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

I Am not Ignorant that there is a naturall purging, a naturall phle∣botomy, belonging to politicke, as well as to naturall bodies: and that some good humours are alwaies evacuated with the bad, yet I cannot but deplore what I have observed, That the honestest and justest men of both sides (such as, if they have done evill, did it because they thought it good; such as were carried aside with specious pretences, and many of them seduced by pulpit-Devils who transformed them∣selves

into Angels of light) have alwaies fared worse then other men, as if this difference between the King & Parliament were but a syncre∣tismus or illusion against honest men: nay, I do farther fore∣see that in the period and closing up of this Tragedy, they will fare worst of all, because they have not taken a liberty to enrich themselves with pub∣lick spoyles, and fat themselves by eating out the bowels of their mo∣ther, but are grown lean and poor by their integrity; whereby being disabled to buy friendship in the daies of trouble, they will be put upon it, to pay other mens reckonings: When Verres was Praetor of Sicily he had with wonderful corruptions pillaged that Province; and at the same time the Praetor of Sardinia being sentenced for depeculating and rob∣bing that Province, Timarchides, Verres correspondent at Rome, writ a very anxious Letter to him, giving him warning of it: But Verres in a jolly humour answered him, that the Praetor of Sardinia was a foole, and had extorted no more from the Sardinians then would serve his own turn; but himself had gathered up such rich Booties amongst the Sicilians, that the very overplus thereof would dazle the eyes of the Senate, and blind them so that they should not see his faults: such (I foresee) will be the lot of the more just and modest men, who shall be guilty because they were fools; as the other sort shall be innocent because they were knaves: whatsoever befalls (you cleer and innoxious souls) be not ashamed, be not afraid of your integrity: if this Kingdom be a fit habitation for honest men, God wil provide you a habitation here; if it be not capable of honesty, God will take you away from the evills to come, and poure out all the vials of his wrath upon this totally and universally corrupted Nation, this incurable people; Qui nec vitia sua nec eorum remedia ferre potest: for my own part, (if I am not such already) I hope God will make me such a man, Quem neque pauperies, neque mors, neque vincula terrent; and if Moses in a heroick zeal, to draw a remission of the peoples sin from God, desired to be blotted out of his booke, (the book of life) and S. Paul to be Anathema for his brethren, why should not I (with relation to my self, & submission to Christ) say, oportet unum mori pro populo, it is fit one man die for the people, and devote my self to death for my Country, as the Family of the Decii in ancient Rome were wont to do? I have read and admired their examples, why not imitate them? is it because (as Machiavell saith) the Christian Religion doth too much breake, enfeeble, and cowardize the spirit of man, by persecuting

& subduing nature by denying her due Liberty, & tying her to be more passive then active: At facere & pati fortia Romanum, imo Christianum est: or is it because in this generall deluge of sin and corruption, all publick spirit, and all excellency in virtue is accounted a degree of madnesse? or is it because of the corrupt Judgement of these times, which makes a man more infamous for his punishment, then for his sin? and therefore Heroick acts are out of fashion; the Circum∣stances and Ceremonies of death, are more taken notice of then Death it self: these follies weigh not with me. Sublimis an humi putrescam, parvi refert. The theif upon the Crosse found a ready way to Hea∣ven: how much more an honest man? many a man out of prison steps into Heaven, no man out of Paradise ever found the way thither: Sale∣brosa sit via, modo certa, modo expedita; alte succinctus ad iter me accingo.

THe premises considered, I do here in the name & behalf of all the free Commons of England, declare and protest that there is no free nor legall Parliament sitting in England; but that the two Houses sit under a visible, actuall, and a horrid force of a muti∣nous Army, and of a small party of both Houses conspiring and engaged with the said Army, to destroy, expell and murder, with false Accusations, and blank and illegall Impeachments and Pro∣secutions, the rest of their fellow Members, who sate in Parlia∣ment doing their duty, when the two Speakers with a small com∣pany of Members secretly fled away to the Army, and sate in Councell with them, contriving how to enslave King, Parliament, City, and Kingdome, and how to raise Taxes at their pleasure, which they share amongst themselves and their party, under the name and title of the Godly, the Saints: And afterwards they brought the Army up to London, against the Parliament and City in hostile manner; A designe far exceeding the Plot of Jermine, Go∣ring, &c. to bring up the Northerne Army to London to over-awe the Parliament: I doe farther protest, that the two Houses have sate under the said force, ever since the 6. of Aug. last; and there∣fore all they have done, and all they shall doe, in the condition they now sit in, is void and nul in Law, ab initio, by their owne doctrine and judgement included in their Ordinance of the 20. of Aug. last; whereby they nul and void, ab initio, all Votes, Or∣ders, &c. passed from the 26. July 1647. to the 6. Aug. following.

Notes

• The Epi∣logue.