kingdome upon a firm foundation, for the present and future Generations▪ which shall be esteemed of us a suffi­cient, yea abundant reward of all that wee can do or suffer in this cause.

Oh that too many members of the Houses of Parliament had not forgot themselves! Or that they would remember, that the al-see­ing God, (who knew their hearrs, and hates hipocrisie) will surely require the due performance of their solemne engagements at their hands; and that they cannot now expect the continuance of his bles­sing upon them, since they have neglected to pay their vowes unto God▪ performe their declared duty to the Kingdome, whereunto they engaged themselves, and called him as a witnes, as if their iniquity [Page 12] were not sufficient, unlesse proclaimed in the face of Jehovah. Heare oh Heavens, and tremble oh Earth; Oh England stand amazed! ma­ny of your trustees have conceived wickedness, they promised liber­ty, but behold slavery; they pretended Justice, but behold oppressi­on; they pretended Reformation, but behold deformation; they pleaded law, but have lost conscience; they pretended purity, but be­hold hypocrisy; Justice is turned backward, Treason is countenan­ced, and truth discouraged, your oppressours honoured, your friends dispised; your seeming safety, is become your certaine sicknesse, and what will you doe in the end thereof? Beleeve it Country-men and fellow Souldiers, our condition is much worse then at the be­ginning, for then we knew our sicknesse, and remedy, but now such are our distempers, that wee may more easily know them then cure them▪ tis their priviledge is our bondage, their power our pestilence, their rights our poverty, their wils our law, their smiles our safe­ty their frownes our ruine; and though by the free Commons cho­sen servants, yet by their usurpations become Masters, ney Kings; commanding both King and People without controule; because they cannot make a Law theyle keepe none.

Consider all your former sufferings, being compared yee will find that these Aegyptian Task-masters doe much exceed in cruelty; remember the vast expence of blood and treasure you have laid out for them to keepe them quiet, see the improvement of it, see what oppressions they have eased you off, ney rather have not doubled:

1. If all proiectors be proclaimed enemies, what makes Sir Hen­ry Vane senior in the House of Commons?

2. If it be a crime destructive to the Law and liberty of the Peo­ple for persons to be examined from the due course of law and Ju­stice, as the Parliament have often declared, against the King, how comes it to passe that Manchester, Clotworthy, VValler, Hollis, and Barwis, and many other accused of Treason and other misdemeanours against the State, are protected by vertue of a never be­fore heard of priviledge, and their accusers imprisoned, to the ru­ine of themselves and families; Oh England, England, what will be­come of thee, when thy fellow subiects exercise soveraignity, and thou like a silly sheep delights to have it so?

3. If the working the Law like a nose of wax, and making it speake what the designed would have it, be a practice distructive to [Page 6] the law and liberty of the People what are▪ and have been the Votes Orders, and practices of their Committees, who derive a power from the Parliament, & they from the Law, for all their extraiudi­ciall practices and illegall proceedings in the examinations censures and sentences passed upon their fellow Commoners, answering all pleas with their power; and silencing all disputes, with this one af­firmative, we that are the makers of a Law, are best able to iudge of the sense and and meaning of the Law; and so if they say stealing is but borrowing, drunkennesse is but good fellowship, whoring a trick of youth: treason or breach of trust, but a mistake, or mis-under­standing; wee are bound to beleeve it because they say so; let igno­rance be the mother of devotion, and then oh brave Lawes, a brave Parliament; such as is the Tree, such will be the fruit, and then far­well to liberty, and welcome slavery: stoope, stoope poore England to the yoke of subiection; be a servant to thy servant, and let it be reported in future ages, that thou brokest the bonds of thy Sove­raigne, and became a slave to thy equals.

4. If the imposing illegall taxes in the Parliament sense, be de­structive to the law and liberty of the People, pray how comes it to passe that so many Ordinances for Tithes of all other, that Anti-christian and soule murthering edict, with many other subiect de­vouring Votes; hath within these few yeares passed for currant coyne and good law amongst us.

4. If it be a distructive practice to imprison free men without in­dictment or testimony of fact, committed by three witnesses, which the Law of the Kingdome requires. How comes it to passe that so many faithfull servants of God and the Kingdome, have been so long imprisoned, some a yeere, some two, some more; meer­ly for discharge of their duties to God and the Kingdome; in dis­covering the treasons and deceitfull practices of such as endeavour­ed the Kingdomes ruine; what makes Lilburne, Overton, Musgrave, Booth, and many more in the Tower, Fleet, Newgate, Gate-house, VVhite-Lyon, every prison having some sufferers for the King­domes cause in it, who are high unto famishing; Oh England England, if thou suffer thy selfe thus to be enslaved by thy ser­vants, thou wilt prove a bye-word to all Nations, and not deserve the pitty of any: Rouse up thy self, and rush upon thy adversaries; let them know that though thou hast been long patient, yet thou [Page 7] both darest and knowest how to call them to account for all their actions, let them know that thou art sensible of those vast summes or thy treasure they have received, and shared amongst them, and make them feare and tremble; looke back upon their Declarations, have they not covenanted, and caused you to Covenant, and lift up your hands to the most high God, to preserve the Priviledges of the Parliament, and the Liberties of the People? (not by their Priviled­ges to destroy your Liberties) To preserve and defend the King in his Person and authority, and not to usurpe his power, and impri­son his Person, to discover and discountenance evill doers, not to protect and defend them, to bring them to alegall tryall as malefac­tors, not to impower them as Judges of their accusers; have they not declared that this was the ground of their undertaking, and that the Reformation of the Church, and preservation of the Law, (viz,) mercy and truth, Justice and Judgement, was the onely thing they aimed at; having resolved never to lay down armes till this was ef­fected, with many heavy imprecations, desiring the Lord no longer to continue his blessing upon them, then they designed his glory and the good of this poore Kingdome; now Country-men and fellow Souldiers see whether the Lord hath not iustly weighed them in his Ballance; see if he hath not met with them in their secret iniquity; they trusted in their wisdome, and it turned to foolishnesse; they boasted in their strength and confederacy; but the Horses of Aegypt are flesh and not spirit; their confidence shall prove a snare, and the pit they digged for others they will fall into themselves; they have ceased to doe what was pleasing to the Lord; they sought themselves and forgot the holy one of Israell.

In the time of their necessity they promised faire, but having ob­tained their ends as they vainly Imagine the case is altered: See the fore-mentioned Declaration.

Although every man is to hope for the principall reward of his service from God, who rewards every one according to his workes, yet wee find our selves bound in conscience and equity to declare, that besides those who have the publicke faith engaged to them for their security, such as since the beginning have done valliantly, and dealt faithfully in the cause, and such as have chosen rather to suf­fer the spoyling of their goods, then to assist the Enemy, or to take armes against their Religion and Country, and shall continue con­stant [Page 9] in the same cause of doing or suffering unto the end, shall be according to their merrits taken into publique notice and conside­ration, their losses so far as may be repaired, and themselves ho­noured and rewarded by such meanes and waies as we trust God in his providence shall afford, so that no man that hath been eminent in action, or hath suffered any notable losse for the publicke, shall be neglected or slighted, but one way or other shall be thankfully remembred to his owne honour, and the good of his posterity.

Here is a plentifull seed time, but a slender harvest; large promi­ses but few performances; they confesse themselves bound in con­science and equity to promise; but not to performe; fellow Souldi­ers this belongs particularly to you, that you have beene both faith­full and valliant, if they should say the contrary, the Kingdome, your enemies, nay their owne consciences would give them the lye; but wheres your reward? They are not at leasure yet, they will when you are dis-banded, they cannot doe it altogether; no, one af­ter another, as fast as they can get power; you shall have it may be cleane straw and a stone-wall, a stigmatized name of Rogue, Ana­baptist, Brownist, &c. alack alack, they have beene so liberall to their fellow members (who lost J confess great losses) some Townes through treachery, others Cities through couardice, others stole one day, and was rob'd the next▪ 'tis fit they should have thousands for their faithfull service, and 'tis pitty such Masters should have better servants, but as for you, alas alas, you are Sectaries, Schisma­tickes, you made too much hast, you bring the King to soone, to call them to accoumpt, they must raigne a little longer, and rather then they will want worke, theyle begin with you, what care they what the King, Kingdome, or People suffer, provided they be secu­red; Therefore gentlemen and fellow Souldiers, now while you have Power improve it, remember the end of your taking up armes was to defend the Kings Maiesty, and to bring offendors to tryall, let them be of which side they will, without limitation, and ac­cordingly let them know that you expect and will have every mem­ber whether of the Lords or Commons, who stands charged with a­ny crime, to be delivered up to the ttyell of the Law to be acpuitted or condemned; and that His Maiesty be invested in His iust power, and that the great Taxes and burthens be removed, the Souldiers of all Armies, that be or hath been under command of this present [Page 9] Parliament, in point of Arrears be satisfied, a generall act of oblivion passed for both parties, so farre as law and iustice will allow; mitigated it being a most unmercifull act for the fa­thers crime to ruine whole families. That there be an account given of all moneys received upon the severall Ordinances of Parliament, and of the disposall thereof; That the publique debts be paid by a generall tax, equally laid upon all sorts and degrees of people according to their estate, (if there be not e­nough found in banke in the lands of Parliament men, Com­mittee men and the like.)

That the Militia be put into faithfull hands; and not conti­nued in the disposall of your and the Kingdoms enemies—

That corruptions in courts of iustice be examined, reformed, and reduced to the premitive institution.

That the illegall and extraiudiciall fees of Judges, Lawyers, and Jaylors may be regulated.

That a Declaration be published to the Kingdome with speed by all the faithfull Knights and Burgesses in the House of Com­mons, against the illegall proceedings of that trayterous party, and that they protest against them; to the end the Kingdome may be informed who are their enemies, lest the good and bad (being unknown) perish together.

That the iust priviledges of the Parliament may be by Decla­ration made manifest to the Kingdome, and the Kingdome not inslaved by an unknown and unlimitted priviledge.

That the House of Commons be hence forward, not like a close Committee, but a free Court of Judicature, alwayes open to receive the Petitions of the respective Counties and Corpo­rations, by whom they are trusted, and to execute Justice and Judgement without delay or partiallity; and that it be also [Page 10] declared (as formerly) to be the liberty of the people to Petition; and the duty of Parliaments to receive and re­lieve them.

That every Member of that house, against whom any charge hath been or shall be brought, be forthwith suspended the house, and secured, as hath been the practice of former Parliaments, and not protected and abetted.

That all wayes that hath been used by any Member of Par­liament, or any other Agents for them, either in Scotland or elsewhere for the raising of forces against the Army, be speedily declared against by both Houses, and the Kingdome inabled by their Militia to oppose all such forces, whether from abroad or at home.

That sufficient care be taken for the liberty and protection of those which cannot submit unto the externall worship of the nation; though otherwise conformable to the civill power and authority thereof.

This is that which must be the foundation of your peace if it be lasting, and if you disband before this be obtained, you may say farewell, liberty, peace, and all that outward comfort which you may iustly challenge as your Birth-Right, both by the law of God, and fundamentall Institution of this King­dome.

And you poore Commons of England, unlesse you seri­ously and suddainly lay your condition to heart, and as one man rise up for the vindicating of your selves against those which have abused and daily endeavour to inslave you, and if you doe not now take this opportunity inioyning with and assisting of this Army, who hath been faithfull in delivering you from one enemie, and have now againe undertaken to stand in the gap, and to be your protectors and restorers, J say [Page 11] if you shall now dissent them, know assuredly, that you doe hammer out a yoake for your owne necks, which will pierce the lives, liberties, and estates, of your selves and posterities, and when your sufferings bring you sorrow, you may not happily find deliverers.

You see they confesse, in case the Body representative deceive their trust, the body politique hath power to preserve itselfe, Booke Decl. pag. 207. Here is warrant sufficient, up therefore and be doing, and the Lord who is wisedome and strength make you both wise and valiant. Farewell.