[Page] M r: PYM His Vindication in Parliament of the Accusation of high Treason, Exhibited against him and the Lord Kimbolton, and the other foure Members.
AS ALSO The KINGS Majesties Replication to the Lords and Commons in PARLIAMENT.
With a DECLARATION by the Lords and Commons in Parliament.
Ordered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament that this Declaration be forthwith Printed and published.
LONDON: Printed for William Gay, Sept. 10. 1642.
Master PYM his Vindication in Parliament, of the Accusation of high Treason, Exhibited against him and the Lord Kimbolton and the other foure Members.
THese Articles of High Treason, exhibited by his Majestie against me and the other Gentlemen in the accusation charged with the same crime, are of great consequence, and much danger to the State: The Articles in themselves, if proved, are according to the Lawes of this Land are High Treason.
First, to endevour to subvert the Fundamentall Lawes of the Land is by this present Parliament in the Earle of Strafords case adjunged High Treason.
Secondly, to endevour to introduce into this Kingdome an Arbitrarie and tyrannicall forme of Government, is likewise Voted High Treason.
Thirdly, to raise an Armie to compell the Parliament to make and Enact Lawes, without their free Votes, and willing proceedings in the same, is High Treason.
Fourthly, to invite a forraine force to invade this Land, to favour our designes agitated against the King and State, is High Treason.
Fifthly, to animate and encourage riotous assemblies and tumults about the Parliament to compell the K. to assent to the votes of the House is Treason.
Sixtly, to cast aspersions upon His Majesty and His Government, to alienate the affections of His people, and to make His Majesty odious unto them is Treason.
Seventhly, to endevour to draw his Majesties Army into disobedience, and to side with us, in our designes if against the King, is Treason.
I desire Mr. Speaker, the favour of this House to clear my self, concerning this Charge, I shall onely paralell and fimilize my actions since the sitting of this Parliament with these Articles.
First, Mr. Speaker, if to Vote with the Parliament, as a Member of the House wherein a [...] our Votes ought to be free : it being one of the greatest priviledges thereof to ha [...] our debates, disputes, and arguments in the same unquestionable, be to endeavour to subvert the Fundamentall Lawes, then am I guilty of the first Article.
Secondly, if to agree and consent with the whole State of the Kingdom by Vote [Page 2] to ordain and make Laws for the good gove [...]ment of his Majesties Subjects in peace and dutifull obedience to their lawfull Soveraigne be to introduce an Arbitrary and tyrannicall forme of government in the State, then I am guilty of this Article.
Thirdly, If to consent by Vote with the Parliament, to raise a Guard or Train-band to secure and defend the persons or the Members thereof, being invironed and beset with many dangers in the absence of the King, and by Vote with the House, in willing obedience to the Royall command of his sacred Majesty, at his returne, be actually to levie Armes against the King; then am I guilty of this Article.
Fourthly, if to joyne with the Parliament by free Vote to crave brotherly assistance from Scotland, Kingdomes both under obedience to one Soveraigne, both his loyall and dutifull Subjects, to suppresse the Rebels in Ireland, which lyes gasping every day in danger to be lost from his Majewies subjection, be to invite and incourage a forraign power to invade this Kingdome; then am I guilty of high Treason.
Fiftly, if to agree with the greatest and wisest Councell of State, to suppresse unlawfull tumults and riotous assemblies, to agree with the House by Vote to all Orders, Edicts, and Declarations for their repeling, be to raise and countenance them in their unlawfull actions, then am I guilty of this Article.
Sixtly, if by free vote to joyn with the Parliament in publishing of a Remonstrance, in setting forth Declarations against Delinquents, in the State against Incendiaries between his Majesties Kingdom, against ill Councellors which labor to avert his Majesties affection from Parliaments, against those il-affected Bishops that have innovated our Religion, oppressing Painfull, learned and godly Ministers with vexatious suits and molestations in their unjust Courts, by cruell sentences of pilory, and cutting off their ears, great fines, banishment, and perpetuall imprisonment, if this Mr. Speaker be to cast aspersions upon his Majesty and his government, and to alienate the hearts of his loyall Subjects good protestants, and well affected in religion, from their due obedience to his royall Majesty, then am I guilty of this Article.
Seventhly, if to consent by vote with the Parliament to put forth proclamations, [Page 3] to send declarations to his Majesties army, to animate and encourage the same to his Loyal obedience, to give so many Subsidies, raised so many great sums of money willingly for their keeping on foot to serve his Majesty upon his Royall command on any occasion, to apprehend and attach as delinquents, such persons in the same as are disaffected both to his sacred Person, his Crown and dignity, to his wise and great Councell of Parliament, to the true and Orthodox doctrin of the Church of England, and the true Religion grounded on the doctrin of Christ himself, and established and confirmed by many Acts of Parliament in the raign of H. 8. E. 6. Queen Eliz. and King Iames of blessed memory, if this Mr. Speaker be to draw his Majesties Army into disobedience, and to side with us in our designs, then I am guilty of this Article. Now Mr. Speaker, having given you a touch concerning these Articles, comparing them with my Actions, ever since I have had the ho [...]or to sit in this House as a Member [...]hereof : I humbly crave your consideration, and favorable judgement of them, not doubting they being weighed in the even scales of your wisdomes, I shall be found innocent and cleer from these crimes laid to my charge. Mr. Speaker, I humbly crave your further patience to speak somwhat concerning the ehxibiting of this Charge; which is to propose to your Consideration these propositions, viz. First, whether to exhibite Article of high treason by his Majesties own hands in this House agrees with the rights and priviledges therof. Secondly, whether for a guard armed to come into the Parliament to accuse any of the Members thereof, be not a breach of the priviledge of Parliament. Thirdly, whether any of the Members of Parliament being so accused may be committed upon such accusation, without the whole consent thereof. Fourthly, whether a Parliament hath not priviledge to bayle any member so accused. Fiftly, whether if any of the Members of a Parliament so charged, and by the House discharged without release from his Majesty may still sit in the House as Members of the same. And thus Mr. Speaker, I humbly crave pardon for my presumption in so far troubling this Honourable House, desiring their favourable consideration of all my actions, and that I may have such tryall as to this wise Councell shall seeme meet, cheerfully submitting my selfe and actions to the righteous judgement of the same.
The KINGS Majesties Replication to the Lords and Commons in Parliament.
WEE will not repeat what means We have used to prevent the dangerous and distacted estate of the Kingdome, nor how those means have bin interpreted, because being desirous to avoid effusion of blood, we are willing to decline all memory of former bitternesse that might make Our offer of a Treatie lesse readily accepted.
We never did Declare, nor ever intended to Declare both Our Houses of Parliament Traitours, or set up Our Standard against them, and much lesse to put them and this Kingdome out of Our Protection: We utterly professe against it before God and the World. And further to remove all Scruples which may hinder the Treaty so much desired of Ʋs; We hereby Promise, so that a day be appointed by you for the revoking of your Declarations against all Persons as Traitours or otherwise, for assisting of Ʋs, We shall with all cheerfulnesse upon the same day recall Our Proclamations and Declarations, and take down our Standard: In which Treaty, We shall be ready to grant any thing that shal be really for the good of Our Subjects; Conjuring you to consider the bleeding condition of Ireland, and the dangerous condition of England, in as high a degree as by these Our offers We have declared Our Selfe to do: And assuring you that Our chiefe desire in this world is to beget a good understanding and mutuall considence betwixt Ʋs and Our two Houses of Parliament.
A Declaration of the LORDS and Commons in Parliament.
WHereas His Majesty in a Message, received the fifth of September, requires that the Parliament would revoke their Declarations against such persons as have assisted His Majesty in this unnaturall War against His Kingdom. It is this day ordered and Declared by the Lords & Commons, That the Arms which they have bin and shall be forced to take up for the preservation of the Parliament, Religion, the Lawes and Liberties of the Kingdome, shall not be laid downe, untill His Majestie shall withdraw His Protection from such persons as have beene Voted by both Houses to be Delinquents, or that shall by both Houses be Voted to be Delinquents, and shall leave them to the Justice of the Parliament, to be proceeded with, according to their demerits; to the end that both this, and succeeding Generations may take warning with what danger they incurre [Page 6] the like hainous crimes, and also to the end that those great charges and damages wherewithall the Common-wealth hath beene burthened in the Premisses, since His Majesties departure from the Parliament, may be born by the Delinquents, and other malignant and dis-affected persons: And that all His Majesties good and well affected Subjects, who by Loan of Monies, or otherwise at their charge have assisted the Common-wealth, or shall in like manner hereafter assist the Common-wealth, in time of extreme danger, may be repayed all Sums of Money by them lent for those purposes, and be satisfied their charges so sustained, out of the Estates of the said Delinquents, and of the malignant and disaffected party in this Kingdome.
Ordered by the Lords and Commons in Parliment that this Declaration, be forthwith printed and published.