A declaration of William Lenthall, Esquire; Speaker of the Honorable House of Commons.: Shewing the grounds and reasons which moved him to absent himselfe from attending the service of the House on Fryday the 30th of July, 1647.

A DECLARATION OF THE SPEAKER OF THE House of COMMONS: Of the Grounds, and Reasons, which moved him to absent him∣selfe, from attending the service of the HOUSE on Friday the 30. of July, 1647.

ALthough it may happily be con∣trary to the expectation of some, that I attend not the Service of the House of Commons, at this time, as I have constantly done, for almost seven yeares last past, and yet can it not be reasonably expected by any,

that well consider the violence offered to both the Houses of Parliament, and to my selfe in par∣ticular on Monday; In so much that I can safely take it upon my conscience, and so I doubt not, may all the Members of both Houses also, that they sate in continuall feare of their lives, and by terrour thereof were compelled to passe such Votes, as it pleased an unruly multitude to force upon them, which, as I did then openly declare in the House, so I cannot but beleeve that they are void, and null, being extorted by force, and violence, and in that manner that they were, and I cannot any longer dispense with my selfe, to be an Instrument in passing such Votes, or to give any colour, or shadow of Parliamentary Autho∣ritie unto them, which are not the Votes of the representative bodie of the Kingdome, but of a tumultuous multitude, as those must needs bee accounted, that seemed to passe the House on monday last, and which shall passe hereafter, un∣till better provision be made, for the safe and free sitting of the Houses of Parliament, there be∣ing no effectual course taken by the Citie, since the last adjournment of the Houses, to prevent the like tumults for the future; no, nor so much as a Declaration from them, to shew their dislike thereof. But on the contrarie, it is generally voiced in the Towne, there will be a farre greater confluence of Apprentices, Reformadoes, and others, on Friday, at the Parliament doores, and particularly, notice was given to me, that after

they had made the House Vote what they plea∣sed, they would destroy me, I had likewise infor∣mation given mee, that there would be a great number of Apprentices; of a contrary opinion, and affections to the other, about the Parliament doores on Friday morning, which I foresaw, must of necessitie cause a great combustion, and in probabilitie occasion much bloud shed, the preventing of which mischiefes, together with the consideration aforesaid, have weighed more with me then any thing which may concerne my parti∣ticular, and especially having served the House faithfully & deligently, for the space of very neere seven years in a free & Parliamentary way of pro∣ceedings; that I might not now be made a servant to such a multitude, to transferre upon them the colour of Parliamentary authority, there with all to abuse and deceive the mindes, and to destroy the Lives, Liberties, and estates of the people of this Kingdome; and having taken a Solemne Pro∣testation and Covenant, in my place and calling to maintaine the Priviledges of Parliament, and the Rites and Liberties of the Subjects: I would not now satisfie my selfe, but by absenting my self at this time, rather then by my presence to give any shadow, or countenance, of the authority of Parliament, to such apparent violations thereof; Neither can the omission of a circumstance, or some formality in the adjournment of the House (when through force and violence it cannot meet and sit in any sort as a Parliament) be any preju∣dice

to the future meeting, and proceedings there∣of, when it may meet and sit againe as a free Par∣liament; It being well known, that nothing can dissolve this Parliament, but an Act of Parliament.

When a Company of Apprentices, Reformadoes, and others, shall call the Ordinances of Parlia∣ment pretended Ordinances, shall locke the doores of the Houses upon them, shall sweare not to let them out till they had passed what they plea∣sed concerning the Militia of London, and o∣ther things (though the Houses had immediatly before voted otherwise) shall threaten the Hou∣ses in case they did not instantly satisfie their de∣mands, shall knock, without, and hollow continual∣ly at the Parliament doores that the members could not be heard speak or debate, and after that the House of Commons had passed a Vote con∣cerning the Militia of London, and that the Speaker by the voyce had judged the major part to bee for the negative, shall not suffer the House to be divided, but in a threatening way require those that gave their Votes against them, to consent to them, if they would, when after the House was adjourned, they shall by maine force thrust backe the Speaker a∣gaine into the House, and force the Members in their presence and sight (divers of them thrust∣ing into the House) to vote what they demanded; when they shall justle, pull, and hale the Speaker all the way he went downe to his Coach, and

force him to avoid their violence to betake him∣selfe to the next Coach he could get into for re∣fuge, when they shall breath forth such bloudy threats against the Members as they came forth of the House, and since against me in particular at the next meeting of the House, (as I am credi∣bly informed) and when there is no appearance, but that they will continue to doe as formerly they have done, or far worse on Fryday, I could not in discharge of my Trust, Protestation, and Covenant, sit in the Chaire of the House of Com∣mons, whilest it shall be in such a condition. But so soone as it may sit againe in freedome, and safety, I shall be ready to attend the service there∣of: but till then, as I have upon the forementio∣ned grounds fully satisfied my owne conscience, so I doubt not but I shall give the whole King∣dome (whose interest is most concerned in it) ample satisfaction in the necessitie of my ab∣sence.

William Lenthall, Speaker.