The Publick Declaration, and Protestation of William Prynne of Lincolnes Inne Esquire, against his pre∣sent Restraint: and the present destructive Councells, and Iesuitical Proceedings, of the Generall, Officers and ARMY.
I William Prynne, a Member of the House of Commons and Freeman of England; who have formerly suffered 8. yeares imprisonment (four of them close, three in exile) three Pillories, the losse of my Eares, Calling, Estate, for the vindicating of the Subjects just Rights and Li∣berties against the arbitrary Tiranny and Iniustice of King and Prelates, and defence of the Protestant Religion here established; spent most of my strength and studyes in asserting the Peoples iust Freedome, and the Power and Priviledges of Parliament, against all Op∣posers, and never received one farthing (by way of dammages, gift, or recompence) or the smallest benefit or preferment whatso∣ever, for all my sufferings, and publike services, Doe here solemn••y declare, before the most just and righteous God of Heaven and Earth, (the searcher of all hearts) the whole Kingdome, English Nation, and the World, that having according to the best of my skil and judgment, faithfully discharged my trust and duty in the Commons House, upon reall grounds of Religion, Conscience, Justice, Law, Prudence and right reason, for the speedy and effectuall settlement of the Peace and safety of our three distracted, bleeding dying Kingdoms, on Munday, the 4th. of Decem∣ber, I was on Wednesday morning following (the sixt of this instant) going to the House to dischage my duty, on the Parliament staires next the Commons doore, forcibly seized upon by Col. Pride, Sir Hardresse Wa••••er, and other Officers of the Army (who had then beset the house with strong Guards and whole Regiments of Horse and Foot) haled violently thence into the Queens Court, notwithstanding my Protestation of breach of Priviledge, both as a Member and a Freeman, by a mere usurped tirannicall power, without any lawfull Authority, or cause assigned; and there for∣cibly detained Prisoner (with other Members there restrained by them) notwithstanding the Houses double demand of my present enlargement to attend its service, by the Sergeant, and that night [contrary to faith and promise] carried prisoner to Hell, and there shut up all night, (with 40 other Members) without any lodging or other accommodations, contrary to the known Priviledges of Parliament, the fundamentall Lawes of the Realme, and Liberty of the Subiect; which both Houses, the three Kingdomes, the Generall with all Officers and Souldiers of the Army, are by solemn Covenant and duty obliged inviolably to maintaine. Since which I have, without any lawfvll Power or Authority, been removed and kept prisoner in severall places, put to great expences, debarred the liberty of my person, calling; and denyed that Hereditary Freedome, which being to me of right, both as an Freeman, a Member, an eminent sufferer for the publike, and a Christian, by these who have not the least shaddow of Authority or Justice to restraine me, and never yet objected the least cause of this my unjust restraint:
I do therefore hereby publiquely protest against all these their proceedings, as the highest usurpation of an Arbitrary and tyrannicall Power, the greatest breach of Faith, Trust, Covenant, Priviledges of Parliament, and most dangerous encroachment on the Subiects Liberties, and Lawes of the Land, ever practised in this Kingdome by any King or Tyrant, especially by pretended Saints, who hold forth nothing but Iustice, Righteousnesse, liberty of Conscience, and publike freedome in all their Remonstrance; whiles they are tryumphantly trampling them all under their armed Iron feet. And do further hereby appeal to, & summon them, before all the Tribunalls & Powers in Heaven and Earth for exemplary Iustice against them, who cry out so much for it against others, lesse Tyrannicall, Oppressive, uniust, and fedifragus to God and men, then themselves: And doe moreover Remonstrate, that all their present exorbitant Actings against the King, Parliament, present Government, & their New-modled Representative, are nothing else but the designs and projects of Iesuits, Popish Priests, & Recusant, [who beare chiefe sway in their Councels] to destroy and subvert our Religion, Lawes, Liberties, Government, Maiestracy, Ministry, the present and all future Parliaments, the King, his Posterity, and our three Kingdomes, the Generall, yee Officers, and Army themselves, and that with speedy and inevitable certainty; to betray them all to our forraigne Po∣pish Enemies; and give a just ocasion to the Prince and Duke, now in the papists power, to alter their Religion, & engage them, and al foraign Princes and Estates to exert all their power to suppresse and extirpate the Protestant Religion and Posessors of it through all the world, which these unchri∣stian, scandalous, treacherous, Rebellious, Tyrannicall, Jesuiticall, disloyal, bloody present Counsels and Exorbitances of this Army of Saints, so much pretending to Piety and Iustice have so deepely wounded, scandalised, and rendred detestable to all pious, carnall and morall men of all conditions. All which I am, and shall alwayes be ready to make good before God, Angels, Men, and our whole three Kingdoms in a free and full Parliament, upon all just occasions; and seal the truth of it with the last drop of my dearest blood.
at the signe of the Kings head in the STRAND: Decemb. 26. 1648.
WILLIAM PRYNNE.