The Charge.

The first weapon they play withall, is a Cudgell, to cudgell into the peoples heads, that the Independents, Anabaptists, Sectaries, Heretickes, Schismaticks, and the like (names better befitting the Presbyters, then so faithfull a people) were many of them in places of publique trust and power, and of the Com­mon counsell, and must speedily be removed (if they intend to thrive in their treasonable designes) therefore with much ur­geney, they perswaded the Parliament speedy to slight all such Garrisons where any such faithfull men were placed, and to newmould the Common counsell of the City, else they could proceed no further, but must crosse their Cudgels, and give o­ver: and if they effected the same, they resolved to introduce into their places, debauched and dissolute persons, the better to drive on their owne treasonable designes, which they speedily effected, and procured an Ord. for the same. Yet this would not carry it, unlesse they could invent a way to make odious the Army, to the Parliament and people, and consequently cause them to disband, and breake into pieces, without any consideration of arreers, only a months pay, even whilest they [Page 2]themselves went about to raise or forme a new force, under presence of the service of Ireland, when indeed it was to serve their owne treasonous designes in England. This plot, though carried on with much cunning, was no sooner discovered by the faithfulnesse of the Army, bu [...] as speedily communicated to the Parliament, who speedily joyned with them in the sus­pension of many corrupt Members, guilty of the treasonous delighes before mentioned: who consequently were impea­ched, and testrained from sitting in the House, as Judges in their owne came, or ex [...]cising their power in Committees, till th [...]ir caus [...]s should be tried. After which (at the Cities request) the Army withdrew at a distance from the City: in the meane while, these impeached Members, pretending to av [...]d [...]ny disturbance or interruption in retarding the publick aff [...]yres of the Kingdome, obtayned Passes to travell, though the Army presumed of the ca [...]e of the Houses for their foorth coming to be tried, when the weighty affaires of the King­dome were setled.

Yet as men loath to give over, when they had taken such paines to advance their plots, they instead of travelling (taking the advantage of the distance of the Army) travelled and brought forth a new device, which was to contrive and set a foot a secret combination, in a mischievous and desperate vow and engagement, under the notion of a Petition to the Major and Aldermen &c. consisting of a factious party of Ci­tizens. Commanders, Officers, Yong men, Apprentices, with a solemne engagement annexed thereto: This grist was car­ried to the Miller, by the servant one Bellamy a Bookseller, at the Old Exchange, where it was grownd and moulded into a forme, with a space left to every sheet for the setting their hands: great numbers of them were Printed and dispersed all over the City with all speed, under a feigned Religion a pretence for all treasons, rebelli­ons, &c. pretence of the Preservation of Religion, his Majesties honour, the Priviledges of Parliament, the Liberties of the Subject, all in great danger, and like to be destroyed for rather then these fat-headed Citizens, Ap­prentices, and others, would let them want destroying, they resolved to destroy one of them themselves; viz. the Priviled­ges [Page 3]of Parliament which they roundly went about to doe, and did effect; and resolved to destroy the rest, so soone as possibly they could: but the great obstacle is, They cannot get the King to London, without neerer approach of the Army,—else they could hardly make use of him and his party, to lay the foundation of a new war, even upon the ruines of the common interest of the Kingdome. Soone after July 23. the Lords and Commons did adjudge and declare, the sayd engagers, and all that should promote or abet the sayd engagement, to be guilty of high treason: three dayes after, a Petition was brought to the Parliament by the Shiriffes, some Aldermen, and Common counsell men, in the name of the City of London, to recall the sayd Declaration, and to returne the Militia into those hands in which it was put by Ordinance of the fourth of May; which Petition was presently followed and backed by a tumultuous confluence of Apprentices, and divers other dissolute, despe­rate, and riotous persons, who committed most horrid and un­heard of violence, upon both Houses, forcing them to Vote what they pleased; and yet no order taken by the They were sent to, and had notice thereof. Major, Shiriffes, or Authority of the City, to suppresse the sayd tumul­tuous rowt, (or releeve the Parliament from their violence) by which meanes both Speakers, with most of the Lords, and faithfull Commons, were faine to flie to the Army for refuge and protection,

In the meane time these tumultuous routs backed by the im­peached Members, chose new Speakers, and caused themselves againe to be voted into the service of the House, and to set up a Committee for safety, for the most part of the very men impea­ched, appointed to joyne with the pretended City Militia, whose power was obtained by the tumultuous force and vio­lence aforesaid, who assumed powers to vote as they pleased, to appoint Chiefe Commanders, and Officers, and to lift and raise Souldiers, both horse and foote to leavy a new warre in prosecution and maintenance of the aforesaid treasonable en­gagement; likewise the City Declaration, approved of by the said Committee to be published and read in Churches, to ex­hort the people to take up Armes to oppose the advance of the [Page 4]Army towards London, though they come only for restitution of the Speakers, and other Members of both Houses, lately dri­ven away, and in pursuance of their just Priviledges and Free­domes, and to prevent a new warre in the Kingdome against the Parliament and their Army, for the destruction of them both, which may more evidently appeare, considering that the chiefe Actours and Promoters of this treasonous ingage­ment [...]e the very men that were most active, and most tru­stie, and imployed in these treacherous preparations for leavy­ing a new warre.

What saiest thou Major Generall Massey, art thou guilty or not guilty of this charge exhibited against thee, and the rest of thy impeached brethren? If thou art (as 'tis most likely) thou wilt much ecclipse and darken thy former valour, lately ex­prest in an hyperbulous, and thinne witted paper-pellet (enti­tuled Vertue and valour vindicated, fathered by R.C. upon I.H.) thy noble (or 105) friend, who writes as followeth, page 3, What had become of Parliament, Kingdome, Religion, Lawes, Li­berties, all, hadst not thou (Renowned Impe of warre) taken Mars himselfe by the beard, and stopt that Imperiall Army in their full careere, whose vast bulke covered the declining West, and stroake ter­rour at a distance to the uttermost corners of the Kingdome? Who was he that like St. George preserved that Virgin City Glocester from the al-devouring panch of Dragon Mynne? Was it not Massey that dismantled nine Royall Garrisons in storme of fire condenced with leaden haile, the losse of one of which did make his As dutiful as Abso­lon, oson. King shed teares? Was it not Massey whose thun­derbolt did breake the ice of Winters frozen fury in the Danish Forests; that goard great Gorings body thorrow and thorrow, and with his Mirmidons routed the proud Hoptonian powers, and thunder-hunted his proud insulting foes in warlike sport like fearefull Partridges ore the Mountaines: The very same man? Was it not victorious Sir William, that from his very e­nemies purchased (through blood and sweat) that glorious Title, of William the Conquerour? and can these brave Heroës be ru [...] [...]f [...]uc [...] cu [...]se [...] crimes? surely it cannot be, though [...] shrewd suspition of some such [...]? [Page 5] Who drew his all conquering sword, and slow an unarmed aged man, was is not Pointz, one of these valiant Reformadoes, since run away with the rest lest deserved justice should promote them for such brave atchivements? Who was it that so providently provided for his jour­ney before hand and sirkind up a masse of gold, and plundered jewells? Was not it my Lady what dee call her, or her Will. some are not afraid to whisper so.

How many times have men of your condition untimely miscarried (as the Hothams) Carew, and others, even before your faces, and still you remaine unmoved; divers able and active men great wrastlers, and as cunning gamesters as your selves, such as were seldome foiled whilst they used faire play, now of late taking a wrong hold, by a slip had their necks broke (to the griefe of all that knew them) who might have lived still, and lived well, had they beene well affected; wee cannot deny but many of you have purchased honour, and might still have maintained the same, had you not been per­verse against reason, against sence, against the light of your owne consciences, and the judgements of all honest and un­derstanding Christians, you had questionlesse shunned the in­famy and ruine that now attends and follows you, from which you cannot flie. But since you have proceeded thus farre in mischiefe, it is high time for the Parliamant, and Army, to look about them, and use all the meanes, they can, (as I hope they will not be backward) to charme such pestilent vipers, which If not done in time will make all our hearts to ake, and when too late, to blame our owne selves: Gods cause must and will prevaile, maugre the malice of all that oppose it, or such a judgement will overtake this Land, that will cause all our eares to tingle, and make us a by-word and reproach to all Nations. Vale.