TO THE Christian Reader.

THE importunity of divers eminent Members of the House, and the multitude of false and scandalous Aspersions publickly cast upon my self, and other secluded Members, not only in common Discour∣ses, anda News-books, but in sundry Libellous pamphlets, published by the Officers of the Army, and their Confederates, since their late Treaso∣nable unparalleld violence to our persons, and the Houses and our priviledges and freedome, without the least pretext of Authority; have necessitated me to put this Speech into writing, and publish it to the whole Kingdom and world, which else had ex∣pired within those walls where it was spok•n, with that breath that uttered it.

The scandals wherewith they have publickly aspersed the secured and secluded Members in print, are these;b That wee are a corrupt Majority, and apostatizing party; selfe-seeking men; old Royalists; New-malignants; Neuters; Traitors; Men byassed from the common Cause, powerfully carrying on their own designes to se∣cure themselves, and work their own advantage, by a corrupt clo∣sure with the King; and by subtill endeavours making way for the bringing him in on TERMS DESTRUCTIVE to the Publick; a corrupt Majority, designing the establishment of a lasting Dominion between the King and themselves in a perpetuall Parlia∣ment 〈2 pages missing〉 Page  4 No wonder those Saints d•generated so far to act theh Devills part, as to carry and cast us prisoners into hell it selfe, and there keep us waking upon the bare boards all night without any accommodations, when they seized us; were wee such persidious Judasses or incarnate Devills, as they would render us to the Kingdome, and those for whom wee serve, before ever they vouchsafed particularly thus to charge us, or bear our just defence, either as Members, or Freemen of England. However, were we every way as vile as they would make us, yet it is as clear as the Noon-day Sun, That these very Officers, and the Army, being not our Masters but Servants, particularly i raised, waged, and engaged by solemn Leacue and Covenant, among other things, to protect and defend the Parliaments and Members Rights, priviledges, and persons from all Force and violence whatsoever, in such manner as both Houses and the Committee of both Kingdomes should approve, cannot pretend the least shadow of reason or authority from the Law of God or man, thus traiterously to seized, imprison and seclude us, without the Houses license, before any particular charge against us; it being a far more dete∣stable and inexcusable Treason and Rebellion, then k Jermins or Percies attempt to bring up the Nor∣thern Army to over awe the Houses, or thel Kings comming to the Commons House to demand the five Members, only (formerly impeached of High-Treason,) without seizing or secluding them the Hause or any other Members; orm Wallers, Tompkins and Chaloners Treason, to seize severall Members of both Houses, and bring them to a legall Tryall, as they pretended, and to awe and master the Parliament (for which they were cond•mned and executed as Traitors, though never actually attempted:) or the Re∣formadoes or Apprentices unarmed violence for a few hours, with∣out seizing or secluding any Member; which yet then Generall, Officers, and Army in their Remonstrances, Letters, and papers, declared to be Treasonable, and pressed for speedy and exemplary Iu∣stice against the chief Actors and Abettors of it, to prevent the like attempts and force for the future.

But what is the true and onely ground of all this outcry? Surely the Generall Conncell of the O•ffi•rs of the Army in their Answer of Ian. 3, 1648. Pag. 7, 8. 9, 10. ingenuvsly conf•ss; 〈◊〉 it was no•hin•, Page  5 but our vote upon the long nights debate, on the fisth of December last; That the Answers of the King to the Propositions of both Houses were a ground for the House to proceed upon for the set•le∣ment of the peace of the Kingdome; being the largest, the safest, and benefioiallest ever yet granted by any King to his Subjects since the Cre∣ation: and that we resolved to settle a speedy and well grounded peace, upon most honourable and secure termes for the Kingdomes pub∣like interest and felicity, not our owne particular advantages, after seven years bloody expensive wars; and refused to follow the p•rnicious trea∣sonable Iesuiticall advice of these Enemies of peace, (who intend to make a lasting trade of war) in breaking off the Treaty with the King, upon the first tender of their Treasonable Remonstrance, N•vemb. 20. (some few dayes before the Treaty expired) contrary to our publick En∣gagement both to the King and Kingdome: and would not directly contrary to our Oathes of Supremacy and Allegiance, ouro Solemn Protesta∣tion, League and Covenant, our multiplyed Remonstrances, Decla∣rations', Petitions, Propositions, and Engagements to the King, Kingdom, People, Scotland, Ireland; all forraigne Protestant States and the World, immediately imprison, arraigne, condemn, depose and execute the King; dis-inherit and banish the Prince, and Royall line as Traitors, dispose of all the Crown revenues towards their arrears; dissolve the present Parliament forthwith, subvert all future Parliaments, and the ancient Government of the King∣dome by King, Lords, Knights, Citizens and Burgesses duly elected, and alter all the fundamentall Lawes and Statutes of the Realme, set up a new Utopian Representative, and supream Anarchicall Ty∣ranny of the people, to destroy both • Magistracy, Ministery, Govern∣ment, Peace, Religion and Liberty at once; betray bleeding, dying Ireland (then near its ruine) to the bloody, Popish, Irish Rebells; and bring speedy inevitable destruction on our three Kingdomes, and those respective Counties, Cities and Burroughs for which we serve; the only con∣tradictory wayes to peace and settlement, which they prescribed in their long-winded Remonstrance, and the onlyp good intentions (though the worst that ever entred into the hearts of Saints) to justifie their unpa∣ralleld force upon our persons, and our false imprisonment ever since, which they confesse in it self to be irregular and not Justifiable.

1 do• therefore here in my owne behalf (there being nothing case that can be objected against me but this Speech and vote, which was carried clearly in the House without any Division at all, and by 140. voices to 104. Page  4 〈1 page duplicate〉 Page  5 〈1 page duplicate〉 Page  6 that the question should be then put, (though I bee not obliged to render any accompt or reason of anything I spake or voted in the House to any mortalls but the House alone) appeal to the great and righteous judg of Heaven and Earth, (to whom the Army and Officers have so oft appealed in this cause) to the Burrough of New-port in Cornwal, and all the free Burgesses in it, (who without any privity or desire elected mee for their Trustee and Burgesse) to all the Counties, Cities, Burroughs, and Freemen of England and Wales, to the united Kingdomes of Scotland and Ireland, to all the Protestant Churches, Kingdomes and States in forraigne parts, yea to the Judgements and Consciences of the Generall, Officers and Souldiers of the Army, and to all the rest of the world who shall peruse this Speech, and the Reasons inducing me cordially to consent to the former Vote, and dissent from the Armies Remonstrance; whether I, and the rest of the secured or secluded Members, whom they so oft term, THE CORRVPT MAIORITY OF THE HOVSE; or the GARBLED MINORITY who dissented from us and the Generall, and Generall Councell of Officers in the Army, be the grea∣test Apostates and Renegadoes from our publick trust and duties; the greatest Betrayers and Renowncers of the Law and doctrine of the peoples Liberties and Freedome; the greatest boils and plague-sores of the Kingdome; the greatest mad-men struck with a Pestilentiall Phrensy, the greatest self-seekers of our own particular corrupt inte∣rests, the reallest re-imbroylers of this miserable wasted Nation in war, blood, oppression and Tyranny. And whether we or they bee most guilty all those Calumnies and Censures they have thus rashly and censoriously published and cast upon us, before any proof, hearing, or conviction of us, to wound us, and render us odious to the present and all future ages? And whether our d•ryed Vote,q till the passing where∣of, they affirm, they said or acted nothing in relation to the Parlia∣ment, or any Member of it, (as if their Remonstrance of Nov. 20. their High Declaration full of Menaest against the dissenting numbers, Novemb. 30. their removing the Houses former guards, and marching up to London against the Houses command, Decemb. 1. to over-awe the Members in their debate before the Vote passed, were nothing to the House or any Member) or their undutifull Remonstrance, Novemb. 20. be the more honourable, safe, just, conscientious, speedy and certain way to settle a firme and lasting Peace in all three Kingdomes, with most security and advantage to the Kingdomes, and all honest mens publick interest, both for the present, and all succeeding Generations?

Page  7 And if upon the serious perusall and consideration of the intire Trea∣ty, and of this my ensuing Speech, comprehending the principall graunds and reasons of that Vote (though much more was spoken by many worthy and more able Members in that most solemne debate, which I leave to them to publish if they please,) the Burrough for which I serve, and all others to whom I have here appealed, shall give up their verdict for me, and the other secured and secluded Mem∣bers, that I and they have herein faithfully discharged our Trusts and duties to God and Man, to the King, Kingdoms, Church, people, and Army too, (as we have sincerely done it to our owne consciences, in the uprightnesse of our hearts and spirits;) wee shall then hope, that all theser rayling accusations against us, [and their violence offered to our persons and priviledges] will vanish into smoke, and returne up∣on their owne pates with highest infamy and dishon•ur, as being most really guilty themselves of all these false Calumnies against us and that wee shall appeare spotlesse and innocent from these great pre∣tended transgressions both before God and Men. Howsoever, seeing our owne consciences pronounce us innocent, we shall cheare up our hearts with this sacred Cordiall, Matth. 5. 10, 11, 13. Blessed shall you be when men revile yous AND SEPARATE YOU FROM THEIR COMPANY, and say all manner of evill against you false∣ly for my name sake; rejoyce and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven, for so persecuted they the Prophets which were before you: till God in his owne due time and wayt shall bring forth our righteousnesse as the light, and our judgement as the noon day, in this present world, or acquit us of them at his owne tribunall in the world to come, at the great day of judgement, when the secrets of all learis shall be revealed, and every man condemned or absolved before the Angels, and all mankind by Christ himselfeu according to his workes, not good or evill intentions, or Hypocriticall pretentions, which may delude the world for a time, but never God nor Christx before whose all-seeing eyes, all things are bare and unridged, appearing in their proper colours.

In the mean time, Christian Reader, I submit this plaine-dealing Rude speech to thine impartiall censure, by which I desire to be acquit∣ted or condemned, justified or impeached of the good or evill of the forementioned Vote (the only crime I am guilty of) against all these calum∣nies and the Armies violence to my person: who have only two pleas to justi∣fie their treasonable violence upon the secured and secluded Members, which I shall here briefly examine.

Page  8 The first isY their honest intentions of publique good.

To which I answer, First, that no pious nor •onest in∣tentions can justifie or excuse any irregular actions, though neither scandalous nor prejudiciall unto men, but seemingly pious and devout, as is cleare by the examples of thez Bethsheemites,a Vzza,b Saul andc o∣thers, much lesse can they excuse or justifie any treasonable, scandalous and flagitious acts of violence and oppressi∣on (as yours are both against the King and Members) a∣gainst your Oaths, Trusts, Covenants, which are mo∣rall sinnes and evils against manyd expresse Scriptures and that very devine charge to Souldiers Luke 3. 14. Doe violence to no man, &c. 2 That Christians must in no case doe evill that good may come of it: Rom 3. 8. their damnation being just that doe it, Therefore not so great an evill, so many complicated evils as you now act upon any intents of publike good. Thirdly, Christians e must abstaine from all appearance of evill: provide things ho∣nest in the fight of all men; andf give no offence to the Gentiles, Churches of Christ, or any others whatsoever, to the scandall of Re∣ligion, under paine of severe condemnation. Therefore no pretences of ho∣nest intentions for publike good can justifie, or extenuate your present irre∣gular and most scandalous actions, which offend all sorts of conscientious, morall and carnall men, and the worst of Turk• and beathens will condemn.

4. Your pretended honest intentions for publike good are nothing ilse but the most. Treasonable destructive designes and irreligious Pro∣jects against all publike good, peace and settlement, that ever entred into the Hearts of Christians, expressed at large in your Remon∣steance and Declaration of Nov. 20. & 30. to which you referre; as, the disposing and murthering the King &c. the•evils and wickednesse where∣of I have here and elsewhere demonstrated at large; and to justifie your hor∣rid force on us, by such detestable intentions, is the very hight of wicked∣nesse and atheisme; which highly aggravates not extenuates your violence and crimes.

5. If intentions or pre•entions of publique good, may be pleaded to justifie this force of yours, the gunpowder Traytors, Jermin, Percy, the Apprentices, Challoner, Jack Cade, Jack Straw, all Rebells, and Cavaliers, who all pleaded their honest intentions of publike good: yea, every Idolater under Heaven who worshippeth any Idoll or Devill with Page  9 a religious and pious intention, as the true and onely God, and those bloody persecutors, John 16. 2. who thought they did God service in killing the Apostles and Saints of CHRIST, shall by this new Army Divinity, justifie their Idolatrie and persecution to be no sinne nor crime at all: For shame then let not such an absurd irreligious and wicked excuse and justification as this• be ever henceforth named nor owned among Saints, which very Pagans would blush to •vow.

The second and chief excuse and justification, is, an* extraordinary ne∣cessity for publike good leading them thereunto: This they endea∣vour to manifest by sundry particulars: which as they are apparently false and scandalous is themselves, over tedious to re•u•e, and waved by them in their •ixt head of necessity, reducing all the grounds of our seisure & sequestration from the House to our vote of Decemb. 5. So it is but a meere false pretence, and no justification at all if true.

But to take away this ple• of necessity altogether, it stands but upon these two generall feet. First, that the Members secured, and secluded, were a corrupt Majority of the House, Secondly, That if they had not thus secured and secluded them, they would have proceeded to the set∣tlement of a speedy peace with the King in pursuance of this their Vote: Ergo the Army were extraordinarily necessitated to secure and seclude them. This is the Logick of the whole answer, all surmises concerning forepast miscariages in the House, and packing of New E∣lections [in which themselves and their owne party are most peccant, few of their Elections being due or faire, and divers of them voted voyd, as Mr. Fryes, Blagraves, and others who now sit and vote] and all miscariages concerning Irel. which are false, [specified only without verity or proof against any of us] relating nothing at all to our present seclu∣sion of which they confesse the vote of Decemb. 5. to be the onely impulsive cause. The plaine English of the first ground of their Necessity is this. The Majority of the House of Commons [which in all debates is and alwayes hath been the house] over-voted the Minority or lesser part. Ergo there is a necessity, that the Army should s••lude them, that so the smaller Number might sit alone without them and vote what they please, [as now they doe] and null and repeal what ever the Major part had voted repugnant to the Armies designes.

This new Utopian necessity [never heard of nor pretended in the world till now] ought to be eternally exploded, as the horriddest distructive Monster to Government, and States, ever yet produced in the world, as I shall cleare by these particulars.

FIRST, It utterly subverts, the undoubted rights, priviledges, and constitutions of all Parliaments or Councells whatsoever. from Page  10 the beginning of the world till now, whether civill, military, or Ec∣clesiastical, wherein the Majority of voices upon the question, ever car∣ries the Vote, and is still reputed the act of the whole Councell or Parliament• adly, It overthrowes the legall forme and proceedings in all popular Elections of Knights, Citizens, Burgesses, Mayors, Bayliffs, Coroners, Verderers, Wardens of Companies, Common-Councell-men & all others, ever carried & determined by the plurali∣ty of voices, of those who have right to elect. 3dly, It overturnes their New Bable, to wit the Agreement of the people, and new Repre∣sentative, in which themselves resolve, the Majority of the Electors ought to chuse their new Representatives, and the Votes of the Major part of them who meet, ought to bind all the rest, and not the minor part to seclude or sway the rest. 4thly, It will soon dissolve their new erected strange generall Councell of the Officers of the Army, where all matters are yet concluded by plurality of voices, where if the major part should vote against the Kings trayterous beheading, or the agree∣ment of the people, the Levellers, being the lesser part, upon this preten∣ded n•oessity, that they are a corrupt Majority, may forthwith forcibly soize on & secure them, and make themselves the only General Coun∣cell though the fewest, and act what they please, when the others are secluded. 5ly, It subverts all rules of Judicature & Justice in al Courts of. Justice, where there are more Judges & Justices then one, where the majority of voices (as likewise at Commitees) over-rule the minority: who upon the pretence of necessity, and being a corrupt majority, may be kept forcibly from or pulled off the Bench, by any persons who suspect they will encline or give judgement against them, in any cause depending before them. 6ly, It lays a foundation for all the Tyranny, villany & oppression that can be imagined, which the Levellers begin in some places to pursue, & the Army too. For example. The King (say they) if he & monarchy continue, will in time grow too strong for the people. Ergo there is a necessity we should pul down monarchy & him now, & have no more Kings to rule over us. The house of Lords will be too potent for the Commons & have a negative voice to cross what they shall Vote. Ergo we are now necessitated whiles we have power in our hands, to pull downe the house of Lords and lay their honour in the Dust. The City of London was too powerfull, rich and wealthy for the Countrey and us heretofore, and kept down Sectaries from publick Offices, Ergo whiles we have the power in our hands, we must break down all their out workes, divide & lay aside all their Mi∣litia, empty their bagges, pull downe their pride, throw out their Page  11 old Officers, put in new ones of our own faction, take away their Li∣berties and freedome of Elections contrary to their Charters, & sun∣dry Acts of Parliament, dispense with Common-councel-mens Oathes; and so inslave the City to our vassalage. This is their present practise. The Land-lord• & Rich men in the Country are too potent for their Tenant•, & the poor, Ergo we must by force of Armes out of extraordinary necessity, now abate the Tenants Rents, alter their Tenures and Customes, share their Lands and wealth amongst our selves and the poore: and if any poore man by forging an Act of Parliament or otherwise, pretend a Title to any rich mans Lands, turne the rich man out of possession, and put the poore into it: as some Levellers and Souldiers have lately done in Essex in the case between Sir Adam Littleton and one Pointz: against all rules of righteous∣nesse• Law and conscience, Such a Monster is this plea of necessity for publick good, already grown unto through the Armies power, and how soon it will proceed to draw the blood of many gallant Gentle∣men, Lords, and Members now secluded (for fear they should prove the stronger as well as the major number, and therefore must lose their heads to prevent al future dangers & revenge) God only knows.

The second ground for the necessity of our seisure and seclusion is this: that the pretended corrupt majority of the House would have closed with the King, & setled the Kingdomes peace before this time had they not been secured. Erg• the Officers and Army were neces∣sitated to secure them as Apostates from, and infringers of their trusts.

I answer: This is very ill Logick, and worse Divinity. For first, is not theo end of all just wars whatsoever, nought else but peace? 2. Is it not Gods command and every Saints and Christians dutyp to pray for peace?q to follow peace with al men• tor seek peace and pursue it? tos study to be quiet and live in peace? tot live peaceably with all men, as much as in us •yeth? And is not our God a Godu of Peace? our Sa∣viour Jesus Christx the Prince of peace? the holy Ghost y a Spirit of Peace? the Gaspell it selfez a Gospell of peace? and can, or dare• any Saints then pretend a necessity to levy warre even against the Parliament and Mem∣bers themselves (which is high Treason) onely upon this pretended necessity, that they desire and indeavour to settle peace in our Kingdome?

Page  21 Thirdly, Is not peace the greatest Earthly blessing that God can bestow upon us? andu hath promised out of his love to give us as a most SIGNALL fa∣vour? is it not the thing we have all payed for, fasted for, fought for, paid for, longed for and earnestly desirid for many yeares? doe not all Counties, Cities, Villages, Families, yea every sort [except those who make a trade of Warre to enrich themselves by the Kingdomes ruines] but more especially distressed Ireland, cry all out unto us with one unanimous cordiall and continuall clamar, Peace, Peace, for the Lords sake, No more Warres, no more blood shed, no more plundering, no more free quarter, no more taxes, but Peace, Peace, or else we perish? And if so, the generali∣ty of the people and Kingdome, being by the Armies principles, the originall and fountaine of all just power, there is an absolute necessity lyes upon us, who are their trustees to make and setlle. Peace, but no necessity for the army to hinder or secure us from effecting it, yes a necessity for them to assist us in it, and release us to accomplish it, which by Gods blessing we had done ere this.

Object All that they can object, is; That we would have made an unsafe and dishonourable peace with the King, upon his owne termes, to the peoples prejudice and enstaving.

Answ. To which I answer: 1. It is the foulest, falsest, and most malicious scandall that ever man could invent, which the ensuing Speech will abundantly refute, to the shame of those who dare to aver it in print. 2. Admit it true: yet an unjust and unequall peace, is better, safer, and more honourable for us, (now we are quite exhausted, and can manage warre no longer, and Ireland so neere its ruine) then the justest Warre; which ought not to be undertaken at first without abso∣lute necessity, and nes to continue one houre longer then that necessity endures, especially if it be a Civill Warre between those of the same Nation, blood, Religion; or a defensive Warre, as our Warre is, who have now no armed Enemies to encounter; and so there can be no pretence of necessity to continue a Warre, or so great a recruited Army, unlesse it be to enslave us to martiall Law and Tyranny, in stead of peace and Liberty. 3. Neither God, nor the Kingdome, nor Majority of the people, ever made the Army Iudges of the goodnesse or badnesse of the intended peace, but the Parliament onely; the onely proper Iudges likewise of the necessity of peace or Warre: And therefore for them Page  13 thus forcibly to wrest this Iudicatory out of the Houses bands, with∣out a lawfull calling to it, and to imprison those who are Iudges of it, is neitherb Christian, nor warrantable, but the highest inso∣lency and Rebellion ever offered to any Parliament in any age: And upon this account, every Souldier who hath a cause depending in Par∣liament, or in any Court of Iustice, may by as good Iustice and rea∣son pull all the Members out of the Houses, and Iudges from the Ben∣ches, that would not give Iudgement for him, be his cause never so unjust, and make himselfe, or the Generall Councell of the Army his onely Iudges, who may proceed to Iudgement on his side, before any hearing or appearance before them by his adversary, in such sort as they have proceeded a∣gainst us.

But admit there were an extraordinary necessity for publick good, as is pretended; yet to make necessity a plea for to justifie any m•rall sinne or evill, is monstrous in an Army of Saints.e Nulla est ne∣cessitas delinquendi quibus una est necessitas non delinquendi, was the Primitive Christians Maxime; who chose rather to die the cruellest deaths, then commit the smallest sinne: Had Hugh Pe∣ters, John Goodwin, and these Army-Counsellors lived in our Sa∣viours dayes, they could have taught St. Peter how toe have denyed his Lord and Master thrice together with Oathes and curses, (as the Army have denyed and imprisoned their Lords and Masters, and cast them into bell, with Oathes and curses too;) and to have justified it, in stead of going forth and weeping bitterly for it, as he did: because be did it onely out of necessity, to save his life when he was in danger. If these Army-Saints had lived in Iulian the Apostate's dayes, they could have instructed his Souldiers how to have sacrificed to his] Idols, by throwing but a branch into the Fire, out of necessity to sare many precious Souldiers lives, rather then to be mariyred for refusing it: And had Catesby, Faux, Winter, and Piercy wan∣ted an advocate or Ghostly father to encourage them to blow up the Par∣liament-House, King, Nobles and Commons at once, and justifie it when they had done it; the Generall officers, and Councell of this Army, and their two •ore-named Chaplains, (had they been called to that Confederacy at they are to this) would have justified not onely the contriving but the effecting of it, with their plea of extraordina∣ry necessity for the publique good: there being no difference between the Armies proceedings and theirs; but, that they would have blonn up the King, Lords and Parliament with Gunpowder; and the Army hath now pulled and battered them downe with Gunpowder and armes Page  14 violence; and what they did onely attempt modestly and covertly in a Vault, (for which they were condemned and executed as Traytors; though they had no Engagements on them to protect the Parliament;) the Army hath done impudently, in attempting and affecting it in the open view of all the World: against their trusts, duties, covenants. And whereas some of them repented and were sorry for it, these Saints doe not onely not repent of it but persevere in and justifie this Treason in print, There∣fore those very powder-Traytors shall condemn them, as being more modest and lesse sinfull then they, who have so many obligations and Vowes upon them not to doe it, but detest it.

2. This plea of necessity for publick good, is the very Iustification and Foundation off the Jesuites treacherous practises to murther, stab, poyson all Christian Kings and Princes whom they deem hereti∣call or obstructive to their designes; to equivocate, lie, dissemble subvert whole Kingdoms, blow up Parliaments, and act any kinde of villanies. If you interrogate them, why they doe it? or what arguments they use to engage others in that service? they will inform you; That ne∣cessity of publike good, and honest intentions to promote the Catho∣like cause and Popes authority, are the onely grounds and warrant for such irregular and extraordinary proceedings. And for the Gene∣rall Councell of the Officers to take up this very Iesuites plea, as the only argument to justifie their laste Iesuiticall force and powder-plot upon the Houses; is an infallible argument unto me, that they are swayed and steered by Iesuites in all their late Councels and proceedings.

3. This plea of necessity, if admitted, will be a perpetuall president from the Armies practice and rebellion, to justifie and encourage all kinde of factious and discontented people in all suture ages, be they Papists, Malignants, Neuters, Jack Cades v•lgar Rable, or Royalists and Cavaliers, when ever they have sufficient power in their hands, to seize upon, or secure and exclude any Members in all succeeding Parliaments, who vote not what they please, as a corrupt Majority, who have betray∣ed their Trusts; since an Army of Saints, specially raised, waged by both Houses to defend and protect them from any violence, and engaged by a solemne League and covenant to preserve them from it; have publickly justified it upon these grounds to the Members now sitting, and to all the world, and their Chaplain John Goodwin* in his Right & Might well- (he should have then said ill-) met, vindicates THE EQVITY & REGVLARNES of the ARMIES PROCEEDINGS against us, VPONVNDENIABLE PRINCIPLES, (as •e stiles them) as well of REASON AS RELIGION, (ô monstrous Divi∣nity Page  15 worthy to be burnt by the hands of the Hangman) which will to∣tally subvert the priviledges, freedom, honor and power of Parliaments in all times to come, if not vindicated by some exemplary Act of ju∣stice, and a professed law and declaration against such insolencies, as in the * five Members cases. And so much the rather because the Members now sitting under the Armies force, on Thursday the 11. of Ianuary, 1648. passed this stupendious Vote, destructive to the priviledges, freedom, honor, safety and being of the present and all future Parliaments and most injurious and scandalous to the secured and secluded Members, prejudg∣ed and condemned both by them and the Army, without ever being heard, or any proofs or witnesses produced, to make good any gene∣ral or particular charge against all or any of them; which vote we must totally disclaim, and publiquely protest against, as the most dishonorable that ever passed within the Houses Walls, being repugnant to the Prote∣station of both Houses, the solemn League and Covenant and many Declarations of the House, inviolably to maintain the Rights, Privi∣ledges, and freedom of Parliament; and the highest breach of Priviledge ever offered by Members to their fellow-Members since there were Parlia∣ments in the world. The Vote is this, That THE HOUSE DOTH APPROVE OF THE SUBSTANCE OF THE ANSWER of the Generall Councell of Officers of the Army, to the demand of this House, touching the SECURING and SECLUDING SOME (to wit, above 200 besides those frighted thence, being half as many more) MEMBERS THEREOF; And appointing a Committee of 24, (whereof most are new elected Members and Mr. Fry, whose electi∣on is voted void) or any five of them, to consider what is fit further to be done upon the said answer of the Generall Councell of the Of∣ficers of the Army, and present the same TO THIS HOUSE; and the Committee to meet this afternoon in the Exchequer Cham∣ber. The injustice of this vote (beside the breach of Priviledge) will appear by these particulars.

First, in justifying the most horrid and treasonable force of these Officers of the Army that ever was offered to any Parliament or Members in any age contrary to the expresse Statute of* 7 E. 1. which the Houses heretofore so deeply resented that they oft declared against it in case of the King, who did only come and demand but* five Members,* but feixed neither of them; and Impeached Jermin and Piercy of High Treason, only for tampering to bring up the Northern Army; And executed Chaloner and Tomkins for Traytors for Page  16 conspiring to force the Houses, and seize some Members under a pretext to bring them to justice.

Yea, the Parliament in 4 E. 3. n. 1. among other charges, con∣demned and executed Roger Mortimer, as a Traytor and Enemy to the King and Kingdom, for offering violence to some few Mem∣bers of Parliament sitting at Salisbury; and forcing others thence. And the Parliament of 21 R. 2. cap. 12. condemned the Earls of Arun∣del and Warwick, and Duke of Gloucester as Traytors for forcing the King and Parliament, by a power of armed men arrayed in war∣like manner, to consent to Bile against their wils; & to adjudg some of the Kings liege people therein, (much more them, if the King him∣self, as now) to death and to forfeit their Lands and Goods: in the Parliament of 11 R. 2. Tea the Parliament of 1. H. 4. •. 21. 22. articled against Richard the second, that he held the Parliament of 21. R. 2. Viris arma∣tis & sagittariis immensis, and kept an extraordinary Guard of armed men brought out of Cheshire, (who forced, abused, and took free-quarter on the people) the better to over-aw the Parliament, and take away the lives of some Noble-men. And the Parliament of 31 H. 6. cap. 1. adjudged and declared Jack Cade, to be a most hor∣rible, odious, and errant false TRAYTOR, for forcing the King and Parliament held at Westminster, in 29 H. 6. to grant some Petitions, and stirring an Insurrection, and Rebellion UN∣DER COLOUR OF JUSTICE FOR REF OR∣MATION OF THE LAWES; And proceeding upon the same grounds in such manner as the Officers and Army now do; and made void, an nulled all judgments and proceeding whatsoever made un∣der the power of his Tyranny; Which the Officers and Army have farre exceeded; in seizing, imprisoning and securing so many Members; (and having the King himself to an illegall triall for his life) which Jack Cade, and his Levellers and Reformers never did. And therefore for them to approve this Act and Answer of theirs, against so many Presidents, declaring it high Treason, must be an unexpiable offence.

Secondly, In prejudging, scandalizing, and condemning above two hundred Members at once, without any proof, evidence, or hearing; when as they ought in Iustice to have been heard, and some particular impeachment against them by name, before thus censured.

Thirdly, In approving the many false calumnies. laid and sugge∣sted against them only in the* generall; the falsity whereof is well known to themselves and the world, and tacitely confessed by the release Page  17 of above twenty of them by the Generall and Officers, without any cause as∣signed for their restraint or particular charge against them; they confessing some of their restraints to be injurious and mistakes.

Fourthly, In being Iudges in their own cases, and accusers and witnesses too against the secluded Members; sundry Members of the Commons House, being both Members of the Generall Councell and Army (con∣trary to the* self-denying Ordinance) as Cromwell, Skippon, Ireton, Harrison, Ingoldesby, Sir William Constable, Henry Martin, &c. and sitting and acting in both; hammering all things they design in the Generall Councell first, (as the Agreement of the people, and the like) and then presenting them to passe for current in the House, and penning their Declarations, Remonstrances, &c. against the Priviledges and Members of the House; A thing never practised by any Members till these: who make the Councell in the Army the principall engin to carry on all their projects in the House. From which intolerable abuse all the late distempers of the Armie, and mutinies against the Houses have for the most part pro∣ceeded.

Fifthly, In that they being but between 40 and 60 Members only, have presumed by this vote and a Declaration of Ian. 15. to censure above 200; and to consent to their long restraint and seclusion, in stead of righting and releasing them; and impeaching or committing the chief Authors of and actions in their securing and secluding, and bringing them to speedy Iu∣stice according to their Covenant and* Declarations against seizing any Members.

Sixthly, In presuming to passe such a Vote as this, whiles under a visible armed force; when as this House adjourned and refused to sit upon the Kings demand of the five Members, till they were righted. And Mr. Speaker, and most of the Members now sitting, deserted and fled away from the House, upon a far smaller force then this; even after the force was ever, refusing to sit till the Houses were restored to a condition of honor, freedom and safety; and declared all Votes, Ordinances, Orders and proceedings meerly null and void, during their absence; though not made under any such apparent force as is now upon the House, and when there were at least twice as many Members sitting as now, and not one secured nor secluded from coming freely to it without fear.

Seventhly, In justifying these two Iesuiticall and destructive grounds and pretences of this violence upon the House and Members Page  18 of honest publique intentions, and necessity for publique ends, which I have proved so absurd, impious and dangerous in sundry respects, and such as by any armed Party whatsoever may bee made use of upon all occasions to force and destroy all future Parlia∣ments.

Vpon all which considerations, I shall now take out the Solemn League and Covenant, these Members of the House, and Officers of the Army have so solemnly taken and made to God, with hands lifted up to heaven, and most apparently violated in this and other particulars of late; and (in case they proceed still obstinately in these violent and perfidious wayes) shall use the same words as* Amurath the second (sixth King of the Turks) once uttered in the great battail of Varna, when Uladislaus King of Hungary broke the truce hee had made, sealed and sworn to him in the name of Christ, and gave him battail and was like to rout him; Vpon which occasion and extream danger, Amurath beholding the picture of the Crucifix in the displayed Ensignes of the Christians, plukt the Writing out of his •osome, where∣in the late League was comprised; and holding it up in his hand, with his eyes cast up to heaven, said. Behold thou crucified Christ, this is the League thy Christians, in thy name, made with me, which they have without any cause violated. Now if thou be a God, as they say thou art, and as we dream', REVENGE THE WRONG NOW DONE UNTO THY NAME and ME, and SHEW THY POWER UPON THY PERJURIOUS PEOPLE, WHO IN THEIR DEEDS DENY THEE THEIR GOD. Vpon the uttering of which words, the Battail presently turned, the perjured King Uladislaus, Cardinal Julian, and many other Bishops and others, (the principall Authors of this scandalous and detestable per∣jury and breach of Covenant) were slain; with many thousand common Souldiers, and the whole Army routed and sattered. The like exem∣plary punishment or divine Vengeance these perfidious* Covenant-breakers cannot but expect will speedily befall them, (now they have the fervent prayers of most godly Ministers and people against them, as they had formerly for them) unlesse they seriously repent, reform, and retract all their late perjurious, scandalous actings and proceedings against their multiplyed Oaths, Protestations, Covenants, Votes, Remonstran∣ces, Declarations, Promises, Engagements, and Publique Faith both to Page  19 God and men, at which conscientious Christians and prophane persons every where stand amazed, and I hold my self in duty and conscience obliged. tok reprove them for it in publique, that they may be asha∣med, and brought the sooner to reform their detestable exorbitances in this kinde; to the Kingdomes, Parliaments, Kings, Armies ruine, and their own.

Before I conclude,* I shall answer only two Scripture-Texts,* pro∣duced by John Godwin, and others, to justifi the force upon us. sThe first is, David's eating of the Shew-bread, which was lawfull on∣ly for the Priests to eat; which yet was lawfull for him and his men to eat in case of necessity to preserve life, there being no other bread, 1 Sam. 21. 4, 5, 6. Matth. 12. 4. And that to save the life of a man, ox, or beast fallen into a ditch; a man in such a case of necessity may break the Sabbath, Luke 14. 4. Ergo, The Army in case of necessity may lawfully imprison and seclude the Members. The sum of a his Book.

I answer,* That the Argument is a meer inconsequent, if granted: I or, first, The eating of Shew-bread in it self was no morall evill; nor the saving of a Mans, •x, or Asses life, but a thing lawfull and commendable: But the resisting of lawfull Authority contrary to Duty, Oath, Covenant, aud offer∣ing unjust violence to the persons of those whom the Army are obliged to protect, and have no authority by the law of God or Man to seize or imprison; is a morall sinne against the Fifth Commandement, and many expresse Texts fore-quoted. Therefore the cases are no wayes pa∣rallel.

Secondly, The eating •of Shewbread, in case of necessity to pre∣serve life only, is neither within the intention nor meaning of Exodus 25. 30. 31. as Abimelech himself acknowledged to Da∣vid in these words, The Bread IS IN A MANNER COM∣MON, &c. 1 Sam. 21. 5. And our Saviour himself seems to in∣timate, Matth. 12. 4. That the pulling out of an Ox or Asse on the Sabbath day, being an extraordinary act of mercy and necessity too, was not within the intent of the Fourth Commandement, though with∣in the words. Whereas the violence done to our persons and the Houses is both within the words and intention of the forecited Texts.

Page  20 Thirdly, These two necessities were present, absolute, certain, and that onely to save the life of a hungry or sick person; or of a perishing beast. But the Officers and Armies lives were not now in any imminent danger of death for want of bread; nor their Horses of Asses cast into a ditch by us: and the imprisonment of our persons was neither to preserve their own, nor their horses lives from present death; but to hinder us from preserving the lives of three dying Kingdoms. Therefore these examples and Texts are very extra∣vagant.

Fourthly, Though David and his Young-men did eat the Shewbread; yet it is observable, that they did not take it away violently from the Priests, though it were to save their lives, (as souldiers now take free-quarter against mens wills) nor offered any violence to Abimelech's person, nor put him by his Priests Office, (as some Souldiers now forcibly enter into our Mi∣nisters Pulpits, when there is no necessity:) But they staid, till they had his opinion in point of conscience, whether they might take it, and till the Priest* GAVE HIM THE HALLOWED BREAD: So as the Argument from hence must be; David and his men, even in case of necessity to save their lives, would not take so much as a loaf of bread, till the Priest voluntarily gave it them: Ergo, the Officers and Army may lawfully take Free-quarter upon, and forcibly seclude and imprison the Members of Parliament against their duties, Covenant, and their con∣sents. Is not this pretty Logick and Divinity from John Goodwin, who deems himself the only compleat Disputant and Divine in the King∣dom? Doth not the contrary directly follow from the Text: Ergo, they ought not to take Free-quarter, nor offer the least violence to their persons without their consents; according to John Baptists Doctrine to Souldiers, Luke 3. 14. Do violence to no man.

Fifthly, The other Argument is as absurd. It is lawfull to pull an Ox or an Asse on the Sabbath day out of a ditch, to save their lives: Ergo, It is lawfull for the Officers and Army forcibly to imprison and seclude 200 Commoners out of the House, and keep a force upon the House; (yea, to send armed Regiments of Morse upon the Sabbath day round about Lon∣don streets and the Countrey when there is no necessity) to destroy mens lives and liberties, and three Kingdoms too.

Sixthly, Could Oxen and Asses fallen into a ditch speak, as well as men in a ditch, they would call for help to draw them forth to preserve their lives. Page  21 So that this Act of Charity, (not Violence in pulling them out on the Sabbath day, is with their full and free consents and desires. Then set the compari∣son right, and the Argument thence must be this: A man on the Sabbath day) out of meer charity and necessity may lawfully pull a Man, Ox, or Asse out of a deep ditch at their requests and desire, (where as the Iew at Teukes∣bury perished in the Iakes, out of which he would not be pulled on his Sab∣bath;) Ergo, the Officers and Army may lawfully cast the Members of Parlia∣ment by force and violence into Hell, prison and use them worse then any Oxe or Asse, without and against their consents and priviledges. I hope* Ba∣laam's Asse with a mans voice, will rebuke the iniquity and mad∣ness of this false Prophet, and absurd disputer; who is like to* David's Horse and Mule, without understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest he fall upon us hereafter, in such foul scurrilous language as he hath done already, in his Might overcoming Right, which will vanquish Might at last, in despite of all the Forces on Earth.

I have no more to add, but only this, That if holy David himself had now been a Member of the Commons-house, or King of England, he had certain∣ly been seized, secured and secluded the House by the Officers of the Army, and condemned by some sitting Members for this one Divine sentence of his, * Psalm 120. 6, 7. My soul hath long dwelt with him that hateth Peace: I am for peace; but when I speak thereof, they are for War: This is my only crime, and those secluded with me, That we passed a Vote for the settlement of Peace upon the Treaty. But let me speak to these Members, Officers of the Army, and their Chaplain Peters, who are such Enemies to our Peace, (which had by Gods blessing been firmly setled and secured before this, had not the Army thus violently interrupted us, and put us upon Iesuiti∣call dangerous new wayes of new Wars and certain ruine instead of peace) in the words of our Savior unto Peter, when he drew his sword, and smote off the High-priests servants ear: Put up thy sword into the scabberd, for all they that take the Sword, shall perish by the Sword: He that will causlesly lengthen out a Warr to the ruine of Kingdomes, when he may have Peace upon safe, just, and honorable terms, shall be sure to perish by the sword of War, or Iustice upon earth; (The true meaning of that Text, Gen. 9. 6. Who so sheddeth mans bloud, by man shall his bloud be shed; more properly applyable to Souldiers in the letter, who have slain men in the Wars, then to the King himself, who never actually shed any mans bloud; who is none of those Heathen Kings within Hugh Peters Text, Psalm 149. 7, 8. Whom the Army-Saints have not only bound in* Chains, but intend to Page  22 Execute, not with the two-edged sword of the word of God according to the words of the sense of the Text, but with the A• and Sword of Iustice, con∣trary to the Text, without and against all President, Law, and Justice, to the eternall infamy of our Religion, which detest such Jesuitism:) And shall never enjoy temporall, spirituall, or eternall peace in earth or heaven, nor any blessing or protection from the God of Peace, who in his own due time, i• de∣spite of all the Devills in hell, and Iesuites, Forces or Armies upon Earth, will create peace for, and settle it amongst us to our own hearts content: The speedy accomplishment whereof, as it alwayes hath been, so it ever shall be the constant prayer and endeavour of