Part 3

When we undertooke the charge of the army, which cost above 50000. pound a moneth, was not this given to the King? was it not his Majesties army? were not all the Commanders under contract with his Majesty at higher rates and greater wages then ordinary? and have not we taken upon us to discharge all the brotherly assistance of three hundred thousand pounds which we gave the Scots? was it not toward repaire of those dammages and losses which they received from the Kings ships, and from his ministers? These three particulars amount to above 1100. thousand pound, besides his Majesty hath received by impositions upon merchandise at least 400. thousand pounds; so that his Majesty hath had out of the subjects purse since the Parliament began, one million and halfe, and yet these men can be so impudent, as to tell his Majesty, that we have done nothing for him. As to the second branch of this slander, we acknowledge with much thankfulnesse that his Majesty hath passed more good Bils to the advantage of the subjects then hath been in many ages; but withall we cannot forget, that these venomous counsels did manifest themselves in some endeavours to hinder these good Acts: And for both Houses of Parliament wee may with truth and modesty say thus much, That we have ever been carefull not to desire any thing that should weaken the Crowne either in just profit or usefull power. The trienniall Parliament, for the matter of it, doth not extend to so much as by Law we ought to have required, there being two Statutes still in force for a Parliament to be once a yeere, and for the manner of it, it is in the Kings power, that it shall never take effect, if he by a timely summons shall prevent any other way of assembling. In the Bill for continuance of this present Parliament, there seemes to be some restraint of the royall power in dissolving of Parliaments, not to take it out of the Crowne, but to suspend the execution of it for this time and occasion onely, which was so necessary for the Kings owne security, and the publique peace, that without it wee could not have undertaken any of these great charges, but must have left both the armies to disorder and confusion, and the whole Kingdome to blood and rapin. The Starchamber was much more fruitfull in oppression then in profit, the great fines being for the most part given away, and the rest stalled at long times. The fines of the high Commission were in themselves unjust and seldome or never came into the Kings purse. These foure Bils are particularly and more specially instanced, in the rest, there will not be found so much as a shadow of prejudice to the Crowne. They have sought to diminish our reputation with the people, and to bring them out of love with Parliaments: the aspersions which they have attempted this way, have beene such as these, That we have spent much time and done little, especially in those grievances which concerne Religion. That the Parliament is a burden to the Kingdome by the abundance of Protections which hinder Justice and Trade, and by many Subsidies granted much more heavy then any they formerly endured; to which there is a ready answer: If the time spent in this Parliament be considered in relation backward to the long growth and deep roote of those grievances, which wee have removed, to the powerfull supports of those delinquents which wee have pursued, to the great necessities and other charges of the Common wealth for which we have provided: or if it be considered in relation forward to many advantages, which not onely the present but future ages are like to reape by the good lawes and other proceedings in this Parliament, we doubt not but it will be thought by all indifferent judgments that our time hath beene much better imployed then in a farre greater proportion of time in many former Parliaments put together; and the charges which have beene laid upon the Subjects, and the other inconveniences which they have borne will seeme very light in respect of the benefit they have and may receive. And for the matter of Protections, the Parliament is so sensible of it, that therein they intend to give them whatsoever ease may stand with Honour and Justice; and are in a way of passing a Bill to give them satisfaction. They have sought by many subtile practices, to cause jealousies and divisions betwixt us and our brethren of _Scotland_, by slandering their proceedings and intentions towards us, and by secret endeavours to instigate and incense them and us one against another. They have had such a party of Bishops and popish Lords in the House of Peeres, as hath caused much opposition and delay in the prosecution of delinquents, hindred the proceedings of divers good Bils passed in the Commons House, concerning the reformation of sundry great abuses and corruptions both in Church and State. They have laboured to seduce and corrupt some of the Commons House, to draw them into Conspiracies and Combinations against the libertie of the Parliament: And by their instruments and agents they have attempted to disaffect and discontent his Majesties Army, and to ingage it for the maintenance of their wicked and trayterous designes, the keeping up of Bishops in their Votes and functions, and by force to compell the Parliament to order, limit, and dispose their proceedings in such manner as might best concurre with the intentions of this dangerous and potent faction: And when one mischievous designe, and attempt of theirs to bring on the Army against the Parliament, and the City of _London_ had been discovered and prevented, they presently undertooke another of the same damnable nature, with this addition to it, to endeavour to make the Scotish Army neutrall, whilst the English Army which they had laboured to corrupt and invenome against us by their false and slanderous suggestions should execute their malice to the subversion of our Religion and the dissolution of our government. Thus they have beene continually practizing to disturbe the peace, and plotting the destruction even of all the Kings Dominions, and have employed their emissaries and agents in them all for the promoting of their divellish designes which the vigilancie of those who were well affected hath still discovered and defeated before they were ripe for execution in _England_ and _Scotland_: only in _Ireland_ which was farther of, they have had time and opportunity to mould and prepare their worke, and had brought it to that perfection that they had possessed themselves of that whole Kingdome, totally subverted the government of it, rooted out Religion, and destroyed all the protestants whom the conscience of their duty to God, their King and Countrey would not have permitted to joyne with them, if by Gods wonderfull providence their maine enterprize upon the City and Castell of _Dublin_ had not beene detected and prevented upon the very eave before it should have beene executed. Notwithstanding they have in other parts of that Kingdome broken out into open rebellion, surprised Townes and Castles, committed murders, rapes, and other villanies; and shaken off all bonds of obedience to his Majesty, and the lawes of the Realme; and in generall have kindled such a fire, as nothing but Gods infinite blessing upon the wisdome and endeavours of this State will be able to quench it: and certainely had not God in his great mercy unto this Land discovered and confounded their former designes, we had been the Prologue to this Tragedy in _Ireland_, and had by this time been made the lamentable spectacle of misery and confusion. And now what hope have we but in God, when as the onely means of our subsistance, and power of reformation is under him, in the Parliament; but what can we the Commons without the conjunction of the House of Lords, and what conjunction can wee expect there, when the Bishops and Recusant Lords are so numerous and prevalent, that they are able to crosse and interrupt our best endeavours for reformation, and by that meanes give advantage to this malignant party to traduce our proceedings. They infuse into the people, that we meane to abolish all Church government, and leave every man to his owne fancy for the service and worship of God, absolving him of that obedience which he owes under God unto his Majesty whom wee know to be intrusted with the ecclesiasticall law as well as with the temporall to regulate all the members of the Church of _England_ by such rules of order and discipline as are established by parliament which is his great Councell, in all affaires both in Church and State. We confesse our intention is and our endeavours have been to reduce within bounds that exorbitant power which the prelates have assumed unto themselves so contrary both to the Word of God, and to the Laws of the Land, to which end wee past the Bill for the removing them from their temporall power, and imployments, that so the better they might with meekenesse apply themselves to the discharge of their functions, which Bill themselves opposed, and were the principall instruments of crossing it.

And we do here declare, that it is farre from our purpose or desire to let loose the golden reynes of discipline, and government in the Church, to leave private persons or particular Congregations to take up what forme of divine Service they please; for we hold it requisite that their should be throughout the whole Realme a conformity to that Order which the Lawes enjoyne, according to the Word of God: and we desire to unburthen the consciences of men of needlesse and superstitious ceremonies, suppresse innovations, and take away the monuments of Idolatry. And the better to effect the intended reformation we desire there may be a generall Synod of the most grave, pious, learned, and judicious Divines of this Island, assisted with some from forraine parts professing the same Religion with us, who may consider of all things necessary for the peace & good government of the Church, and represent the results of their consultations unto the Parliament to be there allowed of and confirmed, and receive the stamp of authority thereby to finde passage and obedience throughout the Kingdome. They have malitiously charged us that wee intend to destroy and discourage learning, whereas it is our chiefest care and desire to advance it and to provide a competent maintenance for conscionable and preaching Ministers throughout the Kingdome, which will be a great encouragement to Schollers, and a certaine means whereby the want, meanesse, and ignorance to which a great part of the Clergy is now subject, will be prevented. And wee intend likewise to reforme, and purge the fountaines of learning the two Universities, that the streames flowing from thence may be cleere and pure, and an honour and comfort to the whole Land. They have strayned to blast our proceedings in Parliament by wresting the interpretations of our Orders from their genuine intention. They tell the people that our medling with the power of Episcopacy, hath caused sectaries and conventicles, when idolatry and popish ceremonies introduced in the Church by the command of the Bishops have not onely debarred the people from thence, but expelled them from the Kingdome. Thus with _Eliah_ we are called by this malignant party the troublers of the State, and still while we endeavour to reforme their abuses, they make us the authours of those mischiefes we study to prevent: for the perfecting of the worke begun and removing all future impediments, we conceave these courses will be very effectuall, seeing the religion of the Papists, hath such principals as doe certainely tend to the destruction and extirpation of all Protestants when they shall have opportunity to effect it.

It is necessary in the first place to keep them in such a condition, as that they may not be able to do us any hurt, and for avoyding of such connivence and favour as hath heretofore been shewed unto them, That his Majesty be pleased to grant a standing Commission to some choice men named in Parliament, who may take notice of their encrease, their counsels and proceedings, and use all due meanes by execution of the Lawes to prevent all mischievous designes, against the peace and safety of this Kingdome. That some good course be taken to discover the counterfeit and false conformity of Papists to the Church by colour whereof persons very much disaffected to the true religion have beene admitted into place of greatest authority and trust in the Kingdome.

For the better preservation of the Lawes and liberties of the Kingdome, that all illegall grievances and exactions be presented, and punished at the Sessions, and Assizes: and that Judges and Justices be very carefull to give this in charge to the grand Jury, and both the Sheriffe and Justices to be sworne to the due execution of the petition of right and other Lawes: That his Majesty be humbly petitioned by both houses to employ such Counsellours, Ambassadors, and other Ministers in mannaging his businesse at home and abroad, as the Parliament may have cause to confide in, without which wee cannot give his Majesty such supplies for support of his owne estate, nor such assistance to the protestant party beyond the Sea, as is desired. It may often fall out that the Commons may have just cause to take exceptions at some men for being Counsellors, and yet not charge those men with crimes, for there be grounds of diffidence which lie not in proofe: there are others which though they may be proved yet are not legally criminall, to be a knowne favourer of papists, or to have beene very forward in defending or countenancing some great offenders questioned in Parliament, or to speake contemptuously of either Houses of Parliament, or Parliamentary proceedings, or such as are factours or agents for any forraine Prince of another Religion, such are justly suspect to get Counsellors places or any other of trust concerning publique imployment for money: For all these and divers others wee may have great reason to be earnest with his Majesty not to put his great affaires into such hands, though we may be unwilling to proceed against them in any legall way of charge or impeachment: that all Counsellors of State may be sworn to observe those Lawes which concerne the Subject in his libertie, that they may likewise take an oath not to receive or give reward or pension from any forraine Prince, but such as they shall within some reasonable time discover to the Lords of his Majesties Councell: and although they should wickedly forsweare themselves, yet it may herein doe good to make them knowne to be false and perjured to those who imploy them, and thereby bring them into as little credit with them as with us. That his Majesty may have cause to be in love with good Counsel and good men, by shewing him in an humble and dutifull manner, how full of advantage it would be to himselfe, to see his owne estate setled in a plentifull condition to support his honour, to see his people united in waies of duty to him, and endeavours of the publique good; to see happinesse, wealth, peace and safety derived to his owne Kingdome, and procured to his Allies by the influence of his owne power and government. That all good courses may be taken to unite the two Kingdomes of _England_ and _Scotland_ to be mutually ayding and assisting of one another for the common good of the Island, and honour of both. To take away all differences amongst our selves for matters indifferent in their owne nature concerning Religion; and to unite our selves against the common enemies which are the better enabled by our divisions to destroy us all, as they hope and have often endeavoured. To labour by all offices of friendship to unite the forrain Churches with us in the same cause, and to seeke their liberty, safety, and prosperity, as bound thereunto both by charity to them, and by wisdome for our owne good. For by this meanes our owne strength shall be encreased, and by a mutuall concurrence to the same common end, we shall be enabled to procure the good of the whole body of the Protestant profession. If these things may be observed, wee doubt not but God will crowne this Parliament with such successe as shall be the beginning, and foundation of more honour and happinesse to his Majesty, then ever yet was enjoyed by any of his Royall Predecessors.

FINIS.

Transcriber's Note ------------------

Archaic and inconsistent spelling and punctuation has been reproduced as printed.

Illegible or unclear letters have been imputed to form the word expected in the context.

The following changes have been made to the text as printed:

Page 33: "whereupou" has been changed to "whereupon".

Page 37: "wher-by" hyphenated across a line break has been rendered as "whereby".

Page 37: A full stop has been inserted after "Vote of both Houses".

Page 39: "ex-exchanges" hyphenated across a line break has been rendered as "exchanges".