BEING freely and unanimously elected by you (without my privity or seeking) to serve as one of your Burgesses in this Parliament, I have since my entrance into the Commons House (the 7th of Novemb. last) endeavoured to the best of my skill & Judgement, faithfully to discharge that trust and duty you repos'd in me, (according to my Conscience) to put a speedy and happy period to our unnaturall long-lasting bloody Warres, and settle a firme well­grounded peace, upon such Terms of honor, freedom, safety, & advantage, as no Subjects under Heaven ever yet enjoyed from the Creation til this present, What my indefatigable endeavours were herein, in drawing up al the Bills upon the Kings Concessions in the late Treaty, is wel known to most of the Members then sitting, and what I delivered in the House upon the Debate of the Kings Answers to our Propositions up­on the whole Treaty (with a sincere and publike spirit, ayming at no­thing but yours and the whole Kingdomes felicity and prosperity, not a­ny private interest of mine owne) I have sent you here in print, being falsely charged by a new erected Generall Councell of Officers of the Army (who have trayterously usurped to themselves the supreame Au­thority of the Kingdom, & against the knowne Priviledges of Parlia. the Liberty of the Subjects, and the Law of the Land forcibly seised on my selfe, and divers other eminent Members going to the House to discharge our duties, on the 6th. and 7th. of December last, in pursu­ance [Page]of the Treaty, and secluded me and them from sitting there ever since, to yours and the whole Kingdomes prejudice) among other secu­red Members in the grosse, for an Apostate from the publike trust which you reposed in me, only for this SPEECH, and the VOTE of the whole house, for the settlement of the Kingdomes peace, made in pursuance of it; they having no particular matter else to charge mee with [had they any just power to impeach or seclude me, which they have not) but this alone. How perfidiously and iniuriously they have dealt with, and how scandalously they have traduced and libelled a­gainst me, and the other restrained Members in print, upon this occa­sion only, you may reade in the Epistle to the Reader; though mine and the other Members innocency be so perspicuous, that they confess, they have yet no particular matters of impeachment against us, after a­bove 7. weeks imprisonment, but promise shortly to produce some [if they can:) whereas their owne Treasonable Rebellions, violences, per­iuries and crimes, written with Sunbeams in their very foreheads, are visible to all the world, and need no witnesses to prove their gvilt; their late unparallel'd exorbitances and proceedings both against the King, Parliament, Lords, Members, City and Countrey being knowne and apparent unto all. I shall therefore appeale from these usurpers, (who have no more Authority to question or restrain me, for any reall or pretended breach of my Trust, as a Member, were I guilty of it, then the meanest Servant hath to call his Master to account for mis­governing his family, or to shut him out of doores:] unto you alone, who elected me, and are best able to know and judge of your own trust; desiring your speedy resolution of this Question, Whether in that here in spoken or voted by me, I have any wayes violated the trust or faith which you and every of you reposed in me? For which Speech and Vote, though I am Iudicially accountable only to the Commons House, which knowes the true grounds upon which I went, and can only truly Iudge of what was there spoken and voted (none being [...]i judi­ [...], cog­ [...]se. SE­ [...]CA. fit to Iudge any thing but those who know and hear it too) the maiority of which house concurred with me in the vote, without any division: yet, I hold my selfe in some sort ministerially accomptable unto you for whom I serve as the properest Iudges, without the House doores, of what I spake or voted in your behalfe. From whom I shall humbly request so much right and justice, upon the perusal of the inclosed Speech and papers, [which I desire may be read openly before all my Electors at your next [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page]publique meeting) as to testify to the world under your hands and seals (which you set to the return of my Election] your own Iudgements & opinions, whether I have betrayed or broken the Trust you reposed in me or not, by what I spake or voted in this debate? and what sence you have of the Armies forcible secluding and imprisoning me [your Bur­gesse] from the House, among other Members, above seven weekes space together, contrary to mine and your undoubted Priviledge; how farre you conceive your selves obliged by ought that hath been or shall be concluded or voted in the House during the Armies force upon it, & your Burgesses [& most other Members] violent seclusion thence, against all Law and president, and what reparations you expect for this high Injustice to your selves and me: With what else you think fit to determine touching the premises: And if you deeme it necessary, to returne your results herein to me, with all convenient speed: who shall make the best advantage thereof for yours, mine owne and the Kingdomes benefit: whose peace (by Gods blessing) had been fully set­tled to your hearts content before this time, had not the Enemies of Peace (who gaine their livings by the Warres) interrupted our procee­dings by Imprisoning and secluding the greatest part of the Members, and particularly