Meeting would have been The subversion of your Laws and of all the Liberties of this Nation, the destruction of the Ministers of this Nation; in a word, the confusion of all things. 'Confusion of all things!' To set up, instead of Order, the Judicial Law of Moses, in abrogation of all our administrations; to have had administered the Judicial Law of Moses pro hic et nunc, according to the wisdom of any man that would have interpreted the Text this way or that! And if you do not believe that these Persons, thereupon sent home,' were sent home by the major part of themselves,' who were judicious and sober and learned (the minority being the worser part upon this account, and with my consent a parte post, -you will believe nothing! [Somewhat tart.] For the persons that led in that. Meeting were Mr. Feak and his assemblage in Blackfriars. [We know "Feak," and other foul chimneys on fire, from of old! As for "Mr. Squib," he sits now with Venner and the Fifth-Monarchy, safe locked in the Tower.] 'Mr. Feak,' Major-General Harrison, and the rest that associated with him at one Mr. Squib's house. There were all the resolutions taken that were acted in that House of Parliament' day by day. And this was so de facto; I know it to be true. And that such must naturally be the product of it, I do but appeal to that Book I told you of the other day ["Standard set up"], That all Magistracy and Ministry is Antichristian, wherefore all these things ought to be abolished. Which we are certain must have been the issue of that Meeting. [A failure, that poor Convention of the Puritan Notables!] So that you have been delivered, if I think aright, from two evils. The one, a secular evil, which would have swallowed up all religious and civil interest, and brought us under the horridest arbitrariness that ever was exercised in the world: To have had Five or Six hundred “Friends,"* with their friends, 'the Feaks, &c.,' entrusted with the judgment of all causes, and to judge of them without rule; thinking that "the Power which swallowed up all other Lawful Powers in the Nation" hath all the power they ever had, both Legislative and Judiciary! In short, a thing which would have swallowed both the Civil and Religious Interest. And the other evil [His Highness has already inextricably caudled the two together, and here merely gives them another stir] merely under a Spiritual Interest, would have swallowed up all again in another extreme, 'no stated Ministry being allowed.' All our Civil and Religious Interest; and had made our Ministry, and all the things we were beholding to God for, 'of no account!' Truly we think we ought to value this Interest above all the interests in the world: but if this latter had not as surely been destroyed as the former, I understand nothing. And having told you these two things, 'two Failures in getting Settlement' truly it makes me in love with this Paper; and with all the things in it; and with the additions I have now to tender you thereto; and with Settlement above all things in the world! Except 'only' that, where I left you last time; ["The for Kingship!" Committee of Ninety-nine look alert] that, I think, we have debated. [Look dumpish again.] I have heard your mind, and you have heard mine 'as The name of Quakers already budding in 1653, -now in 1657, budded and blown. to that; I have told you my heart and judgment; and the Lord bring forth His own issue. [His Highness produces the Engrossed Vellum.] I think we are now to consider, not what we are in regard to our Footing and that of the Government which called this Parliament. [No: our First foolish Parliament spent all their time on that; not you, my wiser Friends.] Our Footing and Government is, till there be an end put to it, that that hath existence! [What other definition of it can be given, or need?] And so I shall say nothing to it.. If it accomplisheth the end of our Fighting, and all those blessed ends and aims that we should aim at; if it do, I would we might keep it, and remain where we are. If it do not, I would we might have a better! Which* truly I do come out of myself to tell you, That as to the substance and body of your Instrument, I do look upon it as having things in it, if I may speak freely and plainly; I may, and we all may! I say, the things that are provided for in this 'Act of Government [Handling the Vellum] do secure the Liberties of the People of God so as they never before had them! And he must be a pitiful man who thinks the People of God ever had the like Liberty either de facto or de jure; de jure from God, I think they have had it from the beginning of the world to this day, and have it still, but asserted by a jus humanum, I say, they never had it so as they have it now. I think you have provided for the Liberty of the People of God, and 'for the Liberty' of the Nation. And I say he sings sweetly that sings a song of reconciliation betwixt those two Interests! And it is a pitiful fancy, like wisdom and * Ungrammatical, but unalterable. Means "On which hint." ignorance, to think they are inconsistent. Certainly they may consist! And, I speak my conscience of this 'Act of' Government, I think you have made them to consist. -- And therefore, I must say, in that, and in other things, you have provided well, that you have. And because I see the Rule of the Parliament, 'your written Order here,' gives you leave to speak with me about the particulars (I judge the Parliament doth think that any Member it has is not to be neglected in offering of anything that may be of additional good), — therefore, I having a little surveyed the Instrument, I have a Paper here to offer you upon that account. [Handles a Paper of his own.] And truly I must needs say and think that, in such a case as this, where so new a work and so strange a work as this is before you, it will not be thought ill [Not at all, your Highness, only get on!] if I do with a little earnestness press you for some explanations in some things. A few expla nations' that may help to complete the business, and leave me (for it is only handled with me 'and for my behoof' at this time, not with you and the Parliament whom you represent): I say, I would be glad that you might leave me, and all opposers, without excuse; as well as glad that you should settle this Nation to the uttermost advantage for it; in all the things I have to offer you. They are not very weighty; they may tend to the completion of the business; and therefore I shall take the freedom to read them to you. [First, however, this Editor, with your Highness's leave, will read to the Moderns a certain excerpt or abstract from the Engrossed Vellum itself, which he has obtained sight of,* that they also may understand what your Highness will animadvert upon. Let the Moderns pay what attention they can. * Whitlocke, p. 648 et seqq.; Parliamentary History, xxi. 129 et seqq. "Article Fourth of the Petition and Advice is taken up with "describing who are to be Electors to Parliament, and Eli"gibles, or rather who not; for it is understood that, except "the classes of persons here specified, all who had such a pri"vilege by the old Laws are still entitled to vote and to be "voted for. "The Classes excluded from elected or being elected are "the following: "1. All who have been concerned in the rebellion of Ire"land; or who, with or without concern in said Rebellion, are "or shall become Papists. All who have advised, abetted or "assisted in any War against the Parliament since the First "of January 1641-2, — unless they have since given signal "proofs of repentance, by bearing arms for the Parliament, "or in some other 'signal' manner, difficult to define. The "defining of which has occasioned great debates in Parlia"ment. This excludes all the English and other Malignants. "- All who have ever been engaged in any Plot against the "Person of his Highness; or, apart from that, have been en"gaged in any Insurrection in England or Wales 'since 16th "December 1653,' beginning of the Protectorate. "2. In Scotland all who have been in arms against the "Parliament of England or the Parliament of Scotland before "the First of April 1648. This excludes the Montrose Party "and Royalists Proper of Scotland, except such as have "given 'signal' &c. But then follows this clause in favour of "the Hamilton Engagers, and the Dunbar and Worcester "people, which attracts his Highness's animadversion in the 66 "present Discourse: 'Nor any' (shall elect or be elected) 'who "since the First of April 1648 have been in arms, or otherwise "aided, abetted' &c. (which excludes all the Preston, and all "the Dunbar and Worcester people; with, however, a most "important exception)-'except such as since the First day of "March 1651-2 have lived peaceably,' - as they might all very "well do, having been all smashed to powder, six months be * Burton's Diary. |