State tracts, being a farther collection of several choice treaties relating to the government from the year 1660 to 1689 : now published in a body, to shew the necessity, and clear the legality of the late revolution, and our present happy settlement, under the auspicious reign of their majesties, King William and Queen Mary.

AFter that the King for the space of three Years and more, had remained beyond Sea, and returned out of Gascoign and France into England, he was much vexed and disturbed by the continual clamour both of the Clergy and Laity, desiring to be re∣lieved against the Justices, and other His Majesties Ministers, of several oppressions and injuries done unto them, contrary to the good Laws and Customs of the Realm; whereupon King Edward, by his Royal Let∣ters to the several Sheriffs of England, com∣manded, that in all Counties, Cities, and Market Towns, a Proclamation should be made, that all who found themselves agrieved should repair to Westminster at the next Par∣liament, and there shew their Grievances, where as well the great as the less should receive fit Remedies and speedy Justice, ac∣cording as the King was obliged by the Bond of his Coronation Oath: And now that great day was come, that day of judg∣ing, even the Justices and the other Mini∣sters of the King's Council, which by no Col∣lusion or Reward, no Argument or Art of Pleading they could elude or avoid: The Clergy therefore and the People being gathered together, and seated in the great Palace of Westminster, the Archbishop of Canterbury (a man of eminent Piety, and as it were a Pillar of the holy Church and the King∣dom)

rising from his Seat, and fetching a profound sigh, spoke in this manner: Let this Assembly know that we are called together concerning the great and weighty Affairs of the Kingdom (too much alas of late disturbed, and still out of Order) unanimously, faithfully, and effectually with our Lord the King to treat and ordain: * 1.1 Ye have all heard the grievous complaints of the most intollerable injuries and oppressions of the daily desolations committed both on Church and State, by this corrupt Coun∣cil of our Lord the King, contrary to our great Charters, so many and so often, purchased and redeemed, granted and confirmed to us by the several Oaths of our Lord the King that now is, and of our Lords King Henry and John, and corroborated by the dreadful thundrings of the sentence of Excommunication against the Invaders of our common Liberties of England in our said Charters contained; and when we had conceived firm and undoubted hopes, that these our Liberties would have been faithfully preserved by all men, the King circumvented and seduced by the Counsels of evil Ministers, hath not been afraid to violate it by infringing them, falsly believing that he could for Rewards be absolved from that offence, which would be the manifest destruction of the Kingdom.

There is another thing also that grieves our Spirits, that the Justices subtilly and ma∣liciously, by diverse Arguments of covetous∣ness and intollerable pride, have the King a∣gainst his faithful Subjects sundry ways in∣cited and provoked, counselling him contrary to the good and wholsome Advice of all the Liegemen of England, and have not blushed nor been afraid, impudently to assert and pre∣fer their own foolish Councils, as if they were more fit to consult and preserve the Commonweal, than all the Estates of the Kingdom together assembled, so that it may be truly said of them, they are the men that troubled the Land, and disturb'd the Na∣tion under a false colour of gravity, have the whole People grievously opprest, and under pre∣tence of expounding the antient Laws, have introduced new (I will not say Laws, but) e∣vil Customs, so that through the Ignorance of some, and partiality of others, who for reward or fear of great Men have been engaged, there was no certainty of Law, and they scorned to administer Justice to the people, their deeds are deeds of wickedness, and the work of Iniquity is in their hand, their feet make haste to evil, and the way of truth have they not known; what shall I say? there is no Judgment in their paths.

How many Free-men of this Land, faithful Subjects of our Lord the King, have like the meanest Slaves of lowest condition, without a∣ny fault been cast into Prison, where some of them by hunger, grief, or the burthen of their chains have expired, they have al∣so extorted at their pleasure infinite sums of

money for their ransoms; the Coffers of some, that they might fill their own, as well from the rich as the poor, they have exhausted, by reason whereof they have contracted the irre∣concilable hatred and dreadful imprecations of all men, as if they had purchas'd and ob∣tain'd such an incommunicable priviledge, by their detestable Charter of non Obstante, that they might at their own lust be free from all Laws both humane and divine.

Moreover there is another more, the ordina∣ry grievance, which hitherto hath, and in some measure doth still rage among us: All things are expos'd to sale, if not as it were to plunder and theft. Alas! how great power hath the love of money in the breasts of Men? Hear there∣fore O ye wicked, from my mouth the dreadful decree of Heaven; the dejection af your coun∣tenances accuseth you, and like the men of So∣dom, ye have not hidden but proclaimed the sin; woe be to your souls, woe be to them that make Laws, and Writing, write injustice, that they may oppress the poor in Judgment, and injure the cause of the humble, that Widows may become their Prey, and that they might destroy the Orphan. Woe be to those that build their Houses in injustice, and their Taberna∣cles in Ʋnrighteousness: Woe be to them that covet large possessions, that break open Houses and destroy the Man and his Inheritance; woe be to such Judges who are like Wolves in the Evening, and leave not a bone till the morn∣ing. The Righteous Judge will bring such Counsellors to a foolish end, and such Judges to confusion: ye shall all presently with a loud cry, receive the just sentence of the Land.

At the hearing of these things all Ears tingled, and the whole Community lifted up their Voice, and mourned, saying, Alas, alas for us! what is become of that English Liberty which we have so often purchased, which by so many Concessions, so many Sta∣tutes, so many Oaths have been confirmed to us.

Hereupon several of the Criminals with∣drew into secret places, being concealed by their friends; some of them were brought forth into the midst of the People, and de∣servedly turned out of their Offices; one was banished the Land, and others were grie∣vously Fined, or Condemned to perpetual Im∣prisonment.

This is confirmed by Spelman, An. 1290. All the Justices of England, saith he, were An. 18. Ed. 1. apprehended for Corruption, except John Mettingham, and Elias Blecking∣ham, whom I name for their honour, and by Judgment of Parliament condemned, some to Imprisonment, others Banishment, or Confiscation of their Estates, and none escaped without grievous Fines, and the loss of their Offices.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Vide Fleta Cap. 17. p. 18, 19. Authoritas & Officium or∣dinarii Concilii Regis.