parliament, are suspended, dispensed withall; and those things done by Order, against which those laws were made. And, that there may be no face of justice over the land, the judges are probibited to ride their circuits, for the administration of that justice which the king owes his people, and they are bound to execute.

er (Mr. Pym) of the house of commons, and | sent to the new plantation in the West-Indies; hat during the recess of both houses; the urged the second time with much earnestness, tirring up and inciting the people to rebellion, because the proposer had contracted with two n pulpits; and, which is the greatest scandal merchants to that purpose; the which, though nd reproach to the protestant religion that it took no effect at that time, may awaken those an be imagined, the making religion itself the who have observed so many things to pass and round and cause of rebellion: lastly, after be ordered, long after it had been once or aving lived so many years in the most glorious twice denied and rejected and who sees the ad most unblemished church of Christendom, new and inhuman way of imprisoning persons.. he total defacing and pulling down the whole of quality under decks on ship-board, by which brick of it; censuring and reproaching the cruel usage many of our countrymen have been loctrine, and destroying the discipline; and, murdered, may have reason to fear they may be is if we were cast a-shore in some uninhabited | hereafter carried a longer voyage than is yet limate, where the elements of Christianity avowed.-The twentieth part of our Estates vere not known, the calling, without the least is at once taken; and, if we are not willing to hadow or colour of law, or lawful authority, obey that Order, the other 19 are taken from gainst his majesty's express consent, mani- us as Malignants; a term unknown and undeestly against the statute 25th Hen. 8. an As- fined, and yet crime enough to forfeit our lives, embly of Divines, composed of some noble- and all that we have. Our fellow-subjects nen, gentlemen, and ministers, (all under the have been executed in cold blood, for doing tile of Godly and Learned Divines) most of that which, by the laws of God and man, they which are not otherwise known than by their were bound to do; and, after their murder, chism and separation from that church, in their estates seized, and their wives and chil which they were born, and to which they have dren exposed to misery and famine. Laws subscribed; and these men now must new-made, and penalties imposed by laws, in this nake and mould the religion, by which we must all be saved. God in his good time, we' hope, will vindicate his own cause, and repair the breaches which have been lately made. For the Laws of the Land and the Liberty of the Subject, so speciously urged and pretended to be the end of those who have disturbed our peace, we need say little; every place and every person is an ample evidence and testimony of the bold and avowed violation of either. The Charter of our Liberties, Magna Charta, so industriously and religiously preserved by our ancestors, and above 30 several times confirmed in parliament; that rampire and bulwark of all the precious privileges and immunities which the subjects of this kingdom could boast of, and which distinguishes them from all the subjects of Christendom, is levelled and trampled under foot, scorned, despised, and superseded by Votes and Orders: men of all sorts, clergy and laity, imprisoned without the least charge that, by the law, is called a crime; and their estates are sequestered by persons of whom the law can take no notice; committees, made by committees, rob, banish, and imprison the lords and cominons of England; men committed, by persons of no authority, for no cause, to prison, have, by Habeas Corpus (the good old remedy and security for our liberty) been brought to the King's-Bench; and, by command of those who first committed them, remanded, and commands given to the judges that they should grant no Habeas Corpus (which they were sworn to grant) to any persons committed by them, or by those to whom they grant authority to commit, which themselves have not power to do.-Neither can we pass over the motion made by Mr. Rigby, a meinber of the house of Commons, to transport those lords and gentlemen who were prisoners, and by them accounted Malignants, to be sold as Slaves to Algiers, or

And after all this, and after the me ciless shedding so much English blood; after the expending so much money, much of which was given for relief of our poor Protestant brethren of Ireland, and diverted for the improving the distractions at home; after the transportation of such vast sums of money and great treasure into foreign parts, to the unspeakable impover ishing this poor kingdom; to make our misery lasting and our confusion compleat, a foreign enemy is invited and brought into the bowels of this kingdom, to drink our blood, to divide our possessions, to give us new laws, and to rule over us; and, the better to make way to those horrid impositions, by confounding and making void all civil rights and properties, and the better preparing the kingdom to be shared by strangers, a new Great Seal, the special ensign of Monarchy, and the only way by which justice is derived and distributed to the people, is counterfeited and used; albeit it be, by the express letter of the statute of the 25th Edw. 3. declared to be high treason.-Having now made this clear, plain Narration to the kingdom, the truth and particulars whereof are known to most men; that when posterity shall find our Names in the records of these times, (as members trusted by our country in that great council, by whose authority and power the present alteration and distraction seems to be wrought) it may likewise see how

* Mr. Yeomans and Mr. Bouchier of Bristol. Mr. Tompkins and Mr. Challoner at London, and divers others.

tored, by a Treaty, to the benefit of a parl
ment, which would, with God's blessing, easily
remove these miserics, and prevent the like r
the time to come; we must and do declare is
the whole kingdom, That as at no time, either
or both houses of parliament can, by any O
der or Ordinance, impose upon the people
without the king's consent: so, by reason of
the want of freedom and security for all the
members of parliament to meet at Westminster,
and there to sit, speak, and vote with freed
and safety, all the Actions, Votes, Orders, De
clarations, and pretended Ordinances, made Gi
those members who remain still at Westtur
ster, are void and of none effect: and as a
of the lords and commons, assembled at West
minster, as have at any time consented to te
raising of forces under the command of the
earl of Essex, or to the making and using the
new Great Seal, or to the present coming of the
Scots into Eugland, in a warlike manner, have
therein broken the trust reposed in them by
their country, and ought to be proceded against
as traitors. And yet we are far from dis

far we have been, and are, from consenting dom, ought to be looked upon as betrayers of to these desperate and fatal innovations, we their country, and are guilty of high trea cannot rest satisfied without declaring and son by the known laws of the kingdom.publishing to all our fellow-subjects, and to the And that our weak, misled and seduced counwhole world, That all our intentions and acti-tryinen may no longer pay an implicit regard ons have been, are, and shall be, directed to and reverence to the abused name of Parlia the defence of his majesty's person and justment, which these guilty persons usurp to themrights, with the preservation of the true protes- selves; and so submit to those actions and com tant religion and liberties of the kingdom esta- mands, which two houses of parliament (never blished by law: That as we do, with all humi- so legally and regularly constituted) have not hty to God Almighty, and as a great blessing authority to require or enjoin; and since these from him, acknowledge his majesty's happyinen will not suffer their poor country to be se and religious reign and government over this Kingdom, and especially the excellent laws and Statutes made in this time, and particularly those in this parliament; so we do, with all duty and submission, declare, That his majesty is the only supreme governor of this realm in all causes ecclesiastical and temporal that his natural person is not to be divided from his kingly office, but that our natural allegiance, and the oaths of allegiance and supremacy, do bind us and all his other subjects to loyalty and allegiance to his natural person: that his majesty's negative voice, without which monarchy is dissolved, is an inherent right of his crown; and that no Orders of one or both houses of parliament, without his majesty's express consent, can make a law to bind the subjects, either in their property or liberty: that we do, from our souls, abhor the present rebellion raised in this kingdom against his majesty; and that all his majesty's subjects are bound, by their natural allegiance, and the oaths lawfully taken by them, to the utmost of their power, to resist and repress the same; and particularly the army now under the com-solving, or attempting the dissolution of, this mand of the earl of Essex, and all other armies raised, or to be raised, without his majesty's consent, under pretence of the authority of the two houses of parliament. And we do disclaim all Votes, Orders, and Declarations in countenance or maintenance of the said armies: and declare, That no Oath or Covenant, voluntarily taken or inforced, doth, or can, bind or dispense with the breach of those other Oaths formerly and lawfully taken to his mated as acts of parliament, to the rain and cojesty and that all those who aid, assist, or abet this horrid and odious rebellion, are, and ought to be, accounted and pursued as traitors by the known laws of the land: that we utterly detest and disclaim the invitation which hath been made to his majesty's subjects of Scotland, to enter this kingdom with an army; the same being as much against the desires, as against the duty of the lords and commons of England, and all true-hearted Englishmen and as we do declare and publish to the world, That any such invasion, or hostile entry into the kingdom, by the rebellious subjects of Scotland, is a direct and peremptory breach of the late act of Pacification between the two kingdoms; so we, and all the subjects of this kingdom, are bound, by our allegiance, and by that very act, to resist and repress such invasion; and whosoever is or shall be abetting, aiding, or assisting to those of Scotland, in their hostile invasion of this king

:

parliament, or the violation of any act made and confirmed by his majesty's royal assent this parliament, which we shall always mas tain and defend. Acts of parlament are only in danger to be destroyed by those who under value and despise the authority and power of acts of parliament; who therefore deny the king's negative voice, and neglect his concur rence, that their own resolutions may be repo

fusion of all laws and interests.—It is our grief, in the behalf of the whole kingdom, that since the parliament is not dissolved, the power there of should, by the treason and violence of these men, be so far suspended, that the kingdom should be without the fruit and benefit of a parliament; which cannot be reduced to ally action or authority, till the freedom and liberty, due to the members, be restored and admitted; and they only who oppose this must be looked upon as the enemies to parliament; in the inean time we neither have or shall at tempt any thing for the adjourning, dissolving, or proroguing thereof otherwise than as it way stand with the act in that case provided.→ Lastly, we declare, That all our endeavours, actions, and resolutions tend, and are directed, and shall always be directed, to the mainte nance of God's true Religion, established by law, within this kingdom; to the Defence of

his crown and dignity; and to do their best en⚫deavours to disclose and make known to him all treasons and conspiracies which shall be against him; to their power to assist all juris

his majesty's sacred Person, his honour, and just rights; to the preservation of the Liberty and Property of the Subject, settled, and evident, by the laws, statutes, and customs of the realin; and the just freedom, liberty, and pri-dictions, privileges, pre-eminences, and auvileges of parliament: and that what we shall thorities belonging to him, or united to the do, for the defence and maintenance of all imperial crown of this realm.' The just and these, proceeds from the conscience of our pious consideration and weighing of which duty to God, our king, and country, without oath and obligation must stir up all men of any private and sinister ends of our own; and loyalty and conscience, to be industrious and out of our sincere love to truth and peace, the active on his majesty's behalf against this.horwhich as we have, so we shall always labour rid and odious rebellion, and against the auto procure, as the only blessed end of all our thors and fomenters of the same.—And we are labours. And we do therefore conjure all our confident it will not a little increase the incountrymen and fellow-subjects, by all those dignation of all good and true Englishmen to precious obligations of religion to God Almigh- find these disturbers of their peace, who have ty, of loyalty towards their sovereign, of affec- so speciously pretended the defence of the on towards one another, and of charity and rights and privileges of parliament, unite themcompassion towards their bleeding country, to selves with, and govern their actions by, the issist and join with us in suppressing those eneconcurrent advice and consent of commisnies to Peace, who are so much delighted with sioners of another kingdom, whose business is to he rain and confusion they have made, that alter our laws, and confound our government. hey will not so much as vouchsafe to treat with And if all the other particulars, so plainly set is, that all specious pretences might be taken down in this Declaration, and so publicly known way, and the grounds of this bloody conten- to most men, were wanting, there could not be ion clearly stated to the world.—If these men, a greater instance of deserting the dignity and with a true sense and remorse of the ill they right, and as much as in them lies, cancelling ave done, shall yet return to their duty and all the liberties and privileges of parliament, oyalty, they shall, God willing, find us of ano- than for these men to break the trust reposed her temper towards them, than they have been in them by their country; and to submit themowards us; and if the conscience of their duty selves to the advice, and oblige themselves to hall not draw all our fellow-subjects and coun- the consent, of agents of another kingdom, rymen to join with us in assisting his majesty, who have cast off their allegiance, and united ve hope that the prudent consideration, That themselves together against their natural and is impossible to reason for our miserable native king, and against the laws of both king. ountry ever to be restored to peace and hap- doms; and have given an ample testimony to all aness, but by restoring all just and legally due those they have misled, how far they are from ower and authority into his majesty's hands submitting or intending to be governed by pargain, will direct them what is fit to be done liament, or by those who would yet be thought y them. And if any yet shall be so unskil- the two houses of parliament, by joining 4 Scotsal, and to say no worse, vulgar-spirited, to men (agents for that rebellious army which hath ope, by a neutrality and odious indifferency, invaded this kingdom) in equal power and aurest secure in this storm, though we shall thority with 7 lords and 14 commons; by whose at follow the examples of other men, in tel- sole and uncontrouled managery and consent, ing them, That their estates shall be forfeited all business of Peace and War, which doth or ad taken from them, as pernicious and pub- may concern this languishing kingdom, must be ie enemies; yet, God be thanked, the law is governed: and yet these men take it very ot so suppressed, but that it proceeds in at- heinously, that his majesty should move them, ainders and forfeitures; and all men know an in order to Peace, to agree that all the memstate escheated to his majesty by high trea-bers of both houses may securely mect in a on, is as much, and as legally his majesty's, or full and free Convention of Parliament; heus to whom his majesty grants it, as ever it cause, they say, From thence no other conas the unhappy persou's who hath so forfeit- 'clusion can be made, but that this present dit; yet we must let them know, that their parliament is not a full nor free convention, ondition is like to be very dangerous; and that and that to make it such the presence of us athey (for resistance of whom his majesty's ar- is necessary.'-We must appeal to all the nies are raised) have declared to them what world, whether, in truth, that conclusion be not hey are to expect at their hands, that is, to be very apparent from the truth of their proceedlealt with as pernicious and public enemies; ings, and even to the conscience of these men o they have reason to believe, that his themselves; whether, whilst we were amongst majesty cannot look upon them as persons who them, we enjoyed the liberty and freedom have performed that duty they are obliged to which was due to us; and whether, if there were by their natural allegiance, and their oaths en- no danger or breach of duty in being willingly joined by law; which is, To defend the king and constantly present where actions of treason to the utmost of their power, against all con- are plotted and concluded, we could now be spiracies and attempts whatsoever, which with them without engaging ourselves in that *shall be made against his majesty's person, Covenant; which, as it takes away all freedom VOL. III. R

and liberty of council, so cannot be taken with- hopeful way to unite these unhappy divisions; out the violation of our duty and allegiance.- and since that hath been refused, we have ar For the deserting the great trust reposed in us, plied our advice for supporting your arms, we cannot with the least colour be accused; we the visible means now left for maintaining est wish it had not been, or were not now broken religion, restoring the laws, and procuring the on their parts; on ours we are sure it is safety of the kingdom; being assured from your not; except observation of our oaths, lawfully majesty, you do and will employ your ans taken and enjoined, and submission to the to no other end.--And although ourselves are known established laws of the land, the pre- most fully satisfied of your majesty's pious and servation of which is our greatest trust, be to just resolutions herein; yet, because Fears and desert the trust reposed in us: what they have Jealousies have been and are maliciously scal done, who have broken through all these, and tered amongst your subjects, to poison ther will not at last consent to the binding up the affections and corrupt their loyalty to your igawounds they have made, we must leave to the jesty; therefore, to the end that we may le world to judge.-In the mean time, since it is enabled by your gracious Answer to satis apparent they use their utmost endeavours to all the world, or to leave them inexcal make Peace impossible, and (having enriched who will not be satisfied, we do, in all hundy, themselves by these public calamities, and im- present to your majesty these Petitions: Tri poverished their country by the transportation your majesty will give direction for the reof the wealth thereof into foreign parts) have printing your Protestation, made in the left themselves no other means to repay those of your army, and your other Declarations vast sums they have extorted from the people wherein your constant resolution is declared t upon that they call Public Faith, but out of the maintain and defend the true reformed prote estates of those who have preserved their duty tant religion; and that the same may be i and loyalty entire; and, at the price of their more diligence published amongst the people, religion and laws, intend to establish a govern- that so your princely Christian zeal and affo ment and empire to themselves; all good mention to that religion, and to maintain the same who desire Peace will join with us in the suppressing these enemies of Peace, and, by a rcsolute and unanimous Declaration of themselves, rise as one man in the assistance of his majesty, with their persons and their fortunes, which is the only means, with God's blessing, to restore and preserve the religion, laws, and liberties of the kingdom, and the very being of parliaments; the which, if these men have any mind to do (it being not so easily to be done any other way) they will at last be willing that all the members of both houses may meet in a full and free Convention of Parliament, which we have always desired, and shall be always ready to do."

against all popery, schism, and profanenes may be manifested; and which we beseer your majesty, upon this our Petition, to decast again to all the world, to the discounter.~ and suppression of those scandals laid your majesty, by those who disturb our peace -That when there may be a free and full Ca vention of Parliament, a national synod na be lawfully called to advise of some fit mert for the establishing the government and pest of our church, to whom may be recomme a care for the ease of the tender consciences your protestant subjects.--Touching our las we cannot ask more of your majesty, than declare and continue your former resolutions This Declaration of the Lords and Com-to hold and keep them inviolable and unalt mons in Parliament assembled at Oxford, was ordered, by the King, to be read in every church and chapel throughout England and Wales.

The Petition of the Lords and Commons at Oxford to the King, the day before their Recess.] Next follows the Petition of the Lords and Commons at Oxford to the King, the day before their Recess :

To the King's most Excellent Majesty: The
Humble PETITION of the Lords and
Commons of Parliament, assembled at
Oxford according to your Majesty's
Proclamation.

"We most humbly acknowledge your princely goodness in calling us to receive our advice for preservation of the religion, laws, and safety of the kingdom, and to restore it to its former peace and security: how earnestly we have sought a Peace with your majesty's most gracious concurrence, doth appear by the printed Declaration of our proceedings touching a Treaty for Peace; wherein we aimed at a free and full Convention of Parliament, as the most

rable, but by act of parliament. And fit
avoiding the scandal maliciously infused i
many of your subjects, That if your majest
prevail against this Rebellion, you intend
to use the frequent counsel of parliament
we humbly pray and advise your majesty
declare the sincerity of your royal heart there
to satisfy your seduced subjects against
false and malicious aspersions.And,
pect the present Contributions, Loans, Taxes
and other Impositions for maintenance of
armies, have been submitted unto as exigent
of war and necessity, because of this unexampl
rebellion and invasion; we humbly besee
your majesty to declare, That they shall
be drawn into example, nor continue l
than the present exigence and necessity, nor
at any time mentioned as precedents:
that, for the farther security of your people
your majesty will vouchsafe to promise yer
royal assent to a law, to be made and declare

*The King's Protestation, made at Welling ton, in Shropshire, See val, ii. p. 1472,

to that purpose, in a full and free Convention | these men, than to any connivance or favour of parliament. And that for the present case of ours.-For a National Synod; we have and encouragement of those under contribu- often promised it, and when God shall give so tions, by contract with your majesty, you will much peace and quiet to this kingdom, that he pleased, that those contracts may be so ob- regular and lawful conventions may be esserved, that your subjects may not have just teemed, shall gladly perform that promise, as cause of complaint against the commanders, the best means to re-establish our religion, governors, officers, or soldiers of your army; and make up those breaches which are made; or of or in any your garrisons, castles, or and we shall then willingly recommend unto forts, for taking any money, horses or other them a special care of the ease of the tender cattle, provisions or other goods, or any tim- consciences of our protestant subjects, as we her or woods of any your subjects; or free-have often expressed.-For the Laws of the bulet, or free-quarter in any place, where the contributions and taxes agreed on are paid; bambly beseeching your majesty's gracious are herein, and that the offenders may receive xemplary punishment. Lastly, That your najesty will retain your pious endeavours to procure the peace of this languishing kingdom, not to be removed or altered by any advantages r prosperous success."

Land; we can say no more than we have said in that Protestation you mention; and we thank you for being satisfied with it: in which God knows our resolution to be so firm and stedfast, that we will give any security under heaven for the observation of it. And as our greatest desire at this present is to meet in a full and free convention of parliament, which we are confident would quickly put an end to His MAJESTY'S Most Gracious ANSWER. all these troubles; so when it shall please God "As we sha I always acknowledge the great to restore that blessing to us, we shall value comfort and assistance we have received by and esteem that council, and frequently consult our counsels, since your meeting here accord-with it, and be advised by it, as the best means ng to our Proclamation; so we must give you ery particular thanks for the expressions you ave made, in this Petition, of your confidence aus, and for the care you have therein taken, hat all our good subjects may receive ample atisfaction in those things upon which the ood and welfare of their condition so much epends. We have long observed (though not ithout wonder the sly, subtle, and groundless situation, infused and dispersed amongst our eople by the disturbers of the public peace, four favouring and countenancing of popery; nd therefore, as in our constant visible pracice we have, to the utmost of our power, and e hope sufficiently, manifested the gross falsegod of those imputations and scandals; so e have omitted no opportunity of publishing o all the world the clear intentions and resoations of our soul in that point. We wish rom our heart, that the true Reformed Protes ant Religiou may not receive greater blemish y the actions and practice of these men, than doth, or shall, by any connivance of ours. We will take the best care we can, and we esire your assistance in it, to publish to all our pod subjects that our Protestation and those Declarations you mention; and we do assure pu, there is not an expression in either of hem, for the maintenance and advancement f our religion, with which our heart doth not ully concur; and in which we shall be so onstant, that, if it shall not please God to nable us by force to defend it, we shall shew nur affection and love to it, by dying for it. We may, without vanity, say it hath pleased God to enlighten our understanding to discern he clear truth of the Protestant Religion, in which we have been born and bred, from the mists and clouds of Popery; the which (if it hath made any growth or progress of late within the kingdom, as we hope it hath not) is more beholden to the unchristian rage and fury of

to make both king and people truly happy; and we shall then, by an act given, wipe out the footsteps of those extraordinary supplies, which nothing but this real visible necessity, which oppresses us all, could have compelled us to make use of; and which shall never be mentioned or remembered by us, to the least prejudice of your rights and liberties. And in the mean time we shall leave nothing undone, for the observation of particular contracts, and prevention of the disorder and licence of the soldiers, which is in our power to do; no particular person enduring half that sadness of heart for those breaches and pressures, w which we ourself do; for the prevention and suppression whereof, we shall proceed with all rigour and severity.-Lastly, As the support and maintenance of the Religion, Laws, and Privileges of Parliament, is, as you well know, the only argument of our defensive arms; so, these being secured, we shall, with all imaginable joy lay down those arms; and as you have been our witnesses and our assistants in our. carnest desires of Peace, so we promise you, we shall not only with the same earnestness always embrace it, if it shall be offered, but pursue and press it, upon the least likelihood. of opportunity; and this our resolution, by God's blessing, shall never be altered by any advantages or prosperous success.'

The KING'S SPEECH to the LORDS and COM.. MONS of Parliament assembled at Oxford, delivered at. their Recess, April 16, 1644.

"My lords and gentlemen; I am now brought to you by yourselves; for I should not so soon have parted with you, if you had not desired it; and I believe that the same zeal and affection to me and your country, which hath brought and staid you here, hath caused you to seek this recess; that so, by distributing your selves into your several countries, we may all R?