Plain dealing or a fair vvarning to the gentlemen of the Committee for Union : in a letter intended to Alderman Foulks, to be communicated unto them accordingly at Gurney House, or elsewhere. / Written by a friend to the Parliament, City and kingdom, and for their vindication, is now published to the world. Adams, Thomas, Sir, 1586-1668. This text is an enriched version of the TCP digital transcription A75870 of text R204469 in the English Short Title Catalog (Thomason E416_3). Textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. The text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with MorphAdorner. The annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). Textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. This text has not been fully proofread Approx. 17 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 5 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. EarlyPrint Project Evanston,IL, Notre Dame, IN, St. Louis, MO 2017 A75870 Wing A497 Thomason E416_3 ESTC R204469 99863959 99863959 116177 This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal . The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. Early English books online. (EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A75870) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 116177) Images scanned from microfilm: (Thomason Tracts ; 66:E416[3]) Plain dealing or a fair vvarning to the gentlemen of the Committee for Union : in a letter intended to Alderman Foulks, to be communicated unto them accordingly at Gurney House, or elsewhere. / Written by a friend to the Parliament, City and kingdom, and for their vindication, is now published to the world. Adams, Thomas, Sir, 1586-1668. 8 p. s.n.], [London : Printed in the first year of the Agitators raign, MDCXLVII. [1647] A friend to the Parliament = Sir Thomas Adams, whose initials appear as A.T. on p.8. The union referred to in title is between Parliament and the City of London. Imperfect: significant bleed-through. Annotations on Thomason copy: "By maior Tho: Adams"; "Nou: 17 1647". Reproduction of the original in the British Library. eng England and Wales. -- Parliament -- Early works to 1800. Great Britain -- History -- Civil War, 1642-1649 -- Early works to 1800. London (England) -- Defenses -- Early works to 1800. A75870 R204469 (Thomason E416_3). civilwar no Plain dealing: or a fair vvarning to the gentlemen of the Committee for Union : in a letter intended to Alderman Foulks, to be communicated Adams, Thomas, Sir 1647 2971 32 0 0 0 0 0 108 F The rate of 108 defects per 10,000 words puts this text in the F category of texts with 100 or more defects per 10,000 words. 2007-03 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2007-03 Apex CoVantage Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2007-04 Emma (Leeson) Huber Sampled and proofread 2007-04 Emma (Leeson) Huber Text and markup reviewed and edited 2008-02 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion PLAIN DEALING OR A Fair Warning TO THE Gentlemen of the COMMITTEE FOR UNION : IN A LETTER Intended to ALDERMAN FOVLKS , To be Communicated unto them accordingly at Gurney House , or elsewhere . Written by a Friend to the Parliament , City and Kingdom , and for their Vindication , is now published to the World . MATH . 18. 7. ●o unto the world , because of offences : but it must needs be that offences come : but wo unto that man by whom the offence cometh . Printed in the first Year of the Agitators Raign , MDCXLVII . PLAIN DEALING OR A Fair VVarning TO THE Gentlemen of the COMMITTEE FOR UNION . Gentlemen , THat this meeting may prove effectuall by Gods blessing to the end pretended , even a sweet union between the godly , and a happy Composure of this unhappy difference ; I thought it my duty to give you ( as briefly and plainly as I can : ) that which I conceive , must necessarily be debated in order to this union : and were not Religion , Gods cause , the Kingdom , nay three Kingdoms so nearly con●●●ned , I would have been silent for my brethrens sakes , for whom it 〈◊〉 me at the very heart . But it may be remembred , the fathers dangers made the dumb child to speak , you know there is no sore can be throughly cured , but it must indure some smart ; if this sore be not skilfully handled , and throughly cured , it may prove fatall to the Gospel , throughout all Europe ; and in truth , whatsoever specious pretext to the contrary , a perpetual farewel to Englands , Irelands and Scotlands Common Right and Freedom * ; whatsoever Mr. Estwick is pleas'd to say , I am confident his own Conscience tells him , The Gentlemen he accuseth for promoting a new War , and his inveighing against the City Remonstrance , Declaration , and all the late Carriages of the promoters thereof , is really from a deep sense of their duty , and the danger , this Parliament was in by the Armies disobedience , whose proceedings all along since , doth sufficiently justifie , and make manifest , and whether or no the fundamental Laws of the Land be not now subverted , and the very being of Parliaments struck at , when the Army hath not only refused to obey the Parliament , but contrarily hath forst obedience from them , both in voting and unvoting , and hath taken upon them to judg the case of the Kingdom , nay , to be the Parliaments Judges , and to require Reasons of their votes , to be given them , or such as they confide in , as appears by that Declaration of the 18 , of June , and Parliament like , to receive the Countryes Petitions , set up a * General Counsel against the Great Counsel of the Land undertake to do that there , only proper to Parliaments ; vote down the Kings negative voyce , the House of Pears , set periods to Parliaments , give Rules and Directions to Parliaments . I would I could not add that bold fac'd Treason , when they declared the Parliament to be no Parliament . In a word , as they have devided the Parliaments , so have they Fomented and Promoted all the divisions in the Kingdom , that shakes the very foundations of this Common-wealth ; what exceeding * Juggling hath bin in the Army from the beginning , and also , withall the world besides : Absolon like to steal away the hearts of the people , and to cozen and cheat them out of their very understandings , to the betraying of themselves , the Parliament , even to the indangering the ever having more Parliaments ? What strange and undutiful expressions ? What slander and Reproaches ? Nay , what treasonable speeches and actions hath bin attempted against this Parliament ? Was not the Kings taking from Holdenby disowned by the Army since own'd , upon very great pretences of loyally and duty to him , but what performances all the world may now see by his Maiesties present escape for the safety of his person , as well as by the attempts of the Agitators * , to Impeach him without any Authority or Countenance of the Parliaments ; and such other attempts upon the Parliament and Ministery of the Gospel , that if Absolon were now alive to act his Treason , it might wel enough pass among the Croud , for Common Right and Freedom Was not the Petition disowned since owned ? Was not their disobedience disowned with a great deal of fained sorrow , since own'd with a great deal of real Joy ; doth any man know what to make of the Army now , one piece of it is for Paul , and other for Apollos , and an other for Sephaes , but all out of order , all disobedient to the Parliament , ever and anon professing that the Parliament is not yet for their turn ; so that the truth is , and I think all the world can never make it out , that there is any thing to be said for them , but that whilst they were obedient , God honoured them to be Instruments to this poor Kingdom ; which very service makes me pour out many a prayer to God , to pour upon them the spirit of Repentance and Obedience , without which I much doubt of any good by your meeting : for when God comes to enquire after all those things , I am afraid he wil charge upon the Armies disobedience , the new * War you talk of , the accusation of the Imprisoned and banished ones , the renting and tearing in piec●s the Parliament , the City , the whole Kingdom , nay 3 , Kingdoms , the hinderers of Irelands Relief ; promoters of the Famine , both of bread , and of the word of the Lord , and of all the sad Consequences we fear may follow : So that the Subiect or matter that tends to a godly union in my opinion wil be speedily to make a Religious Retreat , if nature prevail so with you that you canot own the new War , yet let grace be so predominant as not to continue to charge it upon those you know are * innocent , set at liberty all those Gentlemen , most of which I know you have had such signal Testimonies of their faithfulness to this Parliament , that as I am confident , Treason wil not stick by them , so the several footsteps of Gods providence ever since hath given strange Commendation to their endeavors , as if God would have the world to see , that they then did but attempt to do their duty : Put both Houses and the City into the same posture they were in , when you first medled with them , and then know , that there is much doubt too , whether unity and uniformity be not twins to live and dye together . I am perswaded there is many great Officers of the Army in ●ool bloud , could heartily wish themselves where they were when they begun , but they are now in a snare , and Subiect to many Temptations : yet I hope their ●●genuity is such , that though ambition bids them goe on , that they will Remember they have not so learned Christ ; and the further they go the more misery they wil run themselves into ; for I am confident , without Repentance , God wil bring them to a s●● reckoning , at last : and indeed Gentlemen : how can a true Israelite , a true English man , dispence with his duty ? Nay can England , that has obleiged it selfe by so many Solemn Vows * and Covenants , to preserve the Parliament , when so apparently it is indangered ? were not the 11. Members fain to leave the Parliament , or else they would turn them out by force ? Did not the Parliament Vote six days one after another , That , that was a Parliament the Army Voted was none ; and would , as I think , have Voted so til this day , could we say they were not now under a force ? But I believe the last great turn given to the Parliament by that 1000 Horse , commanded by Major Desborough into Hide Park ( to execute that dreadful Declaration or poysonous purge , of which the Parliament hath never yet recovered , and was such a blow to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to these three Kingdoms ●● cannot yet be paralel'd ) wil require a thorough REPENTANCE : And though we cannot see all the plots and designs of men , yet God knows all the present juglings of this Age ; and we have had so much experience in all the transactions , since this unhappy difference , as to say , surely this putting of the Army thus out of joynt is to try the skil of some or other . But , I hope , the Gentlemen that press an Union upon that ground , wil see a providence in it , and say of their policy , all is uanity : and that surely by this division in the Army , God minds us of our disobedience , and that we should trust God more in his ordinary way of providence : and let Parliaments alone with the setling of Church and State , as only proper to them : And if the Soldiers act without , or in opposition to their Officers : is it not Lex Talionis ? Is it not the bitter fruit of their own rash Councels and Actions ? Believe it , all the would , that observes the Army , may with good reason conclude , that they are gone so far , that they now resolve only to depend upon their own strongth for Indempnity : their own Papers do more then intimate as much : if so then , what good issue of this meeting can be expected without some better incouragement from that party : but some kind of acknowledgment , or s●bmission or something akin to it ? And indeed , what ever is pretended that seems to be their aim , if Master Estwick spake their Meaning at the last Meeting ; and if so , ●hen know that an ungodly Union cannot hold ; for if you could out-reach or out-wit men , it s to no purpose , for God wil laugh you to s●orn and have you in derision ; as its good to forget on all sides , so its dangerous to countenance any of the late passages since this difference , or to comply while they have power to drive on their own designs * . It would be too tedious to give you a taste of all the bitter fruit of the Armies disobedience : but in one Paper they take Liberty of Conscience , to desire the punishment of those Gentlemen that out of conscience , and in obedience , left the Army : And M. Estwick more then intimated , that he greatly desired an Union between the Parliament and City , only some particular Gentlemen should lie under the guilt of a new War ; of whose innocency , by this time , I presume he cannot be ignorant : but that self defence , which he is pleased to cal a new War , I am fully satisfied , had been the only way to preserve the Parliament , City and Kingdom from all those dangers both felt and feard , had they not by their craft and subtilty , sown so much division among the godly , that we thereby were in danger of a common Enemy . To conclude , so long , I am confident ▪ as a counsel of Agitators is set up to oppose the great Counsel of Parliament , and we humble not our selves for it , there is little hopes of an Union ; nay it is a great dishonor to our English Nation , a hissing stock and by-word in all Countries . Can you read , without trembling , the Case of the Army , and Call to the Army , the Diurnal , & several other Papers , what danger our Religion is in , what dishonor is cast upon our God , what Heresies and Blasphemies are fomented and maintained , what Hypocrisies in reference to Ireland , what double dealing in reference to England . Witness their own Relation of his Majesties escape or retirement ; indeed they have as many several designs as they are parties in the Army ; and all tend to a New War , if hiding or driving of King , Parliament and Religion our of the Kingdom wil do it , under the notion of Peace and Truth or common Right and Freedom . What indeavoring to charge their own treasons * and mischiefs upon other mens shoulders ; all which together with the present necessity of settling the King and Kingdom , relieving Ireland , easing the Kingdom of those unnecessary , Taxes , as Free quarter and all other charges upon the poor Country ▪ occasioned by the Armies disobedience ; I say , as all these Cals for Fasting and Prayer , and for humbling our selves to a happy speedy Union ; so shal it also be the dayly prayer and sincere indeavor of Yours and the Kingdoms humble and faithful Servant , A. T. ENglands sickness , Irelands dying , and Scotlands sad Complaints Are from our ●rethrens mischiefs we thought to be the Saints . Our Religion and Liberty the glory of this Nation , Is through their disobedience brought neer to desolation . And without our God step in to stop their persecution , We may expect at last , the Parliaments dissolution ▪ And ●nstead of King & Parliament , the Pillars of this kingdom Have Community and parity for Common right and freedome . But that sincere Repentance may be their Resolution . God give them grace , and pardon too , and send a good conclusion FINIS . Notes, typically marginal, from the original text Notes for div A75870e-100 * For do not Soldiers usurp the Parliaments authority , which is one fair step to it ? and for the Ministry , they 'l be preachers ; Rome may keep their Iesuits at home these wil do their work for them if God prevent not . * The Junto or Mock Parliament at Putney . * Is there not jugling in the Kings being found at the Ifle of Wight . I wish his person be not st●l in danger ; and that we knew the Truth . * If you see them shot to death for their attempts upon the King , Parliament & City , then I hope al wil be wel , no as bad as ever without Peters Repentance ; even among the head Officers , who sin in that also ; is it not as just for the Agitators to disobey their Officers as for them to disobey the Parliament . * What is your own Child turn'd a Monster that you are asham'd to own it . * The Lord Maior , Aldermen , the Members of both Houses , and divers others occused of High Treason or Misdemeanors . * How y●u have k●pt the Coven●nt let your conscie●ces speak , that have not only ●uffered the priviledges of Parliament to be b●●ken , but have broken them your selves . Do not your own consciences check you if they do defer n●t Repentance , un●avel & und● what you have rashly done ; for I hope you see what it is to let the golden 〈◊〉 of Government loose , and if you be real converts leave jugling . * To be sure they have not power to defend King , Parliament and Kingdom , as appears by the Kings flight at their confession & practice dayly . Do not the Gen●ral Counc●l drive one way and the Agiltators another ●● the best Lie , Gen. Cromwel can do is but to obstruct their treason , which they chuse to suffer in h●●es of a better opportunity to act it ; and it s wel known have no smal Party , and are in a desperat● c●●dition . * What difference between privat tampering now and Sir Io●●●●thans treasons or is there liberty for saints to act what was treason as they say in the 11. Members or any elle ? or is this the way to peace to keep the Parliament in the dark , or if they wil see to putout their eyes ? this Machivil an polcy wil never restore Englands peace surely it s neither the victory over the Agitators , nor the General Councel , nor any other select number of officers in the Army but the Armies obedience to the Parliament , & the freedom of Parliament and application of both Kingdoms to his Majesty that 's likely to procure a firm & lasting peace