The history of independency,: with the rise, growth, and practices of that powerfull and restlesse faction.

90Out of these Premises I shall draw these Conclusions following:

11. THe engaged Party have laid the Axe to the very root of Monarchy and Parliaments: they have cast all the myste∣ries and secrets of Government, both by Kings and Parliaments, before the vulgar; like pearle before swine: and have taught both the Souldiery and people to looke so far into them, as to ravell back all Governments, to the first principles of nature: he that shakes fundamentalls, means to take down the fabrick. Nor have they been carefull to save the materialls for posterity. What these negative Statists will set up in the room of these ruined buildings doth not appeare; only I will say, they have made the people there∣by so cur••••us and so arrogant, that they wil never find humility enough to submit to a Civill rule; their ayme therefore from the begin∣ning was to rule them by the power of the Sword, a military Aristo∣cracie or Olgarchy, as now they do. Amongst the aincient Ro∣mans, Tentare Arcana Imperii, to profane the mysteries of State was Treason; because there can be no forme of Government without its proper mysteries: which are no longer mysteries then while they are concealed. Ignorance, and admiration arising from Ignorance, are the parents of civil devotion and obedience, though not of Theologicall.2

2. Nor have these Grandees and their party in the Synode, dealt more kindly with the Church then with the Common∣wealth:

whose reverend Mysteries; their Pulpits and holy Sa∣craments; and all the functions of the Ministery are by their conni∣vence prophaned by the clouted shooe; the basest and lowest of the people making themselves Priests: and with a blind distempe∣red zeal Preaching such Doctrine as their private Spirits (spirits of illusion) dictate to them: But let them know, that their burning zeal without knowledge, is like hell-fire without light. Yet the greatest wonder of all is, That they suffer the Lords Supper (that Sacrament of Corroboration) to be so much neglected in almost all the Churches in the Kingdome. Is it because men usually be∣fore they receive our Saviour, (that blessed guest) sweep the house cleane, casting out of their hearts, (those living Temples of the holy Ghost) Pride, Ambition, Covetousnesse, Envy, Hatred, Ma∣lice, and all other unclean Spirits, to make fit roome to entertaine Jesus, that prince of peace: whereby the people having their mindes prepared for Peace, Charity, and Reconciliation; may hap∣pily spoile the trade of our Grandees, who can no longer maintaine their usurped dominion over them, then they can keep them dis∣united with quarrels and feudes; and uphold those Badges of factions, and tearmes of distinction and separation: Cavaleers, Round-heades, Malignants, Well-affected, Presbyterians and Inde∣dendents? or is it because they fear, if the Church were setled in peace & unity, it would be a means to unite the Common-wealth, as a quiet cheerfull minde often cureth a distempered body? I will not take upon me to judge another mans servant; but ma∣ny suspect this is done out of designe, not out of peevishnesse.

3. That these Grandees governe by power,3 not by lo•••• and the the Lawes of the Land, (which was my last assertion) appears by

1. The many Garrisons they keep up, and numerous Army they keep in pay to over-power the whole Kingdome, more then at first the Parliament Voted.

2. Their compelling the Parliament to put the whole Militia of England and Jreland, by Land & Sea, into the power of Sir Tho: Fairfax and their party.

3. Nor do they think the Laws of the Land extensive enough for their purposes; therefore they piece them out with Arbitrary Ordinances, Impeachments before the Lords, and Marshall Law, which is now grown to that height, that the Councell of War, Ge∣nerall, and judge Advocate of the Army doe usually send forth in∣structions

to stay suites, and release judgements at Law, or else to attend the Councell of Warre, wheresoever they sit, to shew cause to the contrary: And when Lieut. Colonell Lylborne was ordered to be brought to the Kings Bench-Barre, upon his habeas Corpus, Easter Terme, 1648. Cromwell sent word to the Lieute∣nant of the Tower not to bring him, and Cromwell was obeyed, not the Judges. Thus the Laws of the Land are daily baffled, that men may be accustomed to Arbitrary Government, and those actions which no Law of the Land calls a crime, may be interpre∣ted Treason when our Grandees please to have it so.

4. Their allowing Mony to some Committees to reward Informers, Spies, & Intelligencers to betray even their nearest friends & relations.

5. Their holding Honest, Generous, and Grave men in suspicion, and making the Houses of Parliament and Army snares to them, expelling them with false and extrajudiciall Accusations.

6. Their owning dishonest, base minded men, that have cheated the State, as instruments fit to be confided in, and associate with them in time of danger.

7. Their impoverishing the people with confused Taxes, de∣cay of Trade, and obstructing of the mint, and thereby breaking their spirits.

8. Their changing and dividing the Militia of London purposely to weaken it.

9. Their not restoring to the Countries their Militia, and tru∣sting them to defend their owne houses as formerly.

10. Their nourishing factions in the Common-wealth, Schismes in the C••••••ch.

11. Expelling learned Divines to let in ignorant men. All these are Tyrannicall policies grounded upon the old principle; That a Tyrant should deprive His Subjects of all things that may nou∣rish courage, strength, knowledge, mutuall confidence and cha∣rity amongst them; which Maxime the best Politicians say con∣taines the whole Systeme or method of Tyrannicall Government.

44. As this encroaching faction have usurped all the Military and Civill power of both Kingdomes; so they have Monopolized all the great Offices, Rich imployments, and Treasure of the Land; They are cleerly the predominant party in all money Com∣mittees; They give daily to one another for pretended Services, A••••ars, and loosses, great summes of money: many of their lar∣gisses

I have already set down, They gave lately to Colonel Ham∣mond Governour of the Isle of Wight, for his Table 20l. a week, 1000l. in money, and 500l. a year land; to Major Gen. Skippon 1000l. per annū land of Inheritance; to Col. Mitton 5000l. mony. All the cheating, covetous, ambitious persons of the land, are uni∣ted together under the name and title of The Godly, the Saints, &c. and share the fat of the land between them, few of them pay any Taxes, but all the Land paies Tribute to them. It is thought this Faction, their under-Agents and Factors have cost this Common∣wealth above 20 millions never laid forth in any publike service. Nay, the Treasurers and Publicans of this Faction have clipped and washed most of the mony that comes into their fingers be∣fore they pay it forth, knowing that any mony that comes out of their fingers will be accepted; two Gold-smiths are thought to be dealers this way, yet they lay the blame on the Scottish Army, as the Cuckow laies her brood in other nests.

5. Having thus imped their wings for flight,5 they have provi∣ded themselves of places of retreat in case they cannot make good their standing in England; Ireland is kept unprovided for, that they may find roome in it when necessity drives them thither. If their hopes faile in Ireland, they have New-England, Bermudas, Barbadas, the Carybi Isles, the Isle of Providence, Eleutheria, Ly∣gonia, and other places to retreat to, and lay up the spoiles of England in: nay, they usually send chests and vessels with mony, plate, and goods beyond Sea, with Passes from the two Speakers, To let them passe without searching: the Navy is in their power to accommodate their flight, and by their Instruments called Spi∣rits, they have taken up many Children and sent them before to be Slaves and drudges to the Godly in their schismaticall Planta∣tions: as the Turke takes up Tribute-children from the Christians to furnish his nursery of Janisaries: and so they have their Agents that buy up all the Gold they can get: Cromwell not long since offered 11000l. in silver for 10000l. in gold; besides, he is well furnished with the Kings Jewels taken in his Cabinet at Nazeby, many of them known jewels, as the Harry, and the Elisabeth.

6. Nor shall the vulgar sort of Independents either in Parlia∣liament, Army, or City, fare better then the rest of the Kingdome.6 The Grandees both of Parliament and Army endevouring to ad∣journ the Parliament, and draw all the power of both Houses in∣to

the Committee of Derby-house, consisting but of 20. or 30. the rest of the Independent Members will find their power dissolved in the adjournment, and swallowed up by that Committee, and rheir services forgotten: nor shal they have any power in the Mi∣litia, which is the only quarrell between them and the King: the Grandees disdaining to have so many Partners in that which they have got by their own wits; for know that the Grandees have al∣waies been winnowing the Parliament. First, they winnowed out the moderate men under the notion of the Kings party; then the Presbyterians; and now they will winnow forth the lighter and more chaffy sort of Independents, who stand for the Liberty of the people; a thing which Cromwell now calleth, a fancy not to be enga∣ged for; and so they will bring all power into their own hands. Thus having contracted the Parliament into a Committee of Safe∣ty, they will adjourne themselves (though the Parliament cannot) to Oxford, or some other place which they more confide in then London: and this is the setling the Kingdom without the King, they so much ayme at: and which they had rather the people should be brought to practically and by insensible degrees, then by Declara∣tions held forth to them before hand, or by politick Lectures in the Pulpit. Thus is it decreed that this Caball of Godly men at Derby-house shall with a Military Aristocracy or rather Oligar∣chy, rule this Nation with a rod of Iron, and break them in pie∣ces like a Potters vessell.

Observe that the Ordinance by which the Committee of Der∣by-house is revived, and the additions of power to it, are purposely penned in such ambiguous tearms, that he that hath the Sword in his hand, may make what construction of them he pleaseth: neither were they clearly penned, is it in the power of the Houses (being but the Trustees of the people) to transfer or delegate their trust to a lesser number of men: a trust not being transferable by law, and the people having chosen a Parliament, not a Committee to look to their safety and peace.

77. The Grandees of the Parliament and Army have brought the Kingdome to so miserable a condition, that they have left no Au∣thority in England able to settle peace: the King is a close Prisoner to the Army, therefore all he shall doe will be clearly void in law by reason of Dures: The Parliament is in Wardship to them, who keep armed Guards upon them, Garrisons round a∣bout

them, and by illegall Accusations, Blancke Impeachments, threatning Remonstrances, and Declarations, &c. fright away many Members and compell the rest to Vote and un-Vote what they please, whereby all the Parliament doth is void and null in Law ab initio, it being no free Parliament but a Sub-committee to the Army, and living as the Aegyptians did under vassalage to their own Mamaluchi or Mercenaries: The people therefore must re∣solve either to have no Army, or no Peace.

8. They have put out the eyes of the Kingdome,8 the two Uni∣versities of Oxford and Cambridge, and have brought the whole Land to make sport before them, knowing that Learning and Re∣ligion, as well as Laws and Liberties, are enemies to their barba∣rous, irrationall, and Russian way of Government.

9. Many honest men took part with this Parliament,9 seduced by those fair pretences of defending Religion, Laws, and Liberties, which they first held forth to the people; and being unwilling to have a Parliament conquered by the Sword, not thinking it possible that a prevailing Faction in Parliament should so far prevaricate as to conspire to enslave King, Parliament, and Kingdome, to subvert the Laws, Liberties and fundamentall Government of the Land, un∣der which they and their Posterity were, and were likely to be so hap∣pily governed, and betray Religion unto Hereticks and Schismaticks, and share the spoiles of the Common-wealth between them, and think of enriching themselves with them in foraine lands; yet many at the beginning much disliked that Religion should be used as an in∣gredient to the carrying on of a Civill War, and that Schismaticks should have so great a stroak in managing the businesse: yet were pacified with this consideration, that we must refuse no helps in our defence: if a man be assaulted by Thieves on the high way, he will not refuse to joyne with Schismaticks or Turks in a common defence; the same authority that then countenanced those Schis∣maticks (it was hoped) would be able to discountenance them a∣gain when the work was done. But the Grandees of the Houses (having other designes) had so often purged the Houses, that they left few honest moderate men in them to oppose their projects, still bringing in Schismaticks and men of their owne interests, by enforced & undue Elections, into their rooms; and so by insensible degrees, new modelled the House sutable to their owne corrupt desires, and new modelled this Army accordingly: so that the

people (who had no intention to be intrusted so far) were step by step so far engaged before they were aware, that they could not draw their feet back, and do now find (to their grief) that the Bit is in their mouths, the saddle fast girt on their galled backs, and these Rank riders mounted; who will spur them (not only out of their Estates, Lawes, and Liberties) but into Hell with renewed Treasons, new Oaths, Covenants and Engagements, if they take not the more heed, and be not the more resolute: they have chan∣ged their old honest principles, and their old friends, who bore the first brunt of the businesse; and have taken new principles and friends in their roome, sutable to their present desperate designes, and now (that they have squeezed what they can out of the Kings party) they think of sequestring their old friends, because they ad∣here to their old principles.

1010. Amongst those that are most bitter against the King, his own Servants (especially the Judasses of the Committee of the Revenue that carry his purse, and have fingered more of his mony and goods then they can or dare give an account for) are the greatest Zealots, those that take upon them imployments about his Revenue, and share what allowances to themselves they please for their pains; those that buy in for trifles old sleeping pensions, that have not been payed nor allowed this thirty years, and pay themselves all arrears: those that rent parcells of the Kings Re∣venue, for the eighth or tenth part of the worth, as Cor: Holland, who renteth for 200l. per annum, as much of his Estate as is worth 1600l. or 1800l. per annum: Thus you see the Lion (Lord of the forrest) growing sick and weak, become a prey, and is goared by the Oxe, bitten by the Dog, yea and kicked by the Asse; Look up∣on this president you Kings and Princes, and call to mind exam∣ples of old, that of Nebuchadnezzar & others, lest by exalting your selves too high, you provoke God to cast you too low.

Notes

• 90

  90. Generall Con∣clusions.
• 1

  1. The Grandees have subverted the fundamen∣tall Govern∣ment of the Kingdome, and why.
• 2

  2. They have sub∣verted the Church.
• The Sacrament of the Lords Supper discon∣tinued, and why?
• 3

  3. The Grandees rule by the ar∣bytrary power of the Sword, not by the Lawes.
• 4

  4. The Indepen∣dents divide the Taxes, Spo les, & Preferments of the Land be∣tween them.
• 5

  5. The Indepen∣dents provided of Places of re∣treat to flie to.
• 6

  6. The vulgar In∣dependents but props and pro∣perties to the Grandees.
• 7

  7. The Army hin∣de•••• Peace and Setlement.
• 8

  8. The two Vni∣versities de∣stroyed.
• 9

  9. Many honest men seduced by faire pretences, took part with them; never in∣tending to leave their first prin∣ciples, and en∣slave King, and Kingdome.
• 10

  10. Who are the King's bitterest enemies.